to them wee then take liberty to loose the raines to our senses delights and our reason now seruile to passion accepts no satisfaction without inioying But O how oft haue I beene taught that poysoned drinke may be in a golden cup. When I see then a woman of beauty I le watch if I can spy any vertue If I descry none I le not care a straw for her company 89 A Blessed man he is that hath such qualities as he is beloued in all good companies whose society draws to godlines but cursed are those whose foule courses cary men to wickednes To which not onely nature bends them but the base bringing vp they receiue at their Parents hands confirmes them But if hee that sets a a traueller out of his way commits villany so these drawing out of the way of heauen shall smart for such iniquity 90 THe children of God me thinkes are full of beauty I finde in them most louely sweetnesse Lambes they bee and therefore gentle Doues they bee and therefore simple The wicked mee thinkes are full of deformity I finde in them most loathsome bitternesse Dogges they bee and therefore currish Swine they bee and therefore swinish Oh then I will much and greatly delight in the blessed Saints and detest the cursed doers For the Lamb and the Doue are two pretty Creatures but the Dogge and the Hogge are sullen beasts 91 THe dainty varieties of pleasing delights that be among the wicked draw mens minds with easie consent to vanitie sometimes short and suddaine delights sometimes long and pleasant deuises are offered but all be higher points staires to sin oh that man knew the great growing of the stinking weed of sin virtue growes not without exquisite labour sin alone willingly vertue springs after a long season sinne quickly in a short space gets vp yea sin though but a sparke sets all on fire presently I purpose then that mine eies shal be watchfull and my heart resolute that not the least weed of sin shall grow in me for I see of a little kernell growes a great tree of a little spawne a great fish 92 THe outward duties of Gods seruice I see haue long holily beene obserued by many but the inward and hearty duties I feare mee of a few Call vpon our formalists to practise some noble deeds of vertue heereto you shall find them smally enclyned But did they serue GOD aright their minds so well trained and long exercised in vertue would giue some rare demonstration of it As for me I euer wil conceiue To goe to Church for fashion is an abuse of Religion and to pray without deuotion is breath to no purpose 93 SVch heaps of sorrows accompany this life as require a vertuous resolutiō of mind to passe them ouer sometimes heauines of heart assailes vs strange stories scarre vs dangerous sicknesse afflicts vs and wee cannot be quiet but long to be in our delightfull country and heauenly dwelling Hence this hath bene my resolute thought He that will hould out the yeare must bide the winter and summer and he that will goe to Heauen must indure the miseries of this world 94 IF wee could behold an armed man of an extreame and vnresistable force whose violence a thousand thousand could not withstand it would breed in vs some maruailous contemplations but greater extreamer force and violence wee know in sin yet we are no whit amazed at it Angells in heauen men on earth are weake to conquer sin But thankes be to Christ that hath gotten victory But since sins force is so violen◠I le rufully eye him but not come nigh him A sword hath a sharp point and a Cannon a great force but let them alone and they will doe no harme 95 SVch is the foule basenesse of Man as the very beasts out stripe him yea and in many things doe teach him Some hypocrites there be artificially smoothing vp and smothering sinne which haue not art enough to learne to auoid it although the dumb creatures instruct them Haue I not seene a dog reioyce at the sight of his Master when his vnchast Mistris will frowne at his comming home Oh fact full of wretchednesse fuller of disgrace and fullest of guiltinesse Oh Lord keepe mee that my affections be not drunken with such beastly sinnes and that I may not be gouerned by them 96 VVIth vnspeakeable griefe I haue thought on the abominable wrongs offred by cruell men to GODS poore Saints that should haue greatest kindnesse Poore hearts by lofty spirits are broken with vnkindnesse and affliction Yet comfort comes from aboue which cheeres their vitall spirrits But oh how these throughly wound their consciences and will God suffer these wrongs Oh no but he will shake the seat of these secure Tyrants Me thinkes they are worse then souldiers stabd at heart For hee that is wounded at hart hath made an end of his daies but hee that hath a wound in his soule knowes not when to end his sorrow 97 SVch as were neerely acquainted with sinne and haue discarded it know the poysonful disposition of it it spreads it selfe as dead poyson in a cup and like a plague infects the soundest persons vertue is not so spreading not so speedie in conueying I maruaile not then why so many be bad and so few good It is because truth hath much a doe to be beleeued but a lie runnes farre before it be