A TASTE OF Happinesse.

WHEN Nathaniel, though otherwise an Israelite indeed, A man in whom there was no guile, Iohn 1.47. yet herein had sauored of a spice of incredulitie, 45.in that when Phi­lip had brought him newes of our sweet Sauiour, 46.whom long they had expected, and now found at Nazareth, it could not sinke into his minde vpon the sudden, that so faire a iewell should bee found in so foule a place; Philip, to take away that [Page 2]scruple, willeth him to make his eyes the witnesses of that which had bin related to his eares, that both his eyes and eares giuing ioynt testimonie hereof vnto his heart, he might not bee incredu­lous, but beleeue: Come (saith he) and see. O that our scarse half Nathaniels, who come far short of him, and content themselues only with a ciuill cariage of thē ­selues, not seasoned with reli­gion, thinking that superfluous, and obiecting; Can there any good thing come of godlinesse? O that they would follow Phi­lips counsell; would they would come and see. O that our earth-turmoiling Nabals, who no whit sauour of Nathaniels spirit, 1. Sam. 25.10. but doting vpon these vnprofitable profits of the world, blush not to pollute the ayre with such blasphemous speeches: Iob. 21.15. VVho is the Almightie that we should serue him? and what profit should wee [Page 3]haue if wee should pray vnto him? which count it but a vaine thing to serue God, and demand of vs, Malach. 3 14. What profit wee haue by keeping his commandements? and what plea­sure it is that wee walke humbly be­fore the Lord? O that they would take a little of Nathaniels paines to come and see: Psal. 34 8. or hearken vnto Dauids counsell; Oh that they would taste and see how gratious and sweete the Lord is; what a good master hee is whom the godly doe serue, what a good Prince he is whom the righteous doe obey, what a sure carde he is on whom the faithfull trust, how sweete hee is to them that loue him, what a rewarder hee is to thē that feare him, what a com­forter he is to them that depend vpon him. The vnexperienced rusticke that neuer tasted Can­dies Sugar, perceiueth no more sweetnesse in it, then there is in Allum; and Aesops cock think­eth [Page 4]better farre his graine of bar­lie in the dunghill, then he doth estimate the richest pearle; and Baalams Asse that neuer tasted the sweete fruite of Bees, suppo­seth there is much more sweet­nes in his thistle: and wretched soules, whose soules are out of taste, and neuer made triall of the sweetnes of the Lord, doe thinke, that plus Aloes quam mel­lis habet, that it hath much bit­ternes, and but little sweetnes: Then, sillie they, thinke nothing in heauen worth the hauing: the reason is, By groueling so much here on earth, they are so farre off, that all there is out of their kenning. The diet of a Christian conuersation, thinketh the or­dinarie and common Christian, is but ordinarie and common fare; why should we affect it? It is too straite, saith the Libertine, wee cannot well endure it: It is too bitter, saith the wanton, wee [Page 5]cannot well digest it: It is too sowre, saith the Epicure, and hath no pleasure in it.

Alas poore soules, how are they all deceiued? and therefore decei­ued, because they neuer tasted it. For did they make a taste hereof, they would then quickly proue it not a bondage, but a freedome; not bitter, but pleasant; not sowre but sweete, Psalm. 19.10. yea sweeter then the honie and the honie combe: Did they once but take a perfect view hereof, with the wisest Salomon, they would subscribe and say, that neither the gold of Ophir, Prouerb. 8.12. nor the mines of India, nor al the plea­sures in the world were in any sort to bee compared to it. Yea they would say with him that heere commendeth this taste vn­to them, Psalm. 84.4, 5. Blessed are they which dwell in Gods house, for they will e­uer praise him: Blessed is the man whose strength is the Lord; One day in Gods house is better then a thou­sand [Page 6]elsewhere:10.It is better to be a doore-keeper in the house of our God, then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse: 11.for the Lord God is the Sunne and shield vnto them, he will giue grace and glorie, and no good thing will hee withhold from them that haue tasted of him. His mercies to them are endlesse, his fauors numberlesse, his comforts infinite; he is glasse to their eies, musicke to their eares, Honie to their mouth, Balme to their smel, contentation to their will, conti­nuation to their happinesse.

When a man hath once taken a full taste of him, No comfort in the world to the comfort of Gods children. Philip. 3.7. Eccles 1.1. Eccles 2.2. Philip. 3.8. all worldlie dainties will seeme but vanities, all worldly gaines will seeme but losses, all worldly pleasures will seeme but toyes, all worldly de­lights will seeme but madnes, all worldly treasures will seeme but dungie trash. 1. Sam. 18.27. The very taste of this is like vnto Ionathans tasting of the honie combe, whereof [Page 7]when he had put but a drop into his mouth, his dimme eyes were clarified to a quicker sight: The taste hereof is like vnto the Poets riuer Lethe, Virgil. Aeneid. lib. 6. whereof whosoeuer had a taste, did soone forget all other delights and pleasures. The taste hereof made Peter to con­fesse that Bonum est esse hîc: Matth. 17.4.It is good abiding here. 2. Cor. 12.3. It made Paul in an ecstasie to forget whether he were in the bodie, or no: The ve­ry taste heereof is enough to ra­uish the soule, and to cause it to say with Iacob, I haue enough, Gen. 45 26. I haue tasted of this, all other plea­sures seeme sowre, to rellish bit­ter, to be out of taste.

O that I had now but Ananias his gift, Act. 9.17. that to giue a glimse of the eye-dazeling lustre of this so glorious light, I could but touch the moleblind Sauls, the earth­worme scoffers of this our age, and make y^e scales fall from their eyes; how cleerely should they [Page 8]see, D. Eedes Sermon of heauenly con­nersation. Philip. 3.20. 2. Cor. 1.12. Galat. 6.15. 1. Tim. 6.6. 1. Cor. 1.9. Reuel. 7. Psalm. 34.8. and seeing taste, and tasting testifie, that there is no estate like to a Christian conuersation, no ioy to the solace of a religious heart, no peace to the peace of consciēce, no glorie to the crosse of Christ, no riches to godlinesse, no wisedome to that of the spi­rit, no pleasures to the soule de­lights, no sweetnes to the sweet­nes of the Lord.

My soule, Greater sweet­nesse in the Lord, then at the first before the fee­ling of it can be imagined. thou must needes confesse, hadst thou been put to thy choice before thou didst feele a taste heereof, thou couldest not haue asked or desired the tenth part thereof; the Lord hath giuen more then I could aske or thinke, more then, had I all the tongues of men and Angels, I were able to expresse, yea more then any heart, but that which feeleth it, can beleeue. So that thou (my soule:) and what doe I speake of mine? euery beleeuing soule can say no lesse: as Shebaes Queene [Page 9]said of Salomons wisedome, 1. King. 6.6, 7, 8, 9. so maist thou say of this sweet taste of heauē: It was a true word which I heard related to me of the most sweet dainties of Gods children, when I was in mine owne cor­ruptions, fedde with draffe, with fancies, and dreames and deceit­full pleasures; howbeit I beleeued not this report, till I came and saw it with mine eyes, and had a fee­ling and a taste thereof: but loe now I see, the one halfe was not told me: for the sweetnes I feele in the taste hereof, doth farre surpasse al that euer mine eares did heare re­ported of it, or mine heart could possibly imagine to be in it.

And whereas in other delicates satietie may breed lothsomnesse, The longer it is enioied, the swee­ter it is proued. and the continuall vse of one sort of meate may glut the stomacke, in this taste of the sweetnes of the Lord, the longer I enioy it, the better I know it; the sweeter I feele it, the more delight I per­ceiue [Page 8] [...] [Page 11] [...] [Page 10]in it, and receiue from it. The longer I taste it, the more I am enamoured on it, & still more and more comfortable I proue it, like to Ezechiels riuer which hee saw issuing from vnder the thre­shold of the temple, Ezech. 47.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. which at the first arose but to the ancles, then to the knees, afterwards to the loines, and at the last became a ri­uer which did ouerflow: Here in this life we can haue but a taste. And yet (my soule) here in this life whiles thou art soiourning in this vale of teares, thou canst haue but a taste; 1. Cor. 13.9.12 [...]. here thou canst only know in part, and feele in part, and taste in part, and see it but darkly as through a glasse: The full fruition thou shalt enioy when thou shalt come to sing Haleluiahs in hea­uen with the quire of heauen vn­to the King of heauen, Reuel. 19.4. at whose right hand are fulnes of ioy for euer­more. Psal. O sweete Lord, if the taste of thee bee so excellent, how su­perexcellent shall that sweetnes [Page 11]be, Psal. 36.5. Augustine. when I shall be satisfied with the fatnes of thine house, and drink out of the riuers of thy pleasures? If the glimmering light of our happi­nesse bee so glorious, how full of glorie shall the full prospect be? If there bee so great solaces for thy children in these daies of teares, what shal there be in their day of mariage? If our iaile con­taine such ioyes, what shall our countrie and kingdome doe?

O my Lord and God thou art a good God, The infinite sweetnes of the Lord. How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee, and done to them that put their trust in thee, Psal. 31.9.euen before the sonnes of men. Psal. 40.5.O Lord my God thy comforts are so many that none can count them, I would declare and speake of them, but they are more then I am able to expresse.

An vnwise man knoweth it not, Wicked mē think it otherwise. Psal. 92.6.and a foole doth not vnder­stand this: An vnregenerate man [Page 12]cannot feele it, and a child of Be­lial, though he had eyes as cleere as Crystal, cannot behold it: Such as make sinne their solace, and reioyce onely in the pleasures of iniquitie, haue thy beloued ones, Lord, Wisd. 5.4. in derision, and count their life madnesse, their conuersation dumpish, their profession grie­uous: Cantic. 5.9. They say vnto vs, What is your welbeloued more then another welbeloued? Vers. 10.what is your welbelo­ued more then another Louer? Will they needes know it; Vers. 11. why, Our welbeloued is white and ruddie, the chiefest of tenne thousand, Vers. 12. Vers. 13.his head is as fine gold, his locks curled and black as a rauen, his eyes are like doues vpon the riuers of waters, Vers. 14.his cheekes are as a bed of spices, and as sweete flowers, his lippes like lilies dropping downe pure myrrhe, Ver. 15.his hands as rings of gold set with the Chrysolite, Vers. 16.his hollie like white Iuo­rie couered with Saphires, his legges as marble set vpon sockets of fine [Page 13]gold, his countenance as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars; his mouth is as sweete things, and he is totus delectabilis, whollie, whollie dele­ctable.

Yea thou our God art delecta­ble all together, Nothing in God but full of sweet­nes. sweete art thou in thy word, sweete in thy pro­mises, sweet in thine inward con­solations, sweete in thy mercies, sweete in thy iudgements. How perfect is the law of the Lord, Psal. 19.7.con­nerring the soule!Vers. 8.The statutes of uerting the soule! The statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart: Vers. 9.The commandement of the Lord is pure, and giueth light vnto the eyes: Vers. 10.The feare of the Lord is cleane, and endureth for euer: The iudgements of the Lord are truth and righteous altogether, and more to be desired thē gold, yea thē much fine gold, sweeter also then the ho­nie and the honie combe.Psal. 109.21.How sweet are the mercies of the Lord! and that my soule knoweth right well, which forgineth all mine iniquities, [Page 14]and healeth all mine infirmities, which redeemed my life from the graue,Psal. 103.3, 4.and crowneth me with mer­cies and compassiōs. And what shal I say of his iudgements? May we not see Sampsons riddle heerein expounded without the helpe of any Sphinx, Iudg. 14.14: Out of the strong com­meth sweetnes, and out of the lion the honie combe? O how sweete are his corrections! as the pre­tious balme of Gilead, as caute­rismes in physick, and not as pu­nishments in hostilitie. O sweet Sauiour, thou hast well said it, and we finde it true, Matth. 11.29. Cant. 9.16. Thy yoke is easie, and thy burthen is light; yea thou art wholly delectable.

O they bee blessed whos God is the Lord Iehoua: The securitie of those vvhich haue tasted the Lord. Psal. 84.5. Isai. 48.21.Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, and in whose heart are thy waies: His soule shall dwell at ease, when the wicked shall bee afraid of their owne shadow, and tremble like an Aspin leafe at euery little blast [Page 15]of winde or thunder-clap: Psal. 91.1. Hee that dwelleth vnder the shadow of the Almightie, Psal. 46.2.3.his soule shall dwell at ease, though the earth be moued, and the waters of the sea rage, and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same, their mindes are void of feare. And why? Verse 4. There is a ri­uer whose streames make glad the citie of God: Psal. 91.4. Hee couereth them vnder his wings, and they are safe vnder his feathers. They know and are assured that all things shall worke together for the best to them, Rom. 8.28. that they are beloued of God, Reuel. 21.27. Isai. 1.18. their names written in heauen, and their (though crimson) sinnes washed in the blood of y^e Lambe, Reuel. 7.14. and that neither height, nor depth, nor death, nor life, nor any thing shall bee able to separate thē from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord. Rom. 8.38. The ful assurance whereof, when they hold in better tenour then they can hold any thing in this life by [Page 16]seale, lease, writing, witnesse, or any other way that law can de­uise; O how it glads their hearts and cheereth vp their vitall spi­rits! What an heauenly comfort is it for them to meditate thus of­ten with themselues, Psal. that they shall see the good pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing, 2. Cor. 5.1.and haue an house not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens!

Stoope downe to this all com­fort of wealth, Wicked men oft desire his com­fort, and would giue a world for it. pleasure, or de­light in the world (in what ac­count or price soeuer they bee with worldly fooles:) there is ne­uer a Balaam (were he well adui­sed) but would giue them all for one quarter of an houres feeling of Gods louing kindnes & sweet countenance toward him. Numb. 23.10. Sillie wretches, albeit they would seem to spend their daies in mirth, and with a light heart to passe away the time, Iob 21.13. yet (God hee knoweth) with wearie sighes and grones [Page 17]that cannot be expressed, many a time their soules thus reason with themselues: O how happie are they whose names are written in the booke of life! O that they might die the death of the righ­teous, and that their latter end might be like his! O what an vn­speakeable treasure is the peace of conscience! yea and what they would giue for a taste thereof? how many thousand worlds, if it were in their power, for a part in Gods kingdome? But these plea­sures are onely for the Bride­gromes friends, Matth. 25.10. these dainties are for the children; such whelpes shall not bee suffered to taste so much as of the crummes that fall from the childrens table. Mark. 7.27.

Behold (saith God) my seruants shall eate, and yee shall be hungrie; Only the godly feele & enioy it.my seruants shall drinke, and ye shal be thirsty; my seruants shall reioyce, Isai. 65.13.14.and ye shall be ashamed; my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart, and ye shall [Page 18]crie for sorrow of heart, and howle for vexation of minde. Iohn 4.32. They haue another meate to eate which the world knoweth not; they haue another drinke to drinke, which others dreame not of, for their meate is of the tree of life, Reuel. 22.1. and the Nectar which they sup out of the sweetnes of their gratious God is as a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life. Iohn 4.14. Gods seruice not grieuous to his. So that they feele that most delightfull, which to the wicked and vngodly is most irkesome; they see and feele the seruice of the Lord to bee the chiefest freedome, Heb. 11.6. because the Lord is a plentifull rewarder of them that seeke him, they finde his yoke not cumbersome but ea­sie, Matth. 12.29. and his burthen not heauie but light, 2. Pet. 1.8. so that they are neither idle nor vnfruitfull in the know­ledge of the Lord, 1. Tim. 5.10. but ready and prepared to euery good worke: when they haue tasted once of the good word of God, Heb. 6.5.and of the [Page 19]powers of the world to come, Iohn 4.34. O then it is meate and drinke to them to do their fathers will, Psalm. 119.110. the precepts of the Lord are the very ioy of their heart, Deut. 12.18. so that they cannot chuse but reioice before the Lord in all that they set their hands vnto.

And albeit by reason of that re­mainder of sinne and rebellion of nature, The godly though much troubled vvith rebellion, yet vvith comfort proceed in the course of godli­nesse. which still sticketh to the ribs euen of Gods dearest chil­dren, the flesh in them is often­times rebellious against the spi­rit; so that the good things which they would doe, oft times they leaue vndone, Rom. 7.18.19. and doe the euill things which they would not do; so that for grief hereof they break foorth into this complaint; O wretched men that we are, Vers. 24.who shall deliuer vs from this bodie of death! yet they shall haue this word of comfort frō their God, 2. Cor. 12.9. my grace is sufficient for you; though they sinne, yet they haue an aduocate [Page 20]with the Father, 1. Ioh. 2.2. Iesus Christ the righteous, Ierem. 8.4. who is the propitiatiō for their sinnes; though they fall, yet they shall rise againe; Luke 22.31.32. though that Satan desire to sift them like wheate, yet they shall not faile; though all the infernall power seeke their ouerthrow, Matth. 16.18. yet the gates of hell shall not preuaile a­gainst them. Sweet helpes for the godly to grow in faith and god­linesse.

What should I here speake of the sweetnesse of those gratious helps which God doth giue vnto his children, to make them grow in faith and godlinesse; his holie word to instruct them, his diuine inspirations to illighten them, his sweete Sacraments to nourish them, his often checks of consci­ence to recall them, his fatherly chastisements to reclaime them, which though they be gall and wormewood to the wicked, yet are sweete and gainfull to those that feare our Lord. What a be­nefit is it by prayer to come vnto [Page 21]our God for whatsoeuer we haue need, that is good for vs, and may obtaine it? How comfortable is it to reade and to reuolue the booke of comfort? Psal. 1 2.3. Psal. 1.9. How heauen­ly a thing is it to be rapt vp as it were into heauen with heauenly meditations, to vse Christian cō ­ference, Psal. 119. part. 2 with our lips alwaies to be declaring the iudgements of the Lord, and to bee speaking of the testimonies of our God, when we sit in our house, or walk in our way, when wee lie downe, Deut. 11.19. and when we rise vp: O what a plea­sure passing pleasure is this, to haue the word of God dwell in vs plenteously in all wisdome, Coloss. 3.16.teach­ing and admonishing our selues mu­tually in Psalmes, hymnes, and spi­rituall songs, singing, and making melodie to the Lord in our hearts? and to enioy the blessed commu­nion of Saints, which none but Saints do vnderstād what it mea­neth, none but the elect cā enioy.

