The godly mans iourney to heauen containing ten seuerall treatises. Viz. 1. An heauenly chariot the first part. 2. An heauenly chariot the second part. 3. The blessed chariots man. 4. The lanthorne for the chariot. 5. The skilfull chariot driuer. 6. The gard of the chariot. 7. The sixe robbers of the chariot. 8. The three rocks layd in the way. 9. The only inne Gods babes aime at. 10. The guests of the inne. By maister David Lindsey Minister of Gods word at Leith.

THE SECOND PART OF AN HEA∣VENLY CHARIOT.

1. Holy and humble would profane proud man studie to be; if he knew how profane and vile that stable is, which he lodgeth within him, euen his heart.

IF man could know what man is through man his owne default, ô my soule, He is not sensible of pietie, he is not sensible of com∣mon honestie, who would not pitie man, who would not admire that man could be such a one as he is? O man thou seest these feete vpon the which thou walkest, these hands by the which thou workest, thou knowest that thou hast eyes by the which thou seest, eares by the which thou hearest, a nose by the which thou smellest,

a mouth by the which thou tastest, and a tongue by the which thou speakest, and diuerse members by the which thou touchest. Alwayes, hearken, hearken, ô my soule, knoweth man, notwithstanding of all this, that heart that is within him, by the which, alas, his seeing, his hearing, his smelling, his tasting, his touching is so fully corrupted, yea, fully debased that his whole behauiour is made to be loath∣some, and abhominable before that holy wise God, who looketh onely vpon the heart, and according to the heart iudgeth of the whole man? That house to this day was neuer praised by any wise man, ô my soule, which hauing a faire outward shew in the eyes of man, looking without vpon it; which hath neither hall, nor chamber within commodious for mans vse, or pleasant for mans delight; but contra∣riwise, which maketh the owner and pro∣fessor of it by day afraide, lest any come to visit him (considering the naughtinesse of his lodging) and such as by night is hurtsome to himselfe, procuring vnto him grieuous vnease, while others with∣out thinke him to be at rest. While man, ô my soule, comparing himselfe with the

other inferiour creatures, liuing and mo∣uing aboue him in the aire, about him in the seas beneath, and with him in the earth here, casting his eyes sharply, sets his eyes solidly vpon himselfe and them, and beginnes any way, narrowly to exa∣mine the admirable artifice of the bodie of man, and the more then commonly proportion of it, farre surmounting and excelling these creatures: I wonder not that he be made to crie out with Dauid. I will praise, thee o Lord, for I am wonder∣fully made, marueilous are thy workes and my soule knoweth it well. Alwayes sure I am, ô my soule, that the proud swanne was ne∣uer so much dashed at the sight of his blacke feete, (considering the rare beau∣tie of his faire feathers) as man should be cast downe, enriched with a reasonable soule, cloathed with so comely, so for∣mall, and perfectly consummate a body, in respect of all the members, and in re∣spect of euery member of it, situate in their seuerall places so orderly, and in these places exercising their diuerse functions so exquisitely, (that the Phylosopher doubted not ro call man a very little world: man being as it were the verie

Epitome and compound of all Gods workes) if besides these two eyes which he hath without in his bodie, he had but one eye in his soule, to looke vpon that heart his God seeth, albeit his neighbour see it not, his God perfectly knoweth, albeit he himselfe can hardly know it; yea, can hardly be moued to paine him∣selfe to learne to know it, notwithstan∣ding this be the onely chiefe studie a man liuing here should take himselfe vnto. For till a mans owne heart be knowne, by a man himselfe, impossibly is it, that a man can know his God to saluation. Now to the effect, ô my soule, that I may moue thee while I breath here, to paine thy selfe lesse about my eares, my eyes, my mouth, my hands, my feete, and in a word about my backe, and bellie, and to turne all thy labour vpon that heart which is within me, deale with thy God for three things, and neuer ceasse to wea∣rie him with thy prayers till thou be heard, and these three things be granted to thee. Now what be these three, ô my soule, I pray thee? A spirituall eye to see, a holy strong memorie to remember, and with these two graces, to make consci∣ence

of that thou seest, of that thou re∣membrest. Eyes to see not the workes of thy hands, and wandrings of thy feete; but the workes and wandrings of that heart that is within me; and so these thoughts escape me by day, by night; by day, while thou art waking, yea, waking not exercised about the things of this world, in the companie of few, of moe, or thy selfe alone. But while thou being a professor and hearer of the good word of God, art before thy God cast downe vpon thy knees, speaking to his Maiestie by prayers in thy owne house, or in his Sanctuarie, or hearing his Maiestie spea∣king to thee by his word. By night when thou art sleeping vpon thy couch, thy eares hearing no sound, thy eyes being closed, thy tongue being silent, thy hand being idle, thy feete not mouing. Sure I am, sure I am, ô my soule, had preachers, had professours eyes to see, what vile, vgly, monstrous, cruell, bloudie, and brutish thoughts, ouertakes, and ouer∣shadowes their soules, while they are slee∣ping while they are waking, yea, waking, and reading; waking, and praying; wa∣king, and hearing Gods word; yea, de∣liuering

and receiuing the Sacraments, and with this, First, a memorie to remem∣ber vpon these thoughts; Secondly, grace to make conscience of them, (seeing our God should be loued with thy whole soule, strength, and minde.) He goes not to pulpit, he comes not to heare Gods word preached from the pulpit, who would not be compelled from one wounded soule drawing vp deepe grones, powring out with both his eyes bitter teares, crying out, ô Lord God how is it that man inriched with an heauenly, rea∣sonable soule, with such a comely well ordered and decked bodie, in proportion and outward shape, farre surmounting all the inferiour workes of thy hands, let it be the gorgeous and glorious cabinates and places of Kings, and Princes made by the hands of men, carries not about him vpon his head, vpon his hands, vpon his feete, to the view of man; but within him, to the sight of thy Maiestie, his alsee∣ing quicke eye, such a foule stable, which with the raging sea, casteth vp the foule dirt of vile thoughts continually? Con∣fesse, confesse, ô my soule, and be not ashamed to lay that open before God,

Angels, and men, which thou canst de∣nie to be true. Oftentimes hath my God who cannot lie, by that holy volume of sacred Scripture, indited by that Spirit of truth, and read by me, presented before me that stinking stable of that vile heart I carrie about with me. Alwayes, neuer was I any wayes truly sensible to my hu∣miliation before God, of the nature of this stable of my heart, till through thy grace I was made to reade that touching my heart, vpon the table of my heart; which I had read before in the volume of holy Scriptures. Oh Lord God that euer man hearkned vnto Satan, and hearkning vnto him, loosed thy glorious Image, to the which he was made: for had not man fallen from thee, such thoughts would neuer haue fallen vpon him; yea, he would neuer haue carried about with him that filthiest stable, the like whereof is not to be found in the aire among the foules, in the seas among the fishes, nor in the earth among the beastes, out of the which such thoughts do flow. Let the sight and sense of this, ô my soule, leade thee mid-day, morning, and euening, with Dauid towards the throne of the

grace of thy God, leaning strongly vpon the merits and mediation of thy onely Mediator, and Sauiour Iesus, begging with sobbes and teares, the blessed Spirit of sanctification, by whose mortifying power this stinking stable of my heart, may peece and peece be emptied of that vile matter, (alas, while I am sleeping while I am waking,) gusheth so abun∣dantly out of it, to the offence of my God and to the continuall disquieting of my poore conscience; and by whose renew∣ing force, this stinking stable being thus happily emptied of this vile matter, may be graciously turned in a cleane shining cabinet, well decked and hung with hea∣uenly tapistrie, fit to receiue, fit to retaine through the working grace of this Spirit, the changer and keeper of it, euen that sweet Spirit of the Father, and of his Sonne; to the end that holy one making his abode and residence with me, yea, within me: I may hereafter so carie my selfe, that my thoughts, my lookes, my hearing, my smelling, my tasting, my touching, yea, my whole speeches, workes, and wandrings, may be such as may glorifie my Father, edifie my bre∣thren,

and stop the mouthes of my aduer∣uersaries, and haue thee, ô my soule, assu∣red, that thy God hath begunne graci∣ously to giue, and to enrich thee with sa∣uing grace; and that his Maiestie will not cease out of that his free loue (which changeth not) to adde grace vnto grace, till it please him (perfecting his happily begun and well prosecuted good worke) turne begunne grace into perfect and endlesse glorie. Could I see my heart, ô my soule, as the maker of it saw it when he said:* 1.1 I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause, for the imaginations of the heart of man are euill, euen from his youth; as the searcher of it saw it when he said:* 1.2 The heart is deceitfull aboue all things, who can know it. As our Sauiour saw it when he said:* 1.3 These things which proceed out of the mouth, come from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart come euill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimo∣nies,* 1.4 slanders. O then, I would not cease vncessantly to crie with Dauid: Create in me a cleane heart, ô God, and renew a right spirit within me.

2. Seeke not that which is Gods, but God himselfe, if thou would possesse Gods blessing here, and heare that voice; Come thou blessed of my Father here∣after.

HOnest Paul clearing the sinceritie of his heart towards his Maister, and before the Corinthians Gods people, the puritie of that loue wherewith he loued them, came from a renewed heart, and with a golden pen drew vp this worthie speech:* 1.5 I seeke not yours but you. But, alas, ô my soule, may not our blessed God, loo∣king downe from that highest mountaine of his glorie, vpon a very world walking below here, euen vnder the light of the Gospell, complaining vpon thousands, cry aloud and say: Ye seeke not me, but mine. Lift vp thy eares, ô my soule, and hearken. Can the couered Hipocrites of this our time, can the mercenarie slaues of this our time, either loue God or his word, but as the greedie oxe loueth his owner, and as the filthie swine loueth his maister. Let the owner of the oxe fill his stall, his oxe shall then attend him carefully; let the maister of the swine fill his trough, so shall

the swine follow him. While thy God, ô my soule, fatteth and stuffeth men of this world with honours, pleasures, wealth and health, then easily can they say, Blessed be the name of the Lord. Yea, then they can tone with a speciall triumph, albeit from a treacherous heart, with foule lippes, and for a shamelesse brutish end: that 1. verse of that most comfortable twentie third Psame. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the sight of my aduersaries: thou dost an∣noint my head with oyle, and my cup runneth ouer. So that these who at the first, and before triall do heare, and see them, would take them for one of a thousand, and so for men sincerely louing, and truly seeking, and seruing God: albeit in the meane time, neither God, nor Gods word can find so much as his counte∣nance, but onely when he hath his proud backe couered, and his foule bellie filled by him. When I reade the second of Ho∣sea, I find that the whole gold, siluer, corne, wine, oyle, and wooll, in this world is Gods. When I reade the 76. Psalme, the 4. of Daniell, and the 5. of Daniell, I find that all the kingdomes of the earth are Gods, and that his onely

supremest Maiestie is the onely giuer of maiestie, glorie, and honour, and ô how busily, alas, do men euery where seeke af∣ter these things? Alwayes, I would here assure thee, ô my soule, that whosoeuer shall find these gifts of God, and finds not God with them, the giuer of them shall repent one day that euer he found them, as these alledged Scriptures may suffici∣ently resolue thee. When I reade the sixt of Iohn, I see my blessed Sa••iour, ô my soule, attended verie carefully, yea, fol∣lowed from shore to shore: but busily and painefully be a very world of people, and what man beholding them (being sensible of that loue, and reuerence, man should carie vnto that holy one of God, Iesus blessed for euermore,) would not for this haue commended them? Alwayes when this multitude comes where Iesus is, and not without a speciall admiration demands him thus: Rabbi when camest thou hither. Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, how they are answered, euen by that sweetest Lambe, who had freely fed thē, powerfully wrought great workes before them, and graciously spoken many com∣fortable speeches to them. Verily, verily, ye

seeke me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye eate of the loaues and were filled. I must here for necessitie beseech thee, ô my poore soule, not to cease to search out, and to trie narrowly, whith••r while thou appeares to others to be seeking and seruing thy God, thou art seeking him onely in shew, to his offence, and to thy ouerthrow, or truly for himselfe to his hearts contentment and glorie, and to thy true weale and wealth, here and for euer. Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, for now I must tell thee, that the free honest seruant of God, who is also his kindly child, loues his God, loues the word of his God, not for honour, but for heauen; not for goods, and gaine, but for grace and glo∣rie; and so not for his backe, and bellie, but for his soule; yea, but for his God whom he must loue, and whom he can∣not cease to loue, albeit there were nei∣ther heauen after this to ease him, nor hell to grieue him for euer. And so in a word, Gods child loues him, not for any thing that is beneath here; but for his Maiestie who is aboue, & for these things which do ioyne him with him, and do conuey him vnto him. Shall Iacob be con∣tent

(his God being happily with him) to serue a verie churle for twentie one yeares, being consumed now with heate, now with cold, and hauing his wages changed ten times. And can it possibly grieue thee, ô my soule, with the best heart I haue, to seeke and serue thy bles∣sed kind true God, all the dayes of my pil∣grimage here, albeit he whippe me not with one, but with many scourges. It is an easie thing, ô my soule, yea, a very easie thing to a man, when his oxen are plowing, his sheepe and asses feeding, his corne growing, his summes of money layd downe before him, his table richly decked; and his children standing about it like oliue plants, then to beginne, and end his dinner and supper, with a grace, and with a Chapter of Gods booke read, yea, not to want his Psalme sung as if his priuate house were some publicke Temple. Yet I dare not denie, ô my soule, but it shall proue a very hard thing to manie, when their oxen and asses are sto∣len, their sheepe, and seruants consumed with fire, their whole children in one minute smothered, their owne hole and sicke bodies, turned in a sicke lumpe of

boyles & so their rich table, changed into a bit of browne bread, and a drop of cold water; yea, their soft and well decked bed, in a hard and loathsome stinking mid∣ding, their dearest friends in the meane time being turned in deadly foes, their breath being vnsauorie to her, lay some∣time in his bosome; and their speech be∣ing mocked euen by their owne seruants, then with Iob to crie not counterfeitly but from an honest heart, louing God, & reioycing in him euen in the middest of this hottest firie furnace. The Lord hath gi∣uen, the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. Rouse vp, rouse vp, thy selfe therefore, ô my soule, & crying aloud, de∣mand of thy selfe thus: Wherefore, where∣fore, is it that I loue my God, that I seeke my God, that I serue my God; wherefore is it that I countenance his word and Sa∣craments; yea, how long haue I resolued to loue, to seeke, and to serue him, by countenancing his word and Sacraments, euen with pleasure. Haue I resolued onely to do this while the hot faire Summer of bloming inriching prosperitie continu∣eth, and so soone as that cold stormie Winter, of pinching and pricking aduer∣sitie,

shall approach me to renounce my God, and turne my backe vpon his word & Sacraments, without the which he can∣not be found, he cannot be kept. Not so, not so, I hope ô my soule, a verie small thing comforted thee, yea, contented Ia∣cob: and shall not he who made all things, who giues all things, who commandeth all things, content thee; ô my soule? weighedst thou euer that 28. verse of the 45. of Genesis. And Israell said I haue enough, Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue, I will go and see him before I die. Shalt thou heare Iacob speaking thus, ô my soule, and shalt thou not crie out to the hearing of An∣gels and men, euen when thou art bereft with Iob of all earthly proppes and com∣forts, (if thou would not haue Iacob con∣demning thee euen to the lowest hells) I haue enough: God the Father my bles∣sed Maker, God the Sonne, my kindest Sauiour, God the holy Ghost my sweetest and surest sanctifier, comforter and kee∣per, is yet aliue; his matter I haue seene al∣readie by the eye of faith, in that glasse of the word, and mirrour of the Sacraments, in his chamber of presence beneath here, to my begunne life and comfort: and his

Maiestie I shall hereafter see in the spite of all opposition, and aduersaries face to face, to the perfect consummation of my begunne life, and comfort in that highest Pallace of that heauen of heauens for e∣uermore. Shall Paul account all blooming things, bitter things: all honouring things, shaming things: all enriching things, beggering things; all healing things wounding things: yea, life, death: and death, life: for the excellent know∣ledge of Iesus Christ his Sauiour. Yea, shall Paul well enlightened,* 1.6 and directed, hold this one Iesus for his sole and suffici∣ent treasure, and crie aloud, first, to the hearing of that Church of God at Phi∣lippi, and then to the hearing of all the world:* 1.7 Christ is to me, both in life and death aduantage. And shall not thou, ô my soule, heartfully content to be depriued of all things, to the end thou may be possessed with him; yea, content to want all other things, to the end thou haue him, and keepe him.

3. Our God, that Iudge of the world, and Father of his Church, cōmeth vnto

men by iudgements, by afflictions, by tentations.

SCripture telleth me, ô my soule, that our God, that iust iudge of the world, and that wise louing father of his Church, commeth to men by iudgements, by affli∣ctions, and by tentations. Iudgements being most rife, afflictions, being also common, tentations being most rare. Iudgements, as they are approued to af∣flictions, and tentations being layd vpon the wicked, Gods enimies: afflictions, and tentations, as they be taken properly, seasing onely vpon Gods children, and dearest seruants. Iudgements layed by God vpon the wicked his enemies, proceed from that fearefull spring of Gods hot consuming wrath; and being accompanied with that confounding spi∣rit of bondage, are layed vpon them for sinnes committed proudly against his Ma∣iestie, and are nothing else but forerun∣ners of that euerlasting wrath, vnder the which they shall lie in hell for euer. And their iudgements thus inflicted vpon the wicked, ô my soule, be neither profitable, nor honourable for them. For, what pro∣fite?

what honour, did Cain, Saul, and Iu∣das reape, by these iudgements which ouertooke them before men, and sent them afterwards to their owne places? The consideration whereof suffers me not to wonder, that when these iudge∣ments approached them they themselues proued their owne greatest enemies.* 1.8 The knowledge hereof moued Ambrose to say:* 1.9 Impius ipse sibi poena est.* 1.10 The wicked man himselfe is a scurge and punishment to him∣selfe. Affliction againe, being inflicted by God vpon his owne children, debars thē with the prodigall child from his wayes; and doth flow from the sweet wholesome fountaine of Gods fatherly wise loue, be∣ing accompanied with that Spirit of a∣doption, who is also that Spirit of sancti∣fication, by the which God their wise Fa∣ther, doth bring them to a sight and sense of their sinnes, to a sorrowing for their sinnes, yea, to a forsaking of them, making them turne homewards to him by repentance: and their afflictions be profitable to the child of God, albeit not honourable; for notwithstanding it was profitable for Dauid that he (falling in adulterie and murther) was afflicted as he* 1.11

himselfe most freely confesse, yet it was no wayes honourable to him. Also it was profitable for the prodigall child, that he was brought to extremitie after he had forsaken his fathers house, and wasted his goods with riotous liuing, (for there∣by God being mercifull with him, he was made to seeke homeward to his father.) The sense hereof moued Bernard to say: Si quid amaritudinis sentio in voce eius, non sine dulcedine est, quoniam cum iratus fuerit misericordiae recordabitur, im•• & ipsa indig∣natio non aliunde quam de misericordia est. If I perceiue any bitternesse in the speech of my God, it wants not his owne sweetnesse, for while he is angrie with me, he cannot but re∣member to be mercifull to me, yea, his verie anger flowes from nothing but from mercie. O would to God, that euerie man could speake and thinke, of the afflictions of the Saints, as that famous Father Augu∣stine was moued to thinke, and speake of them.* 1.12 Duos filios habit homo, alterum castigat, alterum dimittit; facit vnusmale & non corripitur a patre, alter mox vt se moue∣rit colaphis caeditur. Vnde ille dimittitur & iste caeditur, nonne quia huic coeli haereditas obseruatur, ille autem dimissus exhaereditatus

est. A man hath two sonnes, he correcteth the one, and ouerseeth the other. The one doth euill, and is not chastened by his father: the other, so soone as he begins to sturre, is cuffed by him. Now wherefore is the one ouer∣seene, and the other beaten: is it not because the inheritance is prepared for him, who is corrected; and he is disinherited who is ouer∣seene.* 1.13 O hearest thou not my Sauiour say∣ing to thee, ô my soule, As many as I loue I rebuke and chastise. Out of the sense whereof Paul can charge and resolue thee thus: My sonne despise not the chastenings of the Lord, neither faint when thou art re∣buked of him. For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth euerie sonne that he loueth: if ye endure chastenings, God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes. For what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not. If therefore ye be without correction whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sonnes. The sense hereof moued Augustine to say: Cum flagellat Deus filium currat sub manu patris flagellantis, quia quando flagellat ad haereditatem erudit, ad tempus emendat, non in aeternum damnat. Elige tibi temporalem vis laborem, an sem∣piternam poenam, temporalem felicitatem, an

aeternam vitam. Quid minatur Deus, sem∣piternam poenam; quid promittit Deus, sem∣piternam requiem. In quo flagellat Deus bo∣nos, temporale est: In quo parcit malis, tem∣porale est. When God scourgeth his sonne, let his sonne runne vnder the hand of his fa∣ther scurging him, because while he scurgeth him, he fits him for his inheritance, he a∣mends him for a while, he condemes him not for euer. Make thy choise, whither thou wilt vndergoe trouble for a time, or euerlasting paine; temporarie happinesse, or euerlasting life. Wherewith threatneth God thee ô man with euerlasting paine. What promiseth God vnto thee ô man? eternall rest. That wherein God correcteth his owne good children, is temporarie laying on them for a while; that wherein God spareth the wicked, is also tem∣porarie, continuing onely with them for as short a while. Tentations againe, ó my soule, for trials are layed by God vpon his dearest children, and speciall painfull faithfull seruants, euen while they through his speciall grace, are carefully studying to prouide for honest things, both before God and man. And so when with Enoch, Noah, and Abraham, they are walking before God, and amongst men holilie,

