a man sitting in a garden, looking to the sky and holding a book 
I see better.  
Contemplation's Sighs & Groans of A Christian  
I follow worse.   
London printed for William Lee and are to be sold at the Turks head in fleet street 1640.   

CONTEMPLATIONS, SIGHS, and GROANS of a Christian.  
Written in Latin, By JOHN MICHAEL DILHERRUS.  
And Englished by WILLIAM STYLE of the Inner Temple, Esquire.  
LONDON, Printed by Richard Bishop, for WILLIAM LEE, and are to be sold at the Great Turk's Head, next to the Mitre Tavern in Fleetstreet. 1640.   

The Author's Dedication.  
TO THEE O JESUS CHRIST, Son of the living God, and borne of the Virgin Mary, Lord of the living and of the dead, Do I with Tears and Groans, Give, Dedicate, and Consecrate These my CONTEMPLATIONS and SIGHS: And do beg and beseech thee that thou wilt make them unto me 

A help in my life,  
A comfort at my death,  
My protection in judgement.    
Thy adorer, redeemed by thy blood, J.M.D.   

The Translator to the Reader.  
Books, if they be good, need no protection; if bad, (in this our age and state) they can have none, be not the Surveyors of the Press (a thing not to be presumed) either corrupt or negligent. Now therefore, to see a book in print, with an Imprimatur in the front, is a sufficient warrant for all to buy, and a sure rule for thee to read, without either offence to thyself, or displeasure of any other. Besides, this is no new Book, though a new Translation; and therefore, I hope, as it hath been publicly vendible for many years, without restraint, and good applause, in the Latin tongue: so it may now find as free a passage, and as fair an acceptance in the English; and shall not need a Protector to keep it off from a public censure, or warrant it from the fire. And this is all I now wish, either for my Author, or myself. Yet I have a Patron too, even He that commands, not only the hands, but (even) the tongues and hearts of men: If he be pleased with these my weak endeavours, for whose honour I chief undertook them; I have my Guerdon, even all I expect or desire; if not, I am sure I shall vainly implore any other patronage, how potent soever: as no way sufficient to protect either me or my Translation from his All-seeing eye, and All-doing hand: of him therefore do I beg pardon of my errors committed; and to his service, do I (in all humility) dedicate myself, and this Manual, and do loveingly commend the use thereof to thee my courteous Reader.  
From my chamber in the Inner Temple. August 20. 1639.   

THE AUTHOR to the Reader.  
THE time is already come, which our Saviour foretold, should be, before the Fabric of this world should be dissolved; take heed (saith he) you be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, and shall say, I am Christ; and that time draweth nigh, but go not after them. And when you shall hear of wars and tumults, be not afraid; for these things must first be, but the end is not yet; for Nation shall rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom, and there shall be great earthquaks in divers places, and famines, and deaths, and there shall be terrors and oppositions, and great signs shall be seen from heaven, and there shall be great tempests; but before all these things come to pass, they shall violently lay hands upon you, they shall persecute you, and deliver you up to their Synagogues, & into prisons, and shall set you before Kings and Governors, for my Name sake; your own parents, brethren, kindred and friends shall betray you, and they shall put some of you to death, and you shall be hated of everybody. He that makes a doubt of the fulfilling of this Prophecy, let him cast his eyes upon the actions of the former age, and behold the tragedy, which is even acted in the sight of all men, which dies in purple both the body and estates of all men, and yet its Catastrophe doth not yet a pear to us! How many imaginary Christ's forged in hell! hath the old Serpent put upon us; he hath suffered (almost) no age to pass, wherein he hath not hammered out new Authors, and Princes of Salvation, and hath prepared new ways for impious devotion; so that we are (even) reserved to that time, than which none was ever more fierce for Religion, nor more barren in Piety. If any more sincere, and more unspotted than the rest, be given us from heaven, that may show us the path to those heavenly mansions, and that faith which is the only ladder to life eternal, and commands to be clothed with works, & bids those other personating sectaries of Christianity, to carry more devotion in their hearts than in their countenances, and to be fiercer in doing than saying, he shall scarce get from them without hissing, and a clownish jeer; I dare say that these very things do happen even within the Orchyard of the Church. How many witnesses of the Gospel's truth are delivered by our adversaries to make themselves pastime, to be destroyed by the cruel sword, to be consumed by the devouring flames, and to be pined within a dark prison. In our age have we seen Nation to rise up against Nation, and their great burden pressing the earth more than ever we read of in our books; we find, by daily experience, that fathers grow mad and cruel, against their own sons; mothers against their daughters, and children against their parents, and that either for Christ's, or Mammon's sake. Though we see not innumerable Cities overwhelmed by earthquaks, yet we know it to be true in other parts of the World. We see armies of fires in the Firmament, representing unto us and besmeared with the humane blood, which is after to be shed; netther is the breaking in of seas, and floods, any new thing; and more I need not say: for as Gregory the Great, out of whom we have taken something of that we have formerly declared, doth write, when the swelling waves hang over us, and do threaten death, which they bring with them, we call to mind, no carnal pleasures, yea we cast over board those very things for which we have made a long voyage; and all things, compared with our life, are set at nought. So we also, when we perceive the waves of God's wrath to swell high, we lay aside the burden of our worldly possessions, we remove our vain desires, and cast from us the weight of all our worldly cares; being earnestly and only solicitous for our hoped for eternal life. So shall it be that thus lightened, the ship of our devotion may float, which laden must sink; for the cares which depress us in this life, do draw our souls into the deep, which is borne so much the higher, amidst the billows of temptation, as we are careful to rid it from the thoughts of this world; but there is another thing which we should duly consider; in these our tempestuous times when a storm doth first arise, the waves are then but small, but presently after they swell to bigger volumes, at length they mount so high, that by their loftiness they overturn all those that sail upon them. Now also hastens that extreme tempest of souls, that shall overwhelm the whole World, which sets forth unto us its beginning by wars & slaughters, as it were by some of his waves: And the nearer we do daily come to the end, so much the greater are the volumes of troubles, which we behold; but at the last, when all the Elements are in a hurly burly, the judge will come amongst us and bring an end of all things with him; and certainly it is but a moment till he shall shake, not only the earth, but the heavens themselves. We ought (vigilantly) to look for this tempest, and to be afraid of the waves that daily swell against us, and to foresee what must follow upon these troubles, which buffet the World. God himself warns us so, saying, take heed least at any time your hearts be over charged with gluttony and drunkenness, for drunkenness is a smooth devil, a sweet poison, a delightful sin; he that is possessed with it, hath not himself; and he that acts it, commits not a sin, but is wholly sin itself; and as the soul which is free from wine, is most wise and of the most excellent temper; so moistened with the vapours of wine, it is as it were enveloped in a cloud, it doth confound nature, makes us lose grace, destroys our glory, and makes us incur eternal damnation. He warns us that we be not entangled with the cares of this life. For we cannot serve two, God and Mammon; for the love of riches doth fare more torture than refresh our souls: to get them is toilsome, we keep them with fear, and lose them with much sorrow. He warns us that we watch at all times, and pray that we may be worthy to escape the evils to come, and to stand before the son of man. Let us watch, O let us watch! for that only day of our Lords coming is kept secret, that we might every day stand in awe. The Lord will come in an hour when we think not of him, when we shall say peace, and all things are safe. Whether we eat, or drink, or whatsoever we do else, let that dreadful voice always sound in our ears. Arise ye dead, and come unto judgement. Let us watch, my companions, let us watch; he shall be blessed, whosoever he be, that doth nothing without the remembrance of this judgement: let us pray, O my companions, let us pray, let us pray without ceasing, and let us cry with a strong voice to the Lord; and though we cease with our tongue, yet let us cry with good works, and that without ceasing; for prayer is rather of the heart, than of the lips; rather of our works, than of our words: the words of him that prays, are not so much observed by God, as the heart of the suppliant. By how much more we are oppressed with the tumultuousness of carnal things; so much the more fervently we ought to bend ourselves unto prayer. Let us pray continually, because we are always tempted, and because our sins do labour without intermission to circumvent us, the world to deceive us, hell to devour us, and the devil to ensnare us. Let us surround God, making as it were a power against him by our prayers, that we may bind and overcome our sins, the world, hell and the devil, and may without blame wait for the fixed hour, and the day of the universal doom. That hour shall not be unprofitable to us, which to others hath proved most fruitful; for prayer quenched the fiery furnace for the three Children; stopped the Lion's mouths that they could not hurt Daniel; appeased the seditious Israelites, for Moses; opened Paradise, locked up heaven, made the barren womb fruitful; loosed Paul's and Peter's bands; nay, he hath enlarged the confidence of prayer, which carried Cornelius to heaven, and did justify the Publican. That I might stir up and increase this desire of prayer of Groans, and of Sighs in myself, not long since I framed this incitement, when Hannibal (as it were) was even at our gates, and rash death commanded me to cease from my other labours: and I do willingly impart it to the youth that love learning and religion, and to others that please, to whom I wholly enthrall myself. I have willingly and wittingly passed over those quarrels, and brawls which many make against things of this nature; for I endeavoured not so much to sharpen and embellish the wit, as to amend and better the soul; nor could I with a soaring wing of wit, compass heaven and earth. If any desire a smooth style, let him know that I made choice rather to speak in other men's words, and to recollect the sentences of the Ancient, than to speak in mine own phrase; and let him consider, not the style, but the sense of the matter wherein these things are writ; neither whether it be according to the usual manner of phrase, but whether the matter be true; for if the sense he true, What skils it, saith a learned Germane, in so abstruse a business, whether thou cloth it in a fine or a course veil or garment, so it be not uncomely? Surely my mind is good throughout, and if my humane tongue, or pen; shall any where falter, let me not be too severely punished, for there is no malice or obstinacy in it, though there may be weakness and obscurity: if any shall maintain that these things are neither beseeming my age or condition, I shall willingly give him leave to abound in his own sense, and (if he please) to be wise in his own conceit, yet every man ought to hold piety dear, and to be studious of it, of whatsoever quality or years they be of. I am young, says one, and now I will take my pleasure, hereafter will I repent. This is as much as to say, I will wound myself with my sword, and then I will go to the Chirurgeon. Alas knowest thou not that a wound is received in a minute, that can hardly be cured in a long time? Thou mayst sin of thyself, but rise from sin, alone, thou canst not: in which most grave sentence of S. Augustine I end, and seriously rest, I beseech you do so with me.   

Imprimatur:  
THO. WYKES. Octob. 30. 1639.   
CONTEMPLATION'S SIGHS, and GROANS of a Christian.  

CONTEMPT. etc. 1  
Of the greatness of Gods Love.  
AWake my soul, out of the sleep of ignorance, awake my heart, out of the sleep of sloth, struggle out my spirit, out of the depth of darkness, and look back upon thy God, look upon thy God that cannot be seen with corporeal eyes; because he dwells in an inaccessible light, that none can behold and live; yet do I O my god, lift up my spirit unto thee, I raise up my soul unto thee, I cast up mine eyes unto thee; my understanding desires to meditate, and consider of thee, but sees not where to begin, how to go on, and in what manner to end; the strings of my tongue are ready to move something concerning thee, but can find neither Prologue, nor Epilogue, neither exordium, nor conclusion of thee. O my God, guide me, and instruct me, cherish and help me. If I behold thee, what is it that in the first, second, third, and last place doth offer itself unto me? it is love I observe, it is love that I see, and feel; all the objects of my eyes are love; the fishes in the Sea are sparks; each pile of grass in the field is a spark; the trees in the orchards are sparks; the leaves upon those trees are sparks; the often rising and setting Sun is a spark; and his beams enlightening all the world are sparks; the Moon's a spark, and her horns are sparks; the glittering Sarrs and all the host of Heaven are sparks of it. If all the members which thou hast bestowed upon my body, were tongues, if I had the understanding of an Angel, yet could I not comprehend or set forth the footsteps of thy love. O violent love, burning love, vehement love, love that cannot be kept within thee! When I was nothing, thou wouldst make me something; and thou didst not create me after the likeness of the Sun or Moon, nor yet of the Angels; but after thine own likeness, that I might serve thee in this life, and after this life, (changed not by death, but by an easy passage) that I might reign with thee, and praise thee for evermore. Thou didst place me in Paradise, the garden of pleasure, not to war with beasts, or to terrify me with the Lions roaring, or the grumbling of Bears, but that all the beasts should be subject to me, and stand in awe at my beck, and faun upon me in an humble observance. I would O God, find out thy works, but cannot. Moses' writ something, but he did but write, and strait went hence unto thee; nor have I him now here present, for if he were I would hold him and beseech him and beg of him for thy sake, that he would freely lay open to me the wonderful things of the Creation, wherein the fountain of thy love did flow and bubble up most plentifully, and I would fasten my bodily ears to the words that should break from his mouth. I would also admit them within the harbour of my breast; and he should make me sensible, and even touch my very soul; but he is gone who did but shadow forth unto me thy wonders, and there is not one left that can unfold the whole; and surely thou wouldst have me understand thy works but in part only, whilst I am absent from thee; with thee I shall be most fully instructed. Neither yet do I, O most Mighty, enough understand that part which thou hast granted and permitted me that I may understand; spare therefore (thou Mercy itself) thy servant the work of thy hands; thy hands have moulded me, thy spirit gave me a soul, and added life to my life, it gave me what I can neither value nor number; and such is God, and such are Gods gifts; alas, give me this also, that I may obtain this near tye of thy love, that as thou art my Creator, thou wilt be also my father, and that thou wilt not refuse or reject, or disinherit of thy love a son unworthy so great a father.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 2  
Of the Original Nobility of Man, and his falling away from it.  
I was in honour O lord and heavenly King, even so great that I cannot now set it forth; but when I was in honour I understood not what that honour was. In what an honoured place did I inhabit? in a place of delight. My life found neither trouble nor want; I was compassed with fragrant apples, I was propped up with honours, crowned with glory and honour, and placed above the works made of clay. But I was the more excellent in regard of the badge of thy divine image, and my lot and company was the society of Angels, and the whole Army of the Host of Heaven; but I did change that glory into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay. How many virtues was I clothed with? What did I want whom mercy protected, truth instructed, justice did govern, and peace did cherish? But alas what shall I say O my God? thou bestowedst that property of reason upon me, whereby I might excel all living creatures, and didst so sublime it by a peculiar gift, that I wanted but little of attaining to those thy most pure Ministers; I knew this, but did not acknowledge it, nor did I weigh for what end thou gavestime this wisdom. I call not that a good ship that is painted with gaudy colours, nor which hath a guilded or silvered head, nor whose hull is inlaid with ivory, nor which is fraught with Kingly wares and treasures: but that is strong and firm, and hath thick ribs to shut out the waters, and tough to endure the assaulting Seas, that is pliant to her rudder, can make good way and fetch all winds. I call that a good sword, not that hath an embroidered belt, or whose scabbard is set with precious stones; but that that hath both a keen edge to cut, and a point that can pierce any armour. Men desire a strait rule and not a fair one; we commend a thing so fare only as it is useful for that end for which it was made: So I, who did then know these things better than now, aught to have acknowledged that I received all good from thee; if I would have ordered myself according to the rule of thy heavenly government, the obedience only which thou requiredst, and which without thy command was due unto thee, had made me blessed and perfect if I would, and had not obeyed the detestable suggestions of the old Serpent. From my original I was good, but that goodness came only from thee; none of it was from me, yet thou wouldst have some goodness come from me, to the end that thou mightest see I did acknowledge that thy goodness; but I obeyed that traitor Satan, thy enemy, more willingly, and more readily than thee, when I might with more ease have contemned his slights than I can now those foresaid poisons which are mixed in my draughts, and that even by my friends; I am undone, I am undone, I have neglected my perfection, O sad and mournful change! O man the inhabitant of Paradise, the lord of the earth, Citizen of Heaven, one of the Lord of Saboths family, and fellow heir of Heavenly virtues, from whence by a sudden change art thou cast headlong? by reason of infirmity he lies in a stable, for his likeness to beasts he even needeth hay, for his untamed fierceness he is tied to a manger. I am undone, I am undone, and nothing can repair me but thou, O most Merciful.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 3.  
Of Man's departing from God; of the subtleties of Satan; the omnipresence and Clemency of God.  
THou art wonderful O God, and very much to be praised, thy power is great, and there is no summing up of thy greatness and goodness, beneficence, and clemency. Though but a man, I will confess thee; though I am but one piece of thy Creation, and but a man that carries his mortality about him, and that bears within him a testimony of his sins; though such a man, such a portion of thy Creation; yet will I praise thee. If I were without thee, I should not be, whatsoever I am, I should become nothing. Thou wast in me to make me have a being, and to be with thee; but I departed from thee, although I am thus in thee, and with thee. But how could I departed or be absent from thee? how could I fly from thy face? if I ascended into Heaven thou wast there; for thence didst thou cast down headlong the spirit of pride and author of disobedience; if I should make my bed in hell, thou wouldst be there also, for thou hast the keys thereof, and setst open the gates thereof, for them that trust not in thee; if I should plunge myself in the depth of the Sea, thou wouldst there find me, for thou didst cast disobedient peevish Jonah into the maw of the whale; thou madest him there a prisoner 3 nights and 3 days, and then didst draw him thence, neither torn, hurt, or wounded: if also I should take the wings of the morning, and make my habitation beyond the farthest Seas, even there would thy hand lead me, and thy right hand take hold upon me; if I should say, yet shall the darkness hid me; why, even night shall be turned into day unto me; darkness itself cannot hid from thee, the night to thee shines like the day; darkness is light, and light as darkness; not houses, nor veils, nor walls, nor enclosures, no caves that are under ground, or dens that are full of darkness, can shut out thy presence; thou art more nearly present with us, than we are to ourselves. Thou searchest through our life, our actions and all our thoughts. Can any lurking place hid any from thy presence? Dost not thou fill heaven and earth, and art a God at hand, and also afar off? Thou art all eye, for thou seest all things; all ear, because thou hearest all things; all hand, for thou framest all things; all foot, for thou art every where present; thou art near me, thou art with me, thou art in me, thou sittest within me, thou art an observer of all my good and evil, and art my protector; yet my God I went from thee, I departed, and forsook thee; I blush when I speak this; yet I speak it willingly; because forthwith, thy mercy offers itself unto me. Soldiers that keep not their stations, are punished with death, and he that in the battle first gins to run, loses his life: yea for a man but to lose his target, is counted a crime, and to cast away his weapons is counted a most reproachful thing. Ah! how foully have I left my station, without thy command O heavenly & eternal commander: there was yet not ordered or marshaled battle with Satan, I was but only assailed by a light skirmish, and at the very first onset, I threw away the buckler of my integrity, and faith, I suffered my weapons to be shaken out of my hands, and I fled from my allegiance, from before thy face. With what a slight resistance, and by how childish a valour might I have overcome Satan? it was my sloth, and not his force that made him strong. As a man greedy of gain, seeing an orphan have riches, entices him often to his house, makes him a banquet, bestows something on him, and beguiles him with fair words, till he hath gotten his means: so the devil seeing that I had a precious treasure, heavenly wisdom, laid up in an earthen chest, presently offered me wealth, pleasures and honours, that baited with these, he might spoil me of my heavenly riches; he hath stripped me and spoilt me of all my treasure which I ought to have kept holily, and might without difficulty have done it. But what gave he me in requital? what riches? what pleasures? what honours? What can he repay whose inheritance, and riches, is that infernal torment? that gulf that vomits forth pitch, and flames, whose torments are without end, and his confusion everlasting. But thou my God for my backsliding haste rendered a reacceptance of me; for my falling from thee, thou hast requited me with thy favour. For thy grace and mercy is precedent and greater than my whole offence and all my failings. I read it spoken by thy Kingly servant that thy mercy is great; great he said it was, but how great he could not tell: we have known that it is great, but how great we have not known nor can perceive. We know not the quantity of its greatness, which cannot be expressed in words. We see the fruit of mercy is great, for were it not extended beyond measure, we had not after our Fall been received of thee. Ah what is sin to the mercy of God? A spider's web that a blast of wind makes invisible. Consider a spark of fire if it should fall into the Sea, could it continue living, or visible? as a spark to the Sea, so is man's malice to God's Pity and Clemency; yea not so only, but fare less; for the Ocean though it be vast, yet is not unmeasurable, but of God's mercies there is no measure.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 4.  
Of the Council of the Trinity touching the Creation of Man, and of the end why Man was created.  
WHat is man that thou wast mindful of him? what the son of man that thou didst visit him? Thou thoughtest of me before I had a being, I was in thy mind before I was in the world; thou appointedst a consult, O my God, when thou wast to make me: after thou hadst brought forth all things, and hadst built this vast stage of the world, hadst replenished, and adorned it; thou didst say, Let us make man after our Image. Thou God and Father, who art the beginning and original of the Trinity, with whom consultedst thou? was it with the Angels, and those holy Inhabitants of heaven? why surely they joined not with thee in the Creation of man, nor was man made according to their similitude. Did he consult with the Earth, or with the Sun? because the Sun and man are said to generate man; who may be suffered to trifle thus? Let us make man saidst thou, we ourselves will be busy about him, and not an Angel, not the Earth, not the Sun, not the Water, nor any other thing. But who is with thee? dost thou speak in the Potentate's language? Nor was this suitable; thou speakest to thy coeternal and Coessential Son and holy Spirit; thou speakest God with God, one God; as the Father works, so works the Son, and holy Ghost, they work but one. Thou createdst man the work of the whole Trinity, to live in this world, better than the whole world, the most exquisite Creature of all creatures, the most absolute Creature, or little world, the Compendium, and Epitome of the great world; yet not properly a world, but a man framed by thy hands, by the Communion of the Son, and the holy Ghost, an image enlivened by the breath of thy mouth, and a representation of thyself. Heaven, thy habitation, is resplendent with shining, and sparkling lights; the earth thy footstool doth swell with a thousand sort of fruits, and yet none of them is said to be made as man was. O God, I am thy Image, I am thy likeness, therefore I will be thy pleasure, thy delight, thy content; thou wilt take care of me, and never forsake me; for who will neglect an image, and a work made after his own likeness? To what end O my God, hast thou done all this? why didst thou form and fashion me in so excellent a manner? Thou madest man first of all, that he might be the stock of us all from which so many branches, so many leaves, and so many fruits should spring. Thou wouldst that all should have one original, and a like beginning, that no man should prefer himself before another, as if he were the seed of a more noble father; that none should despise another, that one should not hurt another, but that we should every one mutually assist each other in his labour; that we should be all of one mind, will the same thing, covet, and desire the same thing; and that there might not be heard any brawls, contentions, enviousness, or deceits amongst us. For concord is that most fragrant Balsam that breathes thee that excellent odour. Thousand thousands in heaven do serve thee, and there is found no discord: thousand thousands should also serve thee on earth, and there should be found no discord. Thou didst make us all that we should be the clear mirror of thy Majesty, of thy Glory, of thy Dignity, of thy Power, and of thy Wisdom. The work commends the workman, and the effect shows the cause. O unspeakable Artist! O unvaluable causer of all things! Let us take heed that we neither break nor spot, that we nor fully nor make dusky this glass; let us beware that we cause not Satan's vizard to be seen in this glass, but let wisdom, piety, goodness, courtesy, chastity, and whatsoever is most excellent in thee, in part reflect in us. Thou madest us all, that we should be the world's perfection, beauty, and ornament. The world was a Cage cunningly and wonderfully wrought, but it wanted a singing bird, by whose warbling notes all things might be expressed: let us worldlings beware, that we be not to the world like a Crow, or dunghill bird, or a Jay, but a Lark, that doth night and day, in the evening, and at morn celebrate and proclaim his Creators' praise: let us not be a disgrace, an unprofitable, and reproachful burden, that the world may labour to expel with groans, and be glad, not sorry to be rid of it, rather than wish for its return. Thou hast made us all that we should admire, and set forth thee, and thy works. Thou hast endued me with an understanding enlightened with heavenly fire, that by thyself I might distinguish thee from myself, and the world. Thou hast given me a will, that knowing thee, I might love thee above all things, because thou excellest all things, and dost comprehend all good things within thee. Thou gavest me a tongue, that knowing, and loving thee, I should lively express, and redouble thy praises. Be present my understanding, be present my will, be present my tongue, know him, love him, praise him: praise the Lord, O my soul, I will praise the Lord all my life long, I will sing unto my God while I have any being: Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing unto our God, it is a pleasant, and comely thing to be thankful unto him. Thou hast made us all, that we should live with thee, and that we should be made partakers of thy glory and gladness. The better any thing is, the more it communicates its goodness to others: but thou my God, art the best of bests, therefore thy goodness doth most plentifully flow to all, so that they will lay hold, and embrace it; Vouchsafe safe O Lord, that whilst I walk in the way, I may dwell and remain with thee in life. Thou ordainest me to life, O suffer me not to fall by death; death is not of thee, but from myself; life is not from me, but from thee; take that from me which proceeds from me, and give me that which comes from thee, and I will praise thee in thine own holiness, I will praise thee in the firmament of thine own power, I will praise thee in thy virtues, I will praise thee according to the magnitude of thy greatness, I will praise thee in the sound of the Trumpet, I will praise thee upon the Psaltery, and Harp, I will praise thee in the Cymbal, and Choir, I will praise thee upon the stringed instruments, and Organs, I will praise thee in the well sounding Cymbals, I will praise thee on the loud Cymbals, every thing that hath breath shall praise thee, Hallelujah. My spirit shall leap for joy in God my Saviour, for evermore; O most blessed God, give me a blessed age.   

