CONTEMP. &c. 1

Of the greatneſſe of Gods Love.

AWake my ſoule, out of the ſleep of ignorance, awake my heart, out of the ſleep of ſloth, ſtruggle out my ſpirit, out of the depth of darkneſſe, and look back upon thy God, look upon thy God that cannot be ſeen with corporeall eyes; becauſe he dwels in an inacceſſible light, that none can behold and live; yet doe I O my god, lift up my ſpirit unto thee, I raiſe up my ſoule unto thee, I caſt up mine eyes unto thee; my underſtanding deſires to meditate, and conſider of thee, but ſees not where to begin, how to goe on, aad in what manner to end; the ſtrings of my tongue are ready to move ſomething concerning thee, but can find neither Prologue, nor Epilogue, neither exordium, nor concluſion of thee. O my God, guide mee, and inſtruct mee, cheriſh and help mee. If I behold thee, what is it that in the firſt, ſecond, third, and laſt place doth offer it ſelfe unto me? it is love I obſerve, it is love that I ſee, and feele; all the objects of my eyes are love; the fiſhes in the Sea are ſparkes; each pile of graſſe in the feild is a ſpark; the trees in the orchards are ſparks; the leaves upon thoſe trees are ſparks; the often riſing and ſetting Sun is a ſpark; and his beames enlightning all the world are ſparks; the Moon's a ſpark, and her hornes are ſparks; the glittering Sarrs and all the hoſt of Heaven are ſparks of it. If all the members which thou haſt beſtowed upon my body, were tongues, if I had the underſtanding of an Angell, yet could I not comprehend or ſet forth the footſteps of thy love. O violent love, burning love, vehement love, love that cannot be kept within thee! When I was nothing, thou wouldeſt make me ſomething; and thou dideſt not create mee after the likeneſſe of the Sun or Moon, nor yet of the Angells; but after thine own likeneſſe, that I might ſerve thee in this life, and after this life, (changed not by death, but by an eaſie paſſage) that I might reigne with thee, and prayſe thee for evermore. Thou didſt place mee in Paradiſe, the garden of pleaſure, not to warre with beaſts, or to terrifie me with the Lyons roaring, or the grumbling of Beares, but that all the beaſts ſhould be ſubject to me, and ſtand in awe at my beck, and faune upon me in an humble obſervance. I would O God, find out thy works, but cannot. Moyſes writ ſomething, but he did but write, and ſtraight went hence unto thee; nor have J him now here preſent, for if he were I would hold him and beſeech him and beg of him for thy ſake, that hee would freely lay open to mee the wonderfull things of the Creation, wherein the fountaine of thy love did flow and bubble up moſt plentifully, and I would faſten my bodily eares to the words that ſhould break from his mouth. I would alſo admit them within the harbour of my breaſt; and hee ſhould make me ſenſible, and even touch my very ſoule; but hee is gone who did but ſhaddow forth unto me thy wonders, and there is not one left that can unfold the whole; and ſurely thou wouldeſt have mee underſtand thy works but in part only, whilſt I am abſent from thee; with thee I ſhall be moſt fully inſtructed. Neither yet doe I, O moſt Mighty, enough underſtand that part which thou haſt granted and permitted mee that I may underſtand; ſpare therefore (thou Mercy it ſelfe) thy ſervant the work of thy hands; thy hands have moulded mee, thy ſpirit gave mee a ſoule, and added life to my life, it gave mee what I can neither value nor number; and ſuch is God, and ſuch are Gods gifts; alas, give mee this alſo, that I may obtaine this neere tye of thy love, that as thou art my Creatour, thou wilt bee alſo my father, and that thou wilt not refuſe or reject, or diſinherit of thy love a ſonne unworthy ſo great a father.

CONTEMP. &c. 2

Of the Originall Nobility of Man, and his falling away from it.

I was in honour O lord and heavenly King, even ſo great that I cannot now ſet it forth; but when I was in honour I underſtood not what that honour was. In what an honoured place did I inhabit? in a place of delight. My life found neither trouble nor want; I was compaſſed with fragrant apples, I was propped up with honours, crowned with glory and honour, and placed above the works made of clay. But I was the more excellent in regard of the badge of thy divine image, and my lot and company was the ſociety of Angels, and the whole Army of the Hoſt of Heaven; but I did change that glory into the ſimilitude of a calfe that eateth hay. How many virtues was I cloathed with? What did I want whom mercy protected, truth inſtructed, juſtice did governe, and peace did cheriſh? But alas what ſhall I ſay O my God? thou beſtowedſt that property of reaſon upon me, whereby I might excell all living creatures, and didſt ſo ſublime it by a peculiar gift, that I wanted but little of attaining to thoſe thy moſt pure Miniſters; I knew this, but did not acknowledge it, nor did I weigh for what end thou gaveſtime this wiſdome. I call not that a good ſhip that is painted with gaudy colours, nor which hath a guilded or ſilvered head, nor whoſe hull is inlayed with ivory, nor which is fraught with Kingly wares and treaſures: but that is ſtrong and firme, and hath thick ribs to ſhut out the waters, and tough to endure the aſſaulting Seas, that is pliant to her rudder, can make good way and fetch all winds. I call that a good ſword, not that hath an embroydered belt, or whoſe ſcabard is ſet with pretious ſtones; but that that hath both a keene edge to cut, and a point that can pierce any armour. Men deſire a ſtraight rule and not a faire one; wee commend a thing ſo farre only as it is uſefull for that end for which it was made: So I, who did then know theſe things better than now, ought to have acknowledged that I received all good from thee; if I would have ordered my ſelfe according to the rule of thy heavenly government, the obedience only which thou requiredſt, and which without thy command was due unto thee, had made mee bleſſed and perfect if I would, and had not obeyed the deteſtable ſuggeſtions of the old Serpent. From my originall I was good, but that goodneſſe came only from thee; none of it was from mee, yet thou wouldeſt have ſome goodneſſe come from mee, to the end that thou mighteſt ſee I did acknowledge that thy goodneſſe; but I obeyed that traytour Satan, thy enemy, more willingly, and more readily than thee, when I might with more eaſe have contemned his ſlights than I can now thoſe foreſaid poyſons which are mixed in my draughts, and that even by my friends; I am undone, I am undone, I have neglected my perfection, O ſad and mournfull change! O man the inhabitant of Paradiſe, the lord of the earth, Citizen of Heaven, one of the Lord of Saboths family, and fellow heire of Heavenly vertues, from whence by a ſudden change art thou caſt headlong? by reaſon of infirmity hee lyes in a ſtable, for his likeneſſe to beaſts hee even needeth hay, for his untamed fierceneſſe hee is tyed to a manger. I am undone, I am undone, and nothing can repaire mee but thou, O moſt Mercifull.

CONTEMP. &c. 3.

Of Mans departing from God; of the ſubtilties of Satan; the omnipreſence and Clemency of God.

THou art wonderfull O God, and very much to bee praiſed, thy power is great, and there is no ſumming up of thy greatneſſe and goodneſſe, beneficence, and clemency. Though but a man, I will confeſſe thee; though I am but one piece of thy Creation, and but a man that carries his mortality about him, and that beares within him a teſtimony of his ſinnes; though ſuch a man, ſuch a portion of thy Creation; yet will I praiſe thee. If I were without thee, I ſhould not be, whatſoever I am, I ſhould become nothing. Thou waſt in mee to make me have a being, and to be with thee; but I departed from thee, although I am thus in thee, and with thee. But how could I depart or be abſent from thee? how could I fly from thy face? if I aſcended into Heaven thou waſt there; for thence didſt thou caſt downe headlong the ſpirit of pride and authour of diſobedience; if I ſhould make my bed in hell, thou wouldeſt be there alſo, for thou haſt the keyes thereof, and ſetſt open the gates thereof, for them that truſt not in thee; if I ſhould plunge my ſelfe in the depth of the Sea, thou wouldeſt there find mee, for thou didſt caſt diſobedient peeviſh Jonah into the maw of the whale; thou madeſt him there a priſoner 3 nights and 3 dayes, and then dideſt draw him thence, neither torne, hurt, or wounded: if alſo I ſhould take the wings of the morning, and make my habitation beyond the fartheſt Seas, even there would thy hand lead mee, and thy right hand take hold upon mee; if I ſhould ſay, yet ſhall the darkneſſe hide me; why, even night ſhall be turned into day unto me; darkneſſe it ſelfe cannot hide from thee, the night to thee ſhines like the day; darkneſſe is light, and light as darkneſſe; not houſes, nor vailes, nor walls, nor encloſures, no caves that are under ground, or dens that are full of darkneſſe, can ſhut out thy preſence; thou art more nearely preſent with us, than we are to our ſelves. Thou ſearcheſt through our life, our actions and all our thoughts. Can any lurking place hide any from thy preſence? Doeſt not thou fill heaven and earth, and art a God at hand, and alſo afarr off? Thou art all eye, for thou ſeeſt all things; all eare, becauſe thou heareſt all things; all hand, for thou frameſt all things; all foot, for thou art every where preſent; thou art neare me, thou art with me, thou art in mee, thou ſitteſt within mee, thou art an obſerver of all my good and evill, and art my protector; yet my God I went from thee, I departed, and forſook thee; I bluſh when I ſpeak this; yet I ſpeak it willingly; becauſe forthwith, thy mercy offers it ſelfe vnto me. Souldiers that keep not their ſtations, are puniſhed with death, and hee that in the battell firſt begins to runne, loſes his life: yea for a man but to loſe his target, is counted a crime, and to caſt away his weapons is counted a moſt reproachfull thing. Ah! how foulely have I left my ſtation, without thy command O heavenly & eternall commander: there was yet no ordered or marſhalled battell with Satan, I was but only aſſailed by a light skirmiſh, and at the very firſt onſet, I threw away the buckler of my integrity, and faith, I ſuffered my weapons to bee ſhaken out of my hands, and I fled from my allegeance, from before thy face. With what a ſlight reſiſtance, and by how childiſh a valour might I have overcome Satan? it was my ſloath, and not his force that made him ſtrong. As a man greedy of gaine, ſeeing an orphant have riches, entices him often to his houſe, makes him a banquet, beſtowes ſomething on him, and beguiles him with faire words, till hee hath gotten his meanes: ſo the devill ſeeing that I had a pretious treaſure, heavenly wiſdome, layd up in an earthen cheſt, preſently offered mee wealth, pleaſures and honours, that baited with theſe, hee might ſpoyle mee of my heavenly riches; he hath ſtripped mee and ſpoyled mee of all my treaſure which I ought to have kept holily, and might without difficulty have done it. But what gave he me in requitall? what riches? what pleaſures? what honours? What can he repay whoſe inheritance, and riches, is that infernall torment? that gulfe that vomits forth pitch, and flames, whoſe torments are without end, and his confuſion everlaſting. But thou my God for my backſliding haſt rendered a reacceptance of me; for my falling from thee, thou haſt requited mee with thy favour. For thy grace and mercy is precedent and greater than my whole offence and all my failings. I read it ſpoken by thy Kingly ſervant that thy mercy is great; great hee ſaid it was, but how great hee could not tell: wee have knowne that it is great, but how great we have not knowne nor can perceive. We know not the quantity of it's greatneſſe, which cannot be expreſſed in words. Wee ſee the fruit of mercy is great, for were it not extended beyond meaſure, we had not after our Fall been received of thee. Ah what is ſinne to the mercy of God? A ſpiders web that a blaſt of wind makes inviſible. Conſider a ſpark of fire if it ſhould fall into the Sea, could it continue living, or viſible? as a ſpark to the Sea, ſo is mans malice to Gods Pitty and Clemency; yea not ſo only, but farre leſſe; for the Ocean though it be vaſt, yet is not unmeaſurable, but of Gods mercies there is no meaſure.

CONTEMP. &c. 4.

Of the Councell of the Trinity touching the Creation of Man, and of the end why Man was created.

WHat is man that thou waſt mindfull of him? what the ſon of man that thou didſt viſit him? Thou thoughteſt of me before I had a being, I was in thy minde before I was in the world; thou appointedſt a conſult, O my God, when thou waſt to make me: after thou hadſt brought forth all things, and hadſt built this vaſt ſtage of the world, hadſt repleniſhed, and adorned it; thou didſt ſay, Let us make man after our Image. Thou God and Father, who art the beginning and originall of the Trinity, with whom conſultedſt thou? was it with the Angels, and thoſe holy Inhabitants of heaven? why ſurely they joyned not with thee in the Creation of man, nor was man made according to their ſimilitude. Did hee conſult with the Earth, or with the Sun? becauſe the Sun and man are ſaid to generate man; who may be ſuffered to trifle thus? Let us make man ſaidſt thou, we our ſelves will be buſie about him, and not an Angell, not the Earth, not the Sunne, not the Water, nor any other thing. But who is with thee? doeſt thou ſpeak in the Potentates language? Nor was this ſutable; thou ſpeakeſt to thy Coeternall and Coeſſentiall Son and holy Spirit; thou ſpeakeſt God with God, one God; as the Father workes, ſo works the Son, and holy Ghoſt, they work but one. Thou createdſt man the worke of the whole Trinity, to live in this world, better than the whole world, the moſt exquiſite Creature of all creatures, the moſt abſolute Creature, or little world, the Compendium, and Epitome of the great world; yet not properly a world, but a man framed by thy hands, by the Communion of the Son, and the holy Ghoſt, an image enlivened by the breath of thy mouth, and a repreſentation of thy ſelfe. Heaven, thy habitation, is reſplendant with ſhining, and ſparkling lights; the earth thy footſtoole doth ſwell with a thouſand ſort of fruits, and yet none of them is ſaid to be made as man was. O God, I am thy Image, I am thy likeneſſe, therefore I will be thy pleaſure, thy delight, thy content; thou wilt take care of me, and never forſake me; for who will neglect an image, and a worke made after his owne likeneſſe? To what end O my God, haſt thou done all this? why didſt thou forme and faſhion me in ſo excellent a manner? Thou madeſt man firſt of al, that he might be the ſtock of us all from which ſo many branches, ſo many leafes, and ſo many fruits ſhould ſpring. Thou wouldeſt that all ſhould have one originall, and a like beginning, that no man ſhould preferre himſelfe before another, as if he were the ſeed of a more noble father; that none ſhould deſpiſe another, that one ſhould not hurt another, but that we ſhould every one mutually aſſiſt each other in his labour; that we ſhould be all of one mind, will the ſame thing, covet, and deſire the ſame thing; and that there might not be heard any brawles, contentions, enviouſneſſe, or deceits amongſt us. For concord is that moſt fragrant Balſum that breathes thee that excellent odour. Thouſand thouſands in heaven do ſerve thee, and there is found no diſcord: thouſand thouſands ſhould alſo ſerve thee on earth, and there ſhould be found no diſcord. Thou didſt make us all that we ſhould be the cleere mirrour of thy Majeſty, of thy Glory, of thy Dignity, of thy Power, and of thy Wiſdome. The work commends the workman, and the effect ſhewes the cauſe. O unſpeakeable Artiſt! O unvaluable cauſer of all things! Let us take heed that we neither break nor ſpot, that we nor fully nor make dusky this glaſſe; let us beware that we cauſe not Satans vizard to be ſeene in this glaſſe, but let wiſdome, piety, goodneſſe, curteſie, chaſtity, and whatſoever is moſt excellent in thee, in part reflect in us. Thou madeſt us all, that wee ſhould bee the worlds perfection, beauty, and ornament. The world was a Cage cunningly and wonderfully wrought, but it wanted a ſinging bird, by whoſe warbling notes al things might be expreſſed: let us wordlings beware, that we be not to the world like a Crow, or dunghill bird, or a Jay, but a Lark, that doth night and day, in the evening, and at morne celebrate and proclaime his Creatours praiſe: let us not be a diſgrace, an unprofitable, and reproachfull burden, that the world may labour to expell with groans, and be glad, not ſorry to be rid of it, rather than wiſh for its returne. Thou haſt made us all that we ſhould admire, and ſet forth thee, and thy works. Thou haſt endued me with an underſtanding enlightned with heavenly fire, that by thy ſelfe I might diſtinguiſh thee from my ſelfe, and the world. Thou haſt given me a will, that knowing thee, I might love thee above all things, becauſe thou excelleſt all things, and doſt comprehend all good things within thee. Thou gaveſt me a tongue, that knowing, and loving thee, I ſhould lively expreſſe, and redouble thy praiſes. Be preſent my underſtanding, be preſent my will, be preſent my tongue, know him, love him, praiſe him: praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule, I will praiſe the Lord all my life long, I will ſing unto my God while I have any being: Praiſe ye the Lord, for it is good to ſing unto our God, it is a pleaſant, and comely thing to be thankfull unto him. Thou haſt made us all, that wee ſhould live with thee, and that wee ſhould be made partakers of thy glory and gladneſſe. The better any thing is, the more it communicates its goodneſſe to others: but thou my God, art the beſt of beſts, therefore thy goodneſſe doth moſt plentifully flow to all, ſo that they will lay hold, and embrace it; Vouchſafe ſafe O Lord, that whilſt I walke in the way, I may dwell and remaine with thee in life. Thou ordaineſt me to life, O ſuffer me not to fall by death; death is not of thee, but from my ſelfe; life is not from me, but from thee; take that from me which proceeds from me, and give me that which comes from thee, and I will praiſe thee in thine own holineſſe, I will praiſe thee in the firmament of thine owne power, I will praiſe thee in thy virtues, I will praiſe thee according to the magnitude of thy greatneſſe, I will praiſe thee in the ſound of the Trumpet, I will praiſe thee upon the Pſaltery, and Harpe, I will praiſe thee in the Cymball, and Quire, I will praiſe thee upon the ſtringed inſtruments, and Organs, I will praiſe thee in the well ſounding Cymballs, I will prayſe thee on the loud Cymballs, every thing that hath breath ſhall praiſe thee, Hallelujah. My ſpirit ſhall leap for joy in God my Saviour, for evermore; O moſt bleſſed God, give me a bleſſed age.

CONTEMP. &c. V.

Of Paradiſe and of caſting forth of Man from thence.

OMnipotent Creatour, thou dideſt beſtow a threefold grace upon man, the grace of the ſoule, originall righteouſneſſe: and the grace of the body, immortality: and the grace of a moſt pleaſant place to inhabit: but what is that place my God, wherein thou dideſt place my firſt parent, and mee in him? I read the words of thy penman, but what meane thoſe words? what is Paradiſe? what is Eden? teach me O my God, for no man (although hee think he hath gotten much knowledg) can inſtruct me ſufficiently. I collect that thou plantedſt a garden, and that it looked toward the Eaſt; I heare of foure rivers, Ganges, Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates, but yet I am not ſatisfied: for the doubts of Diſputants, and their wrangling, makes the matter very intricate unto me. But why doe I ſeeke for that which is not, and neglect that which is? give me the heavenly Paradiſe, and the earthly Paradiſe ſhall never trouble me. I underſtand it was a moſt fruitfull Garden, and ſtuffed with joy, pleaſure, and delight, in which the eyes did want nothing, nor the ears, or any other part of that body, which it did not enjoy. Within, thou hadſt furniſhed man with wiſdome, and underſtanding; without, thou ſufferedſt him not to want any thing: All the creatures came about that new king, enthroned by the King of kings, did tender him homage, and did reverence him with humble ſubjection. The tall, fertile, odoriferous, pruned, comely, and pregnant trees, how much did they refreſh him? the Alder tree, Almond tree, Cherry tree, Fig tree, Cidonian Punick aurea, and what ever elſe doe beautifie the fields? But above the reſt, notable are thoſe two, which thy booke deſcribes unto me, which did moſt of all ennoble the Garden, that Tree of life, and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill. When thy faithfull ſervant calls it the Tree of life, doth he doe it becauſe it had received this power from thee, that he which ſhould eat of its fruit, ſhould have his body confirmed in a ſetled ſtate of health, and a perpetuall ſtrength, that it ſhould not decline to worſe, or to death by ſickneſſe, or infirmity of age? Thy very Word doth intimate thus much unto me. Our firſt Parents were nouriſhed with the fruits of the other trees, that their living bodies ſhould not ſuffer hunger or thirſt: but therefore they were to taſte of the tree of life, that death might not creepe upon them from any ſide, nor that they ſhould (in continuance of time) periſh by reaſon of old age; the other trees were for nouriſhment; that for a Sacrament. How great was thy care my God, how great thy providence? thou gaveſt me not a momentany pleaſure, nor a yearely, but an everlaſting. Now I am weakned by diſeaſes, I am tormented with cares, I am tortured with griefe, but this is beſides thy will, though not contrary unto it; for what could happen to me againſt thy Will? could one haire have fallen from my head if thou hadſt not willed it ſhould be ſo? what was now my firſt habitation? the narrow and dark part of the womb, where I was environed with the ill ſented ſides of the belly. I come crying into this life, I depart out of it with ſweat, and I paſſe through it with labour, nor is there any one that can boaſt himſelfe free from this condition: being borne and brought into this light, I cannot move my ſelfe from one place to another; in my firſt infancy, I am void of all pleaſure, I am a burden both to my ſelfe and unto others, and expoſed to innumerable dangers, even till I attaine to theſe yeares wherein reaſon and judgement begin to floriſh in me, happier in that one thing than in the other part of my life, that I underſtand not my unhappy condition. What ſhall I ſay, O my God, my yeares are multiplyed, and my cares increaſe, but I was not even worthy of theſe things. Thou canſt not doe otherwiſe than lead me, and ſupport me with thy hand, although I did not deſerve life, but hell, and deſtruction, when I had opened my impious mouth and devoured the forbidden fruit: thou didſt ordeine the tree of the knowledge of good and evill, for my Altar, and Temple, that I ſhould yeeld thee due obedience in abſtaining from the fruit thereof; I would be made wiſer, and did become moſt unwiſe; before the Fall I had the knowledge and experience of a preſent good, I had only the knowledge but not the experience of an abſent evil: but after the Fall there was in me a certaine knowledge of a loſt good, but no experience of it, and I had a knowledge an experience of an adherent evill. Woe is mee; when ſhall I returne thither, whence I am expelled? I deſire not a garden, but a houſe; not a figure, but the thing figured; I deſire not to rule, but to become a ſervant; I aske not to ſit, but to ſtand and obſerve thy Commandements. Looke on mee, O my Father, looke on me, and approve me, and be pleaſed in thy mercy, that I may finde favour in thy ſight, that the dores of thy palace may bee opened unto mee when I knock; I beſeech thee by my Lord, thy Sonne, the man of thy right hand, the Sonne of man, whom thou haſt eſtabliſhed for a Mediatour betweene thy ſelfe and me, by whom thou ſoughteſt me when I ſought thee not, that I might ſeeke thy Word by which thou haſt made all things, and mee amongſt the reſt; thy onely Sonne, by whom thou haſt called thy beleeving people unto thy adoption, and amongſt them me alſo: I beſeech thee by him that ſits at thy right hand, and doth intercede unto thee for me, in whom are hidden all the treaſures of wiſedome, and knowledge, open quickly unto me, and grant me paſſage (O my God) that I may enter into the joy, which cannot enter into mee, becauſe it is farre greater than I am.

CONTEMP. &c. 6.

Of the Serpent the Deceiver.

THe devill is wicked, foule, and terrible; hee doth therefore as much as he is able, hide his own face, and puts on a ſtrange countenance; yet all his thoughts, all his endevours, and all his actions, are to deceive; when hee perſwades to good, hee deceives, for a greater miſchiefe that is to ariſe from that good, in perſwading unto evill under the ſhew of goodneſſe; in diſwading from good, as if it were evill: in diſwading from evill, that he may bring in a worſe evill. The deceiver invades the Serpent, that wee might not diſcover the hidden fraud, that hee might with more eaſe, and profit bring to paſſe that which hee had wickedly, and moſt cunningly projected: The Serpent was a beautifull and ſubtile creature, therefore not unfit to entice, to move, to perſwade, and to ſeduce. O thou deceiver, O thou turne-coate, O thou enſnarer, and deceiver: moſt lying ſpirit, thou tranſformeſt thy ſelfe into an Angel of light, that thy ſubtilty and ſlights of darknes ſhould not be diſcerned; thou diſſembleſt the night of thy malice, that wee might promiſe to our ſelves goodneſſe from that which is moſt vile, and wicked; thou mouldeſt, and painteſt, deckeſt, and faſhionſt thy inſtruments, that they may finde ſome time for acceptance with us; if thou ſhouldeſt rranſforme thy ſelfe into an enraged lyon, or wert ſo bold to change thy ſelfe into a cruell Beare, who would not tremble, take heed, and flie from thee? thou goeſt amongſt us therefore moſt comely and moſt courteouſly, that thou mayeſt, without being perceived, finde admittance of thoſe that are heedleſſe; yea, and oftentimes alſo of thoſe that are moſt wary. What are thoſe vile teachers, whoſe conſciences are feared, that glitter in ſo many ceremonies, ſo many formes of worſhip, and ſo many commentaries or expoſitions of things, but ſerpents? but broods of vipers, that cunningly bite us? they put on ſheeps cloathing, that they may cover their wolviſh clawes. Thou old Serpent, thou uſeſt the ſubtill wits of men, which are the fitteſt of all for thy deſires; the ſimple, humble, and abject doe ſeldome broach Hereſies. He that hath profited much in knowledge, for the moſt part, attributes much to himſelfe; he avoides the beaten way, wherein the credulous common ſort of Chriſtians doe walke; and is wiſe apart, and departs, to fall headlong into the gulph of errors. Give me, my God, moderate wiſedome, but that I may profit exceedingly in a holy life, and in ſaving faith: thou wilt not aske mee hereafter what I have ſcene, but what I have beleeved; not what I have read, but what I have done. Grant that I may receive with an humble heart, what thou offereſt mee, and ſetteſt forth in thy Word; not regarding what either ſuperſtitious reaſon, or the miſchievouſly obtuſe pitch of wit, and fooliſh ſubtilties of Doctors doe argue. Thou art the mouth of truth; grant that I may beleeve what thou ſpeakeſt; the Divell is the mouth of vanity; grant that what he lyingly utters may be ſuſpected and avoided by mee. Grant I may valiantly reſiſt and oppoſe him in fighting with him. Hee is a ſerpent, if he but once gaine but a little intermiſſion, hee crowdes him ſelfe in, and wee can hardly expell him but though wee overcome him, as it were, hee doth recollect himſelfe, and aſſayes to get new ſtrength; even as the ſerpents taile cut off, doth by licking grow againe; and if his head get in any where, all his body will quickly follow. O thou Conquerour of the Serpent, who art not ſaid to bruiſe his tayle, but breake his head, helpe me that I yeeld not: if I be ſtricken, if I doe fight with him, grant me alſo power, O my God, to trample under my feet ſerpents, and ſcorpions, and all the power of the adverſary, that nothing may doe me hurt. Vouchſafe, holy Trinity, but one God, that I may alwaies be mindfull of thee, that I may alwayes have thee with me; and all the power of Satan ſhall vaniſh away. The ſerpent is afraid of the three leaved graſſe, and never lyes upon it; Satan abhorres thy name and memory, and to call upon thee; nor dares approach the adorers of the Trinity, nor thoſe that inhabit neere the Deity. Bee preſent with me, O God, forſake me not my Redeemer. The ſerpent flyes the Hart, he is driven away by the fume of the fat, and of the Harts-horne; thou art the morning Hart, thou art that fume, that odour whereby that infernall ſpirit is weakned and repelled. Remove farre from me gluttony, and intemperancy. The ſerpent cannot endure a faſting man's ſpittle, but dyes being ſprinkled with it; make mee poure out my prayers with faſting unto thee, and that I may ſend forth my ſighes, and call forth my groanes, and I ſhall be preſerved in ſafety. I often think of that (O my God) which afterwards I diſlike of; yet I confeſſe thoſe things unto thee, becauſe thou ſeeſt them, though I confeſſe them not unto thee; and except I doe confeſſe them, thou doſt puniſh them; I often deale thus with my ſelfe. Oh that I had bin ſo made, that I could not have fallen and been deceived. I thinke of good in an ill manner, I therefore thinke of thoſe things, that thou mighteſt never have been wroth with mee, nor that I might have given thee cauſe to be angry; this had been good, but I think it in an ill way; for why haſt thou not made me ſo? becauſe thou wouldſt not; why wouldſt thou not? becauſe thou wouldſt not; I muſt not bee more wiſe than is ſitting for me. But I ſuppoſe that reaſonable creature is not of a little goodneſſe, who avoides ill, by comparing of evills. Thou didſt not O God, violently hinder mans Fall, becauſe thou kneweſt how to draw ſome good from it; yet followes it not from thence, that thou didſt will his Fall, but didſt rather will that good which thou kneweſt how to derive from his Fall; but the Fall it ſelfe thou didſt hate, and extremely deteſt. What ſhall I thinke my God? pardon him that hath been deceived thereby: mee thinks thy ſervants are not to be accounted faithfull, and thrifty, if they muſt be fettered, and ſhackled, to force them to doe thy pleaſure; but when they freely, and of their owne accords do manly act that which belongs unto them. That is not acceptable unto thee, which is forced, and drawne from us by violence, but that which proceeds from true virtue; for virtue proceeds from a free deliberation, not from neceſſity but free deliberation, and election, require a freedome of will. But why doe I diſpute O my God? let it ſuffice me that thou didſt not produce a nature not ſubject to ſinne, becauſe it pleaſed thee not to doe it. Pardon me, pardon me, O my God, and deny not to forgive my curioſity. We ſhould not exerciſe our ſelves in an idle and vaine curioſity concerning the creatures, but we ſhould direct our ſteps to things immortall, and which indure for ever. Thoſe things which thou wouldſt conceale, are not to be ſearched into. Thoſe things which thou haſt revealed, are not to be neglected, that we be not found unlawfully curious in the one, and damnably ingratefull in the other; I will ſeek truth in truth, not in vanity; I will finde it when I have ſought it, for truths ſake, not for vanity; nor will I traffique for the gaine of death in the words of life.

CONTEMP. &c. 7.

Of Gods Providence, and Preſervation.

AS there is not O my ſoule, O my ſenſe, O my thought, any moment, wherein, my God, I doe not uſe to enjoy thy goodneſſe and mercy; ſo ought there not to be any moment wherein I may neglect to have thee preſent to my memory; I ſhould account that I have loſt all that time wherein I have not thought upon thee, O my God. I ſhould account O God, all that time loſt, wherein I doe no: meditate upon thee, I therefore come again unto thee; O thou never failing light; O thou untyred and never extinguiſht life; O thou ever ſpringing fountaine; O thou ſeed-plot of life; O thou chiefe beginning of wiſdome; O thou firſt originall of goodneſſe; thou wilt not reject me O my God, for I ſpeak not to jeering man, but to the Lord, that ſplenitickly laughs not at mee, nor flowts mee with his countenance. I behold, my God, this large extended Fabrick, and I am ſtruck dumb; it was made by thee, and thou hadſt an end of thy work, yet didſt thou not leave thy work; thou didſt not like an Architect depart from the piece of work thou hadſt made; hee goes away, and after regards it not; but thou art ſtill preſent, and remaineſt the ſame. Moſt powerfull and wiſe God, whatſoever thou didſt once make, that thou doeſt alwayes preſerve, by thy Omnipotency; and doſt order it by thy wiſdome. I conſider the nature of thy viſible creatures, their place, order, condition, motion; agreements, harmony, comelineſſe, beauty, greatneſſe, uſe, delight, variety, alteration, and indurance; that is in theſe corruptible things. I find thy providence manifeſted in each part of thy creation; I ſee it in heaven, and in the lights of heaven, the Sun, the Moon, the Starrs, in the ayre and in the Clouds, in the Earth, in the Sea, in the plants, in the herbs, in the ſeeds, in living creatures, as well reaſonable, as unreaſonable, foure-footed beaſts, flying fouls, in ſwimming and creeping creatures. Think with thy ſelf my moſt ſweet ſoule, who it is that orders heavens axeltree that in ſo many thouſand yeers it's not growne old, nor hath received any alteration; and although it be made of a paſſible and corruptible ſubſtance: yet by the word of it's creation, it remaines ſtill upheld in the ſame ſtate; O Lord our God, there is none like unto thee. There is none ſo rude, nor of ſo brutiſh a behaviour, but if he lift up his eyes towards heaven, although he may be ignorant, whoſe providence it is that governes all this that hee ſees; yet that doth not underſtand from the very order, conſtancy, moderation and profit of theſe things, that there is a Providence. Though wee ſhould find ſome living creatures, in regard of their uſe, unprofitable, and ordeined to no fit uſe for us; yet might wee receive profit, in beholding them; and they might be more profitable to their hearts that behold them, than to the eyes of thoſe that uſe them. And although ir were apparent that they were hurtfull, and pernicious to mans temporary health; yet would it not follow, but they might mutually ſerve for his good; though not for his meat and ſervice: yet to exerciſe his wit, according to that proceeding of common inſtruction, which is ready at hand to every one that will make uſe of reaſon, whereby the inviſible things of God are made apparent to the underſtanding, by the things that are made. Thou haſt therefore O God made all things profitable, and nothing fruitleſſe. Shall I then bee only without profit? ſhall I bee the vileſt creature thou haſt made? let this be farre from me: Let me O God, be profitable to all that aske my help, or that aske it not; for thou haſt given me thus many things without asking. Let me be a helper to all t ••• need; and having underſtanding, let mee altogether take heed, that I be not ſilent; having abundance of all things, let mee not grow benummed in charity; having skill to governe, let me impart the uſe of it to my neighbour; I having opportunity to ſpeak to the rich, let mee intercede for the poore; let mee as much as may be, help others in their neceſſities; and ſometime even beyond my ability; let me account an other mans diſtreſſe, mine owne; and as I would deſire to bee helped in my trouble, ſo that I may not for any reſpect of my owne, deferre to help another. Let the help I give a nother, be pleaſing to mee; which doth indeed redound more to his profit that offers it, than to his advantage that receives it; it is both profitable to the giver, and doth according to the neceſſity of the occaſion cheere him, that received it: that ſo in one bargaine made, (which ſeldome falls out) both parties may ſeeme to have gotten their wiſhed for gaine. O thou mad man, that for to ſave a halfepeny, doſt loſe a groat; and to preſerve a temporary thing, doſt loſe that which is immortall. No creature thou, ô God, didſt make was ill, though it might ſeeme ill, becauſe I did not rightly underſtand it; thou beholdeſt all things thou haddeſt made; and behold they were exceeding good. Hee that ſayes thy works are ill, deformed, and not beautifull, conceives not all things are faire to their former, or workman, that uſeth all things to the government of this univerſe, which hee rules with a ſupreme Law. But if an unskillfull man ſhould goe into a workmans ſhop and ſhould ſee many tools, but knowes not for what uſe they are; if he be very ſimple, he thinks them ſuperfluous. But if unawares he light into a work-houſe, or by ill handling of ſome ſharp iron inſtrument, doth wound himſelfe, he beleeves there are in it many pernicious and hurtfull things; but the workman knowing how to uſe them, laughs at his folly, and not regarding his fooliſh words, doth conſtantly make uſe of his ſhop. And yet men that are ſo ſimple, dare hardly in the preſence of ſuch a workman find fault with things they know not; but when they ſee them, judge them neceſſary, and ordained for ſome uſe. But in this world whoſe builder and governour thou art O my God, men dare find fault with many things, whoſe uſe they know not; and would bee thought to know that which they are altogether ignorant of, concerning theſe inſtruments of the Almighty Work-maſter. O the raſhneſſe of fraile man! thou my God who art (in thy ſelfe) the Alpha, and the Omega, as thou art in the Angels like ſweetneſſe, and comelineſſe▪ in thy Church as a maſter of a family in his houſe; in the ſoule like a bridegroome in the bride-Chamber; in the reprobate like feare and horrour, in the juſt as a helper and protecter; in the world as the author, and governour thereof; what ſhall I that am ſo unprofitable, and ugly render unto thee, for ſo many benefits and ornaments? I live and proſper in thee, in thee am I moved, and by thee doe I ſubſiſt. But thou O Lord, who liveſt for ever, doſt reſt in thy ſelfe, and by thy ſelfe haſt all things in thy ſelfe, and doſt enjoy and find all things there; thou needeſt nothing, thou ſeekeſt for nothing without thee, thou ſufficeſt thy ſelfe in ſtead of all things, and thou thy ſelfe art all things. Thou art both God, and Lord of all things, thou art before the beginning of ages, and before any thing that may bee ſpoken of, art thou both God and Lord of all things created; and with thee doe remaine the cauſes of all inconſtant things, and the immutable originals of all mutable things doe abide with thee, and with thee doe live the everlaſting cauſes of all irrationall and temporary things. O mercifull God, tell mee thy ſuppliant and miſerable creature, tell mee, what can I repay thee? can I imagine ſo ſmall a ſpace, or ſuch a minute, wherein if thou ſhouldeſt withdraw thy hand, and wouldeſt leave me who am of no account, to my ſelfe that am nothing, I could remaine any thing? I can neither move hand, foot, nor finger, except thou granteſt mee that motion; withhold, thy beck, and in a beck the frame of the world will be diſſolved. Seeing then I live, and am preſerved by thy goodneſſe, all houres, and every minute of thoſe houres; O that I might aſcend to thee every houre, and every point of time; O that I might conferr with thee, pray unto thee, glorifie thee, and might conſecrate my life and motion, my ſpirit and ſenſes, and my whole ſtrength unto thee. Thou my God art all things unto mee. Let me being in thee, be all things to thee. In God I will live to God, in God I will move to God; in God whatſoever I doe, I will doe it to God. All things my God, by thy appointment doe ſerve mee; all that is in mee in like manner ſhall yeeld a ready ſervice to thee. And becauſe thou haſt tempered whole nature for my uſe, profit, and delight; with what face, mouth, or heart, ſhall I doubt of thy care, and providence over mee? if thou doubteſt, my ſoule, thou doubteſt of God himſelfe, and neither knoweſt the Creator, nor the Creature; ſhake off my ſoule thy trembling. Thou haſt about thee, and in thee thy Saviour, whoſe moſt bountifull heart the heavens and earth doe witneſſe unto thee.

CONTEMP. &c. 8.

Of the cloathing of Adam the first Man.

