Diuine considerations of the soule concerning the excellencie of God, and the vilenesse of man. Verie necessarie and profitable for euerie true Christian seriously looke into. By N.B. G.

The second part of consideration concerning man: and first touch∣ing the weakenesse or smallnesse of man.

HAuing now set downe a few notes touching the ne∣cessarie consideration of the greatnesse, goodnesse, wisdom, loue, mercie, grace and glory of God, Let mee a little speake of the contrarieties in man, in mine opinion not vnnecessarie to be considered: and first, of the weakenesse or smallnesse of man: First of his smallenesse touching the substance of his

creation, it was of the slime of the earth, then what could bee lesse, or of lesse force, quantitye or esteeme? Next for the substance of generati∣on, what was man before the meeting of his Parents? not so much as a thought, then which nothing could bee lesse, then by the effect of consent, What was his substance? as in his creation a matter of like moment, the quantitie not greate, and the force little, contained in a little roome: bred vp in darkenes with paine and sorrowe, fed by the nauil•• without vse of sence or mem∣ber. Then come into the world, is in quantitie little, in strength

meere weaknes, naked and fee∣ble like anowne adiectiue that cannot stand alone, cryeth for it knoweth not what, either paine that it cannot expresse, or for want of that it cannot aske for: Now continuing long time in this weaknes, being come to fur∣ther yeares, what doth it finde but it owne imbecillitie, desi∣ring that it cannot haue, behol∣ding that it cannot compre hend, and enduring that it can∣not helpe.

Subiect to sinne, by the cor∣ruption of nature, by tempta∣tion of the flesh, by the enchant∣ment of the worlde, and the iclousnesse of the Deuill: sub∣iect to the burning of the fire,

to the drowning of the water, to the infection of the aire, to the swallowing of the earth: sub∣iect to sicknesse, subiect to care, to sorrow, to want, to wronge, to oppression, to penurye, to ignorance, to presumption, to tyranye, to death: so vnable to defend himselfe, that a flea will byte him, a fly will blinde him, a worme will wound him, and a gnat will choake him.

And for his sences, his hea∣ring may greeue him, his sight may annoye him, his speeche may hurt him, his feeling may distemper him, his smelling may infect him, and his tasting may kill him: in summe, poore thing proud of nothing, come of little

better then nothing, and shall returne to (almoste) as little a•• nothing: muste hunger, must thirst, must labour, must sleepe, must loose the vse of his sences, and committe him∣selfe to trust: must waxe olde, must die, cannot chuse, hath no power to withstand any of these: and though hee haue the commaund of creatures, is but himselfe a creature, and can no longer liue then to the will of the Creator: sees the Sunne, cannot behold the brightnesse: heares the windes, knowes not whence they blowe: feeles the ayre, knowes not how to lay holde of it: sees the fire, dares not touch it: sees a world

of earth, but possesseth little of it, perhappes none of it: lookes at Heauen, but can∣not come at it: and in summe, as a substance of nothing, or if anye thing, like a Clocke, that no longer mooueth then by the will of the Clockema∣ker: So no longer man then in the wil of his maker: what shall this little, weake, small creature think, when he shal in the glasse of true sence beholde the obiect of himselfe, and then think vp∣on the greatnes of his God, in whome not onely himselfe but all creatures in heauen & earth haue their being, and without him haue no being? in how little a compasse himselfe, with∣all

his is contained, while such is the greatnesse of his God, as filleth heauen and earth with his glory; who comprehendeth all things, not comprehended in any, nor all; but aboue all in himself, in the infinitenes of him∣selfe. Oh poore man what canst thou doe, but with Iob lay thy finger on thy mouth, and say: I haue spoken once and twise, but I will speake no more: I thought I was something, but I see I am nothing, at least so little a thing, as in it selfe is nothing: My righ∣teousnesse is as a filthy cloth, my strength is Weakenes, my dayes as a shaddowe, my life but a spanne, and my substance so smal, as but in thee my God is as nothing or worse

then nothing at al: thus I say wilt thou say when beholding the least of gods creatures, thou shalt consider thyne owne smalnesse; and looking on the one and the other with the Prophet Dauid, say in the admiration of his glo∣rious goodnes, Psalme 8. vers. 4. O God what is man that thou doest vouchsafe to looke vpon him?

