and yet as much as hee requireth and more then from a great many the more their shame hee receiueth But let those that feele these great effects of grace in the goodnes of the liuing God say with the holy Prophet Psalme 136. verse 1. be thankfull to the Lord and speake good of his name for his mercie endureth for euer but since so infinite is his goodnes in all things and to al things and specially to man aboue all things let me onely wish al men for their own good to acknowledge all goodnes onely to bee in the Lord the onely Author and substance thereof whatsoeuer is good in heauen or earth is onely a free guifte of his grace that must onely work to his glory the election of man to be an effect of loue in the grace of his goodnes and not to dreame of merite but to giue glory vnto mercie for the benefit of such a blessing as being freely giuen to man through our Lord Iesus Christ by his merite is onely confirmed to the eternitie of his glory and thus much touching the goodnes of God Touching the wisdome of God the third Consideration TO speake of the wisdome of God is so farre aboue the capacitie of man that it is rather with all humble reuerence to be honored and admired then either to be spoken of or considered yet for so much as the creature doth giue glorye to his Creator in praising and with admiration beholding the excellent workmanshippe in the varietie of his workes and finding it so farre aboue the reach of reason as must noedes proceede from a vertue of diuine grace hee doth in contemplation acknowledge a wisdome of that excellencie that maketh him saie with the Prophet Dauid in the 104. Psalme 24. verse Oh how wonderfull are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them but though the wisdome of God as it is in it selfe is an other himselfe and not to be comprehended of any but himselfe yet the effectes thereof in all things doe giue him so greate a praise as make him aboue all things to receiue the highest of all glory for to enter into particulers let vs beginne to looke into his creation in the power whereof hee sheweth no small parte of wisdome as in the brightnes of the Sun Moon Stars and the cleernesse of the skie the courses of the Planets the motions of the Celestiall powers in the opperations of the elements in the perfection of proportiōs in the diuersity of creatures in the wōder of arte and quicknesse in working what excellent arte hath he taught nature in painting all the Trees fruits and flowres of the earth yea and all the haires skinnes feathers and scales of beasts fowles and fishes the eeuennes purenes of euery one of whome being truly considered wil startle the best witts in the due consideration of that onely point of wisdome Againe what a further secret cunning hath he taught nature in perfuming so many Trees hearbs and flowres all growing out of this darke and dusky earth by what wisdome he doth vnite the people and hauing deuided the languages how hee giues the meanes of vnderstanding how hee makes the fishes paths and the shippes passages through the seas the birds walkes through the ayre and the Salamanders dwelling in the fire and the wormes howses in the earth how admirable is this wisdome that so worketh all things by it selfe To speake of the excellency of Arts in the secrecie of their working what can it finally approoue but an admiration of knowledge in the maister of them But hauing with Salomon found by the light of grace and experience of labor that al things are vanity except onely the vertue of that grace that enricheth the soule with inestimable treasure what a pointe in wisdome is this not onely to instruct the soule of man in knowledge of natures with their qualities and effects but through the power of it selfe to breede a kinde of spirituall knowledge in the apprehension of Faith that in contemplation of heauenly treasure maketh trash of the whole worlde Oh superexellent exllencie in wisdome that frameth the heart vnto the soule to seeke out the waie of life and in the prison of the flesh preserues it from the perill of infection that man being created the Image of perfection can neuer be destroyed by the venome of corruption but in the daies of iniquitie being guided by grace escaping the snares of hel shall fly to the ioyes of heauen Consider that if man by the wisdome of God attaine to this excellent knowledge how to walke through the passages of nature to make vse of them for his seruice to withstand the temptation of sinne to receiue the instructions of grace to dispise the delights of the worlde to bridle the affections of the flesh and ouercomming the power of death to finde the path vnto life if this I say and more then can be said by the instruction of the diuine wisdome man hath power to attaine vnto thinke how infinite is that wisdome from whome only commeth the essence of this and all knowledge in whome it onely liueth and without onely whome all is but meere ignorance And since it is written that the beginning of wisdome is the feare of God learne onely that lesson and feare to be otherwise learned Paule thought he knew enough in Christ him crucified and enough wise shalt thou be if thou canst applie his knowledge