NOne speakes more feelingly of a storm, then hee that hath suffered Shipwracke; none, of the losse of innocence, more punctually, then the broken, the decayed, the ban­kerupt sinner: for as some [Page 2]men that haue vndone them­selues by suites of Law, haue yet got the knowledge ther­by to be good Lawyers; or as other by their many disea­ses haue out of their Apothe­caries bills, made vp a booke of Medicines: so doth the deare experiment of our sins prooue vs good Counsellors for others, (though by a strange argument) because we haue bene ill ones to our selues. There was a time when none kept his heart with lesse diligence then So­lomon did, when if his wiues had bin made out of his side, as Eue was out of Adams, he had bene a monster of seuen [Page 3]hundred ribbs at least; 1. King. 11.3. for so many wiues hee had besides his Concubines. There was a time when euery wanton eye had a flame for him to singe himselfe by, euery tem­ptation had a picklocke to his brest to enter in at plea­sure; when his heart was like a shiuered glasse, reflecting so many seuerall sinnes as there was pieces of it; his Cinque ports of senses, vnder an ill guardian, so many inlets for treason; himselfe a Captiue, though a King, a slaue in sin, though a Royal one: So that Tertullian durst say, Solomon quite lost that glory which God gaue him. And Saint Ambrose [Page 4]with as much sharpenes, but mingling with it a wish of pitty, sayth of him, Hee built God a Temple, but I could wish, he had not let the Temple of his heart to fall to ruine. There were not more workmen a­bout the building of the one, then there were foule sinnes busie in destroying of the o­ther: his heart went downe farre faster then the Temple rose, as if God had meant suc­cessiuely in one patterne to haue drawne to the life, the best of his graces, the worst of our sins; shewing Solomon to the world, like the same picture with two resemblan­ces; look on him on that side [Page 5]where God portrayed him, with his Intellectuals subli­med aboue his fellowes, you shall find an Angel: step on the other side, wher he drew himselfe in his own colours of Idolatry, you shall see a deuill; For a sinner is no bet­ter, St. Peter himselfe hauing had that name (the only title of his, which the Pope leaues out) get thee behinde me Satan. Let this therefore bee the dis­couery of the Speaker, that he that knew what the losse of a heart was, giues you counsell cheape, which hee dearely bought. Keepe thy heart with all diligence for out of it come issues of life.

But I must not doe Solomon that wrong as to gaze on him in his falling, not to cast a glance on him in his rising; beside, it may be my Text may suffer in it; the counsaile may bee lesse welcome if it be thought a condemned Sinner gaue it: Yet we shall find, 1 King. 17.6. Elias refu­sed not his meate, because a Rauen (an vncleane Crea­ture) broght it to him: Gal, 1, 8. Should an Angell preach any other Gos­pell then this (sayth Saint Paul) let him be accursed; But, he sayth not, should the De­uil preach no other then this, Let this Gospel bee accurst? Had Solomon at that time [Page 7]when he bended his knees to the Idoll Asteroth (which by many of the Learned is thought to haue bin the sta­tue of Venus, a fit Goddes for his turne) had he then, I say, pronounced, that the true God were onely to be hono­red, should wee retyre our Faith from it because an Ido­later spoke it? But to what ende is it that Solomons sinnes are shewen in such a Scarlet, as if the whole sea of Christs Passion could not wash it out? Why it needs be thought that hee is damned, whose words, no doubt, haue sent more soules to heauen, then there are letters in them; who [Page 8]was an immediate Secretary to God, nay, a Royall type of Christ: he sinned indeed, in that he was no type of Christ, no more was Ionas in his fly­ing away from God, or Sam­son in being deceiued by Da­lilah: yet both types of Christ. But it troubles thē, that they find it registred, hee sinned; but they find it no were that he repented. But their Diui­nitie might teach them that in matters of fact, arguments of authoritie drawne from negatiues are but weake; it is not written that he repented, therefore hee did not repent, is but a loose vngrounded consequence: Where do they [Page 9]find that Adam repented of his sin in Paradise, Noah of his Drunkennesse, or Lot of his Incest; are these therefore in the black-booke of the dam­ned? But suppose it be writ­ten, what action shall Solomō haue against them for so high an Iniury? I am sure S. Ierome, whose credite may waigh down a whole Colledge of Cardinals, though weighty Bellarmin makes one against him, cites a place for it out of Solomons himselfe, where the Septuagint translate it out of the originall (though other­wise rendred in our English) at last I repented. Pro. 24.32 If this moue not, yet let Gods promise be [Page 10]of some credit, which was made so firme for Salomon, 2 Sam. 7, 15. I will be his Father, he shall be my Sonne: if he commit iuiquitie, I will chasten him with the rod of men, But my mercy shall not de­part away from him as I tooke it from Saul, whom I put away be­fore thee. Marke the words, If he commit iniquity, he would cha­sten him, but how? with the rod of Men, But where in the Scripture, is the Rod of men ta­ken for damnation? He would take his mercy from him; but how? not as hee did from Saul that was a Reprobate; why therefore Salomon a repro­bate?