ALas my God, Adam did ſinne; though created by thee yet broke hee thy commandement, went back, and became unprofitable; hee deſired to ſee that thou wouldeſt not have him to ſee. But what ſaw hee O my God? he ſaw his owne nakedneſſe. His firſt nakedneſſe was nothing elſe, than tokens of chiefe happineſſe, and of the greateſt riches; but the nakedneſſe that this man ſaw after he had ſinned, was meere ruine, a teſtimony of everlaſting woe, and want. That firſt man ſaw his body naked, but his ſoule was more naked, ſpoyled and diſrobed of knowledge, wiſdome, integrity, and originall innocency; hee covered his nakedneſſe, being enwrapped with ſhame; but this was a wretched garment; he ſowed together figg leaves, and made aprons, to cover himſelfe, and his ſeducing wife; O vaine mantles, O lamentable coverings! And what are all mens cloathings that ſeeme ſo ſumptuous, and glittering, but figge leafes that quickly vaniſh to nothing, and gald thoſe that weare them? O would to God that as often as we cloath our ſelves, wee were urged with the ſharp and ſtinging point of repentance; for they are tokens of our wants, ſignes of our ſhame, arguments of our miſery, and comforts for our extreme infirmities. Thou ſinfull and fallen man, why art thou proud in ſetting forth thy impieties? thou thiefe, why braggeſt thou of a halter? why doſt thou vauntingly boaſt of anothers fleece? what carrieſt thou under it, but a ſack full of dung, the rotten bag of thy ſoule? thy skin is not enough to cover thee; nor except thou beeſt moſt impudent, doſt thou let any one ſee it, but getteſt ſome other thing to ſupply the want of thine owne. I behold mine owne clothes, I ſee a hell of evills; yet I conſider the depth of thy care, providence, and mercy; for thou helpeſt mee thus naked, before I can underſtand mine owne want and nakedneſſe; and commandeſt all the creatures to haſte unto me, that they might cover my nakedneſſe, and ſupply my wants. Thou thy ſelfe moſt mercifull God, as I remember, didſt clothe ſinnefull man in a Lambs skinne, not in Lyons, Beares, Foxes, or Wolves skins, that thou mighteſt teach him thy hatred to cruelty, greedineſſe, deceit, and wrath, and thy love to unſpotted ſimplicity; thou madeſt his garment of the skins of dead cattell, that thou mighteſt ſhew us, how we were fallen from life to death; how of immortall we were become mortall; that we were from the earth, and muſt returne to the earth againe. Thou tookeſt a skin of a Lamb ſlaine, that thou mighteſt witneſſe unto us, that our Fall was only to bee healed by a Lambe to be ſlaine. O thou garment of the golden age! thou unſpotted Lamb, ſlaine to the beleevers before the beginning of the world. O thou Meſsias that waſt promiſed, and food appointed from all eternity; thou who waſt made the ſeed of the Woman, and haſt bruiſed the Serpents head: cloath me with thy merits, and mine owne deſerts ſhall nothing hurt mee; cloath mee with thy righteouſneſſe, and mine owne unrighteouſneſſe ſhall not condemne mee; cloath me with thy holineſſe, and mine owne iniquity ſhall not accuſe mee; cloath me with faith in thee, and I ſhall one day receive the robe of happineſſe. Nothing can cover the filthy nakedneſſe of a ſinner; nothing can hide me from Gods judgement, but thy coat, O heavenly Lambe, but the holes of thy wounds, but the yawning ſcarres of thy body; I will put thee on by a ſteadfaſt faith, and with the Church of old I will triumph before thee.

CONTEMP. &c. 9.

Of Noahs Ark, Crow, and Dove.

THou art (my God) very long ſuffering, and thy wrath grants ſinners a very large time, nor doſt thou root out ſinners on a ſuddaine. Mans malice was great, and every thought of his heart was continually bent to miſchief; they neglected thy Word, nor did they obey thy Spirit that was to lead them; thou therefore didſt repent thee of thy Creation, and didſt reſolve to deſtroy this Inne of the World, with all the gueſts thereof: yet did not thy juſtice haſte very much to execute judgement, but thy mercy interpoſed a hundred and twenty yeares, that thou mightſt ſee whether by often preaching, any could be moved to worke repentance. Ah my God, thou goeſt with two feet, one of juſtice, the other of mercy; but mercy alwayes makes the firſt ſtep, and juſtice the later; nor doſt thou delight in the death or deſtruction of a ſinner, but thou wilt, and commandeſt that he bee converted and live. But all thy expectation was in vaine, and thy mercies were entertained with ſcorne; the wrath therfore of thy juſtice was kindled, and the waters of the Flood broke in upon the earth; the fountaines of the great deepe were broken up, and the Cataracts of heaven were opened, and it rained upon the earth for many dayes, and almoſt all thy creatures periſhed; and among men, none, but thy Noah, and his family, were preſerved in the Ark. Thou forſakeſt not (my God) thou moſt juſt, and moſt bountifull God, thoſe that worſhip & adore thee, but doſt preſerve them in fire and water, and amidſt the ſtorme of growing miſeries thou doſt nor deſpiſe, or reject any; thou doſt not affright any one, except he who is ſo mad as to abhorr thee. My God the horne of my ſalvation, thou that takeſt me up; thou Father of mercies, God of all Conſolation; O Lord my Strength, my Fortreſſe, my Refuge, my Deliverer; Canſt thou draw the ſword of juſtice, and not annoynt the point with the oile of mercy? He lyes therefore hid in ſafety, in that wonderfull ſhip, out of which not life but preſent death was to bee found. What ſhall I ſay that that ſhip did repreſent, but thy Church? which is toſſed 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 to and fro with ſundry Stormes of perſecution, and waves of adverſitie, and hath no fixed ſtation; yet the true, and eternall ſafety is contained there, which out of it is offered to none. Noah was the Steere-man hereof: but thou, O God art the Governour both of Noah and it, and thou waſt Noahs true and heavenly Comforter, who doſt not ſuffer it to ſinke. The waters of the Flood overwhelmed the palaces of Kings, but did every day better than other beare aloft the Ark of Noah: ſo doe perſecutions deſtroy earthly kingdomes, but thou ſuffereſt not thine owne Kingdome to be overthrowne, but doſt even encreaſe and enlarge it by ſtormes of temptations. Noah ſent a Raven, and a Dove out of the Ark: the Raven purſued his prey, and did never returne to the Arke of Noah; the Dove did returne, and was received in againe of this Steereſman: O Chriſt, let mee abandon the Raven-like gluttony, the lovelineſſe of pleaſures; for it is very rare that any one ſeated amongſt the delights of the age ſhould remaine free from a ſmatch of vice, in which although hee bee not forthwith inthralled, yet is hee ſometimes drawne away by them; nor can he be long ſafe, who ſtands next to danger; let me remember that I am to play the Souldier in ſuch a kind of warfare, wherein there is no reſt given; I will reſolve to overcome pleaſures, which have deſtroyed many good ingenuities. The Dove finding no ſeat to reſt upon, returned to the Ark, and was admitted into it. O Chriſt my repoſe, my ſoule beaten with the flood of ſinnes, findes no refuge in this world, no comfort, no aide; be thou only my retiring place, and my peacefull ſanctuary; the Dove makes her neſt in the holes of the rock, and in the cave of the flint wall; my ſoule ſhall reſt in the holes of thy wounds, and ſhall therein perpetually delight her ſelfe; no creature ſo well pleaſed with gemitus as the Turtle, ſhee mourns both night and day; Oh Chriſt I will ſend forth no other voice, than a mourning, and lamenting voice; that I have not my portion hereafter with the Ravens, but that thou O Chriſt mayſt ſay to me; behold my love thou art faire, thy eyes are Doves eyes; ariſe my love, my faire one and come away; ariſe, make haſte my love, my Dove, my faire one, and come away. O Chriſt when ſhall I come?

CONTEMP. &c. 10.

Of Jacobs Ladder.

STir up now thy ſelfe, O my ſoule, and raiſe up thy whole underſtanding, and conſider (as much as thou art able) how great, and what that is that is ſet before thee; goe into Bethel, enter into the houſe of God, wherein the Lord inhabits, which is the Gate of Heaven. Where canſt thou take better reſt than where thy God doth reſt? If the heart of man bee not fixed in that eternall place, it can never be firme, but more wavering than motion it ſelfe, paſſing from one thing to another, ſeeking reſt where there is none to be found; for if his captive affections be taken up in theſe tranſitory, and vaine things, he can finde no true reſt, becauſe the ſoule is of ſo great a value, that nothing but the chiefe good can content it: enter therefore (O my ſoule) into Bethel, goe into the houſe of thy God, dwell in the high place, accompany thy God. Aſcend, O my ſoule, aſcend; the Ladder is ſet, by which thou maieſt climbe to the moſt High. What is that Ladder, O my God, which thy holy Iſrael did ſee in his dreame? which ſtood upon the earth, and reached heaven with his top, by which alſo the Angels of heaven did aſcend, and deſcend? is it not thy righteous Sonne, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and by whom only we have acceſſe to thee. He ſtood upon the earth, becauſe hee aſſumed our humane nature into the unity of his Perſon, and the branch of Ieſſe ſprang from the earthly Virgin. Thou my God, willing of old to heale man (the King of all thy creatures) of his ſinne, didſt make as it were thy bleſſed Sonne in a ſort to goe back from the excellency of the Divinity, and by extreme humility, having paſſed over nine degrees, thoſe nine orders of Angels, to deſcend by the incarnation, unto the tenth degree, even the humane nature. He was borne unto us, he lived amongſt us, he alſo ruleth amidſt us; he is with us, nor doth he ever forſake thoſe whom he once determined to love. O bleſſed Ladder, fixe thy ſelfe alſo upon my heart, and cauſe my ſoule to mount up, and remaine with thee. Thou didſt deſcend for my ſake, let me aſcend to thee; as thou haſt conformed thy ſelfe to my infirmity, ſo make me partake of that reſt and pleaſure, which no care can either interrupt or leſſen. The top of this Ladder did touch the heaven, but thou the Meſſiah doſt not only touch heaven, and art from thence to come unto us, and haſt from all eternity taken thy paſtime therein, but haſt alſo framed it; thou, who haſt neither beginning nor end of dayes, for yeſterday, to day, and for ever, art thou the firſt and the laſt, the great, the true, and bleſſed God, who waſt in the beginning, and waſt glorified with the Father before the foundation of the world was layd. But the Ladder was but one that did reach from earth to heaven; ſo thou O moſt ſweete Jeſus art Lord of heaven, and a man of the earth, yet but one Perſon, but one Man, one God, and one Mediatour between a diſpleaſed God, and a wretched man, by the union of the Divine, and humane nature. By this Ladder Angels aſcend, and deſcend; becauſe Angels deſire to look into the myſtery of ſo holy, and admirable an union, who notwithſtanding, doe alwayes ſee, and heare the holy Spirit inſtructing them. There doe alſo other Angels aſcend, and deſcend, even the Teachers, and all beleevers, who ought to preach nothing elſe but Chriſt, becauſe there is no admittance to life by any other; nor is there any open familiar, and daily paſſage to the Father but this. Imitate O my deere ſoule, the pure, chaſte, and holy Angels in purity, in chaſtity, in ſanctity; except thou wilt lie groveling on the earth, and laden with the durt of thy ſinnes, bee thruſt into hell. O Lord, I cannot lift up my ſelfe; bee thou my guardian where ever I goe, and bring me out of baniſhment into thy promiſed Land; nor neglect or forſake mee till I ſhall returne into my Countrey. In the meane time, let mee be like Iacob, a ſupplanter, and by faith let mee trample upon ſinne, let me prevaile, and obtaine the bleſſing: let mee reſt upon the living Corner Stone, and I ſhall not bee moved or confounded: let me be alſo a ſpirituall Stone, built upon that Corner Stone, that I may become an Habitation, and Temple of Divinity. Ah Jeſu, my Redemption, my Love, and Deſire, bee preſent with mee: I invoke thee, I cry unto thee with a ſtrong voice, with my whole heart, which voice none but thou canſt heare. I invite thee into my ſoule, enter into it, and fit it for thy ſelfe, that thou mayeſt poſſeſſe it without ſpot or wrinkle; for a pure habitation is ſuteable for a moſt pure Lord: ſanctifie mee therefore thy veſſell, which thou haſt made; empty out the malice, and fill it with grace, and keepe it ſtill full, that I may bee now, and ever a Temple fitting for thee to dwell in. Moſt Sweet, moſt Benigne, moſt Loving, moſt Deere, moſt Mighty, moſt Deſired, moſt Pretious, moſt Lovely, moſt Beautifull. Thou that art ſweeter than Honie, whiter than Milke, or Snow, pleaſanter than Nectar, more pretious than Gemmes, or Gold, and deerer unto mee than all the riches, and honours of the World.

CONTEMP. &c. 11.

Of the moſt tender care of God over his people; to be collected from his care for his people Iſrael in the wilderneſſe.

MY ſoule doth often languiſh, and my heart is often full of great cares when I thinke what I may bee, namely, an example of weakeneſſe the ruine of Time, the ſcorn of Fortune, the image of Mutability, the beame of Envie, and Calamity, and the reſt nothing but Flegme, and Choler. Oh, who ſees not how many things may be every where buſie upon the circumference of the earth? Oh with how many teares and ſighes, they fill the earth, all which doe as it were by a certaine fate accompany mans life? he deplores the ſickneſſes, which poſſeſſe this his body; he deplores the uncertaine condition of his health, and the ambiguity of his life. For what Age or Time is there, wherein hee is not thwarted by ſome evill? doth he not ſo ſoone as he is borne, and newly pulled from the moiſt receptacles of the womb, abound with ſlime and filth, and make all things ring with his bawling cries? after, if hee live to the flower of his age, he is carried violently by his intemperate heate; if he attaine to his youth, by reaſon of the ardor and violence of his ſpirit, he cannot be kept within the bounds of his duty by no counſell, or admonitions; if he live to his old age he then dies and withers by little and little; yet all this is not enough; for what Art could man ever yet finde out, either to divert a plague, or to ſtop the force of violent rayns falling from heaven, or ſtay an earthquake, or quench a fire breaking out of the earth? I ſee a ranke and mutuall ſucceſſion of evills, and I behold a continuation of dangers: But if I come to the ſoule, I ſee even there an army of diſeaſes, by which it is beſieged; if I ſhall wipe away griefe, feare comes in its place; if feare retire, anger ariſeth; if anger bee appeaſed, envy comes in its roome; miſery is at hand, and evils are neere; nor doth ever any certaine reſt befall us. Alas, alas, miſerable creatures that wee are, how often is man even brought to nothing? I am aſtoniſhed when I ruminate on theſe things, and I poure forth my heart like water; I am not contented with ſmall drops of teares, but poure forth ſuch plenty, as the violent and ſwift running ſtreame is wont to doe; I can no where finde eaſe, nor ever peace, nor can I finde any where comfort, but when I flie to thee my God my Fatherly God; for thou poureſt forth thy goodneſſe night and day, without ceaſing. As it is the property of heate to warme, and of cold to coole: ſo is it thy property, good God, to doe that which is good. I am ſurely a wretch, and ſufficiently afflicted; yet thy goodneſſe, thy beneficience, thy care, hath overcome all my miſery, vanquiſheth, and utterly brings to nothing all my affliction. If I make a juſt reckoning, there is no man but oftner ſees it cleare, than ſtormy; upon whom thou doſt often poure forth thy bleſſings above his hopes, and thy gifts have overcome his wiſhes: thy bounties are free, nay, unexpected monuments of goodneſſe doe of their owne accord flow from thee: for thou, King of the world, art thou compaſſed about by any offerings, or ſacrifices, that thou ſhouldeſt confer on Mankind all theſe things that are ſo uſefull for his life? doſt thou not adminiſter the engendring heate of the Sunne, the coole refreſhings of the Night, the Seaſons, the Winds, and Raynes to good and bad, to juſt and unjuſt, to free men and to ſervants, to poore and rich, with an equall hand? It is thy property, O powerfull and true God, to afford bleſſings unſought for, to weary and feeble creatures, and ſuch as are continually brought low by many ſorts of croſſes. But I am exceedingly refreſhed, and I am tranſported with wonderfull joy, when I conſider that thou art alwaies an evident aſſiſter of good men, and doſt maintain the better cauſe. Although many that belong to thee, do behold the poſterity of Iſrael often murmuring, and curſing; yet is hee a rejoycing victorious rock, amidſt all the greateſt dangers he is invironed withall: He is oppreſſed, vexed, troubled, and almoſt overwhelmed; but my helping God comes in ſeaſon to his ayde, to deliver thoſe that mourne. O admirable care of God for his people! O more than Fatherly protection I am ſcarce my ſelf, when I behold thoſe great workes of my protecting God. Moſes ſet in the Wilderneſs to feed his flock, ſees a burning Buſh, heares thee out of the Buſh, receives thy Commands, is exalted in Power, is ſent to Pharaoh, approaches him, ſpeakes to him, is contemned, and overcomes him. Egypt is ſmitten, Pharaohs diſobedience is ſcourged, and that not after one manner of way, that the ſacrilegious King might bee tormented with variety of puniſhments. And what? after this he rebells ten times, and is ſo many times puniſhed. What is it then that I ſay? why, I do conceive that during all this, thou tookeſt knowledg of the eſtate of thy children, thou didſt judge of it, thou tookeſt care of them, and didſt moſt benignly protect them; as often as thou ſmoteſt the rebelling Egyptians, ſo often didſt thou caſt backe thine eye upon thine owne; ſo often didſt thou preſerve them, and judge their enemies. But what followed all this I have ſaid? Iſrael is let to depart, doth celebrate the Paſſeover, doth rob the Egyptians, and goes thence with great riches. Pharaoh repents him, muſters an army, overtakes them in their flight; his army is ſtopped, hee is divided from them by darkneſſe, the ſea is dried up, Iſraell rejoyceth he is delivered by the officious patience of the waves; Pharaoh follows after them, the ſea returneth upon him, and hee is ſwept away by the working waves. In order after theſe things, the Hebrew Nation, that had conquered without warre, enters the wilderneſſe, and journeyth without travel, and walketh without a way: God uſhering them; they honourable in having God a fellow-ſouldier with them; and being mighty, by his heavenly guidance following the moving Pillar, cloudy by day, and fiery in the night; uſing fit diſtinctions of colours for the difference of the times, namely, that he might diſtinguiſh the light of the day, by a muddy darkneſſe, and that he might enlighten the dusky night by a bright ſhining flame. Thou addeſt O wonderfull, bountifull and mercifull God, Fountains ſpringing in a moment: thou addeſt the healed waters, either given, or altered; keeping their forme, but leaving their nature. Thou giveſt them tops of mountains with ſtreames guſhing out; thou makeſt their duſty fields flow with new ſtreames; thou giveſt them multitudes of quailes, brought to their tents, as they journyed. Thou God, moſt indulgent in pitty, thou giveſt man things not onely fit for his uſe, but baites to intice him unto thee: my God, thou loveſt and cheriſheſt thy people, even with pleaſure, to thee; Thou aſſiſtedſt them forty yeares long, the ſtarres daily affording them food, and the dropping poles of heaven in like manner flowing with pleaſant ſuſtenance, not onely for livelihood, but even for their delight. Thou preſervedſt the men, without addition, or diminution in the parts of their bodies; without growing of the nails, without wearing of the teeth, the haire alwayes of one length, their feet not gauled, their garments without tearing, and their ſhooes without mending. The honour of thy ſervants doth abound even in the dignity of their vile Cloathing. Here I finde God in his office of inſtructing men, deſcending to the earth; the Son of God applying himſelfe to the earthly cuſtomes of men, & a numberleſſe number of commmon people admitted to the fellowſhip of thy divine familiaritie, to prevaile with thee in the honour of thy holy friendſhip. I heare God ſpeaking neere at hand, preaching the Law with his divine mouth; I view the letters graven with the finger of God, the learning people, and teaching God; and that there is as it were but one ſchoole of heaven and earth, mixed of men and Angels. For ſo it is written, that when Moſes had reported to the Lord the peoples words, the Lord ſaid unto him, Now will I come to thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear me ſpeake to thee: And behold, a while after, they began to heare thunders, and lightnings, and thicke clouds began to cover the mountains. And again; He did deſcend upon the top of Mount Sinah; And afterwards he ſpake with Moſes, all of them ſeeing, that the Pillar of the Cloud did reſt at the doore of the Tabernacle, and they ſtood and worſhipped in their Tent doors. Thou didſt ſpeak, O Lord, to Moſes face to face, as one friend uſeth to doe with another. O what a care haſt thou of thy creature man, thou God that affordſt and performeſt theſe ſo great things for him: making vile man partaker of thy Word; and as it were admitting him to the fellowſhip of thy holy company, opening thy hands full of immortall riches, nouriſhing him with the cup of Nectar, and feeding him with heavenly food! What greater care, I beſeech thee, couldeſt thou performe in that thy government, or what greater affection couldeſt thou uſe, that whereas they were but in the action of this preſent life, they did notwithſtanding then enjoy a repreſentation of their future bliſſe? Nor let any man here murmure, that thou hadſt this care of mankinde heretofore, but that thou now haſt it not. Whence ſhall I beleeve this repining doth proceed? by chance, becauſe we are not daily fed with Manna, as they were, although we reap from our fields moſt plentifull Wheat-harveſts? or is it becauſe wee catch not Quailes flying as it were, into our hands: whereas we devour all kinde of birds, of cattell and beaſts? or becauſe we doe not with open mouthes receive the waters ſpringing from the rockes, whereas wee drench our Tavernes with the juice of the grapes? Somthing I adde more, that we our ſelves who thinke that God did then take care of them, and do ſuppoſe, that God doth now neglect us: if wee could exchange our preſent bleſſings for theirs, which are paſt; wee would utterly refuſe to wiſh to bee in their Condition. For we would not loſe the things wee now have, that wee might poſſeſſe the things which they then uſed. Not that wee have better things than that Nation then had, but becauſe even they who were fed by the daily miniſtery of heaven, and of God himſelfe; did preferre the old gluttony of their bellies, before the preſent good things they received; beeing ſad with the calling to minde of their carnall meates, and falling ſicke for the filthy love of leeks and oyons; not that theſe things which they formerly uſed were better, but becauſe even as we now do, ſo did they then; they loathed the things they had, and deſired the things they had not. We doe rather extol the things that were then, than the things which now are; not that we had alwayes rather have them, if we might chooſe; but becauſe this is an uſuall fault, that mans ſoule is incident to; to deſire the things are abſent; and for other mens things to pleaſe us better than our owne; and for ours to pleaſe others more than the things they doe enjoy; ſo faſtidious are we, moſt miſerable men, that we are not worthy to live, much leſſe, of life with the good things appertaining to it. But what ere thou giveſt or denieſt, thou art alwayes a Father, and doſt never forſake a ſonne that truſts and hopes in thee. Give if thou wilt, but onely five loaves and two fiſhes; a handfull of meale, a little oyle in a pitcher, a few ſhreds, and branches of trees, and no more; I will boaſt of the care thou haſt of mee, O my God, in thee will I boaſt my heavenly Father, who takeſt me up, nor can I receive diſquietneſſe from thee, for ever. Thou wilt ſay to my ſoul, I am thy ſalvation; no good thing ſhall be diminiſhed to them that ſeeke thee: they ſhall not bee confounded in the evill day, and in a time of famine they ſhall have enough. Although I fall, I ſhall not bee daſhed to peeces, becauſe thou ſetteſt to thine hand. I never ſaw the juſt man forſaken, nor his ſeed begging their bread: I will ſeeke thee, O Lord, and thou ſhalt heare mee, and ſhalt ſnatch mee out of all my troubles: being poore I will call unto thee, and thou ſhalt ſave mee from all my cares: thoſe that feare thee cannot truly ſuffer want: Thou wilt command that the meale in the veſſell faile not, that the oyle in the pitcher decreaſe not, becauſe I have need of all theſe things. I will firſt ſeeke the Kingdome of God, and other things ſhall be added unto me. It is ſo far from thee, my God and Lord, that thou ſhouldeſt forſake thine, that thou makeſt even dogs to helpe and give them eaſe. I will expect thee, O Lord, I will play the Man, I will ſuffer thine hand, O Lord, and my heart ſhall receive comfort; let my father and mother forſake mee, thou Lord ſhalt take mee up. O God thou ſhalt be my helpe, nor wilt thou deſpiſe me, O God my ſalvation. Thou ſhalt ſet me upon a rock, thou ſhalt hide me in thy Tabernacle in the time of afflictions; thou ſhalt hide me in the depth of thy Tabernacle, in the time of affliction, that I may ſee thy goodneſſe in the land of the living.

CONTEMP. &c. 12.

Of the Tabernacle of the Children of Iſrael; Of the Cloud wherein Gods eſpeciall preſence was manifeſted; Of the Mercy-ſeat; Of the Arke; Of the Manna; and Of Aarons rod.

I Creepe before thy Tabernacle, my God, & I cōſider how thou didſt appear to thy people: I find many terrible things, but yet comfortable alſo; thou wrappeſt thy ſelfe in a Cloud, yet is not thy Majeſty the leſſe reſplendent: it is ſo great that thou affrighteſt, and art feared like a conſuming fire; and how ſhall I beleeve that an Intellect ſevered from all mixtion of mortality, moſt excellent, moſt wife, and moſt holy, a ſpirit piercing through all things, and intent even to each particular part of the Univerſe; which doth as it were to the ſtrings of a moſt exquiſite Harpe, modulate the ſong of vaniſhing things in a moſt pleaſing variety; a Spirit unbegotten, immortall, everlaſting; that is onely a place, yea a world able to conteyne it ſelfe, and the greateſt world of wiſdome, of holineſſe, of underſtanding, of reaſon, of life, of formes; to whom intelligible nature it ſelfe doth breath forth, and ceaſes not to frame and render praiſes, can be cloathed in a cloud? yet thou cloatheſt thy ſelfe with a cloud that thou mighteſt then exhibit thy ſelfe according to the time of faith, not as thou art a God, but as men might endure to behold thee. Thou teacheſt us ſpirituall things, by corporall things; and doſt demonſtrate unto us inviſible things, by things viſible; thou art the ſun O my God, but my weake eyes cannot looke ſtedfaſtly upon thy moſt reſplendant light, except a cloud be interpoſed; if I will try the ſtrength of my eyes farther, I may eaſily be blind; if I will ſoare higher, I may be in danger to bee burnt to aſhes. Let me alwayes beare in mind that which one of thy Saints was wont ſeriouſly to ruminate upon; I am a man and underſtand not Gods ſecrets I dare not ſearch after them, and therefore I am affraid even to make an eſſay upon them, becauſe it is a kinde of ſacrilegious raſhneſſe to deſire to know more than is permitted unto me. In thy Tabernacle I ſee the Arke of thy Covenant; beſides the Arke, I ſee the Mercy-ſeat; I ſee Manna in the Arke, and thoſe rocky leafes, and Volume of ſtone wherein the Law was written, publiſhed amiddeſt thunders, amiddeſt lightnings, amiddeſt the horrid ſounds of heavenly trumpets, amiddeſt the deadly ſavour of the ambient ayre, amiddeſt the poles of heaven bellowing with theſe ſacred noiſes, amiddeſt thoſe fires, miſts and clouds, repleniſhed with the holy Deity. O my God, how many myſteries do here lie hid, that I would I might underſtand? mee thinks, I ſee Chriſt in all theſe things; for hee is the true Mercy-ſeat, who alone hath done away the ſinnes of the whole world, by the onely ſacrifice of his paſſion, and hath made thee a God propitious unto us. Hee was repreſented by that golden peece of workmanſhip, wherein thou diddeſt promiſe that thou wouldeſt dwell, and hearken unto thoſe that ſhould call upon thee: for thou lovedſt us alſo in him thy beloved one; and in him art mercifull unto us. Hee defends his Church, as that golden tent did cover the Arke: and did hide the Law which was laid up in it from the face of God, that dwelt above it: that hee ſhould not according to the rigour thereof, take notice of our ſinnes, or enter into judgement with us. Thou thy ſelfe, my God, haſt promiſed him unto mee, that he might be a ſacrifice for me in his owne blood. Thou haſt made him a propitiation both for mine, and for the ſinnes of the whole world: O Chriſt my reconciler, my place of refuge, O my hope, redeeme mee and reconcile mee, that I loſe thee not, and bee forced to beare the wrath of my everlaſting Father for ever. He is the true Arke; for as the Arke was made of pure gold, and the neateſt wood; ſo my Redeemer, God and Man, is conſubſtantiall of the moſt high Godhead, and the moſt perfect humanity. The Tables were put in the Arke, becauſe my Redeemer hath in him the perfect fulfilling of the Law, by whoſe benefits (apprehended by faith) our diſobedience becomes unhurtfull unto us. What more ſweet than Manna? And what more wholeſome than Chriſt the bread of heaven? which whoſoever by faith ſhall eat, ſhall never bee bitten with hunger, but nouriſhed for ever by an unſpeakable happineſſe. I alſo find Aarons rod, ſometimes dry, ſometimes flouriſhing; the rod of Jeſſe, the tree of life, Chriſt my Redeemer, with ſuffring upon the croſſe gives up the ghoſt, & forthwith returns to life, and flouriſheth without end. O the riches of the wiſdome and underſtanding, which thy Book affords them that love and hearken unto thee! O Chriſt, be thou my Propitiatory, if the infernall tempter ſhall accuſe mee, bee thou my Arke where I may bee hid, when ſinne doth tyranouſly grow cruel againſt me, be thou my ſtaffe whereon I may leane, when I ſhall enter the vale of death, bee thou my Manna wherewith I may bee continually refreſhed after death, in thine everlaſting Kingdome.

CONTEMP. &c. 13.

Of the Conception of Chriſt.

O What humility, O what a deſire to ſave me hadſt thou, O Chriſt my Saviour: there was no truth in my mouth, my throat was an open ſepulchre, I have dealt deceitfully with my tongue, and my ſpirit is not pure; and thou that art the very mouth of truth, the throat of ſweetneſſe, the tongue of virtue, my moſt unſpotted Saviour, and free from all contagion of ſinne, doſt kiſſe mee with the kiſſes of thy mouth; O bleſſed kiſſe and to bee wondred at for its admirable value, in which, one mouth makes not an impreſſion upon another, but God and Man are united together. With what elſe ſhall I compare thy incarnation, but to a kiſſe? a kiſſe, a token of peace and reconciliation; and by thy incarnation, was peace and reconciliation reſtored to the world. O what a bleſſed day is that, when thwarting thy paths I receive a kiſſe from thy offended mouth, in ſtead of a deſerved reproofe; as thy Spouſe the Church cries out, burning with impatient love, ſhee cryes out, Let him kiſſe mee with the kiſſes of his mouth: with a deſire kindled from the promiſes and benefits of Chriſt, ſhe beſeeches the Meſſiah might be ſent unto her, that ſhe might heare him ſpeaking, and behold him inſtructing her: in his fleſh, ſhee requires him to deſcend, and to bee united to the humanity. Conſider the Church O my ſoule, who having (of a long time) had a promiſe of her Lords comming, from the mouth of the Prophets; and having beene a great while in ſuſpence, raiſeth her ſelfe from the body; abandoning luxury, and carnall pleaſures, and delights, and diſroabing her ſelfe of the care of ſecular vanities, doth wiſh for the infuſion of the divine preſence, and grace of the ſaving Word; and how is ſhee tortured and afflicted, that hee comes ſo late? wounded as it were with love, not able longer to endure his delay, turning to the Father, ſhee beſeecheth him, that he will ſend God the Word unto her. I will not have him ſpeak by Moſes, nor by the Prophets; no; let him take my body upon him, let him kiſſe me in the fleſh: Follow my ſoule, thou which art a part of that moſt happy aſſembly; follow the example of that groaning Church, and think on nothing more; love, cheriſh, vow unto, and expect nothing more, than thy Meſſias. See, I beſeech you, and conſider, the familiar, and friendly communication of thoſe ſoules (ſighing in the fleſh,) with the heavenly powers; they rejoyce in thoſe kiſſes, they aske for what they deſire, yet they name not him they love, becauſe they doubt not, but that hee knowes them, with whom they have been accuſtomed (ſo often) to converſe withall; therefore they ſay not, let this or that particular kiſſe me, but only let him kiſſe us; as Mary Magdalen did not expreſſe his name whom ſhe ſought, but only ſaid to him (ſhe thought had been the Gardner) Sir, if thou haſt taken him; What him? ſhe utters it not, becauſe ſhe thought that muſt needs be manifeſt to all, which could not (for one moment) depart out of her heart; neither doth that betrothed Virgin, deſire one kiſſe, burning continually with chaſte love, and impatient of delayes; but ſhe askes for many kiſſes, that her deſires may bee ſatiate. For ſhe that loves, is not content with the parcimony of one kiſſe, but requires many, chalenges many, and ſo uſeth to commend her ſelfe often unto her beloved. Kiſſe thou alſo the Lord, O my ſoule, leſt at any time he be angry, and thou periſh in the way. Who will give thee unto me, O Lord? O let me find thee, and I will kiſſe, not my hands, or any thing my hands can touch, but even thee, O Lord. Let the tumultuous fleſh be ſilent, let the phanſies of earth, and water, of ayre, and of the vault of heaven hold their peace; let dreams and imaginary revelations bee ſtill; let every tongue, every ſigne, and whatſoever is acted in a trice, be quiet; ſay nothing to thy ſelfe, O my ſoule, paſſe by thy ſelfe, and have no thought upon thy ſelfe, but upon my God. For he is truly all my hope and truſt. For in God and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt moſt ſweet, moſt bountifull, and moſt pitifull, is every of our portions, our bloud and fleſh: the lover doth (as much as poſſible) deſire to be one with the thing beloved: and therefore they cling together, and glew, as it were, their bodies in one, and they ſtrive to make, of both their ſoules, but one, by the conjunction of kiſſes. Thou, O Jeſus, my love, thou my deſire, thou my thought, thou my hope, thou my wiſh, I would I could alwayes cleave unto thee. Would to God that where thou my portion doeſt raigne, there I may at leaſt be a ſubject, and where thou my blood doeſt rule, there I may obey, and where thou my fleſh art glorified, I may not bee there confounded. I am indeed a ſinner, but yet I diſtruſt not of the communion of grace; and if my ſinnes doe forbid it, yet my ſubſtance requireth it; if mine owne offences exclude me, the fellowſhip of my nature drives mee not back; for God is not ſo great an enemie, that hee ſhould not love his owne fleſh, his members, and bowels. I might indeed deſpaire, by reaſon of my too too many ſinnes and offences, my infinite faults, and negligences, which I have committed, and which I daily, and without ceaſing doe act, in heart, mouth, and worke, and by all wayes that humane frailtie can offend, except thou haddeſt kiſſed me, except, O Word, thou haddeſt beene made fleſh, except thou ſhouldeſt dwell in me. Let reaſon here be ſilent, and let faith ſpeak; the things are true which I ſay, for thy Spirit hath revealed them unto me; yet are they ſo profound, that I cannot pierce into them; they are ſo high, that my abjectneſſe will not ſuffer me to reach them. I will adore them in ſilence, and admire in my adoration. And thy miraculous incarnation, ſhall clenſe my ſpotted conception. Let not reaſon conceive that which thy overſhadowing doth work, ſo that my Salvation may be firme, ſure, and unſhaken.

CONTEMP. &c. 14.

Of Chriſts Nativitie.