to thy comfort But to returne breifely to speake of the wisdome of God it is in the heauens so highe in the earth so large in the water so deep in the aier so secret and in the fire so powerfull in all things so exquisite and in perfectiōs so infinite that I will onely in the admiration thereof giue glory to the same and saie with the Apostle 1. Corin. chapter 3. verse 19. The wisdome of the worlde is foolishnesse before God And againe with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 104. verse 24 Oh Lord how excellent are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Psalme 139. verse 6. Such knowledge is too excellent for mee O all ye workes of the Lorde praise him and magnifie him for euer but since so many and so infinite are the praises that may worthyly bee giuen vnto it I cannot so leaue off but I must speake a little more of the consideration of it for the power of it It maketh all things for the knowledge of it it knoweth all things for the direction of it it ordereth all thinges for the goodnesse of it it is good in and to all things for the greatnesse of it it comprehendeth all things for the grace of it it is gratious in all good things and for the maiestie of it it is glorious aboue all things for in the power of it is the life of vertue in the life of it is the mercie of loue in the loue of it is the blessing of grace and in the grace of it is the eternitie of
which his glory doth contain where such varieties as well of the formes as natures of creatures aswell in their differences as agreement in number so innumerable as prooue an infinitenes in the power of their creation yet when the greatest of all things vnder the heauens yea the heauens themselues shall waxe olde as doth a garment and as a vesture shal be chāged how great is his power who shall loose no part of his grace but increase infinitely in his glory Who hath spand the heauēs but the finger of his hand who hath settled the earth but the word of his mouth who hath digged the greate deep but the wisdome of his will Looke vp the heauens they are the works of his hands look downe to the earth it is the worke of his word beholde the Seas how they are obedient to his will now to beholde in the Sunne the light of the daye the Moone and the Starres as it were the lampes of the night yet these so keepe their courses in a continuall order that one is not hurtfull to another but all and euery one in their seruice to man performe their dueties to their Creator Doth not the consideration of these obiectes to our eyes strike an impression in our hearts of an admirable power in the greatnesse of his workmanship Again to behold the thicke cloudes whereby the Sun is obscured the boisterous tempestious windes wherby the highest Caedars are shaken and the terrible lightning and thunders that amaze the hearts of the beholders are not these great proofes of a great power But let vs looke downe a little lower vppon the earth and consider how it is possible that so great and huge a Masse shold be carried in such a circūference Again the world of great huge trees in the woods with great and strange wilde beastes in the wildernes the one to beare fruit the other to feede and breede as it were to an infinite increase yet place and foode enough for all Again to beholde the raging Seas how they roare against the bankes of the earth to whose boundes they are limitted to cōsider of the great huge fishes that make their walks in these watry pathes are not all these spectacles great aparāt proofes of a moste great and admirable power Again to note the great and stout Foules that with the force of their winges make their passage through the ayre yet neither the lights of the heauēs the creatures in the earth nor seas nor birds in the ayre shall lōger retain their places then stādeth with the pleasure of the Almightie Oh how admirable is that greatnes to whom all things are in such obedience which in him onely hauing their being are onely at his will in their disposing But let me come a little lower to thee Oh man compounded of the worst matter the very slyme of the Earth how great a power is in thy God that hath created thee not by his worde onely as he did all other creatures in the Earth but aboue them all in a Diuine nature of grace so neere vnto himselfe as that he woulde in the greatnes of his loue cal thee his Image to this Image of himselfe giue so great a power ouer all his creatures that both Sunne Moone and Starres in the heauens the beasts in the fielde the birdes in the aire the fishes in the Sea the Trees in the woods and the mineralles in the earth shoulde all be subiect to the disposing of thy discretiō obedient to thy commaund Hath he not made the great horse to cary thee the great Lyon to be led by thee the Beare the Wolfe the Tygre and the Dogge yea withall other beastes to stand affraid at the frowne of thy countenance yea doth he not coward their spirits to become seruiceable to thy cōmaund doth not the Faulcon stoope her pitch to come downe to thy fist and make her fight at the Fowle to feede thy hunger or pleasure doth not the Dog leaue his kennell and make his course at the Deere for thy food or thy sport