,,john ,,donne   ,,devotions  ,,upon    
,,emergent ,,occasions   ,together with 
,,death',s ,,duel   ,,ann ,,arbor       
,,paperbacks  ,the ,university of       
,michigan ,press     ,first edition as  
an  ,,ann ,,arbor ,,paperback #aiei     
,published in the ,united ,states of    
,america by the ,university of ,michigan
 and simultaneously in ,toronto1        
,canada1 by ,ambassador ,books1 ,ltd4   
,manufactured in the ,united ,states of 
,america     ,,contents   ,,the ,,life  
,,of ,,dr4 ,,john ,,donne     v         
,,devotions                      #a     
,,death',s ,,duel                 #afa  
,,the ,,life ,,of ,,dr4 ,,john ,,donne  
7,taken from the life by ,izaak         
,walton74   ,master ,john ,donne was    
born in ,london1 in the year #aegc1 of  
good and virtuous parents3 and1 though  
his own learning and other multiplied   
merits may justly appear sufficient to  
dignify both himself and his posterity1 
yet the reader may be pleased to know   
that his father was masculinely and     

lineally descended from a very ancient  
family in ,wales1 where many of his name
 now live1 that deserve and have great  
reputation in that country4  ,by his    
mother he was descended of the family of
 the famous and learned ,sir ,thomas    
,more1 sometime ,lord ,chancellor of    
,england3 as also1 from that worthy and 
laborious ,judge ,rastall1 who left     
posterity the vast ,statutes of the ,law
 of this nation most exactly abridged4  
,he had his first breeding in his       
father's house1 where a private tutor   
had the care of him1 until the tenth    
year of his age2 and1 in his eleventh   
year1 was sent to the ,university of    
,oxford1 having at that time a good     
command both of the ,french and ,latin  
tongue4 ,this1 and some other of his    
remarkable abilities1 made one then give
 this censure of him3 ,that this age had
 brought forth another ,picus           
,mirandula2 of whom story says1 that he 
was rather born than made wise by study4
  ,there he remained for some years in  

,hart ,hall1 having1 for the advancement
 of his studies1 tutors of several      
sciences to attend and instruct him1    
till time made him capable1 and his     
learning expressed in public exercises1 
declared him worthy1 to receive his     
first degree in the schools1 which he   
forbore by advice from his friends1 who1
 being for their religion of the ,romish
 persuasion1 were conscionably averse to
 some parts of the oath that is always  
tendered at those times1 and not to be  
refused by those that expect the        
titulary honour of their studies4       
,about the fourteenth year of his age he
 was transplanted from ,oxford to       
,cambridge1 where1 that he might receive
 nourishment from both soils1 he staid  
till his seventeenth year2 all which    
time he was a most laborious student1   
often changing his studies1 but         
endeavouring to take no degree1 for the 
reasons formerly mentioned4  ,about the 
seventeenth year of his age he was      
removed to ,london1 and then admitted   

into ,lincoln's ,inn1 with an intent to 
study the law1 where he gave great      
testimonies of his wit1 his learning1   
and of his improvement in that          
profession2 which never served him for  
other use than an ornament and          
self-satisfaction4  ,his father died    
before his admission into this society2 
and1 being a merchant1 left him his     
portion in money4 7,it was #c1jjj47 ,his
 mother1 and those to whose care he was 
committed1 were watchful to improve his 
knowledge1 and to that end appointed him
 tutors both in the mathematics1 and in 
all the other liberal sciences1 to      
attend him4 ,but1 with these arts1 they 
were advised to instil into him         
particular principles of the ,romish    
,church2 of which those tutors          
professed1 though secretly1 themselves  
to be members4  ,they had almost obliged
 him to their faith2 having for their   
advantage1 besides many opportunities1  
the example of his dear and pious       
parents1 which was a most powerful      

persuasion1 and did work much upon him1 
as he professeth in his preface to his  
,pseudo-,martyr1 a book of which the    
reader shall have some account in what  
follows4  ,he was now entered into the  
eighteenth year of his age2 and at that 
time had betrothed himself to no        
religion that might give him any other  
denomination than a ,christian4 ,and    
reason and piety had both persuaded him 
that there could be no such sin as      
schism1 if an adherence to some visible 
,church were not necessary4  ,about the 
nineteenth year of his age1 he1 being   
then unresolved what religion to adhere 
to1 and considering how much it         
concerned his soul to choose the most   
orthodox1 did therefore1--though his    
youth and health promised him a long    
life--to rectify all scruples that might
 concern that1 presently lay aside all  
study of the law1 and of all other      
sciences that might give him a          
denomination2 and began seriously to    
survey and consider the body of         

