â—n the vessells of the Temple prophaning thy most Holie Name till thy terrible Hand appeared I haue Dauid-like feasted on Beauty and drunke deepe in bloud till by a Nathan rowzed and by a taste of thy iudgements throughly awaked I haue Manasses-like erected High-places although not publiquely in the streete yet secretly in my heart till by captiuitie and bondage tamed Lastly like the Prodigall as I am haue I wandered from my Fathers house the house of my spirituall-Father till by penurie I was inforced to return home againe And what were the pleasures which drew mee from the obedience of my Father Nothing but bitternesse anguish sorrow How tedious were those houres of my choycest delights hauing euer for one minutes sweetnes an houres distaste For what earthly ioyes bee not attended by repentance and farre worse bee those ioyes which be not attended by repentance Different be the sorrows of the iust and vniust as their ioyes the one continuate the other abridged The righteous man may be sorrowfull for a night but ioy coÌ„meth in the morning But the wicked sustaine an Eternall torment their rest is but a seeming rest their comfortes meere shadowes but no reall comcomforts They haue euer a worme gnawing and consuming them the reason is their hearts be not fixed on the desire of Eternitie hut on momentarie delights which as they be short in continuance so in the ende they yeeld repentance The Continent saith the Phylosopher must of necessitie be greater then the contained For otherwise how should it comprehend a substance ampler then it selfe But man planting the affections of his Soule vppon a mundane delight hoping to satisfie her large Circumference with so straight a Centre erreth both in Diuine and humane phylosophie Of a thing so little in seeming nothing so extended as the nature of the soule for it aspires higher and higher till it attaine to that height then which nothing can bee higher the reason wherefore she can not come to her expected and indeed limited end is the heauy masse burthen which she carrieth euer about her to wit this vnbrideled Flesh the which not brought into subiection like vnto a turbulent and factious Souldier maketh head against her Captaine and although shee cannot vtterly vanquish him yet by her two Confederates The Prodigall sheweth how the Soule is annoyed with the Flesh and her two Confederates the Worlde and the Diuell c. THe Worlde and the Diuell shee is euer annoying the Soule now moouing her to elation of minde presently to despaire now to forget her Creator by repâ—esenting her owne beautie presently she expresseth the seueritie of GODS iudgments his wrath to sinners and the multitude of her owne transgressions And if the Soule doe desire dissolution with Paul then commeth the flesh and presenteth her with the deluding obiects of Vanitie seeking to captiuate her Guardian with new temptations This mooued that deuout Father to weepe bitterly who walking one day in the field chanced to espie a Sheepheards boy who had catched a Bird and tied a threed to the legge of her The Bird was euermore flickering and endeuoured to soare vp but the threed kept her backe that shee could not This poore Bird is my soule saith he that desireth to mount vp and liue with her Creator but this threed the flesh holds her backe that she can not An obseruation worthy of our consideration that lie manacled with the fetters of sinne subiected to the slauish delights of the flesh and exposed to miserable seruitude by reason of the corruptions of our flesh The best remedy I could euer find to set my soule at liberty was the taming and macerating of my body to giue her as litle countenance as may be lest whilest her fancie be satisfied the fortresse of my soule be razed The Laconians euer had their gouernement most flourishing when their diet was most sparing I must deale so with my body temper and moderate her affections if shee suggest any thing into the eare of my Soule presently to reprooue her for her boldnesse It is not for the Maide to professe her selfe a Councellour to her Mistresse If she present vnto her eye the sundry moouing delights of the world to chastice her sharply daring to seduce her Mistresse from her allegeance towards her Creator No assay should passe vnpunished for impunitie confirmeth sinne strengthening the meanes of sinning through the want of punishing Choose not thou with Martha the worser part set all houshold affaires aside let temporary delights vanish and let such as set their mindes vpon them perish I haue but one soueraigne end at which my soule aymeth let her obtaine that and it sufficeth The Prodigals relation of the destruction of the wicked THe candle of the wicked shal be soone put out but the light of the Righteous shall remaine for euer their flourishing shall abide when the other fadeth for behold though the wicked flourish like a greene palme tree and seeme happy in all outward blessings though his Garnars be full his fields fruitfull his creatures aboundant though his pastures be fat and his children mans greatest