Glorious things are spoken of thee, The priuiledges of the faithfull. Psalm. 87.3.thou citie of God: O how goodly are thy tents O Iacob, and thine habi­tations, O Israel! As the vallies are they stretched forth, as gardens by the riuers side, as the Aloe trees which the Lord hath planted,Numb. 24.5.6.and as the cedars besides the waters. Why, The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him, Gods secrets re­uealed to his children. Psalm. 25.14. and his co­uenant to giue them vnderstan­ding. Seemeth it a small thing vnto you, They are Gods seruants. O ye seruants of the e­uerliuing God, to be admitted to the priuy chamber of the King of heauen, and to be of his counsell? To be the Chancellor, Treasurer, or Secretary to an earthly prince, wee see it a matter of great state and much respected honour: but what is that to this honor (which the very poorest and meanest of Gods seruants are aduanced vn­to) to bee the seruants vnto the King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, thē which title the Angels them­selues [Page 23]haue no greater, Heb. 1.14. and which the greatest part of the migh­tiest Kings and Emperours could neuer attaine vnto? But what doe I speake of seruants? They are Christs friends. Christ him­selfe setteth foorth your estate to be yet more glorious, when hee saith, I haue not called you seruāts,Ioh. 15.15.but friends, to whom I haue com­municated my secrets and minde, vnto which a seruant is not com­monly admitted. Rom. 8.17. And if this bee not yet enough, behold your God hath adopted you to be his sonnes and heires, yea fellowe heires with Christ himselfe, then which, what greater priuiledge, what greater prerogatiue can there be? Heare, I pray you, O ye citizens of heauen; may it possi­bly seeme a small thing to be a people separated vnto God him­selfe from the multitude of men, Exod. 19.5. to be the most pretious of all the earth to him, though all the earth be his? Is it a small thing to be a [Page 24]chosen generation,1. Pet. 2.9.a royall Priest­hood, an holy nation, a peculiar peo­ple? See, and with thankfull harts acknowledge this your priui­ledge, That you are come to the mount Sion, the citie of the liuing God, the celestiall Ierusalem, and to the companie of innumerable An­gels,Heb. 12.22, 23, 24.and to the congregation of the first borne which are writtē in hea­uen, and to God the iudge of all, and to the spirits of iust and perfect mē, and to Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament,Heb. 12.24.and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel. Cheere vp then your drooping spirits, and take heart at this your happinesse, howsoeuer the chil­dren of Belial speake euill of you, and yee are esteemed as the filth of the world, 1. Cor. 4.13. and as the offcou­ring of all things vnto this day: For howsoeuer Ismael scoffe at Isaac; Gen. 21.9. and the children of y^e bond­woman persecute the children of [Page 25]the free woman, Galat. 4.29. Ieremy. Psal i.e. smiting them with their tongue, and shooting out their arrowes against them, euen bitter words, yet, wel I wot, in the midst of their bitter ago­nies, when the worme of consci­ence gnaweth on their soules, in those daies shall tenne men take hold out of all languages of the nations, Zach 8.23.euen take hold of the skirt of him that is a Christian, and say, Wee would goe with you, for wee haue heard that God is with you.

Yea the Lord is with vs in­deed, God is alwaies with his, and hath a speciall care of them. Psal. 46.7. Psal. 34.15. Vers. 18. Vers. 7. Psal. 30.6.7. The God of Iacob is our re­fuge: The eyes of the Lord are vp­on the righteous, and his eares are open to their crie: the Lord is neere vnto them that are of a contrire heart: The Angell of the Lord pitcheth his tents round about them that feare him, and deliuereth thē: He is their shelter from tempests and stormes of troubles; he kee­peth them safe vnder his prote­ction, as the henne doth the chic­kens [Page 26]vnder her wing, Luke 13.34. Deut. 32.10. yea hee keepeth them as the apple of his eye. Psal. 34.10. The lions doe lacke and suffer hunger, but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good: Psal. 23.1. Rom. 8.31. God is their shepheard, what can they want? Hee is on their side, who can bee against them? 1. Sam. 2.30. He honoreth them, whose disgracing of them can hurt thē? In euery estate he saueth and vp­holdeth them by his prouidence, 1. Pet. 5.7. what miserie can befal them? God is their God for euer and euer, Psal. 48.14.euen their guide vnto the death. Psal. 149.9.This ho­nour shall be to all his Saints.

And albeit heere it please the Lord for a while to trie thē with affliction, Affliction taketh away nothing of Gods sweetnes. and to chastize them with his correction, to mingle their wine with Aloes, and to send much bitternes into their cup: Yet, howsoeuer it be, God is good to Israel, Psal. 73.1. Malach. 3.6. 1. Cor. 4.9.euen to those that are pure in heart: Ye sonnes of Ia­cob shall not be cōsumed, though [Page 27]you are in distresse, yet you shall not be forsaken: Psal. 30.5. Heauinesse may endure for a night, but ioy will come in the morning: Hosea 6.2.After two daies he will reuiue vs, and the third day hee will raise vs vp againe. Thy cha­stisements, O Lord, are like the pretious balme of Gilead, Psalme. which will not breake but supple our heads: How many thousands of thy Saints may say, It was good for vs, Psal. 119.71. yea exceeding good that wee were in troubles? Thou, O Lord, Prouerb. 3.11. doest loue those whō thou chastenest: and albeit no chasti­sing for the present seemeth to bee ioyous, but grieuous; yet afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righ­teousnes vnto them which are ther­by exercised. Heb. 12.11. Rom. 8.18. For the afflictions of this world are not worthie of the ioyes that succeed them, Rom. 8.28. Heb. 12.6. and All things (euen afflictiōs themselues) turne to the best to them that feare God, and are signes that they are beloued of God. Behold the pa­tient [Page 28]childe of God whose affli­ctions are the greatest, and marke and behold his end, Psal. 37.37. for the end of that man is peace. And though God for a while doe seeme to hide away his face, so that the godlie soule goeth heauie and mourning all the day long; Psal. 30.11. yet God will turne their mourning into ioy; Psal. 56.8. he will loose their sack­cloth, and gird them with glad­nes; Rom. 8.37. he will put their teares into his bottle, and in all these things in the end they shall bee more then conquerors.

O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles! The boldnes of the faithfull in their prayers. Psal. 84.1. how ful of sweet­nes! Why Lord, wee see here vp­on earth how hard a matter it is to haue accesse to the great men of this world, which differ from our selues not in stuffe, but in vse, and that for a while; and to an earthly Prince but at sometime and for some one pleasure is few mens cases to obtain an entrance, [Page 29]when as we may boldly presse in to the portall of thy priuie cham­ber, and with confidence breake our mindes, lay open our griefe, Mark. 11.24. preferre our suite, and commune familiarly with thee, as with a friend, when wee will, as often as we will, thou neuer being wearie of vs, neuer taking scorne nor re­iecting vs: yea thou doest inuite vs to come vnto thee, and art more neere to heare then wee to aske: and although in our pray­ers there are manifold infirmi­ties, and wee know not how to pray as wee ought, and are soone wearie and cold in praying, yet the spirit helpeth our infirmities, yea the spirit it selfe maketh re­quest for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed. Rom. 8.26. O when was there any that could say he pray­ed in vaine, if his prayer were it selfe not vaine? who can repent, or bethinke any minute of time herein spent? This is the assurance [Page 30]which wee haue of him,1. Ioh. 5.14.that if wee aske any thing according to his will, hee heareth vs. And albeit God doth not presently grant our re­quests, and sometimes seemeth to defer the hearing of the pray­ers of his seruāts; yet is his good­nesse heerein exceeding large to them that feare him. All this tur­neth to the best for them; their faith being exercised, their hung­ring after grace, more heereby strengthened and encreased, thē ­selues stirred vp the better to e­steeme of the graces of God whē they haue thē, and to shew them­selues more thankfull for them.

Whoso is wise will obserue these things, Psal. 107.43.that he may vnderstand the louing kindnes of the Lord: for his mercie is great vnto the heauens, Psal. 108.4.and his trueth reacheth vnto the clouds. Psal. 145.9. & 15.The Lord is good to all, and his mercies are ouer all his workes. The eyes of all wait vpon him, and he giueth them their foode: Hee ma­keth [Page 31]the Sun to shine vpon the euill and the good,Matth. 5.45.and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust. Luke 6.35.He is kind euen to the vnkind; Psal. 87.2. yet the Lord loueth the gates of Sion aboue all the inha­bitants of Iacob. He hath liberal­ly prouided for them aboue all o­ther, both here in this life, and in the life to come: he hath laid vp for them his sweetest sweetes. A taste whereof though they haue here in this world, (and that so glorious as that it is ineffable) yet the full fruition is reserued for them in a better world, whē they shall bee replenished with the sweetnes of his presence, and see him face to face, at whose right hand are fulnesse of pleasures for e­uermore.

If in this life only we had hope in Christ, 1. Cor. 15.19.we were of all men the most miserable (and yet in this life also our sweetnes we feele in God is incomprehensible) but there is reserued for vs a better life, and in [Page 32]that life a richer sweetnes, by ma­ny thousand degrees more then tongue can speake, 2. Cor. 5.1. or heart can thinke. Wee know this that when this earthly house of our tabernacle shall be destroyed, wee haue a buil­ding not made with hands,2. Cor. 5.2.but eter­nall in the heauens: therefore wee sigh, desiring to be clothed with our house from heauen: There we haue in store laid vp for vs an inheri­tance immortall and vndefiled that fadeth not away,1. Pet. 1.4. and 18.19.but is reserued in heauen for vs, bought and purcha­sed not with gold and siluer, but with a farre more excellent price, euen with the pretious blood of Christ Iesus.

Had I the tongue of men and Angels, yet were I not able to ex­presse the least glimmering light or taste of this reserued sweetnes. Paul himselfe rapt vp into the third heauen, 2. Cor. 5. and hauing heard things that were not to bee vtte­red, and seene sights not to bee [Page 33]specified, passeth them ouer with this preterition; The sweetnesse reserued for Gods children in heauen is such, 1. Cor. 2.9. as no eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, neither is the hart of man able to conceiue. O happie and thrice happie they that shall one day feele and see and taste the same. Mine heart re­ioyceth, my soule leapeth, my tongue and penne exult, to think vpon the sweetnesse of it, and to thinke vpon mine owne happi­nesse, who am right well assured that one day I shall enioy the same: O when shall I come to appeare before the Lord in hea­uen? My soule longeth, Psal. 84.2.yea and fainteth for these courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh reioy­ceth in the liuing Lord: for I am sure that my redeemer liueth, and though after my skinne wormes de­stroy this carcase of mine, yet shall I see God in my flesh,Iob 19.25.26.27.whom I my self shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none other for me, though my [Page 34]reines be consumed within mee. O happie time (it ioyes my very hart to thinke of it before it comes) where this poore soule of mine bidding a farewell to my bodie for a while, shall be carried with no meaner attendants on it, then a guard of angels into Abrahams bosome, there to take possession of a kingdome, vpon the receit whereof it shall enter the fee simple of life, which it shall neuer lose: O what a glorious welcom and meeting shall it haue with al the companie of celestiall euer blessed spirits, with Angels, and Archangels, Cherubims and Se­raphims, principalities, powers, thrones and dominations, with Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and all the holy Patriarks, with Isay, Ieremie, Hosea, and all the famous Pro­phets, with Peter, Iames & Iohn. and all the rest of Christs Apo­stles, yea with the whole compa­nie of Martyrs, Innocents, Con­fessors and Saints of God, with [Page 35]them together, to enioy the highest degree of the commu­niō of Saints for euermore! Why, my soule, there is wonderfull sweetnesse laid vp in heauen for thee, the time is comming when thou shalt enter into thy glorie; where is a citie, and the gates of it are pearle, and the streetes of it gold, and the walles of it pre­tious stones, and the Temple in it the Almighty God, and the light of it the Lambe, and the vessels to it the Kings of y^e earth; where is a riuer, & the spring of it is the throne of God, and the water of it Crystall, and the bankes of it set about with the trees of life; where there is a banquet, and the cheere is ioy, the exercise sing­ing, the dittie Halleluiahs, Vers 4. the Quire Angels, where all teares shall be wiped away from thine eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor paine; where there is infinite ioy and mirth without sadnes, health [Page 36]without sicknes, light without darknes, felicitic without abate­ment, all goodnesse without any euill; where youth florisheth that neuer waxeth old, life lasteth that neuer endeth, beautie that neuer fadeth, loue that neuer cooleth, health that neuer diminisheth, ioy that neuer ceaseth; where sorrow is neuer felt, complaint is neuer heard, matter of sadnes is neuer seene, where in the same instant I shall be rauished with seeing; satisfied with enioying, secured for retaining. O sweetest happinesse, how doe I long for to be filled with thee! how doe I hunger and thirst after thee! But euen heere alreadie I haue more then either I could desire or de­serue: I will not leaue my solace in this world for the worldlings heauen, a dramme of Christian comfort is better then a pound of earthly ioy, I had rather enioy a taste of this, then to liue at rack & manger in any other happinesse.

True delight.

IN these desperate dis­eased times, wherein men are so vniuer­sallie drunken with their owne conceits, to see how fondly conceited the selfe plea­sing humors of Adams children are, I know not whether with Democritus I might laugh; or with Heraclitus I should rather weepe. One maketh his heauen [Page 42]of the drosse and rubbish of the earth, The diuers vaine delights of the most part. his muckie wealth, and so becommeth a slaue vnto his slaue. Another maketh his bellie his god, Philip. 3.19. reposing his chiefest felici­tie in pampering of his guts. An other toadlike swelleth with am­bition, seeking after vainglorious honour, as children after feathers flying in the aire, tossed about hi­ther and thither with the blast of manie mouthes. Another like Narcissus becomes inamoured on Natures dowrie his beautie, Ouid Metam. or Natures shame his cloathes. An other seateth his chiefest plea­sure in a Dog, another in a Kite, another in a Horse, another in a smoake euaporating weede: The better sort (at least wise to mans eyes the more ingenious) either like Pharao glorie in their wit, Exod. 1.10. 2. Sam. 16.23. Act. 24.1.2.3. or like Achitophel in their policie, or like Tertullus in their eloquence, or like Babels Monarch, Dan. 4.27. proud Nebuchadnezzar, in their buil­ding, [Page 43]or like Zenacherib in their greatnes, 1. King. 18. 1. Sam. 17.5. 1. King. 12.8. or like Goliah in their strēgth, or like Rehoboam in their birth, Iohn 7.48. or like the Pharisies in their knowledge, Iosh. 9.3. or like the Gibeo­nites in their cunning, or else in some accidentall gifts (as we call them) of Nature, wit or fortune. Arist. Ethic. lib. 2

All these with a thousand more men pleasing pleasures and de­lights, A censure vpon the former de­lights. (which worldlings value at so high a rate) were they tenne thousand thousand times better then they are, I see no reason why I should count them any better, thē apparant losses, bitter sweets, gliding shadowes, gaudie toyes, yea but chips, dr [...]ffe, and dung, in comparison of those inestimable treasures and delights which are to be had in Christ Iesus. For be­sides that, if wee would compare them together, they are past cō ­parison, Psal. 103.11. and as high as the hea­uen is aboue the earth, so & much more excellent is Christ Iesus vn­to [Page 44]the soule, then any earthly so­lace can be in the world: what reason is there, if we had no hope at all of heauen, or expectation of greater happinesse in another world, why wee should set our hearts or fixe our affections vp­on any thing here in this world? what gaine can I make? what contentment is it possible that I shuld find in any of these things, whose goodnesse is but in shew, Isai. 40.6. whose pleasure is but in opinion, whose glorie is but as a flower of the field, with which the minde is neuer satisfied, the affection neuer quieted, the appetite neuer contented? but if we had the ex­perience of them all together, we should prooue his testimonie of them all to be most true, who had experience in them more then a­ny, Eccles. 1.2. They are vanities of vanities, vanitie of vanities, nothing else but vanitie.

I cannot chuse but wonder at [Page 45]the Anakims of our age, Nobilitie. that car­rie their heads aloft, and speake with a presumptuous mouth, Numb. 13.29. Psal. 78.5. be­cause they stand vpō their blood, and bragge of their Nobilitie; when as I see that Nobilitie it selfe (bee it neuer so pretious a pearle in the worlds eye) is but a name without a nature, a shadow without a substance; make the best of it, it is but the daughter of rottennesse, Iob 17.14. and the sister of wormes: the glorie of it is but a nominall credit begged frō dead men, a trifling title raked from their graues, who are long since dissolued into dust and ashes. Gen. 3. No blood so noble but is attainted with Adams shame, and when the pedigree is fet as farre as pos­sibly it may bee, Luke 16. poore Lazarus may shake hands with rich Di­ues, and call him cosin.

Me thinks it is but madnes and a fretting phrensie which I see in many, whose onely marke they [Page 46]aime at is their honour; Hanor. when as Honour what art thou, but a bubble quickly vp, & on a suddē down? a very blazing starre drea­ding the minde with presaging ruine. O yee ambitious aspiring spirits, what cā you see in Honor that you should affect it? when it most frowneth vpō her seruants, and casteth downe those whom it lifteth vp? The greatest honors are exposed to the most dange­rous aduentures & enuying cen­sures: Dignities doe but digge thorow the heart with cares; Of­fices are but seruices, Psal. 49. and man be­ing in the greatest honor may be compared to the beasts that perish; yea you Demigods shall turne to dust as well as other. Psal. 82.6.7

And as for Beautie, Beautie is but losse. fooles they are, in my conceit, which please themselues with it, when they see it in themselues; or endanger their soules for it, when they be­hold it in others: For, vaine is [Page 47]beautie,Prouerb. 31.and deceiueable is the fa­uour of the countenance. The fai­rest face in the world rase it ouer but with a little scratch, and the grace thereof is gone; let an A­gue visit it, the flower thereof is decaied; let the soule depart from it but halfe an houre, and this louely face is pale, grimme and gastly to looke vpon. O ye glit­tering Ladies and dainty Dames, whose glorie is your beautie, and whose labor is your vanitic; that face of yours, vpon which the winde may not blow, nor the Sun shine, nor the ayre breathe; those vermillion cheeks so strea­ked either with natures sanguine blush, or else bedaubed with counterfeit colours, borrowed frō a dissembling art: That bodie so trimly adorned with rich ap­parell & costly ornaments, what are they but the food of vermine and y^e crawling place of wormes, the inheritrix of rottennesse and [Page 48]subiect of putrifaction? The time is comming, yea the time com­meth on apace when the keepers of the house shall tremble, Eccles. 12.3.4.5and the strong men shall bow themselues, and the grinders cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out at the windowes, and dust re­turne to dust againe.

What madnesse then is it to glorie in our carcase, Apparell. or to take pride in our bodies vestments? as if a malefactor should be proud of his halter, or a begger bragge of his rags, the very ensignes of his base estate. The apparell that we weare, wee are beholding to the dumb and vnreasonable crea­tures for it; worse then beasts we, if wee take pride in that which beasts haue worne before vs. For our Wollen we are beholding to the sillie Sheepe; for our Linnen, to a Weede; for our Silkes, vnto the very excrements of Wormes; our Gold is but the dregs of the [Page 49]earth, our pretious pearles wee borrow from the fishes: and bee our cloathing neuer so costly, Matth. 6.29. yet none, no not Salomon himselfe in all his royaltie, is cloathed like the lilies of the field.

There is an euill sicknes vnder the Sun, Riches. and it is much amongst men; to compasse sea and land for hoarding vp of wealth; Eccles. 6.1. and it is reckoned now adaies the only gaine to fill their coffers with mony treasure, the only paradise to looke vpon these falsely tear­med goods: Sueton. in vita Calig. cap. 42. I see no such solace in it. Me thinkes Caligula was but a foole when he so delighted to touch and handle mony, that lay­ing great heapes of gold in a spa­tious place, hee might tread on it bare foote, and tumble it vp and downe: and I pitie their ri­diculous practise and toiling life, who thirst so greedily, and scrape together so eagerly, & lock vp so carefully these so truly called vn­certaine [Page 50]riches. 1. Tim. 6.17. O you mony ma­sters and wealth admirers, your riches are not as the water of life alwaies flowing, but as y^e brooks of Arabia, which are then most drie when one should most need them for water! They be like vn­to the Spider webs, which when they waxe great, are swept away with a besome, either they perish from you, or you from thē. Why then doe you cast your eyes vpon that which is nothing? for riches betaketh her selfe to her wings like an Eagle: Prou. 23.5. Psal. 49.17.The rich man shall take nothing away with him when hee di­eth,Iob 27.19.neither shall his pompe follow him: The rich man sleeps, and when he openeth his eyes there is nothing: whiles worldly misers dreame of multiplying their wealth, Luke 12.20. poore fooles, death comes and makes a diuorce between them and their goods, Eccles. 4.15. and they must returne na­ked as they came, and what profit then hath the rich man that he hath [Page 51]laboured for the winde? And yet wee see there is no end of the de­sire of this, as riches are vncer­taine, so likewise are they insa­tiable. There is one alone, Eccles. 4.8.& there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there no end of all his trauell, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches, neither doth he thinke, for whom doe I tra­uell, and defraud my soule of plea­sure? This also is vanitie; a man may sweare it is but vanitie: mad Orestes might well iudge such a miserable man much more mad, that standeth thus like Tantalus in the stygean lake, Horat. sat. 1. lib. 1 and like the drudging Indians which toile in the golden mines, but enioy none of the Ore.

