and though they be most acceptable to men wise like themselves yet have they never more need of wisdom then when they converse with the ringing elboes who like corrupt Ayre require many Antidotes to keepe us from being infected But when they grow bitter to a wise man we are then worse for he sees further into the disgrace and is able to harme us more Laughter should dimple the cheeke not furrow the brow into rudgedness The birth is then prodigious when mischief is the child of mirth All should have liberty to laugh at a jest but if it throwes a disgrace upon one like a crack of a string it makes a stop in the Musick Flouts we may see proceed from an inward contempt and there is nothing cuts deeper in a generous minde then scorne Nature at first makes us all equall we are differenced but by accident and outwards and I thinke it is a jealousie that she hath infused in man for the maintaining of her owne honour against externall causes and though all have not wit to reject the Arrow yet most have memory to retaine the offence which they will be content to owne a while that they may repay it both with more advantage and ease 'T is but an unhappy wit that stirs up enemies against the owner a man may spit out his friend from his tongue or laugh him into an enemy Gall in mirth is an ill mixture and sometimes truth is bitternesse I would wish any man to be pleasingly merry but let him beware he bring not truth on the stage like a want on with an edged weapon Of the uncertainty of life MIserable brevity more miserable uncertainty of life we are sure we cannot live long and uncertaine that we shall live at all and even while I am writing this I am not sure my Pen shall end the sentence our life is so short that we cannot in it contemplate what our selves are and so uncertaine as we cannot say We will resolve to doe it Silence was a full answer in that Philosopher that being asked What he thought of humane life said Nothing turn'd him round and vanisht like leaves on Trees we are the sport of every puffe that blows and with the least gust we may be shaken from our life and nutriment We travell we study we thinke to desect the world with continuall searches when while we are contriving but the nearest way to it Age and consumed yeares overtake us and onely labour payes us the losses of our ill expended time Death whiskes about the unthoughtfull world and with a Pegasian speed fâ—yes upon unwearied man with the kick of his heele or the dash of his foot springing fountaine of teares of friends If Nature had not made man an active Creature that he should be delighted in imployment nothing would convince him of more folly then the durance of some enterprises that he takes in hand for they are many times of such a future length as we cannot in reason hope to live till their conclusion comes We build as though we laid foundations for eternity and the expeditions we take in hand are many times the length of three or foure lives How many Warriers have expired in their expugnations leaving their breath in the places where they laid their Seige Certainly he that thinkes on lifes casualties can neither be carelesse nor covetous I confesse we may live to the Spectacle and bearing-staffe to the stooping Back to the Snow or the slacknesse of the declining Crowne but how few are there that can unfold you a Diarie of so many leaves More doe dye in the spring and summer of their yeares then live â—il autumne or their growned wintâ—â— Whâ—◠〈…〉 exhaust his very vitality for the hoarding up of fatall Gold and shall then thinke how a haire or fly may snatch him in a moment from it how it quells his laborious hope and puts his posting â—inde into a more safe and quiet pace unlesse we were sure to injoy it why should any man straine himselfe for more then is convenient I will never care too much for that I am not sure to keepe yet I know should all men respect but their owne time an age or two would finde the world in ruine So that for such actions men may plead their charity that though they live not to injoy those things themselves they shall yet be beneficiall to posterity And I rather thinke this an instinct that God hath put in man for the conservation of things then an intended good of the Author to his followers Thus as in propagation we are more beholden to the pleasure of our Parents then their desire of having us So in matters of the world and fortune the aimes of our Predecessors for themselves have by the secret worke of providence cast benefits upon us I will not altogether blame him that I see begins things lasting though they be vanities to him because he knowes not who shall enjoy them yet they will be things well fitted for some that shall succeede them They that doe me good and know not of it are causes of my benefit though I doe not owe them my thankes and I will rather blesse them as instruments then condemne them as not intenders Of Reward and Service WHen it lights upon a worthy nature there is nothing procures a more faithfull service then the Masters liberality nor is there any thing makes that appeare more then a true fidelity they are each of other alternate Parents begetting and begotten Certainly if these were practised great men need not so often change their followers nor would the Patrons be abandoned by their oâ—d Attendants rewards are not given but payed to servants that be good and wise nor ought that blood to be accounted lost which is