CHAP. 1.

IT was a notable say­ing (my deere and welbeloued brethren in Christ) whosoeuer was the Author, That there is nothing great on earth but Man, and nothing great in man but his soule; and therefore as all creatures admire and serue, and benifit man the wonder of the world; so should man himselfe also admire and tender, and seeke the behoofe & aduancement of his soule the wonder of wonders: for this is our glory, our crowne, our perfection, our very [Page] life; saue this and saue all.

But I know not how it comes to passe: This which should bee our cheefe and onely care, the most part of men cast behind their backes; and they that are taken to husband other matters well and prudently, in this are so vnthrifty and ill husbands, that they set all at six and seuen, and suf­fer that onely pretious thing (which ouerballanceth the whole world) to go to irrecouerable wracke and ru­ine.

So that the Lords prophets of our time, haue euen as iust cause as euer Ieremie had, to take vp that sad com­plaint:Ier. 12. The earth is fallen to vtter deso­lation, for that there is no man that consi­dereth in his heart, no man that ponde­reth aright his owne estate: Iere. 12. But Atheisme and prophanenes, and secure licentiousnes, haue gotten such sway, that scarse any man beleeues God to be God, scarse any mā thinks hee hath a soule to saue, they laugh, they make merrie, they feast, they frolick, they sing care away all the [Page 2] day long, as if heauen were but a dreame, hell but a fable, the soule an idle title of a thing which is not, and themselues sent hither to no other end but to sport and play, and follow the lusts and vanities of their wicked hearts. The Lord hath planted vs in a good soile, he hath put fresh earth about vs, he hath prunde vs, and set a ditch and a wall to incircle & fence vs, and now he longeth for the first ripe fruits, and we are all become like the summer gatherings, there is not a cluster to presēt vnto him. And ther­fore many a time ere this, but that some good vinedresser hath entrea­ted wee may stand yet one yeare lon­ger, there had beene set to vs a hat­chet & a fire (an vnquenchable fire) the iust reward of such vnprofitable trees, as doe but cumber the ground wherein they grow.

O my brethren, that we would be once but so wise as to see our folly, & the fearefull danger wee stand in by meanes thereof. Hath God created vs in his owne Image, that we should [Page] thus vilely & continually deface his glorious likenes? Hath Christ redee­med vs from the power of the Diuel with no lesse price thē his owne hart bloud, that voluntarily wee should cast our selues into the bōdage of Sa­tan? Hath he by offering vp him­selfe for vs, purged vs from sin, that we should afresh run headlong to vn­cleannes? Hath he therefore made vs heires of heauen, that through our owne default we should be firebrands of hell? Hath hee therefore saued our soules, that we should negligently & wilfully cast away soules and bodies for euer.

Where is our zeale to God-ward? where is our reuerent feare of his ma­iesty? wher is our Christianity? where is our faith and godlines? where is our thankes we giue to the Lord for his so innumerable benefits? where is our seruice & obedience we yeeld to our Lord Iesus Christ for his sauing health? nay where is our very reason wherein wee differ from bruit beasts, who by nature are lead to desire and [Page 3] follow things profitable to them, & to shun the hurtfull: and yet we ha­uing the direction of reason, & the illumination of grace besides, haue no desire of euerlasting profit, nor feare of endlesse destruction?

What if God should instantly send forth the decree of his wrath vpon vs to roote vs out of the Land of the li­uing, and would receiue no interces­sion or atonement for vs, as he threat­ned his owne people when they had prouoked him to wrath, that though Noe, Iob and Daniel should beg for them, yet he would not heare them, nor should his affection bee towards such a people?

Oh my brethren, if this should bee to vs, it had been good for vs we had neuer beene borne, yea the vnreaso­nable beasts and senselesse creatures, the most vgly things of nature were in happier case then wee: for they haue no reckoning to make whē their life is gone out of them, or their sub­stance dissolued, but then beginneth our wofull audit, then our debts and [Page] arrerages shalbe produced against vs, then shall wee heare that heauy sen­tence, Bind him hand and foote, and cast him into vtter darknes, whence he shal not come out till he haue paid the vttermost farthing. But the Lord in mercy hath yet spared vs (though it be not long since that he made the graue to open his widest mouth vpon vs) it is yet called to day, his eie is yet ready to pitie vs, & his eares are open to heare vs; let vs not harden our hearts and prouoke him as wee haue done with our wickednes and impenitencie, but let vs both soundly and sodainly con­uert to him, and he will receiue vs & imbrace vs, and his fierce wrath shall be turned from vs. Oh how well it becomes a man (saith the wise He­brew) when he is reproued,Eccles. 20 4. to shew repentance, for so shall hee escape wilfull sinne. Consider what I say, & the Lord giue you and me vnderstan­ding in all things.

And now let vs enter into some larger discourse of this matter, that we may the better see our vanitie and [Page 4] follie in going on in our sins, and put­ting off our repentance and conuer­sion (as we doe) from day to day, and from time to time, to the high dis­pleasure of almightie God, and the feareful hazarding of our owne salua­tion. And because I speake to such as are (many) of liberall education, & (all) of good capacitie, and apprehen­sion, I will tie my selfe to some order in the handling hereof, not that I would seeme to take scholarship vpō me, which I do freely confesse I haue not, but for that I haue in other mat­ters found the profit of order, both to the writer, and to him that rea­deth.

First therefore I beseech you, as you loue and tender your owne soules (which I doe now loue also, e­uer since I began to loue mine owne) consider with me not slightly, but e­uen with a deepe & earnest thought, the tremblable estate of a man vncon­uerted, and the dangerous inconue­niences we runne into, by our impe­nitencie and obstinate persisting in [Page] our wicked waies. And I trust (by the cooperation of Gods grace) though euery inconuenience seueral­lie cannot moue vs, yet all of them iointly together shall affect our harts and stirre vs vp to some more care & conscience of being that which wee would be called.

CHAP. 2.

ALmightie GOD, in the creation assigned to eue­ry thing in the world some particular end, and impressed in their nature, an appetite and desire to that end continually, as to the very point and scope of their being: As we see birds make their nests, and breed vp their yong: beasts skuffle for their fodder & pastorage: [Page 5] Fishes flote vp and downe the riuers; Trees beare fruit; Flowers send forth sweet odours, herbes their secret ver­tues; Fire aspires vpward with all his might; Earth hath no rest till it come into his proper region: Waters post vpon the necke one of another, to the bosome of the maine; Aire push­eth it selfe into euery open voidnes vnder heauen. This is cleare in our owne obseruation, and experience: and shall wee thinke that man (the most noble creature) (for whose comming all this pompe and shew was set in order, as for their Lord and King) was made in vaine, and had not his peculiar end appointed him also proportionally to the noblenes of his quality and condition? Yes doubtles, that God that cā neuer erre nor ouersee in his workes, allotted vnto man the worship and seruice of his maker in this world, and the en­ioying of the same his makers glo­ry for euer in the world to come, as his maine obiect and aiming point, whereto he ought to tend and referre [Page] himselfe all his daies.

Now for man to swarue from this end, and to serue the Diuell, the world and his sensuall lusts; and being made for heauen, to follow the direct line that leads to hel, is to shew himselfe more base and degenerate, then the most base and brutish crea­tures in the world, and to be condem­ded & cried out vpō by them cōtinu­ally: for they keep to this day with­out digression, their proper ends and assignements, enioined them by their maker in the creation: onely man is irregular, man alone powres out him­selfe, into all kinde of riot and disor­der.

Oh my brethren turne againe, and consider sadly of this point; Shal the little Bee and the Emmet so careful­ly do Gods worke, and fulfill the taske which hee hath set them? shal the senselesse stone, being forced to mount vpward against his inclina­tion, sinke and descend againe as fast, till it come to the center which is his home and end? and shall man (the I­mage [Page 6] of God) runne bias from his end, and do euery other thing more then the worke prescribed vnto him? shal they (silly reasōlesse things) keep a direct course without any volunta­ry swaruing, and yet haue no tutor or remembrancer? And shall we euen wilfully stray and vary, hauing our owne hearts filled full of vnderstan­ding & iudgement, & being so many waies called vpon, and pulled by the sleeue, as it were, beside?Gen 6. Shall God take ioy of all other creatures, & one­ly repent that he made man? what a shame of shames is this to vs? we read in the prone and groueling faces of beastes that they were made but for the earth vpon which they pore: And do we not likewise in our owne erect and loftie countenances, that our end is heauen, and heauenly things, as our vpright shape, and high-raised looks tend thitherward continually. But what shal I say?Iames 4. to him that knoweth to do well, and doth it not, to him it is sinne, yea finne with a witnes.

Againe, where as man hauing by [Page] his wilfull fall and disobedience lost those excellent powers and priui­ledges, wherewith at the first he was endued; and enthralled himselfe for euer to sinne, death and hell; as it was forethreatned he should, if hee did tast of the forbidden tree: it pleased the Lord, out of his vnutterable loue to his choisest peece of workman­ship, to send his owne euerlasting Son out of his bosome to pay downe the inestimable ransome of his inno­cent bloud for him; & in stead of the earthly paradise which he had lost, to giue him heauen (the seat of his owne Maiestie, and the habitation of this Angels and purest spirits) for his in­heritance, conditionally, that for his freedome and bounty he should serue the same his Lord in holines & righ­teousnesse before him all the daies of his life.

And surely if any Alien being by endenization made a member of the same body with the naturall children and inheritable to the common liber­ties and commodities, doe willingly [Page 7] acknowledge himselfe bound and answerable to the publike lawes of that country wherein he is denized; much more ought we that are forrai­ners and slaues by birth, being in­franchised and made free denizens of heauen, and fellow citizens with the Saints of God; much more (I say) ought we in lue of this so beneficiall legitimation to conforme our selues to the obedience of the heauenly lawes, and ready to execute the most iust charges which our God and king hath imposed vpon vs. Ignorance of these lawes, none of vs can pre­tend; both because they are so short, and compendious (for God deliuer­ed them at first but in ten words, and our Sauiour hath since abridged those ten into two, comprising notwith­standing in that Epitome the very end of all law and equity) and also because wee of all places of the land are by Gods ministers, the pastors of our soules, so plainely and carefully taught them from time to time, as afterward shall be shewed.

Now then for vs (the premisses waighed) to cary ourselues towards this most gracious Lord in such a disloiall fashion, to shake off the yoke of his precepts, and kicke al his com­mandements aside one after onother, when they lie in the way of our pro­fit or our pleasure, and to go on with a bold face and a high hand, multi­plying sinne vpon sinne, without any mind of turning to better waies, til we be wrapt with age, or pined with sicknes, or worne out with sinne, that euen sin her selfe castes vs off, as vn­seruiceable: what rebellion or ingra­titude can there be cōparable to this? O my brethren, is this to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse, not one, but all the daies of our life, from the first to the last? Is this the state of life we hope to go to heauen in? haue the vnsanctified any title of the inhe­ritance of the Saints? or the children of the Diuell, to the blessed freedome of the Sonnes of God? Is their part in the saluation of Christ, that dayly and hourely crucifie him afresh, & in [Page 8] a iolly scoffing brauery, deride his passion, as if his backe were broad e­nough to beare all their filth?

Do we looke that the Lord should performe the grant when wee faile in the condition? is not our breach of couenant with him a frustrating of his indentment with vs? Beleeue it my brethren, beleeue it, whilest wee remaine in our sins, the Lords grant remaines void; we cannot claime the benefite of one drop of Christs bloud, nor of the least part of his me­rits: the shaken sword of the Cheru­bin hangeth ouer vs, we stand bani­shed from the paradise of Gods fauor, and liable to the seuerest penalty of those his lawes which we haue viola­ted; onely so long as that penalty is not inflicted, so long doth the Lord expect if at any time wee will renue our couenant by repentance, and so escape out of the snare of the Diuell, of whom we are holden captiue to do his pleasure.

Moreouer, when we were sprink­led in the holy Lauer of Baptisme [Page] (which is as it were the wombe of the Church) where our regeneration or new birth was first set a foot, we vow­ed a vow to God, which ought of all Christians to be most holily obser­ued; that wee would perfect that newe birth of ours euery day more and more by beleeuing his word, obeying his commandements, morti­fying our flesh, cōpressing our lusts, re­sisting the diuel, renoūcing the world & fighting māfully vnder his bāner a­gainst all oppositiō, that finaly hauing finished our course we might receiue the crowne of life, which he hath pro­mised to them that continue faith­full vnto the death.

Now our impenitencie & weltring in sinne, is not onely a not fostring, but a very killing of our spirituall na­ture in the first seede or kernell; a breaking of our vowe to God; nay a very denying of God and his word, an abiect yeelding vs to his and our enemies, a cowardly running away from the spirituall battell at the first stroke striking; a wilfull losing of [Page 9] our immortall garland, and an occa­sion to make Christ (the great cap­taine and finisher of our faith) vtter­ly to casheere vs out of his band, as hauing in vs no sparkle of that gene­rosity and braue-mindednes, which ought to be in such as weare his co­lours, and beare armes vnder his stan­dard.

The wisedome of the world is, to retaine to the strongest part: and me­thinkes we hauing beene bred vp vnder the worlds wing, should by this time haue taken out that point of wisedome, and retaine to Gods side: for his is the strongest and surest side. O my brethren, looke backe to your Baptisme, and learne to amend. Let not the royall Character which God hath set vpon vs by the ministery of his Church be any longer thus vilely blurd and defaced by our enormous sinnes. Let vs not breake our vow to God, lest he binde fast his curse to vs: Leaue not the Lord of hosts, to whom we haue giuen our names, and those powerfull legions of his [Page] blessed Angels (our consederates and guarders in his quarrel) to ioine with the Diuell, whom we haue defied, & with the world, & sin and the flesh, (a sort of cowardly rebels) which will themselues cut our throates when we least suspect them. But let vs new­deep our selues in the water of contri­tion, and that will fetch againe the primitiue colour, which was put vp­on vs in the day of our Baptisme.

