VVHen God made man after his Image in perfect juſtice and holineſſe, he adorned him with divine vertues of all kinds, as ſome pattern of Art, and an unimitable work, and moſt accurately ſet it forth: three things he infixed in his conſcience ſo firmly, and imprinted them, that Three things notable implanted in the ſoul they could never be put out or defaced. The firſt, is the naturall teſtimony of God: the ſecond is an inbred knowledge of the laſt judgement, Rom. 2. The third, is the Law of Nature, or naturall juſtice, by which honeſt and diſhoneſt are commonly diſcerned, whereby both joy and ſorrow are diſcerned and reconciled. For there was never The light of nature. any Nation ſo barbarous and c •• ell, which did not acknowledge ſome God to be, nature arguing and convincing this by both inward and outward reaſons moſt firmly: yea, they did acknowledge not only there was a God, but taught by their owne conſcience, becauſe therein ſomtimes they were cruciated with ſharp and terrible things, and ſometimes they did find an inward pleaſure and tranquillity, thereby collecting that God was juſt, and ought ſo to be; and that he was the revenger of ev • ll things, and the rewarder of good things; by which knowledge they went further, to find the knowledge or doctrine of the immortality of the ſoule, as appeareth by Plato, who moſt gravely hath diſcuſſed and treated of this buſineſſe. Laſt of all, by this law of Nature, or inbred light, they gathered that God was the author and cauſe of good, according to whoſe nature the beſt and true worſhip was the ſtudy of vertue, and a mind purged from vices: wherefore they defined the ſumme or chiefe good by vertue, vertue is the chiefe goodneſſe; and there were for that cauſe Schooles of Morall vertues founded and maintained by Socrates and other Philoſophers; which things doe ſerve us for inſtruction, that God hath left in man a ſpark of the light of nature, and as it were a certaine token of footſtep of in-bred knowledge and underſtanding Sparks of naturall Theologie. of God, that thereby he might be admoniſhed of his off-ſpring, and by following theſe footſteps, might ſo come to his Maker: neither was many of the Ethnickes ignorant of this, and amongſt thoſe, Aratus the Poet ſpoken of by Saint Paul, Acts 17. We are the off-ſpring of God. And Munilius, who thus ſaith: Is there any doubt that God dwels in our hearts, and that our ſouls return to heaven, as they came from heaven? Moreover, becauſe the Gentiles had this naturall teſtimony of God, and a conſcience beſides, which is a convincing argument, that he is our maker; and hereupon through their own fault and merit, man ſhall be condemned, and ſhall be altogether without excuſe. And St. Paul Ethnickes are inexcuſeable. to the Romans argueth thus, Chap. 1. He who knoweth that God is, and doth not ſtudy to know him aright, and him to worſhip, he ſhall be inexcuſable at the day of judgement. Seeing then that the Gentiles did know the juſtice of God, that is to ſay, taught by their natural conſcience; becauſe they that do evill, are worthy of death, not only becauſe they doe evill, but becauſe they are delighted therein, and thereby have condemned themſelves. And in Chap. 2. hee ſpeaketh of their conſciences in themſelves in like manner accuſing or excuſing themſelves, will be a teſtimony at the future day of judgement, when God ſhall judge the hidden thoughts of men, which if the Gentiles for that cauſe ſhal be inexcuſable, becauſe being indued with the naturall knowledge of God, againſt their conſciences they have not ſought God, what ſhall they ſay for themſelves to whom God hath manifeſted his Word, and by Jeſus Chriſt his onely begotten Sonne, hath invited them to repentance, that is, that they ſhould abſtain from ſinne, and decline from the works of malice, to participate by faith Falſe Chriſtians leſſe excuſeable then Ethnicks. the merit of Chriſt, and obtain thereby eternall ſalvstion? Wherefore every halfe Chriſtian in that day ſhall be condemned of two moſt grievous witneſſes, by their conſcience, I ſay the law of Nature, and by Two witneſſes ſhal cōdemn the wicked. the revealed word of God: Whereupon the terrible ſentence will follow, Chriſt ſaying, In that day it ſhall be eaſier (or better) for Sodome and Gomorrah, then for them; and that the Queen of the South ſhall ariſe to the condemnation of the wicked generation. The reaſon is, becauſe our great God made the Whereupon cometh the eternall vexatiō of the ſoul. ſoule immortall, and in that ſoul a conſcience, which can neither forget God, nor come at God: and hereupon followeth the terrible vexation and unreſt of the ſoule, and the everlaſting pains of the damned, which alſo will be ſo much more heavy hereafter, by how much more by impenitency of heart they have heaped up the wrath of God againſt the day of judgement, 2 Theſſ. 2. for even as our great God, Why amongſt Chriſtians be wickedneſs unknown to the heathen. by a moſt juſt judgement, hath given over the Gentiles into a reprobate ſenſe, becauſe they contemned the inward Law of Nature and their conſcience, and the Law of God written in their hearts, and contemptuouſly reſiſted it, as God himſelf; whereby they become blind in their underſtanding, they fell violently into filthy and abominable heynous offences, thereby heaping up the juſt wrath of God: So falſe Chriſtians, becauſe they have contemned both, as well the inward as the outward teſtimony of God, in not repenting, doe reſiſt the holy Ghoſt, and blaſpheme God: For this cauſe God giveth them over to a reprobate ſenſe, worſe then Ethnickes and Turkes: And moreover, ſuffereth them to fall into terrible errours, to beleeve lies; and that all thoſe ſhould be puniſhed that are delighted in unrighteouſneſſe. Whereupon it is, that ſuch filthy abominable offences do creep abroad among Chriſtians, and doe beare rule, pompous and Satanicall pride, unſatiable covetouſneſſe, abominable intemperance, beaſtly luſt, and every kind of moſt inhumane wickedneſſe; all which doe ariſe from wilfull blindneſſe, hardneſſe of heart, and are in a reprobate ſenſe: and the reaſon is, becauſe Chriſtians in their life and They that wil not follow Chriſt follow Satan. converſation will not follow poore, courteous, meek, lowly Chriſt, and are ſcandalized in him, thinking it a ſhame to them to lead his moſt holy life, whom God hath given to the world, that they might live after his example, as in the light, and walke in his ſteps. Hereupon the the ſame moſt juſt God ſuffereth them to follow Satan, taking the life of Satan upon them, full of all abominable wickedneſſe, lying, and unmercifulneſſe, to execute all the workes of darkneſſe, becauſe they reſolved in their minds, not to walk in the light, according to that of Chriſt, Walk in the light while you Joh. 12. have the light, that the darkneſſe doe not overtake you. Laſtly, if God did puniſh the Ethnicks with ſuch terrible blindneſſe and reprobate ſenſe, becauſe they contemned the Law of Nature, being like unto the ſnuffe of a Lamp ſmoking; and the remainder of the darkneſſe of the light of Nature and Conſcience, or as the words of Paul to the Romans, Chap. 1. they did not approve it to have God in their knowledge: ſo that by their own fault they went without their own ſalvation: how much more true is it, The new covenant written in our hearts. that thoſe doe not attain to ſalvation, in whoſe hearts not onely by nature, but by the word revealed & the new covenant, the word of God is written, and yet do deſpiſe and caſt behind them this grace and favour? Of which new Covenant Jeremy ſaith, Chap. 3. This ſhall be my compact, I will put my Lawes into their inwards, and I will write it in their hearts, and a man ſhall not any more teach his neighbour, and a man his brother, ſaying, Know the Lord: for all men ſhall know me, ſaith the Lord, even from the leaſt to the greateſt, becauſe I will forgive their iniquity, and I will not remember their ſins any more. Heare what is ſaid, Heb. 10. To thoſe that voluntarily offend or ſinne againſt God after the knowledge he hath received, for ſuch there is no ſacrifice left for him, but a certain terrible expectation of judgement, and offering by fire, which conſumeth the adverſary. He that breaketh the Law of Moſes, without any mercy, by the mouth of two or three witneſſes, ſhall die the death; how much more and worſe doe you thinke, doe they deſerve death, which have contemned againſt the Sonne of God, and polluted the bloud of the Teſtament in whom he is ſanctified, and contumaciouſly deſpiſed the ſpirit of grace; for we know who hath ſaid, Vengeance is mine, and I will return it upon them. And again, becauſe the Lord will judge his people, It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God. With which heavie ſentence without doubt thoſe are not ſtrucken, which fall through humane frailty, but thoſe that wittingly and willingly ſin againſt the tru • knowledge, and perſevere in impenitencie.

BEcauſe no man doth boaſt himſelf that he is no Chriſtian, although he doe no part of a Chriſtian; it followeth that by Chriſt is derided by a wicked life. thoſe manners he denieth Chriſt, or Chriſt is denied, contemned, derided, blaſphemed, whipt, crucified, ſlain, and buried according to the Apoſtle, who ſaith, that certain men crucified the Sonne of God again, and doe boaſt thereof: and alſo according to Daniel, who in the twelfth chapter foretelleth that Chriſt ſhall be pulled up by the roots; which Propheſie is vulgarly expounded of Chriſt crucified at Jeruſalem by the Jewes crying, Away with him, Away with him, crucifie him: which expoſition I would to God it were true, and that Chriſt were not yet daily by the Antichriſtian life taken from amongſt us, ſo that his life truly holy and excellent at this day, is no where Where the life of Chriſt is not, there is no Chriſt. to be found: for what dareſt thou ſpeak of thy faith and doctrine? where the life of Chriſt is baniſhed, there is no Chriſt, that is more true then may be doubted: or what is faith without a Chriſtian life? even a barren tree without fruit, according to bleſſed Jude, who calleth the falſe Apoſtles, Summer trees without fruit, twice dead: of which ſort the world is full. That which Chriſt foretold would come to paſſe, Luke 18. When the Sonne of Man commeth, doe you True faith. think he ſhall find faith upon the earth? He ſpeaketh of faith, not this faith of which the world is full, and which we profeſſe in our mouthes, and deny the ſame in our workes, as if it conſiſted in this, to love Chriſt in words, and not in deeds and truth; but the new man is another man, regeneration, a good tree, with his fruits, a man renewed by faith, in whom Chriſt liveth and dwelleth by faith. This is the faith that our Saviour meant, which according to his propheſie, is almoſt no where to be found at this day. For where true faith is, there Chriſt and his life muſt needs be: even ſo contrariwiſe, whoſoever doth not imitate the life of Chriſt by faith, in him is neither faith nor Chriſt. The words of our Saviour are, Luk. 12. He that ſhall deny me before men, I will deny him before the Angels of God. This deniall Deniall of Chriſt. is not onely done in words, or by the mouth, as when we renounce our faith and Chriſt, but much more and more powerfully when in deeds and life we reſiſt Chriſt and the holy Ghoſt voluntarily: that which St. Paul calleth deniall in workes and deeds. For it is moſt certain, that Chriſt is no leſſe denied by a wicked and Diabolicall life, then if he were denied openly by open words: even ſo it is with hypocriſie, with a ſpecious and verball holineſſe, as if it were by doctrine: to which purpoſe the Parable is extant, Matth. 21. of two ſons, to one of which his father ſaid, My ſonne, goe worke to day in my vineyard: but be anſwered and ſaid, I will not; yet afterwards he repented him, and did goe. And coming to the other ſonne, he ſaid in like manner to him, who anſwered, I goe Lord, and went not; which of theſe two did the will of his father? They ſaid, The firſt, who denied to goe, yet afterwards did goe and labour. But the other, that ſaid he would, and lied, or deceived, did not he The greateſt contempt of God is in or by a wicked life. mock and deny his father? And ſo there are many at this day of our falſe Chriſtians crying, So, ſo, Lord, Lord, the worſt of all others, not any of them doing the commandement of the Father. And to this belongeth the ſaying of Saint. Paul, They have indeed a ſhew of godlineſſe, but denie the power thereof. And what elſe is it to deny the power of godlineſſe, then to betray Falſe Chriſtians. and violate their faith towards Chriſt, and to play the Ethnick under the name of a Chriſtian? whom therefore St. Paul rightly calleth Infidels, the children of infidelity, having no faith. Laſtly, thoſe that uſurp a Chriſtians name, and doe nothing; and therefore Chriſt ſaith, Depart from me yee accurſed, becauſe I know you not: And worthy it is that I ſhould deny you, who firſt durſt and did deny me.

IF any will examine the life and manners The life of the worldly of theſe times, after the ſquare of the life and doctrine delivered by Chriſt, ſhall not he find the life of moſt men to be Antichriſtians; becauſe they have no other thing more then covetouſneſſe, the ſtudy of getting, uſury, concupiſcence of the fleſh, and of the eyes, pride of life, ambition, pomp, hunting after fame and glory, diſobedience, wrath, ſtrife, warre, diſorder, diſpleaſure, thirſting after revenge, ſecret hatred, envie, implacability, unrighteouſneſſe, uncleanneſſe, falſeneſſe, frauds and backbitings. In briefe, we are all for the moſt part, ſelfe-lovers, ſeekers of the world, greedy, The life of Chriſt & Chriſtians. affecters of honours and our own proper gain: when contrariwiſe the life of Chriſt is nothing but the moſt pure and ſincere love of God and man, courteſie, mildneſſe, humility, patience, obedience to death, mercy, righteouſneſſe, truth, chaſtity, holineſſe, contempt of the world, of honours, wealth and pleaſures, deniall of our ſelves, to beare the croſſe continually, trouble and affliction, daily ſtudy and thirſt after the Kingdome of God: and laſtly, an unexpreſſible deſire to fulfil the divine will: ſeeing Chriſt ſaith, He that is not with me is He that hath not the Spirit of Chriſt is Antichriſt. Antichriſt. But the modern life of worldly men hath no community with Chriſt, but moſt men are at diſcord with Chriſt, and diſſent with their whole heart, will, mind, and ſpirit, from Chriſt, (Paul 1 Cor. 2. commanding another thing, But we have the will of Chriſt; and to the Phil. 2. Have yee the ſame manners with Chriſt) it is agreeable that all worldly men ſhould be adverſe to Chriſt: what every one doth, this is Antichriſt, not in doctrine, but in manner of life; which being ſo, in what place ſhall we find true Chriſtians? Seeing then this flock ſhould be lowly in their own eyes, Luke 12. to whom the Prophet Iſaias agreeth, who compareth the faithfull aſſembly and true Church to a little Cottage in a Vineyard The paucity of true Chriſtians. and a Watch-tower in a garden of Cucumbers, and to a waſted Citie. And Micah compareth it to a cluſter of grapes; which grapes the gatherers left by negligence in the vineyard, ſaying, cap. 8. Woe is me becauſe I am become as one that gathereth grapes to make wine in Autumne. And bleſſed David likeneth it to a ſolitary Turtle, to a little Sparrow, hiding it ſelfe under the eves of the houſe; and to a night-crow in the deſert, and to one remaining amongſt the rubbiſh of a deſtroyed Citie: but where, where they are, the moſt high knoweth. Certainly Chriſt is and will be with them even unto the end of the world; neither will he leave them without ſuccour, or deſolate: For the Lord knoweth his, and thoſe that be his Chriſts. Amongſt whom whoſoever is to be reckoned, the Apoſtle declares, Let all depart from their iniquity which uſurp the name of Chriſt; and they that are not ſo minded, let them get unto themſelves another name.

