Enemies to deuotion: first sin­full lusts.

HE that hath an aguish fitte vpon him, can taste [Page 2] nothing well, but all things, euen the most sweete and wholesome meats are vnsauo­rie to him; he can find no re­lish in them: So it is with the man whose soule is distēpered through sinne. He findes no sweetnes, no sauour in the things of God; yea his soule doth loath and abhorre them though they be sweeter then Manna it selfe. O Lord keepe me from this spiritual distem­perature, which of all others is most dangerous; and grant that I may alwaies delight in those things which are plea­sing vnto thee; yea that I may finde much sweetnes in them, euen in meditation, praier, and all other holy exercises, which thou hast prescribed in thy word, that so my soule may liue for euer.

2 Worldly Cares.

THe cares of this world, and the desire of these earthly vanities, oh what snares they are to the soule and to the spirit of a man! How many are taken in them, and so brought into a kinde of thraldome & bondage! What incumbrances are they vnto them in the performance of good actions! How doe they coole, yea quench the holy motions, the godly desires and purposes of the heart, and hinder it from diuine and hea­uenly meditations, which o­therwise it would relish farre better, and finde much more sweetnes and delight therein, then now it doth! O my God, preserue thou mee both now [Page] and alwaies from the inordi­nate and immoderate cares of this euill world, and from the excessiue and vnlawfull desire and affection of all vaine and transitorie things: Let me not be insnared, and intangled with them, as others are; Let them not be any let or hin­drance vnto my soule, to with­draw it from the more serious meditation of spirituall and heauenly things; or in any sort to coole my affection towards them, or to cause me to take the lesse pleasure and delight in them, or to be the more vn­fit to be conuersant about them: Let them not so oppresse my minde, that I should finde lesse libertie and freedome of spirit in good things, or be­come more vnapt for the per­formance of any dutie of thy [Page] worship and seruice, any holy or religious exercise which thou requirest of me; but grant I beseech thee, that seeing how deceitfull this world is, how vaine all things here be­low are, I may daily be more and more weaned from the loue and desire of them; yea may haue thy loue so shed in­to my heart, that all my de­light may be in thee, all my affections set vpon thee, in such sort, that all carnall and earthly things which would withdraw me from thee, and from the loue of spirituall and heauenly things, may be bit­ter and vnpleasant vnto me; and that I may serue thee with more chearefulnes, and ala­critie all my daies, to thy glo­rie, and to the increase of my happines in thy kingdome.

3 Sathans suggestions.

THat euil and enuious spi­rit, the enemie of al man­kinde, neuer resteth, but see­keth vncessantly to cast ill mo­tions, and suggestions into the hearts of men, and to draw away their minds from euery good thing which they enterprise and take in hand: He vseth all meanes to make them faint in the seruice of God, to coole their zeale, to quench their spirituall deuo­tion, to hinder them in the performance of all good du­ties, and religious exercises, which might make for the in­crease of grace in them; and to cause them (if it be possible) to fall from that purpose of heart, and godly resolution [Page 7] which heretofore they haue had to continue in the Lord, and to walke in the waies which he hath commanded: yea no sooner shall the good spirit inspire into them any good motions, any holy de­sires, but that wicked and en­vious one standing readie at hand, will labour presentlie to strangle them, so that they shal neuer come to any effect, but vanish away and leaue the hearte more heardened, and lesse capable of goodnes and of any spirituall and heauenly grace, then euer it was before. Oh how closely, and how slily doth he insinuate himselfe in­to the minds of men, and de­ceiue and delude them in this maner, when they think little he is so neare them, or so bu­sie in working them so great a [Page 8] mischiefe, euen that which (if it be not carefully preuen­ted in time) wilbe their vtter ruine in the end! O Lord, let me neuer giue eare vnto the deceitfull inchantments, and to the enticing & dangerous charmes of that subtile and wilie serpent, who is alwaies hissing about me; Let me not once listen vnto him, nor yeeld vnto any of his sugge­stions, but alwaies resist him in the first motions vnto euery sinne wherunto he shall tempt me. And whensoeuer that good spirit of thine shall speake inwardly and secretlie vnto my soule, and inspire any good thought, any holie af­fection or desire into my heart, let me hearken there­unto, as vnto thy voice: Let me carefullie vse the meanes [Page 9] to foster and cherish such be­ginnings of grace as it shall please thee in mercie and goodnes to infuse into me; that so I may not fall away from any good thing which thou hast wrought in me heretofore; nor finde my selfe more vnfit, or vnto ward vnto any dutie, or spirituall exercise, wherein heretofore thou hast caused me to take much ioy and great delight; but graunt that I may daily increase in grace, and goe forward cheerefully & con­stantly in the wayes of pietie and true holines, and with full purpose of heart cleaue fast vnto thee, to the end of my daies, neuer forsaking thee, nor being forsaken of thee, who art the God of my hope, my strength, & my saluation.

WORKES OF CREA­tion.

ALl the workes of God are excellent and glorious, if we stand to con­sider them, [...]b. 40.10. from Behemoth, (whom the scripture men­tioneth and setteth forth as one of the cheifest of them) to the Ostrich; from the great Whale in the middest of the seas, to the least fish that moueth in the waters; from the Eagle to the flie: from the Cedar of Libanus to the Hyssope that groweth vp­on the wall; from the starres of heauen, to the dust of the earth; and from the Angels [Page 11] of God, to the wormes that creepe vpon the ground.

Who is there that consi­dereth of them aright, or is so affected with them as he ought? Lord let me alwaies delight to be searching into them; and in them, as in a glasse, see cleerely thy wis­dome, and mightie power; and learne to know thee, the Creator of all things both in heauen and in earth, and in all places: and knowing thee, to worship and serue thee, in spirit and truth, lest I be like vnto the heathen, who when by the frame and workman­ship of the world, and the creatures therein, (wherein thy maruellous wisdom is in­grauen) they knew thee to be God, and yet glorified thee not as God, became vile and [Page 12] abominable, and altogether inxecusable, forsaking thee their Creator, who art blessed for euer. Amen.

Worke of Redemption.

OF al the workes of God, that of the Redemption of man-kind, is most won­derfull and glorious, whether we consider the person of the Redeemer, the persons redee­med, or the meanes, and manner in and by which it was effected and brought to passe. It passeth all know­ledge, all vnderstanding. The Angels, [...]et. 1.12. those heauenly crea­tures, doe admire at it, and desire continually to haue a more cleare and perfect in­sight into it, as being so great and vnsearchable a mysterie, [Page 13] that no creature is able fully to comprehend the breadth, the length, and depth and height of it. Oh the maruel­lous blindnes of men, for whom it was wrought, that they can see and discerne so little of it! their great forget­fulnes that they so seldome remember it! their extreame sottishnes, that they scarce e­uer admire it in that holy maner that they ought; yea rather little regard it, and e­steeme very lightlie of it! O merciful God, farre be it from me to sinne so great a sinne a­gainst thy maiestie, by pri­sing so inestimable a benefit, so much vnder the worth and value of it, and by being so meanely affected with it as the most are: yea let me and al thy redeemed ones, alwaies [Page 14] cleerely behold, and faith­fully remember this great and gratious worke of thine to­wards vs: let vs highly e­steeme of it, reioyce continu­ally and glorie in it, and vn­cessantlie praise and magnifie thee for it for euer. What can be rendred vnto thee O Lord for so great loue, for those exceeding riches of thy grace towards vs in Christ Ie­sus? what can be rendred vn­to thee worthie of that infinit goodnesse of thine, sufficient for so vnspeakable mercie and bounty? All that we can re­turne vnto thee for it, is ho­nour, glorie and thanksgi­uing. O let vs neuer be found wanting in this, seeing we owe vnto thee much more, although there is nothing that thou more desirest of vs: [Page 15] (and yet euen this is thy gift also, yea thy espe­ciall grace) O doe thou make me truly and vnfainedly thankefull.

Mercies of God.

WE can neuer be suf­ficiently thankfull vnto the Lord, for the least of those blessings which he daily, and most freely vouchsafeth vnto vs; health, peace, libertie, maintenance and continuall protection & preseruation, &c. and yet who is there almost that is heartily and vnfainedly thankefull for those great and wonderfull mercies of his which cōcerne our eternall happinesse & sal­uation in the heauens, euen that glorious estate, which of [Page 16] his free grace and bountie he hath promised vnto vs, and will in due time giue vs full possession of for euer. O the exceeding dulnesse of the hearts of men, that are no more mooued with the con­sideration of these things! yea that esteeme more of those ordinary kindnesses which are shewed vnto them by men, then of all those infi­nit and vnspeakable blessings and benefites which are vouchsafed vnto them by so gratious a God, so kinde and louing a Father. O Lord, let me neuer be vn­mindfull of the least of thy mercies and fauours, which thou hast shewed vnto me from the beginning of my life vnto this present; giue me a thankful heart for them: [Page 17] especially lift vp my heart and soule, vnto a due and serious meditation of those great and inestimable mer­cies of thine, wherein thou hast in a speciall maner shew­ed thy selfe so exceeding good and gratious vnto me, in electing me vnto life and saluation; in freeing and deliuering me from that wretched estate, and that wo­full miserie, whereinto I was so deeply plunged by the sin of my first parents; in redee­ming me therefrom, by so deare a price, euen the death of thine own Sonne, my bles­sed Sauiour; in adopting me into the number of thy chil­dren by faith in him; and in prouiding that glorious man­sion for me in the heauens, there to liue and raigne with [Page 18] thee for euer. O giue me a liuely sense and feeling, of thy goodnesse, thy loue and vnspeakable mercies, so gra­tiously vouchsafed vnto me so vile and vnworthie a creature: Inflame my heart with an vnfained and most entire loue of thy maiestie; and let my mouth alwaies praise thee; yea let me in heart, in soule, and with all the powers of the same praise thee continually, and yeeld that glorie which is due vnto thee both now, and euer­more. Amen.

The folly of the wicked to be wondered at.

I Maruell much, when I reade how the Israelits be­ing [Page 19] in the way to Canaan (a type of heauen for the good­nesse and pleasantnesse of it) desired so oft, and so earnest­ly to returne againe into E­gypt (a figure of hell it selfe) where they had been so hard­ly intreated, yea so cruelly and vnmercifully handled: But much more do I maruell, & can neuer sufficientlie won­der at those, who when the Lord offers to bring them out of the house of that spirituall bondage, and not onely to free them from the power of darknesse, and the tyrannie of sinne and Sathan, but also by the light of his word & spi­rit, to leade and conduct them safely into that heauenly Ca­naan, which floweth with the milk & honie of his rich and plentifull graces, euen the [Page 71] inheritance of his chosen, the place where his honour dwel­leth; desire rather notwith­standing, still to be vnder the hands of their cruel taske-ma­sters, in the kilnes among the bricks, and in the yron fornace, and to indure the most seruile, and the most wofull and wretched thral­dome and slauery, that euer was or can be possibly, that so they may fill themselues with the Onions and Garlike of Egypt. Lord, let the coūsell of the wicked be farre from me: suffer not thy seruant to de­light in the waies of such a foolish generatiō, who know not thee, nor regard y^t which should be their happines. But let me euer praise thee with ioyfulnesse, that thou hast deliuered my soule out of [Page 20] the hands of my cruell and deadly enemies, and brought me from the house of bon­dage, the kingdome of dark­nesse and death it selfe, into y^e wayes which leade vnto thy heauenly and glorious king­dome. And although I am for a while, to wander in the wildernesse of this world, and here to indure much hardnes, and to passe thorow many difficulties and troubles, be­fore I can enter into the land of promise, yet let me neuer faint or be discouraged; much lesse be so euill disposed, as to repine, or murmure at any time against thee, and desire to returne to the sinfull cour­ses of the world, or linger af­ter these earthly vanities, but goe forward according vnto thy direction, with faith, [Page 22] hope, and patience, looking continually for the perfor­mance of thy gratious pro­mise, that so at length I may enter into thy rest, and liue & raigne with thee eternally.

The hurt and danger which sin bringeth.

WHat euill is there that sinne bringeth not with it? It closeth the Lords hand; it drieth vp the fountaine of his blessings and mercies; it keepeth all good things from vs; it pul­leth downe all kindes of plagues, miseries, and iudge­ments in this world; and in the end will not onely barre the gates of heauen against those that liue and die in it, without true and vnfained re­pentance, [Page 23] but also setteth hel-gates wide open for them, & draw them right downe into the depth of endlesse perdi­tion and destruction, the house of darknesse, and the place of the damned. O what follie is it to delight in sinne, which is euerie way so hurtfull and dangerous, not onely depriuing vs of that which is good, but also bring­ing vpon vs the greatest e­uils! O Lord keepe me from falling into anie sinne, let me euer abhorre it and flie from it, as from my greatest ene­mie: so shall I be free from thy fearefull iudgements the wages & due desert of sinne: yea so shall I be compassed with thy mercies, and crown­ed with thy blessings for euer.

Death alwaies to be expected and prouided for.

LOrd, thou hast gratiously sent thy harbingers afore­hand to forewarne me of thy comming. Let my maine care be, to be alwaies readie pro­uided for thee, that so that day which is iustlie feared of the most; yea the remem­brance whereof is bitter vnto many, euen those that take their pleasure in wickednes, may be most welcome and ioyfull vnto me; the end of all my miseries, and the entrance into that glorie & blessednes which thou hast promised, and which I expect and long for: I desire to be dissolued and to be with thee my Sa­uiour; for that is best of all.

Another of the same.

AS the Lord will come in that last and generall iudgement when he is not looked for of many; so by par­ticular iudgment, euen by vn­expected death, he doth now often suddenly surprize many when they thinke little he is so neere. It is not seldome, that we haue such glasses set before our eyes wherein we may cleerely see y^e truth here­of, although indeed few there be that delight to look there­into; the view notwithstan­ding, and daily consideration whereof, were verie profita­ble for them. Lord, let me euer be mindful of my frail & mor­tall estate and condition in this world: let me alwaies be [Page 26] ready at thy call, euer prepa­red for thy comming in y^e day of my dissolution, which as I am perswaded is not farre off, so it may be neerer then I thinke of. O let me liue euery day as if it were my last day; euery houre and moment, as if it were the last houre and minute of this transitorie and vncertaine life of mine; that so whiles I liue I may die day­ly; and when I die once, I may liue for euer.

Gods glorie carefully to be sought for in all things.

ALl things were made for Gods glorie. For this end the Lord giueth being vnto all creatures: for this we liue, moue, and receiue all those blessings which we en­ioy. [Page 27] And there is none of vs, but shall be called vnto an ac­count, when the day of reckoning commeth, how we haue referred all our actions vnto this end; whether we haue in all things, and aboue all things sought the glorie of God, and the aduancement thereof by all good meanes, euen to the vttermost of our p [...]er and abilitie. Euerie houre that hath been spent o­therwise, [...] registred, and must be answered for in that day. Oh what a heauy account shall the most haue then to make, who now make this the least part of their care, yea who altogether peruert the end for which they were crea­ted and sent into the world, being so farre from glorifying God in all their actions, that [Page 28] they doe nothing but dis­honour him thoroughout the whole course of theit liues; giuing that vnto Sathan, which is the Lords due, and which he calleth for continu­ally of them! where shall they appeare when he shall require these things at their hands? Certaine, I cannot but won­der that such can sleepe in rest one houre, whose case is so fearefull and miserable, espe­cially since they know not, how soone, how suddenly they shall be called to their reckoning, if not at that ge­nerall Audit, yet at their par­ticular counts-day, the day of death. Lord, as thou hast made me for thy glory, so let my eye be alwaies fixed vpon the same; let me be carefull alwaies by all meanes to seeke [Page 29] the furtherance and aduance­ment of the same; yea doe thou inflame my heart with a holy zeale thereof. Let the coales thereof be fiery, and the flame vehement, that so nothing may be able to quench it; not the deepe wa­ters, and raging streames of the greatest troubles and af­flictions which can betide me; no, not the losse of life it selfe, and all things which I enioy, or this world could af­ford me. Oh that thou wouldst kindle and increase this grace daily more and more in me, and cause it to breake forth in all the actions of my life, that so glorifying thee here for a while, I may hereafter be glorified of thee for euer, euen with that fulnes of glory which thou wilt giue [Page 30] vnto thy Saints.

No standing at a stay in Christi­anitie.

HE that thinketh that he hath attained to perfe­ction, and therefore standeth at a stay, and striueth to goe no further, may well suspect himselfe, and feare that either he is vndermined with a dangerous temptation; or else that indeed be hath hereto­fore deceiued himselfe and his owne soule, thinking himselfe to be some thing, when he was nothing, and iudging farre otherwise of his estate, then he ought to haue done. Lord, let me euery day more and more see mine own weakenesse and vnprofitable­nesse, euen how farre I come [Page 31] short of that which thou re­quirest of me; that so forget­ting y^t which is behind, I may endeuour my selfe vnto that which is before, and striue daily to make further procee­dings, and to attaine to a greater measure of grace and godlinesse, till I come vnto that perfection which it hath pleased thee (from whose di­uine dispensation onely it is) to allott vnto me.

The benefit which is receiued by the mutuall prayers of the faithfull.

THe prayer of one righte­ous man is neuer with­out fruit, but auaileth much if it be feruent, and proceed from a pure mind, and a be­leeuing heart: how much [Page 32] more the earnest supplicati­ons of the assemblies of the Saints and seruants of God, e­uen his faithfull and beloued ones? no doubt they pierce the cloudes, open heauen-gates, and enter into the pre­sence of God himselfe, and so preuaile with him, that they cause him, as to keepe backe his iudgements, where they are feared, so to powre down his blessings in abundance where they are desired. O Lord grant that I may be frequent, and earnest in praier both publique and priuate, for my selfe and for others, e­uen for thy Saints, especially thy afflicted and distressed ones, either in bodie or in mind; and let it please thee, as to make me carefull daily to pray, and powre out my [Page 33] suits and supplications vnto thee for others, so also in goodnesse to vouchsafe this grace and fauour vnto me, that I may enioy the fruite and benefite of the prayers of thy seruants, wheresoeuer or whensoeuer they shall be as­sembled in thy name, crauing for thy blessing vpon thy Church and chosen children: Heare O Lord from heauen, and be mercifull vnto all and euerie one of thine that cals vpon thee in truth and faith­fulnes: let them taste of the sweetnesse of thy mercies; yea let their emptie soules be satisfied and filled with thy grace and goodnesse, that so they may praise thee with ioyfulnesse, and both with heart and mouth sing vnto thy glory all their daies.

Blessings of God are not the lesse to be regarded because they are common.

EVen that glorious crea­ture the Sunne, because it riseth euerie day vpon vs, is little thought of, or regarded of the most: The wondrous and admirable works of God, because they are ordinarie and daily set before our eyes, how meanely are they ac­counted of? the greatest mer­cies and blessings of God be­cause we heare of them, and enioy them continually, how slightly are they passed ouer by many▪ of how few so high­ly prized and esteemed as they ought to be? Lord, let not thy workes, thy mercies and fauours, wherein thou [Page 35] hast shewed thy selfe so ex­ceeding gratious vnto me a­boue all deserts of mine; let not them seeme the lesse in my eyes, because it pleaseth thee in great kindnesse to make them ordinary & vsuall vnto me: let me not be the lesse mindfull of them, the lesse thankfull vnto thee for them, because in the riches of thy loue thou vouchsafest to make them cōmon by y^e con­tinuall supplie and increase of them: yea rather let me (as it is meete I should) be moued and drawne to be so much the more frequent in y^e daily and conscionable performance of those ordinarie duties and seruices which thou requirest of me; and as thou enlargest thy hand in the continuance and increase of thy mercies [Page 36] towards me, so inlarge my heart, I humblie beseech thee, that I may daily more and more increase in true thanke­fulnesse vnto thee, vnto whom I owe my selfe, and all things that I haue: for in thee I haue all things; without thee I can neither enioy nor hope for any thing which is good, or to be desired.

The Angels watch ouer the godlie.

O How strongly are Gods children continually garded! Lo what multitudes of those heauenly souldiours doe attend vpon them daily, hourely, euerie moment; watch ouer them, yea com­passe them round about on euerie side, so that they can [Page 37] haue no hurt, but liue and end their daies in peace, safety and happinesse. O how blinde are the eyes of men that they doe not see and behold them; yea rather how weake is their faith, that will not beleeue this, because they cannot see them with the eyes of their bodies! Foolish and faithlesse people, who will be perswa­ed of no more, then they can see with the eye of flesh, and haue an external view of, by their outward sense! why doe they not as fondly doubt whether they haue soules within them? since they are spirits also which they neuer saw, neither can see. Lord o­pen mine eyes that I may see that heauenly guard of thine, wherewith it hath pleased thee to compasse me, euen [Page 38] those celestiall Angels and ministring spirits which are set continually to attend vp­on me, that so I may be com­forted in my greatest feares, and encouraged with vndan­ted resolution to goe for­ward with constancie in thy wayes, notwithstanding the opposition of the enemies of thy grace and truth, knowing assuredly, that they that are with me, are more & mighti­er, then they that are against me.

The danger of security.

WIll that man be se­cure and carelesse of himselfe, that knoweth cer­tainly that his enemie lieth continuallie in waite for him, seeking his vtter ruine, euen [Page 39] the spoiling of his estate, and the spilling of his blood? yea will he not (if there be a­ny wisdome or prudence in him) be verie watchfull, ve­rie circumspect, and excee­ding carefull, to foresee and preuent all his dangerous at­tempts & enterprises, where­by he might haue the least ad­uantage at any time against him? Few there are, but are wise inough thus to procure the safetie and securitie of their bodily life, and out­ward estate, in this world, and to safe-gard it that no enemie or aduersarie may im­paire or hurt the same at any time: And shall any then be so foolish, so vnwise, as not carefully by al meanes to pro­uide for the life and welfare of his soule, yea to procure [Page 40] the safety both of soule and body, and not onely his pre­sent but also his future estate in the heauens: and yet loe, such is the follie of the most; yea euen of many of those, who otherwise are wise and prudent men, men of iudge­ment and vnderstanding. Sa­than (that subtile, that wilie, and most malicious enemie) lieth continually in waite for vs; he omits no opportuni­ty, no occasion whereby he may get any aduantage a­gainst vs; he neuer leaues tempting, assaulting and as­sailing of vs, but seekes con­tinually by all meanes possi­ble to vndermine our estate, & to worke our ruine and vt­ter ouerthrow both of our soules and bodies for euer; & yet most men, how carelesse, [Page 41] how secure are they, as though they had no heart, no vnderstanding? yea do they not euen wilfully, and wil­lingly giue themselues to sleepe in greatest securitie. when they are in greatest and most apparent and eminent danger, euen then when the enemie is ready to make a spoile of them, and eternall destruction and confusion to seize vpon them without all recouerie, or hope of redemp­tion? O mercifull Lord, thou seest, how busie Sathan is in tempting me; how many and how forcible meanes he vseth to preuaile against me. O let me not be so carelesse and se­cure (as others are) but doe thou of thy especiall grace giue me wisdom from aboue, to fore-see the dangers which [Page 42] may befall me; carefulnesse and diligence with watchful­nesse and aduisednesse to pre­uent them; and finallie grace and strenghth not onelie to encounter and resist, but also to vanquish and ouercome that cruell and malicious ene­mie and aduersarie, and in the end gloriouslie to tri­umph ouer him, by the power and might of thy Christ, in whom and through whom I am able to doe all things.

The folly of worldlings, and wickedmen.

WE are ready to laugh at the follie of him that we see make more ac­count of toies and trifles, then of things of greater worth and moment; that will be [Page 43] better pleased with a gay fea­ther, then with a rich iewell, with a garded and partie co­loured coate, then with a co­stly raiment and goodly at­tire. And yet behold such is the follie and simplicitie, e­uen of those who seeme to be the wisest in the world, both in their own eyes & in the eies of others, who neuer knew the wisdome which is from aboue, but that onely which is earthlie and sensuall: with Heuah they preferre an Apple before Paradise: with Esau, a messe of pottage before the inheritance of that celestiall Canaan, the land of promise which floweth with milke & honie: with the prodigall sonne, the huskes of swine in a strange countrie, before the best fare in their fathers [Page 44] house: in briefe, the toies and trifles of this world, euen the vaine and sinfull pleasures and delights, and the transitorie profits and commodities thereof, before those hidden treasures, those inestimable riches of ioy, glorie, and euerlasting happinesse and felicitie, prouided for the Saints in the highest heauens, euen the pretious things of God, which can neuer be o­uer prized, or set at too high a rate. Can there be anie grea­ter follie then this? Is not the simplicitie of those that are thus strangely besotted, to be laughed at, by those y^t know what true wisdom is; yea rather to be pitied & euen be­wailed with teares, although they in the meane while see not their foolishnesse, but re­ioyce [Page 45] in it, accounting it wisdome, and themselues the onelie wise and prudent men? whereas if their eyes were o­pen, that they might discerne rightlie of things (which now by reason of their blind­nesse they cannot) they could not but see plainly and ac­knowledge freely (as the truth is) that of all men they are the most vaine, the most vnwise and extreame foolish. Lord, giue me not ouer to the follie of mine owne heart, but indue me with true spirituall wisdome and vnderstanding, that so I may not with the men of this world (whose mindes are darkened, and de­priued of the light of grace and knowledge) choose death rather then life, shame rather then glorie, hell rather [Page 46] then heauen, vanitie and mi­serie, rather then endlesse and vnspeakable happinesse, the seruice of sinne and Sathan, and the fruits and deceiuable pleasures and profits of this world, rather then the seruice of thee the euerliuing and most glorious God, and the blessed hope, of the enioy­ment and full possession of that rich inheritance of thy chosen, euen those inualu­able treasures of glorie, blisse, and happinesse; but that my iudgement being cleared, and my heart sanctified, I may now and alwaies make grea­test account of those things which are most pretious, and chiefly to be desired and sought after, of all those that will be the sonnes of true wis­dome.

The bondage and slauerie of the wicked.

WE would wonder at him y^t being laden with manie irons, chained and fettered hand and foote, so that he were not able to mooue from the place where he lay, should notwithstan­ding perswade himselfe that he were a free man, and none more at libertie then he. This is the estate of y^e wicked: they are bound hand and foot, yea all the parts and powers of their soules haue manie hea­uie chaines and irons lying vpon them whereby they are euen pressed downe, and brought into great miserie and bondage; and yet they poore wretches (such is their [Page 48] blindnesse) though plunged into the verie depth of that wofull miserie and hellish thraldome, yet neither see nor perceiue the same, but thinke themselues as free as the best, and reioyce in their estate, when as they are the seruants of corruption, the slaues of Sathan, subiect to the power of darkenesse. Lord, giue me daily more and more to see that wofull miserie, and feareful bondage and slauery, which Sathan by sinne bring­eth vpon the soules of men, yea both vpon their soules and bodies. And grant, that seeing it, I may bewaile it both in my selfe and others, and labour to be restored vn­to perfect libertie and free­dome; being truly thankfull vnto thee, for this, that thou [Page 49] hast in part freed me alreadie, making those bolts lighter, and those bonds looser: and earnestlie desiring and expe­cting the time when that which is in part, shall be ful­lie perfected, euen the day of redemption; which I pray thee to hasten.

The fond and preposterous course of the wicked in preferring the health of their bodies, before the saluation of their soules.

IF any be in danger, but to lose a finger, he will pre­sentlie with all diligence and carefulnesse seeke vnto the Physition, or Chirurgion for to saue one ioynt of it (if it may be possible:) But to lose their soules how small recko­ning [Page 50] doe most men make? what a preposterous course is this? Is the bodie of more worth then the soule? is the life and safetie of this corrup­tible bodie, yea of one little member thereof to be more esteemed, more carefullie prouided for, then the eter­nall life and saluation of the soule, yea of soule and bodie? Is anie so destitute of reason and vnderstanding, as once to imagine this? And yet be­hold, such are the liues and practises of most men, that either they doe, or at least would so perswade them­selues; or else, how could they be so carefull for the maintenance and preserua­tion of their bodilie health, and outward estate, and so carelesse, yea desperate, ne­uer [Page 51] regarding the present and future estate of their soules, but passing awaie their daies most securelie in the sinfull pleasures and delights of this euill world, euen bathing themselues therein, whiles in the meane time, they willing­lie, if not wilfullie, depriue themselues of euerlasting life and saluation, and hasten forward vnto that endlesse perdition and destruction, which is prepared for them? Blessed be thy name O merci­full Lord, that thou hast not giuen me ouer to the foolishnesse of the wicked, who shall perish for euer, but vouchsafest thy grace vnto me, whereby thou hast made me more carefull, to seeke for the assurance of the good estate of my soule in this life, [Page 52] and the eternall saluation thereof in the heauens after this transitorie life is ended, then for the procuring of the life, and safetie of this mortall & corruptible body of mine, which shall be turned into dust and rottennesse. Increase this grace in me, and in all thine, that so we may haue full assurance that we are thine, and that when the earthlie house of this our tabernacle is destroied, we may liue with thee in glorie for euer, euen in that heauen­ly kingdome, that celestiall mansion, which thou hast prouided and prepared for vs, and for all thy Saints.

