CHRISTIAN PVRPOSES AND RESOLVTIONS.

ROM. 7.18.25.

To will is present with me; but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good; so that in my mind I serue the Law of God, but in my flesh the law of Sinne.

LONDON, Printed for Samuell Ma­cham, and are to be sold at the Bul-head in Paules Church-yard. 1611.

To the right Worshipfull SIR HENRY MOVNTAGV, Knight, Recorder of Lon­don, and one of his Maie­sties learned Coun­saile, &c.

SIR,

MAny of the good and bad affecti­ons of the minde, are easily dissem­bled, onely Loue with her Neighbour-Ʋertues, Dutie and Gratitude are no Hypo­crites. The Ancients faigned the three Graces to be naked, that their beauties or deformi­ties [Page] might not deceiue Opini­on; and painted their Gemini Amores, Children also desti­tute of apparrell: shewing vs, that true desire is simple, open, and vehement. I speake partly out of speculation, but more by experience. The many fauors by which I stand obliged vnto you, are growne to so great a sum, that I being bankrupt in cōceit, do in the vehemency of my dutious good will, sincerely professe the debt, and wanting other meanes of satisfaction, I tender this poore pittance my acknowledgment. Qui gratè beneficium accipit, Sen. lib. 2. de Ben. pri­mam esus pensionem soluit, saieth the woorthiest of the Stoikes: Other paiment your generous mind cannot expect, nor my meanesse offer. I should [Page] entreat pardon, if I seem som­what ambitious, thus publike­ly to professe my thankefull Passions; but the generall ap­probation which attends your merit, in the frequent imploy­ments of your profession, and iudiciall executions of your place, is known to all: Hence I am confident, that so faire a minde cannot want Candor & Humanity, without which Goodnesse (if it can be with­out them) is rather awfull thē amiable. I might to confirme my selfe (if I did doubt) tell to my selfe those many your more priuate and domesticall Ʋertues, which attract the loue and affection of your friendes and followers; but of these I will rather meditate, thē discourse, knowing that you [Page] affect no other Theater for your worth, then your own con­science. My chiefest intent in publishing these Papers, is the good of others; And it may be, that these imperfect Reso­lutions and Meditations in the practise whereof my owne soule hath profited, may be a­uaileable to some. For wee see, that an Empirike hath now & then, that hap in curing a dis­ease, which a learned Artist wanteth. But howsoeuer my weaknesse may depriue mee of this fruit, yet shall these leaues remaine as a proofe and te­stimony (which are my se­cond aymes) of your kindnesse, and my thankefulnesse.

E. Lucan: ad Pisonem.
— Accipe nostri
Certus, & hoc verè complectere pignus amoris,
Quòd si digna tuo minus est haec nomine charta,
At voluisse sat est, animum non verbula jacto.
Ah! take in gree, trusting my kind intent,
This, (ah! smal this) my true loues monument;
And if this worthlesse page be now too base,
That in these blots your name should haue a place.
Yet well to will is all, and that's in me,
In that my vaunts, not in these papers be.
Accept my heart; and here at ydle houres
Read me, as you haue made me, wholy YOVRS.
D. T.

To the Reader.

THE cause of making these Purposes and Resolutions cō ­mon, is not common: It is my knowne weakenesse, not conceit of their worthines. There are some, that think the vertues of learned and famous men to bee admira­ble, not imitable; but if workes of Grace appeare in a meaner person, by not dis­pairing to ouertake him, they begin to follow him. S. Augustine before his per­fect conuersion, thought a [Page] christian life too difficult for his then wauering minde, but when he perceiued ma­ny vnlearned women, and ruder Artisans to be great proficients in the Schoole of Christ, he then in holy emu­lation emboldned himselfe, and his conscience preached, Tu non poteris, Confess. lib. 8 cap. 11. quod isti, & istae? Canst not thou doe as much as these, and these? and in another place; Surgunt indocti & Cae­lum rapiūt, &c. Ibid. cap. 8. An quia praecesserunt pudet se­qui, & non pudet nec sal­tem sequi? The ignorant rise vp, and lay violent handes vpon the Kingdome [Page] of Heauen. Because they went before, art thou asha­med to follow; or rather, art thou not ashamed not to doe so much as followe? The firme resolution of them, which were most likely to faint, added such vigour, and constancy to this Saints endeuours, that though hee came the latest, yet he went the furthest in Christianity. I knowe, I feele my owne frailty and imperfection, and yet trusting to the po­wer, and mercy of my God, I haue set my rest to prac­tise these published purposes and Resolutions. It is my hope that my boldnesse will [Page] encourage others not to thinke the way hard, or the iourney troublesome, being vndertakē by so mipotent a trauailer. I haue not in the prescribing of my intended course affected curiositie, but proceeded in a naturall and free straine, as the mat­ter which then came into my minde, did seeme to lead me. I expect not, I desire not popular applause. If I finde in perusing my worke the infirmities of holy Iob, that I handle a good matter ill, I reioyce in it, not because I handle it ill, but because the matter is good: and I had rather with [Page] that godly Father betray my ignorance, in imperfect­ly discoursing vppon a good subiect, then shew wit and learning with his three no­ble friends, in maintaining any argument of a differing Mold.

CHRISTIAN Purposes and Re­solutions.

I.

IT is easier for a man to pro­pounde vnto himself those thinges which are seem­lie to be don, then to do those,Rom. 7.23. which were seem­ly [Page 2] to bee propounded. There is a Lawe in our members, saieth that mortified Apostle Paule, rebelling against the law of our minds, and lead­ing vs Captiues to the Law of sinne; so that we can no sooner incline to what is good, but euill is ready to seduce vs. The Lambe of God, Christ Iesus, is no sooner come into the worlde, but He­rod like a bloody Wolfe doth eagerly pursue him. A thought of Piety can­not bee conceiued, but Sathan seeketh to de­stroy it He would crush [Page 3] it in the womb for feare it shoulde escape him in the Cradle. I will labour therfore by feruent prai­ers, and godly Meditati­ons for a daily supplye from the Spirit, and ne­uer cease to continue my suite, till a good in­clination become a per­fect will.

II.

THe soule of man, the more it desireth the fruition of any temporal & changeable good, the more it differeth from [Page] [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4] that incorporeall, eter­nall, and vnchaungeable God, in whose seruice is perfect freedom, and the knowledge of whome is life euerlasting. I will no longer therefore doate vppon the specious out­side of this deceitfull world: I wil diuorce my selfe wholy from the va­nities thereof, & espouse my best affections to none but him: I will af­fect similitude with him in his operations, & that I may the safelier flye frō him, I wil fly vnto him, borne thither on the wings of Contemplati­on, [Page 5] and Action; of Faith and Charity.

III.

IT is not enough for vs to forbeare that whych is bad, we must giue our selues withall to do that which is good. Cease to do euill, learne to doe well; Isaih 1.17. seeke iudgement; releeue him that is oppressed, re­uenge the fatherlesse, and defend the Widdowe; then will I reason with you, saith the Lord, and were your sinnes redder then the Ver­million, I will make them [Page 6] whiter then snowe; Mar. 7.21. were they redder then Scarlet, I will make them whiter then wooll. Not euery one that cryeth Lord,Psal. 15.2. Lord, but hee that walketh vp­rightly, & worketh righ­teousnesse, it is hee that shall dwell in the Taber­nacles of the highest, it is he that shall rest in his holy Mountaine, and be neuer moued. It sufficeth not that we haue Lamps in our hands; for vnlesse they flame out in loue towards God, and Cha­rity towards our Neigh­bour, we shall neuer bee suffered to followe the [Page 7] Bride-groome into his nuptiall Chamber.Mat. 12.13. Ma­ny are inuited to the feast, but he that presu­meth to come, not ha­uing on his wedding gar­ment, shal be bounde in Chaines, and cast into vtter darkenesse, where there is nothing but wailing & gnashing of teeth. I will not onely there­fore shun the blindnesse of Egypt, but I will seeke for the light that shineth in the land of Goshen: and howsoeuer it shall please the lord to bestow vpon me but a meane Talent, I will husband it so well, [Page 8] that when he shal cal me to giue vp an account of my Stewardship, I may return it back with good encrease.

IIII.

THe Soul dieth when it is forsakē of God; the bod [...] when it is for­saken of the Soule; the whole Man, when the Soule which is forsaken of God, dooth likewise forsake the Body; for then neyther dooth the soule liue by GOD, nor the bodye by the soule. [Page 9] For how can that bodie properly be saide to liue, which hath a Soule an­nexed to it, not to giue it life, but to make it sen­sible of paine. Whilest I soiourne therefore heer on earth, I wil order my actions in such manner, that as my bodye recei­ueth being frō my soule, so may my soule frō her Creator. I will labour al­wayes to liue vnto righ­teousnesse, that I may neuer die but vnto sinne.

V.

WHatsoeuer a mā soweth, that shal he also reape. If hee sow to the flesh, he shal reape corruption; if to the spi­rit, life euerlasting. Let vs therefore not be wearie, saith the Apostle,Gal. 6, 9. of doo­ing well, for in due season shall we reape, if we do not faint. He that striueth for a Maistry, vnles he striue as he ought to doe,2. Tim. 2.5. shall neuer bee crowned. I am the true Vine, sayeth our Sauiour, and my Father is the husband man, Iohn. 15.4. euerie braunch that beareth not fruite in me, hee taketh a­way: & euerie one that beareth, [Page 11] he purgeth that it may bring forth more. But as the braunch cannot bear of it selfe, except it abide in the Vine; no more can we, except we abide in him. Whosoeuer put­teth his hande to the Plough,Mat. 24.13 and looketh backe, shall neuer enter into the ioies of heauen; but he that indureth to the end, he shalbe saued. Christ Iesus would not descend from the crosse, when he was willed vnto it by the Iewes, bee cause he woulde not leaue the worke of our Redempti­on vnperfect: and when [Page 12] the Prince of his Apo­stles Peter, vpon the re­lation which hee made them, of those particular troubles hee was to suf­fer vpon his arriual at Ie­rusalem, out of the abun­dance of his loue, desired him to haue some pittie and compassion on him­selfe, and not to goe; Get thee behind me Sathan, said he,Mar. 8.33. thou art a scandall and a stumbling blocke to my proceedings; Thou vnder­standest not the things that are of GOD, but onely the thinges that are of Men; such was his perseuerāce in accomplishing the [Page 13] fulnesse of our saluation. In my iourney therefore to the Land of Canaan, Num 11.5. how tedious, and howe wearisome soeuer it may seeme, I will not long af­ter the Flesh-Pots of E­gypt: I will be mindefull alwaies of the Wife of Lot, Gen. 19.17. and in my passage vnto Zoar, I will followe the directions of my blessed guid, and neither linger on the plains, nor looke once backe vppon the ruines of sinneful So­dome, for feare I displease the Author of my safety, and that my punishment be made the monument [Page 14] of my disobedience; I will forget that which is behind, and endeauor my selfe to that which is be­fore;Philip. 3.13 I will follow hard towardes the marke, for the price of that high cal­ling of God in Christ Ie­sus, and neuer cease to runne, till I haue finished my course.

VI.

GOds wrath, though it come softly, yet if commeth surely, and in the end, what it wanted [Page 15] in swiftnesse, it bringeth with it in seuerenesse. I will not therefore abuse his gentlenesse, nor pre­sume too much vpon his patience. He is beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Hie­rusalem; Cant 6.3. but terrible with al, as an Army with ban­ners. Hee is like those Cherubins in Ezechiell, Ezech. 41.19. he hath the face of a Lyon, as well as of a man. Hee will send his tempest a­broad with fury, and like a Whirle-winde shall it light vppon the head of the vngodly:Ier. 30.23. Aram shall come before, the Phili­stims shall come behind, [Page 16] and deuoure the rebelli­ous Israell with open mouth. I will seeke vnto him therfore in the mor­ning, and at noone-day; yea in the euening will I call vppon him: I will make my praier vnto him in an acceptable time,Psal. 69.13. & he shall heare mee in the multitude of his mercy, and in the trueth of his saluation: The Lord shal teach me his way, and I will walke in his Com­maundements; hee shall knit my heart vnto him, and I wil feare his name.

VII.

GOD hath not a­ny neede of the bloud of Bullocks, or of the fat of Beasts, or of any other corruptible and earthly thing, no not so much as of the verie righteousnesse of man. If wee worship him accor­ding to the rules prescri­bed vs by his word, in Spirite and in Truth, the profite heereof redoun­deth not to him, but to our selues. For who so [Page 18] senselesse as to thinke he benefites the Sun, when he beholdes his beames, or that he pleasureth the Spring, when hee drink­eth of the water. What­soeuer therefore my deedes are, I will desire but acceptance, and that which followeth after, I will attribute to his mer­cy, not to my ovvne me­rite.

VIII.

THe omnipotency of the word, appeareth in nothing more, then [Page 19] in that it maketh all those omnipotent that doe hope in it. Ioshua commandeth the Sunne to stand,2. King. 20.10. and it obeyeth him: King Ezechias desi­reth that the shaddowe of it may retire, & Isaiah graunteth it. Yea Christ himselfe assureth vs, that were our Faith but as a graine of Mustard-seede,Mat. 17, 20. we should no sooner say vnto a Mountaine, Re­mooue; but it should pre­sently be remooued, and nothing at all should be impossible vnto vs. I wil not therefore with the Scribes and Pharises, re­quire [Page 20] a signe for the re­forming of my increduli­ty;Mat. 12.38. but without putting my fingers with Didymus into the printes of his Nailes,Ioh. 20.25. or my handes in­to his wounded side; I will beleeue without in­ductions or demonstra­tions, the sacred myste­ries of the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, & Ascention of my most holy and blessed Sauior; humbly beseeching him,Luke 17.5. with his Apostles, that hee would vouchsafe to strengthen and encrease my Fayth,Col. 1.23. that I may continue grounded and [Page 21] established therein, and not bee mooued away from the hope of that glorious Gospell, which hath beene preached by his chosen Ministers to euery creature that is vn­der heauen.

IX.

MANS intention without Gods assi­stance, auaileth nothing. Peter was but a while forsaken,Mat. 26.27 and howsoeuer he did abound with loue and zeale, yet was hee notwithstanding supplā ­ted by the Enemy: his [Page 22] faith was ouerwhelmed with feare; hee forsooke him for whom he swore to dye. Gods assistaunce without mans intention profits as litle; For what action, circumstaunce, or exhortation could be thought requisite for the reclayming of Iudas, which Christ omitted; but al was to no purpose hee was a Deuill, and so he dyed. And heereupon the Lord himselfe com­plaineth in the 23. of Ma­thew, Hierusalem, Hieru­salem, Mat. 23.37. which killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent vnto thee; [Page 23] how often would I haue ga­thered thy Children toge­ther as the Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her Winges, and ye would not? GOD pointes vs to the springs of heauēly grace, but vnlesse we stoope to the Well, we cannot be refreshed with the water. We lie wallowing heere in the mire of earthly co­gitations, and in vaine shall he assay to raise vs if wee be not willing to rise; If hee lende vs his hand, wee must giue him our heart, or rot and pu­trify in our own infirmi­ties. In al humility there­fore, [Page 24] & singlenesse of spi­rit, I will desire the Au­thour of my saluation that he would vouchsafe to second my holy Reso­lutions, and so quicken mee according to his lo­uing kindnes, that when­soeuer it shall please him to call vnto me, I may be instantly ready to runne vnto him, applying my selfe without delay, to keepe his Statutes and commaundements.

X.

1. Sam. 18 22.OBedience is more ac­ceptable to the Lord [Page 25] then sacrifice, & to hear­ken then the fat of Rams. To what purpose, saith he, bringest thou incense vnto me from Sheba, Iere. 6.20. and sweet Calamus from a far Coun­trey? He desireth not the bloud of Bullocks, ney­ther is he delighted with the multitude of burnt offeringes;2. Cor. 12.14. so hee may haue vs, he careth not for what is ours. When I sa­crifice to my Creator therefore, I will not of­fer vp the Calues of my lippes, without the trea­sures of my heart; I wil not giue part to him, & keep the choisest for my [Page 26] selfe. All the Fat is the Lordes,Leuit. 3.16. & he that eateth it shall bee cut off from his people.

XI.

