WHen I looke upon a Towns life, first, and then upon that which we live in the Country, I conclude that Townes, and Townes-men, are more happy, because they live an easier life, and are not so pe [...]e­red with a world of businesses and Country work, as men are in the Country; but when I reflect back upon my Te [...], I begin to b [...]ck in my thoughts, and am in a straight [Page 2]betwixt two, as not knowing whe­ther a Towne or Citty be happier then the country, or the Country happyer then either, because I see by it how much a devout soul de­sires to be in it, by saying to Jesus Christ, Come my beloved, let us walke into the field, &c. And my finall determination is this, that neither Townsmen nor Country­men are or can be happy indeed, unless they have Christ with them indeed, and that if Christ be with them, and centred among them, both are happy alike, because Christ is neere to both alike, and becaus as lines in a Circumference their pious multitudes do al meet in their center Christ, being all a­like for Christ.

Now for their sake especially who groan under country burdens I have culed out this precious scri­pture that by it they may be taught what to do when they are under a Country Pressure as namely, that they must come to Christ to have him come along into their field, and Villages with [Page 3]them, that there he may dispence his love unto them.

Yet so as that Citizens, and Townesmen are not to be seclu­ded from them, for I shall but o­stend and shew, how the Country life also, marke but also, is capable of, and fit for the exercise of that love, which is betwixt Christ and his espoused Saints, thereby leaving roome and place for Townesmen and Citizens, among whom Christ takes place.

The occasion of these words some do Prompt from the 6 Chapter, of this Book Verse, 11. unto which this Text doth looke for there Christ is al for the Field, for Gar [...]e [...]s, for Vinyards to see the fruit thereof, and therefore the Church here is so too even al bent for the field too, saying, come my be loved, let us go into the Field, &c.

Where three things are nomi­nated, to which her gracious selfe the Church of Christ I meane in her servent, & flaming love is car­ried.

1 1. She is for the Field.

2 2. For Villages.

3 3. For Vinyards.

1 1. Or for a Holy walk [...]ng with Christ by day.

2 2. Lodging with Christ by Night.

3 3. Early Rising with Christ in the Morning.

1 1. She is for the field, saying, Come my beloved, let us go into the Field; where we have

1 1. a Compellation.

2 2. an Excitation.

1 1. A compellation, My beloved or friend, For the Hebrew signifieth both.

2 2. An excitation, Come, let us go forth into the Field.

1 1. Come.

2 2. Let us go forth.

3 3. Into the field.

1 1. Come, the Hebrew is a word which also signifieth to be at lea­sure, and so the sense is, can you be at leasure.

2 2. Let us go forth, or go out, for so much also I find in originall, or [Page 5]if she had been immur'd or straight­ened, and shut up in a narrow com­passed alluding thereby to the na­row room which the Jewish church did cover, as some would have, it.

3 3. Into the field The Hebrew is [...] which also signifieth a coun­try Gregory hereby understands, the world; Tomson tels, us that he allu­deth to those, who being in love are wont to go forth into the field and country, that there the more freely they may be merry. Jun. et Termall in Loc. others say, that her meaning is this do not reserve thy self wholly for thy self, thinking upon that blessed day, when we shall meet in glorie, but let us joyne both. For I also desire to think and to conferre about that bless'd time when we shall be for ever together in joy, I for my part being free to both Mysticall and litterall senses, yet shall stick to the latter most, having such an origi­nall copie before me, which leads and carrieth me for and to it, yet so, as that I shal not be unmindful of the my stical field of contem­plation [Page 6]into which soules do walk, who walke abroad for their Heavenly recreation.

2 2. But let us see next how the church is for villages, or for lodging with Christ by night.

Let us lodge in the villages.

1 1. Let us lodge, or lie by night, as the Hebrew hath it, as if she should say, I do not desire to live as I did formerly, when I slept whole nights carlesly, nor will I be found unready at thy coming; No, I am ashamed now of my former oscitancie, and I am now bent to spend day and night in the Jun et Tremell in Loc. observing of the signes of thy glorious appearing.

Or thus, let us take the night too, to solace our selves together with our mutuall society, for I desire to spend even day and night with thee, o sweet Jesus, whom my soule so dearely loves; or thus, let us even lie together by night, and wake to gether by night, for I do not desire to spend all the night in sleeping. No but I desire to be up [Page 7]some times Tomson in Loc. to behold by night the maker of the heaven of the Plei­ades of Orion Arcturus & of the rest of those glorious starres which so glitter by night for mans delight or thus to contemplate that great and glorious, essence which com­mutes the thickest darkest into the brightest morning, and the day into the darkest night. Amos 5.8.

2 2. In the villages [...] which some render ad Cyp [...]es to Cypres because [...] signifieth Cyperes that is certaine Grapes, which grow in Cyprus, Others take it to be a cer­taine sort of spice called Camphyr Cant. 1.14, but because the same word signifieth S [...]e is [...]m 6.8. hebr. villages to and agrees with lodging better I re­taine villages, whereby some un­derstand the Gregu in Loc. gentiles, others alive soules, such as are in countrie vil­lages others Theodor in Loc. those soules which have given up their names to Christ. Exposi t [...] 3 Patrum in Lock.

I for my part understand first the country literally, and hearts Mystically, that is, Christs heart [Page 8]and the churches heart, in the which both do mutually lodge.

3 3. The last thing is the churches early rising with Christ in the morning, Let us get up early to the vineyards; as if she should say, let us rise very early and be up before the Sun is up to behold those trem­bling and be fore the approaching day flying torches of Heaven, and to salute the faire and plea­sant morning caried, in its golden chariot, and that we may con­template that vast and ad­mirable flame, the Sun I meane peeping forth with its yellow and golden locks. in the canopy of Heaven, to fill the whole earth with its glorious light, after all that darknesse which covered it before by night or thus, & then let us rise sweet Jesus, I with thee and thou with me, for I desire & long to see thee who art my light my joy, my Sun, my Sun of righousnesse, that Sun which lighteneth the world with its brightnesse, and fills the whole earth with its war­nesse, [Page 9]is very comfortable, but thou art much more, when as a Bridgroome thou comest forth out of heaven, and shewest forth the brightness of thy face to make me glad on earth, and therefore▪ I do so desire to enjoy thee.

Q Q. But what are these vineyards I answer some say, Lyra in Loc. A churches Theodor in Loc. others those who have received the preaching of the Gospel, as if the Church should say, I meane those precious soules, which together with me have obtained the like pretions faith, and beene made partakers of the like penetrating and soule-searching Gospel-prea­ching; to these my very hearts desire is to go and see them with my best beloved, saith, the Church to Jesus Christ to whom she is by the same most precious saith espo­used for my part I understand such too but not only such for I take these vinyards, to be the Heavenlie mansions also filled with glorified Saints which are the vines thereof now let us gather roses which▪ [Page 10]grow in this Scriptures garden.

1. I And observe hence. 1 Do [...]r.

That the countrie and a coun­try-life also is capable of, and fit for the exercise or manifestation of that love which is betweene Christ and his espoused Saints for the illustration hereof these.

2. Queries will be proposed and must be resolved.

Qu 1 The 1. is how it is so.

The, 2. is why it is so.

