The tyranny of Satan, discovered by the teares of a converted sinner, in a sermon preached in Paules Church, on the 28 of August, 1642. By Thomas Gage, formerly a Romish Priest, for the space of 38 yeares, and now truly reconciled to the Church of England. Gage, Thomas, 1603?-1656. 1642 Approx. 86 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A85388 Wing G116 Thomason E119_20 ESTC R3263 99872330 99872330 124762

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A85388) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 124762) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 21:E119[20]) The tyranny of Satan, discovered by the teares of a converted sinner, in a sermon preached in Paules Church, on the 28 of August, 1642. By Thomas Gage, formerly a Romish Priest, for the space of 38 yeares, and now truly reconciled to the Church of England. Gage, Thomas, 1603?-1656. [10], 27, [1] p. Printed by Tho. Badger, for Humphrey Mosley, at the Prince's Armes in Pauls Church-yard, London : M.DC.XLII. [1642] Annotation on Thomason copy: "Octo: 3". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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eng Catholic Church -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. Bible. -- N.T. -- Luke XXII, 31-32 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Devil -- Early works to 1800. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2007-03 Assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-10 Sampled and proofread 2007-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE TYRANNY OF SATAN, Diſcovered by the teares of a Converted Sinner, in a Sermon Preached in Paules Church, on the 28 of Auguſt, 1642.

By THOMAS GAGE, formerly a Romiſh Prieſt, for the ſpace of 38 yeares, and now truly reconciled to the Church of England.

LONDON, Printed by Tho. Badgor, for Humphrey Moſley, at the Prince's Armes in Pauls Church-yard. M.DC.XLII.

To the Right Honorable, ISAAC PENNINGTON Lord Major of the City of London, together with the Right Worſhipfull the Sheriffes, and Aldermen of the ſame City. SIRS,

MAy it pleaſe you, Saul that great Perſecutor of the new beginning Church of Chriſt, that enemy who breathed out threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the diſciples of the Lord, after he was caſt down from his horſe, and his pride was quelled by the might and power of Chriſt, he was by the Lords order committed to the care of Ananias, Acts 9. 11. True it is, Ananias anſwered the Lord, that he was jealous and fearefull of Saul, becauſe he had heard by many, how much evill he had done to the Saints at Jeruſalem, 13. v. But the Lord replyed no more unto him, but that he ſhould not feare nor miſtruſt him, becauſe he had turned his heart, and made him a choſen veſſell to beare his name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and children of Iſrael, & that he would teach him how great things he ſhould ſuffer for his names ſake. Let it pleaſe your Honour and Worſhips to behold here my own caſe deciphered; for if Saul perſecuted the Church of Chriſt; I my ſelfe have perſecuted the ſame Church, by oppoſing the doctrin of it, by preaching and teaching contrary to it, by procuring to ſeduce ſoules from it, by writing againſt it. But now it hath pleaſed that mighty and powerfull Lord; againſt whom there is no reſiſtance, to caſt me down upon the ground, to quell my pride, to lighten me round about with the beames and light of his mercies, to make me know how hard a thing it is to kicke againſt the will & calling of God, and with trembling and feare to make me ſay, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? If Saul was ſent to Damaſcus to Ananias, a chiefe and zealous follower of Chriſt, that by him he might be protected from the Jews and enemies of the Lord, who doubtles hearing of his change and converſion would have cruelly torne and ſlaughtered him if they could have found him. So I my ſelfe by a ſecret and inward order, which I have found by God delivered to my Soule, have judged it meet and fit to ſearch out in this City ſome zealous Ananias, ſome religious follower of Chriſts pure doctrin, that I may be ſafely ſheltered & protected from the violent attēpts of the Lords enemies the Papiſts, who I know will endeavour to do me all the miſchief they can. Therfore let it pleaſe your Honor and Wps. who are well known to be as Ananias in Damaſcus, zealous and truly religious followers of Chriſts own doctrin, and favorers of the pure Word of the Lord, to caſt your eyes upon me a new converted Saul, to ſhelter and protect me from thoſe that plot my miſchief. O when ſureſt they are to hinder my perſeverance in the truth, by plotting and ſtudying my deſtruction, let them find me hovering under the wings of your protection. O feare not! nor ſay what Ananias ſaid, I have heard by many of this man, how much evill he hath done to thy Saints, but praiſe the work of the Lord in me, who hath opened now my eyes, who hath brought me now out of Babylon, who hath made me confeſſe my ſins and iniquities with a ſorrowfull and contrite heart. And as it pleaſed the Lord to ſhew Saul, as ſoon as he was converted how great things he ſhould ſuffer for his names ſake; even ſo be you confident, as I my ſelf am that this my calling & converſion is purely & meerly from above and from the Lord; from whom I have receiv'd this teſtimony, that he hath ſhewed me already how great things I muſt ſuffer for his names ſake; for I muſt for him ſuffer many injuries and calumniations from the Papiſts, I muſt ſuffer the loſſe of all my kinred, I muſt ſuffer the loſſe of that maintenance, which I was wont to receive from them, I muſt ſuffer want and poverty. But for whom? For the Lords ſake; for the teaching and preaching the preciſe rule of the Word of the Lord, for abjuring all Popiſh errors, for renouncing all ſupertitions, for abhorring all idolatries. Let theſe my ſufferings ſerve to your Honor and Worſhips for a true teſtimony of my converſion; let theſe my ſufferings remove from you all feares and jealouſies of my perſeverance, that thus with your favorable protectiō I may rejoyce in my calling, I may freely teach the pure Word of the Lord, I may oppoſe all Antichristian doctrin, and by my example may draw many wandring ſoules to the true Faith & Church of Chriſt. And I ſhall alwayes pray to the Lord to keep your Honor and Worſhips in grace, and that you may ſo rule & govern this City by your conſcionable and upright actions before God and men, that you may truly here be called zelotes of the Honour of the Lord, and afterwards you may have your ſeats above in the triumphant City of Jeruſalem.

Your Hon. and Wor. humble and faithfull ſervant, in the things of God, and Chriſt. THOMAS GAGE.
To the Right Worshipfull Sir SAMUEL OWFIELD, A Worthy Member of the Houſe of COMMONS, now aſſembled in PARLIAMENT. SIR,

IF my boldneſſe may reach ſo far upon your patience, I ſhall briefly touch what Iohn in the fift chap. of his Goſpell writeth of a poole which was in Ieruſalem called Betheſda: About this poole were wont to lye a great multitude of impotent folke, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the water, which was done by an Angel, who went down at a certain time into the poole and troubled the water, and then whoſoever ſtepped in, was cured of whatſoever diſeaſe he had. But one lying there 38 years, who in all this time could never be cured, becauſe being of himſelfe impotent (as he anſwered to our Saviour) he had no man, when the water was troubled, to help him or to put him into the poole. I will not ſtand to moraliſe this holy ſtory unto you at large, least you might justly ſay that I abuſe to much your patience, by confounding the ſtile of an Epistle, which ought to be brief, with the diviſion, parts and order of a Sermon. Only I beg your patience ſo far as to peruſe this my enſuing Sermon, and in it you ſhall find an impotent man, not only blind, but deafe and dumbe, and truelly beaten by Satan, and by him expulſed out of the Church of Christ, and as I may truly ſay) lying in this miſery neare 3 years. The diſcourſe of my enſuing Sermon will informe You that I my ſelfe have been this impotent man. Many times my Conſcience hath been moved and troubled from above with good and heavenly inſpirations (which God hath been pleaſed to ſend into my ſoule) by my conſidered aberration from the true Church, for which the waters of my teares and inward ſobs from my heart have been alſo moved with the troubles of my ſoule. So that I would many times full faine have ſtepped and entred into the true Church of England, where all diſeaſes of the ſoule are most ſurely healed. But alas! mine own impotency and weakneſſe joyned with my long blindneſſe, hindred the execution of my good reſolutions; temporall reſpects and feares kept back my ſteps. Many times I feared I ſhould want a man and a friend (as the cripple at Betheſda did) to helpe me, to encourage me, and to further my good deſires. I feared the high Aſſembly of Parliament would rather mistrust him, that ſo many years hath been an enemy to the State of this Kingdome, than now in theſe times approve his penitency and contrition, which might rather have ſeemed unto them a fained hypocriſie. All theſe feares kept back for a time the forwardneſſe of my will and heart. Untill at laſt I reſolved to diſcloſe and diſcover unto Your Worſhip, theſe troubles of my heart, theſe diſeaſes of my ſoule, even the want of a man to help me. God whom I ſought too pleaſed, with my request; I found that aſsistance from you, that I ſo earneſtly deſired, for, I found a man, I found a friend, I found a comforter, I found an Advocate to plead for my pardon before that high Court now aſſembled. For by Your meanes I have been quietly brought into the Church; by Your meanes alſo, I hope, I ſhall be henceforth protected againſt all ſlanderers, who will whet their tongues against me and ſeeke to trouble me, and grudge at my good, as the Jews excepted against the Cripple and impotent man, who was cured by our Saviour. I ſhall always be ready to render due thankes to God, and next to You, for Your bleſſed help towards my Converſion, and firſt fruits of my Vocation, which in this humble. Work of mine, I have endeavoured to make knowne to the World, remitting my further expreſsions to better occaſions. And in the meane time praying to God, that he will be pleaſed with his powerfull hand to ſupply to You, and Yours what my heart can wiſh, but never will be able to perform according to the full meaſure of ſo glorious a Worke, which truely next to God the beginner and Author of all goodneſſe, by Your meanes hath been accompliſhed.

