SAint Iohn saies in one place, Loue not the world, nor the things of this world; if any man loue the world, the loue of God is not in him. So may I say, delight not in the world, nor in the things of this world: if any man delight himselfe in the world, he cannot delight himselfe in the Lord. Therefore saith Martial an auncient Bishop, Quid ad no [...] delectatio msi­di? [...]pist. ad Tolo [...]. cap. [...]. What haue we to doe with the delight of the world? You may [Page 2] call it as you will; pleasure, if you will; pastime, if you will; mirth, if you will; gladnes, if you will; ioy, if you will: but in Gods dictionarie it hath no such name. In the holy Scripture, it is otherwise called. It is called, Adams goodly apple, which beeing eaten, depriued him of Paradise; Esaus red broth, which being supt vp, bereaued him of his birthright; Ionathans sweete honie-combe, which beeing but tasted, was like to cost him his life; the whore of Babylons golden cup, which filled her full of all abhomina­tions; the traytour Iudas sugred sop, which made a way for the deuill to enter into him; the prodigall childes wash or draffe, which he most mise­rably swilled vp with the swine. Thus is all the delight of the world called in Gods dictionarie, which is the ho­ly Scripture. It is called Adams apple, Esaus broth, Ionathans combe, Ba­bylons cup, Iudas soppe, the prodi­gall childs swill. So that all this delight [Page 3] is no delight. Or suppose it were: yet certainly it shall not giue thee the de­sires of thy heart. Nay it shall be so farre from breeding thee those ioyes, which thy heart most desireth, that it shall bring thee those torments which thy heart most abhorreth. It may, saith Chrysostome, [...]. delight thee per­haps for a while, but sure it shall tor­ment thee for euer. As any sollide bo­die, though it haue neuer so faire a colour (as crimson, or carnation, or purple, or skarlet, or violet, or such like) yet alwaies the shadowe of it is blacke: so any earthly thing, though it haue neuer so faire a shew, yet al waies the shadow of it is blacke, and the delight thou takest in it, shall prooue to be grieuous in the ende. Therefore Philo calleth it a sweet bit­ter [...] thing. As that little booke in the Reuelation, was sweete in the mouth, but bitter in the bellie: so all worldly delight, is a sweete bitter thing, sweete in the beginning, but bitter in the en­ding. [Page 4] Which they of Ierusalem had experience of. For beeing giuen to transitorie pleasure, they are Lamen. 3. 15. saide to be made drunken with wormewood. Now we know that drunkennesse is sweete, but wormewood is bitter. And such a sweete bitter thing, such a drū ­kennes of wormwood, is all the drun­ken delight of the world. So that as one said, [...] Call me not Naomie, but call [...] Mara, call me not sweete, but call me bitter: so must we call worldly delight, not Naomie, but Mara, be­cause it is nothing so much Naomie, sweete and pleasant at the first, as it is Mara and Amara, bitter and loath­some at the last. Like to a song of the Syrens, which are mentioned in the prophecie chap. 13. v. 22. of Esay. A Syren is a mon­ster of the sea, the head whereof re­sembleth a virgin, but the feete a fish. And such a monster is all worldly delight, the head whereof, the begin­ning, allureth vs as an amiable virgin, but the feete, the ende, deuoureth vs [Page 5] as a rauenous fish. Therefore as V­lysses stopt his eares and bound him­selfe to the mast of the ship, that he might not hea [...]e the Syrens song: so must we stoppe our eares, and refuse to heare the voice of these charming Syrens, charme they and sing they ne­uer so sweetly; yea we must bind our selues to the mast of the shippe, that is, to the crosse of Christ, Si de Vlys [...]e illo refert fa­bula quòd [...] arbo [...]s religa­tio de pe [...]icul [...] liberavit, quā ­tò magis cru­ci [...] arb [...]? &c. Ambr. serm. 55 euery one of vs saying with our heauenly Vlys­ses, God forbid that I should delight in any thing, but in the crosse of Christ, by which the world is crucifi­ed vnto me, and I vnto the world. For the world and all worldly delight, is likened to a hedgehogge. Esa. 14. 23. A hedge­hogge seemes to be but a poore silly creature, not likely to doe any great harme, yet indeede it is full of bristles or prickles, whereby it may annoy a man very shrewdly. So worldly de­light seemes to be little or nothing dangerous at the first, yet afterward as with bristles or pricks, it pearceth [Page 6] through the very conscience with vntollerable paines. Therefore we must deale with this delight, as a man would handle a hedgehogge. The safest way to handle a hedgehogge is to take him by the heele. So must we deale with this delight. As Iacob took Esau that rough hedgehogge by the heele: in like sort we must take world­ly delight not by the head, but by the heele, considering not the beginning, but the ending of it, that so we may neuer be deceiued by it. For though it haue a faire shew at the first, yet it hath a blacke shadow at the last: though it be sweete at the first, yet it is bitter at the last: though it be drun­k [...]nnes at the first, yet it is worme­wood at the last [...] though it be Naomie at the first, yet it is Mara at the last: though it be a song at the first, yet it is a Syren at the last: though it be a silly hedgehogge at the first, yet it is a sharpe prickle at the last. Wherefore delight not thy selfe in the world, for [Page 7] it shall not giue thee the desires of thy heart: but Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart.

Here is a precept: here is a pro­mise. A precept in these wordes, De­light thy selfe in the Lord. First delight, then thy selfe, lastly in the Lord. A pro­mise in these words, And he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart, First, & he shal giue thee, then, the desires, lastly, of thy heart. Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart.