A For the 1. I answer to it if Christ be in it, For therefore the spouse saith to them, Come, because she knew that else she could not do wel; for what is the Country without him, but an arke of travell, a schoole of vanities, a meer labyrinth, a bar­ren wildernesse a dirty stie, a tem­pestuous Sea a medow ful of scor­pions a garden full of basilikes a fountaine of miseries, a river of teares, a seat where there is but false deceit, travell some labour, fearefull rests grievous miseries, a place in which is little also but [Page 11]Shame, Repentance, Sorrow, Re­proach, a Center, in which all these tragedies, as lines in a circle do meet, as namely, Travel with­out Fruit, Sorrow without Pro­fit, Desire without successe, Hope without Remorse, Mirth without Duration, miseries without Reme­dies. Thus we speak of the Coun­try, if Christ be not there; but if he be, al these miseries cannot hin­der the operation of that love which is betwixt him, and his Espoused Saints; for as that tree in Exodus, 15.28. being in the waters of Meribah made them all sweet, so doth he and will make the Country Sweet, which else is as bitter as Marah was.

Q. 2 2. But why is it so?

A I Answer, Because there also is that which will.

1. Blow up the fire of love.

2. Will feed it.

1. Will blow it up, for there are roses which will mind us of that sweet Rose of Sharon, Christ Can­tic. 2.1.

And there are Trees, which will put us upon that sweet Tree of life Christ, Reuelation. 22.1.2

And there are waters which wil lead us to the water of life Christ. John, 4. And there are fruits in the earth, which will draw us to that fruit which the Tree of life doth beare in heaven. Revelation, 22. And is not al this able to blow up the fire of love, if any be in us, when such things are represented, to us, being so lovely so amiable and so Delicious.

2. Will feed it, for in the Co­untry or Fields, are hearbs of all sorts good, not onely for food but also for Physick, able not only to delight, but also to maintaine us and so consequently, able to maintaine, to feed, to nourish our love to Christ when in them we do still behold the divin nature the vertue the nourishment, the mightinesse the Medicinalnes which is in Christ, who is like a garden of he­arbs is good for to cure al our ma ladies, for by his stripes we are hea­led [Page 13] Esay, 53.5.

So that in this respect also the Country is capable, and fit for the exercise of that love which is be­tween Christ and his espoused Saints, because al this doth nourish love shewing forth that great and mighty Love, which is in Christ whom our Soules love and who by all those very herbs doth manifest to us that mightinesse of his love For what a love is it that he shews us, in that he so decketh the green diaperie of the earth, with such a tapestry and variety of al sorts of herbes for our, both food and Physick lo saith the Apostle what man­ner of love the Father hath shewed us, that we shall be called the sonnes of God. 1. John. 3.1. So we see what manner of love Christ doth shew in that we shall see so much of God in all these creaturs which were made by God the first use wil be one of Raticination, Vse. 1 why then are those, of the Country so barren in this exercise.

Exercises there are enough in the Country, there is Card-playing Dicing, Dancing, Hunting, Drin­king, Night-watching, but as for, the exercise of Christs love, O how rare is that? Secondly, For how far must a man goe before he shall see one goe into the field to medi­tate, to pray, to talke, and to con­verse with Christ. Thirdly, Christ is the great'st stranger to most, who should be their greatest delight, and the onely companion that should be desired by most, but so it is he must be farthest off, & crow­ders, musicians, Drunkards, Gam­sters, Company—keepers, Sab­bath-breakers, Whore-Mongers, Harlots, jesters, sport-makers, Rab­shakes, that can revile most, must be nearest. And why my bretheren, [...]an you tel if you will not, or can­not, truely it is because his love is not in you; for did you once love Christ indeed, then you would desire to be with him, as it is meet, you would even long as much to be with him, & to see him [Page 15]as a Bride to see her Bridegroome; you would shew then as much love to his Person, as ever you did to any Person, your talke would b Heavenly, your walkes Heaven­ly, for such are the Exercises of those that are lovers of him, becaus their delight is in him: but marke what I shal say; of you, who live in the Country, and use no such Exercises, as are so Heavenly, when others whose, wingy Solues Hea­ven doe aspire, shall mount up from this Country, which is but Earthly, into that which is Hea­venly, then you whose Earthly minded Soules, nothing but earth doe desire, must descend from one Country, wherein there is no­thing but Travel and Trouble, Madness, and sadnesse, Tears and Feares, Asperity and Adversity, Certaine Pressure, and uncertain Pleasure, into another, where is but Weeping and Houling, Cry­ing, and Frying, Burning, and Blaspheming, in a Lake, which burnes With Fire and Brimstone, [Page 16]for ever. Verse. 21. &c.

Vse. 2 2. Vse of Instruction foll­oweth Then let not the Field or Countrie impedite any of us from the Exercise of that love which is betwixt Christ and us, O let, none say I live in the Country, I cannot doe as they that live in Townes, for that is but a frivolous Excuse, or elce the Spouse in my would not so desire to be, as Text, you are, in the Country.

Doctrine 2 The 2. Doctrine followeth.

Devout and holy Soules desire very, much to enjoy the company of Christ abroad as wel as at home even in Fields & Villages, to satisfie the longing of their flaming love.

For the Illustration whereof, I Propose these. 3. Queries.

1. Qu. What that society of Christ is, which such a Soule doth so much desire.

2. Qu. Why it desireth it so.

3. Qu. Why abroad, as well as at home, &c,

To the 1. Qu. I Answer.

That it is a [...]caucie, 3 Query, Resolved. as the He­brew [Page 17]hath it, or being at leasure after an holy and Heavenly man­ner to walke, to converse to be with Jesus Christ.

Christ being sweetly, graciously Friendly, Familiarly, Present, with it, in and by, his blessed sperit, all which I gather from my Text.

To the second thus.

1. Because it is most comfort able. 2 Query. Resolved.

2. Most Profitable.

1. Most comfortable, the com­panie of a friend is so, especially if he be of a sweet disposition Christ is so. Can. 5. the last, so in my Text, he is called, [...], a friend, see, John. 14.18. which place doth Ostend, and shew, that where Christ comes cumfort, comes joy comes, delight, comes, because he is the Surge, the wel, spring the Fountain, yea, ocean of all, consolation, so that he must needs therefore be a most sweet and comfortable, companion.

2 2. Most Profitable, for he is not onely most sweet, but also most rich, Ephesians. 3.8. The Apostle, tels us of the unsearchable [Page 16] [...] [Page 17] [...] [Page 18]riches of Christ, & then Verse. 9 of the fellowship of the mystery, Vers 3. Fellowship to shew what a Com­panion Christ is, how rich, how rare, how profitabl, which though it be a thing hid from the World, yet canot be hid from those whose life is hid in Christ, Col. 3.3. For they find it so, when they walke with him so, as the spouse here being unnailed from the World, crucified to the Flesh, emboso­med in God, imparadice, in Christ, Separated from Sinners, and Elevated to the highest Horison, of Christs sweetest Commu­nion.

To the 3. 3 Query Resolved. Query. I Answer.

1. Because the more comfor­table, then

2. More profitable.

1. The more Comfortable.

The more obiects, the more Aspects, that is, the more God sheweth himselfe by objects to us, the more Comfort is felt by us, his pleasant Countenance there, and then shining upon us, so that [Page 19]as a spouse, if she may but see her beloved wheresoever she comes, comes to be the more comforted by him, so soules when they may be­hold the Face of Christ, in all places abroad and athome in Fields and Villages, must needs increase their Heavenly Solaces.