Your Worſhips humble and ever obliged ſervant in Chriſt THOMAS GAGE.
The Tyranny of Satan, diſcovered by the teares of a converted Sinner, In a Sermon Preached in Pauls Church, on the 28 of Auguſt, 1642. LUKE 22. 31, 32. And the Lord ſaid, Simon, Simon, Behold Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith faile not. And when thou art Converted, ſtrengthen thy Brethren.

DEarely Beloved; Theſe words I have choſen to declare unto you this day, as moſt fit to lay open before your eyes my own moſt wretched eſtate (wherein I have continued almoſt 40 years) the tyranny of Satan over my miſerable and afflicted ſoule, as alſo by the ſight of ſo hideous a ſinner, as I have been, and by the knowledge of the ſlavery wherein a ſinner groanes under the power of the Devill, to terrifie you all that here are preſent from yeelding to his crafty and ſubtile aſſaults.

And ſecondly, to cheriſh and comfort all thoſe that find themſelvs ſeduced by this mortall enemy of all man kind, with the mercies of a moſt loving and mercifull Father above, who not deſiring the eternall death and deſtruction of a ſinner, but rather that he may turne from his wickedneſſe and live; when pooreſt we are and moſt in want, then doth he ſhew and diſcover unto us the riches of his mercy for his great love wherewith he loveth us, as Paul witneſſeth in the 2 to the Epheſ. 3, 4. ver. When moſt dejected and comfortleſſe we are, then doth he comfort us, and ſhew himſelfe a God of Comfort; as alſo Paul doth teach us in the 2 Cor. 4. Who finally when he ſeeth us moſt in darkneſſe and in the night of ſinne, than doth he diſſolve thoſe miſts of blindneſſe and ignorance from the eyes of our underſtanding, an ſhineth into our inward hearts, with the rayes and light of his Grace and mercy.

Bleſſed and praiſed be thy name, O Heavenly Father, that haſt vouchſafed this day to lighten me in the horrid darkneſſe of my ſins, that haſt viſited me in my Aegyptian ſlavery, and haſt brought me out of that thraldome of Popery, into a land of Milke and Hony, abounding with the ſweetnes of thy Grace and Mercies. Continue, O Lord, theſe thy favours towards me ſo, that I may by my Converſion be an example to all ſinners to forſake their wickedneſſe, by laying open unto them this day two principall and eſſentiall points, to wit, the danger and horridneſſe of ſin, and thy unſpeakable mercies, that thus I may perform what thou commandedſt Peter; and that my ſelfe being converted, I may ſtrengthen my Brethren, calling them from ſin, and ſtrongly ſettling them in the true, ancient, and Apoſtolique Faith.

Dearely Beloved, The firſt point which is to be obſerved in the words of my Text, is the tyranny, which the Devill practizeth over a Chriſtian ſoule, contained in thoſe words of Chriſt our Saviour ſpoken to Peter, Behold Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat.

The deſire of Satan is not any way to do us good, but all the miſchiefe he can. As ſoon as he hath got us into his claws, he produceth (as far as lyeth in his power), Sentence of damnation againſt us, he prepareth us, and putteth us in readineſſe for the fire of hell.

The firſt preparation which hee maketh for our ſoules to burne everlaſtaingly, is the ſame which ſhall happen unto every damned, and curſed ſoule at the day of the laſt and dreadfull Iudgment, when the Angels ſhall ſeparate the wicked from the good, as Chriſt our Saviour foretold us by S. Matthew, in the 13 chap. in the Parable of the ſeed, in the 41 ver. ſaying, The Son of man ſhall ſend forth, his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them which do iniquity. As a ſo in the ſame Chap. of Mat h. we reade in the Parable of the net caſt into the Sea, and gathering of every kind, which when it was full, they drew to ſhore, and ſate downe and gathered the good into veſſels, but caſt the bad away. So (ſaith our Saviour verſe 49) ſhall it be at the end of the world; The Angels ſhall come forth, and ſever the wicked from the juſt, and ſhall caſt them into the furnace of fire. Behold how the neareſt preparation for the fire of hell is the ſeparation of the wicked from the juſt.

And after this followeth immediatly that dreadfull ſentence of damnation, which ye ſhall find in Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels. If this be a horrid thing to conſider, and which ought to make our haire ſtand upright, and our fleſh to tremble; let not us laugh, but feare and tremble to fall into Satans hands, hearing out of the words of my Text, that his only deſire is to ſever us from the elect and godly, to prepare us for the finall ſentence of Iudgment, to make us ready for the curſe of God and everlaſting fire of hell. For what can more plainly be underſtood by theſe words of our Saviour to Peter? Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat.

What doth the Husbandman, when he ſifteth his wheat, but with the help of the wind ſeparate the chaffe from the good grane? Even ſo the Devill ſtriveth and endeavoureth to ſift us as wheat; which is as much as to ſay, to ſeparate us from the Elect and choſen people of the Lord, from the good Laws of God, from the good and wholeſome Doctrine of the Church. This was the only endeavour of Satan the night of the Paſſion of our Lord, to ſever and ſeparate not only Peter, but the reſt of the diſciples from the company of their maſter like chaffe from the true grane: who ſaid of himſelfe, that he was the grane that was to be buried in the earth, that afterwards he might ſpring up again with great increaſe for all his Church. O if every Chriſtian ſoule would take this point to conſideration, how the Devill deſireth and endeavoureth to ſever us like chaffe, fit for nothing but for the fire, and for that dreadfull ſentence of damnation, Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire; Doubtles we would feare to commit the ſins which daily we commit, doubtles we would tremble to yeeld to the power of ſuch a tyrant; doubtleſſe we would take no reſt in ſin as we do, if we did but conſider that by it we are become dry chaffe ſeparated from the heavenly grane our Saviour Chriſt, ſevered from all thoſe fruitfull granes and members of the Church, who ſtanding on the right hand ſhall through their fruitfull Faith at laſt be laid up in that ſtorehouſe of everlaſting bliſſe and felicity; when the ſinner like chaffe already ſevered from the grane by the Devils endeavours, expecteth nothing but death to burn for ever.

In the 12 Chap. of Judges and 6 ver. I have obſerved a pretty Hiſtory for this purpoſe, where the Scripture ſpeaking of a battaile fought betwixt the Gileadites and the Ephraimites ſaith, that the men of Gilead ſmote Ephraim, and put the Ephraimites to flight towards the river of Jordan, And the Gileadites tooke the paſſages of Jordan before the Ephraimites; And it was ſo that when thoſe Ephraimites which were eſcaped, ſaid, Let me go over, that the man of Gilead ſaid unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he ſaid Nay. Then ſaid they unto him, ſay now Shibbobeth; and he ſaid Sibboleth; for he could not frame to pronounce it right; Then they tooke him and ſlew him at the paſſage of Jordan, and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites fourty and two thouſand.

Dearely Beloved, two things I would wiſh you to note in this Hiſtory of Holy Scripture.

The firſt, that at the paſſages over Jordan theſe Ephraimites were examined who they were.

Secondly, that becauſe they could not ſay Shibboleth, but inſteed of it they ſaid Sibboleth, therefore they were ſlaine.

Shibboleth, according to the true tranſlation ſigniſieth An eare of Corne. And Sibboleth ſignifieth the chaffe or the ſtraw that remaineth when the corne is ſeparated from it. So that we find that the ſword killed all ſuch as could not ſay Shibboleth or Eare of Corne, but inſtead of it pronounced Sibboleth, Straw or chaffe ſeparated from the corne.

O Chriſtian and devout Soule, take out of this a leſſon of morality, and judge thy ſelfe a rebellious Ep raimite, always warring againſt thy God and Maker. When thou ſinneſt, what doeſt thou but rebell againſt thy Creator? who at laſt will be too hard for thee. But when? When he ſhall meet thee at the paſſage over Jordan, that is, when as water thou ſhalt ſlide away. Omnes morimur & quaſi aqua dilabimur, we do all dye, and like water ſlide and fall away. O what a day will that be, when thy Soule is to paſſe away from thy body? When thy Soule is to paſſe over from this world to the other yet never ſeen? O then ſhall meet thee the true Gileadite, againſt whom thou haſt rebelliouſly fought with the Sword of Iuſtice in his hand; then ſhall begin thy tryall for thy life or death of thy Soule, then ſhalt thou be commanded to ſay Shibboleth, to ſay if truely thou beeſt an ear full of weighty and fruitfull grane of fruitfull Faith: But if thou canſt not ſay but Sibboleth, that thou art fruitleſſe, that thou art a light ſtraw, a little chaffe ſeparated from the true grane Chriſt Ieſus; then expect the wrath of God, expect the the bloud of his ſword of Iuſtice, expect if he find thee among the wicked ſeparated from the good, that this thy being ſifted, this diviſion and ſeparation of thee from the juſt and righteous ſhall be a fore-running meſſenger of that finall ſentence of damnation, Depart from me you curſed into everlasting fire. God forbid that in this Congregation there be any ſuch chaffe, any ſuch dry ſtraw ſeparated from the fruitfull granes of the Church, and fit only for the ſlames of Hel. I hope, the Devill hath not ſo far prevailed with any. But of my ſelfe with ſhame (I may ſay) that I have been that rebellious Ephraimite, that have almoſt 40 years warred obſtinatly againſt my Lord and Maker. I am that wicked Ephraimite, not able to pronounce ſince my firſt uſe of reaſon this word Shiboleth, not able to ſay I had ever any fruitfull Faith, or have ever been a f uitful grane, but have always pronounced Sibboleth, have alwayes beene like bran ſifted from the white flower, like chaffe ſeparated from the grane, fit onely for the fire of Hell. For what fruitfull Faith could be in me, that inſtead of worſhipping only my God and Lord, have bowed my knee ſo often to worſhip for God a peece of bread, according to that damnable doctrine of the Papiſts (which now I abjure and renounce) who teach that in their Communion is no ſubſtance of bread or wine, but the true Reall and Phyſicall body and bloud of Chriſt? A thing ſo againſt Scripture, which teacheth that Chriſt ſince his glorious Aſcenſion can be no more upon the earth, much leſſe in ſeverall places and ſeverall peeces of bread, but that he muſt be in Heaven, untill that laſt Iudgment day, as ye ſhall find in the 3 Chap. of the Acts in the 20, 21. verſ. ſaying, And hee ſhal ſena Jeſus Chriſt, which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens must receive untill the time of restitution of all things, which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets, ſince the World began.

