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fastened it cancelled to his Cross, in respect of the rigour and malediction of it, I look upon it, as the monument of my past danger and bondage: I know, by it, how much was owed by me; how much was paid for me. The direction of it is everlasting the obligation by it unto death is frustrate. I am free from curse, who never can be free from obedience.

O Saviour, take thou glory; and give me peace.

meus cassatam penitùs, quoad rigorem maledictionemque, Cruci suæ affixerit, respicio quidem hanc, ut prioris periculi et servitutis monumentum: hinc probè novi, quantum debuerim; quantum nomine meo solutum fuerit, Directio ejus perpetua est: obligatio ad mortem evanuit. Immunis sum à maledicto, qui ab obedientiâ meâ nunquam ero immunis.

O Servator, tu tibi sume gloriam; da mihi pacem.

Audito naufragio quodam. TERRA et aqua, uti benefici largitores sunt, ita et voracissimi etiam receptatores: ut materiam sustentationemque sublunaribus quibusque suppeditant, ita et eandem totam non multò post resumunt; fructum uteri sui, tandem, avidè insatiabiliterque deglutientes. Ex his tamen duobus, terra magis munifica est, et crudelis minùs: hæc etenim, ut plusculum alimoniæ, opum, supportationisque subministrat; ita vix quid unquam à nobis recipit, quod nos ipsi non lubentes ei resignaverimus, quodque in eam, vi quâdam naturæ, non sponte recidat. Ubi aqua, ut non multum nutrimenti, præter paucula quædam ad ornatum, confert; ita nos nostraque violentâ manu rapere parata est; quæque nunquam dederat, desubitò auferre: nulla nobis metalla preciosa elargitur; et tamen, momento temporis, multos auri argentique acervos unà diripit. Nihilominùs tamen, non obstante quotidiana hujusce rapinæ tristi experientiâ, quàm multos videmus indies, quibus firmam pedibus calcare terram satis liceat, misericordiæ maris confidere etiamnum ausos!

On the report of a great loss by sca. XCV.
THE earth and the water, are
both of them great givers, and
both great takers: as they give
matter and sustentation to all
sublunary creatures, so they take
all back again; insatiably de-
vouring, at last, the fruits of their
own wombs. Yet of the two,
the earth is both more beneficial,
and less cruel: for, as that yields
us the most general maintenance,
and wealth, and supportation; so
it doth not lightly take ought
from us, but that which we re-
sign over to it, and which na-
tually falls back unto it. Where-
as the water, as it affords but a
small part of our livelihood, and
some few knacks of ornament;
so it is apt violently to snatch
away both us and ours; and to
bereave that, which it never
gave it yields us no precious
metals; and yet, in an instant,
fetches away millions. And yet,
notwithstanding all the hard
measure we receive from it, how
many do we daily see, that might
have firm ground under them,
who yet will be trusting to the
mercy of the sea! Yea, how
many, that have hardly crawled
out from a desperate shipwreck,

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O God, how venturous we are, where we have reason to distrust! how incredulously fearful, where we have cause to be confident! Who ever relied upon thy gracious providence and sure promises, O Lord, and hath miscarried? Yet here, we pull in our faith, and make excuses for our diffidence. And if Peter have tried those waves to be no other than solid pavement under his feet, while his soul trod confidently; yet when a billow and a wind agree to threaten him, his faith flags, and he begins to

sink.

O Lord, teach me to doubt, where I am sure to find nothing but uncertainty; and, to be assuredly confident, where there can be no possibility of any cause of doubting.

Imò, quot ubique occurrunt, qui cùm vix dum periculosissimum naufragium evaserint, fidei tamen instabilis illius et malè-fidi elementi se adhuc concredere non dubitant!

O Deus, quàm nos audaces sumus, ubi meritò diffidere deberemus! quàm diffidenter timidi, ubi certissima obvenit causa fiducia! Quis unquam, O Domine, in benignissimam providentiam tuam firmissimaque promissa recubuit perperam ? Istìc tamen, fidem nostram anxiè retrahimus, excusationesque cudimus incredulitatis. Quòd si Petrus undas illas solidum sub pedibus suis pavimentum senserit, dum confidenter calcaverat illius anima; ubi tamen fluctus decumanus flatusque paulò violentior hominem unà adoriri consentiunt, languescere jam fides ejus, ipse verò subsidere statim incipit.

O Deus, doce me illîc dubitare, ubi nihil præter incertitudinem comperire certus sum; et, ubi nulla potest subesse dubitationis causa, securè semper confidere.

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excellent. Heaven is open to him; and he can look beyond the veil; and see further above those stars, than it is thither; and there discern those glories, that may answer so rich a pavement: upon the clear sight whereof, I cannot wonder, if the Chosen Vessel desired to leave the earth, in so happy an exchange.

O God, I bless thine infiniteness for what I see with these bodily eyes: but, if thou shalt but draw the curtain, and let me by the eye of faith see the inside of that thy glorious frame, I shall need no other happiness here. My soul cannot be capable of more favour, than sight here, and fruition hereafter,

Apertum est illi cœlum ; is ultra velum cernere potest; altiùsque supra has stellas, quàm distant a nobis stella, prospicere; ibique tantum gloriæ notare, quantum tam specioso ac magnifico pavimento respondere possit: quo quidem conspecto, mirari non possum, si Vas illud Electum, tam fœlicis mutationis gloriam ambiens, terram hanc derelinquere vehementer cupîerit.

O Deus, ego, ob hæc quæ oculis usurpo meis, Infinitatem tuam summopere laudo: sed, si velum tibi placuerit retrahere tantillum, fideique meæ oculo intimam gloriosæ fabricæ tuæ partem repræsentare, non aliam quidem istîc beatitudinem desiderabo. Neque majoris favoris capax esse potest anima mea, quàm ut heic videat, fruaturque postmodò.