CONTEMPT. etc. V.  
Of Paradise and of casting forth of Man from thence.  
OMnipotent Creator, thou didst bestow a threefold grace upon man, the grace of the soul, original righteousness: and the grace of the body, immortality: and the grace of a most pleasant place to inhabit: but what is that place my God, wherein thou didst place my first parent, and me in him? I read the words of thy penman, but what mean those words? what is Paradise? what is Eden? teach me O my God, for no man (although he think he hath gotten much knowledge) can instruct me sufficiently. I collect that thou plantedst a garden, and that it looked toward the East; I hear of four rivers, Ganges, Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates, but yet I am not satisfied: for the doubts of Disputants, and their wrangling, makes the matter very intricate unto me. But why do I seek for that which is not, and neglect that which is? give me the heavenly Paradise, and the earthly Paradise shall never trouble me. I understand it was a most fruitful Garden, and stuffed with joy, pleasure, and delight, in which the eyes did want nothing, nor the ears, or any other part of that body, which it did not enjoy. Within, thou hadst furnished man with wisdom, and understanding; without, thou suffered'st him not to want any thing: All the creatures came about that new king, enthroned by the King of kings, did tender him homage, and did reverence him with humble subjection. The tall, fertile, odoriferous, pruned, comely, and pregnant trees, how much did they refresh him? the Alder tree, Almond tree, Cherry tree, Fig tree, Cidonian Punick aurea, and what ever else do beautify the fields? But above the rest, notable are those two, which thy book describes unto me, which did most of all ennoble the Garden, that Tree of life, and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When thy faithful servant calls it the Tree of life, doth he do it because it had received this power from thee, that he which should eat of its fruit, should have his body confirmed in a settled state of health, and a perpetual strength, that it should not decline to worse, or to death by sickness, or infirmity of age? Thy very Word doth intimate thus much unto me. Our first Parents were nourished with the fruits of the other trees, that their living bodies should not suffer hunger or thirst: but therefore they were to taste of the tree of life, that death might not creep upon them from any side, nor that they should (in continuance of time) perish by reason of old age; the other trees were for nourishment; that for a Sacrament. How great was thy care my God, how great thy providence? thou gavest me not a momentany pleasure, nor a yearly, but an everlasting. Now I am weakened by diseases, I am tormented with cares, I am tortured with grief, but this is besides thy will, though not contrary unto it; for what could happen to me against thy Will? could one hair have fallen from my head if thou hadst not willed it should be so? what was now my first habitation? the narrow and dark part of the womb, where I was environed with the ill scented sides of the belly. I come crying into this life, I depart out of it with sweat, and I pass through it with labour, nor is there any one that can boast himself free from this condition: being borne and brought into this light, I cannot move myself from one place to another; in my first infancy, I am void of all pleasure, I am a burden both to myself and unto others, and exposed to innumerable dangers, even till I attain to these years wherein reason and judgement begin to flourish in me, happier in that one thing than in the other part of my life, that I understand not my unhappy condition. What shall I say, O my God, my years are multiplied, and my cares increase, but I was not even worthy of these things. Thou canst not do otherwise than lead me, and support me with thy hand, although I did not deserve life, but hell, and destruction, when I had opened my impious mouth and devoured the forbidden fruit: thou didst ordain the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for my Altar, and Temple, that I should yield thee due obedience in abstaining from the fruit thereof; I would be made wiser, and did become most unwise; before the Fall I had the knowledge and experience of a present good, I had only the knowledge but not the experience of an absent evil: but after the Fall there was in me a certain knowledge of a lost good, but no experience of it, and I had a knowledge an experience of an adherent evil. Woe is me; when shall I return thither, whence I am expelled? I desire not a garden, but a house; not a figure, but the thing figured; I desire not to rule, but to become a servant; I ask not to sit, but to stand and observe thy Commandments. Look on me, O my Father, look on me, and approve me, and be pleased in thy mercy, that I may find favour in thy sight, that the doors of thy palace may be opened unto me when I knock; I beseech thee by my Lord, thy Son, the man of thy right hand, the Son of man, whom thou hast established for a Mediator between thyself and me, by whom thou soughtest me when I sought thee not, that I might seek thy Word by which thou hast made all things, and me amongst the rest; thy only Son, by whom thou hast called thy believing people unto thy adoption, and amongst them me also: I beseech thee by him that sits at thy right hand, and doth intercede unto thee for me, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge, open quickly unto me, and grant me passage (O my God) that I may enter into the joy, which cannot enter into me, because it is fare greater than I am.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 6.  
Of the Serpent the Deceiver.  
THe devil is wicked, foul, and terrible; he doth therefore as much as he is able, hid his own face, and puts on a strange countenance; yet all his thoughts, all his endeavours, and all his actions, are to deceive; when he persuades to good, he deceives, for a greater mischief that is to arise from that good, in persuading unto evil under the show of goodness; in dissuading from good, as if it were evil: in dissuading from evil, that he may bring in a worse evil. The deceiver invades the Serpent, that we might not discover the hidden fraud, that he might with more ease, and profit bring to pass that which he had wickedly, and most cunningly projected: The Serpent was a beautiful and subtle creature, therefore not unfit to entice, to move, to persuade, and to seduce. O thou deceiver, O thou turncoat, O thou ensnarer, and deceiver: most lying spirit, thou transformest thyself into an Angel of light, that thy subtlety and slights of darkness should not be discerned; thou dissemblest the night of thy malice, that we might promise to ourselves goodness from that which is most vile, and wicked; thou mouldest, and paintest, deckest, and fashionst thy instruments, that they may find some time for acceptance with us; if thou shouldest rransforme thyself into an enraged lion, or wert so bold to change thyself into a cruel Bear, who would not tremble, take heed, and fly from thee? thou goest amongst us therefore most comely and most courteously, that thou mayest, without being perceived, find admittance of those that are heedless; yea, and oftentimes also of those that are most wary. What are those vile teachers, whose consciences are feared, that glitter in so many ceremonies, so many forms of worship, and so many commentaries or expositions of things, but serpents? but broods of vipers, that cunningly by't us? they put on sheep's clothing, that they may cover their wolvish claws. Thou old Serpent, thou usest the subtle wits of men, which are the fittest of all for thy desires; the simple, humble, and abject do seldom broach Heresies. He that hath profited much in knowledge, for the most part, attributes much to himself; he avoides the beaten way, wherein the credulous common sort of Christians do walk; and is wise apart, and departs, to fall headlong into the gulf of errors. Give me, my God, moderate wisdom, but that I may profit exceedingly in a holy life, and in saving faith: thou wilt not ask me hereafter what I have scene, but what I have believed; not what I have read, but what I have done. Grant that I may receive with an humble heart, what thou offerest me, and settest forth in thy Word; not regarding what either superstitious reason, or the mischievously obtuse pitch of wit, and foolish subtleties of Doctors do argue. Thou art the mouth of truth; grant that I may believe what thou speakest; the Devil is the mouth of vanity; grant that what he lyingly utters may be suspected and avoided by me. Grant I may valiantly resist and oppose him in fight with him. He is a serpent, if he but once gain but a little intermission, he crowds himself in, and we can hardly expel him but though we overcome him, as it were, he doth recollect himself, and assays to get new strength; even as the serpent's tail cut off, doth by licking grow again; and if his head get in any where, all his body will quickly follow. O thou Conqueror of the Serpent, who art not said to bruise his tail, but break his head, help me that I yield not: if I be stricken, if I do fight with him, grant me also power, O my God, to trample under my feet serpents, and scorpions, and all the power of the adversary, that nothing may do me hurt. Vouchsafe, holy Trinity, but one God, that I may always be mindful of thee, that I may always have thee with me; and all the power of Satan shall vanish away. The serpent is afraid of the three leaved grass, and never lies upon it; Satan abhors thy name and memory, and to call upon thee; nor dares approach the adorers of the Trinity, nor those that inhabit near the Deity. Be present with me, O God, forsake me not my Redeemer. The serpent flies the Hart, he is driven away by the fume of the fat, and of the Hartshorn; thou art the morning Hart, thou art that fume, that odour whereby that infernal spirit is weakened and repelled. Remove fare from me gluttony, and intemperancy. The serpent cannot endure a fasting man's spittle, but dies being sprinkled with it; make me pour out my prayers with fasting unto thee, and that I may send forth my sighs, and call forth my groans, and I shall be preserved in safety. I often think of that (O my God) which afterwards I dislike of; yet I confess those things unto thee, because thou seest them, though I confess them not unto thee; and except I do confess them, thou dost punish them; I often deal thus with myself. Oh that I had been so made, that I could not have fallen and been deceived. I think of good in an ill manner, I therefore think of those things, that thou mightest never have been wroth with me, nor that I might have given thee cause to be angry; this had been good, but I think it in an ill way; for why hast thou not made me so? because thou wouldst not; why wouldst thou not? because thou wouldst not; I must not be more wise than is sitting for me. But I suppose that reasonable creature is not of a little goodness, who avoides ill, by comparing of evils. Thou didst not O God, violently hinder man's Fall, because thou knewest how to draw some good from it; yet follows it not from thence, that thou didst will his Fall, but didst rather will that good which thou knewest how to derive from his Fall; but the Fall itself thou didst hate, and extremely detest. What shall I think my God? pardon him that hath been deceived thereby: me thinks thy servants are not to be accounted faithful, and thrifty, if they must be fettered, and shackled, to force them to do thy pleasure; but when they freely, and of their own accords do manly act that which belongs unto them. That is not acceptable unto thee, which is forced, and drawn from us by violence, but that which proceeds from true virtue; for virtue proceeds from a free deliberation, not from necessity but free deliberation, and election, require a freedom of will. But why do I dispute O my God? let it suffice me that thou didst not produce a nature not subject to sin, because it pleased thee not to do it. Pardon me, pardon me, O my God, and deny not to forgive my curiosity. We should not exercise ourselves in an idle and vain curiosity concerning the creatures, but we should direct our steps to things immortal, and which endure for ever. Those things which thou wouldst conceal, are not to be searched into. Those things which thou hast revealed, are not to be neglected, that we be not found unlawfully curious in the one, and damnably ingrateful in the other; I will seek truth in truth, not in vanity; I will find it when I have sought it, for truth's sake, not for vanity; nor will I traffic for the gain of death in the words of life.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 7.  
Of God's Providence, and Preservation.  
AS there is not O my soul, O my sense, O my thought, any moment, wherein, my God, I do not use to enjoy thy goodness and mercy; so ought there not to be any moment wherein I may neglect to have thee present to my memory; I should account that I have lost all that time wherein I have not thought upon thee, O my God. I should account O God, all that time lost, wherein I do no: meditate upon thee, I therefore come again unto thee; O thou never failing light; O thou untyred and never extinguished life; O thou ever springing fountain; O thou seed-plot of life; O thou chief beginning of wisdom; O thou first original of goodness; thou wilt not reject me O my God, for I speak not to jeering man, but to the Lord, that splenitickly laughs not at me, nor flouts me with his countenance. I behold, my God, this large extended Fabric, and I am struck dumb; it was made by thee, and thou hadst an end of thy work, yet didst thou not leave thy work; thou didst not like an Architect depart from the piece of work thou hadst made; he goes away, and after regards it not; but thou art still present, and remainest the same. Most powerful and wise God, whatsoever thou didst once make, that thou dost always preserve, by thy Omnipotency; and dost order it by thy wisdom. I consider the nature of thy visible creatures, their place, order, condition, motion; agreements, harmony, comeliness, beauty, greatness, use, delight, variety, alteration, and endurance; that is in these corruptible things. I find thy providence manifested in each part of thy creation; I see it in heaven, and in the lights of heaven, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, in the air and in the Clouds, in the Earth, in the Sea, in the plants, in the herbs, in the seeds, in living creatures, as well reasonable, as unreasonable, fourfooted beasts, flying fouls, in swimming and creeping creatures. Think with thyself my most sweet soul, who it is that orders heavens axletree that in so many thousand years it's not grown old, nor hath received any alteration; and although it be made of a passable and corruptible substance: yet by the word of its creation, it remains still upheld in the same state; O Lord our God, there is none like unto thee. There is none so rude, nor of so brutish a behaviour, but if he lift up his eyes towards heaven, although he may be ignorant, whose providence it is that governs all this that he sees; yet that doth not understand from the very order, constancy, moderation and profit of these things, that there is a Providence. Though we should find some living creatures, in regard of their use, unprofitable, and ordained to no fit use for us; yet might we receive profit, in beholding them; and they might be more profitable to their hearts that behold them, than to the eyes of those that use them. And although it were apparent that they were hurtful, and pernicious to man's temporary health; yet would it not follow, but they might mutually serve for his good; though not for his meat and service: yet to exercise his wit, according to that proceeding of common instruction, which is ready at hand to every one that will make use of reason, whereby the invisible things of God are made apparent to the understanding, by the things that are made. Thou hast therefore O God made all things profitable, and nothing fruitless. Shall I then be only without profit? shall I be the vilest creature thou hast made? let this be fare from me: Let me O God, be profitable to all that ask my help, or that ask it not; for thou hast given me thus many things without ask. Let me be a helper to all t●●● need; and having understanding, let me altogether take heed, that I be not silent; having abundance of all things, let me not grow benumbed in charity; having skill to govern, let me impart the use of it to my neighbour; I having opportunity to speak to the rich, let me intercede for the poor; let me as much as may be, help others in their necessities; and sometime even beyond my ability; let me account an other man's distress, mine own; and as I would desire to be helped in my trouble, so that I may not for any respect of my own, defer to help another. Let the help I give a nother, be pleasing to me; which doth indeed redound more to his profit that offers it, than to his advantage that receives it; it is both profitable to the giver, and doth according to the necessity of the occasion cheer him, that received it: that so in one bargain made, (which seldom falls out) both parties may seem to have gotten their wished for gain. O thou mad man, that for to save a halfpenny, dost lose a groat; and to preserve a temporary thing, dost lose that which is immortal. No creature thou, o God, didst make was ill, though it might seem ill, because I did not rightly understand it; thou beholdest all things thou hadst made; and behold they were exceeding good. He that says thy works are ill, deformed, and not beautiful, conceives not all things are fair to their former, or workman, that useth all things to the government of this universe, which he rules with a supreme Law. But if an unskilful man should go into a workman's shop and should see many tools, but knows not for what use they are; if he be very simple, he thinks them superfluous. But if unawares he light into a workhouse, or by ill handling of some sharp iron instrument, doth wound himself, he believes there are in it many pernicious and hurtful things; but the workman knowing how to use them, laughs at his folly, and not regarding his foolish words, doth constantly make use of his shop. And yet men that are so simple, dare hardly in the presence of such a workman find fault with things they know not; but when they see them, judge them necessary, and ordained for some use. But in this world whose builder and governor thou art O my God, men dare find fault with many things, whose use they know not; and would be thought to know that which they are altogether ignorant of, concerning these instruments of the Almighty Workmaster. O the rashness of frail man! thou my God who art (in thyself) the Alpha, and the Omega, as thou art in the Angels like sweetness, and comeliness▪ in thy Church as a master of a family in his house; in the soul like a bridegroom in the bride-Chamber; in the reprobate like fear and horror, in the just as a helper and protecter; in the world as the author, and governor thereof; what shall I that am so unprofitable, and ugly render unto thee, for so many benefits and ornaments? I live and prosper in thee, in thee am I moved, and by thee do I subsist. But thou O Lord, who livest for ever, dost rest in thyself, and by thyself hast all things in thyself, and dost enjoy and find all things there; thou needest nothing, thou seekest for nothing without thee, thou sufficest thyself in stead of all things, and thou thyself art all things. Thou art both God, and Lord of all things, thou art before the beginning of ages, and before any thing that may be spoken of, art thou both God and Lord of all things created; and with thee do remain the causes of all inconstant things, and the immutable originals of all mutable things do abide with thee, and with thee do live the everlasting causes of all irrational and temporary things. O merciful God, tell me thy suppliant and miserable creature, tell me, what can I repay thee? can I imagine so small a space, or such a minute, wherein if thou shouldest withdraw thy hand, and wouldst leave me who am of no account, to myself that am nothing, I could remain any thing? I can neither move hand, foot, nor finger, except thou grantest me that motion; withhold, thy beck, and in a beck the frame of the world will be dissolved. Seeing then I live, and am preserved by thy goodness, all hours, and every minute of those hours; O that I might ascend to thee every hour, and every point of time; O that I might confer with thee, pray unto thee, glorify thee, and might consecrate my life and motion, my spirit and senses, and my whole strength unto thee. Thou my God art all things unto me. Let me being in thee, be all things to thee. In God I will live to God, in God I will move to God; in God whatsoever I do, I will do it to God. All things my God, by thy appointment do serve me; all that is in me in like manner shall yield a ready service to thee. And because thou hast tempered whole nature for my use, profit, and delight; with what face, mouth, or heart, shall I doubt of thy care, and providence over me? if thou doubtest, my soul, thou doubtest of God himself, and neither knowest the Creator, nor the Creature; shake off my soul thy trembling. Thou hast about thee, and in thee thy Saviour, whose most bountiful heart the heavens and earth do witness unto thee.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 8.  
Of the clothing of Adam the first Man.  
ALas my God, Adam did sin; though created by thee yet broke he thy commandment, went back, and became unprofitable; he desired to see that thou wouldst not have him to see. But what saw he O my God? he saw his own nakedness. His first nakedness was nothing else, than tokens of chief happiness, and of the greatest riches; but the nakedness that this man saw after he had sinned, was mere ruin, a testimony of everlasting woe, and want. That first man saw his body naked, but his soul was more naked, spoilt and disrobed of knowledge, wisdom, integrity, and original innocency; he covered his nakedness, being enwrapped with shame; but this was a wretched garment; he sowed together fig leaves, and made aprons, to cover himself, and his seducing wife; O vain mantles, O lamentable cover! And what are all men's cloathings that seem so sumptuous, and glittering, but fig leaves that quickly vanish to nothing, and galled those that wear them? O would to God that as often as we cloth ourselves, we were urged with the sharp and stinging point of repentance; for they are tokens of our wants, signs of our shame, arguments of our misery, and comforts for our extreme infirmities. Thou sinful and fallen man, why art thou proud in setting forth thy impieties? thou thief, why braggest thou of a halter? why dost thou vauntingly boast of another's fleece? what carriest thou under it, but a sack full of dung, the rotten bag of thy soul? thy skin is not enough to cover thee; nor except thou be'st most impudent, dost thou let any one see it, but gettest some other thing to supply the want of thine own. I behold mine own clothes, I see a hell of evils; yet I consider the depth of thy care, providence, and mercy; for thou helpest me thus naked, before I can understand mine own want and nakedness; and commandest all the creatures to haste unto me, that they might cover my nakedness, and supply my wants. Thou thyself most merciful God, as I remember, didst cloth sinful man in a Lamb's skin, not in Lions, Bears, Foxes, or Wolves skins, that thou mightest teach him thy hatred to cruelty, greediness, deceit, and wrath, and thy love to unspotted simplicity; thou madest his garment of the skins of dead cattles, that thou mightest show us, how we were fallen from life to death; how of immortal we were become mortal; that we were from the earth, and must return to the earth again. Thou tookest a skin of a Lamb slain, that thou mightest witness unto us, that our Fall was only to be healed by a Lamb to be slain. O thou garment of the golden age! thou unspotted Lamb, slain to the believers before the beginning of the world. O thou Messiah that wast promised, and food appointed from all eternity; thou who wast made the seed of the Woman, and hast bruised the Serpent's head: cloth me with thy merits, and mine own deserts shall nothing hurt me; cloth me with thy righteousness, and mine own unrighteousness shall not condemn me; cloth me with thy holiness, and mine own iniquity shall not accuse me; cloth me with faith in thee, and I shall one day receive the robe of happiness. Nothing can cover the filthy nakedness of a sinner; nothing can hid me from God's judgement, but thy coat, O heavenly Lamb, but the holes of thy wounds, but the yawning scars of thy body; I will put thee on by a steadfast faith, and with the Church of old I will triumph before thee.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 9  
Of Noah's Ark, Crow, and Dove.  
THou art (my God) very long suffering, and thy wrath grants sinners a very large time, nor dost thou root out sinners on a sudden. Man's malice was great, and every thought of his heart was continually bend to mischief; they neglected thy Word, nor did they obey thy Spirit that was to lead them; thou therefore didst repent thee of thy Creation, and didst resolve to destroy this Inn of the World, with all the guests thereof: yet did not thy justice haste very much to execute judgement, but thy mercy interposed a hundred and twenty years, that thou mightst see whether by often preaching, any could be moved to work repentance. Ah my God, thou goest with two feet, one of justice, the other of mercy; but mercy always makes the first step, and justice the later; nor dost thou delight in the death or destruction of a sinner, but thou wilt, and commandest that he be converted and live. But all thy expectation was in vain, and thy mercies were entertained with scorn; the wrath therefore of thy justice was kindled, and the waters of the Flood broke in upon the earth; the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the Cataracts of heaven were opened, and it reigned upon the earth for many days, and almost all thy creatures perished; and among men, none, but thy Noah, and his family, were preserved in the Ark. Thou forsakest not (my God) thou most just, and most bountiful God, those that worship & adore thee, but dost preserve them in fire and water, and amidst the storm of growing miseries thou dost nor despise, or reject any; thou dost not affright any one, except he who is so mad as to abhor thee. My God the horn of my salvation, thou that takest me up; thou Father of mercies, God of all Consolation; O Lord my Strength, my Fortress, my Refuge, my Deliverer; Canst thou draw the sword of justice, and not anoint the point with the oil of mercy? He lies therefore hid in safety, in that wonderful ship, out of which not life but present death was to be found. What shall I say that that ship did represent, but thy Church? which is tossed to and fro with sundry Storms of persecution, and waves of adversity, and hath no fixed station; yet the true, and eternal safety is contained there, which out of it is offered to none. Noah was the Steere-man hereof: but thou, O God art the Governor both of Noah and it, and thou wast Noah's true and heavenly Comforter, who dost not suffer it to sink. The waters of the Flood overwhelmed the palaces of Kings, but did every day better than other bear aloft the Ark of Noah: so do persecutions destroy earthly kingdoms, but thou sufferest not thine own Kingdom to be overthrown, but dost even increase and enlarge it by storms of temptations. Noah sent a Raven, and a Dove out of the Ark: the Raven pursued his prey, and did never return to the Ark of Noah; the Dove did return, and was received in again of this Steersman: O Christ, let me abandon the Raven-like gluttony, the loveliness of pleasures; for it is very rare that any one seated amongst the delights of the age should remain free from a smatch of vice, in which although he be not forthwith enthralled, yet is he sometimes drawn away by them; nor can he be long safe, who stands next to danger; let me remember that I am to play the Soldier in such a kind of warfare, wherein there is no rest given; I will resolve to overcome pleasures, which have destroyed many good ingenuities. The Dove finding no seat to rest upon, returned to the Ark, and was admitted into it. O Christ my repose, my soul beaten with the flood of sins, finds no refuge in this world, no comfort, no aid; be thou only my retiring place, and my peaceful sanctuary; the Dove makes her nest in the holes of the rock, and in the cave of the flint wall; my soul shall rest in the holes of thy wounds, and shall therein perpetually delight herself; no creature so well pleased with gemitus as the Turtle, she mourns both night and day; Oh Christ I will send forth no other voice, than a mourning, and lamenting voice; that I have not my portion hereafter with the Ravens, but that thou O Christ mayst say to me; behold my love thou art fair, thy eyes are Doves eyes; arise my love, my fair one and come away; arise, make haste my love, my Dove, my fair one, and come away. O Christ when shall I come?   

CONTEMPT. etc. 10.  
Of jacob's Ladder.  
STir up now thyself, O my soul, and raise up thy whole understanding, and consider (as much as thou art able) how great, and what that is that is set before thee; go into Bethel, enter into the house of God, wherein the Lord inhabits, which is the Gate of Heaven. Where canst thou take better rest than where thy God doth rest? If the heart of man be not fixed in that eternal place, it can never be firm, but more wavering than motion itself, passing from one thing to another, seeking rest where there is none to be found; for if his captive affections be taken up in these transitory, and vain things, he can find no true rest, because the soul is of so great a value, that nothing but the chief good can content it: enter therefore (O my soul) into Bethel, go into the house of thy God, dwell in the high place, accompany thy God. Ascend, O my soul, ascend; the Ladder is set, by which thou mayest climb to the most High. What is that Ladder, O my God, which thy holy Israel did see in his dream? which stood upon the earth, and reached heaven with his top, by which also the Angels of heaven did ascend, and descend? is it not thy righteous Son, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and by whom only we have access to thee. He stood upon the earth, because he assumed our humane nature into the unity of his Person, and the branch of jesse sprang from the earthly Virgin. Thou my God, willing of old to heal man (the King of all thy creatures) of his sin, didst make as it were thy blessed Son in a sort to go back from the excellency of the Divinity, and by extreme humility, having passed over nine degrees, those nine orders of Angels, to descend by the incarnation, unto the tenth degree, even the humane nature. He was borne unto us, he lived amongst us, he also ruleth amidst us; he is with us, nor doth he ever forsake those whom he once determined to love. O blessed Ladder, fix thyself also upon my heart, and cause my soul to mount up, and remain with thee. Thou didst descend for my sake, let me ascend to thee; as thou hast conformed thyself to my infirmity, so make me partake of that rest and pleasure, which no care can either interrupt or lessen. The top of this Ladder did touch the heaven, but thou the Messiah dost not only touch heaven, and art from thence to come unto us, and hast from all eternity taken thy pastime therein, but hast also framed it; thou, who hast neither beginning nor end of days, for yesterday, to day, and for ever, art thou the first and the last, the great, the true, and blessed God, who wast in the beginning, and waste glorified with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. But the Ladder was but one that did reach from earth to heaven; so thou O most sweet Jesus art Lord of heaven, and a man of the earth, yet but one Person, but one Man, one God, and one Mediator between a displeased God, and a wretched man, by the union of the Divine, and humane nature. By this Ladder Angels ascend, and descend; because Angels desire to look into the mystery of so holy, and admirable an union, who notwithstanding, do always see, and hear the holy Spirit instructing them. There do also other Angels ascend, and descend, even the Teachers, and all believers, who ought to preach nothing else but Christ, because there is no admittance to life by any other; nor is there any open familiar, and daily passage to the Father but this. Imitate O my dear soul, the pure, chaste, and holy Angels in purity, in chastity, in sanctity; except thou wilt lie grovelling on the earth, and laden with the dirt of thy sins, be thrust into hell. O Lord, I cannot lift up myself; be thou my guardian where ever I go, and bring me out of banishment into thy promised Land; nor neglect or forsake me till I shall return into my Country. In the mean time, let me be like jacob, a supplanter, and by faith let me trample upon sin, let me prevail, and obtain the blessing: let me rest upon the living Corner Stone, and I shall not be moved or confounded: let me be also a spiritual Stone, built upon that Corner Stone, that I may become an Habitation, and Temple of Divinity. Ah Jesus, my Redemption, my Love, and Desire, be present with me: I invoke thee, I cry unto thee with a strong voice, with my whole heart, which voice none but thou canst hear. I invite thee into my soul, enter into it, and fit it for thyself, that thou mayest possess it without spot or wrinkle; for a pure habitation is suitable for a most pure Lord: sanctify me therefore thy vessel, which thou hast made; empty out the malice, and fill it with grace, and keep it still full, that I may be now, and ever a Temple fitting for thee to dwell in. Most Sweet, most Benign, most Loving, most Dear, most Mighty, most Desired, most Precious, most Lovely, most Beautiful. Thou that art sweeter than Honey, whiter than Milk, or Snow, pleasanter than Nectar, more precious than Gems, or Gold, and dearer unto me than all the riches, and honours of the World.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 11.  
Of the most tender care of God over his people; to be collected from his care for his people Israel in the wilderness.  
MY soul doth often languish, and my heart is often full of great cares when I think what I may be, namely, an example of weakness the ruin of Time, the scorn of Fortune, the image of Mutability, the beam of Envy, and Calamity, and the rest nothing but Phlegm, and Choler. Oh, who sees not how many things may be every where busy upon the circumference of the earth? Oh with how many tears and sighs, they fill the earth, all which do as it were by a certain fate accompany man's life? he deplores the sicknesses, which possess this his body; he deplores the uncertain condition of his health, and the ambiguity of his life. For what Age or Time is there, wherein he is not thwarted by some evil? doth he not so soon as he is borne, and newly pulled from the moist receptacles of the womb, abound with slime and filth, and make all things ring with his bawling cries? after, if he live to the flower of his age, he is carried violently by his intemperate heat; if he attain to his youth, by reason of the ardour and violence of his spirit, he cannot be kept within the bounds of his duty by no counsel, or admonitions; if he live to his old age he then dies and withers by little and little; yet all this is not enough; for what Art could man ever yet find out, either to divert a plague, or to stop the force of violent reins falling from heaven, or stay an earthquake, or quench a fire breaking out of the earth? I see a rank and mutual succession of evils, and I behold a continuation of dangers: But if I come to the soul, I see even there an army of diseases, by which it is besieged; if I shall wipe away grief, fear comes in its place; if fear retire, anger ariseth; if anger be appeased, envy comes in its room; misery is at hand, and evils are near; nor doth ever any certain rest befall us. Alas, alas, miserable creatures that we are, how often is man even brought to nothing? I am astonished when I ruminate on these things, and I pour forth my heart like water; I am not contented with small drops of tears, but pour forth such plenty, as the violent and swift running stream is wont to do; I can no where find ease, nor ever peace, nor can I find any where comfort, but when I fly to thee my God my Fatherly God; for thou pourest forth thy goodness night and day, without ceasing. As it is the property of heat to warm, and of cold to cool: so is it thy property, good God, to do that which is good. I am surely a wretch, and sufficiently afflicted; yet thy goodness, thy beneficience, thy care, hath overcome all my misery, vanquisheth, and utterly brings to nothing all my affliction. If I make a just reckoning, there is no man but oftener sees it clear, than stormy; upon whom thou dost often pour forth thy blessings above his hopes, and thy gifts have overcome his wishes: thy bounties are free, nay, unexpected monuments of goodness do of their own accord flow from thee: for thou, King of the world, art thou compassed about by any offerings, or sacrifices, that thou shouldest confer on Mankind all these things that are so useful for his life? dost thou not administer the engendering heat of the Sun, the cool refresh of the Night, the Seasons, the Winds, and reins to good and bad, to just and unjust, to free men and to servants, to poor and rich, with an equal hand? It is thy property, O powerful and true God, to afford blessings unsought for, to weary and feeble creatures, and such as are continually brought low by many sorts of crosses. But I am exceedingly refreshed, and I am transported with wonderful joy, when I consider that thou art always an evident assister of good men, and dost maintain the better cause. Although many that belong to thee, do behold the posterity of Israel often murmuring, and cursing; yet is he a rejoicing victorious rock, amidst all the greatest dangers he is environed withal: He is oppressed, vexed, troubled, and almost overwhelmed; but my helping God comes in season to his aid, to deliver those that mourn. O admirable care of God for his people! O more than Fatherly protection I am scarce myself, when I behold those great works of my protecting God. Moses set in the Wilderness to feed his flock, sees a burning Bush, hears thee out of the Bush, receives thy Commands, is exalted in Power, is sent to Pharaoh, approaches him, speaks to him, is contemned, and overcomes him. Egypt is smitten, Pharaohs disobedience is scourged, and that not after one manner of way, that the sacrilegious King might be tormented with variety of punishments. And what? after this he rebels ten times, and is so many times punished. What is it then that I say? why, I do conceive that during all this, thou tookest knowledge of the estate of thy children, thou didst judge of it, thou tookest care of them, and didst most benignly protect them; as often as thou smotest the rebelling Egyptians, so often didst thou cast bacl thine eye upon thine own; so often didst thou preserve them, and judge their enemies. But what followed all this I have said? Israel is let to departed, doth celebrate the Passeover, doth rob the Egyptians, and goes thence with great riches. Pharaoh reputes him, musters an army, overtakes them in their flight; his army is stopped, he is divided from them by darkness, the sea is dried up, Israel rejoiceth he is delivered by the officious patience of the waves; Pharaoh follows after them, the sea returneth upon him, and he is swept away by the working waves. In order after these things, the Hebrew Nation, that had conquered without war, enters the wilderness, and journeyth without travel, and walketh without a way: God ushering them; they honourable in having God a fellow-soldier with them; and being mighty, by his heavenly guidance following the moving Pillar, cloudy by day, and fiery in the night; using fit distinctions of colours for the difference of the times, namely, that he might distinguish the light of the day, by a muddy darkness, and that he might enlighten the dusky night by a bright shining flame. Thou addest O wonderful, bountiful and merciful God, Fountains springing in a moment: thou addest the healed waters, either given, or altered; keeping their form, but leaving their nature. Thou givest them tops of mountains with streams gushing out; thou makest their dusty fields flow with new streams; thou givest them multitudes of quails, brought to their tents, as they journyed. Thou God, most indulgent in pity, thou givest man things not only fit for his use, but baits to entice him unto thee: my God, thou lovest and cherishest thy people, even with pleasure, to thee; Thou assistedst them forty years long, the stars daily affording them food, and the dropping poles of heaven in like manner flowing with pleasant sustenance, not only for livelihood, but even for their delight. Thou preservedst the men, without addition, or diminution in the parts of their bodies; without growing of the nails, without wearing of the teeth, the hair always of one length, their feet not gauled, their garments without tearing, and their shoes without mending. The honour of thy servants doth abound even in the dignity of their vile Clothing. Here I find God in his office of instructing men, descending to the earth; the Son of God applying himself to the earthly customs of men, & a numberless number of common people admitted to the fellowship of thy divine familiarity, to prevail with thee in the honour of thy holy friendship. I hear God speaking near at hand, preaching the Law with his divine mouth; I view the letters graven with the finger of God, the learning people, and teaching God; and that there is as it were but one school of heaven and earth, mixed of men and Angels. For so it is written, that when Moses had reported to the Lord the people's words, the Lord said unto him, Now will I come to thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear me speak to thee: And behold, a while after, they began to hear thunders, and lightnings, and thick clouds began to cover the mountains. And again; He did descend upon the top of Mount Sinah; And afterwards he spoke with Moses, all of them seeing, that the Pillar of the Cloud did rest at the door of the Tabernacle, and they stood and worshipped in their Tent doors. Thou didst speak, O Lord, to Moses face to face, as one friend useth to do with another. O what a care hast thou of thy creature man, thou God that affordst and performest these so great things for him: making vile man partaker of thy Word; and as it were admitting him to the fellowship of thy holy company, opening thy hands full of immortal riches, nourishing him with the cup of Nectar, and feeding him with heavenly food! What greater care, I beseech thee, couldst thou perform in that thy government, or what greater affection couldst thou use, that whereas they were but in the action of this present life, they did notwithstanding then enjoy a representation of their future bliss? Nor let any man here murmur, that thou hadst this care of mankind heretofore, but that thou now hast it not. Whence shall I believe this repining doth proceed? by chance, because we are not daily fed with Manna, as they were, although we reap from our fields most plentiful Wheat-harvests? or is it because we catch not Quails flying as it were, into our hands: whereas we devour all kind of birds, of cattles and beasts? or because we do not with open mouths receive the waters springing from the rocks, whereas we drench our Taverns with the juice of the grapes? Something I add more, that we ourselves who think that God did then take care of them, and do suppose, that God doth now neglect us: if we could exchange our present blessings for theirs, which are past; we would utterly refuse to wish to be in their Condition. For we would not lose the things we now have, that we might possess the things which they then used. Not that we have better things than that Nation then had, but because even they who were fed by the daily ministry of heaven, and of God himself; did prefer the old gluttony of their bellies, before the present good things they received; being sad with the calling to mind of their carnal meats, and falling sick for the filthy love of leeks and oyons; not that these things which they formerly used were better, but because even as we now do, so did they then; they loathed the things they had, and desired the things they had not. We do rather extol the things that were then, than the things which now are; not that we had always rather have them, if we might choose; but because this is an usual fault, that man's soul is incident to; to desire the things are absent; and for other men's things to please us better than our own; and for ours to please others more than the things they do enjoy; so fastidious are we, most miserable men, that we are not worthy to live, much less, of life with the good things appertaining to it. But what ere thou givest or deniest, thou art always a Father, and dost never forsake a son that trusts and hopes in thee. Give if thou wilt, but only five loaves and two fishes; a handful of meal, a little oil in a pitcher, a few shreds, and branches of trees, and no more; I will boast of the care thou hast of me, O my God, in thee will I boast my heavenly Father, who takest me up, nor can I receive disquietness from thee, for ever. Thou wilt say to my soul, I am thy salvation; no good thing shall be diminished to them that seek thee: they shall not be confounded in the evil day, and in a time of famine they shall have enough. Although I fall, I shall not be dashed to pieces, because thou settest to thine hand. I never saw the just man forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread: I will seek thee, O Lord, and thou shalt hear me, and shalt snatch me out of all my troubles: being poor I will call unto thee, and thou shalt save me from all my cares: those that fear thee cannot truly suffer want: Thou wilt command that the meal in the vessel fail not, that the oil in the pitcher decrease not, because I have need of all these things. I will first seek the Kingdom of God, and other things shall be added unto me. It is so far from thee, my God and Lord, that thou shouldest forsake thine, that thou makest even dogs to help and give them ease. I will expect thee, O Lord, I will play the Man, I will suffer thine hand, O Lord, and my heart shall receive comfort; let my father and mother forsake me, thou Lord shalt take me up. O God thou shalt be my help, nor wilt thou despise me, O God my salvation. Thou shalt set me upon a rock, thou shalt hid me in thy Tabernacle in the time of afflictions; thou shalt hid me in the depth of thy Tabernacle, in the time of affliction, that I may see thy goodness in the land of the living.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 12.  
Of the Tabernacle of the Children of Israel; Of the Cloud wherein God's especial presence was manifested; Of the Mercy-seat; Of the Ark; Of the Manna; and Of Aaron's rod.  
I Creep before thy Tabernacle, my God, & I consider how thou didst appear to thy people: I find many terrible things, but yet comfortable also; thou wrappest thyself in a Cloud, yet is not thy Majesty the less resplendent: it is so great that thou affrightest, and art feared like a consuming fire; and how shall I believe that an Intellect severed from all mixtion of mortality, most excellent, most wife, and most holy, a spirit piercing through all things, and intent even to each particular part of the Universe; which doth as it were to the strings of a most exquisite Harp, modulate the song of vanishing things in a most pleasing variety; a Spirit unbegotten, immortal, everlasting; that is only a place, yea a world able to contain itself, and the greatest world of wisdom, of holiness, of understanding, of reason, of life, of forms; to whom intelligible nature itself doth breath forth, and ceases not to frame and render praises, can be clothed in a cloud? yet thou cloathest thyself with a cloud that thou mightest then exhibit thyself according to the time of faith, not as thou art a God, but as men might endure to behold thee. Thou teachest us spiritual things, by corporal things; and dost demonstrate unto us invisible things, by things visible; thou art the sun O my God, but my weak eyes cannot look steadfastly upon thy most resplendent light, except a cloud be interposed; if I will try the strength of my eyes farther, I may easily be blind; if I will soar higher, I may be in danger to be burnt to ashes. Let me always bear in mind that which one of thy Saints was wont seriously to ruminate upon; I am a man and understand not Gods secrets I dare not search after them, and therefore I am afraid even to make an essay upon them, because it is a kind of sacrilegious rashness to desire to know more than is permitted unto me. In thy Tabernacle I see the Ark of thy Covenant; besides the Ark, I see the Mercy-seat; I see Manna in the Ark, and those rocky leaves, and Volume of stone wherein the Law was written, published amidst thunders, amidst lightnings, amidst the horrid sounds of heavenly trumpets, amidst the deadly savour of the ambient air, amidst the poles of heaven bellowing with these sacred noises, amidst those fires, mists and clouds, replenished with the holy Deity. O my God, how many mysteries do here lie hid, that I would I might understand? me thinks, I see Christ in all these things; for he is the true Mercy-seat, who alone hath done away the sins of the whole world, by the only sacrifice of his passion, and hath made thee a God propitious unto us. He was represented by that golden piece of workmanship, wherein thou didst promise that thou wouldst dwell, and hearken unto those that should call upon thee: for thou lovedst us also in him thy beloved one; and in him art merciful unto us. He defends his Church, as that golden tent did cover the Ark: and did hid the Law which was laid up in it from the face of God, that dwelled above it: that he should not according to the rigour thereof, take notice of our sins, or enter into judgement with us. Thou thyself, my God, hast promised him unto me, that he might be a sacrifice for me in his own blood. Thou hast made him a propitiation both for mine, and for the sins of the whole world: O Christ my reconciler, my place of refuge, O my hope, redeem me and reconcile me, that I lose thee not, and be forced to bear the wrath of my everlasting Father for ever. He is the true Ark; for as the Ark was made of pure gold, and the neatest wood; so my Redeemer, God and Man, is consubstantial of the most high Godhead, and the most perfect humanity. The Tables were put in the Ark, because my Redeemer hath in him the perfect fulfilling of the Law, by whose benefits (apprehended by faith) our disobedience becomes unhurtfull unto us. What more sweet than Manna? And what more wholesome than Christ the bread of heaven? which whosoever by faith shall eat, shall never be bitten with hunger, but nourished for ever by an unspeakable happiness. I also find Aaron's rod, sometimes dry, sometimes flourishing; the rod of Jesse, the tree of life, Christ my Redeemer, with suffering upon the cross gives up the ghost, & forthwith returns to life, and flourisheth without end. O the riches of the wisdom and understanding, which thy Book affords them that love and hearken unto thee! O Christ, be thou my Propitiatory, if the infernal tempter shall accuse me, be thou my Ark where I may be hid, when sin doth tyranously grow cruel against me, be thou my staff whereon I may lean, when I shall enter the vale of death, be thou my Manna wherewith I may be continually refreshed after death, in thine everlasting Kingdom.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 13.  
Of the Conception of Christ.  
O What humility, O what a desire to save me hadst thou, O Christ my Saviour: there was no truth in my mouth, my throat was an open sepulchre, I have dealt deceitfully with my tongue, and my spirit is not pure; and thou that art the very mouth of truth, the throat of sweetness, the tongue of virtue, my most unspotted Saviour, and free from all contagion of sin, dost kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth; O blessed kiss and to be wondered at for its admirable value, in which, one mouth makes not an impression upon another, but God and Man are united together. With what else shall I compare thy incarnation, but to a kiss? a kiss, a token of peace and reconciliation; and by thy incarnation, was peace and reconciliation restored to the world. O what a blessed day is that, when thwarting thy paths I receive a kiss from thy offended mouth, in stead of a deserved reproof; as thy Spouse the Church cries out, burning with impatient love, she cries out, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: with a desire kindled from the promises and benefits of Christ, she beseeches the Messiah might be sent unto her, that she might hear him speaking, and behold him instructing her: in his flesh, she requires him to descend, and to be united to the humanity. Consider the Church O my soul, who having (of a long time) had a promise of her Lords coming, from the mouth of the Prophets; and having been a great while in suspense, raiseth herself from the body; abandoning luxury, and carnal pleasures, and delights, and disroabing herself of the care of secular vanities, doth wish for the infusion of the divine presence, and grace of the saving Word; and how is she tortured and afflicted, that he comes so late? wounded as it were with love, not able longer to endure his delay, turning to the Father, she beseecheth him, that he will send God the Word unto her. I will not have him speak by Moses, nor by the Prophets; no; let him take my body upon him, let him kiss me in the flesh: Fellow my soul, thou which art a part of that most happy assembly; follow the example of that groaning Church, and think on nothing more; love, cherish, vow unto, and expect nothing more, than thy Messiah. See, I beseech you, and consider, the familiar, and friendly communication of those souls (sighing in the flesh,) with the heavenly powers; they rejoice in those kisses, they ask for what they desire, yet they name not him they love, because they doubt not, but that he knows them, with whom they have been accustomed (so often) to converse withal; therefore they say not, let this or that particular kiss me, but only let him kiss us; as Mary Magdalen did not express his name whom she sought, but only said to him (she thought had been the Gardener) Sir, if thou hast taken him; What him? she utters it not, because she thought that must needs be manifest to all, which could not (for one moment) depart out of her heart; neither doth that betrothed Virgin, desire one kiss, burning continually with chaste love, and impatient of delays; but she asks for many kisses, that her desires may be satiate. For she that loves, is not content with the parsimony of one kiss, but requires many, challenges many, and so useth to commend herself often unto her beloved. Kiss thou also the Lord, O my soul, lest at any time he be angry, and thou perish in the way. Who will give thee unto me, O Lord? O let me find thee, and I will kiss, not my hands, or any thing my hands can touch, but even thee, O Lord. Let the tumultuous flesh be silent, let the fancies of earth, and water, of air, and of the vault of heaven hold their peace; let dreams and imaginary revelations be still; let every tongue, every sign, and whatsoever is acted in a trice, be quiet; say nothing to thyself, O my soul, pass by thyself, and have no thought upon thyself, but upon my God. For he is truly all my hope and trust. For in God and our Lord Jesus Christ most sweet, most bountiful, and most pitiful, is every of our portions, our blood and flesh: the lover doth (as much as possible) desire to be one with the thing beloved: and therefore they cling together, and glue, as it were, their bodies in one, and they strive to make, of both their souls, but one, by the conjunction of kisses. Thou, O Jesus, my love, thou my desire, thou my thought, thou my hope, thou my wish, I would I could always cleave unto thee. Would to God that where thou my portion dost reign, there I may at least be a subject, and where thou my blood dost rule, there I may obey, and where thou my flesh art glorified, I may not be there confounded. I am indeed a sinner, but yet I distrust not of the communion of grace; and if my sins do forbid it, yet my substance requireth it; if mine own offences exclude me, the fellowship of my nature drives me not back; for God is not so great an enemy, that he should not love his own flesh, his members, and bowels. I might indeed despair, by reason of my too too many sins and offences, my infinite faults, and negligences, which I have committed, and which I daily, and without ceasing do act, in heart, mouth, and work, and by all ways that humane frailty can offend, except thou hadst kissed me, except, O Word, thou hadst been made flesh, except thou shouldest dwell in me. Let reason here be silent, and let faith speak; the things are true which I say, for thy Spirit hath revealed them unto me; yet are they so profound, that I cannot pierce into them; they are so high, that my abjectness will not suffer me to reach them. I will adore them in silence, and admire in my adoration. And thy miraculous incarnation, shall cleanse my spotted conception. Let not reason conceive that which thy overshadowing doth work, so that my Salvation may be firm, sure, and unshaken.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 14.  
Of Christ's Nativity.  
THat which none ever saw, now all the world beholds; that which none ever heard, now all the world doth hear; God, the Son of God, undergoes the shame of our humane nature, and takes upon him the reproachful principles of our earthly original; he lies in a manger, to whom Angels do yield their service; he suffers himself to be wrapped in swaddling , who gives clothing to the heavens; no ambition seen in his house, a bare couch in a stable, and his Mother lodged in hay; such an Inn doth the world's Creator make choice of; these were the dainties of the holy Virgin's childbed; rags in stead of purple; for silk, and princely trimming, nothing but plain hems; he that was (before the foundation of the world was laid) borne from the heart of his Father, who had Alpha and Omega for his surname, the beginning and the close of all things which were, or are, or shall be hereafter: now in the end of the determined time, put on the shape of a servant, and is borne of a poor Virgin. Let the vault of heaven sing, let every Angel sing, let all that belong to virtue sing, to the praises of God, let no tongue be silent; and let every voice, for ever and ever sound forth his praises. Old-age and youth, quires of Infants, troops of matrons and virgins, the simple maidens with tuneable voices; let them with chaste consorts chant forth his praises; let every age acknowledge that the reward of our life is come, after the bondage of our sharp enemy. Whence is this, that not the Mother of our Lord, but that the very Lord himself comes unto us? How great is he that is given to me? he is the Angel of peace, the Lamb of God, the Benefactor of all, the horn of salvation, the Bruiser of the Serpent's head, the Governor of Israel; he is the desire of the Gentiles, the guide of our life, and the expectation of the Nations. He is the Son of the most High, the branch of Jesse, the humble Caller of mankind; he is our Intercessor, he is our Righteousness, he is our Deliverer; he is our Mediator, he is our Nourisher, he is our Helper. He is the Prince of Peace, he is the great Prophet, the Restorer of our quiet, he is our Redeemer. He is our Reconciler, he is King of Zion, a Saviour, an Expiatory Sacrifice; he is the heavenly Bridegroom, the Expeller of sadness, he is the Word made flesh, the most ample Present, the heavenly Zealot; he is all things. Let the bright heaven thunder, let the glad earth personate, let yawning hell mourn, but let mankind keep a Jubily: we groaped in darkness, and were blinded and covered in a most thick night; he proceedeth out of the darkness and night that expelleth these mists of ignorance and night of sins. Our nature is not now strange to God, since that in it, even in Christ our Mediator the fullness of the Godhead doth now dwell; for the Virgin's womb was made choice of for the Lord of heaven and earth to spring in; nor was that blessed mass, the Son of God incarnate for her only; but that of his fullness all we might be made partakers; God did not only make me, but he made many things for me; seeing that the Word is made flesh for me, and dwelleth in us, he is become one flesh with me, that he might make me one Spirit with him. Christ would become that which man is, that man might become what God is; it is impossible for me to understand the secret of his Nativity. My understanding fails, my voice; nay, not mine only, but even the voice of the Angels is stopped; it is above Powers, above Cherubin and Seraphin, and above all sense. I therefore lay my hand upon my mouth, I may not search after these so high mysteries: It may be known that he was borne; It is not to be disputed how he was borne; it is rashness to inquire after this. This is an unutterable Birth, who shall declare it? An Angel shows it, the Virtue overshadowes, the Spirit assists, the Virgin believes, a Virgin brings forth, and yet continues a Virgin; who doth not admire? the Word is born an Infant, 8c length is acknowledged to be short, & breadth narrowness, height lowness, and depth shallowness; there light is found that shines not; the Word an Infant thirsting for water, & hungering after bread. O Nativity, honourable to the world, in its unpolluted holiness, lovely to men by the greatness of the benefit bestowed, inscrutable also to the Angels, by the depth of the sacred Mystery, and admirable in all these things, by the special excellency of the newness thereof; even so, that there hath not been seen the like before it, nor can there be seen any such to follow it. Ah what was the cause of Christ's coming and Birth? what, but to save sinners? Take away sickness, take away wounds, and there will be no use for medicines. Therefore the great Physician came from heaven, because men lay sick in all places; all the stock of mankind was lost by the sin of one, in whom all were; and therefore came one without sin, that might save all that were in their sins; for not our merits, but our sins, drew him from heaven. It is a thing becoming our faithful souls, Christian breasts, believing minds, that we celebrate the coming of our Lord with all devoutness, and that we meditate of his Birth, being delighted with so great a consolation, and amazed with so excellent a Dignity, and inflamed with so great a love. It is a worthy thing my brethren, that we sing forth glory to the Trinity in unity, and to God the Divine, and begotten offspring, and also to the Spirit, proceeding from them both. O Jesus, thou that wouldst be borne an Infant, make me become little in mine own sight, and that I may not too much desire high things. Thou which didst proceed from the womb of a most chaste Virgin, be thou also borne in my chaste heart, which is purified by thee. Thou who wert born in the town of Bethlehem, that is, the house of bread, and waste sought and found by the Shepherds; join me often with thy Shepherds, and furnish me with the heavenly bread, and so thy Nativity shall for ever satisfy me. The heaven was opened when thou wast borne; open heaven also unto me, when the days of this my earthly birth and pilgrimage are ended, that I may see and glorify thee. Angels accompanied the Shepherds that went to thee; join them also to my company, that I be not cast headlong into a by-way, or desire any thing besides thee; the brightness of the Lord did shine upon those that did desire to be near thee; I would that I might be always present with thee, and be illuminated by thy Light, that I rush not into darksome fens, or be involved in filth and pernicious darkness. They granted thee no room in the Inn; O make choice of a place in my heart, let my heart be thy manger and thy swaddling bands, wherewith thou wert swathed, that I may for ever remain enclosed within thy wounds, and within thy mercy, and my soul shall magnify thee, O Lord, and my spirit shall rejoice in God my Saviour: I will call out with those loud crying and fiery inhabitants of heaven, Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men: now is wrought salvation, and power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. Thou art worthy O Lord, our God, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power; Ah Lord, when shall this come to pass? when wilt thou bestow this upon me?   