What fruitfull Faith could be in me, who ſo often have kneeled to Images, worſhipped them, burnt Franckincenſe before them, and praid unto them, ſo contrary to the Commandements of God?

Thou ſhalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likeneſſe of any thing that is in Heaven above. Thou ſhalt not bow downe unto them? So contrary, I ſay, to holy Scripture, which teacheth that no Saints are to be called upon, no Saints are to be Mediators between us and God, but only Ieſus Chriſt, as ye ſhall find in the 1 Epiſtle of Paul to Tim. in the 2 Chap. and 5 verſe, For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus.

What fruitfull Faith hath been in mee, who have beleeved and taught a Purgatory, a place of ſatisfaction for ſins, derogating by this moſt damnable doctrin from the infinity of Chriſts ſatisfaction, who had not aboundantly nor infinitly ſatisfied for us, if we our ſelves ought in fire and torments to adde ſatisfaction to the ſatisfaction made by his moſt pretious bloud. O good God, how do I now perceive my ſelf to have been ſequeſtred from thy juſt and righteous beleevers! to have beene ſequeſtred from thy true Apoſtolike and Primitive Church, to have be n ſifted like branne from the flower, like chaffe from the corne. O moſt mercifull Father, if in theſe 40 yeares, I had met with thee at the paſſage of Jordan, at the paſſage of my Soule from my body, not being able to ſay Shibboleth, what could I have expected but to feele the ſmart of thy ſword, to receive the wound of everlaſting death, to heare that dreadful curſe of thine, Depart from me you curſed into everlaſting fire?

But think not, Dearely Beloved, that Satans cruelty is ſatisfied with thus ſeparating a ſinner like chaffe from the corne, by making him ready for Hell fire; O yet his cruelty goeth forward, yet he ſifteth further a Soule. Though properly to ſift in our Engliſh tongue, be to ſift the flower from the branne; Yet this word ſifting, in Greek is more Emphaticall, for the true word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Greek, according to M.Cameron's explication, ſignifieth Cribrare, which as he ſaith, containeth two things, to wit, illa concuſſio & agitatio, that thraſhing and beating of the wheat; and alſo illa diviſio & ſeparatio, that diviſion and ſeparation of the chaffe f om the corne. So by Satan's ſifting a Soule as wheat, we muſt know, that he is not contented to ſeparate a Soule from the Church, and the fruitfull granes and members of it, yet his cruelty goeth forward, for he knoweth Gods mercies are great, and touch the ſoule of a ſinner daily to bring him to repentance; therefore he deſireth our perſeverance in ſin, our obſtinacy and hardneſſe, that we may no way return unto our Lord. He uſeth yet more tyranny over us by ſifting us; he beateth us yet with blows, even as the corn is beaten with the flaile; with one blow hee beateth out our eyes, that we may not ſee the hideous eſtate we are in. With another blow he ſtriketh at our tongues, and breaketh the mouths of our hearts, that we may not call upon God for helpe and ſuccour; with another blow he ſhuts up our eares, that we may not heare nor give eare to the truth when it is preached. Even as a Captaine when he beſiegeth a Caſtle, taketh up al the high ways, wherby any maintenance or proviſion may come to theſe within the Caſtle; So doth this cruell enemy of ma kind, when he hath ſeparated a ſoule from the good and righteous, he ſhuts up all the high wayes, which are the mouth of the heart, the hearing of it, the eyes of the underſtanding, that ſo no maintenance, nor ſpirituall food may enter into it. This was figured in Mark 9. 17. 18. where it is ſaid that one of the multitude brought unto our Saviour, his ſon which had a dumb ſpirit: And he ſaid, Wherſoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he fometh, & gnaſheth with his teeth and pineth away. By this dumb Devill ſpiritually is to be underſtood the effect which the Devill worketh in a ſoule, which he hath once poſſeſſed, making it dumb and ſpeechleſſe, that it may not cry out to the Lord, nor acknowledge its ſins with one peccavi. And many of the Fathers upon the explication of this dumbe Spirit, ſay that it was alſo deaf and blind, to ſignifie the two other effects, which the Devill worketh in a ſoule, which he hath once got into his power. This ſame deſtruction of a Soule according to the Fathers expoſition was ſignified by that deaf and dumbe man, whom our Saviour cured, as ye may read Mark 7. 33, 34, 35. And he took him aſide from the multitude; and put his fingers into his eares, and he ſpit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to Heaven, he ſighed, and ſaith unto him, ephphatha, that is, be opened. And ſtrait way his eares were opened, & the ſtring of his tongue was looſed, and he ſpeake plaine. In the 7 of Dan 5 ver. you ſhall find a like figure of this cruell tyrant, where Daniel declaring a dreame and viſion which he had, faith, And behold another beaſt, a ſecond like to a Beare, and it raiſed up it ſelfe on one ſide, and it had three ribs in the mouth between the teeth of it, And they ſaid thus unto it, ariſe, devore much fleſh. Although S. Hierom by this ugly beaſt doth underſtand the Kingdom of the Perſians, and by thoſe 3 ribs and 3 ſet of teeth between rib and rib, expoundeth the 3 Empires of the Babylonians, Perſians and Medes; Yet Richardus de Sancto Victore, and many Fathers in a ſpirituall ſenſe, declare this ugly Beare to be a true portraicture of the malicious ſpite of the Devill, who with 3 ſet and orders of teeth devoureth and deſtroyeth the three noble powers, wherewith the Soule doth ſpiritually ſpeake, ſee, and heare.

And truly in my mind, no Beaſt is a more proper Embleme of the Devill, than the Beare, if we conſider well what Ariſtotle in his 7 Book De Hiſtor. Animal. and 17 Chap. writeth of this beaſt, which is that he eateth of all things of the fruits of trees, of herbes, of Bees and Honey, of little Amits, and their egs, yea of your ſhell fiſhes, and alſo of fleſh. A ſtrange quality, proper only to this Beaſt! For if the Lyon eat fleſh, he eateth not hay, graſſe nor hearbs; and the Oxe that eateth hay and graſſe eateth not fleſh, Only the Beare eateth of all ſorts, and with this quality reſembleth the Devill more than any other Beaſt. For the Devill devoureth and eateth of all; If a man be given to the fleſh, there is the Devill ſporting alſo himſelfe with thoſe fleſhy thoughts: If like an Eremite one feed of hearbes only; there alſo wil Satan be endeavouring in the wildernes to overthrow thoſe that hide themſelves there, flying from the vanities of the world, as he hath tempted and overthrown many ſuch. If one ſay, he is ſo abſtinent that he will not eat any fleſh, but feed only upon fiſh, as ſome Monkes and Fryars do amongſt your Papiſts; O how freely doth the Devill feed alſo with them, and for all their boaſting of their Abſtinence, blindeth them and maketh them commit moſt horrid and enormous ſins of the fleſh and Idolatry, as mine owne ſight and knowledge can teſtifie. If one like a little Amit in the earth, humble himſelf ſo deeply as to confeſſe and acknowledge himſelfe duſt and clay, and to conceipt moſt lowly of himſelfe; there alſo will Satan feed, untill he make him proud of his own low and humble conceipt. If like a Bee feeding upon the ſweetneſſe of Hony any one be in the Church feeding upon ſweetneſſe of Prayer and Contemplation, delighting with the ſweetneſſe of ſinging Prayſe and Pſalmes unto the Lord; there alſo will this Beare the Devill ſtrive to feed, untill he tempts with ſome fooliſh and idle thoughts. In all like a Beare feeding of all ſorts, and therefore may well be compared to that Beare which Daniell ſaw, riſing up to devoure much fleſh. And as that Beare had three ſet or ſorts of teeth to devoure the three Empires of the Babylonians, Perſians and Medes; even ſo hath the Devill three ſeverall ſorts of warlike engins to deſtroy and overthrow thoſe three Forts and Caſtles of our Soule, to wit, the Sight, Speach and Hearing, that ſo no reliefe may come from God to that wretched ſinner, whom he hath once poſſeſſed.

