j 6 ' _ . . MedittJt.ions aWl l'owes. Cent. J. ---- world cannot fill the three corners ofit. When it defires more, and cries,Give,give, A I will fer it over to that infinitegood,where the more it hath, it may defi.re more,and • fee more to be defired : when it defires but what it needeth, my hands lhall fooc fa-' ~ tisfie it. For, ifeither ofthem may containit, when it is withoutthe body 1 much more may bothofthem fill it,while it iswithin. · 35 With men it is agood rule;Totry firfl,& then to to ~rufl: wi<h God it is conrr:~,ry; I will firfl troll him (as moll wife, omnipotent, mercifull) and try him afterwards. I know it is as impoflible for him to deceive me,~s not to be, 36 As Chrifl wasboth a Lambe,and a Lion: fo is every Chriflian, A Lamb',for p:~ tieiJ,Ce in fuffering, and innocencyoflife: A Lion, for boldndl'e in his innocency. I would fo order my courage and mildndl'e, that I may be neither Lion-like in my converfation,nor lheepifh inthe defence ofa good caufe. 37 Thegodly fow in t<ares, &reap in joy. The feed. time is commonly wa~erilh, and lowriog.l will be contentwith a wer fpring, fo I maybefureof acleer andjoyfull Harvefl. 38 Every man hath an Heaven andand an Hdl.Earth is the wicked mans Heaven;his Hell is to come:onthe contrary, the godly have their Hell upon earth; where they arc vexed with tentations,and afllillioos,by Satan and his complices : their Heaven is above in endlclfe happinell'r. !fit be ill with me on earth,it is well my torment is fo fhort,and foeafic: I will not be fo covetous to hope for two Heavens. C 39 I Man,onhis death-bed,bath a <louble profpcll; which in his life- rime the intcrpo. firion ofpleafure and miferies debarred from him.The'good man looks upward, and fees heavenopen,with Stevt~, and the glorious Angels ready to carry up his foulc : The wicked man looks downward, and fees three terrible fpc&acles 1 vwb, j11dg· mtnt,Htfl,one beyond another,and all tobe pall'ed thorow by his foul. I marve!l not thatthegodly have been fo checrfull in death, that thofe torplents, .whofc very fi~ht hathovcrcome the beholders, have ("eemed elfie to them. I mlf ell not that a wtckcd manij fo loth to hea~of death; fo qcjcll, when he feelcth ficknelfc, and fo defpcratewhen he feeleth the pangs ofdeath; nor that cvery B•l••m would fain die thc death ofthe righteous.Henceforth I will envy none,but a good mm: I will pity D nothing fo muchas the profpcrity ofthewicked. · 40 Not to be aflli&ed, is a ligne of weaknelfe. For,therefore God irnpofeth no more on mec, becaufehefces I can bear no more. God wjlloormake choyce ofa weak Champion. When lam flronger, I willlookformore: and when I fuflain more, ic lbll more comfortmc,rhar God findes me llrong,thcn ir fhall gricve a1e tll bc p :cffcd with an heavyaflliClion. 4t Thatthe wicked have peaceio themfelvcs,is no wonder : they are as fure as Ten· taiion can make them.No Ptince makes warrewith his own fubje&s. The godly are llill cnemies; ther<fore they muftlook to be alfaulred both by ftratagems & vio· E lence.Norhing fhall more joy me,then my inward quiet~dfe. Aju!l \Yarreis a thou. fand times more happy,then an ill conditioned peter, , . 4• Goodnelfe is fo powcrfull,thadtcan make things limply cvill (namely, our fiQs) goodto us:nor good in nature,but good in theevcnt;good,whcn tliey are done , not good to be done. Sin isfo powerfull,that it can turn rl;te ,holiefl ordinances of God intoitfelf: but hcreinour fin goes beyoqdour goodnelfe 1 That finne defiles aman or action oth<rwifegood; bur aU the gPQdnelfeofthe world cannot juflifie one fin; as the holy llefh in theskirt, makes notthe bread holy thattoucheth it; butthe or.· clean touching an holy thing, defiletl\it. lwillloarh cvcty evill for,it own fake.: I willdoegood,butnottrufltoir. .. .. 43 Fooles
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