THE sacred Scriptures are like a Ring, where­in the Booke of Psalmes is the enammell, this CanticleHymni, laudes Dei cum cantico; si sit laus, & non sit Dei, non est hymnus; si sit & laus, & Dei laus, & non cante­tur, non est hymnus: o­portet ergo ut habeat hac tria, & laudem, & Dei, & Canticum. Qui cantat laudem, non so­lum cantat, sed et amat cum quem cantat: In laude confitentis est praedicatio, in cantico, amantis affectio. S. Aug. in Psal. 72. the Diamond; the Posie, Whom have I in heaven, but thee? and there is none upon earth, that I desire besides thee; the Workman, eyther Asaph the Seer 2 Cron. 29.30. & 1 Cron. 15.16, 17, 19. 1 Cron. 25.1, 2. Asaph interpret. congregans. S. Hieron. de nominibus Hebr. Vox ergo Synagogae est; loquitur in hoc psalmo Synagoga, cur deue dat impijs tantam felicitatem, et au fert eam servientibus sibi? S. Aug. in loc. Asaph nobilu Cantor Davidis tempore à qu­undecim bi psalmi eodem titulo inscripti, sunt compositi, aut illi traditi sunt decantandi: Maoriana in loc., or David the Sweet-singer of Israel; the gold is that of Havilah, excee­ding [Page 2] pure and good; the structure curious, like Aholiabs; the Foile, the Prosperitie of the wicked, that gravel'd the Saints in all agesPs. 36. & 37. & 49. Iob. 12.6.21.7. Ier. 12.1. Nunquid et in meam mentem non hic saepius fluctus illiditur? quare senes impij, saeculi divi­tijs perf [...]uuntur? quare adoles [...]entia rudis, et fine peccato pueritia, immaturo flore metitur? quid causae est, ut saepe hibuli, t [...]imuli (que) et u­bera materna lactentes, à daemonio corripiantur repleantur Lepra, morbo regio devorentur? Et è cōtrario Impij, adulteri homicidae, sacrilegi, [...]e­geti, atque securi, de sua Sanitate in Deum blasphement? Sed cum haec cogitarem, statim didici, bonus est deus, & omnia quae bonus facit, bona fint, necesse est. S. Hieron. Tom. 1. ep. 25. Audirecordantem, et poenitentem qui erra­verat, putando deum non bonum, quidat bona terrena malis, et aufert illa servis suis, hoc modo erumpentem. Quā bonus deus Israel, rectis corde? v. 1.8. Aug, in loc: Quam multa enim habeant Impij in hac vita muner [...], et dona gratuita ab illo quē contemnunt, enumerare quis potest [...] S. Aug. ep. 87. Tom. 2.; the polishing, the cleare sight of their infelicitie; the waight, Gods goodnes to his Elect; the lustre and vertue, the Soules sole solace, which hath none in heaven, but God the Father; nor in earth, but God the Sonne; nor else-where any thing desirable, but God the Holy-Ghost, springing from this assurance, that Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a cleane heart, Vers. 1. A sweet entrance into the third booke of [...] Acts 1.20 sed Hebraeorum calculo 5 sunt psalmorum libri, Ay [...]sworth in Psal. 42.1. liber. 1. finitur Psal. 41.2. Ps. 72.3. Psal. 89 4. Psal. 106 5. Psal. ω. Psalmes, a meet ex­ordium, by proposall of his owne goodnes for aA praemio caepit, ut pondus futuri certaminis elevaret, S. Am­bros. in Psal. 1.1. reward, to incourage us to persevere in goodnes, and to make him in all estates our All, in heaven and earth: as sweet a conclu­sion of the conflict, and period of the hymne.

Heare, and behold (yee tenderly beloved bowels of Christ Audite, audite di [...]ectissima viscera corporis Christi. S Aug. in loc.) in these few Graines:

1. Gods Indulgence toward the ungodly for a momēt, in the Prologue Erudit adversus pharisaei scandala mund: quae mentes homi [...]um sape movere solent. Cum videant florere malos, et crescere rebao, cladibus afflictos omnibus esse pios. Concilio intuleris superûm coeloque locaris! Quem sequar in coelo, te sine nullus erit. Reddideris terrae, t [...]rras donaveris omnes, Quem sequar in caelo, te sine nullus erit. H. Rob. [...]. Hessus. Psalmus [...], [...]ei [...]ovidentiam in pijs servandis, et impijs, ad extremum perdendis enar­ra [...]: dividi potest, in [...]. 2 [...]. 3. [...]. Theodorus Zuingerus. Tremel.: For there are no bāds [Page 3] in their death: but their strength is firme, they are not in trouble as other men: neither are they plagued like other men. vers. 4. &c.

2. His Paternall providence over the god­lie in their greatest frailties, in the progresse, tutoring them in the Sanctuary, why he doth, & they should patiently beare with sinners. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castedst them downe into destruction v. 17. &c.

3. The profit accruing to the righteous by Gods ordinances & afflictions, their Profession to adhere to God alone: in life to have none but him, in life & death to make choise of him as the strength of their heart, when their flesh & heart faileth, and their Portion for ever v. 26.

The voice of the Text is Angelicall and Seraphicall, flaming with a divine-burning-affection unto our heavenly father, in, before, and above all things, expressed in the colla­tion of God, and all other creatures in hea­ven and earth. Which spirituall Extasie Fo [...]engius in loc. is beautified and presented. 1. by an Emphati­call interrogation, which is the strongest de­niall: Whom have I in heaven but thee? 2. a per­emptorie denegation [...] Nolu [...], vel non volui Genebrard in loc: There is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. The summe where­of (as frailtie is able to broach these tran­scended Mysteries, & subsimatedDicam ut possum, sed date veniam, acci­pi [...]e conatum meum, de­votionē intendēdi, nam explicandi nulla facul­tas est. S Aug. in loc. De Scriptures sanctis dispu­tanti, non tam necessaria sunt verba, quam sensus. S. Hieron. Ep. 130. Marcellae. Est quidē sermo compositus, et gal­licano cothurno fluens, Sed quid ad interpre­tem? cuius professio est non quoipse disertus ap­pareat, sed quo eum, qui lecturus est, sic faciat in­telligere, quomodo ipse intellexit, qui scripsit. S. Hieron. Ep. 133. de Rhaetij commentarijs in Cant. Canticorum. Sed cum tantares esset, quae cogitando non tam quid de ea sentiendum, dicendūve esset, quam quonam modo persua­dendum ijs qui diversa fentirent, fieret difficili­or, finem aliquando di­lationi adhibendum pu­tavi, sperans divinum adjutorium magis mihi scribenti, quam diffe­renti adfuturum. Quamobrem primum mihi videtur, plus valere in hac inquisitione vivendi, quam loquendi modum. S. Aug. Tom. 2. Ep. 112. Paul nae. Dicam si potero, adiuvante misericordia de­mini, et orationibus vestris. S. Aug. in Psal. 26. Si tamen exposui, quod volui, exposi [...]i autem quantum potui, etsi non quantum volui, adiuvat me dominus et intentio cordis vestri, ab eodem domino inspirata. id. ibid. affections) [Page 4] may be thus metaphras'd. My soule longeth, yea, even fainteth to behold the face of the Lord, my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living GodPsal. 84.2.: Whom to enjoy alone, is happinesse, and other happinesse, I have none, desire none but God alone. Without God, heaven to me is earth, Angels to me are men, Men to me are no better then beasts, beasts then devills, the Earth then hell. But with my God, the creatures are delicacies, Men are Comforts, Saints are Angels, the Earth a plea­sant Paradise Cuius dicti veritas quamvis satis ad omniū intelligentiam, ipsa sui luceat claritate, mihi tamen nescio quomodo, in praesenti causa, pro­pius innotuit. S. Hier. ep. 14. ad Celantiam. modo non sit Paulini.. The earth is fill'd with the mercy of the Lord, the heavens replenished with the glory of the Lord; that doth cloath me, this shall crowne me, my body is on earth, my mind in heaven, I see both, I know both; earth to my sorrow, heaven to my joy: yet nor in my sorrow, nor in my joy, nor in heaven, nor in the earth, is there any thing my soule is satisfied with, longeth to enjoy, save God alone, who is the health of my countenance and my God Coelo sed omni, quis mihi? nec velim terris neque optem, quem so­cium tibi. Arias Mon­tanus loc. sic red.. Psal. 43. ω

Embrace the text under this title, The Soules Solace; wherein are remarkeable two things: 1. her Cōfidence Haec, haec est vox fidei, vox filiorum Dei. Abrah. Scultetus, in loc. Fides mea id veretur, Mariana in loc. In spiritu laeto, fidem profitetur suam, quod in solo Deo confidat, ne­glectis omnibus creatu­ris, etiam in Cruce. Chri­stoph. Cornerus, in loc. Eodem, modo, Oecolam­padius, in loc. per Io­han. Gastium latinitate donatus. Jtem Musculus. Aynsworth in loc., Whom have I in heavē but thee? whom have I there to beleeve in, adore, feare, depend upon, but thee O Lord? 2. Conscience Nihil in coelo mihi erit, sine tuo cōsortio iu­cundum, nihil in terra, in cōiunctione tuae beni­gnitatis acerbum. Hie­ron. Osorius to. 3. in loc. Nihil creatum invenio, quod mihi satisfaciat, nihil in quo cor meum penitus acquiescat, ne (que) in coelo neque in terra. Bellar. in loc., & there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: None unto whom my heart devotes her self, vowes to love, obey, delight in, set up her whole contentment, and take true [Page 5] Complacency in, save thee O Lord alone. He beleeves Habet votum hoc, fidei inclusam certitu­dinem. Mollerus in loc. Fidei sententiam carnis tentationi praemittit. Aretius Felinus in Ps. 73. ver. 1. his God is in earth to regard him, therefore he resolves in the peace of a good Conscience to approve himselfe unto him, draw neere, and walke with him on earth. Thus it is good for me to draw neere unto God, verse last. He's assur'd that his God is in heaven to reward him, therefore he will put his trust in the Lord his God: Without all doubt, that omnipotent and all-sufficient God, who fills heavē and earth, whom the heaven of heavens is not able to containe1. Kings 8.27., is able to preserve, sanctifie, feed, thorowly fill, and satisfie all the emptie and thirstie faculties and fun­ctions of my soule, to hold and uphold me with his right hand, to guide me with his counsell, & afterward to receive me into glorie Psal. 73.24.. So that, might sinfull-flesh vent such an ambitious wish, or presuming to wish, prove so happie as to obtaine; my hearts desire and vote should bee to have none (O Lord) in Heaven but thee, nor in earth in comparison of thee Felix es talia felici­ter cogitando, ama ido felicior, & ideo eris et­iam felicissima conse­quendo. S. Aug. ep. 206. Oculo cordis in gloriam illam defixo. ver. 24. ita raptus à spiritu est, ut iam omnia creata despiciat. Bellar. in loc. Desiderio Gloriae accen­sus, erumpit in votum. Quis oratio est optantis. 2. Sam. 23 15. Ps. 4.6. Quis mihi det, ut sim in coelo, & coelestibus bonis perfrui possim? Moller. in loc. Qui coelestis vitae dulce­dinem, perfecte cogne­verit, ea quae in terris amaverat, libenter cun­cta derelinquit. Greg. ex Hugone in loc. Nulla creatura, neque in coelo, neque in terra­me unquam avocabit à te. Rom. 8.38. Pomeranus in loc. Westmerus in loc. Quid amplius quaerendum in caelo, nisi gloriam quam das iustis? & in terrae, nisi gratiam ad bene operandum, quam das adhaerentibus tibi, & invocantibus te? Iacob. de Valentia in loc. Iam valedictis rebus omnibus, te unum sitio; te ardeo, quem video vnum & esse, & largiri universa. Ier. 27.5. Aretius Feli­nus, in loc. A te solo pendeo, in te uno, sunt omnia mea subsidia, in te uno, omnis mea prudentia & industria, in te solum recumbo. Vatablus in loc.. The pleasant fruit growing upon these branches, the siluer streame issuing from this sacred fountaine, is this.

Doctrine 1 Doctrine 1. The sanctified soule finds and feeles her selfe so happie in the enioyment of God [Page 6] alone, that she desires his comfortable presence, and inestimably prefers it to the whole world Iustorum beatitudo in solo Deo consistit. Ayguanus in loc. Felicitas hominis vera, in coniunctione cū Deo sita est. Gualter in loc. Vnas nobis ipse sufficit. Caluin. in loc. Omnis copia, quae Deus meus non est, egestas mihi est. S. Aug.. The worlds created, by the heire of the worldIohn. 1.3. Colos. 1.6., Heb. 1.2. are either the Periods [...] appellat temporum periodos, quibus res conditae om­nes comprehenduntur. Aretius in Heb. 1.2. of time, whereby all things are measured Tempus est mensu­ra, seu numerus motus, per prius & posterius. Arist. 4. Phys cap. 11., or els heaven and earth, Gen. 1.1. that, the glori­ous tabernacle of Angels, & triumphant Saints; this, the habitation of miserable mortals, and irrational creatures. The glory of this world is so great, so sweete a baite, an entisement so delitious and attractive, that the devill gave his owne hopes some incouragement, there­with to ensnare the very Sonne of GodMatth. 4.8.: The glory of the world to come is so trāscendent, and superaboundant, as that incomparable Linguist, who spake more Tongues then all the rest1. Cor. 14.18. Acts 21.40., and for his sweet oratorie was adored for a Mercurie [...]. Hesiod. in Theog. by the Lycaonians Acts 14.12., wanted a tongue to blazon it, language to expresse it2. Cor. 12.4.; Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1. Cor. 2.9.; yet when the Prophet had exactly poized all these, and waighed the Creature cloathed with its several excellencies, he cast them all aside, turned from the faire fabrik of Heaven and earthCoeli, & terrae no­minibus, quicquid ima­ginari possunt homines designat. Fabritius in loc., placed them on his left hand, that he might offer his right hand unto God, and embrace his Creator with heart, and both hands, from whose pre­sence the plenitude of those joyes pro­ceeds [Page 7] Est hominis Chri­stiani [...] non Stoica, ut quitibet in scipso habeat omnia re­posita, non indigeat alio, sed in solo Deo recondi­ta. Es mihi instar omniū ubique, solus, & unus mihi sufficis; ab omni­bus desertus, ad te con­fugio. Barthol. Coppen. in loc. Philip. 1.21. Tu solus sitim sedas, tu solus famem de­pellis, &c. Qui isto praesidio desti­tuti, quem habeant in laboribus adiutorem? quem in periculis defen­sorem? quem in rebus dubi [...]s consiliarium? quem in duloribus con­solatorem? quod in tentationibus perfugium? cuius contemplatione pascantur? cuius doctrina erudiantur? &c. Schipinus in loc. 1. Gen. 8.9.. For as the innocent Dove found no rest for the sole of her foote, upon the raging waves, til she returned into the arkei; So the sinfull-sorie-soule hovering upon the wing of desire to finde some solid contentment and sufficiency in the Creature, wearied either with the confusion and miserie wherewith it is covered, or that emptinesse wherewith it is accompanied, can finde no true peace, nor quiet, till Christ our Noah Noah interpr. Requies. S. Hier. de nominibus Hebr. Typus Christi, qui solus iustus inventus est; nec alio, sanctitatis quaesivit exempla, sed ipse praebuit. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. ep. 1. Noah arcam, sic Christus formavit Ecclesiam, intra quam salvamur. Noe dictum est, requiem dabit. Gen. 5.29. Sed Christus solus aufert male­ledictionem. S. Origen in Gen. Hom. 2. In arca Noe pauci servati sunt, in Ecclesia pauci salvantur. In illa omnium animalium genera; in hac vniuersarum & gentium, & morum homines sunt. Periclitata est Arca in diluvio, periclitatur Ecclesia in mundo. Egressus Noe vineam plantavit, & inebriatus est; natus quoque in carne Christus, Ecclesiam plantavit, & passus est. Nadatum patrem irrisit maior filius, & minor texit: & Deum crucifixum illuserunt Judaei, & honora verunt Gentiles, &c. S. Hieron. Tom. 1. ep. 58. cap. 8. Arca fi­gura est peregrinantis Ecclesiae, quae fit salua per lignum, in quo pependit mediator Dei & ho­minum homo Christus Iesus. S. Aug. Civit. lib. 15. cap. 26. Cuius figura erat Noe, Noe vero à peccatis quietos non fecit, sed in Christum prophetavit Lamech, in quo quietus est factus pa­ter, & sanctus eius spiritus, & omnes sancti homines in ipso quieti facti sunt, quiescentes à pec­catis. Epiphan. lib. 1. tom. 2. Haeres. 30. Vt egressus ab Arca accepit benedictionem à Deo cum filiis; Typus est Christi & discipulorum eius post resurrectionem, qui replevit terram gratia, verbo, & spiritu. Hieron. Lauretus in verbo Noe., and comforter in all sorrowes, reach foorth his hand of merit and mercy to receive her into the arke & armes of Gods favour; from whence sent out to search the mysteries of godlinesse, she returnes with the olive branch of Peace. And as this dove feeds not on Carion like the Raven, but gathers up the pretious seede, [Page 8] springing up for childrens bread; so the soule esteeming the creatures too meane a banquet for her excellency, takes her repast on Christ, the seede of Abraham, the food of saints, the Sonne of God. The dove layes not her eggs with the unnaturall Ostrich, and leaves them in the earth, forgetting that the foote may crush them, or that the wild beasts may breake them, because God hath deprived her of wisedome, neither hath he imparted to her understanding Iob 39.13., but she builds high like the eagle, upon the clefts of the rockesIer. 49.16., and refresheth her selfe by the pleasant rivers: and the Gratious-Soule builds not her nest in the dust, where the winde of vanitie will peirce it, rests not upon the Creature, which is a broken & peircing Reede, but on God the rocke of our salvation, unto whom she is carried, by the golden-streames of the wordNidificat in petris, in soliditate fidei per­manens; habens in pe­ctore suo fluenta scri­pturarum. Rupertus in Cant. 4 1. Reason 1..

There is nothing able to fill-full the Cup of the Soule, and make it runne-over with durable joy and gladnessePsal. 4.7.23.5., but the comfor­table presence of the all-sufficient God. The world is a rich-store-house of admirable cō ­forts for mans plentifull provision, that he may cheerfully serve his God: here is nothing created, whence divine providence drawes not unto man a singular benefit Nihil enim sinera­tione fit per Deum: nihil casibus fortuitis: nihil denique fortunae in illo temeritati licet. Hieron. Tom 9. ep. 20. Rom 8.28., the center earth, is as a fruitfull mother to nourish our fraile bodies with the sugred milke and no­rishment of her breasts Gen. 13.10.; The waters of [Page 9] Siloam. Iohn. 9.7. The cleare-streames of Kishon Iudges 5.21. will wash away corporeall pollution; and fresh fountaines refresh the thirsty, and wearie Pilgrims Psal. 110.7.. A sweete & wholesom ayre conduceth to a continuance of strength, and health2. King. 2.19, 22., the clouds labour to water the earth Iob 37.11., the Lord bindeth up the waters in his thicke cloudes, and the cloud is not rent under them Iob 26.8., againe, he maketh small the drops of water; they powre downe raine, according to the vapour thereof, which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantlyIob 36.27, 28.; the fire in­life'ns our benummed spirits and limbes: the sweet influences of the Pleiades Iob 38.31. [...] ad verbum delicias pleia­dum. Arias Montanus. Fructus delicatos Vergi­liarum Pagnin. in rad. [...] ex R. Moseh. Num ligabis fructus & bona stellae Chimab, quae est è stellis Aquilonaribus? R. Abraham, ibidem. [...]. Sept. Nur­quid coniungere valebis micantes stellas Pleia­des? S. Hieron. Num & Astrologia perscrutanda est ad cognoscendum proprietates isterum siderum, vt hunc locum intelligere possimus. Miror & si hoc congruit sermoninostro: & certe nimis longum est, transeamus ergo ad alia. S. August. tom. 4. in loc. Amicum hoc Sydus Hebr. dicitur [...] ex rad. [...] i. e. coniunctio stellarum. R. Jonah. His ergo Graeci, quod multae simul essent, nomen ab ipsa multitudine posuerunt: [...] enim multitudo dicitur, & inde de­rivatum est, vt Pleiades appellentur. S. Hieron. in loc. Job. Pleiades appellat stellas, quae iun­ctae, velut septemesse monstrantur, idem Pleiades sunt septem stellae [...] naivgare, quod ortu suo felix tempus navigationis ostendunt, e [...]si sex tantum lucidè appareant. Pleiades incipiunt humeros relevare paternos: quae septem dici, sex tamen esse solent. Ovid. lib. 4 Fastor. Latinè Vergiliae dicuntur, quia verissunt nunciae, signum calidum, quod maturet & fructus calefacial. Aben-ezra, ex Mercer. in Iob 9.9. Hoc est quod Delitias appellat Iob 38.31. ge­nerali nomine, verni temporis amaenitatem & pulchritudinem. Mercerus in loc. S. Hie­ronym. Iob 9.9. vertit Chimah Hyadas, [...], pluere, quia ortu pluvias inducit, ut flores, herbae, & fructus terrae emergere incipiant. Arcturum, pluviasquè, Hyadas, geminosque Triones. Ʋirgil. Georg. 3. [...]. Homer. Iliad. 6. Habuit Atlas, vt fama est, è Pleione vxore septem filias, quas Iupiter inter sidera collocavit; quarum nomina recensuit Aratus in Astronom. Natal. Comes lib. 4. cap. 7. Ovid. Fastor. 4. Nequoquam sermo veritatis vanas Arati fabulas sequitur, haec quippe astrorum nomina à cultoribus sapientiae car­nalis inventa sunt: sed Scriptura sacra idcirco eisdem vocabulis utitur, ut res quas insinuare appetit, nositia usitatae appellationis exprimantur. Odo Cluniacens. Moral. in Job lib. 9. Bibl. Patrum tom. 10. pag. 277., renew the Delicacies, and pleasures of the spring, revive the countenance, warme and increase the blood, bring the brids from farre to sing [Page 10] Anthems; mould the earth anew, into a de­lightfull Paradise. Men in misery are our comfort, Angels are our Court-de-Guard, but yet, nor Sea nor Soile, nor men, nor Angels can bound our desires, nor is there creature in heaven or earth, can terminate our affe­ctions, or give a sufficiency unto our Soules. The creature is without us, or were it within us, by reason of its vacuity being but a puffe-past, it cannot fill us. The serious study, cleare knowledge, and deepe meditation of sublunarie creatures, & celestiall bodies, doth marvelously affect mans fantasie: his senses are not sel­dome drown'd in such profound contempla­tions, yet never satisfied: his reading is weari­some to the flesh, the more he drinkes, the more his thirst increaseth; in much wisedome is much griefe, & he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow Eccles. 1.18.. His heart is not fill'd with wishing, his eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor his eare fill'd with hearing —8.. Onely God satis­fieth & fils all; the eye of man with seeing his backe-parts now, & hereafter his glory, in hea­vē; his eare with hearing of his mercy & truth; his hands with handling his admirable good­nesse; his intellect with saving knowledge; his memorie with lovely promises; his affe­ctions with incomparable contentation; his will with forcible commands; his spirit with assurance, and internall calmes; so that he will confesse with Esau, I have enough Gen. 33.9.; with the spouse, I am sicke of love Cant. 2.5.; desire [Page 11] with venerable Simeon, to depart in Peace Luke 2.29., even in that inward peace he feeles; with Paul, I desire to bee dissolved, and to bee with Christ Philip. 1.23.; and in remembrance of Sion, the God of Salem, hang up all their Terrestrialls, upon the willowes of contempt, as once the Iewes their harpes by the rivers of Babylon Psal. 137.1., Lifting up Christ in his thoughts and desires as high above them all, as the heavens are higher then the earth Dicam breviter ut valeo, & verborum utar simplicitate cōmunium: quia causa de qua agi­mus talis est, qua diser­tioribus facundiae ser­monibus nequaquam debeat obscurari, sed simplicioribus eloquen­tiae narrationibus pandi. S. Hier. Tom. 9. ep. 14.

Nor doth it slenderly affect the gratious soule to recount, how all the excellencies of men, and Angels, the glorie of trāsitorie, and worldly cōtentmēts, after which men with eagernesse of spirit huntJn corpore corru­ptibili anima constituta terrena quadam conta­gione constringitur, & tali onere quodammodo depressa curvatur, ut in imo multa, quam in summo vnam, facilius concupiscat & cogitet. S. Aug. ep. 156., are not primarie, permanent, boundlesse, and eternall, but onely lent-talents, gifts of God, beames of that sunne Beatus vir, qui non abiit in consilio impio­rum. Ps. 1.1. vide ubi beatus appelleris, O ho­mo. Non in divitiis, non in potestatibus & honoribus, non in no­bilitate generis, aut de­core, & pulchritudine, non in corporis salubri­tate: in quibus nihil na­turae est bonum, denique non solum facilem com­mutationem habent in connaria, verum etiam ministerium ad culpam exhibent ei, qui uti his nesciat. Quis enim iustus propter pecuniam? quis humilis in potestati­bus? quis misericors propter nobilitatem? quis castus propter decorem? illecebrosa haec magis sunt ad peccatum, quam fructuosa ad virtutis profectum. S. Ambr. in Psalm. 1., a candle from that lampe of light and life, twigs of that branch; upon which so long as the dewe of his blessing descends, we enjoy a comfortable use of the creatures; if he speake the word, the waters of comfort flowe: but if once he withdraw the sap of his mercy; either their glorie fades, or our con­tent in them withers. Then the figtree shall beare us no more fruit, thy table shalbe thy snare. Aboundance may surround theePsalm. 78.27, 28., yet no comfort thence accrewe unto thee; [Page 12] thy dainties shall relish, like Evah's figg, of bitter Death; and what was once appoin­ted for thy welfare, will prove the occasion of thy fall. Thine asse will dash thy tender foote against the wallNumb. 22.25.: Pharohs chariot-wheeles breakeExod. 14.25. in his greatest neede, the heavens become brasse Deut. 28.23., the sun withdraw its light, the earth denies her plentie, and annoints her breasts with Gall, when God shall turne the darke-side of the cloud towards us. But as the Treasures of all ex­cellencies, ioy and contentments are hid in Christ, as the treasures of snow and haileIob 38.22. in the Magazin of Providence: so they are as durable as boundlesse, & are fixed without possibilitie of fading-away. Who then pre­ferres not the Ocean, to the streame? The roote, to the flower? the Sunne, to the euening-starre? the fountaine to the cisterne? the li­berall doner of all good blessings, to the of­springs which may bee lopt away? Other things are in part-sufficient for man, but onely God is all-sufficient Gen. 17.1.; other things are to be desired for God, but God for himselfe Ad illam ergo vnam vitam, qua cum Deo, & de Deo viuitur, ca­tera quae vtiliter & de­center optantur, sine dubio referenda sunt. Neque enim in tempore utiliter vivitur, nisi ad comparandum me­ritum quo in aeternitate vivatur. In eo quippe nosmetipsos diligimus, si Deum diligimus: Deum diligimus propter scip­sum, & nos ac proximos propter ipsum. Quomo­do iam beate vivimus, eum illud adhuc desit propter quod unum bene vivimus. S. Aug. to. 2. ep. 121. cap. 7.. Seeing then I am affraid, whiles I begg many things at the hands of God, I may aske amisse Ʋelle quod non de­ceat, idem ipsum miser­rinum: nec tam mise­rum est nō adipisci quod velis, quam adipisci velle quod non oporteat. S. Aug ibid. cap. 5. Divitiae quip [...]e atque fastigia dignitatum, caeteraque huiusmodi quibus se felices esse putant mortales, verae il­lius felicitatis ex pertes, quid afferunt consolationis, cum sit eis indigere quam eminere prae­stantius, quae plus excruciant adepta timore amissionis, quam concupita adeptionis ardore? Talibus bonis non fiunt homines boni, sed aliunde boni, facti bene, utendo faciunt ut ista sint bona. Non sunt in iis vera solatia, sed ibi potius ubi vera vita. Nam inde necesse est, vt fiat homo beatus, vnde fit bonus: idem cap. 2., following his steps, who prayed aright, One things I will desire of the Lord, [Page 13] and but that one thing will I seeke after; namely, the Lord himselfe, & that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beautie of the Lord. Psal. 27.4.

Reason 3 And what can invite a Christian rather to adhere alone to God, then the certaintie of solid-consolation to be there found, when all other comforts faile? the world is a Sea, mās life the ship, richlyOnusta incedis au­ro, latro tibi vitandur est, stadium est haec vita mortalibus: hic conten­dimus, ut alibi corone­mur. Nemo interserpen­tes & scorpiones secu­rus ingreditur; magnis inimicorum circumda­mur ag [...] inibus, hostium plena sunt omnia. Caro fragilis, & emis futura post modicum, pugnat sola cum pluribus. S. Hier. ep. 22. Non quaerit diabolus homines infideles, non eos qui foris sunt, de Ec­clesia Christi rapere fe­stinat, idem ibid. loaden with varietie of the blessings of Gods left hand, sicknesse is a storme, death a leake, which first makes the marriners throw all their loading over­board, in hope of safety, and then sinkes the vessell; the soule is the passenger; Christ the Rocke, upon which if she can, with the saile of love, the oare of wisedome, in the long-boate of faith, cast the anker of hope, & take fast hold, she shall abide safe. Earthly solace, worldly contentments, are builded upon the Quicke-sands of vanitie Quid enim in hoc mundo stabile, quid vero firmum est? quale istud bonum est, quod semper timeas amittere? quod vel auferendum abs te metuas, vel à te relin­quendum scias? S. Hieron. Tom. 9. ep. 1.; which when the windes of frailtie and age blow violently from the shoare of mortalitie, and the surges of sorrow beate against the body of clay, the fort wherein they are preserved wil, like, the tower of Babel, come tumbling downe upon their heads, to their confusion and amazement. The time drawes neere, when thy flesh shall faile, thy heart faile, ver. 26. thy friends faile, Physitian faile, honours faile, all faileSi enim nihil in­tulimus in mundum veniendo, & nihil au­ferre poterimus abcun­do, falso aliquid nostrum hic esse dicimus, ubi nobis totus pene mundus alienus est. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. ep. 3., and thou faile the most, and fall the lowest of all, unlesse God bee thy comfort, [Page 14] who neuer failes, and thy portion for ever Dabo illis solatium verum, sine quo solatio quecunque sunt terre­na solatia, magis in eis desolatio, quam consola­tio reperitur. S. Aug. Tom. 2. ep. 121. cap. 2.. But whosoeuer seekes for God, shall finde himOmne opus leue fieri solet cum eius pretium cogitatur, & spes prae­mij solatium est laboris. S. Hier. tom. 9. ep. 1. ω, and with him light in Goshen, and bread in Iosephs Granarie, when others hun­ger, and perish in eternall-nights of darke­nesse.

Reason 4 4 Finally the sweete relish the soule hath of Gods goodnesse in Christ, makes her mount upon the wings of love, soare higher then the moone, build her nest in the skies, & overlooke all things below, to embrace and enioy him whose habitation is in the highest heavens. This pure affection was euer the crowne and honour of the Saints; Enoch walked with God, Gen. 5.22. not with men, because on earth he found no such companion, no such communion as with God. Abraham forsooke Countrey Gen. 12.1. Hebr. 11.18.19., kinred, friends, and his only childe, the childe of promise, in his assurance to re­gaine them all, and whatsoeuer els his soule desired, with a thousand fold advantage in God his father and friend. T'was this made S. Paul account all things dung and drosse in comparison of Christ [...], Philip. 3.8.. Moses to preferr the afflictions of the Church, to the courtly pleasures of EgyptHebr. 11.26., the reproach of Christ, to the honours of Pharoh. This mov'd those Canonized-Pilgrims Hebr. 11.36. contentedly to wander up and downe, meanely clad, poorely fed, per­secuted by Monarkes Non in hoc mundo non timere, non dolere, non laborare, non peri­clitari impossibile est. S. Aug. Tom. 2. ep. 82., scorned by Pezants, Lingua maledica, sanctos carpere solita est, in solatium delin­quendi. S. Hier. ep. 27. Tantorum odia, insec­tationemquè pertulerit, quantos vitae suae dissi­militudine castigarit. Castigare enim alium videtur, qui ab eius cō ­versatione dissentit. Nam quae maior iniusto iniuria esse potest, quam vitae iustitiae? S. Hier. Tom. 9. ep. 5. vn­worthily handled of all, tho the world was not [Page 15] worthy of them; because God was their trea­sure, who had provided better things for them. In awordVniversa exequi, sui est tituli, & voluminis, haec sufficiant pauca de plurimis. S. Hier. ep. 22. cap. 4., this made all those vessels of Election, whose names are written in the booke of life, to long only after the Lord of life, making him unto themselves in the Church Militant, as he wilbe to them with others in the Church Triumphant, all in all 1. Cor. 15.28.. In Eden a tree of life Gen. 3.24., in a deluge an arke Gen. 7.1., in the desert, a brazen Serpent Numb. 21.9., in hunger Mannah Exod. 16.15., in thirst, water Exod. 17 6. from the rocke, in danger Zoar, in persecution a Caue, in povertie riches, in death life, our Temple, Sunne, Moone, day, our all. For as light is to be prefered to darkenesse Greg. Nissen. Tom. 2. Tract. in Ps. cap. 6., libertie to the loath­some dungeon; so God, of whose ful­nesse we receive, to all things in Heaven and earth.