THat which none ever ſaw, now all the world beholds; that which none ever heard, now all the world doth heare; God, the Sonne of God, undergoes the ſhame of our humane nature, and takes upon him the reproachfull principles of our earthly originall; he lyes in a manger, to whom Angels doe yeeld their ſervice; he ſuffers himſelfe to be wrapped in ſwadling cloathes, who gives cloathing to the heavens; no ambition ſeene in his houſe, a bare couch in a ſtable, and his Mother lodged in hay; ſuch an Inne doth the worlds Creator make choice of; theſe were the dainties of the holy Virgins child-bed; ragges in ſtead of purple; for ſilke, and princely trimming, nothing but plaine hemmes; hee that was (before the foundation of the world was laid) borne from the heart of his Father, who had Alpha and Omega for his ſurname, the beginning and the cloſe of all things which were, or are, or ſhall be hereafter: now in the end of the determined time, put on the ſhape of a ſervant, and is borne of a poore Virgin. Let the vault of heaven ſing, let every Angell ſing, let all that belong to vertue ſing, to the praiſes of God, let no tongue be ſilent; and let every voyce, for ever and ever ſound forth his praiſes. Old-age and youth, quires of Infants, troopes of matrons and virgins, the ſimple maydens with tunable voyces; let them with chaſt conſorts chaunt forth his praiſes; let every age acknowledge that the reward of our life is come, after the bondage of our ſharpe enemie. Whence is this, that not the Mother of our Lord, but that the very Lord himſelfe comes unto us? How great is he that is given to mee? hee is the Angell of peace, the Lambe of God, the Benefactour of all, the horne of ſalvation, the Bruiſer of the Serpents head, the Governour of Iſrael; he is the deſire of the Gentiles, the guide of our life, and the expectation of the Nations. He is the Son of the moſt High, the branch of Jeſſe, the humble Caller of mankind; he is our Interceſſour, he is our Righteouſneſſe, he is our Deliverer; hee is our Mediatour, hee is our Nouriſher, hee is our Helper. He is the Prince of Peace, he is the great Prophet, the Reſtorer of our quiet, he is our Redeemer. Hee is our Reconciler, he is King of Sion, a Saviour, an Expiatory Sacrifice; he is the heavenly Bridegroome, the Expeller of ſadneſſe, he is the Word made fleſh, the moſt ample Preſent, the heavenly Zelote; he is all things. Let the bright heaven thunder, let the glad earth perſonate, let yawning hell mourne, but let mankind keepe a Jubily: we groaped in darkneſſe, and were blinded and covered in a moſt thick night; he proceedeth out of the darkneſſe and night that expelleth theſe miſts of ignorance and night of ſinnes. Our nature is not now ſtrange to God, ſince that in it, even in Chriſt our Mediatour the fulneſſe of the Godhead doth now dwell; for the Virgins womb was made choice of for the Lord of heaven and earth to ſpring in; nor was that bleſſed maſſe, the Sonne of God incarnate for her onely; but that of his fulneſſe all wee might be made pertakers; God did not onely make mee, but hee made many things for me; ſeeing that the Word is made fleſh for me, and dwelleth in us, he is become one fleſh with me, that he might make mee one Spirit with him. Chriſt would become that which man is, that man might become what God is; it is impoſſible for mee to underſtand the ſecret of his Nativity. My underſtanding failes, my voice; nay, not mine only, but even the voice of the Angels is ſtopped; it is above Powers, above Cherubin and Seraphin, and above all ſenſe. I therefore lay my hand upon my mouth, I may not ſearch after theſe ſo high myſteries: It may bee knowne that he was borne; It is not to bee diſputed how hee was borne; it is raſhneſſe to enquire after this. This is an unutterable Birth, who ſhall declare it? An Angell ſhewes it, the Vertue overſhadowes, the Spirit aſſiſts, the Virgin beleeves, a Virgin brings forth, and yet continues a Virgin; who doth not admire? the Word is born an Infant, 8c length is acknowledged to be ſhort, & breadth narrowneſſe, heigth lowneſſe, and depth ſhallowneſſe; there light is found that ſhines not; the Word an Infant thirſting for water, & hūgring after bread. O Nativity, honorable to the world, in its unpolluted holineſſe, lovely to men by the greatneſſe of the benefit beſtowed, inſcrutable alſo to the Angels, by the depth of the ſacred Myſtery, and admirable in all theſe things, by the ſpeciall excellency of the newneſſe thereof; even ſo, that there hath not bin ſeene the like before it, nor can there be ſeen any ſuch to follow it. Ah what was the cauſe of Chriſts comming and Birth? what, but to ſave ſinners? Take away ſickneſſe, take away wounds, and there will bee no uſe for medicines. Therefore the great Phyſitian came from heaven, becauſe men lay ſicke in all places; all the ſtocke of mankind was loſt by the ſinne of one, in whom all were; and therefore came one without ſinne, that might ſave all that were in their ſinnes; for not our merits, but our ſinnes, drew him from heaven. It is a thing becomming our faithfull ſoules, Chriſtian breaſts, beleeving minds, that we celebrate the comming of our Lord with all devoutneſſe, and that we meditate of his Birth, being delighted wirh ſo great a conſolation, and amaſed with ſo excellent a Dignity, and enflamed with ſo great a love. It is a worthy thing my brethren, that we ſing forth glory to the Trinity in unity, and to God the Divine, and begotten off-ſpring, and alſo to the Spirit, proceeding from them both. O Jeſu, thou that wouldeſt be borne an Infant, make mee become little in mine owne ſight, and that I may not too much deſire high things. Thou which diddeſt proceed from the wombe of a moſt chaſte Virgin, be thou alſo borne in my chaſte heart, which is purified by thee. Thou who wert born in the town of Bethlehem, that is, the houſe of bread, and waſt ſought and found by the Shepherds; joyne mee often with thy Shepherds, and furniſh mee with the heavenly bread, and ſo thy Nativity ſhall for ever ſatisfie me. The heaven was opened when thou waſt borne; open heaven alſo unto me, when the dayes of this my earthly birth and pilgrimage are ended, that I may ſee and glorifie thee. Angels accompanied the Shepherds that went to thee; joyne them alſo to my company, that I be not caſt headlong into a by-way, or deſire any thing beſides thee; the brightneſſe of the Lord did ſhine upon thoſe that did deſire to be neere thee; I would that I might bee alwayes preſent with thee, and be illuminated by thy Light, that I ruſh not into darkſome fens, or be involved in filth and pernitious darkneſſe. They granted thee no roome in the Inne; O make choyce of a place in my heart, let my heart be thy manger and thy ſwadling bands, wherewith thou wert ſwathed, that I may for ever remaine incloſed within thy wounds, and within thy mercy, and my ſoule ſhall magnifie thee, O Lord, and my ſpirit ſhall rejoyce in God my Saviour: I will call out with thoſe lowd crying and fiery inhabitants of heaven, Glory bee to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men: now is wrought ſalvation, and power, and the Kingdome of our God, and the power of his Chriſt. Thou art worthy O Lord, our God, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power; Ah Lord, when ſhall this come to paſſe? when wilt thou beſtow this upon mee?

CONTEMP. &c. 15.

Of the name Jeſus.

WHat ſound is this that flies to mine eares? it is a name that parents gave not, neither did the circuciſing Prieſt beſtow it, but an Angell brought it from heaven; and God, that it ſhould be brought and declared unto us, commanded ſaying, His name is Jeſus; how pleaſant, delightfull and forcible a name! O how this name doth comfort my ſoule! Jeſus, is a God of giving men ſalvation, which is expounded a Saviour, or ſaving; for this reaſon of the name was given, when before he was to be borne, by the Virgin, it was ſaid, Thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus, becauſe hee ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes. God hath now manifeſted his ſalvation, all the ends of the earth ſhall ſee the ſalvation of our God; hee hath opened himſelfe in the earth, and ſalvation and righteouſneſſe have been fruitfull. My God, thou makeſt us ſafe in the Lord our God: thou haſt given us a light of the Gentiles, which is our ſalvation even to the ends of the earth. Let us therefore rejoyce in God our Saviour, ſay to the Daughter of Sion, behold, ſalvation approacheth. The other names of the Meſſiah, are taken from the effects of his ſalvation, and doe onely ſignifie either the beginning, or middle, or onely the end of ſalvation; but this name Jeſus, the whole proceeding thereof; for it doth ſufficiently containe and expreſſe, the beginning, middle, and end thereof; and doth include all other things alſo within it. The Angels adore, and the devils doe tremble at this name, and men receive it for their ſalvations. This name is glorious in the preaching of it; being thought upon, doth nouriſh us, called upon, doth mollifie and anoint us; not in the letters of it, but by its ſpirit and life. Whence could there have beene, in all the world, ſo great and ſo ſodaine a light of faith, but by the preaching of the name of Jeſus? Hath not God called us in the light of this name, into his admirable light to ſuch as are ſo enlightned and doe ſee light by his light? Paul ſpeaketh deſervedly, You were ſometimes darkneſſe, but now are you light in the Lord. And the name of Jeſus is not onely a light, but it is alſo food: art not thou as often refreſhed as thou doſt think upon it? What doth ſo much fatten the ſoule, as the thought of that name? What doth ſo much repaire the decayed ſenſes? It ſtrengthens our vertues, it quickens good and honeſt manners, it cheriſheth chaſte affections, all meat is dry that is not moiſtned with this oyle, is unſavoury, not ſeaſoned with this ſalt. If thou writeſt to mee, I reliſh it not if thou leave out Jeſus; Jeſus is honey in the mouth, harmony in the eare, gladneſſe and phyſicke for the heart. Is any of us ſad? let Jeſus come into the heart, and thence let him flow into our mouths, and behold, at the riſing of the light of that name, every cloud is expelled, and the cleare light returnes: Doth any ſlip into ſinne? doth he haſte even to the halter of death by his deſpaire? doth he not by invocation of this name of life, forthwith reſpire to life? Surely there have beene many others who have had the name of Jeſus; for the name of Ioſhuah that led the Iſraelites through Jordan, into the land of Canaan, is the ſame name with Jeſus. The ſon of Syrach is called Ieſus, and Ieſus is mentioned in Zachary; but theſe men beare the name without the thing; or if they wrought any ſafety, they performed it by the power and helpe of this my Jeſus. There were likewiſe many that were called Saviours, as Othniel, Ehud, and others; but theſe were onely deliverers of the body, and did onely for a time deliver the people from their outward enemies, and did for a while keep them free from the ſpoylers of this world: but this my Jeſus is the true Saviour, for he not onely frees and preſerveth his people from outward enemies, but from ſpirituall ſubtilties in high places. Sometimes indeed he delivers us to outward enemies, nor is he preſently Jeſus or a Saviour; he ſends amongſt us warre, plague, haile, cold, poverty, diſgrace, diſeaſes, captivity, bondage, but it is for our eternall ſalvation. He is alſo a faithfull Jeſus, nor ſuffers he any one to be tempted above his ſtrength, but giveth our temptations ſuch a meaſure, that we may endure them; and although our Jeſus doth ſeeme too cruelly and too long to leave us in theſe externall evils, and to lay too heavie a burden upon us, that we are in feare to be overcharged, to yeeld, and to faile under it; yet let us expect the comming of our Jeſus, wwhich will be in a fit ſeaſon. My Jeſus beſt knoweth our ſtrength, and how much we can beare; and as the pilot doth diligently take care that the ſhip be not overfraighted, or fall into any fearfull danger; ſo my Ieſus doth weigh and ballance our abilities, before he layes any croſſe upon us, that it may not exceed them. Thinke alwayes (O my ſoule) upon Ieſus, becauſe thou haſt alwayes need of thy Ieſus. If thy ſinnes do vex thee and Satan doth paint them forth, and ſet them before thee, that he may perſwade thee they are more in number than can be forgiven; that they be larger than heaven and earth for magnitude; call upon thy Ieſus, and make Satan thy laughing-ſtocke. Ieſus is my Saviour, who hath delivered me from my ſins, and hath taken them upon himſelfe; he is become for me and all the world a ranſome, a ſacrifice, a reconciliation. And becauſe it appeares that he is not conquered, but is truly a Saviour, they muſt needs be ſinners indeed, and not feighned ſinners that he doth ſave; for this ſentence can never be recalled; Chriſt is the Lambe of God that taketh away the ſins of the world. If the feare of death doth preſſe thee and if Satan endeavour to diſhearten thee with the expectation thereof, and doth portrait the figure of death before thee in a moſt bloody & horrible manner and repeats unto thee the threats which God denounces againſt ſinners, and the vengeance which he reſerves for them, protect thy ſelfe with the Name of Ieſus, and oppoſe it to the terrors of death. Why ſhould I feare death, that I ſhould feare the paines thereof? when as my Ieſus (as himſelfe doth teach us) hath ſlaine my death; O death I will be thy death. Doth Satan ſtrive to make thee ſad, himſelfe being puniſhed and overwhelmed with everlaſting woe, deſiring to draw others into his company? pronounce thou therefore but the Name of Ieſus with beliefe, and he vaniſheth away; for hee is therefore a Ieſus, becauſe he hath ranſomed thee from the curſe of thy ſinnes, and hath reconciled thee to the everlaſting Father, that thou mighteſt for ever rejoyce with him. Why then art thou ſad? What ever befals thee, let the Name of Ieſus ſtill come into thy heart, and betweene thy lips, that the force thereof may aſſwage all afflictions. Nothing is more ſweetly ſung, nothing is heard more pleaſingly than Ieſus the Sonne of God. No kinde of ſin is ſo great, but the Name of Ieſus is above it; O thou (therefore) pleaſant Name of Ieſus, a delightfull Name, a comfortable Name; O Lord Ieſus, if I have done that for which thou mayeſt damne me, yet haſt not thou loſt that whereby thou mighteſt ſave me. O moſt mercifull Ieſus, O moſt ſweet Ieſus, O moſt gracious Ieſus, O Ieſu, Ieſu, O Ieſus the ſalvation of thoſe that truſt in thee, O Ieſus the ſalvation of thoſe that beleeve in thee, O Ieſus, the ſalvation of thoſe that flie unto thee, O ſweet Ieſu, the remiſſion of all our ſinnes, O Ieſu, for thy holy Name ſake ſave me, that I periſh not; O Ieſus have mercy upon me, while there is a time for mercy, and condemne me not in the time of thy judgement. Ieſus Chriſt, have mercy upon me; for this thy Names ſake, doe unto mee according to this thy Name; looke on me miſerable wretch, invoking thy Name: it is true, my ſoule hath deſerved damnation, and my repentance is no ſatisfaction; but it is certaine that thy mercy is farre exceeding all my offences; give me therefore (for thy Names ſake) that mercy, O my Ieſus; for thou ſaveſt thy people freely by faith alone, without all merit of works, onely for thy Names ſake, onely by the power of thy Name, onely by the blood of thy body, whereby thou diddeſt appeaſe thy Father, and obtainedſt redemption: and therefore doſt thou ſave thy people freely, and not for their works, that our ſoules might be ſure of redemption: it could not be ſure if thou ſhouldeſt not ſave us but for the merit of our works; for either we have no merits by manifeſtly ſinning againſt the Law of God, or we have not merits enough, becauſe our works are imperfect, which can by no meanes ſatisfie Gods Law; therefore that our conſciences may be ſure of the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, it is needfull that thou be a Ieſus gratis unto me: who ſeeing thou art true and conſtant in thy promiſes, it cannot be that I can be deceived, if I truſt in thy Name: O moſt bountifull Ieſus, O Ieſu my moſt ſweet Lord, keep me in this faith and confidence, even to the end: let thy laſt word upon the croſſe, be my laſt word in this life, and when I can ſpeak no more, heare my laſt deſire, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit; thou God of truth, and God of my ſalvation; thou, even thou haſt redeemed me; O little Jeſus, I onely require thee, comfort my ſoule, thou beſt of Babes, draw mee, O draw me after thee, by thy ſweet favour, thou Prince of Glory. Lead me, O thou our true ſalvation, to thine owne Countrey; after thine own victory, wherein praiſe be unto thee for evermore, Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 16.

Of Chriſt's, and of our Circumciſion.

BEhold, my eyes, your Jeſus; my ſoule, conſider thy Chriſt; the knife is taken in hand, and the Sonne of the moſt High is drawn away to be wounded; ſtay knife from touching the Innocent, let the Synagogue ſpare the innocent, ſend him away thou Circumciſor, without touching him; but my Jeſus, why wouldſt thou be ſo circūciſed, be ſo wounded, & ſpill thy moſt tender blood? Why doeſt thou ſo haſten, O Lord, to the ſhedding of thy milky blood? it is my ſalvation which makes thee thus to haſten: but why didſt thou ſubmit thy ſelf to be circumciſed, which art the Lord of the Law, nay, the Lawgiver himſelfe? was it, to confirme the Circumciſion that thou haddeſt long before ordained to be rightly obſerved, even till thy comming, and that the old Religion ſhould not ſeeme utterly rejected; or that thou mighteſt ſave the Iewes by receiving of Circumciſion, as thou didſt the Gentiles by Baptiſm, that is, wert thou to ſave them by the powring forth of the purified dew, or was it that thou mighteſt keepe, fulfill, and eſtabliſh all the Law? What need I to reckon up many things? thou waſt circumciſed for the cauſe that thou waſt borne and for which thou didſt ſuffer: none of all this was for thy ſelfe, but all was for thy Elect, for mee, for all that cleave unto thee, that thou mighteſt pay for us thoſe debts, even thou that didſt owe nothing thy ſelfe, and mighteſt free us from our owne, and from the offences of others. O moſt loving Jeſus, I adhere to thee, doe thou everlaſtingly ſtick to me; I have runne into debt, doe thou pay them. I beſeech thee by that pretious blood which thou waſt willing to ſhed for ſinners, in thy moſt holy Circumciſion, and afterwards moſt abundantly to powre out for them, in thy moſt bitter paſſion, that thou mighteſt waſh away all mine iniquities; looke upon me, moſt humbly petitioning, and often calling upon thy holy Name; cauſe me, O Lord, readily to ſubmit my ſelfe to thy Lawes; I learne from thy ſelfe, my Lord, to obey thy Lawes, and to obey thee, not by conſtraint, but by free conſent; for this is the true obedience of the humane nature, when it ſubjects its will readily to the will of God, and when by working it perfecteth the good will it hath received, with a willing liberty without any conſtraint. Give me, O Lord, the Circumciſion of the heart, which is, that the cloud of errour being taken away, to acknowledge the Creator, God the Father, and his Sonne Chriſt, by whom he hath created all things, that the truth of God might be fulfilled; grant that I may cut off, and caſt out of my heart all uncleanneſſe of thoughts, and impuritie of my ſenſes. For the Goſpell hath not enjoyned cutting away of the Prepuce, but the circumciſion of the heart, and that by the Sword of the Spirit wee ſhould cut away all petulancie, as well of our members, as of our affections: this Circumciſion is not in my power; ſuccour my weakneſſe O Lord, and aſſiſt me, that I may doe that which thou haſt promiſed by thy faithfull ſervant Moſes; the Lord ſhall circumciſe thy heart, and the heart of thy ſeed, that thou mayeſt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule. I am preſent, O Lord, as thou haſt commanded by thy faithfull ſervant Jeremy, Be circumciſed to the Lord, and take away the fore-skinne of your hearts, that my wrath break not forth like fire. Give me that which Saint Paul ſpeaks concerning me; Thou art circumciſed with a Circumciſion which is made without hands, if thou put off the body of ſins by the Circumciſion of Chriſt. The Iewes circumciſed but one member of the body; grant, O Lord, that I may circumciſe all my members. The heart of man is wicked, it muſt therefore be circumciſed, and the Sword of the Spirit is to be unſheathed for it; and this is the preaching of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt; which if any one receiveth into his heart by faith, firſt his ſinnes ſhall not be imputed to him, but he ſhall be accompted juſt for Chriſts ſake; then the holy Ghoſt ſhall bee given unto him, by whoſe power it ſhall come to paſſe, that the reliques of ſinne ſhall not raigne in his mortall body, but hee ſhall fit his members as weapons of righteouſneſſe unto God. Stirre me up, O Lord, and ſtrengthen me, that I may circumciſe my eyes, that they behold no vanitie, nor defile themſelves with privie adulteries. Thou haſt commanded this, O Lord, if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and caſt it from thee. Stirre me up, O Lord, and ſtrengthen mee, that I may circumciſe my hands, that they be not enraged and ſhed innocent blood; for thou haſt commanded this, O Lord, if thy right hand offend thee cut it off. Stirre me up and ſtrengthen me, O Lord, that I may circumciſe my feet, that they goe not in the way of ſinners, and that they haſte not to doe evill; ſo putting off the old man, and putting on the new, I ſhall become a new creature, and ſhall poſſeſſe the inheritance of thy Kingdome, O Chriſt; I ſhall enjoy the ſocietie of the citizens of heaven, the quire of Angels ſinging Hymnes unto thee, and the ſweet fellowſhip of all thy bleſſed ones. Thus thou ſhalt ſpeak (O Chriſt) to thy Father, I will that thoſe thou haſt given me, may now be with me, that they may behold my glory which I had with thee before the world was made. O when wilt thou ſpeake this, O Lord, O when ſhall I heare this?

CONTEMP. &c. 17.

Of the paſſion of Chriſt.

DOeſt thou aſcend for me to Ieruſalem, that all things might be accompliſhed which are written by the Prophets? that thou mighteſt be expoſed for a ſcorne to the Gentiles, that thou mighteſt be ſcourged, that thou mighteſt be ſpit upon, that thou mighteſt be faſtned to the Croſſe? thou who art the God of glory, the God of life & ſafety, the chiefe, beſt, and Omnipotent, moſt mercifull, moſt juſt, moſt ſecret, moſt preſent, moſt beautifull, moſt ſtrong, ſtable, & incomprehenſible God; inviſible, yet ſeeing all things, immutable, yet changing all things, immortall, illocable, interminable, unbounded, without ending, ineſtimable, unutterable, fearfull and terrible, to be honoured and reverenced, venerable and renowned, never new, nor ever waxing old, and innovating all things? For me, who am deep darkneſſe, miſerable earth, the ſonne of wrath, a veſſell fitted for reproach, begotten in uncleanneſſe, living in miſery, that muſt die in extremity; a veſſell taken from a dunghill, a ſhell of corruption, full of filth and horror, blinde, poore, naked, ſubject to many wants, and wretched, and mortall as I am, ignorant when I came in, or when I muſt goe out of the world, whoſe dayes paſſe like a ſhadow, whoſe life vaniſheth like the ſhadow of the Moone, a mad mans phanſie, as the bloſſome upon the tree blowes, and forthwith is rotten, now flouriſheth, and by & by is dried up, whoſe life is a fraile and fading life, that the more it continues, the more it decreaſeth; the farther we proceed in it, the nearer it approacheth to death. What ſhall I thinke? what ſhall I ſay? what haſt thou commited, O moſt ſweet Saviour, that thou ſhouldeſt be thus judged? what haſt thou done, O my moſt loving Saviour, that thou ſhouldeſt be handled ſo rudely? what is thy wickedneſſe? what thy offence? what the cauſe of thy death? what the occaſion of thy condemning? I am the ſtripe of thy paine, the offence for which thou art ſlaine; I am the deſert of thy death, the wickedneſſe revenged upon thee; I am the ſpleene of thy paſſion, and the labour of thy torments. O the greatnes and foulneſſe of my ſinnes! Out of the conſideration of the remedy I value the meaſure of my danger; and ſo is the eſteeme of the medicine, as is the heaping up of my griefe and feare. O the ſweetneſſe and greatneſſe of thy love! although, O Lord my God, the world was placed in the middeſt of miſchiefe, and is full of miſery, yet ſenteſt thou thy bleſſed Sonne into the world for us, and for this diddeſt thou ſend him into the world, that he being ſold might ranſome us, & being put to death might reſtore us to life, might honour us by ſuffering diſgrace, and might adopt us for his ſonnes. If I would reckon up what he ſuffered for moſt miſerable man, what voice would ſuffice me for it? what eares would not be weary to heare it? for he was no ſooner borne, but his blood was ſpilt in the circumciſion; he was ſcarcely circumciſed, but forthwith was he deſigned to the ſlaughter; he no ſooner profeſſed his doctrine openly, but he was called the impious, blaſphemous, and raging ſtirrer up of the people, even by them whoſe God he had alwayes beene after a peculiar manner. I doe every where behold miſery, calamity, diſgraces, reproaches, griefes, poverty, wearineſſe, ſadneſſe, hunger, thirſt, that he ſeemes but onely to have finiſhed in his paſſion what he had continually ſuffered in the whole courſe of his life. After that the Son, coeternall and conſubſtantiall with his Father, the Omnipotent Patron of the Church, ordained for a judge of the quicke and the dead, had fervently powred forth thoſe prayers, which he had conceived for mans ſalvation, wherin he at the point of death more eſpecially recommēded to his Father, that deare pledge, (his Church) for whoſe ſake he ſuffered not onely valiantly, but moſt willingly and freely, not a drop, but ſtreames of blood to flow from his five wounds. Walking with his diſciples beyond the brook, that tooke it's name from the ſhady vale, the traitour meets him, with an armed troope of ſervants and officers; his neighbours flie from him, his Diſciples retire, a friend and companion, (ſaluting the innocent) betrayes him for a malefactour; but it was the ſame whom before (O cruell miſchiefe) hee had ſold for a little money, and for a baſe price; his hands are tyed, his armes are bound; thus tyed and bound is he led away; and the moſt deare young man, that a little before leaned upon his moſt holy boſome, followes after, and Peter alſo, but a farre off, and with great feare; none of the reſt are preſent: thoſe whom he had loved, whom he had full fed, whom he had taken care of, whom he had healed, doe not ſo much as looke backe upon him; they all forſake him that never forſooke any man; he is made an unhappy ſpectacle in the houſe called Pratorium; his ſhamefaſt body is made naked, that off-ſpring of the moſt pure Virgin; and was ſcourged even to death by thoſe beaſtly Serjeants, ordained to ſcourge malefactors; they are inſtant both with words and ſtripes, and drunk no leſſe with blood than wine; they binde him to a pillar, they load him with ſtripes they multiply ſtrokes upon ſtrokes, the place did ring with their ſmart blowes; ſtreames of bloud iſſue from his torne body, and now there is ſcarce the reſemblance of a body to be ſeene throughout him. Behold the man, ſaith Pilate. And here lift up thy eyes, O my ſoule, and looke ſtedfaſtly upon the face of the Lord thy God; leave awhile all thy vanities, to which thou haſt all thy life addicted thy ſelfe, and if thou canſt, collect (for one moment) all thy thoughts, and beſtow them (this day) upon thy Saviour. Behold the man, behold a man of ſorrow, behold him that is beautifull above the ſonnes of men, ruddy, choſen out of thouſands, whoſe haire is as the palme branches, blacke as the ravens, whoſe eyes are like the doves eyes. by the fountaines of waters, which are waſhed with milke, whoſe lips diſtill the choiſeſt myrrh, like the lillies; behold then, it now raines nothing but blood, his haire cleaves together with blood, his head (pierced with thornes) doth dart forth blood, his noſtrils bruiſed with the ſtrokes of the fiſt, have beſmeared his face with ſwart blood, and which is moſt miſerable of all, being tyed & bound, he hath not wherewith to wipe of his blood, he hath not, I ſay, wherewith to wipe away his blood, forcing as it were, from all parts of his body. Behold the man; This is that face which the heavens cannot behold, and hell dares not behold; this is he that now keeps ſilence, whoſe voice is heard in the clouds, whoſe thunder daunteth the courages of men with his fearful claps. Behold the man; behold the Lord of all things ſtands in want, amidſt all thoſe things which he doth poſſeſſe; he ſtandeth bound, who frees all; he ſtands wounded, that heales all. Behold the man; for thy cauſe, O man, ſtands he before the judge, before us all doth he ſtand for us all; he ſtands without a garment, he ſtands robbed, that no wound of his body might be hid from the beholders. Learn, O man, out of theſe things which he ſuffered for thee, what account Chriſt made of thee, to the end, by how much the viler thou art for whom he ſuffered, by ſo much the dearer thy Chriſt may be unto thee: Learne, O man, to avoid thoſe things which may offend thy God. Behold with how much ſweat, with what labour, with what griefe he ſtood, that he, the Son of God might reconcile thee to his Father. I have ſaid many things, yet if thou conſidereſt the reſt, they are very few; for the officers adde reproach to his puniſhments, while they cloath his body with a purple garment, made more purple with his moſt innocent bloud. They faſten a prickly crown, made of ſtiffe thornes, upon his reverend head; they ſalute him for a King, and ſtrike their King over the face; and they blow upon the glaſſe of Angels with the worſt ſort of mixed ſtincks, even the ſtench of their breaths corrupted by ſurfeting, and mingled with ſpittle: and by and by when they come to Calvary, the prophane wretches doe prepare themſelves for the butchery, and lay upon his fainting body, that moſt accurſed puniſhment of the Croſſe: his moſt innocent hands are faſtened with nailes, which never did wrong to any, but had wrought ſalvation for all men; his moſt holy feet are faſtened with an iron band; wretch that I am, they muſt be joyned together, that had been exerciſed in ſo frequent travell, for mine, and for the ſalvation of all men: His eyes ſwim in blood, thoſe two that were wont to be the lights of the good, but lightning to the wicked: his pure mouth is ſilent, from which had rained honey combes; his tongue is tyed, which (with its very ſilence) convinces the cruelty of the parricides: heaven was afraid of this ſpectacle, and (in it its mourning weed) bewailes its Creatour the Lord of the Starres; it withdrew it ſelfe within a ſudden darkneſſe, as aſhamed of ſo great a wickedneſſe; the Angels groane, the Citizens of heaven breake forth into teares. O face of man, harder than a flint, that with dry eyes canſt read this ſtory: O heart of man, harder than an Adamant, that theſe things cannot penetrate: O fierce and ſteely heart of man, that conſiders not theſe things. Thy Saviour (being weary and overcharged under ſo great a burden) cries and cals out, and in his ſoule cals upon us, My people, what have I done unto thee? or how have I beene troubleſome unto thee? anſwer me: I have beene no Uſurer, nor hath any thorow the earth taken uſe for me, yet all doe curſe me; God hath ſhut me up with the wicked, and hath delivered me to the hands of the wicked. Many calves have compaſſed me about, fat buls have beſieged me. They opened their mouths upon me, as it were a raging and roaring Lion. I am powred out like water, and all my bones are ſcattered abroad; my heart, in the middeſt of my boſome, is like melting wax; my ſtrength is dried up like a potſheard, and my tongue cleaveth to my gums, and thou haſt brought me into the duſt of death. He cryed, he called out, but there was none that would heare; he is led without the city, to the place made infamous for the puniſhing of the wicked therein, as unto a publick ſeparate place, that he might not pollute any man by his contagion, which the adjoyning inhabitants gave a name from the dead mens ſouls, which lay ſcattered every where abroad within it. The Captaine of the heavenly hoſtes, led forth in the ſight of men and Angels, to be faſtened between heaven and earth, unto the accurſed Croſſe, & to be refreſhed with vinegar; he is wounded, he is ſlaine, he is thruſt thorow with a ſpeare; what current of language can ſufficiently unfold this miſery? but thls remembrance of ſuch ſtupendious things, requires rather the teares of the faithfull, than the Orators eloquence. O who ſhall give water to my head, and a fountaine of teares to mine eyes, that I may weepe night and day? I will weepe with ſtrong teares, I will make drunke my cheeks with my teares; the righteous periſh, and there is none that taketh it to heart; the Lord of heaven gives up the ghoſt, and there is not one that thinks it concernes him any thing. Raiſe up thy ſelfe, O my ſoule, and weary thy ſelfe in meditating upon the paſſion of thy Lord; no time is more happily ſpent than that which the devout ſoule imployeth upon the paſſion. O wonderfull condition of his cenſure, and unutterable diſpoſition of a myſtery! the unjuſt doth offend, and the righteous is puniſhed, the guilty tranſgreſſeth, and God is chaſtiſed; the impious ſinneth, and the righteous is condemned; the good ſuffereth that which the wicked deſerveth; that which the ſervant is indebted, the Maſter doth pay. Whither, O whither thou Sonne of God, doth thy humility deſcend? how farre hath thy love beene inflamed? how farre did thy love reach? and how farre did thy pitty e • tend? O Lord Jeſus Chriſt, governe and guide me by thy Spirit, that my ſoule being pricked by thy viſitation, may crucifie its fleſh, with the ſins and luſts thereof. O Lord Jeſus, I onely put my truſt in thy paſſion and death. O Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who haſt witneſſed, that thy delight is to be with the ſonnes of men: thou who becameſt man for man, in the later age be mindfull of all thy premeditations, and inward griefe, which from the beginning of thy conception, thou diddeſt endure in thy humane nature; but chiefly in the inſtant time of thy moſt ſaving paſſion, fore-ordained from all eternity, in thy divine heart. Remember the ſadneſſe and bitterneſſe which thy ſoule was poſſeſſed with, as thou diddeſt teſtifie, when thou ſaidſt, My ſoule is heavie, even to death: and when in thy laſt Supper, thou diddeſt deliver thy Body and Blood to thy Diſciples when thou waſhedſt their feet, and when ſweetly comforting them, thou didſt foretell thy neare approaching paſſion. Remember the feare, anguiſh, and griefe which thou didſt endure, thorow all thy tender body, before thy ſuffering upon the Croſſe; When after thy troubled prayer, thou diddeſt ſweat that bloody ſweat, when thou waſt delivered by thine owne Diſciple, taken by thy choſen people, accuſed by falſe wi neſſes, unjuſtly ſentenced by three ſeverall Iudges in the holy City; when at the time of the Paſſeover, in the floriſhing time of thy youth, being innocent, thou waſt condemned, waſt delivered, waſt ſpitted on, thine owne cloaths pulled off, and others put upon thee; thou waſt buffetted, thy face and eyes were covered; when thou waſt bound to the Croſſe, and crowned with thornes. O moſt ſweet Jeſus, give me, I beſeech thee, for the memory of thy paines and paſſion, true contrition, and confeſſion, and alſo remiſſion of all my ſins before my death; and in my death grant me comfort and conſolation of ſpirit, and after death grant me ſalvation and glory, Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 18.

Of the firſt and ſecond word of our Lord ſpoken upon the Croſſe.

O My ſoule, one of thy faithfull ſervants ſadly and mournfully cryes out, concerning Job, what a pageant of triumph hath God made of the Devill in that man; what an enſigne of his glory hath he erected from his enemie, when he did (with great patience) cleanſe away the uncleane flowing matter of his ſores, when (ſportingly) hee did call back the wormes that crawled forth from his ſores, to the ſame holes and feeding places of his worme-eaten fleſh! But how much hath thy Saviour out-gone him in conſtancie of mind, and an unſhaken patience? he in the laſt neceſſitie, in the pangs of death, in the paines of hell, ſorſaken and made exceeding ſad, by his angry God, failes not in the courage of his mind; he ſhewed no ſigne that his heart departed from the path of righteouſneſſe; but as he began, ſo continues be to love mankind. Heare the words that he utters from the chaire of his croſſe; they were few, but great, profitable, and worthy never to depart out of a Chriſtians heart, as long as he hath his vitall breath. Thus he ſpeaks; Father forgive them, they know not what they doe. Oh thy ſupereminent love, O Lord! thou prayeſt, not O Lord, that they might be puniſhed who afflicted and crucified thee; but that they might enjoy the merit of thy paſſion, and be ſaved. Thou ſo aboundeſt in thy love, that forgetfull of thy moſt exquiſite ſufferings, thou thinkeſt on nothing but the reconciling of ſinners O incomparable humanitie of unſpeakable mercy! with what gentle and friendly eyes doſt thou locke upon me from the Altar of the Croſſe! how can any man deſpaire, ſeeing we have ſo diligent, ſo faithfull, ſo loving, and ſo zealous an interceſſour? Where are you trembling ſinners? where are you affrighted conſeiences? doe you delight to ſee the heart of your Lord to overflow with grace? Come and behold his Croſſe: Come, come, ſee his heart mounting into his tongue, and begging pardon for your ſins. Ieſus, my God, I am alſo preſent amongſt ſinners, amongſt thoſe that crucifie thee; looke on me, and receive me; my ſins, my ſins were thoſe ſharpe nailes, which pierced and faſtned thy feet, and hooked them to the Croſſe. O Ieſus, have mercy upon me, and intercede for mee to thy heavenly Father; intercede for me to day, this houre, this moment, that he may pardon me my ſins. In the ſecond place he ſaid, Verily I ſay unto thee, to day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. How milde, O Lord, how courteous art thou to ſinners! thy delight is amongſt the ſonnes of men, even in thy ſtrongeſt and moſt unutterable torments. Thou waſt hanged betweene a moſt wicked paire of theeves; thou ſtretcheſt forth thy hand, that one of them might take hold of it, and that thou mighteſt draw him to thee with it, and gather him to thee, as a hen gathereth her young ones under her wings. How pleaſing is the ſociety to thee, when a ſinner joynes himſelfe to thee, and (if they will) with what affection doſt thou receive and heale them? The Theefe on the left-hand thinking reproachfully of thee, doth revile and blaſpheme thee moſt virulently; therefore thy ſorrowes, ſweat, labour, drops of blood, ſtreams of blood, prayers and interceſſion, could nothing profit him: the Theefe on the right-hand, having a zealous opinion of thee, acknowledgeth thee; and though he cannot with his hands, yet doth hee embrace thee with a contrite and devout heart; he begges a great thing of thee, and obtaines the greateſt; he begges for a favourable remembrance of him, and he obtains eternall gladneſſe. O example of true and wonderful repentance! For what is true repentance? what, but that which is ſorrowfull for offences, confeſſeth them, and hath recourſe to Chriſt their Deliverer by a ſtedfa •• faith? but it is miraculous, becauſe then at length Chriſt is acknowledged the expiation of his ſin, when his moſt ſick ſoule doth meditate the forſaking of the habitation of his body; and the Redeemer himſelfe is in ſuffering the laſt and moſt horrid puniſhment. O Chriſt my Lord and my God, grant that I alſo may bewaile and confeſſe my ſinnes, and aske thee pardon for them, and alwayes weigh with my ſelfe thy merits; grant that I may doe this with the Theefe; but that I may not put off my deſire of thee to the laſt period of my life, as many doe, who naughtily excuſe their moſt wicked procraſtination, by the example of the Theefe. Let me not come to that hardneſſe of heart, that the late gained ſalvation of the converted Theefe ſhould make me more careleſſe; nor let me ſay my conſcience tortures me not; my life ſhall not trouble me, becauſe I ſee the Theefe had all his ſinnes pardoned in a moment. Conſider ô my ſoule, thou gueſt and companion of my body, not ſo much the conciſe confeſſion and faith of the Theefe, but the earneſt devotion, and mournfull time wherein the Apoſtles themſelves did wander and forſake their Maſter: then imitate the faith and zeale of the Theefe, and (at laſt) promiſe to thy ſelfe his ſalvation. Now that unplacable enemie of our ſoules, tries to leade thee into this ſecurity, that in the fatall houre of death he may thruſt thee (head-long) into infernall deſtruction. It is impoſſible to be ſpoken, how many are circumvented and damned by the ſhadow of this deceitfull hope; he deceives himſelfe, and makes a ſport of his damnation, whoſoever ſeekes not for the mercie of God but at the houre of his death; they are abominable to God, that ſinne with a hope that it will be time enough to be converted to God in their old age The Theefe that at this time did ſo miraculouſly apply Chriſts death to himſelfe, had not formerly put off his repentance, for he had never (before) heard of the doctrine of Chriſt; therefore in this minute of an houre, in this twinckling of an eye, make mee pray unto thee, and convert thee unto me, leſt (ſecurely) promiſing my ſelfe ſalvation, I fall from my ſalvation. Grant that being converted, I may be charitable to my neighbour, and take care for his converſion and ſalvation, as the penitent Theefe did admoniſh the impenitent Theefe, and did labour to bring him unto thee. Ah my Lord, remember me alſo in thy Kingdome, if thou wilt at leaſt think me worthy to be remembred, and caſt a gratious eye upon mee, and I ſhall have enough, becauſe I am ſure of thy power and wiſdome, and I am confident of thy pitie and charitie. Ah ſuffer me to be with thee in Paradiſe, where is the ſoules happineſſe, and the beautifull viſion of God; I cannot be well without thee, nor can any ill be with thee.

CONTEMP. &c. 19.

Of the third and fourth word of Chriſt uttered upon the Croſſe.