Ouer and beside all this, whereas the patience and bountifulnesse, and long suffering of our God, in spa­ring vs so many yeares, and waiting for our amendment (though in the meane time wee force him to com­plaine that he is pressed vnder our sinnes as a cart is pressed vnder a hard load of sheues) I say, whereas this gracious patience of his should leade vs to re­pentance; we by continuing in sinne, do abuse his patience, and heape vp greater wrath vpō our heads, against the day of wrath, and declaration of the iust iudgement of God, which will suddainely ouertake vs. God is [Page 10] prouoked (saith the Psalmist) euery day: heere is forbearance: but what followeth? 2. if a man wil not turne (af­ter all Gods waiting) thē he wil whet his sword, & bēd his bow, & make rea­dy his arrows against such prouokers.

When we see wrath in a mans face, it is an argument that he will strike, & we are wont to shun & giue backe frō him. Let vs take heed, Gods face lookes very angerly, we haue dared him so long, and put him so to it, that he cannot hold his fingers, he must needes breake out into blowes: And the blowes of his anger are no light stripes, but euen deaths wounds, as all the Land from Dan to Beersheba, will beare witnes.

O then my Brethren, if this Lion roare, who wil not tremble & crouch before him? if he knit his browes that measureth heauen with his span and waigheth the mountaines in a ballance, & cleaueth the rockes with his voice, who dares looke him in the face, who shal be able to abide his frownes? were we as huge and strong [Page] as Behemoth or Leuiathan, hee will spurne vs as a chip, and trample vs vnder his feete as the mire in the streetes, if we incense his maiesty, or stirre vp his wrath and iealousie a­gainst vs.Apoc. The Kings, and great men, and stout Captaines and Warriours, hide themselues in caues, and in holes of the earth frō the feare of the Lord when he riseth vp to be auenged of sinners.

O what shall the shrub in the wil­dernes do, when the Okes of Bashan, and the Cedars of Libanus are thus shaken! how dare such silly wormes and grashoppers as we, confront the almighty, and prouoke him yearly & hourely with new and new sinnes, (neuer once renuing our repentance) at the blasting of the breath of whose displeasure the hilles melt, and the foundations of the world shake and are remoued? Though he haue worne one rod of pestilence to the stumps vpon vs, and throwne it by, standing and looking at our behauiour after it, he can call for another and another if [Page 11] our great hearts be not come downe, & repentance & a change appearing in our liues; or he hath famine swords wild beastes, bedlem waters, treasures of snow and haile, lightnings, thun­derbolts &c. or he hath feuers, palsies, gouts, choliks, cākers wolfes, tympa­nies, &c. to scourge presumptuous sin­ners that wil not be warned: his store house is neuer vnfurnished with rods, and scorpions too, if we put him to it. Surely my Brethren we are transformed with Nebuchadnezar into beasts, and the hearts and vnderstan­dings of men taken from vs, if this consideration moue vs not to abo­minate our sins, and cease from our prouocations, wherewith we haue prouoked this God of anger against vs, especially when he hath put vp so many abuses and villanies of ours all our life hitherto, wee iustly deser­uing euery moment to be rooted out, and hee being able many thousand waies to haue executed the sentence of our destruction vpon vs.

CHAP. 3.

THat which hath beene said in the former chapter, might suffice to worke in vs a mind of repentance, and a change of life, if we caried in euery of our breasts a meeke and docible heart; but be­cause the greater number (which farre exceedes the better) haue their essen­tiall part of a harder kind of temper, we must beat vpon them with more strokes, & prosecute this matter with further declaration.

As the weldoing of a man after he is reconciled to God, fils him full of inward peace and comfort and makes him cheereful and confident in all the cumbers and euils of life; so it is the property of sinne to discomfort and torment the sinner, to wound his con­science, to fill his soule full of terrour [Page 12] and perplexity, and to aggrauate eue­ry little outward aduersity.Isay. There is no peace saith my God, to the wicked; but terrour and trembling is in all their life. They are possessed with a spirit of vnrest, and held in in bon­dage vnder euery oppression of their owne conceites.For as they that feare God, need feare no­thing so they that feare not him cā not choose but feare all things. * The vngodlie flie (saith Salomon) whē none pursueth him, but the righteous is confident as a Lion. And Moses in Leuit. amongst other euils threatned to the transgressors of Gods commandements alleageth this: The wagging of a leafe shall make them afraid, they shall flee as if a sword did chase them, and they shall fall no man pursuing thē. And else where directing his speech to the same men: The Lord (saith hee) shall giue thee a trembling heart, and dazeling eies, and sorowe of mind; Thy life shall hang before thee, and thou shalt feare both night and day, and shalt haue none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, would God it were euening, & at euening thou shalt say, wold God it were morning: for the feare of thine heart which thou shalt feare, and for the [Page] sight of thine eies, vvhich thou shalt see.

A miserable state of all those men of reprobate mindes, which haue sold themselues to worke wickednes vp­on the earth, and cast the feare of the Lord behinde them; they dread euen the safest things, and the more they offend the more they feare, their whole life is a butchery of thēselues, and all their daies as the daies of a prisoner that is condemned. They thinke euery little cracke to be the voice of ruine, and euery idle sound, the forerunner of destruction. The beames of their chambers seeme to deceiue them, and the walles and raf­ters to lay hold vpon them, their own shadow is suspected to betray them and the stones of the street to con­spire against them; wheresoeuer they go they thinke they are descried, and Gods executions are out to take thē, as a man that is far in debt, thinkes in euery window stands a creditor to obserue him, and almost euery one he meets to be a Sergeant to arrest him.

There lodgeth in the middest of [Page 13] them a domesticall fury, which eft­soones breaketh off their beginning rest, and scourgeth them (as one spea­keth) with silent lashes, which are not heard of the neerest about them. If they be not yet punished, they looke that they shall be. If they bee, the present feeling of euill induceth still feare of worse, when one peril is past, they thinke another is behinde; and when that is escaped yet a greater is to come: so still the first feare is inhe­rited by the second, and the second by the third, and one by another, that they cannot recouer any sparkle of confidence, nor promise themselues one minute of security.

What they deserue, that they ex­pect euer, and to expect paine, is ma­ny times more painful then to indure paine; euery thing is against them, for they are against themselues; whatso­euer is spoken or read, they feare it is spoken and read of them: when any thing is faulted, their owne fault presently comes in their way. Euerie nod and winck they imagine, notes [Page] something concerning them, they are their own accuser, their owne witnes, their owne iudge, their owne hang­man, they find no place to fly vnto, for their conscience still pursueth thē, & themselues of themselues are woū ­ded and thrust thorow. Aske of the daies of old, and they will speake it, & the yeares of passed generations, and they will confirme it, that those ter­rors & discōforts are the fruits of sin: inquire of Caine, Baltazar, Saul, Iudas, Nero, Iulian, and they will all cry with one voice, that the pangues, prick­ings, vnrests, and frights appropri­ate to all wicked impenitent persons, are (as it were) certaine flashes of the flames of hell fire. But what need we raise vp such a cloud of anciēt deceas­sed witnesses to confirme the point we haue in hand? speake any wicked man amongst vs (and let his tongue be a true embassador) whether hee feele not in himselfe some measure of this forlornnes, whether his hart bee not often as cold as a stone in his bellie, & all his strength as water powred out vpō [Page 14] the earth. And though he strengthen himselfe and striue neuer so to expell from his minde this vncheerefulnes and dastardly faintnes, borrowing many times of the bodie the solace & delight of some counterfeit pleasures, whereby he may seeme to haue some peace (like the sick man, who in his sleepe feeleth not his paine) yet after that short and sower mingled sweet­nes he returnes to the chaine of his old bondage, & his wonted gripings seaze afresh vpon him.

O my brethren, this biting memo­ry of sinne, this worme of conscience which will not bee bribed, this pale hartlesnes that seazeth vpon vs when the offence is committed, makes the most obdurate sinner somtimes to re­lent and condemne his owne doings; and to say to himselfe, Sure, to do well is farre better.

This makes the most impudent a­dulterer to think sometimes the chast married bed to yeeld more contented rest, then the wanton couch of the strange woman.

This makes the drūkard sometimes to thinke the moderate vse of Gods creatures with thankesgiuing, to bee much better both for body and soule, then his vaine and beastly excesses.

This makes the murtherer and furi­ous man sometimes to preferre peace and gentlenes before the bloudy hād or the quarrelling tongue.

This makes the spitefull wretch, to thinke him that loueth and benefiteth another, to be more blessed and belo­ued of God, then hee that with a low­ring brow plotteth and practiseth for his neighbours hurt.

This makes the deceitfull trades­man to thinke sometimes one wel got­ten groat in trueth and conscience, to be greater riches then many pounds of wicked thrift.

This makes the couetous oppressor to thinke sometimes the liberall Al­moner and good housekeeper to bee more acceptable to God & makes then the greedy churle that makes the poore offer to his box, and wrings pence out of the hirelings wages.

O why should wee delight in euill when the Authors themselues are dis­pleased at it, and assure vs that vpon the reckoning there is nothing but terrour and discomfort to bee gained by it?

And why should we not loue wel doing, when the very enemies ther­of commend it? as being the ground of a quiet conscience, and that is like a cōtinuall feast, where there is mirth and cheare all the day long. O my brethrē, it is the inward purenes of the heart that neuer makes vs change co­lour: it is innocencie that neuer galles the mind, neuer pricks the inward parts: it is seasonable repentance that breedes that internall glee, which is a certaine taste of the future felicity, and a beginning of the ioyes of heauen in vs, and that which maketh vs feele incredible pleasures amidst the most greuous troubles & miseries of this life.

Once (saith a godly writer) man was in paradise: Now paradise is in man, and that is the ioy of a good conscience: [Page] which makes him confident and se­cure and resolute at all times; so that though the heauen should melt, and the earth be remoued, yet he is vnsha­ken, for he knoweth in whom he hath beleeued, and if the Lord be God, he shall not miscary.

Wouldest thou haue this security, this peace, this boldnes? wouldest thou liue this blessed life? wouldest thou bee without frights, without checks, without prickings in thy hart? then fly from sinne, abandon all that may offend the Maiesty of GOD, worke out your saluation with feare and trembling, seek the Lord, cal vp­on him, trust in him, thanke him, sweare not by his sacred name; pro­phane not his sabbaths, kil not, qua­rell not, hate not in thy heart, let not the sunne go downe vpon thy wrath; defile not thy body through lust; co­sen not, oppresse not, slander not, couet not another mans, labour to say truely both now and to your liues end, that thou maist say with the bles­sed Apostle,Acts. 24. I haue endeauoured to [Page 16] walke in all good conscience alwaies, both towards God and towards men; and that same peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding, shall keepe your hearts and mindes in Christ Ie­sus.

But if you let go the raines to your old licentiousnes, and bee more wic­ked to day, then yesterday, & to mor­row, then to day; if you say to the good motions of Gods spirit, as the false friend in Salomon to his neigh­bour, Go, and come againe to morrow: or as Festus to Paul, when I haue a con­uenient time, I will heare further of you: and so passe along your daies in all iollity & voidnes of care (your things seeming to be in peace because the strong man hath full possession of all) yet when the lease of your life shal be expired, and the parting houre is come vpon you, then your sin which slept before the dore, shall start vp & lie heauy vpon your soule and con­science; and then howsoeuer the Lord may haue suffered you to thriue, and grow great in the world, yet you shal [Page] find that it is not your soft beds, nor your pretious waters, nor your sweet musick, nor your pleasant company, nor your sealed bags, nor your rich purchases nor your statutes and eui­dences can ease your minde, or buy you this peace, this blessing, this ine­stimable treasure, which a religious life might haue purchased before.

Beyond all this, whilest we remain impenitent, GOD heareth not our prayers.Psal. 66. If I incline my heart to any vvickednesse, the Lord vvill not heare me: Prou. 15. the sacrifice of the wicked is abomi­nation to the Lord, nay their very prayer is turned into sinne. And what comfort can wee looke for in the troubles and dangers incidēt to our life, when that which should bee our refuge & shel­ter to resort to, encreaseth our dan­ger, and in stead of bearing of the storme, falles downe like a ruinous house vpon our heads? we are besides out of the compasse of Christs inter­cession, he excepts worldings & wic­ked ones by name out or his prayers: And if he will not plead our cause, [Page 17] who dares speake for vs? if wee bee out of his protection, where is our as­surance? any desperate villanie, may strick his dagger to our heart: the Di­uell may teare vs in peeces, and carry vs to hell, there is none to succour vs.

Moreouer whilest we take part with sinne against God, all the creatures take Gods part against vs: the horse hath his heeles ready to strike out our breath, the bull hath his hornes rea­dy to goare vs, the boare his tuskes to haunch vs, the dog his phangs to pull out our throates, the tiles ouer our heads are prest to braine vs, the fly in our cup to choake vs, our owne knife is ready to glance into our flesh, euery thing else is ready to worke mischiefe to vs, euery little iob vnder our feete to giue vs a brusing fall, and they doe onely wait while the word be giuen them, and they wil instantly accomplish their charge.

Besides, so long as we continue to worke euill in the sight of the Lord and doe not turne vnto him with all [Page] our harts, and thinke vpon his com­mandements to doe them, nothing shall be succesfull vnto vs;Mal. 2.2. God will curse our blessings, & our waies shall not prosper, wee shall bee cursed in the citie, and cursed in the field; cur­sed shall our basket be & our dough; cursed shall be the fruit of our bodie,Deut. 28 and the fruit of our land; and the en­crease of our cattell; cursed shall wee be when wee go our, and cursed also when wee come in.

The Lord shall send vpon vs cur­sing, and trouble, and shame, in all that wee set our hand to doe.

Marke yet further how particular­ly the Lord goeth on with his threat­nings. Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her, thou shalt build a house, & shalt not dwell therein, thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shall not eate the fruit thereof.

The stranger that is among you shall clime vp aboue on high, & thou shalt come beneath alowe, he shall be thy head, and thou shalt bee the taile. Thou shalt bee contemned in thine [Page 18] owne country.

Thou shalt neuer but suffer wrong & violence alwaies, so that thou shalt be euen mad for the sight which thine eies shall see: things shall go so crosse notwithstanding all thy prouidence and industrie, that it shall make thee at thy wits end to thinke of it.

