MEDITATION I. Meditations and confes­sions of mans sinfull wayes.

O Blessed God, when I con­sider with my self, how I have spent my time, nay rather mis spent it, I trem­ble; for when I should have [Page 2] served thee, my God, I ser­ved mine owne lusts and e­vill affections; I walked too often in the vanity of mine owne wayes, and hearkened not to thy will and Com­mandements, which should have been as a lanthorn and light to guide mee in those darker pathes. It hath been mine unhappy errour to minde more the things of the world, then the things which concerne thee. I confesse, O Lord, that I have offended thee in all my wayes, both in thought, word and deed, and have served the creature, more then the Creator. But, O [Page 3] Lord, I humbly beg par­don of thee who art the God of mercy: Pardon therfore my misdeeds, I be­seech thee, and cast not a­way thy servant in displea­sure. O Lord, I come unto thee upon the bended knees of my heart, and cry with the Publican, Lord be mer­cifull unto me a sinner: for I know, O Lord, thou de­lightest not in the death of a sinner, but that he should repent and be saved. Save me therefore, O Lord, and make my wayes so direct for the time to come, that I may keepe thy commande­ments, and that I may doe [Page 4] nothing but that which is acceptable in thy sight: make me humble, for thou standest afarre off from the proud: make both my soul and body as they ought to be, a fit Temple for the Ho­ly Ghost, out of which, do thou, O Christ, drive away all worldly thoughts and vaine imaginations, chase buiers and sellers of my hea­venly treasure, and make me meditate on things a­bove. Clense me, O Lord, from all filthinesse of sinne and evill concupiscence, and grant that for the time to come, I may serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse [Page 5] all the dayes of my life; that when death shall ceaze on my body, my soule may without fear rejoyce, & long to be with thee my Saviour and Redeemer, there to en­joy that happines and blisse, which thou hast prepared for them that love thee.

MEDITAT. II. Meditations of a penitent sinner, hoping for par­don through the me­rits of Christ.

O Lord, how are my daies wasted and come to an [Page 6] end, even as a dreame that is told; how doe my nights passe away and are not to be recall'd againe? and how doe I forget what I have done against thee, my God? the sinnes, alas, that I have committed are as innume­rable as the sand on the sea shore, not to be numbred by any but thy justice: and what account shall I make to thee, O Lord, when this tabernacle of mine shall bee dissolved, and my soule ap­peare before thy Majesty at the last and dreadfull day of judgement? where all that I have done shall be laid o­pen, and shall be as so many [Page 7] witnesses against me, and I not able to answer one of a thousand: what shall I doe, Lord, or whither shall I go for succour, no place can hide me from thy presence, for thou fillest all places, and art not excluded from any place; therefore I have no place to flie from thy justice? O Lord, I beseech thee to remember the preti­ous bloud of thy dear Son, which was shed for me, his bloud is a sufficient ransome for the whole world, and for as many worlds as there are people; therefore, O Lord, I will not despaire of a share in my Saviours suf­ferings; [Page 8] he dyed as well for me as for others, and I hope through his merits I shall be saved; therefore I be­seech thee, O my Saviour, answer for me, and plead thou my cause, for in thee alone shall I be reconciled to my God, and shall have forgivenesse of all my sins, be they never so many or grievous: Therefore, O my Soule, be not dismaied, but comfort thy selfe in thy Sa­viour; for in stead of pu­nishment thou shalt have a reward, thy reward shall be a Crowne of everlasting glory, thy reward shall bee the rewarder, even God [Page 9] himselfe; thou shalt see and enjoy him whom none can see and not be blessed: thou shalt see and enjoy the fel­lowship of all the blessed Apostles, the holy Angels and Saints of God, and shalt sing Hallelujahs and prayses to the heavenly King, for ever and ever.

MEDITAT. III. Meditations of the won­derfull goodnesse and love of God to mankinde.

O God, how wonderfull art thou in thy works; in [Page 10] wisdome hast thou made them all, the Earth is full of thy riches, and so is the great and wide Sea also: this was thy great care and providence to mankinde, that before the creation of man, thou createdst all things for his use, before thou sentest him into the world, to the end he might not perish, but be relieved with all things necessary, convenient and delightfull for him. O God, when I see the fields cloathed with corne, it makes my heart rejoyce with an exceeding great joy, and when I think thereupon, I consider with [Page 11] my selfe, it was thy provi­dence that provided that for me, which without I could not subsist: And when I see the ground bedecked with grapes, the green mea­dows with pasture, the mul­titude of woods abounding with trees, both for timber, fuell, and thousands of o­ther uses; as also the varie­ties of fruit trees in abun­dance; the rare mineralls which spring from the bo­wels of the earth, affording infinite wealth. I cannot but admire to see the multi­tude of cattle, both for food, cloathing, and many other accommodations; the [Page 12] infinite store of fowle of all kindes, the sweet flowers in abundance; and the innu­merable sorts of vegetables, all profitable and delight­full. I cannot but wonder at the great Ocean, and the innumerable varieties of fish, besides the great com­modity wee enjoy by the shipping, voyaging to all parts of the world for com­modities, both for profit and pleasure. When I con­sider the firmament, how thou hast bespangled it with those glorious crea­tures, the Sunne, Moon and Starres, and all for the use of man, to give light both [Page 13] by day and by night; but a­bove all, that thou hast gi­ven thy only begotten Son to dye for us; this is love be­yond all the love that ever was, these things transport me into an admiration, and compell me to praise and to love thee, O my God, with an exceeding great love: who is he, or what is he that will not praise thee, O Lord, for these thy un­speakable mercies to man­kinde? O grant that I may no longer live, then I love thee! O God, I will love thee, I will blesse thee, I will magnifie thee so long as I have any being!

MEDITAT. IV. Meditations of the love and sufferings of our Saviour Christ for mankinde.

O Sweet Saviour, what hast thou suffered for my sake, and what have I done to deserve thy suffe­rings? alas, my sinne was the cause of thy sufferings; yet had'st thou not suffered for my sinne, I had utterly perished, and been out of all possibility of being saved. I was guilty of sinne, but thou knewest no sinne, nei­ther [Page 15] was there guile found in thy mouth: and what shal I render to thee, my Sa­viour, for thy unspeakable love towards me! all I have is thine, and therefore I have nothing to give thee, or make any satisfaction to thee for thy love. O Saviour! thou hast given me a tongue and understanding to the end I should praise thee, therefore I offer unto thee my Redeemer, the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, exrolling thy infinite mercy and clemency to thy poore creature. Thou, O sweet Saviour, wast naked, and I cloathed, thou my Redee­mer [Page 16] wast hungry, and I sa­tisfied with bread; thou wast scourged and buffeted, and I at ease feeling no pain; thou wast spit on and rail'd on among thine enemies, and I in rest and quiet a­mong my friends; thou wast in prison, and I at li­berty; thou sufferest storms and tempest at Sea, and I being upon drie land, was safe upon my pillow; thou wast crucified upon the crosse for my sake, and suf­fered'st death for me. O unspeakable love, for ever to be had in remembrance: never can I sufficiently ma­gnifie thy wonderfull mer­cie, [Page 17] patience and long suffe­ring.

O Saviour! give mee a heart that may alwayes bee mindfull of these thy won­derfull kindnesses and un­parallel'd sufferings, and that I may endeavour by all meanes possible, to love thee, and to dye for thee, as thou dyedst for me: make me seriously to ponder and thinke of thee continually, and that my soule may so desire thee, that it may ne­ver be at rest till it enjoyes thee.

