HE who alledging himselfe to be the child of God, would proue himselfe to be an Israelite indeed, must resolue to strengthen himselfe through the grace of his God, which is onely able to make him stand against the euill of affliction, and tentation with a great measure of faith, and rare patience: for he must alwayes be readie to suffer euill, and not to do euill. Pharoah by his taskemaisters withdrew from the dispersed Israelites that wanted straw which was furnished vnto them, & yet kept ouer their head their former tale of bricke alwayes: yet attempted the Israelites Gods children to make any insurrection against these taskmaisters, executors of that bloudie decree, notwithstanding they were many in number, or pressed they by any secret plot to cut off that Pharoah by whom that bloudie and cruell decree was deuised and published? No, no; but yeelding to both, they runne vp and downe, gathering stubble in stead of straw, and the rest sit downe making as many bricke euerie day as possibly they could.1. Sam. 13. 30. 31. I will euer loue a Samuel who can honour euerie wicked Saul before the people;2. Sam. 4. 6. 7. but I will neuer loue a Rechab and Baanah who can come secretly into the house where their maister lyes sleeping on his bed and smite him, slay him, and behead him. I will euer loue a Dauid whose heart will smite him if he cut off but the lappe of Sauls garment, and who resolued neuer to put his hand on the Lords annointed, albeit he had done him many wrongs; yea, had wronged Church had wronged common-wealth.2. Sam. 24. 16. But I will neuer loue an Athalia who dare cut off all the Kings Linage to make a roome for her selfe:2. Chron. 22. 10. neither a Bigtan, nor a Teres, who being keepers of the King of Persias chamber-doore, sought to slay him. But I shall euer loue a Mordecay who knowng such a conspiracie albeit he was a stranger,Ester 1. 21. 22. cannot keepe it vp, but reueale it presently to the ouerthrow of the traitors, & safetie of the King. Alwayes thou must not wonder, ô my soule, that the child of God can thus behaue himselfe, for being no scholer to the false bloudie Iesuite, (who hath stolen from men that cleare lanterne of the booke of God and put in their hand the cutthroate lanterne of their owne traditions,) but being well taught of God his Maister out of the booke of truth, which cānot but direct man rightly, he is throughly resolued about the truth of two grounds which alwayes stand infallible. For first he knoweth, that vengance belongeth not vnto man, but vnto God; therefore out of a sense and reuerence of this, not daring attempt to detrude his God out of his chaire, and intrude himselfe in his Maiesties throne,Deut. 22. 35. he will not, yea, he dare not (being stayed by his conscience, enlightened with the lanterne of Gods truth) by his owne hand auenge himselfe. Againe well knoweth he, that the weake aduised child of God hauing his written word for his booke and lesson, dare not attempt to do that which is euill, to the end that good may come thereby; but that he must alwayes do that which his God commanded, and is commended by his God,Rom. 3. 8. referring euer the euent to his mercifull, wise, powerfull Maiestie: not being ignorant that God his Father will neuer accompanie any curse with his blessing, which is repugnant to his written word, albeit it take some feete, and appeare to go on for a while. Yea, the child of God being strengthened from aboue, is alwayes readie to suffer for desiring to do good, and for refusing to do euill. The three holy children cannot be readie notwithstanding of Nebuchadnezars commandement to fall downe and worship that golden image which he had set vp: and yet they can be readie at the commandement of the said King to be cast in the hot firie furnace for refusing to worship it.Dan. 3. Daniel can refuse to draw vp his suite for the space of three dayes to any besides the Persian King, notwithstanding of the Kings decree,Dan. 6. commanding him to do so; and yet he can be readie to go and enter within the denne of lions for refusing to obey it.Act. 5. 40. 41. 42. The Apostles of Iesus can refuse to ceasse to preach to the people in the name of Iesus, albeit the Councell of Ierusalem charge them so: and yet they can reioyce to be beaten by the Councell for preaching vnto them in his name. The sense hereof moued Tatian to speake thus,Tatian. ô my soule, Sirex iubet tributum pendere paretus sum, si Dominus seruire, seruitutem agnosco. Solum Deum si quis negare iubet non agnosco. If my King command me to pay tribute I am readie, if my Maister command me to serue him, I acknowledge his seruice. But if any command me to denie my God him I will not know. And therefore it was wondrous well said of old, Dicit tyrannus martiri pone ceruicem, ponit; dicit obserua missam, reculat: iubet ire in vincula, it; & iubet adorare sanctos, negat: Impia facere reculat, iniqua facere non reculat. The tyrant saith to the martyr of God, lay downe thy necke, he layeth it downe; he commands him to go to Masse, that he refuseth: he chargeth him to go to prison and bands, he goeth; he commands him to worship the Saints, that he refuseth: wicked things he refuseth to do, vniust troubles he refuseth not to suffer. Were this considered, ô my soule, many who be thought to be obedient and loyall subiects, should be found to be rebels, and many who be counted to be disobedient seruants, yea, grosse traitors, should proue to be true seruants, not onely to inferior Iudges, but also to that King of kings, who is that sole great law-giuer; who hath onely power to saue and to destroy.