O my Brethren who would conti­nue in sinne one houre longer, that seeth himselfe hemd in on euerie side with so many curses and iudgemēts, as it were so many armies of the Lord fighting directly against him? who would lay his eies together, before he had made his peace with God, and once for euer bid defiance to his for­mer sins? who would liue this wret­ched life ful of vexation and terrour, and cursing; forlorne of God and his creatures, & destitute of all succours, without any care to redresse it, till he be come to shake hands with it, whē he may presently redresse it by pre­sent reconciliation with God; when by casting off sinne in this houre, he may in this houre cast off al these cur­ses [Page] and miseries accompanying sinne, and so both liue a blessed life all his time, and close vp his daies with a blessed death, which shall be the be­ginning of eternall life? what foolish bodie wouldly forty or fifty yeares mortally languishing of some disease, refusing to be cured all his best time and seeking helpe onely in his last worst time, when the cure is doubt full, by reason nature is decayed, or if he recouer, yet he cannot enioy his health aboue a day or a weeke, or a month, and then giue ouer life & all? But ten thousand times worse infatu­ated are they that would lie the whole age of a mā in a mortall languishment of soule (as it were bedred by reason of sinne) and neuer take the physick of repentance, till they lie gasping for breath, when it is vncertaine whether they shall then haue leasure to repent, or if they repent, whether it will be of force and able to fetch life in the soule being so farre gone in that des­perate consumption: or if they recouer and liue the true life, (which rare­ly [Page 19] happens) they liue in a sort too late both to themselues and others.

CHAP. 4.

THey haue euer proued vnprofitable in religion that haue held too much of that truantly rule the way to well doing is neuer too late. Eccles. Therefore Salomon calles vpon yong men to remember their Creator in their yong daies, as if well doing were neuer too soone. Heb. 3.13. And the Apostle exhorteth the Hebrues to call one vpon another, to turne to God. whilest it is called to day; not to make it a morrowes worke: his reason is Lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne. See heere then one maine danger of dwel­ling in our sinnes, and putting off [Page] our amendment from one day to ano­ther: the longer we continue in sinne, the more we are hardened in sinne, so that at length wee cannot repent, no though wee seeke it with teares, as Esau did. It is as easie to temper the flint stone betweene our fingers, and to make it soft and pliable for sealing; as to supple our stonie hearts, and fit thē to receiue the impression of grace: you thinke you can repent when you will, and apprehend the mercies of God when your owne leasure serues you; but you are deceiued, it is not in man to order his waies, nor to re­turne into the right path, being mis­lead. Sinne is cunning and will make you beleeue you may come and goe without entanglement or restraint; e­specially whilest you haue day light enough before you. But trust not this fleering Iahel, for if you vse to turne in to sleepe in her tent, and tast of her milke and butter which she can set in a Lordly dish, she wil (when you sus­pect least) nayle your head to the ground, that it shall be impossible to [Page 20] get loose from her.Iudg. 16. This Dalila hath a crue of Philistines ready in a corner, when she hath shorne the lockes of your strength vpon her lap, to come vpon you and bind you with fetters, and put out your eies, that you shall neither haue power to start, nor yet see the meanes to make an escape.

In your youth she will teach you to excuse your mistreadings, with, It is the time: and when that excuse is out of fashion by reason of more yeares puld ouer your heads, then she will reach you another Apologie, It hath beene my custome, and I cannot leane it: and then followeth hardnes of heart that you cānot repent (the grea­test iudgemēt that God bringeth vp­on a man or woman in this world) for then we are past hope, God hath decreed our destruction, and all the prayers and suffrages of the faithfull (which are of great force) will doe vs no good. God wil answere as hee did to Ieremie: Doe not intreat noe for them, Ier. 7.16. & 14.11. make no intercession to doe them good, for I wil in no wise heare you, I haue [Page] thrust them out of my sight, & I haue decreed to destroy them. Yet you may preuent this iudgement: yet your cu­stome of euil is not so strong but you may breake it: yet you may cast off a litle and a little by good custome, that which you haue got at times by euill custome: yet your hearts are tender & flexible, deferre not the new moul­ding of them, til they be growne per­uerse and incorrigible; lay hold of of­fered grace, whilest the accepted time & the day of saluation lasts Remem­ber, he that promiseth mercie to the penitent, hath not promised repen­tance to the presumer vpon mercy, nor one day of life to the delayer of repentance.

But you are yong and healthy: what then? therefore you are not like to die? do not lambes skinnes come to be sold as well as sheepes skinnes? Doe we not see and heare, where euer we go, that men and wo­men die, that were neither sicke nor old? wee may say we will go to mor­row to such a place, to see such a com­modity, [Page 21] to receiue such a summe of money, to make merry &c. and yet before this next euening may heare that voice; Foole, to preuent thy bargainings, thy talkings, thy merri­ments &c. this night before the mor­row, thy soule shall be taken from thee. Aske but that one street which leadeth from the City to the common iudgement hall, how many times her stones haue beene bestained with the reeking gore of murdered men, since the beginning of this last terme; and tell me whether life be so sure a thing when so many sound bodies haue groand their last in a peaceable well gouerned City, within the compasse of one terme, and the limits of one street: and how knowest thou whe­ther thy time be not as short as theirs seeing (as I said afore) not onely wic­ked men vpon earth but all the Di­uels in hell, & all the creatures in the world are armed against thee, whilest thou remainest impenitent and wel­trest in thy sinnes.

Thou knowest how short warningEsay. 38.1. [Page] Ezekias had: Put thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not liue. Numb. 20.25. And A­ron: Bring Aron and Eleazar his sonne vp into mount Hor, and cause him to put off his garments, and put them vpon his sonne, and then he shall die imme­diately vpon the top of the mount. What if the like warning were giuen thee? where is thy repentance then become? where are thy good purpo­ses for hereafter? Then thou wilt cry out; if I had knowne my time had beene so short,Ifs at deaths aproch vaine & foolish. I would long ere this haue reformed my waies: If it were now to begin my life, I would take a­nother course. In what sanctimony and vprightnes would I walke before God & man? O that the Lord would spare me a little before I goe away from hence, and be no more seene! O that he would allowe me but one moneth or one weekes respite to be­waile my sinnes and sue for mercy! Wouldst thou then be a new man? be so now; Wouldst thou then seeke Gods fauour? seeke it now. Wouldst thou then amend all faults? amend [Page 22] them now. Why doest thou not pre­uent those ifs and conditions, which will then bee but foolish thoughts? why doest thou not that this day, nay day by day all thy life long, which thou wouldest doe at such an extre­mity seeing thou knowest not which will be thy last day? why doest thou not doubt al thy daies & endeuour to be such a one al thy life, as thou woul­dest be at the point of death?

But put case thou knewest thy life would be lengthned out to some for­ty or fifty yeares more, and that thou wert assured not to dy the vtmost ex­piration of those yeares: be like then thou wouldst nothing but follow thy lustes the while, and thinke the last yeare soone enough to reforme thee. But blind fooles they are, that are thus conceited: if thou canst not with the straining of all thy sinewes pull vp a yong tree of two or three yeares planting, how wilt thou hope to pull it vp, when the spurs of the rootes are fastened deep on euery side, and the boughes are like to the couering [Page] of a tent ouer thy head? Assay to root out but one vice now, whilest it is fresh and greene and thou shalt finde it a matter of some paines and diffi­culty: and will it be easier, thinkest thou, seuen yeares hence, when the custome of it is growne to a habit or as it were another nature, and the ge­neration therof multiplied to an hun­dred & to a thousand?

Say a man were now to carry a bas­ket of stones frō London Bridge to I­slington, & setting forward about the stoopes with the basket on his shoul­der, feeling the waight thereof to pinch and wring him, should present­ly (like a true louer of his ease) set it downe againe till another time, and euery day the while, come and put in more stones, till it were heape full and running ouer; would you thinke the basket would be lighter at last for these daily additions, or this man likelier to cary it through then, being grown rustie with many yeares sloth, whē it made him shrug to stand vnder it in the beginning, while his [Page 23] strength was fresh? No, no my deere brethren) the longer we continue in sinne the fuller and heauier growes the basket, and the vnweldier wee grow that must be the porters.

Come, come, vp with it, carry it you must, and it will neuer be lighter, nor you better able to beare it, then you be at this present; straine your selues for a furlong or two, though it sit vn­easie at first, you shall finde it lighter after a little vse. Better smart once, then ake euer; set about it & despaire not of the successe, by consideration of the difficulty: pray God both humbly and continually to impart vnto you his holy spirit, and to shed it out in your hearts, through Iesus Christ, that you may compresse your owne affections, and by his strength ouercome all impediments, & walke more in all holy obedience before him only be not your owne foe, feed not that same humour of lingring, let not loose the raines to your corrupt affectiōs, which cry stil, a little more sleep, a little more slumber: For the [Page] holy Ghost doth not assist cowards and sluggards, & such as fit idly with their armes folded together; but those that labour and endeuour earnestly to tame their naturall wickednes, and to crosse the swing of their lusts, those he deemeth worthy his aide, and they in him, shall be more then conquerors. Set your hand to Gods hand, & the worke will be nothing. The violent and resolute, that breake thorow all opposition, they and no other take heauen by maine force.

But say that the Black-moore could change his skin, and the Leo­pard his spots, and that you hauing learned all daies of your life to do e­uill, could at the last repent and doe wel; yet what an vnthākfull & vnbe­seeming thing were it to spend your youthful daies in the pleasures of the world, & the seruice of the Diuell, & then to bring your crooked & worne daies to offer to the Lord? To call the Diuell and the world to the feast and full dishes, and let God stand at dore waiting (among the beggers) [Page 24] for the reuersion & scraps? The Lord himselfe is driuen to complaine of this base measure by his Prophet: When ye bring the blind for sacrifices, you say it is not euill, and when ye bring the lame and sick, ye say it is good enough for God. Offer it now to thy Prince; will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of hostes? Repent and be ashamed of this ingra­titude, play not the harlots with God: let none haue the maidenhead of your youth, but your deere Lord & husband: Let none enioy the flower and beauty of your time, but hee that bought you with his precious bloud; you are his, giue him his owne, let him haue it new and faire, not when it is mangled & misused that one can­not but blush in the presenting of it. Cast your selues into his embrace­ment in your youth & health whilest you haue something to commend you, & his armes are open to receiue you; stay not looking for a better match, this is the best that euer you shall light on; take it whilest it is of­fred, [Page] you shall neuer repent you of your earlie bestowing. Hereafter perhaps God will hold you vnwor­thy of his loue, as hertofore you held him vnworthy of yours; and scorne you in your old age and sicknes, as you set not by him in your health and youth. The fiue virgins for lingring but one houre and that in their youth and prime, were shut out of the mar­riage chamber, and had this answere to their knocking, I know you not, you are no friends nor guests of mine. And shall we thinke the Lord will open vnto vs, and giue vs a cheerful welcome, lingring not houres but yeares, and prostituting our virgini­ty and prime to the world & the Di­uell, Gods sworne enemies? Yet the the doore is open, you may fill your lamps with oile, and be wise by their harmes. But if you put it to hereaf­ter, the gates will be shut, and all your knocking will be but so many fruit­les strokes, rebounding vpon your owne hearts.

Lastly, whilest we lie soaking in [Page 25] sin and returne euery day to our old vomit; we do pile vp more and more wood for our owne burning. I meane, we do increase our accounts against that firy day of wrath, which will come vpon as a theefe in the night, in which the heauens shall passe away with a noise, and the element shall melt with heat, and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be con­sumed; then shall all the thoughts of our hearts be discouered, and an ac­count required of euery idle word that we haue spoken; So strict shall that iudgment be. Where wil the vn­godly and sinner appeare, when the righteous shall scarse be saued? whi­ther will they turne them when they shall see the Lambe turned into a Li­on, their Sauiour their Iudge, and their Iudge their witnesse, against whose testimony, there is no excep­ting; they will wish mountaines lay on them to keep them from that mee­ting: what will these differers of re­pentance being preuented and cast behind by their owne negligence, an­swer [Page] for themselues in that great ap­pearance, before the awfull Maiestie that sits vpon the throne? with what confusion and shame shal they stand, when he shal say vnto them, I sent you into the world to doe my will, and you haue done your owne wils? I allowed you time and meanes to repent, you despised both time & meanes and repented not: I gaue you many good motions in your hearts to make you returne vnto me: and you put me off still after so long waiting, with, What we will amend; Did you thinke I would pardon you at last? How could you then in common gratitude displease so gratious a Lord? Did you thinke I would not pardon you? what madnes besotted you that you durst offend me with­out hope of pardon? I will now ve­refie my words which I spake by my messengers, which I sent vnto you; Because you haue hardened your hearts against me, you shal not enter into my rest: Goe ye cursed into euerla­sting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels.

O how shall these impenitent lin­gerers then take on, howling and rauing, and cursing the day of their natiuity, that the aire shal be euen cra­zed with their hideous and gastly clamours! And what a comfort will it be to the godly, both yong men and yong maides that haue haue ser­ued God betimes, and takem paines to mortifie their lusts, to see the Lord at length proceed in iustice against the carelesse wicked ones, which haue liued in all pleasures and ease in this life, when they themselues haue beene afflicted and maligned and de­rided, for the professiō of the Gospel of Iesus Christ?

O my Brethren and Sisters, when the Lord in that day shall haue done to you all the good that he hath pro­mised, and shal haue made you Kings and Queenes to raigne with him and his roiall Son for euer then it shal be no griefe nor offence of mind vnto you, that you haue not powred out your selues into all excesse of riot & committed sinne with greedinesse, [Page] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page] as the prophane and vngodlie doe. Then it shall not repent you that you haue consecrated the flower of your youth to GOD, who is so bounti­full a rewarder of them that seek him. What hurt shall it be then vnto you that you haue shūned this lust, & that follie: this vice and that wantonnes, which you might haue committed, & whereunto you haue beene tempted▪ what need you then stomack at it that you haue beene termed modest fooles and precisians, and such other names of disgrace by the godlesse multitude, whom you see damned by a iust sentence, & haled away to end­lesse torments before your face? where they shall beg that one of you may be sent to dip but the tip of your finger in water, to coole their tongue in the middest of the flames, & shall not obtaine it; who would not rather mourne for his sinnes now, and for­sake them now, and change his course now, though it be with some vnease and wrastling at the first, then to wish hee had done so afterward [Page 27] when it is too late? and to lament and roare in that remedilesse horrour and despaire for euer: bearing a part in that dolefull morning and eue­ning musicke of the wicked in Hell, We haue wearied our selues in the waies of wickednes and destruction, Wisd. 5. and we haue gone thorow dangerous pathes, but we haue not knowne the waie of the Lord. What hath pride profited vs, or vvhat benefite hath the pompe of riches brought vs? All these things are passed away with a shadow, and as a post that ri­deth mainly by: we haue had the righteous in derision, and in a para­ble of reproch: We fooles thought their life madnes, and their end without honour: But loe, they are counted among the children of GOD, and their portion is among the Saints. So haue we erred in our imaginations, and the sunne of vndestanding hath not risen vpon vs. Now wee know, when it hurts vs to know; now wee vnderstand, when ignorance were a blessing. To conclude this Chapterr and this first part of my Treatise, [Page] whatsoeuer you haue beene in the yeares past, be new men now, I will not giue you respite till next yeare, nor next moneth, nor next morrow, but euen this day, this night, this houre in which thou art admonished, amend: remember the name of the Lord is I AM for euer; and he likes notthē that are alwaies, I wil be, repē ­tance is neuer too soone, so long as the sin is gone before.