Vse 1 Having (I hope) caused the scales of ignorance to fall from your eyes, enlightned your understanding, I may now conceive the better hope to worke upon your affections, and prevaile with you to embrace this truth in the power thereof, craving entertainement, in the conscionable application. T'is but a little text, yet like the smallest graine of mustard seede, Luke 13.19. spreads it selfe into many branches, or like Elias cloud, but a hands breadth 1. Kings 18.44., yet overspread the heavens, and refreshed the earth with store of Raine; and like that little stone, Dan. 2.34. it serves [Page 16] first to breake in peeces that Golden-Image of the heathen godsR. David instituit comparationem. Reges aliorum populorum ado­rant solem, alia (que) astra, ego te solum: non posui tibisocium, nec coelo, nec terra. Per terram in tel [...]igit quatuor cle­menta, & alia corpora ex iliis constantia, i. e. mundum inferiorem; sunt enim, ait, qui ado­rant aquas, aerem, ter­ram. Barth. Coppen. in loc. & Lor. in loc. Tecum socium nō volui in terra, ut doceat se nō deflexisse ad peregrinos Deos & religiones. Ge­nebrard. in loc. Non enim pereunt, nisi hi qui longe se faciunt à Deo conservatore suo: & ipse non perdet, nisi illos qui fornicantur ab illo: i. e. quorum anima ducit Deū, aut alterum à veritatis coniugio, se falsitate cōmiscet. Ar­nob. in loc. Bibl. Patrum tom. 5. pars 3 pag. 267. Erant qui coelestes Deos adorarent, & cum illos summo loco pone­rent, terrestres etiam quasi secundi ordinis colerent: ego vero (inquit) [...]. Theodor. in loc., whom blinded Pagans, and Idolatrous infidels ignorant of the true God, made to themselves, adoring Many Gods, and many Lords 1. Cor 8 4, 5., some the chiefe, and others of inferior ranke1 King. 20.13., whom they placed, some in Heaven Ier. 44.18., & others in Earth, against the expresse practice of David, and letter of the text; I am the Lord, thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exod. 20.3. Every Pagan cloathed with humanitie ac­knowledges a Deitie Nulla gens est, neque tam immansueta, neque tam sera, que non, etiamsi ignoret, qualem habere Deum deceat, tamen habendum sciat. Cicero lib. 1. de Leg. 54.. Each page, in Natures booke reveales God in Capitall letters Anton. Eremita, ob librorum penu­riam à Philosopho quodam reprehensus respondebat, Liber meus, O Philosophe, est [...]; in eis, cum mihi visum est, oracula Dei legere licet. Niceph lib. 11. cap. 43. [...]. Theodoret. Graec. affection. curat. ser. 3. Inter omnes omnium gentium sententia constat; omnibus enim innatum est, & in animo quasi insculptum, esse Deos Quales sint varium est, esse nemo negat. Cicero de Natura Deorum lib. 2. [...]. Iustin. Martyr. de Ethnicis.. The heavens declare the glorie of God: and the fir­mament sheweth his handie worke, Psalm. 19.1. But seeing that when they knew God, they glori­fied him not as God, neither were thankfull: but became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened: professing them­selves to be wise, they became fooles: and chan­ged the glorie of the uncorruptible God, into an [Page 17] Image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourefooted beasts, and creeping things. Rom. 1.19, 20, 21, 22, 23. In the heavens they worshipped the intelligences or movers of the orbesMarlorat. in 1. Cor. 8.5. Sol famulus hominis est, & Luna ancilla.; The sunne, moone, and starrs for gods, which were created to serve them; the sunne to rule the day, and the moone the night. Gen. 1.16. Which blinde supersti­tion the very Iewes borrowed of the Gentiles, lifting up their eyes to heaven, and when they saw the sun, and the moone, and the starrs, even all the host Deut. 4 19. exer­citus. Sic nominantur stellae, quatenus certo ordine sunt dispositae. Piscat. in loc. Contra haec Plato, in Epinomide, astra esse Deos, male facere legis­latorem, cum eis cul­tum & sacrificia de­trahit. Mosen sugillare videtur, eius suppresso nomine. Mariana in loco. of heaven, were drawne to worship thē, which the Lord God had divided to all nations under heaven. Yea they dedicated horses and chariots to the Sunne 2. Kings 23.11., and offered incense to the Queene of Heaven Reginam coeli, for­tunam esse ait Philaster. Sed te Nos facimus, Fortuna, Deam, coelo (que) locamus. Juvenal. Sed melius alij Lunam in­telligunt, quae sic voca­tur ob magnitudinem & splendorem, sicut Sol est Rex. Mariana in Ier. 7.18.. Ier. 44.17. unto these they coupled the Elements, as the Persians the fire, the Egyptians worshipped the water Dr. Willet. in Exod. 20. pag. 32 [...]. Stoici Deum dicunt esse mentem, quae est vniversae huius visibilis molis, coeli, terrae, & aliarum rerum, velut in corpore anima. Partiuntur autem vnam deitatem in multas partiales essentias, in Solem, & Lunam, & sidera, in animam & aerem & alia. Epiph. contra Haeres. lib. 1. Tom. 1. haeres. 5.. They adored men & women under divers shapes and names, as Iupiter, Mars, Mercurie, Apollo; They bended the knees and lift up their hands to birds of the ayre, beasts of the field, fish in the Sea, consecrating the Eagle to Iupiter, the Dove to Venus, Peacocke to Iuno, Raven to Phoebus, Batt to Minerva Tostatus in Exod. 20.4. quaest. 4.. The Egyptians worshipped generally the beasts, which the Hebrewes sacrificed to their [Page 18] GodExod. 8.26.. Apis, Isis, Osiris Epiph. li. 1. Tom. 1. Levit. 17.7. Et non sa­crificabunt ultra sacri­ficia sut [...] daemonibus, & 2. Cro. 11.15. vocant horren­tibus, & pilosis, vocant hoc nomine Hebraei sa­tyros, & exponunt dae­mones: qui hi [...]corum similitudine appareant credentibus in illos; ad­dit Aben-Ezra, quod phantasmate suo homi­nes exhorrere faciant, sen horripilare. Isay. 34.14. & 13.21. Pagnin. Thesaur. in ra­dice Sagnar. Formida­re., sheepe and bullocks, a Calfe, an Oxe, Vultures, Crocodiles; The Sy­rians and Phecenians a fish, the Persians a Dra­gon, thus they corrupted themselves, worship­ping the likenesse of male and female, the like­nesse of the beast that is on the earth, and of the winged fowle that flyeth in the ayre, the likenesse of things creeping on the ground, and of the fish that is in the waters under the earth. Deut. 4.16 17, 18. And to declare whither Idolatry will bring him that forsakes God, they had their infernall gods, Manes, Pluto, Proserpina, sa­crificing to the very devills 1. Corin. 10.20. Jmpius Cerdon. duo principia huic mundo praedicavit, & nimirum Deos duos. Epiph. lib. 1. to 3. haeres. 41.. There was such a monstrous spawn of their Imaginarie and fictitious gods, that one of their owne prophets [...]. Hesiod. [...] wrote a booke of their multiplica­tion and generation, and in one verse mentions thirtie thousand gods to be adored among them [...]. [...] Hesiod. [...]. lib. 1. Quicquid humus, pela­gus, coelum, mirabile signant, Id dixere deos, colles, freta, flumina, flammas, Prudentius.. They had for every action, and passion, house, and hedge, mountaine, and valley, a god. Among thē there was a god for every thing and every thing almost was made a god. They had a god of Garlicke, and stincking onyon-dieties in their gardensQuis nescit quasia: demens Aegyptus ortenta colat? Crocodilon adorat: Porrum & cepe nefas violare, & frangere morsu, O sanctas gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis, Numina. Iuvenal.. Nor yet-satis­fied, they fell upon their face to Monsters, & things without being [...]., as Venus, Pallas, Fe­bris; Iupiter, of Lybia had a Rams head, Anu­bis of Egypt, a dogs head; the Fawnes & Satyrs, [Page 19] had Goats feet, the Naiades and Tritones had a mixt shape of men and fishesLege Antonium Ʋerderium imagines deor.. To say all, in a word, the number of their gods, was like the sand by the sea shore, or the Starres in the firmamentS. Aug. Civit. lib. 4. cap 8. & 11.. And as the Egyptians [...]. Herodot. in Euterpe., Phrygians, Phenicians, Babylonians were the damnable brokers and broachers of these in­fernall deities: So the Apish Grecians were the unhappie embracers of them, and the Romans their schollers Romanus Cynicus Varro. Trecentos Ioves, sine Iupiteres dicendum, sine capitibus introdu­cit. Tertull. Apologet. adversus gentes. cap. 14.; Who of all the rest prov'd most fantasticall in their multiplica­tions, having three-hundred Iupiters, besides millions of others; The bare namesQuot homi­num linguae, tot nomina decrum. Cicero de na­tura deorum. lib. 1. pag. 287. Quando au­tem possint uno loco li­bri hujus commemorari omnia nomina deorum, & dearum, qua illi grandibus voluminibus vix comprehendere po­tuerunt, singulis rebus propria dispertientes officia numinum S. Aug. civit. lib. 4. cap. 8. Non tamen satis fuit hominibus deorum [...] amantibus, ut anima misera damo­niorum turba prostitue­retur, unius dei veri castum dedignata complexum &c. idem. ibid. Varro supra triginta deorum millia collegit ideo dicitur Roma a Leone Papa, omnium gentium servivisse erroribus. Coquaeus in locum Aug. citat. Roma quanto major sacta est, sicut navis nautas, tanto plures adhibendos esse deos putavit. S. Aug. civit. lib. 3. cap. 12. where­of, whole volumes cannot containe. But here was the miserie, that even Gods-chosen-People, unto whom he was clearely revealed, in the word, became foolishly-besotted, after the manner of the Heathens. They had their chambers of Imagery, wherein Ezekiel be­held every forme of creeping things, and abo­minable beasts, and all the Idols of the house of Israel pourtraid upon the wall, & there stood be­fore them seventy men of the Ancients of the house of Israel: and in the midst of them stood Iaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his Censer in his hand, and a thicke cloud of in­cence went up. Ezek. 8.10, 11. According to the [Page 20] number of thy cities are thy gods, ô Iudah. Ier. 2.28. And according to the number of the streets of Hierusalem, have ye set up altars to that shame­full thing, even altars to burne incense unto Ba­al. Ier. 11.13. The prophets, as they number the Syrian gods, so they tartly deride them, and their worshippers Nec factum est un­quam, ut qui hos colit, etiam Deum coluerit; neque enim fieri potest, quoniam si honos idem tribuitur alijs, ipse om­nino non colitur, cujus religio est illum esse unum ac solum De­um credere: ita spreto uno ac vero Deo, tot vana numina sacrilege venerabantur. Lactant. lib. 1. cap. 19., & not without cause; For who can but smile, to heare the Romane Senate Eusebius hist. lib. 2. cap. 2. Tertullian: adversus gentes Apologet. cap. 5. Vetus erat decretum, ne qui Deus ab Imperatore consecraretur, nisi a Se­natu probatus; sic apud illos, de humano arbi­tratu divinitas pensi­tatur, nisi homini Deus plicuerit, Deus nonerit. homo jam Deo propiti­us esse debebit. Tiberius ergo veritate [...] divini­tatis Christi detulit ad Senatum cum prerogativa suffragij sui &c. Apud vos quodvis co­lere jus est praeter verum Deum, quasi non hic magis omnium sit Deus cujus omnes sumus. Tertul. apolog. cap 24., and mortall men create eternall gods, who cannot preserve themselves from corrup­tion, death, and the Grave? And how neere the Romish of this age pitch their tent unto the old Idolatrous Romans, the world well and full cleerely seesQuid illic facit Ara, si non illud habent pro numine? S. Aug. S. Ambr. lib. 5. ep 30.. But unto us, (whatso­ever the world adore) there is but one GOD the Quod colimus nos Deus unus est, qui [...], verbo quo jussit, ratione qua deposuit, virtute qua potuit, de nihilo expressit in ornamentum majestatis suae. Tertul. Apolog. cap. 17. Deut. 6.4. Mark. 12.29. Father, of whom, are all things, and wee in him; and one Lord Iesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 1. Cor. 8.6, 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge (and blessed be our God, that we have it, when others want) to know and beleeve him, and understand, that before him, there was no god formed, neither shall there be after him. Isa. 43.10.11. that he is the first and the last, & besides him there is no Deut. 4.35. An­te Saturnum, Deus penes vos nemo est; ab illo census totius, vel potioris vel no [...]toris di­vinitatis. Tertul. Apol. cap. 10. Quid erratis? Prior est quibusdam dij. suis syl­vestris Roma; ante reg­navit, quam tantum ambitum C [...]pitolij ex­trueretur, &c. ibid. cap. 26. Sed Dei Christianorum, est & orbis qui regna­tur, & homo ipse qui regnat, ne ille vites do­minationum ipsis tem­poribus in seculo ordina­rit, qui ante omne tem­pus fuit, & seculum corpus temporum fecis, ibid. God. Esay 44.6. [Page 21] Whom to know, with and in Christ, is eternall life, Ioh. 17.3. A jealous God, who will not give his glory unto another. Isay 42.8. O ye sonnes of men, how long will yee turne his glory into shame? how long will ye love vanitie, and seeke after leasing? Psal. 4.2. Returne unto the Lord with all your hearts, put away the strange gods from among you, prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him onely, 1. Sam. 7.3. The Larke praiseth the God of heaven in the morning, the Thrush at mid-day, the Nightin­gall in the evening, setting onely the tune for man to praise his God. The wisemen Magi, eos morbos, per quos aliquid aut cupimus, aut metuimus, aut dolemus; velut ante pietatis aeram & mise­ricordiae altare fode­runt: ut vel in auro, avaritia: vel in thure, Idololatria: vel in myr­rha fieret domino sub­jecta mortalitas: & in hanc petram, & sacra pecuniae cupiditas, & prophana errorum superstitio, & amara mortalitatis conditio velut illaesae morerentur. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. ep. 20. left all to worship Christ: and whosoever is wise following the bright sunshine of the Gos­pell, will set up no Deity upon Gods throne, fall downe before no Majestie but his, who made heaven and earth. Seeing we have heard thy voice, I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides mee, Esay 45.5. Let other people walke every one in the name of his god, but wee will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever: Mic. 4.5. And whatsoever Gods or Devils Pagans re­verence, (for all the gods of the Nations are Idols, vanities, and devils Psal. 96.5. Idola non sunt [...] Elobim, i. e. dij; sed [...] Elilim i.e. non dij vel vanitates, deastri, nihilitates: Dei tantum quae­dam umbra, quod nomine, & ficto cultu, deum referat, sed revera nullam opem ferre potens nomen contemptim, & per para nomasiam apte idolu tribuitur. Pagnin. in rad. alal.) the God of [Page 22] Abraham shall be my God, my All Ipse in aethere sit Jupiter ipse, in aere Ju­no, ipse in mari Neptu­nus, in inferioribus ma­ris ipse solacia, in terra Pluto, in terra inferiore Proserpina, in facis do­mesticis Vesta, in fabro­rum fornace Vulcanus, in sideribus Sol, Luna, & Stellae, in divinan­tibus Apollo, in merce Mercurius, in Jano initiator, in termino Ter­minator, Saturnus in tempore, Mars & Bel­lona in bellis, Liber in vineis, Ceres in frumen­tu, Diana in silvis, Mi­nerva in Jngenijs. Haec si ita sint, quid perderent (gentes) si unum Deum corerent prudentiore cō ­pēdio, S. Au. ci. l. 4. c. 11. in heaven, and earth.

2 Vse. Nor can we possibly reconcile the Synagogue of Rome, and this text; none who either adore Angels, or invocate departed Saints Muscuius, Calvin, Occolampad. in loc. Nec flocci papistarū insaniam reputetis, qui invocatio­nem sanctorum incul­cant: angelis nō nitor, nō sūt pars mea; fide unius Dei non cōtenti, angelos, et sanctos mortuos invo­cant, colunt, & adorant., can truly professe with the Prophet, I have none in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Wee are drawne from God either by delightfull pursuit of the Creature by false gods, or af­flictions befalling us, for our profession of the name of God. As David rejected all those (together with searching after, and depen­dance upon Starre-gazers Seipsum culpat Pro­pheta, quod visus esset quaerere, quid ageret se­cundum coeli dispositionem, astra vel fatum, hic asserere, quod nihilominus vellet in terra cum deo consentire in omnibus factis suis. Trevetus in loc. Hac interrogatione excludit Numina coelestia, & dispositionem, seu fatum astrorum; lege. S. Ambros. serm. 82. de defectione Luna. Sapiens permanebit cum sole. Psalm. 72.17. cum constantia fidei permanet cum salvatore. idem. Perfecta charitas solum sitit, quod summum est, Ber. Ser. 9. in Psal. Qui habitat., and constellations, for the regulating of his actions and con­versation) so now also hee turnes out of his thoughts Saints and Angels, that hee may directly, and with humble confidence em­brace his God. Angels are our safeguard Heb. 1.14. Psal: 34.7., but not our God: they are Multipotent 2 Sam: 14.20. Psal. 103 20., but not omnipotent; not omniscient, though mul­tiscient. The heresie of the Angelists Angelici, in angelo­rum cultum inclinati. S. Aug. Tom. 6. de Haeres. ad Quod vult. deum. cap. 39. Quos jam omnino defecisse testatur Epiphan. Tom. 6. haeres. 60: lib. 1., long since buried in the grave of oblivion, is rais­ed againe to life by the Iesuites in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those things which they have not seene, [Page 23] vainly puft up by their fleshly minde, Coloss. 2.18. Not much unlike the superstitious Iewes, and Simon Magus Acts 8.9. Simonis Magi prima est haeresis quae à Christo initium accepit. Nomina quae­dam supponit principa­tuum, & potestatum, non posse vero aliter ser­vari aliquem, nisi sua sacrificia Patri univer­sorum per eos principa­tus ac potestates offerret. Epiphan. haeres. 21., that child of the devill, who forsaking the Head Christ, hea­thenishly invented, and eagerly promoted, adoration, and invocation of those glorious Spirits, as Mediators next to God. Which stinking water he drew up frō Plato's puddle Platonici, si non evanescerent in cogita­tionibus suis, profecto cōfiterentur, & illis im­mortalibus ac beatis & nobis mortalibus ac mi­seris, ut immortales ac beati esse possimus, u [...] Deum deorum colendu qui & noster est, & illo­rum. S. Au. ci. l. 10. c. 3. Daemones (i. e. bonos angelos) in aere medios inter aethereum coelum terram (que) constituens, utquoniam nullus Deus miscetur homini, quod Platonem dixisse perhibent, isti ad Deos perserant preces hominum, & inde ad homines impe­trata quae poscunt. idem civ. lib. 8. c. 18. Quem invenirem, qui me reconciliaret tibi? an cundum mihi fuit ad angelos? qua prece? quibus sacramentis? multi conantes ad te redire, ne (que) per seipsos valentes, sicut audio, [...]entaverunt hac & inciderunt in desiderium curiosarum visio­num, & digni habiti sunt illu sionibus. S. Aug. Tom. 1. confessionum l. 10. c. 42., and by the secret pipes of corrupt mindes hath carried it into the Vatican conduit, whence the Rhemish Annot. in Coloss. 2.18. Sanctos suppliciter invocare, & ad eorum orationes, opem, auxilium (que) con­fugere bonum, atque utile est. Concil. Trident. Session, 25. Sancti regandi, tum ut pro nobis apud Deum intercedant, tum ut ipsi nobis opitulentur; Coflerus in Enchirid. Tit. de ve­nerat. Sanct. Sancti sunt velut ostia, per quae nobis ad Sancta Sanctorum coelestia aditus aperitur; Viega Iesuita in Apocal. Quia per sanctorum intercessionem omnia bona nobis largitur Deus, sicut Reges per familiares suos. Osorius. Tom. 3. concionum. Tanker-bearers, would furnish the emptie cisternes of the world; mixing this muddie liquor with the pure wine of truth, that Angels may be worshipped, and prayed unto by the Church: that Saints departed may be invocated, and adored, especially the Virgin Marie Studeamus & nos ad ipsum per eam ascendere, qui per ipsum ad nos descendit: per eam venire in grati­am ipsius, qui per eam in nostram miseriam venit, per te accessum habeamus ad filium, O be­nedicta inventrix gratiae, genetrix vitae, mater salutis, domina nostra, mediatrix nostra, advo­cata nostra, tuo filio nos reconcilia, nos commenda, representa, fac per prerogativam quam meruisti, ut qui te mediante sieri dignatus est, particeps miseriae nostra, te quoque intercedente participes faciat nos gloria & beatitudinis sua. Bernard. de adventu dom. Sect. 2. ad finem.: they as meete mediators be­twixt Christ and us; she as the Queene of [Page 24] heaven, who hath power to command her Son, and merit to save such as seeke unto her. A Romish novelty, crept of late into the Church of God: whose solemne practice and professi­on wasEcclesia, nec invo­cation [...]bus angelicis faciat aliquid — Sed munde, & pure, & manifeste orationes di­rigens ad Dominum, qui omnia fecit, & nomen Domini nostri Iesu Christi invocans &c. Irenaeus adversus Haer. lib. 2. cap. 57., (excluding all others in heaven and earthNos autem, non dico Ma [...]yrum reliquias, sed ne solem quidem & lunam, non angelos, non archangelos, non che­rubim, non seraphim, & omne nomen quod nominatur, & in prae­senti seculo, & in futuro colimus & adoramus, ne serviamus creatu­rae potius quam crea­tori, qui est benedictus in saecula. S. Hieron. Tom. 2. adversus Vi­gilantium, epist. 53. Quis enim, O insanum caput, aliquando martyres adoravit? quis hominem putavit Deum? Apostoli sciderunt vestimenta sua, ne sub gentilitatis errore honor eis, Deo debitus, deferre­tur; idem ad eundem ep. proxima.) to have recourse in all her wants and supplications, immediately, plainly, and di­rectly unto the Throne of Grace, for favour, and reliefe from God: Give care unto my words O Lord, consider my meditation, hearken unto the voice of my crie, my King and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou heare in the morning O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will looke up. Ps. 5.1, 2, 3. First, Prayer is a humble invocati­on of the name of God alone Oratio tua locutio est ad Deum; quando legis, Deus tibi loquitur; quando oras cum Deo loqueris. S. Aug. in Psal. 85. cum legis crudiris de Christo, orans vero, familiare cum ipso seris colloquium. Gillebertus in Cant. Canticor. Ser. 7. Sit tibi vel oratio assidua, vel lectio: nunc cum Deo loquere, nunc Deus tecum. Cyprian. ep. 7.. Abraham tooke upon him to speake unto the Lord. Gen. 18.27.31. David had recourse directly unto God. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice, with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication, I powred out my complaint before him: I shewed before him my trouble, Psalm. 142.1.2. The Sonne of God prayed alone unto his father, and taught his servants both by [Page 25] precept Domine, non est ar­bitrij mei, orem ne, an non orem? tu praecepisti, agnosco igitur me debe­re parere tibi; si indi­gnus sum, at praeceptum & voluntas tua digna est, cui paream: promis­sio tua digna est, in qua confidam. Oro itaque in dignitate non mea, non Mariae, non Petri, sed in dignitate nominis Iesu, & Dei praecipien­tis & mandantis, Lu­ther. Psal. 120. and patterne to pray alone to Our Father which is in heaven. But is not this rashnesse, to croud into Gods presence with­out an usher, seeing subjects with more hu­militie, enter into the Kings presenceSed argutè sibi vi­dentur dicere, & quasi interrogando, premere. S. Aug. Tom. 2. ep. 6.? Where there is a Command to come, there needes no other mediation unto Christ then sincere devotion Nam ideo ad Re­gem per Tribunos, aut Comites itur, quia home utique est Rex, & nescit quibus debeat rempich­licam credere, ad Deum autem promerendum (quem utique nihil la­tet) suffragatore non opus est, sed mente de­vota. Age, nunquid tam demens est aliquiis, aut salutis suae immemor, ut honorificentiam Regis vindicet comiti, cum dehac re, si qui etiam tractare fuerint inventi, jure ut rei damnentur majestatis? S. Ambros. in Rom. cap. 1.. Secondly, there is no other meane betwixt God and man, but the Sonne of God, who became both, to reconcile us unto God. There is no other doore into hea­ven Iohn. 10.7.; no other way Iohn. 14.6.; no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby wee must be saved Act. 4.12., but the name of Iesus. He is ever at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us Rom. 8.34., Wherefore hee is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, see­ing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25.. If any man sinne, wee have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Iohn 2.1. Nolo authoritatem meam sequaris, ut ideo putes, tibi aliquid ne­cesse esse credere quoniam à me dic tur: sed scripturis canonicis oredas. S. Aug. epist. 112. Alio nobis non opus ofliario, vel Mediatore, vel ministro. Chrysost. in Matt. Nec instar regis est, qui uno inclusus loco aliorum utitur opere & ministe [...]io, unus abundè omnibus sufficit per servatorem Dei silium. Origen. lib. 5. contra Celsum.. His name, his merit are the onely warran­table and praevalent arguments at the throne of Grace. I will lift up my hands, in thy name Psal. 63.4.. Abide in me, and aske what ye will, [Page 26] and it shall be done unto you Iohn 15.7.. Whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name Nomē Christi, & me­ritū ejus. Acts 3.6.12., he will give it you. Iohn 16.23. There is one Mediator betwixt God and Man, and but that one, the Man Iesus Christ Christus orat pro nobis, ut Sacerdos no­ster; oratia nobis, ut caput nostrum; oratur à nobis, ut Deus noster. Agnoscamus ergo & in illo vocis nostras, & voces ejus in nobis. Ora­mus ergo ad illum, per illum, in illo. S. Aug. enarrat. in Psal. 85.. 1. Tim. 2.5. Hee is God, and therefore meete to speake for us unto his Father; he is Man, and thereby com­passionate, and fit to convey mercies unto Man from his Father, the onely Mediatour of Redemption, Salvation, Intercession betwixt God and Man, seeing he partakes of bothMediator inter Deum &. homines, o­porrebat vt haberet ali­quid simite Deo, aliquid simile hominibus, ne in utroque hominibus simi­lis, longe esset a deo; aut in utro (que) Deo similis, longe esset ab hominibus; at (que) ita mediator non esset.—Sed Iesus in­ter mortales peccatores, & immortalem justum apparuit; mortalis cum hominibus, justus cum Deo. S. Aug. To. 1. Conf. lib. 10. cap. 42.43.. Wee neede no other Orator to the Father but the Sonne, no other hands to carry the incense of our Prayers to Heaven, then his who ever sits at Gods right handEcclus. 35.16.17.. Thirdly, who, not daring to believe in any other but God, dare invocate any besides God? How then shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved? Rom. 10.14.Heb. 11.6.5.3. Iames 1.5.5.15. 1. Tim. 2.8.. Nor doth the finger of Faith point to any but one indi­viduall Christ in whom we have boldnesse and accesse, with confidence by the faith of him. Ephes 3.12.Vt Oremus, Credamus, & ut ipsa non defiriat fides qua oramus, oremus. Fides fundit orationem, fusa oratio fidei impetrat firmitatem. S. Aug. Sermon. 36. de verbis dom. secund. Lucam. Tom. 10.. his devotion is an abomination, which is not presented unto Christ, by Christ the Author & finisher of our Salvation Psal 109.7.8. Oratio ejus fiat peccatum, quoniam non est justa oratio, nisi [...]er Christum. Oratio autem quae non fit per Christum, non solum non po­test delere peccatum, fed etiam ipsa fit in peccatum. S. Aug. in loc. Oratio fit in peccatum, quia non fit per mediatorem Dei & hominum, hominem Iesum Christum, & Sucerdotem magnum in aeternum. idem Exposit. in loc.: [Page 27] Fourthly, the glorious Angels, and bles­sed Saints in HeavenSed quid dicitis? Angelos cutimus, Ange­los habemus deos, non plane nostis Angelos. Angeli enim unum de­um colunt, nec favent hominibus, qui volunt colere Angelos, & non Deum. S. August. Psal 85. Jpsi Sancti vel homines, vel ange­li, exhiberi sibi nolunt, quod soli deo deberi no­rant; ista sibi planè su­pérbi spiritus exigunt, Diabolus & Angeli e­jus. Sicut per omnia templa & sacra gentili­um. S. Aug. Tom. 6. adversus Faustum Ma­nichaeum. li. 20. cap. 21. Quod ergo cosit sum­mus Angelus, id colen­dum est etiam ab homi­ne ultimo, quia ipsa ho­minis natura, id non co­lendo facta est ultima. ipsi vellent Angeli, ut unum cum ipsis colamus Deum, cujus contem­platione beati sunt. S. Aug. Tom. 1. de vera relig. cap. 55. will no way al­low, patronize, and accept this honour from the Church on earth, which they refused, being tendered, (whiles they were conver­sant among us) as derogatory from the ho­nour and Majestie of God, to whom such worship alone belongsRevel. 19.10.22.9. Iob. 1.27. Acts 10.26.14.14.. Nor yet doe wee merit the brand of Anti-Saints, heretickes or Antidicomarians Epiphan. haeres. 78., Iewes and Samaritans S. Hieron. Tom 2. Ep 53., because we are no Romish. Collyridians Epiphan. haeres. 79. Antidico marianitae visipendant sanctam vir­ginem, Collyridiani ultra decorum glorificent, offerunt in nomen Mariae, haeresis ipsa ridicu­la est, ac ludibrij plena apud prudentes reperitur., and go not awhoring with them unto their Ca­noniz'd Saints, from under our God. Hos. 4.12. making according to the number of their Cities, the number of their gods. Ier. 2.28. begging Redemption, Salvation ^r, Grace and Glory from them, which are treasures hid in God, and from his goodnesse dispensed and disposed by the hand of Christ his Sonne unto his servants; Pouring out, even that sacred Prayer of our LordOra­tionem Dominicam fundimus sanctis, ut sancte Gereon Pater noster qui es in coelis. Sed hanc debet habere sententiam, quod cupimus Sanctorum manibus orationem illam ad Deum de­ferri, in Censura Coloniensi. Quod certe, quantum malum sit, intelligentiae potius dimitto tuae, quam longo sermone moliar explicare, S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 6., unto them who are Servants, which was composed by the Sonne, Reddere deb mus illis honorifi­centiam, qui nobis salutem profusione sui sarguinis pepererunt, qui tam sacrata hostia pro nostra propitiatione Domino sunt oblati. S. Ambros. Ser de Margarita, loquens de morte Martyr. Salua nos omnes qui te glorificant; papistarum oratio ad Deiparam. [Page 28] to the honour of the Father; directing eve­ry petition, portion, and letter in it to Him who is our Father in heaven, and his Father, our God, and his God; Thus mingling hea­ven with earth, earth with Heaven, bring­ing both to confusion Platarchus in vita Romuli Ethnici, ex ho­minibus deos, & ex dijs facerent homines, id in [...] nostri seculi competit.. We honour the An­gels and Saints departedAngeli nos morta­les & miseros, ut im­mortales, beati (que) simus, mise [...]icorditer diligunt, nolu [...]t nos sibi sacrifi [...]a­re, sed ei, cujus & ipsi nobiscum sacrificium se esse noverant. S. Aug. Civit. lib. 10. cap. 7., but dare not, to honour them rob God of his honour, wher­of he is so jealous, that he wil not part with it to another. God hath spoken once; twice have heard this, that power belongs unto God, also un­to thee O Lord, belongeth mercy, Psalm. 62.11. Mercy and Power, mans onely comfort, be­long both to God; mercy to heare, power to helpe; mercy to pitie, power to performe. Till Heaven by Letters Patents convey away these Royall rights to Saints, I charge thee, O my Soule, wait thou upon God, for from him commeth my Salvation. Psal. 62.1. We honour thee, O blessed Virgin, as the Mother and Servant of Christ in earth; and now a glorious Saint in heaven; but wee dare not crowne her to make her a Goddesse, and Queene of Heaven: to mediate for us with her Saviour and Sonne. It was a greater grace to bee the Daughter and Childe of GodMat. 12.48. Quid aliud nos doceus, nisi carnali c [...]gnationi genus nostrum spiritua­le praeponere.—Beatior ergo Maria percipiendo fidem Christi, quam con­cipiendo carnem Christi—Materna propinqui­tas nihil Mariae profu­isset, nisi felicius Chri­stum corde, quam carne gestasset. S. Aug. To 6. de Sancta virginit. lib. c. 3. Hoc in Matre magnifi­cavit filius, quia fecit voluntatem patris, non quia caro genuit car­nem.—Mater mea, quam appell [...]stis feli­cem, inde felix, quia verbum dei custodivit, non quia in illa ver [...]um caro factum est, S. Aug. Tom. 9 in Ioh. tract. 10. [...]. Sit in honore Maria, sed pater, & filius, & spiritus San­ctus a toretur. Mariam nemo adoret, Deo debetur hoc mysterium, ne (que) angeli talem glorificati­onem accipiunt. Epiphan. haeres. 79. [...]. Revera Sanctum erat corpus Mariae, non tamen deus, erat virgo & honorata, sed non ad a­dorationem nobis data, sed ipsa adorans eum, qui ex ipsa carne genitus est, de coelis vero ex Sinibus paternis accessit.—Quid mihi & tibi mulier? mulierem appellavit, velut prophe­tans, quae futura essent in terra, sectarum ac haeres. [...] gratia. Epiphan. haeres. 79., [Page 29] then to be the Mother of Christ; Wee ho­nour the Martyrs Qui illos contem­nit, qui pro Christo & in Christo mortui sunt, deum ipsum con­temnit. Sed ne (que) Elias adoran­dus est, ne (que) Johannes, ne (que) Thecla, ne (que) quis­quam Sanctus adora­tur. Epiphan. ibid., who now shine like so many bright Starres in Heaven, so farre as we have received a command; but by pray­ing unto them, we dare not blaspheme God. Remember thē which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their Con­versation. Heb. 13.7. Those matchlesse wor­thies, Heb. 11. are recorded for our instru­ction, consolation, and imitation, not for our invocation and adoration Populus Christia­nus memorias Marty­rum religiosa sanctitate concelebrat, ad excitar­dam imitationem. Coli­mus Martyres eo cultu dilectionis & societatis, quo & in hac vita c [...] ­luntur Sancti homines dei. S. Aug. Tom. 6. ad­versus Paustum Mani­chaeum. lib. 20. cap. 21. Sanctos Martyres nec deos esse dicimus, ne (que) adorare consuevimus [...], laudamus eos potius summis honoribus, quod pro veritate strenuè certârunt, —proinde non est indignum, imo etiam necessarium, eos qui tam claris operibus gloriosi sunt, perpetuis laudibus honorari, Cy­rill. lib. 6 ad Julian. Revel. 12.11.: Their memory is blessed [...]—sed non decet colere Sanctos vltra deco­rum, sed honorare ipsorum Dominum. Epiphan. lib 3. Tom. 2. Haeres. 78. Honoramus eos charitate, non servitute, nec eis templa construimus, nolunt enim se sic honorari a nobis, quia nos ipsos, cum boni sumus, templa summi Dei esse noverunt. S. Aug. Tom. 1: de vera re­ligione, cap. 55., their rest is glorious, their death was honourable, their portion is happinesse, their repose in heavenly Mansions, their com­panions Angels, their Crowne Life, their feasts, at Christs owne table; yet must wee not Deifie them, to blemish him, whom with covered faces they adore, at whose glori­ous feet they cast downe their regall Dia­dems. Wee honour them in Charitie, but serve them not; wee build not Temples to their honour, nor make them Altars where­on to offer the Sacrifice of Prayer to God. Wee put away all such will worship, and flie [Page 30] unto the Living God from the dead Non sit nobis reli­gio, cultus hominum mortuorum, quia si p [...]e vixerunt, non sic haben­tur, ut tales quaerant ho­nores, sed illum à nobis coli volunt, quo illumi­nante, laetantur [...]eriti sui nos esse consortes. Honorandi sunt propter imitationem, non ado­randi propter religio­nem idem ibid.; nor let the Idolatrix wipe her mouth with this conceitDeus est, quod J­mago docet, sed non deus ipsa. Hanc videas, sed men­te colas, quod cernis in ipsa., saying she is cleane, seeing shee bowing downe to Saints, doth not exclude and turne away from God; that water could not wash the Iews from a Curse, who suppo­sing they, in the Idol, honoured God, whom they called Baal, Hos. 2.16. are bran­ded when they worshipped Baalim, to bee evill doers, forsakers of God, and followers of o­ther gods to their owne destruction. Iudges 2.11.12. Betwixt God and us wee know no Mediator Religet ergo nos Religio, uni, omnipo­tenti deo, quia inter mentem nostram, qua illum intelligimus pa­trem, & veritatem, id est, lucem interiorem per quam illum intelli­gimus, nulla interposita Creatura est. S. Aug. Tom. 1. de vera religio­ne, cap. 55., but Iesus Christ; wee acknow­ledge none, we desire none, we have none in heaven but Christ, and we desire none in earth in comparison of Christ.

