Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	flesh_n	sin_n	soul_n	7,400	5	5.2096	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85674	An historical anatomy of Christian melancholy, sympathetically set forth, in a threefold state of the soul. 1 Endued with grace, 2 ensnared in sin, 3 troubled in conscience. With a concluding meditation on the fourth verse of the ninth chapter of Saint John. / By Edmund Gregory, sometimes Bachelour of Arts in Trin. Coll. Oxon.	Gregory, Edmund, b. 1615 or 16.; Marshall, William, fl. 1617-1650, engraver.	1646 (1646)	Wing G1885; Thomason E1145_1; ESTC R40271	96,908	160

Aegistus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est desidiosus erat If you demand Aegistus why He did commit adultery The cause is easie to be seen Because he hath so idle been And as it hatcheth all sins in the soul so of all other is it the most kindly Nurse of lust and fleshly desire in our melancholy nature How doth the fancie hereby become polluted and most grosly defiled with all kinde of basenesse and obscenity what inventions doth it frame for the provocation of lust how closely doth it make us hug the amorous conceits of our enslaved fancie nay how do we many times hereby so deeply infect our thoughts with this kinde of vitiousnesse that like Lime twigs they are ready to catch hold on every object converting it to some libidinous and wanton motion the which perchance sometimes doth cling so fast unto us that we can scarcely draw off again our imagination from it Again Idlenesse and Luxury the excesse of eating and drinking either in quantity or quality I say fulnesse of bread and abundance of Idlenesse are constant companions together we that are idle must needs be luxurious one way or other And if Saint Paul said that the idle person was not worthy to eat or drink at all how often and how much do we sin when as the vanity of our idle souls causeth us to waste so much in superfluity who are not worthy of sufficiency O alas so we live many times as if we were created for nothing else but to eat and drink Sure this is not the least if not the greatest of our sins for if abstinence be the chiefest help to mortifie the flesh certainly luxury is the chiefest means to quench all goodnesse of the Spirit and therefore see in the Gospel the devils desire to enter into the Swine we hear of no other creature that at any time they desired to enter into but onely I say into the gluttonous Swine that of all other creatures being most uncleanly addicted to its belly so fit an habitation is the gluttonous and luxurious soul for nothing but devils but sin and uncleannesse But further with the story our whole man is so utterly disframed and disjoynted with sin that there is no part but is out of order When we seriously reflect on our selves and our so great imperfections we cannot but fetch from within us many a deep sigh to grieve at this our so great untowardnesse thinking thus How much are we now behinde the condition o● the righteous how miserably do we mispend our time in being vassals unto Satan and working our own damnation who might in this time so ill wasted have as well made a good progresse towards heaven and attained unto much comfort and proficiency in Religion O ●ow do we want that light of understanding and retention of Memory in good things which we ought to have how void are we of devotion to Godwards that Charitablenesse of affection towards our brethren which we observe in others that patience and cheerfulnesse in troubles that manly constancy in ruling the motions of the soul as grief fear hope and the like O we alone we are in each degree So frail with sin there 's none so frail as we For behold we are so crazed and weakned in all the strength and constancy of our minde through sin that every passion is able to overturn us either we are too much in fear of the roaring waves of calamity in this world or too much in love with the pleasing vanities thereof either we are too hot with the joy of prosperity or too cold with the grief of adversity overjoy'd with the tickling exaltation of the one or faint-heartedly dejected and cast down with the other but of these two specially ought we to be careful and take good heed there is always as we may finde a more principal danger in the joy of prosperity for saith Moses Deut. 6 When thou hast eaten and art full then beware lest thou forget the Lord c. Narrow vessels are quickly over-fill'd then then I say in our prosperity do we feel our selves ready to run over the capacity of moderation apt to grow lawlesse with unlimited pride and to forget our reverence to that God which hath created us and always doth so great things for us and therefore it was that David said It is good for me that I have been in trouble Happie is the man that is always ballasted with such a constant stedfastnesse of minde that let the winde blowe which way it will can carry his affection with an upright setled and indifferent moderation can hold him fast by God in