a vaine folly was it to dippe in water to swimme in blood What a strange delusion was this to seeme the cleaner to be the foâ—ler Outward pretences may and are often voyde of sincerity Many Roman Pharisees doe often sprinkle themselves in Holy water yet vnder this wallow in the blood of Princes and Gods weaker members and so many Hypocrites amongst us under the forme of sanctity commit the deepest and desperatest impieties The worst complexions and sordidst natures are deepliest painâ—ed The grosser villanies have the fairer excuse That great Imposter when Hee meanes worst appeares as â—n Angell of Light We â—â—e not to relye upon appearances I desire not to â—ash with him I had raâ—her have a cleane Heart â—nd foule Hands then cleane Hands and a soule Heart Praestat esseâ—quam â—ideri MEDITATION 3. Vpon the sight of a Toade VVHich of us tiro are of the Ancienter House the Earth is our mother This creature may plead antiquity of nature I of sinne My originall Polution makes this so loathsome to the sight I am beholden to it for bearing so patiently some part of my burthen By nature I am as full of poyson as It. Every sinne is not onely venemous but mortall In my corrupted nature I doe appeare in the Eyes of God as ugly as this deformed beast It would perhaps be better if it could I may bee if I will This creatures deformity comes from mee mine from my selfe and Satan How am I beholden to that God that did not though hee iustly might have made me so How am I bound to praise Him who to make mee comely le ts the whole creature suffer under vanity Rom. 8. MEDITATION 4. Vpon hearing a Woman to die in child-bed THE unlawfull desire to taste fruit made her diâ— in bearing fruit Eves sinne procurd her suffering The opening her wombe is a preparative to her grave It may well bee called a Travaile when the Mother takes her journey out of the World I see truely what a dangerous thing it is to conceive and breed sinne St. Iames spoke true That sinne when it is conceived brings fortâ—fortâ—death Children I thinke have good cause to love their Parents who are willing to part with life themselves to give it these How ought â—ve then O Saviour to love thee who to give us eternall life was so willing to lay downe thine owne life in the grave And in the case of regeneration so must every Child of God doe His body must die wholy to sinne that soule and body may live wholy unto righteousnes unto glory The onely way to live hereafter is to die here MEDITATION 5. Vpon SAVLS going from Heirusalem to Damascus VVHither posts this deepe-learnd Pharisee with such Eagernes and Zeale did Gamaliel his Tâ—tor ever read such a Lecture of bloody persecution to him where found he this Axiome in the whole Law to persecute the Gospell where learnt he ever to make Mose fight against Christ Could he so deeply love the Seruant and yet kill the Master Alâ— knowledge and Religion in â—â—y professor is but zeale blinâ—d without Christ. It may â—eme strange that the Professors of Divinity should â—ave such â—arres and so deepâ—â— uyed Behold the great â—oodnes of God In the depth of darknes Saul is caught â—nd compassed with the great â—â—ght of a glorious Sauiour We â—re not masters of our Owne â—houghts It was a true â—peech of Ioseph ye thought â—ill but God brought it to Good VVhen wee thinke many times to doe most â—ee then cannot doe any â—hing I see it 's vaine fighâ—ing against the Church of Christ. God does well know â—ow to catch a Sinner at adâ—antage Even all thing persecution it selfe work for the good of Gods Saint He beganne his Iourney Saul But ends it a Paul 〈◊〉 if I be asked where Saul 〈◊〉 I may safely answere Is 〈◊〉 Saul now among the Prophet and Apostles blessed for Euer MEDITATION 6. Vpon DAVIDS Adultery IS it not pity such a Rosâ— should have such a Canker so faire a face such a Blemish But what Saint is priviledged with the state â—f Perfection here This â—â—ll as it proved was but for is surer standing better â—eed taking The greatest â—â—enesit I see that God â—nds to recover Him is a â—od