VVHen shall I begin, ô my soule, to profit aright, by spirituall and temporarie prosperitie, by inward and outward aduersitie? either when the hand of God is lying heauie and sad vpon me, or when it is afarre off shaken on me, telling me that it is drawing neere me? Oh my soule, here I must assure thee from the blessed true mouth of that God who can deceiue none, that that monstrous mountaine Inconsideration, blinding the eyes of thy vnderstanding, is that onely chiefe thing whereby that subtle enemie trauelleth to hinder, and doth hinder the soule of man from profiting to saluation, by prosperitie, by aduersitie. Thou canst tell me, ô my soule, what I haue, but canst thou tell me from whom and for whom I haue that which I haue, and so canst thou tel me first how thou shouldst vse thy selfe, who hath that which thou hast, towards him, for whom and from whom thou hast it. Secondly, canst thou tell me how thou shouldst imploy & bestow that which thou hast from him and for him. Againe, in the day hast thou seene and felt, or foreseene sharpe tentations and troubles? thou canst tell me, ô my soule, what is that which lieth vpon thee, what is that thou fearest shall light vpon thee? but canst thou tell me whose hand layed that vpon thee, which lyeth on thee; wherefore was that layed on thee, which lyeth on thee; and what thou mightest assuredly expect if thou hadst grace thus to carrie thy selfe? Oh, ô my soule, when shall men haue their eyes enlightened, to see that heauenly rich treasure which is to be found in these foure Scriptures, which may serue as eye-salue, to cure thy spirituall blindnesse, and to free thee of that alledged monstrous mountaine, Inconsideration. One of them penned by Isaiah in his 45. Chapter, and by Amos in his 3. The second penned by Ieremie in the 3. of his Lamentations. The third by Hosea in his 5. and the fourth by Isaiah in his 1. Chapter. Also thy God, ô my soule, by the mouth of Isaiah, in the 7. verse of his 47. Chapter saith: I forme the light and create darkenesse; I make peace and create euill. Amos in the 6. verse of his 3. Chapter saith. Shall there be euill in the Citie, and the Lord hath not done i • ? Ieremie in the 39. verse of his Lamentations saith. Man suffereth for his sinne. Hosea in his 14. and 15. verses of his 5. Chapter bringeth in our God speaking thus. I will spoile and go away, and none shall rescue it, I will go and turne to my place, till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me. In their afflictions, they will seeke me diligently. Isaiah in the 19. and 20. verses of his 1. Chapter, bringeth in the Lord saying. If ye consent and obey, ye shall eate the good things of the land: but if ye refuse and be rebellious, ye shall be deuoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Euen the mouth of that Lord, ô my soule, who can falsifie no promise made to them that feare him, and who can as easily execute iudgement as he doth threaten iudgement against those who abuse him. Now, ô my soule, what if men, inioying peace, and good things spirituall, temporarie, had eyes to see that they had that peace, and these good things of God, and for God; ô what would the sense hereof put vndoubtedly out of their hearts, banish strongly from their hearts, breed and conceiue happily in their hearts. Beleeue me, ô my soule, the true sense hereof would put vndoubtedly out of, and banish strongly from that garden of the heart of Gods child, two most fearefull euill weedes, (as we speake, whereeuer they enter and remaine for any space) too well: alas, To wit, Pride the diuells sinne, and Securitie, the proud mans snare. The sense hereof would put out and banish Pride the diuells sinne, out of the heart of Gods child, neither suffer him looking on the shining spirituall estate of his soule, well beautified, and inriched with spirituall graces: neither permitting him, beholding his outward blooming condition, by reason of his estate of his bodie, and goods, to lift vp himselfe, either against his God, the giuer of all these, or against his neighbour (not so liberally delt with) for whose benefite he must know that these things were bestowed on him. The sense of this would put out and banish Securitie, the proud mans snare from the heart of Gods child, not suffering him with these foolish Israelites, first, to set vp a golden calfe to himselfe, and there after banquet delicately, and to play merily before it; till wrath come from God turning their vntimely & vnthākfull mirth, vnto fearefull bitter mourning, nor suffering him strongly, yet secure Sampson, Iud. 16. to lie sleeping vpon the knees of Dalilah, till the seuen lockes of his head are shauen off, and so his God being moued to depart from him, he be first taken, and thereafter be fully abused and mocked by these vncircumcised Philistins, whom he had subdued before valiantly. The sense hereof would breed and conserue in that garden of the heart of Gods child, fiue most pleasant, sweet and holesome herbes. Humilitie, Charitie, Diligence, Thankfulnesse, and Feare, Humilitie, considering that he hath nothing but that which he hath receiued,1. Cor. 4. 7. and this could not but affright him from bragging of that which he had, as if he had not receiued it. Charitie, making him to employ that which he hath for the good of others, considering that he is not Lord of that which he hath, but a steward onely; who one day must giue an account to that Lord, who hath sent him all he hath. Diligence, making him painfull to trauell by these good things of God, to glorifie his God, the giuer of them, through the right vsing of his gifts; yea, by increasing them, lest in the day of reckokoning (he hauing put Gods money to the exchangers) haue that one talent which he had taken from him, and giuen to him that had ten.Mat. 25. 26. Thankfulnesse, stirring vp the child of God, (led by the cord of the gifts towards the giue • ) wisely to cast one of his eyes vpon himselfe, beholding how naked and poore he is in Adam, how miserable and wretched a spectacle he is, and at length could not but haue proued in the eyes of Angels, and men by reason of that nakednesse and pouertie; and to cast his other eye vpon his God, and these graces and benefites, freely without merit, beside merite, contrarie to all merites, his Maiestie hath inriched him with; and out of this sight and sense, the child of God, ô my soule, is moued from his heart, and with his whole behauiour, to blesse and to glorifie his God for them: crying euen aloud before Angels and men with Dauid: Psal. 116. 12. 13. 14. What shall I render to the Lord, for all his benefites are aboue me? I will take the cup of saluation, and call vpon the name of the Lord, euen now in presence of all his people. Feare, making the child of God inriched, and busied as is said, with the good things of God his Father, considering Satan his policie, and strength, and his owne simplicitie, and weakenesse: not to play himselfe with these good things of God, but to tremble while he inioyes them, loath to lose his humilitie, and become proud; his charitie, and turne if not a bloudie oppressor, yet a vile self-louer; his diligence, and proue secure; his thankfulnesse, and shew himselfe both forgetfull of, and vngratefull vnto, that God who hath bene freely, and aboundantly liberall vnto him. The sense of this moued the Spirit thus to counsell the child of God:Psal. 2. 11. Serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce in trembling, Rom. 11. 20. thou standest by faith, be not highminded but feare: make an end of your saluation in feare and trembling. Phil. 2. 