WHo are they, O Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who not onely followed thee to the Croſſe, but doe alſo abide under thy Croſſe? Who are they not only ſpectators of thy moſt cruell puniſhment, but expoſed alſo to the cruell torment of their eyes and ſoules? It is Chriſts Mother, the crowne of Virgins; it is Mary thy Mother, it is John, thy kinſman, it is thy moſt loving Diſciple, who leaned upon his Maſters breſt when he was at ſupper, him whom thy ſoule loved; a ſword doth pierce their ſoules, thornes and needles doe pricke their eyes, whilſt they ſee thee ſtretched upon the Croſſe, with all thy ſinewes torne, all bloody, even ſpringing forth with blood; thou haſt taught me, by thoſe thy diſtreſſed beholders made wet with ſhowres of teares, that thy moſt deare children are moſt neare to the Croſſe; thoſe whom thou doſt moſt fervently love, they are moſt grievouſly and moſt often made ſubject to the Croſſe. There cannot bee a true Church that cannot bee miſerable: thou thy ſelfe doſt drinke to her in the cup of affliction, which if ſhe refuſe, or loath it, ſhe is a baſtard. We ought to be like thee; let us be contented that we may be as our Maſter; whoſoever deſires to be above his Maſter, is proud, and not worthy of his Maſter: we are a burning buſh, which is burnt, but not conſumed; we are a citie beſieged, but not taken; we are the Moone labouring under an eclipſe, but not perpetually loſing her light; wee are the Arke of Noah, expoſed to the Flood, yet not over whelmed with it; we are the woman in travell whom the dragon purſues, but yet kills her not; we are the lilly amongſt the thornes; and yet wee wither not; thy moſt cruell torments O Lord, could not ſo farre afflict and torture thee, but that thou haddeſt a care of thine, but that thou wouldeſt ſpeak to thy mother, and to thy diſciple; for thy third word upon the croſſe was uttered to them, behold thy Sonne, behold thy Mother, Me thinks O Lord, I ſee into thy bowells, into the depth of thy thoughts; thou complaineſt, the ſorrowes of death have compaſſed mee about; but yet that ſword doth no leſſe break, and wound my heart, which hath with unſpeakable torment peirced thy ſoule, moſt ſweet mother, I behold alſo thee moſt loving yong man, the moſt inimate of my friends; moſt ſweet deſciple, I behold thy groanes, and ſighes, for the loſſe of him, in whom thou haſt placed all thy hope and truſt. I therefore that am forſaken of all, doe bring to both of you, that ſmall ayd I am able; thou O Mother, behold another Sonne for thee; thou my diſciple, behold another helpe for thee. O moſt holy Jeſus, O moſt faithfull Saviour, O moſt mercifull helper, how many ſad widows doeſt thou even now comfort? how many poore orphans doeſt thou now relieve? how many afflicted perſons doeſt thou now take charge of? I am alſo widowed of all comfort, and deprived of all ſuſtenance; robbed of all protection and aid; the anxieties of my mind are many, my affliction is great, my griefes are multiplied; comfort me, ſuſtaine me, take care of me, O thou omnipotent Comforter of thoſe that bee ſad, thou Strength of thoſe that labour; let my groanes come unto thee, what extremity ſoever I am in, that in my neceſſities I may joy in the preſence of thy mercy. Heare alſo, yee that have eares to heare, the fourth word. Let my ſoule attend, let my ſpirit attend, and let all the devotion that is in me, give her attention; our Prieſt, (in the dayes of his fleſh) offered up prayers and ſupplications, with teares and ſtrong cries unto him, that was able to ſave him from death, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? The juſt God and heavenly Father, who begate thee from eternity, who by a voyce from heaven, teſtified of thee, This is my beloved Sonne, heare him, hath forgotten thee; hee left thee not for thine owne cauſe, but for mine; for I by my ſinnes have begotten thee theſe labours and griefes; it was I was to be forſaken, but thou ſtoodeſt in my ſtead; thou who ſpeakeſt righteouſneſſe, who art the bulwarke of ſalvation, haſt trod the wine-preſſe alone, and there was not a man to helpe thee; thou lookedſt about, and there was no helper; thou ſoughteſt, but foundſt none that might ſave: O how bitter was this forſaking to thee, but how pleaſant, and how happie to mee! Thou God, exceeding long-ſuffering, thou ſhalt not leave me for ever, becauſe thy Sonne was forſaken for me. Thou ardent lover of my ſoule, thou diligent Saviour of ſinners, thou moſt courteous ſearcher of men, thy moſt obedient Sonne tooke on him the puniſhment which was due for my ſins, which are ſo much againſt thee; hee hath borne the ſinners burthen, hee hath endured the horrours of death, and terrours of hell, and hath moſt largely ſatisfied for me. Leave me not then, O my God, depart not from me, O my God, in the day of my death; if the ſo copious ſatisfaction of thy Sonne, if my ſo dangerous miſery can move thee to compaſſion, be preſent with me moſt miſerable ſinner, pitifully heare my prayers and help mee in the houre of death, neither remember my iniquities, but O thou fountaine of mercyes, deale with mee according to thy exceeding great mercy.

CONTEMP. &c. 20.

Of the fifth word of Chriſt, uttered upon the Croſſe.

GAther, O gather your ſelves together, and heare, ſaith the Patriarch Iacob, when he ſtretched forth his feet, to enter into the way of all fleſh, and ſtood even at the threſhold of his wiſhed-for eternity; but if the laſt words of a man, were to bee received with ſuch attention, what attention may be required, what fervour, & what diligence, to heare his laſt words, who is both God and man, who is above all the Patriarches, in whom all the Patriarches did truſt, and whom they wiſhed ſo often to behold? The words were ſeven. The number of ſeven, is a peculiar number, a holy number, and is uſed in many myſteries; it is here alſo peculiar, it is holy, and not barren of myſteries; thou haſt already underſtood this, O my ſoule, and thou ſhalt know it in part hereafter. The firſt word of our Lord was, I thirſt; ah Lord, all thy ſpirits were diſſipated, all thy ſtrength iſſued forth in the torrent of thy blood; for thou waſt a man of ſorrowes, and experienced in infirmities, deſpiſed, and a man of the leaſt eſteeme, although thou haddeſt committed no offence, nor was guile found in thy mouth; therefore waſt thou ſcorched with extream thirſt, and yet thou Saviour and preſerver of men, thou couldeſt not obtaine drink from men. O moſt barbarous cruelty! the Lord did travell with extreame thirſt, at the beginning of his paſſion, and that thirſt did increaſe ſtill more and more, ſo that it was one of the greater ſort of torments, which the Lord endured upon the croſſe: for the letting out of the great plenty of the vitall fountaine, doth dry and cauſe thirſt; therefore the Lord, who after much wearineſſe and by his ſcourging loſt much blood, and afterwards (being crucified) had foure open fountaines, as it were in his body, from which great plenty of blood, had for a long time iſſued forth; how could it be, but that hee muſt be tormented with extreame thirſt? They who have received many wounds, from which much blood doth flow, deſire nothing ſo much as drink, as if they ſuffered nothing but thirſt; but who was there that took pitty, and offered ſo much as cold water, who was preſent, who had a fellow-feeling of his ſorrowes? there was not one, nor any found to comfort him; O Jeſus, thou heavenly Lord, they gave thee gall to eate, and in thy thirſt, they have thee vineger to drink; thy beloved John ſaith there was a veſſell ſet full of vineger, and they faſtning a ſponge full of vineger to an hyſop ſtalk, offered it to his mouth. O cruell wickedneſſe! as they had at the beginning a little before his crucifying, offered him wine mixed with gall; ſo at the departure of his ſoule they offer him vineger, a moſt pernitious thing for his wounds, that Chriſts paſſion might be a true and continued paſſion, from the beginning to the end, without any mixture of comfort; in ſtead of refreſhing and pleaſing liquour, they offer him hurtfull and bitter. O refreſhing without any refreſhing; O moſt lamentable conſolation! When Sampſon had ſlaine the Philiſtims, he thirſted exceedingly, and the Lord opened a great tooth for him, in the jaw-bone of an aſſe, whence waters did flow; and thou, when thou haddeſt overcome the moſt potent enemies, the world, ſatan, and death; diddeſt alſo thirſt extreamely, but no waters were given thee, and the Antitype was in a farre worſe condition than the type, which the Conquerour of the Philiſtims did repreſent; wee (alas) had deſerved eternall thirſt, to us was due that ſcorching heat which the glutton had, when hee lifted up his eyes, (being in torments) and ſaw Abraham afarre off, and Lazarus in his boſome, and crying ſaid, Father Abraham, take pitty of me and ſend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and refreſh my tongue, for I am tormented in theſe flames; but thou that takeſt pitty of us, that moſt ardently thirſteſt for our ſalvation, haſt (in thy thirſt) ſuffered that thirſt, and haſt deſerved ſo much for us, that we ſhall one day neither hunger, nor thirſt any more, neither ſhall Sun, or heat fall on us, becauſe thou doſt governe us, and leadeſt us to the fountaines of waters, and ſhalt wipe away all teares from our eyes; thou ſhalt make us drunk with the plenteouſneſſe of thy houſe, and refreſh us with the ſtreames of thy pleaſure. O Lord, as the hart deſireth the fountaines of water, ſo longeth my ſoule after thee O Lord; my ſoule hath thirſted after God, the living fountaine; when ſhall I come and appeare before the face of God? O Lord, when ſhall I worthily call to mind thy mercyes, thy praiſes which are farre above all things, which thou haſt given me, and exceeding the multitude of the goods of my houſe, which thou haſt beſtowed upon mee, according to the multitude of thy mercyes?

CONTEMP. 21. &c.

Of Christs ſixt word uttered upon the Croſſe.

THou haſt performed all, and every of thoſe things, which thou kneweſt neceſſary to recover our ſalvation, moſt willingly, and with all thy heart. And therefore thy ſixt word was not, it ſhall be finiſhed; as thou diddeſt ſay in thy journey to Jeruſalem; behold we goe up to Jeruſalem, and all things ſhall be fulfilled, which are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man; for hee ſhall be delivered up to the Gentiles, ſhall bee mocked, ſhall be ſcourged, and ſpitt upon, and after they have ſcourged him, they ſhall put him to death. But hee ſaies, it is finiſhed: whatſoever the wicked nation could invent, to exaſperate thy torments, is finiſhed; thou truly diddeſt foretell the houre, and power of darkeneſſe, and the time of thy crucifying; I have finiſhed ſayeſt thou, the work which thou gaveſt me to doe; but that was another work; namely the work of Preaching the Goſpell, as thou thy ſelfe doeſt intimate unto mee, when thou addeſt, I have manifeſted thy name unto men: this work which thou ſayeſt is finiſhed, is the work of ſuffering for mankind; the work of drinking off the cup of the paſſion, which thy father hath given thee, thou haſt now drunk it all off, ſo that there remaines nothing, but that thou give up the ghoſt; the power which was given the apoſtate Angels, and the filthy rabble of wicked men, is finiſhed; thy pilgrimage wherein thou wenteſt out from thy father, and diddeſt come into the world, is finiſhed, wherein thou waſt upon the earth like a husbandman, and a travailer; the mortality of thy humanity is at an end; every prophecy which the prophets had foretold concerning thy life or death, is finiſhed; the greateſt ſacrifice of all ſacrifices is finiſhed, that upon which all the ſacrifices of the old covenant as types and ſhaddows did reflect; for by one oblation, thou haſt for ever made perfect thoſe that are ſanctified, and art become the end of the Law, to every one that beleeveth. Now the variety of carnall ſacrifices ceaſing, thou fulfilleſt all thoſe diſtinctions of beaſts by once offering up of thy body, and blood; thou haſt O Lord drawne all things unto thy ſelfe; for by rending the vaile of the temple, the Sanctum Sanctorum departed from the unworthy high Preiſts, that the figure might bee turned into a truth, the prophecy into a manifeſtation, and the Law into a Goſpell: O cleane, O unſpotted ſacrifice, whoſe Altar was the Croſſe, which the viler it was before Chriſt overcame it, ſo much the more famous, and noble did it afterwards become; the fire thereof that conſumes the burnt offering, and perfecteth the ſacrifice, is this immeaſurable charity; which like a furnace exceedingly heated, did burne in thy heart O Jeſus, which the many waters of thy ſufferings could not extinguiſh. O Jeſus, my redeemer, my mercy, my Saviour, I praiſe thee, I give thanks unto thee, though farre unproportionable to thy benefits, though very voyd of devotion, though leane in compariſon of that fatneſſe which thy moſt ſweet affection towards us doth require in them; yet my ſoule doth pay unto thee what thanks ſhee is able, not ſuch as ſhee knowes are due unto thee, from mee. Thou hope of my heart, thou vertue of my ſoule, let thy moſt powerfull worth perfect that which my moſt chill weakneſſe doth endeavour; my life, thou end of my intention, though I have not loved thee ſo much as I ought to love thee, yet doe I at leaſt deſire to love thee as much as I ought. O Jeſus, let this word alwayes ſtick in my memory, It is finiſhed. When ſinne and damnation ſhall band themſelves againſt mee wraſtling with the pangs of death, and ſhall preſent unto mee my ugly life, made deformed by my ſinnes, let me be able then to ſay, the ſacrifice for my ſinnes is finiſhed: For thou art the Lambe of God that takeſt away the ſinnes of the world. Thou haſt not redeemed me with corruptible ſilver and gold, but with thy moſt precious blood, as it were of an unſpotted, undefiled lamb. When the law ſhall accuſe me, and ſhall exact puniſhment, let me ſay each tittle of it is accompliſhed: For when the fulnes of time was come, God ſent his Son, made under the Law, that he might redeem thoſe which were under the Law, and that we alſo might receive the adoption of children. When death ſhall infeſt and terrifie me, let me ſay, thy power is determined, thou art conquered by my Lord, who hath ſpoiled thee of thy power, hath taken out thy ſting, and purged out thy poyſon, that death may be to me a ſweet repoſe, great gaine, a diſmiſſion in peace, a recalling from evils, a momentary hiding me till wrath is paſt, and till heaven gates be opned for me. When kindred, friends, and acquaintance, ſhall at the time of my departure bewaile my going hence, and compaſſe my bed with groanes and teares; let me ſay my courſe is finiſhed, the appointed time is paſt, the period is fixed which we cannot paſſe, the glaſſe is runne, the houre of freedome drawes neare; here my miſery makes a ſtand, and the haven I make to is neare, where all teares ſhall be wiped away: behold I leave unto you a Fulfiller of all good, and an aſſwager and ender of all evill! hee ſhall comfort you, if you flie unto him; hee ſhall keepe and defend you, to whom I recommend my ſoule, and to whom I recommend you the beloved of my ſoule, for evermore, Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 22.

Of the ſeventh and laſt word of Chriſt, uttered upon the Croſſe.

ALthough, Lord Jeſus Chriſt, great is thy humility, great thy abaſement, and great is thy affliction, that thou ſeemeſt ſcarce a man, but a worm; yet in thy ſeventh and laſt word, before thou gaveſt up the ghoſt, tho-ſhewedſt thy ſelfe not a man only, but even ſet above the reach of mans power; for when thou waſt about to breathe out thy moſt holy Spirit, thou criedſt out, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Ah what a mournfull, lamentable, ſad, and miſerable ſilence is there, when mournfull, lamentable, ſad, and miſerable man is commanded to breathe forth his ſoule! how ſilent, faint, and how dead (as it were) are all things before death! our death-bed takes poſſeſſion of us, when the Sunnes laſt ſhadow flyes from us, and enraged death ſharpens his Dart, to ſtrike thorow our breaſt. But thou (O Lord) doſt witneſſe thy power, even in death it ſelfe, not onely by crying out, at the laſt gaſpe, but alſo by ſhaking the earth, by cleaving the rocks, opening the graves, rending the vaile of the Temple. The Centurion himſelfe (being a man) converſing with the members of the Church, but beleeving out of the Church, confeſſed from hence, and ſaid, This man was indeed the Sonne of God. But the laſt word thou utteredſt in thy mortality, is diligently to be noted, and ſeriouſly to be weighed, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. This was thy laſt word; Ah would to God it might bee alſo mine, and I truſt, Lord, it ſhall be ſo, and God (I hope) will heare it; for thou haſt obtained this for me, becauſe thou haſt both prayed for me upon the Croſſe, and haſt as my chiefe high Prieſt, ſuffered all things; nor didſt thou commend thine own Spirit alone unto thy Father, but mine alſo, and of all the faithfull, who are members of thy body; thou haſt bound my ſoule together with thine owne, in the bundle of life, and haſt delivered it into the hands of the Almighty: O how doe the words pierce my ſoule and ſpirit, which thou utteredſt before thou didſt paſſe that deadly way, and in which thou didſt moſt devoutly ſpeake unto thy Father, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for thoſe whom thou haſt given me, for they are thine. Holy Father, keepe them in thy name, whom thou haſt given me, that they may bee one, as we are one; preſerve them from the world, ſanctifie them in thy truth; I pray not only for theſe, but for thoſe alſo who ſhall beleeve in me, through their word, that they may all be one, as thou, O Father, art in mee, and I in thee; that they alſo may be one in us, that the world may beleeve that thou haſt ſent mee; and I have given them the glory which thou gaveſt mee, that they may be one, as wee are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou haſt ſent me, and haſt loved them, as thou haſt loved me. Father I will that thoſe whom thou haſt given me, be where I am, that they may ſee my glory which thou haſt given me, becauſe thou lovedſt me before the foundation of the world. What father can more earneſtly recommend a ſon? what mother a daughter, or what brother his brother, to anothers care; than thou O Son of the living God, haſt recommended us to thy Father? Thy Father doth heare us his degenerate & adopted ſonnes: how much rather will he heare thee, his Sonne obedient even to the death, and his iſſue begotten of his owne ſubſtance from all eternity? yea, he hath already heard him; Can, ſaith he, (even he thy Father) a woman forget her owne childe, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion upon the ſonne of her owne wombe? Though ſhe ſhould be ſo forgetfull, yet will not I forget thee; behold I have graven thee upon my hands: Thou alſo, O Chriſt my Saviour, ſayeſt, My ſheepe heare my voice, and I know them, and they follow mee, and I give unto them eternall life, and they ſhall not periſh for ever, and no man ſhall ſnatch them out of my hands. My Father who gave me them, is greater than all, and none can take them out of my Fathers hands. Reſting upon theſe thine attracting ſentences, I may be ſtartled at the remembrance of death, but I ſhall not be diſmayed, becauſe I ſhall alſo bee mindfull of thy promiſes, merits and interceſſions. When at length by thy permiſſion, a ſharpe ſickneſſe ſhall weaken my ſinewes, and ſhall gnaw and feed upon my bloodleſſe and halfe rotten skinne; when my face ſhall bee bedewed with a cold ſweat, and I ſhall be moiſtned with the drops of death, when my wan lips ſhal be widowed of their redneſſe, and a ſad murmure ſhall be heard from the horrid noiſe of the gnaſhing teeth, when my Sunne ſhall be darkened by my funerall clouds, and death ſhall involve my head in everlaſting darkneſſe; yet thou Son of righteouſneſſe ſhalt ſhine cleare unto me; thou ſhalt furniſh my ſoule, wraſtling and triumphing by the vertue of thy Spirit with thine owne word, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.

CONTEMP. &c. 23.

Of the opening of Chriſts ſide.

COme hither, come hither O my ſoule, behold him hanging on the Croſſe; aſcend, aſcend O my ſoule, and pluck out the nailes from his hands and feet, wherewith hee is faſtened to the Croſſe. Thou needſt no ladder, it is devotion, it is faith which elevates and lifts thee up thither. O miſerable ſpectacle! O lamentable carcaſſe! how ill-favourdly, & in what an ugly manner art thou butchered! They could not glut their malice upon him while he lived; they inſult alſo upon him being dead, and goare him with a ſpeare, whence blood and water did flow; moſt holy Symbols of thy two Sacraments. Who is he, O Lord, that hath overcome the world, but he that beleeveth that Jeſus is the Sonne of God? This is that Jeſus Chriſt that came by water and blood, not by water alone, but by water and blood. Thou cameſt unto us in water in Baptiſme, thou cameſt to us in blood in the holy Supper: this is that double teſtimony, that we are reconciled to the Father by thee, and that wee are waſhed and purged from our ſinnes: thou waſt very much beſotted and ſoiled, yet waſt thou lovely to thy Father, becauſe thou becameſt obedient to death, even to the death of the Croſſe: thou art alſo moſt lovely to mee, whilſt I dive into thy ſide, and into thy wounds, not with the eyes of my body with Thomas, but with the eyes of faith, which are the inſtruments of life, the perſpective glaſſe of the world to come; when I ſee I am freed from death, by the death of my Lord and my God; When I locke on the immenſe and love without bounds, love without end, the love that wee want underſtanding to conceive, and our reaſon waxeth darke to apprehend: For I have ſinned, and thou haſt ſuffered; yea, I who have ſinned, have ſuffered in thee; our fleſh was ſo joyned to the Deitie, ſo as that which was to die everlaſtingly for ſinne, became dead in another for us, and we neither felt grief nor death, yet were we in like manner reſtored to life: for as Chriſt put upon him our fleſh in the wombe, ſo he dyed our death upon the Croſſe. For whatſoever the God, made man, did ſuffer, he ſuffered for man, from whom hee can now no more be ſevered, than from his other Nature, with which he united this to the end he might ſave it. O great clemencie! O unſpeakable clemencie! O bounty that cannot be expreſſed with words of mans eloquence! God who is for ever bleſſed, is firſt made man, and at length is made a curſe for man; O bleſſed day, wherein the head of the Dragon is trampled under the feet of thy crucified and dead body; Leviathan is bruiſed, Behemoh that vaſt and powerfull creature is overthrowne, and death is caſt out. O moſt milde Tribunall, before which I am abſolved without puniſhment, freed without death, but yet that even by death, where I am diſmiſſed from my bloody deeds, by the blood of the ſupreme King; by thy blood now ſhed, I ſee moſt clearely that thou haſt transferred my nature upon thy ſelfe, that I might receive that innocencie from thee, which I had altogether corrupted in my ſelfe; but thou kepteſt thy divine Nature, that I might receive glory and dignitie; thou joynedſt both together, that the Deitie being joyned to the humanitie, and the humanitie joyned to the Deity, he that was ſenſible of my miſery, putting on my affections, might unite him unto me as a brother, whom I did feare as a Judge. What ſhall I ſay, or how ſhall I ſpeak? for I am not my ſelfe when I think of thee, when I lift up my eyes unto thee, when I behold thy ſide launced with the ſpeare, and behold thorow that wound thy moſt loving heart. Thou that art immenſe, infinite, not circumſcribed, void of paſſion, and immortall, haſt put on for love of us, even this our fleſh ſtraight, finite, circumſcribed, and finally liable to paſſion, and death it ſelfe: which by hunger, by thirſt, by miſeries, by injuries, by ſcourgings, by ſpittings on, by blood, by death, was handled, beaten, extended, and tortured by pieces in the preſence of the Devill; yet being joyned alſo with thy Divinitie, thou haſt placed it above all the Angels, above all creatures which are in heaven and earth, even at the right hand of thy Father, that we who before were even preſſed downe to hell, may now (by thee) be taken into the fellowſhip of the Godhead. I would I might alwayes reſt in this thy ſo great paſſion, that I may dwell in thy wounds; for whoſoever flies to thy wounds and precious ſcars, ſhall in tribulation finde great comfort, and enjoy that comfort the ſoule doth onely deſire.

CONTEMP. &c. 24.

Of Chriſts buriall.

THere is at length an end ſet to labour, and the worke of redemption being wrought and finiſhed, and that all-ſufficient ranſome paid, the grave receives and covers this ill-handled body: for God is faithfull, O Chriſt my God, who ſet a convenient end to thy labours, temptations, ſorrowes, neceſſities and perſecutions; for my ſinnes thou waſt put to death, after death thou art buried, but it was that thou mighteſt riſe againe out of the grave for my juſt fication. Before the day of preparation for the Paſſeover was wholly paſt; thou art taken from the Croſſe, thy Father haſtens alſo our departure from this preparation day, by a preparation to the heavenly journey, that we may the ſooner be brought to thee, & celebrate Sabbath upon Sabbath unto thee. Therewas no reproach that thou hadſt not bin loaden with in that Croſſe, nor any ignominy, that thy body had not beene diſgraced with in it: yet theſe things could not affright Nicodemus, whom thou hadſt inſtructed by thy nightly conference, and gained for a ſecret Diſciple; and Ioſeph of Arimathea a rich, good, and pious Senatour, two of the principall men amongſt the Jewiſh Nation. Thou didſt hang upon the Croſſe betweene theeves; thy choſen companions fled from thee, the whole rabble of thy perſecutors cryed, Crucifie, crucifie him, take him away, take him away. Pilate delivered thee over to death, and judged thee worthy to be tormented; yet theſe men ſearing nothing, breake through the midſt of the hoſt of theſe perverſe troops, they goe to Pilate, and beſeech him, that the infamouſly handled carkas, yet heavens relique, might be given unto them, accounting of it as of a moſt great gift. What courage of mind ſhal I beleeve you had? who quickned your ſpirits, O Nicodemus and Ioſeph? what beliefe could the ſmall reliques of that golden tree raiſe up in you? did you not think that yee might bee accounted partners with Chriſt, whom they had proclaimed for a deceiver, and a diſturber of the publike peace, and that yee might be reckoned for troublers of the Senate, and be blamed of Pilate, and ſtoned of the people? But the fire of faith was kindled in you, which not being to be confined within in your hearts, breaks forth on all ſides. O ſtrange power of God, in his faithfull ſervants! O how unſearchable are his works! The Diſciples had above three yeares beene publicke auditors of Chriſt now crucified; they had beene plentifully and carefully fed and inſtructed by him; but when ſo great dangers grew thicke, they forſake their Maſter. Nicodemus and Ioſeph came in private to Jeſus, fearing to bring the peoples hatred upon themſelves; now when they ſee all things ſeeme deſperate, they doe not forſake him whom they had worſhipped, whom they had heard, whom they had reverenced, but doe now, ſtill, even now, love and honour not unwillingly. How great is thy power in thoſe that are weake? how great thy perfection in thoſe that are imperfect? would to God that nothing alſo may be able to ſeparate me from the love of Chriſt; neither affliction, nor anguiſh, nor perſecution, nor hunger, nor nakedneſſe, nor danger, nor the ſword; but let me be perſwaded, that nor death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature whatſoever, ſhall be able to ſeparate me from the love of God which is Chriſt Jeſus my Lord. Thoſe diligent worſhippers of thee, doe wrap thee in cleane linnen, do embalme thee with Myrrh and Aloes. O that I may humble my ſelfe by bitter repentance, and purged from my ſinnes, may receive thee with a pure heart. They embalme thee, and lay thee in a new tombe, in which no other had ever beene laid; O that none but thy ſelfe might enter into my heart renewed by thy bleſſed Spirit. They ſpend many things willingly for thy ſake, nor dare ſpare any coſt; let me alſo ſpend my life and blood for thee, and for thine, and what elſe beſides my blood thou haſt given me in this life. When thou ſhalt call my ſoule from this wombe of durt, let me thinke of nothing but of thy death, but of thy blood, but of thy wounds, but of thy crowne; when I I ſhall be affrighted with the grave, let me thinke I ſhall be buried in no other ſepulchre, than in that which thou haſt touched with thine one body, which thou haſt ſanctified by thy ſcars, that being to be raiſed at thy command, I may live with thee everlaſtingly. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 25.

Of Chriſts reſurrection.

SEt forth the prayſes of the Lord, and call upon his name, declare his works among the nations; ſing unto him, ſing praiſes unto him, declare all his wonderfull works, call to mind his wonders which he hath done, his ſtrange works, & the judgements of his mouth. Who can ſufficiently ſpeak of the power of the Lord, and make all his praiſes to be heard? O Lord my God, thou art exceedingly exalted; thou haſt put on praiſe and comelineſſe, and art clothed with light, as it were with a garment; Ioſeph was thruſt into a moſt noyſome darkneſſe of a priſon, but the third yeere was hee taken thence, and made the great commander over all Aegypt. Chriſt was put in the bowells of the earth, but the third day he came out thence alive, and was made governour of heaven and earth. Moſes was caſt forth into the river, being ſhut into an Arke of bulruſhes; but was preſently drawne from thence and made the people of Iſraels Captaine and deliverer. Chriſt Jeſus was ſhut into the tomb; but was in good time raiſed thence, and deſigned for a Saviour unto all men. The buſh in the wilderneſſe, did burne, but was not conſumed by the fire; Jeſus burned upon the Croſſe, and was expoſed to the flames of Gods wrath, and the aſſaults of Satan; but this fire was put out, and now the beames of his fatherly favour ſhine forth. Aarons rod was withered, but it flouriſhed againe; all Chriſts bones were dryed by his paſſion; but vigour returned to them, from the grave. Joſuah trampled the five Kings that were brought unto him under his feet, and hung them upon five trees; Jeſus Chriſt trampled upon our five enemies; the world, ſatan, ſinne, death, and the grave; and carried away moſt great ſpoyles, and ſet up glorious trophyes of his victory. Sampſon was taken in Gaza; but hee plucked up the gates of the City, and eſcaped. Chriſt Jeſus was taken of death, but not kept; and having conquered death, hee triumphed. David overthrew Goliah the Philiſtims champion, with a ſling: Chriſt with his blood overthrew and vanquiſhed the devill, the leader and captaine of the wicked. We bleſſe thee, famous Saviour, we laud thee, moſt invincible captaine, we reverence thee moſt triumphant victour; ariſe make haſte my ſoule, and come away; now winter's paſt, the ſtorme is over and gone, the flowers deck our feilds, the ſpring is come, the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land; the figgtree is budded, the flouriſhing vines ſend forth a ſweet ſavour; ariſe make haſte my ſoule, and come away; it is no time for ſloth, but to make ſpeed; it is no time to ſleepe,, but to awake; it is no time to weepe, but to rejoyce; it is no time to complaine, but to bee glad; wee have beene too indulgent to ſadneſſe, wee have ſhed teares enough; let ſadneſſe depart, let mirth returne, the time of the paſſion is paſt, the time of the reſurrection is come; all anxiety muſt fly away, when the meſſage ſent by the Angell is heard, all greife of heart muſt vaniſh, when the Goſpell is received; hee is riſen, hee is riſen, whom his friend betrayed, whom the company of his diſciples forſook, whom Peter denied, whom the Prieſts delivered up, whom the ſerjeants ſmot, whom the high Prieſts mocked, whom the Iudges condemned, whom the hangmen put to death, whom the ſouldiers pierced, whom the accurſed burden of our ſinns did oppreſſe, whom the wrath due to our ſinns had tormented; hee is riſen, the Lord our God is riſen, our brother is riſen, who hath in his ſepulcher buried all our iniquities, and by his reſurrection, hath brought forth for us freedome, and ſalvation. Confeſſe unto the Lord, and call upon his name, ſet forth his works amongſt the Gentiles, ſing unto him, ſing pſalmes unto him, declare all his wonderfull works. This is the day wherein hath fallen what ever lifted up the head againſt the Lord; for the Lord, himſelfe after hee had drunk of the brock in the way, exalted his own head, and brake to peeces the heads of his adverſaries; this is the day wherein hell was overthrowne, and the abhominable Kingdome of Satan conquered, the devill bound, the old dragon ſpoyled, death diſabled, and the miſerable Chriſtian people freed. Remember the wonderfull things of the Lord, which hee hath done, his marvailes, and the judgements of his mouth; who ſhall ſet forth the power of the Lord, and make all his praiſes to be heard? this is the day wherein did vaniſh away the ſnares of the ſerpent of paradiſe, which hee layd for the ſeede of the woman; they vaniſhed away, and the head of the ſerpent, was cleft in ſunder, and the enmity betwixt mankinde and the ſerpents brood, brake forth into extreamity of deeds. This is the day wherein the ſecond Adam from heaven awaked out of ſleepe, and received his only beloved, and married her to himſelfe; bleſſe the Lord O my ſoule; O Lord my God thou haſt been wonderfully magnified; thou haſt put on praiſe, and comelineſſe, and art clothed with light, as with a garment; rejoyce in the Lord O my ſoule; this ought to be the ſolemnity above all ſolemnities, wherein Chriſt the Lord by his divine power aroſe from death 〈…〉 as before handled like a 〈…〉 theefe; this day is better than tha • wherein the world did firſt appeare: For that was created for mans labour, this was made for his reſt; that deſerved death, this frees him from the feare of death; the light of that day is buried in darkneſſe, the brightneſſe of this day doth even enlighten the graves; to conclude, the dead ſee not the light of that day, but the light of this day hath even ſhowne forth to the dead: let us therefore rejoyce in this day, which both ſhines about the living, and quickneth the dead, and illuminates thoſe who are to come. Let all the world exult with joy, for it is meet that as every creature did lament with mournfull teares the death of their Creator, and did follow the hearſe of him that was put to death upon the Croſſe, in the dark funerals of the night; ſo they ſhould now joyfully receive him, triumphantly returning, in his reſurrection from the dead. And thou alſo my ſoule, rowſe thy ſelfe from the ſleepe of ſinne, that thou crucifie him not againe after his reſurrection; awake if thou be aſleepe, and riſe from the dead; when the Lord aroſe from the tabernacle, the campe removed, and all the people followed; to day is the Lord of life and death riſen from the grave; thou muſt not lie ſnorting, but follow him by thy fervent devotion; the old leaven muſt be purged out, the leaven of malice, and wickedneſſe; wee muſt feed on the unleavened bread of truth and ſincerity. I am willing O God, but not able; thou who haſt given mee grace to hate the way of the fleſh and ſtudies of this age, vouchſafe that I may never ſet foot in that way, nor ever be deceived by theſe inventions; Lord Jeſus, Holy Ieſus, Good Ieſus, if thou wilt, I ſhall be able; for it is thy will that makes mee able; will therefore I may have ability, and will I may bring this good work to perfection. Thou who did'ſt vouchfafe to dye for our ſinns, and to riſe againe for our juſtification, I beſeech thee by thy glorious reſurrection, to raiſe me from the grave of all my ſinnes and offences, and give me daily a part in the firſt reſurrection, that I may truly deſerve to receive a part in thy reſurrection. Moſt ſweet, benigne, loving, deare, precious, deſired, lovely, beautifull Jeſus, thou didſt aſcend into heaven, in triumph of thy glory, and ſitteſt, moſt mighty King, at the right hand of thy Father: draw me up to thee, that I may runne after thee; for the odour of thy perfumes I will runne, and never be weary, if thou wilt aſſiſt me; joyne the mouth of the ſoule that thirſts after thee, to the heavenly ſtreames of eternall ſatiety; yea, draw me to thy ſelfe, thou living fountaine, that thence I may drinke my fill, whence I may alwayes live, my God and my life.

CONTEMP. &c. 26.

Of Chriſts Aſcention.

CLap your hands, O all ye Nations, rejoyce in the Lord with an exulting voice, becauſe the Lord is high, terrible, a great King above all the earth; he hath ſubjected the people unto us, and nations under our feet; he hath choſen us out for an inheritance to himſelfe, the excellency of Iacob which he loved. God hath aſcended in a ſhout, the Lord in the voice of the trumpet. Sing unto our God, ſing ye, ſing unto our King; becauſe God is the King of all the earth, ſing unto him with underſtanding. God hath reigned over the nations, God ſitteth upon his holy ſeat▪ the Princes of the people are gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham, becauſe God is exceedingly exalted by them that defend the earth. This, O my ſoule, was the voice and ſong of the faithfull Jewes in the old Teſtament, wherein they gratulated their Saviour, when in ſpirit and in faith they ſaw he was to come, and did exhort one another, that they ſhould ſing unto, and truſt in him, that was exalted in his Majeſty. Say thou alſo O clap your hands, rejoyce in the Lord in the voice of exultation; that which they proclaimed in hope, doe thou proclaime in fruition; for Chriſt is aſcended, the eternall offspring of the eternall God, and the Sonne of temporary man borne in time. Sing, O my ſoule, to thy great God and Saviour, to the true peacefull Prince of peace, Emperour of heaven and earth, King of kings, Lord of lords. The Angels praiſe his Majeſty, Principalities adore him, Majeſties tremble at him, the powers of the heaven of heavens, and the Society of the bleſſed Seraphins doe celebrate his praiſes with exultation; doe thou alſo cry out, to thy Meſſiah be life and victory, bleſſing and honour, glory and power for evermore. Thoſe ſell ſoules, not ſatisfied with his death, torments, and Croſſe, did even warre againſt him being dead, and did moſt diligently obſerve all things, leſt any ſhould ſteale his body out of the grave; yet returnes he; the Conquerour returnes, cloathed with the brightneſſe of his glory, as it were with moſt pure garments; he returnes, and haſtens to higher things, he flies up to the higheſt heavens, compaſſed with quires of Angels, and heavenly citizens, ſome of whom (as I gueſſe) ſing ſongs of triumph to the Conquerour, others dance for joy, others offer him palme and bayes, others ſtrew handfuls of a moſt pleaſing crop of heavenly flowers. Where are now thy pale lips? where is that filthy beſmearing with ſpittle? where is the congealed blood? where the pricks of the thornes? where his black and blew ſhoulders? where thoſe ſtreames of blood guſhing forth? where his torne ſinewes by the laſhes of whips? In ſo ſhort a moment is this ſo thicke a miſt of ignominy exhaled, and the brightneſſe of his glory poſſeſſes all things. And now is the fore-head cleare, the eyes ſparkling, the comely cheeks bluſhing red; now are the lips died ſcarlet, now doth he ſhake his golden and glittering treſſes; in briefe, he is all over like the Sunne breaking out of a cloud. Where now Lord, is thy abjection, after thou haſt pierced the skies, and aſcended above all heavens, when thou waſt higher than the heavens, and hadſt entred into thy Fathers houſe, in which are many manſions? where was thy contemptible eſtate, when the glory of the heavens gave place to thee, and thou ruledſt every where, and filledſt all places from ſea to ſea, even to the ends of the earth, for evermore? Thou filleſt all things, O Lord, therefore art thou moſt preſent; and although thou ſeemeſt ſometime to be departed from us, yet if thou wouldeſt open our eyes, we ſhould finde thee about us, and in us. Thou art moſt preſent; therefore let not my ſinnes defile me, becauſe they offend thee that waſt ſcourged, crucified, and ſlaine for them, and cauſe me to be condemned for offending of thee. Thou art cleane, and doſt dwell with thoſe that are pure in heart; thoſe that burthen their ſoules with the filth of ſinne, doe expell thee the gueſt of their ſoule. Thou art moſt preſent, therefore whatever betides me, and howſoever the devill batter me, and in what manner ſoever the world afflict me, or the fleſh doe tempt me, yet thou ſeeſt it, and art both able and joyfull to deliver me. When upon mount Olivet thou madeſt preparation to depart, to the full enjoying of thy heavenly kingdome, thou didſt hold up thy hands to heaven, and didſt bleſſe thy Diſciples; I am alſo thy diſciple, therefore thou wilt not withdraw thy bleſſing from me, but wilt make thy aſcention to become unto me a deſcention of many ſorts of gifts. Thy graces did deſcend, as thy body did aſcend: ſo ſhall I aſcend in my heart; I will runne after thee, not with the ſteps of my feet, but with the deſires of my ſoule; and flying from worldly deſires, I will follow thee thither in heart, whither I beleeve thou art in body aſcended: let me now take no pleaſure in vile things here below, that am poſſeſſed of thee in heaven. I will aſcend in my affections, I will aſcend in my progreſſe, and I wil aſcend in effect. I ſhall aſcend in my affections, if I reliſh heavenly things; I ſhall aſcend in my progreſſe, if I ſhall daily profit in thy miniſtery; and I ſhall aſcend in effect, if I have my converſation where thou art, even in the heavens. And I truſt I ſhall eaſily obtaine this; for thou art aſcended to the Father, to be my Interceſſor. The high Prieſt, when he entred the Holy of Holyes, made an atonement for the people; thou art entred into the Sanctuary of bleſſed immortality, a Sanctuary not made with hands, but heaven it ſelfe: thou wilt therefore appear in the preſence of God for us. Thou art aſcended, not leaving upon the earth thy humanity, which thou tookeſt from the earth, and didſt carry about thee on the earth, but haſt ſo exalted it, that thou haſt made it a partaker of heaven. Why therefore, O man, ſhouldeſt thou feare? why, O man, ſhouldeſt thou afflict thy ſelfe? Be ſecure fleſh and blood, you are poſſeſſors of heaven, and Gods Kingdome in Chriſt: if any deny you are in Chriſt, he denies alſo that Chriſt is in heaven; the fleſh and blood, and portion of every of us, is in the man, Chriſt Ieſus. Therefore where my portion reignes, I beleeve I reigne; where my blood doth rule, I perceive my ſelfe to rule: where my fleſh is glorified, I know I am glorious. Thou wenteſt to prepare a place for mee, that I might be with thee in a moſt pleſant City; thou laydſt open the way, that I might come into thy moſt loving ſociety; Thou didſt firſt break through, that I might alſo enter into moſt ample felicity, in everlaſting health of body, in perfect purity of our ſoules, in all fullneſſe of glory, and divine pleaſure, into the perpetuall familiarity of the Saints, to have kindred, hope, reſting place, grace, and dignity, in the heavens.