righteously, and soberly, abhorring to consent vnto euill, delighting to do well, and reioycing to suffer euen greatest ex∣tremitie for well doing. Now their ten∣tations do flow from y^t sweetest spring, of that feruant old loue wherewith our God loueth, and of that rarest account his Ma∣iestie maketh of these his dearest children and seruants, and of these singular graces mercifully bestowed by him, vpon them: and their tentations be layed by God vp∣pon his children, for the triall of these graces, yea, for the clearing and mani∣festing of them, yet no wayes vnto that God the onely giuer and keeper of them, who is perfectly acquainted with that measure of faith, of hope, of patience, wherewith he hath inriched his holy ones, but to themselues and others: to the end that his tempted child, and with him others who do see him, and heare tell of him, may perceiue how farre his God hath spiritually beautified and inriched his soule. Thus our God tempting Abra∣ham, euen while he was walking before him vprightly, commands him to offer vp his onely sonne Isaac whom he loued in a burnt offring to him,* 1.14 to the end, that

first Abraham himselfe, and then others might know what a measure of faith he had bestowed vpon Abraham. Thus our God to trie iust Iob,* 1.15 who was a man who feared God, and eschewed euill; bereft him of his whole goods, children, and health, his wife, friends, and seruants, in the meane time, prouing miserable com∣forters to him, and all to the end that with himselfe, others might know with what a measure of faith, hope, and pati∣ence, his God had blessed him. Thus our blessed wise God, tempting Dauid euen after he had annointed him to be King of Iudah and Israel by the hand of Samuel. had Saul the King so turned vpon him, that howbeit he slew Goliah, eased Saul by his Musicke, when the euill spirit troubled him, and married his daughter: yet he may not keepe the court, keepe his owne house, yea, find a cottage in all the holy land to hide himselfe in; but is compelled to flee to Achis King of Gath,* 1.16 and all to the end, that his wise, lo∣uing Father might make it knowne, first, to himselfe, and then to others, what store of grace lodged within his soule. The Apostles of Iesus are faithfully, aud busily

seruing their Maister, by preaching the Gospell sincerely,* 1.17 and freely: alwayes are they not hated, accused, imprisoned bea∣ten, yea, put to death for this their seruice? euer reioycing that they suffered such things and all to the end, that they them∣selues might know that it was not onely giuen to them, to beleeue in Iesus but to suffer for him. While spices abide whole in the merchants pocket, they remaine vnsauorie, but when they are put in the morter, and beaten with the pestle, all that be in the house do smell them. That prouerbe holdeth most true, Apis sine acu∣lio non mellificat. Bees without the sting make no honie. In the calme day of blooming prosperitie, can the graces of the Saints be knowne? alwayes let the pestle of ten∣tations seaze vpon them, their spices of faith, hope, and patience, shall be mani∣fested. Yea, howbeit while the child of God is not burthened with the sting of tentation, he appeare vnprofitable to o∣thers, and to himselfe: yet so soone as he beginnes to carrie this sting layed vpon him by his Father, he can make and bring forth wholesome honie, for the honour of his God, for the ioy of his owne soule

and for the benefite of others. Augustine saw this, and could write this most sweet∣ly, and truly, touching tentation. Omnes tentatio probatio est,* 1.18 & omnis probationis effectus habet suum fructum, quia homo ple∣rum{que} etiam sibi ignotus est, quid ferat, qui∣due nonferat, aliquando praesumit se posse ferre quod non potest, & aliquando desperat se posse ferre quod potest. Accedit tentatio, quasi interrogatio; & inuenitur homo a se ipso, quia latebat, & se ipsum, sed artificem non latebat. Euerie tentation is a triall, and the worke of euerie triall hath his owne fruite, because a man is euen oftentimes vnknowne to himselfe not knowne what he may endure, or what he may not endure. Now he presumes that he may endure that which he may not, and some∣times he despaires that he can endure that which he may endure, in this meane time in comes tentation as a question deman∣ding him and saying as it were what mayst thou suffer, what mayst thou not suffer? and hereupon the man is found out by him∣selfe, who knew not himselfe before, al∣beit before that he was not vnknowne to his maker. And againe, Perfectio nostra per tentationem fit, nec sibi quisquam innotes∣cit nisi tentatus, nec potest coronari nisi vicerit,

nec potest vincere nisi certauerit,* 1.19 nec potest certare, nisi inimicum, & tentationes habue∣rit. We are ledde forwards to perfection by tentation, neither is any man vnknowne to himselfe vnlesse he be tempted, neither can a man be crowned, vnlesse ••e ouercome, neither can he ouercome vnlesse he striue, neither can he striue, vnlesse he find an aduersarie and tentations. As their tentations are most rare, so they are not onely profitable, but honourable. Shall not all posteritie thinke, and speake honourably of Abrahams faith, considering he was readie at the voice of his God, to slay his onely sonne whom he loued,* 1.20 of whom God had said, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Shall not all po∣sterities thinke and speake honourably of Iob, who being bereft of all outward comfort; and enuironed, yea, filled with a verie sea of all extreame crosses and ten∣tations,* 1.21 could say and sing: The Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord.* 1.22 Thou speakest like a foolish w••man, shall we receiue good at the hands of God,* 1.23 and not receiue euill? Though he slay me yet shall I trust in him. I am sure that my Re∣deemer liueth, and that he shall stand the last on the earth, though after my skinne wormes

destroy this bodie,* 1.24 yet shall I see God in my flesh, whom I my selfe shall see, and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me. I know, ô my soule, that the Epicure can enlarge his heart to mirth and dalliance in the middest of his cups; but the tempted child of God, with the Apostles can dance for ioy, when they are imprisoned and beaten; yea, can not onely pray, but sing with Paul and Silas,* 1.25 when they are fast locked in the stockes. Therefore no wonder that we here Paul speake thus. We reioyce in tribulations,* 1.26 knowing that tri∣bulation bringeth forth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed; because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts,* 1.27 by the holy Ghost which is giuen to vs. Yea, this moued Iames thus to resolue vs. Count it exceeding great ioy when ye fall in diuerse tentations, knowing that the tryall of our faith bringeth forth patience, and let patience haue her per∣fect worke that we may be perfect and intire, lacking nothing. Blessed is the man that en∣dureth tentations, for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him. The sense hereof moued Cyprian to say.* 1.28 Cala∣mitates

non sunt offendicula sed praelia; nisi praecellerit pugna non potest esse victoria: hoc interest inter nos, & eos qui Deum ignorant quod illi in aduersis queruntur & murmu∣rant, nos aduersa non auocant a virtutis & fidei veritate. Troubles are not offences, but fightes; vnlesse the fight go before, the victo∣rie cannot follow: in this we differ from those that know not God, that while they complaine and murmor vnder aduersitie, no aduersitie can draw vs away from that truth which we constantly beleeue. The sense here of moued Iraeneus also thus to write.* 1.29 Interea dum hic sumus necessaria est pijs tribulatio vt contriti per patientiam & igniti apti sint ad conuiui∣um regis. Trouble is necessarie for the godly while they liue here, to the end that they be∣ing grinded and fried by patience may be fit for the banquet of the great King.

4. The child of God is alwayes rea∣die to suffer euill for well-doing, or for refusing to do euill, but he can no wayes consent to do euill either for losse or gaine.

HE who alledging himselfe to be the child of God, would proue himselfe

to be an Israelite indeed, must resolue to strengthen himselfe through the grace of his God, which is onely able to make him stand against the euill of affliction, and tentation with a great measure of faith, and rare patience: for he must alwayes be readie to suffer euill, and not to do euill. Pharoah by his taskemaisters withdrew from the dispersed Israelites that wanted straw which was furnished vnto them, & yet kept ouer their head their former tale of bricke alwayes: yet attempted the Israe∣lites Gods children to make any insur∣rection against these taskmaisters, execu∣tors of that bloudie decree, notwithstan∣ding they were many in number, or pres∣sed they by any secret plot to cut off that Pharoah by whom that bloudie and cruell decree was deuised and published? No, no; but yeelding to both, they runne vp and downe, gathering stubble in stead of straw, and the rest sit downe making as many bricke euerie day as possibly they could.* 1.30 I will euer loue a Samuel who can honour euerie wicked Saul before the people;* 1.31 but I will neuer loue a Re∣chab and Baanah who can come secretly into the house where their maister lyes

sleeping on his bed and smite him, slay him, and behead him. I will euer loue a Dauid whose heart will smite him if he cut off but the lappe of Sauls garment, and who resolued neuer to put his hand on the Lords annointed, albeit he had done him many wrongs; yea, had wronged Church had wronged common-wealth.* 1.32 But I will neuer loue an Athalia who dare cut off all the Kings Linage to make a roome for her selfe:* 1.33 neither a Bigtan, nor a Teres, who being keepers of the King of Persias chamber-doore, sought to slay him. But I shall euer loue a Mordecay who knowng such a conspiracie albeit he was a stran∣ger,* 1.34 cannot keepe it vp, but reueale it pre∣sently to the ouerthrow of the traitors, & safetie of the King. Alwayes thou must not wonder, ô my soule, that the child of God can thus behaue himselfe, for be∣ing no scholer to the false bloudie Iesuite, (who hath stolen from men that cleare lanterne of the booke of God and put in their hand the cutthroate lanterne of their owne traditions,) but being well taught of God his Maister out of the booke of truth, which cānot but direct man rightly, he is throughly resolued about the truth of

two grounds which alwayes stand infal∣lible. For first he knoweth, that vengance belongeth not vnto man, but vnto God; therefore out of a sense and reuerence of this, not daring attempt to detrude his God out of his chaire, and intrude him∣selfe in his Maiesties throne,* 1.35 he will not, yea, he dare not (being stayed by his conscience, enlightened with the lanterne of Gods truth) by his owne hand auenge himselfe. Againe well knoweth he, that the weake aduised child of God hauing his written word for his booke and lesson, dare not attempt to do that which is euill, to the end that good may come thereby; but that he must alwayes do that which his God commanded, and is commended by his God,* 1.36 referring euer the euent to his mercifull, wise, powerfull Maiestie: not being ignorant that God his Father will neuer accompanie any curse with his blessing, which is repugnant to his writ∣ten word, albeit it take some feete, and appeare to go on for a while. Yea, the child of God being strengthened from aboue, is alwayes readie to suffer for desi∣ring to do good, and for refusing to do euill. The three holy children cannot be

readie notwithstanding of Nebuchadne∣zars commandement to fall downe and worship that golden image which he had set vp: and yet they can be readie at the commandement of the said King to be cast in the hot firie furnace for refusing to worship it.* 1.37 Daniel can refuse to draw vp his suite for the space of three dayes to any besides the Persian King, notwithstan∣ding of the Kings decree,* 1.38 commanding him to do so; and yet he can be readie to go and enter within the denne of lions for refusing to obey it.* 1.39 The Apostles of Iesus can refuse to ceasse to preach to the people in the name of Iesus, albeit the Councell of Ierusalem charge them so: and yet they can reioyce to be beaten by the Councell for preaching vnto them in his name. The sense hereof moued Tatian to speake thus,* 1.40 ô my soule, Sirex iubet tributum pendere paretus sum, si Dominus seruire, seruitutem agnosco. Solum Deum si quis negare iubet non agnosco. If my King command me to pay tribute I am readie, if my Maister command me to serue him, I ac∣knowledge his seruice. But if any command me to denie my God him I will not know. And therefore it was wondrous well said of

old, Dicit tyrannus martiri pone ceruicem, ponit; dicit obserua missam, reculat: iubet ire in vincula, it; & iubet adorare sanctos, negat: Impia facere reculat, iniqua facere non recu∣lat. The tyrant saith to the martyr of God, lay downe thy necke, he layeth it downe; he commands him to go to Masse, that he re∣fuseth: he chargeth him to go to prison and bands, he goeth; he commands him to worship the Saints, that he refuseth: wicked things he refuseth to do, vniust troubles he refuseth not to suffer. Were this considered, ô my soule, many who be thought to be obedi∣ent and loyall subiects, should be found to be rebels, and many who be counted to be disobedient seruants, yea, grosse traitors, should proue to be true seruants, not onely to inferior Iudges, but also to that King of kings, who is that sole great law-giuer; who hath onely power to saue and to destroy.

5. Behold that fountaine out of the which prosperitie and aduersitie do flow with that vse the wise child of God ma∣keth of them when he looketh on this fountaine.

VVHen shall I begin, ô my soule, to profit aright, by spirituall and temporarie prosperitie, by inward and outward aduersitie? either when the hand of God is lying heauie and sad vpon me, or when it is afarre off shaken on me, tel∣ling me that it is drawing neere me? Oh my soule, here I must assure thee from the blessed true mouth of that God who can deceiue none, that that monstrous moun∣taine Inconsideration, blinding the eyes of thy vnderstanding, is that onely chiefe thing whereby that subtle enemie trauel∣leth to hinder, and doth hinder the soule of man from profiting to saluation, by prosperitie, by aduersitie. Thou canst tell me, ô my soule, what I haue, but canst thou tell me from whom and for whom I haue that which I haue, and so canst thou tel me first how thou shouldst vse thy selfe, who hath that which thou hast, to∣wards him, for whom and from whom thou hast it. Secondly, canst thou tell me how thou shouldst imploy & bestow that which thou hast from him and for him. A∣gaine, in the day hast thou seene and felt, or foreseene sharpe tentations and trou∣bles? thou canst tell me, ô my soule, what

is that which lieth vpon thee, what is that thou fearest shall light vpon thee? but canst thou tell me whose hand layed that vpon thee, which lyeth on thee; where∣fore was that layed on thee, which lyeth on thee; and what thou mightest assuredly expect if thou hadst grace thus to carrie thy selfe? Oh, ô my soule, when shall men haue their eyes enlightened, to see that heauenly rich treasure which is to be found in these foure Scriptures, which may serue as eye-salue, to cure thy spiritu∣all blindnesse, and to free thee of that al∣ledged monstrous mountaine, Inconsidera∣tion. One of them penned by Isaiah in his 45. Chapter, and by Amos in his 3. The second penned by Ieremie in the 3. of his Lamentations. The third by Hosea in his 5. and the fourth by Isaiah in his 1. Chap∣ter. Also thy God, ô my soule, by the mouth of Isaiah, in the 7. verse of his 47. Chapter saith: I forme the light and create darkenesse; I make peace and create euill. A∣mos in the 6. verse of his 3. Chapter saith. Shall there be euill in the Citie, and the Lord hath not done i••? Ieremie in the 39. verse of his Lamentations saith. Man suffer∣eth for his sinne. Hosea in his 14. and 15.

verses of his 5. Chapter bringeth in our God speaking thus. I will spoile and go a∣way, and none shall rescue it, I will go and turne to my place, till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me. In their afflictions, they will seeke me diligently. Isaiah in the 19. and 20. verses of his 1. Chapter, bringeth in the Lord saying. If ye consent and obey, ye shall eate the good things of the land: but if ye refuse and be rebellious, ye shall be deuou∣red by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Euen the mouth of that Lord, ô my soule, who can falsifie no promise made to them that feare him, and who can as easily execute iudgement as he doth threaten iudgement against those who abuse him. Now, ô my soule, what if men, inioying peace, and good things spirituall, temporarie, had eyes to see that they had that peace, and these good things of God, and for God; ô what would the sense hereof put vndoubtedly out of their hearts, banish strongly from their hearts, breed and conceiue happily in their hearts. Beleeue me, ô my soule, the true sense hereof would put vn∣doubtedly out of, and banish strongly from that garden of the heart of Gods

child, two most fearefull euill weedes, (as we speake, whereeuer they enter and remaine for any space) too well: alas, To wit, Pride the diuells sinne, and Secu∣ritie, the proud mans snare. The sense hereof would put out and banish Pride the diuells sinne, out of the heart of Gods child, neither suffer him looking on the shining spirituall estate of his soule, well beautified, and inriched with spiritu∣all graces: neither permitting him, be∣holding his outward blooming condi∣tion, by reason of his estate of his bodie, and goods, to lift vp himselfe, either a∣gainst his God, the giuer of all these, or against his neighbour (not so liberally delt with) for whose benefite he must know that these things were bestowed on him. The sense of this would put out and banish Securitie, the proud mans snare from the heart of Gods child, not suffering him with these foolish Israelites, first, to set vp a golden calfe to himselfe, and there after banquet delicately, and to play merily before it; till wrath come from God turning their vntimely & vn∣thākfull mirth, vnto fearefull bitter mour∣ning, nor suffering him strongly, yet se∣cure

Sampson,* 1.41 to lie sleeping vpon the knees of Dalilah, till the seuen lockes of his head are shauen off, and so his God being moued to depart from him, he be first taken, and thereafter be fully abused and mocked by these vncircumcised Phi∣listins, whom he had subdued before va∣liantly. The sense hereof would breed and conserue in that garden of the heart of Gods child, fiue most pleasant, sweet and holesome herbes. Humilitie, Charitie, Diligence, Thankfulnesse, and Feare, Humilitie, considering that he hath no∣thing but that which he hath receiued,* 1.42 and this could not but affright him from bragging of that which he had, as if he had not receiued it. Charitie, making him to employ that which he hath for the good of others, considering that he is not Lord of that which he hath, but a steward onely; who one day must giue an account to that Lord, who hath sent him all he hath. Diligence, making him painfull to trauell by these good things of God, to glorifie his God, the giuer of them, through the right vsing of his gifts; yea, by in∣creasing them, lest in the day of recko∣koning

(he hauing put Gods money to the exchangers) haue that one talent which he had taken from him, and giuen to him that had ten.* 1.43 Thankfulnesse, stir∣ring vp the child of God, (led by the cord of the gifts towards the giue••) wise∣ly to cast one of his eyes vpon himselfe, beholding how naked and poore he is in Adam, how miserable and wretched a spectacle he is, and at length could not but haue proued in the eyes of Angels, and men by reason of that nakednesse and pouertie; and to cast his other eye vpon his God, and these graces and benefites, freely without merit, beside merite, contrarie to all merites, his Ma∣iestie hath inriched him with; and out of this sight and sense, the child of God, ô my soule, is moued from his heart, and with his whole behauiour, to blesse and to glorifie his God for them: crying e∣uen aloud before Angels and men with Dauid:* 1.44 What shall I render to the Lord, for all his benefites are aboue me? I will take the cup of saluation, and call vpon the name of the Lord, euen now in presence of all his people. Feare, making the child of God inriched, and busied as is said, with the

good things of God his Father, conside∣ring Satan his policie, and strength, and his owne simplicitie, and weakenesse: not to play himselfe with these good things of God, but to tremble while he inioyes them, loath to lose his humilitie, and be∣come proud; his charitie, and turne if not a bloudie oppressor, yet a vile self-louer; his diligence, and proue secure; his thank∣fulnesse, and shew himselfe both forget∣full of, and vngratefull vnto, that God who hath bene freely, and aboundantly liberall vnto him. The sense of this moued the Spirit thus to counsell the child of God:* 1.45 Serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce in trembling,* 1.46 thou standest by faith, be not high∣minded but feare: make an end of your salua∣tion in feare and trembling.* 1.47 Againe, ô my soule, what if men lying vnder any seene sharpe crosse or affliction, had eyes to see y^t the hand of God had layed that on them which lieth on them, and that his Ma∣iestie had layed on that his hand for their sinnes: Yea, that he had done this to the end, that he might draw them as it were by a certaine violence, turning their backe vpon their sinnes to seeke homewards to him, by vnfained repentance? and if that

they could thus seeke home to him, they should both find comfort vnder y^t crosse, able to sweeten it to them till the day of their deliuerie should come, and in the end be fully freed of it. Would not the sense of this put vndoubtedly out of the heart of Gods child, and banish strongly from it, three most noysome, yet common weeds, and breed and conserue happily in it fiue most sweet and holesome herbes, making Gods child pleasant in the eyes, and sauorie of the nostriles of God his Father. Can I, ô my soule, possibly see that all my crosses (who euer be the instrument, whatsoeuer be the meanes by the which they be brought towards me) comes from no hand, but from the hand of my God, for my sinnes; and that to pull me from my sinnes towards my God, to the effect that in the end, it may go well with me; vnlesse my heart be freed from three weeds, kept from three weeds diuelish and fearefull. My heart must be freed from the weede of murmuring impati∣ence, from the weede of furious and cruell vengeance, and from that fearefull poyso∣ning, yea, slaying weede, of comfortlesse despaire; especially when thy crosses be

manie be sharpe and with this do lie long on me. Dauids eyes being somewhat blinded, not perceiuing by whom the mouth of Nabal was opened against him, can giue place to these two fearefull weeds, Impatieuce, and Reuenge; admit∣ting them to enter in the garden of his heart, and being led by them moue him to crie out; so, and more also do God vnto the enemies of Dauid,* 1.48 for surely I will not leaue of all that he hath, by the dawning of the day, any that pisseth against the wall. Alwayes this same Dauid, hauing his eyes happily annointed with that clearing cleane eye-salue, that Amen, that faith∣full and true witnesse,* 1.49 the beginning of the creatures of God, propines Gods elect with; and so seeing clearely by whom the mouth of Shimei was opened to curse him, and his cruell hands armed with stones (as if he had bene some dogge and not a man, much lesse a King) in his con∣trarie; cas••ing out, and holding out these two fearefull weedes, Impatience, and Reuenge say:* 1.50 He curseth euen because the Lord hath had him curse Dauid, who shall then say wherefore hast thou done so? fie vp∣pon thee, fie vpon thee, ô King of Israell,

darke was that schoole in which thou wast brought vp; for while Samaria is besiedged by Aram, and left to that slaying sword of famine, canst thou crie out desperatly:* 1.51 This euill cometh of the Lord, should I attend the Lord any lon∣ger. Where thou shouldst haue vttered the flat contrarie thus: This euill cometh of the Lord, therefore I will attend on him constantly, and seeke home to him by re∣pentance betimes, till this euill which is from him iustly, for mine, and his peoples many sinnes, be remoued by him, from me, and from them most gratiously. O what glorious light did shine aboundant∣ly in that schoole, wherein iust Iob (whom God is not afflicting for sinne, but trying for the manifestation of his graces) was happily brought vp? for when he hath nothing left vnto him but his life, being depriued of all his substance, of all his children, of health, and enuironed with a world of inwa••d and outward griefes; he can see it was not the hand of the diuell, it was not the hand of man, yea, it was not neither wind nor fire, which had de∣priued him of all his good things, which had enuironed him with all these euill

things, but the good hand of his good God, and therefore he can out of patience say vnto his God: the Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath taken;* 1.52 say vnto his wife touching his God and his crosse which was from God;* 1.53 Shall we receiue good at the hands of God, and not receiue euill? And so Iob seeing farre better then the blind King of Israel saw, could see clearely, that which Bernard afterwards confessed free∣ly:* 1.54 Nihil aduersus nos malignus spiritus po∣test, nisi missus, aut permissus, vnde cum eius voluntas sit semper mala, nuuquam potest esse nisi iusta; nam voluntas mala ex se ipsa sibi inest: potestatem autem aliunde quam a Deo non habet, quam potestatem sēper moderatur Deus. That wicked spirit hath no power ouer vs, but either being sent, or suffered; whereof it commeth: that while his will is euer wicked, his power is neuer but iust; for his euill will which is from himselfe, is in himselfe; but he hath no power at all, but from God; the which power our God doth alwayes moderate, and gouerne to a good end. Besides this, ô my soule, the sense hereof breedeth and con∣serueth in the heart of Gods child: fiue most pleasant sweet and wholesome herbes: euen Humilitie, Patience, Repen∣tance,

