and rest Secondly if wee consider this liquor running in the second current then wee shall finde it to bee muddy foule loathsome and the onely poysonous and soul-killing water in whose heart soever this carnall earthly and sinfull liquor springs shall ever thirst and never be satisfied he is in every thing contrary to the former lover hee is never contented with his estate In prosperity he is proud presumptuous and cruell and in adversity hee is desperate fretfull and envious His minde is onely upon earth and fading transitory riches hee careth for no heavenly grace so he may have carnall pleasure he takes no care for his soule but all his care is to pamper his body he accounteth the godly simple fooles and esteemes them as the off-scowring among the people he boasteth himselfe in the multitude of his riches and solaceth himselfe in his pleasures he thinkes hee shall live for ever upon eâ—â—th and puts the day of death a farrâ— off hee caâ—eth not by what meanes he getteth â—is riches so hee may goe bravely and fare deliciously every day Thus the lover of carnall and flâ—shly delights will not feare to commit adultery gluttony drunkennesse c. fulfill the dâ—sire or lust of the flesh And thus the lâ—ver of the world will venture to commâ—t coveâ—ousnesse oppression cruelty c. to fulfill and satisfie the lust of the eyes and pride of liâ—e The man thâ—t is inflamed with this love liveth upoâ—â—he earth as a Citizen in his owne C 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world dandleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 child◠〈…〉 ding his desire with richâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flâ—sh pâ—mpereâ—h him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—eding his desire with plâ—â—sure and dâ—l 〈…〉 and the Devill fostereth him as his father by perswading him that he is in a happy condition yet he is in subjection to the world a servant to the flesh and a slave to the divell Thus he lives in seeming happinesse and dyes in reall misery and or one drop of the shadow of comfort loseth an Ocean of true consolation Thirdly and lastly if wee looke upon this liquor running in the third pipe wee shall finde it to be clean good and wholesome waâ—er Iâ— whose heart soever this humane â—viâ—l and naturall liquor springs may rest satisfied for a time but this cannot give the heart any true content except it proceed from the first love which in a good Christian are never separate for he that truly loveth God will love his brother also but he that hath not this charitable love for so we may terme it cannot have the first love as the Apostle testifieth saying If any man saith hee loveth God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seene love God whom hee hath not seene Yet this love may be without the first as appeares in divers of the Heathen Philosophers who have exceeded many Christians in morall vertues yet were without the divine spirituall and heavenly love for they did not know God nor the mystery of godlinesse and therefore had no faith and consequently could not have the first love which proceedeth from faith The man that is inflamed with this love doth really fulfill the commandments of the second Table in the morall Law he loves his neighbour as himselfe this is a true charitable man he hath dispersed abroad and given to the poore hee doth much good in the world he relieves the needy helpes the oppressed feeds the hungry instructs the ignorant comforts the comfortlesse c. he layes for himselfe here a good foundation by good workes and shall at the last receive the reward of his labour if he faint not This love doth in large it selfe into three severall species or pipes In the first runnes that humane love wherewith we love all mankinde as they are men of one common nature with us In the second runnes that civill love wherewith wee love our owne Countrey and Nation as they are men brought up under one civill government in Lawes and Religion with us and in the third pipe runnes that naturall love wherewith we love our kindred or friends as they are of the bloud or to whom wee are bound by some speciall obligation of amity To let the humane and civill love runne out as men are pleased to convey it forth from the fountaine of their heart I will onely fix my meditations upon this naturall love and of that I will not write any thing of the love of parents to their children or brother to brother c. although I know their love may bee very great But I will onely insist to write what that natural love is wherewith a man is affected to a woman And herein I would not bee understood to meane that lustfull love which is commonly covered under this title although experience shewes that it is very powerfull in whose heart soever it is kindled and is a raging passion as all love is if it bee not kept in as fire within the chimny the sea within his bounds It is a foolish madnesse a labyrinth of errour