CONTEMPT. etc. 15.  
Of the name Jesus.  
WHat sound is this that flies to mine ears? it is a name that parents gave not, neither did the circucising Priest bestow it, but an Angel brought it from heaven; and God, that it should be brought and declared unto us, commanded saying, His name is Jesus; how pleasant, delightful and forcible a name! O how this name doth comfort my soul! Jesus, is a God of giving men salvation, which is expounded a Saviour, or saving; for this reason of the name was given, when before he was to be borne, by the Virgin, it was said, Thou shalt call his name Jesus, because he shall save his people from their sins. God hath now manifested his salvation, all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God; he hath opened himself in the earth, and salvation and righteousness have been fruitful. My God, thou makest us safe in the Lord our God: thou hast given us a light of the Gentiles, which is our salvation even to the ends of the earth. Let us therefore rejoice in God our Saviour, say to the Daughter of Zion, behold, salvation approacheth. The other names of the Messiah, are taken from the effects of his salvation, and do only signify either the beginning, or middle, or only the end of salvation; but this name Jesus, the whole proceeding thereof; for it doth sufficiently contain and express, the beginning, middle, and end thereof; and doth include all other things also within it. The Angels adore, and the devils do tremble at this name, and men receive it for their salvations. This name is glorious in the preaching of it; being thought upon, doth nourish us, called upon, doth mollify and anoint us; not in the letters of it, but by its spirit and life. Whence could there have been, in all the world, so great and so sudden a light of faith, but by the preaching of the name of Jesus? Hath not God called us in the light of this name, into his admirable light to such as are so enlightened and do see light by his light? Paul speaketh deservedly, You were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord. And the name of Jesus is not only a light, but it is also food: art not thou as often refreshed as thou dost think upon it? What doth so much fatten the soul, as the thought of that name? What doth so much repair the decayed senses? It strengthens our virtues, it quickens good and honest manners, it cherisheth chaste affections, all meat is dry that is not moistened with this oil, is unsavoury, not seasoned with this salt. If thou writest to me, I relish it not if thou leave out Jesus; Jesus is honey in the mouth, harmony in the ear, gladness and physic for the heart. Is any of us sad? let Jesus come into the heart, and thence let him flow into our mouths, and behold, at the rising of the light of that name, every cloud is expelled, and the clear light returns: Doth any slip into sin? doth he haste even to the halter of death by his despair? doth he not by invocation of this name of life, forthwith respire to life? Surely there have been many others who have had the name of Jesus; for the name of joshuah that led the Israelites through Jordan, into the land of Canaan, is the same name with Jesus. The son of Syrach is called jesus, and jesus is mentioned in Zachary; but these men bear the name without the thing; or if they wrought any safety, they performed it by the power and help of this my Jesus. There were likewise many that were called Saviour's, as Othniel, Ehud, and others; but these were only deliverers of the body, and did only for a time deliver the people from their outward enemies, and did for a while keep them free from the spoilers of this world: but this my Jesus is the true Saviour, for he not only frees and preserveth his people from outward enemies, but from spiritual subtleties in high places. Sometimes indeed he delivers us to outward enemies, nor is he presently Jesus or a Saviour; he sends amongst us war, plague, hail, cold, poverty, disgrace, diseases, captivity, bondage, but it is for our eternal salvation. He is also a faithful Jesus, nor suffers he any one to be tempted above his strength, but giveth our temptations such a measure, that we may endure them; and although our Jesus doth seem too cruelly and too long to leave us in these external evils, and to lay too heavy a burden upon us, that we are in fear to be overcharged, to yield, and to fail under it; yet let us expect the coming of our Jesus, wwhich will be in a fit season. My Jesus best knoweth our strength, and how much we can bear; and as the pilot doth diligently take care that the ship be not over-fraighted, or fall into any fearful danger; so my jesus doth weigh and balance our abilities, before he lays any cross upon us, that it may not exceed them. Think always (O my soul) upon jesus, because thou hast always need of thy jesus. If thy sins do vex thee and Satan doth paint them forth, and set them before thee, that he may persuade thee they are more in number than can be forgiven; that they be larger than heaven and earth for magnitude; call upon thy jesus, and make Satan thy laughingstock. jesus is my Saviour, who hath delivered me from my sins, and hath taken them upon himself; he is become for me and all the world a ransom, a sacrifice, a reconciliation. And because it appears that he is not conquered, but is truly a Saviour, they must needs be sinners indeed, and not feighned sinners that he doth save; for this sentence can never be recalled; Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. If the fear of death doth press thee and if Satan endeavour to dishearten thee with the expectation thereof, and doth portrait the figure of death before thee in a most bloody & horrible manner and repeats unto thee the threats which God denounces against sinners, and the vengeance which he reserves for them, protect thyself with the Name of jesus, and oppose it to the terrors of death. Why should I fear death, that I should fear the pains thereof? when as my jesus (as himself doth teach us) hath slain my death; O death I will be thy death. Doth Satan strive to make thee sad, himself being punished and overwhelmed with everlasting woe, desiring to draw others into his company? pronounce thou therefore but the Name of jesus with belief, and he vanisheth away; for he is therefore a jesus, because he hath ransomed thee from the curse of thy sins, and hath reconciled thee to the everlasting Father, that thou mightest for ever rejoice with him. Why then art thou sad? What ever befalls thee, let the Name of jesus still come into thy heart, and between thy lips, that the force thereof may assuage all afflictions. Nothing is more sweetly sung, nothing is heard more pleasingly than jesus the Son of God. No kind of sin is so great, but the Name of jesus is above it; O thou (therefore) pleasant Name of jesus, a delightful Name, a comfortable Name; O Lord jesus, if I have done that for which thou mayest damn me, yet hast not thou lost that whereby thou mightest save me. O most merciful jesus, O most sweet jesus, O most gracious jesus, O jesus, jesus, O jesus the salvation of those that trust in thee, O jesus the salvation of those that believe in thee, O jesus, the salvation of those that fly unto thee, O sweet jesus, the remission of all our sins, O jesus, for thy holy Name sake save me, that I perish not; O jesus have mercy upon me, while there is a time for mercy, and condemn me not in the time of thy judgement. jesus Christ, have mercy upon me; for this thy Names sake, do unto me according to this thy Name; look on me miserable wretch, invoking thy Name: it is true, my soul hath deserved damnation, and my repentance is no satisfaction; but it is certain that thy mercy is fare exceeding all my offences; give me therefore (for thy Names sake) that mercy, O my jesus; for thou savest thy people freely by faith alone, without all merit of works, only for thy Names sake, only by the power of thy Name, only by the blood of thy body, whereby thou didst appease thy Father, and obtainedst redemption: and therefore dost thou save thy people freely, and not for their works, that our souls might be sure of redemption: it could not be sure if thou shouldest not save us but for the merit of our works; for either we have no merits by manifestly sinning against the Law of God, or we have not merits enough, because our works are imperfect, which can by no means satisfy God's Law; therefore that our consciences may be sure of the forgiveness of sins, it is needful that thou be a jesus gratis unto me: who seeing thou art true and constant in thy promises, it cannot be that I can be deceived, if I trust in thy Name: O most bountiful jesus, O jesus my most sweet Lord, keep me in this faith and confidence, even to the end: let thy last word upon the cross, be my last word in this life, and when I can speak no more, hear my last desire, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit; thou God of truth, and God of my salvation; thou, even thou hast redeemed me; O little Jesus, I only require thee, comfort my soul, thou best of Babes, draw me, O draw me after thee, by thy sweet favour, thou Prince of Glory. Led me, O thou our true salvation, to thine own Country; after thine own victory, wherein praise be unto thee for evermore, Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 16.  
Of Christ's, and of our Circumcision.  
BEhold, my eyes, your Jesus; my soul, consider thy Christ; the knife is taken in hand, and the Son of the most High is drawn away to be wounded; stay knife from touching the Innocent, let the Synagogue spare the innocent, send him away thou Circumcisor, without touching him; but my Jesus, why wouldst thou be so circumcised, be so wounded, & spill thy most tender blood? Why dost thou so hasten, O Lord, to the shedding of thy milky blood? it is my salvation which makes thee thus to hasten: but why didst thou submit thyself to be circumcised, which art the Lord of the Law, nay, the Lawgiver himself? was it, to confirm the Circumcision that thou hadst long before ordained to be rightly observed, even till thy coming, and that the old Religion should not seem utterly rejected; or that thou mightest save the jews by receiving of Circumcision, as thou didst the Gentiles by Baptism, that is, wert thou to save them by the pouring forth of the purified dew, or was it that thou mightest keep, fulfil, and establish all the Law? What need I to reckon up many things? thou wast circumcised for the cause that thou wast borne and for which thou didst suffer: none of all this was for thyself, but all was for thy Elect, for me, for all that cleave unto thee, that thou mightest pay for us those debts, even thou that didst own nothing thyself, and mightest free us from our own, and from the offences of others. O most loving Jesus, I adhere to thee, do thou everlastingly stick to me; I have run into debt, do thou pay them. I beseech thee by that precious blood which thou wast willing to shed for sinners, in thy most holy Circumcision, and afterwards most abundantly to pour out for them, in thy most bitter passion, that thou mightest wash away all mine iniquities; look upon me, most humbly petitioning, and often calling upon thy holy Name; cause me, O Lord, readily to submit myself to thy Laws; I learn from thyself, my Lord, to obey thy Laws, and to obey thee, not by constraint, but by free consent; for this is the true obedience of the humane nature, when it subjects its will readily to the will of God, and when by working it perfecteth the good will it hath received, with a willing liberty without any constraint. Give me, O Lord, the Circumcision of the heart, which is, that the cloud of error being taken away, to acknowledge the Creator, God the Father, and his Son Christ, by whom he hath created all things, that the truth of God might be fulfilled; grant that I may cut off, and cast out of my heart all uncleanness of thoughts, and impurity of my senses. For the Gospel hath not enjoined cutting away of the Prepuce, but the circumcision of the heart, and that by the Sword of the Spirit we should cut away all petulancy, as well of our members, as of our affections: this Circumcision is not in my power; secure my weakness O Lord, and assist me, that I may do that which thou hast promised by thy faithful servant Moses; the Lord shall circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. I am present, O Lord, as thou hast commanded by thy faithful servant Jeremy, Be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts, that my wrath break not forth like fire. Give me that which Saint Paul speaks concerning me; Thou art circumcised with a Circumcision which is made without hands, if thou put off the body of sins by the Circumcision of Christ. The jews circumcised but one member of the body; grant, O Lord, that I may circumcise all my members. The heart of man is wicked, it must therefore be circumcised, and the Sword of the Spirit is to be unsheathed for it; and this is the preaching of the Gospel of jesus Christ; which if any one receiveth into his heart by faith, first his sins shall not be imputed to him, but he shall be accounted just for Christ's sake; then the holy Ghost shall be given unto him, by whose power it shall come to pass, that the relics of sin shall not reign in his mortal body, but he shall fit his members as weapons of righteousness unto God. Stir me up, O Lord, and strengthen me, that I may circumcise my eyes, that they behold no vanity, nor defile themselves with privy adulteries. Thou hast commanded this, O Lord, if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee. Stir me up, O Lord, and strengthen me, that I may circumcise my hands, that they be not enraged and shed innocent blood; for thou hast commanded this, O Lord, if thy right hand offend thee cut it off. Stir me up and strengthen me, O Lord, that I may circumcise my feet, that they go not in the way of sinners, and that they haste not to do evil; so putting off the old man, and putting on the new, I shall become a new creature, and shall possess the inheritance of thy Kingdom, O Christ; I shall enjoy the society of the citizens of heaven, the choir of Angels singing Hymns unto thee, and the sweet fellowship of all thy blessed ones. Thus thou shalt speak (O Christ) to thy Father, I will that those thou hast given me, may now be with me, that they may behold my glory which I had with thee before the world was made. O when wilt thou speak this, O Lord, O when shall I hear this?   