CONTEMP. 27. &c.

Of the ſending downe of the Holy Ghost.

HOw great, and what an unutterable piety of my redeemer is this? hee carried man into heaven, and ſent God downe upon the earth; behold therefore a new Redeemer is ſent from heaven, behold againe divinity and humanity are mixed together. Thou didſt foretell, O my God, by thy ſpirit which thou haſt given us, I will powre out my waters to the thirſty, and my ſtreames upon thoſe that are ſcorched; I will powr out my ſpirit upon thy ſeede, my bleſſing upon thy poſterity, I will powre out my ſpirit upon all fleſh, and your ſonns ſhall prophecy. I will ſprinckle pure water upon you, and you ſhall be clenſed from all your pollutions. I will ſend my ſpirit into the midſt of you. Now O my God, is thy prophecy fulfilled, and the ſhowers of thy graces and ſtreames of thy bleſſings are powred forth. That common expected time of gladneſſe of all the righteous is now come, the ſweet gueſt of the ſoule is come, the comfortable refreſhing, the reſt in our labour, the temper in heate, comfort in mourning, the waſhing of that which was foule, watering that which was partched with heate, healing that which is wounded, ſtraightning what was crooked, cheriſhing that which was cold, ordering what was gone aſtray. The inſpiter of our faith, the teacher of knowledge, the fountaine of love▪ the enſigne of chaſtity, and the cauſe of all our vertue is come. Hee came when the twelve miniſters, and diſpenſors of thy myſteries were unanimouſly gathered together at Ieruſalem, in the houſe of prayer, choſen by thine owne ſelfe, in the holy City, the City of perfect beauty, and a ſudden noyſe comming from heaven as it were the ruſhing of a mighty wind, cloven tongues appeared to them like fire, and ſate upon each of them, ſo that they were all filled with the Holy ghoſt, and they began to ſpeak in divers languages. They were gathered together with one accord; and indeed that ſpirit loves agreement, and doth bind faſter together mens peacefull minds; it drives away all brawles and contentions, and is it ſelfe driven away by brawles and contentions. They were gathered together in Jeruſalem; it loves a holy place, and where thy word is preached, there it gratiouſly abideth. This word is not without the ſpirit; nor thy word without the ſpirit; there was a ſound like a wind; the holy ſpirit is not ſtill, but its voyce is heard, hee is not dumbe, but ſpeaketh, and preacheth redemption to ſinners, revelations to thoſe in miſery; comfort to thoſe that bee ſad; exaltation to thoſe that are opreſſed; deliverance to the captives; liberty to the bondmen; and rerſurrection to the dead. There was a ſudden and vehement ſound from heaven; the holy ſpirit is not the gift of men, but of the Almighty God; it brings not momentary, but things eternall, not earthly, but heavenly things. Gods helpe is alſo (for the moſt part) ſudden and unlooked for; when wee deſpaire of all mens ayd, the power of the moſt High is ſent us, and cures us in a moſt fit time. The holy ſpirit is cheerefull, and makes them nimble, and ready in whom it operates; for the grace of the holy ſpirit is not acquainted with ſluggiſh endevours. The tongues appeared devided like fire; the tongue is the inſtrument of the holy ghoſt, whereby it prepares and enlargeth the ſpirituall Kingdome; and as the tongue doth diſtinguiſh taſtes, ſo doth the holy ſpirit ſhew us good from ill, and to diſcerne between ſpirits; it alſo beſtowes on us the gift of variety of languages, and gathers together in one the multitudes of men, diſperſed by reaſon of the difference of their tongues. The love of God is, laſtly, fiery, it enlightens the underſtandings drowned in darkneſſe, it warmes the ſoules by charity, makes them ſhine in good works, conſumes wicked affections and actions; O moſt wholſome fire, deſcende from heaven into us. We burne with the filthy brands of our luſts, that the earth ſeemes rather an Aetna of uncleane flames, than an habitation of men. For as the hill Aetna doth continually boyle with certaine inward fiery vapors, ſo doth that with the abhominable flames of fornications; by this meanes we kindle the fire of wrath, the fire of deſtruction, the fire of the Lord, the fire of indignation, which went out from the Lord and conſumed Nadab and Abihu. How grievouſly doth the prophet cry out, behold, all of you doe kindle his fire and adde fuell to the flames; enter yee into the light of your fire and the flames which yee have kindled. For after this manner, as the ſcripture mentioneth, doth all mankind ruſh into eternall damnation. For firſt they kindle the fire, then they put fuell to the flames; and finally, they enter into the flames which they have kindled. And firſt doe wee begin to kindle the eternall fire for our ſelves when firſt we begin to ſinne, and we adde fuell to the flames when we heap ſins upon ſins; We enter into the eternall fire, when we fulfill the remedileſſe ſumme of all our miſchiefes, by the iniquity of our multiplyed offences: As our Saviour ſpake to the Rulers of the Jewes, Yee ſerpents yee generation of vipers, fulfill yee the meaſure of your fathers. O heavenly Spirit, let plentifull ſhowres fall from heaven, and quench the accurſed flames of this fire, that I be not delivered into the unſufferable flames, which no water, no brooke, no river, no ſea can quench. Filth ſticks to me on all ſides; who will waſh it off? I am polluted with the dirt of my ſins; who ſhall make mee cleane? My ſoule is wounded, and altogether defiled; who ſhall heale and purifie it? My bones are dried up; who ſhall moiſten them? Shalt not thou waſh mee? ſhalt not thou purge mee? ſhalt not thou heale mee? ſhalt not thou cleanſe me? ſhalt not thou moyſten me? Thou didſt never yet ſuffer me to receive a repulſe; ſhall this be the firſt time that thou wilt reject my prayer? Surely thou wilt not deny that which I pray for, becauſe thou haſt bid me pray unto thee, becauſe it tendeth to my ſalvation, which thou ſo much deſireſt, and belongs unto thine owne honour, whereof thou art ſo jealous. Give me drink therefore out of the ſtreames of thy pleaſure, that I may take no pleaſure to taſte of the poyſoned ſweets of the world. Thou art the light and guide of my mind; as thou art the Author, ſo be alſo the Actor of all the good that is in me; for I humbly rely upon thee; I beleeve in thee, the true God, who pr • ceedeſt from the Father and the Son from all eternity, and art in time ſent unto me; what ever I am, I am it in thee and by thee; I am righteous by thee, by thee am I chaſte, by thee am I patient, by thee am I ſtrong, by thee humble, by thee am I courteous, by thee am I long-ſuffering, by thee am I wiſe, by thee liberall, and by thee am I thrifty. O thou Comforter, teach me to doe thy will, becauſe thou art my God. I beleeve therefore that whomſoever thou poſſeſſeſt, thou fitteſt him for a dwelling, both of the Father, and of the Son; happie is he that ſhall be thought worthy to lodge thee, becauſe by thee the Father and the Son ſhall make his abode with him.

CONTEMP. 28. &c.

Of the myſtery of the Trinity.

O Three coequall, and coeternall Perſons, one true God, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt, who doſt onely inhabit eternity and light inacceſſible; who in thy might didſt lay the foundation of the earth, and doſt governe the whole world by thy wiſdome. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbaths, terrible, ſtrong, juſt and mercifull, wonderfull, laudable and lovely. One God, three Perſons, one Eſſence, one Power, one Wiſdome, one Goodneſſe, and one undivided Trinitie. Bleſſed be alwayes the holy Trinitie, one Diety, and coequall Majeſty. The Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, are three names, all of them one ſubſtance, God the begetter, God the begotten, the Holy Spirit equall God, contained in them both; yet they are not three Gods, but one true God; ſo the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghoſt Lord: there is propriety in the Perſons, and unity in the Eſſence; an equall Majeſty and Power, equal Beauty & Honour, in all things; comprehending the Starres, the Seas, the Fields, nay the whole Creation; at whom wicked hell doth tremble, and whom the loweſt depths doe reverence. Let every voice and tongue now confeſſe him worthy this praiſe, whom Sunne and Moone doe magnifie, and the Angelicall dignity doth adore; and let us all with ſtrained voyce, with muſicall ſongs and ſweet melody warble forth his praiſes. O let us now ſing together before the Throne of our God, that is exalted in the higheſt. O Trinity to be adored, O Unity to be reverenced! Thou true Eternity, by thee are we created; thou moſt perfect charity, by thee are we redeemed; doe thou protect, ſave, deliver, ſet free, and cleanſe all people; we worſhip thee, Almighty, we ſing unto thee, to thee be praiſe and glory for ever and ever. For it is truly a worthy and a juſt thing, a right and a ſaving thing, that we ſhould at all times, and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, God Almighty, who with thy only begotten Son and the Holy Ghoſt are one God, attone Lord, not in the ſingularity of one Perſon, but in the ſubſtance of one Trinity: for that which wee beleeve from thy revelation concerning thy glory, this wee underſtand without difference of diſtinction, both of the Son and alſo of the Holy Ghoſt, that the propriety of Perſons, the unitie of Eſſence, and equality of Majeſtie may be adored in the confeſſion of a true and an eternall Deitie. One man is not ſo much as three men joyned together, and two men are ſomething more than one; but in God it is not ſo, for the Father and Son together are not a greater Eſſence than the Father alone, or the Son alone, but thoſe three Perſons together are equall one to another. The conſideration of the word, One, extends farre, to the making evident of this ſingle Unity. There is an unitie which may bee called collective, as when many ſtones make up one heape of ſtones; there is alſo an unitie conſtitutive, when many members make up one body, or many parts of any thing make up the whole thing it ſelfe. There is alſo an unity conjugative, whence it comes to paſſe that two by marriage are now no more two, but one fleſh. And there is a native unity, whence by the ſoule and body one man is borne: There is a poteſtative unity, whereby a vertuous man is not inſtable or unlike himſelfe, but doth alwayes endevour to bee found like to himſelfe. It is a conſentaneous unitie, when by charity many men have one heart and one ſoule. There is a votive unitie, when the ſoule adhering to God in all its deſires, becomes one ſpirit. There is a dignitative unitie, whereby our corrupt fleſh is by God the Word, aſſumed into one Perſon. But what are all theſe things to that moſt high, and as I may ſo ſay, that onely unitie where conſubſtantiality maketh the unity? If thou liken any of the former unities to this unity, it will be after a ſort alike; but if you compare it with it, it will bee nothing: therefore amongſt all things which are rightly ſaid to be one, the unity of the Trinity, wherein three Perſons are one ſubſtance, doth hold the preheminence; each particular Perſon is in each particular Perſon; all the Perſons conjoyned are in each particular Perſon, and each diſtinct Perſon, in all the Perſons conjoyned; all are in all, and all is but one, none of theſe precedes another in eternitie, or exceeds another in greatneſſe, or excells another in power; that which is there ſaid to be great, is not otherwiſe great, than as it is truly ſo indeed; becauſe there greatneſſe is truth it ſelfe, and truth is Eſſence; therefore that is not greater which is not truer, but one Perſon is not truer than another of them, or two of them than any one, or all three together than all three ſeparated each from other; therefore one hath no more truth than another, or two than any one, or all together than each aſunder: So then alſo the Trinitie it ſelfe is not any thing greater than every diſtinct Perſon in it, but is equally great with them. Theſe are wonderfull things, and ſet farre above the reach of any creature; therefore mans underſtanding doth very hardly aſſent to theſe myſteries which are ſet ſo farre from our view, and the minde eaſily begins to wander after ſpeculations, if wee have not before us a more ſublime doctrine which may recall our phanſies into the right bounds and limits ſet for us by God himſelfe. That doctrine is divine; No man can take another by the hand if he want his owne; we cannot ſee the Sunne without the Sunne, nor can any conceive divine things without divine aſſiſtance, nor can we know God without God. Be preſent therefore thou true Light, Almighty God and Father; bee preſent thou Light of lights, thou Word and Son of God, God Almighty; be preſent holy Spirit, thou concord of the Father and the Son, God Almighty; bee preſent one omnipotent God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; we confeſſe in thee, by thee, and of thee; we confeſſe thou art one in Subſtance, three in Perſon, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt: O bleſſed Trinity, God, Lord, Comforter, Charity, Grace, Fellowſhip, Begetter, Begotten, Regenerating, true Light, true Light of light, illumination, inviſible viſibly, viſible inviſibly, Fountaine and watering ſtreames; from whom, by whom, and in whom are all things; he that lives from himſelfe and is Life it ſelfe, he that receives life from him that lives, and he that gives life to thoſe that live; a true Father, the Son of truth, the Spirit of truth, one Eſſence, one Vertue, one Goodneſſe, God, above whom is nothing, and out of whom is nothing, and without whom is nothing. God, under whom is all, in whom is all, and with whom is all; we call upon thee, wee adore thee, wee praiſe thee; encreaſe our faith, ſtirre up our hope, and infuſe us with charitie, Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 29.

Of ſhunning Curioſitie in things not revealed unto us.

WHy art thou afflicted, O my ſoule, if reaſon be tormoiled, and doth groane and cry out, being plunged in a bottomleſſe gulfe? A thing is not therefore falſe becauſe I cannot conceive or underſtand it: reaſon is not the meaſure of things, but it is bound to fit it ſelfe to things: reaſon is ſtreight, and why then doſt thou marvell if it cannot comprehend the vaſtneſſe of heavenly things? by how much more ſimple our faith is, ſo much is our life more agreeable to it, although we neither diſpute of, neither doe underſtand all things. By ſo much more noble and more renowned ſhall the citizens of the Church, be (hereafter) eſteemed of God, becauſe forſaking all, they ſhewed themſelves willing to become only moſt deare unto him; it is a ſhort way for religious and ſimple minds, both to caſt away errour and to ſearch out the truth. For if we returne to the fountaine and head of divine tradition, the errour of man vaniſheth away; and the reaſon of the heavenly Sacraments being underſtood, what ever before lay hid under the miſt and cloud of obſcure darkneſſe, is made apparant by the light of truth; if the waters of the channell, which uſed to flow plentifully, be ſuddenly dried up, doe we not preſently goe to the ſpring-head, that there we may diſcover the reaſon that it failes? whether the pipes grow dry from the head, or running full and currantly from thence, they bee not ſtopped in their middle courſe? but if we finde it is by reaſon that the pipes it flowes in, be either ſtopped or broken, that the water cannot runne conſtantly, and flow as it uſed to doe; when we have ſtopped and ſodered the pipes, the waters being collected, are brought in the ſame plenty and conſtancie for the uſe and drinking of the Citizens, as they doe flow from the fountaine. Wee muſt even doe thus according to Gods command, that is, if truth ſhall ſtagger or reele in any thing, let us returne to the originall of it, namely, our Saviour, his Goſpell, and the Apoſtolicall traditions; and thence let us ground the reaſon of our actions, whence the order and originall of it firſt aroſe. Whilſt others make lyes of probabilities, they fruſtrate the truth by ſubtilties; and this is done, becauſe they have no recourſe to the originall of truth; nor doe they ſeeke to the head, nor obſerve the doctrine of their heavenly Maſter; which whoſoever conſiders and examineth, he hath no need of arguments and long diſcourſes. The triall of our faith is eaſie by the compendiouſneſſe of truth; I would have no man diſpute how God the Father begate the Son; nor doe thou too curiouſly involve thy ſelfe within the ſecret of this depth, leſt perhaps, whilſt thou too obſtinately ſearcheſt after the brightneſſe of this in acceſſible light, thou be deprived of that little ſight which by Gods gift is afforded unto mortall creatures: Or if thou thinkeſt thou oughteſt to wade ſo farre in this kind as thou art able: Firſt begin thou with things which concerne our ſelves, which if thou wilt (conſequently) wade thorow, then prepare thy ſelfe to paſſe from earthly things to heavenly things, from viſible things to inviſible things. Firſt unfold and declare if thou canſt, how the minde that is in thee, begets a word; and what is the ſpirit of memory that is in it; how theſe things that are different in things and actions, are notwithſtanding but one nature and ſubſtance; and though they proceed from the minde, yet are never ſeparated from it. But theſe things, although wee have them in us, in the very ſubſtance of our ſoule, yet they ſeeme to be ſo much the more hidden unto us, by how much they are more inviſible to the eyes of the body. Let us enquire of things more open; how doth a fountaine of it ſelfe beget a river? and by what ſpirit are the ſwift ſtreames thereof moved? and though the fountaine and ſtreames be but the ſame, one inſeparable thing, yet cannot the fountaine be either underſtood to bee or be called the river, nor the river the fountaine, yet he that ſees the ſtreames, ſees the fountaine. Firſt exerciſe thy ſelfe, thou ſuperſtitious, and impertinently laborious, and thou ſoule that toyleſt after nullities in the unfolding of theſe things, and diſcuſſe, if thou canſt, what we hold in our hands: and then we will proceed to things higher than theſe: nor thinke I perſwade thee in an inſtant to aſcend from earth above the heavens, but firſt if it pleaſe you, I will bring you to that firmament which is apparant to our view, and there if thou canſt unfold the nature of this viſible light, how that heavenly fire begets from it ſelfe the ſhining light, how it begets vapors, and which being three in diſtinctneſſe of things, are yet but one in ſubſtance; although thou couldeſt finde out all this, know yet, that the myſtery of the heavenly generation, is by ſo much more different and higher than theſe things, by how much the Creator is more powerfull than the creatures, and the workman more excellent than the worke he makes; by how much he who is from all eternity, is more noble than that that tooke its originall from nothing. God is therefore to be beleeved to be the Father of his onely Son our Lord, and it is not to be enquired how. For a ſervant ought not to diſpute of his maſters nativity. He wants nothing, O man, who is confirmed by the doctrine of both Teſtaments. Both of them are theſe two ſwords, of which the eternall Doctor ſaid, It is enough. I wiſh againe and againe, my long-ſuffering God, that I might learne and know him; but if I know not the originall, nor can meaſure the quantity, nor am able ſufficiently to conſider what manner of thing my ſoule is, which rules over my body; if I know not the reaſon why it ſhould take pleaſure in the body which perſecuteth it; if I be ignorant who hath graven this law of my members, that the fleſh ſhould oppreſſe the ſpirit in ſo violent a command, and that the better and more worthy part of nature ſhould yeeld to the more ignoble: I ought to beare patiently, if I underſtand not the Creator of the Univerſe, who muſt even in the ſmalleſt parcels of his works, profeſſe mine owne blindneſſe. Let me not then proceed farther in other things, than my ſmall capacity wil beare, not curiouſly pry into thoſe things which are ſo high above me. I will ſay with reaſon and conſtancie, I know not his ſecrets, and I am ignorant of his divine councell; the oracle of the heavenly word is enough for me to try all cauſes. God ſayes he ſees all things, governes all things, judges all things. If thou wilt know what thou art to hold, thou haſt the holy Scripture; it is perfect reaſon to hold what thou haſt read. But I will not ſuffer my ſelfe to aske for what cauſe God doth theſe things in ſuch a manner; I am a man, I underſtand not the ſecrets of God, I dare not ſearch after them, and therefore I even feare to meddle with them: becauſe even this is a kinde of ſacrilegious raſhneſſe, to deſire to know more than is permitted unto thee. Let it ſuffice thee that God doth teſtifie, that himſelfe doth act, and diſpoſe of all things: leaving therefore theſe things, let us rather ſeeke (like good merchants) to gaine the inheritance of heaven, and thoſe things that may profit our ſoules: let us learne to get goods which will continue with us; let us firſt ſeeke to have Gods ſeale ſtamped upon us, becauſe in the day of judgement, when God ſhal make that ſeparation, & when all the nations of the whole earth, the ſonnes of Adam, ſhall be gathered together, when the ſhepherd ſhall call his flocke, whoſoever have beene ſealed, ſhall know their ſhepherd, and the ſhepherd ſhall know thoſe he hath ſealed, and ſhall gather them together out of all nations. Every man naturally deſireth knowledge; but what doth knowledge profit without the feare of God? certainly an humble rudeneſſe is better, that is employed in Gods ſervice, than a proud Prelate or Philoſopher, who neglects himſelfe, and is alwayes contemplating upon God, or the motion of the heavens. How many are there, who in this life, by many curious enquiries, have endevoured to know God, who ſhall never ſee his face? how many in this life doe labour to meaſure the heavens, and to finde out all things belonging to them, that ſhall never enter into them? He that doth well know himſelfe, thinks meanly of himſelfe, and is not delighted in the praiſes of men. If I did know all things in the world, and were not in charity, what would this knowledge profit me in the preſence of God, who then will judge acccording to my works? I will therefore (at length) reſt from the too much deſire of knowledge, becauſe the more I know, the more grievouſly will the moſt high God judge me, except I live the more holily. Give mee (moſt bleſſed and moſt wiſe God) the higheſt and moſt profitable knowledge, that I may know thee, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, with moderation, and may inwardly know my ſelfe to be miſerable and of no account; that I may attribute nothing to my ſelfe, and alwayes have a good opinion of others. This is great wiſdome and ſome ſort of perfection; Though I ſee another ſinne openly and even to commit ſome grievous ſinnes; let me not think my ſelfe better, becauſe I know not how long I may continue in goodneſſe; we are all undoubtedly fraile; but let me judge none frailer than my ſelfe, that I may obtaine true ſtrength in goodneſſe.

CONTEMP. &c. 30.

Of the Custodie of Angels.

BLeſſe the Lord (O my ſoule) & all my bowels give praiſe unto his holy Name: Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and forget not any of his benefits; praiſe the Lord, yee Angels of his, yee that excell in ſtrength, fulfilling his Word, giving eare to the voyce of his Word. Praiſe the Lord, all his Hoaſts, yee ſervants of his that doe his pleaſure. Praiſe the Lord all yee works of the Lord; praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule, in all places of his dominion. My heart is ready, O God my heart is ready. He hath commanded his Angels, ſaith thy faithfull ſervant David, (ſpeaking of man) to preſerve thee in all thy wayes, they ſhall hold thee up with their hands that thou ſtrike not thy foot againſt a ſtone. God hath commanded it, God the true and moſt excellent Life, in whom and from whom are all things: the Creator & Governor of the world, the Sweetneſſe & Beauty of the Angels, the Creator and Preſerver of men, that God who is God of gods; ſo great a God, that no tongue can rightly expreſſe him; hee hath commanded, and hath commanded his Angels, his holy Angels that are inſtructed of God, by the eternall contemplating of which truth they become bleſſed; hee hath commanded them concerning thee O man: What is man that thou tookeſt notice of him, or the ſonne of man, that thou didſt eſteeme him? Thou ſenteſt unto him thy only begotten Son, thou ſendeſt into him thy holy Spirit; and that there ſhould be no want of thy carefull working for him, in the heavens thou doſt alſo (for our ſakes) ſend forth thoſe bleſſed Spirits to miniſter unto us: the moſt mercifull God ſendeth forth thoſe Spirits (as it were) ſo many bright ſparks of his Deity, ſparkling from the Torches of his everlaſting light: who are conceived to bee divided into ſo great hoaſtes, and into ſo many orders to prompt us, not only with matter of prayer to God, but of admiration of his greatneſſe and goodneſſe; when I ſpeake thus (O my ſoule) phanſie not to thy ſelfe little faire Boyes, whoſe countenances are over-ſpread with an admirable ſplendour, whoſe ſoft diſſheveld haire of colour like the fineſt gold, hangs dangling to their ſhoulders, & fanned with the gentle breath of the peacefull weſterne wind, doth kiſſe the ſmooth pillars of their milkie necks; if thou phanſie ſuch Angels, thou art utterly ignorant of their power: They have a pure nature, ſubtill and aiery, not to be repreſented in the ſhape of any body; no ſpot of matter doth cloud it, no mole of corruption doth ſprinkle it; and that I may ſpeak briefly, our beſt part is our ſoule; an Angell is nothing but a ſoule: But what ſoule? not reliſhing of that fire whereby the Starres doe twinkle, and the Axeltree of Heaven is moved, but a vigour of a moſt quick moved underſtanding, made (ſo much the nearer) to reſemble the patterne, the eternal Beauty, by how much it approacheth nearer to, and is the more plentifully ſprinkled with that holy Fountaine. Hence truely comes that notable comlineſſe of all their ornaments, and the immortall concurrence of goodneſſe, which they with a moſt acceptable ingenuity of will, doe yeeld to their Creator; they out-ſtrip in ſpeed the ſwifteſt ſhippe ſailing on the maine, and driven by force of windane oares; they out-fly a bullet in the aire ſent from the ſulphury mouth of a thundring Cannon; theſe moſt excellent mentall Intelligences moſt wiſely foreſee all things with no trouble or interpoſition of time, and moſt readily untie any the moſt intricate knots of difficulties. If thou conſider the grace with which they were ennobled even from the firſt beginning of things, when God the Author of all things was in the Angels framing nature and beſtowing grace; thou mayſt call them veſſels of tranſparent Gumme, or Chriſtall framed by the worlds Creator, into which the ſtreames of the Divinitie did disburthen ſo great and unuſuall fragrancie of graces: if thou weigh the glory and what a large meaſure of grace this Nature obtained, thou ſhalt ſee them all emptied and ſwallowed up with the ſimilitude of the love they have towards God. Theſe, theſe are thoſe whom that great workman hath given us men made of durt and clay, in this our dwelling place the earth; to guide nouriſh and inſtruct us, to defend us in our way to ſalvation, to drive calamity from us, to conſult for our happineſſe, to be fathers in the care of us brethren, in the love of us, and ſervants in their obedience to us. Theſe, theſe are preſent for thee, O my ſoule; they are not only with thee, but they are for thee, that they may protect thee, that they may profit thee, and while we are yet but little ones, we are (it is thought) committed to the charge of Angels, as it were, to Tutors and inſtructors, to the ſet time appointed by our Father. Thou overwhelmeſt, thou overwhelmeſt me, O my God, with thy benefits, that I might delight to abide with thee, and deſire to dwell by thee continually, and never to depart from thee. Thou ſetteſt a watch round about me, that I might not eſcape thee; thou environeſt me with protectours, that I be not ſnatched from thee. O my God, I will ſing, I will ſing Pſalmes unto thee, O my glory, with my heart lifted up: Awake Pſaltery and Harpe, I my ſelfe will awake very early. I will celebrate thy praiſes, O Jehovah, amongſt the people, and ſing unto thee amongſt the Nations; for thy kindneſſe is great above the heavens, and thy truth reacheth above the uppermoſt clouds; I will exalt thee, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory is above all the earth: I can give thee thanks, but I cannot render thee due thanks, O my God; but thou deſireſt not thy due thanks, becauſe thou knoweſt I have not the power to performe it: it is the cuſtome of people of meane qualitie to ſhew themſelves munificent amongſt themſelves; thy benefits as they excell in Majeſtie, ſo they require not that which is lent. O moſt bountifull God, as thou haſt freely ſet thy Angels over mee, ſo make them freely to abide by, to dwell and remaine with mee. Troops of the winged Holyes met Jacob at Mahanaim, as he was on his way to his Countrey; I am alſo upon my way, and am haſtening to my Countrey; give mee therefore in like manner bands of ſuch moſt valiant ſouldiers that may direct, admoniſh and guide me, and keepe mee, both behind, and alſo before, and may on no ſide leave me open or unguarded. O my God, ſend thoſe thy miniſters to us from out thy glorious Tower of heaven to us thy weake creatures ſtaggering amidſt theſe mournfull tents of our cumberſome mortalitie, that they may encompaſſe us in our feares, comfort us in our griefes, and purge us from our growing and oppreſſing miſeries. Sickneſſes doe devour and overthrow us, the plague infeſts us; ſend Raphael that may heale and cure us; rumours of warres doe diſhearten us, the drawne ſwords doe prey upon us; ſend Michael to fight for us; our ill abetting fleſh ſolicites us, devilliſh ſuggeſtions doe aſſault us; ſend Gabriel that may reconcile thy will to our will. Woe is mee, if provoked by my ſinnes and negligences thou ſhalt judge me unworthy the preſence and viſitation of thy holy Angels, by whoſe preſence thou uſeſt to protect me and repulſe my enemies. Seeing then the familiarity of the Angelicall dignity, is ſo profitable for me, make me to abſtain frō evil which doth offend them, and to exerciſe holineſſe, in which I know they take delight. But they are pleaſed with ſuch things as they delight to find in me, ſuch as is ſobriety, patient bearing of poverty, often ſending up ſighes to heaven, and above all, they love truth and peace. Let me be Lot in righteouſneſſe, Iſaac in obedience, Eleazer in fidelitie; let me bee Jacob in piety, let me be Elias in my zeale, let me be Elizeus in my courage, Ezechias in devotion, Daniel in my conſtancie, Judith in my chaſtitie, Tobias in honeſty, and let me be Lazarus in my patience. Grant me theſe things, O my God, and I ſhall alwayes have thy Angels my companions; without ſeparation they will accompany me, they will accompany both my ſoule and alſo my body, and they will accompany my ſoule after it's departure out of my body, and ſhall bring it into Paradiſe, where is the ſocietie & beholding of Angels and Archangels, and above all, the bleſſed beholding of Chriſt my Saviour. Grant me theſe things, O my God, and I will praiſe thee with the Cherubims and Seraphims, and will ſing of thy mercies unceſſantly, for evermore. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 31.

Of Baptiſme.

THey are fearfull words, O man, which we reade, Yee were at that time without Chriſt, and yee were ſtrangers from the converſation of Iſrael, and were aliens from the covenants of the promiſe, and yee were without hope, and without God in the world. What, O wretch, can be more miſerable for thee? and what canſt thou heare that can be more terrible unto thee? He that is without Chriſt, is without faith; he that is excluded from the congregation of Iſrael, knowes not what grace is; he that is without hope, hath no comfort; he that is without God, hath no helper. O depth of miſery, what underſtanding can rightly conceive it? or what tongue ſufficienly expreſſe it? how many myriades of men are enveloped in more than Egyptian darkneſſe, in ſuperſtitions, and abominable Gentiliſme, who are ſtill without Chriſt, being eſtranged from the commonwealth of Iſrael, ſtrangers to the covenant of the promiſe, without hope, and without God in the world? they have (it may be) ſomething which they call by the name of God; but what ever they paint unto themſelves, or what ever they forme unto themſelves, they are but apparitions of the night, fearfull ſights amongſt the graves, terrible noiſes amidſt ſepulchers, or tame Statues of ſilver or gold, the works of mens hands, which have mouthes, but ſpeake not, eyes, but ſee not, eares, but heare not, noſes, but ſmell not, hands, but handle not, feet, but walk not, nor ſpeake they through their throats. O gods without a deity, without underſtanding, without life! And I my ſelfe was to be reckoned amongſt thoſe many thouſands of damned men; for the like ſentence of damnation did attend them who were all guilty of the ſame offence. But eternall thanks are due to thee, O eternal God, that thou haſt freely ſeparated me from them, with whom I had fellowſhip, by reaſon of my ſins; it was thy pleaſure I ſhould be begotten and borne of ſuch parents that ſate not in darkneſſe, nor had their habitation in the region of the ſhadow of death, but were called out of darkneſſe, into thy admirable light, to an elect ſtocke, a kingly prieſthood, a holy nation, to an honoured people. O God my God, thou ſoughteſt me when I knew not of thee; thou gaveſt unto me, when I asked not of thee; thou openedſt unto me when I did not knocke; for when I was yet a bawling infant, in my bepiſſed clouts; when I yet ſavoured ill of my mothers coutch; when I was putrified, as well with mine owne, as with the naturall and ſpirituall uncleanneſſe of my parents; yet thou, not diſheartned with all this, didſt take me up, cheriſh and purge me that was thus conceived, and chafed in my ſins. Thou leddeſt me to the pure waters, living waters; to the divine oracle, to the lavacre, in the word of regeneration, and renovation; thou broughteſt me, O God my God, to baptiſme, the firſt gate to be entred to the kingdome of heaven; into the armes, and to the kiſſes of my Saviour, by which he • ranſlates us out of the lap of our parents, into his heavenly habitation, and enroles us into the number of Gods elect, and citizens of heaven, and makes us members of his body, which being one with the head, become partakers of the heavenly treaſures. O God my God, thou haſt promiſed this by thy Prophet, Ye ſhall draw waters with joy out of the wholſome fountaines: And, I will powre out my waters upon the thirſty, and my ſtreames upon the dry ground. I will powre out my ſpirit upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thy poſterity, and they ſhall grow amongſt the graſſe like willowes, by the rivers of waters. And againe, they ſhall bring their ſonnes in their armes, and carry their daughters upon their ſhoulders. And I, O moſt mercifull Lord, was brought, carried, ſprinkled, and waſhed amongſt them, and did mount up unto thee, as it were upon the wings of an Eagle. I laid aſide the decrepit age of my ſinnes, and put on the vigorous youth of grace; this did this heavenly Sacrament worke in me. I began to be a true Eagle, who by thy grace doe ſoare to heaven, and doe loath all earthly things. As often as I behold earthly water, I ſhould remember this divine water, which hath wrough ſo many and ſo great things in us. The naturall water doth waſh and take away ſpots, doth quench fire, cooles and allayes the heat of thirſt, incorporates many and ſundry things into one body; it aſcends as high in heighth, as it doth deſcend below in depth. The heavenly water of Baptiſme waſhes away the leproſie of ſinne, and wipes away our iniquities, and makes us whiter than ſnow. Our ſins in themſelves are like ſcarlet, yet are they whitened as white as ſnow; they are red like crimſon, yet they grow white as wooll. The water of Baptiſme, by a divine and admirable way and means, doth quench the fire of our fleſhly deſires. How pleaſing is it to us, ſo ſoone as the heavenly Spirit ſlides into us in this waſhing, for us to want theſe trifling ſweets? The true and chiefeſt ſweetneſſe doth caſt out thoſe other, which elſe wee would feare to loſe; it caſteth them out, and there enters (in their ſtead) the hidden and heavenly pleaſure, which is ſweeter than all other pleaſure, yet not to fleſh and blood; is brighter than any other light, yet more hidden than any ſecret; higher than any other honour, but not to men that are high in their owne conceits: It quencheth alſo the flames of hell fire, thoſe devilliſh brands of hell, which no helpe of man can put out. The divine water of Baptiſme ſets an end to the various and troubleſome deſires of mans heart, and makes us onely reſt upon God. The divine water of Baptiſme makes one nation of all the nations, of the Iſraelites and of the Heathen, that did differ ſo exceedingly in moſt things, that they might become one body, and one ſoule, one hope of calling, till at length they may be made perfect in one. The divine water of Baptiſme is given us from heaven above, from the Father of lights, and it flowing from the fountaine that ſprings to eternall life, doth not onely draw our hearts to their owne originals, but doth wholly lead us to that moſt bleſſed fountain. Farewell World, avoid Satan, be gone each worldly thing, for I call to minde theſe words that my Godfather holding me in his armes, pronounced for me, I renounce thee Satan, and thy pompe and worſhip: with theſe words am I received into Gods covenant, and enrolled in the number of Chriſts ſouldiers. What ever thou ſhalt ſay, O Serpent, I will preſently reply; what ever thou ſhalt ſpeake, I will not hearken unto thee, Then, that thou catch me not by other meanes, I have renounced alſo thy pompe, and thy worſhip and thy meſſengers. I was preſt for the warre of the living God, when I anſwered to the words in the Sacrament. Whatſoever earthly things are received in this world, and ſhall here remaine in this world, are to be deſpiſed, as much as the world it ſelfe is to be contemned, the pomps and delights whereof I did then renounce, when in my better paſſage I went unto my Lord. In Baptiſme I was cloathed in white, that I might be taught (moſt devoutly) to rely upon Chriſts innocency, and to be willing to lead my life ſincerely and purely. I confeſſe (indeed) my God, that I have beene ſometime forgetfull of my covenant made with thee, that I have forſaken the hoaſte of righteouſneſſe, and have runne away to thy enemy, and have moſt grievouſly offended thee my Captaine, by my tranſgreſſions and treaſons, that I have beene worthy thy moſt ſevere puniſhment: but I returne to thee, I fall before thee, and beſeech thee for thine unſpeakable goodneſſe, that thou wilt receive me, and acknowledge me for thy ſouldier and ſervant; and (at length) of thy grace, grant me the prize of victory, that being freed and ſaved, I may (at length) erect a trophee to thy name and praiſes. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 32.