stayed 98 O Full often hath my breast swollen with eager desire of heauen for when I beheld the earth mine eyes being my diligent intelligencers carryes me to much comfortablenesse In this world weepings and mournings changings and turnings vanity and folly euery where abounds and he that is in highest estate euen as a poore wretch with languishing steps runs fast to his graue But in heauen are all incomparable excellencies and vneffable dignities Oh sweet and noble place to bee in I le be more glad then Children be of sweet meat to go to such a country and to dwell in this neuer enough praised City The vigor of mens wit that can shew it selfe in any subiect must here be blunted they cannot speake enough of this euer-noble City if they compare it with the country they shewe therein most rude simplicity if with the Court Alasse a Rich Court is a goodly sight but he that lookes vp to Heauen will not care for the world 99 WHo so when they see good can loue it and affect it I count such persons my principal friends whose acquaintance I would not superficially entertaine for sure there is no ioy in our life if we inioy not such companions with such I learne holy helpes to heauen and happy resolutions with such I am instructed to conquer passions but he that flies from good and scoffes at God I count him already with the Diuell And though hee walke in the world yet he hath a hell in his conscience This shal be then mine earnest intreaty vnto God that such good and worthy friends which bee this worlds comfort may not bee drawne away from me by my bad desert 100 MEn haue in vse a two-fould Glasse One most for the proud Man the other for the Wise The proud man whiles hee lookes in his Glasse waxes the prouder The humble whiles on his he waxes the wiser O Lord grant while the proud Mans Looking-Glasse makes him the prouder my Houre-Glasse may make me wise to remember my ende FINIS
and not to loath his sharpest dealings For while many things might seeme to ouer-throw vs they set vs vp vppon the height of honour 19 IF any take a spightfull griefe at me and would force me with ouer-vehement iniuries to breake peace and to vtter forth the violent passion of reuenge I will shew forth no other but the fruits of a gentle nature and I will be so farre from bringing forth that which desperate reuenge can imagine that their mallice shall sooner cease then my vnchanged patience 20 IT is no vulgar thing among the vulgar people to shoote their prayses and commendations at randome sometimes they will sweetly speake and plentifully prayse men of great worthinesse Anon they will not sticke to giue excessiue commendations to the vilest varlets I will not care therefore what such wether-cockes tell of me For I count it a great happinesse onely to be praysed of them that are most prayse-worthy 21 MAny thinke to receaue the guifts of Heauen and yet shall receaue at Gods hands a resolute refusall which will bee more wofull and vnwelcome to them then a bitter deniall to an expected suiter And no maruaile for it is rather credit then grace that leads most men to matter of Heauen And when the spur of honour ceases they willingly rest in their carnall delights and follow the gentle currant of them But now the most holy God hath such vile men in eternall hatefulnesse and for such carriage there shall bee neither grace nor fauourablenesse So then I will labour that in me euery thing may bee Godly and full of syncerity and seriously I vow that neither credit nor fauour shall make mee to slubber ouer duty 22 NO close Arbour the Branches of which are so louingly enterlaced one within the other can resist the strong violence of Gods eye-sight nor closest roomes which vnchast Dames count Chambers of delight are destitute of Gods honorable presence Why then braue Knights and faire Ladies and all my louely brethren Sisters let vs rather dye then spot our selues with secret filthines Let vs mark a diligent and nimble dogge can finde a scent which we thinke impossible and when God can make such a Creature to finde out such a thing shall not hee bee able to finde out our wickednes though wee bee in our Dennes Hence then I wil account it extreame folly any longer to imprison iniquity 23 AN ambitious man striues to bring others vertuous patience vnder him and thinkes his maister-hood nothing without doing iniury to men But I dare not bee a man of such excellency least God should aduance me to Hamans dignity 24 I Haue thought it to bee no great matter to draw many euill men to many inconueniences especially if a man would follow them with a watch full seruice for euery present occasion will catch their senses and their senses are maisters of their silly minds so that onely reuerence them and delight them and with that bridle and saddle you shal well ride them But as for me I am determined neuer to bee carried with such an eager impatient delight of any thing as the nimble wits of the world shall with their lewd inticements draw me to sin 25 IT is no vnusuall thing to make hard-wrested constructions of words oft proceeding from the kindest natures which apprehended as true