2 2. The more profitable when mariners do in al ports and passa­ges unbark riches they must need; be the richer so when devout soules being embark'd in Christ for Heaven do every where encrease their lading and make it swell by continuall additions ta­king in and with them whereso­ever they go the person of Christ and the riches of Christ they must needs desire or be enriched so much the more, that is be the more full of grace, of vertue, of good­nesse by their daily additions. For when they are at home Christ br­ings home what others see abroad when abroad he spreads abroad a canopy before them replenished with rarest treasures and richest jewels, to enrich their soules a­broad [Page 20]broad as well as at home: everie creature which they see being a pearle in their eies and all creaturs together as heapes of treasures in their minds, able to make them thrive most wonderfully, after they be applied by them graciously againe, when abroad Christ being with them, carries his riches his merits, his righteousness his spirit with him so that they may have of him what they will because his will is, that they should have as much as they need to make them richer still.

use The 1. Use. Use of the Point is this.

This may serve as a touch-stone then, whereby a man may know whether his soul be such a devout soule yea or no. For if it be this will be his desire. Now how do your pulses beat and what spirits are you of? is it the desire of your soules then to injoy Christs sweet society? If it be O how happy are you? For your soules are married to Christ and your Spirits there­fore [Page 21]may rejoyce in Christ: but if not, that is, if neither at home nor abroad you do enjoy nor desire to enjoy his blessed communion, if when you walk abroad you goe without him, taking more felicity in a meere carnall mans or wo­mans society, if when at home you are even there also from home, not being with Jesus Christ who cau­seth us to be at home, that is, if you do neither mind him nor see him nor speake with him or of him, but have fellowship with drun­kards, and ruffans, swaggerers and swearers, being such your selves, or else impend and spend your time in nothing else but telling of newes or tales, and lies, and cal­ling of names, when you should call upon Christs name, and keepe him company; if so, then I for my part make this conclusion, to come to

A 2. Vse. 2 Use of trembling that as yet you are not associated with Christ as others are by a connubi­all copulation, and that therefore [Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [...] [Page 22]you must looke after all your sports, games, pastimes, fellow- merie-meetings and idle walkings up & down in alehouses tavernes in fields and villages to walk downe to hell, when after a revolution and vi cissitude of all your merri­ments you shall all be forced to obey the swinge of that wheel not moved by intelligences but by the hand of God whereby all do rise and come to their zenith and predestinated periods. For all your lives and the whole world do run not upon a helix that still enlargeth but a circle where arri­ving to their meridian they de­clin again and at last do fal under theis horizon again which to they all presse amaine so that your sitting cannot be long nor your setting a far off, because your breath it selfe is but short and be­cause your courses which you take make it shorter and will br­ing you soone to your by Gods predestinated doome. Vse. 3

But I would not have it so if I [Page 23]could help it, and therefore am resolved to perswade you, that if you would escape this doome, and make it evident to your selves and others, that your soules are such devout soules, as are married to Christ, you will.

1. Kindle such desires, whch are like fires.

2. Shew such desires.

1 1. that you will kindle such desires.

Q Q. How.

A A. His desire must be towards you, before yours, can be towards him, as here, for note but the series of the context, and the concatena­tion of it with my text: first his desire is towards me, saith she, and then come, come then my brethren and because you see this, say, Lord, I see now clearely that I cannot desire thee, unlesse thy desire be first towards me, and therefore Lord where is that desire of thine which must attract mine, O shew it manifest it, let me see it, let it be like fire to me, and let it kindle a [Page 24]fire in me which may never go out even a desire to thee I humbly be­seech thee.

2 2. Shew it, as thus.

1. Call him, when you are going abroad to go with you.

2. Take him with you.

3. Talke and walke with him when you have him.

1 1. Call him, as the spouse here, Come my beloved, I pray you re­member these words, and take them with you, I say as Hos. 14.1. so come Lord Jesus, or come my beloved, let us walk into the fields.

2 2. Take him with you.

Q Q. How?

A A. Take him by the hand of faith, beleeving verily that he will goe with you; here steele your faith with thos mighty & precious Scriptures Cant. 4 last, Let my be­loved come into my Garden, and Cant. 5.1. I am come into my garder, which plainly shewes how willing he is to go with us and to come to us, being desired by us.

3 3. Walke and talke with him, [Page 25]when he is come, & you have him with you.

1 1. Walke, as thus.

1 1. Going out, as the Hebrew hath it.

Q Q. How going out?

A A. Not out of this world, for that cannot be but out of the care of this world, that is care for no­thing but him when you go that you may not go from him.

2. Keep close to him as he that walketh with his companion and is still close by the side of his com­panion so be you still hard by him and not far from him who must be far from you. For in him we live we move, & have our being. Act. 17.18. Oh my brethren this keeping close to God, what a sweet thing is it it linkes us with God it ensoules us in God it tieth us to God it will not suffer us to disgress from the sacred Laws of God therefore let us never from him go when we go abroad so the patriarks walk [...]d with God and so may we if we will but stick close to him wa [...]k­ing [Page 26]abroad with him.

2 2. So talke with him as you walke, even as two companions a man and his wife doe talke to­gether when they go into the field together; so let your communication be of and with Christ altogether, see Luke. 24.2.

Q Q. What shall we talke.

A A. Jun, et Tremel [...]. in Loc. Two that write upon this Scripture say, that that great and glorious wedding which is Rev, 12.7 com­ing was here the churches lect­ure. For her desire was, say they, that he and she might both confer about it, and therefore my advise and counsel is, that when you talke with or of Christ you make that wedding especially the subject of your talking, as thus; tel Christ how much you long to see that day wherein those your eies shall see him as he is Job 19.26. Your tongues fully praise him, and your soules, being re-organized with you [...] bodies highly and eternally magnifie him, when the corrupti­bility of that sperme, Adams I meane, which hath dilated it selfe [Page 27]into so many millions shal put on immortality, for this corruptible must put on in corruption, 1. Cor. 15. and when our retired-selves shall be no more as now we are, as for our selves, but rather altoge­ther for himselfe, being our selves swallowed up in life after death shal be swallowed up in victories 1 Cor. 15.

Such let be our discourses with him; againe let us tell him, how much we desire then to be alwaies with him, and not onely to see him, as it is written, that we shall be ever with the Lord, 1. Thess. 4. the last verse.

Here make a discourse upon this Scripture, as thus Lord Jesus, sweet Saviour, how do I long to enjoy that felicity? When I shall be with thee to all eternity.

The Bride that hath the Bride­groome cannot possibly so much desire the company and presence of her beloved, as I do the society of my best beloved. For the society and presence of an earthly Hus­band [Page 28]is but for the present, but thine for ever and therefore how do I wish for that day when I shal come to enjoy thee so when an ea­rthly Bride & Bridgroomes come together all that time seemeth to be but short because it is so sweet, and so wil that time doubt­lesse to me when I shall be with thee whereas all my time now seemeth to be too long because I am absent from thee and there­fore I do so long to enjoy thee Oh when will it be that I shal be with thee and give my love unto thee Oh let it no the too long too long but assoon as may be I humbly pray thee.

A Doctr. 3 A. 3d. Doctrine followeth which I will but name.