And thus much touching the smalnesse or weaknes of man.

The second Consideration, tou∣ching the vilenes or wicked∣nes of man.

NOw I haue a litle spoken of this smalnesse or small strength of man, a thing doubt∣les

most necessary for euery mā to think vppon, least finding his greatnes in commaund ouer the creatures of the earth, he forget the Creator both of heauen and earth, & al things in the same: so let me tell him, that finding his smalnes to bee so great, and his greatnes to be so smal, as maketh him nothing more then in the wil of the Almightie, hee must withal looke into the vilenes of his nature, in y^e wilfull offending of his moste good and glorious God▪ for in his first offence, how much did he shew the vile wick∣ednes or wicked vilenesse of his conditiō, in forgeting the good∣nes of his God, in framing him of so vile a matter as y^e slime of the

earth, a liuing creture to his own glorious image? then to plāt him in Paradice, a place of so much pleasure, to giue him so large a possessiō, as of al his ground, his fruit, yea & commaund of al his creatures vpon the earth: thus not like a Lord, but like himself Lord of Lords, to giue him a world of earth, & there onely to except one Tree, with a sharpe warning of death, in the tou∣ching of the same, when neither his loue in his creatiō, his boun∣tie in his possession, nor his care in his commaund regarded, but either carelesly forgotten, or wil∣fully disobeyed: Oh what grea∣ter vilenes could be shewed then in such vnthankfulnes? and what greater

greater wickednesse, then to shake handes with the Deuill, to offend the God of so much goodnesse? but more to make him blush at his owne shame, in beholding the foulenesse of his abhominable filthynesse, let man in the glasse of truth see the leprosie of his soule, by the in∣fection of sinne.

Pryde hath defiled humili∣tie, couetousnesse charitie, le∣cherie chastitie, wrath patience, sloath labour, enuie loue, and murther pity: so that whereas man was before in these vertues a creature of Gods loue, and in whose presence hee tooke plea∣sure, now through these vices is hee become a most vglye and

hatefull creature in the sight of the Creator: what Peacock more proude of his taile then man is of his trumpery? what Tyger is more cruell to any beaste, then one man to an∣other? what Goate more le∣cherous then the licentious Li∣bertins? what Dogge more co∣uetous in hiding of meate, then the dogged miser in hoording vp of money? what Snake more venemous then the tonge of the enuious? and what Dormouse so sleepie as the slouthfull Epicure?

Consider then if there bee a vile nature in any of these, how much more vile is man, that hath the condition of all these?

Oh should a man haue his Image or proportion drawne according to his condi∣tion, how monstrous would he finde himselfe? with a Tygers head, a Goates bearde, a Snakes tong, a hogs belly, a Dormouse cie, and a Beares hand: But let the Image goe, and looke into the vilenes of man, and see if it bee not such as passeth the power of discription: when God is forgotten, the Deuill shalbe remembred; when grace is forsaken, sinne shalbe enter∣tained; and when Christ shalbe crucified, Iudas shalbe mo∣nyed.

A Dogge will fawne on his maister, Oh how much worse

then a Dogg was man that was the death of his maister? an Ele∣phant is a monstrous beast, and yet is pitifull to man, & wil lead him out of the wildernes: but man more monstrous then any beast, will leade man into wick∣ednes: the Goate hath his time, wherin to shew the heate of his nature, but man spareth no time to follow the filthinesse of his lust: the Dogge will bee satisfied with a little that hee hath hidden, but the vsurer is neuer satisfied till hee bee choaked with his Golde: the Lyon will not praie vpon the bloud of a Lambe, when the murtherer will not spare the bloud of the infante:

the Ante will worke for proui∣sion for his foode, while the E∣picure will burst in the bed of his ease.