THE Couetous man is like a Christmasse Boxe; whatsoeuer is put into it, nothing can bee taken out of it, till it bee broken: Hee soaketh vp the waters like a Spung, and till death doe come and squeeze him with his Iron Graspe, he will not yeeld one drop: his hand is sound and nimble to receiue, but when hee [Page 27] shold vse it to relieue the wantes of his distressed Brother, it lyeth withe­red in his bosome, & can by no meanes possible be stretched out. Hee wea­reth out himselfe in la­bouring for that where­of hee hath no vse. Hee knoweth no God of Sa­baoth, but his Gold: his restlesse purchase of it is his rest, and with religi­ous admiration doe his thoughtes adore it: hee thinkes it Sacriledge to diminish the least heape, but the time will come, when he shall goe as na­ked out of the world, as [Page 28] euer he came into it, and then those Aungels in which hee gloried heere, shall bee so many Deuils to torment him there. Whereas he that dealeth his Bread vnto the hun­gry,Mat. 25.34 and bringeth the poore vnto his House; his light shal break forth as the morning, and his health shall growe with speede: his righteousnes shall go before him, and the glory of the Lorde shall embrace him.Esay 58.7. He shall bee like a Garden that is watered, and like a Spring, that can neuer faile; his very [Page 29] bones shal fatten, and his Soule bee satisfied in the midst of drought. I will continually therfore cast my Bread vpon the wa­ters, and according to that portion which the Lord hath lent mee, bee alwaies ready to releeue the needy.

XII.

I Will not mortify my selfe in part, nor in cō ­flicting with those spiri­tual Amalekites that seek the ruine of my Soule, will I make Saul my pre­cedent; but according to [Page 30] the mandate of my God, Demoliar vniuersa, 1 Sam. 15.3 I will bring downe all; I will not spare Man, woman, nor Childe. For here are those three sins to which we are all subiect: First, the sin of frailty, behold the Woman. Secondly, the sinne of Malice, be­hold the Man: Last of al the sinne of Ignorance, behold the Childe. Nay I will labour as much as in mee lyeth, to destroy the very heardes, with euery other thing, & not leaue so much as the least circumstance, that may either aggrauate or [Page 31] extenuate my offences; So shall I fight the good fight, and in the ende re­ceiue that inestimable price which is laid vp for mee in the Kingdome of glory.

XIII.

GOD is not an Italie­nated Courtier; nor doth hee euer entertaine vs with Lippe-courtesie. When he inuiteth vs,Hos. 11. we must in no wise say him nay; Hee will pull vs to him with the Cordes of a Man, and drawe vs on [Page 32] eeuen with the bands of loue; And when he see­eth, that this is not suffi­cient, hee will sende his Chasticementes and his Corrections for vs, who like faithful Messengers, will not be satisfied with any vain excuses,Luke 14.23 but wil compell vs by violence to come vnto him. It is not the purchase of a Farme; the buying of an Oxe, nor the marrying of a wife, that will serue our turne. The Mayster of the Feast hath sent for vs, and we must goe. His Dinner is prepared; hee hath killed his Fatlinges,Mat. 22.4. [Page 33] and all thinges nowe are in a readinesse. If hee see that his Table bee not thorowly furnished with Guests, he will instantlie grow exceeding wroth, and woe be to vs, if once hee send his Warriours forth.Esay 41.2. For then shall we bee giuen as Dust vnto their Swordes, and as scattered Stubble vnto their Bowes. I will not therefore slightly regard his inuitatiōs. He shal no sooner call but I wil free my selfe from all encum­brances and come:Luk. 14 15 Bles­sed, I know is he that ea­teth Bread in the King­domReuel. 19, 9 [Page 34] of God, and sitteth at Supper with the holy Lambe.

XIIII.

IN this World there is a threefold roade. The one is, that of Christ frō ill to good, from sinne to Grace, which beginneth at the Valley of Hinnon, & reaches to the Mount of Oliues, and thorough this haue al the holy Pa­triarches, Prophets, and Apostles iournyed from time to time to theyr e­ternall happinesse. The other is that of ADAM, from good to ill, from [Page 35] life to death, and goeth downe from Hierusalem to Ierico: Luke 10.30 It is a way that is exceeding dangerous, and beset on euery side with Theeues and Mur­derers, that wil rob vs of those vertues wherwith wee are arayed, and ha­uing wounded vs wil go their way, leauing vs there alone to languish in our misery. The third and last, is that of sathan, which is round and Cir­cular. He compasseth the earth, and like a roaring Lyon he walketh about,Iob. 1.7. seeking whom hee may deuour.1. Pet. 5.8. To go right for­ward [Page 36] is no pace for him; he must continually bee turning, and the reason hereof is this; he would not rest himselfe when time did serue in the lord his God, who as he is to all Creatures, the first efficient of their beeing, so is he the last final cause of their working, & as it were the breathing stop and period of their ope­rations. But his motion hath no center, & there­fore must bee alwayes wheeling. Frō amongest them all then I wil select the first. It is straight and ready, and will quickly [Page 37] bring a man to his expe­cted harbour:Luke 10.4. Being en­tred once into it, whom­soeuer I meete, I will let him passe according to the precept of my blessed Sauiour,1 King 4.29. and not salute him; If hee salute mee, I will not aunswere him. He treads a path direct­ly contrary to mine, and I will not seeme by com­plementing to affect his company.

XV.

THE wicked man is a great Linguist. Eue­ry [Page 38] desire in him hath his peculiar speech, and eue­ry passion his proper dia­lect. His bosome is the very Babell of al confusi­on: Wisedom may not­withstanding cry till she bee hoarse, there is not one that vnderstands her accent. The toongs they speake withal are forked, but not fiery,Actes 2.3. and cannot therfore serue for vnion, but diuision. They are such as will sooner bring a punnishment vpon the speaker, then cause a­stonishment in the hea­rer. I will leaue them therefore to him that li­keth [Page 39] them; and not suffer a Thought within my breast,Esay 19.18 that speaketh any language but that of Ca­naan.

XVI.

THe Lord is liberall,Iames 1.5. and reproacheth no man. There is not the least, & meanest of those benefites, which euery moment wee receiue frō him, but is farre more then wee could deserue, farre more then we durst desire. Hee neuer values that which he giues, yet [Page 40] giues hee alwayes that which is pure and per­fect. He will not flatter our hopes with verball Complements,Ioh. 16.24. nor tor­ture them with vaine de­laies. Aske, and you shall receiue (saith our Sauiour Christ) that your ioy may bee fulfilled. Luk. 12.19 The world doth otherwise: Faire promises, but slowe per­formance: & in the end, Insteade of bread it of­fereth vs a stone; instead of fish it feedes vs with a Serpent: we looked for a substance, and beholde a shadow. My Soule (said the rich man in the Gos­pell) [Page 41] thou hast much goods laid vppe for many yeares; liue at ease, eate, drinke, & take thy pastime; when loe that very night it was ta­ken from him; and the goods, which he had ga­thered were he knew not whose.Iere. 4.23. The earth is de­solate and void (saith the GOD of Israell) by the mouth of his holy Pro­phet: it can afforde no pleasure, which is not counterfaite and Adulte­rate; the best things in it are sophisticated. The Wine therof is mingled with water;Esay 1.22. and the Sil­uer of it is turned into [Page 42] drosse. I will take no thought therfore for my life,Psal. 55, 22. what I shall eate; nor for my body, what I shall put on; but cast my burden on the Lord,1 Tim. 6, 19 and hee shall nourish mee; I will labour to bee rich in good workes, laying vp in store for my self a sure foundation against the time to come, that I may obtaine a blessed and e­uerlasting life: still cra­uing somewhat at the handes of God, that hee may still haue occasion to giue.

XVII.

BEtter it is (saith Salo­mon) to bee of hum­ble mind with the low­ly,Prou. 19, 9. then to deuide the spoyles with the proud. Wrath & confusion shal follow these; but grace and glory shall be giuen vnto those. Ephraim shall be preferred before Ma­nasses; & Ishais little one before the rest of his bre­thren: Adonijah may pre­tend his eldershippe,Gen: 48, 20 1. Sam. 16, 11. 1 King 1.30. but Salomon shall enioy the Kingdome. It is Humili­tie that maketh vs accep­table to God and Man, [Page 44] whereas the contrarie maketh vs hated and ab­horred of both. While Saul was little in his own sight, GOD made him head ouer the tribes of Israell. 1. Sam. 15.16.17. Let vs but looke vppon the life of our blessed Sa­uiour, and wee shall see that hee drew more peo­ple vnto him in his Ecli­psed and obscure estate, then hee did in the trans­cendent of his glory. On­ly three were present at his transfiguration in the Mount;Mat. 17.12. but lying in a Manger ther came kings to worshippe him,Luke 9.28. and [Page 45] Sheepheardes to adore him.Math. 2.2. And when he hum­bled himselfe so farre, as to become obedient vn­to death,Ioh. 12.32. yea to the death of the Crosse, then was his exaltation; for then he drew all thinges vnto him. Learne therefore of me (saith he) for I am meek and lowly of heart. Mat. 11, 29. And in­deed where shall we find a more glorious prece­dent, then is the Patron of all glory,Phil. 2.67. who beeing in the forme of God, did clean annihilate himself, & took on him the shape of a Seruant. The pride of Heauen became the [Page 46] scorn of Earth: The son of God, the slaue of man. He left his fathers court, (such was the loue hee bare vs) to come and cure the Vlcerous Infla­mations of our infected Soules.Phil. 2.5. Hee did abase himselfe that hee might honor vs; and was care­lesse of his owne dignity to purchase ours. I will labour therfore that the same mind which was in him towardes mee, may likewise bee in mee to­wards others. I will not boast my selfe against the Publican, nor as one that had tasted of the LeauenLuk. 18.11 [Page 47] of the Pharises, thinke better of my selfe then I am, or worse of others then they are, but desire God that he would deck mee inwardly with low­linesse of Spirite,1. Pet. 5, 5, 6 that I may be exalted of him in due time.

XVIII.

OVR Sauiour is not of that outward ap­pearance, that worldly Princes are: his traine is small, himself not charg­able; He doth not looke for sumptuous prepara­tion. [Page 48] The Holy-Ghost is his Harbinger, who (so the heart bee cleane) re­spectes no Ceremonies.Luke 11.40.41. Martha busied her selfe a­bout his seruice, but Christ reproued her: he tolde her shee was trou­bled with many thinges, but one alone was need­full; and that her Sister Mary, who sate at his feete, and heard his prea­ching, had chosen the better part, which shold neuer be taken from her. For indeede it is not the statelinesse of the house, nor the sumptuousnesse of the Table, that he de­lights [Page 49] in. He visiteth the Sonne of Alpheus at the receite of Custome;Mar. 2.14. he goes in with Zacheus; Luke. 19 5 & sits at board with Publi­cans and Sinners. There is no man so meane, but may find meanes to con­tent him: Hee that hea­reth and beleeueth his worde, dooth feast him royally. Let any Man,Ioh. 14.23. (saith he) harbour in his bosome a louing affecti­on towards mee,Reuel. 3, 20 and be­holde, I and my Father will come and dwel with him for euer. I will en­deauor therfore to clense my Soule from all impu­rity. [Page 50] I will cast out of it those many vices & im­perfections, wherewith euen from my Cradle it was tapistred. It shall no longer be a Denne of Theeus and Murtherers. It shall no longer bee a Rendez-vous for Sin and Sathan; I will make it a House of Prayer, a Ta­bernacle for the liuing GOD. I will adorne it with Faith and hope, but aboue al,1. Cor. 13, 1. with Loue and Charity,Mat. 21, 14. without which the very voice of Angels is but as sounding brasse or a tinckling Cymball: and there will I present [Page 51] vnto him my halting Thoughtes, and blinded vnderstanding, that hee may heale them.

XIX.

IT were better neuer to haue knowne the way of Righteousnesse,2. Pet. 2.21 Heb. 6, 4. then hauing known it, to for­sake the holy Comman­dement which was giuen vnto vs. It is impossible, that such as haue tasted of the heauenly guift, & were made partakers of the Holy-Ghost, if once [Page 52] they fall away, should be renewed by repentance: They crucify again vnto themselues the Sonne of God, & count the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing.Mat. 12.43 The Spi­rit of vncleannesse is re­tired vnto his former home, and with him sea­uen others worse then himself are come, so that the latter end of these, is more disastrous far then their begining. They are returned like the Dogge to their own vomit;Prou. 26.11 and like the Sowe that was washed to the wallow­ing in the Myre: Ephra­im [Page 53] is gone backe to Ae­gypt, Hos. 9.3. and eateth thinges that are vncleane in ASHVR. They hadde the victory of sinnefull flesh, but they knew not how to vse it. 'Tis snat­ched againe (as it were) out of their Iawes; and loe; Of Conquerours, they become Captiues. Their actions haue a fair beginning, but the ende is faulty: They resemble Nebucadnezzars Image;Dan. 2, 32. their head is of fine gold, but the feete of them are Clay. They hold forth a Rod with Aaron, and be­hold it flourisheth,Num. 17, 8 Exod. 14, 3. but by [Page 54] and by it falleth to the ground and becommeth a Serpent. Last of al, they are like him, that offe­reth a Lambe for his Ob­lation to the Lorde,Leuit. 3, 9. but the taile of it is wanting; which God himselfe cō ­maunded the Priest so strictly and precisely, to take euen altogether to the very Chine, and burn vpon his Altar. I wil en­deuour therefore to bee constant in my vnder­takings; and like the Bee till I haue sucked the sweetnesse which I look for out of one floure, not range vnto an other: be­ing [Page 55] wel assured, that the Apostls themselues, had they not continued in Prayer, & Thanksgiuing to the Lord, could neuer haue receiued the holy Comforter.

XX.

THE Foxes haue holes,Math. 8.20 the Birdes of the Heauen haue nestes; but the Sonne of man complayneth, that hee hath nothing whereon to rest his head. Tis compassed about vvith [Page 56] Thornes, and few there are that dare suffer him to approach them. The Couetous man will not endure him: Whosoeuer he be, Luke 14.33 that forsaketh not all hee hath, can neuer bee my Disciple, woulde pierce him to the quicke. The proud cannot away with him:Mat. 11, 29. Learne of mee, for I am meek and humble, wold much disquiet him. The carnall and voluptuous liuer will by no meanes entertain him: for shold hee but looke vppon the austerenesse of his life, & consider with himselfe, that,Math. 5.8. Blessed onely are the [Page 57] pure of heart, it would so goar his conscience, that hee shoulde not possibly rest. In a worde, all men in a maner vtterly forsake him Hee commeth into the Countrey of the Ga­darenes, Marke 5, 17 and ere he enter their Citty, they beseech him to depart theyr Coasts. He repaireth vn­to Hierusalem, and there they seeke to stone him. Som of the meaner ra [...] would willingly recei [...] him, but the Pharises [...] terre them from i [...] [...] bid them looke i [...] [...] the Rulers did [...] He fin [...] [...] [Page] [Page 56] [...] [Page 57] [...] [Page 58] in the breast of Pilate to shade him frō, [...]nas 4.6. that cani­cular & scorching heate, wherewith his aduersa­ries did pursue him: But alasse! It sprung vp in one night, and perished in another: Priuate-Re­spect came as a Worme, and wasted it. And now behold the burning Sun and the blasting Winde begin to beate vppon [...] head; hee brings him [...], and deliuers him, [...] [...]sse! It is to bee [...]. The Heire [...] [...]ineyarde, accor­ [...] [...] is Fathers a [...] [...] comes [...] [...] [...]ites t [...] [Page 59] but the husbandmen are agreede to cast him out of it, and slay him. So that his complaint is not without iust cause. For want of harbor, he seeks the desert places, and is forced in the night to rest his weary Limbes e­uen in a Garden, where hee hath no Bed, but the cold Earth; no sheet, but the moyst Ayre; no Ca­nopy, but the wide Hea­uen. I will runne th [...] fore and meete him [...] Lot and Abra [...] [...] Angels.) I [...] him to wit [...] [...] selfe vnd [...] [...] [Page 60] my roofe, and when his Enemies shall come and aske for him, I will not part with him. I will bring forth my Daugh­ters, my beloued Sins, that they may glut their malice vpon them: He shall rest in my bosome: I will make for him a lit­tle Chamber (as did the Shunamite for Elisha) and set therin a Bed, a stoole, [...] Table, and a Candle­ [...]e, that he may dwell [...] [...]e for euer. Let his [...] neuer so sharpe, [...] [...]ll bolster it. [...] [...]hinke that [...] [...]ge hath [Page 61] tooke impression there, vnlesse I see it like him­selfe, all bloudy and full of woundes.