Sermon preacht and Well â—pplyed by a Worthy and well â—arned Prophet send O God such alwayes upon â—eed in the Courts of earthâ—y Princes They deserue there â—laces with reverence with â—espect No Member of Christ can expect a Freedome from tentation Our head â—ad his trialls and those â—harpe ones too by that wickâ—d One. the fairest Sunne sometimes meetes with Cloudes So the purest lights of the Church want 〈◊〉 their blemishes O Godâ— let not me so much 〈◊〉 that he fell as reioyce 〈◊〉 he did in time recover 〈◊〉 me looke well to my self For I may be sure that if Sâ—tan durst invade such a religious Crowne He will not 〈◊〉 the weaker subiect The beâ— course to keepe out Satan to avoyd idlenesse MEDITATION 7. Vpon CAINS murtherâ— his brother Aâ—â—L VVHat but two â—â—thrâ—n in a whoâ— World and they together 〈◊〉 the eares What 's the â—uarrell for wealth or hoâ—â—oâ— the one was not knowne â—he other not affected Was 〈◊〉 religion this would have â—aught Cain love not revenge This was an early persecution â—he divell began Warr beâ—imes goodnesse can no sooâ—â—er be begun but it shall â—â—eete with opposition We must not loose our religion though we bleed for it by our 〈◊〉 brethren All in a family 〈◊〉 not the children of the 〈◊〉 father Grace is not tyed 〈◊〉 the first-borne God may â—hoose the youngest leave the â—ldest Cain scornes to hate â—nder blood-shedding The divell is a murtherer from the beginning Brethrens divisions especially in matters of Religion are hardly reconciled But though this one dyes God knowes how to bring up another goodnes shall be sure of Enemies but it cannot be utterly rooted out Abell hath had abundance of brethren Caiâ— did not so much kill Abeas himselfe It is a true Maxime that Sanguis mâ—â—rtiâ—rum semen Ecclesiae S. 〈◊〉 shall conclude it in thiâ— saying That he that 〈◊〉 borne after the flesh persecâ—â—ted him that was borne afteâ— the Spirit MEDITATION 3. Vpon the good Samaritan and the wounded Man SEe how we poore wretches are beset with dangers our life is but a conâ—inued passage through robbers Free booters It 's the safest to keepe our selues at home When we goe forth we expose our selues to hazards It 's not every Mans happines to have such a compassionate Passenger That man liues safe whose minde keepes within A retired life hath the fewer inconueniences This Man found most good at the hands oâ— a stranger A friend is more Neere then a brother It is grace not nature affection not affinity that are most sensible and sympathizing of distresses I see plainely that those Iewish ceremoâ—nies are not so Helpfull as the mercies of God in Iesus Christ It 's not
yoâ— with amazement It 's good to keepe in peacâ— with God least he arme hiâ— Creatures against us Goâ— can and doth bring great Aâ—â—tions to passe by small anâ— weake Instruments All haâ—â— force enough when He imâ—ploies them The Flie anâ— Worme are as able as the Lyâ—â— Its not so much to questâ—â—on with what a man is puâ—â—shed as to learne from whoâ— and whence it commeth I 〈◊〉 Oh God acknowledge thâ— power in all thy creatures 〈◊〉 thou makest me an Example of thy Iustice by the least for despising their seeming impotencies Non in quantitatâ— sed qualitate virtus MEDITATION 25. Vpon the sight of a dead Man TEach us Oh Lord so to Number our daies â—hat we may apply our harts â—nto wisedome for so soone â—asse we away and are gone All flesh I see is Grasse â—nd all the beauty of it is as â—he flower of the feild Thou â—Oh God hast determined â—he number of our dayes which we cannot passe See what followes the seperation of the soule and body As long as this Tabernacle lodged the soule It was sensible active could heare see speak or move now that guest is driven forth by the Maker there is nothing in it but breeds loathsomnesse I plainely see that all confidence in man is vaine and deceitfull we must all dyâ— for sinne but keepe me from dying in sinne since I musâ— dye let me end in grace noâ— in nature I descry the natâ—â—rall mans unfitnes for anâ— spirituall exercise what 〈◊〉 he