and a miserable thraldome before it can be obtained But if the lover doth fulfill his desire what hath he got but a racke to his minde a torture to his soule a gibbet to his conscience a staine to his reputation and a pleasing yet fatall poyson This breeds a consumption in his purse rottennesse in his bones and a blot in his good name But if this love bee in the lawfull way of marriage as this kinde is seldome to that effect then if the lover doth make his choice onely for the beauty of the body without any respect to the qualities of the minde hee may finde one that may please his eye but commonly she proves a wanton Hellen or a trayterous Dallila one that will consume his wealth and worke his destruction or else such a one that will make him a scoffing stocke to the world by cunning planting upon his head Acteons livery Thus for pleasure he gets misery and for a beautifull outside embraceth a snake in his bosome poyson in his meat and gall in his drinke Againe I would not bee understood to meane that covetous desire which is also commonly clothed with this title and in these dayes chiefly embraced when a man doth onely chuse a wife for riches although hee cannot like her person much lesse love her Such may meet with one that may fulfill his desire with wealth but commonly she proves a scolding Xantippe one that will be alwayes scolding railing and taunting him and with whom hee shall never live one quiet houre Thus for a little wealth he is alwayes pinched with a strait shooe lives in continuall vexation and at the last is forced to leave her because he cannot live quietly with her But this is not the love which I purpose to describe for this is carnall earthly and sinfull but the other is naturall honest and commendable which is an honest desire of the
is his fatherly correction and a signe of his love because â—e chasteneth whom he loveth yea they receive their sicknesse as the Lords messenger speaking to their soules as the Prophet Isaiah did to Hezekiah Put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live and therefore they prepare themselves for another world Yeâ— further in their sicknesse they can pray most fervently as King Hezekiah did Isaiah 38. and then they will give most fruitfull and comfortable instructions to those which they leave behinde As the Swan sings most sweetly a little before his death so the righteous speake most divinely a little before their end Whosoever searcheth the Scriptures may read the divine prophecy of Iacob unto the twelve Patriarches Genes 49. the holy blessing of Moses upon the twelve tribes Deut 33. the godly exhortation of Iosua to the people of Israel placâ—d by hâ—m in Canaan Ios 23. the wise counsell of David unto Salomon who was to succeed him in the kingdome 1 King 2. Whosoever readeth the Ecclesiasticall histories may not onely see the vertuous lives but also the Christian like ends of the Saints and Martyrs in the Church And whosoever will be present at the death of those which truly feare God may thereby learne how they themselves ought to die for when the outward man doth decay the inward man is renewed more and more They shew that the neerer they doe approach unto their end the neerer they draw toward heaven But in these our dayes many may be found who either do not at all consider the death of the righteous or else doe consider it amisse Though it bee a matter worth consideration yet some doe not consider it at all because they see so many dye they make the lesse reckoning of it till death knocke at their owne doores they never regard it they must needs dye themselves before they can bee brought to consider of death they care not who sinke so they swimme nor how many die so they may live yea this is greatly to be lamented that some doe regard the death of a Christian no more then they regard the death of a dog But seeing wee may learne so many profitable instructions by their death let us now begin to consider it better then ever we did before Others doe consider it but yet amisse either fondly or frowardly Fondly through naturall affection arising from kindred affinitie or familiaritie If a stranger die it nothing moves them but if one of their owne friends dye they sigh and sob they howle and lament If the father lose his son he cries most pittifully as David did for Absalom O my son Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne If the mother lose her children shee behaveth her selfe like Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not If children lose their parents they cry after them as Elisha did after Elias when he was taken up my father my father If a sister lose her brother she weepeth for him as Mary did for Lazarus If the husband lose his wife he weepeth for her as Abraham wept for Sarah yea he mourneth like a Turtle Dove which hath lost his marrow If the wife lose her husband shee dealeth like Naomi who would not be called Naomi that is beautifull