Vse 3. Those Curious and inquisitive heads, who so much busie themselves to under­stand and finde out distinctly what cleare knowledge they shall have of their friends and acquaintance in Heaven, seemeMusculus, in loc. to come farre short of Davids holy affection to God, expressed in this Text. The truth is, 'tis somewhat more then probable, that we shall distinctly know our friends, and other the glorified Saints in the Kingdome of Heaven. Former ages have delivered this Opinion unto vs, from the mouthes of venerable Sa­ges, whose Pietie, and profound knowledge in the mysteries of Godlinesse, have taught [Page 31] us to embrace their solid Iudgement with due reverence Jd mihi credible fa­cit credentium multi­tudo. Vt docerem quod didi­cera, nō à meipso, id est, praesumptione pessimo praeceptore, sed ab illu­stribus ecclesiae viris. S. Hieron. Ep. 27. Quaerendo dicimus, non sententiam praecipita­mus. S. Aug. Tom. 10. de vorbis domini. Se­cund. Math. Ser. 22. Nobis amici in coelo e­runt quanto notiores, tanto ubi (que) chariores, Cum venerit dominus & illuminaverit abscon­dita tenebrarum tunc nihil latebit proximum in proximo, nec erit quod fuis quis (que), aperiat, abscondat alienis, ubi nullus erit alienus. S. Aug. Tom. 2. Ep. 6. Itali­cae viduae, consolans illam super obitu mariti. Putas me solam? habeo pro te Mariam, matrem domini; multas hic video, quas ante nesciebam, O quanto melior est iste comitatus: habeo Annam, quondam in Evangelio prophetantem. Sic inducit Blesillam filiam mortuam, Matri Paulae lugenti, de coelo loquentem, per Prosopopoeiam, S. Hieron. Tom. 1. Ep. 25. Nihil notum in terra, nihil ignotum in coelo. Aug.. And what those Monarkes and miracles of Learning did apprehend as pro­bable, judicious Moderns have laid downe for plaine conclusions Recte hinc colligitur, nos in vita aeterna, depositis omnibus ignorantiae, & caecitatis nebulis, etiam nos invicem, & om­nes Sanctos, quos nunquam vidimus, agnituros. Chymnitius, in Mat. 7.4. Harmon. cap. 87. Quod cogniti sint, Moses & Elias, ab Apostolis, ostendit vitae beatae perfecti­onem, illud etiam habere, ut Sanctise invicem agnoscant; videbimus ergo de facie ad faci­em Christum, & simul Sanctos omnes, quos agnoscemus distincte, quemadmodum hic Eli­am a Mose, Mosen ab Elia, utrum (que) a Christo poluerunt discernere. Aretius in Mat. 17.3.4. Sic & nos in beatitudine cognoscemus omnes quos voluerimus, quamvis antea non viderimus eos, tu (que) qui nunquam vidisti patrem tuum, quia antequam in lucem fuisses editus, [...] vita migravit, cum jucunde feliciter (que) in gloria conspicies, at (que) probe cognosces. Stella in Luke 9.30.31.. The Trans-figuration of Iesus Christ upon that high mountaine, when his face did shine as the Sunne, and his rayment was white as the light Mat. 17.1.2.3.4., was a very lively re­presentation of his owne Glory which he now enjoyes at the right hand of his FatherQualis futurus est tem­pore judicandi, talis apparūit Apostolis. S. Hieron. Mat. 17.3., and of the condition of the SaintsVt futurum Christi regnum ad vivum representaretur. Maldonat. in Mat. 17.4., after this life, who shall be glorified with him, and fol­low the Lambe, whithersoever he goe. And as Peter, Iames, and Iohn, did know Moses, and Elias, who at the same time appeared in Glory, and told of Christs departure and death, which he should accomplish at Ierusalem, Luk. [Page 32] 9.31. So shall we in the Kingdome of heaven be knowne, and know one another. And as the Apostles knew not Moses and Elias by their Pictures Respondet Euthymi­us in antiquis hebraeo­rum libris eorum sor­mas fuisse descriptas, vel extraditione cogni­tum fuisse vulgo, qua forma fuissent. Sed hoc improbat Tertullianus. Nec enim Imagines eo­rum, vel statuas populus habuisset, & similitu­dines lege prohibente. Tertull. lib. 4. contra Marcion. cap. 22., nor other Lineaments and descriptions, but either by their Confe­rence Theophylactus ve­ro, ex colloquijs, quae in­ter se miscebant, ab A­postolis cognitos fuisse putat. with Christ, or by the Spirit, and ex­traordinary revelationQuomodo Mosen & Eliam cognovisscet nisi in spiritu? Tertull. contra Marcion. lib. 4. cap. 22. Fieri potest ut interni dei inspiratione cogno­verint. Maldonat. in Matt. 17.3. Sic Calv. in Matt. 17.3.; so by the perfecti­on of our Knowing Condition in heaven, we shal know those glorious members of Christ unto whom before we were never knowneDuxit Apostolos in montem, ut ostenderet ipsis regnum suum ante mor­tem suam: & potentiam ac gloriam suam ante ignominiam &c. Ephraem. Syrus, orat. de Trans­figurat. Christi, tom. 3. In qua transfiguratione, quid aliud, quam resurrectionis ultimae gloria nunciatur? Gregor. Mag. lib. 32. Moral. cap. 5. Tranfiguratio Christi [...]. Isiod. Pelusiot. lib. 1. epistolarum 239. ep.: Nor can wee so farre under-valew the bles­sed estate of the Saints, as to conceive that knowledge shall be denied them as a blessing which shall bee granted and confer'd upon the Reprobate as a Curse, and augmentation of their misery, to see Abraham, Isaak, Iacob Sancti erunt sicut Angeli in coelis. Non natura & substantia corporum tollitur, sed gloriae magnitudo mon­stratur, ubi similitudo promittitur, veritas denegatur, erunt similes angelorum, ergo homines esse non definent, ut Apostolus, Apostolus sit, & Maria, Maria. S. Hieron. To. ep. 29. Transfi­guratus est ante eos, nemo putet pristinam eam formam & faciem perdidisse, vel amisisse cor­poris veritatem, ubi splendor faciei ostenditur, & candor describitur vestium, non substantia tollitur, sed gloria commutatur. Transformatio splendorem addidit, faciem non subtraxit. Certe transformatus est Dominus in eam gloriam, qua venturus est postea in regno suo. S. Hieron. in Matt. 17.3., and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God, when they shall be themselves thrust out of doores. Luke 13.28. As their sorrow is to know those blessed ones, and be cast out: so our joy will be to know them, and be called in among them into the bridegroomes chamber. [Page 33] And as our father Adam Si enim Adamus, virtute Imaginis divi­na concreatae ei—quo­modo nos non etiam, se­cundum eandem Ima­ginem transmutati de gloria in gloriam, a do­mini spiritu, sanctos & beatos ejusdem corporis membra agnosceremus? Chy [...]nit, Harmon. in Matt. 17.3. Tum enim omnes, ut Nazianzenus habet, [...], pu­ra illuminatione San­ctae Trinitatis fulgebi­mus, erimusque [...], juxtae promissi­nem salvatoris. Iohn 6.45. ibid., by vertue of the concreated Image of God, when hee did a­wake out of sleepe, knew Evah his wife to be taken out of his side. Gen. 2.23. So when we awake in the day of resurrection out of the bed of the grave, from the sleepe of death, by vertue of the same perfected and glorious Image, wee shall know our fellow Saints, who were taken out of the side of the second Adam, when hee fell asleepe upon the crosse, and gave up the Ghost. And as after Christs resurrection, the Saints who were raised out of their grave, wherein their bodies slept, went into the holy City, and were known again of their friends, unto whom they appeared. Matt. 27.53. So shall the Father know his Sonne, the wife her husband, the Disciple his Instru­ctor, and one friend of Christ another, when they shall all be raised againe by the voice of the Archangell to attend the Iudge of the world into his eternall kingdome: nor is this knowledge difficult for him to bestow, who enabled Samuel to know Saul, whom he had never seene before. 1. Sam. 9.17. & Iohn Bap­tist, yet in the womb, to take notice of Christ presence, and for joy thereof to leape in his mothers belly. Luk. 1.41. Howsoever modesty will not easily vary from reason Quaecunque di­cuntur, neque contra Scripturas, neque sine rationibus Physicis, & Theologicis reprehendi non possunt. Zankius., and Autho­rity Tene mecum, san­cti viri Ambrosij sen­tentiam, jam non ejus authoritate, sed ipsa ve­ritate firmatam. Aug. ep. 112. cap. 23. Has sententias de re tanta virorum tanto­rum non ob hoc inter­ponere volui, ut cujus­quam homini sensum tanquam Scripturae ca­nonicae authoritatem sequendum arbitreris: sed ut illi qui aliter sa­piunt conentur mente videre, quod verum est, ne tam doctos divino­rum eloquiorum tracta­tores temere reprehen­dant. S. Aug. ep. 112. Hucusque Origines: cu­jus nos maluimus in hac disputatione duntaxat peritiam sequi, quam stuliam habere scienti­am noscientium. S. Hieron. ep. 138. Quid igitur faciam? tantum virum, & temporibus suis disertissimum reprehendere non auder, qui & confessionis suae merito, & vitae industria, & eloquentiae clariate, ubicunque Roma­num nomen est, praedicatur. S. Hiron. 141. de Hilario. Sed ne quis me vim facere Scriptu­rae putet, & amare opinionem, ut historia auferam veritatem:—ut quia novitia musta contemnis, saltem veteris vini authoritate ducaris. S. Hier. ep. 138., [Page 34] yet if any man see just cause to thinke otherwise, I contend not with himEligat unusquisque quod vult, & studiosumme magis, quam malevolum probet. S. Hieron. To. 3. ep. 113. Caven­dum ne dum altercando quaerimus vestigare quomodo possit videri Deus, ipsam pacem sancti­ficationem (que) perdamus, sine qua nemo possit videre Deum. S. Aug; ep. 112 c. 21., upon condition, that whiles hee waves the question, hee will make his Election sure, and certaine 2. Peter 1.12., and worke out his salvation with feare and trembling Philip. 2.12., that Christ may know, and ac­knowledge him before his Father in the king­dome of heaven Matt. 10.32.; To prove himselfe whether he be in faith; 2. Cor. 13.5. To know God, and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ, which is life eter­nall. Iohn 17.3. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; Mat. 5.8. and whosoever hath this hope in him, purgeth himselfe; as God is pure. 1. Iohn 3.3. This is for every Christian a duty of necessity Plus valet in hac inquisitione viven [...], quam loquendi modus. Nam qui didicerunt à Domino Iesu Christo mites esse, & humiles corde, plus cogitando & orando proficium, quam legendo, & audiendo. S. Aug. to [...]. 2. ep. 112.; the other a quaere that savours more of curiosity Augustinus scripsit epistolam Evodio, de quaestionibus ad salutem non necessariis. S. Aug. 10. 2. ep. 102. Multae quaestiones sunt, in quibus salva fide, qua Christiani sumus, aut ignoratur quid verum sit, & sententia definitiva suspenditur, aut aliter quam res est, humana & infir­ma suspicione conjicitur. S. Aug. Praestat dubitare de occultis, quam litigare de incertis. idem.; which if it be not bound­ed, and banked with moderation, & humility, will greedily devour both many pretious houres, and at length, eate out the very heart of saving knowledge.

Its the forbidden tree, which none may touch without dangerAut si non est, qui possit exponere melius, est aliquid nescire secu­re, quam cum periculo discere. S. Hieron. ep. 22. cap. 13. Priculosa sunt, tam lo­quentibus, quam audi­entibus. S Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 11.: Secret things belong to God, the things revealed to us, and our chil­dren. Deut. 29.29. Wherefore eate the fruit of revealed truth: Drinke the water of comfort out of thy well Mitte quod esse ne­quit, quaere quod esse potest.. In Heaven there will be no want of whatsoever may increase thy joy. If thou be worthy, as once Photinus told the Proconsul Et tu si dignus fue­ris, videbis, 2. B. Cow­per in Revel. cap. 6 v. 9. Thesbi solvet dura, no­dos & quaestiones, Pro­verb. Drusius Prae­terit. lib. 1. ad Matt. 17.11. Te quoque hoc ipsum o­rare non dubito, ut in­ter nos contena [...]ntes ve­ritas superet, non enim tuam quaris gloriam, sed Christi, cumque tu viceris, & ego vincam si meum errorem intel­lexero, & è contrario, me vincente, tu superas S. Hieron. Aug. ep. 89., thou shalt see God, face to face, and thy friends with God. Till which time teach thy soule to set such a true valew of Christ, as she may say, Whom have I in hea­ven but thee, and I desire none in earth besides thee.

Vse 4. Whom have I in Heaven? What have I in heaven? saith the Cardinall. Here Bellar­mine Omnino retinenda est nostra lectio. Bellar. in loc. rowes with the tyde, and sets his sailes to a Romish gale of windeAlij sunt qui tenent pastorales cathedras, ut Christi gregibus consulant, alij vero ut suis honoribus temporalibus, & commodis secularibus gaudeant, sua quaerentes, non quae Jesu Christi. S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 209. Sed quia ist [...] futura praedicta sunt, mirandum non est quod exurgant, sed vigilandum est ne noceant. S. Aug. ep. 141. Comparant sibi quidem illi sua voluntate perversa, & praesentis meritum caecitatis & futuri aeterni supplicij: si per con­tumaciam indociles fuerint, seque cum in hac vita sunt, corrigere at (que) emendare neglexerint, idem ibid.. For howsoever hee confesse, (what cannot be denied) that our translation, Whom have I? is agreeable to the Hebrew Originall [...] non [...], yet to uphold the decayed credit of their vulgar latine transla­tion in greater errors, and matters of more moment then this comes to, supporting himselfe upon the Septuagint [...]. 70. Sed Aquila [...]., hee saith this [Page 36] reading, What have I in heaven? is rather to be allowed, followed and kept. The truth is, whether wee have our Quis? Whom? or he his Quid? What? the sense is not much changed; yet seeing wee smell his drift, and that he takes so slender an occasion to justi­fie the mother of errours by the wilfull for­saking the fountaine of Living waters Ieremiah. 2.13. multi enim superstitio­nibus vanis pertinaciter inharentes obdurant se contra manifestam ve­ritatem, non tam de suis religionibus, quas prave asserunt bene me­riti, quam de se mal [...]: qui cum habeant iter rectum, devios sequun­tur anfractus, planum deserunt, ut per praecipi­tium labantur: lucem relinquunt, ut in tene­bris caeci, ac debiles ja­ceant. His consulendum est, ne contra se pugnen [...]: velintque se tandem ab inveteratis erroribus li­berari. Lactant. de sal­sa religion. lib. 1. cap. 1., dig­ging to himselfe pits that will hold no water, its not out of the way to discover the sandy foundations whereon hee builds. And as every sparke of a diamond, and graine of gold is pretious, so the least sentence, let­ter, and word of Gods word is much more pretious, and worthy of our deepest consi­derationNihil est, quod non sit momenti magni in Scripturis sacris, utcun­que nobis parvum, aut nihil esse videtur. S. Ba­sil. ad Amphilochium. Quae minima, sunt in lege, contemnenda non sunt, quia plena sunt Sacramentis. S. Hilar. ex Sylva Allegor. in verbo iota..

Vse 5. Now seeing it is the houre of sorrow Dicentis laus in fle­tu est audientium. S. Hieron. ep. 22., I cannot but spend a teare upon the living corps, of those dead soules, that minde earthly things: who making gold to be their god in heaven, and honour, and pleasure their Deitie on earth, expell the Lord of heaven and earth out of their hearts and habitations Mollerus, & Mas­culus in loc.; being as farre distant from King Davids ho­ly affection expressed in this text, as the East is from the West. There are not a few in the world, who so be it they may have pleasure for their breakefast, and the world to their dinner, feare not to sit with the devill at supper. Their hope of heaven, and hap­pinesse on earth, is (as they dreame) to want [Page 37] nothing of what their immense desires covet, and to be full masters of their carnall designes. What is that you hunt after, and pursue with such greedinesse? is it the splendor, and beauty of gold that drawes your affecti­ons? O then how much more paines should thy soule imploy to purchase his favour, whose incomparable beautie fills the hea­vens, and splendor dazles the eye of An­gelsFratres cogitate: omnia ista quae videtis pulchra, quae amatis, ipse fecit, si haec pulchra sunt, quid est ipseīsi haec magna sunt, quantus est ipse? ergo ex istis quae hic amamus, illum ma­gis desideremus, & con­temnentes ista illum di­ligamus: ut ipsa dilecti­one per fidem cor mun­demus, & mundatum cor nostrum inveniat aspectus illius. S. Aug. in Psal. 84.? Were the object of thy desires bread that never perisheth, & durable riches Est quidem in coelo, sancta Ecclesia, sunt Trophaea Apostolorum, & Martyrum, est Chri­sti vera confessio, & Apostolorum praedicata fides. S. Hieron. ep. 18., to rise earely, sit up late, crie so loud, ride and runne so fastLege S. Aug. tom. 10. ser. 17. de verbis dom. Matt. 19.17., to take counsell, charge thy head, burden thy memory, beate thy braines, teare thy flesh, and eate thy morsels with per­plexitie; were both necessary & commendable: but seeing that which thy soule graples is no other but a cloud, a meere shadow, a vanish­ing nothing; this great care and cost is both lamentable and damnable Cum tanta reperiamus in coelo, parva & caduca quaesiss [...] nos dolea­mus in terra. idem loc. cit.. The world is but a sea of glasse Revel. 15.2. Seculum est quasi mare: unicuique autem sua cupiditas est tempestas. S: Aug. de verbis dom. ser. 13. cap. 1.; Whosoever attempts to walke, will sinke, and drowne with PeterMatt. 14.31. Fides ambulavit in Apostolo non caro: fides titubabit, & caro cepit sentire naufragium. S. Ambr. Sine ulla dubitatione, Petrus ad verbum jubentis, ad praesentiam sustentantis, ad prasentiam regentis, sine ulla cunctatio [...] desiluit in aqu [...], & ambulare cepit: potuit quod dominus, non in se, sed in Domino: fide valuit, quod humana infirmitas non vcleret. S. Aug. tom. 10. serm. 13. de veris Domini. cap. 3., unlesse Christ lend a miraculous hand of de­liverance from that Sacrilege. She is a bot­tomlesse depth of iniquitie; And when her [Page 38] favorites are lifted up to heaven upon her swelling surges, she in a momentPsal. 107.26., carries them downe to hell; and when the ship of their desires is arrived at her wished-for haven, they are constrained often to waigh anchor, set saile, and put to sea againe, for safety. Where being terribly tossed with the waves and windes of their greedy affecti­ons; avarice Avaritiae tibi quo­que vitandum est ma­lum, non ut aliena non appetas, sed quo tua, quae tibi sunt aliena non serves. S Hieron. ep. 22. ad Eustochium, cap. 14. Aliena nobis auri, ar­gentique sunt pondera, nostra possessio spiritua­lis est: redemptio animae viri propriae divitiae. ib. springs a leake in the vessell, where, as the hold of their heart fills, they sinke, and in fine, falling upon the rockes and sands of temptation, and into many foolish lusts, drowne in distruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9., and sinke with Pharioh and his chariots to the very bottome like a stone Exod. 15.5.. Her salt and brinish billowes wash away, and eate out the very heart of grace and goodnesseCogitatio victus, spinae sunt fidei, radix avaritiae, cura Gentili­um. S. Hieron. ep. 22.. When they have the fairest gaile of prosperitie; their cares and feares are so multiplied, there is such variation of their compasseQuid mihi est cum volūptate, quae brevi perit? quid cum hoc dul­ci & mort fero carmine Sirenarum? S: Hieron. loc. cit. Si quae tamen est mun­di gloria, praeterit jocun­ditas non reditura, & manet anxietas, non re­lictura: S. Ber. ep. 113., as their soules melt away for trouble, they reele to and fro, are at their wits end, and stagger like a drunken man Psal. 107.27, 28, 29, 30.. And when the weather-bea­ten fleete of their insatiable mindes returnes, is it loaden with any other merchandise then thicke clay Habac. 2.6.? doth the raging sea of the world cast up ought save myre Isay. 57.20. and dirt? Were it a sea of yce, men might with greater facilitie, and quicker dispatch glide and slide over the incessant molestations of it, yet that were but cold comfort, and frozen joy: were [Page 39] it a sea of brasse 1 King. 7.23., there were some soliditie to relie upon in it; but seeing it is but a sea of glasse, where can the most expert mari­ner cast anker? what safety can hee promise to himselfe in so brittle a harbour? what con­solation, or happinesse can he exhale from that, which is broken and shiver'd in pieces with every knocke? What light of joy can shine thorow it into the chambers of his soule, thorough whose transparencie hee can behold nothing but vanitie and vexation of spirit Quid aliud quoti­die in mundo quam pu­gna adversus diabolum geritur? quam adversus j [...]cula ejus assiduis con­flictationibus dimica­tur? cum avaritia no­bis, cum impudicitia, cum ira, cum ambitione congressio est, cum car­nalibus vitijs, cum ille­cebris secularibus assi­dua & molesta luctatio est, obsessa mens homi­nis undique, vix occur­rit singulis & resistit: si avaritia prostrata est, exurgit libido: si libido compressa est, succedit ambitio, ira exasperat, inflat superbia &c. S. Cyprian. de Mortal.? The christall glasse of Scripture, wherein the anticke postures, and monstrous shapes of sinne are to every pure eye discer­nable, presents the love of the world to our full view vested in such hellish weedes, as may make us runne from her as from an infernall furie, and is able to fire it out of our soules: 1. For the nature and roote of it, its Idolatry, and Adultery. 2. For the fruit and blossome of it, it permits not the love of God to grow or thrive neere it. 3. for the body and bulke of it, its prepared to be cut downe, and thrown into hell fire. 1. The love of the world, and the things of the world, is Idolatrie: Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, and covetousnesse, which is Idolatrie, Colossians 3.5. The covetous man, who is an Idolater. Ephesians 5.5. Howsoever men are of opinion that worldly mindednesse is a small sinne, not worthy naming, yet the [Page 40] holy Ghost gives this character of it, that it is a sinne so great and odious as it is not fit to be once named, much lesse nourished and practised among Christians Quae nomine turpia & indigna, pijs usu quo­que foeda sunt. Aret. in loc. Apostoli. Decet sanctos, à vitijs esse immunes, & a nota infamiae. Ansel. in loc. Apost.. Covetousnesse, let it not be once named among you, as becommeth Saints. Ephes. 5.3. There is a twofold idola­try; the first internall, prohibited in the first CommandementExod. 20:3. Cor­dis, & corporis. Piscat. in loc. Apost.. Another externall, for­bidden in the second. In the first ranke, this over-spreading sinne of avarice marcheth. The abomination whereof is transparent. 1. From the catalogue of other, even the foulest transgressions; in the thickest crowd whereof its placedQuam gravis res sit avaritia, cum forni­cationi, & immunditiae comparatur, animad­vertendum est, & ta­mē nobis videtur, quasi quaedam culpa nullius momenti, cum sit grave peccatum. S. Ambros: in loc. Ephes., Fornication, unclean­nesse, inordinate affection, evill concupiscence, filthinesse, foolish talking, jesting, whoredome Ephes: 5.5. Col. 3.5.. Looke how loathsome the vilest of these enormities is: so vile also is covetousnesse; as the glorious Majesty of God is highly provoked by the one, so much also is he dishonoured by the other. 2. From the proper chara­cter of it: Idolatrie above all sinnes is most distastfull to Almighty God, and most deadly and dangerous to those who so of­fendVt avaritiam rem periculosam esse doceret, Idololatriam hanc nun­cupat, qua nullum pec­catum majus est. S. Amb. in loc. Avaritiam Idololatriae comparavit, ut nihil illa scelestius demonstraret. S. Ambros. in Colos. 3.. The covetous man commits Idola­trie three wayesRemigius. in Ephes. 5.5. Bibliothec. Patrum. tom. 5. pars 3.. First, hee makes gold his god, and adores itEst nummus, nu­men in arca.: when hee should goe to the Temple to sanctifie the Sabbath, hee goes to his Tent to safeguard his silver. When hee should offer up his heart a sacrifice to God, hee sacrificeth it to his gold: when hee [Page 41] should retire to his chamber to pray, he casts his eyes upon his neighbors inheritance, how he may make it a prey Anselmus in Ephes: 5.. He will not have the Son of God which came frō heaven to raign over him, In whom are hid the treasures of wise­dome: but desires to kisse Ester 5.2. [...], non [...]. the golden scepter, which the god of the world reacheth out in fa­vour unto him: & to captivate his service un­to the most imperious commands of him, who vaunts of his power to dispose of world­ly treasures, and the glory of them Luke 4.6.: Thus his thoughts of God are base Muthesius in Ephes. 5.; whiles he declines his service, whose service is freedome, whom the Archangels adore, whiles hee worships the creatureDuobus modis pec­cat avarus. 1. ea quae Dei sunt, sibi usurpat, & honorificentiam Dei creaturae vindicat. 2. & recondit avarus, ut quae usibus omnium concessit communiter, avaritia deneget. S. Ambr. Ephes. 5., and glories in the favour and attendance of his new master: his Syrian Nam gentili Syro­rum l [...]ngua Mammona divitiae nuncupantur. S. Hieron. ep. 22. c. 14. Mammon (quae vox Chaldaeis & Syris opum congeriem, lingua Puni­ca, Augustino & Am­brosio lucrum signifi­cat) quasi Idolum quoddam Deo opponitur. Pelargus in cap. 6. 24. Matthaei. god Mammon: Mat. 6.24. 2. He puts his confidence in Mammon, withdrawing his affiance from GodPecunia congesta sive Mammon est Idolum, cui servi [...]nt, & in quo spe [...] collocant [...]. Tossan. in Colos 3.5. Anselmus, Mariana.. The cure declares the disease, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertaine riches, but in the living God. 1. Timoth. 6.17. Dis­trust in God is the mother of avarice, & cove­tousnesse the cursed childe Est autem avaritia inordinata & insatiabilis plus semper habendi cupido: quae ex diffidentia erga Deum, & nimio amore rerum terrenarum proficiscitur. Tossan. loc. citat.. How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the king­dome of God? Mark. 10.24. No shelter like the silver shield, no wall of defence like the [Page 42] wedge of gold. The rich mans wealth is his strong citie, and as a high wall in his owne con­ceit. Prov. 18.11. This is the difference be­twixt the righteous and the wicked rich man. The name of the Lord is a strong towre, the righ­teous runneth into it, and is safe; but the rich mans tower of strength is his wealth. His wealth is so, and is not so: Such in his con­ceite Substantia divitis [...]rbs roboris ejus, & quasi murus validus, circumdans eum. S. Hieron., not so in truth Non terrena sub­stantia semper defende­re potest, imo plerique propter divitias sunt capti, vel eccisi. idem in loc. Eccles. 5.12. 1 King. 21.14.. Behold what vast, and monstrous conceits rich fellowes have of themselves, and their wealth, he fancies that his riches is not onely a house, but a citie, not a citie unwalled but a frontier towne, a place of defence: Fenced with high wals, gates and barres, Deut. 3.5. Hee dreames hee is not onely within a hedge, or pale, but within some Canaanitish city, great and walled up to heaven. Deut. 1.28. without the danger of Cannon shot. If hee hath coine, and cash at command, as he jets up and downe upon his paved Tarras Proverb. 18.11. [...] i. e. in imaginatione sua, radix autem est [...] aspi­cere, & pingere, quod rem pictam homines aspiciant. Hinc pro imaginatione quae in mente caelatur. Dum est in domo ejus, iustrata lapidibus pavimenti. Rabbi Selomoth., as hee takes a turne in the painted roome, viewing his pictures Quando est in cu­biculo picturae: in con­clavi suo picto & caelato Rab. David lib Rad., as hee stands to gaze upon his ground, and all pas­sengers, in his Summer-house, and Garden pro­spect In domo conspectus, aut prospectus reputabit [...]pes suas tanquam mu­rum cl [...]vatum. Rab. Abrah [...]m, & Aben. Ezra. Pagnin. Thesaur. singuae sancta in Rad. cit. Mercerus in loc. cit.. hee sets his hands by his side, lookes bigge, speakes with a majestie, answers rough­ly Prov. 18.23., walkes like an Emperour, thinkes him­selfe one of the sonnes of Anak, all other inferiours to be in comparison of himselfe but Grashoppers Numb. 13.33., that he is secure, and none able to stand before him. Yet behold his [Page 43] madnesse, all this is a meere imagination, he is no such man, hee is in no such safety, his wealth is no such wall: Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousnesse delivereth from death. Prov. 11.4. His shield is departed from him: Numb. 14.9.Esay. 30.2. Psal. 91.1. &. 121.5. Esay 51.16. & 49.2.; he imagineth his goods, wherein hee glories, overshadowes him [...]. Septu.; whereas the shadow of Gods protection, like Sampsons strength is departed from him. This affiance in the creature springs from dif­fidence in the Creator At dicis, Puella sum delicata, & quae mani­bus meis laborare non possum: si ad senectam venero, Si egrotare cae­pero; quis mei miserebi­tur? audi Apostolis lo­quentem Jesum: Mat. 6.25. ne cogitetis quid manducetis &c. Si ve­stis defuerit, lilia propo­nantur. S. Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 22. cap. 14.; as though hee whose power made man, had not a providēce to pro­vide for man [...]. Chrys. Ne trepidate homines, vitae dator, & dator es [...]ae est. Prudentius.: or as if he that in mercy feeds the yong ravens when they crie. Psal. 147.9. will not satisfie the desires of them that seeke him, call upon him in truth, and wholly de­pend upon his never-failing goodnesse. Thirdly, hee stoutly and manfully fights for his wealth, as those Idolaters for their gods. Iudg. 6.30. hee hides it as closely-safe, as Achan his cursed wedge of gold, and Babylo­nish garment: Ioshuah. 7.21. hee findes and faines as many ungodly, unmannerly sleights to keepe it, as Rachel to conceale her fathers Idols, Gen. 31.35. Hee doth part with it as hardly, as Hercules from his club: he is as much netled, and perplexed to lose the least graine of gold, or brasse farthing, as Michah was mo­ved when the souldiers stole his Teraphim, & his molten image, Iudg. 18.18.Quae est ista avidi­tas concupiscentia, cum & ipsae belluae habeant modum? quae est ill ani­morum insania, appete­re aurum, & an ittere coelum. S. Aug. de verbis dom. [...] Mendicantium sacculi semper inanes. Erasmus Adag. i.e. Avaris nihil est satis. Lucri bonus est odor, ex re qualibet. Ju­venal. vox erat Vespa­siani, homo turpiter avi­dus ex lotio vectigal faceret: alij è turpibus velut e lenocinio, quaestu (que) corporis. Probro datum est Romanis principibus, quod suffossi [...] Co­rinthiorum monumentis aera [...] sustulerunt.. And if [Page 44] Heaven or earth pull away any share of his substance, hee presently believes himselfe to be a nobody, or turned with Lots wise into a pillar of salt, and exclaimes, hee is unwoven and undone. Thus hee is ever thirsting after the golden fountaine: Aureum lac hau­rire. Erasm. Adag., venturing for the gol­den fleece, and prayes not so much for the se­cond comming of Christ, as for the returne of the golden world. Whereas other sinners neglect God, yet trust not in their sinnesBeza in Ephes. 5., and such as restraining grace keepes free from other enormities, are overspread with this infection Ier. 6.13., the roote of all evill 1 Timoth. 6.10. [...]. Phocill. Crescentem sequitur cu­ra pecuniam Quo enim affectu possideamus ali­quid docemur cum id amittimus: & cupidi­tatem fruendi, carendi dolor pr [...]dit, quem qui in carendo non habuit in possidendo quonam modo habuit. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1., well doth the spirit brand it, with the name of Idolatry, a staine never to be washed out.