The forwardnes of the wicked in the way to hell, ought to prouoke the godlie to make the more speede in the way to heauen.

IS it not strange to see the wicked runne faster to hell, then the godlie do to heauen? to make more speed & grea­ter hast, in the waies which leade vnto death and destru­ction, then the righteous in the wayes which leade vnto life and saluation? As we are to pitie their rashnesse and headinesse (yea rather their bold and desperate pre­sumption) who whiles they walke in so slipperie a way, rush forward, or rather are carried headlong with the violence of Sathan, and their [Page 54] own corrupt and vnsanctified nature, not considering what is before them, and where­unto they tend, vntill they fall into that deepe gulfe out of which there is no recouerie; so we ought to be prouoked by them, and stirred vp by their example, to walke in the wayes of godlinesse, and to runne that race of Christiani­tie, with more swiftnesse, cheerefulnesse, and alacritie, then hitherto we haue done: yea to blush and to be asha­med of our former backward­nesse and vntowardnesse in going forward, so slowly, and so heauilie in the pathes which will bring vs to life & happinesse, seing the vngod­ly doe make such haste and walke on so fast in those broad and pleasant, yet most [Page 55] dangerous and deceitfull waies which leade directly to endles woe and miserie, euen the place of the damned, as though they were afraid they should not come thither soon enough. O Lord, if it be thy will, open their eyes, that whiles they haue time, they may be wisehearted to turne out of that broade way, see­ing that the issues thereof are death and confusion; and en­large my heart, that I may with more libertie and alacri­tie hereafer runne in all the waies of thy commaunde­ments; and in the end, ha­uing finished my course with ioyfulnesse, receaue that in­corruptible crowne of life, of glorie, and happinesse, which thou hast promised vnto all those which continue faith­full [Page 56] and constant in thy ser­uice, vnto the end of their daies.

More care ought to be had of the soule then of the bodie.

MAnie are exceeding carefull that their bo­dies may be clothed in costly, yea in verie curious maner, who are altogether carelesse what cloathing or couering they haue for their soules; nay though they be clothed with the filthie ragges of sinne and Sathan, and quite strip­ped of all the graces of Gods spirit, those pretious orna­ments, yet it neuer troubles their minds, it neuer grieues them, or goes to the heart of them, but they are well con­tent therewith, and desire no [Page 57] better; yea they are not once ashamed, although their fil­thie nakednes lie open conti­nuallie, and appeare to the eyes of all that see and be­hold them, but rather re­ioyce and glorie therein: we wonder at this, and not without cause; but would we know the reason thereof? Alas they are starke blinde, they see not their owne na­kednesse, their basenes, and extreame beggerie: they see not how the glorious image of God (which standeth in righteousnesse and true holi­nesse) is vtterlie defaced in them, and in steade thereof the image of Sathan stamped in them, in such sort that they are become vile and abomi­nable, exceedingly disfigu­red and deformed in all the [Page 58] powers and faculties of their soules, and most lothsome in the eyes of God, & his Saints. O Lord, giue me to see my nakednes, my spirituall po­uertie, & beggerlinesse; & let me daily seeke by all meanes to cast off the old rotten ragges, of sinfull and corrup­ted nature, and to be clothed thoroughout anew, with the graces of thy sanctifying spirit, with righteousnesse & holines, euen according vnto thine owne image, wherein thou didst at the first create man; that so thou maist take pleasure and delight in me; and hauing vouchsafed vnto me thy grace here, maist re­ceiue me vnto glory hereafter.

The vnfruitfll hearing of the word of God verie dangerous.

IF good seede be oft cast in­to the ground, & it brings forth no fruite, but briars, thornes and thistles, it is a signe that it is either a naugh­tie, or a barren soile, and ther­fore in vaine to spend time, cost and labour in tilling and manuring it: If the word of God (that immortall seed) be often sowen by the sincere preaching of the word, by the Lords owne husbandmen, whom he imployeth in that worke; if it doth not bring forth much fruite in those that are the ordinarie hearers thereof, but either no fruite, or else that cursed fruite of a corrupt life, and vngodly acti­ons, [Page 60] it is a certaine signe that they haue bad harts, and such as are barren of all grace; and they may iustlie feare that the Lord will cause his ministers to labour no more amōg thē, but take both them, and his word from them, and bring such a heauie iudgement, and fearefull curse vpon them, as shall cause them to mourne for their former vnfruitfulnes and vnprofitablenes, vnder so many and so great meanes, as in former times haue bin so gratiously offered vnto them. O Lord, suffer me neuer to re­ceiue thy holy word in vaine, but let it take deepe roote in my heart, and bring forth much fruite in my life and cō ­uersation, euen the plentifull increase of grace & godlines, to the glory of thy name, the [Page 61] good example of others, mine owne comfort, and eternall saluation in Christ Iesus.

Different degrees of grace in the godly.

THe Lord hath not mea­sured out the same porti­on of gifts and graces of his spirit vnto all alike; but hath giuē this grace vnto one, that vnto another; and the same grace in this maner vnto one, in that vnto y^e other; to some more, to some lesse; yea to diuers, different portiōs, both for the graces themselues, as also the number, the kinde, the qualities, measure and de­grees thereof: and yet all are his gifts and graces, procee­ding from one and the same spirit, which worketh in all & [Page 62] euerie one, as it pleaseth it. Lord, giue me to see and di­scerne aright, what grace thou hast vouchsaued vnto me, and the measure of it; and as to be truely thankfull vnto thee for the same, and to glorie in thee who art the author and giuer of it, (as of euerie other good and perfect gift) so likewise to be carefull to imploy it vn­to the setting forth of thy glo­ry, in the performāce of those duties which thou requirest of me: that so when thou shalt call me to a reckoning for the vse of that talent, which thou hast committed vnto me, hauing bin faithfull in the im­prouement of the same, I may willingly appeare before thee to giue in my accounts, and be plentifully rewarded of thee, by entring into that ioy [Page 63] and glorie which thou hast promised and prepared for all thy faithfull seruants.

Another of the same.

THou O Lord art verie li­berall in disposing of the heauenlie graces of thy spirit vnto thy children, whom thou louest, and in whom thou delightest. To some thou giuest more, to some lesse, to all some: there is none of thine that hath not tasted of thy goodnesse here­in, yea that hath not receiued y^e measure of grace, for which he can neuer be sufficiently thankfull vnto thee. O hea­uēly father, increase thy grace in me; & grant that I may al­waies, make pretious account of the least measure, which it shall please thee in mercie to [Page 64] vouchsafe vnto me, & referre it wholly to thy honour and glory. And sith whatsoeuer I am, I am in thee; whatsoeuer grace I haue, I haue it from the (whose gift onely it is;) let me be content with that por­tion, which thou in thy wis­dome and goodnesse allottest vnto me; and knowing that for the present it is sufficient for me, neither enuie those that haue receiued more, lest I repine against thee; nor des­pise those that haue lesse, lest it displease thee, and cause thee in iustice to withdraw that grace from me, which in mercie thou hadst freelie gi­uen vnto me, and to bestow it vpon those, who would make better vse of it.

Death alwaies to be desired of the godlie.

IF anie shall take away from me my torne and rag­ged-worne coate, and in stead thereof put vpon me a new and a better, shall I thinke that I haue anie iniury done vnto me? haue I anie cause to complaine as if I were wronged? If the Lord vncloath me by depriuing me of this temporall, this sinfull and corruptible life, and in stead of it cloath me with that which is eternall, incorruptible and most glo­rious, doth he hurt me? doth he any wrong or iniurie vnto me? shall I complaine? yea rather, Lord, let me desire alwaies to remoue out of this [Page 66] bodie, and to dwell with thee for euer. Let me desire earnestlie to put off this cor­ruption, to be dissolued & to be with Christ my Sauiour in the heauens; for this is that onelie happinesse and felici­tie which I expect and hope for. Lord, euen when it plea­seth thee, let me see thy sal­uation, which thou hast pro­mised.

The imprisonment of the god­lie in this life.

THe godlie whiles they remaine in this world, liue, as it were, in perpetuall imprisonment. They are laden with manie chaines and fetters, which lie heauie vpon them, and cause them to sigh in themselues, and to [Page 67] long earnestly for the time of their deliuerance & freedom. O blessed Lord, thou knowest what a burden vnto my soule, this corruptible and sinnefull bodie of mine is, which I car­ry cōtinually about with me; and how this earthlie man­sion keepeth downe and op­presseth my minde, and ma­keth me heauie and vntoward for the performance of that good which thou command­est, and wherein my heart de­sireth to approue it selfe vnto thee; I am so fast in prison, & so much encumbred with manifold annoiances, which are, as it were, so manie hea­uie irons pressing downe my minde, and hindring me from walking before thee, with that freedome of spirit, and that cheerefulnes and alacrity [Page 68] wherein thou delightest, that my soule mourneth secretlie within me, and longeth to be freed from this miserie and bondage, wherein I am now detained. O Lord, when wilt thou set me at libertie? Con­tinually doe I expect and waite for the redemption of this earthlie and sinfull bodie.

The vanitie of all earthlie things.

OH the vanitie of the things of this world, riches, pleasures, honour & whatsoeuer else (to him that hath a carnall and fleshly eye) may seeme most pretious and glorious! how fruitles, how fading and transitorie are they? was there euer anie that found any true peace, any [Page 69] sound ioy or contentment in anie, or in all of them? What a vaine thing then is it for a­ny one to be carried with such an vnsatiable desire after them; yea to place, if not his onely, yet his chiefe happines and felicitie in them, as ma­ny doe? O Lord, draw my heart daily more and more from the things of this world, whereunto the most are so fast glewed: weane my soule both from the loue, and desire of them; and let my delight be in thee, let me reioyce in thee continuallie; yea let my soule alwaies long after thee, and in comparison of thee esteeme of all these earthly things but as drosse & meere vanitie.

A true discerning of the worlds vanitie, maketh men willing to leaue it, and desirous of a better estate out of it.

MAnie there be that complaine of the vani­tie and deceitfulnesse of this world, and yet are loth to leaue it, & to depart out of it. Such either had neuer a true sight of the vanitie of all things here below, and of the wretchednesse and miserie whereunto men, euen the best are subiect in this life; or else they neuer indeed fullie tasted of the blessednesse and felicitie of the life to come, euen those endlesse ioyes, and vnspeakable glorie, which are prepared and reserued for the Saints, in the kingdome of God: or if they haue in some sort tasted of this hea­uenly [Page 71] gift, yet without any certaintie or assurance that it belonged vnto them, and that their right and portion should be in it, and therefore could not be so soundly affe­cted with it, as thereby to be brought into a true dislike and contempt of this present euill world, which notwith­standing, at least, they wou [...]d seeme to be out of loue with. The man that seeth indeed, how vaine, how deceitfull and how miserable this world is; and hath withall receiued the first fruits of the spirit of God, and tasted of the sweet­nes & blessednes of y^e world to come; and also knoweth, that the assurance of the pro­mise thereof is made and sea­led vnto him, and that by the truth it selfe, (euen by him [Page 72] whose word shall stand, when heauen and earth shall passe away;) that man as he shall finde cause enough to com­plaine of this euill world wherein he liueth; so it can­not be, but that he should desire vnfainedly to be gone out of it, & to make change for a better; euen that which his soule longeth after, and in the hope and expectation whereof he resteth continu­ally, sighing in himselfe, and waiting earnestly for the frui­tion and full possession there­of, when as being vnclothed of the burden of this flesh, & loosed out of the prison of this earth, he shal be clothed with glorie and immortality, and liue for euer in that cele­stiall mansion, not made with hands, but eternall in the [Page 73] heauens. O Lord, when shall I be fullie deliuered from the bondage of corruption, vn­to which I am now daily sub­ject? when shall I lay downe this bodie of sinne and death, which I now carrie continual­ly about with me? when shall I remoue out of this earthlie tabernacle? when shall I leaue the wildernesse of this weari­some world, and departing from hence be translated into that glorious kingdome of thine, which thou hast promi­sed vnto me? My soule long­eth to dwell in thy courts, to see thy saluation, to enioy thy blessed presence, and to liue and rest with thee conti­nuallie. For here, alas, I find no resting place; yea I see va­nitie, wretchednesse and mi­serie on euerie side, in euerie [Page 74] place. One sorrow succeedeth another: The snares of many afflictions, and temptations haue taken holde of me; many deepe waters haue passed o­uer me, and euen almost ouer­whelmed me. I am assailed continually with many and those verie dangerous and pe­rillous enemies, who fight a­gainst my soule, and seeke by all meanes the vtter ruine and subuersion thereof: yea there is scarce one day, but that I passe thorow many deaths (so many are the grieuances whereunto thy children are continually subiect, whiles they haue their abode in this place, of vanitie, of death, and miserie.) How therefore should not that day be plea­sant, and not bitter vnto me? how should I not haue a fer­uent [Page 75] desire to be dissolued, & so to remoue from earth to heauen; since that as long as I liue here in this world, I cannot be freed from all mi­series, nor attaine vnto full and perfect blessednesse, which is onelie to be expe­cted in the world to come, where I know that I shall en­ioy it, and haue the fruition of it for euer in thy kingdom? All the daies of my appointed time, will I waite vntill my changing shall come, euen the time of refreshing, which I desire, and hope for; and which thou O Lord, (when it pleaseth thee) wilt vouch­safe in mercie and goodnesse to grant vnto me: Lord I haue longed for thy saluation.

Of whom death is most feared.

HE y^t alwaies feares death excessiuely, neuer made conscience to liue well. He that is carefull to liue well, will neuer be ouermuch afraid to die, though death in it selfe be of all things the most fearefull and terrible; or if he doe feare it, when it first looks vpon him with a gast­ly countenance, yet when the vizard, which it hath put v­pon it, be plucked away with the due and serious medita­tion of it, the feare and dread of it will vanish away pre­sently. Lord, let it be my care and earnest endeuour, so to liue, and to passe the time of my dwelling here, euen these short and euill daies [Page 77] which thou hast measured out vnto me, that the remem­brance of ensuing and ap­proching death, may neuer be bitter or grieuous, but ioy­full and pleasant vnto me.

Sathans craft and guilefulnesse in deceiuing men.

THe Diuell goes alwaies masked vp and downe in the world in a disguised manner, and neuer, or sel­dome sheweth himselfe in his owne likenesse, because then he knowes well enough, e­uery one (not without cause) would be afraid of him, flie from him, and haue nothing to doe with him (for who would not shunne his deadly aduersarie, whom he saw no­thing but plotting his owne [Page 78] destruction and ouerthrow) but vsually he comes like a false friend, with the pre­tence of a seeming good; he appeares and offers him­selfe vnto men in the shape of pleasure, profit, honour, e­uen those things which are pleasing vnto their nature, & and whereby they may most easily be enticed, and drawne away after him. How many thousands hath he by these slights and policies of his de­luded and deceiued? how doth he hereby preuaile a­gainst men, till he secretly work their irrecouerable ruin, and that many times before they be aware of any such matter, but feede securely & greedily vpon those things which he profereth vnto them, not seeing the snare [Page 79] which is laid for them. O Lord let me alwaies suspect and feare the deceitfulnesse of Sathan, in the things which are most pleasing vnto me, & which, with the shew of plea­sure, profit, & worldly cōmo­dities and aduantage, do most allure me, and draw my heart after them, or cause me to set my affections inordinatly vpō them; that so in what counter­fait forme soeuer, that de­ceiuer shall seek cunningly to insinuate himselfe into me, I may discerne his craft, & take heed by all meanes, that I be not at any time beguiled and deluded by him.

Sathans seuerall baites for sun­drie persons.

THe Diuell hath a baite for euery age, for euery [Page 80] place and person, and accor­ding to the occasions and op­portunities, he fitteth them all, to their seuerall natures, dis­positions and inclinations. For the couetous, he hath a siluer hooke and a golden baite; the riches and com­modities of this deceitfull world: for the voluptuous, sinfull pleasures and sensuall delights: for the ambitious, honour and bewitching pre­ferments: to such as are cho­lericke, he ministers those things that may kindle their wrath and inflame their furie: for the melancholick, he laies y^e baite either of vnprofitable solitarines, or of pining enuy. And thus by one meanes or other he seekes continually to entice them to swallow his baite which he so guilefully [Page 81] profereth vnto them, that be­ing once taken with it they can hardly escape the danger which he laboureth to bring them vnto, except the Lord be the more mercifull to pull the hooke out of their no­strils, and to set them at li­bertie againe. Blessed Lord, giue me to see vnto what sins I am, either by nature, or o­therwise, most addicted; and whereby Sathan seeketh chiefly to insnare me, and to draw me vnto perdition; and hauing grace to see them, let me also haue wisdome and strength to shunne and a­uoide them; that so I may not be deceiued by Sathan, nor perish with the multitude whom he hath taken in his snares, with those baites which he hath laid for them.

The occasions of sinne carefully to be auoided.

HE that saith, that he is loth to offend God, through the commission of any sinne, and doth not care­fully auoide the occasions whereby he may fall into the same, is like to him that tel­leth vs, that he is loth to be burnt, and yet dreads not the fire when he is neare vnto burning; yea rather will needs runne into the flame, wihch is readie to scorch him; or that he is loth to be drowned, and yet goes so neere the pits brinke that it is almost impossible for him not to fall into it, and to pe­rish in it. O Lord, let me not be so vnwise as to deceiue my [Page 83] selfe as many doe, by taking too much libertie vnto my selfe in those things, which though lawfull in themselues, yet may be a meanes through y^e corruption of my nature, & the temptation of Sathan, to draw me to sin against thee. But giue me wisdome in all things to foresee and preuent the danger that may come vp­on me, for want of due pro­uidence and watchfulnesse; and make me euer as carefull to auoide the occasions of sin, as sinne and death it selfe: So shall it neuer haue power or dominion ouer me; whereas otherwise it cannot be but that I should fall oft, and dangerously.

Respect of persons.

IT is a great fault, and yet ordinarie, to respect men, more for the outward trap­pings of the bodie, then for the inward graces, and ver­tues of the mind. If one be of a goodly personage, or rich­ly apparelled and attired, he shall be regarded, and much set by, although his mind be neuer so deformed, destitute of all grace and goodnesse, e­uen those inward endow­ments, which are the greatest excellencies. If another be more base or meane in these outward respects; howsoeuer he be inwardlie decked and adorned, yet there is no reckoning, or very small ac­count made of him. What is [Page 85] this but to preferre the body before the soule, that which is terrene, earthly and corupti­ble, before that which is spi­rituall, heauenly and immor­tall? Salomon the most glori­ous and renowned Prince that euer was, in regard of his outward glory, wherewith he was inuested and arraied, yet he was not like the lilie of the field, or the withering and fading grasse; whereas all things that are most flou­rishing on earth, no not those celestiall creatures, the starres of heauen, nor the Sunne and Moone themselues, (those excellent and glorious lights) are comparable to one soule, it being of a farre more di­uine and excellent nature then they are. Good Lord giue me to discerne of things [Page 86] aright; let me alwaies esteeme more of those that are in­wardly beautified with those vertues & graces of the mind, wherewith thou hast enrich­ed them; and which are the things that are most precious in thy sight, and which thou dost much set by; then of such as wāting these, do most flou­rish in the world, and are most eminent for their exter­nall dignities and excellen­cies.

Gods speciall prouidence ouer his children.

HE that takes care for the watring of his garden, the growing of his hearbes and plants, and the feeding of his cattle, will he not much more be carefull for the feed­ing [Page 87] and preseruing of his own children, whom he loueth and regardeth farre more then all those? Seeing there­fore God our heauenly father watreth this great garden of the world; causeth trees, hearbes, and plants of all kinds to grow and flourish therein; cloaths the fields with so glorious array, that great Princes with their shi­ning traine are not like vnto them; and seedeth and pre­serueth continually by his speciall prouidence, the beasts of the earth, the fowles of the aire, and the fishes of the sea; will he not doe much more, for his owne children, who depend vpon him, and whom he loueth so deerely, and most tenderly regardeth farre aboue all these earthly [Page 88] things? Can it be, that he should not feed them, pre­serue them, and prouide all things for thē, which may be for their good estate in this world? O the faithlesnesse, and infidelitie of man, who will not rest on Gods proui­dence, nor credit and beleeue those promises which he hath made vnto them (if they be his.) O Lord God, most gratious, and heauenly fa­ther, grant that whiles I be­hold the birds of the aire, the flowres of the field, and all things which thou hast created, I may not onely see and acknowledge thy power that made them, but also thy prouidence in preser­uing, feeding, and apparel­ling them; and that I may vse them, as so many seales to [Page 89] confirme me in the truth of thy gratious promises, and in the certaintie of that speciall prouidence of thine ouer me continually; euen that thou wilt preserue me, cloath me, feed me, and helpe me in all my necessities, supplying all those things vnto me, which thou in thy wisdome know­est to be most expedient and requisite for me. Herein I rest: this is that onely which can make me in all things truly contented, and in nothing too carefull; and without this my life would be irkesom and burdensome vnto me, through that carking care, and those manifold distracti­ons, which I see in others, e­uen in those that are vnfaith­full, O Lord, and distrust thy prouidence.

Contentednes in all estates.

LOrd I know not what is good for me, or which I should desire rather; prosperi­ty or aduersity, health or sick­nes, plentie or penurie. Thou onely seest, thou onely know­est, what is euery way best for me. Deale therefore grati­ously with me, & do vnto me that which is good in thine eyes, and which thou (who iudgest and discernest of all things aright) seest to be best for me. And grant that I may rest contentedly and thanke­fully in those things, which thou according to thy good pleasure, shalt bring to passe, howsoeuer thou disposest of me.

Coueteousnes a dangerous disease.

THe couetous man is like vnto those that haue the dropsie: for they that are falne into that disease, do desire to drinke continually; and yet the more they drinke, the more drie, the more thirsty they are. So it is with the co­uetous, who through the di­stemper of their minds, haue drawne that spirituall drop­sie vpon them, which is so much worse then the other, as the soule is better then the bodie. They haue a perpetu­all, and inordinate lust after riches, and the profits and commodities of this world: and yet the more they haue them, the more they feele and [Page 92] complaine of the want of them; the more they increase, & the faster they come in, the more doth their desire of thē increase, & the greater is their lust and longing after them. They are vnsatiable, and like the two daughters of the horsleach, neuer thinke they haue enough. This is an euill sickenesse, and yet common and ordinarie amongst men; yea many are so farre gone in it, that except they seeke to preuent the danger of it in time, it will proue incurable, and so in the ende become mortall & deadly vnto them. O Lord, giue me grace to co­uet after the better things, e­uen those which are spirituall & heauenly; & let me neuer be carried away with an immo­derate and inordinate desire [Page 93] of these things here below, which are earthlie and transi­torie: but let me alwaies be content with that portion which thou shalt giue vnto me. If it be much; let me blesse thee for it, and be ready to distribute according to the necessities of others. If it be little; let me blesse and praise thee also, knowing that it is sufficient; and with­all, that thou hast prouided better things for me, euen that rich inheritance, and that induring substance in the heauens, of which after this life, thou wilt giue me (ha­uing already made me a grant thereof) the full fruiti­on and possession for euer. And in the meane while, howsoeuer my estate is, or shall be hereafter in this [Page 94] world, giue me a quiet and contented mind, which may alwaies rest in thee, & wholly depend vpon thee, who hast promised, that thou will not faile nor forsake me; nor de­nie any thing vnto me, which thou (who knowest what is best for euery one) seest to be good for me.

All must suffer afflictions in this life.

HE deceiueth himselfe, that looketh for a conti­nuall calme, whiles he liueth in this world. There was ne­uer man that attained vnto this, neuer shall, in this life. Let him thinke that it is well with him, that is not alwaies in a storme; that hath not al­waies rough and heard wea­ther, [Page 95] whereby that weake and small barke of his, is much tossed and troubled; but some times, though sel­dome, finds the benefit of a pleasant calme, whereby he may be refreshed, and the better inabled with strength and patience, both to expect and to vndergoe the future imminēt troubles, which shall betide him. O Lord, I looke not for my rest, whiles I saile in this troublesome sea; for thou hast said it, and I beleeue it, and all thy Saints and ser­uants haue seene the truth of it in their own experience; euen that thorough manie troubles, by many afflictions we must haue passage, and entrance into thy kingdome, when it pleaseth thee O bles­sed Lord, either send me a [Page 96] calme after those stormes which haue gone ouer me; or else (which I rather desire) cause me speedily to arriue at that hauen, which I hope and long for; and where I shall enioy perfect and perpetuall rest and peace, without anie trouble or disquietnesse, yea without the scare of any of those perils and dangers, vnto which I am now conti­nually subiect.

The Ancre of the soule in affli­ctions.

A Shippe that is on the sea in stormie & tempestu­ous weather, if it hath not an ancre, which being cast forth, may hold and stay it, is car­ried vp and downe, and tos­sed to and fro, with much [Page 97] violence; and so at length ei­ther driuen vpon the sands, or dashed against the rocks: In like maner it is with all those, that in the troublesome sea of this dangerous world (where there are so many stormes & tempests continually arising) want the ancre of their soules, euen true faith in Christ, and an assured hope of the promi­ses made by him; they are tossed to and fro continually, hauing no rest, no comfort, no confidence; they are car­ried away violently with the raging waters; and in the end, either fall vpon some quicke sands, which swallow them vp, and cause them to sink into the bottome of that great deepe; or else rush a­gainst some stony and craggy rocke, which beateth them [Page 100] to pieces, & bringeth them to ruine. O my God, thou seest the great perils and dangers I am subiect vnto, and shall be as long as I liue in this world, which is a sea of miseries, and manifold calamities. The windes blow, the deepe wa­teres lift vp their swelling waues, and the stormie tem­pests threaten me with ship­wracke, to the ruine and de­struction both of my soule & bodie: O therefore, let me neuer want that assured hope, which being as the ancre of my soule, both sure and sted­fast, may enter into that which is within the vaile, and clasp fast hold of those graci­ous promises which thou hast made vnto me in thy Christ my blessed Sauiour: so shall I not onely be safe, and confi­dent [Page 99] in the middest of those dangers, which are round a­bout me; but also in the end, hauing escaped out of them all, arriue at that pleasant ha­uen of true felicitie, and end­lesse blisse and happinesse; vn­to which the desire and praier of my heart is, that thou wouldest shortly bring me, that so I may rest with thee, and sing praises vnto thee, in thy kingdome vncessantly, e­uen for euer.

Great danger in yeelding to the least motion of any sinne.

IN euery sinne that any one yeelds vnto, he laies him­selfe open vnto y^e Diuell, & giues him power of him: how carefull therefore should men be to auoide all sinnes; and [Page 100] not willingly to admit the least, sith thereby they giue Sathan, so great aduantage a­gainst them. O Lord giue me grace alwaies to resist Sathan, in the entrance of his sugge­stions, and temptations, euen in the first motions vnto euill, wherewith he shall at any time assaile me, that so he may neuer be able to preuaile against me, or to get the do­minion ouer me.

Grace to be increased daily by all meanes.

GRace if it be not conti­nually nourished and in­creased by all good meanes, which God hath appointed, it will quickly waste and de­cay exceedingly. How many haue we seene that of strong [Page 101] haue become weak & feeble? that hauing for a time flou­rished with many excellent graces, and been as greene Oliues, or fruitfull plants in the house of God, haue after­wards appeared as seare trees, and as withered branches, as though they had almost no iuice or sap left in thē, which might cause them to budde forth, and to become fruitfull? O mercifull God, as it plea­seth thee to giue me thy grace in any measure, so grant that I maybe carefull alwaies, to vse all meanes, whereby it may be preserued, and daily strengthned, and increased in me; that thus the longer I liue in this world, the more fruit­full I may be, abounding in euery good worke; my last daies maybe my best daies, & [Page 102] the inward man of my soule maybe renued, the more that this outward man shall perish and decay: and hauing in my life time, caused thy grace to shine forth vnto others, I may after this life, shine as a starre, in the brightnesse of glory, in thy kingdome for euer­more. Amen.

Sathans guilefull tempta­tions.

