CHAP. I. That GOD his beginning was without beginning, and is, and shall bee euer without end.

THere was euer­more a Thing being, and that Thing that was euer before all other things, must needs be without be ginning; and must be the first Maker, and [Page 2] the first Cause of all things, which hath no maker, nor no cause out of whom as out of the verie fountaine, and will of all causes, euery thing taketh his being. So that Thing which was first being, must needes bee the Exo. 3. 14. cause and foundation of all things, and of all beings; and that First cause or Ma­ker is among all people cal­led Ioh. 8. 58. God. Then sith God is the first cause of euery thing, Iob. 1. 2. 3. 4. and the first principall cause of the being of euery thing, it requireth that there bee in him such a being that it must bee the most perfect, most substant all being, and the most sure being, that is, or can bee, which shall neuer haue end. For if it shall haue an end, it is not the most per­fect, [Page 3] most substantiall, and most sure being; for it must bee such a being, which ex­cludeth euery imperfection, that soonest tendeth to Not being. There is no time past in which hee was not; no time present in which he is not; nor no time to come, in which he shall not bee. So that of necessity it follow­eth, that his being was euer without beginning, and is, and shall bee euer without end; therefore conueniently God is called Omnipotent, as being of most power and might. Then sith God is the cause of all things, and Gen. 1. 1. euery thing taketh his ef­fect by God, and commeth of God, as of his first cause, Pro. 8. 22. (and euery thing that taketh any effect hath neede of the [Page 4] cause for without the cause the effect could neuer haue Iohn. 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. been.) Therefore it must follow that euery thing hath neede of God, and that God hath neede of nothing. And likewise that thing that Act [...] 14. 24. hath no life, nor neuer had life, may not by his owne Ephes. 1 11. power make a thing to haue life. But wee see in this world man & beast to haue life; which life proceeded and came first from that Creator which is very life, & in whom first must needs bee life. Then sith God is first Creator and causer of euery thing which hath life: it followeth, that in him there was euer a life. And (as I haue said before) be­cause the being of God is the first being and cause of Gen. 1. 7. [Page 5] the being of euery thing, & the most perfect, most sub­stantiall, and most sure be­ing; and because that thing which hath being and life also, is more worthy then that thing which hath but being onely; as the trees & herbes which haue a quick­nesse of life whereby they grow and increase, haue a more noble and worthy be­ing, then a dead stocke or a dead stone, which grow not: and as the brute beast which hath a life sensitiue, and power to moue it selfe, and memory hath a more noble and worthy being, then the Tree, or herbe which hath but quickning and grow­ing, without power to moue, or memory: and also as the being of man, which [Page 6] hath both life sensitiue, power to moue, memory and vnderstanding, hath a more worthy being then the brute beast, which hath but life sensitiue, power to moue and memory, without vn­derstanding: so it must needs follow that vnderstanding is the cause of the most wor­thy being. And sith that God hath the most noble and worthy being that can bee, it must needs follow, that in God there must bee knowledge and vnderstan­ding; and that the same be­ing of God must bee with the same knowledge and vnderstanding. And then if the being of God (as I haue proued before) be without beeginning and ending, eternall, infinite, [Page 7] without measure; and his being is, and hath been euer most perfect: and as hee himselfe may bee himselfe, so may he himselfe vnder­stand himselfe, so that his being cannot bee seuered from his knowledge and vnderstanding, nor his knowledge and vnderstan­ding seuered from his be­ing; it must follow that hee vnderstandeth all, & know­eth euery thing that was, is, or shalbe; and euery mans thought, and deede done, or to be done in the world, is present to his knowledge. For the eternall essence of God, which must excell all other beings, hath in it selfe such a nobilitie, that it com­prehendeth all the whole plenty of life together, and [Page 8] knitteth time past, and time to come with the time pre­sent: and nothing is to God past or to come, but all things are to him present. For if any thing were to him newly knowen, then God had not all perfect know­ledge in him as the begin­ning; and so there should bee in God some mutability and change, and augmenta­tion of knowledge: And because hee had euer most perfect being and most per­fect knowledge, and his knowledge cannot bee se­parated from his being (as I haue proued before) it must needes follow that God knew all things euer, and euery thing was euer, is, and shall bee to him present.

CHAP. II. What the Soule is.

THere is a three-fold soule; that is to say, a soule Vegetatiue, Sensitiue, and Intellectiue; a soule ve­getatiue is that life that is in Plantes, Trees, Grasse, Herbes or fruits, which do Gen. 2. 9. grow. A soule sensitiue is that life, which is in a brute beast; which occupieth, & vseth the fiue senses, such as are the taste, the smel­ling, the hearing, the sight, and touching, but lacketh reason and vnderstanding; as is a horse, a cowe, a bird, a fish, and such like. But a soule intelectiue is aspiritual substance, created inuisible, most like to the immortall [Page 10] God, hauing no other image or figure, but only of his cre­ator; Gen. 1. [...]7 Ephes. 4. 2. and hath a liuely power and vnderstanding to know good from euill, and right from wrong; & man is that Creature, to whom GOD hath giuen this soule Intel­lectiue Now because man hath growing, as plants and herbes haue he is therefore called liuely: and because he hath the vse of the fiue sen­ses as brute beastes haue therefore hee is called Sen­sible, and because hee hath reason and vnderstanding, therefore hee is called Rea­sonable. A man then is no­thing else but a liuely sensi­ble, and reasonable creature. For the body and the reasonable soule ioyned toge­ther, doe make a man. [Page 11] Therefore there is no Crea­ture of God in earth, that hath any knowledge and reason how to do honour to God, saue onely man; so that God will by his goodnesse and mercy reward man for Mat. 25. his good deeds, and by his Iustice punish him for his offences, and euill deeds. For the soule of man is im­mortall and shall neuer dye. For no incorporeal substāce created by God, shall euer haue end. Which thus is proued; the soule must needs be made of somewhat, or else of nothing: but there can bee nothing named, of the which it is made; or if it be made of any other meane thing, or things then must it bee made of part of it selfe, which so gathered toge­ther [Page 12] maketh the whole soule, or else it is made of some matter with some forme and fashion added thereto: but it is not made of parts gathered together, for the soule hath no parts, nor cannot be deuided; nei­ther is it made of any other matter; for euery thing that is made of any matter and forme, may bee resolued vn­to the same matter, whereof it was first made, when the forme or fashion is broken or destroyed, as an Image, an house, a cup, & such like. And therefore sith that the soule of man cannot bee re­solued to any such matter whereof it is made, because it is a simple substance of it selfe, ergo it is made of no matter. Then if it be neither [Page 13] made of part of it selfe, nei­ther of any matter, it hath no meane cause of it creati­on and being; and as it must needs be immediately made Gen. 1. 26. of God, which is infinite, so consequently it followeth, that the soule of man must needs bee infinite, incorrup­tible, and immortall, and doth liue after it is separa­ted from the body, either in ioy, or paine. And as touch­ing the being of the [...]oule after it is separated from the body, it is not circumscri­bed in any place. For a na­turall place is the vtter and extreame terme or part, and hollow superficies of a body, containing another body within it: & a superficies is that, which hath but length and breadth, and no manner [Page 14] of thicknesse: for [...] it haue length breadth, and thick­nesse then it is a body. So that euery thing that I see, which is the obiect of my sight, and whereupon my sight doth rest, not conside­ring the thicknesse, is called a superficies; & so the vtter part of euery bodily thing that I do see, is called the Superficies, because I do see the length & breadth there­of, but not the thicknesse. As by example; a Tun is called by cōmon people the place of the wine, because it containeth the wine within it: and so that hollow su­perficies of the tunne is the very naturall place of the wine; and such a naturall place doth containe within it alwaies a corporall sub­stance, [Page 15] and a bodily thing. Therefore the soule can ne­uer bee contained in any na­tura [...]l place, because it is no corporall substance, but a spirituall which doth occu­py no place, no more then the thought or minde doth, which occupieth no place. Also vnderstand thou, that there bee two kind of things which haue being: the one is a reall thing, and the o­ther is a rationall. A reall thing is that, which is per­ceiued by the Organs and Instruments of the fiue wits; as that thing which may be seene, heard, tasted, felt, or smelled. But rationall things are those, which bee not perceiued by the fiue witts, but onely bee percei­ued by reason; and they bee [Page 16] things incorporeall, as loue, charity, meeknesse, absti­nence, pride, malice, sloth, and such other. Further­more of places, there bee three diuersities. One is a place Continentiue, another is a place Limitatiue, and the third a place Operatiue. A place Continuentiue is that, wherein reall things, as bo­dies, images, and figures be contained; as the Tunne wherein the wine is con­tained. A place Limitatiue is, where things incorporeal bee limited to bee; as the proper place limitatiue for loue, is that thing which is loued; and that thing which is so loued is the place limi­ted for that to bee, and there the loue is in his place limi­tatiue: which place limita­tiue [Page 17] of loue cannot bee euer certaine, but mutable: and because loue may bee at once in diuers things, there­fore loue may bee in diuers places limitatiue at one time. A place operatiue is that place where the opera­tion of the thing is; because wee see that the maruailous operation of God is that maruailous swift mouing of the heauenly Spheares and bodies aboue, which do ap­peare to vs; therefore wee say that the place where God is, is heauen: so that Gen. 1. 8 where so euer the operation of God appeareth, there is the place operatiue, and there is God. And thus to conclude, God hath ordai­ned a place of ioy, & a place of paine, where euery mans [Page 18] soule shall be rewarded ac­cording to his desarts.

CHAP. III. Of the Body.

A BODY hath length, breadth, & thicknesse; a man is nothing else but a liuely body, sensible, & rea­sonable; which man hath fiue wittes or senses, hearing, feeling, seeing, smelling, and tasting; and these senses are deuided into Animall, and Rationall. The Animall sen­ses bee diffused throughout all the members of man, such as bee, seeing, hearing, smelling, &c. And all these are common to vs, with brute beasts. The Rationall faculties consiste in reason, which doth make a man a Gen. 1. 28. 29. [Page 19] reasonable Creature, who by reason may rule vnreaso­nable beasts, & all things being vnder his dominion.

CHAP. IIII.

• Of earthly pleasurs, and the vanity thereof.
• Of the comfort and commo­ditie which man reapes, in and by knowing himselfe.
• Of the shortnesse, frailty, and miseries of mans life:
• With a remembrance of death, and meditation thereof.

THE way to bal­lance our selues and our desires is, to know our selues first, then to know God, and to fixe our whole hope, confidence, and desire [Page 20] in him, who is the true fountaine and well spring of all happinesse and con­tent; within the compasse of whose mighty Protection we are no longer his, then while wee walke within the boundes of his gracious directions. Miserable are those and most wretched, that wander and runne a­stray out of the armes, and safegard of his omnipoten­cie. If the Lord should for­get vs, as wee forget him; nay, if he should not remem­ber vs sinfull Creatures a thousand times ere wee re­member him once, and keep vs in, wee should daily and howrely wander out of the right way, and perish there­in. But his mercy and good­nesse is aboue al his works; [Page 21] and his great benefites are so generally extended, that the wicked haue their por­tion therein, as well as the godly: his enemies, as well as his friends. If the Lord should reuenge our iniuries and ingratitude, which wee commit in contemning his will and Commandements, and deale with vs as wee deale one with another: what would, or should be­come of vs then? Nothing but woe, and meere confu­sion. O let vs therefore learne from him which is the true patterne of all goodnesse and consolation, in some poore measure to be like vnto our Lord and and Maister Christ Iesus, from whence we deriue our name & are called Christi­ans. [Page 22] Let vs whose Image wee carry stamped by the fingers of his owne hands, let vs bee not onely sha­dowes but bodies mouing after his steppes that is our head; let vs walke heere on earth as good Christians, whereby we may shew the wicked a patterne of good life, to imitate such humili­ty and sobrietie as our Lord Iesus Christ the true and liuely patterne of all good­nesse and pietie hath walk­ed before vs: the print of whose blessed feete wee daily looke on with our eies, and consider in our heartes with ioy and com­fort. If wee will be his Dis­ciples, wee must take vp his Crosse and follow him, making it our glory, that [Page 23] are the people of his pas­ture, and the sheepe of his handes: who neuerthelesse in simple sight grasing on the mountaines, are either flee­ced of the shearer, growne into we oll: or snatched vp by the bucher, growne into flesh: and the water of af­fliction being wrung vnto vs out of a full cup, wee be exposed to the shame of the world, and the windes still beate on our sayles, and our liues bound vp in vexation and sorrow, whilest the wicked like the bramble in confidence of their shadow, Iudg. 9. 15. dare challenge to be Kings ouer the forrest. And though they sayle calmely as in the Hauen: and their breastes are full of milke as IOBE Iob 21. 26. speaketh, and their bones [Page 24] of marrow; and though with DAVID in the 73, PSALME wherein the property of the wicked is liuely set forth, (how they come not to mis­fortunes like other folke; neither are they plagued like other men; their eyes swell with fatnesse, and they do euen what they liste) yet let vs take comfort to our selues, & stay our soules on the anchor of his prouidēce, as the same Prophet did; although in the considera­tion of his chastisement all the day long, & euery mor­ning, yet the prosperity of the wicked, hee confessed & said: My feete had almost slipt, yea and I had sayd as they, vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God: then vn­derstood I the end of these [Page 25] men; namely, how thou set­test them in slippery places, and castest them downe, and destroyest them; how sud­denly they come to a feare­full end. So, when death shall make vs both euen with the Earth, here is our comfort: The graue shall bee to vs as a folde till our Shepheard come, and to them a sham­bles vntill the destroyer of their soules shall receiue an endlesse commission to tor­ment them. Therefore nei­ther the pleasures of this life, nor health, wealth, or li­berty, are at the best, but candied wormewood that delighteth the taste, but de­stroyeth the stomacke; with­out a true and sanctified vse therein, that makes those happy and blessed that haue [Page 26] them: for with all the good­ly branches of delectation & pleasure they cast (if their Tree answer not with fruit) the leaues will not protect it from the fire. Cursed is he that is blessed in this world, to be cursed in the world to come: Here we haue the elo­quence of the flesh to per­swade vs, the inticements of the diuell to allure vs, the company of the wicked to associate vs: All these, to di­uert our course from the place whither we are going and the World with her in­ticements to traine vs fur­thest from what wee seeke and the pride of our life to perswade vs for trifles to forgoe the interest wee haue in heauen, and our branched corruption euery way ready [Page 27] to set vs forward, being am­bitious like Adam; who if he may be as God, there is Gen 3. 5. no command can restraine him: vaine-glorious like E­sau, who if hee may haue a Gen. 33. 1. traine of men at his heeles, will soone digest the losse of his birth-right: and so byv­sury if our bags may there­by be made fuller; the word of God shall n [...]t restraine vs from it. If the sonnes of men shall take the diuell at his word, which the Sonne of God did not, when the di­uell tempted him and shew­ed him [...]ll the Kingdomes of the Earth, and the glory thereof: All these will I giue thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship me; and for the glory of the world which he shall shew, and cannot giue, [Page 28] shal fall downe and worship him. If he shew honors, pre­ferment, pleasure, riches, say­ing, as this, I will giue thee: though the minions and lo­uers of the world, that seeke for their heauen vpon earth, shal be ready to betray their soules, as Iudas betraied Christ, with his (Haile Master,) shall bee ready to im­brace him, to serue him, to serue themselues; yet with the Sonne of God after his fasting, be thou so strong in thy strength, as he was in his weakenesse, to bid him de­part, and say him, Nay. It is Matt. 16. 20. but a bitter recompence to buy the pleasures at so deare a rate, as at the price of the soule in euerlasting confusi­on: for our life is short and fading, and but the length of [Page 29] a shanne; and if thou thinke it more, take the Counters into thy hands, and see what reckoning thou canst make of it. What is past, grieues thee with the remembrance thereof, because so much of thy time is spent; what is present, burdeneth thee with the weight thereof, because in sweat and soare study and trauell, thou doest waste thy time: what is to come, trou­bleth thee with the vncer­tainty of it, lest the graue do swallow thee before thou see it. Yea, make thine ac­count as thou oughtest, and thou shalt find it swifter then the Weauers shuttle, Iob 7. 6: and speedier then a post on the wings of the wind, Iob 9. 25. Then in con­sideration of this, and what­soeuer [Page 30] hath beene spoken to the vn [...]lothing of our na­kednesse, and humbling vs before God, to the pulling off our robes of leuity and lightnesse, and the preparing our bodies to the graue, and our soules to this insuing ex­ercise of holy meditation, to the daunting of all flesh. All must come, and the houre may be neere, but it cannot be farre off; and howsoeuer wee forget it, it will bee sure to remember vs. Therefore let vs know that here as Pil­grimes and strangers wee wander, hauing no abiding City; but wee seeke for one to come: But wee must not seeke to find it here. nor suf­fer the vaine applause of the world, and the vainer con­ceit of our selues to make vs [Page 31] forget where wee liue; re­membring that wee are of our selues but as trees tur­ned vpwards, hauing no sap from the Earth, but refresh­ed and moistened with the deaw of Heauen. Let vs so prouide for our iourney, that wee misse not the Ci [...]y wee seeke for: Let vs so runne our race, that we obtaine the vi­ctorie and reward we runne for; and therefore if thou ex­pect in thy labour blessing, in thy peace continuance, in affliction comfort, in thy death triumph, in thy iudge­ment ioy; respect in thy life, sob [...]iety in thy calling, ho­nesty in thy pleasures, iudge­ment in thy sorrowes, in thy life religion. If God be not with thee to direct thee that thou stray not, to correct [Page 32] thee that thou presume not, to sustaine thee that thou fa­mish not, to pardon thee that thou despaire not, to support thee that thou stumble not, to strengthen thee that thou fall not, and to sanctifie thee that thou sinne not, and to glorifie thee that thou pe­rish not. If the Lord thorow­out the whole course of thy life, and in thy death be not present and powerfull to thee, thou faintest in the one, and failest in the other, and desperation enuironeth thee on euery side: for where the Lord keepeth not, watcheth not, but turneth away his face, all the miseries in the World then will lay their siege. Therefore to him let vs day and night send vp our supplications and prayers [Page 33] vnfainedly without ceasing, like incense into the aire; whereby that mercifull and louing Sauiour of mankind may continue his goodnesse towards vs, and giue vs that what we want, to support vs by his grace, to direct vs by his Spirit, and so leade vs thorowe this exemplarie World of sinne and wicked­nesse, with our eyes so loo­king forward fixed on him, that we let not temptations in at their windowes; so cap­tiuating our desires vnto the omnipotency of his Maiesties will that with Lot we may be righteous in a City, in a World of vncleannesse; that so wee may saue our soules at the last, though we lose all the vaine pleasures in the World besides. The [Page 34] losse of [...] soule would more [...] Sathan, then [...] sor­roweth for the da [...]nation of his owne; but Christ our louing Sauiour, he being ou [...] onely and chiefe Precursor into Heauen, euen vnto his last breath, being not vn­mindfull of his little flocke, did as Abraham vnto Isa ack [...], as Dauid vnto Salo­mon, as Tobias vnto his son, bequeathed vnto his a few small houres before his glo­rification, his best and prin­cipall legacy being eternall life; confirming it vnto them in his last and latest prayer made for his Apostles: This is life eternall, that we know thee to bee the onely very God without beginning or ending, and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. That wee [Page 35] know him, who he is, and Rom. 11. what he is. 1 Who he is, euen the principall and singular essence, from whom, and by whom, all things were crea­ted, all things are preserued, all things shall be dissolued 2 What hee is; great in wis­dome, and therefore know­eth; powerfull in strength, and therefore can; plentifull in loue, and therefore will crowne those which hee knoweth; and know those euerlastingly which hee lo­ueth; and loue those most tenderly which know and acknowledge him. By his knowledge he will rule, by his strength defend, by his loue embrace all that know and acknowledge him; that know him after a long and earnest seeking him, and ac­knowledge [Page 36] him by a most gracious and happy finding him: seeking him among their miseries, finding him in his mercies; seeking him in the croud and preasse of their sinnes, finding him in the top of his Crosse; see­king Him in finding our selues, finding him in seeking our selues. As wee desire to know and find God, so wee must endeuour by all means possible to know and seeke out our s [...]lues, and make a true inquisition about our selues, before wee can at­taine and reach vnto the right knowledge of him that made vs.