doth not the fish come out of the deepe waters and hang vppon thy baite for thy profit or thy pleasures what a greatnesse is this to haue this commaund ouer so many creatures but againe consider withall how much greater is that infinite greatnesse in thy Creator that hath giuen such greatnesse to his Creature Againe consider withall the greatnesse of his glorie and glorye of his greatnesse that his Angelles tremble at his brightnesse if hee touch the hilles they shall smoake and the Mountaines shall melt at his presence and no man can see him and liue so greate is his Brightnesse as no eye can beholde so pure his essence as exceedes the sence of nature so deepe his wisdome as is vnsearchable in reason so infinit his perfection as surpasseth the power of consideration and therefore let vs consider that in regarde of that Almightie power in his greatnesse the greatest yea and all power without him is so greate a smalnesse as nothing can be lesse Againe let vs in admiration of his greatnes and knowledge of his goodnes consider whom we are to thinke on how we are to thinke of him what we are to thinke of our selues without him and what we are onely in him For the first whō we are to thinke on is the incomprehensible Maiestie of all powers the biginner of all times the Creator of all thinges the Cōmaunder of al natures the disposer of al properties the life of all beings and the endles glory of al graces absolute in his power resolute in his will incomparable in his wisdome and admirable in his worke thus I saye let vs consider whome wee are to thinke of not a Creature but a Creator not a King but a King of Kinges not a power but a power of powers and not an Angell but GOD now howe shall wee thinke of him with feare and trembling and remember the sayings of Mathew Chapter 10. verse 28. Feare not him that can destroy the bodie but feare him that can destroye both body and soule And therefore when wee fall into sinne let vs feare the greatnesse of his wrath and the greate power in his furie for though hee fedde Elias in the Wildernesse by the Rauens and preserued Daniel in the Den from the Lyons made the Dogges licke the sores of Lazarus and made the Sunne to stay his course at the prayer of Iosuah yet with the wicked he maketh his Creature in the vengeance of his wrath tooke another course for the Lyons deuoured the false Prophets The Beares came out of the wood to destroy the children that mocked the Prophet the dogs fed vppon Iesabell and the darkenesse blinded the Sodomites till fire came downe from Heauen to consume them Consider therfore I say whom wee are to thinke on in one word which concludeth all that can be spoken God not man for in God is all greatnesse without whome
Glorie who seeketh it shall finde it who findeth it shall loue it who loueth it shall liue in it who liueth in it shall ioy in it and who so ioyeth in it shall be blessed by it It is brighter then the Sunne purer then Golde sweeter then the honie and the honie combe and for the worth of it it is more worth then the whole worlde it beautifies nature it rectifieth reason it magnifies grace and glorifieth loue it loueth humilitie it aduancâ—th vertue it enricheth knowledge and maintaineth honour it laboureth in heauen for such as from heauen are preserued for heauen to bring them to heauen in somme it is where it is the blisse of nature the honour of reason the light of life and the ioye of loue The elect loue her the Saints honour her God onely hath her in summe so much may be said of her and so much more good theÌ„ can be said or thought is in her that fearing with the deuine light of my praise to obscure the glory of her worthynesse I will onely wish the worlde to seeke her the godly to finde her the gratious to loue her the vertuous to serue her the faithfull to honour her and all the creatures in heauen and earth to praise her and so much touching the consideration of the wisdome of God The fourth Consideration touching the loue of God OH who coulde with the eyes of wisdome in the humilitie of the hearte looke into the vertue of that grace that liueth in the loue of the Almightie should finde that sence of sweetnes that should rauish the soule of vnderstanding but though it bee in it selfe so gracious and in grace so glorious as exceedeth the exceeding oâ— all praise yet as a Mole-hill tâ— a mountaine a Flie to an Eagle or an Ante to an Elephant leâ— me with the poore widdow put in my myte into the treasurie in humilitie of my hearâ— to speake of the life of my soule which being onely in the loue of the liuing God let me speake a little in the coÌ„sideration of the same that the vngratefull world seeing their lacke of grace may blush at their blindnes be ioyful of a better light where beholding the beautie that rauisheth the soules of the beloued they shall find the loue that is the ioy of the blessed touching the which let me by degrees speake of such points as I find most necessarie in this consideration â—et vs first I say consider this first â—oint of the loue of God that â—efore we were created for his â—eruice wee were elected in his â—oue then to make an Image to it selfe yea as it were another it selfe for the