The gathering calling and br­inging home of the blinded Gen­tiles to jesus christ should be much longed after by such as themselves are in a Church-society with Christ.

A. The 4 Doct. Fourth Conclusion is.

That Christs Saints have a [Page 29]great desire to lie and to lodge with Christ by night.

For the jllustration hereof I shall put forth and resolve these two problemes. Probl. 2

The 1. What it is to lie and to lodge with Christ by night

The 2. Why his Saints have such a desire to lie and to lodge with him so.

To the 1. I answer. The [...]. Probl.

1. It is to have him in the region of our mindes, 2. Sol. as Cant. 1.13. be­twixt our brests that is in our thoughts as thus who died for me? Christ who rose for me? Christ who ascended for me? Christ who is my Love Christ.

This is the Saints sweet and gracious Symploce according to Rom. 8, 34.35.

2 2. It is to have him in the armes of our love love is unitiueit unites the lover and the beloved Christi­ans and transspeciates beasts into men men into spouses the spouses I mean of Jesus Christ, Christ being collocated and cen­tred [Page 30]by it in the bosomes of his Saints, when by night he is made the object of it in his Saints hence Cant. 7.11.

There, or as the Hebrw hath it, Then will I give thee my love.

3 3. It is to be taken into the armes of his love by night, Cant. 2.6. His left hand is under my head; and how is that? I answer, here I must breake out into this epaheticall exolamation ah thea ocean of divine consolation?

Oh sweetnesse not to be uttred? Oh delights not to be expressed! Oh pleasures not to be paralled! For here the devout soule which lodges Christ by night mel­teth in the armes of Christ by night feedeth on celestiall daintie, is ra­vished with unexpressible solaces, dissolved into unconceivable joyes caried above humane content­ments elevated beyond the zenith of all momentanie blandishments satiated with the food of Angels extatiz'd with the injoyments of the bread of Angels.

To the, 2. A The [...] Answered. Probleme I answer thus.

1. The night is no mans friend and therefore it is good, say his Saints, to have such a friend with us, as he is (so called in the He­brew [...]) by night for our Soules delight.

2 2. The night is very uncom­fortable else, when nothing but darkenesse is over all the Earth, when neighbours are kept asunder when Divels and spirits walke, when horrors and terrors possesse our spirit, when dreamer fright us thoughts trouble us, when Sathans envenomed arrows, which flie by night, come thick about us, which also causes Christs Saints so to desire Christs company by night, because even then he gives them light Ephes. 5.14.

3 3. Nights are long, especially in the winter season, and to one that hath not his health and can­not sleep, and therefore Christs Saints not being able to sleep whole nights, and feeling them­selves [Page 32]sick with his love do so de­fire his company by night that they may talke with him when they cannot sleep and so they may passe away their time by night.

4 4. The night commonly is the Saints weeping time Psal. 30. Weeping as for a night in Hebrew The night is called therefore Laiil which word hath a great affinity with another which signifieth he hath howled and lamented which also causeth the Saints so to desire Christ by night that he may cheer them up in the night.

5 5. Nights are a part of life which better expresseth death then life. For every man, truely liveth so long as he acts his nature or some way maketh good the facul­ties of himselfe and therefore it is good, say Christs Saints, not onley to sleep. For that is to be dead, but to lie and to lodge with christ by night because that is to be a live with Christ.

6 6. Nights take up a great part of our time and therefore Christs [Page 33]Saints who at not willing to miss Christ at any time and to loose so much time do so desire to lodge with Christ by night.

7. Nights are fit for the sweetest enjoyments of Jesus Christ. For there is as it were a divine aptness in our minds that time, which disposeth it for contemplation in a wonderfull manner because there is such a silence then and a resting time for the senses of our bodies as that we cannot be the more fit for things of highest con­cernment to thinke upon Hence Sophcoles, [...], that is a night ceartenly thou art for the most part a partaker of the wisdom of God, which therefore causeth the Saints so to desire to lodge with Christ by night.

I do now wheele my thoughts towards you by way of applica­tion. And.

1. This point may serve for Communication, 1 Use of Communica­tion as This. Then how do we spend our Nights? [Page 34]Nights are to be spent with Christ, as well as dayes: If we be his Saints, and yet how many are there, who say, that they are Saints, but can sleepe whole Nights, & never so much as think upon Christ, by Night, if any body will sit up with them, by Night, if any body will sit up with them by Night and goe to Cards with them, or Drink with them, or Play the Wanton with them, who but they, but let Christ be spoken for? to them, to be lodged by them, and to goe to Bed with them, and they will as much nauseate and loath his society, as if he were the loath­somest companion that ever they heard of; for they have no Mind, no Heart, no Desired to that, that is two Tedious, that they do not relish, that they do not like: No, they Sleep, they say as well as Walke, or else they cannot hold out but, I aske; how can you hold out then when you goe to Cards, to Dice, to Dancing, to Play the Wanton, For that I am sure you [Page 35]can breake your sleepe, but for Christ you cannot. And why, my Brethren, Why? Shall I tell you? The reason is, because you know what cards are, and sports are, and the lusts of the flesh are, but what Christ is by Night you never knew since you knew a Night, Christ is, and hath been as great a stranger to you, as one whom you never saw, and therefore, a strange thing it is, to see, how many Nights you Consume, in sleeping or doing that which is worse, when you should spend some part of every Night in a holy communion with Christ, which is farr better. But so it is, Christ, who should lye even all Night betwixt your brests lieth a farr off in the bosomes of his reall Saints, and some wanton Dames and Carnall Companions must be neere to you, because the the love of Christ is not in you; and therefore mark what will fol­low, as now you lye whole Nights upon your beds, and never mind Christ whilst you are abed: So [Page 36]hereafter you must expect to lye in Hell, which will be your bed. I say againe in Hell, where there it is Night only and no day, dark­ness & no Lightsomeness, & where Christ will be as great a stranger to you, as now you are to him, when Namely that great and ter­rible day of the Lord shall come, when the Sun, it selfe shall be tur­ned into darknesse, and the Stars shall lose their lights when your soules shall be bound up againe, with the ligaments of your bodies reorganized with your severall members, and re-invested with their severall Endowments, that both may suffer together for ever, or thus, when as in your lest sience you must all enter to make up and to compleat the Catastroph of your whole lives, when your bad-Night-watching, Night-dancing Night-Playing, Night-whoring, Night-forgeting of Iesus Christ, must and will be brought upon the Stage before Christ, that you may be for al▪ and at once doomed [Page 37]and Damned, to Hell for ever Christ being your Inexorsable judge, whom now you might have, and enjoy as a most comfor­table Friend.

2. This point may serve for Counsel then you would evidence it to the World, and to your selves that you are Christs Saints. Let at be your desire to lodge and Lie with Iesus Christ by Night.

Here take these.

• 1. Directives,
• 2. Incentives.
• 3. Directives, as.

1 1. 1 You must be so resolved.

2 2. 1 Your desirs must bereally fol­lowed.

2. You must so resolved as, Gant. 1.13. He shall Lie all Ni­ght betwixt my brests so let every one of us say likewise. And so he shal lie betwixt my brest this night and every night and al nights nor will I ever go any more to bed without him or take myrest with­out him for he is mychief yea onely rest because he onely can give me rest.

2. Your desires must be really [Page 38]followed as thus.

1 1. Your hearts must be duely fitted.

