GIve eare, how the Flesh lifteth up the Soule against the Spirit, contemplatively raised, yea even against Christ. For, saith the Flesh: 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 I preferre my complaint to thee God the Father, just and of infinite mercy, touching thy Sonne; beseeching thee, that thy justice would consider the injury done mee, and that thy mercy would condescend to my misery. This thy Sonne full of knowledge and power, hath circumvented me by his wisdome, and 〈…〉 violence by his power. This thy Sonne by his wisdome cloathing himselfe with flesh, became like unto mee, and by his too much humilitie and ineffable benignitie, craftily entred in upon me: He became more humble than all, hee became despicable to all, hee tooke upon him the necessities of all, he bore the infirmities of all, he vouchsafed to be most cruelly crucified for all, to be afflicted as well with compassion, as in his most grievous passion, through meere affection to all, to expresse the love of his heart, by the opening of his side, and from thence to derive those Sacraments which gave remedy to all mankinde. What should I say more? Hee hath ordained his flesh for meat,Mat. 26. his bloud for drink, and promised himselfe for a reward, inasmuch as he girded himselfe, and being to depart thence, ministred to such as eat at thy table.Luke 12. By all these meanes, and many others, which I neither know, nor am able to declare, hath hee not onely wondrously allured my Soule, deputed to the support and comfort of mee, but by entring in unto her, hath so highly drawne her by his power, and so joynd her unto him by his delights, as now shee cares not at all for mee, but rather afflicts, dejects, treads downe, and vilifies mee; and that which seemes grievouser than all things else, she loves those that lay this disgrace on me, remembring him or them more especially in her prayer, who inferre these injuries on me; and if none as yet be done mee, shee desires that hereafter they may bee done me. Thus am I mortified, and she cares not; Thus lye I grovelling in mud, and shee rejoyceth: Yea, it is the very highest pitch of her desire, to see my sorrow with new sorrow multiplied, that my sorrow might bee more sensibly conceived. This seemes to bee her glorie to bring injuries, contumelies, and whatsoever is worst upon me. Thus leaves shee mee desolate and afflicted; meane time, it is her desire to remaine still with thy Sonne, still to bee fed with his flesh, made drunk with his bloud, and wheresoever he is, to be ever with him. Now she appeareth like a small tender infant with him in the manger; now she embraceth him in the armes of the blessed Virgin; now is she nourished with him, with the milke of the Virgin. Now she hungers with him, now shee thirsts with him, now is shee spit upon with him, now is shee wounded with him, now is shee sorrowfull upon the Crosse with him, now with thee in heaven rejoyceth she with him, shee is comforted with him; wheresoever hee goe, shee goes with him, shee cannot endure to bee from him, shee can intend herselfe to nought without him: What shall I say to thee, O Father, touching thy Sonne, who hath made my soule given unto me, so drunke with his love, and thus estrang'd her from mee? If hee hath robb'd mee, thou maist command restitution to be made me. Neither seemes it to me a small injury, thus to deprive me of this precious and inestimable jewell of my mind. For why doth my soule appointed for me, only love thy Sonne; why doth she thus hate mee, why relinquisheth shee all things concerning me? Behold, how she swallowed up with the incomparable love of thy Sonne, walketh as one without sense; now there is nought else shee heareth, nought else shee thinketh, or tasteth, nought else shee smelleth, being alwaies desirous to rest in his armes. There is shee joyed, there is she cheered, there abundantly delighted, there, made drunke with too much love, is shee lodged. Neither is it to be wondred at, if this my Soule cleave so constantly to thy Sonne: Because, unlesse she were harder than stone, and more insensible than iron, seeing thy Sonne hath done such great things for her, she can doe no lesse than this for him. Yea, where is that stone so hard which would not rend with the heat of so great love, yea melt like wax, if all these aforesaid benefits should be done it? I doe not then complaine to thee, O most benigne Father of my Soule, for that shee hath done no more than she ought: but of thy Sonne, who hath so forcibly allured her with the benefits of his mercy, and by that meanes left mee in so great misery.

ATtend and hearken, what answer this most gracious Father makes to the Flesh. Forasmuch as thou art my creature, I will shew thee Justice with Mercie. Whereas then thou wert ordained to bee the Soules Hand-maid, yet hadst ever a desire to play the Mistresse, and demeaning thy selfe alwaies inordinatly, hast caused her to serve thee and not mee, by making her prone unto all evill, and which is worse, hast subjected her, who was made after my image, to the bondage of Satan. Thou, I say, who hast made her worse than any brute beast, being by thee defiled and ab • ominably polluted, yea, above all darknesse blackned, and so much altered, as I cannot know that noble creature stamped and formed to so glorious a feature: Needfull it was then, because I loved her so much that was inclosed in thy Flesh, that my Sonne should take Flesh upon him, that so hee might allure her to his and my love. And because the Soule by cleaving to thee, her Flesh was become dead, it was my will that my Sonne who became Flesh should be slaine for her, that she might be quickned. Neither was this in my Sonne any circumvention or deceiving, but mine and his ineffable vouchsafing. And because thou, O Flesh, hast done evilly ever from thy first infusion, but my Sonne hath beene inflamed towards thy Soule with exceeding affection, and hath wholly given himselfe up for her redemption, therefore my justice exacteth many things, especially, that I wholly and totally resigne her unto him, and that shee abhorre thee more than dung, and that she desire that thou maist bee abhorred of all. But forasmuch as thou hast be sought not onely my Iustice but Mercy; it is my will that thou in some measure bee refreshed with that present sweetnesse which thy Soule feeleth in my Sonne; yea more than all this, I will hereafter endow thee most nobly and most perfectly: and if thou beest truly obedient to thy Soule, from henceforth deliver thee from eternall punishment, and bring thee to an inheritance gloriously permanent, where I live eternally resident.

EVery day drawest thou nearer than other to Death, Judgement, and Eternity. Bethinke then with thy selfe every day, how thou maist stand in the severe discussion of death and judgment, and how thou maist eternally live. Thou art to take an exact account of all thy thoughts, words and deeds, because an exact account is to be given of all thy thoughts, words and deeds. Thinke every evening, that death is that night approaching: Thinke every morning, that death is that day accoasting. Deferre not thy conversion, nor the performance of any good action till to morrow, because to morrow is uncertaine, but death is ever certainly waiting. There is nothing that hinders piety more than delay. If thou contemne the inward calling of the holy Spirit, thou shalt never come to true conversion. Doe not defer thy conversion, nor the practice of any religious action to thy old age; but offer unto God the flower of thy youth: Uncertaine is old age to the young, but certaine destruction attendeth him that dieth impenitently young. There is no Age more fit for the service of God, than youth, flourishing in abilities both of body and mind. For no mans sake oughtst thou to take in hand an evill action; for not that man wch thou so respectedst, but God in whose brest all the treasures of wisdome are stored, shall in the end judge thy life: Doe not then preferre any mans favour before the honour of thy Maker. In the way of the Lord wee either increase or decrease: Take examination then of thy life every day, whether in the practice of piety thou increasest or decreasest. To stand in the way of the Lord is to goe back. Let it not then delight thee to stand in the course of piety, but endevour alwaies to walke in the way of the Lord. In thy conversation bee cheerefull to all, distastefull to none, familiar to few: Live to Godward devoutly, to thy selfe chastly, to thy Neighbour justly. Use thy friend as a pledge of affection, thine enemy for a triall of thy patience, all men to a well-disposed benevolence, and wherein thou maist more effectually worke to beneficence. While thou livest, dye dayly to thy selfe and to thy vices; So in thy death maist thou live to God. Let meekenesse appeare in thy affection, mildnesse in thy countenance, humility in thy habit, modesty in thy habitation, patience in tribulation. Let facility be in thine accesse, decency in thy dresse, humility in thy presence, affability in thy discourse, benignity in thy wayes, charity in thy works. Let constancy be in thine eie, content in thy chest, temperance in thy cup. Observe moderation in thy desires, discretion in thy delights. Think alwaies of those 3. things past, Evil committed, Good omitted, Time mis-spēded. Think alwaies of these 3. things present: • he shortnes of this present life, the difficulty of being saved, the fewnesse of those that are to be saved. Think alwayes of these three things to come, Death, than wch nothing is more horrible; Judgement, than which nothing is more terrible; the paine of Hell, than which nothing more intolerable. Let thine Evening Prayers redeeme the sinnes of the forepast day; let the last day of the weeke reforme the offences of the dayes gone before. Thinke in the Evening, how many soules are that same day thrown head-long into Hell; and give thankes unto God, for that hee hath given thee time to repent in. There be three things above thee, which ought never to depart from thy memory: That Eye which seeth all things, that Eare which heareth all things, and those bookes wherein all things are recorded. Wholly hath God communicated himselfe to thee; communicate thy selfe likewise wholly to thy neighbour. That is the best life, which is wholly employed to the behoofe and benefit of others. Render to thy superiour obedience and reverence, to thy equall counsell and assistance, to thy inferiour succour & supportance. Let thy body be subjected to thy mind, and thy mind to God. Bewaile thy evils past, disesteeme thy goods present, covet with all the desire of thine heart those goods to come. Remember thy sin, that thou maist grieve: Remember thy death, that thou maist cease from sinne: Remember Gods justice, that thou maist feare: Remember Gods mercy, lest thou despaire. Withdraw thy selfe as much as thou canst, from the World, and devote thy selfe wholly to the service of God: Thinke alwayes, how chastity is endangerd by delicacy, humility by prosperity, and piety by employments transitory. Desire to please none but Christ: feare to displease none but Christ. Beseech God alwayes, that as he bids what he would, so he would doe what hee bids: that hee would protect what is done, and direct in what is to bee done: Endevour thy selfe to bee what thou wouldst have thy self thought to be; for God judgeth not according to the outward semblance, but according to the inward substance. In thy discourse beware of much speech, because account shall be required of every vaine word. Whatsoever thy works bee, they passe not away, but as certaine seeds of eternity, are they bestowed: if thou sow according to the flesh, from the flesh shalt thou reape corruption: if thou sow after the Spirit, from the Spirit shalt thou reap the reward of eternall retribution. After death, neither shall the honours of this World follow thee, nor heaps of riches favour thee, nor pleasures enjoy thee, nor the vanities of this World possesse thee, but after the fatall and full period of this life all thy works shall follow thee. As then thou desirest to appeare in the day of judgement, appeare such in the sight of God at this present. Thinke not with thy selfe what thou hast, but rather what thou wantst: Pride not thy selfe for that which is given thee, but rather become humbled for that which is deni'd thee. Learne to live now while thou maist live. In this time is eternall life either got or lost. After death there remains no time for working, for then begins the time of rewarding: In the life to come is not expected any worke, but payment for the worke. Holy Meditation may beget in thee knowledge, knowledge compunction, compunction devotion, devotion may produce prayer. Great good for peace of the heart, is the silence of the mouth: By how much more as thou art divided from the World, so much more acceptable art thou unto God. Whatsoever thou desirest to have, aske it of God; whatsoever thou already hast, attribute it to God: He is not worthy to receive more, who is not thankfull for what he hath received: Then stops the course or current of Gods grace to man, when man makes no recourse by thankfulnesse to God: Whatsoever befals thee, turne it to good; so often as prosperity comes upon thee, thinke how occasion of blessing and praising God is ministred unto thee; againe so often as adversity a •• ayles thee, thinke how these are admonitions for the repentance and conversion of thee. Shew the force of thy power in helping, the force of thy wisdome in instructing, the force of thy wealth in releeving. Neither let Adversity bruise thee, nor Prosperity raise thee: Let Christ be thy scope of thy life, whom thou art to follow here in the way, that thou maist come to him there in thy countrey. Amongst all other things, let profound humility, & ardent Charity be thy greatest care. Let charity raise thine heart unto God, that thou maist cleave unto him: Let humility depresse thine heart, les • thou becom proud & so leave him. Esteem God a Father for his clemency, a Lord for his discipline; a Father for his sweet power, a Lord for his severe power; Love him as a Father devoutly, feare him as a Lord necessarily: Love him because he will have mercy: Feare him, because he will not suffer sin. Feare the Lord, and trust in him; acknowledge thy misery, and declare his mercy. O God, thou who hast given us to will, give us likewise to performe.

