I should be begotten and borne of such parents that sate not in darknesse nor had their habitation in the region of the shadow of death but were called out of darknesse into thy admirable light to an elect stocke 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 knocke for when I was yet a bawling infant in my bepissed clouts when I yet savoured ill of my mothers coutch when I was putrified as well with mine owne as with the naturall and spirituall uncleannesse of my parents yet thou not disheartned 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 baptisme the first gate to be entred to the kingdome of heaven into the armes and to the kisses of my Saviour by which he â—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 wholsome fountaines And I will powre out my waters upon the thirsty and my streames upon the dry ground I will powre out my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy posterity and they shall grow amongst the grasse like willowes by the rivers of waters And againe they shall bring their sonnes in their armes and carry their daughters upon their shoulders And I O most mercifull 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 sinnes and put on the vigorous youth of grace this did this heavenly Sacrament worke in me I began to be a true Eagle who by thy grace doe soare to heaven and doe 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 naturall water doth wash and take away spots doth quench fire cooles and allayes the heat of thirst incorporates many and sundry things into one body it ascends as high in heighth as it doth descend below in depth The heavenly water of Baptisme washes away the leprosie of sinne 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 wooll The water of Baptisme by a divine and admirable way and means doth quench the fire of our fleshly desires How pleasing is it to us so soone as the heavenly Spirit slides into us in this washing for us to want these trifling sweets The true and chiefest sweetnesse doth cast out those other which else wee would feare 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 owne conceits It quencheth also the flames of hell fire those devillish brands of hell which no helpe of man can put out The divine water of Baptisme sets an end to the various and troublesome desires of mans heart and makes us onely rest upon God The divine water of Baptisme 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 soule one hope of calling till at length they may be made perfect in one The divine water of Baptisme is given us from heaven above from the Father of lights and it flowing from the fountaine that springs to eternall life doth not onely draw our hearts to their owne originals but doth wholly lead us to that most blessed fountain Farewell World avoid Satan be gone each worldly thing for I call to minde these words that my Godfather holding me in his armes pronounced for me I renounce thee Satan and thy pompe and worship with these words am I received into Gods covenant and enrolled in the number of Christs souldiers What ever thou shalt say O Serpent I will presently reply what ever thou shalt speake I will not hearken unto thee Then that thou catch me not by other meanes I have renounced also thy pompe and thy worship and thy messengers I was prest for the warre of the living God when I answered to the words in the Sacrament Whatsoever earthly things are received in this world and shall here remaine in this world are to be despised as much as the world it selfe is to be contemned the pomps and delights whereof I did then renounce when in my better passage I went unto my Lord. In Baptisme I was cloathed in white that I might be taught most devoutly to rely upon Christs innocency and to be willing to lead my life sincerely and purely I confesse indeed my God that I have beene sometime forgetfull of my covenant made with thee that I have forsaken the hoaste of righteousnesse and have runne away to thy enemy and have most grievously offended thee my Captaine by my transgressions and treasons that I have beene worthy thy most severe punishment but I returne to thee I fall before thee and beseech thee for thine unspeakable goodnesse that thou wilt receive me and acknowledge me for thy souldier 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 trophee to thy name and praises Amen CONTEMP c. 32. Of a Christians practise IT is an easie thing for one to call himselfe a Christian but a hard thing to performe the part of a Christian He that desires to fulfill the measure of that name let him marke diligently these things that follow Acknowledge O man thine owne basenesse consider how wretched and of how little account thou art thou hast nothing from thy selfe but all things from God he gave thee all things for thy use to whom thou must repay them yea and even thy life it selfe at what moment soever he shall require them and thou must depart as naked from hence as thou camest naked into this world and although all the world with it inhabitants doe keepe thee companys yet they can profit thee nothing for all things are fleeting brittle transitory and nothing can free thee from death give not thy selfe therefore over to security