I confesse the Fathers are not [Page 11]very tender handed in sear­ching the faults of Solomon; but he that reades them, may soone finde the reason was because the vulgar Iewes tooke Solomon to be Christ, for the noysing of him to be the Messias was the cause (as some imagine) the Queene of Sheba tooke so long a ior­ney to visite him; Therefore S. Ambrose well coniectures. God it may be suffered him to sin so fouly, least others should (in­duced with the rariety of his wis­dome) sinne more fowly in be­leeuing him to be God; But shall we therefore infer God suf­suffered him to be damned? I would not pronoūce it of the [Page 12]greatest sinner that I should see dye, though I should visi­bly perceiue his sins to couer him like a cloude, as if they would keepe God from loo­king on him, the deuill wai­ting for him, as for a certaine prey, yet I would not pro­nounce it? The wayes of thy mercies O God, are past finding out, more vnknowne then the way of a Ship in the sea, or of an Eagle in the ayre. Let them shew me how a flash of Lightening melts the Sword without making any impression in the Scabberd: I will shew them as well, how at the in­stant of our death, [...] mer­cy more suddaine, and more [Page 13]penetrating then the Lighte­ning, may melt our hearts in­to repentance, though out­wardly the eyes of the stan­ders by perceiue it not. Of the two then, I dare say, the Pope offends the lesse, be­cause more charitably in Ca­nonizing them for Saints, who for ought hee knowes are damned, then these do in damning them, who for ought they know are Saints. But I will no longer tract the vncharitable footsteps of So­lamōs censurers; more I might say, to secure him from their malice, lesse I could not. I will leaue them onely with this aduise, To bestow more [Page 14]time in sauing their owne soules; lesse, in damning of the soules of others! For So­lomon saith not heere, Damne another mans heart with all diligence, but Keepe thy heart with all diligence, for out of it come issues of life.

The best counsel that euer was frō the most able Coun­sellor that euer was; for we haue already discouered him to bee no lesse then Solomon; one that leaueled the vneuen wayes of knowledge from the Caedar of Libanus to the Hi­sop that groweth on the wall; that had traced the Labyrinth of all secrets without a thred, and left neuer a knot in na­ture [Page 15]to vnty; to whom God himselfe had said, There was none like thee before thee, nor shall any arise after thee that is like thee. Preferred therefore for his Wisdome by Abulensis, before Adam in his Originall perfection: nay (that which toucheth vs more nere) one that exactly knewe the true value of a heart, aswell by the losse, as by the enioying. He it is giues you the aduice, as a short exact drawne out of the large coppy of his ex­perience, Keepe thy heart with all diligence: nor onely so, he prescribs not as ignorant Em­piricks giue Phisick, take this, but ask me not why; or as [Page 16] Tyrants giue Lawes, obey this, my will is my reason: For he hath a quia for you, as well as a quid, a why, aswell as a what, For out of it come is­sues of life. Thy Heart there­fore is a Iewell, thy Body the Cabinet, the Guardian thy Selfe; the Watch, all dili­gence; the motiue of all, Life Keepe thy heart with all dili­gence, for out of it come issues of life.

The first suruey shal be of the Iewell, a Iewell of Gods own cutting; he that only La­pidary, if you marke the fa­shion of it; you may easily find it, large and open to­wards heauen, but angular [Page 17]and narrow, and shut vp to­wards the earth. Aske the Philosopher what the Heart is, he will tell you, It is the fountaine of life, the furnace of heate, and centre of the bloud: But aske the Diuine, and you shal heare, It is a Ray, a Spark an Image of the Diuinitie; It is the soule it selfe in St. Pauls lāguage, Rom. 10.10. With the heart man be­leeus vnto righteousnes. Make the heart of this thy people fat (saith the Prophet Esaiah) but why? Esay 6.10 Lest they vnderstand with the heart. So that as St. Basil ob­serues, The Court hath gott the attribute of the Queene that dwells in it, the Queene the name of her Court, the [Page 18] Heart, the attributes of the Soule; the Soule in exchange, the name, the title of the Heart. To keepe therefore thy Heart, is as much, as to keepe thy Soule,: Nay, Saint Bernard will tell you, That to keepe your Heart is as much as to keepe thy God. For doe but open thy seuerall Closet there, and there you shall find a nest of Iewels invol­ued and shut vp one within another. Open thy Heart, thou shalt find thy Soule there; open thy Soule, thou shalt meet thy Spirit there [...] vnfold thy Spirit, thou shal [...] see thy Faith; vnlocke thy Faith, and thy God will shew [Page 19]himselfe. St. Basil therefore iustly cryeth out vnto vs, Con­temne not O man, this miracle within thee, doe not vndervalue the heart which God hath so in­richt. What madnesse is it to think meanly of your Soules, which the Deuil esteemes so precious. He wageth warre against God himselfe, he ob­serues, he watcheth, he com­passeth the world to gaine one heart. If thou wilt not take some care to keep, what the deuill bestowes so much to gaine, must it not follow that thou thinkest far [...] of thy selfe then the deuill doth?

