It is not the first time since my departur that I haue writ vnto you, nei­ther shall it bee the last. Nature will find a way to vent her duty were shee neuer so hard opprest. Out of sight is not out of mind, for were you but as mindefull of your selfe, as I am of you, I doubt not but by the effects you should find mee a du­tifull sonne. But as the blind who see not themselues, thinke all other not to see them likewise, so you forgetting your self thinke mee forgetfull of you to▪ God knowes before whom one daye I am to giue an account of my duty to­wards you, how that there passeth not a day, or night either, when you and yours take your rest, wherein there is not intercession made for you. If I knew what els in this my state a childs naturall obligation could effect, in the behalf of a m [...]ther, I would with what indeauour I could accomplish it. But alas Deare Mother, when your request is vnreasonable, nay vnnaturall, as the forsaking my religiō, Gods Church, his truth, nay himselfe, it standes not with the duty of a sonne any waye to yeald in the least to so vniust demaunds of a Mother. O that your desires weare but of that nature (of that good Mo­ther wee reade of in the Maccabees was,) who did encourage her children to suffer euen to death, for God. I doubt not but God would so strengthen me with his grace, that you should find my duty as ready to obey, as your pietie would bee willing to command. Though it bee not common for a sonne to teach his mother, but rather to follow hir in what shee should direct him, yet when parents mislead from the way of truth, shall without knowledge, command what is contrary to Gods will, and their childrens conscience, It may bee, nay it is the part of a dutyfull sonne, to remember that their command is amisse▪ & cannot bee followed. All I heare now doe is no more; I doe but informe you that the happines you wish mee is not true & reall happines. That not lōger I now, but your owne soule might bee the obiect of your thoughts. That you would from henceforth no longer bee astraynger from the truth. But submit your self to her, who as a louing Mother would receaue & imbrace you, with all affection within the armes of veritie; first bee instructed by her, Deare Mother, and then shall you learne to gouerne & guide your owne children in thinges that are good. And then I am sure they will bee ruled and guided by you. And this is all, should I doe leasse, I should thinke with the A­postle that I were farre worse then an Infidell. For how can I behould wolues which pray not for you, but prey vpon you, and hould my tongue. Where were my dutie? I perceauing you tost vp and downe in the waues of herricie, as you are, & your self ready to suffer shipwrack, and I not so much as offerring you my hand to draw you into the Arke. Which of all those blind guides that now peruert your poore soule dare or will affirme, that the foundation one which your saluation purchassed so dearely by the blood of your Sauiour, your faith is built, is vn­fallable. If fallable why doe you, ha­zard your saluation purchassed so dea­rely by the blood of your Sauiour vpon sand. Deare Mother I as a poore child of your owne bowels, as vpon my ben­ded knees in all dutie of a sonne, do [...] desire you consider your owne declin­inge age, your life to come, your last iudgment, (& if you doe not now heere in time) woorke a preuention of that fearefull sentēce which otherwise must passe vpon you, (that so you may avoide the wrath to come) endeauour somwhat to examine whether all bee true your false prophets preach vnto you, or at least whether they practise [Page 4] what they preach. First try & then trust. And because your capacitie can­not master a better argument then to examine the liues of your professers of your owne sect, There begin. See first whether your new vpstart mynisters doe not like stage plaiers trickt vp in their neat apparell onely, and barely ackt, and talke, and practise nothing; they will tell you of Christs passion his po­uertie, his want, his hunger & thirst, his humilitie, his patience, his labor & trauell, his ignominy in being appre­hended, scourged, spitt one, in bearing his crosse: they will also tell, you of the Apostles pouertie, their sufferings, their wrongs and afflictions, but who is hee either of your Ministry, or Layetie, will follow your Sauiour in these his pas­sions, who is there among you that in your selues allow either of fasting, or watching, or voluntary pouertie, or good woorks, or afflicting your selues for Gods sake. To be despised to forsake the world, & to liue for euer austerely in pennance for sinnes; they can commend these things in Christ & his Apostles, & yet forbid to bee practised by them­selues. They will tell you that our Sauiour payd the price for vs, whereby wee are become heiers of God, Co­heiers with Christ, & being heiers wee shall inherit, though wee suffer no­thing. For Christ both suffered and satisfied for vs; but they will not see what followeth. For where the Apostle calleth vs heiers of God &c. hee addeth imediately, if yee suffer to gether with him, signifiing that wee are heiers with Christ, vpon condition that wee suffer with him, to the end wee may bee glorified with him; for wee are not freed by our Sauiours passion from suffering, but the more inuited or rather obligued thereunto, witnesse our Sauiour himselfe, hee that will come after mee, let him deney him­selfe, and take vp his crosse and follow mee; But contrary if you will but looke into Gods Church, you shall not onely find Christ spoken of; but truely fol­lowed. You shall see those, whose onely [...]oy is in afflictions for Christs sake, whose song is that of the Apostle, God forbid I should reioyce in any thing, but in the crosse of Christ. Who haue forsaken all and giuen their whole Estate to maineteine the poore, and so committed themselues to the prouidence of God; wee haue not those who barely commend virtues in our Sauiour, but follow them in deed; also they are such that talke little, fast hard, pray much, suffer continually, they are in want & that willingly, to helpe others. Poore they are in meanes, but poorer in spirit; and theirs onely is the King­dome of heauen. I will add no more least I should seeme rather to preach you a sermon, then to wright you a Letter. Deare Mother see & bee ac­quainted with those who both of this faith & life liues amongst you, I am sure their good wayes, will better in­forme you in this kinde then my let­ters. And that you may bee the surer satisfied, let the trauels of any of my bretheren make triall, & let them not doubt; But that they may bee as safe and as well for their calling, & trauell here, as in England. I liue in Doway a halfe weeks iorny from you, trust my brotherly loue towards them for their safetie, at one of the English hou­ses in Doway you shall find mee; I could rather wish to see any of my bre­thren heere at Doway, but I pray you if you will not take so hard a iorny for my sake, at least let mee heare from you. Direct your Letters to one M. Wetwoods house in Doway, who is an English Gentleman. what I haue wrot vnto you Deare Mother, is likewise written to my poore brethren, and sisters whom with your selfe, I commend in my most earnest prayers vnto the safe protexion of God almigh­ty who I hope hath brought mee hea­ther to prouide for your poore deceaued soules. In our Lord and Sauiour fare­well, bee mindefull of your selues that your soules perish not in that heauie daye of the Lord.

THy letter came to my hands, (my deare Child) like IO­SEPHS partye-culloured coate, to his father IACOB, in many things there holds much pro­portion; This is my Sons coate saithGen. 37. 33. the good old man; a wicked beast hath deuoured him: IOSEPH is surely torne in pieces. I cannot say so altogether; but this is my sons letter, doth your poore aged Mother say, I know it is the great beast, hath set his marke vpon him, & appointed him for the prey; I shalbe robbed of my Son; Oh! I shalbe robbed of my Son: at the best, the Ismalites haue carried him into Egypt, a place of grosse idolatry, where hee is; for his letter tells mee it left him at DOWAY, & there must mine find him.

What there my Son? Now lett hir, who is aquainted with the deare name of a child, say, whether there houlds not much proportion, betweene IA­COBS sorrow and mine, I goe downe to the graue mourning, I shall lye downe in sorrow. Your old Father, & as full of greifes as years, since thou wentest away, is not; and thou art not, & I am a poore distressed Mother, thus hath the Lord shewen me much bitter­nesse. These thinges are against mee, euen all these; but I am robbed of my child; That, that hastens to bring my gray haires with sorrow to the graue, oh come againe my deare child, come againe; that I may see thy face with comfort once more before I make my bed in the darke; (it is now almost night with me) and I shall bee seene no more. O returne my son: returne my Son: returne my Son, my Son.

Returne, how readily should a du­tifullSon. child come, when a deare mother calls? how soone would hee doe, what the Mother bidds? Were it of the same nature with hirs in the Macca­bes, how willingly would I imbrace the stake, and giue vp my breath in the [...]ame. But alas! my Mothers request is vnreasonable, nay vnnaturall, as the for­saking my Religion, Gods Church, his trueth, himselfe.

And is it so my Son? an vnreasonableMothe [...] request indeed, and vnnaturall; O but harken my child; and if it bee so, let thy owne Mother bee hated: O harken my child! I beseech thee▪ euen by the throwes of thy first birth harken! & the Lord giue thee an open eare, while the true Mother plead [...] with the harlot1. king. for hir Son, and hee that is wiser then Solomon bee iudge betwixt vs, euen he bee iudge. He ease me of my aduersary: euen he ease me of my aduersarie whoe vexeth me very sore, & makes me goe1. Sam. 1▪ heauily all the day, troubling me and breaking my heart. The Lord looke on the trouble of his handmaide, and re­member hir, & giue hir, hir Son againe, as I haue desired, and to my power la­boured, to giue him to the Lord againe, all the dayes of his life by keeping his Religion, his Church, and his Truth: and rather then forsake these or any of these, to lye in the fetters vntill thePsal. 10 [...] iron enter into his soule: and after to giue vp his breath in the flame; to re­sist euen vnto blood. O my child consi­der! it is neither the chaine if not PAVLS; nor the prison if not Silaces; nor the flame if not BRADFORD'S that makes the Martyr: indeed child it is not. But is it PAVLS chaine? noe2 Tim. 1. 16. reason the bearer should bee ashamed; A prisoner in the Lord? sure there is a cause of reioycing. At the stake for a good cause? now there is cause of sin­ginge, of clappinge the hands.