Of a Chriſtians practiſe.

IT is an eaſie thing for one to call himſelfe a Chriſtian, but a hard thing to performe the part of a Chriſtian. He that deſires to fulfill the meaſure of that name, let him marke diligently theſe things that follow. Acknowledge, O man, thine owne baſeneſſe; conſider how wretched, and of how little account thou art, thou haſt nothing from thy ſelfe, but all things from God: he gave thee all things for thy uſe, to whom thou muſt repay them, yea, and even thy life it ſelfe, at what moment ſoever he ſhall require them; and thou muſt depart as naked from hence, as thou cameſt naked into this world and although all the world, with it: inhabitants, doe keepe thee companys yet they can profit thee nothing; for all things are fleeting, brittle, tranſitory, and nothing can free thee from death; give not thy ſelfe therefore over to ſecurity, but feare God, and examine exactly what may be truly profitable for thee. Doe good to the poore with all thy power, that thou mayeſt gather for thy ſelfe a treaſure in heaven. Doe all that God bids thee, for thou art bound to doe good with thy will and ſpirit: but he that knowes to doe well, and doth it not, he is guilty of ſinne; but he that doth good, doth it not from himſelfe, but for that cauſe that it is beſtowed on him of God, and that he belongeth unto God. Love not (O man) the world, or the things of the world, as the luſts of the fleſh, the deſires of the eyes, and the pride of life but feare God, and meditate with thy ſelfe of heavenly things: ſtrive to fulfill Gods will in all vertuouſneſſe; ſhun worldly, & minds ſet upon the earth, that thou be not defiled with other mens ſins; ſeeke Gods kingdome, and ſo uſe the mirth is permitted to thee, that thou mayeſt alwayes tremble, ſtand in awe, and ſhew thy ſelfe thankfull, that thou fall into no ſecret ſin, or be delighted with the tree of good and evill, and with the ſight of a momentany pleaſure thou remove (like Eve) the law of God out of thine eyes and heart, which ſhould be, nevertheleſſe, the ſumme and higheſt pitch of all thy delights. It ſhould be thy delight night and day, that it may be to thee the right way, the truth, and the life, if thou wilt lead a a living life, conducting to life eternall, not to everlaſting death. Next, O man, keepe theſe three things, faith, charity, and ſtedfaſtneſſe of hope. What ever thou doſt, ſee thou doe it in faith, in ſimplicity of heart, in confidence of the fatherly will of God, and give God thanks, to whom they are due, and his bleſſings ſhall be alwayes thy handmaid: let charity ſpring from the ground of thy heart, nor be carefull to give thy ſelfe content, but labour with feare and humility to pleaſe God. Be pleaſing unto men in truth, mercy, and juſtice, without flattery for that is perfect charity. Charity bids us look to the things that concerne God & our neighbour, not only thoſe things wch concern my ſelfe. Let thy hope be without feare and doubting; let him that deſires divine, heavenly, and eternall things, reſt upon the wil of God, and not upon ſlippery, fraile and brittle things. No man ſhall make thee loſe thy hold of that hope which thou haſt placed upon God: thou mayeſt hope upon him, even in the pangs of death, for he is omnipotent. Never let humility ſlip out of thy mind; for he preſerveth thy life by ſimplicitie, ſtrengthens it by patience, and feeds it by truth. Commit all thy waies unto God, and hee ſhall bring it to paſſe; he knowes what is for thy profit, and what not. Thinkeſt thou that he knowes not thy condition? behold God ſees and knowes all things, and nothing is hid from his eyes. He regards alſo the poore and contrite ſpirit, and him that trembleth at his Word. Search not therefore after high things; when thou art commended, feare, becauſe thou art an unprofitable ſervant, and canſt doe nothing except thou be aſſiſted by the power, favour, and Spirit of God. Thinke not better of thy ſelfe than of thy neighbour, for thou art a man of nought; remember God is only to be honoured, and thou ſhalt be the greater, if thou caſt down thy ſelfe. Be alwayes ruminating of theſe things firſt, let no vain, idle, ſcurrilous words break from thy lips, but godly, pleaſing, profitable, which tend to life, and lead not to death; therefore bridle thy tongue, and reſtraine it, for it can kill, and give life. Secondly, to keepe thy ſoule and conſcience free from wickedneſſe, exclude thou malice and impious thoughts, and never ſhun the light: O thrice happie and more is hee whoſe heart condemnes him not. Thou belongeſt to God (O man) walke upright with God; remove from thee darkneſſe, lyes, and injuſtice, for he is a Judge, and a revenger of ſuch things. Trie and prove thy ſelfe in all things, that thou mayſt know what vice ſticks to thee, what vertue thou wanteſt, that thou mayſt ſhake off that, and purchaſe this; for thou canſt never bee ſo perfect, that ſomething will not ſtill be wanting. Whatſoever thou doſt, thou doſt it by Gods indulgence and helpe, if it be acceptable to him; for of thy ſelfe thou art very nothing, and by the aſſiſtance of Gods holy Spirit canſt thou onely proceed in goodneſſe; ſtay not therefore or hinder the operations thereof; work out thy ſalvation with feare and trembling, in continuall repentance, humility, and ſimplicitie of heart, and think that thou art neither worthy of the bleſſings of this life, or of that which is to come. Laſtly, pray without ceaſing in all thy labours, pray reverently, devoutly and humbly with faith in all thy wayes, with a moſt fervent deſire of thy neighbours ſalvation. Thou muſt pray in thy chamber, in ſolitarineſſe, in moſt humble devotion, in faſtings, in teares, in anguiſh, in weeping, in contrition upon thy knees night and day, with a full hope, and not doubting, according to the will of God, for all the true profeſſors of the Chriſtian faith; ſtudy in all things to pleaſe God and not men; whoſoever honours God, God will alſo honour him; whoſoever contemnes God, God ſhall alſo contemne him. Grant me thy grace, moſt mercifull God, that it may bee with me, that it may labour with me, and may continue with me even unto the end. Grant I may (alwayes) will and deſire that which is moſt acceptable unto thee, and moſt dearly pleaſeth thee; let thy will be my will, and let my will alwayes follow thine, and agree beſt with it; let me will, and will the ſame thing that thou doſt; and grant I may not have power otherwiſe to will, or not to will them as thou doſt. O my God, thou unſpeakable ſweetneſſe, turne all carnal comforts into bitterneſſe unto me, which doe draw me from the love of things eternall, and evilly allure mee under colour of ſome preſent delectable good. Let not fleſh and blood, O my God, overcome me; let not the world and its ſhort glory deceive me; let not the devill and his ſubtilty ſupplant mee. Give mee ſtrength to reſiſt, patience to endure, conſtancie to performe; give mee in ſtead of all the comforts of the world, the moſt ſweet unction of thy Spirit, and infuſe into mee the love of thy Name, in ſtead of carnall love. Confirme me, my God, by the grace of thy holy Spirit; give mee power to bee ſtrengthned in the inward man, and to emptie my heart of all unprofitable care and vexation, nor to be diſtracted with the various deſires of any thing, whether it be vile or precious, but that I looke upon all things as if they paſſed but by me, and that I did alſo paſſe away, as they doe; becauſe nothing under the Sun is of any continuance, but all things are vanity and vexation of ſpirit. O how wiſe is he that thus conſiders with himſelfe. Give me, my God, heavenly wiſdome, that I may learne to ſearch after, and to find thee rather than any thing, to be wiſe unto thee, and to love thee, and to underſtand other things, as they truly are according to the order of thy wiſdome. Grant I may wiſely ſhun him that flatters me, and patiently ſuffer him that oppoſeth me; becauſe this is great wiſdome not to be moved with every wind of words, nor to liſten unto miſchievous flattering pleaſure; ſo ſhall we with ſecuritie proceed in the way we have begun to walke in.

CONTEMP. &c. 33.

Of the true Dignitie of a Christian.

LEt others call a man a creature to be adored, and borne for Societie, full of reaſon and councell; let them call him the great Miracle, moſt like unto God the, Miracle of miracles; let them cal him the Horizon of corporeal and incorporeall things, the meaſure of all things, the little World, the Epitome of the world, and the delight of Nature: let them write that man only exceeds all wonder, and that nothing is great upon the earth but man; yet ſo great dignitie, ſo great excellencie, and ſo great advancement of man can never be ſo great, as it wil be, if with this a man may be called a Chriſtian, which denomination tooke its originall from Chriſt, the very Son of God, and is imparted unto them that are ſprinkled with the ſaving water of the Sacrament of Baptiſme that give their names unto Chriſt, fighting under his purple Banner, they defend the honour of their Captaine and Author of their Profeſſion, by their undaunted Profeſſion of the evangelicall and heavenly doctrine, and they doe confirme, defend and propagate that doctrine by their indefatigable ſtudy & practice of good works. O miſerable they who are called Pagans, either in regard that they reverence their Idols in the publick ſtreets and wayes, being aliens from the City of God, or becauſe that after the enlargement of Chriſts Kingdome, and the ſpreading of the Chriſtian Religion, they did not poſſeſſe any longer the chiefe Cities, but were reduced and ſhut into the ſtrait Villages. O miſerable they, who are called Jewes; for although the ancient people of the Jewes had the preheminence above other people in priviledges and prerogatives, and was not excluded from the heavenly Kingdome and the Citie of God; yet at this day their uncleane multitudes diſperſed every where thorow the world, are farre exceeded in ſundry and manifold eminencies by the Chriſtian people; for though the body be already exhibited, they diſpute upon ſhadowes, and obſtinately defend their Moſaicall Ceremonies, and deſpiſe Chriſt that is the onely doore to eternall life; bewitched with the leven of the Phariſies, they reject the truth, detract from it and ſlander it; and thence by Gods juſt judgement Jeruſalem being deſtroyed and loſt, they have no Temple, have no forme of a Common-wealth, but are moſt vilely deſpiſed in all parts of the earth. O happie Chriſtians, and freed from all miſerie! Chriſt is God bleſſed for evermore: therefore are Chriſtians truly divine; Chriſt being true God in his Eſſence, is a Spirit, therefore are Chriſtians ſpirituall; Chriſt by nature is the onely Son of God, therefore are Chriſtians by grace the heires of heaven; Chriſt is the vertue and power of God; therefore are Chriſtians powerfull; Chriſt is Wiſdome, therefore are Chriſtians wiſe; Chriſt is Righteouſneſſe, therefore are Chriſtians juſt; Chriſt is made Sanctification unto us, therefore are Chriſtians holy; Chriſt is the Way, therefore Chriſtians doe not erre; Chriſt is Life, therefore Chriſtians, though dead, yet doe live; Chriſt is the Truth, therefore are Chriſtians led into all truth; Chriſt is the Light that enlightens the world, therefore doe Chriſtians ſhine forth in the midſt of darkneſſe; Chriſt is a Shepherd, therefore are Chriſtians fed in wholſome paſtures; Chriſt is the healing Phyſitian, therefore doe Chriſtians receive cure in all their infirmities; Chriſt is the Conquerour of Satan and the Lord of the world, therefore doe Chriſtians beare rule, overcome and triumph in Chriſt; Chriſt doth reigne in glory, nay is glory it ſelfe, and all in all; therefore Chriſtians, though they be abominable to the world, and are had in reproach, yet are moſt glorious in Chriſt, and though they have nothing, yet poſſeſſe they all things; Chriſt was anointed when his Humanity was taken into the Perſon of the Word, the Divinity did anoint, and the Humanity was anointed; and this anointing is a diffuſing of the whole oyntment upon every one that is anointed therewith: he was anointed with the oyle of gladneſſe above his fellowes; he is anointed with gifts finite and infinite, conferred by taking upon him the humane Nature from the holy Virgin, which agree wel with the name of an oyntment for the moſt fragrant ſcent they breath forth, and the comforting force they retaine in them; they are compared to the Oyle of gladneſſe, becauſe they expell ſadneſſe out of Chriſtian hearts, and doe enflame them with true joy and comfort. Think now as often as Chriſts Name comes into thy mind, that God did from all eternity ordain, conſecrate and define him, to conſummate the worke of the Redemption, and did moſt plentifully beſtow upon him thoſe unſpeakable gifts which he fore-ſaw he ſhould ſtand in need of. That he ſhould be a Prophet, our Maſter, our Prieſt to offer up himſelfe an expiatory Sacrifice, that hee ſhould be Lord of lords, King of kings, that might have the poſſeſſion of an incomparable and everlaſting Kingdom, the firſt moment of his conception; but the full and moſt glorious enjoyment of it in his aſcention: even as David was anointed by Samuel king whilſt Saul lived, but did not exerciſe any regall juriſdiction; but when he was dead, he obtained the Dominion, & did govern the Kingdom. And we alſo are anointed Chriſtians, when we are ſeparate from the ungodlineſſe of worldly men, and are made holy by the myſtery of the Spirit. We were anointed, when, as Chriſt did receive the gifts of the Spirit without meaſure, we received them with meaſure. We are anointed, when we are exalted to propheticall, prieſtly, and kingly dignity; and this is that which the Prophet ſpeaks, Ye ſhall know that I am in the midſt of Iſrael, and that I am Iehovah, your God, and that none elſe is; nor ſhall my people be aſhamed for ever: And it ſhall come to paſſe afterward, that I will powre out my Spirit upon all fleſh, and your ſonnes, and your daughters ſhall propheſie, your old men ſhall dreame dreames, and your young menſh ll ſee viſions, which hee declareth by his moſt deare diſciple. Jeſus Chriſt is that faithfull witneſſe, that firſt borne from the dead, and that Prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and hath waſhed us from our ſinnes by his blood; who hath made us kings and prieſts to God his Father. You are a choſen ſtocke, a royall prieſthood, a ſanctified people, a nation whom God challengeth for his owne. O name, not above every name, yet a divine, a heavenly, and anhonourable name; here is fulfilled that which the Prophet ſaid; A new name ſhall be given thee, which the mouth of the Lord ſhall beſtow on thee. We have changed our accurſed name, becauſe God hath given us a new name. Take heed to your ſelves, take heed who ever you be, that you deſpiſe none of the faithfull, that you diſeſteeme or reproach them not, though he ſeeme moſt miſerable, moſt abject; and moſt afflicted: for let his miſery or affliction be as great as may be, yet is he the Almighty Gods Anointed, the Prophet of the moſt holy, the Prieſt of the moſt High; yea, he is himſelfe a king of moſt great Majeſty. Yee are Prophets, O Chriſtians, therefore let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you, with all wiſdome, teaching and admoniſhing one another, with pſalms and hymnes, and ſpirituall ſongs, ſinging unto the Lord with grace in your hearts. Ye are Prieſts, ye Chriſtians, therefore I beſeech you, my brethren, by the mercies of God, that you give up your bodies a living and a holy ſacrifice, and acceptable to God, by your reaſonable ſervice of him, and be not faſhioned like this world, but be yee changed through the renewing of your mindes, that ye may diſcerne what is: the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Ye are Kings, O Chriſtians, be not therefore ſervants of ſin, or be ſubject to the boyling affections of the fleſh, but mortifie your ſinnes, tame your luſts, nor proſtitute your dignity to a moſt baſe and impure ſervitude. Extoll your Chriſt, becauſe all your eminencie, all your worth, all your grace, and all your glory proceedeth from him. As the rivers do flow from the ſea, and flow back againe into the ſame; ſo let your eminency, dignity, grace, and glory, be directed, diſpoſed of, and referred to the authour and giver thereof. Call upon Chriſt, O ye Chriſtians, becauſe though you be anointed, yet may that ointment be overwhelmed, defiled, and wiped off by the filth of your ſinnes, and the durt of your corruptions; ye carry heavenly gifts in brittle veſſels, pray that they be not broken, and your graces ſpilt; pray that no wind may extinguiſh your flame, that your oyle faile you not, and yee be left in darkneſſe with the fooliſh virgins. Love your Chriſt, yee Chriſtians, becauſe he is anointed, that you might be anointed; becauſe he is a King that hath all the inhabitants of the earth for his ſubjects; becauſe he is a Prieſt, that hath expiated all the ſinnes of the whole world; becauſe he is a Prophet that doth inſtruct all the ignorant, doth enforme them, and teacheth them the right way to life. Love Chriſt, you Chriſtians, becauſe the moſt apparant manifeſtation of a thankfull mind conſiſteth not in words, but works; not in promiſes, but in obedience. But to the end you may more fully conſider your dignity, the birth of a Chriſtian is to be weighed: God is his Father in heaven, the Church is his mother upon the earth. The Word of God to be heard and ſeene, is the ſeed; that is the Word preached, this is the adminiſtration of the Sacraments. Yee are borne againe, not of corruptible ſeed, but incorruptible, by the Word of God that lives and abideth for evermore. The Father of lights hath begotten you by the Word of his truth. The Churches are the wombe where the ſeed of the heavenly Word is ſcattered, and in which the eternall Father, and our mother the Church doe meet together. The heart of man is the matter of this generation; the privation, is the mortification of the old Adam; the forme, is the vivification it ſelfe, whence doth ariſe the aſſent of the underſtanding, and confidence of the will, that the ſonne of wrath may become the ſonne of grace, the blinde may ſee, the deafe may heare, the dumbe may ſpeake, the lame walke, the leaper be cleanſed, and life may be reſtored to the dead. The time of this formation is when a Chriſtian doth more and more profit in knowledge of the underſtanding and holineſſe in the heart; the carrying in the wombe is when in our whole life, by meanes of the veſſels of the wombe, and navell, that is, by the miniſters of the Word, he attracteth to himſelfe the milke of ſaving knowledge, from the two breaſts of the Church, the Law and the Goſpell; and as an Embrion lives in the wombe, ſo he lives in the Word. Hee is a brute creature, and more ſilly than a beaſt, that doth not admire, that a childe in the wombe ſhould be preſerved alive in ſo darke a priſon, in ſo uncleane ſtreights, among ſo many filths, corruptions, excrements, wrapped in filmes, and crowded by the bowels: but it is farre more to be wondred at, that any Chriſtian ſhould be ſupported amidſt ſo many griefes, paines, torments, ſnares, and calamities. For about the wombe wherein we are carried, the World cries, I will ſlay him; the Fleſh cries, I will infect him; the Devill cries, I will deceive him. Wee muſt there lie hid, where there is much malice, where is little wiſdome, where all things are viſcous and ſlimie, all things hid in darkneſſe, and beſet with ſnares, where the ſoules are in danger, the bodies are afflicted, where all things are vanity and vexation of Spirit: and yet for all this we live and are preſerved; we live and are not killed; we are nouriſhed, and not in want; we are carried in the wombe, and are not abortive; we are ſuſtained, and are in want of nothing. The Embrion in the mothers wombe lives a hidden life; he lives (indeed) in the world, but is not ſeene with the eyes of any; he ſends forth his breath, but ſcarce draws any in: we alſo, Embrions of regeneration, lead a hidden life. For though we live in the kingdome of heaven, yet our glory and deſireable life doth not as yet make any great ſhew; we yet behold not the light of eternall bleſſedneſſe; we yet draw not the aire of the region of Paradiſe; we yet eat not the Angelicall Manna; we yet drinke not of the heavenly liquour, but have (as it were) but a light taſte of al theſe things; and we have ſcarce any ſenſible breathing of theſe things. But the houre is at hand, and the time will come, that it ſhall be made manifeſt what we ſhall be, wherein we ſhall beginne and never end; this glorious light, this life, not of hope, but of the things hoped for, even the life of viſion. We ſhal begin this life when we die, for then begin we to be borne to the true light, when we firſt put off our mortality. For the true birth day of Chriſtians, is their day of death. In death they do begin to live, through death they enter into life: as the infant lies ſighing at the port of the wombe, expecting his paſſage; and though he be even at deaths threſhold, yet is he conveyed into the haven of life. O living death of Chriſtians! O Chriſtian, ſonne of God, brother of Chriſt, companion of the Angels, Lord of the world, partaker of the divine nature! O Chriſtian, exalted above ſin and the law, and placed above death and Satan! O Jeſu my Lord! O Chriſt my Captaine! thy name be glorified, becauſe thou haſt given me a bleſſed name, denominated from thine owne name. Let thy praiſe be daily borne in my mouth, becauſe thou art daily born in my heart, that I may be born againe in thee, and may live to thee, and with thee. For no man is rightly called a Chriſtian, that is not conformed (as much as may be) to Chriſt in his manners; and he beares this name in vaine, that doth not at all imitate Chriſt. For what doth it profit thee to be called what thou art not, and to uſurpe another mans name? If any take pleaſure to be a Chriſtian, let him carry about him what belongeth to a Chriſtian, and then he may worthily take upon him the name of a Chriſtian; but he doth thoſe things which belong to true Chriſtianity, who ſhewes mercy to all; that is not moved by any wrong done to him; that is as ſenſible of anothers griefe, as of his owne; that makes not the poore ſtrangers at his table; that is not magnified amongſt men, that hee may be gloried before God and his Angels: who contemnes earthly things, that he may obtaine heavenly things; that doth not ſuffer the poore to be here oppreſſed; who helpeth thoſe that are in diſtreſſe; who is moved to weepe by other mens tears; as S. Paul did, for who is weake, ſaith he, and I am not weake? Grant unto me, O Chriſt, moſt mercifully, that am the leaſt and moſt unworthy of all Chriſtians, that I may doe theſe things with all my power, and may perſevere in the deſire thereof, and that I may not halt, ſlip, or utterly fall off: for not the beginning, but the ending well is required in a Chriſtian; let that therefore be moſt bleſſed unto me, O my Saviour. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 34.

Of neceſſary rules to lead a godly life, concerning the thoughts of man.

MAns life is a middle life, between the life of Angels, and the life of ſinners; if a man live after the fleſh, he is compared to the beaſts; if he live after the Spirit, he is made a companion for the Angels. Now that thou maiſt walke in the ſtraiteſt path, thou muſt conſider of thy thoughts, examine thy words, and weigh thy actions. As touching thy thoughts, give no time or place to ſinnes, but as ſoone as they appeare in the blade, before they can take root, plucke them up. Breake (in time) the Baſilisks egges, that none of them prove a ſerpent; daſh the Babiloniſh brats againſt the ſtones, while they be young. Fall not often into the ſame ſin, but abridge the cuſtome of ſinning, and ſin not without doubt, as if thou neither feareſt God nor man. Propoſe not to thy ſelfe thoſe things in thy thoughts, which are either unprofitable, or impoſſible. Be not wiſe too high. Thinke the world, and worldy things, to be but vaine, that thou doe not overvalue them. Be alwayes mindfull of death, that thou feare it not too much when it comes unto thee: call to minde the laſt judgement, that thou maiſt appeare there with an undaunted courage: remember hell to avoid it, and bleſſednes, that thou maiſt enter into it. Learn (forthwith) therforemore & more to know thine owne miſery, which ariſeth from unbeleefe and the tranſgreſſion of Gods holy Commandements. Renounce therefore unbeleefe, and ſtrive to keepe all his precepts. Knock at the gate of the mercies of heaven, by the merit of Chriſt, and ſo humble thy ſelfe, as if thou wert to obtaine thoſe mercies, without his merits. What is the moſt abject creature in the world? let it not trouble thee to anſwer thy ſelfe, It is I, by reaſon of my ſinnes. And againe, if it be demanded of thee, what is the moſt pretious treaſure upon the earth? let it not trouble thee to anſwer with thy ſelfe, the blood and merits of my Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by which I am cleanſed from my ſinnes, and have ſalvation purchaſed for me. Above all, abhorre to ſinne willingly, and with a deliberate reſolution; for to have true faith, and to ſinne voluntarily, can no more agree together, than fire and water, or the lambe and the wolfe. Be a true, faithfull, and ſincere ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, not onely in the publick aſſemblies, where Gods word is preached, and the Sacraments adminiſtred: but in the reſt of thy life, by flying evill, and doing of good. But if by reaſon of the infirmity of thy fleſh thou haſt committed any ſinne, loath it betimes, and deſtroy it by ſpeedy and ſerious repentance. Pray onely unto God; whilſt thy conſcience reſts in prayer to him, ſinne withers, and nothing is ſweet to thee beſides vertue and goodneſſe. Catch not too much at popular applauſe, which is very inconſtant, and though thou think thy merits have deſerved to be taken notice of by thoſe that paſſe by thee, and that thou oughteſt to be reſpected of the good; yet uſe it moderately and diſcreetly, that it doe thee not more hurt, than hatred and contempt. He is truly wiſe, that neither too greedily hunts after the peoples favour, nor too much deſpiſes it. Seeke, eſpecially, for a quiet minde, and be content with thy preſent condition. It is no harmfull thing, that ſome evil is mixed with the good things of this life, that God beſtowes upon us; God deales gently with thee, as with his Son, therefore deſpaire not; God doth alſo chaſten thee, be not thou impatient, lay hold on the golden meane, ſearch for things neceſſary, but not for ſuperfluities, and alwayes have an eye to Gods will, that thine owne will doe not oppreſſe thee; he is happie that can lie hid in this life, and is known to none but God and himſelfe. A certaine man was wont to ſay, As often as I have been amongſt men, I ſtill returned the leſſe man from them. It is an eaſier thing to lye hid at home, than to keepe himſelfe well abroad; he therefore that intends to obtain inward and ſpirituall gifts, he muſt with Jeſus decline the throng; no man can ſafely be ſeene, but he that is willingly concealed: the better ſort of men, in the eſtimation of others, have often been in great hazard, by reaſon of their too much confidence. Thence is it, that it is more profitable to many, not altogether to be void of temptations, but to be often aſſaulted that they be not too ſecure, that they be not puffed up with pride, nor that they too licentiouſly leane to exteriour delights. O what a good conſcience would hee alwayes poſſeſſe, that would never ſeeke after tranſitory mirth, nor buſie himſelfe with the world! O how would hee prune off all vaine care, and only meditate of ſaving and divine things, and place all his hope in God, and what peace and quiet would he enjoy! Let the want of nothing, but of Gods grace, much trouble thee; deſire Gods grace, and thou ſhalt obtaine it, and let not the ſcarcity of outward things too much afflict thee. If Satan reproach thee with thy wants, conſider with thy ſelfe what Saint Paul ſaid, We brought nothing into this world, and we know that we can carry nothing away from thence: and therefore let us be content with our food and cloathing; but thoſe that will bee rich, fall into temptations, and ſnares, and many fooliſh luſts, which afflict and drowne the ſons of men in ruine and deſtruction: Pray with Agur, the ſon of Jakeh, I have deſired two things of thee, O God, deny them not unto me as long as I live; remove farre from me vanity and lyes; give me neither poverty nor riches, let me be nouriſhed with the meat of mine owne table, leſt being over full, I lye againſt thee, and ſay, who is the Lord? or being poore, I ſhould ſteale, and ſo abuſe the Name of my God. Bee grieved more for Gods diſhonour than thine owne; if thou ſuffereſt wrong, beare it patiently, and thou ſhalt overcome it; yet, thou mayeſt ſay, my reputation is ſtained, ſhall I endure it? Why not? ſuffer, and thy reputation will be ſoone repaired: he that ſhall at length, even in the laſt day, reſtore unto thee thy putrified body, ſhall reſtore to thee thy credit; if thou be angry and enraged, and teare thy ſelfe, what ſhall all theſe turmoiles profit thee? Nothing is more pleaſing to thy enemie, than to ſee thee by thy rage to be in ſuch a confuſion. Rather pray for thine enemies, that they be fellow-heires with thee of eternall life, and fellow-chaunters of thy Fathers praiſes in his heavenly Kingdome. The more others extoll thee, the more doe thou humble thy ſelfe in thine owne eyes, nor pleaſe thy ſelfe with ſuch vanities. They that eſteeme lightly of earthly things, are magnified and extolled by the Angels of heaven: proceed ſincerely, rightly, and innocently in every of thy actions, nor too earneſtly take care for the things thou haſt not. Think no ſin little, for there is none ſo light, (if any may bee ſaid light) but it may bring upon thee great plagues & everlaſting death; therefore, deplore thy leaſt ſinnes, and pray without ceaſing for the bettering of thy life. Think how ſhort thy life is; if any ſeriouſly conſider what ever belongeth to us, he ſhall ſee they vaniſh from us like birds in the aire, and wee alſo by our perpetuall motion are carried beyond thoſe tranſitory things; but that which is worſt, no remedy can be found againſt this, for theſe things fall out thus by the law of Nature; for the things of this life are a dreame, a ſmoake and impoſtures; this is our life, O men that lead a fleeting life; ſuch is the Scene upon the earth, that wee muſt be borne ere we could have a being, and as ſoone as we are borne, wee are againe diſſolved to nothing. Wee are a dreame that laſts not, an apparition that cannot be laid hold on, a flight of a bird that is gone, the paſſage of a ſhip in the ſea, that leaves behind no impreſſion, duſt, a vapour, morning dew, a flowre that hath his time to blow, and time to wither; the dayes of man are as graſſe, and ſhall flouriſh, but like the flowre of the field. Think therefore alwayes what manner of life thou haſt, not how long it may laſt: make haſte to live well, and think every day is another life; let us extend our life, whoſe office and argument is action; let us not place the goodneſſe of our life in the length of it, but in the uſe of it: For it may come to paſſe, yea, it often happens ſo that he who hath lived long, hath lived little; his life is moſt long, in the whole extent whereof he hath been at leaſure for himſelfe, and yet no part thereof hath lyen waſte or idle. Life is like a Play, it skils not how long it is, but how well it was acted; not he that hath ſung much to the Harpe, nor he that hath made many prayers, or hath ſteered many ſhips, is to be commended, but he that hath performed theſe things; for Beauty is to be placed in Vertue, and a ſeaſonable moderation, not in length of dayes. In every thing we ſee the Priority to bee yeelded to maturity and perfection, not to their old-age: For amongſt the Plants, thoſe are accompted the beſt which beare moſt fruit in the ſhorteſt time; and amongſt the living creatures, thoſe from whom we receive moſt commodities, for our lives, in the ſhorteſt time. We conclude therefore, that a ſhort time well and innocently ſpent, is farre to be preferred before a ſinfull long life.

CONTEMP. &c. 35.

Of neceſſary rules to lead a holy life concerning our words.

HEare and obey theſe things, O man, which I ſhall utter touching thy words; weigh well continually with thy ſelfe, that ſaying of our Saviour, I ſay unto you, that of every idle word that the ſonnes of men ſhall ſpeake, they ſhall give an account for in the day of judgement: and that alſo which the moſt wiſe Salomon alſo affirmes, in the multitude of words there will not ceaſe to be ſin. Fly (therefore) idle and ſlothfull words, which have repentance treading upon their heeles, and ill ſucceſſe at their elbowes. Examine what thou art to propoſe, and what to anſwer: As long as thy word is within the fence of thy teeth, it is thine own, but as ſoon as it is eſcaped, it is his that receives it. How foule and uncomely a thing is it, if thy unbrideled tongue, breaking the bounds of modeſty, ſhall cauſe thee to bluſh for ſhame? Let therefore thy words be few and weighty, and ſeaſoned with ſalt; and mark in the delivery, what is worthy, and what in them is unworthy of thee. Chiefly, vaunt of nothing for truth, which thou knoweſt not to be true; nor give thy ſelfe over to receive vaine reports. Such a tongue is a monſter, more changeable than any Proteus, that fils the world with fables, & doth often in ſports cauſe tragedies to be acted amongſt men: it encreaſeth in its progreſſe, and for the moſt part relates things to be greater than they are; and cannot abſtain from telling of lies, in relating a truth: and although it doth onely utter trifles and toyes, yet ſometimes is it in the place of a thouſand witneſſes. As the hand of a foole doth leave a token of his folly deciphered upon every wall it paſſeth by; ſo ſuch a tongue filleth all mens eares with rumours and ſtories; but whether they be true or falſe, it careth not. A mouſe ſcarce peeps out of any cranny, but it is preſently at hand, and like a midwife receives this iſſue, and makes it preſently grow bigge; and that it may ſhew the fairer, cloaths it in moſt large veſtments: ſo he forces rumours upon every one he meets, as being freſh and new, yea, as a true ſtory, though for the moſt part it hath ſcarce any truth in it. So is falſhood in very ſhort time divulged thorow the world. Whoſoever heares a report, coynes and addes ſomething to that he hath heard, what either credulity, or ornament ſhal perſwade him too. Behold the ſtories, which doe (at length) put off all ſhew of truth. The wooden engines were (heretofore) framed with that art, that when they were brought forth unto the ſolemnity of the triumphs, they did ſuddenly grow great, & raiſe themſelves to a great heighth: rumours are indeed theſe Pageants, which when they begin to ſpread, are accuſtomed ſuddenly to increaſe, and to extend into an incredible greatneſſe. But O the raſhneſſe of mans minde! we lead a very ſhort life, we have an end as ſoone as we begin: the moſt ſwift time returnes not in his gate, his courſe, nor in his flight, and forſakes us even while we are thinking of vanity, by a flight never to be recalled: And we amidſt theſe precipices of ſwit-footed time, are not only ſlow, but triflers, wear out our beſt dayes in moſt idle bawbles. Our ſwift dayes doe paſſe away, and we alſo are carried away in their motion; we are ſnatched away unawares, whilſt we are toying, and make paſtime to our owne deſtruction. Beleeve not every thing is told thee, nor report all that thou heareſt, except thou intend to loſe thy friends, and to kindle the hatred of many againſt thy ſelfe. Firſt weigh things, before thou judge of them. He that reports things he onely heares, being firſt deceived himſelfe, doth moſt uſually deceive others. Behold how far the eyes and the eares doe ſtand aſunder! If all that the miners did caſt out of the mines, were ſilver and gold, the world by this time might have beene gilded all over; but whilſt the metall that is digged thence, is ſevered from the droſſe, earth, ſtones, and ſand that is mixed with it, it is brought at length to a ſmall langot: ſo it is with the recitall of things we heare; if we take away the things which are fained, falſe, and ill underſtood, and thoſe which are added by conjecture; alas what a ſmall ſcantling of pure truth remaines? for the moſt part, halfe that is fained that is related in a many-worded Oration. Let the words of the tongue agree with the meaning of the heart, ſhunne falſehood & lies. It is eaſie to ſay what a lie is, there needs no long diſpute about it; To ſpeak one thing, & think another, is a lie. To ſpeak againſt a mans minde is a lie. Let not thy breſt conceale one thing, and thy tongue utter another thing. Let no man doubt but he lies, that utters any thing with an intent to deceive. One of the veines ties the tongue & the heart together, another the tongue and braine; by which diſpoſition of the veines, nature teacheth us, that one member is ſo to be governed by the underſtanding, that the tongue may agree with the heart. For this is a lie, to carry one thing hidden in the heart, another thing ready at the tongues end: to beleeve in heart that a thing is black, but to affirme in words that it is white. But that you may more fully underſtand this, you muſt know there is a threefold lie, an officious lie, a jeſting lie, and a pernitious lie. An officious lie is ſaid to be that that may be beleeved, to profit another, but himſelfe leaſt of all that tels it. They call a jeſting lie that that hurts no body, but is ſpoken by way of fancie; but though a lie ſpoken in jeſt, is not ſo ill as that which is ſpoken to another mans hurt, or for very pleaſure we take in lying, even that alſo becauſe it is a lie, is ſinne; for it is vanity and extravigancie, to take pleaſure in that thing which ſhould be farre diſtant from us; yet it is not called a jeſting lie, if any one ſpeake a falſity, not in earneſt, but in ſuch a jeſting way, that all may perceive that he meaneth other wayes than he ſpeaketh, for in regard there is no ſignification of falſhood, it is not a lie; but that is a lie, when any one relates a falſity for fancies ſake, and that he takes pleaſure in it, and doth doth deſire to perſwade others that he is ſerious. Thirdly, and finally, a pernitious lie is that that is alwayes joyned with anothers harme, and is reckoned amongſt ſinnes of a high nature. An officious lie is not ſo called, becauſe any man may excuſe it, by taking upon himſelfe the deceit: Although he that ſinnes to profit another, ſinneth leſſe than he that doth it not to this end; yet notwithſtanding he dealeth not ſimply, and in a right manner; for ill is not to be done, that good may come thereon. Therefore flie, with diligence, all manner of lying, and neither by chance, or of ſet purpoſe ſpeake that which is falſe: beware of lying in all things. This vice is ſo to be avoided, that though the ſafety of many were to be contrived in one lie, and that but only an officious or jeſting lie, yet it would not be lawfull for thee to tell it. Yea if any one by a ſlight lie could rid his parents, or any more dear to him than his parents from devouring flames, yet might he not lawfully tell a lie; it would be better to forſake them amidſt the flames, than by an untruth to offend thy God. But thou wilt ſay, this is a hard ſaying; it is rigid, yet it is true. Haſt thou not read? Let us doe evill, that good may come thereon, whoſe damnation is juſt. All doctrine of truth ſhall in this manner be taken away, if we yeeld to moſt licentious falſhood, if any place be any where left open to a lie, though it be but an officious one: for whoſoever lies, propoſeth to himſelfe, his owne, or anothers temporall commodity, than which, what can be done more perverſly? Certainly, an injury offered to God is greater than all the ill we can doe unto man. How many thouſand of moſt holy martyrs, would rather prodigally powre forth their bloods by drops, than conſent with one lie to defend their innocencies. But if our very life be not to be preferred before the truth, what can be objected to maintaine we may lawfully lie, by thoſe that are of opinion we ought ſometimes to lie? Be gone then, let every lie, I ſay, be gone, becauſe it hath the devill for its authour, who himſelfe neither remained in the truth, nor is there any truth in him. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but thoſe that deale faithfully, are pleaſing unto him. If thou know any thing that a good man in other things hath done, and thou haſt long concealed it with the cloake of charity, doe not in thy wrath reveale it, that no man may accuſe thee of paſſion, and to have a malicious minde; and that others doe not that to thee, which thou ſhouldeſt not do to others, I adviſe thee not to reveale thy ſelfe and all thy ſecrets to any but a true pious & honeſt man; thou needeſt not feare ſuch a one, becauſe for Chriſtian charities ſake, which is the foundation of all friendſhip, he will, perchance, willingly pardon thy offences, nor will at all reproach thee. Doe nothing alſo in any mans preſence, which may cauſe thee to feare that thou maiſt raiſe up miſchiefe to thy ſelfe, or make a friend become thine enemy. That which thou wouldeſt have ſecret, keepe thou it ſecret, and reveale it to no man; yet remember God can ſee thorow the thickeſt clouds. Finde no fault with others, but looke to thy ſelfe. Avoid biting reprovers and obſcene jeſters; yet if at any time thou wilt jeſt civilly, propoſe three things to thy ſelfe; firſt, abuſe not the phraſe of Scripture to make up thy jeſt, and ſo defile thy religion; what canſt thou imagine that God thinks, when he ſees and heares ſuch things among Chriſtians that profeſſe his name, that would be thought wiſer than others, and yet account this for no ſinne? That I may not ſpeake of the grievous offence that many take hereat, and that they are troubled and made ſad with the worſt ſort of ſcandall, who cannot (afterwards) read or heare Gods Word, or pray with the ſame devotion they were wont (before) to doe; very nature it ſelfe alſo teacheth us that we ought not to deale ſo ridiculouſly, negligently and idly, in ſo grave and holy words. He that conſulteth with his own conſcience, finds they be ſuch obſcenities, fooliſh bablings and ribauldry that are not fitting for Chriſtians. Secondly, let not thy jeſting weaken Chriſtian charity. Thirdly, let them not violate honeſty and chaſtitie. Never ſpeak of God but with feare and reverence, and as it were in his preſence, who is moſt preſent every where. For ſeeing we are not worthy to take his holy Name in our mouthes, much leſſe decent is it for us to profane it with our lips; it is a ſure ſigne of a wicked mind to uſe Gods Name upon all light occaſions. Pray therefore with David, Let the words of my mouth, and meditations of my heart be acceptable before thee. Be finally ſparing in commending any man, but ready to ſalute any one; gentle in giving reſpect; courteous in admoniſhing; mercifull in pardoning; faithfull in performing thy promiſes; ready to requite good; neither convert thou the reward of vertue into a gift of courteſie.