First, Delight. Well saies Synesius, [...]. The spirit of God, as it is a cheereful thing it selfe, so it maketh all them chearefull which are partakers of it. Indeed the wicked cōtinually mourn and lament. There was a great crie in Egypt, because in euery house among them, there was some one or other of their first borne dead. But the voice of ioy and gladnesse is in the tabernacles of the righteous. Psal. 118. 15. They euermore [Page 8] delight in the Lord. I read Aelianus in varia histo. l. [...]. cap. 14. of one Le­onides a captaine, who perceining his souldiers left their watch, vpon the citie walles, and did nothing all the daie long but quaffe and tipple in alehouses neere adioyning, comman­ded that the al [...]houses should be re­mooued from the place where they stood, and set vp close by the walles. That seeing the souldiers would ne­uer keepe out of them, at the least wise they might watch as well as drinke in them. So, because pleasure we must needs haue, & we cannot be kept frō it, god hath appointed that we should take Delight enough, and yet serue him neuer a whit the lesse. For it is no part of Gods meaning, when thou enterest into his sweete seruice, that thou shouldst abandon all delight, but onely that thou shouldst change the cause of thy delight. That whereas before thou diddest delight in the ser­uice of sinne, now thou shouldest de­light as much, or rather indeed a thou­sand [Page 9] times more, in the seruice of the Lord. It was not Gods will that I [...]aak should be sacrificed, but onely the ramme. And so God would haue vs sacrifice onely the ramme, that is, all rammish and rancke delight of the world. But as for Isaack, he must be preserued still, and kept aliue: Isaack, in whome Abraham did see the day of Christ and reioyced: Isaack, that is all spirituall laughter, all ghostly ioy, all heauenly delight. For as no man might come into the court of Ashue­rus, which was clothed in sackcloath: Ester. 4. 2. so no man may come into the court of our king, which is clothed in sack­cl [...]ath, and hath not on the wedding garment of ioy and delight in the Lord. Which is the cause why Christ calleth the assemblies of the faithfull, Quires of Campes Ch [...]ros ca­strorum. Can. 6. 12.. A quire s [...]ges; a Campe fights. How then may these two agree together? Very well in the godly. For the godly, when they fight most stoutly against the enemie, then [Page 10] they sing most merily vnto the lord. Whereupō Gregorie saith, Dauid sal­ [...]ant [...]m plus stupeo qu [...]m pugnantem. Moral. l. 27. cap. 27. I admire king Dauid a great deale more, when I see him in the quire, then when I see him in the campe: when I see him sin­ging as the sweete singer of Israel, then when I see him fighting as the worthy warriour of Israel. For figh­ting with others, he did ouercome all others, but singing, & delighting him­selfe, he did ouercome himselfe. Eue [...] as his sonne Salomon saies for him, speaking to Christ. Turne away thine eies from me, for they doe ouer­come me, they wound my heart: they make me sicke for loue [...]. 4. 6.. When Da­uid fought with others, he ouercame others; he wounded others; he made others sicke; but when he daunced before the Arke, and delighted him­selfe, he was ouercome himselfe, he was wounded himselfe, he was sicke himselfe. But feare you no­thing. I warrant you this sickenesse will doe him no harme. I will plaie [Page 11] still (saies he) that others may stil play vpon me Ludam, in­quit, vt illudar. Bonus ludu [...], quo Michol i­ [...]ascitur, & d [...] ­us delect [...]tur. [...]reg. Mag.. For it is good sport whē God is delighted, though Michol be displeased. So that of Dauids sicknes we may say, as Christ said of Lazarus sicknesse. This sickenesse is not vnto death, but for the glorie of God Ioh. 11. 4.. And therefore it is for the glorie of God, because it is for the loue of god. For Dauid is sicke no otherwise for loue of the sonne of God, then God is sicke himselfe, for loue of the sonne of Dauid. This is my beloued sonne (saies he) in wh [...]me I am delighted Math. 17. 5.. This is my beloued sonne: there he is in loue. In whome I am delighted: there he is sicke for loue. Which is the cause why he commandeth vs also to be delighted in his loue Prou. 5. 19.. For as a double desire is loue: so a double loue is delight. And therefore he saies not simply, loue him; but, he delighted in his loue. De­light thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. De­light.

[Page 12] Then, Thy selfe. I would hate mine owne soule (saies Bernard) if I found it any where else then in the Lord and in his loue [...]. So that it is not enough for thee to delight, but thou must de­light thy selfe, that is, thy soule. Saying with the blessed Virgin, My soule doeth magnifie the Lord, and my spi­rit reioyceth in God my Sauiour. O­therwise, as Diues did see Lazarus a farre off lying in Abrahams bosome, beeing himselfe all the while tormen­ted in hell, and hauing not so much as one drop of water to coole his tōgue: so, eue [...] in laughing the soule may be sorrowfull Pro [...]. 14. 13.. The wretched soule of a sinner may see the face a farre off laughing, and lying (as I may say) in Abrahams bosome, beeing it selfe all the while tormented (as it were) in hel▪ and hauing not so much as one drop of delight to asswage the sorrowes of it. And like as Sampsons lyon had great store of honie in him, but tasted no sweetnesse of it: euen so if thou re­ioyce [Page 13] in the face, and not in the heart, 2. Cor. 5. 12. thou maiest well perhaps haue great store of honie in thee to delight o­thers; but thou canst neuer taste the sweetnesse of it to delight thy selfe. Therfore saies the princely prophet, O taste and see how sweet the Lord is. It is not enough for thee, to see it a farre off, & not haue it, as Diues did; or, to haue it in thee, and not to tast it, as the lyon did: but thou must as well haue it as see it, and as well tast it as haue it. O taste and see (saies he) how sweete the Lord is. For so indeede Christ giueth his Church, not onely a sight but also a taste of his sweet [...]nsse. A sight is where he saies thus, Can. 7. 12. We will rise vp earely, and goe into the vineyard, and see whether the vine haue budded forth the small grapes, and whether the Pomegran [...]ets flou­rish. There is a sight of the vine. A taste, is where he saies thus, Can. 8. 2. I will bring thee into the winseller, & cause thee to drinke spiced wine, and newe [Page 14] wine of the Pomegranne [...]s. There is a taste of the wine. The Church, not onely goes into the vineyard, and sees the wine, but also goes into the wine­seller and tastes the wine. But yet thou must goe further then this, before thou canst come to thy selfe. For there are diuers degrees of tastes. The E­gyptians in their Hyroglyphickes, Or [...]s Apollo. when they would describe an vnper­fect taste, paint meate in the teeth, when a more perfect taste, the begin­ning of the throat. Such an vnperfect taste had the Israelites of the sweetnes of God. God was most sweete vnto them, when he gaue them quailes to eate. Yet while the meate was but in their teeth, the wrath of God was kindled against them Nu [...]. 11. [...]. There is the meate in the teeth: an vnperfect taste. But the spouse of Christ hath a more perfect taste of the sweetnesse of god. For likening him to an apple tree, she saies, I delight to sit vnder his shadow, & his fruit is sweet vnto my throat. Can. 2. 3. [Page 15] There is the beginning of the throat: a more perfect tast. But notwithstan­ding all this, thou art not yet come to thy selfe. Therefore this taste must not content thee: because this tast cannot delight thee. For thy delight must not sticke in thy teeth, or in thy throat, Non [...]st stre­pitus oris, sed [...]bilus cordis, non [...]onus la­biorum, s [...]d motus gaudio­rum, concor­dia volunta­tum, non con­ [...]onantia vo­cum. but as a cordiall thing, it must goe downe to thy very heart. That thou maiest say with the Psalmist, My heart and my flesh (not my flesh onely, but my heart and my flesh) reioyce in the liuing God Psal. 84. 3.. And againe, Praise the Lord, O my soule, and all that is with­in me, praise his holy name Psal. 103. 1.. Nowe thou art come to thy selfe. For that which is within thee, is thy selfe; and all that is within thee, is all thy selfe. So that thy selfe, & all thy selfe, is deligh­ted in the Lord, when as that which is within thee, and all that is within thee, praise his holy name. O howe happie art thou, when thou knowest this Iubile, this ioyfulnesse Cum scis iu­bilationem. Psal. 89. 15.: when thou hast a secret sence, & an inward [Page 16] feeling of it: when euery motion of thy minde, is an influence of Gods spirit: when thy wil & his word play togither, as Isaack and Rebecka did. For then surely thou doest build to thy selfe desolate places Greg. Mo­ral. Iob. 3. 14.. Desolate places, I say, that all other things may be silent to thy soule: nay that thy ve­ry soule may be silent to it selfe: yea that there may be a silence in heauen Reu. 8. 1. answerable to the silence of thy soule, when thou doest delight thy selfe in the Lord. Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the de­sires of thy heart. Thy selfe.

