HEAVEN'S GLORY, SEEK IT. EARTS' VANITY, FLY IT. HELL'S HORROR, FERE IT.   
LONDON, printed for Michael Spark. Ao. 1638.   

A Most Excellent TREATISE Containing the way To seek Heaven's Glory. To fly Earth's Vanity To fear Hell's Horror. With Godly Prayers And The Bell-mans' Summons.  
The third Edition by S. R.  
LONDON, Printed by G M. for Michael Spark Junior at the blue Bible in Greene-Arbour, 1639.   

To the Reader.  
THE present careless security of all men in general, is like unto our first Parents neglect of God's sacred commandment in Paradise, when the seducing Serpent no sooner persuaded evil, but it was instantly put in practice: You shall die (said God) was heard, but you shall not die (said the Devil) was believed. Our ears are daily acquainted with the threatenings of Gods denounced against sinners, and yet that sin, that broad way path and highway to hell, is attempted with a delectation and pleasure, so crafty and subtle are the baits and lures of the deceiver, and so void of spiritual wisdom is the soule-murdering sinner. But if due consideration were had of the wages of sin, and the reward of unrighteousness, and to what bitterness it will turn in the end, it would make us less bold to sin, and more fearful to offend, if we would take into our company for a daily consort, the pale memory of death, and whereto he summeth us after this life. Death itself is very fearful, but much more terrible, in regard of the judgement it warneth us unto. Imagine to see a sinner lie on his departing bed, burdened and tired with the grievous and heavy load of all his former trespasses, gored with the sting and prick of a festered conscience, feeling the cramp of death wresting at his heart strings, ready to make the ruthful divorce between soul and body, panting for breath, and swimming in a cold and fatal sweat, wearied with struggling against the deadly pangs: Oh how much would he give for an hour of repentance! at what rate would he value a day's contrition! Then worlds would be worthless, in respect of a little respite, a short truce would seem more precious than the treasures of Empires, nothing would be so much esteemed as a moment of time, which now by months and years is lavishly spent.  
How inconsolable were his case, his friends being fled, his senses frighted, his thoughts amazed, his memory decayed, his whole mind aghast, and no part able to perform that it should, but only his guilty conscience pestered with sin, continually upbraiding him with bitter accusations? what would he think then (stripped out of this mortal weed, and turned both out of the service and houseroom of this world) he must pass before a most severe judge, carrying in his own conscience his indictment written, and a perfect register of all his misdeeds: when he should see the judge prepared to pass the sentence against him, and the same to be his Umpire, whom by so many offences he hath made his enemy: When not only the devils, but even the Angels, should plead against him, and himself maugre his will, be his own sharpest appeacher: What were to be done in these dreadful exigents?  
When he saw that ghastly dungeon and huge gulf of hell, breaking out with fearful flames, the weeping, hou●ing, and gnashing of teeth, the rage of all those hellish monsters, the horror of the place, the rigour of the pain, the terror of the company, and the eternity of all those punishments. Would you think them wise that would daily in so weighty matters, and idly play away the time allotted them to prevent these intolerable calamities? Would you then account it secure, to nurse in your bosom so many ugly Serpents as sins are, or to foster in your soul so many malicious accusers, as mortal faults are?  
Would you not then think one life too little to repent for so many iniquities, every one whereof were enough to cast you into those everlasting and unspeakable torments? Why then do we not (at the least) devote that small remnant of these our latter days, to the making an atonement with God, that our consciences may be free from this eternal danger? Who would rely the everlasting affairs of the life to come upon the gliding slipperiness, and running stream of our uncertain life?  
It is a preposterous policy (in any wise conceit) to fight against God till our weapons be blunted, our forces consumed, our limbs impotent, and our breath spent; and then when we fall for faintness, and have fought ourselves almost dead, to presume on his mercy. It were a strange piece of Art, and a very exorbitant course, while the Ship is sound, the Pilot well, the Mariners strong, the gale favourable, and the Sea calm, to lie idle at road: and when the Ship leaks, the Pilot were sick, the Mariners faint, the storms boisterous, and the Sea turmoiled with surges, to launch forth for a voyage into a far Country: yet such is the skill of our evening repenters, who though in the soundness of health, and in the perfect use of reason, they cannot resolve to weigh the anchors that withhold them from God, nevertheless, feed themselves with a strong persuasion, that when their senses are astonished, their wits distracted, their understanding dusked, and both body and mind racked and tormented with the throbs and gripes of a mortal sickness, then will they think of the weightiest matters, ad become Saints, when they are scarce able to behave themselves like reasonable creatures? being than presumed to be less than men: for how can he that is assaulted with an unsettled conscience, distrained with the wring fits of his dying flesh, maimed in all his abilities, and circled in with so many encumbrances, be thought of due discretion to dispose of his chiefest jewel, which is his soul? No, no, they that will loiter in seed time, and begin then to sow when others begin to reap: they that will riot out their health, and cast their accounts when they can scarcely speak: they that will slumber out the day, and enter their journey when the light doth fail them, let them blame their own folly, if they die in debt, and eternal beggary, and fall headlong into the lapse of endless perdition.  
Great cause have we then to have an hourly watchful care over our soul, being so dangerous assaulted and environed: most instantly entreating the divine Majesty to be our assured defence, and let us pass the day in mourning, the night in watching and weeping, and our whole time in plainefull lamenting, falling down upon the ground humbled in sackcloth and ashes, having lost the garment of Christ, that he may receive what the persecuting enemy would have spoilt every short sigh will not be sufficient satisfaction, nor every knock a warrant to getin. Many shall cry Lord, Lord, and shall not be accepted: the foolish Virgins did knock, but were not admitted: Judas had some sorrow, and yet died desperate. Foreslow not (saith the Holy Ghost) to be converted unto God, and make not a daily linger of thy repair unto him: for thou shalt find the suddenness of his wrath and revenge not slack to destroy sinners. For which cause, let no man sojourn long in sinful security, or post over his repentance until fear enforce him to it, but let us frame our premises as we would find our conclusion, endeavouring to live as we are desirous to die: let us not offer the main crop to the Devil, and set God to glean the reproof of his harvest: let us not gorge the Devil with our fairest fruits, and turn God to the filthy scraps of his leave: but let us truly dedicate both soul and body to his service, whose right they are, and whose service they owe; that so in the evening of our life we may retire to a Christian rest, closing up the day of our life with a clear sunset, that leaving all darkness behind us, we may carry in our consciences the light of grace: and so escaping the horror of an eternal night, pass from a mortal day, to an everlasting morrow.  
Thine in Christ Jesus, Samuel Rowland.   


STrike sail, poor soul, in sins tempestuous tide,  
That run'st to ruin and eternal wrack:  
Thy course from heaven is exceeding wide,  
Hell's gulf thou ent'rest, if grace guide not back:  
Satan is Pilot in this navigation,  
The Ocean, Vanity, The Rock, damnation.   

War with the Dragon, and his whole alliance,  
Renounce his league, intends thy utter loss;  
Take in sin's flag of truce, set out defiance,  
Display Christ's ensign with the bloody cross:  
Against a Faith-proofe armed Christian Knight,  
The hellish coward dares not manage fight.   

Resist him then, if thou wilt victor be,  
For so he flies, and is disanimate;  
His fiery darts can have no force at thee,  
The shield of faith doth all their points rebate:  
He conquers none to his infernal den,  
But yielding slaves, that wage not fight like men.   

Those in the dungeon of eternal dark,  
He hath enthralled everlasting date,  
Branded with Reprobations coal-black mark,  
Within the never-opening ramd up gate:  
Where Dives rates one drop of water more  
Than any crown that ever Monarch wore.   

Where furies haunt the hearttorne wretch, despair,  
Where clamours cease not, teeth are ever gnashing,  
Where wrath and vengeance sit in horrors chair,  
Where quenchless flames of sulphur fire be flashing,  
Where damned souls blaspheme God in despite,  
Where utter darkness stands removed from light.   

Where plagues environ, torments compass round,  
Where anguish roars in never stinted sorrow,  
Where woe, wo, wo, is every voices sound,  
Where night eternal never yields tomorrow:  
Where damned tortures dreadful shall persever,  
So long as God is God, So long is ever.    


Heaven's Glory.  

WHo loves this life, from love his love doth err,  
And choosing dross, rich treasure doth deny,  
Leaving the pearl, Christ's counsels to prefer,  
With selling all we have, the same to buy:  
O happy soul. that doth disburse a sum,  
To gain a kingdom in the life to come.   

Such traffic may be termed heavenly thrift,  
Such venture hath no hazard to dissuade  
Immortal purchase, with a mortal gift,  
The greatest gain that ever Merchant made:  
To get a crown where Saints and Angels sing,  
For laying out a base and earthly thing.   

To taste the joys no humane knowledge knows,  
To hear the tunes of the celestial quires,  
T'attain heaven's sweet and mildest calm repose,  
To see God's face the sum of good desires.  
Which by his glorious Saints is hourly eyed,  
Let sight with seeing, never satisfied.   

Sod as he is, sight beyond estimate,  
Which Angel tongues are unt aught to discover,  
Whose splendour doth The heavens illustrate,  
Unto which sight each sight becomes a lover:  
Whom all the glorious court of heaven laud,  
With praises of eternities applaud.   

There where no tears are to interpret griefs,  
For any sighs, heart dolours to expound,  
There where no treasure is surprised by thiefs,  
Nor any voice that speaks with sorrow's sound.  
No use of passions, no distempered thought,  
No spot of sin, no deed of error wrought.   

The native home of pilgrim soul's abode,  
Rests habitation, joys true residence,  
Ierusalem's new City built by God,  
Formed by the hands of his own excellence;  
With gold paved streets, the walls of precious stone,  
Where all sound praise to him sits on the throne.    

HEAVEN'S Glory, EARTH'S Vanity, and HELL'S Torments. Of the Glory of the blessed Saints in Heaven.  
TO the end there might want nothing to stir up our minds to ver●e, after the pains which Almighty God threateneth to the wicked, he doth also set before us the reward of the good: which is, that glory and everlasting life which the blessed Saints do enjoy in Heaven, whereby he doth very mightily allure us to the love of the same. But what manner of thing this reward; and what this life is, there is no tongue, neither of Angels nor of men, that is sufficient to express it. Howbeit, that we may have some kind of savour and knowledge thereof, I intent here to rehearse even word for word what S. Augustine saith in one of his meditations, speaking o● the life everlasting (ensuing thi● transitory time) and of the joys of the blessed Saints in Heaven. O life (saith he) prepared by Almighty God for his friends, a blessed life, a secure life, a quiet life, a beautiful life, a clean life, a chaste life, a holy life; a life that knoweth no death, a life without sadness, without labour, without grief, without trouble, without corruption, without fear, without variety, without alteration; a life replenished with all beauty and dignity; where there is neither enemy that can offend, nor delight that can annoy, where love is perfect, and no fear at all, where the day is everlasting, and the spirit of all is one; where Almighty God is seen face to face, who is the only meat whereupon they feed without loathsomeness: it delighteth me to consider thy brightness, and thy treasures do rejoice my longing heart. The more I consider thee, the more I am stricken in love with thee. The great desire I have of thee, doth wonderfully delight me, and no less pleasure is it to me, to keep thee in my remembrance. O life most happy, O kingdom truly blessed, wherein there is no death nor end, neither yet succession of time, where the day continuing evermore without night, knoweth not any mutation; where the victorious Conqueror being joined with those everlasting quires of Angels, and having his head crowned with a garland of glory, singeth unto Almighty God one of the songs of Zion. Oh happy, yea, and most happy should my soul be, if when the race of this my pilgrimage is ended, I might be worthy to see thy glory, thy blessedness, thy beauty, the walls and gates of thy City, thy streets, thy lodgings, thy noble Citizens, and thine omnipotent King in his most glorious Majesty. The stones of thy walls are precious, thy gates are adorned with bright pearls, thy streets are of very fine excellent gold, in which there never fail perpetual praises; thy houses are paved with rich stones, wrought throughout with Saphires, and covered about with massy gold, where no unclean thing may enter, neither doth any abide there that is defiled. Fair and beautiful in thy delights art thou O jerusalem our mother, none of those things are suffered in thee, that are suffered here. There is great diversity between thy things and the things that we do continually see in this life. In thee is never seen neither darkness nor night, neither yet any change of time. The light that shineth in thee, cometh neither of lamps, nor of Sun or Moon, nor yet of bright glittering Stars, but God that proceedeth of God, and the light that cometh of light, is he that giveth clearness unto thee. Even the very King of Kings himself keepeth continual residence in the midst of thee, compassed about with his officers and servants. There do the Angels in their orders and Quires sing a most sweere and melodious harmony. There is celebrated a perpetual solemnity and feast with every one of them that cometh thither, after his departure out of this pilgrimage. There be the orders of Prophets; there is the famous company of the Apostles; there is the invincible army of Martyrs; there is the most reverentassembly of confessors; there are the true and perfect religious persons; there are the holy Virgins, which have overcome both the pleasures of the world, and the frailty of their own nature; there are the young men and young women, more ancient in virtue than in years; there are the sheep and little lambs that have escaped from the Wolves, and from the deceitful snares of this life, and therefore do now keep a perpetual feast, each one in his place, all alike in joy, though different in degree. There Charity reigneth in her full perfection, for unto them God is all in all, whom they behold without end, in whose love they be all continually inflamed, whom they do always love, and in loving do praise, and in praising, do love, and all their exercises consist in praises, without weariness, and without travel. O happy were I, yea, and very happy indeed, if at what time I shall be loosed out of the prison of this wretched body, I might be thought worthy to hear those songs of that heavenly melody, sung in the praise of the everlasting King, by all the Citizens of that so noble City. Happy were I, and very happy, if I might obtain a room among the Chaplains of that Chapel, and wait for my turn also to sing my Hallelujah. If I might be near to my King, my God, my Lord, and see him in his glory, even as he hath promised me, when he said: O Father, this is my last determinate will, that all those that thou hast given unto me, may be with me, and see the glory which I had with thee before the world was created. Hitherto are the words of S. Augustine. Now tell me (Christian brother) what a day of glorious shine shall that be unto thee (if thou lead thy life in God's fear) when after the course of this pilgrimage, thou shalt pass from death to immortality; and in that passage, when others shall begin to fear, thou shalt begin to rejoice, and lift up thy head, because the day of thy deliverance is at hand. Come forth a little (saith S. Jerome unto the Virgin Eustochia) out of the prison of this body, and when thou art before the gate of this Tabernacle, set before thy eyes the reward that thou hopest to have for thy present labours. Tell me, what a day shall that be, when our Lord himself with all his Saints, shall come and meet thee in the way, saying unto thee: Arise and make haste O my beloved, my delight, and my Turtle dove, for now the Winter is past, and the tempestuous waters are ceased, the flowers do begin to appear in our land. Cant. 2. How great joy shall thy soul then receive, when it shall be at that time presented before the Throne of the most blessed Trinity, by the hands of the holy Angels, and when shall be declared thy good works, and what crosses, tribulations, and injuries thou hast suffered for God's sake. Acts 9 S. Luke writeth, That when holy Tabytha, the great alms giver was dead, all the Widows and poor folk came about the Apostle S. Peter, showing unto him the garments which she had given them: wherewith the Apostle being moved, made his prayer unto Almighty God for that so merciful a woman, and by his prayers he raised her again to life. Now what a gladness will it be to thy soul, when in the midst of those blessed spirits thou shalt be placed, with remembrance of thy almsdeeds, thy prayers and fastings, the innocency of thy life, thy suffering of wrongs and injuries, thy patience in afflictions, thy temperance in diet, with all other virtues and good works that thou hast done in all thy life. O how great joy shalt thou receive at that time for all the good deeds that thou hast wrought; how clearly then shalt thou understand the value and the excellency of virtue. There the obedient man shall talk of victories; there virtue shall receive her reward, and the good honoured according to their merit. Moreover, what a pleasure will it be unto thee, when thou shalt see thyself to be in that sure haven, and shalt look back upon the course of thy navigation which thou hast sailed here in this life: when thou shalt remember the tempests wherein thou hast been tossed, the straits through which thou hast passed, and the dangers of thiefs and pirates, from whom thou hast escaped. There is the place where they shall sing the song of the Prophet, which saith, Had it not been that our Lord had been mine helper, it could not be but my soul had gone into hell. Especially, when from thence thou shalt behold so many sins as are committed every hour in the world, so many souls as do descend every day into hell, and how it hath pleased Almighty God, that among such a multitude of damned persons, thou shouldst be of the number of his elect, and one of those to whom he would grant such exceeding great felicity and glory. Besides all this, what a goodly sight will it be to see those seats filled up, and the City builded, and the walls of that noble jerusalem repaired again? With what cheerful embracings shall the whole court of Heaven entertain them, beholding them when they come loaden with the spoils of their vanquished enemies? There shall those valiant men and women enter with triumph, which have together with the world conquered the weakness of their own frail nature. There shall they enter which have suffered martyrdom for Christ's sake, with double triumph over the flesh and the world, adorned with all celestial glory. There shall also daily enter many young men and children, which have vanquished the tenderness of their young years with discretion and virtue. Oh, how sweet and savoury shall the fruit of virtue then be, although for a time before her roots seemed very bitter: sweet is the cold evening after the hot sunny day; sweet is the fountain to the weary thirsty traveller; sweet is rest and sleep to the tired servant: but much more sweet is it to the Saints in Heaven to enjoy peace after war, security after peril, eternal rest after their pains and travels: for then are the wars at an end, then need they no more to go all armed, both on the right side and on the left. The children of Israel went forth armed towards the land of Promise, but after that the land was conquered, they laid down their spears, and cast away their armour, and forgetting all fear and turmoil of war, each one under the shadow of his pavilion & harbour enjoyed the fruit of their sweet peace. Now may the watching Prophet come down from his standing, that did watch and fix his feet upon the place of the Sentinel: There is no more fear of invasion by the terrible armies of the bloody enemies: there is no place for the subtle crafts of the lurking viper: there cannot arrive the deadly sight of the venomous Basseliske, nor yet shall the hissing of the ancient Serpent be heard there, but only the soft breathing air of the Holy Ghost; wherein is beholden the glory of Almighty God. This is the region of all peace, the place of security, situated above all the Elements, whether the clouds and stormy winds of the dark air cannot come. O what glorious things have been spoken of thee, O City of God. Blessed are they (saith holy Tobias) that love thee, and enjoy thy peace. O my soul praise our Lord, for he hath delivered jerusalem his City from all her troubles. Happy shall I be, if the remnant of my posterity might come to see the clearness of jerusalem: her gates shall be wrought with Saphires and Emeralds, and all the circuit of her walls shall be built with precious stones, her streets shall be paved with white and polished marble, and in all parts of her territories shall be sung Hallelujah. O joyful country! O sweet glory! O blessed company! who shall be those so fortunate and happy that are elected for thee? It seemeth a presumption to desire thee, and yet I will not live without the desire of thee. O ye sons of Adam, a race of men, miserably blinded and deceived. O ye scattered sheep, wand'ring out of your right way, if this be your sheep-coat, whether go you backward? What mean you? Why suffer you such an excellent benefit to be wilfully lost for not taking so little pains? What wise man would not desire, that all labour & pain of the world were imposed unto him? that all sorrows, afflictions, and diseases were even poured upon him as thick as hail; that persecutions, tribulations, and griefs, with one to molest him, another to disquiet him, yea, that all creatures in the world did conspire against him, being scorned and made a laughing stock of all men; and that his whole life were converted into weep and lamentations; so that in the next life he might find repose in the heavenly harbour of eternal consolation, and be thought meet to have a place among that blessed people, which are adorned and beautified with such inestimable glory. And thou, O foolish lover of this miserable world, go thy way, seek as long as thou wilt for honours and promotions, build sumptuous houses and palaces, purchase lands and possessions, enlarge thy territories and dominions, yea, command if thou wilt the whole world, yet shalt thou never be so great as the least of all the servants of Almighty God, who shall receive that treasure which this world cannot give, and shall enjoy that felicity, which shall endure for evermore, when thou with thy pomp and riches, shall bear the rich glutton company, whose burial is in the deep vault of hell: but the devout spiritual man shall be carried by the holy Angels with poor Lazarus into Abraham's bosom, a place of perpetual rest, joy, solace, and eternal happiness.  