MEDITAT. V. Meditations of Gods pre­servation of man.

I Confesse, O God, thou preservest me, yea when I thinke not of thy provi­dence, it is my dull sottish­nesse and ingratitude that makes me thus forget my God: How oft have I been in dangers both by sea and land, ready to perish, and yet it was thou alone that preservedst me, and I knew it not, because I re­membred not thee, O God, as I ought to have done? [Page 19] Thou hast preserved mee from the venome of false tongues, and I on a sudden forgat it: I might have pe­rished oft in my going a­broad and comming home, but it was thy mercy that preserved me: I might have miscarried in my very meat and drinke, but for thy pro­vidence: thou hast preserved me from theeves and mur­derers, who would have confounded me: but above all, thou hast preserved mee from that roaring Lion, who still seekes to devoure me, and from those that lye in wait to catch my soule. O Lord, how shall I extoll [Page 20] thy mercy sufficiently for these unexpresseable fa­vours to me, wretched man that I am: thy love is won­derfull to me, and farre be it from me to thinke that I merit any thing from thee, O God: O Lord, make me, I beseech thee, to thinke on thee continually, and to me­ditate on thee day & night, alway expressing my thank­fulnesse to thee for these thy marvellous preservations: make me to praise thee, and to love thee with an excee­ding great love: knit my heart to thee, that I may feare thee and keepe thy commandements: O let me [Page 21] doe nothing that may of­fend thee, lest thou draw thy care and providence from me; for if thou, O Lord, shouldest leave me to my selfe, I were utterly lost, and deprived of all help and comfort: I could bee no where safe, because of mine enemies which are mighty and strong, who leek to de­stroy both body and soule: leave me not therefore O my God, but hold thy hand of providence over me con­tinually: watch over my wayes and suffer not the e­nemy to have any advan­tage over me, hide me un­der the shadow of thy [Page 22] wings, and preserve both my body and soule, so shall I be safe from mine enemies.

MEDITAT. VI. Meditations of the mise­ries and calamities of the time.

O God, how happy were we, when we enjoyed that great blessing of peace and tranquility? how were we both a mirror and a ter­ror to all the eyes of the Christian world? how did our corne spring up with encrease of an hundred [Page 23] fold, so that the people did rejoyce and sing? how fruit­full was our Land with all manner of graine? how full of all creatures fit for the use of man? yea how did we abound in all things, so that we were able to live of our selves without the suc­cours of any other Nation? what a sweet harmony and agreement was there among our selves, which made our enemies stand amazed at our felicity, when they themselves enjoyed none of these blessings? O God, how comes this change, and unexpected misery upon us that now we are in? Sure­ly [Page 24] we did not value that blessing of peace, as wee ought to have done; surely it is our sinne and ingrati­tude that hath drawne thy vengeance upon us: what a sight is it to see the father shedding the bloud of the sonne, and the sonne the fa­ther? brother against bro­ther; kinsman against kins­man; one neighbour cut­ting the throat of another, and all the whole King­dome divided and plunged into a world of miseries: how doe our fields lye bar­ren for want of tillage, our p [...]stures trodden and spoy­led with armies, our woods [Page 25] cut downe, as if it were in­tended no more should grow in our Land? How are our Cattle driven in flockes and heardes from place to place, and devou­red by the enemy, so that a famine must needes ensue? How are the poore people driven from their habitati­ons, for the preservation of their lives, being bereft of house, goods and land, as if they had no right to those possessions their Ancestors left them? How are whole Townes burned without ei­ther pity or mercy? How many thousands suffer for want of their means, which [Page 26] heeretofore they received at pleasure? O God! make us to prize that blessing of peace heereafter, at a higher rate, and give us thankefull hearts for all our enjoy­ments. Cleanse the Land from sinne, and turne away thy wrath from us. Helpe us, O God of our salvation! for the glory of thy name: O deliver us and be merci­full unto our sinnes▪ for thy names sake: so wee that are thy people, and sheepe of thy pasture, will give thee thankes for ever and ever.

MEDITAT. VII. A Prayer upon the same subject.

O Most glorious Lord God! creator both of Heaven and Earth, and of all things contayned there­in; Father of our Lord Je­sus Christ, and Judge of all the World: We miserable sinners acknowledge that we are a sinfull people, la­den with sinnes and iniqui­ties, we have deserved thy wrath and indignation, and these heavy judgements which are now inflicted up­on [Page 28] us, are deservedly befal­len us: there is no goodnes in us, but we are filled with filthy corruption and sinne: there is no whole part in us, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, all are corrupted, sinfull, and abominable: we have wal­ked in the vanity of our owne desires and evill con­cupiscence, wee have not hearkened to thy will and commandements, but have gone astray after our owne wayes and sinfull lusts: we confesse, O Lord! that we have broken all thy com­mandements, and have of­fended thee continually, [Page 29] both in thought, word, and deed. Our desires and thoughts have beene more bent to the world, then to heaven & heavenly things. O God! we cannot but ad­mire thy patience and long suffering, for it had been just with thee to have cut us off long agoe, and that wee should have perished in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for ever. What shall wee render to thee, O Lord, for thy un­speakable mercies? Wee will take the cup of salvati­on, and call upon the Name of the Lord. O Lord, we beseech thee to make our [Page 30] wayes so direct for the time to come, that we may keep thy commandements: bri­dle our wills, tame our un­ruly affections, and suffer them not to stray so farre from thee. Fasten and im­print thy Laws in our hearts that we may feare thee, love thee, and obey thee in all things, and that our study may be to serve thee as thou hast appointed: take away our stony hearts, and give us hearts of flesh. Lord give us faith, hope, and charity, for without these graces, we shall never see thy face. Purge away all evill from us, and give us to serve thee [Page 31] in holinesse and righteous­nesse all the dayes of our life. Give us peace in our time, O Lord, but especi­ally the peace of consci­ence: O Lord, unite the hearts of King and People together, that righteousnes and peace may kisse each o­ther: and we beseech thee, O God, out of thy bowels of compassion, to suffer no more bloud to bee shed in our land, and that wee may heare the voice of joy and gladnesse in our dwellings. Grant this, O Lord, and all other things needefull for us, even for thy deare Sons sake, JESUS CHRIST [Page 32] our Lord and blessed Savi­our. Amen.

MEDITAT. VIII. Meditations of Gods great love and mercy to his servant.

O God, how am I bound to thee for thy unspea­kable mercies towards mee, wretched sinner: how can I forget thy exceeding love to me, that hast given mee my limbs, my eye sight, and my senses, when many o­thers want all these, who [Page 33] deserve as well as I. Doe I not see, as I passe in the street, one poore man want armes, another legges, one wanting eye sight, another being dumbe, some bowed together, others distracted wanting all maner of sense, some their bodies festred and ready to perish for want of succour. Thou, O God, couldst have done the like to me, sure I am, I deserved no lesse punishment then they. Lord, let me live no longer then I shall praise thee for giving me al things these poore soules want and stand in need of. O let me extoll thy name for ever, [Page 34] and let mee not forget to shew forth thy praise: let me be telling of thy kindnesse to them that feare thee, and let my soule rejoyce in thee that hast done such great things for me. For what am I, O Lord, that thou shoul­dest esteeme me more then they; perhaps I have deser­ved greater punishments, and yet thou sparest me and afflictest them; sure I am, my sinnes have deserved as great punishments as thou hast layd upon them: Lord! I feare that thou hast grea­ter punishments in store for me, unlesse I repent and be­come a new creature: Lord [Page 35] give mee grace that I may timely repent, lest thou af­flict my body heere in this valley of teares, and utterly confound my soule in Hell for ever. Make me, O Lord, to watch over my wayes, and to walke in that way thou hast appointed: let me meditate upon thy Lawes and commandements, o let me not goe wrong for feare of thy Judgements: let me love thee, feare thee, and obey thee in all things; so shall I be happy, and enjoy that happinesse which thou hast prepared for all those that love thee.

