which without I could not subsist And when I see the ground bedecked with grapes the green meadows with pasture the multitude of woods abounding with trees both for timber fuell and thousands of other uses as also the varieties of fruit trees in abundance the rare mineralls which spring from the bowels of the earth affording infinite wealth I cannot but admire to see the multitude of cattle both for food cloathing and many other accommodations the infinite store of fowle of all kindes the sweet flowers in abundance and the innumerable sorts of vegetables all profitable and delightfull I cannot but wonder at the great Ocean and the innumerable varieties of fish besides the great commodity wee enjoy by the shipping voyaging to all parts of the world for commodities both for profit and pleasure When I consider the firmament how thou hast bespangled it with those glorious creatures the Sunne Moon and Starres and all for the use of man to give light both by day and by night but above all that thou hast given thy only begotten Son to dye for us this is love beyond all the love that ever was these things transport me into an admiration and compell me to praise and to love thee O my God with an exceeding great love who is he or what is he that will not praise thee O Lord for these thy unspeakable mercies to mankinde O grant that I may no longer live then I love thee O God I will love thee I will blesse thee I will magnifie thee so long as I have any being MEDITAT IV. Meditations of the love and sufferings of our Saviour Christ for mankinde O Sweet Saviour what hast thou suffered for my sake and what have I done to deserve thy sufferings alas my sinne was the cause of thy sufferings yet had'st thou not suffered for my sinne I had utterly perished and been out of all possibility of being saved I was guilty of sinne but thou knewest no sinne neither was there guile found in thy mouth and what shal I render to thee my Saviour for thy unspeakable love towards me all I have is thine and therefore I have nothing to give thee or make any satisfaction to thee for thy love O Saviour thou hast given me a tongue and understanding to the end I should praise thee therefore I offer unto thee my Redeemer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving exrolling thy infinite mercy and clemency to thy poore creature Thou O sweet Saviour wast naked and I cloathed thou my Redeemer wast hungry and I satisfied with bread thou wast scourged and buffeted and I at ease feeling no pain thou wast spit on and rail'd on among thine enemies and I in rest and quiet among my friends thou wast in prison and I at liberty thou sufferest storms and tempest at Sea and I being upon drie land was safe upon my pillow thou wast crucified upon the crosse for my sake and suffered'st death for me O unspeakable love for ever to be had in remembrance never can I sufficiently magnifie thy wonderfull mercie patience and long suffering O Saviour give mee a heart that may alwayes bee mindfull of these thy wonderfull kindnesses and unparallel'd sufferings and that I may endeavour by all meanes possible to love thee and to dye for thee as thou dyedst for me make me seriously to ponder and thinke of thee continually and that my soule may so desire thee that it may never be at rest till it enjoyes thee MEDITAT V. Meditations of Gods preservation of man I Confesse O God thou preservest me yea when I thinke not of thy providence it is my dull sottishnesse and ingratitude that makes me thus forget my God How oft have I been in dangers both by sea and land ready to perish and yet it was thou alone that preservedst me and I knew it not because I remembred not thee O God as I ought to have done Thou hast preserved mee from the venome of false tongues and I on a sudden forgat it I might have perished oft in my going abroad and comming home but it was thy mercy that preserved me I might have miscarried in my very meat and drinke but for thy providence thou hast preserved me from theeves and murderers who would have confounded me but above all thou hast preserved mee from that roaring Lion who still seekes to devoure me and from those that lye in wait to catch my soule O Lord how shall I extoll thy mercy sufficiently for these unexpresseable favours to me wretched man that I am thy love is wonderfull to me and farre be it from me to thinke that I merit any thing from thee O God O Lord make me I beseech thee to thinke on thee continually and to meditate on thee day night alway expressing my thankfulnesse to thee for these thy marvellous preservations make me to praise thee and to love thee with an exceeding great love knit my heart to thee that I may feare thee and keepe thy commandements O let me doe nothing that may offend thee lest thou draw thy care and providence from me for if thou O Lord shouldest leave me to my selfe I were utterly lost and deprived of all help and comfort I could