The second abomination unto which its re­sembled is adultery. Ye adulterers and adulte­resses, know yee not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Iames. 4.4. Cove­tous persons are an adulterous generation Matt. 12.39.: As of all sinnes, Adultery is one of the great­est, so of all vices, Avarice is one of the foul­est. Adultery dishonors the whole Sacred Trinity; The blessed Father, whose covenant is brokenProv. 2.17., and forgotten, the blessed Sonne, whose members are rent from him to be made the members of Harlots 1 Cor. 6.16., the blessed Spirit whose Temple is defiled1 Cor. 6.19.. God is an­grie with other sinnes, but the adulterer the soule of the Lord abhors, Prover. 22.14. for other sinnes, the just judge of heaven hath [Page 45] powred downe smaller judgements, but upon this wickednesse, hee showred downe the most terrible and greatest. For the sinne of adultery, the world was drowned Gen. 16.2.. Sodome and Gomorrahfir'd with brimstone from hea­ven, where naturally no brimstone breedsEzek. 16.50.: Canaan spewed out her inhabitantsLevit. 18.28.. The plague in one day devoured twenty foure thousand IsraelitesNumb. 25.9.. The Iewes were cap­tivated Ier. 5.7, 8, 9.: and seeing among men this sinne is not either knowne, or else favoured Psal. 50.18. Nonne portionem tuam cum illo qui fecit, lau­dando posuisti? hoc est enim concurrere cum fure—quia etsi non facis, & laudas quod fit, astipulator et facti, quoniam laudatur peccator in desiderijs animae suae. S. Aug. in loc. Psal. Quod citò se non emandaverint, & eis fruct [...]osa poenitentia non subvenerit: & sic subito de hac lucerapti fuerint, aterna illos flamma, sine ullo remedio cruciabit: S. Aug. tom. 10. de Tempore. ser. 243. Si enim fidem haberent, utique Deo crederent, & venturum judi­cium cum tremo [...]e metuerent. probaturaenim, quia hominibus credunt, & De [...] non credunt, ut publice ubi homines vident adulteria timeant, & secrete ubi Deus videt omnino non ti­meant. idem [...]oc. ci [...]. Lege Gregorij Richteri, axiomatum historicorum partem 2: axiom. 177. quomodo adulteros judicat Deus., and smothered, the Lord hath reserved the sharpe sentence against it to his owne tribunall, whoremongers, and adulterers Non sane ideo ma­lum est adulterium, quia vetatur lege, sed ideo vetatur lege, quia malum est. S. Aug. tom. 1. de lib. arbit. lib. 1. cap. 3. Caput mulieris vir, ubi se agnoscant duces, illas autem comites habere, & ideo cavendum est viro illac ire vivendo, qua timet ne uxor se­quatur imitando. S. Au. tom. 6. de adulterinis conjugijs lib. 2. cap. 8. God will judge. Heb. 13.4. Nor is the adulterie of the Soule either lesse foule or fearefull, in the strict ac­count of god: which being betrothed unto God in an everlasting covenant of righteousnesse Hosea. 2.19., espoused unto one husband to be presented as a chast virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2.: shall play fast and loose with her bridegrome, and embrace the stink­ing rotten corps of this present evill world Gal. 1.4., Hee that weds a virgin honourable by birth, [Page 46] of feature beautifull, of person comely, richly attyr'd, with faire fortunes endowed, will not allow her to turne adulteresse Ego eum perijsse du­co cui quidem perijt pu­dor. Plaut. in Bacch. Periêre mores, jus, de­cus, pietas, fides, & qui redire nescit cum perij pudor. Senec. in Agam. Nescit vincere vitia corporis, virtutis cin­gulum qui deponit. Chry­solog. ser. 22.: how much lesse can the Lord of heaven endure the co­vetous filthinesse of thy soule, which hee be­trothed after he saved from perishing, free'd from bondage, washt from filthinesse, cover­ed thy nakednes beautified, thy uncomelines, enriched thy poverty, brought thee to honour, to enjoyEzek. 16.4. to 16. thee himselfe? Christ Iesus was cru­cified for us, that wee might be crucified unto the world, and the world unto us, Gal. 6.14. But hee that with Demas 2 Tim. 4.10. embraceth the present world, hath committed spirituall adultery, a wound and dishonour hath hee got, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. Prov. 6.33. the covetous soule, in making gold her hope, and saying to fine gold, Thou art my confidence, in rejoycing, because her wealth was great, Florere potest ad tempus iniquitas, per­manere non potest. S. Aug. in Psal. 52.10. and her hand had gotten much, hath committed adultery to be punished by the Iudge, and hath denyed her husband, the God that is above O lucra damnosa lin­venis pecuniam, perdis justitā, ille non quaerat rapere quod non ha­bet: iste non opponat cor in eo quod habet. Divi­tiae s [...]fluant, noli de te praesumere, noli ibi te fi­gere, certe vel hoc time, divitiae si fluant. idem loc. cit.. Iob. 31.24.28. This be spoken of the nature of avarice. Secondly, it is the bitter fruit of covetousnesse: which purg­eth out of the soule, the love of God. Whoso­ever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemie of God. Iam. 4.4. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1. Ioh. 2.15. No man can serve two ma­sters: [Page 47] yee cannot serve God and Mammon. Matt. 6.24Nemo potest dominis aequè servire duobus: unius aut odijs cedil, vel cedit amori: Juvencus. Qui enim divitijs ser­vit, ejus servitium De­us non recipit: Euseb. Emissen. De duobus interse con­trarijs, vel contraria praecipientibus dominis intelli itur, ut monue­runt Chrysost. & Theo­philactus. Imperat aut servit col­lecta pecunia cuique, re­ponat igitur in coelo di­vitias suas, qui Deo fa­miliariter servire desi­derat. Euseb. Emiss.. Looke how much thou inclinest to the world, so much thou declinest from God. The antipathy betwixt God and the world, is greater then the distancePsal. 103.11. betwixt hea­ven and earth, for what fellowship hath righte­ousnesse with unrighteousnesse? and what com­munion hath light with darkenesse? 2. Cor. 6.14. The Lord is so farre from acquainting himselfe with the world, and worldlings, as he will not so much as shew himselfe unto them Admirationis vox illa Judae, potius quam formidinis, & timoris, cumtanta salvatoris gratia admiratur non extendi ad universum mundum eam, sed ad paucos duntaxat in mundo. Pelarg. in loc. Magna quaestio, magnae­que quaestionis nobilis­sima selutio, ideo inquit mundo, hoc est, mundi amatoribus me non manifesto, qui me non diligunt—meis autem meipsum manifestare deleam, ut cognita sa­pientia sint sapientes: cognita iustitia sint iusti, cognita veritate sint veraces, & vita cognita in aeternum vivant. Emyssemus in loc., Ioh. 14.22. they may see Christ with exter­nall eyes, but not with the internall, with temporall, not with eternall. The Sonne of righteousnesse shall put himselfe under a bu­shell, and suffer an eclipse in their horizon: as the eye of man cannot at one and the same time looke up directly to heaven, and downe to the earth: no more is it possible for the the soule of man to Love the things of this world, and the things of a better world, having his affections above, where Christ sits at the right hand of his father Mundi amor, & Dei pariter in uno cor­de habitare non possunt, quemadmodum oculi pariter coelum & terram respicere nequeun [...]. Cyprian.. One may have the goods of this world, and yet enjoy the god of the world: there was a wealthy Iob, a rich Abraham, whose bosome on earth being the Temple of God, is now [Page 48] the place of joy in Gods temple of heavē Luke 16.22. Habebat David mundi divitias, sed non con­cupiscebat. Muscul. in Psal. 73.25.. But to love the world & God together is impossi­ble. There is a care for the salvation of the soule, this is absolutely necessary & honorable; there is a conscionable care for the sustentatiō of the bodySolicitudo triplex, tolerabilis, laudabilis, vituperabilis, ex inordi­nato amore temporali­um., this also is necessary & commen­dable Gen: 3.19. Ephes. 4.28. 1 Tim. 5.8. 2 Thes. 3.10.: & there is an over-caring or carefulnesse for the augmentation, and preservation of the things of this life, and this is unnecessarie, vi­tuperable, and damnable: There is a care of diligence, and a care of diffidence Est solicitudo du­plex, diligentiae, diffi­dentiae, [...] à singulis requiritur, [...] pro­hibetur, eo quod ani­mum nunc huc, nunc dividat illuc. Virgil.; that injoy­ned by precept, this prohibited. Diligence in the use of meanes within the limits of thy lawfull vocation God enjoynes: diffidence in the mercy and blessing of God upon thy di­ligence, and the lawfull meanes God ab­horres; as that which shoulders out, both his love and his law Vive ergo, lege tua, quae Dei non potes. S. Hieron. ep. 22. cap. 5. Nec ulli omnino trans­gredi licet quod omni­bus imperatum est: aper­tus (que) contemptus Dei est, vel facere prohibita, vel jussa non facere. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1.. Cast all your care upon him, for hee careth for you: 1 Peter, 5.7. He doth not here command idlenesse in thy calling, but confidence in Gods promise: that hee will withhold nothing that is good from them that feare him. Psal. 34.9. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eate. Matt. 6.25. hee forbids not labouring in thy calling, but carefulnesse joyned with distrust, and unquietnesse Audiat hoc avarus: audiat qui censetur vo­cabulo Christiano, non posse se simul divitijs, Christoque servire: & tamen non dixit, qui habet divitias, sed qui servit divitijs: qui enim divitiarum servus est, eas custodit ut servus, qui autem servitutis excussit jugum, distribuit eas ut dominus. Labor exercendus est, solicitu­do tollenda. S. Hieron. in Matt. 6.24, 25. of spi­rit: he saith not, till thy ground no more; eate not thy bread with the sweate of thy browes; but, be not carefull what to eateTheophilact.: that shall be [Page 49] my care to care for you. Is not the life more then meat, and the body then rayment? are yee not much better then the fowles of the aire, whom your heavenly father feedeth Pascet te, qui fecit te; qui pascit latronem, non pascet innocentem? Si p [...]scit damnandos, non pascet liberandos? S. Aug. in Psal. 62.10. Cur malitiam malitiae, laborem l [...]bori, angusti­am angustijs, fatigatio­nem satigationi super— addere velu? Emissen.? And which of you by taking thought, can adde one cubit un­to his stature? Matt. 6.27. But the vigilant hand of mercy, sends in those blessings to his saints when they sleepe in the assurance of his love which the moiling and toiling hand, and head of no worldly favorite can possibly procure from the treasures of his deceitfull and painted mistresse Pij habent [...], res autem humanae non habent [...] aut [...], sed tantum [...]. Aret. in 1 Ioh. 2.15.. The very Heathens con­sidering the execrable basenesse of this vice of covetousnesse, term'd it the worst of devils Euripides vocat [...] p [...]us habendi cupi [...]tatem daemonum sceleratissimum. Gregor. Naz. ep. 43.. And others of them, seing that worth, and wealth, vertue, and riches did very seldome or never set their horses togetherNam & abjecisse quosdam res familiares suas, & renunciasso universis voluptatibus constat: ut solam nudam­que virtutem, nudi, expeditique s [...]queren­tur: tantum (que) apud eos virtutis nomen & au­thoritas valuit, ut in ipsa summi boni praemium esse judicarent. Lactan. li. 1. c. 1. de falsa re­ligione. Quid illos minores putabimus, qui nunquam sibi tam sapientes videri solent, quam cum pecuniae contemptu gloriantur? idem de falsa sapient. lib. 3. cap. 23. per totum. Lege Origen. in Matt. cap. 19. tract. 8. Crates Thebanus ingens auripondus projecit in mare, dicens, abite pessum ma [...]e cupiditates; ego vos mergam, ne ipse mergar a vobi [...]: non enim pu­tabat se divitias simul & virtutes possidere posse. Mariani Scholia in S. Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 26. annot. 27. Antishenes, cum Rhetoricam gloriosè docuisset, audito Socrate, statim venditis omnibus, ac publicè delargitis, nihil sibi praeter pallium reliquit. idem eo­dem annot. 28., meete in one man, and long accord, have, to retaine and increase their vertues, cast away their goods. Shall Philosophers cast the world out of their favour, and Christians entertaine it into house, harbour and heart? shall Pagans contemne vanishing pelfe, and Christians co­vet it? will a disciple of Paul come short of [Page 50] Platoes schollers? a follower of Christ Plus debet Christi discipulus praestare, quam mandi, Philoso­phus glorie animal, & popularis aurae, atque rumorum vexale man­cipium. S. Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 26. cap. 4. do lesse to mortifie worldly affections, then a companion of Chrysippus? for shame con­fesse, wheresoever the love of earth flourish­eth, there the love of heaven withereth.

This is that which brings the axe to the roote of this tree Matt. 3.10., that it may be cut down, and throwne into the fire, which is the third and last thing observable, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdome of God? Marke 10.24. How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God: vers. 25. the case is very difficult in the former, but in the latter desperate: yet with God all things are possible, vers. 27. the words are worthy to be weighed in the ballance for resolution of doubts, & solving of questions: the Iewes customarily resorted unto their Prophets Stella in Luke 18.24.; Saul seeking his fathers asses, repai­red to Samuel the Seer 1 Sam. 9.9.; David desirous to build the Lords house, conferres of the inten­tion with the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 7.2.; Abijah being very sicke, Ieroboam sends to the Prophet Ahijah 1 King. 14.2.: and this young man, ignorant of the way to heaven, resorts unto Christ that great Prophet, to unburden his mindeMatt. 19:16.. This yon­ker (as S. Matthew cals himMat. 19.20. [...].) being a yong gallant newly come to his lands Luke 18.18. [...]. Nam celebra­tiores inter Iudaeos fami­liae, suos habuerunt [...], & primores. Chymnit. Har. cap. 131. in loc., (as S. Luke stiles him, having beene in Christs compa­nie, at the confirmation of the children Matt. 19.13, 14, 15., hea­ring of so sweete a promise made unto them [Page 51] as the kingdome of heaven (which is not once expressely mentioned in the old Testa­mentEt mihi in Euan­gelio promittuntur re­gna coelorum, quae in­strumentum vetus om­nino non nominat. S. Hieron. ep. 129. Dar­dano. Primus Baptista Iohan­nes regnum coelorum praedicat: ut pracursor domini hoc privilegio honoretur, idem in Mat. 3.1. Quantum in corde meo est, legens legem, prophe­tas, & psalterium, nun­quam regnum coelorum audivi, nisi in evange­lio. Chrysost.) seing Christ leaving the place, he be­ing loath to lose so faire an opportunity, he came running unto him in haste, kneeled downe to him, in humble reverence, and asked him, good Master, what shall I doe, that I may inherit eter­nall life Marke 10.17.? A question meete for such a Do­ctor, and favours more of a minde desirous to learne the way, then to trie his Tutors skill in cases of conscience Nec voto discentis, sed tentamis interroget. S. Hieron. in loc. Matt. Non tentandi (ut legis peritus, Lucae decimo, versu, 25.) sed discendi animo. Tossanus in loc. Mat. 19. & omnes ferè neoterici. Versuta interrogatio, & arguta responsio.—Ten­tator enim princeps ille. S. Ambros. in Luke 18. Habendi cupidum non negaverim, subdolum autem & simulatorem nunquam dixerim: quia non debemus quod incertum est, ac maxime in criminibus, quasi cer­tum asserere. Chrysost. in loc. Mat.. The Lord that hee might discover unto himselfe the deceitful­nesse of his owne heart, and unto the whole company and Colledge of Disciples the deceit­fulnesse of riches, exhorts him to the contempt of the world, by two forcible arguments, the love of perfection, and the gaine of eternall hap­pinesse Amore perfectionis, praemio, terrore, & ipsa divi­tum vita miserrima. Ferus in loc. Matt.: If thou wilt be perfect, goe and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: Luke 18.22. but marke the sequell: The sound of these words, sell all, and give away to the poore, no sooner came to his eare, but presently his heart was wounded with the dart of sorrow, which at the very instant shewed it selfe, not onely in his face, but in his feete also, for he went away sor­rowfull at that saying: verse 23. No doubt, as the manner of his comming bred in the stan­ders [Page 52] by an expectatiō of the event, so this un­expected and strange departure of his begot admiration. He who came to know, findes knowledge a burden in the very first lesson; hee who drew their eyes unto him, drawes them after him: he who seems ambitious of heaven, now leaves it behinde him being proffer'd: hee who came with joy, returnes with sor­row, whose by-your-leave, was civill, his fare­well unmannerly: he slunke away, as repenting his presence, and loath to be seene, he had a prize in his hand, but the foole had no heart Prov. 17.16. In dimidio laudabilis adolescens, in dimidio vituperabilis. S Origen. in loc. Matt. Dilexit eum Christus. Marc. 10.21. Ob pietatis studium, a­nimi integritatem, quod ipsum videret bonae in­dolis esse, civiliter benè moratum, & per om­nia liberaliter educa­tum, Esay 42.3. Chymn. in loc. Matt., to get wisedome. That one thing wanting in him Marke 10.21., declared plainly, that all things were wanting in him, saving wealth: notwithstand­ing his bragge of universall obedience to all the commandements Obse. vandum non esse additamentum le­gis, sed probationem la­tentis in juvene [...], quam certum est pugnare cum lege. Tossan. in loc. Matt. Ju­venis iste, & insolens fuit, & rursum moestus est factus, Hilar. in Matt. Canor. 19. Puto enim quod se arrogantius, quam verius servasse respondeat. S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 89. quaest. 4. Hoc mandato docuit Christus, tantum ipsum à perfectione legis abesse ut ne primum quidem decalogi praeceptum, quod Dei amorem rebus & facultatibus praefert universis probe un­quam observarit, ne (que) concupiscentijs adhuc renunciarit, affectibusque legi divinae adversan­tibus. Pelargus in Matt. 19., All these have I kept from my youth: hee talkes of his keeping all; Christ preacheth a sermon of forsaking all, or else hee cannot be his Disciple. Luke 14.33: And this was it which grieved him, & grie­ved him so farre, as hee was for the time di­stracted with sorrow, forgetting Christ, him­selfe, Heaven, and whatsoever appertained either to piety, or humanity: which Melancho­licke [Page 53] fit, the Evangelists set out to life [...], Mat. 19.22. [...]. Marke 10.22. [...] Luke 18.23. Nam [...] deriva­tur ex [...], odio pro­sequor, & Matt. 16.3. tribuitur coelo quando tempestatem minatur, & 70. usi sunt Lucae vocabulo, de Coino, qui indignabatur: [...], Gen. 4.6. ut quid succensa est ira tibi? & Mat­thaeus animi aegritudi­nem denot. Chym. in loc.; say­ing he was sorrowfull, sad & grieved, yea very sorrowfull: as if they wanted language to ex­presse his indignation arising from his griefe, menacing a Tempest against Christ: his tor­ment and vexation of spirit, his fretting and chafing mind, viewable in his dogged counte­nance, which he cast to the ground, when he went away, as Murtherous Caine did, resol­ving revenge upon his righteous brother Abel. And the cause of all this passion was, he was rich, and was unwilling to leave his pos­sessions for heavenNotum est illud Ci­ceronis. Avaritiam, non solum Spartam ser­didisse. offic. lib. 2.. As he turn'd his backe on Christ, Christ turned his face to his disci­ples, and looking round about, to eye the observance men made of this passage, and to gaine attention to his ensuing instruction, hee breakes out into admiration, verily I say unto you, how hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdome of heaven? Here he declares three things. 1 that its hard: 2 most hard: 3 in some sort impossible for a rich landed-man, a moneyed-man [...], Luke. 18.24. [...] Mat. 19. to get to heaven.

1. Its a hard thing for a rich man to enter in­to heaven, because its a hard, and rare thing for a rich man to be a righteous man. Pietie and the pelfe of iniquity are seldome in­mates Luke 16.9. Amor divitiarum, nec amicitiam, nec consue­tudinem, nec consci­entiam propriam, nec animae salutem cognos [...]e­re sinit. Ferus in Mat.: hee that is bound in Pluto's golden chaines [...] divitiae [...] Pluto o [...]ū deus., is confident hee may breake all o­ther bonds, and cast away the cords of a good conscience from himMarke 5.4. Psal. 2.3. Vix, ac nec vix quidem fieri potest, ut mens re­cte pia, in magnis opibus versetur. Drusius prae­terit. in Mat. 19.23. vi [...] diligentissimus. Beza.: Not many wisemen after [Page 54] the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. 1. Cor. 1.26. If this young man, who scarce attained to the yeares of a manAdolescens, nec ta­mon admodum adoles­cens, cum mandatorum ab ineunte aetate jactaret se fuisse observantissi­mum, sed florentis aeta­tis, & provectus juve­nis. T [...]ssan. in Mat. 19. Si ille dives, qui legis observantissimus vide­batur, servari nequeat, quis potest servari? idem., new­ly enter'd into the world, was so farre in love with his gold Dominum non do mum reliquit., that for the enjoyment of it, he forsooke his God, how hardly will they be converted unto God, who are waxen so old in the world, as their minde failes in all things, but the world, and have no memory, but for their money? If hee who onely held his owne possessions could not follow Christ, How difficultly do they get to heaven, who withhold other mens possessionsQuod si divites simpliciter difficilé sal­vantur, quid facientra­pientes? nam si sua non dare impedimento ad regnum est, quantum sibi contrahitignem, qui aliena occupat. Chrys. in Matt. 19.?

2 It is not only hard, but a very great and exceeding difficult thing for a rich man to enter into heaven: as trusting in uncertaine riches, more then in the living God: 1 Tim. 6.17. which hardship to enter, he who hath the keyes of David, and shuts and no man opens, thus illustrates. It is easier for a camell, to goe thorow the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God, Mat. 19.24Nam citius tenuis, per acus transire fora­men Deformis poterunt immania membra ca­meli, Quam queat ut dives, coelestia regna vi­dere. Iuvencus l. 3. Hi­stor. Evang. Biblioth. Patr. Tom. 4. pag. 15. Namque foramen acus, sicut penetrare camelus, Membrorum pra mole nequit: sic dives opima fertilitate tumens, te­unem non possit adire, Coelestis regni ducentem ad limina callem. Sedul. lib. 3. oper. paschal.. which elegancie of Christ hath tortured many of the learned to expound and expresse: some whereof levell at a mysterie in the words, others adhering to the history, nor are they certaine themselves, who hits the marke, or who misseth the mysterie. Some by the camell, understand Christ our Saviour who bore our burden for us, the eye of the needle, the bitternesse of his passion, and the [Page 55] sense to be, its easier for the god of the world to suffer for worldlings, then for worldlings to convert and turne to GodFacilius Christum pati pro dilectoribus se­culi, quam dilectores seculi ad Christum posse converti. Cameli autem nomine se intelligi vo­luit, quia humiliatus onera sustulit: per acum autem punctiones signi­ficat, per punctiones do­lores in passione suscep­tos: foramen ergo acus, dicit angustias passionis. S. Aug. tom. 4. quaest. Euangel. lib. 2. cap. 47. Acus est punctio, per quam angustia signifi­cantur passionis, qua passione, velut acu no­strae naturae, quasi scissa vestimenta resarcire dignatus est: id est, re­parare post lapsum. Ans. in Mat. 19.: were this all, the disciples question were not materiall, who then can be saved? Matt. 19.25. nay ra­ther, who can be saved otherwise, then by Christs death and passion, which hee did un­dergoe for oursinnes? Others referre it to the Gentiles S. Ambros. 10.4. in Luke 18. S. Origen. in Mat. 19. S. Chrys. opus imperfect. in Mat. 19. Anselm. in Matt. 19.: whose humble entrance tho­row the needle of repentance Foramen acus est confessio fidei quae in Christo est, vel poeniten­tia. Pascasius Ratbertus in loc. Mat. Biblioth. Patr. tom. 9. pars 2. l. 9., was more easie unto Christ then that of the proud Iewes: who were swolne with the pride of their Primo­geniture and parentageIohn 8.39.: and stood so much upon the punctilio of their owne righteous­nesse, that they were not capable of the righ­teousnesse of ChristDivitem populum Judaicum dixit, qui cum divitijs de Aegypto exierunt, Camelus autem nos fuimus. Arnob. Afer. annot. in loc. Mat. B. Patrum. to. 15. pag. 165.. Others beleeve that Christ had an eye to all sinners in generall, who in their owne estimate, were rich and increased with goods, and needed nothing, but knew not that they were wretched, and miserable, poore, blinde, and naked. Rev. 3.17. sooner may a camel go thorow the eye of a needle, then such proud Pharisies enter into heavenPharisaeus ille, arrogans in prece jactan innocentia, praesumptor gloriae, exprobrator misericordiae, praedicator sui, criminator alieni, qui magis conveniret dominum quam rogaret. S. Ambros. in Luke, 18..

And lastly, some interpret Christs words of Iudas Iscariot in particularArnobius Afer. B. Patrum loc. cit. Theophilus Antiochenus B. Patr. tom. 2. pag. 151., who selling his master for a price sold also therewith his [Page 56] soule to the devill. Concerning the Histori­call part of the words, there is also the like varietie. Some have found out a certaine gate in Hierusalem, called by the name of the needles eye, which was so low and straite that no camell could passe into the citie tho­row it till hee was unburdened, and stooped downe upon his knees, at his entranceMaldonat. in Mat. 13. Anselm. in Mat. 12. Chymnitius Ha [...]m. in loc.. Semblably, no rich man, who is uncleane, crooked, proud S. Origen. loc. cit. Avarorum denotat mi­seriam, quibus divitae magis sunt oneri, quam usui, & non sibi sed alijs bajulant. Ferus in Mat. 19. Sic divites, cum depo­suerint gravem sarci­nam peccatorum, & totius corporis pravita­tem, intrare possint per angustam portam, & arctam viam, quae ducit ad vitam. S. Hieron, in Mat. 19., can enter into heaven, till he unlade, bowe, and be washed in the Iordan of Christs blood, and cast away the bunch of sinne, and corruption that presseth downe, and clea­veth so fast: Heb. 12.1. But this story of the new found gate, wee leave in the mid'st, as a needlesse conceit. Others expound the camell to be a cable, the needle, the Anchor [...], Came­lum, & funem signifi­cat per escriptum [...] Suidas in vocal Mihi placet haec senten­tia. Chymn. Harm. cap. 131. in loc. Mat, Ante foramen acus pe­netrabit nauticus arc­tum Funis, quo proras anchora iacta tenet. Achilles Bochius in Emblem. lib. 2. Symbol. 34. Mariana in loc. Mat. [...] forte [...] scribendum, nam antiquus character litterae μ. idem erat cum cha­ract [...]e literae B. cui cognatum quod hebraei compedem [...] appellant, sit hoc arbitrari­um non certum, Drusius in Mat. 19.23. praeterit.: and the going thorow the eye of the needle, the bending the cable to the anchor: which as it is performed with some labour & difficulty; so its a great worke for rich men to get to hea­ven. These please themselves in their fan­cies, but are farre from the genuine veritie, and soliditie of the textSuo iudicio sapientes, funem nau­ticum intelligi volunt, in quorum sententiam lubens concedam; si unicum saltem probati au­thoris test monium adduxeriat, qui latinum vocabulum hac significatione usar paverit. Zehner Adag. Centur. 4. Adagium 86..

For 1, were it no greater hardship for a worldling to enter into the kingdome of [Page 57] God, then to bend a cable to an anchor, they need not much feare or doubt their salvati­on, seeing the Saylor effects that with a little helpe every voyage: nor would the Disci­ples so greatly have wondred, as though few rich men could bee saved, seeing some of them being Fishermen, had often performed that worke; and all of them had beene so often shipt with their Master, as they could not be ignorant of the facilitie of it.

2. Seeing the Scripture is not of any pri­vate interpretation, 2. Pet. 1.20. and the Pil­lars and Lights of the Church Clemens Alexand. Chrysost. Theophilact: August. Hieron. Am­bros. H [...]lar. Inven [...]us, Sedulius, & alij prope innumerabiles. [...]. Suidas in Nom. haue ever closely stucke unto the letter of the text, vn­derstanding thereby that Creature which is called properly a Camell; wee are not easi­ly to be withdrawn from their sweet harmony.

3. Howsoever there is a paranomasie or likenesse of words, as though they were one and the very same in sense and sound; yet the Orthography [...], n. & i. [...] autem significat [...], Crassum funem nauticum, non [...]. Suid. in loc. cit., and the Originall declares them to differ as farre as the East is distant from the West,Vocabulum etiam Syriacum. [...], & Hebraicum [...], ex quibus originem tra­hunt voces Graeca & Latina [...], & Ca­melus, significat iumen­tum ejus nominis, non funem. Lege etiam Dru­sium observationum. lib. 1. cap. 11. Matthaeus Hebraicus, hic etiam retinuit ani­mantis nomen Gamal, quod non est ambi­guum, sed anchoram [...] appellant, quod navim remoratur. A­retius in loc. Mat..

Lastly, some unfold it of the difficultie, not of the impossibilitie thus; as a Great Ca­ble, being untwisted, and taken asunder, may goe thorow the eye of the smallest stitching-needle, one small threed after another: So may the rich man, when he is unwound, and converted, enter thorow the strait Gate into [Page 58] HeavenSiquidem si funis resolvatur in tenuasua filamenta, facile sensim traduci potest. Chymnit. in loc Mat.. But seeing when the Cable is un­twisted it ceaseth to be a Cable, so that it passeth not thorow the needles eye, as a Ca­ble, but as a Threed, there is no cause to ac­cept this explication, which hath no strength in it like the Cable; but it is rather weake and slender as a Threed.

The words then used by Christ, are an A­dage, or Proverbiall kinde of speech, decla­ring the wonderfull difficulty of the thing, whereof it's used, or rather the impossibility Hac sententia non difficultas intrandi, sed impossibilitas ostendi­tur; Pascatius Ratsber­tus in Mat. 19. B. Pa­trum. To. 9. pars 2. l. 9. Quod primo difficile dixit, id ipsum progre­diens Cameli at (que) acu [...] comparatione valde im­possibile ostendit. Chry­sost. in Mat. 19. Hoc dicto ostenditur, non difficile esse, sed im­possibile. S. Hieron. in Mat. 19.. It's taken from a trite. Proverbe among the Iewes; No Elephant can goe thorow the eye of a Needle Non est Elephas, qui intret per foramen acus. Drusius observat. lib. 1. cap. 11. [...], Luci­an. Citius quin (que) Ele­phantos sub ala tega [...]. Zechn. Ad. 86. Cont. 4., and hee rather mentions the Camel, then the Elephant, because the Camel was a Creature better knowne in Syria to the Iewes, & the scope of the Proverb was no whit altered by the change of the name, but rather strengthenedDrusuis loc. citat. Sic oculum posuit pro dentibus, dum Hebrae­orum adagium, Exime ex dentibus tuis festu­cam. Exime ex oculis tuis trabem. Mat. 7.3.. Nor is it to purpose to make inquirie how a Camell can goe tho­row the eye of a needle, seeing the more ab­surd and impossible the phrase seemeth, the greater Emphasie it bearethMaldon. in loc. Mat., and more con­firmes this truth, that there is nothing in the world harder then for a rich man to at­taine happinesse and salvation, which is the onely ayme and levell of this hyperbolicall ex­aggeration Sicut Camelimem bra non capiunt foramen acus, propter acus angustiam, & corporis sui tumorem: sic nos viam coelorum non capimus propter angustiam, & opum facultatum (que) tumorem. Euthymius.: which, his Disciples rightly [Page 59] understanding, received the doctrine with admiration Futurorum rari­tas, ex difficultate in­telligitur. Hilar. cancu. 19. in Mat. 19. Vbi difficile ponitur, no impossibilitas praetendi­tur, sed raritas demon­stratur. S. Hieron. in Mat. 19., who then can be saved? Mat. 19.25. Why? are all men rich? Survey the world, and t'will appeare, how the poore lie in the valley, like the army of the Midianites, as Grashoppers in multitude, like their Camels without number, and as the Sand which is by the Sea side for multitudeIudges 7.12. Cum pauci sint divites, in comparatione multi­tudinis pauperum: in­telligendum quod om­nes qui talia cupiunt, in corum numero haberi animadverterint. St. Aug. in Mat. 19. To 4. quaest. Evang. l. 1. c. 26. Anselmus in Math. 19.: whereas the Rich in every place are few, and like Gedeons army a very handfull. Thereby they both discover the spreading leprosie of Avarice, which over-runs all, poore and rich, and also the fearfull dangers, whereinto they plunge themselves that desire and would faine bee rich1. Tim. 6.9. Maldonat. in Mat: 19., though they cannot, as well as such as Covet riches and attaine them.

Severall men are hindred from Heaven by severall sinnes. Pride and ambition with­drew Absolon, Obstinacie Pharaoh, Cruelty Nimrod, Idolatry Ahab, but Covetousnesse all men, whiles all looke to their owne way, eve­ry one for his owne advantage, and for his owne purpose Esay 56.11., for all seeke their owne, and not that which is Iesus Christs, Philip. 2.21. Where­fore, seeing from the least of them unto the greatest, every one is given unto covetousnes Hieremi. 6.13: Videlicet intelligentes in eo numero deputari etiam illos, qui quan­quam talia non habe­ant, tamen habendi cu­piditate rapiuntur. S. Aug. loc. citat., & all deale falsly, not without cause of admira­tion was this quaere broached, Who then can be saved Non quaerant sibi comites ad supplicium, nec gaudeant quia plu­res inveniant, non enim propterca minus arde­bunt, quia cum multis ardebunt. Non est enim hoc sanitatis certum consilium, sed malevo­lentiae vanum solatium. S. Aug. tom. 10. Homil. 50. cap. 5.? Where comes the third and last branch to our eye, the Impossibilitie of the [Page 60] rich covetous mans Salvation. Heare their sentence from the mouth of the Iudge; Nei­ther Theeves, nor Covetous shall inherite the Kingdome of God, 1. Cor. 6.9. for this ye know, that no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God, Ephes. 5.5. A hard Sentence, but this is our hope, it will never be executed saith flesh and blood. Bee not deceived (saith the Spirit.1. Cor. 6.9. Versetur ante oculos I­mago futuri Judicij, at (que) ascendat homo adversum se tribunal mentis suae; at (que) ita constituto in corde iudi­cio, adsit accusatrix co­gitatio; testis conscien­tia, Carnifex timor. Cogitet quam sit contre­miscenda illa poena, qua percipientibus alijs vi­tam aeternam, alij in mortem praecipitantur aeternam. S. Aug. Tom. 10. Hom. 50. cap 4. A [...]re impossibili osten­dit quid sperandum sit de divitibus per se, A­ret. in Mat. 19.) this is a vaine hope, these are vaine words, deceive not your selues, and Let no man deceive you besides with vaine wordes; for, for such things commeth the wrath of God upon the chil­dren of disobediencek. This Impossibilitie ariseth two wayes; First, from the nature of men; Secondly, of money.

1. The rich man relies upon no other meanes for Salvation, but his Christ, his Coyne is preferred before Christ Non aliter genus nostrum servari potuit, quam per Christum ex dei scilicet ordinatione; ideo necessari [...] ea egit; & passus est Christus quae passus in assumpta natura est. Cyril. lib. 10. Thesaur. cap. 3., How hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the Kingdome of God? Marke 10.24.

2. He loves his worldly goods, before his God, and is more sorrowfull to part with his heapes then with Heaven. This yong mans great pos­sessions put him into his great passions; Hee went away sorrowfull, for he had great possessi­ons, Mat. 19.22. hee was very rich, Luk. 18.23.Dives i. e. di­vitijs nimium deditus. Mariana in loc. Possidens divitias cum amore. Ansel. in Mat. 19. Pro. 11.28. Amorem rei possessae, arguit dolor amissae. Fe­rus in Mat. 19. Tu vero tristaris pulve­rem dans, ut acquiras vitam aeternam? Basil. Princeptiste, vini recentis capax non fuit, vetus uter existens, sedtristitia ruptus est. Cyril., the old vessel of his soule being rotten [Page 61] with the puddle water, and rust of his wealth, burst in pieces with the new wine Christ put into it. Every one will boast Chrys. in Mat. 19. of his love to God; but when the storme of adversitie makes him a looser, his sorrow for his losses proclaimes, where his treasure was, there was his heart. The world never wanted such richmenTales se multos vi­disse divites dicit Basi­lius, qui & jeiun. ve­rint, & precibus ope­ram dederint, & de peccatis suis ingemue­rint, caeterum ne obulum quidem pauperibus de­derint: [...], quamcun (que) religionem ostendentes, quae sumptu careret. Musculus in Mat. 19., as would mourne for their sins, fast, pray, and seeme religious, and be great Professours, upon condition they might keepe their riches, and serve God with that which cost them nought 2. Sam. 24.24. Difficulter & cum do­lore terrenas opes relin­quimus. Origen in Mat. 19..

3. He waxeth Proud Iste Adolescens, & Dives est, & superbus. S. Hieron. in Mat. 19. Pauci suas cupiditates fraenant, in calicentia, quam pecunia dat Ma­riana in Lucae. 18. Divitem hic appellat, cupidum rerum tempo­ralium, & de talibus superbientem. S. Aug. Tom. 4. quaest. Evang. lib. 2. cap. 47., of his increase and abundance, whereby hee becomes an abo­mination unto the Lord, so that he beholds him a farre off, his great Babel having made him a very bruit beast. He is weighed in the balance, found too light; the Kingdome of Heaven is taken from him, and he cast out among the uncleane, into utter darke­nesseImpossibile homi­nem servari qui huma­nis tantum paesidijs ni­tatur. Tossan. in Mat. 19..

A just recompence; Seing he refused the Kingdome of God with sorrow, which is righteousnesse, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17., hee should dwell in the sorrowes of an eternall night. Many are destroyed by reason of gold, and have found their destruction before them: it is a stumbling blocke to them that sa­crifice unto it, and every foole is taken therwith. Ecclus. 31.6.

Secondly, in the nature of money, two things enlarge the impossibility.

First, it's Chooke-weede and thornes that over-top and destroy the life of saving GraceAdolescens habuit multas possessiones, id est, spinas & tribulos quae sementem domini­cam suffocaverint. S. Hieron. in Mat. 19.; Gold is digged out of barren Moun­taines, kept in Iron Chests, and makes a bar­ren steely heart, wherein the seed of grace can take no root.

Secondly, as the same food which breeds obstructions, and quencheth naturall heate; kindles an unnaturall fire that consumes the Body: So Riches, as they dead the love of God, so they enflame the heartNec unquam mag­na voce praedicare cessa­bo, accessime pecunia­rum, cupiditatem ha­bendi magis at (que) magis adeo inflammari, ut re­rum copia crescente, paupertas quo (que) augea­tar. Nam qui majori desiderio ardent, egere se magis sentiunt. Chrys. in Mat. 19. with a love of of themselves, which increaseth as riches doe increase: Nor are they halfe so deare and neare unto the heart, whiles they are desired, as when they are enjoyed Nescio quo autem modo, cum super flua & terrena diliguntur; ar­ctius adepta quam con­cupita constringunt. A­liud est enim nolle in­corporare quae desunt, a­liud jam incorporata divellere, illa velut ci­bi repudiantur, illa ve­lut membra praecidun­tur. S. Aug. Tom. 2. Ep. 34. Therasiae.. Men couet them as meanes of their welfare, but part with them, as members of their bodies; yea, the greedy mind is as much tormented at the losse of a Groat, as with the paine of a Gut, and if it bee required to dispence somthing before his death, he answeres with the Dae­moniacke, art thou come to torment mee before the time Mat. 8.29. Magis enim volumus a dipisci etiam ea, quae malè desideramus, quam liberari a desiderijs ma­lis: & magis volumus ut non incidamus in ea quae arbitramur esse ti­menda, quam deponere inimicum amori dei ti­morem. Origen. in Mat. 19.? Hee that hath one pound in his purse, covets a talent; when he enjoyes that, he desires a thousand, ten thousand after that, and thus his cheverall soule stretcheth, till he wishes mountaines, rivers, earth, heaven, and all things metamorphosed into gold, and him­selfe [Page 63] the lord of itMontes, terram, maria cuncta sibi au­rum fieri precatur, eo furoris genere insani­ens, quod nunquam hac ratione de primi polest, Chrysost. in Mat. 19. Facilius nam (que) est, hominem volare quā acquisi­tione ac accessione pecu­nia cupiditatem habēdi terminare. idem ibid.. In which dominion, where is his honour, what his gaine, when the total summe of all his accounts amounts to this; With men it is impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Ad hanc tu senten­tiam montes, terram, maria conferas, ac om­nia, si ita vis, cogitati­one aurum facito. idem eodem.. This greedy vaine humor lost this young man a Saviour Additio divitiarū peperit additionem ava­ritiae, ut maluit domi­num quam domum de­serere. Chym. in loc. Mat., and plungeth young and old into eternall perdition.