MEDITAT. IX. Meditations of the judge­ments and afflictions that attend people in this world for sin.

WHen I consider with my selfe, the wants, accidents, and afflictions, which attend people in this world, it amazes me; when I see great men with their stately Palaces, flowing and abounding in great riches and possessions, both for profit and pleasure, and on [Page 37] a sudden they fall and come to nothing; nay, many times are they constrayned to bee beholding to inferiour men for releefe: Surely, these sudden chastisements come from thee, O God; surely, thou didst it to bring them home to thee; thou afflict­est the body to save the soule. I have seene many of all sorts live in great prospe­rity, dreaming that time would last ever, and yet have I seene them come to want, being in a most mise­rable condition: I my selfe have had a share of these sufferings, but not accord­ing to my deservings: for, [Page 38] Lord, if thou shouldst mark what were done amisse, who were able to abide it? Therefore I acknowledge, O Lord, thou hast been ve­ry favourable unto me; for in judgement thou hast re­membred mercy: therefore will I prayse thy Name, and render thee thanks even for ever and ever. O LORD, what need I care how or what my body suffereth, so thou save my soule: these meats, drinkes, clothing, ri­ches, and honour, they are but transitory things; for when the breath of man is gone, all these things vanish away: but it is the immor­tall [Page 39] soule that I esteeme and preferre before all things of this world. Lord, though my body want bread, feede thou my soule with the bread of life: if my body want cloathing, cloath thou my soule with thy righte­ousnesse; if all the riches, profits and pleasures of this world fayle me, let mee en­joy thee, and I shall want nothing; let me have thee, and I have all things; if I want thee, I want all things. Thou, O God, art my life, my health, my riches, my pleasure, my food, my ray­ment, my delight, the joy of my heart, and the foun­tayn [Page 40] of all happines. Thou, O God, takest care of spar­rowes, and feedest yong ra­vens that call upon thee: how much more for us Christians, who are made in the image of thee, O God? Lord, I beseech thee, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed mee with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say who is the Lord? or lest I be poore, and steale, and take the Name of my God in vaine, Prov. 30. Give me what thou wilt, doe with me as thou wilt, and in all things dispose of me accor­ding to thy good pleasure. [Page 41] Lord, I submit my selfe to thee, humbly desiring thee to take me into thy gracious protection, not only for this day, but for ever.

MEDITAT. X. Meditations of the mise­ry of Man, from his Infancy, to his old Age.

O God, I cannot but con­sider how miserable Man is from his infancy to his grave. What a poor sil­ly creature it is, being new­ly [Page 42] sprung from the wombe of the mother, what danger was there in his very en­trance into the world, when oftentimes it costs the life of the mother, the child, or both? be it so that hee live, it is not able to help it selfe, either to food or cloathing, wanting both witte and strength, being in a farre worse condition then the beasts of the field, for they bring their clothing with them into the world, and naturally can and doe apply themselves to the Tett that yeeldes them nourishment. How is this poor infant nur­sed and brought up with [Page 43] much [...]endernes, care, trou­ble and charge to the Pa­rents, and let them doe all they can, now when they have done their uttermost, no sooner is it able to goe, but it is attended with many hard accidents. Sometimes it falls into the fire, some times into the water, as if, poore thing, it were possest with the spirit of mischāce. Sometimes it falls downe the staires to the ground, and then againe into a pit below the ground, and ma­ny such like accidents it is obnoxious to. Now mee thinks it is a wonder that it lives and comes to speake, [Page 44] and when it hath gotten the tongue, how perversly doth it prattle, how hardly is it brought to schoole to learn to know it selfe, leave it but to its owne bent, and it will neither bee serviceable to God nor man. Now when it is got up to what wee call man, how wild and like an untamed beast is he, though all are not such, wee must confes that many are? what dangers and troubles doe they fall into, and tis almost a miracle they come to old age? for some are drowned in the sea or land waters, some are kill'd in duels, some in the warres, & some [Page 45] are put to death for heino us crimes, some by their lewd courses come to meere beg­gery, and are in a manner lost. And if it happen a man comes to old age, his mise­ries are intolerable, having little or no joy of himselfe. How are the eyes dim'd, which deprives him of the comfort of all holy Books? How doe his senses fayle him, rendring him unca­pable of knowing or doing any thing as formerly: how feeble are his limbes, being not able to goe without the helpe of a staffe or man? what a multitude of disea­ses attend him, as the stone, [Page 46] gowt, palsey, and many o­ther; so that being bereft of his senses, he hath small comfort but what he enjoys in his soule? Now, O mi­serable man, what encou­ragement hast thou to live in this world, or to set thy heart upon it? thou seest thy whole age is nothing but labour and sorrow, thy comforts are few, thy sor­rowes many and grievous: therefore looke to it, thou yong man, and remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, whil'st thou hast strength and use of thy sen­ses, for in age it may be too late: serve thy God alwaies, [Page 47] and pray to him for grace, and then thou needest not feare old age, nor any thing that doeth accompany it; thou needst not feare death nor Hell, but shalt be happy heere on earth, and shalt re­ceive thy reward heereaf­ter in the kingdome of Hea­ven.

MEDITAT. XI. Meditations on the ill life and actions of man.

NOw, good God! how circumspect ought we to bee of [Page 48] our actions in this life, kno­wing that we must one day give an account for all the sinnes that ever wee com­mitted? And if men would lay these things to heart, surely there would not bee so much wickednesse in the world. But, O the blind­nesse of this world, how many live and spend their time, as if there were ney­ther a heaven to enjoy, nor a hell to suffer? what blood­sheds are committed for a trifle, nay even for a rash word, men are ready to murder one another? How oft doe men robbe on the high way, and break houses [Page 49] for a small gaine oftentimes, ventring both soule and bo­dy in these unhumane acti­ons; yea many times doing these wicked actions for their meere recreation, and thus sport away their souls. How many are there that commit whoredome, adul­tery, and many such like crimes, even with greedi­nesse? How doth this Land flow with excesse of drun­kennesse and glutony, vaine swearing, covetousnesse, despising the holy Scrip­ture, and prophaning the Lords day? What perju­ries, lying, cousening, back­biting and slandering one a­nother? [Page 50] What revenge, what envy, hatred, malice, and all manner of unchari­tablenesse is there amongst us, committing all sinnes that can be imagined? How doe men set their hearts up­on the world and worldly things, which profit no­thing, and neglect the weighty matters that con­cerne salvation? How wil­lingly are they led away to serve the world, the flesh and the Divell, making vain pleasures and profits of this world their sole delight? O God, how foolish and be­sotted is vaine man, to ne­glect thee, thy service, and [Page 51] his soules good? Consider, O man, if thy soule were in hel, what wouldest thou not give or doe to be redeemed out of those scorching flames, where the worme dieth not, neither is the fire quenched, and where thy torment shall be everlasting. Wouldest thou not give a world, nay a thousand worlds to be eased of those paines? wouldest thou not cast off all those sinnes be­fore mentioned, and strive to serve thy God with all thy heart; yes surely thou wouldest, but then it will be too late: for what can buy thee from thence, when [Page 52] thou hast lost Christ, that price of thy redemption? Therefore endeavour, O man, before it be too late, to make thy calling and electi­on sure, so shalt thou bee happy both here, and eter­nally blest hereafter.