But the body may bee giuen to the1. cor. 13 fire (my child) and loue may bee wan­ting: the crosse may bee taken vp, yet not Christs, nor he followed; The body may bee stript, and whipt, pinch't nay almost starud, and yet who requi­red these thinges at your hands? But let the cause be such as these Saints were, and then let the sufferers glory; for to such is it giuen not only to be­leeue, [Page 6] but also to suffer for the name of the Lord IESVS. And now let the har­lot [...]ip. [...]. speake, for I know shee told thee what thou shouldest say; what could I haue done vnto my son, that I haue not done; for his better keeping of these, euen all these? Yet would I not seeme a proud Iusticiary, for how few are those HANNAHS? who giue their chil­dren backe to the Lord, who present them first in the Temple? who breed their children as they ought; as they are bound to doe? as the Grandmother LOIS, and the Mother EVNICE bred Timothy? I cannot say I did: in how [...]im. [...] com­ [...]d [...]h [...]ap. [...]5. many thinges might I faile? I know in many. But let the Harlot accuse mee. Child canst thou speake nothing for thy Mother? my good child speake, I know thou canst. Whereunto hath the deare affection of thy parents tended? Whitherto all their care? their paines? their cost? their praires? their feares? their hopes? Their hopes! here it was indeed, here it was, I thinke. I know wee offended; for surely wee doated vpō thee child, forgiue vs that wronge: Wee thought thee our possession, the son of our right hand, the staffe on which our old age might leaue: But how often doe parents hopes deceiue them? how soone may a hopefull blos­some die in the bud? a forward springe bee nipped with a could winde? or a sharp frost? doe not parents, I pray you, doe not doat vpon your children, or thinke of them aboue what is meet. There are many moneths yet vnto your haruest, and a little time makes great alteration! I tell you parents, and I tell you weepinge, our extraordinary expectations on earthy thinges, ordi­narily disapoints vs; somtimes our or­dinary, but that doth lesse trouble vs. Marke this I pray you, it falls out ma­ny times, that a beloued RACHEL proues barren; and hated LEA fruit­full. I pray you marke it, there is much vse in it. It falls out so with mee, and I am sure I was not the first, neither can I bee the last, wee haue so many doaters; my possession is become vani­ [...]y; my BENIAMIN a BENNONI, the Lord hath knapt my staffe asunder. But why should my aduersary boast against mee; I thinke hee will not, least his RACHEL also proue barren: so the Lord can make him or hir: when wee bottome our selues vpon them, or set our affection on them too much, but come, what would the Harlot say? I know shee would speake.

Why, he suckt in haerisy with hisHarlot. very milke, & his stronger meats was mingled with it. And when you sent him to the fountaine, and as you thought to the springe head, you were quite mistaken, for they are but bitter waters, vncleane, and muddy.

Mistaken indeed I was, & much de­ceiued,Mother. for had not the fountaine beene impure, or had not the Beasts foote mudded it, I had not beene robbed of my child: nor at this time been plea­dinge for him. But there was a bad hearb in the good pottage; a dead flie in the sweete oyntment, a subtill Serpent in the pleasant garden thus wee parents, druncke with our owne hopes, little foresee our childrens dan­ger; how soone they may fall vpon a shelf, & there make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience, and all. A pa­rent art thou, when will thy doubts? thy feares haue an end? And now what shall I say to thee my aduersary? I must not, I dare not, giue thee reueiling words, but the Lord rebuke thee; euen he rebuke thee, and bee iudge betwixt vs, whether in that way which thou callest heresie, wee doe not worship the GOD of our fathers beleeuing, &c.Acts. 24. 14.

What? and not to submit to our holy Church? not come within hir armes for instruction? what is this but to beeHarlot. as a doue without the Arke? to bee tossed vp and downe vpon the waues of heresies, still ready to suffer ship­wracke: let your son then haue your hand mother, who so piously rea­cheth foorth his, whereby to draw you into our Arke. I thanke myMother good child knowing his simple heart: and tender childlike affection, for I beare him witnesse that hee hath a zeale, though not accordinge to knowledge, the time of his ignorance. O Lord remember not; & find out a time to take away the scales, and bee mercifull to all such as sin not of ma­licious wickednes that are in some er­ror of iudgment, not of practise, and now my Son. I dare not giue thee my right hand of fellowship, no I dare not child; wee haue a better card whereby to saile; a more sure direction whereby wee fetch our compass; a more cer­taine and infallible Oracle, whereunto [Page 7] all the Prophets and Apostles giue wit­nesse. Wee know Churches may erre, and men may bee mistaken as men; Pe­ter was so, whereupon PAVL resistedgal. 2. 11 him to the face, for he was to bee bla­med. Alas my Child! PAVL and PE­TER may and did take vpon them the care of the Churches; the care of them is one thinge, the waight of them is another, thats too heauy for mans shoulders; they were but stons (child) in that spirituall building. But heare my voice, and I will tell thee: Wee ac­knowledge (the Scriptures teach vs so) that the Church of the liuinge God (I call it neither ours nor yours, but bles­sed is the man that hath his name writ­ten1. Tim. 3. 15. therein) is the pillar & ground of trueth; no foundations wheron the building must relie; but as it is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets & Apostles IESVS CHRIST himselfe being the chiefe corner-ston, in whomEphes. 2. 20. all the building coupled together, groweth to a holy Temple in the Lord. Why? but all this while you are butHarlot. vpon the sand, no true foundation, nor infallibility of supportinge. Will you haue a Sons soule, hazarded vpon sand? hazard my childs soule Harlot; O pretious thinge! O rich Iewell! OMother. inestemable treasure! Why it is amidst the thinges of the world, like DAVID1. Sam. 18. 3. amonge the people; worth ten thou­sand of them & much more of all the thinges in the world (my deare child) run not the hazard of that. Hazard a foote thou maiest, & yet thou wilt not, thou hast another; a legge, thou hast an other; an hand, thou hast an other; an arme, thou hast another; an eye, thou hast an other. Here are not paires (my child) loose one and loose all. O vn­ualluable losse, and vnrecouerable! the redemption thereof must cease for euer. What would not a parent now doe, to put a childs soule out of hazard? Then heare mee my son, son of my bowels harken; Is that soule in danger, that is in the Arke; made by Gods owne ap­pointment both for the matter and the manner, directed by him to that mor­ninge star, from which it hath a cer­taine course. Listen my child, child of my bowels listen; is that corner-ston a sandy foundation? can the waight of men & angels presse it? can the gates of hell remoue it? Indeed my child, if that stone fall vpon thee or me, wee are crushed in peeces; so are wee if wee fall vpon it, heedlesly, carlesly, presump­tuously, but come vnto it in the wholeMat [...] 21. 4. Rut [...] 2. 16 obedience of thy heart, sticke, cleaue vnto it, as RVTH to NAOMIE, bee not intreated to leaue it, or to depart from it, & thou canst not miscarry. Harken my son, son of my bowels harken, can the blowinge of the winde? can the beating of the storme, remoue that house which the wise builders hath founded vpon a ROCK? Thou doest my Son beleeue CHRISTS words, I know, thou doest beleeue them. Then harken my Son this once, Son of my bowels harken. He that layeth a foun­dation diggeth deepe, certainly so did this wise builder, beyond all humane traditions, here was no setling. Beyond all will-worship, a counterfeit ground; Beyond all satisfaction of his owne, this was not sollid: Beyond the inter­cession of Saints and Angels, this was not safe; Beyond the righteousnes of his best workes; here hee would faine stay, but it would not hold the waight; still he digges further, for the soule that seeketh the Lord, is not satisfied vntill he find him. Where haue yee laid my LORD (saith MARY) let me find him or all is nothing; well hee digges deeper, euē as hee that seekes a treasure; or as a thirsty man after a springe of water, or like those 3. mighty, hee will through the whole hoast of the PHI­LISTIMES,2. Sam▪ 23. 16. but hee will digg through those sandy bottomes, and get to the rocke. And now vpon it hee is, and by it supported, & from it refreshed, for behold here is strength to hold him vp; here are waters, liuing waters, to com­fort him for this rocke is CHRIST; It is good beinge here, here will hee set vp his rest; here will hee abide for euer; If the Rock faile not, he cannot faile; blessed is the man that hath this foundation; thrice blessed is hee that hath this water to drinke; hee will neuer dig it in broaken pits. Can the raine or haile fall now vpon this man? as vpon a wildernesse? to whome that man (so Christ the Rocke is cal­led, and obserue the number) will bee as a hiding place from the wind, andIsaiah. 3 [...]. 1. [...]. as a refuge frō the tempest; as riuers of water in a drie place, and as the shad­dow of a great rock in a weary land. Now the raine may fall, & the flood [...] come, and the winds blow, and beate [Page 8] vpon this house, and behold it stands, for it is grounded vpon a rocke. See (child) a mount Sion now, which [...]tth. 5. stands for euer, & the blast of the migh­ty shall bee as a storme against the wall: Oh my child I though my eyes [...]. 25. 4 bee shut vp, yet am I, as it were in BA­LAAMS rapture; who can tell the strength of this man? for as the rocke is, such is his strength, as the strength of an Vnicorne; no poison shall hurt him, no sorcery shall make against him, he hath a refuge from the storme; a sha­dow [...]. 25. 4. from the heat, a strength in di­stresse. Who can now tell the joyes of this Iacob? or number the fourth part of the comforts of this ISRAEL? Let my strength bee as this mans strength; and let my last end bee like his. Deare child▪ I as an affectioned mother to my owne bowels, by my sorrowes in thy first birth, by those since, wherewith I trauell with thee, till Christ bee for­med in thee, by that solemne vow, thou madest to God in Baptisme; by that stronge bond of nature, and deare name of a Mother, I doe desire nay shee that might command, doth beseech thee to consider, by what hath beene said, and y^e Lord make it profitable, whether my requests that thou wouldest returne, bee vnreasonable? or vnnaturall? whether my reasons for it, are any way dange­rous or hasardous; or rather whether the one be not pious, the other safe and certaine; directing thee vnto that church, which is guided by a certaine course; it may float, it cannot sinke; setting thee vpon a sure foundation, it may shake, it cannot fall; no more then the corner-ston which cannot bee re­moued; Intreating thee to put away those lyes, which are in thy right hand. All those IDOLS which cannot [...]iah. [...]. 11. [...]serue [...]e [...]ace. healp; All those sparkes w^t which you may compasse your selfe, and yet lye downe in sorrow to, perswading thee to put away all those vanities, (they are too long to name) which weighed in the ballance, will bee found too light; & also to digg to the Rock which cannot faile. Oh my child consider! It is not for any of your good workes, that you are condemned; noe my child; they are amiable, and they are com­mended yea chereshed, whither wee heare of them there or see them here, nay we confesse you haue them, who go beyoud the workes of many amongst vs; who carry a great shew of holi­nesse. Goe on in them my child, goe on in them, yet I know thou wilt consi­der, that there are many circumstances, belonging to euery action, from which the worke euer receiues it's true este­mate. Thou maist heare somwhat more of this anon; because thou doest not walke vprightly, according to the trueth & purity of the gospell. I would driue this naile to the head now; Why consider child, whether your rocke bee as our rocke; euen our emmyes beeing iudges, what will bee come of their Gods? their rock in which they trusted?Deut. 31. and 31. and vers. 37. &c. let them rise vp and healp you, & bee your protection. But see my child, this rocke is hee euen this is hee, which I haue pointed out vnto thee, & there is none with him, only Christ (my Son) only Christ; Can there be hazard my child? can here be danger? canst thou thirst at the fountaine? canst thou sinke vpon the rocke? In thy owne righ­teousnes thou maist, the intercessions of Saints and Angels may deceiue thee. BAAL may bee busied (my child) per­aduenture1. King [...]. 18. he may bee sleeping. Abra­ham may bee ignorant of thee, & Israel may not acknowledge thee. I say that it may bee, that thou maist see plainly how at the best here is aventure here is a hazard; but hee that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth; and this is hee, which I point out vnto thee, there can be no hazard here, this rocke is a mighty redeemer, he will sustaine thee alone, he must haue no healper; whome wilt thou ioyne with him whose name is euerlasting? I tell thee (child for the summ of all is this) ther's nothing though neuer so louely; in thine eyes, which can make thee the righteousnes of God; but that which was made sin for thee. Tell me then, were any of these thinges crucified for thee? how long shall vaine thoughts, which separate frō God, lodge within thee? returne then my Son, returne my Son; or in case thou doest halt be­tweene two opiniōs, surely the Lord the iealous God, who will not giue his ho­nour to another, nor suffer DAGON to stand by him, will haue this controuersy against thee; and what Saint or Angel shall plead for thee? thou hast commit­tedIer. 2. 13 two great euils, thou hast forsaken the fountaine of liuing waters, and he­wed thy selfe out cisternes broaken [Page 9] cisternes that can hold no water. Re­turne then my Son, returne my Son, my Son.