estranges loue and eclipses affection from shining any longer But I haue often thought and will doe still that the construction of mens speeches might bee best made by the Grammer-rules of affection 26 I Find that to a heart fully resolute to preach the trueth hatefull persons and ignorant asses to whom Counsell is tedious and reprehension loathsome both in word and deede worke much annoyance an euident token of an ignorant and shallow mind Shallow Brookes murmur most deepe silent slide away and I haue heard Pies chattering when better Birds haue held their peace Mine eare then shall such vp kind Counsells and wholsome reprehensions which true louing teachers scatter before me And I will bee so far from reproching them that my kindest courtesie shall be imployed for them 27 MAny men thinke on nothing but their sports seeke nothing but their sports To their delights their attendance is directed and to their pleasures the best fruits they can gather are brought And surely once I thought these men in the highest blisse-fulnesse But experience grounded on feeling hath taught me a better lesson and hath learned mee that the wickeds singings must be closed vp with hearty gronings I will blesse the Lord that hath vouchsafed to mee a better happines and that hath loued me so as to bring me among the sweet company of his beloued Saints I say sweet indeed which I will not forsake for the worlds faire delights for God is their saying and God is their singing and God is the Load-starre of their life the blessing of their eyes the sweetnesse of their heart Lord let mee liue and dye in this sweet and heauenly society 29 SOme I haue beheld very famous and notable for goodnesse but since finding godlines very tedious being deadly tired with the length of the vncōfortable labour of it they haue discarded it giuing themselues to outragious licentiousnes in which they so flesh themselues as I thinke they meane not to stop their race till they come to a head-long ouerthrow Thus like some Mornings they haue made guilden shewes of good meanings but after clouds haue risen powring out water and blacking ouer all the face of Heauen But I am resolued to put forth my hand to euery most painefull Office rather then to bee disseuered from the practisse of godlinesse 29 MEn may maruaile why so fraile and weake a creature as man should yet so harden and stiffen himselfe in sinne against God as he will not bee reclaymed But is it not because his power is forgotten his Soueraigne Lordship ouer al the creatures not carefully considered For if these were currantly conceiued the valiantest of men would finde inward dismayednesse and bee deepely cast downe for feare of hellish darkenesse The Marriners see when the Heauens fauour the Sea fauours also and they may be safe then and lye calmely but if the Heauen frowne and the windes begin to speake loud and as in a tumultuous Kingdome to think themselues fittest instruments of commandment then the sea will storme also and the stoutest of them all waxe agast and astonished I will there fore keepe in a cleere Hauen and seeke the fauour of the highest and then no inferiour Creature will shew it selfe way-ward to mee 30 WEe count it a miserable condition to bee at Sea in such a boystrous storme as the shippe wherein wee are hath neither power to staye nor way to escape but being carried with the Tirrany of the winde and the treason of the sea with vnresistable violence fals to destruction But O how miserable is it then to bee tossed and tottered with the outragious furie of sinne and Sathan
soe far possessed with securitie that nothing is so strong can purge it of that infection The Ministers of God leaue nothing vnsaid which their wit can make them know or their deepe loue to people can require of them yet nothing auailes They vse more cunning intreating for mens abode in Gods holy feare then any greedy Host can vse to a well paying passenger Yet cannot their prayers preuaile Yea Gods rod deeply wounds and oft he wounds againe and rubs vs with greefes afresh yet such is security in men as they can no more lay it from them then the Crow can bee perswaded by the Swan to cast off all his blacke feathers But Lord let mee remember a child that feares not the rod will hardly proue gratious and men that liue securely and feare not God will bee in Hell ere they bee aware 78 IT cannot be imagined how well some haue conned the lesson of secrecy They are so artificiall as they cannot be hunted out of their villany They can beare shewes in their countenance of honest and well minded men and with seeming vertue satisfie others when no goodnesse is nourished in their hearts These steale sinne and none must know it neither must any fame bring it to our eares But doe these persons thinke to see Heauens excellencies or thus to delude and mocke GODS Holy Maiesty Oh no stolne sinnes are sweet if the stealer could scape but hee shall be catcht and so shall pay for his hunting 79 IT is strange to see the vnmanlike cruelty of of mankind for many are so tirannically ambitious as they thinke their maisterhoods nothing worth vnlesse they doe