mine heauenly father yea all they that came of y e stock of Adam are all become abominable and of none abilitie to doe good there is none that worketh righteousnes no not one my selfe excepted who according to y e promise of mine heaueÌ„ly father in the beginning made to Adam y t the seede of the woman should tread downe the Serpents head who was also promised to Abraham Isaak and Iacob where it was foretold that in their seede should all the kingdomes of the earth be blessed therefore must thou beleue that y e originall corruption which proceeded froÌ„ Adam remaineth yet in all flesh in generall whose reward is death But my father hath reserued vnto himselfe a certaine number knowne onely vnto himselfe which in my bloud he hath sanctified vnto eternall life whom by the holy Ghost he elected and chose out before the foundation of the world to be his childreÌ„ adopted and vnited into his fauour and mercie againe by me his onely sonne who in the time from the beginning of the world limited by the holy Prophets foreshewed came into the world in the very shape forme of a man and in all thinges lyke vnto a man sinne excepted conceiued in the wombe of a virgin whose name was Marie by the holy ghost and was incarnate and tooke substaunce of her bodie and borne into the world and growing in the fleshe according to the manner of sinfull men yet without sin according to the worde of the Prophetes And that I was y e Messias so long before promised who should bring ioy glad tidings vnto all the world and to set those at libertie that were in the boÌ„dage of Sathan sould vnder sinne and to giue light to them that sate in darknes and in the shadowe of death who haue bin from the beginning of the world begotten before all creatures and consecrated of mine heauenly Father to be the onely Hye Priest that should offer the Sacrifice that should appease his wrath for all the sinnes of the worlde to be the king to defend his people and the Prophet to shewe them his will and to guide their feete vnto the way of peace Who by offering vp my body in sacrifice once for all through the eternall spirite without spotte or sinne purged the consciences of men from dead workes to serue the liuing God mine heauenly Father and that for that purpose I lefte the heauenly Cittie the bosome of mine heauenly Father and being Lorde of all became a subiect and seruaunt to all laying aside all glorie and put on the base attire of mortall man being indued with two natures Deuine and Humaine without which the will of my Father could not haue bin executed according to his diuine prouidence for in my humanitie I was in this worlde parsonally dwelling among men eating and drinking among men and was verie man of the promised seed of Dauid and yet as touching my Godhead I was nothing inferiour to mine heauenly father but coequall with him and coeternall yet was I coÌ„tent to humble my selfe obey his will and to shewe his vnspeakeable loue and ardent desire he had of the redemption of mankinde wherein he gaue me his onely sonne to dye for the sinnes of the world who according to his determinate will did most willingly imbrace euen the death of the Crosse to redeeme them from death that were iustly condemned performing the message of mine heauenly father in all things doing nothing but what was decreed before the beginning of the world by the eternal counsaile I became poore to make thee rich and to be a meane to bring thee into the fauour of mine heauenly father againe I became bond to the will of mortall men to make thee free with the imortall God I became a straunger and a Pilgrim in earth to make thee a Citizen of heauen I became the sonne of mortall man to make thee the childe of the liuing GOD I suffered the paynes of Hell to purchaze thee heauen I was content to sufter the cruell death of the Crosse to procure thee lyfe eternal Thou must therefore faithfullie belieue that I am that Christ that true Messias that was promised to be the Sauiour of the world who was annoynted with the oyle of grace and was indued with all spirituall heauenly giftes here in earth aboue all others and that my flesh was so sanctified with my Diuinitie and Godhead that it could not suffer or see corruption Thou must belieue also that after I had preached the will of my father in Iudea and Galile in great humilitie where both by word and miracles I shewed my selfe to be the sonne of God as also by the preachings of the Prophets The Iewes by all meanes sought to take me but could not before my time was come and when the howre came when I should be deliuered into their hands according to the will of my Father I was vniustly accused of y e chief priests who consulting how they might haue me taken procured Iudas falsly to betray me promising him a bribe who although I could haue preuented him betrayed me with a kisse And then the chiefe Priestes bound me and brought me before Pylate and had prouided false witnes to accuse me wicked ministers to scourge me scoffers to deride me condemning me most vniustly to dye and to be hanged vpon the Crosse betweene two theeues as a principall malefactor and yet pure and altogether without spotte or sinne where most ignominiously and cruelly I was crowned with a Crowne of thornes in dispitefull and disdaynfull manner saluting me by the name of the king of the Iewes who being thirstie they gaue me most sharpe vinegar mingled with gall to drinke all which I most meekely and willingly suffered tooke all their torments patiently their raylings and reuilings mildlie their buffetings spittings at me meekelie longing for the redemption of mankinde to be baptized with that baptisme of so greeuous a death and to offer vp once for all the sacrifice of my bodie to reuiue them that were dead in sinne and to obtaine pardon for their transgressions euen the tender loue I had to the saluation of their poore soules by which oblation I haue purchased full satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world that whoe so beleeueth in me should not pearish but should obtaine eternall lyfe Thou must verely beleeue also that I dyâ—d vppon the same Crosse and euen giuing vp the ghost into the handes of mine heauenly Father I indured such agonie due for the sinne of mankinde which aunswered the Iustice of mine heauenly Father in so heauy exceeding manner in respect of mine humanitie that the verie anguish and conflict of the flesh and spirit I sweat water and â—loud and was
holy Ghost being y e third person of the Trinitie is a diuine person coessentiall and coeternall with my father me who proceedeth from mine heauenly father and mee It is the comforter and spirite of trueth the very pledge and earnest penye of thy saluation whereby thou art sanctified and assured in thy conscience that thou art the child of mine heauēly father and heire of eternall life and by it dwelleth mine heauenly father in thee It is the directiō to all goodnesse whatsoeuer whereby the Prophets haue prophesied mine Apostles preached all auncient Fathers written and al godly men tasted of the sweete and comfortable message which I haue brought into this worlde It is the water of life which by no meanes will flowe into the hearts of the wicked nor abide in the hearts of y e vnbeleuers but delighteth to rest in the hearts and to guide the soules of thē tha beleeue and cleaue vnto righteousnesse and thereby mayst thou answere the aduersaries of my worde and Gospel It is the holy Ghost that calleth men from darknesse to walke in light that procureth newnesse of life and that mortefieth the old man the world and the flesh and maketh thee strong against sinne death and Satan and that giueth knowledge of the trueth and power to imbrace it and which maketh my yoke easie and my burthen light that strengtheneth the weake hearts and feeble consciences to serue mine heauenly father whereby thou art conducted and guided the way that leadeth vnto the blisse that neuer shall cease It measureth all thy doings by the rule of my worde reformeth errors and reproueth the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of Iudgement and beareth witnesse in the hearts of all beleeuers that their sinnes are freely forgiuen thē in me It was the guyd whereby mine Apostles folowed me without the which no man can say that Iesus is the Lord. Thou must also faithfully beleeue in one Catholique Church vniuersall dispersed throughout the whole worlde being the whole companie of the faithfull beleeuers in mee who notwithstanding they are not of one vnite companie in bodily societie yet in respect of their mutuall and ioynt agreemēt of their faith of their life their Baptisme their holy Table and true Religion they are one Church and Cōgregation of those y t of the free grace and mercy of God mine heauenly father are chosen and predestinat to eternall life of which Church Congregatiō I am the head and whom the holy Ghost hath sanctified made holy and whome I commende vnto mine heauenly father to enioye that inheritaunce which I haue purchased with my blood who as long as they are conuersaunt in this miserable