,divinity1 as it was then controverted  
betwixt the ,reformed and the ,roman    
,church4 ,and1 as ,god's blessed ,spirit
 did then awaken him to the search1 and 
in that industry did never forsake      
him--they be his own words 7in his      
preface to ,pseudo-,martyr7--so he calls
 the same ,holy ,spirit to witness this 
protestation2 that in that disquisition 
and search he proceeded with humility   
and diffidence in himself2 and by that  
which he took to be the safest way2     
namely1 frequent prayers1 and an        
indifferent affection to both parties2  
and1 indeed1 ,truth had too much light  
about her to be hid from so sharp an    
inquirer2 and he had too much ingenuity 
not to acknowledge he had found her4    
,being to undertake this search1 he     
believed the ,cardinal ,bellarmine to be
 the best defender of the ,roman cause1 
and therefore betook himself to the     
examination of his reasons4 ,the cause  
was weighty1 and wilful delays had been 
inexcusable both towards ,god and his   

own conscience3 he therefore proceeded  
in this search with all moderate haste1 
and about the twentieth year of his age 
did show the then ,dean of              
,gloucester--whose name my memory hath  
now lost--all the ,cardinal's works     
marked with many weighty observations   
under his own hand2 which works were    
bequeathed by him1 at his death1 as a   
legacy to a most dear friend4  ,about a 
year following he resolved to travel3   
and the ,earl of ,essex going first to  
,cales1 and after the ,island voyages1  
the first anno #aeif1 the second #aeig1 
he took the advantage of those          
opportunities1 waited upon his          
,lordship1 and was an eye-witness of    
those happy and unhappy employments4    
,but he returned not back into ,england 
till he had staid some years1 first in  
,italy and then in ,spain1 where he made
 many useful observations of those      
countries1 their laws and manner of     
government1 and returned perfect in     
their languages4  ,the time that he     

spent in ,spain was1 at his first going 
into ,italy1 designed for travelling to 
the ,holy ,land1 and for viewing        
,jerusalem and the ,sepulchre of our    
,saviour4 ,but at his being in the      
furthest parts of ,italy1 the           
disappointment of company1 or of a safe 
convoy1 or the uncertainty of returns of
 money into those remote parts1 denied  
him that happiness1 which he did often  
occasionally mention with a deploration4
  ,not long after his return into       
,england1 that exemplary pattern of     
gravity and wisdom1 the ,lord           
,ellesmere1 then ,keeper of the ,great  
,seal1 the ,lord ,chancellor of         
,england1 taking notice of his learning1
 languages1 and other abilities1 and    
much affecting his person and behaviour1
 took him to be his chief secretary2    
supposing and intending it to be an     
introduction to some more weighty       
employment in the ,state2 for which1 his
 ,lordship did often protest1 he thought
 him very fit4  ,nor did his ,lordship1 

in this time of ,master ,donne's        
attendance upon him1 account him to be  
so much his servant as to forget he was 
his friend2 and1 to testify it1 did     
always use him with much courtesy1      
appointing him a place at his own table1
 to which he esteemed his company and   
discourse to be a great ornament4  ,he  
continued that employment for the space 
of five years1 being daily useful1 and  
not mercenary to his friend4 ,during    
which time he--,i dare not say          
unhappily--fell into such a liking1     
as1--with her approbation1--increased   
into a love1 with a young gentlewoman   
that lived in that family1 who was niece
 to the ,lady ,ellesmere1 and daughter  
to ,sir ,george ,more1 then ,chancellor 
of the ,garter and ,lieutenant of the   
,tower4  ,sir ,george had some          
intimation of it1 and1 knowing          
prevention to be a great part of wisdom1
 did therefore remove her with much     
haste from that to his own house at     
,lothesley1 in the ,county of ,surrey2  