WHo knoweth the power, the craft, & malice, of Sathan, y^e wilie ser­pent, y^t roaring Lyon? he wal­keth about the earth continu­ally, and compasseth it to and fro, on euery side looking for his prey; yea he seeketh by all meanes to insinuate himselfe into vs by many suggestions, [Page 103] and diuers kinds of temptati­ons, and thereby to sting vs vnto death: he waites his time, watches the occasion fittest for his purpose, and whereby he may easiliest pre­uaile; and as hee is warie in choosing his time, and taking his occasion and opportuni­tie, so is he as cunning in ma­king choice of the means, ob­seruing the inclinations, the natures and seuerall dispositi­ons of men, both in regard of mind, & of bodie. Thus he de­ceiued the perfectest that euer were on earth, euen our first parents in Paradise, and that in the time of their innocen­cie and integritie, before sin had made man so subiect vnto Sathan, as now all are: thus also since the fall, he hath de­ceiued and beguiled the wi­sest [Page 104] that euer was among men, as he did Salomon; the strongest, as he did Sampson; the holiest, as he did Dauid, &c. There is no place so holy, no excercise so good, which can quaile his courage, or re­straine the boldnesse of his at­tempts: yea euen the best things will he seeke to make serue for his purpose; out of the best duties and actions which we doe, or can per­forme, he will take his aduan­tage against vs, and cause vs to sinne against God, when we desire & endeuour most to approue our selues vnto him. O Lord sith that euil one is al­waies tēpting, let me alwaies, & in al things be vigilant and watchfull: let my eies be open, & my heart waking continu­ally, lest that enuious & mali­tious [Page 105] spirit, sow his tares, whiles I sleepe in carelesnesse and securitie; yea sith that e­nemie of thy grace, and of the saluation of thy children, is so mightie, so subtile, and malitious, grant that I may not be secure at anie time, but alwaies keep a sure guarde o­uer my heart, and all the affe­ctions of the same: and be­cause I am weake of my selfe, be thou faithfull according vnto thy promise, to assist me in all those temptations, wherewith Sathan shall at a­ny time assaile me: so shall I praise the for euer, who art my strength & my saluation, euen the God through whom I am able to doe all things, & by whom all mine enemies are subdued vnto me.

Christians are to estrange themselues from this world, and to aspire vnto heauen.

WE are all of vs heere pilgrimes and stran­gers: heauen is our country; God our father; Christ our elder brother; all the Saints and Angels our neerest kins­folke, and our best friends, and louingst companions, who expect & looke continu­allie for our comming into that heauenly citie, that ce­lestiall mansion, the place where they & we are to rest & remain with our Sauiour in y^e presence of that glorious God for euer, to be partakers of that felicity & blessednes which is vnspeakable and glorious: [Page 107] Why then doe we not weane our selues from the world? why do we settle our selues here, where our rest is not? yea why are we so loth to leaue this drie and barren wilder­nesse, where we liue among strangers that know vs not, yea amongst many wild and sauage creatures, who seeke to do vs all the mischiefe they can? O Lord, raise vp my thoughts, and the affections of my heart vnto those things which are aboue, vnto those things which concerne my future estate in thy kingdom: let it be continually the ear­nest desire of my heart, to be with thee my God in the hea­uens, there to behold thy face in glory for euer, and to haue the full fruition of that sweet and comfortable fellowship [Page 108] and communion of my Sa­uiour, and of all the Saints & Angels, wherein consists true happinesse and blessednesse.

Death alwaies to be remem­bred.

MAny liue as if they shold neuer die; they re­member not the euill daies that shall come vpon them, and the yeares which shall approch, wherein they shall say, We haue no pleasure in them. They consider not how their eyes shall waxe dimme, their eares deafe, their tongues speechles, yea how their spirits & all their senses shall faile them, and all those worldlie helpes (wherein now they rest and comfort themselues) vtterly forsake [Page 109] them. O Lord, teach thou me to number my daies, that I may applie my heart vnto wisdome: Let me alwaies be mindfull of my end, & consi­der seriously of my frailetie & mortalitie, that so when death cōmeth (which conti­nually waiteth vpon me) it may not find me vnprepared, but that in the last houre, (the verie remembrance whereof is bitter vnto many) I may find sound comfort, and be translated out of this vale of teares, this place of mourning, where I am compassed about with sinne and miserie, into the kingdome of thy deare Sonne, and my blessed Sa­uiour, and so be made parta­ker of that glorious and im­mortall inheritance, which thou reseruest for vs, euen for [Page 110] all thy Saints, in the highest heauens, the place where thou dwellest in glorie and maiestie, and where we shall liue and raigne with thee e­ternallie.

What maner of life it becom­meth Christians to leade.

THe heathen could say, that if men (as it is meet they should) would haue this alwaies in their minds, that they were made of God him­selfe, in regard of the better part, which is the soule and spirit; that God was their fa­ther, he doubted not but they would leade a life besee­ming their estate and condi­tion; that they would do no­thing, whereby they might shew themselues to be base & [Page 111] degenerate, such as in whom there were no resemblance, of that diuine and heauenly nature. Me thinks, many that are Christians (at least in name and profession) should blush when they reade, when they heare this. They call God father, and thinke them­selues much wronged, if any should tell them that they were not his children, and that not onelie by creation (as the heathen are) but also in a more speciall maner by grace and adoption through Christ: and yet behold, many of them are not ashamed of that vilenesse and basenesse in their behauiour, their acti­ons, liues and practises, which the pagans and heathen themselues were ashamed of, and haue condemned as by [Page 112] their liues, so also by their writings, thereby setting a brand of iust reproch and e­ternall infamie vpon the fore­heads of such fained & coun­terfet Christians, who are the staine of true religion and christianity; & such as though they think, that of right they may claime this title to them­selues, to be the chosen peo­ple of God, those to whom he hath giuen the name & priui­ledge of his owne sonnes, yet in verie deed are the children of the diuell seuen-fold more then the heathen themselues, who knew not God in Christ. O mercifull Lord, grāt I hum­blie beseech thee, that as I call thee father, and beleeue and acknowledge my selfe to be thine owne adopted sonne through thy Christ, in whom [Page 113] thou hast freely loued and e­lected me from eternitie; so also I may haue grace from thee (for thy gift onelie it is) not to fashion my selfe like vnto the wicked and vngod­ly, the men of this world; that I may not be like vnto them in those vaine courses, wherein they walke and de­light themselues; but that I may alwaies do those things which are beseeming my cal­ling and profession; as ac­knowledging thee to be my father, and glorying in this, that I am thy sonne, so liuing and ordering my selfe as it be­commeth thy sonne; euen shining forth in all holinesse of life, and godly conuersa­tion, to the glory of thy name, the peace and comfort of mine owne conscience, [Page 114] and to the good example of others, whom thou hast ad­uanced vnto the same profes­sion, which is so glorious.

Gods patience in bearing with sinners.

IT is a wonder, that the Sunne, which is a witnesse of so many, and so enormous sinnes and wickednesses as are committed vpon the earth, standeth so long in the heauens, and giueth light vnto the world; that the hea­uens are not dissolued, and that the elements melt not; that the waters ouerflow not and ouerwhelme vs: yea that Christ, that iust and right­eous Iudge of the whole world, commeth not in fla­ming fire, to burne vp this [Page 115] earth with all the workes therein, which are polluted & defiled with our sins. It is thy mercie O Lord, that we are not consumed. O be thou pa­tient towards vs, who cease not to prouoke thee daily. Let thy good spirit still striue with vs, yea draw vs vnto thee, with the consideration of thy lenitie, and the riches of thy bountifulnesse; that so thy long sufferance may be vnto vs saluation, euen an ef­fectuall meanes, to winne vs vnto the loue, and obedience of thy maiestie, and so in the end to bring vs to eternall life and happinesse in the hea­uens.

The soule how it is to be fitted and prepared, for the enter­tainment of so glorious a guest, as the holy Ghost is.

IF thou wert to entertaine some honourable perso­nage, how carefull wouldst thou be to make such prepa­ration and prouision for him, that he might be receiued in that maner that were fit for his place and estate? how much more carefull & sollici­tous then oughtest thou to be, to prepare the secret lodgings of thy heart and soule; to see that nothing be out of order in thy whole man; that no vncleannesse, nor any thing which is any way polluted re­maine within thee, who art to receiue and to entertaine [Page 117] so honourable a guest, euen the holy spirit of the most high God, and to become a temple for so great, and so glorious a presence, to dwell in for euer? O heauenly Fa­ther, purifie my heart, with the sprinkling of the blood of that immaculate lambe Christ Iesus y^e righteous; purge me daily more and more from all my corruptions, euen those which are most secret, and o­pen to the view of none, but of thy all-seeing maiestie, whose eye pierceth thorough all things, and seeth and di­scerneth perfectlie those things which are hid from the sight of men, and which we our selues are ignorant of. Cleanse me both in soule, in bodie, and in spirit, from the filthinesse of all sinne and ini­quitie, [Page 118] and from the staine of all inbred corruption; and so sanctifie me throughout with thy grace, that I may be a fit temple and mansion for thy holy spirit to rest in; yea that thou maist delight to re­maine, to abide, and to dwell with me for euer; which is the onely happinesse and fe­licitie which my soule desi­reth and longeth for, and which I know assuredly, thou who hast promised it, wilt not denie vnto me.

Grieuing of the spirit of God.

THou art vnwilling to giue iust occasion wher­by thy kind friend might be grieued, and so for thy vn­kind dealing with him, be moued to leaue thee, and de­part [Page 119] from thee in displeasure, hauing no delight, no desire to return any more vnto thee, no scarcely though he be much sought vnto, and in­treated with great importu­nitie. Why then dost thou daily and hourely deale so vnkindly with thy best friend? why dost thou grieue the spi­rit of God, which is the one­ly comforter, and without whom, thou canst neuer haue anie true peace, or content­ment, in any estate or condi­tion of life? Why dost thou continually offer him so iust cause to turn away from thee, yea to remoue farre off, and to denie any more to visite thee, with y^t gratious and comfor­table presence of his, though thou shouldest hereafter neuer so oft, and so earnestly [Page 120] seeke and sue vnto him? O my God, forgiue me my sins whereby I haue heretofore grieued that holy spirit of thine, by whom thou hast sealed me, and assured me of those gracious promises which thou hast made vnto me in thy Christ. Forgiue me those manifold sinnes and trangressions, whereby I haue from time to time, most grieuously displeased and prouoked thy maiestie, who hast continually shewed thy selfe euery way so good, and so kinde vnto me. Hide thy face from them, and let them neuer come into thy remem­brance, to be a meanes to cause thee (as iustlie thou maist) to depart, and to take thy spirit from me, lest I die, and perish. But notwithstan­ding [Page 121] my vndeseruednesse, for thy promise sake, doe thou stil in mercie, vouchsafe freely to continue thy wonted and ac­customed loue and kindnesse vnto me. Giue me not onely the presence, but also the grace and comfort of thy spi­rit; yea let it alwaies rest and remaine with me, that so my spirit may liue and praise thee. O Lord, this I know, that nothing but my sinnes, can hinder this goodnes and bles­sing of thine from me: forget therefore, I pray thee, my sins past, couer my sinnes present, and keepe me from falling in­to sinne hereafter, and then I am assured, that thy blessed and gratious spirit shall dwell with me, and comfort me both now and euer, accor­ding vnto thy promise.

Spirituall desertions.

THe Sunne may be eclip­sed for a while, by the interposition of the thicke & duskie bodie of the Moone; but that being remoued, it will quickly cause the bright beams therof to shine forth a­gain vnto y^e world. The Lord may hide his face from me for a time, by reason of my sinnes, which onely can make a separation and diuision be­tweene him and me, and cause him to withdraw the light of his gracious counte­nance from me; but sure I am, that he will neuer vtterly for­sake me: for his foundation is surely laide; his loue and grace is vnchangeable: He hath been once, nay often [Page 123] gracious vnto me, and will continue so for euer. O my God, keepe me from sinning against thee; so shall the light of thy countenance shine al­waies vpon me; so shall I feele the comfort of thy presence remaining with me, in life, in death, after death, euen for euer.

The truth and faithfulnesse of God, in performing his promises.

THe Lord is mercifull in promising, and true in performing whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his chil­dren. We haue no other title to the least of Gods blessings, but euen this, his mercie and truth, to claime them by; and hauing that, wee need no [Page 124] other. O Lord, although my sinnes are many and grie­uous, and might iustlie cause thee to withdraw all thy mer­cies and fauours from me, and to denie any more to be gracious vnto me: yet Lord, thy truth and faithfulnesse in­dure for euer. O thinke vpon thy couenant, and according to thy mercie, do thou al­waies remember me, and looke vpon me. Euen for thy promise sake haue mercie vp­on me; and notwith­standing my sinnes call for iudgement, yet doe thou continue still to be good and gracious vnto me, in the sup­plie of thy manifold bles­sings and mercies.

The comfort of a good con­science, especially in death.

A Good conscience is a continuall feast, as in and thoroughout the whole life time, so especiallie in the houre, and in the verie ago­nie and pang of death. With what sweet & pleasant food of diuine consolation, doth it then feed the soule, & refresh the mind, when all other comforts faile, and become as running streames dried vp in the heate of summer? no­thing then will afford the like comfort vnto this. Wouldst thou see this, as it were in a glasse, clearely represented vnto thy view? Suppose that euen now, thou sawest one ly­ing at the point of death, vp­on [Page 126] the bed of his sorrowes, readie to take his last farewell of the world, & to lay downe his bodie in the dust, where he should haue corruption to be his father, and the craw­ling worme his mother, and his sister; and the graue his house and dwelling place for a long season, whiles his soule being separated from his bodie should depart into a farre countrie. Suppose, now at this instant, thou sawest one in this estate, (as thus most certaine it shall be with thee, with me, with all of vs) what, thinkest thou, would be the greatest comfort vnto him? what is it, that would most refresh him and cheere him vp? Fine fare, or sweete iuncats? Alas, he takes no pleasure in them; he cannot [Page 127] tast them though they be ne­uer so daintie; or if he could, yet should hee take no de­light, nor finde any sweet­nesse in them: for it is his soule that now hungers, and thirsts, and seeks for comfort, whiles his bodie is almost senselesse: He desireth, he looketh for spirituall foode wherewith his fainting soule, and languishing spirits may be fed and refreshed, and not for corporall; yea that is loathsome vnto him. Sweet musicke, and delightsome melodie? Alas, the daughters of singing are now abased; he is almost past hearing, and though he could heare it ne­uer so well, yet it would not be any refreshing vnto him, he could not solace himselfe in it; yea rather it would [Page 128] seeme harsh in his eares, and vnpleasant vnto his mind: it is another kind of musick and melodie which hee longs to heare and hearken after, that therein he may finde sound ioy and true comfort in that his extremitie. His pleasures, profits, or great reuenues in this world? neither can these comfort him in that houre, they will not afford him any true ioy, pleasure or delight; no though he might euen swimme and bathe himselfe in the abundance of them: yea rather they would be a trouble vnto him, they would disquiet & distract his mind, both because he now seeth that he is presently to leaue thē for euer, & to giue a finall farewell vnto them, neuer to haue any vse or benefit of thē [Page 129] afterwards; as also, and that especiallie, because he know­eth that he is forthwith, to goe to answer, and to giue an account, both for the getting, vsing & imploying of thē, and to receiue accordinglie. His credit, fame and reputation a­mongst men? alas, although he were as famous, and renow­ned as Salomon was, when he was so admired, that nations came farre and neere to see & to heare him; this then would little auaile him, it would yeeld him no pleasure, no de­light; yea rather it will grieue him to thinke how that hap­ly hath bin an occasion here­tofore to make him proud & vaine-glorious, and how that hereafter it will perish with the remembrance of him, and vanish as the smoake, so that [Page 130] all his glory shall lie buried in the dust, and his name be as if it had neuer been. Friends, kins-folke and acquaintance? Neither can they affoord him any true peace and sound comfort. Indeed in the time of his health, they might be a ioy and refreshing vnto him, euen the verie sight and pre­sence of them peraduenture would affect him with an in­ward and secret delight and contentment: but now they can bring little or no comfort vnto him, no more then Iobs friends did vnto him in the depth of his miserie, euen sit by him and say nothing: yea rather they will be a meanes to renue his sorrow and to in­crease his griefe, because he is so shortly to take his last fare­well of them for so long a sea­son, [Page 131] as also for that hee sees them who are most deare vn­to him, nothing but mour­ning, weeping, sorrowing and lamenting for him on euery side, which cannot but disquiet and trouble him ve­ry much, especially hauing his minde so much busied with the serious consideration of that long iourney, which his soule, immediatly after the dissolution and separation thereof from his body, is now presently to take into that vn­knowne land. It is therefore neither the finest fare, or dain­tiest iuncats, the sweetest mu­sicke and most delightsome melodie, neither pleasures, profits, great reuenues, honor, preferment, friends, kins­folks, acquaintance, nor any worldly thing else whatsoe­uer, [Page 132] though neuer so pretious, neuer so glorious in the eyes of men, that can yeeld him any true peace, or sound comfort, when this houre is once come, wherein he must breathe out his soule (which hath a long time beene vnited vnto his body in such a firme league, and with so straite a bond of speciall loue and ami­tie, that it is death now to de­part or to be separated from it) and lay downe his body in the dust, and make his graue in the darke, where he shall neither see any, nor be seene of any. What therfore (thin­kest thou) is it, wherein he shall finde comfort, when he shall stand in most need of it, hauing besides all the former occasions of griefe and sor­rowe, sinne and Sathan assaul­ting, [Page 133] yea laying harder siege against him, then euer before; seeking by all meanes to daunt him, and to rob & de­priue him of al true peace and comfort, yea if it be possible to bring him vnto deepe des­paire? What then would be most sweete and pleasant vn­to him? What would most re­fresh him, and cheere vp his languishing spirit? In briefe; if thou shouldest aske him, what was his comfort in this extremity, wherein he found most ioy and delight: would he not answere thee, that his reioycing was the testimonie of his owne conscience, euen in this, that he had endeauou­red himselfe, with Paul, to haue alway a cleare consciēce toward God, and men? in this that he had laboured with [Page 134] Henoch to walke with God al his life long: in this, that it was his chiefe care cōtinually, to liue vprightly, and sincere­ly before God, and blamelesly and innocently before men. Would he not tell thee, that this was the thing wherin he reioyced, wherewith he was comforted? Surely without doubt he would. And no mar­uaile: For this, this (the testi­mony I meane of a good con­science) would then be as a delightsome feast, & a most heauenly banquet vnto him. It would be sweete musicke, and a pleasant melodie with­in him. Neuer did he tast of such iuncats, as these would be to his hungry soule, and to his fainting spirits. It would be as it were Manna from hea­uen, and water of life, out of [Page 135] the Sanctuarie of God, to re­fresh and to reuiue him when hee were almost dead. Neuer did he heare any musicke that so much delighted him. Oh how would it cheere vp his soule, and refresh his minde, causing him to breake foorth into that speech of the holie Prophet: Why art thou so cast downe O my soule? why art thou so disquieted & so trou­bled within me? O put thy trust in God, euen thy God; reioyce, yea againe reioyce in him: for loe (as he hath promi­sed) hee will send foorth his light and his truth, which shal leade thee & bring thee safe­ly vnto his holy mountaine, and vnto his dwelling place. Lo he wil plenteously reward thee, receiuing thee presently into his heauenly palace, and [Page 136] set thee vpon a Throne, and crowne thee with glorie and immortalitie. Or to say with that ancient and religious Fa­ther: Goe foorth ô my soule, what fearest thou? why art thou danted or any waies dis­maied? Goe foorth, what nee­dest thou to feare? Commit thy selfe vnto him; who as he is a faithfull Creator, so is hee also a liberall rewarder of all them that delight in well do­ing. Behold thou hast fought a good fight, thou hast finish­ed thy course, thou hast ende­uoured to keepe faith and a good conscience, and to serue God in truth, vprightnes and sinceritie all thy daies. So therefore those heauenly mi­nisters, the Angels of God who haue heretofore atten­ded vpon thee, are now ready [Page 137] waiting for thee, eue [...] to em­brace thee wi [...] their armes, and to c [...]r [...]ie thee with ioy and triumph into that hea­uenly citie, that celestiall pa­radise, that new Hierusalem, where thou shalt enioy the blessed presence of that glo­rious God, a [...]d the comforta­ble societie and compa [...] o [...] al the Saints and Angels, who desire and expect thy com­ming, and with whom thou shalt liue, and conuer [...]e in hea­uenly manner, being [...]tisfied with fulnes of ioy, bl [...]sse and happinesse for euermore. This is the comfort which a good conscience will giue, as tho­roughout the whole life, in the daies of triall and afflictiō, so especially in the last houre, when all worldly comforts shall flie from vs, and vtterly [Page 138] forsake vs: As Rahabs threed was better vnto her then all her goods and substance whē the sword came, so wil this be better vnto vs thē all y^e world, when death comes & assailes vs, which we know not when, or how soone it will. O mer­cifull God, I beseech thee, make me wise to consider of these things, that so I may finde comfort both now, and hereafter, when I shall most want it, most desire it; and when as without it I cannot but bee exceeding wretched and miserable. Grant me thy grace, to serue thee in righte­ousnesse and holinesse all my daies, yea to walk before thee in truth and sinceritie with a perfect heart, and to doe al­waies that which is good in thy sight, and pleasing vnto [Page 139] thy Maiestie; that so (hauing my cōuersation in this world in simplicitie, and godly pure­nes) I may haue the testimo­nie of my conscience to be my reioycing, and, as it were, a continuall feast vnto me al my life long, in all troubles▪ mise­ries and afflictions whatsoe­uer; yea and that when this short and transitorie life shall draw to an end, and al world­ly comforts become vaine, and no waies auaileable vnto me, I may haue the sweete comfort and solace hereof following and accompanying me vnto death, and resting and remai­ning with me in death: that so when at length I shall send foorth my last breath (calling to minde and recounting my sinceritie in thy seruice, and resting vpō thy gracious pro­mise [Page 140] for the couering of my manifold defects and infirmi­ties with thy sonnes righte­ousnes) I may then euen lift vp my head with confidence and boldnes, and taking my farewell of this wearisome world, depart hence with ioy and reioycing, knowing assu­redly y^t I shal not die but liue, being clothed with glorie, and immortalitie for euer­more. This is my life, my hope. They [...]hat liue not thus, they die whiles they liue, and whē they once die, they die for euer. Oh therefore that all would so liue, that thus they might haue peace and com­fort whiles they liue, and in the end die the death of the righteous, and be made par­takers of their glorie, which many wish for, few seeke af­ter, [Page 141] but fewest of all attaine vnto.

Sinne exceeding dangerous, though pleasant for a time.

SInne is sweet and pleasant for the present; at least it seemeth so to the wicked, who neuer tasted of any swee­ter delicates: But certaine, howsoeuer they relish it for the present, yet doubtlesse they shall finde, to their griefe and sorrow, that in the end it will bee as bitter as gall or wormewood, yea as death it selfe. O Lord, let me neuer de­light in those deceiuable plea­sures of sinne which last but for a season, & the end where­of is bitternes and destructiō: let mee neuer willingly take [Page 142] down, no nor so much as once taste of, those poysoned mor­sels which the wicked & vn­godly swallow with so much greedinesse, as though they could neuer bee satisfied or glutted with them: but let me bee alwaies carefull to a­uoide all sinne, as I would doe the rankest poyson, which be­ing, though neuer so little, but once tasted of, present death must needes followe, except there be a speciall recouerie, by that sole and soueraigne medicine of Christs righte­ousnes, which is neither gi­uen, nor can be applied to any of those, who wilfully and de­speratly drinke downe any of that deadly poyson, though they be oft forewarned of the danger of it.

The vsuall euent of Satans pra­ctises against the Church of God.

IT hath alwaies been, and it is diligētly to be obserued, that by what plots and practi­ses soeuer, Satan hath attemp­ted the vndermining of the Church of God, and the finall subuersion and ouerthrow of the same, they haue turned in the end, if not to the ruine, yet to the weakning of his owne kingdom, so that he receiued the greatest foile, where hee thought he should haue most preuailed. Especially wee of this nation, haue seene this more apparātly in later yeers; and as it was the Lords do­ing, and wonderfull in our eyes, so ought wee neuer to [Page 144] forget it, but to bee alwaies mindfull of it, yea to make re­port of it vnto those that are a farre off, and to rehearse it hereafter to those that are yet vnborne, that so the goodnes of the Lord, & the care which he hath ouer his Church, may bee knowne and acknowled­ged, and due thankes, praise and glorie be returned vnto him by many, for the same, in all ensuing ages. O Lord re­member thy wonted mercies, and continue still good and gracious vnto thy Church & chosen. O be thou fauourable vnto thy Sion, and build vp the walles of Ierusalem; make vp the breaches, and repaire the ruines and the desolate and decaied places thereof: disappoint Satan in al his mis­chieuous counsell, and diuel­lish [Page 145] policies & deuices, wher­by he seeketh the ouerthrow of it. Cast out all the cursed Iebusites which disturbe the peace, and are enemies vnto the prosperitie of it: keepe it as thy little flock, which hath alwaies been tender and deare vnto thee: loue it and delight in it, as in thine owne spouse, which thou hast chosen vnto thy selfe out of all the nations of the earth: blesse and sancti­fie it with thy grace, & defend it alwaies with thy mightie power. Compasse it with a wall of fire round about, and fight thou from heauē against thē that fight against it. Thus O Lord bee thou gracious to thine owne inheritance, thy chosen Sion. Let peace bee within the walles, and plen­teousnesse within the palaces [Page 146] thereof, that so thy Gospell may florish, thy name be glo­rified, thy seruants comforted, thy Saints repaired, the num­ber of thy children on earth accomplished, these sinfull daies finished, and finally the glorious kingdom of thy Son fully established for euer in the heauens. Amen.

Christians ought to keepe con­tinuall watch in regard of Satans assaults.

SEest thou not how carefull those that are besieged & assaulted of their enemies, are to haue their Centinels, and to make their defence sure, and to fortifie those places especially where the enemie giueth the fiercest onset, or where there is more danger [Page 147] that a breach should be made for his entrance. Behold thou art cōtinually enuironed with many spirituall enemies, the powers of darknesse, which haue beset thee round about on euery side: They haue laid a strong siege against thee, and assault thee euery houre, euery moment, seeking by all meanes to make a breach into thy soule, and to bring both thy soule and bodie to perpe­tuall ruine and desolation: and wilt thou then be secure? wilt thou bee carelesse? nay, wilt thou foolishly set open the gates, consenting vnto sin in the temptations thereof, that so Satan may enter in and make a spoile of thee? O Lord, though many bee so foolish and vnwise, yet suffer not me to bee like vnto them: but [Page 148] since so many, and so dange­rous enemies, those spirituall wickednesses, doe bend their forces and intrench them­selues about me continually, grant that I may bee wise to preuent the mischiefe which they intend to bring vpō me: make mee alwaies watchfull and carefull to stand for my defence and safetie against them: especially let me seeke and endeuour by all meanes to fortifie my soule against those sinnes, whereby Satan doth most assaile me, and to get strength against those weaknesses, whereby hee may soonest haue aduantage of me, and bring me into dan­ger: yea O Lord doe thou watch ouer mee, doe thou strengthen me. Heale all my infirmities, repaire the ruines [Page 149] of my soule, make vp the ma­nifold breaches therof. Com­passe me about with thy grace and fauour, that so none of those spirituall enemies may euer haue power ouer me, but that I may be defended from them in the time of this my warfare heere on earth, and hereafter triumph gloriously ouer them in the heauens for euermore.

Greater care is to be had of things to come, then of things present.

O How carefull are most for their bodies, how carelesse for their soules! For the things of this world what paines, what labour doe they willingly vndergo! for those of the world to come, how re­misse, [Page 150] how exceeding negli­gent are they? Lord grant that I may be alwaies most carefull of that which is most necessa­rie: that I may preferre hea­uen before earth, those things which are spirituall, before those that are corporal; things which are permanent and e­uerlasting, before the lying and deceitfull vanities of this world; endlesse and vnspeak­able glorie and happines, be­fore vaine and supposed feli­citie.

Gods all-seeing presence.

THe eyes of the Lord are open vpon all the waies of men, hee seeth and obser­ueth them; euen those things which they doe in greatest se­crecy are most cleere and ma­nifest [Page 151] vnto him: they are na­ked & discouered in his sight, and he taketh notice of all of them. O therefore how great is the boldnes and audacious­nes of such as dare presume willinglie and wittinglie to commit so grieuous and so odious sinnes, whiles they are in so glorious a presence! who is so prophane and so grace­lesse that should not be asha­med of this? yea that should not bee euen astonished in himselfe, to consider that all his sinnes (whereof some one of them, if it should bee made knowne vnto y^e world, would make him blush and hang downe his head for shame) lie open and vncouered before the face of almightie God, euen the cleere eyes of that infinite and glorious Maiesty, [Page 152] who is so pure that he cannot abide any vncleannes, yea that hee cannot once endure the sight of any thing, which is spotted and stained with the filth of sin. O Lord, let me al­waies see thee present with me, viewing, marking, and obseruing the whole course and carriage of my life; not only how I compose my selfe outwardly before men, but how euen the thoughts of my heart are framed within me; that thus I may not onely bee restrained frō the commission of outward actuall wicked­nesses, (which euen the shame of the world causeth many that are altogether voide and destitute of thy sanctifying grace to refraine themselues from) but also may feare to giue entertainmēt to any mo­tion [Page 153] vnto the least sinne, and striue after holinesse and pu­ritie, that so I may bee appro­ued of thee, and finde grace and fauour in thy sight.

A motiue to patience vnder the crosse.