blessing be like the Oliue-branches about his table yet doe I know his faire buildings shall be destroyed his Garnars which he enlargedd consumed his faire and fruitfull fields laid waste his treasures rifled his pastures with all his hierds dispersed and his children vtterly rooted out and extinguished But the Righteous man whose gaine is godlinesse whose profession is vprightnes and conuersation holinesse prouideth for himselfe an estate of an other nature Hee hath his eye euer fixed vpon his end he will not enrich himselfe by oppression or inhaunce his meanes by his brothers ruine For hee knoweth that the Lord will see a conuenient time to execute iudgement He noteth how many haue bin taken tripping in their wickednes Balthasar in his mirth Herod in his pride the Philistines in their banquetting the men of Ziglag in their feasting the Israelites in their rioting with Manna and Quailes Iobs children in their drunkennes the Sodomites in their filthinesse the Steward in his security the churle in his plenty the old world in their marrying the Aramites in their sensuall liuing Miserable end when men-end in their sinne where iudgement must receiue them where sinne left them woe and alas shal be their best melody sorrow and vexation their inseparable attendants call to minde this O my soule and tremble sleepe not in thy sinnes lest the sleepe of death surprize thee cast vp thy accounts each Euening let not thy soule take her rest till by the free confession of thy sinnes thou find rest of conscience for when the night commeth none can worke I will worke therefore while it is day The day hath resemblance to mans life as the night hath to death I will imitate the Sunne that shineth euer brightest when it setteth making the period of my dayes a happy concluder of many toylsome houres which I haue
spent in this vale of teares that the remnant of my time may redeeme the vanitie of my youth lamenting to haue committed that in the prime of my yeeres which makes mee grieue in the winter of mine age Yet in the very extent of my griefe there is one thing that comforteth me I know Lord. The Prodigals harmony to the afflicted children of God THou neuer forsookst the man that resposed his confidence in thee but when the faithfull Soule is plunged in greatest afflictions contrary to all humane expectation thou forthwith deliuerest him Thou neuer shewedst thy selfe more mercifull to Daniel then in the Lyons denne nor to Dauid then when persecuted and pursued by Saul nor to Susanna then when she was falsely accused by the Elders nor to thy chosen people the Bethulians then in the defeat of Holofernes Army Gods mercy is neuer better expressed then by the character of mans misery where euents aboue expectance make Gods people most blessed where they were supposed to be most wretched Hence is it Lord that I admire thy mercies I haue wandered and thou diddest guide mee yea thou reducedst mee to thine owne sheepefold when I had lost my selfe in the desarts of sinne I was sicke and sicke to death for I laboured of the lethargie of sinne and thou camest to the caue of my Sepulchre the place where I had beene long sleeping in the graue of sinne and awaked my soule bidding her follow thee Shee shall follow thee like the goate vpon the mountaines she shall not stay in the brakes of vanitie for thou hast reuiued my soule from death and hast renewed her like the Eagles feathers It is said that the Eagles feathers consume all feathers that lie with them So shall the diuine motions of my soule fixed vpon the brasen Serpent a type of Christ curing all infirmities dispell the vnstable and wauering representments of earths vanity no comfort shall seeme perfect no delight pleasant no meditation Concordant to the eare of my soule but the meditation of my Christ crucified that in imitation of his humility I may not onely submit my selfe to the Crosse but make it both bread and drinke to doe my Fathers will so in the very comfort of my spirit I may truly say my yoake is easie and my burden light For well doe I know Lord though thy seruants be tempted they cannot be tainted though assaulted neuer surprized and though the Cittie of God be alwayes besieged yet neuer ruined Christians and persecutions close together like Christ and his Crosse The Israelites before they came to their Land of Promise their temporall Canaan endured many difficulties and shall I that am in my iourney to a spirituall Canaan suffer impatiently any affliction any difficulty or anxiety whatsoeuer No Lord I know the more I suffer in this life the greater shall be my victory for impediments attending a Conquest maketh the Conquest more glorious A Cittie lightly assaulted may long hold out but that Citty is to be commended that inuironed on euery side hemmed in with troupes of Assailants inclosed with violent opponents yet maugre the fury of warre or hostile incursions fortifies her selfe with courage instead of wals and assures her selfe either of victory or a glorious end The Prodigals admonition to resolution and constancie in