first Romans 8. Iacob haue I loued euen before he had done good or euill There is election prooued in loue When the Angell saluted Elizabeth with the message of her conception was it not of Iohn the baptist who was sent to pronounce the word of the Lord to make streight his way before him and what greater proofe of loue then to electe him to such a message againe doth not Christ the Sonne of God praye to his Father that as hee is one with his Father so his maye be one with him Oh how can there be so greate a proofe of the election of loue in Christe as by his loue to be made one with him Looke I saie into the excellencie of this incomparable loue in God towards man first to make him to his Image and not onely by his worde as by which he made all other creatures but as it were by a consent or consultation of the Trinitie about an especiall worke to the pleasing of the Deitie as it is written Let vs make man in our owne Image according to our likenesse But well may it bee saide that Nullum simile est ideÌ„ for though he were perfect in respect of our corruption yet by his fall it appeareth that the creature was farre shorte of the perfection of the Creator but being falne from that perfection by the venome of temptation into the state of damnation how greate was the loue of God to effect againe by himselfe the blessed worke of his saluation for as it is written GOD so loued the worlde that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to death that all that beleiue in him shal be saued againe looke into the admirable loue of Christe to his beloued to come from the bosome of his Father in heauen to his graue in the earth to leaue the seruice of Angelles to be skoffed of diuelish creatures to leaue the ioyes of Paradise for the sorrowes of the worlde to leaue his Throane in heauen for a maunger on the earth to leaue his seate of iudgemente to suffer death vpon the crosse well might hee say as in respect of his sorrowes for the sinnes of the worlde with the punishement that hee was to endure for the sinnes of others himselfe without sinne when hee felte the extremitie of those paines that in the sweate of Bloud and water prooued the passion of true patience and the life of true loue Vt non est dolor sicut meus sic non est amor sicut meus for indeede he knoweth not nor can he iudge what loue is that in his heart cannot saie in honour of his loue neuer such loue the freinde to die for his enemies the maister to die for his seruants the King to die for beggers the Sonne of God to dye for the sonne of man well maye it be saide neuer such loue to leaue all pleasures to bringe thee to all pleasures to endure all crosses to worke thee all comforts to leaue Heauen for a time to bring thee to Heauen for euer What art thou that in the thought of such loue canst not saie in thy heart in the ioye of thy soule as Nullus dolor sicut eius sic Nullus amor sicuteius as no sorrowe is like to his so no loue is like to his doth not hee truely saie that can say nothing but truth loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this cannot be for a man to lay downe lyfe for his beloued Oh let vs a little meditate vpon this excellent comforte that is vnspeakable in God towards man through his loue was man created the goodlest creature where al other creatures haue their eyes beÌ„t downward to the earth where they seeke their foode man hath a face looking vpwards toward heauen where the soule seeketh foode aboue the flesh Againe through the loue of God was man made the wisest creature to know the varieties of natures to giue names vnto creatures to note the courses of the heauens to till the earth and make his pathes through the seas to deuide the times to distinguish of doubts to search into knowledge and to know the giuer and glory thereof Againe through the loue of God man was made commaunder of all creatures vnder the Sunne Lord of all the earth foreseer of after-times messenger of the worde of God
of blessings and the being of beings and in all effects so neere vnto God himself that as he is in his glory incomprehensible so is the same for the infinite perfection of all worthines inexplicable it droue out of Paradise the disobediente to the comaund of it it made the earth swallowe the murmurers against the will of it it sent fire from heauen to consume the Captaines that came against the seruant of it it deuided the Sea to make a walke for the chosen of it it made the same Sea to drowne the hoast of the enemies of it it sent destruction vpon the Cities that wrought abhomination in the sight of it it drowned the world for sinning against it and hath cursed the Iewes for the death of the beloued of it in summe it is in all so farre beyond all that can be said or thought of it in the infinitenes of excellēce that in humilitie of adoration I will leaue it to the seruice of the wise the loue of the vertuous the honour of the blessed and the admiration of all And thus much for consideration of the glorie of God The second part of consideration concerning man and first touching the weakenesse or smallnesse of man HAuing now set downe a few notes touching the necessarie consideration of the greatnesse goodnesse