■ -^li.-f -'m f :^'. 5J!ay..-_f;^^L^£ge»ja LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Cla^ss Cj'^Q fic /fro ^^J^C^mii^^ ■# y 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 m # m h mh 1024G9