Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

t6 Que(tions,and Antwits, 1. Command . loue to difpleafehim, grieve him, and offend him, than aay or all the creatures in heauenor earth beuide, inrefpe& of that which her is able 'to lay vpon mee, if I forfakehim, to account nothing of any thing that any-man can doo vnto mee, Mattbio. mindful! ruerof this fay ing :Feare ' nor them thstiiankill the bodie, and ao-enotableto &ill thefoa'le:6utfearehimtharcancaftborh body vn4 forale into hell fire, Thirdly, Ifee that inthis commandement I am charged to mike my prayers to none but to God onely, "for the reafons aboue in their place alleaged. Fourthly, 1 fee I am commanded not tcì thinke that things goo by fortune and chaunce,orthatany thing is done -which God knoweth not of, or could not let, but that I acknowledge him to be the guider and gouernour of all things, and that whatgood fo Suer Ireceiue,I haue itfrom hittr, and therefore that I null and flay vpon him alone at all times, and in all my matters whatfoeuer. And for fo much as ncithet Ipor any can either loue him, or feare him, pray to him, or rruft In hits, vziletfe wee knowehim t therefore I fee alto that I am in this Commande_ suent ftraiteiy bound fo long as I liue,to labour and trauell by all meanes appoin- tedto know the Lord, and his truth out of his word,and loake how much I want ofknowing any thingthaeis reuealed in his word,fo farce am I guiltieofthe breach of this Law. And it it pleafe the Lord to bleffe me with knowledge of his truth, otany. thing die whatfoeuer, I fee that in this commandementIam charged to giuethattkesto him for it, infuch full maner and meafure oftecling, as sny way is due to that benefit. For if I forget to bee thankefull, I forget that the Lord in that thingisìny good God. And ifI afcribe the praife and thankesto any thing elfe whatfoeuer, otherwife than as the infirument of God, I mike my fife an other God befide the Lord, euen that thing wherevnto I giue thethankes and I breake thiscommaundement. Thefe and many fuch other things I fee are laide vpon mee and allmen and women in this_ fi +'ft commaundement, and then I thinke or fay with 'myfelfe vnto the Lord, O my good God and gratibus Father, O my fweete Lord and guide moll righteous, what doe I fee euer in this but one law of thine againft my felfe, my foule and body,why I fhould neuer come in thy kingdome, nor lift vp mine eyes to Heauen in hope of any comfort; is but one Lawe often, and containeth but a few duties in refpedt of all that I owe,to thee & my Brethren, yet oh Lord, with wailing woe I fpeake it, fo guiltie I fee my, felfe, fo fowle and óugly before thyface, and fo full of breaches eu dele way, even of this commauu- demët,that I amafhamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God. For mine iniquities areincreafed ouer mine head and my tëefpaffes are Browne vptotheHeauen, to meebelongeth nothing but fhame and confufion, it is thy mertie that Iam not vtterlydiftroyed, yea euen shy tnerciáftì "aruellous, that the earth, as wearie of fo wicked a burden, flrinketh not tronlénder my feste, and hellifh pit the gulfe ofendleffe woe receiueth mee not into it; For what pleafure is there in that feruant, thatbeing bid ofhis Mailer, doe diners things, yet not in any one obeieth orperformeth his mailers will :Can he like him?Will he loue him? No, no, full Toone euen I my felfe would loath and cal off fach a one. Ah Lord then for my felfe what fhould I fay ?Is there anie Seruant fo boundevnto his Ma- fter, as I am bound to thee ?Is there any Matter that can and will Co quitte his S er- uantspaines, as thou in mercie my obedience ?Or can any mortal man fo,iuftfy challenge theobedience ofhis hireling, as thou my God mayett challenge the feruice of mee thy creature, firft made of nothing by thy bande, and the molt dearely bought againewith precious price ?No,no, my body, mylife,myheart, myfoule, and whatfoeuer am, within, or without, of thee Ihad all, and to thee my gratious God, l owe them all again e. Yet fee, ah wretch, and wofull plight, although thy goodneffe to mee farre palfeth all mailers to their feruants, and my dutie to thee more due ten thonfandtimes than any mans vnto his Mailer, yet is my difobedience greater,the frnne of my foule more grieuous,$c the whole courfe of my wicked life, more oppofed to thy will, than ewer was any earthly feruants to

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