wisdom loue mercie grace and glory of God Let mee a little speake of the contrarieties in man in mine opinion not vnnecessarie to be considered and first of the weakenesse or smallnesse of man First of his smallenesse touching the substance of his creation it was of the slime of the earth then what could bee lesse or of lesse force quantitye or esteeme Next for the substance of generation what was man before the meeting of his Parents not so much as a thought then which nothing could bee lesse then by the effect of consent What was his substance as in his creation a matter of like moment the quantitie not greate and the force little contained in a little roome bred vp in darkenes with paine and sorrowe fed by the nauil◠without vse of sence or member Then come into the world is in quantitie little in strength meere weaknes naked and feeble like anowne adiectiue that cannot stand alone cryeth for it knoweth not what either paine that it cannot expresse or for want of that it cannot aske for Now continuing long time in this weaknes being come to further yeares what doth it finde but it owne imbecillitie desiring that it cannot haue beholding that it cannot compre hend and enduring that it cannot helpe Subiect to sinne by the corruption of nature by temptation of the flesh by the enchantment of the worlde and the iclousnesse of the Deuill subiect to the burning of the fire to the drowning of the water to the infection of the aire to the swallowing of the earth subiect to sicknesse subiect to care to sorrow to want to wronge to oppression to penurye to ignorance to presumption to tyranye to death so vnable to defend himselfe that a flea will byte him a fly will blinde him a worme will wound him and a gnat will choake him And for his sences his hearing may greeue him his sight may annoye him his speeche may hurt him his feeling may distemper him his smelling may infect him and his tasting may kill him in summe poore thing proud of nothing come of little better then nothing and shall returne to almoste as little a◠nothing muste hunger must thirst must labour must sleepe must loose the vse of his sences and committe himselfe to trust must waxe olde must die cannot chuse hath no power to withstand any of these and though hee haue the commaund of creatures is but himselfe a creature and can no longer liue then to the will of the Creator sees the Sunne cannot behold the brightnesse heare 's the windes knowes not whence they blowe feeles the ayre knowes not how to lay holde of it sees the fire dares not touch it sees a world of earth but possesseth little of it perhappes none of it lookes at Heauen but cannot come at it and in summe as a substance of nothing or if anye thing like a Clocke that no longer mooueth then by the will of the Clockemaker So no longer man then in the wil of his maker what shall this little weake small creature think when he shal in the glasse of true sence beholde the obiect of himselfe and then think vpon the greatnes of his God in whome not onely himselfe but all creatures in heauen earth haue their being and without him haue no being in how little a compasse himselfe withall his is contained while such is the greatnesse of his God as filleth heauen and earth with his glory who comprehendeth all things not comprehended in any nor all but aboue all in himself in the infinitenes of himselfe Oh poore man what canst thou doe but with Iob lay thy finger on thy mouth and say I haue spoken once and twise but I will speake no more I thought I was something but I see I am nothing at least so little a thing as in it selfe is nothing My righteousnesse is as a filthy cloth my strength is Weakenes my dayes as a shaddowe my life but a spanne and my substance so smal as but in thee my God is as nothing or worse then nothing at al thus I say wilt thou say when beholding the least of gods creatures thou shalt consider thyne owne smalnesse and looking on the one and the other with the Prophet Dauid say in the admiration of his glorious goodnes Psalme 8. vers 4. O God what is man that thou doest vouchsafe to looke vpon him And thus much touching the smalnesse or weaknes of man The second Consideration touching the vilenes or wickednes of man NOw I haue a litle spoken of this smalnesse or small strength of man a thing doubtles most necessary for euery mā to think vppon least finding his greatnes in commaund ouer the creatures of the earth he forget the Creator both of heauen and earth al things in the same so let me tell him that finding his smalnes to bee so great and his greatnes to be so smal as maketh him nothing more then in the wil of the Almightie hee must withal looke into the vilenes of his nature in y e wilfull offending of his moste good and glorious God for in his first offence how much did he shew the vile wickednes or wicked vilenesse of his conditiō in forgeting the goodnes of his God in framing him of so vile a matter as y e slime of the earth a liuing creture to his own glorious image then to plāt him in Paradice a place of so much pleasure to giue him so large a possessiō as of al his ground his fruit yea commaund of al his creatures vpon the earth thus not like a Lord but like himself Lord of Lords to giue him a world of earth there onely to