O my Deare Mother you haue almostSonne. Mother. perswaded me to returne. Almost my Son? why not altogether? What a cake halfe baked? Altogether my Son or it is nothing. Thou must make straight steppe, & cast of that which bāges on so fast, least that which is halting bee tur­nedHeb. 12. 1. 13. out of the way. The Lord calls for thy heart, giue it him my Son; & follow him wholy, or elce thou shalt neuer with Caleb and Ioshuah, come into that good Land. Oh my bowels doe yerne vpon my Son! the Harlot shall rather haue him, then I will haue him deuided. Come away from hir my Son, come away, what hath the Harlot more to say?

Ho Mother, why what mine eyesSonne. haue seene, the liues of your Ministers & Professours, why your very lights seeme to bee darknesse: your Seers see not: your Watchmen keepe not senti­nell; your Ambassadors for Christs honorable name! who in Christs name should intreate the people to bee recon­siled, these liue as without God in this present world; for pleasure is their God, & their belly their shame. And which is yet more, their heads and ru­lers, who Lord it ouer the rest, are Chiefe in this Trespasse, can here bee truth, (Mother) can here bee truth? I tell you Mother: they are as abomina­ble, in their practise many of them, as NADAB and ABIHV or ELIES two Sones; are these the fruits of truth amongst you? why you seeme to haue but the very Carkasse of the ministrie, & you doe not so much as couer it with a seemly cloth; doe not your Mi­nisters tricke it & trim it many like Stage-players, (& indeed to such may they bee resembled) for some thing they act for y^e time, as Christs passion, like a kind of Tragedie then come they downe and Ruffin it, as much as in them lieth, Crucifying againe the Lord of life by the foulenes of their actions. Can here bee truth? And for your Professors, they make a great noyse, yet doe they content themselues with the lampes of an outward pro­fession, without the oyle, they will come in and sitt down too, as guests, yet without y^e weding garment. They wil talke of Christs sufferings, but what will they suffer for him? I tell you (Mother) I know it, you haue ma­ny who will bee counted children of the light, yet walke in palpable dark­nesse, doing the deeds of it, can here bee truth Mother? O child take heede you wound not a holy profession,Mother. through the vizard of it; but I haue many things to say vnto thee, some thing to the Harlot to, but they will come forth as in a throng, perhaps in no very good order; because I would scrue it together in as little roomth as I might. And first my Son, I know thou didest not publish this in gath, nor tell it in y^e streets of ASKELON. If wee had not carried our wickednesse in our foreheads, my child would not haue vncouered our skirts. I know thou wouldst preserue the credit of thy owne nest. But the Harlot cannot but know these things. Though neuer by thy relation, for they are not practised altogether in corners; but before Israel & before y^e son; and they will bee as openly punished, for God hath a con­trouersy for it, & wo bee to them by whom this offence commeth. But stay Harlot, might I not say to thee, as the2. Chro. 28. 20. Prophet vpon another occasion, Are there nor with you? euen with you Sins against the Lord your God? What meaneth elce those 6000. infants headsActe Mon. p. 1054. found in your Gregories ponds? whose fathers must needs bee holy men liuing so neare the smoake of his ho­linesse kitchin. What meaneth elce, that fare-well which one of your owne pro­selits bids to Rome, when he came forth, of hir,

I could aske thee what meaneth such? & such abominations? such wherin thy sister Sodome neuer exceeded thee, but what were this but for the pott to proue it selfe faire by the cettles black­nesse? or it were somwhat though not altogether, like the replie of the He­brew, reproued by Moses, for striking [Page 10] his fellow. Thou killedst the Aegyptian,Exod. 2. what was that to the lesning of the Hebrews falt? Let my heart euer looke inward, and take a reproofe as a plai­ster. Wee deserue thy reproofe, euen the spitting in our face, for wee are vncleane. Your sins are no excuse for ours, nor ours for yours, wee shall each beare our owne burden, punishment will find vs both out, and in the day of the Lords visitation, he will visit our sins vpon vs, let Baall plead for Baall, &Exod. 2. wickednesse proceed from the wicked man, & let him defend it, it will find him out at length, & in due time the foote shall slide. And it shall bee bitter­nesse in the end, that the Preists, whe­ther yours or ours, haue made the sa­crifice to bee abhorred, & for the pro­fessors too, that they haue caused the name of the Lord, to bee blasphemed, and his holy wayes to bee spoken against, nay I tell thee, some of these both ministers and professors too, that haue thus profaned the couenant, & dishonored that holy thinge, they haue taken vpon them, are made contempti­ble, and base before all the people. Oh that they were wise, then would they vnderstand; they would consider their latter end. But to thee my child, I know the Harlot will harken, and let hir so. Wee confesse my child that the Preists mouth should keepe knowledge, & his lipps teach many Holinesse because the Lords house, & his Preists should for euer bee cloathed with righteousnesse, then would the Saints shout for ioy; for they doe wish that all the congre­gation were holy; Preist and people,Numb. 16. 3. euery one of them. Yet was it rebellion in Korah and his company to thinke them all so; & surely a great fault in thee, to be as far wide in the contrary; what one of your ministers, or profes­sors? saist thou, &c. Oh my deare Son, number not the godly with the wicked, it will not profit, wisdome will bee iu­stified of hir children, whose spot is not like your spot: I am taking vp againeDeut. 32 some of Balaams words; they were strang comming forth of a trunck; how wilt thou condemne my child, where the Lord hath not condemned? how wilt thou accuse, where the Lord hathNum. 23 not accused? Wee haue a people (my Son) whom thou maiest see, from theNumb. 3. 13. topps of y^e Rocks, from the hills thou maist behould them, Lo. This people shall dwell by themselues & shall not bee counted among the nations. It is as dangerous to call good euill, as euill good. Wee haue (my Son) a holy mini­strie amongst vs, wee haue a holy people, though but like two little flocks of kidds, whereas the ARAMITES fill the countrey. It must needs bee so,1. Ki [...]. 20. how can it bee otherwise? why my child, didst thou not see them euen now a people vpon the rocks, & vpon the hills? there must bee sweat to get thi­ther, & how loth are we to take pains? this deepe digging is a wearisome worke, it is a sowing in feare; good Child marke, an outward forme with­out the power, staieth this man by the way; a lie another; one man sets vp Idolls in his heart, & rests vpon them; Another puts a stumbling blocke be­fore his eyes, & will not ouer; a LionEzech. 13. is in the way saith another, & hee lies still & turneth like a doore vpon the hindges. An armie of the Philistims will oppose me, I cannot through; the chil­dren of Anack are there, I shall neuer gett the land, thus ease slaieth the fool, & vaine thoughts deceiue, as if victory could bee gott by sleeping, or a crowne with ease. But there is a CALEB & a IOSHVA too, who walke wholy with the Lord, & through they gett notwithstanding all opposition. Thus my Child there is a remnant, there are a few, & not so few but Elias may discerne them, for hee is not alone. But (my sweet Son) pray thou for the life and prosperity of these few, euen for thy Mother and hir childrens sake, for by them, it is, that thy fathers house, and thousands more enioy their safty, sitting vnder their vins and figtrees; for these are the Moseses that stand in the gap to turne away the wrath of the Lord, least it should begin and make an end in one day. These are they, who intercead for the people, when the plague is begun standing betweene the liuing and the dead. These are they who are as oft vpon their knees, as the people in their sinne. These are the MICHAAHS though there be 400.Ezec. 13. 11. &c. against him that will not daube with vntempered maurter, & so build a mudd wall, but deale plainly to turne away ruin from the King & people, if1. King. 22. they might bee heard; though they bee smitten on their cheekes, and fed with the bread of affliction; But the soules [Page 11] of the Saints are in Gods hands, when others goe on and are punished, & others from chamber to chamber when the scourge commeth, yet shall not bee hidd. Wee haue our Watchmen too, who blow the trumpet though the Ad­ders ears bee charmed; Wee haue our sheepheards too, who seeke not ours, but vs, who will most gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for our soules, though the more they loue, the lesse2. Cor. 12. they are beloued; yet is the word as fire within them, & knowing the ter­rors of the Lord, they will perswade men. Now consider (my Son) was not Arons Priesthood, an holy-Priest­hood, though Nadab, and Abihu did that the Lord commanded them not? Were not the Sacrifices holy, though Elies Sons were wicked? that the offe­ring of the Lord was abhorred, was the peoples fault. Yet woe befell them, who gaue the offence, & it shall certainly ouertake all such as goe on, in their steppes. But all this while there is no warrant for abhorring the offering. There is a treasurie in earthly vesse [...]s, the treasure sanctifies not the vessell, nor the vessell polluts the treasure. Mo­ses Chaire cannot make the Scribe the holier; nor can the vnholinesse of the Stribe pollute Moses Doctrine; No mans sins should bring the seruice of God into dislike. What if the whole Church visible be, (as for ought I know it is) in a Sardin condition; not onely weake and sicke, but euen ready to die. Yet may there be many names which haue not defiled their garments & so there are. And they like trees planted by the riuers of waters, cannot care forIerem. the years of draught, nor feele when the heat commeth, neither cease from yeelding fruit. They are of the Lords plantation euer fat and well liking, as the dew from the Lord, & y^e shewers vpon the grasse, that tarrieth not for man; nor waiteth not for the Sons ofMicah. 5. 7. men. Me thinkes I am againe in Ba­laams rapture, how goodly are thy tents O Iacob? & thy habitations O Israel? as the valleys are they streatched forth; as Gardens by the riuer side, as the Al­loe-trees that the Lord hath planted, as the Ceaders besids the waters. Thus (my Child) the Lord can preserue him a seed, euen where Sathans kingdomeNum. [...]4. 