Firſt he maketh us dumb, that we may not open our mouths to confeſſe and acknowledge before God the grievouſneſſe of our ſins, nor crie out for help with our hearts to our only Mediatour Ieſus Chriſt. Have not ye obſerved a Wolfe, when he hath ſeized upon a little Lambe and ſequeſtred it from the flock and Shepheard; how the firſt thing he doth, is to ſtrangle it in the throat, that it may not bale nor cry out and be reſcued by the Shepheard? Even ſo doth the Devill, when he hath got a Soule from the flock of Chriſt: the firſt thing he doth is to ſtrangle it, that it may not ſpeake, nor cry out to him that ſaid by S. John, Ego ſum Paſtor bonus, I am the good Paſtor and Shepheard: For he knoweth there is no better way, no ſurer remedy for us, than to acknowledge and confeſſe to God our grievous ſins; as David ſaith in the 32 Pſalme and 6 verſe, I ſaid, I will confeſſe my ſins unto the Lord; And ſo thou forgaveſt the wickedneſſe of my ſin. He knoweth that God will have a ſinner accuſe himſelfe, confeſſe his ſins before him, and that this was one of the firſt leſſons that ever God taught in this world, as ye may obſerve in the third chapter of Geneſis and 9 verſe, where we read that when Adam had ſinned, God came down into Paradiſe, and called upon him, ſaying, Where art thou? Not that God was ignorant where Adam was, nor that Adam could hide himſelfe from the ſight of God: But God called him and asked him, where he was, becauſe he would have Adam accuſe himſelf, confeſſe and acknowledge his nakedneſſe, and the ſin he had fallen into; for to teach all wretched and miſerable ſinners to confeſſe and acknowledge their ſins and miſeries before their Lord.

O this Satan knoweth to be the chiefe remedy, the beaſt eaſe for an afflicted ſoule! therefore hee ſtriketh his firſt blow at the mouth of the heart, that there may ſound no act of repentance, nor the ſinner may have a tongue to confeſſe and acknowledge himſelfe to have wickedly offended his Lord and Maker.

O the Devill knoweth that nothing endangereth more a Soule in ſin than dumbneſſe and ſilence! as David alſo teſtifieth in the ſame 32 Pſalme and 3 verſe, ſaying, For while I held my tongue, my bones conſumed away.

O how doth a ſinner pine and conſume away for want of crying out to the Lord, for want of acknowledging his own wretched eſtate!

O Dearely Beloved, make uſe of this Doctrine, and whenſoever ye find your ſelves to have been carried away by Satan, forget not your tongues, be not dumbe, acknowledge preſently your iniquities before the Lord, touch with your tongues the leper and ſores of your ſoules, let not them feſter for want of a tongue to heale them. Remember when ye are in ſin, ye are as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, like Beaſts without reaſon.

O ſhew at leaſt to have that ſmall ſenſe and reaſon, which many Beaſts and a Dog hath, who when he is bitten and full of ſoares, with his tongue only preſerveth his ſoares from feſtering. Even ſo do thou poore and wretched ſinner, when thy ſoule is bitten with the firſt ſet of teeth of this cruell Beare, lift up thy heart unto thy Lord, acknowledge and confeſſe thy ſins before him, with thy tongue preſerve thy ſoule from inward feſtering. Remember that God will have thee confeſſe thy iniquity and aske pardon of him. Be not therefore dumbe, O ſinner I (if any there be beſides my ſelfe in this Congregation) ſay with David, I will confeſſe my ſinnes unto the Lord; Cry out with the prodigall ſon in the 15 Chapter of Luke and 18. Verſe, Father I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and before thee. Remember thou haſt a Heavenly Shepheard above, Ieſus Chriſt: Bale and cry out unto him like the little Lambe, that is ſet upon by the ravenous Wolfe. Be ſure thou beeſt not mute nor dumbe: be ſure the Devill take not from thee the uſe of thy tongue.

O a man that is fallen into a deep water, hath hopes of life if the water reach but to his knees, or to his breaſt, or to his ſhoulders; but if once it reach to enter into his mouth to choke him, eminent is the danger he is in. Even ſo if a ſinner be plunged and drowned ſo deepely into the depth of ſin, that it hath reached to his mouth, that it once hinder his tongue from confeſſing his wickedneſſe, and from crying out to God; great danger is he in. Feare this danger, O Beloved; feare that the mouth of your hearts be not ſtopped by Satan, that by this high way which leadeth to the inward Caſtle of your Soule, all Ammunition, all helpe and ſuccour from above bee not ſtopped and robbed for want of acknowledging your ſins, and crying out unto your Lord for preſent aide and relief. And ſo much for this.

The ſecond blow which the Devill ſtriketh at a ſinner, is to beat out his eyes and to blind him, that he may not ſee the danger he is in, nor his own wretched and miſerable eſtate, as David affirmeth in the 38 Pſal. and 10. verſe, ſaying, My heart panteth, my ſtrength hath failed me, and the ſight of mine eyes is gone from mee. And again in the 40 Pſalme and 15 verſe he ſaith, Innumerable troubles are come about me; my ſinnes have taken ſuch hold upon me, that I am not able to look up. O the Devid knoweth very well, that if a ſinner did but ſee the miſerable and wretched eſtate his ſoule is in, he would make haſt to returne unto his Lord; therefore he blindeth him that he may run head-long down to Hell. He dealeth with a ſinner as cruelly as Nabuchadnezzar King of Babell dealt with Zedekiah, as ye may read in the 2 of Kings, 25 Chapter and 7 verſe, And they ſlew the ſons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chaines and carried him to Babell. Even ſo doth the Devill with a ſinner, he beateth out his eyes, bindeth him in chaines, and ſo carrieth him to Babell, to a Chaos of confuſion.

This a ſinner will not beleeve, but runs forward with more and more delight in his iniquities; he thinkes, becauſe he enjoyeth his corporall ſight, that his ſoule is not blinded. Tell me then, if a man ſhould be in ſo deſperate a caſe, as running a long a ſtreet, and all crying out unto him and ſaying, O man art thou mad, doeſt thou not ſee ſuch an one thine enemy ſtanding before thee with his ſword drawn to kill thee? If nevertheleſſe and for all theſe cries, this man ſhould run towards the ſword; would not we ſay that he is mad, or rather blind and not able to ſee the ſword before him?

O Dearely Beloved this is no ſporting matter; when we offend the Lord, we are ſurely blind; If we were not, how would we dare to runne upon the ſword which the Iuſtice of God hath drawn againſt us? If we will not believe this, let us but turne to the 7 Pſalme of David, and read there the 12, 13, and 14 verſes, where we ſhall find theſe words, God is a righteous Judge, ſtrong and patient, and God is provoked every day; If a man will not turne, he will whet his ſword, he hath bent his bow, and made it ready; he hath prepared for him the inſtruments of death. Behold a ſword a whetting for us to run us thorow, a bow bent to ſhoot at us, other inſtruments prepared only for our death and deſtruction. And yet we will not ſee them, we run upon them: Why? Becauſe wee are blind, the Devill hath deprived us of our ſpirituall ſight: We are like that wicked and diſobedient Prophet Balaam, of whom we read in the 22 Chapter of Numbers and 23 Verſe, that he was ſo blind that he could not ſee the Angell of the Lord ſtanding in his way with a Sword drawn in his hand; the words are theſe, And when the Aſſe ſaw the Angel of the Lord ſtand in the way, and his ſword drawne in his hand, the Aſſe turned out of the way, and went into the field, but Balaam ſmote the Aſſe to turne her into the way. Lo here, how a ſimple and ſilly Aſſe by Gods permiſſion, eſpyeth the ſword of the Lord drawn againſt a ſinner and wicked Prieſt, to teach us, how thoſe that are ſimple and humble in their own conceipts, ſee the dangers that a ſinner runs into by ſin: But the proud and ſtubborne Delinquent againſt Gods Laws, will not ſee theſe dangers. Becauſe alas he is blind, the Devill hath pulled out the eyes of his Soule, the windows whereby the light and beames of Gods mercy were wont to ſhine into his heart, are ow rammed up with lime and ſtone that no light may come in for a ſinner to ſee thoſe horrid Aſpids, Baſilisks and Adders, which lye lurking and taking their repoſe in the cloſe and ſecret chamber of his Conſcience.

O Pity! O Compaſſion! If any be to be had, when a ſinner is come to this miſery. O Dearely Beloved, make good uſe of this Doctrine, and fly from ſin all your lives; ſ are to be thus blinded: Pray to the Lord, that though through mans frailty ye do commit a ſin: O yet your ſight may be left ye: One eye at leaſt may remaine to lift up to God, to look up to him.

Remember how that poore and lame cripple, of whom we read in the 3 Chapter of the Acts, and 4 Verſe, received bodily health and ſtrength, having no limbe to help himſelfe, but was daily carried and laid at the gate of the Temple; And Peter fastning his eyes upon him with John, ſaid, looke on us. Nothing was demanded of him but only the uſe of his eyes; for looking only up upon Peter hee was cured.