Lastly, In the Lord. Gregorie saies thus, Gust [...] incir­cumscripti luminis anima pa [...]citur, & su­pra se elata ad seipsam re [...]abi dedigna­tur. The minde of man is fed with the infinit light and loue of God, and so being lifted vp farre aboue it selfe, doeth now disdaine to stoupe downe so lowe as [...]o it selfe. And therefore doeth not delight it selfe in it selfe, but delights it selfe in the Lord. Hereupon a father saies, O lord, graunt that I [Page 17] may know Nouerim me, nouerim te. my selfe, and know thee. That knowing my selfe and thee, I may loath my selfe in my selfe, and de­light my selfe onely in thee. Truth in­deede, O man, so thou oughtst to doe, saies God. For if thou didst know thy selfe and me, then thou wouldest di­splease thy selfe, and please me. But because thou knowst neither thy selfe, nor me, therefore thou dost please thy selfe, and displease me. But the time shall come, when thou shalt nei­ther please thy selfe, nor me. Not me, because thou hast sinned: not thy selfe, because thou shalt be burned. So that then thou shalt please none, but the deuill: both because thou hast sinned, as he did in heauen, and also because thou shalt be burned as he is in hell. Therefore he that delights himselfe in himselfe, delights not him­selfe, but onely the deuill in himselfe. Whereas on the other side, he onely delights himselfe, which not onely delights himselfe, but addes also, In the [Page 18] Lord; and so delights himselfe in ver­tue, delights himselfe in godlines, de­lights himselfe in God himselfe. This Christ [...]ignifieth, when speaking of his spouse, he saies, [...] Who is shee, which c [...]mmeth out of the wildernes, abounding in delights, leaning vpon her [...]belo [...]ed? He that leanes vpon himselfe, can ne­uer abound in delights: but he alone aboundeth in delights, which leaneth vpon his welbeloued. So did S. Paul: I ha [...]e laboured more then they all, saies he. There he abound [...]th in delights. Yet not I, but the grace of God which is in me. There he leaneth vpon his wel­beloued. And again, I can doe al things, saies he. There he aboundeth in de­lights. In him that strengtheneth me. There he leaneth vpon his welbelo­ued. In one word, when as he saies, He that would reioyce and glorie, let him▪ reioyce and glorie in the Lord: it is all one, as if he should haue said, He that would abound in delights, let him leane vpon his welbeloued. Let him [Page 19] delight himselfe in the Lord. Let the Saints In letitia le­tentur. psal. 68. 3. reioyce in ioy, let them de­light in delight. He that delights in an earthly thing, delights in vanitie, he delights not in delight. But he onely delights in delight, which makes God onely the ground of his delight. Ac­cording to that of Prosper, Aeterna ex­ultatio est, qn [...] bono [...] [...]terno. That a­lone is eternall delight, which is groū ­ded vpon the eternall good. Vpon him that is onely good, and saith to Moses, Exod. 33. 19. I will in my selfe shew thee all good. Euery thing that is honest, euery thing that is profitable, euery thing that is pleasant, is onely to be found Qu [...]re [...] bonum in quo sunt omni [...] bo­na & sufficit. Aug. Med. in the Lord. As that Manna Sapi. 16. 20. had all manner of good tasts in it: so the Lord onely, hath all manner of good things, all manner of true de­lights in him. Therefore the Church, hauing first bestowed the greatest part of Salomons song, altogether in commendation of the beautie and comelines of Christ, at length conclu­deth thus; Thy mouth is as sweete [Page 20] things, and thou art wholly delecta­ble: how faire art thou, and how plea­sant art thou, O my loue, in pleasures? So that when I seeke my loue, my Lord, then I seeke a delight, & a light, that passeth all lights, which no eye hath seene: I seeke a sound & an har­monie, that passeth all harmonies, which no eare hath heard: I seeke a sent and a sauour, that passeth all sa­uours, which no sense hath smelt: I seeke a relish and a tast, that passeth all tasts, which no tongue hath tasted: I seeke a contentment and a pleasure, that passeth all pleasures, which no bodie hath felt. Nay, I cannot hold my heart, for my ioy; yea, I cannot hold my ioy, for my heart, to thinke that he which is my Lord, is now become my father, & so that he which was offen­ded with me, for my sinnes sake, is now reconciled to me, for his sonnes sake. To thinke, that the high Maie­stie of God, will one day rai [...]e me out of the dust, and so that I, which am [Page 21] now a poore worme vpon earth, shall hereafter be a glorious Saint in hea­uen. This, this makes me delight my selfe in the Lord; saying, O thou that art the delight of my delight; the life of my life; the soule of my soule; I delight my selfe in thee, I liue onely for thee, I offer my selfe vnto thee, wholly to thee wholly: one to thee one: onely to thee Totum toti [...] vnum vni: v­nicum vnico. only. For sup pose now, as S. Iohn speaketh, the whole world were full of bookes: and all the creatures in the world were writers: and all the grasse piles vpon the earth were pennes: and all the water [...] in the sea were ynke: yet, I as­sure you faithfully, all these bookes, all these writers, all these pennes, all this ynke, would not be sufficient to describe the very least part, either of the goodnes of the Lord in himselfe, or of the louing kindnes of the Lord, towards thee. Wherefore, Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. Thus much for [Page 22] the precept, in these words, Delight thy selfe in the Lord.