out-letted for a noble Master worth will never faile to give desert her bayes A liberall Master that loves his Servant well is in some sort a god unto him which may both give him blessings and protect him from danger And beleeve it on the other side a diligent and discreet servant is one of the best friends that a man can be blest withall he can doe whatsoever a friend may and will be commanded with lesser hazzard of loosing nay he may in a kinde challenge a glory above his Master for though it be harder to play a Kings part well then 't is to act a Subjects yet Natures inclination is much more bent to rule then obey service being a condition which is not found in any Creatures of one kinde but man Now if the question be when men meet in these relations Who shall the first begin the lot will surely fall upon the servant for he is tyed in duty to be diligent and that ever bindes without exception The Lord is tyed but by his Honour which is voluntary and not compulsive liberality being a free adjection and not a tye in his bargaine 'T is good sometimes for a Lord to use a servant like
marrow-melting fire blown by the wind of sloath and errour The most victorious thing is our own selfe-Conquest for in our selves do our greatest foes ambush and the only way to make us ever glorious is by stout reason still to vanquish those If so be thy friend have offended thee fall not out with him nor urge him with violence but mild and meekly without insolence make thy complaint and take thou his excuse All men are faulty no man alive can say I have not erred no not the perfectest if thou doe survay his life in word and deed thou shalt find that he hath mist perfection It is a most busie yet a bootlesse pain for to hide ones falt for do the best thou canst thou canst not hide it from thy self Be ashamed more of thy self then others be thy self art most wronged by thy own faults and of thy self thy self first selfly blamed must give an account to thy selfes Conscience Care not so much to seem outwardly as to be good indeed for from false rumours which the vulgar blow a self clear Conscience is defence enough Reâ—â—eve the needy after thine Estate and to their want perticipate thy store for God doth blesse with plenty and tranquility the house that pitties the distressed What boots thy baggs to be so crammed with Gold thy trunks stuffed with such store of change thy bottles filled with such choyce of wines and of all grain such plenty in thy Chambers if all this while the naked-poor half perished with cold and hunger 〈◊〉 trembles at thy doore and at the â—â—â—gth gets but a peece of bread and many times perhaps but hardly that Have not a heart so cruell as to scorn the unhappy poor that at thy beck doth crouch who like thy self into the world was born and bearâ—â— Gods Image even as wâ—ll as thou Misfortune is a common lot to all mâ—n yea even to Princes Kings and Emperours only the wise is freed from her but where are they in this our age The wise man is freed among a Thousand troubles he is only rich with his own Estate content he is only secure in danger eased in pain he is only a true King of fate and fortune Who to himself is Law no Law doth neede Offâ—nds no King and is a King indeed He is not danted with the threats of Tyrants but by his troubles growes more hardy and strong knowes his own merit and lookes not for recompence from the great for vertue is his reward True morall vertue cannot be purchased by study by treasure or by the grace of Princes nor by one actioâ— or two or three but long practice brings her perfection Who readeth much and never meditate is like a greedy â—ater â—f much victualls who doth so surelâ—y his stomach with his Cates that commonly they do him little good Cursed is he that defrâ—â—ds the poor or that detaines the hierlings wages or who ingratefull of a good turn done thinks never of his friend but when he sees him Forsweare thee not what cause soever is given thee and if thou must of necâ—ssiâ—y â—ake an Oaâ—â— sâ—â—â—ar not by man not by the earth nor by Heavâ—n but by his sacred name who made all things For Gâ—d wâ—◠〈…〉 all â—â—jury and justly plagâ—◠〈…〉 anâ—us sâ—â— wâ—uld 〈◊〉 wâ—â—â—ou contest thâ— constaâ—◠〈…〉 aâ—y â—â—iâ—g tâ—â—â— iâ—â—â—lse or alterâ—ble Apply â—â—y whâ—le â—ff ctioâ—â— to some one Aâ—â— and sâ—â—dom 〈…〉 afâ—â—◠〈…〉 in th◠〈…〉 mâ—â—◠〈…〉 Mâ—â—â—â— thou with no more then tâ—ou canâ—◠〈…〉 â—o aspiâ—e 〈…〉 use thou the woâ—ld 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 o◠〈…〉 â—â—ther â—â—sirâ— iâ— Wâ—â—â—soâ—ver it b◠〈…〉 by the 〈◊〉 immedâ—â—â—ly 〈…〉 shâ—n that mischief is to keep shut the Casements of the Eares Much talk is seldom without lyes or at the least without some Idle speech unto the truth doth belong brief Language for many words are fit for fables and dreames It behoves to picture slander to the life to do it in the instant while one feeleth her for who is so happy that did never prove her can scarce immagine what she is She hath not her residence in the Ayre nor in the wild woods nor in the Sâ—a but she inhabits in the eares of great men where she depraves the innocent and honest Never give sentence in thine own cause for in our own case we are subject to erre for our own interest drawes our partiall judgment and ever makes the ballance hang a wrie Alwayes ground thy Judgment upon the Law and not on man for that is affection-lesse but man doth abound strangely in passion the one all like