and of the yongest , of those of my profession in that place : and yet as a chicken vnder the wings of your Lordships fauour , I rest in hope of defence , from the scarring practises of such , as ( deseruedly or vndeseruedly ) make profers and manifest meanes to bereaue the credite of all and some of those that are or should be , as I ( for functions sake ) desire to bee : namely , as one able to execute , & with truth to prosecute our vocation , the office of Attorneis : which office , as it hath and ought to be of credite , so ought it to be executed with honesty and trueth ( as it is not vnknowen to too many of vs ) is growen into contempt of many . In respect ( I thinke ) of the ignoraunce that the rudest sort are blinded with , that they see not their owne ease and benefite , slaundering the honest minded for the misbehauiour of the vnsatiable , and vnhonest dealers sakes . But right honorable , omitting that , it resteth to craue humble pardon for my presumptuous andacitie , wherein as a poore Cobler , I presume to shew my selfe as it were readie to take a pensell in hand to frame a goodly whole and perfect picture , when ( in deede ) I know not how to cast the proportion of the very shooe it selfe : yet ( alwayes hoping pardon ) hauing by experience , a certaine sparke and feeling of sundry extraordinary and approued errours , manifest , resting and daily encreasing , among the lowest , as ( also ) among those of higher calling and countenaunce : I presumed vpon my slender learning , to make a shew of the erronious and peruerse conceit , that a man of these our dayes , in the time of the cleare light , was so besotted in the miste of the voluptuous cares of this cankered world , that he could not see the way to trueth , but betooke himselfe , to the way of sinfull securitie , a man yet breathing , whose reformation I heartily wish : And ( to the end ) that by his folly , other may learne wisedome , and that by his reformation , other may bee reformed : I haue attributed vnto this poore piece of worke ( of mine ) the Title of , A Sinfull Mans Solace : for that it is comfortable to all men , and hurtfull to none : I haue contriued it into seuen seuerall dayes conference , betweene Christ and a Sinner : Wherein it may appeare , that as the mindes of men being euill , the dayes dangerous , and good endeuours , rare and seldome : So is our Heauenly Solace , our Mediatour Christ , the readier , through his grace , to redresse the one , and to stirre vp the other : wherein his willingnes , and care of our saluation , his mercy and fauour shewed , and our peruersitie and weakenes , laid open , and Sathan vanquished : Which ( right honorable ) I haue endeuored to set downe ( according to the trueth ) as well , for mine owne priuate comfort , as for the commoditie that others may reape of the same : Although ) perchance ) it may be obiected against me , that I am of an other profession , vnlerned , without experience , a greene head , & of no iudgement : I yeeld me guilty of all : onely , my profession , as a Christian , I stand to defend : though not a professed Diuine , but a poore Punie , that is willing to be instructed of the more learned and godly diuines : presuming herein , to make trial , whither it wil winne me condemnation or good liking : praise or dispraise : fauour , or ill will : But being so resolued of your ( good Lordships ) good liking of the thing , tending to a good purpose : though not so pithily and exactly handled , as beseemed this piece of work : I rest so much the more , in hope , that your fauour , will breed other mens good affection , to this trauaile : tending to the good o● all men , and to the hinderance of none : We wander ( right honorable ) in a wildernes of euils : we are beset with many dangers , familiar and houshold perils and annoiances , which breed in our bosomes , not seene , not heard , not felt , nor vnderstood : by reason , that naturall inclination to euil , doth blind our eies , & dull our sences , in such sort , as neither , vertue , trueth nor grace , can take any place in vs , but is repulsed by the hand of sinne and Sathan ruleth in our hearts , and poisoneth all our desires , stirring vs vp to all mischiefes : hardning so our heartes , that we , very seldome , reforme our liues : nor althogh we be ( daily ) called to vnfained repentance , like vntamed coltes , too well fed , that know neither master , want , or wo : we run ( headlong ) after the fleshly motions of our vnstaied will , worse then the silly birds of the ayre , the beasts or wormes of the earth : who know their times and seasons , and keepe the law of their natural custome , as ancient writers doe reporte , that the Storke by the Skyes , knoweth the time and season of the yeare , the Crane , the Turtledoue , and diuers other birdes , beastes , and wormes , by their comming and departure , doe argue that they haue a certayn knowledg , that it is not alwayes Summer nor alwayes Winter : and according to the time they laboure , they rest , they come , they goe , they fast and feed : and therfore doth the Ant , as the least among the rest , gather in the Summer , to supply his want in the Winter . By the due course of which sillie and vnreasonable Creatures , maye Man feele and vnderstand his owne imperfection and weakenes , who being ordayned from the beginning , Supreame gouenour ( as it were of all the rest of Gods creatures , in respect of the giftes of reason , and wisdome , ) whereby he ought to direct his way to the prayse of God , by his sincere and godly lyfe , falleth into diuers , and sundry noysome and vndecent conceites , sinfull motions , and vngodly deuices , whereby to winne vnto himselfe here , that , that shall be to him in the time to come , a meere impediment and stay of his entraunce into eternal ioyes , which earthly eyes can not see , neither can the mindes of mortall men conceaue : for that naturall reason draweth from the true sence of spirituall motions , vnto vnseemely attempts , to follow vice , with gredines , lyke vnto the brute beastes , whome no stayed counsaile dooth gouetne , but euen the meere naturall motions , whereunto it is incident for them to yeeld : wherin , if men showe themselues lyke brutish , to yeeld and giue their rash consents to euery fleshly motion , It may well be sayd of them , which the Poet Iuuenall sayth : Demens hou nimium demens , qui cum similis Diis . Esse queat ratione vtens , vestigia mauult . Sectari pecudum , veneri venerisque , sod ali , Ventri indulgendo , & turpissima queque sequendo .

