■ -^li.-f -'m f :^'. 5J!ay..-_f;^^L^£ge»ja 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Cla^ss Cj'^Q 
 
 fic 
 
 /fro 
 

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To the Reader. 
 
 HE prefent carelejfe 
 fecurity of all men in 
 generall, is like vnto 
 ourfirjl Parents neg- 
 le6l of Gods facred commande- 
 ment in Paradice, when the fedu- 
 cing Serpent no foo7ier perfwaded 
 euill, but it was infant ly put in 
 pra6life : YoufJtall dye (faid God) 
 was heard, but you fhall not dye 
 {faid the Diuell) was beleeued. 
 Our eares are daily acquainted 
 witb the threatnings of Gods de- 
 A 3 notmced 
 
 i0;>469 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 nounced againji Jinners, and yet 
 that Jinne, that broad way-path 
 and highway to hell, is attempted 
 with a delegation and pleafure, fo 
 craftie and fubtill are the baits 
 and lures of the deceiuerj and fo 
 void of fpirituall wifedome is the 
 foule-murdering finner. But if 
 due confideration were Imd of the 
 wages offin7ie, and the reward of 
 vnrighteoufneffe^ and to zvhat 
 bitterneffe it will turne in the 
 end, it zvould make vs leffe bold 
 tofinne, and more fearefull to of- 
 fend^ if we would take into our 
 company for a daily confort, the 
 pale memory of death, and where- 
 to hefummoneth vs after this life. 
 Death it felfe is very fearefull, 
 but much more terrible, in regard 
 of the iudgement it warneth vs 
 
 vnto 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 vnto. Imagine to fee a Jinner 
 lye on his departing bed, durde- 
 ned and tyred with the grieuous 
 and heauie load of all his former 
 trefpaffes, goared with the fling 
 and pricke of a festered confci- 
 ence, feeling the crampe of death 
 wresting at his heart firings, 
 ready to make the riUhfull di- 
 uorce betweene foule and body, 
 pa7iting for breath, and fwim- 
 ming in a cold and fatall fweat, 
 wearied with flrugling against 
 the deadly pangs : Oh how m^uch 
 would he giuc for an houre of re- 
 pentance ! at what rate would he 
 value a dales contrition ! Then 
 worlds would be worthleffe, in 
 refpe^l of a little refpite, a fhort 
 truce would feeme more precious 
 than the treafures of Empires, 
 A 4 nothing 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 nothing would be fo much estee- 
 med as a moment of time, which 
 now by moneths and yeeres is la- 
 uiJJily /pent. 
 
 How i7iconfolable were his 
 cafe, his friends being fled, his 
 fences frighted, his thoughts a- 
 mazed, his memorie decaied, his 
 whole minde agafl, and no part 
 able to performe that it fliould, 
 but onely his guiltie confcience 
 pestered with finne, continually 
 vpbraiding him with bitter 
 accufations? what would hee 
 thinke then (flripped out of this 
 mortall weed, and turned both 
 out of the feruice and houfe 
 roome of this world) hee must 
 paffe before a mofl fettere Judge, 
 carrying in his owne confcience 
 his enditement written, and a 
 
 perfe5l 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 perfeB register of all his mif- 
 deeds: when hee Jhould fee the 
 Judge prepared to paffe the fen- 
 tence againfl him, and the fame 
 to be his Vmpire, whom by fo 
 many offences he hath made his 
 enemie: When not onely the de- 
 uils, but euen the Angels, fitould 
 plead against him, and himfelfe 
 maugre his will, bee his owne 
 fharpest appeacher: What were 
 to be done in thefe dreadfull exi- 
 gents? 
 
 When hee faw that gastly 
 dungeon and huge gulfe of hell, 
 breaking out with fearefull 
 flames, the weeping, houling, 
 and gnafhing of teeth, the rage 
 of all thofe hellifh monsters, the 
 horrour of the place, the rigour 
 of the paine, the terrour of the 
 A 5 company, 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 company, and the eternitie of 
 all thofe punifJiments. Would 
 you thinke them wife that would 
 daily in fo weighty matters, and 
 idlely play away the time allot- 
 ted them to preuent thefe in- 
 tollerable calamities ? Would 
 you then account it fecure, to 
 nurfe in your bofome fo many 
 vgly Serpents as finnes are, or 
 to foster in your foule fo many 
 malicious accufers, as mortall 
 faults are ? 
 
 Would you not then thinke 
 one life too little to repent forfo 
 many iniquities, euerie one 
 whereof, wei^e enough to cafl 
 you into thofe euerlasting and 
 vnspeakeable torments? Why 
 then doe we not (at the leqft) 
 deuote t/iat fmall remnant of 
 
 thefe 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 thefe our latter' day eSj to the ma- 
 king an attonement with God, that 
 our confciences may be free from 
 this eternall danger? Who would 
 relie the euerlasting affaires of 
 the life to come, vpon the gliding, 
 flipperineffe; and running flreame 
 of our vncertaine life? 
 
 It is a preposterous pollicie (in 
 any wife conceit) to fight againfl 
 God till our weapons be blunted, 
 our forces confumed, our limmes 
 impotent, and our breath fpent; 
 and the7i when we fall for faint- 
 neffe, and haue fought our felu£s 
 ahnofl dead, to prefume on his 
 mercy. It were aflrangepeece of 
 Art, and a very exorbitant cotirfe, 
 while the Ship is found, the Pylot 
 well, the Marriners flrong, the 
 gale fauourable, and the Sea calme, 
 
 to 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 to lye idle at rode: and tvhen the 
 Ship leakes, the Pylot were Jicke, 
 the Marriners faint, the Jiormes 
 boyjierous, and the Sea turmoyled 
 with /urges, to launch forth for a 
 voyage into a farre Country : yet 
 fuch is the skill of our euening re- 
 peaters, who though ifi the found- 
 neffe of health, and in the perfeH: 
 vfe of reafon, they cannot refolue 
 to weigh the ankers that withhold 
 them from God, neuertheleffe, 
 feed themfelues with aflrong per- 
 fwafiony that w/ten their fences are 
 qfionied, their wits distra^ed, 
 their vnderstanding dusked, and 
 both body and minde racked and 
 tormented with the throbs and 
 gripes of a mortall ficknefje, then 
 will they thnke of the weightiefl 
 matters, and become Saints, when 
 
 they 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 they are fcarfe able to behaue 
 themfelues like reafonable crea- 
 tures? being then prefwned to 
 be lejje then men : for how can he 
 that is ajfaulted with an vnfetled 
 confciencCy distrained with the 
 wringing fits of his dying fiefii, 
 maimed in all his abilities, and 
 circled in with fo many encom- 
 brances, be thought of due difcre- 
 tion to difpofe of his chief efl ieivell, 
 which ishisfoule? No, no, they that 
 will loyter in feed time, and begin 
 then to f owe when others begin to 
 reape: they that will riot out^ their 
 health, and cofi their accounts 
 when they can fcarfely fpeake: 
 they that willflumber out the day, 
 and enter their iourney when the 
 light doth faile them, let themr 
 blame their owne folly, if they dye 
 
 in 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 in debt, and eternall beggerie, and 
 fall headlong into the lapfe of end- 
 leffe perdition. 
 
 Great caufe haue wee then to 
 haue an hourely watchfull care 
 ouer our foule, being- fo dangerous 
 afjaulted and enuironed: mq/l in- 
 stantly entreating the diuine Ma- 
 ie/ly to be our affured defence, and 
 let vs paffe the day in 7nourning, 
 the night in watching and wee- 
 ping, and our wliole time in plain- 
 full lamenting, falling downe vp- 
 on the ground humbled in fack- 
 cloath and afhes, hauing lofi the 
 garmrent of Chrifl, that hee may 
 receiu£ what the perfecuting eTie- 
 my would /muefpoy led, eueryfhort 
 figh will not be fufficient fatisfa- 
 6lion, nor euery knocke a warrant 
 to get in. Manyfhall cry Lord, 
 
 Lord, 
 
 to 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 Lord, and JJtall not be accepted: 
 the foolifJi Virgins did knocke, but 
 were not admitted: ludas had 
 fome forroiu, a7td yet died defpe- 
 rate. Fore/low 7tot (faith the holy 
 Ghojl) to be conuerted vnto God, 
 and make not a daily lingering of 
 thy repaire vnto him: for thou 
 fJtalt fnde the fuddenneffe of his 
 ivrath and reuenge not flacke to 
 destroy finners. For which caufe, 
 let no tnanfoiourne long infinfull 
 fectiritiey or pofl ouer his repen- 
 tance vntill feare enforce him to 
 it, but let vs frame our premifes 
 as we would finde our conclufion, 
 endeauouring to Hue as we are de- 
 fir ous to dye : let vs not offer the 
 maine crop to the Diuell, and fet 
 God to gleane the reproof e of his 
 haruefl : let vs not gorge the Di- 
 uell 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 uell with our fairejl fruits, and 
 turne God to the filthy fcraps of 
 his leanings: but let vs truely de- 
 dicate both fotile and body to his 
 feruice, whofe right they are, and 
 whofe feruice they owe; that fo in 
 tlie euening of our life we may re- 
 tire to a Christian refi, clofing vp 
 the day of our life with a cleare 
 funne-fet, that leaning all dark- 
 neffe behinde vs, we may carry in 
 our confidences the light of grace: 
 andfio eficaping the horrour ofi an 
 eternall flight, pafife firom a mor- 
 tallday, to an euer lasting morrow, 
 
 Thine in Chrift lefus, 
 
 Samuell Rowland. 
 
 12 
 
STrike faile, poore foule, 
 injins tempejluous tide, 
 That rtmjt to mine 
 
 and eternall wracke: 
 Thy courfe from heauen 
 
 is exceeding wide, 
 Hels gulfe thoti enfrejl, 
 
 if grace guide not backe: 
 Sathan is Pilot 
 
 in this nauigation, 
 The Ocean, Vanity, 
 
 The Rocke, damnation. 
 
 Warre with the Dragon, 
 
 and his whole alliance, 
 Renounce his league 
 
 intends thy vtter loffe', 
 
 Take 
 
 n 
 
Take injimiesfiag of triu:e, 
 
 fet out defiance^ 
 Difplay Chrsts eii/igne 
 
 with the bloudy crojje: 
 Against a Faith proof e 
 
 armed Christian Knight, 
 The hellifJi coward 
 
 dares not mannage fight. 
 
 Refifl him then, 
 
 if thou wilt viflor be, 
 For fo he flies, 
 
 and is difanimate ; 
 His fiery darts can haue 
 
 no force at thee, 
 ThefJtield of faith doth all 
 
 their points rebate: 
 He conquers none to 
 
 his infernall den, 
 But yeeldingflaues, 
 
 that wage not fight like men. 
 
 Thofe 
 
 14 
 
Thofe in the dungeon 
 
 of eternall darke, 
 He hath enthralled 
 
 euerlasting date, 
 Branded with Reprobations 
 
 cole-blacke marke, 
 Within the neuer- 
 
 opening ramd vp gate : 
 Where Diues rates one 
 
 drop of water more 
 Than any crowne 
 
 that euer Monarch wore. 
 
 Where furies haunt the hart- 
 
 torne wretch, defpaire, 
 Where clamours ceafe not, 
 
 teeth are euer gnafhing, 
 Where wrath and vengeance 
 
 fit in horrors chaire, 
 Where guenchlef/e fames 
 
 offulphttr fire be flafit ing. 
 
 Where 
 
 15 
 
Where damned foules 
 
 blafpheine God in de/pight, 
 Where vtter darkneffe 
 
 Jlands remotid fro7n light. 
 
 Where plagties inuiron, 
 
 torments compajfe round, 
 Where anguijh rores 
 
 in neuer Jiinted forrow, 
 Where woe, woe, woe, 
 
 is euery voices fou7idi 
 Where night etertmll 
 
 neuer yeelds to morrow: 
 Where damned tortures 
 
 dreadfull JJiall perfeuer. 
 So long as God is God, 
 
 fo long is eiier. 
 
 Who 
 
 i6 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 WHo hues this life, 
 from loue his loue doth 
 And chtifing droffe, ( erre, 
 
 7'ich treafure doth denie, 
 Leaning the pearle, 
 ^Chrifts connfels to preferre, 
 With felling all we haue, 
 
 the fame to buy: 
 O happy foule, 
 
 that doth disburfe aftimme, 
 To gaine a kingdome 
 in the life to come. 
 
 Such trafficke may be 
 termed heauenly thrift, 
 
 Such 
 
 n 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 Such venter hath no 
 
 hazard to diffwade 
 Lnmortall purchafe, 
 
 with a mar tall gift. 
 The greatejl gaine 
 
 that etier Merchant made: 
 To get a crowjte 
 
 where Saints and Angels Jing, 
 For laying out 
 
 a bafe and earthly thing. 
 
 To taste the ioyes 
 
 no hwnan£ knowledge knowes, 
 To heare the tunes 
 
 of the ccBlestiall quires, 
 T'attaine heatcns fweet 
 
 and inildeft calme repofe, 
 To fee Gods face 
 
 tlieftimme of good defires: 
 Which by his glorious Saints 
 
 is Jwwerly eyde, 
 
 Yet 
 
 i9 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 Yet fight with feeing, 
 neuer fatisfide. 
 
 God as he is, 
 
 fight beyond estimate, 
 Which Angel, tongues 
 
 are vntaught to difiouer, 
 VVhofe fplendor doth 
 
 The heauens illustrate, 
 Vnto which fight 
 
 each fight becomes a lotur: 
 Whom all the glorious 
 
 court of heauen laud. 
 With praifes of 
 
 eternities applaud. 
 
 There where no teares are 
 to interpret grief es. 
 
 Nor anyfighes, heart 
 dolours to expound, 
 
 There 
 
 t9 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 There where no treafiire 
 
 isfurprisd by theeues, 
 Nor any voice that fpeakes 
 
 with forrowes found. 
 No vfe of pa/sions, 
 
 710 diflempered thought^ 
 Nofpot offinne, 
 
 no deed of error wrought. 
 
 T/te natitie home 
 
 of pilgrime foules abode, 
 RefVs /labitation, 
 
 ioyes true refid£ncey 
 lerufalems new Citie 
 
 built by God, 
 Fornid by the hands 
 
 of his owne excellence'. 
 With gold-paudflreetSy 
 
 the wals of precious flone, 
 VVJiere all found praife 
 
 to him fits on tJie throne. 
 
 Heauens 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 HEAVENS 
 
 Glory ^ Earths Va^ 
 
 nitie, and Hels 
 
 Torments. 
 
 Of the Glory of the blef- 
 fed Saints in Heauen. 
 
 O the end there might 
 want nothing to ftirre 
 vp our mindes to ver- 
 tue, after the paines which Al- 
 mighty God threateneth to the 
 B wicked, 
 
 21 
 
Heatiens Glory. 
 
 wicked, he doth alfo fet before 
 vs the reward of the good: 
 which is, that glory and euerla- 
 fting Hfe which the bleffed 
 Saints doe enjoy in heauen, 
 whereby hee doth very mighti- 
 ly allure vs to the loue of the 
 fame. But what manner of 
 thing this reward, and what this 
 life is, there is no tongue, nei- 
 ther of Angels nor of nen, that 
 is fufficient to expreffe it. How- 
 beit, that wee may haue fome 
 kinde of fauour and knowledge 
 thereof, I intend here to re- 
 hearfe euen word for word, 
 what S. Atigti/line faith in one 
 of his meditations, fpeaking of 
 the life euerlafting (enfuing this 
 tranfitorie time) and of the 
 joyes of the bleffed Saints in 
 
 hea- 
 
Heauens Glory, 
 
 heauen. O life (faith he) prepa- 
 red by Almighty God for his 
 friends, a bleffed life, a fecure 
 life, a quiet life, a beautifull life, 
 a cleane life, a chaft life, a holy 
 life; a life that knoweth on 
 death, a life without fadneffe, 
 without labour, without griefe, 
 without trouble, without cor- 
 ruption, without feare, without 
 variety, without alteration; a 
 life replenifhed with all beautie 
 and dignity; where there is nei- 
 ther enemy that can offend, nor 
 delight that can annoy, where 
 loue is perfe6l, and no feare at 
 all, where the day is euerlafting, 
 and the fpirit of all is one; 
 where Almighty God is feene 
 face to face, who is the onely 
 meate whereupon they feed 
 B 2 with 
 
 n 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 without loathfomeneffe : it de- 
 lighteth mee to confider thy 
 brightneffe, and thy treafures 
 doe reioyce my longing heart. 
 The more I confider thee, the 
 more I am ftriken in loue with 
 thee. The great defire I haue of 
 thee, doth wonderfully delight 
 me, and no leffe pleafure is it to 
 me, to keepe thee in my remem- 
 brance. O life moft happy, O 
 kingdome truely bleffed, wher- 
 in there is no death nor end, 
 neither yet fucceffion of time, 
 where the day continuing euer- 
 more without night, knoweth 
 not any mutation; where the 
 vi6lorious conqueror beeing 
 ioyned with thofe euerlafting 
 quires of Angels; and hauing 
 his head crowned with a gar- 
 land 
 
 24 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 land of glory, fingeth vnto Al 
 mighty God one of the fongs 
 of Syon, Oh happy, yea, and 
 moft happy fhould my foule be, 
 if when the race of this my pil- 
 grimage is ended, I might bee 
 worthy to fee thy glory, thy 
 bleffedneffe, thy beautie, the 
 wals and gates of thy Citie, thy 
 flreets, thy lodgings, thy noble 
 Citizens, and thine omnipotent 
 King in his moft glorious Ma- 
 ieftie. The ftones of thy wals 
 are precious, thy gates are ador- 
 ned with bright pearles, thy 
 ftreets are of very fine excel- 
 lent gold, in which there ne- 
 uer faile perpetuall praifes; thy 
 houfes are paved with rich 
 ftones, wrought throughout 
 with Zaphirs, and couered 
 B 3 about 
 
 25 
 
Heatiens Glory. 
 
 aboue with maffie gold, where 
 no vncleane thing may enter, 
 neither doth any abide there 
 that is defiled. Faire and beauti- 
 full in thy delights art thou O 
 lerufalem our mother, none of 
 thofe things are fuffered in thee, 
 that are fuffered here. There is 
 great diuerfitie betweene thy 
 things and the things that wee 
 doe continually fee in this life. 
 In thee is neuer feene neither 
 darkeneffe nor night, neither 
 yet any change of time. The 
 light that fhineth in thee, com- 
 meth neither of lampes, nor of 
 Sunne or Moone, nor yet of 
 bright glittering Starres, but 
 God that proceedeth of God, 
 and the light that commeth of 
 light, is he that giueth clearenes 
 
 vn- 
 
 a6 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 vnto thee. Euen the very King 
 of Kings himfelfe keepeth con- 
 tinuall refidence in the middeft 
 of thee, compaffed about with 
 his officers and feruants. There 
 doe the Angels in their orders 
 and quires fing a moft fweete 
 & melodious harmonic. There 
 is celebrated a perpetuall folem- 
 nitie and feaft with every one of 
 them that cometh thither, after 
 his departure out of this pilgri- 
 mage. There be the orders of 
 Prophets; there is the famous 
 company of the Apoftles; there 
 is the inuincible army of Mar- 
 tyrs; there is the moft reuerent 
 affembly of confeffors; there 
 are the true and perfe6l religi- 
 ous perfons; there are the holy 
 Virgines, which haue ouer- 
 B 4 come 
 
 27 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 come both the pleafures of the 
 world, and the frailtie of their 
 owne nature; there are the 
 young men and young women, 
 more ancient in vertue than in 
 yeares; there are the fheepe and 
 little lambes that haue efcaped 
 from the wolues, and from the 
 deceitfull fnares of this life, and 
 therefore doe now keepe a per- 
 petuall feaft, each one in his 
 place, all alike in ioy, though 
 different in degree. There Cha- 
 ritie raigneth in her full per- 
 fection, for vnto them God is 
 all in all, whom they behold 
 without end, in whofe loue they 
 be all continually inflamed, 
 whom they doe alwayes loue, 
 and in louing doe praife, and 
 in praifmg, doe loue, and all 
 
 their 
 
 2S 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 vO 
 
 their exercifes confift in praifes, 
 without wearineffe, and with- 
 out trauell. O happie were I, 
 yea, and very happy indeed, if 
 at what time I fhall bee loofed 
 out of the prifon of this wret- 
 ched body, I might be thought 
 worthy to heare thofe fongs of 
 that heauenly melodie, fung in 
 the praife of the euerlafting 
 King, by all the Citizens of 
 that fo noble Citie. Happie 
 were I, and very happie, if I 
 might obtaine a roome among 
 the Chaplaines of that Chap- 
 pell, and wait for my turne 
 alfo to fmg my H alleluia. 
 If I might bee neare to my 
 King, my God, my Lord, 
 and fee him in his glory, euen 
 as hee hath promifed mee, 
 B 5 when 
 
 29 
 
lO Heauens Glory. 
 
 when he faid: O Father, this is 
 my laft determinate will, that 
 all thofe that thou haft giuen 
 vnto me, may me with me, and 
 fee the glory which I had with 
 thee before the world was cre- 
 ated. Hetherto are the words of 
 S. Augujline. Now tell mee 
 (Chriftian brother) what a day 
 of glorious fliine fhall that bee 
 vnto thee (if thou lead thy life in 
 Gods feare) when after the 
 courfe of this pilgrimage, thou 
 fhalt paffe from death to im- 
 mortallity; and in that paffage, 
 when others fhall beginne to 
 feare, thou fhalt beginne to re- 
 ioyce, and lift vp thy head, be- 
 caufe the day of thy deliuerance 
 is at hand. Come forth a little 
 f faith S. Jerome vnto the Vir- 
 
 gine 
 
Heauens Glory. 1 1 
 
 gine Eujlochia) out of the prifon 
 of this body, and when thou 
 art before the gate of this Ta- 
 bernacle, fet before thy eyes the 
 reward that thou hopeft to 
 haue for thy prefent labours. 
 Tell me, what a day Ihall that 
 bee, when our Lord himfelfe 
 with all his Saints, fhall come 
 and meete thee in the way, fay- 
 ing vnto thee: Arife and make 
 hajl O my beloued, my delight, and 
 my Turtle doue,for now the Win- 
 ter is pa/i, and the tempe/iuous 
 waters are ceafed, the /lowers doe 
 beginne to appeare in our land. 
 Cant. 2. How great ioy fhall thy 
 foule then receiue, when it fhall 
 be at that time prefented before 
 the Throne of the moft bleffed 
 Trinity, by the hands of the ho- 
 
 ly 
 
 »« 
 
12 Heauens Glory. 
 
 ly Angels, and when fhall bee 
 declared thy good workes, and 
 what croffes, tribulations, and 
 iniuries thou haft fufFered for 
 Gods fake. Ails g. S. Ltike wri- 
 teth, That when holy Tabitha, 
 the great almes giuer, was dead, 
 all the widdowes and poore 
 folke came about the Apoftle 
 S. Peter, ftiewing vnto him the 
 garments which fhee had giuen 
 them: wherewith the Apoftle 
 being moued, made his prayer 
 vnto Almighty God for that 
 fo mercifull a woman, and by 
 his prayers he raifed her againe 
 to life. Now what a gladneffe 
 will it be to thy foule, when in 
 the middeft of thofe bleffed fpi- 
 rits thou ftialt be placed, with 
 remembrance of thy almes 
 
 deeds. 
 
 32 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 13 
 
 deeds, thy prayers and fadings, 
 the innocency of thy life, thy 
 fuffering of wrongs and iniu- 
 ries, thy patience in afflidlions, 
 thy temperance in diet, with all 
 other vertues and good workes 
 that thou haft done in all thy 
 life. O how great ioy fhalt 
 thou receiue at that time for all 
 the good deeds that thou haft 
 wrought; how clearely then 
 fhalt thou vnderftand the value 
 and the excellencie of vertue. 
 There the obedient man fhall 
 talke of vi6lories; there vertue 
 fhall receiue her reward, and 
 the good honoured according 
 to their merite. Moreouer, 
 what a pleafure will it bee 
 vnto thee, when thou fhalt 
 fee thy felfe to bee in that 
 
 fure 
 
 33 
 
14 Heauens Glory. 
 
 fure hauen, and fhalt looke back 
 vpon the courfe of thy nauiga- 
 tion which thou haft failed here 
 in this life : when thou fhalt re- 
 member the tempefts wherein 
 thou haft been toffed, the ftraits 
 through which thou haft paffed, 
 and the dangers of theeues and 
 pyrats, from whom thou haft 
 efcaped. There is the place 
 where they ftiall fmg the fong 
 of the Prophet, which faith, 
 Had it not beene that our Lord 
 had beene mme helper, it could not 
 be but my foule had gone into helL 
 Efpecially, when from thence 
 thou flialt behold fo many fms 
 as are committed every houre 
 in the world, fo many foules 
 as doe defcend euery day into 
 hell, and how it hath plea- 
 fed 
 
 34 
 
Heauens Glory. 15 
 
 fed Almighty God, that among 
 fuch a multitude of damned 
 perfons, thou fhouldft be of the 
 number of his ele6l, and one of 
 thofe to whom he would grant 
 fuch exceeding great felicity 
 and glory. Befides all this, what 
 a goodly fight will it bee to fee 
 thofe feats filled vp, and the Ci- 
 tie builded, and the wals of that 
 noble lerufalem repaired again? 
 With what chearefull embra- 
 cings fhall the whole court of 
 heauen entertaine them, behol- 
 ding them when the come loa- 
 den with the fpoiles of their 
 vanquifhed enemies ? There 
 fhall thofe valiant men and wo- 
 men enter with triumph, which 
 haue together with the world 
 conquered the weakeneffe of 
 
 their 
 
 9S 
 
1 6 Heatiens Glory. 
 
 their owne fraile nature. There 
 fhall they enter which haue fuf- 
 fered martyrdom e for Chrifts 
 fake, with double triumph ouer 
 the fl fh and the world, ador- 
 ned with all coeleftiall glory. 
 There fhall alfo daily enter ma- 
 ny young men and children, 
 which haue vanquifhed the ten- 
 derneffe of their young yeares 
 with difcretion and vertue. Oh, 
 how fweet and fauorie fhall the 
 fruit of vertue then be, although 
 for a time before her roots fee- 
 med very bitter: fweete is the 
 cold euening after the hote 
 funnie day; fweete is the foun- 
 taine to the weary thirftie tra- 
 uailer; fweet is reft and fleepe 
 to the tired feruant: but much 
 more fweet is it to the Saints in 
 
 hea- 
 
 36 
 
Heauens Glory. 17 
 
 heauen to enioy peace after 
 warre, fecurity after perill, eter- 
 nal! reft after their paines, and 
 trauels: for then are the warres 
 at an end, then need they no 
 more to goe all armed, both on 
 the right fide and on the left. 
 The children of Ifrael went 
 forth armed towards the land 
 of Promife, but after that the 
 land was conquered, they laid 
 downe their fpeares, and caft a- 
 way their armour, and forget- 
 ting all feare and turmoile of 
 warre, each one vnder the fhad- 
 dow of his pavillion & harbour 
 enioyed the fruit of their fweet 
 peace. Now may the watching 
 Prophet come downe from his 
 ftanding, that did watch and fix 
 his feete vpon the place of the 
 
 Sen- 
 
 37 
 
1 8 Heauens Glory. 
 