God the other too like to beasts Before thou promise any thing ponder why and what but having once past thy promise whatsoever it be yea be it to thy greatest enemy thou must perform it thy tongue hath tyed thee to it Nothing more beseemes a great or rich man then liberality so it be given to those that deserve it and without burthen to his own estate The fear that springs from reverence and love gives a firm support to greatnesse but he that through violence makes himself feared himself feares most and lives still in distrust An enemy disgrace and misfortune are three things to prove if friends be just for many bear the name to be friends that are not so iâ— they be put to tryall Thou fortunes wonder that from the lowest place doth as it were in a moment spring up to the top of greatness suppose it but a wind that blowes which before night perhaps will calm again A mean Estate is best of all A dangerous thing its high to clime The mightiâ—st Oakes have greatest fall When little shrubs grow out their time The mean estate is most permanent we see the vallies are drowned with every shower and mountain tops are rent with every Thunder when little hills are pleasant and safe A small thing pleases nature enough is a feast a sober life requires but a smalâ— charge but man the Authour of his own unrest the more he hath the more he still dâ—siâ—â—s Man doth repine at the shortnesse of his life yet doth not rightly spend that time he hath which might suffice his mind if to live well he did desire to live Thou canst hardly require him sufficiently wâ—o â—ath been tutor to thee in thy 〈◊〉 â—â—â—od nor him tâ—at hath instâ—ucâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—oth well to speak but châ—â—flâ— well â—o do 〈…〉 â—â—â—ces wâ—â—re thou comest alwayes give place unto the Aged So when likâ— Age shalâ— silverize thy Trâ—sse thou sâ—â—â—t by others be like honoured T◠〈◊〉 and drink and exercise in measure 〈◊〉 â—he 〈◊〉 câ—â—tainest means of hâ—â—â—th but 〈…〉 thâ—â— or other delights enâ—â—â—seth 〈◊〉 me doth hasten death If evill men speak evill of thee sometimes what needest thou to care it is thy Commendations blame from the Authour takes authority it is a good report that good men raise Of what is spoken ever make the best bear with the faults of thy frieâ—ds and neighbours bear with
solaces in theâ—â— dayes of tears what joy shall there bâ—â— in that day of marriage if our goale 〈◊〉 containe so great matters what shaâ—â— our Countrie and Kingdome doe O my Lord and God thou art a greâ—â— God and great is the multitude of thâ— magnificence and sweetnesse And 〈◊〉 there is no end of thy greatnesse nâ— number of thy wisdom nor measure 〈◊〉 thy benignity so is their neither â—nd numbers nor measure of thy rewarâ— towards them that love and faithfully serve thee Hitherto St. Austin Anotheâ— way to conjecture of this felicity is to consider the great promises which Goâ— maketh in the Scriptures to honor and glorifie man in the life to come whosoever shall honour me saith God I will gloryfie him And the Prophet David as it were complaineth joyfully that Gods friends were so much honoured by him which he might with much more cause have said if he had lived in the new Testament and had heard that promise of Christ that his Servants should sit down and banquet and that himself would serve and minister unto them in the Kingdom of his Father But now to come to that point of this felicity which doth appertain to the soul as the principal part it is to be understood that albeit there be many things that do concur to this felicity for the accomplishment perfection of happynesse yet the fountain of aâ—l is but one onely thing called by Divines the sight of God that maketh us happy This only sight of God is our happinesse If we would enter into these considerations no doubt but we should be more inflamed with the love of this felicity prepared for us then we are and consequently should strive more to gain it then wâ— do And to the end thou mayst conceive some more feeling in the matter gentle Reader consider a little with me what a joyfull day shall that be at thy house when having lived in thâ— fear of God and archieved in his service the end of thy peregrination bâ— the meanes of death to passe froâ— misery and labour to immortality anâ— in that passage when other men begin to feare thou shalt lift up thâ— head in hope according as Christ promiseth for that the time of thy salvation cometh Tell me what a day shall that be when thy soule stepping forth of prison and conducted to the Tabernaclâ— of Heaven and shall be received theâ— with the honourable Companies anâ— Troopes of that place with all thosâ— blessed spirits mentioned in Scriptureâ— as Principalities Powers Vertueâ— Dominations Thrones Angels Archangels Cherubines and Seraphines also with the holy Apostles anâ— Disciples of Christ Patriarks Prophets Martyrs Innocents Confeâ—sors and Saints of God All which shall triumph at thy Coronation and glorification What joy will thy soule receive at that day when shee shall be presented in the presence of these States before the Seat Majestie of the blessed Trinity with recitall and declaration of all thy good works and travels suffered for the love service of God When there shall be laid down in that honourable Consistory all thy vertuous deeds al thy labors that thou hast taken in thy calling all thy almes all thy prayers all thy fasting all thy innocence