Of the benefits which our Lord promiseth to give in this present life; to such as live a just and godly life.  
PEradventure thou wilt now say, that all these things before rehearsed, be rewards and punishments only for the life to come: and that thou desirest to see something in this present life, because our minds are wont to be moved very much with the sight of things present. To satisfy thee herein, I will also explain unto thee what may answer thy desire. For although our Lord do reserve the best wine, and the delicate dishes of most delight, until the end of the banquet, yet he suffereth not his friends to be utterly destitute of meat and drink in this tedious voyage: for he knoweth very well, that they could not otherwise hold out in their journey. And therefore when he said unto Abraham, Fear not Abraham, for I am thy defender, and thy reward shall be exceeding great: By these words he promised two things, the one for the time present, that was, to be his safeguard and defence in all such things as may happen in this life, and the other for the time to come, and that is, the reward of glory which is reserved for the next life. But how great the first promise is, and how many kinds of benefits and favours are therein included, no man is able to understand, but only he, that hath with great diligence read the holy Scriptures, wherein no one thing is more often repeated and set forth, than the greatness of the favours, benefits, and privileges, which Almighty God promiseth unto his friends in this life. Harken what Solomon saith in the third Chapter of his Proverbs, as touching this matter. Blessed is that man that findeth wisdom, for it is better to have it, than all the treasures of Silver and Gold, be they never so excellent and precious: and it is more worth than all the riches of the world, and whatsoever man's heart is able to desire, is not comparable unto it. The length of days are at her right hand, and riches and glory at her left. Her ways be pleasant, and all her passages be quiet; she is a tree of life to all those that have obtained her; and he that shall have her in continual possession, shall be blessed. Keep therefore (O my son) the laws of Almighty God, and his counsel, for they shall be as life to thy soul, and sweetness to thy taste▪ Then shalt theu walk safely in thy ways, and thy feet shall no find any stumbling blocks. If thou sleep, thou shalt have no cause to fear: and if thou take thy rest, thy sleep shall be quiet. This is the sweetness and quietness of the way of the godly, but the ways of the wicked are far different, as the holy Scripture doth declare unto us. The paths and ways of the wicked (saith Ecclesiasticus) are full of brambles, and at the end of their journey are prepared for them hell, darkness, and pains. Dost thou think it then a good exchange, to forsake the ways of Almighty God, for the ways of the world, sith there is so great difference between the one and the other, not only in the end of the way, but also in all the steps of the same? What madness can be greater, than to choose one torment to gain another by; rather than with one rest to gain another rest? And that thou mayst more clearly perceive the excellency of this rest, and what a number of benefits are presently incident thereunto, I beseech thee hearken attentively even what Almighty God himself hath promised by his Prophet Esay, to the observers of his law, in a manner with these words, as diverse interpreters do expound them. When thou shalt do (saith he) such and such things, which I have commanded thee to do, there shall forthwith appear unto thee the dawning of the clear day (that is, the son of justice) which shall drive away all the darkness of thy errors and miseries, and then shalt thou begin to enjoy true and perfect salvation. Now these are the benefits which Almighty God hath promised to his servants. And albeit some of them be for the time to come, yet are some of them to be presently received in this life: as, that new light and shining from heaven; that safety and abundance of all good things; that assured confidence and trust in the Almighty God; that divine assistance in all our Prayers and Petitions made unto him; that peace and tranquillity of conscience; that protection and providence of Almighty God. All these are the gracious gifts and favours which Almighty God hath promised to his servants in this life. They all are the works of his mercy, effects of his grace, testimonies of his love, and blessings, which he of his fatherly providence extendeth.  
To be short, all these benefits do the godly enjoy both in this present life, and in the life to come: and of all these are the ungodly deprived, both in the one life, and in the other. Whereby thou mayst easily perceive, what difference there is between the one sort and the other, seeing the one is so rich in graces, and the other so poor and needy: For if thou ponder well Gods promised blessings, and consider the state and condition of the good and the wicked, thou shalt find, that the one sort is highly in the favour of Almighty God, and the other deeply in his displeasure: the one be his friends, and the other his enemies: the one be in light, and the other in darkness: the one do enjoy the company of Angels, and the other the filthy pleasures and delights of Swine: the one are truly free, and Lords over themselves, and the other are become bondslaves unto Satan, and unto their own lusts and appetites. The one are joyful with the witness of a good conscience, and the other (except they be utterly blinded) are continually bitten with the worm of conscience, evermore gnawing on them: the one in tribulation, stand steadfastly in their proper place; and the other, like light chaff, are carried up and down with every blast of wind: the one stand secure and firm with the anchor of hope, and the other are unstable, and evermore yielding unto the assaults of fortune: the prayers of the one are acceptable and liking unto God, and the prayers of the other are abhorred and accursed: the death of the one is quiet, peaceable and precious in the sight of God, and the death of the other, is unquiet, painful, and troubled with a thousand frights and terrors: To conclude, the one live like children under the protection and defence of Almighty God, and sleep sweetly under the shadow of his pastoral providence; and the other being excluded from this kind of providence, wander abroad as strayed sheep, without their shepherd and Master, lying wide open to all the perils, dangers, and assaults of the world. Seeing then, that a virtuous life is accompanied with all these benefits, what is the cause that should withdraw thee, and persuade thee not to embrace such a precious treasure? what art thou able to allege for excuse of thy great negligence? To say that this is not true, it cannot be admitted, for so much as God's word doth avouch the certainty hereof. To say that these are but small benefits, thou canst not, for so much as they do exceed all that man's heart can desire. To say that thou art an enemy unto thyself, and that thou dost not desire these benefits, cannot be, considering that a man is even naturally a friend to himself, & the will of man hath ever an eye to his own benefit, which is the very object or mark that his desire shooteth at. To say that thou hast no understanding, nor taste of these benefits, it will not serve to discharge thine offence, forsomuch as thou hast the faith and belief thereof, though thou hast not the taste, for the taste is lost through sin, but not the faith: and the faith is a witness more certain, more secure, & better to be trusted, than all other experiences and witnesses in the world. Why dost thou not then discredit all other witnesses with this one assured testimony? Why dost thou not rather give credit unto faith, than to thine own opinion and judgement? O that thou wouldst make a resolute determination, to submit thyself into the hands of Almighty God, and to put thy whole trust assuredly in him How soon shouldest thou then see all these Prophecies fulfilled in thee: then shouldest thou see the excellency of these divine treasures: then shouldest thou see how stark blind the lovers of this world are, that seek not after this high treasure: then shouldest thou see upon what good ground our Saviour inviteth us to this kind of life, saying; Come unto me all ye that travel, and are loaden, and I will refresh you; take my yoke upon you, and you shall find rest for your souls: for my yoke is sweet, and my burden is light. Almighty God is no deceiver, nor false promiser, neither yet is he a great boaster of such things as he promiseth. Why dost thou then shrink back? why dost thou refuse peace and true quietness? why dost thou refuse the gentle offers and sweet callings of thy Pastor? how darest thou despise and banish away virtue from thee, which hath such prerogatives and privileges as these be: and withal, confirmed and signed even with the hand of Almighty God? The Queen of Sheba heard far less things than these of Solomon, and yet she traveled from the uttermost parts of the world, to try the truth of those things that she had heard. And why dost not thou then (hearing such notable, yea, and so certain news of virtue) adventure to take a little pains to try the truth and sequel thereof? O dear Christian brother, put thy trust in Almighty God and in his Word, and commit thyself most boldly without all fear into his arms, and unloose from thy hands those trifling knots that have hitherto deceived thee, and thou shalt find, that the merits of virtue do far excel her fame: and that all which is spoken in praise of her, is nothing in comparison of that which she is indeed.   

That a man ought not to defer his Repentance and Conversion unto God, from day to day; considering he hath so many debts to discharge, by reason of the offences committed in his sinful life already past.  
NOw then, if on the one side there be so many and so great respects, that do bind us to change our sinful life; and on the other side, we have not any sufficient excuse why we should not make this exchange. How long wilt thou tarry, until thou fully resolve to do it? Turn thine eyes a little, and look back upon thy life past, and consider, that at this present (of what age soever thou be) it is high time, or rather, the time well nigh past to begin to discharge some part of thy old debts. Consider, that thou which art a Christian regenerated in the water of holy Baptism, which dost acknowledge Almighty God for thy Father, and the Catholic Church for thy Mother, whom she hath nourished with the milk of the Gospel, to wit, with the doctrine of the Apostles and Evangelists: consider (I say) that all this notwithstanding, thou hast lived even as loosely and dissolutely, as if thou hadst been a mere Infidel, that had never any knowledge of Almighty God. And if thou do deny this, then tell me what kind of sin is there which thou hast not committed? What tree is there forbidden that thou hast not beholden with thine eyes? What green meadow is there, in which thou hast not (at the least in desire) feasted thy lecherous lust? what thing hath been set before thine eyes, that thou hast not wantonly desired? What appetite hast thou left unexecuted, notwithstanding that thou didst believe in Almighty God, and that thou wert a Christian? What wouldst thou have done more, if thou hadst not had any faith at all? If thou hadst not looked for any other life? If thou hadst not feared the dreadful day of judgement? What hath all thy former life been, but a web of sins, a sink of vices, a way full of brambles and thorns, and a froward disobedience of God? with whom hast thou hitherto lived, but only with thine appetite, with thy flesh, with thy pride, and with the goods and riches of this transitory world? These have been thy gods, these have been thine idols whom thou hast served, and whose laws thou hast diligently obeyed. Make thine account with the Almighty God, with his laws, and with his obedience, and peradventure thou shalt find, that thou hast esteemed him no more, than if he had been a god of wood, or stone. For it is certain, that there be many Christians, which believing that there is a God, are induced to sin with such facility, as though they believed, that there were no God at all: and do offend no whit the less, though they believe that there is a God, than they would do, if they believed there were none at all. What greater injury, what greater despite can be done, than so to contemn his divine majesty? Finally, thou believing all such things as Christ's Church doth believe, hast notwithstanding so led thy life, as if thou wert persuaded, that the belief of Christians were the greatest fables or lies in the world. And if the multitude of thy sins past, and the faculty thou hast used in committing of them, do not make thee afraid, why dost thou not fear at the least the Majesty and omnipotency of him, against whom thou hast sinned? Lift up thine eyes, and consider the infinite greatness and omnipotency of the Lord, whom the powers of Heaven do adore, before whose Majesty the whole compass of the wide world lieth prostrate; in whose presence, all things created, are no more than chaff carried away with the wind. Consider also with thyself how unseemly it is, that such a vile worm as thou art, should have audacity so many times to offend and provoke the wrath of so great a Majesty. Consider the wonderful and most terrible severity of his justice, and what horrible punishments he hath used from time to time in the world against sin; and that not only upon particular persons, but also upon Cities, Nations, Kingdoms and Provinces, yea, upon the universal World: And not only in earth, but also in Heaven; and not only upon strangers sinners, but even upon his own most innocent son, our sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, when he took upon him to satisfy for the debt that we owed. And if this severity was used upon green and innocent wood, and that for the sins of others; what then will he do upon dry and withered wood, and against those that are laden with their own sins? Now, what thing can be thought more unreasonable, then that such a frail wretch as thou art, should be so saucy and malapert, as to mock with so mighty a Lord, whose hand is so heavy, that in case he should strike but one stroke upon thee, he would at one blow drive thee down headlong into the deep bottomless pit of hell, without remedy. Consider likewise the great patience of this our merciful Lord, who hath expected thy repentance so long, even from the time that thou didst first offend him: and think, that if after so long patience and tarrying for thee, thou shalt still continue thy lewd and sinful life, abusing thus his mercy, and provoking him to further indignation and wrath, he will then bend his bow, and shake his sword, and rain down upon thee even sharp arrows of everlasting wrath and death. Consider also the profoundness of his deep judgements, whereof we read, and see daily so great wonders. We see how Solomon himself, after his so great wisdom, and after those three thousand parables and most profound mysteries uttered by him, was forsaken by Almighty God, and suffered to fall down and adore Idols. We see how one of those seven first Deacons of the Primitive Church, which were full of the Holy Ghost, became not only an heretic, but also an archhereticke and a father of heresies. We see daily many stars fall down from Heaven unto earth, with miserable falls, and to wallow themselves in the dirt, and to eat the meat of swine, which sat before at Gods own table, and were fed with the very bread of Angels. If then the just and righteous for some secret pride or negligence, or else for some ingratitude of theirs) be thus justly forsaken of Almighty God, after they have bestowed so many years in his service. What mayst thou look for, that hast done in a manner nothing else in all thy life time, but only heaped sins upon sins, and hast thereby offended Almighty God most grievously?  
Now, if thou hast lived after this sort, were it not reason that thou shouldst now at the length give over, and cease heaping sin upon sin, and debt upon debt, and begin to pacify the wrath of Almighty God, and to disburden thy sinful soul? Were it not meet, that that time which thou hast hitherto given to the world, to thy flesh, and to the Devil, should suffice? and that thou shouldest bestow some little time of that which remaineth, to serve him, who hath given thee all that thou hast? Were it not a point of wisdom, after so long time, and so many great injuries, to fear the most terrible justice of Almighty God, who the more patiently he suffereth sinners, the more he doth afterwards punish them with severity and justice? Were it not meet for thee to fear thy long continuance so many years in sin, and in the displeasure of Almighty God, procuring thereby against thee such a mighty adversary as he is, and provoking him of a merciful loving Father to become thy severe terrible judge and enemy? Were it not meet to fear, lest that the force of evil custom may in continuance of time be turned into nature; and that thy long vicious usual manner of committing sin, may make of a vice, a necessity, or little less? Why art thou not afraid, least by little and little thou mayest cast thyself down headlong into the deep pit of a reprobate sense, whereinto after that a man is once fall'n, he never maketh account of any sin, be it never so great.  
The Patriarch jacob said unto Laban his father in law: These fourteen years have I served thee, and looking to thine affairs, now it is time that I should look to mine own, and begin to attend unto the affairs of mine own household. Wherefore if thou hast likewise bestowed so many years in the service of this world, and of this frail transitory life, were it not good reason, that thou shouldest now begin to make some provision for the salvation of thy soul, and for the everlasting life to come? There is nothing more short, nor more transitory than the life of man; and therefore providing so carefully as thou dost for all such things as be necessary for this life, which is so short, why dost thou not provide likewise somewhat for the life that is to come? which life shall endure for ever and ever.     

