I .Command. vpon the Commandements. that will blowe vp the coale of the remembrance more vehemently, and make it flame out into open fhewe of a thankful' heart, more etfeétualiy than fomexnte Meditation of the greatneffe of .danger, and grieuonfnefle of efface thatwewere in before: So in Heaueüly and Spirituali things, the lame is found as true,;or ra- ther more, that fight of grcatefl good procureth greateff meafure of fuch fruité as oughtto.flowe thereof. For by example,what fo kindleth in a man theheate of burning loue, and maketh his heart to flame with true affeEtion to his God; as cloth afiuely fight of that fearfulleflate,vtter extremirie,defperate and damnable condition, that heewas once fubieElvino, without all recouerie by h'mfelfe,or any creature, eyther in Heauen or Earth, but oriel)/ I E SV S' CHRIST, the $pane of (7 O D -, both God and Mat; , together, with a fight of certaine:fafctie from the fame ? Did not this bring that bleffed woman and happy Saint of God, ciNarie 2!aß,- eJalene, to fuch a fweete tafle and great Loue , as that her melting heart minifieed teares to her weeping Eyes , wherewith Thee wafhed the feete of her cleave.Sr1. V I O V R, wiped them with the haytes ofher head,kiffed them; annoyntarthem with preciousOyntment : And what was it, _wbich,that Woman thought; too much for fuch a Friend ? True it is therefore,that the le{fe we fee the góodneffe of our. G O.D ; the leffe we loue him :. but great is the affeEtion of them to whome many f nnes.ai-e för- giucn. Knowing this then,that the rembranceof harde eflate before, will f irte-the heart vptohim in loue,that bathmade ithappy,and that fight of vglie Sinnlod- gieg frill in mee,and cleaning to my foule and fiefh, will make mee prayfe his ho- ly Name,who.yet in mercic imputeth not the fame voto mee Vfe indeede-often withyourfcife, and cfpecially when you feefe yourheartmofl prone and fitte therevnto,toviewe your finnes againfleueryCotttmaundement: how many and monflrous they are, in thought,word,znd deeds Sit, and thinke with your felfe what is commaunded,fometimes in one,fome., times in another,whatiwonder ` ul perfeébon is required in euery one, what bran- ches and members euery,one hath: What terrible ludgements axe due to the breakers thereof: flaw faire from the full and abfolute performance of any tit- tle of any one of them, you your felfe are ; and therefore in what cafe you fland for the fame : cuco fuse of eternal' deffru&ion both of bodie and foule, in Hell fire. Yet notwithflanding,how you are releafed of mercie,not of merit, and that with the.precioufeR ránfome that euer was,the heart blood of IESVS CHRIST, the Sonne of G 0 t. both God and Man : fo that Heauen and earth nrayperifh, but you cannot perifla. Ceflion. The examination of the Confcience, touching this Commandement. oAnfwer. As foe example, I fit and view this Commandement whereof now wee hauefpoken,7houfhalt house none other Godo hut mee. Confidering what things are bidden or forbidden unto mee in the fame. And as already nowbath beene proued: Firfh, I feeI am commanded htreintoworfhip the Lord my God, and him onclytoferue,not ioyning anyfellowes to him at all ; Of which worfhip' many poynts there bee,but they may be reduced into a fewe. Firft , I fee I am bound to loue him aboue all ; That is, my heart and foule to make moreaccount of him then of all the worlde, or any creature in Heauen or earth ; to cleaue fafler unto him and his will, than to any thing, to effeeme him, andpreferrehim,yea,cuen aboue mine own faluation,if they could come in cotn- parifon together : for, Hee that !meth father or mot her fi /leror brother, wife orchilele, or any thin ç more then mee,is not worthy ofmee. Secondly,I amcommaundedtofeare Math.tq,r him ab our all ; that is,with a Qodly reverence, to (land more in aweof hm, and hie Word, than of any thing elfe whatfoeuer: to be more loath,not to feare only, bu t eué for C 2 loue.
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