but too late1 by reason of some faithful
 promises which were so interchangeably 
passed1 as never to be violated by      
either party4  ,these promises were only
 known to themselves2 and the friends of
 both parties used much diligence1 and  
many arguments1 to kill or cool their   
affections to each other2 but in vain1  
for love is a flattering mischief that  
hath denied aged and wise men a         
foresight of those evils that too often 
prove to be the children of that blind  
father2 a passion that carries us to    
commit errors with as much ease as      
whirlwinds move feathers1 and begets in 
us an unwearied industry to the         
attainment of what we desire4 ,and such 
an industry did1 notwithstanding much   
watchfulness against it1 bring them     
secretly together1--,i forbear to tell  
the manner how1--and at last to a       
marriage too1 without the allowance of  
those friends whose approbation always  
was1 and ever will be necessary1 to make
 even a virtuous love become lawful4    

,and that the knowledge of their        
marriage might not fall1 like an        
unexpected tempest1 on those that were  
unwilling to have it so2 and that       
pre-apprehensions might make it the less
 enormous when it was known1 it was     
purposely whispered into the ears of    
many that it was so1 yet by none that   
could affirm it4 ,but1 to put a period  
to the jealousies of ,sir ,george--doubt
 often begetting more restless thoughts 
than the certain knowledge of what we   
fear--the news was1 in favour to ,mr4   
,donne1 and with his allowance1 made    
known to ,sir ,george1 by his honourable
 friend and neighbour ,henry1 ,earl of  
,northumberland2 but it was to ,sir     
,george so immeasurably unwelcome1 and  
so transported him that1 as though his  
passion of anger and inconsideration    
might exceed theirs of love and error1  
he presently engaged his sister1 the    
,lady ,ellesmere1 to join with him to   
procure her lord to discharge ,mr4      
,donne of the place he held under his   

,lordship4 ,this request was followed   
with violence2 and though ,sir ,george  
were remembered that errors might be    
over punished1 and desired therefore to 
forbear till second considerations might
 clear some scruples1 yet he became     
restless until his suit was granted and 
the punishment executed4 ,and though the
 ,lord ,chancellor did not1 at ,mr4     
,donne's dismission1 give him such a    
commendation as the great ,emperor      
,charles the ,fifth did of his          
,secretary ,eraso1 when he parted with  
him to his son and successor1 ,philip   
the ,second1 saying1 ,that in his       
,eraso1 he gave to him a greater gift   
than all his estate1 and all the        
kingdoms which he then resigned to him2 
yet the ,lord ,chancellor said1 ,he     
parted with a friend1 and such a        
,secretary as was fitter to serve a king
 than a subject4  ,immediately after his
 dismission from his service1 he sent a 
sad letter to his wife to acquaint her  
with it2 and after the subscription of  

his name1 writ1      ,john ,donne1 ,anne
 ,donne1 ,un-done2  and ,god knows it   
proved too true2 for this bitter physic 
of ,mr4 ,donne's dismission1 was not    
enough to purge out all ,sir ,george's  
choler1 for he was not satisfied till   
,mr4 ,donne and his sometime compupil in
 ,cambridge1 that married him1 namely1  
,samuel ,brooke1 who was after ,doctor  
in ,divinity and ,master of ,trinity    
,college--and his brother ,mr4          
,christopher ,brooke1 sometime ,mr4     
,donne's chamber-fellow in ,lincoln's   
,inn1 who gave ,mr4 ,donne his wife1 and
 witnessed the marriage1 were all       
committed to three several prisons4     
,mr4 ,donne was first enlarged1 who     
neither gave rest to his body or brain1 
nor to any friend in whom he might hope 
to have an interest1 until he had       
procured an enlargement for his two     
imprisoned friends4  ,he was now at     
liberty1 but his days were still cloudy2
 and1 being past these troubles1 others 
did still multiply upon him2 for his    