but Mara that is bitter because the Lord had given her much bitternesse If one familiar friend lose another hee lamenteth his death as David did the death of Ionathan Woe is me for thee my brother Ionathan very kinde hast thou beene unto me thy love to mee was wonderfull passing the love of women Indeed I cannot deny but that we ought in a speciall manner to consider the death of those which are neere and deare unto us for it may be they are taken from us because wee were unworthy of them or because we gloried and trusted over much in them and were not so thankfull for them as we ought If we had any help by them we must consider whether God have not deptived us of them for the punishment of our sinnes as the widow of Sarepta did at the death of her sonne saying unto Eliah Art thou come unto me to call my sinne to remembrance and to slay my sonne Yet this consideration must bee ordered by wisedome it must not be joyned with excessive sorrow Neither must wee consider their death alone but also the death of others which dye in the Lord and to learne to make an holy use thereof For as Sampson found sweet honey in the carcasse of a dead Lion so wee may finde some sweet instructions in the dead corps of every righteous man yea the more righteous that they are which doe die the more should their death be considered because it may yeeld greater store of instruction unto us And it may bee that God doth take away those which are neare unto us because wee doe carelesly regard the death of those which be farre off Againe some consider the death of the righteous very frowardly and peevishly yea I may say malitiously and preposterously For if any of them bee taken away by a sudden and extraordinary death they presently censure them as plagued of God and condemne their former profession thinking that God would not have so dealt with them if hee approved either of them or their profession But they must bee instructed in this point by wise Salomon who saith that no man knoweth love or hatred of all that is before him All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the just and the wicked to the good and the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not Eli was a Priest and a good man yet brake his necke by falling backward from his seat Ionathan was a sworne brother unto David a godly and faithfull friend yet was he slaine in battell by the hands of the Philistims That Prophet of God which came out of Iudah to Bethel to speak with Ieroboam and the altars which he had built for idolatry was no doubt an holy man yet was hee killed in the way by a Lion Iosiah was a good King like unto him there was no King before him neither after him rose any like him yet was he slaine in the valley of Megiddo by Necho King of Egypt Iobs children were well brought up by their godly father and it is said that before Iob offered sacrifice for them they were sanctified yet within a while after as they were eating and drinking in their eldest brothers house a violent winde overthrew the house and killed them all Wee must not therefore judge of men by their death but rather by their life Though sometime a good death may follow an evill life yet an evill death can never follow a good life Correct thine evill life and feare not an evill death he cannot die ill that lives well saith Augustine And afterward answers
doth he make inquiry and is sorry That he did so his erring selfe misearry Likewise sometimes God doth his grace restrain From rarest Saints to shew they are but vaine Wiithout his aid also to see and try What bidden Graces in their hearts do lie So fell King David Peter and Saint Paul To humble them us to Repentance call In which respests by Christ some men may say I come in blamles and so goe away Now consider I pray if what David spake in another sense Psal 85. 10 11. verses may not bee truly said of Sir Iames Cambel Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other Truth shall flourish out of the earth and Righteousnesse hath looked downe from heaven Onely in stead of Truth reade Justice in the 10. verse and Mercy in the 11. verse and then 't is plaine enough that mercy shall spring or bud out of the earth that is as I apply it Sir Iames Cambels name was given him by earthly parents so it sprung out of the earth and that signifies mercy as is before specified in the Anagram Se I came balm and Righteousnes hath looked downe from heaven that is the Sun of Righteousnesse hath infused the Graces of his holy Spirit into his heart to doe righteousnesse as in his life so at his death and that likewise may be applyed to the Anagram on his name I came blamles so that it is evident by these Anagrams and Acrosticke verses that in Sir Iames Cambel Justice and Mercy met together according to this saying of the Prophet David for now I shall not need to change the words in either verse for Truth which is Fides as Tremelius translates it is the root from whence