all changes of this life patiently hoping in him in adversity humbly rejoycing in him in prosperity so to rule himself with Saint Pauls resolvednesse of minde Phil. 4 At all times and in whatsoever state he be as therewith to be content with satiety and yet not drunken with excesse See the folly of a sinner and strange besotted ignorance of our thoughts Behold We fear the face of man poor sinful man When of the God of heaven we little scan though we have not much care of it that our faults are all naked in the presence of God that the Searcher of hearts knoweth the depth of them and that they lie open plain enough before our Consciences yet by no means we would that men should know so much of us no let self-loving nature alone to be sure to take heed of this that no body know it but our selves Oh we may in no wise bewray our infirmities in any particulars what vain fig-leaves of poor shifts and excuses do we so we together to cover us with rather then we will be guilty in the sight of men we shall chuse rather many times to make two sins of one then discredit our selves by Confession as thus Pe●chance when we are reproved for our untowardnesse reprehended for our vices or any thing else be spoken which is harsh unto us presently is our headstrong and self-accusing nature all on fire with spitesul scorn and ill-will against it either moved with so much distemper as malitiously to revile the party or else so deeply stung with inward unquietnesse as unsoberly to depart the place not abiding to hear it any longer such is our impatient desire of credit our self-justifying honour on our own parts But on the other side to hear the dispraises and reproofs of others to hear their credit broken by the tongue of envie that methinks is a contentment and recreation to us or specially when we meet with them who are enclin'd to speak against such parties that are out of our liking then it is meat and drink to us to say Amen and joyn with them in the like malevolent and disgraceful speeches We are I say most impatient of reproof specially if it be laid either sharp and closely unto us or tedious and over urgent and truely though reproof ought humbly to be taken as

turn us unto a due serious repenting or sufficiently to rouze us up out of the unhappie Lethargie of sin and therefore sure God is now whetting his sword and bending his bowe against us As Lazr●● in his grave so we have been in our trespasses and sins so long dead even stark dead unto all goodnesse that we had need be call'd unto elatâ voce as it is in the Eleventh of Saint John with a loud voice if God mean that we shall effectually hear him Dangerous diseases deserve desperate cures If nothing else can thorowly awake us the Judgement of a troubled minde and tormented Conscience must do it But when once it comes to passe that the Almighty sheweth forth his wonders in the deep his mighty strength after this manner in the deep thoughts of mans heart O what a sharp fit and tedious bout must we undergo for saith Solomon The spirit of ma● may sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear Not Job 's afflictions nor yet all those ten Egyptian plagues can parallel agen The misery that that poor soul is in Whom heav'n doth strike with terrour for his sin Any outward crosse or trouble is tolerable and may be sustained but the inner trouble of a distracted minde and wounded Conscience who can bear You may note that though the minde and Conscience be toucht with many secret terrours and perplexed difficulties in the course and passage of this life according to that of David concerning himself Even from my youth up thy terrours have I suffered with a troubled minde I say There be in the soul of man many tormenting thoughts as also sins of ours and sayings of Scripture often too hard for us well to digest but this ensuing Passage of a distracted minde and troubled Conscience is seldom parallel'd For lo I shall herein shew you a Mystery even welnigh the very height and utmost pitch of Terrour and sad Distraction that the melancholy minde can undergo without falling quite into Fury and Madnesse which doth fitly follow this more then ordinary ill course of life here presupposed and so long a sleep in presumption For this is the right Method in the state of the soul before such great trouble of minde there usually precedes a deep sleep in Presumption because the minde and Conscience can never be very much inwardly troubled it may suffer some small distresse I say never be much troubled as long as fear the watchman of the soul keeps his due centry And therefore this is the true wisedom of a careful Christian diligently to keep this watch about him lest he be overtaken besotted and engaged in sin and so then the day of the Lord come upon him like a thief in the night I say the day of the Lord the day of his Judgement a day of gloominesse and thick darknesse a day of trouble and distraction of minde even such a day as is exprest in the next Part wherein the Lord thundreth