Earth's Vanity.  

A Sigh.  

HEnce lazy sleep, thou son of sullen night,  
That with soft-breathing Spells keeps sorrows under  
Thy charms; cheers up the spirits with delight,  
And laps the Senses in Lethaean slumber;  
Pack and be gone: for my sad soul knows well,  
Care best acordeth with a gloomic Cell.   

And what more dark than my sin-clouded Soul?  
Where yet the Sun of Sapience never shone;  
But still in Errors ugly cave did roll,  
Where nought keeps concord but discordant moan:  
Leave me I say, and give me leave to tell,  
That to my Soul, myself has not done well.   

Good man! (if good there lives one) Thou that art  
So far thrust from the world's imperious eyes;  
Help me to a●t this penitential part:  
I mean, No coiner of new Niceties,  
Nor wooden Worshipper: Give me him than  
That's a God loving, and good living man,   

To be my partner in this Tragedy;  
Whose scenes run bleeding through the wounded Acts,  
Heart-strucke by Sin and Satan's fallacy,  
And poisoned by my selfe-committed facts:  
Send me thy prayers, if not thy presence found,  
To stop the Ore-face of this streaming wound.   

Steer me (sweet Saviour) while I safe have past  
The stormy Euroclydons of Despair,  
Till happily I have arrived at last,  
To touch at Thee, my Souls sole-saving stair:  
Tow up my sin-frought Soul, sunk down below,  
And long lain weltering midst the waves of wo.   

New rig me up, lest wallowing jorewhelme;  
Thy Mercy be my Mainmast; And for Sails  
My Sighs; thy Truth, my tackling; Faith, my Helm:  
My ballast, Love; Hope, Anchor that ne'er fails:  
Then in heavens haven calm Peace me arrive,  
Where once enharbored, I shall richly thrive.   

Woes me! how long has Pride besotted me?  
Proposing to dim Reason my good parts,  
My nimble Wit, my quick proclivity  
To Apprehension; and in high deserts  
How many stood beneath me: I (vain fool)  
Thus fobbed by Satan's sleights, o'erslipped my Soul:   

Who in dark Error down embodied lies,  
Black as the Starless Night; and hideously  
Impurity with rusty wings cross flies  
Betwixt the Sun of Righteousness and me;  
Whilst (Bat-like) beats my Soul her leather sails  
'Gainst the soft Air; and rising, falls and fails.   

Must I for each unsyllabled close Thought  
Render account? O wit-fi'lde Conference!  
Called in is thy protection then, dear bought:  
How was my brow o'rehatcht with Impudence?  
To let whole worlds of words my cheeks up-swell,  
The least of whom would ding me down to Hell.   

O wretched Imps then of man's impious race!  
Who'll breathe out Blasphemies to make a jest;  
And call wit flashing the sole punctual grace  
Of genuine knowledge: But amongst the rest,  
judge in what case are those wit-hucsters' in,  
That hourly practise this soul sinking sin?   

O may my tongue be ever riveted  
Fast to my roof, but when it speaks God's praise:  
May not one vocal sound by breath be fed,  
But when it carols out celestial Lays;  
Let not one tone through my tongues hatches fly,  
But what bears with't heavens glory's harmony.   

Help (Lord of power) my feeble jointed prayers  
To clamber th'azure Mountains thrown above me;  
And keep a seat for me there 'mongst those hairs,  
Apportioned out to such as truly love thee:  
Admit them in thine ears a resting room,  
Until to thee and them, my soul shall come.   

Mean while, moist eyed Repentance here below  
Shall Inmate wise be Tenant to my mind:  
For Prayers, without true Penitence, do show,  
" Like meats unseasoned, or like Bills unsigned;  
" Or corn on tops of Cottages that grows,  
" Which (useless) no man either reaps or sows.   

O how my soul's surprised with shallow fears?  
When, thinking to lean on Life's broken staff;  
And counting to mine age large sums of years,  
I hear the sweet and sacred Psalmograph,  
Compare Life to a Flower, a Puff, a Span;  
Who's Monarch now, next minute's not a Man.   

Must I needs dye? why surfeit I on Pleasure?  
Must I needs dye? why swim I in Delight?  
Must I needs dye? why squint I after Treasure?  
Must I needs dye? why live I not aright?  
Must I needs dye? why live I then in sin?  
Thrice better for me I had never been.   

Feuntaine of breathing Dust? such grace me give,  
That I in life, prepare in dust to lie;  
Let me be dying still whiles I do live;  
That I may blissful live, when I shall dye:  
For in Christ's School this Paradox learn I;  
Who dies before he dies, shall never die.   

If I must die, then after must begin  
The life of joy or Torment without end;  
The life of Torment purchased is by sin;  
The life of joy, by life that learnest ' amend:  
Why should I then profane, swear, curse, lust, lie,  
If I but think on this; That I must die?   

Why should I quaff to more than Nature can?  
Sith more drink I gain more loss is mine:  
For may I not be termed a bestial man,  
To drown my Reason in a cup of wine?  
Yea tenfold worse: Thus monster made at least:  
God made me Man, I make myself a Beast.   

How swelled I with hard travel through the Dale  
That leads to Profanations irksome cell?  
But frieze, by softly pacing up the scale,  
Where burning zeal, and her bright sisters dwell:  
Thus sweat I in the shadow, shake i'th' shine,  
And by free choice, from good to ill decline.   

Sweet Saviour cleanse my leprous loathsome soul  
In that depurpled Fount, which forth thy side  
Gurgling, did 'twixt two Lilly-mountaines roll,  
To rinse Man's tainted Race, Sin soylifide:  
Wash it more white than the triumphant Swan,  
That rides o'th' silver breast of Eridan.   

Suffer my prayers harmony to rise  
Into thine ears, while th' Angels bear a part:  
Accept my Sighs, as smelling Sacrifice,  
Sent from the Altar of my bleeding heart;  
Up to thy nostrils, sweet as th' Oil of Aaron,  
Or th' odoriferous Rose of flowery Sharon.   

The Hart ne'er longed more for the purling brooks;  
Nor did the lustful Goat with more pursuit,  
After the blossomed Tritisolie look,  
Then does my panting Soul, t'enjoy the fruit  
Of thy Life-wa●er; which if I attain  
To taste of once, I ne'er shall thirst again,   

Even as the chapped ground in Summer's heat,  
Calls to the clouds, and gapes at every shower:  
Whose thirsty Casma's greedily entreat,  
As though they would th' whole house of heaven devour;  
So does my riven Soul, be parched with sin,  
Yawn wide, to let moist drops of Mercy in.    