justice and Mercy spring and without justice and mercy faith is dead and truth is falshood But if these two branches of Mercy and Justice spring from the root of a true lively and justifying faith the fruit that they beare will bee peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost Thus will I sing with holy David as in a spirituall sense so in remembrance of my late honoured Master Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousnesse and Peace have kiâ—â—ed each other Truth shal flourish out of the earth and Righteousnesse hath looked downe from heaven Therefore I will conclude with these verses following JVstice and Mercy were at great debate Who should in Sir James most predominate True Faith came in and said it was most meet That Mercy she should have the upper seate For she 's the Queene of Grace and for that cause She is to moderate Gods Righteous Lawes So 't was concluded to appease the brall Sweet lovely Mercy should be principall For from true saving Faith Sir James did bring Mercy and Justice like a living spring Of heavenly water to refresh and glad All â—ood mens hearts his losse maks me full sad For Justice ceased with his vitall breath But Mercy will endure long after death And sure his Justice and his Pious waies Shall ever live to his eternall praise For an example though in act it cease But Mercy now in act doth still increase And shewes her beauty in most brave array To poore distressed people whose decay She greatly pittying doth give supply To their necessities and misery Oh had I art I would set forth the praise Of Sir James Cambels pious righteous waies But being my learning 's small conclude will I In mournfull Epitaph and Elegie An Acrostick Elegie IF losse of friends be cause of griefe then I And all good people have some cause to cry Many good men there are I hope but yet Ev'n as Sir James was are full hard to get Such was his Prudence and his Pious care Could order all things well which to declare And show his vertues all in eâ—ch degree Might mase the Muses nine and much more me But this I doe by my unskilfull Art Eternally to shew my thankfull heart Losses I have how can I chuse but cry Losse hath this City can our eyes be dry Yet though he 's lost to us he 's found in heav'n Because his Mamon to the poore is giv'n Whose Friends are there for to receive and keep His blessed soule although his body sleep Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth John 11. 11. Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116. 15. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their Labours and their works follow them Apoc. 14. 13. An Acrostick Epitaph IN this same Casket lies a Jewell rare And will you know the great worth of the sameâ— Mark well these words his vertuâ—s passe compare Eternall honour shall raise to his name Soe Just and equall were his vertuous waies Constant in Prastice thereof all his daies A man that alwaies stood for common good Made him belev'd of all men farâ—e and neere By Prudent Justice he all vice withstood Equall to him where shall we find his peere Lo now hee 's laid up in this earthen mould Like as a Jewell in a case of gold This is the monument upon his name Which I erected by my rustick quill But there 's a thing of cost and curious frame Rarely contrived by industrious skill In Olaves Jewry Church it is to stand A more compleater thing 's not in this land Sir Iames is there to lie in stately port Clad all in armour like a Martiall man Like a grave Senator in gallant sort Hee 's wrapt in robes even as an Alderman Courage and Wisedome in him did remaine And now hee 's dead this Figure shews the same Most Just and equall were his Pâ—ous waies And therefore at his feet doth Justice stand And at his head to his eternall praise Mercy is fixed with her Babe in hand In him sterne Justice did sweet mercy meet And now hee 's dead they stand at 's head and feâ—t Close by him kneeles his Lady much lamenting The losse of her deare Pheer this pious man A true Character lively representing The sad Condition of this good woman For shee is truely like the Turtle dove Dayly bewayling the losse of her Love But let her cease to grieve for from above Behold an Angell bright descending downe And for the â—ood deeds done by her true Love With Laurell Garland will his Temples crowneâ—s To learne by their examples all men may Justice and Mercy drawes the Vaile away Therfore is Fame and Time his Arms supporters To shew to all that in the world doe live That vertuous Actions cannot want reporters For Fame will Time to such man surely give That in good works doe spend the pain and time And now I did intend to cease my Rime But that Fame calls to shew the cost and skill Of this rare structures Fabricke stately brave Contrived and composed but my quill Is blunt and dull for I no learning have Therefore I 'le cease and say 't is rich and faire Marble