from heaven with his mighty power against the soul of man Of the Soul troubled in Conscience WEll the troubles and terrours before spoken of in the precedent part in reference to these that follow and are now at hand are but as S. Matthew saies of those troubles that shall go before the day of Judgement the beginning of sorrowes I say the beginning of sorrow they are like the scattering drops which fall before a shower and O now the shower it self begins to fall apace a terrible shower and most violent storm such a one as David speaks of in Psal 11. vers 6. where he saith Vpon the wicked be shall raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be their portion to drinke For now our minds and bodies being perhaps more properly made fit for that purpose I say the rather fitted thereunto as either by occasion of the leisure and vacancy of the mind or also by the like concurring occasion of strong melancholly vapours in the body or other diseased disturbance Though fin only be the procuring cause yet these or some of these are usually the present occasions which mainly help it forward we quickly fall into an exceeding dumpishnesse of mind and even in a short space our fancy is followed with swarmes of tormenting thoughts in so extraordinary a manner that we cannot tell what to doe they come so thick one upon another and are impious in so high a degree that the dismall and hellish terrour thereof doth quite dull and take off our sences There is for the most part no one houre all day long but that we are haunted with them as with so many hideous ghosts insomuch that usually do what we can nothing will put them from our mind or give us the least ease and respit from this misery Intentions still our mind gets no reliefe At all from this torm●nting inward griefe Those thoughts they are such black thoughts most of them so infinitely fearfull so unspeakable heynous that they do make us extreamly to shake with feare and put us many times in such a trembling that we are as it were fainting with the deep agony and anguish thereof they do so subtilly shoot into our imagination that for our lives we cannot with all our strength and endeavour shut them out or so much as mitigate the violence of them they are even as the piercing lightning which cannot be withstood For least your understanding should be mistaken it is to be noted that those thoughts not as yet spoken of are more of a darting then a reflecting nature To go on they are as so many terrifying Haggards and hellish ghosts unto us that do even make us shrinke for feare as often as we do but think upon them or so much as take the least glimpse thereof into our apprehension and then as soon as we are thus never so little afraid they will sure come upon us and that the more fiercely too fear giving any adversary advantage to have the greater power over us The manner of being affrighted herewith many times is as when some extraordinary thunderclap on the sudden strikes a man with so violent a terrour that his heart is even as they say out of his mouth therewith the passion whereof is able to be in such an excesse that it doth even stun our sences for the time making us as quite sick with the amazement of it What shall I say No mortall tongue can ●hew Those fearfull terrors which our mind doth know It is said indeed in the sixth Chap. of Genesis that every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill continually But O these and the like thoughts as I may say even sent from Hell into the soul of man are so beyond measure unreasonably evill that we shall many times think to our selves think it I say to be a thing almost impossible that man as a meer man and being only in the mortall condition of humanity should be capable of entertaining such

take heed of the least sins directing our conversation in a more elevated and steady course then usual as conceiving our selves to lie open to the awful view of an Omnipotent and most glorious Deity as also we can more duely humble our selves and pray before him with a fervent with a lively earnestnesse and confidence of obtaining For first the abundant experience of Gods great love towards us together with that loving affection which we feel in our hearts towards him again breeds a kinde of union and friendship betwixt God and our souls and this union begets a trust and confidence in him and then this confidence doth fully perswade us that we shall prevail with him in any thing so that it be best for us to obtain it I say Best for us that is for our good though not always to our liking our Prayers verily 't is sit they should be confident but they may not be obstinate and self-will'd Nature doth use to take it harsh not to have her desire granted but David's resolution in Psal 39 will at length pretty well satisfie her I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing For it was thy doing that 's the reason to stop our mouthes and hold us contented And 't is our Saviours reason and resolution in Matth. 36. 