But lest chill despaire should creepe into the rich mans bones, like an ague fit, and his heart be astonished for himselfe or his weal­thy friend: forget not Christs sweete miti­gation of his dreadfull commination Considerandus est sermo Christi cautissi­mus. Origen. loc. cit.: The things which are unpossible with men Impossibile, conces­sio; possibile deo, corre­ctio. Musculus in loc. Mat. Quod impossibile est, omnino fieri non potest, quod difficile est cum labore potest. Anselm. in Mat. 19. Clementia sua severita­tem sententiae tempera­vit S. Hieron. in loc., are possible with God. Luke 18.27. Hee that is able of stones to raise up children un­to Abraham, is also able to melt a stonie, worldly heart, that it may bring forth fruits wor­thy of repentance. Luke 3.8. Hee is able to bring downe the mountaine of pride in wealth, and fill the valley of the heart with grace, to make the crookednesse of covetous­nesse straight, and the rough wayes of ava­riceNemi [...]n [...] posse aliquid boni facere, nisi qui ex bonitate Dei miserentis factus fueri bo­nus. Jansen. in Matt. 19. Harm [...]n. cap. 100. smooth: vers. 5. Hee that raiseth the dead out of the grave with a word, can by the needle of the wordAcus est verbi pradicatio. Hilar. Canon. 19. in Mat. ω raise the rich mans soule from Cabul 1 King. 9.13. dirte, and by faith, love, [Page 64] and hope unite him unto himselfe: hee can make him that is now a servant to the world, the master of itAliud est habere divitias, aliud servire divitijs. Christianus Drutemarus in loc. Mat. Bibloth. Patrum tom. 9 pars prima, cap. 43., a Sonne of God: him that equals his gold with God, and preferres it before GodStella in Luc. 18., to preferre God before all the world. The treasures of Gods mercie to Zacchus, can make him undervalue his trea­sures, and waxe wise to salvation [...]. Cle­mens Alex. lib. 2. stro­mat. Multi enim possident, qui non amant. A [...]sel. in Mat. 19.. Hee who hath the hearts of all men in his hands, and turnes them as rivers of water which way hee pleaseth Prov. 21 1., can turne the affections of world­lings to trust in the everliving God. 1. Tim. 6.17. Goodnesse it selfe, can make them do good, become rich in good workes, ready to distri­bute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternall life: vers. 18.19Divites instruebat, non fallebat Apostolus. S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 89. quast. 4. Possibile deo. Non ita accipiendum est, quod cupidi & superbi, qui nomine illius divitis sig­nificati sunt in regnum coelorum suntintraturi, cum suis cupiditatibus, & superbia, sed possibile est Deo, ut per verbum ejus, sicut etiam factum est, & etiam quotidie fieri videmus, à cupidi­tate temporalium ad charitatem aternorum, & à pernitiosa superbia, ad humilitatem saluber­rimam convertantur. S. Aug. tom. 4. quast. Evang. lib. 2. cap. 47.. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty are called. 1. Cor. 1.26. He excludes not all the rich and mighty, but shewes the paucitie, and raritie. Such co­vetous idolaters were some of you, but now ye are washed, but yee are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of our God. 1. Cor. 6.11.Cur ergo negamus divites venire ad vitam, si mandata servaverint, & dederint, ut detur illis; & dimisserint, ut dimittatur illis? S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 89. quaest. 4. Hee with whom all things are possible, Mat. 19.26. can make the black-moore white, and cause the [Page 65] Leopard to change his spots: and though it be harder to convert a mucke-worme, then create a world S. Aug. [...]. Levioris est laboris. Beza., yet hee that can draw a ca­mell out as smal as a silken thread, that it may passe thorow the eye of a needle, can draw a worldling unto himselfeQuod humana vir­tute erat impossibile, di­vina benignitate redda­tur facile. Chymn. in loc., make him use the world, as though he used it not, be ready, not on­ly to cast their crownes at Christs feete, but, to lay downe their lives for his glory. Learne thē in what estate soever they are, there­with to be content, to know how to be abased, and how to abound, to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer neede: Philip. 4.11, 12Sed hoc divine gratiae praesiditim, non humane naturae auxi­lium, Victor Antioch. in Marci 10. B. Patrum. tom. 4.. Riches are the blessing of the LordProv. 10.22., and not to be contemned; it is the minde, and man, abusing richesis condemned Divltiae non culpan­tur, sed corda divitum, non [...], sed [...]. Musculus in Mat. 19. Non pecuniam, sed pe­cunia detentos carpit. Chrysost. in Matt. 19. Haec Christi oratio, non ipsas pecunias in jus vocat, aut damnat, sed illos, qui citra mo­dum illis conquirendis inhiam, aut nimis ava­rè conquisitas detinent. Victor Antiochen. loc. citat.. Ia­cob, Isaac, Iob, with millions of rich men more, are in Abrahams bosome, who was no lesse rich in flockes, then hee was in faith Mat 8.11. S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 89. quast 4.. Povertie is not the direct way to hea­ven, nor riches the straight path to hell. Laza­rus rests not now, because hee was a beggar; nor is Dives tormented, because he thriv'd in wealth Non illi pauperi meritum esset inopia, sed justitia: sed ut no­bis oslenderetur nec in isto paupertatem, per se­ipsam divinitus honora­tam, nec in illo divitias fuisse damnatas, sed in isto pietatem, in illo impietatem suos exitus habuisse. S. Aug. ibid.. But the pietie, and patience of that man found mercy, and the mercilesse pride, and contempt of the other, was rewarded with condigne severity. Heaven was never offended with any man, because hee had riches, but because he was had of riches; not [Page 66] as he was wealthie, but as he was wicked with his wealthHabere criminis non est; sed modus in ha­bendo retinendus est. Nam quomodo imperti­endum est, & commu­nicandum, si impertien­di, & communicandi materia non relinqua­tur? Ergo nocenter ma­gis habere, quam illud ipsum habere, fit cri­men. Sed periculosa cu­ra est, velle ditescere: & grave onus innocen­tia subit, incremen­tis opum occupata. Hi­lar. Canon 19. in Matth.. Hee that commands the rich mans hand to doe good and communicate, opens his liberall hand towards them, where­by they are enabled to doe good. Hee en­joynes not the casting away of our goodsDivitiae utilius hu­militer tenentur, quam superbae relinquuntur. S. August. Ep. 34., but forbids the casting away our affections upon our goods, and coveting other mens. There is a divorce from the wealth of this world, in action, and in affection or affe­ctation.

The divine all-searching eye is pleased bet­ter with the poverty in spirit, then penury or vacuitie in the purse. Behold we have forsaken all (saith Peter of himselfe and his fellow-disciples) and followed thee, what shall wee have therefore? Mat. 19.27. a great all! What, Pe­ter, hast thou left behinde theeGrandis fiducia. Petrus piscator erat, di­ves non erat, cibos ma­nu & arte quaerebat. S. Hieron. in loc. Quae sunt haec omnia Petre? Arundinem vi­lissimam, retia, uni­versum (que) piscatorum artificium? haec tu om­nia vocas? Chrys. in loc. Non tantum erat quod reliquerat Petrus, qua­quam viro pauperi ac tenuis fortunae aequè gravé est retia sua, vel tuguriolum relinquere, ac divitibus sua pa­latia. Origen. Hieron.? a Net, a boate, an oare, a shed of reeds? a great patrimo­nie, possession: hee that hath nothing may soone forsake all. The knot is easie to untie, seeing the Lord regards more the affection, then the act of renunciation Nec inspicit Dominus quid relinquamus, sed quo animo & studio.—Et revera omnia contemnit, qui non solum quantum potuit, sed etiam quan­tum voluit habere contemnit. Sed in eo quod cupiebatur oculi Dei testes sunt, in eo quod habebatur, & hominum. S. August. Tom. 2. Ep. 34. Therasiae.: and the poore fisher man may be as covetous in his pin­nace, as the potentate in his lordly palace; The widowes mite, as gratefull to Gods trea­surie, [Page 67] as the worldlings million. So that the Apostles forsooke all, when for Christ they renounced all, as well in affection Multum deseruit, qui voluntatem haben­di dereliquit, à sequen­tibus tanta relicta sunt, quanta à non sequenti­bus desiderari potue­erunt. Gregor. Hom. 5. in Evangel. Ber. in de­clamat. Multum reliquit, qui sibi nihil retinuit. An­selm. in Mat. 19., as pos­session, and withdrew their hearts from the world, as well as their bodies, and hands, from their pristine mundane imployments. Thus Abraham forsooke all, when hee sacrificed the heire of allQuem suarum di­vitiarum, & sperabat, & optabat haeredem. S. Aug. Tom. 2. Ep. 89. quaest. 4.. And the children of Abra­ham forsake all, when their conversation is without covetousnesse, and are content with such things as they have: Heb. 13.5. When they do take heed, and beware of covetousnesse: Luke 12.15. and this rejection of this world, opens a doore for the rich mans reception into hea­ven, whiles the rich become poore in spirit Sed consideran­dum, quod eo tempore quo intraverunt, divi­tes esse desierunt; tam diu ergo non intrabunt, quam diu divites fue­rint. St. Hieron. in Mat. 19. Et qui prius curvi e­rant, & vitiorum pra­vitate distorti ingredi­antur portus Hierusa­lem. idem eodem., and the camels bunch of their worldly affe­ction is eaten off, that they may enter in at the straite gate of salvation Christus cum ad­huc esset in carne Za­chaeum divitem in reg­num coelorum misit, & resurrectione at (que) as­scentione glorificatus multos postea divites impertito Spiritu sancto fecit hujus mundi contemptores. & finita divitiarum cupiditate ditiores. S. August. Tom. 2. Ep. 89.. And as the Hebrewes passed thorow the red sea in safety with the riches, and jewels of the Egyptians, into the land of Canaan; in like manner the same hand is able to carry the rich and migh­ty men of this world: thorow the Iordan of Christs blood, into the Land of the li­ving.

Let not the rich man despaire Non enim ideo dictum, ut quasi ab im­possibilibus deterrearis, verum ut cum magnitudinem virtutis perceperis, facilius rem ag­grediaris, deum (que) ores propitium tibi fore, ut ejus ope aeternae vitae praemia consequaris. Chrysost. in Mat., hearing of [Page 68] the difficultie, but rather strive to increase in holinesse and righteousnesse, as his riches in­crease, that he may inherit durable happinesse. For as the multitude of camels, which did bring gold and incense, entered into the city of Hierusalem; Esay. 60.6. so the dew of grace can first loade men with the treasures of the left hand in this world, and after that bring those laden camels thorow the needles eye of a holy life, unto the treasures of Gods right hand, where are pleasures for evermore. This is the Lords doing Non enim ait quod hominibus impossibile videtur, facile est homi­nibus si voluerint, sed quod hominibus impos­sibile est, Deo facile est, ostendens, quando ista rectè fiunt, non fieri ho­minis potentia, sed Dei gratiae. S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 89. Quod enim hominibus impossibile est, non ipsis, quia ipsi homines sunt, sed Deo facile est, idem. Mirifica & misericor­dissima pollicitatione respondit, deo esse facile quod hominibus est im­possibile, S. Aug. tom. 2. ep. 121. Probae. c. 1., and its wonderfull in our eyes. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Rom. 9.13. But as for such as will be rich in this life, when they have stolne the golden apples out of the paradise of Gods providēce, and filld their bellies and backs with this hid treasure, with these good things; then comes death to drive them out with the shaking blade of Gods indignation, and then whose shall those things be? And as this yong man went away sorrowfull Non abijt convitijs Christum petens, ut Pha­risaei, [...], sed [...], mestus. from Christ, so shall eter­nall sorrow chaine them up in darkenesse.

Vse 6. Were carnall Caitiffes, onely, guil­ty of this sinne, the teares would soone be wiped awayTemeritas quaedam hominum est, quod odio prosequuntur meliores, amant pejores. S. Basil. Tom. 2. ep. 87.: but Christians (alas!) and sub­stantiall professours, even these day-birds feed on carion, part the hoofe, but chew not the cud Levit. 11.7., divide their affections, as the strumpet the child1 Kings 3.26., betwixt God and the world. Covet the [Page 69] shadow of the world with Esops dog, yet thinke to retaine the substance of religion Aliud est virtutem habere, aliud virtutis similitudinem: aliud est rerum umbram sequi, aliud veritatem. S. Hieron. ep. 14.; and like the Triton Frons hominem praefert, in pristim desi­nit alvus. Spumea semifero sub pectore murmurat un­de. Virgil. lib. 10., or mare-maide, would live both in the sea, and upon the sand, in the waters, and in the woods, in the medowes, and in the maine, in heaven and in earth, in one part like a Saint, in another like a sinfull worldling.

These are not unlike to Mercury Natal. Comit. My­thologiae. lib 5. de Mer­curio cap. 5., whom the Egyptians pourtrayed with his face, in one part as blacke as pitch, in the other as bright as the Sunne, because as the messin­ger of the Gods he was one while in heaven, and anon in hell. Now their face is to­ward the heavenly Hierusalem, and within a while their eyes, affections and mindes, are fixed upon the world with the reprobate mul­titude Cesset omnis excu­satio errorum, auferan­tur peccandi foeda sola­tia. Nihil omnino agi­mus, qui nos per multi­tudinis exempla defen­dimus, & ad consolatio­nem nostram aliena saepe numerantes vitia, de [...] esse nobis dicimus, quos debeamus sequi: ad illi­us exemplum mittimur, quem omnes fatemur imitandum. S. Hieron. ep. 14.. It may be they are of that opinion, that the stepping into the Temple upon the Lords day, or hearing a devout sermon once a weeke extraordinary, is a just compensati­on for their base worldlinesse, as Iuno Fabulati sunt fon­tem fuisse apud Argi­vos, cui Canatho nomen fuit, in quo proditum est, Junonem ubi quot­annis se laverit, denuo virginem fieri. Nat. Comit. Mytholog. lib. 2. cap. 4. con­ceited, her washing once a yeare in the fountaine Canatho renewed her virginity, and made her a perfect maid, as at the first. But whatsoever they dreame, when Mam­mon hath rocked them asleepe, when they are thorowly awakened, they shall finde in­ward terrors of conscience, scandals to the Gos­pell, universall deadnesse in religion, stupefa­ction and lethargie of grace spring, and with­out [Page 70] out preventing mercy a dilapidation of the soule, and turning out of the warme sunne of Gods favour, into the chill shadow of Gods indignation, scarcely to be recoveredAudenter loquar, cum omnia possit Deus, suscitare virginem non potest post ruinam: va­let quidem liberare de poena, sed non vult coro­nare corruptam. S. Hie­ron: ad Eustochium. ep. 22. De anima verius dictum mundanorum amore inebriata.. And howsoever the covetous is now called libe­rall, and the churle religious, yet the day of separationIn ipsis gregibus sunt boni & mali, sed com­mixti pariter pascunt, donec veniat princeps pastorum, qui separet oves ab haedis. Nobis enim imperavit con­gregationem, sibi au­tem servavit separa­tionem, quia ille debet separare, qui nescit er­rare. S. Aug. ep. 209. Feliciae. is at hand, when the great Shep­heard will thrust these goatish worldlings out of his celestiall fold. King David checkes himself for coveting temporals, seeing eternals were provided for hinArdens jam cupidi­tate verorum & aeter­norum honorum, atque gloriae, caepit arguere se, quia pecus fuit & terre­na desideravit. S. Aug. Lorinus in loc. Ludol­phus Carthusiensis. Tur­re cremata.. Why should hee crave things common with the wicked, see­ing peculiar mercies were treasured up for him among the elect? who will petition a Prince for a menstruous ragge Hugo Cardinalis in loc. upon the dunghill, when hee may obtaine with the same breath the best carkanet in his jewel-house? Man who is greater then the creatures, but a little lower then the angels Psalm. 8., crowned with glory and honour, should not so farre de­bauch and debase himselfe, as to nourish these Babylonish affections Nolo sinas cogitationem crescere, nihil in te Babylonium, nihil confusionis adolescat. S. Hieron. ep. 22. Dum parvus est hostis interfire: ille laudatur, ille praedicatur beatus, qui ut caeperit cogitare sordida, statim interfecit cogitata, & allidit ad petram, petra autem Christus est. ibid. Psal. 137.9. towards the world, which are farre more happily, when they are yong, taken and dashed against the stones.

The Primitive Christians having sold their houses and lands, laid the price at the Apostles feete Acts 4.34, 35.37.: to teach succeeding genera­tions [Page 71] to trample the world under their feete, and not to lodge it in their heartS. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 3., seing man is made to have dominion over the workes of Gods hands, who hath put all things under his feete Psal. 8.6. Moneo ut non duabus tunicis, i. e. duplici ve­stiamur fide: nō pariter & Christum velimus ha­bere & saeculum: & cum quotidiè praemoriamur, in caeteris non nos per­petuos existimemus, ut possimus esse perpetui. S. Hieron. ep. 24. ω. Temporall blessings enjoyed in Christ, and with Christ In Christo enim pos­sidendum est, quod cum Christo est possidendum. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 3., are very sweete mer­cies, but when God sets the world in mans heart: the Throne of his owne holy spirit, as it is the punishment of greedinesse Consuetudo plus ha­bendi prabet locum avaritiae, quae nullis ex­pletur opibus, & quan­to amplius habuerit, plus requirit; & neque copia, neque inopia mi­nuitur. S. Hier. ep. 27., so its both a severe judgement, and the harbenger of greater to succeed. What soule espoused to Christ, which ever tasted the joyes of the marriage bed, scornes not to picke up rootes and nettles,Eccles. 3.11. to defile herselfe with the bread of fooles, and the dung of beasts? David ha­ving made some deviation in his affection from God towards the world, brings in his owne accusation, So foolish was I and ignorant, vers. 22. I was as a beast before thee. The way to immortality and glory, is to contemne Prohibentur mala, praecipiuntur bona, con­ceduntur media, perfe­cta suadentur in Scrip­turis. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1. Christus unius urbis contempsit gloriam, toti­us orbis opinione cele­bratur. S. Hier. ep. 27. this earthly trumpery and vanity, and the path to eternall restSepulchrum sibi Patriarcha peregrinus emit, Gen: 23.9. Quid est Sepulchrum? locus est quietis, ubi juxta mundi rationem, defunctorum corpora collocantur; vera ergo intelligentia locum sibi requietionis pater Abra­ham fide sua & contemptu pecuniae comparavit. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 3. Ne revertimini ad mortuum, qui sequimini viventem. ibid., is not to rest in the delectable acquisition of earth, earth, earth, wherein no rest is found. He that expects an inheritance among them which are sanctified, must covet no mans silver, nor gold, nor apparell Acts 20.22, 23., nor be wedded to his owne. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make [Page 72] themselves wings, they flie away as an eagle to­wards heaven Prov. 23.5.; The eagle stoopes not to ceize on every flie, nor should Christs eagles bow to this present evil world Mat 24.28., but mount upon the wings of their screened affections, to possesse God, & in him all things Omnia nostra sunt, per ordinationem & donationem divinam. Nos vero sumus Christi per fidem & sanctam [...]: Christus est Dei unctus, respectu offi­cij: qui factus est caput Ecclesiae, ut per eum Domino adhaereamus. Tossan. in loc. Omnia creata sunt pro­pter sanctos, qui cum ni­hil habeant, possident cuncta. S. Hieron. in loc. Solus sapiens dives, nos rectius, solus electus di­ves; qui omnia possidet usu honesto, & admini­culo ad pietatem. Aret. in loc.; Apollo to unveile the law for their humiliation, Paul to reveale the Gospell for their consolation: Cephas to lend the light of example, the world to enrich them, life to comfort them, death to crowne them, things present to feed thē, things future to fill them, all theirs to serve Christ, and with him to honour the father. 1. Cor. 3.22. Seing thy donation is so liberall, thy grant so large, grant also (O Lord) unto all thy servants, hearts inclined unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousnesse Testimonijs sui [...] agit nobiscum Deus, ut eum gratis colamus: quod radix omnium malorum impedit ava­ritia. Primi parentes, plus volentes habere, quam acceperant, & quod acceperant, ami­serunt. S. Aug. in. loc. Si ergo cor non habea­mus inclinatum in avaritiam, Deum non colimus nisi propter De­um, ut sui cultus ipse sit merces; ipsum diligamus in seipso, ipsum diligamus in nobis, ipsum in proximis. ibid. E contrario differunt inter se vanitas, & veritas; hujus mundi cupiditas, vanitas; sed Christus, qui ex hoc mundo liberat, veritas. ibid. Quid meum [...]u [...]s, sum etenim eo usque magnus à te conditus, quod nihil creatum sit mihi satis. Martinus Alphonsus del-pozo in loc., Psal. 119.36.

Vse 7: If reproofes please you not, I will silence them, to gaine your eares to exhortation: my taske were ended, could I once heare you repeate the text with Davids heart; There is none upon earth that I desire besides thee; or ano­ther which is a commentary upon the text, Thou art my portion, O Lord: Psal. 119.57. In earth thou art my All, & my All in heaven ⁿ. Behold thine owne promise: Whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my name, he will give it you Iohn. 16.23.. My soule begs a portion, thine owne [Page 73] selfe for her portion in heaven and earth Let the world account mee foolish that I do not, and mad that I dare not seeke advancement by hooke and crooke: let men deride my simplicitie, because I refuse to rise upon the steps of impiety: this is my rest, and this my rise, to make God my part and my portion for ever Animi statuunt hoc esse impij vel imbecilli, quod non audeant; vel amentis quod non intel­ligunt—sed propheta ostendit, nihil esse posse jastitia, neque ad utili­tatem melius, nec ad custodiam vitae securi­us, neque ad nominis claritatem magnificen­tius. Hier. Osorius tom. 3. in loc.: what can I desire more at the fathers hands, then Christ Istae sunt potius di­vitiae quas salubriter cupere debemus, isla fae­licitas de qua se Christi­anus gaudeat esse locu­pletem, ut sit pauper in hoc saeculo, dives in coelo. Cassiodorus in loc. Mihi nihil sunt coelum, & terra, & omnia quae in eis sunt, si te habeam & possideam: si tu meus fueris mea erunt omnia, tam in coelo quam in terra: si autem tu meus non fueris, nihil habeo, etiamsi coelum & ter­ram possedero. Brentius in loc., whom hee sent from heaven to redeeme the world, dyed on earth to deliver the world, and reignes in heaven to enrich the world.

In Christs garden my soule delights to walk, her desire is to sit upon his throne, to sleepe in his bed, to stand by his fire, to leane on his bosome, to become wholly his: so that shee may no longer live of her selfe, but Christ may live in her Titelmannus in loc. Te sine omnia mihi sunt insuavia, & injucunda, sive in coelo, sive in terra. Genebr. in loc.. Others so long as they have money, care for nothing else in heaven or earthAsaphi fides illa, illo praconio digna: Scultetus in loc.: my soule hath turned over another leafe, wherein shee espied such beauty in Christ, that to enjoy him shee covets no­thing else in heaven or earth. Christ to mee is both riches, honours, and never ending plea­sure Lucas Osiander in loc. Benedict. Arias Montanus in loc.. To keepe this holy fire alive in thy breast, consider three things: 1 the motives, to perswade the soule to rest wholly upon God, and set her delight in him. 2 The meanes whereby God becomes the soules [Page 66] whole contentment. 3 the markes and rules of triall, whereby she may know she is not de­ceived in her choice.

The perswading motives are foure. The first is, the consideration of the infinite love of God declared and revealed unto us. For God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoever beleeveth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life, Ioh. 3.16. The gradation makes this affecti­on singularEia fratres, De­us voluit esse filius hominis, homines esse voluit filios deit ipse descendit propter nos, nos ascendimus prop­ter ipsum: & haec spes est cateris, quod propterea ille descendit, & ascendit, ut in illo, & cum illo unum essent, quiper illum [...]scensuri essent. S. Aug. tract. 12. in Iohan. Idcirco Deus mundum dilexit amore inenar­rabili & inaestimabili: mundum inquam, qui totus in malo jacet. 1. Joh. 5.19. ne quis de mundo, aut in mundo de Dei desperare ausit gra­tia; idcirco filium Dei non adoptivum, sed su­um, sed unigemtum de­dit pro omnibus, ut om­nibus salus offerretur, ideo non misit filium, ut judicaret mundum, meritisque afficeret supplicijs, sed ut servaret. S. Hilar. lib. 6. de trinit.. The all-sufficient God, loved where he found cause of hatred, the world an enemie, no friend, he so loved that he gave, his gift was a Sonne, his owne Sonne, not one adopted, his onely begotten Sonne, not one of many, not for himselfe, but to purchase thee eternall life. To requite which love what re­compence doth the Lord require at thy hands but thy love to him in heaven, and thy affection on earth? What soule can be so steely as not embrace and kisse that hand, which hath care for nothing in heaven but thy salvation, and for nothing on earth, but thy comfort, content, & satisfaction Sic Deum loquentem inducit Euthimius in loc. Mar­garitum quippe est sermo Dei, & ex omni parte forari potest. S. Hieron. ep. 22.. And when the Sonne of God ascended, hee had so per­fected our Redemption, that there was no­thing left for him to do more, either in hea­ven or earth: nor for us, but to welcome his mercie, and congratulate his victorie with [Page 67] faith, reciprocall love, and obedienceArnob. in loc. Si affixus serpens ligno, filijs Israel contulit sa­nitatem: quanto magis salutem praestat populis dominus in patibulo cru­cifixus? & si figura tantum profait, quan­tum profuisse eredimus, veritatem? S: Amb. ser. 55. Fide hujus verbi, non virtute imaginis serva­bantur: non enim in serpente, sed in Domini imperi [...]salus contineba­tur. Epiphan. haer. 37.. The Sunne lends the light by day, the Moone her borrowed beames by night, the earth beares the fruit, the sea brings the fish, the heavens drop her honey dewes, the cloudes shade thee in the heate, the birds make thee mu­sicke, and all creatures serve thee, with le­ctures of love instruct thee to love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy might In causa justitia, omnes anum debemus, virgo, vidua, nupta, summus, medius, & imus gradus, aequaliter jubentur implere pra­cepta. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1. Stude quaeso, & quoti­die creatoris tui verba meditare, discecor Dei in verbis Dei, ut ad aeterna suspicias: nam tanto erit requies tua major in coelis, quanto jam in terris ab amore conditoris tui requies nulla fuerit. Greg. Moral. Diliges Deum ex toto corde. i. e. toto intellectu, tota voluntate, & ex omni memoria Deum esse diligendum. S. Aug. tom. 10. ser. de tempore. 53. Quia Deus rebus omnibus major & melior invenitur, plus omnibus diligendus est ut colatur. S Aug. in Psal. 77.. Deut. 6.5. where God layes claime to all, he leaves for the creature nothing at all: Wherefore remember the loving kindnesse of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestow­ed on us: and the great goodnesse towards the house of Israel, which hee hath bestowed on them, according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses: Esay 63.7.

The second is, the meditation as well of thy misery, as of the necessity to be at one with God: without whose favour, were thy bones full of marrow, thy barnes of wheate, thy ban­quetting house of mirth, thy bed of rest, thy house of children, thy name of honour, yet thy condition is fearefull, and more despicable then the silly being of the bruit beastCrucior in haec flamma. Luc. 16. Non enim null [...], sed semp [...]ternamors erit, quando nec vivere ani­ma poterit Deum nec habendo, nec doloribus corporis carere, moriendo, prima mors animam nolentem pellit de corpore, secunda mors animam nolentem tenet in corpore. S. Aug. civ. lib. 21. cap. 3. Mirabile est enim, dolere in ignibus, & tamen vivere, sed mirabilius vivere in ignibus, nec dolere, idem eo [...]. cap. 2.: and [Page 76] of all creatures thou art most miserable. 1. Cor. 15.19. An east winde brought the locusts into Egypt; a west winde tooke them away, and cast them into the red seaExod. 10.13.19. Locusta quasi tota vena est, & ideò infatiabilu: quamdiu vivit, semper [...]surit. Joel. 2.25., from whence they were not recall'd, nor shall be charged for devouring fruitfull Egypt: but man is borne to serve his God, raised to a steward­ship, renders an account of his actions at his deathPuto per hoc genus plagae significat homi­nes; qui cum neque seip­sos ordinate regere po­tuerunt, neque Dei re­gis patienter moderami­na pertulere. Origen. in Exod. 10.13. Prov. 30.27., and reapes a proportionable recom­pence, in so much as thrice happie are they that kisse the Sonne Ne quando irasca­tur dominus, cum dubi­tatione positum est, non secundum visionem pro­pheta, cui certum est, sed secundum eos ipsos qui monentur, quia cum dubitatione solent cogitare iram dei, qui­bus not aperte revelatur S. Aug. in loc., are one with the father, have the spirit for their pledge of mercie, and put their trust in him. Psalm. 2.12. Thy misery cals upon thee, to make God thy feli­citie, the mercie of God invites thee, with proffer of balme, to heale thy infirmity, and the consistorie of heaven sits to eye and ob­serve, the bent of thy affectionsDeus ipse omnium rector & Dominus cum omni angelorum militia certamen tuum spectat; tibique contra diabolum dimicanti parat aeternitatis coronam; & coeleste praemium incitamentum victoriae facit. Huic spectaculo vide quem animum, quam debeas afferre virtutem, & certaminis magnitudinem de expectantium dignitate metire. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1., and to crowne thy happy choice, and love of him who loved us first.

Nor is the third consideration lesse for­cible, drawne from the survey of Gods in­effable excellencie, and all sufficiencie to re­lieve us in all conditions, and yeeld the soule in every estate a plenary content­ment. The round world can never fill mans triangular heart with solid contentati­on [Page 77] Quando enim ve­luit habere gaudia de se, invenit planctum in se: totum gaudium no­strum Deus est; qui vult securus gaudere, inillo gaudeat qui non potest perire. Aut argentum perit aut tu, & nemoscit quid prius, verum illud constat, quia utrumque peri [...]urum est, quid pri­us incertum est. Nam nec homo hic potest ma­nere semper, sic aurum, sic vestis, sic domus, sic pecunia, sic lata praedia, sic lux ista. Noli ergo velle gaudere in istis, sed gaude in illa luce quae non habet occasum, quam non praecedit he­sternus dies, nec sequitur crastinus. S. Aug. in Psal. 84. tom. 8.: as one corner fills, another empties it selfe of its former delight, but the heire of heavē is like the ayre which fils all things it findes emptie, replenisheth every heart, emptied of the love of the world, and opened to wel­come the king of glory. In want, his clemencie is wealth, in woe thy weale, in sorrow consolati­on Osiander. in loc., in hunger hee is meate; in thirst, drinke; in sicknesse, physicke; in all things all, so that he wants nothing with God, who delights in no­thing but God: but hee who enjoyes not the all-sufficient God, what helper sufficient can hee finde in his labours? what sufficient de­fence in dangers? what counsell in his doubts? what comforter in his sorrowes? what refuge sufficient in his temptations toQuem habent in laboribus adjutorem? Sclinepius in loc. verum gaudium non est doter­ra, sed de coelo. Et reve­ra illud verum & solum est gaudium, quod non de creatura, sed de cre­atore concipitur, & quod cum possederis ne­mo tollat a te. Cui com­parata omnis aliunde jocunditas, moeror est, omnis suavitas dolor [...] est, omne dulce amarum est, omne decorum foedum, omne denique quod cunque delectare possit aliud molestum. S. Bern. ep: 114. yeeld him shelter, and deliverance? enquire of the crea­tures where contentment dwels; and where the soule may lodge her wearied limbes in some bed of rest? They will all answere with joint consent, repose is not in us. They send every pilgrim, every passenger unto the Lord. The sea saith, I am but the Lords great fish pond to furnish thy table on fasting dayes; the earth saith, I am his footestoole, or at most the garden of GodAmos 9.6. watered to yeeld thee a posie of flowers; the winds say, we are the breath of his nostrils, the clouds say, wee are his cha­riots; the fire saith, I am his furnace to perfect [Page 70] and purge his metals; the starres, wee are his torchlight; the heaven saith, I am his throne; the angels say, we are his messengers, the crea­tures say, they are but provision for the men of Gods houshold; so that, nor any thing in heaven, nor earth, dare assume to it selfe the Lords prerogative, Pulchrum coelum, pulchra terra, sed pulchrior qui fecit illa. S. Aug. Cateris rebus occupari potest, repleri non potest. Ber. Fecisti nos Domine, pro­pter te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec req [...]iescat in te. S. Aug. sufficiency to settle and content the soule of manModica, transitoria, terrena sunt quae de­spicis; maxima, aeterna, coelestia sunt quae appe­tis; plus dicam, & ve­rum dicàm. Tenebras deseris, & lucem ingre­deris; de profundo flu­ctuum emergis ad por­tum, de misera servitu­te in felicem libertatem respiras, de morte deni (que) transis ad vitam. S. Ber. ep. 114.: which leaving the creature to embrace the Creator, riseth againe from death to life. This all-sufficien­cie of God, as it stands in relation to the soule of man, is couched in that emphati­call asseveration. Thou art the strength of my heart, and my Portion for ever Psal. 73.26. Etenim hareditas mea praclara est, non omni­bus, sed videntibus, in quibus quia ego sum, mihi est. S. Aug. in Psal. 16.5.: God is the portion of his Saints five wayes.

1 As children receive portions by their parents free love, and great liberality, not their proper merit: so the interest they have in the Lord, springs not from their desert, but his free grace & mercy in Iesus ChristQuid dicturi sumus ei qui primo gratis nos facit? Merita nostra fecisse ut nobis illa salus perpetua mitteretur à Domino? Absit. Si merita nostra aliquid facerent, ad damnati­onem nostram veniret. Non venit ille ad inspectionem meritorum, sed ad remissionem pec­catorum. Non fuisti, & factus et, quid Deo dedisti? Malus fuisti, & liberatus es; quid Deo dedesti? quid non ab eo gratis accepisti? merito igitur & gratia nominatur; quia gratis datur. Exigitur ergo [...]te, ut & tu gratis cum col [...], non quia dat temporalia, sed quia praestat aeterna. S. Aug. in Psal. 43.: he found out Adam in paradise, Abraham in the wildernesse, the child cast out in her blood, and the hopelesse Paralyticke at the poole of Bethesda, before hee found him in Bethel, the house of GodIohn 5.14..

[Page 71]2 As the heire hath the best proprietie, & title unto his inheritance, so the Saints the most right to Christ; God is their portion: and they are Gods portion: for the Lords portion is his people: Iacob is the lot of his inheri­tance. Deut. 32.9. My chiefe treasure: Exod. 19.5. though all the earth be mine. Hee saith unto the wicked Lo-ammi, for ye are not my People, and I will not be your God, Hos. 1.9. 3 In respect of fertility & fruitfulnesse: For as he gave the Hebrewes store of all thingsDeut. 8.7. & 11.10., as well for Charitie, their honour and digni­tie, delicacie, and conveniencie, as for neces­sitie; houses to dwell in, wine to glad the heart, oyle to cheare and cleare the counte­nance, milke to nourish them, honey to de­light them, wells to wash in, valleyes for Corne, mountains for brasse, yron, and stone: So God is a Rich and large portion unto eve­ry beleeving Soule which enjoyes him. And as a mans Portion findes his house & person necessaries; even so the Lord maintaines his, and procures them all things, that they want nothing that is good. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my Cup thou maintai­nest my lot. Psal. 16.5, 6. The Lord is my Shep­heard, I shall not want, thou anointest my head with oyle, and my Cup Et p [...]culum tuum, oblivionem praestans priorum vanarum dele­ctationum, quam prae­clarum est, S. Aug. in Psal. 23.5. runneth over. Psal. 23.1.5.Nihil deest timen­tibus eum, Multi prop­terea volunt timere De­um ne famem patian­tur, dicitur illis, nolite fraudem facere; & di­cunt, unde me posco? non potest ars sine impo­stura esse, non potest ne­gotium esse sine fraude, sed fraudem punit Deus; ti [...]e Deum, si timuero Deum non habebo unde vivam. Nihil decrit ti­mentibus Deum. Copi­am promittit trepido & dubitanti, ne si forte timuerit Dominum de­serant illam superstua, Poscebat te dominus contemnentem se, & deseret te timentem se▪ S. Aug. in Psalm. 34.10. vid. loc..

4. In regard of his Al-sufficiencie; for as it was Iudahs Blessing, that his hands should be [Page 80] sufficient for him, Deut. 33.7. So 'tis the bles­sing of Gods right hand, upon all those who lift up both their hands unto his testimonies Psal. 119.48. Pulcherrimus ordo, ut prmo meditemur, & eo­rum qua diligimus, praeceptorum, sit nobis assueta meditatio. De­inde levavi 'manus. Nam sicut meditationi verborum finis memo­ria est, ut quae medita­mur verba teneamus: sic meditationis praecep­torum coelestium inten­tio vel finis est operatio. S. Ambr. in loc. Nihil prodest facienda didicisse, & non sacere. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. ep. 1., that the hands of God shall be sufficient for them, in all conditions to provide all Com­forts, and to help them from their Enemies, his hands can enlarge a scantie portion unto a competencie, unto a sufficiencie, and make him that hath nothing, to possesse all things, 2. Cor. 6.10.