bee no where safe because of mine enemies which are mighty and strong who leek to destroy both body and soule leave me not therefore O my God but hold thy hand of providence over me continually watch over my wayes and suffer not the enemy to have any advantage over me hide me under the shadow of thy wings and preserve both my body and soule so shall I be safe from mine enemies MEDITAT VI. Meditations of the miseries and calamities of the time O God how happy were we when we enjoyed that great blessing of peace and tranquility how were we both a mirror and a terror to all the eyes of the Christian world how did our corne spring up with encrease of an hundred fold so that the people did rejoyce and sing how fruitfull was our Land with all manner of graine how full of all creatures fit for the use of man yea how did we abound in all things so that we were able to live of our selves without the succours of any other Nation what a sweet harmony and agreement was there among our selves which made our enemies stand amazed at our felicity when they themselves enjoyed none of these blessings O God how comes this change and unexpected misery upon us that now we are in Surely we did not value that blessing of peace as wee ought to have done surely it is our sinne and ingratitude that hath drawne thy vengeance upon us what a sight is it to see the father shedding the bloud of the sonne and the sonne the father brother against brother kinsman against kinsman one neighbour cutting the throat of another and all the whole Kingdome divided and plunged into a world of miseries how doe our fields lye barren for want of tillage our pâ—stures trodden
thy wisdome knowest what is fittest for us wee beseech thee make us in prosperity to remember that all wee have or enjoy comes from thee and that we may make a right use of them to thy glory rendring thee thanks continually for them And in adversity order us so that we may remember and acknowledge that what we suffer is deservedly for our sinne and ingratitude Lord make us as thou wouldest have us to be then shall we be happy MEDITAT XV. Meditations of the covetous rich-man and the poor labouring-man SEe the difference betweene the rich-man and the poor-man how penurious and griping is the one being never at rest nor quiet for feare hee shall lose that he hath or that his plots bargaining or over-reaching will not take effect How doth he labour and toyle to increase his wealth scarce enjoying one good houre how doth hee impoverish himselfe by his greedy desires depriving himselfe of the benefit of those good things God hath given him when the other is content with little being not certaine of that little neither having nothing but what he labours for and many times failes of that by reason of sicknesse or ill pay-masters and yet this poore man I le warrant you enjoyes more happy dayes in one yeare then the rich-man doth in seven and sleepes more sounder ten to one then the other What difference is there in their dyet the rich-man perhaps hath variety of dainties at his table and may have them when he will if covetousnesse hinder not the poore-man he is sure of nothing but if any comes its welcome be it more or lesse nay if it be but a dish of herbs or roots he is as well content with it as the rich-man with all his dainties See the difference of their habiliments the rich-man he is cloathed in purple and fine linnen when all the pride the poor-man hath is to cover himselfe with a homely garment to keepe out the weather not regarding either fashions or costly rayment See the difference of their mindes how proud scornfull and above measure exalted is this rich-man how disdainfully doth he looke upon his inferiours as if they were not worthy to behold his pride how doth he trample the poor underfoot and looks as high as if all the world were under his power when the poor-man he contents himselfe with his humility and low thoughts being courteous loving and kinde to his neighbours living meekly and in the feare of God See the difference of their lives the rich-man his thoughts are most on his lands goods cattell tenants purchasing and what hee shall eat and drinke when the poor-man his study is to serve his God and to get his bread by the sweat of his brows this is all his delight Now you may see the difference the rich-man hee spends all or the greatest part of his time in pride covetousnesse gluttony idlenesse and worldly vanity the poor-man in his dayly labour and service of God O rich-man consider that thou hast a soule to save or to damne therefore spend not thy time so lavishly and foolishly let God have a part of it here lest hee deprive thee of the riches of his heavenly Kingdome hereafter Consider that thy wealth was not given thee on those termes thou shouldest forget him that gave it to thee Tell mee what joy canst thou have with all thy riches and possessions when death comes to summon thee to