MEDITAT. XII. Meditations of the ingra­titude of friends.

VVHat cause hast thou to build upon the friendship or favour of man; I confesse when they see thee in prosperity, wanting [Page 53] nothing, then they will bee ready to offer their service, and thou shalt have all the friendship and favour they can doe thee? I can com­pare this friendship to no fitter thing, then the casting of water into the Sea that needs it not; but give me that man who will relieve thee in thy poverty, yea when all friends and ac­quaintance forsake thee, one dram of that mans friend­ship is worth a thousand of those friends. But when I consider that man that hath been beneficiall to others, nay hath been secondarily the cause of all they have, [Page 54] and those friends to cast him off in his poverty, and prove worse to him then strangers, nay oftentimes become his enemies: O God, what in­gratitude is this? Surely these people have neither charity, humanity, nor any brotherly affection, and are farre worse in their nature then brute beasts, for they helpe and succour one ano­ther at all times. O God, let me cleave only to thee and thy providence, and then I am sure to have a friend at all times, I need not feare poverty, nor in­gratitude of friends; if I de­pend upon thee, I am sure [Page 55] to want nothing, I shall have riches, friends, peace, plenty, and joy in the Holy Ghost, I shall have all contentment that can be imagined. I be­seech thee, O Lord, to mold and fashion mee as thou wouldest have mee to bee, then shall I in prosperity re­member that all I have comes from thee, O God, and shall alway be mindfull to give thee thanks for those blessings I enjoy: And in adversity I shall humble my selfe under the mighty hand of thee, O God, and shall acknowledge that my sins have justly deserved those sufferings, and shall patient­ly [Page 56] wait upon thee, O Lord, untill thou have mercy, ca­sting all my care upon thee, who abundantly providest for all those that put their trust in thee.

MEDITAT. XIII. Meditations of the va­nity of Pride.

O God, when I consider what man is in himself, what a poore fraile, weake and miserable creature hee is, not able so much as to thinke one good thought of himselfe, much lesse to [Page 57] do any thing that is good, it makes me wonder how hee can be proud, or what hee should bee proud of: Is it thy cloaths thou vaine man that puffe thee up to pride? thou hast little or no cause for that, for thou art behol­ding to the wormes and beasts of the field for them, they are but the rags they cast off, therefore thou hast no cause to bee proud of them. Is it thy learning, knowledge, wit and memo­ry, or any other endow­ment? Surely thou mayest not be prond of these; for what hast thou that thou hast not received? if thou [Page 58] hast received those things from God, why dost thou boast? Is it thy riches, store of bags and great po­sessions, thy honour, beauty or person? Alas poor man! deceive not thy selfe, for those things cannot last long, this night thy soule may bee taken from thee; and what art thou the bet­ter for those things which of necessity thou must leave behinde thee, nay rather how much worse art thou by the possession of those things which thou hast im­ployed to thy owne de­struction? Now mayest thou clearly know and un­derstand [Page 59] that thou hast no cause to be thus exalted, and the Scripture saith, That the beginning of Pride is, when a man departeth from God; if it be so, what a miserable case art thou in? for surely if thou leavest God, he will leave thee; and if he leave thee, what joy or comfort canst thou have in thy garments, wit or lear­ning, or in thy riches, ho­nour or beauty, or in any o­ther thing? nay what dis­comforts shall attend thee, when thou pondrest with thy selfe that thou art a lost man, and hast forsaken thy God, who is the fountaine [Page 60] of riches, honour, beauty, peace and plenty, and from whom commeth every good and perfect gift? how sad will thy soule be when it is bereft of all heavenly comfort? how fearfull will the very name of death bee unto thee, when thou shalt consider that thy soule shall after this life remain in hell for ever, being deprived of all hope of comfort, unlesse thou repent? Consider therefore these things thou proud man, and humble thy selfe betimes; cast away all vaine imaginations of Pride, and serve thy God with feare and reverence, [Page 61] with meeknesse and true sorrow for thy sinnes, and then shalt thou bee happy both here and hereafter.

MEDITAT. XIV. Meditations of Summer and Winter.

O God, I cannot but ad­mire the wonderfull goodnesse of thy provi­dence to us miserable sin­ners! what care thou hast, O my God, to provide all things necessary and de­lightfull for us. With what joy doe we welcome Sum­mer [Page 62] after a cold Winter, and certaine it is, we are not able to live without it: doe but see how many thou­sands of acres all growne with corne; see all trees, herbes, flowers, pasture, and all manner of green things, each striving to set forth o­ther; see the birds how sweetly they chirp and wel­come both Spring and Summer with their war­bling notes; see how that glorious lampe the Sunne, cheers all creatures with his bright beams; how tempe­rate and delightfull is the aire, inviting every man to take the benefit of it, in the [Page 63] sweet meadows, bedecked with variety of flowers, the pleasantnesse of this time is such, that a man could wish it would last ever; but on a sudden, after all these comforts, joyes, profits and delights, we forget them and him that sent them; then comes in cold hoary Winter that bereaves us of these delights; see how all things change their hew, how dull and dead doe the trees, meadows, and all o­ther things looke, the dis­comfort is such, that men are unwilling to behold them; how sad and dull are the birds, as if they had [Page 64] lost their quality of warb­ling; how dead and dole­full doth every thing ap­peare to us, how blacke and dungeon-like are the long and cold winter nights? Methinks this sudden altera­tion should put us in minde of our prosperity and adver­sity; how doe men flourish in prosperity, having all things at will? how do they abound in their great posses­sions of lands and houses, having coyne at all times to purchase all the delights the world can afford, and the ingratitude of these men is such, that they for­get him that gave it them; [Page 65] then comes in the cold win­ter of adversity that chan­geth their hue, and plun­geth them into a world of dolours and griefs; then how unwilling are they to appeare to the world, hi­ding themselves like an Owle in a bush; how sad and dejected are they for want of those things which heretofore they did abound in? O God, thou in thy wisdome knowest what is fittest for us, wee beseech thee make us in prosperity to remember that all wee have or enjoy, comes from thee, and that we may make a right use of them to thy [Page 66] glory, rendring thee thanks continually for them. And in adversity, order us so, that we may remember and acknowledge that what we suffer is deservedly for our sinne and ingratitude. Lord make us as thou wouldest have us to be, then shall we be happy.

MEDITAT. XV. Meditations of the cove­tous rich-man, and the poor labouring-man.