By how much the more may wee still admire the follie or the phrensie rather of those, Purchasings and possessions. whose soule, as if it were made of earth, Isai. 5.8. is euer plotting to ioyne house to house & land to land? and though [Page 52]their inheritance stretch to the plaine of Iordan, Numb. 1.14. yet are alwaies with vnquiet mindes stirring and striuing to inlarge their demains: Doubtlesse it is but lost labour that they rise vp early and so late take rest, Psal. 127.2. whiles Gods beloued take their quiet sleepe: for in the middest of all their wealth, their soules shall be taken from them, Luke 12.20.and then whose shall these things bee? yea though like another Alexan­der a man could stretch his De­maines from the East vnto the West, and from the North vnto the South, yet within short space a seuen foote of ground, or there­abouts, will be the most that hee can claime to be his owne.

Yet they thinke their houses shall endure for euer, Buildings. Psal. 49.11.euen from genera­tion to generation, and call their lands by their names: 2. Sam. 18.18. therefore like to Absalom they build Pyra­mides to keepe their name in re­membrance, and glorie not a [Page 53]little in their costly buildings, as if they should remaine for euer; This also is meere vanitie and vexation of spirit. Eccles. 2.26. For what are all the sumptuous buildings in the world but heapes of stones peeced & patched together with lime and morter, which like to swallowes nests in winter do fall downe of themselues, Chrysost. in epist. ad Coloss. and which all consuming time at last dissol­ueth, Luke 19.44. leauing not so much as one stone vpon another?

I come now to y^e garden of A­donis, variety of pleasures, Pleasure. which the world maketh her garden of Eden: the flowers which therein grow are the vaine plants of plea­sure and delight; which albeit they make a glorious shew to the eyes, yet is their roote bitternes, their glosse vanitie, and their fruite poison. Beautifull obiects which delight the eyes, sweete sounds that please the eares, fra­grant smels that affect the nose, [Page 54]any other accidents that please the other senses, what they are, when they are euen at the best, let him, Eccles. 2.3. I sought, &c. let him that drew the threed of delight, and stretched the webbe of pleasures on the largest tenter of varietie, come foorth and speake.

I said in mine heart, Salomons pro­batum est. Eccles. 2.1. (saith hee the wisest Sceptick) Goe to now I will prooue thee with ioy, there­fore take thou pleasure in pleasant things. But what followed? I said of laughter, Ioy & laughter. Verse 2.thou art mad, and of ioy, what is it that thou doest? laugh­ter is mingled with sorrow,Prou. 14.and mourning ensueth at the end of mirth. Vers. 4. Houses. Ʋineyarde. Gardens. Orchards. Vers. 5. Cesternes. Vers. 6. Seruants. Children. Demaines. Well, he goeth on: I haue made my great workes, I haue built me houses, I haue planted me vine­yards, I haue made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them trees of all fruite, I haue made me ce­sternes of water, to water there­with the woods that grow with trees, I haue gotten seruants and [Page 55]maids,Vers 7. Flocks. Cattell.and had children borne in the house also I had great possessions of Beoues and Sheepe aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem, Vers. 8. Siluer. Gold. Treasure. Musicke.I haue gathered vnto mee also siluer and gold, and the chief treasure of kings and prouinces, I haue prouided mee mensingers and womensingers; and the delights of the sonnes of men: whatsoeuer mine eies desired I with­held it not from them,Vers. 10.I withdrew not mine heart from any ioy. Then I looked on all the workes that mine hands had wrought, and on the tra­uell that I laboured to doe,Vers. 11.and be­hold all is vanitie and vexation of spirit.

If thou Salomon out of thy so deare bought experience doest giue no better commendation of this world and these world­ly treasures; surely, I see no cause why I should affect them, or any of them, for my selfe, nor enuie them in others. No, no, I rather pitie them, that dote so much on [Page 56]these, Heb. 11. and to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season, take more paines, alas, then I can doe for true delight. Well, well, I see that all things here are full of vanitie, man cannot vtter it, Eccles. 1.8. the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare fil­led with hearing. A figge then for the world, I haue done with it, I see nothing worthie my loue a­bout it, I will thinke of them as they bee, and neuer set my affe­ction to them as the center of my hope.

Now am I in the prime of my youth, Youth. neither haue mine eyes as yet seene (by two degrees) three decades of yeeres: shall I reioyce in this my youth, Eccles. 11.9. because I am but yet in my youth, in the flower and spring time of mine age? No, no, 10.I know that Childhood and youth are altogether vanitie; I count this al but losse, seeing that this age is prone to fill my bones with sinne, Iob 20.11. and to carrie the fire [Page 57]and fuell of iniquitie in my bo­some: and therefore with Dauid much more iustly may I pray, Psal. 25.7. Re­member not the sinnes of my youth, nor my rebellions:Ierem. 31.19.for I am asha­med and confounded because I doe beare the reproch of my youth. The strength, Strength and agilitie. nimblenes and agilitie of youth (which some doe glorie in) I count likewise but as losse: for the strong man may not glo­rie in his strength, Ierem. 9.23. Iudg. 16. and Sampsons strength pulled downe the house on his owne head; and let a man bee neuer so strong, yet the time will soone approch, Eccles. 12.3. when the kee­pers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men bow themselues: The Lord alone is my strength, Psal. 27. Ephel. 6. and my desire is that I may bee strong in him, and in the power of his might. Of all the tempo­rall benefits in this life bestowed on vs, Health. Menander. [...]. there is none more excel­lent then Health; and this by the gratious goodnesse of my good [Page 58]God toward me I doe enioy, as much, I thinke, as any; yet can I not reioyce in this, I count it but a losse: for well I know, that whē thou, Lord, doest begin to cha­stise man, Psal. 39.11. then health and all con­sume away like a moath fretting a garment. The Moone is not more variable in his changing, nor the sea in her ebbing, then man in the change of his estate. Long life I neuer looke for, Long life. Gen. 47.9. Few and euill haue hitherto bin the daies of my pilgrimage; and were I sure of long life, I should be so much the more sorrie for it: for what is length of life, but as to a sick and pained mā a long winters night? the longer I liue the more I en­crease the score of my sinnes. I know that whiles I am heere at home in the body, 2. Cor. 5.6. Philip. 1.23. I am absent from the Lord; I desire therefore to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. Prosperitie, Prosperitie. if it shine vpon me as well as others, I see no cause why [Page 59]I should much esteeme it: Matth. 5.45. for the iust God maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good, and sen­deth raine on the iust and the vn­iust. Gen. 27.39. And wee see that Esau hath the fatnes of the earth for his dwelling place, watered with the dew of heauen as well as Iacob. As for friēdship, Friends. I could cōmend it, if I could know where to finde a faithfull friend: Ierem. 9.4. But let euery one take heed of his neighbour, and not trust in any brother: for euery brother will vse deceit, and euerie friend will deale deceitfully. How many be there who (as Augustine ingeniously doth of himself con­fesse) may complaine of friend­ship, O nimis inimica amicitia, August. Confes. lib. 2. how dangerous a thing it is that they haue bin linkt in friendship? Single life I finde vncomfortable, Single life. Mariage. Children. Psal. 127.3. and mariage full of trouble. Chil­dren indeed are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward, and by experience I [Page 60]finde it an extraordinarie fauour to haue them like oliue branches about our table; Psal. 128.3. yet the gaine of this I see it is but losse: for how can I tell whether my Beniamin will prooue Benonie, Gen. 35.18. Ruth. 1.20. or my Nao­mi will be Mara vnto me? If they proue towardly Impes, yet is the future hope of them doubtfull, the comfort variable, the conti­nuall care most certaine and in­fallible. Surely then all the world is vanitie; lay all the pleasures of it in the ballance, and they shall be found lighter then vanitie it selfe. Psal. 62.9. And what ioy can I haue in any of these things, whiles I walk here in this vale of teares?

Learning I reuerence, Learning. 1. Cor. 8.1. but not adore: for knowledge puffeth vp, making men to swell like a win­die bladder: Eccles. 1.18. He that encreaseth knowledge, encreaseth sorrow: and wel I know, that vnlesse it be san­ctified, it is like Vriahs letter a­gainst himselfe, and be a man ne­uer [Page 61]so well skild in all Arts and Sciences, yet must he needes con­fesse (as one of the learnedest in that kinde doth) Hoc vnum scio, Socrates.me nihil scire: Onely this I know, that I know nothing. Wit I like, Wit and policie. but not extoll; policie I commēd, but cannot deifie. For if we take the waight of mans wit in ciuill things, Dan. 5. it will be found like Bal­thasar too light: but lay his na­turall vnderstanding vpon the ballance with spirituall things, and it shall be found lighter then vanitie it selfe. Psal. 26. Doth not wit ma­ny times beguile it selfe, and po­licies proue snares to intrap thē ­selues withall? There is one a­boue that catcheth the wise in their own craftines, Iob 5.13. 1. Cor. 3.19. and the Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wisest are but vaine. Psal. 94.11. I see some reioyce in their memorie, Memorie. me thinks it proueth but a faith­les seruant, retaining those things which she should reiect, and re­iecting [Page 62]those things which shee should retaine; like the sieue that holdeth fast the course bran, but lets the fine flower fall away. They are without iudgement, Iudgement. in my conceit, y^e boast so much of their owne iudgement, when hu­mane knowledge is but opinion, and the iudgement of the most expert prooues many times but a vaine Idaea of idle speculations.

If I should reckon vp all this worlds vanities, which notwith­standing by worldlings are hun­ted after as the onely treasures, I should take in hand an endlesse taske, seeing of the same there is no end: O wretched world, what art thou, but an arke of trauell, a schoole of vanities, a seate of de­ceit, a labyrinth of errors? what is here in the world that should de­serue mine heart to be set vpon it? If the Diuell should carrie me to the toppe of a mountaine, Matth. 4.8. and shew me all the kingdoms of the [Page 63]earth, and all the glorie of them, if hee should offer, or could per­forme the proffer of them all vn­to me; what could from thence bee presented to mine eyes, but false delights, true asperitie, cer­taine sorrow, vncertain pleasures, trauelsome labour, fearfull rest? Shall my soule stoope then to so vile a subiect as the world? shall I be staied from the noble seruice of my God, for the loue of any earthly vanities? No, no, all these I will trample vnder feete, and reckon of them no better then they are. And now my soule mount vp aloft vnto the place where all thy treasure lieth: I will lift vp mine eyes to the hils from whence commeth all my help: Psal. 120. Luke 17.37. Eagle like will I soare aloft where my soules food is, and fixe my thoughts on none but Christ; he is the center from whence all my cogitations are drawne, and the circle to which they tend; let [Page 64]the Marthaes of this world com­ber thēselues about many things, ful well I know there is but vnum necessarium; Luke 10.41.42one necessarie thing: God graunt mee with Mary to chuse the better part. As for other pleasures, I count them but bitter sweetes, in regard of the ioyes of heauen, where is fulnes of plea­sures for euermore. As for other riches, Ephes. 1.18. I count them all trash, in respect of the glorious riches of the inheritance of Saints: all o­ther honour I esteeme as base, in respect of my glorious calling in Christ Iesus: all other nobilitie I count obscure, in respect of new birth and regeneration by the holy Ghost: Iohn 44. all other beautie I esteeme but foule, Psal. 84. in respect of the beautie of Bethel, which is made by Christ Iesus without spot or wrinkle: all other buil­dings I deeme as ruines, in re­spect of that building which is not made with hands, 2. Cor. 5.1. but eternal [Page 65]in the heauens: Matth. 10.37. Father and mo­ther, sister and brother, sonne and daughter must needes giue place to the loue of Iesus, or else I were not worthie of him my Sauiour. Let others reioyce in their wit and policie, my reioycing shall be the testimonie of a good con­science, that in simplicitie and godly purenes, and not in fleshlie wisedome, but by the grace of God I haue had my conuersation in the world: 2. Cor. 1.12. Let others be puft vp with knowledge of humane Arts and Sciences, yet I esteeme no knowledge to the knowledge of Christ Iesus and him crucified, 2. Cor. 2.2. by which knowledge I may be able to comprehend with all Saints, Ephes. 3.18.19.what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the loue of Christ which passeth know­ledge. Stoope downe all earthly happines to this, in regard wher­of all other gaines are but losses, all other priuiledges are but tri­fles; [Page 66] yea doubtlesse I think all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord, Philip. 3.8.for whō I haue counted all things losse, and doe iudge them to be dung, that I may winne Christ, and might be found in him.

O sweete Iesu, how great and innumerable be the gaines which I finde in thee! Psal. 42.1. As the Hart brai­eth for the riuers of water, so pan­teth my soule after thee, O Christ, my Lord, my God, my Sauiour and my Redeemer. Psalme. Whō haue I in heauen but thee, and who is there on earth that I desire in comparison of thee?Cantic. 1.2.Thy name is as an ointment powred out, Isai. 9.6.therefore the virgins loue thee. Thy name is Wonderfull, Counsellor, the mightie God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of Peace: Reuel. 1.5.8. Thou art that faithfull wit­nesse, that Prince of the Kings of the earth, that Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, which hast the key of Dauid, Reuel. 2.7.and openest and no [Page 67]man shutteth,Reuel. 1.18.and shuttest and no man openeth, yea the very keyes of hell and of death: Heb. 13.8.Iesus Christ ye­sterday and to day, the same for euer.

O thou whom my soule loueth, Christ the true gaine. Philip. 1.21.my only gaine Christ Iesus, thou art to mee both in life and death aduan­tage. In life; for thus I liue, and yet not I, but Christ liueth in mee: In this life.and in that I now liue in the flesh, I liue by faith in the sonne of God, Galat. 2.20,who hath loued me, and giuen him­selfe for me. So that here what ex­pert Arithmetician can reckon vp my gaines euen in this life re­ceiued by him? Remission of sins. Ephes. 1.7. By him I haue re­demption through his blood, euen the forgiuenes of my sinnes, accor­ding to his rich grace.Imputation of his obedience for our iustification.He is made vnto vs of God wisedome, righte­ousnesse, sanctification and redemp­tion; and his full, perfect and alsuf­ficient obedience is made a gaine to me, sillie, simple, vile, and sinful creature by imputation. By him [Page 68] we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace, Accesse to God. Rom. 5.2.wherein we stand, and re­ioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God: Adoption. Rom. 8.15. By him I am adopted to be the childe of God, yea heire of happinesse and eternall blisse: By him I doe recouer backe againe that right and title to his crea­tures, Right vnto the creatures. Ephes. 2.15. which was lost by Adam: By him the curses of this life are turned into blessings; Afflictions good. Rom. 8.26. for all things worke together for the best to them that are in him. And what shall I say more? All that we haue wee haue in him, who is made all in all vnto vs; hee hath taken our pawne, and left vs his seale; he hath taken vpon himself our sinnes, Ephes. 2.16. Reuel. 1.6. and inuested vs with his merits; he hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God, and euen in this life hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of his spirit, Matth. 28. with a full as­surance that hee will neuer faile vs.

But if in this life only wee had [Page 69]hope in Christ, Christ is ourgain in death. 1. Cor. 15.19. we were of al men the most miserable. Blessed be he the author of our blessednesse, who as he is our gaine in life, so is he also our gaine in death, in as much as he hath taken away the sting of death, and hath changed the condition of it, by making it of the gate of hell, the priuie por­tall of eternall life. O death, 1. Cor. 15.55.56.57.where is thy sting! O graue, where is thy victorie? the sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the law: but thankes be vnto God that hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea after death in him doth rest our chiefest gaine: for then shall we finde the vertue of his resurrection, in raising vp our dusty bodies into flesh again, which neuer shall corrupt; who shall change our vile bodie, Philip. 3.21.that it may be fashioned like vnto his glo­rious bodie, according to the migh­tie working, whereby hee is able to subdue all things to himselfe. And [Page 70]euen then when all other gaines shall proue mens losses, he to his will proue the onely gaine: For what shall it profit a man to win the whole world, Matth. 16.26.and lose his own soule? or what shall hee lose that forsa­keth all the world to win Christ?

This is the treasurie of infinite value; Iam. 1.17. this is the fountaine from whence al goodnes floweth; this is the hand that stretcheth foorth all what we want vnto vs. Do we desire riches? Ephes. 1.18. in him are all the treasures, and his inheritance is glorious. Do we desire pleasures? At his right hand is fulnes of pleasures for euermore. Psalme. Do we de­sire honor? Behold what honor hee doth shew vnto vs, that we should be called the sonnes of God. 1. Ioh. 3.1. Ioh. 1.16. Doe wee desire grace? Of his fulnes we re­ceiue grace for grace. Do we desire peace? Isai. 9.6. he is the Prince of Peace, and bringeth that peace of con­science which passeth all vnder­standing. Doe wee desire know­ledge? [Page 71] In him all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid. Coloss. 2.3. He is an eye vnto the blind, a leg vnto the lame, a hand vnto the weake, a gaine vnto the loser, he is, and so wee ought to take him, all in all vnto vs.

A figge then for the imaginary treasurie of the Popish Church, Against the Pa­pists merit gaine. wherein as in a chest, they say, are laid vp, not only the ouerplus of the merits of Christ, but also of Martyrs and Saints to be dis­pensed in pardons at their vnho­ly fathers pleasure. Is not Christ alone our full and perfect gaine? Is there not in him an alsufficient treasurie for his Church? And are they not in him compleat? All o­ther gaine is but matter for the dunghil: None for me but Christ. The woman in the Gospell that had the bloodie issue desired to touch the hemme of his garmēt: Matth. 9.21. I will presse in further not onely to touch him, but by a true faith [Page 72]as it were with both hands to lay hold and hang on him. Thomas desired for his contentation, but to put his finger into his side; Iohn 20.25. I will set before mine eyes Christ crucified, and diue both bodie and soule into his blood: Shew me, Cantic. 1.6.O thou whom my soule loueth, where thou feedest, where thou liest at noone; Cantic. 2.4.I will seeke him and take hold on him, and leaue him not vn­till I haue gotten him: I care not to lose all the world, to winne him, I esteeme not the finding of any other thing, so I may be found in him.