For God, being (as he is) without beginning and en­ding, and not subiect to de­finition or Description, [Page 37] must be shadowed per poste­riora, because hee hath not priora; he being primum prin­cipium, the primary cause & principall ground of euery principle, yea that principi­um principiorum, that illimi­ted, wonderfull, and vn­searchable Alpha must bee Apoc. 1. comprehended and knowne by his effects. It is meere dotage in Philosophie to search out causes of Princi­ples: when they are Princi­ples, they haue not prece­dent causes; and therefore those things that borrow not their proofe & demon­stration from fore-running causes, their brightnesse and luster must appeare by their effects.

Since then God in regard of his being, which is with­out [Page 38] ending, is incomprehē ­sible and void of all demon­stration, mans frailtie must labour to know him by his effects and works. For the inuisible wisdome of God is seene by the creation of the world; and if in any creature the perfect Art of Gods om­nipotencie may be compre­hended, it is in nothing more then in man, vpon whom he hath set the stampe of his owne image. Man therefore must know him & giue him that due reuerence of honor which pertains to the omni­potencie of his Maiestie; for in knowing GOD, man knowes himselfe, as being his workmanship. There­fore wee ought to loue and know him as our Ma [...]er, Creator, & Redeemer. First [Page 39] know thy selfe with the eye of experience, & then know God with the eye of con­templation; first know thy selfe poore in miserie. and then know God rich in mer­cie; first know thy selfe gro­ning, and backe broken vn­der the burthen of sinne; and then know God easing and refreshing thee thus laden: first know thy selfe Deaths free-hold & possession, and then know God the breaker and bruser of the Serpents head: first know thy selfe to bee the weake subiect of all mortalitie, and then know God in the donation of his Spirit, the earnest-penny of mans immortalitie. Man must know that hee is no long liuing creature, & that as soone as he is borne he is [Page 40] coupled with famine, with thirst, with heat, with cold, and many more infirmities. And for his death, hee may bee compared to snowe, quickly come, and as quick­ly gone: or like to a rose, at morning faire, at euening withered. Therefore seeing wee are so suddenly gone, here to day, to morrow va­nished; man must first know from whence he is, and then let him blush for shame; se­condly, where hee is, & then lament with grones; third­ly, whither he will, and then tremble with feare At his naked natiuity hee laments with crying at his worldly entertainment, & trembles with feare for his doubtfull end, what shall become of him. O let man blush for [Page 41] shame; he is flesh; and there­fore farre from God; let him lament with grones that he is in the world, for therefore is he wide of heauen; let him tremble with feare that hee must die hee being obuious to the iawes of hell. To bee briefe, man must know him­selfe aright both within and without, behinde & before, and on all sides, before his peruerse and ouerthwart na­ture will know the right way to follow God in his steps. But on the contrary, man is prone to euill, and to the sweet and pleasing re­membrance of that which is bad; on this side lacke of patience in aduersitie, on that side too much pride and haughtinesse in prospe­ritie: nay what vice is it that [Page 42] man wants? on euery side wounds, and nothing but wounds imprinted & stam­ped in his soule and fraile flesh by the custome of sin: yet vpon his repentance hee shall finde God aboue him powerfull, beneathe him plentiful, before him watch­full, behinde him wonder­full; on this side bountifull, on that side carefull, and on euery side mercifull; merci­full in forgetting, mercifull in forgiuing our sinnes, and the onely pathway to per­fection.