2 2. He must be earnestly solicited.

3 3. He must be aptly lodged.

1 1. Your hearts must be duely fitted, as thus.

1. Your hearts must be opened, for they must be like Villages which are open, and there fore as David Psal. 24. at the last Verse, Stand open yee Everlasting Doores, that the King of Glory may Come in.

For some mens hearts are like that silly flower in the Judies, which openeth it selfe against the sun seting: & closeth it selfe, against the sun rising: For so they open themselves against the evill mo­tions of the Devill, which like the Night▪ And shut themselves a­gainst the motions of Christ, and that is the reason, why all this while, Christ never lodged with them one Night, because they closed their bodies against Christ, as not beeing willing to be troubled with Christ, like some [Page 39]men, who shut their Doors, by Night, against all commers, be­cause they will not be troubled in their sleepe, but do you not so dally with Christ, if you meane to lodge, and to lie with Christ.

Qu. Que. Can I open my Heart.

Ans. I know thou canst not: An. but Christ can: And therefore, pray Christ, that as he opened the heart of Lydia, Acts. 16. so he will open thine.

2 2. Your hearts must be enlarged For he is a great King Malachi. 1. the last uers And therefore looketh far a large roome, and for great enlargements.

Qu. Que. What shall I doe to have my heart Enlarged?

An. Ans. Consider what a com­panion Christ is by Night, namely the sweetest that you can have, or chuse: For his mouth is all sweetness the Hebrew hath it Cant. 5. The last Verse.

3 3. Your hearts must be swept and Cleansed. For nothing must be there, that may offend his pure [Page 40]eyes, were you to Lodge but a Knight: You would, make clean your Houses, and should not you, much more, make cleane your hearts, when you are to lodge, the King, of Kings, in your hearts: O Christians, what are ever, you do, see, that your hearts, be clean therefore? Oh, let no Pride, no, Lust: no Malice: no Cove­tousnesse: no Naughtinesse: lodg there, and for that purpose, pray that, God will give you faith, in Christ. For that will purifie your hearts, that they may be fit lodg­ings for Christ. Acts. 18.7.

4 4.Your hearts must be garni­shed, with grace, with goodnesse, Godslinesse with, holines, with Meekenesse, for with such things Christ is maruclously pleased, as with ornaments, which are, of great price, with God 1. Pet. 3.

2 2. Christ must be, earnestly So­licited, as namely, that he will be pleased to lie, and tolodge with us all Night. as here, come my beloved, let us lodge in the Villages: That [Page 41]is, in thy heart, and thou in mine, or as, Cant. 4, the last. Let my beloved, come into my Garden, so let my beloved, come into my bed, and Lodge with me, all this Night: or thus into thy hands, I doe my selfe, commit; Sweet Saviour,: which Heaven dost Inhabite? O lodge; O Lye, now all this Night, between Brests my, for my delight,

Nights are terrable, when the Arrows flee, of that wicked one: whome none can se; Watch thou therefore, when I do Sleepe, and at my temples sentrie keepe.

3 3. Christ must be aptly, lodged, as thus.

1 1. As every Night, when wee, go to lie with an other, we put off our cloaths, so being to lie, and to lodge with Iesus Christ, let us put off our sins, our old customes which are not good, our evill thoughts, devices, deceits, deeds, that Christ may repose, himselfe, with that indeed, see Ephes. 4.22.

2 2. As he that goeth to lie, and to lodg, with an other, puts on [Page 42]his Night-cloathes, so let us put on ours, that is, Holy and Heavenly thoughts of Iesus Christ, as these, let a mans meditations be thus: I am now going to lie, and to lodg with the Holiest, and Faitest, of all men, as he is called; Ps. 45. And therefore, Oh, what manner of person, ought I to be, in all manner of Godlinesse and holy Conversation. 1. Pet. 3.

3 3. As those that lie together, talke together, so let us with Iesus Christ, and that about

• 1. Our Graves, and Death.
• 2. Our End: His Love.
• 3. Our future Rest.
• 4. His Absence.
• 5. Embraces.
• 6. Darknesse.

1 1. About our Graves and Death: As thus, let a man talke.

My bed, me think is an Emblem, of my Grave: For as here I Lie. Downe in my bed: So I must lie downe in my Grave: But here lies my comfort, that my Saviour hath, by his lying in his Grave, [Page 43]Perfumed mine: Which makes me, to Tryumph upon Death, saying, O Death, where is thy Sting, O Grave where is thy, Victory. 1. Cor. 15.5.

2 2. About our end: his love, as thus: Here now I will Cane. 7.11. give thee my love; O God, my King, my life, my love, my joy: Which I doe, so long, so desire, so thirst, to Enjoy; Oh, Sweet Saviour, where is thy love, Oh, Now, now, Give me thy love, as I am ready to give thee mine; Mine is but weake, and therefore, I beg thine, which is stronger then mine, and and can make it as strong as Death: that I may love thee unto Death, Oh give it me, and doe not keep it from me, I humbly pray thee.

3 3. About our future Rest: as Oh, how sweet was but now my sleepe, my rest, my repose with thee, this Night, and if so how sweet wil be that which is to come when I shall come to be refreshed with him: and by him, whom my soule loveth for ever: and [Page 44]when I shall clearely see him, though now I cannot: I grant, that if two Bodies were placed be yond the tenth sphere they would not be able see to one another, because they want, a mediaum, to convey light one, to the other, but as for Christ, him we shall see, as he is, when we shall be above, the tenth sphere, because in his own light we shall see him, who is our light, and therefore let us talke with him, about it, that our soules may take delight, and pleasure in it, or thus: if this naturall sleep, be so comfortable, Oh, how com­fortable, will be, that rest which is to come, when I shall, onely walke and no more sleepe, feele, and no more faint and no more seeke.

About Darkenesse, 4 as thus: Oh, what a Dismal thing, is this Dark­nesse, if al the men on earth should combine against it, they are not able to dispell it, but the light can, so lord Iesus Christ chase away al the Darknesse, of life, which is in [Page 45]me, and free me from the very Blacknesse, of Darknesse, which is meaned against me, and there­fore, doe so lord, Iesus, I Humbly pray thee, or thus, Oh, how terrible is this darknesse and so is my pride my Passion, my Lust, my Malice but if these will both appeare a­gainst it, it must needs vanish: arise, therefore, sweet Saviour, and shine in the midst, of this Darknesse, and dispell it. Oh, Sun of Righteousnesse, shew thy selfe, and deliver me from this Darkness who have lowed Darknesse, more then light, that I may see thy marvelous light.

5 5. About his absence, if namely we cannot find him like the spouse Cant. 3.1. As thus hath not the Lord, Promised me, that he will be allwaies with me: Saying, loe, I am with you Alwaies, Math. 28. And therefore how cometh, this to passe, that the Lord is such, a stranger to me, this time of Night that I cannot, neither see him, nor feel him, nor heare him, is this to [Page 42] [...] [Page 43] [...] [Page 47]be alwaies with me? Ah, Lord how can it be alwaies, if not now, and therefore now Lord, now, and for all this Night, I humbly Pray thee.