wonder why I should so foâ—dly thinke Some win their Mistris by sweet words and rimes But such are rare to find in these our times Others like Jupiter on Danaes Tower Do purchasse love in such a golden shower But most and that 's the way thy Love to meete As Parâ—s Hellen Mars did Venus greete These things I know and yet my troubled mind Did urge me to make Books true Love to find In Vertues breast but not for forme or pelfe Because like Jacob I compar'd my selfe That as he having neither house nor lands By Gods great Providence became two bands So I that have been very weake and poore Might come in better state I was before Did thinke to gâ—t a Rachel for my mate And by my childâ—n come in double state But I 'm not like to him neither is she Like Rachel faire though Bright her name may be Neither have I serv'd Laban though 't is true In eighteene yeares eleven pound paid my due For Salarie my bargain was no more Why should I care or too much grieve therefore Yet such like wordly losses breedeth pain Vnto mans mind and doth much hurt the brain But I 'll give thankes to God for he hath brought My Labour to an end for still I thought Whether I lost or got my hope was this To have Gods Love for Proemium in Coelis Liber ad Lectorem REad to the end Lest I offend Pray marke and Judge Before you grudge And you shall find How I 'm inclind To shew the crimes Of these last times In Labans case And Nabâ—ls face How Esaus Pride May be espide And how to find A vertuous mind Therefore I pray Cast spleene away Then read with ease I shall you please A METEOR OR A briefe and pleasant Meditation of the Providence of God towards his chosen and of the education of children THe consideration of the power of naturall love in the heart of Mankinde hath of late induced me to write of divers things gathered out of the word of God and other writings But now having by the assisting grace of the Almighty fully finished three Bookes viz. Liber Amoris Sacred Pâ—emes and an Annuall World I thought good for the ease of my minde as my Vultimum vale to writing of such mysteries too high for my capacity to demonstrate to set downe these confused notions following The first shall bee the consideration of Gods Providence towards his chosen in the examples of Iacob and David In the second place because I began to write of the love of young men I will conclude with the love of old men towards their children in the examples of Isaac and Iacob In the first I will show how God turned a Serpent to a staffe of support for the preservation of Iacob and also how he made water to flow out of the hard Rocke for the reliefe and refreshment of David In the second I will declare and set forth how aged parents as in a glasse may see how to place and fix their love towards their children and kindred In Isaacs love towards Esau and in Iacobs love towards Ioseph But because all these things are directly against the worldly-wise Politicians especially in these dangerous dayes who are in best esteeme I thought it more safe for me to desist and stay my pen lest I too roughly handling that which is Noli me tangere might incur just reproofe and punishment for my labour Yet because I mentioned these things in Libro Amoâ— is and other writings and for that I doe not intend to stray from the Text of Scripture but keepe close to the genuine sense of the word of God so that none may find fault therewith but they that applying it to themselves find their galled backs hurt or too grosly toucht I will not feare to goe forward lest it should be said I have written that I was not able to make good Therefore I will declare how the Serpent became a Rod or staffe of support to Iacob It is plain that I doe not meane that which was first a Rod then a Serpent and last of all a Rod againe in the hand of Moses neither doe I meane the Serpent that beguiled our first parents or any other naturall Serpent But I will write of Laban as a Serpent and to prove that hee had the properties and qualities that are in a Serpent and so very well compared thereunto I will divide him into three parts first his head secondly his skinne and last of all his sting First that Laban had the head of a Serpent viz. he was wise politique and very crafty is plaine The Scripture testifies that the Serpent was more subtile then any beast of the field And Christ exhorteth us to be wise as Serpents both for the defence of our selves and offence of our enemies The Serpents wisedome consists in foure things First in the Spring she casts off her old skin and puts on a new secondly she defends her head above all things thirdly she stops her eares at the voice of the charmer and lastly she alwayes carries poison in her mouth which shee exposeth before she drinkes The application of this serpentine wisedome I passe by But affirme that politicall wisedome for every man to bee provident First for his owne soules salvation secondly for his owne bodies health and thirdly for the welfare of