the man Christ Iesus Therefore where my portion reignes I beleeve I reigne where my blood doth rule I perceive my selfe to rule where my flesh is glorified I know I am glorious Thou wentest to prepare a place for mee that I might be with thee in a most plesant City thou laydst 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 soules in all fullnesse of glory and divine pleasure into the perpetuall familiarity of the Saints to have kindred hope resting place grace and dignity in the heavens CONTEMP 27. c. Of the sending downe of the Holy Ghost HOw great and what an unutterable piety of my redeemer is this hee carried man into heaven and sent God downe upon the earth behold therefore a new Redeemer is sent from heaven behold againe divinity and humanity are mixed together Thou didst foretell O my God by thy spirit which thou hast given us I will powre out my waters to the thirsty and my streames upon those that are scorched I will powr out my spirit upon thy seede my blessing upon thy posterity I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonns shall prophecy I will sprinckle pure water upon you and you shall be clensed 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 streames of thy blessings are powred forth That common expected time of gladnesse of all the righteous is now come the sweet guest of the soule is come the comfortable refreshing the rest in our labour the temper in heate comfort in mourning the washing of that which was foule watering that which was partched with heate healing that which is wounded straightning what was crooked cherishing that which was cold ordering what was gone astray The inspiter of our faith the teacher of knowledge the fountaine of love the ensigne of chastity and the cause of all our vertue is come Hee came when the twelve ministers and dispensors of thy mysteries were unanimously gathered together at Ierusalem in the house of prayer chosen by thine owne selfe in the holy City the City of perfect beauty and a sudden noyse comming from heaven as it were the rushing of a mighty wind cloven tongues appeared to them like fire and sate 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 mens peacefull minds it drives away all brawles and contentions and is it selfe driven away by brawles and contentions They were gathered together in Jerusalem it loves a holy place and where thy word is preached there it gratiously 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 voyce is heard hee is not dumbe but speaketh and preacheth redemption to sinners revelations to those in misery comfort to those that bee sad exaltation to those that are opressed 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 eternall not earthly but heavenly things Gods helpe is also for the most part sudden and unlooked for when wee despaire of all mens ayd the power of the most High is sent us and cures us in a most fit time The holy spirit is cheerefull and makes them nimble and ready in whom it operates for the grace of the holy spirit is not acquainted with sluggish endevours The tongues appeared devided like fire the tongue is the instrument of the holy ghost whereby it prepares and enlargeth the spirituall Kingdome and as the tongue doth distinguish tastes so doth the holy spirit shew us good from ill and to discerne between spirits it also bestowes 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 darknesse it warmes the soules by charity makes them shine in good works consumes wicked affections and actions O most wholsome fire descende from heaven into us We burne with the filthy brands of our lusts that the earth seemes rather an Aetna of uncleane flames than an habitation of men For as the hill Aetna doth continually boyle with certaine inward fiery vapors so doth that with the abhominable flames of fornications by this meanes 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 doe kindle his fire and adde fuell to the flames enter yee into the light of your fire and the flames which yee have kindled For after this manner as the scripture mentioneth doth all mankind rush into eternall damnation For first they kindle the fire then they put fuell to the flames and finally they enter into the flames which they have kindled And first doe wee begin to kindle the eternall fire for our selves when first we begin to sinne and we adde fuell to the flames when we heap sins upon sins We enter into the eternall fire when we fulfill the remedilesse summe of all our mischiefes by the iniquity of our multiplyed offences As our Saviour spake to the Rulers of the Jewes Yee serpents yee generation of vipers fulfill yee the measure of your fathers O heavenly Spirit let plentifull showres fall from heaven and quench the accursed flames of this fire that I be not delivered into the unsufferable flames which no water no brooke 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 mee cleane My soule is wounded and altogether defiled who shall heale and purifie it My bones are dried up who shall moisten them Shalt not thou wash mee shalt not thou purge mee shalt not thou heale mee shalt not thou cleanse me shalt not thou moysten 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 owne honour whereof thou art so jealous Give me drink therefore out of the streames of thy pleasure that I may take no pleasure to taste of the poysoned sweets of the world Thou
