and yet as much as hee requireth and more then from a great many the more their shame hee receiueth But let those that feele these great effects of grace in the goodnes of the liuing God say with the holy Prophet Psalme 136. verse 1. be thankfull to the Lord and speake good of his name for his mercie endureth for euer but since so infinite is his goodnes in all things and to al things and specially to man aboue all things let me onely wish al men for their own good to acknowledge all goodnes onely to bee in the Lord the onely Author and substance thereof whatsoeuer is good in heauen or earth is onely a free guifte of his grace that must onely work to his glory the election of man to be an effect of loue in the grace of his goodnes and not to dreame of merite but to giue glory vnto mercie for the benefit of such a blessing as being freely giuen to man through our Lord Iesus Christ by his merite is onely confirmed to the eternitie of his glory and thus much touching the goodnes of God Touching the wisdome of God the third Consideration TO speake of the wisdome of God is so farre aboue the capacitie of man that it is rather with all humble reuerence to be honored and admired then either to be spoken of or considered yet for so much as the creature doth giue glorye to his Creator in praising and with admiration beholding the excellent workmanshippe in the varietie of his workes and finding it so farre aboue the reach of reason as must noedes proceede from a vertue of diuine grace hee doth in contemplation acknowledge a wisdome of that excellencie that maketh him saie with the Prophet Dauid in the 104. Psalme 24. verse Oh how wonderfull are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them but though the wisdome of God as it is in it selfe is an other himselfe and not to be comprehended of any but himselfe yet the effectes thereof in all things doe giue him so greate a praise as make him aboue all things to receiue the highest of all glory for to enter into particulers let vs beginne to looke into his creation in the power whereof hee sheweth no small parte of wisdome as in the brightnes of the Sun Moon Stars and the cleernesse of the skie the courses of the Planets the motions of the Celestiall powers in the opperations of the elements in the perfection of proportiōs in the diuersity of creatures in the wōder of arte and quicknesse in working what excellent arte hath he taught nature in painting all the Trees fruits and flowres of the earth yea and all the haires skinnes feathers and scales of beasts fowles and fishes the eeuennes purenes of euery one of whome being truly considered wil startle the best witts in the due consideration of that onely point of wisdome Againe what a further secret cunning hath he taught nature in perfuming so many Trees hearbs and flowres all growing out of this darke and dusky earth by what wisdome he doth vnite the people and hauing deuided the languages how hee giues the meanes of vnderstanding how hee makes the fishes paths and the shippes passages through the seas the birds walkes through the ayre and the Salamanders dwelling in the fire and the wormes howses in the earth how admirable is this wisdome that so worketh all things by it selfe To speake of the excellency of Arts in the secrecie of their working what can it finally approoue but an admiration of knowledge in the maister of them But hauing with Salomon found by the light of grace and experience of labor that al things are vanity except onely the vertue of that grace that enricheth the soule with inestimable treasure what a pointe in wisdome is this not onely to instruct the soule of man in knowledge of natures with their qualities and effects but through the power of it selfe to breede a kinde of spirituall knowledge in the apprehension of Faith that in contemplation of heauenly treasure maketh trash of the whole worlde Oh superexellent exllencie in wisdome that frameth the heart vnto the soule to seeke out the waie of life and in the prison of the flesh preserues it from the perill of infection that man being created the Image of perfection can neuer be destroyed by the venome of corruption but in the daies of iniquitie being guided by grace escaping the snares of hel shall fly to the ioyes of heauen Consider that if man by the wisdome of God attaine to this excellent knowledge how to walke through the passages of nature to make vse of them for his seruice to withstand the temptation of sinne to receiue the instructions of grace to dispise the delights of the worlde to bridle the affections of the flesh and ouercomming the power of death to finde the path vnto life if this I say and more then can be said by the instruction of the diuine wisdome man hath power to attaine vnto thinke how infinite is that wisdome from whome only commeth the essence of this and all knowledge in whome it onely liueth and without onely whome all is but meere ignorance And since it is written that the beginning of wisdome is the feare of God learne onely that lesson and feare to be otherwise learned Paule thought he knew enough in Christ him crucified and enough wise shalt thou be if thou canst applie his knowledge to thy comfort But to returne breifely to speake of the wisdome of God it is in the heauens so highe in the earth so large in the water so deep in the aier so secret and in the fire so powerfull in all things so exquisite and in perfectiōs so infinite that I will onely in the admiration thereof giue glory to the same and saie with the Apostle 1. Corin. chapter 3. verse 19. The wisdome of the worlde is foolishnesse before God And againe