his own family is so far from reproofe that it is worthy high commendation And chiefly the first But how Laban was thus qualified there 's the quaere For first it 's plaine he was not so wise as he should bee hee did want that which is the true wisedome viz. fiduciall knowledge of the true God Hee went astray out of the right way according as his father Nahor before him had done and worshipped Images the worke of mens hands wood and stone For when Rachel had stolne some of those Images he did exclaime against Iacob that hee had stolne his gods so when be made a covenant of peace with Iacob he confirmed it with an oath taking the god of Nahor to be his witnesse So that its plaine he was an idolater and therefore not wise for his soules salvation for no Idolater shall enter into the kingdome of heaven Secondly for the welfare of his own body there is no question but that hee as all worldly minded men are and all godly men should was carefull to preserve that if he did not take too much care thereupon And last of all for the provision of his owne family he was very carefull and he that is not so is worse then an infidell even worse then Laban for he was very covetous and that appeares throughout the story for when Iacob had told him his arrand viz. that hee had purchased the birthright of his elder brother that he had obtained the blessing of his father that hee was sent to him by his father and mother for a wife that he had seene a vision by the way and having
David in a loving beautifull and religious wife whose namâ— Abigail signifies the fathers joy and â— she became the joy solace and comfoâ— of Davids soule an helper in all ex 〈…〉 gents by wise and godly counsell for David had experence of her great godllinâ— wisdome and humility And what greâ—ter comfort is there in this world the such a woman Surely none All the 〈…〉 things by a learned penne might be fuâ—ther enlarged amplified and illustrated â—ut it is enough for me by this to conâ—â—der Gods providence towards his â—hosen Therefore I will conclude and pray â— God that it would please him to in 〈…〉 se into my heart the graces of his holy â—pirit to bee so qualified as Iacob and David viz. fervent in prayer and humâ—le in heart sorrowfull for my sinnes â—s David righteous in my actions as â—acob loving to my enemies as David 〈…〉 evalent with God as Iacob so shall not need to feare the churlessenesse of â—abal or malice of Laban which is â— one being both churles for read â—aban backwards its Nabal forwards â—or the power of Esau or envy of Saul â—nd what need I to care though Shemei â—ile or Labans children murmure for have hereby learned that God can â—d will for the support reliefe and â—omfort of his children make poysoâ—ous things wholesome and bitter â—ings sweet turne Serpents into rods â—d rockes and hard stony places into a â—ft and gentle temper as it is in the 107. Psal He maketh the wildernesse a standing water and water springs of a dry gâ—ound c. to the end of that Psalme And so much I thought good to write oâ— the providence of God towards his chosen The second part of this Discourse is like a paire of Ballances for in the one scale you may behold the love of Isaac towards Esau and in the other you â—â—y see the love of Iacob towards Ioseph In the first I will set the pride of the world and in the other I shall fix the humility of the godly so that the light vanity of the one and the true validity of the other may easily be discerned But this theame is more hardeâ— then the rocke I last handled and hee had need of more then a serpentine wisdome that shall undertake to unfold the knotty windings in such a Labyrinth Yet because God hath blessed me with two children I will write something in my youth which I ought to performe if it shall please God to blesse me with old age Therefore in Isaacks love towardâ— Esau I will note three things First what Esau was and how Isaac â—rought him up Secondly what Esau â—id and how his father approved his â—ctions and thirdly I will briefly declare how Esau was prevented of that â—e sought for and how his father retarded him For the first which was Esaus minority it cannot be thought oâ—herwise but that Isaac according to his Fathers example did bring up his children in the feare of the Lord and especially him that he thought to make Lord of his brethren for this is the Testimony of God concerning Abraham I know him that he will command his houshold after him that they keep the way â—f the Lord to do righteousnesse and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken unto him Therefore I beleeve that Isaac did ofâ—en tell Esau and the rest of his family â—hat God had done how he had created the world of nothing how hee upholds and guides the frame thereof by his providence how the Angels for their pride and ambition were throwne downe into hell how Adam broughâ— sinne upon himselfe and all his posterity how God had promised to