his grace to liue for euer in himselfe he is onely all goodnesse and from whome onely being onely good we receiue this first good of our election how great a proofe of the glorious essence of the goodnesse in God is this that not by perswasion of Angelles nor the merrite of any power of nature this free election of man aboue all creatures vnder him to be Lord ouer them fell vnto vs by the onely gratious working of his holy wil to his onely infinite glory our vnspeakable comfort Now let vs againe consider a further goodnes that from his grace we receiue in our election not onely to be made the best best of his creatures but to serue him with such loue that wee maic liue with him in glory he hath not onely chosen vs for his best creatures but also for his best seruants yea his beloued sonnes and not onely sonnes but coheires with his blessed Sonne in the heauenly kingdome he hath chosen vs before the worlde to preserue vs in the worlde and to take vs out of the worlde to eternall ioyes aboue the worlde Oh what tongue can expresse the greatnes of this his goodnes towards vs besides the infinite comforts graces and blessings that euer in this life he bestoweth vpon vs hee created all things could giue him nothng to perswade or allure him to make vs to his Image being created we were so poore that wee had nothing but what he gaue vs therfore could giue him nothing for our creation when hee had giuen vs dominion ouer his creatures what could wee giue him but what was his owne and whereof he had no neede but might commaunde at his will naie more what did man giue him but vnthankfulnesse in being disobedient to his commaundement and lastly being fallen through sinne so farre from the state of grace that there was no meanes but the death of his dearest Sonne and our Sauiour for our redemtion what could wee giue him hauing nothing and if we had had al the worlde it was but his owne and as nothing to recompence this admirable point of his goodnes in our redemption Consider then for our election we could giue him nothing and therefore it was only of his grace for our creation we had nothing to giue him for we had nothing but what he gaue vs for our redemtion the least drop of the pretious Bloud of his deere beloued Sonne was more worth then the whole worlde Oh then thinke wee coulde giue him nothing worthy of so greate a loue as to dye for vs with the grace of his holy spirite hee doth sanctifie vs and who can thinke or dare presume to buy that glorious blessing of him shall with Symon Magus perish in the horror of such a sinne the least sparke of his grace being more worth then the whole worlde and the worlde all his and man but a creature in the worlde Againe for our iustification his onely righteousnesse in his life and death his patience and his Passion is the onely substance of our iustification for as wee are iustified by faith in his Bloud an effect of grace in the inspiration of his holy spirite so is that pretious Bloud of his the glorious ground of our beleife whereby onely wee are iustified our election then from grace our creation in grace our redemption by grace out sanctification by grace our iustification by grace and our glorification by grace what hath the world or man if he had the whole worlde to purchase the least parte of the glory that the onely goodnesse of God hath in his mercie ordained and reserued for the good of man Let then no man be so blinde or blinded with the mist of arrogancie as to runne into merite in himselfe or to mingle our saluation Oh let vs a little consider how many are the sundry yea and infinite varieties of God that by the goodnes of our election wee receiue from the mercie of the Almightie first to be created to his owne Image to be inspired with a Diuine knowledge aboue all his creatures to haue dominion ouer so many creatures to be feareles of damnation by the assurance of our election to saluation to vse the things of the world as if wee had them not to accompt the worlde with all the pompe and pride thereof but as vanitie to haue a loathing of sinne and a loue to vertue to be furnished of what is necessarie to be deffended from euill preserued from hurt to dread no danger to be weary of the worlde and longe to be with Christ To speake of the goodnes of his bountie dayly bestowed vpon his creatures as beautie to some strength to other to other wealth to other wisdome to other honour to other diuine inspirations these I say are no small causes to make vs consider of his goodnesse towards vs but aboue all to giue vs himselfe in his loue to bee with vs with his grace to guide vs with his power to defend vs with his word to instruct vs with his holy spirit to inspite vs to finde the way made for vs to our eternal ioyes that none shall take from vs to which before the worldes world without end he hath only elected vs oh man how canst thou thinke humblie enough thankfully enough and ioyfully enough of the goodnes of thy God in this good of thy electioÌ„ in summe what goodnes can be greater vnto vs then to know y t God to his dearest loue through his beloued only dearly Son Iesus Christ hath elected vs as it were chosen his loue aboue al his creatures in his Son Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour to be bestowed vpon vs iâ— that loue to liue with vs and that euer-liuing loue neuer to leaue vs here on earth with his infinite blessings in his gratious goodness to comfort vs and in heauen to reserue a Crowne of glory for vs to create vs when we were not to redeeme vs being lost to preserue vs from destruction to giue his deerest Sonne to death for our sinnes to assure vs of saluation and to receiue vs to glory All this did hee and all good that euer was is or euer will or can be for vs to shew and make vs consider of his goodnes towards vs for let vs in breefe a littltle consider how freely and onely of his grace hee hath thus made manifest his vnspeâ—kable goodnes in this our election when wee were not wee gle his corrupt actions with the pure merite of Christe Iesus for his saluation but say with Iob all our righteousnesse is as a filthie cloth and with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 116. verses 11. 