6 6. About Embraces: as thus, Cant. 2.6. It is Written, His left Hand, is under my Head, and his Right Hand, doth Embrace me: The sense of which Words is this, his left Hand, that is, his punish­ments, are under me, by reason of him, who is my Head: and his right Hand, that is, Pleasures for Evermore doe Encompasse me, and therefore Lord Iesus, let thy Punishments, which I have deserved not be inflicted: But rather let the Pleasures which are at thy Right-Hand, for Evermore, now over flow me, I humbly Pray thee.

4 4. As Christs left hand is under our heads, so let our left hands that is, let our temporals be under his head, my meaning is this, let us mind him who is our head more then our temporals; I pray you think upon it, for commonly we [Page 46]spend much of our time by Night, in caring and carking about the things of this life, but let it be so no more, though we have done so in times past, let that time past suffice, and let the thing here be no longer so neere; for if they be neere, Christ cannot be neere, and therefore let them be under and him over, I beseech you.

5. As he with his right hand embrace us let everyone of us with his right hand of faith embrace him, that is, let us lay hold on him as the spouse, Cant. 3.3. be­leeving verily that he will lie and lodge with us graciously this night, and so every night, yea eter­nally, which God in mercy grant.

2. Now incentives, consider that this lying and lodging with Christ by night is a thing

• 1. Most comely.
• 2. Most sweet.
• 3. Most thrifty.
• 4. Most Heavenly.

1 1. Most lovely, for so himselfe is characterized, he is altogether [...] [Page 49] Solomons, Cant. 3.7. Meaning heaven, last, and his heart first, so expositors, explicate, that high and lofty passage, and so the Saints find it that thus they are in heaven, when thus they be with Christ by Night, being separated from the world, separated from Sinners, weaned from sinfull, and sensual delights, ensouled in God, heavened in Christ, and sublima­ted, to the highest zenith of Christ dearest and nearest society, which hereafter shall be contained, to all eternity, and should not all this make, and move us all, to lodge with Christ every Night, for our soules delight.

The 5th. Doctrin.5thly, I observe heare, that saints have mighty longings, together, with Christ, together, with Christ, to visit those heavenly mansions, which are like unto Vineyards: and this point I doe but name also, because I hasten, to the principall.

The 6th. Doctrin.6thly, I will name but one more, and then come to that which I chiefely aime at.

The lovers of Christ are very much bent together with Christ and assoone as they may, to visit, their bretheren, and fellow-saints who by Gospell-preaching, have been made the Vineyards, of Christ, 7 thly, I note that Christs espoused Saints have a great desire, The 7th. Do [...]. to be up very early, in the morning for and with Christ.

For the Illustration hereof I shall propose and Resolve these 3, Queeries. 3 Quer

• The, 1. Is how for him,
• The, 2. How with him.
• The, 3. Why both.

For the 1. 1 Querie. Resolved.

I Answere to it. That it is (1) to [...] [Page 53]to take a journey from home; so they, as they have had him in their hearts, when they weare a­bed, so they desire to have him, in their minds, when they are up: To take a journey for Heaven and so they carry him, as they rife with him, to the place where they are wont to displace all their Wordly cares, 1 and to powre out their most ardent praiers, mingled with many warme, and blessed, showers of their gracious teares, like blessed Mary, which so sought him Weeping, Iohn 20.15.

3. Why? both so early. I Answere

1. When the Morning comes, light cometh.

2 2. When the Monning comes▪ joy comes.

3. When the Morning comes, strongth comes.

4 4. When the Morning comes, opening comes.

1 1. Light cometh, for the Morning brings that light, which the sun sheds abroad, in all the World, and as thereby light come­eth, into the World, so by Christ light then cometh into the heart, For Christ wil give thee light, Quoth the Apostle, Ephesians. 5.14. Vnder­stand in the morning chiefly, in that being that bright and Morning Starre, he doth very early a rise in our hearts, when we have very early sought him with all our hearts Pro. 8.17.

2. Joycometh. For the morning is Aurora, quasi Avium Hora. quasi avium hora, that is, the birds nowre, because it exhilarates and makes those silly creatures so merry, as to sing that time more sweetly then any other time. Now as the Morning makes those poore creatures, so glad, so it makes us, when we are early up with Iesus Christ, and Christ with us: then [...] [Page 57]Christ himselfe, we do lay open our very hearts to Christ telling him as Samson did Dalila all that is in our hearts, Judges, 16.17 A­gain, our mouthes are open then, when crying a loud as David did, when he did rise in the morning Psal. 5.2.3. We give the Lord no rest, till we see heaven open with Stephen, and the son of man stand­ing at Gods right hand who but the night before did embrace us with his right hand; all this com­eth to be so when the morning cometh, and therefore Christs e­spoused Saints do so desire to be up so early with him and for him in the morning.

The 1 UseThe 1. Use Use of the point will be a use of interrogation, and commination. Then what are we? When one of the ancient fathers had read the 5.6.7. chapters of Matthew he clapt up the book, & said, either these are not the words of Christ, or we are not christians; so I, either these words which I [Page 58]have chosen touching early rising, are not the spirits of God, and the spouses of Christ, or we for the most part are not espoused to Christ. For how few shall a man see or heare of, that will rise so early with, and for Christ. For the world there be enough that will rise early enough; so for mischiefe, so for drink, that we read Esa, 5.11 so for idle-worship, for eating and for playing Exo. 32.6. But tell such of Christ that he must be sought, and served early, and they will all with one consent excuse themselves as those, Luke 14.18. One will say, that he cannot rise, because he is weake; another, be­cause he is married to a wife, from which he cannot come, a third, that he cannot rise so soon, because he cannot wake so soone; a fourth, that he cannot be up so early, because he goeth to bed so late, or because he cannot sleep the first of the night, or for fear that he shall be sick. But let me tell [Page 62] [...] [Page 63] [...] [Page 60]you my friends 1. what wil become of you that can rise for the world, for drink, for mischief, for play, neglecting Christ; the time will shortly come when that inexora­ble messenger, whose name is the first death, will unflesh you, and when he hath done, the second death will follow after, and hell will have you; for woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they away follow strong drink, Esa. 5.11. The like may be said of others; wóe unto them that rise early to do mischief, and to follow the world with all their might, not caring for Christ.

2. And as for you that love your beds so wel, as that you can­not rise at all, but say, yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, you are but a company of sluggards, For so the spirit of God cals you, and therefore you must looke for the sluggards portion, and what is that you wil say? I answer, it is [Page 60]poverty, Prou. 6.6.11. That is, you shall want for ever, if being out of Christ, you care not for Christ, to rise with Christ, like purpurall Dives, who wanted a drop of wa­ter to coole his tongue when he was tormented in his tongue, as he lay frying in the armes of ever­lasting flames; and if you be in Christ, and yet will not, as others do, rise early for Christ, Christ wil not rise for you, to justifie you with the brightnesse of his face, or to inrich you with the riches of his grace, when others who are more gracious, are refreshed with his likenesse, greatned with his goodnesse, being even fraighted by him to the full, and sublima­ted by him to the highest top of vertues preferment, then you shall be emptie and beggerly, low and leane, void of al consolation, and full of confusion.

Use. 2 2. For excitation, as thus.

1. If then you cannot rise with [Page 62]and for Christ in the morning, you must get your selves espoused to Christ, for then you wil, because it is the desire of such so to rise with and for Christ.