If nothing else will teach [Page 20]thee the value of they heart, know it is the onely glasse that God delights to look [...] in, it is a letter written by himselfe to himselfe, as wel directed to God, as sent from him; the Inscription his, the Superscription his: It is [...] Sacrifice, his Altar, and his Temple, it is a Sterling piece of Gods owne Coine, a Medall on which he stampe his Image, and in that stampe thou mayst read thy value.

I haue said enough, but no [...] all, yet did euer any affirme the shadow to be worth the substance, or the Picture worth the face of him it re­presenteth. Yet St. Augustin [...] [Page 21]hath a strain aboue this, with so exact compleatnesse was our Redemption accompli­shed, God laying downe at stake his soule, for the soule of man that was forfeited, as if the soule of a sinner were worth the soule of his God. Bold words, holy Father, the soule of a sin­ner worth the life of his God: worth those stripes, those buf­fetings, those riuers of bloud, that Passion, nay that Death? Had not the least droppe, or the easiest groane of Christ, beene ransome enough for more worlds, then there were euer men from Adam to this houre. Had not the very act of descending from [Page 22]his Glory into the bosome of the Virgin merited as much. Yet such was the will of our blessed Sauiour, that could it bee supposed there were but one lost soule in al the world, imagine it were onely thine, yet he would haue come into the world, & would haue suf­fered all those torments, to haue saued that one Soule of thine, for Christ dyed as much for one as for all; in the share of his Passion as in the enioying of the Sunne­shine; All hath all, euery one hath all. I can goe no higher in the valuing of this Iewell; it shall be my wish that none here euer goe lower in the e­steeme of it. St. Cyprian was [Page 23]of the minde, That if the mea­nest or the poorest man amongst vs did but knowe how noble his heart were, what honours, digni­ties, and priuiledges it had, hee would scorne as much to dishonor it with sinne, as a great Prince would doe to pilfer for his din­ner. For do but thinke with your selues, what haue your deare, your familiar sinnes in them, worth a heart that God hath dyed for: before you part with it, looke vpon it; a Prodigall will do so much for his money, though hee throw it away afterward: see what you change, see for what, obserue from whom you take it, to whom you [Page 24]giue it, remember what sor­rowes it must suffer, if you part wath it. When you haue done this, St. Austin lets you loose, Sinne if thou canst who­ere thou art, for either thou art already an incarnate Deuill, or by this thou shalt ouercome the Deuill. Thus let me leaue this Iewell a while in trust with your eares, till I haue found a Cabinet for it, which is my next Search, thy heart.

Soules once seperated needs no looking too, but while they are here vnited, they are neither without their Pri­sons, nor their Guardians: Seneca saith, These pillars of bones that wee see couered with [Page 25]flesh, spread ouer with Nerues and vaines, the Face, the Brest and Hands, make vp but one Fabricke of a Prison, to keepe the vnruly Heart in: Prison and Prisoner both at a time; For saith Tertullian, As soone as the prison is made, the priso­ner is in. But Epictetus will not grant the body a name of so much strength as a Prison, with him it goes for no more then a China dish, an artificiall durt, or Clay neatly made vp. Plautus the Comaedian hath an other straine for it, he calles man the Saltseller of his owne soule. But as it is a defence which women vse, when it is vrged to them, why there [Page 26]should be left in Story, more arguments of the malice of their Sex then of men: to an­swer that, the reason is, Be­cause men are the writers of those Stories, not women: So wee may vse the like in these titles, of disparagement of the body, That the Soule was the Inuentor of them, not the Body. But whether a Prison, or a Chinadish, or a Saltseller, or what else they please to call this outward frame of ours, it must needs be the only Casket of this Ie­well which we haue so high­ly prised: nor shal we lesse in a proportion esteem the Cas­kee the the Iewel Teroul saith, Far be it that God should for euer [Page 27]forsake that Body which was the Diuine work of his own hand, the Master-peece of his Art, the Viall of his breath, the Heyre of his bounty, the Priest of his religion, 1 Cor. 8.16.17. the Souldier of his testimony the Sister of his Christ: If Tertullian weigh to lieghly Saint Pauls Words in the Scales: Know ye not that yeare the Teple of God, that the Spirit of God dweleth in you? If any Man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple you are. It was scoffe [...] put vpon Galba, a Ro­mane of better wit then face, that Galbas neat wit had a foul dwelling; But the Christian needs not feare any such [Page 28]by-word, for Saint Cyprian sayth, That the Flesh of a Lea­per is as fayre to God, as his that is bath'd in Milke and Spices; Nor can a good Soule euer complaine iustly of an ill lod­ging for though the walles of this thy House of Flesh totter with a Palsay, though they flame about thee with a Feauer, or fall to ruine with old Age, though thou art be­come an entire Hospitall of all Diseases within thy selfe, yet as long as thou hast not parted with this Iewell of Solomons, if neyther thy eyes haue pauned it to Lust, nor thy eares morgaged it to Va­nity, nor thy will sold it our [Page 29]right to presumptuous & to raigning Sinnes: If it be thine owne Heart in thine owne Body (for to alienate one, is to make away both, for let none thinke he can giue a­way his Body to his Sinnes, and keepe his Soule for his God) but if both be thine, be assured God will keepe both of them thine, & will make vp the defects of both If both be not thine, powre out thy prayers, that it would please thy angry God to giue thee thy selfe againe, that Christs wounded heart may send thee back thy heart vnwoū ­ded, with this, with this warning reuited through the [Page 30]midst of it, Hereafter, keepe thy Heart.