iniury to the vertuous Hence to holy ones are stired vp wronges and griefes intollerable They are misvsed slandred belyed and what not Their tables are serued with bitter rootes and furnished with sallets of wormewood A foole and a knaue cannot take thought whilst an honest heart is full of sorrowes But sure it is A noble cause eases much a gieuous case This is the Godlies golden solace And though man to man bring misery yet comfort enough in this if thou be free from iniquity If I meet then with Helhownds that crosse mee yet I le take heed that sight of sin doe not also tosse mee 80 YOung Gentlemen many times are carried with ouer-vehement desire to see and behould the rare sights of forraine nations therefore they take great iournies strang courses vnder goe oftentimes vnpleasant companies and sometimes get mortall wounds and cruell executions They oft goe so farre as they neuer returne meeting with vnexpected mischiefs But as for me I wel can say A farre trauailer seeth much but hee that goes to Heauen makes a happy iournie The rare sights of this world shall neuer so please my fancie as they shall draw mee from the rauishing delights I see in diuinity 81 SInnes committed cause mighty griefe to a holy heart but God teaches his how to driue away the extreamity of sorrow and to obtaine aboundant ioyfulnes sight of sinne with narrow eies humble submission for deadly deedes vehement desire for mercifull fauour strong resolutions of future obedience make a sweet electuary to chase away griefes furie An electuary comfortable indeed for so the sinner escapes his deadly danger Yet this I haue alwaies thought the escape out of sinns danger is comfortable yet to keepe quite out of it is a heape of wisdome 82 MAny men in this world haue goodly portions which yet are vnfit for the meanest consultations How oft doe wee see wisdomes and vertues precepts better followed by a beggar then by such as be richer great ones often make a mocke at vertue and many be fortunate that be not wise But who so happily hath this double portion to follow vertue as well as riches I shall blesse my eyes with that ioyfull sight and shall esteeme such as most pretious iewells 83 WEe see many rich men fairly and hansomely attired as though they were children of the Summer they possesse faire fieldes ride on milke white horses sit in coaches richly furnished in black and red and all variety Surely most comely sights and such as calls the ruder eye to view them Yet the godly wise can see that many of these are vilely foule and vnhansome in their mindes and soules in the workes of God as slow as slowest Iades I wil deeme of these as these vse to speak of their horses A faire horse is comely to looke on but if he proue heauy hee is nought for trauell 84 TRauailers whiles they iournie some-time they step into delicate greenes and most pleasant grounds cunningly be set with trees able to shelter from a shower sometimes they walke on barren heathes where if sturdy stormes doe come they can finde no redresse Loe such is the life of man now faire now foule now sweet now sowre now greene but straite mirie somtime full of delectation anon turmoyled with affliction But since I must trauaile through this worlds wildernesse I resolue to account my aflictions as my necessary businesse yea and on good experience I speake it The Stormes of affliction scoures the faithfull and happy shall he be indures to the end 85 IT is a wonder to see how deuoutly religious many seeme to be which yet are nothing so They will shew a most pure and dainty complexion so that the viewer shall bee wonderfully mistaken and yet bee most vile in their conuersation Stayed thoughts and vertuous wordes shall yeelde you proofes of their goodnes but in the vttermost euent of matters all proues a rotten Carkas My care shall be then that my deeds shall be sutable to my words And I will testifie that as I thinke and speake so I desire to doe vertuously for els my enemies may rightly say great boast small rost makes a cold kitchin 86 VVHere Lady Vertue takes vp her lodging Dilligence waites on her with most humble seruice but idlenes is shut out of doores she dares not speake no nor looke as from her miserable selfe vnto her heauenly highnes for her steps are too slowe to follow vertues traine and therefore shee denies her seruice I resolue then to be full of sedulity that I may keep Lady vertue company I will not bee like such Gentlewomen that marre their complexions and conditions with lying long in bed when as they might haue made a handkercher by that time they rise 87 TO set out strifes is a matter to monstrous for my capacity I haue earnestly besought some for peace when they haue burst out to fury and shewne far more stirring motions to iniqu ty But are not these worse then flyes more absurd then Ants. The flyes liue together in swarmes and the Ants liue quietly in heaps but men can hardly make a company to liue in quiet But O Lord let me inioy peaceablenes while others are ouercome with strifes tediousnes 88 IF we see faire and beautifull persons we are oft vehemently carried with shews of affectiō