12. meditating vppon the greatnesse of his goodnes towards him what shall I giue the Lord for all that hee hath done vnto me I will take the Cuppe of Saluation and be thankfull to the Lord see here all that wee are and all that wee can giue him for all the good that wee receiue from him bare thanks
I cannot but with admiration speake of that grace that through his loue made him haue such a fauour vnto man as to elect him to his loue to frame him to his image to inspire him with his spirit to instruct him in his word to defend him with his power to preserue him in his mercie to dye for him in his loue and to receiue him to glorie all these and what euer other good wee receiue either through the loue or mercye of God are free guifts of his grace and not for any merrit in man How can this beame of glorious brightnes bee beheld with the cies of humilitie but that the soule wold be rauished with the contemplation therof and say with the Psalmist Psalme 103. verse 8. Gratious is the Lord and mercifull long suffering and of great goodnesse Furthermore of so great effect in the working of comfort in the hearts of the faithfull is this vertue of grace in God that wee finde the writings of the Apostles in their Epistles commonlye to begin with this word Grace Grace mercie and peace from our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ As if from grace came mercie and from mercie peace Oh consider the works of grace our election out of a speciall fauour our creation out of a gratious wisdome our vocation out of a gratious kindenes our sanctification out of a gratious holines our iustification out of a gratious merit our redemptioÌ„ out of a gratious loue our glorification out of a gratious mercy So that still we see that grace worketh in all thinges to the onelye glorie of God in whome it worketh to the good of man Oh how sweet a salutation was deliuered to the blessed Virgin Mary by the Angell Gabriell Haile Mary full of grace God is with thee So that if God be with any soule it is full of grace where the fulnes of grace is there is surely God but as it is written of Christ Iesus Psalme 45. vers 7. That hee was annointed with the Oyle of Grace aboue his fellowes So may wee well say of the Grace of God it is so excellent in working to the Glorie of God that as it is infinite in goodnes so must it haue the same measure in glorie I say to be glorified aboue all things Note a little the varieties of the guiftes of this grace of God vnto his seruants Moyses hee made a leader of his people and gaue him the tables of the law to Abraham he gaue the blessing that should follow in his seede in Isaack shall the seede be called at the prayer of Eliah hee sent raine after a long drought to Dauid hee gaue a kingdome and a treasure more worth then many kingdomes the enlightning knowledge of his holy loue the spirit of prophesie the confession of sinne the repentance of offence the passion of true patieÌ„ce the constancie of faith and the humility of loue To Salomon he gaue especiall wisdome to sit in the Throane of iudgement with the greatest maiestie and wealth of any earthlye creature in the world To the blessed Virgin Marie hee gaue the fulnesse of grace in the conception of his only Sonne but to him he gaue that grace that filled heauen and earth with his glorie Let vs then consider not only the vertue goodnesse and glory of grace but with all the height and glorie therof which being only in Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour let vs in him onely beholde the summe and substance the beautie brightnesse the goodnesse and glorie thereof forsaking our selues in the shame of our sinnes only flie to his mercie for the comforte of those blessings that receiuing onelye from him may make vs giue all honour and glorie to him And so much for consideration vpon the grace of God The seauenth consideration of the glorie of God HAuing thus considered of the greatnes the goodnes the wisdom the loue the mercy grace of God towards man I cannot but finde in this good God an admirable glory who containing all these excellencies in himselfe and beeing indeede the verie essence of the same doth in the vertue of his bountie appeare so gratious vnto this people But since to speake or thinke of the glory of God or the least part thereof is â—o farre aboue the reach of the power of reason as in all confession must be onely left to admiration Let me onely say with the Apostle Glory only belongeth vnto the Lord in his presence so glorious is his brightnesse as nothing can see him and liue and therefore in a bush of fire hee spake but not apeared vnto Moyses vpon the mount in a cloud and a piller went before