12. Againe, ô my soule, what if men lying vnder any seene sharpe crosse or affliction, had eyes to see yt the hand of God had layed that on them which lieth on them, and that his Maiestie had layed on that his hand for their sinnes: Yea, that he had done this to the end, that he might draw them as it were by a certaine violence, turning their backe vpon their sinnes to seeke homewards to him, by vnfained repentance? and if that they could thus seeke home to him, they should both find comfort vnder yt crosse, able to sweeten it to them till the day of their deliuerie should come, and in the end be fully freed of it. Would not the sense of this put vndoubtedly out of the heart of Gods child, and banish strongly from it, three most noysome, yet common weeds, and breed and conserue happily in it fiue most sweet and holesome herbes, making Gods child pleasant in the eyes, and sauorie of the nostriles of God his Father. Can I, ô my soule, possibly see that all my crosses (who euer be the instrument, whatsoeuer be the meanes by the which they be brought towards me) comes from no hand, but from the hand of my God, for my sinnes; and that to pull me from my sinnes towards my God, to the effect that in the end, it may go well with me; vnlesse my heart be freed from three weeds, kept from three weeds diuelish and fearefull. My heart must be freed from the weede of murmuring impatience, from the weede of furious and cruell vengeance, and from that fearefull poysoning, yea, slaying weede, of comfortlesse despaire; especially when thy crosses be manie be sharpe and with this do lie long on me. Dauids eyes being somewhat blinded, not perceiuing by whom the mouth of Nabal was opened against him, can giue place to these two fearefull weeds, Impatieuce, and Reuenge; admitting them to enter in the garden of his heart, and being led by them moue him to crie out; so, and more also do God vnto the enemies of Dauid, 1. Sam▪ 25. 12. for surely I will not leaue of all that he hath, by the dawning of the day, any that pisseth against the wall. Alwayes this same Dauid, hauing his eyes happily annointed with that clearing cleane eye-salue, that Amen, that faithfull and true witnesse,Reuel. 3. 14. the beginning of the creatures of God, propines Gods elect with; and so seeing clearely by whom the mouth of Shimei was opened to curse him, and his cruell hands armed with stones (as if he had bene some dogge and not a man, much lesse a King) in his contrarie; cas • ing out, and holding out these two fearefull weedes, Impatience, and Reuenge say:2. Sam. 16. 10. He curseth euen because the Lord hath had him curse Dauid, who shall then say wherefore hast thou done so? fie vppon thee, fie vpon thee, ô King of Israell, darke was that schoole in which thou wast brought vp; for while Samaria is besiedged by Aram, and left to that slaying sword of famine, canst thou crie out desperatly:2▪ King. 6. 35. This euill cometh of the Lord, should I attend the Lord any longer. Where thou shouldst haue vttered the flat contrarie thus: This euill cometh of the Lord, therefore I will attend on him constantly, and seeke home to him by repentance betimes, till this euill which is from him iustly, for mine, and his peoples many sinnes, be remoued by him, from me, and from them most gratiously. O what glorious light did shine aboundantly in that schoole, wherein iust Iob (whom God is not afflicting for sinne, but trying for the manifestation of his graces) was happily brought vp? for when he hath nothing left vnto him but his life, being depriued of all his substance, of all his children, of health, and enuironed with a world of inwa • d and outward griefes; he can see it was not the hand of the diuell, it was not the hand of man, yea, it was not neither wind nor fire, which had depriued him of all his good things, which had enuironed him with all these euill things, but the good hand of his good God, and therefore he can out of patience say vnto his God: the Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath taken;Iob 1. 21. say vnto his wife touching his God and his crosse which was from God;Iob 2. 10. Shall we receiue good at the hands of God, and not receiue euill? And so Iob seeing farre better then the blind King of Israel saw, could see clearely, that which Bernard afterwards confessed freely:Bern. ser. • 8. fol. 111. Nihil aduersus nos malignus spiritus potest, nisi missus, aut permissus, vnde cum eius voluntas sit semper mala, nuuquam potest esse nisi iusta; nam voluntas mala ex se ipsa sibi inest: potestatem autem aliunde quam a Deo non habet, quam potestatem sēper moderatur Deus. That wicked spirit hath no power ouer vs, but either being sent, or suffered; whereof it commeth: that while his will is euer wicked, his power is neuer but iust; for his euill will which is from himselfe, is in himselfe; but he hath no power at all, but from God; the which power our God doth alwayes moderate, and gouerne to a good end. Besides this, ô my soule, the sense hereof breedeth and conserueth in the heart of Gods child: fiue most pleasant sweet and wholesome herbes: euen Humilitie, Patience, Repentance, Thankfulnesse, and Confidence. It breedeth iointly Humilitie, Patience, and Repentance: for can the well reformed child of God possibly see, that no hand beside the hand of God his Father is lying on him, and that not vniustly, but iustly, euen because by sinne he hath prouoked him to wrath, and yet that notwithstanding of his sinnes, this his hand is layed on him, and suffered to lie on him, not to vndoe him, but to winne him; not to driue him from him, but to draw him to him: and not be moued to shew himselfe before his God, & among men humble, patient, and penitent. The sense hereof moued Ieremie thus to cōplaine vpon the sinful man,Lament. 3. 39. 28. 29. 30. to the sinfull man▪ Wherof is the liuing man sorrowful? man suffereth for his 〈◊〉 . Yea this made Ieremie in that same place to speake thus, touching the humble, patient and penitent sinner: He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, he putteth his mouth in the dust, he giueth his cheekes to them that smiteth him. Yea, the sense hereof opened the mouth of that thiefe, who was crucified on the right hand of our Maister, thus to reproue the other, crucified on his left side, when he durst attempt to reuile that holy one:Luk. 23. 39. 40. 41. Fearest thou not God, seeing we are in that same condemnation, we are indeed righteouslie here, for we receiue things worthie of that we haue done, but this man hath done nothing amisse. Shall not old Eli, ô my soule, who liued vnder the darke shadowes of the law, condemne, in that great day, a very world, liuing and giuing themselues forth for Gods children, vnder this our shining Sunne of the Gospell? Samuel hath told Eli very hard newes from the mouth of God:1. Sam. 3. 11. 12. 13. 14. Behold I will do a thing in Israel, whereof whosoeuer shall heare, his two eares shall tingle. In that day I will raise vp against Eli all things which I haue spoken concerning his house; when I begin, I will also make an end. I will iudge his house for euer, for the iniquitie which he knoweth, because his sonnes ranne to a slaunder and he stayed them not: I haue sworne vnto the house of Eli, that the wickednesse of Eli his house shall not be purged with sacrifice, nor with offering for euer. And yet when these bitter things are brought from the mouth of God to old Eli his eare, by the ministerie of a yong one; his heart knowing, louing, and fearing that God who sent him; can proue so humble, so patient, so penitent, that he can answer most meekly, offering his checkes most willingly to his smiter: It is the Lord, 1. Sam. 3. 18 let him do what seemeth him good. O religious king Ezekiah, shall not thy humble patience and repentance, when thou art sharpely threatned by thy God, speaking to thee by the mouth of Isaiah, condemne the pride, the impatiencie, and the obstinacie of a great many, not kings onely, but base men, in these our dayes crossed, and threatned with the crosse. Ezekiah hath ouerseene himselfe, in shewing to the Ambassadours of the king of Babel all that was in his house, and in his treasure, for this cause he must heare that sharpe Sermon brought to his eares: Heare the word of the Lord of hostes, Isa 39. 5. 6. 7 behold the dayes come that all that is in thy house, & which thy fathers have layed vp in store to this day, shall be carried to Babel, nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sonnes which shall proceed out of thee, and which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be Eunuches in the palace of the king of Babel. But how is this bitter Sermon heard, and accepted by him? Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, vnto that brought vnto thy eares by the eight vers. of the 39. of Isaiah, Then said Ezekiah vnto Isaiah, the word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken. O admirable humilitie, patience, and repentance, worthy to be considered grauely, and imitated carefully, by all kings and subiects; who with Ezekiah would after their labours here, rest, and reigne kings with that King of kings for euer. Shall Nazianzene aduise me, ô my soule, louingly to reuerence and embrace the admonition and correction of a iust man: A viro iusto castigari praestat, quam vngi ab improbo: illius enim asperitas propter asperitatem suauis est, huius autem benignitas quoque suspecta. It is better to be chastened with sharpe whips by a iust man, then to be annointed with soft and sauourie oyle by a wicked man: for the sharpnesse of a iust man his strokes is pleasant, because of the benefit which commeth by them, but euen the liberality and courtesie of the other is to be suspected. And should not I, ô my soule, be content much more to be corrected at the hand of my God, who is iustice and goodnesse it selfe? The sense hereof breedeth also, and conserueth in the heart of Gods child, that pleasant, sweet, and wholsome herbe of heauenly thankfulnesse, making Gods child not onely to be humble, to be patient, to be penitent vnder the crosse, but also thankfull for the crosse. Yea, yea, ô soule, Gods afflicted child, can euen from his very heart, both with his heart & with his voyce, chearfully thanke the Lord his God for his crosses layed on him; and no wonder that he do so, he being well acquainted with that fountaine out of the which his afflictions flown; with that proclamation his afflictions sounds in his eares, and conueyes to his heart; and with that fruite they bring forth at length to him. The afflictions of Gods child flow from the sweetest fountaine of God his fatherly loue, for as our God correcteth not where he hateth, so he forgetteth not to correct where he loueth. And therefore the Angell of the Church of Laodicea must heare this spoken vnto him:Reuel. 3. 19. As many as I loue, I rebuke and chasten. Yea the Apostle must tell the Hebrewes,Heb. 12. 26. Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth. Pleasant and profitable is that proclamation, the afflications of the children of God soundeth in their eares, and conueyeth to their hearts. Considerest thou euer, ô my soule, that golden rich oracle brought to thy eares by the seuenth and eight verses of the 12. to the Hebrewes. If ye induce chastening, God offereth himselfe vnto you, as vnto sonnes, what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not? if therefore ye be without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sonnes. The sense hereof moued Bernard to say: Si Deus tecum non adest per gratiam, adest per vindictam, sed vae tibi si ita tecum est, imò vae tibi si ita tecum non adest; illi namque irascitur Deus, quem peccantem non flagellat: nam quem flagellando non emendat in futura damnat. If God be not with thee by his grace, he is with thee by reuenge, but woe to thee if he be that way with thee, yea woe to thee if he be not that way with thee; for God is highly offended with that man whom he scourgeth not when he sinnes against him: for whom God amends not here by correcting of him, that man he damnes hereafter. While I am lying then vnder any crosse, were it neuer so sharpe, were it neuer so tedious, what would my God sound by it in thy eares, ô my soule, Surely this would he sound by it, and nothing but this: Thou art no bastard, (who hath no title to his fathers inheritance, and who it at length to be thrust out of his fathers doores, albeit he be furnished for some dayes with meate, drinke, and clothed within it) but thou art my owne well begotten, and well beloued sonne, through my onely naturall Sonne Iesus, in whom I am well pleased, whom I am to keepe with my selfe for euer: yea, whom I am to make heire of all that I haue. But, ô my soule, what fruite at length doth the afflictions of Gods Saints bring forth? lift vp thy eyes, and behold I pray thee that pleasant, plentious, and most profitable haruest, produced by them, and offered to thy view by the 11. verse of the 12. Chap. to the Hebrewes. No chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous, but grieuous, but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to those who be therby exercised. Shall the sicke or wounded patient, not onely be readie by words to thanke, but according to his abilitie, by deeds to reward that Physitian who presents to his mouth potions which be bitter to his taste, and repugnant to his naturall appetite, prouiding that they do cure him. And that Chirurgion who doth launce him to the effusion of his bloud; yea, who doth cut his flesh in peeces, prouiding in the meane time he be either kept from that disease he feared, or freed of that greater or longer paine he could but haue layen vnder? and should not the child of God, knowing his afflictions to be speciall tokens of Gods loue towards him; yea, to be those forcible meanes; whereby he is diuourced from that stinking whoore of sin, by the which he was snared; yea, to be very medicines whereby his soule is preserued, and deliuered from the deadly sicknesse of sinne, and be brought home to his blessed Father, trauelling afterwards to haue himselfe made holy as God his Father is holy. The sense hereof moued Dauid to make that notable confession:Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I haue bene afflicted, that I may learne thy statutes. This moued the Apostle thus to informe vs: We haue had the fathers of our bodie which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence; should we not much more be in subiection to the Father of spirits that we might liue: for they verily for a few dayes chastened vs after their owne pleasures, Heb. 12. 9. 10. but he chasteneth vs for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holinesse. Finally the sense hereof breeds and conserues in the heart of Gods child Confidence; neither suffering him with the Israelites to murmure against his God, as if there were some wrong done to him; neither with Saul to despaire as one altogether cast off from God: but making him leasurely awaiting vpon his God, to possesse his soule in patience; being assured that his God will find out a time, in the which, and meanes, by the which, he shall be deliuered. And therefore as God his afflicted child, casting himselfe willingly vnder the hand of God his Father correcting him, can cry with Dauid, 2. Sam. 16. 11. 12. Behold my sonne which came out of my owne bellie seeketh my life, then how much more may this sonne of Iemini, suffer him to curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. So not despairing, but putting his confidence in his God, when his hand is lying heauie vpon him, and striking him sore, he can crie with this same Dauid, It may be the Lord will looke vpon my affliction, and do me good for his cursing this day. I am afflicted then, ô my soule, let me beware of murmuring, impatience, of cruell raging, and furious reuenge, and of destroying comfortlesse despaire. Yea, let me bring forth humilitie, patience, repentance, thankfulnesse, and confidence; seeing not onely prosperitie commeth from my God, but aduersitie also: yea, seeing my God is not onely my friend and Father, when he giueth and crowneth, but also when he taketh and crosseth. The sense hereof moued Augustine to crie out with ioy:August. Quid non misericorditer praestatur hominibus à Domino Deo à quo etiam tribulatio beneficium est; nam res prospera donum est consolantis, res aduersa donum est admonentis Dei. What▪ ô man is▪ not mercifully giuen by the Lord our God vnto men, from whom euen affliction is a benefit; for prosperous things be the gifts of God comforting men, and aduersitie the gift of God admonishing and warning them. Yea, the sense hereof mooued Bernard to say: Nulla nocebit aduersitas, Bern. Psal. 91. si non dominetur iniquitas. No aduersitie can possibly annoy thee, if iniquitie domineere not ouer thee.