worlde and beare about them the heauy burthen of the flesh cannot do that which they should and therfore cannot be of such perfection nor be so purged from their originall corruption and infirmities which abideth in all flesh as is requisite vntill such time as I their head shall appeare whē they likewise shal appeare with me in glorie which Church godly Cōgregation y u must likewise beleeue to be so knit vnited together in the band of mutuall loue godly agreemēt that whatsoeuer good gift mine heauēly father bestoweth vpon them perticulerly they imploye it to the cōmon behoofe of all in generall And that as this Church and Congregation of al faithfull beleeuers in me is the true Catholique and apostolique Church so for them I haue purchased free forgiuenes of al their sinnes and that of y e mere loue of mine heauenly father and mine obedience vnto the death and nothing of their deserts in so much as there remaineth none other satisfaction or attonemēt to bee made with mine heauenly for the sinnes of y e world but my self only that none can obteine remission of their sinnes but such as bee made true mēbers of the same Church by me for besides the same Congregation there be none but such as work iniquities to whō I will say depart from me I know you not for whom there is a place of endles woe prouided Also thou must beleeue that although the corruptible bodies of mākinde must perish putrefie returne againe to dust of which it was first created yet that in the last day they shal rise again with the same bodies and couered with the same skinnes which now they haue and which thē shall be renewed and glorified they that are departed this life alreadie shall take againe their owne bodies which then shall bee of farre greater glorie then either in this life they were or that any heart can imagine And those that at my comming shall be founde liuing in this worlde shall suddainely bee chaunged and those that bee of this Congregation the true members of this Church shalbe placed in the vnspeakeable ioyes of eternall blisse but those that haue giuen them selues in this world to the fulfilling of the lustes and desires of the flesh liued in wantonnes chambering the Couetouse persons the Usurers Drunkardes Gluttons and vngodly persons shall not enioy the benefite of that sacrifice which with mine owne body I offered on the Crosse once for all but shalbe cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth THese things must thou faithfully and vndoubtedly beleeue to be the very trueth and groūd of true religion which who so beleeueth not is no true member of that holy Catholique Church which is predestinate to be saued And therefore by a firme and constaunt faith thou must take holde of these things which I haue declared vnto thee being the ground of thy saluation freely promised in me of which faith the holy ghost is y e giuer who frameth the hearts of all men to beleeue the promises of my heauenly father touching their saluation in mee sealeth vp the sam◠promises in their hearts whereby they perswade themselues to be members of the same true Church and of the company of those that are predestinate to be saued which fayth bringeth forth the fruites of a godly life the beginning whereof as I sayde before is vnfeyned repentance grounded vpon this true and vndoubted fayth in which two Faith and repentance is conteined the whole summe of my Gospell wherefore as thou hast heard what this faith is howe it worketh and what it should bee exercised in So must thou reteine it and bring foorth the fruites thereof that it may appeare a liuely an effectuall and not not a dead fayth And forasmuch as the night is so neere I will for this day here make an ende And in the meane time woulde haue thee to meditate of my former wordes not forgetting them but diligently inclyning all thy studie will and whole heart effectually to followe that which may testifie in thy conscience that thou art
the same inwardly which thou desirest to seeme outwardly And in the morning when thou comest againe I will proceede to direct thee to that repentance wherein thou must exercise thy selfe towardes the amendement of thy former life The sinfull man Would GOD the night were not so neere thy talke delighteth mee Encrease my fayth to morrowe I will waite againe on thee The ende of the VVednesdaye or third dayes Conference A PRAYER FOR the encrease of faith and for the direction of the holy spirite to frame our liues according to the rule which God the father in his sonne Christ hath prescribed vnto vs. OH God my God giuer of al good things and the sure defence and succour of all them that faithfully beleeue in thee Loe I thy silly creature the worke of thine owne handes who in my great darkenes and ignorance humbly craue of thee the light that shineth from on high that faith sweete Lord without the which no maÌ„ can please thee which proceedeth from the holy Ghost the most wholsome water of life whereof oh Lorde giue mee some taste some sparcle whereby I may come vnto thee wherby I may frame my life according to thy blessed and heauenly will and whereby I may truely serue thee and doe worship to thine holy name Vouchsafe oh Lorde vouchsafe in Iesus Christ thine onely and welbeloued sonnes name and for his sake to be mercifull vnto my wretchednes to forgiue my wickednes to strengthen my weakenes to pardon my dulnes and more and more to encrease my fayth and to vouchsafe mee perfect knowledge of goodnes and ablenes by thine holy spirit to follow thee to frame myne heart vnfaynedly to loue thee my will to seeke al my powers to doe their dueties to praise thee Lord increase my faith which is the principall meane whereby we take hold of thy most louing and most comfortable promises in Christ our Sauiour thyne only and welbeloued Sonne whome thou of meere loue of our saluation sentest into this miserable world here to suffer the opprobrious death of the Ctosse to appease thy wrath for our sinnes and to risâ— agayne for our iustification The worlâ—â—hereof sweete IeIesus thou hast not onely most willingly as an obedient sonne performed according to thy fathers will but hast reueyled and manifested the mystery thereof to all the worlde and trayned out the way that wee should walke in to come to that vnspeable happy habitation the endlesse blessings and passing ioyes whereof no tong can expresse Thou hast by thy death sweete Iesus purchased agayne for vs that which before we had lost in Adam Thou hast redeemed vs again out of the hands of death and raunsomed vs from the cruell bondage of Sathan that enemy of al mankind whose head although thou haue troden downe and payd the vttermost which could be demaunded for our redemption spoyled him of all his power and vnarmed him of all his weapons gotten the victorie ouer death and hell Yet such is our weakenes our corruption and the hardnesse of our beliefe in thee that he remayneth yet tyrannous diligently attending watching and seeking whom he may deuour whom he may leade with blindnesse into error and false religion into the wayes of wickednesse to destruction both of body and soule And we most wretched sinners prone to doe that which is contrary to thy will haue of our selues no power to â—â—thstand him no ablenes to auoyde his tyranny Wherefore most louing Iesus I the most wretched and sinfull the most ignorant and blind creature most humbly pray thyne ayde thyne assistance and gracious protection not onely to defend mee from the clawes of Sathan and his ministers the World and lustes of the corrupt flesh but also grace to guyde my life in fayth vnfeyned perfect loue and true feare of thee myne onely Sauiour and Redeemer hauing none other hold none other helpe strength defence or hope to be defended saufely conducted in a godly life and conuersation but thy selfe sweet Iesus thou inuincible captaine thou lambe of God who takest vpon thee the sinnes of the world whose will is that we should bee saued and be preserued from the hands of that cruell Aduersary the Deuill But alas good Iesus so blynded are we that we can not see the way to thee so deafe that we refuse to heare thee and so disobedient that we come not willingly vnto thee we haue not attended when thou hast taught vs but haue refused to bee instructed when thou hast directed vs. But most louing Iesus the cause is the want of that most excellent gift of thyne a true fayth which thou hast offered and I neglected and therefore haue I not hethertoo bene perfectly assured nor certeynly perswaded in heart of the performance of those most comfortable blessings which are promised in thee Oh sweete Iesus haue thou remorse of this my dulnesse plucke out of myne heart the Beame of vnbeleefe and voutsafe mee now the right vse of that most singuler meane of following thee the eye of a perfect and true faith and let naturall reason the Mother of error no longer deceyue mee or drawe mee into conceites contrary to thy most blessed will but being indued with thy gift of vnfeyned faith I may truely repent mee of all my former euils and so euermore hereafter euen to my