There was a time when I was lost, To be found in Christ. he was the good shepheard which found mee the wandring sheepe; there was a time when I was dead, yea dead in trespasses and sinnes, hee quickned mee to newnes of life; there was a time when I was a stranger, an alient from the common wealth of Is­rael: Ephes. 2.12. he hath made me free of the [Page 73]celestiall incorporation, my desire onely is to bee found in him, that I may bee a member of that body wherof he is head, 1. Cor. 6.15. Iohn 15.1. Iohn 6.56. a branch of him the heauenly vine, that I may be in him and he in me, that by him I might be reconciled to God, Ephes. 2.14.15. and accepted to his fauour eternally: Not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law, Philip. 3.9.10.but that which is through the faith of Christ, euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith, that I may know him, and grow more and more in holy experience of the endlesse loue of God, and vn­speakable fellowship with Christ my Sauiour; The vertue of his resurrection. 1. Cor. 15.7. Rom. 8.34. Rom. 4.25. that I may finde and feele in mee the vertue of his re­surrection, whereby as I feele the full and perfect satisfaction of my sinnes by him that died for my sinnes, and rose againe for my iu­stification, Coloss. 3.1. so likewise I may feele that spirituall viuification, wher­by I may bee raised vp from the Ephes. 5.14. [Page 74]death of sin vnto newnes of life. That I may also know the fellow­ship of his afflictions, The fellowship of his afflictions. and may learne to denie my selfe, and to take vp my crosse daily; Luke 9 23. and may bee made conformable vnto his death, Conformable to his death. that as he died, so I may die to sinne, and may feele within me the mortification of my flesh, Rom. 6.3. Ephes. 5.3. Galat 5.34. Attaining to the resurrection of the dead. by crucifying the affections and the lust thereof, If by any meanes I might attaine to the resurrection of the dead, that my sleepie soule might awake from sin, and stand vp from the dead, and might cast off concerning the conuersation in times past the old man which is cor­rupt through the deceiueable lusts, Ephes. 5.14. Ephes. 4.22.23.24. and might be renued in the spirit of my minde, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnes and true holinesse.

But ah alas, Philip. 3.12. I feele how rebel­lious my fraile nature is, how short I come of this marke to which all mine endeuours ought [Page 75]to aime; vile wretch that I am, Rom. 7.14. I am carnall, sold vnder sinne, and sodden in iniquitie: For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, Rom. 7.18.dwel­leth no good thing: to will is present with mee, but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good: for I do not the good thing which I would,Rom. 7.19.but the euill which I would not that doe I. O wretched man that I am, Verse 24.who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sin? What way, what meanes shall I take to find my Christ and to bee found in him? This one thing will I doe, Philip. 3.13.14. I will forget that which is behinde, and endeuour my selfe to that which is before, and follow hard towards the marke, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus: I will cast away e­uerie thing that presseth downe,Heb. 12.1.and the sinne that hangeth on so fast, and runne with patience the race that is set before vs. I will sing all worldly care away, and set my af­fections only in heauen.

Farewell my former vaine and transitorie delights; all my de­light now shall be vpon y^e Saints, Psalme. and such as excell in vertue: Fare­well all other hope of gaine and thirsting after earthly pelfe; God­linesse I reckon still to bee my greatest gaine, 1. Tim. 6.6. which hath the promises of this life and of the life to come: 1. Tim. 4.8. Farewell desire of preferment and aduancement in this world; for I esteeme the re­buke of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Aegypt: Heb. 11.26. Fare­well all ouerweening loue of Pa­rents, Matth 23.9. wife, or childe, for there is one my father which is in hea­uen, into whose hands I was cast euen from my mothers wombe: Psal. 22.11. Cant. 6.2. I am my welbeloueds, & my welbelo­ued is mine; 1. Sam. 1.8. mine Elkanah is bet­ter vnto me then many sonnes: Farewel affected knowledge and learnings lore; 1. Cor. 2.2. for I esteeme not to know any thing, saue Iesus Christ and him crucified: Farewell hu­manists [Page 77]and artists studies; my studie shall be in the Librarie of the holie Ghost, Psal. 1.1. and therein will I meditate day and night: Fare well Philosophie and diuing in­to Naturall causes; I will erect my thoughts vnto him that is the primum mobile, Gen. 1.1. the cause of cau­ses: Farewell the knowledge of the Law and quirkes of earthly statutes, the gleaning of Theolo­gie is better then the whole vin­tage of Iustinians facultie: Fare­well Physicke the lengthner of mens liues; Luke 5.31. Iohn 15.5. my Physitian is the same that is my life: Farewell Geometrie and measuring of the earth; Philip. 3.20. I will now measure the celestiall Globe of heauen in my thoughts: Farewell Astronomie, acquaintance with the Starres, soare vp I will aboue the starrie skie, Reuel. 1.16. to know him that in his right hand holdeth the seuen starres: Farewell Arithmetique the Art of Numbring, Lord teach [Page 78]me to number my daies,Psal. 90.12.that I may applie mine heart to wisedome: Musicke farewell; my musicke shall be hencefoorth Halleluiahs to the King of Heauen: Reuel. 19.4. Fare­well this world for a mo­ment, and welcome Christ Iesus for euer.

THE WORLDS Wonders.

PAul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, disputing with the Athenians, the most wise & learned amongst the Gentiles, Act 17.22.23.24.27. when hee saw their blind deuotions in ignorantly gi­uing worship vnto God vnknowne (as by y^e inscriptiō on one of their Altars he did perceiue) wondred much at this their ignorance, [...]. that this great God should be to thē vnknowne, seeing that by groping after him they could not chuse but finde him in the very workes of wonder which hee had done. [Page 84]For albeit the heauen is his throne, Isai. 66.1. 1. King. 6.1.and the earth his footstoole, neither dwelleth hee in Temples made with hands, Act. 7.48. Deut. 4.15, 16. and no man hath seene any similitude or likenes of him at any time, Act. 14.17.yet hath hee not left himselfe without sufficient witnes, not onely in his word, but also in his works; yea, The inuisible things of him, that is, Rom. 1.20.his eternall power and God­head are seene by the creation of the world, being cōsidered in his works, that men might be without excuse. Which when I think vpon, I can­not chuse but wonder at y^e Buz­zardlike Atheists soule-blinded monsters of our age, Against A­theists. who in their hearts do say, Psal. 14.1.There is no God, and whose vnderstanding is so darke and dimme, that they cannot di­scerne themselues, nor see a God, that is the fountaine of all Na­tures, in so cleere a glasse as the mirrour of his creatures. They see an Heauen abundant in varietie of influences ouer them, an Earth [Page 85]so plentifull in al sorts of commo­dities vnder them, a Sea so full of wonders by thē, they see a world which is a building infinitly ad­mirable, for the firmenes, capaci­tie, vse, order, and motion of it, and in themselues may see them­selues a little world, or abridge­ment of the greater world; and yet cannot surmise a God that was the compactor of this Hea­uen, and the endower of this Earth, and the controller of the Sea, the worlds both the greater and the lessers Creator. Isay. 1.2. O ye hea­uens be astonied at this, you bruit and senselesse creatures conuince these reasonable creatures vnrea­sonable and void of sense. Isay. 6.9. Rom. 11.8. They are possessed with the spirit of slumber, and wilfully they winke with their eyes, like the Idols of the Heathen, Psal. 133.15.16.17. Eyes haue they but see not, eares but heare not, hearts but cannot vnderstand. As for my part, I can no where fixe mine [Page 86]eyes, but that I doe behold a liue­ly Idoea of the incomprehensible Deitie; the whole world being a booke or large volume, Du Bartus in oper. sex dierum. and eue­ry kinde of the so many kinds of creatures being a leafe or page, wherein in grand characters and great capitall letters are engra­uen the wonders of our God most wonderful, so that he which runneth by cannot chuse but reade it.

For first, The Heauens wonders. when I look vp to the heauens, and fixe mine eyes on those superiour Orbes, me think­eth these very heauens abundant­ly declare the glorie of God, Psal. 8.3. Psal. 19.1.and the firmament sheweth his handy work: whose huge proportion when I behold like molten glasse, Iob 37.18. and meditate vpon the varietie of in­fluences in the same, managed by so admirable a consort of diuers motions which thwart, and yet disturbe not one another, then saith my soule within it selfe; O [Page 87]Lord my God,Psal. 104.1.2.thou art exceeding great, thou art clothed with glorie and honor, Psal. 104.1.2.which couerest thy selfe with light as with a garment, and spreadest out the heauens like a cur­taine. O how beautifull, Caelum beatorū. how glorious, how admirable must the heauen of heauens be, seeing there is so glorious a lustre in this lower heauen that is so obuious to our eyes!

Here he, The Sunne. 1. Iohn 1. Gen. 1.16. who is all light him­self, hath placed his two glorious lights, the greater for to rule the day, and the lesser to be a nightly Torch: Here hath he set a Taber­nacle for the Sun, which commeth foorth as a bridegroome out of his chamber,Psal. 19.4.5.6.and reioyceth like a giant to runne his race: His going out is from the end of the heauen, and his compasse is to the end of the same; nothing is bid from the heat there­of. It riseth and goeth down, Eccles. 1.5. and draweth to his rising place a­gaine: who can expresse y^e great­nes [Page 88]of this Planet, Plato in Epinar. Cicero. 2. de na­tura Deorum. whose raies do illighten the whole globe of the earth, and therefore (though it seem but smal vnto our eyes, yet) reason demōstrateth that it must needs surmount in greatnes al the earth? Plin. lib. 2. c. 11. Who can describe his cir­cular motiō in his neuer wearied race? Basil. homil. 6. in Hexam. who can track his yeerely beaten path thorow the Zodi­ack, or the milke-white way? what Eagle-sighted eye dareth to confront his beames, and is not dazeled at his lustre? what tongue is able to describe his in­fluence, or paint foorth his won­derfull effects?

Come we from this Landlord of light the Sunne vnto his Free­holder, The Moone. Heauens lesser light, the Moone, Gen. 1.16. and who would thinke so full a bodie to our eyes should be so many degrees inferiour to the Sunne in greatnes, Plin. lib. 2. c. 11. were it not for her neernes? who can record the influences of this palefaced [Page 89]president of the night, or suffi­ciently admire her wainings, and encreasings, her often changes and eclipses? who can but won­der at her more then strange ef­fects in the sad and silent time of night, Psal. 104.20.21 when the beasts of the forrest come abroad, and the hungrie lions rore after their pray? The more I fixe mine eyes vpon the firma­ment, the more mine eyes are dazeled with the great varietie of wonders in the same: The Starres. when I behold the glorious glittering canopie of Heauen so decked with stars, Gen. 1.17. as with siluer spangles or pretious stones, Lord thinke I then, how great a God art thou, which countest the number of these starres, Psal. 147.4.and callest them all by their names? For, what man is able to discourse, of their number, parti­tion, order, or situation? Can we restraine the sweet influences of the Pleiades? Iob 38.31, 32, 33, 34.or loose the bands of O­rion? Can we bring foorth Maza­roth [Page 90]in their times, or guide Arctu­rus with his sonnes? No, no, it is the Almightie alone that know­eth the course of heauen, and hee that in his right hand holdeth the seuen starres, Reuel. 1.16. that can sufficiently declare the wonders of the stars.

He it is that sheweth his won­ders in the Heauen;Meteors fierie. Inel 2.30. The Bolides. Comets. Blasing Starres.blood, fire and pillers of smoake, heart-dreading Comets, and doome presaging blazing starres are flagges of his imperiall standerd; and who can but admire his diuers coloured Bow the ensigne of his couenant? The Rainbow. Gen. 9.16. Behold our God is excellent and ful of power, neither can his won­ders be sufficientlie admired at. The earth trembleth and quaketh when hee is angrie, The Lightning.the foundations also of the mountaines shake at his displeasure, a smoake goeth out at his nostrils, Psal. 18.7.8.9.14.and a consuming fire out of his mouth, coales are kindled thereat: He sendeth foorth his ar­rowes and scattereth thē, his fierce [Page 91]lightnings flash from the one end of the heauen to the other. The Thunder. Iob 37.3.4. After that a noise soundeth, hee thundreth with the voyce of his Maiestie, and his Demicanons rore so ter­ribly through the clouds, that the vndantedst Caligula cannot chuse but quake and tremble at the noise thereof. Sueton. in vita Caligula.

Loe these are a part of the waies of God, Iob 26.14. Meteors atrie.but how little a portiō haue we heard of him, and who can re­cord the one halfe of his workes of wonder? The windes. Psal. 104. Eccles. 1.6. It is our God that bringeth the windes out of his trea­surie, and walketh vpon the wings thereof, euen the winde which goeth towards the South, and compasseth towards the North, and whirleth round about. The whirle winds and dreadfull blasts are the wings vpon which hee doth flie: The whirlewind. Psal. 18.20. The Earth­quakes. Ariff. metcor. lib. 2. Psal. 18.17. & 19.6. with the drie and cold vapors whereof passing thorow the cranies of the earth, he ma­keth the earth to tremble, and the [Page 92]foundations of the mountaines to shake, he maketh the wildernesse to tremble, and the Cedars of Leba­non to be rooted vp.

Hearken vnto this, Meteors watrie. The clouds. Iob 37.37.25. O man, and consider the wondrous works of God: Who can number the clouds by wisedome? Iob 26.8. who can sufficiently admire these bottels of heauen? how the waters are bound vp in them, and the cloud not broken vnder them; The Dew. how they are stuffed with watry vapors lift vp into the ayre, Iob 38.28. and how the spouts thereof are diuided to powre down raine vpon the earth; how wonderfull is the generation of the drops of dew, The Mists. Psal. 77. which ariseth out of the earth like a sweat! or of the dew­dropping Mists, which like an hoarie mantell ouershadeth the earth! What a wonderfull thing it is to consider the opening of the windowes of heauen, The Raine. Gen. 7.11. Iob 28.26. Psal. 104.13. and the distilling of the raine frō aboue, whereby the earth is watred, and [Page 93]the thirstie lands do quench their thirst! The Snow. How admirable is y^e snow which the Almightie scattereth abroad like wooll, Psal. 147.13. and which like a sheete is spread vpon the earth! Eccles. 47.18. The eye maruelleth at the whitenes of it, it dazeleth the eye with the glistering shining of it, Et quae me ge­nuit mater mox gignitur ex me. the senses stand astonished to see it beget againe the mother of which it selfe was begotten. No lesse wonderfull is the Haile which y^e Almightie casteth forth like morsels, The Haile. Psal. 147.17. [...] properly signifieth haile in that place, though our trās­lations reade it frosts. Exod. 9.23. a liquid thing being made solid, and it selfe being nought but water, yet by an An­tiperistasis of heate and cold (a thing in Nature admirable) is conglobated into a stone, deadly to the herbes, and noxious to the trees of the field. What shall I heere speake of the Frosts, Meteors partly earthy, partly watrie. or of the glassie wonder of the Ice; when the earth groweth into hardnes, and the clods like iron are fast together? Frost. The hoare frosts [Page 94]lie vpon the earth like ashes, Iob 38.29.38. Psal. 147.16.17 Ice. who can abide the cold of the ice? When the North winde blow­eth, an ice is frozen of the water, it abideth vpon the superficies thereof, Syracides, cap. 43 19.20. and clotheth the waters as with a breastplate, the Sunne ariseth and it melteth, and is dis­solued as it was before. These and many more then these are thy wonders, O Lord, from a­boue: O Lord our God, how excel­lent is thy name in al these things! In wisedome hast thou made them all, Psal. 8.1.2. and they declare thy mightie power. No lesse are thy wonders to be seene here below, through the whole circumference of the earth and in the deepe.

For first to begin with the ve­ry Earth it selfe, The Earths wonders. which albeit in comparison of the Heauen, it be but as a prick or point; Iob 38.18. yet who can perceiue the breadth of it, or reckon the circuit of the same? The Earth is set vpon a founda­tion [Page 95]immoueable, Aristot. 2. de coe lo, ait Mathema­ticos sui temporit attribuisse terrae 40. myriades sta­diorum. Later Astrolo­gers describe the whole circuit of it to be 2000040 miles. and yet the foundation thereof is a thing of nought, hanging in the middle of the ayre: whose figure although it bee sphaericall like a globe or bowle, yet by the alprouident dispositiō of the Almighty Crea­tor, is so interlined with hils, and dales, and woods, and riuers; that in a wonderfull excellencie wee cannot but admire the infinite varietie. Psal. 104.5. Iob 26.7. Here wee see the loftie mountaines giuing statelie pro­spect from their aspiring tops; here, Mountaines. Psal. 104.8. Vallies. Psalme. Riuers. the humble Vallies to laugh and sing with corne and grassie profits; here, the crystall springs and siluer riuers sliding, some­times more silently, sometimes in a basser sort, sometimes in a shril­ler note making musick amongst the pepbles. And as we walke by the way, O what a glorious spe­ctacle it is to view the flagrant Meddowes cloathed with grasse, Meddowes. and enameled with al sort of eye-pleasing [Page 96]flowers; Woods. Thickets lined with most pleasant shade of di­uers sorted Trees; Trees. Trees richly decked foorth with leaues, and swelling in varietie with their se­uerall kindes of fruites! Birds. Oh what an heauenly consort out of the Wood-quire resounds vnto our eares from the cheerfull chirping of the many well tuned Birds! How sweete a prospect it is vnto our eyes to looke vpon the great varietie both in kind and qualitie of the Beasts! Beasts. To see the harme­lesse Sheepe feeding with sober securitie, Sheepe. Lambes. and their pretie Lambs skipping with bleating choragy! Oxen. To see the strong necked Oxen laboring in the furrow and plow­ing the vallies after vs; and the stately Horse, Iob 39.12. Horses. for all his fearefull neyings, to submit his back vnto vs! when I fee these strong and sturdie beasts so ouerruled, to yeeld their backs to seruing, and their liues to feeding weake and [Page 97]feeble man, Lord thinke I then, of how vnmatchable power and vnbounded wisedome art thou, which couldest subdue without repining these so great to this so little?

But when I further think vpon those greater and wilder beasts which God hath placed in the earth, in the maiestie of the crea­ture, how can I but admire the incōparable maiesty of the Crea­tor? Behemoh. Iob 40.10.11.12.13. Behold Behemoh whom hee hath made to licke grasse like the oxe, whose taile is like the Cedar, Vers. 17.his bones like staues of brasse, and his small bones like staues of iron; can the trees couer him with shadow, or can the willowes of the riuer com­passe him about? The Lions. The great and princely Lions roring after their pray, doe seeke their meate of God, Iob 39.1.2.when they couch in their places, and remaine in the couert to lie in wait: He appointeth the time when the wilde goates bring foorth yong, Iob 39.4.5. [Page 98]and numbreth the moneths for the Hindes to calue: Vers. 12.Who can tame the Vnicorne and bring him to the crib? What pleasant wings hath God giuen to the Peacocks? Vers. 16.what wings of brasse vnto the O­strich? what length of daies vnto the Hart, swiftnes vnto the Hare, wilinesse vnto the Fox, & proper­ties admirable euen in euery sort of the beasts vnreasonable? who can number their seuerall kindes, or describe the seuerall natures of them?

But leaue wee these, Little beasts and creeping things. and cast our eyes but on the lesser crea­tures, which one would thinke but Natures excrements meere superfluities: and yet, good Lord, in them how many workes of wonders? The wisest of either Heathen or Christian Sages sen­deth vs to little Pismires, Emmets. Ants or Emmets to learne diligence, for they hauing no guide, Prou. 6.6.7.8.gouernour, nor ruler, prepare their meate in [Page 99]summer, and gather their foode in harnest. What a sweete decorum in their order obserue the sillie Bees, Bees. the fabrick of whose celles or houses, and the glory of whose merchandise cannot be matched by any wit or art of man? What Spinster can make a webbe like the contemned Spider? Spider. or Wea­uer frame vpon his woofe so ex­quisite a forrell, Silkeworme. as the little Silk­worme weaueth out of his bo­wels? If I should reckon vp al the mightie wonders in these little creatures, how endlesse would the subiect be? No, these are cō ­mon and triuiall before our eyes, which euery where on earth be­low wee see: Eccles. 3.11. Psal. 111.3. Loe God hath made euery thing beautifull in his time; and where may we cast our eyes but we may behold his works of wonder?