The promise followeth. First, And he shall giue thee. Well saies Leo, Loue is the greatest reward of loue, that ei­ther can be, or can be desired Dilectionis­ [...]ulla maior expetenda est [...]enumeratio, [...] ipsa di­ [...]ectio. Ser. 7. de [...]eiu.. So that though there were no other rewarde, promised thee, for delighting in the Lord, but onely the delight it selfe, it were sufficient. For the benefit is not Gods, but wholly thine. God is neuer a whit the better, for thy delighting thy selfe in him. If thou be righteous, what doest thou giue him, or what doeth he receiue at thy hands Iob. 35. 7.? Thy delight may perhaps reach to the saints, which are in the earth, but it can neuer reach to [...]he Saints which are in heauen: and much lesse, can it reach to God, which is the Lord of heauen Psal. 16. 2.. Nay, I will say more. If thou shouldst gi [...]e God whole riuers full of oyle, & whole houses full of gold, for neuer so little a droppe of this delight, it [Page 23] would be nothing. Thy gift would be nothing, to his gift: thy oyle and golde, would be nothing to his oyle of gladnesse. Yet behold the bounti­fulnesse, and liberalitie of the lord. He hires thee, and giues thee wages, not to doe himselfe good, but to doe thy selfe good. And here he promi­seth to reward his owne mercies, as if they were thine owne merits. And as though the benefit were not thine, but wholly his: so he chaungeth the words, and for, Thou shalt giue him, saies, He shall giue thee. But this he doeth, as Augustine testifieth, Non [...] a more, sed [...] mo [...] is [...]ror [...]. Deciuit. [...]. li [...]. [...]. cap. 6. Not by the loue of errour, but by the er­rour of loue. For the loue of errour, is mans Rhetoricke, it is a figure, which man often vseth, Humanum est errare It is mans properti [...] to erre.. But the errour of loue, is Gods Rhetoricke, it is a figure, which God often vseth, Di [...]inum est amare It is Gods propertie to lou [...].. Especially it is a diuine thing, to loue so dearely, as God loueth vs. Who, though he doe not loue to erre, yet [Page 24] he doeth erre for loue. Counting and calling, that which is onely our com­moditie, his owne commoditie. So, Christ is said Can. 2. 16. to be fed amongst the lylies. The lylies of the fieldes, are the millions of the angels Lilia agro rum, millia angelorum. or of all those which lead a pure, and an angelicall life. These indeede Christ feedeth. He feedeth them in the greene pastures, and leadeth them forth, by the waters of comfort. Yea, not onely he feedeth them, but also by this figure, the error of loue, he is said to be fed with them. Because though he for his part, haue little neede, I wis, to [...]e fedde, yet it is as great a pleasure to him, to feed thē, as if he were fedde himselfe among them [...] uerso pascere sit ei pa [...]ci. Bernard. Cant. se [...]m. 7 [...].. So likewise he saies, If any man open the doore, I will suppe with him, and he with me Reu. 3. 20.. We indeede sup with Christ. Generally, whensoeuer he giues vs grace to feele in our affecti­ons, the rauishing ioyes of the spirit. As when he saies, I haue eaten my ho­nie combe, with my hony, I haue [Page 25] drunken my wine, with my milke: eat you also, O my friendes, drinke and make you merie, O my welbeloued. But more especially we suppe with Christ, when he cals vs to the holy Communion, and biddes vs to the Lords supper. For then he staies vs with flaggons, and comforts vs with Cant. [...] apples: with apples and flaggons: with bread and wine: with his owne deere bodie, and his owne pretious blood. Thus do we suppe with Christ. But how doth Christ suppe with vs? Is it possible? possible, that he which shall neuer hunger, or thirst any more? possible, that he, which is ful­nes it selfe, in whome, all the fulnes of the Godhead bodily dwelleth? Is it possible (I say) that he should stand without, knocking at the doore, as a begger, to get a meales meate of vs? Yea sure: doubt you not. It is possible enough. By a certaine figure, (I weene you call it the errour of loue: thats it: by this figure, the errour of [Page 26] loue) it is a very possible thing: nay, it is a very easie thing to doe: yea it is a very great pleasure to him to doe it. Behold (saies he) I stand at the dore and kn [...]cke: if any man heare my voice, and open the d [...]re, I will come in vnto him, and will suppe with him, and he with me. Well then, how doth Christ suppe with vs? Christ suppe [...] with vs, when we entertaine him, as Marie did, with the salt teares of repentance & griefe: and as Lot did, with the sweete bread of sinceritie, and truth. For the salt teares of our repentance, are the one­ly drinke, which Christ will drinke with vs. And the sweete bread of our sinceritie, is the onely bread, which Christ will eate with vs. But what meate hath he to his bread? I haue a meate (saies he) which you know not of. My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me. In the volume of thy book it is written of me, that I should doe thy will, O my God, it is my de­light, it is meate and drinke to me, to [Page 27] doe it. And as it is meate to him, to doe it himselfe: so is it meate to him, to see vas doe it. Then doth he suppe with vs. And this is the first seruice. But what hath he for a second course? A dish of apples, gathered of the tree of life. For toward the latter ende of the supper, when they come to their fruit, a Christian saies to Christ, Can. 7. 13. Omnia pom [...] vetera & no­va. Vulgata trans. O my welbeloued, I haue kept for thee, all manner of apples, both old and ne [...]. Contrition, humiliation, denying of thy selfe, mortificatiō of the old man: these are old apples. Sobrietie, inno­cencie, holines of life, viuification of the new man: these are new apples. And when a Christian feasts, & feedes Christ with such diuers and daintie fruits of righteousnes, then he saies to him, O my welbeloued, I haue kept for thee all manner of apples, both old and new. But what musicke hath [...]e now? We must needes haue some musicke. Christ cannot suppe without musick. Drinke, and bread, and meate, and [Page 28] apples, will make him but a slender supper, except we mend it all the bet­ter with musicke. This must be the very best part of the supper. For a c [...] ̄ ­ [...]ort of musitians at a banquet, is as a sig­net of Carbuncle, set in gold; and as the signet of an Emrod, well trimmed with gold: so is the melodie of musicke, in a pleasant Ecclesiasti­cus cap. 32. vers. 5. banquet. Therefore when Christ supps with vs, we must be sure he haue musicke. We must welcome him, and cheare him vp, with psal [...]es, and hymnes, and spirituall songes, singing with a grace, and making melodie in our hearts to God. Col. [...]. 16. Thus doth Christ sup with vs. But nowe to returne to the maine point againe, from which we haue a little digressed, As else where, by the errour of loue, Christ is said, to be fedde among the lylies, whereas in­deede onely he feedeth the lylies; and to suppe with vs, whereas indeede on­ly we suppe with him: so here, by the same figure, he is said to reap commo­ditie by thy delight, whereas indeede [Page 29] onely the commoditie is thine, all the commoditie, all the benefit, is onely thine. Yet (to see the admirable loue of God) he saies not, Thou shalt giue him, but, He shall giue thee. Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. And he shall giue thee.