God he saw his owne nakednesse His first nakednesse was nothing else than tokens of chiefe happinesse and of the greatest riches but the nakednesse that this man saw after he had sinned was meere ruine a testimony of everlasting woe and want That first man saw his body naked but his soule was more naked spoyled and disrobed of knowledge wisdome integrity and originall innocency hee covered his nakednesse being enwrapped with shame but this was a wretched garment he sowed together figg leaves and made aprons to cover himselfe and his seducing wife O vaine mantles O lamentable coverings And what are all mens cloathings that seeme so sumptuous and glittering but figge leafes that quickly vanish to nothing and gald those that weare them O would to God that as often as we cloath our selves wee were urged with the sharp and stinging point of repentance for they are tokens of our wants signes of our shame arguments of our misery and comforts for our extreme infirmities Thou sinfull and fallen man why art thou proud in setting forth thy impieties thou thiefe why braggest thou of a halter why dost thou vauntingly boast of anothers fleece what carriest thou under it but a sack full of dung the rotten bag of thy soule thy skin is not enough to cover thee nor except thou beest most impudent dost thou let any one see it but gettest some other thing to supply the want of thine owne I behold mine owne clothes I see a hell of evills yet I consider the depth of thy care providence and mercy for thou helpest mee thus naked before I can understand mine owne want and nakednesse and commandest all the creatures to haste unto me that they might cover my nakednesse and supply my wants Thou thy selfe most mercifull God as I remember didst clothe sinnefull man in a Lambs skinne not in Lyons Beares Foxes or Wolves skins that thou mightest teach him thy hatred to cruelty greedinesse deceit and wrath and thy love to unspotted simplicity thou madest his garment of the skins of dead cattell that thou mightest shew us how we were fallen from life to death how of immortall we were become mortall that we were from the earth and must returne to the earth againe Thou tookest a skin of a Lamb slaine that thou mightest witnesse unto us that our Fall was only to bee healed by a Lambe to be slaine O thou garment of the golden age thou unspotted Lamb slaine to the beleevers before the beginning of the world O thou Messias that wast promised and food appointed from all eternity thou who wast made the seed of the Woman and hast bruised the Serpents head cloath me with thy merits and mine owne deserts shall nothing hurt mee cloath mee with thy righteousnesse and mine owne unrighteousnesse shall not condemne mee cloath me with thy holinesse and mine owne iniquity shall not accuse mee cloath me with faith in thee and I shall one day receive the robe of happinesse Nothing can cover the filthy nakednesse of a sinner nothing can hide me from Gods judgement but thy coat O heavenly Lambe but the holes of thy wounds but the yawning scarres of thy body I will put thee on by a steadfast faith and with the Church of old I will triumph before thee CONTEMP c. 9. Of Noahs 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 suddaine Mans malice was great and every thought of his heart was continually bent 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 Inne 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 yeares that thou mightst see whether by often preaching any could be moved to worke repentance Ah my God thou goest with two feet one of justice the other of mercy but mercy alwayes 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 bee converted and live But all thy expectation was in vaine and thy mercies were entertained with scorne the wrath therfore of thy justice was kindled and the waters of the Flood broke in upon the earth the fountaines of the great deepe were broken up and the Cataracts of heaven were opened and it rained upon the earth for many dayes 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 bountifull God those that worship adore thee but dost preserve them in fire and water and amidst the storme of growing miseries thou dost nor despise or reject any thou dost not affright any one except he who is so mad as to abhorr thee My God the horne of my salvation thou that takest me up thou Father of mercies God of all Consolation O Lord my Strength my Fortresse my Refuge my Deliverer Canst thou draw the sword of justice and not annoynt the point with the oile of mercy He lyes therefore hid in safety in that wonderfull ship out of which not life but present death was to bee found What shall I say that that ship did represent but thy Church which is tossed to and fro with sundry Stormes of persecution and waves of adversitie and hath no fixed station yet the true and eternall safety is contained there which out of it is offered to none Noah was the Steere-man hereof but thou O God art the Governour both of Noah and it and thou wast Noahs true and heavenly Comforter who dost not suffer it to sinke The waters of the Flood overwhelmed the palaces of Kings but did every day better than other beare aloft the Ark of Noah so doe persecutions destroy earthly kingdomes but thou sufferest not thine owne Kingdome to be overthrowne but dost even encrease and enlarge it by stormes of temptations Noah sent a Raven and a Dove out of the Ark the Raven pursued his prey and did never returne to the Arke of Noah the Dove did returne and was received in againe of this Steeres-man O Christ let mee abandon the Raven-like gluttony the lovelinesse of pleasures for it is very rare that any one seated amongst the delights of the age should remaine free from a smatch of vice in which although hee bee not forthwith inthralled yet is hee sometimes drawne away by them nor can he be long safe who stands next to danger let me remember that I am to play the Souldier 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