of life all thy patience in injuries all thy constancie in adversities all thy temperance in meats all thy vertues of thy whole life When all I say shall be recounted there al commended all rewarded shalt thou not see now the value profit of a vertuous life shalt thou not confess that gainful honorable is the service of God Shalt thou not now be glad bless the hour wherein first thou resolvedst thy self to leave the service of the world to serve God Shalt thou not think thy selfe to be beholden to him that perswaded thee unto it Yes verily But yet more then this when as being so neere thy passage here thou shalt consider into what a port and haven of security thou art come and shalt looke backe upon the dangers which thou hast passed and wherein other men are yet in hazzard thy cause of joy shall greatly be increased For thou shalt see evidently how infinite times thou wert in danger to have perished in that journey if God had not held his provident hand over thee Thou shalt see the dangers wherein other men are the death and damnation whereinto many of thy friends and acquaintance have fallen the eternall paines of Hell incurred by many that used to laugh and be merry with them in this world All which shall augment the felicity of this thy blessed estate And now for thy selfe thou mayest be secure thou art out of all danger for ever and ever There is now no more need of feare of watchings of labour of care thou mayest lay down all armour now better then the Children of Israel might have done when they had gotten the Land of promise for there is no more Enemy to assault thee there is no wily Serpent to beguile thee All is peace all is rest all is joy all is security Thy onely exercise must be now to rejoyce to tryumph to sing Hallelujah to the Lambe which hath brought thee to this felicitie and will keep thee in the same world without end But now to draw towards an end in this matter though there be no end in the thing it selfe let the Christian Reader consider whereto he is borne and whereof he is in possibilitie if he will He is born heire apparent to the Kingdome of heaven a Kingdome without end a Kingdome without measure a Kingdome of blisse the Kingdome of God himself he is borne to be joynt heire with Jesus Christ the Sonne of God to raigne with him to triumph with him to sit in judgement with him to judge the very Angels with him What more glory can be thought upon except it were to become God himselfe All the joyes all the riches all the glory that heaven containeth shall be powred out upon him who wil not esteeme of this royall Inheritance Especially seeing that now we have so good opportunity to the obtaining thereof by the benefit of our redemption and grace purchased to us therein Tell me now Gentle Reader why wilt thou not accept of this his offer Why wilt thou not accompt of this his Kingdome Why wilt thou not buy this glory of him for so little a labour as he requireth There is not the wickedest man in the world but taketh more travell and pains in going to Hell then the most painefull servant of God in obtaining of heaven Follow thou not their folly then deare brother for thou shalt see them suffer greevously for it one day when thy heart shall be full gald thou hadst no part among them Let them goe now and bestow their time in vanitie in pleasures in delights of the world Let them build Pall ces purchase Dignities and peeces and patches of ground together Let them hunt after Honours and build Castels in the Ayre the day will
of evill Prov. 1.33 He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee in famine he shall redeeme thee from death and in warre from the power of the sword thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it commeth Job 5.19 20 21. He will honour those that honour him and bring forth their righteousnesse as the light and their judgement as the noone day Prov. For I will have respect unto you and make you faithfull and multiply and establish my Covenant with you Levit. 26.9 And he will love thee and blesse thee and multiply thee he will also blesse the fruit of thy wombe and the fruit of thy Land thy corne and thy wine and thine Oyle the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe Deut. 7.13 Thou shalt know that thy seede shall be great and thy off-spring as the grasse of the earth Job 5.25 The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your Children Psal 115.14 Thy wife shall be as the fruitfull vine by the sides of thy house thy Children like Olive plants round about thy Table yea thou shalt see thy Childrens Children and peace upon Izrael Psal 128.3.6 I have been young and now am old yet have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread he is ever mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed Psai 37.25.26 The just man walketh in his integrity his Children are blessed after him Prov. 20.7 I will power my spirit upon thy seed and my blessiâ—g upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up among tâ—e grasse as willowes by the water courses Esay 44.3.4 Aâ—d their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the people All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath bâ—essed Esay 61.6 I will give them one heart and oâ—e way that they may heare me for ever for the good of them and of their Childâ—en Jer. 32. â—9 The Children of thy Servants shall continue and their seâ—d shall be â—stablished before thee â—sal 102.28 Though