 Sentinell: There is no more 
 feare of inuafion by the terrible 
 armies of the bloody enemies: 
 there is no place for the fubtill 
 crafts of the lurking viper •. there 
 cannot ariue the deadly fight of 
 the venomous Bafeliske, nor 
 yet fhall the hiffmg of the anci- 
 ent Serpent be heard there; but 
 onely the foft breathing ayre of 
 the holy Ghoft, wherein is be- 
 holden the glory of Almighty 
 God. This is the region of all 
 peace, the place of fecurity, fitu- 
 ated aboue all the Elements, 
 whether the cloudes and ftor- 
 mie winds of the darke ayre 
 cannot come. O what glorious 
 things haue beene fpoken of 
 thee, O Citie of God. Bleffed 
 are they (faith holy Tobias) that 
 
 loue 
 
 38 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 19 
 
 loue thee, and enioy thy peace. 
 O my foule praife our Lord, for 
 he hath deliuered lerufalem his 
 Citie from all her troubles. 
 Happy fhall I be, if the remnant 
 of my pofterity might come to 
 fee the cleareneffe of lerufalem : 
 her gates fhall be wrought with 
 Zaphirs and Emeraulds, and all 
 the circuit of her wals fhall bee 
 built with precious flones, her 
 ftreets fhall bee paued with 
 white and polifhed marble, and 
 in all parts of her territories fhal 
 bee fung Hallehna. O ioyfull 
 countrey! O fweete glory! O 
 bleffed companie! who fhall 
 be thofe fo fortunate and happy 
 that are elected for thee ? It fee- 
 meth a prefumption to defire 
 thee, and yet I will not Hue 
 
 with- 
 
 3* 
 
20 Heauens Glory. 
 
 without the defire of thee. O 
 ye fonnes of Adam, a race of 
 men, miferably blinded and de- 
 ceiued. O ye fcattered fheepe, 
 wandring out of your right 
 way, if this be your fheep-coat, 
 whether goe you backeward? 
 What meane you? Why fuf- 
 fer you fuch an excellent bene- 
 fit to be wilfully loft for not ta- 
 king fo little paines? What 
 wife man would not defire, that 
 all labour & paine of the world 
 were impofed vnto him? that 
 all forrowes, affli6lions, and di- 
 feafes were euen poured vpon 
 him as thicke as haile; that 
 perfecutions, tribulations, and 
 griefes, with one to moleft him, 
 another to difquiet him, yea, 
 that all creatures in the world 
 
 did 
 
 40 
 
Heatiens Glory. 21 
 
 did confpire againft him, being 
 fcorned and made a laughing 
 ftocke of all men; and that his 
 whole life were conuerted into 
 weepings and lamentations; fo 
 that in the next life hee might 
 finde repofe in the heauenly 
 harbor of eternall confolation, 
 and bee thought meet to haue a 
 place among that bleffed peo- 
 ple, which are adorned and 
 beautified with fuch ineftima- 
 ble glory. And thou, O foo- 
 lifh louer of this miferable 
 world, go thy way, feek as long 
 as thou wilt for honors & pro- 
 motions, build fumptuons hou- 
 fes & pallaces, purchafe lands & j 
 poffeffions, inlarge thy territo-l 
 ries & dominions, yea, comand 
 if thou wilt the whole world, 
 
 yet 
 
 41 
 
22 Heauens Glory. 
 
 yet fhalt thou neuer bee fo great 
 as the leaft of all the feruants of 
 Almighty God, who fhall re- 
 ceiue that treafure which this 
 world cannot giue, and fhall en- 
 ioy that felicity, which fhall 
 endure for euermore, when 
 thou with thy pompe and ri- 
 ches, fhall beare the rich glut- 
 ton company, whofe buriall is 
 in the deepe vault of hell: but 
 the deuout fpirituall man fhall 
 bee carried by the holy Angels 
 with poore Lazarus into Abra- 
 hams bofomC; a place of perpe- 
 tuall reft, ioy, follace, and eter- 
 nall happineffe. 
 
 Of 
 
 4* 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 23 
 
 Of the benefits which 
 
 our Lord promifeth to 
 
 giue in this prefent life, 
 
 to fitch as line a itijl 
 
 and godly life. 
 
 Erad venture thou wilt 
 now fay, that all thefe 
 things before rehear- 
 fed, be rewards & punifhments 
 onely for the life to come : and 
 that thou defireft to fee fome- 
 thing in this prefent life, becaufe 
 our minds are wont to be mo- 
 ued very much with the fight 
 of things prefent. To fatisfie 
 
 thee 
 
 41 
 
24 Heatiens Glory. 
 
 thee herein, I will alfo explaine 
 vnto thee what may anfwere 
 thy defire. For although our 
 Lord do referue the beft wine, 
 and the delicate difhes of moft 
 delight, vntill the end of the 
 banket, yet he fuffereth not his 
 friends to bee vtterly deftitute 
 of meate and drinke in this tedi- 
 ous voyage: for hee knoweth 
 very well, that they could not 
 otherwife hold out in their 
 iourney. And therefore when 
 he faid vnto Abraham, Feare 
 not Abraham, for I am thy de- 
 fender, and thy reward fhall be 
 exceeding great : By thefe 
 words he promifed two things, 
 the one for the time prefent. 
 that was, to bee his fafegard and 
 defence in all fuch things as 
 
 may 
 
 44 
 
Heauens Glory, 25 
 
 may happen in this life; and the 
 other for the time to come, and 
 that is, the reward of glory 
 which is referued for the next 
 life. But how great the firft pro- 
 mife is, and how many kinds of 
 benefits and fauours are there- 
 in included, no man is able to 
 vnderftand, but onely he, that 
 hath with great diligence read 
 the holy Scriptures, wherein no 
 one thing is more often repea- 
 ted and fet forth, than the great- 
 neffe of the fauours, benefits, 
 and priuiledges, which Almigh- 
 ty God promifeth vnto his 
 friends in this life. Hearken 
 what Salomon faith in the third 
 chapter of his Prouerbs, as 
 touching this matter. Bleffed is 
 that man that findeth wi/dome, 
 C for 
 
 45 
 
26 Heauens Glory. 
 
 for it is better to Jiaue it, tha7i all 
 the treafures of Siluer and Gold, 
 be they 7ieuer fo excellent and pre- 
 cious: and it is moi^e worth than 
 all the riches of the world, and 
 whatfoeuer mans heart is able to 
 defire, is not comparable vnto it. 
 The length of daies are at her 
 right hand, and riches and glo- 
 rie at her left. Her waies beplea- 
 fant, and all her paffages be qttiet\ 
 fJte is a tree of life to all thofe that 
 haue obtained her; and hee that 
 fJiall hatie her in continuall pof 
 fefsion, fJiall be bleffed. Keepe 
 therefore (O my fonne) the lawes 
 of Ahnightie God, and his coun- 
 fell, for they fJiall be as life to thy 
 foule, and fweetneffe to thy tafle. 
 Then fJialt thou walke fafely in 
 thy waies, and thy feet fJiall not 
 
 finde 
 
Heauens Glory. 27 
 
 \finde any Jlumb ling blockes. If 
 thoujleep^ thoujiialt haue no caufe 
 to fear e : and if thou take thy refl, 
 thy fleepe fhall be quiet. This is 
 the fweetneffe and quietneffe 
 of the way of the godly, but 
 the wayes of the wicked are 
 farre different, as the holy Scrip- 
 ture doth declare vnto vs. The 
 paths and wayes of the wicked 
 (faith Ecclefiaflicus) are full of 
 brambles, and at the end of 
 their iourney are prepared for 
 them, hell, darkneffe, and pains. 
 Doeft thou thinke it then a 
 good exchange, to forfake the 
 wayes of Almighty God, for 
 the waies of the world, fith there 
 is fo great difference betweene 
 the one and the other, not one- 
 ly in the end of the way, but alfo 
 C 2 in 
 
 47 
 
28 Heauens Glory. 
 
 in all the fteps of the fame? 
 What madneffe can be greater, 
 than to choofe one torment, to 
 gaine another by; rather than 
 with one reft; to gaine another 
 reft? And that thou maift more 
 clearely perceiue the excellen- 
 cy of this reft, and what a num- 
 ber of benefits are prefently in- 
 cident thereunto, I befeech thee 
 harken attentiuely euen what 
 Almighty God himfelfe hath 
 promifed by his Prophet Efay, 
 to the obferuers of his law, in a 
 manner with thefe words, as 
 diuers interpreters doe ex- 
 pound them. When thou fhalt 
 doe (faith hee) fuch and fuch 
 things, which I haue comman- 
 ded thee to doe, there fhall 
 forthwith appeare vnto thee 
 
 the 
 
Heauens Glory. 29 
 
 the dawning of the cleare day 
 (that is, the fonne of iuftice) 
 which fhall driue away all the 
 darkeneffe of thy errours and 
 miferies, and then (halt thou 
 begin to enioy true and perfit 
 faluation. Now thefe are the 
 benefits which Almighty God 
 hath promifed to his feruants. 
 And albeit fome of them be 
 for the time to come, yet are 
 fome of them to be prefently 
 receiued in this life : as, that new 
 light and fhining from heauen; 
 that fafety and abundance of 
 all good things; that affured 
 confidence and truft in the al- 
 mighty God; that diuine affi- 
 ftance in all our Prayers and Pe- 
 titions made vnto him; that 
 peace and tranquility of confci- 
 C 3 ence; 
 
 49 
 
30 Heauens Glory. 
 
 ence; that prote6lion and pro- 
 uidence of Almighty God. All 
 thefe are the gracious gifts and 
 fauours which Almighty God 
 hath promifed to his feruants in 
 this life. They are all the works 
 of his mercy, effects of his grace, 
 teftimonies of his loue, and 
 bleffmgs, which he of his father- 
 ly prouidence extendeth. 
 
 To be fhort, all thefe benefits 
 doe the godly inioy both in this 
 prefent life, and in the life to 
 come: and of all thefe are the 
 vngodly depriued, both in the 
 one life, and in the other. 
 Whereby thou maift eafily per- 
 ceiue, what difference there 
 is betweene the one fort and 
 the other, feeing the one is fo 
 rich in graces, and the other fo 
 
 poore 
 
Heaiiens Glory. 31 
 
 poore and needy: For if thou 
 ponder well Gods promifed 
 bleffings, and confider the ftate 
 and condition of the good and 
 the wicked, thou (halt find, that 
 the one fort is highly in the fa- 
 uour of Almighty God, and 
 the other deepely in his dif- 
 pleafure: the one be his friends, 
 and the other his enemies: 
 the one be in light, and the 
 other in darkeneffe : the one 
 doe enioy the company of An- 
 gels, and the other the fil- 
 thy pleafures and delights of 
 Swine : the one are truely 
 free, and Lords ouer them- 
 felues, and the other are be- 
 come bondflaues vnto Sathan, 
 and vnto their owne lufts and 
 appetites. The one are ioy- 
 C 4 full 
 
 51 
 
32 
 
 Heauens Glory. 
 
 full with the witneffe of a good 
 confcience, and the other ('ex- 
 cept they bee vtterly blinded) 
 are continually bitten with the 
 worme of confcience, euer- 
 more gnawing on them: the 
 one in tribulation, ftand fted- 
 faflly in their proper place; and 
 the other, like light chaffe, are 
 carried vp and downe with e- 
 uery blafl of winde: the one 
 ftand fecure and firme with the 
 anker of hope, and the other 
 are vnftable, & evermore yeel- 
 ding vnto the affaults of for- 
 tune: the prayers of the one are 
 acceptable & liking vnto God, 
 and the praiers of the other are 
 abhorred and accurfed: the 
 death of the one is quiet, peace- 
 able, and precious in the fight 
 
 of 
 
 5* 
 
Heauens Glory. 33 
 
 of God, and the death of the o- 
 ther, is vnquiet, painefull, and 
 troubled with a thoufand 
 frights and terrours; To con- 
 clude, the one Hue like children 
 vnder the protedlion and de- 
 fence of Almighty God, and 
 fleepe fweetly vnder the fhad- 
 dow of his paftorall proui- 
 dence; and the other being ex- 
 cluded from this kinde of pro- 
 uidence, wander abroad as flrai- 
 ed fheepe, without their Iheep- 
 heard and Mafter, lying wide 
 open to all the perils, dangers, 
 and affaults of the world. See- 
 ing then, that a vertuous life is 
 accompanied with all thefe 
 benefits, what is the caufe 
 that fhould withdraw thee, 
 and perfwade thee not to 
 C 5 em- 
 
 53 
 
t 34 Heatiens Glory. 
 
 embrace fuch a precious trea- 
 fure? what art thou able to al- 
 ledge for excufe of thy great 
 negligence ? To fay that this is 
 not true, it cannot be admitted, 
 for fo much as Gods word doth 
 auouch the certaintie hereof. 
 To fay that thefe are but fmall 
 benefits, thou canft not, for fo 
 much as they doe exceede all 
 that mans heart can defire. To 
 fay that thou art an enemy vn- 
 to thy felfe, and that thou doeft 
 not defire thefe benefits, can- 
 not be, confidering that a man 
 is euen naturally a friend to 
 himfelfe, & the will of man hath 
 euer an eye to his owne benefit, 
 which is the very obie6l or mark 
 that his defire fhooteth at. To 
 fay that thou hafl no vnderftan- 
 
 ding, 
 
 54 
 
Heauens Glory. 
 
 35 
 
 ding, nor tafte of thefe benefits, 
 it wil not ferue to difcharge 
 thine offence, forfomuch as thou 
 haft the faith and beleefe there- 
 of, though thou haft not the 
 tafte, for the tafte is loft through 
 finne, but not the faith : and the 
 faith is a witneffe more certaine, 
 morefecure, and better to be tru- 
 fted, than all other experiences 
 and witneffes in the world. 
 Why doeft thou not then dif- 
 credit all other witneffes with 
 this one affured teftimony? 
 Why doeft thou not rather 
 giue credit vnto faith, than 
 to thine owne opinion and 
 iudgement? O that thou woul- 
 deft make a refolute determi- 
 nation, to fubmit thy felfe into 
 the hands of Almighty God, 
 
 and 
 
 Sf 
 
36 Heauens Glory. 
 
 and to put thy whole truft affu- 
 redly in him. How foone 
 fhouldefl thou then fee all thefe 
 Prophefies fulfilled in thee: 
 then fhouldefl thou fee the ex- 
 cellency of thefe diuine trea- 
 fures: then fhouldefl thou fee 
 how flarke blinde the louers of 
 this world are, that feeke not 
 after this high treafure: then 
 fhouldefl thou fee vpon what 
 good ground our Sauiour inui- 
 teth vs to this kinde of life, fay- 
 ing; Come vnto me all yee that 
 trauelly and are loaden, and I will 
 re/refit you; take my yoake vpon 
 you, and you JJiall finde rejl for 
 your Joules: for my yoake isfweet, 
 and my burden is light. Almigh- 
 tie God is no deceiuer, nor falfe 
 promifer, neither yet is he a 
 
 great 
 
 56 
 
Heauens Glory. t,'] 
 
 great boafter of fuch things as 
 he promifeth. Why doft thou 
 then fhrinke backe? why doft 
 thou refufe peace and true qui- 
 etneffe? why doft thou refufe 
 the gentle offers and fweet cal- 
 Hngs of thy Paftor? how dareft 
 thou defpife and banifh away 
 vertue from thee, which hath 
 fuch prerogatiues and priui- 
 ledges as thefe be : and withall, 
 confirmed and figned euen with 
 the hand of Almighty God ? The 
 Queene of Saba heard far leffe 
 things than thefe of Salomon, 
 and yet fhe trauelled from the 
 vttermoft parts of the world, to 
 try the truth of thofe things 
 that fhe had heard. And why 
 doeft not thou then (hearing 
 fuch notable, yea, and fo cer- 
 
 taine 
 
 57 
 
38 Heauens Glory. 
 
 taine news of vertue) aduenture 
 to take a little paines to try the 
 truth and fequell thereof? O 
 deare Chriftian brother, put 
 thy truft in Almighty God and 
 in his word, and commit thy 
 felfe moft boldly without all 
 feare into his armes, and vnloofe 
 from thy hands thofe trifling 
 knots that haue hitherto decei- 
 ued thee, and thou (halt finde, 
 that the merits of vertue doe 
 ifarre excell her fame: and that 
 all which is fpoken in praife of 
 her, is nothing in comparifoa 
 of that which (he is indeede. 
 
 That 
 
 5^ 
 
Heauens Glory. 39 
 
 nnMMHB— MC—HB— nn— anH^MS^anwaimi 
 
 That a man ought not to 
 deferre his Repentance and Con- 
 uerjion vnto God, from day today, 
 conjideringhehathfo many debts 
 to difcharge, by reafon of the 
 offences committed in 
 hisfinfull life al- 
 ready p aft. 
 
 Ow then, if on the one 
 fide there be fo many 
 and fo great refpedls, 
 that doe binde vs to change our 
 finfull life ; and on the other fide, 
 we haue not any fufficient ex- 
 cufe why we fhould not make 
 this exchange. How long wilt 
 
 thou 
 
 59 
 
40 Heauens Glory. 
 
 thou tarry, vntill thou fully re- 
 folue to doe it? Turne thine 
 eyes a little, and looke backe vp- 
 on thy life paft, and confider, 
 that at this prefent f^of what age 
 foeuer thou be^ it is high time, 
 or rather, the time well nigh 
 paft to begin to difcharge fome 
 part of thy old debts. Confider, 
 that thou which art a Chriftian 
 regenerated in the water of ho- 
 ly Baptifme, which doeft ac- 
 knowledge Almighty God for 
 thy father, and the Catholike 
 Church for thy mother, whom 
 fhe hath nourifhed with the 
 milke of the Gofpel, to wit, with 
 the do6lrine of the Apoftles 
 and Euangelifts: confider (\ 
 fay) that all this notwithftan- 
 ding, thou haft lined euen as 
 
 loofely 
 
 60 
 
Heauens Glory. 41 
 
 loofely & diffolutely, as if thou 
 hadft beene a meere Infidell, 
 that had neuer any knowledge 
 of Almighty God. And if thou 
 doe denie this, then tell mee 
 what kinde of fin is there which 
 thou haft not committed? 
 What tree is there forbidden 
 that thou haft not beholden 
 with thine eyes ? What greene 
 meddow is there, in which thou 
 haft not (at the leaft in defire) 
 feafted thy letcherous luft? 
 what thing hath beene fet be- 
 fore thine eyes, that thou haft 
 not wantonly defired? What 
 appetite haft thou left vnexecu- 
 ted, notwithftanding that thou 
 didft beleeue in Almighty God, 
 and that thou wert a Chriftian? 
 what wouldeft thou haue done 
 
 more. 
 
 61 
 
42 Hemiens Glory. 
 
 more, if thou hadfl not had any 
 faith at all? If thou hadfl not 
 looked for any other life? If 
 thou hadfl not feared the 
 dreadfull day of iudgement? 
 What hath all thy former life 
 beene, but a web of fmnes, a 
 fmke of vices, a way full of 
 brambles and thornes, and a fro- 
 ward difobedience of God ? with 
 whom hafl thou hitherto liued, 
 but onely with thine appetite, 
 with thy flefh, with thy pride, 
 and with the goods and riches 
 of this tranfitory world ? Thefe 
 haue beene thy gods, thefe haue 
 beene thine idols, whom thou 
 haft ferued, and whofe lawes 
 thou haft diligently obeyed. 
 Make thine account with the 
 Almighty God, with his lawes, 
 
 and 
 
Heauens Glory. 43 
 
 and with his obedience, and 
 peraduenture thou fhalt finde, 
 that thou haft efteemed him no 
 more, than if he had beene a 
 god of wood, or ftone. For it is 
 certaine, that there be many 
 Chriftians, which beleeuing 
 that there is a God, are induced 
 to fmne with fuch facilitie, as 
 though they beleeued, that 
 there were no God at all: and 
 doe offend no whit the leffe, 
 though they beleeue that there 
 is a God, then they would doe, 
 if they beleeued there were 
 none at all. What greater iniu- 
 rie, what greater defpight can 
 bee done, than fo to con- 
 temne his diuine maieflie? 
 Finally, thou beleeuing all 
 fuch things as Chrifts Church 
 
 doth 
 
 ^ 
 
44 Heauens Glory. 
 
 doth beleeue, haft notwithftan- 
 ding fo led thy life, as if thou 
 wert perfwaded, that the be- 
 leefe of Chriflians were the 
 greateft fables or lies in the 
 world. And if the multitude of 
 thy finnes pafl, and the faculty 
 thou haft vfed in committing of 
 them, doe not make thee afraid, 
 why doeft thou not feare at the 
 leaft the Majefty and omnipo- 
 tencie of him, againft whom 
 thou haft fmned ? Lift vp thine 
 eyes, and confider the infinit 
 greatneffe and omnipotencie of 
 the Lord, whom the powers of 
 heauen no adore, before whofe 
 Maiefty the whole compaffe 
 of the wide world lyeth pro- 
 flrate; in whofe prefence, all 
 things created, are no more 
 
 than 
 
 64 
 
Heauens Glory. 45 
 
 than chaffe carried away with 
 the winde. Confider alfo with 
 thy felfe how vnfeemely it is, 
 that fuch a vile worme as thou 
 art, fhould haue audacity fo ma- 
 ny times to offend and prouoke 
 the wrath of fo great a maiefly. 
 Confider the wonderfull and 
 moft terrible feuerity of his iu- 
 ftice, and what horrible punifh- 
 ments he hath vfed from time 
 to time in the world againft 
 fmne; and that not onely vpon 
 particular perfons, but alfo vp- 
 on Cities, Nations, Kingdomes 
 and Prouinces, yea, vpon the v- 
 niuerfall World: And not one- 
 ly in earth, but alfo in heauen; 
 and not onely vpon ftrangers 
 fmners, but euen vpon his 
 owne moft innocent fonne, our 
 
 fweet 
 
 65 
 
46 Heauens Glory. 
 
 jfweet Sauiour lefus Chrift, 
 Iwhen he tooke vpon him to fa- 
 i tisfie for the debt that we owed. 
 I And if this feuerity was vfed 
 I vpon greene and innocent 
 
 ; wood, and that for the finnes of 
 
 j 
 
 'others; what then will he doe 
 I vpon dry and withered wood, 
 and againft thofe that are loden 
 with their owne finnes? Now, 
 what thing can bee thought 
 more vnreafonable, then that 
 fuch a fraile wretch as thou art, 
 fhould be fo faucie and mala- 
 pert, as to mocke with fo migh- 
 tie a Lord, whofe hand is fo 
 heauie, that in cafe hee fhould 
 ftrike but one ftroke vpon thee, 
 hee would at one blow driue 
 thee downe headlong into the 
 deepe bottomeleffe pit of hell, 
 
 with- 
 
 66 
 
Heauens Glory. ■ 47 
 
 without remedy. Confider like- 
 wife the great patience of this 
 our mercifull Lord, who hath 
 expe6led thy repentance fo 
 long, euen from the time that 
 thou didft firft offend him : and 
 thinke, that if after fo long pa- 
 tience and tarrying for thee, 
 thou fhalt flill continue thy 
 leaud and finfull life, abufmg 
 thus his mercy, and prouoking 
 him to further indignation and 
 wrath, hee will then bend his 
 bowe, and fhake his fword, and 
 raine downe vpon thee euen 
 fharpe arrowes of euerlafting 
 wrath and death. Confider alfo 
 the profoundneffe of his deepe 
 iudgments, wherof we read, and 
 fee daily fo great wonders. We 
 fee how Salomon himfelfe, after 
 
 his 
 
 67 
 
48 Heauens Glory. 
 
 his fo great wifdome, and after 
 thofe three thoufand parables 
 and mod profound myfteries 
 vttered by him, was forfaken by 
 Almighty God, and fuffered to 
 fall down and adore Idols. We 
 fee how one of thofe feuen firft 
 Deacons of the Primitiue 
 Church, which were full of the 
 holy Ghoft, became not onely 
 an hereticke, but alfo an arch 
 hereticke and a father of here- 
 fies. We fee daily many ftarres 
 fall downe from heauen vnto 
 earth, with miferable fals, and 
 to wallow themfelues in the 
 durt, and to eat the meat of 
 fwine, which fate before at 
 Gods owne table, and were fed 
 with the very bread of Angels. 
 If then the iuft and righteous 
 
 for 
 
 6S 
 
Heauens Glory. 49 
 
 for fome fecret pride or negli- 
 gence, or elfe for fome ingrati- 
 tude of theirs) be thus iuftly for- 
 faken of Almighty God, after 
 they .haue beftowed fo many 
 yeares in his feruice. What 
 maieft thou looke for, that haft 
 done in a manner nothing elfe 
 in all thy life time, but onely 
 heaped fmnes vpon fmnes, and 
 haft thereby offended almigh- 
 ty God moft grieuoufly? 
 