See then (oh man) the vile sub∣stance of thy condition, where∣by, of the best creature in thy creation thou art become the worst in thy corruption: & ther∣fore looking on the goodnes of thy God, and the vilenesse of thy selfe, Thou maiest well saie with Peter: Luke chap. 5. verse 8. Lord come not neere mee, for I am a poluted creature, and with the Prophet Dauid, Psa 44. ver. 16. Shame hath couered my face, yea and beholding the lepro∣sie of thy soule by the spottes of thy sinne, stand without the

gates of grace, that the Angells may not abhorre thee, nor the Saincts be infected by thee, till thy heauenly Phisitian with the Bloude of the Lambe haue cu∣red thee of thy corruptiō: Look I say (oh vile man) vpon the wickednesse of thy will, to of∣fend thy good God, to bee a seruant to sinne, the ruine of thy selfe, and the plague of thy posteritie.

In thy riches see the rust of coueteousnesse; in thy pryde see the fall of Lucifer; in thy lechery see the fire of lust; in thy wrath see the bloud of murther; in thy sloath see the filth of drosse: and thus beholding thy besmeered soule, see if thou canst see so vile

a creature, vile in vnthankful∣nes, vile in haughtines, vile in coueteousnes, vile in sloathful∣nes, vile in furiousnes, vile in filthines, and so vile, in all vile∣nes.

Thus I say looke into thy selfe, and see what thou arte, and if such thou be not, think of the greatnes of the goodnes in thy God, that by the vertue of his power in the mercie of his loue, hath healed thee of thy sinne, & made thee fit for his seruice, which till thou findest in thy selfe, thinke there is not so vile a creature as thy selfe.

And thus much touching the vilenes or wickednes of man.

The third Consideration, tou∣ching the folly or Ignorance of man.

THe smalnesse and vilenes of man thus considered, we are now to looke a little vpon the folly or ignorance of man, not a little needfull with the precedēts & what shall follow to be consi∣dered: First, to the first point of folly; could there bee a greater folly thought vpon, then to lose the benefit of Paradise, for the bit of an Apple, for touching one tree to loose all, to loose the plesure of ease, to labor for food, to forget god, to listē to women, to distrust God and to beleiue

the Deuill; to loose the beautie of perfection, for the foulnesse of corruption; and as much as in him lay, to leaue heauen for hell: are not these (without comparison) so high pointes in ignorance, as make a ful point in folly? But leauing the first fol∣ly of the first offender, Oh what a swarme of follyes hath this ig∣norance begotten in the worlde? which like Snakes in a Bee-hiue, sting the takers of mis∣staken hony? what a folly is it in man to worship a golden calfe, which at the houre of his death, can giue his body no breath, but in the time of his life, may hasten his soule into hell? For exam∣ple reade, the history of Diues,

and see the fruite of such a folly.

Againe, what a follye is it for man to make an Idoll of his fan∣cie, when Sampson with his Da∣lila may shew the fruite of wan∣tonnesse? Againe, what a folly it is to execute the vengeance of wrath, Let the murther of Cain speake in the bloud of his bro∣ther Abell: what a folly is enuie, let the swallowing of Coran, Datha•• and Abiram speake in their murmering against Moses: what a folly is pride, looke in the fall of Lucifer: But as there are many great follyes in the world, so there are many and great fooles; but aboue all, one most great foole which wee may iustly call foole by the

word of God, Psalme 53. verse 1. The foole hath said in his heart, there is no God: This foole doe I holde the foole of al fooles, who hath ben so long with the Deuil that he hath forgotten God, for he is more foole then the Deuil, who will acknowledge God, tremble at his Maiestie, and be obedient to his commaund; & therefore I may well say, that he is not only a deuilish foole, but worse then a Deuill foole, and so the foole of al fooles: Now to speake of follyes in particular, nor of a number of Idle fooles, such as when they are gay, thinke they are rich, or when they can prate they are wise, or when they are proude they are

noble, or when they are pro∣digall they are liberall, or when they are miserable they are thriftie, or when they can swagger they are valiant, and when they are rich they are honest:

These and a world of such idle fooles, least I should be thought too much a foole, for standing too much vpon the foole, I leaue further to talke of, & ho∣ping that the wise will confesse, that all the wisdome of the worlde is foolishnesse before God; and therefore man fin∣ding in himself so little touch of true wisdome, as may make him then confesse all the wit hee hath to be but meere

foolishnesse without the grace of God, in the direction there∣of. I will leaue what I haue written vniustly to the corre∣ction of the wise, and for the vnwise, to the amendement of their indiscretion: and thus much touching the considera∣tion of the folly of man.