ALthough it be grieuous vnto vs, yet it is good for vs to bee vnder the crosse. It is no small benefit which we receiue by afflictions, if we looke vnto the end and issue of them: for thereby wee are humbled more then we were; made more earnest and fer­uent in prayer; readier to seek vnto the Lord; to cleaue fa­ster vnto him, and to depend solely and wholly vpon him, making him our hope, our stay, and onely refuge; yea [Page 154] thereby our faith, hope, pa­tience, and all other graces of Gods spirit are exercised and increased, and that inward man of ours daily more and more renued, whiles wee are outwardly oppressed and af­flicted. In briefe, thereby we are weaned from the world, and the vaine and transitorie things thereof, and made not onely mindfull, but also desi­rous of the day of death, and of the time of our dissolution; whenas being freed from all those miseries (wherewith we are and shall be compassed on euery side, as long as wee liue in this wretched world, and carrie this bodie of sin about with vs) wee shall enter into that resting place, where wee shal want nothing which may make for our blessednesse and [Page 155] felicitie. Let nothing then be distastful vnto me, which thou seest to bee good for me, O Lord: but let me euer be con­tent (if it so pleaseth thee) to drinke downe willingly the bitterest cup of the most grie­uous affliction, which thou shalt offer vnto me, seeing that in the end thereof I shall find much sweetnes.

None euer free from the temp­tations of Satan.

THere is none that is not often assailed by the tēp­ter, euen the most holie and righteous men that liue vpon the earth: when one tempta­tion is resisted and passed o­uer, they are to expect ano­ther, and to prepare them­selues for it: vnlooked for [Page 156] blowes are most dangerous. O Lord, I see how busie that ene­mie of mine is; how many waies he laboureth to vnder­mine me, and that especially when I am least aware of him. O let me be alwaies readie to meete him in the gate, before hee enter too farre vpon me: let me not be secure and care­lesse, but very watchfull and vigilant; euer prepared to en­counter with him, and to resist him, especially in the begin­ning of his assaults, wherein if I withstand him with faith, courage and resolution, I doubt not, but with thy grace, I shall in the end easilie get the victorie of him, and see him flie before me.

Satans temptations, sometimes more grieuous and dangerous then at other times.

SOme haue more grieuous temptations presently af­ter their first calling and con­uersion vnto God: some long after; some throughout their whole life haue that euill one vncessantly casting many fiery darts at them, thereby (if it were possible) to wound them euen vnto death, almost euery moment, or at least to make their liues wearisome & irke­some vnto them: These are not to faint, or to despaire, whiles they are thus tempted, but to be the more carefull to bee alwaies well appointed, and readie furnished, with the whole compleate armour of [Page 158] God, whereby they may bee able to defend themselues, frō the rage and malice of that fu­rious enemie and deadly ad­uersarie of theirs, who thir­steth after the blood of their soules, and desireth nothing more then their vtter ruine and confusion. Since hee is so fierce and eager vpon them, they are to bee thus ar­med continually; and withall to pray vnto the Lord, and that oft and more earnestlie, that he would shield and safe­gard them, and giue vnto thē a ioyfull issue out of all their temptations; and then no doubt at length they shall see the saluation of the Lord, in the ouerthrow of that mali­tious enemie, by whom here­tofore they haue bin so great­ly vexed, and so much endan­gered. [Page 159] O Lord thou art the God of my strength; I flie vn­to thee alone for succour and for aide in these great extre­mities, euen in these grieuous temptations & assaults, wher­by Satan, my maine aduersarie doth seeke daily to oppresse my soule: Doe thou arme, and so strengthen mee with thy grace, that through the power of thy might, I may preuaile against him, and put him to the greatest foile, when hee intendeth the greatest mis­chiefe, and thinketh to haue the strongest hand ouer me, & the most aduantage against me; so shall I sing praises vn­to thy name, both now and e­uer; and teach others to re­sort vnto thee in their greatest dangers, and hardest con­flicts, euen then when the po­wers [Page 160] of hell, shall set them­selues most against them.

Sathan more dangerous in lesser temptatious sometimes then in greater.

MAny are free from the danger of greater ten­tations, who are often ouer­come of lesser, to the ende that they might be truely humbled, and haue no confi­dence in themselues, or their owne strength; seeing of themselues (as they finde by experiēce) they are so weake, that the least tentation is too strong for them, and there­fore could not possibly, but fainte presently vnder the greatest, and yeeld without any resistance, if they were not sustained and supported [Page 161] by the speciall assistance of that powerfull God, against whom no emnitie is able to resist; yea to whom the very gates of hell are subiect, and able to doe nothing without his permission and sufferance, who is absolute Lord of all things. O Lord, thou hast ma­nifested thy power vnto me, in deliuering me from the danger of the most grieuous assaults, wherewith Sathan hath sought my ouerthrowe, and wherby I feared that he would haue soonest preuailed against me; & thou hast giuen me sufficient proofe of mine own weaknes, in suffering me to be foyled, where there seemed to be least feare of any such danger. O let me al­waies acknowledge mine owne weaknes, and impo­tencie [Page 162] and extoll thy grace and power; that so I may not repose any trust or confi­dence in my selfe, or in mine owne strēgth for the resisting of the least emnitie, the least assault that at any time is made against me; but may wholly at all times rest, and depend vpon thee, who alone art able to doe all things.

Whom Sathan tempteth most.

SAthan is alwaies most bu­sie where he hath least to doe: His assaults are strongest where he is most encountred; where he hath all things in possession he is quiet. Lord I am not ignorant of his conti­nuall enterprises, his great forces, his dangerous strata­gems, [Page 163] his mischieuous coun­sell, and diuellish will. To whom shall I flie, but to thee for helpe, for succour, and for aide? Of my selfe I am weake, feeble, fainthearted, neuer able to meete, much lesse to withstand and vanquish so strong an enemie, so great an aduersarie. I make thee, O Lord, my onely refuge: thou art my strength; through the helpe of thy Christ, who hath triumphed gloriously ouer Sathan and al spirituall enmi­ties, I am able to do all things. Strengthen me, O my God, with thy might, through that glorious power of thine, wherunto hell it selfe is sub­iect: strengthen me in the houre of tentation: Couer my head in the day of battell, put thy spirit into my heart, [Page 164] and that two-edged sword of thine into my hands; and a­boue all things giue mee the shield of faith, and the helmet of saluation; yea put vpon me that whole complea [...]e armour of thine, that I may be able to resist in the euill day when the rage and furie of the enemie shall be greatest; and to ouer­come, yea euen to tread down Satan vnder my feete, and so in the end, hauing finished all things, and kept the faith, through hope and patience at length receiue that crowne of righteousnesse, which thou hast promised, and which as I expect, so I know, thou the righteous God wilt giue vnto me, at that glorious appea­rance of my blessed Sauiour; whose comming as I dailie looke for, so I desire thee to [Page 165] hasten. Come Lord Iesus, come quickly. Amen.

The wonderfull workes of God in heauen and earth.

STand and consider: lift vp thine eyes to heauen, and after that cast them downe to the earth, and behold the workes of God: shalt thou not haue cause to admire at the wisedome thou shalt finde in them, and to giue glorie to the Lord, the Creator & pre­seruer of them? Looke vp and consider the light of the Sun, euen that noble and swift gi­ant, which is appointed of the Lord to runne his race euerie day, and to be his messenger, to shew forth to the world, the glorie of his Maker: Con­sider the Moone, the number [Page 166] and order of the Starres; that faire and excellent curtaine which the Lord hath drawne ouer vs. Consider also the po­wer and changes of the wind; the store-house and treasuries of the raine, haile, snow, light­ning, thunder; the multitude and huge heaps of the waters in that vast depth; that great Leuiathan which taketh his pastime therein, with innu­merable creatures else which liue, and moue there: Consi­der likewise the earth thou treadest vpon; the natures and kindes of beasts, the fruites of the trees, the varietie of flo­wers, the properties of stones, the vertue of herbes, of plants, and roots: In brief, the whole earth, the sea, the heauēs, with all their rich and glorious fur­niture: Haue they not written [Page 167] and engrauen vpon them in great and text letters, Praise and glorie to the Lord? Yea do but looke vpon thy selfe, and into thy selfe, and shalt thou not find in thee, a little world, of strange & admirable works of God? Yea, O Lord, al things are full of thy wisedome, and of the glorie of thy mightie power. O let me delight in the consideration of them, let my minde bee raised vp, by them, to the meditation of the ex­cellencie and great renowne of thee, the Creator and ma­ker of them; yea let my heart be drawne thereby, to a holie and reuerent feare of thy glo­rious Maiestie, and to an ear­nest desire and entire affectiō to sing praises continually vn­to thee. A shame it is for me to bee dumbe or silent, since [Page 168] all thy creatures are so loude, neuer ceasing to speake of thy praise, and to shew foorth thy glorie in that excellent work­manship, which thine owne hand hath framed in the hea­uens, the earth, the seas, and all places.

A caueat for rash censurers of the weaknesses and infir­mities of others.

IT is a thing incident to the nature of men, to bee very curious in prying into the faults of others, & very care­lesse in searching into their owne waies, or taking a view of those sins and corruptions which lie lurking in their owne bosomes. Experience euery where giueth too cleere euidence of this. It is a vice [Page 169] which euery one, that hath a­ny care or conscience to order his life according to the pre­script and determinate rule of Gods word, must labour dili­gently to reforme himselfe of. And sure, it were wisdome for men rather to bee curious in things which concerne them­selues, then others; more rea­die to espie out their owne faults, to censure their owne actions, and to iudge their owne selues, then others. For whiles they sift others so nar­rowly, and passe sentence a­gainst them vnaduisedly, they doe oft times not only much trouble themselues in that, for which they shall haue no thankes for their labour, nor benefit themselues any waies; but also erre, and sinne most grieuously against God, and [Page 170] their neighbour, and most dāgerously against their own soules, which they wound whiles they seeke to wound others: whereas if they would bee as carefull to spend the same time in examining their owne waies, in looking and prying into their own actiōs, and in censuring and iudging themselues, without all par­tialitie and sinister affection, they should doe that which would bee very pleasing vnto God, and very fruitfull and profitable vnto themselues, and which they shall neuer haue cause to repent them­selues of. Good Lord, let me neuer delight, as many doe, (euen like the Spider, or such venomous creatures) to feede vpon poyson only; to bee al­waies looking into the weak­nesses [Page 171] and infirmities of o­thers; but let me euer be more cleere eied, and quick sighted, in espying out mine own sins, then the frailties of others, and more ready to sit as iudge vpon my selfe, then vpon o­thers; yea let me alwaies bee very charitably minded, in hoping, and interpreting the best of others, neuer passing sentence against thē, no not in my secretest thoughts, til I see most cleere euidence, where­by they are so manifestly con­uicted, that there can bee no colour for their sinne, nor iust plea for their defence; and ve­ry seuere & censorious in dea­ling with my selfe; both fea­ring and suspecting the worst euen in my best actions; and iudging and condemning my selfe in those things, wherein [Page 172] to others happely, I might seeme rather to bee iustified and approued.

The infirmities of others are to be borne with.

IT is a rare vertue to beare with the weaknesses and infirmities of our brethrē; and yet such as must bee duly and carefully practised of vs all, if we be Christians, not in name only, but in deed, and in truth. We haue both the comman­dement & example of Christ, whereby we should be drawn vnto this dutie, so well besee­ming all that are his. It is the will of God that wee should beare one anothers burthen; and therefore if wee will not by our practise make open profession, that we are such as [Page 173] are lawlesse, let vs bee carefull to doe it. And if any be more auerse and backward hereun­to (as indeed such is the nature of vs all, that wee can hardlie keepe our selues strictly with­in the compasse of this law) let him looke into the equitie thereof, and see how iust and meete the thing is, which the Lord requireth of him here­in. Consider thy selfe well: Thou wouldest haue others to tolerate those things which, it may be, are intolerable in thee; and wilt not thou with patience, wisedome, and loue, beare with the frailties and weaknesses of others, which may more easily be endured; especially if they bee such as complaine and groane vnder that burthē, so that thou nee­dest not lay more waight vp­on [Page 174] them, except thou mindest in the malice of thy wicked heart, to presse them downe, and cause them to sinke vnder their loade, whereas in meek­nes of spirit, and in a tender affection, and brotherly com­passion, thou shouldest seeke to raise thē vp, and to streng­then them. Thou art desirous that others should winke at thy faults which proceed f [...]ō thy weaknes, and with a fauo­rable eye so look vpon thy de­fects, which thou canst not couer, as that they should ei­ther not obserue thē, although they see them; or else, if they both see and obserue them, not esteeme the worse of thee for them, because that euen in the best men, and those of greatest excellencies, there are many infirmities, which al­though [Page 175] they may (as in wise­dom they ought) be hid from the view of others, yet cannot possibly be altogether healed as long as they remaine in the flesh, and carrie this bodie of sinne about with them. Thou art desirous that others should deale thus louingly and cha­ritably with thee; yea thou takest it to bee a great offence in them, and a great iniurie vnto thy selfe, if they doe o­therwise, and wilt thou not (as the law of equitie, according vnto which all thy actions should be framed, doth strait­ly binde thee) mete out the same measure vnto others, which thou thy selfe being in their case, in the same, or the like condition with them, lookest to receiue from them; and if they denie it vnto thee, [Page 176] complainest, as if they dealt hardly with thee: Oughtest thou not to be so affected vn­to others, as thou thinkest it meete that they should be af­fected vnto thee? If thou beest not, who can excuse thee? see­ing that thine own conscience condemnes thee, whiles thou doest that thy selfe, which thou dislikest, and condem­nest in another; and neglectest that dutie which thou requi­rest of others, and perswadest thy selfe that all without ex­ception are bound vnto. In briefe, if thou canst not be thy selfe, euery way as thou woul­dest be, yea and vsest all dili­gence, and carefull endeuour that thou mightest be; ough­test thou not in wisedome to beare with others, who doe not, yea possibly cannot in [Page 177] euery thing frame themselues vnto thy liking, nor be in eue­ry respect, as thou wouldest they should be? Who is there that will not say, that this is a thing both iust and equall? O Lord, I know that none can attaine vnto absolute perfe­ction in this world, but that all, euen the best and dearest of thy children, who haue the greatest measure of thy gra­ces, are subiect vnto many in­firmities, many weaknesses and imperfections euen in the best of their endeuours, wher­in they doe most striue after perfection: In my selfe espe­cially I do finde many defects, many wants; I doe not, nei­ther can doe, as I would doe, but faile in many things, wherein notwithstanding I doe desire, and endeuour to [Page 178] doe that, which might be ac­cepted of thee, and pleasing vnto thee: I see much weake­nes in me, and many infirmi­ties, which I doe daily groane vnder, and desire thee in thy good time to heale me of, and to giue me grace to make this vse of thē, euen whiles I haue mine eyes continually vpon them, to be thereby the more humbled in my selfe, and the more equally, and charitablie affected toward others, coue­ring their offences, and bea­ring with their weaknesses, and being readie with the spirit of loue and compassion to support them, where they seeme to be most feeble; yea to haue the same minde and affection towards them, that being in their estate, I would desire that they should haue [Page 179] towards me, and to put my shoulders vnder their burthē, and so rather to ease them with my patience and suffe­rance, then to ouerload them with my vncharitable dealing with them, euen as I being oppressed in like manner, would bee desirous that they should beare part of my bur­then, and not make it more grieuous vnto me, lest I fain­ted vnder it.

The liues of the Saints of old, and men now a daies, how different they are.

O What differēce is there betweene our liues, and the liues of the Saints, and ho­lie men of God recorded in scriptures, and other writings, wherin their examples are [Page 180] commended vnto vs, as pa­terns, and presidents to follow in so many rare, and excellent vertues, as they haue gone before vs, and left the memo­rie of them, behinde them, as a light to shine vnto vs, who walke in the darknes of this world, in the middest of such a peruerse, and crooked generation, among whom we should shine as they haue done. Sure, when I lay our examples vnto theirs, and compare our liues with theirs, me thinkes, that many, euen of those who are esteemed as the best Christians, deserue little more then the name of halfe Christians, or at least but of weake ones and nouices in this holy profession: so farre doe they come short of that which wee see to haue been [Page 181] in them, and ought to be in our selues. Oh where is the holy and religious conuersa­tion of Enoch? whose whole life was a continuall walking in the presence of the glorious God, and a daily conuersing, & familiar acquainting him­selfe with him, in the carefull and conscionable discharge of all those duties which he required of him. Where is the faith of Abraham, by which as he well deserued to be ac­counted the father of vs all, that are true beleeuers; so also he obteined this as a singular prerogatiue, and euidence of the extraordinarie grace and fauour of God towards him, to be called, and reputed in an especiall maner the friend of God? Where is the meeknesse of Moses? where is y^e patience, [Page 182] and constancie of Iob in the middest of so many, and that so fiery trialls, for which the Lord did so plētifully reward him, when there seemed al­most to be no hope for him, and caused his example to be famous among all them, that should heare of him? Where is the holy zeale of Dauid, whose eyes did not drop, but euen gush forth, as it were, riuers of teares, and his heart euen consume within him, whiles he sawe the wicked trāsgresse the Lawes of God, whom he loued so dearely; and euen with iust Lot vexed his righteous soule from day to day, whiles he beheld the vnlawfull deeds, and wicked abominations whereby the Lord was prouoked euerie day? Where is his vprightnes [Page 183] and sinceritie in the worship and seruice of God, for which the Lord graced him with this title, that he was a man after Gods own heart? Where is the delight that he tooke in the commandements of God; wherin he found such sweetnes, that all things els were nothing so pleasing vn­to him, nor so much desired of him: Where is that holy deuotion which proceeded from his pure minde, his san­ctified heart, and his heauenly affections, in such sort, that night and day, continually vpon al occasions, he breathed foorth those sweete hymnes, and most pleasant songs and ditties of laud and praise vnto the Lord, for all his benefits, as to himselfe in particular, so to the whole Church, and all [Page 184] the Saints in generall; prouo­king them likewise and all creatures to do the same, with the same affection? Where is the integritie and vprightnes of Iosiah and Ezekiah? who walked before the Lord in truth, and with a perfect heart, doing that alwaies which was good in his sight, without all guile & dissimulation? Where is that conscionable practise of a godly and of a Christian life that was in Paul, whose desire and endeuour was to haue alwaies a cleere consci­ence towards God, and to­wards men, and to haue his conuersation in the world, in simplicitie, and godly pure­nes? Or where is the heauen­ly mindednes of the same A­postle? who whiles hee liued in the world, yet carried him­selfe [Page 185] as one that was of ano­ther world, hauing his con­uersation in heauen, from thence expecting, and loo­king for continually the glo­rious appearance of our bles­sed Sauiour, for the accom­plishment of his redemption. Or where is there that earnest desire of the conuersion, and saluation of others, which so manifestly shewed foorth it selfe in him; in that it was not only the prayer of his heart, but that which he aimed at in all his actions, and sought for by all meanes, and which that hee might attaine vnto, hee thought no labour, no trauell painfull, or grieuous, no nor yet esteemed his life it selfe deare vnto him; euen that he might win many vnto Christ, bringing thē vnto the know­ledge [Page 186] and obedience of the truth, that so their soules might bee saued in the day of iudgement. Or where is the pietie, and deuotion of that religious Gentill? who al­though he wanted the meanes which wee now haue in more plentifull manner, yet hath this commendation giuen vn­to him, that he was a man fea­ring God, himselfe, and care­full to haue his whole house­hold, and all those that belon­ged vnto him, acquainted with true religion and godli­nesse; and withal, that he cau­sed his prayers, and his almes to ascend continually into the presence of God, so that the Lord tooke pleasure and de­light in him, and reuealed himselfe more cleerely and euidently vnto him, by the [Page 187] ministerie of his messenger which hee sent vnto him for that purpose. Or where is the forwardnes of those noble Beroeans, in receiuing y^e word with all readines, and enqui­ring and searching into the Scriptures from day to day, that they might know & em­brace the truth preached, and being well grounded and set­led in it, continue stedfast and vnmoueable in the profession of it, notwithstanding the op­position of all false Teachers, and seducing aduersaries? Or where is there one like, the first Martyr, S. Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the holie Ghost; and of that vnfained loue and charitie, as to conti­nue praying for his deadly e­nemies, vnto the last breath? Or where bee there any that [Page 188] haue that entire and louing affection, vnto all the brethrē, euen to all the Saints, which y^t beloued Disciple of Christ, and fatherly Apostle, S. Iohn, breathes foorth, as it were, thoroughout all his Epistles, and whereof no doubt he had receiued so great a measure, that he desired nothing more then that as hee did, so others also might abound in the same grace, and thereby, vpon good ground, be well assured, that they were borne of God, and translated from death to life? In briefe, where are they, that with the Prophets, Apo­stles, Martyrs, and other holie men, and faithfull seruants of God in former times, addresse themselues with all readines, willingnes, and cheerfulnes, to serue the Lord both day [Page 189] and night, in watchings, in fa­sting and praier, in diuine and heauenly meditations, and in the daily exercise of al the du­ties of a holie and religious course; being content (if the will of God bee so) to passe thorough that fierie triall, with patience, and perseue­rance; to bee reuiled, disgra­ced, hated, persecuted, made a gazing stocke to the world, yea euen as the filth of the world, and the ofscouring of all things; and so to become euen fooles for Christs sake, praying for those that both speake and doe euill vnto thē, and blessing them that perse­cute them: yea and not this onely, but also euen hating their owne liues, and giuing vp themselues vnto death (the most bitter and cruell deaths [Page 190] that can possibly bee deuised by the most bloodie tyrants that euer were or can bee) ra­ther then to bee once drawne from the loue, the faith, and obedience of Christ, and from the profession of that trueth which they haue receiued? A­las, how farre doe wee come behinde those Worthies that haue gone before vs, & whose example the Lord hath set vp as a light amongst vs, that we might see how to tread in their steps, and to imitate thē in those graces, for which their memorie shall bee bles­sed for euer? how vnlike are our liues vnto theirs, if we lay them both together, & looke vpon them with an equall view? How few are those that shine in those excellent ver­tues, of zeale, deuotion, faith, [Page 191] sinceritie, pietie, charitie, bro­therly loue, patience, constan­cie, and perseuerance? in all which they haue been so emi­nent, that the very remem­brance of them may shame this age wherein we liue, and cause many to blush, who thinke that they haue great wrong done to them, if they may not haue the name for good Christians, and be so re­puted and esteemed amongst men, how little soeuer they deserue it indeed. Nay, so de­generate are the most in these latter times, and their liues and manners so much swar­uing from the vertues, and re­ligious courses, and practises of our forefathers, those whō God hath made examples for our imitation; that euen hee (according to the common [Page 192] rate) shall bee accounted ho­nest & religious enough, and one that hath made sufficient proceedings in the schoole of Christianitie; that is no o­pen, notorious and hainous offender; not tainted with a­ny grosse and capitall crime, theft, adulterie, drunkennes, extortiō, oppression; no com­mon railer or slanderer of o­thers; no malitious detracter, no troublesome contentious person, but one of a free and ingenuous disposition, of a ci­uill carriage, and commen­dable behauiour; one that liues quietly and friendly a­mong his neighbours, and is carefull of outward obseruan­ces, which either law, or some other sinister respect draweth him vnto, and which a meere pagan & heathen might per­forme [Page 193] as well as hee: though he bee farre from the truth of religion, neither fearing God, nor working righteousnesse, but altogether neglecting those maine and especiall du­ties both of the publike, and priuate worship and seruice of God, which hee requireth, and hath expressely comman­ded; as prayer, due and dili­gent reading, hearing, medi­tating and conferring of the word, and those things which might tend to spirituall edifi­cation; sanctifying of the Sabbath; instructing of his familie; yea although in re­regard of zeale, he be of a col­der temper, then the luke­warme Laodiceās euer were, euen almost ashamed of that forwardnes and feruencie in the discharge of those duties, [Page 194] which the word of God doth prescribe vnto him, and of that strictnes and precisenes which the Scripture exacteth of him. This is the estate of our times; thus haue most de­clined, and gone backward, in this last and worst age of the world, wherein wee see that verified which the trueth it selfe long ago foretold, and which now is most apparent to all that haue any discer­ning, viz. that the loue & zeal of many is growen cold; men generally are lesse feruent, and more defectiue in the duties of pietie and godlinesse, then they haue been heretofore, al­though the meanes were ne­uer more plentifully afforded vnto any, then they are now, and through the grace and mercie of God, haue been a [Page 195] long time. It is wofull, to see and cōsider, the great change and alteration, which now, if we haue eyes, wee cannot but see almost in euery place, a­mongst all sorts and degrees of men: what a generall defe­ction, as it were, is there from the pietie, deuotion, innocen­cie, simplicitie, and godlie purenes, the holie conuersa­tion, and religious practises, the zeale, integritie, sinceritie, vnfained loue, and charitie, and al those excellent vertues, and graces of the holy men of God that haue bin before vs? O blessed Lord, as thou hast set the liues of many of thy Saints and seruants, as an en­sample before mine eyes, that I should be a follower of thē, and walke as they haue wal­ked, according to the rule of [Page 196] thy word; so grant, I beseech thee, that I may bee excited and prouoked, whiles I looke on them, to imitate them in their vertues, and to la­bour to frame my life accor­ding to that paterne, which thou in them hast prescribed vnto me; and carefully to en­deuour proceeding by one and the same rule, according vnto which they haue wal­ked, to attaine vnto that per­fection of diuine and spiritual graces, which it pleased thee to vouchsafe vnto them, euen because they chose the way of wisedome, and delited in the waies of thy commandemēts. Let the example of their zeale for thy glorie, make me more zealous, and earnest in those things which are good, and whereby thou maist be glori­fied: [Page 197] Let the example of their true and godly deuotiō make me more deuout and reli­gious: Their vprightnes, sin­ceritie, and godly simplicitie, let them stirre me vp vnto the same vertues: Their diligence, cheerefulnes and alacritie in the works of thy worship and seruice, let them draw me vn­to the same duties: The ex­ample of their patience in so many, and so great afflictions and trials, let it be an especiall motiue and inducement, to make mee the more patient; the example of their meeknes, to make me the more meeke; of their humilitie, to make me the more humble; of their kindnes, long sufferance, and brotherly loue, and affection, to make me the more tender hearted, louing and charita­ble [Page 198] vnto all men; of their con­tempt of the world, and the vanities thereof, to make me the lesse to regard them; of their holy and heauenly con­uersation to make mee the more heauenly minded, the more heauenly affected, ha­uing my heart continually lif­ted vp farre aboue all these earthly and transitorie things, to the serious consideration and meditation, of those most excellent and glorious things which are aboue, euen those vnsearchable, & vnspeakable riches, and treasures, of that glory, and endlesse blessednes, and happines which thou hast prepared for thy children in that celestiall kingdome: that thus being carefull to follow the example of thy chosen ser­uants, whom thou hast set vp [Page 199] as lights to shine vnto me, for my better direction in the way of godlinesse, which lea­deth vnto life and saluation; I may hereafter enter into that ioy, and be made partaker of the same glorie, of which they haue now the fruition in that heauenly mansion.

Heauenly mindednes.

THE eye of a Christian should be alwaies in hea­uen: euen when hee is most busied in these earthlie af­faires, he is to haue his minde lifted vp vnto those things which are aboue, and to bee euer viewing, and beholding with the eye of his soule, that vnspeakable glorie, and those endlesse riches and treasures of euerlasting felicitie and [Page 200] blessednes, which to the eye of the bodie are inuisible, and cannot be seene of any, but of those onely which are spiri­tuall. O blessed Lord, what is there on this earth, wherein my soule can finde any plea­sure, or vnto which I should giue the affections of my heart? On euery side, I see no­thing but miserie, and vanitie, continuall occasion of griefe and mourning. My treasure, my ioy and happinesse is in heauē, euen in the place where thou dwellest in glorie and maiestie, and where thou hast prepared such things for me, as the heart of man is not able to conceiue, or comprehend: O therefore let mine eye ne­uer be fixed vpon any earthly obiect; but let me alwaies be looking vp vnto thee, and to [Page 201] that heauenly mansion, where such glorious things are re­serued for me.

Especiall fauours of God to­wards vs, often and more especially to bee remembred of vs.

IT is a good thing, to be of­ten meditating vpon the goodnesse and louing kind­nesse of the Lord towards vs, in those speciall fauours, and blessings, whereby hee hath chiefly, and most euidently manifested his loue vnto vs, and his fatherly care ouer vs: yea the least of his mercies ought daily to be remembred of vs, that so in all things wee might stirre vp our selues vn­to true thankfulnes, which is a thing wherewith he is greatly [Page 202] delighted, and for which hee extendeth his louing fauour in a more plentifull encrease of his blessings, and benefits. O mercifull Lord, how great is thy goodnesse towards me! how exceeding gratious hast thou been alwaies vnto me! The mercies which thou hast freely vouchsafed vnto mee, are infinite, and innumerable, I am not able to recount thē. O let me euer be thinking of them, and lifting vp my heart continuallie with vnfained praise and thankes vnto thy Maiestie for them; that so it may please thee, to cause the light of thy grace, and fauour to shine still vpon me, euen vnto the end of my daies.