liues end cleaue stedfastly to pure religion the true seruice of thee Oh Lord giue me one sparcle of this true fayth wherby I may be able to comprehend rightly to vnderstand what thy diuine will and pleasure is in all things That I may frame mine outward desires to the fulfilling therof and by thine holy spirit continually keepe downe the prowde attempts vnlawlawfull desires and carnall lustes of the flesh withstand the deuill in all his assaultes and manfully ouercome the vayne pleasures of this wicked world Oh giue mee the shielde of a true fayth and the brestplate of vnfeyned repentance to fight that good fight that happy fight whereby I may be crowned with the glorious crowne of victorie and whereby I may bee accepted into the number and societie of that holy congregation and fellowship of the faithfull the Catholique Church wherof sweete Iesus thou art the head and onely defence in whome whosoeuer ouercommeth thou hast ordeyned the Diademe of al true happines wherwith thou hast promised to crowne them and to set the title of triumph vpon their heads to place them in that heauenly countrie that celestial inheritance wherein there shalbe no more feare no more cares no more vanities or affliction of spirit but continuall peace vnfained loue vnspeakable ioyes and endles felicitie for euermore Wherefore sweete Iesu vouchsafe mee that spirituall weapon the shield of a true fayth that fighting therewith against all the assaults of sinne vnder the Banner of thy protection I may in the ende be crowned with the Crowne of Eternall life among the rest of thy chosen children sweete Iesu Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth And euermore
effect in many whom he withdraweth from hearing my ministers messengers to pronounce my Gospel as he seeketh to withdrawe thee froÌ„ hearing mee saying to some why what wilt thou stande hearing of this man to prate in the Pulpit he hath no learning he hath no vtteraunce he hath this imperfection or that and so pluckes theÌ„ by the sleeue to goe gad to walke and to wander in their wonted waÌ„tonnesse and wicked waies in such abhomination as the stincke of their filthintsse hath infected many Some he sendeth to the hearing of the worde but why to heare for profite no but to cauell and to descant vpon the Preachers words and interpretation of this worde of that sentence so fall into a deuillish disputatioÌ„ wresting the trueth to their owne corrupt imaginatioÌ„s bringing into the Church scruples doubtful questions as the ministers of Satan to be stuÌ„bling blocks lets vnto y e passage of the deuine message of my heauenly father whereby hath growen so many Sects Scismes Heresies false constructions and deuillish doctrines that my Church is nothing so great as the most damnable Chappell of Antechrist And I see that of set purpose to hinder thine amendment hath he whispered thee in the eare and tolde thee that thou art cunning enough and that thou maist worke and accomplish al things by thine owne free will But thou art greatly deceiued for I will be knowne to be only righteous thy self to be ful of wickednesse not knowing what my righteousnesse is and yet takest vpon thee most arrogantly a perfection of wisedome and abilitie to know and doe all good thinges when in deede thou art mere foolishnesse and corruption it selfe Wherfore I say cast downe thy self in thine owne conceipt put of al presumption and hope of thine owne strength hearken not to Satan but consider that thou hadst vtterly perished in thy sinnes and beene quite and cleane cast away by reason of thy desease hast thou not had this meane to bee healed and to be purged and made cleane by my blood And therefore I say againe be warned and looke vnto thy selfe be watchfull to the ende least thou growe ouerbolde and so heape a more horrible vengeaunce of my heauenly father vpon thee The sinfull man Alas what must I sinner doe whereto poore wretch must I Imploye my self I thinke there be no shift but I must dye I will like wofull wight in hast of hayre-cloth make my bed And clad my carefull corps in sacke and cast dust on my head In mourning wise to pas my daies and pinch my self with fast As my forefathers did that I may purchase blisse at last Solace IN deede that hath bene the maner in the olde world as ceremonies vsed as shewes of great heauinesse and argumeÌ„ts of humilitie and outward tokens of repentance But consider this that these outward shewes are not alwaies accompanied with that inwarde working which cauleth repentaunce vnto saluation but rather a worldly shew of sorrowe vnto death for that that vnder this kind of disguising outwarde shew there may lurke deepe dissimulatioÌ„ hipocrisie making an outward shew of heauines and yet not ceasing inwardly to laugh to reteine their former wanton desires like a theefe that when he is brought before y e Iudge or Magistrate vpon hope to be acquitted can crye out and make a great shew of outward lameÌ„tation kneeling crouching and other hypocriticall meanes to be discharged and when he hath his libertie he caÌ„ fal to his old wickednesse a fresh like vnto the sturdie Begger that feineth him selfe lame his armes mayned his body crippled in this warres or in that worke by such a mishap and halting before men in hope to be releeued with other mens sweate shewing him self impotent who when he hath obteined his purpose and gotten his game he can turne his face and fleere to his fellowe hipocrites leape and skippe like lustie Uagabondes and vnder colour of this hypocrisie not onely deceiueth many with the outward dissembling shewe but when he seeth a bootie and oportunitie serueth hee can play the kindly Ruffian and take it by violence whose dissimulation deserueth dubble punishment Thus thou seest that the outwarde shew is often deceiuable but the true sorrowe the acceptable repentaunce is inwarde according to the wordes of the Prophet Ioell who cryeth out and sayth Rent your hearts not your garments and turne to the Lord your God and not to looke outwardly sowre as hypocrites disfiguring your selues with this or that kind of outward Ceremonie that the shew of your repentaunce may appeare more outwardly then in deede it is inwardly to which words of Ioell is added that it must be with fasting weeping and mourning in Sackcloth and Ashes prostrate on the grounde which in those daies was in deede a testimonie of repentaunce yet that outward shewe without the inward compuÌ„ction and renting of the heart with a godly and continual sorrowe and zealous lamentation for sinnes was mere hipocrisie And yet were not this visible shewes of Sackcloth and Ashes with many other like rites and ceremonies to be condemned in those daies for that they were giuen and accustomed not y t through the visible and externall shewe onely which was but the shadow could sufficiently appease the wrath of mine heauenly father but that therby they might so much the more eleuate and lift vp their mindes aboue the thing seene to a further and more higher consideration both of their owne corruption weakenesse and blindnesse and of the mercies and most louing promises of God mine heauenly father of which faithfull consideration of the visible shew grew an inward godly sorrowe causing repentaunce vnto saluation but the externall Ceremonie without faith in God mine heaueÌ„ly father was then not only not auaileable but very abominable But since the sacrafice of my body vpon the Crosse for sinne once for all was offered that outwarde Ceremonie is not materiall who by my death haue fulfilled and performed y e whole somme of all the lawe And therefore not onely such ceremonies as haue been in the old world but peeuish Pilgrimages Ceremonies Penaunce and such like foolish fantasies are now of none effect and are no parte of that true repentaunce which I require of thee to be an inward renting of the heart and an vnfeined continuall godly griefe for thy sinnes and a faithfull endeuour to frame thy life according to the wil of mine heauenly father Now as touching fasting knowe that the true fast is a member of thy true repentaunce wherein it behoueth thée to haue great regarde being a work as it is necessarie so not seldome abused as of hypocrites who chastice their bodies and afflict their soâ—les for a day bowing their heads like a Bulrush and making their bed with Sackcloath and Ashes as afore is said standing vpon their cinceritie and strickenes of life euen to