Thankfulnesse, and Confidence. It breedeth iointly Humilitie, Patience, and Repentance: for can the well reformed child of God possibly see, that no hand beside the hand of God his Father is lying on him, and that not vniustly, but iustly, euen because by sinne he hath prouoked him to wrath, and yet that notwithstan∣ding of his sinnes, this his hand is layed on him, and suffered to lie on him, not to vndoe him, but to winne him; not to driue him from him, but to draw him to him: and not be moued to shew him∣selfe before his God, & among men hum∣ble, patient, and penitent. The sense hereof moued Ieremie thus to cōplaine vpon the sinful man,* 1.55 to the sinfull man▪ Wherof is the liuing man sorrowful? man suffereth for his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Yea this made Ieremie in that same place to speake thus, touching the humble, pa∣tient and penitent sinner: He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, he putteth his mouth in the dust, he giueth his cheekes to them that smiteth him. Yea, the sense hereof opened the mouth of that thiefe, who was cruci∣fied on the right hand of our Maister, thus to reproue the other, crucified on his left side, when he durst attempt to reuile that

holy one:* 1.56 Fearest thou not God, seeing we are in that same condemnation, we are indeed righteouslie here, for we receiue things wor∣thie of that we haue done, but this man hath done nothing amisse. Shall not old Eli, ô my soule, who liued vnder the darke sha∣dowes of the law, condemne, in that great day, a very world, liuing and giuing them∣selues forth for Gods children, vnder this our shining Sunne of the Gospell? Samuel hath told Eli very hard newes from the mouth of God:* 1.57 Behold I will do a thing in Israel, whereof whosoeuer shall heare, his two eares shall tingle. In that day I will raise vp a∣gainst Eli all things which I haue spoken con∣cerning his house; when I begin, I will also make an end. I will iudge his house for euer, for the iniquitie which he knoweth, because his sonnes ranne to a slaunder and he stayed them not: I haue sworne vnto the house of Eli, that the wickednesse of Eli his house shall not be purged with sacrifice, nor with offering for e∣uer. And yet when these bitter things are brought from the mouth of God to old Eli his eare, by the ministerie of a yong one; his heart knowing, louing, and fea∣ring that God who sent him; can proue so humble, so patient, so penitent, that he

can answer most meekly, offering his checkes most willingly to his smiter: It is the Lord,* 1.58 let him do what seemeth him good. O religious king Ezekiah, shall not thy humble patience and repentance, when thou art sharpely threatned by thy God, speaking to thee by the mouth of Isaiah, condemne the pride, the impatiencie, and the obstinacie of a great many, not kings onely, but base men, in these our dayes crossed, and threatned with the crosse. Ezekiah hath ouerseene himselfe, in shew∣ing to the Ambassadours of the king of Babel all that was in his house, and in his treasure, for this cause he must heare that sharpe Sermon brought to his eares: Heare the word of the Lord of hostes,* 1.59 behold the dayes come that all that is in thy house, & which thy fathers have layed vp in store to this day, shall be carried to Babel, nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sonnes which shall proceed out of thee, and which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be Eunuches in the palace of the king of Ba∣bel. But how is this bitter Sermon heard, and accepted by him? Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, vnto that brought vnto thy eares by the eight vers. of the 39. of Isaiah,

Then said Ezekiah vnto Isaiah, the word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken. O admirable humilitie, patience, and repen∣tance, worthy to be considered grauely, and imitated carefully, by all kings and subiects; who with Ezekiah would after their labours here, rest, and reigne kings with that King of kings for euer. Shall Nazianzene aduise me, ô my soule, louing∣ly to reuerence and embrace the admoni∣tion and correction of a iust man: A viro iusto castigari praestat, quam vngi ab impro∣bo: illius enim asperitas propter asperitatem suauis est, huius autem benignitas quoque suspecta. It is better to be chastened with sharpe whips by a iust man, then to be annoin∣ted with soft and sauourie oyle by a wicked man: for the sharpnesse of a iust man his strokes is pleasant, because of the benefit which commeth by them, but euen the libera∣lity and courtesie of the other is to be suspected. And should not I, ô my soule, be content much more to be corrected at the hand of my God, who is iustice and goodnesse it selfe? The sense hereof breedeth also, and conserueth in the heart of Gods child, that pleasant, sweet, and wholsome herbe of heauenly thankfulnesse, making

Gods child not onely to be humble, to be patient, to be penitent vnder the crosse, but also thankfull for the crosse. Yea, yea, ô soule, Gods afflicted child, can euen from his very heart, both with his heart & with his voyce, chearfully thanke the Lord his God for his crosses layed on him; and no wonder that he do so, he be∣ing well acquainted with that fountaine out of the which his afflictions flown; with that proclamation his afflictions sounds in his eares, and conueyes to his heart; and with that fruite they bring forth at length to him. The afflictions of Gods child flow from the sweetest fountaine of God his fatherly loue, for as our God correcteth not where he hateth, so he forgetteth not to correct where he loueth. And therefore the Angell of the Church of Laodicea must heare this spoken vnto him:* 1.60 As many as I loue, I rebuke and chasten. Yea the A∣postle must tell the Hebrewes,* 1.61 Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth. Pleasant and profitable is that proclamation, the affli∣cations of the children of God soundeth in their eares, and conueyeth to their hearts. Considerest thou euer, ô my soule,

that golden rich oracle brought to thy eares by the seuenth and eight verses of the 12. to the Hebrewes. If ye induce cha∣stening, God offereth himselfe vnto you, as vnto sonnes, what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not? if therefore ye be without cor∣rection, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sonnes. The sense hereof moued Bernard to say: Si Deus tecum non adest per gratiam, adest per vindictam, sed vae tibi si ita tecum est, imò vae tibi si ita tecum non adest; illi namque irascitur Deus, quem peccantem non flagellat: nam quem flagellando non emendat in futura damnat. If God be not with thee by his grace, he is with thee by reuenge, but woe to thee if he be that way with thee, yea woe to thee if he be not that way with thee; for God is highly offended with that man whom he scourgeth not when he sinnes against him: for whom God amends not here by correcting of him, that man he damnes hereafter. While I am lying then vnder any crosse, were it neuer so sharpe, were it neuer so tedious, what would my God sound by it in thy eares, ô my soule, Surely this would he sound by it, and nothing but this: Thou art no bastard, (who hath no title to his fathers inheritance, and who

it at length to be thrust out of his fathers doores, albeit he be furnished for some dayes with meate, drinke, and clothed within it) but thou art my owne well be∣gotten, and well beloued sonne, through my onely naturall Sonne Iesus, in whom I am well pleased, whom I am to keepe with my selfe for euer: yea, whom I am to make heire of all that I haue. But, ô my soule, what fruite at length doth the af∣flictions of Gods Saints bring forth? lift vp thy eyes, and behold I pray thee that pleasant, plentious, and most profitable haruest, produced by them, and offered to thy view by the 11. verse of the 12. Chap. to the Hebrewes. No chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous, but grie∣uous, but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to those who be therby exercised. Shall the sicke or woun∣ded patient, not onely be readie by words to thanke, but according to his abilitie, by deeds to reward that Physitian who pre∣sents to his mouth potions which be bit∣ter to his taste, and repugnant to his na∣turall appetite, prouiding that they do cure him. And that Chirurgion who doth launce him to the effusion of his bloud;

yea, who doth cut his flesh in peeces, pro∣uiding in the meane time he be either kept from that disease he feared, or freed of that greater or longer paine he could but haue layen vnder? and should not the child of God, knowing his afflictions to be speciall tokens of Gods loue towards him; yea, to be those forcible meanes; whereby he is diuourced from that stin∣king whoore of sin, by the which he was snared; yea, to be very medicines where∣by his soule is preserued, and deliuered from the deadly sicknesse of sinne, and be brought home to his blessed Father, tra∣uelling afterwards to haue himselfe made holy as God his Father is holy. The sense hereof moued Dauid to make that nota∣ble confession:* 1.62 It is good for me that I haue bene afflicted, that I may learne thy statutes. This moued the Apostle thus to informe vs: We haue had the fathers of our bodie which corrected vs and we gaue them reue∣rence; should we not much more be in sub∣iection to the Father of spirits that we might liue: for they verily for a few dayes chastened vs after their owne pleasures,* 1.63 but he chasteneth vs for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holinesse. Finally the sense

hereof breeds and conserues in the heart of Gods child Confidence; neither suffe∣ring him with the Israelites to murmure against his God, as if there were some wrong done to him; neither with Saul to despaire as one altogether cast off from God: but making him leasurely awaiting vpon his God, to possesse his soule in pati∣ence; being assured that his God will find out a time, in the which, and meanes, by the which, he shall be deliuered. And therefore as God his afflicted child, ca∣sting himselfe willingly vnder the hand of God his Father correcting him, can cry with Dauid,* 1.64 Behold my sonne which came out of my owne bellie seeketh my life, then how much more may this sonne of Iemini, suffer him to curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. So not despairing, but putting his confi∣dence in his God, when his hand is lying heauie vpon him, and striking him sore, he can crie with this same Dauid, It may be the Lord will looke vpon my affliction, and do me good for his cursing this day. I am afflicted then, ô my soule, let me beware of mur∣muring, impatience, of cruell raging, and furious reuenge, and of destroying com∣fortlesse despaire. Yea, let me bring forth

humilitie, patience, repentance, thankful∣nesse, and confidence; seeing not onely prosperitie commeth from my God, but aduersitie also: yea, seeing my God is not onely my friend and Father, when he gi∣ueth and crowneth, but also when he ta∣keth and crosseth. The sense hereof moued Augustine to crie out with ioy:* 1.65 Quid non misericorditer praestatur hominibus à Domi∣no Deo à quo etiam tribulatio beneficium est; nam res prospera donum est consolantis, res aduersa donum est admonentis Dei. What▪ ô man is▪ not mercifully giuen by the Lord our God vnto men, from whom euen affliction is a benefit; for prosperous things be the gifts of God comforting men, and aduersitie the gift of God admonishing and warning them. Yea, the sense hereof mooued Bernard to say: Nulla nocebit aduersitas,* 1.66 si non dominetur iniquitas. No aduersitie can possibly annoy thee, if iniquitie domineere not ouer thee.

6. Sinne is the onely thing which se∣parateth man from God, and maketh God misknow and denie man.

AM I lying, ô my soule, vnder any presently felt, or foreseene feared

trouble, and yet neither comforted vnder this my trouble, neither deliuered nor thē kept from that I feele, from that I feare. Attempt not to challenge that Almighty, that al-sufficient Maiestie, either of impo∣tencie and weaknesse, or of vnrighteous∣nesse and rigour, but see that thou accuse thy selfe, conuict thy selfe for sinne and iniquitie; for that golden Axiome shall e∣uer abide inuiolably true, sounded by that herauld of God Isaiah, not without any noyse going before it, proclaiming, with the truth, the excellencie and worthinesse of it:* 1.67 Behold the Lord his hand is not shorte∣ned that it cannot saue, neither is his eare hea∣uie that it cannot heare, but your iniquities haue separated betwixt you and your God, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you. And so I must haue thee, ô my soule, suffe∣ring thy selfe to be resolued, that that long and strong hand of God is neither put vp in his bosome, and so stayed from helping of thee in the day of thy need, nor put forth against thee, to strike thee. And with this, that his eare is not closed vp from thy grones and prayers, till thou by sinne haue separate thy selfe from his Maiestie, and thereby haue depriued thy selfe of

that helpe, his hand otherwayes should haue made thee; and of that comfort thou shouldest haue found from his hearing eare. Tell me, tell me, ô my soule, if thou canst, how name •• thou him, or her, to whom euer that blessed God failed: first, I trow these first sinners, my grand-father and mother failed to their God before he failed to them. I thinke that second sinner Cain depriued himselfe of Gods helpe and comfort by a most cruell vnnaturall murther, before either Gods mouth was opened, or hand armed against him. If these of the first world, who perished by the floud were alone, sure I am they would confesse this to be true. If these inhabi∣tants of Ierusalem who fel vnder the king of Babel, and of the Romanes were aliue, they could not denie this. Alwayes here, ô my soule, I will pray thee grauely to consider one point; wouldst thou haue thy God comming to thee, or darest thou thinke that he will come vnto thee when thou thinkest that he should come to thee, and as thou dreamest that he may come to thee? No, no, thou must vnder∣stand, ô my soule, that God will not come vnto thee, but as he hath promised to

come vnto his owne, and as his owne haue found him to come vnto them. Thou mayest thinke, ô my soule, that God will come vnto thee when any thing troubles thee, to pitie, to comfort, yea, to deliuer thee; albeit thou in the meane time stay from him, going on in thy former and present sinnes, yea adding new sinnes to old sinnes, and grosse sinnes to lesse sins. Alwayes thou must know, ô my soule, that it cannot be so, that it ought not be so. Hearest thou not thy God speaking thus to Abraham,* 1.68 I am thy God al-sufficient, walke thou before me, and be thou vpright. Thus not onely shewing Abraham what a God and Maister he will be vnto him, but telling Abraham what a sonne and seruant he must prooue to his Maiestie againe. Speakes not Dauid thus to thee touching thy God:* 1.69 With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly, with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright: with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure, and with the forward thou wilt shew thy selfe forward. And againe. The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous, and his eares are open to his crie:* 1.70 but the face of the Lord is against them that do euill, to cut off their remembrance from the earth. Oh

when shall that question and answer made by Isaiah be taken to heart by the made professors of this time: Who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire?* 1.71 who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings? He that walketh in iustice, and speaketh vpright things, refusing gaine of oppression, shaking his hands from taking of gifts, stopping his eares from hearing of bloud, and shutting his eyes from seeing of euill, he shall dwell on high, his defence shall be the munition of rockes, bread shall be giuen him, and his water shall be sweet. Draw neare & hearken, ô my soule, neuer shall I thinke vpon that oracle sounded by Isaiah alreadie alledged here, (Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot saue, neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare, but your iniquities haue sepa∣rate betwixt you and your God, and your sins haue hid his face from you) but alas, oft I shall crie out to the hearing of God, An∣gels and men: ô the fearefull vglinesse of sinne, the vnspeakable hurt comes to man by iniquitie! Woe is my soule, that euer man was infected with sinne, and ô would to God that all men were quite of iniqui∣tie. But wherefore alledge I, ô my soule, that sinne is a fearefull vglie thing, and

wherfore out of this sense of sinne lament I, that euer man was infected with it, and wish I that all men were rid of it? Iniquity and sinne, saith Isaiah, is that onely partition-wall which diuideth betwixt God and man: and so that sole and foule abhominable adulterie, whereby that marriage, bound vp betwixt God & man, is disanulled, and made voide; so that, as a religious gene∣rous husband cannot looke vpon his wife when she hath defiled his bed; our blessed God, holinesse, wisedome, and courage it selfe, cannot abide that soule which da∣reth attempt by sinne to abuse him. What Gentleman hauing nothing (as we speak) but his horse and saddle, being married to some Gentlewoman, may spend by yeare fiue or sixe thousand markes, kindly in the meane time entertaining him, and proui∣ding him of all things requisite for his ne∣cessitie and pleasure, will wittingly and willingly (his bedfellow being wise and of any spirit as we say) commit adulterie in the open fields, to the sight of men of conscience and credit, knowing that his wife will then easily by diuorcement quit her selfe of him, and send him backe to his wonted miserie. And yet, alas, is man

(married by God to God) feareth not in close corners onely, but euen in the pub∣licke streetes as it were, yea, and in the very open fields to commit spirituall adul∣teries, to the sight of Angels and men, a∣gainst that blessed God: here running with speed after that sinne, there commit∣ting with greedinesse another sinne, albe∣it neuer gentlewoman found a man so bare (as we say) when she married him, as our God found vs, all and euery one of vs when he married vs O Ezekiel tell me what was our estate when our God mar∣ried vs. Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite, thy nauell was not cut, thou wast not washed with water to soften thee, thou was not salted in salt, nor swadled in clouts, no eye pittied thee to do these things to thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field to the contempt of thy person, in the day that thou wast borne: and when I passed by thee, I saw thee polluted in thy owne bloud,* 1.72 I said vnto thee, when thou wast in thy bloud thou shalt liue. Euen when thou wast in thy bloud I said vnto thee thou shalt liue. O Paul hast thou any more to say to this purpose, yes, yes, for he tels me that when

our God married vs, we were all dead in sinnes and trespasses, walking according to the course of this world, and after the prince which ruleth in the aire,* 1.73 euen the spirit which now worke••h in the children of disobedience. Beside this, ô my soule, neuer shall I call to minde that sentence sounded in the eares of Moses by my God, Exod. 32. and 7. Thy people whom thou hast brought from the land of Egypt haue corrup∣ted their wayes, and compare it with that speech spoken by that same God to this Moses touching the same people:* 1.74 Israel is my sonne, euen my first borne. But of new againe I must crie out, ô the vilenesse of sinne, ô the hurt cometh to man by sinne! Sinne is so vile before God, sinne is so hurtfull to man, that it can make our God do that, which nothing beside sinne can possibly make him to do. And what is that I pray thee, ô my soule, consider it, consi∣der it, for Iesus sake I beseech thee, ô my dearest soule, as thou louest thy selfe and me: feare at Moses speaking to thee by that alledged Scripture, and he will tell thee, that sinne is that which maketh our God misknow his child, deny his child; albeit nothing beside this vile sinne, can

make his Maiestie rather misknow or de∣ny him▪ for I must tel thee, ô my soule, were thy estate neuer so miserable to the eyes, & in the iudgement of men, as long as my heart resetteth not sin with greedinesse, God will not misknow me, God will not denie me.* 1.75 Were I seruing a cruell Laban farre from father and mother with Iacob. Were I working in clay not like a man,* 1.76 but like a beast, hauing my fee••e, my hands, my armes, and face so couered with filthy mudde, that none of my acquaintāce could take me for the man I am, with the Israelites in Egypt; were I cast out of my house by oppression; or through pouertie, or sicknesse, to lie vpon some dunghill, or vnder some open staire with Iob;* 1.77 yea, were I couered from top to toe with boyles as Lazarus was, hauing none among men to visite me;* 1.78 my God can know me for his owne, and can gratiously keepe my soule by his Spirit, and attend my bodie by his Angels, in the meane time reprouing greater, and smaller men, yea, euen Kings for me when they abuse me. Onely if I loue sinne, if I commit sinne with delight,* 1.79 will he misknow me, will he denie me. Cain Adams eldest

sonne, and so the Prince of the whole world, alwayes is he not cast out from the presence of God, when defyling his fin∣gers with his brothers bloud, he dare meddle with sinne his deadly enemie. Cham is carefully kept, by the Lord our God, in the Arke with Noah his father, and Sem and Iaphet his brethren. Al∣wayes is he not afterwards euen cursed by that God who sometime kept him? and all because medling with sinne, (which had destroyed the whole world before him) he dare mocke his religious old father. Saul of a begger is made a King by God: alwayes, when Saul dare lift vp himselfe against that Maiestie, who had cloathed him with Maiestie, who had treaden vn∣der his feete, Church and policie, by ma∣king his owne will the rule of his doing; is not Saul of a King ruling euen ouer Israel, God his eldest Sonne, made a slaue to be ouerruled by the diuell for euer∣more. Iesus that Lord of glorie by whom the world was made, comming into the world to saue the world, will assume to himselfe 12. men to be witnesses of these things he spake, and suffered; Iudas Is∣cariot must not onely be one of them, but

must carrie the bag, and beare that which was giuen.* 1.80 Alwayes, when he dare proue a thiefe and be content to lose a Sauiour for some siluer (as, alas, too many do) first, Sa∣tan must enter within him, and afterwards he must enter in hell, there to abide with Satan for euermore.* 1.81 Wilt thou not then, ô my soule, but delay and with all thy strength arme thy selfe against sinne, which onely armeth God against thee? Wilt thou not misknow sinne altogether, neither lending a looke to it when it drawes neare vnto thee, neither giuing an eare to it when it speaketh to thee, nei∣ther denying it with an answer, when it beginneth sweetly to flatter thee, or lo∣uingly to embrace thee, except it be with a disdaining answer thus: go behinde me Satan? Seeing sinne is the onely thing ma∣keth God to misknow thee, yea, to denie thee. And in a word, ô my soule, wilt thou not rather lay downe thy necke to the axe, then lift vp thy heart against thy will by committing of sinne; seeing sinne is the onely thing which cannot suffer his Maiestie to lift thee vpward towards the highest heauens, where in his presence there is fulnesse of ioy, and at his right

hand pleasures for euermore;* 1.82 and which cannot but cause him to throw thee downe towards the lowest hells, out of the which there is no redemption; not∣withstanding that worme which biteth there,* 1.83 shall neuer die, neither that fire which burneth there shall euer be quen∣ched?* 1.84 The sense hereof moued Bernard thus to aduise one of his speciall bre∣thren. O homo Dei, ne trepides exuere homi∣nem illum qui de terraest, & conatur depri∣mere vsque ad inferos: iste est qui de terra est qui vexat, qui onerat, qui oppugnat. O man of God be not affrayed to shake off that man which is from the earth, euen that man which presseth thee downe to the earth, and labours to presse thee downe euen to the verie helles: that is that man which vexeth thee, which burthens thee, which vi∣siteth and fightest against thee.