The Soule is so insinuated into the Body, with so nere so close a combination, that it posed Tertullian (as him­selfe confesseth) to distin­guish, Whether the Body Cary­ed about the Soule, or the Soule the Body. On the same hinges we may hang another doubt, which may be said to keepe the other; For looke on the Soule discussing, deciding, & commanding all, you will say, shee is the Guardian: Looke again on the Body, see in it the seuerall statiōs of the Senses; the Eyes watching, the Eares listning, all stan­ding [Page 31]Sentinels, & the whole frame of it like a well built Castle, it might tempt you to beleeue, that the Body had the charge giuen of keeping the Heart. But since the Guard may as well be said to keepe the King, as the King the Guard, we will leaue the care between them, wishing thē, that neither of them an­swer as Kain, did, Gen. 4.9. Am I my Brothers keeper. For the Heart wil one day giue account for the lustfull wandring of the Eye, the Eye shall giue ac­count for betraying of the Heart. Tertullian saith, The same fire shall then hold them, that no [...] [...]ally in the same flame; [Page 32]collegue fellowes they haue bene in sinne, and God will not part them in the punishment.

The best resolution then of these words wilbe, Heart keepe thy selfe. But it is a high way saying, That he that learns of none but himselfe, hath a foole to his teacher. How then shall the heart that is kept by none but it selfe, haue no wiset a Guardian? I feare no wi­ser. Dauid hath therefore found out another for the custody; For (saith he) vnlesse God keepes, Psal. 127.2 the watchman wa­keth but in vaine. Hee that keepes the Spheres in their motions, the Sunne with a whole army of Iesser lights [Page 33]in their courses, he that sets the Sea his bounds, Thus far shalt thou passe, but no farther; He that hanges the whole World vp­on the Hindges, is as care­full of thee as of the whole world; nor doth he leaue thee only to his generall In­fluence, as Pelagius (too proud of the strength of his owne Heart) would haue it; He doth not winde thee vp as a Watch, then giue thee vp to thine owne motion, but sayth Saint Austine, When he hath sent his Graces as Har­bengers to prepare thy heart, he continues them there to guard thy Heart: Doe but recount to your selues the Stories of [Page 34]your own liues. Remember how often your hearts haue bene resolutely set on such, or such a sinn, yet God hath di­uerted them: How often haue your tongues bene rea­dy to blaspheme, or slander, yet God hath stopd them; and your hands prepared for a mischiefe, yet God hath stayd them. How this affects you I know not, but St. Augustin was so taken with it, when he thought on't, that it made him speake those words [...] which nothing but such a zeale, such a deuotion, as St. Augustine had, could make warrantable? Such are the mer­cies of God (saith he) to my soule [...] [Page 35]that I can scarse imagine God doth any thing els, but study how to saue me; as if hee had forgot all the rest of his creatures, to haue the more time to looke to me alone.

Nor is this all; but as great Princes will haue their Seruants attend on him whom they honor: so God commāds the glorious Angels to wait on their Harts, on whom he casts a gratious eye, nay, They are no longer Angels, (as St. Gre­gory well obserues) then they are so employd: For according to S. Austin, An Angel is a name of Office, not of Nature. They are alwayes Spirits, but not alwayes Angels, for no lon­ger [Page 36]messengers from God to man, no longer Angels; since onely to be a Messenger, im­plies to be an Angell.