How the conscience is disquie­ted and wounded.

HE is a happie man, that doth alwaies carefullie auoide euery thing, whatsoe­uer it be, that may be either a staine, or a burthen vnto his conscience; he shall surely en­ioy the benefit of a quiet, and of a peaceable minde, with much freedome and libertie of spirit; whereas on the o­ther side, he that hath little or no care of this dutie, that re­gardeth not how hee defileth his conscience, or what loade hee laieth vpon it, by doing those things, which are either altogether vnlawfull in them­selues, or else vnlawfull vnto him, because either hee hath no warrant for the doing of [Page 204] them, or else faileth in the ma­ner of the doing of them; hee thereby brings a greater mi­serie vpon himselfe, then for the present hee can thinke of, and for which, hereafter hee shall meete with much vn­timely griefe and sorrow, and taste of much bitternes in his soule and spirit. O Lord, let me bee carefull alwaies, to vse all meanes, whereby I may keepe a cleere and a pure cōscience, doing that good with all dili­gence which thou hast com­manded, and abstaining with all my strength, from that euil which thou hast forbidden, and from whatsoeuer I cannot haue resolution out of thy word, for the lawfulnes of it; that so I may haue comfort both in life and in death.

The dulnes and sottishnes of worldlings.

O The dulnes of the hearts of men, who minde only those things which are pre­sent, neuer regarding those which are to come! How sot­tish is the nature of man, that delighteth only to lie groue­ling on this earth, and to sa­tisfie his carnall & his sensuall appetite in the enioying of these things which are but vaine and corruptible; yea that neglecteth euen heauen, and happinesse it selfe, so that hee may haue his fill of them! O Lord, let me alwaies be far otherwise affected then the men of this world are, who sa­uour onely of those things, which are carnall, and earthly: [...] [Page 208] vaine hope of a long life vpon earth, as many doe; When it is morning, let me think, that I shall not liue vnto the euen­ing; and when the euening is come, let me not promise vnto my selfe assurance of life vntill the next morning, sith there is no power thereof in my hands: But let me liue so con­tinually, as if death were to seize vpon me presently; yea let me so liue alwaies, as if I were to die the same instant, euen whē death might seeme to bee furthest off from mee; that thus hauing death al­waies present before mine eyes, I may learne daily to die vnto the world, esteeming the things thereof as nothing, though neuer so highly pri­zed of the men of this world; and to aspire daily more and [Page 209] more, vnto that spirituall and heauenly life in thy Christ: that so when bodilie death shall close vp these eyes of mine, I may not rest in dark­nesse, and be as those that are cut off from their hope, and lost their comfort; but depart in peace into that light of glorie, where I shal enioy thy blessed presence, and behold thee face to face for euer­more, to my vnspeakable hap­pinesse and felicitie.

As is the life of a man, so is his death and finall estate.

AS is the life of man, so is his death; and as it is with him in death, so shall it bee in the last and dreadfull iudgement. Hee that hath a care to liue well, it cannot be, [Page 210] but that he should die well; and he that dies well, shall as­suredly finde the iudgement day to bee a maruellous re­freshing vnto him: On the o­ther side, he that liues ill, how can he haue any hope that he shall die well? and if hee be miserable in his death, how much more in the day of iudgement? Oh what a ter­ror shal that day be vnto him! who is able to conceiue, what a sea of miserie, and horrour shall then suddenlie ouer­whelme him, in most fearfull manner? O my God, thou who art my strength, my hope, and my saluation, giue mee both an earnest desire, and a carefull endeuour to direct all my waies, and to order the whole course of my life ac­cording vnto the rule, & pre­script [Page 211] of thy holy word; let it bee my care, to haue a good conscience in all things, and to liue so, that my life being approoued of thee, my death may bee blessed, and my ap­pearance before thee in the day of thy comming, with ioy and comfort; when as the wicked shall not bee able to stand in thy presence, but call to the mountaines and to the rocks to fall vpon them, and to hide them from the fierce­nes of thy wrath, which shall be as a consuming fire to de­uoure all the vngodly of the earth.

Iudgement day how terrible it will be to the wicked.

THe angrie countenance of a seuere Iudge, how [Page 212] dreadfull is it vnto the male­factor that stands endited at the barre before him? what a terror doth it strike into him? how doth it astonish and a­maze him, especially if he bee not only guiltie of the fact, to himselfe; but perceiues that the Iudge hath certain know­ledge, and cleere euidence of the same, and of all the parti­cular circumstances thereof: Oh thē, what a horrible feare shall possesse the hearts and minds of all sinful and vngod­ly wretches, when they shall stand before that iust Iudge? when they shall bee brought vnto their answere, for al their vnrighteous & wicked deeds which they haue committed in the whole course of their liues? when that glorious God, that seuere and mightie [Page 213] Iudge (the Iudge of the whole world) hauing a perfect regi­ster of all their actions, words and workes, yea of the se­cretest thoughts and imagi­nations of their hearts; and hauing all things which euer they haue done, as cleere as the Sunne, or as crystall be­fore him, shall looke vpon thē with a fierie eye, and with a frowning and irefull counte­nance, and shew such signes of his wrathfull indignation a­gainst them, as that the hea­uen shall shake, and the earth tremble, yea both heauen and earth flie away from his face, and moue out of their places, for the greatnes of his wrath, which shall be more dreadful, then the heart of man is now able to conceiue? O then what an astonishment shall come [Page 214] vpon them? how shall shame and confusion couer their fa­ces? how shall feare, griefe, and anguish euen rend their hearts, and soules? Neuer was Belshazzar so perplexed, so amazed, and astonished at the sudden appearing of the hand writing ouer the wall, (the forerunner of his speedie de­struction) as they shall then bee: The chaunging of his countenance, the troublesome thoughts of his minde, the loosing of his ioynts, and the smiting of his knees one a­gainst the other, was but a shadow of that vnspeakeable dread, horror, and fearefull a­mazement, wherewith all vn­godly persons shall be then stricken, and vtterly confoun­ded in themselues. Seeing, O Lord, that appearāce of thine, [Page 215] in that day wherein thou hast appointed to iudge y^e world, shall be so terrible vnto all the wicked, that would not obey thee, nor hearken vnto thy voice, to walke in the waies of thy commandements: O let the remembrance thereof make me alwaies carefull to refraine my foote from their paths, and to endeuour my selfe vnto righteousnesse, that so when their feare commeth, I may haue cause to reioyce, and be glad in thee; yea euen to looke vp vnto thee, with ioyfulnes, and to glorie in thy saluation, who then wilt shew thy selfe to be maruellous and exceeding glorious in all thy Saints, euen al those that haue beleeued in thy name, and waited for that blessed com­ming of thine, which as thou [Page 216] hast promised, so let it bee thy pleasure to hasten.

The excellencie of a true Christian.

O How great is the excel­lencie of euery true christian; euen of euery one that is such a one, not onely in name, in title, or outward profession, but in deede and in trueth! Surely, his honour is great, his estate is glorious; yea the grace and dignity which he hath receiued is such, as that the spirit of a mā, is not able fully to discerne, or to comprehend the same. 1 Al­though by nature, he was the childe of wrath, subiect vnto wretchednes, and all miseries as well as others, yet by grace he is become the sonne of [Page 217] God, euen of the most high God, and so partaker of end­lesse blisse, and happinesse: He is borne againe by the spirit of God, through the incor­ruptible and immortall seed of the word, and so made a newe creature in Christ, more excellent and glorious then those celestiall creatures, the sunne, the moone, and all the starres of heauen. 2 Beeing thus inwardly renued in his whole nature, which before was so much corrupted, and decay­ed, he is in a mysticall & won­derfull maner, ioyned and vni­ted vnto Christ, and made a member of his bodie. 3 Beeing so ingrafted into him, he re­ceiueth spirituall life, grace, and strength from him, vntill he come vnto a ripe and per­fect age, euen vnto the mea­sure [Page 218] of the age of the fulnesse of Christ, his heade. 4 He is made partaker of the diuine nature, then which there can be no greater excellencie; sith therby he becommeth like vnto God, and hath the liue­ly printe of his image stamped in his soule, euen in those gra­ces of renued knowledge, wisedome, righteousnes and true holines which shine ther­in. 5 Beeing created in this maner, of God in Christ, and framed vnto the similitude & likenes of his owne image, he is beloued of God, as his chie­fest treasure, and chosen sub­stance on earth, more deare vnto him, and more pretious in his sight, then all these vi­sible creatures; his hearts de­light is set vpon him. 6 He bles­seth him daily with all spiri­tuall [Page 219] blessings in heauenly things. 6 He hath giuen him right and interest vnto all things, whether it be the world, or life, or death; whe­ther things present, or things to come, euen al things what­soeuer. 7 There is not any thing, but God causeth it to work for the best vnto him, and tur­neth it vnto his profite, and greatest good: yea such is his wisedome and goodnes, that by a speciall dispensation of his diuine prouidence, he cau­seth poison to become whole­some vnto him; making the very sinnes which man com­mitteth, to turne rather to his good, then to his hurt, in that by them beeing humbled in himselfe, he bringeth him to renounce himselfe, and to cleaue faster and nearer vnto [Page 220] him, depending wholly and onely vpon him, for the sup­ply of all spirituall graces, and strength; and to be more care­full, and watchfull ouer all his wayes, and more circumspect and heedefull, in auoiding all sinne, and the occasions ther­of. 8 He hath those glorious creatures, the Angels of God, as ministring spirits, continu­ally seruing him, as it were, and attending vpon him; yea garding him, and compassing him round on euery side, though to the eye of flesh, they are inuisible; and so, not onely keeping and preseruing him from all dangers which might befall him, but also beeing meanes from God, to conuey much good vnto him, as the experience of ma­ny faithfull seruants of God, [Page] giueth cleare and euident proofe: These, euen these celestiall creatures, are not onely his familiars, and com­panions, continually accom­panying him, but also his attē ­dants, sent forth of God to watch ouer him, and to waite daily vpon him. 9 He hath fur­thermore acquainted him with his will, and reuealed his secret counsell vnto him, as farre as is meete and con­uenient for him, euen that secret purpose of his, which he had decreed in himselfe before all worlds; he hath made manifest vnto him, and giuen him a cleare sight of those hidden mysteries wher­in is blessednes, and true hap­pinesse; he hath made knowen vnto him, the secrets of the kingdome of heauen. 10 He hath [Page 222] giuen him also his spirit, that blessed spirit of grace and comfort, to refresh, and to cheere him vp in al his griefes and sorrowes, and to leade him forth into greene and pleasant pastures, so that he is fulfilled with that spirituall delight, and heauenly ioy and solace, which is vnspeak­able, and glorious. He hath set vp the scepter of his king­dome in his heart, so that all his enemies shall fall downe before him; euen Sathan the chiefest of his aduersaries, who fighteth continually a­gainst him, and seeketh by all meanes to bring him into bondage and thraldome vn­der him. What should I say more? Beeing vnited vnto Christ his redeemer, and made bone of his bone, and flesh [Page 223] of his flesh, he is also ioyned, and nearly allied vnto God the Father, and so being ioynt-heire with the Sonne, hath that crowne of immor­tal glory belonging vnto him, and shal at length, euen when this short life is ended, liue, and raigne in that celestiall kingdome, with God him­selfe, and with all his holy Saints, and elect Angels for euermore: And in the meane­while, euen whiles he liueth here crawling as it were vpon the earth, & hauing the place of his abode heere below, where he is as one of no repu­tation in the world which knoweth him not; he hath his life, his conuersation, and his chief abode in heauen, be­ing alwaies looking vp vnto that place of his glory which [Page 224] is aboue, where Christ Iesus his sauiour, sitteth at the right hand of his father; his eyes are euer lifted vp vnto heauē, and set vpon those things which are within the vaile, where his hope, yea his heart is; so that euen whiles he li­ueth with his bodie on earth, in minde and in soule he is transported in a maner, into heauen it selfe, and seeth those things in spirit, which are vn­utterable, and which flesh and bloud, or the senses of a natu­ral man can neuer reach vnto, neuer be able in any sorte to comprehend. O Lord, who can expresse the honor which thou hast giuen vnto thy Saints? who is able to declare the speciall grace, which thou in thy infinite goodnes and mercie, hast vouchsafed to [Page 225] euery one, whom it hath plea­sed thee, to giue vnto thy Christ, and in him to elect and chose vnto life, and saluation, according to the good plea­sure of thy will, before the world was? Oh with what glorie and honour hast thou crowned them! how highlie hast thou aduanced them! be­ing moued thereunto by no­thing that was in them, but only of thy free loue and mer­cie, that therby thou mightest cause thy infinite grace and glorie to shine forth vnto the world, to the praise of thy name throughout all genera­tions. O blessed God, whose mercy and kindnes vnto man­kind is so infinit, and incōpre­hēsible; seeing it hath pleased thee, in the exceeding great­nes of thy loue, and riches of [Page 226] thy grace towards mee in Christ, to chuse mee vnto life and glorie, and to make mee, euen me so vnworthie a crea­ture, one of that small num­ber, whom thou hast so high­ly honored in this world, and wilt for euer glorifie, euen with that exceeding measure of glorie in y^e world to come: O let my heart and my mouth neuer cease praising and mag­nifying thy great and glo­rious name; and howsoeuer I may seeme vile and contemp­tible in the eyes of the world, which doth neither know thee, nor thine, but hath al­waies hardly intreated those whom thou hast chiefly ho­nored, esteeming them as the scumme and ofscouring of the earth, the very abiects of men, yea men vnworthie to liue [Page 227] in the world; yet let me ne­uer passe any thing at all, how the blinde world doth iudge or esteeme of me, or how it is affected towards me; but let me alwaies reioyce in thee and glorie in thy saluation, and rest continually in a com­fortable hope and ioyfull ex­pectation, of all that goodnes of thine which thou hast trea­sured vp in store for mee in thy kingdome, and whereof thou hast giuen mee the first fruits already, as a pledge, and assurance of that, which I shal haue the full fruition of here­after, for euer.

An humble heart most pleasant vnto God: a proud▪ most vile and abominable.

AN humble and a lowlie hart is a mansion where­in [Page 228] the Lord delighteth to dwell; he filleth and repleni­sheth it with the riches of the graces of his spirit: but as for the proud and high minded, they are an abomination vnto him: His soule doth loath them, and his spirit will neuer rest nor remaine with them; they are no fit mansion for him; yea they are meete only, to be an habitation for Satan, that euill and vncleane spirit, who being the father of the children of pride, can take no pleasure, where hee findeth true humilitie, but seeketh for lodging in those especially, who are of a proud and hautie spirit: These are his darlings, in these is his chief delight; in them he hath a roome alwaies ready trimmed & prepared for him; euen in y^e closets of their [Page 229] hearts, where he dwelleth and raigneth continually, & from whence he will neuer depart, as long as hee findeth so fit a mansion for him. The onely way to cast him out of y^e heart, and soule of man, is to emptie it altogether of pride, and to haue it garnished with that excellent grace of humilitie and lowlinesse. O Lord, who art the fountaine of all grace, giue vnto me, I earnestly de­sire thee, a contrite spirit, a meeke, and an humble heart: Banish all pride and vanitie of minde far from me, and make me lowly, yea base and vile in mine owne eyes, that so that wicked spirit being vtterly dispossessed, and finding no abiding place within mee, I may bee fit to entertaine that good spirit of thine; thou [Page 230] maist delight to dwell and re­maine with me, and to fill my emptie soule, with those pre­tious riches, and treasures of thy heauenly graces, which are the things which my heart desireth and longeth after: Oh doe thou heare me, and satisfie me, as my trust is in thee, who I know assuredly wilt neuer faile me, nor withhold thy goodnesse from me, whiles I seeke vnto thee with a heart vnfained.

Confidence in any creature, a most vaine thing.

WHat a vaine thing is it to put any trust or confidence in man, or in any creature? what is this but to rest vpon a broken reed? How greatly do such deceiue them­selues? [Page 231] how oft doe they faile in their desires, and misse that which they hoped for? O Lord God, who art glorious and wonderfull in power and strength, nothing is or can be hard vnto thee; thou only art my hope; all my trust & con­fidence is in thee. Whom haue I in heauen, or in earth but thee? vpon thee, thee only I rest and depend continually. O doe thou neuer forsake me.

Suspition.

THE best man is alwaies le [...]st suspitious: But hee that is giuen euer to mistrust and to suspect the worst of o­thers, as it may be iustly feared that hee hath a very corrupt and vnsound heart himselfe, so it may bee vndoubtedly affir­med, [Page 232] that he is very offensiue and displeasing vnto God, ve­ry vnquiet in himselfe, and most vncharitable towards his neighbour, whom not­withstanding, he hurteth not so much thereby as himselfe. O Lord, increase the grace of true charitie daily more and more in me: Let me alwaies be looking into mine owne hart, & considering y^e paths of mine owne feete; let me feare mine owne waies, and suspect the worst of my selfe in all my actions, being priuie vnto those secret corruptiōs which lie lurking within me; and both thinke and hope the best of others, because I know not what thy worke is, or may be in them: yea let me alwaies be ready, to iudge, accuse, and condemne my selfe; and euen [Page 233] in my thoughts to excuse, and acquit others, by making a fa­uourable interpretation of all their doings, vntill such time as thou doest manifest, & giue cleere euidence, that they are such, as are not to be approo­ued: Thus I shall please thee, and not sinne against those, towards whom I ought al­waies, to bee charitably affe­cted, and free from all ill sus­pition and wicked surmizes.

Why the Lord suffereth oft times the infirmities of his chil­dren to be knowne to others.

IT is a meanes oft times to make a mā the more hūble, to know that others are priuie vnto his wants, his weaknes­ses and infirmities, which hee [Page 234] was desirous to keepe secret; to perceiue that the sores and blemishes of his soule lie o­pen vnto the view of others, which hee could wish rather were couered and kept close. And for this end, the Lord many times in mercie and goodnes, doth suffer y^e shame and nakednes of his children, to bee discouered before the face of others, when as they would gladly haue it hid frō the eyes of all, and not seene of any; yea hee doth suffer them to fall by many weak­nesses and infirmities, euen such as are no waies pleasing, but grieuous, and irksome vn­to them; that so he may cause them to be the more humble and lowly, and not to lift vp their hearts at any time aboue their brethren, but so to de­meane [Page 235] themselues, that it may appeare that they esteem bet­ter of others, then of them­selues; which is an excellent and a singular grace, & where­unto, all that are yet defectiue herein, should labour by all meanes to attaine. O Lord, if it seeme good vnto thee at a­ny time, to make others to see the weaknes of thy seruant; to cause my wants, imperfectiōs, and infirmities to be knowne and discerned of others (as thou knowest how readie I am to faile, if thy grace doth not continually sustaine me) let it not grieue me so much, that others behold that in me, which may cause me to be a­shamed, as make me euery day more carefull to vse al meanes to bee healed, and cured of those diseases whereunto my [Page 236] soule is subiect, and inclinable through sinne; and to increase as in all other graces, so espe­cially in true humilitie and meeknes of spirit, without the which I can neuer please thee, nor haue the light of thy coū ­tenance shining vpon me.

The heauen of the godly, and the hell of the wicked in this life.

IF there be a heauen in this world, it is the true Chri­stian onely that enioyes it, in whose heart that blessed spirit doth dwell, comforting and refreshing him continually in an vnspeakable maner. If there be any hell in this life, it is in the soule and conscience of the wicked and vngodly man, whom Satan that euill spirit [Page 237] hath possessed, and bereaued of that which should bee the ioy and comfort of his life; and not that onely, but also euen oppressed with many feares, and sorrowes, and with much anguish and horrible amazement, arising from his hellish and guilty conscience. O blessed God, who hast gi­uen me, to see the great diffe­rence, which is betweene the estate of thy children, and of the wicked and vngodly, euen in this world; how that the one is blessed and happie, the other wretched and mise­rable; grant that I may not at any time desire to haue the same lot with the wicked, though it seeme outwardly to fare well with them, but let me alwaies rest in thee, and reioyce in that portion which [Page 238] thou hast giuen vnto mee, knowing that on earth there can be no better inheritance, nor any estate more to be de­sired.

The cares of this world what hindrances they are to the sin­cere and entire worship of God.

HE that is insnared, and intangled with y^e things of this world, or that is not free from all inordinate affe­ctiōs whatsoeuer, cannot haue a perfect and an vpright heart before God, nor freedome of spirit in his worship and ser­uice. The soule onely that is emptied of the troublesome cares, and sinfull desires wher­with most are surcharged; and the minde that is set at liberty [Page 239] from all earthly vanities, is fit to come before God, with truth, vprightnes, and sinceri­tie, and to offer such sacrifices with which he is well pleased, and wherein he most deligh­teth. O Lord, let not the ex­cessiue and inordinate desire of any earthly thing cleaue vnto me; emptie my heart of the cares of this world; ba­nish farre from me the loue of all those things, whereby I may any waies bee hindred from the performāce of those duties, which thou requirest of me; and grant that I may be carefull to vse all meanes, whereby my affections may be so rightly ordered, that I may serue thee with a good heart, in integritie and since­ritie all my daies.

True zeale.

THey that are trulie zea­lous, are more zealous a­gainst themselues, then o­thers. As they doe not (when iust occasion, and opportuni­tie is offered) suffer the open sinnes of others to passe vnre­proued; so they are least par­tiall towards themselues, but are readiest to check them­selues, euen for their inward, and most secret corruptions: As they haue an eye vnto the actions of others, & are care­full to discountenance sinne, by fastening a seasonable re­buke, and iust censure vpon it, wheresoeuer it doth apparēt­ly shew and manifest it selfe; so especially they are alwaies chiefly prying into their own [Page 241] actions, and hauing espied a fault, are most seuere, & cen­sorious in iudging and rebu­king themselues for it: They are grieued at the offences of others, but their owne sinnes, they doe most gall them; yea they cā neuer be quiet, whiles they see the relikes & remain­ders of them abiding in them, but euen groane daily vnder the burthen of them, and vse all means to haue their hearts purged and freed from them. Good Lord, increase true zeal daily more and more in me: let me not through childish feare, nor any other sinister respect, bee too slack and re­misse in shewing my dislike of the sinnes which others doe commit against thy Maie­stie, and yet let me not be so readie to censure others, as [Page 242] to reprooue, and reforme my selfe.

A dangerous thing to affect the glorie of the world.

HE that loueth God, and seekes his glorie, cannot bee altogether carried away with the vaine glor e of this world, but will either despise it, or at least set very light by it. He that loueth the glory of this world, and doth not only affect it, but is also very eager in the pursuite of it, thirsting after the praise, and applause of men; it is a signe that there is little or no loue of God, or of his glorie in him. These are things that cannot stand together; the one of thē doth exclude the other; the more the one of thē doth increase, the more the other must [Page 243] needs decrease and bee dimi­nished. Is there any therefore, that with a greedie, and am­bitious minde doth hunt after the praise of men, and the glorie of this world; sure it cannot be, but that he should exceed in charitie, who shall thinke him to bee truly reli­gious, or well affected to­wards God, or vnfainedly de­sirous of his glorie. O Lord, let not my heart bee set vpon the glorie which is frō earth, and from men, but vpon that which is from heauen, euen that which commeth from thee alone: Let the glorie of this world (though neuer so glittering in the eyes of men) seeme vnto me (as indeed it is in it selfe) but vaine vanitie, yea more vaine then vanitie it selfe; but let the glorie of thy [Page 244] name bee deare and pretious vnto me, aboue al those things which are most desired of thē that know thee not: yea, O Lord, let it please thee to in­flame this chill and this cold heart of mine with a greater loue and zeale thereof dailie more and more; and to in­crease in me an earnest desire and endeuour to seeke, and to set it foorth, to the vttermost of my power, and by al means, and vpon all occasions which thou shalt offer vnto me. In this onely, let me alwaies be very ambitious.

A singular priuiledge belong­ing vnto all the children of God.

THe Lord doth cause all things to work together [Page 245] for the best vnto his children. It is good for euery one of the godly, to labor to see and to finde this by experience in himselfe, and in his owne estate. The diligent obserua­tion hereof, cannot but make him both patient, cheerefull, and vnfainedly thankfull in all miseries, and afflictions, either outward, or inward; whether it be sicknesse of bo­die or distresse of minde, or whatsoeuer else may befall him, throughout the whole course of his life, euen to his last houre. O gracious father, whose exceeding loue, and vnspeakable goodnes all thy children doe daily tast of in so great, and abundant measure; giue me, I humbly pray thee, not onely to see, and acknow­ledge the same with al thank­fulnes, [Page 246] but also to haue a liue­ly sense and feeling thereof, at all times, in all things: Let me assuredly perswade my selfe, that thou doest loue me, and hast loued me eternally in thy sonne, and in thy loue towards me, doest, and wilt cause euery thing, which be­tideth me in this world, to tend vnto my great [...]st good; and let the assurāce, together with the continuall experiēce hereof, cause me to rest quiet­ly, contentedly, and thank­fully in all estates; howsoeuer it shall please thee to deale with me.

Iustification by faith onely.

IS it not strange, that any should be so blind, so ex­treamly deluded with a vaine [Page 247] and fond conceite, of their owne goodnes and inherent holines, as to thinke, or once to imagine that they may stand iust before God tho­rough their owne righteous­nes? that they should per­swade themselues, that by the merit and worthinesse of their owne workes they haue right and interest vnto life and sal­uation? yea that they should challenge, and make claime thereunto, as vnto that which is due vnto them as a iust re­compence and reward which they haue well deserued, and which God himselfe cannot without iniustice detaine, and withhold from them; nay, that they should goe so farre as to affirme boldly, that they may doe workes of su­pererogation, more then God [Page 248] hath commanded, or could require at their hands, such as wherby they may merit great things not onely for them­selues, but for others also? Had they euer the spirit of Christ? or did they euer re­ceiue the annointing of that holy one, who teach, main­taine, or beleeue this doctrine, so directly crosse and contra­rie vnto the Scriptures, so ex­ceeding derogatorie from the free grace and mercie of God, and from the merit of the death and passion of Christ Iesus our onely sauiour and redeemer, by, and for whose satisfaction, obedience and righteousnesse alone, we re­ceiue the promise of the Gos­pell, through faith, with­out any deserts of our owne. Alas, what is man, or what [Page 249] are the workes of the best men, that they should present them vnto God, and plead with him for the obtaining of so great a reward, for the righteousnes and worthinesse of their owne deedes? Nay, certaine it is, that if God should make inquiry into the best actions of the most holy and sanctified men that liue vpon the earth, or that euer were most pure, most perfect, and most spotlesse and blame­lesse in this world (as great is the commendation where­with God hath honoured ma­ny of his Saints) if he should marke and obserue them, and enter into iudgement with them for the same; there is none, no not one of them (as the best and holiest of them haue freelie acknowledged) [Page 250] that should bee iustified, yea that should not be condem­ned, and perish euerlastingly, being neuer able to endure his presence; so pure and so holy is his Maiestie, so iust and so righteous are his iudge­ments, that no flesh can abide the triall thereof. O Lord, most glorious and most righ­teous God, when I looke vp vnto the throne of thy iustice, and set my self before thy tri­bunall and iudgement seate, I feare, & tremble, & am ready to flie frō thy presence, as not able to stand before thee, nor to answere for one of a thou­sand of those things whereby I haue most grieuously offen­ded thy most glorious Maie­sty, and for which thou migh­test iustly condemne mee for euer, if thou shouldest once [Page 251] call me vnto a straite account of the same, yea euen of y^e least of them, and deale with me therein, not according to thy great mercie, but according vnto mine owne deseruings: When I looke back vnto my life past, & take a view of the whole course therof, how sin­full, how vnfruitfull & vnpro­fitable it hath been, I am con­founded in my selfe, and dare not lift vp mine eyes to hea­uen for the multitude of my offences and transgressions, whereby I haue continually displeased & prouoked thee: When I consider my present estate, how many weaknesses, and infirmities I am subiect vnto, how sinne cleaueth fast vnto me, and inuironeth and compasseth me round about on euery side: yea how defe­ctiue [Page 252] my best endeuours, how corrupt and sinfull my best actions, and seruices are, and haue been: yea how much my whole life hath swarued from that perfect and exact rule of iustice which thy law requi­reth, I am astonied, and strickē with a great feare, knowing that the time will shortlie come, when I must appeare before the tribunall of thy iu­stice, to answere for all my actions, euen for all those things which I haue done in the flesh, the workes of my hands, y^e words of my mouth, and the most secret thoughts and imaginations of my hart, and to receiue accordingly: What therefore is my hope? vnto whom shall I flie? where­in is my trust? Surely, my hope, my trust, and my confi­dence [Page 253] is not in any merits or worthinesse of mine owne, but onely in thy mercie O Lord, and in the al-sufficient merits of thy Christ, my Lord and blessed Sauiour, who hath giuen himselfe to death for me, and powred foorth his pretious blood vpō the crosse, to make full satisfaction for me, and to reconcile me vnto thy Maiestie. Loe therefore, I doe humbly prostrate my self, O Lord, before the throne of thy grace and mercy in Christ Iesus. I doe renounce my self, and vtterly disclaime mine owne righteousnes, acknow­ledging it to bee but as a stai­ned and polluted cloth, and desire only to appeare before thee in that righteousnesse of thy Sonne, and to be found in him, whom alone thou hast [Page 254] made vnto mee wisedome, righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption. Were it not that I had comfort in this, I should be of all creatures the most miserable; yea had I not trusted herein, I had long since perished, and bin vtterly con­founded. Behold mee there­fore, O gracious God, and lo­uing Father, behold me with the eye of thy mercie. Looke vpon mee not as I am in my selfe, all stained and defiled with sinne and iniquitie, but in thy Sonne, euen that iust and holy one, who only is my righteousnesse, and my salua­tion; and in whom alone I do, and will trust both in life, and in death. Accept therefore of me graciously in him. Clothe and couer me with the pure and spotlesse garments of his [Page 255] righteousnes, and holinesse, that so the filthinesse of my pollution may neuer appeare in thy sight, who art of so pure eyes, that all sinne is an abo­mination vnto thee: let the merit of his obedience, of his death and passion, whereby he offered himselfe a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable, and of sweete smelling sauour vn­to thee, for all thy chosen, and redeemed ones, be a full satis­faction for me, and for all my sinnes, though neuer so ma­ny and so grieuous. Let me through faith in him, be made partaker of his puritie, of his innocencie, of his righteous­nes, of his holinesse, and of his perfection; that so how­soeuer I am in my selfe vn­cleane, sinfull, vnrighteous, vnholy, and full of manifold [Page 256] infirmities and imperfections, yet in him, and through him, I may appeare in thine eyes pure as he is pure, innocent as he is innocent, righteous as he is righteous, holy as hee is holy, and perfect as he is per­fect; and being accepted into thy grace and fauour through him in this life, may haue cō ­fort and confidence in death, and in the day of iudgement; and liue with thee in glorie in the life to come, together with Christ my Sauiour & re­deemer, and with thy blessed Spirit, and with all thy Saints and elect Angels, in that king­dome which thou hast prepa­red, and of which I rest in cō ­tinuall hope and expectation, desirous of the accōplishment of thy promise, which is end­lesse blessednes, and felicitie.