Heraclitus, a Heathen in superstition, a Philosopher in profession, on a time tri­umphing as it were with himselfe how hee had spent the day, cried out with a loud voice, The honour of [Page 43] the well-spent day is this; I haue sou [...]ht my selfe, which of al knowledge (next to God) is most necessary: for man in knowing himselfe, knowes God. It is an hard thing to be tongue-tide in secrecy, to dispose the time rightly, or to suffer iniuries patient­lie; it is an hard thing to tolerate aduersity with qui­etnesse, and as hard a thing it is to bee a good Man. The hardest lesson that a man can learne, is to know himselfe: what is the stile of Mastership in Arts, if a man perfectly knowes not him­selfe? Knowledge puffeth vp, but selfe-knowledge pu [...]leth downe. Knowledge is so far wide of true knowledge, that in ignorance of God it crieth with Pharoah, Exo. 5. [Page 44] But selfe-knowledge plun­ged in the depth of its owne knowledge, aspireth to know the true knowledge of God. Exod. 18. Iethro confesseth the Lord is grea­ter then all Gods. Know­ledge mounteth vpon the wings of pride, boasteth with Lucifer; I will make the starres my foote- [...]toole: But selfe-knowledge coue­red with the veile of humili­tie, falleth downe with Iob, and worshippeth knowledge. But selfe-knowledge is not hasty in pace, nor multiloqui­ous in words; keeping time in going, and obseruing a meane in speaking, and at once breakes vp the chest of his heart vnto the Lord for his mercifull fauour herein. Aristotle by nature coueted [Page 45] knowledge and that itching desire of Eue as soone as she was out of the shell, testifi­eth no lesse: for the hope of much knowledge shee lost her selfe in ignorance, swal­lowing as shee thought the bait of knowledg, which turned in the end to the bane of ignorāce. Yet if knowledge suffer a difference, and men beare more then an indiffe­rent minde vnto it, there is none more pleasing, none more profitable then this selfe-knowledge; pleasing in respect of God, profitable in respect of man. Gen. 28. It is the ladder of Iacob that rea­cheth from earth to Heauen, that Geometricall square that squareth out Man at a spanlength; and then mea­sureth Psal. 39. God the Alpha and [Page 46] Omega, vvhich filleth Hea­uen and Earth: that Arith­meticall Calendar of Mans age, that first declareth his time to be three [...]ore yeeres and ten; and then vvith Mo­ses ascendeth the Mount to take a suruey of Gods eter­nitie. The dee [...]er Man vvadeth into the s [...]lfe-knovv­ledge the neerer he shall ar­riue to God himselfe It shall bee more then Thomas his Credo, to conceiue God in­wardly, Ioh. 20. then to thrust thy finger into his side; it shall be more then the Centurions Mat. 27. testimonie to acknowledge him in thy heart, then before the multitude to confesse him vvith the lippes; it shall be more then Simeons Nunc Dimittis, to take hold of him in a troubled spirit, then [Page 47] to imbrace his infancie in the flesh; it shall bee more then Philips sufficit, to view Iohn 14. him in thy selfe, then to be­hold him in the heauens. Looke not on the superfi­cies and outside of thy selfe, saith the Poet; but rather let thy conscience bee thy loo­king-glasse, whereby thou maiest dresse and attire thy selfe fit for heauen; that will tel thee how to get the wed­ding robe by innocencie of life; that wil teach thee how to put it on by a liuely faith; that will tell thee what his progenitors haue been; that will teach thee what thy state is now; that will tell the histories of Adam; that will tell the lessons of thy selfe; that will tell thee that Adam brought sinne into [Page 48] the world; that will tell thee therfore how thou maist stu­dy the law of God: we must study it because it is a school master to bring vs vnto Christ: and there like a true Naturalist, shalt thou finde the causes of thy sinne han­ging vpon record; and there like a true Historian, reade what others haue done be­fore thee, & how thou mai­est study the Law by reading it with a glosse of the Gos­pell, is because the Gospell is a true interpretation of saluation: briefly, that will tell thee how thou wast borne vnder infestuous Pla­nets; this will teach thee how thou must bee borne againe vnder that Prince of Planets the Sunne of righte­ousnesse, Iob. 3. Defend thy [Page 49] selfe from that which will not teach thee law, and learn true & perfect knowledge of God, whereby thou mai­est betake thy selfe wholly vnto him, that hee may be­take himselfe wholly vnto thee; and that thou maiest striue to be bathed in the re­mission of sinnes, rather then to be drenched in the sea of desperation. Man and his waies are sinfull, therefore let vs call vpon God, & still pray vnto him being our Sa­uiour and mercifull Redee­mer: it is no shame to bee sorrowfull, or to cry to God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes: it is no reproach to beg Gods mercies; or hurt to vs to pray his Maiestie to be mercifull in the remission and forgiuenesse of our sins: [Page 50] it is no discredit to confesse our faults vnto God, and to tell him we are miserable & wretched sinners. This is the means to quench the ex­tremity of thirsty sinne and to obtaine a refreshing cup, with a beaten breast, and broken heart to cry vnto God, to be a mercifull father vnto vs, and to giue vs re­mission of all our sinnes. If lamentable pictures & wo­full tales carry their force with them to inforce teares from the hearers and behol­ders eyes; then cannot wee but turne prodigall in tears, when wee behold this liuely counterfet of sorrow, where euery colour hath a spea­king griefe, euery griefe a mourning tongue to extort and wring teares from the [Page 51] beholders eyes. Iacob did Gen. 37. neuer rent his garment in so many peeces for the losse of Ioseph, as the true penitent sinner doth his soule for the burthen of his sinnes, laying them vpon the ra [...]ke of re­pentance & stretching them from earth to heauen, from himselfe to God. Agar be­ [...]ng turned out of her ma­ [...]ters Gen. 21. house, made her eyes [...]e plaintifes of true contri­ [...]on to her solitary wan­ [...]ring: but the penitent in [...]eart being turned out of [...]is masters fauour, makes [...]is hand his heart, his eyes [...]is tongue, and all labour to [...]essen the griefe of his dis­ [...]ase, with a true sorrowfull [...]emorse: his hands like the [...]ellowes blow the fire of [...]ontrition to his heart; his [Page 52] heart like a limbecke distil­leth the soueraigne water of repentance into his eyes, who (like full cesternes) not being able to look vpward, returne their streams backe vnto the heart; that being o­uercharged, driues the floud of his affection to his tong; his tongue like Aarons cen­ser, conuayes the sweet per­fume of his precious distil­lation into the presence of God himselfe. And as the Angels celebrated the birth of Christ with a ioyfull hymne, so he welcomes his second birth with a sad la­mentation; much like to Pe­ter when he denied his Ma­ster. Mat. 26. Sicke men cannot away with any melancholy; Sauls frensie could not indure Da­uids 1 Sam. 18. Harpe; Salomons thou­sand [Page 53] songs cannot mitigate the smart of the sinners dis­ease that runnes altogether vpon the heart-string, not the Harpe-string, the spaces, falles, and rises of a melan­cholie ditty; the first note being raised high to him that is aboue all; the second with a temperate stop mo­ued to a meane; the third with a heauy touch fitted to the base. Heauy, O heauy is the note of man, and there­fore it calles for moderation of God: O heauy, too heauy is the note of sin, and ther­fore it craues the voyce of mercy. Wee may iustly ob­serue in the penitent sinner, first his inuocation to God: secondly, his humble petiti­ons: thirdly, his condition in his meditation, by vertue [Page 54] whereof hee attaineth to know himselfe to bee the greatest offender, and God his only Sauiour and Redee­mer. Dauid being in the depth of meditation, his Psal. 39. heart was hot, the fire of his zeale was kindled, and hee spake: Lord teach me to num­ber my dayes: in the same precinct and streits of medi­tations is the penitent sin­ner; his armes like the Phoe­nix wings, hath set his heart on fire; by that his zeale is inflamed, by his zeale his tongue is inlarged and cals to God for his mercies; hee speakes as Dauid in his me­ditation, with iudgement & discretion; he speakes in his meditation what he wants; his prayer directing to ob­taine his wants at the hands [Page 55] of his mercifull Sauiour. Lastly, he speakes, & speaks authorised, with a prouiso and respect to whom hee speakes. What is it hee speakes? The first regard is the reuerence of the person to whom he speakes, God. His second consists of a two­fold property; one drawen from himselfe, being a mi­serable sinner: the other from a necessity that GOD would bee mercifull to our mis-spent life. The third is couched not so much in quantity of words, as in quality of affection his prai­er is short, but very sweet in regard of zeale. His last re­gard aimes at the time; for sinne like Noahs floud euery day getting strength, was al­most Gen. 7. 17. come to the top of A­rarat, [Page 56] and had almost ouer­spread the whole earth; so it was high time to stay the swelling rage and fury of it; and therefore hee striues to bring it back to a low ebbe, and with a smooth calme of an humble petition, speakes in a serious meditation to God to forgiue him his sins, and to bee mercifull vnto him: but helples man cannot helpe, but only God, in whō and with whom is al cōfort. I will not runne vnto the wise man with Pharoah; I call not vpon any Idols with the Priests of Baal; but with Exod 7. sorrowfull Sara in the gaule of bitternesse, with wrinck­led Tob. 3. faced Iob smitten on the cheekes with a reproach, I Iob. 16. beginne my confession vnto the Lord. I pray not for the [Page 57] strength of body with Sam­son, with Elisha for my ene­mies Iudg. 16. blindnesse, with world­ly Balaam for earthly trea­sures; but with the faithfull 2 Pet. 2. Cananitish woman once & Math. 15. againe reiected, I begge for crummes of thy mercy, that thou wilt bee a Sauiour for my sinnes; euen I the sonne of sorrow present my selfe vnto thee, and as the Leaper Math. 8. intreated for his own clean­sing euen so I pray that God will shew his mercy & com­passion vpon me, being wea­ [...]ed a long time from the Teattes of thy loue, and nourished with the corrupt milke of sinne. It is euen I that haue refused thy hea­uenly Manna, and delighted my selfe with the leauen of Aegypt; now at the length [Page 58] strucke with the whip of re­pentance, retire, and for the [...]asing of my griefe, presume to solicite thee in this man­ner: (O Lord) bee mercifull vnto me and forgiue me the great and hainous crimes which I haue committed a­gainst thy omnipotent Ma­iestie. I am not of Simon Pe­ters mind, that said, Lord go Lu. 5. 8. from mee, for I am a sinfull man; but rather. Lord come to mee because I am a wret [...]hed and sinfull man. Nei­ther doe I crie out with the possessed, Iesus thou Sonne of God what haue I to doe Mat. 8. with thee; but rather, Iesus thou Sonne of God, I haue to doe with thee: Oh let me haue some interest in thy loue, which like a veile co­uereth the multitude of sins, [Page 59] and vniteth the peece-rent heart of the sorrow-beaten sinner. It is not with mee as it was with Cain, to say, my Gen. 4. sinne is greater then can bee pardoned; neither am I as yet clasped in that despera­tion and distrust, as to equa­lize and compare thy mer­cy to my sinnes: I know thy piety to exceed mans impie­tie, and thy mercy to bee greater then mans misery Sinnes as they cannot choke thy loue, so they cannot stand in any degree of com­parison with the infinitene [...] of thy mercy: for how much thy greatnesse ouerspreads mans weakenesse, so much the goodnesse of thy good­nesse exceeds the euill of his euill; and therefore it were first high treason to thy om­nipotency [Page 60] and power to say; My sinnes are greater then thou canst pardon, when thy mercy is (like thy selfe) great without all quantity, good without all quality. Second­ly, it were a wrong vnpar­donable to thy will, a tres­pas dangerous to thy truth, an iniury too desperate in despairing of thy promises, to say; Thou wilt not doe what thou canst, when with thee to doe, is as easie as to will, and to wil is ready eue­rie houre. It is worse then the staine of hypocrisie to say, I am no sinner: for none can challenge to himselfe that priuiledge: Sinne was my Mother which brought me into the VVorld, and sin is the daughter of my affe­ction in the VVorld; the [Page 61] VVorld is become a loath­some Cage of vncleane Birds, a troubled Sea diui­ded into many puddles, a dangerous desert, nursing and nusling vp strange and venemous creatures; where couetousnesse like a burning Serpent breathes out the fire of vnhallowed desires; where lust like the Scorpi­on enuenometh the soule, and prouokes it to blacke attempts; where pride lies close at the hart like a snaile lurking in the bushes: wher, nay, where else should sinne be, when the VVorld is ter­med the denne and couert of all euill? Here euery sinne great and little (though eue­rie little sinne be too great) ranges and keeps his Court. The trimme fashion of the [Page 62] VVorld is out of fashion, because it is sicke of euery fashion; it being composed the vvonderfull checke and countermand of all Art, is novv become a miserable Chaos, the ruinous and dis­ordered heape of all disor­der; it is the Stage and Thea­ter of hypocrisie, faire and beautifull without, but full of foule sinne within; like straight grovving reeds, sa­tis [...]ying the eyes vvith a greene and pleasing sight, but vvithin nothing more vaine, nothing more light, nothing more empty; like vnto Nabuchadnezars Idol, glittering vvith a golden Dan. 3. 1. head, yet standing vpon feet of clay; by striuing to excell in beauty, it hath vvashed a­vvay all beauty, and there is [Page 63] no sure hold for the soules anchor in so slippery a sta­tion. The effects proue it so: for it is become Murthers slaughter-house, Thefts re­fuge, VVhoredomes and Oppressions safety, and for all sinnes a sinfull Sanctu­arie. Who can svvallovv Circes Cuppe, and not bee transformed? Who can taste deadly poyson, and escape infection? Who can liue in Sodome, and not be vvicked? Who can breathe in the World, and bee no sinner? The Infant-blush at mine natiuity vvas it not the tell­tale of my originall sinne, how I had tasted of that sovvre fruite vvhich all my auncestors from the first to the last had eaten? And from the time of my natiuity, how [Page 64] I haue since hewen off my age by sinne, filling and ful­filling (as Christ saith) the measure of my fathers. My sinne-prest conscience se­cretly doth tell me, there is no way to hide and smother what I am: for if disguised Adam in his figge-leaued coate, close and secure (as he thought) among the bushes could not shelter him from Gods presence, how can I promise to my selfe security? Well may the blind-folde World, being as deepely co­uered in sinne as I, either for weakenesse not see, or for the thicke skinne of his own sinne still be dazel-eyed, and not behold the heapes and drifts of iniquity: but God which hath intelligence of my secret thoughts, hath an [Page 65] eare to heare my priuate words, an eye to see my light and darke actions. God, which is the scrutator of our hearts and reines, en­ters the priuy chamber of our hearts, and is an eye-wit­nesse of our sinne, before it be hatched: Hee knew all things before they were be­gunne, therefore hee must needes know them when they are done. He saw thee and Dauid intending adul­tery, before thou and Da­uid comitted adulterie. If then no running awaye will serue turne, no place close enough to smother sinne, when euery thing is naked and open to his view; into what an hard obdura­tion is man cast? how is his face made stiffe with oyly [Page 66] colours of shamelesse impu­dencie, that will feare the presence of the creature, and no way stand-in awe or re­uerence of the all-presence of the Creator? There may be a secret roome where no man comes, a secret stage to act sinne, where no man sees; but is it possible to keepe God out; is it possible to blinde his eyes? O poore runawaies that we are, wee hide not our selues frō God, but rather hide God from vs. What though the eyes of thy vnderstanding be­ing darkned, thou canst not see him; yet hath hee made thee a casement to thy con­science, and beholds thee within and without in the cogitation, in the action. Wherefore if running from [Page 67] God bee but a step to grea­ter sinne, then will I runne from sinne to God, till I re­couer strength in his merci­full eyes. As there is no secu­rity to hide sinne, so there is no remedy to excuse it, or to post it off, saying, The womā which thou ga [...]est mee, did cause mee to sinne, as Adam; Gen. 3. or as Eue to cleere her selfe, saying, The Serpent begui [...]ed mee; this is rather an increase then a decrease of sinne: the offence was heauier in exa­mination, then it had been before in commission; for heere the blinde leades the blinde, and the further they goe, the greater is their dan­ger. First they sin, and then they flie: Secondly they are taken, but they denie: Third­lie, it being proued, they [Page 68] stand out in their owne de­fence, and dispute the case. Adam excusing himselfe by the Woman, the Woman laying the fault on the Ser­pent, both of them priuily taxing God for placing such and such with them in Para­dise: But alas, this is but a naked shift, and to no pur­pose to bandy words with God, neither did he cal them for any such discourse; but God as it were lamenting the first fruites of his labor should vtterly perish, there­fore questioned with our first Parents, that the fire of their confession might burne downe the wall which the rancor of sinne had builded between them and God. As then hopefull Israel found meanes to supplant the vsur­ping [Page 69] Canaanites, by electing Iuda their guide and Cap­taine; Iudg. 1. so many put to flight that great daring Canaanite that musters vp whole legi­ons of temptations against vs: when as Iuda (which in­terpreted, signifies confessi­on) doth not onely conduct and guide our forces, but al­so blunts the edge of our e­nemies sword, returning his intended poyson to his own confusion. The confession of our sinne (saith Augustine) barres vp the mouth of Hell, which stands gaping to de­uoure thee, and opens the gates of Heauen that wil­lingly would receiue thee: Therefore let vs launce the festered soare with the knife of true confession, let vs complaint to him that is the [Page 70] great Shepheard of soules; as hee is a Physition he will cure thee, as hee is a Shep­ [...]eard hee will number thee with his flocke: sinnes-sal­uing plaster is to reueale our wickednesse. Well may wee confesse our offences, but hide them wee cannot; by such our confession the Di­uell is preuented of his se­uere accusation, which anci­ent malice would cōmence against vs. To anatomize & exenterate sinne, to poure it forth vpon the Altar of re­pentance before God, will not onely take away the oc­casion of plea from the accu­ser, but also reconcile vs to the whole fauour of that High Commission. Belee­uing Nini [...]i [...] wrapt and con­founded in sorrow, was [Page 71] soone turned out of her mourning gowne of sacke­cloth and ashes, and was gir­ded about with a faire sin­don of Gods eternall sauor: but harde-hearted Sodome swelling in the pride of her strength, is stript of all her beautifull attire, and naked­ly left in the base ashes of [...]er owne destruction There­fore I will confesse with Da­uid against my selfe my wic­ [...]ednesse Psal. 32. vnto the Lord. It is [...]ot an vsurpation to turne [...]udge, to cal an Assise, to ex­ [...]mine mine owne soule, to [...]roduce my thoughts as ac­ [...]users of my conscience, as [...] thousand witnesses to a­ [...]erre and confound the gilt [...]f sinne: but these shall pre­ [...]ent that latter and fearefull examination, how wee haue [Page 72] spent our time, how we haue imployed our wealth, how we haue ruled our appetites, how we haue mortified our desires, how wee haue vsed and bestowed all good gifts and graces of the holy Spi­rit. Nay, we shall neuer haue cause to feare that dolefull distaste which Abraham cast in Diues teeth: Sonne remem­ber Lu. 16. how thou in thy life time receiuedst pleasure, dispor­ting thy time in wanton dal­liance, solacing thy selfe in pleasing pastimes, braue in apparell, glittering in gold, high in honour, delicate in fare, defending pride to bee but a point of gentry, glut­tony a part of good fellow­ship, wantonnesse a tricke of youth: because thou hast in­closed and taken in all plea­sures [Page 73] to thy selfe vpon earth, thou shalt now take vp thy [...]ents, and reape a plentifull haruest in Hell. Meete with [...]he day of Iudgement (saith Augustine) before it come: [...]ooke about before hand, [...]repare thy selfe to enter an [...]ction against thy selfe: for [...]o presumption will serue. [...]e that seeth his house run [...] ruine, and will not at the [...]rst or second breach seeke [...] reparations, striues to [...]ake rubbish of a good [...]ilding: And he that tra­ [...]ls in a leaking shippe, and [...]ill not in the beginning [...]oke to empty it, sayles for [...]ught but to drowne him­ [...]fe. To morrow, to morrow, [...] the voice of presumption: [...] who can tell whether he [...] liue till to morrow. God [Page 74] (saith Augustine) hath sealed a pardon to him that truly repents; but none to him that deferres, and saies, he will repent: And hee that is not fit for his conuersion to day, will bee lesse ready to morrow; for on the morrow he will bee the same man a­gaine, and sing the same song againe, languishing still in delay, trifling out the time, till God in whose hands only are the moments of times, shut and barre him out from all time, and leaue him to paines without time, for so abusing the precious date of time. To morrow, to morrow, is an vncertaine time; though the times bee certaine in themselues, ye [...] are they most vncertaine vnto man; as he knew not hi [...] [Page 75] beginning, so he is ignorant of his ending; much like to little birds, who on their [...]earch looke about to flie this way or that way, yet be­fore they take their flight, they are preuented by the shaft. Death is a common [...]tate-searcher both of old and young, striking as well Dauids young sonne before he was seauen dayes old, as 2 Sam. 22. that ancient of dayes Me­thusalem, that liued nine hun­dred sixtie nine yeeres. Lest the Kingdome of Sathan should bee established in vs by frequency of sinning, therefore let vs breake off delay, putting no trust in old age: but (as Saint Paul saith) Heb. 3. [...]uen in this very instant, while it is named to day, let us repentantly crie to God, [Page 76] and call to him to forgiue vs our leude and mispent time, and let vs giue our sinnes leaue to die before vs; it is good riddance of a painefull pardon: for it is little better then desperatiō, to giue free liberty to thy youthfull wil, to range abroade, vpon con­fidence of repentance in thy last and least part of thy life. For alas what can helpelesse old age helpe, when all the strength of the body, all the faculties of the mind, all the parts and passions are not onely daunted, and out-da­red with sickenesse, but also worne out with a multitude of yeeres; as age-spent Da­uid is not able to retaine heate of himselfe, but Abi­shai the Shunamite must cherish him. An old man is [Page 77] halfe deathes man, destitute of all good meanes to con­uersion; vnfit to fast, vnable to pray, vnapt to watch, or to any other exercise. What voice is there more lamenta­ble the [...] that of Milo, when seeing the young Champi­ons striuing each with other to obtaine the Conquest, he cried out with teares, loo­king on his withered armes, My bloud is dead, my veines wrinckled, my sinewes shrunke to nothing. The counsell of the Wise-man may be a present Memoran­dum to euery man: Let vs re­member Eccles. 12. our Creator in the dayes of our youth, while the euill dayes come not: That is, in our prosperity of strēgth, in our hopefull youth, in the vigor and lustinesse of our [Page 78] yeeres, before forgetfull old age ouertake vs. Let vs be­take our selues to him that tooke vs out of the dust, and created vs after his own likenesse; otherwise it were an euerlasting blemish of ingratitude, and a most infa­mous stampe of iniustice, to hope for the receite of eter­nall glory, to receiue at one instance an Angels inheri­tance, to enioy for nothing a place with Christ, and not to tender the best of thy selfe to God his Father. If it were pol [...]ution to the Altar to offer the lame and sicke, with what face then canst thou present that little short and maimed peece of seruice which limping old age will affoord? Hee which is the Childe of many yeeres, is no [Page 79] doubt the Father of many sinnes: for life the longer it is, the more sinfull it is. If in the oblation of burnt of­ferings and peace offerings the young Lambes without Leuit. 1. blemish were elected for the sacrifice: if the chiefe fat of the Ramme made the Exod. 29. sweetest sauour vnto the Lord: then stands it against the rule of decencie and good manners, to serue in Leuit. 3. Gods messe with the bare, leane, and rotten bones of sinnes, that haue lien rotting in the pit of corruption as many s [...]re yeeres, as did Lazarus dayes in the graue. If no man were admitted to stand before Nabuchadnez­zar but children that were Dan. 1. 4. most beautifull; how dare a­ny man shuffle himselfe into [Page 80] Gods presence, disiointed, crooked, old aged, & sloth­full? There is no reason in the World that the World should reape that Haruest which God hath bought with the sweat of his bloud; no Law for to giue him the lees of wine, that hath ta­ken paines to plant the Vineyard, and to tread the Presse; no equity to leaue him the gleaning, to whom the whole sheafe belongeth; no iustice to diuide the heart which hee hath made one, and to giue the sick and fee­ble part vnto him, and the strong and lusty vnto the Diuell. Vnlesse you bring your youngest brother, saith Ioseph, Gen. 14. you shall neuer see my face a­gaine: So vnlesse wee bring young Beniamin that is, the [Page 81] first fruites of our youth, and tender them to our euerla­sting High Priest, wee shall neuer partake his ioyful pre­sence, neuer enioy his com­fortable grace, neuer bee comforted with his [...]iuine happinesse. As young Sa­muel and young Obadiah be­ing 1 Sam. 2 2 Reg. 18. (as it were) in their chil­dren colours, ministred vnto the Lord; euen so I in the spring and prime of my youth, no way relying vpon aged repentance, will con­fesse my sinnes wholy vnto God, and at the barre of his bounty I will sue out a par­don. If in Dauids repentance the fire of his deuotion did ascend and moue the Hea­uens to scabbard vp the wrathfull Sword in the sheath of his omnipotent [Page 82] mercy: doubt not, but with the same flame to kindle the like sacrifice; and with as strong a voice as had Eliah, when he brought food from Reg. 1. 17 Heauen, to moue the same God to compassion. My voice shall bee as able to quench the fire of Gods wrath, as was the voice of the three Children that o­uercame the hotte burning Furnace: My voice shal be as able to procure life, as was the voice of Ezechias, that 2 Reg. 20 ouercame death. As Ionas out of the bellie of the Whale, so I out of the hell Ionas 2. 3 of sinne: As blind Bartimeus for his want of sight, so I in Mar. 20. the sight of my wants will crie to God for his mercifull aide and helpe. As young Tobias was not destitute of Tobi. 5. [Page 83] a guide to conduct him to Rages, so am not I left igno­rant of the way to Heauen. Abraham in his iourney to Gen. 12. Canaan tooke a Map of the vpper Canaan, and left it re­gistred to all posterities. We like so many Abrahams, must leaue our Countrey be­hind our backes, must depart and bid adue to the flesh, & the world, and to our selues: from pride descending to low humility, leauing anger to shake hands with pati­ence giuing our lust the fare­well to welcome chastitie, excluding enuie to enter­taine charitie, renouncing cruelty for the exchange of clemency. Wee must relin­quish and forsake our owne kindred, that is, the old cu­stome and acquaintance we [Page 84] haue had with sinne, shaking the vncleane spirit out of doores, and being washt, ne­uer to returne to our olde vomite; and being made whole, wee will sin no more. Wee must turne from the si­nister and left hand of this World, from the Prince of darkenesse our Father, to the right hand of righteous­nesse, to the King of Kings our heauenly Father; which dwelleth in the Land of ver­tue, not in the Land of vice; in the Land of peace, not in the Land of paine; in the Land of ioy, not in the Land of sorrow: and be partakers of that desired benediction wherewith Isaac in the type and figure of Christ blessed his sonne Iacob. Behold the sweet smell of my Sonne, that Gen. 27. [Page 85] sauours not of the Onions and Garlicke of Aegypt, but the sweete smell of my Sonne that hath beene daintily fed with the choice Milke and Hony of Canaan. No flight is more commendable then to flie out of the middest of Baby­lon, to hasten out of Aegypt, where miseries haue no pe­riod, and to trauell to the promised Land, where is rest without remoue, mercie without measure, loue with­out limit, goodnesse in all kind of greatnesse; where euery soule may (like the Doue in Noahs Arke) rest without feare, enioy plenty without want, take repast without contempt. But the frailety of our flesh is so prone to fall into the slippe­rie vanities of this World, [Page 86] which doe so dazell the eies and dull the sences, that wee can neither see, nor yet re­member to tread in the true path of righteousnesse. The vanity which reignes in vs is so great, that it drawes all our godly desires clean from vs by the pleasingnes there­of; and it doth so possesse our weake and fraile flesh, whereby it drawes such toyes and phantasies into our wauering minds, that it makes vs cleane to forget to labour and trauell to find out the expected promised [...]and, wherein remaines all rest and pleasure. O vaine. vaine that wee are! that will bee so negligent and care­lesse to labour and trauell for a benefit so commodi­ous for the soule of man, for [Page 87] the health whereof, neither tongue can express, nor hart think the comforts it brings. But mans life is alway so subiect to fall into the laps of these two vices, Pride and Vanity; which after they haue once taken hold, cleaue so fast to the bone, and fasten therein such a deepe roote of continuance, as it will be hardly remoued; but doe so nuzzle vs in the sweete de­sire thereof, as that they make vs liue without feare, either to remember, or yet regard the commandements of God, which will bring vs to saluation in keeping them. On the other side, for want of following them, we runne our selues to vtter ru­ine and destruction, and withall reape vnto vs such a [Page 88] heauy curse from his diuine and omnipotent Maiestie, as the weight thereof will presse vs downe into the bottomelesse pit of hell, and there to remaine in darkenes with euerlasting torment, which neuer will haue end. The miserie that is incident to fraile man through the vaine and fading pleasures of the World, is not to bee numbered, by reason of our sloth and idlenes in not ser­uing him, that serues vs in all our wants and extremities. These things duely conside­red and pondered in our minds, would inforce vs to leaue the diuell and his euill wayes, and to follow God and his wayes, which are all right and good. O let vs call our selues vnto an account [Page 89] with respectiue remem­brance, what a seducing way is this to them that for­get themselues that they are Pilgrimes and Trauellers, and stand too much vpon those things which are oc­currant in their iourny, with a long delay. The night will [...]ome, nay, it will come quickely, when no man can walke. These men shall not come into that heauenly Ie­rusalem, but shall be a prey for the wilde Beasts which walke in the night, and for the infernall Wolues. For which cause our Sauiour Christ crieth in his Gospell; Walke yee while yee haue the light, lest the darkenesse come Iohn 12. vpon you. It is euidently seen that nothing so much blin­deth the eyes of man as the [Page 90] deceits of the world, and the vanity of things present. O let vs call to God, that hee out of the riches of his mer­cie would inspire into our hearts the due and diligent consideration of the vncer­taintie, shortnes, frailtie and other grieuous calamities of mans life. All humane pride, and the whole glory & aboundance of the world, (hauing mans life for a stay and foundation) can certain­ly no longer endure then the same life abideth; so that ri­ches, dignities, honors, offi­ces, and such like, which men here in earth haue a great regard of, they doe many times forsake a man, he being yet; and doe neuer continue longer with them then to the