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
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
wretchednes and senceles running headlong from vanitie to vanitie from euill to worse Insomuch as in steade of lighte I haue followed darkenes in steade of the trueth imbraced errors insteede of vertue loued vice and insteede of dooing good I haue followed iniquitie euen with greedynes The dregges oh Lord of Sathans transgression haue so ouercome mee and taken such deepe roote in mine hearte and taken such sure holde of my corrupt flesh that it bringeth continuallye foorth the fruites of an euill life mine owne conscience accuseth mee and standeth as many witnesses againste mee feeling my selfe euen pressed downe with manye sinnes with innumerable transgressions against thy maiestye the leaste whereof I acknoweledge to be able iustlye to condempne mee Oh Lorde my tongue my lippes and mine hearte haue rebelled against thee my thoughtes haue beene euill my wordes wicked and deedes abhominable beefore thee yea from mine heade to my foote there is no parte oh Lorde that can cleere it selfe of offending thee wherefore oh Lorde here doe I acknowledge not onelye with myne outwarde voyce but with an inward feeling of the hearte that I haue highly displeased thee and wrought that which in thine eyes is abhominable wherby I haue deserued thine heauy displeasure againste mee in somuch as thou mayest iustly turne mee away thou mayest cast mee off and forsake mee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Oh Lorde I nowe feele mine owne wretchednes and the allurements of the flesh and Sathan I confesse to be altogether deceitfull and wicked which I haue esteemed and helde so deare and acknowledge all trueth all help comforre and consolation and the true solace to proceed from thee the fountayne of all happynesse Who in mans greatest wretchednes euen of meere loue and vnfayned zeale of their saluation haste sent a remedy to cure their curssednes thine owne Sonne Iesus Christ who hath taken away the punishment which I haue deserued for breaking of thy wil In whose nam and for whose sake haue compassion vpon mee laye not my sinnes vnto my charge whereby I haue deserued eternall damnation Oh Lorde vouchsafe that although I haue iustly deserued to dye by reason of my greeuous sinnes turne thy face in mercy not in iustice towardes mee Respecte not mine offences but looke vppon that sacrifice that oblation which was offered vpon the crosse for the reconciliation againe of those vnto thee which come vnto thee through him Through whome oh Lord I come vnto thee and for whose deserts I craue pardon disclayming altogether mine owne merrites Oh remember thy moste louing promise that thou wilte accept his death and his bitter passion as a full recompence for all mine offences and a sufficient ransome for all my former euils lette thine anger oh Lorde through him be appeased thine heauye displeasure qualified and loue renewed That from hence foorth in a true and vndoubted fayth I maye take holde of the remission of my sinnes through him and beleeue vnfaynedly that the obedience of him thy sonne Iesus Christ is made mine attonement with thee that by his death I am made aliue and by his resurrection I am made rightuous in thy sighte Let thine holy spirite oh blessed Lorde God assure me through the same fayth that I am indeede receiued into thy fauoure and loue againe That being thereby truelye comforted I may enioye the liberty of a free minde wherin I may serue thee wherin I may obey thee and whereby I maye growe into a godlye hatred of the olde man and into a true and vnfayned loue of rightuousnes So that from hencefoorth I maye in newnesse of life diligently imploye my selfe to the Execution and continuall woorkynge of those thinges that maye witnesse outwardly to the Example of other men what I beleeue inwardly casting away all dissimulation and Hipocrisie the Cloake of sinne spending the residue of my daies in a pure and sincere conuersation brynging foorth the fruits beelongynge to amendement of life That after this life ended I may through the merittes of that thy Sonne our onely Sauiour and Aduocate Ihesus Christ for euermore possesse the Ioyes of eternall life Amen ¶ Oh Lorde increase our Fayth The Saturdaye or sixth Dayes Conference betweene Solace and the Sinfull man Wherin Solace sheweth him what is to bee done and what left vndone to attaine to the perfection of Christianytie The Sinfull man GOOD Solace loe here I attende as one that longes to heare What I must doo and leaue vndone I giue attentiue eare Solace IF thou dilligently attend this Day and reteine in memorie those thinges that I haue heeretofore declared vnto thee thou shalt perceiue the Summe of thy Duetie towardes mine heauenly father as also thy duty towards other men whereby y u maiest liue an vpright and a godly life to the seruyce and honour of God profitte of thy neighbour and saluation of thine owne soule to the vanquishing of Sathan dispising of the world and to the mortifying of thine owne flesh So that the Deuill shall not fray thee the worlde deceiue thee nor thy flesh annoye thée The sinfull man Good Solace then proceede in hast true comforte now appeares This comforte doth abandon woe and wipe off all my teares Solace IN deede so it will if thou attentiuely heare it faithfully beleeue it and truely followe it But thou hast heard before that it is not enough for thee to say with the mouth thou wilt or confesse with thy lippes that thou hast offended but thou must performe in deede and reforme thy conuersation yea thou must haue thyne heart fraughted with such godly cogitations and vertuous desires as maye bring foorth the fruites of that sorrowe which as before is sayd causeth repentaunce vnto saluation that thine actions outwardly and thine affections inwardly may appeare to bee grounded vpon that true faith which is the fountaine of all good works whatsoeuer without y e which thy workes are not only vnprofitable but meere abominable By which faith thou must beleeue the promises touching thy saluation to vee wholy accomplished and performed through my death and passion onely and not in respect of thyne owne good workes be they neuer so many And yet art thou bounde by all meanes possible to endeuour thy selfe to doe good vnto all men and to decline from euill And for that purpose haue I called thee from that error wherein thou walkest deceiuing thy selfe with vaine and transitorie pleasure of this worlde to bring thee vnto the light of trueth to drawe thee from thine Idolatrie wherein thou gauest worship as it were vnto thy greate aboundance esteemyng thy golde as thy GOD to serue myne heauenly father thy liuing GOD and louing Creatour to followe that which is god and to eschue and auoide that which is euill onely to worke the will of myne heauenlye father which is sette downe and declared in the two Tables containing tenne precepts wherin as in a glasse thou mayest beholde what thou oughtest to doe and what to leaue
faithfulnes how to flye him and to followe me to eternall saluation whereof if thou frame thee faithfully to my wordes I will assure thee Heare me The sinfull man Oh what should I poore sinner doe whose sinnes surpasse the sand In number which the surging seas and waues haue cast on land No wit no wisedome or good will doth rest within my brest Thy wordes are all in vaine to me I am bereft of rest And know not how to winne again thy fauour which is lost In dolefull plight I striue in vaine to yeeld vp guiltie ghost That earth might passe to earth againe of which it first begun My soule where it deserues to be an wofull ghost vndun Solace Wilt thou oh man continue still so hard of heart in woe Refusing so the fruites of grace that from my mercie floe Whereby thou mayst at libertie be set from force of foe Reclaimd from sinne and Sathans will to rest no more in woe Repent therefore I say repent turne thou to me in haste Giue eare vnto me once againe be yet reformde at last Thou shalt perceiue that I forgiue all sinners when they crye Not wishing any sinfull soule in such dispaire to dye ALL the Prophetes beare me witnesse tha◠through my name all that beleeue in me shall receiue remission of sinnes Iohn sayth 〈◊〉 any man haue sinned he hath an Aduocate wit◠the father Iesus Christ the Righteous he i◠the propitiation for our sins I am that Christ of whom Osee testifieth and sayth in that I haue conquered Sathan already O Death I wilbe thy death O Hell I wilbe thy destruction I haue as Dauid sayth lead captiuitie captiue when I ascended into heauen in ouercomming the Deuill Sinne Death and Hel enemies to the soule of man These that were long before me haue testified of me whose testimonie of me is true And my father in the beginning promised that the seede of the woman should tread downe the Serpents head I was that pure seede of the Uirgine of whom the Prophetes spake long before and I haue performed it vppon the Crosse and thus doth the spirite testifie in the hearts of all the Children of my father Now if these witnesses cannot moue thee to beleeue beleeue my father in heauen who testifieth of me saying This is my welbeloued Sonne heare