BEhold here how the Soule thirsteth; and see how good it is for the Soule that thirsteth; to wit, because shee thirsteth after thee. There are who thirst, but not after God. Every one that would in his owne behalfe have ought performed, is in heat of desire, till he have it effected; and this desire is the thirst of the Soule. Now see what various desires are in the hearts of men: One desireth gold, another silver, one desireth possessions, another inheritances, one store of money, another stock of cattle▪ one a faire house, another a wife, one honours, another children. You see these desires, how they are in the hearts of men. All men thirst after one desire or other, yet can there scarce one be found, who may say, My Soule hath thirsted after thee. For men thirst after this World, and they understand not how they are in the wildernesse of Idumaea, where their soule ought to thirst after God. Let us therfore say, My Soule hath thi • sted afther thee; Let us all say, (for wee are all but one Soule in our fellowship with (Christ:) Let this our soule thirst in Idumaea: My Soule (saith he) hath thirsted after thee, and my Flesh hath longed sore for thee. He held it too little for the Soule onely to thirst, but that his Flesh should thirst. Now I would know, seeing the Soule thirsteth after God, how the Flesh may be said to thirst after God: For when the Flesh thirsteth, it thirsteth after water; when the Soule thirsteth, shee thirsteth after the fountaine of Wisdome; of which fountaine our Soules shall bee made drunke, as is said in another Psalme, They shall bee satisfied with the plenteousnesse of thy house: Psal. 36. and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures, as out of thy river.

We are then to thrist after wisdome, to thirst after righteousnesse. Nor shall we be satisfied with this, nor filled with that, till this our fraile life shall be ended, and we come to that which God hath promised. For God hath promised to make us equall with the Angels. Now the Angels thirst not as wee doe, nor hunger as wee doe, but partake of the food of truth, the food of light of immortall wisdome. Therefore are they blessed: And in so great blessednesse (being in that heavenly City of Hierusalem, from which we are here as Aliens) they take care of us poore pilgrims, they commiserate us, and by Gods appointment they assist us, that at last we may returne to our common Countrey, & there at last with them be satisfied with that divine fountaine of truth & eternity. Wherefore let our Soule now thirst, & let our flesh also thirst eagerly. Yea My flesh (saith he) longeth after thee: because to our flesh, is resurrection promised by thee. Even as blessednesse is promised to our soule: so also is resurrection promised to our flesh. Such is the Resurrection of the flesh which is promised unto us. Heare, learne, and understand what may be the hope of Christians. For what end are we Christians? Not to this end are wee Christians, that we should seeke earthly happinesse, which even Theeves and malefactors ofttimes enjoy. No, wee are Christians for another kind of happinesse, which shall be then by us received, when this our transitory life shall be ended. For this then is the Ressurection of flesh promised to us. And such is the resurrection of flesh to us promised, that this same flesh which wee now carry about us, may rise in the end, and retaine her incorruptible glory without end. Neither let this seeme incredible unto you, because you see the dead falling to corruption, and returning to dust and ashes. Suppose that any dead corpse should be burnt to ashes, or that dogs should teare it, doe you therefore thinke that it shall not rise againe? All these parts which you see peecemeale divided, and into small graines of dust resolved, remaine all whole with GOD; for into them doe the Elements of the world passe, from whence they first came, when wee were made: These wee doe not see, yet wil God, when he knowes his owne time, produce them; who before we were made, when his sacred will was, produeed us from them. Such Resurrection of the flesh is promised to us, that, albeit this flesh which we now carry, be the same which shall rise again, yet must it not have that corruption, which it now hath. For now through the corruption of our frailty, if we eat not, wee faint and hunger; if we drinke not, wee faint and thirst sor water; if we wake long, we faint and fall a sleep; if we sleep long, we faint and so awake; if we eat and drinke long, albeit we eat and drinke for nourishment, yet doth this long refection become a defection; if wee stand long, wee are weary, and therefore wee fit; and if we fit long, we become wearied, and therefore we rise. Then consider, how there is no constant state in our flesh: because our infancy flyeth away into childhood, and then if thou seeke infancy, there is no infancy, because it is now childhood, which was even now infancy. Againe, that childhood passeth into youth, and then if thou seek childhood, thou canst not find it. This youth becomes a man; and then if thou seeke that youth, hee is not to bee found. This man becomes old: thou seekst a strong man, and hee is not to be found. And this old man dyes: thou seekest an old man, and hee is not to bee found. Our age then standeth not, every where there is wearinesse, every where tediousnesse, every where corruption. Considering therefore, what hope of resurrection God promiseth unto us; in these our manifold defects, we thirst after that incorruption, and so our flesh longeth much after God. In this Idumaea, in this wildernesse, by how much she laboureth, by so much more eagerly she thirsteth; by how much she is wearied, by so much shee thirsteth after that infatigable incorruption, for which she was created. Albeit, my Brethren, the flesh of every good and faithfull Christian in this World, thirsteth after God. Because if his flesh need bread, if it need water, if it need wine, if it need money, or what reliefe soever it need, he ought to beg for these at the hands of God, not from Devils and Idols, or what other Powers of this World, I know not. There are who when they suffer hunger in this World, leave God, and call on Mercury, or Iupiter, or their heavenly Pan, as they call him, • r some other such like De • ils, that they would releeve • hem: these mens flesh thirst • ot after their God. For • hey that thirst after God, eve • y where ought to thirst both • n soule and flesh; because God both giveth his bread 〈◊〉 the Soule, that is, the Word of truth; and God giveth to the flesh also, whatsoever are necessary, because God made both the soule and the flesh. For thy flesh, thou calst upon Devils: tell me, hath God made thy soule, and the Devils made thy flesh? Hee who made thy soule, he likewise made thy flesh. Hee who made them both, he likewise feeds them both. Let both these in us thirst after God, and out of much labour be moderately refreshed, that in him, to whom we are solely devoted, we may be wholly fixed.