 Now, if thou haft liued after 
 this fort, were it not reafon that 
 thou fhouldft now at the length 
 giue ouer, and ceafe heaping 
 fmne vpon fnine, and debt vp- 
 on debt, and begin to pacifie 
 the wrath of Almighty God, 
 and to disburden thy fmfull 
 foule? Were it not meet, that 
 D that 
 
 69 
 
50 Heatiens Glory. 
 
 that time which thou haft hi- 
 therto giuen to the world, to 
 thy flefh, and to the Diuell, 
 Ihould fuftice? and that thou 
 fhouldeft beftow fome little 
 time of that which remaineth, 
 to ferue him, who hath giuen 
 thee all that thou haft ? Were it 
 not a point of wifedome, after 
 fo long time, and fo many great 
 iniuries, to feare the moft ter- 
 rible iuftice of Almighty God, 
 who the more patiently he fuf- 
 fereth fmners, the more hee 
 doth afterwards punifh them 
 with feueritie & iuftice? Were 
 it not meet for thee to feare thy 
 long continuance fo many 
 yeares in finne, and in the dif- 
 pleafure of Almighty God, pro- 
 curing thereby againft thee fuch 
 
 70 
 
Heauetis Glory. 51 
 
 a mighty aduerfary as he is, and 
 prouoking him of a mercifull 
 louing father to become thy fe- 
 uere terrible iudge and enemy? 
 Were ir not meet to feare, leaft 
 that the force of euill cuftome 
 may in continuance of time be 
 turned into nature; and that thy 
 long vicious vfuall manner of 
 committing fmne, may make of 
 a vice, a neceffity, or little leffe? 
 Why art thou not afraid, leaft 
 by little and little thou maieft 
 call thy felfe downe head long 
 into the deep pit of a reprobate 
 fence, whereinto after that a 
 man is once falne, hee neuer 
 maketh account of any fmne, be 
 it neuer fo great. 
 
 The Patriarke lacob faid vnto 
 
 Laban his father in law: Thefe 
 
 D 2 foure- 
 
 71 
 
52 Heauens Glory. 
 
 foureteene yeares haue I ferued 
 thee, and looking to thine af- 
 faires, now it is time that I 
 fhould looke to mine owne, 
 and begin to attend vnto the af- 
 faires of mine owne houfhold. 
 Wherefore if thou haft hkewife 
 beftowed fo many yeares in the 
 feruice of this world, and of this 
 fraile tranfitory life, were it not 
 good reafon, that thou fhoul- 
 deft now begin to make fome 
 prouifion for the faluation of 
 thy foule, and for the euerla- 
 fting life to come? There is 
 nothing more fhort, nor more 
 tranfitory then the life of man ; 
 and therefore prouiding fo 
 carefully as thou doeft for all 
 fuch things as be neceffarie for 
 this life, which is fo fhort, why 
 
 doeft 
 
 72 
 
Heauens Glory. 53 
 
 doeft thou not prouide like- 
 wife fomewhat for the life that 
 is to come ? which life 
 fhall endure for 
 euer and 
 euer. 
 
 D 3 Earths 
 
 73 
 
54 Earths Vanity. 
 
 
 I^^53IMI53!!S2I 
 
 QQOQCQOOOOOOQOQOQOOQ 
 
 A Sigh. 
 
 T T Ence laziejleepe, 
 
 A A t/wu/onne of fulleji night, 
 
 That with foft-breathing Spels 
 
 keeps forrowcs vnder 
 Thy charmes ; cheares vp 
 
 thefpirits with delight, 
 And laps the Sences 
 
 in LethcBan Jlumber\ 
 Packe and be gone: 
 
 for myfadfoule knowes well, 
 Care be/l accordeth 
 
 with a gloomie Cell. 
 
 And what more darke 
 
 then my fin-clouded Soule? 
 
 Where 
 
 u 
 
Earths Vanity. 55 
 
 Where yet the Sunne 
 
 of Sapience neuer Jhone\ 
 But Jim in Errors 
 
 vgly catie did roule, 
 Where nought keepes concord 
 
 but difcordant mone: 
 Leaue me I fay, 
 
 and giue me leaue to tell, 
 That to my Soule, 
 
 my/el/e has not done well. 
 
 Good man ! {if good 
 
 there Hues one) Thou that art 
 So farre thrufl 
 
 from the worlds imperious eyes ; 
 Helpe 7ne to afl 
 
 this penitentiall part : 
 / meane, No coyner 
 
 of new Niceties, 
 Nor wodden Worfhipper : 
 
 Giue me him than 
 
 D 4 That's 
 
 n 
 
56 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Tfiafs a God-louin^, 
 and good-liuing man. 
 
 To be my partner 
 
 in this Tragedie; 
 WJwfefcenes rtm bleeding 
 
 through the wounded ABs, 
 Heart-Jlrucke by Sinne 
 
 and Satans fallacie, 
 And poyfond by 
 
 my felfe-committed fa6ls : 
 Send me thy prayers, 
 
 if not thy prefence found, 
 To flop tlie Ore-face 
 
 of this flreaming wound. 
 
 Steere me (fweet Sauiour) 
 while Ifafe haue pq/l 
 
 Theflormie Euroclydons 
 of Defpaire, 
 
 Till 
 
 76 
 
Earths Vanity. 
 
 Till happily I haue 
 
 arritid at Iq/i, 
 To touch at Thee, my Soules 
 
 fole-fauingjlayre : 
 Tow vp my Jin-frought Soule, 
 
 funke downe below, 
 And long lien we living 
 
 mid/i the wanes of wo. 
 
 New rig me vp, 
 
 lejl zvallowing I orewhelme] 
 Thy Mercy be my Main-mast; 
 
 And for Sayles 
 My Sighs; thy Truth, my tackling', 
 
 Faith, my Helme: 
 My ballast, Louc, 
 
 Hope, Anchor that nerefailes: 
 Then in Heau'ns hauen \C 
 
 calme Peace me arriue. 
 Where once enharbor^d, 
 
 Ifhall richly thriue. 
 
 D 5 Woes\ 
 
 57 
 
 77 
 
58 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Woes me ! how long Jtds 
 
 Pride befotted me? 
 Propojing to dim Reafon 
 
 my good parts t 
 My nimble Wit, 
 
 m,y quicke procliuitie 
 To Apprehenjion ; 
 
 and in high dejarts 
 How ma7iy flood beneath me: 
 
 I (vaine foole) 
 Thus fob' d by Satans fleights, 
 
 ore-flipt my Soule : 
 
 Who in darke Error 
 
 downe embodied lies, 
 Blacke as tlie Star-lejfe Night \ 
 
 and hideoufly 
 Impuritie with rustie wings 
 
 crofle flies 
 Betwixt the Sunne of 
 
 Righteoufuffe and me\ 
 
 Whilft 
 
Earths Vanity. 59 
 
 WhiVJi (Bat-like) beats my Soule 
 
 her leather fay les 
 Gainjl the/oft Ayre; 
 
 and ri/ing, fals and failes. 
 
 Mujl I for each 
 
 vnfyllabled clofe Thought 
 Render account ? 
 
 O wit filde Conference\ 
 CaVd in is thy prote^lion then, 
 
 deare bought: 
 How was my brow 
 
 drehatcht zuith Impudence? 
 To let whole zvorlds of words 
 
 my cheekes vpfwell, 
 The leafl of tvhom 
 
 would ding me downe to Hell. 
 
 O zuretched Impes 
 
 then of mans impious race ! 
 
 Whdl 
 
 n 
 
58 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Whdl breath out Blafphemies 
 
 to make a Iejl\ 
 And call wit flaJJiing 
 
 thefole pun6luall grace 
 Of genuine knowledge: 
 
 But among fl the reft, 
 Judge in what cafe 
 
 are thofe wit-huckfters in. 
 That hourely pra5life 
 
 this foule finking finne ? 
 
 O may my tongue 
 
 be euer riuetted 
 Faft to my roofe, 
 
 but when itfpeakes Godspraife : 
 May not one vocall found 
 
 by breath be fed, 
 But when it carols out 
 
 celeftiall Layes ; 
 Let not 07ie tone 
 
 through my tongues hatches flye, 
 
 But 
 
 80 
 
Earths Vanity. 
 
 But what beares witfit 
 keau'ns glories harmonie. 
 
 Helpe (Lord of power ) my 
 
 feeble-ioynted praters 
 To clamber t/zasure Mountaines 
 
 throwne aboue me; 
 And keepe a feat for m,e there 
 
 mongjl thofe haires, 
 Apportioned out tofuch 
 
 as truely loue thee: 
 Admit them in thine eares 
 
 a resting roome, 
 Vntill to thee and them, 
 
 myfoulejhall come. 
 
 Meane while, moyft e^d 
 
 Repentance here below 
 Shall, Inmate wife be 
 
 Tenant to my minde: 
 
 For 
 
 6i 
 
 8i 
 
62 Earths Vanity. 
 
 
 For Prayers, without true 
 
 
 Penitence, doe/how. 
 
 
 " Like meats v7tfeafond, 
 
 
 or like Bits vn/ignd; 
 
 
 " Or come on tops of 
 
 
 Cottages tJiat growes, 
 
 
 " Which (v/elej/e) no 7nan 
 
 
 either reapes or /owes. 
 
 
 how my Soule s furprid d 
 
 
 withjhallow feares ? 
 
 
 W/ten, thinking to leane on 
 
 
 Lifes broken Jlaffe\ 
 
 
 And counting to mine age 
 
 
 large fummes ofyeares, 
 
 
 I heare the/weet 
 
 
 and /acred Pfalmograph, 
 
 
 Compare Life to a Flowre, 
 
 
 a Puffe, a Span; 
 
 1 
 
 Whds Monarch now, 
 
 
 next minutes not a Man. 
 
 i 
 
 Mufl 
 
 83 
 
Earths Vanity. 63 
 
 Muji I needs dye? 
 
 why furfet I on Pleafure ? 
 MuJl I needs dye? 
 
 why fwini I m Delight? 
 MuJl I needs dye? 
 
 why /quint I after Treafure ? 
 Muft I needs dye? 
 
 why Hue I not aright ? 
 MuJl I needs dye ? 
 
 why Hue I then in fin? 
 Thrice better for me 
 
 I had neuer bin. 
 
 Fountaine of breathing Dufi? 
 
 fuch grace me giue, 
 That I in life, 
 
 prepare in dufi to lye; 
 Let me be dying fiill 
 
 whiles I doe Hue; 
 That I may blisfull Hue, 
 
 when I Jhall dye : 
 
 For 
 
 «3 
 
64 Earths Vanity. 
 
 
 For in Christs Schoole 
 
 
 this Paradox learne /; 
 
 
 Wlio dies before he dies, 
 
 
 Jhall neicer die. 
 
 
 If I mttfl die. 
 
 
 tlien after mufi begin 
 
 
 The life of loy or 
 
 
 Torment, without end', 
 
 
 The life of Torment 
 
 
 purchasd is byfinne; 
 
 
 The life of loy, by life 
 
 
 that learnes {amend: 
 
 
 Why fJtould I then prophane. 
 
 
 fweare, curfe, lufi, lie, 
 
 
 If I but thinke on this-, 
 
 
 That I mti/l die ? 
 
 
 Why fJiould I quajfe 
 
 
 to m,ore then Nature can ? 
 
 
 Sitk 
 
 84 
 
Earths Vanity. 
 
 Sith more drinke I gaine 
 
 more lojjfe is mine : 
 For may I not be tearmd 
 
 a bestiall man, 
 To drowne my Reafon 
 
 in a cup of wine ? 
 Yea tenfold worfe : 
 
 Thus monfier made at leafl: 
 God made me Man, 
 
 I make my felfe a Beq/l. 
 
 Howfwelt I with hard trauell 
 
 through the Dale 
 That leads to Prophanations 
 
 irkefome cell? 
 But freeze^ by foftly 
 
 pacing vp the skale, 
 Where burning zeale, 
 
 and her bright fifters dwell'. 
 Thusfweat I in thefliadow, 
 
 fhake i' thfhine, 
 
 And 
 
 65 
 
 85 
 
66 Earths Vanity. 
 
 And by free choice, 
 from good to ill decline. 
 
 Sweet Sauiour cleanfe 
 
 my leprous loatkfome foule 
 In that depurpled Fount, 
 
 which forth thy fide 
 Gurgling, did twixt two 
 
 Lilly -7nountaines route, 
 To rinfe Mans tainted Race, 
 
 Sin-foylifide : 
 Wafh it more white 
 
 then the triumphant Swan, 
 That rides d thfiluer brefi 
 
 of Eridan. 
 
 Suffer my prayers 
 
 /larmony to rife 
 Into thine eares, 
 
 while tJi Angels beare a part: 
 
 Accept 
 
 96 
 
Earths Vanity. 67 
 
 Accept my Sighs, 
 
 asfmelling Sacrifice, 
 Sent from the Altar 
 
 o/my bleeding heart; 
 Vp to thy nostrils, fweet 
 
 as th' Oyle of Aaron, 
 Or th odoriferous Rofe 
 
 of flowrie Sharon. 
 
 The Hart nere long'd more 
 
 for the purling brookes; 
 Nor did the Itfifull Goate 
 
 with more purfuit. 
 After the bloffonid 
 
 Tritifolie looke, 
 Then do's my panting Soule, 
 
 f enioy the fruit 
 Of thy Life-water \ 
 
 which if I attaine 
 To taste of once, 
 
 I ne'refhall thirfi againe, 
 
 Euen 
 
68 Earths Vanity. 
 
 
 Euen as the chapped ground 
 
 
 in Summers heat, 
 
 
 Cats to the clouds, 
 
 
 and gapes at euery Jhowre : 
 
 
 Whofe thirjiie Cafmds 
 
 
 greedily intreat, 
 
 
 As tho they would 
 
 
 tfi whole houfe ofheaun deuour; 
 
 
 So dds my riuen Soule, 
 
 
 beparcht with Jin, 
 
 
 Yawne wide, to let 
 
 
 moyft drops of Mercie in. 
 
 
 Earths 
 
 88 
 
Earths Vmtity. 'ji 
 
 Earths vanitie, 
 
 Anitie of vanities, and 
 all is but vanitie, faith 
 the wifefl Preacher 
 that euer wrote : One generation 
 paffetk, a7id another commeth, and 
 all is but vexation of fpirit. 
 Which diuine theorem, that 
 we may the better perceiue, let 
 vs fet our felues to the ferious 
 meditation of it: for the more 
 we fearch, the more we fhall fee 
 all things to be vanity, nothing 
 conflant, nothing for our eter- 
 
 nall 
 
 89 
 
70 Earths Vanity. 
 
 nail good, but our foules falua- 
 tion. Mans life on earth doth 
 no fooner begin, but his end ap- 
 proacheth, his death hafteneth. 
 Some come vpon the ftage of 
 this world but to haue a brea- 
 thing, and are prefently gone/ 
 others ftay a while longer, it 
 may be a day, perhaps a weeke, 
 perhaps a month, peraduenture 
 a yeare, or it may be fome 
 few yeares: but alas! the lon- 
 ger they flay, the greater their 
 griefe, care, feare, and anxietie 
 of minde. Euen in the infancie 
 of age man is oft times left as 
 Mofes fometime was, in the 
 flouds of mifery; but as age in- 
 creafeth, forrow increafeth, be- 
 caufe fmne increafeth: when 
 youth runnes moft at randome, 
 
 and 
 
 fo 
 
Earths Vanity. 71 
 
 and thinketh it felfe moft fafe, it 
 is then hemm'd in with grea- 
 teft dangers; then the rafh- 
 foole-hardy minde of man hur- 
 rieth him headlong to hell, ex- 
 cept the irrefiftible power of 
 Gods preuenting grace doth 
 fpeedily ftay him ; then his wits 
 are euen intoxicated with a 
 frenzie of iniquity, and wholly 
 bent vpon riotoufneffe, rafh- 
 neffe, luxury, iollitie, fuperflui- 
 ty and exceffe in carnall plea- 
 fures. Hee then deuoteth his 
 time, and addidleth himfelfe to 
 all manner of euill, drinking, 
 dancing, reuelling, fwaggering, 
 fwearing, whoring, gaming, 
 quarelling, fighting; and in the 
 meane while neuer thinkes on 
 heauen, nor feareth hell. His 
 
 head 
 
 91 
 
74 Earths Vanity. 
 
 head is frought with vanities, 
 his heart with fallacies, where- 
 by his foule is brought into a 
 labyrinth of inextricable mife- 
 ries. So great is the temerity of 
 his vnaduifed minde, that no 
 confideration of Gods iudge- 
 ments, either paffc, or prefent, 
 or to come, can fet a ftop to his 
 wickedneffe. His youthful- 
 neffe damps at no bogges, quag- 
 mires, hils, or mountaines; but 
 wingeth him ouer all impedi- 
 ments, mounts him ouer all mo- 
 tiues that might way-lay his 
 fmnes. He flicks not to offend 
 his maker, to recrucifie his re- 
 deemer, to refift ( fhall I fay his 
 fan(5tifier, no, but) the Spirit 
 whom God hath giuen to be his 
 fan6lifier: and if hee fo carry 
 
 him- 
 
 9* 
 
Earths Vanity. 'J2, 
 
 himfelfe toward thefe, no mer- 
 uaile that he derideth his Tutor, 
 fcornes the Minifter (like the 
 little children that mock'd Eli- 
 Jlia) oppreffeth his poore bro- 
 ther (as Pharaoh did the Ifrae- 
 lites'.) fpareth not Infants (no 
 more then Herod 6id) regardeth 
 not parents (no more then Ho- 
 phin and Phinius did. ) Let the 
 mother dire6l him, the father 
 corre6t him, his ancients in- 
 ftru6l him, alas! all is in vaine: 
 youth makes men head-ftrong, 
 felfe-conceited, and proud, fo 
 that they fwell with an ouer- 
 weening opinion of their owne 
 worth; they thinke themfelues 
 the onely wits of the time, the 
 onely men of the world, more 
 fit to teach others then to learn 
 E them 
 
 93 
 
74 
 
 Earths Vanity. 
 
 pfa.2.2,3. 
 
 Nequities 
 vitte non 
 yinit cjjfe 
 fcnem. 
 
 themfelues, more able to giue 
 then to take aduice. If they goe 
 on a while in their lewd cour- 
 fes without the reftraining and 
 renewing Grace of God, they 
 get a habit of euill, are hardned 
 through the cuftome of finne, 
 none may refill them, none 
 compare with them, no law of 
 God or man can reftraine them ; 
 They take coimfel together againji 
 the Lord, and againji his annoin- 
 ted, faying, Let vs breake their 
 bands a/under., and ca/i away their 
 cords from vs. Whereupon of- 
 tentimes (the ripeneffe of fmne 
 being haftened by outragiouf- 
 neffe of fmning) God fuddenly 
 cuts them off, in their intempe- 
 rancy, luxury, quarrels, and dif- 
 orders; which fhewes their 
 
 vainneffe 
 
 94 
 
Earths Vanity. 75 
 
 vainneffe to be meere vanity. 
 Suppofe they grow as great as 
 Tamderlaine, yet a Gunne, Pike 
 Arrow; nay, a Fly, Flea, or Gnat; 
 a dram, nay, a drop of poyfon, 
 proues them to be vaine men: 
 one of thefe filly creatures may 
 fend him prefently to his crea- 
 tour to receiue his final doome. 
 Yet alas! what doe thefe moft 
 minde? The bum-bafted filken 
 Gallants of our time, that come 
 forth like a May morning, deck- 
 ed with all the glory of Art; the 
 Epicurean Cormerants, the guf- 
 ling and tipling toffe-pots, the 
 dainty painting Dames, the de- 
 licate mincing Ladies, the 
 fweet-fmging Syrens, the dan- 
 cing Damfels, the finicall 
 youths, the couzening Shop- 
 E 2 keeper. 
 
 9S 
 
"j^ Earths Vanity. 
 
 keeper, the crafty Crafts-man: 
 I fay, what doe all thefe, but fet 
 their minds vpon vanitie? vp- 
 on glory, honour, pride, droffe, 
 and fuch like trafh, which 
 weighed in the ballance of the 
 San6luary proue lighter then 
 vanity? Doe we not fometime 
 fee more fpent vpon one fuite in 
 Law then would keepe a poore 
 Country towne with the inha- 
 bitants for a whole yeare ? See 
 wee not more fpent vpon one 
 fuite of apparell, for one proud 
 carkaffe, then would build a 
 Free-fchoole ? So that the 
 cloathes on many a Gallants 
 backe exceeds his Rent-day. 
 See we not more fpent vpon a 
 Feaft to fatisfie the curiofity of 
 a few, then would fatisfie the 
 
 neceffity 
 
 96 
 
Earths Vanity. y'j 
 
 neceffit}^ of a hundred poore 
 wretches almoft famifhed to 
 death? See wee not more 
 drunke in a Tauerne at one fit- 
 ting by a fmall company, then 
 would ferue a troope of flurdy 
 Souldiers in the field? Many 
 goe daily to the Tauern, where 
 they fticke not to fpend their 
 twelue pence, who would 
 grudge to giue one penny, nay, 
 one farthing to a hungry beg- 
 ger. Againe, is there not now 
 more fpent vpon a Ladies fea- 
 ther, then would pay a meane 
 mans tythes? Is there not more 
 fpent vpon one paire of fleeues 
 then would cloath fixe bodies? 
 and more fpent at a Whitfun- 
 ale, then would keepe the poore 
 of the Parifh for a yeare ? Haue 
 E 3 we 
 
 97 
 
78 Earths Vanity. 
 
 wee not amongft our Gentry, 
 fome of the female fexe, who 
 will fpend more vpon a Glaffe 
 and a pot of complexion, then 
 they will giue a whole yeare at 
 their gate? they mufl be men- 
 ders of that which God makes, 
 makers of that which God 
 marres, turning themfelues (like 
 the Camelion) into all fhapes, 
 though neuer fo grifly and vg- 
 ly; and being neuer well till 
 they be mofl ill, neuer (as they 
 conceit) in fafhion, till indeede 
 they be out of all fafhion. If this 
 be not a vanity of vanities, who 
 can tell what is vanity? Euery 
 man is an eye-witneffe of this 
 vanity, the more is the pittie 
 that it fhould be fo common: 
 your Lady, the Merchants wife, 
 
 the 
 
 98 
 
Earths Vanity. 79 
 
 the trades mans wife, nay, all 
 of all forts are a degree aboue 
 their eftate. Your Gallant is 
 no man, vnleffe his haire be of 
 the womans fafhion, dangling 
 and wauing ouer his fhoulders; 
 your woman no body, except 
 (contrary to the modefty of her 
 fexe) fhee be halfe (at leaft) of 
 the mans fafhion: fhee jets, 
 fhe cuts, fhe rides, fhee fweares, 
 Ihe games, fhee fmoakes, fhee 
 drinkes, and what not that is e- 
 uill? She is in the vniuerfall 
 portraiture of her behauiour, as 
 well as in her accoutrements, 
 more then halfe a man ; the man 
 on the other fide, no leffe wo- 
 manifh. Wee may well admire 
 and exclaime with the Poet, O 
 temporal O mores! O the times/ 
 E4 O 
 
 99 
 
8o 
 
 Earths Vanity. 
 
 O the manners of thefe times! 
 O quantum efi in rebus mane! O 
 how great a nothing is there in 
 all things! What a vanity of va- 
 nity hath ouerfpread the age we 
 Hue in? Were our forefathers 
 now aliue to be fpe6lators of 
 this vanity, it would ftrike them 
 into amazement. In their dayes 
 the Pike, the Speare, the Sword, 
 the Bowe, the Arrow, Musket 
 and Calieuer, with the warlike 
 Horfe, were the obie6l of exer- 
 cife and recreation: Now the 
 Pot, the Pipe, Dice and Cards, 
 and fuch like vanities, indeede 
 worfe then the quintefcence of 
 the extreameft vanity. We are 
 now all for eafe, wee muft lye 
 foft, fare delicioufly, goe fump- 
 tuoufly, drinke Wine in bowles, 
 
 carowfe 
 
Earths Vanity. 8i 
 
 carowfe healths, till health be 
 quite drunke away; nay, wee 
 muft kneele to our drinke, when 
 we will not kneele to him that 
 gaue vs our drinke; we doe ho- 
 mage to that which takes away 
 the vfe of our legges, nay, of 
 our braines, our hearts, wits, 
 fence, reafon, when we refufe 
 homage to him that gaue vs all 
 thefe. O valne man that doft 
 thus forget thy God, and abufe 
 thy felfe! why doft thou thus 
 fuffer thy felfe to be fwal lowed 
 vp in the gulfe of vanity, which 
 hath no bottome but mifery? 
 Why fuffereft thou the Diuell 
 thus to take thee on the hip, that 
 he may caft thee downe into 
 the Abiffe of hell? Art thou fo 
 bewitched with that which will 
 E 5 haue 
 
82 Earths Vanity. 
 
 haue an end, a fudden end, a 
 wretched end? Thy hony will 
 proue Gall in the end, and thy 
 Wine Vinegar. In thefe faire 
 rofes of vanity the Diuell hides 
 his pins, that fhall pricke thee, 
 when thou lookeft to be re- 
 frefhed with their fweet fmels. 
 Thefe vanities wee purchafe at 
 no eafie rate; it is with the pro- 
 curement of punifhment, anrd 
 loffe of happineffe: As the bi d 
 that accepts of the Fowlers 
 meat buyes it full dearely, with 
 the loffe of her owne life: fo 
 when we accept thefe vanities 
 from the Diuell, it is with the 
 loffe of better things, in price a- 
 boue the whole world. In thefe 
 contrafts with Satan, we make 
 Efaiis penniworth, fell heauen 
 
 for 
 
Earths Vanity. 
 
 for a meffe of pottage; Claucus 
 exchange, Gold for Copper. 
 Now thou art pompering thy 
 corruptible flefh; but let pale 
 death ftep in, and clap thee on 
 the fhoulder, wher's thy mirth, 
 wher's thy felicity? thy volup- 
 tuous vanity doth prefently ex- 
 pire. There is a banquet fet be- 
 fore thee, in which are all varie- 
 ties of delicacies, but alas! eue- 
 ry one poyfoned: dareft thou 
 touch or tafte any one of them ? 
 by fm thou poyfoneft all thofe 
 outward bleffmgs of God, which 
 in themfelues are wholefome 
 and good: and wilt thou ingur- 
 gitate that which is poyfon to 
 thy foule ? Tell me when all is 
 done, two or three hundred 
 yeares hence, what thou wilt be 
 
 the 
 
 ^2> 
 
 103 
 
84 
 
 Earths Vanity. 
 