graue. This is a [Page 91] vaine, slipperie, delightfull pleasure: for then when the foundatiō faileth, the whole building must needs fall. Iob saith, these clay Tabernacles Iob. 4. doe daily faile. Dauid com­pareth our life to the fat of Lambes, which wasteth a­way Psal. 69. in the roasting; and to a new coate which soon wax­eth olde, and is eaten with Moathes: and further, com­pareth man to grasse, and to the flowr of the field, which to day flourisheth, and to morrow is cut downe, and withered. Iob compares man to the burning of a Candle, which in the end annoyeth, Iob. 18. and then euery man crieth, Put it out. What thing else is mans life but a bubble, vp with the water, and downe with the wind? what is then [Page 92] to bee thought of humane pompe and glory, which is more transitory and fraile then life it selfe? O that man would know himselfe wher­by he may know God. Iob further saith; Man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance, and full of miseries; hee shooteth forth as a flower, and is cut downe, hee vanisheth also as a shadow, and continueth not. This consideration might open our blindnesse to see into our selues, and to know our selues, and then know God in this descripti­on of humane calamities, to the end wee might want no knowledge thereof. It see­meth Iobs purpose was to beginne with the very mat­ter it selfe of which man was [Page 93] made, that he might expresse the basenesse of the matter, of which this most proud creature was made. He was created and made of the Earth, but not of the best of the earth, but of the slime of the earth, (as the Scripture testifieth) being the most fil­thy and abiect part of the Earth; among all bodies the most vile element, and a­mong all the Elements the basest. Among all the parts of the Earth, none is more filthy and abiect then the slime of the Earth, whereof man was made; of that mat­ter, then the which there is nothing more vile and base. And whereas hee saith that hee was borne of a woman, he hath in few words com­prehended many miseries of [Page 94] humane condition: Our very fashioning and originall is so impure and vncleane, that it is not for chaste eares to heare, but to be passed ouer in silence, as a thing most fil­thy and horrible to be told. Mans conception is so foule, that our most mercifull and louing Lord taking vpon him all our sorrowes and ca­lamities for our redemption, would in no wise beare this, although hee vouchsafed to take vpon him our humane nature, and to suffer many reproaches of his enemies; as to be mocked, blasphe­med, spit vpon, bound, whip­ped, and in the end most shamefully crucified: yet hee thought it vnseeming his Maiestie to be conceiued in the wombe of the blessed [Page 95] Virgin Mary, after the same sinfull manner that other men be. After man is once conceiued, doth he not en­dure great calamities in his mothers wombe, as it were in a filthy and vncleane pri­son, where euery moment he is in perill of his life? And at the last hee is borne naked, weake, ignorant destitute of all helpe and counsell, not a­ble to goe, to speake, or to helpe himselfe; all that hee can doe is to cry, and that is to set forth his miseries: for he is borne to labour, a ba­nished man from his Coun­trey, the enemy of God, in possibility to liue but a few dayes; and the same few daies full of misery, deuoide of all quietnesse and rest. O let vs know our selues, and [Page 96] then know God. The very beginning, from whence man hath his first originall, is sinne; the vanity whereof makes him thinke himselfe borne to an inb [...]ed pride, which pride mingleth and confoundeth all things, o­uerturneth, troubleth, and subdueth Kingdomes. There is another calamity incident to mans body; the building is scarcely finished, but it is ready to totter and fall, and sure it is ere long to fall. Man is scarce entred into the world, but he is admonished to remember his departure: The dayes of Man (saith Dauid) are threescore yeeres Psal. 90. and ten, and though some be so strong that they come to foure­score, yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow. The [Page 97] summe of our yeeres, where­vnto all doe not attaine, is threescore yeeres and ten; [...]he strongest bodies some­ [...]imes continue till foure­score: from which yeeres if wee deduct those yeeres which infancie and childe­hood spendeth, (for all that [...]ime wee liue not like men, [...]either are gouerned with [...]eason and counsell, but are [...]arried with a certaine vio­ [...]ent motion li [...]e vnto brute [...]easts, which are deuoide of [...]eason and vnderstanding:) [...] also wee take away that [...]ime which passeth away [...]hen wee sleepe, (for slee­ [...]ing wee liue not the life of [...]easts when they wake, [...]ch lesse of men, and that [...]me will rather seeme a li­ [...]ing death thē a liuely life:) [Page 98] If we deduct all the time of childhood and sleepe, that which remaineth wil scarce­ly amount to forty yeeres; and of these forty yeeres we [...] haue not one moment o [...] time in our power, that wee can assuredly say, that wee shal not die therein: for whe­ther wee eate, drinke, or sleepe, whether we be in la­bour or in rest, wee are in danger of perils. It is not without cause our Sauiour Christ crieth in his Gospell, Watch, because yet know [...] the day, nor the houre: which Mar. [...]3. is as much as if he had more plainely said, Because yee know not that day, watch euery day; and because yee know not the moneth and the yeere, watch therefore euery moneth and yeere. [...] [Page 99] thou shouldest be inuited to [...] Feast, and being set at the Table, seeing before thee many and sundry meates of [...]ll sorts, a friend secretly [...]omes & admonisheth thee, [...]hat among so many dainty [...]ishes there is one poyso­ [...]ed; what in this cause woul­ [...]est thou do? which of them [...]arest thou touch or taste [...]? wouldest not thou sus­ [...]ect them all? I think, thogh [...]ou wert extreamely hun­ [...]y, thou wouldest refraine [...]om all for feare of that one [...]here the poyson is. It is [...]ade manifest vnto thee al­ [...]eady, that in one of thy for­ [...]e yeeres, thy death lieth [...]idden from thee, and thou [...]rt vtterly ignorant which [...]at yeere shall be; how then [...]n it be but that thou must [Page 100] suspect and feare them all: O let vs first know our selues, and then know God, where­by we shall know to vnder­stand the shortnesse of our life. O what a great profit and commodity should our distressed saint-sicke soules then receiue by the medita­tions thereof? the comfort and ioy whereof is not to be declared, such is the vnmea­surablenesse thereof, which God powreth vpon his cho­sen. As the Peacocke (a glo­r [...]ous Fowle in his owne shew) when he beholds that comely fanne and circle which hee maketh of the pride of his beautifull fea­thers, reioiceth, ietteth, and beholdeth euery part there­of; but when hee chanceth once to looke on his feete, [Page 101] in the very heat of his pride, perceiuing them to bee blacke, foule, and illfauou­red, by and by with a great misliking veileth his top gallant, as though it had ne­uer beene, and withall see­meth to shew sorrow: so in like manner many here in this World know by expe­rience, that when they see themselues abound in riches and honors, then they glory in the height thereof, and are so deepely conceited of themselues, as that they praise the pride of their for­tune and admire themselues; then pride inforceth their high ambitious thoughts to make plottes, and appoint much for them selues to per­form in many yeers to come. This yeare, say they, wil we [Page 102] beare this office, and the next yeare that; so afterward we expect to rule in greater authority; then wee study to build a gay Pallace of pride, neere vnto our authority, whereto we adioine gardens of pleasures. And thus they make a very large reckning aforehand, who if they did but once behold their feete how slippery they stand, if they did but thinke vpon the shortnesse of their life, so transitory and inconstant: how soone would they let fall their proude feathers, forsake their arrogancie, and change their purposes therein their liues, and their manners? For man is scarce conceiued when as hee is condemned to death; and when he commeth out of the [Page 103] wombe, he commeth out of prison, not to be free, but to vndergoe the Crosse: And wee doe tend and hasten (as it were) to death, some at one miles end, and some at two, and some at three, and other some when they haue gone further; And thus it commeth to passe that some are taken out of this life soo­ner, and some tarry longer. First let vs know our selues, that wee may then know God the better. Since then the case standeth thus, who can sufficiently wonder at our madnesse? for we are go­ing as it were to the gybbet, and yet wee dance, we laugh and reioice in the way, as if wee were secure from all manner of euill. In so doing wee runne our selues into a [Page 104] very grosse error, because we know not the shortnesse of our life: O therefore let vs know our selues, and then know God. There be two wonderfull and monstrous things: one is, that Man be­ing scarcely borne, dieth, when as notwithstanding hee hath a forme and shew of immortalitie. Other things how long they retain their forme, so long they re­maine; a house falleth not all the time that his forme and fashion lasteth: the bruite Beast dieth not, except first he forgoe his life, which is his forme: but man hath a forme which is immortall, namely, a mind indued with reason, and yet hee liueth a very short time. Therefore let vs know our selues, and [Page 105] then know God. There is a­nother thing to be seene far more monstrous in this crea­ture, that whereas hee is in­dued with reason and coun­sell, and knoweth that this life is like vnto a shadow, to a dreame, to a tale that is told, to a watch in the night, to smoake, to chaffe which the wind scattereth, to a wa­ter bubble, and such like fa­ding things; and life to come shall neuer haue end: He yet neuerthelesse setteth his whole mind most carefully vpon this present life, which is to day, and to morrow is not; but of the life which is euerlasting, he doth not so much as thinke. If this bee not a monster, I know not what may bee called mon­strous. Thus hauing seene [Page 106] the shortnesse and mutabili­tie of Mans life, let vs now also see the misery thereof. Man (saith holy Iob) being borne of a woman, is of a Iob 14. short continuance, and full of miseries; euery word hath an emphasis: He is full of mi­sery, euen from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head; not onely the bo­dy but the mind also, so long as it is captiuated in the pri­son of the body: thus no place is left empty and free from miseries. Therefore let vs know our selues, that in knowing our selues, we may know God. Mans miseries are many and great, there is no member, no sense, no one faculty in man so long as he is here vpon Earth, which suffereth not his hell: nay, all [Page 107] the Elements, all liuing crea­tures, all the Diuels, yea, the Angels, and God himselfe bend themselues against Man for sinne To beginne with the sense of feeling, with how many kinds of se­uers, impostumes, vleers, sores, and other diseases is it afflicted? The Volumes of Physicions are full of disea­ses, and remedies for the same; and yet for all this, there are daily new diseases and new remedies found out for them: and among the re­medies themselues, it were to bee wished, that there were one to bee found that were more vehement to vex the sicke, then the disease it selfe. Long fasting and ex­treme hunger, is a better me­dicine then the cutting of [Page 108] veins, the incisiō of wounds & sores, the cutting of mem­bers, the searing of flesh and sinewes. The pulling out of teeth are remedies for griefes and diseases: but yet such that many had rather choose to die then to vse re­medies. Furthermore immo­derate heate, exceeding cold, one while too much drought, another while ex­cesse of moisture, doth of­fend and hurt the very sense of [...]eeling. As for the sense of tasting, it is most of all trou­bled with hunger and thirst; and many times medicines and meates that are bitter, sharpe, salt, and vnsauoury, doe distemper it. As for the sense of smelling, it is com­pelled to endure and suffer many times all manner of [Page 109] stinkes, all vapors and fogs, and things of bad sent. As touching the sense of hea­ring, what ill tidings, how many cursed speakings and iniuries doth it heare, which like sharpe swords pierce the heart? As for the sense of seeing, how many things doth it beholde which it would not? and how many things doth it not see which it desireth? As for the thoght how many horrible & feare­full things doth it imagine and faine? As for the vnder­standing, what an innume­rable sort of errors is it sub­iect vnto? It seemeth to bee like vnto a little child, to whom a tedious and very hard knot to bee dissolued is deliuered, and contendeth what he can to vndoe it and [Page 110] when the knot beginneth in one part to be opened, hee sheweth it and reioiceth, and seeth not that the knot in the other part is more fast shut: so in like manner God hath made this generalitie of all things, and hath set the same before mans minde to be considered, and saith; Seeke and search out the rea­sons and the causes of all these things if thou canst: when as indeede the trueth of the thing is more secret and pro­found, then mans vnderstan­ding being placed in the pri­son of the body can reach vnto. This is the cause that the Philosophers & world­ly-wise-men haue fallen into so many and sundry sects, & dissentions about things e­uen of least moment; and [Page 111] and they doe so contend a­mong themselues, vntill fals­hood hauing put on the ha­bite and vizard of truth, de­ceiueth them all. Hereunto accordeth the saying of the Preacher, Chap. 3. God hath set the World in their heart, or God hath giuen them the world to dispute of: yet cannot man find out the worke that God hath wrought from the be­ginning euen to the end. Be not curious therefore (saith Syrach, Chap: 3. Vers. 24) in superfluous things: for ma­ny things are shewed vnto thee aboue the capacity of men; and yet we see that the most ignorant doe many times soonest offend herein, rushing into those matters wherof they haue no know­ledge, and nothing belon­geth [Page 112] vnto them. They will build Tabernacles with Pe­ter, and lay platformes for the Church, whereof they haue no skill. But a greater miserie as yet holdeth our actiue and practising vnder­standing; for how many meanes, how many reasons and wayes doth it deuise to climbe vp higher, and to grow in the opinion and e­stimation of men? For which cause the Prophet Dauid in his [...]salmes saith; That our whole life is like a Cobweb: for as the Spider is occupied all his life time in weauing of cobwebs, and draweth out of his owne bowels those threads wherewith he knit­teth his nets to catch flies; and often times it commeth to passe, that when the Spi­der [Page 113] suspecteth no ill, a Ser­uant that goeth about to make cleane the house, swee­peth downe the cobweb and the Spider, and throweth them together into the fire: Euen so the greatest part of Men consume their whole time, spend all their wit and strength, and labour most painefully to haue their nets in a readinesse, with which they may catch the flies of honors and riches, and when they glory in the multitude of flies which they haue ta­ken, and promise vnto them­selues rest in time to come: behold Death, Gods hand­maide is present with the broome of diuers sicknesses and griefes, and sweepeth these men away to hell fire, they being fast asleepe in the [Page 114] chaire of securitie; and so they worke (together with the Workemaster) in a mo­ment of time to perish. Nei­ther is the man of meanest capacitie and least vnder­standing free from miseries: Who can number the suspi­tions, the hatreds, the iea­lousies, the enuies, the cares, the desires, the vaine hopes, the griefes and anguishes of mans mind? If he doe euill, hee feareth the Iudges, ba­nishment, whipping, repro­ches, and torments. If hee doe well, hee feareth euill tongues. Who is able to ex­presse with what insatiable desires all men are inflamed? In so much that no man li­uing is contented with his estate: but we are all like vn­to sicke men, which tumble [Page 115] and tosse first from one side of the bed, and then to the other, and yet neuer find rest. After this let vs behold and consider all ages, how weake is infancy, how ignorant is childhood? how light and inconstant is adolescency? how rash and confident bee young men? how grieuous and irkesome is old age? What is a young boy but as a brute beast, hauing the forme and shape of a man? What is a flourishing youn­ker but as an vntamed horse? What is an old man but the receptacle of all ma­ladies and sicknesses? And in all these ages, with how great a heape of miseries & necessities are we ouerwhel­med? Wee must daily eate, drinke, and sleepe; wee are [Page 116] daily compelled to serue many other necessities; and which is much more misera­ble and vnhappy, we must of necessitie purchase vnto our selues these occupations with infinite labours and sweatings. Now who is not astonished, if hee consider how all the creatures which compasse vs round about do bend their whole force and fight against mankinde, as if the things which haue beene already repeated, were not sufficient to fill the bosome of mans heart with miseries? That same most cleere brightnesse which wee call the Sunne, which is as a cer­taine generall Father to all liuing things, doth some­times so scorch with his beames, that all things are [Page 117] parched and burnt vp with the heate thereof; at another time he taketh his course so farre from vs, that all things die with cold. The Earth also which is the Mother of vs all how many men doth shee swallow vp with her down­fals, gulfes and quakings? And what doe the Seas? How many doe they de­uoure? Verily they haue so many rocks, so many slattes and sands, so many Syrtes, so many Charybdes, and so many perillous places; that it is a most hard thing of all other to escape the danger of shipwracke; and they which are most safe in the shippe, haue but the thicke­nesse of a planke betweene them and death. What shall we say of our aire? Is it not [Page 118] many times corrupted? and doth it not ingender and ga­ther cloudes, thicke mists, pestilences, and sicknesses? As for the brute beasts they yeeld no reuerence to Man their Prince: and not onely the Lyons, Beares, Tygers, Dragons, and other greater wild Beasts, but the very flies also, gnats, fleas, and o­ther of the most small sort of liuing Creatures, doe wonderfully and very ve­hemently trouble, vexe, af­flict, and disquiet Man. It were to be wished, that wee had no worse enemies then the brute beasts, and that wee had no cause to stand in feare of men themselues. But these also are full of fraudes, deceits, iniuries, euil practices; then the which [Page 119] what can be more intollera­ble? And what meaneth so much armour, pikes, bowes, bils, swords, and gunnes, with diuers other instru­ments of Mans malice? Doe not these destroy and con­sume moe men, then doe sicknesses and diseases? Hi­stories report that by one onely Iulius Caesar, which is saide to haue beene a most curteous and gentle Empe­rour, there were slaine in se­uerall battels eleuen hun­dred thousand men: if a man of mildnesse and meeke spi­rit did this, what shall wee looke for at the hands of most cruell Men? Neither Lands, nor Seas, nor desert places, nor priuate houses, nor open streetes, are safe from ambushments, conspi­ra [...]ies, [Page 120] hatreds, emulations, theeues, and pirates. Are there not vexations innume­rable, persecutions infinite, spoyling of fields, sacking of Cities, preying vpon mens goods, firing of hou­ses, imprisonments, captiui­ties, gally slaueries, renega­tions of Christianitie, by torments inforced, beside death it selfe, which men daily suffer at the hands of men? And yet this is that ci­uill and sociable Creature which is called humane, borne without clawes and hornes in token of peace & loue, which he ought to em­brace. Moreouer, not onely enemies, but also friends, and the maintainers of peace and Iustice, are fierce and cruell against men. O Man [Page 121] the very store-house of cala­mitie, and yet thou canst not be humbled, but art proud still! Neither haue we onely those foresaid corporall e­nemies which wee may see and shunne, but (which is more perillous) we haue also ghostly enemies which see vs, and we not them: for the diuels which are most craf­ [...]y, cruell, and most mighty [...] number and strength, doe practise nothing, thinke vp­pon nothing else then how they may tempt, deceiue, hurt, and cast men downe headlong into hell fire. The holy and blessed Angels also do many times fight against sinfull men: for who burnt Sod [...]me and [...] with the inhabitants thereof with fire and brimstone? the An­gels. [Page 122] Who slew the foure­score and fiue thousand men in the Host of Senacharib? The Angels. Who afflicted the Aegyptians with those plagues mentioned in Exod? The Angels. Who assisted Ioshua against the Cananites and Iebusites? Gods Angels. Not onely the Angels, but God himselfe also somtimes sheweth himselfe, towards man as towards an enemy [...] which causeth holy Iob to say; Why dost thou hide away thy face, and takest me for thine enemy: What meaneth this O Lord God? Thou also which was w [...]nt to bee my Fa­ther and Keeper, hast now bid­den a battell against me. And beside all these things, there is yet a ciuill and internall warre which man hath with [Page 123] in his owne bowels conti­nually: for what man is hee which feeleth not the stri­uings and contentions of his affections, will, sense, and reason? in so much that man himselfe doth afflict him­selfe, and vnderstandeth it not; and is a greater enemy to himselfe, then any other man can be. For who doth greater harme to thee, then thou dost to thy selfe? Who more then thy selfe letteth thee, and turneth thee away from thy felicity? Who then seeth not how truely it is said; Man that is borne of a Woman is of short continu­ance, and full of miseries? Who seeth not that Man is set in the very center of the spheare, that miseries may fall vpon him from euery [Page 124] part; or as the white in a but, that the arrowes, and darts of all miseries may be dire­cted vnto him. But let vs see what followeth: He shooteth forth like a flower, and is cut downe: whereby he teacheth that mans life is fraile and transitory. A flower verily is a comely and beautifull thing, and yet for all that, it is nothing, because there is nothing found more fading and vanishing: euen so man during the time of his child­hood and [...]lourishing youth, seemeth to be of a wonder­full comelinesse, but his beauty is of small price, be­cause it is more brittle then the glasse, seeing that [...] carrieth alwaies the cause of death in his veines and bow­els. Mans fading away is [Page 125] such, and so sudden often­times, [...] bee no reason giuen of his death: for many haue gone to bed well in the euening, that in the morning are found dead; and many very sud­denly haue drouped downe in the high wayes & streets, as they haue walked about their affaires. And this is no wonder, if wee consider the substance of mans body, which being a building compact of greene clay, is easily ouerthrowne with a small puffe of wind. How commeth it to passe that Clockes are so easily stop­ped from their course? Is it not because they are made by art and skill with so ma­ny wheeles, that if one bee stayed all the rest be letted? [Page 126] If this befall Clockes that haue wheeles of iron and steele, how much more easi­lie may it come to passe in the humane Clocke of life? the wheeles and engines whereof are not of iron, but of clay. Therefore let vs not wonder at the frailety of mans body, but at the foo­lishnesse of mans minde, which vpon so fraile a foun­dation is wont to erect and build such lofty Towers. Yet there is another misery, which is signified to vs by the comparison of a flower, namely, the deceitfulnesse of mans life, which indeed is the greatest misery: for as feined vertue is double ini­quity, so counterset felicity is a twofold misery and ca­lamity. If this present life [Page 127] would shew it selfe to bee such as it is indeede, the mi­serie thereof should not greatly hurt vs: but it doth now greatly damnifie vs, because it is false and deceit­full; and being foule it ma­keth a very faire and glori­ous shew; being euer muta­ble, it will seeme to bee sta­ble and constant; being most short, it beareth vs in hand that it is continuall; that so men being deceiued, may beleeue that they shall haue time to fulfill all their lusts, and yet time and space e­nough to repent them. Holy Iob concludeth this sentence thus: Hee vanisheth also as a shadow, and neuer continueth in one stay. To make this more plaine, behold & con­sider the ages of man, and [Page 128] thou shalt euidently per­ceiue the alterations of hu­mane life. Child-hood is weake as well in minde as bodie: flourishing youth is weake in minde, but strong in body; ripe and manly age both in mind and body; old age strong in minde, but weake in body: crooked old age is in this twice a child, weake both in mind and bo­die; therefore hee flieth as it were a shadow, and neuer continueth in one stay. Moreouer there is another thing to bee considered in man: He is now wise, now foolish; now merry, now sad; now in health, now sick; now strong, now weake; now rich, now poore; now he loueth, anon hee hateth; now hee hopeth, by and by [Page 129] hee feareth; one while hee laughes, another while hee weepes; now he wil anon [...]e will not. To conclude, the Moone nor any other thing that is mutable sheweth not so many changes to [...]s, as doe the daily & almost sud­den alterations of men; yet for all this they liue as men in a f [...]enzie, which know not their miseries. Although they know they must not [...]epose their hope and assu­rance in the present things of this life; yet doe they not remoue the thoughts of their minde, their counsels, their workes and endeuours vnto the happinesse of the life to come; and if it were possible, they would make the place of their [...] and banishment their Countrey [Page 130] and inheritance: but in vain doe they desire this; for death commeth and playeth the last Pageant, shutting vp and finishing the life of all calamities. But the errour of man (for the most part through his frailety, being indued with onely vanity it selfe,) is such that it makes him forget the end of his life, which he ought to haue alwaies before his ey [...] and his pride and ambition with his carefulnesse for the bo­dy, in following the vaine lusts thereof, is such, that it makes him forget what hee is, and his end. If hee would but duely consider what hee shall be after a few daies, his manner of liuing would bee peraduenture more humble [Page 131] and temperate: for who would haue a high looke & a proud stomack, if he would but with the eyes of his mind behold what manner of one shortly after he shall be, when hee is laide in his graue? Who would then worship his belly for a god, or yet build his gay Towers vpon the sand, when he truly weigheth and ballanceth himselfe, that the same must in a shor [...] time bee wormes­meate? Who will be so in loue with the pride of this World, (being the chiefest downefall of mans ioy and felicity in the World to come,) or yet with money, that he would runne after it like a mad man, by Sea and Land (as it were) through fire and water? If man did [Page 132] but vnderstand himselfe a­right, and that he must leaue all his worldly delights be­hind him, sauing onely his winding-sheete: if this were carefully thought vpon and diligently considered, al our errors would soone be cor­rected. God telleth vs of this vanitie in many places of his word, to the end we might the more earnestly seeke a better course and more hap­pie life. The Prophet desi­reth of God that hee may learne to number his dayes, that hee may apply his heart vnto wisdome: for vnlesse we thinke vpon death, wee can­not apply and fashion our selues to a godly life. Yea, wee find daily in our selues by experience, that the for­getfulnesse of death makes [Page 133] vs apply our hearts to all kind of vanitie. The holy men of old time were wont in such wise to keepe an ac­count of their daies, that a­boue all things they might apply their hearts to wise­dome. Of all Arithmeticall rules, this is the hardest; To number our dayes. Men can number their heards and droues of Cattle, they can reckon the reuenues of their mannours and Farmes; they can with a little paines num­ber and tell their Coine, and yet they are perswaded that their daies are infinite and innumerable: and therefore doe neuer beginne to num­ber them. One saith vpon the view of another; Surely yonder man looketh by his countenance as if hee would [Page 134] not liue long; or yonder wo­man is old, her daies cannot be many. Thus we can num­ber other mens daies and yeeres, and vtterly forget our owne. It is therefore true wisedome to number our owne daies, and like skil­full Geometricians to mea­sure all our actions, all our studies, all our thoughts, all our desires, and all our coun­sels, by the departure of o­thers out of this life, as the ende whereto wee must all come; and so direct the course of our life which God hath giuen vs, that at the last we may come to the Hauen of rest. Wee cannot, nor ought not to doubt but that the diuell, a most cruell enemie of mankind, labou­reth all that hee can to take [Page 135] away from vs the wholsome remembrance of our death, which by a most euident de­monstration setteth before our eyes the breuity of our life the misery of our flesh, the deceits of the world, the vanitie of things present, and whereunto all humane beauty, and the vniuersall glory of the World shall come at the last. How then is it possible that we should at any time forget death, a thing which by no manner of meanes wee can shun and auoide? If a light suspition of some losse either of our goods, or of honour, doth preuaile so greatly with vs, that many times it taketh from vs our sleepe▪ what might the meditation of most assured d [...]th [...], [Page 136] which to flesh and bloud is more terrible then all other terrors beside? Therefore as they which in open games of actiuitie, as of shooting, wrestling, and such like, doe long before the day come, thinke vpon the same, and doe exercise their hand and bow, spending and consu­ming many arrowes at the marke, that in the day of tri­all for the best game they may shoot neerest the mark: and as Fencers which are to play their prizes of triall, do daily trie their strength, and exercise themselues, bending the whole course of their minds how they may best foyle their enemies, that when the day commeth they may haue honour and tri­umph: euen so ought w [...]e to [Page 137] doe, for whom a greater re­ward without all compari­son is set, if we die well; and if otherwise it come to pass, we shall bee punished with vnspeakable shame and re­proach, to the downefall and vnrecouerable ruine of our soules. As they who are to runne a horse race; doe of­ten leade the Horses vp and downe the running place, that they may see and be ac­quainted with all the stones, vneuen places, and other im­pediments in the same; that when the day commeth they may finish the race without stay or stop; euen so we, who (whether wee will or no) must measure and passe the race of death, shall doe very well, if now in our mind and memory we frame this race, [Page 138] and doe diligently consider all those things which are in the same; especially seeing the way is most obscure, full of sundry impediments, and so perillous, that there are very few which finish the same happily: they who slip and stumble in it, shall neuer more find any hope of sal­uation. Therefore that wee may begin where this most bloudy battell hath his ori­ginall, wee ought diligently to consider the same; name­ly, that then death doth especially come, when men doe least thinke of it. Hereupon the Apostle Paul saith; The day of the Lord shall come as a theefe in the night; and in the Apocalyps, Behold I come as a theefe. Now theeues haue this property, that they [Page 139] break open houses to steale, when men are most fast a­sleepe, and when they least suspect any such thing. Here­vpon the Prophet Amos [...]ath these words: In that [...]ay will I cause the Sunne to [...] downe at noone, and I will [...]arken the Earth in the cleere [...]ay. That is to say, when men thinke it to be the high [...]one of their age, when [...]hey thinke that they haue [...]et many yeeres to liue, when their mind is occupied [...]bout their gaine, about [...]heir affaires, about their ho­ [...]ours, buildings, marriages, and pleasures; when they say [...]nto their soule; Soule, thou [...]ast much goods laied vp in [...]tore for thee for many