AM I lying, ô my soule, vnder any presently felt, or foreseene feared trouble, and yet neither comforted vnder this my trouble, neither deliuered nor thē kept from that I feele, from that I feare. Attempt not to challenge that Almighty, that al-sufficient Maiestie, either of impotencie and weaknesse, or of vnrighteousnesse and rigour, but see that thou accuse thy selfe, conuict thy selfe for sinne and iniquitie; for that golden Axiome shall euer abide inuiolably true, sounded by that herauld of God Isaiah, not without any noyse going before it, proclaiming, with the truth, the excellencie and worthinesse of it:Isa. 59. 1. 2. Behold the Lord his hand is not shortened that it cannot saue, neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare, but your iniquities haue separated betwixt you and your God, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you. And so I must haue thee, ô my soule, suffering thy selfe to be resolued, that that long and strong hand of God is neither put vp in his bosome, and so stayed from helping of thee in the day of thy need, nor put forth against thee, to strike thee. And with this, that his eare is not closed vp from thy grones and prayers, till thou by sinne haue separate thy selfe from his Maiestie, and thereby haue depriued thy selfe of that helpe, his hand otherwayes should haue made thee; and of that comfort thou shouldest haue found from his hearing eare. Tell me, tell me, ô my soule, if thou canst, how name • thou him, or her, to whom euer that blessed God failed: first, I trow these first sinners, my grand-father and mother failed to their God before he failed to them. I thinke that second sinner Cain depriued himselfe of Gods helpe and comfort by a most cruell vnnaturall murther, before either Gods mouth was opened, or hand armed against him. If these of the first world, who perished by the floud were alone, sure I am they would confesse this to be true. If these inhabitants of Ierusalem who fel vnder the king of Babel, and of the Romanes were aliue, they could not denie this. Alwayes here, ô my soule, I will pray thee grauely to consider one point; wouldst thou haue thy God comming to thee, or darest thou thinke that he will come vnto thee when thou thinkest that he should come to thee, and as thou dreamest that he may come to thee? No, no, thou must vnderstand, ô my soule, that God will not come vnto thee, but as he hath promised to come vnto his owne, and as his owne haue found him to come vnto them. Thou mayest thinke, ô my soule, that God will come vnto thee when any thing troubles thee, to pitie, to comfort, yea, to deliuer thee; albeit thou in the meane time stay from him, going on in thy former and present sinnes, yea adding new sinnes to old sinnes, and grosse sinnes to lesse sins. Alwayes thou must know, ô my soule, that it cannot be so, that it ought not be so. Hearest thou not thy God speaking thus to Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. I am thy God al-sufficient, walke thou before me, and be thou vpright. Thus not onely shewing Abraham what a God and Maister he will be vnto him, but telling Abraham what a sonne and seruant he must prooue to his Maiestie againe. Speakes not Dauid thus to thee touching thy God:Psal. 18. 25. 26. With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly, with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright: with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure, and with the forward thou wilt shew thy selfe forward. And againe. The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous, and his eares are open to his crie: Psal 34. 15. 16. but the face of the Lord is against them that do euill, to cut off their remembrance from the earth. Oh when shall that question and answer made by Isaiah be taken to heart by the made professors of this time: Who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire? Isa. 33. 14. 15. 16. who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings? He that walketh in iustice, and speaketh vpright things, refusing gaine of oppression, shaking his hands from taking of gifts, stopping his eares from hearing of bloud, and shutting his eyes from seeing of euill, he shall dwell on high, his defence shall be the munition of rockes, bread shall be giuen him, and his water shall be sweet. Draw neare & hearken, ô my soule, neuer shall I thinke vpon that oracle sounded by Isaiah alreadie alledged here, (Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot saue, neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare, but your iniquities haue separate betwixt you and your God, and your sins haue hid his face from you) but alas, oft I shall crie out to the hearing of God, Angels and men: ô the fearefull vglinesse of sinne, the vnspeakable hurt comes to man by iniquitie! Woe is my soule, that euer man was infected with sinne, and ô would to God that all men were quite of iniquitie. But wherefore alledge I, ô my soule, that sinne is a fearefull vglie thing, and wherfore out of this sense of sinne lament I, that euer man was infected with it, and wish I that all men were rid of it? Iniquity and sinne, saith Isaiah, is that onely partition-wall which diuideth betwixt God and man: and so that sole and foule abhominable adulterie, whereby that marriage, bound vp betwixt God & man, is disanulled, and made voide; so that, as a religious generous husband cannot looke vpon his wife when she hath defiled his bed; our blessed God, holinesse, wisedome, and courage it selfe, cannot abide that soule which dareth attempt by sinne to abuse him. What Gentleman hauing nothing (as we speak) but his horse and saddle, being married to some Gentlewoman, may spend by yeare fiue or sixe thousand markes, kindly in the meane time entertaining him, and prouiding him of all things requisite for his necessitie and pleasure, will wittingly and willingly (his bedfellow being wise and of any spirit as we say) commit adulterie in the open fields, to the sight of men of conscience and credit, knowing that his wife will then easily by diuorcement quit her selfe of him, and send him backe to his wonted miserie. And yet, alas, is man (married by God to God) feareth not in close corners onely, but euen in the publicke streetes as it were, yea, and in the very open fields to commit spirituall adulteries, to the sight of Angels and men, against that blessed God: here running with speed after that sinne, there committing with greedinesse another sinne, albeit neuer gentlewoman found a man so bare (as we say) when she married him, as our God found vs, all and euery one of vs when he married vs O Ezekiel tell me what was our estate when our God married vs. Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite, thy nauell was not cut, thou wast not washed with water to soften thee, thou was not salted in salt, nor swadled in clouts, no eye pittied thee to do these things to thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field to the contempt of thy person, in the day that thou wast borne: and when I passed by thee, I saw thee polluted in thy owne bloud,Ezech. 16. 3. 4. 5. 6. I said vnto thee, when thou wast in thy bloud thou shalt liue. Euen when thou wast in thy bloud I said vnto thee thou shalt liue. O Paul hast thou any more to say to this purpose, yes, yes, for he tels me that when our God married vs, we were all dead in sinnes and trespasses, walking according to the course of this world, and after the prince which ruleth in the aire,Ephes. 1. 2. euen the spirit which now worke • h in the children of disobedience. Beside this, ô my soule, neuer shall I call to minde that sentence sounded in the eares of Moses by my God, Exod. 32. and 7. Thy people whom thou hast brought from the land of Egypt haue corrupted their wayes, and compare it with that speech spoken by that same God to this Moses touching the same people:Exod. 4. 21. Israel is my sonne, euen my first borne. But of new againe I must crie out, ô the vilenesse of sinne, ô the hurt cometh to man by sinne! Sinne is so vile before God, sinne is so hurtfull to man, that it can make our God do that, which nothing beside sinne can possibly make him to do. And what is that I pray thee, ô my soule, consider it, consider it, for Iesus sake I beseech thee, ô my dearest soule, as thou louest thy selfe and me: feare at Moses speaking to thee by that alledged Scripture, and he will tell thee, that sinne is that which maketh our God misknow his child, deny his child; albeit nothing beside this vile sinne, can make his Maiestie rather misknow or deny him▪ for I must tel thee, ô my soule, were thy estate neuer so miserable to the eyes, & in the iudgement of men, as long as my heart resetteth not sin with greedinesse, God will not misknow me, God will not denie me.Gen. 29. Were I seruing a cruell Laban farre from father and mother with Iacob. Were I working in clay not like a man,Eodus 1. but like a beast, hauing my fee • e, my hands, my armes, and face so couered with filthy mudde, that none of my acquaintāce could take me for the man I am, with the Israelites in Egypt; were I cast out of my house by oppression; or through pouertie, or sicknesse, to lie vpon some dunghill, or vnder some open staire with Iob; Iob 2. yea, were I couered from top to toe with boyles as Lazarus was, hauing none among men to visite me;Luke 16. my God can know me for his owne, and can gratiously keepe my soule by his Spirit, and attend my bodie by his Angels, in the meane time reprouing greater, and smaller men, yea, euen Kings for me when they abuse me. Onely if I loue sinne, if I commit sinne with delight,Gen. 31. 