wife was--to her extreme                
sorrow--detained from him2 and though1  
with ,jacob1 he endured not a hard      
service for her1 yet he lost a good one1
 and was forced to make good his title1 
and to get possession of her by a long  
and restless suit in law1 which proved  
troublesome and sadly chargeable to him1
 whose youth1 and travel1 and needless  
bounty1 had brought his estate into a   
narrow compass4  ,it is observed1 and   
most truly1 that silence and submission 
are charming qualities1 and work most   
upon passionate men2 and it proved so   
with ,sir ,george2 for these1 and a     
general report of ,mr4 ,donne's merits1 
together with his winning               
behaviour1--which1 when it would entice1
 had a strange kind of elegant          
irresistible art2--these1 and time1 had 
so dispassionated ,sir ,george1 that1 as
 the world had approved his daughter's  
choice1 so he also could not but see a  
more than ordinary merit in his new son2
 and this at last melted him into so    

much remorse--for love and anger are so 
like agues as to have hot and cold fits2
 and love in parents1 though it may be  
quenched1 yet is easily rekindled1 and  
expires not till death denies mankind a 
natural heat--that he laboured his son's
 restoration to his place2 using to that
 end both his own and his sister's power
 to her lord2 but with no success2 for  
his answer was1 ,that though he was     
unfeignedly sorry for what he had done1 
yet it was inconsistent with his place  
and credit1 to discharge and readmit    
servants at the request of passionate   
petitioners4  ,sir ,george's endeavour  
for ,mr4 ,donne's readmission was by all
 means to be kept secret3--for men do   
more naturally reluct for errors than   
submit to put on those blemishes that   
attend their visible acknowledgment4    
,but1 however1 it was not long before   
,sir ,george appeared to be so far      
reconciled as to wish their happiness1  
and not to deny them his paternal       
blessing1 but yet refused to contribute 

any means that might conduce to their   
livelihood4  ,mr4 ,donne's estate was   
the greatest part spent in many and     
chargeable travels1 books1 and          
dear-bought experience3 he out of all   
employment that might yield a support   
for himself and wife1 who had been      
curiously and plentifully educated2 both
 their natures generous1 and accustomed 
to confer1 and not to receive1          
courtesies1 these and other             
considerations1 but chiefly that his    
wife was to bear a part in his          
sufferings1 surrounded him with many sad
 thoughts1 and some apparent            
apprehensions of want4  ,but his sorrows
 were lessened and his wants prevented  
by the seasonable courtesy of their     
noble kinsman1 ,sir ,francis ,wolly1 of 
,pirford in ,surrey1 who intreated them 
to a cohabitation with him2 where they  
remained with much freedom to           
themselves1 and equal content to ,him1  
for some years2 and as their charge     
increased--she had yearly a child--so   

did his love and bounty4  ,mr4 ,donne   
and his wife continued with ,sir        
,francis ,wolly till his death3 a little
 before which time ,sir ,francis was so 
happy as to make a perfect              
reconciliation between ,sir ,george and 
his forsaken son and daughter2 ,sir     
,george conditioning1 by bond1 to pay to
 ,mr4 ,donne #hjjl4 at a certain day1 as
 a portion with his wife1 or #bjl4      
quarterly for their maintenance1 as the 
interest for it1 till the said portion  
was paid4  ,most of those years that he 
lived with ,sir ,francis he studied the 
,civil and ,canon ,laws2 in which he    
acquired such a perfection1 as was      
judged to hold proportion with many1 who
 had made that study the employment of  
their whole life4  ,sir ,francis being  
dead1 and that happy family dissolved1  
,mr4 ,donne took for himself a house in 
,mitcham--near to ,croydon in ,surrey--a
 place noted for good air and choice    
company3 there his wife and children    
remained2 and for himself he took       