Should I meditate of all the fruitful seeds, and trees, and buds, from the Cedar vnto the Hyssope [Page 100]that groweth vpon the wall; Vertues of herbes. 1. King. 4.33. O how secret & hidden vertue may we behold in most of them? what especiall vse in each of them? Yea diue wee downe into the bowels of the earth, what store of pro­iects wonderful lie hidden there? There the Siluer mineral hath his veine, Iob 28.1.2. and the burnished Gold his place; Iron is taken out of the dust, and Brasse is molten out of the stone; Vers. 5. out of the same earth commeth bread to strengthen man, Psal. 104.15. and wine to make glad his heart, and oyle to make him a cheer­ful countenance. Vers. 6. Vers. 17. The stones there­of are a place of Saphirs, Pearles, Rubies, Topazes, and pretious Iewels are taken out of her rocks. And shall I thē tread vpon so rich a Theater as the earth, and not acknowledge the wondrous Ma­iestie of God the founder? O, no, senselesse and brutish creature were I then: Therefore this (my soule) must euer bee the burthen [Page 101]of my song, O Lord, how manifold are thy workes? Psal. 104.24.25In wisedome hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches, so is the sea also great and wide, wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great.

Which when I do behold, The Seas won­ders. and know that it is but water, (and that is an humor naturally sprea­ding) and yet see it higher then the earth, Gen. 1.10. against its owne nature without limit solid, Lord, thinke I then, how wonderfull are thy workes, thou mightie controller of the Sea? How could this be? How commeth this to passe? Surely thou hast set vp the Sea with doores, and inuironed it with bars, Iob 38.8.10.11.thou hast said, hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shalt thou stay thy proud waues. They that goe downe into the sea in ships, Psal. 106.23.24 25.26.27.28.29.and occupy in the great waters, they see the workes of the Lord, and his wonders in the deepe. For he com­mandeth [Page 102]and raiseth the stormie winde, and it lifteth vp the waues thereof: They mount vp to the hea­uen, and descend to the deepe, so that their soule melteth for trouble: They are tossed to and fro, and stag­ger like a drunken man, then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble, and hee bringeth them out of their distresse: He turneth the storme to calme; so that the waues thereof are still. In this liquid region goe the ships; there play the infinite multitude of fishes both smal and great; Psal. 104.26. there remaineth that Le­uiathan, The Whale. Iob 41. whose skales are like strōg shields, whose bones are like barres of iron, his heart as strong as a stone, Vers. 6. Vers. 15.and as hard as the nether milstone, his neisings make the light to shine, and his eyes are like the eye lids of the morning, Vers. 9.10.11.out of his mouth goe lamps and sparkes of fire, his breath maketh coales to burne, he maketh the depth to boyle like a pot, and the Sea like a pot of oynt­ment: [Page 103]Hee maketh a path to shine after him,Vers. 22.23.24.one would think the depth as an hoare head; in earth there is none like him: no, neither so great riches, nor so many wonders as in the sea. How full of wonders then both heauen and earth and sea! the eye of man beholdeth but a part of them, neither can mans heart conceiue the least part of Gods mightie power in them. But for whō were all these things made; All these won­ders for mans sake. Gen. 17.1. and why did God ordaine such wonders in the wonders in the world? Surely not for him­selfe, for he had no need of these things, Ast. 17.28. being himselfe the alsuf­ficient essence, from whom all things haue their being. Neither were these things created onely for a shew, but for the vse of man, whom God made in his owne image according to his own like­nes, to rule ouer the fish of the Sea, Gen. 1.26.and ouer the foule of the heauen, and ouer the beasts, & ouer euery thing [Page 104]that creepeth and mooueth on the earth: which when I do consider, Lord, say I then, what is man that thou art mindfull of him, Psal. 8.5.6.and the son of man that thou visitest him? thou hast made him heere on earth as a Demigod, &c rowned him with glo­rie and worship. Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the worke of thine hands, thou hast put all things vnder his feete; yea thou hast made him the chiefest of all thy works of wonder.

For man being the last of all the workes created, The wonders in man. Sanctius his ani­mal mentisque capacius altae d [...]erat ad huc. and the end for whose sake the rest of the creatures were created, could not but be the chiefest and most per­fect worke of all these worldlie creatures: and therefore is made by the eternal God as an epitome of the whole world; [...]. and in re­gard of the perfect analogie and resemblance betweene him and the great worlds frame, is not vn­fitly tearmed the lesser world; [Page 105]There being nothing in the vast compasse of the vniuersal circum­ference, The resemblance betweene man and the whole world. whose likenes or liuely representation is not summarily comprised in man, as in a most perfect compendium or abridge­ment: whose reason, as the most powerfull mistris power of the soule, subdueth to her dominion and direction the seruill vnder­faculties and sensuall appetites, like as the first moued sphere car­rieth with his motion the subiect inferiour circles; The Souie re­sembleth the Primum mobile. whose heart ha­uing the middle part of the body for his habitation, giueth life and heate vnto all the rest of the parts of the bodie, The Heart. whereby they bee preserued & inabled to performe their naturall and proper fun­ctions; like as the Sunne, The Sunne. which being situated in the middest of Heauen, illighteneth all things with his raies, and cherisheth the whole and all things therein con­tained with his life preseruing [Page 106]heate. The fabricke of whose bo­die doth consist of that neuer suf­ficiently admired temperature of all the foure Elements, and no part of all his bodie but so mira­culously composed, that euery part thereof may serue for a work of wonder. Who can sufficiently expresse or wonder enough at the excellēcie of man, so little a crea­ture made but of the dust? That he by contemplatiō should soare vp to the skies, and be able to dis­course of the motiōs, aspects, and effects of the celestiall orbe; that he should ride vpon the Seas, and search, and passe ouer the liquid floods; that he should vendicate both earth and sea vnto his profit, and domineere ouer the beasts, and know the nature of all the creatures; that he should contriue the Arts and Sciences to a me­thode, and being absent to speak to men farre distant by letters written, that hee should in this [Page 107]mortalitie seeke after immortali­tie, and haue a seate prepared for him in heauen, after life ended here on earth. O God, how wonder­full are thy workes euen in our selues! No tongue is able to ex­presse: though I did nothing else but wonder, I cannot sufficiently admire it. Psal. 116. Psal. 92. Psal. 111.2. Surely this is the Lords doing, and it is maruellous in our eyes. O Lord how glorious are thy workes! Vers. 4.An vnwise man doth not vnderstand it, and a foole taketh no notice of it. But well I wot, the gracious God hath so made his maruellous workes, that they ought to be had in remembrance: O let me euer be meditating on them, and neuer be vnmindfull of the Creator of them, whiles I can not sufficiently admire at them; let my soule in silence euer beate vpon this straine: Psal. 8.9. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the world!

THE ANCHOR of the Soule.

AVgustine (as Possi­donius doeth re­cord) for y^e more deepe impression of his most seri­ous meditation, was wont to chuse out of Dauids heauenlie Psalmes certain select sentences, which in his bed-chamber walles he caused to be engrauen, that he might reade and meditate there­on euen in his bed. Of all the gol­den [Page 114]sentences in the booke of God, which I would chiefly chuse to meditate vpon, this shall be my choisest motto; of all the fla­grant flowers in the garden of the Lord, this shall be the swee­test smelling posie to my soule, whether I eate or drinke, or sit, or walke, to muse and meditate vp­on this worthie word of Truth, by all meanes worthie to bee thought vpon, That no lesse then the Sonne of God and Prince of peace Christ Iesus my Lord my God, should vouchsafe to come into the world, and take vpon him our nature, to saue sinners his greatest enemies, in which predicament, I, G.W. humbly and ingenuouslie acknowledge my selfe to be the chiefest.

This is the anchor on which my billow-beaten Barke doth rest, whiles it is sailing through the Ocean of temptations to the cape of neuer failing Hope; this is my [Page 115] Quietus est, when my conscience is called vnto her sinnes account; this is my fortresse against the e­nemies assault, my shield & buck­ler against their fierie darts; the [...] of my faith, and full as­surance of mine, yea mine owne saluation. Which although the Diuell bids my soule despaire of, and Antichrist would faine per­swade me at the least to make a doubt thereof, yet (blessed be the Lord my God) I feele the full as­surance of his loue, neither needs my soule to wauer between hope and despaire. For why, we haue a most sure word of the Prophets, 2. Pet. 1.19. [...]. and the Apostles, testifying the certi­ficate thereof vnto our soules, whereto as to a stable pillar wee may leane. Luke 6.48. The fabricke of my faith is not built vpon the sand, whose foundation may shake or flit away: but it is built vpon the rocke, which all the windes and waues of Hell can neuer shake. If [Page 116]Hope-well onely were the Cable of my ship, and I were forced to cast Anchor at Aduenture, the Straits of care would be too deep for any hold, and waues of feare would quickly blow mee to the rocke Despaire. Liuius. If like metius Suffetius his bodie, my soule were racked asunder betweene hopes and feares, what comfort could I haue of any worldly comfort? or if my perswasion onely heerein were coniecturall grounded vp­on no better foundation then on likelihoods, how could I chuse but be dismaied with a mutinie of doubts? Or were my certain­tie herein but the warrant of a mortall man, I might be soone beguiled by trusting to so fickle ground. But this hope is more then hope, my confidence is not coniecturall but infallible, my warrant is sealed vnto mee more then by the bare word of a mor­tall man: For hee that hath the [Page 117]words of truth, yea who himselfe is Truth it selfe, Iohn 14.6. doth assure the truth of this vnto my soule. 2. Pet. 1.21. The Apostles which spake not of thē ­selues, but as they were inspired from the holy Ghost, confirme the same vnto mee, Iohn 21.24. Ephes. 4.30. and I know their testimonie is true. The spi­rit of God whereby we are sealed vp to the day of redemption, Ephes. 1.13. hath sealed the same vnto me, and gi­uen the earnest of it vnto my spi­rit. 2. Cor. 1.22. Things that passe to and fro amongst men, Perkins treatise of Conscience. though they bee in question, yet when the seale is put to, they are made out of doubt; and the giuing of earnest is an infallible signe and token vnto him that receiueth it, that the bargaine is ratified, and that he shall receiue the things agreed vpon. Why, goe to then; what needes thou doubt, my soule, or make any scruple of thy sure sal­uation, seeing thou hast it already vnder hand and seale, yea vnder [Page 118]farre surer euidence then any wri­ting, lease, seale, witnes, or any humane order can imagine? But more, my soule, God that hath sealed it vnto thee, hath alreadie giuen thee the earnest herein of his owne spirit, and therefore re­turne vnto thy rest, thou needest not feare, thou hast a pledge al­readie.

But yet, To acknowledge certaintie of sal­uation is no pre­sumption. me thinkes, I dare not be so bold; to be thus confident, flesh and blood doubteth will come within the compasse of pre­sumption, vnlesse the same be cer­tified by some special reuelation. Hagar, Iob 2. thou talkest like a foo­lish woman; Is that presumption which of purpose belongeth to thine apprehension and applica­tion? August. de verb. Dei, serm. 28. To rest on the full assurance of the forgiuenes of thy sinnes, is not arrogancie, but faith; to ac­knowledge what thou hast recei­ued, is not pride, but deuotion. Doest thou not heare, the Apostle [Page 119]counselling thee neuer to rest vn­till thou hast gotten the full assu­rance of this so great a benefit? 2. Pet. 1.10. 2. Cor. 13.5. Doest thou not heare thy blessed Sauiour perswading thee aboue all other things to reioyce in this assurance? Luke 10.20. And doest thou not heare him checking thee for this thy doubting; O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Remember Abraham, Rom. 4.20.22 how he did not doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe, but was strengthned in faith, Rom. 8.38. being fullie assured: and Paul, that went not by hope well, but by knowing certainly; and Iames, Iam. 1.6. that willeth vs to be constant in faith, and not to wauer. Remember the power­full promise of God himself, who to as many as belieue in him hath giuen power to be the sonnes of God, namely, Ioh. 1.12. to them that be­lieue in his name.

O but the multitude of my sins stand vp as a rampier or mount [Page 120]against me and biddeth me feare, The multitude of our sinnes may not debarre vs from the truth of this as­surance. Rom. 11.20. and Satan telleth me that this full perswasion, is but only a fantasie and strong imagination of mine owne head, and that my nature being thus rebellious, I should not stand so much on mine assu­rance, Psal. 42.11. but feare. Why art thou so cast downe, O my soule, and why art thou so disquieted within mee? Cheere vp thy selfe: thou hast not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe, Rom. 8.15.16.but the spirit of adop­tion, whereby thou criest, Abba, fa­ther, and this spirit beareth witnes with thee that thou art the childe of God. For know (wrangling Sa­tan) that I stand not vpon weake tearmes or blinde presumptions, Assurance of saluation not easie to be had in all. Luke 12.32. Matth. 7.14. like many a carnall Gospeller, which notwithstanding hee hea­reth that Christs flocke is small, and that in comparison few shall be saued, yet thinks this assurance of saluation to be an easie and a triuiall thing. No, no, I take no­tice [Page 121]of the full assurance of my saluation vpon a surer founda­tion: I flatter not my self in mine owne conceit, but haue the testi­monie of a twofold witnes, the spirit of God beareth witnesse with my spirit, Rom. 8.26. that I am the child of God.

For loe, Tokens of the as­surance of sal­uation. 1. Ioh. 4.13. Rom. 8.16. what pregnant testi­monies to this purpose finde I vnto my selfe. By this I know that I dwell in Christ, and hee in me, be­cause he hath giuen me of his spirit: which maketh me with boldnes to crie, Abba, father, vnto him, and this very spirit helpeth mine infirmities, Vers. 26. that whereas I know not to pray as I ought, the spirit it selfe maketh request for mee with sighes that cannot bee ex­pressed. 2. Cor. 7.10. By this I know that my sinnes are vndoubtedly pardo­ned, Galat. 5.17. in regard that for sinnes past I feele a godly sorrow, for sinnes present I finde a fighting and stri­uing of the minde against them, 1. Ioh. 5.18. [Page 122]for sinnes to come I endeuour with religious care for to pre­uent them. By this I know vnto my selfe the assurance of life eter­nal, Iohn 7.37. because I beleeue in him that is the author of life eternall; I hunger and thirst after him, and so highly doe I value him, that all things else I esteeme but dung in regard of him. Philip. 3.4. By this I know the assurance of my sinnes remis­sion, because my desire is to keep his commandements; 1. Ioh. 2.3. not as if poore I in any sort could per­forme a perfect obedience vnto them, but because in his accep­tance the will of the beleeuer is taken for obedience. The loue to God and his children, is another testimonie of our translation frō death to life: 1. Ioh. 3.14.19.21. For hereby wee know that wee are of the truth, and shall before him assure our hearts: and if our hearts condemne vs not, then may we haue boldnes towards God. Away then, vile Satan, that faine [Page 123]wouldest driue mee to despaire, and you maleuolent Satanists, that would haue me turne my as­surance into doubting: For this is a true saying, I haue the sure te­stimonie of the Prophets for it, and the double witnes Gods spi­rit and mine owne to seale it, I haue the pledge and earnest of it alreadie, therefore I will reioyce in it.

O let this worthie sentence be writtē in mine heart as in a book; And by all meanes worthie to be receiued. let it bee grauen with an iron penne, and printed euer in my minde with the point of a Dia­mond. For what sweeter comfort can I finde? Iob 19.23. what more ioyfull newes can I muse vpon? What can be more acceptable then the welles of water to a thirsty soule? What more delightfull then in warre to heare of peace, in mise­rie to heare of mercy, in the midst of death to heare of life? and yet all this and more then this wee [Page 124]finde heere in this true saying, most worthie by all meanes to be receiued, that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners. No newes like to this: no such ioy­full tidings euer was heard of in the world. Well might the hea­uenly newes carrier of the birth of this vnto the Bethlehemetish shepheards giue this encomium of it to their eares, Luke 2.10. Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people. Well might the Quire of Heauen chant foorth their Christmas Carroll vpon the rela­tion of it, Luk. 2.13.14. Gloria in excelsis, Glorie be to God in the high heauens, peace in earth, and towards men good will. Well might old Simeon for a lul­labie vnto his Sauiour, sing his Nunc dimittis, Luke 2.28.Lord now lettest thou, thy seruant depart in peace, for mine eyes haue seene thy salua­tion: for there is no solace like to this, no ioy to be compared to it.

The more I thinke vpon it, the [Page 125]more I doe admire it, That Christ Iesus. and stand amazed in the meditation of it; especially when I call to minde the author and finisher of this our comfort; Heb. 12.2. Reuel. 1. who being no lesse then Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, and Prince of peace, Isai. 9.6. whose name is Wonderfull, Counsellor, the mightie God, and euerlasting fa­ther; whose being is from euer­lasting, Reuel. 1.8. the Alpha and the Ome­ga, the beginning & the ending, which is, which was, and which is to come, euen the Almightie. Why: this rauisheth my soule be­yond all admiration, that he, who was the heire of all things, Heb. 1.2.3. the brightnes of his fathers glorie, and engrauen character of his own per­son, Philip. 2.7. should make himselfe of no re­putation, and take vpon him the forme of a seruant, Galat. 4. to make vs that were children of the bondwo­man to be heires, Rom. 8.17. euen the heires of God, and fellow heires with him­selfe; that hee, in whom was the [Page 126]fulnes of riches, Ephes 2.7. 2. Cor. 8.9. Ioh. 6.35. should become poore, that hee might inrich vs; that hee, who was the bread of life, should suffer hunger, to feed vs; Luke 4.2. Deut. 18.15. that hee, who was the foun­taine of liuing waters, should suf­fer thirst to satisfie vs; that hee, who was the light of the world, Ioh. 4.7. Ioh. 7.37.38. Iohn 8.12. Iohn 11.9. 1. Cor. 1.22. should liue obscurely to illighten vs; that he, who was the power of God, should be tempted, that he might strengthen vs; that he, who was the life of the world, Matth. 4.1. Iob. 1.4. should die, that he might quickē vs; that he, who himselfe was in­nocent, Galat. 3.13. should sustaine the curse of the law, that he might deliuer vs, Isai. 53.5.9.10.11. and be wounded to heale vs, and bee broken for vs to stop vp our breach. Who can heere but acknowledge the infinitenes of his snspeakeable loue? who can chuse but say with Paul; O the deepnes of the riches both of the wisedome and mercie of God, Rom. 11.33.how vnsearchable are his iudgements, [Page 127]and his waies past finding out! Who can chuse but say with Dauid; O Lord, Psal. 8.4.what is man that thou art so mindfull of him, or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him! Who can but with the Church in the Canticles confesse that his name is a pretious ointment powred out, Cantic. 1.2. because of the sweete sauour whereof our hearts must needes bee allured to loue him and ad­mire him?