shall Sun or heat fall on us because thou dost governe us and leadest us to the fountaines of waters and shalt wipe away all teares from our eyes thou shalt make us drunk with the plenteousnesse of thy house and refresh us with the streames of thy pleasure O Lord as the hart desireth the fountaines of water so longeth my soule after thee O Lord my soule hath thirsted after God the living fountaine when shall I come and appeare before the face of God O Lord when shall I worthily call to mind thy mercyes thy praises which are farre above all things which thou hast given me and exceeding the multitude of the goods of my house which thou hast bestowed upon mee according to the multitude of thy mercyes CONTEMP 21. c. Of Christs sixt word uttered upon the Crosse 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 sixt word was not it shall be finished as thou diddest say in thy journey to Jerusalem behold we goe up to Jerusalem and all things shall be fulfilled which are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man for hee shall be delivered up to the Gentiles shall bee mocked shall be scourged and spitt upon and after they have scourged him they shall put him to death But hee saies it is finished whatsoever the wicked nation could invent to exasperate thy torments is finished thou truly diddest foretell the houre and power of darkenesse and the time of thy crucifying I have finished sayest thou the work which thou gavest me to doe but that was another work namely the work of Preaching the Gospell as thou thy selfe doest intimate unto mee 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 remaines 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 wentest out from thy father and diddest come into the world is finished wherein thou wast upon the earth like a husbandman and a travailer 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 shaddows 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 beleeveth Now the variety of carnall sacrifices ceasing thou fulfillest all those distinctions of beasts by once offering up of thy body and blood thou hast O Lord drawne all things unto thy selfe for by rending the vaile of the temple the Sanctum Sanctorum departed from the unworthy high Preists that the figure might bee turned into a truth the prophecy into a manifestation and the Law into a Gospell O cleane O unspotted sacrifice whose Altar was the Crosse 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 burnt offering and perfecteth the sacrifice is this immeasurable charity which like a furnace exceedingly heated did burne 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 farre unproportionable to thy benefits though very voyd of devotion though leane in comparison of that fatnesse which thy most sweet affection towards us doth require in them yet my soule doth pay unto thee what thanks shee is able not such as shee knowes are due unto thee from mee Thou hope of my heart thou vertue of my soule let thy most powerfull worth perfect that which my most chill weaknesse doth endeavour my life thou end of my intention though I have not loved thee so much as I ought to love thee yet doe I at least desire to love thee as much as I ought O Jesus let this word alwayes stick in my memory It is finished When sinne and damnation shall band themselves against mee wrastling with the pangs of death and shall present unto mee my ugly life made deformed by my sinnes let me be able then to say the sacrifice for my sinnes is finished For thou art the Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes 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 fulnes 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 terrifie 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 poyson that death may be to me a sweet repose great gaine a dismission in peace a recalling from evils a momentary hiding me till wrath is past and till heaven gates be opned for me When kindred friends and acquaintance shall at the time of my departure bewaile my going hence and compasse my bed with groanes and teares let me say my course is finished the appointed time is past the period is fixed which we cannot passe the glasse is runne the houre of freedome drawes neare here my misery makes a stand and the haven I make to is neare where all teares shall be wiped away behold I leave unto you a Fulfiller of all good and an asswager and ender of all evill hee shall comfort you if you flie unto him hee shall keepe and defend you to whom I recommend my soule and to whom I recommend you the beloved of my soule for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 22. Of the seventh and last word of Christ uttered upon the Crosse 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 thy selfe not a man only but even set above the reach of mans 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 mournfull lamentable sad and miserable silence is there when mournfull lamentable sad and miserable man is commanded to breathe forth his soule how silent faint and how dead as it were are all things before death our death-bed takes