the Battell and seruice of the Lord Iesus Christ REsolution must be a Christians best cognisance he should not be amazed at any opposition but in the sincerity of his owne cause the integritie of his profession remaine constant without wauering resolued without dismaying and patient in enduring any occurrence that can any way befall him Such was the resolution of those three children who rather then they would fall downe before false gods willingly submitted themselues to the extreamest torments which either tyranny could inflict or flesh and blood endure Such was the resolution and magnanimity of all the Apostles who went to death willingly to propagate Gods glory Yea euen in all those persecutions mentioned in the Ecclesiasticall Historie We shall manifestly see portraied the patience of Martires continually suffering and the cruelty of Tyrants with all inhumanity punishing Rasis is renowned for his resolution in the Machabees pulling out his owne bowells to intimate his contempt of life which is taxed by Saint Augustine saying That this fact was done Magne non Bene But alas Lord where is that Christian fortitude we are now shaken with euery wind of contrarily working passion euery shadow euery feare euery perturbation doth now dismay vs. Wee feare death because we haue deserued Death after death wee reade of the constancie of the Apostles Martyrs and Confessors and reading admire them but are loath to imitate them We say they are good Records excellent Annalls and worthie memorie yet those memorials be quickly extinguished those Annalls soone raced out of our memorie Manie suffer in minde if they loose their goods or if defamed they will endeuour to repurchase heir good name with the expence of their bloud These be imputations so impropriate to thēselues as they cannot heare them Alas if man would consider the deprauednes of his own nature what aspersions how scandalous soeuer what reproches how contumelious soeuer or what inuectiōs how bitter soeuer cā giue him a Title due in regard of his naturall vilenesse Heyres of sinne slaues of sinne and champions of sinne what can such heyres haue but an inheritance of shame What can such slaues haue but the hire of shame And what can such champions glorie of but that they are boulsterers of shame But if wee will fight the Lords battell for heyres of sinne wee shall become heyres of righteousnesse For slaues of sinne seruants in Christes Familie and for Champions of sinne Armourers in the Lords Army Were not this a Battell worth fighting when our Earthly Tents should be trāslated to heauenly mansions our tabernacles of clay to sanctuaries of eternitie where we putting on the whole cōpleat armour of resolued Christians may say with the Apostle Wee haue fought a good fight and thanks be to the Lord that hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ Iesus Christ a most happy name indeede where I neuer heare the name of Iesus but I heare the name of Saluation nor of Christ but I heare in it the name of Vnction Who would not fight vnder this name to purchase to himselfe an eternall name of glory not on earth for that is vaine and temporary but in heauen for that endureth perpetually Ranke mee O Christ amongst thy squadrons Set me in the forefront of the battell and let mee fight with that resolution as no fury of Antichrist though neuer so violent may daunt me but as one prepared against the extreamest of perills not to loose ground nor play recreant to my faith which I haue alwayes professed but to stand vnto it manfully till I haue gotten the victory Cato tearmed it Nobile lethum to die in the defence of ones
place that when the deluge of sinne is past she may bring one Oliue braunch vnto the Arke of her Soule to expresse her peace is made The Prodigall expresseth that nothing can content the Soule or hath any right in the Soule but God only and alone GIue vnto God that which is Gods It is he that deserueth thee O my heart and there is none fit to possesse thee but he He it is that can onely satisfie thee he it is that can onely suffice thee thou requirest peace he will giue it thee as hee gaue it vnto such as followed him Hee is the God of peace who then can establish my heart in peace but he that is the God of peace Teneat te cor meum quia perfodisti eor tuum vt saluares meum It is not pleasure shall transport me nor riches ensnare me or honour inflame mee I am wholy prest for my Sauiour I will take vp his Crosse willingly with Simon of Cyrene and on my shoulders beare it where though I faint vnder my burden yet will hee support me with his mercies for his loue is more strong then wine What afflictions can separate me from the loue of my God No Lord I haue sinned I haue sinned and in the abundance of my sorrowes doe I flie vnto thee for refuge neither hunger nor nakednes shall take me from thee I haue tasted thy exceeding mercies towards me and thy compassions haue beene from generation to generation For who euer came vnto thee for sight and went away blind for hearing and went away deafe for speech and went