That euery one of vs hath a seuerall Angell deputed for his guard from his natiuitie, is the iudgement of some of the learned Fathers: Saint Hierome proues the dignity of the soule by that argumēt, St. Basil as confidently sayes That euery true beleeuer hath his Angell: the like sayes Ori­gen of euery one that is bap­tized. Others of later times, haue gone so far, as to affirm, our Sauiour Christ while he liued on earth, had his tutela [...] Angell: because it is sayd that [Page 37] when he was in that bloudyagony in the Garden, Luke 22. there appeared an Angell from heauen comfor­ting him. But the bold fore­head of the Iesuite Maldonat, blusheth at this, reiecting it for a Paradoxe, That hee that was the true God should want the guard of one single Angell. Bellarmins Meditations haue eleuated him to so high a fan­cie, as to find out, that in eue­ry Kingdome there are two Kings, a Man and an Angel; in euer Dioces two Bishops, a Man and an Angel; nay, in the Catholike Church two Popes without a Schisme, the one a visible Man, the other an inuisible Angell. But wee [Page 38]knowledge is bounded o [...] the one side with the Scrip­ture, on the other side, by ou [...] owne modesty, do willingly forbeare to giue you dreames instead of Reuelations, Fan­cies, instead of Truth. Whe­ther euery Soule of vs hath a seuerall Angell for a Tutor [...] Let it rest with those Fathers that thought so: But whether each of vs hath a bad An­gell to oppose, as a good to assist, as Maldonat thinks pro­bable? or whether at the re­surrection, euery mans good Angell shall gather together the bones of him he guarded, as Suarez teacheth: Or as Bellarmine will haue it, In the [Page 39]Chaire of Rome there bee seated an inuisible Pope, as well as a visible; Let the Iesuits only determine, that haue made themselues a false Key to the Cabinet of Gods secrets. It shall suffice vs to whom the Foolishnesse of the reuealed Gospell is sufficient, That hee that maks his Angels ministring spirits, Heb. 1.7. & his Ministers a flame of Fire, hath giuen his Angles charge ouer vs, Psai 91.11 to keepe vs in all our wayes. Daniel 10 In Daniel wee find but one Angell to guard a whole Kingdome, all Per­sia. Genes. 32. In Genesis two Armies of Angels to keepe one Iacob. Of their protection wee are cer­taine, of their number whe­ther [Page 40]one or more, wee may be with religion euough vn­certaine. That which con­cernes vs neerest, is to make such vse of it, which St. Ber­nard doth on those words al­ready cited; He gaue his An­gels charge ouer thee. O what reuerēce should these words strike in thee, what deuotion should they stirre vp, what confidence to heare that thy Angels are thy guides, to hear that they are not onely pre­sēt with thee, but present for thee: they are the coniuring words of that deuout Father, Let mee beseech you Brethren, that yee would not commit those foule sinnes in the sight of the [Page 41]Angels that keepe you in the eyes of God himself, which you would not doe if no more then I were by? If you will needs sin (saith St. Basil) chuse out some place where neither God nor his An­gels are; but if their be no cor­ner so darke, so solitary, so secret, but they are there, let there as well be no place for you to dare to sinne.

I haue showne you the at­tendance of the Angels vnder God the great Keeper of all harts; That there is a hea­uenly watch dayly set about vs. I will onely adde this out of St. Basil, That God, nor his Angels neuer part with vs, till [Page 42]we make them goe, that only our sins dismisse this Watch. For as smoake driues away Bees (saith that Father) or as ill smels chase Pigeons from their Doue-coats, so doth the smoake, the stench of sinne driue God from vs with all his Angels. Let not there­fore the vnregenerate Sinner complaine that his Heart is not in Gods keeping: For had he not throwne durt on it himselfe, nay, had hee not razed out of it the Image of the Deitie, as a Thiefe doth the marke of stollen Plate, that the owner should not know it, God had still kept it. But he keepes no defaced Hearts, nor yet no counter­feit; [Page 43]he keepes no carelesse, vnregarded, throwne-away hearts. Heart keepe thy selfe, must be the watchword; that passion that meetes thee without that word, let it not liue a minute longer; for there is no greater Treason then selfe-Treason, when the betrayer, and the betray­ed, spell but one man.

But it troubled St. Austine much, how the heart should keepe the heart, when the heart would so seldome obey the heart. It makes him be­gin with admiration; The minde commands the body, it is obeyd; the minde commands it selfe, it is resisted; bid thy feet [Page 44]stirre, or thy hands moue, or thy eyes turn, in a moment it is done, with such ease and suddennesse, that you can scarse distinguish the performance from the com­mand: but the Heart commands the Heart, to will this, or that good; which it had not comman­ded had it not willed, yet doth it not will what is commanded. He ends with the admirati­on he began, What Prodegie is this, what Oedipus shall vnrid­dle it? But the good Father findes it out at last, For (sayth he) the Heart turnes but halfe a fide on good actions, it lookes on them but with one eye; if it chance to bid farewell to sinne, it is as foolish friends part, with [Page 45]many lookings backe, many excu­ses, stil one farewel more. When Saint Austine himselfe in his yonger dayes, prayed to God for Chastitie, he confesseth he could not keep his rebellious heart from adding, giue mee chastitie, but not yet O God, let me haue some pleasure more. No wonder then if the heart bee not obeyed, that would not be obeyed: if sin depart not, when the heart will not let it goe. To close vp this, if we banish sinne, it must bee withall the heart; if we en­tertaine God, it must be into all the heart. If we keep our hearts it must be withall dili­gence: So shall we bee able [Page 46]to beare a part in the Pro­phets song, My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready, for I haue kept my heart with all di­ligence.