with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 104. verse 24 Oh Lord how excellent are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Psalme 139. verse 6. Such knowledge is too excellent for mee O all ye workes of the Lorde praise him and magnifie him for euer but since so many and so infinite are the praises that may worthyly bee giuen vnto it I cannot so leaue off but I must speake a little more of the consideration of it for the power of it It maketh all things for the knowledge of it it knoweth all things for the direction of it it ordereth all thinges for the goodnesse of it it is good in and to all things for the greatnesse of it it comprehendeth all things for the grace of it it is gratious in all good things and for the maiestie of it it is glorious aboue all things for in the power of it is the life of vertue in the life of it is the mercie of loue in the loue of it is the blessing of grace and in the grace of it is the eternitie of
from thy filthinesse admit thee into his prefence take thee into his seruice loue thee as his Sonne and make thee coheire in that Heauenly inheritance which no power shall take from thee but in ioyes euerlasting with his Saints Angels thou shalt cōtinually sing the true and due Halleluiah to his holy Maiestie Thus I say apply these spirituall considerations to thy spirituall comforts that God may the better blesse thee thy reading well considered may the better profit thee and my labour may bee the better bestowed vpon thee which with praier for thy good leauing to thy best cōsideratiō wishing the acknowledging the goodnes of God in all things aboue all things to giue him all glory I end with the Prophet Dauid O al ye works of the Lord blesse ye the Lord praise him magnifie him for euer Finis A Prayer O Most gratious almighty most mercifull and holye glorious euer louing GOD who from the highest Throne of thy heauenly mercie doost vouchsafe to beholde the meanest creature on the earth aboue all with a comfortable eye of a fatherly kindenesse doost beholde man as the chiefe matter of thy workmanship and considering since his first fall by temptatiō his weaknes in resisting the like assault doost by the light of thy grace make him see the difference betwixt good and euill and by the inspiration of thy holye spirit doost leade him from the traine of sinne the true way to eternall happinesse glorious God that knowest whereof we are made that our daies are but as a shadow and we are as nothing without thee who hath reuealed to the simple and hid from the wise the secret wisdome of thy wil to me thy most vnworthy seruant hast so often shewed those fruits of thy loue that makes mee asham'd to think of my vnthankfulnesse to thy holy Maiestie my forgetfulnesse of thy grace and vnworthinesse of thy mercy Oh my Lord when I consider these things with all other the manifolde blessings that from time to time I haue receiued from the onelye bountie of thy blessed hand what can I doe but in admiration of thy greatnesse and contemplation of thy goodnesse giue glorie to thy holy Maiesty with thy chosen seruant Dauid in the griefe and shame of my sinne and only hope of thy mercie in true contrition of heart fall prostrate at thy feete and flie only to thy mercie for my comfort beseeching thee so to direct me in the waies of thy holy will that seeing thy greatnes in thy good nes thy wisdom in thy loue thy grace in thy mercie and thy glorie in thy grace and confessing my weakenesse vilenesse folly malice sloath basenes attend the worke of thy will in working mee to thy holye will giue me power to cōsider that although I read neuer so much beleeue all I reade and remember all I beleeue yet without one drop of the deawe of thy grace it will take no root in my heart but good Lord consider the corruption of nature through the infection of sinne in which I accuse not excuse my selfe vnto thee make me to know thy will let me rather crie before thee Hosanna with the little Babes then with the Pharisies make boast of my righteousnesse and as it hath pleased thy holy Maiestie to make mee consider of thy mercies so let these considerations by taking root in my hart be so comfortable to my soule that loathing the world with al the vanities therof I may in the teares of true penitence shewe the sorrow of my sin and in the ioy of thy mercie I may sing to thy glory Amen FINIS Errata First Consideration Page 4 line 3 for looke vp the heauens reade looke vp to the heauens The second Consideration page 12. line 4. for God reade good The last page of the third consideration the tenth line for deuine reade dimme
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
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
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
of blessings and the being of beings and in all effects so neere vnto God himself that as he is in his glory incomprehensible so is the same for the infinite perfection of all worthines inexplicable it droue out of Paradise the disobediente to the comaund of it it made the earth swallowe the murmurers against the will of it it sent fire from heauen to consume the Captaines that came against the seruant of it it deuided the Sea to make a walke for the chosen of it it made the same Sea to drowne the hoast of the enemies of it it sent destruction vpon the Cities that wrought abhomination in the sight of it it drowned the world for sinning against it and hath cursed the Iewes for the death of the beloued of it in summe it is in all so farre beyond all that can be said or thought of it in the infinitenes of excellēce that in humilitie of adoration