his people in the wildernesse was as it were inclosed in the Arke in an Angell did appeare vnto his Prophets and in his Sonne Iesus Christ so farre as he would and might be seene to his Apostles and Disciples but for his glory his diuine essence cannot be seene of any but himselfe verified by his own word Iohn 1. chap. verse 18. No man hath seene the Father but hee that came from the Father euen the Sonne of man that hath reuealed him and againe verse 28 I came from the Father and I goe to the Father for the Father I am one with his glory he filleth both heauen earth as it is written Heauen and earth are ful of the Maiestie of thy glory and againe in the Psalme 19. verse 1. The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke his workes speake of his glorie his Saintes write of his glorye his Angelles sing of his glorie and all powers doe acknowledge his glorie It is higher then the Heauens larger then the Earth deeper then the Sea purer then the fire cleerer then the skye brighter then the Sunne The power of strength the life of Loue the vertue of mercie the beautie of grace the honour of Wisdome and the Essence of Maiestie The Angelles tremble before it the Saintes fall at the feete of it the Prophets beholde it a farre off and the soules of the elected doe adore it and being then so farre aboue the power of man to come neerer the thought of it How can the heart of man but in admiration speake of it it liues in the wisdome of the wise in the vertue of the valyant in the liberalitie of the Charitable in the patience of the Temperate in the virginitie of the chaste in the constancye of the faithfull in the humilitye of the louing in the truth of the Religious it dyrects the will of the Trinitie in the vnitie of the Deitie it commaundes the seruice of the Angells it blesseth the prayers of the Saints it pardoneth the sinnes of the repentant it prospereth the labours of the vertuous and loueth the soules of the righteous in summe it is the Maiestie of Maiesties the power of powers the vertue of vertues the grace of graces the honour of honors the Treasure of treasures the Blessing
DIVINE CONSIDErations of the Soule Concerning the excellencie of God and the vilenesse of man Verie necessarie and profitable for euerie true Christian seriously to looke into By N. B. G. LONDON Printed by E A. for Iohn Tappe and are to be solde at his shop on the Tower-Hill nere the Bulwarke Gate 1608 To the right worshipfull and worthy Knight Sir Thomas Lake one of the Clarkes of his Maieiesties Signet health happinesse and Heauen WOrthy KNIGHT The longe affectionate duty wherin I haue followed your vndeserued fauour hath made me study how to prooue some parte of my protestation but finding my spirite by the crosses of fortune vnable to be it selfe in the best nature of thankfulnesse I haue yet by Gods greate blessing laboured in the vineyard of a vertuous loue where hauing gathered those fruites that are both pleasant and holsome bounde vp this little handfull I presente them to your patience knowing that your loue to learning your zeale in Religion and your wisdome in iudgement being able in diuine Considerations to finde comforte aboue the worlde will vouchafe to make that good vse of them that maie giue me comforte in your regarde of them but least tediousnesse maie prooue displeasing yea in matter of much worth I wil leaue my labour to your liking and my seruice to your imploimeÌ„t in which I humblye rest in heartie prayer for your much happinesse Yours deuoted and obliged at commande NICH. BRETON To the Reader MAnye reade they knowe not what too many they care not what but how necessarie is it for all men before they reade to consider what they reade and to what end they bestowe both time labour in that excercise I refer to the iudgement of their discretions who are able to finde the difference betwixt good euill you then that reade this little worke to your greate good if you well disgest the considerations contained in the same Let mee intreate you what you finde for your good to esteem of as you haue cause and what may be to your dislike to correct in your kinde patience in a little room is matter enough for the good consideration of a coÌ„templatiue sperit which looking towards heauen and longing to bee there shall finde such comfort in these considerations as I hope shal giue cause to gloriefie God the Author of all good and not thinke a misse of me that by his goodnes haue set them downe for the good of all his Seruants of which number not doubting you to be one I leaue you in this and all your good labours to his onely gratious blessing Your well wishing friend N. B In praise of these Diuine Considerations GOe little Booke the Iewell of delight The heauenly organ of true vertues glory Which like a christall mirror sets in sight The truest tract of high Iehouahes story Which who so reades shall finde within the same Gods powerfull loue to those that feare his name I reading of it did much comfort finde And so no doubt may euery Christian doe That is to vertue any whit inclind Such right directions doth it lead him to Read then dear friend for heere I dare well say To know God truely is the ready way And more within this lttle volume heere Who so doth read with due consideration His owne estate most vilely will appeare If not reformed by heauenly meditation Consider then and doe aplaud his paine That thus directs true knwledge to obtaine