yeeres; [...]ate, drinke rest, and be mercy: then it shall suddenly bee [Page 140] said to them, Behold death is at the doore. Thou foole, this night shall thy life bee ta­ken away from thee, and whose are then those things which thou hast gotten? Then death vnlooked for frustrateth all our counsels, cutting off the webs of our deuices, and with one stroke hee casteth downe, and layeth flat on the ground all those Towers which are builded in the aire. What a wound doth the heart of the sinner which lo­ueth this present life receiue, when the Phisicion saith vn­to him, Thou must from henceforth thinke no more of lif [...], but of death. First of all, those things which he lo­ued in time past, offer them­selues vnto him, from the which he shall be pulled a­way, [Page 141] and separated by death whether he will or no. The body shall die but once, but the heart shall die so often as the things bee in number which he loued. Then in ve­ry deed shall the most cleere light bee turned into darke­nesse, because those things which were aforetime occa­sions of great ioy, shall be now horrible vexations and torments. It is a most sweete and pleasant thing to them which liue, to see their lo­uing and faithfull friends, to remember their honours, to thinke vpon the pleasures past and to come: but all these things in the time of death shall be as swords, as forments, and most bitte [...] [...] be a hard mat­ter to bee passed away from [Page 142] those things which doe not so neerely touch man, how bitter I pray you will the se­paration be of soule & body, two such kind louing fami­liars, who haue alwaies liued sweetly together euen from the mothers wombe? surely they cannot bee separated without great griefe. If the Oxe doe commonly lowe and mourne, when his yoke­fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken a­way: how will euery one of vs mourn, when the soule shall be separated from the body? Then will they with teares repeate their sinnes a­gaine and againe, and cry out: O death, bitter death, doest thou [...] separate vs? And when the cogitation of so sharpe▪ a separation is [Page 143] deepely setled in our minds, then griefe followeth grief, and sorrow commeth vpon sorrow: for then it commeth presently to mind, what a miserable condition the bo­dy and soule shall be in after the separation. When a man beginneth to recount with himselfe, that his body after a few houres shall be buried in a graue, or darke tombe; hee cannot cease from won­dering at so abiect and mise­rable a condition. What, the body that now liueth, which seeth heareth, speaketh, shall [...]it bee made after one houre, in a moment, blinde, deafe, dumbe, without spirit, with­out life? It shall haue then in stead of a large Pallace, a base Sepulcher, in stead of a soft bed, the hard ground; [Page 144] for delights, rottennesse; for sweete smels, stinkes; and in stead of seruants and famili­ar friends, wormes. And thus this cogitation of the graue will very sore trouble and terrifie a man in these extremities; yet notwith­standing euery man feareth much more when he begin­neth to consider what con­dition remaineth for the soule. When Man behol­deth that eternitie, and that new Region vnknowne to al men liuing, which he then alone naked is to enter; and when he vnderstandeth that there is to bee found in the same both euerlasting glory, and perpetuall paine and mi­serie, and knoweth not of which he shall take his part; it cannot bee told with how [Page 145] great feare, with what care­fulnesse; and with what ex­ceeding sorrow hee shall be tormented, when he percei­ueth plainely that after two houres, hee shall be either in eternall ioyes, or in euerla­sting paines. Is not this a crosse very heauy, surpassing all other crosses; this vncer­tainty of a blessed, or cursed estate, which after a small time the sinner expecteth? the remembrance of his sins and feare of the iust iudge­ment of God, without hope of remission, or faith in Christ, is a hell to the mind, not to be expressed. For by how much the Kingdome which he desireth is of large­nesse, and by how much the firy furnace which he feareth is terrible, by so much the [Page 146] greater shall this perturba­tion be; considering also that Angels shall come to carry the faithfull vp into Heauen, and infernall spirits to carry the wicked and in­fidels into hell. But there is yet a farre greater perturbation then this; namely, that he shall call to mind the ac­coūt which he is to make to God, of all his words, deeds and thoughts; for of it self [...] is a horrible thing to thinke vpon the day of iudgement, the which horror will won­derfully and extremely vexe & disquiet the Diuels them­selues: for as, so long as we liue, they set forth vnto vs the mercy of God, and doe also commend the same, and doe striue all that they can to keepe vs from meditating [Page 147] of his iustice & iudgements; euen so now on the contra­rie, they extenuate and make his mercy insufficient, and doe set before our eies the greatnesse, and seuerity of the Lords iustice. Then will the sinner beginne to trem­ble, and fal into desperation, and will beginne to reason thus with himselfe: If God for the sinnes of others spa­red not his onely Sonne, will he spare me which am guilty of so many sinnes? If this be done in the green tree, what shall befall that which is seare and drie? If the Pro­phets, if the Apostles, if the Martyrs, after they liued godly so many yeeres, en­tred not into the Kingdome of Heauen without tribula­tions; what other place can [Page 148] bee left for mee but that of hell fire, which know no good that I haue done? If the Scripture be true, which saith; He will render to euery man according to his workes: what should I which haue done so many horrible and great wickednesses looke for, but eternall torments? If that of the Apostle bee true (as in deed it is) when he saith; That which a man sow­eth, that shall he reape: what shall hee reape but eternall death, which hath made so cursed a so wing? I [...] no pollu­ted thing shall enter into the Kingdome of God, how shal I which am altogether filthy and vncleane, haue hope to make so happy and blessed an entrance? Then all his sinnes which he committed [Page 149] with so greater desire and fa­cility when hee liued, shall violently inuade the sinfull man, like an hoast of ene­mies; then the feare of pu­nishment will open the eyes, which sleeping security in sinne before had shut: then ambition, pride, thefts, mur­thers, adulteries, fornicati­ons, gluttonies, drunken­nesse lying, periury, idle words, vncleane thoughts, negligent slacknesse, and all that naughty is will come to remembrance O how heauy and grieuous will they then seeme to be, which now seem so light, and are done with so much sweetnes and plea­sure? How greatly will they then torment the minde of the sinner? Who is able to expresse that last agonie, [Page 150] wherein the soule fighteth with sore and painefull sick­nesse, with the temptations of diuels, with feare of the iudgement to come; and all this at one instant. Then commeth that last perturba­tion, the failing of all the senses, as the fore-runner of death approaching, which vehemently terrifieth. At what time the breast swel­leth, the speech groweth hoarse, faint, and hollow; the eyes sinke, the nose begin­neth to be sharpe, the coun­tenance waxeth pale, the feete die, and the arteries send forth a cold sweate. These things which do thus appeare outwardly, are grie­uous and full of horror; but they are without all compa­rison more greeuous & hor­rible, [Page 151] which are felt inward­ [...]: for as Saint [...] wri­teth of blessed [...], say­ing; Though hee had many yeeres serued God, yet did hee feare at the time of his depar­ture: What shall they doe who many yeeres haue ser­ued the Diuell and their ex­ecrable wickednesses, and who haue prouoked God vnto wrath: whither shall they goe, whose helpe shall they craue, what counsell shall they take? If they look vpward, they shall see the drawne sword of Gods Iu­stice; if downeward, they shall see a gulfe gaping, and hell fire there; if the time past, they shall see all things vanished away like a sha­dow; if the time to come, they shall behold the eterni­tie [Page 152] of Worlds, which shall last without end. Who can bee able to resist and abide the assault of the diuels, who will bee then busiest in their desire to bestirre them with all their might and maine? What shall then sinfull men doe which are left in this e­state? Returne they cannot, and longer to abide in this state will not bee permitted them. If we did but vnder­stand and know what man­ner of battell this is, and what manner of burthen is then to bee borne by man in this houre, wee would then verily bee other manner of persons then heretofore we haue beene. All these things Faith teacheth, Nature pro­claimeth, Experience testifi­eth, and it is euident to eue­rie [Page 153] one of vs, that wee shall come vnto that state, wherein wee will desire with all our heart, that wee had bridled ourselues from all our wickednesse, that we [...] exercised all the workes of vertue, that we had liued [...] al holinesse; and not spent our time in vanitie. Let vs not imitate foolish men, who looke vpon present things onely; let vs wisely [...]rouide for things to come, and so by the grace of God wee shall bring to passe by our godly meditation, and praiers: that the same houre which to others is the begin­ning of sorrowes to vs shall be the beginning of joy and felicitie. Thus far is shewed what may befall a man at the point of death vntill the [Page 154] moment of his departure: Now let vs see, how the bo­dy is bestowed after the se­paration of the soule from it. After the dissolution the body lieth vpon the ground, not a humane body; but a dead carcasse, without life, without sense, without strength, and so fearefull to looke vpon, that the sight thereof may hardly be indu­red: to be short, it is little better as touching the sub­stance, then the body of a horse or a dogge which ly­eth dead in the fields, and all that passe by stop their no­ses, and make hast away, that they be not annoyed with the sight and [...]linke thereof. Such is Mans body now be­com, though it were the bo­dy of a monarch, Emperor or [Page 155] King. Where is now that maiestie, that excellencie, that authoritie which it had afore-time? when men trem­bled to behold it, and might not come in presence there­of without all reuerence and obeisance? Where are all those things become? were they a dreame or a shadow? After all those things the fu­nerall is prepared, which is all they haue of all their ri­ches and possessions; and this also they should not haue, if in their life time they did not appoint it for their dignitie and honour. The Prophet Dauid saith truely, Be not thou afraid though one be made rich, or if the glory of his house be encreased; for hee shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth neither shall [Page 156] his pompe follow him. A pit is digged seuen or eight foot long, and that must serue e­uen Alexander the Great, whom the World could not containe. In this pit the dead carkasse must dwell alone continually; whereto as soone as it is come, the wormes doe welcome it, and the bones of other dead men are constrained to giue place. In this house of per­petuall obliuion and silence, the carkasse being wound in a sheete, and bound hands and feete is shut vp, though it neede not to haue so great labour bestowed vpon it; for it would not runne away out of that prison, though the hands and feete were loose. If we doe but consider a lit­tle of the Tombes and Sepul­chers [Page 157] of Princes and Noble men, whose glory and maie­sty we haue seene when they liued heere on earth; and do behold the horrible formes and shapes which they now haue, shall wee not erie out as men amazed: Is this that glory, is this that highnesse and excellencie? where now are the degrees of their wai­ting seruants? where are their ornaments and jewels? where is their pompe, their delicacie and nicenesse? all these things are vanished a­way with the smoake, and there is now nothing left but dust, horror and stinke. Now leauing the Body in the graue, let vs consider how the soule entreth into the new World. As soone as the soule of the sinner is [Page 158] dissolued from the flesh, it beginneth to passe through a Region vnknowne, where there are new Inhabitants, and a new manner of liuing. What then shall the misera­ble and sinfull pilgrime doe, when he shall see himselfe a­lone in such an vnknowne Region, being full of feare and horror? how and by what meanes shall he defend himselfe from those most fierce theeues and horrible monsters, which in those vast Deserts doe assaile pas­sengers? this verily is a fear­full journey; and yet the iudgement is much more fearefull, which in that place is exercised. Who is able to expresse the vprightnesse of the Iudge, the seueritie of the iudgement, the diligence [Page 159] of inquisition, and the mul­titude of witnesses in this iudgement? teares will not preuaile, praiers will not be heard, promises will not be admitted, repentance will be too late; riches, honourable Titles, Scepters & Diadems, these will profite much lesse: The inquisition will be so curious and diligent, that not one light thought, nor one idle word not repented of in the World past, shall be forgotten. For truth it selfe hath said, that of euery idle word which men haue spo­ken, they shall giue an ac­count in the day of iudge­ment: how many which doe now [...]in with great delight, ye [...], euen with greedinesse of heart, will be then asto­nished, ashamed, and silent? [Page 160] Then shall the daies of thy mirth be ended, and thou shalt be ouerwhelmed with euerlasting darknesse; and instead of thy pleasures thou shalt haue euerlasting tor­ments. When Ieremy had remembred all the calami­ties and sinnes of the Iewes, at the last he imputed all to this: Shee remembred not her end. So if wee may iudge why naturall men care for nothing but their pompe, why great men care for no­thing but their golden gaine, why voluptuous Epi­cures care for nothing but their pleasure, why the pa­stor careth not for his flock, nor the people for their pa­stor, we may say with Ieremy, They remember not their end. When Salomon had [Page 161] spoken of all the vanities of men, at last he opposeth this against all; Remember thou shalt come to iudgement: As if hee should haue said; Men would neuer speake as they speake, thinke as they think, nor doe as they doe, if they were perswaded that their thoughts, words, and deeds, should come to iudgement. What if wee had died in the [...]aies of our ignorance like Iudas that hanged himselfe, before he could see the pas­sion, resurrection, or ascenti­on of CHRIST IESVS? We are therefore to number our daies and our sinnes too: But alas how many daies haue we spent, and yet neuer thought why a [...]y day was giuen vs? but as the old yeer went, and new came, so wee [Page 162] thought that a new would follow that, and that ano­ther will follow this; and God knoweth how soone we may be deceiued: for so they thought that are now in their graues. This is not to number our daies, but to prouoke God to shorten our daies. Which of vs haue not liued twenty yeeres, yea, and some thirty, or forty, and happely some many more? and yet we haue neuer appli­ed our hearts aright vnto wisedome. O if we had lear­ned but euery yeere one ver­tue since we were borne, we might by this time haue beene like Saints among men; whereas if God at this present time should call vs to iudgement, it would ap­peare, that wee had applied [Page 163] our hearts, our minds, our hands, our feet, our tongues, yea, and our whole bodies, to riches and pleasures, to lying & deceiuing, to swea­ring and forswearing, and to all kind of sinne and wic­kednesse: but to true vertue and wisedome wee haue not applied our hearts. God of his mercy giue vs grace to see our former sinnes, truely to repent vs of them, and to amend our liues hereafter, that wee may liue with him for euer. If Man could per­swade himselfe that this were his last day, (as it may be, if God so please) hee would not deserue his repen­tance vntill to morrow. If hee could thinke that this is his last meate that euer hee shall eate, he would not sur­fet. [Page 164] If he could beleeue that the words which hee doth speake to day, should be the last wordes that euer hee shall speake; hee would not offend with his tongue in ly­ing, swearing, and blasphe­ming If he could be perswa­ded that this were the last lesson, the last admonition, that euer GOD would af­foord him, to call him to re­pentance; hee would both heare and reade it with more diligence then euer he had done before. Let vs re­member our selues while it is to day, lest we repent our selues when it is too late. Who can assure himselfe of life till to morrow? or what if we should liue three, foure or fiue yeeres, or what if twenty yeeres? Who would [Page 165] not liue here like a Chri­stian twenty yeeres, to liue in Heauen with CHRIST eternally? Wee can be con­tent to serue seauen yeeres apprentiship with great la­bour and royle, to be instru­cted in some trade, that wee may liue more easily the rest of our dayes; and wee must labour notwithstanding af­terwards: and can we not be content to labour in the things of God a little while, that wee may rest from our labors euer after? CHRIST saith to his Disciples when hee found them sleeping; Could not you watch [...] boure? And can we not pray, can wee not first, can we not suffer a little while▪ Hee which is [...] can [...] little further, one step more [Page 166] to saue his life; and therefore GOD would not haue Men know when they shall die; because they should make ready at all times, hauing no more certainty of one houre then another. Seeing there­fore the case standeth thus, let vs looke to our selues, and let vs take counsell of him which is an Aduocate, before hee will be a Iudge: for no man knoweth so well what is necessary for vs a­gainst that day, as hee that shall bee the Iudge of our cause. Hee therefore crieth thus vnto vs: Walke while ye haue the light, lest the darke­nesse come vpon you; take heed, watch, and pray; for ye know not when the time is: bee yee like men waiting the com­ming of their Lord. They [Page 167] who thus watch and waite, are sure to make a most ioy­full departure from this life, and to be receiued into the Lords ioy. Of which happy dissolution the Scriptures thus record: I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure or dissolution is at hand: I haue fought a good fight, and haue finished my course: I haue kept the faith; henceforth there is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteous­nesse. [...] Tim. 4 6. 7. 8. As the Hart brayeth for the Riuers of waters, so panteth my Soule after thee O God: my Soule thirsteth for God, euen for the liuing God, when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God? Psal. 42. 1. The righ­teous shall liue for euer, their reward also is with the Lord, [Page 168] and the [...] High doth [...] for them; therefore shall they receiue a gracious Kingdome and beautifull Crowne at the Lords hand for with his right hand shall hee couer them and with his arme shall [...]ee defe [...] them: Wis. 5. 26. Bring my soule out of prison, that I may praise thy name. Psal. 142. 7. I desire to [...] and to be with Christ, which is best of all. Phil. 1. 13. For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroied, wee haue a building giuen of God; that is, a house not made with hands, but eternal in the Hea­uen. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Iesus the son of Syrach, giueth vs a verie profitable admonition to [...] vnto God from sinne and wickednesse so speedily as possiblie wee can, in these [Page 169] words, Chap. 5. Because thy sinne is forgiuen, [...]ee not with­out feare to heape sinne vpon sinne; and say not, the mercy of God is great, hee will forgiue my manifold sinnes: for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation cometh downe vpon sinners. Make no [...]arry­ing to turne vnto the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroied. Salomon giueth vs most excellent counsell, saying; Remember now thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, while the euill laies come not, nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them. Hereunto agreeth the saying of Saint Au­gustine, [Page 170] that is, Repent while thou ar [...] in health: so doing wee are without danger, because we haue re­pented, at what time wee might haue sinned. These di­uine testimonies might satis­fy a Christian man, that their hope is vaine and full of pe­rill, which deferre their con­uersion and repentance, al­beit but for one houre: yet it shall bee shewed by other reasons, that it may more plainely appeare, how need­full a thing it is for man with all speede to repent. There be diuers causes why a man cannot without great labor and great difficultie forsake sinne, and follow righteous­nesse. The first cause is a cu­stome in sinning, the which, being now made as it were [Page 171] another nature, can verie hardly be ouercome. For as Mithridates vsed to eate poyson so long that nature in the end could very well brooke and disgest it: and the people called Cimmerij, are so well acquainted with darkenesse, wherein they liue continually, that they cannot wel endure the light: euen so men that liue conti­nually in sinne and wicked­nesse are so in vse therewith, as all things contrary vnto their custome greatly offend them; by which custome (as Augustine affirmeth) disho­nest and filthy things seeme vnto them honest and pure. And as Houses, and Lands, and other things by long continuance of time bring to him that holdeth them a [Page 172] Plea of Prescription, and be­ing so prescribed, cannot be recouered without a great priuiledge had from the Prince; euen so sinnes and vi­ces, when they haue a long time by custome prescribed vnto themselues the soule of the sinner, men striue in vain, except GOD the most migh­ty King, by a singular pri­viledge of his Grace, doe turne a stony heart into a fleshy heart: for if sinne be­come (as it were) the wife of our youth, wee shall hardly leaue it. O how easie (saith Saint Augustine) is the en­trance into sinne, but the comming out verie hard! Therefore let vs kill sinne in the beginning, then shall we not sinne in concupiscence, much lesse in practising of [Page 173] sinne, and delighting in sin. The other cause is the ma­lice and watchfulnesse of the Diuell, by which he holdeth 2 Tim. 2. 26. fast his seruants & captiues: for he which committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne, and is held in captiuitie with the snares of the Diuell, (as the Apostle teacheth) euen at his will. The diuel is that strong Luc. 11. 21 armed man, which with great care & diligence stan­deth vpon his guard; where­vpon Saint Augustine faith; Hee is not so strong by his owne strength, as by our owne negligence; although his power be very great, yet hee taketh not so much by force, as by his subtill sug­gestions for which cause hee did not aske leaue of our Sa­uiour Christ, that hee might [Page 174] cast him downe from the pinnacle of the Temple, but Mat. 4. sought rather to perswade Christ to cast himselfe down headlong. The Serpent in like manner sought not by force to cramme Eue, but al­lured her to take it her selfe, Gen. 3. that shee might as it were with her owne knife cut her owne throate. The Diuell will not breake open the doore vpon vs, but hee must find it open & empty, swept and garnished; and then hee Mat. 12. will enter: and that hee may thus make our selues the in­struments of our owne mise­rie and woe, hee ceaseth not to tempt vs neither day nor night. Saint Gregory saith; he may win vs at the least-wise by his tediousnesse. When hee hath thus brought vs to [Page 175] his lure, then his care is to hold vs still in his bondage; and for feare that we should make conscience of sinne, and so turne to the Lord by repentance he putteth a faire vizard ouer the vglie face of sinne, and so disguizeth her, that the proud person which exceedeth in apparell, saith, that his, or her pride is clen­linesse and decencie; the whore-monger and fornica­tor taketh his filthy life to be but the course of youth; the drunkard and riotous person perswadeth himselfe that his excesse is but good fellowship; the couetous person beleeueth that his co­uetousnesse is good husban­dry; the idle person which spendeth his whole time in Dice, Cards, and such like [Page 176] pastimes, neglecting his vo­cation in the true seruing of God, flattereth himselfe, that his time thus wickedly spent, is honest recreation; whereas if the Diuell had not blinded them, so as they might see sinne in her co­lours, she would seeme such a deformed monster, as they would loath her for euer. Her eyes are ful of adultery, her eares are very large and great, open to heare al deui­ces and vaine delights; her tongue swollen with lying and deceit, her throate is an open sepulcher, and a swal­lowing gulfe; her lips are in­uenomed with the poyson of Aspes her hands are large to receiue bribes, her belly hath a timpany of surfetting and gluttony; her backe is [Page 177] laden with idlenesse, and yet her seete are swift to shed bloud. With her heart shee thinketh vpon nothing, but how to betray the innocent, and oppresse the widdow, and the fatherlesse; yea, from the very top of the head vn­to the sole of the foot, shee is full of botches and sores, and hath no whole part. What man will be coupled with this monster; which is the monster of all monsters, who hath no other dowry and portion of her father the Diuell, but hell fire? Let him then that hath been enchan­ted with her adulterous eies, diuorce himselfe betimes from her company without delay: for it is very peril­lous to stay long; her hand­maide securitie will perad­uenture [Page 178] flatter vs, and say, it is too soone to depart with this sweete vnsauoury com­panion, and so to craue fur­ther company. This is the weakenesse of fraile flesh, which fancy feeds the vaine thoughts, who say, all shall be well: but it is the Diuels voice, and if wee continue therein, and withstand not our vnbridled thoughts, which the fraile flesh doth yeeld vnto, but still hearken to the Diuels voice, hee will serue vs as hee serued Adam and Eue; and will lay open our nakednes and shame, to the confusion of body and soule, if wee suddenly doe not repent and amend vs of our vngodly courses. De­laied repentance is the cause of the absence of the Holie [Page 179] Ghost from vs: for as the spi­rit of the Lord dwelling in our hearts maketh the way of vertue easie and sweete, in so much that the Prophet Dauid saith; I haue as great Psal. 119. delight in the way of thy Com­mandements as in all manner of riches: and I haue ru [...]ne the way of thy Commandements, when thou hast set my heart at libertie: Euen so contrari­wise, the absence of the Ho­lie Ghost maketh the same way hard and vnpleasant. And as the light of the Sun cheareth vp mens spirits to goe to their labours; euen so the Sunne of righteous­nesse shining in our hearts with the bright beames of his grace, maketh vs to haue a delight in the way of his Commandements. The first [Page 180] outward meanes of Saint Pauls conuersion was the great light which hee sawe from Heauen; then hee was cast downe to the ground and humbled; he heareth a voice, and acknowledgeth it to be Gods voice: and then ariseth vp and saith; What shall I doe? It is the celestiall illumination that worketh our Acts 9. 6. & 26. 12. conuersion vnto God, and fra­meth our hearts to his obedi­ence. And therefore the Lord saith by the mouth of the Prophet Osea thus to sinfull men; W [...]e vnto them, when I shall depart away from them; Ose. 6. 12. and by the Prophet Ieremie: Ʋnderstand and know what a grieuous thing it is, that the Lord thy God hath forsaken thee. The Apple is not so ea­ten of wormes, nor the gar­ment [Page 181] so eaten with mothes, as the powers of the soule are corrupted with sinne and wickednesse; the vnderstan­ding is darkened, the iudge­ment dulled, and the will de­praued: whereof it com­meth, that now to liue a ho­ly and godly life, is a very hard and painefull matter. Who seeth not then in what peril and error they are, who putting off their repentance and conuersion from day to day, do thinke that the same which is now hard vnto them, they shall finde after­wards more easie, when all the causes of difficultie and hardnes are encreased; when they haue encreased the cau­ses of their labour and diffi­cultie, by adding sinnes vnto sinnes; and when an euill cu­stome [Page 182] hath taken more deep roote, shall not the Diuell then more fortifie his Castle, which is thy soule? shall not GOD which is thy light de­part further off from thee? shall not the powers of thy soule then hauing receiued many wounds, bee made more weake and insufficient to goodnesse? Beside this, thou must greatly hazard the losse of heauenly trea­sures by a long delay. GOD hath thought vpon vs and loued vs from euerlasting, and hath prepared for vs an eternall reward: with what face then canst thou holde from God a little momen­tanie seruice; whereas thou owest vnto God al that thou art able to doe for euer? GOD hath giuen vnto vs the [Page 183] life of his onely begotten Sonne, the which is of grea­ter price then the life of all men: and by what right and prerogatiue darest thou de­nie vnto him the flower of thy youth, and to spend the same in other things, then in the seruice of God, and to offer vnto him the dregs and rottennesse of old age? One­ly consider what the Pro­phet Malachie saith; If hee Mal. 1. 8. offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not euill? If he offer the lame and sicke, is it not euill? Offer it now vnto thy Prince, will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of Hosts? But cursed be the de­ceiuer, which hath in his flocke Vers. 14. a Male, and voweth, and sa­crificeth vnto the Lord a cor­rupt thing: Our selues, and all [Page 184] that whole we haue, is not sufficient to serue the Lord. Let our youth be dedicated to his seruice, as well as our age: let vs serue him, not on­lie in sicknesse, but also in health: let vs turne vnto him not onely when we are in af­fliction and vnder the crosse, but also in prosperity: for forced holinesse is of no ac­count. Pharaos repentance, Festus trembling, and Iudas sorrow, auailed them no­thing Saint Augustine (in his second Booke of true, and false repentance which af­fliction wringeth from men) saith; Will you put the mat­ter out of doubt? Repent then whilest you are young and in health; otherwise whether a man doe safely depart out of this life, none [Page 185] are sure. The [...]ame Authour saith thus; Wilt thou repent thee when thou canst [...]inne no longer? Thy sinnes then haue forsaken thee, and not thou thy sinnes. Sinne is common to all times and a­ges of mans life, yea, to fraile and vaine youth, more then to olde age. Which caused King Dauid to say; Remem­ber not O Lord the sinnes of my youth. There is then at no time want of matter in vs for repentance; and yea our sins are much more then our sa­crifices. Sinne is common to all, but timely and speedy re­pentanc to few. Let the ex­hortation of our Sauiour moue vs, which he so often­time [...] repeateth: Watch, watch, because ye know not the Mat. 24. day, nor the houre [...] If it be de­manded [Page 186] of you, who assure your selues that after a few yeeres be past, you will re­pent; Christ made thee no promise, I will not say of yeeres, and moneths, but of the morrow which is but one day. Nay, who can as­sure himselfe one houre? What greater folly or rash­nesse then can there be deui­sed, then for a worme of the Earth to determine any thing certaine concerning the times and seasons, which the Father hath set in his owne power? Thou canst not be ignorant, how many this vaine confidence hath deceiued, euen to this day: But man will say; The Lord is full of compassion & mer­cie, Obiect. he hath made large pro­mises to those that trust in [Page 187] him; he sent his Sonne into the World for vs; and there­fore hee will not suffer vs to perish. O how wee deceiue Answ. our selues: Truth it is, the promises of GOD are grea­ter then fraile Man can or doth consider, and his pro­mises appertaine not to vs, if we can make no better vse of them. Let vs thinke vpon that Prouerbe of Salomon: Hast thou found Hony? eate not too much. Hast thou the sweete and most comfortable promises of God in the Gospel? let vs vse them to our com­fort, and presume not thereby to liue securely in sinne. Iacob must change his garments Gen. 27. before he can obtaine a bles­sing, and Hester must decke Hest. 2. her selfe when shee com­meth into the presence of [Page 188] the King: that is to say; We must put off the garment of sinne by speedy repentance, and wee must bee cloathed with vertue and godlinesse: otherwise our meditation and prayers returne emp­tie, to our ouerthrow both of Bodie and Soule.