THeſe are the words of St. Paul, Epheſ. 4. of the old man, Lay aſide according to your former converſation, the old man which is corrupted according to the deſires of error: but be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, and put you on the new man, wich is created according to God in juſtice and holineſſe of truth. And he expreſſeth the cauſe, 1 Cor. 6. For yee are bought with a great price, therefore glorifie and beare about with you God in your hearts. What the old man is, we ſaid even now, as What the old man is. pride, covetouſneſſe, luſt, unrighteouſneſſe, wrath, enmity, hatred and envie, all which muſt die in a true Chriſtian, that the new man might ſpring up and be daily renewed. The old man therefore dying, the new man quickneth in oppoſit to it, that is, pride waſting, humility ſucceedeth by the grace of the holy Ghoſt; wrath dying, lowlineſſe ſhineth in the room; covetouſneſſe being extinguiſhed, truſt in God is increaſed; the love of the world being taken away, the love of God waxeth warm. And What the new man is. this then is the new man with his members, theſe are the fruits of the Spirit, this is the living and powerfull faith: this is Chriſt in us, and his moſt noble life, this is new obedience, this is the new commandement, this is the fruits of regeneration in us; in which whoſo live, theſe verily are the onely ſonnes of God; and therefore it is ſaid, that a man ought to deny himſelfe, as proper honour, ſelfe-will, and his own judgement, privat profits, and his own eſtimation; yea, to forgoe his own right, and not onely all other things, but to think himſelfe unworthy to live his owne life. What it is to deny himſelfe. Wherfore a true Chriſtian, and one that is indued with the humility of Chriſt, doth willingly acknowledge that the man cannot All things are to • e uſed with feare. by his own right challenge or require any of thoſe things which God beſtoweth on him, ſeeing that all things that are, are the free gifts of Gods divine munificence; wherupon he uſeth the ſame as other mens goods with feare and trembling, not to his private pleaſure, or inſtruments of his private Compariſon between a carnall and a ſpirituall man, profits, praiſe and eſtimation. Goe to then, let us compare together a Chriſtian in deed, and ſelfe-lover, as alſo a genuine man, and one anſwering to his name, and one deſirous of this deniall of which we ſpeak. If you offer the one a contumelious affront, preſently you ſhall ſee him wax hot, to be grieved with anger, to reprove him, to brawle and play the madman, in words & deeds to be revenged, and to bind his allegation with an oath; all which are the old man, to whom it is proper and eaſie to be angry, to practiſe hatred and revenge. On the contrary, he that hath denied himſelfe, is courteous, well-pleaſed, patient, thinking nothing of revenge, confeſſing himſelfe to be worthy of all theſe, and much more, becauſe all theſe are contained under the name of ſelf-deniall: of which patience, humility and lowlineſſe, Chriſt denied himſelf we have an abſolute example, Chriſt Jeſus, who ſooner would deny himſelfe, when he ſaid, Matth. 20. The Sonue of man came not to be miniſtred unto, but to miniſter unto others. And Luke 22. I am in the midſt of you as one that miniſtreth. And Cap. 9. The Son of man hath not where to reſt his head. And Pſalm 22. I am a worm and no man. In like manner bleſſed David, when Shimei reviled him, denied himſelfe, ſaying, The Lord hath commanded him, for I am a worm in the ſight of the Lord, I am worthy farre worſe All the Saints have denied themſelves. things. Briefly, all the Saints of God, and the Prophets, have denied themſelves, holding themſelves unworthy of any good thing; hereupon they did beare all things patiently, they curſed no man, giving thanks for their injuries, they bleſſed their perſecuters, and prayed for them that ſlew What it is to deny our ſelves. them, and ſo by many tribulations have entred the Kingdome of heaven. Thou haſt now what it is to deny their ſelves. That is, to acknowledge themſelves unworthy of any good thing, and worthy of all evils that might befall. And this is the Croſſe of Chriſt, which he commanded us to carry, Luke 9. He that will be my Diſciple, let him deny himſelfe, and take up my Croſſe and follow me. For this life of Chriſt is a croſſe to the old man, and to the fleſh and bloud a puniſhment, The works of Chriſt. yea, death it ſelf, becauſe he had rather lead an unbridled life after his own wil in this kind of pleaſure, then in humility, lowlines, patience; and laſtly, to aſſume the life of Chriſt entirely. Which nevertheleſs is to be done neceſſarily; whatſoever is The decay of the old man is the beginning of the new. the old man, ought to die in a Chriſtian: for thou ſhalt never put on the humility of Chriſt, unleſſe thou put off the pride of the old man, nor his poverty unleſſe thou cut off avarice by the root; nor the contempt of glory, and reproaches, unleſſe thou pull up ambition by the root: Laſtly, nor the lowlineſſe and patience of Chriſt, unleſſe thou correct thy deſire of revenge, and thy wrath. All which things the Scripture calleth the deniall of himſelfe, the bearing of the Croſſe of Chriſt, and the following of Chriſt, and that for no hope of profit, merit, reward, praiſe or glory, but only for the love of Chriſt, becauſe he hath done this firſt, becauſe this is his life: and laſtly, becauſe he hath left this in cōmand. Furthermore, ſeeing this is the Image of God in Chriſt and us, a greater honor then this none can happen to man: it were a thing very unworthy to expect other reward The Image of God the greateſt dignity of man. of our work and daīly labour; for thoſe that define all things by the honour of this world, and attend this onely, by which onely part they are made better then others, when by their own judgement Fortune hath beſtowed all things upon them. The beginning and end of all men is one, No man better then others. neither is one better then another, nor one entreth this life, or goeth forth with better conditions then others; and yet what madneſſe is this of ours? we vex our ſelves willingly, and to other croſſes we adde a wheele of ambition, to the vice of ſelfe-love, Selfe-love forbidden. from whence that mad & giddy hunting after honour, doth ſpring or flow forth. Which whoſever loveth, and applaudeth, and flattereth himſelfe in, and ſerveth both pomps, honours, and praiſes, it is certain that he averteth his minde from God and Chriſt, to the world and himſelfe. And to ſuch as this appertaineth that of our Saviour, If thou wilt keep thy ſelf, thy ſoul and thy life, thou muſt hate all theſe things; but if thou intend to love them, truly thou art in the way of periſhing. Which paradoxicall ſentence old Adam, to whom it is alwayes pleaſing to be accounted ſome body, out of his own image or inward man, refuſeth and is adverſary to it. Thereupon it is that there be few which know this genius of Adam, or being known, dare meet and encounter it, ſpecially when we muſt needs extirpate both this and all other things that have their beginning with us, and their continuance, and die with Chriſt; as is pride, covetouſneſſ, ambition, pleaſures & wrath, which we muſt kill and bury in the humility of Chriſt, poverty, contumely, ſuffering and lowlineſſe of Chriſt: But whoſoever is dead after this faſhion to himſelfe, he eaſily thenceforth contemneth the world, God maketh glad the heart of him that is dead to the world. with all the pomps thereof, wealth, honours and pleaſures, comprizing all theſe in one Chriſt; a true ſtranger to this world, & new born, but a continual gueſt and table-friend of Chriſt, who by and by will fill his heart with joy exceeding, and in this life wil, keep a daily jubilee with him, and in the other and in the other an eternall jubilee with all the Saintss.

IN a true Chriſtian the man is two-fold, Man is twofold in uſe. Exterior and Interior; which two, although they be conjoyned, yet they doe daily differ by turnes, ruling and dying, according to that of S. Paul, 2 Cor. 4. If our outward man be corrupted, yet the inward is daily renewed. The ſame Paul calleth Rom. 7. The law of the mind and of the fleſh; to the Gal. 5. the Fleſh and the Spirit. The fleſh, he ſaith, coveteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh. Therefore when the ſpirit overcommeth, the man liveth in a new nativity, and a new creature, and in God and in Chriſt: But the fleſh reigning, the ſame man liveth in the Devill, and in the old nativity, The carnall and ſpiritual man. without the kingdome of God, and is called carnall, and to be wiſe according to the fleſh, is death. Therefore according to the rule of either of them, the man obtaineth his name in Scripture, according as the carnall man, or the ſpirituall man ſpeaketh. But if the concupiſcence with his ſtrength be overcome, it will be argument of the ſtrength which the ſpirit hath in the inward man; and if it faint, it is a ſigne of the weakneſſe of the faith and ſpirit, becauſe theſe two are one thing, according to that of 2 Cor. 4. having the ſame ſpirit The ſpirit and faith are ſuteable of faith for which we ſpeak. Moreover, when one hath himſelfe and his proper luſts tamed, and keepeth them in their duties, he is ſtronger then he that overcometh a moſt ſtrong Tower, according to the holy Proverb. Chap. 14. The patient man is better then a ſtrong man, and he that ruleth over The greateſt victory to overcome himſelf. his mind, then he that gaineth a Citie. If therefore thou haſt a deſire, and ſetteſt thy heart upon the greateſt victory, and to obtain it, then conquer thy ſelfe, thy privat wrath, pride, covetouſneſſe, and evill concupiſcence, What it is to overcom the kingdome of the Devlll. and thou haſt overturned the kingdome of the Devill, which ruleth in the world by ſuch things and means: of which ſort of victors and conquerers, there be very few to be found, and there be many The victory of the ſoul keepeth the whole man. conquerers of Cities. Here conſult with me and adviſe, if thou pamper the fleſh overmuch, thou ſlayeſt thy ſoul; but it is better to overcome the ſoule, that the body therewith may be preſerved, then that this overcomming, it with the ſoule doth periſh: for our Saviour Chriſt once ſaid, John 12. He that loveth his own life loſeth it, and he that hateth his own life in this world, keepeth it to eternall life. But howſoever this ſtrife may have in it ſharp things to bee born, yet it bringeth forth in the end a famous victory, and moſt beautifull Crown. Be thou faithfull unto death, (ſaith the Sonne of God, Apoc. 2.) and I will give thee a crown of life. And 1 John 5. This is the victory which overcommeth the world, even our What it is to overcom the world. faith: that is to ſay, the world within us, and in the inwards of our hearts; which being overcome, we become more ſtronger then our ſelves. What if ſome ſhould ſay unto me, Shall I then be damned, if ſinne ſometimes ſubject me unwilling to it, therfore to be put out of the number of the ſonnes of God, according to that of 1 Joh. 3. He that ſinneth, is of the Devill? God defend. For if thou finde a conflict of the ſpirit, and a ſtrife with the fleſh, that thou doſt thoſe things that thou wouldſt not, which are the words of S. Paul, it is a manifeſtation of a faithfull heart; and that the faith or the ſpirit is averſe to the fleſh: for St. Paul by his own example teacheth, that this ſtrife is to be found in good and faithfull The ſtrife of faith. ſouls, when he profeſſeth plainly, that he perceived another law in his members reſiſting the law of his mind (which is the new creature, the new and inward man) and taking him captive in the law of ſinne, cauſing him to do the things he would not, and to will is preſent with him, but to finiſh that which is good, he could not: for he could not do the good that he would, but to do the evil he would not, that was preſent: Therefore moſt lamentably he exclaimeth, Ʋnhappy man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death! Like unto which is that which Chriſt pronounceth, Matth. 14. The ſpirit truly is ready, but the fleſh is Sinne reigning not dwelling, doth damne. weak. Therfore ſinne doth not rule in man, ſo long as this ſtrife is perceived in him, neither is it to be ſaid, that ſinne exerciſeth his dominion over him, againſt which he daily fighteth; and that which doth not rule, the ſpirit reſiſting it, that conſequently cannot damne a man. It is the equall condition of all Saints to have ſinnes, according to that of Paul, I know becauſe it dwelleth not in me, (that is, in my fleſh) good dwelleth not. Alſo that of bleſſed John, Epiſt. 1. Chap. 1. If we ſay wee have no ſinne, wee deceive our ſelves: which vulgarly we call, Sinne dwelling in us, to diſtinguiſh it from ſinne reigning, whoſe property it is onely to condemne: for that ſinne we contend with, and doe not conſent unto, that is not imputed unto us. Paul ſpeaking to the Rom. 8. Now then there is no condemnation to thoſe which are in Chriſt Jeſus, who live not after the fleſh: that is, they doe not ſuffer it to beare rule: But as many as are not exerciſed in this daily ſtrife, theſe are not born again, having ſinne reigning; and therefore overcome, and ſervants of Sinne and Satan, and damned ſo long as they ſuffer ſinne to rule over them. This ſtrife is ſhadowed unto us in the type of the Canaanites, Joſh. 13. 15. whoſe remainder in the promiſed reſt was ſuffered to dwell amongſt the children of Iſrael, but Myſtical Canaanite. not to rule over them: even ſo the holy men of God, every one of them feele and ſuffer their imperfections remaining, who in the mean time ſuffer them not to rule over them, as becommeth the new man; I ſay, a true Iſraelite, and Champion of God, as contrariwiſe, it is fitting the old Adam ſhould be ſubdued and brought under. Therefore the daily ſtrife againſt the old man, ſheweth the new man, and argueth it plainly; ſtrength and victory ſheweth a true Iſraelite, and a new born man. Laſtly, the warfare approveth him to be a Chriſtian: for the Land of Canaan is converſant The ſpirit ought to look, leſt the fleſh do rule long. and occupied in warfare; but if it happen ſometimes the fleſh, or the Canaanites doe invade the territories, it is the part of Iſrael and the new man, not to ſuffer a tyrant long; but having gathered his new ſtrength and aid by the grace of God in Chriſt, and by ſerious repentance and remiſſion of ſinnes, to ariſe from his fall, and implore and intreat the true Ioſua to give him victory, even that true Prince of his people, to lend him aid to overcome the Canaanites; which being done, firſt the ſinne is covered, blotted out of mind, and pardoned, and the man is again renewed to life, and tranſplanted into Chriſt. Wherefore they who feele many imperfections in their fleſh, and cannot doe and perform all things according to their mind, let me perſwade them again and again, as true converts, and true repentants, to impute them upon the merits of Jeſus The imputation of the merits of Chriſt, is onely belonging to the penitent. Chriſt effectually, and intreat him to hide their ſpots under his moſt perfect obedience. This (I ſay) is the meanes, and this is the way and lawfull appointment of the imputation of the merits of Jeſus Chriſt, when daily repentance goeth before, and alwayes ariſeth from his fall. Which when the impenitent doe not, cockering and pleaſing the fleſh in every thing, and ſitting at reſt under ſin reigning; therefore ſuch as theſe cannot challenge the merit of Chriſt to belong unto them; for the bloud of Chriſt troden under foot, can be no medicine.

SEeing that God Almighty created temporall goods to that end, & did beſtow All things are to be uſed for neceſsity, onely with feare. them on man as certain helps, and neceſſary furtherances, it is meet that they ſhould not be otherwiſe converted, but to be uſed and taken from our moſt loving God with thankſgiving, and feare & trembling; and whatſoever is more then neceſſary, Riches are trials and proofs of men. abound and are ſuperfluous, as are gold and ſilver, meat and drink, and raiments, theſe are left to man as a triall, by God for to try man, that by theſe things it may be ſeen how his mind ſtandeth between theſe terrene things and God himſelfe, that is, whether he cleave onely to him alone, reſt in him alone, and ſeek onely after celeſtiall and inviſible goods: or contrariwiſe, ſucking in, and feeding on the inticement of earthly things, addict himſelfe to this temporall life, and preferre this earthly paradiſe before that of heaven. Therefore God Almighty, by reaſon Man is unexcuſable. of temporall things, and in them only gave unto man his election and choice, whom by riches, honours, graces, and goodly gifts, it might be manifeſted in ſome ſort, whether he did cleave unto God, reſpect him, live in him, or being ſeduced with their ſplendor, and falſe ſhewes, turn his mind from God, and live without him, and contrary to him. After which manner, every one by his owne ſentence and triall, is declared, and remaineth inexcuſeable, according to that of Moſes, Deut. 30. Conſider what I have propounded this day before thee, Life and Goodneſſe; and on the contrary, Death and Evill; Superfluous things are proofs of the feare of God. that thou mighteſt chuſe life, and thou mighteſt bleſſe thy ſelfe. All things therefore in this world are expoſed to our eyes, not for the cauſe of deliciouſneſſe and pleaſure, but as proofs and trials, in which the fall is eaſie when we fall from God; and this is that forbidden tree with the fruits thereof, the eating whereof is ſo forbidden, leſt our mind reſting in them, doe take delight, and play the adulterer, after the manner of men now, who know no other pleaſure but what is taken and received from earthly things, abuſing thereby the creatures of God, meat, drink, and apparell, to the pleaſures of the fleſh, and vain delights, wherewith moſt men at this day are drawn from God. But it is the part of a true Chriſtian to think that they be ſtrangers or Pilgrims, A Chriſtian is not delighted in worldly things. whoſe neceſſity theſe earthly things ſhould ſerve, not for delicateneſſe, and that they ſhould not ſet all their delight and pleaſure in the world, but ſhould place it in God alone: but if they doe otherwiſe, they intangle themſelves in ſinne, and being ſeduced with wicked concupiſcence, being womanly wanton and effeminate, no true Iſraelites, with Eva they eat of the forbidden fruit. Therefore Chriſtians do not deſire curiouſly & deliciouſly dainty meats, ſo that they may gormondize them, but they hunger after meat which corrupteth not, they follow not the pomp of apparell that is earthly; but otherwiſe they aſpire to the cloathing of divine light & glorified bodies. In briefe, to true Chriſtians all Worldly things are a croſſe to a Chriſtian. things whatſoever in this world doe pleaſe others, are nothing but a croſſe, temptation, allurements of ſinne, gall and venome, and rightly indeed: for whatſoever a man, to obey his concupiſcence, and pamper the fleſh, uſurpeth without the feare of God, that cannot but be venome or poyſon to the ſoule, howſoever to the body it may ſeem healthfull.