SEe the difference be­tweene the rich-man and [Page 67] the poor-man: how penuri­ous and griping is the one, being never at rest nor quiet for feare hee shall lose that he hath, or that his plots, bargaining or over-reaching will not take effect. How doth he labour and toyle to increase his wealth, scarce enjoying one good houre? how doth hee impoverish himselfe by his greedy de­sires, depriving himselfe of the benefit of those good things God hath given him, when the other is content with little, being not cer­taine of that little neither, having nothing but what he labours for, and many times [Page 68] failes of that by reason of sicknesse or ill pay-masters; and yet this poore man Ile warrant you enjoyes more happy dayes in one yeare, then the rich-man doth in seven, and sleepes more sounder ten to one then the other. What difference is there in their dyet, the rich-man perhaps hath variety of dainties at his table, and may have them when he will, if covetousnesse hinder not: the poore-man he is sure of nothing, but if any comes its welcome, be it more or lesse; nay if it be but a dish of herbs or roots, he is as well content with it as the [Page 69] rich-man with all his dain­ties. See the difference of their habiliments; the rich-man he is cloathed in pur­ple and fine linnen, when all the pride the poor-man hath, is to cover him­selfe with a homely gar­ment to keepe out the wea­ther, not regarding either fashions or costly rayment. See the difference of their mindes, how proud, scorn­full and above measure ex­alted is this rich-man? how disdainfully doth he looke upon his inferiours, as if they were not worthy to behold his pride? how doth he trample the poor under­foot, [Page 70] and looks as high as if all the world were under his power, when the poor-man, he contents himselfe with his humility and low thoughts, being courteous, loving and kinde to his neighbours, living meekly and in the feare of God. See the difference of their lives, the rich-man his thoughts are most on his lands, goods cattell, tenants, purchasing, and what hee shall eat and drinke, when the poor-man his study is to serve his God and to get his bread by the sweat of his brows, this is all his delight. Now you may see the difference, the [Page 71] rich-man hee spends all or the greatest part of his time in pride, covetousnesse, glut­tony, idlenesse and worldly vanity, the poor-man in his dayly labour and service of God. O rich-man, consi­der that thou hast a soule to save or to damne, therefore spend not thy time so la­vishly and foolishly; let God have a part of it here, lest hee deprive thee of the riches of his heavenly King­dome hereafter. Consider that thy wealth was not gi­ven thee on those termes thou shouldest forget him that gave it to thee: Tell mee what joy canst thou [Page 72] have with all thy riches and possessions when death comes to summon thee to another world, where thou must give an account for all thy actions? will thy ri­ches save thee? no, all the riches and possessions of this world will not keepe thee from that fearfull sentence, Goe ye cursed into everla­sting fire; nay rather will they encrease thy account. Therefore have a care whilest thou hast time to spend it in the service of thy God, remembring that up­on this moment depends eternity.

MEDITAT. XVI. Meditations of the suffe­rings of Gods dear chil­dren in this world, and of the benefit they shall receive thereby.

O God, what need wee care for these light af­flictions here in this world, they cannot last long, and who would not willingly embrace them to purchase a better world, nay to gain the Kingdome of Heaven? [Page 74] Our Blessed Saviour he suf­fered ten thousand times more then any of us; nay he suffered more then we are able to suffer, and are we to good to beare a part? rather let me not live, then to bee such a sonne as the father will not correct. Suppose a man hath a wound in his body, and that wound full of dead flesh, would he not willingly indure to have that dead flesh cut out, ra­ther then to have it gangren and destroy the whole bo­dy? even so is it with the soule, there is a wound in the soule by sinne, and God sends crosses and afflictions [Page 75] to cure the soule: Lord, let my wound smart, rather then my body perish; let my body smart for a little time here, rather then my soule burne for ever in Hell. Holy David said, It was good for him that he was afflicted, for before, he went astray; was it good for him, and is it not good for us? sure none of us are so good as he, for he was a man after Gods owne heart, and knew very well that afflictions were good for him, otherwise he would not have said so; he remem­bred that whom God loves he chastiseth, even every son whom he receiveth; nay [Page 76] they are bastards and not sonnes that will not endure correction. Lord, how did the blessed Apostles and Martyrs suffer, these were sawne asunder, others sto­ned, some whipt and scour­ged, others crucified: their faith was exercised in wat­chings, fastings, shipwracks, imprisonments, being naked and destitute of all com­fort? How were many o­thers of Gods deare chil­dren tormented; Daniel in the Lions den, Ionas in the Whales belly, Sampson a­mong the Philistims, Iere­my in the Dungeon; besides multitudes of others, whose [Page 77] tortures have beene very great? and certainly none of these should have suffe­red thus, had not God loved them, and saw it fit for them; surely hee did it to weane them from the world and worldly things, and that their everlasting happi­nesse in the Kingdome of heaven, might by their pa­tience here bee improved, where is all joy and no sor­row, where is fulnesse of all beatitude. Therefore con­sider, O my soule, and com­fort thy selfe with these Meditations, and feare nei­ther want, imprisonment, nor death, for all these shall [Page 78] work for the better to them that love God.

MEDITAT. XVII. Meditations of the cove­tous desire men have to attain riches.

LOrd, what adoe is there in this world to gaine riches? how doe men la­bour and toyle to get a little muck or dirt, they think no­thing too much, no time so well spent in any thing as in the purchase of this unrigh­teous mammon, when God [Page 79] knows whether they shall live to enjoy it one houre? How vigilant and carefull are they to rise early, and sit up late, scarce enjoying one good houre in all their life time? Nay, many men there are, and God knowes too many that scarce make any conscience how they come by their wealth; they will cousen their friend, their kins-man; nay their owne father if it lye in their way, and will venter both soule and body rather then faile of their desires. What delight doe they take in the sight of their musty bags? and what pleasure have [Page 80] they [...] their gold, no mu­sicke in the world is so de­lightfull to them, as the chinking of this fine dirt? But what, saith our Saviour, Where your treasure is, there are your hearts also? and againe, How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven, it is easier for a Camell to go through a needles eye, then for a rich man to come there? if it be so, have a care thou worldling that thou art not snatched away from thy riches before thou hast made thy peace with thy God. Set not thy heart too much upon those things [Page 81] thou canst not keep, and re­member that God sent thee not into the world to serve only thy selfe and thy co­vetous desires, but to doe him service, and to lay up treasure in Heaven for thy soules good. I dislike not an honest and lawfull gain, and true it is, that it is a glo­ry to a Nation to bee rich, they may doe much good with it both to King and Kingdome; they may build Hospitalls, Schooles and Almes-houses, they may erect houses to set the poore on worke, they may relieve the widow, the fatherlesse, and all that stand in need. If [Page 82] they imploy it thus, they doe well, but let them have a care they get their wealth honestly and conscionably, otherwise all this will doe them no good. Therefore be sure thou covetous man, to preferre God and his ser­vice in the first place, for otherwise, thou robbest him of his honour, and en­dangerest thine owne soul which Christ died for.

MEDITAT. XVIII. Meditations of the feare of death.

O God! with what dread do men expect death? how loath are they to quit this their earthly Taberna­cle? Methinkes it is an ill signe, either that they have not lived so well as they should have done, or they love the world too well, to part with it. For mine owne part, I see nothing in the world that should so in­vite mee to imbrace it; I meet with nothing but care, [Page 84] trouble, vexations, sorrow and a world of miseries. O God, I certainly know that the thing I most delight in, I am weary of on a suddain, and I find it a burden to me. Perhaps some will say, I have riches in abundance, so that I can purchase all the delights the world can af­ford. But what saith Solo­mon, that exceeded all the world in wisdome, riches, honour, and all delights whatsoever, All is vanity, saith he, and vexation of spi­rit. Suppose thou dost enjoy all these things, they cannot last long, they are but mo­ment any, either they are ta­ken [Page 85] from thee, or thou from them; for David saith, Thine age is but a span long, there­fore thou canst not possesse them long: It may be this day thy soule shall be taken from thee, nay perhaps this night, it may bee this very houre; therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest bee unwilling to part with that, which thou art not sure of one houre: and if thou hast lived well, surely the very thought of death will be a great comfort to thee, and death it self a welcome guest: For certainly all the life of man is but labour and sorrow, and where a [Page 86] man enjoyes one comfort, he hath a thousand discom­forts for it, and there is no true comfort nor perfection in this world. Consider therefore that thy dayes are few, and thy griefes many; wherefore then wouldest thou live? O God! who would not exchange a mi­serable & wretched world, for a heavenly Kingdome? who would not bee willing to leave the society of wic­ked and ungodly men to enjoy thee? who would not gladly leave his riches, honour, and vaine delights, to enjoy him who is the fountaine of everlasting ri­ches, [Page 87] honour and delight, and to bee among the An­gells and Saints of God, where is all joy and no sor­row, where thou shalt bee satisfied with all things thou desirest, and there shall be no end of thy happines; thou shalt follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, and shalt bee ravished with ex­ceeding great joy, and de­light in him that liveth for evermore.