The fourth Consideration, tou∣ching mallice or hate in man.

NOw hauing spoken myne oppinion, touching the foolishnes of man, I finde that follye or ignorance of better iudgement, to haue begotten in

him a kinde of malice or hate, as it were opposite or contrary to the loue of God, or at the least contrary to that loue which God commaundeth to bee in man, where hee saith: Iohn chap. 13. verse 34. Loue one another as I haue loued you: for in some wicked people it is too apparant, which I may ra∣ther terme Deuills then men, those Atheisticall villains, that if they haue not their wills will not onely murmure against God, but with Iobs wife seeme to curse God; and with the Deuill blaspheme God: may not these iustly be called the re∣probate, that but looking to∣wards heauen, dare stirre vp a∣thought

against the glory thereof: and being themselues but earth, dare mooue against the Great or of heauen and earth.

Oh how hath the Deuill had power with man, so to poyson his soule with the venome of temptation, as by the power of the corruption, to bring him to etrrnall confusion? but as the Deuill through his malice at the greatnes of God, was cast downe from Heauen, so hath hee euer since and during his time will, by the same poison, in as much as he can, keepe man from Heauen: but leauing to speake of the vngratious, vn∣gratefull and malicious nature

in some man towards God, most grieuous to be spoken of: let me come to y^e malice or hate of man to mā, when there were but two brethren in the world Cain and Abel, one so maliced another, that he sought his death, & not for the hurt he did him, but for that God was pleased in his bro∣ther, and not in him: Oh pesti∣ferous poison, to wound the soule vnto eternall death! Gen. chap. 4. ver. 8. what need I to al∣leage examples, either in the booke of God, or wordes of bookes in the worlde, touching that vile & hellish nature or hu∣mor of malice in the corrupted nature of man, when it is dayly seene euē almost in al kingdōes,

Countries, Cyties, and Townes, to be an occasion of ciuill discorde, yea and some∣time of greate and long warres, to the vtter spoile of many a common wealth: doe not wee see euen sometime before our eyes, how many are hated euen for the good that is in them? and for the good that they in∣tend to them that hate them? when a wise man reprooueth a foole of his folly, will not the foole hate him for being wiser then himselfe, or for telling him of his folly? yea, will he not car∣ry it in minde many a day, and worke him a mischeefe if hee can, for his good, and as the Iewes did with Christ, put him

to death for teaching them the waie of life, hate him for his loue, and kill him for his com∣forte? Oh malicious nature in the hearte of man! if the lawe giue land to the right heyre, will not the wrong possessor hate both the heyre for his right, and the lawe for giuing it him, though himselfe would be glad if the case were his own to haue it so? if two freindes bee suiters for one fortune, if the one carry it, is it not often seene, that the other will hate him for it? yea, of a friend become a foe, for enioyning that he should euer haue had if the other had missed it? is it not often seene that vpon a humor of ielouzie

a man wil hate his wife, and the wife her husband, the sonne the father, and the mother the daughter, brother and sister, neighbor and neighbor, and al one another sometimes for a tryfle, & that with such a fire of malice, as is almost vnquencha∣ble. Oh how too full are the Chronicles of the worlde, of the horrible and miserable Tra∣gedies, that haue proceeded out of that hellish spirite of malice, that hath spit her poy∣son through the hearts of a great part of the whole worlde, to the destruction of a worlde of the inhabitans therin?