Q. Q How get our selves maried to Christ.

A I answer thus, it is written, 2 Cor. 11.2. I have espoused you to one Husband, namely Christ, and therefore. 1 1. You must desire God that he will, by one Minister or o­ther, espouse you to his deare Son, that you also may rise with his son. Beloved, it is not to be beleev'd what power there is in the prea­ching of a Minister which espou­seth soules to Christ; Christ is so declared, his beauties so displayed, his rarities so opened, his sweet­nesse so extol'd, his merits so ex­pansed, his unsearchable riches so elevated to the zenith of highest commendation, as that souls must needs be enamored with him, when they heare so much of him, and therefore pray heartily to [Page 63]God that such a one may be sent from God, and when he is sent hear him, that you may be espou­sed to Christ by him.

2 2. You must follow as Rebecah did Eleazar. Beloved, beleeve it, that I, for my part, am come for you, and to you, this time purpose­ly to espouse you to my Master Isaac, I should say, Jesus Chr. who hath sent me to tell you so much that he will marry you Hos. 2.19 and therefore what say you? will you that Christ shall marry you? if it be your mind that he shall, then let every one of you say in his heart, I will, I will, with all my heart, if God will but put faith to take him into my heant. Oh Lord I beleeve help, my un­beliefe.

2 2. As for those that are reputed to be unto Christ espoused, if they would be thereof assured, let them manifest it by their holy desires [Page 64]to rise very early in the morning with and for Iesus Christ.

Here take these

• 1 1. Instructions, with you.
• 2 2. Considerations, with you.

1 1. Instructions.

1 1. You must be Resolute.

2 2. Active.

1. Resolute, as the spouse Can­ticles, 3.2. I will rise now &c. as if she should say, what do I heare, here is nothing but heavienesse & slug gishnesse, dimnesse and dull­nesse, disconsolatenesse and dis­mayednesse because he is absent from me who is wont to solace me, and therefore I will come away from my bed of eas, and rise with, or rather before the Sun is up, that the Sun of rightousnesse may give me his heavenly ease; I was wont to love my bed as much as any, [Page 65]but now for Christs sake I loath it, and therefore by the grace of God I will leave it for these; so do ye resolve likewise, saying, Lord we take up here this solemne re­solution before thee, that for the time to come we will all become as great early risers with thee, as any thou hast that love thee; our beds we did love, that is certaine, but love them so as we did, we wil no more whilst we live, but ra­ther we will leave them when the shadowes flee a way, and rise we will assoone as the day appeareth, to rise with thee and for thee as long as we live, and this we will begin to do to morrow, God wil­ling, and so every morning by Gods blessing, till we are dying.

2. Active, as thus.

1. Offering violence to your­selves.

2 2. To Christ himselfe.

1 1. To your selves, thus.

Because nature is fraile, and the Devil strong, you must strive and strugle mightily to come away from your beds of ease, as if you were to win a city; for what saith the flesh, then what saith eas, what saith cuftom, Oh it is too soon, too soone, yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, an houre hence it is soon enough to rise hence; and if then we do not struglagainst the stream to get up, wee go down amain, downe with the streame and lie still till 8. til. 9 may ten; and there­fore get up against the streame, break your custome, break sleepe, and break away from your beds, by force forcing yourselves to rise, and leaping over your beds, as gyants and conquerors over wals, to win, to gaine, to obtaine the Mastery over your owne natures, if thereby you know your selves to be dull and sleepy, and let not your beds hold you when Christ will have you to be up, to hold correspondence with you.

2 2. Offering Violence to Christ.

Christ, and heaven are convex, or convexed; and therefore, looke as we must deale with one, so with the other, as for heaven, that you know must be taken by vio­lence, saith Christ himselfe, pe­remptorily by, Matth. 11.12. and so say I of Christ▪ semblably, that if we will have him, rising for him, or keep him, rising with him, we must offer violence, to him: Beloved we must wen wrestle with the Lord, that time, as Jacob did, in olden time, Gen. 32.24. That is, we must tell him, in plaine termes, that we will have him upon any termes: we must encounter him with the pro­mises of his word: For they are a Christians Sword; As for ex­ample. Prov. 8.17. & Matth. 28.20. I am with you alwaies.

Hereupon, let a devout soul [Page 68]say to the Lord, being risen for the Lord; Lord, I am up according to thy word, but that cannot please my soul, nor content my heart, nor satisfie my spirite▪ unlesse I can see thee also in my spirite, my spirit therefore giveth thee no rest, till it can see thee, after my natu­rall rest. For in thee, I enter my chiefest rest. Rest naturall is good, but thine is better; and therefore, as I am risen, so let God, let Christ, let my beloved, rise too. Ah Lord? The Sunn is risen, or rising upon me, and the light thereof doth shine about me, but where is the light of thy counte­nance, which shining within me, will infinitely more refresh me. Ah, Shine, Shine, Shine: Thou pleasant and blessed sun of Righ­teousnesse, as the sun now shineth, nay before the sun is up, (If thou art up before it,) for thou art before it, and as the darknesse now fleeth away, so let my finnes flee away & as I now do, or shall see [Page 69]that admirable lamp of heaven, so let me see thee, that glorious sun of Righteousnesse, I humbly pray thee.

Or thus.

Ah, this Night I have enjoyed thee, sweet and deare saviour, so I desire to rise with thee, and therefore, come Lord Iesus, come, let us rise both, I with thee, and thou with me, I humbly pray thee: Ah, my love, I desire to have thee with me in that very place where I am wont to place my self, to displace drousinesse, and to make roome for Godlinesse, and to talk with thee, as if it were face to face, and therefore Lord leave me not, for I wil not leave thee, till thou go with me, and blesse me. Deare love, haft thou not said ex­pressely, Loe, I am with you all— wayes, and wilt thou leave me now? Ah, farr be it from the Lord so to deal witha poor creatur [Page 70]which desireth to enjoy this, infi­nitly more then anyother creatur. Besides, how can the Lord be true, in all his sayings, if he be not in this, Loe I am with you alwaies, if now the Lord do leave me here be earnest with the Lord, and shew him the Book, the verse, the place where His promise lieth, and tell him: Lord, arise therefore with me, and shew thy selfe to me, I Humbly Pray thee.

2 2. Considerations, as.

1 1. Consider, What good early rising will doe.

2. What good this violence will doe.

1 1. Early rising.

1. It will speed all our worke.

2. It wil chase away all our Enemies.

3. It will sweeten, our present Morning Sacrifice.

4. It will put us into a gracious Tamper all the Day after.

1 1. It will speed all our work, For in the Morning is al the speed, that is a Proverb amongst us, and we shall finde it true, as God is true; When rising early, you shal get Christ to rise with you, we can doe our other work with ease, when we have been up very early with Christ, for his ease: when Jacob had been thus early up with his God, he sped the bet­ter afterward, when he met with his Brother. Gen. 32. So we, when we have been up with Christ, before the sun is up with us, we fare the better, when other things come to be taken in hand by us, whereas else, if we lie it out till, 7.8. Or 9. Our maine worke, lieth behind, and our other worke too lieth back, because we rise no sooner to doe it. Oh! it is a mighty speeding, if a Christian, walking with God, when he hath been very [Page 72]early talking with God: And therefore let us rise, let us rise, my bretheren early, that Christ may be found of us graciously, and all our worke may speed the more blessedly.