him My father hath sent into the world eternall life and that is by me his Sonne Well then come vnto me al ye that labour are heauy laden with the burthen of sinne come vnto me I will ease you Art thou loden therefore poore man ye more then loden thou art prest downe not to the ground but to y e very gulfe of hel thou maist thanke thy master Sathan for it who being pittilesse presseth downe with the weightie burthen of all wickednesse such as yeeld him seruice He will promise at the first nothing but ease nothing but pleasure but in the ende he lodeth with labour and paieth your hire with paine thou that hast had the tryall of it excuse him if thou canst no thou canst not nor thy self Wherfore I say defie him and condemne thy self who hast gone astraie who hast wrought wickednesse euen with greedinesse And I see that he hath led thee into such a Laberinth into such a deepe Dungion of dispaire that it wilbe hard for thee to winde thee out againe But I will worke thee such a way as if thou bee aduised by me if thou followe my counsayle and walke the way that I will shewe thee thou shalt spite of his heart breake his fetters in peeces get out of his prison and defie him and all his wicked retinue euen to their faces The sinfull man Oh Solace doth thy mercy so abound to pardon me Although like stinking filthie cloath my life appeare to thee If Sathan held me not in band fast linckt in fetters fell Who roares like raging Lyon whē I doe determine well Full faine I would returne to thee whose mercy now I see And do perceiue that Satan seekes the meanes to murther me Solace YEa that is his occupation he hath nothing els to liue by nor to maintaine his kingdome withall He first allureth men to al kinde of vice he stirreth them vp to rebell against the will of mine heauenly father and as much as in him lyes reteineth them therein but when they be somewhat touched with the knowledge and feeling of their error when the spirite beginneth to groane vnder the heauie burthen of sinne and sommoneth them to the leading of a new life and they begin to fall from him then beginnes he to bestirre himself then he begins to cogge and to lye then he renues the Commissions of his officers and wicked ministers to lay a newe assault to their soules who with great diligence execute their masters will in perswading the poore sinner that he beginnes to take an ill course if he decline from his wicked way when he refuseth to doe ill and chooseth to doe good when he leaueth darknesse and betakes him to the light of trueth He tolde Iudas that he was not wise if he would followe me but if he would forsake me and betray me then did he well But when he had performed his commaundement and done as he was bid what did that master of his for him for sooth for feare least he should haue truely repented and haue vnfeynedly returned to me againe he put such a pricke into his conscience that he neuer left him till he had hanged himselfe Such conflictes maketh hee in the mindes of men that haue once yeelded vnto his pestilent motions and obeyed his wicked will without remorse of conscience feare of death or loue of mee and that will not be in time reclaymed from their wickednesse whome the wordes of my mouth will not mooue nor the feare of hell fire fraye from their filthinesse these I say when they heare the iudgements of my Father against them for their sinnes he to the ende he may hold them still in blindnes fearreth them with threates and ouercommeth their wittes with most horrible and blasphemous perswasions that there is no saluation or hope of helpe in me in so much as he laboreth by all meanes and vseth all his pollicies to bring them to destruction resisting them alwayes from doing any good as he stoode at the right hande of Iehoshua to let him when hee prayde vnto myne heauenly father for the state of the people So hee endeuoureth to take my worde out of thine heart least thou shouldest beleeue and be saued yea he desireth to winnow those that will come forwarde to godlines as Wheate as he sifted Peter myne Apostle who perswaded him selfe to be able to stand strongly but loe euen with the feare that Sathan stroke him with he denied me three times but he repented went out and wept bitterly And afterward resisted him manfully nay he was not
mine heauenly father yea all they that came of y e stock of Adam are all become abominable and of none abilitie to doe good there is none that worketh righteousnes no not one my selfe excepted who according to y e promise of mine heaueÌ„ly father in the beginning made to Adam y t the seede of the woman should tread downe the Serpents head who was also promised to Abraham Isaak and Iacob where it was foretold that in their seede should all the kingdomes of the earth be blessed therefore must thou beleue that y e originall corruption which proceeded froÌ„ Adam remaineth yet in all flesh in generall whose reward is death But my father hath reserued vnto himselfe a certaine number knowne onely vnto himselfe which in my bloud he hath sanctified vnto eternall life whom by the holy Ghost he elected and chose out before the foundation of the world to be his childreÌ„ adopted and vnited into his fauour and mercie againe by me his onely sonne who in the time from the beginning of the world limited by the holy Prophets foreshewed came into the world in the very shape forme of a man and in all thinges lyke vnto a man sinne excepted conceiued in the wombe of a virgin whose name was Marie by the holy ghost and was incarnate and tooke substaunce of her bodie and borne into the world and growing in the fleshe according to the manner of sinfull men yet without sin according to the worde of the Prophetes And that I was y e Messias so long before promised who should bring ioy glad tidings vnto all the world and to set those at libertie that were in the boÌ„dage of Sathan sould vnder sinne and to giue light to them that sate in darknes and in the shadowe of death who haue bin from the beginning of the world begotten before all creatures and consecrated of mine heauenly Father to be the onely Hye Priest that should offer the Sacrifice that should appease his wrath for all the sinnes of the worlde to be the king to defend his people and the Prophet to shewe them his will and to guide their feete vnto the way of peace Who by offering vp my body in sacrifice once for all through the eternall spirite without spotte or sinne purged the consciences of men from dead workes to serue the liuing God mine heauenly Father and that for that purpose I lefte the heauenly Cittie the bosome of mine heauenly Father and being Lorde of all became a subiect and seruaunt to all laying aside all glorie and put on the base attire of mortall man being indued with two natures Deuine and Humaine without which the will of my Father could not haue bin executed according to his diuine prouidence for in my humanitie I was in this worlde parsonally dwelling among men eating and drinking among men and was verie man of the promised seed of Dauid and yet as touching my Godhead I was nothing inferiour to mine heauenly father but coequall with him and coeternall yet was I coÌ„tent to humble my selfe obey his will and to shewe his vnspeakeable loue and ardent desire he had of the redemption of mankinde wherein he gaue me his onely sonne to dye for the sinnes of the world who according to his determinate will did most willingly imbrace euen the death of the Crosse to redeeme them from death that were iustly condemned performing the message of mine heauenly father in all things doing nothing but what was decreed before the beginning of the world by the eternal counsaile I became poore to make thee rich and to be a meane to bring thee into the fauour of mine heauenly father againe I became bond to the will of mortall men to make thee free with the imortall God I became a straunger and a Pilgrim in earth to make thee a Citizen of heauen I became the sonne of mortall man to make thee the childe of the liuing GOD I suffered the paynes of Hell to purchaze thee heauen I was content to sufter the cruell death of the Crosse to procure thee lyfe eternal Thou must therefore faithfullie belieue that I am that Christ that true Messias that was promised to be the Sauiour of the world who was annoynted with the oyle of grace and was indued with all spirituall heauenly giftes here in earth aboue all others and that my flesh was so sanctified with my Diuinitie and Godhead that it could not suffer or see corruption Thou must belieue also that after I had preached the will of my father in Iudea and Galile in great humilitie where both by word and miracles I shewed my selfe to be the sonne of God as also by the preachings of the Prophets The Iewes by all meanes sought to take me but could not before my time was come and when the howre came when I should be deliuered into their hands according to the will of my Father I was vniustly accused of y e chief priests who consulting how they might haue me taken procured Iudas falsly to betray me promising him a bribe who although I could haue preuented him betrayed me with a kisse And then the chiefe Priestes bound me and brought me before Pylate and had