heauen enduring for euer because he feareth not the destruction of the wicked nor longeth for the saluation prouided for the godly O miserable estate of the wicked Rich-men that repose their confidence in their muck and hazard their soules for the wealth of the world But awake awake thou foolish man that slumbrest thus in sinne looke vpon that godly Zacheus set him as a glasse wherein to behold the paterne of perfit repentaunce who being verie rich was voluntarily contented to restore not onely fowerfould that which he had wroÌ„gfully gotten but to giue the halfe of his goodes to the poore who had saluation for his reward Consider this O foolish man and refuse not to make restitution of thine indirectly gotten goods And of that which thou hast then left be thou liberall in so much as if thou sée thy poore brother to want that wherewith thou hast to relieue him thou maist not withhold it And let not the vnsatiable desire of momentanie pleasures to choake thine vnderstanding that my wordes can not reuoke thée from thy disobedience to a spéedie sorrow causing repentaunce vnto saluation walke not thus in a shadow disquieting thy selfe in vaine reposing thy trust in casuall riches whereof thou hast boasted thy selfe heretofore as though it could redéeme thy soule in the last day Wherefore I say be warned least thou be destroyed for euer least thou be pluckt out of thy foolish earthly tabernacle and quite and cleane rooted out of the land of the liuing which the righteous shall sée and laugh at and shall say Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted in the multitude of his riches which now not onely auaileth him not in the day of the Lords wrath but hath heaped vpon himselfe veÌ„geance for his reward Naball a very rich man refusing of his increase store to releeue the young men whom Dauid sent who in his couetousnes said Shall I take my bread my water my flesh substaunce which I haue gotten together giue it to them I know not But he was rewarded with death Wherefore I say consider this and turne vnto me in newnes of lyfe and in righteousnes which shall deliuer thée from death Set not thine affections altogâ—ther thus on worldly thinges which I perceaue hath made thée so druncken that thou perswadest thy selfe that thy prosperitie which is the nurce and foundation of all other vices and the ground of all impietie and disobedience against God mine heauenly Father is the mother of true happinesse Beware of that error for Dauid when he was in prosperitie hauing all thinges at will fell to Adulterie and murdred an innocent man But he scaped not scotfrée he was plagued with his owne sonne Absolon who rebelled against him so daungerous is the estate of prosperitie and so iust is the iudgement of mine heauenly Father against such as doe not bestowe his giftes to the helpe and reliefe of his poore brethren but who in stead of reléefe vse for their owne priuate gaine violence oppression Wherefore I say stand vp with Zache be merciful and helpefull vnto thy poore and needy brethren according to thy power and as thou hast plenteous giue plenteously turne not thy face from him that asketh of thee and what thou hast had of any man wrongfully restore it againe willingly be ready to giue and glad to distribute and what thou layest out mine heauenly Father shal paye it thee againe in heauen and shall defend thee in time of thy necessitie Trust not in vncertaine riches which hath already deceiued thee but in the liuing God mine heauenly father who performed his promises for euermore who shall make thee so rich in good workes that in me and for my sake thou shalt obtaine eternall lyfe The sinfull man Then loe I will restore in hast the landes and Graunge againe To Simple and no other man shall losse by me sustaine But will the poore and needy man releeue that are opprest And then I trust I shal possesse at last eternall rest Solace IF this restitution of thine procéede of an vnfained fayth and the residue of thy doings tend to the amendment of thy life assure thy selfe of eternall saluation yet not in respect of thine owne good works be they neuer so manye but for my sake who as thou haste heard haue purchased the same for all them that vnfainedly repent and turne from their wicked waies for when thou of thy selfe hast done al that thou canst yet arte thou an vnprofitable seruant therfore must thou quite and clean disclaime thine owne worthines for in the sight of mine heauenly father shall no man liuing be iustified But if thou be ouerburdened with the weight of thy sins come vnto me lay all thine offences in true repentance on me who continue an aduocate in the sight of mine heauenly father making continuall intercession for as many as faythfully beleeue whome I will cloathe with the weedes of righteousnes that they in the last day may appeare without spot and receaue the reward of eternall life Where thou hast also diligently to beware that seeing saluation and redemption to come onely by my death and by sacrifice of my body on the Crosse once for all the sinnes of the world and that I continue a mediator and aduocate vnto mine heauenly Father for thée for euer and that I am full of mercie slowe to wrath and ready to forgiue Take héede I say least the prince of this world thy woonted aduersarie Sathan put into thine heart a presumption of these mercies of mine perswading thée that there is no doubt of saluation because that I haue promised that weare thy sinnes as redde as Scarlet I will make them as white as Snowe and so hold thee still to fight against all goodnes and godlynes and to stand stoutely as it were in defiance of my louing calling and dispise the riches of the grace and mercie of God mine heauenly Father purchased by my bloud wherein I louingly call thée now to repentaunce wherein thou must vnfainedly returne to me and that spedily not driuing off from day to day saying as the wicked when they be reprooued of their sinnes accustomably doe That they know they shall haue time enough to repent ere they dye which is another stop and stumbling block that Sathan layes before them that are called that they should not repent but dye in their sinnes So tels hée thée and perswades thée that death shall not be so cruell vnto thée but shall spare thee and afoord thée time enough to say euen at the last gasp Lord haue mercie vpon me Lord forgiue me my sins and so forth which as he tels thee shall be sufficient for thée Thus he séeketh to stay thy true repentaunce euery way and in this foolish imagination of crauing pardon at the last while manie haue delayed the
Voluptuousnes Riches Ambition Coueitousnes accompaned with many euils See the corruptioÌ„ of nature that imputeth the cause of his griefe to him that would cure his deadly disease Prouerb 13.1 Pro. 9.7.8 The wise wheÌ„ they are reformed depart froÌ„ their euill but the foolish will not amende The vngodly to excuse their faults doe by circuÌ„stance endeuour to laye the cause of their euil vpon God him selfe Eccle. 32.18 Gen. 3.7 He that by vayne excuses goeth about to hide his offence from God encreaseth his fault Sathan setteth a vale before our eyes that wee should not see the light of the trueth Iohn 1.5 2. Cor. 6.14 Eph. 5.14 Io. 8.12 Christ the laÌ„be of God that taketh away the sinns of the world Although our sinne be as red as Scarlet Christ can make it as white as Snowe The deuill rocketh men a sleepe with worldly pleasures that seeme sweete but are in deed deadly poyson SathaÌ„ is most busie to leade vs to euill when we be most willing to apply vs to goodnes The seruants of God shall haue the kingdome of heauen for their inheritance Sathan bestowes all things in this life on his seruaÌ„ts to please them but after this life eternall paines in hell Christ came into this world to call vs out of the seruice of Sathan to serue th'almightie God Sathan the master of all mischiefe He that is not reconciled to God by Christ is dead in this world Ephe. 2.1.15 Col. 2.14 Christ the sacrifice for sinne Dispaire Sathan the author of all dispaire Those that yeeld themselues seruaÌ„ts to sinne are in great subiection to Sathan The vnspeakeable power and mercie of God towards man Christ the reconciliation to God for sinne Heb. 5.9 Christ hath subdued Sathan and bereft him of all his power Christ hath discharged by his death all that was due for sinne Gen. 3.10 Beliefe in Christ is the meane to be at one with God Ioh. 12.6 2. Cor. 12.7 Rom. 5.20 He that perseuereth in wickednesse hath no hope of grace Gen. 3.15 Io. 12.31 Za. 13.1 Sathan stands at our elbowes to preuent vs if he could from doing good and to procure vs to do euill The world the flesh the spurres to sinne Io. 13.2 Mat. 4.6 Christ obedient vnto his fathers will Innocent Christ condemned and a thiefe discharged Christ by his death subdued Sathan Gen. 3.7 Sathan with an apple won Adam Eue to breake the precepts of God Though Sathan be subdued he seeketh still to beguile vs. The deuill preuaileth not against the faithfull The power of the deuill of it selfe is nothing but such as obey him make it strong Man doth all things that may displease but nothing to please God Ioh. 8.44 Iob. 41.25 Sathan is a lyar and a murtherer Christ the true Samaritan to heale our wounds Luke 10.33 Christ healeth what Sathan hath hurt Hard winning of a desperate man Such is the loue mercy of Christ that he seeketh by all meanes to winne vs froÌ„ Sathan Act. 10.45 Testimonies of Christes victorie Gen. 3 15. Esay 7.14 Ier. 31.22 1. Io. 5.7 1. Io. 5.11 Mat. 11. They that are loden with the burden of their sinnes may come freely to Christ and be comforted The deuil wil promise ease but the end is paine and lasting woe The couÌ„saile of Christ eternall trueth the way of life Sathan seekes to draw men first into dispaire and theÌ„ to cut of their owne dayes Sathan most diligeÌ„t to deceiue vs when we be most desirous to returne vnto God Ioh. 13.2 Zach. 3. â— The Deuill went about to let the praiâ—â—s of Iosua Math. 8.12 Peter denied Christ by SathaÌ„s meanes Mat. 26.34 Marke 14.32 Mat. 4 3. Sathan tempted Christ. The deuil seeketh many meanes to destroy vs. Num. 21.6 The brasen serpent a figure of Christ Io. 3 14. When sathan hath stung vs with sinne we must looke vpon Christ that is we must beleeue in him bee saued Zech. 3.2 Reue. 2.10 Ephe. 6.10 Christ hath ransomed vs out of the hands of Sathan euen with his own blood We must take opportunitie when we may haue it to turne to the Lord. Make no delay to returne vnto God The wise and foolish virgins Infidelitie the greatest let to come to Christ. Psal. 27.13 Heb. 4.15 Mat. 4. â— Phil. 2.8 Faith the chiefest weapon to resiste Sathan Heb. 4.16 Gal. 5.1 Christ the fouÌ„tain of al true helpe 2. Cor. 5.14 Colos. 