hâ—nd joyn in hand the wicked shall not bâ— unâ—â—â—â—shed but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered Prov. 11.21 In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his Children shall have a place of refuge Prov. 14.26 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children Esay 54.13 For God will shew mercy to them that love him and keepe his Command ments Meditations and Resolutions PRide is the greatest enemy to reason and discretion the greatest opposite to pride for whiles wisdom makes Art the Axe of nature pride makes nature the Axe of Art The wise man shapes his apparell to his body the proud man shapes his body by his apparell T is no marvel then if he know not himself when he is not to day like him he was yesterday And lesse marvell if good men will not know him when he forgets himself and all goodnesse I should feare whilst I thus change my shape least my maker should change his opinion and finding me not like him he made me reject me as none of his making I would any day put off the cause of my apparell but not every day put on new fashioned apparell I see great reason to be ashamed of my pride but no reason to be proud of my shame Hipocricy desires to seeme good rather then be so honesty desires to be good rather then seeing so The worldlings purchased reputation by the sale of desert wise men by desert with the hazard of reputation I would do much to heare well more to deserve well and rather lose opinion then merit It shall more joy me that I know my self what I am then it shall grieve me to heare what others report me I had rather deserve well without praise then do ill with comendation There is nothing more certain then death nothing more uncertain then the time of dying I will therefore be prepared for that at all times which may come at any time must come at one time or another I shall not hasten my death by being still ready but sweeten it It makes me not dye the sooner but better Had I not more confidence in the truth of my Saviour then in the traditions of men poverty might stagger my faith and bring my thoughts into a perplexed purgatory wherein are the poor blessed if pardon shall be only by expence Or how is it hard for a rich man to enter into Heaven if mony may buy out the past present and future sins of himself his deceassed and succeeding progenie It Heaven be thus sould what been fit has my poverty by the prise alreapy paid I find no happinesse in roome on earth T is happinesse for me to have roome in Heaven Nature bids me love my self and hate all that hurt me Reason bids me love my friends and hate those that envy me Religion bids love all and hate none Nature sheweth care Reason wit Religion love Nature may induce me Reason perswade me but Religion shall rule me I will hearken to Nature in much to Reason in more to Religion in all Nature shall make me carefull of my self but hurtfull to none Reason shall make me wise for my self but harmlesse to all Religion shall make me loving to all but not carelesse of my self I may heare the former I will harken only to the latter I subscribe to somthings in all to all things in Religion A large promise without performance is like a false fire to a great peece which dischargeth a good expectation with a bad report I will fore-think what I will promise that I may promise but what I will do Thus whilst my words are led by my thoughts and followed by my actions I shall be carefull in my promisâ—s and just in their performance I had rather do and not promise then promise and not do I cannot sâ—e two Sawyers work at a pit but they put me in mind of the Pharisee and the Pubâ—ican the one casts his eye upward whiles his actions tend to the pâ—â— infernall The other standing with a dejected countenance whiles his hands and heart move upward 'T is not a shame to make shew of our profession so we truly professe what we make shew of But of the two I had rather be good and not seeme so then seem good and not be so The Publican went home to his house rather justified then the Pharisee When I see leaveâ— drop from their Trees in the beginning of Autumne just such think I is the friendship of the world whiles the sap of maintenance lasts my friends swarme in abundance but in the winter of my need they leave me naked He is a happy man that hath a true friend at his need but he is more truly happy that hath no need of his friend When I see the heavenly Sun buried
under earth in the evening of the day and in the morning to find a resurrection to his glory why think I may not the Sonnes of Heaven buried in the earth in the evening of their dayâ—â— expect the morning of their glorious resurrection Each night is but the past dayes funerall and the morning his resurrection Why then should our funerall sleepe be other then our sleepe at night why should we not as well awake to our resurrection as in the morning I see the night is rather an intermission of day then a deprivation and death rather borrowes our life of us then robs us of it since then the glory of the Sun finds a resurrection why should not the Sons of glory since a dead man may live again I will not so much looke for an end of my life as waite for the coming of my change A bad great one is a great bad one for the greatnesse of an evill man makes the mans evill the greater It is the unhappy priviledge of authority not so much to act as teach wickednesse and by a liberall cruelty to make the offendors sin