A comfort for afflicted consciences.

THere is none that recei­ueth a great measure of spirituall comfort, and diuine consolation, whereby his spi­rits are cheered, and his soule refreshed and filled with in­ward ioy and gladnes; but he hath vsually some grieuous temptation, either going be­fore, or following after it. Thus the Lord doth ordina­rily deale with his children; there are none of his Saints, but haue experience of it in themselues. The Lord doth not alwaies cause the ioyfull light of his cheerfull counte­nance to shine cleerely vpon them; he doth not alwaies fill their hearts with that peace [Page 258] which passeth all vnderstan­ding, or rauish their soules with that inward and spiritual ioy, and comfort, which is vn­speakable and glorious; nei­ther doth hee alwaies absent himselfe, or hide the bright­nes of his face from them, but sometimes he doth graciously visite them, and causeth them to taste abundantlie of the sweetnes of his kindnesse, his mercie, and goodnesse, so that they are exceedingly refresh­ed, and feele such diuine and heauenly comfort, and in­ward solace, as that they are not able outwardly to ex­presse it; and sometimes again as though hee had forgotten them, he seemeth to hide and to absent himselfe from them, and suffereth them to be assai­led with some grieuous temp­tation, [Page 259] so that their day is tur­ned into night, their light in­to darknesse, their ioy and gladnes into sorrow and hea­uinesse. And this the Lord doth, that he may cause them to acknowledge this to be his gift, euen that inward & spi­rituall comfort wherewith their spirits doe reioyce be­fore him, and therefore to be thankfull vnto him, whē they receiue it, or haue a more espe­ciall sense and feeling of it; as also to make them to depend wholly vpon him, who is the life of their soules, and with­out whom there can bee no true solace, no found ioy; and withall to exercise their faith, their hope, and their loue, the proofe whereof is seene in those spirituall desertions. O Lord God, if it be thy will, let [Page 260] thy spirit of peace and cōfort alwaies rest vpon me; let me taste cōtinually of the sweet­nes of thy mercies, wherewith thou art wont to refresh the soules of thy seruants, after that they haue been wearied and oppressed with any grie­uous affliction or temptation: but if it seeme good vnto thee, for the triall of my faith, and for the exercise of the graces of thy spirit in me, to withhold at any time this blessing for a while from me, and to depriue me of the liue­ly sense and feeling of spiri­tuall and diuine consolation, yet let me not faint, but rest in hope, and expect with pa­tience the time of thy gra­tious and heauenly visitation, with which according vnto thy promise thou wilt refresh [Page 261] and comfort me, giuing vnto me the oyle of ioy for mour­ning, and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of hea­uinesse, that so thy name may bee glorified of mee, in the thankfull acknowledgement of thy goodnes towards me.

The Christians glorious conquest.

THere is none that can at­taine vnto so great a con­quest in this world, as a true Christian: Hee through the grace, which hee receiueth from Christ, who daily assi­steth him, and is alwaies pre­sent with him, sustaining him with his effectuall power, is able to doe more then all the greatest Monarchs, or migh­tiest Potentates in the earth [Page 262] can possibly doe of their own strength, yea though they ga­ther all their forces together. For he doth not only conquer himselfe, and subdue his own lusts which rebell against the spirit of his minde, but also he ouercommeth this world, yea the prince thereof, euen Sa­tan himselfe, with all those spirituall wickednesses which raigne in others, and haue thē continually in subiection vn­der them. O Lord, without thee I am able to do nothing; with thy helpe, there is no­thing but shall bee easie vnto me: Let it please thee conti­nually to assist mee with thy grace, and to strengthen mee with thy mightie power, that so I may daily see all mine enemies more and more sub­dued vnto mee; and hauing [Page 263] gotten the victorie and con­quest of them in this life, may hereafter receiue that crowne of life, which thou hast pro­mised vnto all thē that ouer­come; liuing and raigning with thee, and with all that heauenly and victorious host of thine, in glorious, and tri­umphant manner for euer­more. Amen.

The difficultie of conquering a mans selfe, and his owne affections.

A Man must striue along while, and that with great earnestnes, and continu­all exercise and endeauour, before he can ouercome him­selfe, and hauing mastered his owne will and waiward affections, giue vp himselfe [Page 264] wholly vnto the obedience of God in all things, with humble submission both of body and soule: So great resistance and opposition shal he finde within himselfe, by reason of his corrupt nature, euen that treacherous ene­mie, which lieth lurking con­tinually in his owne bosome, haling and drawing him from that which is good, and hin­dring him in euery godly pur­pose, and in euery holy action and religious enterprise, in such sorte, that except he euen offer violence, as it were, vnto himselfe, and to his sinfull na­ture, and labor with a strong hand to subdue corruption within him, he cannot pre­uaile. O Lord my strength, without thee I can doe no­thing, vnto thee therefore do [Page 265] I stretch forth my hands. Thou knowest how weake and how fraile I am; how vn­able of my selfe to resist that secret enemie which continu­ally opposeth himselfe against me in euery thing which is good: thou seest how hard a matter it is for me to bring euery thought of my heart, euery motion, desire and in­clination of my will, and eue­ry action of my life, vnto that subiection and obedience which thou requirest; how difficult to frame my selfe wholly vnto thy will, and to submit my selfe vnto thee in all things, according vnto that rule and commandement which thou hast giuen vnto me. O therfore let it please thee to strengthen me with thy grace, which alone is [Page 266] sufficient for me: let it please thee to helpe me in all my weaknesses, and to giue vnto me a greater measure of Chri­stian fortitude, and of spiritu­all courage and resolution; & withall to giue good successe vnto all my actions, enterpri­ses and endeauours in the way of godlines, and saluation: yea O Lord, let it please thee to leade me forth in the constant and continuall practise, and exercise of pietie and true re­ligion; and in the resistance of all enmitie whatsoeuer, that so when the time of this spirituall warfare is ended, I may receiue that incorrup­tible crowne of life and glo­rie, which thou hast promi­sed vnto them that ouer­come.

The worlds esteeme of Gods children.

IF one comes into the pre­sence of a kings sonne, or some great or noble perso­nage, hee no sooner seeth him, but he is moued with reuerence, and sheweth that according to the worthines of his person, he doth regard and honour him. But as for the sonnes of God, who haue God to their father, Christ their elder brother, all the Saints and Angels their com­panions, and fellow-bre­theren; and the kingdome of heauen it selfe their inheri­tance for euer, where they are to liue and raigne as kings, in that glory which is vnspeake­able; how little are they re­garded [Page 268] in the world? how meanly accounted of? What small honour is shewed vnto them, whom the king of hea­uen, doth and will honour so greatly? Nay are they not of all men, the most base and contemptible in the eyes of men? The nearer they are vn­to God, the more they are loued and honoured of him, are they not the more hated & despised of the world? Euen holy Dauid a man after Gods owne heart, is but a worme, and not a man, in the account of men. Iehoshua and his fol­lowers, monstrous persons. Paul, and the rest of the A­postles, as the filth and of scou­ring of all things, men vn­worthie to liue vpon the earth. In briefe, all the saints, who are deare and precious in [Page 269] the eyes of God, euen made signes and wonders amongst men. Cease to wonder at this: It is no newe, no strange thing: The world knoweth, and hath alwaies knowen his owne, and maketh much of them; but those that are Gods, it neither knowes, nor regardeth. And no marueile, since it knoweth not God himselfe, but hateth and des­piseth him, euen whiles, in a false and counterfaite maner, it professeth loue vnto him. Behold we (euen all the faith­full) are now the sonnes of God: such loue, such honor hath our heauenly Father vouchsafed vnto vs: but yet our glory and dignity doth not appeare; but when Christ our hope, our life and glorie, shalbe reuealed and made [Page 270] manifest, then shall we be changed into the glory of his image, we shalbe like vnto him, and then shall the blinde and contemptuous world both see and know him and vs, to their owne shame and confusion. Lord, let me neuer regard the railings of the wicked Shemeis of this world, nor the mockes and scoffes of those prophane Ishmaelites, who could neuer abide thy chosen people, the sonnes of the promise, for whom thou hast prouided the inheritāce: yea let me passe very little to be iudged of mans iudge­ment, euen of those who are carried whither their owne blinde and corrupt reason, or fancie leadeth them: But let me alwaies know and consi­der, that thou seest not as man [Page 275] seest, that thy thoughts are not as their thoughts, but that I am deare and precious in thy sight, and shal be glorious hereafter for euer, euen with the same glorie wherewith thy Christ my sauiour is glo­rious: Let mine eyes alwaies be fixed vpon that blessed estate, wherein I shall con­tinue for euer in the heauens; and let the hope thereof cause me to purge my selfe, that I may be pure, euen as he is pure, vnto whom then I shall bee made conformable in righteousnesse, glorie and happines.

Another.

THe sonne and heire of a Noble man, or some great personage, whiles he [Page 276] liueth obscurely in a strange, and farre country, beeing not knowne is not regarded, but lieth open to the contempt and abuse of the meanest and vilest persons, who if they knew his estate, would more highly esteeme of him. Lord, let me not care, how vile or base soeuer I seeme, whiles I liue heere in a strange place, vnknowen, vnregarded; since thou hast assured me, that I shalbe so glorious at my re­turne into mine owne coun­trey, the habitation of thy saints, that heauenly paradise, that celestiall Ierusalem, the citie of thee, the euerliuing God, the glory whereof is vnspeakeable.

God and the world of a different iudgement.

GOd seeth not as man seeth. They are many times of great esteeme a­mongst men, who are vile in Gods sight, such as he hath reiected: And on the other side, they are highly in Gods fauour oftentimes, who are very meanly esteemed of a­mong men; yea despised, and accounted as the refuse of men, and the ofscouring of the world. Those which seeme the least and most contemp­tible in the eye of men, are oft, the greatest and most ho­nourable in the sight of God; and those which seeme the very abiects of men (such as in whom nothing is to be de­sired) [Page 278] appeare as glorious be­fore him. O Lord seeing thou dost iudge so differently from that which the world iud­geth, hauing so precious an esteeme of those whom that maketh no account of, and accounting those as vile, yea abominable, and to bee ab­horred of all, whom that doth chiefly magnifie, and most esteeme of; let me haue this resolution alwaies, to passe very little what corrupt men, or this blinde world deemeth and iudgeth of me; and let it be my speciall care to labour alwaies by all meanes to be approued of thee, and to be assured that howsoeuer others shall seeke to cast shame, re­proch, and dishonour vpon me, yet that I am good in thine eyes, and pretious in thy [Page 279] sight; one whom thou dost iustifie, and wilt glorifie.

The willing and ioyfull bearing of the crosse, a signe of a well growen Christian.

HE that doth finde sweet­nesse in drinking of the bitter cup of afflictions, which God daily offereth vnto him, it is a signe that hee is a good proficient in the exercise of Christianitie, and true reli­gion: For to beare the crosse patiently, willingly, and com­fortably; to endure wrongs and iniuries; to denie him­selfe, and to die daily vnto the world, yea to be crucified vn­to it, and to haue it crucified vnto him, is more then a car­nall and naturall man can pos­sibly doe, or he that hath not [Page 280] through a daily practise of humilitie, and true obedience learned whollie to subiect himselfe vnto Gods will and pleasure. Good Lord, seeing it pleaseth thee to cause me to taste of the bitternes of ma­ny afflictions, grant that they may not seeme grieuous, but pleasant vnto me; knowing that it is thy will thereby to humble me, and to make me more fit for the receiuing of a greater measure of thy hea­uenly grace. Seeing thou hast appointed me daily to take vp my crosse and to follow my blessed Sauiour, who in so many sufferings of his, hath gone before me, and left his example as a paterne and pre­sident behinde him, vnto which all that are his, should endeuour to frame thēselues, [Page 281] that so they may bee confor­mable vnto him; I humbly beseech thee, that it would please thee, to giue mee pa­tience, willingnes and cheere­fulnes in vndergoing whatso­euer it shall seeme good vnto thee to lay vpō me, being ful­ly assured, that hereby I shall haue entrance vnto glorie, euen that glorie into which thy Christ hath alreadie en­tred, and made a way for me; and of which all these light and momentarie afflictions are not worthie, nor in any sort comparable thereunto.

The exceeding follie and vanitie of the wicked.

O The vaine and preposte­rous courses of men! who doth not wonder that [Page 282] beholdeth, and considereth them? and how should they not blush, and be exceedingly ashamed of their follie and sottishnes when they thinke of them? Let the flattering and deceitful world call them and allure them with the en­ticing promises of earthly and temporall things, pleasures, profits, honours, euen those things which are fading and transitorie; and they are rea­die to follow it presently, and to shew themselues seruice­able vnto it with all willing­nes and readinesse that may be; yea to vndergoe much la­bour and toile, and to endure great hardship, and to passe thorough many difficulties, in the earnestnes of their de­sire to attaine vnto that, whereof notwithstāding they [Page 283] faile oft times, and come short of their hope, and expecta­tion: Let God (whose word is truth, and who neuer faileth any in y^t which hee promiseth vnto them, nor deceiueth thē that rest vpon him, and giue credit vnto his word, but satis­fieth thē most abundantly, and returneth more vnto them then they did either expect, or could desire) let God, euen that gratious and bountifull God (with whom is the trea­surie of all good things) call them, and promise vnto them the vnspeakable riches of ce­lestiall and heauenly things, such as are most excellent and glorious, farre passing the most desireable things of this world, and such as shall neuer fade, nor bee any waies dimi­nished, or once subiect vnto [Page 284] any change or alteration; yet they haue no heart to come vnto him, or to follow him, but are exceeding heauie and drowsie, yea very vnapt and vntoward vnto y^t which were so greatly for their good; and in which alone consisteth true blessednesse, and eternall feli­citie, and happinesse. O Lord, let me neuer bee so foolish as the men of this world are, in whom there is no vnderstan­ding: let me be more carefull to serue thee, then they are to serue the world, euen that cur­sed Mammō which they make their god. Let me labour more for spirituall and heauenlie things, such as shall remaine and abide for euer, then for those things which are car­nall and earthly, and such as are of no continuance, but [Page 285] shall quickly perish, and passe away as a shadow, and bee quite forgotten, euen as if they had neuer been. Yea let me alwaies preferre that ine­stimable price of glorie, that chief, that vnchangeable, and euerlasting good which thou hast promised and prepared for thy Saints in that celestiall kingdome which I daily ex­pect and hope for, before all the alluring and deceitfull va­nities, the seeming and suppo­sed good, yea all the most pre­tious and glorious things of this world whatsoeuer, wher­with those that are earthly-minded are so greatly ena­moured, and wherein they place the height of their false and imaginarie felicitie and happinesse.

The spirit of God is the life of the soule.

AS is the bodie without the soule, so is the soule without the spirit of God, which is the life thereof. If there bee a separation of the soule of man, what is his bo­die, but a dead, and a liueles corpse or carcase, hauing no sense, or motion? It cannot once breathe or stirre it selfe, nor put foorth any power for the performance of the least action: So is it with the soule of euery one, in whom the spi­rit of God is wanting, or from whom it is departed: There is no life, no vigour, no power, or abilitie to doe any thing which is good: yea sooner may a dead body moue it self, [Page 287] and exercise the actions, and operations of a naturall life, then the soule which is with­out the spirit of God, and so destitute of the life of grace, can shew foorth any certaine signes and effects of a spiri­tual life. O Lord, I haue found by experience what a deadnes there is vpon me, if thou at a­ny time withdrawest thy spi­rit, and doest not cause it to worke effectually vpon my soule; without the continuall presence, and assistance there­of, I am not able to doe, no not to will, or desire in any sort that which is good, but am euen as a breathlesse and liuelesse creature, one in whō there is no life. O therefore let it please thee to powre out thy spirit plentifully vpon me; let me alwaies finde it not on­ly [Page 288] present, but also powerfully working within me, & quick­ning me vnto the willing and cheerefull performance of all those things which thou re­quirest of me: yea let it please thee, (in whō only I liue, and moue, and without whom I am as one whose spirit is de­parted from him,) let it please thee, O Lord, to breathe the life of grace daily more and more into me, and to inspire me continually with good motions, with holy and hea­uenly desires, that so I may delight in those things which are pleasing vnto thee, and bring foorth the fruits of the spirit abundantly, through­out the whole course of my life, to the praise of the glorie of thy grace (from whence alone is all my sufficiency and [Page 289] abilitie) to the benefit of those among whom I either now doe, or hereafter shall liue; and to the endlesse comfort and saluation of mine owne soule, through Christ my Lord and Sauiour, who with thee, O father, and with thy holie spirit, bee blessed and praised both now and euermore. A­men.

The loue of the world and world­ly desires, banish all true loue of God from the soule.

HEE that suffereth any wordlie desires, or the inordinate affection of any earthly thing whatsoeuer to take place in his heart, cannot loue God sincerely, entirely, and vnfainedly; yea the more the desire of his heart is inlar­ged [Page 290] vnto y^e affecting of those things, the more is the loue of God abated and diminished in him; as much as the one in­creaseth, so much the other of necessitie must decrease. O Lord, who hast manifested thy loue so richly towards me, fill my heart daily more and more with the loue of thy ma­iestie; let the same whollie possesse me: For this end, suf­fer me not to be intangled at any time with the inordinate desire of any of these fading and fruitlesse vanities; but free me, I beseech thee, from the sinful and immoderate af­fecting thereof; yea purge my heart, and banish farre from me the loue of al those things, which might be a meanes in any sort to alienate my minde from thee, and grant that my [Page 291] soule may delight in thee, and that I may loue thee with my whole heart, yea that the affe­ction of my loue may bee set and fixed vpon thee alone, who only art worthie to bee loued aboue all things; and that if I loue or affect any thing else, it may not bee o­therwise then in thee, and for thee, vnto whom I am desi­rous to giue my heart with all the affections thereof.

The sinfulnes of mans nature corrupted.

O Lord, what a fountaine of corruption do I see continually, springing vp within me? and how much more doth there abound in me, which beeing hid from mine eyes is seene onely of [Page 292] thee, who alone knowest the heart, and beholdest the in­ward and most hidden secrets thereof, which the eye of man cannot pierce into. Doe thou vouchsafe to clense it daily more & more: Powre downe plentifully that cleane water of thy sanctifying grace, which may wash away that filthines, euen those staines and pollutions wherewith I am defiled, and which beeing lothesome in mine owne eyes, cannot but be as an abomina­tion before thee, who art so pure, that thou canst not see euill, nor behold wicked­nesse. O let thy spirit purge and purifie my soule from that inbred corruption and contagiō thereof, which clea­ueth so fast vnto it; yea let it be as fire to drie vp those pol­luted [Page 293] streames, which flow continually from that vn­cleane fountaine; that so I may be found of thee without spot, and blamelesse, in the day of that glorious appea­rance of thy sonne my blessed sauiour and redeemer; in whom though I see him not, yet doe I beleeue, and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious.

Blindnes of minde, a great miserie.

IF any want the eyes of their bodies, they account it a greate miserie, and would vse any meanes, be at any cost, to enioy the comfort and be­nefite of their sight. And yet most want the eyes of their soules, and thinke it to be no [Page 294] miserie; neither regard, nor seeke once for that wherein the comfort of their liues consisteth, and whereby they should come to see the light of glory in the kingdome of heauen. O Lord, though o­thers be wilfully blinde, and so most miserable, whiles they see it not, yet open thou mine eyes euer more and more: Suffer not sinne with the deceitfulnes thereof to drawe any filme ouer them; but giue me daily a clearer sight of mine owne miserie, and of thy vnspeakeable mercies towards mee, who am vnworthie of the least of them.

Hardnes of heart a fearefull plague.

THere can no worse plague happen vnto any one, then a harde and ob­durate heart; and yet alas, how fewe be there that com­plaine of it, although they be farre gone with it! How fewe, that seeke to be tho­roughly recouered of it, al­though they haue present meanes continually offered vnto them, for the cure of it! Oh they know not the danger of it; or if they doe, and seeke not carefullie for the remedie, surely they are exceeding des­perate of their estate. Good Lord, breake thou this stony heart of mine, I humbly pray thee: Giue me to see, and to [Page 296] grieue daily more and more for the hardnes of it, and neuer to sleepe in rest, till I feele it softned and mollified, yea till I be cured and altoge­ther recouered of it. Howsoe­uer it shall please thee out­wardly to afflict me for my good, yet Lord keepe me al­waies, I beseech thee, from that inward, spirituall and most fearefull iudgement, which thou vsest to send vp­pon the reprobate, who bee­ing past all feeling, seale vp vnto themselues thereby the assurance of eternall perditi­on.

Feare of God.

I Haue oft wondered to see, in what awe most stand of mortall men, who haue power [Page 297] of their goods, life, or out­ward estate; how carefull they are to please them, how af­fraid to offend them: and yet in the meane while, how re­gardlesse they are, and shew thēselues to be, of that great, that powerfull and immortall God, whose name is terrible; yea, who is able presently to cast them both soule and bo­die, into hell for euer, there to haue their portion among the damned. Either men are Atheists, and thinke there is no God (for they that beleeue that there is a God, can not but know, that his power is infinite, and therefore must needes feare him more then any man, whose power is but finite, when it is greatest:) Or else they are maruellous des­perat, who though they know [Page 298] and will acknowledge the power, and the fiercenes of his wrath, yet feare not the punishment, and the horrible torments which he hath threatned against them. O Lord, let me not be either so blinded, or so hard-hearted, as the wicked and vngodly are. Let me alwaies feare be­fore thee, and tremble at thy presence, standing continual­ly in awe of so great, and glo­rious a maiestie, which the Angels adore, and reuerence. And let this feare of thee and thy righteous iudgements, banish and driue out of my heart, the loue of all sinne, so that I may not once dare wil­lingly to commit the same, though I might thereby gaine the whole world. Yea Lord, doe thou plant thy [Page 299] feare in my heart; let it pos­sesse my soule, and then it can not be, but that I should seeke in all things to please thee more then men, and feare to offend thee in any thing, not fearing the feare of those that bee thine enemies, and hate thee.

Feare of God speaking in his word.

MEn we see oft times are stricken and amazed at the sudden noise of a great thunder-clap; they tremble and quake: yea this causeth many, with the Heathenish Emperour to seeke for couert, and to hide and shroud them­selues for feare. And yet be­hold, such is the corruption of mans nature; such is their stu­piditie, [Page 300] that although they heare daily a greater, & more dreadfull noise, euen the mightie and terrible voice of God which soundeth in his word, and whereby he threat­neth them in most fearefull manner, not only with tempo­rall iudgement, but also with eternall perdition and de­struction, yet they are scarce once moued; they feare not; they doe not quake and trem­ble, but sooth vp themselues in the wickednesse of their hearts, and blesse themselues in their sinfull and vngodlie waies, thinking that al is well, and dreaming of nothing but of peace and safetie, when thir confusion is neerest, and sudden destruction and deso­lation ready presently to seize vpon them. O let it be other­wise [Page 301] with me, & with all them that feare thy name O Lord; let me be touched, & rightly affected with the considera­tion of thy great and glori­ous maiestie, when I behold thy wondrous and maruellous workes, how thou casts forth thy lightnings vnto the ends of the world, and thundrest from heauen with a mightie voice; at the noise whereof, euen the bruit beasts, and dumbe creatures, doe quake and tremble for feare. Let these things cause me, to ac­knowledge the greatnes of thy power, to stand in a holie and awfull reuerence of thy presence, and to giue glorie vnto thy name, who art the mightie and glorious God of heauen and earth: but let me be much more moued, and in­wardly [Page 302] affected, when I heare the voice of that mightie and powerfull Word of thine, which goeth out of thy mouth, and which thou cau­sest to sound in mine eares, by the ministerie of men whom thou hast ordained; and in and by whom thou speakest both to the eares, and to the hearts of men. O let this word of thine, which in it selfe is mightie in operation, and whereby, through the wor­king of thy spirit, thou doest maruellous things; let it strike and break in sunder this hard and stonie heart of mine: let [...]r cause me to tremble at the hearing of it, yea euen to fall downe before thee, and to a­dore thy maiestie, to be afraid of thy displeasure, and to serue thee with an humble, and [Page 303] with a contrite heart all my daies: Then according vnto thy promise, thou wilt looke mercifully vpon me, thou wilt deale exceedingly graciously with me; yea though heauen be thy throne, and the earth thy footstoole, yet thou wilt vouchsafe to dwell with me, by the comfortable presence of thy grace, and blessed spirit for euermore.

Knowledge and conscience must goe togther.

MAny labour for know­ledge, few for consciēce to practise those things which they know. Such knowledge is vaine, and bringeth no pro­fit to him that hath it. [...]e what if thou couldest repeate all the most pithie sentences [Page 304] of the wisest and grauest Phi­losophers, and the greatest Sa­ges that euer were? it were nothing. Yea what if thou couldest say ouer the whole Bible without book, and with the superstitious Iew, tell ex­actly how oft euery letter were found in the same; and withall, wert able to expound the hardest and most difficult places therein y^t could be put vnto thee, so that al y^t heard of thee did admire thee, as one very rare and eminent in thy kinde? All this were nothing, it were in vaine, and no waies auaileable vnto thee, if thou wert not as carefull to haue thy heart touched, thy minde sanctified, and thy life refor­med, as thy head stuffed and filled with varietie and abun­dance of knowledge & lear­ning; [Page 305] if thou didst not labour as much, if not more, for the practise of those things which thou knowest, then for the bare and naked speculation it selfe, without fruther profit. Giue me grace, O Lord, as to vse all good meanes to attaine vnto all kinde of learning which is necessarie and profi­table for me, especially the knowledge of thy word, and those secret and hidden my­steries, which thou hast there­in reuealed; so much more, with all diligence, carefully, and conscionably to practise those things which I haue learned; ioyning to my know­ledge, vertue, faith, tempe­rance, patience, godlinesse, and vnfained loue and chari­tie vnto all men, euen mine enemies, and those that are [Page 306] most bitter towards me, yea most wickedly and malitious­ly set against me: that thus the knowledge, which by thy blessing I shall attaine vnto, may not bee idle or vnprofi­table, but I may abound and encrease in the fruits thereof, to the praise of thy name, the benefit of others among whō I shall liue, mine owne com­fort in this life, and the fur­therance of my saluation, in thy kingdome after this life, for euer.

Another.