Thus haue wee seene the Iewell that is guarded, the watch set, the watchword giuen; we are now to walk the round to see the Disci­pline: For St. Bernard will haue Solomon heere meane a Military watch, that is, keep thy heart through al the watches of the night: So that we all lye perdue vnder Martiall law, he that sleepes dyes for it. The Originall word Samarah (as it is obserued by Scalager) will well beare it: for it not [Page 47]onely signifieth the place, the station of the watch: as it is said in Baruch, the Stars shined in their watches. But the actiō of the Watch it selfe, as Dauid vseth it, Psal. 130.6 My soule wayteth for the Lord, more then they that watch vnto the morning, I say, thē they that watch vnto the morning. The Antients diuided the night into foure Watches; two from the Euening to the first crowing of the Cocke; two from the crowing of the Cocke to the rising of the morning. These night wat­ches Origen seconded by St. Austin, compared to the foure ages of man, his Infancy, his Youth, his Manhood, & his Olde [Page 48]Age: So that you may now perceiue what it is to keepe your hearts all the Watches of the night; it is no lesse then frō thy Cradle to thy death­bed; from the first moment that God kindled a light of knowledge in thy heart, till the last when hee shall put it out: a light indeed so dimne, that the Fathers doubted not to compare it to the night; yet by that light, by that weake light, that glimme­ring, we are all to watch; Nor did our Sauiour blush to be likened to a Thiefe that should come in such a night; for he that tooke on him our Nature, shames not at the [Page 49]name of our vices; so that he by that name may keepe vs waking? But whether he come as a Thief, or as the Ma­ster of the house in the second or third watches, Luke 12.38. blessed are the seruants whom he finds thus watching. But why in the se­cond or third onely, St. Gre­gory makes question of? why names hee neither the first watch nor the last? Hee an­swers, the first is implied in the second, but the last is left out as desperate. Hee that dreames out the first watch, may awake in the second, he that shuts his eyes in the se­cond, may open them in the third: But hee that drinkes [Page 50]downe sinne like Opium to sleepe with it, till the conuul­sions of old age, or the last crampe of death awake him, 1 Sam. 25. shall be like wretched Nabal who when hee had slept, found that his hart was dead within him. But let me be­seech you brethren to awake before that howre awakes you; to remember how fear­full a thing it is to fal into the hands of an angry God, whō yee haue so often mocked with delayes, as you meant to cosen your selues to hell in spight of heauen. Yet make a stand, looke backe on the time, which you haue rather throwne away then spent [...] [Page 51]flatter not your selues, that the last Watch is farre from you, for none is truely young that is olde enough to dye: To shut vp all, vse but that wit, that study, that diligence to saue your soules, which you haue done to damne them. For God requires no more of you, then his ene­my; you haue spared neither time, nor cost, nor trouble in the Deuils seruice, You haue lost your harts with al diligence; In Gods seruice doe but so much, Keepe your hearts with all diligence.

Neither Loue, a Kingdome, or the Deitie endures a sha­rer, neither a deuided diligence [Page 52]or a deuided heart can serue Gods turne. Though the Translators therefore differ, whether it be Custodia, Cura, or Munitio, whether ex or prae be affixed, yet in the intire­nes, in the word of latitude, they all agree; For, whether we looke vpon the watch we set about our hearts, it must be no slumbring, no supine, nor intermitted watch; or on the care with which wee watch, it must bee no loose, scattered, distracted, or agu­ish care that comes by fits; or on the places, frō whence we watch the Forts or Block houses, the inward or out­ward senses, all must bee [Page 53]man'd. Since therefore sinne assayles euery where, wee must be armed euery where. If we do but obserue nature, we shall finde by her placing of the Heart, how we should keepe it: First, it is seated with all aduantage of intelligence, almost in the center of man, with a curious net of veines, spred from it ouer all the bo­dy; like the Spider in the midst of her web, which fee­ling the least touch that shakes her worke, retires in­stantly from the danger: So should the Soule shrinke at the least noyse, whispering, or murmure of sin, it should auoyd the very complement, [Page 54]the first addresse of it, and to be sensible of danger at the very sight, the glimpse of a Temptation. But this is not all that Nature hath blest the Heart with; for besides this scituation of aduantage, it hath a double natural fence, the one more inward, a ten­der, though firme skinne, to enwrap the heart with; the other, an outward strong wall of ribbs. St. Cyril in his booke of Adoration, bids vs note it as remarkable, That the first ruine of this wall was in Paradise, when God tooke a ribb out of Adam to make a woman of: so that the forming of our first Mother, hath caused many of her [Page 55]Sonns the loosing of their hearts; For as St. Cyril followes the Allegory: Euer since that time, sinne assayles the heart at that place where it wants that rib for to defend it. St. Gregory Mo­ralizeth the Ribbs into so ma­my rational Vertues encom­passing the heart like the strong men about the bed of Solomon, The tender skinne of the heart he makes to bee the tender Conscience, For hee that wraps not vp his heart in a soft, a cleane, and vnseared Consci­ence, is either about to make a forfeit of it, or hath alreadie lost it. That therefore wee may immitate Nature, Let the Heart nouer bee vnguarded, [Page 56]let religious meditations bee as veines to conuay pure thoughts from it, constant vnshaken resolutions bee the nerues, let a wall of Virtues, immure it instead of Ribbs, a cleare Conscience in lieu of a defiled; so shall wee finde the motiue of al, made good, For out it come issues of life.