XXI.

THE Prince of dark­nes is exceeding po­liticke, & much abounds with craft in his procee­dinges. He knowes th [...] things which were o [...] [...] bruised, may bee [...] broken; He kno [...] [...] Wood whi [...] [...] times kind [...] [...] [...] ly burn [...] hee st [...] [...] [Page 62] commit such sinnes as in former times they were accustomed vnto. Hee is withall a cunning Rhetoritian, and doth vse much Sophistry. Iudg. 19.5. He neuer comes to the point but by insinuatiō: He vsurps vppon them by degrees, and deales with them as the father of the Leuites did with him; by little & little hee procures theyr [...]nsent vnto that, which [...]e it summarily pro­ [...] [...]ed, would perad­ [...] [...] [...]tterly reiec­ [...] [...] are twoe [...] oftentimes [...] captiuate [Page 63] the Soule of Man. The one is Pleasure; which whē he saw that Christ resisted, hee did assaulte him with the other, which was Griefe, the su­rer Engin as he thought for battry of the twaine. And lo he stirred al men vp against him; his Dis­ciples hee caused to deny their Maister; the Soul­diers to deride their ca [...] taine; the passengers [...] blaspheme their Gu [...] and in a word, th [...] [...] to crucify their [...] that hee forc [...] [...] out; Beh [...] [...] [Page 64] see if euer there were a­ny griefe that may bee thought to parallel this of mine.Lam. 2, 12. But notwith­standing this hee findes him still inuincible. The cruell dolours of his tor­ments cannot make him forget to praye for his Tormentours. I will al­waies therefore striue to fortify the weaker place; and where the Foe shall haue made a breach, I [...]ll erect a Bulwarke. [...] the perswasions of [...] [...]baddon, of that Bad [...] euer so enticing. [...] [...]te my Maister [...] [...]eeke t [...] [...] [Page 65] them with a Seriptum est. When God hath giuen mee a precept, I will en­deauour to performe it. The Spirite of Vntruth, 2 King 13.18. though in the mouth of a Prophet, shall not be strong enough to diuert mee from it. The Lorde will sende a Lyon to de­uour the disobedient, & his Carkase shall bee de­nyed the Sepulcher of his Fathers.

XXII.

THere is a league of amity between God and the good; nay, there is an inward familiarity; a very neer affinity. They are his friendes; they are his followers; they are his true borne Sons. But notwithstanding this the Lord of might, the strict exactor of all vertues, is no way fonde of them; he carrieth a sharp hand ouer them, and doth in­vre them to hard-meate [Page 67] euen from their Cradle. Hee loues not to make a wanton of the least. Hee doth try them; hee doth traine them; and maketh them fit for his own pur­pose. There is not any thing wherein hee more delighteth, then in see­ing thē encounter stout­ly with aduersity. Thrice onely were the Heauens opened: First,Ezech. 1, 1. to Ezechi­ell, when at the Riuer Chebar he did addict him­selfe vnto diuiner con­templation: Secondly to Christ,Mar. 3.16. when on the bankes of Iordan he was Baptized of Iohn; And [Page 68] last of all to Stephen, Actes 7, 56 whē in honour of his de­ceased Mayster, he plaid his prize with Death, & wrastled with the Deuill and the damned; and thē were they opened wide, that both himselfe and his whole Court might behold the braue perfor­mance of the Combat­tant. The Earth is as his Theater, whereon hee stageth such as are his, & maketh them a spectacle (as the Apostle saith) for the World,1. Cor. 4, 9. for Angels, and for Men. Sloath shal not consume their Met­tle; nor ease effeminate [Page 69] their mindes. Hee will make them sweate euen vppon Holy-daies. One accident or other shall prouoke their valour,Gen: 32, 28 & keepe it from growing sluggish thorough want of exercise. An Angell if all shoulde faile, must come down from aboue and wrestle with them till the breaking of the day, to keepe them con­tinually in breath, and to preuent their Sinnewes from waxing numbe for lacke of motion: And they themselues are well contented with it. They count affliction but a re­creation; [Page 70] and are in pain but when they are im­ployed. They know not what it is to yeeld: when they can stand no longer on their feete, they will fight vppon their knees. Theyr death shall be the Trophy of their victory, their patience the monu­ment that must adorne their graue. Though there be cries and lamen­tations throughout the Land of Aegypt, yet rest and quietnesse is found in Goshen. Aug. de Ciu. Dei. 1, cap. 8. The fire may consume the wood, but it makes bright the gold; the Flaile may bruise the [Page 71] Huske, but it cleanseth the Corne: Pharaoh and his Hoast are ouerwhel­med in the Sea, but Moy­ses and the Israelites doe march with safety tho­rough the middest of it. The wicked shrink vnder the burthen of temptati­on, but the courage of the righteous is no more altered therewith; then is the saltnesse of the Sea with the violent and im­petuous fluxe of those many waters which con­tinually doe fall into it. Let affliction therefore come, I will meete it pa­tiently as Iob did; I will [Page 72] desire it for the loue of Christ, as the Martyrs did; yea, I will reioyce in it as the Apostles did,Actes 5.41. who after they had been beaten by the appoint­ment of the Sadduces, de­parted from the Coun­sell, reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his Name,Iames 2.2. I will not thinke my ioy accomplished, but when I see my selfe hedged in on euery side with crosses, hindrances, and tribulations. The thought of the price shal make me delighted with the paine.1. Cor. 5, 5. I will not care [Page 73] for the losse of my flesh, so my Spirite may be sa­ued in the day of the Lord.

XXIII.

THere are some vices of that Nature,1. Cor. 6, 8. they cannot bee vanquished but by auoiding. Fly For­nication; saieth the Apo­stle Paule: Trust not to thine own strength; pre­sume not vppon thine owne sufficiency: Her faction is exceeding strong; there are those in thee, and about thee, [Page 74] which vnlesse thou o­uerlooke them with as many eyes, as had those mysticall Creatures of Ezechiell, will treache­rously betray thee. The Flesh is an alluring Dali­lah: Cant. 3, 7. Not Sampson with his strength; nor Salomon with his Wisedome are able any way to preuent her Stratagems. The six­ty strong men of the va­liant of Israell that were about his bed could not protect him. If shee get within thee, shee is sure to foyle thee. When I see her therefore make towards me, I wil thinke [Page 75] it no disparagement to turne my backe. There is valour euen in retreate. Our Sauiour fleeth, and Herod followeth; yet in the ende the Tetrach be­comes his Captiue; and notwithstanding the ad­uantage which hee had, must grace the trium­phall Charret of Christ the Conquerour. But whether I bee forced to fly from Herod, or from Aegypt; from Sinne, or from Sathan, I wil desire the Lord I may be stil ac­companied with Mary, Math 2.13 Ioseph, and the litle Babe; the first is the bitternesse [Page 76] of Repentance; the last is the purenesse of Con­science; and the other an augmentation or sup­ply of Grace, with which euery where euen in the mouth of Hell: without which no where, not in the Gates of Heauen, can we rest securely. We may crye out vnto him with the foolish virgins, Lord, Mat. 25, 11. Lord, open vnto vs; but if these bee away, his answere will be, I doe not know you.

XXIIII.

THere was not any thing in the world af­ter the fal of Adam, which did not in some measure beare a part of his pun­nishment. All things did degenerate from theyr creation; and from that time became obnoxious to corruption. The Ele­ments themselues did waxe impure. The earth brought nothing foorth but Thornes & Thistles: It had in it that mightie Behemoth to molest it;Gen. 3, 18. Iob. 40, 10. & the Water that mon­strous [Page 78] Liviathan to in­fect it. But Christ the ho­ly one of holy ones, came downe from Hea­uen, and sanctified the one by walking too and fro vpon it; & the other, by causing himselfe to be Baptized with it: He pu­rified the Ayre by suffe­ring in it; and the Fire by sending his holy Spirite in the likenesse of it. Man who was indeed that so­wer Leauen, which cor­rupted the whole lump, was to be cleansed from his impurity, not vvith the fat of Buls and goats, nor with the Ashes of [Page 79] an Heyfer,Heb. 9, 14. but with the precious bloud of that immaculate and spotles Lambe, who thorough the eternall Spirite offe­red himself without blot or blemish to the Lord, that he might purge the Conscience from dead workes, and make it fit to serue the liuing God. As the Childe of obedi­ence therefore I will no longer fashion my selfe to the former lusts of an vnbrideled Affection;1. Pet. 1.13. I will bee sober, and relye wholly on the grace which is brought vnto me by the reuelation of [Page 80] my blessed Sauiour. The Meditatiō of his wounds shal be the Iordan where­in I wil alwaies wash my loathsome, leaprous, and exulcerated Soule. I will endeauour, that as hee which hath called me, is holy, so may I likewise be holy in all manner of conuersation, that both of me, and of others hee may bee glorified in the day of the visitation.1. Pet. 2.12.

XXV.

PRofanenesse is the badge of basenes, but [Page 81] a religious and vpright heart is the ensigne of true gentry. Such as are the Children of Abraham will doe the works of A­braham. Iohn. 8.39. They will bring foorth nothing to dis­grace their birth, to pre­iudice their breeding.1 Ioh. 3, 10 Their Actions shal haue alwaies written in theyr fronts the liuely Chara­cters of their Progeni­tors. Others may boast of their descent, but they are no better then the spurious Issue of an He­roike Father.Gen: 16, 12. They are a wilde and sauage gene­ration: The Bond-Wo­man [Page 82] is their Mother. They haue nothing in them that is truely gene­rous:Gen. 21, 10 and shall therefore be cast out with Ishmael, from beeing partners of the promise with the lawful Heire. The father of Canaan for his impie­ty shall be made a Slaue; and the King of Babell for his pride shall become a Beast. The Wealth and and glory of the World, with those hydropicall and puffed vppe Titles, which are the foode and Fodder of Ambition. what are they else but i­maginary and fantastick [Page 83] graces, of slender sub­staunce, of short con­tinuaunce? The feare of the Lord is the height of Honour, and hee that is vertuous is only Noble. I wil labor alwaies ther­fore to doe righteously; & teach my hart the way of Gods Commaunde­ments.Actes 17.11 The Men of Berea were preferred by the holy Ghost before those of Thessalonica, because they searched the Scrip­tures with more dili­gence, and receiued the word which was taught them with morewilling­nesse. I will doe as they [Page 84] did, and obtain the same stile which they had. I will delight in the Sta­tutes of my God, & with his precepts will I solace my Soule.

XXVI.

THE Lord is a good God, slow to anger, and of great kindnesse. Hee desireth not the o­uerthrowe of a Sinner; (Why will ye dye, saith he, O House of Israell? Eze. 33, 11) But rather that he should re­turne from his wicked waies and liue. Though [Page 85] in the heate of his wrath and indignation, he pro­nounce the fearefull sen­tence of Death against him; yet notwithstand­ing, if he fal from his for­mer courses, and subiect himselfe vnto his ordi­naunce, hee will reuerse his iudgements, hee will annihilate his doombe. Hee knoweth of what Moule we be made; hee remembreth that we are but Dust;Psal. 103, 14 that our daies are but Grasse; and that as the flower of the field, so flourish we. He excu­seth our manifold trans­gressions vpon our weaknesse, [Page 86] that hee may not punish them as procee­ding from wilfulnesse. I know (saith he) ye did it of ignoraunce. Actes 2, 17 There is in his bosome a louing and kinde affection to­wardes vs. Hee pleadeth our cause himselfe; and seeketh to remooue the guilt, that hee may spare the guilty. He forgetteth the place of a Iudge, to performe the part of a father. He inuiteth them that are thirsty to the Fountaines of liuing Water; and willeth such such as are heauy laden to come vnto him, that [Page 87] he may ease them; And when thorough vile and obstinate contempt of this his kindnesse, they fall into a bottomlesse & immeasurable Gulfe of miserie, his hart is ouer­come with pittie and cō ­passion, and out of the commiseration which he hath of the wretchednes of their estate, he cryeth out by the mouth of his holy Prophet; Oh! That thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements, Esay 48.18 Iere. 48.31 then had thy prosperitie beene as the Floud, and thy righteous­nesse as the Waues of the Sea. Hee is in all thinges [Page 88] GOD omnipotent; yet there are three thinges which lye without the compasse of his power: He cannot deny his par­don to him that seeketh with inward sorrow and deiection for it, nor with draw his grace from him that is vnwilling to part with it.Cadant a­mici, dum­modo inimi­ci interci­dant. Farewell Friendes so Foes may perrish, is no principle in his Politiks, no precept of his pro­pounding; Hee cannot punish the wicked, where there is danger of offen­ding the godly, hereup­on, when hee intended the ruine and subuersi­on [Page 89] of Sodome and Gomor­rah: Gen. 19, 22. Hast thee (said he to Lot) from hence and saue thy selfe, for I can doe no­thing til thou be gone. And in the Gospell, he would not suffer the Seruants of the houshold to pluck vp the Tares, for feare they should offende the Wheate, Mathew 13, 29. Hence-forward therfore I will forsake my wicked wayes;Psal. 123, 2. I will abandon mine own imaginations, and with speede returne vnto the Lorde. As the eyes of a Seruant looke vnto the handes of his Maister: or the eyes of a [Page 90] Maide to the handes of her Mistris, euen so shal mine without ceasing or interruption waite vpon my GOD, till hee doe crowne me with mercy, till he receiue mee to his glory.

XXVIII.

THe Maiesty of christ is wondrous great; his Empire is exceeding large. There is nothing in all this spacious Vni­uerse which lyeth not within the compasse of his iurisdiction. The hea­uens [Page 91] are his by birth, as he is the onely Sonne of his Father, begotten be­fore all Worldes; And heere are those selected troopes of Saintes and Martyrs, those trium­phall Conquerors, that haue giuen the ouer­throwe to Sinne and Sa­than, and doe now waite vppon the Throne of the Lambe, hauing their bo­dies clothed with white aray, and their Temples crowned with wreathes of victory. The Earth is his by donation. I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritaunce, Psalm. 2, 8. and the [Page 92] endes of the World for th [...] possessions; and here had he planted those renow­ned Colonies of Warlike Combattants,1. Thes. 5, 8 Ephe. 6, 14. that haue their loynes continually girded about with Veri­ty, and vpon their head the Helmet of Saluation; that holde the Shielde of Faith in one hand, the Sword of the Spirit in the other, and are ready at the least alarum to rescue both their owne honour and their Maisters from the fierce inuasions and assaults of the aduersary. The lower partes are his by Conquest.Colos. 2, 15. Hee hath [Page 93] spoyled the principalities, and powers; hee hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the Crosse: And heere is as it were the Gaole, which himselfe appoin­ted & prepared for those faint and crauen Spirits, that make a glorious flo­rish in the time of peace, but abandon their Cap­taine, and forsake his co­lours in the day of tryall, yeelding thēselues basely before the conflict priso­ners of Temptation. Le­gions to Angels are at his command. The winds are obediēt to his voice, [Page 94] and the Waues are [...] at his rebuke. God him­selfe hath mightily exal­ted him, and proclaimed by the sound of his trum­pet: That at the Name o [...] Iesus euery knee shold bo [...], Ph l. 2.10. both of thinges in Heauen, and thinges in Earth, an [...] thinges vnder the Earth and That euery toong shal [...] confesse him to bee the Lor [...] vnto the glory of the F [...] ther. Yet there are some that out of the p [...]ofanenesse of their minds, an [...] hardnesse of their he [...] deny his power, and w [...] at no hands acknowled [...] him for their Superiour, [Page 95] They cry out with the Iewes,Ioh. 19.15. We haue no K. but Caesar: But these are reser­ued for the black of dark­nes, and shall for euer be disabled from being fel­low-heirs with him in his euerlasting Kingdom. I wil alwaies therefore do homage to him as my Lorde; I will take heede how I fall from so great a GOD; I wil fight as I ought to do, that I may be crowned when I haue doone: Hee that is the righteous Iudge shall re­ward mee at the latter day, and not mee onely, but likewise all those [Page 96] that loue his appearing▪

XXVIII.