CONTEMPT. etc. 17.  
Of the passion of Christ.  
Dost thou ascend for me to jerusalem, that all things might be accomplished which are written by the Prophets? that thou mightest be exposed for a scorn to the Gentiles, that thou mightest be scourged, that thou mightest be spit upon, that thou mightest be fastened to the Cross? thou who art the God of glory, the God of life & safety, the chief, best, and Omnipotent, most merciful, most just, most secret, most present, most beautiful, most strong, stable, & incomprehensible God; invisible, yet seeing all things, immutable, yet changing all things, immortal, illocable, interminable, unbounded, without ending, inestimable, unutterable, fearful and terrible, to be honoured and reverenced, venerable and renowned, never new, nor ever waxing old, and innovating all things? For me, who am deep darkness, miserable earth, the son of wrath, a vessel fitted for reproach, begotten in uncleanness, living in misery, that must die in extremity; a vessel taken from a dunghill, a shell of corruption, full of filth and horror, blind, poor, naked, subject to many wants, and wretched, and mortal as I am, ignorant when I came in, or when I must go out of the world, whose days pass like a shadow, whose life vanisheth like the shadow of the Moon, a mad man's fancy, as the blossom upon the tree blows, and forthwith is rotten, now flourisheth, and by & by is dried up, whose life is a frail and fading life, that the more it continues, the more it decreaseth; the farther we proceed in it, the nearer it approacheth to death. What shall I think? what shall I say? what hast thou committed, O most sweet Saviour, that thou shouldest be thus judged? what hast thou done, O my most loving Saviour, that thou shouldest be handled so rudely? what is thy wickedness? what thy offence? what the cause of thy death? what the occasion of thy condemning? I am the stripe of thy pain, the offence for which thou art slain; I am the desert of thy death, the wickedness revenged upon thee; I am the spleen of thy passion, and the labour of thy torments. O the greatness and foulness of my sins! Out of the consideration of the remedy I value the measure of my danger; and so is the esteem of the medicine, as is the heaping up of my grief and fear. O the sweetness and greatness of thy love! although, O Lord my God, the world was placed in the midst of mischief, and is full of misery, yet sentest thou thy blessed Son into the world for us, and for this didst thou send him into the world, that he being sold might ransom us, & being put to death might restore us to life, might honour us by suffering disgrace, and might adopt us for his sons. If I would reckon up what he suffered for most miserable man, what voice would suffice me for it? what ears would not be weary to hear it? for he was no sooner borne, but his blood was spilt in the circumcision; he was scarcely circumcised, but forthwith was he designed to the slaughter; he no sooner professed his doctrine openly, but he was called the impious, blasphemous, and raging stirrer up of the people, even by them whose God he had always been after a peculiar manner. I do every where behold misery, calamity, disgraces, reproaches, griefs, poverty, weariness, sadness, hunger, thirst, that he seems but only to have finished in his passion what he had continually suffered in the whole course of his life. After that the Son, coeternal and consubstantial with his Father, the Omnipotent Patron of the Church, ordained for a judge of the quick and the dead, had fervently poured forth those prayers, which he had conceived for man's salvation, wherein he at the point of death more especially recommended to his Father, that dear pledge, (his Church) for whose sake he suffered not only valiantly, but most willingly and freely, not a drop, but streams of blood to flow from his five wounds. Walking with his disciples beyond the brook, that took its name from the shady vale, the traitor meets him, with an armed troop of servants and officers; his neighbours fly from him, his Disciples retire, a friend and companion, (saluting the innocent) betrays him for a malefactor; but it was the same whom before (O cruel mischief) he had sold for a little money, and for a base price; his hands are tied, his arms are bound; thus tied and bound is he led away; and the most dear young man, that a little before leaned upon his most holy bosom, follows after, and Peter also, but a fare off, and with great fear; none of the rest are present: those whom he had loved, whom he had full fed, whom he had taken care of, whom he had healed, do not so much as look bacl upon him; they all forsake him that never forsook any man; he is made an unhappy spectacle in the house called Pratorium; his shamefast body is made naked, that offspring of the most pure Virgin; and was scourged even to death by those beastly Sergeants, ordained to scourge malefactors; they are instant both with words and stripes, and drunk no less with blood than wine; they bind him to a pillar, they load him with stripes they multiply strokes upon strokes, the place did ring with their smart blows; streams of blood issue from his torn body, and now there is scarce the resemblance of a body to be seen throughout him. Behold the man, saith Pilate. And here lift up thy eyes, O my soul, and look steadfastly upon the face of the Lord thy God; leave awhile all thy vanities, to which thou hast all thy life addicted thyself, and if thou canst, collect (for one moment) all thy thoughts, and bestow them (this day) upon thy Saviour. Behold the man, behold a man of sorrow, behold him that is beautiful above the sons of men, ruddy, chosen out of thousands, whose hair is as the palm branches, black as the ravens, whose eyes are like the doves eyes. by the fountains of waters, which are washed with milk, whose lips distil the choicest myrrh, like the lilies; behold then, it now raines nothing but blood, his hair cleaves together with blood, his head (pierced with thorns) doth dart forth blood, his nostrils bruised with the strokes of the fist, have besmeared his face with swart blood, and which is most miserable of all, being tied & bound, he hath not wherewith to wipe of his blood, he hath not, I say, wherewith to wipe away his blood, forcing as it were, from all parts of his body. Behold the man; This is that face which the heavens cannot behold, and hell dares not behold; this is he that now keeps silence, whose voice is heard in the clouds, whose thunder daunteth the courages of men with his fearful claps. Behold the man; behold the Lord of all things stands in want, amidst all those things which he doth possess; he standeth bound, who frees all; he stands wounded, that heals all. Behold the man; for thy cause, O man, stands he before the judge, before us all doth he stand for us all; he stands without a garment, he stands rob, that no wound of his body might be hid from the beholders. Learn, O man, out of these things which he suffered for thee, what account Christ made of thee, to the end, by how much the viler thou art for whom he suffered, by so much the dearer thy Christ may be unto thee: Learn, O man, to avoid those things which may offend thy God. Behold with how much sweat, with what labour, with what grief he stood, that he, the Son of God might reconcile thee to his Father. I have said many things, yet if thou considerest the rest, they are very few; for the officers add reproach to his punishments, while they cloth his body with a purple garment, made more purple with his most innocent blood. They fasten a prickly crown, made of stiff thorns, upon his reverend head; they salute him for a King, and strike their King over the face; and they blow upon the glass of Angels with the worst sort of mixed stinks, even the stench of their breaths corrupted by surfeiting, and mingled with spittle: and by and by when they come to Calvary, the profane wretches do prepare themselves for the butchery, and lay upon his fainting body, that most accursed punishment of the Cross: his most innocent hands are fastened with nails, which never did wrong to any, but had wrought salvation for all men; his most holy feet are fastened with an iron band; wretch that I am, they must be joined together, that had been exercised in so frequent travel, for mine, and for the salvation of all men: His eyes swim in blood, those two that were wont to be the lights of the good, but lightning to the wicked: his pure mouth is silent, from which had reigned honey combs; his tongue is tied, which (with its very silence) convinces the cruelty of the parricides: heaven was afraid of this spectacle, and (in it its mourning weed) bewails its Creator the Lord of the Stars; it withdrew itself within a sudden darkness, as ashamed of so great a wickedness; the Angel's groan, the Citizens of heaven break forth into tears. O face of man, harder than a flint, that with dry eyes canst read this story: O heart of man, harder than an Adamant, that these things cannot penetrate: O fierce and steely heart of man, that considers not these things. Thy Saviour (being weary and overcharged under so great a burden) cries and calls out, and in his soul calls upon us, My people, what have I done unto thee? or how have I been troublesome unto thee? answer me: I have been no Usurer, nor hath any thorough the earth taken use for me, yet all do curse me; God hath shut me up with the wicked, and hath delivered me to the hands of the wicked. Many calves have compassed me about, fat bulls have besieged me. They opened their mouths upon me, as it were a raging and roaring Lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are scattered abroad; my heart, in the midst of my bosom, is like melting wax; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my gums, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. He cried, he called out, but there was none that would hear; he is led without the city, to the place made infamous for the punishing of the wicked therein, as unto a public separate place, that he might not pollute any man by his contagion, which the adjoining inhabitants gave a name from the dead men's souls, which lay scattered every where abroad within it. The Captain of the heavenly hosts, led forth in the sight of men and Angels, to be fastened between heaven and earth, unto the accursed Cross, & to be refreshed with vinegar; he is wounded, he is slain, he is thrust thorough with a spear; what current of language can sufficiently unfold this misery? but thls' remembrance of such stupendious things, requires rather the tears of the faithful, than the Orator's eloquence. O who shall give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to mine eyes, that I may weep night and day? I will weep with strong tears, I will make drunk my cheeks with my tears; the righteous perish, and there is none that taketh it to heart; the Lord of heaven gives up the ghost, and there is not one that thinks it concerns him any thing. Raise up thyself, O my soul, and weary thyself in meditating upon the passion of thy Lord; no time is more happily spent than that which the devout soul employeth upon the passion. O wonderful condition of his censure, and unutterable disposition of a mystery! the unjust doth offend, and the righteous is punished, the guilty transgresseth, and God is chastised; the impious sinneth, and the righteous is condemned; the good suffereth that which the wicked deserveth; that which the servant is indebted, the Master doth pay. Whither, O whither thou Son of God, doth thy humility descend? how fare hath thy love been inflamed? how fare did thy love reach? and how fare did thy pity e●tend? O Lord Jesus Christ, govern and guide me by thy Spirit, that my soul being pricked by thy visitation, may crucify its flesh, with the sins and lusts thereof. O Lord Jesus, I only put my trust in thy passion and death. O Lord jesus Christ, who hast witnessed, that thy delight is to be with the sons of men: thou who becamest man for man, in the later age be mindful of all thy premeditations, and inward grief, which from the beginning of thy conception, thou didst endure in thy humane nature; but chief in the instant time of thy most saving passion, fore-ordained from all eternity, in thy divine heart. Remember the sadness and bitterness which thy soul was possessed with, as thou didst testify, when thou saidst, My soul is heavy, even to death: and when in thy last Supper, thou didst deliver thy Body and Blood to thy Disciples when thou washedst their feet, and when sweetly comforting them, thou didst foretell thy near approaching passion. Remember the fear, anguish, and grief which thou didst endure, thorough all thy tender body, before thy suffering upon the Cross; When after thy troubled prayer, thou didst sweat that bloody sweat, when thou wast delivered by thine own Disciple, taken by thy chosen people, accused by false witnesses, unjustly sentenced by three several judges in the holy City; when at the time of the Passeover, in the flourishing time of thy youth, being innocent, thou wast condemned, wast delivered, wast spitted on, thine own  pulled off, and others put upon thee; thou wast buffeted, thy face and eyes were covered; when thou wast bound to the Cross, and crowned with thorns. O most sweet Jesus, give me, I beseech thee, for the memory of thy pains and passion, true contrition, and confession, and also remission of all my sins before my death; and in my death grant me comfort and consolation of spirit, and after death grant me salvation and glory, Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 18.  
Of the first and second word of our Lord spoken upon the Cross.  
O My soul, one of thy faithful servants sadly and mournfully cries out, concerning Job, what a pageant of triumph hath God made of the Devil in that man; what an ensign of his glory hath he erected from his enemy, when he did (with great patience) cleanse away the unclean flowing matter of his sores, when (sportingly) he did call back the worms that crawled forth from his sores, to the same holes and feeding places of his worm-eaten flesh! But how much hath thy Saviour outgone him in constancy of mind, and an unshaken patience? he in the last necessity, in the pangs of death, in the pains of hell, sorsaken and made exceeding sad, by his angry God, fails not in the courage of his mind; he shown no sign that his heart departed from the path of righteousness; but as he began, so continues be to love mankind. Hear the words that he utters from the chair of his cross; they were few, but great, profitable, and worthy never to departed out of a Christians heart, as long as he hath his vital breath. Thus he speaks; Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Oh thy supereminent love, O Lord! thou prayest, not O Lord, that they might be punished who afflicted and crucified thee; but that they might enjoy the merit of thy passion, and be saved. Thou so aboundest in thy love, that forgetful of thy most exquisite sufferings, thou thinkest on nothing but the reconciling of sinners O incomparable humanity of unspeakable mercy! with what gentle and friendly eyes dost thou lock upon me from the Altar of the Cross! how can any man despair, seeing we have so diligent, so faithful, so loving, and so zealous an intercessor? Where are you trembling sinners? where are you affrighted conseiences? do you delight to see the heart of your Lord to overflow with grace? Come and behold his Cross: Come, come, see his heart mounting into his tongue, and begging pardon for your sins. jesus, my God, I am also present amongst sinners, amongst those that crucify thee; look on me, and receive me; my sins, my sins were those sharp nails, which pierced and fastened thy feet, and hooked them to the Cross. O jesus, have mercy upon me, and intercede for me to thy heavenly Father; intercede for me to day, this hour, this moment, that he may pardon me my sins. In the second place he said, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. How mild, O Lord, how courteous art thou to sinners! thy delight is amongst the sons of men, even in thy strongest and most unutterable torments. Thou wast hanged between a most wicked pair of thiefs; thou stretchest forth thy hand, that one of them might take hold of it, and that thou mightest draw him to thee with it, and gather him to thee, as a hen gathereth her young ones under her wings. How pleasing is the society to thee, when a sinner joins himself to thee, and (if they will) with what affection dost thou receive and heal them? The Thief on the lefthand thinking reproachfully of thee, doth revile and blaspheme thee most virulently; therefore thy sorrows, sweat, labour, drops of blood, streams of blood, prayers and intercession, could nothing profit him: the Thief on the right-hand, having a zealous opinion of thee, acknowledgeth thee; and though he cannot with his hands, yet doth he embrace thee with a contrite and devout heart; he begs a great thing of thee, and obtains the greatest; he begs for a favourable remembrance of him, and he obtains eternal gladness. O example of true and wonderful repentance! For what is true repentance? what, but that which is sorrowful for offences, confesseth them, and hath recourse to Christ their Deliverer by a steadfast faith? but it is miraculous, because then at length Christ is acknowledged the expiation of his sin, when his most sick soul doth meditate the forsaking of the habitation of his body; and the Redeemer himself is in suffering the last and most horrid punishment. O Christ my Lord and my God, grant that I also may bewail and confess my sins, and ask thee pardon for them, and always weigh with myself thy merits; grant that I may do this with the Thief; but that I may not put off my desire of thee to the last period of my life, as many do, who naughtily excuse their most wicked procrastination, by the example of the Thief. Let me not come to that hardness of heart, that the late gained salvation of the converted Thief should make me more careless; nor let me say my conscience tortures me not; my life shall not trouble me, because I see the Thief had all his sins pardoned in a moment. Consider o my soul, thou guest and companion of my body, not so much the concise confession and faith of the Thief, but the earnest devotion, and mournful time wherein the Apostles themselves did wander and forsake their Master: then imitate the faith and zeal of the Thief, and (at last) promise to thyself his salvation. Now that unplacable enemy of our souls, tries to lead thee into this security, that in the fatal hour of death he may thrust thee (headlong) into infernal destruction. It is impossible to be spoken, how many are circumvented and damned by the shadow of this deceitful hope; he deceives himself, and makes a sport of his damnation, whosoever seeks not for the mercy of God but at the hour of his death; they are abominable to God, that sin with a hope that it will be time enough to be converted to God in their old age The Thief that at this time did so miraculously apply Christ's death to himself, had not formerly put off his repentance, for he had never (before) heard of the doctrine of Christ; therefore in this minute of an hour, in this twinkling of an eye, make me pray unto thee, and convert thee unto me, lest (securely) promising myself salvation, I fall from my salvation. Grant that being converted, I may be charitable to my neighbour, and take care for his conversion and salvation, as the penitent Thief did admonish the impenitent Thief, and did labour to bring him unto thee. Ah my Lord, remember me also in thy Kingdom, if thou wilt at least think me worthy to be remembered, and cast a gracious eye upon me, and I shall have enough, because I am sure of thy power and wisdom, and I am confident of thy pity and charity. Ah suffer me to be with thee in Paradise, where is the soul's happiness, and the beautiful vision of God; I cannot be well without thee, nor can any ill be with thee.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 19  
Of the third and fourth word of Christ uttered upon the Cross.  
WHo are they, O Lord Jesus Christ, who not only followed thee to the Cross, but do also abide under thy Cross? Who are they not only spectators of thy most cruel punishment, but exposed also to the cruel torment of their eyes and souls? It is Christ's Mother, the crown of Virgins; it is Mary thy Mother, it is John, thy kinsman, it is thy most loving Disciple, who leaned upon his Master's breast when he was at supper, him whom thy soul loved; a sword doth pierce their souls, thorns and needles do prick their eyes, whilst they see thee stretched upon the Cross, with all thy sinews torn, all bloody, even springing forth with blood; thou hast taught me, by those thy distressed beholders made wet with showers of tears, that thy most dear children are most near to the Cross; those whom thou dost most fervently love, they are most grievously and most often made subject to the Cross. There cannot be a true Church that cannot be miserable: thou thyself dost drink to her in the cup of affliction, which if she refuse, or loathe it, she is a bastard. We ought to be like thee; let us be contented that we may be as our Master; whosoever desires to be above his Master, is proud, and not worthy of his Master: we are a burning bush, which is burnt, but not consumed; we are a city besieged, but not taken; we are the Moon labouring under an eclipse, but not perpetually losing her light; we are the Ark of Noah, exposed to the Flood, yet not over whelmed with it; we are the woman in travel whom the dragon pursues, but yet kills her not; we are the lily amongst the thorns; and yet we whither not; thy most cruel torments O Lord, could not so fare afflict and torture thee, but that thou hadst a care of thine, but that thou wouldst speak to thy mother, and to thy disciple; for thy third word upon the cross was uttered to them, behold thy Son, behold thy Mother, Me thinks O Lord, I see into thy bowels, into the depth of thy thoughts; thou complainest, the sorrows of death have compassed me about; but yet that sword doth no less break, and wound my heart, which hath with unspeakable torment pierced thy soul, most sweet mother, I behold also thee most loving young man, the most inimate of my friends; most sweet desciple, I behold thy groans, and sighs, for the loss of him, in whom thou hast placed all thy hope and trust. I therefore that am forsaken of all, do bring to both of you, that small aid I am able; thou O Mother, behold another Son for thee; thou my disciple, behold another help for thee. O most holy Jesus, O most faithful Saviour, O most merciful helper, how many sad widows dost thou even now comfort? how many poor orphans dost thou now relieve? how many afflicted persons dost thou now take charge of? I am also widowed of all comfort, and deprived of all sustenance; rob of all protection and aid; the anxieties of my mind are many, my affliction is great, my griefs are multiplied; comfort me, sustain me, take care of me, O thou omnipotent Comforter of those that be sad, thou Strength of those that labour; let my groans come unto thee, what extremity soever I am in, that in my necessities I may joy in the presence of thy mercy. Hear also, ye that have ears to hear, the fourth word. Let my soul attend, let my spirit attend, and let all the devotion that is in me, give her attention; our Priest, (in the days of his flesh) offered up prayers and supplications, with tears and strong cries unto him, that was able to save him from death, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The just God and heavenly Father, who begat thee from eternity, who by a voice from heaven, testified of thee, This is my beloved Son, hear him, hath forgotten thee; he left thee not for thine own cause, but for mine; for I by my sins have begotten thee these labours and griefs; it was I was to be forsaken, but thou stoodst in my stead; thou who speakest righteousness, who art the bulwark of salvation, hast trod the winepress alone, and there was not a man to help thee; thou lookedst about, and there was no helper; thou soughtest, but foundst none that might save: O how bitter was this forsaking to thee, but how pleasant, and how happy to me! Thou God, exceeding long-suffering, thou shalt not leave me for ever, because thy Son was forsaken for me. Thou ardent lover of my soul, thou diligent Saviour of sinners, thou most courteous searcher of men, thy most obedient Son took on him the punishment which was due for my sins, which are so much against thee; he hath borne the sinner's burden, he hath endured the horrors of death, and terrors of hell, and hath most largely satisfied for me. Leave me not then, O my God, depart not from me, O my God, in the day of my death; if the so copious satisfaction of thy Son, if my so dangerous misery can move thee to compassion, be present with me most miserable sinner, pitifully hear my prayers and help me in the hour of death, neither remember my iniquities, but O thou fountain of mercies, deal with me according to thy exceeding great mercy.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 20.  
Of the fifth word of Christ, uttered upon the Cross.  
GAther, O gather yourselves together, and hear, saith the Patriarch jacob, when he stretched forth his feet, to enter into the way of all flesh, and stood even at the threshold of his wished-for eternity; but if the last words of a man, were to be received with such attention, what attention may be required, what fervour, & what diligence, to hear his last words, who is both God and man, who is above all the patriarchs, in whom all the patriarchs did trust, and whom they wished so often to behold? The words were seven. The number of seven, is a peculiar number, a holy number, and is used in many mysteries; it is here also peculiar, it is holy, and not barren of mysteries; thou hast already understood this, O my soul, and thou shalt know it in part hereafter. The first word of our Lord was, I thirst; ah Lord, all thy spirits were dissipated, all thy strength issued forth in the torrent of thy blood; for thou wast a man of sorrows, and experienced in infirmities, despised, and a man of the least esteem, although thou hadst committed no offence, nor was guile found in thy mouth; therefore wast thou scorched with extreme thirst, and yet thou Saviour and preserver of men, thou couldst not obtain drink from men. O most barbarous cruelty! the Lord did travel with extreme thirst, at the beginning of his passion, and that thirst did increase still more and more, so that it was one of the greater sort of torments, which the Lord endured upon the cross: for the letting out of the great plenty of the vital fountain, doth dry and cause thirst; therefore the Lord, who after much weariness and by his scourging lost much blood, and afterwards (being crucified) had four open fountains, as it were in his body, from which great plenty of blood, had for a long time issued forth; how could it be, but that he must be tormented with extreme thirst? They who have received many wounds, from which much blood doth flow, desire nothing so much as drink, as if they suffered nothing but thirst; but who was there that took pity, and offered so much as cold water, who was present, who had a fellow-feeling of his sorrows? there was not one, nor any found to comfort him; O Jesus, thou heavenly Lord, they gave thee gall to eat, and in thy thirst, they have thee vinegar to drink; thy beloved John saith there was a vessel set full of vinegar, and they fastening a sponge full of vinegar to an hyssop stalk, offered it to his mouth. O cruel wickedness! as they had at the beginning a little before his crucifying, offered him wine mixed with gall; so at the departure of his soul they offer him vinegar, a most pernicious thing for his wounds, that Christ's passion might be a true and continued passion, from the beginning to the end, without any mixture of comfort; in stead of refreshing and pleasing liquor, they offer him hurtful and bitter. O refreshing without any refreshing; O most lamentable consolation! When Samson had slain the Philistims, he thirsted exceedingly, and the Lord opened a great tooth for him, in the jawbone of an ass, whence waters did flow; and thou, when thou hadst overcome the most potent enemies, the world, satan, and death; didst also thirst extremely, but no waters were given thee, and the Antitype was in a fare worse condition than the type, which the Conqueror of the Philistims did represent; we (alas) had deserved eternal thirst, to us was due that scorching heat which the glutton had, when he lifted up his eyes, (being in torments) and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom, and crying said, Father Abraham, take pity of me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and refresh my tongue, for I am tormented in these flames; but thou that takest pity of us, that most ardently thirstest for our salvation, haste (in thy thirst) suffered that thirst, and hast deserved so much for us, that we shall one day neither hunger, nor thirst any more, neither shall Sun, or heat fall on us, because thou dost govern us, and leadest us to the fountains of waters, and shalt wipe away all tears from our eyes; thou shalt make us drunk with the plenteousness of thy house, and refresh us with the streams of thy pleasure. O Lord, as the hart desireth the fountains of water, so longeth my soul after thee O Lord; my soul hath thirsted after God, the living fountain; when shall I come and appear before the face of God? O Lord, when shall I worthily call to mind thy mercies, thy praises which are fare above all things, which thou hast given me, and exceeding the multitude of the goods of my house, which thou hast bestowed upon me, according to the multitude of thy mercies?   

CONTEMPT. 21. etc.  
Of Christ's sixth word uttered upon the Cross.  
THou hast performed all, and every of those things, which thou knewest necessary to recover our salvation, most willingly, and with all thy heart. And therefore thy sixth word was not, it shall be finished; as thou didst say in thy journey to Jerusalem; behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled, which are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man; for he shall be delivered up to the Gentiles, shall be mocked, shall be scourged, and spit upon, and after they have scourged him, they shall put him to death. But he says, it is finished: whatsoever the wicked nation could invent, to exasperate thy torments, is finished; thou truly didst foretell the hour, and power of darkness, and the time of thy crucifying; I have finished sayest thou, the work which thou gavest me to do; but that was another work; namely the work of Preaching the Gospel, as thou thyself dost intimate unto me, when thou addest, I have manifested thy name unto men: this work which thou sayest is finished, is the work of suffering for mankind; the work of drinking off the cup of the passion, which thy father hath given thee, thou hast now drunk it all off, so that there remains nothing, but that thou give up the ghost; the power which was given the apostate Angels, and the filthy rabble of wicked men, is finished; thy pilgrimage wherein thou goest out from thy father, and didst come into the world, is finished, wherein thou wast upon the earth like a husbandman, and a traveller; the mortality of thy humanity is at an end; every prophecy which the prophets had foretold concerning thy life or death, is finished; the greatest sacrifice of all sacrifices is finished, that upon which all the sacrifices of the old covenant as types and shadows did reflect; for by one oblation, thou hast for ever made perfect those that are sanctified, and art become the end of the Law, to every one that believeth. Now the variety of carnal sacrifices ceasing, thou fulfilest all those distinctions of beasts by once offering up of thy body, and blood; thou hast O Lord drawn all things unto thyself; for by rending the veil of the temple, the Sanctum Sanctorum departed from the unworthy high Priests, that the figure might be turned into a truth, the prophecy into a manifestation, and the Law into a Gospel: O clean, O unspotted sacrifice, whose Altar was the Cross, which the viler it was before Christ overcame it, so much the more famous, and noble did it afterwards become; the fire thereof that consumes the  offering, and perfecteth the sacrifice, is this immeasurable charity; which like a furnace exceedingly heated, did burn in thy heart O Jesus, which the many waters of thy sufferings could not extinguish. O Jesus, my redeemer, my mercy, my Saviour, I praise thee, I give thanks unto thee, though fare unproportionable to thy benefits, though very void of devotion, though lean in comparison of that fatness which thy most sweet affection towards us doth require in them; yet my soul doth pay unto thee what thanks she is able, not such as she knows are due unto thee, from me. Thou hope of my heart, thou virtue of my soul, let thy most powerful worth perfect that which my most i'll weakness doth endeavour; my life, thou end of my intention, though I have not loved thee so much as I ought to love thee, yet do I at least desire to love thee as much as I ought. O Jesus, let this word always stick in my memory, It is finished. When sin and damnation shall band themselves against me wrestling with the pangs of death, and shall present unto me my ugly life, made deformed by my sins, let me be able then to say, the sacrifice for my sins is finished: For thou art the Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world. Thou hast not redeemed me with corruptible silver and gold, but with thy most precious blood, as it were of an unspotted, undefiled lamb. When the law shall accuse me, and shall exact punishment, let me say each tittle of it is accomplished: For when the fullness of time was come, God sent his Son, made under the Law, that he might redeem those which were under the Law, and that we also might receive the adoption of children. When death shall infest and terrify me, let me say, thy power is determined, thou art conquered by my Lord, who hath spoiled thee of thy power, hath taken out thy sting, and purged out thy poison, that death may be to me a sweet repose, great gain, a dismission in peace, a recalling from evils, a momentary hiding me till wrath is past, and till heaven gates be opened for me. When kindred, friends, and acquaintance, shall at the time of my departure bewail my going hence, and compass my bed with groans and tears; let me say my course is finished, the appointed time is past, the period is fixed which we cannot pass, the glass is run, the hour of freedom draws near; here my misery makes a stand, and the haven I make to is near, where all tears shall be wiped away: behold I leave unto you a Fulfiller of all good, and an asswager and ender of all evil! he shall comfort you, if you fly unto him; he shall keep and defend you, to whom I recommend my soul, and to whom I recommend you the beloved of my soul, for evermore, Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 22.  
Of the seventh and last word of Christ, uttered upon the Cross.  
ALthough, Lord Jesus Christ, great is thy humility, great thy abasement, and great is thy affliction, that thou seemest scarce a man, but a worm; yet in thy seventh and last word, before thou gavest up the ghost, tho-shewedst thyself not a man only, but even set above the reach of man's power; for when thou wast about to breathe out thy most holy Spirit, thou criedst out, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Ah what a mournful, lamentable, sad, and miserable silence is there, when mournful, lamentable, sad, and miserable man is commanded to breathe forth his soul! how silent, faint, and how dead (as it were) are all things before death! our deathbed takes possession of us, when the Sun's last shadow flies from us, and enraged death sharpens his Dart, to strike thorough our breast. But thou (O Lord) dost witness thy power, even in death itself, not only by crying out, at the last gasp, but also by shaking the earth, by cleaving the rocks, opening the graves, rending the veil of the Temple. The Centurion himself (being a man) conversing with the members of the Church, but believing out of the Church, confessed from hence, and said, This man was indeed the Son of God. But the last word thou utteredst in thy mortality, is diligently to be noted, and seriously to be weighed, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. This was thy last word; Ah would to God it might be also mine, and I trust, Lord, it shall be so, and God (I hope) will hear it; for thou hast obtained this for me, because thou hast both prayed for me upon the Cross, and hast as my chief high Priest, suffered all things; nor didst thou commend thine own Spirit alone unto thy Father, but mine also, and of all the faithful, who are members of thy body; thou hast bound my soul together with thine own, in the bundle of life, and hast delivered it into the hands of the Almighty: O how do the words pierce my soul and spirit, which thou utteredst before thou didst pass that deadly way, and in which thou didst most devoutly speak unto thy Father, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are one; preserve them from the world, sanctify them in thy truth; I pray not only for these, but for those also who shall believe in me, through their word, that they may all be one, as thou, O Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me; and I have given them the glory which thou gavest me, that they may be one, as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me, be where I am, that they may see my glory which thou hast given me, because thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. What father can more earnestly recommend a son? what mother a daughter, or what brother his brother, to another's care; than thou O Son of the living God, hast recommended us to thy Father? Thy Father doth hear us his degenerate & adopted sons: how much rather will he hear thee, his Son obedient even to the death, and his issue begotten of his own substance from all eternity? yea, he hath already heard him; Can, saith he, (even he thy Father) a woman forget her own child, that she should not have compassion upon the son of her own womb? Though she should be so forgetful, yet will not I forget thee; behold I have graven thee upon my hands: Thou also, O Christ my Saviour, sayest, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall snatch them out of my hands. My Father who gave me them, is greater than all, and none can take them out of my Father's hands. Resting upon these thine attracting sentences, I may be startled at the remembrance of death, but I shall not be dismayed, because I shall also be mindful of thy promises, merits and intercessions. When at length by thy permission, a sharp sickness shall weaken my sinews, and shall gnaw and feed upon my bloodless and half rotten skin; when my face shall be bedewed with a cold sweat, and I shall be moistened with the drops of death, when my wan lips shall be widowed of their redness, and a sad murmur shall be heard from the horrid noise of the gnashing teeth, when my Sun shall be darkened by my funeral clouds, and death shall involve my head in everlasting darkness; yet thou Son of righteousness shalt shine clear unto me; thou shalt furnish my soul, wrestling and triumphing by the virtue of thy Spirit with thine own word, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 23.  
Of the opening of Christ's side.  
COme hither, come hither O my soul, behold him hanging on the Cross; ascend, ascend O my soul, and pluck out the nails from his hands and feet, wherewith he is fastened to the Cross. Thou needst no ladder, it is devotion, it is faith which elevates and lifts thee up thither. O miserable spectacle! O lamentable carcase! how ill-favouredly, & in what an ugly manner art thou butchered! They could not glut their malice upon him while he lived; they insult also upon him being dead, and gore him with a spear, whence blood and water did flow; most holy Symbols of thy two Sacraments. Who is he, O Lord, that hath overcome the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is that Jesus Christ that came by water and blood, not by water alone, but by water and blood. Thou camest unto us in water in Baptism, thou camest to us in blood in the holy Supper: this is that double testimony, that we are reconciled to the Father by thee, and that we are washed and purged from our sins: thou wast very much besotted and soiled, yet wast thou lovely to thy Father, because thou becamest obedient to death, even to the death of the Cross: thou art also most lovely to me, whilst I dive into thy side, and into thy wounds, not with the eyes of my body with Thomas, but with the eyes of faith, which are the instruments of life, the perspective glass of the world to come; when I see I am freed from death, by the death of my Lord and my God; When I lock on the immense and love without bounds, love without end, the love that we want understanding to conceive, and our reason waxeth dark to apprehend: For I have sinned, and thou hast suffered; yea, I who have sinned, have suffered in thee; our flesh was so joined to the Deity, so as that which was to die everlastingly for sin, became dead in another for us, and we neither felt grief nor death, yet were we in like manner restored to life: for as Christ put upon him our flesh in the womb, so he died our death upon the Cross. For whatsoever the God, made man, did suffer, he suffered for man, from whom he can now no more be severed, than from his other Nature, with which he united this to the end he might save it. O great clemency! O unspeakable clemency! O bounty that cannot be expressed with words of man's eloquence! God who is for ever blessed, is first made man, and at length is made a curse for man; O blessed day, wherein the head of the Dragon is trampled under the feet of thy crucified and dead body; Leviathan is bruised, Behemoh that vast and powerful creature is overthrown, and death is cast out. O most mild Tribunal, before which I am absolved without punishment, freed without death, but yet that even by death, where I am dismissed from my bloody deeds, by the blood of the supreme King; by thy blood now shed, I see most clearly that thou hast transferred my nature upon thyself, that I might receive that innocence from thee, which I had altogether corrupted in myself; but thou keptest thy divine Nature, that I might receive glory and dignity; thou joynedst both together, that the Deity being joined to the humanity, and the humanity joined to the Deity, he that was sensible of my misery, putting on my affections, might unite him unto me as a brother, whom I did fear as a Judge. What shall I say, or how shall I speak? for I am not myself when I think of thee, when I lift up my eyes unto thee, when I behold thy side lanced with the spear, and behold thorough that wound thy most loving heart. Thou that art immense, infinite, not circumscribed, void of passion, and immortal, hast put on for love of us, even this our flesh strait, finite, circumscribed, and finally liable to passion, and death itself: which by hunger, by thirst, by miseries, by injuries, by scourge, by spittings on, by blood, by death, was handled, beaten, extended, and tortured by pieces in the presence of the Devil; yet being joined also with thy Divinity, thou hast placed it above all the Angels, above all creatures which are in heaven and earth, even at the right hand of thy Father, that we who before were even pressed down to hell, may now (by thee) be taken into the fellowship of the Godhead. I would I might always rest in this thy so great passion, that I may dwell in thy wounds; for whosoever flies to thy wounds and precious scars, shall in tribulation find great comfort, and enjoy that comfort the soul doth only desire.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 24.  
Of Christ's burial.  
THere is at length an end set to labour, and the work of redemption being wrought and finished, and that all-sufficient ransom paid, the grave receives and covers this ill-handled body: for God is faithful, O Christ my God, who set a convenient end to thy labours, temptations, sorrows, necessities and persecutions; for my sins thou wast put to death, after death thou art buried, but it was that thou mightest rise again out of the grave for my justification. Before the day of preparation for the Passeover was wholly passed; thou art taken from the Cross, thy Father hastens also our departure from this preparation day, by a preparation to the heavenly journey, that we may the sooner be brought to thee, & celebrate Sabbath upon Sabbath unto thee. Therewas no reproach that thou hadst not been loaden with in that Cross, nor any ignominy, that thy body had not been disgraced with in it: yet these things could not affright Nicodemus, whom thou hadst instructed by thy nightly conference, and gained for a secret Disciple; and joseph of Arimathea a rich, good, and pious Senator, two of the principal men amongst the Jewish Nation. Thou didst hang upon the Cross between thiefs; thy chosen companions fled from thee, the whole rabble of thy persecutors cried, Crucify, crucify him, take him away, take him away. Pilate delivered thee over to death, and judged thee worthy to be tormented; yet these men searing nothing, break through the midst of the host of these perverse troops, they go to Pilate, and beseech him, that the infamously handled carcase, yet heaven's relic, might be given unto them, accounting of it as of a most great gift. What courage of mind shall I believe you had? who quickened your spirits, O Nicodemus and joseph? what belief could the small relics of that golden tree raise up in you? did you not think that ye might be accounted partners with Christ, whom they had proclaimed for a deceiver, and a disturber of the public peace, and that ye might be reckoned for troublers of the Senate, and be blamed of Pilate, and stoned of the people? But the fire of faith was kindled in you, which not being to be confined within in your hearts, breaks forth on all sides. O strange power of God, in his faithful servants! O how unsearchable are his works! The Disciples had above three years been public auditors of Christ now crucified; they had been plentifully and carefully fed and instructed by him; but when so great dangers grew thick, they forsake their Master. Nicodemus and joseph came in private to Jesus, fearing to bring the people's hatred upon themselves; now when they see all things seem desperate, they do not forsake him whom they had worshipped, whom they had heard, whom they had reverenced, but do now, still, even now, love and honour not unwillingly. How great is thy power in those that are weak? how great thy perfection in those that are imperfect? would to God that nothing also may be able to separate me from the love of Christ; neither affliction, nor anguish, nor persecution, nor hunger, nor nakedness, nor danger, nor the sword; but let me be persuaded, that nor death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature whatsoever, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is Christ Jesus my Lord. Those diligent worshippers of thee, do wrap thee in clean linen, do embalm thee with Myrrh and Aloes. O that I may humble myself by bitter repentance, and purged from my sins, may receive thee with a pure heart. They embalm thee, and lay thee in a new tomb, in which no other had ever been laid; O that none but thyself might enter into my heart renewed by thy blessed Spirit. They spend many things willingly for thy sake, nor dare spare any cost; let me also spend my life and blood for thee, and for thine, and what else besides my blood thou hast given me in this life. When thou shalt call my soul from this womb of dirt, let me think of nothing but of thy death, but of thy blood, but of thy wounds, but of thy crown; when I I shall be affrighted with the grave, let me think I shall be buried in no other sepulchre, than in that which thou hast touched with thine one body, which thou hast sanctified by thy scars, that being to be raised at thy command, I may live with thee everlastingly. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 25.  
Of Christ's resurrection.  
SEt forth the praises of the Lord, and call upon his name, declare his works among the nations; sing unto him, sing praises unto him, declare all his wonderful works, call to mind his wonders which he hath done, his strange works, & the judgements of his mouth. Who can sufficiently speak of the power of the Lord, and make all his praises to be heard? O Lord my God, thou art exceedingly exalted; thou hast put on praise and comeliness, and art clothed with light, as it were with a garment; joseph was thrust into a most noisome darkness of a prison, but the third year was he taken thence, and made the great commander over all Egypt. Christ was put in the bowels of the earth, but the third day he came out thence alive, and was made governor of heaven and earth. Moses was cast forth into the river, being shut into an Ark of bulrushes; but was presently drawn from thence and made the people of Israel's Captain and deliverer. Christ Jesus was shut into the tomb; but was in good time raised thence, and designed for a Saviour unto all men. The bush in the wilderness, did burn, but was not consumed by the fire; Jesus burned upon the Cross, and was exposed to the flames of God's wrath, and the assaults of Satan; but this fire was put out, and now the beams of his fatherly favour shine forth. Aaron's rod was withered, but it flourished again; all Christ's bones were dried by his passion; but vigour returned to them, from the grave. Josuah trampled the five Kings that were brought unto him under his feet, and hung them upon five trees; Jesus Christ trampled upon our five enemies; the world, satan, sin, death, and the grave; and carried away most great spoils, and set up glorious trophies of his victory. Samson was taken in Gaza; but he plucked up the gates of the City, and escaped. Christ Jesus was taken of death, but not kept; and having conquered death, he triumphed. David overthrew Goliath the Philistims champion, with a sling: Christ with his blood overthrew and vanquished the devil, the leader and captain of the wicked. We bless thee, famous Saviour, we laud thee, most invincible captain, we reverence thee most triumphant victor; arise make haste my soul, and come away; now winter's past, the storm is over and gone, the flowers deck our fields, the spring is come, the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the figgtree is budded, the flourishing vines send forth a sweet savour; arise make haste my soul, and come away; it is no time for sloth, but to make speed; it is no time to sleep,, but to awake; it is no time to weep, but to rejoice; it is no time to complain, but to be glad; we have been too indulgent to sadness, we have shed tears enough; let sadness departed, let mirth return, the time of the passion is past, the time of the resurrection is come; all anxiety must fly away, when the message sent by the Angel is heard, all grief of heart must vanish, when the Gospel is received; he is risen, he is risen, whom his friend betrayed, whom the company of his disciples forsaken, whom Peter denied, whom the Priests delivered up, whom the sergeants smote, whom the high Priests mocked, whom the judges condemned, whom the hangmen put to death, whom the soldiers pierced, whom the accursed burden of our sins did oppress, whom the wrath due to our sins had tormented; he is risen, the Lord our God is risen, our brother is risen, who hath in his sepulchre buried all our iniquities, and by his resurrection, hath brought forth for us freedom, and salvation. Confess unto the Lord, and call upon his name, set forth his works amongst the Gentiles, sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, declare all his wonderful works. This is the day wherein hath fallen what ever lifted up the head against the Lord; for the Lord, himself after he had drunk of the brock in the way, exalted his own head, and broke to pieces the heads of his adversaries; this is the day wherein hell was overthrown, and the abominable Kingdom of Satan conquered, the devil bound, the old dragon spoilt, death disabled, and the miserable Christian people freed. Remember the wonderful things of the Lord, which he hath done, his marvailes, and the judgements of his mouth; who shall set forth the power of the Lord, and make all his praises to be heard? this is the day wherein did vanish away the snares of the serpent of paradise, which he laid for the seed of the woman; they vanished away, and the head of the serpent, was cleft in sunder, and the enmity betwixt mankind and the serpent's brood, broke forth into extremity of deeds. This is the day wherein the second Adam from heaven awaked out of sleep, and received his only beloved, and married her to himself; bless the Lord O my soul; O Lord my God thou hast been wonderfully magnified; thou hast put on praise, and comeliness, and art clothed with light, as with a garment; rejoice in the Lord O my soul; this aught to be the solemnity above all solemnities, wherein Christ the Lord by his divine power arose from death 〈…〉 as before handled like a 〈…〉 thief; this day is better than tha● wherein the world did first appear: For that was created for man's labour, this was made for his rest; that deserved death, this frees him from the fear of death; the light of that day is buried in darkness, the brightness of this day doth even enlighten the graves; to conclude, the dead see not the light of that day, but the light of this day hath even shown forth to the dead: let us therefore rejoice in this day, which both shines about the living, and quickeneth the dead, and illuminates those who are to come. Let all the world exult with joy, for it is meet that as every creature did lament with mournful tears the death of their Creator, and did follow the hearse of him that was put to death upon the Cross, in the dark funerals of the night; so they should now joyfully receive him, triumphantly returning, in his resurrection from the dead. And thou also my soul, rouse thyself from the sleep of sin, that thou crucify him not again after his resurrection; awake if thou be asleep, and rise from the dead; when the Lord arose from the tabernacle, the camp removed, and all the people followed; to day is the Lord of life and death risen from the grave; thou must not lie snorting, but follow him by thy fervent devotion; the old leaven must be purged out, the leaven of malice, and wickedness; we must feed on the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity. I am willing O God, but not able; thou who hast given me grace to hate the way of the flesh and studies of this age, vouchsafe that I may never set foot in that way, nor ever be deceived by these inventions; Lord Jesus, Holy jesus, Good jesus, if thou wilt, I shall be able; for it is thy will that makes me able; will therefore I may have ability, and will I may bring this good work to perfection. Thou who didst vouchfafe to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification, I beseech thee by thy glorious resurrection, to raise me from the grave of all my sins and offences, and give me daily a part in the first resurrection, that I may truly deserve to receive a part in thy resurrection. Most sweet, benign, loving, dear, precious, desired, lovely, beautiful Jesus, thou didst ascend into heaven, in triumph of thy glory, and sittest, most mighty King, at the right hand of thy Father: draw me up to thee, that I may run after thee; for the odour of thy perfumes I will run, and never be weary, if thou wilt assist me; join the mouth of the soul that thirsts after thee, to the heavenly streams of eternal satiety; yea, draw me to thyself, thou living fountain, that thence I may drink my fill, whence I may always live, my God and my life.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 26.  
Of Christ's Ascension.  
CLap your hands, O all ye Nations, rejoice in the Lord with an exulting voice, because the Lord is high, terrible, a great King above all the earth; he hath subjected the people unto us, and nations under our feet; he hath chosen us out for an inheritance to himself, the excellency of jacob which he loved. God hath ascended in a shout, the Lord in the voice of the trumpet. Sing unto our God, sing ye, sing unto our King; because God is the King of all the earth, sing unto him with understanding. God hath reigned over the nations, God sitteth upon his holy seat▪ the Princes of the people are gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham, because God is exceedingly exalted by them that defend the earth. This, O my soul, was the voice and song of the faithful Jews in the old Testament, wherein they gratulated their Saviour, when in spirit and in faith they saw he was to come, and did exhort one another, that they should sing unto, and trust in him, that was exalted in his Majesty. Say thou also O clap your hands, rejoice in the Lord in the voice of exultation; that which they proclaimed in hope, do thou proclaim in fruition; for Christ is ascended, the eternal offspring of the eternal God, and the Son of temporary man borne in time. Sing, O my soul, to thy great God and Saviour, to the true peaceful Prince of peace, Emperor of heaven and earth, King of kings, Lord of lords. The Angels praise his Majesty, Principalities adore him, Majesties tremble at him, the powers of the heaven of heavens, and the Society of the blessed Seraphins do celebrate his praises with exultation; do thou also cry out, to thy Messiah be life and victory, blessing and honour, glory and power for evermore. Those sell souls, not satisfied with his death, torments, and Cross, did even war against him being dead, and did most diligently observe all things, lest any should steal his body out of the grave; yet returns he; the Conqueror returns, clothed with the brightness of his glory, as it were with most pure garments; he returns, and hastens to higher things, he flies up to the highest heavens, compassed with quires of Angels, and heavenly citizens, some of whom (as I guess) sing songs of triumph to the Conqueror, others dance for joy, others offer him palm and bays, others strew handfuls of a most pleasing crop of heavenly flowers. Where are now thy pale lips? where is that filthy besmearing with spittle? where is the congealed blood? where the pricks of the thorns? where his black and blue shoulders? where those streams of blood gushing forth? where his torn sinews by the lashes of whips? In so short a moment is this so thick a mist of ignominy exhaled, and the brightness of his glory possesses all things. And now is the forehead clear, the eyes sparkling, the comely cheeks blushing red; now are the lips died scarlet, now doth he shake his golden and glittering tresses; in brief, he is all over like the Sun breaking out of a cloud. Where now Lord, is thy abjection, after thou hast pierced the skies, and ascended above all heavens, when thou wast higher than the heavens, and hadst entered into thy Father's house, in which are many mansions? where was thy contemptible estate, when the glory of the heavens gave place to thee, and thou ruledst every where, and filledst all places from sea to sea, even to the ends of the earth, for evermore? Thou fillest all things, O Lord, therefore art thou most present; and although thou seemest sometime to be departed from us, yet if thou wouldst open our eyes, we should find thee about us, and in us. Thou art most present; therefore let not my sins defile me, because they offend thee that wast scourged, crucified, and slain for them, and cause me to be condemned for offending of thee. Thou art clean, and dost dwell with those that are pure in heart; those that burden their souls with the filth of sin, do expel thee the guest of their soul. Thou art most present, therefore whatever betides me, and howsoever the devil batter me, and in what manner soever the world afflict me, or the flesh do tempt me, yet thou seest it, and art both able and joyful to deliver me. When upon mount Olivet thou madest preparation to departed, to the full enjoying of thy heavenly kingdom, thou didst hold up thy hands to heaven, and didst bless thy Disciples; I am also thy disciple, therefore thou wilt not withdraw thy blessing from me, but wilt make thy ascension to become unto me a descension of many sorts of gifts. Thy graces did descend, as thy body did ascend: so shall I ascend in my heart; I will run after thee, not with the steps of my feet, but with the desires of my soul; and flying from worldly desires, I will follow thee thither in heart, whither I believe thou art in body ascended: let me now take no pleasure in vile things here below, that am possessed of thee in heaven. I will ascend in my affections, I will ascend in my progress, and I will ascend in effect. I shall ascend in my affections, if I relish heavenly things; I shall ascend in my progress, if I shall daily profit in thy ministry; and I shall ascend in effect, if I have my conversation where thou art, even in the heavens. And I trust I shall easily obtain this; for thou art ascended to the Father, to be my Intercessor. The high Priest, when he entered the Holy of Holyes, made an atonement for the people; thou art entered into the Sanctuary of blessed immortality, a Sanctuary not made with hands, but heaven itself: thou wilt therefore appear in the presence of God for us. Thou art ascended, not leaving upon the earth thy humanity, which thou tookest from the earth, and didst carry about thee on the earth, but hast so exalted it, that thou hast made it a partaker of heaven. Why therefore, O man, shouldest thou fear? why, O man, shouldest thou afflict thyself? Be secure flesh and blood, you are possessors of heaven, and God's Kingdom in Christ: if any deny you are in Christ, he denies also that Christ is in heaven; the flesh and blood, and portion of every of us, is in the man, Christ jesus. Therefore where my portion reigns, I believe I reign; where my blood doth rule, I perceive myself to rule: where my flesh is glorified, I know I am glorious. Thou goest to prepare a place for me, that I might be with thee in a most pleasant City; thou laidest open the way, that I might come into thy most loving society; Thou didst first break through, that I might also enter into most ample felicity, in everlasting health of body, in perfect purity of our souls, in all fullness of glory, and divine pleasure, into the perpetual familiarity of the Saints, to have kindred, hope, resting place, grace, and dignity, in the heavens.   