9. is, he can haue his saints in Neros house, & an Obadiah in Ahabs Court. And it shall be their glory & crowne of reioycing: That where Sathans throne is, they haue kept their names & haue not denied their faith. Oh! my Son, come and see their comlinesse▪ thorrow the beauty the Lord hath putEzech. 16. 14. vpon them, it will informe thee more then many lies: These are they my Son; who count all things but lose, that they may win Christ; whom yet they know not after the flesh; much lesse the crosse; much lesse the nailes of it, or any other rotten relique. The spirit quick­neth; the flesh profiteth nothing. These are they who goe alwayes bound in the Spirit, not knowing what things will beefall them, but they passe not, neither is their life deare vnto them. For they are ready not to bee bound onely, but also to suffer for the name of the Lord Iesus. Nothing can bee too deare for him; who hath done so much for them. And yet (obserue me my Child) before they will goe into y^e face of persecu­tion, they will haue as sure a warrant as Iacob had to meete his brother Esau. Lord which saidst vnto me, returne; & IGen. 32. 9. will deale well with thee. And hauing this, nothing can bee too deare for him; who hath done so much for them, nei­ther Goods, nor liberty, nor life, now into the face of this Esau they goe, and behold! to the admiration of beholders▪ the sterne face of this Esau is changed, (there are presents sent before my child.) The face of persecution is vnto them now no other then the face of God, & behold! in stead of blowes kisses. This is as strange as was the hea­ling1. Reg. 2. 11. of the waters, & indeed, the wa­ters of affliction are healed, to the children of God; and shall neuer proue deadly vnto them, it is like Samsons riddle, & none but the children of God can vnfold it. Onely they with Samson can find swarmes of bees & honney too in the carkasse of a Lion. But marke Child. Samson goes not down to meetIudg. 14. 5. the Lion; the Lion roars vpon Samson in the way, then the Spirit of the Lord came mightely vpon Samson, & he rents him as if hee would haue rent a kid. There came a Lion and a Beare; & takes away a lamb, out of Dauids flock, he shall not keepe it, Dauid goes after and getts his lamb againe, yea he shall de­liuer it out of his very mouth, now he1. Sam. 17. 34, 35. riseth against Dauid too; but little Da­uid shall haue strength, to catch him by [Page 12] the beard; to smite him and slay him too. The Saints will neuer thrust them­selues into the mouth of the Beast, they haue more wisedom then so, but when the Harlot will play the Beare, and the Lion, with them, as many times shee doth, she is forced in spite of all hir mallice, to yeld them honey, & it pro­ues so sweet, that they shall take plea­sure in infirmitie, in reproaches, in ne­cessities, in persecutions, in distresses,2. Cor. 12. 10. for Christ his sake, whose power, doth so rest vpon them, that when they are weake, then are they strong. How sweet shall the waters be when the Lord hath healed them? What pleasant fruit shall grow from a bitter roote when the Lord hath watered it, or hath changed his nature? Tribulation shall worke patience; patience experience; experience hope; & hope maketh not ashamed, see what kisses are here; I shall be more particular, anon. I haue to doe with a child, a child not in years but vnderstanding, the Harlot will keepe thee so; the Lord shew thee hir deceit, I goe on in the Generall. That both life and goods & liberty are to be kept, yea & to bee improued too, till they stand in competition, with the pu­ritie of the Gospel, & now that they doe wee haue our warrant what to do, & our woe too if wee doe it not; and to the Saints the choice is easy, neither are their liues now deare vnto them, it is now necessary, say they (the loue of Christ constrains them, that wee goe, not that we should liue. O! (my Son) how faine would I haue thee rightly vnderstand this? why know my child▪ these doe not thrust themselues into dāger, as they will not cowardly auoid it. They dare not pray for persecution, against it they may; that they may not be hurt of it they do; nay in this parti­cular, they wrestle with God, for they know that this Esau hath a stearne looke; & there must be much adoe to gett kisses from him. Aske thy selfe (Child?) whether a good son, doth not quake to see the rode in his fathers hand, though perhaps but to beat a seruant. I tell you Child; they will not they must not cast the crosse, of what kind soeuer in y^e way: but in y^e way they will goe, & if they meete with it, as twenty to one but they shall; either in one kind or another (for their way is strawed with it) balke the way; they will not to preuent the crosse, but vp they take it as the man the sheepe, and after Christ they goe, counting it excee­ding ioy. Thus much for y^e generall, now more perticularly; how faine would I haue my Child againe? their bodies are the temples of the Holy-Ghost, thou knowest it my Child, the Scripture saith so much, thou readst them, I know thou readest them; my Child will not let the Harlot put outPsa. 119 v. 105. his candle; or take away his lampe, in a darke night, for then thou must needs fall vpon the bedd of hir fornications, for she hath a faire tongue, but my Son doth keepe his lamp by him, I know he doth; why then thou maist see by this time, that the bodies of the Saints are the Temples of y^e HOLY-GHOST; they dare not, they must not, whip them, nor scorch them, nor pine them; these are not the marks of the Lord Iesus; Who required them at their hands? They know y^• the sufferings of Christ must abound in them; if they looke to haue the consolatiōs abound through Christ:2. Cor. 1. 5. They know that they must beare about, in their bodies, the dieing of the Lord Iesus, that the life of IESVS may bee2. Cor. 4. 5. made, manifest in their bodies▪ knowing well that there is a false pennance, and a counterfeit Martyrdome, my sweet Child, they neuer were, nor neuer will bee their owne tormentors. Their bodies shall bee deliured vp to the whip, & to the candle &c. they will not giue them­selues one stripe, their pennance is a more inward thing, it must needs bee so, it doth come from an inward cause, but a Bonner must doe it, & let him doe it, as often as the Iewes whipped Paul:Act. Mon. p. 1854. let him giue as many strips too, hee will bee weary anon, nay if his breath hold let him make the number euen, they will goe away reioyceing. A Tirrill shall doe it; (vnlesse our English Mutine, will in an holy indignation & reuenge, burne that hand which had subscribed, to that which would haue distroyed the whole body and soule too.) And let him doe it, but ROSE ALLEN hath an other fire within, euen zeale vnto the trueth, & this burns so within hir, that outwardly, shee feels but little paine. A stony-hearted keeper shall doe it, whose charge perhaps is as hard as hee, & let him doe it, they haue a meat which the keeper knows not of, they liue not by bread alone, yet if the [Page 13] keeper bee so keind as to giue it them, they will take it for they will not hate their owne flesh, but in due time andEphes. 5. [...]8. 29. place nurish it and cherish it, as the husband the wife, and the Lord the Church: these know not (my Child) what to make of that for euer austere liuing in pennance for sin. But they are very well aquainted with a sorrow for sin, & affliction of soule, which as hath been said, is an inward thing, comming from an inward principle, and this is such that it doth not onely make them abstaine, from meate, but some tims with Dauid, to forget to eate their bread, or if they doe remem­ber it, to mingle it with weeping. Then they be such (my Child) as fast too and fast often, not resting vpon it, as an essentiall part of Gods Worshipp, but as a notable healp and prepara­tiue thereunto, fitting them for that wherin they are aboundant, prayer, ioyning that with it knowing that som sinnes will not bee cast out with­out it. And thus they doe for a time, not defrauding themselues ouer long: least they should bee found to neglect their bodies, which must bee cared for, that they may bee seruiceable▪ they doe my Child, they must somtims sett a side their water, & vse a little wine [...]. Tim. [...]. 23. for their stomacks sake, & their often infirmities; somtims a bitt of flesh on the friday, & an egg on the satarday, to the pure, dayes & meats are pure; but still respecting the maine, that they bee seruiceable to God, & his Church, whereunto they haue euer so wake­full an eye, knowing well their season when to keepe vnder their bodies, & to bring them into subjection▪ least at any time or by any meanes, they should bee reproued. This they doe frequently but by no meane resting on the outward act. That is but the carkasse, but ioyning many excellent works with it; brea­king of their sins by repentance, y^t is a principall thing, for now their worke is accepted. Dealing their bread to the hungery; that is another: feruent prayer that was in the first place and now it comes againe to bee considered a part, that thou maist know, that we haue them who pray too & pray much: but first marke my Child, vpon all these, the doore is shut, knowing they haue a God that seeth in secret. These are they, who are frequent and frequent in prayer, carried vpon the wings of faith, without the help of Saint or Angel, not by number but by weight which is vnto them as Goliahs sword to Dauid, nothing like that. Like the worthiest of Dauids wortheys, what difficulties doth it goe thorrow? what waters of comfort doth it fetch? the time would faile me, I leaue it to a silent admiration. That soule on which the spirit of prayer, & supplication is powered can tell and none but that, it is possible for me and thee to admire that whereof wee haue no experience, I doe so, & see I am againe in Balaams rapture. Behold here they rise vp as a great Lion, and lift vp themselues as young Lions, they shall not lie down till they eate of the pray, and drinke the blood of the slaine. This is MosesNum. 23. 24. Exod. 18. 11. hand lift vp, Amaleck falls before it. Hereby heauen suffers violence, they take it by force, God shall haue no rest elce. These haue their teares too, I say not all haue, nor all at all tims, it is cer­tain my Child, there may bee a wee­ping heart, when there is a drie eye, as there may bee and often is a wett eye and a drie heart, all naturs, all consti­tutions are not alike, yet teares they haue, som of them Ieremies riuers, some teares to fill a bottle, some of them haue teares to couer the place they pray in, teares to water the couch. MARIES teares to wash with; teares to eat, teares to drink; teares to sow with; teares to water with; Esay. 16. 9. they haue their ioy too; but that as a Cluster of Grapes, in respect of the vintage, to refresh them traueling thorrow this wildernesse, light is sowen for the righteouse, they know they shall reap in due time, there­fore they faint not.