THere is no fellow­ship between light and darknesse; 2. Cor. 6, 15 be­tweene Christ, 1. Sam. 5, 4 and Belial. The Arke, & Dagon can­not lodge vnder one roofe. The Rod of Aaron will deuour those of the Soothsaiers and Inchan­ters; and the Walles of Iericho fall downe,Iosh. 6, 20. before the Tabernacle of the Lord. Hee that will fol­low GOD, and retaine him, must haue no de­pendency [Page 97] at all on wic­ked Mammon. Psal. 104, 5 The Holy-one of Israell is exceeding great. It is he that set the Earth on her Foundati­ons, and couered it with the deepe as with a Gar­ment. He will not brook a partner in his Dignity, nor yet resigne his glory to a third. Mans heart is that which he demands; and he will haue it all, or none. He that thinkes to shift him of with parte, may peraduenture perish in his owne Hypocrisie,Actes 5, 5. as Ananias and Sapphi [...]a did. I will not therefore put newe Wine into anMath 9.16 [Page 98] old Vessel, nor piece out an olde Garment with new Cloath; I will cast away all the woorkes of darknesse,Rom. 13.12 and put on the compleat armor of light, I will worship the Lord my God, and him onely will I serue.

XXIX.

THe Sunshine of the wicked lasteth but a while:Iob. 20.6. It is quick­ly ouercast; and the ioy of Hypocrites doth vanish in a moment: though his excellency mount vp to [Page 99] Heauen, and his head do reach vnto the Cloudes, yet shall he perish fore­uer like his Dung, and they which haue seene him shall say, Where is he? The worldly pleasures whereon he feedes with such a rauening and vn­satiable Appetite, shall fr [...]t asunder his entrails. His meate shall turne within his Bowels into the Gall of Aspes; and howe sweete soeuer it seeme in his mouth, it shall bee most vnsauorie in his Maw. Nor shal his State and condition bee so wretched in this [Page 100] World, but it shall bee more in the Worlde to come. Such feare and horrour shall hedge him in on euery side in that dreadful day, that he shal not know which way to runne, nor whether to retire.Reuel. 1, 16 Aboue him shall hee see an angry Iudge, out of whose mouth cō ­meth a sharp two-edged Sword;Ibid. 6, 16. and well may he then entreate the Moun­taines to fal downe vpon him, and the Hils to co­uer him from the pre­sence of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, [Page 101] but it shall little auayle him. At his right hand hee shall discouer the hi­deous & distorted brood of his transgressions, which challenge him for their patron, and will by no meanes be induced to forsake him. At his left, will stand the Deuill his Accuser, who then vn­folds his Ephemerides, & leaues not the least of all his sinfull actions vnato­miz'd. Hee quotes them like a cunning Register, with euery particular cir­cumstance, both of time and place. Hee bringeth forth to his reproach & [Page 102] disaduantage those fil­thy and polluted Gar­ments in which he took him, and as Iosephs Bre­theren to their Father, so saith he vnto the lord. Behold, this haue I found, see now whether it bee the Coate of any of thy Sonnes, Gen: 37, 32 or no. If he turne back his eyes into himself, he shal meete there with the Worme of Conscience, Esay 66.24 that doth neuer dye; If he re­flect them on the World; he shall perceiue it to be nothing round about him but a burning flame. If hee cast them downe­wardes he shall there de­scry [Page 103] to his perpetual ter­rour and affrightment, that vnquenchable Lake of Fire and Brimstone, which is prepared for him; The plentiful years are past; the yeares of dearth and scarsitie are come, and nowe not so much as one drop of wa­ter shall euer be granted him,Luke 16.24 to quallifie the heat of his inflamed tongue. The Moth-eaten. Robe shall exclaim against the proud, and the cankered Gold against the Coue­tous: The stone shall cry out of the walagainst the Vsurer,Iames 5.3. Hab. 2.11, that buildes his [Page 104] nest vppon the ruines of the oppressed, and the Beame out of the Tim­ber shall answere it. The whole world and what­soeuer is therein contai­ned, shall stand vppe in iudgement, and witnesse against the Reprobate. Then shal they confesse, that it had beene better that they had neuer been borne, or that a Milstone beeing tyed about theyr Necke, they had been ta­ken from out their Cra­dle, and cast into the sea. While I haue time ther­fore,Mat. 18.6. I wil wash my hart from all vncleannesse, I [Page 105] will take my leaue of all iniquity, and bid farewel for euer to al profanesse and impiety.1. Tim. 4.7. I will alto­gether exercise my selfe to godlines, which hath annexed vnto it the pro­mise of the life present, and of that that is to come.Psal. 71, 14. The Lorde is my helper and deliuerer in the time of trouble, he is my Rocke, and my de­fence, I will continually waite vpon him, and wil praise him more & more. My mouth shall rehearse his righteousnesse, and my tongue shall speak of his saluation.

XXX.

IT is not good for a mā to bee confident in his owne strength: It is a broken staffe and wil de­ceiue his trust. Hee that is in heart a Christian, must worke out his sal­uation with feare and trembling.Mat. 26.35 Who before hand so bold in vaunts & protestations to followe Christ as Peter, and yet alasse!Iohn. 11.16 who at the point more timorous? Who so ready to dye with him [Page 107] as Thomas, yet in the end who more incredulous? Vnlesse hee might see in his handes the printes of the Nailes,Ioh. 20, 25. he would not beleeue his resurrection. Let him that standeth, therefore looke well vn­to his footing that he do not fall. Let him not think vpō Security while hee is heere; It is not a Creature of this world. The Angels are not sure of it in Heauen; There Lucifer did fall euen in the presence of the God­head. Poore Adam found by woefull experience, that it was not amongst [Page 108] the Trees of Eden, for there fell hee from that estate of blessednesse in which hee was created; Much lesse ought we to hope for it in this Vale of misery,1. Pet. 5.8. where our ad­uersary like a roaring Li­on walketh about, and seeketh whom hee may deuoure. I will alwaies therefore stand vpon my guard,Mat. 26.41 I will continually keepe Centinel ouer my heart, and without cea­sing wil I pray, that I en­ter not into Tentation. The GOD of Abraham; the Shielde of Isaac; and the strength of Iacob shal [Page 109] protect me. The watch­man of Israell, that ney­ther sleepeth nor slum­bereth, shall stil preserue mee as the Apple of his Eye.

XXXI.

HEE that walketh in the Sunne, shall bee tanned; and he that med­leth with Pitch, shall bee defiled. A Man can hard­ly conuerse with such as are infected, and yet rest free from all contagion. Ioseph was but a while in [Page 110] Aegypt, Exod. 34, 5 when he learned to sweare by the life of Pharaoh. And hence it was, that the Children of Israell were commaun­ded by the Lord, to make no Couenant with the Inhabitantes of Canaan, nor to take their Daugh­ters eyther for thēselues, or for their Sonnes, least when they went a who­ring after their Goddes, and did sacrifice vnto thē, they likewise might bee induced by them to do the like.Iudg. 16, 18 But notwith­standing the strictnesse of this Mandate, Samp­son would haue his Dali­lah; [Page 211] and shee indeede did dally with him, till shee had destroied him. Dauid would entertain a league of amity with Hanun for the courtesies he had re­ceiued from his Father Nahash, 2 Sam. 10.4 but the euent of it was this: His kind­nesse was suspected, his Messengers disgraced. There were not women enow in Israell for King Salomon, 1 King 11.1. but he must take vnto him the Daughter of Pharaoh: and he must haue with him them of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zi­don & Heth. 1 Kings 11.11. But the lord grewe angry with him [Page 112] for it. Hee rent his King­dome from him, & gaue it to his Seruaunt. For these had weaned him from God vnto Idolatry, and had enticed him to builde high places vnto Chemosh, Gen. 24, 3. & vnto Molech. The holy Patriarks were more obedient: Abra­ham would none of them for Isaac; Ibid. 27.2. Isaac woulde none of them for Iacob; nor Iacob for himselfe: Hee went according to his Fathers wil to Padan-Aram, to the House of Bethuel for a wife, when wicked Esau, of purpose as it were to spite both [Page 113] God & his Parents, did go to Ishmael, and tooke vnto the wiues he had al­ready, of the same stocke Mahalath, his Daughter; but for this his disobedi­ence, the promise vvas confirmed vnto his Bro­ther, and he himselfe was made a Seruaunt vnto him. Though I soiourne therefore here on earth, my conuersation shall be in Heauen, frō whence I looke for my Redeemer, the Lorde Iesus Christ,Ph [...]l. 3.20. who shall chaunge my vile body, and fashion it in glory like vnto his owne, according to the [Page 114] working, whereby he is able, euen to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe Let the Daughters of men bee neuer so faire,Gen. 6.2. I will auoyd their compa­ny. I knowe the World had net beene drowned, if the Sonnes of GOD would haue forborne them. Our heauenly lea­der is exceeding iealous, If he see vs familiar with his Enemies, hee mis­doubtes our hearts, and thinkes that eyther wee are already of the party, or may in time bee easily made so. The destructio [...] of Ahaziah, the Son o [...] [Page 115] Iehoram King of Iudah, came of God, in that he went downe to see Ieho­ram the Sonne of Ahab, who lay diseased at Iz­reel. 2. Cron. 22. If mine eie do there­fore cause me to offend, I will pluck it out; if my hand, I will cut it off, and cast it from me.Math. 18, 6. Better it is that I should want a member, then my whole body should be cast into Hell. There is not any one, eyther in bloud or otherwise, so neere vnto mee, but if hee fall from God, I will fal from him. Our Sauior Christ hath taught me, both by pre­cept [Page 116] and example, that I shold acknowledge non [...] for my Brother, my Si­ster, or my Mother, bu [...] such as do the will of my Father,Mat. 12, 50. which is in Hea­uen.

XXXII.

MY Sonne, saith Salo­mon, Prou. 3, 11. despise not the chastening of the Lorde, nor faint with griefe at his rebuke. Hee correc­teth him whom hee lo­ueth best, euen as the pa­rent doth the Childe in which he delighteth [Page 117] most. Hee will see how patiently hee can endure his wrath, & with what constancy abide the smarting of his rod. For there are some that are onely followers of his Table, and not of him; let neuer so little euill come vpon them, they will present­ly put in practise the counsell of that foolish Woman, and like vnnatu­rall and disobedient chil­dren,Iob. 2, 9. Blaspheme the name of God, and dye. Let not the Shuhite then vpbraid the afflicted Iob, Ibid. 3.8. nor al­leage his punnishment as an argument of his [Page 118] vnrighteousnesse. Those eighteen persons who [...] the fall of the Towers Siloam slew, were not a­ssuredly greater Sinnes thē all the rest that dwel in Hierusalem. Luke 13.2. Let no [...] him therefore, that hat [...] not so much as tasted the bitternesse of his indig­nation, say in his vants▪ My holinesse hath pre­serued me. For howsoeuer he cōceiteth of him­selfe, surely the Lord accounts him but a bastard and cares not (it shoul [...] seem) what doth beco [...] of him;Heb. 12, 8. Did he esteem him as a Sonne, he shol [...] [Page 119] not want his portion; Hee would looke more neerely to his bringing vp. With all humilitie therefore and lowlinesse of heart, I will submit my vnderstanding and my will, with all the po­wers and faculties of my Soule to the sharpnesse of his Censure. The Fa­thers of our bodies cor­rected vs, and wee gaue them reuerence, howe much the rather should we subiect our selues to the Father of Spirites, that wee may liue. They verily for a fewe daies chastened vs after theyr [Page 120] owne pleasure; but tha [...] which he doth, is for ou [...] profit, that we may for euer bee partakers of his holinesse. The Flesh w [...] thinke it peraduenture grieuous for the present, but the Spirite will re­ioyce in the quiet fruite of righteousnesse, which afterwardes it bringeth vnto them, that are ex­ercised thereby. It is a bit wherewith he Curbs the head-strongnesse o [...] our affections; and a bri­die, wherewith he reines them vp, from running head-long with vs into euerlasting damnation. [Page 121] Shall Dauid in the meek­nesse of his minde,Psal. 141, 5 ac­count the smiting of the righteous as a benefite; and his reproofes a pre­tious Oyle, that shall not break his head? And shall I thinke hardly of the Rodde of the Lord? No, no: Let him beate mee, let him bruise mee, let him hewe me, let him hacke mee heere in this World, so he saue me in the World to come. Let him strike me heere with the Hasel-wand, so he cast me not there into the boyling Cauldron. Hee maketh the wound and [Page 122] bindeth it vp;Iob. 5.18. he smiteth and his handes make whole.

XXXIII.

THIS World was once a Garden, which abounded with delightes, but Man which was the Gardiner of it, neglecting both himselfe and it, suffered the Plants thereof to ry­ot, and the fruites there­of to be choaked vp with weeds, so that now alas! It produceth nothing which is either pure or [Page 123] perfect. The Comforts of it are defectiue; and the ioyes thereof are not without their mixture. There is no Wheate in it without Darnell; no Siluer in it without drosse. Euery Rose ther­in hath his Thorne; and euery conueniency his discommodity. Health and Sicknesse are neere Neighbors; Pleasure & Paine, thinges differing in Nature, if they be not confounded in it, they are surely coupled: Mirth and Melancholy heere, if we marke them well, re­semble one the other ve­ry [Page 120] [...] [Page 121] [...] [Page 122] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page 124] neerely; The same folds and motions of the countenance that serue for weeping, do likewise serue for laughter, and indeede the extreame of this dooth continually mixe it selfe with teares. Vertue and Vice are vt­ter opposites, yet stand they alwaies in each o­thers view, and there is nothing to bee found so absolute heere belowe, but howsoeuer it haue the constitution of that, it will some way showe the complexion of this; If it be faire as Rachell, Gen. 29, 17 it will bee tender-eyed as [Page 125] Leah; If it haue the voice of Iacob, Ibid. 27, 22. it will haue the handes of Esau: Some­thing is alwayes absent from the full perfection. The Lord of Hoasts de­liuered the Children of Israell by a strong and mighty hand from the slauery of the Aegyptians, Exod. 15, 25 but yet hee forced them to drinke the Waters of Marah; In the Desert of Zin they wanted foode, and hee supplyed them with the Bread of An­gels; hee fed them with Quailes from his owne Table; yet at Rephidim, Ibid. 16, 1.13. both they, their Childrē, [Page 126] and their Cattle were well-nigh killed with thirst; and howsoeuer the Rock in Horeb did af­terwardes affoord them drinke,Ibid. 17.1. yet still was there somewhat to dash the fulnesse of their content­ment.Ibid. 12.8. He would not suf­fer thē to eate the Passe­ouer but with sower Hearbes; In a word, it was not at the birth of Isaac, Gen. 21, 8. but at his weaning, that Abraham made a Feast, to signify vnto vs, that while wee sucke the breasts of the church our Mother, our ioy is but in part, and cannot bee ac­complished [Page 127] till the time of our admission to the Table of our heauenly Father. God hath in his hand three cups, the one is full of pure Wine,Psal. 75, 9. whereof the Saints that are already glorified do onely tast; the other is full of nothing else but Dregs; a draught reser­ued onely for the dam­ned; the third is ming­led, and is for vs that so­iourne heere in Houses of Clay, the weaknesse of whose condition is such, as nothing in his owne simplicity, and na­tiue purenesse can fall [Page 128] within the cōpasse of our vse. The elements which wee enioy are altered and disguised. The Gold of Ophir, must of necessi­ty be empaired with som baser stuffe, to fit it for our turne.Heb. 5, 12. Vertue it selfe vnlesse it bee compoun­ded, is beyonde our strength. As long as we liue in the Flesh, we haue neede of Milke, and not of strong meate. Let vs take our selues euen at the best, and alasse! what are we more then brittle Earth, then frailty it self. Our sight cannot endure the brightnesse of Gods [Page 129] Maiesty, no not by refle­ction.Exo. 34, 33 Moses must put a vaile vpon his face, when he commeth down from Mount Sinai, or the glo­ry of his countenaunce will daunt the eye of the Beholder. I will followe therefore after loue, and couet spirituall guiftes;1. Cor. 13, 12. I will attend with pati­ence the cōming of that which is perfect. I see now but darkly through a Glasse, but then shall I see face to face; I knowe now but in part, but thē shall I knowe, euen as I am knowne.