away dumbe for health and went away sicke for comfort and went away sorrowfull for the forgiuenesse of sinnes and went away a sinner O inexplicable mercy O inscrutable pietie O ineffable clemencie I that haue euer offended and neuer till now repented I that haue multiplied trangression vpon transgression making league with my sinnes I that haue beene a rebellious childe and haue turned my eare from thy discipline and instruction I that neuer felt remorce of conscience neuer made recourse to thy Temple neuer brake the bread of comfort to the hunger-starued soule To bee short I that gloried in my sinnes and made light of my offences deferring repentance from day to day am now heard in thy mercy comforted in my misery and promised an inheritance of glory Cyrus that renowned Prince of Persia promised such as aided him against his grandsire Ast yages that if they were footemen he would make them horsemen if horsemen they should ride in their Charriots But the King of Hostes that rideth in the clouds for things temporall things eternall for things of no valew bounties of incomparable esteeme No hee will do more euen whilest we soiourne heere in this tabernacle of clay for he will helpe vs fainting exhort and excite vs fighting and crowne vs vanquishing Hence it is poore Prodigall that I reape comfort seeing his mercy vpon all flesh readier to saue then to kill willinger to heare then wee to aske and as forward to crowne as we to fight The prodigals earnest desire THough Father I haue euer retired my selfe in the heate of the day and haue not laboured in thy Vineyard yet comming in the euening of my dayes the Sunne-set of my life it is thy fatherly will that I shall haue my penny Suffer mee at least Father to feede vpon the crummes vnder thy Table or as the Prodigall sonne let me be one of my fathers meiny I desire no great place in thy house for I am vnworthy of thy acceptance yet Father speake but comfortably to thy Seruaunt and my soule will be glad Thou hast promised that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes thou wilt put all his offences out of thy remembrancr Behold Lord I present my selfe vnto thee prostrate vpon the ground desiring remission and pardon of all my sinnes nor be these teares I shed dissembling for thou knowest the secrets of al hearts and examinest the reins and I know thou hast denounced a double woe vpon the Hypocrite and Pharisee It is not my prayer but my harty praier not my tears but my harty teares not my conuersion but my harty conuersion which pleaseth thee For the Pharises praier the harlots vow the traitors kisse the sacrifice of Caine the fast of Iezabel the oblation of Ananias theteares of Esau are nothing they are not accepted because not heartily offered but this sacrifice which I offer proceeds from my heart otherwise Father had I not giuen it thee For I know thou art iust and righteous and considerest all the wayes of man whether they be straight or crooked How long Lord how long ere thy fury will be appeased that my wayes may be directed to thee my hope erected by thee and my confidence planted in thee so may the tempests rage but not dismay mee the flouds rise but not come neare mee the winds blow but not remoue me for my foundation is built on a rocke a rocke impregnable a mount in accessible a fort irremoueable Blessed fort where the Saints be enthroned glorious mount with Gods presence beautified and puissant rocke which against the gates of hell hath preuailed O that I might be but a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord singing Songs of mirth and spirituall melody to inhabite there all the dayes of my life Happy Cittizens which bee enfranchised there ioyfull Quiristers that may sing there and victorious souldiours that for the Church millitant are transplanted to a Church Triumphant Heere they beginne to fight there to raigne Heere they were in Tents of Clay now in Campes of Immortality Now in heauen heere on earth In heauen to receiue their reward in earth to sustaine all Afflictions For whosoeuer will pertake of consolations must likewise haue his share of tribulations And that which the Poet saith is true Pati noncesset Qui regnare cupit Fit it is deere Father that thy Children suffer here to raigne els-where that no punishment how intollerable soeuer may seeme worthy of the infinite loue which is borne vnto vs in CHRIST our Lord. For is the maister inferiour to the Seruant Thy Sonne blessed Father whose foot steps we ought to folow was whipped that we might be exempted scourged that wee might bee spared Crowned with Thornes that wee might be crowned with a Crowne of pure golde Crucified that wee might be glorified Farre be it from me to refuse thy Crosse which bore that Crosse that I should haue borne so willingly Thy Crosse was my gayne thy death my life thy wonndes my cures thy Caluarie where thou wast hanged my place of Glorie whereto I shall be aduanced Woe is mee that I should so long wander from the folde of the true Sheepheard Hee that is the great Sheepheard of our Soules Long haue I strayed from these green and flourishing pastures of true consolation following mine owne vanities erring in the pricking brakes of