Come now my sweet Child, sett the pennance of your Augustine, or your Capuchins, or Anachrit, I know not what name you haue for them, of y^e stricktest frier, & compare it with the pennance of these afore mentioned, & like Dagon before the Arke, it falls be­fore it I know well you haue much bodily excercise you see many things, which haue indeed a shew of wisdome, in voluntary religion and humblenesseColoss. 2. 23. of minde, & in not sparing the body But are not many things in great estimation among men, & yet in the eyes of God & his Saints vile & contemptible▪ yea beggarly rudiments. Come wee Child [Page 14] to your voluntary pouerty, a thing your letter tels mee, thou doest much gaze vpon, to that parting with all, and ca­sting themselues vpon Gods Proui­dence. It is trueth child, the prouidence of God is a large and sure inheritance to his chosen, it supplieth Eliahs meate; by such a means as hee little lookes for. It sheweth Abraham a Ram tyed in the bush, where and when he little expects it. But marke alwaies this is when ordinary means faile, God wil bee seen but only in the Mount, I must not, I dare not part with my bread in hope that a rauen will bringe me more, not giue away my sheepe with expectation to meete with one in the Bush. I per­ceiue thou knowest them, who haue cast away all, and liue in voluntary po­uertie, choosing it rather. I promise thee, I know not how they will an­swere the parting with their masters goods, certainely they must needes fall short in their reckoning. Why Mother? may they not doe what they will with their owne? Their1. Cor. [...]. 19. owne, let a Nabal say soe. Why wee are not our owne; much lesse are the things ours, which wee possesse; wee are but seruants, child, wee are but stewards and factours. The Saints though their affections are taken of from things below, nay in comparison they are but as dong, they haue the Moone vnder their feete, yet looke with what their master hath intrusted them, they will not part with, I warrant thee, but they will haue their maisters order first; and this they haue not by any extraordinary way, but by ordi­nary; they are acquainted with their masters will wel enough, they know both where and when, to whom and what they giue, they are not one of So­lomons fooles child, they know the way to the citie wel. Is it possible that he who is in trust with much, & hath the bowels of mercy too, should de­taine it, for want of his masters order. See here mournes the widdow, there eries the fatherlesse, this backe is na­ked, that bellie pintched; looke yonder steward, there are many families in caues & rockes, the sword of the ene­my draue them, they came not thither voluntarily, I warrant thee, haue I tru­sted thee with much? lap it not vp in a napkin, thou seest the waters, there is my order, now cast thy bread; giue the portion, giue it to seauen and also to eight, thou rich and wealthy woman, say to thy husband, in case he be not so mindfull of my seruants passing by, say vnto him; An holy man of God often passeth this way, he takes a great deale2. King. [...] 4. 8.. of paines sure, It may be he serueth at the Alter, and yet cannot liue by it; he treadeth forth the corne, and for ought wee know, his mouth may be muzled, let vs make him a little chamber. I pray thee, and let vs set for him there a bed, and a table and a stoole, and a candle­sticke, let him not want his conuenien­ces, hee will labour the more cheere­fully, well done woman, let him not,Prou. 12 24. 25. there is that scattereth and yet increa­seth: and there is that witholdeth more then is meete, but it tendeth to pouerty. The liberall soule shalbe made fat: and he that watereth, shal be watered also himselfe. Nay I tell thee farther, your workes of mercy done in a right man­ner haue an ascending power in them,Acts. 10. 4. as well as your prayers, & an attractiue too, let him not want his conuenien­ces, thou doest well vnderstand my or­der, haue I giuen thee but little? away with those 2. mites, let thy extreame pouertie abound vnto a rich liberali­tie. Thou poore widdow that thinkest there is no way but one with thee,1. Kin 8. 17. fetche this seruant of mine a little wa­ter, that thou wilt readily doe, nay but bring him a morsel of breed too, as scarse as it is with thee; make him a little cake euen out of thy handfull, thou wilt refresh my seruants bowels. I will remember thee; Thy handfull shall be blessed, so shall thy oyle too, thou and thy child shall haue enough, I can doe much for them that trust mee; I neuer faile them, doe it woman, the saints doe beleeue and trust their master, they question not his sufficiency I will warrant thee, they will distri­bute and giue to the poore, they wil be mercifull and they will lend, and yet do they measuue their affaires by iudg­ment, and as becommeth the wisdome of the Saints. They know that charitie must haue an eye within doares, all must not goe forth. They know full well, that hee who biddeth them part with their coate, giues them leaue to keepe one for themselues, he that char­geth them to helpe others, doth giue them that wisdome as not to leaue themselues helplesse; He that hath gi­uen [Page 15] them wherewithall to shew mercy to others, giues them that care as that they doe not come to craue mercy from others. Since their master hath intru­sted them as stewards in his house, to giue euery one their portion, they will carefully doe it, knowing withall that the same master alloweth them, meate, & drinke, & cloath, I meane a Iacobs competency; Let the children stand aside a little, it may be your Hermit is not one of that number, & therefore he dares not keep his goods. Well then wee will suppose him but as a seruant in the house, waiting vpon the chil­dren, yet when the children haue done, may hee fit downe if it please him, it is his good masters bargen, and it shall be his shame, if when his Master allowes him it, he will refuse, or fit downe na­ked. Marke (my good Child) that thou maist not admire this voluntary beg­gerry, I say the Lord his Master gaue that Hermite (whom now thou admi­rest, because he hath throwen away his goods) a right vnto the creatures, at least as a seruant in the house, and he should haue beene well aduised not only how he vsed them and kept them; for there was not all the danger, but how he parted with them too, there lieth as much I haue giuē you the hearb of the field, saith the Lord. MOVNT SEIR I haue giuen to the children of Esau for a possession; let his brother Iacobs posterity take heed they medle not with a foote of it, what they haue they must haue for their money, if Esau will part with it for nothing, or giue away all in hope his mercifull brother will releeue him, he may; but let him looke to it. Seest thou then my child, this Hermit, call him by what name thou wilt; hath he cast away his goods as the creple his cloake? Let him looke to it, they were his masters, who gaue them him to vse, and he must come to his accompt; Seruant what hast thou gained? I haue cast them away Sir, I doubt that wil not bee a safe answere, let him looke to it, I will not aduen­ture my talent so. But they are gon & doth he now thinke hee hath denied himselfe, because he hath denied him­selfe these, & they are gon; Why child, his sins may be as close as euer they were, his goods were neither his right hand, nor his right eye I warrant thee. If so, they had not beene so easily par­ted with. Alas a little money is easily turned ouer board, when the Philoso­pher keepes som things that is dearer to him then that, that is nearer then his shirt or skin either. So doth that Her­mit too, child it is a great venture else, but wee iudge no mans heart. Looke vpon him child, & I will tell thee what thou maiest discouer by thy eye, thou seest the cell or hole he lies buried in, doest thou not? why I tell thee child, he may as well deny himselfe that, nay the earth he stāds on the aire he breathe in, the light he sees with, surely he might, as well as that liberty he might enioy, yea & is bound to aproue too, or those other necessaries, which like a proud seruant he would not take when his rich Master offered them. But now thou my child fly these things, & learne the wisedome of the Saints; How should they pinck, where the Lord hath not pinched? how should they scant themselues, where the Lord hath not scanted? are then the creatures be­foreNehe [...]. 8. 10. thee and me? Through our Masters bounty, and rich liberallity they are so, well then my child, wee may eat of the fat, and wee may drinke the sweet, and wee may cloth our selues with the wool: so the vse of them is ours (our masters pleasure is so) are we but as seruants, and shall not abide in the house for euer; the abuse of them whe­ther in not sanctifying them by theGala [...]. 5. 13. word and prayer, or not sending por­tions vnto them, for whome nothing is prepared or in not vseing our liberty so as wee giue no occasion to the flesh; or in what kind soeuer, is ours and is set vpon our scoare, and without re­pentance shall in the end make for our great conuincement; I haue done these and these thinges for thee, wherefore then hast thou despised the commande­ment of the LORD: to doe euill in his sight? Here is a conuincement indeed, let vs looke to it child, if Gods daily re­newed mercies lead vs not to repētance, causing vs to renew our obedience, they will in the day of our reckoning make vs speechlesse, if they bee not as load­stons to draw our iron hearts vnto God; they will proue in the great day of the LORD, as a heauy weight to crush vs in peeces. This deserues our care, let vs loooke to it; least our meat [...] and drinke make vs vncleane, and our owne cloathes, filthy. Thus my child▪ I [Page 16] thinke thou knowest now how to iudge of voluntary poverty, I may call it beg­gery. I haue more yet to say to bring thee out of liking with bodily exer­cise, will-worship, and these assumed, not commanded seruices, not only shewes and shaddowes, but such as hold the heart contented, without the trueth, for what can please the heart, better then somethings of its owne chusing; which shall not bee so sharpe (I wrarant thee) but that he may keepe vpon the lees, & detaine it's old sent still. O my child, let but thy heart once goe a whoringe this way, it is strang, how it will dote vpon these things, as a harlot vpon his louers, no cost shal bee thought too much; riuers of oile shall goe, no trauell too longe; a thou­sand miles on pilgramage if you will▪ No paines too hard, no pennance too painefull, the heart will as easily turne in vnto these thinges, as the Israelits were perswaded to returne into Egipt; or SISERA, persued by Barak, intrea­ted to turne into Iaels tent. Alas child [...]ny tent wil serue the turne for a time, to take a little milke in, and so to bring it a sleepe, when like a wearied child, it is willing to rest, or like a persued SISERA, it would faine be at quiet. A Cloister may serue the turne; a Selb, a Crucifix; a stripe a pilgrimage; a little holy water; a dirige; an Aue-Marie, let the heart but haue a Saint one its side, or a pardon about its neck, and what can hurt him. O child! why dost thou gaze vpon these thinges? what is this? but for thee to make lies thy re­fuge? & vnder falshood to seeke to hide thy selfe, for what are these? or any of these? or ought else, of these assumed seruices, but like the Harlots wipinge hir mouth? or Pilat's washing his hands. Good child fall not a sleepe here, or if thou hast in these IAELS Tents taken of the milke, and it's plea­sant vnto thee, yet for thy soules sake, keepe thy eies waking for behold a stronger then Barak pursues thee, iudg­meet well hee also lay to the line, and righteousnes to the plummet, and theEsai. 