MEDITAT. XIX. Meditations on the same Subject, with satisfa­ction to him that fears death.

THou, O man, what so­ever thou art that feares to dye! what canst thou say for thy selfe? perhaps thou wilt say thou fearest the pangs of death, or that thou art unwilling to leave thy profits, pleasures, and delights of the world; or it may bee thou art doubtfull whither thy soule shall goe [Page 89] after death. To rhe first I answer, That true it is, the pangs of death are great, but they endure not long; I am perswaded, that there are many torments in this world that are as great, and are of a longer durance: as for example; a fit of the stone, or gout, or the paines of a woman in her travell. These I conceive are no lesse torments, & of longer continuance: and this is cer­taine, that many men dye with lesser pain then any of these inflict, for I have ob­served, they lye quietly, sel­dome or never complai­ning, and so depart without [Page 90] either groane or sigh; if this be true, as I am sure it is, thou hast no cause to fear death. Then thou wilt say, thou art unwilling to leave thy profits, pleasures and delights of the world. Certainly there can bee no profit, pleasure or delight here, that can be compared to those in heaven, where thou shalt have the King­dome of heaven for thy possession, a Crowne of glory for thy reward, with true pleasures and blisse for evermore. The profits of the world are but for a short time, but those are for eternity: and surely if the [Page 91] profits and delights of this world please thee so much, as that thou art unwilling to leave them, without all question those in heaven will much more delight thee, and they must needs be far exceeding these, where God himselfe is in a more speciall manner then upon earth. Perhaps thou wilt say, my soule is safe here, but when it shall depart from my body, I know not whither it goeth. Thou vaine man, how hast thou spent thy time? hast thou served thy God as thou oughtest? hast thou visited the fatherlesse and widow [Page 92] in their afflictions? hast thou kept thy selfe unspot­ted of the world? If thou hast done these things, thy soule shall as surely goe to heaven, even as sure as thy body is here upon earth: for the Scripture saith, He that beleeveth in me, althogh he dye, yet shall he live. And Iob saith, My Redeemer li­veth, and I shall see him with these eyes. O thou vaine man, now hast thou no ex­cuse for thy selfe; thou needst not feare the pangs of death, nor be unwilling to leave the profits and pleasures of the world, nei­ther needs thou doubt whi­ther [Page 93] thy soule goeth, for certainly it shall bee with God for ever in Heaven, where it shall enjoy the so­ciety of all the blessed Saints and Angels, where it shall have riches, honour, peace and plenty, where this soule shall bee ravished in her fruition, which frui­tion like herselfe, shall bee everlasting.

MEDITAT. XX. Meditations of the joyes of Heaven reserved for the godly.

THe joyes that are pre­pared for the Elect, are infinite beyond the capaci­ty of any mortall man to conceive, but so farre as they are revealed in the ho­ly Scripture, I may safely set downe here: First, that as soone as thy soule is de­parted from the body, it goeth to Heaven, where thou shalt see God thy [Page 95] Creator and Protector, the Sonne thy Redeemer and Intercessor, the Holy Ghost thy comforter and directer: where thou shalt see An­gels, Archangels, Vertues, Powers, Principalities, Do­minations, Thrones, Che­rubins and Seraphins: and these are a multitude of the heavenly hoast, who are al­way praysing God. Thou shalt see the Celestiall Ci­tizens arrayed in comely Robes of linnen, pure and white, like their innocency. These are the soules of just and perfect men, which e­ven in the very in stant of departure from this life, are [Page 96] presented by the Angels to their Saviour, and by him adorned with these invalu­able Robes of Righteous­nesse. Here mayest thou see the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins; and besides these, an innu­merable multitude of all Nations, Kindreds, and People, and Tongues, stan­ding before the Throne of God, and before the Lamb, with palmes in their hands, in token of assured victory, and crying with a loud voice, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb: And thou mayest heare all the [Page 97] Angels answering and say­ing, Blessing and glory, and wisdome, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might bee unto God for ever and ever; when God shall wipe away all teares from thine eyes, and there shall bee no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the for­mer things are passed away. Oh God! what soule would not desire to be uncloathed & to be cloathed upon, & to be at rest with thee, & to en­joy all this happines which farre exceeds any happines we can possibly thinke off? Be joyfull and glad, O my [Page 98] soule, for thou hast a King­dome provided for thee, a Crowne of glory, a place where all joy and blisse a­bounds. This world is but dung and drosse in compa­rison of it, therefore mind not the world, nor worldly things; but let thy conver­sation be in Heaven, let thy sole delight be there, think upon it continually, and give thy soule no ease nor rest, till it attaine that eter­nall rest.

MEDITAT. XXI. Meditations of mans vain mispending his time.

HOw comes it to passe that many men set their hearts and sole delight up­on the world and worldly things, neglecting the ser­vice of God and their souls good, spending the greatest part of their time in carking and caring how they shall gaine riches, being never satisfied with that portion of meanes God hath lent [Page 100] them, but coveting for more and more, as if they made this world the end of their happinesse. Others there are that spend most of their time in the pleasures and delights of the world, as if they were sent hither to no other end and pur­pose, but to serve their own vaine wills and filthy de­sires, sporting and deligh­ting themselves in courting of women, in chambring and wantonnesse, in lusts and evill affections, setting their hearts wholly upon the pleasures and delights of the world, and so trifle out their owne time. Su [...]e these [Page 101] men know not what the po­wer of religion is, for if they did, they would consider that this is no abiding place, they must not remaine here long, this is not their home, their home is Heaven. But let me tell this sort of men, they are travellers and pil­grims, and if they loyter and wander out of the way, per­haps they may come short of home. O God, what soul content can these men have when they shall consider seriously how they have spent their time? what ac­count will they make, when thou, O God, shalt reckon with them for all the sinnes [Page 102] that ever they committed? what a sad and dismall day will that be, when they will not be able to answer one of a thousand? how ter­rible will it be to thinke on the torments of Hell, where there is nothing but how­ling and crying, weeping and gnashing of teeth, and where those torments shall be everlasting? how sad will they be to thinke how they have neglected the ser­vice of God and their souls good, in pleasing them­selves with their ungodly vanities? Consider these things in time all yee that forget God, and be sure to [Page 103] spend your time in his ser­vice; casting away all co­vetous desires and worldly vanities, then shall you bee right Pilgrims and Travel­lers indeed, and shall never goe out of your way, your journey shall bee pleasant and delightfull to the end, your home shall be Heaven, and your entertainment shall be riches, honour, de­light, and pleasures for e­vermore: Such as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever hath entred into the heart of man, what God hath prepared for them that love him.

MEDITAT. XXII. Meditations on the sight of a pleasant Garden.