O Deare Soule, Moralize this healing of this Cripple and the manner of it, and take out of it a leſſon how to obtaine more eaſily the health of thy diſeaſed ſoule. If with no limbe thou beeſt able to helpe thy ſelfe: Looke up at leaſt to God, lift up the eyes of thy heart to thy Lord, pray dayly to him that thy ſight may not faile in thy inward man; Pray that the Devill may not blind thee howſoever, but that thou mayeſt ſee the enormity and hideouſneſſe of thy ſin, the inſtruments of death which God hath prepared againſt thee, the Sword of his Iuſtice drawn, the Bow of his wrath and anger bent; that thus having eyes left thee to ſee thoſe dangers, thou mayeſt like this Cripple, as he looked up to Peter and John, and received bodily health: ſo thou alſo by caſting an eye up to the Lord, by opening the the window of thy heart mayeſt let in the light of Gods mercy to ſhine within thee, and mayeſt receive the ſpirituall health of thy leprous and diſeaſed ſoule. And ſo much for this.

The laſt and deadlieſt blow, which the Devill with his heavy ſtayle ſtriketh at a Soule, is in the Eares, wherewith hee fells him quite down and layes him ſlat to the ground, taking his hearing quite from him, and making him deafe, that hee may not heare the word of the Lord, nor hearken to any comfortable tydings of his Salvation.

Of the wretched ſinners deafenes againſt the Word of God, Paul ſpoke in the ſecond Epiſtle to Timothy in the 4 Chapter and 4 verſe, ſaying, And they ſhall turne away their eares from the truth and ſhall be turned unto fables. Of this ſort of ſinners, an Ancient Father, Clenent Alexandranus in his exhortation to the Greckes and Gentiles ſpeaketh thus, Coelum feciſtis Scenam, & Deus factus eſt vobis Actus: Ye have made a ſport and play of Heaven, and God himſelf is become at Act or Comedy unto ye.

But you will ſay, Dearely Beloved, what meaneth this ancient Author by theſe words? An example will declare his mind better. Have not you marked in theſe Playes here about the City? How ſometimes one commeth out upon the Stage, with a Crowne and Kingly Diadem upon his head, and with a Scepter in his hand, granting Princely favours, and highly rewarding thoſe that have been dutiful and loyall Subjects unto him? Another you ſhall ſee come out upon the ſame Stage with a ſword drawn, all bloudy, with ſtreams of bloud trickling down from his head to his feet, as if he had been wounded in ſome ſierce and deſperate combate. Then you ſhal ſee ſometimes over the Stage the Heavens open, great glory of Angels appearing, and one deſcending in a cloud. Somtimes you ſhall ſee from under the Stage aſcend a ſmoak of Fire and Brimſtone, and a Devill leap up in ſuch a ſhape as may ſuffice to terrifie you. At all this you laugh, you hold it but a fable. The King you ſee come out, you reſpect not, becauſe you know he is none. The other that is wounded and all bloudy, you pity not, becauſe you know that bloud is not true but painted bloud. The glory you ſee and the Angels in it, do no way entice you to it, becauſe you know it is but fained: The Fire and Brimſtone, and ugly ſight of Devils that come upon the Stage do nothing terrifie you. Why? Becauſe you know all is ſalfe, that there is no Hell, nor any true Devill, but only a repreſentation 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of it: So that you ſport and laugh at all.

Now then let us apply theſe words and this ſimilitude of Clement Alexandrinus to thoſe deafe ſinners, who, as Paul ſaith, Turn away their eares from the truth, and are turned unto Fables. Theſe when they come to heare the word of the Lord, will not heare it with their hearts, but make a play ſport of it. When they heare the Preacher ſet forth the might and power of that King of Kings, and Creator of all things, who will glorifie his elect ſervants with everlaſting bliſſe and happineſſe; Like Atheiſts they laugh at it, and iudge of this eternall King as of a King in a play.

When they heare the Preacher teach, how Ieſus Chriſt was whipped, reviled, ſtroken, ſmitten and crowned with thornes, nayled with nailes, pierced with a ſpeare for their ſins; their hearts will not heare it, they make ſport of it, they are not moved to love ſo loving a Saviour and Mediator who with the price of his own bloud, made an aboundant and copious ſatisfaction for our ſins.

When they heare the Preacher teach the glory of Heaven, the Quires of Angels there, that everlaſting reſt without any ſob or teares, without any cold, hunger, or thirſt, they will not heare it to beleeve, they judge of it, as of the glory in a play upon a Stage, and like Epicureans eate, drink and riot ſaying, —Post mortem nulla voluptas.

They think that their ſoules after death like Beaſts ſhall be diſſolved into the aire to nothing. When they heare a Preacher bring out upon the Stage in the Pulpit, and ſet before a great aſſembly the deepe pits of Hell, the Legions of fierce and cruell Divels there, the always burning fire and Brimſtone, the everlaſting broiling there, the horrid gnaſhing of teeth, the paines and torments due to their ſins, if they turne not to God; Alas they will not heare it with their heart, they thinke it is but a Hell of a Play, they are turned unto Fables, they make a ſport of all, they make an Act or Play of God, they think all fained, they heare it with their corporall eares, but with the cares of their ſoule, they will not hearken unto it; they make themſelves the Actors of the fooles part in this ſport and play, which they make of God and Heaven. Why? Becauſe the Devill hath made them deafe. This is his chiefe way, he knoweth, though it be damb or blind, yet by hearing the Word of the Lord with a well diſ •• ſed heart it may receive ſome ſeed of a fruitfull Faith, as S. Paul taught the Romanes in the 10 Chap. and 17 Verſ. ſaying, So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. This is the Devils feare, and therefore he ſhutteth up their eares, that no maintenance that way, no ſuccour, no reliefe may come unto the ſoule. With this he maketh them groan under his yoke, with this he maketh them ſlaves unto him. In Deut. 15. 12. you ſhall find that God gave a Command of releaſe, ſaying, And if thy Brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman be ſold unto thee, and ſerve thee ſix years, then in the ſeventh yeare thou ſhalt let him go free from thee. And lower 16, 17. v. God commanded thus; And it ſhall be, if he ſay unto thee, I will not go away from thee, becauſe he loveth thee and thine houſe, becauſe he is well with thee. Then ſhalt thou take an Aule, and thrust it thorough his eare unto the doore, and he ſhall be thy ſervant for ever.

In a morall and ſpirituall ſenſe, Learn here, Deare Brethren, how as God commanded a releaſe for debts and for ſervants, ſo doubtleſſe he expecteth that thy Soule ſhall not be always under any other maſter but himſelf. If therfore the Devill have been thy Maſter for ſome time, thinke for a releaſe, think of releaſing thy ſelf from him; do not ſay, deare ſoule, unto the Devill, I will not go away from thee, becauſe I love thee, becauſe I am well with thee; which if thou doeſt, then will Satan make uſe of this Law of God for himſelfe and for his own en s; then will he marke thee in the eares for a perpetuall ſlave, with an Aule he will boare thine eares thorow, and faſten them to a wall, to that wall which thy iniquities have put between thee and God; he will keep thee for his ſlave, if ever he marke thee in thy eares, he will take thy hearing from thee, that thou mayeſt not heare any goodneſſe, nor make good uſe of any. O what miſery is a ſinner in, when he commeth to loſe his hearing! Abhorre from ſin, dearely beloved, leaſt ye fall thus into ſlavery under the tyranny of Satan; if ye have not found your ſelves ſo far gone, nor ſo far enſnared by the Devill, as he doth enſnare others, renounce him at his firſt aſſaults, leaſt he encroach upon the mouth of your heart and ſoule, upon the eyes and eares of it, making yee dumb, deaf and blind. O take example by me, who have had experience of theſe 3 blows, who have been flailed, beaten and thraſhed by this cruell enemy; with one blow I have been left ſpeechleſſe and dumb almoſt 40 years; I have not had a tongue till this day, to confeſſe before God my iniquities, my idolatries, my ſuperſtitions, my diſloyalties to my King, the Lords Annoynted. O I have been blind, & wilfully blind, and would not ſee my errors, the errors of the Whore of Babylon. True it is, many years ago by reading Authors and the grounds of our true Proteſtant Religion; I did ſee the light of it, the truth of it, the ſincere, pure and candid doctrine of it: but yet with the eyes of my Soule I would not ſee it. I was like a foule and ugly Monky, who when he chanceth to ſee his foule ſhape, his deformed feet in a pure and Criſtall Looking-glaſſe, rageth, and flingeth at the glaſſe and teareth it in pieces, becauſe it repreſentes unto him his own deformity. Even ſo have I done, dearely Beloved, theſe many yeares. When I read the pure and Chriſtall doctrine of our Church, which teacheth even what Chriſt taught Peter and his Diſciples to acknowledge a Supremacy next to God to Caeſar, by taking mony out of a fiſhes belly, and ſending it for trib te to Caeſar, a leſſon for all Subjects (yea for the Popes themſelves who can be no better than Chriſt and Peter) to acknowledge their duty and Allegiance next to God unto their Kings, and Princes. But when I ſaw by this cleare doctrine my ugly ſhape of a diſloyall, diſobedient and trecherous monſter, nouriſhed with the venemous and poyſoned milk of the Whore of Babylon, which teacheth her Popes to be above all Temporall Princes, and no wayes bound to pay them tribute; O how would I fly and fling like a Monky at the Chriſtall glaſſe of the Proteſtant doctrin, that thus repreſented unto me mine own monſtrous ſhape. O when I uſed to read & ſtudy the grounds of the Popiſh Tranſubſtantiation, and found them groundleſſe, ſaying, that one body may be in 2 places, nay in a 1000. And upon that ſalfe ground proving that Chriſts body may be really preſent in the Sacrament in a thouſand places at one time, & at the ſame time alſo in Heaven: How clearely did I ſee the contrary in the Chriſtall glaſſe of our Churches doctrine? For if Chriſts body being a naturall and phyſicall body can be at one time in ſeverall places; then at one time alſo it may be ſubject to ſeverall and contrary accidents, it may bee hot and cold at once, for it may bee in a hot and cold place at one time, it may bee alſo ſtabbed in one place (as the Papists confeſſe it hath been by Jews) and in another place at the ſame time it may not be ſtabbed; ſo then 2 contradictories ſimul & ſemel are true, and truly verified of the ſame body, It is ſtabbed and it is not ſtabbed. Alſo in one place it may bee be gnawn and devoured by vermin, mice or worms: and in another place at the ſame time it may not be gnawn: As my ſelf can witnes, who ſaying Maſſe one day in the Weſt Indias, in a town called Portabel, 6 years ago, after I had conſecrated the Bread or Wafer hoſt upon the Altar, making a ſhort mentall prayer with mine eyes ſhut, which they call the Memento for the Dead, ſuddainly came upon the Altar a Mouſe, and ſtole away the Sacrament. I opening mine eyes, and miſſing it before me, began to be troubled, and looking about on one ſide, I ſaw the vermin running away with the Bread. I ſtirred up the people of the Church, who running to me cauſed candles to be lighted, and with another Prieſt ſearched all the holes that were in the wall behind the Altar, and at laſt found the Sacrament gnawn, and halfe eaten up. The halfe part of it the Prieſt tooke out and carrying it to the Altar in Proceſſion, lifted it up to be adored, with knocking of breaſts by the common people. Behold here according to the damnable doctrin of the Papiſts, Chriſt's body is gnawn by a creature, and it is not gnawn; for they ſay that the body of Chriſt is truly and really tetus in toto & totus in qualibet parte, all in all, and all and whole in every little part. Then if this be true, Chriſt was whole and entire in that part which was devoured, and he was alſo whole and entire in the part which was left; ſo he was eaten and gnawne, and he was not eaten and gnawne. Here are two contradictories truly verified at one time againſt the light of reaſon and phyloſophy: Beſides the abſurdity which followeth, that Chriſt ſhould leave his body to be ſo devoured by vermin and dumb beaſts All theſe abſurdities and monſtruous ſhapes of Popiſh doctrin, I well perceived and viewe in the pure chriſtall glaſſe of our Proteſtant doctrin: And yet like a beaſt I would fling at this cleere glaſſe, that thus repreſented my Popiſh errorus unto me; I would ſpitefully oppoſe the true ſenſe and figurative meaning of our Saviour, when he ſaid, This is my body.