Youth is the Spring, Age is the Haruest: in one we sowe, in the other wee reape, if in our youth we sowe the seed of vertue and obedience, we shall in our age reap the fruits of ioy, peace and perseuerance to euerlasting life, if the tares of vice and licentiousnes, it will be hard if euer the haruest bee other thē vnprofitable būdles, which will but kindle the vnquenceable fire of hell vpon our heades. Let your creation, or your redemption or vow in Baptisme, or the power and pati­ence of the Lord, or the terrours of conscience, or Gods reiecting of our praiers, or Christs denying you his [Page 29] intercessiō, or the fighting of the creatures against you, or the Lords curse vpon your blessings; or the hardening of your harts by custome of sin, or the vncertainty of your death, or the diffi­culty of late repētance, or the base & vnbeseeming measure offred to God, or the increasing of your accounts, or the strictnes of the last iudgement, or hell fire it selfe, or all these together, rouse and startle you from your bed of sloth, and cause you to reforme your liues renounce the world & worldly wickednes, and to honour the Lord your God, or euer he take is light frō you, & or euer your feet stumble in the darke mountaines, lest while you looke for the light he turn it into the blacknes of the shadow of death. But if you will not heare me that giue you seasonable warning, my very heart shall mourne in secret for your stubbornnes, & mine eyes shall weep and raine down teares, because the Lords people are sold vnto sin, & the children of my mother are caried captiue to destruction.

CHAP. 5.

HAVING spoken of the mischeefes & dan­gers which we stand liable to, so long as we are vnconuerted; Con­sider with me next the meanes which the Lord hath ordai­ned for our conuersion; that if wee haue a mind of returning we may make vse of them and not negligent­ly passe them ouer without any fruit, as our fashion hath beene in former times. Almightie GOD hath giuen vs first our life & being in this world, he hath made vs men,Gods be­nefits. and breathed in vs a reasonable soule, whereas whē the clay was in his hand, hee might [Page 29] haue moulded vs into any other shape; hath giuē vs our sēses, & distri­buted all our limmes, according to their proper and seuerall functions: he hath put all the creatures in sub­iection vnder our feet: so that from the glorious Sunne in the firmament to the little Emmet that creepeth vp­on the dust, euery thing doth vs ser­uice. He hath preserued vs hitherto all our life long from innumerable dangers, whereinto others haue fal­len, and whereinto we had fallen if his gracious hand had not vpholden vs: And (which passeth all this) he hath by the death and sufferings of his owne Son redeemed vs from the mouth of hel, into which else we eue­ry mothers sonne of vs irrecouerably were fallen. Now saith the Apostle, this boūtifulnes of God leadeth vs to repentance. Therefore hath he be­stowed all these benefits vpon vs, and promised many moe, thereby to stir vs vp to abandon vicious life, and to betake our selues to his holy & bles­sed seruice. Trie mee faith the Lord,Mal. 3.10. [Page] whether I will not open the windows of heauen & powre you out blessings without measure if you will returne vnto me.

O my Brethren, if your hearts be not sauage, how can it be but this kindnes of so great a Maiesty, should binde vs to him for euer? what beast­ly ingratitude is it to turne so many comforts and good things, as he hath giuen vs (that we might be the bet­ter able to serue him) to the dishonor and iniury of so louing a giuer by vsing them to serue vs in sinne? our dogs are not so vngratefull to their masters; the Lions and Beares haue shewed more courtesie & thank­fulnesse to their benefactors. That he hath spred our table with full di­shes, and made our cup to ouerflow; that he hath allowed vs warme clo­thing by day, and a well fethered nest to couch in at night, & bodily health to make these things sweeter and bet­ter tasted to vs, are bounties that we can neuer deserue while we liue with all the obedience we are able [Page 31] to performe. But that GOD for man should become man, and that God for man should die in the flesh, and sustaine so many shamefull indignities and intollerable paines in ac­complishing the worke of our re­demption; this onely, this wholly & this more then all things doth chal­lenge vnto it euen by speciall desert, all our life, all our labour, all our ser­uice and al our loue. That a man frāk­ly giueth his goods to another, is a token of no small bountie; but to be­stow his owne life for another, and that not for friends but for enemies, as the Sonne of God did, when he died for vs, it is an incomparable and an vncōceiueable bountie, the Angels of heauen do wonder at it, and desire, (as Peter saith) contiually to behold and looke into it: and surely if this bountie and gratiousnes of our God, cannot win vs to cleanse our waies and forsake our sinnes, all the dewes of grace are quite and cleane dried vp in our hearts, and there is no hope that any thing will win vs. But it [Page] will fall out by vs, as Esdras in his se­cond booke and 9. chapter grauely denounceth against some like vs. Such as in their life haue receiued benefits from the Lord, and haue not regarded to know him; but haue abhorred his law whilest they were yet in libertie, and when they had yet leisure of amendment, and would not vnderstand, but despised it: they must be taught after death by paine what it is, to recompence euill for good.

Another good meanes to bring vs to repentance is, the consideration of Gods iudgements executed vpon sin­ners in all ages, whō God hath made examples for our admonition, on whom the ends of the worlde are come. The Angels for one sinne were throwne out of heauen. Adam for one sinne cast out of Paradise, and all his posterity after him condemned to perpetuall miserie. Lots wife for one sinne turned into a pillar of salt. Mo­ses and Aaron for one sinne debarred from entering the Land of Canaan. Michel for one sinne plagued with barrennesse. The whole tribe of Ben­iamin [Page 31] for one sin rooted out. Three­score & tenne thousand Israelites for one sinne of Dauids, in three dayes consumed with pestilence. Ananias & Sapphira for one struck dead in the place. And yet thou after many thou­sand sinnes, criest still God is merci­full, and presumest that thy part in that mercy will be as great as the thiefes vpon the Crosse. God is mer­cifull, I deny it not: So the Physician is skilfull, and yet giues ouer his pati­ent sometimes, because he sees him to be incurable. If thou be damned, it is not because the Lord wants mercie, but because by deferring repentance thy heart is deaded, and thou art past recouerie. Tell me not of the thiefe vpon the Crosse, for of two theeues one was damned. It was a miracle, and miracles were no miracles if they were common. All the Scriptures thorow there is not one such another example to be found: and therefore for thee presumptuously to goe on in thy sins vpon this shaddow of hope, is all one, as if som good fellow should [Page] hope his horse would speake English, because once Balaams Asse vttered plainely the language of Moab. Sure­ly these be they that destroy them­selues with the workes of their owne hands (as Salomon saith) calling ini­quitie vnto them both with hands & words, & when they think they haue a friend of it, they come to naught.

But what should I speake of anci­ent iudgements, when those that haue beene executed at our owne doores, haue not wrought vpon our hearts? To omit all other, what are wee the better for that dreadfull pestilence so lately amongst vs, when Death like a mercilesse tyrant thrust all out of doores both old and young before him, as if he would take possession of our houses one after another, till hee had seazed the whole Citie into his owne vse? O my brethren, those that be not blinde may see, there is not one sinne lesse this yeare, then was the last. In the Church there is as much carelessnesse and contempt of Gods word: In the streetes as much [Page 33] pride: In the shops as much lying and swearing: In the Tauernes as much drunkennesse and excesse (notwith­stāding his Maiesties act of restraint) In other places as much filthinesse, and as little conscience and deuotion as euer there was before, so that the Lord may complaine of vs as he did of old: I haue smitten them, and they haue not sorrowed; I haue corrected them for amendment, and they are worse and worse. The Lord grant we be not cast off (as a father casts off his vnthrifty sonne, when no meanes will reclaime him) and that the re­mouing of his plague from vs (seeing wee are not bettered by it) be not a kinde of cruell pity: and a giuing vs vp to our owne hearts lust till our iniquity be full, that wee may then fall by an vtter destruction, chaste­ning in the meane time the countries round about vs, as hauing some hope: of their turning and amend­ment.

Let vs therefore with all speed humble our selues vnder Gods migh­ty [Page] hand, and make a godly vse of his iudgments that euery litle chastis­mēt of his may driue vs to a lothing & forsaking of our former euil waies; that we may stand in awe and not sinne: for our God is a iealous God, and a consuming fire, so shall he smel a sauour of rest, and receiue an at­tonement for the land; so shall the light of his countenance be lifted vp vpon vs, and so shal it go well with vs and with our children after vs in their generations.

The word preached Gods Mi­nisters.Another very direct meanes to this end, is the preaching of Gods word & the voice of his Prophets & mini­sters, rising vp early, & premonishing vs of our dāger, & shewing vs the way wherin we should walk. Therfore the Lord when he sent the Prophet Iere­mie to the people of Israel and Iuda, he bade him proclaime a fast, and tell them what he had threatned against them:Ier. 36. Because (saith the Lord) it may be when they heare the euill that I purpose to bring vpon them, they will returne from their wickednesse, [Page 33] and so by that meanes I may forgiue them their sinnes, and receiue them to fauour. This is the manna that came downe from heauen, this is the immortall seed by which so many are borne to God. How great cause haue wee to blesse the Lord that it hath pleased him so to dispose of vs, that wee should be borne and bred in such a time, and a­mong such a people, as professe the faith of Iesus Christ, and are daily taught and instructed both to beleeue and liue accordingly? Our Fathers longed to see these dayes, and could not see them; we feare no burning nor imprisonment for professing the do­ctrine of Christ, wee neede not crosse the seas to seeke instruction, wee may in a blessed freedome of minde and body approch to Gods altars, and sit at the feete of the Lords Prophets, and heare those heauenly comforts and dire­ctions from their mouthes. Neuer was London so well supplied with godly reue­rend Ministers, since the first stone of her walles was layd, then in this very day. The Lord Iesus continue and encrease [Page] the number.

But what account make we of these meanes? we can content our selues to sit an houre in the Church to heare Gods word taught, not for consci­ence but for fashion, as our deedes make plaine. For where almost is he or she that hath left any one deere sin this seauen yeares, though twice sea­uen yeares they haue heard it con­demned? nay, (which is strange) vp­on the monday we commit those ve­ry sinnes which vpō the Sabbath day before were to our faces most parti­cularly reprooued, which were e­nough to discourage vtterly those men of God in the worke of their mi­nisterie, they taking such paines, wat­ching for vs, whē we sleep, studying and spending their spirits to bring vs to repentance, and we (like wretches) making small account of it, and pro­fiting little in godlinesse by it: but that the Lord hath sayd, his word shal neuer goe forth in vaine; but either it shall lift vs vp higher to his courts in heauen, or sinke vs downe deeper [Page 34] into the pit of hell. And the labours of his Ministers shall be as highly re­warded for leauing the gracelesse ones without excuse, as for conuer­ting a weake soule from going astray.

A Seruaunt when hee is com­maunded to do any thing by his Ma­ster, will feare to looke his Master in the face, or to come in his way if hee neglect it, and doe it not. How dare wee then hauing sate in the Church, and there heard (out of the Pulpit the seate of Gods Oracles) sin forbidden, repentance enioyned, our negligence taxed, not once, but continually from time to time, with precept vpon pre­cept, line vpon line: I say, how dare we presse so boldly without any awe or reuerence into the presence of God (the great Master of all Ma­sters in the world) Sabbath after Sabbath, and yet guilty to our selues in the meane time of so great disobedi­ence? vnlesse wee come thither in an insolent fashion to stout and out-face the Lord; or to laugh in our sleeues at his weaknesse that will be borne in [Page] hand with a cunning semblance, and as well pleased as if the deede were performed.

O my brethren, tremble to dally in this sort with the Almighty: if hee speake, let his seruants heare: if hee command, deferre not to doe it: receiue it not as the word of man, but as it is indeede the word of God. Pray aforehand that you may feele the vertue and power of it in your heart, renuing and changing your willes and affections: let the feete of them be beautifull that bring this ti­dings of peace and good things vnto you: They are the Embassadours of the euerliuing God, and disposers of his secrets: they are our Fathers in Christ, by whom wee are new begot­ten to eternall life. The Lord hath gi­uen them power out of his word to pronounce his sentence, so that what they binde on earth is bound in hea­uen: and what they loose on earth is loosed in heauen. Let vs haue them in singular loue & reuerence for their works sake. The contempt of their [Page 35] persons is a notable policie of the diuell, to make their teaching be con­temned also. Let vs shew our thank­fulnesse to God for them, in obeying those things which they command vs in his name. They haue called vp­on vs long enough for amendment; let them now haue cause to commend vs that wee haue amended. Let our hearing be at length a ioy to them, lest their sorrow be hereafter a wit­nesse against vs: One Ionah conuer­ted Niniueh, what a shame is it to vs that so many Ionahs should doe no good in London?

Another meanes to set vs forward in the way of repentance,Good bookes & conference. is the rea­ding of good bookes, & mutuall con­ference, and exhortation one of ano­ther. These doe both after one sort bob vs continually on the elbowe, and euen importune vs to well do­ing, and would worke some good ef­fect if we were not negligent & care­lesse in the vsing of them. But so it is, how much time doe we spend idle­ly in doing nothing, or vnthriftily in [Page] doing naught, neuer taking a good booke in our hands all the weeke long, though we haue choice of ma­nie, and our trades will beare it; or if wee begin, it growes irksom straight before wee haue turned one leafe o­uer; or if we haue the patience to goe thorow to the end (slightly enough;) wee cast it in a corner to be moulded and moath-eaten, and are as much the better as he that hath lookt in a glasse is, after his backe is turned: because we doe not stirre vp and whet our re­membrance by a second more aduised reading, esteeming our olde bookes as olde friends, which must euer now and then be visited, that acquain­tance may be renewed and not lost.