NOw, my Brethren, whosoever erecteth the light of his mind, whosoever laieth aside the darknesse of his flesh, whosoever cleareth the eye of his heart, let him lift up and see what this It selse is. How shall I call it selfe, but it selfe? O my Brethren, if you can, understand what is this it selfe. For even I my selfe, if I should speake any thing else but it selfe, doe not speake it selfe; Yet doe we labour by some neere affinities of words and significant proprieties to bring the infirmity of the mind, to meditate of this It selfe. What is this it selfe? That which is alwayes one and in the same manner, and not now one thing, and then another. What is then it selfe but that which is? And what is this which is? That which eternally is. For whatsoever is alwaies altering from one to another, is not, because what it is abides not: Yet not so as locally it is not, but summarily it is not. And what is this which is, but hee, who when he sent Moses, said unto him,Exod. 3. I AM THAT I AM? And who also said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Behold it selfe, I AM THAT I AM; He who IS, hath sent mee to you! But thou canst not conceive it, it is farre from thee to understand it, far from thee to apprehend it. Retaine therefore that which he was made for thee, since to conceive him it is farre from thee. Retaine the flesh of CHRIST, by which raised being sick thou maist bee relieved, and left halfe-dead by Theeves woūded, thou maist be to an Inne conducted, and cured. Let us then runne to the house of the Lord, and come to the City, where our feet may stand in the gates; that City which is builded as a City, that is compact together in it selfe. It selfe is this whereof it is said,Psal. 101. Thou art the same, and thy yeares shall not faile. Behold it selfe, Whose yeares shall not faile! Brethren, doe not our yeares daily faile and fade in the yeare? For those yeares which are come are not now, and those which are to come are not yet. Now are these failed which are come, and those shall faile which are to come. Houres past bee already gone, and houres to passe are not yet come, & when they are come they likewise shall passe, and faile. What be those yeeres which do not faile, but those which stand? If yeares then doe there stand, those yeares which stand is one yeare; and that one yeare which stands, is one day: because that one day hath neither rising nor setting, neither begun from yesterday, nor excluded from to morrow, but standeth alwayes the same day. And whatsoever thou wilt, thou maist call this day; if thou wilt, they are yeares; if thou wilt, it is a day: thinke what thou wilt, yet it standeth. For this City partakes of stability, being compact together in it selfe. Worthily then, because it becomes partaker of this stability, doth he say who runneth thither; Our feet were standing in thy Courts, O Ierusalem. For all things doe there stand, where nothing passeth: Wilt thou then stand there, and not passe? Runne thither. None hath It selfe of himselfe. Attend Brethren: Hee hath a body, but this is not it selfe, because it stands not in it selfe. It is changed by ages, it is changed by removes of places and times, it is changed by corporall diseases and defects; therefore it stands not in itselfe. Heavenly bodies do not stand in themselves, for they have their certaine changes, though secret: certainly are these changed from place to place, they ascend from East to West, and againe they goe about to the East. These then doe not stand, these are not It selfe. Neither doth Mans Soule stand itselfe. For with how many alterations and cogitations is she varied, with what pleasures is shee changed and from her selfe estranged, with what desires infected and infested? The very mind of man which is said to bee reasonable, is likewise mutable, it is not it selfe. Now it will, now it will not: Now it knowes, now it knowes not: now it remembers, now it forgets. None then hath It selfe of himselfe. Hee who would have had it selfe of himselfe, that hee might bee it selfe to himselfe, is falne. He is falne from an Angell, and become a Devill. He drunke a health to man in pride, hee threw himselfe downe by envying him who stood. He would be it selfe to themselves, have principality to themselves, dominion in themselves. They would not have the • rue LORD, who truly is It selfe, to whom it is said, Thou shalt change them, Psal. 102. and • hey shall be changed, but thou art the same. Now therefore, after • o long affliction, after so many diseases, difficulties, labours, let the humbled soule returne to it selfe, and be in that City, that is compact together in it selfe.

WHo hath set peace in thy borders. How much have yee all rejoyced? Love this, my Brethren. Wee are much delighted, when this love of Peace cryeth from your hearts. How much hath it delighted us? Having as yet said nothing, expounded nothing, but only pronounced this verse, yee have even cryed out. And what is it that hath cryed from you? the love of peace: what doth it present unto your eyes? Whence doe yee cry, if yee do not love? Whence doe yee love, it yee doe not see? Peace is invisible. Where is that Eye, by which it is seene, that it may be lov'd? Neither would it be cryed upon, unlesse it were lov'd. These are those representments of invisible things, which God exhibits unto us. With what beautie hath the conceit of Peace seized on your hearts? What then shall I now speake of Peace, or of the praise of peace? Your affection preventeth all my words: I shall not performe it, I am not able to undergo it, I am too weake to doe it. Let us deferre all our praises of peace to that Countrey of peace. There shall wee more fully praise it, where wee shall more fully possesse it. If wee thus love peace begun in us, how much shall we praise it when perfected in us? Behold, this I say, my beloved Children, Children of the Kingdome, Citizens of Hierusalem, because in Hierusalem is the Vision of peace, and all those who enjoy and love peace are made blessed in it. This, which ye so much love and affect to heare named, pursue it, desire it, love it in your House, love it in your Businesse, love it in your Wives, love it in your Children, love it in your Servants, love it in your Friends, love it in your Enemies. This is that peace which Heretiques have not. Now what doth peace here amidst the uncertainties of this Region, in this Pilgrimage of our mortality; where, as yet, no one is transparent to another, none seeth the heart of another, what doth peace? It judgeth not of things uncertaine, it confirmes not things unknowne. It is apter to conceit well of man, than evilly to suspect him. It grieves her not much to have erred, in conceiving a good opinion of him that was ill-affected. But dangerous it is, to conceit ill of him who (perchance) is good, not knowing how hee is disposed whom we so rashly judged. What doe I lose, if I beleeve such an one is good? If it be uncertaine whether he be evill, (albeit you are to be cautelous whether this be so,) yet are you not to condemne him as if it were so. this Peace commandeth,Psal. 33. Seeke peace, and ensue it. Heresie, what doth it teach? It condemnes those it knowes not, it condemnes the whole World. We do now desire that peace which we have here in hope. For as yet, what peace is there in us?Galat. 5. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. Where is there full peace in any one man? when shall it be full in any one man? Even then, when it shall be full in all the citizens of Hierusalem. When shall there be full peace? I Cor. 15. When this corruptible hath put on incorruption, and this mortall hath put on immortality, then shall there be full peace, then firme peace. Nothing then contesteth against the soule in man, shee is not against her selfe, nor in any part wounded; there is no frailty of the flesh, no corporall want, no hunger, no thirst, no heat, no cold, no wearinesse, no want, no provoking to wrath, nor surely any cautelous care of avoyding a foe, or affecting a friend. All these things, my Brethren, fight against us, wee have not yet full and perfect peace. In that ye have cryed, (who even now hearing the name of peace out of your desire to peace have cryed) this cry of yours proceeded from thirst, not from fulnesse.

THe same Father Augustine, a glorious Light of the Church, a constant Champion for the truth, and a powerfull evincer of all such Errors as opposed the Truth, in his love to peace, composed likewise this sweet Meditation, to beget in every devout heart the like affection: Gathered out of his Tract upon the 36. Psal. Upon these words: Meeke men shall possesse the Earth, and shall have their delight in the multitude of peace. Ver. 23.

Upon which, with a passionate devotion, an affectionate passion, hee analiseth thus: This Earth, whereof we have so often spoken, is holy Hierusalem. The Meeke shall be delivered from this their pilgrimage, and shall live for ever with God, and of God. Therefore shall they possesse the Earth for an inheritance. And what shall their riches be? They shall be delighted in the multitude of peace. For the wicked, hee may be delighted in the multitude of Gold, in the multitude of Silver, in the multitude of Servants, lastly in the multitude and store of Wealth, of delicious Wines, sumptuous and luxurious Feasts. But admit, hee should be alwayes stored, alwayes in these suted, were not his case to be lamented? But what shall be thy riches, what shall bee thy dainties? Multitude of peace: Thy Gold shall bee peace, thy Silver peace, thy Farmes peace, thy Life peace, thy God peace. Whatsoever thou desirest shall be to thee peace. That which is here Gold, cannot be unto thee Silver: That which is Wine, cannot bee unto thee Bread: That which is unto thee Light, cannot be drinke: whereas thy God shall bee to thee all things. Thou shalt eat him, and never hunger: Drinke him, and never thirst: Be enlightned by him, and never become blind: Bee supported by him, and never faile: Hee wholly shall possesse thee wholly and entirely. Thou shalt suffer there no extremities for another: have him, with whom thou shalt possesse all: enjoy all, and hee enjoy thee all, who is all in all: because thou, and hee, who is joyned in societie with thee shall be one: Which one, God himself shall wholly enjoy in you,Psal. 36. who shall possesse you. This is the end of a man that loveth peace.