restoreâ— falne man to his former happinesse by Christ the seed of the woman how his fathers lived in hope of that promiseâ— a godly righteous and sober life And how God blessed them with temporall blessings and spirituall graces for their faith and obedience But all those instructions would not take effect in Esau His very name signifies that he soughâ— more after earthly fading happinesse then for spirituall and heavenly graces for Edom signifies a piece of red earth and Esau working and as his name is even so is he for notwithstanding all the godly precepts and religious practices of his father whose custome was to goe out into the fields to pray and meditate on the wondrous workes of God Esau Edom was still working in the earth giving his minde to sensuality and pleasure for so much his desire after Lentill potage and cunning hunting import yet it may be he as many others of his conditions made a semblance and show before his father of godly and pious qualities being endued with much knowledge and could talke prettily to his father thereof and it may be gained the love of his father before his brother in this respect as well as for his activity and skill in hunting in his youth so that his father doted too much upon him for this hath beene the quality of many godly parents in all ages to humor their children too much in their youth which they perceiving know very well how to plot and bring to passe their designes for by nature mankinde is more apt and prone for the obtaining of earthly fading transitory treasure then for heavenly durable and everlasting felicity But this naturall promptitude is very hard and difficult to discerne Isaac could not descry it in Esau and therefore I cease to wonder that aged people who are farre inferiour to Isaac in spirituall speculation cannot discerne it in this age Therefore leaving the education of Esâ—u I come â—o his youth the acâ—ions of Esau's life the Text saith He became a cunning huntter and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Now I reade in sacred W 〈…〉 before him and 〈◊〉 after him therefore I surmise that he as Nâ—mrod the mighty hunter before the Lord sought more after worldly honour and glory then celestiall treasure for they are alike in many things First in their names Nâ—mrod signifies Rebellious to note his pride cruelty and rebellious courses in erecting a Babel whose top might reach unto heaven for many authors affirme that he out of his pride and ambition spake to the people these words Come let us build us a City and a Tower whose top may reach unto heaven that wee may get us a name lest wee bee scattered upon the whole earth and so compelled the people to hard labour lest they being idle should reject the tyrannicall jurisdiction which was so great that God confounded his enterprise and so insufferable that all men abhorred his insolency so that it came into a Proverb when people saw proud tyrants to beare rule to say He was as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord agreeable hereunto is the surname of Esau Edom which signifies bloudy or red to note his revengefull and bloudy minde for after he had a long time hunted beasts he began to hunt after the lives of men as appeares by his threatning to kill
our free justification Not by mans workes but by the holy Ghost Inspiring saving faith but I almost In this most sacred Theme my selfe had lost Then how wee 're justifi'de therein to shew What Graces in Repentance Garden grow How in the heart springs sorrowfull Contrition How in the lips doth sprout humble Confession How satisfaction from the hands dâ— flow To them we wrong'd Repâ—â—â—ance true to show How wee should die to sinne and live to God But in this Theam I make too long abode Yet not too long but that my Wit 's unable My Brain 's too shallow and my selfe unstable Therefore I 'll leave it unto all Divines That in such things should spend their pains and times For â— have small skill in me to reveale The Love of God which I must needs conceile For that bright glory I cannot expresse It is encitâ—h that my weâ—ke shallownesse Can onâ—ly thinke of that same mighty power Which is prepared in that heavenly Bower For to describe it fully any man By pen and inke neuer be able can Therefore â—â—e draw a vâ—ilâ— before mine eyes Not dâ—ring to behold such mysteriâ—s Which is so great thâ— like never eye saw This well is deepe I have no pale to draw Eare h 〈…〉 h not hard nor the heart understood What God prepara'hath for his childrens good How as his earthly Globe doth fâ—r surpasse In beauty and aâ—lights that darkesome place Of our Nativity so heav'nly bliss Doth farre â—urmount all that in this world is How mortall bodies subjest to corruption Shal be immortall without interruption How that the soule shal be fil'd with the sight Of God and Saints in that Celestiall light And there I hope for to behold my wife For here she liv'd a Godly quiet life Oh here