Let me a litle speake of this wicked spirite, and how it

wrought the fall of Lucifer from Heauen (through his malice) at the Maiestie of the Almightie: againe, being falne from Heauen, how it wrought in him the fall of Adam, enuy∣ing his blessed happines in Pa∣radise, and therefore by temp∣tation, sought in as much as hee could, his destruction: In Cain it wrought an vnnaturall hatred to the death of Abell: in Esawe it wrought an vnbrother∣ly hatred to the great feare of Iacob: in Pharaoh it wrought an vnkindly hatred to the poore Is∣ralites, because they throue by their labors vnder him & increa∣sed in his kingdome: it wrough a hate in the children of Iacob to

their brother Ioseph, because their father loued him in breife, you shall finde in the whole Scripture the hate of the wick∣ed vnto the godly, because God blesseth them: and as in the di∣uine writ, euen in these our daies, do we not see the good ha ted of the euill? which being the spirite of so much wickednesse, as worketh so much mischeefe, what doth it differ from the Deuill? Truly I thinke I may well say, that as it is written, God is charity and hee that dwel∣leth in charity dwelleth in God, and God in him: so contrarily the Deuill is malice and hee taht dwelleth in malice dwelleth in the Deuill, & the Diuill in hlm:

But where God entereth with his grace, the Deuill hath no powre with his malice, and though hee droue Adam out of Paradice, yet hee could not keepe him out of Heauen: and therefore of greater power is the mercy of God, then the malice of the Deuill: but seeing such is the vile nature of malice, as doth figure nothing more truly then the Deuill, let no man that can truly iudge of it, but hate it as the Deuill, which maketh a man, in whom it is hatefull vnto God, wicked vn∣to man, throwen downe out of Heauen, and cast into hell, from which God of his mercie blesse all his seruants for euer∣more:

and thus much touching the consideration of the hate or malice in man.

The fifth Consideration of the crueltie in man.

NOw as it is euident by too many proofes, that one e∣uill begetteth another, so in this it appeareth that from the hate or malice of man, procedeth the crueltie or tyrannye executed vpon man: for what beast in the world was euer found so tyrannous vnto another, as one man hath ben to another? yea such a power hath tyrannye in the hearts of some men, as

hath bene the spoile and death of many a thousand: what ty∣rannye did the Iewes shewe in the crucifiing of our blessed Sa∣uiour Iesus Christ, which did proceed, not out of any desert in him (who deserued all loue and honour of all people) but out of a malicious humour yfu∣sed into their soules by the power of the wicked finde? examples of this vile and pesti∣lent humour, not onely the books of God, as well in the olde as the new Testament, as in many lamentable histories extant to the whole worlde, is too ful of the persecution of the Prophets and the chosen peo∣ple of God, by the wicked

and vnbeleeuing Princes, and people of the worlde; some their eyes put out, other their tongues cut out, some broy∣led vpon hott Iron, other boy∣led in skalding lead: some torne in peeces with horses, some flead quicke, some starued to death, other tortured with vn∣speakable torments, in some for the displeasure conceiued of some one, how many thousands haue suffered either death, or vndoing, or both: when whole howses, whole Cities, yea and almost whole Kingdomes, by the bloudy execution of tyrany, haue ben brought almost to vt∣ter confusion: a Lyon when hee hath licked his lippes after

warme bloud, returnes to his den and takes his rest: the Dog if he fight with his match, if hee runne away from him, and cry, he seldome pursues him, and if he kill him, he leaues him, and as it were mourning goeth from him, that hee hath bene the death of him: & so of many other beasts, Wolues, Tygres, and such like death, or flight sa∣tisfies their crueltie: But man more feirce then the Lyō, more bloudie then the Wolfe, more tyranous then the Tygre, and more dogged then the Dogge, will neuer be satisfied, till he see the death and seeke the ruine of the father, childe, wife, and seruant, kinred and generation,

and neuer taketh rest through feare of reuenge, so that he is not onely tyranous vnto other, but through the vexatiō of his spirit, is become euen a torment vnto him-selfe, whyle feare and wrath keepe him in continuall perplexities: Oh how vna∣turall, how monstrous in this horrible disposition haue many bene in the world, some mur∣thering their own children, yea in the time of their infancy, some their parents, some their brethe∣ren, some their Princes, some their Prophets, some their mai∣sters, some their seruants? what crueltie, yea more then in any beast, will many such a one shew to another in pride, malice, orre∣venge?

the examples wherof the world is euery day too full of: what Butcher can more cruelly teare in peeces the limmes of a beast, then one mā in his malice will the very heart of another? what scourges, what terrors, what tortures and what vnhu∣maine kinde of mortall punish∣ments, hath mā deuised for man no lesse intolerable then inex∣plicable? in some the cryes, the blood, the sorrowes, the mise∣ries of the murthered, the impri∣soned, the afflicted, and the di∣stressed, through the oppression of pryde, and the tyrannye of wrath, may very well euen from Abell to Christ, and from him to the worlds end,

sufficiently conclude the con∣demnation of man, for the greatest tyrant in the worlde.