WHat is his Praise in Heaven and in Earth? Is it because he praiseth? No, But because all things praise him, all things cry unto to him: the beauty of all things is in some sort the voyce of those which praise the Lord. The Heaven cryeth to the Lord; Thou hast made me, not I my selfe. The Earth cryeth, Thou hast fashioned me, not I my selfe. How then doe these cry? When thou consid • rest these and findest this in these, out of thy consideration they cry, out of thy voyce they cry, His praise is in Heaven and in Earth: Consider the Heaven, it is beautifull: consider the Earth, it is beautifull: both of them are together very beautifull. It is he that made them, he that guides them: it is his command that governs them: It is hee that alters times, supplies moments. Even Hee of himselfe supplies them. All things therefore doe praise him, whether they be in station, or motion, whether they be from Earth below, or from Heaven above, whether they be in declining or renewing. When thou seest these, and rejoycest in these, and art lifted up in Contemplation to Him that made these, and considerest how these invisible things of his are understood by these which are made, then is His praise in Heaven and in Earth, that is, thou praisest him for things earthly, thou praisest him for things heavenly. And because Hee made all things, and that there is nothing better than Him; whatsoever He made is below Him, and whatsoever seemes pleasing in these, is lesse pleasing than Hee is. Let nothing then so much please thee in these which he hath made, as He himselfe, by whom they were made. But if so thou love this which He hath made, thou art much more to love Him, by whom they were made. If these be so beautifull which He hath made, much more beautifull is Hee by whom they were made. His praise is in Heaven and in Earth, and he shall exalt the horne of his people. Now (in this Vale of teares, and field of tares) is the Horne of his people humbled in threshings, tribulations, temptations, beating of brests. When shall the Horne of his people be exalted? When the Lord himselfe shall come, and our Sun shall arise, not this which is seene with our eyes, and ariseth on the good and evill, but even that Sunne whereof it is said,Mat. 5. unto you that feare the Lord, Malac. 4. shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise, & health shall be under his wings; and whereof the proud and wicked shall say,Wisd. 5. The light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us, and the Sunne of understanding rose not upon us. Hee shall bee our Summer. Now, fruits in Winter time appeare not in the root. Thou observest how dry Trees are in winter. He that knows not the observation of these things, prunes the dry Vine before the fruit come, and, perchance, next Spring it becomes so dry, as it brings forth neither flower nor fruit, when it should come. Both these are alike in winter, this liveth, that is dead: But the life of this, and the death of that, are both in secret. The Summer approacheth; life appeareth in this, death is discovered in that. Beauty of leaves precedeth, plenty of fruit succeedeth: the Vine is attired with that beauty in her leafe, which she retains in her root. Therefore, my Brethren, we are now while we are here, in our condition like other men. Like as they are borne, eat, drinke, live, and are cloathed, and so passe over their life; even so the Saints. Sometimes doe these things deceive men, whence it is they say, Behold, since this man became a Christian, did his head never ake? Or now being a Christian, enjoyes hee more than I doe? O dry Vine! Thou observest the Vine planted neere thee how naked it is in winter, but never how dry it is by heat of summer. The Lord our beauty will come, who lay hid in the root; and then will He exalt the horne of his people, after this our captivity wherin we mortally live. Whence it is that the Apostle saith, Iudge nothing before the time, I Cor. 4. untill the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darknesse, and then shall everie man have praise of God. But thou wilt say, where is any root? where is any fruit? If thou beleevest, thou knowest where thy root is. For there it is, where thy Faith is, where thy Hope and Charity is.Colos. 3. Heare the Apostle, for yee are dead: They appeared as it were dead in winter. Heare how they live, And your life is hid (saith he) with Christ in God. Behold, where thou hast thy root! When then shalt thou bee adorned with beauty? When shalt thou be multiplied in fruit? Heare what followeth, When Christ which is our life shall appeare, then shall yee also appeare with him in glory.

REjoyce the Soule of thy Servant. Rejoyce her, because unto thee do I raise her. She was in earth, and in earth shee felt bitternesse: Now, lest she should pine away through bitternes, and so lose all thy gracious sweetnesse, I have raised her up unto thee, Rejoyce her with thee. For thou onely art joyfulnesse: the World is full of bitternesse. Surely, very rightly doth he exhort his members, that they have their hearts on high. Let them then heare it & doe it: let them lift that up unto heaven, which is in an evill state while it is upon Earth. For there the heart doth not corrupt, if it be lifted up unto God. If you have corne in low places, lest it should corrupt, you remove it higher: doe you then seeke to prepare a place for your corne, and will you suffer your heart to corrupt on Earth? you remove your corne to an higher room, lift up your heart unto heaven. But how may I doe this, will you say? What Cords, what Pulleis, what Ladders are needfull? These staires, are thy affections: thy way, is thy will. By loving thou ascendest, by neglecting thou descendest. Standing on Earth thou art in Heaven, if thou love God. For the heart is not lifted, as the body is raised. The body, that it may be raised, changeth her place, but the heart, that it may be roused, changeth her will, For unto thee, O Lord, doe I lift up my soule: for thou, Lord, art good and mercifull, therefore rejoyce her. As one wearied and tediously affected with the bitternesse of earthly things, shee desires to bee sweetned, and hath sought the fountaine of sweetnesse, but could not find it on earth. For what way soever she turned herselfe, she found scandals, tribulations, feares, tentations: In what man living safe security? Of whom certaine joy? And if not of himselfe, how much lesse from another? For either men are evill, and of necessity wee must suffer them, yet hoping withall that they may be changed: or they are good, and so wee ought to love them, yet fearing withall lest they become evill, because they may be changed. There, the wickednesse of those begetteth bitternesse of soule: here, care and feare equally surprize us, lest hee fall away from us, who walked sometime uprightly among us. What way soever then the heart shall turne her, she findes bitternesse in earthly things: shee has not wherewithall to sweeten her, unlesse shee lift her selfe up unto God her Maker. For thou, Lord, art good and mercifull. What is this mercifull? Thou supportest mee till thou perfectest me. For truly, my Brethren, I will speak as a man unto men and of men. Let every one bring hither his heart, and behold himselfe without flattering and without glozing. Nothing is foolisher, than flattering & seducing ones self. Let every one then consider and see what and how many things are acted in mans heart; and how, for most part, our very praiers are hindred by various thoughts, so as our hearts will scarcely stand firme before God. It desires so to enjoy it selfe that it may stand, and in some sort it flyes from it selfe, yet for all this it findes no lettices by which it may confine her thoughts, or barres by which it may restraine her distractions, and wandring motions, and stand joyfully before her God. Rare it is, that a prayer should occurre devoutly fixt, amongst so many prayers. Now every one would say, that, what befalleth him, befalleth not another, unlesse we found in the Sacred Scripture of God, that David in one place prayed and said:2 Reg. 7. O Lord, I have found my heart, that I may pray unto thee. Hee said, hee had found his heart, as if it used sometimes to fly from him, and he to pursue it as a fugitive, and could not lay hold on it, and to cry unto the Lord, My heart hath forsaken me. Psal. 39. Therefore, Brethren, considering what hee here saith, Thou art good and mercifull, I conceive that for this cause he cals him a mercifull God, for that hee suffereth these things in us, and yet expecteth prayer from us, that hee might perfect his good work in us. And when we have given it him, by offering our oblation of prayer unto him, hee receiveth it freely, and heareth it friendly, neither remembers hee those prayers of ours, which we so unseasonably presented, but receiveth this one which we scarcely found, yet found wee humbly offered. For tell me, Brethren, what man is he, with whom if his friend shall begin to talke, and he will not answer him, but observes him to decline from him, and to direct his discourse unto another, as if he were wholly aliened from him, who, I say, could endure this? Or suppose thou should'st intercede a Judge, and addresse thy selfe to him in such a place as hee may heare thee, and suddenly, when thou should'st speake unto him, thou leavest him, or entertainest some trifling discourse with thy friend, how could hee endure this? Yet doth God suffer so many hearts of such as pray, and thinke of many wandring thoughts while they pray, I forbeare to speake of thoughts hurtfull, I forbeare to speake of things depraved and offensive unto God: for to thinke even of superfluous thoughts, is an injury unto him, with whom thou speakest. Thy Prayer is a speech unto God. When thou readest. GOD speakes unto thee: When thou praiest, thou speakest with God.