20. We are in Christ made at one with God Ephe. 1.13 Ephe. 1.17 Col. 2.14 1. Io. 3.8 Io. 2.4 6. Heb. 2. Christ hath deliuered all men from death that beleeue in him Ephe 2.18 Iewes and gentiles haue accesse to God the father through Christ. Rom. 5.19 Gal. 3.13 2. Cor. 8 9· Rom. 10.9 Luke 19.10 Io. 6.40 Rom. 2. There is saluation in none but in Christ. Ioh. 18.17 Luke 22.57 Marke 24.6.8 We may not presume to stand least we fall 2. Pet. 2.22 Faith and repentance the gâ—ound work of a new life Heb. 11.1 The definition of faith 1. Pet. 1. It is impossible to please God without faith Ioh. 8.2.3 Luke 10.39 Christ cast 7. deuils out of Mari Magdalene Ioh. 11.2 Matth. 16.16 Ioh 6.65 Gen. 15.6 Gen. 22.2 AbrahaÌ„ was accompted righteous by reason of his faith Luke 1.38 Act. 8.37 2. Luke 6.18 The enemies of Elisha striken with blindnes 1. Sam. 14.13 1. Sam. 17. â—6 Dauid by faith ouercame great Goliah Dan. 3. â—7 1. King 17.12 Eliah fed with Rauens 1. King 18.38 Fire from heauen consumed Elias Sacrifice Iosh. 10.12 The Sunne Moone stood still at the faithful prayer of Ioshua Ioh. 1.30 Ma 4 1â— Through faith the Apostles followed Christ. Luke 23.43 1. Tim. 1. Faith the weapon to withstand Sathan Psal. 18.2 Psal. 5.12 Ioh. 5.24 Psal. 37.2 The Lord wil roote out coÌ„sume those that put not their trust in him 2. Cor. 4.4 2. Thes. 2.12 2. King 7.17 The vnbeleeuing prince troden to death Gen. 19.24 Gen. 2.17 Mar. â—6 16 He that beleeueth shalbe saued but he that beleeueth not shalbe damned Cursed is hee that putteth his trust in man and not in God Iud. 20.21 The children of Israel slain in putting their trust in their owne strength 2. Chron. 13.18 2. King 1â— The faithful are compared to mount SyoÌ„ that shall neuer be mooued Psal. 20. Ier. 57 5. The wonderfull blessings that are promised to the faithfull Isay. 57.13 The Iust shall liue by faith We must beware that we be not led by worldly reason for it often deceiueth Sathan layes naturall reason often â—efore the eyes of men to the end that stuÌ„blinge vpon the same to hinder their fayth Mat. 15 33. Io. 4 9. Io. 8.56 Naturall reason could noâ— conceiue how Abraham saw Christ loÌ„g so before he came into the world The eye of fayth taketh his light froÌ„ the worde of God The eie of reason hath his 〈◊〉 froÌ„ worâ—dly wisdome which is foolishnes Gall. 5.2 Rom. 1·16 The gospell is the instrument of saluation All that we are bound to
goods together canst thou saie I haue gotten them with paine and trauaile of my bodie with the sweat of my face nay canst thou excuse thee if thou be charged to haue encroched by violence that that other poore men haue sweat for other haue trauailed for painfullie purchased with great dayly labour how I saie canst thou excuse thy self herein But to come nearer vnto thy curssed wretchednes admit thou can excuse thée of this as thou canst not it shallbe further demaunded of thee how thou hast bestowed those things that the Lord hath made thée Steward of here and what wilt thou answere wilt thou saie here is thine owne It will not discharge thee for he commauÌ„deth them that be rich in this world to be ready to giue and glad to distribute but thou art not onely not readie to giue but takest from other that which is not thine thou art not glad to distribute but greedie to lay vp where the rust and moth doth corrupt and euill disposed persons haue their mindes stirred vp to venter their liues and soules to rob thee of And in the mean time thou thy selfe robbest thy selfe of the freedome of a godly mind and tiest thy poore soule to the Gates of destruction with the cordes of pride and selfe loue not making any accompt how to auoyd thy casting into vtter darknes where shal be wéeping and gnashing of teeth as an vnprofitable seruant neither makest thou any accompt how to auoyd buâ—ning among the Tares as a weede of the world or to shun the company of the goates that shall be set at the left hand of the Lord in the last iudgment as matter for the fire that neuer shal be quenched as thou hast heard by the reward of the former Rich man in the 10. of Luke But to come againe to thy riches which thou so honorest and to thy stinâ—king carcas which thou so daintilie feedest and finely â—lâ—â—hest Remember that Iobe was rich with whose aboundaunce thou madest coÌ„parison before yet not with his integritie but marke how soone his prosperitie was changed into aduersitie his goods into griefe his wealth into wickednes his health into sicknes and all his glorie into vtter contempt of all his friendes so vaine and variable are riches and so subiect to sodaine change is your health of body that you care so much for Riches I say are casuall and rise and fall at the pleasure of the giuer yea were thy riches as much as Abrahams or Iobs Dauids or the greatest Kinges in the world yea were it as much as the world could contain and were it neuer so secreatly hidden or conueied vnder those curious Lockes and keies that thou saiest thou wilt prouide in Brazeâ— or Iron Chests neuer so strongly thou couldest not bring it without the compasse of Gods omnipotent power but that he is able to pluck it from thée to make it to melt away like waxe at the scorching fire what madnes therefore art thou in thou foolish man to saie to thy soule or body take ease or liue at rest for thou hast enough for thy life thinkest thou not that as God is the Aucthor to giue so to be in his power to take away as he exaltith so he can pluck downe as he maketh rich so he can make poore againe And therefore the most sure and certaine meane long to enioye these giftes of God is to acknowledge thy selfe to be but his Tenant at will of all that thou possessest therfore bound to dispose at his pleasure for feare of Fortune and not to repose thine happinesse in thine aboundance neither thine vnhappines in the want of transitorie wealth considering that as thou camest into this worlde naked so shalte thou naked returne from whence thou camest to earth of which thou were created and leaue the honour of thine house behinde thee for the pomp of thy wealth shal not follow thee But what thou hast carefully heaped vp others shall prodigally waste And therefore is the abouÌ„dance of wealth so farre from making men truely happie as it rather turneth to their vtter destruction and euen poyson vnto their soule Geizi vnder the name of Elizeus tooke reward of mony to make himselfe rich But it wrought with ill effect it poysoned him it caused him to fall into Leprosie as white as Snow Ananias and Saphira for kéeping backe parte of the price of their owne possessioÌ„s to their owne vse were rewarded with present death But call to minde the horrible ende of that notorious Arch-traytor Iudas who for monie betrayed his Maister and Lord the Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ. Whose corrupt conscience by reason of his briverie and treason so pricked him that in desperate madnes he hanged himselfe burst in sunder in the midst that all his bowels gusshed out An infinite number of such examples whereof couetousnes hath bin the aucthor thou mayst reade both in y e scripture as also in prophane histories coÌ„firmed to be odious in y e sight of God by his iust iudgmeÌ„ts following such couetous desires of men Wherfore looke thou vnto thy self search thine heart try thy thoughts examine thine affectioÌ„s cléere thée if thou can of this pernicious desire no thou canst not say thine handes are cléere of taking thy Chestes free froÌ„ whording that which was wrongfully gotten Wash theÌ„ thine hands clense thine heart and rid thy cofers of their ill gotten goods least God of his iustice come downe and finde thée thus polluted reward thee according to thy deserts he seeth it that will not suffer thée to escape scot-free Thou maist perchance saie y t thou must prouide for a deare yeare thou saist thou hast enough for many deare yeares many thowsands haue the lesse Let Simple thy Tennant for one be witnes did not Christ feede with flue barly loaues and two fishes fiue thowsand men beside women childreÌ„ with seuen loaues a few small fishes fed he not foure thowsaÌ„d wheÌ„ y e childreÌ„ of Israel wanted water in y e wildernes to kill their thirst was it not giuen theÌ„ out of an hard Rock did not God send vnto Eliah bread water in y e desert in his great wearisome iournie which sheweth the care tender mercie of y e good God towards them y t feare him And to shewe his Iustice lykewise vpon y e stubborne rebellious stifnecked what did he to Nabugodozer y e mightie king that estéemed himselfe rather a God then a mortall man did hée not pluck him froÌ„ his kingly throne froÌ„ his seate of glorie and set him amongst the wilde beastes of the field And in stead of his Pallace of admirable bewtie was he not forced to shrowd himselfe with the bushes in the wild field and for his daintie fare was faine to feede among the beastes of the land on grasse and greene hearbes contrarie to the course of man onely