Yea comming into England with a purpoſe to conforme my ſelfe to the truth, & having met here with a learned Treatiſe of one Maſter Stephen Vaſſall againſt this damnable doctrin of Tranſubſtantiation, which he directed to one Miſtris Bury a Gentlewoman, ſeduced and blinded by a Popiſh Prieſt; I took upon me for ſome worldly and temporall reſpects to ſome friends, to anſwer his learned grounds and reaſons againſt mine own conſcience: And though in his cleare doctrine I well perceived the ugly and monſtruous ſhape of mine own idolatrous and defiled ſoule; Yet did I fling and fly at the glaſſe like a Monky. Why? Becauſe I was blinded by Satan, the window of my ſoule was rammed up by the Devil, that no light might enter into it. I have been that falſe and diſobedient Prieſt Balaam, ſo blind that I would not ſee the dangers of my ſoule neere 40 yeares: But though the ſword of Gods Iuſtice hath-beene drawne againſt me, though his bow hath been bent to kill me, and many inſtruments of death prepared againſt me, yet would I wilfully run on my ways to curſe the good and elect People of the Lord, to oppoſe the true, ancient and Apoſtolike Church of England. True it is I have heard much good doctrin preached, repre enting unto me theſe dangers which my ſoule was in; I have heard that if wilfully, I ſhould have died in that wretched eſtate, my ſoule would have been plunged into the deepeſt and bottomleſſe pits of Hell; I have heard much pre ching of the me cies of God, of the glory of Heaven, of the paines of Hell: Yet all this I have heard as a Play and ſport of paſtime, not hearing it with my ſoule inwardly, but only with my outward eares. I have heard that for God we muſt leave all in the world, both kindred, father, mother, preferments and wealth: yet I would not heare this to any purpoſe: I was loath to forſake all my kin ed, who are Papiſts: I was loath to forſake that meanes which I have had from them, and now muſt loſe it: I was loath to ſee my ſelfe in want and poverty. O I knew, my kinred and beſt friends would cry out, ſhame upon me, and would threaten to kill me: All theſe worldly and temporall reſpects ſhut up my eares and made me deaſe againſt the truth, which teacheth that it is better to live here in want and poverty, than to broyle for ever in Hell; that it is better to forſake here and abandon all fleſh and blood, Brothers, Siſters, and Kinred, than to go with them to everlaſting paines and torment.

Chriſt himſelfe teacheth us that we muſt not feare them that can hurt out bodies, but can do no harme at all unto our ſoules, and that we muſt feare only him that can caſt our ſoules into the fire of Hell. This it is, O Lord! which now maketh me feare; thy might, thy power and wrath I feare: My ſoule it is that hencef rth I will tender; for this Iewell I for ſake this day all the world, for my Soule's ſake I take my leave this day of all my kinred and deareſt friends. Awake, awake my ſoule, and like Abraham leave now thy fleſh and bloud, that thou mayſt become rich and great in the ſight of thy Lord. Away all feares, away all humane and temporall reſpects, away to much love of worldly pelſe.

O Lord I for thy ſake I hate and leave this day that meanes, which hither to from Papiſts I have received.

O Lord! I know they threaten my deſtruction, but into thy hands do I this day commend my ſpirit. O let that be ſafe I though here my body be mangled and torne into thouſand pieces, do thou protect me, and I will feare no enemies; do thou continue thy mercies to me, and I with David will ſing and teach them for ever.

Now, dearely Beloved, I have diſcloſed unto you the miſeries of a wretched ſinner; the cruelty and unſatiable tyranny of Satan over thoſe that he ſifts away from the fruitfull granes of Chriſt's Church; I have diſcovered unto you the heavy blows he giveth them, and have made my ſelf a Preſident of ſo miſerable and wretched an eſtate. Now give eare, I beſeech you, to the ſecond poi t of my Text, where Chriſt having told Peter, how Satan deſired to have him, that he might ſift him as wheat, Chriſt comforted him preſently, ſaying, But I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not:

For to teach us, that though we be never ſo tyrannized by Satan, never ſo abuſed and beaten, never ſo dumb, ſo blind and ſo deaſe; Yet the mercies of God are able to relieve us: And God himſelfe would not be mercifull and omnipotent, if any miſeries of ours, (how great ſoever) ſhould prevaile or exceed the power of his mercies: Nay when by ſin we are moſt wretched and moſt forlorn, then doth God ſhew moſt the power of his ſweet and comfortable mercies, and forgetteth not 40 only, but a 1000 yeares ill ſpent in ſin and iniquity, as David teacheth us, Pſalm. 90. 3, 4. ſaying, Thou turneſt man to deſtruction, Again thou ſayeſt, Come again ye child en of men, for a thouſand yeares in thy ſight are but as yesterday. Behold, though a man be turned to deſtruction, though a ſoule be quite loſt, utterly defaced and ſpoyled: Yet Come again ye children of men, Let but theſe deſtroyed and forlorne ſoul s turne again unto the Lord, and a thouſand years ill ſpent in ſinnes and iniquities ſhall bee pardoned ſo eaſily, that they ſhall ſeeme but as one day ill ſpent; for God is mercifull and will make the leaſt that may bee made of our ſinnes, if from our hearts wee turn unto him. Nay when moſt we offend him, then chiefly doth he ſtrive with his mercies to allure us unto him. By the greatneſſe of his mercies he ſtriveth to ſhew himſelfe our God and Saviour, as I have obſerved in that anſwer which he ſent unto John in the 11 of Mat. where John ſent two of his Diſciples to know of him, if he were the Meſſias and Saviour of the world whom they expected; To which meſſage our Saviour made no other anſwer, but that of the 5 verſe, ſaying, The blind receive 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 their ſight, and the lame walke, the lepers are cleanſed, and the deaf heare, the dead are raiſed up, and the poore have the Goſpel preached unto them. The only way to know that Chriſt is a Saviour, is by ſeeing his works of mercy, either Spirituall or Corporall; for by the blind which he corporally and ſpiritually cureth, by the leprous ſoules and bodies which he cleanſeth, by the deaf to whom he reſtoreth corporall and ſpirituall hearing, by the dead in ſoule and body whom he raiſeth up; he is ſufficiently known to be a true Meſſias, a true Saviour, a moſt loving and mercifull Father. And much more by uſing theſe mercies, when leaſt we deſerve them, when furtheſt we are from him, when moſt grievouſly we offend him; for then it is that he ſtriveth with the power of his mercy, to prevaile againſt the power of Satan. In the 12 Chap. of Matth. 14. & 15 verſes, this may caſily be obſerved, where it is ſaid, Then the Phariſees went out, and held a Councell againſt him, how they might deſtroy him. Behold here wretched ſinners, the inſtruments of the Devill, united and confederate againſt our Saviour. What doth he unto them? Doth he deſtroy them? D th he poure down fiery darts upon them? No. What then doth he? Read forward the 15. verſe, and ye ſhall ſee what he doth, And when Jeſus knew it he withdrew himſelfe from thence, and great multitudes, followed him, and he healed them all. When moſt they ſtrive againſt him to offend him, then hoth he cure and heale their infirmities; for to reach us that he is ſo mercifull a Father, that he holdeth it a diſparagement to his great goodneſſe, that our wickedneſſe ſhould be greater than his mercies, that when moſt we offend him, than doth he moſt mercifully cure and heale the lepers and diſeaſes of our afflicted ſoules. So in the 32 of Exodus, you ſhall find the mercies of God ſtriving with the wickedneſſe of men; for whileſt the Iſraelites withdraw themſelves from God at the foot of the mountain, worſhiping a golden Calf •… God on the top of the mountaine is ordering a Law for them to bring them to righteouſneſſe and to the port of true Salvation. In the 9 Chap. of the Acts there alſo ye ſhall find a ſtrong encounter between the malice of a wicked finner and the kindne •… e and mercy of God; for whileſt Saul breathing out threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the Diſciples of the Lord goeth to the high Prieſt and deſireth of him letters to Damaſcus to the Synagogues, that if he ſound any followers of Chriſt, men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jeruſalem. Then at that very time ſtrives God with his mercies for the upper hand, as you may read in the 3 verſe, And ſuddainely there ſhined round about him a light from heaven. And Gods mercies prevailing againſt Sauls ſtubbornes from a wicked ſinner, from a wicked Perſecutor he was made an Apoſtle, and a choſen veſſell to beare the name of the Lord before the Gentiles, the Kings, and the Children of Iſrael. O how doth the Prophet Hoſea in the 2 Chap. of his Prophecies in the 13 and 14 ver. teach the truth of this doctrin! ſaying, And I will viſite upon her the dayes of Baal m, wherein ſhe burnt incenſe to them, and ſhe decked her ſelf with her carrings and her jewels, and ſhe went after her lovers, and forgate me, ſaith the Lord. Behold here a Harlot, a ſoule moſt abommable, given to idolatry, burning incenſe before her Idols, following her pleaſures, the vanities of the world, decking and trimming up her ſelfe to entice and allure her gallants, following her gallants and lovers, and quite forgetting her Lord and God. But what will God do now with this lewd harlot, with this abominable ſoule? Will he d ſtroy her? Will he ſhew the ſtrength and power of his juſtice againſt her? O no! Heare what followeth in the 14 verſe, Therfore, Behold, I will allure •• r, and bring her into the wilderneſſe and ſpeak comfortably unto her. She ſhall not thinke that her wickedneſſe can be greater than my mercies: When ſhe moſt flies from me, then will I moſt allure her. Behold here, dearely Beloved, the good nature of our good God, who like unto a ſu er and wooer, when his miſtris moſt diſdaineth him, wooeth her more, allureth her with faire and courteous promiſes. Even ſo doth God with a Soule, when we follow moſt the vices of our heart, the vanities of the world, ſeeking to pleaſe our ſenſes and bellies, more than the Lord, diſdaining and contemning our God and Maker; then doth he wooe our Soules, then doth he allure them, then doth he bring them into the wilderneſſe from all occaſions of pride, of ſelfe-love, of vanities and pſtimes: There when he hath got them from the worldly pleaſures, doth he ſpeak comfortably unto them. O Soule! ſaith he, why doſt thou follow any lovers but me? there is none loveth thee better than my ſelfe: I have beſtowed more upon thee than any adulterous lover of thine. The beauty of thy face which thou ſo much eſteemeſt, is my guift. The dainties of fowle and fiſh, which ſo voluptuouſly thou beſtoweſt upon thy belly, I firſt beſtowed them upon thee. The riches of pearles, rubies, rings and diamonds, wherewith thou ſheweſt thy ſelfe ſo faire an object to thy lovers eye, are all my gifts. The flowers of all ſorts and beſt perſumes, wherewith thou delighteſt ſo much thy ſenſes, I gave them to thee. Why then deare Soule, doſt thou turne from me? Why doſt thou ſhun me for other lovers? They carry thee to perdition, but I to bliſſe and happineſſe; They ſeek thy paines and torment, I thy reſt and glory: They fall away like a flower which to day is, and to morrow will not be, but I ſhall remaine for ever.

Thus, O dearly Beloved, doth God ſpeake comfortably to a Soulel thus doth he allure her, thus doth he woo and entice her, thus doth he, when furtheſt ſhe flys from him, diſcover the riches of his mercies to her. An ancient Doctor called John Raulinus Cluniacexſis ſaith, what by experience we daily know, Quanto magis ſrigus viget, tanto magis videtur Coelum ſtellatum, The greater the froſt and cold is, the m re bright do the ſtar's appeare and ſhew themſelves in the darkeneſſe of the night. Lauretus, who borrowed his doctrine out of Thomas Aquinas and Auſtin, ſaith alſo of the ſtars in a morall explication, Stellae productae in Coelo deſignare poſſunt dona Spiritus Sanctir, That they may be a ſymbole or figure of the favours and guifts of the Holy Ghoſt. What then meaneth it that theſe ſtars which are ſymbols of Gods favours, ſhine brighteſt, when the froſt and cold is greateſt? O it ſignifieth, that when a heart is moſt cold and frozen, moſt voyd of the heat of the love of God then doth the Lord ſtrive to ſhine brighteſt into that heart, than doth he moſt diſcover the glittering ſpangles of his mercy, than doth he manifeſt the glorious ſtars of his Heavenly comforts; for to teach us that none ſhall deſpaire, though never ſo deeply plunged into ſin, though never ſo cruelly tyrannized by the Devill: for God with his mercies can and often hath changed a wicked ſinner to a holy life, and of a perſecut r and e emy hath made a holy Apoſtle. I cannot here paſſe over with ſilence a witty obſervation of Chryſoſtome upon thoſe words, which the Angell of the Lord ſpoke to Joſeph, Mat. 2. 13. ſaying, Ariſe and take the young childe and his mother, and fly into Aegypt, and be thou there, untill I bring thee word; for Herod will ſecke the young Childs to deſtroy him. Vpon theſe words, Chryſoſtome groundeth great admirations, wondring that God would ſend his only begotten Son into Aegypt, a Countrey that above all Countreys miſuſed and kept under hard ſlavery Gods own choſen people, not ſuffering them to go out, till God hardned Pharaoh's heart, and Moſes after many wonders ſhewed with the hand of the Lord, tooke them out of bondage. Now then if this Countrey was firſt ſo rebellious againſt God himſelf and his Commands, how commeth it to paſſe, ſaith Chryſoſtome, that God will truſt his Deare and only Son Jeſus Chriſt with ſo perfidious and diſobedient a Nation? Could not there be Order given, that Chriſt might bee kept from the ſury of Herod in any other Countrey and not in Aegypt, ſo ſtubborne an enemy to God and his Elect People? Chryſoſtome anſwereth, O commutatio dextrae excelſi, ut popului qui a tefuerat perſecutor populi primogeniti, poſtea ſieret cuſtos unigeniti O wonderfull change and alteration of the right hand of the Lord, ſaith Chryſoſtome, that that people which before had been a perſecutor and enemy of the firſt choſen People of God, now ſhould be truſted with Gods only Son, and ſhould be made keeper of him to deſend him and protect him from the wicked plots of Herod! What is this? But to magnifie and ſet out the great mercies of God, who ſo ſtrangely worketh alterations in Nations and in particular ſoules, making thoſe his deareſt friends, which were his greateſt enemies and perſecutors. This is the power of the mercy of God, which can prevaile againſt all the ſtrength of Satan, who can deliver a ſoule poſſeſſed by the Devill and bring it to a ſtate more happy than ever miſerable it was in Satans power. This the Prophet Micah prophecied in the 4 Chap. of his Prophecies, and 10 ver. ſaying, Be in pain and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Sion! like a woman in travell; for vow ſhalt thou go forth out of the City, and thou ſhalt dwell in the field, & th u ſhalt go even to Babylon; there ſhalt thou bee delivered, there the Lord ſhall redeeme thee from the hand of thine enemies. What greater confuſion was there ever than in Babylon? What greater blindneſſe than there? What greater or crueller ſlavery than there? Yet ſaith Micah, there ſhalt thou bee delivered, there the Lord ſhall redeeme 〈◊〉 from thine enemies; for to teach us, that there is no ſinner ſo deeply drowned into the depth of ſin, ſo bitterly beaten by Satan, ſo hardly captivated and bound with the bonds and fetters of his iniquities, but yet the mercy of the Lord is able to take him out. Therefore, O dearely beloved! make uſe of this doctrin & never deſpaire of Gods ſavours, though (as Chriſt ſaid in my text to Peter) Satan ſift you as wheat, ſeparating you from the white flower of the elect and choſen p ople; though he ſeparate you like chaffe from the corne, from the ſin •… full granes and members of the Church, by beating you as Corne is beaten with the flaile, by ſtriking out your eyes, that you may not ſee, by making you dumb, that you may not ſpeake nor cry unto the Lord; by making you deaf, that you may not heare any goodneſſe: yet deſpaire not of his mercies, for out of Babylon, the place of greateſt confuſion, there ſhalt thou be delivered, ſaith the Lord. Let my Converſion be a Preſident to you of this truth, and ſtrengthen you, that you may not deſpaire of Gods mercies. For if I who have ſucked my firſt milk of the Whore of Babylon, of the moſt erroneous Popiſh doctrin, who have worſhiped creatures and Saints inſtead of my Creator, who have been diſloyall and treacherous to my King and Countrey, who have beleeved a damnable doctrine of Purgatory, derogating thereby from the infinite merits of the ſatisfaction of Chriſts Paſſion, who have ſuperſtitiouſly offered up a ſacrifice of the Maſſe for the quick & dead, as if the Sacrifice which Chriſt himſelfe offered of his own body upon the Croſſe were not a ſufficient Sacrifice for a whole world, yea and many more worlds: if I who erroneouſly have beleeved that by my own works I might merit de condigno, the glory of heaven, as if any human or naturall works may work a thing ſupernaturall and merit a glory, which required the meanes and ſatisfaction of Chriſt, not as man only, but as God and man. If I who have been almoſt 40 years thus blinded, who have ſo many years perſecuted the choſen, elect and Proteſtant people of the Lord, who have ſo many years been frozen and void of all heat of the love of God, who have ſo many years been in Babylon, in confuſion, and ſlavery; there have been delivered, there have found the mercies of God, like ſtars in a winter night ſhining moſt confortably into my cold and frozen ſoule! O let none deſpaire of the mercies of God, nor willingly fall into ſin by my example, leaſt their comming out of Babylon be as hard to them as my converſion hath been to me; But how great ſoever your miſeries be, truſt in the Lord, that as he prayed for Peter, that his Faith might not faile, as he hath pleaded for me before his •… ernall Father: So he may alſo be an Advocate and only Mediator between God and you, when deepeſt you are in ſin, and according to mans judgement, hardeſt to be brought out of it.