 the better for all thy dainties, 
 more then the poore man that 
 neuer tailed them? Nay, how 
 much better in the day of triall, 
 and at the houre of death ? Then 
 all thy pride, pompe, and plea- 
 fure fhall be turned into Equa- 
 led deformity, & irrecouerable 
 calamity; then vanity fhewes it 
 felfe in the proper colours; then 
 death, and knell, and hell doe all 
 confpire to aggrauate thy for- 
 row; yea, then hell begins to 
 come to thee before thou come 
 to it; thy eyes fleepe not, thy 
 fenfes reft not, thy perplexed 
 heart burnes within thee, thy 
 wounded conscience bleeds 
 within thee; thou feeft nothing 
 but terror, thou feeleft nothing 
 but horror; thou thinkeft thy 
 
 felfe 
 
 104 
 
Earths Vanity. 85 
 
 felf to be haunted with fprights, 
 ghofts, and helHfh furies, fling- 
 ing thee with Adders, purfuing 
 thee with Torches and fire- 
 brand. That faying of the Hea- 
 then man is then, if not before, 
 verified : Suoe quemque exagitant 
 ftirice; euery man is tormented 
 with his owne fury, which is his 
 confcience. Befides thy wife, 
 children, or other friends (to 
 the exafperating of thy griefe) 
 doe fland about thee weeping, 
 as loath to part from thee: 
 whereas thy fmnes follow thee, 
 and will follow thee, doe what 
 thou canfl; hell gapes before 
 thee with a wide mouth as rea- 
 ry to deuoure thee, deftru6lion 
 on both fides attends thee: 
 backe thou canft not goe, for a 
 
 dead 
 
 105 
 
86 Earths Vanity. 
 
 dead corps followes thee fo 
 neere that thou canft not part 
 from it, it is tied vnto thee with 
 an indiffolueable knot; befides, 
 confcience followes thee, and 
 cries out againft thee, and will 
 not leaue thee; continually it 
 prefents thee with the dreadfull 
 fpeftacle of thy doleful and wo- 
 full finnes. If this were now 
 ferioufly confidered, how would 
 it make thy heart to ake with 
 grieuing, thy eyes to fwell with 
 weeping, thy hands to be al- 
 wayes lifted vp, thy knees euer 
 bended? How wouldeft thou 
 ftriue to fubdue thy flefh to the 
 fpirit, fenfuality to reafon, reafon 
 to faith, and faith to the feruice 
 of God ? But thou doft not now 
 confider this, that thy fmne is fo 
 
 faft 
 
 106 
 
Earths Vanity. %"] 
 
 faft linkt to thy confcience, that 
 at the laft (albeit not before) it 
 will pull and hale thee, and rack 
 and prick thy confcience, which 
 will accufe, conui6l, & condemn 
 thee: all thy vanities, all thy 
 iniquities, will then purfue thee 
 like fo many furious ghofls. 
 Then ex ore ttio, out of thy own 
 mouth fhalt thou be iudged, 
 thou euill feruant: thy owne 
 mouth fhall confeffe that thou 
 haft followed nothing but va- 
 nity : What a vanity was it for 
 me to make earth my heauen, 
 and fo to admire & euen adore 
 this earth, that it is a hell to for- 
 fake it? What a wofuU bargain 
 haue I made to fell my foule for 
 vanity? I was borne in vanity, 
 I haue lined in vanity, and it is 
 
 my 
 
 1 07 
 
88 Earths Vanity. 
 
 my feare that I fhall dye in va- 
 nity. Oh how griefe followeth 
 griefe ? my heart is terrified, my 
 thoughts hurried, my confci- 
 ence tortured, I fry in anguifh, 
 I freeze in paine, I fland agafl 
 and know not which way to 
 turne me: my friends muft for- 
 fake me, my foes will deride me, 
 my earthly ioyes and comforts 
 (I fhould call them vanities) 
 haue betraid me. Indeede my 
 friends may goe with me to the 
 graue, but there they muft leaue 
 me; my riches, pleafures, and 
 fuch like vanities vanifh before; 
 but my fmnes and confcience 
 will neuer leaue me; the diuell 
 will ftill purfue me: hee that 
 tempts me now to fmne, will 
 then torment me for fmning 
 
 vntill 
 
 io8 
 
Earths Vanity. 89 
 
 vntill I cry out with Cain, My 
 puni/Iiment is greater then I can 
 beare. A horfe is but a vaine 
 thingtofaueaman, faid the fweet 
 finger of I/rael: fo fay I, all 
 earthly things are too vaine to 
 faue a man, to make him bleffed, 
 I appeale to the confcience of 
 euery man, if thou haft tried the 
 pleafures of vanity (and who 
 hath not?) whether thou maift 
 not take vp the words of Saint 
 Paul, What fruit haue I of thofe 
 things, whereof I am now afha- 
 medl Shame, and griefe, and 
 guilt, and punifhment are the 
 fruit of vanity : enough I thinke 
 to rend our hearts from affeft- 
 ing of it. Thinke vpon this thou 
 that art in the trace of vanity, 
 that thou maift make a retreat; 
 
 loofe 
 
 109 
 
 Rom. 6, 
 
 12. 
 
90 Earths Vanity. 
 
 loofe no more time herein (for 
 thou haft already loft too 
 much) redeeme the time, becaufe 
 the dayes are euill; and why are 
 they euill, but becaufe they are 
 vaine? Whatfoeuer is without 
 the circumference of euill, is 
 aboue the fphere of vanity. Re- 
 folue therefore with thy felfe 
 that all things earthly, worldly, 
 carnall, fmfull, are vaine: the 
 fajhion of this zvorld pajfeth away, 
 faith the Apoftle, / Cor. y. j. 
 The fajhion^ to a-xnf^a, a word 
 very emphaticall: it fignifies 
 firft an accidentall and externall 
 figure without fubftance; fe- 
 condly, the habit, vefture or 
 cloathing of a thing. Saint Pau/ 
 vfeth this word to debafe the 
 world, by intimating vnto vs, 
 
 that 
 
Earths Vanity. 91 
 
 that the world is cloathed with 
 a vesture^ that is, wearing and 
 wafting, the fajhion of it lafteth 
 but for a time, it is ready euery 
 houre to put on a new fajhion \ 
 againe, by intimating vnto vs, 
 that the world is without any 
 fubstantiall forme, like vnto 
 Jhewes and fJiadowes, that vanifti 
 in the reprefentation. Saint Luke 
 cals all Agrippds pompe but a 
 fancie: D auid cdXs the yeares of 
 a man but a tale, Pfal. go. g. We 
 fpend our yeares as a tale that is 
 told. As a tale, nay, as a thought 
 (for fo much the originall word 
 doth import) and how many 
 thoughts may a man haue in an 
 houre? Nothing is more chang- 
 able then a vejlure, nothing 
 more fugitiue then a fliadow, 
 
 nothing 
 
 III 
 
92 
 
 Earths Vanity. 
 
 nothing more fickle then 2l f an- 
 cle, nothing more fwift' then 
 thought. What a difproportion 
 therefore is it for the immortall 
 foule of a man to be faflened 
 vnto things which are of fuch a 
 variable nature? What a folly 
 for vs to preferre thofe which 
 are but momentary (for fo I may 
 more truely cal them then tem- 
 porall) vnto thofe things which 
 are indeede eternall ? Glaffes are 
 in great vfe amongft vs, yet be- 
 caufe of their brittleneffe who 
 efteemes them precious? We 
 fmell to flowers, becaufe they 
 are fweet; but becaufe they are 
 fading, we regard them there- 
 after. It were well if we would 
 deale thus with all other vani- 
 ties, viz. regard them as they 
 
 are 
 
Earths Vanity. 93 
 
 are: vfe the creatures we may, 
 but not abufe them; ferue our 
 felues of them, but not ferue 
 them; inioy them, but not ouer- 
 ioy In them. 
 
 Now becaufe examples are 
 are very effe6luall, whether we 
 vfe them by way of dehortation, 
 or whether by way of exhorta- 
 tion, let me propound one or 
 two in this matter whereof I 
 am treating, that by them thou 
 maifl be beaten off from the va- 
 nities and iniquities of this pre- 
 fent euill world. When Alex- 
 ander in the height of his glory 
 kept* a Parliament of the whole 
 world, himfelfe was fummoned 
 by death to appeare in another 
 world. It was a wonderfull 
 prefident of the vanity and va- 
 riety 
 
 Conuen- 
 turn ter- 
 ranun 
 orbis. 
 
 "3 
 
94 Earths Vanity. 
 
 lu/ihi 1. 2. 
 
 Dan. 5. 
 
 Dan. 4. 
 
 riety of humane condition (faith 
 the Hiftorian) to fee mighty 
 Zerxes flote and flye away in a 
 fmall veffel, who before wanted 
 Sea-roome for his Ships. When 
 Beljhazzar was laughing and 
 quaffing with his Princes and 
 Concubines, carowfmg healths 
 in the facred Veffels; deaths fe- 
 cretary, the hand-writing on the 
 wall, told him he was weighed 
 in the ballance, and his King- 
 dome was finifhed. And before 
 him his father Nebuchadnezzar 
 (at that time the greateft Mo- 
 narch in the world) as he was 
 ftrouting in his Galleries, and 
 boafting of his owne power and 
 honour, a voyce from heauen 
 told him that his Kingdome 
 was departed from him, that he 
 
 fhould 
 
 114 
 
Earths Vanity. 95 
 
 fhould be driuen from amongil 
 men, that he fhould haue his 
 dwelling with the Beafls of the 
 fields &c. And the fentence was 
 fulfilled on him the fame houre. 
 So Zedekiah was a liuely fpe6la- 
 cle of this worlds vanity and 
 mifery, who of a potent King 
 became a miferable captiue, faw 
 his children flaine before his 
 face, after that had his eyes put 
 out, and died miferably in pri- 
 fon. I had almofl forgotten Sa- 
 lomon, the wifeft King that euer 
 was, hauing giuen himfelfe to 
 take pleafure in pleafant things, 
 hauing made great workes, built 
 goodly Houfes, planted Vine- 
 yards, Gardens, and Orchards, 
 and planted in them trees of all 
 fruit, & hauing gathered filuer 
 
 and 
 
 "5 
 
 2 Kin. 25 
 
 Eccl. 2. 
 
96 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Eccl. 
 
 and gold, and the chiefe trea- 
 fures of Kings and Prouinces, 
 being now full of wifedome, 
 and fchooled with experience, 
 he is licenfed to giue his fen- 
 tence of the whole world, and 
 euery man knowes what his 
 cenfure was: Vanity of vani- 
 ties, vanity of vanities, all is va- 
 nity. This wife King trauelled 
 all the world ouer, and the fur- 
 ther he went the more vanity 
 he did fee, and the neerer he 
 looked, the greater it feemed, 
 till at laft he could fee nothing 
 but vanity. Wouldft thou know 
 what is to be feene, or heard, or 
 had in this vaft Vniuerfe ? Va7ii- 
 ty faith Salomon, yea vanity of 
 vanities', and what elfe ? Vani- 
 ty of vanities. And what elfe ? 
 
 All 
 
 116 
 
Earths Vanity. 97 
 
 All is vanity. Nothing beneath 
 the Moone that hath not a tinc- 
 ture of vanity. Nay, the Moone 
 it felf, the Sunne, all the Planets, 
 all the Starres, the whole body 
 of the Heauens, is become fub- 
 ie6l to Vanitie. The creature is 
 fubie6l vnto Vanity, faith the 
 Apoftle, Rom. 8. 20. that is, the 
 whole frame of the world, con- 
 fifting of the coeleftiall and ele- 
 mentary region, the vifible hea- 
 uens with all their goodly fur- 
 niture of Starres and of ccelefti- 
 all bodies, and the earth with 
 her ornaments, and the other 
 elements. The heauens Jhall pe- 
 rijh, and they JJiall waxe old as 
 doth a garment, and the Lord Jhall 
 change them as a vesture, and they 
 Jhall be changed. As a garment 
 F the 
 
 "7 
 
 Pfal. 102. 
 26. 
 
98 Earths Vanity. 
 
 the older it waxeth, the leffe 
 comely it is, the leffe able to 
 warme him that weares it: fo 
 the materiall heauens by conti- 
 nuance of yeares decreafe in 
 beauty and vertue. The neerer 
 the Sunne drawes to the end of 
 his daily courfe, the leffe is his 
 ftrength; in the euening we 
 feele the Sunne to decay in his 
 heat, and he waxeth alway the 
 weaker. Now if thofe fuperi- 
 our bodies, then much more 
 things inferiour and fublunary, 
 are included within the com- 
 paffe of vanity. 
 
 But it was my purpofe, 
 when I firft fet vpon this fubie6l, 
 fo ample and large, to be fo 
 much the more fhort: euery 
 vnderftanding can of it felfe 
 
 difcourfe, 
 
 118 
 
Earths Vanity. 
 
 99 
 
 difcourfe, where fuch plenty of 
 matter is offered. I haue there- 
 fore (^according to the modell 
 of that gift which God hath 
 giuen me) contriued a great pi- 
 6lure in a Httle ring, fet forth the 
 great vanity of this world in a 
 little Map. 
 
 Let vs now learne the leffon 
 of Saint lohn, the beloued Dif- 
 ciple of Chrift, who wrote fo 
 much of loue, doth yet dehort 
 vs from louing the world, i loh. 
 2. 15. Loue not the world, neither 
 the things that are in the world. 
 Why not the world? for three 
 reafons : i. If any man lotie the 
 world, the lotie of the father is not 
 in him. 2. All that is in the world, 
 the lufl of tJie fleJJi, the Iti/i of the 
 eyes, and the pride of life, is not 
 F2 of 
 
 1*9 
 
lOO Earths Vanity, 
 
 of the father, but is of the world. 
 3. The World paffeth away, and 
 the lufl thereof: that is, it is vaine 
 and vanifhing, yea in the ab- 
 ftra6l Vanity. For thefe reafons 
 we muft not fuffer our hearts to 
 cleaue to the beft things in the 
 world, as if happineffe were to 
 be found in them. Follow the 
 counfell of the holy Ghofl, 
 I Cor. 7. 3 1 . Vfe this world as 
 though thou vfed it not, for the 
 fafhion of this world goeth a- 
 way. Vfe the things of this 
 world as helpes to thee in thy 
 trauell to heauen-ward, but let 
 them not fteale away thy heart 
 from better things, from God, 
 and Chrift, and heauen, and 
 peace of confcience, and ioy in 
 the holy Ghofl: thefe muft de- 
 light 
 
Earths Vanity. loi 
 
 light the heart of a Chriftian, 
 who was redeemed, tiot zvith cor- 
 ruptible things, asjiluer and gold, 
 but with the precious bloud oi le- 
 fus Chrift, in comparifon of 
 whom all the things of the 
 world muft feeme loffe and 
 droffe, and dung, and whatfoe- 
 uer is moll defpitable in the 
 eyes of man. If riches increa/e, 
 fet not thy heart vpon them: no 
 treafure, no pleafure, no honor, 
 nor gold, nor plate, nor iewels, 
 nor houfe, nor land, nor appa- 
 rell, nor friends, muft fteale a- 
 way thy heart. We muft be 
 affedled to thefe things, as The- 
 odoricke the good King of A- 
 quitaine was with his play;* In 
 goodcajts he wasjilent, in ill mer- 
 ry, in neither angry, hi both a 
 F 3 Philo/opherj 
 
 I Pet. I 
 19. 
 
 Pf. 62. 10. 
 
 In bonis 
 iactibus 
 facet, hi 
 malts ri- 
 det, in v- 
 trijgue 
 Philofo- 
 phatur. 
 
I02 Eartfis Vanity. 
 
 P kilo/op her, or a wife man. We 
 muft not make thefe a riuall vn- 
 to God, we muft not leane vpon 
 thefe by our confidence: for 
 they are a reed that fhall quick- 
 ly breake, and the ftiiuers will 
 run into our hand. 
 
 Death is the moft terrible of 
 all things that are terrible, faid 
 the Philofopher Aristotle: it is 
 terrible both to man and beaft, 
 but moft terrible to a wicked 
 man that is worfe then a beaft, 
 when he remembers his fmfull 
 life paft, the complexion of his 
 flefh, the paleneffe of his face, 
 the diffolution of his members, 
 the rottenneffe of his bones, the 
 obfcureneffe of his graue, the 
 folitarineffe of his fepulcher, the 
 gnawing of wormes, and the 
 
 like 
 
Earths Vanity. lo^ 
 
 like. But alas (albeit thefe are 
 terrible, yet) thefe are nothing 
 without the confi deration of 
 fin, which is the fting of death, 
 the ftrength, and vi6tory of the 
 graue. Thinke vpon thy finnes, 
 whereof thou art guilty, and for 
 which thou muft dye, as the 
 condemned malefa6lor that af- 
 ter fentence pronounced, is hur- 
 ried to the fatall place of execu- 
 tion, to fuffer deferued punifh- 
 ment. Remember, yea againe 
 and againe. I fay, remember, 
 how miferably, how violently, 
 how fodainly, others haue fuf- 
 fered death, that were guilty of 
 thofe fms which are more pre- 
 dominant in thee then they 
 were in them. Art thou a thiefe ? 
 which thou maifl be, though 
 F 4 thou 
 
 123 
 
104 Earths Vanity. 
 
 I Sam. 3. 
 
 Num. 25. 
 
 thou wert neuer attached for 
 theft by the lawes of men; for 
 couetoufneffe is a Pick-purfe 
 before God: read and remem- 
 ber \io\^ Achandiy^A.IqfJi. 7. Art 
 thou a whoremafler ? which 
 thou maift be as well in thy 
 minde as in thy body: then 
 read and remember how Hophni 
 and Phineas dyed, how Zimri 
 and Cosbi were flain in the very 
 a6l of their vncleanneffe. And 
 lezabel an impudent ftrumpet 
 dyed a fodaine and fhamefull 
 death. Art thou a blafphemous 
 fwearer that doft rend & grinde 
 the facred name of God be- 
 tweene thy teeth? Remember 
 him vnder the Law that was 
 ftoned to death for his blafphe- 
 my. Art thou an Idolatrous 
 
 impe 
 
 124 
 
Earths Vaiiity. [05 
 
 impe of the Popifh Church, that 
 doll leaue our Lord to worfhip 
 our Lady, and giue that honour 
 to vSaints, nay, to ftockes and 
 flones, which is proper to God 
 alone? call to minde how Sen- 
 nacharib was flaine in the midft 
 of his Idolatry. Art thou an 
 intemperate drunkard, that dofl 
 facrifice thy time and flate, nay, 
 foule and body vnto Bacchus, 
 rifmg early to drinke ftrong 
 drinke, and fitting vp late till 
 Wine inflame thee? thinke 
 vpon BelJJiazzar that was flaine 
 in the midft of his cups, whilft 
 he was drinking in that Wine, 
 which the fwords of his inful- 
 ting enemies drew out of him 
 together with his lateft blood. 
 Art thou a couetous Vfurer, 
 F 5 that 
 
 125 
 
 If 37. vU. 
 
 Daii. 5. 
 vlt. 
 
io6 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Luk. 12. 
 
 that doft let out thy mony to 
 men, thy time to Mamon, and 
 thy foule to Satan, that like a 
 common Hackney jade wilt not 
 beare thy debtors one houre 
 pall thy day ? or art thou a gri- 
 ping oppreffor, that doft racke 
 thy poore tenants, and exa6l 
 vpon thy neighbour, to gaine a 
 little tranfitory tralh? Remem- 
 ber Nabal, and remember that 
 Mifer in the Gofpell, who being 
 afleep in fecurity, and dreaming 
 of enlarged barns and plentifull 
 haruefts, was fodainly bereft 
 of all, and being awaked vpon 
 the hearing of his Soule-knell 
 perceiued himfelf to be for euer 
 wretched. Confider whether 
 thefe and the like finners, that 
 haue made their fouls the flaues 
 
 of 
 
 06 
 
Earths Vanity. 107 
 
 of vanity, haue not in the end 
 made themfelues the flaues of 
 mifery. Haue they profpered, 
 or haue they perifhed? if they 
 haue profpered, then follow 
 them; if perifhed (as indeede 
 they haue ) then in the feare of 
 God retire out of their paths, 
 left thou be fpeedily cut off, 
 hauing no information of the 
 danger, till thy owne eyes ama- 
 zed with the fodainnes behold 
 it in the fhape of ineuitable 
 damnation. Be thou warned 
 by their examples; for God 
 hath punifhed fnme in them, to 
 preuent finne in thee: Vt ex- 
 empla Jint omnium, tormenta 
 paucorum; that the torments of 
 fome few may be terrours vnto 
 all: like as thunderbolts fall 
 
 (Pau- 
 
 127 
 
 Cyprian 
 Jer. s- dc 
 
 Lap/. 
 
io8 Earths Vanity. 
 
 (Paucorum periculo, fed omnium 
 metu) to the hurt but of few, 
 though not without the horror 
 of all. That fhip which fees 
 another fhip finke before her, 
 lookes about her, puis downe 
 her faile, turneth her courfe, 
 and efcapes the fands, which 
 elfe would fwallow her vp as 
 they done the other. When 
 the earth fwallowed vp Corah 
 and his confederates, all Ifrael 
 that were round about them, 
 fled at the cry of them, for they 
 faid, Lest the earth fwallow vs 
 vp alfo, Num. i6. 34. The Bird 
 will not light on the lime-bufti, 
 nor into the net, if fhe fee ano- 
 ther infnared before her; the 
 Horfe will not follow another, 
 whom he fees to flicke faft in 
 
 the 
 
 128 
 
Earths Vanity. 109 
 
 the mire: oh be not leffe wife 
 then bird or beaft, nor more 
 brutifh then Horfe and Mule 
 that hath no vnderftanding. If 
 thou feeft another fall into the 
 fire, thou wilt not willingly fol- 
 low him ; then follow not fmners 
 to the fire of hell, left thou be 
 conftrained at laft, when it fhall 
 be too late, to bewaile thy fol- 
 ly: to cry out with thofe that 
 haue mifpent their time in va- 
 nity, Oh that now I might dye 
 the death of the righteous ! oh 
 that I might not dye at all! oh 
 that I might feele in my confci- 
 ence the leafl hope of pardon, 
 which is as vnpoffible as to vn- 
 lade all the water in the vaft 
 Ocean with a fpoone! Oh that 
 God would giue mee the leafl 
 
 dram 
 
 129 
 
 Thus Fran- 
 cis Spiera. 
 cried out, 
 after he 
 had renoa- 
 ced the 
 profefsion 
 o true 
 pietie, for 
 the poffef- 
 fion of 
 earths va- 
 nity. 
 
no 
 
 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Reu. 22. 
 
 dram of grace, which is as im- 
 poffible as for the leaft graine of 
 Muftardfeed to fill the whole 
 earth ! preuent this betimes, 
 which thou maifl doe, by aban- 
 doning the vanity of the world; 
 and fo Hue, that wherefoeuer or 
 howfoeuer thou dyeft, whether 
 abroad or at home, by day or 
 by night, lleeping or waking, 
 whether a fodain death or a deli- 
 berate death, thou maift willing- 
 ly commend thy fpirit vnto the 
 hands of God as vnto the hands 
 of a faithfull creator; and maift 
 fay with the Bride, Come Lord 
 lefu, euen/o, come Lord lefu, come 
 quickly: my heart is prepared 
 to enter into thy reft, receiue 
 me into the armes of thy mer- 
 cy, entertaine mee into thy 
 
 owne 
 
 130 
 
Earths Vanity. 1 1 1 
 
 owne kingdome, that leaning 
 the vanity of this world, I may 
 with thy glorified Angels and 
 bleffed Saints, enioy that e- 
 uerlafling felicity of a better 
 world, which neuer fhall haue 
 an end. 
 
 Adew therefore vain world, 
 with all worldly delights what- 
 foeuer; and now folitary foule 
 begin to take thy folace in bet- 
 ter things. And to proue the 
 world vaine, and consequently 
 thy felfe vaine, behold thefe 
 fhapes, read thefe Verfes, and in 
 order open the leaues that are 
 folded vp, Herein, as in a mir- 
 rour, behold thy owne eftate, 
 read, and confider what thou 
 readeft, that thou maifl know 
 and fee thy owne vanity. 
 
 Here 
 
 131 
 
112 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Here thou fhalt fee what thou 
 wert, what thou art, and what 
 thou fhalt be. Duft thou wert, 
 duft thou art, and vnto duft thou 
 fhah returne; duft in thy crea- 
 tion, duft in thy conftitution, 
 duft in thy diftblution. 
 
 Though 
 
 i3» 
 
I. 
 
 ' I ^ Hough long it werejince Adam was^ 
 
 -*- Yetfeemes he here to be ; 
 A bleffed creature once he was. 
 Now naked as you fee: 
 Whofe wife was caufe of all my care, 
 To fay I may be bold: 
 Turne backethe leaues, and then you may 
 My picture there behold. 
 
 II. 
 
 To thinke vpon the workes of God, 
 All worldly men may wonder: 
 But thinking on thyftnnes O man, 
 Thy heart may burfl afunder: 
 The finner fits and fweetly fings, 
 Andfo his heart beguiles. 
 
 Till 
 
 nz 
 
114 Earths Vanity. 
 
 Till I come with my bitter Jiings, 
 And turne to grief e his /miles. 
 
 III. 
 
 Mufe not to gaze vpon my JJiape, 
 Whofe nakednejfe you fee ; 
 By flattering and deceitfull words. 
 The Diuell deceiued me: 
 Let m^e example be to all, 
 That once from God doe range: 
 Tur7ie backe the leaues, and then behold 
 Another fight asflrange. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Had Adam and Eue neuer beene 
 
 As there you f aw their fhape, 
 
 I Tieuer had deceiued them, 
 
 Nor they ere made debate: 
 
 But turne, behold where both doefland 
 
 And lay the fault on me: 
 
 Turtle backe the vpper and nether crests, 
 
 There each of the^n you fee. 
 
 Here 
 
 134 
 
Earths Vanity. 115 
 
 I. III. 
 
 Here we doejland in perfeH: Jiatey 
 
 All formed as we were ; 
 
 But what the Serpent did by hate, 
 
 Shall fodainely appeare : 
 
 Then here behold how both doejland. 
 
 And where the fault did lye : 
 
 Tit almighty pozver didfo command, 
 
 That once we all must dye. 
 
 IL IV. 
 
 See what comes of wicked deed, 
 As all me7i well doc know ; 
 And for the fame God hath decreed 
 That wefJtould Hue in woe : 
 The dtfl it was my daily food, 
 Vnto it we mufl turne ; 
 And darkneffe is my chief e abode, 
 Inforrowfo we mourne. 
 
 Of 
 
 >3S 
 
ii6 
 
 Hels Torments. 
 
 Of the punifhments 
 
 which the Lord threat- 
 
 7ietk vntofuch as Hue 
 
 ajinfull life. 
 
