their effect Tell me then my soule what that soule shall obteine in heauen which suffers crosses patiētly here on earth tell me my soule what shal there be cast vpon her Ecch. Honour SECT 120 The reward of such as are patient in troubles ANd what can bee a greater dignitie then to be cloathed with the brightnesse of GOD then to be indued with immortalitie and what can be a greater grace or an higher felicitie to any soule then to see God face to face for his face is the fulnesse of all beatitude to see him that made both heauen and earth to see him that made thy seife to see him that redeemed thee and glorified thee for in seeing him thou shalt possesse him in possessing him thou shalt loue him in louing him thou shalt praise him for hee is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their felicitie their reward their crowne of glorie in him our soules shall finde all wisdome all beautie all riches all delight all goodnesse whatsoeuer whatsoeuer deserueth loue or admiration or worketh pleasure and contentation Briefly in this kingdome there shall bee ioy without sadnesse health without sicknesse life without labour light without darkenes felicity without abatement all goodnesse without any euill loe thus shal he be blessed that patiently indureth crosses troubles and afflictions their youth florisheth and neuer waxeth olde life that knoweth no end beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth health that neuer diminisheth ioy that neuer ceaseth a song of gladnesse that neuer endeth there shal we sing reioice for euer happie are they Psal 83. saith Dauid that liue in thy house for they shall praise thee eternally there shall we sing vnto that blessed Trinitie God the Father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost we shall sing and cry Aleiluia Aleiluiah world without end Awake now my soule rouse vp thy selfe and arise call to thy friends and companions that wee may all goe together and heare the spirituall talke betweene Christ and his poore afflicted members make hast my soule for I heare the comfortable speeches of my redeemer sounding in my eares alreadie A DIALOGVE BETWEENE CHRIST and his Church afflicted by which wee may easily see what Christ doth require of those that suffer persecution for his name-sake and how they ought to behaue themselues in afflictions Christus IN mee yee shall haue peace Iohn 16.33 in the world ye shal haue affliction but bee of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Ecclesia afflicta Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 Chr. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden Matt. 11.28 and I will ease you Eccl. Master to whom shall we goe to els Iohn 6.68 thou hast the words of eternall life Christ Follow me Mat. 4.19 Eccles Master I will follow thee whithersoeuer thou goest Mat. 8.19 Christ I am the good Shepheard Iohn 10.11 Eccles We were as the good sheep going astray 1 Pet. 2.25 but are now returned to the Shepheard and bishop of our soules Christ I am the light of the world Iohn 8.12 Eccles Lord lighten my eyes least they behold death Christ I am the way Iohn 14.6 Eccles Shew vs the way of thy truth Ps 119.33 teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end Chr Blessed are ye that weep now Luke 6.21 Eccles The Lord shall wipe clean away all teares from our eyes Reuel 21. Christ Blessed are yee when men hate you Luke 6.22 Eccles If I should please men I were not the seruant of Christ Gal. 1.10 Christ Blessed are the pure in Mat. 5.8 heart for they shall see God Eccles Create in me a new heart O Lord. Psalme 50. Christ Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5.10 for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Eccles I suffer all thinges for the elects sake 2. Ti. 2.10 Christ Lay vp treasures for your selues in heauen Mat. 6.20 Eccl. Our conuersation is in heauē Phil. 3.20 Christ Wo be to you when all men speake well of you Luke 6.26 Eccles Wee ought rather to obey God then men Act. 5.20 Christ Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Mat. 5.12 Eccl There is laid vp for mee the crown of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4.8 which the Lord shall giue me at that day Christ My sheepe heare my voice Iohn 10.27 Eccl If an angel of heauen preach vnto vs any other gospell Gal. 1.8 let him be accursed Christ I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance Mat. 9.13 Eccles This is a true saving 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a true saving and by all means worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whome I am the chiefe Christ If any man will follow me Mat. 16.24 let him forsake himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me Eccles I am able to do all things through Christ Phil. 4.13 which strengthneth me Christ He that beleeueth in mee shall neuer die Ioh. 11.26 Eccles I beleeue that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Iohn ib. Christ Whosoeuer shall humble himselfe as a little childe Mat. 18 4. the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Eccles Wee are vnprofitable sernants Luke 17.10 wee haue done but that which was our duetie to doe Iohn 6.32 Christ My father giueth you