So for our mutuall exhorting one another, how vnequally haue we per­formed it? sparing them too much with whom we are inward; and re­prouing them too tartly whō we like not so well: and perhaps thinking scorne to be admonished our selues by any. How many times when we haue met together for our comforts, [Page 36] and to the edifying one of another in godlinesse, haue wee burst out into prophane and idle talke, letting our mouth loose to all vanity, that should haue vttered gracious words, giuing proofe of the inward sanctification of our hearts: so slie is the diuel (the per­petual enemie of all good things) whē wee goe about to diminish his king­dome; to rob vs from our selues, and diuert our best thoughts another way. I speake this the rather, that all those that are the professors of the Gospell, might vse these means here after with more care and conscience, lest they be ouer-reacht by this slight of Sathan: and set a watch before their mouth, and keepe the doore of their lips, that they giue no example of lightnesse or vanity to them that are new conuerts, nor vnto any other: but carying thēselues as paterns vnto them, in word, in conuersation, in faith, in spirit, in loue and in pure­nesse, that euen those that are back­wardest in religion, may be drawne by their integrity to repentance from [Page] [...] [Page 35] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 36] [...] [Page] the corruptions of the world. For vertue shewes so well in whomsoeuer it is, that it stirres vp a meruailous loue and desire of it in them that be­hold it.

But if neither Gods benefits, nor his iudgements, nor his word, nor godly bookes, nor the good counsell and admonition and examples of our brethren (who are more carefull of our saluation then we our selues) will preuaile with vs, let the shortnes and vncertainty of our owne life make vs looke about vs. For what is our life but a vapour, a flower, a flash, a sha­dow, a dreame, vanity, nothing? Haue you euer obserued the bubbles which boyes blow vp in a shell of sope-wa­ter, how some being swollen to a de­terminate quantity, breake immedi­atly in the shell? some the wind whis­leth vp aloft into the aire, and are dis­solued there: some flie alowe by ground, till at length they dash a­gainst the ground, and come to no­thing. Such things are men and wo­men, when you see a thousand of them [Page 37] walking the streetes, imagine you see a thousand belles or bubbles of water wandering vp and downe: some a high aboue all their fellowes (as the gale fauours them) some in a lower region, and with a thought as high as the highest: some beneath that lownes, and some as low as the paue­ment. Now stand still a little and marke them, and you shall see some times one striking out another, some­times tenne, or twenty, or thirty pop­ping out of themselues, and instantly so many more (some of the highest, some of the lowest, some of the meane ones one amongst another) so that a­non you cannot see one of the olde men or bubbles left, but all are new men or new bubbles (call them which you will, for all is one) blowne vp in the places of the former.

If this be our best firmenesse, if our mettall be thus full of flawes, if our life be but a moment, and yet vpon that moment depends eternitie of weale or woe in the life to come: who would not take opportunitie by the [Page] foretop, and make hay (as the saying is) while the sunne shines? who would put off his amendment till to mor­row, when he knowes not what a day may bring forth? Man knoweth not his end (saith the wisest among men) but euen as the fishes be taken with the hooke, and the birdes be sodainly intrapped with the snate, so are the children of men preuented with the euill day when it comes vpon them sodainly.

When the tree falleth, whether to­ward the North or South, there it li­eth: and in the same state you die, you shall be iudged. Learne therefore to number your dayes, and consider se­riously of your latter end, that you may repent betimes, for that is wise­dome; and depart from euill, for that is vnderstanding. Or if you scorne all other schoole-masters, learne of the diuell one rule of policy; He kno­wing his time to be short, will doe what mischiefe he can, you knowing your time to be short, doe you what good you can.

CHAP. 6

THere remaines yet three o­ther means, which I cannot ouerpasse without making mention of them.

The first is the care of masters,Godly carefull Masters. and the discipline of a well gouerned house, which may set straight the māners of a yong man, and restraine him from those vices, whereto by reason of his age, or the corruption of the place, he is inclined: For the pro­uerbe holdeth for the most part true; LIKE MASTER, LIKE MAN. If Abraham feare God, his seruants and houshold will bee religious. If Herod scorne Christ, his captaines & courtiers wil deride him also. In the History of the Apostles Acts, when any housholder was conuerted to the faith of Christ, you shall finde it said; [Page] The man beleeued and all his houshold, shewing, that as they were swaied be­fore of an Idolatrous master, to su­perstition: so now they are swaied by a Christian master to the true wor­ship and seruice of God.

Here therefore I thinke it not a­misse to shew the duty of a Master in some measure as God shal enable me; not that I would take vpō me to teach my elders and betters (yet let none disdaine to learne of yong ones, see­ing euen our cradle sometimes may teach vs wisedome; for out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hath the Lord ordained strength) but to the end that we that are yet seruants and prentises may know how to cary and behaue our selues, when it shall please the Lord, to lay such a charge vpon vs.

First, (my Brethren) when the Lord shall call vs to this waightie charge, that we come to be rulers of families, and that we keep seruants, it behooueth vs, nay, we are bound in duty to God, to haue as great a care [Page 39] of their saluation as of our owne, and to see they do their faithfull seruice to God, as we will looke that they should faithfully serue vs: For assu­redly that seruant that is not faithfull to GOD, can neuer bee faithfull to his master; but he that serues GOD with a good conscience, wil serue his master with a good conscience. The awe & presence of his master to ouer­eie and chide him needes not, for his owne heart will check him,They doe best serue their Ma­sters, that haue lear­ned first to serue God. and the feare of God will keep him from vn­trustines. You may find a kind of pick-thanke officiousnes in seruants of ano­ther making; but there is no seruice like his that serues man for conscience toward God.

And beside our duty to God, and desire of faithful seruice to our selues, the care we should haue of our chil­drens godly education, that they be not corrupted, shold double our care to keep godly seruāts: for the liberal disposition of a child is easily spilt with the leaud manners of a seruant. Hence it commeth that almost their [Page] first words are ribauldrie and feareful othes, and that they learne to blas­pheme God before they can plainely speake GOD; yea sometime they proue twofold more the children of Satan then their Tutors were: For a new vessell will keep the tatch of the first seasoning a long time af­ter.

Cause them therefore to frequent the holy exercise of religion, as Prea­ching, Catechising, Praier, Sacra­ments &c. Bring them with you, where they may be instructed in the waies of the Lord to doe righteous­nesse, especially on the Sabbath day: because that is a day appointed and set apart of God himselfe for his wor­ship and seruice, wherein he wil haue our seruant as free as our selues, and to the end we may prepare them the better to the sanctifying of the Lords day, we are to call them vp betimes in the morning, to praier, wherein first we are to thanke the Lord, for all his mercies to such vnworthy wretches, and namely for the rest and [Page 40] preseruation the night past: Then to beseech his Maiestie that hee would so prepare and fit our hearts to the profitable retaining of his most holy and blessed word, and so direct the mouthes of his ministers that day in the vttering of it, that it may be a comfortable sauour of life and salua­tion to vs, and not a sauour of death vnto destruction.

And hauing ended this duty by 7. in the morning, we may if wee will directly goe where there shall bee a Sermon vntill eight so comming home we are to goe to our owne Pa­rish Church, both in the forenoone, and in the afternoone; and after that to some Lecture as there be diuers (blessed bee GOD) in diuers parts of the City. And hauing thus spent the day till six at night, we are not to content our selues there, thinking we haue done by this time a work of su­pererogation; but to come directly from the Lecture to our houses, and call our seruants together, to praiers to almighty God, that it would please [Page] his Maiestie to giue a blessing vpon that which we haue heard, that wee may auoide the sinnes, execute the good duties, feare the threatnings, and lay vp the comforts from the mouth of his ministers plainely she­wed and laid down vnto vs. And ha­uing ended praiers for that instant, we are to examine euery one of them particularly what lessons they haue learned at Church, and what vses they were taught of those lessons: and ha­uing done that, to giue them a gene­rall exhortation, incouraging them to goe forward in godlinesse, which hath promises of this life, and of that which is to come, and so to make an end for that time, with singing a Psalm of thankesgiuing.

NOW as we are to performe these duties on the Sabbath day, so we haue our duties to performe on the weeke daies also: For it is not enough for a­ny man to giue his family victuals, and prouision one day in the weeke, and let them fast all the rest of the weeke after, for so he should soone [Page 41] make a leane houshold; but we must deale with our seruants in Spiritual things, as we deale with them in Cor­porall things; that is, as wee allow them meat and drinke sufficiently all the weeke daies, and on the Sab­bath day they haue extraordinary dishes: So although we haue beene carefull to pray and instruct them in religion on the Sabbath day: yet we must looke we do our duties in the weeke daies also, although not like vnto the Sabbath: for the Lord doth not require it at our hands. This discipline and good order if wee would carefully inure our Prentises to, seuen or eight yeares together till their first youth (the age which is set vpon the very pinacle of temptati­ons) be past ouer, methinkes it were enough to kill all the weedes of vi­ces in them, & to make euen Atheists religious, and grow into a habit of sanctimony and godlinesse.

Here I thinke it needfull for euery one of vs, (as we are yet seruants) to know our duties also; that wee may [Page] demeane our selues, agreeably to our present condition.

Seruants duty.First then wee are to follow the counsel of the Apostle, to be obe­dient vnto our bodily masters with feare and trembling, because they be (in their places) vnto vs as God, God hath set thē ouer vs in his own stead; and therefore we ought not onely to carry a reuerend estimation of them, counting them worthy of all honor, but to performe our duty and ser­uice vnto them, not to the eie as men pleasers, but as the seruants of Christ, doing the will of God himselfe sin­glie and from the heart, labouring continually to please them, and sub­mitting our selues to thē in all things, as the holy Ghost commandeth. But this must not be vnderstood absolute­ly, but with an exception; So they bee lawfull things. For if a master com­mand his seruant to speake a lie, or to sweare his commodities cost so much, when they cost much lesse, or to breake the Lords Sabbath; in such a case we ought rather to obey God [Page 42] then man: but in all iust and lawfull impositions (not crossing their roiall commandement) we are to conforme our selues in all duty and obedience to them, yea not only to the good and courteous, but euen to the froward & sower. For this is thankworthy, saith Saint Peter, if a seruant for conscience toward GOD endure smart, suffe­ring wrongfully. But it is a great fault in vs that are seruants, that if correction be giuen vs (though with iustice and discretion) we will say most commonly wee deserue it not. This is not the saying of the holy Ghost: For (saith he) what praise is it for a seruant to be buffeted for his faults? but and if yee fault not, and yet suffer hard vsage and take it pati­ently, then is there thanke with God. And herein what better satisfaction or quieting of our mindes can we de­sire, then the example of our Sauiour himselfe, who neuer sinned, neither was there guile found in his mouth, yet he was reuiled, and reuiled not a­gaine, he suffered beyond all degrees [Page] of patience, & opened not his mouth; but committed reuenge to him that iudgeth righteously, euen to God his Father: So ought wee (my Bre­thren) when our masters bee out of reason, and offer vs extreame mea­sure, to put it vp and endure it pati­ently, knowing that they also haue a master in Heauen, who beholdeth with an equall eie both vs and them; and not to answer, Sir I deserue it not: For if correction should not bee giuen to the most of vs till wee con­fesse we deserue it, it should neuer be giuen vs.

Heere I cannot keepe silence, but I must needes make known how good and gratious the Lord hath shewed himselfe in this case to mee his most vnworthy seruant, and the rather to cause all other Prentises to thinke themselues not miserable but most happy, when the Lord hath set ouer them such matters, as giue them de­serued correction with wisedome & discretion: For certainly (my Bre­thren) had not I had such a master, [Page 43] (whose care and diligence hath beene so great ouer me, in restraining mee from that scope & liberty, which my wretched and vntamed nature did desire) it had beene better a thou­sand times I had neuer beene borne: For my bringing vp from my child­hood, vntill the time I came to my master, was most miserable and wret­ched, by reason of my sinnes and the ignorance wherein I liued, as the case of too too many is in these daies: yea and since I came to be a Prentise (vn­till of late time) my life was most odious and abominable both in the sight of GOD and Man. But bles­sed bee the name of the Lord, who hath giuen me a good master, to hold me backe, that I could not be so wic­ked as I would, and hath now also in some measure opened mine eies, (which haue beene a long time kept shut) that I might see how to wind my feet out of the snare of Satan.

Therefore my deere Brethren (vn­to all those I speake that desire to bee partakers of the heauenly ioyes in [Page] the life to come) shew yourselues o­bedient to your masters, and submit your selues vnder the yoake, yea al­though it bee irksome to the flesh: for you knowe nor the great profit and rewarde that commeth there­by.

Vngodli­nesse of Prentises.But certainly (in griefe I speake it) Prentises for the most part were ne­uer so leaudly and so wickedly gi­uen, neuer so vaine and so licentious, neuer so full of scoffing and derision, neuer so insolent and contemptuous of God and good men, as they be in these dayes. For we are so apt to be corrupted, and (being corrupted) to corrupt, partly by reason of our na­ture, and partly of the place, that vn­lesse our Masters be the more circum­spect in bringing of vs vp, the soules of many thousand Prentises will be required at their hands; impunitie boldening vs in sinne, and sinne de­ceitfully hardening our hearts, that all thought of repentance is put away from vs; or if any shall friendly re­member vs, his best thanke is a mock [Page 44] for his labour. When inquisition shall be made for bloud of soules, I would euery one could stand forth, & say, Not guiltie, but the Prentises themselues. But I feare greatly that the Masters will be to blame in that day also, and be put to their shifts for a currant answer, when they shall find none.