CHAP. V. Of the force, the vse, and ne­cessitie of Prayer, and the benefit which riseth therof.

O LORD, the consideration hereof duely considered in the heart of a true Christian, and touched with the least finger of thy Grace, can and will heale all our infirmities, if wee will but suddenly recount our mispent and leude liues, and with-draw our selues into our retired closet or cham­ber, where we may not one­ly [Page 174] vnburden our peruerse, vile, and festred conscience, but find ease for our sicke­weake soules, by calling heartily to mind the sweete promises of our good God, who neuer suffers the true beleeuing Petitioner to goe away vnrewarded; his mer­cie is so great to them that faithfully serue him, by kee­ping his Commandements. And againe, the largenesse of his great and vnspeakable loue, the extension of his fa­uour, the inheritance laide vp, the Kingdome prepared, a peace and rest euerlasting, (without distractiō, tumult, or vexation to annoy his chosen; the eager pursuite of our vnbridled vain affectiōs, and self-loue to this world,) are to be meditated vpon by [Page 175] euery good Christian. This World and self-loue to this World, is but a Sea of vani­ties, which will proue a bit­ter sea-flowing with all kind of miseries; and if wee pull not downe the sailes of our lasciuious life, we are in dan­ger to lose the expected promises of our Sauiour Christ, which hee hath pro­mised to all his true belee­uing seruants. Lord we be­seech thee infuse into our hearts such abundance of thy grace, that wee may be withdrawne from all vice, that tendeth to the displea­sure of thy omnipotent Ma­iestie; and so being with­drawne, in a most humble and prostrate humilitie, wee may giue thee that true sa­crifice which thou hast pre­scribed [Page 192] and commanded vs; that the good thoughts of thy spirit may draw thy mer­cy so towards vs, as that our petitions may ascend vp to the Throne of thy diuine Maiestie; like the smoake of Incense into the aire. Grant we lay (as it were) our mouthes to the eares of that Heauenly Wisedome that knoweth our wants, better then wee can vnderstand them ourselues, yea, euen before wee can vtter them; and that we goe to him that calles: Come vnto mee all you that trauell, and are heauy la­den, Mat. 11. and I will refresh you. O comfortable saying; to him then let vs goe, nay flie, that are wearied vnder the bur­then of a diseased consci­ence: for hee is that true re­freshing [Page 193] [...] which cureth the inwardsore of a distres­sed and [...], if wee doe faithfully aske it at his [...] the sinceritie & purenes of our hearts. Why should we not then [...]lie vnto this good Lord, who is the Father of all mercy, and God of all comfort? Let vs runne to him that is so wil­ling not onely to heare vs at our call, but farre more wil­lingly to receiue & imbrace our godly petitions and de­sires. He is that sweete com­fortable [...] and true [...] of [...] race, by which all the benefits and gifts in that [...] Treasure­house [...] are continued and re­serued for Christs chosen. O let vs then vse Prayer, which is the key that doth open [Page 194] where no Man shuts, and shuts where no man [...]; that enters where no man hath passage, and re­turnes where no man can hinder. The prayer of the faithfull is the life of that soule which is sore wrapped and perplexed with the noy­some puddle of a sestered and sinfull conscience where by the heart is so oppres [...] with griefe, that neither wine nor strong drinke by the rules of Salomon can comfort. O then what shal [...] wee doe but crie to thee [...] GOD, with heart and hand listed vp to [...] saying; [...] that thou wouldest hide [...] in thy Grace, and keepe [...] secret vntill thy wrath [...] past. Therefore if any [...] af­flicted, let him pray; and [...] [Page 195] vs not presume in the height of our prosperitie, lest wee suddenly see a change; but let vs put our whole confi­dence in the Lord our God, and pray vnto him, and to none other. Neither let vs presume vpon our selues, or any earthly meanes besides: for there was neuer contem­plation, exercise, or any kind of study in the World, so ac­ceptable to the Maiestie of GOD, so gracious in his sight, so lincked and true a friend to him, as heauenly meditation; It awaketh in the night season, it rests not in the day, it forsaketh vs not by Land or by Sea, in health, in sicknesse; in pros­perity or aduersitie, in weale or woe: it is such a sure and tried friend in all extreami­ties, [Page 196] such an inseparable companion in mans greatest distresse, as no tongue is a­ble to expresse the conten­tation it yeelds vnto the op­pressed. Therefore let vs loue it, and lodge it in the bosome of our weake con­sciences, and imbrace it in sincerity of heart: for it is our last and best friend, al­waies solliciting our Father in Heauen; whose name is so worthy to be called vpon so mighty for deliuerance, so p [...]ssant for protection, so gainfull for successe so com­pendicus to abridge vnne­cessary labours, as the name of LEHOVAH our most mercifull & louing Father? There was neuer Sanctuary so free for transgressors, in the strongest priuiledge ne­uer [Page 197] such safetie; neuer holes in the Rocke so open for the Fowles of the field, the arme of my Mother neuer so o­pen to her child, as the [...] of Gods mercifull com­passion to all true and faith­full beleeuers. Therefore with speede let vs all [...] faithfully vnto this good GOD in all our wants and extremities, & there shroa [...] our selues vnder his prote­ction. There was neuer Creature liuing vnder the Sunne, that [...] not afflicti­on in his daies; neither [...] there euer any to whom af­fliction was not grieuous and irkesome [...] yet neuer was there affliction so great, but it hath beene vnder the cor­rection of a louing Lord, whose hand hath beene a­able [Page 198] to master it.