24. will he misknow me, will he denie me. Cain Adams eldest sonne, and so the Prince of the whole world, alwayes is he not cast out from the presence of God, when defyling his fingers with his brothers bloud, he dare meddle with sinne his deadly enemie. Cham is carefully kept, by the Lord our God, in the Arke with Noah his father, and Sem and Iaphet his brethren. Alwayes is he not afterwards euen cursed by that God who sometime kept him? and all because medling with sinne, (which had destroyed the whole world before him) he dare mocke his religious old father. Saul of a begger is made a King by God: alwayes, when Saul dare lift vp himselfe against that Maiestie, who had cloathed him with Maiestie, who had treaden vnder his feete, Church and policie, by making his owne will the rule of his doing; is not Saul of a King ruling euen ouer Israel, God his eldest Sonne, made a slaue to be ouerruled by the diuell for euermore. Iesus that Lord of glorie by whom the world was made, comming into the world to saue the world, will assume to himselfe 12. men to be witnesses of these things he spake, and suffered; Iudas Iscariot must not onely be one of them, but must carrie the bag, and beare that which was giuen.Iohn 12. 4. 5. 6. Alwayes, when he dare proue a thiefe and be content to lose a Sauiour for some siluer (as, alas, too many do) first, Satan must enter within him, and afterwards he must enter in hell, there to abide with Satan for euermore.Iohn 13. 3. Wilt thou not then, ô my soule, but delay and with all thy strength arme thy selfe against sinne, which onely armeth God against thee? Wilt thou not misknow sinne altogether, neither lending a looke to it when it drawes neare vnto thee, neither giuing an eare to it when it speaketh to thee, neither denying it with an answer, when it beginneth sweetly to flatter thee, or louingly to embrace thee, except it be with a disdaining answer thus: go behinde me Satan? Seeing sinne is the onely thing maketh God to misknow thee, yea, to denie thee. And in a word, ô my soule, wilt thou not rather lay downe thy necke to the axe, then lift vp thy heart against thy will by committing of sinne; seeing sinne is the onely thing which cannot suffer his Maiestie to lift thee vpward towards the highest heauens, where in his presence there is fulnesse of ioy, and at his right hand pleasures for euermore;Psal. 16. 11. and which cannot but cause him to throw thee downe towards the lowest hells, out of the which there is no redemption; notwithstanding that worme which biteth there,Esay 66. 14 shall neuer die, neither that fire which burneth there shall euer be quenched?Bern. The sense hereof moued Bernard thus to aduise one of his speciall brethren. O homo Dei, ne trepides exuere hominem illum qui de terraest, & conatur deprimere vsque ad inferos: iste est qui de terra est qui vexat, qui onerat, qui oppugnat. O man of God be not affrayed to shake off that man which is from the earth, euen that man which presseth thee downe to the earth, and labours to presse thee downe euen to the verie helles: that is that man which vexeth thee, which burthens thee, which visiteth and fightest against thee.

VVHen I reade and consider Scripture with any spirituall sight, with any holy sense, ô my soule, I must be moued, and being moued, I must lament my owne estate, and the estate of others in many respects, and for this especially; that I heare him sighing for sinnes, that I see him wetting his cheekes with salt teares for sinners, (considering what mercie and good things by sinne they depriue themselues of, and what wrath and iudgement they procure vnto themselues by sinne) who neuer sinned • , who neuer was hurt, who neuer shall be hurt by sinne. He who shall reade and consider Scripture, shall beare and see, not onely brutish creatures void of immortall soules, and wanting reason; but also dead sensles creatures void of life and motions, moued at the confused voice of Gods workes: while men and women, who do lodge immortall soules within their mortall bodies, and in the bosome of their soules; reason, and discretion; can no wayes be moued with that cleare, and distinct voice of the word of God, sounding softly mercie if they content and obey, sounding fearefully, and yet most iustly wrath; if they refuse and be rebellious: when I reade that first of Isaiah, I heare thy blessed God, ô my soule, who neuer sinned, who cannot be hurt by sinne, sighing for the obstinate Iewes, brutishly vnkind to his Maiestie, while the oxe and the asse are dutifull to their owner and maister; yea, with this drawing vp a most heauie iust complaint against the Iewes, because of their vnkindnesse, and yet wanting a man (notwithstanding of the manie men were in the world) before whom he might poure forth his complaint against them, summoning the verie deafest heauens, and senslesse earth to heare him, euen with groaning making this his complaint. For brings not Isaiah in, our God speaking thus.Esay 1. 2. 2. 35. Heare ô heauens, and hearken ô earth, for the Lord hath said: I haue nourished and brought vp children, but they haue rebelled against me. The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his maisters cribbe, but Israel hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderstood: Ah sinfull nation, a people loaden with iniquitie, a seed of the wicked, corrupt children, they haue forsaken the Lord, they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger, they are gone backward. But, alas, ô my soule, I cannot find the vnkind Iewes, beside Isaiah, sighing for their vnkindnesse, and lamenting that they had so grossely abused a gratious louing father, and an almightie alsufficient prouisor and protector. When I reade that 19, of Luke, I see that meekest Lambe of God, Iesus, whose sworne enemies would not accuse him for sinne, yea, whose Iudge was compelled by the verie force of his conscience to pronounce him to be innocent shedding bitter teares, for the blindnesse of the minds, hardnesse of the hearts, deadnesse of the soules, and loosenesse of the liues of the people of Ierusalem, crying out with great griefe of heart. O if thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day these things which belong to thy place. But, alas, beside Luke, can I find the inhabitants of Ierusalem shedding out teares for themselues? or can I heare them lamenting that by their sinnes they should haue moued that meekest gentle Lambe to whom they proued furious and fierce lions, mourne and lament for them. When I reade the 29. Psalme, I see the voice of the Lord breaking the Cedars of Lebanon, making them to leape like a calfe, yea, like an yong Vnicorne, diuiding the flames of fire, making the wildernesse, euen the wilde • nesse of Cadesh to tremble, yea, making the hyndes to calfe, and discouering the forrest. But when I cast my eyes vpon these of this deadest debauched time, can I heare and see that two edged sword of that word of God, making liuing men, liuing reasonable men, liuing reasonable Christian men (if their owne workes may be beleeued) to shake, to tremble, before that great Maiestie whose word it is, out of a sense of these sinnes they haue (alas,) euen sold themselues vnto, and of that miserie and wrath vnder the which they haue couered themselues by these sinnes. Now, ô my soule, canst thou tell me what shall be the fruite, a man, in this respect more then miserable, must at length reape. Sighes thy God ô sinner for thy sinnes, while thou art making merrie with thy sinnes. Be sure, be sure, ô sinner, as God liueth, as Christ is sitting this day in thy nature, at the right hand of his Father in heauen,Prou. 1. 25. 26. God shall laugh at thy destruction, and thou shalt mourne when thy destruction shall come; and Christ who gladly would haue saued thee, shall iustly reioyce in thy condemnation, and thou shalt weepe and gnash thy teeth in hell for euermore, because of that remediles condemnation, vnto the which thou shalt be adiudged. Be sure, be sure, ô sinner, marke thou that plaine, cleare, and distinct sauing voice of Gods blessed word brought to thy eares, while creatures void of reason wanting life, can tremble at the hearing of that confused voice of Gods mightie workes, when these creatures shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, thou shalt heare a voice and see a light, which shal make thee to tremble more fearefully then Baltasar trembled when he saw the fingers of a mans hand writing against the candelsticke vpon the plaister of the wall;Dan. 5. 5▪ 6. yea, more fearefully then Felix did when Paul was disputing before him of righteousnesse and temperance,Acts 24. 26. and of the iudgement to come. For oh, ô my soule, what readst thou beside Iohn, in the Reuelation? Tels not that Scripture them, that that great day of the Lord, and sole iudge of all the world being come; the Kings of the earth, the great men, the chiefe captaines, the mightie men, and euery bond man, and euerie free man, shall hide themselues in dennes amongst the rockes of the mountaines, saying vnto the mountaines fall vpon vs, and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand. O if these Princes and people of this our last and worst time who now dare shew themselues mala, partly abroade in euerie place mocking the good word of God, cruelly persecuting, and murthering his dearest children, and most faithfull seruants, had grace afore hand to hearken to this, to beleeue this, to remember it, to consider it. Sure I am, ô my soule, that they with Saul casting their swords from them and changing their tunes, would crie out; who art thou Lord whose word we are mocking, whose children and seruants we are persecuting, and that they hauing this answer made vnto them: I am Iesus whom ye mocke, ye persecute: It is heard for you to kicke against prickes; would tremble hand and foote as we speake, and with wounded hearts and mourning voices crie and say: O Lord what wilt thou that we shall do, and so be readie to hate that they loued, to loue that they hated▪ and to preserue them which they persecuted.