Especially if wee but meditate vpon that neuer sufficiently ad­mired loue of his, Came into the world. Gen. 1. who being the God of Nature, to free vs from the corruptiō of our nature, Rom. 7.5. took vpon himself our nature, & came into the world to saue vs from the destruction of the world; me thinkes this one thing might bee sufficient to woe and winne our loue to him, when wee consider that he who had his seate aboue the Heauen of Heauens, Psal. 148.4. should vouchsafe to come downe and [Page 128]dwell vpon the earth his foot­stoole; Isai. 66.1. that he might draw vs af­ter him to heauen; that hee who was equall to the Father, Philip. 2.7.8. should humble himselfe to bee a seruant, that he might purchase for vs the right of sonnes; that hee which was God, Iohn 1.1.2. should not disdaine to become that which wee are, that hee might make vs partaker of that place where he now is. The meditation of which in generall, though it bee enough to adde wings to the minde that is most dull, and worke an impression in the soule that is most voide of sense; yet if we take a further sur­uey in the particulars therof, and note the vnkinde entertainment of him so kind a guest, vnlesse our heart were an heart of flint it can not chuse but melt. For (ah alas) he was in the world, Ioh. 1.11.12.and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not: he came vnto his owne, and his owne receiued him [Page 129]not. The Bethlemits, Luke 2.7. amongst whom he was borne, would not affoord him houseroome, Luke 4.29. but such as their oxen and asses were wont to lodge in: The Nazarites, his countrimen by education, driue him out of their citie to the top of an hill, to throw him thēce downe headlong: And we, yea all of vs, Isai. 53. for whose sakes he came into the world, what gaue wee him but the heauie burthen of our sinnes for his welcome? His entrance into the world was ob­scure, his being heere dolorous, his departure hēce ignominious. The place of his birth little Beth­leem, Mich. 5.2. one of the least of the ma­ny thousands of Iudah; Matth. 2.6. the cham­ber where hee was borne, but a stable; the cradle in which hee was laid, but a manger; the swad­ling bands wherein his sacred bodie was wrapt, Luke 2.16. but homelie ragges; the parties that first came to greete him, but sillie shep­heards: [Page 130]All things in the natiui­tie of him, so great a one, euen be­low the lowest degree of meanes. Thus grew he vp as a branch, and as a roote out of a drie ground, Isai. 53.2.3.ha­uing neither forme nor beauty, whē men did see him, that they should desire him. Despised was he and reiected of all men, a man full of sorrowes, and one that had expe­rience of our infirmities: No soo­ner was hee borne, Matth. 2.16. but Herod fought to destroy him; no sooner was he baptized, Matth. 5.1. but the Diuell set vpon him to tempt him; no sooner was hee in his publique preaching, Matth. 15.40. Matth. 9.34. Luke 6.7. but the Pharisies en­uy him, the Sadduces accuse him, the Scribes slander him, the com­mon people scorne him, Matth. 13.55. the high Priests send their officers to in­trap him, Ioh. 7.45. his owne Disciple spa­reth not to betray him, Marth. 26.48. Matth. 26.60. false wit­nesses are suborned to belie him, and tost he is from Pilate to He­rod, Luk. 23.7.8. and from Herod back againe [Page 131]to Pilate, to mock him and make sport of him: Matth. 27.28.32.35. neither did they leaue vntill that after much buffe­ting, torturing and tormenting, by a cruell death they had made away with him. So cold an enter­tainment found he in this world, to shew that his kingdome was not of this world: He had no le­gions of men or angels to bee his guard, no chariots nor horsemen to be his pompe, no palace to bee his court: He wore no crowne but that of thornes, no Scepter but that of Reed, no throne but that of his crosse: In his life time not hauing so much as a foxes hole to couch in; at his death not hauing a shroud, but what was left him, to bee wrapt in; nor a tombe, but what was borrowed, to be buried in.

What shall I here recount his grieuous paines and direfull ma­ladies, which, while he was in the world, hee sustained heere? My [Page 132]soule gush out with teares of blood, whiles thou doest call to minde the sorrow of his soule, when in Gethsemane his soule was heauie euen to the death, Matth. 26.36.37 38. when though an Angell from heauen appeared to comfort him, yet his agonie was so bitter, that his sweate was like drops of blood trickling downe to the ground: Luk. 22.43.44. O let mine head be full of water, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, Ierem. 9.1. that I may weepe day and night for the afflictions which he endured who was afflicted for my sinnes: Matth. 26.49. when I call to mind those dismall daies, wherein my Sa­uiours owne seruant did betray him with a kisse, Vers. 55.and the High Priests catchpoles came foorth with clubs and staues and swords to apprehend him like a theefe; Iohn 18.12. when hee that made vs free was bound, and haled, and dragd, and brought as a sheep to the slaugh­ter, Isai. 53.7. as a lambe dumbe before his [Page 133]shearer, so hee opened not his mouth. Bitter be the remēbrance of that gloomie night, Iob 39. and let the starres of the twilight be dimme through the darknes of it, when he that gaue others often sight, Mark. 8.22. Mark. 10.46. Isai. 9.1. and came to lighten those that sate in darknesse, himselfe was blindfolded to bee made a scorne of; he that neuer offered wrong, Matth. 4.15. and when himself was wronged, opened not his mouth, Luke 22.64. was buffe­ted and smitten on the cheeke; that face, Isai. 53.7. that glorious face of his which on mount Thabor shined as the Sunne, was made a loath­some Iewish spitting place, Matth. 17.2. Mark. 14.65. Psal. 45.6. 1. Cor. 4.9. Iob 3.6. and himselfe, the head of men and an­gels, made a gazing stock to men and angels. Let that day be dark­nes, and not bee ioyned to the daies of the yeere, nor come into the accounts of the moneths, wherein with sighes and sobs I call not to minde that dolefull day; when hee which one day [Page 134]shall come in the clouds with glorie and great maiestie, Matth. 24.30. was brought before the tribunall of an earth pettie Iudge, Matth. 27.1. and stood at the barre with all disgrace and infamie; Isai. 53.7. when hee the innocent Lambe was arraigned, & though found not guiltie was condem­ned wrongfully; Matth. 27.22. hee the prince of glory was placed as a grieuous malefactor between two thieues, Ioh. 19.18. his sacred hands and feete being nailed to the crosse; Iohn 19.2. his head scratched rent and torne with a thornie crowne, and his sacred sides pierced thorow with a gast­ly souldiers speare, Iohn 19.34. with which there gushed foorth both blood and water. Behold & see if there were any sorrow like vnto this sorrow which is done heere vnto my Sauiour, Lament. 1.12. wherewith the Lord afflicted him in the day of his fierce wrath: witnes the griestly, gastly grone giuen by himselfe whiles hee was hanging on the [Page 135]crosse, when that hee bellowed foorth his Eli, Eli, Matth. 27.46.lamasabachtha­ni; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Witnes the whole face of Nature chaunged at his suffering, Vers. 51.The Sunne being clo­thed in blacke, Vers. 52.the pillers of the earth rocking, Vers. 53.the vaile of the temple renting, the rocks shieue­ring, and the very graues them­selues opening their more then brasen gates.

But why was al this? To saue. and what was the end of Christ his com­ming into the world, and his suf­fering of so many things heere in the world? Surely he came for vs, not for himselfe, he came to saue. Therefore did the Lord anoint him, therefore did hee send him, that he might preach good tidings to the poore, Isai. 61.1.and binde vp the bro­ken hearted, and preach libertie to the captiues, and to them that are bound the opening of the prison: To preach the acceptable yeere of the [Page 136]Lord,Vers. 2.to comfort them that mourne, to giue beautie for ashes, the oile of ioy for mourning, the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauinesse, that they might bee called trees of righteousnesse, Vers. 8.the planting of the Lord, that hee might be glorified. This was the good shepheard that came to seek vs lost and wan­dring sheepe; Iohn 10. this is that mighty champion which came to deliuer vs from the iawes of the lion and the wolfe; 1. Sam. 17.34. Numb. 21.9. this is that brazen Ser­pent which cureth vs stung to the heart by that old fierie Serpent Satan; Iohn 3.14. this is that good Chirur­gion, whose comming was to heale our sores: Luke 10.33. The good Phy­sitian who came to saue vs from death. Matth. 9.12. Iohn 10.10. He came to saue: so saith he himselfe, I am come that they might haue life, and haue it in a­bundance. So saith the Angell of him which brought newes of his comming into the world, Vnto you this day is borne a Sauiour, Luke 2.11.[Page 137]which is Christ the Lord. O sweete Iesu, Cantic. 1.2. thy very name is as an oint­ment powred out to make the virgins loue thee. Well maist thou be called Iesus, for there is no other name vnder heauen whereby we may be saued, Matth. 2.27. but by thine, whose name agreeth with thy nature, to saue the people from their sinnes.

The very sauour of which so flagrant ointment of his pretious name, Sinners. Cantic. 1.2.3. as it well may draw the loue of all good hearts vnto him, and make them runne after him: so when I further consider with my selfe our qualitie and condi­tion what we were when first he cast his loue vpon vs, me thinkes it carrieth mee beyond admira­tion, that so great a Sauiour should so much as respect such vile and miserable wretches: for this so sweete a Sauiour came not to call the righteous, Matth. 9.13. but sinners to repentance. Were we righte­ous? [Page 138]No, there was none righte­ous, Psal 14.2.3. no not one: we were all gone out of the way, there is was none of vs all that did deserue his fa­uour, no not one. Were wee his friends that hee did impart such kindnes vnto vs? Nay, wee were his deadly enemies, we were sin­ners. Rom. 5.8.9. Doubtlesse one would scarse die for a righteous man: but God setteth out his loue towards vs, seeing y^t whiles we were yet sin­ners Christ died for vs. The partie offended came to helpe the offen­ders, the iust to die for the vniust, the innocent for the guiltie, the king of peace for his enemies, Christ Iesus to saue sinners. We were dead in sinnes and trespas­ses, wherein wee walked accor­ding to the course of the world, and after the prince that ruleth in the aire; Ephes. 2.2.3.4. but he rich in mercie through his great loue where­with he loued vs, was content to die for vs to quicken vs. We were [Page 139] alients from the common wealth of Israel strangers from the couenant, Ephes. 2.12.14.19.without hope, without God in the world: He is become our peace, who by breaking downe the stop of the partition wall, had made vs of stran­gers and forrenners, citizens with the Saints and of the household of God: Our habitation & our kin­dred was of the land of Canaan, Ezech. 16. Vers. 3. our father was an Amorite, and our mother an Hittite: in our na­tiuitie when we were borne, Vers. 4.our nauell was not cut, wee were not washed in water to soften vs, Vers. 5.nor salted with salt, nor swadled in clouts: Vers. 6.None eye pitied vs to doe any of these things vnto vs, or to haue compassion on vs: then did he passe by vs, & saw vs polluted in our own blood, he said vnto vs euen then when wee were in our blood, Thou shalt liue: Vers. 8.He spred his skirts ouer vs and couered our filthines, and made a league and couenant with vs: when we were [Page 140]sinners he came to saue vs, Rom. 5.7. when we were his enemies hee came to seeke vs, when we were yet of no strength he died for vs.

Wherein as we cannot but ac­knowledge the riches of his vn­speakable loue, who loued vs be­fore wee were, and followed vs with his loue, when we were his enemies; so may it well assure vs of his perpetuall loue and fauour towards vs. Rom. 5.8.9.10. For, seeing that whiles wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs, much more then being now iu­stified by his blood shall we be saued from wrath through him: If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne, much more being reconciled wee shall be saued by him. What then though the bedroule of our sins reach vp to the clouds, and vice attracting vapors doe ouersha­dow my soule as innumerable as Atomes? what though our rebel­lious nature will not be kept in as [Page 141]we desire, and Satan pleade full sore to bring our hearts to despe­ration, heere, heere our endlesse comfort is, Isai. 1.18. be our sinnes as crim­son, they shall be made as white as snow, though they bee of a skarlet engrained die, they shall be made as white as wooll. For this is the An­chor on which assuredly we may repose our trust, This is a true say­ing, and worthie by all meanes to be receiued, that Christ Iesus came in­to the world to saue sinners.

But if in generall only this my comfort were, Whereof I am chiefe. that there was a Iesus Christ, that hee came into the world, and that his comming was to saue, and yet not feele the assurance of my part and portion in it; cold comfort, God wot, would this be to my soule, small matter for me to reioyce. Nay, blessed be y^e author of my peace, I can apply it to my self: Ephes. 3.12. for I haue boldnes and confidence by faith in him to put my finger into his [Page 142]side with Thomas, Ioh. 20.28. and to say, My God, my Lord, to call him my Ie­sus, my Christ; and to relie whol­ly by faith vpon this Son of God, who hath loued me, Galat. 2.20. and giuen him­self for me; yea euen for me, G.W. the meanest, poorest, vilest, vn­worthiest of all Gods children, the greatest and most miserable sinner in the world: Rom. 7.18. For I know that in me, in this my sinfull wret­ched flesh, dwelleth no good thing; from the sole of my foot vnto my head, Isai. 1.6. there is nothing whole but wounds, and swellings and sores full of corruption. In sinne was I conceiued, Psal. 51.4. in sin was I borne, sin seased vpon my childhood, and hath lackied my life vnto this my youthfull age, and the longer I liue, the surer foothold getteth foule sin in my bosome, and set­leth the contagion in my soule: How huge a masse of sinne lieth in me, hidden from mine eyes, which take possession on me, and [Page 143]I, poore I, neuer tooke notice of them? These, O these that I see before mine eyes, by looking in­to the bottomlesse gulfe of my sins, appeare as many as the stars in the skie, or drops of water in the Ocean sea. When I looke vp­on my selfe, I am ashamed of my selfe; me thinkes the heauens o­uer me cast a dire aspect vpon me, and the albearing earth groneth vnder the sinfull burthen of me; me thinkes the Sunne is ashamed of me, and the palefaced Moone lookes wanne vpon me, and the airie clouds doe mourne for me. I cannot chuse but wonder how in so little a substance, as my soule, should be so great a sinke of sin. Of this sure I am, I know none so sinfull as my selfe, neither haue I any reason to imagine how any can be a greater sinner then my selfe; yet why should I despaire? I know that my Redeemer liueth, Iob 19.25. and hee liueth to bee my Redee­mer. [Page 144]Though my sins were more, hee could pardon them: though they were a thousand times grea­ter then they be, he hath satisfied for them. Be they black & vgly? his blood hath washed them: Be they great and many? hee hath paid the ransome for them: Be they heauie & waightie? he hath mercie in store for them. Heere then will I cast my anchor, and pull downe the sailes of feare, to harbour in this safest hauen: let the flesh say, despaire, and the world say, relent, and the Diuell seek to cut the cable of my hope; yet my footing is sure, I know on whom I fixe my hope, euen on Christ Iesus, yesterday, and to day, the same for euermore.

The Mourners Lamentation.

TRue it is, Lord, that we are not to appoint thee thy times and li­mits, for thou art the Ancient of daies, Daniel 7.9. Gen. 1.15. Times Creator and destinator. Neither doe wee presume to presse in at the portall of thy priuie chamber, to know the times and seasons which thou our Father hast reserued in thine owne power: yet, Lord, Act. 1.17. thou hast taught vs, as to discerne the face of the skie, Matth. 16.3. so to descrie the signes of times, and from the cause to ex­pect the effect which necessarily [Page 150]doth ensue. Psal. 103.8. Thou art a God full of compassion and mercie, slow to an­ger and of great kindnes, and thou doest sustaine many wrongs of the sonnes of men, being crushed with their sinnes, as a cart is laden with sheaues: but if still they con­tinue to load thee, thou wilt ease thy selfe of that burthen, and cast it on the ground of confusion. Thou art slow to anger, Nahum 1.3. but great in power, and wilt not surely cleere the wicked. Thou doest for a long space hold thy peace at mens sins and art still, Isai. 42.14. Psal. 7.12. and doest restraine thy self: but if men will not turne, thou wilt whet thy sword, and bend thy bow, and make it readie. Pa­tient thou art, and for a long time doest forbeare thine hand: but when the forehead of sin begin­neth to lose the blush of shame, when the beadrole of transgres­sions do grow in skore from East to West, when the crie of them pierceth aboue the clouds, when [Page 151]the height of wickednes is come vnto the top, Gen. 15.16. and the fruits there­of are ripe and full, then it is time for thee Lord to take notice of it, to awake like a giant, Gen. 18.21. Psalme. and to put to thine alreuenging hand.

But our sins are alreadie ripe, yea rotten ripe, the measure of our iniquities is full vp to the brimme. Doubtlesse our land is sunken deepe in iniquitie; Isai. 3.8. Our tongues and works haue bin against the Lord to prouoke the eyes of his glorie; Isai. 3.9.the triall of our countenance doth testifie against vs, yea wee de­clare our sinnes as Sodome, Gen. 18.20. we hide them not, the crie of our sinne is exceeding grieuous, Iam. 5.4. the clamors of them pierce the skies, and with a loud voice rore, saying: How long Lord, holy and true? Reuel. 6.10. Ierem. 9.9.how long ere thou come to auenge thy selfe on such a nation as this is?

If there were but one vniust man amongst vs, Sinne in all sorts of people. iniquitie for this one mans sinne were lamentable; Iosh. 7.1. [Page 152]much more now when whole families, nay whole streetes, yea whole towns and cities are such, the case is to bee lamented, and the estate to be feared; when like a Gangrene sinne hath eaten tho­row euery ranke of people, and in a bodie politique from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is no­thing whole therein,Isai. 1.6.but wounds and swellings, and sores full of cor­ruption: In Children. Psal. 22.31. when our yong children which should be a sanctified seed to serue the Lord, sucke blasphe­mie from the dugge, and not learne to speak before they learne to sweare, filling each house, and streete, and high way with their othes: In yong men. Eccles. 12.1. whē our yong men which should remember the Lord in the daies of their youth, haue their heads full of drunkennes, their eyes full of adulterie, their tungs full of ribaldrie, their eares full of flatterie, their hands ful of blood, their feete full of vanitie, destru­ction [Page 153]only and calamitie being in their waies, Psal. 14.3. and no feare of God before their eyes. When our old men which should be sober, In old men. are giuen to drunkennesse; which should be chast, Tit. 2.2. are giuen to wan­tonnes; which should be discreet, are full of foolishnesse; which should be sound in the faith, are as ignorant as horse and mule; which should be in charitie, are full of enuie; which should take their farewell of the earth, are thē most greedie of the earth, when themselues are more then halfe earth. In women. 1. Tim. 2.9. When our women which should adorne themselues with shamefastnes and modestie, striue who can most disguise themselues in cloathes of vanitie, Isai. 3.16. and in stead of hauing the hiddē man of their heart vncorrupt, 1. Pet. 3.4. looke onely to their outside to paint that vnto the world. In the Commons. When our common and ordinarie sort of people are murmurers, complainers, Iude 16.17.walkers [Page 154]after their owne lusts, makers of sects, fleshly minded, and ful of pro­phanenes. When the children shall presume against the ancient, Isai. 3.5.and the vile against the honorable. When young and old shall thus openly, without blush of shame, expose their sins to the sunshine of the world, when euery one hunteth his brother with a net, Mich. 7.8. Psal. 12.2. and in one body there is a double heart: Ierem. 9.9. Shalt not thou be auenged for these things, O Lord? shall not thy soule be auenged on such a na­tion as this?