But what? Are wee to despaire of man-kind, and now conclude, that every man is damned, when any wandring thought shall creepe in upon him, and interrupt his prayer? If wee should conclude thus, Brethren, I doe not see what hope might remaine in us. But forasmuch as wee have hope in God, for great is his mercy, let us say unto him; Rejoyce the soule of thy servant: For unto thee, O Lord, doe I lift up my soule. And how have I lifted it up? As much as I could, as much as thou gavest me strength, as soone as I was able to lay hold on my fugitive soule. So long as thou stoodst before me (suppose him to speake in the person of God) thou entertainedst such vaine & superfluous thoughts, as thou scarcely pouredst forth one fixt or stable prayer unto me. What more canst thou answer unto this, but, that thou Lord art good and mercifull? mercifull thou art in suffering me. I fall away through sicknesse, heale me, and I shall stand: strengthen me, and I shall bee strong. Meane time, till thou doest this, thou sufferest mee: for thou Lord, art gracious and very mercifull. Not onely mercifull, but very mercifull. For our iniquity aboundeth, and thy mercy aboundeth Yea full of mercy art thou to all such as call upon thee. What is it then that the Scripture saith in so many places,Prov. 1▪ They shall call upon me, but I will not answer. (Certainly he is mercifull to all such as call upon him) unlesse it be for that some calling upon him, doe not call upon him, of whom it is said,Psal. 13. They have not called upon God? They call, but not upon God. Thou callest for what thou lovest: Thou callest for what thou wishest in thee; thou callest for what thou would'st have come to thee. Wherefore, if for this end thou call upon God, that money may come to thee, that an inheritance may descend to thee, that temporall dignity may befall thee, thou callest upon him for those things which thou desirest that they may come unto thee: But thou makest God here a furtherer of thy lusts, not a favourer of thy desires. Is God good, if he give thee what thou would'st have? What if thou would'st have what is ill? were hee not more mercifull unto thee in not giving thee what thou would'st have? Yet, for all this, if hee doe not give it thee, God is as nothing unto thee: For thou sayest, How long have I sought, how oft have I sought, and yet am not heard? But what hast thou sought? Perchance, the death of thy Enemy: what if he also besought thine? He who created thee, he likewise created him: Thou art a man, hee likewise is a man: But God is the Judge, hee hearkneth both, but hee heareth not both. Thou art sad, for that thou art not heard in thy prayer against him: be glad, that hee is not heard in his prayer against thee. But thou wilt say, I did not seeke this, I sought not the death of mine enemy; but I besought the life of my child: What evill sought I in this? Thou soughtst no evill, as thou thinkest; but tell mee, what if hee were taken from thee, lest Sin should change his understanding? But thou wilt say, hee was sinfull, and therefore I desir'd that hee might live, that hee might reforme his life. Thou desiredst that he might live better: but what if God saw that he by living longer, would become worse? How knowest thou then whether might more redound to his profit, to dye or live? Seeing then thou knowest not, returne into thy heart, leave this to the secret counsell of God. But what shall I then doe, wilt thou say? How may I pray? How maist thou pray? As thy Lord hath taught thee, as thine Heavenly Master hath taught thee. Call upon God, as God;. Love God, as God. Nothing is better than hee, desire him, covet him. See how this princely Prophet calleth upon the Lord in another other Psalme, One thing have I desired of the Lord, Psal. 26. that I will require. And what is this hee desires? Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life: And to what end? To behold the beauty of the Lord. If then thou desirest to be the Lover of God, with thy sinc • rest affections, and chastest sighes love him, like him, long for him, languish for him, than whom thou canst find nothing more joyfull, nothing more gracefull, nothing more cheerefull, nothing more diuturnall. For what more diuturnall, than what is sempiternall? Doe not feare that hee at any time will fall from thee, who hath made thee, that thou shouldst not fall from him. If then thou callest upon God as God, be secure, thou art heard; thy portion hath relation to that verse, He is very mercifull to all such as call upon him. Doe not then say, He hath not given me this. Returne unto thy heart, and discharge thy conscience, examine it, doe not spare it. If thou hast at any time called upon God for temporall benefits, assure thy selfe that therefore hee did not give them thee, because they would not profit thee. In this, Brethren, let your hearts be edified, your Christian hearts, your faithfull hearts; lest yee fall into murmuring against God, by being discontented, when frustrated of your desires: and in vaine it is to kick against the prick. Make recourse to the Scriptures. The Devill is heard,Matth. 8. and the Apostle is not heard. How seemes this unto you? How are the Devils heard? They besought him that they might goe into the heard of Swine, and it was granted them. How is the Devill heard? He besought him, that he might tempt Iob, Job 1. and it was suffered him. How is the Apostle not heard? Lest I should be exalted out of measure, 2 Cor. 12. through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me a pricke in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan to buffet me. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect through weaknesse. He heard him, whom he had disposed to damnation: and heard not him whom hee prepared to salvation. The sick patient asketh many things of his Physician: yet the Physician gives them not, hee heares him not after his will, but for his health. Make God then thy Physician: aske of him health, and hee will bee thy health: not only as outward health, but as he himself is all health. Love not then any health beside him, but as thou hast it in the Psalme,Psal. 34. Say unto my Soule I am thy Salvation. What is it unto thee what hee give thee, so he give himselfe unto to thee? Now wouldst thou that hee give himselfe unto thee? What if that thou wouldst have hee will not give thee, that hee may give himselfe unto thee? Hee removes impediments from thee, that hee may enter in unto thee. Brethren, observe and consider what God gives here unto Sinners, and hence gather what hee keepes in store for his Servants. To Sinners that blaspheme him, hee gives daily the benefits of Heaven and Earth, hee gives fountains, fruits, health, children, wealth, abundance. All these goods things none giveth but God. Hee that gives such things to the sinfull, what thinkst thou stores hee up for his faithfull? Doest thou thinke this of him, that hee who gives such things to the evill, reserves nothing in store for the good? yes truly, hee reserves not onely earth but heaven. Nay perchance, I speake of something too low when I speake of heaven: hee reserves himselfe who made Heaven. Beautifull is heaven, but more beautifull is the Maker of Heaven. But (saist thou) I see Heaven, but I see not him. Thou hast eyes to see Heaven: But thou hast not as yet an heart to see the Maker of Heaven. To that end came hee from Heaven to Earth, that hee might cleanse thine heart, whereby he might bee seene who made Heaven and Earth. But freely with patience expect salvation. Hee knowes best with what medicines to cure thee: Hee knowes best how to cut thee, how to seere thee. Thou art become sick through sinne, hee comes not onely to cheere, but to cut and seere. Doest thou not see what paine men suffer under the hands of their Physicians, who promise unto them an uncertaine hope of life? Thou shalt bee cured, saies the Physician, thou shalt bee cured if I cut thee. And this is but the promise of man, and promised to man. Neither is hee certaine who speakes it, nor hee who heares it: because hee speakes it unto man, who made not man, nor perfectly knoweth what may become of man: yet gives man credit to these words of man, who knowes not what becomes of man: hee submits his members unto him, hee suffers himselfe to bee bound, or sometimes unbound he is cut and seer'd: and perchance hee recovers health for a few dayes, yet after this short recovery of health, hee knows not when hee must dye; and perchance hee dyes while he is in cure, or perhaps hee cannot bee cured. But to whom hath God at any time promised, and deceived?

WHat are those good things of the house of God? Brethren, let us suppose to our selves some rich House, imagining it to bee stored with all good things, how plenteous it may be, what store of vessels of gold and silver there may bee, how numerous a family, what abundance of stock and store, in a word how the House it selfe may delight us with pictures and structures of marble, arched Roofes, curious Columns, specious Spaces, sumptuous Rooms: behold, such things are desired, but as yet out of the confusion of Babylon. Prune all these desires, O Citizen of Hierusalem, prune all these: if thou wilt returne to thine heavenly City, let not captivity delight thee. But if thou hast already begun to goe out of Babylon, doe not looke behind thee, doe not loyter in the way. There want not yet Enemies to perswade thee to stay still in thy captivity and exile. Let not then the speeches of the wicked prevaile with thee. Desire the House of God, and desire the good things of that house: but not such, as thou usest to desire either in thine owne House, or in thy Neighbours or Patrons House. There is goodnesse of another nature in this House. What need wee to declare what those good things be of that House? Let him exp • esse them who singeth in his going out of Babylon: We shall bee satisfied with the pleasures of thine House. What are those pleasures? Sometimes, perchance, wee erected our hearts to gold, to silver, and other pretious things: doe not seeke such, these oppresse, they doe not refresh. Let us here then meditate of those pleasures of Hierusalem, those pleasures of the House of the Lord, those pleasures of the Temple of the Lord: because those pleasures which are of the House of the Lord, those are pleasures of the Temple of the Lord. Wee shall bee satisfied with the pleasures of thine House: Holy is thy Temple, wonderfull in righteousnesse. These are the pleasures of that House. Hee sayes not, thy holy Temple wonderfull in Pillars, wonderful in Pictures, wonderful in Marbles, wonderfull in gilded buildings, but wonderfull in righteousnesse. Thou hast outward eyes, wherewith thou maist see marble structures, golden statues: but within is the eye wherewith thou maist view the beauty of Righteousnesse: within, I say, is the eye wherewith thou maist view the beauty of Righteousnesse. If there bee no beauty in Righteousnesse, whence is it that the Righteous old man is loved? What may his body present to delight the sight? Hee presents crooked lims, a rugged forehead, an head whitened with hoary haires, weaknesse in all parts, full of aches and complaints. But, perchance, though this decrepit old man delight not thine eyes, hee may delight thine eares. With what voyce? with what song? For though, perchance, while hee was young, hee sung well, all those ayres are decayed with age. For can the sound of his words possibly delight thine eares, seeing he can scarcely pronounce his words through the dropping decay of his teeth? Yet if hee bee just, if he covet not that which is anothers, if hee out of his owne distribute to the necessity of others, if he admonish discreetly, and understand rightly, if hee beleeve sincerely, if hee bee ready for the profession of truth to bestow even his decayed lims (for many have beene Martyrs when they were old) wee are moved to love him. But whence is it that wee love him? What good thing doe wee see in him with these eyes of our flesh? Nothing. There is then a certaine beauty of righteousnesse, which wee see with the eyes of our heart, and which wee love, and wherewith wee burne. What was it that begot so much love in men to these Martyrs, when their lims were piecemeal • torne by beasts? When their bloud wherewith their Corps were embathed, distained all things, when their bowels were rent and shed abroad with the teeth of beasts, had the eyes any objects but spectacles of horrou • ? What was there in them that could bee loved: but that in such a Shambles of torne members, there appeared an unblemished beauty of righteousnesse? These are the pleasures of the House of God; with these prepare thy self to be satisfied: but that thou maist bee herewith satisfied when thou commest thither, it behoves thee to hunger and thirst after it, while thou art a stranger: Thirst after this, huger after this, for these shall bee the pleasures of God. Heare that King to whō these things are spoken, who came to recall thee, and through himselfe hath made a way for thee, what sayes hee? Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, Mat. • . for they shall bee satisfied. Holy is thy Temple, wonderfull in righteousnesse. And doe not thinke, Brethren, that this same Temple is without you. Love righteousnesse, and ye are the Temple of God.