2 2. It wil chase away all your Ene­myes, for Aurora, est latronum ex­pulsiva. That is, the Morning, will chase theeves, & murderers; theeves, that would be out, by Night, cannot abide to be abroad when it is light; so sin, so Sathan, who troubled us with evill thoughts, before it was day, will shun us, and flee away from us, when by prayer, we betake our selves to Christ assoone as it is day, and wrestle with his Majesty. Ah, my bretheren, it is not to be conceived what a mighty Enemy to sin and temptations are our early devotion, thereby we strangle our lusts, trucidate our pride, prostrate the world, superate our passions, & become Conquerers, over all on [Page 72]terrors, for when the day appeareth the darknesse fleeth, and naturall fear ceaseth, because the light shineth, Christ I meane, who is the light of the world, and shineth into our hearts, then when being up very early, we seeke him with all our hearts, that we may be Master over the world, and not overcome by the world.

3 3. It will sweeten our morning sacrifice; for aurora est roris insusiva that is, the morning doth infuse the dew, for which cause it is cal­led aurora, quasi aura rorans; now dew is sweet, so the morning spent in duty and improved to Christ will encrease and sweeten all our prayers we make to Christ, Christ being pleased to speak to us when we speak to him, and refocillating my spirit and thy spirit, when you and I do worship him in thespirit. For that is his fashion, his custom, his wonted course, then to visit souls with his celestial consolation [Page 73]when souls visit him in their early devotion: devotions, me thinketh, are never sweeter therefore, then at that time, when being up be­time we are talking with God, be­fore we have talked with man, can see the face of Christ, before we have seene the face of a christian, that is, before we have beene a­broad among men, who common­ly hinder us so much, as that we cannot as we should, be conversant with Christ: they that love their beds, their sleep, their rest, will say, Oh! sleep is sweet, in the morning especially; and I was sweetly a sleep before such a one awak'dme, and loth are such to be troubled therefore in their morning sleep; but I do, and will say so still, that Christ is sweeter, and early rising to talke with Christ, sweeter. For when we do then talk with him, he is wont to talke with us, and when he speaketh to us with his mouth, his mouth is altogether sweet, yea sweetnesse it selfe; and [Page 74]when it is so, his saying of himself is found true, that he is that Man­nah, which came from Heaven, For he is as sweet to our souls; as that other Mannah was, which feasted so many hundred souls; & we are for the present, whilst we are in prayer as it were in heaven.

4 4. It will put us in a gracious temper for all the day after; For the morning is Aurora est caloris t [...]mperaiiva cooling, Gen. 3.8. They that sweat by night, yet be­gin to cool in the morning, so we when having beene in a sweat, as it were by night, about many things which did then trouble our thoughts; as for example, our predestination before al time, and our justification in time, we rise very early for Christ, are commonly refrigerated exceedingly, & be­dewed most sweetly by the spirit of Christ, and when his spirit hath so refreshed our spirits, we relish what his bedewing of us is, and taste as it were the sweetnesse of it all the day long, and find our souls to be in so sweet a condition, [Page 75]as that we can serve God the bet­ter ever after, being put upon any gracious action▪

2 2. Consider what good it will do to us.

1 1. It will prevaile with us.

2 2. It will prevaile with Christ.

3 3. Both wil place us in heaven with Christ?

1 1. It will prevaile with us I confesse, we may find hard work of it at first, being given to slum­ber, but violence will master us, if God sanctifie it to us, for what is violence think you? it is are moving of a thing out of his place; so much the Hebrew importeth, so the Arablick also. [...] A quinus in 7 phys. l. 1 c. 1. Aquinus defines it thus, when a thing is moved from one thing to another; where to it hath no proper aptnesse of its own nature, that is violence, and that [Page 76]which violence forceth, will do more then that which shamefast­ness perswades, so quoteth Vale [...] Max. l. 3. ano­ther. Whereupon I infer, that therefore by God's help wee may force our bodies to remove from their beds, if there they were wont mornings to lie, as in their proper place, and had no apti­tude of themselvs to rise, and that when no perswasion or intreat­ing would do it; force, which go­eth beyond all shame, will carrie it; and therefore force your selvs every morning from the place of sleeping to the place of praying, praying Christ to sanctifie unto you the violence which is used by you.

2. It will prevail with Christ. Christ in the beginning of your praying may bee strange too; for it is his custom so to do. I for my part finde it so, and so do must they that seek him, I do be­liev; witness Jacob, the woman of Cana an, and others; but go [Page 77]on a while, and persist in praying, or that which wee call wrestling; no violence like that which wee use in praying: But then this vi­olence, as Aver, 3 de coelo text. 10 one noteth, is a thing, which though it move, yet will not do so alwaies, but in aliqua hora, that is, in a certain hour; a speech I much wonder at, as it cometh from him, about a thing there treated on by him; but not to bee wondred at here, because the morning time which I treat of, is such a time indeed, wherein violence will more speed than any other time, when in praier with Christ wee meet. I confess it is alwaies good, but then especial­ly, because it meets with a power­ful help as the morning is, which then doth help. This made Ja­cob, that great and mighty cham­pion, so victorious, because hee rose so soon, and wrestled so stoutly at the break of the day, and made him even get the day. His rising first gained Christ [Page 78]sweetest presence, his violence kept it, and a gracious blessing sweetly crowned it. For vio­lence will surely cause an altera­tion, because it will cause a brea­king through (as the *Hebrew hath it) a breaking through, a rapture, a remove, whereby chan­ging place, and being wrapt up, as it were, into heaven, wee fetch down Christ from heaven, and force him, as it were to bless us, before hee leavs us. For this is the language of a Saint, I will not leav thee till thou bless mee, which when Christ seeth that wee will not let him go, hee goeth with us, and is intreated by us, before wee go from him. I can (to God's glorie bee it spoken) fay it by experience, that I seldom tried it, but so found it; and the reason is, because hee hath bound himself by his own saying, Pro. 8.17. from which hee cannot go; and therefore never let ns go from him without him, but strive, [Page 79]but struggle, but offer him vio­lence, to gain and to keep his sweet and blessed presence.

3. It will place us even in hea­ven with Christ. For by it the soul of a Saint is loosened from the ligaments of the bodie, his reasoning is so raised on high, hee is so translated into heaven, hee doth so over-look earthly things, is so collocated near the regal throne of God, though hee bee an illiterate man, though a poor man, as that when hee is so, hee mindeth nothing but heaven, see­eth nothing but heaven, feeleth nothing but heaven: heaven is in his desires, heaven is in his eie, hea­ven is in his heart, and heaven is his reward. For by it hee feedeth on the bread of Angels, which cometh down from heaven, his solace is the solace of heaven, and his joy the joy of heaven: so Ja­cob was in heaven as hee was wrestling with the God of heaven, and so may you bee, if you will [Page 80]do as hee did: And therefore it is good for a man to bee a mighty man in praier, a wrestler, an ear­ly riser, a most zealous sutor and orator to the throne of grace, be­cause that bringeth the greatest solace, and carrieth a man's soul to heaven. Strive therefore, Oh strive! dear brethren and fellow-Christians, and bee men of prai­er; bee fervent, bee importunate, bee wrestling with Christ in pray­ing, when early you are up in the morning, that having left your beds on earth, you may make your bed in heaven, where now I leav you.

Soli Deo gloria.
To God onely bee all glorie.