But ſuch is the indocibility of man, no man layeth to heart to know the forbidden tree, but every man moſt intemperatly A Chrſtian doth uſe the creatures with feare. is fed with the concupiſcence of the fleſh, the fruit, I ſay, of the forhidden tree; but a Chriſtian which uſeth all things with the feare of God, and as a ſtranger, uſing diligence, and having great care that he offend not his heavenly Father in meat, drink, cloathing, houſes, or any fraile good thing by his intemperance; or his table-friends, taking heed of all abuſes moſt diligently, and with the eyes of faith he beholdeth future good things in like manner: for what profiteth it the body, by & by to be eaten with worms, if in this world it ſwell in all kind of pleaſure? Naked (ſaith Job) came I out of my mothers womb, and naked ſhall I return againe▪ that is to ſay, naked, infirme and brickle body we bring into the world, as an unprofitable burden we bring it into the world, which as the ſpoyle of death, when we goe out of the world, we carry it out again, and in truth poorer then when we entred: for being born, we have body and life, and things not yet ripe are at hand, cloath, cloathing, The bread of Chriſtiſtians is the bread of grief. meat and drink; all which being dead, we leave behind, and ſo now whatſoever we had even from our birth to the houre of death; in this world the ſolace of miſerable neceſſity; yea the bread of mercy and griefe they were, whoſe uſe and poſſeſſion in a moment death hath interdicted and taken away: therefore nothing is more wretched then a dead man, and eſpecially he who is not rich in God. Goe to then, O yee mortals, becauſe we are ſtrangers and Pilgrims in this world; and becauſe we muſt leave all theſe things when we die, will we nill we, let us leave at leaſt to be grievous to our ſouls in ſuch things, In death all are alike, riches, covetouſnes, is a kind of madneſſe. and let us acknowledge it to be a kind of madneſſe to gather wealth with great labour for a brickle and fraile body, which it cannot carry out of the world, eſpecially ſeeing there is another world, and another body, and another life. Call theſe things, I ſay, O yee mortals, to mind, to you I ſpeak, who in truth are ſtrangers and Pilgrims before the eyes of God, as it is in the Pſalmes, although very few of you doe teſtifie that you think ſo by your deeds; and if we be ſtraugers in this world, it followeth that our countrey is elſwhere, that which is manifeſt to man of it ſelfe, if we conferre or compare time with eternity, the viſible world with the inviſible, the earthly habitation with the heavenly, mortall with immortall things, frail with eternall things. The meditation of eternall and temporall things, doth introduce wiſdom. In which compariſon or meditation of contrary things, our ſoule is enlightned, and by faith we behold many things, to the knowledge whereof they are not admitted; thoſe which to this contemplation are not at leaſure; and therefore like a Sow in the mire, ſo they wallow in earthly matters, drowned in covetouſneſſe, fixed to the cares and ſtudy of earthly things, given to uſury, and as concerning the ſoule blind, howſoever otherwiſe they have a quick ſight, and have Lynxes eyes. Becauſe ſuch as theſe thereby have addicted themſelves to this fraile and worldly life, and thinke this alone moſt pleaſant, the beſt and moſt To Chriſtians the world is a croſſe and exile. noble, when true Chriſtians eſteeming all things with a ſound judgement, and right eſtimation, accounteth it an exile, a valley of teares, a den of miſery, a priſon of griefe and ſorrow. Therefore thoſe which love the world, do not exceed brute beaſts in prudence, and die like a beaſt as ſaith the Pſalmiſt, they think not on heavenly things, they rejoyce not in God, they are pleaſed onely in earthly things: in theſe things they take ſweet delight and reſt, and having obtained theſe things, doe thinke they are exceeding well. Men in deed and truth wretched all manner of wayes, blind and meere animals, ſitting here in the darkneſs of ignorance, and hence removing to that of death and eternall damnation. Chriſtians are ſtrangers in the world. But we muſt firmly imprint this in our mindes, that we are ſtrangers and Pilgrims in this world, after the example of Chriſt, whoſe doctrine and life wee we ought alike to love, and to him as an Image and pattern for all true Chriſtians to follow and ſet before them, to conform our manners, thoughts, and the whole courſe of our lives & converſations. Who when he was the moſt noble of all men, he choſe voluntarily that life in which nothing is notable as for himſelfe, beſides extream poverty and contempt of honour, wealth, and pleaſure: which three the world hath for their three Gods. Therefore thereupon Matth. 8. he confeſſeth, that the Sonne of man hath not whereon to reſt his head. David before he was called to the Kingdome, was poore, vile and contemned, and being made King, eſteemed all Kingly ſplendor as nothing, in compariſon of life eternall, whereupon the Pſalmiſt ſingeth, Pſal. 84. How delightfull are thy Tabernacles, O God of power? my ſoul fainted and failed me in the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my fleſh were exalted in the living God: Better is one day in thy houſe, then a thouſand elſwhere. I have indeed a Kingdome, I have ſubjects and people ſubdued unto me, I have Kingly Palaces, and the Tower of Sion: but theſe are nothing in reſpect of thy Tabernacle, O Lord. Neither was bleſſed Job of another mind, when he rejoyced in his Redeemer; nor Peter, nor Paul, nor the other The Saints live in Chriſt. Apoſtles, which intended not the riches of this world, but ſought after the riches of another world, took upon them the life of Chriſt, walking in his charity, lowlineſſe, and patience, they contemned the world, they prayed for them that curſed them, they thanked them that reproached them, in perſecutions they praiſed The Saints were dead to themſelves and the world. God; by many tribulations it behoveth us to enter into the Kingdome of heaven. And laſt of all, when they were ſlain, they (with Chriſt) prayed, Father forgive them. And what is it to die to wrath, revenge, bitterneſſe of mind, ambition, pride, the love of the world, and himſelfe? alſo, what is it to live in Chriſt, and in his charity, lowlineſſe, humility and patience? Laſtly, what is it to be made alive in Chriſt by faith, if this be not it? Which moſt noble way of living, to the lover of this world is altogether unknown. Therefore becauſe they live not in Chriſt, being ignorant that the true life is in him, Eph. 4. it commeth to paſſe, that they are dead in their ſinnes, wrath, hatred, envie, covetouſneſſe, uſury, pride, and covetouſneſſe of revenge; in which ſo many as are drowned therein, thoſe for that cauſe are without true repentance, neither live in Chriſt by faith, whatſoever they perſwade and boaſt of themſelves. Contrariwiſe, true Chriſtians doe underſtand that it is their duty to follow the ſteps of Chriſt, to conform their lives to the life of Chriſt, and to take from him as from a book and an authentick author, the Rule of life and doctrine. And theſe are found to be ſuch, that none but this is the onely true life which is in Chriſt Jeſus, according to that ſaying, The life of Chriſt can teach us all things; theſe ſay with the Apoſtles, 2 Corinth. 4. We doe not contemplate thoſe things which are ſeen, but thoſe things which are not ſeen: For thoſe things which are ſeen are temporall; but thoſe things that are not ſeen are eternall. And Hebrews 6. 13. We have no abiding Citie here, but ſeek after one to come. Which if it bee true, that we be ſtrangers, and have not any abiding place in this world, it followeth that we were not created for the cauſe of this world; and it followeth then, that there remaineth for us another world, another countrey, other dwellings, for which we ſhall think it gain to lay down hundred worlds, yea, our life it ſelfe; which a true Chriſtian well knowing, he rejoyceth in his inwards, that he was ordained to eternall life: and attending this one thing, that he may grow rich in God, he laugheth at the madneſſe of thoſe that are made blind with the love of the world, who feareth not miſerably to afflict their ſouls for theſe brickle and frail things, and ſo unhappily to loſe them.