XXXIIII.

THE Eyes of a Chri­stian soule, are Faith and Charity. If the right Eye be out, the left Eye serues but for little vse. For without faith, good workes are not auailea­ble.Heb. 11, 6. This alone is the ground of all thinges, which are hoped for, and the euidence of thinges that are not seene; and without this it is impos­sible to please the Lord. The Deuill, when hee fighteth with vs, neuer [Page 131] aymeth but at this. Hee knoweth, if once hee hit it, wee must needes giue ouer. Nahash the Ammonite will haue this,1. King 11.2. or he will make no coue­nant with thē of Iabesh Gi­lead; but let him knowe that grauntes it him, hee disableth himselfe for e­uer from making Warre but to his owne excee­ding disaduātage against his Aduersary. For either hee must fight vnarmed for his owne defence, or he shall neither see how to put by the blowes of his Antagonist, nor how to follow his owne. The [Page 132] Eye of Faith is out, and that of Workes is shad­dowed with his Shielde. I will alwaies therefore haue a care that my Bea­uer be strong enough on that side, to rebound his fiery Dartes vppon him­selfe, or at the least, to quench them vtterly as fast as they come. If I perceiue it to waxe dull and dimme through the fiercenesse of his en­counter, I will hast mee to the Lorde, and buy of him a Salue to annoint it with,Reuel. 3, 18 that I may see: hee alone is my Phisitian, & he alone shal cleare it by [Page 133] that enlightning power of his holy Spirite, by which hee openeth the Eies of them that sit in darknesse, and in the sha­dow of Death. Then shal I bee able with blessed Stephen, Actes 7, 55. euen in the heat and fury of the skirmish, to behold through al the heauens the glory of the Lorde, for which I doe contend, and my Redee­mer Iesus standing at his right hand, ready to suc­cour me if need require; and then with an vn­daunted courage will I abide the fight, and die vpon the place, ere I giue [Page 134] ground in any fainting manner to the raging of his might. Christ is my second, who I know wil witnesse my valour, and reuenge my quarrell. Why should I feare the powers and principali­ties of Hel? When God is with vs, who shal stand against vs?

XXXV.

BEhold (saith the Pro­phet) the day com­meth rhat shall flame like an Ouen,Mal. 4.1. and they that [Page 135] sweare by the sinne of Samaria, and say;Amos 8.14 Thy God O Dan liueth, and the manner of Beer-She­ba liueth; yea the proud, with all such as doe wic­kedly shall bee Stubble; the day that commeth shall cleane consume them; it shal leaue them neither root nor branch. The Lorde will hast him from Teman, Hab. 3.3: and the ho­ly one from Mount Pa­ran: His Maiesty shall couer the Heauens, and the Earth shall be full of his glorie: Consuming fire shall march before him, and burning coales [Page 136] shall cōpasse him about. Hee will summon all the Nations of the Earth to make their appearaunce before his Tribunall seat and giue to euery one ac­cording to what he hath don,1. Pet. 4.17 whether it be good or euill. To put the wic­ked out of al comfort, he will begin his iudgments in his owne house, and call euen the righteous according to that of Iob, vnto a strict account of euery idle word. Thou writest bitter thinges (saith he) against me, Iob. 13, 26. and makest mee possesse the iniquity of my youth; Thou puttest my [Page 137] feete into the Stockes, and lookest narrowly vnto my pathes: The printes thereof are in the heeles of my feet. Now if the Caedar of Le­banon be shakē thus,Luke 23.31 what shal becom of the bram­ble in the Wildernesse? If this bee doone to the greene Spring, what is remaining for the dry Stumpe? If the iust man be so hardly saued, wher is the hope of the vngod­ly? I will high me there­fore to the lord my God, with al the speede I can: I will not deferre my go­ing to him by repentance till the seting of the Sun;Ibid. 24.25. [Page 138] O fooles, and slow of heart, saith he to such, and will not stay with them but with great constraint. Nor will I put it of vntill the euening,Ibid. 24, 37. least hauing found him I should bee doubtfull, and think I see a Spirit when I looke on him. No, no, I will rise betimes with Mary Mag­dalen, Math. 28.1. and with the Mo­ther of Iames, will I seek for Iesus of Nazareth be­fore the dawning of the day:Prou. 8, 17. Hee loueth those that loue him; and they that seeke him early shal sind him.

XXXVI.

GOD is no respecter of persons.Ephe. 6, 9. Iohn. 4.47. The Ru­ler entreated him to come vnto his Sonne, & he would not:Luke 7.2. The Cen­turion did but sende vnto him for his Seruant, and immediatly hee went. It is not the beauty of out­ward obiectes that at­tractes his Eye, nor the quality of ambitious Ti­tles that stirres vp his re­spect. When he past thorough Iericho, Ibid. 17, 5. there were many that came [Page 140] foorth to see him, mo [...] specious to the viewe of weaker sence, & of hig [...] ­er place and ranke in the Cittie then Zacheus was yet he alone was grace by him aboue the re [...].Ibid. 7.25. The Baptist was not cl [...] ­thed in soft rayment,Math. 3.4. no [...] fed with delicates. H [...] meat was Locustes with wilde Hony, and his ga [...] ment of Camels Hayre yet did hee make him greater then a Prophet Peter was not arrayed it Purple,Ibid. 16.18. nor did hee liue deliciously in Courtes of Kinges, and yet he made him Prince of his Apo­stles. [Page 141] So the body bee sound, hee cares not for the bark. If the liuing be good, let the outside bee as ragged as it will. I wil not therefore greatly eie my present condition: Though I bee rich, I will not presume vppon my wealth; though I be poore, I wil not despaire for my want. He that cal­led vnto the Fisher-men that were in their Ship,Mat. 4.21. mending their Nets, not minding him, and sayde vnto them; Come followe me: will out of question giue kind and courteous entertainment vnto him, [Page 142] who out of loue, and of his owne accord, do [...] humbly sue vnto him f [...] his Liuery. Againe I know, that Diues was [...] torments,Luke 16, 23 when Laz [...]r [...] was in Abrahams boson

XXXVII.

Esay 21.28 IVstice is a worke when with the Lord is scare acquainted; It is a stra [...] ger, and an alien to him he knowes not how, no which way to begin i [...] In Sodom there was no [...] righteous, but only [...]a [Page 143] or he would neuer haue wasted it with fire; none in the whole world, saue onely Noah, or he would neuer haue destroyed it with the floud. Till the Tree bee past hope, hee applyeth not his Axe. No, nor then but with much vnwillingnesse and great commiseration. He looketh at Hierusalem, Luke 19.41 & weepes to thinke on the destruction that shoulde come vpon it. He houles for Moab, he cries out for it; his heart doth mourn for them of Kirhareseth; Iere. 40.31. He weepeth for the vine of Sibmah, as he wept for [Page 144] Iazer; he watereth Hes [...] bon with his teares,Esay 16.9. are Elaleh is drunke with th [...] showers of his cōplain, because of the destroye which is to fall vppo [...] their Summer fruites, & vpon their Vintage. H [...] wrath and indignatio [...] hath many Motiues t [...] incite it;Iob. 64 6. but his mercy none. For all our righte­ousnesse is as a filthy Cloute; wee fade like a leafe, and our iniquities like the windes doe carry vs away; yet notwith­standing he lookes down vpon vs from the throne of his heauenly grace [Page 145] with the eye of Pitty & compassion; he remem­bers that wee are the workemanshippe of his handes, and in the ende, out of the zeale of his af­fection towardes vs, he crieth out;Ose, 13.9. Thy iniquities O Israell, haue destroyed thee; but thy help is in me. He doth not onely tole­rate our imperfections, but oftentims he dissem­bleth the knowledge hee hath of them; he turneth away his face, and will not see the sinne because he would not punish the Sinner. There is no daie wherein to fauour the [Page 146] transgressour hee doth not breake the Tables of the Law. Our GOD is a iealous God;Exod. 20, 5. he visiteth the sinnes of the Father, vpon the Children vnto the third and fourth ge­neration of them that hate him; but sheweth mercy vnto thousands of them that loue him, and keepe his Commaunde­ments. The Kingly Pro­phet therefore speaking of them both, saieth of the one; Thy mercy, ó Lorde, Psal. 103, 11 is in the Heauens; and of the other; Thy Iu­stice, ô God, is like the hils, to signifie vnto vs, that [Page 147] his mercy doth as much exceed his iustice; as the high Heauens doe sur­mount the Hils. The ho­ly one is milde and ful of gentlenesse; free from anger, and of long pa­tience.Esay 27.4. Wee haue seene the Lord, said the Disciples, but Thomas beleeues thē not; yet Christ forbea­reth to reproue him, and commeth not till eyght dayes after to rebuke his incredulity, and euen then, the vttermost of his wrath, is onely this: Put thy Fingers into my woundes, Ioh. 20.26. and thy hand into my side, and bee no longer [Page 148] faithlesse. When sinfull Adam after his fall, had stoln as he imagined out of the sight of his Crea­tor, idly conceiting per­aduenture, that himselfe being hid, his fault wold not bee seene,Gen. 3, 8. God came not to correct him with a furious and hasty pace; he did but walk, and that against the winde, desi­rous (as it were) to bee detained in his procee­dinges by that gentle blast: He walked against the wind saith the Text, not in the Morning, nor at Noone-day, but to­wardes the Euening, at [Page 149] the very setting of the Sunne; so slow, so slack, & so remisse is this deare Father of ours in the ex­ecution of his iudge­ments. Hee dealt other­wise with the Prodigall; hee sawe him no sooner comming, but his heart was ouer-ioyed, hee ran vnto him, and hauing en­tertained him with kisses and kind embracements, hee calleth vnto his Ser­uants: Goe quickly, bring me forth for him the purest Robe, Luke 15.22 kill me instantly the fattest Calfe, that wee may eate it, and bee merry, my Son was dead, and is aliue [Page 150] againe, lost he was, but he [...] is found. Eze. 36, 25 So that his fa­uours are powred ou [...] vpon vs with some vio­lence, but his chastice­mentes and his correcti­ons are distilled drop b [...] drop.Cant. 5, 5. My hart (saith he) shall not drop down vp­on Ierusalem by the hand of Shishak. 2. Cron. 12.7. He is patient, & wold haue no man pe­rish, but willingly draw all men to repentaunce. I will not therefore de­spise the riches of his bounty,Rom. 2.4. and long suffe­rance; he seekes to leade mee by it to saluation, nor as one that is con­tentions, [Page 151] will I disobey the truth, and obey vn­righteousnesse; but I wil labour by continuance in well doing for honour, glory, and eternall life. I looke for new Heauens, and a new Earth accor­ding to his promise,Esay 65, 17. and will be therfore diligent, that I may bee found of him in peace, without spot, and blamelesse.2. Pet. 3.11.

XXXVIII.

PRayer is the Mindes Ambassador to God. [Page 152] It is the onely Agent for the Soule; but if it haue not Faith and Humility for Assistants, it will ne­uer bee admitted to his presence. The one is so much interested in him, That whatsoeuer we de­sire when we pray,Mar. 11.24 let vs beleeue that wee shall haue it, and it shall bee done vnto vs. The Wo­man that had so long bin tro [...]bled with the fluxe, did but touch the Hem of his Garment, & with­our further entreatie, he turned him about, and said vnto her: Daughter, be of good comfort, Math. 9.22. thy faith [Page 153] hath made thee whole. His graces are proportioned by this.Math. 9, 28. According to your Faith, be it vnto you: said he vnto the blinde, that came and besought him for their sight: And to the Captaine:Math. 8, 13. As thou hast beleeued, bee it vnto thee. The other is of that excellency, might, and power, that it maketh way for our Requestes, e­uen thorough the regi­ons of the Ayre, & com­mands their passage tho­row the thickest clouds. It vshereth them into the Priuy Chamber of his imperiall Maiesty, & [Page 154] obtaines both hearing and dispatch for them without stop or stay. The Prayer of the Centurion, sent forth in the behalfe of his diseased Seruaunt, was well accompanyed with both. I haue not found (saith our Sauiour of the first) such faith, Luke 7.9. no not in Israell; and for the last, it was not to be pa­rallelled: I am vnworthy, (said hee, ô humblenesse of mind) that thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe: and by so saying, hee shewed himselfe worthy, not in­to whose house, but into whose heart the Lorde [Page 155] might enter. By making himself vnworthy (saith S. Chrisostome) to receiue Christ into his Gates, he was made worthy to bee receiued of Christ into his Kingdome. But be­side these, it had with it the encouragement of Charity, that with the more assurednesse & bet­ter confidence it might appeare before him. To pray for our selues, pro­ceedes from Nature, but to pray for others is the worke of Grace: Neces­sity enforceth vs to that; but brotherly loue ex­horteth vs to this; And [Page 156] it is indeede a far sweeter sauour in the Nostrils of the Lord, thē that which ariseth from the sensitiue apprehensiō of our own misery: I aduise you there­fore (saith Saint Paule to Timothy) that first of all Supplications, 1. Tim. 2, 1. Prayers, In­tercessions, and Thankes­giuings be made for al men. The word which we pro­fesse, instructeth vs by precepts and examples, that the conseruation of duty to the publique, should bee much more vnto vs, then the conser­uation of eyther life or being, and that whatso­euer [Page 157] good is Cōmunica­tiue should be preferred before that, which is but priuate and particular.Rom. 9.3. S. Paule desired to bee ana­themized for his Brethe­ren; and Moses to bee ra­zed out of the Booke of life for the Children of Israell,Exo 32, 32. such was their zeale vnto the Church, and such their feeling of Communion. I wil con­tinually therfore labour to lift vp pure handes to Heauen without doub­ting.Luk. 18.13 I will imitate the lowlinesse of the Publi­can; and in my bosome will I cherish his meane [Page 158] conceite. When I pray I will not stand in the Sy­nagogues, Math. 6, 6. nor kneele in the corners of the streets that I may bee seene of men; but I will enter in­to my Chamber, and ha­uing shut my doore, I wil cal vpon my heauen­ly Father. He seeth in se­cret, and shal reward me openly. In my Prayers I will bee mindfull of my afflicted Bretheren, that so the lord may be more mindfull of mee. God is exceedingly in loue with Charity;Cant. 1.1. the very name thereof to him is as an oyntment powred out. [Page 159] She is his onely darling; hee dooth kisse her with the Kisses of his mouth; when shee commeth to him, hee lodgeth her be­tweene his breastes, and neuer sendes her from him but with ladē hands. The G [...]oler washed Paul and Silas frō their stripes,Acts 16, 33 and by so doing, himselfe was washed from his sinnes.

XXXIX.

GOdlinesse is not a thing hereditarye, nor can true Piety be be­queathed [Page 160] by Legacie; an vpright heart requireth much manurance; and is not gotten but by great Husbandry.Esay 5.7. I had a Vine­ya [...]d (saith the Lord) in a most fruitefull Hill, what could bee done, which I did not to it? Yet in the ende it brought forth nothing but sower Grapes; in steade of iudgment, it gaue oppressi­on; in stead of righteousnes it affoorded crying. The Nettle growes, where the Rose was looked for, and out of the Egge a Chicken is expected, but beholde a Cockatrice. The stock is often good, [Page 161] but without continuall pruning, the Plantes de­generate. Out of the lodge of ADAM came murderous Caine; out of the Arke of Noah, impi­ous Cham; out of the House of reuerend Eli, Ophni, and Phinees the Sonnes of Belial; out of the Court of Dauid came trayterous Absalon; out of the Schoole of Iesus, perfideous Iudas; & out of the company of the Deacons, Nicholas the He­reticke. So that Vertues are not maintained by propagation; nor is a vertuous habite purcha­sed [Page 162] but with much sweat; It will cost vs the brea­thing, ere we can actual­ly possesse it as our own Free-hold. There is not an Elijah nowe to graunt so hard & difficult a suite at the redoubling of his Spirite;2. King 2.9 nor is there an Elisha residing heere, that is worthy to obtaine it. I will not therefore brag that I haue Abraham for my Father, but I will la­bour to doe the workes of Abraham; and when I glory,Iere. 9.24. I will glory in this alone, that I vnderstand & know the Lord to bee the only very God, who [Page 163] sheweth mercy, iudge­ment, and righteousnes in the Earth, and Iesus Christ, whom hee hath sent to be his onely Son,Luke 11.28 begot before all worlds, which who so doth, shal remaine for euer. For in­deede it is not the womb that bare him; nor the Paps that gaue him suck which are blessed; but rather they that hear the word of his Father and do thereafter. Little had it auailed the Virgin to haue conceiued him in hir Wombe, or Simeon to haue receiued him in his Armes, if by the Eye [Page 164] of Fayth, they had not both perceiued, that hee was sent from heauen to redeeme the world.