7. As man from the earth, maketh God to heare and see: so shall God make man at length to heare, to see, and to feele.

WO is me, wo is me, ô my soule, that I should heare my

God thus speaking vnto Moses touching his Israel. Let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot against them, for I will surely con∣sume them. Sure I am, ô my soule, would a man (sensible of God) compare that re∣solution taken by our God against Israel heere, with that resolution taken by his Maiestie about them in the 8. verse of the 3. of Exodus; it will draw some heauie groanes out of his heart, and some bitter teares out of his eyes. Speakes not our God Exodus, 3. 8. thus vnto Moses. I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians & to bring them out of that land into a good land and a large: and saith not the same God vnto the same Moses touching the same Israel Exodus 32. 10. I will consume them.* 1.85 O what an alteration, ye, ô what a fearefull change, ô what a fearefull alteration? Surely, surely, could this change be well considered, it would assuredly confound men, and make them to stand amazed. Whereof alwayes comes this, ô my soule? for sure I am with Abraham that the Iudge of the world cannot do but right. Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, I pray thee: there is not a greater difference betwixt that reso∣lution

taken by our God concerning Isra∣el, Exodus 3. 8. and that he takes concer∣ning them, Exodus 32. 10. then there is betwixt that sight our God saw when he looked on them, Exodus 3. and that sight he saw when he looked on them, Exodus 32. Yea, sure I am there is not a greater difference betweene the one resolution and the other, then there is betwixt that noyse our God hearkening vnto Israel Exod. 3. heard, and that to one, his Ma∣iestie hearkening vnto him, Exod. 32. heard. In the 3. of Exodus our God looking vpon Israel, sees their oppression and trouble. In the 32. of Exodus our God looking on him sees a molten calfe made by them, worshipped by them, sacrificed vnto, by them. In the third of Exodus our God hearkning to Israel, heares the tune and sound of their bitter cries and groanes, because of their fierce task-ma∣kers, but in the 32. of Exodus he heares his Israel blasphemously crying touching the calfe. These be the Gods ô Israel that brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Yea, he heares the noise of the Israelites licen∣tiously and wantonly pyping and dancing before their calfe. In the 3. of Exodus it is

no wonder that the God of pitie and mer∣cie, and power, seeing the trouble, and hearing the groanes of his distressed chil∣dren comes downe to deliuer them▪ and it cannot be thought a wonder that our God who is truth, iustice, and strength it selfe, in the 32. of Exodus seeing the calfe set vp by them, and hearing the pyping about it, resolued to come downe to de∣stroy these he concluded before to saue. Would to God herefore, ô my soule, that all these who dwell beneath here vnder the peofession of the Gospell, could in time learne to make conscience of that which they make their great God from the heauens to see, from the heauens to heare: for as they make his Maiestie to heare and to see; so shall his Maiestie make them to heare, to see, and to find afterwards. Againe, when I reade the 28. verse of the 1. of Genesis, I see and heare our God reioycing in man, and aduan∣cing him aboue all the workes of his hands saying: Bring forth fruite and mul∣tiplie and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foules of the heauen, and ouer euerie beast that mo∣ueth vpon the earth. But when I reade the

6. verse of the 6. of Genesis, I heare Moses warranted by God, speaking thus touch∣ing man: It repented the Lord that he had made man vpon the earth, and he was sorie in his heart. But wherof came this so great an alteration? When our God looked vp∣pon man in the 1. of Genesis he was cloathed with his image, and therefore with him all the workes of his hands are verie good in his eyes, when he saw him and them. But when he looked on him as Moses speakes of man in the 6. of Exodus, he was depriued of Gods image within, all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually; and without he was fearefully and foully co∣uered with that red coate of crueltie, and blacke coate of lecherie; and therefore no wonder that the God of pietie, and po∣uertie, repented that he had made him. In the 17. verse of the 9. Chapter of the 1. of Samuel, I heare God speaking to Sa∣muel touching Saul. This is the man of whom I spake to thee, he shall rule my people. But how speakes our God to the same Samuel touching the same Saul, 1. of Sa∣muel 13. 35. It repent••th me that I haue made Saul King ouer Israe••. Alwayes no

wonder: for did not Saul stubbornely lift vp himselfe against the Lord, disdai∣ning to hearken to his voice, and licenti∣ously following his owne conceites, drea∣ming that his owne foolish imaginations would proue a better rule to serue God by, and to procure peace and wealth to himselfe, then the verie word of God brought to his eares by Samuel. Oh, ô my soule, when shall the presumptuous sin∣ners of this our time, learne to make vse of this? O when shall that sentence be so heard by the eares of men, that it may take some roote in their hearts.* 1.86 I will go downe and see whither they of Sodome and Gomorrha haue done altogether according to that crie which is come to me. For heere I must tell thee, ô my soule, albeit the A∣theist be silent, yet his Atheisme cries to heauen for vengeance; albeit the whore∣maister, and the whore be quiet, yet their whoredome crieth; albeit the drunkard drinke till he can neither go, nor stand, nor speake; yet his drunkennesse fleeth vp to heauen, and standing there before God cries out against him; and so in a word, albeit all the sinners of the earth should couenant and agree among themselues to

lay their hands vpon their mouthes, neuer speaking one word of their sinne, and al∣beit they should take themselues to the se∣cretest deepe holes when they commit their sinnes, to the end, that others not seeing them, be not able to speake of them, yet sinne committed by them, in despite of their couenant shall crie out vp∣pon them, and draw downe God against them. The sense of this, ô my soule, mo∣ued Crysostome to say,* 1.87 Peccatum nemine ar∣guente hominem prodit: nemine accusante condemnat. Sinne betrayes a man albeit no man reproue him: sinne condemnes a man al∣beit no man accuse him.

8. Our God who neuer sinned nei∣ther can he hurt by sinne, can sigh for the sinnes of man; albeit sinfull man onely hurt by sinne, dare sing to his sinnes, which shall make him at length to weepe for euer.

VVHen I reade and consider Scrip∣ture with any spirituall sight, with any holy sense, ô my soule, I must be moued, and being moued, I must lament

my owne estate, and the estate of others in many respects, and for this especially; that I heare him sighing for sinnes, that I see him wetting his cheekes with salt teares for sinners, (considering what mer∣cie and good things by sinne they de∣priue themselues of, and what wrath and iudgement they procure vnto themselues by sinne) who neuer sinned••, who neuer was hurt, who neuer shall be hurt by sinne. He who shall reade and consider Scrip∣ture, shall beare and see, not onely bru∣tish creatures void of immortall soules, and wanting reason; but also dead sensles creatures void of life and motions, moued at the confused voice of Gods workes: while men and women, who do lodge immortall soules within their mortall bo∣dies, and in the bosome of their soules; reason, and discretion; can no wayes be moued with that cleare, and distinct voice of the word of God, sounding softly mer∣cie if they content and obey, sounding fearefully, and yet most iustly wrath; if they refuse and be rebellious: when I reade that first of Isaiah, I heare thy bles∣sed God, ô my soule, who neuer sinned, who cannot be hurt by sinne, sighing for

the obstinate Iewes, brutishly vnkind to his Maiestie, while the oxe and the asse are dutifull to their owner and maister; yea, with this drawing vp a most heauie iust complaint against the Iewes, because of their vnkindnesse, and yet wanting a man (notwithstanding of the manie men were in the world) before whom he might poure forth his complaint against them, summoning the verie deafest hea∣uens, and senslesse earth to heare him, euen with groaning making this his complaint. For brings not Isaiah in, our God speaking thus.* 1.88 Heare ô hea∣uens, and hearken ô earth, for the Lord hath said: I haue nourished and brought vp children, but they haue rebelled against me. The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his maisters cribbe, but Israel hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderstood: Ah sinfull na∣tion, a people loaden with iniquitie, a seed of the wicked, corrupt children, they haue for∣saken the Lord, they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger, they are gone backward. But, alas, ô my soule, I cannot find the vnkind Iewes, beside Isaiah, sighing for their vnkindnesse, and lamenting that they had so grossely abused a gratious

louing father, and an almightie alsuffici∣ent prouisor and protector. When I reade that 19, of Luke, I see that meekest Lambe of God, Iesus, whose sworne ene∣mies would not accuse him for sinne, yea, whose Iudge was compelled by the verie force of his conscience to pronounce him to be innocent shedding bitter teares, for the blindnesse of the minds, hardnesse of the hearts, deadnesse of the soules, and loosenesse of the liues of the people of Ie∣rusalem, crying out with great griefe of heart. O if thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day these things which belong to thy place. But, alas, beside Luke, can I find the inhabitants of Ierusalem shed∣ding out teares for themselues? or can I heare them lamenting that by their sinnes they should haue moued that meekest gentle Lambe to whom they proued furi∣ous and fierce lions, mourne and lament for them. When I reade the 29. Psalme, I see the voice of the Lord breaking the Cedars of Lebanon, making them to leape like a calfe, yea, like an yong Vnicorne, diuiding the flames of fire, making the wildernesse, euen the wilde••nesse of Ca∣desh to tremble, yea, making the hyndes

to calfe, and discouering the forrest. But when I cast my eyes vpon these of this deadest debauched time, can I heare and see that two edged sword of that word of God, making liuing men, liuing reasonable men, liuing reasonable Christian men (if their owne workes may be beleeued) to shake, to tremble, before that great Ma∣iestie whose word it is, out of a sense of these sinnes they haue (alas,) euen sold themselues vnto, and of that miserie and wrath vnder the which they haue co∣uered themselues by these sinnes. Now, ô my soule, canst thou tell me what shall be the fruite, a man, in this respect more then miserable, must at length reape. Sighes thy God ô sinner for thy sinnes, while thou art making merrie with thy sinnes. Be sure, be sure, ô sinner, as God liueth, as Christ is sitting this day in thy nature, at the right hand of his Father in heauen,* 1.89 God shall laugh at thy destructi∣on, and thou shalt mourne when thy de∣struction shall come; and Christ who glad∣ly would haue saued thee, shall iustly re∣ioyce in thy condemnation, and thou shalt weepe and gnash thy teeth in hell for euermore, because of that remediles con∣demnation,

vnto the which thou shalt be adiudged. Be sure, be sure, ô sinner, marke thou that plaine, cleare, and distinct sauing voice of Gods blessed word brought to thy eares, while creatures void of reason wanting life, can tremble at the hearing of that confused voice of Gods mightie workes, when these creatures shall be de∣liuered from the bondage of corruption, thou shalt heare a voice and see a light, which shal make thee to tremble more fearefully then Baltasar trembled when he saw the fingers of a mans hand writing against the candelsticke vpon the plaister of the wall;* 1.90 yea, more fearefully then Fe∣lix did when Paul was disputing before him of righteousnesse and temperance,* 1.91 and of the iudgement to come. For oh, ô my soule, what readst thou beside Iohn, in the Reuelation? Tels not that Scripture them, that that great day of the Lord, and sole iudge of all the world being come; the Kings of the earth, the great men, the chiefe captaines, the mightie men, and euery bond man, and euerie free man, shall hide themselues in dennes amongst the rockes of the mountaines, saying vn∣to the mountaines fall vpon vs, and hide

vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand. O if these Princes and people of this our last and worst time who now dare shew them∣selues mala, partly abroade in euerie place mocking the good word of God, cruelly persecuting, and murthering his dearest children, and most faithfull seruants, had grace afore hand to hearken to this, to beleeue this, to remember it, to consider it. Sure I am, ô my soule, that they with Saul casting their swords from them and changing their tunes, would crie out; who art thou Lord whose word we are mocking, whose children and seruants we are persecuting, and that they hauing this answer made vnto them: I am Iesus whom ye mocke, ye persecute: It is heard for you to kicke against prickes; would tremble hand and foote as we speake, and with wounded hearts and mourning voi∣ces crie and say: O Lord what wilt thou that we shall do, and so be readie to hate that they loued, to loue that they hated▪ and to preserue them which they perse∣cuted.

9. Cursed is he who scattereth him∣selfe from God by sinne, for he shall be scattered by God vnto iudgement: bles∣sed is he who is scattered by man into trouble for righteousnesse, for God shall gather him.

I Cannot cast my eyes ioyntly, ô my soule, vpon the 2. 3. and 4. verses of that 15. of Ieremie, and vpon the 10. 11. of the 27. Psalme, but lifting vp mine eyes, I must crie out, O the thrise miserable condition of all such who sinning against God, and thereby loosing a good conscience, scat∣ter themselues from that God, who is onely good, and that sole fountaine out of the which all goodnesse flowes! Of the happy and thrise blessed estate of all those who seruing God, and in doing so, keeping a good conscience, are scattered towards this place, towards that place; towards this trouble, towards that trouble; yea to this cruell death, to that cruell death; because they seeke God, because they serue God, because they will not sinne against God. Heare I not our great God, that iust Iudge of the world, speaking thus to his seruant

Ieremie, ô my soule, touching the obsti∣nate Iewes his rebellious children, who by many grosse sinnes had fearefullly scat∣tered themselues from him:* 1.92 Cast them out of my sight and let them depart; and if they say vnto thee, whither shall we depart? then tell them, thus saith the Lord. Such as are ap∣pointed to death, vnto death: and such as are for the sword, to the sword: and such as are for the famine, to the famine: and such as are for the captiuitie, to the captiuitie: and I will appoint ouer them foure kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, and the dogges to tare in pee∣ces, and the foules of the heauen, and the beasts of the earth to deuoure, and to destroy. I will scatter them also in all kingdomes of the earth, because of Manasseh the sonne of Eze∣kiah king of Iudah, for that which he did in Ierusalem, who shall then haue pitie vpon thee ô Ierusalem? or who shall be sorrowfull for thee? or who shall go to pray for thy peace? Of this Scripture (worthie of thy considera∣tion, ô my soule, in this decaying age) is it not more then manifest, that these who sinning against the most high God, vnder the profession of his name, specially by countenancing idolatrie, adulterie, mur∣ther, and the like abhominations, be more

then miserably accursed? for thereby de∣priuing themselues of the onely sauing shadow of Gods loue and protection, and couching themselues vnder that hea∣uiest milstone of his indignatiō, they raise that strongest stormie wind of his deuou∣ring wrath against them; which is not on∣ly able to ouertake them, but which ha∣uing ouertaken them, hath skill with force to scatter them towards ten thou∣sand miseries here, and to drowne them hereafter in that euer burning, yet neuer consumed lake. When I cast mine eyes a∣gaine vpon the 10. verse of that 27. Psalm. penned by that sweetest singer of Israel Dauid: I must say, happie is he who ser∣uing God, and keeping a good consci∣ence in euery thing, hath himselfe scatte∣red from his house, from his kindred, from his countrey, and so from that honor, those pleasures, and that wealth he sometimes possessed, before men and amongst men: for I assure thee, ô my soule, (being well taught of God, instructing me by his word) that this man shall be gathered vp againe. But who shall gather vp such a man,* 1.93 ô my soule, Surely euen that holy one, loue, pitie, and strength it selfe, who

counts all the wandrings of his owne, who gathers all their teares in his bottle,* 1.94 whose groanes are heard of him, and whose affliction is seene of him. Yea, let King or subiect attempt to scatter such a one from this earth by cruell death, yet he shall be gathered vp by that God, who al∣wayes beholds his owne as signets vpon his hand,* 1.95 and who makes inquisition for them when they are dead.* 1.96 Tell me, tell me, ô my soule, how sings that sweetest singer in the place alledged?* 1.97 Though my father and my mother should forsake me, yet the Lord will gather me vp. The malice of cur∣sed Esau scatters Iacob, Gods blessed child, from the louing father and carefull mother of his flesh. But is he not gathered vp by God the Father of his spirit? The malice of Iosephs brethren scatters Ioseph from his kind father.* 1.98 The lying tongue of a shamelesse whore,* 1.99 and the facile heart of a credulous vnthankfull maister,* 1.100 scat∣ters the same Ioseph once againe from the house of his maister whom he serued tru∣ly, towards a darke prison where he was entertained roughly. But is he not in de∣spite of all these gathered vp againe?* 1.101 yea, so gathered vp that he is set aboue all his

brethren, and aduanced more highly then euer his maister Potipher was. That irre∣concilable hatred which Saul most iniust∣ly, yea more then brutishly, vnthankfully conceiued, and fostered in his heart a∣gainst religious,* 1.102 sincere, honest Dauid, scattered Dauid from the court, from Da∣uids owne house, yea, from the whole ho∣ly land towards the countrey of the vn∣circumcised Philistins. But is he not ga∣thered vp by his God, and not onely brought backe to the holy land, to his owne house,* 1.103 to the Kings palace, but with royall triumph at length (according to Gods promise made to him) set downe in that royall chaire of Iudah and Israel? Abel is scattered from the very earth, and this earth hath it selfe dewed with the drops of his bloud; but is he not sought for? yea, is not his bloud gathered vp againe, and layed as a most heauie burthen vpon the shoulders of the sh••dder of it?* 1.104 Hearest thou not, ô my soule, that Euangelicke Prophet bringing in thy God, singing in thy eares most comfortably and ioyfully thus?* 1.105 For a little while haue I forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee: for a moment in my anger haue I hid my face

from thee for a litle season, but with euerla∣sting mercie haue I had compassion vpon thee, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer. O through how many sundrie parts of this earth be the deare children of God scattered! O in how many sundrie parts of this earth be they buried! yea, ô how many religious parents be farre buried from their religi∣ous children? how many religious chil∣dren be farre buried from their religious parents? ô how many religious husbands be far buried from their religious wiues? and how many religious wiues be farre buried from their religious husbands? yea what shall I say, ô my soule, ô how oft (by the force of fierce persecution) hath one and that same child of God, had his verie dead corps scattered towards diuers parts of the earth, his head remaining in one place,* 1.106 as the head of Iohn the Baptist re∣mained with the filthie strumpet Hero∣dias, and his bodie in another, as the body of Iohn the Baptist was carried from He∣rod his prison, and buried by his disciples. Alwayes, ô my blessed Iesus, thou who wast heartily contented to be scattered from thy Father for me for a while, to the end that I through thy Maiestie might be

gathered to him for euermore. What saith thy Maiesty to me for my comfort against all this? Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, vn∣to that which Matthew brings from that sweetest comforting mouth of thy graci∣ous Sauiour to thy eares: The Sonne of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet,* 1.107 and they shall gather together his e∣lect from the foure winds, and from the one end of the heauen to the other. Thou seest then, ô my soule, that it is neither hono∣rable nor profitable, but alwayes ignomi∣nious and fearefully hurtfull to man, to scatter himselfe from God by sinne; for such a man shall assuredly either first or last be scattered vnto iudgement. And that it is neither ignominious nor hurtfull, but very honorable, and euer profitable for the child of God, to be scattered by fierce cruell man to trouble, to persecution, yea, to death it selfe; for louing, for seeking, and for seruing of his God, and cleauing to him. I charge thee therfore, ô my soule, that thou attempt not for the loue of gaine, for the feare of punishment, or for any pleasure whatsoeuer to sinne against thy God, lest he scatter thee from him to a thousand euils before men here, and to

the hell hereafter with the diuell: and with this I command thee, that thou loue, seeke and serue his Maiestie with all thy strength, euen to the end; were kings, were subiects set against thee to trouble thee, to slay thee; for assuredly he who forgat not to gather vp poore contemned Laza∣rus, shall remember to gather thee vp.

10. There be foure sorts of loue, two most corrupt, and too common, alas, too many: two most pure and heauenly, few, alas, be inriched with it.