Then, The desires. He that loues to desire God, Qui amat desiderare, de­sideret amare De amore dei cap. 3. vid. (saies Bernard) must al­so desire to loue God. Then he shall haue neither sacietie, nor yet anxietie. Neither sacietie, because he loues to desire: Gregori­um Moral. [...]. 18. c. 28. Nor yet anxietie, because he desires to loue. Thus doth the Church. Let him kisse me (saies shee) Cant. [...]. [...] with the kisses of his mouth. Let him not smite me, but kisse me: not once, but often: not with the kisses of his feete, but of his mouth: not of any of his prophets mouthes, but of his owne mouth; Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth. Here are many desires. Here indeede shee loues to desire Psal. 119. 20▪ Concupiui [...] desiderare.. But it follow­eth, [Page 30] For thy loue, [...]sal. 119. 20 is better then wine. The person is suddenly changed. Be­fore, it was more str [...]ungely in the third person, Let him, and, his mouth. Nowe, it is more familiarly, in the se­cond person, For thy loue. for thy loue is better then wine. Here is but one loue. Here onely shee desires to loue. For as the curtaines of the tabern [...]cle, were coupled and tyed together with [...]aches and strings, so that one curtain did drawe another, and all the cur­taines did draw togither, to couer no­thing else, but the tabernacle [...]: after the same sort, the desires of the god­ly, are coupled and tyed together, so that one desire drawes another, and all their desires draw togither, to make them couet nothing else, but God. And euen as lacob, when he held the angel in his armes, stood vpon one foote: and halted vpo [...] the other foote: G [...]n. 32. 31. so he that embraceth God, can doe nothing with that halting foote, which before carried him to [Page 31] the desire of the world, but stan­deth onely vpon that sound foote, which now carrieth him wholely to the desire of God. And like as all the streets of Ierusalem fing Hallel [...]ia: Tobi [...]s 13. 18. so all the desires of them that are de­lighted in God, are referred to God. There are many [...]reates in Ierusalem; yet there is but one Halleluia, which is sung in all those [...]reates. In like sorte, there are many desires in a god­ly man; yet there is but one thing, God only, which is desired in all these desires. For, these desires, as the kisses of Christ, come all from one lo [...]e: these desires, as the curtaines of the tabernacle, are all ty [...]d togither with one string: these desires, as the goings of Iacob, stand all vpon one foot [...]: these desires, as the streets of Ierusalē, sing all one Halleluia. So that if thou looke into his desires, that delighteth in the Lord, thou shalt see no in [...]qui­tie, no contradiction in them. But if thou looke in to his desires, that de­lighteth [Page 32] in sinne, thou shalt say with the Psalmist, Psal. 55. [...]. I see iniquity, and contra­diction in the city. For as Manasses was against Ephraim, and Ephraim a­gainst Manasses, and both of them against [...] luda: so the desires of the wicked, are contrarie to God, and to themselues. All their desires, are con­trarie to all gods desires. Manasses & Ephraim, are both against Iuda. There's iniquitie. Some of their de­sires, are contrarie to othersome of their desires. Manasses is against E­phraim, and Ephraim is against Ma­nasses. There's contradiction. There­fore the desires of the wicked, beeing so contrarie to God, and to them­selues, their desires are not giuen to them, but they are giuen to their de­sires [...] 1. 24. Because, though they loue to desire God, yet they doe not desire to loue god. Though they care not how much God doe for them: yet they care not how little they doe for God. But as for the godly, they are not giuen to [Page 33] their desires, but their desires are giuen to them. Because not onely, they loue to desire God, but also, they desire to loue God. And so all their desires, be­ing as it were, but one desire, al agree­ing in one God, when they haue god, they haue al [...] their desires giuen them in God Domine, an­ [...]e te omne de­side [...]ium me [...] [...]sal. 38. 10. So the three children, [...]am v [...]ima perfectio ipsi­us animz deus est, & centrum locusque natu­ [...]alis omnium desideriotum [...]ius. bee­ing men of desires, Viri desideri­orum Dan. 9. 23 had their desires giuen them. They desired to be deli­uered from the furnace. This desire was giuen them, when as God walked with them in the fierie furnace Daniel. 3. 25.. So Moses, beeing a man of God, had his [...]sires giuen him. He desired to see Gods fac [...]. This desire was giuē him, when as Christ talked with him, face to face Mark. 9 4. So John, beeing a friend of God, had his desires giuen him. He desired to see Christs glorie. This de­sire was giuen him, when as Christ said, He [...] loueth me, shall be loued of me, and I will [...] shew mine owne selfe [...]nt [...] him Ioh. 14. 21.. So Lazarus, beeing Gods little begger Mendicus dei. Greg., (as I may say) [Page 34] had his desires giuen him. He desired to be relieued, not so much with the meat of that earthly Di [...]es, as with the mercie of that heauenly Di [...]es, which is so rich in me [...]cie. This de­sire was giuen him, when as the Pa­triarch speaking of him to the gluttō said, Now is he comforted, and thou art tormented Luk. 16. 25. And so, whosoeuer thou art: if thou be a man of desires, as the three children were: if thou be a man of God, as Moses was: if thou be a friend of God, as Iohn was: if thou be a begger of God, as Lazarus was: he shall giue thee all that thou canst begge, or desire. For, to speake no more of those three children, these three men, which I named last vnto you; Moses, the man of God: Iohn the friend of God: Lazarus, the begger of God; did lie in three bosomes. In Moses bosome: in Christs bosome: in Abrahams bosome. Moses hand, did lie in Moses bosome [...]: S. Iohn did lie in Christs bosome: Lazarus, did lie [Page 35] in Abrahams bosome. Moses bo­some, is lawe: Christs bosome, is Go­spel: Abrahams bosome is glorie. Therefore, feare must driue thee out of Moses bosome: faith must keepe thee in Christs bosome: felicitie must bring thee to Abrahams bosome. For first, thou must with Moses, put thy hand into Moses bosome, and there seeing how full of leprosie thy hand is, and howe wicked all thine owne handy workes are, thou must abhorre thy selfe, in thy selfe. Afterward, thou must with Iohn, conu [...]ie not thy had onely, but thy whole bodie, and thy soule also, into Christs bosome, and there seeing how thou art▪ clensed frō the leprosie of thy sinne, and freely iu­stified by faith in Christ, thou must delight thy selfe in the Lord. Then, thou must be carried into Abrahams bosome, and there, both louing to de­sire God, and desiring to loue God, he shall giue thee thy desires. First, I say, lie in Moses bosome, and ab­horre [Page 36] horre thy selfe in thy selfe: afterward, lie in Christs bosome, and delight thy selfe in the Lord: then, thou shalt lie in Abrahams bosome, (O blessed bo­some! O sweet bosome!) And he shall giue thee, thy desires. Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. The desires.