I therefore wash my couch with teares and fall downe before thy foote-stoole For what am I that I should persist in my sinnes or whence came I that I should promise to my selfe continuance Esau compareth mans life to the Grasse that soone withereth Iob to a Post a Shuttle a Breath a Vapour Dauid lengthens his dayes but to a Spanne if then as Grasse it must of necessitie fade if a Post it must runne if a Shuttle it must passe if a Breath sonne blowne ouer if a Vapour soone vanished if a Spanne soone shortened O that my feet were as hinds feet that I might walke the way of thy statutes not looking backe like Lots wife nor behind the plow-stilt with the sluggard for cursed is he that doth the busines of God negligently Heerein Lord haue I grieuously offended repairing to thy Temple but without reuerence praying but with small seruencie trusting in thee but with a doubtfulnesse And how can these many obliquities be streightned but by the leuell of thy Word that can make all things streight It is true Lord it is true that the generall deprauednesse of all the World giues sinne vpon earth a Pasport But thou O Lord seest thou the sinnes of men and wilt be auenged Thou carriest thy Fanne in thine hand to sweepe the vngodly from off the face of the earth And where then shall be a place for all the Inhabitants of the earth Loe all shall then become saieth the Prophet Ieremie in the same place as a naked Tree in the wildernesse bereft of both flowers and fruit because like to the wilde Figge-tree it brought foorth no fruit when thou expectedst it should Lord I pray thee though mine haruest bee but yet in the blade accept my slender indeuours and so ripen them that they may bring a plentifull croppe to thee in propagating thy Glory the Churches Vnitie and the benefit of such as thou hast ioyned to mee in neighborhood affection or affiance Much adoe thou knowest Lord there was in the building of the materiall Temple and euery one was enioyned to bring in something towards the erection of it My portion O Lord is but small yet is my loue with the greatest Though I can not bring Gold from Ophyr nor the Cedar and Firre from Lebanon yet will I offer my prayers in thy Temple confessing thee before much people Marie reioyced that she had a little oyle to sprinckle vpon Christ the widdow of Zareptah was ioyfull that she had a little food for the Prophet I will likewise be glad and reioyce if I can reserue but one small moity for the Saints of God for workes of this nature neuer passe vnrewarded A cup of colde water is as acceptable as the silkes of Tyre or the Treasures of Aegypt happy then am I if rich in spirit though poore in state purchasing for a Cup of colde water the water of Life But there must euer be something done by man before the promise bee performed by God The battell must be fought ere the victory be atchieued the tree must bee planted ere it bring forth fruit and the seede must bee throwne into the ground before it multiply We must haue a perfect knowledge of God ere we can dedicate our members seruants to righteousnes offering them to GOD. But how should wee know God there is an harbinger which goes alwayes before the knowledge of God to prepare his house and that is Loue the bond of perfection Now how should we loue him whom wee haue not seene being at enmitie amongst our selues whom we daily see So good is our loue now a dayes as the Italian Prouerbe may be verified of it Tanto buon che val niente So good as it is good for nothing Yet how poore and fruitlesse soener God desires it let him then haue it for hee onely deserues it I will loue thee my Lord and will consecrate my vowes vnto thee where I meane thus to expresse them In the humblenes of my spirit without deiection and in the confidence of my heart without presumption will I humble my selfe before thee with reuerence and offer vp my vowes vnto thee with affiance I will come nearer thee in spirit because remoued from thee by the veile of my flesh the one shall caution mee of my shame the other put me in minde of my glory Hagar shal not get the vpperhand ouer her mistris my flesh shall bee taught to obey that if neede were she might safely gouerne As there is but one Sunne to giue light to the vniuersall World so there shall be but one Sonne to enlighten my little world and that is the Sunne of my Soule This Sonne shall obserue the same course which the naturall Sunne obserueth Her two Tropickes shall be reduced to two remembrances of my birth and of my death That as the Sunne by these two equall circles equally distant turneth either higher hauing bin at the lowest or lower hauing beene at the highest so my Soule transported too high with the remembrance of her dissolution to wit her liberty may be brought backe to the remembrance of her birth the very originall of her miserie I will not haue my flesh to intermeddle in these considerations for shee is like an harsh Instrument