VVHen shalt thou beginne, ô my soule, to loue thy God truly, who hath loued thee dearely, with that sincere loue his Maiestie will accept of, as of that loue which commeth from him, and sen∣deth thee backe to him againe? Beleeue me, ô my soule, albeit there be some, yet there are not many, who be beautified and gifted with this sort of loue, for thou must know, ô my soule, that the heart of man hath bene, and is clogged and clothed with a fourefold loue, which would be considered by our Gospellers, who pro∣fesse that they know, and loue that Christ

who hath dearely loued them, if they had hearts to perceiue his loue toward them. The first sort of loue is most corrupt in the corrupt heart of corrupt man: where∣by man loueth himselfe, and beside him∣selfe nothing, hunting after nothing while he liueth, but that which may pleasure and profit himselfe; yea, not regarding, suppose the whole world were destroyed with Sodome, after that his eyes were clo∣sed by death. The second sort of loue, is corrupt also, in the corrupt heart of cor∣rupt man, whereby man seeing and consi∣dering that he is not of himselfe suffici∣ently able, either to procure vnto himselfe such things as he accounteth to be good, or ro defend or deliuer himselfe from such things he holdeth to be euill, he is moued not onely to loue himselfe, but to loue his God also; and yet while he loueth God thus, he loueth not God for Gods cause, but God for his owne cause: and so as De∣metrius loued Diana, who liued by ma∣king of siluer shrynes vnto her. This mo∣ued Augustine to say: Quod non propter se amatur, non amatur. That which is not loued for the selfe, without any by-respect, is not said to be loued. The third sort of loue, is holy

and renewed in the sanctified, softened heart of the regenerate child of God, whereby he hauing happily (through the effectuall working of Christs Spirit dwel∣ling in him) tasted of the sweetnesse, bountie, and goodnesse of his God, begin∣neth to loue God, euen for Gods cause, and that with a more reuerent loue then he loueth father, mother, wife, or child, or any other whatsoeuer. The fourth sort of loue is altogether spirituall and heauenly, transporting (euen with exceeding ioy and alacritie) the soule of man from all things here beneath, towards the third heauens, whereby the child of God is not onely moued to loue God for Gods cause, but to loue himselfe for Gods cause, and all other things, besides himselfe, no other way but in God,* 1.108 and for God. This was that loue,* 1.109 ô my soule, wherewith Moses loued his God, when he forsooke the Court of Egypt, and chused to suffer trou∣ble for Christs cause. This was that loue wherewith Paul loued God, when he said: My life is not deare to me,* 1.110 so that I may ful∣fill my course with ioy, I am readie, not to be bound onely,* 1.111 but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus. Bernard thin∣king

vpon this, was not afraid to say: Sa∣pies tibi cum te senseris nil habere prorsus vn∣de te ames,* 1.112 nisi quantum Dei es. Thou shalt then proue wise to thy selfe, when thou shalt find, that thou hast nothing for thee while thou shouldst loue thy selfe, but in so far as thou art Gods. This same moued Augustine to say: Minus te amat ô Deus,* 1.113 qui tecum aliquid a∣mat, quod non propter te amat. That man, ô God, loues thy Maiestie the lesse, who loues any thing with thee, which he loues not for thee. Yea, this moued Bernard thus to counsell vs:* 1.114 Quaeramus Dominum veraci∣ter, frequenter, perseueranter: vt nec pro illo quaeramus aliud, nec cum illo aliud, nec ab illo ad aliud conuertamur. Let vs seeke the Lord our God truly, frequently, constantly: to the end that we neither seeke any other thing for him, or any other thing with him: and that we attempt not to turne from him, to anie thing beside him. And this sort of loue which is begun onely here, shall be per∣fected in the heauens. Oh Lord God, whē shall I begin to loue no honour, but that whereby I may honour thee? no pleasures but those which may please thee? no wealth, but wherewith I may haue my soule enriched by thee, and with thee, for

the better seeking and finding of thee? yea, when shall I begin onely to liue, to the end that thy Maiestie may liue in me, and be glorified by me? yea, Lord, let me step one step higher; when shall I begin to delight to be shamed, to the end that thou mayest be glorified, to delight to be grie∣ued & pained, to the end that thou mayest be pleased: to delight to be stripped sta••ke naked of all the earthly things which I possesse, or can possesse, to the end that I may possesse thee? yea, when shall I long, and desire to dye, to the end that I may liue with thee? And yet if I could do all this, what could I do, what should I do? I could do nothing but proue mindfull, but proue thankfull, and that not through any grace in me, which is from me, (for, alas, ô my soule, forgettest thou not thy God fearefully, art thou not vnkind to thy God grosly?) but through thine vnderserued fa∣uour onely: would not that blessed Sonne of God, yea, that very God of glorie, thy Sauiour Iesus, ô my soule, be shamed to honour thee, be pained to please thee, be grieued to grace thee, be made poore to make thee rich? yea, would ••e not dye to quicken thee? and so, ô my soule, when

thou hast shamed thy self, to whom shame is due for sinne, when thou hast grieued thy selfe, to whom griefe is due for sinne, when thou hast depriued thy selfe of all things, to whom nothing is due because of sinne, yea when thou hast layed downe thy life, whom sinne must bereaue of life, hauing death for its wages, what hast thou done? considering that he who neuer sin∣ned, being that God of glorie vnto whom all honour, all pleasures, all wealth, and onely life did belong, depriued himselfe of all things, and cloathed himselfe wil∣lingly with the contrary euils, and that for thee? Be mindfull of these things, ô my soule, and forget not to beg grace at thy God to proue thankfull for them.

11. What tongue can expresse that incomparable honour, and rare dignitie, whereunto Almightie God hath aduan∣ced the flesh of man? albeit, alas, a world of men shame their flesh, presse to shame God, in and by their flesh, to their euerla∣sting shame.

KNewest thou, ô my soule, how farre that blessed wise God thy Father

hath aduanced the flesh of man, beleeue me thou couldst not offend? if I should curse thee, if thou attemptedst so much as to lust after those euils, wherewith, alas, a very world of people be now grosly de∣filed, and I could not but be ashamed to be offended, if thou shouldest curse me: if I should presse to giue thee the members of my bodie, vnto the committing of those sinnes, which thousands, alas, do commit in this our time, euen with dele∣ctation and greedinesse? O my soule, hath not thy God honoured the flesh of man very farre, in making it a Cabinate, to lodge that immortall soule made by his Maiestie, euen of an heauenly substance? Hath not our God more highly aduanced the flesh of man, in making it to be the temple and dwelling place of his holy Spirit,* 1.115 yea, to be that spirituall, immor∣tall, incorruptible, and glorious plenishing which must fill and keepe the heauens for euer? yea, hath not his Maiestie aduan∣ced it more then highly in his blessed and onely begotten Son Iesus,* 1.116 that holy one, being content to assume, and vnite it in one personall vnion with his God-head, the very flesh of man;* 1.117 not onely for a

while walking on earth in that our na∣ture but transporting that our flesh vnto the highest heauens. So that he who is God, equall alwayes with the Father, and with the holy Ghost, is cloathed with the flesh of man; and he who is cloathed with the flesh of man, is God equall with the Father and with the Spirit. O celestiall spi∣rits, and heauenly Angels, who serue your God alwayes readily, busily, faithfully, and ioyfully! can ye compare with that man who by a liuely faith is ingrafted into that God-man, and man-God Iesus? Would that holy one cloath himselfe with your nature,* 1.118 so that you may say, he that is God is also an Angell, and he who is an Angell is also God? Or rather tooke he not the seed of Abraham; so that the beleeuing man may say, he who is God is man al∣so; he who is man is God also. O celestiall spirits, said that blessed God, your and our glorious maker, euer of any Angell, or to any Angell the Angell my fellow? and yet our God can (speaking to and of his Son in whom we are thus beyond measure honoured) speake thus of him,* 1.119 The man my fellow. Darest thou then, ô my soule, dishonour God who hath so farre hono∣red

thee? yea, darest thou attempt to ad∣uise me being tempted with any deceiue∣able lust to abuse this my flesh, or anie member of it, since his Maiestie hath so wonderfully aduanced it? The sense here∣of moued Augustine to say:* 1.120 Demonstrauit nobis Deus quam excelsum locum inter crea∣turas habeat humana natura, in hoc, quod hominibus in vero homine apparuit. God hath made euident vnto vs how high a place hu∣mane nature hath among his other creatures, in this, that he denizied himselfe to appeare vnto men in the true shape of man. Leo like∣wise meditating vpon the same subiect, saith:* 1.121 Agnosce Christiane dignitatem tuam, & diuinae consors factus naturae noli inuete∣rem vilitatem degeneri conuersatione redire. O Christian consider truly thy owne worth and excellencie, and being made partaker of the diuine nature, returne not vnto thy won∣ted vilenesse by thy shamelesse and vile con∣uersation. We all thinke that Dauid ouer∣saw himselfe very grosly to Mephibosheth, the creeple sonne of dead Ionathan, who proued constantly rarely kinde to Dauid, when hauing tried the grosse falshood and seditious treacherie of that villaine Zibah, he said to the poore creeple, abused

honest man: Haue I not said thou and Zibah diuide the land? But when shall men who hold themselues good Christi∣ans, and consider that they ouersee them∣selues; abusing most grossely the Lord their God, when they crie aloud, albeit not with their sh••ll voice, yet with their vile workes (euen to the hearing of that God to whom they be more obliged in all respects, but chiefely for aduancing their flesh so highly which is the onely ground of mans whole felicitie.) O Lord God haue I not said, thou and the diuell diuide betwixt thee. Offend not, ô my soule, that I speake thus: for if manie pro∣fessing Christ among vs may be beleeued when they speake, they haue appointed their hearts for God, (& yet if their liues be narrowly tried) it shal clearly be found that they haue dedicated their flesh, and so their eyes, eares, mouth, hands, feete, and the foule members of their bodies for the diuell. For (alas) be these their mem∣bers employed in the seruice of any be∣side the diuels seruice? Is this to be thank∣full to that God, who hath bene kinde to them? is this to honour God with their flesh, who hath so honoured mans flesh?

Knowest thou not ô lousie Christian,* 1.122 that the diuell is the accuser of the children of God, Christs brethren, who first craftily entiseth them to sinne against God, and then maliciously accuseth them before God for sinning against him. Now, ô how fearefull an occasion shall this be, (Hearken, hearken, ô my soule,) when Satan thine accuser, ô lousie Christian, presenting himself before that great God vpon the sight of thy loose and lewd life, shall partly say: ô Lord, It pleased thy Maiestie, out of thy vnspeakable loue to∣wards man, to cloath thy owne blessed Sonne with the flesh of man, euen to the end, that in that flesh he might suffer for man, and thereby aduance man to the highest heauens, who willingly hath made himselfe my companion through sinne, should be adiudged to the lowest helles, with him for euer: and yet Lord, here is a man, yea, a verie world of men, who haue defiled themselues with abominable Ido∣latries, bowing their knees to the workes of mens hands, lifting vp their hands, and sending vp their cries to base creatures, forgetting the blessed Creator; yea, defi∣led in their flesh with fearefull blasphe∣mies,

cruell murthers, filthy incests, adul∣teries & fornications, with brutish drun∣kennesse, couetuousnesse, and oppressi∣on. O Lord will not thy Maiestie, being that great iudge of the world, be auenged vpon such grosse vnthankfulnesse, and ad∣iudge with the soules the bodies of such men, to that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euermore; seeing they haue so grossely shamed their owne flesh, which thou hast so gratiously honoured? Thinke vpon this, ô my soule, keeping thy selfe from all inward filthinesse; for∣get not this, ô my soule, but charge me alwayes in Gods name, to keepe this my bodie and all the members of it from all outward vncleanenesse,* 1.123 neuer suffering that of Bernard to slip out of thy mind.* 1.124 Erubesce anima mea diuinam, in pecuem commutasse similitudinem, erubesce volutare in coeno qui de coelo es. Be ashamed, ô my soule, to change thy diuine image into the likenesse of a beast: be you ashamed to wallow in the clay who was bred in the heauens.

12. Albeit men offend to be compa∣red with the diuell, yet a world of men treade the diuels pathes.

EVen the filthiest debauched liuer, ô my soule, offendeth when he is compared to the diuell, and yet euerie filthie liuer will tread the diuels pathes. Cānot the diuell, ô my soule, (mala) partly present himselfe among the children of God before God, and yet no sooner go∣eth he from his Maiesties presence but he can runne with speed; not onely to ouer∣throw all that belonged to that iust Iob, but also bereaue him of his health; thin∣king thereby to make him blaspheme God. Euen the filthiest liuer is offended if he be called a Iudas: and yet as Iudas went from his Maisters table, to deliuer him into the hands of his enemies: so ma∣ny called Christians, can take their iour∣ney from Christs chamber (as it were) to ouerthrow Christ. Alas, alas, ô my soule, how manie be there who present themselues with Gods Saints in Gods house, before God to heare his word; and yet comming from it debase themselues in all vncleanenesse. O how manie be there, who going to prayer, and rising from prayer, thinke neuer vpon that which they haue professed, or bound themselues while they were praying, till

they go backe againe vnto their prayer; debauching themselues betwixt their owne prayer, and their other, euen in these same sinnes; for the which in prayer they accused themselues, they condem∣ned themselues crauing God pardon, and solemnely vowing to abstaine from them. The iudgement of charitie which suspe∣cteth the best of all, aduiseth me to thinke that these knowne murtherers, adulterers, fornicators, drunkards, and so forth; When they go to their prayer, do now and then confesse their sinnes, crauing pardon for them, and promising to amend their liues; and yet with the swine, euen now washing after they haue risen from their knees, they can turne to the puddle of their wonted wickednesse. Let all such thē who do heare God speaking vn∣to them by his word, and who do speake to God by prayer, ioyne repentance with their hearing, and with their praying; re∣membring that he onely is blessed, who heareth the word of God and doth it;* 1.125 and that the prayer of that man who draweth away his eare from hearing of the law,* 1.126 is abominable before God.

13. Cast thy care vpon thy God, and he will care for thee.

LEt me not be carefull, ô my soule, for my selfe, what I shall eate, or what I shall drinke, or for my bodie what I shall put on: for thy blessed God, that great Maister of the houshold of his Church, wisely prouideth for his owne, euen in their greatest extremitie: albeit not al∣wayes y^t which they would be at; yet euer that which shall serue them, vntill his good worke be accomplished in them. The King of Egypt taketh from the Israe∣lites straw, which before was furnished vnto them,* 1.127 the taskmaisters of Egypt re∣solue them notwithstanding hereof, that the number of their brickes must be fulfil∣led dayly: when they with wearie hearts, are carefull to prouide themselues with straw, they can find none; for the people of the land will neither giue them any for request, nor sell them any for siluer. How then shall they come by it, & where shall they find it. Blessed be God, ô my soule, when the King of heauen who was a man carrying the same shape that the Israelites carried with their taskmaisters & people,

can refuse all helpe vnto distressed Israel, can adde affliction vnto afflicted Israel; that senslesse dead hard earth, which they trod vpon, will offer her helpe vnto them, praying them as it were to pull vp haire, before they should perish, and so she propined them with that stubble wherewith she was couered, before they should want altogether that, wherewith they should make bricke vnto cruell, bloudie Pharoah. O Dauid no fauour canst thou find, notwithstanding of thy humble carriage, and manie good seruices, in thy eyes of thy maister Saul, & father-in law; and yet art thou not louingly embraced, and kindly entertained by that stranger Achis,* 1.128 that vncircumcised King of Gath? Achab and Iezabel do busily seeke thy life ô Elias; But do not the verie rauens enter∣taine it as carefully?* 1.129 O Nebuchadnezar thou art so fiercely set against these three children of God,* 1.130 who refused to worship that Image thou madest, that thou wilt not onely haue them cast into a hot fierie fornace, but thou wilt haue this fornace to be hot at that time, seuen times more then it was wont to be hot. Alwayes, were not these furious fierce flames mer∣cifull

vnto them, yea, so mercifull vnto them, that not onely they slew them not, but the haires of their head were not burnt, neither were their coates changed, not any smell of fire vpon them? O abu∣sers of Darius, ye are so maliciously set against the seruant of God Daniel,* 1.131 that ye will haue him cast into the lions denne, because he prayed vnto his owne God, as he was wont, contrarie to the wicked de∣cree which ye by your malicious subtiltie made your King to subscribe vnto, and yet these lions will haue him saued, whom ye resolued to haue slaine. No refresh∣ment can hungrie Lazarus find at the hands of the rich glutton,* 1.132 and yet he can find ease from the tongues of bloudie dogges. How many wicked men in this our time, ô my soule, haue soft downe beds and pillowes to lie vpon, while the religious child of God cannot find a fea∣ther bed, no not a fodder bed, and yet the earth is contented to be a bed vnto him. But, ô my soule, what if the cruell Princes of the earth will not so much as suffer the earth to be a bed vnto thee, ô then what shalt thou do? what canst thou looke for? Be sure either this thy proui∣dent,

pitifull, powerfull God, who hath absolute commandement ouer all, shall ô my soule, either alter their hearts, and make them pitifull, or furnish thee with a strong contented heart, able to beare out all they can deuise, or do against thee: or make death (which is a cruell burthen to the wicked, but a louing friend to his se∣cret o••es) to finish thy labours and to send thee to his rest.

13. Our most mercifull and mightie God hath the hearts of all in his hands; and can alter them as he hath to do with them, for his glorie, the comfort of his children, and the confusion of theirs and his enemies.

IOine, ô my soule, the 25. and 36. verses of the 2. of Exodus, with the 6. and 7. and 10. verses, of the 5. Chapter of that same booke, that thou mayest learne, euen with ioy to put on that head-peece of hope: possessing alwayes thy selfe in pa∣tience, confidently and leasurely, depen∣ding vpon thy God; euen when the King, the taskmaisters who commanded vnder

the King, yea, when with the King and his taskmaisters, the whole people of the land are set against thee, and busied about nothing but thy ouerthrow, and destru∣ction. But wherefore should I do this, ô my soule, because he who hath the hearts of all men in his hands, can alter both courts, and countrie so, that that man, who that day, who that yeare, would nei∣ther grant thee for begging, nor sell thee for siluer, a poore sheaue of straw to make bricke to thy King: will another day, an∣other yeare, giue thee willingly, and free∣ly, all his gold chaines, all his bracelets, all his rings, and so spoile himselfe to make thee rich. And would ye not thinke this a wonder of wonders? Liue here not manie this day, who hauing experience of this in their owne person may say; that King who sometime was seeking me to haue offered my bodie to the gallowes, my head to the axe; hath since that time louingly embraced me, gratiously accep∣ted me to kisse his hand, and set me higher then euer I was before. Hast thou compa∣red, ô my soule, the end of the 3. of Ester, with the end of the 8. of Ester. In the end of the 3. of Ester, the Scribes writing let∣ters,

the King is signating letters, and the postes are running and riding through the countrie with letters. In the end of the 8. of Ester, the Scribes are writing letters also, and the postes are running and riding vpon horses of prize, and drome∣daries with letters. Alwayes tell me what letters be the Scribes writing, is the King signating, and are the postes carrying in the end of the 3. of Ester? and what let∣ters be these which the Scribes are wri∣ting, the King signating, and the postes carrying in the end of the 8. of Ester? In the end of the 3. of Ester, letters are wri∣ting, signating, and carrying by the Scribes, King, and postes, to roote out kill, and to destroy all the Iewes, both yong and old, children and women in one day. In the end of the 8, of Ester, letters are writing, signating and carrying by the same Scribes, by the same King, by these postes; who wrote, signated, and carried the former, granting the Iewes in what Citie soeuer they were, to gather themselues together, and to stand for their liues, and to roote out, to kill, and to destroy all the power of the people, and the Prouince that vexed them, both chil∣dren

and women, and to spoile their goods. Hast thou compared, ô my soule, the 19. 20. and 21. verses of the 3. of Daniel with the 28. 29. 30. verses of that same Chapter. In the 19. 20. and 21. ver∣ses, fierce Nabuchadnezar is furiously set against Hananiaeh, Mishah, and Azariah, and that God whom they worshipped: that he will haue them cast into, and de∣uoured by the hot fierie fornace. But in the 28. 29. and 30. verses, pacified Nabu∣chadnezar, thinketh so reuerently of this God, and is so fauourably disposed, to∣ward them, that blessing their God, he maketh a decree, that euerie people and language which spake any blasphemie against their God should be drawne in peeces, and haue their houses made a iakes: and besides this, he promoted these three in the prouince of Babel highly, whom he decreed before to burne cruel∣ly. We vse to say (and would to God our tongues were accustomed with such spee∣ches:) happie are they who can make friends with strong folke. And when I consider this, ô my soule, I must say bles∣sed be he who can make deare friends of deadly foes. Alwayes what must thou do,

ô my soule, to the end thou mayst find this to thy comfort and benefite. Let that wise King Salomon informe thee, as he was in∣formed by that true Salomon the King of wisdome.* 1.133 When the wayes of a man please the Lord, he will make his enemies to be at peace with him. If thou here comparest, ô my soule, the 41. verse of the 27. of Gene∣sis, with the 4. of the 33. of Genesis, and with the 29. verse of the 35. of Genesis, thou shalt find this to be most true. In the 41. verse of the 27. of Genesis, I heare cruell Esau threatning to slay his brother Iacob, when the dayes of mourning for his father should come; alwayes, not only see I this same Esau in the 4. verse of the 33. of Genesis, embracing this Iacob, falling vp∣pon the necke of this Iacob, but in the 29. verse of the 35. of Genesis, I see Esau and Iacob most kindly (as it became brethren) burying their dead father Isaac, so great aduantage reaped Iacob, by walking be∣fore God. If a subiect then find that he is wronged by his King, let him not do that which may grieue God, and please his King, to the end he may obtaine his Kings fauour. If a child find that he is wronged by his father, let him not do that

which may grieue God and please his fa∣ther, that he may obtaine his fathers fauour. If a husband find that he is wron∣ged by his wife, let him not do that which may grieue God and please his wife, to the end he may obtaine his wifes fauour. If a wife find that she is wronged by her husband, let her not do that which may grieue God and please her husband, to the end that she may obtaine her hus∣bands fauour. But let them all sticke con∣stantly by God, doing that alwayes which is good in his eyes; so be sure that God shall either moue king, husband, child, wife, and so forth; to do that which they should, or else strengthen subiect, child, wife, husband, to beare out with con∣tentment the greatest wrongs that can be done vnto them; wilt thou not then, ô my soule, loue this God, seeke this God, serue this God against all men, whether he clap thee, or cuffe thee; heal thee, or wound thee; quicken thee, or slay thee?

15. Satan his cruell taskmaisters sent forth against man to keepe him vnder hellish slauerie here; and in the end to

drowne him in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.

THou canst not be ignorant, ô my soule, (being acquainted with holy Scripture) that as cruell Pharoah King of Egypt, had fierce taskmaisters set by him ouer the Lords of Israel. So that cruell Dragon Satan thy greatest enemie, hath his owne bloudie taskmaisters sent forth against Gods elect ones to shame them, and to slay them: and that these his task∣maisters resemble in one thing especially, the taskmaisters of Pharoah. Pharoahs taskmaisters, as holy Scripture testifieth, are not content to mitigate Pharoahs will vnto the poore Israelites, but they must with fierce countenances, sharpe tongues, and strong hands, hasten them without all delay to do it: Euen so Satans task∣maisters do not onely command these, o∣uer whom they are set, and in whom they raigne, to obey the diuels will, but they hasten them so to obey it, that they can neither eate nor drinke; no sleepe as it were, till Satans will be executed by them. But who be the taskmaisters of Sa∣tan, ô my soule, let that disciple whom

Iesus loued, and in whose bosome he lo∣uingly sometime lay,* 1.134 resolue thee. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Young Ammon is so boasted, and bea∣ten by that taskmaister y^e lust of his flesh,* 1.135 lusting after his sister Tamar, y^t be pineth away from day to day, till hauing obeyed the command of that fierce filthie task∣maister he defiles his sister vnnaturally. Young Absolon is so beaten, and boasted by that alluring taskmaister the pride of life,* 1.136 longing after a crowne, that he can take no rest by night, nor by day, till he put the crowne of his old father vpon his head, contenting that his father in the meane time flee out of Ierusalem bare∣footed and bare-headed. That vncouth traitor Iudas is so boasted, and beaten by that deceiuing taskmaister the lust of the eyes and so of couetousnesse, that he cannot possibly be destroyed by all that his maister hath done vnto him, by all that his maister hath spoken to him in the audience of his brethren touching him that should betray him; from betraying of him: and all to the end that he may see 〈◊〉〈◊〉 peeces of siluer deliuered Lament, lament, herefore, ô my soule, the misera∣ble

estate of those, pitied by others, albeit not by themselues: who esteeme them∣selues to be the greatest amongst men. Will noble men, will great men be com∣manded by that great good God, spea∣king vnto them, and hasting them to do his good will, by these his kinde, by smi∣ling and meeke taskemaisters, in whose mouthes he hath put his word, and yet they dare be content to be commanded by, and to be (as most miserable slaues) couched vnder that euill one Satan, and these his cruell taskemasters hasting them to do the diuell his euill will. Will our Gentlemen, ô my soule, be seruants to any man, content to be schollers, to be trades∣men, to be craftsmen, and yet they can re∣ioyce to suffer themselues to be abused by Satan, and by sinne, by the which in such ••ort he fighteth against their soules, that no slaue roweth in a gall••y so farre against his will, vnder the vncouth bondage of that cruell maister the Turke, as a verie world in this our age, of these men row with both their hands and feete (as it were) vnder the diuell, hastened in the meane time by the foresaid taskemaisters, and yet not against their will, but wil∣lingly;

not with griefe, but with ioy. Let the adulterer, the idolater, the murtherer, the fornicator, the drunkard, the seditious man, the oppressour, the false man, the co∣uetous man lay his hand to his heart, so shall he find this to be true. The conside∣ration hereof moued wise Salomon (ac∣quainting vs with the nature of the wic∣ked man, and counselling vs to beware of him) thus to speake:* 1.137 Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of the euill man, auoide it, go not by it, turne from it, and passe by it: for they cannot sleepe except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.