Earth's Vanity.  
Vanity of vanities, and all is but vanity, saith the wisest Preacher that ever wrote: One generation passeth and another cometh, and all is but vexation of spirit. Which divine theorem, that we may the better perceive, let us set ourselves to the serious meditation of it: for the more we search, the more we shall see all things to be vanity, nothing constant, nothing for our eternal good, but our soul's salvation. Man's life on earth doth no sooner begin, but his end approacheth, his death hasteneth. Some come upon the stage of this world but to have a breathing, and are presently gone: others stay a while longer, it may be a day, perhaps a week, perhaps a month, peradventure a year, or it may be some few years: but alas! the longer they stay, the greater their grief, care, fear, and anxiety of mind. Even in the infancy of age man is oft times left as Moses sometime was, in the floods of misery; but as age increaseth, sorrow increaseth, because sin increaseth: when youth runs most at random, and thinketh itself most safe, it is then hemmed in with greatest dangers; then the rashfoole-hardy mind of man hurrieth him headlong to hell, except the irresistible power of Gods preventing grace doth speedily stay him; then his wits are even intoxicated with a frenzy of iniquity, and wholly bend upon riotousness, rashness, luxury, jollity, superfluity and excess in carnal pleasures. He than devoteth his time and addicteth himself to all manner of evil, drinking, dancing, revelling, swaggering, swearing, whoring, gaming, quarrelling, fight; and in the mean while never thinks on Heaven, nor feareth hell. His head is fraughted with vanities his heart with fallacies, where by his soul is brought into ● labyrinth of inextricable miseries. So great is the temerity o● his unadvised mind, that n● consideration of God's judgements, either past, or present, or to come, can set a stop to his wickedness. His youthfulness damps at no bogs, quagmires, hills, or mountains; but wingeth him over all impediments, mounts him over all motives that might waylay his sins. He sticks not to offend his maker, to recrucify his Redeemer, to resist (shall I say his Sanctifier, no, but) the Spirit whom God hath given to be his sanctifier: and if he so carry himself toward these, no marvel that he derideth his Tutor, scorns the Minister (like the little children that mocked Elisha) oppresseth his poor brother (as Pharaoh did the Israelites:) spareth not Infants (no more than Herod did) regardeth not parents, (no more than Hophni and Phinias did.) Let the mother direct him; the father correct him, his ancients instruct him, alas! all is in vain: youth makes men headstrong, self-conceited and proud, so that they swell with an overweening opinion of their own worth; they think themselves the only wits of the time, the only men of the world, more fit to teach others then to learn themselves, more able to give then to take advice. If they go on a while in their lewd courses without the restraining and renewing Grace of God, they get a habit of evil, are hardened through the custom of sin, none may resist them, none compare with them, no law of God or man can restrain them; They take counsel together against 
Psal. 2. 2, 3.  the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Whereupon oftentimes (the ripeness of sinn● being hastened by outrageousness 
Nequities vitae non sini● esse senem.  of sinning) God suddenly cuts them off, in their intemperancy, luxury, quarrels, and disorders; which shows the● vainness to be mere vanity. Suppose they grow as great as Tamburlaine, yet a Gun, Pike, Arrow; nay, a Fly, Flea, or Gnat, a dram, nay, a drop of poison, proves them to be vain men: one of these silly creatures may send him presently to his Creator to receive his final doom. Yet alas! what do these most mind? The bombasted silken Gallants of our time, that come forth like a May morning, decked with all the glory of Art; the Epicurean Cormerants, the gus●ing and tippling tossepots, the dainty painting Dames, the dedicate mincing Ladies, the sweet-singing Sirens, the dancing Damsels, the finical youths, the cozening Shopkeeper, the crafty Crafts-man: I say, what do all these, but set their minds upon vanity, upon glory, honour, pride, dross, and such like trash, which weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary prove lighter than vanity? Do we not sometime see more spent upon one suit in Law then would keep a poor Country town with the inhabitants for a whole year? See we not more spent upon one suit of apparel, for one proud carcase, then would build Free-school? So that the clothes on many a Gallant back exceeds his Rent-day See we not more spent upon Feast to satisfy the curiosity o● a few, than would satisfy th● necessity of a hundred poor wretches almost famished to death? See we not more drunk in a Tavern at one sitting by a small company, than would serve a troop of sturdy Soldiers in the field? Many go daily to the Tavern, where they stick not to spend their twelve pence, who would grudge to give one penny, nay, one farthing to a hungry beggar. Again, is there not now more spent upon a Lady's feather, then would pay a mean man's tithes? Is there not more spent upon one pair of sleeves, than would clothe six bodies? and more spent at a Whitsun-ale, then would keep the poor of the Parish for a year? Have we not amongst our Gentry, some of the female sex, who will spend more upon a Glass and a pot of complexion, than they will give a whole year at their gate? they must be menders of that which God makes, makers of that which God mars, turning themselves (like the Chameleon) into all shapes, though never so grisly and ugly; and being never well till they be most ill, never (as they conceit) in fashion, till indeed they be out of all fashion. If this be not a vanity of vanities, who can tell what is vanity? Every man is an eyewitness of this vanity, the more is the pity that it should be so common: your Lady, the Merchant's wife, the trade's man's wife, nay, all of all sorts are a degree above their estate. Your Gallant is no man, unless his hair be of the woman's fashion, dangling and waving over his shoulders; your woman no body, except (contrary to the modesty of her sex) she be half (at least) of the man's fashion: she jets, she cuts, she rides, she swears, she games, she smokes, she drinks, and what not that is evil? She is in the universal portraiture of her behaviour, as well as in her accoutrements, more than half a man; the man on the other side, no less womanish. We may well admire and exclaim with the Poet, O tempora! O mores! O the times! O the manners of these times! O quantum est in rebus mane! O how great a nothing is there in all things! What a vanity of vanity hath overspread the age we live in? Were our forefathers now alive to be spectators of this vanity, it would strike them into amazement. In their days the Pike, the Spear, the Sword, the Bow, the Arrow, Musket and Caliever, with the warlike Horse, were the object of exercise and recreation: Now the Pot, the Pipe, Dice and Cards, and such like vanities, indeed worse than the quintessence of the extremest vanity. We are now all for ease, we must lie soft, fare deliciously, go sumptuously, drink Wine in bowls, carouse healths, till health be quite drunk away; nay, we must kneel to our drink, when we will not kneel to him that gave us our drink; we do homage to that which takes away the use of our legs, nay, of our brains, our hearts, wits, sense, reason, when we refuse homage to him that gave us all these. O vain man that dost thus forget thy God, and abuse thyself! why dost thou thus suffer thyself to be swallowed up in the gulf of vanity, which hath no bottom but misery? Why sufferest thou the Devil thus to take thee on the hip, that he may cast thee down into the Abyss of hell? Art thou so bewitched with that which will have an end, a sudden end, a wretched end? Thy honey will prove Gall in the end, and thy Wine, Vinegar. In these fair roses of vanity the Devil hides his pins, that shall prick thee, when thou lookest to be refreshed with their sweet smells. These vanities we purchase at no easy rate; it is with the procurement of punishment, and loss of happiness: As the bird that accepts of the Fowler's meat, buys it full dear, with the loss of her own life: so when we accept these vanities from the Devil, it is with the loss of better things, in price above the whole world. In these contracts with Satan, we make Esau's pennyworth, sell Heaven for a mess of pottage; Glaucus exchange, Gold for Copper. Now thou art pompering thy corruptible flesh; but let pale death step in, and clap thee on the shoulder, where's thy mirth, where's thy felicity? thy voluptuous vanity doth presently expire. There is a banquet set before thee, in which are all varieties of delicacies, but alas! every one poisoned: darest thou touch or taste any one of them? by sin thou poisonest all those outward blessings of God, which in themselves are wholesome and good: and wilt thou ingurgitate that which is poison to thy soul? Tell me, when all is done, two or three hundred years hence, what thou wilt be the better for all thy dainties, more than the poor man that never tasted them? Nay, how much better in the day of trial, and at the hour of death? Then all thy pride, pomp, and pleasure shall be turned into squaled deformity, & irrecoverable calamity; then vanity shows itself in the proper colours, than death, and knell, and hell do all conspire to aggravate thy sorrow; yea, then hell begins to come to thee before thou come to it; thy eyes sleep not, thy senses rest not, thy perplexed heart burns within thee, thy wounded conscience bleeds within thee; thou seest nothing but terror, thou feelest nothing but horror; thou thinkest thy self to be haunted with sprights, ghosts, and hellish furies, stinging thee with Adders, pursuing thee with Torches and firebrand. That saying of the Heathen man is then, if not before, verified: Suae quemque exagitant furiae; every man is tormented with his own fury, which is his conscience. Besides thy wife, children, or other friends (to the exasperating of thy grief) do stand about thee weeping, as loath to part from thee: whereas thy sins follow thee, and will follow thee, do what thou canst; hell gapes before thee with a wide mouth as ready to devour thee, destruction on both sides attends thee: back thou canst not go, for a dead corpse follows thee so near that thou canst not part from it, it is tied unto thee with an indissolveable knot; beside, conscience follows thee, and cries out against thee, and will not leave thee; continually it presents thee with the dreadful spectacle of thy doleful and woeful sins. If this were now seriously considered, how would it make thy heart to ache with grieving, thy eyes to swell with weeping, thy hands to be always lifted up, thy knees ever bended? How wouldst thou strive to subdue thy flesh to the spirit, sensuality to reason, reason to faith, and faith to the service of God? But thou dost not now consider this, that thy sin is so fast linked to thy conscience, that at the last (albeit not before) it will pull and hale thee, and rack and prick thy conscience, which will accuse, convict, & condemn thee: all thy vanities, all thy iniquities, will then pursue thee like so many furious ghosts. Then ex ore tuo, out of thy own mouth shalt thou be judged, thou evil servant: thy own mouth shall confess that thou hast followed nothing but vanity: What a vanity was it for me to make earth my heaven, and so to admire and even adore this earth, that it is a hell to forsake it? What a woeful bargain have I made to sell my soul for vanity? I was borne in vanity, I have lived in vanity, and it is my fear that I shall dye in vanity. Oh how grief followeth grief? my heart is terrified, my thoughts hurried, my conscience tortured, I fry in anguish, I frieze in pain, I stand aghast and know not which way to turn me: my friends must forsake me, my foes will deride me, my earthly joys and comforts (I should call them vanities) have betrayed me. Indeed my friends may go with me to the grave, but there they must leave me; my riches, pleasures, and such like vanities vanish before; but my sins and conscience will never leave me; the devil will still pursue me: he that tempts me now to sin, will then torment me for sinning, until I cry out with Cain, My punishment is greater than I can bear. A horse is but a vain thing to save a man, said the sweet singer of Israel: so say I, all earthly things are too vain to save a man, to make him blessed, I appeal to the conscience of every man, if thou hast tried the pleasures of vanity (and who hath not?) whether thou mayst not take up the words of Saint Paul, What fruit have I of those 
Rom. 6. 12.  things, whereof I am now ashamed? Shame, and grief, and guilt, and punishment are the fruit of vanity: enough I think to rend our hearts from affecting of it. Think upon this thou that art in the trace of vanity, that thou mayst make a retreat; lose no more time herein (for thou hast already lost too much) redeem the time, because the days are evil; and why are they evil, but because they are vain? Whatsoever is without the circumference of evil, is above the sphere of vanity. Resolve therefore with thyself that all things earthly, worldly, carnal, sinful, are vain: the fashion of this world passeth away, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 3. The fashion, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a word very emphatical: it signifies first an accidental and external figure without substance; secondly, the habit, vesture or clothing of a thing. Saint Paul useth this word to debase the world, by intimating unto us, that the world is clothed with a vesture, that is, wearing and wasting, the fashion of it lasteth but for a time, it is ready every hour to put on a new fashion: again, by intimating unto us that the world is without any substantial form, like unto shows and shadows, that vanish in the representation. Saint Luke calls all Agrippa's pomp but a fancy: David calls the years of a man but a tale, Psal. 90. 9 We spend our years as a tale that is told. As a tale, nay, as a thought (for so much the original word doth import) and how many thoughts may a man have in an hour? Nothing is more changeable than a vesture, nothing more fugitive than a shadow, nothing more fickle than a fancy, nothing more swift than thought. What a disproportion therefore is it for the immortal soul of a man to be fastened unto things which are of such a variable nature? What a folly for us to prefer those which are but momentary (for so I may more truly call them then temporal) unto those things which are indeed eternal? Glasses are in great use amongst us, yet because of their brittleness who esteems them precious? We smell to flowers, because they are sweet; but because they are fading, we regard them thereafter. It were well if we would deal thus with all other vanities, viz. regard them as they are: use the creatures we may, but not abuse them; serve ourselves of them, but not serve them; enjoy them, but not overjoy in them.  
Now because examples are very effectual, whether we use them by way of dehortation, or whether by way of exhortation, let me propound one or two in this matter whereof I am treating, that by them thou mayst be beaten off from the vanities and iniquities of this present evil world. When Alexander in the height of his glory kept 
* Conventum terrariō orbis.  a Parliament of the whole world, himself was summoned by death to appear in another world. It was a wonderful precedent of the vanity and variety of humane condition (saith the Historian) to see mighty 
Justin. l. 2.  Zerxes float and fly away in a small vessel, who before wanted Sea-room for his Ships. When Belshazzar was laughing and 
Dan. 5.  quaffing with his Princes and Concubines, carousing healths in the sacred Vessels; deaths secretary, the hand-writing on the wall, told him he was weighed in the balance, and his Kingdom was finished. And before him his father Nabuchadnezzar (at that time the greatest Monarch in the world) as he was strutting in his Galleries, and boasting of his own power and honour, a voice from Heaven told him that his Kingdom was departed from him, that he 
Dan. 4.  should be driven from amongst men, that he should have his dwelling with the Beasts of the field, etc. And the sentence was fulfilled on him the same hour. So Zedekiah was a lively spectacle 
2 King. 25.  of this world's vanity and misery, who of a potent King became a miserable captive, saw his children slain before his face, after that had his eyes put out, and died miserably in prison. I had almost forgotten Solomon, the wisest King that ever 
Eccl. ●.  was, having given himself to take pleasure in pleasant things, having made great works, built goodly Houses, planted Vineyards, Gardens, and Orchards, and planted in them trees of all fruit, and having gathered silver and gold, and the chief treasures of Kings and Provinces, being now full of wisdom, and schooled with experience, he is licenced to give his sentence of the whole world, and every man knows what his censure was: Vanity of vanities, 
Eccls 1. 2.  vanity of vanities, all is vanity. This wise King traveled all the world over, and the further he went the more vanity he did see, and the nearer he looked, the greater it seemed, till at last he could see nothing but vanity. Wouldst thou know what is to be seen, or heard, or had in this vast Universe? Vanity saith Solomon, yea vanity of vanities; and what else? Vanity of vanities. And what else? All is vanity. Nothing beneath the Moon that hath not a tincture of vanity. Nay, the Moon itself, the Sun, all the Planets, all the Stars, the whole body of the Heavens, is become subject to Vanity. The creature is subject unto Vanity, saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. 20. that is, the whole frame of the world, consisting of the celestial and elementary region, the visible heavens with all their goodly furniture of Stars and of celestial bodies, and the earth with her ornaments, and the other elements. The Heavens shall perish, 
Ps. 102▪ 26.  and they shall wax old as doth a garment, and the Lord shall change them as a vesture, and they shall be changed. As a garment the older it waxeth, the less comely it is, the less able to warm him that wears it: so the material heavens by continuance of years decrease in beauty and veitue. The nearer the Sun draws to the end of his daily course, the less is his strength; in the evening we feel the Sun to decay in his heat, and he waxeth always the weaker. Now if those superior bodies, then much more things inferior and sublunary are included within the compass of vanity.  
But it was my purpose when I first set upon this subject, so ample and large, to be so much the more short: even understanding can of itself scorse, where such plenty of ●atter is offered. I have therefore (according to the model ●f that gift which God hath ●●en me) contrived a great picture in a little ring, set forth the ●eat vanity of this world in a ●●tle Map.  
Let us now learn the lesson ●f Saint john, the beloved Dis●●ple of Christ, who wrote so ●uch of love, doth yet dehort ● from loving the world, 1 Iohn ● 15. Love not the world, neither ●e things that are in the world. Why not the world? for three ●asons: 1. If any man love the ●orld, the love of the Father is not ● him. 2. All that is in the world, ●e lust of the flesh, the lust of the ●●s, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world 3. The World passeth away, and the lust thereof: that is, it is vain and vanishing, yea in the abstract Vanity. For these reason we must not suffer our heart's t● cleave to the best things in th● world, as if happiness were t● be found in them. Follow th● counsel of the Holy Ghos● 1 Cor. 7. 31. Use this world 〈◊〉 though thou used it not, for th● fashion of this world goeth 〈◊〉 way. Use the things of th● world as helps to thee in th● travel to heaven-ward, but 〈◊〉 them not steal away thy hea●● from better things, from Go● and Christ, and Heaven, an● peace of conscience, and joy the Holy Ghost: these must delight the heart of a Christian, who was redeemed, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 
1 Pet. 1 19  but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, in comparison of whom all the things of the world must seem loss and dross, and dung, and whatsoever is most despicable in the eyes of man. If riches increase, set not thy heart upon them: no treasure, no pleasure, no honour, nor gold, nor plate, nor jewels, 
Ps. 26. 10.  nor house, nor land, nor apparel, nor friends, must steal away thy heart. We must be ●ffected to these things, as Theodoricke the good King of Abstain 
In 〈◊〉 i●ctib●● tacet, in ma●● rides, in utrisque Philosophatur  was with his play; * In good casts he was silent, in ill mer●y, in neither angry, in both a Philosopher, or a wise man. We must not make these a rival unto God, we must not leave upon these by our confidence: for they are a reed that shall quickly break, and the shivers will run into our hand.  
Death is the most terrible of all things that are terrible, said the Philosopher Aristotle: it is terrible both to man and beast, but most terrible to a wicked man that is worse than a beast, when he remembers his sinful life passed, the complexion of his flesh, the paleness of his face, the dissolution of his members, the rottenness of his bones, the obscureness of his grave, the solitariness of his sepulchre, the gnawing of worms, and the like. But alas (albeit these are terrible, yet) these are nothing without the consideration of sin, which is the sting of death, the strength and victory of the grave. Think upon thy sins, whereof thou art guilty, and for which thou must dye, as the condemned malefactor that after sentence pronounced, is hurried to the fatal place of execution, to suffer deserved punishment. Remember, yea again and again. I say, remember, how miserably, how violently, how suddenly, others have suffered death, that were guilty of those sins which are more predominant in thee then they were in them. Art thou a thief? which thou mayst be, though thou wert never attached for theft by the laws of men; for covetousness is a Pickpurse before God: read and remember how Achan died, Iosh. 7. Art thou a whoremaster? which thou mayst be as well in thy mind as in thy body: then read and remember how Hophni 
2 Sam. 3. Numb. 25. 8.  and Phineas died, how Zimri and Cesbi were slain in the very act of their uncleanness. And jezabel an impudent strumpet died a sudden and shameful death. Art thou a blasphemous swearer that dost rend & grind the sacred name of God between thy teeth? Remember him under the Law that was stoned to death for his blasphemy. Art thou an Idolatrous imp of the Popish Church, that dost leave our Lord to worship our Lady, and give that honour to Saints, nay, to stocks and stones, which is proper to God alone? call to mind how Sennacherib was slain in the midst 
Isa. 37. ult.  of his Idolatry. Art thou an intemperate drunkard, that dost sacrifice thy time and state, nay, soul and body unto Bacchus, rising early to drink strong drink, and sitting up late till Wine inflame thee? think upon Belshazzar that was slain in the midst of his cups, whilst 
Dan. ●▪ ult.  he was drinking in that Wine, which the swords of his insulting enemies drew out of him together with his latest blood. Art thou a covetous Usurer, that dost let out thy money to men, thy time to Mammon, and thy soul to Satan, that like a common Hackney jade wilt not bear thy debtors one hour past thy day? or art thou a griping oppressor, that dost rack thy poor tenants, and exact upon thy neighbour, to gain a little transitory trash? Remember Nabal, and remember that Miser in the Gospel, who being 
Lut. 12  asleep in security, and dreaming of enlarged barns and plentiful harvests, was suddenly bereft of all, and being awaked upon the hearing of his Soule-knell perceived himself to be forever wrerched. Consider whether these and the like sinners, that have made their souls the slaves of vanity, have not in the end made themselves the slaves of misery. Have they prospered, or have they perished? if they have prospered, then follow them; if perished (as indeed they have) then in the fear of God retire out of their paths, left thou be speedily cut off, having no information of the danger, till thine own eyes amazed with the suddenness behold it in the shape of inevitable damnation. Be thou warned by their examples; for God hath punished sin in them, to prevent sin in thee: Vt exempla 
Cyprian ser. 5. the Laps.  sint omnium, torment a paucorum; that the torments of some few may be terrors unto all: like as thunderbolts fall (Paucorum periculo, sed omnium metu) to the hurt but of few, though not without the horror of all. That ship which sees another ship sink before her, looks about her, pulls down her sail, turneth her course, and escapes the sands, which else would swallow her up as they did the other. When the earth swallowed up Corah and his confederates, all Israel that were round about them, fled at the cry of them, for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also, Num. 16. 34. The Bird will not light on the limebush, nor into the net, if she see another ensnared before her; the Horse will not follow another, whom he sees to stick fast in the mire: oh be not less wise than bird or beast, nor more brutish than Horse and Mule that hath no understanding. If thou seest another fall into the fire, thou wilt not willingly follow him; then follow not sinners to the fire of hell, lest thou be constrained at last, when it shall be too late, to bewail thy folly: to cry out with those that have misspent their time in vanity, Oh that now I might die 
Thus Franci● Spira cried out, after he had renounced the profession of true piety, for the possession of earth's vanity.  the death of the righteous! Oh that I might not die at all! Oh that I might feel in my conscience the least hope of pardon, which is as impossible as to un●ade all the water in the vast Ocean with aspoone! Oh that God would give me the least dram of grace, which is as impossible as for the least grain of Mustardseed to fill the whole earth! prevent this betimes, which thou mayst do, by abandoning the vanity of the world; and so live, that wheresoever or howsoever thou diest, whether abroad or at home, by day or by night, sleeping or waking, whether a sudden death or a deliberate death, thou mayst willingly commend thy spirit unto the hands of God as unto the hands of a faithful Creator; and mayst say with the Bride, Come Lord jesus, even so, come Lord jesus, come quickly: my heart is prepared 
Rev. 2●  to enter into thy rest, receive me into the arms of thy mercy, entertain me into thy own kingdom, that leaving the vanity of this world, I may with thy glorified Angels and blessed Saints, enjoy that everlasting felicity of a better world, which never shall have an end.  
Adieu therefore vain world, with all worldly delights whatsoever: and now solitary soul begin to take thy solace in better things. And to prove the world vain, and consequently thyself vain, behold these shapes, read these Verses, and in order open the leaves that are folded up. Herein, as in a mirror, behold thy own estate, read, and consider what thou readest, that thou mayst know and see thy own vanity. Here thou shalt see what thou wert, what thou art, and what thou shalt be. Dust thou wert, dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return: dust in thy creation, dust in thy constitution, dust in thy dissolution.    

Hell's Torments.  


I.  
THough long it were since Adam was,  
Yet seems he here to be;  
A blessed creature once he was,  
Now naked as you see:  
Whose wife was cause of all my care,  
To say I may be bold:  
Turn back the leaves, and then you may  
My picture there behold.   

II.  
To think upon the works of God,  
All worldly men may wonder:  
But thinking on thy sins O man,  
Thy heart may burst asunder:  
The sinner sits and sweetly sings,  
And so his heart beguiles.  
Till I come with my bitter stings,  
And turn to grief his smiles.   

III.  
Muse not to gaze upon my shape,  
Whose nakedness you see;  
By flattering and deceitful words,  
The Devil deceived me:  
Let me example be to all,  
That once from God do range:  
Turn back the leaves, and then behold  
Another sight as strange.   

IV.  
Had Adam and Eve never been  
As there you saw their shape,  
I never had deceived them,  
Nor they ere made debate:  
But turn, behold where both do stand  
And lay the fault on me:  
Turn back the upper and neither crests,  
There each of them you see.   

I. III.  
Here we do standin perfect state,  
All form as we were;  
But what the Serpent did by hate,  
Shall suddenly appear:  
Then here behold how both do stand,  
And where the fault did lie:  
Th' almighty power did so command,  
That once we all must dye.   

II. IU.  
See what comes of wicked deed,  
As all men well do know;  
And for the same God hath decreed  
That we should live in woe:  
The dust it was my daily food,  
Unto it we must turn;  
And darkness is my chief abode,  
In sorrow so we mourn.    