And for my selfe as hauing gain'd therby These few lines of my loue shall specifie Pleasure attend the author that did write it Heauens happinesse the heart that did indite it True comfort be to him that loues to read it And ioy betide his soule that truely treads it I. T. A Diuine Poem O Lord that knewst me ere that I was knowne And sawst the cloath before the thred was spunne And framd'st the substance ere the thought was growne From which my being in this world begunne Oh glorious God that onely of thy grace Didst all and onely to thy seruice make me and hauing giuen me heere an earthly place Vnto the Guard of thy faire grace dist take me Of all pure bright and euer-seeing eye That seest the secret thoughts of euerie heart Before whose presence doth apparantlie Heauen earth Sea Hell in all and euerie part In wisdome more O then wit can comprehend That mak'st and iudgest gouern'st euerie thing power of all powers on whome all powers attend Spring of all grace from whence all glories spring From that high holy heauenly throane of thine Where mercy liues to giue thy glorie grace Looke downe a little on this soule of mine That vnto thee complaines her heauie cace Oh sweetest sweete of my soules purest sence That in thy mercie madst me first a creature And in the truth of loues intelligence The neerest image to thy heauenly Nature And hauing framde me to thy fauours eye Didst with thy finger fairely write me out In holy writ of heauenly Misterie How I should bring a blessed life about Forbidding onely what might be my harme Commaunding onely what might doe me good preseruing me by thy Almigtie arme and feeding me with a celestiall foode Thou madst the ayre to feede the life of nature That I might see how weake a thing it is The earth the labour of the sinfull creature Which beares no fruite but onely by thy blisse Thou madst the water but to clense or coole Or serue thy creatures in their sundrie vse That carefull wit might reason not befoole In vsing nature to the soules abuse The fire thou madst to câ—eere the chilling colde With a reuiuing heate of natures neâ—de That reason might in natures ruine holde How farre that Force might stand the life instead Thus vnder heauen thou madst these Elements To maintaine all those creatures thou hast made But so that nature with her ornaments shall haue a time to flourish or to fade But that same heauenly fire that doth enflame The heart and soule with a continuall heate Whose loue doth liue but in thy holy name Where faith doth mercy but for grace intreate Where that did kindle or that Cole to finde Or smallest peice or sparckle of the same I found the eye of nature was too blinde To finde the sence or whence thee secret came Till by the inspiration of that grace That to thy seruants doth thy goodnesse showe I found thy loue the euer liuing place From whence the substance of this sweete doth flowe And when I saw within this soule of mine How farre thy loue exceedes the life of nature and natures life but in that loue of thine Which is the being of each blessed creature Then I begâ—n to finde the foile of sinne And onely long'd to liue in mercies grace and hate the world that doth their hel begin That doe not long to see thy heauenly face And thus perplexed in that passions griefe That hath no ease but in thy mercies eye To thee that art the faithfull
the greatest of all powers is but the power of all smallnesse but since so great is his greatnesse euerie way as is no way to be comprehended let vs onely know and acknowledge his infinitenes therin to be such as we must humbly leaue to admiration and say with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 1â—6 vers 26. Praise yee the God of heauen for his mercie endureth for euer Now let vs see what wee are without him as bubbles of water that breakes in an instant or a blasted flower ere it bee out of the bud the shame of nature meate for Dogges fuell for fire out-lawes from Heauen and Prisoners for Hell Oh fearefull state of such as feare not God feare therefore the greatnes of his wrath least you be consumed in the greatnes of his fury Now what are wee to thinke of our selues in him the chosen vessels of grace the comaunders of all earthly powers the compagnions of his Saints coheires in the heauenly Kingdome brethren with his blessed Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ thus greate doth his greatnes make his both in this world in the worlde to come and thus much for the first pointe of consideration of the greatnes of God Touching the goodnesse of God the second Consideration IT is a position infallible that of goodnes can come nothing but good God then being the onely euer true and pure essence of al goodnes of him what can be spoken but all good is it not written that whatsoeuer he created hee sawe that it was good and hauing made man to his owne Image the best good how did he shew to him his exceeding goodnes in giuing him dominion ouer al his good creatures onely the Tree of life excepted which though in it selfe it was good yet in that he knew it was not good for man to meddle with hee forbad him to taste of the fruite therof this good warning his good God gaue him that there might nothing but good come to him but we may well say there is nothing good but God it is the worde of truth spoken by the Lord of life Our Sauiour Iesus Christ when the Pharises called him good Maister his answer was why call you me