16. Learne so to liue that thou giue offence to none by thy life.

ALas, ô my soule, how many be there, who misled, alas, by their owne con∣ceits, more then blind and abhominable in this last and most leud age, who being grauely counselled, and louingly reque∣sted by their onely true friends, who do loue them in God to saluation, to refraine themselues from some companie, some pastimes, some speeches, some actions, be∣cause

of that aduantage, their malicious enemies, and most counterfeit friends, makes thereby; because of the offence their weake brethren cannot but iustly take thereby: yea, because of that great griefe thereby they procure to such who loues them in God dearely, making them to weepe in secret bitterly, for their knowne and seene misbehauiours, and who being thus counselled, can taunting∣ly answer: Tush, tush, I regard not who speake of me, what be spoken of me, I may not liue, I cannot liue, yea I will not liue, to the phantasies of men. True it is, ô my soule, that the child of God should not fashion himselfe vnto this world, should not liue after the lusts of men yet I thinke that that man can hardly hold himselfe for the child of God,* 1.138 who will not con∣fesse,* 1.139 that the child of God should liue af∣ter the will of God his Father.* 1.140 Now is it not the will of God,* 1.141 ô my soule, that all his children should liue so,* 1.142 that neither they giue occasion to his enemies to blas∣pheme his truth, nor offence to the poorest who beleeues in his blessed Sonne, nor cause the eyes of his holy ones to gush out riuers of teares with Dauid,* 1.143 because

they see the Law of God their Father transgressed? Augments not this thy sinne and dittie ô Dauid,* 1.144 that by it thou madest the enemies of God to blaspheme. Are we not thus resolued by our Sauiour and mai∣ster who cannot lye, and is onely able to teach vs aright to leade our liues: Whosoe∣uer offendeth one of these little ones which be∣leeue in me,* 1.145 it were better for him that a mil∣stone were hanged about his necke, and that he were drowned in the deepe of the sea. Is not this thy holy prudence, ô Paul (whom I euer hold for a maister able to instruct Preachers and hearers of all sorts how to leade their liues:)* 1.146 I take away occasion from such as seeke occasion. Is not this thy holy pitie and pietie, ô Paul, when thou loo∣kest vpon thy weake brethren?* 1.147 If meate of∣fend my brother, I will not eate flesh while the world lasteth, that I may not offend my bro∣ther. Shall holy, wise, pitifull Paul, ô my soule, euen abstaine from lawfull things, to the end he may not offend his weake brethren, and darest thou attempt to re∣fuse (being charged by Christ thy loue, who to take away offence, was content to pay custome being free of custome, be∣ing counselled by Christians who in

Christ do loue them) to abstaine from vn∣lawfull companie, vnlawfull pastimes, vn∣lawfull speeches and actions. I aduise thee ô my soule, (considering the time) that thou attempt not to sit in the chaire with such men who dare liue so loosely in this world, y^t they regard not whose mouthes be opened to blaspheme Gods truth, what stranger, or weake knowne brother they offend, what friend they grieue by their loose and leud behauiour. For I must tell thee, ô my soule, that there will be a day in the which the great Iudge of the world will bring with euery man euery worke vnto iudgement,* 1.148 yea, euery secret thing whether it be good or euill.

17. All men should so liue in the world, that they may amend the world; but chiefly those whom God hath set ouer others.

TRemble, tremble, ô my soule, while that I hauing my eares opened, am compelled, alas, against my heart to heare men, euen set in authoritie ouer others, some hauing the very charges of soules, others ruling ouer the bodies and goods

of people, yet both crying to my hearing, albeit to my great griefe: We came in the world to liue in the world, and not to a∣mend the world. Oh, ô my soule, that euer a man, especially called a Christian, and set ouer Christians, should haue lodged an heart within him, finding a tongue to vtter a speech so grosly sauouring of vn∣couth Atheisme. Tell me, tell me, ô god∣lesse professour, thinking and speaking thus: Wherefore were the foules of the aire, the fishes of the seas, with many o∣ther good creatures of God, wherewith this earth is plenished, created? I know thou wilt answer me without any delay, To feed and serue man. Alwayes did that wise God create them for man, onely to the end that man might liue here, and not to the end that man liuing here, might seeke and serue that God who made them for man, and man for himselfe? O Iohn the Baptist, tell me wherefore thou camest in∣to the world? was it not to turne the hearts of the fathers towards the children, and the disobedient vnto the wisedome of the iust man, to make readie a people prepared for the Lord,* 1.149 To giue knowledge of saluation to Gods people, by remission of their

sinnes, to giue light to them that sit in darke∣nesse, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our hearts in the way of peace. O blessed Ie∣sus, wherefore camest thou in the world? came not thy Maiestie as a Physitian fur∣nished with perfect medicines, to quicken and cure euerie dead and diseased soule, and to be life to dead men,* 1.150 to be light to blind men, yea by calling sinners to repen∣tance, by seeking the wandring sheepe, the lost groat, and the prodigall child, not onely to amend the world which was hurt,* 1.151 but to saue the world which was condemned? O holy Apostles, wherefore were ye called, and sent forth through the world by your Lord and Maister, was it not that ye being witnesses to him, both in Ierusalem, and in Iudaea, and in Sama∣ria, and vnto the vttermost parts of the world, might by preaching of the Gospell not onely amend, but saue the condemned I••w, the condemned Gentile, which should beleeue in Iesus? Tell me, ô Dauid, wherefore was it that thy God did chuse thee, and take thee from behind the Ewes with yong: was it not that thou mightest feed his sheepe in Iacob,* 1.152 and his inheri∣tance in Israel? Yea, tell me, ô Paul, where∣fore

be these powers which be of God or∣dained by God, is not this done for the wealth of those who do well,* 1.153 and to take vengeance vpon them who do euill? Canst thou forget, ô my soule, that wholsome counsell giuen by the Spirit to the Ephe∣sians, and in their name to all those who would declare themselues to be such, whom God hath mercifully called from damnable darknesse of ignorance, of infi∣delitie, and of debaucherie, vnto the sa∣uing light of knowledge, of faith, and of holinesse.* 1.154 Haue no fellowship with the vn∣fruitfull workes of darknesse; but euen reproue them rather. Yea, heare I not Paul thus speaking, and directing the very meanest Christian:* 1.155 We desire you brethren, admonish them that are vnruly, comfort the feeble min∣ded, beare with the weake, be patient towards all men. Yea what shall I say, is not the Iew long before the incarnation of blessed Ie∣sus thus charged:* 1.156 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but thou shalt plainly re∣buke thy neighbour, and suffer him not to sinne. Shall euerie one, ô my soule, who cals him father (who without respect of persons, iudgeth according to euery mans worke) be found so farre as lies in him, to

correct and amend those amongst whom, and with whom they liue, and shall not the rulers be much more bound to do this, who be set ouer them by God, and for whom they must some day giue an ac∣count to God? I wonder if these blind ru∣lers of the Church, who maintaine the alledged vile opinion, hold that for the o∣racle of God, or for the inuention of some braine-sicke man. When I shall say vnto the wicked, ô wicked man, thou shalt dye the death, if thou do not speake and ad∣monish the wicked of his way. That wic∣ked man shall dye for his iniquitie, but his bloud will I require at thine hand;* 1.157 Ne∣uerthelesse if thou warne the wicked of his way to turne from it, if he turne not from his way, he shall dye for his iniquitie, but thou hast deliuered thy soule. Paul saw with a clearer eye, & spake with a cleaner mouth, who hauing sent from Miletum to Ephe∣sus, and called the Elders, he could not onely remember vnto them his owne paines and fidelitie, trauelling alwayes by all meanes to gather in many soules to his blessed Maister, but grauely charging them: Take heed to your selues, and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost haue made you

ouerseers,* 1.158 feede the Church of God, which he hath purchased by his owne bloud. Sensible was Moses of that care rulers should haue to haue Gods people reformed, when be∣fore his death he could say with courage and authoritie: Behold I haue set before thee this day, life and good, death and euill, in that I command thee this day to loue the Lord thy God, to walke in his wayes, to keepe his com∣mandements, his ordinances, and his lawes, that thou mayest liue, and be multiplied, and that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in the land whither thou goest to possesse it. But if thy heart turne away, so that thou wilt not o∣bey, but shalt be seduced, and worship other gods and serue them: I pronounce vnto thee this day, that ye shall surely perish, ye shall not prolong your dayes in the land, whither thou passest ouer Iordan to possesse it.* 1.159 I call heauen and earth to record this day against you, that I haue set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore chuse life that both you and your seed may liue by louing the Lord thy God, by obeying his voice, and by cleauing vn∣to him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy dayes, that thou mayst dwell in the land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Iacob to giue them. Religious Io∣suah

was sensible of this, when sending backe Reuben, God, and the halfe tribe of Manasseh, to the land of their possession, he could aduise them thus: Take diligent heed to the commandements and law which Moses the seruant of the Lord commanded you:* 1.160 that is, that ye loue the Lord your God, and walke in his wayes, and keepe his com∣mandements, and cleaue vnto him, and serue him with all your heart, and with all your soule. The sense hereof moued Iosuah be∣fore his death (hauing assembled the whole tribes of Israel to Sechem) thus to command them: Feare the Lord, and serue him in vprightnesse, and in truth, and put a∣way the gods which your fathers serued be∣yond the floud, and in Egypt, and serue the Lord. Yea, this moued him to make a co∣uenant with the people that day, to write all the words of that couenant in the Booke of the Law of God,* 1.161 and to set vp a great stone which he pitched vnder an oake, that was in the sanctuarie of the Lord, and to say vnto all the people: Be∣hold this stone shall be a witnesse vnto vs, for it hath heard all the words of the Lord, which he spake with vs. It shall be therefore a wit∣nesse against you, lest ye leaue your God. Let

these rulers then, ô my soule, be accursed, who dare maintaine that they came in this world to liue in this world, but not to amend this world: for if this world had not need of amendment, it could not pos∣sible haue need of any ruler at all; for the whole haue no need of the Physitian,* 1.162 but the sicke.

17. Prepare thy mouth for bitter gall, after that God the Father hath brought his sweetest honey to thee; and yet see thou offend not with the tast of it.

HAth thy God, ô my soule, sweetly this day sounded in thine eares the soft voice of consolation, promising vnto thee comfort, deliuerie & his best things: be not offended if to morrow thine eares be made to heare the sharpest sound of the bitter wind of confusion, threatning thee with greater troubles and griefes, then e∣uer thou heardest or felt before. O Iacob, hath not thy God propined thee liberally with the birthright, inriched thee glori∣ously with his blessing: but must thou not heare afterward that Esau thy brother hath auowed to kill thee?* 1.163 wherupon thou

must be contented, not onely to turne thy backe vpon thy tender parents, but with paine and griefe to serue a churlish Laban for twentie and one yeares? O Ioseph, seest thou not to day thy brethrens sheaues standing vp and doing reuerence to thy sheaue, but must thou not be contented euen after that to see thy brethren strip∣ping thee naked of thy parti-coloured coate,* 1.164 and after, first putting thee in the ditch, and then selling thee to the Mi∣diani••es, to be carried downe to Aegypt. O distressed Israel, hearest thou not Moses & Aaron, the commissioners of thy God, to day sweetly telling thee, that they were sent of God to bring thee out of Aegypt, that thou mightest celebrate a feast to the Lord thy God in the wildernesse?* 1.165 Al∣wayes must thou not be contented, the next day to heare Pharoahs taske maisters speaking thus to thee bitterly? Thus saith Pharaoh, I will giue you no more straw, go your selues, get you straw where ye may finde it, notwithstanding the number of brickes which you made in time past, shall not be diminished.* 1.166 O Dauid, telleth not Samuel thee that thou shalt be king of Iudah, yea, annointed he thee not with oyle in the

name of the Lord, to certifie thee hereof? Alwayes after this, must thou not be con∣tented, not onely not to find a nights lod∣ging in thine own house, but not so much as a caue or hole to hide thy selfe in, in all Iudaea and Israel? Thus he who to day heareth blessed Iesus, who is loue it selfe, promising vnto him a crowne, must be contented to morrow to haue wise Iesus lodening him with a crosse. But ô where∣fore dealeth our wise God with his owne thus? for speciall graue reasons, ô my soule, is this done, I assure thee: for hereby he trieth the faith, the hope, the patience of his owne; hereby he stirreth them vp ear∣nestly to deale with him by earnest praier: for he will haue his owne to aske that from him, which he is to giue vnto them: yea, this he doth to moue his owne, being set at libertie, to be the more thankfull, and to vse Gods good things bestowed on them the better: to make the wicked, his and their vniust enemies, the more in∣excusable; and to conquise the greater glorie vnto his owne name, when hauing in spite of all oppositions performed that liberalitie which he promised graciously to his owne, he aduanceth them, and ouer∣throweth

his and their enemies.

18. Let not the wise child of God take euill with the crosse here: but let him rather wonder that he is suffered to breath here.

MAny with the Psalmist, ô my soule, looking vpon Gods outfield (to speake so) and so vpon the men of this world, who haue their portion in this life, seeing them with Esau feeding them∣selues with ioy, in the fattest and largest medowes of all things their heart can wish; while Gods infield, and so his verie faithfull children, and dearest seruants, are consumed with Iacob by night with cold, and by day with heate, not hauing wher∣with to refresh themselues, are made, alas, to crie out certainly:* 1.167 I haue cleansed my heart in vaine, and washed my hands in inno∣cency: now doubting whether they belong to God or not, now waxing cold in his Maiesties seruice, yea, now tempted through the force of their many troubles, and pining painfull crosses to thinke that they must renounce their former profes∣sion, leauing their wonted carriage, and

walking in the broad way with the wic∣ked. Alwayes wouldst thou, ô my soule, consider 3. things grauely, thou wouldst ceasse to wonder that the Saints of God be crossed on earth here, yea, that they be now and then euen in great numbers put to cruell death, and that by those who (if nature could be hearkened vnto) should defend and keepe them. And be∣gin to wonder how it comes to passe, that so much as one of the Saints of God doth finde libertie to breath here. It was a wonder that Eliah was fed of rauens,* 1.168 that the 3. children liued enuironed with fierie flames,* 1.169 y^t Daniel put off a nights lodging with fiercest lions. Thou wouldest thinke, and confesse, ô my soule, that thou sawst a wonder worthy to be admired, yea to be put in register, for the information of the following ages; if thou seest a woolfe dwelling with a lambe, a leopard lying with a kidde, a calfe a lion, and a fed beast led together by a little child, a cow feeding with a boare, and their young ones lying together. And canst thou not wonder, ô my soule, to see the Saints of God fed,* 1.170 or suffered to feede here, lying in any place, or suffered to lie in any place

here walking, or suffered to walke here. For 1. knowest thou what manner of per∣sons Gods children be. 2. Where Gods children do liue while they do liue here? 3. How they liue while they liue here? are not Gods Saints his elects sonnes and daughters, appointed by the speciall or∣dinance and decree of their owne wise Father vnder crosses? for cannot the spirit our teacher,* 1.171 thus informe vs: you are all called to sufferings; for Christ also suffe∣red for vs, leauing vs an example that ye should follow his steps. Againe, liue they not here, where the enemie, and ene∣mies of God their Father, and so where their enemie, and the enemies of God, not onely do liue but also do beare sway imperiously.* 1.172 For is not Satan the head of the wicked, the Prince and God of this world?* 1.173 and do we not proue our selues to be enemies to him, and all these who do reuell aud command vnder him. Lastly, liue they who be the children of God here, as domestickes in their owne house, or kind subiects in their owne natiue countrie, and not as strangers from home, and pilgrimes wandering abroad from their owne countrie; how then can

we possibly thinke hardly of crosses here, yea how can we ceasse alwayes to expect them while they are here, and take them kindly when they come? When I read Scripture, ô my soule, I find that the Israe∣lites met with many monstrous and sharp crosses, in the land of Egypt, in the wil∣dernesse, and in Babel: and shall I now begin to wonder, that now Gods children in these our dayes should meete with ten∣tation, yea, with many tentations, with sharpe crosses, yea, with many sharpe crosses in this darke Egypt, wearisome wildernesse, bloudie Babel of this last age; wherein Satan, knowing his time to be short, prouing a subtile foxe, a busie lion, a cruell dragon, rageth vncessantly a∣gainst Gods secret ones, pressing altoge∣ther to ouerthrow them. The sonne of a Scottish man being at Algyre, farre from his father, and natiue Prince, would not wonder, if he were euen monstrously a∣bused, as if he were some dogge, and not a man, by the fierce Turke. And shall thou, ô child of God, absent now in bo∣die from thy fathers home, and that Citie whereof thou art a free Burges, yea, from that kingdome wherein thou shalt some∣time

reigne, as thou art alreadie annointed for it; soiourning in the meane time where that euill one, the prince of the power of darkenesse, with his seruants and slaues, do rule and raigne, be astoined at thy crosses and tentations. Possesse thy selfe therefore in patience, ô my soule, while thou art absent, a stranger from thy home liuing amongst thy ••oes: for when thou shalt be brought to thy home, to liue a domesticke at home amongst thy friends, yea with thy great friend, and onely friend the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; all thy crosses shall be turned into crownes, and all thy bitter mournings in∣to sweet melodious musicke, which once being tuned vp, shall neuer fall downe a∣gaine, according to that of our Sauiour. Ye now are in sorrow,* 1.174 but I will see you a∣gaine; and your hearts shall reioyce, and your ioy shall no man take from you.

20. Our strongest God whom no∣thing can bind, whom all men and di∣uels cannot bind; is heartily contented to be bound by the prayers of his owne.

CAnst thou possibly, ô my soule, lend with my eares, my heart also; vnto that inhibition serued by the Lord thy God against his seruant Moses:* 1.175 Let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot, and not be prouoked (lifting vp thy voice like a trumpet) to crie wirh some speciall admi∣ration; yea, with some singular ioy. O the incomparable honour, ô wonderfull hap∣pinesse, ô the admirable force and valour! ô that soule which God hath so merciful∣ly inriched with that blessed spirit of sa∣uing prayer well grounded, sharply poin∣ted, and strongly feathered.* 1.176 Sampson was a strong man and could do much. Goliah was a mightie man who could defie and affray many.* 1.177 Dauid had sundrie worthies by whom rare things were effected: yea, there were seuen hundred in Beniamin all left handed,* 1.178 who could sling stones at a haires breadth and not faile.* 1.179 Alwayes true sauing prayer is stronger then all these, and can do, yea, and doth that which ne∣uer one of these seuerally, neuer all these iointly durst haue attēpted to do. But am I able to cleare this, ô my soule? this by Gods grace I shall cleare, yea cleare vnto the sensible: for cannot true prayer (as

these words spoken by our God vnto Moses ioyned with that which is found in other Scriptures testifie) bind that great and onely strong God of heauen, whom barres of brasse, bands of iron, and cords seuen times folded cannot bind possibly. Yea, cannot true sauing prayer loose that God of heauen with all his creatures, whom no power in hell, nor in earth can loose. Prayer can bind the God of hea∣uen, when his hands is armed against man for sinne, when he is clothed with hot wrath to consume man for sinne, making him to cast his armour from him, and lo∣uingly to embrace these whom he threa∣ned to destroy. Prayer can loose the God of heauen with all his creatures when he appeares to be enclosed within the hea∣uens, forgetting the miseries and afflicti∣ons of his owne, and suffering his enemies to triumph ouer them.* 1.180 Cannot Lot by prayer bind his God so, that he must say to him by his Angel. Hast thee, saue thee there, for I can do nothing till thou come thi∣ther. And cannot Iacob tye his God so to him, that the Lord must say to him. Let me go for the morning appeareth,* 1.181 and that Iacob can answer, I will not let thee go ex∣cept

thou blesse me. Yea confesseth not our God himselfe afore hand here to be obli∣ged to suffer himselfe to be bound by that prayer which Moses was yet to make to him,* 1.182 when he will say to him; Let me a∣lone? Cannot Eliah by prayer loose the heauens, and bring raine from them, as by prayer he had bound them before? Cannot Elisaeus loose the heauens,* 1.183 and bring downe fire from them? Cannot E∣zekiah in the day of his strait, loose the God of heauen by his prayer, making him to loose an Angel, to slay in one night an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand of his aduersaries?* 1.184 and thereaf∣ter to loose the hands of Adramilech and Sharisher to slay Senecherib their owne fa∣ther, who had opened his mouth to blas∣pheme the liuing God, and intended the ouerthrow of his people? Oh, ô my soule, when shall the secure professours of this age, mockers of praier, get grace to weigh that aright which is written, Gen. 18. 2. King. 4. Abraham is praying to his God, euen for Sodome and Gomorrha; alwayes ceassed not Abraham to pray for them, be∣fore his God ceassed to answer him graci∣ously while he was praying for them, and

to grant all that he had craued: yea, wants not that poore widdow emptie vessels to receiue and to keepe oyle into, before our gracious God want, oyle to poure into them. Oh, my soule, if we were sensible of his excellencie and force of this gift of prayer, that so we might: learne in time, delighting our selues in it, to exercise our selues about it continually. It is that hand of the Christian which is able to reach from the earth to the heauens, and to take euerie manner of good gift out of the Lords treasurie. It is one of these keyes of the house of Dauid, whereby we open the doores of the heauenly Palace, and go in to take a view of that glorious mansion prepared for vs. It is that trustie messenger which goeth with speed from our soules, saluting no creature by the way, and entreth straight before the mercie seate in heauen, reporting to the Lord all our griefes, and desires, and reporting backe a fauorable strengthening and comforting answer vnto vs. Yea, prayer is to thee, ô my soule, that fierce chariot of Eliah▪ whereby thou art made to mount vp to the third heauen, and to haue thy conuersation there with God, who onely

teacheth thee to pray and to whom thou prayest onely vnto. The sense hereof mo∣ued Cyprian to say:* 1.185 Orationes nostrae arma coelestia sunt, munimenta spiritualia, & tela diuina. Our prayers are our heauēly weapons, our spirituall defenses, and diuine darts where∣by we are made able to fight, to stand, and to persue in the day of need. I charge thee therefore, ô my soule, whensoeuer thou goest to prayer, that thou forget not to to draw vp this sute amongst others vnto God. O Lord my God let it please thy Maiestie, for the sonne of thy loues sake, to poure downe from day to day, a greater measure of that blessed and swee∣test spirit of true prayer vpon me, with some greater measure of the knowledge of thy will, greater zeale of thy glorie and loue of thy children, and with all these a greater measure of faith and of holinesse, to the end that my prayer be∣ing sharply pointed with a zeale to thy glorie, and loue to thy children, and strongly feathered, on the one side with faith, and one the other with holinesse; I may be able to draw and transcend the cloudes, and percing these heauen of hea∣uens, to enter in before thy Maiestie

prouing the first to accept of them for his sake in whose name they are drawne vp to thee and then proue able to binde thy blessed Maiestie, and to loose thy blessed Maiestie, with all thy creatures aboue me, about me, and beneath me as thy glorie, as thy childrens, and my owne need for thy glorie craues; and as the pride, inso∣lencie, and crueltie of thine and their ad∣uersaries for thee requires.