Of the punishments which the Lord threateneth unto such as live a sinful life.  
ONe of the principal means that our Lord hath used oftentimes to bridle the hearts of men, and to draw them unto the obedience of his commandments, hath been, to set before their eyes the horrible plagues and punishments that are prepared for such persons as be rebels and transgressors of his Law. For although the hope of the rewards that are promised unto the good in the life to come, may move us very much hereunto: yet are we commonly more moved with things that be irksome unto us, than with such as be pleasant: even as we see by daily experience, that we are vexed more with an injury done unto us, than delighted with any honour; and we are more troubled with sickness, than comforted with health: and so by the discommodity of sickness, we come to understand the commodity of health, as by a thing so much the better perceived, by how much more it is sensibly felt. Now for this cause did our Lord in times past use this mean more than any other, as it appeareth most clearly by the writings of the Prophets, which are every where full of dreadful sayings and threatenings, wherewith our Lord pretendeth to put a terror into the hearts of men, and so to bridle and subdue them under the obedience of his Law. And for this end he commanded the Prophet jeremy, That he should take a white book, and write in the same all the threatenings and calamities which he had revealed unto him, even from the first day he began to mlke with him, until that present hour, and that he should read the same in the presence of all the people, to see if peradventure they would be moved therewith unto repentance, and to change their former life, to the end, that he might also change the determination of his wrath, which he had purposed to execute upon them. And the holy Scripture saith, That when the Prophet had done according as he was commanded by almighty God, and had read all those threatenings in the presence of the people, and of the Rulers; there arose such a fear and terror amongst them, that they were all astonished, and as it were bestraughted of their wits, looking one in another's face, for the exceeding great fear which they had conceived of those words. This was one of the principal means which Almighty God used with men in the time of the written Law, and so he did also in the time of the Law of graces in which, the holy Apostle saith, That as there is revealed a justice, whereby God maketh men just, so is there also revealed an indignation and wrath, whereby he punisheth the unjust: for which cause, S. john Baptist (the glorious forerunner of our Saviour Christ) was sent with this commission and embassage, to preach unto the world, That the axe was now put to the rooot of the tree, and that every tree that brought not forth good fruit, should be cut down and cast into the fire. He said moreover, That there was another come into the world, more mighty than he, that carried in his hand a fan to winnow and cleanse therewith his floor, and that he would put up the corn into his garner, but the chaff he will burn in a fire that should never be quenched. This was the preaching and embassage which ●he holy forerunner of our Saviour Jesus Christ brought ●nto the world. And so great was the thunder of these words, ●nd the terror which entered ●nto men's hearts so dreadful, that there ran unto him of all ●sates and conditions of men, ●ven of the very Pharisees and Publicans, yea, and Soldiers also (which of all others are wont to be most dissolute, and to have the least care of their consciences) and each of them demanded for himself particularly of that holy man, what he should do to attain unto salvation, and to escape those terrible threatenings which he had denounced unto them, so great was the fear they had conceived of them.  
And this is that (dear Christian brother) which I do a this present (in the behalf o● Almighty God) deliver unto thee, although not with such fervency of spirit and like holiness of life, yet that which importeth more in this case, with the same truth and certainty; for so much as the faith and Gospel which Saint john Baptist then preached, is even the same now taught.  
Now, if thou be desirous to understand in few words, how great the punishment is, that Almighty God hath threatened in his holy Scriptures to the wicked, that which may most briefly and most to the purpose be spoken in this matter, is this: That ●●ke as the reward of the good is ●● universal good thing, even ●o the punishment of the wicked is an universal evil, which comprehendeth in it all the evils ●●at are. For the better understanding whereof it is to be no●●d, That all the evils of this life are particular evils, and therefore do not torment all our senses generally, but only one or some of them. As taking an example of the diseases of our body; we see, that one hath a disease in his eyes, another i● his ears: one is sick in th● heart, another in the stomach some other in his head. And so diverse men are diseased in diver parts of the body, howbeit, ● such wise, that none of all the diseases be generally through out all the members of the body, but particular to some on of them. And yet for all thi● we see what grief only one ● these diseases may put us unt● and how painful a night t● sick man hath in any one these infirmities, yea, although ●t be nothing else but a little ache ●n one tooth. Now let us put the case, that there were some one man sick of such an universal disease, that he had no part of his body, neither any one joint or sense free from his proper pain, but that at one ●ime and instant he suffered most exceeding sharp torment ●n his head, in his eyes, and ●ares, in his teeth, and stomach, ●n his liver and heart: and to be ●hort, in all the rest of his members and joints of his body, and ●hat he lay after this sort stretching himself in his bed, being ●ained with these greeses and torment's, every member of his ●ody having his particular torment and grief: He (I say that should lie thus pained and afflicted, how great torment and grief of mind and body (think ye) should he sustain: Oh, what thing could any man imagine more miserable, and more worthy of compassion▪ Surely, if thou shouldest see bu● a dog to be so tormented and grieved in the street, his very pains would move thy hear to take pity upon him. Now this is that (my dear Christian brother, if any comparison may be made between them) which is suffered in that most curse● and horrible place of hell, and not only during for the spac● of one night, but everlastingly for ever and ever. For like the wicked men have offended Almighty God with all their members and senses, and have made armour of them all to serve sin, even so will he ordain, that they shall be there tormented every one of them with his propertorment.  
There shall the wanton unchaste eyes be tormented with the terrible sight of Devils: the cares with the confusion of such horrible cries and lamentations which shall there be heard: the nose with the intolerable stink of that ugly, filthy, and loathsome place: the taste, with a most ravenous hunger and thirst: the touching, and all the members of the body with extreme burning fire. The imagination shall be tormented by the conceiving of griefs present: the memory, by calling to mind the pleasures past: the understanding, by considering what benefits are lost, and what endless miseries are to come.  
This multitude of punishments the holy Scripture signifieth unto us, when it saith, Mat. 15. Psal. 10. That in hell there shall be hunger, thirst, weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, swords double edged, spirits created for revengement, serpents, worms, scorpions, hammers, wormwood, water of gall, the spirit of tempest, and other things of like sort. Whereby are signified unto us (as in a figure) the multitude and dreadful terrous of the most horrible torments and pains that be in that cursed place. There shall be likewise darkness inward and outward, both of body and soul, far more obscure than the darkness of Egypt, which was to be felt even with hands, Exod. 20. There shall be fire also, not as this fire here, that tormenteth a little, and shortly endeth, but such a fire as that place requireth, which tormenteth exceedingly, and shall never make an end of that tormenting. This being true, what greater wonder can there be, than that they which believe and confess this for truth, should live with such most strange negligence and carelessness as they do? What travel and pains would not a man willingly take to escape even one only day, yea, one hour, the very lest of these torments? and wherefore do they not then, to escape the everlastingness of so great pains and horrible torments, endure so little a travel, as to follow the exercise of virtue. Surely, the consideration of this matter were able to make any sinful soul to fear and tremble, in case it were deeply regarded.  
And if amongst so great number of pains, there were any manner hope of end or release, it would be some kind of comfort: but alas it is not so, for there the gates are fast shut up from all expectation of any manner of ease or hope. In all kind of pains and calamities that be in this world, there is always some gap lying open, whereby the patient may receive some kind of comfort: sometimes reason, sometimes the weather, sometimes his friends, sometimes the hearing that others are troubled with the very same disease, and sometimes (at the least) the hope of an end may cheer him: only in these most horrible pains and miseries that be in hell, all the ways are shut up in such sort, and all the havens of comfort so embarred, that the miserable sinner cannot hope for remedy on any side, neither of heaven, nor of earth, neither of the time past, or present, or of the time to come, or of any other means. The damned souls think, that all men are shooting darts at them, and that all creatures have conspired against them, and that even they themselves are cruel against themselves. This is that distress whereof the sinners do lament by the Prophet, saying: The sorrows of hell have compassed me round about, and the snares of death have besieged me: For on which side soever they look or turn their eyes, they do continually behold occasions of sorrow and grief, and none at all of any ease or comfort. The wise Virgins (saith the Evangelist) that stood ready prepared at the gate of the Bridegroom, entered in, and the gate was forthwith locked fast. O locking everlasting, O enclosure immortal, O gate of all goodness, which shall never any more be opened again. As if he had said more plainly, the gate of pardon, of mercy, of comfort, of grace, of intercession, of hope, and of all other goodness, is shut up for ever and ever. Six days and no more was Manna to be gathered, but the seventh day, which was the Sabbath day, was there none to be found: and therefore shall he fast for ever, that hath not in due time made his provision aforehand. The sluggard (saith the Wise man) will not till his ground for fear of cold, and therefore shall he beg his bread in summer, and no man shall give him to eat. And in another place he saith: He that gathereth in summer, is a wise son, but he that giveth himself to sleeping at that season, is the son of confusion. For what confusion can be greater than that which that miserable covetous rich man suffereth, who with a few crumbs of bread that fell from his table, might have purchased to himself abundance of everlasting felicity, and glory in the kingdom of Heaven? But because he would not give so small a thing, he came to such an extreme necessity that he begged (yea, and shall for ever beg in vain) only one drop of water, and shall never obtain it. Who is not moved with that request of that unfortunate damned person, who cried, O father Abraham have compassion on me, and send down Lazarus unto me, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and touch my tongue, for these horrible flames do torment me exceedingly. What smaller request could there be desired than this? He durst not request so much as one cup of water, neither that Lazarus should put his whole hand into the water, nor yet (which is more to be wondered at) did he request so much as the whole finger, but only the tip of it, that it might but touch his tongue; and yet even this alone would not be granted unto him. Whereby thou mayest perceive, how fast the gate of all consolation is shut up, and how universal that interdict and excommunication is that is there laid upon the damned, sith this rich Glutton could not obtain so much as this small request. So that wheresoever the damned persons do turn their eyes, and on which side soever they stretch their hands, they shall not find any manner of comfort, be it never so small. And as he that is in the Sea choked, and almost drowned under the water, not finding any stay whereupon to set his foot, stretcheth forth his hands oftentimes on every side in vain (because all that he graspeth after, is thin and liquid water, which deceives him) even so shall it fare with the damned persons, when they shall be drowned in that deep Sea of so many miseries, where they shall strive and struggle always with death, without finding any succour or place of stay, whereupon they may rest themselves. Now this is one of the greatest pains wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place: for if these torments should have their continuance limited but for a certain time, though it were for a thousand, yea, a hundred thousand millions of years, yet even this would be some little comfort unto them, for nothing is perfectly great, in case it have an end: But alas, they have not so much as this poor and miserable comfort: but chose, their pains are equal in continuance with the eternity of Almighty God, and the lasting of their misery with the eternity of God's glory. As long as Almighty God shall live, so long shall they die: and when Almighty God shall cease to be God, then shall they also cease to be as they are. O deadly life, O immortal death! I know not whether I may truly term thee, either life or death: for if thou be life, why dost thou kill? And if thou be death, why dost thou endure? Wherefore I will call thee neither the one, nor the other, for so much as in both of them there is contained something that is good: as in life there is rest, and in death there is an end (which is a great comfort to the afflicted) but thou hast neither rest nor end. What art thou then? Marry, thou art the worst of life, and the worst of death; for of death thou hast the torment, without any end, and of life thou hast the continuance without any rest. O bitter composition, O unsavoury purgation of our Lord's cup! of the which, all the sinners of the earth shall drink their part.  
Now in this continuance in this eternity, I would wish that thou (my dear Christian brother) wouldst fix the eyes of thy consideration a little while: and that as the clean beast cheweth the cud, even so thou wouldst weigh this point within thyself with great deliberation. And to the intent thou mayest do it the better, consider a little the pains that a sick man abideth in one evil night, especially if he be vexed with any vehement grief, or sharp disease. Mark how oft he tumbleth and tosseth in his bed, what disquietness he hath, how long and tedious one night seemeth unto him, how duly he counteth all the hours of the clock, and how long he deemeth each hour of them to be, how he passeth the time in wishing for the dawning of the day, which notwithstanding, is like to help him little towards the curing of his disease. If this than be accounted so great a torment, what torment shall that be (think you) in that everlasting night in hell, which hath no morning, nor so much as any hope of any dawning of the day: O darkness most obscure! O night everlasting! O night accursed even by the mouth of Almighty God and all his Saints! That one shall wish for light, and shall never see it, neither shall the brightness of the morning arise any more. Consider then what a kind of torment shall that be, to live everlastingly in such a night as this is, lying not in a soft bed (as the sick man doth) but in a hot burning furnace, foaming out such terrible raging flames. What shoulders shall be able to abide those horrible heats. If it seem to us as a thing intolerable to have only some part of our feet standing upon a pan of burning coals, for the space of repeating the Lords prayer. What shall it be (think you) to stand body and soul burning in the midst of those everlasting hot raging fires in hell, in comparison of which, the fires of this world are but painted fires. Is there any wit or judgement in this world? Have men their right senses? do they understand what these words import? or are they peradventure persuaded, that these are only the fables of Poets? or do they think, that this appertaineth not to them, or else that it was only meant for others? None of all this can they say, for so much as our faith assureth us most certainly herein. And our Saviour Christ himself, who is everlasting truth, crieth out in his Gospel, saying, Heaven and earth shall fail, but my word shall not fail.  
Of this misery there followeth another as great as it, which is, that the pains are always continuing in one like degree, without any manner of intermission, or decreasing. All manner of things that are under the cope of heaven, do move and turn round about with the same heaven, and do never stand still at one state or being, but are continually either ascending or descending. The sea and the rivers have their ebbing and flowing, the times, the ages, and the mutable fortune of men, and of kingdoms, are evermore in continual motion. There is no fever so fervent, that doth not decline, neither grief so sharp, but that after it is much augmented, it doth forthwith decrease. To be short, all the tribulations and miseries are by little and little worn away with time, and as the common saying is, Nothing is sooner dried up than tears. Only that pain ●n hell is always green, only that fever never decreaseth, only that extremity of heat knoweth not what is either evening or morning. In the time of Noah's flood, Almighty God ●ained forty days and forty ●ights, continually without ●easing upon the earth, and this sufficed to drown the whole world. But in that place of torment in hell, there shall rain everlasting vengeance, and darts ●f fury upon that cursed land, without ever ceasing so much as ●e only minute or moment. ●ow what torment can be ●eater and more to be abhor●d, than continually to suffer ●●r one like manner, without any kind of alteration or change? Though a meat be never so delicate, yet in case we feed continually thereupon, it will in very short time be very loathsome unto us: for no meat can be more precious and delicate than that Manna was, which almighty God sent down unto the children of Israel in the Desert, and yet because they did eat continually thereof, i● made them to loathe it, yea, and provoked them to vomit it up again. The way that is all plain (they say) wearieth more than any other, because always the variety (yea, even in punishment) is a kind of comfort▪ Tell me then, if things that be pleasant and savoury, when the● be always after one manner, are an occasion of loathsomeness and pain: what kind of loathsomeness will that be which shall be caused by those most horrible pains and torments in hell, which do continue everlastingly after one like sort? What will the damned and cursed creatures think, when they shall there see themselves so utterly obhorred and forsaken of Almighty God, that he will not so much as with the remission of any one sin, mitigate somewhat their torments. And so great shall the fury and rage be which they shall there conceive against him, that they shall never cease continually to curse and blaspheme his holy name. Unto all these pains, there is also added the pain of that everlasting consumer, to wit, the worm of conscience, whereof the holy Scripture maketh so oftentimes mention, saying, Their worm shall never die, and their fire shall never be quenched. This worm is a furious raging despite and bitter repentance, without any fruit, which the wicked shall always have in hell, by calling to their remembrance the opportunity and time they had whiles they were in this world, to escape those most grievous and horrible torments, and how they would not use the benefit thereof. And therefore when the miserable sinner seeth himself thus to be tormented and vexed on every side, and doth call to mind how many days and years he hath spent idly in vanities, pastimes, and pleasures; and how oftentimes he was advertised of this peril, and how little regard he took thereof: What shall he think? What anguish and sorrow shall there be in his heart? Hast thou not read in the Gospel, that there shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth? The famine of Egypt endured only seven years, but that in hell shall endure everlastingly. In Egypt they found a remedy, though with great difficulty and charge; out for this, there shall never a●y remedy be found. Theirs was redeemed with money and cattle, but this can never be redeemed with any manner of exchange. This punishment cannot be pardoned, this pain cannot be exchanged, this sentence cannot be revoked. Oh, if thou knewest and wouldst consider, how every one condemned to hell, shall there remain tormenting and renting himself, weeping and wailing, and saying, O miserable and unfortunate wretch that I am, what times and opportunities have I suffered to pass in vain? A time there was, when with one cup of cold water I might have purchased to myself a crown of glory, and when also with such necessary works of mercy in relieving the poor, I might have gained life everlasting. Wherefore did I not look before me? How was I blinded with things present? How did I let pass the fruitful years of abundance, and did not enrich myself? If I had been brought up amongst Infidels and Pagans, and had believed that there had been nothing else but only to be borne, and to die, than might I have had some kind of excuse, and might have said. I knew not what was commanded or prohibited me: but for so much as I have lived amongst Christians, and was myself one of them professed, and held it for an article of my belief, that the hour should come when I should give up an account after what order I had spent my life: forsomuch also as it was daily cried out unto me by the continual preaching and teaching of God's Ambassadors (whose advertisements many following, made preparation in time, and laboured earnestly for the provision of good works:) forasmuch I say as I made light of all these examples, and persuaded myself very fond, that Heaven was prepared for me, though I took no pains for it at all: what deserve I that have thus led my life? O ye infernal furies, come and rend me in pieces, and devour these my bowels, for so have I justly deserved, I have deserved eternal famishment, seeing I would not provide for myself while I had time. I deserve not to reap, because I have not sown; I am worthy to be destitute, because I have not laid up in store; I deserve that my request should now be denied me, sith when the poor made request unto me, I refused to relieve them: I have deserved to sigh and lament so long as God shall be God; I have deserved, that this worm of conscience shall gnaw ●ine entrails for ever and ever, by representing unto me the ●ittle pleasure that I have enjoyed, and the great felicity which I have lost, and how far greater that was which I might have gained, by foregoing that little which I would not forgo. This is that immortal worm that shall never dye, but shall lie there everlastingly gnawing at the entrailes of the wicked, which is one of the most terrible pains that can possibly be imagined.  
Peradventure thou art now persuaded (good Reader) that there can be added no more unto this, than hath been said: But surely the mighty arm of God wanteth not force to chastise his enemies more & more: for all these pains that are hitherto rehearsed, are such as do appertain generally to all the damned: but besides these general pains, there are also other particular pains, which each one of the damned shall there suffer in diverse sorts, according to the quality of his sin. And so according to this proportion, the haughty and proud shall there be abased and brought low to their great confusion. The covetous shall be driven to great necessity. The glutton shall rage with continual hunger and thirst. The lecherous shall burn in the very same flames which they themselves have enkindled. And those that have all their life time hunted after their pleasures and pastimes, shall live there in continual lamentation and sorrow. But because examples are of very great force to move our hearts, I will bring only one for this purpose, whereby somewhat of this matter may the better be perceived. It is written of a certain holy man, that he saw the pains (in spirit) of a licentious and worldly man in this sort. First, he saw how the devils that were present at the hour of his death, when he yielded up his ghost, snatched away his soul with great rejoicing, and made a present thereof to the Prince of darkness, who was then sitting in a chair of fire, expecting the coming of this present. Immediately after that it was presented before him, he arose up out of his seat, and said unto the damned soul, that he would give him the pre-eminence of that honourable seat, because he had been a man of honour, and was always very much affected to the same. Incontinently after that he was placed therein, crying and lamenting in that honourable torment, there appeared before him two other most ugly devils, and offered him a cup full of most bitter and stinking liquor, and made him to drink and carouse it up all perforce; saying, It is meet, sithence thou hast been a lover of precious wines and banquets, that thou shouldest likewise prove of this our wine, whereof all we do use to drink in these parts.  
Immediately after this there came other two, with two fiery trumpets, and setting them at his ears, began to blow into them flames of fire, saying, This melody have we reserved for thee, understanding that in the world thou wast very much delighted with minstrelcie and wanton songs: and suddenly he espied other devils, loaden with vipers and serpents, the which they threw upon the breast and bellies of that miserable sinner, saying unto him, that for somuch as he had been greatly delighted with the wanton embracings and lecherous lusts of women, he should now solace himself with these refresh, instead of those licentious delights and pleasures, which he had enjoyed in the world. After this sort (as the Prophet Esay saith in the 47. Chapter) when the sinner is punished, there is given measure for measure, to the end, that in such a great variety and proportion of punishments, the order and wisdom of God's justice, might the more manifestly appear.  
This vision hath Almighty God showed in spirit to this holy man for advertisement and instruction, not that in hell these things are altogether so materially done, but that by them we might understand in some manner the variety and multitude of the pains which be there appointed for the damned. Whereof, I know not how some of the Pagans have had a certain knowledge: for a Poet speaking of this multitude of pains, affirmed, That although he had a hundred mouths, and as many tongues, with a voice as strong as Iron, yet were they not able only to express the names of them. A Poet he was that spoke this, but truly therein he spoke more like a Prophet or an Evangelist than a Poet. Now then, if all this evil shall most assuredly come to pass, what man is he, that seeing all this so certainly with the eyes of his faith, will not turn over the leaf, and begin to provide for himself against that time? Where is the judgement of men now become? Where is their wits? yea, where is at least their self-love, which seeketh evermore for his own profit, and is much afraid of any loss? May it be thought that men are become beasts, that provide only for the time present? Or have they peradventure so dimmed their eyesight, that they cannot look before them? Harken (saith Esay) O ye deaf and ye blind, open your eyes that you may see; Who is blind but my servant? And who is deaf but we, unto whom I have sent my messengers? And who is blind, but he that suffereth himself to be sold for a slave? Thou that seest so many things, wilt thou not suffer thyself to see this? Thou that hast thine ears open, wilt thou not give ear hereunto? If thou believe not this, how art thou then a Christian? If thou believe it, and dost not provide for it, how canst thou be thought a reasonable man? Aristotle saith, That this is the difference between opinion and imagination, that an imagination alone is not sufficient to cause a fear, but an opinion is a for if I do imagine that a house may fall upon me, it is no● enough to make me afraid, unless I believe or have an opinion it will be so indeed: fo● than it is sufficient to make me afraid. And hereof cometh the fear that murderers always have, by reason of the suspicion they conceive, that their enemies do lie in wai● for them. If then the opinion and only suspicion of danger is able to cause the greatest courage to fear, how is it that the certainty and belief of so many and so great terrible miseries which are far more sure than any opinion) doth not make thee to fear? If thou perceivest, that for these many years passed thou hast led a licentious and sinful life, and that at the last, according to present justice, thou art condemned to these horrible torments in hell: if also there appear by probable conjecture, that there is no more likelihood of thy amendment for ensuing years to come, than there was in those already past, how happeneth it, that running head long into so manifest a danger, thou art not at all afraid? Especially, considering the sinful state wherein thou livest, and the horrible pains and torments which do attend for thee, and the time which thou hast lost, and the endless repentance which thou shall have therefore in the most horrible torments of hell. Assuredly, it goes beyond the compass of all common sense and conceit of humane reason, to consider, That there should be such negligent, wilful, gross, and careless blindness, able to enter and take such deep rooting in the soul of man.    