MEE thinkes when I come into a faire and pleasant Garden, and see the infinit varieties of flowers and herbs, I cannot but ad­mire the wonderfull good­nesse of God, his power, wisdome, and love to man­kinde! I cannot but consi­der that these things had ne­ver been but for the bounti­full providence of the Al­mighty, intending the good of his creature man. How [Page 105] pleasant and delightfull are these flowers to the eye, we see various sorts of them, yet not one like the other? See the rarenesse of their dresse, the beauteous variety of their colours, how richly they are set forth and sha­dowed, no Painter in the world is able to come neare them for excellency, Art is but Natures ape: doe but pluck them and make them into a Nose-gay, and you shall see a most glorious shew, and the scent of them will infinitly delight you. See the different sorts of herbs, they are all greene, and yet if you view them [Page 106] well you shall find them all differ both in colour and fashion. How pleasant and delightfull are they to the eye and scent; nay, that is not all, they are usefull to some for food, others for physick, and many for green wounds and bruises: nay the natures and uses of them all, are not knowne to the rarest and most learned Herballist or Physitian in the world; certainly none ever knew them rightly but King Solomon. See the good­nesse of God to his people, how he doth not only pro­vide cloathing, food, and such necessaries, but sends [Page 107] things delightfull, medici­nall and healing too. My thinks this Garden puts me in minde of that heavenly Garden of Gods Word, you may see there varieties of comfortable flowers, both for soule and body, and for all necessities. There you may see comfort for the afflicted, whether in body or minde. You may see Gods providence and power, delivering his peo­ple out of prison, out of the fire, out of the Denne of Lions, out of the hands of their enemies, out of shipwracke at Sea. His feeding Elias by a Raven in [Page 108] the wildernesse, and thou­sands of such like preserva­tions and deliverances; you may see and learn wisdom, temperance patience, faith, hope and charity, humility, meeknesse and brotherly kindnesse. Here you may see all sorts of sin, and how to avoid them, and you may see that bitter herb too, cal­led punishmēt due to sinners: also you may see the good lives of Gods children, and the rewards they have in the Kingdome of Heaven. You may see Gods Attributes, his power, wisdome and love to mankind. You may see our Saviours love in his [Page 109] sufferings for man, his mi­racles and wonders, and thousands of other comfor­table flowers. Certaine it is, that no Garden in the world is like this, this is plea­sant and beautifull, it yeelds comfort to all; the happi­nesse of this Nation is such, that they may walke and delight themselves in it at all times, when other Nati­ons are hardly permitted to looke in. Let us then con­sider, admire, love and praise our good God for his infinite mercy to us, in af­fording us that happinesse which no Nation in the world exceeds us in. Let [Page 110] us adore and magnifie his marvellous clemency and goodnesse to us unworthy sinners, let us extoll and land his name, and let us be shewing forth his praise from generation to genera­tion.

MEDITAT. XXIII. A Meditation on Musick, in which as it were by way of digression, the lawfulnesse of that Sci­ence is asserted.