 Ne of the principall 
 meanes that our Lord 
 hath vfed oftentimes 
 to bridle the hearts of men, and 
 to draw them vnto the obedi- 
 ence of his commandements, 
 hath beene, to fet before their 
 eyes the horrible plagues and 
 punifhments that are prepared 
 
 for 
 
 136 
 
Hels Torments. 1 1 7 
 
 for fuch perfons as be rebels 
 and tranfgreffours of his Law. 
 For although the hope of the 
 rewards that are promifed vnto 
 the good in the life to come, 
 may moue vs very much here- 
 unto : yet are we commonly 
 more moued with things that 
 be irkefome vnto vs, than with 
 fuch as be pleafant; euen as we 
 fee by daily experience, that we 
 are vexed more with an iniury 
 done vnto vs, than delighted 
 with any honour/ and we are 
 more troubled with fickneffe, 
 than comforted with health: 
 and fo by the difcommodity of 
 fickneffe, we come to vnderftand 
 the commodity of health, as 
 by a thing fo much the bet- 
 ter perceiued, by how much 
 
 more 
 
 137 
 
1 1 8 Hels Torments. 
 
 more it is fenfibly felt. Now for 
 this caufe did our Lord in times 
 paft vfe this meane more than 
 any other, as it appeareth moll 
 clearely by the writings of the 
 Prophets, which are euery 
 where full of dreadfull fayings 
 and threatnings, wherewith 
 our Lord pretendeth to put a 
 terrour into the hearts of men, 
 and fo to bridle and fubdue 
 them vnder the obedience of his 
 Law. And for this end he com- 
 manded the Prophet leremie, 
 That he fliould take a white 
 booke, and write in the fame all 
 the threatnings and calamities 
 which hee had reuealed vnto 
 him, euen from the firft day he 
 began to talke with him, vntill 
 that prefent houre, and that he 
 
 Ihould 
 
 138 
 
Hels Torments. 119 
 
 fhould read the fame in the pre- 
 fence of all the people, to fee if 
 peraduenture they would be 
 moued therewith vnto repen- 
 tance, and to change their for- 
 mer life, to the end, that he 
 might alfo change the determi- 
 nation of his wrath, which he 
 had purpofed to execute vpon 
 them. And the holy Scripture 
 faith, That when the Prophet 
 had done according as he was 
 commanded by almighty God, 
 and had read all thofe threat- 
 nings in the prefence of the 
 people, and of the Rulers ; there 
 arofe fuch a feare and terrour 
 amongft them, that they were 
 all aftonifhed, and as it were 
 beftraughted of their wits, look- 
 ing one in anothers face, for the 
 
 exceeding 
 
 139 
 
I20 Hels Torments. 
 
 exceeding great fear which they 
 had conceiued of thofe words. 
 This was one of the principall 
 means which almighty God v- 
 fed with men in the time of the 
 Law written, and fo he did alfo 
 in the time of the Law of grace : 
 in which, the holy Apoftle 
 faith, That as there is reuealed a 
 iuftice, whereby God maketh 
 men iuft, fo is there alfo reuea- 
 led an indignation and wrath, 
 whereby he punifheth the vn- 
 iuft: for which caufe, S. lohn 
 Baptifl (the glorious forerunner 
 of our Sauiour Chrift^ was fent 
 with this commiffion and em- 
 baffage, to preach vnto the 
 world, That the axe was now 
 put to the root of the tree, and that 
 euery tree that brought not forth 
 
 good 
 
 140 
 
Hels Torments. 121 
 
 good fruit, Jhould be cut doivne 
 and cast into the fire. Hee faid 
 moreouer, That there was ano- 
 ther come into the world, more 
 mighty than hee, that carried in 
 his hand a fanne, to winnow and 
 cleanfe therewith his fioore, and 
 that he would put vp the come 
 into his garner, but the chaffe he 
 willburne in afire thatfiiouldne- 
 uer be quenched. This was the 
 preaching and embaffage which 
 the holy fore-runner of our 
 Sauiour lefus Chrift brought 
 into the world. And fo great 
 was the thunder of thefe words, 
 and the terrour which entered 
 into mens hearts, fo dreadfull, 
 that there ran vnto him of all 
 eflates and conditions of men, 
 euen of the very Pharifees and 
 G Publicans, 
 
 141 
 
122 Hels Torfnents. 
 
 Publicans, yea, and Souldiours 
 alfo (which of all others are 
 wont to be moft diffolute, and 
 to haue the leaft care of their 
 confciences) and each of them 
 demanded for himfelfe particu- 
 larly of that holy man, what he 
 fhould doe to attaine vnto fal- 
 uation, and to efcape thofe ter- 
 rible threatnings which he had 
 denounced vnto them, fo great 
 was the feare they had concei- 
 ued of them. 
 
 And this is that (deare Chri- 
 ftian brother) which I doe at 
 this prefent (in the behalfe of 
 Almighty God) deliuer vnto 
 thee, although not with fuch 
 feruency of fpirit and like holi- 
 neffe of life, yet that which im- 
 porteth more in this cafe, with 
 
 the 
 
 142 
 
Hels Torments. 123. 
 
 the fame truth and certainty; 
 for fo much as the faith and 
 Gofpell which Saint Ioh7i Bap- 
 tist then preached, is euen the 
 fame now taught. 
 
 Now, if thou be defirous to 
 vnderftand in few words, how 
 great the punifhment is, that al- 
 mighty God hath threatned in 
 his holy Scriptures to the wick- 
 ed, that which may moft briefly 
 and moft to the purpofe be fpo- 
 ken in this matter, is this : That 
 like as the reward of the good is 
 an vniuerfall good thing, euen 
 fo the punifliment of the wick- 
 ed is an vniuerfall euill, which 
 comprehendeth in it al the euils 
 that are. For the better vnder- 
 ftanding whereof, it is to be no- 
 ted, That all the euils of this life 
 G 2 are 
 
 «43 
 
124 Hels Tormefits. 
 
 are particular euils, and there- 
 fore doe not torment all our 
 fences generally, but onely one, 
 or fome of them. As taking an 
 example of the difeafes of our 
 body; we fee, that one hath a 
 difeafe in his eyes, another in 
 his eares: one is ficke in the 
 heart, another in the flomacke, 
 fome other in his head. And fo 
 diuers men are difeafed in diuers 
 parts of the body, howbeit, in 
 fuch wife, that none of all thefe 
 difeafes be generally through- 
 out all the members of the bo- 
 dy, but particular to fome one 
 of them. And yet for all this, 
 we fee what griefe onely one of 
 thefe difeafes may put vs vnto, 
 and how painefull a night the 
 ficke man hath in any one of 
 
 thefe 
 
 144 
 
Hels Torments. 125 
 
 thefe infirmities, yea, although 
 it be nothing elfe but a little ach 
 in one tooth. Now let vs put 
 the cafe, that there were fome 
 one man ficke of fuch an vni- 
 uerfall difeafe, that he had no 
 part of his body, neither any 
 one joynt or fence free from his 
 proper paine, but that at one 
 time and inftant hee fuffered 
 mofl exceeding fharpe torment 
 in his head, in his eyes, and 
 eares, in his teeth, and ftomack, 
 in his liuer and heart : and to be 
 fhort, in all the reft of his mem- 
 bers and joints of his body, and 
 that he lay after this fort ftret- 
 ching himfelfe in his bed, being 
 pained with thefe greefes and 
 torments, euery member of his 
 body hauing his particular tor- 
 G 3 ment 
 
 145 
 
126 Hels Torments. 
 
 ment and grief e: Hee (I fay) 
 that fhould lye thus pained and 
 affli6led, how great torment 
 and griefe of minde and body 
 (thinke ye) fhould he fuftaine? 
 Oh, what thing could any man 
 imagine more miferable, and 
 more worthy of compaffion? 
 Surely, if thou fhouldeft fee but 
 a dogge to be fo tormented and 
 grieued in the flreet, his very 
 paines would moue thy heart 
 to take pitty vpon him. Now 
 this is that (my deare Chriftian 
 brother, if any comparifon rhay 
 be made betweene them) which 
 is fuffered in that moft curfed 
 and horrible place of hell, and 
 not onely during for the fpace 
 of one night, but euerlaftingly, 
 for euer and euer. For like as 
 
 the 
 
 146 
 
Hels Torments. 127 
 
 the wicked men haue offended 
 Almighty God with all their 
 members and fences, and haue 
 made armour of them all to 
 ferue fmne, euen fo will he or- 
 daine, that they fhall be there 
 tormented euery one of them 
 with his proper torment. 
 
 There fhall the wanton vn- 
 chafte eyes be tormented with 
 the terrible fight of Diuels : the 
 eares with the confufion of fuch 
 horrible cries and lamentations 
 which fhall there be heard: the 
 nofe with the intollerable llinke 
 of that vgly, filthy, and loath- 
 fome place: the tafte, with a 
 moft rauenous hunger and 
 thirft: the touching, and all the 
 members of the body with ex- 
 treame burning fire. The ima- 
 G 4 ginations 
 
 ««» 
 
126 Hels Torments. 
 
 gination fhall be tormented by 
 the conceiuing of griefes pre- 
 fent : the memory, by calling to 
 minde the pleafures paft: the 
 vnderftanding, by confidering 
 what benefits are loft, and what 
 endleffe miferies are to come. 
 
 This multitude of punifh 
 ments the holy Scripture figni- 
 fieth vnto vs, when it faith, 
 Mat. 15. P/al. 10. That in hell 
 there Jhall be hunger, thir/l, wee- 
 ping, wailing, gnaJJiing of teeth, 
 /words double edged, fpirits crea 
 ted for rettengement, ferpents, 
 wormes, fcorpions, hammers, 
 wormewood, water of gall, thefpi- 
 rit of tempefl, and other things 
 of like fort. Whereby are fig- 
 nified vnto vs (as in a figure) the 
 multitude and dreadfull terrour 
 
 of 
 
 i|B 
 
Hels Torments. 127 
 
 of the mofi; horrible torments 
 and paines that be in that curfed 
 place. There (ball be likewife 
 darkneffe inward and outward, 
 both of body and foule, farre 
 more obfcure than the darke- 
 neffe of y^gypt, which was to 
 be felt euen with hands, Exod. 
 20. There fhall be fire alfo, not 
 as this fire here, that tormenteth 
 a little, and fhortly endeth, but 
 fuch a fire as that place requi- 
 reth, which tormenteth excee- 
 dingly, and fhall neuer make an 
 end of that tormenting. This 
 being true, what greater won- 
 der can there be, than that they 
 which beleeue and confeffe this 
 for truth, fhould Hue with fuch 
 moft flrange negligence and 
 carelefneffe as they doe ? What 
 G 5 trauell 
 
 149 
 
l^o Hels Torments. 
 
 trauell and paines would not a 
 man willingly take to efcape 
 euen one onely day, yea, one 
 houre, the very leaft of thefe 
 torments? and wherefore doe 
 they not then, to efcape the 
 euerlaftingneffe of fo great 
 paines and horrible torments, 
 endure fo little a trauell, as to 
 follow the exercife of vertue. 
 Surely, the confideration of this 
 matter were able to make any 
 fmfull foule to feare and trem- 
 ble, in cafe it were deepely re- 
 garded. 
 
 And if amongft fo great num- 
 ber of paines, there were any 
 manner hope of end or releafe, 
 it would be fome kinde of com- 
 fort: but alas it is not fo, for there 
 the gates are fafl fhut vp from 
 
 all 
 
 m 
 
Hels Torments. 
 
 131 
 
 all expe6lation of any manner 
 of eafe or hope. In all kinde of 
 paines and calamities that be in 
 this world, there is alwayes 
 fome gap lying open, whereby 
 the patient may receiue fome 
 kind of comfort: fometimes 
 reafon, fometimes the weather, 
 fometimes his friends, fome- 
 times the hearing that others 
 are troubled with the very fame 
 difeafe, and fometimes (at the 
 leaft) the hope of an end may 
 cheare him : onely in thefe moft 
 horrible paines and miferies 
 that be in hell, all the wayes are 
 fhut vp in fuch fort, and all the 
 hauens of comfort fo embarred, 
 that the miferable fmner cannot 
 hope for remedy on any fide, 
 neither of heauen, nor of earth, 
 
 neither 
 
 i$» 
 
130 Hels Torments. 
 
 neither of the time paft, or pre- 
 fent, or of the time to come, or 
 of any other meanes. The dam- 
 ned foules thinke, that all men 
 are fhooting darts at them, and 
 that all creatures haue confpired 
 againfl them, & that euen they 
 themfelues are cruell againfl 
 themfelues. This is that diflreffe 
 whereof the fmners doe lament 
 by the Prophet, faying: The 
 forrowes of hell haue compajfed me 
 round about, and the fnares of 
 death haue befieged me: For on 
 which fide foeuer they looke or 
 turne their eyes, they doe con- 
 tinually behold occafions of 
 forrow and griefe, and none at 
 all of any eafe or comfort. The 
 wife Virgins (faith the Euange- 
 lifl) that stood ready prepared at 
 
 the 
 
 152 
 
Hels Torments. 131 
 
 the gate of the Bridegrome, entred 
 in, and the gate was forthwith 
 locked fast. O locking eiierla- 
 fling, O enclofure immortal, O 
 gate of all goodneffe, which fhal 
 neuer any more be opened a- 
 gaine. As if he had faid more 
 plainly, the gate of pardon, of 
 mercy, of comfort, of grace, of 
 interceffion, of hope, and of all 
 other goodneffe, is fhut vp for 
 euer and euer. Six dayes and 
 no more was Manna to be ga- 
 thered, but the feuenth day, 
 which was the Sabbath day 
 was there none to be found: 
 and therefore fhall he fafl for 
 euer, that hath not in due time 
 made his prouifion aforehand. 
 The fluggard (faith the wife 
 man) will not till his ground for 
 
 feare 
 
 153 
 
134 
 
 Hels Torments. 
 
 feare of cold, and therefore fhall 
 he beg his bread in fummer, and 
 no man fhall giue him to eat. 
 And in another place he faith : 
 He that gathereth in fimimer, is 
 a wife fonne, but he that giueth 
 him/elf e tojleeping at that fea/on, 
 is thefonne ofconfu/ion. For what 
 confufion can be greater then 
 that which that miferable coue- 
 tous rich man fuffereth, who 
 with a few crums of bread that 
 fell from his table, might haue 
 purchafed to himfelfe abun- 
 dance of euerlafting felicitie, 
 and glory in the kingdome of 
 heauen ? But becaufe he would 
 not giue fo fmall a thing, he 
 came to fuch an extreame ne- 
 ceffity that he begged f^yea, and 
 fhall for euer beg in vaine) one- 
 
 ly 
 
 154 
 
Hels Torments. 135 
 
 ly one drop of water, and fhall 
 neuer obtaine it. Who is not 
 moued with that requeft of that 
 vnfortunate damned perfon, 
 who cried, O father Abraham 
 haue compaj/ion on me, and fend 
 downe Lazarus vnto m-e, that he 
 m^y dip the tip of his finger in wa- 
 ter^ and touch my tongue, for 
 thefe horrible fiames doe torment 
 me exceedingly. What fmaller 
 requeft could there be defired 
 than this? He durfl not requeft 
 fo much as one cup of water, 
 neither that Lazarus fhould put 
 his whole hand into the water, 
 nor yet (^ which is more to be 
 wondered at^ did he requeft fo 
 much as the whole finger, but 
 onely the tip of it, that it might 
 but touch his tongue; and yet 
 
 euen 
 
 1.55 
 
134 Hels Torments. 
 
 euen this alone would not be 
 granted vnto him. Whereby 
 thou maieft perceiue, how fall 
 the gate of all confolation is 
 Ihut vp, and how vniuerfall 
 that interdict and excommuni- 
 cation is, that is there laid vpon 
 the damned, fith this rich Glut- 
 ton could not obtaine fo much 
 as this fmall requeft. So that 
 wherefoeuer the damned per- 
 fons doe turne their eyes, and 
 on which fide foeuer they 
 ftretch their hands, they fhall 
 not finde any manner of com- 
 fort, be it neuer fo fmall. And 
 as he that is in the Sea choaked, 
 and almoft drowned vnder the 
 water, not finding any ftay 
 whereupon to fet his foot, 
 flretcheth forth his hands often- 
 times 
 
 156 
 
Hels Torments. 135 
 
 times on euery fide in vain f^be- 
 caufe all that he grafpeth after, 
 is thin and liquid water, which 
 deceiues him^ euen fo fhall it 
 fare with the damned perfons, 
 when they fhall be drowned in 
 that deepe Sea of fo many mi- 
 feries, where they fhall ftriue 
 and ftruggle alwaies with death, 
 without finding any fuccour or 
 place of ftay, whereupon they 
 may reft themfelues. Now this 
 is one of the greateft paines 
 wherewith they be tormented 
 in that curfed place : for if thefe 
 torments fhould haue their con- 
 tinuance limited but for a cer- 
 taine time, though it were for 
 a thoufand, yea, a hundred thou- 
 fand millions of yeares, yet euen 
 this would be fome little com- 
 fort 
 
 157 
 
138 Hels Torments. 
 
 fort vnto them, for nothing is 
 perfe6tly great, in cafe it haue 
 an end : But alas, they haue not 
 fo much as this poore and mife- 
 rable comfort: but contrariwife, 
 their paines are equall in conti- 
 nuance with the eternity of al- 
 mighty God, and the lafting of 
 their mifery with the eternity 
 of Gods glory. As long as al- 
 mighty God fhall Hue, fo long 
 fhall they dye: and when al- 
 mighty God fhall ceafe to be 
 God, then ihall they alfo ceafe 
 to be as they are. O deadly life, 
 O immortall death! I know not. 
 whether I may truely tearme 
 thee, either life or death : for if 
 thou be life, why doft thou kil ? 
 And if thou be death, why doeft 
 thou endure ? Wherefore 
 
 I 
 
 158 
 
Hels Torments. 139 
 
 I will call thee neither the one, 
 nor the other, for fo much as in 
 both of them there is contained 
 fomething that is good: as in 
 life there is reft, and in death 
 there is an end (which is a great 
 comfort to the affli6led) but 
 thou haft neither reft nor end. 
 What art thou then? Marry, 
 thou art the worft of life, and 
 the worft of death ; for of death 
 thou haft the torment, without 
 any end, and of life thou haft 
 the continuance without any 
 reft. O bitter compofition, O 
 vnfauory purgation of our Lords 
 cup! of the which, all the fm- 
 ners of the earth fliall drinke 
 their part. 
 
 Now in this continuance in 
 this eternity, I would wifti that 
 
 thou 
 
 i5» 
 
138 Hels Torments. 
 
 thou (my deare Chriflian bro- 
 ther) wouldft fixe the eyes of 
 thy confideration a little while: 
 and that as the cleane beaft 
 cheweth the cud, euen fo thou 
 wouldeft weigh this point 
 within thy felfe with great deli- 
 beration. And to the intent 
 thou maieft doe it the better, 
 confider a little the paines that 
 a ficke man abideth in one euill 
 night, efpeciall}^ if he be vexed 
 with any vehement griefe, or 
 fharpe difeafe. Marke how oft 
 he tumbleth and toffeth in his 
 bed, what difquietneffe he hath, 
 how long & tedious one night 
 feemeth vnto him, how duely 
 he counteth all the houres of 
 the clocke, and how long he 
 deemeth each houre of them to 
 
 be. 
 
 160 
 
Hels Torments. 139 
 
 be, how he paffeth the time in 
 wifhing for the dawning of the 
 day; which notwithftanding, is 
 like to helpe him Httle towards 
 the curing of his difeafe. If this 
 then be accounted fo great a 
 torment, what torment fhall 
 that be (thinke you) in that e- 
 uerlafling night in hell, which 
 hath no morning, nor fo much 
 as any hope of any dawning of 
 the day: O darkneffe moft ob- 
 fcure! O night euerlafting! O 
 night accurfed euen by the 
 mouth of almighty God and 
 all his Saints! That one fhall 
 wifh for light, and fhall neuer 
 fee it, neither fhall the bright- 
 neffe of the morning arife any 
 more. Confider then what a 
 kinde of torment fhall that be, 
 
 to 
 
 161 
 
142 Hels Torments. 
 
 to Hue euerlaftingly in fuch a 
 night as this is, lying not in a 
 foft bed (as the ficke man doth) 
 but in a hot burning furnace, fo- 
 ming out fuch terrible raging 
 flames. What flioulders fhall be 
 able to abide thofe horrible 
 heats. If it feeme to vs as a thing 
 intollerable to haue onely fome 
 part of our feet flanding vpon a 
 pan of burning coales, for the 
 fpace of repeating the Lords 
 prayer, What fhall it be (thinke 
 you) to ftand body and foule 
 burning in the midft of thofe e- 
 uerlafting hot raging fires in 
 hell, in comparifon of which, 
 the fires of this world are but 
 painted fires. Is there any wit 
 or iudgement in this world? 
 Haue men their right fences? 
 
 doe 
 
 162 
 
Hels Torments. 143 
 
 doe they vnderfland what thefe 
 words import? or are they per- 
 aduentiire perfwaded, that thefe 
 are onely the fables of Poets? 
 or doe they thinke, that this ap- 
 pertaineth not to them, or elfe 
 that it was onely ment for o- 
 thers? None of all this can 
 they fay, for fo much as our 
 faith affureth vs mofl; certainly 
 herein. And our Sauiour Chrift 
 himfelfe, who is euerlafting 
 truth, crieth out in his Gofpell, 
 faying, Hcauen and em'th Jhall 
 faile, but my wordJJtall not faile. 
 Of this mifery there follow- 
 eth another as great as it, which 
 is, that the paines are alwayes 
 continuing in one like degree, 
 without any manner of inter- 
 miffion, or decreafmg. All man- 
 ner 
 
142 Hels Torments. 
 
 ner of things that are vnder the 
 cope of heauen, doe moue and 
 turn round about with the fame 
 heauen^ and doe neuer ftand flil 
 at one ftate or being, but are 
 continually either afcending or 
 defcending. The fea and the 
 riuers haue their ebbing and 
 flowing, the times, the ages, and 
 the mutable fortune of men, and 
 of kingdomes, are euermore in 
 continuall motion. There is no 
 feauer fo feruent, that doth not 
 decline, neither griefe fo fharp, 
 but that after it is much aug- 
 mented, it doth forthwith de- 
 creafe. To be fhort, all the tri- 
 bulations and miferies are by 
 little and little worne away 
 with time, and as the common 
 faying is, Nothing is fooner dried 
 
 vp 
 
 164 
 
Hels Torments. 145 
 
 vp than teares. Onely that paine 
 in hell is alwayes greene, onely 
 that feauer neuer decreafeth, 
 onely that extremity of heat 
 knoweth not what is either eue- 
 ning or morning. In the time 
 of Noahs flood, almighty God 
 rained forty dayes and forty 
 nights, continually without 
 ceafmg vpon the earth, and this 
 fufficed to drowne the whole 
 world. But in that place of 
 torment in hell, there fhall raine 
 euerlafting vengeance, and darts 
 of furie vpon that curfed land, 
 without euer ceafmg fo much as 
 one onely minute or moment. 
 Now what torment can be 
 greater and more to be abhor- 
 red, than continually to fuffer 
 after one like manner, without 
 H any 
 
 165 
 
146 Hels Torments. 
 
 any kinde of alteration or 
 change? Though a meat be 
 neuer fo delicate, yet in cafe we 
 feed continually thereupon, it 
 will in very fhort time be very 
 loathfome vnto vs: for no meat 
 can be more precious and deli 
 cate than that Manna was, 
 which almighty God fent down 
 vnto the children of Ifrael in 
 the Defart, and yet becaufe they 
 did eat continually thereof, it 
 made them to loath it, yea, and 
 prouoked them to vomit it vp 
 againe. The way that is all 
 plaine (they fay) wearieth more 
 than any other, becaufe alwayes 
 the variety (yea, euen in punifh- 
 ment) is a kinde of comfort. 
 Tell me then, if things that be 
 pleafant and fauory, when they 
 
 be 
 
 i«6 
 
Hels Torments. 147 
 
 be alwayes after one manner, 
 are an occafion of loathfome- 
 neffe and paine: what kinde of 
 loathfomeneffe will that be 
 which fhall be caufed by thofe 
 moft horrible paines and tor- 
 ments in hell, which doe con- 
 tinue euerlaftingly after one 
 like fort? What will the dam- 
 ned and curfed creatures think, 
 when they fhall there fee them- 
 felues fo vtterly abhorred and 
 forfaken of almighty God, that 
 he will not fo much as with the 
 remiffion of any one fmne, mi- 
 tigate fomwhat their torments. 
 And fo great fhall the fury and 
 rage be which they fhall there 
 conceiue againft him, that they 
 fhall neuer ceafe continually to 
 curfe and blafpheme his holy 
 H 2 name. 
 