performe without Christ And as the body is deaâ— without the soule so both soule and body without grace Oh let me alwaies be as a dead man unto sinne so this death shall end in life and this dissolution shall be the onely meanes to have both happily and gloriously united Mortuus pecâ—ato vivus Christo. MEDITATION 26. Vpon the sight of a Lottery HOw cunning the world is to deceive the world here are a thousand Blankes for one Prize The World deales all upon cheating It 's a thousand to one if any good man gets any good by it from it or in it See what a throng is heere Every man strives to be first to cheate and deceive himselfe I doe see places of more profit and pleasure stand empty The world hath more Clyents then the Church we cannot conclude the greatest company to bee the best Goodnes cannot bee justly numbred by the Pole There is more Earth for the Potter then for the Gold-smith It 's no safe argument to follow the multitude Every one that drawes hopes for a prize but hee that hopes to be a Winner in this world shall be a Looser The folly of the worldly â—ans wisedome is here easily â—ene Here he will willingly â—â—st away Pounds vpon unâ—â—rtaine hopes but in Gods â—ottery the Church hee will â—udge his farthings nay his â—esence Yet here he gaines â—me and saves his estate â—ere hee looses both Oh â—ord I beseech thee to give 〈◊〉 grace to come to thy â—tore-house where I may furâ—ish my selfe with rich comâ—odities at a low rate I â—eed not feare to adventure â—or all that comes from thee 〈◊〉 advantageous MEDITATION 27. Vpon a great Candle in a faiâ— Candle-sticke HOw comfortable hoâ— comely is this anâ— how wisely is it plaâ—ced It 's pity but such 〈◊〉 Candle should have such 〈◊〉 seat and such a Candle-stickâ— deserves such a Light Therâ— is not any but affects it if hâ— well disposed How easily doe I in thiâ— see a good and painfull Preacher well and wisely placed iâ— a good Pulpit His Doctriâ— is no lesse comfortable theâ— convincing My Prayer shal◠〈◊〉 that every such light may â—ave such an Eminent Preferâ—ent Those whose lives and Doctrine are both holy and â—anctifiedare indeed burning â—nd shining Lampes and doe â—race the Temple and Gospell â—f Christ. Let me Oh Lord â—e but even a little Candle â—n thy Temple thus qualified â—nd I cannot dislike my â—lace nor doubt of Accepâ—ance and Approbation with â—hy Saints MEDITATION 28. Vpon a dead Coale VVHy this sooner extinguishd then another or why at all 〈◊〉 that heate so sodainely anâ— totally vanish from the suâ—â—iect or being dead is it not 〈◊〉 be revived It 's manifest thâ— remotenesse and solitarinesâ— makes it die But joyned 〈◊〉 the whole Company hoâ— soone recovers it the formâ— virtue It 's no otherwise with thâ— Elect Children want of goâ—â— exercises and Company maâ— abate and lessen their heaâ— of zeale but thou wilt 〈◊〉 suffer it to bee extinguisheâ— Satan by policy may cauâ— some remissenes but he shaâ— not procure absolute deadâ—nes Graces in the Act are noâ— alwaies so sensibly operativâ— yet the habit may remaine firme The Sunne may bee â—hid with clouds but we know It doth then move in his Orbe It 's not a meane blessing to enjoy the company of Gods Saints who are not onely warme in Grace themâ—elves but also make others so to be MEDITATION 29. Vpon seeing the Sunne setting HOw glorious comfortable and pleasant was his light this last houre now how darke and disconsolate is the Heaven and what a sable Mantle spreads ouer our heads and how are the Earthly Inhabitants Canopied in Darknes How doth it shadow out the vncertaine condition and fraile estate of the greatest Monarchs the mutability of all worldly lustre Scepters have their periods and the greatest honours and preferments their appoynted dates Nothing under the Sunne but is subiect to setting Iust such is the case of the body without the soule and such is the state of the soule without Christ miserable uncomfortable I entreat thee Oh Saviour never to deprive my soule of thy presence but let mee alwaies bee comforted with the light of thy