The laſt Point which is plainly to be obſerved in my text, is a precept and cōmand of our Saviour to Peter, contained in thoſe words; And when thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy Brethren.

This Peter did, and this all they are bound to do, who are truly converted from ſin and from a wicked eſtate to the true knowledge of Gods Laws. True it is Peter did fall, and did moſt cowardly thrice deny his Maſter: But after our Saviour looked upon him, and with one look turned his heart, then Peter went out and wept bitterly. And he did not only weep and repent within himſelfe, but moſt zealouſly endeavoured to ſtrengthen his Brethren, as you may obſerve Acts 2. when having received the Holy Spirit himſelfe, he preached couragiouſly unto the Jews to convert them and ſtrengthen them in the true Faith, as you may read from the 14 . to the 38 verſe, and forward, where publickly he ſaid unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Christ, for the remiſſion of ſins, and you ſhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoſt. O he was a true converted man, and thought he muſt not be contented to be himſelfe converted only, but that he was bound to convert and ſtrengthen others. So did Saul, who had been ſo great a Perſecutor, when he was truely converted, preſently he ſtrived to do good to others, as you may read Acts 9. 19, 20. verſes, And when he had received meat, he was ſtrengthned. Then was Saul certaine dayes with the Diſciples, that were at Damaſcus; And ſtrait way he preached Chriſt in the Synagogue, that he is the Son of God. And further in the 22 ver. But Saul increaſed the more in ſtrength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damaſcus, prouing that this is very Chriſt. Behold how this converted Apoſtle is not ſatisfied with his own converſion, but preſently burneth with an inward zeale of communicating unto others that good which he had received from God by his Converſion. Your Divines ſay, that Bonum est diffuſivum ſui, that which is truly good in it ſelfe, is with a natu all inclination to impart it ſelfe, yea prodigally to pou e it ſelf out to others. This doctrin alſo David teacheth us in his 51 Pſal. where he repenteth himſelf for the Adultery which he had committed, and having begged of God, that he would create in him a clean heart and renew a right ſpirit within him, Then ſaith he in the 13 verſe, will I teach tranſgreſſors thy ways, and ſinners ſhall be converted unto thee. Lo how David doth not only repent himſelfe, and manifeſt his converſion by words of ſorrow and bitter compunction, but promiſeth God, that he will ſtrengthen others, by teaching them the ways of God, that alſo they may come to be converted.

In the firſt Chapter of the Canticles ver. 4. You ſhall find a few words eaſy in this ſenſe, but hard to be underſtood in any other, where the Spouſe ſpeaking to her Beloved, ſaith, Draw me, we will run after thee; The King hath brought me into his Chamber, we will be glad and rejoyce in thee; we will remember thy love. Me thinkes, the Spouſe ſhould have ſaid, draw me, I will run after thee, The King hath brought me into his chamber. I will be glad, I will remember thy love. If one be drawn, why do many in the plurall number run? If one be brought into the Kings chamber, Why be many glad and rejoyce?

O dearely Beloved, it is to teach us how we ought to be have our ſelves, when we are truly converted. The Spouſo ſignifieth a ſoule wedded by Faith to God the true and heavenly Bridgroome; The Chamber whereinto this foule is brought, is the true Church. Therfore if one Soule be drawn by God, many muſt run after this one, if one Soule be brought into the true, Ancient and Apoſtolike Church, many muſt be glad and rejoyce. Why? B cauſe we muſt not be contented to be drawn alone from our iniquities, we muſt not be contented to be brought alone into the Church; we muſt alſo draw others, we muſt make others alſo rejoyce by ſtrengthning them, by teaching them, by converting them by our words, works and good example. This is the command and precept of our Saviour to Peter, in the words of my text, And when thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy Brethren.

This cōmand of Chriſt, I that am this day converted & brought into the Heavenly Bridgrooms chamber, into his true Church, muſt alſo obey. O I muſt not be contented to be drawn alone, I muſt be the cauſe that many may run after me. This, dearely Beloved, I have begun to performe already, having brought one from the ſnares of Popery, & ſtrengthned one ſoule in the true Proteſtant & Apoſtolik Religiō of this Kingdom. This by the Grace of God, both by preaching, writing and printing, I will endeavour all my life to performe by diſcovering and laying open to the world thoſe Rocks and quicke ſands of Popiſh doctrin, whereupon ſo many ſoules do run and are dayly caſt away by the ignorance of fooliſh and unskilfull Pilots O dearely beloved! never were you in greater danger than at theſe times; for in Ireland you ſee how the Papiſts threaten us with their erroneous doctrines; here at home they ſecretly plot to bring in their ſuperſtitions; therefore let me warne you this day to hoyſe up your ſailes and top maſts, and with the gale of that heavenly Spirit, of that Divine blaſt ſave your ſoules from being ſplinted upon theſe Rocks of Popiſh ſuperſtition from being ſwallowed up with the quick ſands of Antichriſtian doctrin. O beloved abhor all your lives the chief and principall point of all Popery, which is that falſe authority that Supremacy which the Papiſts give to the Pope above all the Church, O never admit this erroneous doctrin, nor ever thinke that Chriſt left Peter or any other to be Supream head, and only head over the Church, but this authority was given equally to all the Apoſtles as ye may gather out of Matth. 28. & 3 laſt ver. where our Saviour equally and with equall authority ſent all his Apoſtles to preach and teach, ſaying, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations. And further he ſaith, And loe I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Behold how Chriſt ſendeth not only Peter, but all his Apoſtles to preach and teach: And ſaith he will bee not only with Peter, but with all his Apoſtles inſpiring ſpiritually and inſtructing them all, and not Peter alone, to rule and governe & feed with ſpirituall food his flock. If this be ſo, dearly Beloved, never beleeve that the authority which the Pope challengeth to himſelf over all the Church is due unto him, who uſurpeth his authority & ſeeketh by it to encroach upon Kings and Princes Crowns, as I ſhall in ſome other occaſion more largely declare. Fly therefore deare ſoules from this chief and moſt dangerous Rock of all Popery; and having once diſcovered the dangers of this falſe doctrin, abhor then all other erroneous doctrins of Rome, which come from him that uſurpeth Chriſts own power, and challengeth it to himſelfe alone. O let my converſion be your ſtrength and comfort! O beleeve an experienced and skilfull Pilot, who hath travailed almoſt over all the world, and hath by experience of almoſt 40 yeares diſcovered all thoſe rocks and quick ſands of Popiſh errors of Antichriſtian doctrines and ſuperſtitions, which threaten the loſſe and utter overthrow of your ſoules. O that this day I may performe what Ieſus ſaid to Peter, And when thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy Brethren.

O let my example, dearely Beloued, ſtrengthen you all in the true Protestant Religion, that ſo I may ſay with the ſpouſe, draw me and we will run, that I being drawn this day unto the true Faith, yee may all run more haſtily and ſpeedily to the ſame; that I being brought this day into the Kings chamber, that is, into the true Church, ye may all be glad and rejoyce, finding in your ſoules a new & greater ſtrength to continue and dye in this ancient and Apoſtolike Church, that ſo we may all meet and rejoyce together after this life in another chamber of our Heavenly Bridegroome, in the triumphant Church of Heaven. Amen.

FINIS.