And thus much touching the consideration of the cruelty or tyranny in man.

The sixt Consideration of the basenes of man.

HAuing now spoken of the smalnesse, the vilenesse, the foolishnesse, the hate, and the crueltie in man, let me a litle shew him the basenesse of his condition, in going from that nature of grace wherin he was created, vnto that horror of sinne by which hee is confoun∣ded-God in his gracious nature

made him like vnto himselfe in holinesse, purenesse, and righ∣teousnesse, and through these graces, amiable in his sight, sociable for his Angells, and coheire with his blessed Sonne in the paradise of the soule: what greater title of honour, then to weare a Crowne? what Crowne so rich as of grace? what grace so high as in Hea∣uen? and what glory so great as to bee gracious in the sight of God: all which was man? (through grace) assured of, and through the lacke, carlesse, wherof, hath not only lost all, but through sinne is become vgly in the sight of God, banish∣ed the courte of Heauen, and

through the drossy loue of the worlde become a slaue to the Deuill in hell. What basenesse can be more then man by sinne hath thus drawne vpon himselfe? who while hee should looke towards Hea∣uen, is digging in the earth, while hee shoulde thinke vpon Heauen is puzled in the world, and while he should be soaring towards Heauen, is sinking into hell: Oh base wretch, that seeing the shame∣full nature of sinne, will yet so be meire his soule with the filth thereof, that of the best and noblest creature, hee becometh the worst and most base of all other. Will the

Spaniels leaue their maister to carry the tinkers budget? will the horse leaue the warlike rider to drawe in a carte? and will man leaue the King of Heauen to serue a slaue in hell?

Oh basenes of all basenes! in Heauen is man a companion for the Saintes, the virgins, the martyrs and the An∣gells: In hell for the fiends, ougly spirits, and horrible Deuills.

And is not hee of a base spirit, that will leaue the hea∣uenly for the hellish com∣pany? fie vpon the basenesse of man, that by sinne will bee brought vnto so base a nature:

there is no place so base as hell, which is called the bottomlesse pit, the receptacle of all filthi∣nesse, the caue of the accursed, the denne of the desperate, the habitation of the reprobate, the horror of nature, the terror of reason, the torment of sinne, the misery of time, the night of darknesse, and the endles tor∣ture, where Serpents, Dragons, Night-rauens, and Shrich∣owles, make the best musique in the eares of the damned; where all obiects are so ougly, all substances so filthy, all voy∣ces so frightfull, all torments so continuall, all paines so pitiles, all care so comfortles, and all hurte so helplesse, that if a man

through sin were not worse then a beast, hee would not shew more basenesse then in the most beastly nature of the most bea∣stly creature: what shall I say? such is the basenesse of sinne in the imbasing of our spirits, and so base are our spirits in the yeelding to the basenesse of sinne, that I must conclude with the Prophet Dauid (thin∣king of the glory of God, and the basenesse of man) Oh what is man that thou O God wilt vouchsafe to looke vpon him? And so much in breife touching the consideration of the basenesse of man.

The seauenth Consideration tou∣ching the ignominie or de∣fame of man.

IT is an olde prouerbe (and too often true) that hee who hath an euill name is halfe han∣ged: and surely that man that delighteth in sinne, by the name of a reprobate, is more then halfe damned before hee come in hell, to bee called a villaine is a name of great infamy, and doth not sinne make a man a villaine to God? to be called a Dogge is most hatefull to man,

and is not man called a hell∣hound by the hate of his sinne? would not man bee loath to be tearmed a Serpent, and hath not sinne made man become of a Serpent like nature?