IT is not without cause, that the Scriptures make the heart the seate of truth, since­ritie and vprightnes, and not the head, seeing the heart is the seate and subiect of the [Page 307] affectiōs; the braine of know­ledge, vnderstanding & iudg­ment. A man may know and vnderstand much, and yet be very ill affected; he may be of a large capacitie, and of a very deepe apprehension, euen of the greatest mysteries of Chri­stian religion, and yet be of an exceeding corrupt minde, and of a most vnsound life. Know­ledge is good, and to be desi­red, and sought for, and that with diligence; but yet good affection must be ioyned with it, and increased by it; or else it will not bee profitable, but hurtfull and dangerous, ma­king the owner of it rather worse then better. It is a good thing to know much; but it is better, and more acceptable to God, to affect the good things wee know, that wee [Page 308] might practise them, and to dislike the euill we know, that wee might shunne and auoid them. God euer loued and delighted more in the truth and sinceritie of the heart, then in the bare speculation, and fruitlesse apprehensions of the minde and vnderstan­ding part. Let it be my desire, O Lord, my care and my ear­nest endeuour, rather to liue well then to know much: let me labour for both, since both are necessarie; yet alwaies preferre this before the other, seeing that without this, is least profitable, and more dangerous (not of it selfe, but through the fault of him that vseth it amisse) making the life more corrupt, and bring­ing with it the greater con­demnation in the end.

The worldly mans Idoll.

THat which euerie one most setteth his heart vp­on, that doth hee make his God, yea rather his Idol. Thus the God of the couetous is riches, euen that cursed Mam­mon: The God of the volup­tuous, pleasure: of the ambi­tious, honour. O then how many vile and wicked Idola­ters bee there in the world? Surely, as many as doe giue themselues ouer to couetous­nesse, ambition, and voluptu­ousnes, euen the excessiue and inordinate desire of the vaine and transitorie things of this world. O Lord God, thou only art my God; whom haue I in heauen but thee? or what is there that I should desire on [Page 310] earth, in comparison of thee? O let my hart be alwaies fixed vpon thee; let my soule loue thee, delight in thee, & seeke and long after thee, aboue all things; which is that inward and spiritual worship and ser­uice, which thou requirest of all those vpon whō thy name is called, of all those that ac­knowledge thee, the Lord, to be their God.

The miserable estate of a worldling.

HE that doth once im­brace this world, can hardly be loosed from it, and brought to follow Christ and to cleaue vnto true religiō, in the trueth and sinceritie of the profession thereof; yea such is the bewitching nature [Page 311] of it, that it will daily more and more fasten vpon him, and claspe round about him, so that he shall haue no power to free himselfe againe, except an extraordinarie grace be ministred vnto him of God. Of all men (of whom there may be any hope) a couetous worldling is in this regard most miserable, and his estate most dangerous; since that it is harder for him to be reclai­med, then for any other; for of all sinnes, (out of which there may be any recouery) that sinne of auarice and co­uetousnes is most irrecoue­rable. O blessed Lord, let not my heart be glewed at any time vnto the things of this world; Let not the immode­rate care and desire thereof, take hold of me, let it not be [Page 312] rooted in me; but let me al­waies enioy such freedome by thy grace that I may wil­lingly, readily and cheerefully performe those duties which thou requirest of me; yea that I may cleaue fast vnto thee, and runne with libertie, the waies of thy commande­ments.

The vnpleasant and distracted life of a carnall and wicked man.

WHat pleasure is there in the life of a car­nall and wicked man, who is carried away with the vaine and inordinate desires of his owne heart? Before he hath obtained that which he lusts after, he is restles and vnquiet; All that he had before doth [Page 313] him no good, because hee wants that: when he enioyes it, he is grieued & displeased, yea vexed, because it doth not satiffie him, nor yeeld him that contentment, which he looked for in it. Afterwards, he is perplexed and troubled in minde, by reason of the guilt which he hath brought vpon his conscience, through his sinne; the sweetest fruite whereof in the ende, is no­thing but shame and sorrow, yea much bitternes. Thus he is continually disquieted, dis­contented, and distracted, whiles he followeth his vn­lawfull desires, and yeeldeth to his disordered and distem­pred affections; he hath no peace, no ease, no rest. Witnes the proud person, the coue­tous, the voluptuous, the am­bitious, [Page 314] the enuious and ma­litious, and whosoeuer else he be, that letteth loose the raines to any vnbridled passi­on, any inordinate affection. It is a meere slauery, to be a seruant vnto any such lusts; & the onely meanes to obtaine true libertie, hearts ease, peace and sound contentement, to resist them, and to get the ma­strie ouer them, and to be no wayes bound to them. O mer­cifull Lord, let me not be ad­dicted to these things, which are base, earthly and sensuall: let me neuer willingly yield vnto any sinfull desire of my corrupt nature; but giue me grace alwaies to bridle, yea to subdue, and to mortifie those wicked affections, which o­therwise would preuaile a­gainst me; that so beeing [Page 315] ouermastered, and euen brought into subiectiō vnder me, through the working of thy gracious spirit in me, I may passe the whole time of my life hereafter, in rest, qui­etnes and true peace and con­tentednes, and serue thee, with perfect libertie and free­dome all my daies.

The life of the righteous as well to be sought after, as their death wished.

I Marueile not that all men (euen the most wicked and prophane of y^e world) do, with cursed Balaam, desire and wish for the death of the righteous, seeing the end of it, is true and perfect blessednes, and the want of it, extreame woe and miserie. But this seemes [Page 316] very strange vnto me, that they should not as well desire the life of the righteous: not onely, because this is the meanes to come vnto the o­ther, that necessarily depen­ding hereupon; but also since herein is true happines to be found, and that which is to be desired of all men, and with­out which, man cannot but be miserable, and euen a bur­then vnto himselfe. For the righteous, the sincere and vp­right in life and conuersation, they onely leade a peaceable, a comfortable, and a ioyfull life. They reioyce not so much in the face, as in heart; not so much to the teeth outwardly, as in soule, and spirit inward­ly: whereas the hypocrite, the false hearted, and all that loue vnrighteousnes, neuer haue [Page 317] any true mirth, any sound ioy, but only a false & counterfeit image thereof, which when it is at the best, is but hollow, rotten, and vnsound; yea whē they sport themselues in their carnall and worldly delights most immoderatly, and break foorth into excessiue laugh­ter, yet then their ioy is but the fit, as it were, of a frantick or mad man, they know not what they doe; and at length, their sorrowfull dumpes, their troubled thoughts, and distra­cting cares, returne againe vn­to them vnsent for, they break off their laughter with a sigh, and end their mirth with hea­uinesse, anguish and great per­plexednes: yea the Lord fil­leth their soules with much bitternes; so that many times to bee eased of it, they could [Page 318] willingly be rid of their liues, in which they finde so small comfort. Lord, let me be as carefull to leade a good life, as to make a godly end: let me hate all vnrighteousnesse, and forsake all the waies of the vngodly; and let me seek by all meanes to attaine vnto true holinesse, and striue after sinceritie and vprightnes; that so the spirit of ioy and glad­nesse may rest continually vp­on me, and cause me alwaies to reioyce vnfainedly in thee, with that inward spiritual ioy and comfort, the sweetnes whereof none knoweth but thine only, euen those whom thou hast giuen to taste of it; and which being once giuen of thee (from whom alone it proceedeth) none is able to take it away againe.

The follie and danger of defer­ring Repentance.

IT is exceeding follie in men to liue carelesly and secure­ly, all their life long, and to put off all, vnto their dying houre, vainly supposing, that it will be enough for them, then to commend themselues vnto God, and to desire him to take them to his mercie. Alas, such know not what they doe; they know not the price of their soules: for sure­ly if they did, they would ne­uer put them in aduenture to the last houre: They consider not the danger of losing them for euer; for then certainely they would quickly be of an other mind; they would look about them; they would not [Page 320] set all vpon such a ticklish point, nor put themselues vn­to that hazard, no not for the gaine of the whole world; but they would presently cut off all delaies (which in good things are alwaies exceeding dangerous) and seeke dili­gently by all meanes to leade their liues in that manner, and so to secure their estate, that in death they might haue as­surance that they should not die, but liue, hauing their soules translated and carried (though not by firie chariots, as Elias was, yet by the hands of those heauenlie Angels, which continually waite and attend vpon them) from earth to heauen, from this vale of miserie, to that place of end­lesse glorie and happinesse. O Lord keepe me from that ex­treame [Page 321] follie and simplicitie of the wicked, whom Satan hath so deceiued and delu­ded, that they should be care­lesse of that which most neer­ly concernes them, euen their future and eternall estate after this life, which depends vpon the course of their life lead in this world, which is short and momentarie. Let it bee my care and endeuour euery day to seeke by a holy conuersa­tion, to be assured of the cer­taintie of my election, and of my blessed and happie estate after this life, euen my future glorification in thy kingdom; that so I may be alwaies pre­pared, and rest continually in a ioyfull hope and expecta­tion of the accomplishment and fulfilling of thy gratious promise.

Freewill.

IT is a vaine thing to thinke that a man hath freewill vnto that which is good: As well maist thou perswade me, that a stone can moue it selfe, or that a dead bodie can raise it selfe out of the graue. Ex­cept the Lord put to his hand, wee can neuer moue our selues, no not to one good motion, one good thought or desire, much lesse giue our selues to the constant practise of that which is good. Except the Lord put new life into vs, except he quicken vs with his spirit, we are al but dead men, and shall lie in our graues vn­till we be awaked vnto iudge­ment. O Lord (the fountaine of grace and life) doe thou [Page 323] quicken me, so shall I liue; do thou lift me vp, so shall I rise out of the graue of sinne and death: Doe thou draw me, so shall I come vnto thee, yea so shall I euen runne with liber­tie in all the waies of thy com­mandements. Heare me, O Lord, and help me, for in thee doe I trust, in whom onely I liue, moue, and haue my be­ing, and without whom all my life is but death. Without thee I can doe nothing: In thee, and by thee all things.

What worship God especially requireth.

MAny performe outward worship and seruice vn­to God; few that which is in­ [...]ard. Both are required, but the latter is chiefly necessarie, [Page 324] without which, the former though commanded, is nei­ther pleasing nor acceptable, yea vile and abominable vnto him, that hath alwaies loa­thed such dead carcases, such liuelesse sacrifices. Lord, giue me grace alwaies to offer vn­to thee a whole burnt offe­ring, to serue thee as in bodie, which thou hast made for that end, so especially in spirit and in truth; so shall I not bee re­proued, yea then thou wilt ac­cept both of me, and of all my sacrifices, and be exceeding gracious and mercifull vnto me, aboue that I can expect or desire.

Christians are willingly to re­signe themselues, and all that they enioy, to Gods will.

ALL those things which wee enioy in this world, are not our owne, but Gods: he gaue them to vs to vse, and at his pleasure he may call for them, and cause vs to restore them to him againe, since he alone hath absolute right and interest in them. Whiles wee haue them, wee are to haue a care to vse them well, and not to neglect them, or to bee re­gardlesse of them. We ought to vse them, and yet not so to vse them, as if they were our own, but lent vnto vs by ano­ther, of whom we haue recei­ued them. When hee taketh them from vs, we are willing­ly [Page 326] to restore them, and readily without any murmuring or repining to part with them, sith they were but lent vnto vs for a time, for our conuenient or necessarie vse, and are now called for againe by the right owner of them; so that to bee vnwilling to returne them at his commaund, is not, neither ought to bee otherwise estee­med of vs, then as the vsur­ping or violent detaining of another mans goods against his will and pleasure; euen theft and robberie against the highest. What meaneth it thē, that many are so loth to re­store the things, which God hath giuen them the vse of for a while, and now requireth of them againe? What meanes it, that many are so grieued to part with those things which [Page 327] the Lord hath lent them, vntil such time as he should call for them? Yea, why is it that ma­ny complaine so grieuously, as if they were greatly iniu­red, or had very hard measure offered vnto them, when the Lord taketh from them, their wiues, their children, their friends, their goods, their lands, liuings, or their life it selfe? Are they their owne, and not Gods? Why then should they sinne against him, by repining that they cannot keepe them against his will? Hath he giuen vnto them the vse of them thus long, & doth he now call for them, and re­quire them againe of them? Why then should they not with al willingnes, and thank­fulnes restore them, acknow­ledging themselues much in­debted [Page 328] vnto him for the frui­tion of them, and the benefit they haue receiued by them hitherto. O Lord, thou hast freely and most graciouslie vouchsafed many blessings, and benefits vnto me, euen in the things of this world, the least whereof I am altogether vnworthie of; thou hast gi­uen me life & health, friends, and a competencie of these earthly things, which in wise­dome thou sawest to bee con­uenient for me; thou art the author and giuer of them, as of all other things which are good. Whiles it pleaseth thee to continue them vnto me for my vse, giue me grace to vse them soberly in a sanctified manner, so as may be most for thy glorie, and my comfort, both here and hereafter; whē [Page 329] it shall please thee to take thē away from me, and to depriue me either of any, or of all of them, grant that I may with a willing minde, and with a thankfull heart, returne them againe vnto thee, saying with that faithfull and constant ser­uant of thine, whom thou hast made a paterne and president vnto me: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I returne thither (euen into the bellie of the earth, which is y^e mother of vs all): the Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken it: bles­sed be the name of the Lord.

Forgiuing of others, how ne­cessary for all men.

HE can neuer truely, and freely forgiue those that [Page 330] offend and iniurie him, y^t hath not first tasted of the infinite loue and fauour of God in Christ towards him, in the forgiuenes of those manifold sinnes, and innumerable and most grieuous offēces where­by he hath displeased and prouoked him. But he that hath a true apprehension, and a liuely sense and feeling here­of in his owne soule, he can­not but freely, euen from his heart, forgiue others, as God for Christs sake forgaue him. Either therefore manifest thy loue vnto thy bretheren, in freely forgiuing and forget­ting the wrongs and iniuries which they haue done vnto thee, or else freely acknow­ledge and confesse (as in­deed y^e truth is) that thou ne­uer as yet tastedst effectually [Page 331] of the loue of God in Christ; that it was neuer shed into thy heart, and that thy sinnes are still vnpardoned, that thou hast no assurance of the for­giuenes of them; which if thou hast not, thou art a mi­serable and a wretched crea­ture, one that canst haue small ioy or comfort of thy life. Chuse therefore which of these seemes best vnto thee? either to continue in this mi­serie, and to be branded, as it were, in the forehead, for an impenitent sinner, one vpon whom God hath shewed no mercie, but is still vnder the curse, euen the most fearefull curse that can be, in a most comfortles estate: Or else (which thou oughtest rather to desire, and to be carefull of aboue all things) that thou [Page 332] hast obtained mercie, that thou art in the loue and fa­uour of God, and that all thy sinnes are freely and fully for­giuen thee, because thou art louing and mercifull in forgi­uing others, that haue sinned against thee. O merciful God, cause me daily more & more daily to see the exceeding ri­ches of thy grace, and to taste of that infinite and vnspeake­able loue, and kindnesse of thine in Christ Iesus so freely and so graciouslie pardoning and forgiuing vnto me all my sinnes, euen that great debt which no creature was able to make satisfaction vnto thy maiestie for me, and those hai­nous offences for which thou mightst haue iustly condem­ned me. And let the liuely sense and feeling of that in­comprehēsible [Page 333] loue and mer­cie, which thou of thy infinite goodnes hast freely vouchsa­fed vnto me, cause me, follow­ing thy example, to put on the bowels of mercie, euen those tender affections of loue and compassion, that I may willingly and freely forgiue all those that shall any waies offend me, euen as thou for Christs sake forgauest me. Hereby I shall haue a sure eui­dēce of thy loue towards me, and an infallible signe and seale, to certifie and assure me of the absolute remission and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes, which is blessednes it selfe, euen the verie gate which leadeth into heauen, vnto that glorie and saluation, which thy Saints hope for, and whereof hauing giuen them [Page 334] the first fruits here, thou wilt giue them the full possession hereafter in thy kingdome for euer.

A comfort for such, as are vniustly slaundered of the wicked.

A Good man that is vn­iustly slandered and re­uiled, or any waies wronged of the wicked, hath many things to stay his minde, to comfort him, and to cause him not to bee moued, or disquie­ted, but rather to be glad and ioyfull. First, he is thereby made conformable vnto Christ, vpon whom the re­bukes of many were laid, and who was more vniustly wronged and disgraced, and more shamefully vsed, then he [Page 335] either is or can be. Againe, he suffers it of euill and wicked men, who alwaies hate them most, who God loueth best; and hereby hath an argument of Gods speciall loue and fa­uour to him. And he doth not onely suffer it of those which are euill, but also for that which is good, euen for his goodnes & for righteousnes sake, yea for Christes sake, for Gods sake, whom there­by they chiefly dishonour, and who will surely therefore take vengeance of them, but recompence him with a grea­ter measure of glorie. O Lord, though the wicked of this world studie how they may vexe and molest me, whiles they imagine lies, and speake al manner of euill in most ma­litious, disdainfull, and de­spightfull [Page 336] manner against me; yea hate and persecute mee without a cause, as they haue done thy seruants heretofore, nay thine owne sonne, whom thou in loue to mankind didst send out of thy bosome; yet let not me bee discouraged at any time therewith, but ra­ther looking vnto the author and finisher of my faith, euen Christ Iesus, who endured such speaking against of sin­ners, let me suffer with patiēce the euill which they speake of me falsely, & hauing not only mine owne conscience, but thee also (who art priuie to all my actions, yea knowest all things, and wilt iudge vp­rightly) a witnes of my cleere­nes and innocencie in those things which they would cause to cleaue vnto me, let [Page 337] me despise their shame, and bee most ioyfull when they seeke most to oppresse me, and to cast me downe with ouer­much sorrow, anguish and heauinesse, knowing assuredly that the shame which they would cast vpon me, shall turne to my greater glorie.

Compassion towards others in their griefes.

WE should be affected with the miseries of others, as with our owne; and haue a sense and a feeling of those things which are grie­uous vnto them, as much as if the same were our griefe, as it is theirs; or the same burthen lay vpon vs, that doth vpon them. This is that which God hath commanded, and which [Page 338] all of vs must frame our selues vnto, if we will not be guiltie of sinne, both against God, and our neighbour. But, alas, such is the weaknes & feeble­nes of mans nature, that few or none are thus indifferently affected towards themselues, and others; yea, most do little regard the euill which pres­seth others, and lieth heauie vpon them; whereas if the same, or a lesser be laid vpon themselues, they are sore vex­ed and grieued; they com­plaine much, and thinke that none can bee compassionate enough towards them. Good Lord, I beseech thee, to heale me of this infirmitie, and to free me from this corruption. Grant that I may haue a sym­pathie and fellow-feeling of the sorrowes and miseries of [Page 339] others, as if they were mine owne; let me alwaies haue a tender compassion ouer them, and be affected vnto them, in that maner, as I would desire, if I were in their estate, that they should be vnto me. This is that which thy holie and righteous law bindeth me vn­to, and which therefore I de­sire to performe, that so I may please thee, and doe good vn­to my neighbour, by helping him to beare the burthen which oppresseth him.

A comfortable life, how to be obtained.

ALL men are desirous so to liue, that they may haue ioy and comfort of their liues: but few attaine hereun­to. For either they know not [Page 340] the right way which leades vnto it; or if they know it, yet they [...]haled and drawen aside, either with t [...] violence of the temptat [...]ons of Satan, or the strength of their owne corrupt and distempered affe­ctions, to the seeking of it elsewhere. They are in an er­ror, and farre out of the way, that thinke that either riches, health, pleasures, honour, or any earthly or worldly thing whatsoeuer will bring them true, constant ioy. Nay, a man hauing all these, as much as his heart can wish or desire, may bee in a miserable, and comfortlesse estate and condi­tion, full of grief and anguish, yea euen racked as it were continually with manifolde vexations and distractions. The only way to liue peacea­bly, [Page 341] and ioyfully, is to leade a holie, and a religious life in al sinceritie and vprightnes This bringeth with it that sweete peace, and that inward solace and ioy, which the world can­not giue. O blessed Lord, the daies of this my pilgrimage are few and euill; make them comfortable vnto me, I hum­bly pray thee, by leading me forward in the waies of righ­teousnesse and true holinesse: grant that I may alwaies en­deuour my selfe to haue faith and a good conscience before thee, and before all men, and to walke continually in sim­plicitie and godlie purenes, without al guile & hypocrisie, that so my heart may reioyce in thee vnfainedly, yea euen be filled with that ioy, which is vnspeakable, and glorious.

How they are to liue that are redeemed by Christ.

IT is a shame for the Lords free man, to make himselfe a seruant, a drudge, and a slaue to the world, to sinne and Sa­tan. Hee that Christ hath re­deemed, must liue like one set at libertie, being alwaies very carefull and warie that hee be not intangled nor ouercome with any lust, with any cor­rupt and vnlawfull affection, lest thereby he bring himselfe into that bondage and serui­tude, then which there can be nothing more wretched and miserable. O Lord, since it hath pleased thee of thy infi­nite goodnes and mercie to redeeme me with so great a price, euen with the pretious [Page 343] blood of thy deare Sonne that immaculate Lambe, graunt that being freed from that estate of corruption, vnto which before I was in bon­dage, and hauing escaped frō the filthinesse of the world, wherewith I was formerlie stained and polluted, I may be carefull to renounce all those vngodly courses, euen that vaine conuersation wherein I walked and delighted, before I knew thee and that sauing grace of thine, which thou in the riches of thy mercies hast reueiled, and manifested vnto me; and that I may daily more and more labour and striue after spirituall libertie and freedome, liuing as thy ser­uant, as thy redeemed one, and shewing foorth the ver­tues of thee my God and Sa­uiour, [Page 344] who hast called me out of darknesse, into that mar­uellous light of thine.

Gods loue and fauour to be sought for aboue all things, and his wrath feared.

IF wee bee out of fauour with men, of no esteeme, no reckoning amongst them; If despised, and disgraced of the world, and made as such as are vile, and of no repu­tation: If wee bee but in daunger to lose our goods, our riches, our lands, and li­uing; or to haue our out­ward estate by any meanes impaired and decayed, or in any sort diminished: If any of our dearest friends, and nearest kinsfolke, die and de­part from vs for a while; or if [Page 345] we our selues be in any perill of death, loe, then we are very sad and heauie; we are excee­ding pensiue, and grieued out of measure, as though no greater euill could befall vs. But if we be cleane out of the loue and fauour of God (then which there can be no greater miserie); if we be not regar­ded of him, but are vile in his sight, such as by reason of our sinnes hee doth lothe and ab­horre, more then wee doe the vgliest and the loathsomest creature in the world, and doth many waies testifie the signes of his hatred, and the deepe displeasure which hee hath taken against vs: If wee be in continuall danger to ha­zard y^e most desireable goods (which are better then all things, which this whole [Page 346] world can affoord) euen those pretious things of God, wher­in onely true happinesse and felicitie consists. If wee be in neuer so great and apparent danger and ieopardie, to lose the vnspeakable riches of that glorious, and immortall inhe­ritance, reserued for the Saints in that heauenly kingdome, that celestiall Canaan, the Pa­radise of God; where there are such ioyes, such pleasure, such blessednes, as the heart of man is not able to conceiue, or to comprehend. If our nee­rest and inmost friend, which resteth continually in our bo­some, and in the secretest lodgings of our hearts, vnto whom wee professe the grea­test loue and friendship that may be; in briefe, to whom wee are ioyned and vnited, [Page 347] with so neere and strait bands, that it is death for vs at any time, to bee seuered, and sepa­rated for the least while, for one moment; euen our owne soule, if that bee dead in vs, whiles it seemeth to liue; dead in trespasses and sinnes, whiles it liueth according to the flesh, delighting in those things which are vnlawfull; dead in regard of the life of grace, whiles it liueth the life of nature; yea continuallie in extreame danger to die eter­nally, euen that second death, which of all euils is the most fearfull, & most wofull, aboue that any man doth thinke, or can imagine, though he haue [...]resented vnto his minde, the most dreadfull things, and fullest of horror, that can pos­sibly enter into the heart of [Page 348] man: yet behold (such is the sottishnes of mans nature) though wee knowe these things, yet wee are not in­wardly touched, nor moued with them, as we ought to be; though we reade of them our selues, though wee heare of thē oft by others; yea though the Lord from day to day, and from time to time, causeth them to sound in our eares, by the ministerie and preaching of his word, in the mouthes of his faithfull seruants, whom he sendeth, and by the inward and secret voice of his spi­rit, which suggesteth these things vnto vs, yet our hearts are not affected with the con­sideration of them; wee haue almost no sense, or feeling of these euils and miseries, wee make no account of them, we [Page 349] are little, seldome, or neuer troubled with the meditation and remembrance of them. The feare and danger of them doth not strike our soules with griefe and sorrow, nor make vs so pensiue and heauy, as the feare and dread of farre lesser euils doe. Wee grieue more at the losse of the fauour and countenance of men, yea of carnall and worldly men, then of that glorious and im­mortall God, whose louing fauour is better then life, and the want of it worse then death: we grieue more at the losse of y^e things of this world, which are vaine, earthly, and transitory (and such as can ne­uer make the owner of them trulie blessed and happie, though he had them in grea­ter abundance, then his heart, [Page 350] albeit neuer so vnsatiable, could desire) thē of the things of the world to come, which are most excellent, heauenly, and enduring for euer, in the hope and expectation where­of there is ioy, and comfort vnspeakable and glorious, euen whiles they are not seen, but beleeued; and in the full fruition and possession where­of, there is entire and absolute felicitie and blessednesse. We are grieued more at the death and departure of our friend, then at the death and destru­ction of our owne soule; more troubled with the feare of the losse of this temporall life, which is alwaies fading, and whereof wee can haue no certaintie or assurance, one houre, no not one minute; then of that which is eternall, [Page 351] and shall neuer haue an end, but continue for euer, in such glorie, the enioying whereof one moment, is better then all the glorie, pleasures, and de­lights of this life, whereof any man is or can bee made parta­ker in this world; yea though hee liue long, and see many daies, and wants nothing of those things heere below, which seeme most pretious and glorious in the eyes of men. What should I say more? We are more troubled with the feare and dread of our na­turall death, the death of our bodies (which if our liues were such as they ought to be, would be more desired then feared of vs, being the entrāce into that promised rest and happinesse) then of the death of our spirits, yea of our soules [Page 352] and bodies, euen that fearfull & most dreadful death, which is the second death, when as the soule presently after the dissolution and separation of it from the bodie, in the end of this life; and both soule and bodie, euen the whole man immediatly after the day of iudgement, hauing recei­ued their finall doome, shall bee deliuered vp vnto eternall death and condemnation in hell, where they shall be pu­nished with euerlasting per­dition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power. Surely many such there be in al places, who haue so small sense and fee­ling of the greatest euils both present and imminent; that are more grieued and trou­bled for the approching of [Page 353] some lesser euill, then of the greatest miserie that can pos­sibly befall a man; the very remembrance and considera­tion whereof, were enough to breed a horror and astonish­ment in the minde of the har­diest, the most obstinate, and impenitent sinner, if he should haue a right apprehension of it. Oh the follie of such men! who seeth not how Satan hath blinded and besotted them, that they should bee as those, who haue no vnder­standing, no discerning of things that differ so excee­dingly? O blessed Lord, open their eyes, that they may haue a sight of their greatest mise­ries; touch their hearts, that they may haue a feeling of that which should bee their greatest griefe, and where­with [Page 354] they should be most af­fected: And keepe thy ser­uants from falling at any time into that vaine and foolish o­pinion, and imagination of theirs. Let vs alwaies feare thy displeasure, more then the angrie countenance of any mortall man whatsoeuer; let vs be more afraid to be despi­sed and reiected of thee; or to bee such as thou takest no pleasure, no delight in, then to be disgraced and contem­ned of the whole world, estee­med the filth and ofscouring of all things, men vnworthie to liue vpon the earth; let vs chuse rather to incurre the daunger of the losse of our goods, lands, substance, and to bee content to haue our outward estate in this world much impaired, yea altoge­ther [Page 355] wasted, and brought euen to nothing, rather then once willingly to hazard our euer­lasting estate in the world to come, by bringing our selues into daunger of the losse of those vnsearchable riches, and treasures of life, glorie, and endlesse felicitie; euen those farre more excellent and glo­rious things, which thou hast promised and prepared for all thy Saints in that heauenlie kingdome. Let vs not feare the death of these mortall bo­dies of ours, which are but dust, and shall returne to the earth of which they are fra­med; let not the remēbrance thereof trouble vs, or bee any waies grieuous and bitter vn­to vs, nay rather let vs reioyce in it, and long for it, and that with an earnest desire, seeing [Page 356] it shall be a passage vnto vs, from this life vnto a better: but let vs feare & auoid those things which might cause the death of our soules; yea let vs so feare hell, death, and de­struction, that we may be full assured we shall escape them, and when this life of ours is ended, be translated into that place, where thou dwellest in fulnes of glorie and maiestie, and liue and raigne with thee in the heauens for euermore. Amen.

The Lords seruice the grea­test freedome.