XL.

SAthan is a bolde In­truder. Hee resides not alwayes in the Graues, nor is hee still a­byding in the Desertes. You shall finde him som­times in the company of Gods electe and chosen Children: On a day, when they came and stood before the Lord, Iob. 1.6. he likewise came and stood among thē. Som­times [Page 165] among his Mini­sters; Iehoshua, Zacha. 3.1. the High Priest standes before the Angell, and loe, the De­ceiuer is at his right hand to resist him. Sometimes again with his Apostles; Haue I not chosen twelue, Iohn. 6.70. (saith Christ) and one of you is a deuil. He is a guest that will come without great bidding: the least cast of our eie doth serue him for an inuitation, & the slightest complemēt will embolden him to be insolent. If we make him our Companion, he will be presently our Master. If he get but a foot with­in [Page 166] our doores, hee will cast vs out, & like a mer­ciles disseisour put vs by our right; nor shall it ought auaile vs to plead our Title, when hee is in possession. I will bee al­waies therefore verye carefull how I suffer him to approch me. If I canot barre him my presence, I wil deny him my coun­tenance, and make him knowne by my lookes, that he shall not lodge in my heart.

XLI.

VNhallowed thoghts are the Scouts of Sa­than. He sildome suffers them to lye idle in theyr Tentes, but sendes them alwaies forth vppon dis­couery: Hee fashioneth his attempts by their ad­uertisements, and as hee vnderstandes their pas­sage, he restes assured of his own. Themselues de­light in pillage, and are therefore glad of theyr imployment. They leaue [Page 168] not a corner about the heart vnsearched, to find out an entrance. If the doores bee barred; they will assay to climbe the Walles, and get in at the Windowes. They doe with cunning mannage their Captaines busines, and husband the least oc­casions to his best aduan­tage. It falleth out some­times, that these strag­ling Aramites happen vp­on some little Maide o [...] the land of Israell, 2 Kings 5.2 to wit, some simple and vntuto­red Soule, that strayeth from the way of Truth, and is altogether desti­tute [Page 169] of that heauenlie Conuoy of spiritual gra­ces, which should pro­tect it from the craft and fury of the Aduersarie, and hauing suddainely surprized it, lead it away Captiue to their leprous Generall. Sometimes a­gaine these sons of Rem­mon, 2 Sam. 4, 6 these wicked Bero­thites, finding the minde vnfurnished of a Gaurd, and snoaring euen at Noone with honest Ish­bosheth in her owne secu­rity, doe enter stealingly vpon it, and in an instant cut the throat of it. I wil not therefore with the [Page 170] reprobate put far awaie the euill day, nor pro­mise safety to my selfe, where nothing can bee looked for but Death & Danger. Mans life is a continual Warfare. The Prince of darknesse is his Enemy, who if need re­quire, hath wherewith­al to piece out the Lyons skinne; and when he can­not preuaile by open battery, will neuer sticke to compasse his designes by hidden treacherie. I wil endeauour therefore alwaies,Mat. 24, 43 as much as in me lyeth, to bee well proui­ded for the comming of [Page 171] the Thiefe: Let it bee at what houre in the night he will, he shall finde me wakefull, if not watch­ing; neuer sleeping, though sometimes per­aduenture slumbring. I wil bruise the Serpent in the head, I will breake it in the shell. I wil not suf­fer a sinfull cogitation to come to perfect groth: It shal die in the concep­tion, and ere it neede the Cradle, possesse the Toombe. The Soule in cases criminall (saith, [...]si­dore) hath the preceden­cy of weaker flesh; I wil driue it therefore from [Page 172] thence, that this may no [...] offend.Cant. 2.15. I will striue to catch the Foxes, the litle Foxes that destroy the Vines. Blessed (I knowe assuredly) is hee,Psal. 137, 9. that ta­keth and dasheth these a­gainst the stones.

XLII.

THE life of the iust is a continual day. It is not troubled at any time with stormes, nor ouer­cast with Cloudes, bu [...] is altogether calme and cleare. The Morning o [...] [Page 173] it is, when Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse doth shine out vpon the heart of one regenerate, and by the influence of his beames doth scatter & dispierce those mistie vapours and exhalations of ignorance & stinking errour, which Sathan himselfe had belched forth to hinder the soule from finding out the way of truth: the noon ther­of is that hourely pro­gresse and ascent of spiri­tuall grace, which brings them to the Zenith of all true perfection. The way of the godly shineth as the [Page 174] light (saith Salomon) be­holde the Morne:Prou. 4, 18. It en­creaseth more and more vnto the perfect day, be­holde the Noone. After the iustification of wret­ched Sinners by the Law of Faith, there is a con­tinued augmentation & supply of guifts, where­by their mindes are by degrees made fitter for the knowledge and vn­derstanding of the loue of GOD, and by which afterwards they are enti­tuled Children of the light, and Children of the day. 1. Thes. 5.3 They are gone out of Aegypt, and dwell now in [Page 175] the Land of Goshen: they neede no Torch-light to direct their steps: there is a pillar of celestiall fire in their bosome, which like a Taper giueth light vnto their feete, and ma­keth them treade aright the paths of Gods com­maundements. But alas! With the wicked it is nothing so. Their waies are as the darknesse, nor do they know into what daungerous places they may fal.Iob. 5.14. They meet with blindnesse in the Morne, and grope at noone as in the night: they feele for the wall,Esay 59.10 as men that had [Page 178] no Eyes; and in the day their feet doe stumble as in the twilight. The grea­ter Luminaries to them are alwaies in Eclipse, & the lesser so obscured as help them little or not at all. I will study therefore continually, for holines, for purenesse, and sobri­ety. The night is past, the day is come,Rom. 13.12 and nowe will I cast away the workes of darknesse, and put on the Armour of light. I will cloath my selfe with the Lord Iesus Christ, & take no thoght at all to satisfie the lust­full desires of the Flesh.

XLIII.

THe true Souldiour of Christ is known by nothing better then this valour. He that is faint and of a fearefull Spirit, is but a false vsur­per of that name.Deut. 20.8. The Lord of hoasts will none of so soft an edge, of such an yeilding temper vnder his pay.Cant. 3, 8. Those of his band are strong and [...]aliant; they all handle the Sword, and are ex­pert in warre; euery one hath his Fauchion on his [Page] [Page 178] [...] [Page 179] [...] [Page 180] Thigh for the feare by night. They see the hea­uenly Hierusalem, for which they fight before them, and had rather die one foot forwards, then adde many years to their life by one foote of re­traite. They had rather faile in good and vertu­ous ends for the publike, then obtaine all that can be wished & desired for themselues in their own proper Fortune. The mouth of Wisdom hath taught them, that A good heart is a continuall Feast; Pro. 15.15. and that the Conscience of good intentions in [Page 179] themselues, let their suc­cesse be what it will, is a more continuall ioy to Nature, then all the po­liticke prouision a man can make, for still securi­ty and peaceable repose. Such as haue wedded their affections to theyr owne particular; or any way betrothed them to the things of this world, and are backwardes ey­ther for that, or other like respectes in the haz­zarding of their life and liuing, he vtterly cashie­reth. Gideon before hee doth encounter with the Midianites, Iudg. 7, 3. discardes the [Page 180] Cowards at Mount Gi­lead, & cleareth his camp of al such crackt and bro­ken courages as fall to pieces before the pre­sence of their enemy. So likewise Iudas Maccabeus, 1. Macca. 3.56. before he meete the for­ces of Antiochus at Em­maus, proclaimes a gene­rall discharge to euery pale and milky liuer tho­roughout his Army and with all willingnes doth license their departure. I will at no time therefore giue place to any timo­rous conceit, but fortifie my heart with such a set­led and vnshaken confi­dence, [Page 181] that Afflictio [...], come she neuer so hide­ously disguised, shall not appale me. The Lord Ie­sus is my Generall, and the hire of my valour a Crowne of immortall glory. Base were the re­solution, that would not wish to dye vnder the conduct of so braue a Prince, for the purchase of so great a price. Hee maketh himselfe my pre­cedent, and marketh out the way that I must march with the precious bloud, that gusheth out of his owne wounds. He calleth me after him, and [Page 182] I will surely follow. No Death, nor Hell, sha [...] driue me to a stand: I w [...] suffer with him in th conflict, that I may sha [...] with him in the Co [...] quest.

XLIIII.

TO murmure again God argueth a w [...] of Grace; and to re [...] Affliction, sheweth a [...] fect of heauenly conso [...] tion.Eccl. 10, 26 He that hath kno [...] ledge and is well instru [...] ted, will vndergoe [...] crosse with patience, a [...] [Page 183] neither stamp nor storm to see himselfe reformed. The Lord (he knoweth) when hee shootes his Darts, doth leauell high­er then at the downefall of a wretched Sinner; and that howsoeuer hee bruise him, it is not with a Rod of Iron;Psal. 2, 9. howsoe­uer he break him, it is not like a Potters vessell, but as the Gold-Smith doth his Plate, to melt and fa­shion it anewe. The Fast is as delightful to him as the Feast, and the Vigile as welcome as the Holy­day it selfe. Hee doth e­steeme no otherwise of [Page 184] this Worlde, then of an outward place,1. King. 6.7 in which the hard & stony mindes of such as God affecteth, must be hammered and polished by the hands of Aduersity and Tribulati­on, before they can bee fit to set in the Temple of that newe Hierusalem, which is erected by one of greater power and Maiesty then Salomon. But alasse! The heart of the foolish cannot con­ceiue of this. 'Tis like the Wheele of a Cart; the vaue thereof is not moi­stened with the Oyle of the Spirit,Eccles. 33, 6 and doth no­thing [Page 185] therefore, but creak vnder the burthen. It is a vessell, which in­deede is void of all good vertues and abilities: It runneth only on the lees, let God but strike it with his hand, and the sounde it giueth, will be the sig­nall of his emptinesse. In a word, it is an Earthen Pipkin, which wanting liquor in it,Wis. 1.11. is ready to cracke in pieces when it feeles the flame. I will beware therfore of mur­muring, which auaileth nothing. The eare of iea­lousie heareth all things, and the noise of him thatNum. 11, 1. [Page 186] muttereth and repineth shall not bee hid. The Children of Israell were consumed with the Fi [...] of the Lord,Ibid. 14, 30. for their vniust complaintes: He would suffer none of th [...] to enter into the Land of Promise, saue onel [...] Caleb the Son of Ieph [...] nah, and Ioshua the sonn [...] of Nun. Whatsoeue [...] therefore it shall plea [...] his will to lay vpon me my will shall not refu [...] to beare it. I cannot [...] conscience but suff [...] somewhat for his sa [...] that indured so much f [...] mine. Let him deal wit [...] [Page 187] me therefore as he think­eth good, I will hold my toong with the Prophet Dauid, and keepe silence, because it is his doing.

XLV.

VErtue is great in grace and estimatiō with the king of heauen: they that embrace it are his onely fauorites. Hee dooth affect them won­derfully, and vseth them at all times with great familiarity. Fiue hunde­reth sixty fiue yeares did [Page 188] Henoch walke with him vppon the earth,Gen. 5, 24. and so delighted him with the softnesse of his carriage, and the sweetnesse of his conuersation, that hee took him wholly to him­selfe, and of a Pensioner, made him one of his Chamber. Hee sent a Charret of Fire from a­boue, to fetch Elijah to him,2. Kin. 2.11 and appointed a Guard of glorious An­gels to attend it: hee did so long to enioy his company, that Death hee thought would bee to slow a Messenger to giue his desires a speedy satis­faction [Page 189] & contentment, and did therefore send a Whirlewinde foorth to hasten his arriuall: The Lord is exceeding tender ouer the godly: he will preserue his body as the Apple of his eye; he wil shield his soule from the power of the graue. The wickednesse of Man in former times was grown to such a height, and his minde so deepely rooted in all euill, that GOD grew sorry hee had euer made him, and was resol­ued to destroy both him and all thinges else from of the Earth; but when [Page 190] he thought vpō vpright Noah, great was the care he took for the safety & preseruation both of him and his. He doth impart his secrets to the iust,Esay 41, 8. and taketh the righteous for his bosome friendes. He would not hide from A­braham, that which hee meant to doe to Sodome and Gomo [...]ah. Gen. 18, 17. And when the Patriarke had begun to intercede for them, could but tenne persons haue been found vntain­ted with that foule cor­ruption, wherewith the inhabitants of those two places were so generally [Page 191] infected, he would haue spared them all at his en­treaty for their sakes a­lone: as hee did Zoar at poore Lots request:Gen. 19.21. so easily doth hee subscribe to the petitions and sup­plications of them that are sounde and pure in heart. Let who so listeth therefore ambitiously af­fect the countenance of worldly Greatnesse, I and my Thoughtes wil serue the Lord. One day with­in his Courtes is better then a thousande other where;Psal. 84.10. and I would soo­ner choose to be a door­keeper in the House of [Page 192] my God, then to dwell in the tabernacles of pro­faine Impiety.Hos. 14, 7. They tha [...] rest vnder his shaddowe shall reuiue as the Corn and flourish as the Vine: their beauty shall bee as the Oliue-Tree, & their smell as Lebanon: But they that rely vppon the breath of man, their glo­ry shal vanish as the mor­ning Dewe, and as the smoak that goeth out o [...] the Chimney. I will a­bandon therefore with Moses, the delicates of Pharaohs Table, to bee a Partner in all disastrous accidents with the Chil­dren [Page 193] of Israell, and desire rather to lye at the gates of Mordecai, and be a sha­rer in the afflictions of my distressed Bretheren, then stand with Hamon at the Kings elbow. Heere now is Grace, and by & by a graue: but loue and honour commeth there in the riere-warde of all trouble.

XLVI.

MAns heart is like a House; the closer he keepeth it, the worse it is: The doores & win­dowes [Page 194] of it, must by a true confession of his sins bee set wide open to the Lord, that by the beames of his enlightning Spirit, the roomes thereof may be well ayred, and euery corner of it sweetned, a­gainst the comming of his Sauiour and Redee­mer. Open to me, my Sister, my Loue, Cant. 5, 2. my Doue, (sayd Christ vnto his Spouse, and in the Reuelation, I stand at the doore & knock if any Man open, Reuel. 3, 20 I will com [...] in vnto him, and will s [...] with him, and he with me. He carrieth a good opi­nion & conceit, of those [Page 195] that are ready at the gate to giue him entertaine­ment, or that at the least no sooner heare him, but with the greatest speede they let him in; hee will minister comfort and consolation vnto them, that by repentance make knowne vnto him theyr cares and grieuaunces. But such as will not ac­knowledge his voice, nor make him entrance when he calleth at the first, do but awaken his iealousy, and giue him cause to doubt, that all is not wel within; They haue assu­redly some Vnder-sitters, [Page 196] that dare not abide the presence of authority, & either for that, or some such like cōsideration are slacke in his admission. I will confesse therefore against my selfe,Psal. 32.5. my wic­kednesse vnto the Lord, and hee shall forgiue the forfeiture of my mis­deedes;Pro. 28.13. I wil discouer to him mine iniquities, and he shall cleanse me from all vnrighteousnes: who so hideth his transgressi­ons shall neuer prosper; but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them, shal bee sure of mercy. The Thiefe before the Iudge [Page 197] approach, doth conuay out of his owne custo­dy, euen euery trifling thing, the possession whereof he cannot iusti­fie to be lawfull, I will imitate him in this, and before such time as death shall come to apprehend me, I wil clear my hart of whatsoeuer may be any way suspected;Eccl. 17, 27 Whilst I liue, and am in health, I will disclose my faultes and imperfections to the Lord; I will giue him an inuentarie of my workes and weaknesses,Prou. 16, 3. that by so doing, my thoughtes may be established. If I [Page 198] perceiue at any time that my conscience hath sur­feited vpon the seeming sweetes and pleasures of this World,Eccl. 13, 21 I wil accor­ding to the Wise-mans counsell, arise, goe out, and vomit, that then I may take my rest, & keep my Soule from sicknesse and distemperature. The guilt of Sinne is an Im­postume in the minde; If I feele it in my bosom, I will apply that to it, which may draw the cor­ruption to the outward partes; If it breake with­in, it endaungereth the life, but if the rupture of [Page 199] it chance without, there may be hope of recoue­ry. I will vnwrap the Vl­cers of my soule, and ex­pose them to the viewe of Christ, that hee may heale them. Vnlesse I do acquaint him with my burthen, how can I hope to bee refreshed by him?