28. 17. haile shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water shall ouerflow, these hiding places, and thou shalt not stand when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe ouer, thou wilt bee troddē downe by it: for the bed is shorter, then that a man can streatch himselfe on it, and the couer narrower then that he ca [...] wrap himselfe in it. Good child sleepe not. How willingly would a poore mother keepe hir child waking; when if he sleepe, his sleepe would proue an iron sleepe, he will neuer wake againe. How shall I indure the death of my Sonne? O harke vnto thy mother child▪ that would faine keepe thee waking, that so discouering thy danger, thou maiest get forth of thy IAELS tent, and take sanctuary at the rockes, the mighty god of this saluation, I tell you child a thousand stripes on thy body, cannot deface the print of one sin, that is writ with the pen of a diamant, as many knockes on thy breast, will not soften thy hard heart, which is as an a­damant. All your holy water not sprinckled, but powerd till the challace be drie, will not wash away one sin, it is as the spot of a Leopard or as crim­sen of deepe die in the woole and in the cloath. The Harlots wiping hir mouth will not serue hir, nor Pilats washinge his hands; nor Elishas staffe, a man may bee at great coast, he may part with riuers of oile, and yet his countenance looke neuer a with more chearefull in the day of the Lord. He may kneele till the stronge men are weary, yet may the heart continew still stiffe. Hee may goe on pilgrimage to this saint, and the other relique, ye [...] and bare foote till he pinch his fe [...]te, & prick them too, yet may he bee neuer the nearer heauen, his heart may re­maine vntouched still, nay it's certaine child, that nothing is a greater enemie to true mortification, then the coun­terfaits, nothing holds a man off more from the power, then loue with the forme, nothing more preualent then these Iaels Tent's to rock thy heart in security, and to keepe it in it's owne heardnesse, till a dart strike thorrow the liuer, and a naile the temples: the Harlot will neuer clense the heart, if she thinkes to make all cleane, by wi­pinge hir lips. Pilate shall stand guiltyProu. 30. 20. of inocent blood for euer, because hee thinkes be is cleare of it, now that hee hath washed his hands, the blood stickes nearer then so; the Prophet will neuer be sent for, if his staff will serue the turne; But when a man lookes on his sins, as those that put to death the LORD of GLORY: or as that speare which pearced his sides, & so is [Page 17] pricked at the heart, and receiues the sentence of death within himselfe, this man now lookes vpon the true cruci­fix, his sinn's are alway before him. Will yee now put on this man, all your Sauls armour? alas! it is but com­bersome, neither will it keepe out the pibble, but his assault is inward, will you giue him some of your Balme? your holy water; your oyle; your dau­binges; you are phisicians of no vallue. All his money is spent, vpon trifles al­ready & yet the bloody issu remaineth▪ Wil your pope now freely giue him his pardon? since all his money is spent; Alas he knowes he shall goe foorth from thence ashamed, and with his hands vpon his head; the LORD willIerem. 2. 36, 37. reiect those confidences. What would this man haue? I maruaile what seekes he after? A ransome sure. A pardon. And if he get it he must haue it, without money or money worth, he must be brought to a kinde of beggery in him­selfe, to a kinde of nothing; to a worse then nothing. What should a sound man doe with a Phisician? A whole man with a plaister? an vncondemned man with a pardon? he is so, he is emp­tied now of one of his greatest ene­mies, himselfe, he leaueth vnto nothing within him nor to any earthly thing without him. Now compare the pen­nance of your Capu [...]ine, Franciscan, or Dominican, who will not part with his hole, for as much land as the little bird flieth ouer, nay he hopes that his contentednesse in so little a place on earth, shall procure him a large man­tion in heauen, though he bee a thefe here, not eating his owne bread, be­cause he worketh not with his hands. I say compare his voluntary religion, his humblenesse of minde, his not spa­ringCollos. 2. 18. 23. the body, all his bodily excercise, with this mans pennance, if I may call it so, and it wilbee no more, like vnto it, thē the Harlots wipeing the mouth,1. Tim. 4. 8. Prou. 30. 20. is to the clensing the heart, then Pilats washing his hands, to the purginge his conscience: I say no more like it, then Elisha's staffe is to Elisha himselfe, then SOLOMONS nedle worke, to2. Kings 4. 29. the little lillie. I meane then art vnto nature. There is but imitation in the one (my child) art is but natur's ape, there is life in the other, all the power in the world cannot produce it. And obserue it, the effects of that man [...] pennance, and this mans sorrow, are as different, the one seekes after trifles, & bables, such as neuer pleased any but children and fooles, empty thinges, lies and vanities, for as the wound is, such is the remedy; The heart was neuer touched, the other labours after the one thing which is necessary, and nothing will content him, till the Lord hath reached forth his hand of mercy vnto him, & thereby inabled him, to reach back his to the Lord, wherby he recei­ueth blood to iustify him, and water to sanctify him, for his hand of faith doth not only receiue, but also purgeth the heart from all dead workes, it doth not only take, but it doth also worke by loue, behold now the ioy and peace of this man, at what ease doth he now lie? let vs looke vpon him. Perhaps we would set vp a Tabernacle by him nay certainely wee would continew with him for euer. Hee finds his be [...] large enough for his wearied body to rest vpon, the plaister great enough for the wound, the couering large enough to wrapp himselfe in, and now heare him what hee saith, Lord vnto mee thou wilt ordaine peace, for thou hastEsai. 26 12. 23. wrought all my workes for mee, The sorrow's of them who offer vnto other Gods shall bee multiplied, their offe­rings I will not offer, nor make men­tion of their names, within my lips▪ but I will remember thee only and thy name, thou art the portion of my inhe­ritance, & of my cup, thou maintainest my lot, the lines haue fallen vnto mee in pleasant places, yea I haue a goodly heritage, I will blesse thee O LORD who hast giuen me this counsell, for now my heart is glad and my glory re­ioyceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope, for thou hast not left my soule in Hel [...], thou hast shewen mee the path of life, in thy presence is fulnesse of ioy, at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore▪ O my child come, & see the comeli­nesse of this man now, through the bewty the Lord hath put vpon him, & as he is such are the Kings Sons, tho [...] hardest of them euen now, and thou didest obserue their practise: Come a­way my child, cast of all those dead workes, which thou doest eye so much, & learne what the Lord requires at thy hand, surely not thousands of rams, not ten thousand riuers of oyle, not the son of thy body, for the sin of thy soule▪ [Page 18] but to breake of thy sins by repentance, [...]ut. 4. [...]cah. [...], 7, 8. and that there bee an healing of thine errour, to doe iustly, & to loue mercy, and to walke humbly with thy God; approouing thy selfe as the child of God, not by these assumed seruices, which will not hold weight whē righ­teousnesse is put to the scale, but as the Saints doe by purenes, by knowledge, by longe sufferings by keindnes, by the holy Ghost, by loue vnfained, by the word of trueth by the power of God, by the armour of righteousnes, on the right hand and on the left▪ Oh my bowels doe yearne vpon my child, my heart is inlarged? Thou art not kept straite in me (my Son) but I am kept straite in thee. Thou maiest plainely conclud, by what is said, see ho [...] dearly my Mother loues: yea and the Lord knoweth too, who is trueth it selfe, that my desire of thy returne hath no lesse loue in it, then it hath safty too, for I wish aboue all things that thou maist [...]hn. 3. 2 prosper: and bee in health euen as thy soule may prosper. Returne then my son; returne my son, my son. And that thou maist make hast for a mothers af­fection, thinkes the shortest time longe, I will quit thy argument, which thou thoughtest fit for my capacitie & indeed it was so, with an other as fitt for thine, for thou art but a child yet, and knowest nothing as thou oughtest to doe: And I know it shall fall as right, as thine did, but then with a different effect. Thine did but foile the forme of godlinesse, that was amongst vs, the power was not touched, the trueth re­maines the trueth still, & wilbee iusti­fied of hir children, mine shall take away the trueth and power you seeme to haue, and shall tell thee plainely, there is none indeed, come then child, harken while this argument smites the Harlot this once, I will not smite hir the second time, for I shall labour to driue the naile to the head, & to fasten hir to the ground with it, that she rise not againe, and all this my child in a deare affection to thee, that so I may get thee out of hir tent, and free my selfe from the feare, and thy selfe from the danger, of hauing that other naile in thy Temples. Harken then while the wiles and deceits of this Harlot are discouered vnto thee, these are plaine by what hath beene saide, by hir name and by hir practise, as hir name is, such is shee▪ Or how crewell she is towards thy poore soule, that doth likewise appeare, by hir willingnes thou shouldest be deui­ded, & so maist plow in two sorrows, serue God and Baal. Nor this, how she-would poison thy yong years with the doctrine of diuils, that thou maist kill thy king and bee sainted too, nurtering thee vp as it were with blood, though closly, that when futther yeares come, thou maist with greedinesse seeke