THis fire is ſaid to be ſtrange fire, becauſe it was other then that which burned perpetually on the Altar, and which by the commaandement of God did burn the Offering, and it is a type of the falſe divine The falſe worſhip of God. worſhip. The ſonnes of Aaron did deſerve to be burned with the fire of revenge, becauſe they broke the commandement of the Lord: which zeal of the moſt juſt God, thoſe likewiſe provoke againſt themſelves, which out of their own invention and ſingular devotion and preſumption of religious ſanctity, doe invent a new and uncommanded kind of worſhip, not of God commanded. Into which indignation of the divine Godhead, leſt perhaps we The puniſhmēt of it. ſhould fall into it alſo, it remaineth to ſee wherein the true worſhip of God conſiſteth: for the puniſhment of the temporary fire, which in the old Teſtament is remembred againſt feigned worſhip, ſtandeth as an argument that God will doe the like in the new Teſtament for falſe religions both with eternal fire, and warres, and devaſtations of the lawes, then which I know not whether any fire can be more terrible; if he ſo avenge, it is moſt ſharp. And the nature The true worſhip of God. of the true divine worſhip, and the reaſon wil eaſily appeare to us by the compariſon of both the covenants together; that which God required in the old Teſtament, it was externall and typicall, full of figures and ſhadowes of the Meſſias, and full of ceremonies, which that nation was bound to obſerve ſtrictly, and according to the letter. In which rites and images the faithfull of the Jewes did as it were behold the Meſſias, & by faith in him are ſaved through the compact and promiſe divine, which God in the new Teſtament did fulfill. This conſiſteth not in externall Figures, Ceremonies, Rites, Statutes and Lawes, but is altogether inward, and drawn into Spirit and Truth, conſiſting of faith in Chriſt, be • auſe by him the Temple, the Altar, Sacrifices, the Ark and Prieſthood, with all the Morall and Ceremoniall Law, are fulfilled, whereby conſequently we are graffed into Chriſtian liberty, free from the maledicti-of the Law, Gal. 3. and Jewiſh ceremonies, Gal. 5. So that with a free heart and holy ſpirit dwelling in us, we might ſerve God, Jer. 31. Rom. 8. And our faith and conſciences are bound to no traditions of men. The truē worſhip of God conſiſteth in 3 things Moreover, three chiefe things are requiſite to a true ſpirituall, internall; and Chriſtian worſhip, that is to ſay, The true knowledge of God; Then of Sinne and Repentance; Thirdly, of Grace and remiſſion of ſinnes. And theſe three are one no otherwiſe then God himſelfe is one in Trinity: for in the knowledge eternall of God is contained both repentance and remiſſion of ſinnes, and that conſiſteth in faith, which taketh hold of Chriſt, and in him and through him, acknowledgeth God his omnipotence, love, mercy, righteouſneſſe, verity, wiſdome of God; all which is God himſelfe, and Chriſt, and the holy Ghoſt. And that not abſolutely alone, and by his What i • God. own nature, but reſpectively alſo, and beholding of me by his gracious wil in Chriſt, by which means he is God omnipotent to me, mercifull to me, eternall righteouſneſſe to me by grace and remiſſion of ſinnes, and to me eternall truth and wiſdome. Nor there is no other way with Chriſt, who is become unto me, eternall omnipotency, omnipotent Head and Prince of life, my moſt mercifull Saviour, perpetuall love, juſtice and righteouſneſſe immoveable, according The true knowledge of God. to that, 1 Cor. 1. Chriſt is become our wiſdome from God, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption. All which, and every one of them alſo are ſpoken in like manner of the holy Ghoſt. And this is the true knowledge of God, which conſiſteth in faith, and it is not a meer knowledge, but a joyfull, living, and powerfull truſt, by which I ſweetly feele in me, the beams and infuſion of the divine omnipotencie of God, ſo as I am held and carried by it, to live in it, and perceive my ſelfe to be moved and to be ſo. In a word, that I may feele and apprehend the riches of his goodneſſe and mercy in me: for can can there be greater charity thought upon, then that which God the Father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt have ſhewed unto us all moſt abundantly? What righteouſneſſe more perfect and ample, then that whereby he draweth us from ſinne, death, hell, and the Devill? Or what can bee added to that Faith is the vertue and power of God. heavenly and infallible truth and wiſdome of his? This then is the true and ſolid faith, conſiſting in lively and effectuall truſt, and not only in words, or the noyſe of words, or externall ſounds. In which knowledg of God, or faith, it behoveth us all, the ſons of God, daily more and more to profit & be perfected. Whereupon bleſſed Paul hath ſufficient for us to wiſh for, Epheſ. 3. That we may know the love of Chriſt exceeding all knowledge; as who ſhould ſay, all the ſtudy of our whole life if it were imployed to know the love of Chriſt, it would not be ſufficient to learn the exceeding largeneſſe thereof. Neither doth onely knowing define this knowledge, be not deceived, but thus much more he wil, that we The lively knowledge of God. participate, taſt, and have triall of the ſweetneſſe, well-pleaſingneſſe, vertue, and lively infuſion in our hearts, inword, and in faith, of his divine love ſo great and immenſe without expreſſion. For ſhall we ſay he knew the love of Chriſt which never taſted it, never proved it? according to that of the Hebrewes, chap. 6. Who have taſted the heavenly gifts, and the good word of God, and the power of the world to come; which in faith is obtained through the word: Neither is any other, the effuſion of the love of God into our hearts by the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 4. wherein conſiſteth the fruit and efficacie of the divine word. And to ſhut up all, this is the true knowledge of God ariſing from taſt and experience, and conſiſting in living and ſolid faith, which therefore the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes calleth Hypoſtaſin, and moſt certain eviction. Furthermore; this knowledge of God, which conſiſteth in living faith, is a part of the eternall and ſpirituall divine worſhip, What faith is. as in like manner faith it ſelfe is a ſpirituall gift, living and heavenly, as alſo the light The true knowledge of God doth change the heart, & brings forth vertue. and vertue of God. Therefore when this knowledge goeth before, by which God doth as it were drinke to our ſouls, to taſt and reliſh it, according to Pſalm. 34. Taſt and ſee how ſweet the Lord is, it cannot be but ſerious repentance will follow, that is, the renewing of the mind, and amendment of life. For from the perceiving & ſolid knowledge of the omnipotency of God, there followeth withall humility, ſeeing that it is not poſſible under the powerfull hand of God not to be made crooked, nor to make himſelfe ſtraight. From the taſt of the divine mercy, proceedeth love towards his neighbour: for no man is or can be childiſh, or can deny his neighbour any thing, who is experienced of the divine love, and ſhall remember that God out of his meer mercy hath given him Himſelfe. From divine patience and long-ſuffering, ariſeth a wonderfull patience towards his neighbour, and that ſo great, that if it were poſſible for a Chriſtian to die ſeven times, yet he would forgive his enemy that cruelty, being mindfull of the great mercies of God, firſt ſhewed unto him. From divine righteouſneſſe floweth the acknowledgement of his ſinnes, whereupon he prayeth with the Prophet, To thee, O Lord belongeth juſtice, but to us confuſion of our faces, Dan. 9. Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant, becauſe no fleſh is juſtified in thy ſight, Pſal. 130. Lord, if thou regardeſt our iniquities, who can ſtand before thee? Pſal. 143. Out of the knowledgement of the divine truth doth flow faith and integrity towards our neighbour, whereby frauds do ceaſe, falſhood and lying, and a true Chriſtian with ſuch thoughts fortifieth his heart, doth not circumvent his neighbour; for by this means thou ſhalt offend the verity of God, which is God himſelfe, who when he dealeth ſo faithfully & truly with me, it were very unworthy for me to carry my ſelf otherwiſe towards my neighbour. Out of the knowledge of the eternall wiſdome of God, floweth forth the feare of God, whom it is manifeſt to be the ſearcher of the hearts, to ſee into the inward of man, whereby deſervedly we reverence the eyes of the divine Majeſty. He that planted the eare, ſhall he not hear? or he which made the eye, ſhall he not ſee? Pſalm 94. Woe unto you that are of a deep heart, that you might hide your counſell from the Lord, whoſe works are in the dark, and ſay, Who ſeeth us, and who doth know us? Perverſe is this your thought, as if the clay ſhould riſe againſt the Potter, and the work ſhould ſay to the maker, Thou didſt not make me; and the workmanſhip ſhould ſay to his maker, Thou underſtandeſt not? And thus farre of the true knowledge of God, wherein conſiſteth repentance, and repentance in the renovation of the mind, and theſe things concerning the amendment of life; that which concerneth the other part of divine worſhip, and is that holy fire appointed by God for offering the ſacrifice, leſt he wax hot in his wrath, and ſend revenge. A type of this repentance was the forbidding-drinking The type of repentance. of wine by divine commandement to the Prieſt when he entred the Tabernacle of the Teſtimony, which ſpiritually belongeth to all Chriſtians: for if we will enter into the Tabernacle of eternall life, it is neceſſary that we abſtain from concupiſcence of the world and of the fleſh, alſo from all things by which the fleſh may ſubjugate the ſpirit: for the love of the Pleaſure is like unto wine. world, pride, and other vices, as ſweet and ſtrong wine, doe cloud the ſoule and the ſpirit, whereby they are brought under the power and ſervitude of the fleſh. For even as Noah and Lot being overtaken with wine, left themſelves uncloathed; ſo honour, pleaſures, and riches, after the manner of ſtrong wine, doe invade, try, and diſturb the ſoule and the ſpirit, whereby a man may be prohibited entrance into the Tabernacle of the Lord, that is, from his knowledge, and driven from his ſanctification, loſing the difference of holy things and prophane, clean and uncleane, ſo that he underſtandeth nothing in divine things, and therefore neither can inſtruct the people left in his charge with wholſome doctrine, which is a juſt judgment of all thoſe that mad themſelves with the wine of concupiſcence, ſo that their own thoughts and intellect are not converſant in the true light; and at the laſt doe ruſh into everlaſting darkneſſe. Moreover, this repentance, or ſorrow and griefe for ſinnes, and alſo effectuall faith in Chriſt Jeſus, before remiſſion of ſinnes, which as it doth conſiſt onely in the ſole merit of Chriſt, ſo no man can challenge to himſelfe this merit of Chriſt without repentance; whereupon remember the Thiefe upon the Croſſe, who repented before his forgiveneſſe, and Chriſt admitted him to Paradiſe: and that was not a ſlight or ſuperficiall repentance, but a hearty and true, as appeared by the chiding of his fellow Thiefe, And doſt not thou feare God? For us, we receive puniſhment due for our deeds, but this man hath done none evill. And moreover, he praied unto Chriſt, Lord have me in remembrance when thou comeſt into thy Kingdome; which certainly were moſt ſure arguments of a faithfull and contrite heart. And that free pardon of his ſinnes, which a repentant heart in true faith apprehendeth and requeſteth, is Chriſt ſupplieth all things for us. of ſuch force as God excuſeth all things, which was impoſſible for us to expiate, and that for the death and bloud of Chriſt, wherewith he purgeth all things, blotting out all our offences, as if they never had been done, and his abundance of ſatisfaction, not now equalling, but exceeding the heavineſſe of our offences and ſinnes: Whereupon bleſſed David crieth out, Pſalm 51. I ſhall be made clean from my offences, and I ſhall be whiter then the ſnow. Now ſeeing the condition of our pardon is ſuch, and our payment ſo good, as the Creditor can make no more demands, nor the debter hath not any thing to pay; Hereupon it is ſaid, that God forgetteth them, and never Why God forgets ſinnes. more will call our ſinnes to mind; ſo that the ſinner turns to him; as witneſſes Eſa. 18. & chap. 1. This converſion, or condition not without which, he commending ſpecially to the people under the perſon of God, ſaith, Waſh you, be you clean, • eaſe to doe perverſly, and after that come and argue with me: If your ſinnes were as red as Sk • rlet, they ſhall be made as white as ſnow. As if he ſhould ſay, You which require your ſinnes to be pardoned by compact and promiſe, go to, if you will, and call me to account; Truly I deny not that I promiſed you to pardon your ſinnes, but it was no otherwiſe but you muſt firſt repent: which if you prove together with a true and lively faith, you overcome, and then there ſhall be no delay in mee, but your ſinnes how many and how great ſoever, they ſhall be put out of my memory with one blot. Repentance therefore, repentance I ſay, is true confeſſion, that contrition I ſay, of the ſpirit in faith, which whoſoever findeth in his heart, this man our Biſhop Chriſt Jeſus, by his death and bloud, doth abſolve from all his ſinnes; I ſay, with that bloud True abſolution. which crieth to God in heaven for us. Deut. 4. we read that Moſes ſet apart Cities, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golon, to which one might flie if hee had killed his neighbour Spirituall homicide. by chance; by which moſt beautifull type we are taught ſo often as we kill our neighbour by our tongue, thoughts, hatred, envie, anger, revenge, and unmercifulneſſe, we are to run by flight of faith and repentance to the throne of Grace and Mercie, which is the Merit and Croſſe of Chriſt, which being taken hold on, we are in ſafe keeping; nor with what meaſure we meaſure to our neighbour, with the ſame meaſure ſhall it be meted unto us. For thoſe three Cities ſhould effectually repreſent Chriſt who is the ſole merit, as Bezer ſoundeth, that by interpretation is a Tower of Defence, according to the Proverb. 18. The Name of the Lord is a moſt ſtrong Tower, (Jeſus Chriſt) to that runneth the juſt, and ſhall be exalted: the ſame is true Ramoth, which Chriſt our refuge. voyce ſignifieth Exalted, to whoſe Name every knee ſhall bow, in heaven, in earth, or in hell, Phil. 2. Neither is there for us another Golan beſides him, which according to the etymology of the name, is nothing but a heap of thankeſgiving, or graces and gifts celeſtiall, as a certain overflowing veſſell: Whereupon (Pſal. 29.) we read, With the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundance of redemption. And Rom. 10. The Lord is rich to all thoſe that call upon him. And thus much of the third part of the internall, ſpirituall, and true divine worſhip, flowing from the knowledge of God, which is likewiſe the fountain of repentance, as this is of remiſſion of ſinnes; which three indeed are one, and ſet forth and declare the ſolid knowledge of God: And God did ſhadow unto us this third part by the Prieſt, which was to eat of the oblation of God (which what other thing did it imply, then the application of the merits of Chriſt by faith?) in the holy place, wherein is ſignified repentance: For the faith by the vertue and merit of Chriſt and his bloud, doth make the man before the juſt God, as if he had never been defiled with any ſinne, according to that of Ezekiel 18. If the wicked ſhall repent him of all his iniquities that he hath committed, I will not remember them. And after this manner the Law of Moſes is changed into the ſpirit Moſes Lawes & holy things are chāged into ſpirit. or life internall, holy and another life; and his ſacrifices into repentance, by which we offer our bodies and ſouls a living ſacrifice, and give thanks unto him, becauſe hee hath manifeſted unto us what is the true converſion acceptable unto him, which is the juſtification and remiſſion of ſinnes, that God alone be all things, his grace, as it is meet, ſhould be acknowledged, and with gratefull minds and tongues be praiſed for ever and ever. This then, as we have often ſaid heretofore, is the true divine worſhip, of which Mich. chap. 6. ſpeaketh, I will ſhew thee, O man, what the Lord requireth of thee, that thou execute judgement, and love mercy, and walk carefully before the Lord thy God. Becauſe therefore, O mortals, doe we repent to get remiſſion of ſinnes, ſeeing but by this alone we cannot come to remiſſion of ſinnes; for neither can thoſe ſins bee remitted, whoſe ſenſe and griefe the mind never yet found by grace divine, and conſequently never to grieve for them; nor hee which never had it in his mind to change The true worſhip of God conſiſteth in the heart, & is not external his life, and mend his manners. Which true and ſafe-making converſion, that God for his Chriſts ſake would beſtow it upon us, I humbly pray: whoſe favour alſo it is, that now it appeareth, that his true worſhip conſiſteth in the ſoule and mind, in the knowledge of God, & in true repentance, by which the fleſh is mortified, and the man renewed after the image of God, whereby he is made the Temple of God, wherein by the holy Ghoſt, the true and divine worſhip of the holy Trinity is exerciſed; I ſay, Faith, Love, and Hope, Humility, Patience, Prayer, giving of thankes and praiſes to God. And although this worſhip reſpecteth God himſelfe; and is performed to him alone, let us not think or beleeve, Why called the worſhip of God. that God for his own cauſe, and becauſe it joyneth with his profit, that he inviteth us unto him; but rather let us be ſo aſſured, that he is willing through his boundleſſe mercy, to beſtow and communicate all himſelfe to us, with all his benefits, and to live, work and dwell in us, if ſo be we be ready through his true Knowledge, Faith and Repentance, to receive him. For no work is gracious and acceptable to God, of which hee was not the authour of in us; What kind of works are pleaſing to God. therefore he commandeth us to repent, to beleeve, to pray, to faſt, not as to him, but that the fruit thereof might be ours. No man can give or take any thing from God, nor hurt nor profit him: for we ſow and we mow to our ſelves, if we be good; but we create evill to our ſelves if we be evill. And what dammage hath God if thou wilt not doe well? therefore he commandeth thee to ſerve him, not for his owne cauſe, but for thine: who ſeeing he is Charity it ſelfe, therefore amongſt things acceptable and deare, and ſo fit, accounteth it, that there be many be who participate of his charity, yea of himſelfe; that is to wit, as a mother loveth her Infant, cannot but rejoyce that it ſucketh her milk from her; ſo God is to be thought of, out of his moſt loving communicating of himſelf after his manner to receive ſingular delight.

He who will ſpeake laudably, let him firſt learn to hold his peace: for to ſpeak many things is no eloquence, it is garrulity or pratling. He that will rule his heart Vertue ariſeth frō contraries. well, let him learn firſt to keep it well, ſeeing it is an impoſſible thing rightly to excell others, unleſſe he learn to ſerve & obey God. He that loveth peace and tranquillity of the minde, let him keep his tongue, and ſtudy to preſerve a good conſcience: True reſt. for that which is evill, foameth as the ſea, unleſſe it return to its reſt, which is Chriſt, by contrition and repentance. The Dove which Noah ſent out of the Ark, when it found no reſt, returned to the Ark. This Ark is Chriſt, and the Church, having only one Doore, or Window, that is, repentance, by which we muſt goe to Chriſt for aid. As the Dove having made her flight, returned to the Ark of God; ſo doe thou remember ſo often as thou flieſt into the ſea of the worldly buſineſſes, that thou return by and by to Chriſt, and thy reſt; yea, whilſt thou art converſant amongſt men, and attendeſt worldly affairs, The fear of God. let it be done with feare and humility, yet let it be without ſecure and precipitate raſhneſſe: but be thou like the Shrub bound to the pearch of diſtruſt, and the feare of God, leſt perhaps the wind of perturbation doe break thee, then which nothing is more frequent amongſt men, little converſant with the inward man, and uſing the world more freely. Wherefore perſwade thy ſelfe there is no more truſt to be given to the world then to the ſea; and that the externall calm of the world doth eaſily turn it ſelfe into a whirl-wind, and an evill conſcience doth obey the delight thereof. True peace and reſt But if men would ſeek no pleaſure in ftail things, if they were not intangled with the world, laſtly, if they would truſt leſſe to their worldly goods, then they would by experience find more peace and tranquillity in their conſciences, and divine conſolations and viſitations would be oftner manifeſt, but ſeeing that they will not beleeve theſe things, it cometh to paſſe that they loſe that converſion, amendment, and devotion amongſt men, which they might find in themſelves. For what things within, and in the heart, are found by reſting, they are by ſeeking here and there unwarily and haſtily loſt, and this followeth upon courſe. As a tree no where profiteth better then in his naturall ſoile: ſo the inward man in no place groweth in goodneſſe ſooner then in the profound inwards of the heart where Chriſt is. Joy and heavineſſe is in the hand of the conſcience, which if thou uſeſt and imploy it in inward and The nature of the conſcience. divine things, it will return thee again ſweet and delightfull pleaſures: but if in outward and worldly things thou doſt reſt, it will return thee vexation and torment. As often as a faithfull ſoul grieveth and is ſorrowfull for his ſinnes, ſo often Whol • ſome ſorrow. he mourneth ſecretly, and in the fountain of teares many nights waſheth himſelf therein, and cleanſeth himſelf in the Spirit and Faith in Chriſt, that he may become holy, and worthy to enter into the Temple and moſt holy place, where the Lord may have moſt ſecret ſpeech with him. And becauſe God is an unknown God, it behoveth the ſoul to be moſt familiar with him, if he will have him to communicate his divine mind unto it, Pſalm 85. I will bear what Divine communication the Lord will ſpeak in me, Pſal. 34. I ſought the Lord and he heard me, and took me out of my trouble; he being poore, he cried, and the Lord heard him, and he delivered him out of all his troubles, Pſalm 5. But I will pray unto thee, and thou wilt heare my voyce right early: I will meet thee early, and I ſhall ſee thee. By how much more our ſoul departeth from the world, ſo much more familiar it becometh with God; ſo did the Patriarch Jacob when he eſtranged himſelf from his countrey and kindred, he had conference with Angels, and with God. Neither can it be ſufficiently expreſſed by any words, with how much love God and the bleſſed Spirits embrace an holy ſoule.