downe out of Heauen and cast into hell from which God of his mercie blesse all his seruants for euermore and thus much touching the consideration of the hate or malice in man The fifth Consideration of the crueltie in man NOw as it is euident by too many proofes that one euill begetteth another so in this it appeareth that from the hate or malice of man procedeth the crueltie or tyrannye executed vpon man for what beast in the world was euer found so tyrannous vnto another as one man hath ben to another yea such a power hath tyrannye in the hearts of some men as hath bene the spoile and death of many a thousand what tyrannye did the Iewes shewe in the crucifiing of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ which did proceed not out of any desert in him who deserued all loue and honour of all people but out of a malicious humour yfused into their soules by the power of the wicked finde examples of this vile and pestilent humour not onely the books of God as well in the olde as the new Testament as in many lamentable histories extant to the whole worlde is too ful of the persecution of the Prophets and the chosen people of God by the wicked and vnbeleeuing Princes and people of the worlde some their eyes put out other their tongues cut out some broyled vpon hott Iron other boyled in skalding lead some torne in peeces with horses some flead quicke some starued to death other tortured with vnspeakable torments in some for the displeasure conceiued of some one how many thousands haue suffered either death or vndoing or both when whole howses whole Cities yea and almost whole Kingdomes by the bloudy execution of tyrany haue ben brought almost to vtter confusion a Lyon when hee hath licked his lippes after warme bloud returnes to his den and takes his rest the Dog if he fight with his match if hee runne away from him and cry he seldome pursues him and if he kill him he leaues him and as it were mourning goeth from him that hee hath bene the death of him so of many other beasts Wolues Tygres and such like death or flight satisfies their crueltie But man more feirce then the Lyō more bloudie then the Wolfe more tyranous then the Tygre and more dogged then the Dogge will neuer be satisfied till he see the death and seeke the ruine of the father childe wife and seruant kinred and generation and neuer taketh rest through feare of reuenge so that he is not onely tyranous vnto other but through the vexatiō of his spirit is become euen a torment vnto him-selfe whyle feare and wrath keepe him in continuall perplexities Oh how vnaturall how monstrous in this horrible disposition haue many bene in the world some murthering their own children yea in the time of their infancy some their parents some their bretheren some their Princes some their Prophets some their maisters some their seruants what crueltie yea more then in any beast will many such a one shew to another in pride malice orrevenge the examples wherof the world is euery day too full of what Butcher can more cruelly teare in peeces the limmes of a beast then one mā in his malice will the very heart of another what scourges what terrors what tortures and what vnhumaine kinde of mortall punishments hath mā deuised for man no lesse intolerable then inexplicable in some the cryes the blood the sorrowes the miseries of the murthered the imprisoned the afflicted and the distressed through the oppression of pryde and the tyrannye of wrath may very well euen from Abell to Christ and from him to the worlds end sufficiently conclude the condemnation of man for the greatest tyrant in the worlde And thus much touching the consideration of the cruelty or tyranny in man The sixt Consideration of the basenes of man HAuing now spoken of the smalnesse the vilenesse the foolishnesse the hate and the crueltie in man let me a litle shew him the basenesse of his condition in going from that nature of grace wherin he was created vnto that horror of sinne by which hee is confounded-God in his gracious nature made him like vnto himselfe in holinesse purenesse and righteousnesse and through these graces amiable in his sight sociable for his Angells and coheire with his blessed Sonne in the paradise of the soule what greater title of honour then to weare a Crowne what Crowne so rich as of grace what grace so high as in Heauen and what glory so great as to bee gracious in the sight of God all which was man through grace assured of and through the lacke carlesse wherof hath not only lost all but through sinne is become vgly in the sight of God banished the courte of Heauen and through the drossy loue of the worlde become a slaue to the Deuill in hell What basenesse can be more then man by sinne hath thus drawne vpon himselfe who while hee should looke towards Heauen is digging in the earth while hee shoulde thinke vpon Heauen is puzled in the world and while he should be soaring towards Heauen is sinking into hell Oh base wretch that seeing the shamefull nature of sinne will yet so be meire his soule with the filth thereof that of the best and noblest creature hee becometh the worst and most base