Cent.II. Meditation! andYowu. A 16 No worldly pleafore bath 2nyabfolutc deliehrin!t:but as a Bec,having honey in the mouth,hath a lling in the taile.Why am I fo fooblh,to reft my heart upon any of rhem!and nor rather labour to afpire torharoneabf~lute Good,m whom~ nothing favouring ofgriefe,nothingwanting to perfect happmelfc! 17 A lharp reproof! account better then a fmooth deceit. Therefore when myfriend checks me, I will refpetl it with rhankfulnelfe: when others ftarrer me, I will fufpeCI ir,and reft in mineowne cenfure ofmy felf;who lhould be more privy (andlelfcparriall) romyowne defervings. J8 B Extremity diftinguilheth friends: Worldly pleafures,like Phyficians;gives us over when once we lie a dying; and yet the death-bed bad moft need ofcomforts:Chrift Jefus ftandeth by his,in the pangsofdeath; and afte! death at<hebarreofjudgment, nor leaving them eirberin their bed, or grave. I will ufe them therefore to my beft advantage; notrruft them. Bur forrhee, 0 my Lord, which in mercy and rrurh canft not faile me,(whom I have found ever faithfull and prefeot in all e:aremities) Kill me,yet will I truft in thee, 19 We have heardoffo many thoufandgenerations paffed,andwe havefeene fo many hundreds diewithin our knowledge; that I wonder any man ean make account to liveone day. I will diedaily. Iris nordone beforethe time, which may be done at C allrimes. 20 Defire oft-times makes us unrhankfull;for,who fo hopes for that he bath not,ufually forgets that which he bath. I will nor fulfer my ~art to rove after bigh or impoffible hopes;left I thould,inrhe mean rime,contemne prefenrgifrs. 2[ In hoping wel,in being ill,and fearing worfe,the lile ofman is wholly confumed. When I am ill, I willlivein hope ofberrer:whenwell, in feare ofworfe:neither,will I,ar any tim~,hope without feare;lcfU lhould deceive my felfe with too much confidence: (whereinevil! thall be fo much more unwelcome and intolerable, becaufe I looked for good)nor,again,fearewithout hope1lcft I lhould be over-much dejected: D nor doe eitherofthem,without rrue contentarion. u What is man to" the whole earrh.?Whatis earth to the heaven! WIJat isheaven to his Maker!! will admire nothing init felf1butall thiogsin God,andGod inalhhiogs. 23 There be three ufuall caufes ofiogratitude,upon a benefit received: Eovie,Pride, Covetoufneffe: Envie,lookingmore at others benefits,rhen our owne;Pride,looldog more at our felves,rhen the benefit;Covetoufncffe, lookingmore at what we would havc,rhen what we have. Ingood rornes, I will neither refpectrhegiver, nor my felfe,nor the gift,nor others 1 bur only the intentand good will from whence it proceeded. So fhall I requite others great pleafurcs,with cquall good will, and accept of E fmall favours,with great thankfulneffr, 24 W~ereas th<; cuftome ofthe wo~ld is,rohare things prefcnt, to defire fu1ure; and magn~6ewhat ts paft;l will conrranlycfleeme that whtch is prefenr, beft. F01;,borh whar1s paft,was once prefenr1 andwhat is future,will beprefent: fururerhiogs next becaufe they are prefenr in hope;what is paft,leaft ofall,becaufe it cannot be prefept; yet fomewhar bccaufe it was. . . 25 We pllle r~e follyo~the Lark,which(while itplayeth with the ferher,aod ftooperh torheglaffe)IS caught tothe fowlers net": and yet cannot fee our felves alike made fooles by Satan; who!del.udiog us by rhe vain fethers and glaffes of the world, fuddenly enwrapperh us 111 his foares. We fee not thenets indeed;it is too much that we fhall ll
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