For (without offence to any man, I will speake a little) where is that Master almost that questions with his seruants about any religion at all? It may be sometimes he will send them to Church; but when they returne, what doth he aske them of their lear­ning or profiting there? vnlesse per­haps once at the hundreds end hee vouchsafe to knowe the chapter and verse of the Text, which (betweene the Church-doore and home) euen a Parrot wold be taught to pronounce. Let him send any of his people of some worldly businesse, and hee will be sure to aske him how he sped, and nothing will he leaue vnasked to vn­derstand the effect of the errand hee [Page] sent him about: but for Gods busi­nesse and soule matters be they per­formed negligently, or not done at all, it mattereth not; he is sure no ac­count will be required of any such thing all the time of his prentiship. And this is the reason that seruants depart as ignorant after they haue ser­ued seuen or eight yeares seruice, as they were when they came first (not of their trades) I meane of that which is more worth then all the trades in the worlde. For a man shall profit much to know God. The true know­ledge of God will bring more sound profit in one day to a man, then the best trade in London will doe in se­uen yeares. For godlinesse is profita­ble vnto all things (saith the Apostle) as hauing the blessings of this life, and of that which is to come.

Howbeit, some there be in Lon­don that I knowe (and more I doubt not that I knowe not) which vse good orders in their houses, to the generall good of their families (and I desire the Lord to increase their number) [Page 45] But a hundred to one neuer spent any time with their seruants, in the exer­cises of religion, no not so much as to call them to prayers either morning or euening once in a yeare, whereas they are bound (in duty to God) to do it euery morning & euening; and al­though there were no cōmandement from God, nor president in this kind, yet very necessity and the sloth of youth should cōstraine vs; & surely if masters would care as they should, to traine vp their housholds in the feare of god, & in the practise of good things it could not be that London should harbor so many vngodly Prē ­tises, or that diuers men shold cōplain (as they do) of seruants leaudnes, that they cannot thriue in the world; for they haue good meanes of getting, but is spent they cannot tell how so soone as it is gotten: Alas, how can it be any otherwise? if their seruants be not taught the feare of GOD, and to keep a good cōscience, how is it pos­sible that euer they should haue any true seruice at their hands?

But some will say againe, this is not so: for by experience I can speake this of a truth, that for mine own part I neuer instructed my folks in all my life in any religion at all: No, I neuer heard them so much as to read a chapter, and yet I thanke God, he hath blessed me with good seruāts. For I finde my riches to increase, and I thriue well, and therefore it is not the bringing of them vp in religion, that makes a man come forward in the world; but if his fortune be good, wealth with come on.

Fortune? no, no, it is the great handy work of GOD in some mens seruants, that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, and seeke more for saluation then their masters be aware of, (or else their poore soules might be cast away and perish for euer) and then who knowes not that such a man thriues for his seruants sake, as La­ban did for Iacobs, and as Potiphar did for Iosephs? Or it may be, GOD casts his blessings into thy lap (euen against all meanes) to stirre thee vp [Page 46] to greater thankfulnesse and care to serue him afterwards, or else to leaue thee the more vnexcusable in his great iudgement for not performing such duty and seruice.

And therefore let none cast surmi­ses of excuse to colour or shift out the matter any longer, but wherein it appeareth to your owne consciences, you haue beene negligent, make a­mends with more care hereafter: aske not which of your neighbours doth thus and thus, and if they do it not, you meane not to begin. But resolue you with Ioshua, let others take what course they will, I and my house will serue the Lord. Let your people see you going before them in the practise of euery good thing, and in the ab­horring and auoiding of euill, so shal they first feare to doe that which you hate, and at length fall in loue with that which you practise. It shall get you more authority and respect with them heere, and increase the blessednes of your own soules another day, that you haue been the meanes [Page] (through the blessing of God) to saue your poore prentises soules also.

And heere I shall desire my wor­shipful masters of this City (to whose sight this little hādfull of papers may come) not to take offence at any thing I haue spoken out of zeale and heartie meaning, nor to impute it to arrogancie in me, that I haue inter­medled in their offices (From which proud sin (I thank my God) I am free) but if it be iust that I haue saied, and agreeable to Gods word, that they will not disdaine to do it, it shall not only be no disparagement, but praise and honor to them, comfort to other of Gods children, and ioy to the An­gels, in heauen, that by their religi­ous care, their seruāts are made Gods seruants with them, and there is such a towardly and hopefull succession to stand vp after them, that as the Thes­salonians were examples of godlines to those of Macedonia: so Londoners at length may be like exāples of pie­ty & religiousnes to all the neighbor townes of Great Britaine also.

CHAP. 7.

THe next good meanes to waken vs out of the sleepe of sinne, and to quicken vs to a new cō ­uersation, is the sweete consolation and ioy which God gi­ueth vs in our soules and consciences of his seruice, after we haue once made our peace with him by sound and sea­sonable repentance. This is the peace that passeth all vnderstanding; this is the earnest of our inheritance; this is a present taste or say of the ioyes of the life to come. I knowe my words seeme to the carnall and vnregene­rate a fained thing, as the womens report of Christs resurrection did at first to the Disciples; but if thou wouldst doe as they did, neuer leaue till in thine owne person thou hast tri­ed [Page] out the truth of this matter, thou shouldest feele within thee such a pa­radise of sweetnesse, as thou thy selfe were not able to vtter. Thou shoul­dest see with what cōfortable cheere Christ would offer himself vnto thee; with what delicates he would refresh thy soule; what secret affections hee would inspire into thee; and with how pleasant a cup of loue he would make thee merrie, if thou wouldst follow his pathes, forsaking the by­wayes of sinne and worldly vanities. The least drop of this diuine sweet­nesse, would vtterly distast vnto thee all the pleasures of sinne, that euen the remembrance of them would be irksome and vnsauorie.

For mine owne part, I haue had ex­perience of this which I say. For (to my shame I speake it) I haue beene as leaud and as wicked a fellow as euer thou hast beene whosoeuer thou art: and one that hath made as small con­science of sinning against God as euer thou hast done, either in swearing, or lying, or prophaning the Lords Sab­bath, [Page 48] or in deriding the deere Saints and seruants of God. Nay, what vice would I haue left vnpractised, if I might haue come to the knowledge of it? what pleasure, or vanitie, or abomination can be named, whereof I would not haue had, not a dram or sip, but a drunken carouse, if the Lord by good meanes had not restrained me from such effusion of beastlinesse? It irketh me to thinke in what a feare­full state I liued at that time: for had not God beene very mercifull vnto me, the earth might haue opened, and swallowed me vp quick for rebelling against his great Maiestie, being Lord of heauen and earth: but such was his goodnesse to spare me, and such was his patience, to waite for my repen­tance: for euer magnified be his holy name therefore.

For this cause, when once it plea­sed his Maiestie (in some measure) to giue mee a sight and feeling of my sinnes, through the preaching of his word (which I had a long time heard in vaine before) as also by meanes of [Page] some of my Brethren in Christ Iesus, stirring mee vp continually with such like admonitions as I doe now stirre vp thee, I consulted not with flesh & bloud, but presently set my selfe to re­sist my former euill inclinations, re­soluing and endeuouring euery day to change the tenor of my life, and to serue God in better manner then euer I had done before, giuing small re­gard what the companions of my leaudnesse, and other of the prophane multitude did say of me, nor what de­riding termes they bestowed vpon men: for I saw no other way but ei­ther I must be a hell-hound, or be cal­led a Puritan. And therefore I chose rather to suffer reproch with the chil­dren of God, and to abide the name of hypocrite and dissembler, &c. then to be a varlet with euery varlet, or accounted an honest fellow amongst the prophane. And so continuing in this course, and framing my selfe to liue more & more in the feare of God, shaking off my olde sinnes, I felt in my selfe in short time such a sweete [Page 49] and comfortable change, and such in­ternall heauenly ioy of Gods seruice, that I would not haue exchanged it againe for all the choicest delights of the world heaped at once vpon my heart. And surely, my Brother, if thou wouldest once enter into this resolu­tion (as I haue done) turning from dead works to serue the liuing God; thou shouldest see what a banquet of celestiall delicates hee would set be­fore thee, and how plentifully hee would powre forth the wine of his consolations vnto thee, that thou mightest say, as Iudith did in another case: I will drinke now freely O my Lord; Iudith 12.18. because my heart is merrie this day more then euer it was in all my life before. On­ly for this shalt thou feele sorrow, that thou hadst not sooner embraced the meanes of thy conuersion, that the sooner thou mightst haue beene par­taker of this diuine ioy, and these soules rauishing comforts.

The last meanes I will speake of, is, the consideration of the ioyes of hea­uen, whereof the ioy of Gods chil­dren [Page] here is but a little drop or spark: that heauen the consummation, perfe­ction, or euerlasting well-head of all pleasures that can be seene, named or conceiued: seene, named, or concei­ued, said I? nay, no eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, no thought hath euer comprehended the ioy, the pleasure the felicity, the glory which GOD hath layed vp in the life eternall for them that serue him, with an vpright heart in this world. The Scriptures doe sometimes resemble heauen to a Paradise or pleasant field; sometimes they describe it by a goodly Citie; sometimes by a Kings Court; but what are these but worldly descripti­ons of that which passeth all the world? Go out into the most delight­full parts of the Country, view the faire hilles, the flowrie vallies, the crystall fountaines, the cleere riuers, sweet woods goodly plaines, variety of fruites, melody of birds &c. and all this is nothing to it. Goe into the Ci­tie, suruay the stately gates, firme walles, beautiful edifices, neat streets, [Page 50] rich houshold stuffe, all the desirable things in the warehouses and Chests of Merchants, Goldsmiths, Iewellers. &c. and all these are nothing to it. Goe into the Court, note the multi­tude of suters, traine of attendants; magnificent feasts, pompous seruice, musical Instruments faire Ladies, gli­stering Courtiers, maskes, reuels all the pleasures of a King; and all these are nothing to it. Let the best wit in the world bestow his vtmost skill to set out all the delights and pleasures of the sonnes of men in their liueliest colours, yet all his expence of orato­rie will scarse giue you a glimpse of this. Rack your owne thoughts vpon the tenters, shape out in your conceit a thousand formes of pleasure, yet all these are scarse a shadow of it. And thinke what a kinde of blisse that is which passeth all companion, all vt­terance, all conceite of the wisest hu­mane heart. Neither is this for a day, or a moneth, or for terme of yeares, but an euerlasting state of blessednes, vndeterminable so lōg as God is God, [Page] and that is world without end; wee want a word to expresse it. And shall wee let slip such a booty through our negligence, or wilfulnesse, or sloth, or inconsideratenes?

If wee doe carelesly ouergoe but a good bargain in our ordinarie trades, which might yeeld vs a few crownes profit, how doth it vexe and chafe vs afterward? and doe we thinke such a losse as this will be borne with ease if wee once ouergoe it, when it might earst haue beene had for so little time­ly paines? Beleeue me, my Brother, the onely losse of heauen to a soule able to apprehend the losse, is a suffi­cient hell, if the Lord had appointed no other torment for euill doers.

Come, come, stand no longer in thine owne light, see thy good, and take it. Why wilt thou let slip the opportunitie which nothing in the world can purchase thee againe? Why shouldest thou not euen in this houre change thy life, and make an end of wilfull sinning against the Lord? Is it for that thou art loth to forgoe thy [Page 51] olde delights, thy pleasant compani­ons, and boon societies? alas, what are those sliding base delights to the solide and noble delights I spake of euen now? or thy earthly fellowships, to the societie of Angels and heauen­ly spirits? Is it for that the wayes of godlinesse are hard and painfull, and laborious? Is not the enioying of a Kingdome a good salue for that sore? surely if all the paines and labours of all men in the world were layed vpon thy shoulders; if all thy life were no­thing but weeping and lamentation like Ezekiels booke: nay, if thou shoul­dest for a time endure hell fire it selfe, that afterward when Christ cōmeth in his glory, thou mightst be reckoned among his Saints, and enioy the heri­tage of his chosen children; yet were not all thy paines and sufferings wor­thy to be ballanced with the partici­pation of such an infinite & vnspeak­able waight of glory. But to the vn­willing euery thing is an excuse. For the seruice of God is easie, & his yoke is sweet. I will runne the way of thy [Page] commandements (saith the kingly Prophet) when thou shalt enlarge my heart. And againe; My delight is in thy commandements: yea they are the ioy and reioycing of my heart.

What doest thou feare lest thou sholdst fal away again after thou hast bin once inlightned, that there can be no more renuing by repentance; & so thy last end should be worse then thy beginning? care thou by making thine election sure by good workes, pray vnto the Lord for his strength and assistance, and feare not this feare, for it will bee as impossible for thee (being once regenerate and made the child of GOD) to fall finally away from godlinesse, as it was for Ieremy to hold his peace (notwithstanding his resolution of silence) when the word of the Lord was as fire or gun­powder in his heart.

Doest thou doubt whether God wil performe his promise? then ne­uer take vpon thee the name of a Christian, he renders vengeance to the vngodly, why should we doubt [Page 52] whether he will recompence and re­ward weldoers? Thou shalt heare thousands complaine of the false­hood and faithlesnesse of the world, whom thou trustest; if any haue complained of Gods slacknesse, God hath driuen him out of his owne proofe anon after to recant, and to say with the Prophet, This is my weaknes.

Doest thou feare the reproch of nicknames and ignominious termes, which the new conuerted children of GOD do alwaies light on? art thou so without heart, and so very a coward, to be blowne from thy pro­fession with the breath of a prophane mouth? haddest thou rather keepe credit with the world and the Di­uell by weltring in sinne, then serue GOD after the way which is coun­ted discreditfull by the godlesse of the world? A generous horse though twenty curres come out barking and snarling at his heeles, as he trotteth a­long the streete, keepeth on his pace without so much as looking backe at [Page] them. So when these barkers of Gods seruants, and deriders of religion and good things, step forth against thee, to hinder thee in thy course of a new conuersation; let the height of thy mind disdaine to regard them, or take notice of them; thinke they are but the Diuels ban dogs, hissed on by him to make thee breake thy pace in the waies of godlinesse; and there­fore so much the more couragiously goe on, that they may see how much they are despised.

If all this cannot moue vs, we haue hard and foolish hearts; and I can say no more but we may go forward in our sotted course, til we reap the fruit of our ouer weening. But I hope bet­ter things of you (my brethren) and such things as accompany the feare of God and saluation, though I thus speake: Suffer not (I beseech you for Christ Iesus sake) my hope to bee in vaine.

CHAP. 8

HERE methinkes I heare some say, whose willes and affections the Lord hath begun to renue and change, whom yet Satā would wrap about with the cords of their owne frailty; I would faine repent, but I cannot: my faith is so weake, and my heart so hard that I cannot be sory for my sinnes as I would.