39 Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Gods will we are sure is far better then ours and therefore good reason it is that ours should in all patience and humility be ruled by his better it is in his care for he hath a greater care over us then we can have of our selves and better in his wisedom and foreknowledge for he knoweth far better what is good for us then we know for our selves Our sinful wills do seldom aim aright Lord give us what is fitting in thy sight What thy good will and pleasure is and we are contented Again as we have such a submissive trust and confidence of ob●●●ning in Prayer so are we always more affectionately apprehensive of what we do pray then in the time of sin our thoughts can go along and keep turn with the words of our Prayers at the confession of sins shall we feel our selves pressed with the burden of our wretchednesse at the Petitions of grace our soul will be athirst after the living God Oh when shall we be satisfied with the fulnesse of his mercies at Thanksgiving for his Blessings our heart doth as it were run over with the abundance of his loving-kindnesse Even so hath thy Mercies embraced us on every side that who can set forth thy praise O Lord or declare the goodnesse that thou hast done for our souls Thus I say we can now keep our thoughts neerer to the sense in prayer then at other times and yet we shall finde it at the best time of our Devotion very difficult to keep our intention close to it any long while specially in Publike praying for do what we can ever and anon our mindes will be sliding away from the matter in hand and dreaming upon other imaginations at least some other thoughts on the sudden do come athwart us and put us from the sense so that seldom do we hold our intention steady upon it thorowout a whole Prayer unlesse it be very short For we may here pertinently take notice that sin is so naturally rooted in us and all Mankinde that 't is a very hard task if with due inward silence we observe it in our selves to keep our secret thoughts within compasse even whilst the eye of Conscience is most watchful I say Even whilst the Star of Jacob shines most bright In us to purge away the dark of night So that it was no marvel David said that the righteous man falleth seven times a day whenas there is seldom an hour in the day even in the purest condition of our life specially if we have any concernment to be conversant in outward affairs I say scarce an hour wherein extravagant and unlawful imaginations or desires do not most thrust themselves into the minde which though perhaps indeed the awaking care of Conscience by Gods help doth quickly check out again with shame in these or the like motions of dislike as Fie t is not right God forbid yet the Corruption of nature hereby sheweth it self to be always active in us though it doth not now prevail as it would O Lord God our best Condition in this world thou knowest is but as a night in which thougb there be some light shining within us yet is there much more darknesse and therefore our experience methinks doth most fitly and naturally Moralize that expression of thine concerning our Saviour Numb 24 where thou hast called him by thy holy Spirit The Star of Jacob even as it were the day star of heaven arising in our hearts a star and that befitting the night and yet a star which shineth to our Souls and Consciences with a blessed light of joy and comfort and so as Saint John with his Baptizing tears of Repentance prepared the way for our Saviour to be entertained in the souls of men so I say the watery clouds of sorrow for sin passing away from our re●enting souls do unvayl our Saviour unto us that Star and Light of divine grace that he may shine out again as the joyful Light of our Salvation And O most merciful Saviour thou that art here a Star unto us a Day-star appearing before the Sunrising be thou hereafter in heaven the Sun it self the Sun of Righteousnesse shining in most perfect glory unto all Eternity But to go on Lo the sweet Olive branches that this Noab's Dove Repentant reconciliation bringeth in unto the soul It is said Prov. ●8 1. That the righteo●● are as bold as a Lion Lord who is there that can say he is righteous before thee when as the very Angel are unclean in thy sight much more are we the very best piece of whose life is as a menstruous cloth defiled with grosse imperfections yet see the neerer we draw on thereunto the lesse fearful we are the terriblenesse of thunder which according to the Poet Is apt with fear to shake the mindes of men Jussit humanas motura-tonitrua mentes or the hideous examples of Gods Judgements and the ●ike nay even terrible death it self which according to the Ancients is naturally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of all terrible things all these with which we are wont to be affrighted do not now strike us with so deep a passion of fear nor go thorow our loyns with such a terrour and that not at all because of any deadnesse of Conscience but out of the livelinesse of faith I say Because the Lord as it is in Psal 27 being our light and our salvation whom then methinks should we fear the Lord being the strength of our life that is the trust and confidence of our souls of whom or of what should we be afraid Again the