the true bread from heauen Eccles Lord euermore giue vs this bread John 6.34 Christ Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him Iohn 4.14 shall neuer be more a thirst Eccles Sir giue me of that water that I may not thirst Iohn 4.15 Christ Feare not my little flocke Luke 12.32 Eccles O Lord in thee haue I trusted let me neuer bee confounded Christ Pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Mat. 5.44 Eccles Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Act. 7 60 Christ Hee that loueth father or Mother more then hee loueth me Mat. 7.37 is not worthy of me Eccles When my Father and my Mother forsooke me Psal 27.10 thou Lord tookest me vp Christ I came not to send peace but the sword Mat. 10.34 Eceles Who shal seperate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 8.35 shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword c. Christ Ye shall weepe and mourn but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Iohn 16.20 Eccles I account that the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glorie Rom. 1.18 that shall bee shewed vnto vs. Christ Where I am John 12.26 there shall also my seruant be Eccles I desire to bee loosed Phil. 1.23 and to be with Christ Christ Hee that loueth his life shall loose
long as they are in their earthlie Tabernacles they know well enough that they haue a good Captaine euen Christ Iesus who will giue them their full pay so that they shall loose nothing by their fight Mich. 5. verse 2. Mat. 2. v. 6. and out of Bethleem came this Captaine to gouerne his people Israel All the Prophets Martyrs and holy Saintes of God be his Lieutenants who follow their captain Christ close at the heeles and will not shrink one iot from him who in steade of a feather hung and bedeckt with golden aglets had a crown of thornes vpon his head beset round about with prickles and Lieuetenant Paul Lieuetenant Peter and al the rest of his Lieutenants in generall in stead of honour had dishonour in steed of mirth mourning in steed of reuerence reuilings and in steed of being made much of they were made roockes of Now the flag or ancient which the Godly beare into the fieldes and in which they tryumph and reioyce is the Crosse of Christ whence saith one Auncient-bearer amongst the rest absit God forbid that I should reioice in any thing but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 whereby the world is crucified vnto mee and I vnto the world Cant. 5. our Captaines colours are the red crosse in a white field white and red white in respect of his innocent purenesse or pure innocencie red in respect of his passioÌ„ when drops of bloud issued froÌ„ him came trickling down his cheeks who koweth not then my welbeloued my welbelooued is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousands the drummers and Trumpeters of this armie are the Ministers of Gods word who lift vp Esai 85. their voices like trumpets to shew Gods people their sinnes and the house of Iaacob their transgressioÌ„s to batter downe the wals of the spirituall Ierico the common souldiers of this band are al the elect and faithfull seruants of God in generall lastly the place where this Captain these Lieutenants these Ancient-bearers Cant 5.1 these Drummers Trumpiters Common Souldiers doe march and meete together is the church of God there wee must keepe our randeuow there we must eate drink make our selues merry there must be our court of gard for saith our Captaine where two or three are gathered together in my name 1. Thes 5. there am I in the midst of them there there doth he teach vs how to fight there there doth he traine vs vp there doth he place vs in battell rew and teach vs how to put on the brestplate of righteousnesse the sword of the spirit and the hope of saluation for an helmet O let vs not suffer then our armour to rust for if it rust our Captaine and Sauiour Iesus Christ when hee shall come at that great day of muster at the day of iudgement when as all soules shall be mustered vp together he will thinke vs to bee but idle and slouthfull seruants O therefore come fellow souldiers let vs march on still stand your ground yeelde not the bucklers be resolute and couragious for wee haue receiued presse-money in our baptisme there there haue wee vowed to be the souldiers of Christ stand to it then stoutly yeeld not vnto the vaine pleasures of the world come I say let vs march on for heare yee not how the holy Ghost soundeth out the drum of comfort of triumph of ioy of peace and all happinesse crying Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life and heare ye not the merrie sluit and pipe playing most sweetly and singing in the ayre Reuel 2.10 To him that ouercommeth will I grant to sit with me in my kingdome o. SECT 1. A meditation on Christs riding to Ierusalem on an asse O Bountifull Iesus whose head is as fine gold whose lockes are curled Cant 5.11 Math. 21.7 and blacke as a rauen thou entredst Ierusalem fitting on an asse O low and humble minde of so great a king thou wast poore too sweet Lord when thou entredst in the citie for thou borrowedst garments to couer thine harmeles bodie though thou wast owner of all both in heauen and earth thou wast poore indeed for