AMongſt all kinds of ſervitude, none is The ſervitude of the affections is moſt heavie. more hard and ſharp, then to be under the ſubjection of affections; neither of theſe is any more cruell then hoſtility or inhumanity, becauſe that wearieth and bindeth all the powers and ſtrength of the body and ſoul, and ſo leaveth to a man not the leaſt thought free, but he that exerciſeth or remaineth in charity, he is free in his minde, neither is he the ſervant or captive to wrath, envie, covetouſneſſe, uſury, pride, lying and ſlander; from all which, being free by charity, he ſuffereth not himſelfe to be brought into ſlavery by his evill concupiſcences, but remaineth a freeman of Chriſt through the ſpirit of liberty, 2 Cor. 3. For where the ſpirit is, there is liberty. whoſoever therefore walketh in the charity of Chriſt, he ceaſeth to be the ſlave of ſinne; and ſervant to affections and carnall luſts: For by the ſpirit of divine charity, we are purged and ſet free. And The univerſality of divine Charity. charity divine is equally reached and extended to all men, ſo that not onely out of the word of God, but by nature univerſall alſo, it is made known: for we are all equally and alike covered with the heavens, and we have the uſe of the Sunne, Aire, Earth, Water, both high and low degree alike. Moreover, with what mind God Almighty is towards all mankind, ſo ought our mind to be affected towards our neighbour, ſeeing what things even now we ſhewed, thou doſt not ſay it happened for that cauſe God would have it ſo, but that by his example he might teach us, and make it manifeſt that he loveth all with like equall affection, and that it is without re • pect of perſons, and prerogative of dignity or merit in Chriſt to love every one alike; ſo that as hee ſheweth himſelfe towards us, ſuch ught we to be, and to carry our ſelves toowards our neighbour; whom after the ſame manner as wee ſhall deal with, God will deale with us. Which Law God writ in our hearts, that evidently he might convince and teach us, with what mind he was affected to us, leſt we ſhould be miſtaken and overtaken unawares, we ought to carry the ſame mind towards our neighbour every one of us. Wherefore he that would know what reſpect hee is in with God, it is ſufficient to ask his conſcience: for that thing will tell him preſently, as his mind is towards his neighbour, whereby he The triall of divine love. may gather how God is affected towards him. For like as we have done to our neighbour; ſo it is meet God ſhould doe to us. And in this ſenſe the great God is good to the good, and averſe to the averſe; neither doth hee deſerve to have God his friend, that is an enemy to his neighbour. Now ſeeing that God hath no need of our works, as our neighbour hath, it appeareth by this counſell, that the charity towards our neighbour gives us in charge, that it ſhould be as a Load-ſtone, a moſt certain argument of our charity towards God. For if theſe things were otherwiſe, he would not have directed theſe things to our neighbor ſo exactly as to a certain ſope, nor bound us to this as a law, but that we might know his affection to us thereby, and we ſhould approve the ſame mind every houre and moment to our neighbour. Wherefore though Chriſt Jeſus by his death once ſufficiently made ſatisfaction for the ſinnes of the whole world, and all men therein, for which all men are to give thanks, no man can warrant him, who is Chriſt doth as it were call back his merit from them that do not pardō their neighbour. not firſt reconciled to his neighbour. For all mankind, under the perſon of the wicked ſervant, Matth. 18. is deſcribed, who when hee had not wherewith to pay, the King remitted him all his debts; but when he afterwards behaved himſelfe ſo cruelly towards his fellow ſervant, the King revoked his pardon, condemning the wicked ſervant by reaſon of his hard uſage of his neighbour. Which Parable Chriſt concludeth with this farewell: So will my heavenly Father doe unto you. Like unto that is the ſaying of Matth. 7. What meaſure you mete unto others, the ſame ſhall hee meted unto you. Chriſts mandate. Whereby it appeareth, that man was not onely created for himſelfe alone, but for his neighbours cauſe alſo. And immediatly he paſſeth over the precepts of loving our neighbour, to withdraw the love of God, and to proceed with his juſtice, by whoſe moſt rigid decree hee is immediatly condemned; but if we ſhould call ſuch things to mind as this Parable, we ſhould never be angry long with our Neighbour, neither ſhould the Sun go down in our wrath: for it A heart irreconcilcable is not capable of Chriſts merits. is in truth a horrible thing to be thought, that the merit of Chriſt, whereby he ſatiſfied for the whole world fully, and after the example of that little King, of meer grace hath remitted all our ſins; I ſay, that this merit ſhould be cut off, and become of no effect, if we do not pardon our brother, and hate him. But although this law ſeem hard, yet ſo it is written, and it ſo bindeth us, that God without the love of our neighbour, will not be loved of us; and if wee become irreconcileable, wee loſe the love and favour of God. Neither may we think The cauſe of charity. it was for other cauſe that man was not created one better then another, but that one ſhould not inſult over another, but as twins of one mother and one father, we ſhould live lovingly & peaceably together, our conſciences never accuſing us. Therfore whoſoever hateth his brother and deſpiſeth him, let him know that God doth hate him, and deſpiſe him, becauſe he hath moſt ſeverely forbidden it, and conſequently that he is hatefull and abominable to him, as alſo guilty of eternall condemnation, and altogether excluded from the merit of Chriſt. Neither can it by any means come to paſſe, that a heart in enmity, without mercy, and inhumane, ſhould participate of the bloud of Chriſt, which was ſhed out of meere love: ſeeing out of the Parable, Matth. 18. it is manifeſt, that God was leſſe moved, or offended, for the debt of ten thouſand Talents, then at the unmercifulneſſe and cruelty of the fellow-ſervant. Wherefore let us never forget, but daily remember that ſaying of Chriſt: So will my Heavenly Father doe unto you.

THeſe are the words of Micah, chap. 6. What good things ſhall I offer unto the Lord? Shall I offer unto him Meat-offerings, and Calves of a yeare old? Can the Lord bee pleaſed in thouſands of Ra •• nes, or in many thouſands of fat be-goats? Shall I give my firſtborn for my wickedneſſe, and the fruits of my womb for the ſinnes of my ſoule? I will ſhew thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Even to doe judgement, and to love mercy, and to walk carefully before thy God. By which judgement he teacheth us Wherein conſiſteth the true worſhip of God. wherein the true worſhip of God conſiſteth, not in Ceremonies and Sacrifices, which conferre nothing on God, becauſe all is his own; nor in humane offerings, which hee requireth not; nay rather hee abhorreth, becauſe they contain the reproach of Jeſus Chriſt the Propitiatory offering which God appointed to take away the ſinnes of the world; but in pure faith, which the Prophet deſcribeth in this form, To doe judgement, I ſay in the exerciſe of faith, in charity, in mercy, better pleaſing then all ſacrifices, & in humility, according to the Pſalm 51. The ſacrifice to God is a troubled ſpirit, a contrite heart and humble, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. To which divine worſhip, conſiſting in the inwards of the heart, and in faith, charity, and humility, Saint Paul exhorteth us, Rom. 13. whoſe admonition we have prefixed to this chapter, which containeth the praiſe of Charity, and the perpetuall debt to our neighbour. For certainly there is no other way of ſerving God but this, to whom we can approve of nothing but what wee our ſelves allow, and he himſelfe worketh in our hearts; ſo that to worſhip God, is nothing but to obſerve our neighbour, and to doe him good. To this love of our neighbour the Apoſtle inciting us, uſeth an argument ſomthing plauſible to thoſe which Charity praiſed are deſirous to lead a Chriſtian life, calling it a breviary of all vertues, and a fulfilling of the Law: not that we are able poſſibly by our charity to fulfill the divine Law, or that conſequently it followeth, to gain eternall life thereby; but it inſinuateth unto us the noble bounty and majeſty of this moſt excellent vertue, and inflameth us to love it with all our deſire. For our juſtice and happineſſe is founded on the merit of Jeſus Chriſt, which we apply to our ſelves by faith; out of which alſo the love to our neighbour doth flow, and all other vertues, which therefore are called the fruits of juſtice to the praiſe and glory of God. Seeing then the dignity of this vertue is ſo great, it were worthy the labour to ſeeke more arguments to draw us unto the love of it, but the ſtrongeſt in my opinion, is that which Saint John uſeth, Epiſt. 1. Chap. 4. The imp • lſive cauſe of charity. God is Love, and he that remaineth in Love remaineth in God, and God in him: for who would not wiſh to be in God, and remain in him, and that God in like manner ſhall be and remain in him? And who on the contrary would not abhorre to bee in Satan, and Satan in him, which is ſo often as charity is repulſed, barbariſme and inhumane hoſtility doth dwell in our hearts. For as it is the delight of God to be with the ſonnes of men: ſo contrariwiſe the Devill is a devourer of men. To which belongeth that place of John, who ſaith, He that Charity is a token of the ſons of God. loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. In this is made manifeſt whether they be the ſons of God or the Devil: and can there be any thing more deſirable then to be the ſonnes of God, to be begotten of God, & to know God truly? and whoſoever hath his heart void of charity, nor by experience hath known the force of it, life, gifts, goodneſſe, gentleneſſe, long-ſuffering and patience, this man it is manifeſt doth not know God, who is nothing but Charity or Love. For the knowledge of God and Chriſt is known by experience, and feeling and ſeeing that Chriſt is meer love and meekneſſe, it followeth that he that is without charity, is without Chriſt, according to that of By charity God is known. Saint Peter, Epiſt. 2. chap. 1. If you had charity, this would not leave you empty, nor without fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And Chriſt himſelfe, John 13. In this all men may know if you be my Diſciples, What a diſciple of Chriſt ſhould doe. if you love one another. But to be the Diſciple of Chriſt, is not ſufficient to be a Chriſtian in name and outward profeſſion, but it behoveth us to be more, to beleeve in Chriſt, to love him, and follow him, to live in him, to counſell with him, to liſten to him, to be inwardly loved of him; and laſtly, to participate with him in all his goodneſſe. Which love of Chriſt who ſo hath not, this man is not of Chriſt: for how ſhould Chriſt know him which is deſtitute of Chriſt? For even as an Apple by his ſavour, and a Flower by his ſmell, is knowne: ſo a Chriſtian is known by his love. Bouldly, and without doubt, bleſſed Paul affirmeth it, 1 Corinth. 13. All gifts without Charity is nothing. And in truth, the knowledge of divers Tongues, nor Miracles, nor knowledge of Myſteries, or any ſuch like good things, doe ſhew a good Chriſtian, but faith which God requireth no hard thing. worketh by charity. Moreover, God commandeth not hard things unto us, as to work miracles, but to exerciſe charity, and humility: neither in the day of judgmēt ſhal it be demanded of thee, how thou haſt been verſt in the Arts, Tongues, Sciences, but whether thou haſt loved charity through faith; I have been hungry (ſaith our Saviour, Matth. 25.) and thou gaveſt mee to eate. And bleſſed Paul to the Galatians, chap. 5. witneſſeth, In Chriſt Jeſus neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but Faith which worketh by Charity. Furthermore, the words of Saint John, Epiſt. 1. Chap. 4. If any man ſay he loveth God, and hateth his brother, he is a lier: For he that doth not love his brother whom hee ſeeth, how can hee love God whom hee hath not ſeen? And this commandement have we of God, He that loveth God, ſhould alſo love his brother. And this one thing they teach, That the charity and love towards God, cannot conſiſt without the He muſt love his neighbour that wil love God. love and charity towards our neighbour. For he that hateth him, cannot but hate God that is the chiefe lover of man.

Charity is the Law of Nature, from which doe flow all good things to mankind, and without it mankind would periſh Al good is out of charity. of neceſſity. When any good thing happeneth to man, it proceedeth from Love; whereupon Saint Paul calleth charity the Bond of perfection to the Coloſſians, chap. 3. and Rom. 12. doth declare in excellent words and magnificent oration, the fruits thereof. And our Saviour himſelfe, The whole law depends on charity. Matthew 7. doth teach, All things that you would that men ſhould doe unto you, doe you the ſame unto them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I paſſe by that of the Ethnickes, whoſe famous Adage or Sentence is out of the Law of Nature, and taken from their Schoole, That which you would not ſhould be done to you, doe not the ſame unto another. Which moſt excellent admonition the Emperour Severus, a Prince moſt praiſeworthy, daily had in his mouth, and inſerted it in his written lawes. Charity is a Charity is the hope of eternall life. certain figure of eternall life, and a foretaſt or ſweet drink of it, wherein the elect doe mutually love each other ſincerely, do receive ſingular delight one from another, and doe converſe together in a wonderfull and ineffable concord, ſweetneſſe, affection, cheerfulneſſe, and mildneſſe, and courteſie one with another.

Who ſo therefore doth deſire as it were a certain fore ſupper of the eternall beatitude, let him ſtudy Love, wherewith he may Affinity with God by charity. be delighted with ſingular pleaſure and affection in the inward of his ſoul. For how much purer, more fervent and fruitful your charity is, ſo much the neerer it approcheth to the divine nature; when in God, in Chriſt, and the holy Ghoſt, the charity is moſt pure, moſt rare, moſt fervent and noble. Therefore that love will be pure when we love not for private profit, but onely for the cauſe of God alone, whom we may know in like manner he loved us, and took in us delight moſt purely, and for no good of his own. Which he that doth not ſo, but loveth his neighbour for his own profit, his love is not pure and divine: wherein The difference betwixt Ethnick and Chriſtiā charity. alſo conſiſteth the difference betweene Ethnick and Chriſtian charity: for they do all their vertues in ſeeking after their own private gain and honour, do as it were caſt ink upon Ivory; but the Chriſtian he loveth his neighbour in God and Chriſt gratis. And the love is true and unfained when the • e is no hypocriſie nor diſſimulation, and love is born in the heart, not in the lips and tongue, wherewith many are deceived. Laſtly, charity is ardent when it is accompanied with mercy and compaſſion; and when the affairs of our neighbour goe as near to our heart as our own, ſo that we ſhould be ready to lay down our life, if need It is the Chriſtians property to love their enemies were, for him, John 3. after the example of Moſes and Paul, who wiſhed to be accurſed for their brethren. Wherupon that alſo followeth, that we ought even to love our enemies, Matth. 5. Love your enemies, do good unto thoſe that hate you, and pray for them that perſecute you, & revile you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for if you love them which love you, what reward have you, or ſhall you have? Doe not the publicans the ſame? In this therefore con • iſteth the excellency, prerogative, nobility, and dignity of Chriſtians, to ſubject nature unto it ſelfe, to tame his fleſh and bloud, and to overcome the world with the evill that is therein, with goodneſſe; to the Roman • , chap. 12. It is the commandement of God in Exod. 23. If thou meeteſt with thine enemies Oxe or Aſſe going aſtray, bring him home. If thou ſeeſt the Aſſe of him that hateth thee falling under his burden, thou ſhalt not paſſe by him, but thou ſhalt ſuccour him. What care hath God about dumb creatures, bleſſed Paul, 1 Cor. 9. admiring, writeth, Hath God care of Oxen? And doth hee not ſpeak this concerning us much more? And Rom. 12. he elegantly giveth in charge, If thine enemy hunger, give him meat. Wherefore leſt wee think it not ſufficiēt, not to hurt our neighbour, but moreover we might doe good unto him; which to perform, if any contemn and refuſe, this man cannot bee the ſonne of God, becauſe he loveth not his neighbour. He that exerciſeth not Chriſtian Charity doth ſhew a man how to be a living member of Chriſt. charity, that man ſeparateth himſelfe from the ſpirituall body of Chriſt, which is the Church, and forfeiteth or loſeth thereby all the merits of Chriſt, according to that of the Epheſians, chap. 4. One Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſme. For even as the members pulled from the body, doe not participate of the life and bountifull influence of the head, but dieth every member: even ſo as many as live not in charity, theſe becauſe they ſeparate themſelves from their head Chriſt, doe not participate nor receive his life, lively motions, and fulneſſe, Prayer without charity, is unprofitable. according to that of Saint John, Epiſt. 1. chap. 3. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. Laſt of all, becauſe by prayer all good gifts are to be obtained of God, and without it, all helps, conſolation, and freedóme, wee may look for but in vain, being without bleſſing and ſafety; And God Almighty giveth hearing to no prayers but to thoſe that are grounded on Faith and Charity, according to that ſaying of Matthew, chap. 18. If two of you upon the earth conſent together, whatſoever they ſhall deſire, it ſhall be granted unto them by my Father which is in Heaven. Goe to therefore, O mortall men, let us live in charity, wherein is peace Peace in charity. and union: and where peace is, there is the God of peace; where he is, in that place the Lord hath commanded his bleſſing and life for evermore.