whets on the affection with a greater longing having truly tasted how good it is we can with David say Oh how sweet are thy words unto our taste yea sweeter then honey unto our mouth our soule can then handsomly reilish all holy duties and religious exercises and wee doe delight in the performance thereof as in particular the frequenting the Church the hearing of Sermons the holy Law and Testimonies of the Lord doe not now seeme a burden but as a pleasure unto us O Lord me thinkes thy words to us doe shine A sweet direction in the paths divine In receiving the word we can suck out a secret sweetnesse and comfortable benefit there from it becomes nourishable unto us the Rod of Gods justice and the staffe of his mercies bound up together in his booke doe pleasantly lead forth our soules besides the waters of Comfort but specially is our Melancholy soule most in imately affected with such Scripture which presseth home the due understanding of our momentany and mortall Condition and with funerall exercises which more lively set forth the same Salomon saith It is better to goe into the house of mourning c. and he gives the cause for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart wee shall I say bee thus alwayes apt on such occasions to fix the sad consideration of death most neerly to us and sure mee thinkes there can be no thoughts that doe concerne us more then those of our end of our last day neither can wee bestow any of the time of our life better or to more purpose then in the digging of our Graves I meane the providing for our end for though perhaps wee may live a great deale longer yet verely wee are no men of this world thy grace O Lord hath so removed our affections from these transitory things that with Saint Paul Wee are daily dying in our thoughts and desiring rather to be dissolved and to be with Christ then to live here not waiting expecting and looking for a long continuance upon earth but farre more for a happy departure Life 's not our joy at death 's our chiefest ayme By life wee lose by death wee hope to gaine Also in this prosperity of Religion doe wee alwayes apprehend a more gratious satisfaction in our prayers supplications the spirit of devotion so filleth and fatteth our soule with goodnesse that wee are wont abundantly to rejoyce therein above all other things striving to lift up our soules often in private devotion in so much that if leisure serve wee shall be ready to offer up the incense of our zeale unto God in admiring his mercy setting forth our unworthinesse desiring farther his grace and heavenly benediction to grow stronger and stronger in his feare and love and the like requests and Petitions often times even often times peradventure in a day not only in short ejaculations but even in pretty la●ge formes of expression for no sooner doe wee feele the sacred fire of Devotion flaming upwards and aspiring unto heaven but presently wee seriously betake our thoughts to prayer and thanksgiving by the way it may be here considerable whether for our constant devotion in private as morning and evening and the like many short ejaculations are more fit to carry up our affections unto God or otherwise some one long and large continued forme the former way through its often cuttings off being in dangsr to make us degenerate into alazie and forgetfull seldomnesse of praying the latter thorough its tedious continuance into an unadvised dulnesse in praying and therefore not much approving of either betweene both of these two or three moderate formes with an acute and strong winged brevity are me thinkes more convenient to present our cause before the Almighty in an unvariable constancy and in a piously devout apprehension but to keepe on our way Now againe in like manner are we most divinely studious and diligent to make the full benefit and advantage of that time which is properly set apart for Gods service labouring to build up others and to be built up strong in our selves as by hearing exhorting and discoursing with truly pious and religious men rejoycing in this comfortable Communion of Saints I meane the communicating acquaintance and assisting fellowship of our inner man one with another or else againe perhaps more privately managing our soules by reading as in the Bible Practise of Piety Gerrards Meditations or the like by Meditating Consulting and walking with the Almighty in spirituall thoughts ending the Sabbath dayes usually in such high and serious actions occupying our selves in that only which may tend either to improve Knowledge try Faith exercise Charity examine Conscience and the like communing thus as David hath it secretly in our owne hearts in our Chambers and being still quiet from outward