that soundeth nothing but discord when the Soule tels the flesh of a dissolution she trembles and feares her accounts like an Vsurer at the sight of deaths head or as Felix hearing Paul dispute of the last Iudgement Many obiects of delight there be which captiuate the flesh being conuersant only in outward thinges I will haue the flesh therfore be put to silence lest my soule conceiue a difficulty in departing when so harsh and disconsonant musicke sounds in her eare the sunne of my soule shall purifie the corruptions of my body which impure mettall must of necessitie be refined or it will blemish the excellencie and beauty of that is contained in it I know a mirtle is a mirtle though planted amongst nettles and at one time or other the soules beautie will shew it selfe enlightning the poore case which couers it I know also that the cause of my long straying hath proceeded from my indirect disposing preferring the bodies aduice before the iudgement of the soule But the Prouerbe shall be confirmed in my flesh Euill councell shall be worse for the Councellour I will chastise my flesh for her rash and indiscreete aduising and admire the resolution of my spirit that euer stoode in opposition against her Recollect your selues you wandring vnsetled thoghts of mine fixe your intention where there is no further extension the fruition of perfit content I knowe the time hath beene when vanity so betwitched you as like poore Vlysses companions you were forced too willing a force to heare the inchanted harmony of euery Syren But now you haue that Moli that hearbe of experience that will charme the inchantresse and teach you true resolution Shall a little taste or distaste
rather of voluptuous affections withdraw you from your primarie essence you proceed from the soule and shall any extrinsecall obiect draw you from her alas it were pitie your founder the soule is imprisoned already and one that beares her small good will a domesticall enemy that euer plants her battery to ouerthrow the faire and beautifull structures of the said impudencie it is and shameles boldnes for the handmaide to dominiere ouer her Mistris for the case to bee better esteemed then the instrument is in it alas what harmony would a faire and curious case make without her instrument silent musicke if Arion had played on such hee had neuer inchanted fishes but had beene as mute as any fish But the Body vseth to say to the Soule as our gallant to the simple plaine man He is a good soule seeming to disparage Goodnesse with the Epethite of Simplicitie But these braue cutters are deceiued that disparagement maketh them worthy It is the truest badge of a Christian to walke in Trueth and simplicitie These simple shrubbes will find footing in the narrow wayes when our lofty Cedars shall seeke for broader passages And whence I pray you commeth this haughtinesse of minde but from the corruption of the bodie Alas if man would but consider his composition How weake in his birth how naked in his life how perplexed and in his Death ofte-times how irresolued he would fashion himselfe to an other forme neyther how to imitate the Apish fashions of the Spanyarde or Italian but how to expresse himselfe in the duty of a Christian The Prodigals contempt of the world declared in condemning the multiplicities and varieties of fashions in the same IF GOD were in loue with fashions he could neuer bee better serued then in these our dayes For our World is like a Pageant where euery mans Apparrell is better then himselfe where if our bodyes did chaunge formes so often as our Apparrell changeth fashions they should haue more shapes then fingers or toes Miserable Age when our best parte is dis-valued and the worst of man like Esaps Crow so ridiculously varied with all colours The soule being of more tempered judgmēt cā no way chuse but laugh at the bodies foolery and ask her as the philosopher did Scylla Whereto doe all these tend must these euer be stript off thee Dare death affront one of such eminencie Surely no she will disspence with thee for a time if it be but to instruct the World in new vanities O silly man how much imputation thou aspersest on thy selfe in affecting such trumperies Goe but vnto the first ordinance and how farre are these fashions altered from the letherne coats which God made in Paradise There were none of these vanities but the corruptions of these times haue introduced many errours of no lesse occurrence When in reuolutions of times we euer haue obserued the following age to be worse then the precedent and that of Homer to be true Pauci nunc similes patribus nascuntur bonestis I will wish a better cloathing for my bodie not so obseruant to the eye but better fitting for her state These outward couers ofte times make vs forget our imperfections caring for no more then to garnish the body whilest we all together stand neglectfull of the state and condition of the soule The Ancients that were sequestred from the world and onely meditated of their ends though superstitiously deuoted yet in this respect