But bee it that generally the common sort of men were so ill inclined; In Ministers. yet so long as y^e watch­men of the Lords vineyard were vnpolluted with blood, Groenham in his common place of sinne, cap. 62. there were some hope the rest might bee recouered: But when they which should be eyes to others, themselues are blinde as beetles; Matth. 6.23. whē they which should be lamps to others, Matth. 5.14. haue no oyle within [Page 155]their lamps; when they which should bee Pastors to feede the flock of Christ, Matth. 25.8. Ezech. 34.2.3. clothe themselues with the fleece, and eate of the fat, but feed not the sheep; Malach. 1.7. when they at whose mouth the people should seeke the knowledge of the law, speake good of euill, Isai. 5.20.and euill of good, put darknes for light, and light for darknesse, bitter for sweete, and sweete for sower: when they that should be faithfull ste­wards, Luke 12.42. giuing to Gods household their portion of meate in due sea­son, 2. Cor. 2.17. make merchandise of y^e word of God, selling the cause of the Lord for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread: Ezeth. 13.19. when they which should shew the people their trans­gressions,Isai. 58.1.and the house of Iacob their sinnes, heale the hurt of the people with sweete words, saying, Beace, peace, when there is no peace; Ierem. 6.13. when they that liue of the Altar, 1. Cor. 9.13. liue from the Altar, and working euill in the eyes of the people, [Page 156]cause men through their propha­nes to abhorre the offering of the Lord: 1. Sam. 2.17. Psal. 119.126. Is it not then high time for God to put to his hand, and to visit our coasts?

Yet all hope of remedie were not altogether cut off, In Magistrates. if they which are in authoritie would put to their reforming hands in this extremitie. But when securi­tie shall lull asleepe authoritie; Rom. 13.4. when they that beare the sword are afraide to strike; they that should plead Gods cause, 1. King. 18.21. halt be­tweene God and Baal; they that should be zealous for the Lord of hosts, Numb. 29.9. haue no courage for the truth; Ierem. 9.3. when they that should preserue equitie and iustice, turne iudgement into wormwood, Amos 5.2. and leaue off righteousnes in y^e earth; when gifts doe blinde the eies of the wise, Exod. 23.8. and peruert the words of the righteous; when they doe the greatest wrongs that sit in highest roomes, when iniqui­tie [Page 157]and authoritie shall kisse each other, and the workers of iniqui­tie will not bee controlled, and cannot bee corrected: Is it not then high time for thee, Lord, Psal. 82. to put to thine hand? is it not time for thee, Iudge of all the earth, to arise to iudgement?

The noble sonnes of Zion compa­rable to fine gold,In Nobles.how are they be­come dimme? Lament. 4.2.7.8. our Nazarits that were purer then the snow, and whi­ter then the milke, now their vi­sage is blacker then a coale, that men cannot know thē in the streets: the greatest of many maketh thē forget the greatest, Amos 6.1. honour and pleasure steale away their heart. They that are at ease in Zion, trust in the mountaine of Samaria: They put farre from them the euill day, Verse 3.and approch to the seate of iniqui­tie:Verse 4.They lie vpon their beds of Iuo­rie, and eate the lambes of the flock, and the calues out of the stall:Verse 5.They sing to the sound of the viole, and [Page 158]inuent vnto themselues the instru­ments of musicke: They drink wine in bowles,Vers. 6.and anoint themselues with the chiefe ointments; but no man is sorrie for the affliction of Io­seph: They say vnto God, Depart from vs, we desire not the knowledge of thy waies:Iob 21.14.15.Who is the Almigh­tie that wee should serue him, and what profit should wee haue, if wee should pray vnto him? If the Pro­phets in their daies did bewaile these things, what should we do? wee that liue in these desperate diseased times, wherein the de­luge of wickednesse hath almost couered the highest mountaines of godlinesse, wherein the mo­numents of goodnes are so wea­therbeaten, that impietie and impunitie hath almost left no character thereof vndefaced, the rust of irreligiousnes hath eaten into the most steelie tempers of our age.

Yet if these sinnes were few, [Page 159](though, as we see, they be not to be found in few) yet might some hope of pardon bee, All sorts of sinne in this land. vntill they fild the measure, and came to the height of sinne. But now (alasse) this measure is alreadie full: As sin abounds in euery sort of men, so is there to bee found amongst thē euery sort of sin. What towne or village is there but is polluted with some of Dauids fooles, Atheisme. Psal. 14.1. that say within their heart, There is no God, and therefore liue as if there were no heauen nor hell, Act. 23.8. no Saint nor Diuell, nor God at all? Papisme. How many thousands of Manna-loa­thing Papists swarm euery where within our coasts, Exod. 16.3. whose mouths are watring after the fleshpots of Egypt againe, and whose hearts are thirsting after the Circean dregs of the purple whore of Ba­bylon? Reuel. 17. Think we that God doth not see what is done in many houses of the land? The children gather wood, Ierem. 7.18.and the fathers kindle [Page 160]the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes to the Queene of Heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings to other gods. These thine aduersaries, Psal. 74.4.O Lord, rore in the middest of thy congregation, and set vp their banners for tokens. They goe to and fro, Psal. 59.6.and barke like dogs, and runne about the citie. These Cananites are as prickes vnto our sides, Iosh. 23.13. and as thornes in our eyes: They gnash their teeth at the prosperitie of thy Sanctuarie, Psal. 137.7. and crie downe with it, down with it euen to the ground.

Yea, Irreligiousnes. Lord, thy Sanctuary is al­readie too much polluted, and the dwelling place of thy name too much alas despised, Psal. 74.7. Verse 6. for they breake downe the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers. Euery priuate mans garden is a paradise, Greenham. and their fields a gardē; but the Lords garden (whether for want of manuring, or for the sleeping of the dressers) lieth like [Page 161]the field of the sluggish man: Prouerbs. when euerie house is curiouslie fieled, and euerie citie aptly com­pacted, the house of the Lord li­eth void in many places, so that they that passe by are constrained to say, O Lord, Psalme. why doest thou behold vs thus and suffer vs to see so great vastation? If theeues had come by night, Sacriledge. would they not haue stollē till they had enough? If the grape gatherers had come, Obad. 5.6. would they not haue left some grapes? O, but how are the things of Esau sought vp, and his treasures searched? Ioel 1.7. Is not the barke pild off from euery pleasant tree? how is it made bare? is there one branch which the enemie hath not made white? Vers. 4. That which the Palmer worme hath left, the Can­ker worme hath eaten; that which the Canker worme hath left, the Caterpiller hath eaten. Thus haue they spoiled the Church from hand to hand: O Lord, how long [Page 162]shall the aduersarie reproch thee?Psal. 74.10. Vers. 22.shall the enemie blaspheme thy name for euer? Arise, O God, maintaine thine owne cause, Vers. 22.remember the dai­ly reproch which is offered vnto thy name. The contempt of the word. Ierem. 6.10. For why, thy word, O Lord, is vnto them a reproch, they haue no delight in it: The children of thy people talk of thee by the walles, and in the doores of their houses, and speake one to another, saying, Come and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord: They come indeed vnto thee as people vse to come, and they sit downe before thee, Ezech. 33.30.31.32.and heare thy words, but they will not doe them; for with their mouthes they make iests, and their heart goeth after couetousnes, and loe, thy Prophets are vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice, they heare their words but doe them not. And which is worse, Light account of Gods benefits. there is no balme at Gi­lead, no means of medicine wher­by the health of the daughter of [Page 163]this people might be recouered: for they will not be wrapped, Ierem. 8.22. Isai. 1.6. nor bound vp, nor mollified with oile. This people hath an vnfaith­full and rebellious heart, they are departed and gone. Ierem. 5.23.24.25. They say not in their heart, Let vs now feare the Lord our God, that giueth raine both early and late in due season, and reserueth vnto vs the appoin­ted weekes of the haruest: yea our iniquities haue sometimes tur­ned away many of these things, and our sins haue hindred good things from vs: Slight regard of Gods iudge­ments. Isai. 1.3. The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters crib, but our Israel will not know, this people will not vnderstand: Thou hast stricken them, O Lord, but they haue not sorrowed: Thou hast consumed them, Ierem. 5.3. Hardnes of hart.but they haue refused to receiue correction, they haue made their faces harder then a stone, and haue refused to returne: yea they haue made a couenant with death, and with hell are at agree­ment, [Page 164]saying,Isai. 28.15.Though a scourge run ouer and passe through, it shall not come to vs: for we haue made false­hood our refuge, and vnder vanitie are we hid. This thou seest, O Lord, and canst thou suffer it? or shall not thy soule be auenged on such a nation as this? Ierem. 5 9.

When as for swearing & blas­pheming, Swearing and blaspheming. from the names of sins, they are now shrouded vnder the habit of ingenuitie and valour, Exod. 20.5. and he is counted a Precifian that maketh a conscience of an oath, Iam. 2.6. when the very aire is polluted with blasphemous speeches, and euery little child, as if their tungs were set on fire of hell, can rent and teare thy sacred body, Christ, and the whole land groane vn­der othes; Ierem. 23.10. canst thou see it, Lord, and suffer it, that what thou con­demnest for so capitall a crime, men should count it for a glo­rious vertue? Sabbath brea­king. When thy Sab­baths, Lord, whose sanctification [Page 165]thou enioynest so straitly, Gen. 2.23. Exod. 20.11. Heb. 4.4. and giuest vs a memorandum so se­riously to make it our delight, and to consecrate it, Isai. 58.13.as glorious vnto thee, are not onely now polluted with fearefull prophanation, but also called into irreligious que­stion, when there is almost no wickednesse which is not espe­cially committed vpon this day, Bucer. in Psal. 92 it being peruerted from the ser­uice of the Lord to the pleasures of the flesh, Muscul. in prae­cept. 4. and from the honour of the great and high God to the rites of Bacchus and Venus, and so made the Diuels high holiday with many: Wilt not thou for this kindle a fire in the gates of our Zion? and shall it not deuoure the palaces of Ierusalem?

When whoredome and adul­terie are esteemed as trickes of youth, and vsurie, consenage, Adulterie and whoredome. and oppression as things indifferent; when the adulteries of men are written in their foreheads, and [Page 166]the whoredome of women be­tweene their breasts, Ierem. 8.12. when they are not ashamed that doe com­mit these things, neither can bee brought to any shame: but though thou feedest them to the full, Ierem. 5.7.8.9.yet they commit adulterie, and assemble themselues by companies in the harlots houses, and rise vp in the morning like fed horses, euery man neighing after his neighbours wife. When whoredomes prodromus or pandar Pride doth so taint and infect all degrees, Pride. and the vanitie of all other natiōs is little enough to make vp the measure of an En­glish follie: When the daughters of Zion are haughtie, Isai. 3.19.and walke with stretched out neckes, and wan­dring eyes, Rom. 1.27. and men effeminate to fashion themselues according to the world onely, Rom. 12.1. Rom. 13.4. making it their onely thought to fulfill the lusts of the flesh: When the stone crieth out of the wall, Couetousnes. Hab. 2.11.and the beame out of the timber answereth it against the [Page 167]common practise of those that ioyne house to house, and lay field to field, Isai. 5.8.till there be no place for the poore, that they may bee placed by themselues in the midst of the earth: when euery one hunteth his bro­ther with a net, Mich. 7.2. Hab. 1.16. and sacrifice to their yearne, and to their net: and as a cage is full of birds, Ierem. 5.27. so are their houses full of deceit, by which they are become great and waxen rich: When the fat buls of Baashan gore the sheepe of the flocke, Oppression, Psal. 22.12. and the rich men swallow vp the poore, that they may make the needie of the land to faile, and the sellers make the Ephah small, Amos 8.4.5.6.and the Shekel great, and falsifie the waights by deceit, that they may buy the poore for siluer, and the nee­die for shooes: Is it not then time for thee, O God, to whom ven­geance belongeth, to shew thy self? Psal. 94.1.2. Arise thou indge of the world, and reward the proud after their deseruing, Psal. 10.16.for the poore committeth [Page 168]himselfe vnto thee, who art the hel­per of the fatherlesse and needie.

When Court and Countrie swarmes with desperat hacksters braules, Crueltie and quarrelling. with whom rapine, en­uie, malice, and murther are but veniall sinnes, which yet like A­bels blood from out of the earth doe crie vnto the Lord: Gen. 4.10. When men rise vp early to follow drun­kennes,Drunkennes.and continue till night, vntil the wine doe inflame them, Isai. 5.11. and rec­kon it a point of valour to bee mightie to drink wine, & strong to powre in strong drinke. Vers. 22. And Sodoms trinitie of master sinnes, pride, Ezech. 16.40. Idlenes. fulnes of bread, and abun­dance of idlenes, abound in vs; there being so many millions that liue inordinately amongst vs: 2. Thess. 3.11. and so many walking the sluggards pace, of whom the heauenly A­postle Paul hath told vs oftē, Philip. 3.18.19. yea and told vs weeping, that they are enemies to the crosse of Christ, whose end is damnation, whose god is their [Page 169]bellie, whose glorie is their shame, which minde earthly things. Vnfaithfulnes. When there is no trust to be reposed in a friend, Mich. 7.5. nor cōfidence in a coun­seller, and the doores of a mans mouth had neede bee locked vp from her that lieth in his bosome; whē the whole land like a bowle is ouerswaied by the strong bias of iniquitie, Nothing but sin. and bends without opposition to black corruption: when there is no care of truth, Hosea 4.1.2.nor mercie, nor knowledge of God in the land, but by lying, and swearing, and killing, and stealing and whoring men breake out, and blood toucheth blood: Can there be a God, and he not see? can he see and not pu­nish these so vile abominations?

No, no, It agreeth with the equitie of Gods instice to punish these sins. thou art a God of pure eyes, and canst not endure the sight of euill: Thou art iealous of thy glorie, and will not hold him guiltlesse that shall prophane thy name; Hab. 1.13. thou wilt not surely cleere the innocent, but wilt visit the ini­quitie [Page 170]of the fathers vpon the chil­dren,Deut. 5.11. Exod. 34.7.and vpon the childrens chil­dren vnto the third and fourth ge­neration. Art not thou the same that whurledst downe angels frō the heauen because of their sins, Ierem. 32.18. and madest Sodome and Gomor­rha, God is no lesse bent to punish sinne now then heretofore. which sometimes were as an other Eden, a breeding place for nettles, and a lake of ashes? yea thou didst not spare Ierusalem thine owne selected city, Iude 6. 2. Pet. 2.4. Genes. 13.10. Genes. 19.24. Ierem. 25.29. Matth. 24.3. Isai. 59.1. Heb. 1.11. but hast made it for sin an heape of stones: yea, Lord, thine hand is not short­ned that it cānot strike, nor thine eares heauie, that they cannot heare: Thou art still the same, and thine hatred against sin now as great as euer it hath been.

Or haue wee a greater priui­ledge to pleade vpon then other people had? We haue no more priuiledge to se­cure vi frō Gods iudgements, then other nations had. Nahum 3.8. Are wee better then No which was full of people, that lay in the riuers, and had the waters round about it, whose ditch was from the sea, and her [Page 171]wall from Egypt to Ethiopia, yet she was carried away and went into captiuitie? Are wee in safer shelter then the people of other countries, who for their sins are rooted vp as though they had not been planted, as though their stocke had taken no roote in the earth? Isai. 41.24. the Lord hath blown vpon them, and they are withered, and the whirlewind like stubble hath taken them away: yea the Lord hath not spared the city wherein his own name was called vpon; Ierem. 25.29.and shal we goe free? O no, it is impossible, it cannot bee. The Lord hath sworne by his holinesse, Amos 4.2. that his eye shal not spare, neither will he haue pitie, but will powre out his wrath and fulfill his anger in vs, Ezech. 7.8.9. and pay vs home according to our waies, and of the abomina­tions that are in the midst of vs. Ierem. 7.16. Bootlesse, ah I feare, is it to lift vp crie or prayers against the same: for though Moses and Samuel stood before him to entreat him, [Page 172]yet how could his affection bee towards this so sinfull people? Ierem. 15.1. Though hitherto hee hath for a long time held his peace, Isai. 42.14. yet now hee will destroy and deuoure at once.

Yea verely, What the reason is why these iudgements haue not alreadie sea­sed on vs. it is the Lords mer­cie that we are not yet consumed: for we had long ere this haue bin as Sodome, and our countrie as Gomorrha, had not some zealous Phineahses delaied his wrath, and some of his chosen Moseses stood in the breach before him to turne away his wrath, Lament. 3.22. Zeph. 2.9. Numb. 25.11. lest hee should destroy them. But now, alas, these righteous men decay apace, Psal. 106.23. and no man considereth it in his hart; mer­ciful men are taken away, & no man vnderstandeth that they are taken away from the euill to come. Isai 57.1. What hope of health now, when there is scarse a godly man left, Psal. 12.1. and the faithfull are diminished from a­mong the children of men? Ther­fore now the daies of our visita­tiō must needs be neere, The neere ap­proach of Gods iudgements. the daies [Page 173]of recompence are comming, Is­rael shall know it, our selues, Hosea 9.9. our wiues, our children, I feare shall shortly feele it. Me thinks I heare already the noise of the whip, Nahum 2.2. and the mouing of the wheeles, the axe is alreadie lifted vp and ready for the stroke.

O would to God our Elders would sanctifie a fast, What the way is to preuent Gods iudgements. and our Priests the Ministers of the Lord would weepe between the porch and the altar, and cry, Spare, Lord, Ioel 2.15.16.spare thy people, and all the people from the highest to the lowest would turne to the Lord with fa­sting, Vers. 12. weeping and with mour­ning; Vers. 14. who knoweth whether the Lord wil returne, and yet spare and leaue a blessing behind him? Doubt­lesse our God is gratious and mer­cifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnes.

But, Lord, What to do when Gods iudge­ments shall sease on vs. if the decree bee al­readie come forth and cannot be reuoked, yet, Lord, correct vs, but with iudgement, not in thine anger, [Page 174]lest we be consumed and brought to nothing. Ierem. 10.23. Powre out thy wrath rather vpon the Heathen that know thee not, and vpon the families that call not vpon thy name. Or if there be no remedie, yet well I know, that in y^e midst of these his iudge­ments God is louing vnto Israel, Psalme. to such as are true of heart: He will deliuer them from six troubles, Iob 5.19.and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch them: Psal. 37.24. they may haue a fall, but they shall neuer be cast off. Al things euen Gods greatest earth­ly iudgements work for y^e best to Gods childrē: Rom. 8.28. for Sions sake I will not hold my tongue, but mourne for her desolations. As for mine own part I will rest my selfe vpon Da­uids resolution; 2. Sam. 15.25. If I shall finde fa­uour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me againe, and shew me both it, and the Tabernacle thereof: but if hee thus say, I haue no delight in thee: Behold here am I, let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes.

THE SINNERS Doome.