prouided false witnes to accuse me wicked ministers to scourge me scoffers to deride me condemning me most vniustly to dye and to be hanged vpon the Crosse betweene two theeues as a principall malefactor and yet pure and altogether without spotte or sinne where most ignominiously and cruelly I was crowned with a Crowne of thornes in dispitefull and disdaynfull manner saluting me by the name of the king of the Iewes who being thirstie they gaue me most sharpe vinegar mingled with gall to drinke all which I most meekely and willingly suffered tooke all their torments patiently their raylings and reuilings mildlie their buffetings spittings at me meekelie longing for the redemption of mankinde to be baptized with that baptisme of so greeuous a death and to offer vp once for all the sacrifice of my bodie to reuiue them that were dead in sinne and to obtaine pardon for their transgressions euen the tender loue I had to the saluation of their poore soules by which oblation I haue purchased full satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world that whoe so beleeueth in me should not pearish but should obtaine eternall lyfe Thou must verely beleeue also that I dyâ—d vppon the same Crosse and euen giuing vp the ghost into the handes of mine heauenly Father I indured such agonie due for the sinne of mankinde which aunswered the Iustice of mine heauenly Father in so heauy exceeding manner in respect of mine humanitie that the verie anguish and conflict of the flesh and spirit I sweat water and â—loud and was
forâ—ed to cry with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Such were the cruel torments that I suffered for thee O sinfull man and for all mankinde as that by reason of the extreamitie thereof I thought my selfe euen forsaken of my father But so heauie was his displeasure against the sinne of all mankinde and all the punishment due for it layd onely vpon me that requisite it was that the stripes wherewith so great a disease should be healed should be grieuous and many And therefore thou must not thinke that I was forsaken of God though I were contemned of the world but highly in his fauour for it behoued that I should suffer and afterwardes enter into my Fathers glorie That I should fall into the handes of mortall men be crucified and made a Sacrifice for the sin of all mankinde that they might be made the righteousnes of mine heauenly Father in me who haue paid the rauÌ„some for all the posteritie of Adam and redeemed them out of the bondage of Sathan death and hell my death is to all beleeuers lyfe by my humilitie are they exalted by my contempt are thy made glorious by my pouertie are they made rich and by my miserie haue they eternall felicitie I descended also into hell to make man inheritor of heaueÌ„ So precious was my death and so glorious my conteÌ„pt that by death I haue not onely ouercome death but all men by me In my victorie consisteth thy victorie by my triumph all mankinde may iustly triumph I am the way the trueth and the life who so will goe to the Father must come through me who so will be saued must beleue in me and liue in me for to me hath mine heauenly Father giuen all power and aucthoritie both in heauen and earth that I might giue eternall lyfe to as many as he hath giuen me who as Ionas liued in the Whales belly three dayes and three nighces the third day was cast on land liuing So after my death being taken downe of the Crosse I was layd in the Sepulchre where I lay three dayes to accomplish the sayinges of the Prophets and to vereâ—ie that which was long before writen of me and that I rose againe the third day for the Iustification of all that beleeue shewing my selfe openly to my Disciples eating with them and talking with them and with a Clowd was taken vp into heauen and placed at the right hand of God mine heaueÌ„ly Father crowned with that glory honor and immortalitie wherewith I was indued before the fouÌ„ndation of the world who by my selfe haue purged thee from all thy sinnes and haue made free passage vnto mine heauenly Father for all theÌ„ that in a true faith followe me in life coÌ„uersation treading the steps of righteousnesse for whoÌ„ I remaine a continual intercessour Mediatour Aduocate vnto mine heauenly father for things necessary aswell for their bodies as their soules faithfully asking and praying for the same in my name yea y u maist not accept of any other meane or instrument to come vnto mine heaueÌ„ly father then my selfe for then doest thou greatly erre thou blasphemest mine heauenly father and dishonorest me for he wilbe serued honored praied vnto in mee and in the name of none other Thou must lay aside all prayers to Saincts and cast away all beleefe that there resteth in them any power to appease the wrath of mine heauenly father for thy sinnes or to procure thee helpe in thy necessities but must come in my name and then thou shalt be sure to be heard if thou beleeue yet not despising but faithfully imitating in good life and holy conuersation those blessed members of mine departed out of this life before thee As for all remission of sinnes al helpe and releefe thou must hoâ—e for and acknowledge to come froÌ„ mine heauenly father by my meanes onely and by none other Wherfore I say thou must beleeue in none other but in mee Iesus Christ crucified God and man sitting in heauen at the right hand of mine heauenly father and remayning a Mediatour betweene him and all those y t in faith come to mee Take hold of me therefore I say who am that Sonne of God and man that was borne of the Uâ—rgine Mary for the saluation of all mankinde who was conuersant here in this miserable worlde layde first in a Maunger most basely and wheÌ„ according to the course of other meÌ„ by sucking eating drinking I grew in stature I preached taught the will of my father glad tydinges vnto the world I was betraied and solde by Iudas I was bound and buffited I was rayled at and reuiled I was turned ouer from one to an other to Annas to Cayphas to Pylate to Herode to y e Hall held vp mine hande at Barre there falsly accused then scourged and caried to the place of Execution where I was most miserably tormented hanged on the Crosse then layd in the graue from whence I rose and now ascended aboue all heauens and al this for thy â—ake al this for no desert of mine but â—or the redemption of all mankinde â—rom the curse of the law for there is â—o coÌ„demnation to them that are in 〈◊〉 walking not after the flesh but â—fter the spirite The power of the â—pirite of life wich is in mee hath deâ—uered thee from the power of sinne â—nd death but he that hath not my â—pirite he is not mine but shall dye â—herefore must thou mortefie the â—edes of the flesh by the spirite that â—ou mayst liue Also thou must beâ—eue that as I ascended visibly into â—eauen with the very body wherein I suffered so must thou likewise beleeue that in the same body I shall come againe in great glory and magestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead at whose hands all meÌ„ shalâ— receiue rewarde according to their well and euill doing which Iudgement shalbe finall generall whereat all men shall appeare all men shalâ— giue accompt of their doinges yea 〈◊〉 euery idle worde and euill thought and that then shall those that hauâ— done good be set in peaceable possesâ—sion for euer of the vnspeakable ioyeâ— of heauen and they that be found iâ— the seruice of Sathan and caried 〈◊〉 way with y e cares of this worlde thâ— Couetouse persons the Drunkerds the Extortioners Lyers Usurers and al those that haue not obeyed thâ— worde of my heauenly father in 〈◊〉 but haue liued in sinne and haue 〈◊〉 truely repented such I say shall bâ— cast into vtter darknesse where shaâ— be coÌ„tinual sorrow no ioy al paineâ— and no pleasure all griefe no glaâ—â—nesse with such continuall and endles torments as the tongue of man cannot expresse with howling weeping gnashing of teeth where the worme of the conscience shall neuer dye Thou must also beleeue that the
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