thou haddest not whereon or wherein to rest thine head thou wast borne poore thou liuedst poore and thou diedst poore poore naked here me thinks my Lord doth condemne our pride and the pride of those that were heirs of Dauids kingdome to see how magnifically in what pompe and state with how many vaine glorious plaudits of the people and riding in Chariots al glittering with gold they entred in that citie Ierusalem and to see now how my Lord rideth in vpon an asse without any furniture onely his disciples thread-bare coates being cast vpon her And what is my Lord indeed rode before into the â—â—â—e well then I will lackie after let vs make haste vnto the gates of the citie and there knocke while they may be opened vnto vs Let vs run a pace I say least that wee bee answered with the foolish virgins Abite enim nescio vos Goe away for I know you not SECT 17. How a man must be considered IN what state things temporal and transitorie stand euen in the same doth man Senccae Epist 77. that ship is called good and fortunate not she which is painted out with pretious colours nor she whose ancor is made either of gold or siluer or whose cable is made of fine twisted-silke nor yet shee that is fraught with a princes reuenewes nor yet with the whole wealth of a kingdome but she that is stable and firme whose ioynts are close and found swift in her iourney and long liuing on the seas foming waues that sword is called good not that whose hilts are gilded or whose sheath is beset with pearles but that sword which hath a sharpe and well seasoned edge able to cut whatsoeuer it shall bee put vnto the carpenter commendeth not his rule for the beautie thereof but for the true measure and streightnesse of it and in man it auaileth nothing how many acres of ground he ploweth how many he foweth how much money hee puts sorth to vse of how many hee is saluted and called master how soft the bed be that he lies in or how pretious the cuppe bee that hee drinkes in and the like but how good and vertuous he be how sharpe the edge of his zeale is to cut downe sinne and how streight his feete walke in the wayes of the Lord We see then that whosoeuer is a mightie man is not therby a good man but he that is good is thereby a mightie man yea and presently mightie as heat is vnseparable from fire so is might from goodnes none of these whom riches onely raise to honour are to be called great men why then do we cal them great a dwarffe if thou shalt measure his basis or foundation will not prooue a tall man though hee stand on a
easily crack she beareth vp on high in the ayre and from thence letteth it fall down alow on a stone where it breaketh into many peeces so that at length she descendeth and cateth it vp And the diuel rayseth the proud man to honour that thereby hee may bring him low letting him fall down on the hard paines of hell and so deuoure him pride and fier are werie like for oftentimes haue I seene a seething pot running ouer into the fier laying the heate thereof and so consequentlie become cold the pot is cold the fier is out and is not the fier cause of its owne death 1. Pet. 5.8 the pot the cause of its owne coldnesse surely yes and hee likewise that spraineth his arme by reaching vp on high is the sole cause of his owne griefe I see that high hopes haue oftentimes hard euents high reaching armes are beared vp in scarfes and such as doe snatch at the bough doe moste commonly stumble at the root tel me then my soule how a man ought to behaue himselfe or what hee must be whereby hee may seldome fall downe on the ground Luk. 18.14 or yet thereon once so much as stumble Eccho Humble SECT 65. On the same AT the winnowing of corne the chaffe being lightest Psal 1.4 mounteth aloft the winde carrieth it abroad where it list and where it is lost but the Corne which is heauiest abideth a low on the ground and is gathered vp and put into the Garners of the farmer Mat. 13.30 kept for the profit of the common-weale when as in the meane time the chaffe is burnt lost and deuoured by beasts so pride a vapour that ascendeth high presently vanisheth away into smoak ye euen into nothing when then is the best time to be hūble in aduersity no for that is scarse praise-worthy then a man of necessitie must be humble least that hee makes a great fier in a little cottage the best time to be humble is in the middest of prosperitie and this is praise-worthy it is worthy of mans commendations commendable before men here on earth and commaunded by God aboue in heauen yet oftentimes the greater the bragger the bigger his lookes the smaller rost the greater boast and what saith my soule are they commonly cloathed with most that vse these high-vaulting brags Eccho Ragges SECT 66. There is no reason why men should be proud J Would then that such men would once againe stand on tipto on the mount of meditation I would they would consider with indifferent eyes what our bodies are in very deede how beautifull soeuer they appeare to our outward sight tell me my soule what other thing is the body of man but only acorrupt and tainted vessell which incontinently sowreth and corrupteth whatsoeuer liquor is powred into it Augustine what other thing is a mans body but onely