to be admired They stoode not vpon earthly pompe nor on outward garish vanities their refectory was a Cell their companion a deathshead their remembrancer an hour-glasse and their studie how to dye And death certainely could not bee terrible to such fixing their mindes on nothing heere in this life which might trouble them in departure vnto a better life It is true the pompe of death more terrifieth then Death it selfe Obiects of vanitie make our dissolution heauie and some I haue seene passe away with an indifferencie of life others before representment of death merry but at their approach when Resolution should haue shewne her selfe best prowde recreants to themselues Causes I haue conceyued two-fold eyther for that their minde were seated on Earthly affaires and could not pierce into the excellencie of their future hopes or that oppressed with the heauie remembrāce of their sinnes they trembled to appeare so vnprouided or grieuously loaden before a throane of iustice where they must of necessity answer theyr meditation at the instant of death is all of his Iustice without recourse to his mercie O these if they might would sue a repriue at Deaths hands with many intreaties I obserued this poore soule that I am it hath bin an especial motiue to my conuersion admonishing my selfe by their conuersion life to preuēt their miserable end I will therfore first desire to liue well before I will wish to die will for hard it is for him that will not liue the life of the righteous to die the death of the righteous life and death beeing in this nature concomitants the cōclusions euer seconding the begining I must obserue S. Ieroms rule who whither he slept or wakt euer thoght that sūmons to be sounding in his eare Arise ye dead and come vnto Iudgement This preparation will addresse me to thinke of my end before I come to it and the more welcome will it be when I come to it I haue wondred at men when they desired one time after an other for it makes me weepe when I see my houre glasse beside mee and see euery drop of sand follow other so speedily How precious is that treasure which can neuer be redeemed and so precious is Time shewing State in himselfe for he will stay for no man but offering his opportunity which accepted yeeldes remedie to any malady if thou be sicke in minde no time so sinister or akward but will shewe in some season a cordiall to thy discomforts if in body euery day is not canicular there be some promising helpes euen in dayes if not to cure yet to allay thy infirmities Change of Fortune the worldlings greatest sickenesse is soone taken away by continuance either by respect to our selues or to others to our selues considering they were but lent vs to others seeing the like accidents common vnto them with vs. The Prodigall condemning the spent thrifts of time O That our worldling would but call to minde the preciousnesse of the Time Hee would not desire so speedyrunning horses for his pleasure to soake the poore grate vpon the bons of the needy making spunges of them to inrich himselfe nor the ambitious wholly exposed to the insatiare desire of honour would abuse so inestimable good with so indefinite an euill in Courtiers applause spending the beauty of the day with the complements of an oylie tongue That holy Father well obserued this who to put himselfe in minde of his dayes taske would euer sommon himselfe in the Euening with this account O my
Countries libertie And is it not a farre more Noble and glorious death to die in defence of our owne Soule where many temptations be daily hourely assaulting perpetuall inducemēts ensnaring also not violent siege lying we had need haue expert Captains to marshall our Troups to wit our passions prepared mindes to wit all afflictions and impregnable Bulwarkes to withstand the violence of siege To wit preparatiues against all inducements A Soule thus Fortified cannot well be surprized The Enemie may well lye at the gates but it will be matter of greater difficultie for him to enter A poore man had need haue no trayterous passions or motions within him to render vp the castle and Fortresse of his Soule He hath enemies enow without all should bee faithful vnto him at home Hee must haue no effeminate appetite lest like another Tarpeia it seek to ruinate her possessour as that wantonly-amourous Maide would haue betraied the Capitoll to an Hostile vsurper We should therefore haue our passions in subjection our illimited desires in bondage lest they beeing as they are boundlesse in themselues enforce the Soule to passe the bounds of discreete moderation It was excellently obserued by that father of Moralitie Plutarch esteeming him that could moderate his affections to be halfe vertuous but hee that had soueraigne command ouer his passions to bee a perfit man But as these dayes goe we take such to be good men with Cicero as haue onely appearance of vertue in them Perfection is too absolute for this time and inferiour vertues saith one be good enough for yron Ages If with Balaam wee desire to die the death of the righteous