perturbations thereby effectually to entertaine these heavenly Guests And therefore duly apprehending this Celestiall happinesse of the mind shal we use to long for the Sabbath before it come preferring it in esteeme above all the other dayes of the week and calling it as in the 58. of Isaiah the thirteenth verse A delight unto us the Holy of the Lord c. accounting the holy rest of this Sabbath here to be a lively Emblem and as it were a taste of that glorious rest in the eternall Sabath hereafter The due frequenting and solemne use of four a clock prayers on Saturdayes afternoone is me thinkes a worthy sweet and seasonable exercise as being an excellent preparation against the Sunday to lay aside the thoughts the cares and busines of our Calling and truly were it generally more observed and taken notice of no doubt Religion might fare far the better for it but sure The Root of evill is the love of Gold And that is it Religion is so cold Because we cannot spare the time from gaine For Heaven therefore we take but little paine To goe on as this irradiating beam of divine grace doth cloath our minds with a light and delight in spirituall things whereby not only our thoughts ate set a worke on purer objects but also our outward behaviour and conversation is ready to do its part too in Religion our tongues not vaine or offensive but ayming their words for the most part to pious and good discourses aptly applying ordinary things in our talke to some godly use or religious observation our feet not swift to go after folly nor our hand dealing with deceit I say as this illuminative beame of divine Grace doth enlighten our thoughts making us full of high and heavenly wisedome in all our wayes so in like manner it warmeth our affection towards others melting the bowels of our compassion into a more then superficiall charitableness and loving mindednesse unto all men whereby with tendernesse we alwayes construe their lives and actions in the better sense and doe sincerely wish pray for and desire even the salvation of every one but specially zealous

are altogether flaming with the distemper'd heat of worldly cares of ambitious projects of lustfull courses of impatio●t distractions and the like these things doe freely range abroad in t●e mind doe take their pleasure and pastime therein Like School boyes when their Master 's gone away They presently are at their roguish play Iust so when that the Conscience leaves to rule Our thoughts the Devill forthwith keeps the Schoole And because our inside is thus unframed with disorder that wee neglect Religion and leave off the necessary managing and manuring of the soule by repentance sinne by little and little becomes habituall unto us an ordinary and unregarded thing so that in a while Melancholy making the mind more eager and intentivel● let in al its courses what either by being drawn to the impatient expectation of what wee would have by feeding our selves with the pleasing fruition of that we doe enjoy or vexing our selves with the feare of what may befall us or with the griefe of that which doth already disaffect us it is so that for the most part there is very little space wherein our phancie is not in action with some one of these such and such like things doe so seriously take up our time and so earnestly employ our thoughts that our minds can hardly get leave at any time to bee at leisure for the common duties of Christianity for when at our necessary oppor●unities we goe about to reade the Scriptures to meditate on good matters or pray unto the Almighty how exceeding difficult is it for us to draw off our imagination from those other things and set it upon these or if we doe take it off it is but as in haste with a longing to be at them again As also that little praying meditating or reading which we do at any time now employ our selves in doth altogether methinks passe away without any sweetnesse in 't it hath no more relish to us for the most part then even as it were a rotten stick or a thing of nought so superficially doth it slip away on the outside of our souls In every thing 't is the delightful sweet Thereof that doth with our affection meet I say It is the sweetnesse thereof that joyns it closely to the thoughts and unites it to the affections and therefore these duties and the like being so out of relish with us we have but little minde on them we coldly regard them and in a manner wholly neglect them or if peradventure the fashion of the times tend thereunto and that we can smoothly stop up the mouth of truth-knowing Conscience with some daubing satisfaction we may I say we may some of us retain the outside when we have lost the inside we may seem to be delighted with an oral formality when as it is no whit cordial within us like unto shallow brooks that make a great noise with a little water the shadow still continuing with us whilst the substance is stollen away But to go on in that way which is most usual I say The substantial deepnesse of true inward