CONTEMP. &c. 36.

Of rules neceſſarie to lead a godly life, touching our Actions.

HEarken and be obedient, O man, touching thy deeds: doe no evill, though thou mayeſt doe it; for the leaſt ſins, except they be ſeriouſly repented of, are not ſuffered to goe unpuniſhed. Let it not grieve thee to doe good; doe nothing againſt thy vocation; if thou begin any thing, in the firſt place pray earneſtly unto God for his aſſiſtance; then ſet confidently upon thy worke, and leave the iſſue thereof to God; if thou undertake any thing, in thy vocation, truſt to Gods providence, though the meanes thou uſeſt, ſeeme inſufficient unto thee; and if they offer themſelves, as it were unto thy hands of their own accord, reſolve that they are offered thee from God; yet place not greater hope in them than in God, but beſeech him mercifully to bleſſe thoſe meanes: have a heavenly minde in earthly things, and doe what thou art able; commit the reſt to the guidance of the moſt holy Trinity: never uſe unlawfull meanes, for that can bring no gaine with it that brings deſtruction to the ſoule. For this end labour conſtantly that thy conſcience be pure before God and man. If at any time thou be enticed to ſin, think Satan lodgeth neare thee, and that it is a reproachfull thing for the ſonnes of men, that are ſo well beloved of God, and ſo gently dealt with by him, to gratifie ſo uncleane a ſpirit, to the diſhonour and reproach of thy God: To the reproach, I ſay, of thy God, becauſe every voluntary ſinne is a reproach offered to God. No Prince will endure this of thee; and how ſhall God ſuffer, who is a God of all Majeſty and Glory, that a reproach offered to his Majeſty, ſo often renewed, and ſo often with ſecuritie committed againſt him, ſhall goe unpuniſhed? As often as we commit ſin by a deliberate counſell againſt our conſcience, we doe (in a ſort) conſult of it before (though we oftentimes doe not marke and perceive it;) on one ſcale we put the profit, pleaſure, or delight of ſin, in the other our loſſe, the wrath of God, and our offences againſt him. What madneſſe is it now, what perverſeneſſe, what malice, what reproach to prefer a moment before eternitie, a drop before the Ocean, one graine of ſand before a mountain, our owne luſts before the incomparable Omnipotencie and Majeſtie of God? Doſt thou not, O man, as often as thou ſinneſt, ſtrike, as it were, the infinite God with thy paricidiall hand? Aske continually thy conſcience theſe two things; whether if any ſuch thing befall thee, thou art to be acquitted? What if thou ſhalt doe any ſuch thing in the very day wherein all the world muſt receive its doome? Whether thou canſt give an anſwer to the univerſall Judge, when thou ſhalt be forced to give a reaſon for all thy Actions? Remember Joſeph, that thought that God ſaw what no man could perceive. God is juſt, hee ſhall draw thy ſins to the light that thou haſt committed in ſecret. When David defiled Bathſeba by his unlawfull lying with her; Who ſaw his adultery but God? Hee brought forth his ſecret pleaſures to the view of all Iſrael; and will alſo at length diſcover thy wickedneſſe unto all men. Satan is ſubtill, even in this one thing, that by flattering thy ſelfe, thou mayſt accompt thy ſelfe but a ſmall ſinner, and ſo may draw thee into his net; but if thou deſire to avoid ſin, ſhun the occaſion of ſinning; let that which is good, pleaſe thee for Gods ſake, and let God pleaſe thee for his own ſake; if God favour thee, feare no mans perſecution; God ſhall make thine enemie thy friend, or ſhall ſo temper him, that he ſhall doe thee but little hurt; no man can be overcome by his enemie, but he who was firſt overcome by ſin, and ſo made himſelfe hatefull unto God. Deprive no man of the reſpect that is due unto him, yet alwaies reckon with thy ſelfe that reſpect is more due to godlineſſe than to greatneſſe; if God increaſe thy ſubſtance in this life, think it is a ſpur of thy thankfulneſſe, and an incitement to deſire thoſe heavenly things, and an exhortation to pietie; neither be proud either of thy externall or internall gifts; for outward things as they ſeldome happen or come unto thee, ſo they fall off & ſpeedily depart from thee: God gave thee indeed thy inward graces, yet hee can take them from thee before thou be aware, if any abuſe them, and forget God the giver of them. It may be thou haſt many vertues, and it may be thou art disfigured by many vices that doe diſpleaſe him more than the others doe pleaſe him. It is not enough that others commend thee, except thine owne conſcience doe approve thee; no fame is perpetuall, but that which ariſeth from godlineſſe. We reade no where in Gods Booke that an hypocrite was ever converted; and what wonder? for whereas the converſion of ſinners is a meanes to turne from ſin; what meanes of ſalvation is left for him that turnes repentance it ſelfe into ſinne, which is the meanes of ſalvation? O miſerable ſoule that deſires to ſee holy things, and lives a heatheniſh life! Obſerve in what a manner the wicked end their dayes, ſo that thou mayeſt deteſt their lives. See how the godly end their lives, that thou mayeſt run the ſame courſe as they doe. Obey thy Superiours, honour thoſe that are wiſe; keepe company with thoſe that be honeſt and religiouſly given. And ſeeing mans corrupt nature doth much love hypocriſie; touch not, nor uſe the Sacrament before thou have founded the depth of thine owne heart moſt accurately. Rule over thoſe that are ſubject to thy command, more by courteſie than ſeverity; courteſie is full of hope, and tyranny of feare: Gods juſtice will not ſuffer a tyrant to continue long, for though ſubjects, both by Gods laws and alſo by mans, ought to yeeld obedience to Magiſtrates, yet the Magiſtrates themſelves are but Gods Miniſters; and if wee conſider them as they are Chriſtians, they are not only ſervants, but our brethren alſo in Chriſt: Chriſtians therefore muſt rule like Chriſtians, in charity and mercie, as Chriſt hath taught us by his own example. Art thou made a Judge? give right judgement, remembring that thy ſelfe muſt appeare before Gods Judgement Seat: he is curſed that bleſſeth the wicked; but bleſſed that bleſſeth the bleſſed. O man, how dangerous is mans life, what a great account hath he to give, what a ſhort ſpace is it, but thou muſt appeare at Gods Tribunall? What then muſt thou doe? What deed haſt thou committed? How wouldeſt thou appeare, if thou wert this houre to depart? If thou wert to appeare this moment before thy Examiner? It would quickly be determined concerning thee: Thou art to day a man, ſhalt thou appeare to morrow? O dulneſſe, and hardneſſe of mans heart, that only meditates upon things preſent, and foreſees nothing what ſhall be hereafter! Thou oughteſt ſo to behave thy ſelfe in every action, as if thou wert this day to dye; in the morning think thou mayſt not live to the evening, and in the evening dare not promiſe thy ſelfe the next enſuing morning: be alwayes prepared, and ſo live, that death may never take thee unprovided. How happie and wiſe is he that labours to be ſuch whilſt he lives, as he wiſheth to be found at his death! O Jeſu, give me the perfect contempt of the world; give me a fervent deſire to profit in vertue; give me the love of inſtruction, the labour of repentance, the readineſſe of obedience. O my God, grant that I may deſire thee in my heart, to ſeeke thee in my deſires, to find thee in my ſearch, and love thee being found. Give me, my Lord and God, repentance for my heart, contrition to my ſpirit, a flood of teares to my eyes, and a liberall diſtribution of almes to my hands. O my King, extinguiſh in me the deſire of the fleſh, and kindle in mee the fire of thy love. O my Redeemer, drive out of me the ſpirit of pride, and favourably grant me the treaſure of thy humilitie. O my Saviour, remove from mee the madneſſe of anger, and indulgently afford me the ſhield of patience. O my Creator, pluck out all rancour out of my mind, and beſtow on me the ſweetneſſe of a milde ſpirit: give mee, moſt mercifull Father, a firme faith, a congruous hope, and continuall charitie: my Governour, doe thou divert all vanity from mee, all inconſtancie of mind, wandring of the heart, ſcurrility of the tongue, pride of the eyes, gluttony of the belly, reproaching of my neighbours, the ſins of detraction, the itch of curioſity, the deſire of riches, the extortion of great men, the deſire of vain-glory, the evill of hypocriſie, the poyſon of flattery, the contempt of the poore, the oppreſſion of the weak, the thirſt of covetouſneſſe, the ruſt of envie, and the death of blaſphemie. O my Maker, cut off from me raſhneſſe, iniquity, lewdneſſe, diſquietneſſe, idleneſſe, drowſineſſe, ſloth, dulneſſe of mind, blindneſſe of heart, obſtinacie of ſenſe, bloodineſſe of conditions, diſobedience to goodneſſe, reſiſtance of good counſell, unbridleneſſe of my tongue, preying upon the poore, wronging the weak, ſlandering the innocent, neglecting my inferiours, cruelty in my family, impiety towards my familiars, and hardneſſe of heart to my neighbours. O God, my mercy, I beſeech thee by thy beloved Son, give mee the works of mercy, the ſtudy of godlineſſe, to ſuffer with thoſe in affliction, to counſell thoſe that erre, to helpe the miſerable, to ſuccor the needy, to comfort the ſad, to releeve the oppreſſed, to refreſh the poore, to cheare thoſe that weepe, to forgive our debtors, to ſpare them that ſin againſt me, to love thoſe that hate me, to render good for evill, to deſpiſe no man, but to honour all, to imitate the good, to beware of the wicked, to embrace vertue, to reject vice, to be patient in adverſity, to be moderate in proſperity, to ſet a watch over my mouth, and a doore before my lips; give mee uprightneſſe in my dealings, and a true teſtimony of my faith, to trample upon earthly things, to thirſt after heavenly things, that thou mayſt one day ſay to me, Well done good and faithfull ſervant, thou haſt been faithfull in a little, I will ſet thee over much, enter into the joy of thy Master. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 37.

Of the exceeding number of Gods benefits, and of mans contempt of them by the multitude of his ſinnes.

WHo will give water to my head, and a fountaine of tears to mine eyes? and I will weepe both night and day. Let my eyes drop tears, and my eye-lids flow with waters. I will convey my ſelfe into the place of weeping and of teares, I will take paines in my groaning, I will every night waſh my bed, and water my couch with my teares. My teares ſhall be my meat day and night, and I will not hide my mourning. I will proſtrate my ſelfe, and let the reines looſe to my teares, and rivers ſhall guſh from mine eyes; I will weepe in the bitterneſſe of my ſoule. I will continue in weeping, and the teares ſhall trickle downe my cheeks, wherewith I will deplore my moſt grievous ſinnes, and will deteſt my impious ingratitude, wherewith I have repayed my God and Lord. O that I could weepe out my eyes with teares, that my bowels might be diſturbed, and my liver might be powred forth upon the earth for my great enormities! The cauſes are great and many, O God, why my eyes ſhould ſtreame forth wates, yea blood it ſelfe. But I will now contemplate of nothing but the greatneſſe & multitude of thy bleſſings that thou haſt beſtowed upon me, when I was yet thine enemy. That therefore my ſoule may be aſtoniſhed, my cheeks bluſh, my eyes caſt downe, and that I may eternally hate my malicious and moſt polluted life: I will begin to reckon up thy bleſſings, and my curſed deeds, that I may ſee what thou art, and what I am, what thou haſt done for me, and how I have requited thee. Send downe from heaven thy holy Spirit, the teacher of truth, and worke in my tough and hard heart, inward and divine repentance, that I may never repent me of. And now, thou love of that heavenly power, thou holy communication of the omnipotent Father and the bleſſed iſſue, thou Spirit, the Omnipotent Comforter, ſlide within the moſt ſecret places of my heart by thy powerfull operation, and enlighten every darke lurking place of this my neglected habitation, by the brightneſſe of thy glorious light. Come, come now thou moſt courteous Comforter of the languiſhing ſoul, that defendſt it in its neceſſities, & art its helper in tribulation. Come thou cleanſer of my filthineſſe, thou curer of my wounds. Come thou Strength of the weake, thou Suſtainer of thoſe that ſlide. Come thou Inſtructer of the humble, and Confounder of the haughty. Come thou holy Father of the orphans, thou milde Judge of the widowes. Come thou Hope of the poore, thou Refreſher of thoſe that faint. Come thou ſea-mans Starre, thou Haven againſt ſhipwracke. Come thou ſingular Beauty of all that live, thou only Safety of thoſe that die. Come moſt holy Spirit, come and take pity upon me. Fit me for thy ſelfe, and mercifully condeſcend to my weakneſſe, that according to the multitude of thy mercies, my meanneſſe may be acceptable to thy Majeſtie, and my weakneſſe to thy power. There was a time, my God, when I had no being, which I cannot remember, and then thou madeſt me to have a being: thou formedſt me of the clay of the earth, and madeſt me according to thine owne image and repreſentation. Thou broughteſt me out of my mothers wombe, thou waſt my hope when I hung upon my mothers breaſts; from the wombe was I caſt upon thy providence; for from the very time that I firſt drew my vitall breath, and entred this tabernacle of the world, and my ſoule tooke poſſeſſion of her earthly houſe, thou art my Father, thou art my Redeemer, thou art my Saviour, thou art my Helper. Thou didſt create my body, and all the members thereof, thou gaveſt me my ſoule, and all the faculties thereof, and haſt moſt mercifully preſerved my life even to this preſent houre. Thou haſt added another bleſſing farre more pretious than the reſt, that thou mighteſt tie me the nearer unto thee. Thou deſcendedſt, O God, from heaven, to finde me out, thou ſoughteſt for me being loſt of all hands. By thy incarnation didſt thou rid my weake and miſerable fleſh out of the ignominy and baſeneſſe, which by the devils ſeducing ſuggeſtions it was fallen into. Thou ſanctifiedſt my ſinfull nativity by thy moſt holy birth; by thy bonds and captivity thou haſt freed me from the bonds of my enthralling ſinnes. Whilſt thou deliveredſt thy ſelfe into the hands of ſinners, thou haſt ſnatched me out of the power of ſinne, in the forme of ſinfull fleſh; thou haſt aboliſhed my ſinfull life, which is the worke of Satan; by this thy great mercy thou haſt moſt ſtraightly tied me unto thy ſelfe, thou haſt enticed me unto thee with thoſe benefits, thou haſt confirmed and ſtrengthned my hope with thoſe great merits; thou wouldeſt ſtirre up in me a hatred and deteſtation of my ſins, in that thou haſt wrought and endured ſo many and ſo great things, that thou mighteſt reconcile me to thy heavenly Father, and overthrow the kingdome of ſinne: ſo thou haſt kindled bright coales over my head, that thou mighteſt thereby ſet my heart on fire, that overwhelmed (as it were) with the works of thy mercy, which are included in this thy worke of Redemption, I might love him with all my heart, who hath wholly loved me, and imparted himſelfe wholly unto mee. Thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord my God; but what good had it beene unto me, except thou hadſt permitted me to be baptized? amongſt ſo great a multitude therefore of Infidels, thou waſt pleaſed I ſhould be borne of faithfull parents, and haſt bleſſed me ſo farre above all unbeleeving Ethnicks, Turks and Jewes, that I might be regenerated by the lavacre in thy word, and according to thy Word, and might put on my Chriſt, with all his benefits. There thou haſt adopted me for thy ſonne, and made me thy heire; there make I that wonderfull covenant with thee, that I ſhould be thine, and that thou ſhouldeſt be mine; that thou ſhouldeſt be my Lord, and I ſhould be thy ſervant; that thou ſhouldeſt be my father, and I ſhould be thy ſonne: there is it ſo ſo covenanted betwixt us, that thou ſhouldeſt manifeſt thy fatherly affection to me, and that I ſhould with a filiall obedience hearken unto thee. What need I rehearſe the other uſe of this Sacrament, namely, that thou haſt made it the curing phyſicke of our ſins, that by thine own blood thou mighteſt heal my unhappy and feſtring wounds, and mighteſt thereby more and more adde perfection unto me? But though I have received ſo many bleſſings of thee, and have in a readineſſe ſo many antidotes againſt ſinne; yet have I not continued in obedience, but have often broken that covenant, and yet haſt thou bin ſo mercifull and ſo milde a God, that thou didſt endure my diſobedience. O God, my ſalvation and hope, how can I recount thy mercy and clemency, without ſhedding of teares? for how often, O juſt judge, mighteſt thou kill, and bring me to nothing, and yet none of theſe things is befallen me? how many thouſands of ſoules are already thruſt into hell to be puniſhed with eternall plagues and fire, that never came neare my ſinnes either in number or weight; and yet am not I burned? what had become of me if thou hadſt cut me off, together with them? How ought I to feare thy terrible and fearfull judgement, if thou ſhouldeſt puniſh me in thy immutable and ſevere judgement, according to the foulneſſe of my iniquities? O my God, who tied thy hands? who was my Interceſſor, when I moſt ſecurely ſlept the ſleep of ſin? who held the ſcourge of thy wrath, when as day by day I provoked & urged thy vengeance? what was there in me to pleaſe thee? what was there in me ſo worthy of thy acceptation, that thou ſhouldeſt ſpare me when thou didſt root out others, who wallowing in the mud of their ſinnes, thou didſt ſummon to thy moſt righteous judgement ſeat in the midſt of their dayes? My ſins did cry to heaven, and thou didſt ſtop thine eares; my wickedneſſes were daily multiplied, and thy mercy was likewiſe encreaſed to me; I did ſinne, and thou didſt expect my repentance; I fled from thee, and thou didſt draw neare to me; I provoked thee ſo often to wrath, that I might weary thee by my provocations; yet waſt not thou weary of taking pity upon me, as if my tranſgreſſions againſt thee, being abominable ingratitude in me, were pleaſing in thy ſight. Thou haſt ſuggeſted unto me many good thoughts, and given me many profitable admonitions, to turne me from my tranſgreſſions, even in my full ſpeed of ſinning. How many times, ſtanding before the doore of my heart, haſt thou knocked and called, ſaying, Returne, returne thou degenerate ſon, nor will I ſet my face againſt thee, ſo that thou wilt acknowledge the ſinnes, by which thou haſt offended thy God? How often haſt thou called me unto thee by this moſt pleaſing voice? How often haſt thou exhorted me by great feare, by moſt terrible threats, by the daily expectation of daily danger, of perpetuall death and ſtrict judgement? how many preachers haſt thou afforded me? how many teachers haſt thou ſet over me, who partly by doctrine, and partly by example, ſhould ſhew me the way I ſhould walke in? Thou haſt allured me by moſt gentle compellations, thou haſt chaſtiſed me by dangerous ſickneſſes, and other miſeries, and haſt left out nothing that might induce me from the old way. What ſhall I render unto thee, O Lord, for all thy bleſſings beſtowed upon me? I owe thee my ſelfe, and all things I enjoy, becauſe thou haſt created me, for thou madeſt me, and what ever I have. Againe, I owe thee my ſelfe, and all things I poſſeſſe, becauſe thou haſt preſerved me: beſides, Lord, thou gaveſt thy ſelfe to be my great and plenteous reward. What can I render unto thee? If I had in my hand all the lives of all the Angels, and all the ſoules of all mankinde, and I ſhould reſolve to pay them to thee; they could not ſtand in compariſon with one drop of thy blood ſhed for me; therefore I moſt worthily complaine, and cry out, who ſhall give water to my head, and a fountaine of teares to my eyes, and I will weepe night and day, and deplore mine owne abominable ingratitude, wherewith I thy creature, O my beſt Creator, have repayed thee, for all thy ſo many, and ſo great, and ſo incomprehenſible benefits beſtowed upon me. Helpe me, O my God, impart thy grace unto me, that I may with inward contrition confeſſe unto thee my back-ſliding from thee. Ah! Lord, I am thy creature, though moſt unhappy and unworthy of thee my Creator. Thou didſt create me according to thine own image and ſimilitude; looke backe upon me, O God, take from me what ever I have brought in, and then thou ſhalt finde nothing but good in me, and that which thou haſt beſtowed upon me, O thou moſt perfect worker of all goodneſſe. Alas! I have reſiſted the powers of thy holy will, and ſtriven much to oppoſe thee. Oh, with what ſecurity have I given my ſelf over to wrath! my feet made haſte to doe evill, my hands prepared themſelves to doe miſchiefe, to covetouſneſſe, and all manner of impurities; my eyes were turned to behold vanity, my eares were open to receive lies, filthy talking, ſlandering and reproaching. My ſoule, that was a moſt noble ſoule, and neare (in nature) to thy heavenly Miniſters, and ought to have contemplated, to beheld, and have reflected upon thee, turnes backe from thy unſpeakable beauty, and turnes it ſelfe towards the flattering deceitfull beauty of the world; and laboured this with care, that it might abuſe the fraile goods of this world to her owne luſts, and knew not how grievous and hurtfull this would prove unto her. This (behold) is the underſtanding part of my ſoule! let us ſee what good may proceed from the will? Thou haſt enclined, O Lord, my will to heavenly riches, but it hath declined to earthly things, and hath wholly enthralled her ſelfe by a vaine love unto them: this, O Lord, is that grace, which I have repayed thee for thy moſt precious gifts. What ſhall I anſwer thee (ah! Lord,) if thou ſhouldeſt call me before thy judgement ſeat, and ſhouldeſt ſay, I have planted thee for a noble vine, and that thou ſhouldeſt (wholly) be a faithfull ſeed, how then are you changed into degenerate branches of a wilde vine? But if I ſtand in ſo foule a condition, upon examination of the benefit of my Creation, what will it prove if I ſhould give an account of the benefits of my Preſervation? For thou haſt preſerved him ſo many dayes, ſo many moneths, ſo many yeares, who hath dedicated all his ſenſes to the contempt and deſpite of all thy Commandements, who hath perſecuted thy ſervants, who hath beene a ſcandall to the communion of thy Saints, who hath ſtrengthened and enlarged the kingdome of ſinners. Thou haſt preſerved the tongue that hath blaſphemed thee and taken thy Name in vaine; thou haſt preſerved the members that have moſt vehemently offended thee; thou haſt given him meat and drinke, that hath abuſed them both to thine owne reproach. I have not beene onely unthankfull, but I armed my ſelfe with thine owne bleſſings againſt thee. Thou createdſt all thy creatures for me, even for my profit, and to draw me to love thee, and I have uſed thy creatures to the inexcuſable hatred of thee. Thoſe things which ought to have brought me to thy moſt beautifull wiſdome, did make me blinde, and made me not only not to looke up but did even cloſe mine eyes that I ſhould not behold how much the Creator did excell thoſe his ſo many faire and comely creatures: for the moſt rare Artiſt of all beauty and comelineſſe, was He that that created them. Thou gaveſt me all things, that I ſhould yeeld and conſecrate my ſelfe unto thee: thou wouldeſt have all things ſerve me, that I might ſerve thee, even I that have ſo little thought upon thee. Thy creatures, according to thy command, are ready at thy becke, but I, alas, have ſtoutly refuſed thy commandements. Thou haſt given me health of body, and I have granted the uſe thereof to the devill: thou haſt given me ſtrength underſtanding, and a will, and I have beſtowed them upon the ſervice of iniquity. And what ſhall I ſay? as many dangers and loſſes of other men as I have beheld, ſo many of thy bleſſings towards my ſelfe have I ſeene, that thou didſt not overwhelme me in the ſame dangers and loſſes. If thou ſhouldeſt ſend me what I deſerve, thou mighteſt finde me more worthy ſo many miſeries than others are; but it is thy mercy, O Lord, that I am not conſumed. Beaſts are tamed by courteſies, are made gentle and familiar for the ſervice and obedience of man; and yet thy benefits have not tamed me, have not moved me, that I might ſay in my heart, Let us feare the Lord our God, that giveth us raine, the early and the later raine it its ſeaſon, preſerving for us the fulneſſe of the yearly harveſt; that enricheth us with his bleſſings, that preſerveth us from our birth even to our death; Ought not theſe things to ſet before mine eyes and minde, thy favour and mercy towards me? But if I am ſo much bound unto thee for theſe benefits which thou haſt produced for me by the bare power of thy Word, what ſhall I be indebted to thee for redeeming me from eternall death and damnation, by the precious blood of thine only begotten ſon? Oh, how much have I neglected thy moſt wiſe counſell? how have I deſpiſed thy incarnation, which I ought to adore? Thou my God, art made man, that thou mighteſt make me partaker of the divine nature; and I a moſt perverſe wretch, am turned into a beaſt, and become the devils inſtrument. Thou didſt deſcend from the moſt glorious throne of thy heavenly Father, unto mee that devill upon earth, and I have not elevated my ſelfe unto thee, nor would I aſcend with thee; but by the works of the fleſh I have beene faſter tied to the more baſe things of the earth, and have preſſed my ſelfe downe into the mud, by the weight of my ſinnes, wherein I have long lien wallowing. Thou haſt delivered me out of the power of the devill, and I of mine owne accord have enſnared my ſelfe in his devilliſh toiles. Thou art made one body with me, and I by my voluntary ſinnes have plucked my ſelfe off from thee, and have glued my ſelfe to the body of the wicked. So many thy wondrous works could not force me to acknowledge thee: So many teſtimonies of thy love could not ſoften my ſtony heart, to make me love thee againe; thy ſo great merit could not raiſe me up, to cauſe me to place all my hope in thee. That thy moſt accurate Juſtice, which ſhines moſt clearly out, and that many wayes, out of the worke of our Redemption, could not hold me, ſo that I might conſider the plagues and puniſhments which thou heapedſt upon thy onely beloved Son, for my ſake, and cauſe me to cry out, If they have done theſe things in the greene tree, what ſhall be done in the dry? Thy ſo many torments and paines could not perſwade me to deſcend into my ſelf, and to conſider with what hatred thou perſueſt our ſinnes, for which thou haſt permitted thy very Sonne to be moſt cruelly afflicted. For theſe things ought I to have ſtood in awe, and to reverence thy great Name. So haſt thou (my Jeſus) humbled thy ſelfe, that he that conſiders it, may admire, and with trembling behold thee; yet am I growne proud, and at this very time, alas, doe exalt my ſelfe above my brethren. Thou didſt hang naked upon the Croſſe, yet I not content with ſuch cloathing as was neceſſary to cover my nakedneſſe, have ſought after exceſſe and ſuperfluity, and have moſt tenderly handled my ſlimy damnable body. Thou didſt ſuffer intolerable thirſt in thy extreame plagues and torments, and didſt taſte gall mingled with vinegar; but I muſt (as it were) be fatted to the ſlaughter with luſhious wines; I have beene overcharged with gluttony and ravenouſneſſe, and have thereby made my ſelfe ſtrong in fleſhly deſires. Thou didſt beare all things that thy Father laid upon thee, nor didſt throw off the the burden, till thou mighteſt truely ſay it is finiſhed; but I have eſteemed it very troubleſome and tedious for me to ſuffer but a very little for thee. Thou that art the bleſſed Son of God, didſt ſuffer blows on the face from wicked wretches; but I, if I be but touched with a finger, or wronged in a word, doe preſently burne with wrath, and am moſt bitterly moved to indignation, that am but a worme, and not worthy the name of a man, and doe deſerve, by reaſon of my filthy ſins, not only moſt vile reproach, but the puniſhment & ſcorne of hell it ſelfe. And what ſhall I farther ſay of my moſt wicked life? Thou didſt moſt willingly die, that I might die to ſin, and live to righteouſneſſe; but I too much relying on this thy mercy, doe wittingly and willingly ruſh into ſins. What greater diſgrace could I put upon thee? I have made thy mercies the occaſion of my uncleanneſſe, and have uſed ſo precious a meanes of my Redemption, which ought to make every one to hate ſin, to the ſtrengthning and continuation of my ſins. I thought ſins were lawfull for me, becauſe thou waſt ſo gentle and mercifull; and for giving mee ſo many bleſſings, I have requited thee with my infamous deeds, ſo that I converted the remedy ordained againſt ſin, into the meanes to make me ſin more freely, and have ſet the point of that ſword againſt mine owne breſt, and well-nigh deſtroyed my ſelfe therewith, that thou gaveſt me to reſiſt the blowes of Satan. Thou art he only, O Lord, that dyed for us all, that they that live, might not live to themſelves, but to him that did both die, and roſe againe for us; but I, contrary to this, have lived to my ſelfe and mine owne luſts, as if thou hadſt dyed for that end that I ſhould live to fill my ſoule with fleſhly deſires: and abuſing thy grace, I ſhould weave the web of miſchiefe. O Lord, how great is thy patience, that thou wouldeſt be buffetted for my ſake! but much greater is thy patience, that thou enduredſt ſo many ſinners in the world, that even buffet thee with their ſins? But ſhall this thy patience laſt for ever? I call to mind what thou threatneſt againſt the impenitent; I ſee that the earth which is watered with raine and brings forth no fruit, is puniſhed by curſing; I ſee that the Vineyard well manured, and yet remaining unfruitfull, is waſted and trodden under foot: O hard, and iron heart! O unprofitable and drie wood! Doſt thou not tremble if thou heareſt the voice of the Omnipotent God, ſaying; Every branch, not bearing fruit, will my Father take away; if any remaine not in me, hee ſhall be cast out as a branch, and it withereth, and men gather it up, and caſt it into the fire to bee burnt. What man can be ſo careleſſe, that trembles not and ſhakes not for feare of ſo horrible a judgement? How deafe and ſluggiſh is he that heareth not this voice? With what a ſtupidneſſe is he drowned in? in what a lethargie is he buried, who is not awaked with this thunder? Ah! Lord, this earthly tabernacle hath hitherto delighted mee; I have walked amidſt thornes and thiſtles, that have choaked the ſeed of thy Word ſowen in me, ſo that I have had no deſire to know thy will; my luſts have ſeduced me, my deſires have driven me up and downe▪ my thoughts have diſturbed mee, the worme of my conſcience gnawes me; and all theſe have I eſteemed as ſecure delights, and reckoned troubles to be peace. What ſhall I doe my God? What ſhall I doe? I am forced to confeſſe that I am not worthy to come before thee; I bluſh for my unrighteouſneſſe ſake to lift up mine eyes unto thee; I dare not lift them up to ſeeke thy favour and moſt mercifull preſence; if thou wilt puniſh me as I deſerve, nor heaven, nor earth can hide me from thee; but thou wilt not, O Lord, my God, that any one periſh, but that all may be converted and live: thou createdſt mee for thy praiſe; but who in hell, where thou art blaſphemed, ſhall praiſe thy Name? Thou didſt pay ſo great a ranſome for me; yet if thou reject me in theſe my moſt great neceſſities, who ſhall receive me? if thou ſhalt refuſe thy creature, redeemed by ſo great a price, who ſhall helpe me? Why, even thou my Father, that Father of mercy, even that mercy which is immeaſurable, which is infinite: And although by my diſobedience I have loſt the right of mine inheritance: yet, O my Father, thou haſt not loſt the heart of a Father; though I have fallen from thee my Father, yet wilt not thou fall from me, or ceaſe to be my Father; that word never failed, As I live, I will not the death of a ſinner, but that hee may bee converted and live. And although my ſins be innumerable, and my wounds may ſeeme incurable, yet art not thou ignorant of a way to cure me; confirme therefore and fulfill thy promiſes, waſh me effectually with the blood of thy Son, that, as to me, his death prove not in vaine: I am (as well) a part of his fleſh, and he a part of mine, as Peter, David, or Paul; he is as well to me an Emmanuel, as to any other: Hee bare the ſins of the whole world; and therefore hee bore mine alſo. Looke back therefore, look back therefore, O Lord, upon this loſt ſheepe, regard thy creature, nor contend with him in thy fury whom thou haſt made with thy hands: take care, O Lord, of the ſoule, which thou haſt redeemed; I come creeping to thee, wounded with many wounds; but thou moſt experienced Phyſitian of ſoules, and Ma •• er of the diſeaſed, canſt heale them all: I come, being blinded, but thou canſt enlighten me: I come dead unto thee, but thou canſt give me life: I come full of leproſie, but thou canſt cleanſe me: Sprinkle me with Hyſop and I ſhall be cleane; waſh me and I ſhall be whiter than ſnow. O my God, the God of my life, thy mercy is greater than my ſins, thy clemencie exceeds all my iniquities. Thou canſt forgiue more, O Lord, than I can offend; thy mercies are bottomleſſe and numberleſſe; but as many as my ſins are, and as great as they are, they are neither bottomleſſe nor numberleſſe. Take me out therefore and deliver mee, forgive mee my great injuſtice, take away my ſtony and hard heart, and create in me a ſoft and a cleane heart, that even in this life I may give thee thanks; let me by my faith and good example bring ſinners to thee; and let me glorifie thee, and celebrate thee, for theſe and other thy innumerable bleſſings for evermore. Amen, my God, be it ſo, even ſo be it, my Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

CONTEMP. &c. 38.

Of the greatneſſe and foulneſſe of our ſinnes; and of the Confeſſion of them.

I Am affraid of my raſhneſſe, when I conſider with my ſelfe what a Majeſtie I have offended with my ſins: when I conſider how benigne and wonderfull a Father I have forſaken, I deteſt mine owne ingratitude: when I conſider from how happie a libertie of ſpirit, into how miſerable ſervitude I have caſt my ſelfe; I condemne mine owne madneſſe, and am wholly diſpleaſing to my ſelfe, nor have any other object before my eyes but hell and deſperation, namely, that doth terrifie my conſcience by Gods inevitable Juſtice. I am to be conſumed like rottenneſſe; ſin is rottenneſſe indeed, for it deſtroyes the beauty of the ſoule, the ſweet ſavour of a good name, the worth of grace, the reliſh of glory; it is truly durt being wallowed therein: we become abominable to honeſt men, the good Angels, and the juſt God; It is truely ſmoak that foretels us that hell-fire is not farre from it, and doth drive away the heavenly Dove: It is indeed the Devils taverne, in which for the price of ſoules hee ſels the world the wine of pleaſure: it is the dart with which our ſoule is pierced thorow, and is deprived of all vigour and life: It is true ſickneſſe, becauſe it leaves us no health in our fleſh, nor from the preſence of Gods wrath grants us any quietneſſe in our bones: It is truly a Sea, for it ſwels over our head, and eaſily ſwalloweth up our whole body: It is truly a burden, becauſe a ſinner is moſt burdened therewith, and is even preſſed downe, unto hell it ſelfe. But whither ſhall I goe? where ſhall I withdraw my ſelfe? Ah! be mercifull unto me, O take pitie upon mee, according to thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of thy compaſſions waſh away mine iniquities: Againſt thee, againſt thee onely have I ſinned, and done this evill in thy ſight; behold I am begotten in iniquitie, and in ſinne hath my mother conceived me. I have gone aſtray like a ſheepe that periſheth: ſeeke out thy loſt ſheep, O Lord, remember not the faults and tranſgreſſions of my youth. O Lord, who underſtands his owne ſins? Cleanſe me from my ſecret offences. Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant, becauſe no man living can be juſtified before thee: Remember O Lord thy mercies and compaſſions which have been of old: Remember me according to thy mercies, even for thy goodneſſe ſake, O Lord. O Lord be mercifull unto mine offences; make thy mercies wonderfull, thou who ſaveſt thoſe that truſt in thee: Turne not thy face from me, nor caſt away thy ſervant in diſpleaſure, for in death no man remembreth thee, nor ſhall any praiſe thee in the grave. What profit is in my bloud when I deſcend into corruption? Shall duſt give praiſe unto thee, or ſet forth thy truth? Regard and heare me, O God, lighten mine eyes, that I ſleepe not in death: Set not thy mercies farre from me, for thy mercy and truth doe alwayes preſerve; in thee O Lord have I truſted, let me never be confounded. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 39.

Of Gods readineſſe to forgive ſinnes; and our thankeſgiving for the forgiveneſſe of them.