 «7 
 
148 Hels Torments. 
 
 name. Vnto all thefe paines, 
 there is alfo added the paine of 
 that euerlafting confumer, to 
 wit, the worme of confcience, 
 whereof the holy Scripture 
 maketh fo oftentimes mention, 
 faying. Their worme JJiall neuer 
 dye, and their fire fitall netcer be 
 quenched. This worme is a fu- 
 rious raging defpight and bitter 
 repentance, without any fruit, 
 which the wicked fhall alwayes 
 haue in hell, by calling to their 
 remembrance the opportunity 
 and time they had whiles they 
 were in this world, to efcape 
 thofe moft grieuous and horri- 
 ble torments, and how they 
 would not vfe the benefit there- 
 of. And therefore when the 
 miferable fmner feeth himfelfe 
 
 thus 
 
 168 
 
Hels Torments. 149 
 
 thus to be tormented and vex- 
 ed on euery fide, and doth call 
 to minde how many dayes and 
 yeeres he hath fpent idly in va- 
 nities, paflimes, and pleafures; 
 and how oftentimes he was ad- 
 uertifed of this perill, and how 
 little regard he tooke thereof: 
 What fhall he thinke? What 
 anguifh and forrow fhall there 
 be in his heart? Haft thou not 
 read in the Gofpell, that there 
 ftiall be weeping and wailing, and 
 gnajhing of teeth? The famine 
 of ^gypt endurd onely feuen 
 yeares, but that in hell fhall en- 
 dure euerlaftingly. In ^gypt 
 they found a remedy, though 
 with great difficulty & charge; 
 but for this, there fhall neuer a- 
 ny remedy be found. Theirs 
 H 3 was 
 
 J69 
 
150 Hels Torments. 
 
 was redeemed with money and 
 cattell, but this can neuer be re- 
 deemed with any manner of ex- 
 change. This punifhment can- 
 not be pardoned, this paine 
 cannot be exchanged, this fen- 
 tence cannot be reuoked. Oh, 
 if thou knewell and wouldeft 
 confider, how euery one con- 
 demned to hell, fhall there re- 
 maine tormenting and renting 
 himfelfe, weeping and wailing, 
 and faying; O miferable and 
 vnfortunate wretch that I am, 
 what times and opportunities 
 haue I fuffered to paffe invaine? 
 A time there was, when with 
 one cup of cold water I might 
 haue purchafed to my felfe a 
 crowne of glory, and when alfo 
 with fuch neceffary workes of 
 
 mercy 
 
 170 
 
Hels Torments. 151 
 
 mercy in relieuing the poore, I 
 might haue gained life euerla- 
 fting. Wherefore did I not 
 looke before me? How was I 
 blinded with things prefent? 
 How did I let paffe the fruitfull 
 yeares of abundance, and did 
 not enrich my felfe? If I had 
 beene brought vp amongft In- 
 fidels and Pagans, and had be- 
 leeued that there had beene no- 
 thing elfe but onely to be born, 
 and to dye, then might I haue 
 had fome kinde of excufe, and 
 might haue faid, I knew not 
 what was commanded or pro- 
 hibited me: but for fo much as 
 I haue lined amongft Chriftians, 
 and was my felfe one of them 
 profeffed, and held it for an ar- 
 ticle of my beleefe, that the 
 H 4 houre 
 
 tyi 
 
152 
 
 Hels Torments. 
 
 houre fhould come when I 
 (hould giue vp an account after 
 what order I had fpent my life: 
 forfomuch alfo as it was daily- 
 cried out vnto me by the conti- 
 nuall preaching and teaching of 
 Gods Embaffadours (whofe 
 aduertifements many follow- 
 ing, made preparation in time, 
 and laboured earneftly for the 
 prouifion of good workes:) 
 forafmuch I fay as I made light 
 of all thefe examples, and per- 
 fwaded my felfe very fondly, 
 that heauen was prepared for 
 me, though I tooke no paines 
 for it at all : what deferue I that 
 haue thus led my life ? O ye in- 
 fernall furies, come and rent me 
 in peeces, aud deuoure thefe my 
 bowels, for fo haue I iuftly de- 
 
 ferued 
 
 172 
 
Hels Torments. 153 
 
 ferued, I haue deferued eternall 
 famifhment, feeing I would not 
 prouide for my felfe while I 
 had time. I deferue not to reap, 
 becaufe I haue not fowne; I am 
 worthy to be deftitute, becaufe 
 I haue not laid vp in ftore; I 
 deferue that my requeft fhould 
 now be denied me, fith when 
 the poore made requeft vnto 
 me, I refufed to releeue them: 
 I haue deferued to figh and la- 
 ment fo long as God fhall be 
 God; I haue deferued, that this 
 worme of confcience fhal gnaw 
 mine entrails for euer and euer, 
 by reprefenting vnto mee the 
 little pleafure that 1 haue en- 
 ioyed, and the great felicitie 
 which I haue loft, and how far 
 greater that was which I might 
 H 5 haue 
 
 »73 
 
154 
 
 Hels Torments. 
 
 haue gained, by forgoing that 
 little which I would not forgoe. 
 This is that immortall worme 
 that fhall neuer dye, but flial lye 
 there euerlaftingly gnawing at 
 the entrailes of the wicked, 
 which is one of the moft terri- 
 ble paines that can poffibly be 
 imagined. 
 
 Peraduenture thou art now 
 perfwaded (good Reader) that 
 there can be added no more vn- 
 to this, than hath beene faid. 
 But furely the mighty arme of 
 God wanteth not force to cha- 
 ftice his enemies more & more : 
 for all thefe paines that are hi- 
 therto rehearfed, are fuch as doe 
 appertaine generally to all the 
 damned: but befides thefe ge- 
 nerall paines, there are alfo 
 
 other 
 
 174 
 
Hels Torments, 155 
 
 other particular paines, which 
 each one of the damned fhall 
 there fuffer in diners forts, ac- 
 cording to the qiiahty of his 
 finne. And fo according to this 
 proportion, the hauty and 
 proud fhall there be abafed and 
 brought low to their great con- 
 fufion. The couetous fhall be 
 driuen to great neceffity: the 
 glutton fhall rage with conti- 
 nuall hunger and thirfl. The 
 lecherous fhall burne in the ve- 
 ry fame flames which they 
 themfelues haue enkindled. 
 And thofe that haue al their life 
 time hunted after their pleafures 
 and paftimes, fhall Hue there in 
 continuall lamentation and for- 
 row. But becaufe examples are 
 of very great force to moue our 
 
 hearts. 
 
 •W 
 
156 Hels Torments. 
 
 hearts, I will bring onely one 
 for this purpofe, wherby fome- 
 what of this matter may the 
 better be perceiued. It is writ- 
 ten of a certaine holy man, that 
 he faw the paines (in fpirit) of a 
 licentious and worldly man in 
 this fort. Firft he faw how the 
 diuels that were prefent at the 
 houre of his death, when hee 
 yeelded vp his ghoft, fnatched 
 away his foule with great reioy- 
 cing, and made a prefent there- 
 of to the prince of darkeneffe, 
 who was then fitting in a chaire 
 of fire, expelling the comming 
 of this prefent. Immediately af- 
 ter that it was prefented before 
 him, he arofe vp out of his feat, 
 and faid vnto the damned foule, 
 that he would giue him the pre- 
 
 heminence 
 
 176 
 
Hels Torments. 157 
 
 hetninence of that honourable 
 feat, becaufe he had beene a man 
 of honour, ann was alwayes ve- 
 ry much affe6led to the fame. 
 Incontinently after that he was 
 placed therein, crying and la- 
 menting in that honourable tor- 
 ment, there appeared before 
 him two other mofl ougly di- 
 uels, and offered him a cup 
 full of moft bitter and ftinking 
 liquor, and made him to drinke 
 and caroufe it vp all, perforce; 
 faying, It is meet, fi thence thou 
 haft beene a louer of precious 
 wines and bankets, that thou 
 fhouldeft likewife proue of this 
 our wine, whereof all we doe 
 vfe to drinke in thefe parts. 
 
 Immediately after this there 
 came other two, with two fiery 
 
 um- 
 
 177 
 
158 Hels Torments. 
 
 trumpets, and fetting them at 
 his eares, began to blow into 
 them flames of fire, faying, 
 This melody haue we referued 
 for thee, vnderflanding that in 
 the world thou waft very much 
 delighted with minftrelcie and 
 wanton fongs: and fodainly he 
 efpied other diuels, loaden with 
 vipers and ferpents, the which 
 they threw vpon the breaft and 
 bellies of that miferable fmner, 
 faying vnto him, that forfomuch 
 as he had beene greatly delight- 
 ed with the wanton embracings 
 and lecherous lufts of women, 
 he fhould now follace himfelfe 
 with thefe refrefliings, inftead 
 of thofe licentious delights and 
 pleafures, which he had enioy- 
 ed in the world. After this fort 
 
 (as 
 
 178 
 
Hels Torments. 159 
 
 (as the Prophet Efay faith in the 
 47. chapter) when the finner is 
 punifhed, there is giuen meafure 
 for meafure, to the end, that in 
 fuch a great variety and propor- 
 tion of punifhments, the order 
 and wifedome of Gods iuflice, 
 might the more manifeflly ap- 
 peare. 
 
 This vifion hath almighty 
 God fhewed in fpirit to this ho- 
 ly man for aduertifement and 
 inftru6lion, not that in hel thefe 
 things are altogether fo mate- 
 rially done, but that by them we 
 might vnderfland in fome man- 
 ner the varietie and multitude 
 of the paines which be there 
 appointed for the damned. 
 Whereof, I know not how 
 fome of the Pagans haue had a 
 
 certaine 
 
 179 
 
i6o 
 
 Hels TormentsX\ 
 
 certaine knowledge: for a Poet 
 fpeaking of this multitude of 
 paines, affirmed, That although 
 he had a hundred mouthes, and 
 as many tongues, with a voyce 
 as ftrong as yron, yet were they 
 not able onely to expreffe the 
 names of them. A Poet he was 
 that fpake this, but truely therin 
 he fpake more like a Prophet or 
 an Euangelift than a Poet. Now 
 then, if all this euill fhall moft 
 affuredly come to paffe, what 
 man is he, that feeing all this fo 
 certainly with the eyes of his 
 faith, will not turne ouer the 
 leafe, and begin to prouide for 
 himfelfe againft that time? 
 Where is the iudgement of men 
 now become? Where is their 
 wits ? yea, where is at leaft their 
 
 felfe- 
 
 i8o 
 
Hels Torments. i6i 
 
 felfe-loue, which feeketh euer- 
 more for his owne profit, and is 
 much affraid of any loffe ? May 
 it be thought that men are be- 
 come beafts, that prouide onely 
 for the time prefent ? Or haue 
 they peraduenture fo dimmed 
 their eye-fight, that they cannot 
 looke before them? Hearken 
 (faith Efay) O yee deafe and ye 
 blinde, open your eyes that you 
 may fee; Who is bhnde but my 
 feruant? And who is deafe but 
 yee, vnto whom I haue fent my 
 meffengers? And who is bhnd, 
 but he that fuffereth himfelfe to 
 be fold for a flaue? Thou that 
 feeft fo many things, wilt thou 
 not fuffer thy felfe to fee this? 
 Thou that haft thine ears open, 
 wilt thou not giue eare hereun- 
 to? 
 
 181 
 
1 62 Hels Torments. 
 
 to? If thou beleeue not this, 
 how art thou then a Chriftian? 
 If thou beleeue it, and doeft not 
 prouide for it, how canft thou 
 be thought a reafonable man? 
 Aristotle faith, That this is the 
 difference betweene opinion 
 and imagination, that an imagi- 
 nation alone is not fufficient to 
 caufe a feare, but an opinion is: 
 for if I doe imagine that a houfe 
 may fall vpon mee, it is not 
 enough to make me afraid, vn- 
 leffe I beleeue or haue an opi- 
 nion it will be fo indeede: for 
 then it is fufficient to make me 
 afraid. And hereof commeth 
 the feare that murderers al- 
 wayes haue, by reafon of the 
 fufpition they conceiue, that 
 their enemies doe lye in wait 
 
 for 
 
Hels Torments. 163 
 
 for them. If then the opinion 
 and onely fufpition of danger is 
 able to caufe the greateft cou- 
 rage to feare, how is it that the 
 certainty and beleefe of fo ma- 
 ny and fo great terrible miferies 
 (which are farre more fure than 
 any opinion) doth not make 
 thee to feare. If thou perceiueft 
 that for thefe many yeares paft 
 thou haft led a licentious and 
 fmfull life, and that at the laft, 
 according to prefent iuftice, 
 thou art condemned to thefe 
 horrible torments in hell: if al- 
 fo there appeare by probable 
 conie6lure, that there is no 
 more likelihood of thy amend- 
 ment for enfuing years to come, 
 than there was in thofe already 
 paft, how happeneth it, that run- 
 ning 
 
164 Hels Torments. 
 
 ning headlong into fo manifeft 
 a danger, thou art not at all a- 
 fraid ? Efpecially, confidering 
 the finfull flate wherein thou 
 liueft, and the horrible paines 
 and torments which doe attend 
 for thee, and the time which 
 thou haft loft, and the endleffe 
 repentance which thou ftialt 
 haue therefore in the moft hor- 
 rible torments of hell. Affured- 
 ly, it goes beyond the compaffe 
 of all common fence & conceit 
 of humane reafon, to confider, 
 That there ftiould be fuch neg- 
 ligent, wilfull, groffe, & careleffe 
 blindneffe, able to enter and take 
 fuch deepe rooting in the foule 
 of man. 
 
 The 
 
 184 
 
i65 
 
 The Conclufion of 
 all the Premifes. 
 
 F now all this be fo, 
 I befeech thee euen 
 for the bitter paffi- 
 on of our fweet Sa- 
 uiour lefus Chrifl, 
 to remember thy felfe, and con- 
 fider that thou art a Chriftian, 
 and that thou beleeueft affu- 
 redly for a moft vndoubted 
 truth, whatfoeuer the true faith 
 infl;ru6leth thee. This faith 
 
 telleth 
 
 185 
 
1 66 The Conclujion. 
 
 telleth thee, that thou haft a 
 iudge aboue that feeth all the 
 fteps and motions of thy life: 
 and that certainly there fhall a 
 day come, when he will require 
 an account of thee, euen for 
 euery idle word. This faith 
 teacheth thee, That a man is not 
 altogether at an end when he 
 dieth, but that after this tempo- 
 rail life, there remaineth ano- 
 ther euerlafting life; and that 
 the foules dye not with the 
 bodies, but that whiles the 
 body remaineth in the graue, 
 vntill the generall day of iudge- 
 ment, the foule fhall enter into 
 another new country, and into 
 a new world, where it fhall haue 
 fuch habitation and company, 
 as the faith and workes were 
 
 which 
 
 1 86 
 
The Conclufion. 167 
 
 which it had in this life. This 
 faith telleth thee alfo, that both 
 the reward of vertue, and the 
 punifhment of vice, is a thing 
 fo wonderfull, that ahhough 
 the whole world were full of 
 bookes, and all creatures were 
 writers, yet fhould they all be 
 wearied, and the world come to 
 an end, before they fhould end 
 their defcription, and make a 
 perfe6t declaration what is 
 comprehended in each one of 
 thefe points. This faith infor- 
 meth thee alfo, that the debts 
 and duties which we owe to al- 
 mighty God, are fo great, that 
 albeit a man had fo many lines 
 as there be fands in the Sea, yet 
 would they not fuffice, if they 
 were al employed in his feruice. 
 
 And 
 
 187 
 
1 68 The Conclujion. 
 
 And this faith likewife telleth 
 thee, that vertue is fuch an ex- 
 cellent treafure, that all the trea- 
 fures of the world, and all that 
 mans heart can defire, are in no 
 fort comparable vnto it. 
 
 Wherefore, if there be fo 
 many and fo great refpedls that 
 doe inuite vs vnto vertue, how 
 commeth it to paffe, that there 
 be fo few loners and followers 
 of the fame? If men be moued 
 with gaine & commodity, what 
 greater comodlty can there be 
 than to attain life euerlafting? If 
 they be moued with feare of pu- 
 nifhment, what greater punifh- 
 ment can be founds than the moft 
 horrible euerlafting dreadfull 
 torments in the lake of fire and 
 brimftone, to continue euer 
 
 world 
 
The Conclujion. 169 
 
 world without end? If that 
 bonds of debts and benefits; 
 what debts are greater than 
 thofe which we owe vnto al- 
 mighty God, as well for that he 
 is which he is, as alfo for that 
 which we haue receiued of him? 
 If the feare of perils doe moue 
 vs, what greater perill can there 
 be than death, the houre there- 
 of being fo vncertaine, and the 
 account fo ft rait? If thou be 
 moued with peace, liberty, qui- 
 etneffe of minde, and with a 
 pleafant life, (which are things 
 that all the world defires) it is 
 certaine, that all thefe are found 
 much better in the life that is 
 gouerned by vertue and reafon, 
 than in that life which is ruled 
 by the affedlions and paffions of 
 I the 
 
 1B9 
 
1 70 The CoTtcluJion. 
 
 the minde, forfomuch as man 
 is a reafonable creature, and no 
 beaft. Howbeit, in cafe thou 
 account all this as not fufficient 
 to moue thee thereunto, yet let 
 it fuffice thee to confider fur- 
 ther, that euen almighty God fo 
 abafed himfelfe for thy fake, 
 that he defcended from heauen 
 vnto the earth, and became 
 man, and whereas hee created 
 the whole world in fixe dayes, 
 he bellowed three and thirty 
 yeares about thy redemption; 
 yea, and was alfo contented for 
 the fame to loofe his life. Al- 
 mighty God dyed, that finne 
 fhould dye; and yet for all this 
 doe we endeauour, that fmne 
 might Hue in our hearts, not- 
 withftanding that our Lord 
 
 pur- 
 
 190 
 
The Conclujion. 1 7 1 
 
 purpofed to take away the life 
 of finne with his owne death. 
 If this matter were to be difcuf- 
 fed with reafon, fureiy this al 
 ready fpoken might fuffice to 
 preuaile with any reafonable 
 creature: for not onely in be- 
 holding almighty God vpon the 
 croffe, but whetherfoeuer we 
 doe turne our eyes, we fhall 
 finde, that euery thing crieth 
 out to vs, and calleth vpon vs to 
 receiue this fo excellent a bene- 
 fit: for there is not a thing crea- 
 ted in the world (if wee duely 
 confider it) but doth inuite vs 
 to the loue and feruice of our 
 Sauiour lefus Chrift, infomuch, 
 that looke how many creatures 
 there be in the world, fo many 
 preachers there are, fo many 
 I 2 books, 
 
 I9fl 
 
172 The Conclujion. 
 
 bookes, fo many voices, and fo 
 many reafons, which doe all call 
 vs vnto almighty God. 
 
 And how is it poffible then, 
 that fo many callings as thefe 
 are, fo many promifes, fo ma- 
 ny threatnings, and fo many 
 prouocations, fhould not fuffice 
 to bring vs vnto him? What 
 might almighty God haue done 
 more than he hath done, or pro- 
 mifed more greater bleffmgs 
 than hee hath promifed, or 
 threatned more grieuous and 
 horrible torments than he hath 
 threatned, to draw vs vnto him, 
 and to plucke vs away from 
 finne? And yet all this not- 
 withftanding, how commeth 
 it to paffe, that there is fo great 
 (\ will not fay arrogancy, but) 
 
 bewitch 
 
 192 
 
The Conclujion. 173 
 
 bewitching of men, that doe be- 
 leeue thefe things to be certain- 
 ly true, and yet be not afraid to 
 continue all the dayes of their 
 life in the committing of deadly 
 finnes? yea, to goe to bed in 
 deadly fmne, and to rife vp a- 
 gaine in deadly fmne, and to 
 embrue themfelues in euery 
 kinde of loathfome, deteftable, 
 and odious fin, euen as though 
 all their whole endeauours in- 
 tended by the pra6life of finne, 
 to refift all grace and fauour in 
 the fight of God ? And this is 
 done in fuch fort, fo without 
 feare, fo without fcruple of 
 minde, fo without breaking of 
 one houres fleepe, and without 
 the refraining of any one deli- 
 cate morfell of meat for the 
 I 3 fame, 
 
 193 
 
174 T^f^^ Conclujion. 
 
 fame, as if all that they belee- 
 ued were dreames, and old 
 wiues tales, and as if all that the 
 holy Euangelifts haue written, 
 were meere fi6lion and fables. 
 But tell me thou that art fuch a 
 defperate wilfull rebell againft 
 thy Creator and Redeemer, 
 which by thy deteftable life and 
 diffolute conuerfation, doeft 
 euidence thy felfe to be a fire- 
 brand prepared to burne in 
 thofe euerlafting and reuenging 
 horrible fires of hell. What 
 wouldeft thou haue done more 
 than thou hail done, in cafe 
 thou haddeft beene perfwaded, 
 that all were meere lyes which 
 thou haft beleeued? For al- 
 though that for feare of incur- 
 ring the danger of the princes 
 
 lawes, 
 
 194 
 
The Conclujion. 175 
 
 lawes, and the execution of 
 their force vpon thee, thou haft 
 fomewhat brideled thine appe- 
 tites; yet doth it not appeare, 
 that for any feare of Almighty 
 God, thou haft refrained thy 
 will in any one thing, neither 
 from carnall pleafures, not from 
 backbiting and flandering thy 
 neighbours, nor yet from ful- 
 filling thine inordinate lufts 
 and defires, in cafe thine ability 
 ferued thee thereunto. Oh, what 
 doth the worme of thy confci- 
 ence fay vnto thee, whiles thou 
 art in fuch a fond fecuritie and 
 confidence, continuing in fuch 
 a diffolute and wicked life as 
 thou doeft? Where is now be- 
 come the vnderftanding, iudge- 
 ment, and reafon, which thou 
 I 4 haft 
 
 195 
 
176 
 
 The Conclujion. 
 
 haft of a man? Why art thou 
 not afraid of fo horrible, fo cer- 
 taine, and fo affured perils and 
 dangers? If there were a dilh 
 of meat fet before thee, & fome 
 man (albeit he were a Iyer) 
 fhould fay vnto thee, refraine to 
 touch and eat thereof, for it is 
 poyfoned; durft thou once ad- 
 uenture to ftretch out thy hand, 
 to take a tafte thereof, though 
 the meat were neuer fo fauorie 
 and delicate, and he neuer fo 
 great a Iyer that fhould beare 
 thee thus in hand? If then the 
 Prophets, if the Apoftles, if the 
 Euangelifts, yea, if Almighty 
 God himfelfe doe cry out vnto 
 thee, and fay. Take heede thou 
 miferable man, for death is in 
 t^at kind of meat, and death 
 
 doth 
 
 196 
 
The Conclufion. 177 
 
 doth lye lurking in that glutto- 
 nous morfell, which the diuell 
 hath fet before thee? How da- 
 reft thou reach for euerlafting 
 death with thine owne hands, 
 and drinke thine owne damna- 
 tion. Where is the applying of 
 thy wits, thy iudgement, and the 
 difcourfe and reafon which 
 thou haft of a fpirituall man? 
 Where is their light, where is 
 their force? Sith that none of 
 them doe bridle thee any whit 
 from thy common vfuall vices. 
 Oh thou wretched and care- 
 leffe creature, bewitched by the 
 common enemy Satan, adiudg- 
 ed to euerlafting darkneffe, both 
 inward and outward, and fo 
 doeft goe from one darkneffe 
 to the other. Thou art blinde 
 I 5 to 
 
 197 
 
1 78 The Conclujion. 
 
 to fee thine owne mifery, in- 
 fenfible to vnderfland thine 
 owne perdition, and harder 
 than any Adamant, to feele the 
 hammer of Gods word. Oh, a 
 thoufand times moft miferable 
 thou art, worthy to be lamen- 
 ted with none other tea res, than 
 with thofe wherwith thy dam- 
 nation was lamented, when it 
 was faid, Luke 19. Oh, that thou 
 knewejl this day the peace, quiet- 
 "lujfe, and trea/ures, zvhich A I 
 mighty God hath offered vnto 
 thee, that doe now lye hidden from 
 thine eyes. Oh miferable is the 
 day of thy natiuitie, and much 
 more miferable the day of thy 
 death: forfomuch, as that fhall 
 be the beginning of thine euer- 
 lafting damnation. Oh, how 
 
 much 
 
 19S 
 
The Conclujion. 179 
 
 much better had it beene for 
 thee, neuer to haue beene born, 
 if thou Ihalt be damned in the 
 horrible pit of hell for euer, 
 where the torments are perpe- 
 tually durable. How much 
 better had it beene for thee ne- 
 uer to haue beene baptifed, not 
 yet to haue receiued the Chri- 
 ftian faith, if through the abu- 
 fmg thereof by thy wicked life, 
 thy damnation fhall thereby be 
 the greater? For if the light of 
 reafon onely fufficeth to make 
 the Heathen Phylofophers in- 
 excufeable, becaufe they know- 
 ing God in fome degree, did 
 not glorifie him nor ferue him 
 (as the Apoftle faith in the firft 
 to the Romans) how much leffe 
 fhall hee be excufed, that hath 
 
 receiued 
 
 199 
 
i8o 
 
 The ConclMjion. 
 
 receiued the light of faith, and 
 the water of Baptifme, yea, and 
 the holy Sacrament of the body 
 and bloud of our Lord and Sa- 
 uiour lefus Chrift, hearing daily 
 the do6lrine of the Gofpell, if 
 hee doe nothing more than 
 thofe Pagan Phylofophers haue 
 done. 
 
 Now, what other thing may 
 we inferre of the premiffes, but 
 briefly to conclude, That there 
 is none other vnderftanding, 
 none other wifedome, none o- 
 ther counfell in the world, but 
 that fetting afide all the impedi- 
 ments and comberfome dan- 
 gerous wayes of this life, wee 
 follow that onely true and cer- 
 taine way, whereby true peace 
 and euerlafting life is obtained. 
 
 Here 
 
 aoo 
 
The Conclujion. i8i 
 
 Hereunto are we called by rea- 
 fon, by wifedome, by law, by 
 heauen, by earth, by hell, and by 
 the life, death, iuftice, and mercy 
 of Almighty God. Hereunto 
 are we alfo very notably inui- 
 ted by the holy Ghofl, fpeaking 
 by the mouth of Ecclejiasticus 
 in the fixt chapter, in this wife: 
 My fonne harken to infl:ru(5lion 
 euen from the firft yeares of thy 
 youth, and in thy latter dayes 
 thou fhalt enioy the fweet fruit 
 of wifedome: Approach vnto 
 it, as one that ploweth and 
 foweth, and with patience ex- 
 pe6l the fruitful encreafe which 
 it Ihall yeeld vnto thee. The 
 paines that thou fhalt take, fhall 
 be but little, and the benefits 
 that thou fhalt fpeedily enioy, 
 
 fhall 
 
i82 The Conclujion. 
 
 ihall be great. My fonne hearken 
 to my words, and negledl not 
 this my counfell which I fhall 
 giue thee, put thy feet willingly 
 into her fetters, and thy necke 
 into her chaines: bow downe 
 thy fhoulders, and carry her 
 vpon thee, and be not difpleafed 
 with her bonds: approach 
 neere vnto her with all thy 
 heart, and follow her wayes 
 with all thy ftrength, feeke for 
 her with all thy diligence, and 
 fhe will make her felfe knowne 
 vnto thee, and after that thou 
 hafl found her, neuer forfake 
 her; for by her fhalt thou finde 
 reft in thy latter dayes, and that 
 which before did feeme fo pain- 
 full vnto thee, will afterwards 
 become v&ry pleafant. Her fet- 
 ters 
 
 72D2 
 
The Conclujion. 183, 
 
 ters fhall be a defence of thy 
 ftrength, and a foundation of 
 vertue, and her chaine fliall be a 
 robe of glory: for in her is the 
 beauty of Hfe, and her bonds 
 are the bonds of heakh. Hether- 
 to Ecclejiasticus, Whereby thou 
 maiefl vnderftand in fome de- 
 gree, how great the beauty, the 
 dehghts, the liberty, and riches 
 of true wifdome are, which is 
 vertue it felfe, and the know- 
 ledge of Almighty God, wher- 
 of we doe intreat. But if all 
 this be infufficient to moUifie 
 our ftony hearts, lift vp thine 
 eyes, and fix thy thoughts con- 
 ftantly to behold our omnipo- 
 tent God in his mercy and loue 
 towards fmners vpon his dying 
 croffe, where he made full fa- 
 
 tisfaclion 
 
184 Tlie Conclufion. 
 
 I tisfa(5lion for thy finnes. There 
 fhalt thou behold him in this 
 forme : his feet nailed fall, look- 
 ing for thee; his armes fpread 
 abroad to receiue thee, and his 
 head bowing downe, to giue 
 thee, as to another prodigall 
 fonne, new kiffes of peace and 
 attonement, From thence hee 
 calleth thee (if thou wouldeft 
 heare^ with fo many callings 
 and cries as there be wounds in 
 his whole body. Hearken thou 
 therefore vnto thefe voyces, and 
 confider well with thy felfe, 
 that if his prayer be not heard 
 that hearkeneth not vnto the 
 cries of the poore, how much 
 leffe Ihall he be heard, that ma- 
 keth himfelfe deafe to fuch cries 
 as thefe, being the moft merci- 
 
 full 
 
 ao4 
 
The Conclujion. 
 
 full cryings of our louing faui- 
 our, and intended for our foules 
 faluation. Who is he that hath 
 not caufe to refolue himfelfe 
 wholly into teares to weepe 
 and bewaile his manifold offen- 
 ces ? Who is he that can lament, 
 and will not lament at this? 
 vnleffe he be fuch a one as feeth 
 not, nor careth not what great 
 fhipwracke, wafte, and hauocke 
 he maketh of all the riches and 
 treafures of his foule. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 205 
 
GODLY 
 
 PRAYERS 
 
 NECESSARY 
 
 AND VSEFVLL 
 
 for Chriftian Families 
 
 vpon feiierall oc- 
 
 cajions. 
 