Euery affliction as it comes in seuerall kinds for our seueral sinnes and trans­gressions: so our meditati­ons must be seuerall, and fra­med and fitted thereunto, and powred forth both with wisedome and zeale, that they seem not harsh and vn­digested to those sacred eares, that can both sift and trie the one and the other.

The delicacy and tender­nesse both of our meditati­ons and prayers must be so deuoutly and wisely com­posed, and the fauour of his countenance so carefully sought for, as may appeare by the example of him that knew in his soule that a faint and dissembling Petition would returne emptie into [Page 199] the bosome of him that sent it vp.

Cursed [...] that doth the Ier. 48. 10 worke of the Lord negligently, (saith the Prophet; [...] But (saith Dauid,) A broken and [...] the Lord will not despise. Dauid neuer sent vp his petitions, but with the deepest affection and zeale of heart, with the most sincere integritie and medi­tated zeale that might be: for euery night washed hee his bedde, and watered his Couch with teares, which argued his singular contriti­on and feruentnesse in his Petitions.

And therefore after his godly example, let vs with a sincere & true desire of con­trite hearts, pray to that good GOD, that he will so [Page 200] inspire his heauenly grace into our sinfull hearts, that when wee make our Petiti­ons, we may haue the force of two tongues in our [...]; whereby we may the better speede, and auoide the male­diction, which otherwise we may receiue in stead of [...] blessing.

Wee may learne precepts and draw many excellent examples from the liues of the Heathen Philosophers and Writers as also we may learne a zeale in our Petiti­ons, euen of those woodden Priests, 1 Kings 18: of whom it is written; That they cal­led vpon the name of Baal from morning to noon; and when they had no answere, they cried aloude, nay, cutte themselues with kniues, till [Page 201] the bloud flowed; so they praied not onely in teares, but in bloud.

And then shall not wee being the Children of light be as seruent and zealous in our Petitions to GOD? The agony & zeale of the Sunne of righteousnesse was such that in the dayes of his flesh hee offered vp Prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares to him that was able to helpe him.

O Lord inspite, thy hea­uenly grace so [...] our hearts, that wee may learne to addresse ourselues, that in all temptations, necessi­ties, and afflictions, wee may in the true zeale of our heart pray so de [...]outely vnto thy omnipotent Maiestie, that our Petitions may haue a [Page 202] gracious acceptance in thy sight.

And as Gods word fur­ther declares vnto vs, not only that he kneeled, (at the naming of whose name all knees must bow both in Heauen and Earth, and vn­der the Earth;) but that he fell vpon the ground, the foot-stoole of his owne Ma­iestie, and lay vpon that face that neuer Angell beheld without reuerence: and when hee had praied once, hee praied againe more ear­nestly, as his word records: He once praied & departed; & a secōd time, & yet a third praied and departed, euer­more vsing the same petiti­ons, his prayer ascending by degrees, like incense & per­sume. And not only his lips [Page 203] went, but his agony & con­tention within was so great, that an Angel was sent from Heauen to comfort him; and out of the trouble of his soule the sweate like drops of bloud trickled downe to the ground.

Let vs not therefore at a­ny time offer vp any vnwor­thy sacrifice: but let vs re­member in our Prayers this glorious example of this our worthy and blessed Sa­uiour for our imitation, that they may be blessed in their speede, and wee in their suc­cesse; and not to vtter them carelesly, as if our spirits and tongues were strangers ig­norant of eithers purpose, the lippes bab [...]ing without the heart, but no compu [...] ­ction within; honouring [Page 204] God with our mouthes, but our spirits of true deuotion being farre from him; our hearts not bleeding with the drops of true sinceritie, which would bee heard and pittied. Our Altar without fire, our Petitions without heate, and all that wee doe without zeale.

If we meane that our Pe­titions should be heard and accepted at the hands of GOD, wee must frame our supplications with an ardent & true affectionated zeale, directed to God alone: for it is neither to be done to An­gels, nor Saints, as Media­tors or friends, one or other, greater or lesser in Heauen or Earth; but onely to be of­fered to the Maiesty of God, whose eares bee open to all [Page 205] them that seeke to him in Faith; for without true Faith all our Petitions are naught, and turne to our vtter con­fusion. Wee must not onely pray with zeale and desire, but with fitnesse of congrui­tie, and application for his blessings in our necessi­ties.

The Prophet Hosea ma­keth it plaine and saith; The Lord at all times will take a­way all in [...]quitie, and receiue vs graciously, so we render vp to him [...] calu [...]s of our lips. Nay, what is it that hee will not doe for them that put their whole rest vpon his omnipotent Maiestie in all tribulations and anguish of mind? If we make our hum­ble supplications vnto him, he will stay his furious hand, [Page 206] and fill his hand full of mer­cie; he will with-draw his rod of correction, and send his rod of comfort; hee will sheathe vp his deuouring sword in the hand of his de­stroying Angell, who on e­uery side strikes downe to the graue, emptying houses and streets to fill vp Church yards.

And vpon our true repen­tance, he will surceasse to send his deue [...]ring Angell, and send his Angell of mer­cy and grace, which is a pre­seruatiue and the most soue­raign restoratiue vnder hea­uen, to make sound againe our diseased conscience, which hath been long [...]uer­growne with [...]inne, which [...] both h [...]rt and wound; [...] now wee acknowledge [Page 207] with a sorrow from our hearts, that our sinnes haue procured it at the hand of GOD.

In consideration of the great mercies that GOD doth daily & hourely heape vpon vs, wee must addresse our Petitions to the LORD in another key, and forme of supplication; meekely knee­ling before the LORD our Maker, lowly prostrate at the foote-stoole of GODS mercy, that his iudgements may be diuerted, and turned away from vs.

Thus did that great pat­terne of wisdome Salomon, whose foote-steps are wor­thy our imitation; beseech­ing the LORD of Lords; that when wee shall make our prayers according to [Page 208] our necessities either in bo­dy or in mind that he would vouchsafe then to heare vs, and reach forth his mercifull hand vnto our complaints.

But these our Petitions cannot ascend, vnlesse faith & deuotion beare them vp, nor can they speede vnlesse they issue from a heart that vowes vnfeined repentance, and that calles to mind our sinnes & transgressions that haue procured those iudge­ments; that we may truly re­pent, and so wash them from vs, whereby God may heare vs, and shew his mercifull compassion.

But this repentance is more bitter then can bee imagined: for euery sorrow is not repentance, for the [...] should worldlings repent. [Page 209] Some thinke euery confessi­on to bee repentance, then had Pharaoh and Saul re­pented: some thinke that e­uery weeping is [...] repen­tance, then had Esau repen­ted: some take euery little humiliation to bee repen­tance, then had [...] re­pented: some thinke that e­uery good word and pro­mise is repentance; if that were so, then should sicke men repent: some thinke, to [...]rie GOD mercy is repen­tance, then should euery [...]oole repent.

But true repentance in [...]de, and such as is here [...]ent, i [...] more then hanging [...]owne of the head like a [...]ull-rush, or towring out a [...]are, to so [...] out a sighe, to [...]eare [...], or [...] [Page 210] cloth, or with a verball sound of the lips, without the priuity and consent o [...] the heart within, to cri [...] Lord haue mercy on me, an [...] so rest.

But it must bee the scourging and launcing of the verie soule with true contrition, a downe-right shower [...] teares from a broken pen [...] tent bleeding heart, fille [...] with exceeding bitterness [...] of sorrow and anguish fo [...] some committed.

Let no man thinke it to [...] early to goe, or too early [...] beginne to goe to this goo [...] Schoole, not of sharpness [...] but of sweetnesse; not [...] paine, but of pleasure. L [...] vs goe to it in our youth [...] and let Salomon be our T [...] tor; whereby wee shall [...] [Page 211] [...]aught to remember our Creator in the dayes of our [...]outh.

Let it bee often remem­ [...]red, that no man thinke it [...]o late, lest hee omit and [...]ose that which hee might [...]therwise haue gained.

What time soeuer the sin­ [...]er shall truely repent him [...]om the very bottome of [...] heart of his loude and [...]isspent life, the Lord will [...]orgiue and forget, and his [...]nnes shall vanish from his [...]ght and presence, euen as [...] d [...]aw before the Sunne.

I say againe, he that right­ [...] repents himselfe of his [...]ickednesse and vaine life; [...] is not the misery of this [...]retched life, nor terror of [...]onscience, nor malice of [...]oes, (let them be Men or di­uels [Page 212] [...] be a whole legion to one,) that shall neuer hinder the ascensio [...] and blessing of his godl [...] prayer; and it shal [...] neuer hi [...] der the forgiuenesse of [...] sinne.

Neuer was the shado [...] more faithfull to the bodi [...] then a blessed forgiuenes [...] to faithfull repentance, a [...] the good successe whi [...] hath beene to a faithfull a [...] zealous prayer, conceiu [...] in the breast, and lodged [...] the heart, and powerful [...] vttered by the voice of [...] tongue and spirit.

But this great expect [...] successe which we looke [...] to receiue by our Petitio [...] at the hands of GOD, mu [...] be formed in a more zealo [...] fashion then our comm [...] [Page 213] [...]se is; which vse may bee [...]ompared to an hypoc [...]ites [...]ustome, wanting these ne­ [...]essary adiuncts, these vnde­ [...]ayed, vndelaied assistants, [...]hat blesse the companie wherein they come, and [...] the suite wherein they [...] Solliciters and Plaintifs, [...]ho beate not the aire with [...]ounds that arise from the [...]ollow and emptinesse of [...]hem, like Brooks that roare [...]nd make a noise, but shew [...]eir empty bottomes that [...]ontaine nothing but grauel [...]nd filthinesse within; like [...] our desola [...]e and onely fa­ [...]ionable prayers both at [...]ome and abroade, in cham­ [...]r and Church: these are [...]ypocrites who poure [...]orth [...] forme of words▪ rather in [...] fashion of custome, then [Page 214] for any great zeale; neither honouring God, nor yet fur­thering the Petitions wee make for our expected de­sires.

These things duely con­sidered, we must needs think in our minds we remaine in a very wretched and despe­rate case; our affections are so weake, that the least oc­casion or blast of vanitie, withdrawes vs from all god­ly desires, whereby wee run both soule and bodie into vtter destruction. Very lit­tle is the care which remai­neth in vs, to giue this good GOD our onely Sauiour that sends to all things, his due; so our turnes be serued and that wee haue receiued at the Lords hands our de­sire, there is all our frail [...] [Page 215] flesh looketh for, till extre­mities come, and then wee make a new shew of repen­tance, with a sorrow for our negligence in the true ser­uing and honouring of his Omnipotent Maiesty; which wee rather doe of a custome then of zeale: as the Parrot of [...], wee recite the Creede, flattering God with our tongues, but dissem­bling with him in our harts; which is onely for want of Faith, by whose absence our minds are fraught with toies and fansies, which beare a­way the due reuerence wee owe vnto God.

For when we haue praied to GOD that hee will giue eare vnto our requests, and receiue our petitions, they are sonegligently done, that [Page 216] we had need pray againe, to desire him that hee will out of his bountifull loue and great mercy cast his eye of pitty and not of anger vpon the great offence which was committed in the idlenesse of our prayers and supplica­tions made by vs vnto his diuine Maiestie, and that he will forgiue vs our sins com­mitted in our, prayers; be­cause wee thinke then leas [...] of him at the time we make our prayer vnto him; neuer remembring the Maiestie of his person to, whom we [...] speake, nor the Excellencie of the worke wee take in hand; neuer rowsing vp the spirit of a sorrowfull repen­tant heart for our former of­fences committed: but if we [...]hance then to stirre vp ou [...] [Page 217] deuotion to prayer, we leaue them halt and lame, bodie without soule, or soule with­out deuotion, sound of lips without the heart; one part of our selues without the o­ther, or the whole without a whole, clamour without in­tention.

But Dauid practised true repentance, which may not bee repented of; and such were the panges and pric­kings of Iobs heart vnto GOD: My groanings (saith he) come forth before I eate, and my roarings are powred forth. Not onely groaning nor crying, but also roa­rings, with a continual inun­dation, as one waue dasheth forth another.

Now when the soule is thus prepared to speake, the [Page 218] eares of the Lord are euer o­pen to heare the true peni­tent sinners cry.

These are wonderfull pas­sions. The hungry Lyon in the desert opprest with ex­tremitie of suffering want, neuer roared so much for his prey, nor the Hart braying after the water brookes, as the goodnesse of the Lord in the soule of the faithfull. He is the mighty LORD of Heauen and Earth, whose name be blessed and hallow­ed for euer, in Earth as it is in Heauen; and blessed are all those that are in loue with his goodnes, and tra [...] nearest vnto his steps.

And to giue vs a further example in his owne cause; when his soule was hedged in and enuironed round a­bout [Page 219] with vexation euen vnto death, when anguish & sorrow incompassed him round about; as also then in his greatest agony, when he cried with a great voice, (not for particular persons, as before hee wept, but vn­dergoing the burthen and punishment of all the sinnes and sinners in the World,) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: and crying againe with a great voice, gaue vp the ghost.

Therefore the blessed A­postles mentioning the daies of his humanitie, and the ex­ercise of his godly and sa­cred life, and fruite of his lips, and the passions of his spirit, thought it not enough to giue notice to the World that he prayed to his Father; [Page 210] that hee praied with teares which trickled downe his blessed cheekes, and wate­red the ground; nor of a cry alone weakely sent out, but of a vehement and strong cry, which (if Heauen were brasse) were able to pierce through it, and find way in­to the Sanctuary, into the eares of the Almighty.

Such a prayer as it ascends lightly vp, borne vpon the wings of Faith; so it eue [...] comes laden heauily downe with a blessing on the head of him that first gaue it flight. This Lanthorne of our direction and composi­tion of humilitie and good­nesse, this glorious and ne­uer enough admired LORD of life, who prest & opprest with the weight & burthen [Page 221] thereof, groaned vnder the affliction of our sinnes in a most perfect forme of exact obedience, with his blee­ding teares for vs, shewed vs the right forme of faith­full supplications for our selues.

Let vs then bee importu­nate and feruent in our prai­ers, that our Petitions may wrestle with GOD, and o­uercome him. For if our praiers bee powred forth in the [...]eruentnesse of zeale without wauering, then let vs make no doubt, but hee wil graciously receiue them into his armes of mercie.

Way h [...]e thus grieue [...] for vs, and shall not wee grieue for ourselues? groaned hee vnder the weight of our sin, (being himselfe without [Page 222] sinne) onely in compassion and pitty towards vs? why then doe not we continual­lie groane and grieue? It is so farre from vs, that in no way wee giue his heauenlie Maiestie his due, except in committing finne, and drin­king it downe the throate with greedinesse, and a desi­ring thirsting appetite, euen as Behe [...]th drinketh down I [...]rdan without sense, sor­row, or griefe for the same.

The true consideration hereof will enforce and pro­cure in vs a more perfect de­sire to follow the true pre­scription that our Sauiour hath prescribed for vs in his holy Gospell; which com­mandeth vs by expresse words to bee importunate and feruent in our prayers, [Page 223] that our Petitions may as­cend vp to GOD our Lord and onely Sauiour and there to be receiued into his bo­some, to pre [...]rent a further and greater danger before the dreadfull Maiestie of the omnipotent LORD of Hea­uen and Earth; who with the breath of his nostrels is able to destroy our bodies and soules, & change the World and the beauty thereof into a Chaos and [...]eape of confu­sion; turne the Sunne into darkenesse, and the Moone into blood, and alter the property and being of all the Creatures in the World at the twinckling of an eye.

Considering what we are that speake, that offer vp the calues of our lippes, and the fruites of our repentance; [Page 224] poore, naked, impotent, vnworthy wretches; wee should be importunate, and with a feruentnesse of zeale, poure out our supplications vnto GOD, that he wil mer­cifully heare vs, and gently receiue our supplications, and according to his won­ [...]ed goodnesse satisfie our faithfull requests poured forth vnto him in the name of CHRIST IESVS our Lord and onely helper in all distresse.

But our wretchednesse and mortality, our naked­nesse in good workes to­wards him, is such, that if there were any spark of true faith in vs, it would make vs ashamed, as it did our first Parents, when they bidde themselues from the pre­sence [Page 225] of their GOD.

The view of our sinnes is exceedingly sinful, the num­ber, the weight, the danger thereof hang about our neckes like milstones, that we are notable, nor worthy to cast vp our eyes to heauē: for our sinnes are so excee­dingly miserable, that the Prophet of GOD being a­stonished to see either man or the Sonne of man so kind­ly visited, biddeth vs be fer­uent in our Petitions to GOD. And we must expect an happy successe of our sup­plications, vnlesse we wil cal in question or doubt of the promises of God, which are more stable then the pillars of the Earth, or the basis of the surest foundation: except we will cast our graine into [Page 226] the earth, and expect no har­uest; plant Vines, and not drinke the Wine thereof.

If wee meane to receiue that at GODS hand we doe expect to haue, then wee must prepare our selues in a­nother forme to poure out our vnworthy plaints and petitions; and thinke that GOD either heareth not, or regardeth not at all, (the weakenesse of our faith is such;) but hee is willing to grant as farre as is expedient for our good.

If our darke vnderstan­ding would giue vs leaue duely to consider, there is a­nother motiue for feruency to bee vsed vnto that great GOD, who will not be moc­ked with the idlenesse of ou [...] thoughts and lippes i [...] be pit­tifulnesse [Page 227] of his fauourable countenance, which is so great to man, as if wee doe but carefully aske it in zeale and humility of heart, hee is then so ready to hearken to our requests, that presently he opens his hand of boun­tie, and powreth on vs his benefits plenteously.