TO be in the Lords ser­uice is the greatest free­dome, yea the greatest priui­ledge, and most excellēt pre­rogatiue that men can attaine [Page 357] vnto in this world. It is a verie honourable, and glorious cal­ling; no earthly dignitie, of­fice, or prehemencie whatso­euer, to be compared vnto it. The Angells of heauen those celestiall creatures account it (as it is indeed) their crowne, and their greatest glorie; that wherein they finde cause of continuall ioy and reioycing: Why then should any man (a worme of the earth) esteeme so meanly of it, (as many do) yea thinke it to be a burden which he is loth to take vpon him; a bondage which it is grieuous to him to vndergoe, yea a disgrace, and reproch which he is vnwil­ling to sustaine? Oh that vaine man should be so degenerate and base minded, as to haue so meane a [...] conceite of that [Page 358] which he ought so highly to prize; that he should suppose the seruice of the great king, and monarch of the whole world the most high God, (wherein the most excellent creatures do glorie) to be base and contemptible; that he should thinke it a disho­nour, and disparagment vnto him, to professe himselfe to be a dutiful and obedient seruant vnto the Lord of heauen, the mightie possessour of all things, (to whom all knees are to bowe, and whom all creatures must adore) when as he accounteth it an honour, and a grace vnto him to be reputed an inferior seruant vnto his minister, and vicege­rent vpon earth; and no small priuiledge to be in any office vnder him: yea that he should [Page 359] be such a miscreant, as to des­pise that, which if he were not strangely blinded, and extremely besotted, he would think himself happie that he might haue it once vouchsa­fed and granted vnto him! O blessed Lord, how great is thy goodnesse and thy mercie towards me, in that it hath pleased thee to take me into thy seruice? how much am I bound vnto thee for this fa­uour which thou hast shewed vnto me, who by reason of my sinnes whereby I haue from time to time dishonoured thee, am altogether vnwor­thie to be called thy seruant, or once to be reckoned a­mongst the least, and meanest of those vnto whom thou hast vouchsafed this so great a priuiledge, so glorious a dig­nitie, [Page 360] and prerogatiue. Oh that I were able to performe that seruice which is due vnto thee, and which thou requi­rest of me; Thou art my Lord and my God, vnto whom I owe all dutie all homage, and loyaltie; thou onely art wor­thie to be serued, worshipped, and glorified of all creatures, both in heauen and in earth. I acknowledge, that all that I can possible doe, is lesse then that which my dutie, and thy loue and goodnesse bindeth me vnto, and which thou mayest well expect of me; It is the desire of my heart to be found euery way obedient, and faithfull vnto thee, yea to serue thee with al my strēgth, with all my might, and that vnto the end of my dayes: O Let it please thee (who art [Page 361] able to doe all things) to make a gracious supplie of that which thou seest to be wanting in me; and wherein through weakenesse, and in­firmitie, I am subiect to faile most, to helpe and to assist me through the powerfull wor­king of thy blessed spirit, without which I am able to doe nothing.

The extreame follie of men in hazarding the eternall e­state of their soules, for the enioying of the vaine plea­sures of this world.

O How vaine, how mo­mentarie, and deceit­full are all earthly pleasures and delights, euen then when any enioyeth all that his heart [Page 362] can wish, or desire, or where­unto his minde standeth most affected! They are all as smoake, or as a shadowe; they vanish suddenlie and come to nothing: and when they are gone, they are as if they had neuer been; euen the remembrance of them doth perish, and passe away. And whiles that a man hath the vse of them, yet doth he not finde any true delight or contentment in them; yea it may well be doubted, whe­ther he tasteth of more sowre or sweet, more honey or gall, more pleasure and delight or griefe and vexation, whiles he drinketh thē downe with a greedie appetite, and in an vnsatiable maner. For thus the Lord vs [...]ally puts much bit­ternesse into their sweetest [Page 363] cup, and mingleth trouble, anguish and vexation with their chiefest delights, which they most inordinatly desire, and seeke after. And yet loe, such is the follie & sottishnes of many (vnto whom the Lord otherwise hath giuen vnderstanding whereby to iudge, and discerne of things that differ) that like vnreaso­nable men, nay like brutish creatures, that are destitute of all wisedome and know­ledge, for the gaining of these fruitlesse and fading va­nities, they sticke not to lose their owne soules, then which nothing should be more deare or pretious vnto them. O Lord, let me not be taken in the snare of the wicked at any time; let me not haue a longing and inordinate de­sire [Page 364] after those things which please them, and with the loue whereof they are drawne away from that wherein their happinesse consisteth (if they had eyes to see it;) but grant, that seeing and considering daily more & more, the vani­tie, the vncertainty, & deceit­fulnes of these earthly plea­sures, and worldly delights, wherein most are drowned, I may haue a true contempt, and holy disdaine of them, in comparison of those things which concerne thy king­dome; and that beeing wea­ned from the immoderate loue and sinful desire of them, I may delite my selfe in thee continually, yea solace my selfe in thee alone; that so I may be filled with true in­ward and spirituall ioy, reioy­cing [Page 365] alwaies in thee, who onely art the fountaine of all heauenly comfort and con­tentment, and of all diuine consolation.

Deniall of a mans selfe, how necessary.

MAn is alwaies to rest in the will of God, and to yeeld himselfe in all things to be ruled, and directed there­by: Thereunto must he frame his will, his desires, yea all the affections of his heart, and actions of his life; he must in euery thing be swaied whol­ly, and only by that, or else he shall neuer performe accep­table obedience vnto God, that wherein he is most de­lighted and best pleased. O Lord, giue me grace alwaies [Page 366] to denie my selfe, and mine owne will, and to resigne my selfe vnto thy holy and hea­uenly will in all things. Let me will those things onely which thou willest, and af­fect, desire, and enterprise no­thing but that, which thou hast either commanded, or warranted the lawfulnes of it, that so I may doe it of faith and without sinne. Behold Lord I am thy seruant, desi­rous to approue my selfe vnto thy maiestie, and to please and obey thee in all things. Teach me daily both to know and to doe thy will better then I haue done heretofore; euen with all readines, willingnes, and cheerefulnes, as those ce­lestiall creatures doe, which alwaies attend vpon thy pre­sence, as ministring spirits, [Page 367] ready with all diligence and alacritie to execute whatsoe­uer thou commandest. Frame my heart more and more vn­to the obediēce of thy lawes, and let me with all reuerence, and humble submission both of soule and bodie, subiect my selfe vnto thee, following thee whithersoeuer thou shalt leade me, and being content to be ruled, directed, and go­uerned according vnto thy will and good pleasure in all things: yea O Lord, deale with me as thou pleasest, and as thou knowest may be most for thy honor and glorie, and for my greatest good in this life, and the furtherance of my happines and saluation in the life to come, through Christ my only Lord, and blessed Sa­uiour. Amen.

The Lord is the light and the guide of his.

EXcept the Lord doe in­lighten the minds of mē, they are as those that walk in darknes; yea euen the best are ready continually to erre, and to go astray, if he be not their guide, if he be not present to direct them, and to leade them forward, as it were, with his hand in the right way. Daily experience and obseruation maketh this so cleere and eui­dent, that none can either de­nie it, or doubt of it. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himselfe, neither is it in man to walke, and to direct his steps, but if thou leaue him, he starteth aside, & wan­dreth like a straying sheepe: [Page 369] O therefore be thou mercifull vnto me; let thy grace and thy truth alwaies shine foorth cleerely vnto me. Be thou my guide in all things, going be­fore me, and directing me a­right, so that I may neuer bee plucked away with the error of those that fall frō thee, and from thy trueth. Giue mee knowledge, giue mee vnder­standing, teach me to doe thy will, and to walke in all the pathes of thy precepts with a right foote, and with all sin­ceritie of heart and affection; yea let thy good spirit bee al­waies present to assist me, and to leade me in the way where­in I should goe; that so I may continue stedfastly and con­stantly in the knowledge and obedience of thy trueth, and doe those things which may [Page 370] be pleasing and acceptable in thy sight, and bring comfort vnto my soule and consci­ence, both in life and in death.

The Lord neuer forsaketh his in the day of affliction or temptation.

IF the Lord at any time doth expose his children vnto any kinde of miserie or affliction; if he suffer them to fall into diuers and grieuous temptatiōs, he meaneth them no hurt therein, neither is hee therefore to be thought an enemie, or to haue lessened his care and louing affection towards them; but rather he doth all this for their good, yea for their great benefite, though they for the present cannot easily discerne it, (not [Page 371] beeing so well acquainted with the Lords dealings, and proceedings, with whom it is an ordinarie, and no vn­usuall thing, to proue, and exercise his, euen his most be­loued ones, sundrie wayes, and in diuers maners:) His loue is as great towards thē, when he seemeth to be their enemie, as when he carrieth himselfe most friendly, and causeth his face to shine most comfortably vpon them: in their grearest distresse and af­fliction, as when they haue plentie & abundance of peace and prosperitie; yea rather (if there bee any chaunge in the immutable and vnchangeable God) euen then when for a while hee seemeth to with­draw himselfe from them, and to leaue them comfortlesse in [Page 372] the middest of their miseries, and greatest extreamities, hee is most tenderly affected, and hath a most gracious respect vnto them, although it doth not so appeare vntill he mani­fest it. O my soule, why then art thou so cast downe? why art thou so disquieted within me? why doest thou not waite vpon God? why doest thou not rest wholly on his good will and pleasure? Why doest thou not put thy whole trust and confidence in him, yea re­turne continuall thankes and praise vnto him, whose mer­cie and goodnes is exceeding great towards thee; who in euery thing seeketh thy pro­fit, and the furtherance of thy saluation and happinesse; yea who is euery way infinitlie gratious vnto thee, far aboue [Page 373] that which thou art able to thinke, or to conceiue? O bles­sed Lord, let mine eyes and my heart be alwaies lifted vp vnto thee, my God and lo­uing Father, the Father of all mercies, and heauenly com­forts; and suffer me not at any time to bee so forgetfull of thee, so distrustfull of thy loue and gratious fauour towards me, as that I should faint in the day of affliction or temp­tation, when it shall seeme good vnto thee, to trie and exercise me in that manner that it pleaseth thee; but grant that I may haue as sure hope and confidence in thee, and be as thankfull vnto thee when sorrow and griefe shall lodge with me, yea when a multi­tude of sorrowes shall com­passe me about on euery side, [Page 374] as when I shall be most filled and replenished with spiritual and diuine comforts and con­solations; knowing that thou art euer the same, alwaies faithfull in that thou hast pro­mised, and infinit in thy grace and goodnesse towards thy childrē, most caring for them, when they seeme to be least respected, and in a manner forsaken of thee.

The loue of the world and world­ly things, is the cause of dis­traction, and much disquiet­nes.

THE inordinate loue of any worldly thing, is the cause of much disquiet of heart, and great distraction and vexation of minde. How many do hereby pierce them­selues [Page 375] thorough with many sorrowes; how doe they trou­ble their own soules, when o­therwise they might be at rest? into what bondage doe they bring themselues? yea euen consume themselues in vaine, with vnprofitable cares and pensiuenesse? It is the wis­dome of a Christian therfore, neuer to affect, or to couet af­ter those things which are vn­lawfull for him; neuer to de­sire or to long after any thing, which may hinder him in any sort, from inward peace and freedome of minde, or be a cause of anguish, griefe and distraction vnto him: but to weane his soule from the ex­cessiue, and disordered loue and desire of them; conside­ring that they are such things, as when he hath the full frui­tion [Page 376] and enioyment of them, he shall finde that they will not satisfie his desire and ex­pectation; and that they will quickly vanish away, and pe­rish with the vse of them. O Lord withdraw my heart, I beseech thee, daily more and more from the loue of the world, and the things there­of, seeing they are vaine, tran­sitorie, and full of griefe and vexation, not yielding that delight and contentment which they promise and make shewe of, but rather much anguish and vnquietnes of minde: Seeing they are a cause of such vnlooked for bitter­nesse, let me not so affect them as I haue done; let them not seeme so sweete and plea­sant vnto me, as they doe vnto others, who haue not [Page 377] tasted of better things, and therefore finde such relish in these; but grant that all the affections of my heart may be set vpon thee alone, and that I may delite and reioyce conti­nually in thee, who art the onely fountaine of al true ioy, peace, and happines; assuredly perswading my selfe, that ha­uing thee to be my God, I shall haue the desires of my heart, yea more then euer I did or could expect or desire, freely granted vnto me according vnto thy pro­mise, wherein I trust, and in which standeth my comfort.

How Christians are to iudge of their estate.

A Christiā is not to iudge of his estate according [Page 378] vnto his present sense and fee­ling. For the Lord many times is neerest vnto them, when he seemeth to bee furthest off from them; when they seeme to be euen lost in themselues, then is he readiest to be found of them, and to shew them his saluation. O heauenly Father, giue me with faith and pa­tience continually to waite vpon thee, and to hold fast that confidence, and the re­ioycing of that stedfast and assured hope, wherewith thou hast heretofore vpholden me. Let me neuer thinke my selfe to bee altogether forsaken of thee, because thou sendest some griefe and affliction vp­on me, or sufferest Satan to as­sault me with diuers and sun­drie temptations; or else for a time withdrawest from me [Page 379] the ioy of thy spirit, and the comfort of thy saluation; yea though thou seemest to abs [...]nt thy selfe from me, and to de­nie that gratious presence of thine vnto me, wherewith thou hast heretofore comfor­ted and refreshed me excee­dingly: but grant that I may cleaue fast vnto thee, euen when I haue least feeling of thy loue and fauour, and of the worke of thy grace in me, and y^t I may alwaies haue sure trust in thy mercie, know­ing that thou a [...]t wont to bee neere at hand vnto thy chil­dren, when thou makest as though thou wert a farre off, and wouldest not be found of them.

The presence of God how bles­sed and comfortable a thing it is.

OH how blessed a thing it is, alwaies to enioy the gratious and comfortable pre­sence of God! For when he is present, all things are pleasant and delightfull, the heart re­ioyceth, and the spirit of man is refreshed exceedingly; and when he doth absent himselfe or hide his face (though but for a season) then euery thing becommeth irksome, and full of wearines and lothsomnes; the soule can take no true pleasure nor delight in any thing, no more then the sto­macke being distempered, in meates, in which there is no sweetnesse, no relish. O my [Page 381] God, the God of my ioy, the fountaine of my peace and happinesse, doe not thou hide thy gratious countenance, nor depart farre from me at any time, but let thy spirit alwaies dwell within me, and com­fort me. Let my soule taste of those sweet delicates of thine, euen that hidden and that heauenly Manna, which how pretious and delightsome it is, none knoweth but those only vnto whom thou hast freely vouchsafed to giue it: let thy face euer shine vpon me, and manifest thy presence alwaies, by causing me to feele the comfortable fruites and effects thereof within me. Oh when shall that blessed and wished for time come, when as I shall bee satisfied with the fulnesse of thy pre­sence, [Page 382] and drinke abundantly out of the riuers of thy plea­sures for euermore?

The old man neuer dies in this life.

EVery Christian as long as hee liueth in this world, hath the old man liuing in him; hee is in part, but not wholly crucified and slaine; hee hath receiued his deadlie wound, and lieth a dying eue­ry day, but will not bee quite dead, till the soule be separa­ted by death, from this earth­ly, this sinfull and this corrup­tible bodie. O Lord, subdue and mortifie daily more and more, I humbly pray thee, the corruption of my nature; let mee feele the power and strength thereof weakened, [Page 383] and decaying in me; put thy spirit into my hart, w [...]ich may striue continually against it, and suppresse the force of it, so that although in some sort it liue in me, yet it may not raigne at any time, nor haue dominion ouer me. And when it pleaseth thee, make an end of these wretched and mise­rable daies, and deliuer me from this bodie of sinne, and of death which I carrie con­tinually about with me; that so being wholly freed from the bondage vnto which I am now subiect, and restored vnto perfect libertie, I may serue thee with all cheereful­nes and alacritie, as thy holie Angels and Saints in glorie now doe, and shall for euer­more.

A free minde how to be obtained.

THere cannot bee a free minde where the heart doth not continually rest vp­on God, and stay it selfe vpon him only. Hee that doth this shall quickly finde all sinfull and immoderate feare, and the excessiue and inordinate loue of all earthly things much di­minished and abated in him, yea flying quite away, and va­nishing in such sort as if hee had neuer bin annoied or en­cumbred with them. He that doth it not, it cannot bee, but that he should liue and spend his daies in cōtinuall disquiet­nes, yea in great miserie, and vexation of minde and spirit, by reason of many distracting [Page 385] thoughts, superfluous cares, and vaine desires, which will euen pierce his soule with ma­ny sorrowes, and oppresse his minde with much griefe, an­guish, and perplexitie. Ah Lord, thou knowest the secret thoughts and desires of my heart; thou seest what it is that my soule longeth after; how faine I would serue thee with that cheerefulnesse of minde, and that freedome of spirit, which is the sacrifice wherein thou art so much de­lighted; Haue regard vnto me, I humbly intreate thee: consider my request, which I powre out vnto thee from a heart vnfained. Giue me dai­ly a greater measure of thy grace, whereby I may breake thorow those snares which are laid for me, and where­with [Page 386] I am readie continually to bee intangled; and grant that I may resigne my selfe wholly vnto thee, and rest, yea set and fixe my heart, & euen roule my selfe vpon thee; that so I may passe the rest of my pilgrimage hee [...]e on earth, peaceablie, cheerefullie and comfortably, as one that is set at libertie from all sinfull and inordinate affections, & from the vaine desires, and the needlesse and troublesome cares of this euill and wicked world. Amen.

An effectuall motiue to true humilitie and lowlines of minde.

OH how meanly ought euery one to esteeme of himselfe? How little ought [Page 387] he to be in his owne eyes? seeing that in himselfe he is nothing; notable of himselfe, no not so much as once to thinke that which is good: If he were as wise as Salomon (so famous for his wisedom and vnderstanding) yet if the Lord did not continually guide his heart, and direct his st [...]ppes, there would be much follie a [...]d vanitie sound with him. If he were a [...] r [...]ghteous as Dauid ( [...] man after Gods owne heart) yet if the Lord did not alwaies preserue him, and strengthen him through the assistance of his gracious spirit, he would fall most dan­gerously: yea, if he were as pure, and as holy as the An­gels themselues, those hea­uenly spirits, yet if the Lord should not sustaine him with [Page 388] his especiall grace, and conti­nue him in that estate, but withdrawe his hande from him, he would quickly fall, as it were a starre from heauen, and (all his glorie being lost, and his light dimmed, yea quite extinguished) become like vnto Sathan, the prince of darkenes; nothing but sin­fulnes and impuritie. There is no wisedom, no righteousnes, no holines, no stedfastnes but onely in God, and of God, who is the fountaine of all grace and goodnes, and from whom the streames thereof are to be deriued into the hearts of men, or else there wil be nothing but barrennes and emptines in them. God is all in all; the best without him are as nothing, hauing no power, no ability to do any [Page 389] thing which is good. What is it then that men should glorie of in themselues? Or how should they not alwaies haue a verie meane conceite and esteeme of themselues, yea euen annihilate them­selues, and giue the glorie of all vnto God, vnto whom a­lone it is due? O blessed God, giue me that meekenes of spi­rit, and that true humblenes of minde, which as it is a thing rare and pretious in it selfe, so of thee verie much set by. Teach me, considering mine own weaknes, of which I haue daily experience, and my insufficiencie of my selfe, and of my owne strength to doe, to will, or to thinke any thing which is good, to be lowly, vile, and abiect in mine owne eyes, yea to esteeme my [Page 390] selfe as nothing without thee; and alwaies acknowledging mine owne feeblenes, and manifold fraileties and infir­mities, to depend wholly and onely vpon thee; yea to cleaue fast vnto thee, and to ascribe the praise and glorie of what­soeuer good is wrought in me, or by me, vnto thee alone, who art the God of my stre [...]gth, the author and gi­ue [...] both of grace and glorie, and the beginner, and finisher of euery good thing, which is wrought in any of thy chil­dren.

Another.

THE more that any one doth emptie himselfe of his owne worth, and good­nes, the more will the Lord [Page 391] fill and replenish him with the abundant riches of his di­uine and heauenly grace. The lower that he doth abase and cast downe himselfe, the higher wil the Lord aduance him, and lift him vp, euen farre aboue that which he did either desire or expect. Thus his gaine wil be exceeding great, in that wherein to o­thers he may seeme to suffer some losse, & much to preiu­dice himself. O Lord, grant, I beseech thee, that I may euery day be more humbled with the sight of mine owne vn­worthines, of my spirituall pouertie and beggarlines, that so it may please thee, to inrich me with the greater measure of thy grace; let me yet be more vile in mine own eyes, that so I may at length [Page 392] be exalted of thee, aboue that which I deserue, and be crow­ned with honour and glory in thy kingdome for euermore.

Vainglorie what a vanitie and follie it is.

VAinglorie, as it is a com­mon disease in y^e world, so the greatest vanitie that can be; yea meere follie and mad­nesse itself. It argues euident­ly, that he that is carried away with it, is not onely much di­stempered in his soule, but euen out of his right minde, and destitute of true wisedom and vnderstanding, seeing that it bereaues a man of true glorie, vnto which that is no waies comparable; and de­priues him of diuine and hea­uenly grace, the most pretious [Page 393] iewell in this world, and most to bee desired and sought for, farre aboue all fading and earthly vanities: For whiles that any seeketh to please himselfe ouermuch, in recei­uing honour of men, he can­not but displease God verie highly, and want that honor, which is from aboue; whiles he couets and hunts after the praise and applause of this world, and desires to lift vp himselfe in the pride and va­nitie of his heart aboue o­thers, the Lord resisteth him and denieth his grace vnto him, so that of all others he is herein (through the iust iudg­ment of God) most barren and fruitlesse, hauing perhaps the shadow and outward ap­pearance of some morall ver­tues, but wanting that which [Page 394] is the life and soule of them. O Lord, how little cause haue I to glorie of any thing that is in me, except it be of my in­firmities, my weaknesses, and manifold imperfections, vnto which I feele my selfe conti­nually subiect? What is it for which I should esteeme my selfe to be any thing, or to bee once worthie to bee accoun­ted amongst the meanest of thy seruants? For behold, I am but a fraile and a sinfull man, full of wretchednes and mise­rie; nothing without thee; not able to doe the least good but as I am strengthened and assisted by thee; readie to faile, and to sinke right down, if I bee not continually sustai­ned and supported by thee. What shall I say? If I haue any thing, it is only thy gift, and [Page 395] thy gratious blessing, for the which I can neuer be suffici­ently thankfull. Farre bee it from me therefore, to bee so misled with the vaine conceit of wicked and vngodly men, that I should lift vp my selfe aboue that which is meete, or glorie in any thing of this world, lest it displease thee, and cause thee in iustice to bring shame and dishonour vpon me; but grant that I may reioyce and glorie alwaies, and only in thee; yea that I may extoll and magnifie thy name continually, who art worthie of all praise and glo­rie, both now and euermore.

The Christians Paradise in this life.

THe children of God liue continually in a paradise, [Page 396] euen whiles they remaine in this world, and seeme to o­thers to be wretched and mi­serable, subiect vnto manifold afflictions, and diuers kinds of calamities: They taste daily of the fruite of the tree of life, and are refreshed with those inward spirituall ioyes, and heauenly delights, which are aboue all other ioyes, and in comparison whereof, all the pleasures and delights, which this deceitfull and enticing world can affoord them, are but meere vanitie. They are certified of their saluation; they know themselues to be elected & redeemed by Christ their Sauiour, and that none can take thē out of his hands, who is so mightie and power­full in himself, and so gratious and louing vnto them: yea [Page 397] by faith and hope they are ascended into heauen, and in spirit behold that mansion place prouided for them, and that glorie which he (who ne­uer deceiued any that trusted in him) hath promised vnto them; the remembrance and ioyfull expectation whereof, doth euen rauish their soules, and cause them to glory in the Lord, and in the riches of his goodnesse and mercie so gra­tiously & bountifully vouch­safed vnto them, when they were most vnworthie of it. O blessed Lord, open mine eyes, that I may see the excellencie of that estate whereunto thou hast called mee of thy free grace; take away that vaile which Satan seeketh to spread before me, that so I might not see into that glorie, which [Page 398] thou of thy endlesse loue and vnspeakable goodnesse hast made me partaker of, euen in the middest of those weak­nesses, those infirmities and afflictions wherewith I am compassed about on euerie side. Thou hast giuen me thy spirit to bee my comforter in all my sorrowes, yea my faith­full guide to leade me along safely by the waters of diuine and heauenlie consolations, and to conduct me with much peace and ioy thorow this vale of miserie, vnto that pro­mised rest, that heauenly Ca­naan. Euery day thou causest me to taste of thy goodnesse, yea fillest me with thy hid treasures, such as the world is not acquainted with: Euen in the depth of miserie, thou ma­kest me to see, and to enioy [Page 399] the blessednesse and glorie of thy Saints and chosen ones: And after that I haue been for a while tossed in this sea, wilt cause me speedily to arriue at that hauen where I would be; yea thou wilt stretch forth thy hand, and receiue me into thine owne presence, & cause me to behold thy face in that brightnes of glorie for euer­more.

How the life to come ought to be desired of euery true Chri­stian, in regard of the excel­lencie and glorie of it.

THat heathenish pagan (as is reported of him) rea­ding Platoes discourse of the soules immortalitie & estate after this life, was so rauished therewith, that with the de­sire [Page 400] thereof, he cast himselfe into the sea, & ended his life. His act was sinfull, and no waies to be imitated by any (for no man is to cut off the threede of his life, vntill the Lords appointed time) but yet his vehement desire and earnest affecting of that glory which he apprehēded, & con­ceited in his minde, may teach euen vs that are Christians, to blush in our selues, when we finde our hearts so dull, and senseles, that the remēbrance of that promised glorie and happine, swill no more affect vs, then ordinarily it doth the most. Oh it should wholly possesse our soules, and rauish our mindes, and cause vs to la­bour by all meanes to get as­surance vpon good euidence, that we shall at length haue [Page 401] our part and portion in it, be­ing gathered togeher with all the Saints into that glorious kingdome, those heauenly mansions. O mercifull God, how great is thy goodnes? how vnsearchable are the ri­ches of thy grace, and fauour towards thy Saints and chosē ones, those whom in Christ Iesus thou imbracedst before all worlds? Oh how blessed and glorious is that estate which thou reseruest for them in the heauens, and which thou wilt giue thē possession of, as soone as these fraile and sinfull daies of theirs are en­ded! Thou wilt cause them to shine as the starres, yea as the sunne it selfe when it is in the greatest brightnes. All kinde of impuritie and vncleannes beeing done away, thou wilt [Page 402] clothe thē with the glorious robes of innocencie, righte­ousnes, and holines; thou wilt adorne them with those pre­tious iewels of all diuine and heauenly graces, and cause thy name to be written in their foreheads; yea thou wilt set them vpon thrones with thy Christ, with scepters in their hands, and crownes on their heads, and giue vnto them for an euerlasting inhe­ritance, that celestiall king­dome of endles blisse & hap­pines. Thou wilt euery way shewe thy selfe maruellous towards them, aboue that we are able to thinke, or cōceiue in this frailetie of ours, which is not able to comprehend the brightnes of that heauen­ly light, which thou wilt cause to shine forth vnto them [Page 403] in a wonderfull and glorious maner, no more then our bo­dily eyes are able to behold the glittering beames of the Sunne when it is in the full strength thereof. O blessed Lord, affect my heart with the due consideration of that maruellous glorie of thine, euen that happie and glorious condition, which in thy vn­speakeable mercie and kind­nes thou wilt raise me vnto as soone as these wretched dayes of sinne and miserie are ended. And let the remembrance thereof, cause me continually to sigh and to long after it, and to rest euer in a ioyfull ex­pectation of it, desiring either to be dissolued by death; or (which I rather desire) to see my Sauiour comming in the cloudes with glory and ma­iesty, [Page 404] attended with thousands of Saints and Angels; that so I may haue entrance into that heauenly paradise, and take full possession of that rich, vndefiled, and neuer fading inheritance, enioying the sweete fellowship and com­munion of all thy chosen and beloued ones; yea liuing con­tinually in thy most blessed presence, and beholding that maruellous light wherein thou dwellest who inhabitest eternity.

Who shall be citizens of that heauenly kingdome.

THey that will be citizens of the kingdome of hea­uen, must first liue as pilgrims and strangers here vpō earth. They must passe by all these [Page 405] transitorie and earthly things, vsing them (when they haue occasion) as if they vsed them not. They must not set their hearts vpon any thing which is here below, but aspire al­waies vnto those things which are aboue, desiring and long­ing with an earnest affection, to bee at home, euen at that heauenly mansion where the place of their perpetuall rest and abode is, and where they shall continue for euer with that blessed companie and so­ciety of those glorious and ce­lestiall creatures, which now continually desire and expect their comming, that so they may reioyce together in the fruition and accomplishment of the same felicitie and hap­pinesse. O Lord, let my heart, I beseech thee, bee more and [Page 406] more daily alienated and e­stranged from this world, and the things thereof, which are but meere vanitie; and let me carrie my self continually as a pilgrime and soiourner heere on earth (as all thy Saints haue been) not suffering my affe­ctions at any time to bee fa­stened vnto any of these fa­ding and transitorie things, but weaning them altogether from the same, resting alwaies in a desire and ioyful expecta­tion of my returne vnto that blessed home of mine; that so when this wearisome and sin­full course is ended, I may be receiued into thy celestiall mansion, and liue with thee in glorie for euer.