carrying thee as it were sleeping into the most horrible pit of all endles perdition And euen of meere loue being sent to cal those that were gone astray I was mooued to awaken thee of this sinfâ—ll slumber to warne thee out of the seruice of this wicked master of thine and therfore I knowe that thou condemnest mee to bee the cause of this thy sorrowe Alas art thou so sorrowfull and full of griefe to giue ouer that master of thine endlesse miserie the master I say of all mischiefe the ringleader to all euill rule the Captaine of all the hellish crue the crue that haue their cogitations commonly occupied in couetouse cares and vngodly desires of wordly pleasures the crue I say that are caried by his most wicked wiles into most cursed captiuitie neuer caring for God or godlines who esteeme my words as winde as thou doest who so reioycest in thine aboundance as one that laugheth in his dreame and when hee awaketh is driuen to howle in sorrowe yea as dead being yet liuing for thou canst not be but dead vnlesse thou be reconciled by mee who by my bloud shedding on the Crosse slewe all enmitie betweene God my heauenly father and thee And as I haue purchased this reconciliation for thee So I am come to thee to tell thee to warne thee and to reclayme thee from error to the trueth from the clawes of Sathan to the fauoure of mine heauenly father if thou wilt heare mee and embrace my sayings The sinfull man Art thou in deed that Christ so pure whome Iudas did betray And whom y e Iewes tormeÌ„ted sore as sacred scripture say Solace Ye I am he that hung on crosse fast nayled to the tree A sacrifice to pacifie my fathers wrath for thee The sinfull man Wo worth me then for thou art hee whome I offended soe That in dispaire I languish here a wicked wretch in woe Oh let the mountaines fall on mee to hide my sinne from thee Let death approch let gaping graue take nowe their due of mee I dare not looke on thee whom that my sinne offended so No no thou wilt not pardon mee thou art of right my fo And Sathan seekes as erst y u saydst to winne my soule from thee I am content to his request I willingly agree I can not now reuoke againe my promise readie past Wherefore I knowe noe remedie I must be his at last Solace ALas poore man thou art in great perplexitie thy sences are sackt in deede But canst thou â—â—l by whose meanes wotest thou y e cause canst thou yet consider who it is that worketh this vnpleasant thing in thee Is it I or Sathan is it vertue or vice Is it life or death The sinfull man A great conflict I feele in deede a right of furious fiends Within my minde a troope of foes whome subtile Sathan sends Who with dispayre doe so beset and ransacke all my will That nothing can appease the rage that pricks mee forth to ill Wherfore I know no boote to seeke to shunne my raging thrall For Sathan binds mee to attend when he or his doe call Solace WEll poore man notwithstanding thy dissobedience and thy wilful running from me to that venemous Serpent who hath thus poysoned thee with the sting of dispaire I am not so hard hearted but of mercie wilbe pacified and vpon thine earnest repentance be a meane for thy reconciliation to the fauour of mine heauenly father againe who gaue me vp into the the hands of the world in the flesh to be a Sacrifice and OblatioÌ„ to appease his wrath which nothing els could doe and to be made the cause of eternall saluation to all the world as many as beleeue in mee The sinfull man Oh worth mee wretch then I am none of whom saluation came For I haue disobeyd thy will and led my life in blame And rest in Sathans bands a slaue by due desert I die Oh death make haste my Soule in sinne for thee is forste to crie Solace AND doest thou now confesse that it is Sathan hath thus be witched thee It is true most vntruely erwhile didst thou charge me with it be now ruled by me take mine aduice and there shall bee a dispensation prouided for thee easely to defeate Sathan and deceiue him of all his hope he hath yea of al his title intrest and demaund in thee for I haue his head vnder my girdle I vaÌ„quished him vpon y e Crosse I spoyled him of all his power I tooke all his weapons from him and tied him in chaines that he cannot passe those limmits that compasse which I haue assigned him without my permission and licence I discharged all wretched sinners out of his iurisdiction and in my humanitie satisfied and absolutely discharged the debt of all mankind and cancelled the Obligation wherein they stood bounde and tooke an acquittaunce for the same sealed with mine owne blood vpon the Crosse So that your olde maister subtile Sathan hath no more to demaund of them for I haue bouÌ„d my self to aunswere the vttermost farthing that lawe can charge them withall Although they were by reason of the breach which thy great graundparents Adam Eue made of the Commaundement of the Lord in the beginning all vnder the lawe and so bounde to aunswere the lawe which I haue done for all men And therefore if thou submit thy selfe vnto me and beleeue in me with a true faith thou shalt bee reconciled vnto mine heauenly father who if thou beleeue in me shall honour thee and for that thou art weake and full of infirmitie my grace and power feare thou not shall then most aboundantly appeare when thy weakenesse is greatest to hold thee vp and to helpe thee For although sinne abound in thee grace may more abound that is if thou repent thou shalt find fauour and mercy but he that walketh on still on his wickednesse without any motion of conscience to craue pardon of him whom he offendeth this grace and this reconcilement taketh no place in such a one Therefore must thou come to me in faith and in true repentance turne from thy former wicked waies so shalt thou bee reconciled vnto GOD mine heauenly father whose wrath by mine obedience is appeased his anger qualified and loue renued Death vanquished and life obteyned hell gates shut vp and the gates of heauen opened yea my dying hath made all men aliue for I am that seede of the woman that haue broken the Serpents head that haue cast out the Prince of this world and iudged him But he loueth yet to play the busie body he luoeth still to bee sifting euery man standing at their elbowes to pricke them forward to euery vanitie and falsly flatter them as a deepe dissembler saying tush tush God knoweth that if thou doe thus it shalbe for the best this is the way to thy most benefite But contrary
me all thinges pacified both in heauen and earth by me thou art reconciled and made at one againe with God myne heauenly father and by me if thou beleeue thou shalt obteine forgiuenesse of all thy sinnes and pardon for al thine offences for thy manifold transgressions rebellion and dissobedience And to thee that art sinfull ignorant and farr from knowledge to thee is here euen in my blood saluation offred and the true spirite of wisedome opened that the eyes of thy mynd that now are so dimmed with the shadowe of the olde man may bee lightened with the Candle of my sacred counsaile and truely perceiue and thine heart rightly conceiue what the ende is of this hope whervnto I am come to call thee what the riches of my glorious inheritance which I here proffer thee is and the greatnesse of my power which I promise thee who as I sayd before haue torne in peeces and cancelled the Obligation wherein thou stoodest bound I haue taken it away and fastened it on the Crosse I haue losed thee from the seruitude and slauerie of Sathan who as thou sayst doth chalenge thy seruice I haue set thee free from the workes of darknesse who am the light and no man that beleeueth in me shal remaine any more in darknesse beleeue therefore in the light that thou mayst bee made the childe of light and obteine life againe that now art dead vnder the Prince of darkenesse who had once the power of death But I haue deliuered all them that beleeue in me and liue in my feare and haue takē away that partition that was set betwene God my father and them So that through me thou mayst haue free accesse vnto him yea Iewes and Gentiles are vnited and knit to one God euen my father who for their sakes gaue me an oblation and sacrifice to bee offered vpon the Crosse to the ende that by myne