a filthy dunghill couered ouer with snow which outwardlie appeareth white and within is full of filth and vncleanesse what muckhill is so filthy what sink auoideth such foule and filthie stuffe out of his channels as a mans body dooth by seuerall meanes and waies and why then O earth and ashes shouldest thou be proud why shouldest thou esteeme thy selfe somuch and be so vainely conceited for tell me my soule what mans body doth doe to any thing that shal stay in it Ecch. Staine it SECT 67. All things vanish saue a good name ARt thou faire and welfauoured praise not thy selfe for the Lillie though it be white yet it stinketh art thou bigge strong and of high stature bee not vaine-glorious for great mightie things are oftentimes combersom art thou vertuous and yet praise not thy selfe least that thou become proud and so vicious art thou vertuous now all men will speake well of thee it is onely vertue and godlinesse that maketh foule things faire and faire gratious all outward gifts of nature may soone be taken away euen when one is aliue the tall man many grow crooked the faire face may bee shriuelled the rich man may bee impouerisheds his silkes and veluets may be pluckt off from his back his Iewels taken frō his eares his rings from his fingers when as Virtus post funera vinit Ouid. vertue though it seemes to be dead being obscured while hee liues shall neuer dye it shall liue after death SECT 68. One man thinketh that all is too much that another hath FInally I meruaile who can say and not counterfeit I am contented with my estate for I see that the shoomaker treads stately in the eyes of the Cobler the Brasier glisters before the face of the Tinker and the Priest sings sweet in the eares of the Clark would not a Pedler be a Mercer and the Mercer a Merchant would not the Atturney be a Counceller and the Councellot a Iudge thus many men climbe the high Cedars of ambition but the boughes thereof being rotten they fall most dangerously vpon the ground it is better then to gather grapes contentedly from that law yeelding shrub then to tryumph on the putrified armes of that vnconstant Caedar Ouid de Trist Qui iacet in terra non habet vnde cadat when Icarus Icarcas nomme fecit aquas Nay what thinkest thou my soule what will fortune If I may so speake let any ambitious minde escape for at whom doth shee aime with her dart so fatall Eccho At all SECT 69. A Meditation on Elisha his putting of Salt into a new cruse by casting it into the waters WE reade that Elisha the Prophet by putting salt into a new cruise and by casting it into the Springs of the waters these waters that were naught and vnwholesome Iohn 16 were made good and delightful what shall we conceiue heare by those waters of Iericho but the teadious combats of a bad conscience heare in this life and what by this new cruise but an heart renewed by repentance Col. 4.6 Moreouer salt doth signifie the power of the word of God for as by the sprinkling of salt on fresh meate it is kept from maggots from Flie-blotes and from all corruption whatsoeuer and hee whose soule is seasoned with the word of God is preserued from all the corruption of sinne and from that worme which continually knaweth the conscience and neuer dyeth O my sweete Lord grant then that wee may bee true vessels filled with this mysticall salt that we may ouercome the teadiousnesse of this life Psal 30.5 Thou hast promised that although wee weepe and lament and the world reioyce although we sorrow now yet our sorrow shall be turned into ioy Indeede it is thy word O Lord whereby wee haue rest in our labours whereby wee haue mirth in our mourning wherby we are rich in pouertie therby we are exalted through humilitie and through contempt wee are made glorious this is that meale of the prophet which made sweet the bitter pottage 4. King 4 and when as they cried through the
counsell that it is great follie to thinke to haue that kept secret by telling it vnto another when as thou canst not keepe it secret thy selfe SECT 91. The charitable man WHosoeuer drinketh of the sweete springs of charitie is apt and readie to all good hee laboureth and is not wearie he is wearie feeleth it not bee feeleth it but grieueth not the malitious mock him but he regards them not he is cursed but he blesseth and curseth not SECT 92. Parents must instruct their Children SVrely that childe is not bound in duetie to loue those his parents of whome hee neuer learnt any vertuous instruction it is not enough for a man to say I haue a sonne except the can say I haue a sonne fearing God and profitable for the commō weale and a father that would haue such a sonne must teach him as well by good examples as by Godly admonitions SECT 93. Miracles are euerie day to be seen in the world SOme men looke daily for miracles from heauen yet they regard not these myracles that are dayly sent euerie new borne babe beareth a wonder but who esteemes it worthy of admiration tenne hundred men ten hundred countenances all rare all varying all singular to shew the singular rarenesse of Gods power ten hundred tongs ten hundred voyces some sharp some flatt some shrill some hoarse none alike ten hundred mindes some good some bad and each one disagreeing