CONTEMPT. 27. etc.  
Of the sending down of the Holy Ghost.  
HOw great, and what an unutterable piety of my redeemer is this? he carried man into heaven, and sent God down upon the earth; behold therefore a new Redeemer is sent from heaven, behold again divinity and humanity are mixed together. Thou didst foretell, O my God, by thy spirit which thou hast given us, I will pour out my waters to the thirsty, and my streams upon those that are scorched; I will power out my spirit upon thy seed, my blessing upon thy posterity, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons shall prophesy. I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be cleansed from all your pollutions. I will send my spirit into the midst of you. Now O my God, is thy prophecy fulfilled, and the showers of thy graces and streams of thy blessings are poured forth. That common expected time of gladness of all the righteous is now come, the sweet guest of the soul is come, the comfortable refreshing, the rest in our labour, the temper in heat, comfort in mourning, the washing of that which was foul, watering that which was parched with heat, healing that which is wounded, straightening what was crooked, cherishing that which was cold, ordering what was gone astray. The inspiter of our faith, the teacher of knowledge, the fountain of love▪ the ensign of chastity, and the cause of all our virtue is come. He came when the twelve ministers, and dispensors of thy mysteries were unanimously gathered together at jerusalem, in the house of prayer, chosen by thine own self, in the holy City, the City of perfect beauty, and a sudden noise coming from heaven as it were the rushing of a mighty wind, cloven tongues appeared to them like fire, and sat upon each of them, so that they were all filled with the Holy ghost, and they began to speak in divers languages. They were gathered together with one accord; and indeed that spirit loves agreement, and doth bind faster together men's peaceful minds; it drives away all brawls and contentions, and is itself driven away by brawls and contentions. They were gathered together in Jerusalem; it loves a holy place, and where thy word is preached, there it graciously abideth. This word is not without the spirit; nor thy word without the spirit; there was a sound like a wind; the holy spirit is not still, but its voice is heard, he is not dumb, but speaketh, and preacheth redemption to sinners, revelations to those in misery; comfort to those that be sad; exaltation to those that are oppressed; deliverance to the captives; liberty to the bondmen; and rersurrection to the dead. There was a sudden and vehement sound from heaven; the holy spirit is not the gift of men, but of the Almighty God; it brings not momentary, but things eternal, not earthly, but heavenly things. God's help is also (for the most part) sudden and unlooked for; when we despair of all men's aid, the power of the most High is sent us, and cures us in a most fit time. The holy spirit is cheerful, and makes them nimble, and ready in whom it operates; for the grace of the holy spirit is not acquainted with sluggish endeavours. The tongues appeared divided like fire; the tongue is the instrument of the holy ghost, whereby it prepares and enlargeth the spiritual Kingdom; and as the tongue doth distinguish tastes, so doth the holy spirit show us good from ill, and to discern between spirits; it also bestows on us the gift of variety of languages, and gathers together in one the multitudes of men, dispersed by reason of the difference of their tongues. The love of God is, lastly, fiery, it enlightens the understandings drowned in darkness, it warms the souls by charity, makes them shine in good works, consumes wicked affections and actions; O most wholesome fire, descend from heaven into us. We burn with the filthy brands of our lusts, that the earth seems rather an Aetna of unclean flames, than an habitation of men. For as the hill Aetna doth continually boil with certain inward fiery vapours, so doth that with the abominable flames of fornications; by this means we kindle the fire of wrath, the fire of destruction, the fire of the Lord, the fire of indignation, which went out from the Lord and consumed Nadab and Abihu. How grievously doth the prophet cry out, behold, all of you do kindle his fire and add fuel to the flames; enter ye into the light of your fire and the flames which ye have kindled. For after this manner, as the scripture mentioneth, doth all mankind rush into eternal damnation. For first they kindle the fire, than they put fuel to the flames; and finally, they enter into the flames which they have kindled. And first do we begin to kindle the eternal fire for ourselves when first we begin to sin, and we add fuel to the flames when we heap sins upon sins; We enter into the eternal fire, when we fulfil the remediless sum of all our mischiefs, by the iniquity of our multiplied offences: As our Saviour spoke to the Rulers of the Jews, Ye serpents ye generation of vipers, fulfil ye the measure of your fathers. O heavenly Spirit, let plentiful showers fall from heaven, and quench the accursed flames of this fire, that I be not delivered into the unsufferable flames, which no water, no brook, no river, no sea can quench. Filth sticks to me on all sides; who will wash it off? I am polluted with the dirt of my sins; who shall make me clean? My soul is wounded, and altogether defiled; who shall heal and purify it? My bones are dried up; who shall moisten them? Shalt not thou wash me? shalt not thou purge me? shalt not thou heal me? shalt not thou cleanse me? shalt not thou moisten me? Thou didst never yet suffer me to receive a repulse; shall this be the first time that thou wilt reject my prayer? Surely thou wilt not deny that which I pray for, because thou hast bid me pray unto thee, because it tendeth to my salvation, which thou so much desirest, and belongs unto thine own honour, whereof thou art so jealous. Give me drink therefore out of the streams of thy pleasure, that I may take no pleasure to taste of the poisoned sweets of the world. Thou art the light and guide of my mind; as thou art the Author, so be also the Actor of all the good that is in me; for I humbly rely upon thee; I believe in thee, the true God, who proceedest from the Father and the Son from all eternity, and art in time sent unto me; what ever I am, I am it in thee and by thee; I am righteous by thee, by thee am I chaste, by thee am I patiented, by thee am I strong, by thee humble, by thee am I courteous, by thee am I long-suffering, by thee am I wise, by thee liberal, and by thee am I thrifty. O thou Comforter, teach me to do thy will, because thou art my God. I believe therefore that whomsoever thou possessest, thou fittest him for a dwelling, both of the Father, and of the Son; happy is he that shall be thought worthy to lodge thee, because by thee the Father and the Son shall make his abode with him.   