obedience they might bee made righteous I was accurssed that through my curse they might be blessed and deliuered from the heauy burthen of the lawe yea I became poore to make all men rich but not as thou hast gloried to bee rich in goodes and great aboundaunce but in grace and the fauour of myne heauenly father with whom I haue obteined peace for thee and deliuered thee out of y e thraldome of that spirituall Pharao by offering my body a Pascall Lambe sprinckling my blood vpon the doore postes of the hearts of all true beleeuers in me Wherfore come vnto me thou that art so heauie loden and I wil refresh thee Confesse me with thy mouth beléeue in thine heart that God raised me from death and thou shalt be saued for my comming into this world was to seeke and to saue that was lost Wherefore heare me for if thou heare my wordes and beleeue in him that sent me I will raise thee vp in the last day to eternall life for there is saluation in none but in me onely who haue the power euen in mine owne handes to recouer that againe for thee which was lost by the fall of Adam The sinfull man Oh passing comfort now I feele renue in me againe Me thinkes I heare that Sathan saies now is my labour vaine Which I and mine haue had w t him that now conuerted is Me thinkes I heare him rage y t I should take the way to blisse But let him fret and fume his sill and doe his worst to me I doe not force my sure refuge good Solace is in thee True comfort doth begin I see encrease it more and more And let that furious feend leaue of to vexe my soule so sore And shew what I must doe in haste because the night is nye For I intend to follow thee good Solace till I dye Solace SO sayd Peter mine Apostle that he would followe me whether soeuer I went yea he would not refuse to dye with me but when the raging and boysterous stormes of Satans ministers blewe about mine eares and began to beate vpon the walles of his frailtie being demaūded whether he were not of my companie he flatly denied me nay he forsware me sayd that he knew me not Be not therefore too bold at the first brunt though thou feele more comfort and thy minde more quieted and Sathan not so strong with thee as he was take heede thou faint not take heede thou returne not to thine olde vomit to the wallowing in the mire and dirte of the dregges of Sathans poyson But be thou mindfull of these wordes of mine and the comfortable counsaile which this day I haue giuē thee Beleeue my sayinges and because the night is at hande I will referre other thinges which I must learne thee towardes the amendement of thy sinfull life till to morrowe when thou shalt finde mee readie here in the meane time be meditating of my former speaches retaine them in memorie and praise mine heauenly father in mee for thy comfort already obtayned The ende of the Tuesdayes Conference A THANKESGIuing to Christ our Sauiour for his comfort in the affliction of conscience with a prayer for his continuall assistance to be preserued from dispayre OH Gracious and Omnipotent God Oh Iesu my Sauiour I yeeld thee all possible thanks and praises that in my great distresse and conflict of conscience thou hast vouchsaued to send mee comfort and inward feeling of thy mercie and the vnfayned loue and care which thou hast of the saluation of my poore soule which Sathan myne aduersarie and the vtter enemy of all mankind hath inuironed with so many doubts of thy mercie and my saluation and layde before the eyes of my poore conscience so many grieuous sinnes most horrible offences such manifest rebellion against thee that I standing as a guiltie wretch a condemned person at the Barre of thy iust iudgemēt expecting nothing but the sharp sentence of death thou hast vouchsaued such is thine vnspeakable mercie louingly to call me out of that deepe dungion of dispaire to rescue mee from the cruell clawes of Sathan and to set mee free from the most fearfull and iust doome of death Insomuch sweete Iesu as I feele my selfe comforted I feele mee relieued and my soule freely ransomed from the captiuitie of that monstrous enemy that ougly Serpent that filthy feend most cruell aduersarie of mine Sathan and that by thy death and bitter passion whereby thou hast lead captiuitie captiue when thou ascendest into heauen yea thou hast vanquished the death of death thou hast vanquished the deuill and triumphed ouer death and hell all power both in heauen and earth is in thine hands and that Sathan that hath so sharply assaulted mee is within the cōpasse of thy power hold him vnder sweete Iesu keep him down let him not preuaile against mee and as my poore soule and weake body are subiect vnto sinne being destitute of thine helpe wanting thy grace So sweete Iesu looke fauourably vpon
in pride to runne into all wilfull wickednesse to kicke against God and their Superiours giuing them the raynes of libertie seldome or neuer restraining them with the bridle of correction vntill too late when neither fayre wordes will winne them stripes stoope their stubbornesse nor any correction call them from their loosenesse of life vntill the Magestrate who beareth not the sworde for nought euen of Iustice turne them ouer to the scourge of the lawe which to the great greefe and heart-breaking of the Parents when it is too late taketh them out of the lande which the Lorde had giuen them by an vntimely death And so both the children and parents in daunger of the curse which followeth the not regarding to fulfill this Commaundement whereby it appeareeh that this Commaundement bindeth the Parents aswell of duetie to see their children brought vp in feare and knowledge of my heauenly fathers will as it doth the children to doe reuerence vnto them And therfore ought Magestrates likewise to looke vnto their charge and office wherein their negligence is y e cause of many euilles their parcialitie in punishing the wicked pricketh the vngodly forwarde to many noysome attemptes not onely preiudiciall to their owne soules or to the hurt or losse of one particular or priuate man but to the hazard of the disturbance of an whole Commonweale So daungerous is the sparing of Iustice vpon iust deseruinges wherein sometimes affection sometimes countenaunce and oftentimes Bribes doe stoppe the passage of iust execution to the clering of the offender and oppressing the offended whereby they deserue not onely the iust sentence of death against them selues but incourage the wicked to wallowe in their wickednesse and take as it were the good opinion of the good from that which deserueth the ill opinion of none It remayneth as a parte of this Commaundement that as the ministers and Preachers of the word are allowed such due reuerence in respect of their high function and office so it behoueth them especially to execute the same according to the deuine will of him whose ministers they are called And that is to preach his worde truely and to answere that in their outward conuersation and life which they pronounce with the mouth that the good fruits which spring of their good life may testifie before men that they are sent and that they bee true messengers trees that haue not onely leaues but fruite least that when my heauenly father commeth he wither them vp with y e breath of his mouth and so from thenceforth serue to no other purpose but for the fire which neuer shalbe quenched Thou seest therefore the cause for which this Commaundement was giuen was to teach thee not only thy duetie towards thy father and mother but also towardes Magistrates and other Superiours and Ministers and wherein Parents are put in minde of their due regard of the godly erudition of their children Magestrates of the due execution of their office and Ministers of the worde to declare the glory of mine heauenly father aswell by their life as by their doctrine The second commaundement of the second Table forbiddeth thee to kill the meaning whereof is not onely that thou shouldest not by open violence runne vpon thy neighbour and bereue him of his life but also forbiddeth thee to vse any kinde of rigorous dealing against him yea and further it bindeth thee to loue him in such sort as whatsoeuer he waÌ„teth thou art by this commandement bound to helpe him releeue him so farre forth as by any meanes lieth in thy power or abilitie to doe This commaundement I say doth not onely prohibit violence wrong and hatred against thy neighbour but mooueth thee vnto compassion and mercie whereby thou mayst appeare and shewe thy selfe to be the childe of my heauenly father in being mercifull as he is mercifull And not to be so farre from pittie and compassion as being mooued by some occasion haue shut vp the bowels of thy compassion against such as stand in neede and craue reliefe at thy hands and so rather increasing their miserie and griefe then mittigating the same through their aide which hardnes of thine heart argueth litle humanitie and lesse christianitie to remaine in thée Those I say that are not mooued nor touched with the wantes and griefes of heart of a nother man nor mooued to compassion with the lamentable opening