SECT 94. God doth not defire the death of a sinner A Good musition hauing any key or string of his instrument out of tune doth not immediately cut it off and cast it away but either by straining it higher or slacking it down lower by little and little causeth it to agree and God desireth rather to reforme the transgressions by small corrections then seeke to cast them away for euerie trespasse hee lifteth them vp high by heaping his blessings vpon them to see whether or no these his mercies will bend them but if this wil not serue he vseth then to slacke his loving kindnesse and to thrust afflictions on them to trie whether these his threates will breake them so that it may bee he will make them agree and tunable with his will SECT 95. We beleeue not that God is angrie with our sinnes GOd oftentimes saith Dauid hath bent his bowe and made ready his arrowes to shoot at the wicked and impenitent sinner and yet doe they not thinke that hee is angrie with their sinnes And oftentimes againe with moste fatall and deadly shot hath he charged the roaring gunnes of his wrath and flust many times in the pan still putting the Lenitie of his mercie in the touch-hole betweene the barrell and it to trie whether wee would take the winges of repentance and flie away yet set wee still cheering vp and pruning of our euils like foolish birds thinking nothing not at all expecting death or yet any danger to ensue so that at length wee tumble and totter headlong ouer the pearch wheron we thought we sat most secure Surely men in these daies do presumptuously depend vppon Gods patience they thinke him to bee a God of waxe whome they may metamorphise and change into what shape they please whom they may melt and turne into what fashion they wil but I feare that in this their tempring of him he will so stick to the skirts of all presumptuous offenders that all the waters in the broad seas wil not be able to wash all their besmeering off to wash cleane and cleanse their soules from that horrible sinne of presumption God will not be mocked Non est ludendum cùm sanctis It is ill iesting with edge tooles SECT 96. We must humble our selues before God GOD is loftie and God is lowly he is pitifull and he is terrible he is great in compassion and great also in confusion and in both without passion if thou doest lift vp thy selfe vnto him Num. 16 4. he flyeth from thee but if thou humblest thy selfe and kissest the ground with thy face he soone lighteth vpon thy backe God is a spirit and like a shadow which when thou arisest vp vanisheth away from thee the onely way then to catch it is to fall downe vpon it to fall downe vpon thy knees with the Publican and crie Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner SECT 97. We can see a moat in our brothers eye but not the beame in our owne IT is a strange matter to seé how euery man will gaze and wonder at a foole yet no man will vouchsafe so much as to looke vpon his owne deformities me thinkes most men haue the eyes of those counterfeiting Lamiae Eras Rothe they can see a farre off yet not discerne hard by discerne then a foole and see thy selfe or see a foole and wonder at thy selfe most of the worlds wisest men haue some babble Satans Scepter Vice the babble Sinne the scepter whereby the diuels kingdome is vpholden SECT 98. Vaine glorie a meere vanitie MAny men hunt after vaine glorie they runne vp and downe to catch a feather and pray what is it but a fether euen as light as nothing they dreame that they haue mountaines of gold but when they awake out of their fleep of blind ignorance they shall finde iust nothing at all in their handes and what is praise and renowne when they haue it for which they gaped for so long truely it is not worth three points for that it is onely the breath of some fewe mens mouthes the men may die their mindes may alter vpon euery light occasion which now maketh him great now little and now nothing at all our Sauiour Christ himselfe was receiued into Ierusalem with trimph of Hosanna crying blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Matth. 21. Mat. 27.20 and casting their apparell vpon him and cutting downe branches and strawing them in the way but not long after this they cried as fast crucifie crucifie crucifie him crucifie him let him be crucified SECT 99. We loue not to be told of our faults THough it bee a fault generally for all men to sinne yet very few can indure to heare their sinnes repeated or reproued but wee must heare what we would not when as we doe what wee should not and what though the hearing therof bee vnpleasant to thy soule yet me thinkes the perswasions to amendment should bee sweet mixe one with the other and drowne the bitter and vnpleasant taste of reprehension with a sweete and delectable resolution to lead a more godly and Christianlike life drowne it with a sweet repentance SECT 100. Wee must haue patience in declaring the will of God ANd surely patience in declaring the will of God must needes be very good and necessarie whenas those that are taught and admonished doe thus kicke and spurne at their teachers and whō if they could they would persecute and prosecute them euen vnto the death Petr. Martyr in 2. ca. Rom.