THe firſt cauſe for which our enemies ought to be beloved of us, is the commandement of God, to which he giveth no other reaſon, but that you may be the ſonnes of your father, of him (that is to wit) that loved us when we were his enemies, Rom. 5. As if he ſhould ſay, Unleſſe you love your enemies, you cannot be the children of the heavenly Father. And he that is not his ſonne, what father ſhall he have? To which commandement when exceeding few of us doe obey, it is manifeſt how farre wee are from the fruits of the children of God, wherein we ought to uſe charity towards our enemies. He that loveth not his brother (ſaith bleſſed John, Epiſt. 1. chap. 3.) abideth in death; for hee hath not in him the true life, which is of Chriſt, which is ſpirituall and heavenly, which conſiſteth in faith towards God, and charity towards our neighbour, according to that of bleſſed John, We know that we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. Whereupon it is manifeſt, that the fruit & teſtimony of our quickning in Chriſt, is brotherly charity: and contrariwiſe the hatred of him is death; ſo that whoſoever dieth in hatred, hee ſhall die an everlaſting death. And all his good works that hateth his neighbour, his divine worſhip, and obſervation of the commandements of God, are in vain, according to that of Paul to the Without charity all works are dead. Corinthians, Epiſt 1. chap. 13. If I give and diſtribute all that I have to feed the poore, and give my body to be burned, & have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Moreover, it is the property of a noble, great, and divine mind to pardon injuries. For let us behold God both how long ſuffering he is, and conſider how ſuddenly hee is reconciled. Behold Chriſt, how amongſt his moſt heavie torments, and moſt inhumane pains on the Croſſe, like unto a Lamb, did not ſo much as open his mouth, Iſa. 53. Let us contemplate the holy Ghoſt, who for no other cauſe rather appeared in the form of a Dove, then to teach unto us the meekneſſe and lenity, and ſimplicity of manners. Behold Moſes, with what patience hee did bear the reproaches of the people, whereby Numb. 12. he deſerved this praiſe, Moſes was a moſt meek man, above all men which remained on the earth. David alſo, with what Ienity of mind he did heare Shimei curſing of him, 2 Sam. 16. And one ſaith, True charity knoweth none to be angry with, but himſelfe; and true peace conſiſteth not in a great fortune, but in humble bearing of adverſity and his adverſaries. Publius ſaid excellent well, The free eſtate of an honeſt man receiveth no reproach. And Seneca, If thou be magnanimous, thou wilt never judge thy ſelfe any reproach to be done to thee. Even as the Sun, if any mad man ſhould reproach it, and call it meere darkneſſe, for that cauſe it would not, nor doth it change the nature of it: ſo neither a valiant mind, or generous, whoſe great generoſity is alſo to pardon The Ethniks exam • le of long-ſuffering. revenge. And many Ethnicks in their examples did expreſſe th • ſe golden ſayings and admonitions: As Pericles, that was the moſt pleaſant Orator of Greece, who having heard a man upbraiding and reproaching him the ſp • ce of a whole day with his own eares, •• ght comming on, did command him to bee brought into his houſe, leſt he ſhould take any harm; this ſpeech b • ing added, It is an eaſier thing to ſpeak evill of vertue, then to poſſeſſe it. Phocion the Prince of the Athenians, when he had deſerved exceeding well of his Countrey, through the envie of ſome was adjudged to death; which being about to undergoe, when he was asked by one, if hee would command him any thing to his ſonne, Nothing elſe, ſaid he, but that he never take in hand or goe about to revenge this injury which I ſuffer of my countrey. Titus the Emperour, when it was told him, that two brethren did affect the Empire of Rome, and that they had conſpired his death, made no ſcruple to bid them to ſupper, and about three dayes after ſet himſelfe betwixt them, to behold a Stage-play; with which admirable clemency he overcame their improbity. When it was told to Julius Ceſar that Cato had laid violent hands on himſelfe; He hath bereaved me, ſaith he, of the greateſt victory that ever I had: for I had decreed with my ſelfe freely to pardon him all the injuries he had done unto me. But moſt of all, whom would not the extream patience and meekneſſe of the Sonne of God himſelfe move to love his enemies? The great long-ſuffering of God. neither this, nor any of thoſe of the Ethnicks which I mentioned, nor any of the Saints in their examples, did equall him. For what greater injuſtice and diſhoneſty can be thought on, then that the Sonne of God ſhould bee ſo miſerably handled of men, to be made a laughing-ſtock, to bee ſcourged with ſtripes, to be crowned with thorns, to be ſpit upon; and laſtly, to be nailed on the Croſſe? What extream impiety out of his great and meer favour, did he pardon his enemies, crying, Father, pardon them? Truly to this end our Redeemer ſet his example before our eyes, that it might The example of Chriſt, our Panacea. be an ever-living mark ſet before us in our whole life; by which whatſoever was proud or lofty in us, might be depreſſed and abated; what was weak, ſhould be comforted; what was unprofitable, ſhould bee made good; laſtly, whatſoever was wicked, or depraved, ſhould be corrected. Or at the laſt, what pride of man is ſo cruell and intolerable, that cannot be made whole with the extream humility of the Sonne of God? Or what covetouſneſſe is ſo great, that cannot be ſanctified with the poverty of Chriſt? What wrath ſo vehement, that his meekneſſe cannot mollifie? What deſire of revenge ſo barbarous, that his patience cannot aſſwage and reconcile? What inhumanity ſo great, which Chriſt with his charity and benefits ſo great and ſo many, doe not expell? Laſtly, what heart ſo hard, that is not mollified with the teares of Chriſt? Or who would not wiſh from the bottome of his heart, to be like God the Father, and his Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, and to carry the excellent image of the holy The Image of God. Trinity, which chiefly conſiſteth in charity, and pardoning injuries? For it is the principall of all divine properties to have mercy, to ſpare, to pardon, & to be propitious; The higheſt degree of vertue. wherupon it can no way be doubted, but that that is the moſt noble of all vertues by which we become moſt like unto God and all vertuous men, moſt eminent in praiſe. Laſt of all, the higheſt degree of a vertuous man is to overcome himſelfe, and conſequently, to forget, pardon, and exerciſe clemency. He is ſtronger that overcommeth himſelfe, then hee that overcommeth ſtrong Walls, and Vertue can goe no higher: whoſe double Kinſman is that in the Proverbs, Chap. 16. A patient man is better then a ſtrong man, and hee that ruleth over his own minde, then one that overcommeth Cities. And this as I ſaid, is the top and ſtem, beyond which no man can goe, becauſe then he is in God, reſteth, is ſanctified, and made perfect.

LEſt any man ſhould marvell that Saint Luther of the Church. part. 2. fol. 13. Paul doth adorn Charity with ſo many praiſes, you muſt know that God himſelfe is love; and conſequently, like praiſe to belong to both: neither greater or more ample vertue to be found in man or in God himſelfe. Now that which reſpecteth our neighbour is twofold, one true, living, ſincere and cleare; the other, hypocriticall and diſſembled, or cloaked. The firſt St. True love & falſe. Paul deſcribeth by a moſt ample catalogue, and an account of the fruits and properties thereof added thereunto: the latter with all his words, gifts and workes, abuſed as a Bawd, to and for private gain and honour: And howſoever in outward ſhew it ſeemeth to affect divine and humane good and profit, yet inwardly and in his heart he reſpecteth nothing but his private profit, and honour, and wealth; and whatſoever floweth from this fountain, cometh not from God, but from the Devill, and it What ariſeth not of charity, ariſeth not of God. is poyſon, infecting all good workes, and the moſt excellent gifts. For as a flower in ſight, taſt, and ſmell, moſt beautifull and ſweet, if it retain any venome, is not approved by the beauty of the colour, nor pleaſantneſſe of ſmell, nor ſweetneſſe, becauſe it is deadly or hurtfull to man, if it be not foreſeen: So man, if he be adorned with the gifts of Angels, and if he be full of avarice, pride, ſelfe-love, and arrogancy, then thoſe gifts doe not onely faile in their fruits, but become pernicious: for that which is good indeed, ought to have God in the beginning and ending: who as he is the onely author of every good thing, What is good. ſo whatſoever he worketh in thee, is truly that onely good. But it is otherwiſe, if arrogancy, ſelfe-love, the deſire of honour, or private profit, ſhall have any deſigne in it: for when it commeth not from God, his impulſion and provocation, it can never be good. Therefore God alone is good, alſo love it ſelf, by which all good is conveyed to our neighbour through love, no otherwiſe then from God to our ſelves, this neceſſarily cometh to paſſe. It is ſaid, that a certain Saint of old ſhould wiſh, that he ſhould be of no other uſe unto God, then his own right hand was unto him; which ſeeing it was nothing but an inſtrument, aptly to give and receive what was fit, and conſequently arrogateth neither honour nor glory to it ſelfe. And indeed it is meet we all ſhould be ſuch; and becauſe all things come from God to us freely, in like manner we ſhould render all things to our neighbour in ſingle ſimplicity, and without the deſire of vainglory, and praiſe, out of pure love: for unto God alone, as to the author, is honour and glory due; but unto us nothing at all: we are onely inſtruments created and made fit to receive and deliver; which if any be without this ſincere charity, he with all his gifts is nothing: So I ſay, Although hee ſpeake with the tongues of Angels, can propheſie, know all myſteries, and all knowledge, and had never ſo much faith, even that it would remove mountaines, and give all that he hath to the poore; laſtly, give himſelfe to be burned, Selfe love and arrogance was the fall of the Devill. 1 Cor. 13. For all ſelfe-love, that is, the deſire of honour, and praiſe, and private profit, is of the Devill, and was his Apoſtaſie by which hee fell from heaven, and for which hee was worthily driven from thence. For when God had created Lucifer the moſt beautifull Angell, and adorned him with moſt excellent gifts of wiſdome, light, glory, and riches, he began to admire himſelfe in his gifts, as a Peacock doth admire himſelfe, to love, honour, and praiſe himſelfe, which was the firſt ſtep to his ruine, even to give honour to himſelfe, not to God, and to turne his love from God to himſelfe: whereupon he was worthily caſt out of heaven, with all his companions, which his pride by contagion had infected: neither was hee contented with his principality amongſt Angels, according to that of Saint Jude, The Angels which kept not their principality. And that of Saint Paul to the Coloſſians, chap. 2. Spoyling Principalities and Powers, traduced them confidently, And of man. and openly triumphing over them in himſelfe. Now by what ſinne Lucifer procured his own ruine, he was the cauſe and perſwader by the ſame ſinne, of the loſſe of mankind, turning him frō the love of the honor of God, to himſelfe; whereby followed ſelf-love and arrogancy, ſuch and ſo great, even to affect the ſimilitude of God, whereby conſequently hee was no otherwiſe caſt out of Paradiſe, then Lucifer out of Heaven, leaving to us all the heritage of arrogancy and ſelf-love. And this is the fall and Apoſtaſie of Adam, which all men in like manner doe iterate, and with fleſh and bloud give and deliver every one to other the ſame: the means of amendment, and cure whereof, can and ought no other wayes be ſought and obtained, but by the merit of Chriſt apprehended by faith, whereby thenceforth wee are renewed in Chriſt, and our fleſh is crucified, neither now doe we love our ſelves any more, but Denying our ſelves neceſſary. hate our ſelves, Luke 9. that is, all our own works doe begin to diſpleaſe us, we do not honour our ſelves, or beare out our ſelves, but deny our ſelves, Luke 14. that is, wee ſet nought by our ſelves; laſtly, we do not now ſeek our ſingular praiſe and glory, but by denying all things that we have, place our pleaſure and truſt in no earthly thing; and likewiſe doe fight and ſtrive with fleſh & bloud our inward enemies, which whoſoever hath not, nor doth not, as aboveſaid, he neither is nor can be the Diſciple of Chriſt, ſeeing by this meanes in ſerious and true repentance, the converſion of humane nature muſt be changed. Moreover, ſeeing that means is greater then the ſtrength of man, which of it ſelfe, and by its nature, can doe nothing but love it ſelf, favour it ſelfe, and boaſt, and cannot forbeare By the incarnation of Chriſt our nature is renewed. to ſeek his own ends, or to ſpeak in a word, to ſinne: therefore it behoveth God to be the beginning, middle, and end and prop, the Sonne of God to take the forme of a man upon him, and conſequently to renew our nature, that thereby every one of us being regenerate, by him, in him, and from him, we become a new creature: for even as in Adam we were dead bodily and ſpiritually, ſo it behoveth us in Chriſt to riſe and be ſpiritually renewed. Even as by carnall nativity we entred upon the ſin of Adam, as a certain heritage: ſo in Chriſt by a ſpiritual birth and faith wee muſt bee juſtified. Finally, as radically we draw from Adam ſinne, ſelfe-love, arrogancy, and ambition; New-birth is found in Chriſt ſo from Chriſt by faith, and the holy Ghoſt, our nature is to be renewed and ſanctified; all ſelfe-love, arrogancy and ambitition to die in it: and it behoveth us to get a new heart and ſpirit from Chriſt, as we have from Adam fleſh ſubject to ſin. And of this new birth Chriſt is called Father eternall, or of the future Age, Iſa. chap. 9. The works of Chriſtians ought to proceed from the new birth. Whereupon it followeth conſequently, that all the works of Chriſtians, and gifts which ſhall be acceptable to God, ought to proceed from the new creature, that is, from faith in Chriſt, and the holy Ghoſt; which if it be not ſo done, whatſoever things, although they be moſt excellent gifts, and even miracles themſelves, before God they are void, and to no purpoſe. And towards our neighbour all things ought to be done in charity, 1 Cor. 14. and without hope of proper gain, or honour. For example of which, and a moſt excellent pattern, God Almighty offered, and gave us his Sonne, in whom there was no ſelfe-love, no arrogance: laſtly, no deſire of private profit, or praiſe, or glory, and nothing but ſincere and meere love and humility; neither alſo as other Saints was hee propoſed to us to imitate, becauſe their example was from without, and ſo to behold, or renew; but that hee might by faith live and breath in us: which when it cometh to paſſe, even then all our works, words, and ſo our knowledge doe proceed from Chriſt as from a living foundation and originall; if otherwiſe, then all our works and gifts, if they be Angelicall, or of what kind ſoever, they are nevertheleſſe nothing worth. For where ſelfe-love is, there the hatred of God is; where arrogancy, there the contempt of God, where by no reaſon it can come to paſſe, that works ſpringing from thence, ſhould be acceptable to God. Let us therefore doe this, let us beſeech Almighty God from the bottomes of our hearts, to give us faith and ſincere love, contaminated with no deſire of honour, profit, or glory, but proceeding from a pure heart; which being obtained, not onely illuſtrious gifts and works, but the leaſt alſo, even a cup of cold water, will be moſt deare and acceptable to God: For a ſmall worke that proceedeth Charity maketh the leaſt work great. from ſincere charity, and humility, is moſt excellent, and better then all great ones, that have their original from the deſire of pride and glory.