good there is none good but God And if the only begotten Son of God wold not be called good how can this title of good be properly giuen to any of his creatures though it pleased him to say that he sawe euery thing was good that hee created yet it was good onely respectiuely as it came from his goodnes and onely effectiuely as might serue to his glory for though the spirite of man by the grace of the holy Ghost doe participate with the great blessing of God which from his goodnes proceeding cannot be but good yet onely and altogether in God doth abide and dwell that pure essence Eternall goodnes which may onely make him be iustly and properly called good Now all goodnes being in him and of him and whatsoeuer is or may be in any part thought or called good must be onely in respect of God the onely giuer of the same and whatsoeuer good we receiue is things good all the good that he created for the good vse of man that good knowledge knowledge of goodnes and goodnes of knowledge the perfection whereof is onely in himselfe and the participation wherof shold be in none but the Image of himselfe this Image did hee chuse to make in man and this good onely to bestowe vpon man now howsoeuer the Deuill by corruption of temptation hath drawen away the hearts of those outward men which retaine in their soules small or no parte of the Image of God vnto the delight of euill yet those men that are touched with the least parte of Gods grace haue not onely a hatefull loathing of the nature of euill but a longing desire after good and a delight in the good of the desire of that good that they long after Man being therefore by the goodnes of God elected for his best creature his best seruant and coheire with his onely beloued Sonne in his heauenly Kingdome hee hath also elected him to that knowledge of God that by the good thereof may breede in him the greefe of sinne vnto which by corruption he is a subiect and a neuer-satisfied desire to enioye the good that by faith he is assured to come vnto now as he hath elected man onely and aboue all his creatures to this knowledge of good which he did as it were chuse out of all his blessings to bestow onely vpon man so did he withall giue him knowledge how to come to the possession of that good to which onely he is elected Oh how infinit a goodnes is this in God towards vs in this gratious benefit of our election oh what heart can without the rauishing ioy of the soule think vpon this goodnes of God towards man that as I aforesaid hauing chosen him for his best creature his best seruant and coheire with his bestand onely beloued Son he did not only inspire his soule with an especiall knowledge aboue all other creatures but with this knowledge of good a knowledge likewise of a direct way to come vnto it which waie is not to be sought in a strange country nor among the Saints or Angells but euen here at home and in his holy word and that waie to be onely founde by the faith of that grace that in the good creatures of God doth onely worke to his glorie in somme when hee himselfe is both the waie to life and the life of the faithfull What an excellent comfort is this in one worde one truth and one Christe to seeke and finde the waie to our is from the aboundance of his mercie and for the which wee are bounde in all humilitie to giue him glory let vs acknowledge all goodnes to be onely in him and himselfe the glorious Essence of the same consider with thankefulness the good that vnworthylye wee receiue from him First let vs thinke on the goodnes of God in out election that being the worst matter to worke vpon hee would show the best of his working in framing a substance to the Image of himselfe can there be any thing so good vnto man as to be made the Image of God and when in the righteousness of the soule which is the best goodnes in man wee be most like vnto God what glory are we to giue vnto him who ingrafteth in our hearts such a loue vnto righteousnes and such a righteous loue vnto his grace as that by the vertue thereof we become as it were members of his sacred body branches of the Tree of life Consider I say thus first the goodnes of God in our election from the slime of the earth the worst matter in the world to worke vpon to be the best and fairest of his works in the world and all earthly things to endure but their time in the course of their liues man onely in
comfort for the penitent Oh how sweete are the reports and proofes of the mercie of god vnto man in all the world For is it not written by the Prophet Dauid Psa. 145. vers 9. His mercy is ouer al his works And again speaking of his mercy Ps. 103. 