EVen the filthiest debauched liuer, ô my soule, offendeth when he is compared to the diuell, and yet euerie filthie liuer will tread the diuels pathes. Cānot the diuell, ô my soule, (mala) partly present himselfe among the children of God before God, and yet no sooner goeth he from his Maiesties presence but he can runne with speed; not onely to ouerthrow all that belonged to that iust Iob, but also bereaue him of his health; thinking thereby to make him blaspheme God. Euen the filthiest liuer is offended if he be called a Iudas: and yet as Iudas went from his Maisters table, to deliuer him into the hands of his enemies: so many called Christians, can take their iourney from Christs chamber (as it were) to ouerthrow Christ. Alas, alas, ô my soule, how manie be there who present themselues with Gods Saints in Gods house, before God to heare his word; and yet comming from it debase themselues in all vncleanenesse. O how manie be there, who going to prayer, and rising from prayer, thinke neuer vpon that which they haue professed, or bound themselues while they were praying, till they go backe againe vnto their prayer; debauching themselues betwixt their owne prayer, and their other, euen in these same sinnes; for the which in prayer they accused themselues, they condemned themselues crauing God pardon, and solemnely vowing to abstaine from them. The iudgement of charitie which suspecteth the best of all, aduiseth me to thinke that these knowne murtherers, adulterers, fornicators, drunkards, and so forth; When they go to their prayer, do now and then confesse their sinnes, crauing pardon for them, and promising to amend their liues; and yet with the swine, euen now washing after they haue risen from their knees, they can turne to the puddle of their wonted wickednesse. Let all such thē who do heare God speaking vnto them by his word, and who do speake to God by prayer, ioyne repentance with their hearing, and with their praying; remembring that he onely is blessed, who heareth the word of God and doth it;Luk. 11. 28. and that the prayer of that man who draweth away his eare from hearing of the law,Prou. 28. 9. is abominable before God.

VVHen I begin to meditate anie wayes seriously, ô my soule, vpon that honour whereunto thy God in thy Sauiour Iesus Christ hath aduanced thee, and so vpon these priuiledges and prerogatiues, wherewith he hath enriched thee, being now happily made a Christian through him; I wonder not that that great and wise Apostle was moued to crie out: I thought nothing worthie to be knowne amongst you, 1. Cor. 22. saue Iesus Christ and him crucified. The things that were aduantage vnto me, the same I counted losse for Christs sake: yea, doubtlesse I thinke all things losse, for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord, for whom I haue accounted all things to be losse, Phil. 3. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. and count them to be dung that I might winne Christ, and might be found in him, not hauing my owne righteousnesse which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith: that I might know him, and the vertue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, and be made conformable to his death, if by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead. Beleeue me, ô my soule, a man as he is a man, excelleth not the brutish beast so farre; as a true Christian, as he is a Christian, surmounteth a man, as he is a man. A man as he is a man, liueth but one life beyond the bruite beasts, to wit, the life of reason; for euen the bruite beast, moueth, groweth, feeleth: but I must thinke, that now euen senfible experience hath taught thee, ô my soule, that I being happily through Christ my Sauiour and head made a Christian, liue that life of grace, whereby thou, ô my soule, being naturally dead in sinnes and trespasses, art spiritually quickened; wherby my mind naturally blind, and destitute of the knowledge of the true God▪ and of his Sonne, is enlightened to see and know him, whereby my will naturally crooked and auerse from the good will of this my God, is rectified and conformed to his will; whereby my soule and fond affections naturally set onely vpon euill, yea, delighting in euill, and abhorring all good, are renewed and vnfainedly made to hate euill, and sincerely to loue good: yea, whereby the whole members of this my bodie, exercised onely about the committing of sinne, as these which by nature be the weapons of vnrighteousnesse, are sanctified and made the weapons of righteousnesse to serue God in holinesse: yea, knowest thou not, ô my soule, feelest thou not, ô my soule, euen alreadie to thy great and inexpressible ioy, that thou hast begun through that rare aduantage and singular benefit of this thy begun life of grace, to liue alreadie that life of expected glorie, which shall in despite of diuels, death and graue (thy sweet Sauiour being thine, and thou being his) receiue me with a most smiling and pleasant countenance in the end of time, and which I shall retaine in endlesse eternitie? When I reade Scripture many things moue me to aduance, yea, to admire the excellencie and happinesse of the true Christian; sorrowing that any should be stiled a man beside him: reioycing from my heart that man is become a Christian,Act. 26. 29. and with Paul earnestly wishing, that all men were Christians. Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, to the most comfortable words of thy loue Iesus, speaking vnto thee by the pen of Matthew: Whersoeuer a dead carkasse is, Mat. 24. 28. thither will the eagles resort. Here compareth he himselfe to a dead carkasse, and a true Christian to an eagle resorting to this carkasse to feed vpon it. But what moueth thy Sauiour, ô my soule, to compare the true Christian to an eagle, because there is not a naturall propertie assigned by the naturalists, to the naturall eagle, wherewith God thy louing Father in his dearest Sonne Iesus Christ, by his holy Spirit hath not most ioyfully, most richly endued, and gloriously adorned the true Christian soule, that onely spirituall eagle, which is to be found in this world. And so the true Christian is happily for his information, reformation, consolation, and confirmation, compared by his wise Lord and Maister (who onely makes him and knowes him) vnto an eagle, because of his estate, because of his sight, because of his smell, because of his flight, because of his resting place, where he can onely stay, and staying refresh and feed himselfe. As for the estate and condition of a true Christian, I must tell thee, ô my soule, that the Christian is not a slaue, is no base bodie, is no vassall, but euen a most honourable one, a most mightie one, yea, the onely king amongst men, and aboue all men dwelling on earth here as the eagle is the king ouer these foules which do flie in the aire, and therefore stiled by the Ethnikes, Iouis ales, as we who be Christians may be called Iesus foules. Alwayes thou must know, ô my soule, that a Christian is not a king by nature but by grace; by generation, but by regeneration: and so not as he is from that first sinfull Adam, but as he is in that second righteous Adam, 2. Cor. 5. who was made sinne for him, to make him righteous. But here, ô my soule, I must pray thee to consider what sort of king is this kingly eagle, set aboue all men by that King of kings, and Lord of Lords Iesus, euen this Christian. A Christian, I must tell thee, ô my soule, is a king commanded, is a king commanding, is a king ruled, is a king ruling, commanded onely by his Father, his Sauiour, his sanctifier, and ruled onely by that straight and shining line of that sauing word of God, contained in holy Scripture; his mind, his heart, his will, his affections, and euery member of his body being so gouerned by that line, and led by that Spirit whose word it is, that he can out of knowledge and with ioy approue that which is agreeable to it, condemne that which is repugnant to it, eschew that it forbids and condemnes, embrace that it commands and commends. Yea, the true Christian is so farre commanded by that King who made him a king, and by that his word acquainting him with the nature of that kingdome prepared for him, that if any king or subiect liuing attempt with the counsell of Ierusalem,Act. 4. 