vndone The sum and whole effect whereof is comprehended onely in loue namely in louing God aboue all thinges and thy neighboure as thy selfe and to hate all things that make againste the fulfilling of the same loue The sinfull man Uouchsafe good Solace to declare now more at large to mee These ten Precepts which doe set foorth the way to come to thee Solace THâ—â— attend thou diligently and first coÌ„sider that these precepts are not of so small moment as y t they should be accepted as the coÌ„maundements of man but to be esteemed as the verie word of myne heauenly father whoe to make the same of the greater credite and aucthoritie amonge men ioyned his owne person his glorious maiestie to the same his words and came visiblye downe in a flame of fire vpon mount Synaye to deliuer them after a farre more glorious and wounderfull manner then man could doe couplinge his owne glorye with the worde to the ende that the same should not be so little accompted of so slenderly regarded or the aucthoritye thereof reiected as a thinge of small effect as words coÌ„monly are estemed as a puffe of wind now hard and by and by forgotten But because it should be of an euerlasting and permanent continuance they were wrytten in tablâ— of stone such was the weightines of the matter that myne heauenly father thought not the wordes of a man no not of an Angel of sufficient aucthoritie or credyte to delyuer the same And therefore came he himselfe downe after such a wounderfull manner as that the mount Synaye at his presence smoaked as a fournace trembling and quakinge miraculouslye whereby thou mayste perceyue y t whoso dyspiseth his Prophets and the performance of his commaundements dispiseth his word and so contempneth god myne heauenly father him selfe for he that dyspiseth the one contempneth the other Therefore muste thou not so lightly waye these precepts the will of mine heauenly father but highly reuereÌ„ce them attentiuely heare them duely follow them and faythfully beleeue them which are perfect conuerting the soule The testimony of the Lord is pure and giueth wisdome vnto the simple and in performing them is their great reward which rewarde yet notwithstanding thou mayst not accompt thy selfe worthy of when thou hast done that which is in the law commaunded thee as farre as is possible for to fulfill the same in al points so exactly as is required thou canst not but when thou haste done all that thou canst thou mayst confesse thy selfe an vnprofitable seruante nay examine the former course of thy life with that which mine heauenly father hath commaunded thée in the lawe and thou shalt not onely finde thy selfe guilty of the breach of one but of all the commaundements for if thou breake and transgresse one thou arte guilty of all And as mine Appostle Paule sayth thou arte not of thy selfe able to thinke a good thought much lesse to fulfill the whole law for they that are in the flesh cannot please God but thou art called from the wisdome of the fleshe whiche is death to the wisdome of the spirite which is life wherby thou mayst be directed to fulfill that righteousnesse which the lawe requireth namely to loue mine heauenly father with all thine hearte with all thy minde with all thy strength thy neighboure as thy selfe wherein consisteth the perfecte righteousnes of the lawe Now to declare the same more at large and to reherse the same particulerly for thy better instruction know this that the first of the same tenne precepts is a prohibition or forbidding that thou shouldâ—st haue any other God or Gods but mine heauenlye father onelye who hath made thée the whole world and all things therein coÌ„tayned who as hée deliuered the people of Israell from their bondage and captiuitie wherein they were grieued by the tirannye of Pharaoh King of Egypte by the handes of Moses and Aaron so hath hee deliuered thee and all mankinde by the sacrifice of my body vppon the crosse from the bondage of sinne from the tyraunte of Sathan and from the feare of death and hell which if there were none other were such an especial benefit that it might 〈…〉 thee to suche an inwarde acknowledging of his inestimable loue that in respecte of that that when thou were following the vngodlie lustes and féeding the vnlawfull desires of thine vntamed fleshe runnynge rashly foorth in that broade way that leadeth vnto death he vouchsaued to send mee his onely sonne to call thée and to with-drawe thee from the same and to set thee in the way that leadeth vnto eternall life thou canste not but accompte him thy god and be mooued to the willyng seruice of him To which especiall benefit if thou ioyne and call to mind the residue of his aboundaunt mercyes wherin he voutchsafeth thee all thinges necessary and expedient to the mayntenaunce of this mortall life and suffereth thee not to wante the thing which maye relieue and comfort thée in all necessities and especially if in fayth thou fall vnto him in my name requiring the same thou mayest be assured to obtayne all thinges at his handes which are requisite for thée not onely I say for the bodye but which is most precious for the soule which could not but haue coÌ„tinued in a most miserable and most dampnable estate had not hee giuen me vnto the death for the redemption thereof who as I haue before assured thée haue aunswered that for thee for which thou remaynedst accurssed namely for not performing all things contained in the lawe That haue I done for thée obeying the will of mine heauenly father therin whose mercy so abounded that he hath accepted thee vnto his fauour agayne through mée without whome thou hadste neuer beene reclaimed but perished in thy sinne In which his so singuler benefites and superaboundant mercies he declareth himselfe to be thy very true and onely God and therefore forbiddeth thee to haue any other God but himself whome thou must worship obey serue trust vnto beleeue and call vpon giuing him aswell by outward profession as by inwarde loue and affection vnfayned prayse and honour imparting the same to none other Least as Dauid sayth thou forget the name of the Lord thy God holde vp thine handes to straunge Gods Worship thy Lord thy God therefore and see that him onely thou serue and truely obey and that with the same true worshippe whiche is commaunded thée in his worde as by prayers supplications and giuinge of thankes magnifying him in the greatnes of his mercy wherein he aydeth reléeueth comforteth and defendeth them that being distressed faithfully call vpon him not running vnto any Saint or Angell but vnto him onely in and by me who am the waye and meane to bringe them vnto him I am the mediator and aduocat by whoÌ„ onely and by none other thou mayst haue free passage vnto
giue ouer the opiniō of thine own good works and cleaue vnto the mercies of mine heauenly father in me and so much the more by howe much nowe thou maiest see thine vtter decaye without me But thou maist beware that thou in respect of thy saluation promised in mee neglect not these dueties enioyned thee towards mine heauenly father and thy neighbor as hath bene tolde thee before but so much the more endeuour thy selfe to performe thē that louingly and faithfully not in the outwarde shewe onely but with the inward affection of the heart imbracing that with a godly desire which thou art commaunded and hatefully eschewing that which thou art forbidden to doe assuring thy self by a liuely and working faith that thou art sealed with the holy Spirite proceeding from my father and mee freely by my merrits without any deseruings at all of thine owne to eternall saluation The sinfull man Now doth that Solace sweet appeare which thou hast promist mee And that mine owne deserts are not the meane to come to thee Thy merites are mine onely stay thy mercie meere extende Let faith in thee direct my life my words and thoughts amend The darkesome night is come I see there is no longer stay Tell mee good Solace neede I not come yet an other day Solace THou seest that I haue spent these sixe daies in calling thee from thine error and instructing thee what thou oughtest to doe to reforme thy wicked life yet remaineth there some thing els for thee to be exercised in to mayntaine that fauour of mine heauenly father towardes thee which I haue purchased for thee And therefore although to morrowe bee the Sabboth day which as thou hast learned it behoueth thee to sanctifie with ceasing from all worldly labors and to giue thee to deuine exercises yet for asmuch as all mine endeuour tendeth to the safetie of thy soule I would haue thee to repaire hyther againe to morrowe when I will declare vnto thee the residue breefly that belongeth vnto thee and that behoueth thee to learne to the finishing of all the course of thy life that after this life ended through my merites thou mayst enioye eternall saluation The sinfull man With willing minde I will attende mine heart doth long to see Those heauenly ioyes wherein I trust at last to liue with thee The ende of the Saterdaies Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull man A PRAYER TO God the Father for pardon in Iesus Christ for transgressing his Commaundements for grace to bee directed to the true fulfilling of the same OH God my God oh fountaine welspring of al mercy louing kindnes vouchsafe fauourably to looke down vpon my corruptiō and wickednesse and set before the eyes of thy Iustice the merites of thy Sonne Iesus Christ for whose desertes and due obedience sake leaue to be angrie and turne to me in loue take away the curse which is due for my transgressions and wilfull disobedience Alas what should become of mee if I should receiue according to my desertes for which there is nothing due but the iust reward of death For merciful Lord God when I compare the whole course of my life past with the righteousnesse of thy deuine institutiōs and most sacred Commaundements I find my selfe a very Traytour a most monstrous Rebell against thee the God of my welfare Oh Lorde when the Iustice and iust iudgements of thy deuine Maiestie shew themselues vnto my deserts wherby my conscience accuseth mee to haue deserued eternall death I cannot but fall into vtter dispayre of being acquitted before thee Only herein a◠I comforted sweete Lord that I haue pardon promised in the death and merites of thy deare Sonne mine onely Sauiour