Oh the filth of sinne, how hath it fouled, and defiled the nature of man? the vtter infamy of his name, the election of loue, the Image of God? the Lord of the best of creatures, to become the hated of grace, the substance of drosse, the worste of creatures, and the slaue of hell? what a shame is this to man (by sinne) to fall into so foule an infamy?

Is it not a name of great dis∣grace to be called a disobedient

Sonne or a faithlesse feruant? a rebellious subiect, or vnthank∣full freinde? an vnkinde brother, and an vnnaturall childe? and is not man by sinne become all this vnto God? to bee stub∣borne to so louing a Father, false to so good a maister, rebel∣lious to so gratious a King, vn∣kinde to so kinde a brother, and vnthankfull to so bountifull a Lorde? it is a shame to liue to beare the iust blotts of such blames: one of these faults were enough, but altogether, are too too much.

The Dogg will follow his maister, the Horse will cary his maister, and will man runne from his maister? the Oxe

knowes his stall, and the Asse his cribbe, and shall not man know his place of rest after his labours? then more vile then the Dogg, more vnkinde then the Horse, more foolish then either Oxe or Asse.

Fie what an infamy is this vn∣to man? a seruant to entertaine his maister vnkindly, to vse him villanously, and to kill him shamefully, were not this a hor∣rible infamy, and did not the Iewes so with Christ? to forget a kindnesse, to distruste a truth, and to abuse a blessing? is not he infamous that doth so, and what sinner but doth so? so that still I see infamy vpon infamy▪ one followeth another by the

venome of sinne to the shame of man: to leaue robes of silke for rotten raggs, sweete wine for puddle water, and a plea∣sant walke for a filthy hole: what foole would doe this, and doth not sinneful man doe this? leaue the rich graces (the com∣ly vestures of the soule) for the poore fading pleasures of the flesh? the sweete water of life for the puddle watter of death? the filthy pleasures of this world, and the comfortable way to Heauen, for the misera∣ble way to hell?

Oh wretched, blinded, sencelesse, & bewitched foole, that doost suffer sinne so much to be-foole thy vnder∣standing!

Looke I say what a name thou iustly gettest, by yeelding thy seruice vnto sinne: a slaue, a foole, a beast, a serpent, a monster, and of the best, the worste creature in the worlde.

Loose the beautie wherein thou werte created, the honour wherwith thou werte inti∣tled, the riches whereof thou werte possessed, the libertie that thou enioyedst, the loue wherein thou liuedst, and the life wherein thou reioycedst; to put on deformitie in na∣ture, basenes in ciuilitie, beggery in wante of grace, bondage in slauery, hate

hate wherin thou diest, and death wherin thou arte euer ac∣cursed; and all this through sin: who now could in the glasse of truth, beholde this vglye ob∣iecte of sinne, and would gaine himselfe so foule an infamy, as to be called an obiect? through the loue thereof, hath not Cain from the beginning, bene iustly called a murtherer? Laban a co∣zener, Sampson a foole, Achi∣tophel a knaue, Salomon an Ido∣lator, Symon magus a sorcerer, Diues an Epicure, and Iudas a traytor, and the Deuill a lyar? and wilt thou (Oh man) that readest and beleeuest all this, bee infected, nay delighted in all these sinnes? to receiue the

name of a murtherer, acozener, a foole, a knaue, an Idolator, a a sorcerer, a traytor, and a lyar? Oh most hellish titles to set out the flagge of infamye! which to auoyde, seeing thy vildenes, and knowing thy weaknesse, praye to thy God, the God of good∣nesse, to draw thee from the delight of wickednesse, vnto that delight of goodnesse, that may recouer thy credit lost, blot out the spots of thy shame in thy sinne, and through the dropps of the pretious Bloud of his deere beloued Sonne Iesus▪ to wash thee cleane from thyn•• iniquities, make thee capabl•• of his graces, thankfull for his blessings, and ioyfull in recei∣uing

the gratious name of his faithfull seruant: And so much touching the consi∣deration of the infamye orignominy of man.

FINIS.