XCVII.

On the rumours of wars. GOOD Lord, what a shambles is Christendom become of late! How are men killed, like flies; and blood poured out, like water! Surely, the cruelty and ambition of the great have a heavy reckoning to make, for so many thousand souls. I condemn not just arms those are as necessary, as the unjust are hateful. Even Michael and his Angels fight; and the style of God is, The Lord of Hosts: But, woe be to the man, by whom the offence cometh. Usurpation of others' rights, violation of oaths and contracts, and lastly erroneous zeal, are guilty of all these public murders. Private men's injuries are washed off with tears; but wrongs done to princes and public states, are hardly wiped off but with blood. Doubtless, that

Audito rumore belli.

DEUS Bone, qualis laniena jam pridem factus est orbis Christianus! Quàm mactantur homines, ut muscæ; sanguisque, instar aquæ, effunditur? Certè quidem, crudelitas et ambitio magnatum tot millium pereuntium animarum rationem, diram illam quidem tristissimamque, olim redditura est. Justa equidem arma nullus damno: illa non minùs necessaria sunt, quàm. injusta sunt humano generi infesta. Etiam Michael et Angeli ejus pugnant; sed et titulus est ipsius Dei, Dominus Exercituum: Sed, ve homini illi, quisquis demum fuerit, per quem scandalum hoc venit. Juris alieni usurpatio, juramentorum contractuumque violatio, zelusque malè-sanus, rei sunt publicæ hujus internecionis. Privatorum hominum injuriæ la

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XCVIII.

On a child crying. IT was upon great reason, that the Apostle charges us, not to be children in Understanding. What fools we all once are! Even at first we cry and smile, we know not wherefore: we have not wit enough, to make signs, what hurts us, or where we complain: we can wry the mouth; but not seek the breast: and if we want help, we can only lament, and sprawl, and die. After, when some months have taught us, to distinguish a little betwixt things and persons, we cry for every toy, even that which may most hurt us; and, when there is no other cause,we cry only to hear our own noise; and are straight stilled, with a greater: and if it be but upon the breeding of a tooth, we are so wayward, that

Puero ejulante.

NON sine justâ ratione, jubet Apostolus, ne quoad intelligentiam pueri simus. Quàm fatui semel sumus omnes! Lachrymamur, primulùm ridemusque, quorsum verò utrumque facimus planè nescimus: non sat nobis ingenii suppetit, ut indicio aliquo innuamus, quid nos lædat, aut de quo conqueramur: os quidem detorquere possumus, hàc illàc; ubera verò quæritare parùm novimus: quòd si præstò fortè non sit adjutrix quæpiam, tantùm plorare, motitari, mori deinceps possumus. Postea verò, ubi menses aliquot nos docuerint forsan, inter res personasque aliquantulum distinguere, tricas quasque, etiam maximè nocivas, stridulo fletu prosequimur; et, ubi nulla subest csusa alia, ejula

nothing will please us; and if some formerly-liked knack be given to quiet us, we cast away that which we have, if we have not what we would seem to like. We fear neither fire, nor water: nothing scares us, but either a rod, or a feigned bug-bear. We misknow our parents: not acknowledging any friend, but the tailor, that brings us a fine coat; or the nurse, that dresses us gay. The more that our riper years resemble these dispositions, the more childish we are; and more worthy, both of our own and others' censure.

But again, it was upon no less reason, that the Apostle charges us, to be children in Maliciousness. Those little innocents bear no grudge: they are sooner pleased than angry and if any man have wronged them, let them but have given a stroke unto the nurse, to beat the offender, it is enough; at the same instant, they put forth their hand for reconcilement, and offer themselves unto those arms that trespassed. And when they are most froward, they are stilled with a pleasant song. The old word is, that "An old man is twice a child;" but I say, happy is he, that is thus a child always. It is a great imperfection, to want knowledge; but, of the two, it is better to be a child in understanding, than a man in maliciousness.

nec

mus modò ut nosmet ejulantes audiamus; et sono majore victi, conticescimus: quin et solo dentitionis dolore ita morosi sumus, ut nihil quicquam nos placare possit; quòd si qua priorum, quæ olim placuerunt, naniarum, nobis sedandis porrigatur, abjicimus quæ habemus, si quæ cupimus habere parùm suppetant. Nec ignem metuimus, aquam: nihil nos terret, præter aut virgam, aut spectrum aliquod fictitium. Fallit nos parentum nostrorum notitia: nec quem agnoscimus amicum, præter sutorem vestiarium, qui novam adduxerit tunicam; aut nutricem, quæ nos ornaverit bellulè. Quo propiùs accedit ad dispositionem hanc maturior ætas nostra, eo magis pueriles sumus; nostrâque et aliorum censurà digniores.

Rursum verò, non minore de causâ, præcipit Apostolus, ut, quoad malitiam, pueri simus. Parvuli isti verè innocentes nullâ secretâ laborant malevolentiâ: placantur ferè citiùs quàm irritantur: tantur: quòd si quis injuriam illis intulisse visus fuerit, ubi alapa nutrici porrigitur, quâ offendentem cædat, sedantur illico; eodemque momento, manum exerunt reconciliationis ergò, seque in provocantis brachia dedunt ultrò. Ubi autem vel morosissimi sunt, cantilenâ aliquâ suaviore ad priscam quietem reducuntur. Vetus verbum est, "Senem bis puerum esse;" fœlix verò est, inquam ego, qui sic semper puer manet. Magnæ imperfectionis est, scientiâ destitui; è duobus, tamen, minus malum est ut quis intelligentià puer sit, quàm vir malitiâ.

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