13 As a father pittieth his owne Children so is the Lord merciful vnto all that feare him and in Psa. 103. vers 12. As far as the East is from the west so far hath he set our sins from vs and in the 136. Psalme through euerie verse speaking to all his workes both in heauen earth he vseth these words Blesse him and praise him for his mercie endureth for euer In mercie hee turned his wrath frō y e Israelits whē Moyses stood in the gap in mercy hee saued Moyses floating in the reedes in mercy he preserued the children in the surnace of fire in mercye hee preserued the the Israelites from the hoste of Pharaoh in mercy hee preserued Dauid and deliuered him from all his troubles in mercy he deliuered Ioseph from the pit and the prison in mercy he sent his Prophets to warne the world of their wickednesse and to pronounce comfort to the penitent in mercy he sent Iohn Baptist to deliuer the tydings of saluation and in mercie hee sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ to be a Sauiour of all his people Oh infinite mercie worthy of infinite glorie Consider againe how powerfull is his mercie in all his workes to feede fiue thousand people with a few Loaues and Fishes and with the fragments to fill more baskets then the Loaues when they were whole to heale the disseased that touch ed but the hem of his garment to giue sight to the blinde knowledge to the simple health to the sicke soundnesse to the lame comfort to the penitent to driue the Diuells from the possessed to giue life to the deade and ioy to the faithfull These words of glorious mercy doth the moste gratious and glorious word of truth plainely and truly lay before vs to make vs with the holy Prophets iustly say Oh the infinite light and bottomles depth of the mercies of our God! Glorie be to the Lord for his mercy indureth for euer Againe how absolute he is in his mercie where he saith I will haue mercie where I will haue mercie and therefore be free both in his power and will hath mercye for all that will humblye and faithfullye call vppon him and againe all are vnder sinne that all may come to mercie Oh how all glorious is that mercie which is extended ouer all Let vs therefore looke a little into the blindenesse of man in the immagination of his owne merrit of the mercy of the liuing God which is onelye a fruite or effect of grace or free guift of his onely glorious loue How did Adam merit mercie when hee fled from his presence What merited Moyses when hee angred the Lord What merrited Noah when hee was drunkens What merrited Lot when hee committed Incest What merited the Israelites with their goulden Calle What merited Dauid when he comitted murther and adulterie Againe what merited Mary Magdalen that had seauen Deuils within her what merited Paul that persecuted Christ in his people what merited Peter that denyed his maister what merited the world to work y e death of the Son of God all euerie one in the iudgement of Iustice nothing but dānation Look thē into the inexplicable glorye of y e mercie of God which not only forgaue all these but saued all and blessed all and so will euer al those whom and whersoeuer that ashamed are of their sinnes and confessing their merrit of nothing but wrath and destruction in the humble faith of repentance flye onely to the mercie of God in the merrit of Christ Iesus for theyr saluation Oh the powerfull mercy in the loue of God that will not suffer his Iustice to execute his wrath vpon sinne and though such be the pure and glorious brightnes of his grace as cannot endure the foule and filthie obiect of sinne yet doth his mercy so rule the power of his wrath as will not let him destroye the sinner with his sinne many are the afflictions that hee layeth vppon his belooued many are the corrections that hee vseth to his Children manye are the sorrowes that hee inflicteth vppon his Elect but all is for sinne in the loue of a Father in the care of a Maister mercy of a God as onely meanes to purge them of those euills that are hinder ances to their good and being healed of their corruption to bring them to their first and a far better perfection For in the correction of mercy is the sinner saued from destruction by the regeneration of grace brought to eternall saluation Oh the vertuous gratious and glorious nature of mercye which hath such power with God in the preseruation of his people It keekeepeth the fire that it fall not from heauen to consume vs it keepeth the water that it riseth not to drown vs it keepeth the ayre that it doth not infect vs keepeth y e earth that it doth not swallow vs it keepeth vs in peace that discention do not spoile vs it keepeth vs in plenty that want doe not pinch vs it keepeth vs in loue that mallice cannot hurt vs and keepeth vs to God that the Deuill cannot confound vs. In summe it is a gift of grace a worke of glorie a bountie in God a blessing to man to speake of these daies wherin we liue and of the late times which we cannot forget Let vs a little consider the mercies of God towards vs how often were we preserued from forraine enemies by Sea and ciuill or vnciuil enemies at home when not the pollicy of mā but the only mercy of god did break the forces of the one and reueale the deuises of the other And while our Neighbor Countries by continuall warres haue shed a world of blood we haue beene preserued in increase of people and while they haue bin mourning in the punnishmēt of sinne wee haue beene singing in the ioy of grace oh how are wee bound to giue glorye vnto God for the aboundance of his mercie and say with the Prophet Dauid Psal. 136. verse 26 Great is the God of Heauen for his mercie endureth for euer But as I said of loue the life of mercy so of mercy the glory of loue since it is so infinite in goodnesse as exceedeth in worthinesse the height of all praise that the heart of mā can think or the tongue of man can expresse I will onely say with the Prophet Psalme 106. verse 1. to all powers whatsoeuer Blesse ye the Lord and praise him for his mercie endureth for euer And thus much touching the consideration of the mercy of God The sixt consideration of the grace of God IN the mercy of God finding so great a measure of his grace as in the bountie of his goodnes deserueth no little glory