All these respects and con­siderations thereto tending doe crie vnto vs in most pit­tifull and lamentable man­ner, to make out hard and stony hearts to melt, and cry vnto his Omnipotent and Diuine Maiestie, whereby wee may grow to be more feruent in our Petitions. We must not thinke that the noise of our lips, as the rin­ging of basons, meer sounds and voices, that awake and [Page 228] flie vp whilest the inward man doth slumber and keepe downe, procures audience at the hands of God.

The strongest and most effectuall speech in the se­cret eares of GOD, procee­deth not from bare words, but from intention of heart. Hee that heareth without eares, can interpret our prai­ers without our tongues; he that made both the one and the other, knowes the lan­guage of both alike. He that saw Nathaniel vnder the Fig-tree before hee was cal­led, saw and sanctified Iohn Baptist in his Mothers wombe before hee came forth; and read the heart of Zachcus before his conuer­sion: seeth and blesseth our godly praiers feruently con­ceiued, [Page 229] and sowen in the root of our consciences, be­fore they bring forth any fruite.

But if they be onely ver­ball and vocall sounds with­out wringing any droppe of contrition from the consci­ence, bloud from the spirit, they may beat the aire with empty sounds, but into the eares of the Almighty shall they not enter; but their want of deuotion shall bee answered by him, as the prayers of those Idolaters, Ezechiel 8. Though they crie in mine eares with a loude voice, yet wil I not heare them. Therefore let vs not herein behaue our selues vnworthi­lie, nor presume to speake to the Maiestie of GOD, but with such a due respect and [Page 230] reuerence to his Omnipo­tence, that in speaking wee know to whom wee doe it. Let vs stirre vp both our tongues & spirits, that they may ioine hand in hand, the sooner to preuaile with GOD.

And further if wee doe thinke that our often pow­red out petitions and plaints to God doe not preuaile ac­cording as our fraile flesh would haue it, yet wee must not be discouraged or waxe Luc. 18. 1. faint thereby, but goe on still in our suite grounded vpon Faith, and so impor­tune his Maiestie euermore and more; sollicite his long suffering patient eares with our faithful clamors, so shall wee at last obtaine all that we godly desire.

Peraduenture not in the same manner that our fraile flesh desires, yet in that which the LORD out of his great mercies seeth most conuenient for the helpe of the Soule, and for the com­fort of the Bodie.

It were good for vs to carry Iobs minde, saying; Though GOD kill me, yet will I trust in him. Though GOD denieth vs a while, yet let vs not despaire in him: for without his helpe there is no good to bee had, or to be expected either for the reliefe of body or soule.

It is said Heauen & Earth shall passe, but not one tittle of his word shall fall to the ground.

Therefore when we haue powred forth our suite, and [Page 232] made our petition knowne, then let vs beginne anew, repeate it, recite it, ingemi­nate it, and dwell vpon it; bee not beaten away by any distrust or temptation from thy hold. Learne adherence to thy suite, from the Mari­ners constancy, which is, we beseech thee O LORD, we beseech thee.

And if wee set our he arts truely on worke, they will soone finde out this theame. When the affection is faste­ned, the tongue is easie, and willing to dwell thereupon.

For example, Dauid when he heard of the death of his [...]onne Absolon, he said; O Absolon, O my sonne Absolon, ô Absolon my sonne, my sonne; where his affection seemes onely to dwell vpon the [Page 233] name and memory of his Sonne, and his tongue to haue forgottē to pronounce any other speech, saue onely Absolon.

It manifesteth likewise what loue our SAVIOVR [...]are towards that holy Ci­ [...]ie, in that hee ingeminated [...]nd repeated his sorrowes [...]uer and ouer, saying; O Ie­ [...]usalem, Ierusalem: if I forget Ierusalem, let my right hand [...]orget [...]e [...] c [...]ning.

Our affections must be in oue with him a [...]d his bles­ [...]ed name, more then Sonne [...]r Citie, or any worldly de­ [...]ight, that it m [...] be [...] euer [...]editating in our hearts, [...]nd walking in our tongues, [...]aying; My God and my Lord.

And the more we are held [Page 234] off, the nee [...]e [...] let vs preasse. Let vs attend his leasure & mer [...]ifull pleasure with pa­tience, without distrust, without wearinesse.

The longer Abraham tal­ked with GOD the more h [...] preua [...]ted; hee brought him from the whole number to fiftie, from fiftie to ten, be­fore he gaue him ouer. Mar [...] the manner of his i [...]portu­nitie.

Behold, I haue begunne t [...] speake vnto my Lord, and [...] am but dust and ashes. L [...] not my Lord be angry. And will speake againe once word I haue beg [...]ne, and againe will speak [...]. And let not [...] Lord be angry. So f [...]rre w [...] GOD from anger, that he [...] gaue him both a patien [...] [...]are, and a gracious answere [Page 235] in hi [...] most importunate re­quest; If [...] befound there, I will not destroy [...].

Let vs confider and be­ [...]olde what is the force of [...]raier poured forth in since­ [...]ity from the tongue of a [...]ighteous and zealous man. It is so powerfull in the [...]ares of his Diuine Maiesty, that if in the who [...]e City, [...] Citie so exceedingly sinfull, [...]hat the crie thereof ascen­ [...]ed vp into Heauen, euen in­ [...]o the eares of the Holy of [...]oliest, whose wrath and re­ [...]olution was of their ouer­throw, [...]d his de [...]minate decr [...]e past thercupon: If, I [...]ay, there had b [...]ne but ten [...]igh [...]eous persons to haue stood vp betwi [...]t his wrath and their sinnes, for their sakes it had not beene de­stroied. [Page 236] It pleaseth the eare [...] of his Heauenly Maiesti [...] right well to bee long in treated; whose blessed con­dition and nature is neuer [...] truly leuelled at, as when [...] persw [...]de our selues, th [...] our importunity therein c [...] neuer be bur [...]hensome to h [...] Highness [...].

Many times h [...]th his M [...] ­iestie vnto vs [...]nfull and [...] ­serable wretches in gemin [...] ­ted, recited, and repeated [...] ­uer the riches of his merci [...] As in these and the like pl [...] ­ces: The Lord is mercif [...] gracious, [...] to anger, ab [...] ­dant in goodnesse and [...] [...] for t [...] ­sands, for giving i [...]iq [...]i [...] [...] and or a [...]sgressions.

What did he meane there by, but that twise and [...] [Page 237] [...]imes together wee should [...]geminate, recite, and re­ [...]eate ouer againe our re­ [...]uests and petitions, and cry or his mercy? and then if he [...]eeme deafe for a while, and [...]ake as though hee heard [...]ot, yet at last the zeale of [...]ur importunity w [...]ll pro­ [...]ure his Omnipotent Maie­ [...]ie to gra [...]t audience.

If our words and pray­ [...]ers will not preuaile, then [...]et vs ioine thereto our [...]eares; that GOD may say to [...]s, as he said to Ezekiah; I [...]aue seene thy teares. They [...]re so powerful messengers, [...]hiefly if they be done in the [...]nceriti [...] and singlenesse of [...]eart.

No sooner can the thought [...]ppeare crauing his merci­ [...]ull aide, but the eye of his [Page 238] compassion and goodnesse [...]s vpon them.

Then who is it that wil [...] not worship and serue thi [...] [...]ouing Master, being so rea­die at our call to receiue ou [...] Petitions into his hands o [...] mercie?

D [...]id saith, that God ha [...] heard the voice of his weeping [...] Teares and sorrow for ou [...] sinnes, doe cause the eares o [...] GOD to open vnto our god [...] lie requests. Therefore let v [...] glorifie this good GOD with our bodies in true hu­militie, and serue him in spi­rit, and lift vp our soules with Dauid, and our hands with Moses; our eyes with Peter, [...]d our voices with D [...]b [...]r [...].

Thus seeking, wee shall find; thus knocking, it shall­bee [Page 239] o [...]ened vnto vs. [...]et vs giue our Petitious but the [...]ght voi [...]e to aske with, & guestionlesse there is no [...]oubt, but GOD will heare [...]s in his mercie to our im­ [...]easurab [...]e comfort and [...]oy.

It must not be the dumbe [...]nd silent which must giue [...]n eye to seeke with; it must [...]ot bee the blinde and care­ [...]esse which giues an hand to [...]nocke with; it must not [...]eare to molest and disquiet [...]ot onely the doores, but all [...]he Treasures and Iewels in [...]he Kingdome of Heauen, [...]hich will bee opened vnto [...]hose his chosen: And whi­ [...]her our blessed SAVIOVR [...]oth h [...]elf i [...]nuite vs; Come [...]nto [...]ee all [...] that labour [...]nd are laden.

O this is a loue withou [...] example, where the King [...]imselfe not onely comman de [...]h, but desire [...] our appea­rance. Who then shall keep [...] vs backe where he comman deth? Open ye gate [...] of righ­tcousnesse and be ye opened ye euerlasti [...]g doores.

O what a blessed and com­fortable saying is this vnto sinnefull man by so great [...] Lord and King! Who the [...] shall oppose themselues a­gainst vs? What need we to haue a Mediatour, an Inter­cessor or friend, when bee himselfe hath giuen his voice, and freely calles vs to himselfe alone?

Though the frankenesse and bounty of his loue hath yeelded acce [...]e vnto hi [...] heauenly Maiesty, this great [Page 241] [...] four good GOD vnto [...], must not e [...]bolden vs with [...] lesse respect or reue­rence in shewing our dutie in the true seruing of him: which loue of his doth de­ [...]erue more in a farre greater degree, then our vaine and [...]raile flesh can yeelde vnto [...]is Omnipotency and State, that fit [...] in glory at the right [...]and of his Father.

And whereas we are poore [...]ormes creeping vpon the [...]oote-stoole of this Earth, [...]ray wee that his Maiestie will bee so gracious as to [...]ouchsafe we should spea [...] [...]nto him as it were face to [...]ce, to poure out our petiti­ [...]ns with our owne voices [...]to his most blessed and sa [...] ­ [...]ed ear [...].

All know by [...] expe­r [...]ence, [Page 242] that the Kings of th [...] earth keep themselues wit [...] in a strict watch and wa [...] r [...]gard; and their persons a [...] [...]ull of Maiestie and terro [...] and not spoken vnto, b [...] with difficulty and frien [...] ­ship: besides the infinite d [...] ­straction of suites and bu [...] ­nesses, more then the cares [...] any mortal man can receiu [...] driue them of necessity [...] the deputation of subord [...] ­nate Ministers.

But in GOD who ride [...] vpon the Cherubins, a [...] maketh his enemies [...] foote stoole, there is neith [...] dange of his person, nor d [...] ­fect in his hearing. For h [...] that [...]lanted the eare, do [...] he not heare? He that st [...] ­deth and knocketh at [...] [...] for [...] ­ [...]rance, [Page 243] when wee knocke at [...]is, will he not grant en­ [...]rance?

In earthly Courts among which wee liue, wee may haue many impediments; [...]ew will hardly fauour vs, but many may hinder vs be­fore we can deliuer our mes­sage.

But at these Heauenlie Gates at which we must al­waies call, the LORD alone [...]s Porter.

For when the friend knoc­ked in the Parable of Luke [...]t mid-night, the heauiest [...] deadest houre of the night; [...]e who was neerest the gate [...]irst awaked, if hee slept at all, and first answered.

How willing is hee to grant, that is so willing to [...]e disquieted? Now glad to [Page 244] heare our knocke, that hat [...] placed his bed so neere th [...] gate? Hew truly may we say that hee was not one [...] n [...]cre the gate, but th [...] [...]ord himselfe and the ver [...] gate? who when his Chi [...] dren were fast asleepe, th [...] cares of Angels and Saint shut vp, hee first, and at th [...] ve [...]y first call, n [...]y, onely he among the rest made answ [...] vnto it.

The LORD is alwaie [...] [...]eerer vnto vs then we ar [...] vnto him, Psal. 10. Hee [...] ­reth the desire of the poore. H [...] first prepareth the heart, an [...] setteth it on worke to pray and when hee hath so don [...] he bendeth his care vnto [...] giuing vnto vs both th [...] cause and the effect, bo [...] the blessing, and meanes [...] [Page 245] [...]e blessings. The true stand [...]ost effectual messenger we [...]aue to send our Petition [...] [...]y, is Prayer, poured forth [...] the zeale and singlenesse four hearts.

If we send vp merites, the [...]arres in Heauen will dis­ [...]aine it, that we who dwell [...]t the foote-stoole of GOD, are presume so farre, when [...]e purest Creatures in Hea­ [...]en are impure in his fight.

If we send vp feare and di­ [...]rust, the length of the way [...]ill tire them out, and with [...]he weight sinke to the [...]round, before they come [...]alfe way vp to the Throne of saluation.

If wee send vp blasphe­nies and curses, all the Crea­utes in Heauen and Earth [...]ill set themselues against [Page 246] vs; the Sunne and the Moo [...] will raine downe bloud, th [...] fire hot burning coales, th [...] aire thunderbolts vpon ou [...] heads.

But Prayer is a Messen­ger freed from all these im­perfections, whom neithe [...] the irksomnesse of the way or tediousnesse of the pas­sage can hinder from h [...] purpose; quicke of speed [...] faithfull of trust, able [...] mount aboue the Eagles [...] the Skie, into the Heauen [...] Heauens, as a Chariot of fi [...] leading vs alost into the pr [...] ­sence of GOD, to seeke h [...] assistance and grace.

The least finger of hi [...] right hand is of more puis­sance then the whole ar [...] of flesh or armie of spirit [...] yea, then the whole liue [...] [Page 247] hole substances of Angels, Men, of siluer, gold silke, [...]urple, and all other Crea­ [...]res.

So that Prayer shall walke [...]rough life & death with­ [...]ut controllement.

If it find Angel [...], Princip [...] ­ [...]ties, Powers, things present [...]nd things to come, or any [...]ther Creature in the World [...]opping her passage, and re­ [...]uking her forwardnesse, [...]e shall cleere her way not­ [...]ithstanding, and climbe [...]to the presence of her GOD, and in his eares deli­ [...]er her message.

Be wee in sicknesse? To [...]im the true Phisicion that [...]nowes both the cause and [...]he cure, shee comes for [...]ealth.

Be wee in imprisonment? [Page 248] There she sollicites a relea [...] from him the Lord of libe [...] ­tie. Be we opprest with p [...] ­uertie, or want? The Earth the LORDS, and all th [...] dwell therein: to him she comes; for the blessing [...] the Lord maketh rich.

Are wee afflicted abo [...] measure, beyond the strēg [...] of man, in so much that we doubt whether wee liue [...] no, receiuing the sentence [...] d [...]ath within our selues, s [...] that in our opinion we com [...] ­prehend no deliuery, no eua­sion, but lie open to the di­rect accomplishment there of: Yet in this exigent an [...] extremitie, we come to Go [...] by these meanes of Prayer being almost beyond hope without expectation; and b [...] his gracious and merciful [...] [Page 249] pleasure wee are deliuered.

Therefore let vs here in r [...] ­ [...]ue comfort: his Maiestic [...]ut of his great clem [...]nrie [...]ath and doth deliuer vs dai­ie, not onely from the death of our bodies, when wormes [...]nd rottennesse haue made [...]heir last and long prey vp­ [...]on them; but from the [...]eath of our minds, when the spirit is buried vnder [...]orrowes, and no Greature [...]ound in Heauen or Earth to giue it comfort.

Be our minds, be our af­flictions neuer so many and great, though in our weake [...]magination we can imagin [...]o deliuery, no release, when all earthly comforts forsake [...]s yet let not vs forsake thi [...] [...]efuge; let vs not despaire in his mercifull helpe, [...]o more [Page 250] then I [...] did, who being in the bottome of the Sea, and within a prison in that bottome, in such an afflicti­on, so great, so strange, as greater nor stranger could not be to humane reason, or more without hope; yet said Io [...] 2. 2. I cried in [...]in [...] af­fliction vnto the Lord, and hee heardme [...]; [...] of the be [...]ty of h [...] cr [...]ed I, and thou he [...]r d [...]st my voice.

Therefore in our aduersi­tie and wants, how great & greeuous soeuer they op­presse our weakenesse, yet let vs neither distrust, or de­spaire of his mercifull helpe; but let vs pray still in hope, in all the anguish of minde, [...]d let our prayers bee with such a confidence and zeale of loue to GOD, as the fer­uencie [Page 251] thereof may ascend vp to his Throne, and there rest in his pittifull eye, and armes of mercy.

In our prosperity, be it ne­uer so flourishing, let vs pray, nay, pray continuallie.

In our health and prospe­ritie, let vs pray to conti­nue it.

In our sicknesse and ad­uersity, let vs pray to release vs.

For if wee consider our e­states rightly, wee shall per­ceiue many reasons to the exercise of Prayer, daily to feek his sauour and the long continuance thereof, with­out whose mighty protecti­on and care ouer vs, we are ready to fall into a thousand dangers of vndoing both the body and soule, and [Page 252] to perish continuallie.

And therefore let vs well consider, and take heed both in time and season, with words sutahle in our Petiti­ons to our purp [...]se and in­tention, in giuing thankes for his great benefits daily poured vpon vs; with intres­tie in our Petitions for ne­cessities to bee implored by vs in the time of sicknesse, in the time of our health, in the time of our aduersity, in the time of our prosperity.

Let vs come before him, suting our words in the ha­bite of our occasions with such a fitnesse and decencie, that they fall not harshly, & from the purpose ascend in­to the eares of the Almighty LORD, the true patterne of all w [...]sdome and goodnesse; [Page 253] who hath giuen vs the first and best forme there of him­selfe; who hath both taught vs to pray, and taught vs how to pray, and who will both heare our petitions, and grant our requests con­tained therein, as farre as seemes expedient to his vn searchable wisedome, that knowes our wants before hee heares our complaints, our necessities better then we our selues.

And because meditation is so excellent a thing so rea­die, so swift, so powerfull, so vnseparated from vs, that it cleaues vnto vs when all o­ther meanes faile and for­sake vs; therefore we should the more earnestly imbrace it more zealously imploy it, more dearely esteeme it.

It finds vs out comfort in our greatest extremities and miseries, our wayes being hedged vp as with thornes, that we cannot stirre to deli­uer our selues therehence. When we are ouer flowen with the deluge of sinne, as with a floud, & iudgements inuiron vs on euery side: this is the D [...]ue that brings vnto our Soules the Oliue branch of comfort.

But alasse, we kill the life thereof through the cold­nesse of our deuotio [...], and carelesnesse of our deliuerie, and vnfit preparation there­unto, and find not the sweet­nesse and successe that else wee might expect, and ob­taine at the hands of GOD thereby.

Let these things be often­times [Page 255] our meditation and study, that so despising the vaine things of this transi­torie life, and passing our steps in the path-way to fe­ [...]icity, we may at the last ob­taine the reward which our Sauiour CHRIST hath promised; Come ye blessed of my Father. Euen so let vs re­solue with our selues, that for as much as wee haue be­gunne our Pilgrimage in the Spirit, neuer to end it in the Flesh; and that if all the World would fall away from GOD, and his Word; yet wee and ours will serue the LORD. So shall we be sure in the ende of this our P [...]lgrimage, which we haue passed with feare, to enter into that spirituall Canaan, which CHRIST our IE­HOVA [Page 256] hath promised vs which LORD for thy mercy sake grant vs. Amen.