21. Our louing, heauenly, holy, wise Father, heareth alwayes the prayers of his owne, and granteth their requests; albeit oftentimes, not as they would haue them heard, yet euermore as God should heare them, and as their will requireth.

I must confesse, ô my soule, y^t thou canst not but be much moued, when consi∣dering Gods fatherly direction plainely giuen to thee, when weighing Gods gra∣cious promises clearely made to thee, thou askest but receiuest not; thou see∣kest but findest not; thou knockest but hath none to open to thee. For as then Sa∣tan

cannot but presse to take some aduan∣tage of thee, so thou canst not at the first consider this but be much amazed. Al∣wayes, ô my soule, I must cha••e thee not to murmur (so much as in secret) a∣gainst thy God, albeit he appeare not to heare thee when thou callest vnto him. Yea, I must command thee not to at∣tempt to suffer that loue wherewith thou art obliged alwayes to loue thy good God, any wayes to waxe cold, albeit his Maiestie do deferre to grant thee that which thou hast craued, yea, albeit he de∣nie altogether to giue thee that which thou hast bene long seeking; yea which is more, albeit he put into thy hand and lay vpon thy backe, that which is flat contrarie vnto that which thou hast bene, euen with manie dayes, with many sighes, hauing thy knees bowed before him, and thy hands lift vp to him, desiring him to giue thee. For I must tell thee, ô my soule, that the frowning lookes of thy God thy Father are more pleasant in the sight of his well schooled child, then the smylings of all liuing can be vnto him; that the hand of God thy Father taking from his owne,

that which the blind wordling counted onely to be profitable and honourable for him, yea that the hand of God thy Father laying that vpon the backe of his owne, which the dead worldlings count onely hurtfull vnto them, is euen then more kind, more liberall, and more mercifull vnto him then the hands of all liuing being opened wide to giue him li∣berally, to clap him kindly, possibly can be.* 1.186 This moued Bernard to make this notable confession. Si quid ama∣ritudinis sentio in voce eius, non sine dul∣cedine est: quoniam cum iratus est, miseri∣cordiae recordabitur, imo vero & ipsa indig∣natio, non aliunde quam de misericordia est. If I perceiue any bitternesse in his words, that bitternesse wantes not his owne sweetnesse, be∣cause while our God is angrie he will euen re∣member mercie; yea, that his very anger showne against his owne,* 1.187 flowes from nothing but from mercie. Shall this Bernard, speaking of that holy wise loue, which shineth in the heart of Gods child, speake thus of it? O bona mater charitas, quae siue foueat infirmos, siue exerceat prouectos, siue arguat iniquietos: diuersis diuersa exhibens, sicut filios diligit vniuersos. O how good and

sweet a mother is loue, which whether she suffer the weake, or exercise the strong, or re∣proue the vnruly, while she giues diuerse things to diuerse persons, she loueth them all and euery one of them as her dearest children. And shalt thou not, ô my soule, hold thy God alwayes for a louing Father; frowne he, smile he, giue he, take he, heare he thee, appeare he not to heare thee, til this world shall stand; the comfortable oracles shall alwayes abide inuiolably true.* 1.188 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous, and his eares are open to their cries.* 1.189 The lions do lacke and suffer hunger, but they who seeke the Lord shall want nothing which is good. All things worke together for the best, to them that feare God. And so, ô my soule, I must assure thee, that thy God cannot but al∣wayes heare thee, but alwayes helpe thee, for he heareth thee, either so that he granteth thee that which thou crauest, as thou crauest it, or as good as thou crauest; albeit not that same which thou wouldest haue bene at; or a better then that is, or could haue bene, which thou thoughst to haue bene onely the best for thee. Anna the mother of Samuel, maketh a sute to her God, and is heard in euerie point as

she craued, for as she powred forth her soule before God for a sonne,* 1.190 so she re∣ceiued a sonne from him.* 1.191 Paul called ouer and ouer againe to his God, beseeching him to deliuer him from that Angel of Satan which buffeted him? Alwayes that same which Paul craued from God is not granted to him by God, albeit that which was as good for him, was not de∣nied to him; for while he desires to be freed from that buffeting Angel, he is not freed from him: but alwayes Gods grace is sufficient for him, to make him stand vnder that sharpe assault strongly, and in the end to triumph ouer it valiant∣ly.* 1.192 Dauid a man after Gods owne heart, dealeth with his God by prayer, by teares, and by fasting, for the life of that child which Bethsheba bare vnto him; al∣wayes that is not granted, for that child died, neuertheles a better child was giuen to him: for was not that wise Salomon who built that glorious Temple to the Lord, brought forth to Dauid by the same Bethsheba afterwards? for if that child had liued according to Dauids sute, (be∣ing gotten vpon her by him, while Vriah her husband was aliue) would he not al∣wayes

liued as a manifest note of Dauid his adulterie, and murther; and so be cast vp vnto him by prophane people, who could easily gripe his sinne, but no wayes consider his repentance. Forget not this, ô my soule, that comfortable oracle sounded by thy maister and Saui∣our.* 1.193 What man is he amongst you, who if his sonne aske him bread, would giue him a stone: or if he aske him a fish, would giue him a serpent? or if he aske him an egge, will giue him a scorpion. And shall not thy God, ô my soule, euen y^e God of my spirit, who is more wise then the father of my flesh can be: if I craue that which he accounteth to be a stone, albeit I hold it to be bread; which he accoūteth to be a serpent, albeit I esteeme it to be fish; which he accoun∣teth to be a scorpion, albeit I thinke it to be an egge? Hearken, hearken vnto me and grant me that. Thou seekest the bread of honour from God, and he knoweth that if thou haddest honour, that thy honour would proue a stone to make thee dishonour him first; and in the end to slay thy selfe. And therefore he re∣fuseth to giue it vnto thee. Thou crauest the fish of health, and wealth from God,

but he knoweth that health, and wealth would proue a serpent to bite thy soule to death. Thou wouldest be at the white egges of sweet pleasures, but he knoweth that they will proue a byting scorpion to hurt thee: therefore he denieth health, wealth, and pleasures to thee. Againe, thou abhorrest ignominie and shame be∣fore men, as a hurtfull stone: but God knoweth that it will be food, and bread to thee, and therefore he couereth thee with it, euen when thou wouldst be faine quit of it. Thou abhorrest sicknesse, po∣uertie, imprisonment, banishment, in∣ward tentations, and outward crosses, yea, cruell death it selfe: as biting serpents and deuouring scorpions able to slay thee. Alwayes thy God knoweth that e∣uen these be the onely sauorie, and sweet fishes, and egges, which are able to saue thee, and therefore he propines thee with them. Forget not, ô my soule, that sweet speech of Augustine,* 1.194 subscribing vn••o the truth of these three comfortable alledged oracles: Bonus Dominus, qui saepe non tri∣buit quod volumus, & magis attribuat quod malimus. O how good a Lord is our God, who oftentimes giueth not that vnto vs which

we would haue, to the end that he may graci∣ously giue vs that which we rather should haue craued from him.* 1.195 Bernard embracing Augustine in this point can say to thee most sweetly, ô my soule: Saepe multos Deus non exaudit ad voluntatem, vt exau∣diat adsalutem. Our God oftentimes refuseth to heare manie of his owne according to their will, to the end that he may heare them for their weale. But here, ô my soule, lest thou decieue thy selfe, thinking that thou hast right to the hearing eare, to the pitifull heart, to the helping hand of thy God and so that he heareth thee, and that he pittieth thee, and that at length he will helpe thee. How mayest thou be assured that thou art euen then heard of him, piti∣ed of him, and that thou shalt receiue helpe from him, when in appearance thou must thinke that he heareth thee not at all? Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, findest thou grace while thus thou art vsed, by thy wise pitifull God, to continue in praying vnto him while he refuseth, as thou thinkest to heare? Hast thou grace to desire to continue in praying vnto him while he delayes (as thou thinkest) to heare thee? yea, which is more, findest

thou the smallest measure of griefe, be∣cause thou canst not desire to continue in praying vnto him as thou wouldest? that thou canst not pray vnto him as thou shouldst? be assured that God whom thou thinkest to be farre from thee, is neare thee, is with thee, yea he is within thee by his Spirit as in his temple hearing thee, albeit thou hearest not that he heareth thee; pitying thee, albeit thou feelest not that he pitieth thee; and for to deliuer thee, albeit th•••• thinke that thou canst not be deliuered. Answer me, answer me, ô my soule, if thou canst. If thy God heard thee no way, pittied thee no way, and were neuer to helpe thee, couldst thou desire to be heard of him, to be pitied by him, to be helped by him? yea, if thy God longed not as it were to do thee good, couldst thou either long or lament that thou longest not for good at his hands. For as he who neuer saw the Sunne cannot misse the sight of the Sun, so he who neuer saw God cannot misse God. Thus it is not nature which misseth grace, but grace which misseth grace, and therefore he spake truly who said: Num oranti beneficia denegabit,* 1.196 qui orantes vt ne

deficiant sua pietate instigat: Can that good God refuse to grant his good things vuto that person, who praying vnto him for them, is stir∣red vp by his goodnesse not to faint, but to con∣tinue in praying vnto him.

22. No person, no thing, can possibly content the sight, the smell, the taste, the touch of that kingly eagle the true Chri∣stian; beside that blessed Iesus, who sometime was dead, but now is liuing blessed for euermore.

VVHen I begin to meditate anie wayes seriously, ô my soule, vpon that honour whereunto thy God in thy Sauiour Iesus Christ hath aduanced thee, and so vpon these priuiledges and prero∣gatiues, wherewith he hath enriched thee, being now happily made a Christian through him; I wonder not that that great and wise Apostle was moued to crie out: I thought nothing worthie to be knowne a∣mongst you,* 1.197 saue Iesus Christ and him cruci∣fied. The things that were aduantage vnto me, the same I counted losse for Christs sake: yea, doubtlesse I thinke all things losse, for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord,

for whom I haue accounted all things to be losse,* 1.198 and count them to be dung that I might winne Christ, and might be found in him, not hauing my owne righteousnesse which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith: that I might know him, and the vertue of his resurrection, and the fel∣lowship of his afflictions, and be made confor∣mable to his death, if by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead. Be∣leeue me, ô my soule, a man as he is a man, excelleth not the brutish beast so farre; as a true Christian, as he is a Christian, sur∣mounteth a man, as he is a man. A man as he is a man, liueth but one life beyond the bruite beasts, to wit, the life of reason; for euen the bruite beast, moueth, groweth, feeleth: but I must thinke, that now euen senfible experience hath taught thee, ô my soule, that I being happily through Christ my Sauiour and head made a Christian, liue that life of grace, whereby thou, ô my soule, being naturally dead in sinnes and trespasses, art spiritually quickened; wher∣by my mind naturally blind, and destitute of the knowledge of the true God▪ and of his Sonne, is enlightened to see and know

him, whereby my will naturally crooked and auerse from the good will of this my God, is rectified and conformed to his will; whereby my soule and fond affecti∣ons naturally set onely vpon euill, yea, de∣lighting in euill, and abhorring all good, are renewed and vnfainedly made to hate euill, and sincerely to loue good: yea, whereby the whole members of this my bodie, exercised onely about the commit∣ting of sinne, as these which by nature be the weapons of vnrighteousnesse, are san∣ctified and made the weapons of righte∣ousnesse to serue God in holinesse: yea, knowest thou not, ô my soule, feelest thou not, ô my soule, euen alreadie to thy great and inexpressible ioy, that thou hast begun through that rare aduantage and singular benefit of this thy begun life of grace, to liue alreadie that life of expected glorie, which shall in despite of diuels, death and graue (thy sweet Sauiour being thine, and thou being his) receiue me with a most smiling and pleasant countenance in the end of time, and which I shall retaine in endlesse eternitie? When I reade Scrip∣ture many things moue me to aduance, yea, to admire the excellencie and happi∣nesse

of the true Christian; sorrowing that any should be stiled a man beside him: re∣ioycing from my heart that man is be∣come a Christian,* 1.199 and with Paul earnestly wishing, that all men were Christians. Hearken, hearken, ô my soule, to the most comfortable words of thy loue Iesus, spea∣king vnto thee by the pen of Matthew: Whersoeuer a dead carkasse is,* 1.200 thither will the eagles resort. Here compareth he himselfe to a dead carkasse, and a true Christian to an eagle resorting to this carkasse to feed vpon it. But what moueth thy Sauiour, ô my soule, to compare the true Christian to an eagle, because there is not a naturall propertie assigned by the naturalists, to the naturall eagle, wherewith God thy louing Father in his dearest Sonne Iesus Christ, by his holy Spirit hath not most ioyfully, most richly endued, and glori∣ously adorned the true Christian soule, that onely spirituall eagle, which is to be found in this world. And so the true Chri∣stian is happily for his information, refor∣mation, consolation, and confirmation, compared by his wise Lord and Maister (who onely makes him and knowes him) vnto an eagle, because of his estate, be∣cause

of his sight, because of his smell, be∣cause of his flight, because of his resting place, where he can onely stay, and staying refresh and feed himselfe. As for the estate and condition of a true Christian, I must tell thee, ô my soule, that the Christian is not a slaue, is no base bodie, is no vassall, but euen a most honourable one, a most mightie one, yea, the onely king amongst men, and aboue all men dwelling on earth here as the eagle is the king ouer these foules which do flie in the aire, and there∣fore stiled by the Ethnikes, Iouis ales, as we who be Christians may be called Iesus foules. Alwayes thou must know, ô my soule, that a Christian is not a king by na∣ture but by grace; by generation, but by regeneration: and so not as he is from that first sinfull Adam, but as he is in that se∣cond righteous Adam,* 1.201 who was made sinne for him, to make him righteous. But here, ô my soule, I must pray thee to con∣sider what sort of king is this kingly ea∣gle, set aboue all men by that King of kings, and Lord of Lords Iesus, euen this Christian. A Christian, I must tell thee, ô my soule, is a king commanded, is a king commanding, is a king ruled, is a king ru∣ling,

commanded onely by his Father, his Sauiour, his sanctifier, and ruled onely by that straight and shining line of that sa∣uing word of God, contained in holy Scripture; his mind, his heart, his will, his affections, and euery member of his body being so gouerned by that line, and led by that Spirit whose word it is, that he can out of knowledge and with ioy approue that which is agreeable to it, condemne that which is repugnant to it, eschew that it forbids and condemnes, embrace that it commands and commends. Yea, the true Christian is so farre commanded by that King who made him a king, and by that his word acquainting him with the nature of that kingdome prepared for him, that if any king or subiect liuing attempt with the counsell of Ierusalem,* 1.202 command him either to do that his great king hath for∣bidden him to do, or ceasse from doing of that his Maiestie hath appointed to be done by him, he can answer with courage whether it be righter in the sight of God to obey you rather then God, iudge ye: yea, he is so farre addicted vnto the com∣mandement of this his great King, that before he disobey it he will heartily with

Daniel and his companions be readie to lay downe his life at the feete of any king.* 1.203 A Christian is a king of quicke sight who can see clearly with the owle in the darke night, and so in the day of tentation and tribulation, making him to say with Iob: The Lord hath giuen,* 1.204 the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. Who can see with the eagle vpon the bright shining day, able to cast his eyes directly towards the strongest, cleare, piercing beames of that hote shining sun of blooming pros∣peritie, no wayes turning away either his heart or his eyes from his great King and blessed Maister, for all the honour, all the wealth, all the pleasures, can be offered to him, can be taken from him, for all the per∣secution can be deuised, can be executed against him, in this (triumphantly like a conquering king, who hath nothing a∣boue him beside God) trading the lauda∣ble sauing pathes of Ioseph, Moses, Dauid, Ezrah, Nehemiah, Daniel, and a verie world of heauenly Kings, by that Christ of God made Christs to God. As a Chri∣stian is a king of quicke sight, so is he a king of most sharpe smelling, with the eagle, not smelling things neare hand, but

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things afarre off, in such sort, that he can finde nothing to be sauorie to him, beside that blessed glorious King, who made him a king, and blessed him with this spirituall sharpe smelling. Yea, I must tell thee, ô my soule, that the smelling of a Christian is so spiritually delicate, that he can rest vpon the sauour of no Angell, of no man, of no woman, either soiourning here, or glorified in heauen, much lesse the sauour of honour, wealth, or pleasure, or whatsoe∣uer this earth can possesse. Shall old Isaac smelling the garment of his blessed sonne Iacob crie out, not without a speciall tri∣umphing ioy: Behold the smell of my sonne, is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. And shalt not thou, ô my soule, made a sharpe smelling eagle by thy Sa∣uiour Iesus, easily to smell euen things far remoued from thee, smell this, thy Saui∣our as onely profitably, honorably, and pleasantly sauorie to thee, and for thee. The sense hereof moued the Church Christs spouse, directing her language to Christ, her onely loue and husband, to crie out:* 1.205 All thy garments smell of myrrhe, and cassia, when thou camest out of thy yuorie palaces, where they haue made thee glad.

The sense hereof moued the same Spirit of Iesus to make this confession:* 1.206 Because of the sauour of thy good ointments, thy name is as an oyntment powred out, therefore the virgins do loue thee.* 1.207 And againe, My wel∣beloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto me: my welbeloued is as a cluster of camphire in the vines of Bengedi. Yea, this moued the Church (giuing a speciall proofe of the sharpenesse of her smell and taste) to speake to her husband thus: The mandra∣kes haue giuen a smell, and in our gates are all sweet things new and old;* 1.208 my welbeloued, I haue kept them for thee. As a Christian is a kingly eagle seeing quickly, and smelling sharply, so he is a kingly eagle of won∣derfull flight: for the Christian mans soule flies not onely swiftly, but also sub∣limely, and so both farre and high, and that in one instant. Can the Christian be content with the crow, or with the rauen, to dwell here beneath with men, and a∣mongst men, flying and building their nests only a little aboue the heads of men? No, no, he must necessarily flie farre a∣boue the clouds and firmament. But wher∣of comes this, ô my soule, euery true Chri∣stian soiourning here, resembleth the

Israelites hasting out of Aegypt,* 1.209 he had his dough bound vp in clothes vpon his shoulders, his loynes girded, and his staffe in his hand, and so he was altogether rea∣die at the call of Moses to turne his backe with heartie contentment vpon Aegypt, and his face with heauenly gladnesse to∣wards Gods promised and his expected Canaan.* 1.210 Well knowes the Christian soule where her husband and home is, her hus∣band, her home is not beneath here, but is aboue, and therefore her heart must euer be vpward: yea, for this cause the true Christian cannot ceasse euerie minute, vpon the wings of faith flying thither, to enter in where Christ is there powring forth all his necessities. The true Christian soule knoweth that her husband will come againe, albeit she know not when he will come, and therefore the Christian dare not suffer idolatrie, incest, murther, adulterie,* 1.211 fornication, oppression, drun∣kennesse, couetousnesse, falshood, deceit, and such abhominations, as also many long and heauie deluges to hang after him, lest first they hinder him to take him to his wings, and then hinder him in his flight after that he hath taken himselfe to

them. As the true Christian is that kingly eagle which seeth quickly, smelleth sharpely, flieth swiftly, and on high, so he is that kingly eagle, which cannot stay his flight, till he come where that some∣time dead, blessed, and sweet smelling car∣rion, but now gloriously liuing Lord of life and light, Iesus is. Let a Christian man meete with a thousand Angels, he will behaue himselfe as Gehazi the seruant of Elizaeus did,* 1.212 being sent by his maister with his staffe towards the dead sonne of the Shunamitish Ladie, not daring so much as to salute one of them by the way, till he come where Iesus is. And in this the wise Christian resembleth that diseased wo∣man, who thronging through the whole preasse, could not be stayed till she tou∣ched his garment with her finger, who had touched her heart before with his Spirit,* 1.213 and made her by faith to touch him spiri∣tually, before by her hand she touched him bodily.