pleasure and delight in divine things being rooted up pulls away with it the outward use of reading meditating and the like so that we are seldom conversant in these things although the liberty of our time give us opportunity for it never so conveniently for it is to be noted a truely willing minde can finde out shreds enough of time to bestow in that way even in the busiest and most industrious Calling And as for that more excellent gift of the Spirit Prayer that Princely Diadem amongst all heavenly graces from whence all other divine blessings do borrow some lustre and advantage how far is the familiar acquaintance thereof gone from our souls when as all our private devotion is now posted off to the publike and that also so slenderly and coldly performed by us that the practice thereof is held on it may be rather for fashion sake then devotion more with the motion of our lips then with the affection of the heart following the publike exercise rather for fear of shame and reproach I say rather to keep touch and turn with the common Custome then out of any religious care or good will thereunto for though the Sabbath be but once a week yet shall we most times be then glad if occasion bee handsomly offer'd us to ' bide at home and omit that duty It is too wet or else it is too cold And we can pray even as well here as there These poor excuses they are quickly told When as God knows we pray not any where Again as Prayer so the Hearing of the Word is as much neglected by us or as ill used when we now sit at Sermons it is more perchance with a censorious ear like Moderatours to give judgement and passe our opinion rather then as diligent Auditours with humble hearts to receive instruction If the Preacher doth but meanly perform his exercise we are then ready to slight it as a thing belowe us and not worth our heeding but if he go beyond us in his Learning and good parts we are on the other side peradventure disconted in our selves for that he exceedeth the reach of our capacity and qualification for lo we feel and finde as in this so in all other things it is worth observation we finde I say that Nature is always so partial unto it self that it is never thorowly pleased and fully contented except every thing succeed to the setting up of it selfe and its owne advancement and therefore that it hath got the advantage it taketh its full selfe-contenting pleasure and recreation without controle diverting the whole course of our thoughts words and actions to serve its turne herein yet for although conscience hath lost its prevayling command within us neverthelesse it ceaseth not ever and anon to give us a call and perhaps amidst our chiefest and securest sinnes awaken us with a deep touching item and remembrance of our selves but onely flashing up our eyes wee fall asleep againe and thus act on the story Navita de ventis de tauris narrat arator Enumer at miles vulnera pastor oves The Plowman of his oxe The Ship-man tels his mind The Shepherd keeps his sheepe The Souldier wounds in mind Every one saith the Poet thinks and talkes most of that which hee hath most to doe with and doth most affect and here nature principally begins to play her part and shew her affection our selfe accusing and impatient mind cannot abide the rehearfall of miseries unhappinesse and affliction the hideous newes of such things is too rough for our tender thoughts to meddle with whatever come of it hereafter we must by all meanes put off for the present as farre as may be from us that day of the Lord and righteous retribution of his most just vengeance againe also the deadnesse of heart maketh our soule to loath abhorre and leave off to hear and speak of holy and pious subjects

up of too much sorrow for this being swallowed up too much this over-yeelding up our strength of nature to solitary griefe and mournfull Melancholly gives the Devill many times great advantage of us as he intimates in the 11. verse of the aforesaid Chapter Least Sathan saies he should g●t advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices indeed we ought duly to be humbled and as St. Paul speaks in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 5. Chapter To deliver over our selves our sencelesse stubbornnesse unto Satan for a time for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus But we must understand also that it is not convenient for us to grieve without measure and without end for certainly it is not the sorrow of heart that doth help us in such disease it may hinder us of help it is the religious cheerfulnesse of a better desire that in time works the cure therefore we may herein advise our selves as St. Paul did Timothy in his first Episte unto him and 5. Chapter To drink no longer water that is not to feed too much on the bread of carefulnesse nor drink in the water of affliction into our souls but to use therewith a little wine I say a little wine Wine which as David saith maketh a merry heart to strive to take comfort and to be merry in the