 Therefore I fay vntoyou^ What 
 things foeuer yee defire when yee 
 pray, beleene that ye receiue them, 
 and ye fJiall haue them. 
 
 Printed at London for 
 M.S. 1628. 
 
Godly Chrifli- 
 
 an Prayers. 
 
 A hoiijhold Prayer for pri- 
 
 uate Families in the 
 
 Morning. 
 
 Oft mighty and glori- 
 ous God, the onely 
 Craator and Gouer- 
 nour of heauen and 
 earth, and all things therein 
 contained, we miferable finners 
 
 here 
 
 189 
 
 209 
 
190 Morning Prayer 
 
 here met together by thy grace, 
 doe in thy feare proftrate our 
 felues before thy throne of Ma- 
 iefty and glory, defiring in fome 
 meafure to fhew our vnfained 
 thankfulneffe, for thy innume- 
 rable mercies multiplied vpon 
 vs from the firft houre of our 
 birth, yea before our birth, and 
 before time was. Before the 
 foundations of the world were 
 laid, thou out of thy free loue 
 and meere mercy, didft eledl vs 
 to eternall life, when thou didft 
 reie6l others. Thou didft cre- 
 ate vs after thine owne image, 
 engrauing vpon vs the chara- 
 cters of fpirituall wifedome, 
 righteoufneffe, and true holi- 
 neffe; when it was in thy power 
 to haue made vs like vnto the 
 
 beafts 
 
 «B0 
 
for a Familie. 191 
 
 beafts that perifh; yea, to haue 
 equalled vs to the bafeft of thy 
 creatures. And when through 
 our owne default we lofl that 
 dignity, thou didft fo pittie vs as 
 to fend from thine owne bo- 
 fome thine onely begotten Son 
 to recouer it for vs, and to re- 
 ftore it to vs, and that with no 
 leffe price then his owne heart- 
 bloud. Befides, it hath pleafed 
 thee continually to fpread the 
 wings of thy gracious protecti- 
 on ouer vs, to ward and guard 
 vs by thy prouidence, to open 
 thy hand and to replenifh vs 
 with good things, to continue 
 our life, health, flrength, food, 
 raiment, peace, and liberty, to 
 this very houre. Thou haft e- 
 uen loaded vs with thy benefits, 
 
 if 
 
 SI I 
 
192 Morning Prayer 
 
 if we had hearts rightly to con- 
 fider it; thou renewed thy mer- 
 cy toward vs euery morning; 
 and the night paft haft giuen vs 
 a teftimony of thy loue: For 
 whereas, for the fmnes com- 
 mitted the day before, thou 
 mighteft euen in the dead of 
 fleepe haue giuen vs a fodaine 
 call out of this world, and fo 
 prefently haue brought vs to 
 that great account which wee 
 muft make before thee, thou 
 vouchfafeft yet to fpare vs, yea 
 (which is more) to refrefh vs 
 with comfortable reft, to pre- 
 ferue vs from all dangers that 
 might haue befallen our foules 
 or bodies, and to bring vs in 
 fafety to the beginning of this 
 day. Heauenly father, grant 
 
 that 
 
 212 
 
for a Familie. 193 
 
 that we may not be vnmindfull 
 of thy manifold mercies, but 
 that wee may often thinke of 
 them, and fpeake of them to thy 
 glory; and that the confidera- 
 tion thereof may ftirre vs vp to 
 deuote all the powers of our 
 foules, and members of our 
 bodies to thy feruice. Forgiue 
 vs our former vnthankfulneffe 
 for thy mercies, and our feueral 
 abufes of them, yea pardon all 
 our fmnes paft, we moft hum- 
 bly befeech thee, for thy owne 
 mercies fake, and for thy fonnes 
 merits. Our fmnes are great 
 and grieuous, for in fmne we 
 were borne, and euer fmce haue 
 we gone on in a courfe of finne 
 and rebellion againft thee, we 
 doe daily breake thy holy pre- 
 K cepts, 
 
 213 
 
194 Morning Prayer 
 
 cepts, and that againft the light 
 of our owne knowledge, albeit 
 we know that thou art our Cre- 
 atour, who haft made vs; our 
 Redeemer, who haft bought vs 
 with the precious bloud of thy 
 onely begotten Sonne; and our 
 Comforter, who beftoweft 
 vpon vs all things needfull for 
 our being and well-being, for 
 this life and for a better life. 
 Yea euen thee, thee (O Lord) 
 haue we prefumed to offend, 
 that haft beene thus abundantly 
 mercifull vnto vs. For this our 
 vnthankefulnefle and wicked- 
 neffe, enter not into iudgement 
 with vs, wee moft humbly be- 
 feech thee from the bottome 
 of our hearts; but haue mercy 
 vpon vs, haue merc}^ vpon vs, 
 
 moft 
 
 214 
 
for a Familie. 195 
 
 moft mercifull Father, and in 
 mercy wafh away all our flnnes 
 with the bloud of lefus Chrift, 
 that fo they may neuer be laid 
 to our charge, nor haue power 
 to rife vp in iudgement againfl 
 vs. Pierce our hearts with a 
 feeling of our fmnes, that wee 
 may mourne for them, as wee 
 ought to doe; make vs to loath 
 and abhorre them, that we may 
 leaue and auoid them, that we 
 may be watchfull againft all 
 occafions of fmne, and circum- 
 fpe6l ouer our owne wayes. 
 Poure thy fpirit and put thy 
 grace into our hearts, that there- 
 by we may be inabled for thy 
 feruice, and both in body and 
 foule may glorifie thee heere, 
 that wee may be glorified of 
 K 2 thee 
 
196 Morning Prayer 
 
 thee and with thee hereafter. 
 And as a fpeciall meanes to 
 keepe vs in fubie(5lion before 
 thee, worke in vs, holy Father, 
 a continuall and effedluall re- 
 membrance of this earths vani- 
 ty, of our owne mortality, of 
 that great and terrible iudge- 
 ment to come; of the paines of 
 hell, and ioyes of heauen which 
 follow after; O let the remem- 
 brance of thefe things be a fpur 
 to prouoke vs vnto vertue, and 
 a bridle to hold vs in from gal- 
 lopping after vice and wicked- 
 neffe. We know not how foone 
 thou wilt fet a period to our 
 Hues, and call for our foules to 
 appeare before thee, whether 
 this day or not before the eue- 
 ning; O prepare vs therefore 
 
 for 
 
 216 
 
for a Familie. 
 
 for the houre of death, that we 
 may then neither feare nor 
 faint, but may with ioy yeeld vp 
 our foules into thy mercifull 
 hands, and doe thou, O Father 
 of mercy, receiue them. Let thy 
 mercifull eye looke vpon vs this 
 day, fhield vs from the tempta- 
 tions of the diuell, and grant vs 
 the cuftody of thy holy Angels, 
 to defend vs in all our wayes: 
 enable vs with diligence and 
 confcience to difcharge the du- 
 ties of our callings, and crowne 
 all our endeauours with thy 
 bleffmg: without thy bleffmg 
 all mans labour is but vaine, 
 doe thou therefore bleffe vs in 
 our feuerall places; oh profper 
 thou our handy-worke Prouide 
 for vs all things which thou 
 K 3 knoweft 
 
 197 
 
 217 
 
198 
 
 Morning Prayer 
 
 knoweft to be needful for euery 
 one of vs this day. Giue vs a 
 fandlified vfe of thy creatures, 
 a godly iealoufie ouer ourfelues, 
 a continual remembrance of thy 
 omnifcience, and omniprefence, 
 that we may labour to approue 
 our very thoughts vnto thee; 
 weane vs from the loue of this 
 world, and rauifh our foules 
 with the loue of our home and 
 thine euerlafting Kingdome. 
 Defend the vniuerfall Church, 
 the Churches of this Land ef- 
 pecially, our gracious King 
 Charles, our illuftrious Queene 
 Mary, together with Prince Pa- 
 latine Ele6lour, the Princeffe 
 Elizabeth his wife, and their 
 Princely iffue; crowne them 
 with thy graces here, and with 
 
 thy 
 
 218 
 
for a Familie. 199 
 
 thy glory hereafter. Be with 
 the Magiftracie and Minifterie 
 of the Realme, make thy Gof- 
 pell to flourifh amongft vs by 
 the labors of thofe whom thou 
 haft appointed to this great fer- 
 uice." Comfort thine affli6led 
 feruants, in what place or cafe 
 foeuer they be; giue vs a fel- 
 low feeling of their miferies, 
 and wifedome to prepare our 
 felues againft the euill day. 
 Heare vs in thefe things, and 
 grant what elfe thou knoweft 
 needfull for vs, not for our wor- 
 thineffe, but for thy Sons fake, 
 our alone Sauiour, in whofe 
 name and words, we conclude 
 our imperfe6l prayers, faying: 
 Our Father, &c. 
 
 K4 A 
 
 219 
 
200 
 
 A hoiifhold Prayer for pri- 
 
 uate Families in the 
 
 Etiening. 
 
 Glorious God, in 
 lefus Chrift our gra- 
 cious Father, wee 
 wretched creatures 
 by nature, but by thy grace thy 
 feruants and children, doe here 
 make bold to appeare before 
 thee in the humility of our 
 foules, to performe fome part 
 of that dutie which wee owe 
 vnto thee. And firft we offer 
 vnto thy diuine Maieftie the 
 
 calues 
 
 290 
 
for a Familie. 20 1 
 
 calues of our lips, the facrifice 
 of praife and thankfgiuing for 
 thine infinite mercies which 
 thou haft beene pleafed to con- 
 ferre vpon vs out of thy bound- 
 leffe and endleffe goodneffe. 
 What thou haft done for vs this 
 day, is beyond all that we are 
 able to expreffe or conceiue: 
 thou haft preferued vs from all 
 perils and dangers, fo that none 
 of thofe iudgements (which our 
 finnes haue deferued) haue bin 
 infli6led vpon vs; thou haft 
 inlarged our time and opportu- 
 nitie to repent; thou haft pro- 
 uided for our foules and bodies; 
 thou haft bin no way wanting 
 vnto vs, if we had hearts to ac- 
 knowledge it. Forgiue vs that 
 wee cannot acknowledge thy 
 K 5 goodneffe 
 
202 Euening Prayer 
 
 goodneffe as we ought to doe, 
 and more and more quicken vs 
 in this dutie, that we may with 
 heart and voyce acknowledge 
 thee to be that Father of lights, 
 from whom we doe receiue 
 euery good and perfedl gift: 
 afcribing vnto thee the whole 
 glory of all that we enioy, both 
 now and euermore. And grant 
 we pray thee, that our thank- 
 fulneffe may not be onely ver- 
 ball, but reall, we labouring in 
 deede and in truth to be dutifull 
 vnto thee that haft bin fo boun- 
 tifull vnto vs. Pardon vs for the 
 fmnes of this day, wherein we 
 haue offended thee, whether 
 open or fecret, of ignorance or 
 of knowledge, of infirmity or 
 prefumption, of omiffion or 
 
 com- 
 
for a Familie. 20^ 
 
 commiffion, in thought, word 
 or deed. The finnes of this day 
 are enough to plunge vs, foule 
 and body, into the bottomeleffe 
 gulfe of perdition. If thou 
 fhouldeft ftraightly mark them, 
 what anfwer fhall we be able to 
 make thee, how fhall we dare 
 to appeare in thy prefence, be- 
 fore whom all thy creatures 
 feare and tremble? But thy 
 mercy is aboue all thy workes; 
 much more aboue all our works 
 of fmne. In the confidence of 
 thy mercy we come vnto thee, 
 befeeching thee in thy fonne 
 Chrift to be reconciled with vs, 
 and to affure vs hereof by the 
 certificate of thine owne bleffed 
 fpirit. Breake the ftrength of 
 finne that would fubdue vs more 
 
 and 
 
 223 
 
204 Euening Prayer 
 
 and more; and reare in vs cleane 
 hearts, and renew a right fpirit 
 within vs. Increafe our faith in 
 the fweet promifes of the Gof- 
 pell, and our repentance from 
 dead workes, our hope of eter- 
 nall life, our feare of thy name, 
 our zeale for thy glory, our ha- 
 tred of fmne, our loue of righ- 
 teoufneffe, our contentment in 
 all eftates, our patience in ad- 
 uerfitie, our prudence in profpe- 
 rity: that fo being furnifhed 
 with the endowments of grace 
 here, we may be fitted for the 
 enioyment of glor)^ hereafter. 
 And becaufe the night is now 
 vpon vs, and our bodies defirous 
 of quiet reft, wee pray thee to 
 take vs Into thy bleffed tuition, 
 and to refrefli our wearied bo- 
 dies 
 
 224 
 
for a Familie. 205 
 
 dies with comfortable fleepe. 
 Protefl vs and all that doe be- 
 long vnto vs vnder the fhadow 
 of thy wings, defend vs from all 
 euill, both of fmne and punifh- 
 ment: keepe vs from fecurity 
 and carelefneffe, from dulneffe 
 and drowfmeffe of fpirit, from 
 fire and robbery, from the ma- 
 lice of Satan and all his adhe- 
 rents, from all perils into which 
 for our fmnes we might iuftly 
 fall. Let the fight of the bed 
 mind vs of that laft bed, the 
 graue, wherein we are fhortly 
 to take vp our lodging, we know 
 not how foone. None of vs 
 here prefent can certainly tell, 
 whether thefe eyes of ours once 
 clofed vp, fhall euer any more 
 open againe in this world: 
 
 therefore 
 
 225 
 
2o6 Euening Prayer 
 
 therfore receiue vs, good Lord, 
 receiiie vs into the armes of 
 thy mercy, vnto thine almighty 
 prote6lion wee bequeath our 
 felues, foules and bodies, and all 
 that we haue: vpon thy mercy 
 alone we caft our felues both 
 this prefent night and for euer 
 more. Be mercifull to thy 
 whole Church, continue the 
 flourifhing ftate of the King- 
 domes, wherin we Hue. Decreafe 
 in it the number of fuperflitious 
 Papifts and prophane Atheifts, 
 and increafe in it the number of 
 fuch as vnfainedly feare thee. 
 Preferue from all dangers and 
 confpiracies our religious King 
 Charles, our gracious Queene 
 Mary, the Prince Palatine of 
 Rkene, with that excellent Lady 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 f«» 
 
for a Familie. 207 
 
 Elizabeth his wife, and their 
 children. Giue them all fuch a 
 meafure of thy fpirit and grace, 
 that they may feeke to aduance 
 thy kingdome on earth, and at 
 laft be aduanced to thine euer- 
 lafting Kingdome in heauen. 
 Endow the right Honorable of 
 our Priuie Counfell with all 
 fuch graces as may make them 
 fit for fo high a place. Stirre vp 
 Magiftrates and men in autho- 
 rity, to endeauour after the fur- 
 thering of thine honour, and the 
 benefiting of thy people. Make 
 the Minifters able and willing 
 to difcharge the duties of their 
 weighty calling with diligence 
 and confcience; water their in- 
 deauours with the dew of hea- 
 uen, that daily fuch as belong 
 
 vnto 
 
 227 
 
2o8 Euenmg Prayer 
 
 vnto life eternall may be added 
 vnto the Church. Comfort, 
 O comfort thine afflidled fer- 
 uants, wherefoeuer or howfoe- 
 uer troubled: fweeten their af- 
 flictions and feafon their for- 
 rowes with the comforts of thy 
 fpirit. Giue them all needfull 
 affiftance, and in thy owne time 
 a ioyfull deliuerance. And make 
 vs ready for affli6lions, that 
 they may not come vpon vs as 
 a fnare, but that we may in good 
 meafure, like wife Virgins be 
 prepared for the comming of 
 Chrifl lefus, the fweet Bride- 
 groome of our foules. Finally, 
 we pray thee beare with the 
 weakeneffe, and coldneffe, and 
 imperfection of our prayers, 
 & to grant our requefls, not for 
 
 our 
 
 228 
 
Euening Prayer. 209 
 
 our merits, but for thine owne 
 mercies, and for the fake of thy 
 dearely beloued Sonne lefus 
 Chrift, who died to make fatif- 
 fa6lion for vs, & liueth to make 
 interceffion for vs, in whofe 
 words we fhut vp our imperfedl 
 prayers, faying, as himfelfe hath 
 taught vs. Our Father, &c. 
 
 O Lord bleffe and faue vs, 
 
 make thy face to fhine vpon vs, 
 
 thy word to inftrudl vs, thy 
 
 grace to dire6l vs, thy Angels 
 
 to protedl vs, thy fpirit to 
 
 comfort and fupport vs, 
 
 vnto the end, and in 
 
 the end, Amen^ 
 
 Amen. 
 
 A 
 
 229 
 
2IO 
 
 A Prayer in time 
 of M^arre. 
 
 H Lord God of hoafts, 
 in power inuincible, in 
 wifedome vnfearcha- 
 ble, in mercy incomprehenfible; 
 that giueft deliuerance in the 
 time of trouble, and affiftance in 
 the day of battell; wee moft 
 humbly and heartily befeech 
 thee to faue vs from all thofe 
 extremities, and in fpeciall from 
 our enemies, which our fmnes 
 doe threaten to bring vpon vs. 
 
 Hitherto 
 
A Prayer in time of Warre. 2 1 1 
 
 Hitherto thou haft pleafed to 
 make our Nation a fpe6lacle of 
 thy ineffable goodneffe, but we 
 deferue to be made a fpe6lacle 
 of thy vnfupportable wrath. 
 Our contempt of thy threat- 
 nings, our abufe of thy mercies, 
 our negle6l of thy iudgements, 
 with infinite other inormities, 
 doe menace the taking away of 
 thy old mercies, and the bring- 
 ing in of fome iudgement. We 
 haue iuft caufe to feare, O Lord, 
 that our loud and crying finnes 
 doe call in our enemies vpon 
 vs, and arme them againft vs; 
 yea, that they are already preft 
 and prepared to execute thy 
 vengeance. Then open our 
 eyes, we pray thee, that we may 
 fee thy Enfigne fet vp, thy Ban- 
 ner 
 
 931 
 
212 A Prayer, 
 
 ner difplayed, and the euidence 
 of thy approaching fword : open 
 our eares that wee may heare 
 thee blowing of thy trumpet, 
 and giuing the alarum to warre : 
 open our hearts that we may 
 not be fecure in fo great danger, 
 but may quake and tremble to 
 fee th}' hand of vengeance be- 
 fore vs. And howfoeuer by our 
 finnes we are fet in the middeft 
 of this danger, yet let the hand 
 of thy mercy f^which is as om- 
 nipotent as that of thy iuflice) 
 refcue vs; let thy out-ftretched 
 arme deliuer vs. Put vp thy 
 fword into the fcabbard; oh 
 bid it reft and be flill. Be fauou- 
 rable and gracious vnto this thy 
 Syon, crowne her with plenty, 
 profperity, and vi6lory. Let not 
 
 her 
 
 232 
 
A Pray 67'. 213 
 
 her enemies reioyce in her fub- 
 uerfion, nor triumph in her 
 deftru6lion. Hide not thy face 
 from her in the day of trouble; 
 ftoppe not thine eares at our 
 prayers. Be vnto vs all a home 
 of faluation, a rocke of fafetie, 
 a wall of braffe, a ftrong tower 
 and fortreffe againfl the face 
 and force of our enemies: 
 diuert their defignes, fruftrate 
 their enuie, abate their fury, 
 affwage their pride, reftraine 
 their power: and in thy name 
 let vs tread them vnder, that 
 malicioufly and mifchieuoufly 
 rife vp againft vs. Suffer not the 
 light of thy Gofpel to be eclip- 
 fed, nor the fplender of thy 
 glory to be obfcured; let not 
 thy name be difhonoured, nor 
 
 thy 
 
 233 
 
214 ^ Prayer. 
 
 thy San(5luary defiled, nor thy 
 truth flandered: but now and 
 euer defend and deliuer (as thou 
 haft formerly done) this Church 
 and State, from plague, Pefti- 
 lence, and aboue all, that moft 
 terrible vengeance, the deitou- 
 ringjword: and that for his fake 
 who hath led captiuity captiue, 
 and like a vi6lorious Conque- 
 ror hath triumphed ouer all his 
 enemies, euen lefus Chrift, to 
 whom with the Father and 
 holy Ghoft, be all ho- 
 nour and glory, 
 Anien, 
 
 234 
 
215 
 
 A Prayer for them that 
 are about tJie Sicke. 
 
 Eare vs, Almighty and 
 mofi; mercifull God 
 and Sauiour, extend 
 thine accuftomed goodneffe to 
 this thy feruant, which is grie- 
 ued with fickneffe; vifite him 
 (O Lord) as thou didft Peters 
 wiues mother, and the Captains 
 feruant, reftore vnto this ficke 
 body his former health (if it be 
 thy will) or elfe giue him grace 
 to take this thy vifitation pati- 
 ently, 
 
 235 
 
214 P^ Prayer. 
 
 ently, that after this painfull life 
 ended he may dwell with thee 
 in euerlafting life: O Lord, be- 
 hold we bend our knees, yea 
 the knees of our hearts with 
 vnfained prayers, & lift vp our 
 eyes to the throne of thy mer- 
 cies feat, to hearken to thefe our 
 petitions, according to thy 
 promifes, therefore, O Lord 
 grant our requefts, we are ga- 
 thered here together in thy 
 name, in the behalfe of this thy 
 feruant; deliuer him we hum- 
 bly befeech thee, from thefe his 
 languifhing paines and miferies 
 of fickneffe, and as it hath plea- 
 fed thee to lay thine hand vpon 
 him; fo, O Lord, reftore him 
 to his former health; keepe him, 
 O Lord, from fearefull and 
 
 terrible 
 
 236 
 
A Prayer. 215 
 
 terrible affaults, and defpightful 
 temptations of the diuell, finne, 
 and hell: deliuer him, O Lord, 
 as thou deliueredft Noah from 
 the raging wanes of the fiouds; 
 Lot from the deftru(5lion of So- 
 dome\ Abraham from the feare 
 of the Caldeans; the children of 
 Ifrael from the tyranny of Pha- 
 raoh] Dauidixovci the hands of 
 Goliah\ the three men from the 
 violence of the fiery furnace in 
 Babylon; Daniel from the mouth 
 of the Lyons; Jonas from the 
 belly of the Whale, and Peter 
 from the prifon of Herod: Euen 
 fo, O gracious Lord, deliuer the 
 foule of this perfon, both now, 
 and whenfoeuer he fhall depart 
 hence from all perill and dan- 
 ger, open vnto him at the houre 
 L of 
 
 237 
 
2i6 A Prayer, 
 
 of death the doore of Paradice, 
 the gates of heauen, and the en- 
 try of euerlafting life, O Lord 
 lefus Chrift forgiue him all his 
 finnes, and lead him with ioy 
 into the kingdome of thy hea- 
 uenly Father, euen vnto the bo- 
 fome of Abraham, and appoint 
 him his euerl fting reft that he 
 may reioyce with thee, and all 
 the ele6l children of God, to 
 whom be all honour, glory, 
 power, and domi- 
 nion, Amen. 
 
 The 
 
 VS^ 
 
The ficke perfons 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Ord hearken to my 
 prayer, and giue eare 
 to my humble requeft, 
 Lord be mercifull vnto 
 me, and giue me grace patiently 
 to beare the croffe, and in the 
 midft of this my fickneffe al- 
 wayes to fay; thy will, O hea- 
 uenly Father, be done, and not 
 mine; forgiue and forget, moft 
 gracious Father, all mine iniqui- 
 ties, blot them out of thy re- 
 membrance and caft them from 
 L 2 thy 
 
 217 
 
 «39 
 
2r8 A Prayer. 
 
 thy fight, O Lord, as farre as 
 the Eafl is from the Weft, the 
 North from the South: they 
 are many and innumerable, let 
 them not rife vp in iudgement 
 againft me: neither enter thou 
 into thy narrow iudgement 
 with thy feruant, O Lord, for 
 no flefh is righteous before thee, 
 handle me not according to my 
 deferts, deale not with me after 
 my wickedneffe, neither reward 
 me after mine iniquities ; O Lord 
 my God looke not into my en- 
 ormious nor inceftious life : I am 
 aftiamed of my fmnes, and aske 
 pardon for my faults, euen with 
 a repenting heart and forrow- 
 full minde, a bleeding foule, 
 with hidden teares of a true and 
 vnfained repentance for my 
 
 mifdeeds ; 
 
 340 
 
A Prayer. 219 
 
 mifdeeds; yea, my wounded 
 breaft furcharged with oppref- 
 fing greefes, doth figh, groane, 
 and lament vnder the burthen 
 of my heinous crimes: where- 
 fore, O Lord, wafh them away 
 with thy bloud which thou haft 
 fhed for my fmnes, and I fhall 
 be clean and pure without fpot; 
 purge me, O Lord, with thofe 
 precious drops that diftilled 
 from thy tormented heart, and 
 I fhall be whiter then the fnow, 
 burie mine offences in the fe- 
 pulcher of thy death, and cloath 
 me with the garment of righte- 
 oufneffe, O Lord, for thine in- 
 finite goodneffe and mercy fake 
 receiue me into thy tuition and 
 fauour; pardon, O Lord, and 
 remit my fms, as thou forgaueft 
 L 3 Dauid 
 
 241 
 
220 A Prayer. 
 
 Dauid his murther and adultery 
 Vf\\h BerJIteba; ►Sfl;?^/ his perfecu- 
 tions of thy people; Peter his 
 deniall ; Mary Magdalejt her laf- 
 ciuious life, and the Publican in 
 the Temple with ftriking his 
 breaft craued thy gracious par- 
 don: faying, Lord haue mercy 
 vpon me a Jinner, and although 
 my finnes and offences are farre 
 greater, and more grieuous then 
 thefe; yet, O Lord, thy mercies 
 exceede and are far more com- 
 paffionate then our fmnes ma- 
 nifold ; I iuftifie not my felfe, O 
 my God, by the offences of 
 I thefe, but declare thy righteouf- 
 neffe and mercifull clemencies 
 in forgetting and forgiuing our 
 abhominable trefpaffes and 
 tranfgreffions of thy wil, which 
 
 though 
 
 242 
 
A Prayer. 221 
 
 though wee are froward, yet 
 thou art gentle, though we are 
 ftubborne, yet thou art meeke, 
 and though we run headlong to 
 the pits brinke, and to the gates 
 of hell; yet thou of thy good- 
 neffe calleft vs backe, and re- 
 mitteft all that wee haue done 
 amiffe; O Lord, I haue acknow- 
 ledged my faults that they are 
 beft knowne vnto thee: where- 
 fore, O Lord, I aske forgiuenes 
 for the fame, fend me the com- 
 fort of thy holy fpirit, that if 
 thou giue me my former health 
 and ftrength of body, I may 
 amend my life according to thy 
 facred will, and walke worthi- 
 ly in thy Lawes and Comman- 
 dements: if it be thy pleafure 
 to take mee hence out of this 
 L 4 tranfitory 
 
 243 
 
2 22 A Prayer. 
 
 tranfitory life, O Lord, grant 
 that I may reft and liue with 
 thee for euer, world without 
 end. O Lord, heaken vnto thefe 
 my petitions for lefus Chift his 
 fake, I aske them and all other 
 things which thou fhalt thinke 
 meet both for our foules and 
 bodies in the fame forme of 
 prayer as hee himfelfe hath 
 taught vs, faying: Our Father, 
 (2fe. 
 