Lastly, Of thy heart. Thy heart here, is all one with thy selfe before. As if the words had stood thus, Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy selfe: or els thus, Delight thy heart in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. To the point then. Augu­stine saies thus, Fecisti nos domine ad te, & ideo inqui­ [...]um [...]st cor [...]. O Lord, thou hast made vs for thine own selfe, & there­fore our heart is euer vnquiet, while it is from thee, neuer at quiet, vntill it come to thee. A bull which is baited at the ring, as soone as euer he gets a­ny little breathing, turnes him strait­waies toward that place, by which he was brought in, imagining, that by [Page 37] how much the more, he is nearer to the stall, by so much the more, he shall be further from the stake. In like manner, a faithfull heart, beeing bay­ted and towzed in this world with many dogges Psal. 22. 16. which come about it, alwaies hath an eye to that place, from which it came, and is neuer quiet till it returne to him, from whome it was fet at the Querula p [...] ­nitus & [...] a­bunda est. do­nec ad [...]um, à quo ori [...]inali­ter exiit, trium­phali virtute reuertatur. first. He that lets downe a bucket to draw water out of a well, as long as the bucket is vnder the water, though it be neuer so full, he may get it vp easily; but when he beginnes to draw the bucket cleare out of the wa­ter, then with all his strength he can scarce get it vp; yea many times the bucket when it is at the very highest, breakes the yron chaine, and violent­ly falls backe againe. After the same sort, a Christian heart, so long as it is in him who is a well of life, is filled with delight, and with great ioy drin­keth in the water of comfort, out of the fountaine of [...]. 12. 3. saluation; but bee­ing [Page 38] once haled and pulled from God, it draweth backe, and as much as it can possibly resisteth, and is neuer quiet, till it be in him againe, who is the center of the Vi amoris in deum tan­quam in cen­trum propriū mouetur, vt in ipso summé delectetur. soule. For as the needles point in the mariners com­passe, neuer stands still, til it come right against the north pole: so the heart of the wise men, neuer stood still, till they came right against the starre, which appeared in the Math. 2. 9. East; & the very starre it selfe, neuer stood still, till it came right against the o­ther starre, which shined more bright­ly in the manger, then the sunne did in heauen. Wherefore our hearts doe alwaies erre, they are Plane [...]s [...]. ude 13. & wan­dring starres, before they come to Christ: but then onely they are starres of the firmament, the true seede of A­braham, when they are firmely Psal. 57. 8. fixed, and setled in God. The Prophet Io­nas, all the while he fled from God, in what a case was he one while he was turmoiled in the stormes of the tem­pest: [Page 39] another while, he was sowsed in the waues of the sea: another while, he was boyled in the bowels of the whale. But as soone as he returned to God, by and by he was cast vp safe vpon the sea shore: and then he said to his soule, My soule returne vnto thy rest, because the Lord hath resto­red thy selfe vnto thee Quia domi­nu [...] reddidit te [...]ibi. Psal. 116. 7. Because, whereas before, thou hadst lost thy selfe: lost thy selfe in the tempest: lost thy selfe in the sea: lost thy selfe in the whale: nowe the Lord hath restored thy selfe vnto thee. Wherefore the heart of man hath lost all rest; nay it hath lost it selfe, before it be cast vpon the sea shore; before it be cast vpon God: but when once it delighteth in the Lord, when once it findeth God, then it findeth it selfe, thē it returneth vnto rest. Nicaula queene of Saba, could neuer be quiet in her owne countrie, till shee came to Salomon: but when shee sawe his glorie, and heard his wisdome, then her heart [Page 40] failed her, shee had enough, she could desire to see and heart no more. And so the heart of a Christian, can neuer be quiet in the straunge countrie of this world, till it come to Christ, which is the true Salomon, the prince of peace; whē it comes once to Christ then it saies thus to God, Lord nowe lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, because mine eies haue seene the prince, because mine eies haue seene thy saluation. Euen as one good heart saies for all, O Lord, how amia­ble are thy dwellings? Salomon had goodly buildings, but they were no­thing to thy dwellings. My soule fain­teth, and faileth for them Concupisci [...] & deficie. [...]sal. [...]. 2.. It fainteth before I see them: and it faileth when I haue seene them; then I am quiet enough, then I can desire to see no more. For like, as Noahs doue could finde no rest for the sole of her foote, all the while she was flickering ouer the flond, till she returned to the arke, with an oliue branch in her mouht: so [Page 41] the heart: of a christian, which is the turtle doue of Christ, can find no rest all the while it is houering ouer the waters of this world, till it haue siluer wings as a doue, and with the oliue branch of faith, flie to the true Noah, which signifieth rest, till Iesus Christ put forth his holy hād out of the arke, and taking this heart into his hand, receiue it to himselfe. Euen as one good heart saies for all, I will not climbe vp into my bedd, nor suffer mine eies to sleepe, nor mine eielidds to slumber, nor the temples of my head to take their rest, vntill I find a tabernacle for the Lord, an habitation for the mightie God of Psal. 132. 4. Iacob. Vntill I find, that my heart is not in mine owne hand, but in Gods hand: vntill I find, that God dwelleth in me, and I in him: vntill I find, that my soule is a tabernacle for the Lord, and my heart is an habitation for the mighty God of Iacob, I cannot rest, saies he. But when I find this once: when I [Page 42] come to Noah in the arke: when I delight my selfe in the Lord; then I will climbe vp into my bedd, and suf­fer mine eies to sleepe, and mine eie­liddes to slumber, and the temples of my head to take their rest. But whats the reason of all this? I am somewhat bold to aske, because I would be glad to know: whats the reason I say, that the bull, can neuer be quiet, till he come to the staule; that the bucket, can neuer be quiet, till it come to the water; that the needle, can neuer be quiet, till it come to the north poole; that Ionas, can neuer be quiet, till he come to the sea shore; that Nicaula, can neuer be quiet, till she come to Salomon; that Noahs doue, can ne­uer be quiet, till it come to the arke; that mans heart, can neuer be quiet, till it come to God? The reason of it is this. When God created heauen and earth, he rested not in the heauen, or in any heauēly thing, not in the earth, or in any earthly thing, but onely in [Page 43] man, which is both. A heauenly thing for his soule, and an earthly thing for his bodie. As soone as he had made man, he kept a sabboth, and rested. Euen so the heart of man, resteth not in the earth, or in any earthly thing, not in the heauen, or in any heauenly thing, but onely in God, which is lord of both. Lord of heauen and earth: Lord of soule and bodie. As soone as it commeth to God, and de­lighteth in him, it keepeth holy-day, and resteth. Gods heart neuer resteth, till it come to man: mans heart neuer resteth till it come to God. For as god saies to man, My sonne giue me thy heart Prou. 2 [...]. 26.: so man saies to God, my lord giue me thy selfe. For euen as the hart desireth the water-brookes: so longeth my heart, my soule, after thee, ô God. Therefore, ô God, giue me thy selfe. Shew me thy selfe, and it suf­ficeth Iob. 14. 8. me. For thou onely, O Lord, art indeede, as thou art called in He­bre [...] Sh [...]ddai, all-sufficient, yea more [Page 44] then sufficient. Thy very grace, is sufficient for 2. Cor. 12. 