and Redemer Iesus Christ in whose name I here present and prostrate my self vnto thee and for his sake most humbly pray thee to forgiue my transgressions and to pardon al my sinnes vouchsaueing me grace from henceforth faithfully and truely to frame all my desires vnto the fulfilling of all thy most godly Commaundements and that in vnfeyned loue of thee aboue all things and to shew the same outwardly to the performāce of my duety to my neighbours whom thou hast cōmaunded me to loue succour helpe releeue and doe vnto as I would that other men should doe vnto me Graunt me sweet Lorde for Iesus Christes sake grace to doe that which I am commaunden in thy lawes and carefully to shunne and auoyde that which I am herein forbidden that I may keepe not onely mine handes but all mine actions and doinges yea mine heart and thoughtes free from displeasing thee And for asmuch as my corruptiō keepeth doune mine vnderstanding and will so that I am not able to performe that which I ought but am ready to do that which I ought not vouchsafe to accept the merits of thy Sonne Iesus Christ as a sufficient discharge for that which I cannot do and for his sake to forgiue mine insufficiencie to performe thy will Sweete God Amen THE SVNDAYE and last dayes Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull Man VVherein Solace directeth him in prayer which is the principall and last work belonging to the attainement of eternall life by faith in Christ. Solace WHat art thou so earely here this morning oh man thou shewest thy selfe now to bee very desirous of my solace as it seemes by thy diligent attendaunce this morning The sinfull man Ye Solace loe I looke for thee mine only comfort deare Whose comfort now I find in deed proceede from heauens cleare And therefore I attend on thee mine only guide and stay Whom thou doest call I see cannot gad like a wretch astray Mine heart is set to secke the way through thee y t guides to blisse Whereby I shall at last possesse the ioye that perfect is Which I in heart by faith doe feele though in this vale of woe Where Sathās forces fell abound and sinnes by custome growe Which vale I long to leaue in haste to take my rest with thee In heauens hye where only ioye and nothing els can bee Solace THou doest well to bee wearied and greeued at the vewe of those abuses and daylie offences which thou perceiuest in the world to moue mine heauenly father to displeasure which in deede are many and greate and to haue a longing desire to leaue them and to giue them ouer to the end thou mayst the more freely come vnto me But thou must beware thou kicke not nor murmur against mine heauenly father in respect of any miserie temptation or trouble to befall thee here in this world and to be discharged or vnburdened thereof to wish for death but referring thy cause vnto his omnipotent and mercifull prouidence in heartie and faithfull prayers through me Waite his good pleasure arming thy self manfully to fight against Satan and his wicked ministers assuring thy self through an vndoubted faith that whatsoeuer thou shalt aske my heauēly father in my name he shall giue it thee I am thy
giuing thee whatsoeuer is necessarie for thee And for that cause oughtest thou to be subiect and obedient vnto his will in all thinges and to pray for the setting forth and sanctifying of his holy name which is to haue his word truely taught louingly imbraced diligently followed him to be worshipped according to the trueth thereof in all thinges And therefore when thou intendest to pray either for good thinges to bee giuen thee or euill things to be taken frō thee thou must haue a principal regarde to the magnifying of his holy name and to the setting forth of his most worthie praises for his mercies and goodnesse with ardent desire that his holy name may be hallowed and his kingdome come That is that his holy spirite would so direct thee in all thy doinges thoughtes and desires that thine heart varie not from his will but bee so setled in the performaunce thereof in all thinges that true humilitie vnfeyned loue vndoubted hope and constaunt faith may begin in thee that tranquilitie and peace of cōscience which may assure thee through me to bee the heire of his euerlasting kingdome to the ouerthrowe of Sathans rule and destruction of all his power whereby he endeuoureth to leade all mankinde into vtter destruction Pray therefore that his kingdome may come which is his holy spirite which hee hath promised to powre out vppon those that earnestly desire it which shall guide thee to the true seruice of mine heauenly father here in this world vntill such time as I shall appeare in the Clowdes to chaunge thy mortal body and place it in that kingdome wherein thou shalt remaine in blisse vnspeakeable for euer Thou must pray also that myne heauenly fathers will bee done in earth as it is in heauen that is that not onely thy self but all the people of the earth may doe that which in his worde is prescribed and commaunded to be done and that there may bee such obedience such loue such godly behauiour in this world amōg men as is required to be that as the Angelles in heauen are obedient vnto his will and cōmaundements whereby he is glorified there so he might be obeyed to the magnifying of his name here in earth And therfore art thou commaunded faithfully to pray vnto him that he would vouchsafe to gouerne all men as Princes Pastors and Teachers Gouernours and Magistrates that they may performe his will here in earth as it is done in heauen And that all men may execute their vocations truely to the praise of his holy name In which three former petitions thou hast to learne that it behoueth thee principally in thy praiers to regarde the glorie of God mine heauenly father And now attend and thou shalt perceiue that as thou art commaunded in the former petitions to haue respect onely vnto the honour of myne heauenly fathers name So art thou also louingly called to craue corporall blessings namely for such thinges as are necessarie and expedient for the maintenaunce of this life by this petitiō Giue vs this day our daily bread which comprehendeth in it not onely request for bread but for a competent liuing and good successe in thy vocation namely that hee will blesse it and make thy trauayle prosperous in such sort as by the fruites thereof thou mayst be able without vnlawfull meanes to liue and be rather helpefull then burdensome to others Yea thou hast warrant in this petition to craue all things belonging to this life not onely sufficiencie of foode and apparell but also health of body and other temporall benefites The Prophet declareth in the Psalmes that hungrie and thirstie soules wandring in the wildernes called vnto myne heauenly father and were releeued and sent away replenished Yea those rhat lye in prison and in the shadowe of death fast bound in miserie and iron without all hope of healpe calling vpon him in hearty and faithfull prayer are heard their prayers graunted and they deliuered Such also as are afflicted and pining away with sicknesse and heauinesse of heart humbling themselues vnto him in prayer are cured of their diseases When thou art therfore in such or any other afflictiō be it sicknesse imprisonment pouertie daunger of enemies or any other trouble whatsoeuer referre thee to the cōsideration of this petition and there shalt thou finde that thou hast sufficient warrant to flye vnto mine heauenly father in my name in heartie prayer for deliueraunce from thy distresse who is nere vnto all them that cal vpon him yea to all that cal vpon him in trueth he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will heare their prayers and saue them In this petition therefore it behoueth thee and all aswell the rich as the poore to consider that it is not great aboundaunce of riches and store of all worldly thinges nor the labour industrie and earnest diligence of their vocations but the onely blessing of mine heauenly father whereby their store is preserued and the labour of their handes so prospered as it serueth for the preseruation of their mortall liues And therefore all men ought so to referre them selues vnto mine heauenly fathers will bee they poore or rich in zealous and heartie prayer as that in the good successe both of their store and calling they may referre the glorie vnto him the aucthor of all their welfare and whose blessing it is that maketh rich and releeueth the poore Thou hast heard before that it behoueth thee in all thy prayers first to craue forgiuenesse of thy sinnes and reconciliation with God myne heauenly father through mee And in this former most excellent forme of prayer which must be thy direction to all thy praiers thou art warranted to aske for remission of thy sinnes But vpon this condition namely that thou forgiue freely and from thine heart all those that haue offended thee Wherein thou hast then to consider that if thou come vnto mine heauenly father endewed as before thou hast been taught with especiall loue of him and vnfeyned loue towardes all men come freely and boldly vnto him in the name of mee thy continuall Mediatour and craue in a true faith that for my sake hee will forgiue thy sinnes and receiue thee againe into his fauour assuring thy selfe that hauing mee the high Bishop praying for thee through whom thou being iustified by faith art at peace and at one with God mine heauenly father Thinke therefore diligently vpon the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes in me and whensoeuer thine owne vnworthinesse through feare so cloyeth thy poore conscience that thou thinke nothing but condemnation due vnto thee Cast the eyes of thine heart through a liuely faith vppon my merites standing at no time vppon thine owne deseruinges craue reconciliation and remission for my sake assuring thy selfe to bee heard and receiued into mine heauenly fathers fauour againe And beware thou stande not righteous in thine owne conceit for if thou