of the poore mans estate fulfilleth not this commaundement much lesse doth he whose heart is so hardened or his mind so choaked with the coueitous desires of this world that he witholdeth the laborers hire and the workemans wages against whome the Prophet crieth out and sayeth Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnes and his Chambers without equitie He vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke But this is euerie wealthy mans case he thinketh his poore Neighbour or Tenant to bee bound of duetie to worke with him without wages and to labour without any hire at all Yea though his neighbors businesse be vndone and want wherwith to releeue himselfe which is flatly against this Commaundement But let this commandement driue thee to the considerattion of thy former life wherein thou shalt see thy selfe to haue manifestly offended in not only winking as it were and stopping thine eares to the ende thou wouldest not see thy poore neighbours wantes nor heare the begging pitifull â—ries of the poore hardening thine heart in such sort as thou didst not onely shewe no compassion but madest a pray and spoyle of other men and in 〈◊〉 of releefe thou gauest them increase of their miseries and wants As for example thou caÌ„st not denie but thou tookest away that poore liuing which Simple thy Tenaunt had and thrust him cleane out of all that hee possessed which crueltie of thine stucke so nere his heart that he thought himselfe or rather wished himself to haue beene bereft of his life and yet thou thoughtest he should haue yeelded of duety such crueltie yea such ordinary and daylie crueltie ascendeth vp into the sight of mine heauenly father who beholdeth the same with an angrie countenaunce and is displeased with such extremetie which is now in these daies accompted honest and lawfull meanes when in deede nothing is accompted crueltie that can be cloked with any cunning deuise to defraude poore men of their liuing no mere murther is oftentimes set at libertie and innocencie suppressed But who so flattereth himselfe with this friuolous and vayne imagination that nothing can be committed against this Commaundement but onely murther and in the meane time runneth into hatred of his brother witholdeth the workemans hire oppresseth the poore by extortion and vsurie feedeth not the hungrie releeueth not the needy nor helpeth his brother in his necessitie Let him assure himself that his carelesse conceite will cause the curse due for the breach of this Commaundement deseruedly vpon
beleue consisteth in the trinitie Luk. 3 21.22 2. Io. 5.7 2. Cor. 13.13 Gen. 1.1.16 Mat. 3.16.17 Mat. 28.19 Reue 1.8 Gen. 1. Esa. 6.1 45.12 Psal. 33.6 God the creatour of all things· 1 The 1.9 Heb. 2.15 Luk. 1.74 Mat. 4.10 Luk. 4.8 Gen. 1.31 1. Ioh. 1.5 1 Io. 2·29 Gen. 2.26 Ecle 17.3 Wis. 2.23 Rom. 5.12 Gen 3 8. After the fall of Adam sin entred there is none that doeth good 1 Cor. 2·8 Gall. 5 17. 1 Io. 3.8 Dewt. 28.47 Rom. 5·12 wiâ— 13.1 Rom. 3.10 Gen. 3.15 wis 13.1 Ier· 31.30 Ro. 31·33 Ephe. 1.4.5 Gall. 4.4 Mat 1 18 Ier 31 22 Ioh â— 14 Luk 2 7 Esa 61 2 Luk 2 32 Io 12 46 Col 1 15. Psal 45 7. Io 18 37. Act 7 37. 1. Io 3 8. Ioh 5 15. Io 1 14. Christ had two natureâ— deuine and humaine Mar 11 12 13. 2 Sam 7.16 Esa 7 10. Mat 1 23. Mat. 1.23 Christe dyed for the sinnes of the world Ioh. 8.26.40 Mat. 8.20 Luk. 9.58 See the vnspeake able benefite of Christs death Christ the true messias Luk. 2.32 Mat. 26.63 Ioh. 1.14 Luk. 4.15 Mat. 4.15 8.4 Io. 21. Mat. 11 29· Io. 5.18 7.29 Ioh. 7.30 5.32 Mat. 26.34 Mar. 14.1 Luk. 22·2· Mat. 26·53 Mat. 26. Mar· 14· Luk 22. Ma. 27 30.31· Ioh. 18. Mar 15. Luk 23. Ioh. 19. Mat 27.34 Ioh 10.15 Luk. 12.50 Rom. 4 25. Ioh 3 15. Tit. 2.11 Psal 69·6 Mat 27 34. Luk. 22.44 Mat. 27.46 Psal. â—â— â— Mar. 15.34 So heauy was the iust iudgment of god against sinne that Christ through his tormentes in respect of his manhood had thought his faâ—â—er had forsakeÌ„ him Esa. 53. Luk. 24·4 Luk. 24.7 2 Coâ— 5.21 Christ hath payd the ransome for the sins of Adam All men in Christ ouercome death Christ is the way the truth the life Mat 28 18. Io 17 2. Iona 1 17. Mat 27.50 Mar 15 37. Mat 12.40 Ioh. 2 19. Mat. 28 6· Ioh 20.5 Mar 16.19 Luk. 24.51 Collo 20. 1. Pet. 2.21 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 Rom. 8.34 Lu. 3.22 Io. 10.1.2.3 Christ is the onely way meane to bring vs to God Heb. 12.24 Mat. 1 2â— Christ God man sitting at the right haÌ„d of the father making continual mediation for vs. we must mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit Act. 10.42 Rom. 14.9.10 â—3 Io. 5.27 Christ will come againe to iudge both the quicke and the dead and giue to euery man according to their workes Ephe. 5.5 â— Cor. 6.9.10 Ephe. 5.4 2. Cor. 13.14 1. Ioh. 5.7 Mat. 3.16.17 Ioh. 14.16 1. Pet. 1.2 Rom. 8.15.16 1. Ioh. 3.24 Lu. 16.7 2.25 2. Pet. 1.2 Ioh. 4.10 7.38 Gal. 3.2 Mat 13 58. Maâ— 6.5.6 Mat. 10 19.20 Eph. 5 8. Ioh· 13.6 Mat 11.29.30 Iob. 9.19 Lu 1 7.4·75 Io 14.6 Mat. 25.34 1. Ioh. 4.6 Io. 16.8 Luke 24.49 Luke 3.29 Luke 10.20 Ioh. 13 1â— Mat. 15 13. Rom. 12.5 Mat. 13.58 Mar. 6.5.6 Rom. 7.14.15 1. Ioh. 1.4.8 Mat. 26.41 Luke 22.46 Mat. 6.12 Mat. 18.19.20 Ioh 17.21 Rom. 12.5 1. Cor. 1.9 Mat. 6.11 1. king 8.50.51 Luk. 1.77 Ioh. 20.23 Lu. 1.78 Rom. 11.30 1. Pet. 3.20.21 Ioh. 20.21 Mat. 7.23.26 Iob. 19.26.27 Mat. 27.52.53 Mat. 13.30.43 Iohn 5.29 1. Cor. 6 9.10 Ephe. 5.51 Vnbeleeuers are not members of the true Church Act 5.31 11.18 26.8 Tim. 1 2â— Faâ—th and repentance the summe of the Gospell We must bring foorth the fruites of faith We must bee the same inwardly which we would seeme outwardly Beleefe in the holy ghost Heb. 11.32 The operatioÌ„ of faith is wonderfull Faith the foundation of all other vertues Faith must be accompanied with repentance The flesh is fraile AmendemeÌ„t of life the chiefest remedie for the sicknesse of the soule A good caueat Those that are lulled a sleepe thorowe the allurements of Sathan in the pleasures of this world thinke none other happinesse but worldly felicitie The sicknes of the soule much more to be respected then the disease of the body we must haue regard least the doore of our affectioÌ„s open to entertaine the intisements of Sathan We must amend our liues sinne no more The difinitition of true repentance Mat. 3 2. Iohn Baptist baptised none but such as repeÌ„ted their sinnes Psal. 51.4 Dauid repented at the warning of the Prophet Nathan True confession 2. Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrowe Iob. 1.20 Gen. 4.13 Mat 27.5 The sorrowe of Esawe Iudas Cains Euell Act. 1.18 That sorrow which is not of faith causeth not repentance vnto saluation What true repentance is 2. Pet. 3.9 Iet 3.1 Hos. 14.2 Ier. 3.14 18.11 We must speedily repent least we dye in our sinnes Deut. 4.29 2. Cron. 12.12 Roboam repented 2. Cron. 33.12.13 The repentance of Manasses Iudith 4.9.10 The children of Israell repented Marie Magdaline The niniuites Men of the old world not repenting at the preaching of Noe wee drowned The Sodomites and meÌ„ of Gomorra burned with fire brimstone Ierusalem destroyed The iudgemenâ—s of God great against such as neglect his word God is readie to receiue them that truely turne to him Iud. 2â— 14 Col 3.5.6 We must mortifie our euill affections Ephe. 55. Ephe. 2.3 If we repent and beleeue we shal be saued The sorrowe of Esau Cain and Iudas damnable A godly sorrowe God is redy in great mercie to imbrace them that truely turne to him He that will come vnto God must forsake the 〈…〉 of the world We may not presume of our selues to doe any gâ—oâ— thing We can stand fast before we be shaken Presumption is a meane to quench true zeale Sathans deuices to detaine vs from hearing the word of God Some come to heare the word for cauelations sake The beginning of scismes is the misconstruction of the Scripture The Church of God cals them the chapple of Antichrist Mat. 7.13.14 We must cast our selues downe in our owne conceites The death of Christ tooke these ceremonies away The outward showe of repentance is not alwayes accompanied with inward contrition Dissimulation odious before God The maner of sturdie beggers hypocrisie DissimulatioÌ„ deserueth double punishment Ioel. 2.13 Mat. 6.17 The outward showe of repentance meere hipocrysie without inwarde punction In the old world the outward ceremonies were helpes to repentance Dan. 9.3.4.5 The external shewe without faith more abominable True fasting Esa. 18.5 The true fast consisteth not altogether in the abstineÌ„ce from meates Mat. 6. â—6 What true fasting is Psa. 1.16.17 Esa. 58.7 many blessings promised to true fasting Rom. 14.1.3.14 All meates to be taken with thankesgiuing Luke 16.19 1. Pet. 4.3.4 Excesse to be auoyded Ezek â—6 4â— Gluttonie one of the sinnes of Sodomâ— Excesse in eating an enemie to studie and prayer 1. Thes. 4.34 â— Pet. 2.11.12 We must obey those ordinances of man that tend to the glory of God Luke 12.1 Hypocrysie the leuen of the Pharysies Mat. 2.27.3 Exod. 8.8 1. Sam. 15.13 Ioh. 7.20 Esa. 29.13 We must reuenge our selues of our sinnes To make restitution of our goods ill gotten is