countenance so I need not feare the darknesse of the Grave nor that of Hell being alwaies in thy presence who art that Light and that Sunne which never sets or changes MEDITATION 30. Vpon a Stone in a River HOw unmoveable obdurate is this though the waters are about it above it continually It changes not the forme seldome the place and is absolutely unfit for any building or necessary Imployment when as others that are heavier and greater then it with a few dropâ— of Raine onely are mollisied receive impression are squared and fitted for many excellent imployments I cannot but behold Oh God the severall conditions of sinfull men some are so desperate and accustomed in wickednes that neither the often showring downe of mercy nor iudgement will worke any thing upon them such Phaâ—aohs are they in selfe-will perversnes custome These are setled upon their Lees. Others though heauier and more loaden in sinne yet with one drop of mercy or at the first showre of punishment relent mollifie and so are sensible of their miserable condition and are often fitted by the Goodnes of God and the Ministery of a diligent Preacher for excellent uses in his Church Keepe mee Lord from hardnes of heart and insensiblenes in sinne let my soule be
without wantones is a pleasant blessing but ayming at some unlawfull pleasure or profit proves dangerous to the Enioyer O Lord it was the soule of Man that was thus beautifull pleasant pure and active in the state of Innocence What a spacious â—iberty had it eyther for Exercise or Recreation but â—eing enthrald by that too â—oo cunning Fowler by â—he snares and traps of sinâ—ull pleasure How heavy â—ow irkesome and how â—oathsome is it even to it â—elfe Sinne makes us loose all â—ur spirituall mirth and liberty and exposes us to manifest perdition Oh God since there are so many snares and politique fowlers Let my Soule keepe Above and not settle here Below so I shall escape their devises and preserve my owne liberty Columbaest Anima Aucepseâ— Diabolus MEDITATION 35. 〈◊〉 the sight of a Thorne Tree full of Blossomes VVHat makes 〈◊〉 growing and flouriâ—shing in so good a piece of Ground It doth deserve a â—ire rather then such an happy Scituation being naught in it selfe and choaking the good Seed It 's well when wickednes is barren better when it 's quite rooted up may some say But I admire thy patience and thy wisedome Oh God even towards these vessels of wrath It 's thy will and wisedome to place them here Who dare then question thy Action for uniust it stands here eyther for an open conversion conviction or confusion We must not be our owne sharers in our Petitions All is not best that seemes so in our desires We should revenge eyther too hastily oâ— two deepely in our owne or our friends wrongs Thy Lilly was troubled and thy owne Israel was molested by these yet both by thy Permission I believe they shall have a hot day of it when it comes I enuy not the felicity of the wicked but patiently waite to see thy wisedome manifested Wee are but foolish Logicians if we conclude hapines from temporall blessings the wicked may surfet with them and thy Elect want them Let them grow where and how long thou pleasest I beleeve â—hy words That the wicked shall be rooted out at the last MEDITATION 36. Vpon visiting a Rich man in time of his sicknes VVHat resorting to His house by kinâ—red friends and Neighbours Hee wants not their compaâ—y Councell or helpe when â—s an honest poore man may lie long enough under 〈◊〉 tedious sicknes and have â—o such Visitants They â—ome for his Goods rather â—hen to doe him any good much like greedy Gleanerâ— when the Corne is cutting downe He makes his wiâ—â— against his will settles his state assures all for the World At last sends for a Preacher who finds him unfitting foâ— God or the World Sicknes and death I seeâ—â— are bold and impartiall Serâ—â—nts The World and wealâ—â— are but poore Baile upoâ— deaths Arrests All meanâ— are nothing when God striâ—â— us The wisdome of the woâ—â— is but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Heâ—ven