The Conclusion of all the Premises.  
IF now all this be so, I beseech thee even for the bitter passion of our sweet ●viour Jesus Christ, to remember thyself, and consider that thou art a Christian, ●●d that thou believest assu●dly for a most undoubted ●●th, whatsoever the true faith ●●sructeth thee. This faith telleth thee, that thou hast a judge above that seeth all the steps and motions of thy life and that certainly there shall a day come, when he will require an account of thee, even for every idle word. This faith teacheth thee, That a man is no● altogether at an end when he dieth, but that after this temporal life, there remaineth another everlasting life; and tha● the souls die not with th● bodies, but that whiles th● body remaineth in the grave until the general day of judgement, the soul shall enter into another new country, and into a new world, where it shall have such habitation and company as the faith and works we which it had in this life. This faith telleth thee also, that both the reward of virtue, and the punishment of vice, is athing so wonderful, that although the whole world were full of books, and all creatures were writers, yet should they all be wearied, and the world come to an end, before they should end their description, and make a perfect declaration what is comprehended in each one of these points. This faith informeth thee also, that the debts and duties which we owe to Almighty God, are so great, that albeit a man had so many lives ●s there be sands in the Sea, yet would they not suffice, if they were all employed in his service. And this faith likewise telleth thee, that virtue is such an excellent treasure, that all the treasures of the world, and all that man's heart can desire, are in no sort comparable unto it.  
Wherefore, if there be so many and so great respects that do invite us unto virtue, how cometh it to pass, that there be so few lovers and followers of the same? If men be moved with gain & commodity, what greater commodity can there be than to attain life everlasting? I they be moved with fear of punishment, what greater punishment can be found, than the mo●● horrible everlasting dreadful torments in the lake of fire and brimstone, to continue eve● world without end? If that bonds of debts and benefits; what debts are greater than ●hese which we owe unto almighty God, as well for that he ●s what he is, as also for that which we have received of him? ●f the fear of perils do move ●s, what greater peril can there be than death, the hour thereof being so uncertain, and the accounted so straight? If thou be moved with peace, liberty, quitnesse of mind, and with a pleasant life, (which are things ●hat all the world desires) it is ●ertaine, that all these are found ●uch better in the life that is governed by virtue and reason, ●han in that life which is ruled ●y the affections and passions of the mind, for so much as ma● is a reasonable creature, and n● beast. Howbeit, in case tho● account all this as not sufficient to move thee thereunto, yet l●● it suffice thee to consider further, that even almighty God ● abased himself for thy sak● that he descended from heave unto the earth, and became man, and whereas he create the whole world in six day he bestowed three and thi● years about thy redemption yea, and was also contented ●● the same to lose his life. Almighty God died, that sin● should dye; and yet for all th● do we endeavour, that sin● might live in our hearts, n●● withstanding that our Lo●● purposed to take away the life of sin with his own death. If this matter were to be discussed with reason, surely this already spoken might suffice to prevail with any reasonable creature: for not only in beholding almighty God upon the cross, but whethersoever we do turn our eyes, we shall find, that every thing crieth out to us, and calleth upon us to receive this so excellent a benefit: for there is not a thing created in the world (if we duly consider it) but doth invite us to the love and service of our Saviour Jesus Christ, insomuch, that look how many creatures there be in the world, so many preachers there are, so many books, so many voices, and so many reasons, which do all call us unto almighty God.  
And how is it possible then, that so many callings as these are, so many promises, so many threatenings, and so many provocations, should not suffice to bring us unto him? What might almighty God have done more than he hath done, or promised more greater blessings than he hath promised, or threatened more grievous and horrible torments than he hath threatened, to draw us unto him, and to pluck us away from sin? And yet all this notwithstanding, how cometh it to pass, that there is so great (I will not say arrogancy, but) bewitching of men, that do believe these things to be certainly true, and yet be not afraid to continue all the days of their life in the committing of deadly sins? Yea, to go to bed in deadly sin, and to rise up again in deadly sin, and to imbrue themselves in every kind of loathsome, detestable, and odious sin, even as though all their whole endeavours intended by the practice of sin, to resist all grace and favour in the sight of God? And this is done in such sort, so without fear, so without scruple of mind, so without breaking of one hours' sleep, and without the refraining of any one delicate morsel of meat for the same, as if all that they believed were dreams, and old wives tales, and as if all that the holy Evangelists have written, were mere fiction and fables. But tell me thou that art such a desperate wilful rebel against thy Creator and Redeemer, which by thy detestable life & dissolute conversation, dost evidence thyself to be a firebrand, prepared to burn in those everlasting and revenging horrible fires of hell. What wouldst thou have done more than thou hast done, in case thou hadst been persuaded, that all were mere lies which thou hast believed? For although that for fear of incurring the danger of the prince's laws, and the execution of their force upon thee, thou hast somewhat bridled thine appetites; yet doth it not appear, that for any fear of Almighty God, thou hast refrained thy will in any one thing, neither from carnal pleasures, not from backebiting and slandering thy neighbours, nor yet from fulfilling thine inordinate lusts and desires, in case thine ability served thee thereunto. Oh, what doth the worm of thy conscience say unto thee, whiles thou art in such a fond security and confidence, continuing in such a dissolute and wicked life as thou dost? Where is now become the understanding, judgement and reason, which thou hast of a man? Why art thou not afraid of so horrible, so certain, and so assured perils and dangers? if there were a dish o● meat set before thee, and some man (albeit he were a liar) should say unto thee, refrain to touch and eat thereof for it is poisoned; durst thou once adventure to stretch out thy hand, to take a taste thereof, though the meat were never so savoury and delicate, and he never so great a liar that should bear thee thus in hand? If then the Prophets, if the Apostles, if the Evangelists, yea, if Almighty God himself do cry out unto thee, and say, Take heed thou miserable man, for death is in that kind of meat, and death doth lie lurking in that gluttonous morsel, which the devil hath set before thee? How darest thou reach for everlasting death with thine own hands, ●nd drink thine own damnation? Where is the applying of ●hy wits, thy judgement, and the discourse and reason which ●hou hast of a spiritual man? Where is their light, where is ●heir force? Sith that none of ●hem do bridle thee any whit from thy common usual vices? Oh thou wretched and careless creature, be witched by the ●ommon enemy Satan, adjudged to everlasting darkness, both inward and outward, and so ●oest go from one darkness ●o the other. Thou art blind to see thine own misery, in sensible to understand thine own perdition, and harde● than any Adamant, to feel the hammer of God's word. Oh, a thousand times most miserable thou art, worthy to be lamented with none other tears, than with those wherewith thy damnation was lamented, when i● was said, Luke 19 Oh that thou knewest this day the peace, quietness, and treasures, which Almighty God hath offered unto thee, that do now lie hidden from thine eyes. Oh miserable is the day of thy nativity, and much more miserable the day of thy death: forsomuch, as that shall be the beginning of thine everlasting damnation. Oh, how much better had it been for thee, never to have been borne, if thou shalt be damned in the horrible pit of hell for ever, where the torments are perpetually durable. How much better had it been for thee never to have been baptised, not yet to have received the Christian Faith, if through the abusing thereof by thy wicked life, thy damnation shalt hereby be the greater? For if the light of reason only sufficeth to make the Heathen Philosophers inexcusable, because they knowing God in some degree, did not glorify him nor serve him (as the Apostle saith in the first to the Romans) how much less shall he be excused, that hath received the light of faith, and the water of Baptism, yea, and the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, hearing daily the doctrine of the Gospel, if he do nothing more than those Pagan Philosophers have done.  
Now, what other thing may we infer of the premises, but briefly to conclude, That there is none other understanding, none other wisdom, none other counsel in the world, but that setting aside all the impediments and cumbersome dangerous ways of this life, we follow that only true and certain way, whereby true peace and everlasting life is obtained. Hereunto are we called by reason, by wisdom, by law, by heaven, by earth, by hell, and by the life, death, justice, and mercy of Almighty God. Hereunto are we also very notably invited by the Holy Word, spoken by the mouth of Ecclesiasticus in the sixth Chapter, in this wise: My son hearken to instruction even from the first years of thy youth, and in thy latter days thou shalt enjoy the sweet fruit of wisdom: Approach unto it, as one that ploweth and soweth, and with patience expect the fruitful increase which it shall yield unto thee. The pains that thou shalt take, shall be but little, and the benefits that thou shalt speedily enjoy, shall be great. My son hearken to my words, and neglect not this my counsel which I shall give thee, put thy feet willingly into her fetters, and thy neck into her chains: bow down thy shoulders, and carry her upon thee, and be not displeased with her bonds: approach near unto her with all thy heart, and follow her ways with all thy strength, seek for her with all thy diligence, and she will make herself known unto thee, and after that thou hast found her, never forsake her: for by her shalt thou find rest in thy latter days, and that which before did seem so painful unto thee, will afterwards become very pleasant. Her fetters shall be a defence of thy strength, and a foundation of virtue, and her chain shall be a ●obe of glory: for in her is the beauty of life, and her bonds ●re the bonds of health. Hitherto Ecclesiasticus. Whereby thou mayest understand in some degree, how great the beauty, the delights, the liberty, and riches of true wisdom are, which is virtue itself, and the knowledge of Almighty God, whereof we do entreat. But if all this be insufficient to mollify our stony hearts, lift up thine eyes, and fix thy thoughts constantly to behold our omnipotent God in his mercy and love towards sinners upon his dying cross, where he made full satisfaction for thy sins. There shalt thou behold him in this form: his feet nailed fast, looking for thee; his arms spread abroad to receive thee, and his head bowing down, to give thee, as to another prodigal son, new kisses of peace and atonement. From thence he calleth thee (if thou wouldst hear) with so many callings and cries as there be wounds in his whole body. Harken thou therefore unto these voices, and consider well with thyself, that if his prayer be not heard that hearkeneth not unto the cries of the poor, how much less shall he be heard, that maketh himself deaf to such cries as these, being the most merciful cry of our loving Saviour, and intended for our soul's salvation. Who is he that hath not cause to resolve himself wholly into tears to weep and bewail his manifold offences? Who is he that can lament, and will not lament at this? unless he be such a one as seeth not, nor careth what great shipwreck, waste, and havoc he maketh of all the riches and treasures of his soul.  
FINIS.   

GODLY PRAYERS NECESSARY AND USEFUL for Christian Families upon several occasions.  Therefore I say unto you, What things ever ye desire when ye pray, believe ●●at ye receive them, and ye shall ●●ve them. 
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for M. S. 1629.   