WHen the Prophet Samuel, by the commandement of God, went to anoint David King, he entred his Fathers houſe, and would have anointed his firſtborn, the Lord ſaid, Doe not thou reſpect his countenance, nor the height of his ſtature, being I have rejected him, neither doe I judge according to the countenance of a man: for a God iudgeth all things by the heart. man ſeeth thoſe things that are open and evident, but the Lord beholdeth the heart. By which example God teacheth us, that he hath no regard to any perſon, although never ſo great and illuſtrious, when his heart is void of goodneſſe, love, faith, and humility, but to eſteem of the workes by the inward ſpirit and intention of the mind, and to allow them according as it is in the 21. of the Prov. Moreover, all gifts, how great ſoever, illuſtrious, praiſe-worthy, and excellent they are in the judgment of the world, unleſſe they proceed from a pure heart, unleſſe they reſpect the ſole honour of God, and the profit of our neighbour; laſtly, unleſſe they be free, and altogether ſeparated from pride, arrogancy, ſelf-love, deſire of private praiſe and glory, they cannot pleaſe God. Therefore whoſoever thou art, O man, be aſſured and certainly Arrogancie corrupteth all gifts. perſwaded, that if God ſhould beſtow on thee alone all the gifts he hath beſtowed on all men, yet if thou ſhouldſt not uſe them to the profit of thy neighbour, and honour of God, to which end God beſtowed them upon men, but ſhouldeſt uſe them as certain inſtruments of praiſe, glory, honour, and lucre, God would abhorre them no otherwiſe then the greateſt ſinnes. This you may learn from the example of Lu • ifer, a fairer and more beautifull Angel heaven had not, who when hee vilified the gifts of God with his own honour and ſelfe-love, and did not purely reſpect the love and glory of God, by his own act hee became a Devil, and was caſt from heaven. Therefore thoſe things which God will accept and account well of, ought to proceed out of faith alone, and moſt pure love of God and men, and ought to be void of all ſelfelove, arrogancy, and private gaine, ſo much as may be by the grace of God in this infirmity: whereof Saint Paul writeth; If I ſpeak with the tongues of Men and Angels, and have not charity, I am as a ſounding braſſe and a tinckling Cymball; that is, I am in vain, and altogether unprofitable. In truth God regardeth no faculty but in humble hearts, not arts, not much learning, but whether our ſpirit doth ſeek the honour of God, & Miraculous faith & ſaving faith differ. edification of our neighbour: not a miraculous faith to remove mountaines for glory ſake, but the pure and contrite in ſpirit, trembling at his word, as it is read in Iſa. 66. not laſtly, if any covetous of fame and renown, doe diſtribute all he hath to feed the poore, and give his body to be burned alive; but the heart and the cauſe of them all. That which is manifeſt by many examples to be brought. Cain and Abel both of them brought Sacrifices Differing ſacrifices. to God, one of them acceptable, the other was execrable, by reaſon of the diſparity of minds. The ſame reaſon was of David and Saul, both which attended Gods ſervice, but with unlike event for the foreſaid cauſe. David, Manaſſes, Nebuch adnezzar, and Peter, by repentance obtained grace; contrariwiſe, Saul, Pharaoh, Vnequal repentāce. and Judas, did miſſe the ſame by reaſon of the ſame variety of mind: Pharaoh, and Saul, and Manaſſes uſed the ſame prayer, Lord, I have ſinned, they received unlike rewards. Judith and Heſter, and the daughters of Iſrael, Eſay 3. they adorned themſelves, and combed themſelves, with praiſe and renown the one, the other diſpraiſe and reprehenſion. In like manner the prayer of Hezekia, Joſua, and Gideon, by which they required a ſigne from heaven, as approved is praiſed: Contrariwiſe, the Phariſees, Mat. 12. doing the ſame are reproved of the Lord. The Publican and the Phariſee, both of them pray in the Temple, not approved. The Ninivites and the Jewes, and Phariſees, doe faſt alike, but the one God heard, the other he heard not: wherefore (Iſai. 58.) they cry; Wherefore have wee faſted, and thou regardeſt us not? The Widow which brought into the Treaſury, two ſmall Mites, is praiſed of Chriſt; he that gave more, was not. Herod and Zacheus in the ſight of Chriſt doe rejoyce, but had moſt differing rewards. The holy Martyrs for Chriſt ſuffered death; Achab and Manaſſes offer unto the Lord their own children, and God accepted the ſacrifice of the one, and the other was rejected. Which variety proceedeth from no other cauſe, then from the heart, which God onely reſpecteth: whereupon hee onely accepteth thoſe works which come from a heart unfained and ſincere charity, and free humility: Contrariwiſe, whatſoever gifts they be, if arrogancy, ſelf-love, and the contagion of lucre doe infect them; he rejecteth them.

BY this Sentence Saint Paul teacheth us what things are neceſſray for our ſalvation, by Chriſt all things are done for us. For when we were ignorant of the way of life, he was made wiſedom unto us; whē we were ſinners, our juſtice; when we were abominable, our ſanctification; laſtly, when A man cannot help himſelf. we were damned, our redemption. Whereupon it remaineth, that the man doth not confer one jot to the beginning, middle and end of his ſalvation with all his merits of works, ſtrength and free will: But ſinne he could of himſelfe, but he could not juſtifie himſelfe again; loſe, but not recover; kill, but not raiſe again to life; be ſubdued to the Devill, but not ſet free from him again. For even as a dead carkaſſe cannot quicken it ſelfe again; ſo neither can a man, as the Apoſtle ſaith to the Epheſians, chap. 2. which was dead in ſin, help himſelf. Alſo, even as we did not bring ſo much as a haire to our creation, ſo neither to our redemption, or regeneration and ſanctification, which are much greater, and more noble then our creation it ſelfe: Wherefore The cauſe of the incarnation of the Son of God. it was neceſſary, that the Sonne of God ſhould take humane nature upon him, to recover that which was loſt in Adam, to revive that which was dead in him; which that it may be brought to effect accordingly, we muſt imitate the Traveller, which is cruelly handled, and wounded, and laid upon the ground, and could not help himſelfe; him therefore the mercifull Samaritan taketh up, and bindeth up his ſoares, and then laieth him upon a horſe, leadeth him into the Stable, and after that omitteth nothing which an induſtrious and faithfull Phyſitian can adminiſter to a ſick perſon. And as the Traveller alſo ſheweth himſelfe obſervant to his Phyſitian, and Chriſt i • our Phyſitian, not we our ſelves. obſerveth his beck and command: ſo let us remember to doe the like, if we deſire to be healed: Let us doe our full diligence and power to our Phyſitian Chriſt; let us reſigne our ſelves wholly unto him, let us truſt in his faith, that he will bind up and cure our wounds; alſo, let him powre in Wine and Oyle into them: neither will hee be wanting, or faile to reſtore us to our former health: that is, ſo ſoon as a ſinner repē teth, converteth himſelfe by heavenly grace to God, is grieved from his heart for his ſinnes, and reſiſteth not that his wounds ſhould be waſhed in the ſharp wine of contrition; and laſtly, to be anointed with the Oyle of Conſolation: then preſently Chriſt by his grace doth work and bring forth faith in him, and the fruits of faith, as life, peace, joy, conſolation and happineſſe, renewing him after his own image, and working in him to will and finiſh according to his good will, Phil. 2. For ſeeing that the abundance of ſinnes are greater then humane nature can beare, as witneſſeth the Scripture, which John 8. pronounceth the naturall man the ſervant of ſin, and Rom. 7. ſold under ſinne, and can doe nothing but ſinne, according to that of Jeremy 13. If the Aethiopian can change his hue, or the The naturall man neither can nor will doe doe any good. Leopard his ſpots, and you can doe well, and forget to doe evill: therefore the ſingular grace of God appeared to all men by his Goſpel, teaching us (by the words of Paul to Tit. 2.) that denying all impiety and worldly deſires, wee may live a juſt and ſober life in this preſent world. As if hee ſhould ſay, by the The grace of God doth all things in us. word of God grace is offered unto us, and doth inſtruct, inlighten, allure, and teach us heartily to move and provoke us to deſiſt from ſinne, which teaching of the divine grace, or joynt warning by the Word, conſenteth with the inward teſtimony of the conſcience, whereby the man both from without and within is convicted that he doth evill, and of leading a life againſt the way of God, and his conſcience, he ought to change it to better, let him know this if he would bee ſaved. Furthermore, if hee will bend his eares and mind, and being full of good hope, denounce warre againſt vice, then the grace of God Man is meere darknes Chriſt is meere light. worketh all things in man, as faith, charity, and all the fruits of faith. For as darkneſſe cannot lighten it ſelfe, and the Sunne not ſhining we doe in vain open our eyes: ſo neither can man inlighten himſelfe, according to that in Pſalm 13. O Lord thou giveſt light unto my Lanthorn and my darkneſſe. But the divine Grace, or Chriſt himſelfe, is the cleare light which is riſen to all men ſitting in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death, How the true light light •• s all men. which inlightneth all men (or every man) that cometh into this world; that is, by manifeſting himſelfe, and offering his grace; He, I ſay, is the light of the world, ſhewing to all men the way of life; and like a good Shepheard, guiding his Flock into the right way, he ſought us as his loſt ſheep, & daily even now ſeeketh us and allureth us; nay more followeth us & embraceth us after the manner of a bride, or ſpouſe that he loveth, whoſe grace I would to god moſt men did Chriſt as a Bridegroome imbraceth our ſouls. not refuſe, & give repulſe to his love, & prefer the darknes of vice before his light. And even as a Phyſitian ſaith to his ſick Patient, Beware of this if you will not dye: for you hinder the efficacie and force of the medicine, that you cannot bee made whole: ſo Jeſus Chriſt, the true Phyſitian of our ſouls, ſaith, My ſonne, I pray thee incline thy mind to repentance, and leave thy ſinnes, Impeninitence hindereth the efficacie of Chriſts merits. that pride, covetouſneſſe, concupiſcence of the fleſh, wrath, revenge, and forſake them, or moſt certainly the honour of my merit ſhall profit thee nothing, when thou art a hinderance that my grace cannot be ſown in thee, that it cannot increaſe in ſtrength & bring forth fruit. Truly, for this very cauſe I give my Apoſtles in charge, before all things, to preach repentance; and I called Why repentance is to be preached before all things. ſinners to repentance, becauſe an impenitent heart cannot participate of my merits. Which ſpeech, when a ſick man heareth the Phyſitian of our ſoules, as to abſtaine from ſinne, or elſe he muſt utterly periſh; the word of God coming expreſly to his mind, let him know this, that it is moſt certain, that God hath promiſed remiſſion of ſinnes to all men gratis, but under this law and condition, if they will convert themſelves to God, according to that of Ezekiel 33. If the wicked ſhall repent him of his ſinnes, hee ſhall live the life and not die: all the offences which hee hath done, ſhall not bee True faith. imputed unto him: Wherein truly the repentance of ſinnes is joyned to remiſſion; neither doth Chriſt the ſonne of God in any other ſenſe promiſe life eternall to thoſe that beleeve in him: For faith doth alwayes oppoſe it ſelfe to the Old Man, tameth the fleſh, and ſubjecteth it to the ſpirit, that is, converteth the man, rooteth up and amendeth ſinnes, and cleareth and purgeth the heart, it being the fountain of all evill. Truly, this is true faith, that I ſay, that turneth it ſelfe from the world, from ſinnes, and from the Devill to Chriſt, and ſeeketh ſolace and reſt for his ſoule againſt the grieving debt of his ſinnes, in the onely blood, death, and merit of Chriſt, without the works of any man whatſoever. What man is ſo fooliſh to beleeve that his ſinnes are pardoned of God, although hee doe not deſiſt from his ſinnes, this man hath a falſe faith, neither ever ſhall he obtain everlaſting life, unleſſe he firſt repent. The example of this doctrine is ſet forth by Zacheus the Publican, Luke 9. who underſtood the doctrine of faith and converſion in a ſound ſenſe, acknowledging that onely to bee true faith, by which a man ſhould be turned from his ſinnes to God, and which expected and hoped for the remiſſion of ſius from Chriſt, and deſired to participate of his merit, it behoveth him to give over ſinning, and in firm truſt of the divine grace, to cleave to the bounty of Chriſt: and ſo he conſtrued or underſtood the Sermon of Chriſt, Mark 1. Repent and beleeve the Goſpel, that is, deſiſt from ſinning, be yee filled with the good hope of my merit, and expect the remiſſion of ſins from me onely. Wherefore Zacheus ſaith to Chriſt, Behold, Lord, I give halfe of my goods unto the poore: and if I have defrauded any man of any thing, I doe reſtore it fourefold. By which words he doth not commend his works, no, but extolleth grace, by which he was given to underſtand the way of true repentance; therefore this ſenſe hath his prayer, O Lord, I am ſo grieved that I have circumvented my neighbour, that I Acknowledgement of ſinne in faith doth the Son favour. will reſtore unto him fourfold, and I will beſtow halfe my goods upon the poore. Wherefore ſeeing that I confeſſe my ſinnes, and likewiſe doe fully purpoſe in my mind, to leave my ſins, and doe firmly beleeve in thee, I doe pr • y and beſeech thee to pardon me, and vouchſafe to circumvent me with thy grace. Which lawfull form of converſion, the heavenly Phyſitian allowing and receiving, he anſwereth, This day is ſalvation come unto tby houſe. For the Sonne of Man came to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt. And this is the true repentance and converſion by faith which God worketh, therefore is the beginning, middle, and ending; ſo that no other thing is required of us, then a will not to reſiſt the will of God, or voluntarily not reſiſt the holy Ghoſt, after the manner of the contumacious Jewes, of which mention is made, Acts 17. and 13. wee read of thoſe whom Saint Paul reproacheth in this manner, It behoveth us firſt to ſpeak unto you the Word of God: but becauſe you reject it, and judge your ſelves unworthy of eternall life; behold, we turn us unto the Gentiles. It is our part therefore after the manner of ſick folks, to take the counſel of the Phyſitians, and to obey their Precepts; and as he in the beginning The proceſſe of ſpirituall cure. of the diſeaſe doth ſignifie the pains to the Patient, ſo God la • eth open our ſinnes, as he doth to the ſick, and gently admoniſheth us what things are to be avoided, that his medicines may exerciſe their full ſtrength: ſo God doth ſhew us what is to bee declined, or avoided, leſt the medicine of his moſt pretious bloud bee made void, and work nothing at all. Moreover, ſo ſoon as a man by the grace of the holy Ghoſt, doth forbeare to ſinne, here upon A man of himſelf can neither think nor doe any good. truly the grace divine doth begin in him to work new gifts, which before and without this would make no beginning, nor was ſufficient by himſelfe to think any good thought, much leſſe to doe any good but from thence forth the good that is in us, is not ours, but cometh of divine grace, (according to that of Saint Paul, Rom. 12. I ſpeak by the grace that is given me. And 1 Corinth. 15. By the grace of God I am that I am) and to us grace is freely imputed, with the whole merit and the obedience of Imputation to whom it belongeth Chriſt, no otherwiſe then if it were our own, ſo we bee penitent. Neither doth imputation, leſt we erre, belong to the wicked, and the contemners of the word of God; neither doth Chriſt work but in the penitent. And even as a Schoolmaſter leading the hand of a child that he learnes to write, and then praiſeth his writing; ſo God which in us doth work crowns and commends thoſe things. Without me, ſaith Chriſt, you can doe nothing that is good; and we are apt by nature without him to doe the things that are evill; and this onely is proper to us: But that which is good is meer grace, neither hath fleſh any thing whereon to boaſt. Therefore happy are you, O mortals, if you give your minds to forbear ſinning, and to conſent unto God, no otherwiſe then a young Virgin that giveth her promiſe and faith to her Spouſe that embraceth her. And Chriſt truly the Spouſe of our ſoules, goeth about or endeavoureth to manifeſt in us that he is willing, Chriſt worketh the will in us. or doth conſent by calling us ſo courteouſly to him in his Word and our Conſcience, I ſay, by ſeeking us, alluring us, and imbracing us thinking no ſuch thing, as to deſiſt from ſinne, leſt his pretious bloud be ſpilt in vaine for us.