The Rich are unwillingâ—â— dye because they know nâ— a better life and want 〈◊〉 to beleeve it Wealth and riches often â—re but Percullisses let downe â—o stoppe the passage through â—he Gate to saluation Rich â—orldlings have Gods Word â—n least and last consideration Soe let God order mee â—hat in all estates I may be â—eady to part with All to â—nioy Him But it is truely â—poaken Oh! How bitter â—s the Remembrance of death â—o a man in his full possessions MEDITATION 37. Vpon Hearing a faire Shippâ— come home Richly laden VVHat dangers 〈◊〉 Poore Vessell hath passed what Rockes Piratâ— Sands Waves and Windeâ— hath it encountred with 〈◊〉 What hunger cold heat anâ— blowes hath she indured 〈◊〉 What a greene tedious â—â—â—knowne moueable way hath shee flowne over What 〈◊〉 world of water hath she plâ—â—â—ed through With whâ—â— strange Nations hath shâ—â— traded And yet what moâ—â— is how often hath shee beenâ— reputed and given for 〈◊〉 â—et safely at length arrived â—ith Drums beating Trumâ—ts sounding Colours disâ—ayed and rich Prizes in â—er GODS Name bee â—â—aysed Every sonne of man comes to and goes out of this world 〈◊〉 a Shippe to Sea What â—â—iseries afflictions calaâ—â—ityes poverty disgrace â—oe encounter them Happy 〈◊〉 he that keepes the Vessell â—f his soule by Patience to â—he End Many split and sinke â—â—me are taken Prisoners â—hers die with hunger All are â—able to Combats and fiery â—rialls More specially I thinke â—f and pray for that Royall Shippe of thine oh Saviourâ— called the All-saints 〈◊〉 the Church militant Which hath beeee long forth hatâ— endured Heauy things 〈◊〉 as I hope shall ere 〈◊〉 put happily into her safe Hâ—â—â—bor of rest and repose VVhat reioycing anâ— gladnes shall there bee 〈◊〉 Her approach which comâ— laden with so many â—â—â—â—â—sands of pure Soules to 〈◊〉 put into that Royall 〈◊〉 change Fetch home thy 〈◊〉 Oh Lord and thy â—â—deemed one with much peopâ—â— Let mee bee any Prize 〈◊〉 her and I shall be rich enâ—â—â—â— Ecclesia Navis est Animae piorum sunt Mercaâ—â— MEDITATION 38. â—n the sight of an Infant fed with Milke it were not for this â—inde of foode the poore â—ant might starue See how 〈◊〉 proportions to all Nouâ—â—â—â—ment sitting there Age. 〈◊〉 quietly you may see 〈◊〉 receive it How kindâ—◠〈◊〉 Nurse giving it How â—grees with his tender Conâ—â—ution and digested fits him 〈◊〉 stronger diet How doth Oh God 〈◊〉 Heavenly Wisedome â—peare in giving us sincere â—â—ilke out of thy Heavenly word While we are 〈◊〉 in Christ how meekely 〈◊〉 the thriving Child in 〈◊〉 receive it which is able 〈◊〉 save his soule How lovinâ—ly doe thy faithfull Miâ—â—sters feed him with it 〈◊〉 being rightly received makâ—â—â— him grow up unto the pâ—â—fect stature of a Man 〈◊〉 Christ. God is carefull to provide food for mans 〈◊〉 The Preacher ought to be â—â—â—ligent in the distribution 〈◊〉 it and the hearer ought 〈◊〉 be constant in the receipt 〈◊〉 it Children that will not â—â—â—ceive Milke eyther sicke◠〈◊〉 die or else prove Dwarfâ—â— Seeing Lord it is uncomeâ—y unnaturall alwaies to be 〈◊〉 Child ever learning but â—ever comming to perfection Let mee so receive thy Word that I may grow from strength to strength â—nd from virtue to virâ—ue They are unnaturall and â—â—nfiting Nurses who eyther doe not give Children Milke at all or else adulterated and sophisticated with many dangerous Ingredients to hinder their growth The first are careles and unlearned Ministers the second are superstitious and â—dolatrous false Teachers who presumptuously mixâ—â— their humaine Traditions tâ— Gods Word hindring thâ— growth and encrease 〈◊〉 Gods Church Gods Word admits 〈◊〉 mixture it 's desperate boldâ—nes eyther to withhold it 〈◊〉 to adde to it being first 〈◊〉 necessary secondly so perfect in its nature Both wilâ— undergoe that heavy curse of God the one for Substraction the other for Addition MEDITATION 39. Vpon the sight of the Moone THis Creature is now in the full lustre in the reâ—olution of a few daies how is the beautifull light of â—t diminished because