WHat an Enemy is Man to himselfe? Hee sees above him, Heaven, offering it selfe unto him; below him, Hell, threatning perdition to him; On Earth, hee sees nothing worthy his affecting. Friends hee observes, and hee finds them Shadowes of time: the best of their constancy cloaths it selfe with a seeming mourning, and closeth all those glorious protests of Devotion and Service, with a teare-sacrifice to his Urne.

All those faire Monuments of his discerning providence are razed; those undeserving Palmes, which afforded him applause, now closed. Those Annals of his care, to an unknowne posterity recommended. Those precious vading houres, which well expended, might have gain'd him eternity, are so many Heralds to deblazon his vanity. Time hee had enough to estate him in immortality; but pleasure, honour, or earthly profit appeared such precious pearls in his bleered eye, as hee could reserve few or no minutes for so inestimable a purchase, as the permanent possession of a future happinesse. Hee eyed that least, which would have cleared his eye-sight most: making that his Supreme Object, which should in Wisdome have beene his lowest Subject. He could not possibly affect ought more, than what conduced least to his spirituall improvement. Were he in company; those hee made choice for his consorts, whose debauch't course had sprinkled a deepe tincture on their fame: and had made them onely exemplary in that which deserved imitation least. Did hee walke abroad; hee made no use of those various objects, which might have diverted his eye from admiring the excellence of the creature, to fix and inspheare it in the sole satisfying Contemplation of his Creator. Not the least sprig, seed, or grassepile, but reteined in it a mysterious impression of so exquisite an Artist: yet with what an easie contempt and per • unctory reflex, hee lookes on these, as if they dictated nothing to him but a vading vanity? Yet see, poore groundling! if some flourishing Meadow, faire Pasture, fruitfull Farme, or any other attractive object of sensuall profit present their sight and site unto him; with what a passionate interbreath hee salutes these earthly objects, with a servile irregular wish; Oh that these were mine! Meane time, hee h'as more than hee enjoyes; and enjoyes lesse peace, by ingaging his rough rubbish desires to every place. What an angling hee makes to catch that, which catcheth him most? Hee makes the Day his Purveyor for the world; the Night his Remembrancer of his cares: So as, that very time which was allotted Man for rest, becomes his disquiet.

If hee ayme at Honour, hee makes it his flame; and never leaves it, till his ayry wings be singed by it. Secure hee was before hee sought; but as one wearied in the haven, he commits his unstear'd vessell to the dangers of the Maine; where his Competitors bee those Pilots which plash him; who never leave him, till they cause his Top and Top-galant to yeeld with dishonour; which, his unbounded spirit unable to brooke, becomes his secret Pioner.

When Pleasure seazeth his Fort; how long and tedious are those slow-running houres, which divide him from idolatrizing his light-affected Mistresse? What numerous fancies his deluded imagination suggests to him; presenting to his intranced Conceit, more moving Objects of imaginary delight, than the loosest Sibarite ever▪ yet enjoyed? Hee reteines a constant modell of her favour, feature, posture; but how light shee weighs in the Scale of honour, hee never dreames. Hee flatters himselfe with the conceit of her reply, upon the delivery of a set speech; farced with farre more complement, than ornament of art. Poore foole! How much a scattred or ravish'd favour transports him! Meane time, shee works on his fortune, while shee guls his guilded person with a seeming affection. Thus splitted in his fortune, hee becomes cashiered of his temporary favorite. And now Time comes, and must needs draw his feature.

Heavens blesse me; how like a fleshlesse Starveling, this amorous Skeleton lookes! Hee, who once fed on fancy, longs after a more substantiall food to refresh his appetite.

Our two late Prophets talkt of Droughts and Plagues; and his incessant desire is by a petitionary way (for otherwise his exhausted fortunes cannot worke, nor project him a course to subsist) that they would intercede (if their phanatick illumination would give leave) that the Drought of his seered liver might bee quenched, and the Plague of his purse cured.

Wee have now Epitomiz'd Man to his full; and discovered him to be the only occasion of his owne fall. Oh that hee would recollect himselfe! and consider from whence hee came, what hee is, and whereto hee must goe.

First, let him reflect upon the state of his earthly being; that weake contexture wherof hee is moulded; Next, what weake and infirme supports hee stands on; and how soone those shaking Bases shall decline, when necessitated Fate shall undermine them; Lastly, those miseries one mispent houre shall make him lyable to: when with • ighes, and teares, and what not; hee shall petition for redemption of time, which want of time will not afford him; nor all his powerfulst Advocates on Earth procure him; nor all his prayers and teares, be they never so plentifully effused, assure him.

O Man! Seeing then, Earthly Honor becomes acorroding Competitor to the Owner; ayme at that, which shall without corrivalship highly improve, and securely confirme the injoyer.

Seeing, Worldly wealth sates not the desire, but ministers fresh fuell to the possessor; addresse thy more erected thoughts to that solec-sufficing and entirely-enriching treasure, which shall cloze thy safely-confined desires for ever.

Lastly, Seeing thou art so much transported with the vading shadow of Worldly Pleasure; fix thy sole content on that absolute good, which transcends all extent: So shalt thou, who before wer't a Foe to thy selfe, become a Friend to Him, who to redeeme thee, ingag'd himselfe.

HAile, O most holy flesh and bloud of Christ, wherereof I am made partaker in these visible Elements. Haile O thou highest sweetnesse, who knowest no losing, takest away all loathing, destroyest death, restorest life. Haile thou blessed food, which leadest thine Elect from the exile of this World to their Country. Haile thou happy Sacrifice, which art offered upon the Altar of the Crosse, to God • he Father, for the whole burden of our sinnes. Haile thou Manna more white than snow, more sweet than honey, more precious than all gold. Take from mee, I beseech thee, O good Shepheard, mine iniquities: that with a purified heart and spirit, I may deserve to taste these Holy of holiest. Let this venerable Sacrament bee an impregnable Safeguard to mee against the deceits of the enemy: that fed with this wholesome Viand, I may passe the slippery wayes of this life, in a blamelesse conversation, and come unto thee, the Bread of life, and the true Lord of Angels, without any hinderance of the Devils subtilty or malice. O Lord heare mee, bee pacified with mee, attend mee, and tarry not from mee, O my God, for thy goodnesse sake. For none can bee worthy of so great a mystery, unlesse thou, ô Omnipotent God, make him worthy, Amen.

O Most sweet Lord JESU, transpierce the marrow and bowels of my soule, with the most sweet and wholesome wound of thy love; with cleare, sincere, and most holy Apostolicall Charity, that my soule may languish, and melt alwayes with the onely love and desire of thee; Let her long and faint af • er thy Courts; Let her desire to be dissolved, and to be with thee. Grant, that my soule may hunger after thee, the bread of Angels, the repast of holy soules, our dayly bread, super-substantiall, having all pleasantnesse of taste, and all delight of sweetnesse: May mine heart alwayes hunger and feed on thee, on whom the Angels desire to looke, and with the sweetnesse of thy taste, let the bowels of my soule be filled: May shee alwayes thirst after thee, the fountaine of life, the fountaine of Wisdome and Knowledge, the fountaine of eternall Light, the streame of pleasure, the fulnesse of the house of God: May shee alwayes looke about for thee, seeke thee, finde thee, draw towards thee, come to thee, meditate of thee, converse with thee, & doe all things to the praise and glory of thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delectation, with facility and affection, with perseverance to my dissolution: And bee thou alwayes my onely hope, my whole trust, my riches, my delight, my joy, my gladnesse, my quiet and tranquillity, my peace, my sweetnesse, my perfume, my solace, my meat, my repast, my refuge, my succour, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure, wherin my mind and mine heart may be alwayes fixed, grounded, and unmoveably rooted. Amen.