say thou haue no sinne thou deceiuest thy selfe and there is no trueth in thee but if thou confesse and acknowledge thy sinnes I am faithfull and righteous remayning an Aduocate for thee vnto mine heauenly father to obteine thee forgiuenesse and to cleanse thee from all thine iniquitie Now whensoeuer thou approachest vnto mine heauenly father in my name for remission of sinnes call to minde that to the promise of forgiuenesse is annexed this condition that thou forgiue al others that haue trespassed against thee wherein it behoueth thee to be circumspect and carefull to weede out all malice all hatred dissention and hypocrisie out of thine heart together with al other impediments that may let thy free comming vnto mine heauenly father namely all sinne and iniquitie truely repenting thee thereof that thy conscience being made cleane condemne thee not but that thou mayst come boldly and freely vnto the Throane of grace and in my name receiue whatsoeuer thou shalt aske And for that that Sathan the Prince of this world is so vigilant and diligent to drawe men into many noysome attempts whereby they may decline from myne heauenly Father and followe him whereby vice may bee imbraced and vertue forsaken iniquitie set vp and iustice and equitie suppressed euill regarded goodnes defaced It behooueth thee in all thy prayers to make mention of thy frailtie with humble request vnto myne heauenly Father in my name that he will strengthen thee against all assaultes of wicked Sathan who seeketh by al meanes to ouerthrowe thee whereof thou hast had sufficient experience of late and in whose conflictes thou hast bene vtterly ouercome had not I assisted thee not only in the couetous desires and inordinate cares of this world wherwith he infecteth many but in his most dangerous assault wherein he sought to drowne thee in vtter dispayre his pollicies are verie deceitfull his hatred to wards godlines so great and his assaults so sharpe as it behooueth thee to haue thy weapons prepared for defence that he batter not the walles of thy Soule with the shot of sinne and temptations to sinne but that thou maist be able to withstand him to keepe him from entring into thy soule and that is by no other meane then by a true and an vndoubted faith in mee who haue already vanquished him whereby thou shalt also resist him but for asmuch as thine owne strength is mere weakenesse thy force very frailtie apt rather to yeeld then able to withstande him thou art willed to come for strength against his temptation vnto mine heauenly father by faithfull prayer in my name that those temptations wherewith he endeuoureth to draw thee into destruction namely the thinges that may offende mine heauenly father as contempt of his worde Idolatrie Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Malice Enuie Theft dispaire in trouble and to vse sinister and vnlawfull meanes in pouertie or any kinde of vice ouercome thee not but to bee preserued froÌ„ all thinges that are vngodly daungerous to thy soule for which also thou art willed to pray namely for deliueraunce from euill in which word is comprehended whatsoeuer may bee displeasaunt and offensiue vnto myne heauenly father from the tyrannie of Sathan and from all miseries both bodily and ghoâ—iâ—y not onely priuate appertayning only vnto thy self but for the whole Church that she being deliuered from all calamities thou mayst be partaker of the blessinges powred vpon the same in this life namely the true knowledge of my Gospell and fruition thereof and after this life inherite the Kingdome prepared for the â—â—ect of mine heauenly father from the beginning Nowe hast thou heard what things thou must pray for namely things eternall which are tending to the honouring of mine heauenly fathers name who hath bene before all worlds for spirituall things which are those things that tend to the saluation of thy soule and for corporall things which tend to the maintenaÌ„ce of this present life The consideration of which things ought to stirre thee vp to continuall and faithfull praier wherein as before is saide it behooueth thee to waigh vnto whome thou praiest and by whose meanes thy prayers are acceptable and thy petitions graunted Thou praiest vnto God myne heauenly father who made and created thee and all the worlde thou hast accesse vnto him through mee his Sonne for whose sake by whose mediation thy praiers are heard those prayers that are made by the spirit and vnderstanding not vnaduisedly or at aduenture but in faith and trueth And to the end that thou maist bee assured that it is mine heauenly father onely that both heareth thee and wil helpe thee thou must reteine in thy continuall remembrance how and in what maner he hath declared himself to be the only and true God and that not only in making thee and all creatures els whom by his mightie power hee likewise preserueth but especially in sending mee his onely Sonne into the worlde to take humaine nature vpon me to be familiarlie conuersaunt with man on earth to shewe myne heauenly fathers will the Gospell of eternall trueth his liuely and very perfect Image vnto men to the â—â—de that they should pray only vnto him who hath reueiled himself by me as appeareth by many and euident testimonies wherby thou maist and oughtest daily and diligently to exercise thy faith and therein without wauering to addresse thy self vnto the Throane of his grace in my name of whom he gaue testimonie to bee his onely Sonne and for whose sake hee hath promised to giue thee all thinges both corporall and spiritual which thou shalt faithfully pray for in my name and bee assured to receiue the fruite of thy faithfull praier But now thou must beware least as before is sayd thou bee founde vnthanckfull after the receiuing of the blessinges of my heauenly father of what kinde soeuer they bee For thanksgiuing is an acceptable worship vnto him for that thereby he is acknowledged the giuer and disposer of those thinges that tend to thy benefite and he that giueth him praise glorifieth him And this belongeth vnto the righteous and godly ones onely as the Prophet witnesseth saying The voyce of ioye and deliueraunce shall bee in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hande of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Thus must thou at all tims for all thinges and aboue al things giue thankes not only for the comforte of the present benefite which thou receiuest at the handes of mine heauenly father but also for that thou hast receiued an assured token of his fauour wherein thou mayst peaceablie passe the whole course of thy life in ful assurance that for my sake thou art at peace with him For if thou omit and neglect this due worship of thanksgiuing when thou hast receiued any singuler benefite or deliuerie froÌ„ any kind of daunger or riddaunce from any calamitie thou deemest mine heauenly father to bee the aucthor thereof and attribute
the meane of thy releefe to fortune wherby thou dishonorest him and quenchest that faith whereby thou oughtest to bee perswaded that what good soeuer light vpon thee he sendeth the same as a certeine token and pledge of his especiall fauour and loue towards thee The sinfull man Loe then I see that praier is through thee the meane to haue What so I want if that in faith and trueth the same I craue And that vnfained thankes I must giue for his passing loue Wherein he doth vouchsafe releefe from heauens high aboue Solace IT is euen so looke therefore vnto the performance thereof accordingly together with the residue of those dueties which thou art bounde vnto towards mine heauenly father as also towards thy neighbours And beware least thou looke backe and returne to thy former wickednes to thine olde vomit Thou art nowe cured sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee I haue broken the bandes of Sathan wherein thou wast fast tyed thou art nowe at libertie Bee watchfull therefore and trust in myne heauenly father pray continually and offer the sacrifice of prayse and thanckesgiuing cease not to doe good but refuse to doe euill Walke all the daies of thy life in this narrowe way that tendeth to eternall life and shunne the broad way that leadeth vnto death wherein thou hast walkest in time past but nowe being reclaymed auoyde it that this life once ended thou maist without feare in a cleare conscience appeare enter into that blessed estate wherin y u shalt find nothing but such surpassing