and placed above death and Satan O Jesu my Lord O Christ my Captaine thy name be glorified because thou hast given me a blessed name denominated from thine owne name Let thy praise be daily borne in my mouth because thou art daily born in my heart that I may be born againe 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 beares this name in vaine that doth not at all imitate Christ For what doth it profit thee to be called what thou art not and to usurpe another mans 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 shewes mercy to all that is not moved by any wrong done to him that is as sensible of anothers griefe as of his owne that makes not the poore strangers at his table that is not magnified amongst men that hee may be gloried before God and his Angels who contemnes earthly things that he may obtaine heavenly things that doth not suffer the poore to be here oppressed who helpeth those that are in distresse who is moved to weepe by other mens tears as S. Paul did for who is weake saith he and I am not weake Grant unto me O Christ most mercifully that am the least and most unworthy of all Christians that I may doe 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 CONTEMP c. 34. Of necessary rules to lead a godly life concerning the thoughts of man MAns 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 maist walke 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 sinnes but as soone as they appeare in the blade before they can take root plucke them up Breake in time the Basilisks egges 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 custome of sinning and sin not without doubt as if thou neither fearest God nor man Propose not to thy selfe those things in thy thoughts which are either unprofitable or impossible Be not wise too high Thinke the world and worldy things to be but vaine that thou doe not over-value them Be alwayes mindfull of death that thou feare it not too much when it comes unto thee call to minde the last judgement that thou maist appeare there with an undaunted courage remember hell to avoid it and blessednes that thou maist enter into it Learn forthwith therforemore more to know thine owne misery which ariseth from unbeleefe and the transgression of Gods holy Commandements Renounce therefore unbeleefe and strive to keepe all his precepts Knock at the gate of the mercies of heaven by the merit of Christ and so humble thy selfe as if thou wert to obtaine those mercies without his merits What is the most abject creature in the world let it not trouble thee to answer thy selfe It is I by reason of my sinnes And againe if it be demanded of thee what is the most pretious treasure upon the earth let it not trouble thee to answer with thy selfe the blood and merits of my Lord Jesus Christ by which I am cleansed from my sinnes and have salvation purchased for me Above all abhorre to sinne willingly and with a deliberate resolution for to have true faith and to sinne voluntarily can no more agree together than fire and water or the lambe and the wolfe Be a true faithfull and sincere servant of Jesus Christ not onely in the publick assemblies where Gods word is preached and the Sacraments administred but in the rest of thy life by flying evill and doing of good But if by reason of the infirmity of thy flesh thou hast committed any sinne loath it betimes and destroy it by speedy and serious repentance Pray onely unto God whilst thy conscience rests in prayer to him sinne withers and nothing is sweet to thee besides vertue and goodnesse 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 passe by thee and that thou oughtest to be respected of the good yet use it moderately and discreetly that it doe thee not more hurt than hatred and contempt He is truly wise that neither too greedily hunts after the peoples favour nor too much despises it Seeke especially for a quiet minde and be content with thy present condition It is no harmfull thing that some evil is mixed with the good things of this life that God bestowes upon us God deales gently with thee as with his Son therefore despaire not God doth also chasten thee be not thou impatient lay hold on the golden meane search for things necessary but not for superfluities and alwayes have an eye to Gods will that thine owne will doe not oppresse thee he is happie that can lie hid in this life and is known to none but God and himselfe A certaine man was wont to say As often as I have been amongst men I still returned the lesse man from them It is an easier thing to lye hid at home than to keepe himselfe well abroad he therefore that intends to obtain inward and spirituall gifts he must with Jesus decline the throng no man can safely be seene 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 leane to exteriour delights O what a good conscience would hee alwayes possesse that would never seeke after transitory mirth nor busie himselfe with the world O how would hee prune off all vaine 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 Gods grace much trouble thee desire Gods grace and thou shalt obtaine it and let not the scarcity of outward things too much afflict thee If Satan reproach thee with thy wants consider with thy selfe