CONTEMPT. 28. etc.  
Of the mystery of the Trinity.  
O Three coequal, and coeternal Persons, one true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who dost only inhabit eternity and light inaccessible; who in thy might didst lay the foundation of the earth, and dost govern the whole world by thy wisdom. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbaths, terrible, strong, just and merciful, wonderful, laudable and lovely. One God, three Persons, one Essence, one Power, one Wisdom, one Goodness, and one undivided Trinity. Blessed be always the holy Trinity, one Deity, and coequal Majesty. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are three names, all of them one substance, God the begetter, God the begotten, the Holy Spirit equal God, contained in them both; yet they are not three Gods, but one true God; so the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord: there is propriety in the Persons, and unity in the Essence; an equal Majesty and Power, equal Beauty & Honour, in all things; comprehending the Stars, the Seas, the Fields, nay the whole Creation; at whom wicked hell doth tremble, and whom the lowest depths do reverence. Let every voice and tongue now confess him worthy this praise, whom Sun and Moon do magnify, and the Angelical dignity doth adore; and let us all with strained voice, with musical songs and sweet melody warble forth his praises. O let us now sing together before the Throne of our God, that is exalted in the highest. O Trinity to be adored, O Unity to be reverenced! Thou true Eternity, by thee are we created; thou most perfect charity, by thee are we redeemed; do thou protect, save, deliver, set free, and cleanse all people; we worship thee, Almighty, we sing unto thee, to thee be praise and glory for ever and ever. For it is truly a worthy and a just thing, a right and a saving thing, that we should at all times, and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, God Almighty, who with thy only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost are one God, atone Lord, not in the singularity of one Person, but in the substance of one Trinity: for that which we believe from thy revelation concerning thy glory, this we understand without difference of distinction, both of the Son and also of the Holy Ghost, that the propriety of Persons, the unity of Essence, and equality of Majesty may be adored in the confession of a true and an eternal Deity. One man is not so much as three men joined together, and two men are something more than one; but in God it is not so, for the Father and Son together are not a greater Essence than the Father alone, or the Son alone, but those three Persons together are equal one to another. The consideration of the word, One, extends fare, to the making evident of this single Unity. There is an unity which may be called collective, as when many stones make up one heap of stones; there is also an unity constitutive, when many members make up one body, or many parts of any thing make up the whole thing itself. There is also an unity conjugative, whence it comes to pass that two by marriage are now no more two, but one flesh. And there is a native unity, whence by the soul and body one man is borne: There is a potestative unity, whereby a virtuous man is not instable or unlike himself, but doth always endeavour to be found like to himself. It is a consentaneous unity, when by charity many men have one heart and one soul. There is a votive unity, when the soul adhering to God in all its desires, becomes one spirit. There is a dignitative unity, whereby our corrupt flesh is by God the Word, assumed into one Person. But what are all these things to that most high, and as I may so say, that only unity where consubstantiality maketh the unity? If thou liken any of the former unities to this unity, it will be after a sort alike; but if you compare it with it, it will be nothing: therefore amongst all things which are rightly said to be one, the unity of the Trinity, wherein three Persons are one substance, doth hold the pre-eminence; each particular Person is in each particular Person; all the Persons conjoined are in each particular Person, and each distinct Person, in all the Persons conjoined; all are in all, and all is but one, none of these precedes another in eternity, or exceeds another in greatness, or excels another in power; that which is there said to be great, is not otherwise great, than as it is truly so indeed; because there greatness is truth itself, and truth is Essence; therefore that is not greater which is not truer, but one Person is not truer than another of them, or two of them than any one, or all three together than all three separated each from other; therefore one hath no more truth than another, or two than any one, or all together than each asunder: So then also the Trinity itself is not any thing greater than every distinct Person in it, but is equally great with them. These are wonderful things, and set fare above the reach of any creature; therefore man's understanding doth very hardly assent to these mysteries which are set so fare from our view, and the mind easily gins to wander after speculations, if we have not before us a more sublime doctrine which may recall our fancies into the right bounds and limits set for us by God himself. That doctrine is divine; No man can take another by the hand if he want his own; we cannot see the Sun without the Sun, nor can any conceive divine things without divine assistance, nor can we know God without God. Be present therefore thou true Light, Almighty God and Father; be present thou Light of lights, thou Word and Son of God, God Almighty; be present holy Spirit, thou concord of the Father and the Son, God Almighty; be present one omnipotent God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; we confess in thee, by thee, and of thee; we confess thou art one in Substance, three in Person, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: O blessed Trinity, God, Lord, Comforter, Charity, Grace, Fellowship, Begetter, Begotten, Regenerating, true Light, true Light of light, illumination, invisible visibly, visible invisibly, Fountain and watering streams; from whom, by whom, and in whom are all things; he that lives from himself and is Life itself, he that receives life from him that lives, and he that gives life to those that live; a true Father, the Son of truth, the Spirit of truth, one Essence, one Virtue, one Goodness, God, above whom is nothing, and out of whom is nothing, and without whom is nothing. God, under whom is all, in whom is all, and with whom is all; we call upon thee, we adore thee, we praise thee; increase our faith, stir up our hope, and infuse us with charity, Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 29.  
Of shunning Curiosity in things not revealed unto us.  
WHy art thou afflicted, O my soul, if reason be tormoiled, and doth groan and cry out, being plunged in a bottomless gulf? A thing is not therefore false because I cannot conceive or understand it: reason is not the measure of things, but it is bound to fit itself to things: reason is straight, and why then dost thou marvel if it cannot comprehend the vastness of heavenly things? by how much more simple our faith is, so much is our life more agreeable to it, although we neither dispute of, neither do understand all things. By so much more noble and more renowned shall the citizens of the Church, be (hereafter) esteemed of God, because forsaking all, they shown themselves willing to become only most dear unto him; it is a short way for religious and simple minds, both to cast away error and to search out the truth. For if we return to the fountain and head of divine tradition, the error of man vanisheth away; and the reason of the heavenly Sacraments being understood, what ever before lay hid under the mist and cloud of obscure darkness, is made apparent by the light of truth; if the waters of the channel, which used to flow plentifully, be suddenly dried up, do we not presently go to the springhead, that there we may discover the reason that it fails? whether the pipes grow dry from the head, or running full and currently from thence, they be not stopped in their middle course? but if we find it is by reason that the pipes it flows in, be either stopped or broken, that the water cannot run constantly, and flow as it used to do; when we have stopped and sodered the pipes, the waters being collected, are brought in the same plenty and constancy for the use and drinking of the Citizens, as they do flow from the fountain. We must even do thus according to God's command, that is, if truth shall stagger or reel in any thing, let us return to the original of it, namely, our Saviour, his Gospel, and the Apostolical traditions; and thence let us ground the reason of our actions, whence the order and original of it first arose. Whilst others make lies of probabilities, they frustrate the truth by subtleties; and this is done, because they have no recourse to the original of truth; nor do they seek to the head, nor observe the doctrine of their heavenly Master; which whosoever considers and examineth, he hath no need of arguments and long discourses. The trial of our faith is easy by the compendiousness of truth; I would have no man dispute how God the Father begat the Son; nor do thou too curiously involve thyself within the secret of this depth, lest perhaps, whilst thou too obstinately searchest after the brightness of this in accessible light, thou be deprived of that little sight which by God's gift is afforded unto mortal creatures: Or if thou thinkest thou oughtest to wade so fare in this kind as thou art able: First begin thou with things which concern ourselves, which if thou wilt (consequently) wade thorough, then prepare thyself to pass from earthly things to heavenly things, from visible things to invisible things. First unfold and declare if thou canst, how the mind that is in thee, begets a word; and what is the spirit of memory that is in it; how these things that are different in things and actions, are notwithstanding but one nature and substance; and though they proceed from the mind, yet are never separated from it. But these things, although we have them in us, in the very substance of our soul, yet they seem to be so much the more hidden unto us, by how much they are more invisible to the eyes of the body. Let us inquire of things more open; how doth a fountain of itself beget a river? and by what spirit are the swift streams thereof moved? and though the fountain and streams be but the same, one inseparable thing, yet cannot the fountain be either understood to be or be called the river, nor the river the fountain, yet he that sees the streams, sees the fountain. First exercise thyself, thou superstitious, and impertinently laborious, and thou soul that toylest after nullities in the unfolding of these things, and discuss, if thou canst, what we hold in our hands: and then we will proceed to things higher than these: nor think I persuade thee in an instant to ascend from earth above the heavens, but first if it please you, I will bring you to that firmament which is apparent to our view, and there if thou canst unfold the nature of this visible light, how that heavenly fire begets from itself the shining light, how it begets vapours, and which being three in distinctness of things, are yet but one in substance; although thou couldst find out all this, know yet, that the mystery of the heavenly generation, is by so much more different and higher than these things, by how much the Creator is more powerful than the creatures, and the workman more excellent than the work he makes; by how much he who is from all eternity, is more noble than that that took its original from nothing. God is therefore to be believed to be the Father of his only Son our Lord, and it is not to be enquired how. For a servant ought not to dispute of his master's nativity. He wants nothing, O man, who is confirmed by the doctrine of both Testaments. Both of them are these two swords, of which the eternal Doctor said, It is enough. I wish again and again, my long-suffering God, that I might learn and know him; but if I know not the original, nor can measure the quantity, nor am able sufficiently to consider what manner of thing my soul is, which rules over my body; if I know not the reason why it should take pleasure in the body which persecuteth it; if I be ignorant who hath graven this law of my members, that the flesh should oppress the spirit in so violent a command, and that the better and more worthy part of nature should yield to the more ignoble: I ought to bear patiently, if I understand not the Creator of the Universe, who must even in the smallest parcels of his works, profess mine own blindness. Let me not then proceed farther in other things, than my small capacity will bear, not curiously pry into those things which are so high above me. I will say with reason and constancy, I know not his secrets, and I am ignorant of his divine council; the oracle of the heavenly word is enough for me to try all causes. God says he sees all things, governs all things, judges all things. If thou wilt know what thou art to hold, thou hast the holy Scripture; it is perfect reason to hold what thou hast read. But I will not suffer myself to ask for what cause God doth these things in such a manner; I am a man, I understand not the secrets of God, I dare not search after them, and therefore I even fear to meddle with them: because even this is a kind of sacrilegious rashness, to desire to know more than is permitted unto thee. Let it suffice thee that God doth testify, that himself doth act, and dispose of all things: leaving therefore these things, let us rather seek (like good merchants) to gain the inheritance of heaven, and those things that may profit our souls: let us learn to get goods which will continue with us; let us first seek to have Gods seal stamped upon us, because in the day of judgement, when God shall make that separation, & when all the nations of the whole earth, the sons of Adam, shall be gathered together, when the shepherd shall call his flock, whosoever have been sealed, shall know their shepherd, and the shepherd shall know those he hath sealed, and shall gather them together out of all nations. Every man naturally desireth knowledge; but what doth knowledge profit without the fear of God? certainly an humble rudeness is better, that is employed in God's service, than a proud Prelate or Philosopher, who neglects himself, and is always contemplating upon God, or the motion of the heavens. How many are there, who in this life, by many curious inquiries, have endeavoured to know God, who shall never see his face? how many in this life do labour to measure the heavens, and to find out all things belonging to them, that shall never enter into them? He that doth well know himself, thinks meanly of himself, and is not delighted in the praises of men. If I did know all things in the world, and were not in charity, what would this knowledge profit me in the presence of God, who then will judge according to my works? I will therefore (at length) rest from the too much desire of knowledge, because the more I know, the more grievously will the most high God judge me, except I live the more holily. Give me (most blessed and most wise God) the highest and most profitable knowledge, that I may know thee, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, with moderation, and may inwardly know myself to be miserable and of no account; that I may attribute nothing to myself, and always have a good opinion of others. This is great wisdom and some sort of perfection; Though I see another sin openly and even to commit some grievous sins; let me not think myself better, because I know not how long I may continue in goodness; we are all undoubtedly frail; but let me judge none frailer than myself, that I may obtain true strength in goodness.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 30.  
Of the Custody of Angels.  
Bless the Lord (O my soul) & all my bowels give praise unto his holy Name: Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not any of his benefits; praise the Lord, ye Angels of his, ye that excel in strength, fulfilling his Word, giving ear to the voice of his Word. Praise the Lord, all his Hosts, ye servants of his that do his pleasure. Praise the Lord all ye works of the Lord; praise the Lord, O my soul, in all places of his dominion. My heart is ready, O God my heart is ready. He hath commanded his Angels, saith thy faithful servant David, (speaking of man) to preserve thee in all thy ways, they shall hold thee up with their hands that thou strike not thy foot against a stone. God hath commanded it, God the true and most excellent Life, in whom and from whom are all things: the Creator & Governor of the world, the Sweetness & Beauty of the Angels, the Creator and Preserver of men, that God who is God of gods; so great a God, that no tongue can rightly express him; he hath commanded, and hath commanded his Angels, his holy Angels that are instructed of God, by the eternal contemplating of which truth they become blessed; he hath commanded them concerning thee O man: What is man that thou tookest notice of him, or the son of man, that thou didst esteem him? Thou sentest unto him thy only begotten Son, thou sendest into him thy holy Spirit; and that there should be no want of thy careful working for him, in the heavens thou dost also (for our sakes) send forth those blessed Spirits to minister unto us: the most merciful God sendeth forth those Spirits (as it were) so many bright sparks of his Deity, sparkling from the Torches of his everlasting light: who are conceived to be divided into so great hosts, and into so many orders to prompt us, not only with matter of prayer to God, but of admiration of his greatness and goodness; when I speak thus (O my soul) fancy not to thyself little fair Boys, whose countenances are overspread with an admirable splendour, whose soft disheveled hair of colour like the finest gold, hangs dangling to their shoulders, & fanned with the gentle breath of the peaceful western wind, doth kiss the smooth pillars of their milky necks; if thou fancy such Angels, thou art utterly ignorant of their power: They have a pure nature, subtle and airy, not to be represented in the shape of any body; no spot of matter doth cloud it, no mole of corruption doth sprinkle it; and that I may speak briefly, our best part is our soul; an Angel is nothing but a soul: But what soul? not relishing of that fire whereby the Stars do twinkle, and the Axletree of Heaven is moved, but a vigour of a most quick moved understanding, made (so much the nearer) to resemble the pattern, the eternal Beauty, by how much it approacheth nearer to, and is the more plentifully sprinkled with that holy Fountain. Hence truly comes that notable comeliness of all their ornaments, and the immortal concurrence of goodness, which they with a most acceptable ingenuity of will, do yield to their Creator; they outstrip in speed the swiftest ship sailing on the main, and driven by force of windane oars; they outfly a bullet in the air sent from the sulphury mouth of a thundering Cannon; these most excellent mental Intelligences most wisely foresee all things with no trouble or interposition of time, and most readily untie any the most intricate knots of difficulties. If thou consider the grace with which they were ennobled even from the first beginning of things, when God the Author of all things was in the Angels framing nature and bestowing grace; thou mayst call them vessels of transparent Gum, or Crystal framed by the world's Creator, into which the streams of the Divinity did disburden so great and unusual fragrancy of graces: if thou weigh the glory and what a large measure of grace this Nature obtained, thou shalt see them all emptied and swallowed up with the similitude of the love they have towards God. These, these are those whom that great workman hath given us men made of dirt and clay, in this our dwelling place the earth; to guide nourish and instruct us, to defend us in our way to salvation, to drive calamity from us, to consult for our happiness, to be fathers in the care of us brethren, in the love of us, and servants in their obedience to us. These, these are present for thee, O my soul; they are not only with thee, but they are for thee, that they may protect thee, that they may profit thee, and while we are yet but little ones, we are (it is thought) committed to the charge of Angels, as it were, to Tutors and instructors, to the set time appointed by our Father. Thou overwhelmest, thou overwhelmest me, O my God, with thy benefits, that I might delight to abide with thee, and desire to dwell by thee continually, and never to departed from thee. Thou settest a watch round about me, that I might not escape thee; thou environest me with protectors, that I be not snatched from thee. O my God, I will sing, I will sing Psalms unto thee, O my glory, with my heart lifted up: Awake Psaltery and Harp, I myself will awake very early. I will celebrate thy praises, O Jehovah, amongst the people, and sing unto thee amongst the Nations; for thy kindness is great above the heavens, and thy truth reacheth above the uppermost clouds; I will exalt thee, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory is above all the earth: I can give thee thanks, but I cannot render thee due thanks, O my God; but thou desirest not thy due thanks, because thou knowest I have not the power to perform it: it is the custom of people of mean quality to show themselves munificent amongst themselves; thy benefits as they excel in Majesty, so they require not that which is lent. O most bountiful God, as thou hast freely set thy Angels over me, so make them freely to abide by, to dwell and remain with me. Troops of the winged Holyes met Jacob at Mahanaim, as he was on his way to his Country; I am also upon my way, and am hastening to my Country; give me therefore in like manner bands of such most valiant soldiers that may direct, admonish and guide me, and keep me, both behind, and also before, and may on no side leave me open or unguarded. O my God, send those thy ministers to us from out thy glorious Tower of heaven to us thy weak creatures staggering amidst these mournful tents of our cumbersome mortality, that they may encompass us in our fears, comfort us in our griefs, and purge us from our growing and oppressing miseries. Sicknesses do devour and overthrow us, the plague infests us; send Raphael that may heal and cure us; rumours of wars do dishearten us, the drawn swords do prey upon us; send Michael to fight for us; our ill abetting flesh solicits us, devilish suggestions do assault us; send Gabriel that may reconcile thy will to our will. Woe is me, if provoked by my sins and negligences thou shalt judge me unworthy the presence and visitation of thy holy Angels, by whose presence thou usest to protect me and repulse my enemies. Seeing then the familiarity of the Angelical dignity, is so profitable for me, make me to abstain from evil which doth offend them, and to exercise holiness, in which I know they take delight. But they are pleased with such things as they delight to find in me, such as is sobriety, patiented bearing of poverty, often sending up sighs to heaven, and above all, they love truth and peace. Let me be Lot in righteousness, Isaac in obedience, Eleazar in fidelity; let me be Jacob in piety, let me be Elias in my zeal, let me be Elizeus in my courage, Ezechias in devotion, Daniel in my constancy, Judith in my chastity, Tobias in honesty, and let me be Lazarus in my patience. Grant me these things, O my God, and I shall always have thy Angels my companions; without separation they will accompany me, they will accompany both my soul and also my body, and they will accompany my soul after its departure out of my body, and shall bring it into Paradise, where is the society & beholding of Angels and Archangels, and above all, the blessed beholding of Christ my Saviour. Grant me these things, O my God, and I will praise thee with the Cherubims and Seraphims, and will sing of thy mercies uncessantly, for evermore. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 31.  
Of Baptism.  
THey are fearful words, O man, which we read, Ye were at that time without Christ, and ye were strangers from the conversation of Israel, and were aliens from the covenants of the promise, and ye were without hope, and without God in the world. What, O wretch, can be more miserable for thee? and what canst thou hear that can be more terrible unto thee? He that is without Christ, is without faith; he that is excluded from the congregation of Israel, knows not what grace is; he that is without hope, hath no comfort; he that is without God, hath no helper. O depth of misery, what understanding can rightly conceive it? or what tongue sufficiently express it? how many myriades of men are enveloped in more than Egyptian darkness, in superstitions, and abominable Gentilism, who are still without Christ, being estranged from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenant of the promise, without hope, and without God in the world? they have (it may be) something which they call by the name of God; but what ever they paint unto themselves, or what ever they form unto themselves, they are but apparitions of the night, fearful sights amongst the graves, terrible noises amidst sepulchres, or tame Statues of silver or gold, the works of men's hands, which have mouths, but speak not, eyes, but see not, ears, but hear not, noses, but smell not, hands, but handle not, feet, but walk not, nor speak they through their throats. O gods without a deity, without understanding, without life! And I myself was to be reckoned amongst those many thousands of damned men; for the like sentence of damnation did attend them who were all guilty of the same offence. But eternal thanks are due to thee, O eternal God, that thou hast freely separated me from them, with whom I had fellowship, by reason of my sins; it was thy pleasure I should be begotten and borne of such parents that sat not in darkness, nor had their habitation in the region of the shadow of death, but were called out of darkness, into thy admirable light, to an elect stock, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, to an honoured people. O God my God, thou soughtest me when I knew not of thee; thou gavest unto me, when I asked not of thee; thou openedst unto me when I did not knock; for when I was yet a bawling infant, in my bepissed clouts; when I yet savoured ill of my mother's couch; when I was putrified, as well with mine own, as with the natural and spiritual uncleanness of my parents; yet thou, not disheartened with all this, didst take me up, cherish and purge me that was thus conceived, and chafed in my sins. Thou leddest me to the pure waters, living waters; to the divine oracle, to the lavacre, in the word of regeneration, and renovation; thou broughtest me, O God my God, to baptism, the first gate to be entered to the kingdom of heaven; into the arms, and to the kisses of my Saviour, by which he ●ranslates us out of the lap of our parents, into his heavenly habitation, and enroles us into the number of Gods elect, and citizens of heaven, and makes us members of his body, which being one with the head, become partakers of the heavenly treasures. O God my God, thou hast promised this by thy Prophet, Ye shall draw waters with joy out of the wholesome fountains: And, I will pour out my waters upon the thirsty, and my streams upon the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy posterity, and they shall grow amongst the grass like willows, by the rivers of waters. And again, they shall bring their sons in their arms, and carry their daughters upon their shoulders. And I, O most merciful Lord, was brought, carried, sprinkled, and washed amongst them, and did mount up unto thee, as it were upon the wings of an Eagle. I laid aside the decrepit age of my sins, and put on the vigorous youth of grace; this did this heavenly Sacrament work in me. I began to be a true Eagle, who by thy grace do soar to heaven, and do loath all earthly things. As often as I behold earthly water, I should remember this divine water, which hath wrough so many and so great things in us. The natural water doth wash and take away spots, doth quench fire, cools and allays the heat of thirst, incorporates many and sundry things into one body; it ascends as high in height, as it doth descend below in depth. The heavenly water of Baptism washes away the leprosy of sin, and wipes away our iniquities, and makes us whiter than snow. Our sins in themselves are like scarlet, yet are they whitened as white as snow; they are red like crimson, yet they grow white as wool. The water of Baptism, by a divine and admirable way and means, doth quench the fire of our fleshly desires. How pleasing is it to us, so soon as the heavenly Spirit slides into us in this washing, for us to want these trifling sweets? The true and chiefest sweetness doth cast out those other, which else we would fear to lose; it casteth them out, and there enters (in their stead) the hidden and heavenly pleasure, which is sweeter than all other pleasure, yet not to flesh and blood; is brighter than any other light, yet more hidden than any secret; higher than any other honour, but not to men that are high in their own conceits: It quencheth also the flames of hell fire, those devilish brands of hell, which no help of man can put out. The divine water of Baptism sets an end to the various and troublesome desires of man's heart, and makes us only rest upon God. The divine water of Baptism makes one nation of all the nations, of the Israelites and of the Heathen, that did differ so exceedingly in most things, that they might become one body, and one soul, one hope of calling, till at length they may be made perfect in one. The divine water of Baptism is given us from heaven above, from the Father of lights, and it flowing from the fountain that springs to eternal life, doth not only draw our hearts to their own originals, but doth wholly lead us to that most blessed fountain. Farewell World, avoid Satan, be gone each worldly thing, for I call to mind these words that my Godfather holding me in his arms, pronounced for me, I renounce thee Satan, and thy pomp and worship: with these words am I received into God's covenant, and enroled in the number of Christ's soldiers. What ever thou shalt say, O Serpent, I will presently reply; what ever thou shalt speak, I will not hearken unto thee, Then, that thou catch me not by other means, I have renounced also thy pomp, and thy worship and thy messengers. I was pressed for the war of the living God, when I answered to the words in the Sacrament. Whatsoever earthly things are received in this world, and shall here remain in this world, are to be despised, as much as the world itself is to be contemned, the pomps and delights whereof I did then renounce, when in my better passage I went unto my Lord. In Baptism I was clothed in white, that I might be taught (most devoutly) to rely upon Christ's innocency, and to be willing to lead my life sincerely and purely. I confess (indeed) my God, that I have been sometime forgetful of my covenant made with thee, that I have forsaken the host of righteousness, and have run away to thy enemy, and have most grievously offended thee my Captain, by my transgressions and treasons, that I have been worthy thy most severe punishment: but I return to thee, I fall before thee, and beseech thee for thine unspeakable goodness, that thou wilt receive me, and acknowledge me for thy soldier and servant; and (at length) of thy grace, grant me the prize of victory, that being freed and saved, I may (at length) erect a trophy to thy name and praises. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 32.  
Of a Christians practice.  
IT is an easy thing for one to call himself a Christian, but a hard thing to perform the part of a Christian. He that desires to fulfil the measure of that name, let him mark diligently these things that follow. Acknowledge, O man, thine own baseness; consider how wretched, and of how little account thou art, thou hast nothing from thyself, but all things from God: he gave thee all things for thy use, to whom thou must repay them, yea, and even thy life itself, at what moment soever he shall require them; and thou must departed as naked from hence, as thou camest naked into this world and although all the world, with it: inhabitants, do keep thee companies yet they can profit thee nothing; for all things are fleeting, brittle, transitory, and nothing can free thee from death; give not thyself therefore over to security, but fear God, and examine exactly what may be truly profitable for thee. Do good to the poor with all thy power, that thou mayest gather for thyself a treasure in heaven. Do all that God bids thee, for thou art bound to do good with thy will and spirit: but he that knows to do well, and doth it not, he is guilty of sin; but he that doth good, doth it not from himself, but for that cause that it is bestowed on him of God, and that he belongeth unto God. Love not (O man) the world, or the things of the world, as the lusts of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life but fear God, and meditate with thyself of heavenly things: strive to fulfil God's will in all virtuousness; eat worldly, & minds set upon the earth, that thou be not defiled with other men's sins; seek God's kingdom, and so use the mirth is permitted to thee, that thou mayest always tremble, stand in awe, and show thyself thankful, that thou fall into no secret sin, or be delighted with the tree of good and evil, and with the sight of a momentany pleasure thou remove (like Eve) the law of God out of thine eyes and heart, which should be, nevertheless, the sum and highest pitch of all thy delights. It should be thy delight night and day, that it may be to thee the right way, the truth, and the life, if thou wilt lead a a living life, conducting to life eternal, not to everlasting death. Next, O man, keep these three things, faith, charity, and steadfastness of hope. What ever thou dost, see thou do it in faith, in simplicity of heart, in confidence of the fatherly will of God, and give God thanks, to whom they are due, and his blessings shall be always thy handmaid: let charity spring from the ground of thy heart, nor be careful to give thyself content, but labour with fear and humility to please God. Be pleasing unto men in truth, mercy, and justice, without flattery for that is perfect charity. Charity bids us look to the things that concern God & our neighbour, not only those things which concern myself. Let thy hope be without fear and doubting; let him that desires divine, heavenly, and eternal things, rest upon the will of God, and not upon slippery, frail and brittle things. No man shall make thee lose thy hold of that hope which thou hast placed upon God: thou mayest hope upon him, even in the pangs of death, for he is omnipotent. Never let humility slip out of thy mind; for he preserveth thy life by simplicity, strengthens it by patience, and feeds it by truth. Commit all thy ways unto God, and he shall bring it to pass; he knows what is for thy profit, and what not. Thinkest thou that he knows not thy condition? behold God sees and knows all things, and nothing is hid from his eyes. He regards also the poor and contrite spirit, and him that trembleth at his Word. Search not therefore after high things; when thou art commended, fear, because thou art an unprofitable servant, and canst do nothing except thou be assisted by the power, favour, and Spirit of God. Think not better of thyself than of thy neighbour, for thou art a man of nought; remember God is only to be honoured, and thou shalt be the greater, if thou cast down thyself. Be always ruminating of these things first, let no vain, idle, scurrilous words break from thy lips, but godly, pleasing, profitable, which tend to life, and lead not to death; therefore bridle thy tongue, and restrain it, for it can kill, and give life. Secondly, to keep thy soul and conscience free from wickedness, exclude thou malice and impious thoughts, and never shun the light: O thrice happy and more is he whose heart condemns him not. Thou belongest to God (O man) walk upright with God; remove from thee darkness, lies, and injustice, for he is a Judge, and a revenger of such things. Try and prove thyself in all things, that thou mayst know what vice sticks to thee, what virtue thou wantest, that thou mayst shake off that, and purchase this; for thou canst never be so perfect, that something will not still be wanting. Whatsoever thou dost, thou dost it by God's indulgence and help, if it be acceptable to him; for of thyself thou art very nothing, and by the assistance of God's holy Spirit canst thou only proceed in goodness; stay not therefore or hinder the operations thereof; work out thy salvation with fear and trembling, in continual repentance, humility, and simplicity of heart, and think that thou art neither worthy of the blessings of this life, or of that which is to come. Lastly, pray without ceasing in all thy labours, pray reverently, devoutly and humbly with faith in all thy ways, with a most fervent desire of thy neighbour's salvation. Thou must pray in thy chamber, in solitariness, in most humble devotion, in fastings, in tears, in anguish, in weeping, in contrition upon thy knees night and day, with a full hope, and not doubting, according to the will of God, for all the true professors of the Christian faith; study in all things to please God and not men; whosoever honours God, God will also honour him; whosoever contemns God, God shall also contemn him. Grant me thy grace, most merciful God, that it may be with me, that it may labour with me, and may continue with me even unto the end. Grant I may (always) will and desire that which is most acceptable unto thee, and most dearly pleaseth thee; let thy will be my will, and let my will always follow thine, and agree best with it; let me will, and will the same thing that thou dost; and grant I may not have power otherwise to will, or not to will them as thou dost. O my God, thou unspeakable sweetness, turn all carnal comforts into bitterness unto me, which do draw me from the love of things eternal, and evilly allure me under colour of some present delectable good. Let not flesh and blood, O my God, overcome me; let not the world and its short glory deceive me; let not the devil and his subtlety supplant me. Give me strength to resist, patience to endure, constancy to perform; give me in stead of all the comforts of the world, the most sweet unction of thy Spirit, and infuse into me the love of thy Name, in stead of carnal love. Confirm me, my God, by the grace of thy holy Spirit; give me power to be strengthened in the inward man, and to empty my heart of all unprofitable care and vexation, nor to be distracted with the various desires of any thing, whether it be vile or precious, but that I look upon all things as if they passed but by me, and that I did also pass away, as they do; because nothing under the Sun is of any continuance, but all things are vanity and vexation of spirit. O how wise is he that thus considers with himself. Give me, my God, heavenly wisdom, that I may learn to search after, and to find thee rather than any thing, to be wise unto thee, and to love thee, and to understand other things, as they truly are according to the order of thy wisdom. Grant I may wisely shun him that flatters me, and patiently suffer him that opposeth me; because this is great wisdom not to be moved with every wind of words, nor to listen unto mischievous flattering pleasure; so shall we with security proceed in the way we have begun to walk in.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 33.  
Of the true Dignity of a Christian.  
LEt others call a man a creature to be adored, and borne for Society, full of reason and council; let them call him the great Miracle, most like unto God the, Miracle of miracles; let them call him the Horizon of corporeal and incorporeal things, the measure of all things, the little World, the Epitome of the world, and the delight of Nature: let them write that man only exceeds all wonder, and that nothing is great upon the earth but man; yet so great dignity, so great excellency, and so great advancement of man can never be so great, as it will be, if with this a man may be called a Christian, which denomination took its original from Christ, the very Son of God, and is imparted unto them that are sprinkled with the saving water of the Sacrament of Baptism that give their names unto Christ, fight under his purple Banner, they defend the honour of their Captain and Author of their Profession, by their undaunted Profession of the evangelical and heavenly doctrine, and they do confirm, defend and propagate that doctrine by their indefatigable study & practice of good works. O miserable they who are called Pagans, either in regard that they reverence their Idols in the public streets and ways, being aliens from the City of God, or because that after the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom, and the spreading of the Christian Religion, they did not possess any longer the chief Cities, but were reduced and shut into the straight Villages. O miserable they, who are called Jews; for although the ancient people of the Jews had the pre-eminence above other people in privileges and prerogatives, and was not excluded from the heavenly Kingdom and the City of God; yet at this day their unclean multitudes dispersed every where thorough the world, are fare exceeded in sundry and manifold eminencies by the Christian people; for though the body be already exhibited, they dispute upon shadows, and obstinately defend their Mosaical Ceremonies, and despise Christ that is the only door to eternal life; bewitched with the leven of the pharisees, they reject the truth, detract from it and slander it; and thence by God's just judgement Jerusalem being destroyed and lost, they have no Temple, have no form of a Commonwealth, but are most vilely despised in all parts of the earth. O happy Christians, and freed from all misery! Christ is God blessed for evermore: therefore are Christians truly divine; Christ being true God in his Essence, is a Spirit, therefore are Christians spiritual; Christ by nature is the only Son of God, therefore are Christians by grace the heirs of heaven; Christ is the virtue and power of God; therefore are Christians powerful; Christ is Wisdom, therefore are Christians wise; Christ is Righteousness, therefore are Christians just; Christ is made Sanctification unto us, therefore are Christians holy; Christ is the Way, therefore Christians do not err; Christ is Life, therefore Christians, though dead, yet do live; Christ is the Truth, therefore are Christians led into all truth; Christ is the Light that enlightens the world, therefore do Christians shine forth in the midst of darkness; Christ is a Shepherd, therefore are Christians fed in wholesome pastures; Christ is the healing Physician, therefore do Christians receive cure in all their infirmities; Christ is the Conqueror of Satan and the Lord of the world, therefore do Christians bear rule, overcome and triumph in Christ; Christ doth reign in glory, nay is glory itself, and all in all; therefore Christians, though they be abominable to the world, and are had in reproach, yet are most glorious in Christ, and though they have nothing, yet possess they all things; Christ was anointed when his Humanity was taken into the Person of the Word, the Divinity did anoint, and the Humanity was anointed; and this anointing is a diffusing of the whole ointment upon every one that is anointed therewith: he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows; he is anointed with gifts finite and infinite, conferred by taking upon him the humane Nature from the holy Virgin, which agree well with the name of an ointment for the most fragrant scent they breathe forth, and the comforting force they retain in them; they are compared to the Oil of gladness, because they expel sadness out of Christian hearts, and do inflame them with true joy and comfort. Think now as often as Christ's Name comes into thy mind, that God did from all eternity ordain, consecrate and define him, to consummate the work of the Redemption, and did most plentifully bestow upon him those unspeakable gifts which he foresaw he should stand in need of. That he should be a Prophet, our Master, our Priest to offer up himself an expiatory Sacrifice, that he should be Lord of lords, King of kings, that might have the possession of an incomparable and everlasting Kingdom, the first moment of his conception; but the full and most glorious enjoyment of it in his ascension: even as David was anointed by Samuel king whilst Saul lived, but did not exercise any regal jurisdiction; but when he was dead, he obtained the Dominion, & did govern the Kingdom. And we also are anointed Christians, when we are separate from the ungodliness of worldly men, and are made holy by the mystery of the Spirit. We were anointed, when, as Christ did receive the gifts of the Spirit without measure, we received them with measure. We are anointed, when we are exalted to prophetical, priestly, and kingly dignity; and this is that which the Prophet speaks, Ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am jehovah, your God, and that none else is; nor shall my people be ashamed for ever: And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young mensh ll see visions, which he declareth by his most dear disciple. Jesus Christ is that faithful witness, that first borne from the dead, and that Prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and hath washed us from our sins by his blood; who hath made us kings and priests to God his Father. You are a chosen stock, a royal priesthood, a sanctified people, a nation whom God challengeth for his own. O name, not above every name, yet a divine, a heavenly, and anhonourable name; here is fulfilled that which the Prophet said; A new name shall be given thee, which the mouth of the Lord shall bestow on thee. We have changed our accursed name, because God hath given us a new name. Take heed to yourselves, take heed who ever you be, that you despise none of the faithful, that you disesteem or reproach them not, though he seem most miserable, most abject; and most afflicted: for let his misery or affliction be as great as may be, yet is he the Almighty Gods Anointed, the Prophet of the most holy, the Priest of the most High; yea, he is himself a king of most great Majesty. Ye are Prophets, O Christians, therefore let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you, with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, with psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing unto the Lord with grace in your hearts. Ye are Priests, ye Christians, therefore I beseech you, my brethren, by the mercies of God, that you give up your bodies a living and a holy sacrifice, and acceptable to God, by your reasonable service of him, and be not fashioned like this world, but be ye changed through the renewing of your minds, that ye may discern what is: the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Ye are Kings, O Christians, be not therefore servants of sin, or be subject to the boiling affections of the flesh, but mortify your sins, tame your lusts, nor prostitute your dignity to a most base and impure servitude. Extol your Christ, because all your eminency, all your worth, all your grace, and all your glory proceedeth from him. As the rivers do flow from the sea, and flow back again into the same; so let your eminency, dignity, grace, and glory, be directed, disposed of, and referred to the author and giver thereof. Call upon Christ, O ye Christians, because though you be anointed, yet may that ointment be overwhelmed, defiled, and wiped off by the filth of your sins, and the dirt of your corruptions; ye carry heavenly gifts in brittle vessels, pray that they be not broken, and your graces spilt; pray that no wind may extinguish your flame, that your oil fail you not, and ye be left in darkness with the foolish virgins. Love your Christ, ye Christians, because he is anointed, that you might be anointed; because he is a King that hath all the inhabitants of the earth for his subjects; because he is a Priest, that hath expiated all the sins of the whole world; because he is a Prophet that doth instruct all the ignorant, doth inform them, and teacheth them the right way to life. Love Christ, you Christians, because the most apparent manifestation of a thankful mind consisteth not in words, but works; not in promises, but in obedience. But to the end you may more fully consider your dignity, the birth of a Christian is to be weighed: God is his Father in heaven, the Church is his mother upon the earth. The Word of God to be heard and seen, is the seed; that is the Word preached, this is the administration of the Sacraments. Ye are borne again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the Word of God that lives and abideth for evermore. The Father of lights hath begotten you by the Word of his truth. The Churches are the womb where the seed of the heavenly Word is scattered, and in which the eternal Father, and our mother the Church do meet together. The heart of man is the matter of this generation; the privation, is the mortification of the old Adam; the form, is the vivification itself, whence doth arise the assent of the understanding, and confidence of the will, that the son of wrath may become the son of grace, the blind may see, the deaf may hear, the dumb may speak, the lame walk, the leper be cleansed, and life may be restored to the dead. The time of this formation is when a Christian doth more and more profit in knowledge of the understanding and holiness in the heart; the carrying in the womb is when in our whole life, by means of the vessels of the womb, and navel, that is, by the ministers of the Word, he attracteth to himself the milk of saving knowledge, from the two breasts of the Church, the Law and the Gospel; and as an Embryo lives in the womb, so he lives in the Word. He is a brute creature, and more silly than a beast, that doth not admire, that a child in the womb should be preserved alive in so dark a prison, in so unclean straits, among so many filths, corruptions, excrements, wrapped in films, and crowded by the bowels: but it is fare more to be wondered at, that any Christian should be supported amidst so many griefs, pains, torments, snares, and calamities. For about the womb wherein we are carried, the World cries, I will slay him; the Flesh cries, I will infect him; the Devil cries, I will deceive him. We must there lie hid, where there is much malice, where is little wisdom, where all things are viscous and slimy, all things hid in darkness, and beset with snares, where the souls are in danger, the bodies are afflicted, where all things are vanity and vexation of Spirit: and yet for all this we live and are preserved; we live and are not killed; we are nourished, and not in want; we are carried in the womb, and are not abortive; we are sustained, and are in want of nothing. The Embryo in the mother's womb lives a hidden life; he lives (indeed) in the world, but is not seen with the eyes of any; he sends forth his breath, but scarce draws any in: we also, Embryos of regeneration, lead a hidden life. For though we live in the kingdom of heaven, yet our glory and  life doth not as yet make any great show; we yet behold not the light of eternal blessedness; we yet draw not the air of the region of Paradise; we yet eat not the Angelical Manna; we yet drink not of the heavenly liquor, but have (as it were) but a light taste of all these things; and we have scarce any sensible breathing of these things. But the hour is at hand, and the time will come, that it shall be made manifest what we shall be, wherein we shall begin and never end; this glorious light, this life, not of hope, but of the things hoped for, even the life of vision. We shall begin this life when we die, for then begin we to be borne to the true light, when we first put off our mortality. For the true birth day of Christians, is their day of death. In death they do begin to live, through death they enter into life: as the infant lies sighing at the port of the womb, expecting his passage; and though he be even at death's threshold, yet is he conveyed into the haven of life. O living death of Christians! O Christian, son of God, brother of Christ, companion of the Angels, Lord of the world, partaker of the divine nature! O Christian, exalted above sin and the law, and placed above death and Satan! O Jesus my Lord! O Christ my Captain! thy name be glorified, because thou hast given me a blessed name, denominated from thine own name. Let thy praise be daily borne in my mouth, because thou art daily born in my heart, that I may be born again in thee, and may live to thee, and with thee. For no man is rightly called a Christian, that is not conformed (as much as may be) to Christ in his manners; and he bears this name in vain, that doth not at all imitate Christ. For what doth it profit thee to be called what thou art not, and to usurp another man's name? If any take pleasure to be a Christian, let him carry about him what belongeth to a Christian, and then he may worthily take upon him the name of a Christian; but he doth those things which belong to true Christianity, who shows mercy to all; that is not moved by any wrong done to him; that is as sensible of another's grief, as of his own; that makes not the poor strangers at his table; that is not magnified amongst men, that he may be gloried before God and his Angels: who contemns earthly things, that he may obtain heavenly things; that doth not suffer the poor to be here oppressed; who helpeth those that are in distress; who is moved to weep by other men's tears; as S. Paul did, for who is weak, saith he, and I am not weak? Grant unto me, O Christ, most mercifully, that am the least and most unworthy of all Christians, that I may do these things with all my power, and may persevere in the desire thereof, and that I may not halt, slip, or utterly fall off: for not the beginning, but the ending well is required in a Christian; let that therefore be most blessed unto me, O my Saviour. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 34.  
Of necessary rules to lead a godly life, concerning the thoughts of man.  
Man's life is a middle life, between the life of Angels, and the life of sinners; if a man live after the flesh, he is compared to the beasts; if he live after the Spirit, he is made a companion for the Angels. Now that thou mayst walk in the straitest path, thou must consider of thy thoughts, examine thy words, and weigh thy actions. As touching thy thoughts, give no time or place to sins, but as soon as they appear in the blade, before they can take root, pluck them up. Break (in time) the Basilisks eggs, that none of them prove a serpent; dash the Babilonish brats against the stones, while they be young. Fall not often into the same sin, but abridge the custom of sinning, and sin not without doubt, as if thou neither fearest God nor man. Propose not to thyself those things in thy thoughts, which are either unprofitable, or impossible. Be not wise too high. Think the world, and worldy things, to be but vain, that thou do not over-value them. Be always mindful of death, that thou fear it not too much when it comes unto thee: call to mind the last judgement, that thou mayst appear there with an undaunted courage: remember hell to avoid it, and blessedness, that thou mayst enter into it. Learn (forthwith) therforemore & more to know thine own misery, which ariseth from unbelief and the transgression of God's holy Commandments. Renounce therefore unbelief, and strive to keep all his precepts. Knock at the gate of the mercies of heaven, by the merit of Christ, and so humble thyself, as if thou wert to obtain those mercies, without his merits. What is the most abject creature in the world? let it not trouble thee to answer thyself, It is I, by reason of my sins. And again, if it be demanded of thee, what is the most precious treasure upon the earth? let it not trouble thee to answer with thyself, the blood and merits of my Lord Jesus Christ, by which I am cleansed from my sins, and have salvation purchased for me. Above all, abhor to sin willingly, and with a deliberate resolution; for to have true faith, and to sin voluntarily, can no more agree together, than fire and water, or the lamb and the wolf. Be a true, faithful, and sincere servant of Jesus Christ, not only in the public assemblies, where God's word is preached, and the Sacraments administered: but in the rest of thy life, by flying evil, and doing of good. But if by reason of the infirmity of thy flesh thou hast committed any sin, loathe it betimes, and destroy it by speedy and serious repentance. Pray only unto God; whilst thy conscience rests in prayer to him, sin withers, and nothing is sweet to thee besides virtue and goodness. Catch not too much at popular applause, which is very inconstant, and though thou think thy merits have deserved to be taken notice of by those that pass by thee, and that thou oughtest to be respected of the good; yet use it moderately and discreetly, that it do thee not more hurt, than hatred and contempt. He is truly wise, that neither too greedily hunts after the people's favour, nor too much despises it. Seek, especially, for a quiet mind, and be content with thy present condition. It is no harmful thing, that some evil is mixed with the good things of this life, that God bestows upon us; God deals gently with thee, as with his Son, therefore despair not; God doth also chasten thee, be not thou impatient, lay hold on the golden means, search for things necessary, but not for superfluities, and always have an eye to Gods will, that thine own will do not oppress thee; he is happy that can lie hid in this life, and is known to none but God and himself. A certain man was wont to say, As often as I have been amongst men, I still returned the less man from them. It is an easier thing to lie hid at home, than to keep himself well abroad; he therefore that intends to obtain inward and spiritual gifts, he must with Jesus decline the throng; no man can safely be seen, but he that is willingly concealed: the better sort of men, in the estimation of others, have often been in great hazard, by reason of their too much confidence. Thence is it, that it is more profitable to many, not altogether to be void of temptations, but to be often assaulted that they be not too secure, that they be not puffed up with pride, nor that they too licentiously lean to exterior delights. O what a good conscience would he always possess, that would never seek after transitory mirth, nor busy himself with the world! O how would he prune off all vain care, and only meditate of saving and divine things, and place all his hope in God, and what peace and quiet would he enjoy! Let the want of nothing, but of God's grace, much trouble thee; desire God's grace, and thou shalt obtain it, and let not the scarcity of outward things too much afflict thee. If Satan reproach thee with thy wants, consider with thyself what Saint Paul said, We brought nothing into this world, and we know that we can carry nothing away from thence: and therefore let us be content with our food and clothing; but those that will be rich, fall into temptations, and snares, and many foolish lusts, which afflict and drown the sons of men in ruin and destruction: Pray with Agur, the son of Jakeh, I have desired two things of thee, O God, deny them not unto me as long as I live; remove fare from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches, let me be nourished with the meat of mine own table, lest being over full, I lie against thee, and say, who is the Lord? or being poor, I should steal, and so abuse the Name of my God. Be grieved more for God's dishonour than thine own; if thou sufferest wrong, bear it patiently, and thou shalt overcome it; yet, thou mayest say, my reputation is stained, shall I endure it? Why not? suffer, and thy reputation will be soon repaired: he that shall at length, even in the last day, restore unto thee thy putrified body, shall restore to thee thy credit; if thou be angry and enraged, and tear thyself, what shall all these turmoils profit thee? Nothing is more pleasing to thy enemy, than to see thee by thy rage to be in such a confusion. Rather pray for thine enemies, that they be fellow-heires with thee of eternal life, and fellow-chaunters of thy Father's praises in his heavenly Kingdom. The more others extol thee, the more do thou humble thyself in thine own eyes, nor please thyself with such vanities. They that esteem lightly of earthly things, are magnified and extolled by the Angels of heaven: proceed sincerely, rightly, and innocently in every of thy actions, nor too earnestly take care for the things thou hast not. Think no sin little, for there is none so light, (if any may be said light) but it may bring upon thee great plagues & everlasting death; therefore, deplore thy least sins, and pray without ceasing for the bettering of thy life. Think how short thy life is; if any seriously consider what ever belongeth to us, he shall see they vanish from us like birds in the air, and we also by our perpetual motion are carried beyond those transitory things; but that which is worst, no remedy can be found against this, for these things fall out thus by the law of Nature; for the things of this life are a dream, a smoke and impostures; this is our life, O men that lead a fleeting life; such is the Scene upon the earth, that we must be borne ere we could have a being, and as soon as we are borne, we are again dissolved to nothing. We are a dream that lasts not, an apparition that cannot be laid hold on, a flight of a bird that is gone, the passage of a ship in the sea, that leaves behind no impression, dust, a vapour, morning dew, a flower that hath his time to blow, and time to whither; the days of man are as grass, and shall flourish, but like the flower of the field. Think therefore always what manner of life thou hast, not how long it may last: make haste to live well, and think every day is another life; let us extend our life, whose office and argument is action; let us not place the goodness of our life in the length of it, but in the use of it: For it may come to pass, yea, it often happens so that he who hath lived long, hath lived little; his life is most long, in the whole extent whereof he hath been at leisure for himself, and yet no part thereof hath lain waste or idle. Life is like a Play, it skils not how long it is, but how well it was acted; not he that hath sung much to the Harp, nor he that hath made many prayers, or hath steered many ships, is to be commended, but he that hath performed these things; for Beauty is to be placed in Virtue, and a seasonable moderation, not in length of days. In every thing we see the Priority to be yielded to maturity and perfection, not to their old-age: For amongst the Plants, those are accounted the best which bear most fruit in the shortest time; and amongst the living creatures, those from whom we receive most commodities, for our lives, in the shortest time. We conclude therefore, that a short time well and innocently spent, is fare to be preferred before a sinful long life.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 35.  
Of necessary rules to lead a holy life concerning our words.  
Hear and obey these things, O man, which I shall utter touching thy words; weigh well continually with thyself, that saying of our Saviour, I say unto you, that of every idle word that the sons of men shall speak, they shall give an account for in the day of judgement: and that also which the most wise Solomon also affirms, in the multitude of words there will not cease to be sin. Fly (therefore) idle and slothful words, which have repentance treading upon their heels, and ill success at their elbows. Examine what thou art to propose, and what to answer: As long as thy word is within the fence of thy teeth, it is thine own, but as soon as it is escaped, it is his that receives it. How foul and uncomely a thing is it, if thy unbrideled tongue, breaking the bounds of modesty, shall cause thee to blush for shame? Let therefore thy words be few and weighty, and seasoned with salt; and mark in the delivery, what is worthy, and what in them is unworthy of thee. Chief, vaunt of nothing for truth, which thou knowest not to be true; nor give thyself over to receive vain reports. Such a tongue is a monster, more changeable than any Proteus, that fills the world with fables, & doth often in sports cause tragedies to be acted amongst men: it increaseth in its progress, and for the most part relates things to be greater than they are; and cannot abstain from telling of lies, in relating a truth: and although it doth only utter trifles and toys, yet sometimes is it in the place of a thousand witnesses. As the hand of a fool doth leave a token of his folly deciphered upon every wall it passeth by; so such a tongue filleth all men's ears with rumours and stories; but whether they be true or false, it careth not. A mouse scarce peeps out of any cranny, but it is presently at hand, and like a midwife receives this issue, and makes it presently grow big; and that it may show the fairer,  it in most large vestments: so he forces rumours upon every one he meets, as being fresh and new, yea, as a true story, though for the most part it hath scarce any truth in it. So is falsehood in very short time divulged thorough the world. Whosoever hears a report, coins and adds something to that he hath heard, what either credulity, or ornament shall persuade him too. Behold the stories, which do (at length) put off all show of truth. The wooden engines were (heretofore) framed with that art, that when they were brought forth unto the solemnity of the triumphs, they did suddenly grow great, & raise themselves to a great height: rumours are indeed these Pageants, which when they begin to spread, are accustomed suddenly to increase, and to extend into an incredible greatness. But O the rashness of man's mind! we lead a very short life, we have an end as soon as we begin: the most swift time returns not in his gate, his course, nor in his flight, and forsakes us even while we are thinking of vanity, by a flight never to be recalled: And we amidst these precipices of swit-footed time, are not only slow, but triflers, wear out our best days in most idle baubles. Our swift days do pass away, and we also are carried away in their motion; we are snatched away unawares, whilst we are toying, and make pastime to our own destruction. Believe not every thing is told thee, nor report all that thou hearest, except thou intent to lose thy friends, and to kindle the hatred of many against thyself. First weigh things, before thou judge of them. He that reports things he only hears, being first deceived himself, doth most usually deceive others. Behold how far the eyes and the ears do stand asunder! If all that the miners did cast out of the mines, were silver and gold, the world by this time might have been gilded all over; but whilst the metal that is digged thence, is severed from the dross, earth, stones, and sand that is mixed with it, it is brought at length to a small langot: so it is with the recital of things we hear; if we take away the things which are feigned, false, and ill understood, and those which are added by conjecture; alas what a small scantling of pure truth remains? for the most part, half that is feigned that is related in a many-worded Oration. Let the words of the tongue agree with the meaning of the heart, shun falsehood & lies. It is easy to say what a lie is, there needs no long dispute about it; To speak one thing, & think another, is a lie. To speak against a man's mind is a lie. Let not thy breast conceal one thing, and thy tongue utter another thing. Let no man doubt but he lies, that utters any thing with an intent to deceive. One of the veins ties the tongue & the heart together, another the tongue and brain; by which disposition of the veins, nature teacheth us, that one member is so to be governed by the understanding, that the tongue may agree with the heart. For this is a lie, to carry one thing hidden in the heart, another thing ready at the tongues end: to believe in heart that a thing is black, but to affirm in words that it is white. But that you may more fully understand this, you must know there is a threefold lie, an officious lie, a jesting lie, and a pernicious lie. An officious lie is said to be that that may be believed, to profit another, but himself least of all that tells it. They call a jesting lie that that hurts no body, but is spoken by way of fancy; but though a lie spoken in jest, is not so ill as that which is spoken to another man's hurt, or for very pleasure we take in lying, even that also because it is a lie, is sin; for it is vanity and extravigancie, to take pleasure in that thing which should be fare distant from us; yet it is not called a jesting lie, if any one speak a falsity, not in earnest, but in such a jesting way, that all may perceive that he meaneth other ways than he speaketh, for in regard there is no signification of falsehood, it is not a lie; but that is a lie, when any one relates a falsity for fancy's sake, and that he takes pleasure in it, and doth doth desire to persuade others that he is serious. Thirdly, and finally, a pernicious lie is that that is always joined with another's harm, and is reckoned amongst sins of a high nature. An officious lie is not so called, because any man may excuse it, by taking upon himself the deceit: Although he that sins to profit another, sinneth less than he that doth it not to this end; yet notwithstanding he dealeth not simply, and in a right manner; for ill is not to be done, that good may come thereon. Therefore fly, with diligence, all manner of lying, and neither by chance, or of set purpose speak that which is false: beware of lying in all things. This vice is so to be avoided, that though the safety of many were to be contrived in one lie, and that but only an officious or jesting lie, yet it would not be lawful for thee to tell it. Yea if any one by a slight lie could rid his parents, or any more dear to him than his parents from devouring flames, yet might he not lawfully tell a lie; it would be better to forsake them amidst the flames, than by an untruth to offend thy God. But thou wilt say, this is a hard saying; it is rigid, yet it is true. Hast thou not read? Let us do evil, that good may come thereon, whose damnation is just. All doctrine of truth shall in this manner be taken away, if we yield to most licentious falsehood, if any place be any where left open to a lie, though it be but an officious one: for whosoever lies, proposeth to himself, his own, or another's temporal commodity, than which, what can be done more perversely? Certainly, an injury offered to God is greater than all the ill we can do unto man. How many thousand of most holy martyrs, would rather prodigally pour forth their bloods by drops, than consent with one lie to defend their innocencies. But if our very life be not to be preferred before the truth, what can be objected to maintain we may lawfully lie, by those that are of opinion we ought sometimes to lie? Be gone then, let every lie, I say, be gone, because it hath the devil for its author, who himself neither remained in the truth, nor is there any truth in him. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but those that deal faithfully, are pleasing unto him. If thou know any thing that a good man in other things hath done, and thou hast long concealed it with the cloak of charity, do not in thy wrath reveal it, that no man may accuse thee of passion, and to have a malicious mind; and that others do not that to thee, which thou shouldest not do to others, I advise thee not to reveal thyself and all thy secrets to any but a true pious & honest man; thou needest not fear such a one, because for Christian charities sake, which is the foundation of all friendship, he will, perchance, willingly pardon thy offences, nor will at all reproach thee. Do nothing also in any man's presence, which may cause thee to fear that thou mayst raise up mischief to thyself, or make a friend become thine enemy. That which thou wouldst have secret, keep thou it secret, and reveal it to no man; yet remember God can see thorough the thickest clouds. Find no fault with others, but look to thyself. Avoid biting reprovers and obscene jesters; yet if at any time thou wilt jest civilly, propose three things to thyself; first, abuse not the phrase of Scripture to make up thy jest, and so defile thy religion; what canst thou imagine that God thinks, when he sees and hears such things among Christians that profess his name, that would be thought wiser than others, and yet account this for no sin? That I may not speak of the grievous offence that many take hereat, and that they are troubled and made sad with the worst sort of scandal, who cannot (afterwards) read or hear God's Word, or pray with the same devotion they were wont (before) to do; very nature itself also teacheth us that we ought not to deal so ridiculously, negligently and idly, in so grave and holy words. He that consulteth with his own conscience, finds they be such obscenities, foolish babble and ribaldry that are not fitting for Christians. Secondly, let not thy jesting weaken Christian charity. Thirdly, let them not violate honesty and chastity. Never speak of God but with fear and reverence, and as it were in his presence, who is most present every where. For seeing we are not worthy to take his holy Name in our mouths, much less decent is it for us to profane it with our lips; it is a sure sign of a wicked mind to use God's Name upon all light occasions. Pray therefore with David, Let the words of my mouth, and meditations of my heart be acceptable before thee. Be finally sparing in commending any man, but ready to salute any one; gentle in giving respect; courteous in admonishing; merciful in pardoning; faithful in performing thy promises; ready to requite good; neither convert thou the reward of virtue into a gift of courtesy.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 36.  
Of rules necessary to lead a godly life, touching our Actions.  
Harken and be obedient, O man, touching thy deeds: do no evil, though thou mayest do it; for the least sins, except they be seriously repent of, are not suffered to go unpunished. Let it not grieve thee to do good; do nothing against thy vocation; if thou begin any thing, in the first place pray earnestly unto God for his assistance; then set confidently upon thy work, and leave the issue thereof to God; if thou undertake any thing, in thy vocation, trust to God's providence, though the means thou usest, seem insufficient unto thee; and if they offer themselves, as it were unto thy hands of their own accord, resolve that they are offered thee from God; yet place not greater hope in them than in God, but beseech him mercifully to bless those means: have a heavenly mind in earthly things, and do what thou art able; commit the rest to the guidance of the most holy Trinity: never use unlawful means, for that can bring no gain with it that brings destruction to the soul. For this end labour constantly that thy conscience be pure before God and man. If at any time thou be enticed to sin, think Satan lodgeth near thee, and that it is a reproachful thing for the sons of men, that are so well beloved of God, and so gently dealt with by him, to gratify so unclean a spirit, to the dishonour and reproach of thy God: To the reproach, I say, of thy God, because every voluntary sin is a reproach offered to God. No Prince will endure this of thee; and how shall God suffer, who is a God of all Majesty and Glory, that a reproach offered to his Majesty, so often renewed, and so often with security committed against him, shall go unpunished? As often as we commit sin by a deliberate counsel against our conscience, we do (in a sort) consult of it before (though we oftentimes do not mark and perceive it;) on one scale we put the profit, pleasure, or delight of sin, in the other our loss, the wrath of God, and our offences against him. What madness is it now, what perverseness, what malice, what reproach to prefer a moment before eternity, a drop before the Ocean, one grain of sand before a mountain, our own lusts before the incomparable Omnipotency and Majesty of God? Dost thou not, O man, as often as thou sinnest, strike, as it were, the infinite God with thy paricidiall hand? Ask continually thy conscience these two things; whether if any such thing befall thee, thou art to be acquitted? What if thou shalt do any such thing in the very day wherein all the world must receive its doom? Whether thou canst give an answer to the universal Judge, when thou shalt be forced to give a reason for all thy Actions? Remember Joseph, that thought that God saw what no man could perceive. God is just, he shall draw thy sins to the light that thou hast committed in secret. When David defiled Bathseba by his unlawful lying with her; Who saw his adultery but God? He brought forth his secret pleasures to the view of all Israel; and will also at length discover thy wickedness unto all men. Satan is subtle, even in this one thing, that by flattering thyself, thou mayst account thyself but a small sinner, and so may draw thee into his net; but if thou desire to avoid sin, eat the occasion of sinning; let that which is good, please thee for God's sake, and let God please thee for his own sake; if God favour thee, fear no man's persecution; God shall make thine enemy thy friend, or shall so temper him, that he shall do thee but little hurt; no man can be overcome by his enemy, but he who was first overcome by sin, and so made himself hateful unto God. Deprive no man of the respect that is due unto him, yet always reckon with thyself that respect is more due to godliness than to greatness; if God increase thy substance in this life, think it is a spur of thy thankfulness, and an incitement to desire those heavenly things, and an exhortation to piety; neither be proud either of thy external or internal gifts; for outward things as they seldom happen or come unto thee, so they fall off & speedily departed from thee: God gave thee indeed thy inward graces, yet he can take them from thee before thou be ware, if any abuse them, and forget God the giver of them. It may be thou hast many virtues, and it may be thou art disfigured by many vices that do displease him more than the others do please him. It is not enough that others commend thee, except thine own conscience do approve thee; no fame is perpetual, but that which ariseth from godliness. We read not where in God's Book that an hypocrite was ever converted; and what wonder? for whereas the conversion of sinners is a means to turn from sin; what means of salvation is left for him that turns repentance itself into sin, which is the means of salvation? O miserable soul that desires to see holy things, and lives a heathenish life! Observe in what a manner the wicked end their days, so that thou mayest detest their lives. See how the godly end their lives, that thou mayest run the same course as they do. Obey thy Superiors, honour those that are wise; keep company with those that be honest and religiously given. And seeing man's corrupt nature doth much love hypocrisy; touch not, nor use the Sacrament before thou have founded the depth of thine own heart most accurately. Rule over those that are subject to thy command, more by courtesy than severity; courtesy is full of hope, and tyranny of fear: God's justice will not suffer a tyrant to continue long, for though subjects, both by God's laws and also by man's, aught to yield obedience to Magistrates, yet the Magistrates themselves are but God's Ministers; and if we consider them as they are Christians, they are not only servants, but our brethren also in Christ: Christians therefore must rule like Christians, in charity and mercy, as Christ hath taught us by his own example. Art thou made a Judge? give right judgement, remembering that thyself must appear before God's Judgement Seat: he is cursed that blesseth the wicked; but blessed that blesseth the blessed. O man, how dangerous is man's life, what a great account hath he to give, what a short space is it, but thou must appear at God's Tribunal? What then must thou do? What deed hast thou committed? How wouldst thou appear, if thou wert this hour to departed? If thou wert to appear this moment before thy Examiner? It would quickly be determined concerning thee: Thou art to day a man, shalt thou appear to morrow? O dulness, and hardness of man's heart, that only meditates upon things present, and foresees nothing what shall be hereafter! Thou oughtest so to behave thyself in every action, as if thou wert this day to die; in the morning think thou mayst not live to the evening, and in the evening dare not promise thyself the next ensuing morning: be always prepared, and so live, that death may never take thee unprovided. How happy and wise is he that labours to be such whilst he lives, as he wisheth to be found at his death! O Jesus, give me the perfect contempt of the world; give me a fervent desire to profit in virtue; give me the love of instruction, the labour of repentance, the readiness of obedience. O my God, grant that I may desire thee in my heart, to seek thee in my desires, to find thee in my search, and love thee being found. Give me, my Lord and God, repentance for my heart, contrition to my spirit, a flood of tears to my eyes, and a liberal distribution of alms to my hands. O my King, extinguish in me the desire of the flesh, and kindle in me the fire of thy love. O my Redeemer, drive out of me the spirit of pride, and favourably grant me the treasure of thy humility. O my Saviour, remove from me the madness of anger, and indulgently afford me the shield of patience. O my Creator, pluck out all rancour out of my mind, and bestow on me the sweetness of a mild spirit: give me, most merciful Father, a firm faith, a congruous hope, and continual charity: my Governor, do thou divert all vanity from me, all inconstancy of mind, wand'ring of the heart, scurrility of the tongue, pride of the eyes, gluttony of the belly, reproaching of my neighbours, the sins of detraction, the itch of curiosity, the desire of riches, the extortion of great men, the desire of vainglory, the evil of hypocrisy, the poison of flattery, the contempt of the poor, the oppression of the weak, the thirst of covetousness, the rust of envy, and the death of blasphemy. O my Maker, cut off from me rashness, iniquity, lewdness, disquietness, idleness, drowsiness, sloth, dulness of mind, blindness of heart, obstinacy of sense, bloodiness of conditions, disobedience to goodness, resistance of good counsel, unbridlenesse of my tongue, preying upon the poor, wronging the weak, slandering the innocent, neglecting my inferiors, cruelty in my family, impiety towards my familiars, and hardness of heart to my neighbours. O God, my mercy, I beseech thee by thy beloved Son, give me the works of mercy, the study of godliness, to suffer with those in affliction, to counsel those that err, to help the miserable, to succour the needy, to comfort the sad, to relieve the oppressed, to refresh the poor, to cheer those that weep, to forgive our debtors, to spare them that sin against me, to love those that hate me, to render good for evil, to despise no man, but to honour all, to imitate the good, to beware of the wicked, to embrace virtue, to reject vice, to be patiented in adversity, to be moderate in prosperity, to set a watch over my mouth, and a door before my lips; give me uprightness in my deal, and a true testimony of my faith, to trample upon earthly things, to thirst after heavenly things, that thou mayst one day say to me, Well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a little, I will set thee over much, enter into the joy of thy Master. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 37.  
Of the exceeding number of God's benefits, and of man's contempt of them by the multitude of his sins.  
WHo will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to mine eyes? and I will weep both night and day. Let my eyes drop tears, and my eyelids flow with waters. I will convey myself into the place of weeping and of tears, I will take pains in my groaning, I will every night wash my bed, and water my couch with my tears. My tears shall be my meat day and night, and I will not hid my mourning. I will prostrate myself, and let the reins lose to my tears, and rivers shall gush from mine eyes; I will weep in the bitterness of my soul. I will continue in weeping, and the tears shall trickle down my cheeks, wherewith I will deplore my most grievous sins, and will detest my impious ingratitude, wherewith I have repaid my God and Lord. O that I could weep out my eyes with tears, that my bowels might be disturbed, and my liver might be poured forth upon the earth for my great enormities! The causes are great and many, O God, why my eyes should stream forth wates, yea blood itself. But I will now contemplate of nothing but the greatness & multitude of thy blessings that thou hast bestowed upon me, when I was yet thine enemy. That therefore my soul may be astonished, my cheeks blush, my eyes cast down, and that I may eternally hate my malicious and most polluted life: I will begin to reckon up thy blessings, and my cursed deeds, that I may see what thou art, and what I am, what thou hast done for me, and how I have requited thee. Send down from heaven thy holy Spirit, the teacher of truth, and work in my tough and hard heart, inward and divine repentance, that I may never repent me of. And now, thou love of that heavenly power, thou holy communication of the omnipotent Father and the blessed issue, thou Spirit, the Omnipotent Comforter, slide within the most secret places of my heart by thy powerful operation, and enlighten every dark lurking place of this my neglected habitation, by the brightness of thy glorious light. Come, come now thou most courteous Comforter of the languishing soul, that defendst it in its necessities, & art its helper in tribulation. Come thou cleanser of my filthiness, thou curer of my wounds. Come thou Strength of the weak, thou Sustainer of those that slide. Come thou Instructor of the humble, and Confounder of the haughty. Come thou holy Father of the orphans, thou mild Judge of the widows. Come thou Hope of the poor, thou Refresher of those that faint. Come thou seaman's Star, thou Haven against shipwreck. Come thou singular Beauty of all that live, thou only Safety of those that die. Come most holy Spirit, come and take pity upon me. Fit me for thyself, and mercifully condescend to my weakness, that according to the multitude of thy mercies, my meanness may be acceptable to thy Majesty, and my weakness to thy power. There was a time, my God, when I had no being, which I cannot remember, and then thou madest me to have a being: thou formedst me of the clay of the earth, and madest me according to thine own image and representation. Thou broughtest me out of my mother's womb, thou wast my hope when I hung upon my mother's breasts; from the womb was I cast upon thy providence; for from the very time that I first drew my vital breath, and entered this tabernacle of the world, and my soul took possession of her earthly house, thou art my Father, thou art my Redeemer, thou art my Saviour, thou art my Helper. Thou didst create my body, and all the members thereof, thou gavest me my soul, and all the faculties thereof, and hast most mercifully preserved my life even to this present hour. Thou hast added another blessing fare more precious than the rest, that thou mightest tie me the nearer unto thee. Thou descendedst, O God, from heaven, to find me out, thou soughtest for me being lost of all hands. By thy incarnation didst thou rid my weak and miserable flesh out of the ignominy and baseness, which by the devils seducing suggestions it was fallen into. Thou sanctifiedst my sinful nativity by thy most holy birth; by thy bonds and captivity thou hast freed me from the bonds of my enthralling sins. Whilst thou deliveredst thyself into the hands of sinners, thou hast snatched me out of the power of sin, in the form of sinful flesh; thou hast abolished my sinful life, which is the work of Satan; by this thy great mercy thou hast most straightly tied me unto thyself, thou hast enticed me unto thee with those benefits, thou hast confirmed and strengthened my hope with those great merits; thou wouldst stir up in me a hatred and detestation of my sins, in that thou hast wrought and endured so many and so great things, that thou mightest reconcile me to thy heavenly Father, and overthrow the kingdom of sin: so thou hast kindled bright coals over my head, that thou mightest thereby set my heart on fire, that overwhelmed (as it were) with the works of thy mercy, which are included in this thy work of Redemption, I might love him with all my heart, who hath wholly loved me, and imparted himself wholly unto me. Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord my God; but what good had it been unto me, except thou hadst permitted me to be baptised? amongst so great a multitude therefore of Infidels, thou wast pleased I should be borne of faithful parents, and hast blessed me so fare above all unbelieving Ethnics, Turks and Jews, that I might be regenerated by the lavacre in thy word, and according to thy Word, and might put on my Christ, with all his benefits. There thou hast adopted me for thy son, and made me thy heir; there make I that wonderful covenant with thee, that I should be thine, and that thou shouldest be mine; that thou shouldest be my Lord, and I should be thy servant; that thou shouldest be my father, and I should be thy son: there is it so so covenanted betwixt us, that thou shouldest manifest thy fatherly affection to me, and that I should with a filial obedience hearken unto thee. What need I rehearse the other use of this Sacrament, namely, that thou hast made it the curing physic of our sins, that by thine own blood thou mightest heal my unhappy and festering wounds, and mightest thereby more and more add perfection unto me? But though I have received so many blessings of thee, and have in a readiness so many antidotes against sin; yet have I not continued in obedience, but have often broken that covenant, and yet hast thou been so merciful and so mild a God, that thou didst endure my disobedience. O God, my salvation and hope, how can I recount thy mercy and clemency, without shedding of tears? for how often, O just judge, mightest thou kill, and bring me to nothing, and yet none of these things is befallen me? how many thousands of souls are already thrust into hell to be punished with eternal plagues and fire, that never came near my sins either in number or weight; and yet am not I burned? what had become of me if thou hadst cut me off, together with them? How ought I to fear thy terrible and fearful judgement, if thou shouldest punish me in thy immutable and severe judgement, according to the foulness of my iniquities? O my God, who tied thy hands? who was my Intercessor, when I most securely slept the sleep of sin? who held the scourge of thy wrath, when as day by day I provoked & urged thy vengeance? what was there in me to please thee? what was there in me so worthy of thy acceptation, that thou shouldest spare me when thou didst root out others, who wallowing in the mud of their sins, thou didst summon to thy most righteous judgement seat in the midst of their days? My sins did cry to heaven, and thou didst stop thine ears; my wickednesses were daily multiplied, and thy mercy was likewise increased to me; I did sin, and thou didst expect my repentance; I fled from thee, and thou didst draw near to me; I provoked thee so often to wrath, that I might weary thee by my provocations; yet wast not thou weary of taking pity upon me, as if my transgressions against thee, being abominable ingratitude in me, were pleasing in thy sight. Thou hast suggested unto me many good thoughts, and given me many profitable admonitions, to turn me from my transgressions, even in my full speed of sinning. How many times, standing before the door of my heart, hast thou knocked and called, saying, Return, return thou degenerate son, nor will I set my face against thee, so that thou wilt acknowledge the sins, by which thou hast offended thy God? How often hast thou called me unto thee by this most pleasing voice? How often hast thou exhorted me by great fear, by most terrible threats, by the daily expectation of daily danger, of perpetual death and strict judgement? how many preachers hast thou afforded me? how many teachers hast thou set over me, who partly by doctrine, and partly by example, should show me the way I should walk in? Thou hast alured me by most gentle compellations, thou hast chastised me by dangerous sicknesses, and other miseries, and hast left out nothing that might induce me from the old way. What shall I render unto thee, O Lord, for all thy blessings bestowed upon me? I own thee myself, and all things I enjoy, because thou hast created me, for thou madest me, and what ever I have. Again, I own thee myself, and all things I possess, because thou hast preserved me: besides, Lord, thou gavest thyself to be my great and plenteous reward. What can I render unto thee? If I had in my hand all the lives of all the Angels, and all the souls of all mankind, and I should resolve to pay them to thee; they could not stand in comparison with one drop of thy blood shed for me; therefore I most worthily complain, and cry out, who shall give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes, and I will weep night and day, and deplore mine own abominable ingratitude, wherewith I thy creature, O my best Creator, have repaid thee, for all thy so many, and so great, and so incomprehensible benefits bestowed upon me. Help me, O my God, impart thy grace unto me, that I may with inward contrition confess unto thee my back-sliding from thee. Ah! Lord, I am thy creature, though most unhappy and unworthy of thee my Creator. Thou didst create me according to thine own image and similitude; look bacl upon me, O God, take from me what ever I have brought in, and then thou shalt find nothing but good in me, and that which thou hast bestowed upon me, O thou most perfect worker of all goodness. Alas! I have resisted the powers of thy holy will, and striven much to oppose thee. Oh, with what security have I given myself over to wrath! my feet made haste to do evil, my hands prepared themselves to do mischief, to covetousness, and all manner of impurities; my eyes were turned to behold vanity, my ears were open to receive lies, filthy talking, slandering and reproaching. My soul, that was a most noble soul, and near (in nature) to thy heavenly Ministers, and aught to have contemplated, to beheld, and have reflected upon thee, turns bacl from thy unspeakable beauty, and turns itself towards the flattering deceitful beauty of the world; and laboured this with care, that it might abuse the frail goods of this world to her own lusts, and knew not how grievous and hurtful this would prove unto her. This (behold) is the understanding part of my soul! let us see what good may proceed from the will? Thou hast inclined, O Lord, my will to heavenly riches, but it hath declined to earthly things, and hath wholly enthralled herself by a vain love unto them: this, O Lord, is that grace, which I have repaid thee for thy most precious gifts. What shall I answer thee (ah! Lord,) if thou shouldest call me before thy judgement seat, and shouldest say, I have planted thee for a noble vine, and that thou shouldest (wholly) be a faithful seed, how then are you changed into degenerate branches of a wild vine? But if I stand in so foul a condition, upon examination of the benefit of my Creation, what will it prove if I should give an account of the benefits of my Preservation? For thou hast preserved him so many days, so many months, so many years, who hath dedicated all his senses to the contempt and despite of all thy Commandments, who hath persecuted thy servants, who hath been a scandal to the communion of thy Saints, who hath strengthened and enlarged the kingdom of sinners. Thou hast preserved the tongue that hath blasphemed thee and taken thy Name in vain; thou hast preserved the members that have most vehemently offended thee; thou hast given him meat and drink, that hath abused them both to thine own reproach. I have not been only unthankful, but I armed myself with thine own blessings against thee. Thou createdst all thy creatures for me, even for my profit, and to draw me to love thee, and I have used thy creatures to the inexcusable hatred of thee. Those things which ought to have brought me to thy most beautiful wisdom, did make me blind, and made me not only not to look up but did even close mine eyes that I should not behold how much the Creator did excel those his so many fair and comely creatures: for the most rare Artist of all beauty and comeliness, was He that that created them. Thou gavest me all things, that I should yield and consecrate myself unto thee: thou wouldst have all things serve me, that I might serve thee, even I that have so little thought upon thee. Thy creatures, according to thy command, are ready at thy beck, but I, alas, have stoutly refused thy commandments. Thou hast given me health of body, and I have granted the use thereof to the devil: thou hast given me strength understanding, and a will, and I have bestowed them upon the service of iniquity. And what shall I say? as many dangers and losses of other men as I have beheld, so many of thy blessings towards myself have I seen, that thou didst not overwhelm me in the same dangers and losses. If thou shouldest send me what I deserve, thou mightest find me more worthy so many miseries than others are; but it is thy mercy, O Lord, that I am not consumed. Beasts are tamed by courtesies, are made gentle and familiar for the service and obedience of man; and yet thy benefits have not tamed me, have not moved me, that I might say in my heart, Let us fear the Lord our God, that giveth us rain, the early and the later rain it its season, preserving for us the fullness of the yearly harvest; that enricheth us with his blessings, that preserveth us from our birth even to our death; Ought not these things to set before mine eyes and mind, thy favour and mercy towards me? But if I am so much bound unto thee for these benefits which thou hast produced for me by the bare power of thy Word, what shall I be indebted to thee for redeeming me from eternal death and damnation, by the precious blood of thine only begotten son? Oh, how much have I neglected thy most wise counsel? how have I despised thy incarnation, which I ought to adore? Thou my God, art made man, that thou mightest make me partaker of the divine nature; and I a most perverse wretch, am turned into a beast, and become the devil's instrument. Thou didst descend from the most glorious throne of thy heavenly Father, unto me that devil upon earth, and I have not elevated myself unto thee, nor would I ascend with thee; but by the works of the flesh I have been faster tied to the more base things of the earth, and have pressed myself down into the mud, by the weight of my sins, wherein I have long lain wallowing. Thou hast delivered me out of the power of the devil, and I of mine own accord have ensnared myself in his devilish toils. Thou art made one body with me, and I by my voluntary sins have plucked myself off from thee, and have glued myself to the body of the wicked. So many thy wondrous works could not force me to acknowledge thee: So many testimonies of thy love could not soften my stony heart, to make me love thee again; thy so great merit could not raise me up, to cause me to place all my hope in thee. That thy most accurate Justice, which shines most clearly out, and that many ways, out of the work of our Redemption, could not hold me, so that I might consider the plagues and punishments which thou heapedst upon thy only beloved Son, for my sake, and cause me to cry out, If they have done these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? Thy so many torments and pains could not persuade me to descend into myself, and to consider with what hatred thou pursuest our sins, for which thou hast permitted thy very Son to be most cruelly afflicted. For these things ought I to have stood in awe, and to reverence thy great Name. So hast thou (my Jesus) humbled thyself, that he that considers it, may admire, and with trembling behold thee; yet am I grown proud, and at this very time, alas, do exalt myself above my brethren. Thou didst hang naked upon the Cross, yet I not content with such clothing as was necessary to cover my nakedness, have sought after excess and superfluity, and have most tenderly handled my slimy damnable body. Thou didst suffer intolerable thirst in thy extreme plagues and torments, and didst taste gall mingled with vinegar; but I must (as it were) be fatted to the slaughter with luscious wines; I have been overcharged with gluttony and ravenousness, and have thereby made myself strong in fleshly desires. Thou didst bear all things that thy Father laid upon thee, nor didst throw off the the burden, till thou mightest truly say it is finished; but I have esteemed it very troublesome and tedious for me to suffer but a very little for thee. Thou that art the blessed Son of God, didst suffer blows on the face from wicked wretches; but I, if I be but touched with a finger, or wronged in a word, do presently burn with wrath, and am most bitterly moved to indignation, that am but a worm, and not worthy the name of a man, and do deserve, by reason of my filthy sins, not only most vile reproach, but the punishment & scorn of hell itself. And what shall I farther say of my most wicked life? Thou didst most willingly die, that I might die to sin, and live to righteousness; but I too much relying on this thy mercy, do wittingly and willingly rush into sins. What greater disgrace could I put upon thee? I have made thy mercies the occasion of my uncleanness, and have used so precious a means of my Redemption, which ought to make every one to hate sin, to the strengthening and continuation of my sins. I thought sins were lawful for me, because thou wast so gentle and merciful; and for giving me so many blessings, I have requited thee with my infamous deeds, so that I converted the remedy ordained against sin, into the means to make me sin more freely, and have set the point of that sword against mine own breast, and well-nigh destroyed myself therewith, that thou gavest me to resist the blows of Satan. Thou art he only, O Lord, that died for us all, that they that live, might not live to themselves, but to him that did both die, and rose again for us; but I, contrary to this, have lived to myself and mine own lusts, as if thou hadst died for that end that I should live to fill my soul with fleshly desires: and abusing thy grace, I should wove the web of mischief. O Lord, how great is thy patience, that thou wouldst be buffeted for my sake! but much greater is thy patience, that thou enduredst so many sinners in the world, that even buffet thee with their sins? But shall this thy patience last for ever? I call to mind what thou threatnest against the impenitent; I see that the earth which is watered with rain and brings forth no fruit, is punished by cursing; I see that the Vineyard well manured, and yet remaining unfruitful, is wasted and trodden under foot: O hard, and iron heart! O unprofitable and dry wood! Dost thou not tremble if thou hearest the voice of the Omnipotent God, saying; Every branch, not bearing fruit, will my Father take away; if any remain not in me, he shall be cast out as a branch, and it withereth, and men gather it up, and cast it into the fire to be burnt. What man can be so careless, that trembles not and shakes not for fear of so horrible a judgement? How deaf and sluggish is he that heareth not this voice? With what a stupidness is he drowned in? in what a lethargy is he buried, who is not awaked with this thunder? Ah! Lord, this earthly tabernacle hath hitherto delighted me; I have walked amidst thorns and thistles, that have choked the seed of thy Word sown in me, so that I have had no desire to know thy will; my lusts have seduced me, my desires have driven me up and down▪ my thoughts have disturbed me, the worm of my conscience gnaws me; and all these have I esteemed as secure delights, and reckoned troubles to be peace. What shall I do my God? What shall I do? I am forced to confess that I am not worthy to come before thee; I blush for my unrighteousness sake to lift up mine eyes unto thee; I dare not lift them up to seek thy favour and most merciful presence; if thou wilt punish me as I deserve, nor heaven, nor earth can hid me from thee; but thou wilt not, O Lord, my God, that any one perish, but that all may be converted and live: thou createdst me for thy praise; but who in hell, where thou art blasphemed, shall praise thy Name? Thou didst pay so great a ransom for me; yet if thou reject me in these my most great necessities, who shall receive me? if thou shalt refuse thy creature, redeemed by so great a price, who shall help me? Why, even thou my Father, that Father of mercy, even that mercy which is immeasurable, which is infinite: And although by my disobedience I have lost the right of mine inheritance: yet, O my Father, thou hast not lost the heart of a Father; though I have fallen from thee my Father, yet wilt not thou fall from me, or cease to be my Father; that word never failed, As I live, I will not the death of a sinner, but that he may be converted and live. And although my sins be innumerable, and my wounds may seem incurable, yet art not thou ignorant of a way to cure me; confirm therefore and fulfil thy promises, wash me effectually with the blood of thy Son, that, as to me, his death prove not in vain: I am (as well) a part of his flesh, and he a part of mine, as Peter, David, or Paul; he is as well to me an Emmanuel, as to any other: He bore the sins of the whole world; and therefore he bore mine also. Look back therefore, look back therefore, O Lord, upon this lost sheep, regard thy creature, nor contend with him in thy fury whom thou hast made with thy hands: take care, O Lord, of the soul, which thou hast redeemed; I come creeping to thee, wounded with many wounds; but thou most experienced Physician of souls, and Ma●●er of the diseased, canst heal them all: I come, being blinded, but thou canst enlighten me: I come dead unto thee, but thou canst give me life: I come full of leprosy, but thou canst cleanse me: Sprinkle me with Hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. O my God, the God of my life, thy mercy is greater than my sins, thy clemency exceeds all my iniquities. Thou canst forgive more, O Lord, than I can offend; thy mercies are bottomless and numberless; but as many as my sins are, and as great as they are, they are neither bottomless nor numberless. Take me out therefore and deliver me, forgive me my great injustice, take away my stony and hard heart, and create in me a soft and a clean heart, that even in this life I may give thee thanks; let me by my faith and good example bring sinners to thee; and let me glorify thee, and celebrate thee, for these and other thy innumerable blessings for evermore. Amen, my God, be it so, even so be it, my Lord Jesus Christ.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 38.  
Of the greatness and foulness of our sins; and of the Confession of them.  
I Am afraid of my rashness, when I consider with myself what a Majesty I have offended with my sins: when I consider how benign and wonderful a Father I have forsaken, I detest mine own ingratitude: when I consider from how happy a liberty of spirit, into how miserable servitude I have cast myself; I condemn mine own madness, and am wholly displeasing to myself, nor have any other object before my eyes but hell and desperation, namely, that doth terrify my conscience by God's inevitable Justice. I am to be consumed like rottenness; sin is rottenness indeed, for it destroys the beauty of the soul, the sweet savour of a good name, the worth of grace, the relish of glory; it is truly dirt being wallowed therein: we become abominable to honest men, the good Angels, and the just God; It is truly smoke that foretells us that hellfire is not fare from it, and doth drive away the heavenly Dove: It is indeed the Devil's tavern, in which for the price of souls he sells the world the wine of pleasure: it is the dart with which our soul is pierced thorough, and is deprived of all vigour and life: It is true sickness, because it leaves us no health in our flesh, nor from the presence of God's wrath grants us any quietness in our bones: It is truly a Sea, for it swells over our head, and easily swalloweth up our whole body: It is truly a burden, because a sinner is most burdened therewith, and is even pressed down, unto hell itself. But whither shall I go? where shall I withdraw myself? Ah! be merciful unto me, O take pity upon me, according to thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of thy compassions wash away mine iniquities: Against thee, against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; behold I am begotten in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. I have gone astray like a sheep that perisheth: seek out thy lost sheep, O Lord, remember not the faults and transgressions of my youth. O Lord, who understands his own sins? Cleanse me from my secret offences. Enter not into judgement with thy servant, because no man living can be justified before thee: Remember O Lord thy mercies and compassions which have been of old: Remember me according to thy mercies, even for thy goodness sake, O Lord. O Lord be merciful unto mine offences; make thy mercies wonderful, thou who savest those that trust in thee: Turn not thy face from me, nor cast away thy servant in displeasure, for in death no man remembreth thee, nor shall any praise thee in the grave. What profit is in my blood when I descend into corruption? Shall dust give praise unto thee, or set forth thy truth? Regard and hear me, O God, lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death: Set not thy mercies fare from me, for thy mercy and truth do always preserve; in thee O Lord have I trusted, let me never be confounded. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 39  
Of God's readiness to forgive sins; and our thanksgiving for the forgiveness of them.  
WHo can despair of pardon from him, who doth so often in the writings of the Prophets, of his own accord invite sinners to repentance, crying out, That he would not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live? How ready is also his pardon to them that repent: he hath inculcated unto us, by his only begotten Son in many of his Parables; as of the groat that was lost, and found again; the strayed sheep brought back upon the shoulders; but more plainly, by that of the prodigal son, whose very image I am. No man, O God, is so ready to sin, but thou art far more ready in thy good time to pardon our sins. O pitiful, and merciful Lord, slow to anger, and very pitiful! He strives not with us for ever, neither is he always wrath with us: Because as the heaven is higher than the earth, so hath he made his mercies to prevail over me. As fare as the East is distant from the West; so far hath he set my sins from me. As a father taketh pity upon his son, so hath the Lord taken pity upon me; he hath washed me from my iniquity; he hath cleansed me from my sins; he knows whereof we be made; he remembers we are but dust. Why art thou sad, o my soul? and why art thou troubled? return, o my soul, into thy rest, for the Lord hath done thee good: He hath delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears; and my feet from falling. Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven, and whose offences are covered: Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not sin. Rejoice in the Lord, o ye righteous, for praise becometh the Just; taste, and see; for the Lord is sweet: Blessed is the man, that hopeth in him. Bless the Lord, o my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy Name, who is merciful to all thy iniquities, and healeth all thy infirmities, who hath redeemed thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with mercy and pity. His goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord, for evermore. I desire, and beseech thee, o God by the death of thine own son, give me thy Spirit, to purify my heart, and with his grace to strengthen me, that by mine own unadvisedness I fall not thither whence by thy mercy I have been called. Create in me, o God, a new heart, and renew a firm spirit within me; restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, and uphold me by thy free spirit. Wash me daily, by pardoning my daily offences, translate me from the fens of this age, and the mud of this present life, to the excellent kingdom of thy glory, where is neither scab, nor blindness, nor doth any one suffer any unclean issue of blood, nor is any one unclean; where is no farther need of a lavacre, thy glorious body being joined unto our body. Thou must needs fulfil thy promise made, and both finish, and confirm the good work thou hast begun in me; through Christ our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 40.  
Of the worthy preparation to the holy Sacrament.  
I Will make an entrance unto the Altar of God, even to the God that maketh my youth rejoice. Laying aside the garments of my inveterate iniquity, I will renew my youth like an Eagle, and hasten to approach that heavenly banquet. A plentiful and delicate banquet is prepared, which is a medicine to the sick, a way to those that wander, a banquet that comforteth the weak, delights those that are in health, cures sickness, preserves health; a banquet that makes a man more pliant to reproof, more patiented to labour, more zealous to love, more wise to wariness, more ready to obedience, more devout to thanksgiving; a banquet by which our daily sins are forgiven, the powers of Satan expelled, strength given to undertake even martyrdom itself; finally, a banquet by which all good things are brought unto thee, because a man partaking of it, doth even become the same thing he receives. This banquet compared with Ahasuerus his banquet, relisheth fare above it; compare it with the table spread in the Wilderness for the children of Israel, and it refresheth thee far more. For though that Table contained in it the figure of this our Eucharist, when God reigned down Manna for our Fathers in the Wilderness, and they were daily fed with food from heaven, and men did eat Angel's bread, yet they that did eat that bread, did die; but this living bread that is set before thee in this costly banquet, did come from heaven, and hath given life to the world. That Manna came from heaven, this from above the heavens. That being reserved to the next day was full of worms, this is free from all corruption: whosoever shall religiously taste thereof, shall not see corruption. That was given the Fathers after their passage over the red sea, where the Egyptians were drowned, and the Israelites were delivered; so this heavenly Manna can profit none but the regenerate: That corporal bread sustained the ancient people in their passage thorough the Wilderness to the Land of promise; this heavenly food sustains the faithful of these times in their passage to heaven. Moses was Master of their Table, and here Christ is ready at hand, who hath furnished this Table, and blessed it. For it is not man that makes the bread and wine, set on this Table, to be the body and blood of Christ, but Christ himself that is crucified for us; words are uttered by the Priest's mouth, but the things set before thee are consecrated by the power of Christ, who used these words unto his Disciples, This is my Body, this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood, which is shed for you. It is Christ in whom doth dwell all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, who is the power of God, unto whom is given all power in heaven and earth: He, when he was to put an end to the Ceremonies of the Law, would prepare for himself the Passeover; and before he would be condemned to death, and be nailed to the Cross, he was pleased according to the solemnity to celebrate the Passeover, the roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and sour herbs. When this Supper was so prepared, amidst these sacramental dainties, both the old and also the new institutions offered themselves to him; and having eaten the Lamb that the old tradition did set before them, This great Master sets before his Disciples a meat not to be consumed; nor are here the people invited to a banquet made exquisite both by cost and pains, but the nourishment of immortality is given them, differing from common food, keeping the form of a corporeal substance, but by the invisible efficacy of the divine power working in us, and proving Gods especial presence accompanying it. Come hither ye faithful souls, refresh and recollect yourselves, cheer and fill yourselves; join in one by your faith, your remembrance of Christ, with the application of his merits, with hearty thanksgiving for your deliverance, made through his blood; receive the pledge, testimony and assurance of your holy communion and fellowship with Christ your Head; and (by him) with the Father and the Holy Ghost also: increase, cherish, comfort and hold fast the faith of the remission of your sins: your faith is imperfect; perfect it, not only by the hearing of the Word preached, but by using this holy Supper; the Word offers, but this Supper applies Christ unto us. Encourage yourselves to the study of good works. How too often are we hindered, stopped, and grow stupid in performing this work? Here Christ keeps us company, in exhibiting unto us his body and blood: he doth daily more and more mortify in us the body of sin, and begin in us the newness of a spiritual life: perform each to other the offices of concord, peace and love, for we eat the same flesh, we drink the same blood, we are nourished with the same food; we are refreshed with the same drink: we are made one body under the same head; but who hath ever seen the members of one and the same body to disagree, to strive, jar or contend? Cast out rancour, pluck up hatred, purge out the old leaven. The faithful under the Gospel must not be made of leaven: The holy Banquet requires pure and sincere minds: The sweet savour that comes from Christ's scorching upon the Cross, doth concoct all crudities of our carnal senses, and doth harden and settle the affections of the mind; nor let there be any spot in the Sacrament of the holy Church, but pure simplicity and innocence of life in one house, the holy Catholic Church. Christ is offered to the faithful departing out of Egypt, being cleansed in their affections by his blood, in their passage in the red Sea. O Jesus Christ, our omnipotent Lord God, thou Fountain of life and immortality, thou Creator of every visible and invisible thing, that art the eternal Son of the everlasting Father, who of thy abundant goodness in the last times didst take our flesh upon thee, and waste delivered and crucified for us sinful and unthankful creatures; thou by thine own blood hast restored our nature corrupted by sin, and givest me thy flesh for my food: But thou art a fire, and consumest those that be unworthy; destroy me not, my Maker; rather come into the union of my members, into all my sinews, into my reins, into my heart: burn up the sting of my sins, cleanse my soul, sanctify my mind, enlighten my five senses, glue me firmly to thyself in love, always protect and defend me; preserve me from every word and work that may hurt my soul; purge, cleanse, and direct me, adorn, instruct and make me famous; make me the temple of thy Spirit only, and not the habitation of sin; that being made thy house by the entrance of thy holy Communion, all impiety and all evil may fly from me. Let thy holy body be made everlasting Bread unto me: Merciful Lord, let thy precious blood become a remedy of sundry diseases unto me; fearful and wicked wretch that I am, defiled with absurd works, I am unworthy of thy pure body, and heavenly blood: O Christ, do thou make me worthy to be partaker of thee; give me, O Christ, the drops of tears, to wash my filthy heart, that having a pure conscience, I may come in faith and fear to receive thy heavenly gifts. O most merciful Saviour, let thy unspotted body and divine blood be made unto me the participation of thy holy Spirit, eternal life, and a change of my sufferings and miseries. Heale the wounds of my soul, O Lord, and sanctify me throughout, and make me unworthy wretch, worthy to be partaker of thy mystical divine Supper; be it unto thy most vile servant as thou hast promised, and remain in me as thou hast said. For behold I eat thy divine body, and do drink thy blood. Thou Word of God, and God himself, let the flame of thy body enlighten me, that am all obscurity, and let thy blood be also a purgation to my corrupted soul: Sanctify my understanding, soul, heart and body, O my Saviour, and make it worthy, O Lord, to come to these fearful mysteries without being condemned. I shall obtain new effects, and will receive the increase of thy grace, and preservation of my life, by the participation of thy mysteries, O Christ. O holy Word of God, God himself; sanctify me throughly, that am coming to thy divine mysteries. Despise me not, O Christ, when I receive the bread, which is thy body, and whilst (wretch that I am) I am made partaker of thy most pure and fearful mysteries, that they prove not condemnation unto me. But let them be unto me, O Christ, eternal and everlasting life. O Christ, thou Fountain of goodness, let the receiving of thy immortal mysteries, become light and life unto me, and cause the avoiding of vicious affections, and the increase of heavenly virtues in me, O thou only Goodness, that I may glorify thee. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 41.  
Of those things which are to be meditated upon after the receiving of the Sacrament of the Supper.  
LEt thy servant speak thine own Word in thy ears, that thou be not angry with thy servant, O Lord my King: Thou hast slain thy Sacrifices, thou hast mingled thy wine, and prepared thy Table; thou hast sent forth thy maidens, that they might invite to thy tower of defence, that if there were any little one, he might come unto thee. Thou hast said, Go forth ye daughters of Zion, and behold your King crowned with the Crown wherewith his mother begirt his head in the day of his betrothing, in the day of the gladness of his heart. Thou hast said, O Lord, unto thy servant, Go out quickly into the ways and streets of the city, and bring in hither both the poor and the weak, both the lame and the blind, and compel them to come in, that my house may be full. I being called, came and saw, was led in and tasted; thou turnedst not thyself away from thy servant, nor saidst thou, Thou shalt not see my face. Thou hast showed thyself unto me, my Comforter; I beheld thee, thou Light of mine eyes; I felt the joy of spirit, and was touched with gladness of heart: Thou didst prepare great things for me, O my Delight and sweet content. O Lord my God, my Life, and sole Glory of my soul, I have found thee out; O thou Desire of my heart, I have held thee fast, O thou Love of my soul. O let me retain thee, thou Life of my soul; I will love thee, O Lord, my Strength, my Castle, my Refuge, and my Deliverer. Let me love thee, my God, the Tower of my might, and my pleasing hope in all my tribulations. I will enbrace thee, who art that Good, without which nothing can be good: I will enjoy thee the Best, without whom nothing is best; I will exalt thee my God and King, and will bless thy Name for ever and ever: every day will I praise thee, and bless thy Name for ever and ever. The Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised, and of his greatness there is no end: Generation from generation shall praise thy works, and shall declare thy power, shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holiness, and shall tell of thy wonderful works. They shall break forth in remembrance of thy abundant sweetness, and shall exult in thy righteousness. O merciful and pitiful Lord, patiented and full of compassion! the Lord is sweet to all, and his mercies are over all his works. All thy works O Lord, do praise thee, and thy Saints do bless thee, they speak of the glory of thy Kingdom, and tell of thy power; for thou art my true and living God, my great King, my guide to my Country, my true light, my holy sweetness, my true life, my excellent wisdom, my pure simplicity, my peaceful concord, my safe protection, my good portion, my everlasting safety, my great mercy, my strongest patience, my unspotted Sacrifice, my holy Redemption, my firm hope, my perfect Charity, my true Resurrection, my life eternal, my most happy ever enduring exultation, and most blessed vision. Thou my God, wast pleased, for no merits of mine, but only by vouchsafing me thy mercies to satisfy thy unworthy servant with the precious body and blood of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. What manner of food? What drink was this? O the memorial of the Lords death. What shall I repay unto the Lord for all that he hath bestowed upon me? O know, O Lord my King, in that thou hast created me, I own myself unto thee; and in that thou hast redeemed me, yea, and waste made man for me, I should owe thee more than myself, if I had it; by how much more thou art greater than he is for whom thou hast given thyself; behold, though I have more, yet cannot I give thee that I have without thee: But do thou receive me, and draw me unto thee, that I may become thine by love and imitation, as I am thine by creation and redemption: Let my life itself be thine, O Lord; I freely offer up my whole self unto thee; let my whole spirit, my whole heart, my whole body, and my whole life, even my sweet life itself live unto thee; for thou hast wholly delivered me, that thou mightest wholly possess me; thou hast wholly refreshed me, that I might be wholly thine own. But how canst thou have me, except this holy Communion may not prove a guilt to draw down punishment upon me, but an wholesome intercession to obtain pardon, the armour of faith, and shield of good will, except it may be an emptying of my sins, a banishing of lust and concupiscence, an increase of charity and patience, humility and obedience, a firm defence against the slights of all our enemies, as well visible as invisible, a perfect appeasing as well of my carnal as spiritual perturbations, a fast cleaving to thee, the true and only God? Ah let me obtain these things of thee, who art most merciful, and hast commanded me therefore to pray for them, that I might obtain them, and might come to that unspeakable Banquet; wherein thou with thy Son, and the holy Spirit, art to thy holy Ones a true Light, full Content, everlasting Joy, perfect Delight, and absolute Felicity Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 42.  
Of beginning the day holily.  
I Am awaked out of sleep, O my soul, I shall also one day awake out of the grave; which perpetually consider of with thyself. The Sun breaks forth of the clouds, and day succeeds in the place of night: one day also shall break forth the eternal day, after the long lasting nights are past, and the Sun of righteousness, Christ Jesus, shall return with his glorious light, whom many thousands of Saints shall accompany, shining most beautifully, and fare above the brightness of our Sun. So prepare thyself, O my soul, in this entry, that in that day thou mayst have admittance into the house itself; nor that the Sun may hid his face from thee, and thou be involved in thick darkness. Let no flattering of gain, no invitation of honour, nor delight of pleasure so seduce thee, that thou lose the gladness of that day. Let the brute beasts be they that do only behold the light of this our Sun, do thou with the eyes of faith behold the light of that day. Remember, O man, that the devil like a roaring lion, walketh about night and day, seeking whom he may devour. Dost thou doubt whether he be about thy bed when thou art buried in sleep, and that he than labours to devour thee? but who resisteth him? why thou weak wretch, art laid prostrate before him: It is the only keeper of Israel that neither slumbers not sleeps, that preserveth thee. Dost thou hear the cock crowing? think upon Peter, who though he was eminent in the dignity of being an Apostle, and did hear the great Doctor, the Son of God, yet did he greatly err. What shall become of thee, thinkest thou? except by thy fervent prayers thou daily stick close unto God. Think thou hearest that heavenly trumpet which the Angel, the Judge's companion, shall blow, and consider how thou couldst stand before that Judge if he were now come, and did presently exact thee to appear before him. Remember God is about and in thy bed, and by his omnipresence doth look into all thy thoughts, and sees all thy behaviour and actions. Call to mind the holy troops of Angels, which by night defend thee, stand about thee, observe thy sleeping and waking, and that rejoice at thy holiness, and grieve at thy ungodliness. Live therefore so as if thou didst live in the sight of God and his Angels, and thus, if thou be'st wise, believe thou dost. When thou puttest on thy , remember they are the cover of sin, nor is there any cause thou shouldest be proud of them. What I pray is most of our ? are they not the rejected things, the excrements and spoils of beasts? it is madness therefore for a man that is endued with reason, to be proud, and to brag of the relics, the excrements and spoils of brute beasts. Thou cloathest thy body with a covering; but think this more necessary far that thou defend thy soul with the most pure robe of Christ's righteousness, and that thou put it on, not by a lukewarm faith. He that clotheth not himself in this manner, shall be tormented with everlasting cold. Ah! with how many precious  have many covered their bodies, whose souls remain cold and naked! Consider, that God's mercy and goodness are daily renewed, and that he doth daily, as it were, bestow a new life upon us, whilst he repairs the power of our senses, and restores thee the enlivening heat of the Sun. Let therefore no creature divert thy prayers, let no thoughts arise in thee, before thou hast given God his praises. O Omnipotent Lord God, that art the Trinity in Unity, that art always in all things, and hadst thy being from all eternity, and shall be always in all things; O thou my God, take pity upon me, that I may speak. The house of my soul is strait, but do thou enlarge it, that thou mayest come into it: it is ruinous, but do thou repair it. There are in it those things which may offend both thine ear and eye. I know & acknowledge it, but who shall make it clean? or to whom else shall I call but to thyself? Cleanse me, O Lord, from my hidden offences, and pardon me my open sins. I believe, and therefore I speak, thou knowest it. My sins do plead against me before thee; pardon me therefore the impiety of my heart, and cast my sins into the depth of the sea, that they confound me not in this world, nor condemn me in the world to come. O God that art for ever blessed, I do this day, and at all times; commend unto thee, and into thy powerful hand, my soul, my body, all my thoughts, all my affections, my words, my actions, all my outward and inward things, my senses and understanding, my memory, faith and belief, that thou mightest keep them day and night, hours and minutes. Hear me, holy Trinity, and preserve me from all evil, and from all scandal, and from all deadly sin, and from all the snares and assaults of the devil, and from my visible and invisible enemies. Expel out of me all boasting of mind, and increase in me contrition of heart: lessen my pride, and perfect in me true humility: give me tenderness to weep, and soften my hard and stony heart. Teach me, O Lord, to do thy will, because thou art my God. Give me, O Lord, a heart, that may stand in awe of thee, a mind to love thee, an understanding to know thee, ears to hearken to thee, eyes to see thee. Take pity upon me, O God, take pity upon me, and look down upon me from the holy throne of thy Majesty. Lord Jesus, give concord to thy Ministers, peace and quietness to Princes that judge righteously, repentance unto those that live unjustly. I beseech thee, O Lord, for the holy universal Church, for the Clergy and Laity, for all Christian Governors, and all that believe in thy Name, that labour in thy holy Word, that they may obtain perseverance in good works. Grant O Lord, eternal King, unto young men chastity, to those of riper years holiness, and unto all innocency; pardon to the repentant, succour to the Orphans and Widows, to the poor protection, to the travellers a happy return, comfort to them that mourn; eternal rest to the faithful, a safe haven to those that rove upon the sea, to the better sort of Christians that they may persevere in goodness, to the weaker sort that they may grow better, to them that commit wickedness and still offend thee, that they speedily correct their ways, with me a miserable sinner. O most sweet and most merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, thou Son of the living God, thou Redeemer of the world, that art amongst us all, and in all things, be merciful to me a sinner. Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 43.  
Of ending the day religiously.  
AS nights and days have their returns, so let the thought and celebration of God's mercy have their returns in thy heart. For therefore are the vicissitudes of light and darkness granted us, that there might be an interchangeable restoring of labour and rest, and that each of them might have its fit and appointed time. If God would have made the Sun to stand still, there must have been a perpetual day. Also if the stars had had no motion, who can doubt but their must have been an everlasting night? but he gave them motion that there might be changes of nights and days, and such various motions, that there might be mutual vicissitudes of light and darkness, in which, alternate spaces of labour and of rest might appear unto us. Bless the Lord, O my soul, that hath appointed the Moon for its determinate seasons, and the Sun to know her going down that it may be night, wherein all beasts of the forest steal abroad; the young Lions roaring after their prey, do seek their food, and when the Sun ariseth, they retire themselves, and lay themselves down in their dens: but man goeth forth to his work and his tillage until the evening. How ample, O God, are thy works! how wisely hast thou made them all! how full is the earth of thy possessions! Consider well, O man, what thy work and labour hath been this day. If thy endeavours have been honest, ascribe them to God; if thou hast learned any good, impute it to God; but if thou hast done any evil, and hast offended either God or thy neighbour, humbly crave pardon for it, nor sleep the sleep of oblivion or security with thy sins upon thee. That is an accursed and darksome night, in which thou goest to bed without reconciling thyself unto God. Cast up thy reckoning, and wipe out thy scores, being to account with thy God: and if thou find thy account fair (which, alas, seldom or never falls out) give praises to the Lord; but if it appear soul, cast thyself grovelling at the feet of thy Lord, and implore his unspeakable mercy, that if thou wert even this night to be called to his judgement seat, thou mightest by it be excused. If thou have moved any man to anger and indignation, desire his pardon, nor let the Sun set under this troubled cloud: If he forgive thee, beware afterwards; but if he refuse thee pardon, fail not earnestly to beg of God forgiveness of thy offence. And thou, do that willingly to another, that thou wouldst have another do to thee. Revenge not thine own quarrel; for God hath reserved vengeance to himself. Surely he must needs be accounted very bold, that dares wrest God's sword out of his hand. The Heathens were wont to do this when the day was ended, and they retired themselves to their rest, they asked their soul, what wound of it was that day healed? what vice it had resisted? in what part it was grown better? Let anger cease, and it will be more temperate; let thy soul know that she must daily come before her Judge. What shouldest thou that art a Christian think of? is not thy soul also a secret searcher and censurer of thee? she knows thy manner, she retires into the closet of her thoughts, and sees what she hath secretly wished for. O heavenly Lord, to whose bottomless goodness and infinite kindness we own all things, that hast given the most clear light of the day as well to the bad as to the good, to undertake the works of their calling, and hast lovingly afforded us the friendly silence of the night to refresh the strength of our bodies, and to wipe out the cares of the mind, I beseech thee that those things which I have this day committed, either through humane negligence, or inbred malice, may for thy unspeakable mercy's sake be forgiven me; and vouchsafe unto me also, that this night (by thy blessing) may be happy unto me; and thou being my pure keeper and protector, I may be free in it from the nightly illusions of the devil, that my sleep make both my body and soul more cheerful the next day to serve thee. And because in this life there is not an hour wherein we can assure ourselves from the coming of that evening when thou shalt come, and the dead be raised at the sounding of thy holy Angel's trumpet, I beseech thee that thou wilt enlighten the eyes of my soul, that my faith may not be extinguished, and I sleep in everlasting death, but that I may rest in thee, in whom even the dead do live, who livest, and raignest, for ever more, Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 44.  
Of Death, the last Judgement, Hell, and Happiness.  
IN all thy words remember thy last things, and thou shalt never sin; no artificial medicine, nor any doctrine doth so overcome pride, so conquer malice, so quench lust, or so trample upon the vanities of this world, as the remembrance of our last things. What are those our last things? let others here dispute what they be, but let the godly weigh the matter diligently with themselves; thy Death, the last Judgement, the glory of Heaven, the pains of Hell; these are the things thou must meditate of. What comes more suddenly and when we less think of it than Death? We die daily, for part of our life is daily diminished, and even while we increase, doth our life grow less; the time that passeth away, is lost; we even divide this very day we now enjoy, between death and ourselves. Wretched man, why disposest thou not of thyself every hour? Think thou mayest now die, because thou knowest thou must die: call to mind that the time is coming upon the wings, wherein thy eyes must sink into thy head, the veins of thy body shall be cracked in pieces, and thy heart shall be cleft with sorrow; remember thine own frailty, remember the miserable estate of thy pilgrimage; call to mind in the bitterness of thy soul thy years past, and the dangers of man's life. Amidst the most uncertain things of man, yet is death most certain; yet what is found more uncertain than the hour of death? it takes no pity upon want, it reverenceth not riches; and to conclude, it spareth neither wisdom, manners, nor age; this only is the difference, that death standeth at the old man's door, and for the young man he lies in ambush; every one therefore ought well to fear this last day, because every one in the day of Judgement shall be judged for such as he shall be found at his day of death. Upon this only moment of our life depends eternity that hath no end! What is more terrible than judgement? and what can be imagined more intolerable than hell? What will a man fear, if he fear not these things, if horror seize not on him, and if dread do not cause him to tremble! O man, if thou have lost the shame which belongs to so noble a creature, if thou be not sensible of the sorrows of affliction, which is also a property that belongs to mortal creatures, yet lose not at least thy fear. Fear therefore, O man, because in death thou must be parted from all the good things of this thy body, and the sweet marriage knot of thy united soul and body must be cut in sunder by this most bitter divorce. Fear, because in that terrible Judgement thou must stand before him into whose hands it is a most fearful thing to fall, even before such an Examiner from whom nothing can be hid; if iniquity be found in thee, thou must be banished the society of bliss and glory, and be severed from the number of the blessed. Fear, because in hell thou must be exposed to insufferable and everlasting torments, and receive thy portion with the devil and his angels, even in the everlasting fire prepared for them. Dost thou not yet fear the face of the Judge, which is even terrible to the angelical Powers? Dost not thou tremble at the wrath of that powerful One, at his angry countenance and his sharp words? Art thou not afraid of the teeth of the infernal beast, of the belly of hell, of those yell, forerunners of our devourings? Are we not yet afraid of the gnawing worm, scorching flames, smoke and vapour, brimstone and stormy tempests? O! who shall give water to my head, and a fountain of tears unto mine eyes, that by my weeping I may prevent that weeping and gnashing of teeth, and those hard bands of hands and feet, and that weight of oppressing, fettering, burning and yet not consuming chains; and that I may come to thee, my Lord, and my God? Yet if any be so cursedly obdurate, so fierce and steely, that he cannot be troubled with the fear of ill; yet who can be so mad and senseless that he will not be touched with the desire of good things? There are laid up endless good things for them that make a godly end; even things which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor ever entered into the heart of man to conceive, which God hath prepared for those that love him; those things the preparer and worker whereof is God. What things must they be, thinkest thou? The eye hath not seen them, because they are not colour; the ear hath not heard them, for they are not a sound; nor hath it entered into man's heart to conceive them, because the heart of man must ascend unto them. Why labour I then to make my tongue to utter that, which my heart cannot conceive; which is to be believed, and not to be beheld? nay, it is not only invisible, but also unspeakable. O Lord Jesus Christ, when that most perilous moment approacheth, wherein I shall enter into the way of immortality, then give me a quiet and pleasing repose, that in the true acknowledgement and confession of thy grace, I may yield up my spirit, and my poor soul with peace and gladness, and may deliver it into thy hands; Neither let me be long tormented, as I have a thousand times deserved; and that I may enjoy peace on the earth in my body, and may watch, and be made coheir of the resurrection to life of all the believers, that I may praise and glorify thee with gladness, and may give thee thanks for evermore, for all the innumerable blessings which thou hast bestowed upon me, through the whole space of my pilgrimage. Call me not to an account for my old scores, and remember not the sins of my youth, but be merciful unto me, according to thy great mercies, and sustain me in a firm faith and comfort, even to my last gasp, that neither sin, death, or the devil do me any hurt, nor that my own flesh make me impatient, but that I may enter in unto thee, that I may dwell with thee, and may remain with thee for evermore, Amen.   