feare of God whereby nature may be the better enabled also to set to her assisting hand in the deliverance Mirth cannot erre as long as it remembers its latter end and the feare of God to enjoy both our selves and Gods blessings in a moderate and cheerfull manner is not only lawfull but necessary for us Religion is no enemy to honest mirth neither doth the Almighty desire the death of sinners but their life their death of griefe but their life of grace Alas we are but weak Creatures and of a short continuance O Lord we have sinned as Iob saith in his seventh Chapter What shall we doe unto thee O thou preserver of men and as he saith againe in his sixth Chapter Is our strength the strength of stones or is our flesh of brasse O Lord we cannot abide the fury of thy wrath for sin nor are we able to behold thy sierce indignation thou therefore that bringest man to destruction humblest him downe to Hell and the Grave and sweetly sayest Come againe yee children of men re-exaltest him to thy favour O consider that our age is short even no more then as a span long we are alas we are but Pilgrimes Strangers and Sojourners here as all our fathers were O spare us therefore spare us a little this little space which remaines of our life that we may recover our strength before we go hence and be no more seene Before we goe thither from whence we shall Returne no more no more no more at all And now me thinks I heare the Body thus speaking unto the Soule O my love wilt thou goe away from me Alas wilt thou goe away from me thou knowest that I have no comfort at all but thee thou art my joy my whole delight and wilt thou be gone and leave me behind here to be utterly cast away to putrifie rot and perish in the earth If the Disciples were so sad and sorrowfull at the departure of St. Baul in that he said They should see his face no more how doest thou think I can chuse but even swoone and dye with conceit that thou wilt thus leave me me poore wretch that can have no being nor subsistence without thee but lo the Soul replies Why dost thou weep my deare though I must goe from thee for a time yet be not discomforted I will come and see thee againe and embrace thee with everlasting embracements I will then never goe from thee more O give me leave to depart for God hath decreed it Nature hath appointed it we cannot live together on Earth as we be but we shal live together hereafter in a most absolute and perfect being we must needs submit to mortality Ah there 's no continuing here my sweet heart Death doth the dearest lovers part For why we are mortall and all must away To take our lodging down in the clay But though we lye down yet shall we rise againe and that even in a while for loe but little while and he that shall come to open the Graves to fold up the Heavens like a scroll and to unbarre the fatall strength of time I say he that shall come will come and will not tarry Oh! but a little while and the Son of man shall appeare like the bright Lightning with the glorious company of his most holy An●els to gather together the foure corners of the earth even the people from the one end thereof unto the other unto a day of Judgement where we shall then stand before the Judgement Seat of God to be setled in a perpetuall and never ending condition wherefore let our spirits O let our spirits and all that is within us with the aspiring Lark humbly mount up to meet the Lord in the Clouds now before hand with this melodious Antheme this song of Sion in our mouthes O blessed Iesu remember us with mercy wh●n thou commest into thy Kingdome O thou that commest ●● judge the world condemn●us not for our sins at the last day O sweet Saviour deliver us from that red Dragon which ●peneth his terrible mouth ready to devoure us O preserve us a while here on earth that we may be with thee for ever in Heaven To see the mighty glory and renowne Of him that is and was and is to come And to that end make us O make us in these few houres which we have to live never to forget the words which thou faidest of thy selfe in the ninth of St. Iohn the fourth verse whilst thou wast on earth amongst us I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke That we may take this thy example for a patterne all our lives long and may turne this thy holy resolution into our practice and meditation continually First that as thou didst worke so must we worke here and not be idle 2. That as thou didst worke the works of him that sent thee into the world so must we also work the will of our father which is in Heaven 3. That as thou didst it in thy day so must we do it in our day this day of our life 4. For as the night the night of thy Passion commeth so our night of death is continually approaching 5. And then no man can work even no man at all can work out his salvation O excellent rule I here is roome enough for our souls to exercise their thoughts day and night even this day of working untill that night of rest this day of life untill that night of death when no man can