the prey, and like a bloody whealp of a fierce lionesse, thou maist take & spoile not a few, these thinges are bloody thinges, they must bee so, they come from a bloody beast, but this is not all▪ My endeuour is now to bring thee in hatred with the strumper, for I shall pluck of hir vizard, which being made in some thing a more accurat manner, hath beguiled many, and those too, who seemingly are the children of trueth, but indeed haue not receiued the trueth, in the loue of it, therefore they fall away, and I shall plainly shew vnto thee such an vgly face, as being looked vpon with a cleare eye shall put the beholder into a feare, & won­der too, that there could bee any, that would doate vpon it. I shall then, as it were pluck downe apartition, and shevv thee the Harlots abominations in that place; I shall then pluck downe another, and thou shalt see what i [...] done there, what shee doth in the darke, and in the chambers of hir ima­genary, wee leaue to him, whose eyes do behold the most secret paths of man. We will follow hir such a way as is plaine, & beaten wee cannot mistake hir footing, none but the Harlot and hir instrumēts euer troad in it, the path of trueth is peace, and all hir waies righteousnes. The strumpets path is pa­ned with crewelty, and hir footsteps drop blood. Now looke child vpon th [...] beast, shee hath not only made the na­tions drunck with the cup of hir for­nications, but shee is likewise a fil­thy swine, drunck with the blood of the Martirs of the Lord IESVS: looke vpon hir, what an vgly face is there▪ now looke vpon hir hands child, thou shalt see them red with the blood of the Saints, so are hir cloaths too, can here be trueth, child? can here bee trueth? it cannot bee, why my child, hast thou not heard (though thou art [Page 19] but as of yisterday) hast thou not read, how that great whoare one of the dra­gons instruments, persecuted the wo­man, and cast water like a flood after the woman, flying to saue hir selfe, witnesse that little booke of Martyrs Heb. 11. Why my child, aske the later times, & they shall teach thee, enquire of thy forefathers, & they shall tell thee & not only the whoares cruelty, in the city of ORANGE, or of that inAnno 1572. ROANE, or that in DEIPE, but hee will tell thee of that horrible massacer in PARIS, where the bloody whoare and hir instruments went forth like a distroying Angel, & within the space of three dayes or little more cruellyActs & Mon. 1947. 1948. murthered aboue, ten thousand, and all this after a marriage feast. Can here be trueth (my child) I assure thee shee hath killed the mother vpon the child. witnesse that lamentable Tragedy acted in Garniey, where the infant, bursting from the mothers wombe, in the midstActs. Mon: 1764. of the flame, and taken from hir, was by the whores instrument sacrificed a­gaine to the flame, there to receiue it's babtisme, cursed bee their wrath, for it was feirse, and their rage for it was cruell, into their secret let not my sons soule come, nor let thy glory bee ioyned with their assamblies, for in their wrath they haue slaine millions, and the instruments of death were in their habitations. Wilt thou looke nerer into thine owne country, why then see our Marian dayes, I know my childs eyes will stand with tears, what prisons were empty? what racking? what tea­ring? what whipping? what scourging? burning? what bone fires were made of the blood of the Saints? Cursed be their wrath for it was cruell, and their rage for it was feirce, come a little nearer (child) yet, perhaps thou maist discerne thy owne preseruation though then in thy cradle, hast thou not heard of our fift of Nouember? I know thou hast. I must now take a little leaue, I assure thee, I thought that after that very day the name of a papist would presently haue rotted, & that the stinke & stē [...]ch of it would haue gon ouer all the earth, and surely it did, and doth so, & it is vnsauory in the nostrells of the very heathens, and would be so vnto all, but that these Iaels Tents affoard so much sweet milke, where with to bringe the heart a sleepe in security. But my child; thou doest remember this day, doest thou not? thou doest; why then thou standest amazed at the beastly cruelty of the whore and of hir chil­dren, and at the exceeding loue, and super-aboundant mercy (words are too scanty) at the admirable kindnesse of our God. Tell me for thou shalt bee iudge, was not our land at that time compacted? as it were into a compen­dious body, which was to sit in Parla­ment, as the representatiō of the whole land, and now had it but one necke? had not the whore & hir instruments, watching their oportunity, and finding it, laid this neck as vpon the blocke, that they might stricke it of at a blow; A blow indeed, whose rage would haue reached vp to heauen, which would haue sent vp the body's of men, like the sparcles of a smiths forge, and haue made as many diuisions of each, as there are sparcles, cursed bee their wrath, for it was cruell, and their rage for it was feirce. But my child sees the goodnesse of God too. There was now but a step betweene vs and death, the graue was opened, wee were brought to the brinke, and miraculously snat­ched from it, for the Lord staid the blow, like Abrahams hand, and wee are all at this day, like brands taken out of the fire, euen thou too in respect of thy naturall life, he that is suffitient for ad­miration or thinks either. Let him con­sider this, here is matter for him. But thou my sweet child, O my bowels yearne vpon my child, if thou canst not sufficiently admire the one, as indeed thou canst not, yet for euer detest the other, let thy soule neuer come into their seceet, let not thy glory be ioyned with their assemblies, the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations, now tell me, can here bee trueth? Child can here be trueth? it is impossible, why child, here is nothing but fire and sword (I know well that the Harlot hath hir foxes skine too, I wott well my child, I wot well) but if that will not serue, then like a hungry lyon, she teareth to peeces & deuoureth at once. Obserue now (good child) for thy soules sake marke, the paths of trueth, all hir wayes are peace, she goeth plainely and quietly not like a boiste­rous winde, that would rent the rockes, but with a soft voice she sinkes into the heart with meeknesse wel knowing [Page 20] the temper of it; I will shew thee, trueths weapons (my Child) I pray thee obserue them well there are none like them, not instruments of cruelty, I warrant thee, meeknesse, gentlnesse, longe sufferinge; if at any time, or by any means (except fire or sword) thats the whores marke trueth abhores it, she may win the people to hir. Obserue further yet Child, is this trueth oppo­sed? as indeed she is, too much, too much, thats trueths destiny (my Child) not hir fault, is she tossed & tumbled, & hurried? see hir temper & thou wilt admire hir, & for euer detest the Beast, how doth she follow after righteousnes, Godlines, faith, loue, pa­tienceTim. 11. & meeknesse? Is she hurried and at length brought to the slaughter? shee is so. That shall make hir light breake out as the noone day, shee knowes it well, see my Child hir tem­per still, & behold in it y^e paterne of y^e saints. Thou hast seene a sheep brought to thee slaughter? I know thou hast so goeth trueth. Thou hast seene a lamb before y^e shearer, hast thou not? so stands trueth, Christ hath giuen hir a lesson euer his owne example, she hath learnt it, she openeth not hir mouth, I warrant thee; I would not thou shouldest leaue trueth's temper yet, for I hope that by feeling hir pulse, thou wilt assure thy selfe she is of a sound constitution, and plainly discouer the contrary, she is so far from fier & sword, or any such cruelty, y^t she followeth peace with all men, as far as is possible; she is no stricker with the fist, no smiter with the tongue (there's a smiting with the tongue my Child) but hir tongue is bound to the peace, & good behauiour, I will shew thee hir children as like the mother as may bee, good Child obserue their carriage, being reuiled we blesse, being persecuted wee suffer it,Cor. 12. 13. being defamed, we intreat; why this is the strangest relation as euer was heard of, it is indeed, and neuer to bee found but amongst the children of trueth, shall I parralell it? it may be I may in Dauid, & yet shall make a Sauls heart mealt, Dauid hath the skirt of Sauls robe in his hand, his heart smits him for it too, he cryes out to Saul, what gesture vseth he now? he speakes to his persecutors, what gesture should he vse? I hope Dauid may stand vpon his points to Saule now; the wilder­nesse of Engedi, or at least the aduantage Dauid had of Saul in y^e caue, makes them equall, doth it not? O by no means Child, Saul is y^e Lords anointed still & Dauids Maister too, & if Saul doe but cast his eye backe vpon Dauid, of goes Dauids hatt, I warrant you, he stoops with his face to the earth & he bowes himselfe, there's Dauids gesture, what is Dauids voice? what titles giues he to his enimye, who hunts him like a1. Sam. 24. 9. Partridge? Why, not very pleasing ones sure, are they not such as coller & rage laide vppermost? oh no, heare them; my Lord the King, y^e Lords anointed, my father speakes Dauid, what is y^e matter of his words? Wherefore doth my Lord heare mens words, (saying) Dauid see­keth they hurt behould my father, see yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand, I might haue had thy head as ea­sily. But I would thou couldst see, how my heart hath smitt mee for cutting of the lap of y^e coat of y^e Lords anointed O heare yet further my Lord Saule: I am much displeased with thy cham­berlin ABNER whom thou hast made the keeper of thy head & were I iudge in Israel he might perhaps lose his own head for it, he is worthy to die, but as y^e least he should out his office, he is too sleepie for y^e charge. Why so? because he hath not kept his maister the Lords anointed, how doth that appeare, why ABNER may see here, & my Lord Saul may harken, though ABNER be a valiant man & who like him in Is­rael, yet is he not fitt to be the keeper of the head of y^e Lords anointed they must haue a surer watch then so, why I tell thee Abner & heare thou me. thy Maisters head was in great daunger this night, & thou laiest by him slee­ping, for now see where the Kings speare is, and the cruse of water, are they not in my hands? Why they were this night at thy Maisters boulster: & was not thy Maisters head vpon it? cer­tainly Abner, & let my Lord Saul heare, had but a Philistim come in, or but a halfe Iesuited Israelite thy Mai­ster, though the Lords anointed had beene smitten to the earth at once there had not needed a second blow, & his head had gon with the pott and speare, but a Dauid came into your camp this night, a poore persecuted flea indeed