This is a sweet saying (my Bre­thren:) For what can a man haue more then to feele his wants? for otherwise how should we hunger & thirst after righteousnesse: and vn­doubtedly, he that hungers thus shall be satisfied, for the Lord that know­eth what we want better then we our selues, lookes not so much to the outward shew of repentance, as to [Page] the inward affections of the heart, which are as actions in his sight: and though our faith and repentance bee but weake, yet let vs know this assu­redly, that the Lord looketh more on the quality, then on the quantitie. Is a weake faith no faith, is a weake re­pentance no repentance? nay,

The desire of reconciliation with God in Christ (saith a godly writer of our time) is reconciliation it selfe: the desire to beleeue is faith indeed: and the desire to repent (in a touched heart) is repentance it selfe, not in the owne nature, but in Gods accep­tation: For if wee being touched througly for our sinnes, do desire to haue them pardoned and to bee at one with GOD; GOD accepts vs as recōciled. Only our desire of re­cōciliation must not be a flash but cō ­stant & cōtinued. Secondly, ernest & serious, though not alwaies alike, yet at sometimes so, that we may say with the Prophet Dauid; My soule desireth thee, O Lord, as the thirsty land desireth raine, or the chased Hart the [Page 54] riuers of water. Thirdly, it must be in a touched heart: for when a man is touched in conscience, the heart is cast downe. (and as much as it can) it withdrawes it selfe from GOD: For this cause if then there bee any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vnto GOD, they are with­out doubt from the spirit of GOD. So then, though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace, yet art thou not altogether void of grace, if thou canst vnsainedly desire it, thy desire is the seed, conception or bud of that which thou wantest. Now is the spring time of the ingrafted word, or the immortal seed cast into the fur­rows of thy heart; wait but a while, vsing the good meanes to this end ap­pointed, and thou shalt see the leaues, blossomes, and fruit will shortly fol­low after. Thus fare he.

As for that which the diuel or thine owne flesh shall suggest to mooue thee to despaire of Gods mercie, that GOD in iustice cannot receiue such a rebell wretch as thou hast bin, [Page] aggrauating euery of thy least sinnes, and telling thee it is in vaine to re­pent: thou maiest easily beat backe that temptation. T'is true, GOD is not so mercifull, to vse iniustice, so he is not so iust to bee vnmercifull: He hath suffered mighty and maruailous men to erre, that we by their exam­ple might haue comfort, and not des­paire of grace and pardon. In holy Scripture who is more commended then King Dauid, who was both a King & a Prophet, a man after Gods owne heart, and of whose stocke the Messias came? But into how many and grieuous crimes sell so worthy a man? yet hearing Nathan pronounce the fearfull threatnings of God, cried out, I haue sinned, and Nathan said; But the Lord hath put away thy sins, thou shalt not die. Hast thou sinned with Dauid? repent with Dauid, and thou shalt with Dauid finde mercy: What should I tell thee of our first parents, of Manasses, of Zacheus, of Mary Magdalen, of Peter, of Paul, of the Theefe on the crosse? all which [Page 55] had beene most grieuous sinners vp­on earth; all which are now most glo­rious Saints in heauen: For where sin aboundeth, there grace superaboun­deth; and therefore let not the multi­tude nor the magnitude of thy sinnes dismay thee, seeing the mercy of that Lord to whom thou turnest, is aboue all: though thy sinnes were as red as scarlet, yet hee will make them as white as snow; and though they were of purple hue, yet he will make them as white as the purest wooll of the fleece. There cannot be a deeper die then scarlet, it is a thing vnpossible with men to bring a scarlet into whit; yet the Lord saith, if we will but talk and come to any reason with him, he will make our sinnes though neuer so deep ingraind in any scarlet or blou­dy colur, to turne white and pure, as innocencie it selfe.

Read the booke of Ionah thorow, and there you shall see the propen­sity of Gods nature to shew mercy, liuely set forth: And therefore a Fa­ther affirmeth the offence of Iudas to [Page] be greater in despairing of mercy, thē in betraying the Sonne of God, and Caine to haue stirred God to anger, more through desperation of pardon then by the murder of his brother Abel: many which nailed Christ to the crosse, being conuerted, and be­leeuing in him, obtained pardon and are made examples to man, that hee ought in no wise to distrust the remis­sion of his wickednes, seing the mur­der of the Lord of glory is forgiuen to the penitent.

Turne then vnto him, and a pre­sent pardon is made ready, which shall be signed the first houre of thy repentance. When therefore thou fee­lest in thy heart a sorrow for sin, and a feruent desire to serue God, cherish it, and take the opportunity of the first motion: Enter presently into thy chamber, or into some other secret place, and there falling on thy knees beseech the Lord, that as he hath gi­uen thee a detestation of sinne, and a minde of godlines, so it may please him to perfect the good begun by [Page 56] him: to accept thy will, and pardon thy many wants and weaknesse, in & for the al-sufficient merits of Christ Iesus: to giue thee grace that thou maiest go on mourning continually for thy sinnes; and yet withall to re­ioice in his sweet mercies: to put his feare into thy heart, that thou maiest neuer more depart from him: and so to enkindle thy zeale, that the fire thereof may burne vp and consume euery day more and more thy carnall desires and natural corruptions. Con­tinue this course of praying, both mornings and euenings at the least: but if thou canst oftner, it is the better: For, pray continually, saith the Apo­stle: meaning thou shouldest haue al­waies good meditations in thy mind: & when thou goest to pray, striue to pray in the spirit, framing thy petiti­ons according to the feeling of thine own wants, or Gods mercies towards thee (not that I disallow of set praiers, for I reuerence the godly authors and vsers of them) but because hee that hath the gift of extemporall praying, [Page] is not so easily caried away with vaine distractiōs which Satan prompts vn­to him, (his minde and vnderstan­ding being wholly bent to the matter in hand) as commonly they be that pray in the booke of another mans conceiuing. And if thou feele thy selfe somewhat duller sometimes, sound forth thy voice withall, it will help much to the awaking of thy de­uotion, as by mine owne experience I haue many times found. But take heed as neere as thou canst, that thy praiers bee out of the hearing of others, lest thou get the imputation of hypocrisie, and cause thy good to be euill spoken of.

And for the further increasing of thy knowledge, vse euery morning after praiers to read a chapter of the old or new Testament, and another at night likewise before praiers, & thou shalt find it by the blessing of GOD in short time to haue cleared thine vn­derstanding very much, and dispel­led the mistes of thy former igno­rance. Also let me wish thee to read [Page 57] sometimes carefully and aduisedly the 28 chapter of Deuteronomy, and the 26 of Leuiticus, because they bee parts of Scripture, which (if we marke them well) will help much to con­taine vs in the doing of our duties. When thou art tempted to any sinne, carry not in the place, but goe doe something else, till the temptation be slackt. Vndertake no waighty busi­nes of thine owne or thy masters, but with praier before, that God would guide and & speed thee in it. Thinke not that thy praying will lose thee thy opportunity: For time is neuer lost in praying vnto him that doth com­mand the time.

Whatsoeuer hath beene vnto thee an occasion of sinne, shun it as thou wouldest shun a most mortal danger. Thinke no place to be without a wit­nesse of thy doings: for a great part of wickednesse is left vndone, if some body be by when one is about to cō ­mit it. Frequent the company of the godly, and auoid the conuersation of the wicked and prophane: for con­tinuall [Page] conuersation is of great force, not only to make vs embrace the ver­tues, but oftentimes also, euen against our willes to imitate the vices of our companions. Hence it commeth, that we are alwayes taken for such as those are, with whom wee doe ordinarily conuerse, according to the prouerb,

Meditate often of death, of the mi­series of this life, of the resurrection, the iudgement, and the ioyes of the life to come: rather suffer euill then doe euill to any; but neither speake euill, nor listen to euill speakers. Fall not easily at ods with any, but conti­nue at ods with none. Follow thy God and Sauiours example, in doing well vnto all men, and endeuour to be like him in louing thine enemies. Finally, whatsoeuer things bee of good report, or honest example, those things thinke on and doe, and the God of peace shall be with thee for euer.

These things howsoeuer they seeme [Page 58] vnpleasant, and abhorring from our nature, especially in our yong yeares; yet if the Lord once infuse his grace into our hearts, and renue our affecti­ons by the working of his spirit, they will seeme sweet and easie, and de­lightfull; and we shal take more plea­sure in doing of them, then in any worldly or bodily exercise whatso­euer. All the matter is at first, after a little vse, all difficulty vanisheth. At the first leaping into the water, mid­dle high, one feeles intollerable cold, ready to take away the breath, but by that time he hath waded in further vp to the necke, it seemes to be of a milder temper. So religion and Gods seruice seemes harsh and tedious at the first entry into it, but by that time we haue beene a while inured to the practise of it, all other things are vn­sauorie to vs, and onely in this there is heauenly delectation. To conclude this chapter; remember that our fee­ling of the want of grace, is a good step to the obtaining of grace: Our desire to repent, is the seed or kernell [Page] of repentance; and being cherished, will at length beare ripe fruites of a sanctified conuersation. That, how­soeuer the diuell and our owne flesh mooue vs to doubting, yet God wil­leth not the death of a sinner, that doth from the bottome of his heart turne vnto him: nor shall our repen­tance be in vaine (so it be true) though our sinnes were as many (for num­ber) as the drops of raine, and as blou­die (for their quality) as skarlet is red. Gods mercy is a rich mercy, and his pardon is absolute, without limitation or exception. Finally, that hearty and continuall prayer, and such simple rules & directions as I haue set down out of mine owne obseruation & ex­perience, will prooue good helpes to the new Proselytes, for the begin­ning and perfiting of their repen­tance.

CHAP. 9.

IF any aske how hee shall know whether his repen­tance be true or no; I an­swer, by the change which eft-soones hee shall feele wrought in his whole man; which is in a word the forsaking his former sinnes wherein he delighted, and delighting in those good things which before hee despi­sed. Without this change there is no repentance. Well we may flatter our selues, and talke of repentance; but we are yet in our sins, and the Lords decree is still in force against vs. Well then, wilt thou be, not almost a Chri­stian as King Agrippa, but a true Israe­lite indeede, like Nathaniel in whom was no guile? renounce all thy olde sinnes, and receiue in their places the vertues opposite to them, and this [Page] shall seale vp to thy conscience that thy sinnes are forgiuen for his names sake.

Hast thou beene a swearer? from henceforth feare the glorious and fearefull name of the Lord, & thinke not of it but with singular reuerence; because his owne mouth hath said it, He wil not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine.

Answere me not, as one did not long since being reproued for this sinne, I am no such great swearer, as you would make me; It is but sel­dome that I sweare by GOD, and by such & such great othes: for com­monly the greatest othes that I sweare is but by my faith or troth, and that I make account to be no such great matter, and I pray GOD you neuer do worse, and then you shall do well enough.

But make thou conscience of an oth aswell little as great: for the A­postle alloweth of no oth at al; Swear not all (saith he) neither by heauen nor by earth, nor any oth, lest you [Page 60] fall into condemnation. But (as our Sauiour saith) let your yea be yea, & your nay nay; for whatsoeuer is more is of the Diuell

O but saith one, the world is so full of vnbeleefe, that except I sweare, men will not beleeue me, yea & nay is nothing now a daies to sell my commodities by, if I sweare not I shal not sell.

Why is that, but because thou hast neuer made conscience of a lie, but added an oth, two or three some­times to make a lie goe currant? and peraduenture thy customers some­times knowing that thou swearest falsly, cannot beleeue thee another time though thou sweare truely. But if thou wouldest sell thy wares, take the counsell of the Apostle, who willeth vs to cast off lying, and euery one of vs to speake truth to his neigbour, forasmuch as we are mem­bers one of another: and so by vsing thy tongue to speake truth, thou shalt be beleeued sooner vpon thy bare word, then vpon thy many pro­testations [Page] and othes. Carnall men wil sooner suspect thy swearing, then thy plaine saying, because they (though they be such as cary a forme of ciuil honesty) wil notwithstanding not stick to sweare a lie themselues to win some aduantage by, and by their own fashion they iudge of thine. So then swearing is a sin clothed neither with pleasure nor profit: for what pleasure is there in a prophane fro­thy word, spewed out of the wicked abundance of the heart? or what profit, when the thundring out of six or seuen othes one after another will not sell a yeard of stuffe or a pound waight of thy commodities? so little account is made of them. Besides, in much swearing is oft forswearing, as it is seen too often in our shops eue­ry day: For let a man come into some shops to cheapen a cōmodity & they will sweare that they cannot afford it at such a price, and that they will keep it seuen yeares before they will sell it so, and yet let their customers back be no sooner turned to be gone, [Page 61] but presently he is called againe, and his money taken, which before was refused with so many othes.

If Seruants will thus burden their consciences for their masters profit, (& many against their masters wils) what will they do for themselues? who shall let them then to sweare a­way all faith, truth and conscience for euer? to sweare their soules to the Diuel, that they shall neuer repent; and to sweare a plague into their houses, which shall consume the ve­ry timber and stones of it? O my Brethren tremble at this prouoking sinne: tremble to bring the great and holy name of the Lord for a witnesse to your base twelue penny lies: tremble to deale so saucily with the omnipotent Maiestie that can send a deadly thunderbolt to strike you presently thorow, in the place where you stand. Beare with a vehement speech, when it proceedes out of a loue more vehement: For your pre­tious soules sake, leaue off this profit­lesse and pleasurelesse sinne: let this [Page] be the first sinne thou fightest against, and when thou hast got the victory of this, the rest of thy conquest will be the easier.

Hast thou beene a prophaner of the Sabbath, and one that hath made no conscience of going to Church longer then thy masters eie hath been vpon thee; and when thou hast beene there, hast made small account of that which hath beene taught, but either hast been talking, or sleeping, or idly, or wickedly thinking? &c. Henceforth frequent more duely the the holy sanctuary and house of prai­er; prepare thy selfe aforehand that thou maiest reap profit of the things which thou shalt heare; intend more reuerently and deuoutly to Gods worship: rob not the Lord of the day which he hath consecrated to the glo­ry of his great name: he requireth but the seuenth, six are ours, and shal we not afford him one?