Lastly, the Inheritance is the heyres Con­tentation and whole delight. Naboth would not part with his fathers inheritance at any rate1 Kings 21.3., and the Saints find such a sweetnesse in their God, as nothing can draw them to an exchange, admit a sale; what is the price? either Heaven, or Earth apart, or the whole world together, with all the pompe and glory of it, as was once proffered by a cose­ning Merchant Mat. 4.9. Quadruplex Gigantis certamen primum in coeli: alterum in paradi­so terrestri: tertium in deserto: quartum in mundo. primum cum angelis initum; secun­dum cum Evah & A­dam; tertium cum Christo; quartum cum omnibus hominibus. In primo victus è coelo praecipitatus, in altero vicit, hominemque è coelo praecipitavit; in tertio victus abscessit, in quarto & vincit, & vincitur. S. Basil Hom. 21. ut Pelargus in loc.: but these will not carry it, they prize him at a higher rate: whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth, that I desire besides thee?

The fourth and last motive to make the Lord the whole joy and delight of our Soules, is the happie knowledge of the world of comfort and inward peace arising thence unto us in life and death. There can no storme arise, but this Harbour will refresh thee, no danger appeare, but the covert of his wings [Page 81] will shadow theeErat uno, eodem (que) tempore, & cum Apo­stolis quadraginta die­bus, & cum Angelis, & in Patre, & in extre­mis maris finibus erat, in omnibus locis versa­batur, cum Thoma in India, cum Petro Ro­mae, cum Paulo in Jlly­rico, cum Tito in Cre­ta, cum Andrea in Achaia, cum singu­lis Apostolis & Aposto­licis viris in singulis cunctis (que) regionibus. S. Hieron. Ep. 148., no misery assault thee, but this potent and mercifull hand will re­scue thee: None of his members suffers, but his eye observes them, his heart pities themExtinctis (que) tamen quamvis infantibus ab­sens; praesens Christus erat, qui Sancta pericu­la semper suspicit & poenas alieno in corpo­re sentit. Sedulius. lib. 2. oper. pascal. de Infan­ticidio Herodis., his hand saves them, his Spirit comforts them, his presence goes before them, his blessing followes them, his Consolations crowne themSed fert Magna­nimum, generoso in pe­ctore Christum; In (que) Deo curae dulce levamen habet. Strigel. in loc.. So long as Christ is the Captaine, let no Soldier of his faint or feare. Though the Sea rage, the Earth tremble, the yles shake, the mountaines leape into the O­cean, the Inhabitants of the world be tumul­tuous, the mighty Monarkes menace; yea, though thunder and lightening threaten us from above, and death dart us thorow, till his quiver bee emptie, and Hell open her mouth to swallow us alive or dead, and Sa­than encampe against us with his yron chari­ots, yet the Lord thy God reigneth, hee is cloa­thed with majestie Decorem induit amicis, fortitudinem inimicis—fortibus gra­vis est, at infirmis levis est, suspendantur fluctus quantum volunt, fiemat mare quantum vult; mirabiles quidem suspensurae maris, mirabiles minae, mirabiles persecutiones—Turbabatur mare, fluctuabat navicula. Navicula ecclesia est, mare saeculum est; venit dominus, ambula­vit super mare, & pressit fluctus, quomodo ambulavit dominus super mare? super capita justorum fluctuum, magnorum spumantium. S. Aug. in loc. and strength; the Lord on high is mightier, then the noise of many waters: yea then the mighty waves of the Sea, Psal. 93.1.4. yea, then the potentates on earth; yea, then the powers of hell,Contrivisti capita dra­conum, Draconum capita daemoniorum superbias, à quibus gentes possidebantur: contrivisti super aquam; quia eos quos possidebant, tu per baptismum liberasti: Cujus Draconis? intel­ligimus Dracones, omnia Daemonia sub diabolo militantia: quem ergo singularem draconem cujus caput contitum est, nisi ipsum diabolum intelligere debemus. S. Aug. in Psal. 74.13. to save and com­fort [Page 82] every soule that depends on him. For, as the waters of the deluge prevailed in­creased, and covered the Mountaines; the Arke of Noah mounted so much the more upon the surges: semblably, the more the Sea of affliction swels, the more the Lord maketh his consolations to abound, and raiseth the sanctified affections towards the enjoy­ment of heaven.

The second considerable, is the meanes, whereby the Lord becomes the Soules whole contentment; which are five.

First, the constant and conscionable Hearing, reading, and meditation of the sacred Word of GodSalomon Gesne­rus in loc., whereby (his backe-parts and admirable beauty, his mercySuavis est domi­nus, quoniam in saecu­lum miserecordia ejus. Psal. 107.1. Si gusta­stis, confitemini, non po­test autem confiteri, qui gustare noluit. Si gusta­stis aviditate, confessio­ne eructate. S. August. in loc., good­nesse, love and kindnesse, with all other his incomparable excellencies being laid open to the viewPsal. 136. per totum. Misericordia ejus in a­ternum. Quod enim justi ex iniquis erimus, sani ex infirmis, vivi ex mortuis, & immorta­les ex mortalibus, beati ex miseris, misericor­dia ejus est; hoc autem quod ita erimus, in aeternum erit, ergo in aeternum misericordia ejus. S. Aug: in loc.) the Soule becomes so enamou­red Deum diligere nullus modus, nulla mensura est, nisi haec sola, ut ei totum exhibeas, quantum habes. idem eod. Modus diligendi deum, est sine modo diligere. Si quis unquam est, qui fideli hoc a­more verbi dei arsit aliquaendo, qui electi jaculi ejus dulce vulnus plagam (que) accipit, qui scien­tiae ejus amabili confixus est telo; divinis eum desiderijs nocturnis (que) suspiret, aliud quid loqui non possit, audire aliud nolit, cogitare aliud nesciat, desiderare praeter ipsum, aut cupere aliud vel sperare non lib [...]at, & dicat vulneratae charitatis ego sum. S. Hier. ib. of him, that she is sicke of love, and needs Flaggons of wine to give her comfort Cant. 2.5. ad hanc domum vini, Ecclesia, vel anima vnaquae (que) desiderat intrare; & dogmatibus sapientia mysterij (que) scientia, epularum velut suavitate, & vini latitia perfrui. S. Hier. Hom. 3. in loc.. None are out of love with God, but such as know him not, aliens from the Common­wealth of Israel, and strangers from the Cove­nants [Page 83] of promise Ephes. 2.12.. For, as the Queene of She­ba, when shee had seene Salomons wisedome, and the house that he had built, and the meate of his table, the sitting of his Servants, the atten­dants of his Ministers, and their apparell, and his Cup-bearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord, fell into admirati­on, insomuch as for joy, love and delight­full content, there was no more spirit in her 1. Kin. 10.4.5. Nescio autem si ita in­eptam putemus fuisse reginam, quae ob hoc ve­nerat à finibus terrae ut miretur cibos; Sed mi­hi videtur miratam esse cibos doctrinae ejus, & vinum dogmatum, quae ab co per divinam sa­pienti [...]m praedicaban­tur. S. Hieron. Homil. 1. in Cant. Canticorum. Nec regni ejus subli­mitate sed mentis luce commota est. S. Aug. Tom. 10. de tempore Ser. 35., so when in the Chrystall-glasse of the Word, we see our owne miserie, and at the same in­stant finde Gods left hand under our head, and his right hand embracing, and supporting us Cant. 2.6. Descrip­tio est quidem amatorij dramatis sponsae festi­nantis ad concubitum sponsi. Longitudo vi­tae in dextera ejus, in sinistra vero ejus divi­tiae & gloria. Pro. 3.16.—illa pars verbi dei, quae ante assumpti­onem carnis in dispen­sationibus peracta est, dextra potest videri: haec vero quae per in­carnationem, sinistra ap­pellari. S. Hieron. in loc. Hom. 3. Per dextram, Christi sempiternitas, per sinistram ejus humanitas signif. Dextra ejus amplecti, est illa cognoscere, & de illis instrui, quaeante hujus quoq, per incarnationem gesta dispensationis tempus in arcanis habentur & reconditis. Laeva vero, ubi vulnera nostra curavit, & peccata no­stra portavit factus est enim pro nobis peccatum & maledictum, idem; loc. citat. Anima sic affecta, ad [...]sculum intellectuale suspirat. Cant. 1.1. ut jam terrenis affectibus mitigata, & omnibus quae de mundo sunt cogitationibus desiderijs (que) sopitis, in solius Christi delectetur [...]sculo, & quiescat amplexu. S. Aug. Tom. 4. lib. de Amicitia, cap. 6. Append.; The promise of mercy and pardon in Gods right hand, Heaven in his left, Christ Iesus courting his fathers subjects (but with better affection) then once Absolon courted Da­vids,) the Spirit of Christ Cloathing us with puritie, Angels triumphing at our Reconcili­ation, Mansions and Crownes prepared for us, our Soules are wounded with one of his eyes Cant. 5 9., and so farre elevated with unspeakable de­lights that they choose God before all, and de­spise whatsoever stands in Competition with Christ. The more the heart dives into the cleare Fountaines of the Word, the more it's [Page 84] enflam'd, and thirsts after Christ, the water of life. The more acquaintance thou hast with the Word of God, the more thou wilt dayly hunger after acquaintance with God him­selfeIob. 22.21., and long to taste how sweet he is a­bove all Creatures in Heaven and Earth.

2. The second meanes, (if examples can perswade) is the patterne of the Saints, who like innocent Doves takeMat. 10.16. their flight from the highest pinacle of worldly prosperity, un­to the windowes of Heaven, as to their re­pose and Nests Esay 60.8.. Those who have conquered enemies, gotten riches Jlle nam (que) cum ad­huc esset in carne Za­chaeum divitem in reg­num coelorum misit, & multos postea divites impertito Spiritu San­ctos fecit hujus saeculi contemptores, & sinita divitiarum cupiditate ditiores. St. August. Tom. 2. Epist. 121. cap. 1. Dabo illis solatium ve­rum, pacem super pa­cem. Jer. 14.13. sine quo solatio quaecun (que) sunt terrena solatia, ma­gis in eis desolatio, quam consolatio reperitur. ibid. cap. 2. Divitiae quippe at (que) fa­stigia dignitatum, cae­tera (que) quibus se foelices esse putant mortales ve­rae illius faelicitatis ex­pertes, quid afferunt consolationis, cum sit eis indigere, quam emi­nere praestantius, quae plus excruciant adepta timore amissionis, quam concupita adeptionis ardore? Talibus enim bonis non fiunt homi­nes boni, sed aliunde boni facti, bene utendo faciunt ut ista sint bona. ibid., wonne renowne, ob­tained Crownes, governed Kingdomes, have in the end unladen their vessels, and dive­sted themselves of all to have communion and fellowship with God. Wealthy Zachaeus Luk. 19.8. gave halfe his goods to the poore, as a free donation to welcome Christ, and made a fourefold resti­tution, to give satisfaction where his finger had searched, or his tongue lashed, by oppressi­on or false accusation. Rich Abraham with contempt of his Coine, purchased a place of restGen. 23.16. St. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 3., where hee buried his dead, in assu­red hope of resurrection to an incorruptible Crowne. Iob was not dismayed with losse of allFit pauper ex divite, tot orbitatibus vulneratur, quot successionibus gloriabatur. O virum naturam saeculi respuenter, & in valle lachrymarum turrim occupat gloriarum. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 20., but made his Patience proclaime that his [Page 85] joyes and chiefe contentments were above upon that God, who hath power to give and take at his pleasure, who is better then all. Saint Paul, that vessell of Election, whose blindnesse gave sight to the whole worldPauli caecitas, to­tius orbis illuminatio effecta est. S. Chrysost. Tom. 4. Hom. 4. Vir­tutem ipsam pro mer­cede pensavit, multo magis laborem deside­rans, quam alij requi­em post laborem; studi­osius pro inimicis erans, quam alij adversus ini­micos. idem Hom. 2., after once the scales fel from his eyes, sought nothing, lov'd nothing, knew nothing, car'd for nothing, desir'd to know nothing, em­brace nothing but Iesus Christ, and him cruci­fied 1. Cor. 2.2.. The Apostle Peter, a sonne of Abra­ham, and equall with Abraham in his choice, leaves all for ChristAbraham nescio an major, certe quod sentio, non sicundus. S. H [...]eron. in Tom. 9. Ep. 20. Illi generatio larga pro­mittitur, huic generatio pascenda committitur: illi dicitur faciam te in gentem magnam; huic, faciam te Piscatorem hominum: illi, ut Stel­lae erunt semen tuum, huic, tibi dabo cla­ves caelorum. idem. eodem.. And though he was the prime Speaker, yet hee was not the sole Actor in that Triumph, he was the Standard-bearer of the Gospell Augustum caput Petrus extulit, novi signifer testamenti. — Sed & caeteri Apostoli ejusdem musti spuma­vere servore; & u­nius botrionis super­fluenti maduere vinde­mia: qui tamen in odorem ejus nectaris, ad beati Petri similitudinem concurrerunt. idem. eodem., and the rest of the A­postles were his fellow-Soldiers. Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee. Mat. 19.27. That all was no great possessions, yet to for­sake their all was great devotion, and gave suf­ficient testimonie of their heavenly affe­ctions Quae sunt ista omnia apud eum, qui praeter instrumentum artis piscatoris nihil habebat. S. Aug. Tom. 9. Ep: 20.. His hooke was as much to him, as a house to some others; his Fishing poole, as a Parke; his boate, as their barnes; his lines, as their land; his wyre, as their woods: yet whatsoever it was they left, it was deare un­to them, & is numbred among things which are most deare. Whosoever hath forsaken houses, Brethren, Sisters, Fathers, Mothers, Wife, [Page 86] Children or Lands. What so deare as these? yet Christ to them was dearer, and dearest of allReddidit Zacheus quadruplum quod ra­puerat; divisit (que) paupe­ribus medietatem sub­stantiae suae, quae re­manserat: suscepit Christum hospitem; salus facta est domui ejus. A­postoli autem, quantum ad divitias, nihil, quan­tum ad voluntatem, to­tum mundum pariter reliquerunt. Si offera­mus Christo opes cum anima nostra, libenter suscipiet, si autem quae foris sunt Deo, quae in­tus sunt Diabolo demus, non est aequa partitio. S. Hier. Tom. 8. Ep. 26., for whose names sake, they desired not to have any name among these, nor yet once to name them, in assurance to have their names written in the booke of life.

3. As the strong man which keepes Christ out of the heart, is selfe-love: So the key that opens the everlasting gates Psal. 24.7. Ele­vamini aditus aeternae vitae, renuntiationis sae­culo & conversionis ad deum. —Et elevamini portae aeternae justitiae, charitatis, & castita­tis: per quas anima diligit unum verum de­um & non fornicatur sub multis, qui appellan­tur dij. Quis est ille Rex gloriae? quem tu infirmum & oppressum putasti. St. Au­gust. in loc: of the Soule to receive the King of glory in, is Mor­tification and selfe-deniall; take away the blind and lame corruptions harboured in the fortresses of our hearts2. Sam. 5.6., then shall our Da­vid reigne over vs. But as the Fort of Sion was not won without some danger, no more can this Conquest over a mans selfe be obtai­ned without some difficultyAnne est aliquid tam durum, tam ferreum, quam repugnare naturae? & cum omnia in mundo per deum nobis facta sint: mundum ipsum no­bis se cum omnibus divitijs & pulchritudinibus suis ingerentem manu quadam repudiare virtutis; Et animam paene ad imaginem obrigescere mortuorum. Non visu, non auditu, non odore, non tactu, non sapore capi: & in natura corporis naturam corpoream non habere, hominem (que) se quod homo sit oblivisci, & eo magis despiciat se, quo se magis ag­noverit. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 20.. That a man should deny his Parents, forget his friends, as Pharohs Butler, Ioseph; denie his Master, as Peter his Lord; denie the truth, as Gehasi; his Iourney is not more easie then common and customary: but to deny a Mans selfe, is an Herculean labour, yea, which is more, a Chri­stians [Page 87] hard taskeTum quia durum est praesentia sibi abdi­care dum vivit: & fu­tura sperare post vitam. S. Hieron. eodem. Durum est vias domini custodire; in quibus non experimentis, sed detrimentis potentiae de­sudatur, nec quaeritur ut supra nos, quod amat universa mortalitas, sed ut sub nos vita dicatur, ne amplius nos existi­mando quam sumus: incipiamus nec id obti­nere quod sumus: cum per hoc ipsum, si ve­limus despicere quod sumus, mereamur in melius esse quam su­mus. Hieron. ibid., thorow which hee can never wade, unlesse Vlysses-like hee tie him­selfe to the maine-Mast of Gods Word. Yet what's more equall, then for thy Soule to deny her selfe and all terrestrials, to embrace her naked Saviour, seeing the Saviour of the world humbled himselfe, below men, yea, be­low birds and beasts for thy Salvation. The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the ayre have nests: but the sonne of man hath not where to lay his head, Mat. 8.20.Quid me propter divitias, & saeculi lucra cupis sequi; cum tanta sim paupertatis, ut ne hospitiolum quidem ha­babeam, nec meo utar lecto. S. Hier. [...]. non ad sonum verborum, sed ad sen­sum interrogantis, ac­commodata est responsie. S. Chrys. Hom. in loc. Nihil enim deum latet, nulla simulatio operum eius abscenditur, omnia videt, & cogitationi respondet. Eus. Emissen., if a poore man will not follow Christ, because he's very poore, how hardly will a rich man become poore to become the Disciple of Christ? What meanes the visitation of his Temple, his eje­ction of all them that sold and bought there­in, the overthrow of the tables of the money-changers, and the seates of them that sold DovesMat. 21.12. Nescitis. quod opertet me in paternis meis esse, scilicet in Templo, non in saculo, in sacrificiorum mysterio, non in malignantium concilio: in paternis uti (que) spiritua­libus, nam patrem in carnalibus non habebat. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 20.: but our instruction to cast the world & the things of the world out of our hearts, and to prepare and preserve them as holy tem­ples, dedicated to the Lord, reserved for his blessed inhabitation. And as the Levites by the command of Moses put every man his sword by his side, went in and out from gate to gate thorow the Campe, and slew every man his brother, & every man his companion, and eve­ry [Page 88] man his neighbor Exod 32.27. Quia melius est pauco­rum supplicio univer­sos eximi, quam in om­nes vindicari. S. Ambr.: So every Christian must with the Sword of the word and Spirit mur­ther, and cut the throat of every one of his cor­ruptions, how neare, or deare soever they seeme unto him. Outward profession Non in carne pa­lam, sed in occulto cor­dis Jadaei esse debe­mus, non litera sed spi­ritu. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 20. of re­ligion is not sufficient to Salvation, without this inward circumcision. Christ healed the Lepers, and the Sicke of severall infirmities, yet commanded them silence; he did things worthy of praise in private, yet would not be praised in publikeMira ratio, non vult praedicari, quod gaudet intelligi, agnosci amat, & odit ostendi; si: mysterium obtectae circumcisionis exercens. Nam mavult se inven­tum esse, quam prodi­tum, ut virtus sua il­lum, non favor mani­festaret alienus. idem. ibid.; such must his mem­bers be, better then they appeare to bee, the inside of mortification be every whit as good or better then the outside of profession. Abra­hams circumcision of the fore-skin of his fleshAbraham desig­nat in carne, quod ex­e [...]cebat in mente, non per hoc, signum expri­mens carnis, sed signum fidei. ibid. Gen. 17.24., was an outward manifestation of in­ward amputation of his inbred Corruptions that cleaved so fast unto him, Heb. 12.1. Hee that offered up his Sonne a lively Sacrifice unto GodLucratur orbita­tem dum parricidium meditatur: & cum u­nico non parcit in terris stellas pro filijs annume­rare jubetur in coelis. Carnalis (que) despector na­turae, in natura siderum collocatur, & humani contemptor seminis pater vocatur astrorum. Gen. 22.10. ibid., teacheth us to Crucifie our Sins, to enjoy the favour of God. That Great Bap­tist, in making the wildernesse his pulpit, tea­cheth as well by conversation Multa à prophetis denunciata populo, ab ipsis prophetis sunt primum effecta. Vadit nudus Propheta, & in se quod alij vaticinabatur, oflendit, videt vulgus, non audit, & in Esaiae corpore, quae sibi erant ventura, cognoscit; sit fignum de vate, & in libero adhuc populo amaritudinem sensit propheta captivi. Esay 20.3. St. Hieron. Mat. 3.5., as Doctrine, all his Auditors that desire to embrace Christ, to flye from the vanities of this world, by leaving the great Cities, the Theaters of [Page 89] wickednesse. He preached not in the Tem­ples, not in the streets, in the Cities, in the high-wayes, where he should have met with multitudes, but in the wildernesse, to call, and cry them out of Hierusalem, invite out from their pleasures and profits to repent of their sins, and bee washed from their iniqui­ties. And as the wise men forsooke Herods favour, and opened and forsooke their owne treasures to present the Heyre of the world Mat. 2.11. Magi suis se affectibus circumcidere, cum the­sa [...]ris suis, id est, secr [...] ­tis mentium patefactis, animorum motus ma­ctavere pro munere, eos (que) morbos, per quos aliquid aut cupimus, aut metuimus aut dole­mus, velut ante pieta­tis aram & miserecor­diae altare foderunt: ut uelin auro avaritia, vel in Thure, idololatria: vel in Myrrha fieret do­mino subjecta mortali­tas. S. Hieron. loc. cit.; so to become a present acceptable to the Lord, wee must renounce our selves, and whatsoever wherein flesh and blood treasures up the most contentment.

This is a hard saying (saith flesh and blood) to draw blood from the very heart; True! but the love of Christ will make that facile to the Spirit which is fierce and fearfull to the flesh Cultello ita (que) pe­trino corporis nostri circumcidenda est natu­ra. Petra autem Chri­stus est, cujus cultellus amor est, quo crescente in nobis, saeculidesideria decrescent, quem qui amaverit, dicit patri, non novi te, nec dicet iam, cuius circumcisa est natura, patrem, prae­ter cum qui est in coelis se habere. Hieron. eod.. And how much better is it to lanch the impostumated flesh, open a veine to take away corrupted blood, and cut off a mem­ber Gangreen'd to goe to heaven, then to die remedilesse, and eternally bee tormented Mat. 5.29.. Nor is the Service of Christ so burdensome to a Sonne, as the service of Sin is heavy and grievous to the Sinner: the transgressor hath more torture and vexation Et qui voluptates corporis virtutum amore contempsimus, rursum amore vitiorum tormenta suscipimus: at (que) ita malis nostris cedimus, ut ea nec putemus posse deponi. Res difficiles, & laboris plenas se­curus aggredior, & faciliora non posse fieri credo. Libenter fugio quod delectat, & nolo vitae­re quod cruciat. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 1. in a day, whiles [Page 90] he moyles in Sathans Brick-kills, then the Saint all the dayes of his life, in the Ser­vice of his God, and one day in Gods Court yeelds him more sound joy and delight, then a thousand yeeres afford unto the worker of iniquitie. And if the very shadow of Mor­tification, receives a temporary recompence Multi huius vir­tutis umbram, verita­tem eius sequuntur pau­ci, perfacile est enim a­liquam vestem habere conte [...]ptam, salutare submissius, manus & genua deosculari, incli­nato in terram capite, oculis (que) deiectis humi­litatem & mansuetudi­nem polli [...]eri, lonta vo­ [...], tenui (que) sermones infringere; Suspirare prebrius, & ad omne verbum peccatorem & miserum so clamare: & si vel levi sermone offensus sit, continuà attollere supercilium, levare cervicem, & de­licatum illum oris Ser­monem, & sonum insano repente clamore mutare. St. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 1., how great shall the reward of true selfe-de­nyall be? The excellencie and greatnesse of the wages, will fully reward the difficultie of the worke; remember, that he who loveth Father or mother more then Christ, is not worthy of Christ, and hee that loveth Sonne or daughter more then him, is not worthy of him. Mat. 10.37.

Seeing God requires nothing at thy hands save thy Coate of corruption, let him have thy cloake of hypocrisie alsoMat. 5.40.; seeing the Law requires thy obedience for a mile, let the bond of love constraine thee to goe with him twaine: Leave all thy selfe for his love, who gave himselfe for theeRemittite pallium, tunicam detrabenti. Pecunia corum cum ipsis sit in interitum, qui Christo pecuniam praetulerunt. Exeuntes semel de Sodom, cuncta relinquamus incendijs. S. Hieron. ibid. Ep. 3., and with Levi observe his Word, keepe his Covenant, know not thy owne children, nor acknowledge thy brethren, say to thy Father and mother I have not seene you Deut. 33.9. Nemo sit qui prohibeat, non Mater, non soror, non cognata, non germanicus: dominus te necessarium habet, quot voluerunt impedire, timeant flagella Pharaonis, qui populum dei ad colendum eum noluit demittere. S. Hieron. Tom. 1. Ep. 22.; What father have I in Heaven but thee? and I desire none in earth besides thee.

[Page 91]4. Nor may I forget the sweet benefit of sanctified afflictions drawingA terro, in coelum fit patiens, postea expe­rimentalis Theologus, hinc spes, huic coelum ipsum. Scultetus in lec. the Saints to make God their All in heaven and earth. A­saph signifies a Congregation, a heape of sor­rowes Bellarm. in loc., and his peculiar straine is to treat of the Sorrowes and calamities of the ChurchHoc habuit pecu­liare, ut de rebus [...]ristib. meditaretur ecclesiae. Ʋnde hic tertius Psal­morum liber continet fe­rè perpetuas querimoni­as. Genebrard. in loc.. The indurance whereof, and his share there­in, had wrought his patient minde to that resolution, that howsoever the affaires of the Church went, were it prosperitie or miserie Res prospera do­num est consolantis, res autem adversa donum est admonentis dei. St. Aug. Tom. 2. Ep. 87., hee was contented, nothing should remove him from his God. Davids afflictions were a burning furnace to purifie his affections, and make them adherePsal. 119.97, 71., more to the Law­giver, and the Law. Whilest Moab was at ease, and was not powred from vessell to vessell, nor carried into captivitie, he setled on his lees, his taste remained in him, and his sent was not changed Ier. 48.11. Nunc experimentum de te sumit dominus, quo­modo se diligas. Magna est afflictio, fateor & ego, verum magna est etiam patientibus à do­mino reposita merces. S. Basil. Tom. 3. Ep. 8., his vessels must bee broken, his bottles emptied, before he come to any per­fection or sweetnes. Lessons hardly learn'd are long kept in memory, when once learnd. And as the flowers [...]; herba sic dicta quod vento flante aperiatur. lege Dioscorid. li. 2. cap. 207. [...]. which open with the winter winde, are very beautifull and plea­sant; so that love of God which kindles through the extremity of afflictions, as its hardly come by, so it flames long, and as the beames of it are beautifull, so no waters can quench it, but it remaines as strong as death Multo quaesita au­ro gemma, maiori soli­citudine possidetur, & generaliter grandicura magna quaequae servan­tur. S. Heiron. Tom. 9. Ep. 1. Cant. 8.6.. The eare never is more open to heare God speake unto the souleIob. 33.14.15, 16, 17, 18. Psal. 85.8.. Nor the eye [Page 92] more open'd to see the goodnesse of GodPsal. 124.1.2, 3. Acts 9.18.: nor the tongue more ready to crie unto GodPsal. 66.13, 14.: nor the hand more open and stretch­ed out to embrace the LordActs 2.37.: nor the heart more thorowly in love with God, then in the time of some affliction 2. Cron. 33.12.. The more the Camomile is trod upon, and cloves beaten in the morter, the sweeter they smell: and the more a blessed rod smites the backs of the righteous Tempora mutata video, Creator tempo­rum non mutatur.— & si praeterita sic sunt nobis narrata, & futu­ra talia praenunciata, in medio praesentium quare laboramus? S. Aug. in Psal. 44.1, 2, 17, 18. Incipit beatitudo iudi­cio divino, ubi, aerum. na aestimatur humano. S. Ambros., they become like the incense, a sweet smelling Sacrifice in the nostrils of the Lord. All this is come upon us: yet have wee not forgotten thee, neither have wee dealt falsly in thy covenant. Psal. 44.17, 18, 19.

The fifth and last meanes is fervent prayer unto God. This is the Catholike medicine for all maladies, the meanes sanctified by the Lord, to obtaine all blessings of the Lord, himselfeQuotidie lachry­mae, quotidie gemitus, cum in Eremo consti­tutus essem: ille igitur ego qui ob gebennae me­tum, tali me carcere ip­se damnaveram, scorpi­onum tantum socius & ferarum saepe choris intereram puellarum. Pallebant ora ieiunijs, & mens desiderijs ae­stuabat in frigido corpo­re, & ante hominem sua iam carne praemor­tuum, sola libidinum in­cendia bulliebant, ita (que) omni auxilio destitutus, ad Jesu iacebam pedes, rigabam lachrimis, crine tergebam & repugnantem carnem hebdomadarum in edia subin­gabam. St. Hieron. Tom. 1. Ep. 22.. Hee that becomes a suter unto the Almighty, that the Scepter of Christ may rule in his heart, and that his soule may be even ravished and filled with the love of God in and above all, shall speede, if so be his supplication be faithfull, humble, and fer­vent. Hee never replies with, It is not mine to giveMath. 20.22, 23. Non est meum dare vo­bis; i. e. sic superbè petentibus, insolenter, elate de carnis tumore, non spiritus leni­tate. Nam ego qui nunc resisto vobis, humilibus dare gratiam consuevi. St. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 20.: unlesse we aske we know not what, or otherwise then we ought. Three [Page 93] graces must ever attend our prayers to make them prevalent: faith wings them and gives them life, hope pitcheth them at heaven's gate, and charity presents them at the throne of graceIn ipsa ergo fide, & spe, & charitate conti­nuato desiderio semper oramus. S. Aug. Tom. 2. ep. 121. Probae. cap. 8.. It is not many words Neque enim ut nonnulli putant, hoc est orare in multiloquio, si diutius oretur, aliud est sermo multus, aliud di [...] ­turnus affectus. ibid. cap. 10., nor eloquent phrases that do prevaile, but deepe sighs Rom. 8.26. Nam pierumque hoc ne­gotium plus gemiti­bus, quam sermonibus agitatur, plus fletu quam affatu. idem., a broken heart, great groanes, strong faith, a live­ly hope, and love unfained that speed. These may find some resemblance in that of the Evangelist; If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you, that is a father, will hee give him a stone? or if he aske a fish, will hee for a fish give him a ser­pent? or if hee shall aske an egge, will hee offer him a scorpion? Luke 11.11. faith is as the fish, hope as the egge, love as the bread Fides significetur in pisce, vel propter aquam baptismi, vel quod in hujus seeculi fluctibus integra est, spes in ovo, quia vita pulli nondū est, sed futura est, nec jam videtis, sed ad­huc speratur. Charitas in pane, major enim he­rum charitas, & in ci­bis utique vincit caetera panis utilitas. Cui con­trarius est ille serpens, qui ut non crederetur deo, venenosa fraude persuasit? Cui contrarius est Scorpius, quiex ea parte cavendus est, qua venenatam & aculeatam caudam retrorsum habet, sed ei quisperat vitam aeternam, noxium est respicere. Cui contrarius est lapis, quoniam dura corda respuunt charitatem S. Aug. ibid.; as the child comes unto the father for these, so must wee approach to our heavenly father with these. The old serpent perswades us to doubt of Gods love, but faith broacheth our praiers without wavering, and keepes them and us, as the fresh fish in the salt waters, untainted in this evill and wicked world. Hope makes us forget what is behinde, and presse for­ward toward the promises, and not turne tale with the Scorpion, and when wee are out of Sodome looke backe, pray and distrust. The chicke of blessing, in the egge of mercy, will in due time be hatch't, if wee wait with [Page 94] patience. And though decayed love chils and hardens our confidence, and make it like a stone; yet true love of God, heartens our requests, and feedes our hopes, as the bo­dy is nourished with the purest breadQui petit accipiet ei. Lucae. 11.9. Quare hoc facit dominus qui novit quid necessarium, antequam petamus? De­us noster non volunta­tem nostram sibi velit innotescere, quam non potest ignorare, sed exer­ceri in orationibus desi­derium nostrum, quo possimus capere quod praeparat dare. S. Aug. ibid. cap. 8.. To these adde continuance in prayer, pray without intermission 1 Thessal. 5.17. De ipso domino scrip­tum est, quod pernocta­verit in orando & quod prolixius oraverit. Absit ab oratione multa locutio, sed non desit multa precatio, si fer­vens perseverat inten­tio: Nam multum loqui, est in orando rem ne­cessariam superfluis a­gere verbis: multum autem precari est ad cum quem precamur, diuturna & pia cordis excitatione pulsare. S. Aug. eod.. We have Christ for our leader, who spent whole houres and nights in prayer to his father for us: that when wee pray to the father in his name, his intercession may obraine our consolation. And wee have Christs words, a most perfect pattern of prayer Tam late patet, ut homo Christianus in qualibet tri­bulatione constitutus, in hoc gemitus edat, in hoc lacrymas fundat, hinc exordiatur, in hoc immoretur, ad hoc terminet orationem. Nam quamlibet alia verba dicamus, quae offictus orantis, vel praecedendo format, ut clareat, vel consequendo attendit ut crescat, nihil aliud dicimus, quam quod in ista dominica oratione positum est, si recte & congruenter oramus S. Aug. loc. citat. Habes, quantum arbitror, non solum qualis ores, verum etiam quid ores: non me docente, sed illo qui omnes docere dignatus est. idem. cap. 13. to lead us: which whiles wee follow wee cannot pray amisse: runne over and read the devout prayers of all the Saints, of Moses, and Myriam, Deborah, and David, they are all in this Compendiary Et si per omnia precationum sanctarum verba discurras, quantum existimo, nihil invenies quod non ista dominica contineat & concludat oratio. idem cap. 12.: Enlarge thy heart from East to West, from North to South, from earth to heaven: aske of him, whose promise was once to give whatsoever could be de­sired: were thy desires unlimited, they are here both limited and comprehended: wee may use with this some other expression Vnde liberum est alijs atque alijs verbia, eadem tamen in orando dicere. Sed non debet esse liberum alia dicere. ibid. [Page 95] of our wants, and devotion, but besides what is here included, wee must not dare to present God with any new petition: what re­quest soever, though glazed with shew of pietie is dissonant and contrary to this pat­terne is impietie and blasphemie Quisquis antem id dicit quod ad istam Evangelicam precem pertinere non possit, eti­amsi non illicite orat, carnaliter orat, quod nescio quemadmodum non dicatur illicitè, quandoquidem spiritu renatos non nisi spiritu­aliter decet orare. idem ibid. cap. 12.. But he that comes unto God, in Christs word, in Christs way, in Christs mediation, shall never returne emptie, nor spread out his hands in vaine. If importunitie will raise the baker at mid­night, out of his dead sleepe to serve his neighbour bread: what will importunity ef­fect at the hands of our makerSi enim non dat ad horam, exerce quaren­tem, non contemnit pe­tentem. Euseb. Emissen:, who never slumbers nor sleepes: Luke 11.8. If ye then be­ing evill, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly fa­ther, give the holy spirit to them that aske him Petite ergo animo, quaerite verbis, pulsate operibus. Petite verbo, quaerite operibus bonis, pulsate perseverantia: petite fide, quaerite spe, pulsate charitate. Druthmarus. Mat. 7.7., Luke 11.13.

The third and last branch of the exhorta­tion is the rule of triall, whether the soule be deceived in her choice: vices march under the maske and banner of vertue Summa tibi scien­tia sit, notitia summa, vitia, virtutesque di­stinguere, quae quan­quam semper contrari [...] sibi sint, aliqua tamen ex eis tanta junguntur similitudine, ut discerni omnino vix possint. Quam multi enim superbiam libertatis loco ducunt, adulationem pro humilitate suscipiunt, malitiam prudentiae amplectuntur vice, & stultitiam simplicitatis nomini imponunt, atque fallaci ac pessima decepti similitudine, vitijs pro virtutibus glorian­tur. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1., Herod seekes Christ, and the wisemen seeke him also, they both pretend to worship him, and who knowes the event, and their intent at the [Page 96] presentMagi quaerebant, ut invenirent. Herodes quaerebat, ut perderet. Iudaei civitatem nas­centis legebant, tem­pus venientis non in­telligebant: inter Ma­gorum p [...]um amorem & Herodis crudelem timorem illi evanue­runt. S. Aug. Tom. 10. Serm. 34. de temp.: but he that knowes the heart, from whom no secrets are hid? Trie all things, is a good precept1 Thess. 5.21.. Keepe that which is good, is great profit. The soule who hath preferred the Lord to all the world, and makes him her chiefe and whole delight, is knowne by foure inseparable badges.