it is enough No matter for the interim of our life we ground vpon an infalliable Axiome A good end is euer attended with a good life it is true But an euill life seldome or neuer produceth a good end he therefore that meanes to die in Gods fauour must liue in his feare for hee that on the stage of this world makes not his entrance in his feare seldome makes his Exit in his fauour But I will dedicate my heart to God that hee who requires it may possesse it so shall both his feare and fauour lodge in the harbour of my heart and blessed is such a Temple as shall be thought worthy to receiue so comfortable a guest hee that hath his heart possessed of God can find no discordant passion transporting him no exhorbitant affection raigning in him all things be safe all all secure for the God of peace liueth in him the holy Spirit wholly possesseth him and the Angells as ministring seruants are deputed by GOD to attend him O then let my heart enioy thee that the rest of my members may follow thee whither soeuer thou goest For like as the poize of a clock turneth the wheeles one way so the heart being the maine poize of euery humaine Composition what manner of way soeuer it doth turne draweth by an attractiue power all the corporall motions with it Or like as the yron is drawne by the Adamant the Strawe by the Ieate and the Helyo trophic by the Sunne Euen so bee the faculties of the body drawne by the attractiue power of the heart For as they receiue all life by her so like loyal subiects they render as to their soueraigne their legeance vnto her The Prodigals offering GOe then O my hart I giue thee to my Maker he craneth thee and he onely shall haue thee Whilest thou wast mine thou wast a wandering heart a faithlesse heart a secure and carnall heart a remorcelesse and impenitent heart but being now thy Creators he will apparell thee anew adorning thee with the excelent gifts of his Spirit that being cloathed heere with the ornaments of his grace thou mayest bee transplanted hence to the Kingdome of Glory And what gift better or more acceptable then my heart to my Maker that made my heart I will say with that blessed father My heart O Lord was created by thee and it can find no rest till it come vnto thee no rest indeede For what rest or peace in this world what comfort in this life Quaequanto magis procedit tanto magis ad mortem accedit Where there is of that side feare of this side trembling heere hunger there thirst heere heate there cold heere griefe there anguish of minde aboundeth and to all these succeedeth importunate death which with a thousand kinds of diseases daily and sodainly seaseth vpon wretched man why then should man so attentiuely set his heart vpon the vaine delights of this world let him but consider the certainty of it and hee shall confesse nothing more inconstant light and wauering let him obserue the vanity of it and hee will acknowledge nothing so foolish contemptuous or vndeseruing Well might Democritus laugh in these dayes where the world as that Philosopher imagined seemes to be made of nothing but discords Many discords indeed where there is no vnity betwixt man and his conscience policy and religion Church and Common-wealth youth and age and that I may vse the Churches very annexion man and wife where some esteeme wife and children as billes of charges Which moued the wisemans answere being demaunded when a man should marry A yong man not yet an old man not at all Wherefore Arminus a Ruler of Carthage being importunately perswaded to marry answered I dare not for if I chance to light vpon one that is wise she will be wilfull if wealthy then wanton if poore then peeuish if beautifull then proud if deformed then loathsome and the least of these is able to kill a thousand men A strange age when our greatest comforts be oftentimes peruerted and made the indefinitest euills What concord in so maine oppositions Esteeme this for a life let him that pleaseth I haue seene in my fewe yeeres expense and many houres bitter experience that the very greatest comforts were but appearances and where a promising euent shewed it selfe there some sinister occurrent euer thwarted the effect I will so resolue to liue that I may die cheerefully without looking backe to what I leaue behind I will iudge of delights as impertinences auailing little to my heauenly voyage What I haue I will vse freely without profusenesse and without sparing to shew I am Maister of mine owne Lauishly to consume what I may with reputation keepe I will not and to spare where Discretion bids mee spend I scorne it the one implies a Prodigall humour exposed to obseruance the other a niggardlinesse indiscreetely parcimonious for the pleasures of this life I thus resolue if they had more permanence and not such motiue causes of repentance I should welneare as much doate on them as I now loath them But to haue delights immixed with such interchangeable courses of discontent falling to their ebbe before euer they come to their flowe I thinke euery wise man will conclude with that wisest of men