WHo can deſpaire of pardon from him, who doth ſo often in the writings of the Prophets, of his owne accord invite ſinners to repentance, crying out, That he would not the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould bee converted and live? How ready is alſo his pardon to them that repent: he hath inculcated unto us, by his only begotten Son in many of his Parables; as of the groat that was loſt, and found againe; the ſtrayed ſheepe brought back upon the ſhoulders; but more plainly, by that of the prodigall ſonne, whoſe very image I am. No man, O God, is ſo ready to ſinne, but thou art far more ready in thy good time to pardon our ſinnes. O pitifull, and mercifull Lord, ſlow to anger, and very pitifull! He ſtrives not with us for ever, neither is he alwayes wrath with us: Becauſe as the heaven is higher than the earth, ſo hath he made his mercies to prevaile over me. As farre as the Eaſt is diſtant from the Weſt; ſo far hath he ſet my ſins from me. As a father taketh pity upon his ſonne, ſo hath the Lord taken pity upon me; he hath waſhed me from my iniquity; he hath clenſed me from my ſins; he knows whereof we be made; he remembers we are but duſt. Why art thou ſad, ô my ſoule? and why art thou troubled? returne, ô my ſoule, into thy reſt, for the Lord hath done thee good: He hath delivered my ſoule from death, mine eyes from teares; and my feet from falling. Bleſſed are they whoſe ſins are forgiven, and whoſe offences are covered: Bleſſed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not ſin. Rejoyce in the Lord, ô ye righteous, for praiſe becommeth the Juſt; taſte, and ſee; for the Lord is ſweet: Bleſſed is the man, that hopeth in him. Bleſſe the Lord, ô my ſoule, and all that is within me, praiſe his holy Name, who is mercifull to all thy iniquities, and healeth all thy infirmities, who hath redeemed thy life from deſtruction, who crowneth thee with mercy and pity. His goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow me, all the dayes of my life, and I ſhall dwell in the Houſe of the Lord, for evermore. I deſire, and beſeech thee, ô God by the death of thine owne ſon, give me thy Spirit, to purifie my heart, and with his grace to ſtrengthen me, that by mine own unadviſedneſſe I fall not thither whence by thy mercy I have been called. Create in me, ô God, a new heart, and renew a firme ſpirit within me; reſtore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, and uphold me by thy free ſpirit. Waſh mee daily, by pardoning my daily offences, tranſlate me from the fennes of this age, and the mud of this preſent life, to the excellent kingdome of thy glory, where is neither ſcab, nor blindneſſe, nor doth any one ſuffer any uncleane iſſue of blood, nor is any one uncleane; where is no farther need of a lavacre, thy glorious body being joyned unto our body. Thou muſt needs fulfill thy promiſe made, and both finiſh, and confirme the good worke thou haſt begun in me; through Chriſt our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 40.

Of the worthy preparation to the holy Sacrament.

I Will make an entrance unto the Altar of God, even to the God that maketh my youth rejoyce. Laying aſide the garments of my inveterate iniquity, I will renew my youth like an Eagle, and haſten to approach that heavenly banquet. A plentifull and delicate banquet is prepared, which is a medicine to the ſicke, a way to thoſe that wander, a banquet that comforteth the weake, delights thoſe that are in health, cures ſickneſſe, preſerves health; a banquet that makes a man more pliant to reproofe, more patient to labour, more zealous to love, more wiſe to warineſſe, more ready to obedience, more devout to thankſgiving; a banquet by which our daily ſinnes are forgiven, the powers of Satan expelled, ſtrength given to undertake even martyrdome it ſelfe; finally, a banquet by which all good things are brought unto thee, becauſe a man partaking of it, doth even become the ſame thing he receives. This banquet compared with Ahaſuerus his banquet, reliſheth farre above it; compare it with the table ſpread in the Wilderneſſe for the children of Iſrael, and it refreſheth thee far more. For though that Table contained in it the figure of this our Euchariſt, when God rained downe Manna for our Fathers in the Wilderneſſe, and they were daily fed with food from heaven, and men did eat Angels bread, yet they that did eat that bread, did die; but this living bread that is ſet before thee in this coſtly banquet, did come from heaven, and hath given life to the world. That Manna came from heaven, this from above the heavens. That being reſerved to the next day was full of worms, this is free from all corruption: whoſoever ſhall religiouſly taſte thereof, ſhall not ſee corruption. That was given the Fathers after their paſſage over the red ſea, where the Egyptians were drowned, and the Iſraelites were delivered; ſo this heavenly Manna can profit none but the regenerate: That corporall bread ſuſtained the ancient people in their paſſage thorow the Wilderneſſe to the Land of promiſe; this heavenly food ſuſtaines the faithfull of theſe times in their paſſage to heaven. Moſes was Maſter of their Table, and here Chriſt is ready at hand, who hath furniſhed this Table, and bleſſed it. For it is not man that makes the bread and wine, ſet on this Table, to be the body and blood of Chriſt, but Chriſt himſelfe that is crucified for us; words are uttered by the Prieſts mouth, but the things ſet before thee are conſecrated by the power of Chriſt, who uſed theſe words unto his Diſciples, This is my Bodie, this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood, which is ſhed for you. It is Chriſt in whom doth dwell all the fulneſſe of the God-head bodily, who is the power of God, unto whom is given all power in heaven and earth: Hee, when hee was to put an end to the Ceremonies of the Law, would prepare for himſelfe the Paſſeover; and before he would be condemned to death, and be nailed to the Croſſe, he was pleaſed according to the ſolemnitie to celebrate the Paſſeover, the roaſted lambe, unleavened bread, and ſowre herbs. When this Supper was ſo prepared, amidſt theſe ſacramentall dainties, both the old and alſo the new inſtitutions offered themſelves to him; and having eaten the Lambe that the old tradition did ſet before them, This great Maſter ſets before his Diſciples a meat not to be conſumed; nor are here the people invited to a banquet made exquiſite both by coſt and paines, but the nouriſhment of immortality is given them, differing from common food, keeping the forme of a corporeall ſubſtance, but by the inviſible efficacie of the divine power working in us, and proving Gods eſpeciall preſence accompanying it. Come hither yee faithfull ſoules, refreſh and recollect your ſelves, cheere and fill your ſelves; joyne in one by your faith, your remembrance of Chriſt, with the application of his merits, with hearty thankſgiving for your deliverance, made through his blood; receive the pledge, teſtimony and aſſurance of your holy communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt your Head; and (by him) with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt alſo: encreaſe, cheriſh, comfort and hold faſt the faith of the remiſſion of your ſins: your faith is imperfect; perfect it, not only by the hearing of the Word preached, but by uſing this holy Supper; the Word offers, but this Supper applies Chriſt unto us. Encourage your ſelves to the ſtudie of good works. How too often are we hindred, ſtopt, and grow ſtupid in performing this work? Here Chriſt keepes us company, in exhibiting unto us his bodie and blood: hee doth daily more and more mortifie in us the body of ſinne, and beginne in us the newneſſe of a ſpirituall life: performe each to other the offices of concord, peace and love, for we eat the ſame fleſh, we drink the ſame blood, we are nouriſhed with the ſame food; we are refreſhed with the ſame drink: we are made one body under the ſame head; but who hath ever ſeene the members of one and the ſame body to diſagree, to ſtrive, jarre or contend? Caſt out rancour, pluck up hatred, purge out the old leaven. The faithfull under the Goſpell muſt not be made of leaven: The holy Banquet requires pure and ſincere mindes: The ſweet ſavour that comes from Chriſts ſcorching upon the Croſſe, doth concoct all crudities of our carnall ſenſes, and doth harden and ſettle the affections of the minde; nor let there bee any ſpot in the Sacrament of the holy Church, but pure ſimplicity and innocencie of life in one houſe, the holy Catholique Church. Chriſt is offered to the faithfull departing out of Aegypt, being cleanſed in their affections by his blood, in their paſſage in the red Sea. O Jeſu Chriſt, our omnipotent Lord God, thou Fountaine of life and immortalitie, thou Creator of every viſible and inviſible thing, that art the eternall Son of the everlaſting Father, who of thy abundant goodneſſe in the laſt times didſt take our fleſh upon thee, and waſt delivered and crucified for us ſinfull and unthankful creatures; thou by thine owne blood haſt reſtored our nature corrupted by ſin, and giveſt me thy fleſh for my food: But thou art a fire, and conſumeſt thoſe that be unworthy; deſtroy me not, my Maker; rather come into the union of my members, into all my ſinewes, into my reines, into my heart: burne up the ſting of my ſinnes, cleanſe my ſoule, ſanctifie my minde, enlighten my five ſenſes, glew me firmely to thy ſelfe in love, alwayes protect and defend mee; preſerve mee from every word and work that may hurt my ſoule; purge, cleanſe, and direct me, adorne, inſtruct and make mee famous; make mee the temple of thy Spirit only, and not the habitation of ſinne; that being made thy houſe by the entrance of thy holy Communion, all impiety and all evill may fly from mee. Let thy holy body be made everlaſting Bread unto mee: Mercifull Lord, let thy precious blood become a remedy of ſundry diſeaſes unto me; fearfull and wicked wretch that I am, defiled with abſurd works, I am unworthy of thy pure body, and heavenly blood: O Chriſt, doe thou make me worthy to be partaker of thee; give me, O Chriſt, the drops of teares, to waſh my filthy heart, that having a pure conſcience, I may come in faith and feare to receive thy heavenly gifts. O moſt mercifull Saviour, let thy unſpotted body and divine blood be made unto mee the participation of thy holy Spirit, eternall life, and a change of my ſufferings and miſeries. Heale the wounds of my ſoule, O Lord, and ſanctifie me through-out, and make mee unworthy wretch, worthy to be partaker of thy myſticall divine Supper; be it unto thy moſt vile ſervant as thou haſt promiſed, and remaine in mee as thou haſt ſaid. For behold I eat thy divine body, and doe drink thy blood. Thou Word of God, and God him ſelfe, let the flame of thy body enlighten me, that am all obſcurity, and let thy blood be alſo a purgation to my corrupted ſoule: Sanctifie my underſtanding, ſoule, heart and body, O my Saviour, and make it worthy, O Lord, to come to theſe fearfull myſteries without being condemned. I ſhall obtaine new effects, and will receive the increaſe of thy grace, and preſervation of my life, by the participation of thy myſteries, O Chriſt. O holy Word of God, God himſelfe; ſanctifie mee throughly, that am comming to thy divine myſteries. Deſpiſe mee not, O Chriſt, when I receive the bread, which is thy body, and whilſt (wretch that I am) I am made partaker of thy moſt pure and fearfull myſteries, that they prove not condemnation unto me. But let them be unto me, O Chriſt, eternall and everlaſting life. O Chriſt, thou Fountaine of goodneſſe, let the receiving of thy immortall myſteries, become light and life unto me, and cauſe the avoyding of vitious affections, and the encreaſe of heavenly vertues in me, O thou only Goodneſſe, that I may glorifie thee. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 41.

Of thoſe things which are to be meditated upon after the receiving of the Sacrament of the Supper.

LEt thy ſervant ſpeak thine owne Word in thy eares, that thou be not angry with thy ſervant, O Lord my King: Thou haſt ſlaine thy Sacrifices, thou haſt mingled thy wine, and prepared thy Table; thou haſt ſent forth thy maydens, that they might invite to thy tower of defence, that if there were any little one, he might come unto thee. Thou haſt ſaid, Goe forth yee daughters of Sion, and behold your King crowned with the Crowne wherewith his mother begirt his head in the day of his betrothing, in the day of the gladneſſe of his heart. Thou haſt ſaid, O Lord, unto thy ſervant, Go out quickly into the wayes and ſtreets of the citie, and bring in hither both the poore and the weak, both the lame and the blind, and compell them to come in, that my houſe may bee full. I being called, came and ſaw, was led in and taſted; thou turnedſt not thy ſelfe away from thy ſervant, nor ſaidſt thou, Thou ſhalt not ſee my face. Thou haſt ſhewed thy ſelfe unto me, my Comforter; I beheld thee, thou Light of mine eyes; I felt the joy of ſpirit, and was touched with gladneſſe of heart: Thou didſt prepare great things for me, O my Delight and ſweet content. O Lord my God, my Life, and ſole Glory of my ſoule, I have found thee out; O thou Deſire of my heart, I have held thee faſt, O thou Love of my ſoule. O let me retaine thee, thou Life of my ſoule; I will love thee, O Lord, my Strength, my Caſtle, my Refuge, and my Deliverer. Let me love thee, my God, the Tower of my might, and my pleaſing hope in all my tribulations. I will enbrace thee, who art that Good, without which nothing can be good: I will enjoy thee the Beſt, without whom nothing is beſt; I will exalt thee my God and King, and will bleſſe thy Name for ever and ever: every day will I praiſe thee, and bleſſe thy Name for ever and ever. The Lord is great and exceedingly to be praiſed, and of his greatneſſe there is no end: Generation from generation ſhall praiſe thy works, and ſhall declare thy power, ſhall ſpeak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holineſſe, and ſhall tell of thy wonderfull works. They ſhal break forth in remembrance of thy abundant ſweetneſſe, and ſhall exult in thy righteouſneſſe. O mercifull and pitifull Lord, patient and full of compaſſion! the Lord is ſweet to all, and his mercies are over all his works. All thy works O Lord, do praiſe thee, and thy Saints doe bleſſe thee, they ſpeak of the glory of thy Kingdome, and tell of thy power; for thou art my true and living God, my great King, my guide to my Countrey, my true light, my holy ſweetneſſe, my true life, my excellent wiſdome, my pure ſimplicity, my peacefull concord, my ſafe protection, my good portion, my everlaſting ſafety, my great mercy, my ſtrongeſt patience, my unſpotted Sacrifice, my holy Redemption, my firme hope, my perfect Charity, my true Reſurrection, my life eternall, my moſt happie ever enduring exultation, and moſt bleſſed viſion. Thou my God, waſt pleaſed, for no merits of mine, but onely by vouchſafing me thy mercies to ſatisfie thy unworthy ſervant with the precious body and blood of thy Sonne, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. What manner of food? What drink was this? O the memoriall of the Lords death. What ſhall I repay unto the Lord for all that he hath beſtowed upon me? O know, O Lord my King, in that thou haſt created me, I owe my ſelfe unto thee; and in that thou haſt redeemed me, yea, and waſt made man for mee, I ſhould owe thee more than my ſelfe, if I had it; by how much more thou art greater than he is for whom thou haſt given thy ſelfe; behold, though I have more, yet cannot I give thee that I have without thee: But doe thou receive me, and draw me unto thee, that I may become thine by love and imitation, as I am thine by creation and redemption: Let my life it ſelfe be thine, O Lord; I freely offer up my whole ſelfe unto thee; let my whole ſpirit, my whole heart, my whole body, and my whole life, even my ſweet life it ſelfe live unto thee; for thou haſt wholly delivered me, that thou mighteſt wholly poſſeſſe mee; thou haſt wholly refreſhed mee, that I might bee wholly thine owne. But how canſt thou have mee, except this holy Communion may not prove a guilt to draw downe puniſhment upon me, but an wholeſome interceſſion to obtaine pardon, the armour of faith, and ſhield of good will, except it may bee an emptying of my ſinnes, a baniſhing of luſt and concupiſcence, an encreaſe of charity and patience, humility and obedience, a firme defence againſt the ſlights of all our enemies, as well viſible as inviſible, a perfect appeaſing as well of my carnall as ſpirituall perturbations, a faſt cleaving to thee, the true and onely God? Ah let me obtaine theſe things of thee, who art moſt mercifull, and haſt commanded me therefore to pray for them, that I might obtaine them, and might come to that unſpeakable Banquet; wherein thou with thy Sonne, and the holy Spirit, art to thy holy Ones a true Light, full Content, everlaſting Joy, perfect Delight, and abſolute Felicitie Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 42.

Of beginning the day holily.

I Am awaked out of ſleep, O my ſoule, I ſhall alſo one day awake out of the grave; which perpetually conſider of with thy ſelfe. The Sunne breaks forth of the clouds, and day ſucceeds in the place of night: one day alſo ſhall break forth the eternall day, after the long laſting nights are paſt, and the Sunne of righteouſneſſe, Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall returne with his glorious light, whom many thouſands of Saints ſhall accompany, ſhining moſt beautifully, and farre above the brightneſſe of our Sun. So prepare thy ſelfe, O my ſoule, in this entry, that in that day thou maiſt have admittance into the houſe it ſelfe; nor that the Sunne may hide his face from thee, and thou be involved in thicke darkneſſe. Let no flattering of gaine, no invitation of honour, nor delight of pleaſure ſo ſeduce thee, that thou loſe the gladneſſe of that day. Let the brute beaſts be they that do only behold the light of this our Sun, doe thou with the eyes of faith behold the light of that day. Remember, O man, that the devill like a roaring lion, walketh about night and day, ſeeking whom he may devoure. Doſt thou doubt whether he be about thy bed when thou art buried in ſleepe, and that he then labours to devoure thee? but who reſiſteth him? why thou weake wretch, art laid proſtrate before him: It is the onely keeper of Iſrael that neither ſlumbers not ſleeps, that preſerveth thee. Doſt thou heare the cocke crowing? thinke upon Peter, who though he was eminent in the dignity of being an Apoſtle, and did heare the great Doctor, the Son of God, yet did he greatly erre. What ſhall become of thee, thinkeſt thou? except by thy fervent prayers thou daily ſtick cloſe unto God. Thinke thou heareſt that heavenly trumpet which the Angell, the Judges companion, ſhall blow, and conſider how thou couldeſt ſtand before that Judge if he were now come, and did preſently exact thee to appeare before him. Remember God is about and in thy bed, and by his omnipreſence doth looke into all thy thoughts, and ſees all thy behaviour and actions. Call to minde the holy troops of Angels, which by night defend thee, ſtand about thee, obſerve thy ſleeping and waking, and that rejoyce at thy holineſſe, and grieve at thy ungodlineſſe. Live therefore ſo as if thou didſt live in the ſight of God and his Angels, and thus, if thou beeſt wiſe, beleeve thou doſt. When thou putteſt on thy cloaths, remember they are the coverings of ſinne, nor is there any cauſe thou ſhouldeſt be proud of them. What I pray is moſt of our cloaths? are they not the rejected things, the excrements and ſpoiles of beaſts? it is madneſſe therefore for a man that is endued with reaſon, to be proud, and to brag of the reliques, the excrements and ſpoiles of brute beaſts. Thou cloatheſt thy body with a covering; but think this more neceſſary far that thou defend thy ſoule with the moſt pure robe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, and that thou put it on, not by a luke-warme faith. He that cloatheth not himſelfe in this manner, ſhall be tormented with everlaſting cold. Ah! with how many precious cloaths have many covered their bodies, whoſe ſoules remaine cold and naked! Conſider, that Gods mercy and goodneſſe are daily renued, and that he doth daily, as it were, beſtow a new life upon us, whilſt he repaires the power of our ſenſes, and reſtores thee the enlivening heat of the Sunne. Let therefore no creature divert thy prayers, let no thoughts ariſe in thee, before thou haſt given God his praiſes. O Omnipotent Lord God, that art the Trinity in Unity, that art alwayes in all things, and hadſt thy being from all eternity, and ſhall be alwayes in all things; O thou my God, take pity upon me, that I may ſpeake. The houſe of my ſoule is ſtraight, but doe thou enlarge it, that thou mayeſt come into it: it is ruinous, but doe thou repaire it. There are in it thoſe things which may offend both thine eare and eye. I know & acknowledge it, but who ſhall make it cleane? or to whom elſe ſhall I call but to thy ſelfe? Cleanſe me, O Lord, from my hidden offences, and pardon me my open ſinnes. I beleeve, and therefore I ſpeake, thou knoweſt it. My ſinnes doe plead againſt me before thee; pardon me therefore the impiety of my heart, and caſt my ſinnes into the depth of the ſea, that they confound me not in this world, nor condemne me in the world to come. O God that art for ever bleſſed, I doe this day, and at all times; commend unto thee, and into thy powerfull hand, my ſoule, my body, all my thoughts, all my affections, my words, my actions, all my outward and inward things, my ſenſes and underſtanding, my memory, faith and beliefe, that thou mighteſt keepe them day and night, houres and minutes. Heare me, holy Trinity, and preſerve me from all evill, and from all ſcandall, and from all deadly ſin, and from all the ſnares and aſſaults of the devill, and from my viſible and inviſible enemies. Expell out of me all boaſting of minde, and encreaſe in me contrition of heart: leſſen my pride, and perfect in me true humility: give me tenderneſſe to weepe, and ſoften my hard and ſtony heart. Teach me, O Lord, to doe thy will, becauſe thou art my God. Give me, O Lord, a heart, that may ſtand in awe of thee, a minde to love thee, an underſtanding to know thee, eares to hearken to thee, eyes to ſee thee. Take pity upon me, O God, take pity upon me, and looke downe upon me from the holy throne of thy Majeſty. Lord Jeſus, give concord to thy Miniſters, peace and quietneſſe to Princes that judge righteouſly, repentance unto thoſe that live unjuſtly. I beſeech thee, O Lord, for the holy univerſall Church, for the Clergy and Layety, for all Chriſtian Governours, and all that beleeve in thy Name, that labour in thy holy Word, that they may obtaine perſeverance in good works. Grant O Lord, eternall King, unto young men chaſtity, to thoſe of riper yeares holineſſe, and unto all innocency; pardon to the repentant, ſuccour to the Orphans and Widowes, to the poore protection, to the travellers a happy returne, comfort to them that mourne; eternall reſt to the faithfull, a ſafe haven to thoſe that rove upon the ſea, to the better ſort of Chriſtians that they may perſevere in goodneſſe, to the weaker ſort that they may grow better, to them that commit wickedneſſe and ſtill offend thee, that they ſpeedily correct their wayes, with me a miſerable ſinner. O moſt ſweet and moſt mercifull Lord, Jeſus Chriſt, thou Son of the living God, thou Redeemer of the world, that art amongſt us all, and in all things, be mercifull to me a ſinner. Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 43.

Of ending the day religiouſly.

AS nights and dayes have their returnes, ſo let the thought and celebration of Gods mercy have their returnes in thy heart. For therefore are the viciſſitudes of light and darkneſſe granted us, that there might be an interchangeable reſtoring of labour and reſt, and that each of them might have its fit and appointed time. If God would have made the Sunne to ſtand ſtill, there muſt have beene a perpetuall day. Alſo if the ſtarres had had no motion, who can doubt but their muſt have beene an everlaſting night? but he gave them motion that there might be changes of nights and dayes, and ſuch various motions, that there might be mutuall viciſſitudes of light and darkneſſe, in which, alternate ſpaces of labour and of reſt might appeare unto us. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, that hath appointed the Moone for its determinate ſeaſons, and the Sunne to know her going downe that it may be night, wherein all beaſts of the forreſt ſteale abroad; the young Lions roaring after their prey, doe ſeeke their food, and when the Sunne ariſeth, they retire themſelves, and lay themſelves downe in their dens: but man goeth forth to his worke and his tillage untill the evening. How ample, O God, are thy works! how wiſely haſt thou made them all! how full is the earth of thy poſſeſſions! Conſider well, O man, what thy work and labour hath beene this day. If thy endevours have beene honeſt, aſcribe them to God; if thou haſt learned any good, impute it to God; but if thou haſt done any evill, and haſt offended either God or thy neighbour, humbly crave pardon for it, nor ſleepe the ſleepe of oblivion or ſecurity with thy ſinnes upon thee. That is an accurſed and darkſome night, in which thou goeſt to bed without reconciling thy ſelfe unto God. Caſt up thy reckoning, and wipe out thy ſcores, being to account with thy God: and if thou finde thy account faire (which, alas, ſeldome or never fals out) give praiſes to the Lord; but if it appeare ſoule, caſt thy ſelfe groveling at the feet of thy Lord, and implore his unſpeakable mercy, that if thou wert even this night to be called to his judgement ſeat, thou mighteſt by it be excuſed. If thou have moved any man to anger and indignation, deſire his pardon, nor let the Sunne ſet under this troubled cloud: If he forgive thee, beware afterwards; but if he refuſe thee pardon, faile not earneſtly to begge of God forgiveneſſe of thy offence. And thou, doe that willingly to another, that thou wouldeſt have another doe to thee. Revenge not thine owne quarrell; for God hath reſerved vengeance to himſelfe. Surely he muſt needs be accounted very bold, that dares wreſt Gods ſword out of his hand. The Heathens were wont to doe this when the day was ended, and they retired themſelves to their reſt, they asked their ſoule, what wound of it was that day healed? what vice it had reſiſted? in what part it was growne better? Let anger ceaſe, and it will be more temperate; let thy ſoule know that ſhe muſt daily come before her Judge. What ſhouldeſt thou that art a Chriſtian thinke of? is not thy ſoule alſo a ſecret ſearcher and cenſurer of thee? ſhe knowes thy manner, ſhe retires into the cloſet of her thoughts, and ſees what ſhe hath ſecretly wiſhed for. O heavenly Lord, to whoſe bottomleſſe goodneſſe and infinite kindneſſe we owe all things, that haſt given the moſt cleare light of the day as well to the bad as to the good, to undertake the works of their calling, and haſt lovingly afforded us the friendly ſilence of the night to refreſh the ſtrength of our bodies, and to wipe out the cares of the minde, I beſeech thee that thoſe things which I have this day committed, either through humane negligence, or inbred malice, may for thy unſpeakable mercies ſake be forgiven me; and vouchſafe unto me also, that this night (by thy bleſſing) may be happy unto me; and thou being my pure keeper and protector, I may be free in it from the nightly illuſions of the devill, that my ſleepe make both my body and ſoule more cheerfull the next day to ſerve thee. And becauſe in this life there is not an houre wherein we can aſſure our ſelves from the cōming of that evening when thou ſhalt come, and the dead be raiſed at the ſounding of thy holy Angels trumpet, I beſeech thee that thou wilt enlighten the eyes of my ſoule, that my faith may not bee extinguiſhed, and I ſleepe in everlaſting death, but that I may reſt in thee, in whom even the dead do live, who liveſt, and raigneſt, for ever more, Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 44.

Of Death, the laſt Judgement, Hell, and Happineſſe.

IN all thy words remember thy laſt things, and thou ſhalt never ſin; no artificiall medicine, nor any doctrine doth ſo overcome pride, ſo conquer malice, ſo quench luſt, or ſo trample upon the vanities of this world, as the remembrance of our laſt things. What are thoſe our laſt things? let others here diſpute what they be, but let the godly weigh the matter diligently with themſelves; thy Death, the laſt Judgement, the glory of Heaven, the paines of Hell; theſe are the things thou muſt meditate of. What comes more ſuddenly and when we leſſe think of it than Death? We die daily, for part of our life is daily diminiſhed, and even while we encreaſe, doth our life grow leſſe; the time that paſſeth away, is loſt; we even divide this very day we now enjoy, betweene death and our ſelves. Wretched man, why diſpoſeſt thou not of thy ſelfe every houre? Think thou mayeſt now die, becauſe thou knoweſt thou muſt die: call to mind that the time is comming upon the wings, wherein thy eyes muſt ſinke into thy head, the veines of thy body ſhall be crackt in pieces, and thy heart ſhall be cleft with ſorrow; remember thine owne frailtie, remember the miſerable eſtate of thy pilgrimage; call to mind in the bitterneſſe of thy ſoule thy yeares paſt, and the dangers of mans life. Amidſt the moſt uncertaine things of man, yet is death moſt certaine; yet what is found more uncertaine than the houre of death? it takes no pitie upon want, it reverenceth not riches; and to conclude, it ſpareth neither wiſdome, manners, nor age; this only is the difference, that death ſtandeth at the old mans doore, and for the young man he lyes in ambuſh; every one therefore ought well to feare this laſt day, becauſe every one in the day of Judgement ſhall be judged for ſuch as he ſhall be found at his day of death. Upon this only moment of our life depends eternity that hath no end! What is more terrible than judgement? and what can bee imagined more intolerable than hell? What will a man feare, if hee feare not theſe things, if horrour ſeize not on him, and if dread doe not cauſe him to tremble! O man, if thou have loſt the ſhame which belongs to ſo noble a creature, if thou bee not ſenſible of the ſorrows of affliction, which is alſo a property that belongs to mortall creatures, yet loſe not at leaſt thy feare. Feare therefore, O man, becauſe in death thou muſt be parted from all the good things of this thy body, and the ſweet marriage knot of thy united ſoule and body muſt be cut in ſunder by this moſt bitter divorce. Feare, becauſe in that terrible Judgement thou muſt ſtand before him into whoſe hands it is a moſt fearfull thing to fall, even before ſuch an Examiner from whom nothing can be hid; if iniquitie be found in thee, thou muſt be baniſhed the ſociety of bliſſe and glory, and bee ſevered from the number of the bleſſed. Feare, becauſe in hell thou muſt be expoſed to inſufferable and everlaſting torments, and receive thy portion with the devill and his angels, even in the everlaſting fire prepared for them. Doſt thou not yet feare the face of the Judge, which is even terrible to the angelicall Powers? Doſt not thou tremble at the wrath of that powerfull One, at his angry countenance and his ſharp words? Art thou not affraid of the teeth of the infernall beaſt, of the belly of hell, of thoſe yellings, fore-runners of our devourings? Are we not yet affraid of the gnawing worme, ſcorching flames, ſmoak and vapour, brimſtone and ſtormie tempeſts? O! who ſhall give water to my head, and a fountaine of teares unto mine eyes, that by my weeping I may prevent that weeping and gnaſhing of teeth, and thoſe hard bands of hands and feet, and that weight of oppreſſing, fettering, burning and yet not conſuming chaines; and that I may come to thee, my Lord, and my God? Yet if any be ſo curſedly obdurate, ſo fierce and ſteely, that hee cannot be troubled with the feare of ill; yet who can be ſo madde and ſenſeleſſe that he will not be touched with the deſire of good things? There are laid up endleſſe good things for them that make a godly end; even things which the eye hath not ſeene, nor the eare heard, nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive, which God hath prepared for thoſe that love him; thoſe things the preparer and worker whereof is God. What things muſt they be, thinkeſt thou? The eye hath not ſeene them, becauſe they are not colour; the eare hath not heard them, for they are not a ſound; nor hath it entred into mans heart to conceive them, becauſe the heart of man muſt aſcend unto them. Why labour I then to make my tongue to utter that, which my heart cannot conceive; which is to be beleeved, and not to be beheld? nay, it is not onely inviſible, but alſo unſpeakable. O Lord Jeſus Chriſt, when that moſt perilous moment approacheth, wherein I ſhall enter into the way of immortality, then give mee a quiet and pleaſing repoſe, that in the true acknowledgement and confeſſion of thy grace, I may yeeld up my ſpirit, and my poore ſoule with peace and gladneſſe, and may deliver it into thy hands; Neither let mee bee long tormented, as I have a thouſand times deſerved; and that I may enjoy peace on the earth in my body, and may watch, and be made coheire of the reſurrection to life of all the beleevers, that I may praiſe and glorifie thee with gladneſſe, and may give thee thanks for evermore, for all the innumerable bleſſings which thou haſt beſtowed upon mee, through the whole ſpace of my pilgrimage. Call me not to an account for my old ſcores, and remember not the ſins of my youth, but be mercifull unto me, according to thy great mercies, and ſuſtaine me in a firme faith and comfort, even to my laſt gaſpe, that neither ſinne, death, or the divell doe me any hurt, nor that my own fleſh make me impatient, but that I may enter in unto thee, that I may dwell with thee, and may remaine with thee for evermore, Amen.

CONTEMP. &c. 45.

Of Eternity.

IS it this, that divideth the entrailes, parteth the bowels, woundeth the heart, tyes the tongue, ſhutteth the lips, diſtracteth the ſenſes, and overwhelmes all our members with feare? Rivers ſlow from our eyes, our cheekes are watered with teares, and all this torrent hath its originall from this one word, a terrible word, by the force and threates whereof feare and anguiſh are bred in us; a word that no day, no voice ſhall determine, no ſtarre-light ſhall ſhadow, no conſtellation ſhall darken; a word that melts the marrow, and ſoftens, breakes, and even minces the heart and bones, though harder than the Adamant or Marble. This word is Eternity, a word of longer continuance than the Heavens, more terrible than thunder and lightning, or any tempeſt whatſoever. It is Eternity, that hath neither pauſe, meaſure, nor end, and drives on the minds of men (as it were) with goades, and ſpurs, and pricks; ſo that they ſearch not after mutable or tranſitory things. This word hath moved many to pluck of their glittering crownes from their ayery heads, and to deſpiſe the lofty bayes, and made them let fall their towring plumes; and putting on a courſer habit, to contemplate higher and more divine things. This word doth wholely poſſeſſe me, nor ſuffers me to enjoy any encreaſe of content; it infuſes into my moſt diſquieted ſoule care, feare, and griefe. O end, moſt remote from any end! ô time without time! O yeare and no yeare! O number not to bee ſummed up of any! Deſcend, deſcend my ſoule to hell, not to mix thy ſelfe with flames, but to avoid thoſe conſuming fires. The wicked might beare it, if it could be ſo gently dealt with him, that Aetna might be his place of torment, that the Vultures might continually gnaw his liver, that the Spiders might weave Cobwebs in this throat that he might bee nouriſhed with aconit, that he might be tormented with boiling pitch, that he might drink nought but dragons blood, that hee might bee fed with glowing coales, that his body might bee cloathed with a perpetuall ſcurfe, that he might be broiled on a gridiron, that he might be peirced with ſpeares, bee bound to a ſtake to bee burnt, that hee might bee pluckt in pieces by wild horſes, that hee might be choaked with brimſtone, that hee might bee ſtretched on the wrack, that he might be continually pining to death for want of meat and drink; that hee might bee butchered with pugniards: that wicked wretch might ſuffer this end for a thouſand yeares continuance, yea for thouſand of thouſands added to that thouſand, if there might be hope at length of an end of tormenting. How great ſoever a torment or torture be, or how great a vexation, yet a hoped for end doth make them eaſier to be borne of us; it is the eternity of them that doth truly wrack and torture us. It is that that makes the paines of hell, it is that that makes plagues to be plagues indeed, that gathers all puniſhments into one, and does not only double, but infinitely multiply the flames thereof. Alas! alas! what is Eternity? What Geometry can meaſure it? It is not dayes or months, or yeares, that can ſet a period to it, not hundreds of thouſand revolutions of times, not millions of millions of Olympiades. Yet the paſſage to this never ending eternity, is wrought by the flying unſtableneſſe of a few dayes. The ſun riſeth and ſetteth; but they that come to this, do never returne; here the beginning is the end, and the end the beginning. O life worſe than any death! O perpetuall dying, without a death! thou ſhall be hurried thither, who ever thou art, that doeſt here glut thy ſoule with pleaſures, that doeſt follow after the corruptions of thy fleſh, that giveſt unto a harlot thy members which Chriſt hath redeemed with his blood, that ſtretcheſt thy throat with quaffing, and ſtuffeſt thy paunch with gluttonous eating. For what ſhall that fire devoure, but thy ſins? The more thou ſinneſt, the more fuell thou ſtoreſt to be conſumed of that fire: there are many deſcents thither, but never an aſcent from thence; he that once falls thither, muſt alwayes abide there, and is loſt without any hope of ſuccour. He that is once numbred amongſt the inhabitants of heaven, ſhall alwayes rejoyce; and he that is once joyned in company with the furies of hell, ſhall alwayes be affrighted. The joys of the bleſſed ſoules ſhall be without number or meaſure; the torments of the accurſed ſoules ſhall bee without metes and bounds, without meane or remedy. After yeares infinite and without number are paſſed, they are ſtill compelled to thinke that theſe are but only the beginnings of puniſhments: One houre of puniſhment there ſhall be more grievous to us than a hundred yeares ſpent here in repentance; the coales ſhall not there be dead, but glowing; no abatement, but increaſe of heate. The puniſhments ſhall increaſe, the puniſhers ſhall be exaſperated, the place of torment ſhall be enlarged, and the number of the tormentors increaſed. Let the citizens of Heaven rejoyce, and let thoſe above for ever live; let the damned for ever mourn, & thoſe in hell for ever be dying. Tread the path to heaven while it is open, run in that way while it lyes faire before thee: the path ſhall be ſhut up, and the way deſtroyed, if thou once go out of it: dogs ſhall teare the Goates, but God ſhall refreſh the Lambes; the Hawke ſhall prey upon the Crowes; but God ſhall preſerve his Doves. Whilſt the gueſt of Heaven is filled with delight and gladneſſe, what can bee ſet before thoſe that lament in filth and corruption? let thoſe that are there famiſhed, beg for crums, & for fragments, to ſtop their querulous throats, they ſhall not receive their miſerable complaints; They ſhall be commanded for ever to drinke their owne teares, and to coole their throats with the continuall waters flowing from their eyes; their drinke ſhall be a torrent of griefe, that ſhall never grow dry, a fire in which they are conſumed; a pitcher of gall ſhall bee mixed with their teares, which ſhall neither bee drawn dry, or broken inſunder; the gall ſhall flow continually, and the gueſt ſhall continually bee urged to drinke. Ah! how much better would it be to thirſt for ever, than continually to be deſtroyed with this drinke, and perpetually to groane and tremble. If thou once enter in, thou ſhalt never get out; if the enemy of the bleſſed doe once get poſſeſſion of thee, hee will be for ever thine hoſt; firſt thou ſhalt be preſented with dainties; afterward, expect as long as thou wilt, thou ſhalt ne-never ſee any; this table, ſhall be alwayes furniſhed, and never empty of ill meates; to morrow, to morrow thou ſhall ſuppoſe it may be better, but every moment ſhall be as to day. To day as thou readeſt, or heareſt theſe things, ruminate diligently thereon, and repent fervently, nor expect or thinke thou will call to morrow for mercy. O eternity! he is loſt for ever that is not alwayes mindfull of eternity! O man, O ſoule of man, who hath both reaſon and meditation granted her, if the love of God cannot lay hold of thee, yet let at leaſt the feare of the judge, the horrour of the grave, the ſnares of death, the paines hell, the burning fire, the gnawing worme, the ſtinking brimſtone, the ſcortching flames, and all other evils, and the eternity of them reſtraine and keepe thee in awe; for the ſpace of eternity is ſo great, that if any damned wretch ſhould drop but one teare every thouſand yeares from his eyes, yet would thoſe teares come to be more water before that ſpace ſhould have an end than the whole world could contein. O Eternity!

FINIS.