CONTEMPT. etc. 45.  
Of Eternity.  
IS it this, that divideth the entrails, parteth the bowels, woundeth the heart, ties the tongue, shutteth the lips, distracteth the senses, and overwhelmes all our members with fear? Rivers slow from our eyes, our cheeks are watered with tears, and all this torrent hath its original from this one word, a terrible word, by the force and threats whereof fear and anguish are bred in us; a word that no day, no voice shall determine, no starlight shall shadow, no constellation shall darken; a word that melts the marrow, and softens, breaks, and even minces the heart and bones, though harder than the Adamant or Marble. This word is Eternity, a word of longer continuance than the Heavens, more terrible than thunder and lightning, or any tempest whatsoever. It is Eternity, that hath neither pause, measure, nor end, and drives on the minds of men (as it were) with goads, and spurs, and pricks; so that they search not after mutable or transitory things. This word hath moved many to pluck of their glittering crowns from their eyrie heads, and to despise the lofty bays, and made them let fall their towering plumes; and putting on a courser habit, to contemplate higher and more divine things. This word doth wholly possess me, nor suffers me to enjoy any increase of content; it infuses into my most disquieted soul care, fear, and grief. O end, most remote from any end! o time without time! O year and no year! O number not to be summed up of any! Descend, descend my soul to hell, not to mix thyself with flames, but to avoid those consuming fires. The wicked might bear it, if it could be so gently dealt with him, that Aetna might be his place of torment, that the Vultures might continually gnaw his liver, that the Spiders might wove Cobwebs in this throat that he might be nourished with aconit, that he might be tormented with boiling pitch, that he might drink nought but dragon's blood, that he might be fed with glowing coals, that his body might be clothed with a perpetual scurf, that he might be broiled on a gridiron, that he might be pierced with spears, be bound to a stake to be burnt, that he might be plucked in pieces by wild horses, that he might be choked with brimstone, that he might be stretched on the wrack, that he might be continually pining to death for want of meat and drink; that he might be butchered with pugniards: that wicked wretch might suffer this end for a thousand year's continuance, yea for thousand of thousands added to that thousand, if there might be hope at length of an end of tormenting. How great soever a torment or torture be, or how great a vexation, yet a hoped for end doth make them easier to be borne of us; it is the eternity of them that doth truly wrack and torture us. It is that that makes the pains of hell, it is that that makes plagues to be plagues indeed, that gathers all punishments into one, and does not only double, but infinitely multiply the flames thereof. Alas! alas! what is Eternity? What Geometry can measure it? It is not days or months, or years, that can set a period to it, not hundreds of thousand revolutions of times, not millions of millions of Olympiades'. Yet the passage to this never ending eternity, is wrought by the flying unstableness of a few days. The sun riseth and setteth; but they that come to this, do never return; here the beginning is the end, and the end the beginning. O life worse than any death! O perpetual dying, without a death! thou shall be hurried thither, who ever thou art, that dost here glut thy soul with pleasures, that dost follow after the corruptions of thy flesh, that givest unto a harlot thy members which Christ hath redeemed with his blood, that stretchest thy throat with quaffing, and stuffest thy paunch with gluttonous eating. For what shall that fire devour, but thy sins? The more thou sinnest, the more fuel thou storest to be consumed of that fire: there are many descents thither, but never an ascent from thence; he that once falls thither, must always abide there, and is lost without any hope of succour. He that is once numbered amongst the inhabitants of heaven, shall always rejoice; and he that is once joined in company with the furies of hell, shall always be affrighted. The joys of the blessed souls shall be without number or measure; the torments of the accursed souls shall be without meats and bounds, without mean or remedy. After years infinite and without number are passed, they are still compelled to think that these are but only the beginnings of punishments: One hour of punishment there shall be more grievous to us than a hundred years spent here in repentance; the coals shall not there be dead, but glowing; no abatement, but increase of heat. The punishments shall increase, the punishers shall be exasperated, the place of torment shall be enlarged, and the number of the tormentors increased. Let the citizens of Heaven rejoice, and let those above for ever live; let the damned for ever mourn, & those in hell for ever be dying. Tread the path to heaven while it is open, run in that way while it lies fair before thee: the path shall be shut up, and the way destroyed, if thou once go out of it: dogs shall tear the Goats, but God shall refresh the Lambs; the Hawk shall pray upon the Crows; but God shall preserve his Doves. Whilst the guest of Heaven is filled with delight and gladness, what can be set before those that lament in filth and corruption? let those that are there famished, beg for crumbs, & for fragments, to stop their querulous throats, they shall not receive their miserable complaints; They shall be commanded for ever to drink their own tears, and to cool their throats with the continual waters flowing from their eyes; their drink shall be a torrent of grief, that shall never grow dry, a fire in which they are consumed; a pitcher of gall shall be mixed with their tears, which shall neither be drawn dry, or broken insunder; the gall shall flow continually, and the guest shall continually be urged to drink. Ah! how much better would it be to thirst for ever, than continually to be destroyed with this drink, and perpetually to groan and tremble. If thou once enter in, thou shalt never get out; if the enemy of the blessed do once get possession of thee, he will be for ever thine host; first thou shalt be presented with dainties; afterward, expect as long as thou wilt, thou shalt ne-never see any; this table, shall be always furnished, and never empty of ill meats; to morrow, to morrow thou shall suppose it may be better, but every moment shall be as to day. To day as thou readest, or hearest these things, ruminate diligently thereon, and repent fervently, nor expect or think thou will call to morrow for mercy. O eternity! he is lost for ever that is not always mindful of eternity! O man, O soul of man, who hath both reason and meditation granted her, if the love of God cannot lay hold of thee, yet let at least the fear of the judge, the horror of the grave, the snares of death, the pains hell, the burning fire, the gnawing worm, the stinking brimstone, the scorching flames, and all other evils, and the eternity of them restrain and keep thee in awe; for the space of eternity is so great, that if any damned wretch should drop but one tear every thousand years from his eyes, yet would those tears come to be more water before that space should have an end than the whole world could contain. O Eternity!  
FINIS.   