XLVII.

THE hart of the foo­lish is a broken Ves­sell;Eccl. 21, 14. Charity will none of it; It is not a Potshard that will serue her turne. Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God (saith she)Luke 10, 27 with al [Page 200] thy Soule, and withall thy Thought, and withall thy Might. Such as vnder­hand haue sworn allegi­ance to Hypocrisie, and are in minde the seruants of Imposture, cannot endure to heare of this. They will deuide them­selues into seuerall por­tions,Hos. 10, 2. & what the world doth leaue, they will be­queath to God, makes no scruple if neede require, to holde a Candle for their owne aduantage, both to Michaell and the Serpent.Mat. 17.15. They are like that Lunatik in the Gos­pell; one while they fall [Page 201] into the Fire, another while they slip into the Water: And hence it is, that they be neither hot nor colde; by reason whereof the Lord so vt­terly distasteth thē, that he will spue them out of his mouth,Reuel. 3, 16 and suffer thē to slide continually from bad to worse, till in the end, as men not sensible of their estate, they dye impenitent, and not so much as toucht with any detestation or dislike of their fore-past enormi­ties. They stand in a de­gree of warmth, which doth embolden Sathan [Page 202] to assaile them; he neuer feareth to bee midling with them in this med­ling state: but were they thoroughly heated with the flames of a sincere and vndisguised zeale, as they ought to bee, hee would not dare once to come neere them. He re­sembleth the Fly, which neuer setleth it selfe vp­on the seething pot, but is alwaies exceeding bu­sie, where there is an in­differency of heate. Hee that contentes himselfe with the Water of Iohn, Luk. 3, 16. and doth not seeke to be baptized of Christ with [Page 203] fire and the Holy-ghost, is made the only But and scope of his attempts. It is not therefore a super­ficiall ayring that shall satisfy my cold desires; I will so heate them in the well-kindeled flames of true Deuotion, that like a searing-Iron, hee shall no sooner stretch out his hand to touch mee, but I will brand him for his bolde presumption, and for euer after make him so fearefull of mee, that when hee seeth me, though at neuer so great a distance, he shall come creeping towardes mee [Page 204] like a Spaniell with his belley on the ground, he shall cry out to me with an extended voice, and say;Ma [...]ke 5.7 What [...] to do with thee, thou Seruant of the mos [...] [...]igh GOD? I charge thee by thy Lorde and may­ster, that thou torment mee not.

XLVIII.

THe Crosse of Christ is that Rod of Moses, by which the Deuil, that spirituall Pharaoh is strooke with such diuer­sity of plagues, that at [Page 205] the last he is enforced to driue from him, those which er [...] while he [...]old haue draw [...]e vn [...] [...]m. It is a glorious and im­mortall monument, ere­cted as a Trophy by the hand of Victory, to the dishonour and confusi­on of that oppressor and insulting Tyrant. Hee standes aloofe, and stares vpon it with an enuious eie, but is affraid to draw neere vnto it, least hee and his temptations might chance to bee de­uoured by it, as were by that the Serpents of the Enchanters. It is that [Page 206] blessed Tree, with the boughs whereof the wa­ters of Marah were made sweete: It altereth the bitternesse of Tribu­lations, and makes the Cup of the Lord, which of it selfe is exceeding sharpe, delightful to the tast:2. Cor. 12.10. I take pleasure (sayth Saint Paule) in all reprea­ches and persecutions for his sake; & the Apostles, after they had been bea­ten by the appointment of the Counsell at Hieru­salem, Acts 5, 41. departed thence with cheerefull counte­nances, reioycing that they were reputed wor­thy [Page 207] to suffer rebuke for his Name. It is that princely Scepter of Aha­shuerosh, which beeing stretched out, dooth li­cense our approach vnto the Throne of his Cele­stial Grace. It is that key of the Kingly Prophet, which hath opened vnto vs the greatest misteries, and the profoundest se­crets that were euer heard of. It is that ladder of the Patriark, by which our passage inro heauen is easier nowe, then euer it was before. In a word, it is that golden Candle­sticke, in which the life [Page 208] and light of men was set,Iohn 1, 4. whose brightnesse was so great, that the Centu­rion by meanes thereof, euen through the Aegyp­tion darknesse of those times, was able to disco­uer his Diuinitie, when opprest with feare, hee cryed out and said; True­ly this was the Sonne of the liuing God. Mat. 27.52 I wil not ther­fore reioice in any thing,Gal. 6.14. but in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ, by which the World is cru­cified vnto me, & I vnto the world. Night & day will I make it the subiect of my Meditation; and [Page 209] so I may attaine to the knowledge of this,1. Cor. 2.2 I will not esteeme of any other wisedome whatsoeuer. What doctrine is it, which is not heere com­prized? His passion is the Epilogue of all. There is not any thing, either in Heauen or in Earth, but as the Apostle saieth, is recapitulated to the full in Christ.Ephe. 1, 10. Mount Caluary shall therefore bee my Schoole, and the Booke which I will reade, shall bee the lanched side, and bloudy bosome of my blessed Sauiour. I will thinke vpon his wounds; [Page 210] I will consider his skars; & the prints of the nails, shall bee as breathing-stops to helpe my Con­templation.

XLIX.

AS Siluer drosse ouer­laid vpō a Potshard, so are burning lips,Pro. 26.23. and an euill heart. Hee tha [...] dwelleth in the Heauen doth abhorre it, and wil [...] for euer haue it in derisi­on. It is not complement that pleaseth him. The Kinges Daughter was al glorious within,Psal. 45, 13. or little [Page 211] would the Lorde haue e­steemed her sumptuous cloathing of Broidered Gold. If the in-side of the Vessel be not cleane, let the out-side bee as glorious as it will, our GOD will none of it. The Figge-Tree was de­lightfull to the Eye, but yet it could not escape the curse. He wold haue nothing seem that which it is not. Eyther make the Tree good, Mat. 12.33. and his fruite good (saith he) or the Tree euill, and his fruite euill; worship either God or Belial, and halt no longer betweene two opinions. [Page 212] For one to haue the Voyce of Iacob, and the handes of Esau, is a degree of Hypocrisie beyonde his knowledge, appre­hension, and conceite. The thought of it doot [...] cleane amaze him; Ho [...] can you ô ye viperous bro [...] when your selues are i [...] ­wardly nothing else b [...] filth and putrifaction, Luke 6.6. vtt [...] thinges that are of a diffe­ring constitution? For [...] of the abundance of th [...] heart, the mouth speaket [...]. So that in vain it is to [...] him, Maister, Maister, vn­lesse withall we doe the thinges which hee pro­poundeth. [Page 213] Our righte­ousnesse must exceede that of the Scribes and Pharises,Math. 5, 20. or we shall ne­uer ente [...] into the King­dome of Heauen. I will not therefore be like the blinde and lame, that sit begging at the entrance of a Citty, and shew the way to them that passe along, but set no foote in it themselues; I will ac­company them my selfe vnto the place; and al­waies as neere as I can, countenaunce a godly precept with a good pre­cedent. The word of the Lord is called a Sword; [Page 214] Take the Sword of the Spi­rite, Ephe. 6, 16. which is the word o [...] God; It cannot bee em­ployed but by the hand And hence it is, that i [...] sundry places of th [...] Scriptures we read in the originall, that it was i [...] the handes of his Pro­phets; as namely, in the hand of Isaiah, Esay 20, 2. in th [...] hand of Haggai, in th [...] hand of Malachi, Mal. 1.1. &c. t [...] signify vnto vs, that the instructions which we giue our brethren, shoul [...] not consist so much i [...] wordes, as in workes an [...] good examples. He tha [...] can doe that, which hee [Page 215] saieth, hee alone is that Salt of the Earth, Math. 5, 13. which shall neuer loose his sa­uour; hee alone is that Citty on a Hell, which can­not be hid; in a word, he alone is that Candle in the Candlesticke, which gi­ueth light to all that are about it, and shineth out so clearely and so bright­ly, that they which see it cannot but glorifye the Lord which is in heauen. I will continually there­fore so speake, and so do,Iames 2.12 as one that looketh to be iudged by the Law of Liberty. Christ Iesus hath left me an example,Ioh 13 15. [Page 216] that I should do, euen as hee that hath done, and surely I will striue to fol­lowe it in all thinges, as Moses did that patterne, which was shewed him in the Mount.Exo. 25, 40.

L.

THe World abounds with men of corrup­ted and depraued minds; It is the harbour of head-strong Rebelles, which haue sworne the downe­fall and destruction of true Piety; and much a­do [Page 217] she hath to finde one angle out in al this spati­ous Round, in which she may rest secure from their assassinous & mur­thering handes. A vertu­ous deede cannot escape the forked tongue of ve­nemous Detraction, nor a good intention finde passage for it selfe, but with exceeding opposi­tion.2. Tim. 3, 8 Moses & Aaron shal no sooner goe about to discharge their dutyes, but Iannes and Iambres will bee ready to resist them:1. King. 22 11. the Baalites will continually be busy with Elijah: and plain Micheas [Page 218] shall no sooner stirre a­broad,Nehe. 2.19 but Zidkijah will bee butting at him with his Iron hornes. Where Christ is, there are the Pharises; where Simon Peter is, there likewise is Simon Magus; and where Saint Paule is, there are the false Apostles, that what the right hand of the Lord doth raise, the left hand of the Deuill may destroy. Whilst our abiding place is here, we shall alwaies meete with many rubs and lets to i [...] ­terrupt the smoothnesse of our course in iust pro­ceedinges: but this shall [Page 219] not abate my resolution: I will striue to franchise and surmount al difficul­ties: Nor Sinne, nor Sa­than shall so strongly barricado vp my passage, but by the assistaunce of the holy Spirite I will make thorough them to my aymes.Phil. 2, 13. Hee that wrought in mee the Wil, shall likewise worke in me the Deede; and as he gaue me the grace to be­gin, so shall he grant me the power to goe on. I am freede from the yoke of bondage, and now,Rom. 8.38. nor death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principali­ties, [Page 220] nor powers; nor things present, nor thin­ges to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to seperate mee from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord.

LI.

WIsedome is a prin­cesse of extraordi­nary State and Dignitie,Prou. 9, 3. many honourable Vir­gins doe continually at­tend het. She hath hew [...] out her house of seauen pillers, and hath sent out [Page 221] her Maides to call men to the wals and Towers of her Citty; but there are some that wil not in­dure to haue their pas­sage made by them: they are they say, inspired frō aboue, and as Elijah was fed by Crowes, so are they by Angels, not with meate nor breade, but with a hidden kind of ce­lestial Manna. They scorn those grosser introducti­ons of school Philosophy, and thinke they cannot admire Gods power and authority as they ought, if in things Deuine they shuld attribute any force [Page 222] to human reason.1 Cor. 2.14 Their vsuall discourses are, The natural man, not the things that are of God, for they are foolishnesse to him: he can­not comprehend them, be­cause they are spiritually discerned; and That the Lord hath threatned to de­stroy the Wisedome of the wise, Cor. 1, 19 and to cast away the vnde [...]standing of the pru­dent. Againe, the word and preaching of S. Paul say they, stood not in the enticing speech of man,1. Cor. 2, 4. but in plaine euidence of the Spirit, and of power. What should we there­fore do but vtterly aban­don [Page 223] those needlesse Arts and Sciences,Colos. 2, 8 which are (as the Apostle saith) the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ? As if the way to bee ripe in faith, were to be rawe in wit and iudgement, as if reason were an enemye to Religion, Childish simplicity, the Mother of diuine sufficiency. The name of the Light of Na­ture, is growne hatefull to them, the Star of Lear­ning is no better thoght of, then if it were a dis­astrous and vnlucky Co­met; or as if God had so accursed it, that it should [Page 224] neuer shine out in things concerning our dutye a­ny way toward him, but bee esteemed as the Star of Remphan, or as that in the Reuelation called Worme-wood, which bee­ing fallen from Heauen, maketh Riuers and foun­taines of Waters,Reuel. 8, 10 into which it falleth so bitter that men in tasting them do dye therof. The word of GOD (say they) is a two edged Sword, as for the Weapon of naturall Reason, it is as the Ar­mour of Saul, rather cumbersome about the Souldier of Christ, then [Page 225] needful, wheras indeed it is, as that which slew Go­liah, if they bee as Dauid was, that vse it. Poyson may com frō out a Rose, and out of Hemlocke Honie may bee drawne; but then a Spyder must not sucke the one, nor a Bee the other. I will not therefore be affrayde to imitate the Hebrewes, who at their going out from amongst the Egyp­tians, took from them all the Gold and Siluer that they could, & afterwards made a Tabernacle of it to God in the desert; nor Salomon, who refused not [Page 226] to accept both Woode and Workemen, Caedar, and Firre from the hands of Hiram king of Tyre, for the erecting of a house vnto the Name of the Lorde his God. There is in the world no kinde of knowledge, whereby a­ny part of truth is seene, but wee iustly account it precious; and that prin­cipall trueth in compari­son whereof all other knowledge is vile, may receiue from it som kind of light. So that whe­ther it be that Mathema­ticall Wisedome of the Egyptians and Caldeans, [Page 227] wherewith Moses & Da­niel were so richly furni­shed: or that Naturall, Morall, and Ciuill wise­dome of the Graecians, which the Apostle Saint Paul did bring from Tar­sus: or that Iudaicall, which he learned sitting at the feet of Gamaliell, I will by no means detract from the dignity therof, least by so doing, I shuld iniure euen God himself who beeing that light, which none can aproach, hath sent out these lights whereof we are capable, euen as many sparckles resembling the bright [Page 228] Fountaine from whych they rise. That the law­full vse and application of prophane authoritie, can bee no preiudice to sacred Writ; howsoeuer therefore I drinke of the Waters of life with Christ, yet will I not let as occasion serueth, to drawe at the Well with the Samaritan.

LII.

THe Pride of a man shal bring him low, but the humble in Spirit shall enioy glorie, [Page 229] He that delighteth him­selfe in the contemplati­on of his own greatnes, and when hee vieweth the statelinesse of his high-built Palaces, doth vaunt out of a swelling Spirit with Nebuchadne­zar; Dan, 4, 27 Is not this great Ba­bel that I haue built for the house of the Kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the glory of my maiesty? A voyce from Heauen shall tell him presently, that he shall bee vtterlie depriued of the societie and commerce of men, and bee enforced to take vp his dwelling with the [Page 230] Beasts of the fielde. Hee that shal say in his heart, I will ascend vp into Hea­uen, Esay 14.13, and exalt my Throne aboue beside the starres. I will sit vppon the mount of the congregatiō in the sides of the North; I will climbe aboue the height of the cloudes, and I will bee lyke the most High; He shal be thrown with Lucifer the sonne of the Morning, downe into the lowest pit. And to him that pre­sumeth on the multitud [...] of his merits, it shall bee sayd,Reuel. 3, 17 Thou sayest I am rich, and increased with goodes, and haue neede of nothing: [Page 231] and knowest not that thou art wretched, and misera­ble, and poore, and blinde, and naked. The Publican did neuer boaste of his vprightnesse, nor did he brag of his tything Mint and Cumin, yet hee was iustified, when the Phari­se, notwithstanding his former purity, was clean reiected. Hee that is proude, is like a Glow-worme, hee carryeth an outward shew of pomp and glory in the darknes of this worlde, but in the day of iudgement, when Christ the Sun of Iustice shall appeare, hee shall [Page 232] loose his luster, and hys light shall seeme as if it were extinct. The eye of Ignorance may highly va­lue him, but the touch will shewe him to bee counterfait and base. Let who so listeth therefore go settle his ambition in the Plaines of Sennaar; Gen. 11, 2 let him depart with wic­ked and voluptuous Worldlinges from the East, and seeke to pur­chase a name vnto him­selfe else-where; there is a Star, which calleth me thither ward, and I will follow it, till I come vn­to the Maunger, where [Page 233] the meannesse of my Sa­uiours byrth shall make me cal to mind the base­nesse of mine owne. I will obserue the lowly­nesse of that blessed Lambe, and with the thought of his humility giue life to mine. There is nothing in mee that is ought, which I haue not receiued. When I shall therefore offer vppe my heart vnto the Lorde, I will bury all presumpti­on in the apprehension of humane weaknes, and high conceits shall lan­guish in the considerati­on of my owne vnwor­thinesse. [Page 234] It is a Turtle▪ the Feathers of it must be plucked off,Leuit. 1.16 and the maw thereof pulled out, and cast vppon the East side of the Aultar, in the place of the ashes, or god will not accept it for a Sacrifice.