FRet not thy self (saith Da­uid) because of the vn­godlie,Psal. 37.1.2.neither bee thou enuious for the euill doers: for they shall soone be cut downe like grasse, and wither as the greene hearbe. Me thinkes it should be an easie mat­ter to disswade any man from en­uying them, who are rather to be pitied because they are set in slip­perie places, The seeming prosperitie of the wicked. rather to be lamented because their estate is so dange­rous, fickle, and full of woe. For albeit these are they that seeme to prosper in the world, and to [Page 180]encrease in riches, Psal. 73.12.5.7. which are lusty and strong, and not in trouble like other men, their eyes stand out for fatnes, and they haue more then heart can wish. Though they liue and waxe old, Iob 21.7.8.9.10and grow in wealth, their seed is established in their sight with them, and their generation be­fore their eyes. Their houses are peaceable and without feare, and the rod of God is not vpon them: Their bullock ingendreth and faileth not, their cow calueth and casteth not her calfe. Psal. 49.11. Though they thinke their houses and their habitations shall continue for euer, euen from gene­ration to generation, and call their lands by their names. Though the people fall downe vnto them, and they be deemed the only happie men in the world: The vnmasking of the wicked. Psal. 73.17.18. yet let a man but goe into the Sanctuary of the Lord, & seek to vnderstand their end, and he shall finde that their wealth is not in their own hand, Iob 21.16.17.18. but they are set in slippery places, and [Page 181]their change is fearefull. O how oft shall the candle of the wicked be put out, and their destruction come vpon them at vnawares! he shall be as stubble before the winde, and as chafe that the storme carieth away. O how suddenly are they destroyed, perished, and horribly consumed! Psal. 73.19.20.as a dreame when one awaketh, so shall the Lord make their image despised. For why? Iob 21.30. the wicked is kept but as a stalled oxe vnto the day of destruction, & he shal be brought foorth vnto the day of wrath: In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, & the wine is red, it is ful mixt, Psal. 75.8.and hee powreth out of the same; surely the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drink the dregs ther­of. This is Gods iust doome vpon them, they shal be like the raging of the sea, that cannot rest, Isai. 57.20.21.whose waters cast vp dirt and mire. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wic­ked.

And surely how true this rest­lesse [Page 182]doome of wicked wretches is, The restlesse and wretched estate of the wicked euen in this life. who seeth not, that hath but an eye to see, and an heart to vnder­stand? whose mouthes though they bee set against heauen; Psal. 73.9.6.and their tongue walketh through the earth, though pride be a chaine vnto thē and crueltie couereth them like a garment: Iob 21.9. Though the houses of their hearts seeme peaceable and without feare: yet, God he know­eth, their dolefull mindes are tos­sed vp and downe with many a blast of anguish, and blowne a­bout with many a gale of terror, like surging waues which rage vpon the seas, Pompon. Mel. lib. 2. and like Euripus which euer boyleth and is in cō ­tinuall agitation. The wicked man is continually as one that trauelleth with child, Iob 15.20.21. oppressed with inward throbs and gripes of heart; A sound of feare is euer in his eares, terrors shall take him as waters, Iob 27.20.21.and tempest shall carrie him away by night, the cast winde shall take him [Page 183]away,Prou. 28.1.and hee shall flie when none pursueth him.

And why? The worme of conscience. there is a worme that neuer dieth, which is alwaies nibling at their hearts, and, like the Poets furies, lashing their guiltie conscience with accusing horror. Mark 9.44. In the middest of all their hearts delights & pleasing mirth, there appeares an hand writing before their eies which troubleth their thoughts within them, and maketh the ioynts of their loines loose, Dan. 5.6. and their knees to smite the one against the other. Whiles they seeme to enioy their chiefest iollitie, there hangeth ouer their head a waightie sword by a small twine of threed; when they full faine would put God out of their mindes, Amos 6.3. and put the euil day farre from their thoughts, and would reioice in their youth, and cheere vp their heart in their delights; will they, nill they, an heauie hammer knocketh this memento [Page 184]into their hearts, Eccles. 11.9. Know that for all these things God wil bring thee vn­to iudgement. Yea, his eye shall faile with fearfull looking for the dreadfull iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduer­sarie. Heb. 10.27.

But say some senselesse soule and cauterised conscience should be so fast asleepe as not to feele this smart, Want of feeling this horror of conscience in the wicked most de­sperat. as doubtlesse many sinners are, yet shall wee thinke their case as void of feare? No, no, a deadly lethargie possesseth such mens soules, whose pangs may well be thought most grie­uous then, when least they are felt, and whose estate is most ter­rible when they are most insen­sible; 1. Tim. 4.2. whose consciences are sea­red with an hot iron. O take heede of such, for well wee know that such a one is peruerted, Tit. 3.11.and sinneth being damned of his owne selfe, and being senselesse of his sinne, is giuen ouer to a reprobate sense, Rom. 1.24.and [Page 185]being past feeling,Ephes. 4.19.giue themselues ouer to worke all vncleannes euen with greedinesse: being alrea­die within the iawes of hell be­fore they bee awares. And well I wote, that when such sleepie soules shall awake, (and wake they shal, securely now although they sleepe) that then their hor­ror shall be the greater farre: like wilde beasts, which though so long as they lie asleepe, seeme tame and gentle, yet being rou­sed vp, are fierce and wrathfull.

In the meane, Sinners Gods enemies. albeit in out­ward shew they may seeme ioy­full, yet let them know their case is fearfull: for if the wrath of an earthlie King bee raging, how dreadful then must needs be their estate who are professed enemies to the King of Heauen? Isai. 26.11. Surely he hateth all those that worke iniquity, Psal. 5.6. and both the wicked man and his wickednes are in hatred with him. Psal. 14. Prou. 15.9. The way of the wicked is an [Page 186]abomination to the Lord: Isai. 1. Psal. 50. Hee cannot abide nor permit the sin­ner to praise him, to pray vnto him, or to take his couenant in his mouth: no maruell then if at the last day hee shew such rigor vnto them, who in this life are so extreamly hated and detested of him. Gods threatnings against sinners. What peace then can they haue that haue the Lord of hosts to be their enemie? Psal. 10. God shall raine snares of fire vpon sinners, brim­stone with tempestuous windes shall be the portion of their cuppe: the Lord shall breake their teeth in their mouthes, Psal. 57.6.9.10.and shoote foorth his arrowes and destroy them: Hee shall carrie them away as a whirle winde in his wrath, and wash his feete in the blood of the vngodlie: He will powre out his wrath vpon them, and fulfill all his anger in them: Ezech. 7.8.9.10. Hee will iudge them accor­ding to their waies, and lay vpon them all their abominations, neither shall his eye spare them, neither will [Page 187]he haue pitie on them, and they shall know that hee is the Lord that smi­teth them. Cursed be they in the towne, and cursed in the field, cur­sed in the fruite of their bodie, Deut. 28.16.17.18.and cursed in the fruite of their land, the increase of their kine, and in the flocks of their sheepe: cursed when they come in, and cursed when they goe out: cursed in their bodies, and cursed in their soules.

Now then let them boast while they will of their prosperitie, The beginning of hell here in this life to the wicked. and let such as are like vnto them flat­ter them in their follie: though they seeme with Capernaum to be lifted vp to heauen, Matth. 11.23. yet be­hold alreadie they are in the con­fines of hell: though they haue a name of mightinesse, yet indeed they are in the lowest estate of abiectnes: Though they may seeme the only men that liue, yet they are but dead whiles heere they liue: 1. Tim. 5.6. Though worldlings do admire them, Rom. 6.16. yet are they but the [Page 188]Lords laughing stockes, Sinnes slaues, and Satans drudges. Poore woodcocks are they ensnared in Satans springs, 2. Tim. 2.26. Rom. 9.22. vessels of wrath ordained for the Diuels blacke kitchin, alreadie treading the waies of darknesse, Prou. 4.19. Exod. 3. the prince of darknesse taske mē in the works of wickednesse: yea they dwell alreadie in the land of darknesse, and in the shadow of death, Psal. 107.10. be­ing fast bound in miserie and iron: Psal. 37.8. when Gods children are satisfied with the dainties of his house, Luke 15.16. they feed on husks of sinne and draffe of beastly life: when the soules of the Saints are tem­ples of y^e holy Ghost, 1. Cor. 6.15. Reuel. 18.2. their soules be nests of Scorpions & dunge­ons of Diuels: Reuel. 21.27. when Gods chil­dren haue their names registred in the booke of life, their names are engrossed in y^e book of perdi­tion, being alreadie in the power of the Diuell and his angels, 1. Tim. 5.6. sub­iect to sinne and all temptations, [Page 189]dead in trespasses and sins, whiles in their bodies they bee aliue, and when they die, hauing this death the earnest penie of the se­cond death.

For certainly, The dolefull estate of the wic­ked in the day of death. The reioycing of the wicked is but short, and the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment: though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen, & his head reach vnto the clouds, Iob 20.5.6.7.8.9.yet shall hee perish for euer like his dung, and they which haue seene him shall say, Where is he? He shall flee away as a dreame, and shall passe away as a vision in the night: Goe he shall, there is no remedie, Iob 10.22. into the land of dark­nesse and shadow of death, into a land, I say, darke as darknesse it self, and into the shadow of death, where is none order, but the light is there as darknesse. Heb. 9. Eccles. 3.19. And albeit this is the condition of the iust as well as the vniust, and as the one dieth so must the other die and returne vnto the dust: yet (good Lord) [Page 190]how great a difference is there betweene the righteous and the wicked at the day of death? Mark the vpright man, Psal. 37.37.and behold the iust for the end of that mā is peace: when ghastly death approcheth with her inexorable destinie, then doe they lift vp their heads, Luke 21.28.for that their redemptin̄ draweth nigh from the labours and toyles of this world. Psal. 40.1.3. Blessed then are they that feare the Lord, the Lord wil streng­then them vpon their bed of sorrow, and make their bed in their sicknes. So that with holie Hilarion, they then begin to cheere vp their soule: Hieron. in vita Hilarion. Exito anima mea, exito &c. Goe out my soule, goe out, thou needest not feare, thus long thou hast serued Christ, why shoul dest thou now bee afraid to goe to him? But for the wicked and vn­godly man, as there is no peace to him during the whole course of his life; so shall hee finde least peace at the houre of death. O Death how bitter is the remem­branceEccles. 41.[Page 191]of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions? how irk­some shall it bee to an vnrepen­tant sinner, when hee shall see Death it selfe standing before his face to arrest him, and appro­ching vnto him with this incul­table doome; Thou soule, Luke 12.19.this night I must take away thy soule from thee, and then whose shall these thy pleasures and thy profits be? A wofull anguish must thē needs possesse his heart, when hee must part from all his earthly ioyes, pleasures & commodities which he hath trauelled for with the ha­zard of his soule, and finde no profit in them, but that hee hath trauelled for the winde. Eccles. 5.15. But what should I speake of the losse of these toyes and trifles? they must part with life it selfe: Iob 2.4. Skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath will hee giue for his life. But all the wealth and riches in the world cannot purchase one houres lease [Page 192]of longer life, Death will claime his due, an inexorable creditor: which when it cannot chuse but breede an horror in the heart of him that lieth a dying; so will it fill his soule with direfull griefe to call to minde the vaine at­tempts of his forepassed life, whē they shall sigh for griefe of mind, and say within themselues; O senselesse we and more then fran­tick fooles, We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse, Syracides, 5.1.3.7.8.9.and wee haue gone through dangerous waies, but we haue not knowne the way of the Lord. What hath our pride profited vs? or what profit hath the pomp of our riches brought vnto vs? all those things doe passe away like a shadow, 2. Cor. 5.and as a post that passeth by. At that day will God be knowne of them to be a ter­rible God, and dreadfull. Hee will then write bitter things against them, Iob 13.26.and make them possesse the sinnes of their youth. The consci­ence [Page 193]will come in then with her bill of accounts, and shew many old reckonings and arrerages of sinnes, and Satan will shoote foorth many millions of canons of desperation against the sicke besieged soule, and lay before his eyes the large bedrole of their sinnes: which when the guiltie conscience cannot denie, O how it filleth the heart with horror, and souseth the dreadfull soule with feare! How bitter and la­mentable is that parting farewell which they make to their depar­ting soule? Aelius Adrianus. Animula, vagu­la, blandula, quae nunc abibis in loca, pallidula, frigida, nudula, &c. like that of Adrian the Romane Emperour, when he was now a dying; My darling soule, poore soule, poore fleeting wandring soule, my bodies some­times best beloued ghest and equall, whither art thou now going, pale, wanne, and naked, into places vgly, dismall, full of horror and tribu­lation?

Yet happie, yea thrice happie [Page 194]were it, The wicked haue no peace after death. if death were the Cata­strophe of the sinners Tragedie, and the end of their being might come with the end of their earth­ly liuing: Their soules po­sting to hell. happy were it for them if like to dogges and toads, and beasts, they might perish and bee no more, but loe their chiefest woe is yet to come: for when they lie in the graue like sheep, Psal. 49.14. Iob 19.26.death gnaweth vpon thē; whiles wormes destroy their carkase, hell fire seaseth vpon their soules, and vex­eth them with torments. What shall I heere recount the sudden dreadfull passage of their soules from the bodie to their doome, dragd downe by furious fiends of hell, vnto their place of tor­ment, 2. Pet. 2.4. Iude 6. where they shall be in euer­lasting chaines vnder darknes vn­to damnation, and to the finall iudg­ment of the great day. At which day (good Lord) what horror & amazement will affright them? when the vngodly, whose bodies [Page 195]are rotten in the dust of the earth, The horror of the wicked at the day of resurre­ction. Matth. 25. shall on a sudden be roused from their deadly sleepe by the Trum­pet of an Angell; and like guil­tie malefactors, they shall come foorth of the filthie dungeon of rottennes to appeare at the tri­bunall for their triall. 2. Cor. 5. What a dreadfull day will that bee for those that haue passed their time securely here in this world? how will they be amazed at the sud­dennes of this their rousing vp from the bed of death? What a sea of miseries and terrors shall rush vpon them, when on a sud­den being raised vp, Matth. 24.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.37. and appa­relled with the same robes of their bodies, so long laid vp in the wardrope of the dust, they shall heare about their eares so hideous a noyse of Trumpets, sound of waters, motion of all the elements; when they shall see the earth reeling and tottering, the hils and dales skipping, the [Page 196]Moone darkned, 2. Pet. 3.12. the Starres fal­ling downe from heauen, the fir­mament shiuered in peeces, and all the world in a flaming fire? If Adam, Gen. 3.8. after his eating of the forbidden fruite, would faine haue hid himself from God, wal­king in the garden at the coole of the day; how shall the despe­rate forlorne sinner then abide the presence of the Iudge, 2. Thess. 1.7. not walking in the coole of mercie, but comming in flaming fire, and sitting in his throne of Maiestie; Matth. 25.31. Reuel. 20.12. when the books shall be opened, when not onely they shall be cal­led to account for their grosse and hainous sinnes, Matth. 12.36. but shall be compelled to giue account for euery idle word, Rom. 2.16. and their verie se­cret thoughts shall be brought to iudgement? 1. Cor. 1. Alas, what wil those wise people doe then that now liue in delights, and count a chri­stian conuersation foolishnesse? What shift will they make in [Page 197]those extremities? what will they answere for themselues? doubt­lesse they shall not be able to an­swere him one of a thousand: Iob 9.3. whi­ther will they then turne them­selues? Will they hope that the Bill of their Inditement may be lost? Reuel. 2.23. They haue small hope of that, for he, who is their Iudge, searcheth the heart and reines, yea all things are naked and open to his eyes. Hope they that their great­nes shall countenance them out? Behold he findeth no stedfastnes in the Angels; Iob 4.18.19.how much lesse then in them that dwell in houses of clay, and whose foundation is in the dust? Doe they perswade themselues that they can bribe the Iudge? Loe, Prou. 11.4. Matth. 16.16.riches auaile not in the day of wrath; and what shall a man giue for a recompence of his soule? Doe they hope vpon a Psalme of mer­cie or a pardon? There was a time indeed when that was offe­red vnto them, if with repentant [Page 198]mindes they would haue accep­ted of the same: but now there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10.26.27.but a fearfull looking for of iudge­ment which shall deuoure the ad­uersaries. Good Lord, then what will the wretched sinner doe at that most dolefull day? what shift will he make? He shall euen drie vp for very feare: Matth. 24. Hee shall seeke death, and death shall flie from him: Reuel. 6.15.16.He shall crie to the hils to fall vpon him, and to the mountaines to couer him. But all in vaine, for there shall hee stand a desperate, forlorne, caitise wretch, vntill he receiue that dreadfull and irre­uocable sentence, Matth. 25.41. Goe thou cur­sed wretch into euerlasting fire, prepared for the Diuell and his an­gels.

Which finall sentence once pronounced, The endlesse mi­serie of the wic­ked after the day of iudgement. me thinks my heart doth quake to thinke vpon the horror presentlie rushing vpon these dammed wretches: what [Page 199]howling, crying, wailing, and yelling by them will bee made, Reuel. 16.9.11. when the infernall officers and fiends of hell with bitter skofes and taunts will hale and dragge them vnto torments? Reuel. 16.9.11. then shall they curse the day of their nati­uitie, Iob 3.9.10. and wish that they neuer had been borne, and that they had perished as an vntimelie birth: They shall bee readie to rend and teare their soules, for that they so neglected the time of grace offered vnto them, There shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth with them, Luke 13.28. when they shall see Abraham, and Isaac and Ia­cob, and all the Saints in the king­dome, and themselues thrust out of doores: Psal. 112.10. The vngodly shall see the happinesse which they haue lost, and it shall grieue him, Hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume away, and his hope shall perish. For though like Diues they would giue a thousand thousand worlds [Page 200]for a droppe of cold water to coole their tongue, Luke 16.25. they may not haue it. No, no, but whurled shall they be to hell, Isai. 66.24. to bee companions with Diuels and damned spirits, in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, Mark. 9.44.where the worme dieth not, and the fire neuer goeth out.

Who is able to dwell in this de­uouring fire?The paines of Hell. Isai. 33.14.or who shall be able to dwell in these euerlasting bur­nings? Matth. 8.12. 1. Pet. 3.19. The place it selfe so loth­some into which they are cast, a dungeō far more dark thē pitch, worse then the Egyptian dark­nes which might be felt; Exod. 10.21. A lake that burneth with fire and brim­stone,Matth. 11. Matth. 8.13.where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that lake, it is wonderfull to thinke how wic­ked damned soules shall be tor­mented day and night: Reuel. 10.14. not on­ly bodie, but soule and all with bitter hellish torments; to which all plagues and torments mans [Page 201]heart can deuise, are but like flea­bitings and not to be named: for as the ioyes of heauen are so ex­ceeding great, 1. Cor. 2.9. as neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, or heart of man can possiblie conceiue: so the pains of hell are such as y^e tongue of men or Angels cannot vtter, nor any thought imagine. Hap­pie be they that heare, and feare, but neuer feele these fearefull paines: Dan. 12.2. for tribulation and anguish shall be vpon their euer burning neuer dying soules; the shame that shall couer their faces is per­petuall, Iude 7. the fire that shall de­uoure them is eternall, the hor­rors that shall astonish them are euerlasting, 2. Thess. 1.9. the worme y^e gnaw­eth vpon their conscience neuer dieth, Matth. 25.46. and the fire which shall de­uoure them neuer goeth out; the paines which they shall feele shal neuer, neuer haue an end.

How can I then but pitie those many thousand sillie soules, The application. who [Page 202]proue themselues such fooles, as to buy the pleasures of sinne for a season, Heb. 11. at so high a price, as will cost thē a dreadfull setting on for euer? How can I but admire their senselesse madnesse, Prou. 14.9. who though they heare and know this doome of sinners, Iob 15.16. yet make a iest of sinne, and drinke vp iniquitie like water? Why should men be like Thomas, Ioh. 20.25. that will not beleeue except they see? Exod. 10.7. and so neere of Pharaos mind, that will be destroied before they leaue their sins? As for me, seeing this is the sinners portion, I will endeuor as neere as I can to keep my self from sinne: Surely I shall neuer be able to endure the pains of hell, and therefore as neere as God will giue mee grace, I will keepe me farre from them. See­ing there is no peace to y^e wicked, I will not leaue my peace of conscience for a thou­sand worlds.