 A 
 
 244 
 
223 
 
 A Prayer at the houre 
 of death. 
 
 lefus Chrift, 
 art the onely 
 
 Lord 
 
 which 
 
 health of all men liu- 
 
 ing, and the euerla- 
 fting life of them which dye in 
 thy faith; I wretched fmnergiue 
 and fubmit my felfe wholly to 
 thy moft bleffed will, being fure 
 that the thing cannot perifh 
 which is committed vnto thy 
 mercy, I moft humbly befeech 
 thee, O Lord, to giue me grace 
 L 5 that 
 
 245 
 
224 A Prayer. 
 
 that I may now willingly leaue 
 this fraile and wicked flefti in 
 hope of the refurre6lion, which 
 in better manner fhall reftore it 
 to me againe, grant me, O Lord 
 God that thou wilt by thy grace 
 make ftrong my foule againft all 
 temptations, and that thou wilt 
 couer and defend me with the 
 buckler of thy mercy againft 
 the affaults of Satan ; I acknow- 
 ledge, that there is in my felfe 
 no hope of faluation ; but all my 
 hope and truft is in thy moft 
 merciful] goodneffe, I haue no 
 no merits nor good workes, 
 which I may alleadge before 
 thee; of fmnes and euill works, 
 alas! I fee a great heape, but 
 through thy mercy I truft to be 
 of the number of the to whom 
 
 thou 
 
 •46 
 
A Prayer. 225 
 
 thou wilt not impute their fins, 
 but take and impute mee for 
 righteous and iufl, and to be the 
 inheritor of euerlafting glory. 
 Thou, O moft mercifuU Lord, 
 wert borne for my fake, thou 
 didft fuffer both hunger and 
 third, thou didft preach, teach, 
 pray, and faft for my fake, thou 
 didft all good workes, and fuife- 
 redft moft grieuous pangs and 
 torments for my fake: and fi- 
 nally, thov gaueft thy moft pre- 
 cious body to dye, and thy blef- 
 fed bloud to be ftied on the 
 croffe for my fake: wherefore 
 moft mercifull Sauiour, let all 
 thefe things profit me, which 
 thou haft freely giuen mee, 
 which haft giuen thy felfe for 
 me, let thy bloud cleanfe and 
 
 wafti 
 
 ?4? 
 
226 A Prayer. 
 
 wafh away the fpots and foule- 
 neffe of my finnes, let thy righ- 
 teoufneffe hide and couer my 
 vnrighteoufneffe, let the merits 
 of thy bitter fufferings be a fuf- 
 ficient and propitiatory facri- 
 fice, and fatisfa6lion for my 
 fmnes: giue me, O Lord, thy 
 grace, that my faith and beleefe 
 of thy true and grieuous death 
 wauer not in me, but euer be 
 firme and conftant, that the 
 hope of thy mercy & life euer- 
 lafting neuer decay in me, that 
 charitie waxe not cold in me: 
 and finally, that the weakneffe 
 of my flefh be not ouercome 
 with the feare of death; grant 
 me alfo, O moft mercifull Saui- 
 our, that when death hath fhut 
 vp the eyes of my body, yet the 
 
 eyes 
 
 248 
 
A Prayer. 227 
 
 eyes of my foule may ftill be- 
 hold and looke vpon thee, and 
 that when death hath taken a- 
 way the vfe of my tongue 
 and fpeech; yet my heart may 
 cry, and fay vnto thee, O Lord, 
 into thy hands I giue and com- 
 mit my foule. Lord lefus 
 receiue my fpirit, and 
 take mee to thy 
 mercies, A- 
 7nen. 
 
 249 
 
228 
 
 A Prayer for a Woman in 
 time of her trauaile. 
 
 Ighteous & holy Lord 
 God, I doe now finde 
 by experience the fruit 
 of my finne, that I muft trauaile 
 in forrow, and bring forth in 
 paine: and I vnfainedly adore 
 the truth of thy facred Word, 
 as certifying vnto me, that for- 
 row muft be in the Euening: fo 
 comforting me alfo againft the 
 Morning, that a Childe fhall be 
 borne. Willingly I doe defire to 
 
 fubmit 
 
 250 
 
A Prayer. 
 
 fubmit my felfe in hope into 
 this thy chaftifement; and to 
 learne the defert of my fmne, 
 horrible in themfelues, that 
 thefe temporal! paines, are fore- 
 runners of eternall: and yet by 
 thy mercy may be fo fandlified 
 vnto me, as not onely to pre- 
 uent eternal vengeance, but alfo 
 prepare for eternall comforts, 
 euen to be Saued by bearing of 
 Children. 
 
 Grant me therefore (gracious 
 Father^ true repentance and 
 pardon for my fmnes paft, that 
 they may not ftand at this time 
 in this my neede betweene mee 
 and thy mercy. Giue mee a 
 comfortable feeling of thy loue 
 in Chrift, which may fweeten 
 all other pangs, though neuer 
 
 fo 
 
 229 
 
 •*<^^ 
 
 251 
 
230 A Prayer. 
 
 fo violent or extreame: make 
 me ftill to lift vp my foule vnto 
 thee, in my greateft agonies, 
 knowing that thou alone muft 
 giue a bleffmg to the ordinary 
 meanes for my fafe deliuerance. 
 Lay no more vpon me then I 
 am able to endure ; & ftrengthen 
 my weake body to the bearing 
 of what forrowfoeuer, by which 
 it fhall feeme good vnto thee to 
 make triall of me. 
 
 Grant me to confider that 
 howfoeuer it be with me, yet I 
 am alwaies as thine hand, whofe 
 mercies faile not, who will be 
 found in the Mount and greateft 
 extremitie, and to whom be- 
 long the iffues of death : fo pre- 
 pare me therefore to death, that 
 I may be fit for life, euen to 
 
 yeeld 
 
 252 
 
A Prayer. 231 
 
 yeeld fruit aliue vnto the world, 
 and to be renewed and enabled 
 to nourifh the fame. And when 
 thou haft fafely giuen mee the 
 expedled fruit of my wombe, 
 make me with a thankfull heart 
 to confecrate both it and my 
 felfe wholly to thy feruice all 
 the dayes of my life, through 
 lefus Chrift mine onely Sa- 
 uiour and Redee- 
 mer, Amen. 
 
 A 
 
 253 
 
23: 
 
 louing 
 
 A Thankfgiuing after 
 fafe deliuerance. 
 
 Bleffed for euer be thy 
 great and glorious 
 Name (moll deere and 
 Father) for thy great 
 mercy to me moft weake and 
 fmfull woman. 
 
 Wonderfull art thou in all 
 thy workes (O Lord) the riches 
 of thy mercies are pafl finding 
 out : thou haft plunged me with 
 great afflictions, and yet thou 
 haft returned and refreflied me 
 
 againe : 
 
 254 
 
A Prayer. 233 
 
 againe: thou haft brought me 
 to the feare of the graue, and 
 yet thou haft raifed me vp again 
 to life, O how haft thou fhew- 
 ed thy power in my weakneffe? 
 How hath thy louing kindneffe 
 preuailed againft my vnworthi- 
 neffe? Thou mighteft for my 
 fmnes haue left me to perifh in 
 mine extremities, but thou haft 
 compaffed me about with ioy- 
 full dehuerance: thou mighteft 
 haue made my wombe a graue 
 to burie the dead: or in affoor- 
 ding life to another, thou migh- 
 teft haue procured my death, 
 but yet thou haft not onely 
 made my wombe a wel-fpring 
 of life, but reftored life vnto 
 me alfo, for the cherifhing 
 thereof. Marueilous (O Lordj 
 
 are 
 
 255 
 
234 ^ Prayer. 
 
 are thy workes, infinite are thy 
 mercies, my foule by prefent 
 experience knoweth it well. O 
 my foule praife thou the Lord, 
 and all that is within me praife 
 his holy name. My foule praife 
 thou the Lord, and forget not 
 all his benefits. Thou haft heard 
 my prayers, and looked vpon 
 my forrow, thou haft redeemed 
 my life from death, and healed 
 mine infirmities, and crowned 
 me with thine euerlafting com- 
 paffions. 
 
 O giue me, I humbly pray 
 thee, a thankfull heart, not onely 
 now while the memory & fenfe 
 of thy fauour is frefli before 
 me, but continually euen fo 
 long as I haue any being. 
 
 Grant that I may learne by 
 
 this 
 
 256 
 
A Prayer. 235 
 
 this liuely euidence of thy pow- 
 er and mercy, for euer hereafter 
 to depend onely on thee. Quic- 
 ken me alfo to all holy duties, 
 that my thankfulneffe may ap- 
 peare in my pure and Chriftian 
 carriage. 
 
 Make me a kind and carefull 
 mother, willing to vndergoe the 
 paine and trouble of education. 
 Let no niceneffe or curiofitie 
 hinder mee from thofe feruices, 
 to whom both nature and reli- 
 gion hath appointed me : let me 
 alfo be carefull when time re- 
 quireth, to feafon the fruit thou 
 haft giuen me, with the fauing 
 knowledge of thee, & thy deere 
 Son, that my defire may mani- 
 feftly appeare to be fet for the 
 encreafe of thy Kingdome. 
 
 Vouchfafe 
 
 257 
 
236 A Prayer. 
 
 Vouchfafe fo to order my affe- 
 6lions & to bring them in obe- 
 dience vnto thee, that if it Ihold 
 be thy pleafure either now or 
 hereafter to take this Infant fro 
 me, I may as wilHngly part with 
 it, as thou freely gaue it me. 
 
 And now (O God) perfedl in 
 mee that flrength which thou 
 haft begun, make me to grow in 
 care to ferue thee faithfully, 
 both in the duties of pietie, and 
 in other bufmeffe of my place 
 and calling, that I may be a 
 comfort to my husband, and 
 example to my neighbours, a 
 grace to my profeffion, and a 
 meanes of glorie to thy Name, 
 through lefus Chrift my Lord 
 and Sauiour, Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 258 
 
THE 
 
 Common Cals, 
 
 Cryes and Souuds 
 of the Bell-man. 
 
 OR 
 
 Diuers Verfes to put 
 vs in minde of our 
 
 mortalitie. 
 
 Which may feme as warnings 
 
 to be prepared at all times 
 
 for the day of our 
 
 death. 
 
 Printed at London for 
 M.S. 1628. 
 
For Chriflmas day. 
 
 "D Emember all that on this morne, 
 ^^Our dlej/ed Sauior Chrijl was borne \ 
 Who ijpiied from a Virgin pure, 
 Our Joules from Sathan to fecure, 
 And patronife our feeble fpirit, 
 That we through him may heauen inherit. 
 
 For Saint Stephens night. 
 
 '^'^His blefsed time beare in your minde, 
 
 ■*- How that blejl Martyr Stephen dy- 
 
 In whom was all that good confinde, (ed. 
 
 That might withflefh and bloud abide: 
 
 M In 
 
 261 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 In doflrine and example he 
 Taught what to doe, afid what to flee \ 
 Full of thefpirit he would preach, 
 Again/i opinions fal/e and naught, 
 Co7ifute them too, and boldly teach 
 What Chrifl himfelfe to him, had taught \ 
 For which at lofl he lost his breath, 
 Stond by theflo7iy hearts to death: (end, 
 Let vs then learn by this blest Martyrs 
 To fee our follies, and our Hues amend. 
 
 For Saint yohns day. 
 
 " I "His m-an the word did boldly teach, 
 ^ Saw Christ trafisformed, and did 
 The glory in that Mount hefaw; (preach, 
 And by that glory flroue to draw, 
 Thefonle of man tofinne a thrall. 
 To heauen, to which God fend vs all. 
 
 For 
 
 262 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 For Innocents day. 
 
 ^ I ^ He /words of Wo-vods, /eruants tooke 
 -^ Suchfweetyong things, as with a look 
 Might make a heart of Marble melt, 
 But they nor grace, nor pittie felt; 
 Some from the cradle, fame awake, 
 Some fweetly fleeping, fome they take 
 Dandled vpon their mothers lap, 
 Some from their armes, fome from the pap. 
 
 For New-yeares day. 
 
 A LL you that doe the Bell-man heare, 
 -^^^The firfl day of this hopefull yeare; 
 I doe in loue admoniJJi you. 
 To bid your old fins all adue, 
 
 M 2 And 
 
 263 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 And walke as Gods ittft Law requires^ 
 In holy deeds and good dejires, 
 Whi-ch if to doe youle doe your bejl, 
 God will in Chrijl forgiue the rejl. 
 
 For Saint Dauids day. 
 
 T Am no Welchman, but yet tojhow 
 ^ The loue I to the Countrey owe, 
 I call this morning, and befeeke 
 Each man prepare him, for his Leeke\ 
 For as I hearefome tne7ifay, 
 The firfl of March is Saint Dauids day; 
 That worthy Britaine, valiant, wife, 
 Withstood his Cotintries enemies. 
 And caufed his Souldiers there to choofe 
 Leekes for to know them from his foes-. 
 Who bratiely fought, and conquest won, 
 Andfo the customs first begun. 
 
 Then 
 
The Bel mans Sounds. 
 
 Then weare your Leeks, anddoenotjhame 
 To memorize yow worthies name: 
 So noble Britai7tes all adew, 
 Louejiill King Charles,yi?r he louesyou. 
 
 For the 5. of Nouemb. 
 
 A Wake ^x'VidAXx^s fubieils 
 -^^^ with one accord, 
 Extoll and prai/e, 
 
 and 7nagnifie the Lord, 
 Humble your hearts, 
 
 and zvith deuotionjing 
 Praifes of tha^iks to God 
 
 for our mofl gracious King; 
 This was the night 
 
 when in a darkfome Cell, 
 Treafon was found in earth 
 
 it hatcht in hell; 
 
 M 3 And 
 
 265 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 And had it tooke effedl, 
 
 what would auaiPd our/orrow, 
 The traine being laid 
 
 to haue blowne vs vp dtli morrow? 
 Yet God our guide 
 
 reueard the damned plot y 
 And they them/ebies dejlroyd, 
 
 and zve were not. 
 Then let vs not forget 
 
 him thankes to render ^ 
 That hath preferud and kept 
 
 oiLr faiths defender. 
 
 For Good Fryday. 
 
 \LL you that now in bed doe lye, 
 -^^^Know, lefus Chrifl this night did dye, 
 Ourfoules mofl finfull for tofaue, 
 That we eternall life might haue; 
 
 His 
 
 266 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 His whips, his grones, his crozvn ofthornes, 
 Would make vs tveepe, lament, and mourn. 
 
 For Sunday. 
 
 T Et labour pajfe, let prayer be 
 ■* — ' This day the chief ejl worke for thee, 
 Thy felfe andferuants fnore and leffe, 
 This day mufl let all labour paffe. 
 
 All hale to you thatfleepe and rest\ 
 Repent, awake, yotirfinnes detest. 
 Call to your minde the day of doonie. 
 For then our Sauiotcr Christ will come, 
 Accompt to haue he hath deaxed, 
 Ofetiery thought, word, worke, anddcede\ 
 And as we haue our times here pq/l, 
 SofJtall our Judgements be at last. 
 
 A ^ As 
 
 267 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 A 5" darkefome night 
 ^^"^ vnto thy thoughts prefent, 
 What 'tis to want 
 
 the dayes bright Element, 
 So let thyfoule defcend 
 
 through contemplation, 
 Whei'e vtter darkneffe keepes 
 
 her habitation, 
 Where endleffe, eafelejfe 
 
 pines remedilejfc 
 Attend to torture fumes 
 
 curjl wilfulnej/e : 
 O then remember 
 
 whiljl thou yet haji time 
 To call for mercy for 
 
 each forepast crime', 
 A7id with good Daiiid 
 
 waJJi thy bed with teares, 
 
 Tluit 
 
 268 
 
The Bei-mans Sounds. 
 
 Tkat/o repentance may 
 
 fitbdue hels feares: 
 Then /hall thy fottle 
 
 more purer then the Sunne, 
 loy as a Gyant 
 
 her be/i race to rtmne, 
 And in vnf potted robes 
 
 herfelfe addrej/e 
 To meet her Lord 
 
 that Sonne of righteou/nej/e, 
 To whom with God the Father 
 
 and the Spirit 
 Be all due praife, 
 
 where all true ioyes inherit. 
 
 " I ^He Belman like the wakefull 
 
 -^ morning Cocke, 
 Doth zvarne you to be vigilant 
 and zvife: - 
 
 M 5 Looke 
 
 269 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 Looke to your fire, yotir candle 
 
 and your locke, 
 Preuent zvhat may through 
 
 negligence ari/e; 
 So may youjleepe with peace 
 
 and wake zvith ioy, 
 And no 7nifchances fitall 
 
 yourfiate annoy. 
 
 ^SJ^Our beds compare vnto the graue, 
 
 ^ Then thinke what fepulcher you hauc. 
 For though you lay you downe tofieepc, 
 The Belman wakes your peace to keepe, 
 And nightly walkes the rouitd about. 
 To fee if fire and light be out; 
 But when themorne {dayes light) appear es 
 Be you as ready for yotir prayers'. 
 So fiiall your labours thriue each day, 
 That you the Belman well may pay. 
 
 Like 
 
 270 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 T ike to the Seaman is our life, 
 -*— ^ Tojl by the waues of Jinfull Jlrife, 
 Finding no ground whereon tojland, 
 Vncertahie death isflill at hand: 
 If that our Hues fo vainlefse be, 
 Then all the world is vanitie. 
 
 '^yP'Hofe that Hue in wrath and ire, 
 ^ And goe to rest in any finne, 
 They are worfe vnto their houfe the fire, 
 Or violent theetces that would breake in. 
 Thenfeeke tofJiun with all your might, 
 That Hidras head, that mon/lrotis fin; 
 That God may bleffe your goods abroad, 
 And eke alfo your felues within. 
 
 Sleepe 
 
 271 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 Q^Leepe on in peace, yet waking be, 
 "^ And dread his powerfull Maiestie, 
 Who can tranjlate the irke/ome night, 
 From darkneffe to that glorious light, 
 Whofe radient beames when once they rife, 
 With winged /peed the darknejfeflyes. 
 
 '' I ^Hou God that art our helpe at hand, 
 -*- Preferue and keepe our Khig & land 
 Frem forraigne and doniesticke foes, 
 Such as the word and trtith depofe\ 
 And euer profper thofe of pit tie, 
 That loue the peace of this our Citie. 
 
 A Wake from fleepe, awake from fi7i, 
 -^^- With voyce and heart to call on him, 
 
 Who 
 
 272 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 Who from aboue pleaf ci to defceiid, 
 From Sathans malice to defend 
 Our forfeit foules, to that rich grace 
 Where we mayfiill behold his face. 
 
 T Et vs repare and God implore, 
 •*-^ That henceforth we tranfgres no mo7'e 
 And that our ioy be at this tide, 
 That we in him befatisfde; 
 Thenfliall we all for his dearefake, 
 Be blefl afleepe, be blefi awake. 
 
 Q^Ith neither men nor Angels know, 
 *^ When as the dreadful trump fJial blow. 
 Nor zvhen our Sauioitr Chrifi fhall come 
 To giue the world a woftdl doonie; 
 Thi7tke then but what a cafe you're in, 
 Thatfleepe in vnrepented finne : 
 
 O 
 
 ^73 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 O wake, O wake, O watch and pray, 
 And thinke vpon this dread/all day. 
 
 Q^Leepe not fo fotmd, rest notfecure, 
 ^^ Marke well my words, of this be fur e 
 The waking Virgins pajl the gate, 
 When thofe thatjlept carne all to late: 
 Wherefore be watchftdl in your center, 
 That you may with the Bridegrome enter. 
 
 T F wicked impes wake day and night, 
 -*- And keepe their candle alwayes light, 
 And all their skill andpra^ife bend, 
 To bring their damned plots to end; 
 Let vs notfleepCy but laud his skill. 
 That frustrates all their proie^s flill. 
 
 The 
 
 274 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 ' I ^He night well /pent, 
 
 ^ the day drawes nigh, 
 A wake fro7n Jleepe 
 andjinne defie, 
 All JluggiJJt Jloath expell away, 
 Hazie still in minde the iiidgement day, 
 When deadjhall rife at trumpets call, 
 The graues Jhall opeii wide with all. 
 
 A Rife from Jirme, 
 ■^^^ awake from fleepe, 
 The earth doth mourne, 
 The heatiens weepe; 
 The winds and Seas di/lempered bin, 
 
 And all by reafon of mans fin : 
 Wherefore arife, lay fleepe afide, 
 And call on God to be your guide, 
 
 From 
 
 275 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 From raging /word and arrowes flight , 
 Andfroin tlie terrours of the night \ 
 From fires flame, from fin andforrow, 
 God bleffe you all, andfo good morrow. 
 
 \LL yotc which in your beds doe lye, 
 -^^^ Vfito the Lord ye ought to cry, 
 That he would pardon all your finnes; 
 And thus the Belmans prayer begins] 
 Lordgiue vs grace ourfinful life to mend. 
 And at the lafi to fend a toy full end: 
 Hauingpitt otit your fire and your light, 
 For to conclude, I bid you all good night 
 
 '\l\Ans life is like a warfare 
 ''-'-*• on the earth, 
 Whofe time is f pent with 
 troubles, toyles and cares, 
 
 SubieB 
 
 276 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 Subie5l to all temptations 
 
 from his birth : 
 In woe he Hues and dyes 
 
 at vnazvares. 
 The furejl figne true 
 
 fortitude tofliow. 
 Is in his life all 
 
 vice to ouerthrow. 
 
 f~\Harke, O harke my Mqflers all, 
 ^-^ Xo your poor e feruants cry and call: 
 And know all you that lye at eafe, 
 That our great God may if he p leaf e, 
 Depriue you of your vitall breath: 
 Thcnfleeping, thinke yourfleep is death. 
 
 T Et true repentance cleanfe your fin, 
 ^~^And then yotir forties comend to him, 
 
 That 
 
 277 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 That by his death hath raifd arid cur'd 
 The dead, the blinde, and them ajfured 
 To giue to them eternall reft, 
 To Hue in heauen among the bleft. 
 
 Co7ifeJfe thy Jinnes to God on hie, 
 Who pardons Jinners when they cry; 
 Bewray thy faults to him in time, 
 Who will in Christ forgiue thy crime. 
 
 T T E that on the croffe hath dyed, 
 -*- -*■ And for ourflnnes was crtLcified, 
 Be you euer ble/l in him, 
 And cleane remitted from your finne : 
 Be it granted as I haue praid, 
 Andfo the Belman resteth paid. 
 
 All 
 
 278 
 
 J' 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 A LL yotc that in bed doe lye, 
 •^^^Harken zvell to what I cry^ 
 Lcaue of your Jinnes, repentance craue, 
 It is the onely way your foules tofaue. 
 
 T3 Epent in time while ye haue breathy 
 -*- ^Repentace conimeth not after death : 
 He therefore that will Hue for aye, 
 Mu/l leaue hisfinnes, and to God pray. 
 
 /^ Gracious God and blef/ed, 
 ^-^ Prefer tie all ye that be in bed, 
 So that your quiet refi may take, 
 Vntill the moiming that yee wake: 
 Then may ye all with praifesfing, 
 To thee O God our heauenly King, 
 
 Remejn- 
 
 279 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 T3 Emember man thou art but dust, 
 ^^ There is none aliue but dye he muji, 
 To day a man, to morrozv none, 
 So/oone our life is past and gone. 
 Mans life is like a withered flower, 
 Aliue and dead all in an houre, 
 Leaue of thy fins therefore in time, 
 And Chri/i zvill rid thee from thy crime. 
 
 f~\Mortall ma7i that is made of dti/i, 
 ^^ In luorldly riches put not thy trufi, 
 Rentember how thy thne doth pafse, 
 Eueji like the f and that from the Glaffe, 
 Hath f pent the time and there remaines, 
 Neuer canst thou call that time agahte. 
 
 Sicke 
 
 280 
 
The Bel-mans Sounds. 
 
 (^/c^e men complaine they cannot Jleepe, 
 ^^ The Bel-man fuch a noi/e doth keepe; 
 Others that doe win at play, 
 Sates he too foone proclaimes the day. 
 Yet to theficke that drawes Jhort breath, 
 It puts them in the minde of death; 
 Andfaies the gamster makes good Jlake, 
 If he for heauenfo long would wake; 
 And all this while like filly worme, 
 He doth his office but per for me \ 
 Then if his duety breed difeafe, 
 Heele go to bed and none difpleafe. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 281 
 
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