is Love past all mans apprehension And therfore farre beyond my dull invention Therfore I 'll cease in this discourse and pray That God may keepe me in a vertuous way That I in God may comprehended be For I 'm not able to hold him in me Yet why thus say I if I living be I truely dwell in God and he in me For God is Love and he that dwels in Love Doth dwell in God but this is farre above My apprehension fully to relate The rare conjunction of this hapy state Oh Lord I pray thee send thy Love in me That I againe may returne mine to thee Then shall I praise thee with a thankefull heart When thou thy Love thus to me doth impart Now I 'll conclude with praise unto thy might For thus inabling my weake hand to write Soli Deo Honor Gloria A briefe Meditation of Mans Love LOve is a Passion of the heart seated in the affections and called by the Philosophers A mentaâ—â— vertue because it is a longing desire of the minde to be united to the beloved object There are three kindes or species of Love The first is divine spirituall and heavenly The second is carnall earthly and sinfull The third is humane civill and naturall The first love is pious and onely makes happy The second is sinfull and only makes miserable The third is vertuous and commendable The first love is proper to the pious Religious man The second is proper to the sinfull wicked man The third is proper to the civill honest man Thus Love may be compared to water conveied from the fountaine of the heart in these three pipes first if we consider this liquor running in the first channell then we shall finde it to bee pure cleare and the onely saving water of life In whose heart soever this divine spirituall and heavenly liquor springs shall never thirst but rests alwayes satisfied in prospeâ—â—ty â—â— is â—â—mperâ—te and humble and in adversity he is patient and meeke in what state of life soever hee is in hee is therewith content He is in this world but is not of this world He useth the things of this life as though he used them not his delight is in grace and goodnesse and all evill wayes he utterly abhorres for although he walketh upon the earth his conversation is in heaven he is truly a heavenly minded man he really fulfilleth the commandements of the first Table in the Decalogue he loves the Lord with all his heart with all his minde and with all his strength nothing is so comfortable to him as the favour of God nothing so fearfull as his displeasure nothing so desirable as grace and nothing so haâ—efull as sinne while the ship of his soule doth sayle upon the troublesome waves of this miserable world no storme of persecution can stay or hinder his heavenly course of godlinesse till it arive at the haven of eternall happinesse because the anchor of this ship is a stedfast hope cast upon the firme rock Christ Jesus her cables are a strong confidence fast bound to the maine mast of a lively saving and justifying faith her lading is no vaine merchandize or trumperies but rare jewells and costâ—y ornaments even the rich treasury of the graces of Gods Spirit The Pilot is the word of God which at the last will guide her to the desired haven This man waâ—kes upon the earth as a stranger and pilgrim The world is but his Inne wherein hee lodging for a night departeth in the morning Heaven is his Countrey there rests his love there lyes his treasure there is his heart here he hath many enemies the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and pride of life The world the flesh and the Divell against these he is strongly armed with the whole armour of God for the defence of the head the helmet of salvation for the defence of the heart the brestplate of righteousnesse for the loines the girdle of verity for the safeguard of the feet shoos of the preparation of the Gospell of peace and â—or the defence of the whole man the shield of faith wherewith he quencheth all the fiery darts of Satans suggestions blunteth the edge of the worlds allurements and dulleth the heat of fleshly temptations his offensive weapon is onely the sword of the Spirit which he cunningly using cutteth off all sinne for the word of God is lively and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword for it cutteth through even to the dividing assunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joynts and the marrow It is an axe with which the whole tree of sinne with his forbidden fruit is hewn downe with these weapons the man that is inflamed with the love of God will trample upon the flesh despise and contemne the world resist the Divell and at the day of death by the assisting grace of his Captaine Christ Jesus will conquer and overcome sinne death and hell and be carried by the Angells of God into heaven the place of happinesse where he shall hold a perpetuall feast sing an everlasting song weare an incorruptible Crowne possesse an eternall Inheritance and fully enjoy his love with endlesse joy content