9. me. But thou, O Lord doest giue both grace and [...]sal. [...]4 [...]2. glorie. Therefore, whome haue I in heauen, but thee? and whome haue I in earth, but Psal. 73. 25. thee? Thou onely giuest grace in earth: so that I haue none in earth but thee. And thou onely giuest glo­rie in heauen: so that I haue none in heauē but thee. O what a sweet friend is this? What a sweete friend is God our good friend, which onely feedeth and filleth the [...]. [...]. heart? He onely fee­deth it in earth, & filleth it in heauen: feedeth it with grace, and filleth it with [...] Psal. 17. 16. glorie. For euery thing hath a kind of foode proper vnto it. Offer a lyon grasse, he will neuer eate it: offer him flesh, he will eater it. Why so? Be­cause that is vnnaturall, this is naturall to him. So, offer the heart of a Chri­stian, which is couragious and bold as a [...] 28. 1. lyon, offer it all the glorie of the world, which is as the flower of Esa. 40. 6. grasse, it is neuer a whit the better [Page 45] Offer it Christ, who saies, My flesh is meate indeede, then it is satisfied. Ther­fore one saies, The lyons want, and suf­fer hunger, but they that feare the Lord, want no manner of thing that is good. The lyons: such lyons, as haue no grace, but grasse onely to feede vpon, they want and suffer hunger. Hungrie and thirstie their soule fainteth in Psal. 107. 5. them. But they that feare the Lord: such lyons, as by faith feede vpon the flesh of Christ, delight in the Lord, feede vpon God, they are fat, and well liking, they want no manner of thing that is good. For as the people sitting vpon the grasse, and feeding vpon the bread, were all Mark. 6. 39. satisfied: so these lyons are all satisfied, because sitting vpon the grasse of the world, yea not onely sitting vpon it, but also trea­ding vpon it, and trampling it vnder their feete, they feede onely vpon the bread of life. For these lyons can easi­ly conceiue, that if at that time, fiue loaues beeing blessed by our Lord, [Page 46] did satisfie fiue thousand, then much more our blessed Lord himselfe, can satisfie euery heart, which hungreth and thirsteth for him. Therefore these lyons, saue the very fragments of this feast, and keepe them in their hearts, as in baskets, knowing that all the grasse of the world, cannot doe them halfe so much good, as the very least crumme of Christs comfort. For so one lyon saies among the rest, My soule refuseth comfort. But when I remember God, I am [...] delighted. As if he should say, I haue a lyons heart in me; my soule refuseth to feede vp­on the grasse of the world: it goes a­gainst my stomack: I cannot brooke it; I cannot digest it: thats but a cold comfort: My soule refuseth all such comfort: But when I remember God, I am delighted. Though I cannot see God presently before me; yet if I doe but remember him; if doe but medi­tate of him; if I doe but thinke of him; if I doe but dreame of him; I am [...]. de­lighted. [Page 47] Though I cānot haue a whol loafe, yet if I can get but a fragmēt: if I can get but a shieue: if I can get but a morsell: if I can but any little crumme of comfort, that falls from the table of the Lord; my heart is sufficiently refreshed and fedde. But as God one­ly feedeth the heart: so God only fil­leth the heart. For the heart of man, as for the manner of diet, it is like the heart of a lyon: so for the bignesse of it, it is like the heart of the Ibis. Orus Apollo writeth, that the Egyptians, when they would describe the heart, paint that bird, which they call the I­bis. Because they thinke that no crea­ture, for proportion of the bodie, hath so great a heart, as the Ibis hath. But me thinkes, they might better paint a man. Because no creature, no not the Ibis it selfe, hath so great a heart, as a man hath. Eccles. 1. 8. For the eie is neuer filled with seeing, nor the eare with hea­ring, and much lesse, the heart with desiring. But euen as the Poets faine, [Page 48] that the fiftie daughters of king Da­naus killing their husbands, are inioy­ned for their punishment in hell, to fill a tunne with water, that is bored full of holes, which though they la­bour neuer so much about it, yet they can neuer bring to pass [...] [...]: semblably, he that would goe about to fill his heart, with worldly delightes, were as good poure water into a fiue, as we say, for any pleasure he shall haue, after all his labour and paines. Salo­mon, hauing had a long time, tryall of all transitorie pleasures, at length frankly confessed, that they were so farr from being a contentation to his heart, that they were a very great vex­ation to his spirit. Nay Alexander▪ though he had conquered the whole world, yet still he said with the king of Spaine, Non sufficit arbi [...] All the whole world [...]: yea in the ende, he grew to be very male­content, and found himselfe greatly greiued, because there were not for­sooth, many more worldes for him [Page 49] to conquer. By which example of Salomon and Alexander, (though o­therwise a heathen,) it doth plainly appeare, that if it had pleased God, to haue created as many worlds, as there are creatures in this one world, (which he might haue done with the least word of his mouth,) yet this infinite number of worldes, which should haue beene created, could not haue filled the verie least heart, of any one man, without the creatour himselfe. This Orontius an excellent Mathe­matitian sheweth, who describing the whole world in the forme of an heart, leaueth many voide spaces in his heart which he cannot fil vp with the world. For as a circle, can neuer fill a triangle, but alwaies there will be three empty corners in the triangle vnfilled, if there be nothing els to fill it, but the circle: so the round world, which is a circle, can neuer fill the heart of man, which is a triangle, made according to the i­mage of the Trinity, but alwaies there [Page 50] will be some emptie corners, in the triangle of the heart vnfilled, if there be nothing els to fill it, but the circle of the world. Onely the glorious tri­nitie, filleth the triangle of the heart, and filleth euery corner of it, and fil­leth euery corner of it fuller, then it can possibly [...] hold. For, suppose al­mightie God should now worke a miracle, and giue some one man a heart, as large, and as huge, not onely as all the hearts of all the men, that e­uer were, are, or shall be, but also as all the affections of all the angels, and heauenly powers aboue; yea I will say that, which shall be yet much more maruelous, if this one heart were so great, that it could at one in­stant, actually containe in it, more corporall and spirituall things, then are in all the deepes beneath, in the vallies, in the mountaines, and in all the heauens aboue: yet as true as God is in heauen, this so large, and so huge a heart, could not be able to hold [Page 51] the very least part, of the perfection of God; but if one droppe of his dei­tie and glorie, were powred into it, by and by it would burst in a hundreth pieces, and flie a sunder, as an old ves­sel, filled with new Behold the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to containe thee. 1. Reg. 8. 27. wine. O what a wonderfull strange thing is this? what shall we deuise to say of it? Ten thou­sand worlds, cannot fill one heart: and yet ten thousand hearts, cannot hold one God. Therefore, as much as one heart, is too good and too great, for ten thousand worlds: so much is one God, too good and too great, for ten thousand De [...]s maior est cor de no­stro. 1. Ioh. 3. 20 hearts. So fully doth the Lord, & nothing but the Lord, feed, and fill thy soule, and giue thee all, nay more then all, thy heart can de­sire. Wherefore, Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he shall giue thee the de­sires of thy heart. Thus much for the promise, in these words, And he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart.