BY this Sentence it appeareth, wee are taught, that no man doth taſte the inward ſweetneſſe of the heavenly joy and ſolace hidden in the word of God, which doth not overcome his own fleſh, and the Who be apt to taſt heavenly ſweetneſſe. world, with all the pomps and concupiſcences thereof, and laſtly, the Devil himſelfe; that is to ſay, they who crucifie their own fleſh daily by their ſerious contrition and repentance, with all the deſires and concupiſcence thereof, who die to themſelves and the world daily; laſtly, to whom this life is a meer croſſe: I ſay, theſe are divinely fed with heavenly Manna, and drink the Nectar of Paradiſe. Contrariwiſe, thoſe that follow none but worldly pleaſure, it is unprofitable for thoſe to taſte the hidden Contraries ioy not together. Manna. For like things are delighted in their like; and ſeeing that the word of God is ſpirituall, it is no marvell if worldly minds be not delighted therewith. For even as the ſoul receiveth no ſtrength of the food which the ſtomack hath not concocted: ſo the ſoule, of the divine Word, or Manna, receiveth no ſtrength, unleſſe it bee converted into it ſelfe, that is, into life. Yea, as a man ſick of a Fever diſtaſteth all things, and are bitter unto him: ſo thoſe that are ſick of the worldly Ague, that is, of the love of the world, covetouſneſſe, pride, and luſt; theſe, I ſay, doe loath the word of God, and diſtaſt it as bitter. Contrariwiſe, With whom the word of God hath no ſavour. thoſe that have the Spirit of God, theſe doe find in it the hidden Manna, never to be taſted by them that are carried away with the world: which is the cauſe that many by the daily hearing of the Goſpel, doe feele little deſire and ſpirituall joy, becauſe they are not carried by the Spirit of God, nor have any heavenly (but earthly) minds. But he that will fully and ſoundly underſtand the word of God, and eate Manna, it behoveth him to ſtudy to conform all his life to it and Chriſt. Which being done, hee feedeth the humble with grace, comforteth the meek, and maketh his yoak pleaſant, and his burden light unto them. For the ſweetneſſe of the heavenly Manna cannot bee taſted but under the yoak of Chriſt; according to that, Hee will fill the hungry with good things, and ſend the rich empty away. The words that I have ſpoken, are ſpirit and life, ſaith Chriſt, John 6. Whereupon it followeth, a voluptuous heart and carnall, that is, a man that hath no ſpirituall underſtanding, cannot poſſibly underſtand thoſe things. For in ſpirit, in reſt, in ſilence, with great humility, & holy and vehement deſire, is the word of God to bee received; which if it be not converted into life, then truly it is no better then the external letter, and a ſound of words. Even as he that heareth the noyſe of a Harp onely, or a Song, and underſtandeth it not, receiveth no pleaſure by it: ſo no man is partaker of the virtue that is in the Word, unleſſe he endeavour to expreſſe it in his life. And this is that which was ſaid before out of John: I will give thee a white ſtone, and in the ſtone a new name written, which no man knoweth, but hee that hath Hee which cleareth to the Lord. it. This is that, I ſay, even a teſtimony of the hidden ſpirit which hee giveth to the word of God, Rom. 8. And in like manner, the Spirit of the Word giveth teſtimony to our ſpirit, whereby both doe conſpire and conſent together, and ſo become one ſpirit, which is that New Name unknown but to A new name. the receiver. For as no man knoweth the ſweetneſſe of hony, but he that taſteth it; ſo the name of the teſtimony divine in the hearts of men, no man knoweth but hee that proveth it. This man onely knoweth the conſolations and divine viſitations, becauſe he perceiveth them: whoſe name is alſo called New, becauſe they are the works and fruits of the new birth. Bleſſed is the man to whom God hath given himſelf to be ſo taſted in his heart! Bleſſed are the Prophets whom from the beginning of the world he hath fed with his bread ſo heavenly, and by the conference of his eternall word: which becauſe it was ſo done unto them, therefore out of ſenſe, feeling, and experience, they have ſpoken of it, and compoſed holy Scripture. And in truth even all this day he ſpeaketh unto all men, and feedeth them inwardly with his word in the ſoule: but almoſt all men have ſhut their eares againſt his voice, and had rather The living word is meat of the ſoul heare the world then God, and be driven by their own concupiſcences, then by the Spirit of God. Whereupon it cometh to paſſe, that they cannot taſt the hidden Manna, ſwallowing up in the mean time both apples of the tree of death, and carnall concupiſcences, contemning the tree of life. Which men are not a little mad, whilſt they can underſtand that God can give greater pleaſures to his lovers then the world: ſo that he that hath once taſted the goodneſſe of God, to him the whole world, with all the pleaſures, they will ſeem The tree of death. to him as meer gall and bitterneſſe. Now ſeeing we know our firſt progenitors were beguiled with the world, and by eating of the forbidden tree have acquired death, yet we are ſo blind and mad, as fed with eternall death of carnall pleaſures ſo dearly bought wee may remember. If any ſhall eat of me, ſaith Chriſt the true tree of life, and true bread of life, he ſhall live for ever, John 6. And what is it to eat of it, but to beleeve in him, in him to joy and take delight; laſtly, to reſt and take pleaſure in him alone? Great therefore, O mortals, is the carnall blindneſſe, to ſerve the world for trifles, vain and fraile things with ſuch affection and deſires, and not to doe the ſame to God, who rewardeth his worſhip and ſervice with eternall things, and farre more noble goods. For who performeth to God ſo much and ſo great faith, obedience, and diligence, as the vulgar we ſee doe perform to Mammon and the World? We ſee them many times for ſmall matters, or a little mony, make journies: and for heavens cauſe it grieveth us to move a foot. Hereupon the holy Prophets reproach Tyre and Sidon with emphaticall upbraids for taking in hand moſt vaſt and ſea journies for the advance of their earthly cauſes, when in the mean time they would not deigne for the ſoveraigne good to change their place. And in our time men of all ſorts and conditions doe prefer the world before God, it is a thing moſt manifeſt. The ſons of the world. Thereupon we ſee many Doctors doe ſtudy day and night to attain to honour in the world, who hardly or not at all wil take ſo much leaſure as ſufficeth to ſay the Lords prayer, if they might attain eternal honours and dignities celeſtial with ſo little labour. Therefore you ſee the ſame men to avoyd no labour in warfare to attaine to fame and honour, and yet will not enter combat with their own vices, although they may attain heavenly nobility thereby. Therefore you ſhall likewiſe ſee that the Lords and Victors of many Nations and vaſt Kingdomes, doe not care for overcoming themſelves: laſtly, that infinite many doe not regard the loſſe of their ſoule and eternall happineſſe, to attaine to fraile and momentany goods. And all theſe have not The true victory. taſted the Hidden Manna of the divine Word, and therefore doe not overcome the world, but are overcome of the world. Which whoſoever dare contemne in reſpect of God, he truly finds the moſt ſweet viſits of the holy Ghoſt, and is filled with the heavenly pleaſure which no man The divine ſweetnes is taſted when the world is deſpiſed knoweth but hee that receiveth it. This therefore is to be done, the tree of life is firſt to bee planted in us, that wee may eat the fruit thereof: and our heart that wiſheth to be recreated with the celeſtiall conſolations, ought firſt to bee converted from the world to God; but wee being made drunk with worldly pleaſures, and bewitched, do not incline our hearts and minds to think that heavenly joyes, and thoſe of God are rather to be wiſhed, then thoſe which the world offereth or affordeth. Although truly that is more true that God offereth and doth, and are more noble then that which the creatures doe bring to paſſe. Wherfore the learning which cometh from above by the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt, True conſolation and wiſdom is of God. is much more excellent then that other which humane underſtanding with great labour doth obtain. For even as an Apple or a Lilly produced by nature, is far more noble and much better then that which a workman maketh of gold, be the gold never ſo fine: ſo one drop of conſolation divine, The venity of worldly ioy. is more noble, and by many, yea infinite parts better then a whole Ocean of wordly pleaſures. Which truly are to bee ſlighted by him that deſireth divine conſolations. Which if any that wil heare me wil lend me his eares, if any wil underſtand me, let him attend what I ſay; finally, if any wil ſee me, it behoveth him to fix How God ſhould bee perceived and taſted. his eyes upon me: Who doubteth that all our hearts and ſenſes ought to be converted to God, if we deſire to ſee, heare, underſtand, taſt and prove him how good he is? according to that of Jeremy, chap. 29. When you ſhall ſeek me with your whole heart, I will be found of you. Many men at this day they term admirable; O! a learned man, a rich, magnifical, wiſeman; but no man regardeth how courteous, humble, patient, and how devout any man is. Of which perverſe Falſe praiſe. judgement there is no other cauſe then that now men doe attend and admire outward things, and in the mean time with blind eyes paſſe by inward things, which are onely worthy to be eſteemed. Therefore he that praiſeth one becauſe he hath beautified many Cities, and far ſituated regions; let him ſee if it were not farre better to have ſeen God. He therefore that ſuſpecteth another becauſe he hath not ſerved one Monarch, I would have him think whether it were not more excellent to have ſerved God lawfully with all his heart. Thoſe that are fatuated with the meer love of the world, doe preferre this our Age, as the only learned and wiſe before all antiquitie: theſe, I ſay, doe not know the Art of Arts, that is, the divine love more noble then all knowledge to be extinct wholly together with the faith, Epheſ. 3. Luke 18. and few to remain divinely learned, Iſai. 5. and that have learned of Chriſt a humble and lowly life, Matthew 11. yea to ſpeake the truth, the moſt learned for the moſt part, are void of divine love, and therefore doe not know at all that the true life is in Chriſt, Epheſ. 4. Theſe therefore doe circumſcribe knowledge in the circle of words, when it is more true, that ſolid learning is a thing and not words, and to conſiſt in eternall and true wiſdome: of which we have ſpoken more at large in the Treatiſe of ancient Philoſophy. But if any ſhall ſay that this our Age is wicked, he truly ſhal ſay that which is agreeable to the truth, and to the word of God. Likewiſe thoſe are ridiculous which praiſe any becauſe hee liveth gorgeouſly and deliciouſly, being unmindfull that the true dainties is the word of God, and the Hidden Manna thereof, and that it containeth in it the incorruptible bread of heaven; and that laſtly, hee doth live delicately in whoſe preſence the Lord The ſolid and only ioy is of God. hath prepared his Table, Pſalm 23. to wit, who ſavoureth the Lord God and his Word, his palat nothing can diſpleaſe; but hee that doth loath it, and is diſpleaſed with it, hee cannot ſoundly and truly rejoyce: for he is the joy exceeding all created joyes, and the eternall light ſurpaſſing all temporal light: who I would to God now at the laſt would fill our hearts with his hidden pleaſure, and purge our ſpirits, illuminate, inlighten, clarifie and quicken them; Would to God, I ſay, that the time would now come, wherein Almighty God by his preſence would fill us with all thoſe things which hee is eſſentially. Of which deſires, although we be not competent, or fit, nor doe joy true joy, having in the mean time ſufficient if wee may but enjoy the crums that fall from thy table, O Lord, till we be tranſlated to the joyes of eternal life. They are the words of our Saviour, Apocalypſe, chap. 3. Behold, I ſtand at the dore, and I knock, if any man heare my voyce, and Chriſt is our banquet open to me, I will enter unto him, and I will ſup with him, and he with me. What prepoſterouſneſſe is it, O mortals, to neglect this and ſo great a banqueter, which hath prepared us a ſupper, who after the manner of a Prince coming to his poor friends houſe, bringeth all his dainty diſhes, and the whole ſupper with him; I ſay, the heavenly Bread, and hidden Manna; is not this a great overſight to let him ſtand waiting at the dore, and not to open readily unto him? I ſay, what incivility is this, not to receive a friend, but not to entertain God himſelf with all diligence & alacrity? Shal I tell you the reaſon why we doe not open the dore? becauſe as in a houſe full of noyſe and clamour, muſick although never worldly things ought to be expelled, that divine things may enter. ſo excellent, cannot bee heard: ſo neither can the voyce of the banquetter enter the eares of a worldly heart, and conſequently, the Celeſtiall Manna cannot bee taſted by him. I think ſo indeed. If therefore the worldly tumults and noyſe in man doe not teaſe and reſt, who wil not doubt that the Lord beating and crying ſhal goe away away unheard, that they with Samuel may Why quietneſſe is required to Gods ſpeech. anſwer, Speak Lord, thy ſervant heareth. Moreover, this internall voyce ſpeaketh in a ſpirituall and heavenly Supper, Heb. chap. 6. Thoſe which have been once lightned, and taſted the heavenly gifts, and have been made The true ſpirit of illumination. partakers of the holy Ghoſt, and alſo have taſted the good word of God, & the virtues of the world to come. By which wee are taught in what man the holy Ghoſt is, neither is his mind hindered from daily feeding of that Manna, hidden in the ſweet and mellifluent divine Word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God, and by which we live. That which the Kingly Prophet David by the holy Ghoſt found in his heart and mind, ſaying, Pſalm 16. Thou wilt fill me with joy of thy countenance, and delight of thy right hand even unto the end. And Pſalm 34. Taſt and ſee, becauſe the Lord is ſweet, bleſſed is the man that putteth his truſt in him. Pſalm 23. The goodnes of God is Nectar and Ambroſia. Thou haſt prepared a table for me in my view, againſt thoſe that trouble me; thou haſt anointed my head with oyle, and my cup being brimfull, how beautiful is it? Pſa. 63. Thy mercy is excellent, farre exceeding above our lives, my lips ſhall praiſe thee, Pſa. 36. Even as thou haſt multiplied thy mercies, O God, the ſons of men ſhall truſt in the ſhadow of thy wings, they ſhall be made drunk with the plenty of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them intoxicated with the torrent of thy pleaſures, becauſe with thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light wee ſhall ſee light. Pſa. 70. They ſhall rejoyce and be glad all which ſeek thee, and they ſhall ſay alwayes, Let the Lord be magnified, which love thy ſalvation. But I am needy and poore, help me, O God, thou art my helper and redeemer, Lord, make no delay. By which, beſide other places, may bee known who thoſe are who are inwardly fed with Gods word, to wit, thoſe that are poor in ſpirit, and in God alone who place their truſt and delight. Thoſe I ſay, are worthy to taſt heavenly gifts, of whom David Whom God feedeth with his eternal word. ſpeaketh, Pſalm 84. How delightfull, O Lord, are the Tabernacles of thy dwellings! my ſoule ſainted and was moved in my inwardneſſe in the entries of the Lord. My heart and my fleſh were exalted in the living God. Whereby one may underſtand that the leaſt pleaſures of eternal life doe farre exceed all the joyes of this preſent world, and that one day there is more excellent then here to live in worldly pleaſure one whole year: which whoſoever hath once made triall of, and found to be ſo, the world bringeth unto him a loathing and tediouſneſſe, and as one accuſtomed to better things can reliſh it no more. Hereto appertaineth that which the eternal Wiſdome ſpeaketh in Ecclus. 24. ſaying, God alone filleth the ſoule. My ſpirit is ſweet above the hony, and my inheritance is above the hony and the hony comb. Who eat mee doe yet hunger; and who drinke me doe yet thirſt. And his hunger & thirſt no creature but God alone can fill wth his love wherewith the Saints are made drunk, according to the Canticle of Canticles, Eate, O friends, drink & he drunk▪ O my deareſt friend • . Therefore Almighty God for that purpoſe doth make ſuch delicacies for his dear The type of eternall life. friends, as being inamored with this bait of delight, they may forget all wordly delight. Now if in this life it be better for us to leave all the pleaſures thereof for a few crums of hidden Manna, and a few drops of Nectar, and of the heavenly Vine, how much more plentiful & abundant ſhall that bee which wee ſhall attain to in the other life? That our Saviour might ſtirre up this thirſt in us, it was expedient he ſhould thirſt upon the Croſſe. For even as he alone can ſtanch our hunger and thirſt; ſo we in like manner can reſtrain his moſt flagrant deſire of loving. He thirſteth after us more vehemently then we thirſt after him, according to that of John, cap. 4. My meat is to doe the will of him that ſent mee, that I may finiſh his work. And what is the wil of God, but that we may attain eternal life? And if we equally thirſt after him as he thirſteth after us, then of a truth ſhould we drink and be intoxicated with his Spirit moſt liberally and ſweetly, ſo that out of our bodies ſhould flow rivers of living water; that is, there ſhould be nothing in us that would not be ſpiritual, amiable, comely; nay, no The greatnes of the humane ſoul, and the humility. otherwiſe then if we were filled as from a torrent of goodneſſe and conſolation divine, in our whole mind and converſation we ſhould rejoyce in God. For nothing is of more account with God then the humane ſoul, or greater, when it conceiveth God, and heaven and earth, by way of enjoyment freely: and nothing leſſe then it when it humbleth it ſelf before God, and • aſteth it ſelfe below all creatures.