one of trueth's children, & God forbid that he should strech forth the hand, [Page 21] against the Lords anointed or suffer it to bee done. Why he was no more able to hurt, then a dead dogg could bite, and therfore art thou O Lord my King, & thou also Abner aliue, at this time, & your eyes may behould both, the speare and pott, that was so neare thy Mai­sters Pillow, & my Maister Saul may heare my voice too, and now I hope both my Lord and Abner from this very day will euer bee able to discear­ne trueth & inocencie, from wicked­nesse which euer proceedeth frō y^• wic­ked man, & be able to point at it too with the finger, (saying) there it is, and behold child, Saule, doth it, he knowes the voice of Dauid, & it mealts into tears, & see what he faith, thou art more righteouse then I, thou hast re­warded me good when I rewarded thee euell, and now my Child, thou hast plainly seene trueth's guize, & hir childrens carriage how meeke I how harmelesse! Thou maist likwise discer­ne the Beasts marke, & from whence wickednesse doth proceede, I know no motiue in y^• World, except the secret working of Gods Spirit, more preuai­lent to cause, thee to come away, vn­lesse thou hast not a Saul [...] descerning: Why now, what shall I say to thee my Son? I will take som of the following words, & apply them: changing them a little. Why doth my Son drinke of the whores cupp? dost thou know what poison is in it? or what euill is in hir hands? Now therfore I pray thee, let my Child heare the words of his Mo­ther; if the Lord hath left thee to y^• counsell of thy owne heart, which he may doe as not bound to the creature, a rebellions creature, & this is to be acknowledged, let him accept an offe­ring, euen the calues of thy lips, y^• he, who is the trueth would lead thee into all trueth, but if they bee the children of men who haue entised thee, & be­giuled thy poore soule, which will li­kewi [...]e bee acknowledged, I will not pronounce the Lords curse against them, for I haue not Dauids spirit, but y^e Lord be mercifull to the blind lea­ders of y^e blind, and reward them not, after their dealing, for they haue dri­uen thee out this day from y^• abiding in y^• inheritance, of the Lord saying, for­sake the rocke, euen the onely rock of thy saluation▪ & goe serue other gods, I proceed my Child as thy letter leads mee, thou wouldest seeme to perswade thy selfe, thou art another Ioseph sent before, to prouide for thy mother and hir children, & were it so my Sone, & that now I haue heard from thee, let hir who hath the heart of a mother, & is aquainted with the yearnings of the bowells, say, whether she thinks not, although no wagen is come, that I would presently take my staffe, and trudge away, yea and not feele the weary stepps, though my legges bee old, this thought would still be better then wine to refresh me, I shall see my son before I die. But, alas, the case is different, how doth a beguiled heart deceaue thee, your Aegipt hath proued but an iron furnace to our Israel & at y^• best a staffe of reede, I dare not ven­ture my selfe, so, no nor yet, thy bro­ther neither, though thou like a good Iudah wilt vndertake for thy brother Benjamin, thy mother will not trust thee to bee thy brothers keeper, vnlesse thou couldest keepe thy selfe better, why should I be robbed of both my children? Alas Child I well know, your Aegipt is full of inchauntments, aske a mother now; & she will [...]ell thee whe­ther shee will venture a child as boies venture pins, & points, hazard too that they may finde one, she will not doe it (Son) a Child is dearer then so, againe Child, good Child harken, why should I send my Child ouer to you for bread?Amos 8. 1 [...]. Why our staffe is not yet broaken, it is Gods goodnesse, it is not, if it should bee, which our vnthankfulnesse threa­tens, what haue wee to doe with the broaken reede of Aegipt, that would deceaue vs, wee haue yet store of bread (my Child) in our fathers house, re­belliouse children, wee are yea wee are, but through our fathers pa­tience we haue it, & the children are fat and well liking vpon it, but if we were thrust out of dore, as wee haue well deserued it, yet we could not eat your Gibeon [...]tish bread, which hath no­thing to shew its antiquity but y^• it is dry & mouldy; nor could wee goe to eate among the swine, Huskes, such emty things; wee doe daily pray Lord giue vs euermore of this bread that if the Lord should be deafe towards vs, as he may iustly bee, he hath called to vs & we haue not harkned, how could wee expect that Baall could heare vs? I trust we should neuer seek to Eckro [...]▪ [Page 22] we know we haue a God in Israel, & we hope we shall not goe from y^e li­uing to y^• dead, we know an Idall is nothing, they that make him, are like him, so is euery one that seeketh to him. To speake yet more plainly; wee haue Moyses and y^e Prophets, & they are read amongst vs euen to this day & it is wonderfull in our eyes, & y^• saints see wounders in it, if we do not be­leiue them, neither should we beleiue, though one were sent from your dead vnto vs, certainly Child wee should not. But to cut of all hope of comming ouer vnto you, & yet to con­firme this hope of thy returne to vs; I tell thee, besids that Christ hath set a sword to stop the way vnto thee, which in some causes may deuide betweene Mother and Child, brother & sister, there is a keind of gulfe betwixt vs, yetMatth. 10. v. 34 passable on thy part, that strengthe­neth my hope, a gulfe? is indeed Child a gulfe, why so? why there is a sea betwixt vs, no lesse full of blood, then that other is of water, how soSon. mother? why Child did I not tell thee, what hauock the whore hath made of the Churches, what threat­nings she hath breathed forth, what riuers of blood she hath shed, how [...]he hath killed and scourged & persecuted the Saints and Martyrs, of the Lord Iesus, that vpon hir may come all the righteouse blood shed vpon y^• earth,Reuela­tion. from the blood of righteouse Abell vnto the blood of all the Prophits, Apostles and Martyrs, that haue been slaine since. O Child what a sea is heare? Certainly, he that hath any light will not venture here, & he that hath none walketh in darknes, & knowes not where hee shall fall, & plunge him­selfe. Well now Child, there is no coming for vs to thee; thou maist to vs, & how am I straightened till thou com­mest? as long as thou art there, thou art liable to hir plagues, & how great will they be! Why Child thou seest plainly, that in hir is found the bloud of Pro­phets, & of Saints, & of all that are slaine vpon the earth & the cupp shee hath [...]illed to others; must be filled to hir double, how greate will hir plagues [...]ee? Come forth from hir my Child, my sweet Child come forth, for liuing there, thou must partake of hir sins, & then must thou receiue of hir plagues, & how canest thou stand in that burning? Oh! my Child thou art now in daun­ger, indeed, thou art now in hazard, & how am I straightened? Why I tell thee, the sentence is passed vpon the great whore, the execution hasteneth, & though it be deferred, it is at the dores, for can y^• soules vnder the Altar cry aloud and not be heard? O! my child come forth of hir, why doest thou lin­ger man? wilt thou first know thatReuela [...] 6. 10. Aegipt is destroyed? come away euen before y^e day breake, come away euen before the dow be leauened, & if thouExod. 10. 26. wilt in y^e other sence, before the whole lumpe be sowred, there is no lingring Child, for Gods sack and for thy soules sacke come away, why dost thou lin­ger? my deare Child consider, other sins speake, blood cryes, & here is not Abels blood alone, he was but one, here is the voice of bloods, euē of all, which were slaine for the word of God, & the testemony which they heald, O my Child, what a thundering noise is heare? Certainly the widdowes cry to the vniust iudge, y^• he would [...] auenge hir of hir aduersaries, was not so loud & yet see though he lieth still for a while, vp saith he I will arise, & auenge this troublesome bawling widdow, I loue my rest well, but behould there is no remedy, I see she is resolued to weary mee, I will vp that I may be quiet; for though I reguard neither God nor man yet I haue a great respect to my owne rest, & I will vp and right hir; And now Child I haue done with thee, my words haue an end; & how loth am I to leaue thee, or to cease in­treating thee how doe my bowelis yearne? how am I straightened? but the Lord hath heard my controuersy, & who knoweth whether he may not looke on y^• affliction of his Seruant, & bring thee againe, & shew mee thy face once more, if not I am before him let him doe with me what seemeth good in his eyes, but yet before I leaue thee, one thing I begg of thee, and since the Son will haue the old Mother crouch and bend to him, why see Child, a Mo­ther will not stand vpon hir points, shee will doe any thing to haue hir Son againe, I doe begg one thing of thee, & I begg it on my knees, it is this, that thou wouldst rouse vp thy selfe, for there is a great matter in hand. What is that? Why the great God of heauen and earth is at this instant speoking to thee, [Page 23] & so slow is man of hearing, that it is possible, for God to speake once and againe, and yet man may not perceiue it, alas what is mans speaking now? well Son, since thou hast notice of it, for thy soules sake rouse vp thy selfe; it is y^• Lord my Child which brings whom the example of the vniust Iudge to thee, in his owne words rouse vp thy selfe [...]uc. 18. [...]. 6. (Child) the Lord speakes vnto thee, & he that speakes boare the eare, that thou maiest haue an hearing eare. Heare what the vniust Iudge saith, & shall not God auenge his own Elect, which cry day & night vnto him, though hee heare them longe, I tell thee hee will auenge them speedily, there remaineth now but a little season, vntill their fellow, ser­uants also, and their brethren, that should bee killed as they were shall bee fulfilled, this the bloody, whore will dispach, as soone as shee may, shee is about it, & thus she treasureth vp wrath against the day of wrath, & fil­leth vp the measure of hir iudgment: which shall bee giuen to hir double; O come away from hir my deare Child▪ come hastily linger not, throue thy dowe vpon thy shoulders, there is no time to leauen it, & trudge away, & the Lord which can perswade IA­PHETH to dwell in y^• tents of SHEM; & if LOTH will prolonge the time in so eminent a danger, canst in mercy to him, cause him to come out of SODOME, before the brimstone and the fire shall fall, extend his mercy vnto thy seruant, seeke him out, who is g [...]n astray & cause him to returne to thee, who art the sheepheard & Bishop of his soule, so shall I euer praise thy name▪ who hast giuen mee my Son againe, in whom I may haue comfort here, & through they mercy [...], ioy with him hereafter.