Now then, deare brother, Delight: [Page 52] and not delight onely; but Thy selfe, also: and not thy selfe onely; but In the Lord, also: Delight thy selfe in the Lord: and againe I say, Delight: and a­gaine I say, Thy selfe: and againe I say, In the Lord. Delight thy selfe in the Lord. O remember, for the loue of God, remember this worthie sentence of an ancient father, [...] Let all creatures seems vile vnto thee, saies he, that onely thy creat our may seeme sweet vnto thee. Armenia, a noble ladie, beeing bidden to king Cyrus wedding, went thither with her husband. At night, when they were returned home, her hus­band asked her, how shee liked the bridegroo [...]e, whither shee thought him to be a faire and beautiful prince, or no? Truth, saies shee, I know not. For all the while I was forth, I cast mine eyes vpon none other, but vpon thy selfe. So basely did this noble la­die esteeme of king Cyrus beautie, who was the Monarch of the world, in respect of that entire good will and [Page 53] affection, shee bare to her husband, which was so great, that her eyes could neuer be from him. And so must we, set God alwaies before our eyes, and not once looke aside, or be enamoured with any gaud of world­ly glorie, but despise euery blaze of beautie whatsoeuer, that may draw vs from beholding our heauenly hus­band, and delighting onely in him, which is fairer then the children of men. S. Paul beeing rapt vp to the third heauen, knowes not, whither it were with the bodie, or without the bodie. And because we should marke it well once, he sets it downe twise. That he was rapt vp to the third hea­uen, he is sure; that he heard words which no man can vtter, he is sure; that he was exceedingly delighted in the Lord, he is sure. But whither his bodie were with him or no, he knows not. So much did he forget and neg­lect, euen his owne bodie, which is so neere, and so deare a thing, in com­parison [Page 54] parison of that incomparable delight, which then he tooke in the Lord. S. Peter, seeing but a glimps of Christs glorie, vpon mount Tabor, stood so astonished and amazed with it, that he was in a sort beside himselfe, when he was at that time beside Christ. Master, saies he, it is good for vs to be here. As if he should haue said, Nowe farewell Galilie, and all my goods: farewell fellow Disciples, and all my friends: farewell wife, & all the world: so I may inioy this heauenly sight, and be continually thus delighted in the Lord. Holy Ignatius, going to his martyrdome, was so strangely rauish­ed with this delight, that he burst out into these wordes, Nay, come fires; come beasts: come breaking of all my bones: come racking of my whole bo­die: come all the torments of the de­uill togither vpon me: come what can come, in the whole earth, or in hell ei­ther [...]., so that I may inioy Iesus Christ, and may be continually de­lighted in the Lord. And so must thou [Page 55] (deare brother) insult ouer all crea­tures, and exsult only in thy creatour. Thou must contemne all beautie, as Armenia did: yea thine owne bodie, as Paul did: yea all the world as Pe­ter did: yea thy very life, as Ignatius did: and be content to doe any thing, though it were to be torne and pulled in a thousand peeces: or for a time, if it were possible, to suffer al the paines which the fiends and furies of hell can inflict vpon thee, so as in the end, thou maiest delight, either the Lord in thy selfe, or thy selfe in the Lord. Then, then He shall giue thee: and not, He shall giue thee onely, but The desires, also: and not The desires onely, but Of thy heart, also. Then he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. And a­gaine I say, He shall giue thee: and a­gaine I say, The desires: and againe I say, Of thy heart. Then he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart. Then, though thou haue a long time plaied the vn­thrift, and wasted all thy goods in the [Page 56] world: yet, if with the lost childe, thou returne home againe, to thy fathers house, he shall graunt thee thy hearts desire, and receiue thee with minstrel­sie and dauncing, and all manner of festiuall ioy, and that plentie of bread, which nourisheth euery hired seruant in his house, shall much more feede thee, which art his louing child, vnto euerlasting life. Then, though all the leekes and onyons of Egypt, which is the world, haue failed thee: yet, if with Israel, thou depend onely vpon God, he shall distill the dewe of his grace, into thy heart, and lay aside a chosen raine for thee, and cause thee to drinke of the sweete christall streams of his pleasure, and giue thee to eate of that hidden and heauenly Manna, which no man knoweth, but he that receiueth it. Then, though all the clothes and couerings in the world, cannot keepe thee warme; yet, if with Dauid, thou be a man according to Gods owne heart, he shall send thee [Page 57] that mysticall Abishag, which shall comfort thy heart, and make thee hot and feruent in spirit, which shall re­nue thy strength and make thee yong againe, and lustie as an Eagle. Then, though thou haue a long time lost thy labour, in seruing Laban, which is the world: yet, if with Iacob thou returne home againe to thy fathers house, god shall meete thee by the way, and, as the Prophet Osey speaketh, he shall allure thee as thy paramour, and lead thee into the wildernesse, and there speake according to thine own heart, friendly, and louingly vnto thee. And, euen as louers, are oftentimes dispo­sed for the nonce, to take a fall of one another, the stronger of the weaker: so God shall wrestle a fall with thee, as he did with Iacob, and yeeld so much in loue to thee, as that he shall suffer thee to giue him the fall, and to preuaile against him. Iesus: what ex­ceeding loue is this? why are we not euen nowe, in the name of God, infla­med [Page 58] with the loue of God: and whol­ly rauished with delight in the Lord? At least wise I maruell, what a mis­cheife many base minded world­lings meane, that they had rather feed vpon the huskes of hogges, then the bread of mā? that they had rather eate, the ony ons of Egipt, then the manna of heauen? that they had rather lie acold, frozen and shiuering in sinne, then be reuiued and cherished by A­bishag? that they had rather take vn­supportable paine, to serue Laban, then take vnspeakeable pleasure, to serue God? Fy vpon it: what a vile folly is this? what a starke madnes is this? what is this els, but to be euen bo­dily tormented, whereas they might be most spiritually delighted? what is this els, but to goe out of one hell, in­to another hell, where as they might goe out of one heauen into another heauen? For, why do you (beloued) why doe you tell me so much, of I know not what: of a worme, that ne­uer [Page 59] dieth? of a fire, that neuer is quench­ed? of a lake, that burneth with brim­stone? of weeping, and gnashing of teeth? Thus I tell you (good christi­ans) and I tell you truly, and God in heauen heares what I say, though you heare me not; I tell you as loud as euer I can; that, to serue sinne so slauishly: to please the deuill so wretchedly: to delight in the word so brutishly, as many men doe: this is worse then all wormes: worse then all fires: worse then all lakes: worse then all weeping: worse then hell it selfe. Whereas, on the other side, to serue God, to please God▪ to delight in God, to reioyce & solace thy soule in the Lord, which hath alwaies giuen thee, and will al­waies giue thee, the desires of thy heart; this is better then all treasures: better then all crownes: better then all kingdomes: better then all immorta­litie: better then heauen it selfe. This, this it is, which shall bring thee, out of one paradise, into another paradise.