A spiritual spicerie containing sundrie sweet tractates of devotion and piety. By Ri. Brathwait, Esq.

Of his Conception.

MEMORIALL I.

I Was not, and thou didst make mee; I had no being, and thou gave it mee. I was con∣ceived in sinne, before I con∣ceived

what was Sin. Nature laid on mee a staine, before she brought mee to a visible state. My bloud was corrup∣ted, before ever I entred. Tainted it was, when Eve was tempted and weakely consented. Thus did my pa∣rents make mee forlorne, be∣fore ever I was borne. Even then, whē the second skin was my coat, was Sin my Cogni∣zance. Seeds of sin sprung in mee, before the Light tooke notice of mee: And these had their rooting from those that bred mee. Long before I had abilitie to sin, were all my members made instru∣ments of sinne. Before I had the use of any sense, sin had made a slave of every sense. For mine eyes, while they

were as yet sealed, sights of sin had enter'd thē. For mine eares, though they were as then closed, ayres of sin had pierced them. For my taste, before I enjoy'd it, an Apple had poyson'd it. For my Touch, before I employ'd it, had Eves pulse▪ soiled it. For my Smell, before I knew how to use it, had the steames of earth choaked it. I was shut up as one in darknesse: and darke I was within as well as without, by means of mine originall uncleanenesse. I conversed with none, none with mee: my mothers wombe was that living tombe which inclosed mee. Thus before ever I saw the Sun, became I a growing lump of sin Unable was I to commit it, yet apt

enough to be conceived in it. Nothing I had about me, but what did staine me. The Ma∣terials whereof I was made, I am asham'd to name. Ah! poore shell of corruption! impure shrine, or new-form'd piece of pollution! I as then knew not by whom I was made, how I was made, when or where I was made, or for what end I was made. Mise∣rable ignorance! I knew her not in whose wombe I was conceived, nor that sin wherin I was conceived. I was as a stranger to my fathers house, yet was I daily in it. An Alien was I to my Brethren, yet li∣ved I amongst them. And as a thing not knowne, Sojourn'd I amongst my Kinsmen. Ca∣pable abilities had I both in∣ward

and outward, yet en∣joyed I the benefit of neither. Without all sensible com∣passion, a daily paine was I to my sickly mother. I lived as one dead, for many months together; and was fed, with∣out seeking food, by course of Nature. I was as one clo∣sed up, and might have no passage till the time appoin∣ted. I increased daily, yet knew I not the meanes of my growth. He only who made and fashioned me, knew mee; long before I came out of the wombe, did hee know what would become of mee. Paths had he prepared for me, before I had knowledge how to walke in them. Hee had deter∣mined mine end, before I re∣ceived birth. Long time did

I wrastle with my enforced restraint, labouring still to be freed; yet became I more miserable by my freedom than restraint. I wished, and yet I knew not what, I was the ve∣ry least of a childe; what lesse then, could be my knowledge? I was weary of my bed, yet going out of it I was fit for nothing. By this I foretold how far I would be from be∣ing content with my estate on earth; when my weake infancie could not bee con∣tent with her condition be∣fore my birth. In a better case was I when so incased, than when to the miseries of earth inthralled. A right world∣ling was I, before I came in∣to it, for I grew no sooner a little strong, than I grew to

be weary of my former estate. Any one that had seene mee, would have thought there had been no sin in mee. But I became so naturalized a ••inner as it was a taske no lesse hard for mee to put off sinne than nature. But as one kept in too long, like a new-fledg'd bird, I begun to flicker a little with my tender unset wings, and to leave my first nest. But sharply was she that bred me pained with mee before shee could bee discharged of mee. So unnaturall was I to mine owne before I entered the world. Gather hence what may bee expected from mee, after my entrie into the world.