not more his own then others Each fault in a leader is not so much a crime as a rule for error And their vices are made if not warrants yet presidents for evill To sin by prescription is as usuall as damnable and men run post in their journey when they go to the Devill with authority when then the vices of the rulers of others are made the rule for vises to others the offences of all great ones must needes be the greatest of all offences either then let me be great in goodnesse or else it were good for me to be without greatnesse My own sins are to heavy for me why then should I load my self with others offences There is no security in evill society where the good are often made worse the bad seldom better for it is the peevish industry of wickednesse to find or make a fellow 't is like they will be birds of a fether that use to flock together For such doth their conversation make us as they are with whom we use to converse I cannot be certain noâ— to meete with ill company but I will be carefull not to keep with evill company I would willingly sort my self with such as shall teach or learn goodnesse And if my Companion cannot make me better nor I him good I will rather leave him ill then he shall make me worse It iâ— the apish nature of many for to follow rather example then precepts but it would be the saffest course of all to learn rather by precept then example For there is many a good Divine that caâ—not learn his own teaching It is easier to say this do thâ—â— to do it when therefore I see good Doctrine with an evill liâ—e I may pitty the one but I will practice the other The good sayings belong to all the evill actions only to their Authours I see corruption so largely rewarded that I doubt not but I should thrive in the world could I get but a dispensation of my Conscience for the liberty of trading A little flattery would get me a great deal of favour and I could buy a world of this worlds love with the sale of this little trifle honesty Were this world my home I might perhaps be trading but alas these Marchandize yeild lesse then nothing in heaven I would willingly be at quiet with the world but rather at pâ—â—ce with my Coâ—science the love of men is good whilst it lasteth the love of God is better being everlasting Let me trade then for those heavenly Marchandize If I find those otheâ— in my way they are a great deal more theâ— I looke for and within little more then I care for As faith is the evideâ—ce of things not seen so things that are seen are the perfecting of faith I believe a tree will be green when I see him leafelesse in winter I know he is green when I see him flourishing in Summer It was a fault in Thomas not to believe till he did see It were a madnesse in him not to believe when he did see Beleefe mâ—â—y times exceedes Reason not oppose it and faith be often above sence not against it Thus whiles faâ—â—h doth assâ—â—â— me that I eat Christ effectually sence must assure me that I tast bread really For thouâ—h I oâ—tentimes sâ—e not tâ—ese thiâ—gs thâ—t I beliâ—vâ— yet I m st still believe those things that I see The Crosse is but a signe of Christ crucified Christ crucified the substance of the Crosse the signe without the substance is as nothing the substance without the signe is all things I hate not the signe though I adore but the substance I will not blaspheame the Crosse of Christ I will not worship but Christ crucified I will take up my Crosse I will love my Crosse I will beare my Crosse I will imbâ—ace my Crosse yet not adore my Crosse All knees shall bend in reference to his name mine never bow in Idolatry to his Image As the giver of all things so each receiver loveth a chearefull giver for a bargen is valued by the worth of the thing bought but a guift by the mind of the party giving which made the widdowes mite of more worth then the riches of superfluity I see then he gives not best that gives most but he gives most that gives best If then I cannot give bountifully yet I will give freely and what I want in my hand supply by my heart he gives well that gives willingly When I see the Larkers day-net spread out in a faire morning and himself whirling his artificiall motion and obsâ—rves by the reflecting luster of the Sun on the whirling instrument not only the merry Larke and fearfull Pigion are dazled and drawn with admiration but stowter birds of pray the swift Merlin and towring Hobby are intised to stoope and gazing on the outward forme lose themselves Me thinks I see the Devills night-nets of intising Harlots fully paralleld spread out for us in the vâ—gor of our youth which with rowling eyes draw on the lustfulnesse of affection and betray the wantonnesse of the heart and wich their alluring glanses often make to stoope within the danger of their fatall nets not only the simple and carelesse but others also men otherwise wary and wise who coming within the pull of the net lye at the mercy of that mercilesse Fowler to their certain destruction Hence I resolve when I see such glasses to shun such motions as assured that these Glassâ—s have Nets adjoyning those Nets a Fowler attending that Fowler a death prepared for me then which I cannot dye a worse I may by chance I must of necessity at some time come within their view I will at no time come within their danger I cannot well live in this world nor at all in the better world if I be caught in their fatall Nets As oft as I heare the Robin-red-breast