A Table of the Contemplations, Sighs and Groans of a Christian.  

1OF the greatness of God's love. pag. 1  
2 Of the original nobility of man, and his falling away from it. pag. 4  
3 Of man's departure from God; the deceits of the devil; of God's omnipresence and clemency. pag. 8  
4 Of the council of the Trinity concerning man's Creation, and of the end of his Creation. pag. 13  
5 Of Paradise, and of casting forth of man from thence. pag. 19  
6 Of the Serpent the deceiver pag. 24  
7 Of God's Providence and Preservation. pag. 30  
8 Of the clothing of Adam, the first man. pag. 38  
9 Of Noah's Ark, Crow and Dove. pag. 42  
10 Of jacob's Ladder. pag. 46  
11 Of the most tender care of God over his people, to be collected from his care for his people Israel in the Wilderness. pag. 50  
12 Of the Tabernacle of the children of Israrel; of the Cloud wherein God's especial presence was manifested; of the Mercy Seat; Of the Ark; of the Manna; and of Aaron's Rod. pag. 62  
13 Of the Conception of Christ. pag. 66  
14 Of Christ's Nativity. pag. 72  
15 Of the Name Jesus. pag. 79  
16 Of Christ, and of our Circumcision. pag. 87  
17 Of the Passion of Christ. pag. 92  
18 Of the first and second Word of our Lord spoken upon the Cross. pag. 104  
19 Of the third and fourth Word of Christ uttered upon the Cross. pag. 110  
20 Of the fifth Word of Christ uttered upon the Cross. pag. 115  
21 Of Christ's sixth Word uttered upon the Cross. pag. 119  
22 Of the seventh and last Word of Christ uttered upon the Cross. pag. 124  
23 Of the opening of Christ's side. pag. 129  
24 Of Christ's burial. pag. 133  
25 Of Christ's Resurrection. pag. 137  
26 Of Christ's Ascension. pag. 144  
27 Of the sending down of the holy Ghost. pag. 150  
28 Of the mystery of the Trinity. pag. 157  
29 Of shunning curiosity in things not revealed unto us. pag. 163  
30 Of the custody of Angels. pag. 171  
31 Of Baptism. pag. 179  
32 Of a Christians practice. pag. 186  
33 Of the true dignity of a Christian. pag. 193  
34 Of necessary Rules to lead a godly life concerning our thoughts. pag. 207  
35 Of necessary Rules to lead a holy life concerning our words. pag. 115  
36 Of Rules necessary to lead a godly life touching our Actions. pag. 225  
37 Of the exceeding number of God's benefits, and of man's contempt of them by the multitude of his sins. pag. 234  
38 Of the greatness and foulness of our sins; and of the Confession of them. pag. 355  
39 Of God's readiness to forgive sins; and our thanksgiving for the forgiveness of them. pag. 258  
40 Of the worthy preparation te the holy Sacrament. pag. 261  
41 Of those things which are to be meditated upon after the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. pag. 269  
42 Of beginning the day holily. pag. 274  
43 Of ending the day religiously. pag. 280  
44 Of Death, the last Judgement, Hell, and Happiness. pag. 284  
45 Of Eternity. pag. 289   
FINIS.