of all other Will the Spaniels leaue their maister to carry the tinkers budget will the horse leaue the warlike rider to drawe in a carte and will man leaue the King of Heauen to serue a slaue in hell Oh basenes of all basenes in Heauen is man a companion for the Saintes the virgins the martyrs and the Angells In hell for the fiends ougly spirits and horrible Deuills And is not hee of a base spirit that will leaue the heauenly for the hellish company fie vpon the basenesse of man that by sinne will bee brought vnto so base a nature there is no place so base as hell which is called the bottomlesse pit the receptacle of all filthinesse the caue of the accursed the denne of the desperate the habitation of the reprobate the horror of nature the terror of reason the torment of sinne the misery of time the night of darknesse and the endles torture where Serpents Dragons Night-rauens and Shrich-owles make the best musique in the eares of the damned where all obiects are so ougly all substances so filthy all voyces so frightfull all torments so continuall all paines so pitiles all care so comfortles and all hurte so helplesse that if a man through sin were not worse then a beast hee would not shew more basenesse then in the most beastly nature of the most beastly creature what shall I say such is the basenesse of sinne in the imbasing of our spirits and so base are our spirits in the yeelding to the basenesse of sinne that I must conclude with the Prophet Dauid thinking of the glory of God and the basenesse of man Oh what is man
from thy filthinesse admit thee into his prefence take thee into his seruice loue thee as his Sonne and make thee coheire in that Heauenly inheritance which no power shall take from thee but in ioyes euerlasting with his Saints Angels thou shalt cōtinually sing the true and due Halleluiah to his holy Maiestie Thus I say apply these spirituall considerations to thy spirituall comforts that God may the better blesse thee thy reading well considered may the better profit thee and my labour may bee the better bestowed vpon thee which with praier for thy good leauing to thy best cōsideratiō wishing the acknowledging the goodnes of God in all things aboue all things to giue him all glory I end with the Prophet Dauid O al ye works of the Lord blesse ye the Lord praise him magnifie him for euer Finis A Prayer O Most gratious almighty most mercifull and holye glorious euer louing GOD who from the highest Throne of thy heauenly mercie doost vouchsafe to beholde the meanest creature on the earth aboue all with a comfortable eye of a fatherly kindenesse doost beholde man as the chiefe matter of thy workmanship and considering since his first fall by temptatiō his weaknes in resisting the like assault doost by the light of thy grace make him see the difference betwixt good and euill and by the inspiration of thy holye spirit doost leade him from the traine of sinne the true way to eternall happinesse glorious God that knowest whereof we are made that our daies are but as a shadow and we are as nothing without thee who hath reuealed to the simple and hid from the wise the secret wisdome of thy wil to me thy most vnworthy seruant hast so often shewed those fruits of thy loue that makes mee asham'd to think of my vnthankfulnesse to thy holy Maiestie my forgetfulnesse of thy grace and vnworthinesse of thy mercy Oh my Lord when I consider these things with all other the manifolde blessings that from time to time I haue receiued from the onelye bountie of thy blessed hand what can I doe but in admiration of thy greatnesse and contemplation of thy goodnesse giue glorie to thy holy Maiesty with thy chosen seruant Dauid in the griefe and shame of my sinne and only hope of thy mercie in true contrition of heart fall prostrate at thy feete and flie only to thy mercie for my comfort beseeching thee so to direct me in the waies of thy holy will that seeing thy greatnes in thy good nes thy wisdom in thy loue thy grace in thy mercie and thy glorie in thy grace and confessing my weakenesse vilenesse folly malice sloath basenes attend the worke of thy will in working mee to thy holye will giue me power to cōsider that although I read neuer so much beleeue all I reade and remember all I beleeue yet without one drop of the deawe of thy grace it will take no root in my heart but good Lord consider the corruption of nature through the infection of sinne in which I accuse not excuse my selfe vnto thee make me to know thy will let me rather crie before thee Hosanna with the little Babes then with the Pharisies make boast of my righteousnesse and as it hath pleased thy holy Maiestie to make mee consider of thy mercies so let these considerations by taking root in my hart be so comfortable to my soule that loathing the world with al the vanities therof I may in the teares of true penitence shewe the sorrow of my sin and in the ioy of thy mercie I may sing to thy glory Amen FINIS Errata First Consideration Page 4 line 3 for looke vp the heauens reade looke vp to the heauens The second Consideration page 12. line 4. for God reade good The last page of the third consideration the tenth line for deuine reade dimme