Godly CHRISTIAN Prayers.  

A household Prayer for private Families in the Morning.  
MOst mighty and glorious God, the only Creator and Governor of Heaven and ●arth; and all things therein contained, we miserable sinners here met together by thy gra●● do in thy fear prostrate selves before thy throne of Majesty and glory, desiring in so measure to show our unfain thankfulness, for thy innurable mercies multiplied up us from the first hour of birth, yea before our birth, a before time was. Before foundations of the world w● laid, thou out of thy free 〈◊〉 and mere mercy, didst elect to eternal life, when thou di● reject others. Thou didst ●ate us after thine own ima●● engraving upon us the characters of spiritual wisdom righteousness, and true ho●●nesse; when it was in thy pow●● to have made us like unto beasts that perish; yea, to have ●qualled us to the basest of thy creature's. And when through ●ur own default we lost that ●●ignity, thou didst so pity us as ●● send from thine own bo●ome thine only begotten Son ●● recover it for us, and to restore it to us, and that with no ●esse price than his own heart●loud. Besides, it hath pleased ●hee continually to spread the wings of thy gracious protection over us, to ward and guard ●s by thy providence, to open ●●y hand and to replenish us with good things, to continue our life, health, strength, food, ●aiment, peace, and liberty, to his very hour. Thou hast even loaded us with thy benefits, if we had hearts rightly to consider it; thou renewest thy mercy towards us every morning; and the night past haste given us a testimony of thy love: For whereas, for the sins committed the day before, thou mightest even in the dead of sleep have given us a sudden call out of this world, and so presently have brought us to that great account which we must make before thee, thou vouchsafest yet to spare us, yea (which is more) to refresh us with comfortable rest, to preserve us from all dangers that might have befallen our souls or bodies, and to bring us in safety to the beginning of this day. Heavenly Father, grant that we may not be unmindful of thy manifold mercies, but that we may often think of them, and speak of them to thy glory; and that the consideration thereof may stir us up to devote all the powers of our souls, and members of our bodies to thy service. Forgive us our former unthankfulness for thy mercies, and our several abuses of them, yea pardon all our sins past, we most humbly beseech thee, for thy own mercy's sake, and for thy Son's merits. Our sins are great and grievous, for in sin we were borne, and ever since have we gone on in a course of sin and rebellion against thee, we do daily break thy holy precepts, and that against the light of our own knowledge, albeit we know that thou art our Creator, who hast made us; ou● Redeemer, who hast bought us with the precious blood of thy only begotten son; and ou● Comforter, who bestowest upon us all things needful fo● our being and well-being, fo● this life and for a better life Yea even thee, thee (O Lord have we presumed to offend that hast been thus abundantly merciful unto us. For this ou● unthankfulness and wicked nesse, enter not into judgement with us, we most humbly beseech thee from the bottom of our hearts; but have merc● upon us, have mercy upon u● most merciful Father, and in mercy wash away all our sins with the blood of Jesus Christ, ●hat so they may never be laid ●o our charge, nor have power ●rise up in judgement against ●s. Pierce our hearts with a ●eeling of our sins, that we ●ay mourn for them, as we ●ught to do; make us to loath ●nd abhor them, that we may ●ave and avoid them, that we may be watchful against all occasions of sin, and circumspect over our own ways. ●owre thy Spirit and put thy ●ace into our hearts, that thereby we may be enabled for thy ●●vice, and both in body and ●ule may glorify thee here, ●●at we may be glorified of thee and with thee hereafter. And as a special means to keep us in subjection before thee, work in us, holy Father, a continual and effectual remembrance of this earth's vanity, of our own mortality, o● that great and terrible judgement to come; of the pains o● hell, and joys of heaven which follow after; O let the remembrance of these things be a spu● to provoke us unto virtue, and a bridle to hold us in from galloping after vice and wickedness. We know not how soon thou wilt set a period to ou● lives, and call for our souls to appear before thee, whether this day or not before the evening; O prepare us therefore for the hour of death, that we may then neither fear nor faint, but may with joy yield up our souls into thy merciful hands, and do thou, O Father of mercy, receive them. Let thy merciful eye look upon us this day, shield us from the temptations of the devil, and grant us ●he custody of thy holy Angels, to defend us in all our ways: ●nable us with diligence and conscience to discharge the du●●es of our callings, and crown all our endeavours with thy blessing: without thy blessing all man's labour is but vain, ●oe thou therefore bless us in ●ur several places; O prosper ●hou our handiwork. Provide ●or us all things which thou knowest to be needful for every one of us this day. Give us a sanctified use of thy creatures agodly jealousy over ourselves a continual remembrance of thy omniscience, & omnipresence that we may labour to approve our very thoughts unto thee wean us from the love of thi● world, and ravish our soul with the love of our home and thine everlasting Kingdom Defend the universal Church the Churches of this Land especially, our gracious King Charles, our illustrious Queen Mary, together with the Princess Elizabeth, and her Princely issue; crown them with thy graces here, and with thy glory hereafter. Be with th● Magistracy and Ministry of the Realm, make thy Gospel to flourish amongst us by the labours of those whom thou hast appointed to this great service. Comfort thine afflicted servants, in what place or case soever they be; give us a fellow feeling of their miseries, and wisdom to prepare ourselves against the evil day. Hear us in these things, and grant what else thou knowest needful for us, not for our worthiness, but for thy Son's sake, our alone Saviour, in whose name and words, we conclude our imperfect prayers, saying: Our Father, etc.   

A household Prayer for private Families in the Evening.  
O Glorious God, in Jesus Christ our gracious Father, we wretched creatures by nature, but by thy grace thy servants and children do here make bold to appear before thee in the humility of our souls, to perform some part of that duty which we owe unto thee. And first we offer unto thy divine Majesty the calves of our lips, the sacrifice ●f praise and thanksgiving for ●ine infinite mercies which ●hou hast been pleased to confer upon us out of thy boundnesse and endless goodness. What thou hast done for us this ●hy, is beyond all that we are ●ble to express or conceive: ●hou hast preserved us from all ●erils and dangers, so that none ●f those judgements (which our ●●nes have deserved) have been afflicted upon us; thou hast ●nlarged our time and opportunity to repent; thou hast provided for our souls and bodies; ●●ou hast been no way wanting ●nto us if we had hearts to acknowledge it. Forgive us that ●e cannot acknowledge thy goodness as we ought to do and more and more quicken u● in this duty, that we may with heart and voice acknowledge thee to be that Father of lights from whom we do receiv● every good and perfect gifts ascribing unto thee the whole glory of all that we enjoy, both now and evermore. And gran● we pray thee, that our thankfulness may not be only ver● ball, but real, we labouring i● deed and in truth to be dutiful unto thee that hast been so bountiful unto us. Pardon us for th● sins of this day, wherein we● have offended thee, whether open or secret, of ignorance o● of knowledge, of infirmity o● presumption, of omission o● commission, in thought, word or deed. The sins of this day are enough to plunge us, soul and body, into the bottomless gulf of perdition. If thou shouldest straightly mark them, what answer shall we be able to make thee, how shall we dare to appear in thy presence, before whom all thy creatures fear and tremble? But thy mercy is above all thy works; much more above all our works of sin. In the confidence of thy mercy we come unto thee, beseeching thee in thy son Christ to be reconciled with us, and to assure us hereof by the certificate of thine own blessed spirit. Break the strength of sin that would subdue us more and more; and rear in us clean hearts, and renew a right spirit within us, Increase our faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel, and our repentance from dead works, our hope of eternal life, our fear of thy name, our zeal for thy glory, our hatred of sin, our love of righteousness, our contentment in all estates, our patience in adversity, our prudence in prosperity: that so being furnished with the endowments of grace here, we may be fitted for the enjoyment of glory hereafter. And because the night is now upon us, and our bodies desirous of quiet rest, we pray thee to take us into thy blessed tuition, and to refresh our wearied bodies with comfortable sleep. Protect us and all that do belong unto us under the shadow of thy ving, defend us from all evil, both of sin and punishment: keep us from security and carelessness, from dulness and drowsiness of spirit, from fire and robbery, from the malice of Satan and all his adherents, from all perils into which for our sins we might justly fall. Let the sight of the bed mind us of that last bed, the grave, wherein we are shortly to take up our lodging, we know not how soon. None of us here present can certainly tell, whether these eyes of ours once closed up, shall ever any more open again in this world: therefore receive us, good Lord, receive us into the arms of thy mercy, unto thine Almighty protection we bequeath ourselves, souls and bodies, and all that we have: upon thy mercy alone we cast ourselves both this present night and for evermore. Be merciful to thy whole Church, continue the flourishing state of the Kingdoms wherein we live. Decrease in it the number of superstitious Papists and profane Atheists, and increase in it the number of such as unfeignedly fear thee. Preserve from all dangers and conspiracies our religious King Charles, our gracious Queen Mary, the Lady Elizabeth, and her children. Give them all such a measure of thy Spirit & grace, that they may seek to advance thy kingdom on earth, and at last be advanced to thine everlasting Kingdom in Heaven. Endow the right Honourable of our Privy Counsel with all such graces as may make them fit for so high a place. Stir up Magistrates and men in authority, to endeavour after the furthering of thine honour, and the benefiting of thy people. Make the Ministers able and willing to discharge the duties of their weighty calling with diligence and conscience; water their endeavours with the dew of heaven, that daily such as belong unto life eternal may be added unto the Church. Comfort, O comfort thine afflicted servants, wheresoever or howsoever troubled: sweeten their afflictions and season their sorrows with the comforts of thy Spirit. Give them all needful assistance, and in thy own time a joyful deliverance. And make us ready for afflictions, that they may not come upon us as a snare, but that we may in good measure, like wise Virgins be prepared for the coming of Christ Jesus, the sweet Bridegroom of our souls. Finally, we pray thee bear with the weakness, and coldness, and imperfection of our prayers, and to grant our requests, not for our merits, but for thine own mercies, and for the sake of thy dear beloved Son Jesus Christ, who died to make satisfaction for us, and liveth to make intercession for us, in whose words we shut up our imperfect prayers, saying, as himself hath taught us, Our Father, etc.  
O Lord bless and save us, make thy face to shine upon us, thy Word to instruct us, thy grace to direct us, thy Angels to protect us, thy Spirit to comfort and support us, unto the end, and in the end, Amen.  
Amen.   

A Prayer in time of War.  
O LORD GOD of Hosts, in power invincible, in wisdom unsearchable, in mercy incomprehensible; that givest deliverance in the time of trouble, & assistance in the day of battle; we most humbly and heartily beseech thee to save us from all those extremities, and in special from our enemies, which our sins do threaten to bring upon us. Hitherto thou hast pleased to make our Nation a spectacle of thy ineffable goodness, but we deserve to be made a spectacle of thy unsupportable wrath. Our contempt of thy threatenings, our abuse of thy mercies, our neglect of thy judgements, with infinite other innormities, do menace the taking away of thy old mercies, and the bringing in of some judgement. We have just cause to fear, O Lord, that our loud and crying sins do call in our enemies upon us, and arm them against us; yea, that they are already pressed and prepared to execute thy vengeance. Then open our eyes, we pray thee, that we may see thy Ensign set up, thy Banner displayed, and the evidence of thy approaching sword: open our ears that we may hear thee blowing of thy trumpet, and giving the alarm to war: open our hearts that we may not be secure in so great danger, but may quake and tremble to see thy hand of vengeance before us. And howsoever by our sins we are set in the midst of this danger, yet let the hand of thy mercy (which is as omnipotent as that of thy justice) rescue us; let thy out stretched arm deliver us. Put up thy sword into the scabbard; O bid it rest and be still. Be favourable and gracious unto this thy Zion, crown her with plenty, prosperity, and victory. Let not her enemies rejoice in her subversion, nor triumph in her destruction. Hide not thy face from her in the day of trouble; stop not thine ears at our prayers. Be unto us all a horn of salvation, a rock of safety, a wall of brass, a strong tower and fortress against the face and force of our enemies: divert their designs, frustrate their envy, abate their fury, assuage their pride, restrain their power, and in thy name let us tread them under, that maliciously and mischievously rise up against us. Suffer not the light of thy Gospel to be eclipsed, nor the splendour of thy glory to be obscured; let not thy name be dishonoured, nor thy Sanctuary defiled, nor thy truth slandered: but now and ever defend and deliver (as thou hast formerly done) this Church and State, from Plague, Pestilence, and above all, that most terrible vengeance, the devouring sword: and that for his sake who hath led captivity captive and like a victorious Conqueror hath triumphed over all his enemies, even Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory,  
Amen.   

A Prayer for them that are about the Sick.  
Hear us, Almighty and most merciful God and Saviour, extend thine accustomed good●esse to this thy servant, which ●s grieved with sickness; visit him (O Lord) as thou didst Peter wives mother, and the Captain's servant, restore unto this sick ●ody his former health (if it be ●hy will) or else give him grace ●o take this thy visitation patiently, that after this painful life ended he may dwell with thee in everlasting life: O Lord, behold we bend our knees, yea the knees of our hearts with unfeigned prayers, and lift up our eyes to the throne of thy mercy seat, to hearken to these our petitions, according to thy promises, therefore, O Lord, grant our requests, we are gathered here together in thy name, in the behalf of this thy servant; deliver him we humbly beseech thee, from these his languishing pains and miseries of sickness, and as it hath pleased thee to lay thine hand upon him; so, O Lord, restore him to his former health; keep him O Lord, from fearful and terrible assaults, and despiteful ●●mptations of the Devil, sin ●●d hell: deliver him, O Lord, 〈◊〉 thou deliveredst Noah from ●e raging waves of the floods; 〈◊〉 from the destruction of So●me; Abraham from the fear ●● the Chaldeans; the children of ●●rael from the tyranny of Pha●●oh; David from the hands of ●●liah; the three men from the glence of the fiery furnace in ●●bylon; Daniel from the mouth 〈◊〉 the Lions; jonas from the ●●lly of the Whale, and Peter ●m the prison of Herod: Even ● O gracious Lord, deliver the ●●le of this person, both now, 〈◊〉 whensoever he shall depart ●●ce from all peril and dan●●r, open unto him at the hour of death the door of Paradise, the gates of heaven, and the entry of everlasting life, O Lord Jesus Christ forgive him all his sins, and lead him with joy into the kingdom of thy heavenly Father, even unto the bosom of Abraham, and appoint him his everlasting rest that he may rejoice with thee, and all the elect children of God, to whom be all honour, glory, power, and dominion,  
Amen.   

The sick persons Prayer.  
LOrd harken to my prayer, and give ear to my humble request, Lord be merciful unto me, and give me grace patiently to bear the cross, and in the midst of this my sickness always to say; thy will O heavenly Father be done, and not mine; forgive and forget, most gracious Father all 〈…〉 quities, blo● them out of thy remembrance and cast them from thy sight, O Lord, as far as the East is from the West, the North from the South: they are many and innumerable, let them not rise up in judgement against me: neither enter thou into thy narrow judgement with thy servant, O Lord, for no flesh is righteous before thee, handle me not according to my deserts, deal not with me after my wickedness, neither reward me after mine iniquities; O Lord my God look not into my enormous nor incestuous life: I am ashamed of my sins, and ask pardon for my faults, even with a repenting heart and sorrowful mind, a bleeding soul, with hidden tears of a true and unfeigned repentance for my misdeeds; yea, my wounded breast surcharged with oppressing griefs, doth sigh, groan, and lament under the burden of my heinous crimes: wherefore, O Lord, wash them away with thy blood which thou hast shed for my sins, and I shall be clean and pure without spot, purge me, O Lord, with those precious drops that distilled from thy tormented heart, and I shall be whiter than the snow, bury mine offences in the sepulchre of thy death, and clothe me with the garment of righteousness, O Lord, for thine infinite goodness and mercy sake receive me into thy tuition and favour; pardon, O Lord, and remit my sins, as thou forgavest David his murder and adultery with Barsheba; Saul his persecutions of thy people; Peter his denial; Marry Magdalen her lascivious life, and the Publican in the Temple with striking his breast craved thy gracious pardon: saying, Lord have mercy upon me a sinner, and although my sins and offences are far greater, and more grievous than these, yet, O Lord, thy mercies exceed and are far more compassionate than our sins manifold; I justify not myself, O my God, by the offences of these, but declare thy righteousness and merciful clemencies in forgetting and forgiving our abominable trespasses and transgressions of thy will, which though we are froward, yet thou art gentle, though we are stubborn, yet thou art meek, and though we run headlong to the pits brink, and to the gates of hell; yet thou of thy goodness callest us back, and remittest all that we have done amiss, O Lord, I have acknowledged my faults that they are best known unto thee: wherefore, O Lord, I ask forgiveness for the same, send me the comfort of thy holy Spirit, that if thou give me my former health and strength of body, I may amend my life according to thy sacred will, and walk worthily in thy Laws and Commandments: if it be thy pleasure to take me hence out of this transitory life, O Lord, grant that I may rest and live with thee forever, world without end. O Lord, harken unto these my petitions for Jesus Christ his sake, I ask them and all other things which thou shalt think meet both for my soul and body in the same form of prayer as he himself hath taught me, saying: Our Father, etc.   