another world where thou must give an account for all thy actions will thy riches save thee no all the riches and possessions of this world will not keepe thee from that fearfull sentence Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire nay rather will they encrease thy account Therefore have a care whilest thou hast time to spend it in the service of thy God remembring that upon this moment depends eternity MEDITAT XVI Meditations of the sufferings of Gods dear children in this world and of the benefit they shall receive thereby O God what need wee care for these light afflictions here in this world they cannot last long and who would not willingly embrace them to purchase a better world nay to gain the Kingdome of Heaven Our Blessed Saviour he suffered ten thousand times more then any of us nay he suffered more then we are able to suffer and are we to good to beare a part rather let me not live then to bee such a sonne as the father will not correct Suppose a man hath a wound in his body and that wound full of dead flesh would he not willingly indure to have that dead flesh cut out rather then to have it gangren and destroy the whole body even so is it with the soule there is a wound in the soule by sinne and God sends crosses and afflictions to cure the soule Lord let my wound smart rather then my body perish let my body smart for a little time here rather then my soule burne for ever in Hell Holy David said It was good for him that he was afflicted for before he went astray was it good for him and is it not good for us sure none of us are so good as he for he was a man after Gods owne heart and knew very well that afflictions were good for him otherwise he would not have said so he remembred that whom God loves he chastiseth even every son whom he receiveth nay they are bastards and not sonnes that will not endure correction Lord how did the blessed Apostles and Martyrs suffer these were sawne asunder others stoned some whipt and scourged others crucified their faith was exercised in watchings fastings shipwracks imprisonments being naked and destitute of all comfort How were many others of Gods deare children tormented Daniel in the Lions den Ionas in the Whales belly Sampson among the Philistims Ieremy in the Dungeon besides multitudes of others whose tortures have beene very great and certainly none of these should have suffered thus had not God loved them and saw it fit for them surely hee did it to weane them from the world and worldly things and that their everlasting happinesse in the Kingdome of heaven might by their patience here bee improved where is all joy and no sorrow where is fulnesse of all beatitude Therefore consider O my soule and comfort thy selfe with these Meditations and feare neither want imprisonment nor death for all these shall work for the better to them that love God MEDITAT XVII Meditations of the covetous desire men have to attain riches LOrd what adoe is there in this world to gaine riches how doe men labour and toyle to get a little muck or dirt they think nothing too much no time so well spent in any thing as in the purchase of this unrighteous mammon when God knows whether they shall live to enjoy it one houre How vigilant and carefull are they to rise early and sit up late scarce enjoying one good houre in all their life time Nay many men there are and God knowes too
comfort for the afflicted whether in body or minde You may see Gods providence and power delivering his people out of prison out of the fire out of the Denne of Lions out of the hands of their enemies out of shipwracke at Sea His feeding Elias by a Raven in the wildernesse and thousands of such like preservations and deliverances you may see and learn wisdom temperance patience faith hope and charity humility meeknesse and brotherly kindnesse Here you may see all sorts of sin and how to avoid them and you may see that bitter herb too called punishmeÌ„t due to sinners also you may see the good lives of Gods children and the rewards they have in the Kingdome of Heaven You may see Gods Attributes his power wisdome and love to mankind You may see our Saviours love in his sufferings for man his miracles and wonders and thousands of other comfortable flowers Certaine it is that no Garden in the world is like this this is pleasant and beautifull it yeelds comfort to all the happinesse of this Nation is such that they may walke and delight themselves in it at all times when other Nations are hardly permitted to looke in Let us then consider admire love and praise our good God for his infinite mercy to us in affording us that happinesse which no Nation in the world exceeds us in Let us adore and magnifie his marvellous clemency and goodnesse to us unworthy sinners let us extoll and land his name and let us be shewing forth his praise from generation to generation MEDITAT XXIII A Meditation on Musick in which as it were by way of