1 Hee casts himselfe, and care wholly on Gods mercy, favour and truth, for the things of this life, and a better. Hee knowes the childs hand on earth, can effect nothing, without the fathers hand in heavenMat. 6.27. Sicut corpori ne exigu­um quidem augmen­tum potes adjicere cu­rando, sed absque tua sollicitudine illius in­crementum consequeris, ita te oportet etiam ali­moniam congregare sine cura quantitatis. Chrys. hom. in Mat. Nihil enim ita oculos animae contristat ac tur­bat, ut secularium con­ditio curarum, & quasi obvolitantia quaedam multiplicis cupiditatis ex anima, id. b. 2. in Mat Relinquenda illi cura alendi, augendique cor­poris, cujus cura factum, ut tantae esset staturae. S. Aug., his paines without Gods providence, his backe and belly can nor fat, nor fill without his bles­sing, that his wellfare depends on Gods good will: whereupon hee bindes himselfe to stand and fall to Gods arbitration, and re­commends whatsoever hee dare call his in heaven and earth into the hands of the Lord. He useth the necessary lawfull meanes, but his minde, & meaning is not to rely upon themMat. 6.27. Nolite cogitare in crastinum. Non vos istis verbis cogit, ut nihil in crastinum reservetis. S. Aug. to. 3. l. de oper. Monachorum. cap. 24 Non ut ista non procurent quantum necessitati satis est, unde honeste potuerint: sed ut non ista intucantur & propter ista faci­ant, quicquid in Evangelij praeconio facere jubentur. ibid. cap. 26.: he labours, yet his care is not burdensome, be­cause hee hath cast his burden upon the Lord who will sustaine him Ecce vis te jactare in Dominum, nemo se supponat pro domine; Si occurrit aliquis, & dicit; ego excipio, responde & tu, Portum quaere, non saxum, S. Aug. in loc. ▪ Psal. 55.22. Hee who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepa­reth raine for the earth, who maketh grasse [Page 97] to grow upon the mountaines, will cloath him with his mercy. The same God will feed him and his, who giveth to the beasts his food, and to the yong ravens which crie. Ps. 147.8, 9. Hee giveth them their meat in due season, his open hand fills the desire of all things living Quando debet acci­pero, tunc das; & quod debet accipere, hoc da [...]. Quando non dat, ideo non dat, ne obsit quod dat. Apostolus rogavit, & non accepit. 2. Cor. 12 8, 9. Petit Iob ten­tandum diabolus, & accepit. Magnum my­sterium discendum, re­petendum, tenendum, animo nunquam obli­viscendum, propter ten­tationum abundantiam in hoc saeculo. Sed non accepit Apostolus prop­ter perfectionem suam, accepit diabolus ad ten­tationem suam. S. Aug. in loc.. Psal. 145.16. This makes him delight him­selfe in the Lord, commit his way unto him, trust in him, that his thoughts may be established Prov. 16.3., and his lawfull desires brought to passe. Psalm. 37.5. The worldling seldome acquaints God with his wayes, or if he be content hee should know of them, he dare not commit the ordering of them unto his providence, or if he allow God to be a Committee, yet he trusts him not without a pledge: his unstable minde covets to recall 2 Kings 6. [...] Qui in poenis murmu­rat, ferientis justitiam accusat. them out of his hands; his motion is either retrograde, or hee desires to move faster then God: whence it comes to passe, his expectation faileth, and his hope perisheth: but the righteous ac­quaints, trusts, and commits all to his God, whose care effectuates whatsoever is good for them, upon which premises they ever conclude, we know not what to doe, but our eyes are towards In tenebris nostrae densae & caligine men­tis: cum nihil in toto est pestore consilij. Turbati erigimus, deus, ad te lumina cordis; nostra tuamque fides solius orat opem. Tu rege consilijs actus pater optime nostros: nostrum opus ut laudi serviat omne tua. Heshusius. in loc. thee. 2. Cron. 20.12.

2 Hee is wholly guided by the counsell of the Lord in his word, as Hushai's course was [Page 98] steared by Davids compasse 2 Sam. 15.33. Praecipua tibi cura sit, legem noscere divinam. Maximum enim ad justitiam auxilium est, implere divinis eloquijs animum, & quod opere exequi cupias, semper corde meditari, nec suf­ficere tibi putes, man­data Dei memoria tene­re, & operibus oblivisci: sed ideo illa cognosce, ut facias quicquid facien­dum didiceris. S. Hier. ep. 14. ad Celantiam. Si periculosum est imi­tari illos de quibus du­bitas, an imitandi sint: hunc certè imitari tu­tissimum est, atque ejus vestigia sequi, qui dixit, ego sum via. idem ibid.. The word of god is the man of his counsell, nor dare hee with Ioshua enter into a treaty of peace with the Gibbionites Ioshua. 9.14.: Nor pursue his enemies in battell, before he call for the Ephod, and aske counsell at the mouth of the Lord 1 Sam. 30.7, 8.. Aaron the Priest had the Breast, and the right shoulder of the sacrifice offered unto the LordLevit 9.21. In pectore mundas cogi­tationes, legis notitiam, dogmatum veritatem: in brachio bona opera & armatam manum, ut quod mente concepe­rint, exemplo probent. S. Hieron. ep. 128. ad Fabiolam:; and we must ever have an open breast to receive counsell from the divine Oracles, and a right hand stretched out to put in execution what we embrace and beleeve: that wee may be a chosen generation and a Royall priesthood. 1. Peter 2.9. Christians are Kings, before whose eyes the booke of the Law must ever lye open, to sway their negotiations, and con­fine their most weightie affairesRevel. 1.6. Deut. 17.19.. Nothing better argues the dearenesse of friendship then communication of crosses, and counsels Matt. 13.11. Iohn. 15.15. Incredulis non solum dicta, sed etiam facta omnia Christi sunt parabolae. Beda. Certe si mysteria non essent, inter infidelem fidelemque, inter impium atque pium discretio non manere [...]: & esset devotus sicut contumax: iners, sicut qui laborat: per virgil, ut ille, qui dormit, Chrysolog. Iohn 2.24. Dominus non crediderit se credentibus in nomenejus; quia licet praedicatur eorum fides, tamen erat parum fida. Pelarg. in loc.; nor gives stronger assurance, that the Lord is wholly our all, then when we give up, and surrender our selves and actions to be tutor'd and wholly ordered by divine directions; we are called out of darkenesse into the light 1. Peter. 2.9., that wee may put off the workes and wayes of darkenesse, and in the darke Egypt of this world, follow that path in all things, where­unto [Page 99] we are directed by the Lanthorne of the word. Wicked men ever have sinister and by­wayes, and ends of their owne to compasse their desires, without Gods knowledge and ap­probation: they stand not upon the way leading to their ends, be it good or bad. So they may be brought by it unto their pre­fixed and proposed endsIlli a terrena sapiunt, qui promissa coelestia non habent, illi brevi huic vitae se totos im­plicent, qui aterna nesciunt.—Angusta via praeceptorum divino­rum, ab ijs tantum eli­gitur quibus non tam delectatio itineris cordi est, quam utititas man­sioni [...]. S. Hieron. ep. 14. tom. 1.. Saul must needes know the event of the battell, and the suc­cesse of his armie, though hee receive infor­mation from Endor's witch 1 Sam. 28.7.. But David hath recourse for his intelligence unto the Taber­nacle, and receives responses from the wordPsal. 73.17. Vere magnus labor cognos­cere, quomodo justus sic Deus, & bene sit malis, & laborent boni. Mag­na vis quaestionis. Labor (inquit) est ante me, sed ante Deum non est labor, fac te ante deum, ubi non est labor, & nec tibi erit labor. S. Aug. in loc.. Its the true livery of a Saint, so to order his wayes that they may please God to strive with Rachel to have God love themGen. 29.30., and take pleasure in them, nor is the sense of any torment so violent and unsufferable as the absence of the beloved bridegroome from them. Noah abhorred the courses of the giants to enjoy the company of his GodNoê sanctitas eo magis est admirabilis, quod toto prorsus à ju­stitia declinante mun­do, solus justus inventus est, nec ab alio sancti­tatis quaesivit exemplum, sed ipse praebuit. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1. Timendum est, ne quos duces recti itineris habere nos credimus, eos comites habeamus erroris. S. Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 14.. Ioseph was more carefull to please God, and his master, then the impudent delights of his inflamed mistresse Concupiscitur à Domina adolescens, nec ad concupiscentiam provocatur, [...]o­gatur & fugit, una hac in re, & blanditur & supplicat, quae in caeteris imperabat. Amor dei mulieris amore non vincitur. Castum animum nec aetas adolescentiae permovet, nec dili­gentis authoritas, ut verba verbis, ita res rebus refert, nam qui frequenter rogatus negave­rat, nunc comprehensus aufugit, ille non aspectu solum, sed ipso pene complexu provocatu [...] foemina foeminam non concupivit. S. Hieron. ibid.. Her carnall desires were baits to withdraw, and snares to intrap [Page 100] him in open rebellion against the counsell of his God. In this colluctation hee despised his Lady, to honor and obey his Lord, he leaves the wanton among his masters goods where­with he was put in trust, and leanes unto the law of his God. Hee makes conscience of the least sinne, knowing, howsoever we reckon, there is no sinne small, that is forbidden by so great a GodStoicorum quidem est, peccatorum tollere. differentiam, & delicta omnia paria judica­re; nos verò etsi mul­tum inter peccata dista­re credimus, tamen satis prodesse ad cautionem dicimus, etiam minima pro maximis cavere. Nec cito ad majora pro­greditur, qui etiam parva formidat Et sanè nescio an possimus leve aliquod peccatum dice­re, quod in dei contemp­tum admittitur. S. Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 14.. Small sinnes are like water-rats, that make but a small hole in the banke, yet occasion the breaking in of the maine oce­an to overflow the marches: like little theeves, who creepe in thorow the casement to open the doores of the house for the sturdy pilfer­er. Consider not so much what is prohibited, as the Majestie of him from whom the com­mandement proceededEst ille prudentissi­mus, qui non tam con­siderat quod justum sit, quam illum qui jusserit: nec quantitatem impe­rij, sed imperantis cogi­tat divinitatem, idem ibid.: remembring this maxime: that the contempt of the least thing in the law is a crying crime, and drawes after it the guilt of breaking the whole law of GodQui bene cuncta fugis gravioris crimina noxae; Hoc age, ne culpa sub leviore cadas. Culpa gravis, semper le­vium contemptus habe­tur. Parva (que) quae fuerant, crimina magna facit. Leonius Canonicus, An­sel n. epist. lib. 2. ep. 30. in Annot.. They glory more to be called the children of Abraham for their resemblance in obedience, then in circumcision, nature, or name. The fa­ther of the faithfull cannot be theirs any longer, then they walke faithfully before and with their God. I call you no more servants but friends Iohn. 15.15.: servants obey their master for reward, or feare, friends freely for conscience and pure loveS. Ambros. in loc.. The meaner a man is in his condition, the lesse regard he beares of his [Page 101] demeanor and conversationTanto enim se unus­quis (que) negligentius uti­tur, quanto se existi­mat viliorem: vult no­bis honorem nostrum, peccandi pudorem face­re. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 1., but those who are advanced to honour, study noble and honourable demeanor and imployment. The terme of slave, would make us sluggish, but the title of a Prince, friend, and sonne, spurres our sleepie mindes to ready and cheerefull obeysance. True obedience is uni­versall Ille servili Domino placet, qui ita aliquid ultro operis exercet, ut tamen etiam imperata perficiat, qui non facit aliud pro alio, sed u­trum (que) nec mutat, sed addit obsequium ibid., 'tis not sufficient to yeeld in one point, and in another to stand out, with Lord be mercifull unto mee in this 2 King. 5.18.. The beleeving heart, and the working hand are inseparable companionsFidei & justitiae opera conjuncta sint, qualis enim est illa con­fessio, quae sic deo credit, ut pro nihilo ejus ducat imperium. S. Hieron. tom. 1. ep. 14.. The greater any earthly Mo­narke is, the more ready his attendants are to present their services Viles & ignobiles dominos palam contem­ni videmus à servulit at hoc in personas nobi­les non admittitur, quantoque potentiores domini, tanto servi ad obedientiam proniores sunt, cum (que) difficiliora praecipiunt, libentius au­diuntur, & pro digni­tate praecipientis, servi­tium beneficij loco duci­tur. S. Hier. tom. 9. ep. 1.: the princes com­mand they ambitiously seeke 2. Sam 18, 19, 22.23., and esteeme it more honour, then burden, to be imployed. Such zealists they should be, who stand in Gods presence; Whose service is our free­dome, whose yoake is a Crowne, whose hests our honour, and whose obedience is both our re­ward, and a pledge of a farre greater recom­pence. The very name of Prophet, Priest, King, and Sonne Non est exhortatio vehe­mentior, quam qui nos scriptura divina filios Dei vocat. Quis enim non erubescat, & metuati tanto patre agere aliquid indignum, ut qui dicitur Dei filius, ipse efficiatur vitij servus? Hie­ron. loc. cit. (our titles of honour) are loud Allarum's to awaken us, that with young Sa­muel we may at every call, runne1. Sam. 3.9., with this resolution. Speake Lord, for thy servant hea­reth: and with king David, when the Lord shall speake unto us, saying, Seeke ye my face, [Page 102] our hearts may echo, thy face Lord will wee seeke Psal. 27.8. Lucem istam quaerunt oculi carnis, lucem illam quaerunt oculi cordis, finivit omnes cupidita­tes, remansit illi una quam petit, vultum tu­um domine requiram. Quicquid mihi vult dare dominus meus, au­ferat totum, & se mihi det, quicquid mihi prae­ter illum est, dulce non est. S. Aug. in loc..

Thirdly, patience hath her perfect worke in him. Whatsoever the all-guiding hand of heaven casts upon his person, familie, friends, or condition, he endeavours to sit downe in the dust, content Virum humilem patientia ostendit inju­riae. S. Hier. ep. 1. to. 9. Cuivis dolori, remedium est patientia, una est, u­na est animi virtus, quae nos ex hujus vitae tur­binibus, quasi de pelago eruens in portum tran­quillitatis inducat. S. Hieron. tom. 9. ep. 6. Non enim est arbor soli­da, nec robusta, nisi quae assidui turbinis incur­sione, slipitibus concus­sis huc atque illuc incli­nata tentatur, ipsis ve­xationibus constringi­tur, premitur, fixisque radicibus certius firma­tur, roboratur; ita nos mordacibus flagellis malorum frequentium munimur extensi, cor­rigimur verberati, constringimur caesi, caremusque squaloribus, dum longis casibus ventilamur. idem ibid. Ab ipso vere est patientia vera, patientia sancta, patientia religiosa, patientia recta, patientia Christiana. Patientia donum dei est. S. Aug. tom. 10. Serm. 8. dominic. post Ascension.. Behold Davids affection, the practicke part. Behold my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid­den him. 2. Sam. 16.11. Base Shemei stones a most noble Prince; this dog snarles, & hurles also at all his servants, this cursed wretch curs­eth the Lords annointed, in the presence of his men of warre; hee scornfully reproach­eth him, yea hee that received life from his loines, now seeketh, viper-like, his honour, crowne, and life. These sorrowes, yea farre lesse then these will trie a good mans pati­ence; yet seing he espied thorow this obscure cloud, a beame of Gods loving correction, he stayed the hands of Abishai armed with courage to revenge, with, Let him alone, this comes from the Lord; upon the same founda­tion another great Prophet reared up his lordly Palace of patience; Woe is mee for my hurt, my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this [Page 103] is a griefe, and I must beare it Quam facile tole­ratur quaelibet adversi­tas temporalis, ut aeter­na poena vitetur, aeter­na requies compareur? & si Christi sarcina an­gusta est paucis eligenti­bus, facilis tamen om­nibus diligentibus. S. Aug. tom. 10. serm. 9. de verbis dom.. Ier. 10.19. A borrowed expressionProculdubio ad imi­tationem Davidis. Zeh­neri compend. Theolog. titulo de patient. from a greater Seer: hath God forgotten to be gratious? hath hee in anger shut up his tender mercies Facilius ille iram, quam misericordiam continebit. S. Aug. in loc.? And I said, this is mine infirmity: but I will remember the yeares Annorum aeterno­rum memor fui. Num­quid anni in quibus su­mus aeterni sunt? Nam de toto anno quid prae­sens tenes? quicquid de illo praeteritum est, jam non est, quicquid de illo futurum est, non dum est, idem ibid. of the right hand of the most high. Psal. 77.9, 10. If wee suffer for him, with him, and from him, for a moment, as its a signe we love him, so its a seale we shall live and reign with him for ever: Though thou be cast up­on the left hand for a day, or a yeare, comfort thy soule with the remembrance of those joyes and yeares to be enjoyed at his right hand, when dayes and yeares are no more.

Fourthly, Hee contemnes a vile person, but honoureth and loveth them that feare the Lord Est enim glorifica­care aliquem habere eum in pretio, delectari illius commercio, tueri illius existimationem, succurrere in necessitatibus constituto: quae omnia sine periculo vix possunt fieri in hoc faculo. Muscul. in Psal. 15. Non vulgaris virtus est honore prose­qui homines pios & justos. Nam cum saepe sunt, quasi mundi [...], saepe fit ut qui sunt illis amici, passim mundiodia in sese excitent. Calv. in loc.: Psal. 4.15. This is the new commandement, to be observed by persons renewed Iohn 13.34. No­vum est vel 1 quia novis, & in novo statu collocatis est impositum 2 Quia novissimè post alia omnia à Christo fideliter inculcatum. 3. Vel ob qualitatem dilectionis, sicut nos dilexit. 4. Vel ob vitae novitatem, vel propter effectum, quia per dilexionem exuitur vetus, induitur novus homo. S. Aug. in Iohn tract. 65. to love one another, A new commandement I give unto you, that yee love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another: Iohn 13.34. To love one another is common: but to love one another, as Christ loved us, is rare but marvellous. The bond of love among [Page 104] men is naturall Diligunt invicem mariti & uxores, paren­tes & filij, & quaecun (que) alia inter se homines necessitudo humana de­vinxerit: ut taceamus de dilectione culpabili, atque damnabili, qua diligunt invicem adul­teri & adultera, scorta­tatores & meretrices, & quoscunque alios non humana necessitudo, sed humanae vitae noxia turpitudo conjungit. Sedinvicem diligere, est non sicut se diligunt, qui corrumpunt, nec si­cut se diligunt homines, quoniam homines sunt, sed quoniam Dij sunt, & filij altissimi omnes, ut sint filio ejus unico fratres, ea dilectione in­vicem diligentes, qua ipse dilexit eos. S. Aug. Tract. 65. in Iohn. Sed nec sic quidem, ab homine homo diligendus est, ut diliguntur carna­les fratres, vel filij, vel conjuges, vel quicunque cognati aut affines, aut cives. Nam & ista dile­ctio temporalis est. S. Aug. tom. 1. retract. lib. cap. 13., the father loveth the child, the husband his wife; yea too often unnaturall and abominable: when Simeon and Levi be­come brethren in evill, their impietie is the ground-worke of their Society, and the life of their love: but the bond of love among Christian men, is spirituall. They love one another, not because they are men, but be­cause good men, Gods men, godly men. This is the excellencie of true love, to delight in the Saints as they are Saints, for the excellen­cie of their graces wherewith they are beau­tified in the kingdome of grace. Psal. 16.3. To give them the heart and hand of fellowship, because of their adoption and sanctification, whereby the favour of God hath wonder­fully enobled them, is a noble part, and a noble love. To love persons, beloved of God, both satisfieth others, and assures our owne soules that wee belong to God, and truly love God. Every one that loveth him that begate Statim fidei, conjungit dilectionem: quia sine dilec­tione fides inanis est Christiani hominis: sine dilectione fides daemonis—Habet confessionem fidei in timore poenae non in amore coronae. S. Aug. in loc. tract. 10. tom. 9., loveth him also that is begotten of him. 1. Iohn 5.1. Hee that honoureth Our father which is in heaven, loveth our fellow brethren which are on earth. Nun­quid propter humanam speciem, quam notissimam habemus, eo quod credimus eum hominem fuisse? Non utique amamus animum justum. S. Aug. tom. 3. de trinit. lib. 8. cap. 6. By this shall all men know, that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Ioh. [Page 105] 13.35. The true lovers knot in the Primitive Church Dilectionis operatio notam nobis murit penes quosdam; vide, inqui­unt, ut invicem se dili­gant, ipsi enim invicem ederunt; & pro alter­utro mori sint parati, ipsi enim ad occiden­dum alterutrum parati­ores erunt. Sed & quod fratres nos vocamus, non alias opinor infa­mant, quam quod apud ipsos omne sanguinis no­men de affectatione si­mulatum est. Tertull. Apolog. adversus Gen­tes. cap. 39., was such a badge of Christianity, as drew both approbation, and admiration from the very Gentiles, and Pagans, who shewed one another with astonishment; Behold how the Christians love one another. They fell not out by the way, they liv'd together, lov'd together, and were ready to die one for ano­ther. They acknowledged every Christian for their brother or sister; every Saint, for a cittizen of the heavenly HierusalemJnvenisti Christia­num, invenisti civem Hierusalem, invenisti civem angelorum, inve­nisti in via suspirantem peregrinum, adjunge te illi, comes tuus est, curre cum illo, si tamen & tu hoc es. S. Aug. tractat. 10. in 1. ep. John de cap. 5., a com­panion of Angels, a fellow member, a co-heire, a pilgrim on earth, and embraced them with such cordiall affections, and courteous be­haviour, as suted with the entertainment of strangers: which shold ever be most sincere, favourable, and friendly: was any lost? they sought him out: was any fallen into some sinLege Euseb. lib. 3. histor. cap. 20. exem­plum dilectionis erga juvinem perditum. Ex Clemente Alexandrino. Nicephorum, Ecclesiast. Histor. lib. 2. cap. 42. S. Chrysost. hom. ad Theodorum lapsum.? thy endevoured his reformation: was any poore? they administred to his necessities: was any weake? they did strengthen him: was any troubled in minde? they comforted him: was any sicke? they visited him: was any under persecution? they encouraged him, to endure for the name of Christ: and hee that was able noEtiam pauper dives est: respice non tam arcam ejus inanem, quam conscientiam Deo plenam. Si charitas habet feris facultatem, de illa dat. Si non invenit foris quod det, dat benevolentiam, praestat consilium si potest, praestat auxilium, si potest. Si nec consilio juvare potest, juvat voto & precibus, & su is precibus plus impe­trat, quam multi qui dant panem, aut pecuniam. Habet ergo semper, unde det, qui plenum pectus habet Charitatis S. Aug. in Psal. 37. wayes to be beneficiall, became a liberall [Page 106] contributer of his love, and faithfull prayer, for the good of the whole Church. It was not their habit, nor their society, 'twas not their feasting, and talking together, declared them to be Christians Charitatem autem sinceram declarat, non communio mensae, non breve colloquium, non verborum adulatio, sed studium, & sedutitas in considerando, quid pro­ximo conducat, ut eri­gatur quicecidit & por­rigatur lapso manus &c. S. Chrysost., but these Christian offi­ces, and mutuall love one to another. This is that which also assures our soules, that our names are written in the booke of life, be­cause wee love those who walke in the way to lifeNam & qui diligit Deum, non cum potest contemnere praecipien­tem ut diligat proxi mum: & qui sanctè ac spiritualiter diligit pro­ximum, quid in eo dili­git, nisi Deum? S. Aug. tom. 9. tract. in Iohn. 65.. Wee know that wee have passed from death unto life, because Qui diligit filios Dei, filium Dei diligit, & qui diligit filium Dei, diligit & dei filios. Quos filios dei? membra filij dei, & diligendo fit & ipse membrum & fit per dilectionem in com­page corporis Christi, & erit unus Christus amans scipsum. S. Aug. in loc. wee love the brethren. 1 Iohn 3.14. No man can love the member, but he must also love the head, and none can love the head, but by reflection of the beames of Gods first love unto himselfe: which shining upon him, kindles a fire of brotherly love in his heart. No man can love a good man, but a good manQuod si nemo novit, quod sit justus, nisi qui justus est, nemo diligat iustum unquam nisi justus. S. Aug. de trinit. lib. 8. cap. 6.. How doth hee love his soule, that defiles it, and pollutes it? and how can hee love his religious brother, that renounceth both religion and his owne souleSi autem nondum nosti diligere te, timeo ne decipias proximum tuum sicut te; Si enim anas iniquitatem, non diligis te. S. Aug. tom. 10 ser. 43. de verbis dom.? Because there is none equall with God, there can be no patterne how to love GodEcce quod discitur in domo disciplinae: diligere deum, diligere proximum, deum tanquam deum, proximum sicut teipsum. Non enim invenu parem deo, ut possit dici tibi, dilige deum sicut diligis illum &c. S. Aug. tom. 9. de disciplina Christiana. cap. 3.: the measure of loving him, must be without measure, with all our heart, soule and strength, not only as our selves, but more then [Page 107] our selves, above all wee havePlus quam tua, tu­os, te. S. Bern. in Cant. ser. 75.: but the love of our neighbour is pattern'd by the copie of selfe-love, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe.

How great the love of God is unto such as love him, and one another, how large a Portion is prepared for them in Heaven, ap­peares by that abundance of Temporall bles­sings he showers downe upon them that hate him, his, and one anotherLege S. Aug. ep 87. Felicitati, & Rustico.. When S. Iohn the Euangelist was growne so old and feeble at Ephesus, that he was carried in the armes of his Disciples and hearers to the Church and Pulpit; severall dayes one after another hee preached neither longer nor other Ser­mon but this; Little Children, love one ano­ther Beatus Joannes Euangelista, cum Ephesi moraretur usque ad ul­timam senectutem, & vix inter discipulorum manus ad Ecclesiam de­ferretur, nec posset in plura verba vocem con­texere, nihil aliud per singulas solcbat proferre collectas, nisi hoc, fili­oli, diligite alterutrum. Tandem discipuli & fratres qui aderant, too­dio affecti, quod eadem semper audirent, dixe­runt: Magister, quare semper hoc loqueris? qui respondit, dignam Io­anne sententiam, quia praceptum domini est, Et si totum fiat, sufficit. S. Hieron. Commen­tar. in cap. 6. ad Gala­tas.. 1. Iohn 4.7. they wondring thereat, & wearied with the often repetition of the selfe-same Doctrine, desired him to unfold the rea­son of his frequent inculcation. Whō he thus satisfied. The law of love, is from the Son of love, which if we thorowly observe, we have kept the whole Law of GodNon veni legem solvere, sed implere. Mat. 5.17. quia erat ablaturus timerem car­nalem, spiritalem autem charitatem daturus, qua sola lex impleri po­test. S. Aug. tom. 4. Exp. epist. ad Galatas.. Where this Pure love is, what can be wanting? and where it wants, what love of God can there beƲbi charitas est, quid est, quod possit deesse? Vbi autem non est, quid est quod possit prodesse? S. August. tractat. in John. 83.? Behold, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth borne of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love, 1. Iohn. 4.7, 8.

Vse. 8. Nor may I forget in the conclu­sion of this Text, the very maine scope of text and Psalme, which were written for the singular consolation Versus hic omnium [...] Cop­pen in loc. Doctrina huius Psalmi nostro saeculo necessaria. Gualter in loc. of all such as depend wholly upon God, & embrace him above all things in Heaven & earth. For as none among the righteous is free from the temptation and vexation Pertinet hic Psal­mus ad Pusillanimes, ad illos praesertim, qui in populo Dei, magis pij in Deum, magis religiosi fuerunt. Euthym. in loc. Hic Psalmus omni ti­menti deum diligenter observandus est, nullus enim ab hac tentatione est alienus, quam hic descriptam vides, est enim zelus contra pro­speritatem impiorum. Sed hic zelus error est, & stultitia Sanctorum. Pomeranus in loc. to see the godly perplexed, and the wicked exalted and flourish; so they may challenge their share in this Consolation. When God trieth the chaffe from the corne, the rust from the metall Bishop Hooper Martyr. sic hunc loc. exponit., and hypocrisie from truth; men must not leave off a godly Con­versation, though the best bee punished, and the worst scape quit; but in such perillous times, this and the like Psalmes are to bee readPsal. 37. Miartur mūdus, miran­tur & ipsi sanctissimi viri qui in mundo sunt, & de mundo non sunt, nutantque quandoque animo & dubitan [...]. Fo. lengius in loc. as consolations for the godly, that we may abide the hammer; if we suffer not, all our Religion is not worth a hawe.

This Emphaticall verse, then, is a breath of comfort, and joy unto all that are distressed in body or mindPraeterea, in omnibus calamitatibus, inque ipso mortis limine, & ultimo agone, illud cum Asapho subinde repetamus: Si corporis mei vires deficiant, Si cordis vigor exhaustus fuerit, si omnia quae in hoc mundo sunt, relinquenda fuerint, satis mihi est, Si te unicum Jesum Christum salvatorem meum in corde habeo. Gesnerus in loc.. If the Lord of Heaven be thy All, and thou abide stedfast in his love, be of good cheare, thou hast enough, a crowne of Comfort belongs unto theeSumma & efficaci­ssima consolatio est, dei praesentiam & clementem voluntatem monstrari in aerumnis, in summa nulla est major consolatio, nulla major foelicitas, nulla praesentior salus, quam Deum habere praesentem. Heshusius in loc., [Page 109] into what misery soever providence-divine hath cast thee. 'Twill expell thy sorrow, mi­tigate thy griefe, ease thy paine, with a cheer­full heart to repeate these words; whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth, that I desire besides thee Homo timens de­um, & intelligens ju­dicium dei adversus peccatum, pluris facit blandum & propitium Dei conspectum, quam omnium impiorum opes, & honores, idem, eod.: O the sweet­nesse of the words! how doe they delight the eye, heart, and eare, of them that ponder them?Praeclara & excel­lentia admodum verba, adeo (que) digna, quae sum­ma diligentia, religione, pietate, & zelo ponde­rentur. Fabr. in loc. how joyfully could I spend my dayes, and whole life upon them? yea my soule desires to eate, and digest them, yea to be transfor­med into the comfort of them: what comfort, joy or happinesse is wanting to that man, who hath learned, and in practice retaines the vigour, juice, and powerNihil habebat Da­vid super terram, habe­bat, sed non concupisce­bat, tecum, cum deo ha­bebat, non sine deo, deo non conjungebat. Mus­culus in loc. Heus tu lector, foris nil vides, ingredere, invae­nies domum ditissimam, plus habes, quam titulus tibi promittat. Luther. lectori in Psal. of them? Being tossed upon the billowes of discontent in the fore-part of the Psalme, he arrives safely in the harbour of ComfortSic qui per Psal­mi decursum, quasi in­sipiens loqui visus fue­rat, sapientissima con­clusione Psalmum finit; ut vix inveniatur Psal­mus alius, qui tam ar­denti charitatis flam­ma abrumpitur magis, quam finitur. Titelma­nus in loc. Incredibili ejus amore exardescens emittit has voces. Antonius Flaminius. in loc.; in this conclu­sion, shewing how it comprehends in it, all kindes of Consolation. Hoe neither rejoyced much in any prosperitie lent unto him, nor feared any adversity that could befall him, so long as hee might enjoy the all-comfor­ting presence and favor of his GodQuid, praeter te, ac sine te [...]prae te, & plus quam te? Lotinus in loc.: Why should we so much please our selves in pro­speritie, seeing the very reprobates Jn terra quid volui [...]ate, quod habent impij, mali & scelerati, pecu­niam, argenium, aurum, gemmas, familias? hoc habent multa faminae, & multi viri turpes: Petrus de Harentals. in loc. prosper? Why should adversity so much distract us, seeing it prepares us for the fruition of [Page 110] heavenly joyes? Let's a while ballance thy sorrowes, and solaces, thy crosses and thy Comforts together. Shew thy soares, tell us what they be; hast thou lost all thy goods with patient Iob, and art become poore? so long as the internall graces of the minde remaine, thou still remainest rich in thy GodNunquid fidem? nunquid pietatem? nun­quid interioris hominis bona; qui est ante deum dives, lege S. Aug. ci­vit. lib. 1. cap. 10.. The poore pious man hath a world of wealth, the wicked rich man is not worth a blew point Ejus qui fidelis est totus mundus divitia­rum; ejus autem qui infidelis est, ne (que) obulus. S. Hier. Coquaeus in loc.: The holy Apostle gives God thankes in Iesus Christ, for their grace Observa, non prop­ter terrena & peritura gratias agit, sed pro ve­ris bonis, pro fide & Christiana fiducia. St. Chrys. in loc., and worth, not for their Wealth, Rom. 1.8. for the flourishing of their faith, more then their fields, the increase of their grace, not of their gold. When the Gentiles upbraided and scorned the Christians,Quod pleri (que) pau­peres dicimur, non est infamia nostra, sed glo­ria: animus noster ut luxu solvitur, ita fru­galitate firmatur: & tamen quis potest pau­per esse, qui non eget, qui non inhiat alieno? qui deo dives est? Et tamen facultates si uti­les putaremus, à deo posceremus: uti (que) in­dulgere potest aliquan­tulum, cujus est totum: sed nos contemnere ma­lumus opes, quam cen­tinere, innocentiam magis cupimus, magis patientiam flagitamus, malumus nos honos esse, quam pradigos. Minu­tius in Octavio. Bibl. Patrum. Tom. 3. pag. 1. because they were poore, answer was made; Povertie is not our shame, but our glory: As plenty would draw us from God, so poverty drives us unto God; before whom when wee appeare in Prayer, were we as earnest for riches as wee are for Christs righteousnesse, our heavenly father would not deny us. Seeing when wee were enemies Rom. 8.32. Quid de opibus dubitas, cum herum habeas? Origen. [...] i.e. Superiora ad fruendum, aequalia in future ad convivendum, inferiera ad dominandum. S. Chrysost:, hee sent his sonne to die for us, how can he now, being made his children, deny us any thing that is good? But our care is to ob­taine Chastitie, Charitie, Patience and innocen­cie, wherewith whosoever is furnished, can­not be properly counted poore, seeing hee wants nothing that is rich in God. Thou seest one man well clad, well attended, his gar­ments [Page 111] laid with Gold-lace Animus hominis dives, non area appel­ri solet, quamvis illa sit plena, dum te ina­nem video, divitem non putabo; quis dubi­tet, quin in virtute di­vitiae positae sint, quoni­am nulla possessio, nulla vis auri, & argenti, pluris, quam virtus ae­stimanda est. Cicero., and a ring of gold on his finger, but hee hath no gold nor money in his purse: thou beholdest another poorely arrayed, newly come from labou­ring in Pharohs Brick-kills, but his pockets are full of Iewels and Pearles; which of these dost thou account the richer man? the poore Christian hath a rich inside Cum repletus fu­eris spiritualibus divi­tijs pauper eris? Et ille dives ideo fuit, quia ha­bebat lectum eburneum: & tu pauper es cuius cubiculum cordis ple­num est tantis gemmis virtutum, justitiae, ve­ritatis, charitatis, fidei, patientiae, tolerantiae? S. Aug. in Psal. 33., though his out­side be inglorious. The Carnalist hath a beg­gerly soule, though his out-side-shew be pom­pous. If the Grace of Faith, Si fidem inveni­tes venalem, quantum pro illa dares, quam te voluit deus gratis ha­bere, & ingratus es? Egent ergo illi divites, egent, & quod est gra­vius, pane egent. id. ib. Hope, or Charitie were to be purchased with money, how ma­ny thousand would the soule, that desires sal­vation by Christ, give for them? Seeing then God hath given them unto his Saints freely, and for nothing, how rich are they in that Treasure, which no riches can possibly compasse? Speake, O my SouleQuid taces ani­ma, &c? S. Hier. ep. 22., is there any thing so rich as God? is there ought so pleasing to God, as the Soule enriched with God? Thou hast two Servants, the one is eloquent, properForte habes ser­vum formosum, statu­rosum, hene composi­tum; Sed furem ne­quam, fraudulentum, habes autem alium fortè parvum statura, deformem facie, colore totrum: Sed fidelem, parcum, sobrium, quem istorum duorum diligis? Si oculos carnis interrogas, vincit apud te pulcher, injustus: Si oculos cordis, vincit deformis, fidelis: vides ergo, quod vis, ut exhibent tigi alter, i. e. fidem; Exhibe illi, & tu S. Aug. in Psal. 33., faire, active; but a lyar, false and theevish; the other slow of speech, of low stature, hard-favoured, but religious, honest, diligent, fast and faithfull; which of these lovest thou best? fancie perhaps is taken with the former; but wisedome enter­taines the latter. Let the blind world hugge [Page 112] her rich darlings, and vaine lovers be insna­red with their beauty; the God of the world, gives earnest onely unto his faith­full, though little flocke here, and eternall welcome hereafter into his heavenly familie.