It was Platoes aduice in his second Dialogue of his Re­publique, That euery Citie should haue his Fountaine in the midst of it, his reason, that it might be readier for vse, either for the ordinary employments of it, or if a casuall fire should neede the helpe of it. For the same cau­ses thinkes St. Christome, That [Page 57]blessed Fountaine of, bloud and water, brake forth out of our Sa­uiours side about the heart nere the middst of him, that it might be equally neere to all, that would either drinke out of that eternall spring, or quench the fire with it, that either Lust or Anger had made flame. Like such a Foun­taine in the middst of a besidged Citie, should the Heart of man be among his many enemies. But poysoning of waters is the ordinary stratagem of warr, nor hath our great Aduersary forgot it, He knowes that if the Fountaine of Life bee not spoyled, his broken Ci­sterns of death will neuer be frequented, nor can hee euer [Page 58]call himselfe his Conqueror, whose heart stands out a­gainst him. It was the com­plaint of Italy in the Ciuill Warres: That as often as Rome was set on, she of necessitie was the way of the Warre; but it fares worse with the Heart, For as it is the first part of the man that liues, the last that dyes; so it is the first the Deuill giues assault vnto, and the last that he giues ouer; nay, were there neuer a Deuil, the Heart hath anill Spirit of 'its owne to trou­ble it. For as some Boroughs with vs boast of the Priui ledge, that they may hang & draw within themselues: so is the heart of man such a [Page 59]Corporation, it may execute it selfe within it selfe, with­out any Forraigne, either Iudge, or Executioner. For should wee goe no further then the thought, might wee not make a shift to thinke our felues to hell? if we had nei­ther hands, nor eyes, nor feet, would not our hearts finde the way thither? I know we all keepe an outward state with our sinnes, as Prin­ces do with their meane Fa­uourites, we will not seeme to acknowledge thē abroad, yet wee hugg, and play, and make wantons of them in the inward Chambers of our hearts: as if ill thoughts at [Page 60]the day of Indgement would weigh no more then the ayre or the Sunne beames doe in the Scales against vs: but at that triall we shall find, that without the mercy of our God, euery loose lasciuious thought which wee take de­light in, shall be as a sheet of Lead to helpe to sinke vs. Proclus tels vs a story of Polli­dorus the Tyrant, who in a vision saw his Heart thrown into a boyling Caldron, where after it had bene a while tor­mented in the heat, it cryed out of the Caldron to him, A­pollidore, I am the cause to thee of all this. Nor may wee vn­iustly feare, that their hearts [Page 61]will really cry out so, who now passe ouer all as in a slumber, whose ill thoughts dayly vsher them to ill acti­ons, whose ill actions bring them in a circle backe to ill thoughts againe. For Dauid found it out, The wicked still walke the round; First, they act a sinne, because the thought hath pleased them; then they thinke that sinn o­uer againe, because the Act hath pleased them; by a dam­ned Arithmatike multiplying one sinne into a thousand. How then, must this Foun­taine be so pure, may not the least straw, nor graine of dust be throwne into it? Cannot [Page 62]the Heart so much as play with the Deuill? Are ill thoughts sin; Good thoughts that are not put in execution are not rewarded, shall then the ill ones vnacted bee con­demned: Cannot the distin­ctions of the Doctors of Rome excuse, when our great God shall examine, may not we answer for our thoughts in the subtil Lāguage of their Schoole, That some of thē were but first first motions, therefore no sinnes; others second first mo­tions, therefore but veniall sins. How the learned Papist may euade from Hell with this, I know not: but we dull Pro­testants haue no such Art, we [Page 63]dare not venter on it. That all our inordinate thoughts are sinne, is our Confession, for all is our sorrow, of all is our repentance.

Nor is it a wonder that thoughts should be interpre­ted for deeds: For, St. Chri­sostom sheweth vs, That as the Deed of the band is the out ward action, so the Deed of the Heart is the thought. Yee haue heard, saith our Sauiour, Mat 5.37.28. it was said by them of old, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, but I say vnto you, that whosoeuer lookes on a woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery in his heart, already. For saith Tertullian, The will it selfe is imputed to it [Page 64]selfe, nor can the beart because the deede is vndone, hauing done the thought that it selfe could do, be excused.

As Hanibal therefore was wont to say of the Romanes, that they could not be ouer-come but in their own coun trey, So let vs vse this Stra­tagem in fighting against our sinne in the very heart, the countrey wher it breeds It was St. Bernards aduice to his Sister, to mark wel what God said of the Woman to the Serpent, Shee shall bruise his head: Hee himselfe an­swers, The very head of the Serpent is then truely said to bee bruised, when sinne is there sti­fled, [Page 65]where it is first borne. Psal. 137.9 Hee is a religious Herod, that kils such Insants, nor shall hee want the name of happy, that dashes these little ones against the Stone. The Ebrew hath it, against the Rocke. A misery which concernes vs all, cryes St. Augustine, for the Rocke is Christ: Doth the tender Con­science complaine of young growing sinnes, of disorde­red vnruely thoughts, that break in vpon vs in the midst of our prayers? Away with them to the Rocke; That Rocke hath strength to bruise them: doth Lust kindle a flame in our hearts of loose Lasciuious regitations? Away with them [Page 66]to the Rocke; that Rocke hath water to quench them. Doe we find Gods anger kindled a­gainst vs for these sinnes? A­way againe to the Rocke, that Rocke hath holes to hide vs in. Moses was in the cleft of the Rocke when he saw God passing by: but if wee once get into the cleft of this Rock, God shall bee alwayes pas­sing by, but neuer passe, so he is ours for euer.