O Almighty God, who judgest iniquity in equity, and doest inscrutable things: Thou, who weighest the mountaines in a balance, and wilt bring the Iudges of the Earth to judgement: Direct their understandings to discerne what is right, give them courage and resolution to doe what is right. Give them wisdome in their waies,In ore gratiam, in more • aga • iam • , in 〈◊〉 solatiu •• . faithfulnesse in their works, uprightnesse in their walkes. Remove from them covetousnesse; and let it bee their ambition to advance thy glory. Let neither rewards bee in their hands, nor revenge in their hearts. Take from them all drousinesse and dulnesse, all security and remisnesse. Imprint in their hearts a feare of thy name, a reverence to thy throne, and in all their judgements a sweet attemprature of me • cy and judgement. Make them tremble when they call to mind whom they personate; and imitate thee in being compassionate. Let not the Orphans prayers, nor the Widowes teares be unremembred: seeing these are bottled up by thee, let them not bee despised by them that represent thee. O let righteousnesse drop upon the Earth, that as dew falleth upon the grasse, so every flowry border of this thine inclosed garden, may bee watred by the dew of thy grace. Suffer not this Iland to mourne, nor her People to grone, because of injustice, oppression, and wrong. Put an hooke in the nostrils of all such imperious Iudges, who take thy Law into their mouth, and hate to be reformed. As for those, who turne Iudgement to wormewood, Amos 4. 7. and leave of righteousnes in the Earth. These, who buy the poore for silver, Ibid. 8. 6. and the needy for shoes. These▪ that put farre away the evill day, Ibid. 6. 3. and approch to the se • te of iniquity: The Lord will be avenged of them: Hee will mite the great house with breaches, 11. and the little house with clefts. But remove these judgements from thine Israel, O God: May no corruption raigne in her Palaces, nor iniquity in her pathes. May a Zeale of thine house, a feare of thy name, a love of piety, an hate to partiality, seize upon the hearts of all Iudges and Iusticiaries in this Kingdome, that they may execute their places without respect of persons, and afterwards raigne with those three individuate Persons, GOD the Father, GOD the Sonne, and GOD the holy Ghost, Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, to whom bee all Glorie,

GRacious God, who art a God of peace, and hast pronounced a blessing upon those who make peace, give mee that which thou blessest, that I may enjoy what thou lovest, embrace that which thou approvest, affect that which thou commendest, possesse that wherin thou delightest. Thou knowest that debates, variance, and contention doe distract our devotion, distemper the affection, disquiet every good motion, disturbe every pious intention. Grant therfore, I beseech thee, that these differences to which I am ingaged, or may hereafter bee intangled or inthralled, be to the glory of thy great name, the preservation of mine honest repute and fame, and quiet of my affaires, peaceably composed. Cut out of mee towards my family all severity, towards my familiars all disloyalty, towards my Neighbours all extremity. Grant mee peace of mind in my living, peace of conscience at my dying, and after death that peace which passeth all understanding. Cause all tumults of the flesh to cease in mee, all immoderate affections to decrease in mee, all inordinate motions to dye in mee. Sanctifie my heart, purifie my mind, direct my spirit, erect my faith, correct my life. Remove from mee all occasions of difference, that I may find quietnesse of conscience. Grant that I may sow the seed of righteousnesse, walke in the wayes of holynesse, make profession of my faith with all singlenesse, that I may come to the possession of happinesse. Let mee seeks peace and ensue it, Love thy Law and pursue it, reforme thine Image and renue it. Suffer not the tempests of this world to dismay mee, the errors of this life to perplex mee, or the terrors of death to appall mee. I know, O Lord, affliction to bee bitter to him that suffers it impatiently; but sweet to him that suffers it constantly. Thou provest those thou lovest, and afflictest those thou affectest. Affliction then cannot be bitter, when it maketh us better. What though disgrace obscure mee, wrongs inure mee, reproach impeach mee, injuries presse thicke upon mee? I am made strong through him to beare them, who bore the Crosse for me, suffered all dishonour for mee, shed his bloud for mee, lost himselfe to finde mee, became sold to redeeme mee, racked upon the Crosse to reach mee a Crowne, climing Mount Calvarie, to mount mee to glory. O make mee then ready in my suffering to imitate thee my Saviour! Though warre assaile mee without, give mee peace within. Humble my Spirit, that I may bee of that temper, as I may still reflect upon the Image of my Saviour, that living in his feare, I may dye in his favour, Amen.

I Cannot conceale my sinnes: because whither soever I goe, my Conscience is with mee: carrying with her whatsoever I have laid up in her, bee it good or evill. Shee keepes for mee living, shee renders to mee dying, whatsoever shee hath received from mee, to bee laid up in her, or kept by her. If I doe well, shee is present, or if I seeme to doe well, and thence become proud, shee is present likewise. Shee is present with mee living, shee followes mee dying, every where is there inseparable confusion for mee, according to the quality of that which is laid up in my Conscience by me. Thus, thus, in mine owne house, and from mine owne family have I accusers, witnesses, Judges, and tormentors. My Conscience doth accuse mee, my memory is a witnesse against mee, Reason is my Judge, Will my Prison, Feare my Tormentor, delight my torment.

For so many as there have beene of evill delights, so many there shall bee of sharpe and painfull torments: for thence are wee punished, whence wee are delighted.

A Christian Diall; By which hee is directed, how to dispose of his houres while he is living, how to addresse himselfe for the houre of his dying, and how to close his dayes with a comfortable ending.

Faithfully rendred according to the Originall.

THere are, who all the yeare long present the figure and feature of Death before them by some certaine Exercise, and prepare themselves no otherwise for death, than if they were even then to dye, and that for the space of five dayes continually. The first day, they meditated of the griefes & infirmities which goe before death, and horrour of death: unto all which they resigne themselves. The next day, they thinke of their • ins, confessing them with so great diligence and intention, as if they were to dye presently after their confession. Therefore they spend this day in sighs and teares. The third day, they come unto the blessed Eucharist with all the fervour they may, receiving it as their Viaticum in their passage from this their exile. The fourth day, they make continuall supplications unto God, for the unction of the Holy Spirit, whereby they might be illuminated, and the hardnesse of their hearts mollified: And this they do,Jam. v. 14. as it were, for extreme unction. Mar. 6. 13. The fifth day, they become most fervent Supplicants unto God for a spirituall death: wherby they may perfectly dye to the world & to themselves, and live with God. And to everie of these dayes may be applyed proper Psalmes and Prayers, as also divine invocations, & giving of thanks, for all benefits conferred by God upon them all their life long.

O Daughter, seeing thy selfe in this extremitie, prepare thy soule for God; so order and dispose here in thy life time of thy goods temporall, that after thy death no difference nor debate may arise. It is most profitable for thee to dispose of thy goods in thy life time, and to redeeme thy sins, whilest thou livest, with works of mercie. Whatsoever thou wouldest recommend to others to doe for thee, labour to doe it of thy selfe. For if after death thou go to eternall torment, the Provision of a Will, a pompous Funerall, Almes and Doales after death, what will these availe thee, when thou art damned? Offer these Oblations to me now whilest thou art living, that thou mayest not onely be delivered from thy sins, but by increasing in my grace, never fall into damnation, but by my preventing grace preserving thee from sin, persevere in good works even to the end. When death draweth neare, see that thou wholly free thy selfe then from all unnecessarie cares and imployments, strive to meet me immaculately, affectionately, faithfully, promising nor presuming nothing of thy works, but through my assured mercie to obtaine Salvation: And in this faith committing and commending thy selfe, and all thou hast in this world, to my providence and good pleasure, receive the Sacraments humbly and devoutly. Those peculiar priviledges and graces also, which have power in them through my merits, and are given by mee as a treasure unto the Church (albeit many ofttimes abuse them, as they do other most holy things) if thou canst have them, cause them to be applyed unto thee. For even this, verie holy persons of both sexes, and famous for their miracles, have formerly done.

THe same Suso in a Dialogue bringeth in the eternall wisdome, that is Christ Jesus, talking with his Minister of his Passion, after this manner: The heart of man is much more gratefull unto me, if it be freed of earthly love, and by perpetuall diligence intentive to imitate the excellent example of my life, than if hee should follow mee with continuall laments, and should shed so many teares as there be drops of raine which fall from the aire. For in the suffering of my most bitter death, this especially have I intended & aimed, that men sho • ld imitate mee: albeit pious and devout teares bee likewise verie acceptable unto me. If thou canst not remember my most bitter Passion with watrie eyes, doe it notwithstanding, with a cheerefull mind, for these unmeasurable good things which thou derivest from it. But if neither joyfully nor dolefully thou canst meditate of it, yet with a drie heart to my praise trace cursorily over it. For so shalt thou performe an office of observance, no lesse gratefull to me, than if with teares of compassion and sweetnesse of affection, thou shouldst wholly melt into a floud of devotion. For by this means shouldst thou effect a work through love, without respect unto thy selfe. But to the end that this my Passion may pierce nearer thine heart, and thou become more affected to it, heare what I shall speake unto thee.

The soule which hath bound her selfe in many sins, may with the treasure of my Passion so much enrich her, and apply it to her, that though she deserved a thousand yeares to be punished, and with a thousand kinds of exquisite tortures to be afflicted, in a short time both the sin and punishment due for the same may sue release, and in her passage hence comfortably depart in peace, and bee translated to heaven as her true resting place. But this must be done by this meanes; by weighing and discussing with a contrite heart frequently and fervently the greatnesse and multitude of those odious sins, wherewith so irreverently shee • a • h offended the eyes of her heavenly Father; afterwards for works of Satisfaction, as hee is not to omit them, so is hee to disvalue them, as such, that if compared with his sins, they are no more than one drop of water in comparison of the maine sea; but hee is to advance and extoll wonderfully the greatnesse of my Satisfaction, seeing the verie least drop of my pretious bloud, which everie where streamed from my whole body, had beene sufficient for taking away the sins of a thousand worlds: of which Satisfaction of mine, neverthelesse so much everie one applyeth to himselfe, as hee conformeth himselfe to mee in suffering with mee, and as hee humbly and seriously crowneth the smalnesse of his satisfaction, in the infinitenesse of my Expiation.