19. command him either to do that his great king hath forbidden him to do, or ceasse from doing of that his Maiestie hath appointed to be done by him, he can answer with courage whether it be righter in the sight of God to obey you rather then God, iudge ye: yea, he is so farre addicted vnto the commandement of this his great King, that before he disobey it he will heartily with Daniel and his companions be readie to lay downe his life at the feete of any king.Dan. 3. 6. A Christian is a king of quicke sight who can see clearly with the owle in the darke night, and so in the day of tentation and tribulation, making him to say with Iob: The Lord hath giuen, Iob 1. 2. the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. Who can see with the eagle vpon the bright shining day, able to cast his eyes directly towards the strongest, cleare, piercing beames of that hote shining sun of blooming prosperitie, no wayes turning away either his heart or his eyes from his great King and blessed Maister, for all the honour, all the wealth, all the pleasures, can be offered to him, can be taken from him, for all the persecution can be deuised, can be executed against him, in this (triumphantly like a conquering king, who hath nothing aboue him beside God) trading the laudable sauing pathes of Ioseph, Moses, Dauid, Ezrah, Nehemiah, Daniel, and a verie world of heauenly Kings, by that Christ of God made Christs to God. As a Christian is a king of quicke sight, so is he a king of most sharpe smelling, with the eagle, not smelling things neare hand, but 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 things afarre off, in such sort, that he can finde nothing to be sauorie to him, beside that blessed glorious King, who made him a king, and blessed him with this spirituall sharpe smelling. Yea, I must tell thee, ô my soule, that the smelling of a Christian is so spiritually delicate, that he can rest vpon the sauour of no Angell, of no man, of no woman, either soiourning here, or glorified in heauen, much lesse the sauour of honour, wealth, or pleasure, or whatsoeuer this earth can possesse. Shall old Isaac smelling the garment of his blessed sonne Iacob crie out, not without a speciall triumphing ioy: Behold the smell of my sonne, is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. And shalt not thou, ô my soule, made a sharpe smelling eagle by thy Sauiour Iesus, easily to smell euen things far remoued from thee, smell this, thy Sauiour as onely profitably, honorably, and pleasantly sauorie to thee, and for thee. The sense hereof moued the Church Christs spouse, directing her language to Christ, her onely loue and husband, to crie out:Psal. 45. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrhe, and cassia, when thou camest out of thy yuorie palaces, where they haue made thee glad. The sense hereof moued the same Spirit of Iesus to make this confession:Cant. 1. 3. Because of the sauour of thy good ointments, thy name is as an oyntment powred out, therefore the virgins do loue thee. Cant. 1. 13. And againe, My welbeloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto me: my welbeloued is as a cluster of camphire in the vines of Bengedi. Yea, this moued the Church (giuing a speciall proofe of the sharpenesse of her smell and taste) to speake to her husband thus: The mandrakes haue giuen a smell, and in our gates are all sweet things new and old; Cant. 7. 13. my welbeloued, I haue kept them for thee. As a Christian is a kingly eagle seeing quickly, and smelling sharply, so he is a kingly eagle of wonderfull flight: for the Christian mans soule flies not onely swiftly, but also sublimely, and so both farre and high, and that in one instant. Can the Christian be content with the crow, or with the rauen, to dwell here beneath with men, and amongst men, flying and building their nests only a little aboue the heads of men? No, no, he must necessarily flie farre aboue the clouds and firmament. But wherof comes this, ô my soule, euery true Christian soiourning here, resembleth the Israelites hasting out of Aegypt,Exod. 22. he had his dough bound vp in clothes vpon his shoulders, his loynes girded, and his staffe in his hand, and so he was altogether readie at the call of Moses to turne his backe with heartie contentment vpon Aegypt, and his face with heauenly gladnesse towards Gods promised and his expected Canaan.Colos. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Well knowes the Christian soule where her husband and home is, her husband, her home is not beneath here, but is aboue, and therefore her heart must euer be vpward: yea, for this cause the true Christian cannot ceasse euerie minute, vpon the wings of faith flying thither, to enter in where Christ is there powring forth all his necessities. The true Christian soule knoweth that her husband will come againe, albeit she know not when he will come, and therefore the Christian dare not suffer idolatrie, incest, murther, adulterie,1. Pet. 1. 13. fornication, oppression, drunkennesse, couetousnesse, falshood, deceit, and such abhominations, as also many long and heauie deluges to hang after him, lest first they hinder him to take him to his wings, and then hinder him in his flight after that he hath taken himselfe to them. As the true Christian is that kingly eagle which seeth quickly, smelleth sharpely, flieth swiftly, and on high, so he is that kingly eagle, which cannot stay his flight, till he come where that sometime dead, blessed, and sweet smelling carrion, but now gloriously liuing Lord of life and light, Iesus is. Let a Christian man meete with a thousand Angels, he will behaue himselfe as Gehazi the seruant of Elizaeus did,2. King. 4. 29. being sent by his maister with his staffe towards the dead sonne of the Shunamitish Ladie, not daring so much as to salute one of them by the way, till he come where Iesus is. And in this the wise Christian resembleth that diseased woman, who thronging through the whole preasse, could not be stayed till she touched his garment with her finger, who had touched her heart before with his Spirit,Mat. 9. 20. 21. and made her by faith to touch him spiritually, before by her hand she touched him bodily.