It can be neither time no [...] labour lost, that is spent i [...] clensing of the Fountaine, fo [...] if any one here would th [...] minute make it his work [...] God would bee well please [...] [...] to looke downe from he [...] [Page 69]uen vpon such Labourers, whom his Sonne hath alrea­dy blest, saying, Blessed are the cleane in heart; yet this is not enough: be thy heart as pure as Truth, as white as Snow, or Innocency, if it be a Foun­taine sealed vp, onely a wish­ing, a thinking, or intending heart; nay, I may adde, if it be onely a beleeuing heart, if there be no good workes, no issues of Life from it, then flatter not thy self that ther is any life in it. Tertullian speaks of some in his time, That God well satisfied, if they ac­knowledged him in their hearts, howeuer in their actions they de­nyed him: Inferring from [Page 66]hence, that they might sinne without forfeit of their Faith; As if (saith he) they could com­mit a chaste Adultery, without wrong to marriage; or Religi­ously poyson their Father, with­out losse of their Pietie. But they that haue the Art to sin, without forgoing of their Faith, may haue as strange a conueyance, no doubt, to be damned without loosing of their pardon. Wee should hardly say, a good House were kept, where we neuer saw the Chimney smoake, nor Almes giuen at the gate; nor can it bee the thrift of a good soule, not to dispence it hath abroad: Howsoeuer [Page 69]our Clanculary concealed Saints imagine, should the naturall heart contract all the heat it had within it selfe, neither it, nor the body could haue a being. For as in Glasse workes though the fire bee stil to be kept enclosed with­in the Furnace, yet there is some vent, some breathing for it; So when the Spiritu­all Heart hath entertained a vestall fire of Faith in it; the hands cannot but bee war­med with Charity, the Tong heated with Deuotion, and the Eyes sparkling towards Heauen; All the out-parts must feele the warmth of it; for it is well obserued, that [Page 70]it is not sayd, In it is life, but out of it come issues of life.

To shut vp all with an obseruation of St. Cyrils, The Heart of man is like the Rodde of Moses, as long as he held it in his hand, it remained a Roll, but when hee threw it to the ground, it turned to bee a Ser­pent: nay, a Dragon, the Prince of Serpents, as Philo the Iew saith. So the Heart of man as long as there is fast hold of it, as long as man is the pos­sessor, God the Guardian, it continues still a Heart, but if our boysterous vnruly sinnes once throwe it to the earth, it changeth instantly, to be a Serpent. So let mee beseech [Page 71]as many as heare me to day, whose Consciences this mi­nute tells them, that their Hearts are turned into Ser­pents, and are now crawling on the earth, to stretch forth a hand of sorrow, a hand of true repentance, to take them vp againe, in what shape soe­uer they appeare. For he that was exalted on the Crosse, as the Serpent in the wildernes, shall turne those Serpents into Hearts againe, their gall and poyson into Inno­cence, their sting of Death, into Issues of immortall life.

Lay vp therefore these Memorialls yee that loue your Hearts, Lay them vp [Page 72]yee that doe not, that you may loue them. Remember the Heart is a Iewell of Gods owne cutting, the substance and fashion of it is heauenly. Remember it is the Glasse that God delights to looke in, why should you breake it and scatter it? It is his Let­ter sent from Himselfe to Himselfe, why should you either blot, or falsifie; or not deliuer it where it is dire­cted? It is his Coyne, his Med­dale, why should you vnder­ualue it? It is his Sacrifice, his Temple, and his Altar, why should you prophane it? But if the Deuill hath a­ny sinne so powerfull as to [Page 73]strike out the memory of all this: Yet remember it is that Iewell, which Man ha­uing forfeited, the Sonne of God was faine to dye for to redeeme it. So that hee that dares loose his Heart againe, dares crucifie his God againe. Remember next, the pure Eyes of the Angels, that like the eyes of a wel-drawne Pi­cture, are fastned on you which way soeuer you turn. Remember the neuer-slee­ping God that is all Eye to bee your Guardian, vntill that your wilfull sinnes dis­misse him from you with all his Angels. Remember last of all, that this heauen­ly [Page 74]watch is not set about dead Treasure. That as the ce­lestiall Orbes haue a motion of their owne, though mooued perpetually by the First Eternall Moouer: So thought the Powers of Heauen bee set to Guard you, yet this excuseth not the Guard you are to set vpon your felues; for if a man keepe not him­selfe, God doth not keepe him. Keepe therefore your Hearts through all the wat­ches of the Night; from the twilight, to the crowing of the Cock; from the crowing of the Cocke to the daw­ning of the day; from the Mantle to the Winding-sheet; [Page 75]sheete; from the Cradle, to [...]he Graue. Let neither ill [...]houghts pollute the Spring, nor foule deeds the Riuer; so shall there from thence come Issues of life, not onely the life of nature, which the worst men haue, nor onely the life of Grace, which the Good haue here, but the life of Glory, which the Saints haue in the world to come, Amen.