Hast thou borne the heavy yoake of un­justFerte patienter, fidei notas, stigma­ta Christiana, ecclesiae paupertatem; ferte in­quam impudicorum elo­gia, virginitatis haere­des. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Epist. 3. infamie? hath thy innocent name beene pursued with groundlesse surmises, and tor­tured upon the cruell-racke of Calumnie? These are the Cognisance of vertue, the co­lours under which a Christian soldier fightsMat. 5.11, 12. Incipit beatitudo, judi­cio divino, ubi aerumna aestimatur humano. St. Ambros. lib. 1. offic. cap. 16. merces vestra copiosa est in coelo; futu­ram non praesentem; in coelo, non in terra mer­cedem promisit esse red­dendam; quos manet glo­ria, expectat injuria. idem ibid., Such Liveries the world liberally gives to all the Saints to weare: Ignominie staines on earth, whom glory crownes in Heaven. Hast thou lost thy best, thy dearest friends, nor are they lost, whom heaven receives,Non perdidisti vi­rum, sed praemisisti, quorum alterum dolo­ris, alterum gaudij est. S. Hier. Tom 1. Ep. 11. Quod virum amisisti, commune tibi cum alijs est mulieribus. Esto re­liquis mulieribus for­titudinis exemplum, at (que) perturbationē hanc moderare, ut nec corde concidas, nec dolore supprimare. S. Basil. Tom. 3 Ep. 5. ad conju­gem A [...]thaei. nor are we losers, who retaine our GodNon moeremus quod talem amisimus: sed gratias agimus quod habuimus, imo habemus, deo enim vivunt omnes; & quicquid re­vertitur ad dominum, in familiae numero computatur. S. Hieron. Ep. 27.. He is pleased to raise up New in the very place where the Old are interr'd; or els to supply their absence, by his owne Comfortable pre­sence In Mortis angustijs, ubi tunc erunt auxilia propinquorum? ubi verba omni inaniora fumo. S. Hier. Ep. 23.. Art thou compassed about with the very terrours of death? is the racke shewed thee? art thou menaced with dens of Lyons, dungeons, darknesse, & formidable torments? feare none evill; nor these, nor millions such as these amazements can daunt the soule that loves, and feares nothing save his God. The Cruell Tyrant often trembles, for feare, [Page 113] when the Innocent rejoyce and conquer all their tormentsHinc est illud, quod frequenter corni­fice occulto, in autho­rem sceleris conscien­tiae tormenta desaevi­unt, & latentem ream, secreta mentis poena per­sequitur: nec ullus post culpam impunitati lo­cus est, eum sit reatus ipse supplicium. Hinc est quod è contrario inno­cens etiam inter ipsa tormenta fruitur consci­entiae securitate: & cum de poena metuat, de in­nocentia gloriatur. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 1.. When Modestus the Presi­dent threatned Saint Basil Bishop of Caesa­rea in Cappadocia Socrates Histor. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 21., with povertie, banish­ment and death, if hee would not without delay conforme himselfe, and subscribe unto the Religion of his Master Valens the Arian Emperour: the Bishop intreated him not to change his minde concerning the execution of those Torments,Ego (inquit Ba­silius) & hodie & cras idem futurus sum, uti­nam vero tu teipsum non mutasses. Creatu­ra enim cum sim, crea­turam adorare, deum (que) esse profiteri, in ani­mum non inducam me­um, &c. Nicephorus. Histor lib. 11. cap. 18. saying, he should do him a very great pleasure; to make him lose his Carkeis in the blessed quarrell of Christ: where­in death would prove, both a pleasure and advantage unto himVerum ubi deus nobis periclitatur, ac proponitur, tum demum alia omnia pro nihilo putantes, ipsum solum intuemur. Ignis autem & gladius, & bestiae, & ungulae carnem lace­rantes, voluptati nobis ac delitijs potius sunt, quam terrori. Gregor. Nazianz. orat. fane­bris 20. in laudem Basilij Magni Caesar. Archiepiscop: Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 17. Sozomen. lib. 6. cap. 16.. To lose all they had, riches, honour, librarie, life for their God, was accounted gaine. They had an eye, not so much to the danger of the Combate, as the certainty of the victory, and the excellencie of the reward Certaminis ingressa campum, non tam laborem cursus, quam brauium victoriae cogitasti. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. &c.. The World is our earthly City, from whence when we are banished, we reape the benefit of returning home to our God. Earthly potencie may make us walke upon Scorpions Psal. 44.19. irridemus multiplices, eos (que) supervacuos illorum adversus nos conatus: ne (que) enim si adamantina, at (que) immortalia nobis corpora inessent, scorpios, serpentes, ignem manibus constringentes timeremus, &c. S. Chrys. Serm. contra gentes., passe thorow the fier, and cast us downe to the place of dragons, rob us of all worldly Comforts: but it's not in their [Page 114] power to deprive us of peace of conscience, nor of Christ Fidei Thesaurum furari certe non polut­runt. Theodoret. lib. 7. de Cur. graec. affectioni., the Prince of peace, whom whiles we enjoy, what harme can the arme of flesh do unto us?

After S. Paul accounted all things dung and drosse in comparison of Christ, and expe­cted heaven for a reward; to enjoy Christ was to him both things present and future, the world, the promise, Kingdome, all Ad confasionem, & injurias, quas ob praedicandi studium su­stinebat, magis quam ad bonorum oblectamenta properabat, mortem po­tius, quam vitam appe­tens, paupertatem, quia opulentiam, & multo amplius laborem desiderans, quam alij requiem post laborem: ac moerorem magis eli­gens, quam alii volup­tatem: Studiosius pro inimicis orans, quam alij adversus inimicos. S. Chrysost. Tom. 3. de laudibus. Pauli Hom. 2. Ʋnum enim illi formi­dandum erat, at (que) me­tuendum, offensa nimi­rum dei, nec quicquam aliud omnino; ergo nec desiderabile illi aliud erat nisi placere semper deo; quia nihil praesen­tium desiderabat, nec ipsorum aliquid futuro­rum. ibid. Quod enim erat majus omnibus, Christi amore fruebatur, cum hoc beatiorom se cunctis putabat: cum hac dilectione magis esse extremus optabat, imo etiam ex numero punitorum, quam sine hac inter summos & honore sublimes. Hoc enim erat illi maximum & singulare tormentum, ab hac charitate discedere, haec erat illi gehenna, haec sola poena, haec infinita & intoleranda supplicia, &c. idem ibid.; The Greatnesse of Tyrants breathing out furie, troubled him no more, then the change of the weather; his Chaines hee esteemed as Crownes, his sorrowes as quiet rest, his dungeon as Paradise, as winged hee preached over the world; as incorporeall he scorned perils, as possessing heaven hee was crucified to the world; and having an Angelicall-minde, hee was rapt up into the third heaven. As in­firme bodies endure for a moment the inju­ries of the cold ayre, when they divest them­selves, to enjoy the enlivening and reviving comfort of the hot bathe into which they are descendingNam & qui tempore hyemis vadit ad halneas, prius asperitatem frigoris nudus patienter excipit, quia eum sequutura calefactio consolatur: ita certa spes vincit instantem, ut illad quodammodo esse incipiat quod futurum est, & desinat esse quod praesens est. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 5.: so Christian Pilgrims reso­lutely sustaine the insufferable miseries and maladies wherewith they are compassed in [Page 115] this life in confidence to enjoy the presence of God, & the pleasures at his right hand for ever.

Earthly sorrowes are no other then bit­ter Potions, which wee must drinke for our Soules-healthAmplectenda est ergo tristitia quae gau­dium parit, & non ejus materia est consideran­da: quia saepe per dul­cedinem fructus placet quod amarum horrunt in radice, idem ibid.: they may displease the deli­cate taste of flesh and blood; but the sancti­fied issues thereof, are plenary joy and peace. They may denude us of somewhat which would separate us from eternall happinesse, but our happinesse and comfort in our God they cannot possibly separate from usErunt illi delitiae ipse, qui fecit illum; & delitias ipsas nemo cor­rumpit, nemo interpel­lat, nemo aufert. Quis potens minabitur au­ferre? quis vicinus malus? qui latro? quis infidiator tibi tollit de­um? & potest tibi tollere totum quod possi­des corpore, non tibi tollit eum quem possides corde. S. Aug. in Ps. 84.. Wherfore, as the woman prepares with care and diligence to entertaine and wade tho­row her inutterable paines in Childe-birth with patient cheerefulnesse Quia aviditate nimia liberos cupit, do­loris tormentum sper­nit, dum quod satis di­ligit concupiscit, & ante gaudet ex prole, quam contrisietur ex partu, &c. S. Hieron. tom. 9. Ep. 5., in the eagernesse of her desire to be crown'd with the honour of a Mother: So in the assured hope to live and reigne with our God, let's under-goe the pangs and throwes, which the world throwes upon us with humble meekenesse. The fire and ayre doe overthrow mountaines, rend up rocks, and shake the whole earth to breake forth to their naturall place; teaching us to breake thorow all impediments, throw off all cloggs, breake all chaines, make way thorow the very thickest crowd of all Creatures, to hasten unto the bosome of our beloved God. Seeing then nothing under Heaven Corpus hoc vigi­lando fatigatur, stando fatigatur, ambulando fatigatur, sedendo fati­gatur, manducando fatigatur, & quocun (que) se verterit ad subsidium fatigationu, ibi inveniet aliam fatigationem. Medicamenta ipsa sunt, quae nobis apponuntur. In ipso adjutorio, non invenies firmamentum. Totum ergo esuriamus, totum sitiamus: & veras divitias, & veram sanitatem, & veram justitiam, quae sunt verae divitiae? coelestis illa mansio in Hierusalem. S. Aug. in Psal. 122. can con­tent [Page 116] the devout minde, nor in Heaven save God alone; Let nothing likewise discontent us under heaven, so long as we possesse our God. But as the woman, as soone as she is delivered of the childe, remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man Iohn. 16.21. Non dixit illud & illud mihi est in coelo, sed quid illud est, quantum est, quale est? sic dum coelestia admiratur iste Asaph, & terrena despi­cit, inter utrum (que) ver­sans animum, semetip­sum poenitendo graviter affligit, totum (que) se con­temptis inferioribus ad superiora rapit. Ruffinus Bruno. Zuinglius. Re­migius. Ludolphus Car­thusiensis. Hugo Cardi­nal. in loc. is borne into the World; So learne to over-looke and forget the sorrowes and anguish of this life, thorow the full assurance shortly to possesse the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; which are such things as eye hath not seene Quod nec oculus vidit quia non est color, nec aurit audivit, quia non est sonus, nec in cor hominis ascendit, quia cor hominis illuc debeat ascendere. St. Aug. Ep. 121. Tom. 2. Quid mihi in coelo? Quid, sumitur admira­tivè & in determina­tè, quasi magnitudinem denotet rei expetitae. Lo­rin. in loc., nor eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, 1. Cor. 2.9. and who are those that love him? but such as can truely professe with David, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee Haec ergo agite, & deus pacis erit vobis­cum, erantes simul & pro nobis, ut ea quae bene monemus, alacriter impleamus. S. Aug. Tom. 1. Ep. 87. A familia Christi, oratum est pro Petro, oratum est pro Paulo, & vos in ejus familia esse gaudemus & incomparabiliter plus quam Petrus & Paulus orationum fraternarum auxilijs indigemus. S. Aug. Ep. 121.. Happy is that people that is in such a case; yea, happie is that people, whose God is the Lord Psal. 144.15. Isa. 43.2..

None can be so ignorant to account it No­velty, or Malignant Nemo reprebendat, quod in Epi­stolis aliquos aut laudamus, aut carpimus: cum & in arguendis malis sit correctio caeterorum, & in optimis praedicandis bonorum ad virtutem studia concitentur. St. Hieron. Ep. 15. to deeme it needlesse to preserve the pious memory of Saints depar­ted, as a precious oyntment, in a Paper-Boxe. The Prophet Hieremie praised King Iosiah Hieremiah 22.15.16.; David his deare friend Ionathan 2. Sam. 1.26.. S. Herom [Page 117] his noble disciple Marcella St. Hieron. Ep. 16.. Both Greeks, Ro­mans, & Christians, have ever sprinkled some perfume upon their dead; yea, large volumes are writtenBeatus Pamphilus Martyr, cujus vitam Eusebius, Caesariensis Episcopus, tribus fere voluminibus explicavit. S. Hieron. Ep. 141. in honour of particular Persons.

The greatest of Apostles, hearing of Philemons Philem. 6. love and faithIn quibus totam Christiani hominis per­fectionem complectitur. Calvin in loc. 1. Ioh. 3.23. Seminabat carnalia, ut meteret Spiritualia: da­bat terrent, ut caelestia tolleret: brevia conce­debat, ut pro his aeter­nat mutared. S. Hieron. Ep. 27. toward the Lord Iesus, and toward all Saints, praiseth God for it, publisheth it, & records it, that whatso­ever good thing was in him thorow Christ: might be knowne, to exite others unto the like degree of Perfection.

Nor can I frustrate your hungry expe­ctation Omnes mirum de te nescio quid audire desiderant: & qui pro­fessionis tuae cognovere virtutem, nunc conver­sationis expectant. St. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 1. ad Demetriadem. without deserved blame Peccare me crede­rem, Si tacerem. Pauli­nus ad Celantiam. St. Hieron. Ep. 14.; should I silence his worth, and shovell it with the Sacred ashes into his Grave: nor can I satisfie it with­out some dash of Ambition Vereor ne officium, putetur ambitio. idem. Ep. 9. Pompei statuos restituendo; tuas eriges., who thereby am capable to receive more honour by his me­moriall, than this vanishing breath can confer upon himMulto (que) plus accipiam, quam tribuam, beneficij, tantarum recordatione virtutum. idem. Ep. 16.; as once Hortensius praised Rhe­torick to the skies, that he also might ascend with herCicero.. And howsoever in this place, and presence, good men lov'd him Boni eum prae­dicent, & mali detrahere non audeant—Nec fingere quisquam ausus est, quod à nullo putat esse credendum. S. Hieron. Ep. 14. & Ep. 15., and bad men had nothing but good to speake of him: Yet seeing vertue cannot either be alwayes free'd from Envie Virtus semper invidia patet, aliter hominem livor, aliter Christus judicat, non eadem est sententia tribunalis ejus & An­guli sufurronum. S. Hieron Ep. 39. Fieri quidem non potest, ut abs (que) morsu hominum, vitae hujus curricula quis pertranseat: malorum (que) solatium est bonos carpere, dum peccantium multitudine putant culpam minui peccatorum. S. Hieron. Ep. 10., or confin'd within so nar­row [Page 118] a compasse; let's gratifie others with the shadow of his large spreading worth. Where­in (to stop Momus mouth) expect no Pane­gyricall Oration Testor Iesum, cui ille servivit, & ego ser­vire cupio, me utram (que) in partem nihil fingere: sed qu [...]si Christ anum de Christiano, quae sunt vera proferre, id est, hi­storiam scribere non pa­negyricum. S. Hieron. Ep. 22., or sale of praise at a certaine price Fictas laudes, cer­to pretio vendere. idem. Ep. 14. Nulla est in hoc. libello adulatio. Clerici ipsi, quos & magisterio esse oportucrat pariter & timori, osculantur capi­ta matronraum, & ex­tenta manu, ut benedi­cere eos putes velle si nescis, pretia accipiunt salutandi, benedictionis pretia accip [...]ebant à vi­duis. idem. Ep. 22.; but a most just Narration of the Mer­cies of God unto him in life and death.

WILLIAM FAVCIT, late of VPTON in the Parish of West-Ham, in the Countie of Essex, Gentleman, was born in ARNCLIFFE in York-shire, of honest Parents, Persons of good worth and note Nihil in illo lau­dabo, nisi quod propri­um est — Maj [...]rum insignia—non quod ha­bentibus grandia sint, sed quo contemnentibus mirabilia. S. Hieron. Ep. 22. & 27. in their Countrey. Yet his owne Vertues and Pietie did ever more renowne him, then his Pedegree Nobilior es Sancti­tate, quam genere. idem. Ep. 7 ad Laetam.; His Second-birth qualifie him more then his first birth, whereby hee became the very Top and Honour Nec interest, qua quis conditione natus sit, cum omnes in Christo aequaliter renascamur. idem. Ep. 14. Honor omnium propinquorum. idem: Ep. 9. Virtus est vera Nobilitas. of all his kindred. His principall education & chiefe abode was in the famous Cities of Norwich, & London, where it plea­sed God, so to prosper his estate, and especially worke upon his heart, in the powerfull Mini­stery of the Word, that he became an experi­enced, conscionable, and noble Christian Nulli te unquam de generis nobilitate praeponas: ne (que) obscuriores quas (que) & humitiore loco natas, te inseriores putes. Nescit religio nostra personas accipere: nec conditiones hominum, sed animos inspicit singulorum: Servum & nobilem de moribus pronunciat. Sola apud deum libertas est, non servire peccatis. Summa apud deum est nobilitas, clarum esse virtutibus. Quid apud deum in viris nobilius Petro, qui piscator & pauper fuit? quid in foeminis beata Maria illustrius, quae sponsa fabri describitur? St. Hier. Ep. 14.. His acute wit Nihil ingenio ejus docilius fuit. idem, Ep. 22., faithfull memory, working head, [Page 119] and great experience in the affaires of this life, together with his good repute Curam habuit non conscientiae tantum, sed etiam famae idem. Ep. 14. and power a­mong his friends, he imployed rather to the good of others, where it might bee benefici­all to Church, or common-wealth, then to the advantage of his owne ends or estate. All men have some infirmities Quorsum ista? ut hominem esse te nove­ris, & passionibus hu­manis, nisi caveris, subjacere, de eodem cuncti facti sumus luto, ijsdem compacti exer­dijs: St. Hieron. Ep. Nam vitijs nemo sine noscitur, Optimus ille est, qui minimis urgetur: velut si egregio inspersos reprehendas corpore nae­vos. Horat. lib. 1. Sat. Sat. 3. & 6., and in their judge­ment, who knew him best, hee as few as man could haveIrasci hominis, & iram non perficere Christiani. St. Hieron. Ep. 9.; his care being so to live here on earth, as one that beleeved hee should live with ChristSic vixit ut se ad Christum crederet pro­fecturum. idem. Ep. 9. ad Salvinam. in Heaven. Hee was happie in his Marriage, and in the hopefull fruit of the honourable undefiled-Bed. But the fruit of his Body being nip't with the early frost of death, and withered before full ripenesse; God ha­ving so mercifully provided for the Heires of his Body in Heaven, and denying a supply of those young olive-branches Haec est uberior fae­cundior (que) faelicitas, non ventre gravescere, sed mente grandescere, lactescere pectore, sed corde candescere, non visceribus terram, sed coelum orationibus par­turire. St. Aug. Ep. 179. Probae & Iuliaenae.: his care was doubled to provide for Gods. Heyres Orbitatis magnitudo, religionis occa­sio fuit. St Hieron. Ep. 9., and poore children on earth, that stood in neede of the uttermost extent of his goodnesse Psal. 16.2.3.. Vn­to whom hee lent such a helping hand both in life Munera quae donat moriens, haec munera non sunt. Donat enim quod iam, desinit esse suum. Qui sanus, metuens (que) nihil, qui mente quieta, qui sibi dum vivit demserit, ille dedit: St. Orientius. Biblioth. Patrum. Tom. [...]. pars tertia, page 798. and death, out of his moderate estate Vir erat ditissimae paupertatis, & Apostolicae solicitudinis. S. Hieron. Ep. 8. de Anastasio., as few examples (I feare) can bee produced to have done the like; namely, to make Christ [Page 120] coheire with his Kinred Christum libero­rum suorum faciat co­haeredem. idem. Ep. 150. Non dixit dominus, da filijs, da fratribus, da propinquis: sed da pau­peribus, imo da Christo, qui in pauperibus pasci­tur.—O quanta beati­tudo, pro parvis magna recipere, aeterna pro brevibus, pro morituris, semper viventia, & habere dominum debi­t [...]rem. idem. eod.. Hee began at the Sanctuary, and Temple of God, watering his native barren soyle wirh setled maintenance Majoris est Mer­cedis, quod non cogitur, sed offertur. idem. Ep. 22. Secum portet, quod in­vitus dimissurus est, imo praemittat in cos­lum: quod si negaverit, terra sumptura est. idem. Ep. 10., for the Preaching of the word in the Chap­pell of HAVVTON-GILL. Where also ha­ving built a free-Schoole, and endowed it for ever with a liberall allowance, hee hath happi­ly provided for the education of Posterity, and the instruction & consolation of their Parents; so that young and old may thus honour his memoriall; He was a faithfull Man, and fea­red God above many Nehem. 7.2. Si cuncta virtutibus ejus congruae dixero, adulari putabor. Si quaedam subtraxero, ne incredi­bilia videantur, dam­num landibus ejus mea facit verecundia. quid igitur faciam? quod implere non possum, ne­gare non audeo. St. Hier. Ep 8.. As he cast his right eye upon their Soules, so with his left eye he sear­ched out the Poore, Fatherlesse, Levite and Widdow Quae vidua non hujus auxilio sustentata est? quis pupillus non in eo reperit patrem? S. Hier. To. 9. Ep. 9.. Some he educated at the most fa­mous Vniversitie of Cambridge: For others, he builded houses, and bestowed the dormita­ries, and competent allowance upon the deso­late Non divitibus, non pro­pinquis, sed pauperibus, nihil in illis aliud considerans quam paupertatem. Laudent te esurientium viscera, non ructantium opulenta convivia. idem. Ep. 8.. For others, hee made Garments, and encreased the Salarie of severall indigent Pa­stors. Thus, what oyle others vainly and pro­fusely, yea often prophanely wast, on birds and beasts, and Prostitutes Per to enim non meritricula locupletantur, sed aluntur virgines Christi: non venator & auriga ditantur, sed sustentantur pauperes Christi. idem. Tom. 9. Ep. 1. worse then beasts; lavish out upon sottish pleasures, hang upon their proud backs, or pamper their full-fed [Page 121] paunches withall, he powred into Gods Lampe Da pauperibus, non locupletibus, non superbis; da quo neces­sitas sustentetur, non quo augeantur opes. Pars sacrilegij est rem pauperum, dare non pauperibus. idem. Tom. 1. Ep. 26., to kindle and keep alive the fire of Grace and goodnesse in the Living Temples of the Lord.

Thus (like a good Steward) he dealt both wisely for himselfe, his soule; and justly with his Lord Jnsidelis—Qui contra dominum qui­dem fraudulenter: at­tamen pro se frudentor fecerit. idem. Ep. 16. Succumbendum est huic loco, ne (que) narrare ag­grediar, quod dicendo minus faciam. idem. Ep. 8.. Though Mammon came thorow his fingers, yet hee washt his heart from the love Non laudis est possidere divitias, sed pro Christo eas contem­nere. idem. Ep. 27. of it, and his hands from the soyle of oppression Dicant quid un­quam in illo aliter sen­serint, quam Christia­num decebat? S. Hier. Ep. 99. Scis me vera narrare Marcella venerabilis, quem nosti vix de mul­tis pauca dicere ne le­genti fastidiam faciat ediosa replicatio, & videar apud Malevolos sub occasione laudis alterius, stomachum meum digerere. id. Ep. 16., extortion, biting, unmercifulnesse and iniustice, the Epidemicall infection of these times.

In all these his care and desire was to es­chew ostentation and vaine-glory, both in life and death; lest hee should receive his re­ward on earth.Latebat, & non latebat, fugiendo gloriam gloriam merebatur, quae virtutem quasi umbra sequitur, & appetitores sui deserens, appetit contemptores. idem. Ep. 27. Tu ergo, sivere laudabilis esse cupis, laudem hominum ne requiras. idem. Ep. 14. Cum on nia faceret, ostentationem fugeret singulorum, ne reciperet in praesenti saeculo mercedem suam. idem. Ep. 24. de Leab. Whereby it appeared hee sought the Glory of God; and not the praise of men. His left hand of vaine-glory never knew what his right hand of Charitie dispensedNon in Carne palam, sed in occulto cordis Judai esse debe­mus, non litera, sed spiritu—dum hominem, quem in carne viderat, laudare prohibe­tur, deum in muneris oblatione magnificet.—Mira ratio, non vult praedicari, quod gaudet in­telligi: agnosciamat, & odit ostendi: Sic mysterium obtectae circumcisionis exercens: idem. Tom. 9. Ep. 20. ad Therasiam, de Christi verbis. Mat. 8.4.. It delighted him fully to remember that Iudgement shall produce to publique view, what Mercie stores up in secret. Vprightnesse, the Crowne of Religiousnesse did cloathe his [Page 122] Actions as a Garment Vt quae in alijs sunt umbracula vitio­rum, in te sunt ornamen­ta virtutum. idem ibid. Ep. 1. Sincta Magis esse, quam videri flude, quia nihil prodest aestimari, quod non sit: & duplicis peccati reus est, non ha­bere quod creditur, & quod non habeas si­mulate, idem. Epist. 14.. Those shewes of Pi­etie and devotion, which in too many now a­dayes are onely sheds and shelters of their impietie; were true ensignes, and ornaments in him of Grace and vertue. Hypocrisie is no affecter of hidden secrecie in duties of Pietie and pitty. The Strumpet loves to heare the shrill-sound of the Trumpet, winging her own praise unto the remotest parts of the worldQuae causa est ut cam parlem corporis, quae secretior & occul­tior est, ad circumciden­dum dominus elegerit? illud sine dubio, ne justi­tiam nostram coram ho­minibus saccremus, sed in occulto coram eo so­to, cui soli nihil occul­tumest, & quem solum remuntratorem bono­rum novimus esse facto­rum. idem. Tom. 9. Ep. 20.. Shee may weepe with them that weepe, but seldome doth she wipe away their teares, by relieving their sorrowes, and healing their soares Nam cum flente flere, & nihil cum pos­sis flenti conferre sub­sannationis, non pietatis judicium est: hoc est pie flere cum flentibus, occasiones fletus aufer­re. idem. Ep. 14.. His greatest Imployment at home was Reading, Meditation, and Prayer, joyned with resolution to practise the will of his Ma­ster, as it was imparted unto himLectionem frequenter interrumpat oratio, & animam jugiter adhae­rentem Deo, grata vicissitudo sancti operis accendat. S. Hieron. Tom. 9. Ep. 1.. The sacred Scriptures were his food, the Man of his Coun­sell, the first hee saluted in the Morning, in the evening the last Ambro­sius scribit, nunquam se cibum Origine praesente, sine lectione sumpsisse, nunquam inijsse som­num nisi unus e fratribus ex sacris literis personaret. id. Ep. 18., his Rule all day long. To silence his care of, and religious behaviour in trayning up his familie, he had his limited-houres and times apart,Eligatur tibi oppor tunus & aliquantulum à familiae strepitu remotus locus, in quem tu, velut in Portum, quasi ex multa tempestate curarum te recipias, & excitatos foris cogitationum fluctus secreti tranquil­litate componas. Tantum ibi sit divinae lectionis fludium, tam crebra orationum vices, tam firma & pressa de futuris cogitatio, ut omnes reliqui temporis occupationes, facile hac vacati­one compenses. idem Ep. 14. Iejunia pro ludo habet, orationem pro delitijs. idem Ep. 10. Vnim cellulae clausus angustijs, latitudine paradisi fruebatur. idem Ep. 15. to fast, pray, and make all his accounts right and strait with [Page 123] his God. Whereof marke and remarke this one singular instance, found in his Closet af­ter his death, to cleare all dubitation. For the Space of this ten yeeres last past, his Custome was at the yeeres end to take a Survey of his Temporall estate, which hee having briefly summ'd up in a sheete of Paper; he made a godly Prayer Quamquam omne vitae tuae tempus di­vino debeas operi con­secrare; debet tamen ali­quis esse determinatus, & constitutus horarum numerus, quo plenius deo vaces, & qui te ad summam animi intenti­onem velut quadam le­ge contineat. Nihil enim in hoc secreto magis age­re debes, quam animam divinis eloquijs pascere, & quantum ei per to­tam sufficere potest di­em, hoc eam veluticibo pinguiore satiare. idem. Tom. 9. Ep. 1., and thanksgiving, which he annexed unto his account*, and left in writing yet to be seene. One whereof for thy satis­faction and example of Imitation Nam ferventissi­mi in terrenis, frigi­dissimi in coelestibus su­mus, & summam in re­bus parvis exhibentes alacritatem, ad maiora torpescimus, celerem ha­biturae res finem, sine fine quaruntur. ibid., I have verbatim transcribed, and placed at the end. He was very Choice of his Company, when he came abroad; avoyding when he could, the Places and persons where Religion dwelt notNe cogeretur videre, quod contempserat—nec erubuit profiteri quod Christo placere cognoverat. S. Hier. Ep. 16., lest hee should see what grieved him, or say what would rather trouble then reforme o­thers, being moderate in his owne cause, and couragious as a Lyon in Gods. His tongue was seasoned soNihil aliud noverit lingua nisi Christum, nihil possit sonare, nisi quod sanctum est. idem. Ep. 8. Quic quid dixerit juratum putes. idem. Ep. 14. Pro otioso verbo rationem reddituri sumus: & omne quod non aedificat andientes, in periculum vertitur loquentium, ego si fecero, si dixero quippi­am, quod reprehensione dignum est, de Sanctis egredior, & polluo vocabulum Christi, in quo mihi blandior. idem. Ep. 128. thorowly with the Salt of the Sanctuary, and his heart had waded thorow the deepe waters of long-afflictions, that his conference seasoned others with whom he conversed. No Societie so satisfied his divine [Page 124] minde, as theSic religiosus fuit ut cum Sanctis, sic ti­mens deum ut omne consortium cum Cleri­cis haberet, quos ama­bat ut fratres, venera­batur ut dominos, cun­ctis amabilis. idem. Ep. 9. Qualis quis (que) est, talium consortio delectari. i­dem. Ep. 16. Ministers of Christ, wherein he never found sacietie. Whose common ne­glect in the world, he so took to heart; whose necessities he so seriously weighed, and seasona­bly relieved: as none whom hee embraced re­turned from him, un-honoured, or ungratifi­ed Quod fecit, non divitiarum magnitu­dine, sed prudentia dispensandi. idem Ep. 27.. As by his constant frequencie in hearing the Word, (whereby hee put also much heart and life into others to draw them to the house of God) and conference with Preachers, he gained comfort to his souleNunquam conve­nit, quin de Scripturis aliquid interrogaret, nec ut statim acquiesceret, sed moveret è contrario quaestiones, non ut con­tenderet, sed ut quaren­do discere: earum solu­tiones, quas opponi posse intelligebat. idem. Ep. 16. de Marcella.: so his study was day and night, how by comfort, friendly counsell, countenance, and care, he might repay their spirituals which he received, by the ad­uancement of them with his Temporals Nec affectatae sor­des, nec exquisitae mun­ditiae conveniunt Chri­stiano. idem. Ep. 21.—noster talibus usus est vestibus, quibus, arceret frigus: au­rum us (que) ad annuli signaculum repudians, & magis in ventribus egenorum, quam in Mar­supijs recondens. idem. Ep. 16.. And wheresoever God placed his favour, no man could more glory in a sincere, fast, open-hear­ted, and open-handed friend.

And now behold this poore-mans-treasurer, is called to his account, and hastens to his end Munerarius pauperum, & egentium candidatus, sic festinat ad coelum: St. Hieron. Tom. 1. Ep. 26.. Sicknesse summons himCum sanctum corpusculum febri­um ardor excoqueret, & semionimae lectulum vallaret circulus propinquerum, haec in extremo verba mandabat, orate dominum Iesum, ut mihi ignoscat: quia implere non potui, quod volebam. idem. Ep. 25. to prepare, and death tels him he will admit, neither de­niall, nor delay. With what ioy, contentation, and meekenesse hee embraced the message of the one, and with what Patience and resoluti­on [Page 125] hee did undergoe the other, let the many witnesses declare. In both he taught the Spe­ctators how to desire to die, and what was the ripe fruit of a good-Conscience and a godly life Nasci non no­strum, nec longum vi­vere nostrum; Vitam quae sequitur, vi­ta parare potest. Oren­tius, Bib. Patrum. Tom. 5. pars 3. pag. 798. Non quaeruntur in Christianis initia, sed fini [...]: St. Hieron. Ep. 10. ad Furiam. Mors est vitae testimo­nium..

Having clearely testified his unfained love, by his bounty unto his deare-wife and friends, and recommended his hearty respects, to be by her continued for ever unto his friends in Gene­rall, and to some others by name Scit ipsa, cui li­bellus hic scribitur, me non audita sed nota narrare, nec ex aliquo solùm in me beneficio, scriptorum more Grae­corum gratiam lingua reddere. Procul à Chri­stianis ista suspitio, fide­le est testimonium quod causas non habet men­tiendi. S. Hieron. Ep. 9. Nihil more blandienti­um, nihil more laudan­tium. idem Ep. 27., (whom he resigned with charge unto her Christian af­fections, for his sake, as our Lord did his mo­ther unto his beeloved Iohn. Woman, behold thy sonne; sonne, behold thy Mother;) hee commended and yeelded his body to the Grave Reversa est terra, in terram suam, dormivit in domino, appositus est ad patres suos, plenus dierum ac luminis. idem Ep. 9., and his Soule to God that gave it; Leaving sorrow among his beloved ones for his losse, but mingled with abundance of ioy Vniversorum gaudijs prosequenda sit, quae calcato diabolo coronam iam securitatis accepit. idem. Ep. 24. de morte Leah. Cur dolemus quenquam mortuum? ad hoc enim naii non sumus, ut maneamus aeterni. Lugeatur Mortuus: Sed ille, quem Gehenna suscipit, quem Tartarus devorat, in cujus poenam aeternus ignis astuat, non quorum exitum angelorum turba comitatur. idem Ep. 25. for his happie life, and comfortable departure in the Lord. Thus what Heaven and Earth, shall suffer, hee suffered; a blessed change Passus est ea, quae & coelo, & soli & terrae contingent, discessit moriens splendide, nec senectute decrepitus, nec aliqua parte celebrita­tis suae diminutionem passus, sed magnus adhuc in praesenti hac vita, & magnus in fatura. S. Basil. Tom. 3. Ep. 5. de Arinthao praetore, & Ep. 8. and having bid good-night to this world, hee now triumphes among the glorious Angels; Leaving the Monument of a good name be­hind [Page 126] him, as Elias his cloake; for the example of the Church, and consolation Ne igitur moleste feramus quod illo priva­ti sumus, sed ob id po­tius, quod illi convixi­mus gratias agamus. ib. of surviving Friends. Which hungry time Imagines ingeni­orum vera sunt & ae­terna monumenta. St. Hieron 141: Exegi monumentum aere perennius, regali (que) situ pyramidum alti­us; quod non imber e­dax, non Aquilo impo­tens possit diruere, aut innumerabilis Annorum series, & fuga temporum. Horat. lib. 3. carm. ed. 30., that hath morseld many generations; and yet gapes for more: shall not be able hastily to seize on, digest, or mur­ther, as Caine his Brother, and hide it in the Ground Ex 360. statuis quae Demetrio Phalareo erectae erant, omnes excep­ta una populi furore aut ruptae, aut summersae, aut venditae, quod cum ille audisset, at virtutem, inquit, cujus gratia illas erexerant, minime everterunt. Marianus in Schol. in St. Hieron. Ep. 141. ex Plutarch. & Laertio..