23. Man through sinne in Adam being made a foule puddle to Satan, to tyrannize in: through grace in Iesus

Christ is made a faire palace to God to reigne in.

OH, ô my soule, when shall the eyes of men, hauing that blessed lanterne of Gods blessed word in their mother tongue presented before them, be enligh∣tened to see that refreshing resolution, and singular consolation, offered to their eares by the 23. and 24. verses of the 3. of Genesis, compared with the 6. verse of the third to the Hebrewes? In the 23. and 24. verses of the 3. of Genesis, our blessed God is so iustly offended with Adam and Eue (infected, alas, through the manifest neglect, yea a vowed contempt of his word with sinne) that he will not suffer them so much as to lodge one night in that garden he planted richly for them, and graciously propined them with. Al∣wayes that 6. verse of the 3. to the He∣brewes tels me, ô my soule, that our God accounteth so much of man, being ingraf∣ted in his blessed Sonne Iesus, and so through him hauing all his sinnes remit∣ted, that he will haue man not onely to haue an houfe, but to be a hou••e; but what an house, but to whom an house, will our

God haue man in Christ to be, ô my soule? euen an house to his owne Maiestie, by his own good Spirit to dwell in. And wilt thou not reioyce when thou hearest and considerest this, ô my soule, sinfull Adam (before the Messiah is promised to him, by faith is griped by him) may not lodge so much as one houre in that earthly pa∣radise wherin he lodged before? Alwayes Adam with his posteritie hauing this Messiah promised to him, by faith griped by them, must be a more glorious palace then euer that earthly paradise was, out of the which he, and in him, and with him, all his were cast, yea, he must be a palace no lesse glorious then that heauen of hea∣uens is: for must not man ingrafted in Christ, be an house to receiue, and recei∣uing to keepe, and keeping to enioy that blessed Maiestie who hath his throne in the third heauens? But here I must aduise thee, ô my soule, (considering the subtil∣tie and strength of thy malicious aduer∣sarie Satan) grauely to consider two things: first, vpon what condition will thy holy God be content y^t euen I (clogged, alas, with sinne) be an house to his Maie∣stie, clothed with vnspeakable, incompa∣rable

glorie: secondly, what is that I should endeuour my selfe to resemble, in respect of this more then high dignitie whereunto I am hereby aduanced. Hear∣ken, ô my soule, to the Spirit, so shalt thou meet with that condition, whereupon my God will be content that I be an house to him, for be not these the Apostles words. For Christ is as the Sunne ouer his owne house,* 1.214 whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of the hope vnto the end. And so I must tell thee, ô my soule, if thou wouldst be an house to that onely glorious King of kings Iesus; thou must alwayes be decked & trimmed with such tapistrie and furniture, as onely is able to make such a Maiestie desire, yea, delight to come to thee, yea to dwell with thee, and in thee, that is with effectuall faith, patient hope, laborious loue, and neuer wearying perseuerance and constancie. But how mayest thou know, ô my soule, that thou art thus deckt in any kinde of measure? Hearken, hearken vnto that reso∣lution giuen by Iohn:* 1.215 Euerie man that hath this hope in him, purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure. Alwayes, euerie houre, in all places, trauelling to be more and more holy and

iust, to the end that that holy & iust God may still dwell with him, yea in him. Be∣side this, if I would haue my selfe to be an house to my Lord and King Iesus on earth here: I must seriously studie to resemble that his house of glorie which is aboue. Now what is the nature of that holy house of thy God, ô my soule, the Spirit clearing this vnto thee,* 1.216 saith: There sball enter into it no vncleane thing, neither whatsoeuer wor∣keth abhomination, and lies; but they which are written in the Lambes booke of life. Let me carrie my selfe herefore, ô my soule, in the feare of God so here, that I suffer nothing approch my bodie, or any mem∣ber of my bodie, which is vncleane, and which is not recommended vnto me by that cleane booke of the Lambe contai∣ned in holy Scripture, and that nothing enter within me, or come out of me, which may defile thee, ô my soule, or this my bodie: but that making Gods Booke a square to my affections, and a line to my life, I studie alwayes by the loue and pra∣ctise of holinesse, to keepe my holy God with me, and within me here, to the end that hereafter I may be kept with him, and by him in heauen for euer.

24. The last song of Gods child is euer sweetest; and no wonder, conside∣ring that hee sees and feeles before death: and is assuredly perswaded to possesse after death for euer.

IT is writen of the swanne, ô my soule, that his last song is euer sweetest; and holy Scripture cannot but be a verie world, and cloud of worthie witnesses, teaching thee also, y^t the last song of Gods children who happily (of blacke rauens by nature, hauing no white in them from top to toe because of sinne) are made white swannes, hauing washed thēselues in the bloud of the Lambe is sweetest al∣so. Thou hast considered Scripture, ô my soule, and Scripture hath acquainted thee with the liues and deathes of many nota∣ble swannes. But tell me, art thou not transported out of thy selfe, and carried as it were from earth to the heauens pre∣sently, when the sweetest tune of their last melodie is brought to thy eares? Sang euer that swanne Iacob so sweetly as vp∣pon his death-bed, as Moses maketh cleare by the 29. of Genesis? sang euer

that Moses so sweetly as he did a little be∣fore he was to be taken vp by his God to the top of mount Pishgal, there to die and to be buried by his Maiestie, as is manifested in the 32. of Deuteronomie? Sang euer that swanne Iosuah so sweetly as before his death, as the 23. and 24. Chapter of his booke testifieth? Manie sweet songs passed through the tongue and lippes of that sweet singer of Israel Dauid; alwayes serued euer his spirituall musicall veine him better, then when he was to take his good-night from the kingdome of Iudath, and the Iewes his subiects, for to be transported by death vnto the kingdome of Iesus his Sauiour, as is euident in the 18. Psalme. which iustly may be called Dauids latter end? Whose tongue can expresse, whose veine can discrie the sweetnesse of these speeches distilled many a day, like as many sweet cleare honie droppes from the gracious lippes of that fairest swanne; euer the heauens, euer the earth, euer the waters saw, euen white Iesus; white in his con∣ception, white in his birth, white in his life, white in his death, yea whitenesse it selfe. And so farre surmounting the natu∣rall

swanne, who hauing white feathers, hath blacke feete. Alwayes thou wilt confesse, ô my soule, that neuer sung his sweetest lippes so singularly, so wonder∣fully, after a more then spirituall, angeli∣call, and heauenly sweet manner, then he did before his apprehension and death, as is manifest of that more then refreshing and comforting Sermon sounded by him frō the 31. verse of the 13. of Iohn to the end of the 17. Chapter thereof. These who haue reade the writings of Paul, must meete with the manie melodious notes sweetly tuned by him. Alwayes, when death is brought before him, can he not starting vp on both his feet as it were, and putting his hand as a valorous conqueror on his side, lifting vp his coun∣tenance on high, crie out couragiously. O death where is thy sting,* 1.217 ô graue where is victorie. The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law, but thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. And when he is brought before death, can he not setting both his feete vpon the necke of death, stand ouer it by his word as it were, striking off the head of death (as Dauid

standing vpon Goliah,* 1.218 could take away his head with his owne sword, and carrie it in triumph towards Ierusalem) crie out to the hearing of others. I haue fought a good fight,* 1.219 I haue finished my course, I haue kept the faith; for henceforth is layed vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue to me in that day, and not to me onely, but to all them also that loue his appearance. The blind senslesse worldling, speakes, and thinkes of Gods children as of monsters, when he sees them reioycing on their death-bedes, and heares them singing when that death approcheth them; but no wonder, for as these men know not the child of God so they know not his father, they know not where his father dwelleth, they know not by what gate his children enter into his house, much lesse haue they anie kind of knowledge or sense, of these vn∣heard, vnseene, vnfelt, good things which be within it? Alwayes, I charge thee, ô my soule, that thou attempt not to wonder (vnlesse it be to thy consola∣tion, and no wayes to thy confusion) when thou seest the child of God (who hath no loue beside Iesus, who hath loued him,

and giuen himselfe for him, who hath no home beside the home of heauen, where this his loue is sitting in his owne nature preparing a place for him) filled on his death-bed with a greater sea of ioy, then euer it was before, euen there while death is drawing neare vnto his bodie, and his bodie is drawing neare vnto the graue, aduancing more holy the excellencie of that loue wherewith the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost do loue him, proclayming more largely, the vanitie, of all things earthly, euer hard, seene, smelled, tasted, touched, possessed by him, or any other to his seeing, or hearing; praising more aboundantly the incomparible value of these vnspeakeable good things promi∣sed vnto him by his father, purchased vn∣to him by his Sauiour, whereof he hath alreadie receiued the earnest, looking as∣suredly after death, for the full payment. Shall the child of God, ô my soule, crow∣ned heare with pricking thornes, reioyce in tribulation, and shall he be confoun∣ded when he drawes neare vnto death, whereby all these things which possibly can trouble him are finished, and by the which he is sent vnto heauen, there to

triumph for euer. Shall Paul and Silas cast in the inner prison at Philippi, and hauing their feete fastened in the stockes, sing a Psalme at mid-night? And shall I not sing much more continually, when that death shall draw neare me, which shall not open a doore to set me free from any outward prison, to the end I may enter the gates of any worldly Citie, to liue among and reioyce with men for a while: but which shall open that doore to me (by the ver∣tue of his death, who by dying ouer∣came death) whereby I may enter within the gates of that high and hea∣uenly Citie, within the which I shall liue without all suspition, and feare of future thraldome, among, and with Gods An∣gels and Saints in Gods presence, pray∣sing that Lambe which sitteth on the throne for euer. Adam for his sinne being turned forth of that earthly Para∣dise, hauing heard his God say to him: Thou art dust,* 1.220 and to dust thou shalt re∣turne againe, could not but with a heauie heart go out of it. Alwayes the child of God, ô my soule, hauing all his sinnes remitted through faith in the second Adam, who died for him, and being

through him made the sonne of God the Father, the brother of God the Sonne, the temple of God the holy Ghost, hauing heard this voice (thou art Gods and thou shalt returne to God againe) cannot but with ioy of heart be content to haue his soule remoued frō his bodie, and his bodie from the sight of men by death. Augustine meditating vpon this, and citing these words of Paul.* 1.221 I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all, is not af∣fraid to crie out thus.* 1.222 Qui cupit dissolui & esse cum Christo non patienter moritur, sed patienter viuit & delectabiliter moritur. He who desires to be loosed and to be with Christ, dies not patiently, but liues patiently, and dies ioyfully and pleasantly. Yea this moued Bernard citing the 55. verse of the 15. Chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians to speake thus.* 1.223 Mors non iam stimulus sed iubi∣lus, iam cantando moritur homo, & moriendo cantat•• vsurparis ad laetitiam mater moeroris, vsurparis ad gloriā gloriae inimica, mortua es ô mors, & perforata hamo quem incauta glu∣tisti, cuius illa vox est in Propheta, ô mors ero mors tua. Death now is no sting procu∣ring mourning, but a Iubilee breeding mirth. Now man dies singing, and dying sings.

O mother of mourning thou art now vsed for mirth,* 1.224 ô enemie to all glorie thou art now v∣sed for rarest glory, yea thou art dead ô death, and pearced through by that hooke which thou didst swallow vnawares, whose voyce speaking by his Prophet is: ô death I shall be thy death.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 8. 21.
• * 1.2

  Ier. 17. 9.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 15. 18. 19.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 51. 10.
• * 1.5

  1. cor. 12. 4.
• * 1.6

  Phil. 3. 7. 8.
• * 1.7

  Phil. 1. 21.
• * 1.8

  Ambr. offi.
• * 1.9

  1. lib. 1.
• * 1.10

  cap. 12.
• * 1.11

  Psal. 119. 71.
• * 1.12

  Aug. in Psal. 92.
• * 1.13

  Reuel. 3. 19.
• * 1.14

  Gen. 22.
• * 1.15

  Iob 1. 2.
• * 1.16

  2. Sam. 27.
• * 1.17

  Act. 3. 4. 5.
• * 1.18

  Aug in Psal. 51.
• * 1.19

  Aug. in Psal. 16.
• * 1.20

  Gen. 22.
• * 1.21

  Iob 1. 21.
• * 1.22

  Iob. 2. 10.
• * 1.23

  Iob 13. 15.
• * 1.24

  Iob 19. 25. 26. 27.
• * 1.25

  Act. 5. 6.
• * 1.26

  Rom. 5. 4. 5.
• * 1.27

  Iam. 3. 4. 1••
• * 1.28

  Cypr. ser. of mort.
• * 1.29

  Iraen. lib. 4. cap. 22.
• * 1.30

  1. Sam. 13. 30. 31.
• * 1.31

  2. Sam. 4. 6. 7.
• * 1.32

  2. Sam. 24. 16.
• * 1.33

  2. Chron. 22. 10.
• * 1.34

  Ester 1. 21. 22.
• * 1.35

  Deut. 22. 35.
• * 1.36

  Rom. 3. 8.
• * 1.37

  Dan. 3.
• * 1.38

  Dan. 6.
• * 1.39

  Act. 5. 40. 41. 42.
• * 1.40

  Tatian.
• * 1.41

  Iud. 16.
• * 1.42

  1. Cor. 4. 7.
• * 1.43

  Mat. 25. 26.
• * 1.44

  Psal. 116. 12. 13. 14.
• * 1.45

  Psal. 2. 11.
• * 1.46

  Rom. 11. 20.
• * 1.47

  Phil. 2. 12.
• * 1.48

  1. Sam▪ 25. 12.
• * 1.49

  Reuel. 3. 14.
• * 1.50

  2. Sam. 16. 10.
• * 1.51

  2▪ King. 6. 35.
• * 1.52

  Iob 1. 21.
• * 1.53

  Iob 2. 10.
• * 1.54

  Bern. ser. ••8. fol. 111.
• * 1.55

  Lament. 3. 39. 28. 29. 30.
• * 1.56

  Luk. 23. 39. 40. 41.
• * 1.57

  1. Sam. 3. 11. 12. 13. 14.
• * 1.58

  1. Sam. 3. 18
• * 1.59

  Isa 39. 5. 6. 7
• * 1.60

  Reuel. 3. 19.
• * 1.61

  Heb. 12. 26.
• * 1.62

  Psal. 119. 71.
• * 1.63

  Heb. 12. 9. 10.
• * 1.64

  2. Sam. 16. 11. 12.
• * 1.65

  August.
• * 1.66

  Bern. Psal. 91.
• * 1.67

  Isa. 59. 1. 2.
• * 1.68

  Gen. 17. 1.
• * 1.69

  Psal. 18. 25. 26.
• * 1.70

  Psal 34. 15. 16.
• * 1.71

  Isa. 33. 14. 15. 16.
• * 1.72

  Ezech. 16. 3. 4. 5. 6.
• * 1.73

  Ephes. 1. 2.
• * 1.74

  Exod. 4. 21.
• * 1.75

  Gen. 29.
• * 1.76

  Eodus 1.
• * 1.77

  Iob 2.
• * 1.78

  Luke 16.
• * 1.79

  Gen. 31. 24.
• * 1.80

  Iohn 12. 4. 5. 6.
• * 1.81

  Iohn 13. 3.
• * 1.82

  Psal. 16. 11.
• * 1.83

  Esay 66. 14
• * 1.84

  Bern.
• * 1.85

  Exod. 32. 10.
• * 1.86

  Gen. 18. 10
• * 1.87

  Chrysost.
• * 1.88

  Esay 1. 2. 2. 35.
• * 1.89

  Prou. 1. 25. 26.
• * 1.90

  Dan. 5. 5▪ 6.
• * 1.91

  Acts 24. 26.
• * 1.92

  Ier. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
• * 1.93

  Psal. 56. 8.
• * 1.94

  Exod. 3. 7.
• * 1.95

  Hag 1. 24.
• * 1.96

  1. King. 21. 18. 19.
• * 1.97

  Psal. 27. 10.
• * 1.98

  Gen. 20. 27. 28.
• * 1.99

  Gen. 37.
• * 1.100

  Gen. 39.
• * 1.101

  Gen. 41.
• * 1.102

  1. Sam. 18. & 19. & 27.
• * 1.103

  2. Sam. 2. 5.
• * 1.104

  Gen. 4.
• * 1.105

  Isa. 54. 7. 8.
• * 1.106

  Mark. 6. 7. 28. 29.
• * 1.107

  Mat. 14. 21.
• * 1.108

  Exod. ••. 11.
• * 1.109

  Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26.
• * 1.110

  Act. 20. 34.
• * 1.111

  Act. 21. 13.
• * 1.112

  Bern. serm. in Cant. 50.
• * 1.113

  August.
• * 1.114

  Bern.
• * 1.115

  1. Cor. 6. 19▪
• * 1.116

  •• Thess. 4. 17.
• * 1.117

  Ioh. 1. 14.
• * 1.118

  Heb. 2. 16.
• * 1.119

  Zach. 13. 7.
• * 1.120

  August. de vera relig. cap. 16.
• * 1.121

  Leo serm 2. in nat. Dom.
• * 1.122

  Reuel. 18. 10.
• * 1.123

  Rom. 6. 12.
• * 1.124

  Bern. ser. 24 in cant.
• * 1.125

  Luk. 11. 28.
• * 1.126

  Prou. 28. 9.
• * 1.127

  Exod. 5.
• * 1.128

  1. Sam. 27.
• * 1.129

  1. King. 17. 3. 4. 5. 6.
• * 1.130

  Dan. 3.
• * 1.131

  Dan. 6.
• * 1.132

  Luke 10.
• * 1.133

  Prou. 16. 7.
• * 1.134

  1. Iohn 2. 16.
• * 1.135

  2. Sam. 13.
• * 1.136

  2. Sam. 15.
• * 1.137

  Prou. 4. 14. 15. 16.
• * 1.138

  Rom 12. 2.
• * 1.139

  1. Pet. 4. 31.
• * 1.140

  1. Pet. 4. 2.
• * 1.141

  2. Sam. 12. 14.
• * 1.142

  1. Cor. 10. 32
• * 1.143

  Psal. 119. 136.
• * 1.144

  2. Sam. 12. 14.
• * 1.145

  Mat. 18. 6.
• * 1.146

  2. Cor. 11. 12.
• * 1.147

  1. Cor. 8. 13.
• * 1.148

  Eccl. 12. 14.
• * 1.149

  Luk. 1. 77. 79.
• * 1.150

  Mar. 2. 17.
• * 1.151

  Luk. 1. 5. 4. 8. 20. 21. 22.
• * 1.152

  Psal. 78. 70. 71.
• * 1.153

  Rom. 13. 3. 4.
• * 1.154

  Ephes. 5. 11
• * 1.155

  1. The. 4. 14
• * 1.156

  Leuit. 19. 17
• * 1.157

  Ezech. 33. 8. 9.
• * 1.158

  Act. 20. 18. 28.
• * 1.159

  Deut 50. 17 16. 17. 18. 19.
• * 1.160

  Ios. 22. 5.
• * 1.161

  Ios. 24. 24. 25. 26. 27.
• * 1.162

  Mar. 2. 5.
• * 1.163

  Gen. 17. 29.
• * 1.164

  Gen. 37. 39.
• * 1.165

  Exod. 4. 29 30. 31.
• * 1.166

  1. Sam. 16. 17.
• * 1.167

  Psal. 73. 13.
• * 1.168

  1▪ King. 17.
• * 1.169

  Dan 3. 6.
• * 1.170

  Isa. 11.
• * 1.171

  1. Pet. 2. 21. 22.
• * 1.172

  Iohn 4.
• * 1.173

  2. Cor. 4.
• * 1.174

  Iohn 6. 22.
• * 1.175

  Exodous 32. 10.
• * 1.176

  Iud 14. 15. 16.
• * 1.177

  2. Sam. 17.
• * 1.178

  2. Sam. 23.
• * 1.179

  Iudg. 20.
• * 1.180

  Gen. 19. 22.
• * 1.181

  Gen. 32▪ 26.
• * 1.182

  1. King. 17. 18.
• * 1.183

  2. King. 1.
• * 1.184

  Esay 37. 36. 37. 38.
• * 1.185

  Cypr.
• * 1.186

  Berna. on Hab.
• * 1.187

  Ber. Epist. 2.
• * 1.188

  Psal. 34. 15. 16.
• * 1.189

  Rom▪ 8. 28.
• * 1.190

  1. Sam. 1.
• * 1.191

  2. Col. 12. 7. 8. 9.
• * 1.192

  2. Sam. 12.
• * 1.193

  Luke. 11. 11. 12.
• * 1.194

  Aug.
• * 1.195

  Bern.
• * 1.196

  August.
• * 1.197

  1. Cor. 22.
• * 1.198

  Phil. 3. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
• * 1.199

  Act. 26. 29.
• * 1.200

  Mat. 24. 28.
• * 1.201

  2. Cor. 5.
• * 1.202

  Act. 4. 19.
• * 1.203

  Dan. 3. 6.
• * 1.204

  Iob 1. 2.
• * 1.205

  Psal. 45. 8.
• * 1.206

  Cant. 1. 3.
• * 1.207

  Cant. 1. 13.
• * 1.208

  Cant. 7. 13.
• * 1.209

  Exod. 22.
• * 1.210

  Colos. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
• * 1.211

  1. Pet. 1. 13.
• * 1.212

  2. King. 4. 29.
• * 1.213

  Mat. 9. 20. 21.
• * 1.214

  Hab. 3. 6.
• * 1.215

  1. Ioh. 3.
• * 1.216

  Reuel. 21. 27.
• * 1.217

  1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. 57.
• * 1.218

  1. Sam. 17. 51. 54.
• * 1.219

  2. Tim. 4. 7. 8.
• * 1.220

  Gen. 3. 19.
• * 1.221

  Phil. 1. 13.
• * 1.222

  Aug.
• * 1.223

  Bern. cant. ser. 26.
• * 1.224

  Hosea. 13. 14.