I will leaue it to the seruice of the wise the loue of the vertuous the honour of the blessed and the admiration of all And thus much for consideration of the glorie of God The second part of consideration concerning man and first touching the weakenesse or smallnesse of man HAuing now set downe a few notes touching the necessarie consideration of the greatnesse goodnesse wisdom loue mercie grace and glory of God Let mee a little speake of the contrarieties in man in mine opinion not vnnecessarie to be considered and first of the weakenesse or smallnesse of man First of his smallenesse touching the substance of his creation it was of the slime of the earth then what could bee lesse or of lesse force quantitye or esteeme Next for the substance of generation what was man before the meeting of his Parents not so much as a thought then which nothing could bee lesse then by the effect of consent What was his substance as in his creation a matter of like moment the quantitie not greate and the force little contained in a little roome bred vp in darkenes with paine and sorrowe fed by the nauil◠without vse of sence or member Then come into the world is in quantitie little in strength meere weaknes naked and feeble like anowne adiectiue that cannot stand alone cryeth for it knoweth not what either paine that it cannot expresse or for want of that it cannot aske for Now continuing long time in this weaknes being come to further yeares what doth it finde but it owne imbecillitie desiring that it cannot haue beholding that it cannot compre hend and enduring that it cannot helpe Subiect to sinne by the corruption of nature by temptation of the flesh by the enchantment of the worlde and the iclousnesse of the Deuill subiect to the burning of the fire to the drowning of the water to the infection of the aire to the swallowing of the earth subiect to sicknesse subiect to care to sorrow to want to wronge to oppression to penurye to ignorance to presumption to tyranye to death so vnable to defend himselfe that a flea will byte him a fly will blinde him a worme will wound him and a gnat will choake him And for his sences his hearing may greeue him his sight may annoye him his speeche may hurt him his feeling may distemper him his smelling may infect him and his tasting may kill him in summe poore thing proud of nothing come of little better then nothing and shall returne to almoste as little a◠nothing muste hunger must thirst must labour must sleepe must loose the vse of his sences and committe himselfe to trust must waxe olde must die cannot chuse hath no power to withstand any of these and though hee haue the commaund of creatures is but himselfe a creature and can no longer liue then to the will of the Creator sees the Sunne cannot behold the brightnesse heare 's the windes knowes not whence they blowe feeles the ayre knowes not how to lay holde of it sees the fire dares not touch it sees a world of earth but possesseth little of it perhappes none of it lookes at Heauen but cannot come at it and in summe as a substance of nothing or if anye thing like a Clocke that no longer mooueth then by the will of the Clockemaker So no longer man then in the wil of his maker what shall this little weake small creature think when he shal in the glasse of true sence beholde the obiect of himselfe and then think vpon the greatnes of his God in whome not onely himselfe but all creatures in heauen earth haue their being and without him haue no being in how little a compasse himselfe withall his is contained while such is the greatnesse of his God as filleth heauen and earth with his glory who comprehendeth all things not comprehended in any nor all but aboue all in himself in the infinitenes of himselfe Oh poore man what canst thou doe but with Iob lay thy finger on thy mouth and say I haue spoken once and twise but I will speake no more I thought I was something but I see I am nothing at least so little a thing as in it selfe is nothing My righteousnesse is as a filthy cloth my strength is Weakenes my dayes as a shaddowe my life but a spanne and my substance so smal as but in thee my God is as nothing or worse then nothing at al thus I say wilt thou say when beholding the least of gods creatures thou shalt consider thyne owne smalnesse and looking on the one and the other with the Prophet Dauid say in the admiration of his glorious goodnes Psalme 8. vers 4. O God what is man that thou doest vouchsafe to looke vpon him And thus much touching the smalnesse or weaknes of man The second Consideration touching the vilenes or wickednes of man NOw I haue a litle spoken of this smalnesse or small strength of man a thing doubtles most necessary for euery mā to think vppon least finding his greatnes in commaund ouer the creatures of the earth he forget the Creator both of heauen and earth al things in the same so let me tell him that finding his smalnes to bee so great and his greatnes to be so smal as maketh him nothing more then in the wil of the Almightie hee must withal looke into the vilenes of his nature in y e wilfull offending of his moste good and glorious God for in his first offence how much did he shew the vile wickednes or wicked vilenesse of his conditiō in forgeting the goodnes of his God in framing him of so vile a matter as y e slime of the earth a liuing creture to his own glorious image then to plāt him in Paradice a place of so much pleasure to giue him so large a possessiō as of al his ground his fruit yea commaund of al his creatures vpon the earth thus not like a Lord but like himself Lord of Lords to giue him a world of earth there onely to