eternal ioy and so sweete solace as neither tongue can declare the eare hath not heard the eye seene neither can the hearte of man conceiue the sweetenesse thereof wherein thou shalt liue for euer and receiue such a beautiful Diademe and Crowne of glorie at the hands of mine heauenly father as passeth all vnderstanding Wherefore perseuere in the trueth here imbrace it vnto the end without fainting take holde of the promises in faith reioyce in mee Let the foolish and momentarie pleasures of this worlde goe esteeme them not they are the baytes of Sathan to allure thee to the broad way but be warie auoyde his entisements wherewith he endeuoureth to drawe men into destruction and such as obey him shall haue no part of the promised blessed inheritance but haue their portion in hell fire to whome I will say Depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie into euerlasting torments where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Looke therefore vnto thy selfe while thou hast an acceptable time be sober and watchfull vnto the ende Mine heauenly Father blesse thee and the holy Ghost guide thee to all goodnes for euermore Amen The sinfull man AL thanks praise oh Lord I doe in humble wise commende To thee who doest such solace sweet vnto poore sinners sende Wherewith thou hast reuiued so my sinfull soule from woe That tongue cānot thy praises due for want of wisedome showe But yet as farre as heart and tōgue can giue I yeeld to thee Accept it Lord though passing thankes thou doe deserue I see For when I was in sinfull plight in Sathans bands opprest Thy tender Sonne came downe to mee to shewe the way to rest My soule did harbor all that was vnto my soule annoye But he hath fraught y e same againe with all surpassing ioye My darknes he hath turnd to light wherein I see the way That leades to life how to shunne what led me long astray The pleasant shewes and fawning cheere of worldly wealth I see The fond delightes peeuish toyes did worke but ill for mee Therewith I was puft vp aloft with plumes of pride so hye That nothing did remaine for me but iust desert to dye For sinne a thousand folde I did within myne heart retaine A burning zeale there was in me to heape vp foolish gaine My heart was led w t deepe delight myne eyes did gaze awrye My truethles tongue within myne head for greedie gaine did lye No pittie or compassion was within my careles breast A thousand cares of worldly wealth my wicked heart possest I thought not on an others woe I passe not for his paine I spared not to pinch the poore to reape my selfe the gaine And thus I liued long secure in sinfull soyle a sleepe Till Solace came and did awake me out of slumber deepe And set before my blinded eyes the reckles race I runne Which now I see I must forsake or rest for aye vndone Wherfore all praise in heart I yeeld oh Lord of Lords to thee Unto thy Sonne and holy Ghost for thus receiuing mee Psal. 119. Oh how sweete are thy wordes vnto my throate yea sweeter then honie vnto my mouth 1. Cor. 15. Death where is thy sting hel where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie thorowe our Lord Iesus Christ. A farewell to the Booke I If thou oh sillie Booke doe chaunce to light into the hand O Of any such as takes delight ech others worke to scand H Heare with good will what they will say take not in greefe disdaine N No Booke so good but gets reproofe and trifeling toyes the gaine N No praise exspect way not dispraise ech man will verdict giue O Of thee and me but haue regarde how he or they doe liue R Rash iudgement doth vnstayed mindes in ech degree bewray D Disdaine thou not the deadly doomes therefore of such as they E Euen so farewell in ragged shewe thou must depart from mee N Not pullisht as some pleasaunt Bookes that profite lesse then thee Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos FINIS The foolish conceites of most men that this world doeth fauour as it were at will is commonly thus Worldlie wealth and bodily health are the principall thinges now a daies regarded A great care of the wealthy is to haue a gaye house deckt both within and without after the daintiest fashion 〈…〉 is had to the situation of a worldlie building and none at all for the place where the soule must dwell at last Might without regard to right thinkes the poorer will yeeld for feare And the Landlords think the Tenant bound to yeeld to all his tyrranie Poore men must stoope and yet the more they yeeld the more they are opprest Faire wordes moue men to doe that they after repent The mildnes of the poore make the rich often more cruel By flatterie or threatning by hooke or by crooke he will haue it The rich regard not a poore mans griefe but their owne pleasure and profit The sharper to the poore the sweeter to the rich The poore-mans petition makes the rich man the prouder· The countenaunce of the rich makes the poore man quake The couetous man hath no regarde to the equitie but to thextremitie to worke the poore much w◠Threatning and flatterie seeme contraries and
reformatioÌ„ of thy life to the glory of his name and to the end that other men seeing such successe in thy seruing of God may bee the better allured to the like and that all men may learne to acknowledge themselues releeued maynteined defended and saued by mee and by none other without whome no man coÌ„meth to mine heauenly father and without whose mediation and intercession praiers by whome to whom when wherefore and howsoeuer they be made are not onely not auaileable but mere abominable But hee that prayeth faithfully in my name shall haue the experience and triall that myne heauenly father regardeth the same and that by comforting and duely releeuing them whensoeuer they shall open their griefes and wants vnto him who although hee vnderstand before what thou needest and coulde releeue thee without asking his will is that thou shouldest approache vnto his throne of grace in faithfull and zealous prayer that when thou art releeued and hast obteined the things thou desiredst thou shouldest acknowledge his goodnes towards thee and be the more assured and rest in the more liuely and constant hope of the continuance of his louing fauour and mercies towards thee and for the same to bee the more stirred vp to be thankfull But thou saiest thou knowest not howe to pray or what to desire the spirite shall then direct thee namely the holy ghost shall teach thee hee shall healpe thine infirmitie he shall make request for thee and that with inward gronings and sighes of heart in such wise as the tongue can not expresse The flesh is weake and often keepeth downe that zealous and earnest outward shewe which shal be a testimonie of a deuout and godly mind but the spirit groning inwardly lifteth vp the heart in such sort as the verie sighes thereof are accepted with mine heauenly father and knowne according to the desire thereof although it bee not vttered in open words And therefore thou must vnderstand that it is not sufficient to the discharging of this duetie of zealous prayer to vtter many wordes or to vse long and tedious circumstances in outwarde speach vnlesse the heart being guided and directed by the spirit inwardly groane accompanying the tongue in the outward word that so the heart and tongue being linked together by vndoubted fayth present thy necessities before myne heauenly father in my name and so make the same acceptable for the tongue is but the instrumentall meane or witnesse of the minde whereby to set forth the goodnes of mine heauenly father towards thee So that vnlesse the heart which is the guide of the tongue bee truely affected the tongue must needes either verie coldly or cleane contrarie to Christian duetie in that behalfe or in outward shewe glorious as an hypocrite or els vtter nothing at all so that the true worship the faithfull seruice and the acceptable sacrifice of prayer consisteth in the vnfeined zeale of the hearte and not in the outward worde For hee that searcheth the heart vnderstandeth the verie sighes of the spirit and graunteth thy desires such as are measured and limited by the word of trueth proceeding from the same spirit and not those that proceede of the corrupt flesh which longeth alwayes contrarie to the spirit and which seeketh to tye the will of mine heauenly father to the vaine motions thereof namely in prefixing and setting downe meanes the maner and time of help and reliefe as did the Priest who had limited mine heauenly father a time for their deliuery whom that godly woman Iudith rebuked as appeareth in the Historie for his so tempting God Thou must therefore waite his heauenly pleasure in pacience not limiting or apointiâ—g â—im the meane the way the time or season when or how to defend thee to releeue thee to saue thee but to commit thee wholy vnto his wil and prouideÌ„ce looking faithfully vpoÌ„ him in patience with continuall praiers that he for my sake will grauÌ„t such successe vnto thy desires as seemeth conuenient in y e eyes of his wisdome commend I say thy waies vnto his wisdom and trust in him he wil bring it to passe for thy best looke vpoÌ„ the poore children of Israel who being inuironed with daunger rounde about the Sea was before theÌ„ the Mountaines on each side of them and Pharoah with an huge host pursuing and following them in so much as there was nothing but meere dispayre of their deliuerie their daunger was such that all mans deuises were vaine policie was to no purpose no counsayle could auaile them but see the wonderfull power and mercies of myne heauenly father who beholding their imminent daunger at the prayers of Moses made a way for them to escape in which his prayers he prefixed not the maner the time nor meane to be holpen but encouraging the people to trust in God mine heauenly fathers right hande and neither to murmure to feare or dispayre but to referre themselues in faith vnto his will who parted the red Sea in sunder and led the people of Israell through and deuoured their enemies with the same Loe thou seest that he helpeth when the helpe of a man is vayne and when all hope of helpe in respect of men is past then is his power greatest and his helpe neerest Let this therefore learne thee that whether the present daunger of enemies dismay thee pouertie oppresse thée or any other necessitie or greefe anoy thee dispayre not of helpe betake thee vnto my heauenly father in my name coÌ„fesse thy sinnes and shew him thy troubles open thy necessities and declare thy cause vnto him in most faithfull praier not coldly or weakely from thy lippes but zealously and effectually from the heart lifting vp thy minde vnto the heauens not suffering thy thoughtes to roue abroade after other helpes but fixed onely with the eye of a true faith vpon mine heauenly fathers alone ayde for my sake and assure thy selfe that in a tyme most conuenient and most acceptable he shall defende thee hee shall releeue thee and hee shall helpe thee as thou shalt say that the right hand of y e Lord hath wrought it for thee Thou must therefore waite his â—easure and with patience abide his good time in all humilitie and duetiful obedience As Dauid did who being expulsed his Kingdome by his owne Sonne in obedience offered his prayers vnto mine heauenly father saying If I shall finde fauour in thy sight oh Lord thou wilt establish me againe in my Kingdome But if thou shalt say vnto me Thou doest not please me I am ready to obeye thee doe with mee what thou wilt See his humilitie which notwithstanding the heauie burthen of the rebellion of his owne Sonne he shewed in great patience which ingendred that hope that at the last at the will of myne heauenly father was answered with the thing it desired Such humilitie and obedience had Iob who when all his children were taken away his
cattell destroyed and howses and all his substaunce consumed he betooke him vnto the Lorde saying Oh Lord naked came I into the worlde and naked shall I returne to earth againe thou hast giuen and thou hast taken away now blessed be thy name for euermore Who in his extreme miserie dispayred not neither limited a time of his releefe but referring himself vnto mine heauenly fathers wil in perfect patience was in the ende holpen and wonderfully releeued Wherefore I say thou mayst be assured of releefe in all thy necessities if thus thou betake thee in my name vnto myne heauenly fathers will Looke vpon the three children in the hot Ouen who choosing rather to dye then to commit Idolatrie cryed out faithfully saying Our God whom we serue can deliuer vs But if he will not knowe this oh King that we will not worship thy God Which three childreÌ„ were in the Ouen and not consumed mine heauenly father was readie to deliuer them they did not indent and compouÌ„d with him that if hee would deliuer them they would defie the Image of Nabugodoazer but referred themselues vnto his prouideÌ„ce in true obedience So what dauÌ„ger necessitie or trouble soeuer thou hap to fall into thou must with Dauid and these three children submit thy self vnto mine heauenly fathers will without appointing the maner or time to be releeued And with Iob to say the name of God be praised for euermore Cast thy care vpon mine heauenly father in my name he shall nourish thee he shall defende thee releeue and succour thee and shall not suffer thee to be in perpetuall trouble And therefore thou must pray in hope and that alwaies not being wearie for that thou hast an ende of thy troubles and releefe in thy necessities promised when in what maner by what meanes thou mayst not appoint but whether he tarie long ere he helpe thee or sende thee releefe presently it is for thy best And therefore in all thy prayers thou must ad this if it be his will for that he knoweth what is most conuenient for thee what is for thy benefite whereof thou art altogether ignoraunt But reioyce alway pray continually in al things be thankfull for this is the will of God mine heauenly father in me his Sonne towards all men The sinfull man What are the thinges for which I ought most specially to pray Instruct me that from hence I may thy sacred will obey Solace IN deede it behoueth thee to haue consideration what thou requirest at mine heauenly fathers handes who although he will thee to come freely vnto him and he will helpe thee he doth not admit thee to come in such wise as that thy petitions should vary from his worde wherin he hath prescribed vnto thee what thou shouldest aske namely whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges apperteine vnto loue whatsoeuer thinges are godly vertuous and tending to y e glorie of his holy name In these thinges oughtest thou to be carefull and for such things to make thy zealous and heartie prayers in my name and thou shalt obteyne both corporall and spirituall thinges to thine vnspeakeable comforte But thou must put a difference betweene the thinges thou prayest for namely to aske spirituall thinges as forgiuenesse of sinnes and to be preserued from sinne and eternall death for the gift of the holy Ghost for euerlasting life without any condition in a true faith for I wil not the death of a sinner but rather that he reâ—â—rne and liue And therefore thou mayst take 〈◊〉 of reconciliation in me and assure thy self of eternall life In the same faith also as thou hast heard thou mayst flye vnto him in my name for all thy corporall necessities but with this condition namely if it please him And it is required of thee that before thou enter into this so excellent and so precious a worke thou examine thy selfe namely whether hatred against thy brother malice desire of reuenge or any other vncharitable matter be depeÌ„ding betweene any other and thy selfe If so then behoueth it theeâ— before thou approach vnto mine heauenly father in requesting any thing spirituall or temporall to growe into a godly desire of vnitie and from thine heart to forgiue whatsoeuer thou haue against any man that myne heauenly father may forgiue thee For knowe this that if thou forgiue not those that haue offended thee be it neuer so highly mine heauenly father will not pardon thee of thine offences which are many and great against him But being in a charitable desire of other mens welfare as of thine owne thou hast free accesse through mee vnto myne heauenly Father to whome thou mayst come boldly for things appertaynig both to body and soule as thou art taught by these words Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly bread and forgiue vs our offences as wee forgiue them that haue offended vs And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill In which breefe forme of prayer consisteth the whole summe both of spirituall and corporall requestes And whatsoeuer thou askest it is comprehended within this praier or otherwise it is without any warrant and therefore not to be graunted And therefore by this rule it behooueth thee to guide all thy petitions for in this forme of prayer are conteined things eternall things spirituall and corporal things present things to come which things onely ought to stirre vp thy dull mind to faithfull and heartie prayer The sinfull man Declare thou these thinges more at large good Solace that I may In faith be stirred vp in thee for what and when to pray Solace THen vnderstande that by this forme before recited thou art taught not onely that prayer is necessarie and that it is commaunded as a principal seruice and worship of mine heauenly father but thou art directed to whom and for what to pray Thou must pray therefore yea aboue all thinges to whom to mine heauenly father for what especially for thinges tending to eternall saluation and then for bodily necessaries when continually least thou fall into temptatioÌ„ Thou must pray vnto mine heauenly father why because he is God eternal omnipotent maker and creator of all things the preseruer the defender the saftie and life of all and without whose deuine prouidence nothing can continue Buâ— by whom or by whose or what meanes doth he heare thee and graunt thy requestes only by me and whatsoeuer thou shalt aske of him in my name he shall giue it thee And therefore whensoeuer thou praiest thou must be faithfully perswaded that he is fatherly affected towards thee and is become so fauourable vnto thee for my sake that he both heareth thee and will graunt thy requestes And therefore oughtest thou to call him father who for my sake accepteth thee as his sonne