O God! thou great Ar­chitect and composer of all things, though I can­not but wonder at, and ad­mire those rare Arts and Sciences, with the know­ledge of which, thou hast endued the sonnes of men; yet of all, that of Musick, as it most nearly affects my [Page 112] sense, so doth it most high­ly raise my admiration. What a multitude of inven­tions is there in this Sci­ence, that although it hath beene studied by millions of men, for thousands of years, and ever since Iubal (who was the father of all such as did handle the Harp and Organ, as we may see in Genesis, Chap. 4.) yet none could ever attaine to the full scope or perfection of it. Yet thus much I may safely say for the ho­nour of our Nation, that for the generality of Musicke, they have not beene inferi­our to any Nation in the [Page 113] world. And as this Science is none of the meanest, so I am sure it is one of the most difficult; for let a man read the Theory all the dayes of his life, and he shall come short of the Practicke; so let him use only the Practicke, and he will yet be unskilfull for want of the Theory; so that the way to make a Mu­sitian compleat, is to study both. But let us view this Science in some particular branch of it; see but the quality of a singer, let him begin at the age of five or six, and continue untill gray hayres, & he will, I am sure, confesse that hee is not yet [Page 114] perfect in his quality, there is something more for him to do, if he could find what it is, he discovers a want of skill, and will be studying for alteration or addition; now all this while, this is but one part of the Science; neither is it otherwise with Instrumental Practitioners; although they labour either upon the Organ, Virginall, Lute, Violl or Harpe, all their dayes, yet they will finde themselves much be­low that Alt of perfection. Now if it bee thus difficult with vocal and instrumental men, surely it must needs bee far more difficult with [Page 115] composers, who professe the greatest and most excel­lent part of Musick; surely their study and travell must undoubtedly far exceed all others. I could shew you the infinite variety exacted to be in a composer, but I am not now to dispute, but meditate: And for the re­pute of this Noble Science, it hath alwayes beene in highest esteeme among the best and greatest Worthies of the world; for it is well knowne; that divers Kings and Princes, tooke great pleasure, and have arrived to an high pitch of know­ledge in it: for instance, [Page 116] King Henry the eight, who composed a Song of eight parts, a thing worthy his great name: Lewis, the late French King, composed di­vers Songs, and many Prin­ces of Italy have beene ex­cellent in this Science, ha­ving published to the world, divers sets of Songs: famous Queene Elizabeth, of happy memory, was no small Practitioner of this Art. Nor may we without great admiration observe the strange power and effi­cacy of this Science. When David played on his Harp, the evill Spirit liked it so well, he would not stay to [Page 117] heare it, but left Saul, who of a King, was become his subject; and certainly if there bee any that hate the laudable use of this quality, we may suspect, that this e­vill Spirit delights to dwell with them, where hee may not be troubled with it. Nay which is more strange, the Prophet Elisha could not prophesie untill an Instru­ment was brought to him and played on, as you may see in the second of Kings, Chap. 3. But now bring me a minstrell, and it came to passe, when the minstrell play­ed, that the hand of the Lord [...]ame upon him, and hee pr [...] ­phesied. [Page 118] Observe wee the twentieth Chap. of the se­cond Booke of Chron. that when Iehoshaphat had con­sulted with the people, hee appointed Singers unto the Lord, that should praise the beauty of holinesse, as they went out before the Army, and to say, Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever: And when they began to sing, and to praise, then the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Iudah, and they were all smitten, and [...]e es­caped. See the tenth Chap▪ of Samuel, verse 5. After [Page 119] that, thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the Garrison of the Philistines, and it shall come to passe, when thou art come thither to the City, that thou shalt meet a company of Prophets comming downe from the high place, with a Psaltery, and a Tabre [...], and a Pipe, and a Harpe before them, and they shall pro­phesie, and the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesie with them, and shalt be turned in­to another man, and the Spi­rit of God, came upon Saul, and hee prophesied among them. See the first of Chron. Chap. 25. Moreover David [Page 120] and the Captaines of the host, separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Iedutbun, who should prophesie with Harps, with Psalteries, and with Cym­bals. See cap. ib. The six sons of Ieduthun, under the hands of their father Ieduthun, who prophesied with Harps, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord. Now we may plain­ly see, that Kings and Pro­phets went both to prophe­sie, and to battaile with Mu­sicke. And surely Musick was a furtherance to them, otherwise they would not have made use of it. You can hardly meet that holy [Page 121] Musitian David, without either an Instrument in his hand, or a Song in his mouth, with which he play­ed and sung praises to God; as in the second of Samuel, Chap. 6. And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord, on all manner of Instruments made of Fir­wood, even on Harps, Psal­teries, Timbrels, Cornets, and cymbals. Surely had not Mu­sick beene pleasing to God, David durst not have plaied before him, nay I am con­fident he would not; and if God himselfe delights in this harmony of his crea­tures, shall man whose [Page 122] breath is in his nostrils, dis­pise that which the ever li­ving God seems to delight in. We may observe also, that Musicke was used oft­times, before the Arke of God, and when the Pro­phets prophesied, and usu­ally before a deliverance, and after. And we may read in the first of Chron. the e­steem that David had of Musicke and the Professors of it, for he appointeth Mu­sitians to attend continually on the Arke. And in the the Booke of Psalmes, hee dedicated three and fifty Psalmes to the Chiefe Mu­sitian Ieduthun, to the end, [Page 123] he should compose on them skilfully. And in Nehem. cap. 12. you may take notice, that the Musitians builded them villages round about Ierusalem, that they might be neare the City to praise the Lord. Nor is it unwor­thy our observation, that when God had recovered King Hezekiah of a dange­rous sicknesse neare unto death, adding fifteene yeares to his life, having also mira­culously set the Sunne ten degrees backward for his sake; he exprest his thank­fulnesse to God, in this Song of his: The Lord was ready to save me, therefore [Page 124] we will sing my Songs to the stringed instruments, all the dayes of our life, in the house of the Lord. See the 15 Chap. of Exodus, how that after the Children of Israel were delivered out of the hands of Pharaoh and his hoste; Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord: for he hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea, &c. And in the same Chapter, And Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aa­ron, to [...]ke a Timbrel in her hand, and all the women went [Page 125] out after her with Timbrels and with dances. And Mi­riam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath tri­umphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he throwne into the sea. Likewise in the second of Chron. Chap. 15. The people entred into a co­venant to seeke the Lord with all their heart and soule. They sware unto the Lord, with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with Trumpets, and with Cornets. I yet more admire when I read the second of Chron. Chap. 5. The Levites which were the sin­gers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Ieduthun with [Page 126] their sons, and their brethren, being arrayed in white linnen having Cymbals and Psalte­ries, and Harps, stood at the East end of the Altar, and with them an hundred and twenty Priests sounding with Trumpets: And it came to passe, as the Trumpets and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in pray­sing and thanking the Lord: and when they lift up their voyces with the Trumpets and Symbals, and instruments of Musicke, and praysed the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endureth for e­ver: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the [Page 127] house of the Lord. So that the Priests could not stand to minister, by reason of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. You see that God was pleased to grace this facred consort with the glory of his owne presence, whereas had hee beene displeased, they could not expect to have had more then Moses lot, when he saw only the back parts of the Almighty. Nay when we observe the poor Birds, how they delight in chirping and warbling out their notes, expressing their joy at the approach of the Spring, as if God had sent [Page 128] them on purpose to tell us of the good tydings of a Summer neare at hand, we must needs fancy that those pretty creatures by a natu­rall instinct are affected with Musick as being them­selves the Choristers of the aire; and we see that a bird, though prisoner in a close cage, cannot leave his na­ture, but will imitate those sounds which are whistled to him, and had not this bird beene naturally plea­sed with those noats whist­led to him, all the world could never have compel­led him. We see that irra­tionall creatures naturally [Page 129] love and are delighted with Musick, and why should not man, being indued with knowledge and understan­ding farre above all other creatures? True it is, the most commendable end of Musicke is the praise of God; and very meet it is, that Musicke should praise him, whose gift it is. My soule, thou hast discovered the lawfull use and rare ex­cellency of this Science; now a while entertaine thy selfe with its manifold ac­commodations and bene­fits: There is no law to be compared with Love, nor any Art to the Art of Mu­sick; [Page 130] tis a refreshing to the minde oppressed with sor­rowes; the heart quickens the rest of the members, and Musick that heart. It is commendable, I had al­most said necessary for youth, to exercise them­selves in this divine Art, for it fils the mind and affecti­ons with cleane thoughts, and will not leave so much as one corner or cranee for unchaste imaginations; so that the serious Practioners thereof, are I may safely say at that instant of time, not obnoxious to any sinne, ei­ther in thought, word or deed. O my soule, do thou [Page 131] ever love that which does resist sinne, for it must needs bee of God. Now some perhaps will object, that Musick is hurtfull, in re­gard of divers wanton and lascivious ditties? but to this, I deny that the Musick is hurtfull, for take away those ditties, and either sing or play those notes that were composed upon those ditties, and you shall finde nothing but innocency and harmony in them; now the fault is partly in the Poet, and partly in the Musitian; the fault on the Poets part is, that hee contrives such wanton and idle words; and [Page 132] on the Musitians part for composing on them: And I confesse ingeniously, that I could wish there were no roome for them in England; also it is to bee wished that people of all sorts could sing their parts, especially those that have ill ears; for if you please to observe at the singing of Psalmes in the Church, you shall heare such untunable voyces, and such intollerable discords, that no man or woman that hath well tuned voyces, but are exceedingly displeased with it, it being a hindrance to devotion. And the A­postle saith, Let all things be [Page 133] done decently and in order. But sure I am, there is no good soule, but is pleased and delighted with harmo­ny, nay they must needs be so, if they love their owne soule, which it selfe is com­posed of harmony. If all this cannot indeare Musicke to the Reader, rather then hee shall remaine disaffected, wee will fetch arguments from Heaven to perswade him: And without doubt, the glorified soules of Men and Angels, do perpetually rejoyce and sing Halelujaes to God in Heaven, from whence once they brought a consort to this lower [Page 134] world, when that quire sung at the birth of our Blessed Saviour, Glory be to God on high, &c. if then the Angels in Heaven, do seem to exercise themselves in this divine Art, by using this metaphor of Musicke, and musicall instruments; I wonder what is in it which displeaseth? which to make good, see Revelation Chap. 8. And I saw seven Angels, which stood before God, and to them▪ were given seven Trumpets. And in the 14 Chap. And I heard the voyce of Harpers, harping with their Harps. And in the 15 Chap. And I saw as it were [Page 135] a sea of glasse, mingled with fire, and them that had got­ten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his marke, and over the num­ber of his name, stand on the sea of glasse, having the Harps of God; and they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Al­mighty, just and true are thy waies, thou King of Saints. Yet O my soul, though thou lo­vest Musick so well, I wish thou mightest loose the pleasure of all, to heare the blessed harmony of those glorious Instruments, those [Page 136] Harps of God. But of all, this one consideration may warrant this my Meditati­on; that when the exercise of Arts faile, yet in heaven, as long as there is a God to praise, so long there will be Musick, even to eternity: for there it shall not want time to measure it, where infinit­nesse shall be its proportion; and sure if we may admire the similitude and shadow of any thing, then is Musick to be admired, which is no­thing but the shadow and embleme of Paradise, of which it puts us in minde; by which only heaven ex­presseth its triumphs to us [Page 137] mortals, when tis pleased we should know them here, that wee may enjoy them hereafter. And O, that now I could but pierce thorough that glorious be­spangled Canopy! O that I could but heare some soft eccho's only of that celesti­all harmony! O how should I be ravished with the sweet mixture of that heavenly Musicke! O that I could bee wrapt up and for ever dwell there! yea, would I were but a doore keeper in that quire, twere too much happinesse, to beare a part in that celestiall consort; and yet not to desire it, is to lose [Page 138] it. Therefore, O my soul, till thou art fitted for this glo­rious Quire, let the sweetest Musicke thou enjoyest here, seem harsh discords, com­pared to that heavenly con­sort, that quire of Angels, where thou mayest see what here thou couldst not attain too; Jehovah praysed in the height of harmony; in the perfection of Mu­sicke.