A Prayer at the hour of death.  
O Lord Jesus Christ, which art the only health of all men living, & the everlasting life of them which die in thy faith; I wretched sinner give and submit myself wholly to thy most blessed will, being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed unto thy mercy, I most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, to give me grace that I may now willingly leave this frail and wicked flesh in hope of the resurrection, which in better manner shall restore it to me again, grant me, O Lord God, that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soul against all temptations, and that thou wilt cover and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against the assaults of Satan; I acknowledge, that there is in myself no hope of salvation; but all my hope and trust is in thy most merciful goodness, I have no merits nor good works, which I may allege before thee; of sins and evil works, alas! I see a great heap, but through thy mercy I trust to be of the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sins, but take and impute me for righteous and just, and to be the inheritor of everlasting glory. Thou, O most merciful Lord, wert borne for my sake, thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst, thou didst preach, teach, pray, and fast for my sake, thou didst all good works, and suffered'st most grievous pangs and torments for my sake: and finally, thou gavest thy most precious body to dye, and thy blessed blood to be shed on the Cross for my sake: wherefore most merciful Saviour, let all these things profit me, which thou hast freely given me, which hast given thyself for me, let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots and foulness of my sins, let thy righteousness hide and cover my unrighteousness, let the merits of thy bitter sufferings be a sufficient and propitiatory sacrifice, and satisfaction for my sins: give me, O Lord, thy grace, that my faith and belief of thy true and grievous death waver not in me, but ever be firm and constant, that the hope of thy mercy & life everlasting never decay in me, that charity wax not cold in me: and finally, that the weakness of my flesh be not overcome with the fear of death; grant me also, O most merciful Saviour that when death hath shut up the eyes of my body, yet the eyes of my soul may still behold and look upon thee, and that when death hath taken away the use of my tongue and speech; yet my heart may cry, and say unto thee, O Lord, into thy hands I give and commit my soul, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, and take me to thy mercies,  
Amen.   

A Prayer for a Woman in time of her travail.  
RIghteous and holy Lord God, I do now find by experience the fruit of my sin, that I must travail in sorrow, and bring forth in pain: and I unfeignedly adore the truth of thy sacred Word, as certifying unto me, that sorrow must be in the Evening: so comforting me also against the Morning, that a Child shall be borne. Willingly I do desire to submit myself in hope unto this thy chastisement; and to learn the desert of my sins, horrible in themselves, that these temporal pains are forerunners of eternal: and yet by thy mercy may be so sanctified unto me, as not only to prevent eternal vengeance, but also prepare for eternal comforts, even to be saved by bearing of Children.  
Grant me therefore (gracious Father) true repentance and pardon for my sins past, that they may not stand at this time in this my need between me and thy mercy. Give me a comfortable feeling of thy love in Christ, which may sweeten all other pangs, though never so violent or extreme: make me still to lift up my soul unto thee, in my greatest agonies, knowing that thou alone must give a blessing to the ordinary means for my safe deliverance. Lay no more upon me then I am able to endure; & strengthen my weak body to the bearing of what sorrowsoever, by which it shall seem good unto thee to make trial of me.  
Grant me to consider that howsoever it be with me, yet I am always at thine hand, whose mercies fail not, who wilt be found in the Mount and greatest extremity, and to whom belong the issues of death: so prepare me therefore to death, that I may be fit for life, even to yield fruit alive unto the world, and to be renewed and enabled to nourish the same. And when thou hast safely given me the expected fruit of my womb, make me with a thankful heart to consecrate both it and myself wholly to thy service all the days of my life, through Jesus Christ mine only Saviour and Redeemer,  
Amen.   

A Thanksgiving after safe deliverance.  
O Blessed for ever be thy great and glorious Name (most dear and loving Father) for thy great mercy to me most weak and sinful woman.  
Wonderful art thou in all thy works (O Lord) the riches of thy mercies are past finding out: thou hast plunged me with great afflictions, and yet thou hast returned and refreshed me again: thou hast brought me to the fear of the grave, and yet thou hast raised me up again to life. O how hast thou showed thy power in my weakness? How hath thy loving kindness prevailed against my unworthiness? Thou mightest for my sins have left me to perish in mine extremities, but thou hast compassed me about with joyful deliverance: thou mightest have made my womb a grave to bury the dead: or in affording life to another, thou mightest have procured my death, but yet thou hast not only made my womb a wellspring of life, but restored life unto me also, for the cherishing thereof. Marvellous (O Lord) are thy works, infinite are thy mercies, my soul by present experience knoweth it well. O my soul praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy name. My soul praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits. Thou hast heard my prayers, and looked upon my sorrow, thou hast redeemed my life from death, and healed mine infirmities, and crowned me with thine everlasting compassions.  
O give me, I humbly pray thee, a thankful heart, not only now while the memory and sense of thy favour is fresh before me, but continually even so long as I have any being.  
Grant that I may learn by his lively evidence of thy power and mercy, for ever hereafter ●o depend only on thee. Quicken me also to all holy duties, ●hat my thankfulness may appear in my pure and Christian ●arriage.  
Make me a kind and careful ●nother, willing to undergo the ●aine and trouble of education. ●et no niceness or curiosity ●inder me from those services, ●o whom both nature and religion hath appointed me: let me ●●so be careful when time requires, to season the fruit thou ●ast given me, with the saving knowledge of thee, & thy dear on, that my desire may manifestly appear to be set for the ●ncrease of thy Kingdom. Vouchsafe so to order my affections and to bring them in obedience unto thee, that if it should be thy pleasure either now o● hereafter to take this infant from me, I may as willingly part with it, as thou freely gave it me.  
And now (O God) perfect in me that strength which thou hast begun, make me to grow in care to serve thee faithfully both in the duties of piety, and in other business of my place and calling, that I may be a comfort to my husband, a● example to my neighbours, ● grace to my profession, and ● means of glory to thy Name through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour,  
Amen.   
FINIS.   

THE COMMON cales, CRIES and Sounds of the BELMAN. OR, Divers verses to put us in mind of our mortality.  
Which serve as warnings to be prepared at all times for the day of death.  
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for M. S. Junior, at the Blue Bible in Green-Arbour. 1639.   

THE BELMANS' SOUNDS.  

For Christmas day  
REmember all that on this Morn,  
Our blesseds' aviour Christ was borne;  
Who issued from a Virgin pure,  
Our souls from Satan to secure;  
And patronise our feeble spirit,  
That we through him may heaven inherit.   

For Saint Stephen's day.  
THis blessed time bear in your mind,  
How that blessed Martyr Stephen died;  
In whom was all that good confined,  
That might with flesh and blood abide;  
In Doctrine and example he  
Taught what to do and what to flee;  
Full of the Spirit he would preach,  
Against opinions false and naught,  
Confute them to, and boldly teach;  
What Christ himself to him had taught;  
For which at last he lost his breath,  
Stoned by the stony hearts to death;  
Let us then learn by this blessed Martyr's end  
To see our follies and our lives amend.   

For Saint john's day.  
THis man the Word did boldly teach  
Saw Christ transformed, and did preach  
The glory in that Mount he saw,  
And by that glory strove to draw;  
The soul of man from sinful thrall  
To heaven, to which God send us all.   

For Innocents' day.  
THe swords of Herod's servants took  
Such sweet young things, as with a look  
Might make a heart of Marble melt.  
But they no grace, nor pity felt;  
Some from the cradle, some awake,  
Some sweetly sleeping, some they take  
Dandled upon their mother's lap,  
Some from their arms, some from the pap.   

For New-year's day.  
ALL you that do the Bellman here,  
The first day of this hopeful year;  
●oe in love admonish you,  
So bid your old sins all adieu,  
And walk as God's just Law requires,  
In holy deeds and good desires,  
Which if to do you'll do your best,  
God will in Christ forgive the rest.   

For Saint David's day.  
I Am no Welshman, but yet to show  
The love I to the Country owe,  
I call this morning and be seek  
Each man prepare him for his Leek;  
For as I hear some men say,  
The first of March is Saint David's day  
That worthy Britain, valiant, wise,  
Withstood his country's enemies,  
And caused his Soldiers there to choose  
Leeks for to know them from his foes;  
Who bravely fought, and conquest won,  
And so the custom first begun.  
Then wear your Lecks and do not shame  
To memorise your worthies name:  
So noble Britain's all adieu,  
Love still King Charles, for he loves you.   

For the 5. of Novemb.  
AWake Britain's subjects with one accord,  
Extol and praise, and magnify the Lord,  
Humble your hearts, and with devotion sing  
Praises of thanks to God for our most gracious King;  
This was the night when in a darksome Cell,  
Treason was found in earth it hatched in hell;  
And had it took effect, what would availed our sorrow,  
The train being laid to have blown us up o'th' morrow?  
Yet God our guide revealed the damned plot,  
And they themselves destroyed, and we were not.  
Then let us not forget him thanks to render,  
That hath preserved and kept our faith's Defender.   

For Good Friday.  
ALL you that now in bed do lie,  
Know jesus Christ this night did die.  
●●r souls most sinful for to save,  
That we eternal life might have;  
His whips, his groans, his crown of thorns,  
Would make us weep, lament, and mourn.   

For Sunday.  
LEt labour pass, let prayer be  
This day the chiefest work for thee,  
Thyself and servants more and less,  
This day must let all labour pass.    


ALL hale to you that sleep and rest;  
Repent, awake, your sins detest,  
Call to your mind the day of doom,  
For then our Saviour Christ will come.  
Account to have he hath decreed,  
Of every thought, word, work, and deed  
And as we have our times here past,  
So shall our judgements be at last.   

AS dark some night unto thy thoughts present,  
What 'tis to want the days bright Element,  
So let thy soul descend through contemplation,  
Where utter darkness keeps her habitation,  
Where endless, easeless pains remediless  
Attend to torture sins cursed wilfulness:  
O then remember whilst thou yet hast time  
To call for mercy for each forepast crime;  
And with good David wash thy bed with tears,  
That so repentance may subdue hell's fears:  
Then shall thy soul more purer than the Sun,  
joy as a Giant her best race to run,  
And in unspotted robes herself address  
To meet her Lord that Son of righteousness,  
To whom with God the Father and the Spirit  
Be all due praise, where all true joys inherit.   

THe Bellman like though wakeful morning Cock,  
Doth warn you to be vigilant and wise:  
Look to your fire, your candle and your lock,  
Prevent what may through negligence arise;  
So may you sleep with peace and wake with joy,  
And no mischances shall your state annoy.   

YOur beds compare unto the grave,  
Then think what sepulchre you have.  
For though you lay you down to sleep,  
The Bellman wakes your peace to keep,  
Andnightly walks the round about,  
To see if fire and light be out;  
But when the morn (days light) appears  
Be you as ready for your prayers:  
So shall your labours thrive each day,  
That you the Belman well may pay.   

LIke to the Seaman is our life,  
Tossed by the waves of sinful strife,  
Finding no ground whereon to stand,  
Uncertain death is still at hand:  
If that our lives so vainelesse be,  
Then all the world is vanity.   

THose that live in wrathful ire,  
And go to rest in any sin,  
They are worse unto their house then fire  
Or violent thiefs that would break in  
Then seek to shun with all your might,  
That Hidra's head, that monstrous sin;  
That God may bless your goods abroad,  
And eke also yourselves within.   

Sleep on in peace, yet waking be,  
And dread his powerful Majesty,  
Who can translate the irksome night,  
rome darkness to that glorious light,  
Whose radiant beams when once they rise,  
With winged speed the darkness flies.   

THou God that art our help at hand,  
Preserve and keep our King and land  
from foreign and domestic foes,  
●uch as the word and truth depose;  
And ever prosper those of pity,  
That love the peace of this our City.   

AWake from sleep, awake from sin,  
With voice and heart to call on him,  
Who from above pleased to descend,  
From Satan's malice to defend  
Our forfeit souls, to that rich grace  
Where we may still behold his face.   

LEt us repair and God implore,  
That henceforth we transgress no more  
And that our joy be at this tide,  
That we in him be satisfied;  
Then shall we all for his dear sake,  
Be blessed a sleep, be blessed awake.   

Sigh neither men nor Angels know,  
When as the dreadful trump shall blow,  
Nor when our Saviour Christ shall come  
To give the world a woeful doom;  
Think then but what a case you're in,  
That sleep in unrepented sin:  
O wake, O wake, O watch and pray,  
And think upon this dreadful day.   

Sleep not so sound, rest not secure,  
Mark well my words of this be sure  
The waking Virgins past the gate,  
When those that slept came all too late:  
Wherefore be watchful in your centre.  
That you may with the bridegroom enter.   

IF wicked imps wake day and night,  
And keep their candle always light,  
And all their skill and practise bend,  
To bring their damned plots to end;  
Let us not sleep, but laud his skill,  
That frustrates all their projects still.   

THe night well spent, the day draws night,  
Awake from sleep and sin defy,  
All sluggish sloth expel away,  
Have still in mind the judgement day,  
When dead shall rise at trumpets call,  
The graves shall open wide with all.   

ARise from sin, awake from sleep,  
The earth doth mourn The Heavens weep;  
The winds and Seas distempered been,  
And all by reason of man's sin:  
Wherefore arise, lay sleep aside,  
And call on God to be your guide,  
From raging sword and arrow's flight,  
And from the terrors of the night;  
From fires flame, from sin and sorrow,  
God bless you all, and so good morrow.   

ALL you which in your beds do lie,  
Unto the Lord ye ought to cry,  
●hat he would pardon all your sins;  
And thus the Bel●mans prayer begins;  
Lord give us grace our sinful life to mend,  
And at the last to send a joyful end:  
●aving put out your fire and your light,  
●or to conclude, I bid you all good night.   

Man's life is like a warfare on the earth,  
Whose time is spent with troubles, toils and cares,  
Subject to all temptations from his birth:  
In woe he lives and dies at unnawares.  
The surest sign true fortitude to show,  
Is in his life all vice to overthrow.   

O Hark, O hark my Masters all,  
To your poor servants cry and call:  
And know all you that lie at ease,  
That our great God may if he please,  
Deprive you of your vital breath:  
Then sleeping, think your sleep is death.   

LEt true repentance cleanse your sin,  
And then your souls commend to him,  
That by his death hath raised and cured  
The dead, the blind, and them assured  
To give to them eternal rest,  
To live in Heaven among the blessed.   

Confess thy sins to God on high,  
Who pardons sinners when they cry;  
Bewray thy faults to him in time,  
Who will in Christ forgive thy crime.   

HE that on the Cross hath died  
And for our sins was crucified,  
Be you ever blessed in him.  
And clean remitted from your sin:  
Be it granted as I have prayed,  
And so the Belman resteth paid.   

ALL you that in bed do lie,  
Hearken well to what I cry,  
Leave off your sins, repentance crave,  
It is the only way your souls to save.   

REpent in time while ye have breath,  
Repentance cometh not after death:  
He therefore that will live for aye,  
Must leave his sins, and to God pray.   

O Gracious God and blessed,  
Preserve all ye that be in bed,  
So that your quiet rest may take,  
Until the morning that ye wake:  
Then may ye all with praises sing,  
To thou O God our heavenly King.   

REmember man thou art but dust,  
There is none alive but die he must,  
To day a man, to morrow none,  
So soon our life is past and gone.  
Man's life is like a withered flower,  
Alive and dead all in an hour,  
Leave of thy sins therefore in time,  
And Christ will rid thee from thy crime.   

O Mortal man that is made of dust,  
In worldly riches put not thy trust,  
Remember how thy time doth pass,  
Even like the sand that from the Glass,  
●ath spent the time and there remains,  
●ever canst thou call that time again.   

Sick men complain they cannot sleep,  
The Belman such a noise doth keep;  
Others that do win at play,  
Says he too soon proclaims the day:  
Yet to the sick that draws short breath,  
It puts them in the mind of death;  
And says the gamester makes good stake,  
If he for Heaven so long would wake;  
And all this while like silly worm,  
He doth his office but perform:  
Then if his duty breed disease,  
he'll go to bed and none displease.   
FINIS.