LIII.

SInne is a great bur­then, the weight thereof did cracke in sunder the very heauens, and through the bowels of the earth did force a passage to the lowest he [...] [Page 235] It broke the backe of all the creatures, and made as I may say, Nature her selfe to hault. There was no part in all this vniuer­sall Frame, but was tho­roughly bruised, if not broken. All things were vtterly disioynted vvith the fal. The Sphears were put beside their purer in­fluence, & the Elements so confounded with the violence of the shocke, that cōtrary to their na­turall and inbred motion the Fire came down and burnt Pentapolis; Gen. 7, 17 the wa­ter rose vp, and drowned the Worlde. There was [Page 236] not any thing could bee found so stiffe or strong which did not yeild. The euerlasting Mountaynes were shiuered,Hab. 3.6. and the auncient hilles did bow. Yea, God himselfe, who sate til then vnmoueable vppon the square base of his Mercy,Gen. 3, 8 and tooke no care but how to pleasure vs, did then arise out of his seat, & with the foot of Iustice measured the walkes of Paradice. The Earth did sink vnder the sinne of Dathan & Abir [...] as too weake a prop for such an vnsupportable loade:Num. 16, 32 And so indeede it [Page 237] doth euen vnder vs. For what are our Graues & Sepulchres, but so many proofes and witnesses of the heauinesse thereof: but for which, the verie waters would haue been able to haue sustained vs as they did Christ our Sauiour. But this alas! is nowe; In the day of Iudgment it shal be vtter­ly broken, it shall bee cleane dissolued; sa. 24, 20 it shal reel too & fro like a drunken man, and shall be remoued like a tent, the iniquitie thereof shall be heauy vpon it, so that it shall fall, and rise no more.

To him therefore that [Page 238] came into the World t [...] help the Lame, will I be­com while the time doth serue, an humble supply­ant,Mat. 11.5. and beseech him ear­nestly, that hee woulde vouchsafe to cure my Cripple spirit, and with­all, ease it of that grie­uous fardle vnder which it groaneth, that so I may be able to walke vp­right in the path of Gods commaundements. The way to Heauen is excee­ding steep, I must be free from all encumbraunce, or I can make no expedi­tion.

LIIII.

WOrldly pleasure is the bane of hea­uenly contemplatiō; and a minde distracted with many thinges, cannot mind as it ought that one thing which is necessary. The blessed virgin during the time of her painefull flight, did neuer want the company of her beloued Son; hee was continual­ly with her, whilst shee liued as an exile in the Land of Egypt, but when she went vp to Hierusa­lem to the feast,Luke 2.42. shee lost him presently. As long [Page 340] as the Thesbite remained in the solitary Wilder­nesse, he was deliciously fed by the Lordes owne hand, but when he made his repaire to populous and frequented places, his wantes grewe such, that a poore Widdowe was faine to releeue him with a peece of bread Our God is the GOD of peace; he wil not abide in a tumultuous breast. His Tabernacle is in Shalem, Psal. 76.2. and his dwelling in Zio [...]. Hee would not set foote vpon the earth, til all the Nations of the same had linked themselues toge­ther [Page 241] in loue and amitie, & that a friendly compo­sition was made the peri­od of all hostile differēce. His Image can no more bee seene in an vnsetled hart, then the shaddowe of a man in troubled wa­ter. We must calme the blustrig motions and di­stemperatures of our af­fections, or wee shall ne­uer enioy the sweetnesse of ghostly consolation. The Children of Israell did receiue no Manna, till they had past the raging Sea,Actes 2.2 and were come into the quiet desert. The A­postles were sitting in a [Page 242] Chamber priuately, whē they receiued the Com­forter;1 King. 19, 12. and Elijah stood alone in the entring of a Caue, when the Lorde not in a tempestuous whirlewind, nor in a vio­lent Earthquke, nor in a storme of fire, but in a soft and gentle sound ap­peared vnto him, who thereuppon couered his face immediatly with his Cloake, that nothing might withdraw his sight from the full beholding of such inestimable glo­ry. I will retire my selfe wholy therfore from the world; I wil Cloyster vp [Page 243] my senses from the de­lights and vanities there­of; they shall no longer frequent the meeting pla­ces of profaner mindes; My hart shall bee a Cell, wherein my Thoughtes being throughly weaned from the desire of all trā ­sitory pleasures, shal sing cōtinually with a sincere and mortified affection, Halleluiah, Halleluiah to the King of Kinges.Luke 19.3. Za­cheus could not possibly see Christ Iesus in the crowd, but when he had him in his House alone, his eyes were satisfyed with the view of that ce­lestiall [Page 244] obiect. The short-liued recreation that Ini­quity brings with it, shal not lodge within the cir­cuit of my bosome, I knowe that the laughter of a mad man, is a griefe to his friendes; and the mirth of a Sinner dooth make an Angell mourn; I will from hence-foorth therefore furnish my selfe with a religious & godly sorrow, and being so pro­uided, I will run and seek for my blessed Sauiour. His Mother founde him not till shee had greeued exceedingly; nor Marie Magdalene, Luke 2.48. till shee had [Page 245] wept excessiuely; they both lamented & mour­ned bitterly,Iohn 20.11 as for the losse of an onely Sonne, Iere. 6.26. or they could neuer else haue heard of him. I will not hope for better hap, but encourage my selfe by their example.

LV.

THe blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill,Pro. 20, 30 and the stripes within the bowels of the belly. For it is in­deed the after-wisdome, and Epimethean had I wist of mortall men, neuer to looke vp vnto Heauen for help, but in the midst [Page 246] of their affliction. And then, Come say they, let vs returne to the Lord, for he hath spoyled vs, Hos. 6.1. and hee wil heale vs; he hath woun­ded vs, and he will bind vs vp. In their prosperitie they growe forgetfull of him that made them, and neuer thinke vppon the Crosse of Christ, til they be crost themselues. Till Paule was strooke with blidnesse, he neuer asked Iesus of Nazareth what was to be done; nor did the Prodigall acknow­ledge his fault, til hunger forced him to returne. Manasseh remembred not2 Cron. 33.12. [Page 247] to pray vnto the Lord, til he was in tribulation, & then he humbled himself greatly before the GOD of his fathers. The carnal man will quickly ryot in his groth; if he bee not, either by infirmities, re­proaches, necessities, per­secutiōs, or anguish sup­pressed and kept downe. When I am weak (saith the Apostle) then am I strong. 2. Cor. 12, 10. And hereupon the king­ly Prophet desiring the conuersion of sinfulmen, Fill their faces, O Lorde, (saith he) with shume, Psal. 83.16. that they may seeke thy Name; and in another place. Let [Page 248] thy chasticementes and thy corrections bee multiplyed vppon them, and they will hasten to thee out of hand. They may be likened to a seruant that obeyeth not his Maister, but when his Sword is drawne; or vnto Swine, that till the comming of the storme, will not leaue their wal­lowing in the mire. Nay some of them there are, so desperately enamou­red with that painted Ie­zabell (Iniquity) that no indifferent meanes can weane them from her al­lurements:1. Cor. 5, 5. they must of necessity be deliuered vn­to [Page 249] Sathan, for the destru­ction of the flesh, or their Spirit will bee hardly sa­ued in the day of the lord; And such were Hymenaeus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.20 whome Paule surrendred vp vnto him, that they might learne not to blaspheme. A thing exceeding strange, and like to Samp­sons Riddle;Iudg. 14.14 That out of the deuourer shold come meat, and sweetnesse out of the strong; yet so it is. Vice sheweth it self vnder his Roofe, euen in the height of her bestiality; the nakednesse thereof is quite discouered: no part [Page 250] of hir deformity but here is stalled out to the full showe, and thrice thrice, wretched is that man, whome this cannot di­stast. With al submission therefore, both of heart and minde, will I drinke the Cup which my hea­uenly Father shal put in­to my hand; the bitter­nesse thereof shal not af­fright mee; 'tis for the strengthening and reco­uering of my crazy soul, and I will not grudge to take it. I will repaire vn­to the Lorde for helpe while my hurt is green, if once it putrify, there is [Page 251] no vse of Linitiues; it can­not possibly be cured but by Cautere or Incision. I will obey the summons of his glorious ministers, and not stay til I be called by him: His voice is ter­rible as thunder; it brea­keth the Caedars, and maketh Lebanon and Shi­rion leape like the youn­ger Vnicornes;Psal. 29.6. it diui­deth the flames of Fire, and maketh the Wilder­nesse of Kadesh to trem­ble: at the sound there­of, the Hindes doe Calue, and the For­rests are discouered. Let Moses therefore talk withExo. 20.19. [Page 252] me, and I will heare him; but let not God talk with me, least I dye.

LVI.

SLoath is an enemy to Christian Venues, & he that serueth vnder the Lord of hoastes, must la­bour to auoide it. His Souldiers must be still in action, and vppon their march. To make a stande in the way of righteous­nesse, is as distastfull to the King of heauen, as to retyre. The man of God that came vp from Iudah, to prophesie to Ieroboam the destruction of the al­tar,King 13.24 [Page 253] though seduced by the Spirit of Vntruth, did pay the same forfeiture for hi [...] lingering, wh [...]ch the Wife of Lot did for her looking b [...]cke. And it is auouched by the O­racle of heauen, That he which is sloathfull in his worke,Prou. 18, 9. is euen the Bro­ther of him that is a great waster. I will awaken therefore my slugg [...]sh thoughtes, and with the preceptes of my blessed Sauiour, will I quicken their dull motion. Stan­ding waters doe quic [...]lie putrifie, and without ex­ercise, the healthiest con­stitution [Page 254] waxeth faint & feeble. The Canker doth consume the Brasse, and rust the Iron, if they bee not vsed; yea, the lustre of the purest Golde aba­teth by beeing long im­prisoned in the Coffers of the Couetous. The Lorde therefore shall en­large my heart,Psal. 119.32 and I wil run the way of his Com­maundementes. In vaine hath hee receiued the grace of God, that doth not showe some signe of his proficiency. I wil imi­tate those Kine, that car­ried the Arke from Ekrō; 1. Sam. 6.12 who lowed as they went, [Page 255] & alwaies kept one path, not turning till they cam vnto Bethshemesh, eyther to the right hand or the left; I haue already char­ged my shoulders with the yoake of my Redee­mer, and am entred into the straight and ready way; no worldly consi­deration or respect shall make me slacke my pace; I will onwards still, and not cease to sigh vnder the burthen of it for my sinnes, till I come vnto the glorious habitation of my blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus, the Son of euerlasting righteousnes.

LVII.

GOD is the Well-spring of true knowledge & eternall wisedome, from whence those Fountaines of liuing Waters flowe, which who so tasteth of, shall neuer thirst. It is hee that searcheth the heart and reines; it is he, that declareth vnto man what is his thought. Hee knoweth all things intuitiue­ly, and nothing can bee hid from his discerning Eye. But yet such is the loue hee bea­reth vs, that willingly & wit­tingly hee suffereth himselfe to bee deceiued by vs. Hee proffereth vs the Kingdome [Page 257] of Heauen at a low rate, as if he knew not iustly the worth therof. The Apostles bought it of him for a leaking Fish-Boate, and some few broken Nets to boote: Zacheus had it for halfe his goodes: the Widdow for her mite: and some (O happinesse beyond all hap!) for a Cup of colde Water onely: Nay the good will alone, and sincere affec­tion of many towardes it, hath beene accepted, and thought sufficient for the purchase. Whatsoeuer we haue of him is vndervalued; but he hath nothing from vs, which is not ouer-bought. Our earthly bodies cost him the shedding of his most pre­tious blood; our cankered soules the laying downe of [Page 258] his immaculate and spotlesse life; and what alas! is there in vs (poore sinfull wretches that we are) which may de­serue such an inestimable price.Mat. 19.29. Hee giueth vs a hun­dreth folde more then hee taketh, and suffereth him­selfe to bee beguild euen with vnequall shares. For many times wee giue our youth to Sathan, and our age to him, who notwithstan­ding hee should haue both doth take it quietly, and like a gentle Creditor is content with any thing from a bad Debter. But this conniuence, & kinde forbearance of his, shall not embolden me in a­ny carelesse course. All that I haue will I giue vnto him, yet thinke that al too little for so [Page 259] great and glorious an inhe­ritance. Whatsoeuer I pay, nothing can equall it in esti­mation. The whole world, in comparison hereof,Luke 15, 8. is not to be valued, no not at the lost groate. I will consider how dearly my redeemer bought me, and endeauor to render vp my selfe in that regard, in­to his hands, as pure and per­fect both in mind and body as I can: I wil consecrate my selfe vnto the Lorde in the strength and vigour of my yeares, and in my flourishing and able daies will I deuote my selfe to the seruice, and inuocation of his most holy name. Hee that diuideth ill, though he offer well, cannot but offend.

LVIII.

THe waies of the Lorde are in the Whirle-wind and the storme; the cloudes are the dust of his feete. Ba­shan and Carmel wast at his rebuke, and the floure of Le­banon doth wither. The Mountaines retire from be­fore him, & the hils do me [...]. His Maiestie is great, his po­wer wonderfull; yet many wayes there are, and many meanes to vanquish & sub­due him. At the sight of our dejection.Hos. 11, 8. His heart is tur­ned within him, and his reper­tings [Page 239] are rouled together. He must of force reuerse his iudgements, and stay to ex­ecute the fiercenesse of his intended wrath. But when with a zealous and feruent spirit we doe encounter him in prayer, then doe we bind him (as it were) hand and foote, that hee cannot stirre. Let mee alone (saide hee to Moses) and giue my fury leaue to wax hot against this people. Exo. 32, 10. But the Prophet continued his charitable intercession, and would not suffer him to goe, till he had changed his minde.Esay 38, 1. Hee had determined the death of Hezikiah, & by the mouth of Isaiah willed him to put his house in or­der, for hee should not liue, but the King hauing notice [Page] [Page 234] [...] [Page 239] [...] [Page 262] of this firme arrest, turned his face vnto the wall, & by the vertue of his prayers and teares preuaild so farre, that in the end,Mat. 15, 22. Ʋixit & vicit, he both liued and ouercame. By this the woman of Cana­an did surmount that setled hardnesse, whereof our Sa­uiour did make shewe vnto her.Gen. 32, 28 In a worde, this is that wrestling of the Patriarch, in which hee behaued him­selfe so valiantly, that he bore away the glorious title, and renowned name of Israell, in token of his victorious & triumphall Conquest. But this doth maister but his per­son onely. The Saints and Martyrs by their paines and sufferances, doe breake into his territories, & make their [Page 263] station euen within his Con­fines. Himselfe beholdeth it, and cryeth out,Mat. 11, 12. The King­dome of heauen suffereth vio­lence; and the violent take it away by force. I will humble my selfe therefore before the Lord my God, and vnto him will I ingenuously confesse, how sinne and Sathan haue vtterly spoyled me of all spi­rituall graces and endow­mentes, and that my consci­ence onely hath escapt their fury, to bring me tydings of the losse. With my misery will I excite his mercy, and a­wake his compassion with the vehemency of my owne passions. I will fasten on him by deuout and earnest sup­plications, and not let him goe, except hee blesse mee. [Page 238] With patience wil I arme my selfe against all hardnesse & slight, both Death and Dan­ger, to make my passage to the top of Sion, and through the streetes of his impe­riall Citty, the New Hierusalem.

FINIS.

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