digression the lawfulnesse of that Science is asserted O God! thou great Architect and composer of all things though I cannot but wonder at and admire those rare Arts and Sciences with the knowledge of which thou hast endued the sonnes of men yet of all that of Musick as it most nearly affects my sense so doth it most highly raise my admiration What a multitude of inventions is there in this Science that although it hath beene studied by millions of men for thousands of years and ever since Iubal who was the father of all such as did handle the Harp and Organ as we may see in Genesis Chap. 4. yet none could ever attaine to the full scope or perfection of it Yet thus much I may safely say for the honour of our Nation that for the generality of Musicke they have not beene inferiour to any Nation in the world And as this Science is none of the meanest so I am sure it is one of the most difficult for let a man read the Theory all the dayes of his life and he shall come short of the Practicke so let him use only the Practicke and he will yet be unskilfull for want of the Theory so that the way to make a Musitian compleat is to study both But let us view this Science in some particular branch of it see but the quality of a singer let him begin at the age of five or six and continue untill gray hayres he will I am sure confesse that hee is not yet perfect in his quality there is something more for him to do if he could find what it is he discovers a want of skill and will be studying for alteration or addition now all this while this is but one part of the Science neither is it otherwise with Instrumental Practitioners although they labour either upon the Organ Virginall Lute Violl or Harpe all their dayes yet they will finde themselves much below that Alt of perfection Now if it bee thus difficult with vocal and instrumental men surely it must needs bee far more difficult with composers who professe the greatest and most excellent part of Musick surely their study and travell must undoubtedly far exceed all others I could shew you the infinite variety exacted to be in a composer but I am not now to dispute but meditate And for the repute of this Noble Science it hath alwayes beene in highest esteeme among the best and greatest Worthies of the world for it is well knowne that divers Kings and Princes tooke great pleasure and have arrived to an high pitch of knowledge in it for instance King Henry the eight who composed a Song of eight parts a thing worthy his great name Lewis the late French King composed divers Songs and many Princes of Italy have beene excellent in this Science having published to the world divers sets of Songs famous Queene Elizabeth of happy memory was no small Practitioner of this Art Nor may we without great admiration observe the strange power and efficacy of this Science When David played on his Harp the evill Spirit liked it so well he would not stay to heare it but left Saul who of a King was become his subject and certainly if there bee any that hate the laudable use of this quality we may suspect that this evill Spirit delights to dwell with them where hee may not be troubled with it Nay which is more strange the Prophet Elisha could not prophesie untill an Instrument was brought to him and played on as you may see in the second of Kings Chap. 3. But now bring me a minstrell and it came to passe when the minstrell played that the hand of the Lord â—ame upon him and hee prâ—phesied Observe wee the twentieth Chap. of the second Booke of Chron. that when Iehoshaphat had consulted with the people hee appointed Singers unto the Lord that should praise the beauty of holinesse as they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever And when they began to sing and to praise then the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and they were all smitten and â—â—…e escaped See the tenth Chap of Samuel verse 5. After that thou shalt come to the hill of God where is the Garrison of the Philistines and it shall come to passe when thou art come thither to the City that thou shalt meet a company of Prophets comming downe from the high place with a Psaltery and a Tabreâ— and a Pipe and a Harpe before them and they shall prophesie and the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie with them and shalt be turned into another man and the Spirit of God came upon Saul and hee prophesied among them See the first of Chron. Chap. 25. Moreover David and the Captaines of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Iedutbun who should prophesie with Harps with Psalteries and with Cymbals See cap. ib. The six sons of Ieduthun under the hands of their father Ieduthun who prophesied with Harps to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Now we may plainly see that Kings and Prophets went both to prophesie and to battaile with Musicke And surely Musick was a furtherance to them otherwise they