They are mad , yea too too mad , that where ( in respect of knowledge ) they might be as Gods , they will rather choose , through the loosenes of their liues , and carelesse comming forward in vertue , to giue themselues ouer to follow ( as it were the steps of brute beastes , in all kinde of filthines , then imitating the godly liues of good men , & counsaile of Christ , to purchase the crowne of eternall blisse : And that by coruption of nature , whereby they repose th●● affections in vanities : accompting that true felicitie , which is mere vnhappynes , and contemning that , which is most excellent , esteeming it as meere vanitie , and that might they of reason , ( were it not dimmed with the clowd of worldly desires , and vaine glory ) plainely perceaue : namely , how the Rich-man , the couetous earle , thinketh riches , and great aboundance to be very felicitie : The glutton reposeth his delight in gurmandy , and perswadeth himselfe that delicate fare passeth all pleasures . The drunckard is perswaded , that : Cum , ludeth inter Sciphos : when he is vpon his Ale-bench , he thinketh himselfe in Paradice ▪ The Leacher and ( finally ) all sinners , the thyng wher ' in they take delight , is chiefest felicitie● with them : But ( truely ) they shall haue their rewarde . A most miserable blindnesse it is , whiche hath thus darkened the sences of man , that , hauing in this world , so many experiences , of the mercie , loue , and liberalitie of the Lord , , through his Giftes , his creatures and disposition of thinges wonderfull , for the vse of man . And againe , seeing his Iustice his Vengeance and hatred , which he hath and taketh vpon those , that ronne headlong , by their loosenes of life , and secure conceites , into his displeasure : how he turneth them ouer in to a reprobate and darke sence , that they may see , and not perceiue : and heare and not vnderstande , the deepenes of his Iudgementes : For , as he is merciful , so he is iust : as he giueth , so he taketh awaye : he is a mercifull father , but a seueare Iudge : behoulding with angrye countenaunce , the peruers and loose wayes of men : which although he omyt to punysh for a time , he hath a Rod , prouided : an Iron Rod , to beate ( euen to powder ) those that offend , of malicious wickednes : wherfore , he wylleth vs to be circumspect to walke honestly as in the day tyme : not , in banquetyng , in Chambering and wanttonnesse : but according to the trueth : So shall our days be long and happy , vp on earth : and after this lyfe , our Ioyes be with out end . Wherfore ( my very good Lorde ) although my learnyng commeth farre too short , of performing this peece of trauayle , of myne , in such sort , as the weightinesse of the matter requireth , yet I humbly craue your good Lordshyps wylling acceptance therof , as the frutes of a wyllyng mind , which I ( in stead of a greater Present ) this day , amonge those of more value and estimation : I send as a Messenger to manifest my good affection vnto your good Lordshyp : which as I confesse to be sclender ( in respect of abilitie : ) I humly pray pardon of my boldnesse , in troublyng you with so rude a Gift : But that I may not showe my selfe ( altogether ) vngreatefull , or vnmindfull of my duetie , in the beginnyng of this new yeare : wherin euery mans zealous regarde of mainteining fauour with those , whose good countenance , may ( in all laudable things , be their defence : I presume to commend this poore Sinful-mans solace : vnder your protection , to the vew of those , who desire to be awakned , out of their securitie , and trayned in the way of the heauenly verytie : which I haue set downe , not as a thing ( in respect of myne owne learning ) worthy to be publyshed : but that the course of tyme , waxyng ( as it doth ) from bad to worse , may be the better considered : And the Worke ( not the workman ) to be had in such regard , as the matter ( which it importeth ) doeth ( iustly ) require : In which poore trauayle of myne , may be seene , both the follie and secure race of the most : and a course toward a godly Reformation of those that erre , playnly set downe : which being imbraced , and ( duely ) followed , shall bring such comfort to the poore afflicted soule , as ( in respect therof ) all the pleasures of this miserable worlde , shal be esteemed both vayne and dampnable .