If a Father hauing called his chil­dren together should tell them: It is so, that I haue cast vp my accounts, [Page 62] and I find my estate to be worth seuen thousand pound, six of which seuen thousand I am content presently to part with among you, and the one thousand see you vse as thriftily and carefully to my behoof, as you would the six thousand to your owne. What ingratitude & vnreuerence were it to so bountifull a Father, for these chil­dren hauing gotten the seuen thou­sand pound into their hands, to turne all to their owne vse and aduantage, neuer respecting their kinde Fathers good, nor his charge vnto them, or at the most so carelesly, that it may appeare there is but little religion of their vow in them? The Lord who is our heauenly Father hath giuen vs six daies to do our businesse and af­faires in, and onely one day he hath reserued to himselfe, appointing vs to bestow it in his worship and ser­uice, because that day is his delight, (as the Prophet saith:) what negli­gence, what impiety, what contempt can be greater, then for vs to spend the whole weeke in following our [Page] pleasures or our drudgeries, & whē the holy Sabbath comes, to intrude into our heauenly fathers right, and con­sume that also in the carnall workes, or couetous proiects, or ordinary exercises of the weeke before; what intolerable auarice is it, or sacriledge rather, hauing so bountiful allowance from our heauenly father, not to be content, vnlesse we may seaze his pe­culiar reseruation into our hands also? This is right to haue thousands of sheepe pasturing vpon our owne downes, and yet to kill the poore mans onely Lambe, that slept in his bosome, for the prouision of our house.

But here some will say, it is true, we must lay away all worke on the Sabbath day, but yet to sell and take money for wares in the shop before and after seruice, is no great worke, and therfore as good do that as stand idle.

No, I deny it: for as the prouerbe goeth amongst vs, Thou hadst better be idle, then ill occupied; so they [Page 63] were better stand still then vent their commodities: they be both sins, but selling of ware is the greater, how little soeuer: for a man may aswell take 40. pounds that day as one pēny: For Gods cōmandemēt is broken in both. In the 16 of Exodus GOD condemneth the Israelits for purpo­sing to gather Manna on the Sabbath day: what easier worke could there be then this? nay moreouer it was to be done between fiue and six a clock in the morning, when they might haue serued GOD all the day after: and they needed not to haue gone far for it neither, but onely come forth of their doores and stoop to take it vp. But (marke) whē they came forth they found nothing.

Here is a good lesson for vs to learne, that as they went out to ga­ther Manna on the Sabbath day, and found nothing: so the gaines that is gotten by selling wares on the Sab­bath day is, iust nothing, howsoeuer men are blinded and thinke the contrary, for GODS curse eates it vp, [Page] and more too.

I grant we are not tied to so strict an obseruation of the Sabbath in euery respect as the Iewes were: yet thus farre the morall part of the precept doth oblige vs to the worlds end, namely, to do no workes on that day, but workes of holines, or of meere necessity: but men now a daies make no bones to step ouer any of Gods lawes, when they bee in the way of their profit: and yet they will be good Christians too.

We remember that day to pam­per our belies with good cheere and fine clothes, and to take our pleasure, we remember to keep a right Epi­cures Sabbath: but to heare Gods word taught, to lay our petitions in common together in our Churches, and to cal our families together when wee come home, that wee may bee the better for that wee haue heard, which is the right christians Sabbath; this we remember, vtterly to for­get.

I am perswaded there is more wic­kednesse [Page 64] committed both by Pren­tises and others on the Lords day, then on any three daies in the weeke beside, and the reason is, because men for the most part will see that their seruants shall follow the busi­nesse of their trades all the weeke, but vpon Gods day they are careles of them, and suffer them to do what they list themselues. That is the day of their recreation: For as Salomon saith, it is a pastime to a foole to doe euill.

When they should walke to the Lecture, for the recreation of their soules, the masters are walkt to their gardens or the fields for their bo­dily pleasure; and the seruants to the Tauerne or to some place of greater corruptiō to the endāgering of their soules: so the word preached to them in the day time before, is no better then the seed that fell vpon stony ground, because for want of due re­hearsal afterward (which is as it were the depth of earth) it withereth away and comes to nothing, like seed cast [Page] away vpon the rock where it cannot take root.

And in this point the irreligiousnes of Prentises doth farre exceed the negligence of masters: For it is too apparant that many seruants would seldome or neuer come to Church at all, if it were not more for displeasing their masters on earth, then for dis­pleasing their master in heauen: For let masters vpon occasion bee from home a moneth or two, and all that time if his seruants come to Church in the forenoone onely, they thinke they are meetly well in the fashion: but commonly you shal not see them there either forenoone or afternoone: and their reason is, their masters ab­sence is the time of their liberty, and they may not suffer such good daies to slip away without fruit. If you aske them how they wil answere it to their masters at their comming home? they will tell you, they hope their masters knowledge goeth but by his eie. If you aske thē how they will answer it to GOD, that seeth and iudgeth [Page 65] the most secret workes? they make a pish at that, or giue you some grosse flout for recompence. But let such know that pouertie and shame be­longs vnto them for refusing instru­ction, and they that thinke now the Lords day, (though it were a moneth long to flie away as one minut in their pleasures, shall hereafter thinke one minute too lag, and passe by as slowly as a whole yeare in their paines.

But here some may reply, Will you not allow vs to recreate our selues at any time? If you say yes: then I pray what day haue we that be prentises to take our recreation in but the Sun­day? For all the weeke wee are kept so straight that we cannot so much as get out to speake with any friend. And as for keeping our Church due­ly, howsoeuer others be negligent, yet it is well knowne in our parish that we neuer almost misse one Sun­day in the yeare, but wee are alwaies at Church with the first, and neuer go into the fields or to any merrimēt [Page] vntil euening praier be done, and then I hope the matter is not so hainous as you make it.

Surely if you were such diligent goers to Church, as you say you are, it could not be but you should heare at sometime or other that you ought not to prophane or mispend one houre of the Sabbath, where you make it lawfull to spend halfe the af­ternoone in merriment and pleasure. But it may be you are asleepe when you should heare that; or else you take it to be but the word of a mor­tall man, and the authority thereof to vanish with the speaking. But a day will come when you shall know it was the eternall truth of the GOD of heauen, which his ministers deli­uered; and when it will cut your heart to remember that you did heare such a Preacher in such a yeare, in such a moneth, in such a day▪ and in such a Church, denounce the fearefull iudgements of God against such a sin which you did vse, and wherein (for a little pleasures sake) you did obsti­nately [Page 66] continue to your owne damna­tion.

To conclude, hast thou beene a drunkard? now learne sobriety: hast thou been intemperate? now embrace chastity: hast thou beene malicious? shew charity: proud? be humble. Finally, whatsoeuer vice thou hast ad­dicted thy selfe to, recline now to the contrary side. That which thou doest, do it with all thy power in the pre­sent time, euen in this day of saluati­on: For time being once past, can neuer be recalled; and to trust vpon time to come is as much as if we shold trust vpon a broken staffe, the splin­ters whereof will run into our hand; or vēture to passe so dangerous a gulse as damnatiō, with a tottering planck (delay I meane) which hath tilted so many thousands into hell before vs.

CHAP. 10.

HAVING shewed the inestimable loue and mercy of GOD to re­pentant sinners, that do truely forsake their former wickednesse, I thinke it necessary in the last place (as the Lord will enable mee) to shew the good & profit of afflictions to Gods children, to the end they may not bee discomforted or shrinke backe at the sight of them.

Eccles. 2.1.My sonne, (saith the Sonne of Sy­rach) if thou come into the seruice of GOD, stand fast in righteousnes and feare, and prepare thy soule to tenta­tion, [Page 67] and shrinke not when thou art troubled, but wait patiently vpon God. And it is a sealed truth which the Apostle hath deliuered, All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution, in one kind or o­ther, more or lesse. It is their portion and euer hath beene; Christ Iesus himselfe the author of our faith was not exempted, and the seruant is not aboue his Lord.

If then afflictions must needes bee vndergone, let vs labour to vndergo them willingly, which must bee vn­dergone of necessity. I know there is a certaine tendernes in our nature, which with reproches and ill turnes is so pressed and wrung, that there is scarse any man to be found so wise or couragious, but when he feeles the prickes and stings thereof pearcing him, is oftentimes halfe in the minde to giue ouer his course of godlinesse, and turne from the way of vertue. No affliction or vexation for the present seemeth ioious, but grieuous, saith the Apostle, but afterward it bringeth [Page] forth the quiet fruits of righteousnes to them that are exercised therby. Let vs not dwell then vpon the present feeling, but looke further into the sweet effects and end of our troubles, & thence gather comfort & strength against them.

This made the Apostle breake out, My Brethren, count it for an excee­ding ioy, when yee fall into diuers tentations; because they are pledges of Gods loue, trials of our faith, and breeders of patience, experience and hope, which neuer makes ashamed. Art thou entred into a course of reli­gion and sanctification? art thou iea­lous for the Lord of Hostes? and do­est thou meet with oppositions and stumbling blockes in thy way? be not dismaied, was it not told thee before, the way to heauen lay by the crosse? It is a sure signe thou art in the path that leades thither. Art thou skoffed at by worldlings & prophan people,Iob. 21.14. men or women? (for I know diuers such persons of both sexes, that being not content to liue in igno­rance [Page 86] themselues, without any desire to know the way of the Lord, do de­ride and point at those that seeke in­struction?) Let the clearnes of thy conscience, and thy holy desire and endeuour to the best things, be as a brasen wall, and a strong tower a­gainst these euils: let them know that the Lord hateth those that sit in the seat of the scorneful:Psalm. 1. and though they please themselues well enough the while, yet it shall not be well with them at the last day:Esay. 3.10 For the reward of their owne hands shall be giuen them.

Hast thou a master that entreates thee hardly for thy well doing and thy righteous professions sake? know that the Lord hath set such a master ouer thee for thine euerlasting good, to try thy constancy, or to make thee more feruent in thy prayers, or to di­minish thy loue of the world, or for an example of patience, or an instance of comfort to others in like case. As many as I loue, I rebuke and chasten, saith our Sauiour Christ.Apoc. 3.19. Whosoe­uer [Page] be the instrument, the chastening is Christs; see that thou do thy duty vnto thy master, to the vttermost of thy power though he be neuer so moody, euen as if he were another Moses, the mildest man vpō the earth; that the name of God & his doctrine be not euill spoken of. Assure thy selfe he shal be no harder to thee then the Lord shall see good and expedi­ent for thee: for we see some men want neither power nor will, who somtimes in their suddē anger would kil their seruāts; but thē the Lord ma­nifests his prouidence towards his children, in restraining them from those outrages, which in that madding passion, they are incited to. Pray vn­to the Lord, to turne thy masters heart, that hee may haue a feeling of his sinnes, that so he may come to repentance; and in the meane time, ouercome thou his euill with good­nes and the Lord will either vnex­pectedly alter his wil and affections, or allow thee such other secret ioyes as shall ouerballance all thy griefes [Page 69] and discomforts.

If then thou wilt goe to heauen thou seest the iorney thither lies not in plaine waies; thou must goe tho­row good report and bad, derisions and skornes, and molestations: but the end of the iorney is a sufficient recompence for all cumbers and in­conueniences of the way; the paines are light and momentany, the waight of glory to which they bring vs, is vn­speakeable and euerlasting.

So long as thou wast of the world, the world loued her owne; now that thou hast forsaken and bid defiance to her, she takes thee for an enemy, & loades thee with hatred, disdaine, in­famy, slander and all maner of con­tempt. No matter, all this (& worse) shall worke to the best to them that loue God, when the softnes and deli­cacy and ease of worldlings, shall be their owne destruction.

All the holy men of old time, all the cheefe lights of the Church, all those that now walke in long white robes with palmes of victory in their [Page] hands, yea he that Saint Iohn saw in the middest of the seuen golden can­dlestickes, whose face did shine as the Sunne in his strength, euen he al­so hath begunne to vs in this bitter cup; and shall we shrinke to pledge them, when there are but a few smal drops left for vs to sip off?

If carnall men suffer so much to sa­tisfie their lusts, to get riches or dig­nities, to feed themselues with a little smoake of vaine glory, or to taste some sleight pleasure which bringes repentance at her heeles. If they feare not the waues of the sea, nor the flames of fire, nor the crossings of men, to attaine these; shall we be so without all heart, or so nice that wee will not abide a scoffe, or a reproch­full word, to attaine those solid, sub­stantiall and eternall pleasures and good things; in comparisō of which, all the honours, riches, commodities, allurements & sweetnes of the world, are to bee esteemed not onely toyes and trifles, but very dregs and drosse & refuse, not worth the taking vp? [Page 70] No, no, when we haue once resolute­ly vowed our selues to Gods seruice, GOD putteth another spirit into vs, and a generous heart, (that though we be sometimes moued with these oppositions) yet wee are neuer so farre oppressed by them as to forsake our righteous­nesse, or cast our lot in amongst sinners; but in the middest of them our eie is so fixt vpon the end of our race, and the heauenly gar­land reserued for such as perseuere and hold on, that shrewd words serue as a good gale of wind, and shrewd deedes as a violent streame to carry vs the more swift towards the port where wee would be.

Thus hauing finished this small Treatise, I would beseech you (as the Apostle saith) to suffer these few lines of exhortations,Ephes. 6. and that you faint not in your afflictions; but bee strong in the Lord, putting on the whole armour of GOD, that yee may be able to stand against all [Page] the assaults of the Diuell, hauing your loynes girt about with veritie, and hauing on the breast plate of righteousnesse, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gos­pell of peace; and aboue all take the shield of faith, wherewith yee may quench all the firy darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of sal­uation, and the sword of the spirit which is the word of GOD, that being thus armed with these spiritu­all weapons, ye may bee able to wrestle against principalities and powers, and against our spirituall ene­mies the gouernors of the darknes of this world.

Now the Lord from heauen raine downe his grace into our hearts, and strengthen vs with might in the inner man, that wee may stand fast, and encourage one another against all the bents of worldly aduersitie, that being rooted and grounded in loue, we may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length, depth, and height, [Page 71] and know the loue of Christ, which passeth all knowledge, that wee may bee filled with all ful­nes of God. Vnto him therfore (that is able to do exceeding a­bundantlie, aboue all that we can aske or thinke) be all praise, glory, maiesty, do­minion and power, thorowout all ge­rations both now and for euer­more, Amen.