THE PASSIONATE PILGRIM; Breathing A Contemplative Mans Exercise: Offering A Penitent Soules Sacrifice.

GOe to now, miserable man, flye a little thine occupations, retire thy selfe for a space from thy tumultuous cogitations. Lay aside now thine onerous cares, and set apart thy laborious distentions. Reserve thy selfe a while for God, and rest thy selfe a little in him. Enter into the chamber of thy mind, shut out all things besides God, and those things which helpe thee to seeke him, and having shut thy gate, seeke him. Say now, O my heart, say now; O my Lord, I seeke thy countenance, thy countenance, O Lord, doe I seeke. Goe to therefore now my Lord God, teach mine heart, where and how it may seeke thee, where and how it may find thee. O Lord, if thou beest not here, where may I seeke thee being absent? But being everie where, why doe I not see thee present? But surely thou inhabitest a light inaccessible. But where is that light inaccessible? Or how shall I come to that light inaccessible? Or who will guide mee, and bring mee to it, that I may see thee in it? Then, with what signes, with what face shall I seeke thee? I have not seene thee, O Lord my God, I have not knowne thy face. What shall hee doe, O most high Lord, what shall this thy forraine banisht one doe? What shall thy servant doe, doubtfull of thy love, and far casten off from thy face? Hee longeth to see thee, and thy face is far from him. Hee desireth to come unto thee, and thine habitation is inaccessible. Hee desireth to find thee, and knoweth not thy place. Hee affecteth to seeke thee, and knoweth not thy countenance. O Lord, thou art my God, and thou art my Lord, and I never saw thee. Thou hast made mee, and re-made mee: and all those good things which I have, hast thou bestowed on mee, and I have not yet knowne thee. Finally, to see thee was I made, yet have not I done that for which I was made. O miserable condition of man, to lose that for which hee was made! O hard and harsh chance is this! Out alas, what ha's hee lost, and what ha's hee found? What is gone, and what abideth? Hee hath lost happinesse, for which hee was made, and hee hath found unhappinesse, for which hee was not made. That is gone, without which nothing is happie, and that abideth which of it selfe is nothing but unhappie. Man did eat the bread of Angels, which now hee tastes not: now hee eats the bread of sorrowes, which then hee knew not. O the publique lamentation of men, the universall mourning of the children of Adam! Hee flowed in all plenteous manner, wee sigh for hunger. Hee abounded, wee fast. Hee happily possest, and miserably lost: wee unhappily need, and miserably beg: and alas, wee remaine emptie. Why did hee not keepe for us when he easily might, what we so grievously want? Why h'as hee thu • shut the light from us, and brought darknesse upon us? Wretched men, whence are wee expulsed, and whereto are we forced? Yea, whither are wee headlong throwne, where overwhelmed? From our Countrey to exile: from the sight of God to our blindnesse: From the joy of immortalitie, into the bitternesse and horrour of death. Miserable exchange! from how great good, to how great evill? Great losse, great griefe, nothing but griefes. But out alas for me unhappy wretch, one amongst the rest of the miserable children of Eve, divided from God, what have I done, what have I begun? Whither did I goe, whereto am I come? to what did I aspire, in what doe I now sigh? I sought for good, and behold trouble. I went towards God, and behold I became an offender against my selfe. I sought for rest in my secret paths, and I found tribulation and sorrow in my inward parts. I would have laughed through the joy of my minde, and I was enforced to rore through the griefe of mine heart. Joy was expected, and behold how sighes were increased! How long, Lord, wilt thou forget us? How long wilt thou turn thy face from us? When wilt thou look upon us, and heare us? When wilt thou enlighten our eyes, and shew thy face to us? When wilt • hou restore thy selfe to us? O Lord look upon us, heare us, enlighten us. Shew thy selfe to us, that it may be wel with us, without whom it is so ill with us. Have mercie on our labours and endevors directed to thee, who are able to doe nothing without thee. Enlighten us, helpe us. I beseech thee, O Lord, let mee not despaire through fainting, but respire by hoping. I beseech thee, O Lord, mine heart is made bitter with her desolation, Sweeten it with thy consolation. I beseech thee, O Lord, I hungry have begun to seeke thee, let me not depart fasting from thee; I hunger-starv'd have come unto thee, let me not depart unfed from thee. I poore come to thee rich, I miserable to thee mercifull, let me not depart empty and contemned: and if before I eat I sigh, grant that after my sighs I may eat. O Lord, I am become crooked, and cannot but looke downward, raise mee that I may looke upward: mine iniquities are gone over mine head, they overwhelme me, and as an heavie burden presse me. Free and disburden mee, lest the ditch stop her mouth upon me. Let me look upon thy light, though a farre off, though from the deepe. Teach mee to seeke thee, and shew thee to mee seeking thee: because neither can I seeke thee, unlesse thou teach mee: nor finde thee, unlesse thou show thee. Let mee seeke thee by desiring, desire thee by seeking, finde thee by loving, love thee by finding. I confesse, O Lord, and I give thankes: because thou hast created in mee this thine Image, that being mindfull of thee, I might think of thee, and love thee. But so abolished is this image with the blemishes of vice, and so darkned with the smoake of sinne, as it cannot doe that for which it was made, unlesse thou renue, and reforme it. I presume not, O Lord, to pierce thine height, for I can by no meanes nor measure compare mine understanding to it, yet I desire in some sort to understand thy truth, which mine heart beleeveth and loveth. Neither doe I beleeve to understand that I may beleeve, but I beleeve that I may understand. For this, likewise, I beleeve, that unlesse I beleeve, I shall not understand. Therefore, O Lord, thou who givest understanding to faith, give unto mee that I may understand so much, as thou knowest to be expedient for mee; for thou art as wee beleeve, and this thou art which wee beleeve, true God, who livest and reignest world without end.

NOw to shut up all, with that which closeth all, by imposing a Period upon all; We are to consider, now when the sinfull soule beginneth to be loosened from these bonds of flesh,Pet. Damian. de Hor • • ort •• . with what bitter terror shee is afflicted, with what stings of a biting conscience shee is distracted. Shee remembers the things forbidden her, which shee hath committed; Shee considers the things commanded her, which shee hath negligently contemned; she bemoanes those opportunate times of repentance offer'd her, and which shee so fruitlesly apprehended; shee bewailes that immoveable article of strict revenge, inevitably approching her. She h'as had sufficient time of sojourning here; shee is now compelled to goe hence. Shee would regaine that which shee h'as lost, but she is not heard. Behind her, shee beholds the whole course of her forepast life, all which shee accounts as one short pace. She casts her eyes upon her selfe, and collects the space of an infinite perpetuity. She laments therefore, in that she h'as lost, what in so short a space she might have got, the joy of all ages. She bemoanes her selfe, in that for so short a pleasure of fleshly delight, she h'as lost the unspeakable sweetnesse of perpetuall solace. Shee blusheth, in that for this substance which is subject to wormes, shee h'as neglected that which was to have beene ranked amongst Quires of Angels. Now she lifteth up the beames of her minde, and no sooner beholdeth the glory of immortall riches, than shee becomes confounded, for that she h'as lost them for the poverty of this life. Againe, when shee casteth her eyes under her in a despicable reflex upon the valley of this world, and eying it to be nothing but darknesse, but above her wonders at the beautie of that eternall light, she clearly sees, that it was night, and darknesse which shee loved. O that shee might but purchase some small remainder of time for repentance, what a sharp course of conversation would she take upon her? what and how great things would shee promise? with what vows of devotiō would shee enwreath her? In the meane time, while her divine eyes grow darke, while her heart beats, while her hoarse throat gaspes, her teeth grow by little and little black, and draw, as it were, unto them a certaine rust, her countenance becomes pale, and all her members stiffe. While these, then, and such like as forerunning offices of approching death attend her, all her works and words present themselves before her; nay, not her very thoughts are absent, and all these bring in bitter testimony against their author. All these are heaped together before the eyes of her viewing them, so as, even those things which she shunneth to behold, she is inforced, though against her will, to take notice of. Besides all this, there is here an horrid troupe of Devils, and there a glorious traine of Angels. By that which appears betwixt them, may be clearly perceived, which of them h'as most property in her. For if tokens of piety bee discovered in her, shee is cheared with the delights of an angelick invitation, and allured with the sweetnesse of an harmonious melodie, to go forth. But if the blacknesse of her merits, and the impurity of her foule and filthy life adjudge her to the left hand, presently with an intolerable terrour shee becomes surprized, with the violence of a sudden force she is disturbed, dejected, invaded, and from the prison of miserable flesh violently haled, that to eternall torments with bitternesse shee may be tugged. Now, after her departure from the body, who can utter what armed troopes or Squadrons of wicked Spirits lye in ambush for her; what treacherous traines furnished with cruell tortures besiege the way that receives her? And lest the soule should escape thē, legions of furies, as it were, in military rankes or battalions inclose her. This and • u • h like frequently to meditate of in thine heart, what else is it than to shunne delightfull blandishments, to be divorc'd from the world, and to shake off unlawfull motions of the flesh, and constantly to retaine the sole purpose of attaining perfection; Which that wee may doe, God for his mercy grant us. Amen.