lodgings in ,london1 near to ,whitehall1
 whither his friends and occasions drew 
him very often1 and where he was as     
often visited by many of the nobility   
and others of this nation1 who used him 
in their counsels of greatest           
consideration1 and with some rewards for
 his better subsistence4  ,nor did our  
own nobility only value and favour him1 
but his acquaintance and friendship was 
sought for by most ,ambassadors of      
foreign nations1 and by many other      
strangers whose learning or business    
occasioned their stay in this nation4   
,thus it continued with him for about   
two years1 all which time his family    
remained constantly at ,mitcham2 and to 
which place he often retired himself1   
and destined some days to a constant    
study of some points of controversy     
betwixt the ,english and ,roman ,church1
 and especially those of ,supremacy and 
,allegiance3 and to that place and such 
studies he could willingly have wedded  
himself during his life2 but the earnest

 persuasion of friends became at last to
 be so powerful1 as to cause the removal
 of himself and family to ,london1 where
 ,sir ,robert ,drewry1 a gentleman of a 
very noble estate1 and a more liberal   
mind1 assigned him and his wife an      
useful apartment in his own large house 
in ,drury ,lane1 and not only rent free1
 but was also a cherisher of his        
studies1 and such a friend as           
sympathized with him and his1 in all    
their joy and sorrows4  ,at this time of
 ,mr4 ,donne's and his wife's living in 
,sir ,robert's house1 the ,lord ,hay    
was1 by ,king ,james1 sent upon a       
glorious embassy to the then ,french    
,king1 ,henry the ,fourth2 and ,sir     
,robert put on a sudden resolution to   
accompany him to the ,french ,court1 and
 to be present at his audience there4   
,and ,sir ,robert put on a sudden       
resolution to solicit ,mr4 ,donne to be 
his companion in that journey4 ,and this
 desire was suddenly made known to his  
wife1 who was then with child1 and      

otherwise under so dangerous a habit of 
body as to her health1 that she         
professed an unwillingness to allow him 
any absence from her2 saying1 ,her      
divining soul boded her some ill in his 
absence2 and therefore desired him not  
to leave her4 ,this made ,mr4 ,donne lay
 aside all thoughts of the journey1 and 
really to resolve against it4 ,but ,sir 
,robert became restless in his          
persuasions for it1 and ,mr4 ,donne was 
so generous as to think he had sold his 
liberty when he received so many        
charitable kindnesses from him1 and told
 his wife so2 who did therefore1 with an
 unwilling willingness1 give a faint    
consent to the journey1 which was       
proposed to be but for two months2 for  
about that time they determined their   
return4 ,within a few days after this   
resolve1 the ,ambassador1 ,sir ,robert1 
and ,mr4 ,donne1 left ,london2 and were 
the twelfth day got all safe to ,paris4 
,two days after their arrival there1    
,mr4 ,donne was left alone in that room 

in which ,sir ,robert1 and he1 and some 
other friends had dined together4 ,to   
this place ,sir ,robert returned within 
half an hour2 and as he left1 so he     
found1 ,mr4 ,donne alone2 but in such an
 ecstasy1 and so altered as to his      
looks1 as amazed ,sir ,robert to behold 
him2 insomuch that he earnestly desired 
,mr4 ,donne to declare what had befallen
 him in the short time of his absence4  
,to which ,mr4 ,donne was not able to   
make a present answer2 but1 after a long
 and perplexed pause1 did at last say1  
,i have seen a dreadful vision since ,i 
saw you3 ,i have seen my dear wife pass 
twice by me through this room1 with her 
hair hanging about her shoulders1 and a 
dead child in her arms3 this ,i have    
seen since ,i saw you4 ,to which ,sir   
,robert replied1 ,sure1 sir1 you have   
slept since ,i saw you2 and this is the 
result of some melancholy dream1 which  
,i desire you to forget1 for you are now
 awake4 ,to which ,mr4 ,donne's reply   
was3 ,i cannot be surer that ,i now live

 than that ,i have not slept since ,i   
saw you3 and am as sure that at her     
second appearing she stopped and looked 
me in the face1 and vanished4 ,rest and 
sleep had not altered ,mr4 ,donne's     
opinion the next day3 for he then       
affirmed this vision with a more        
deliberate1 and so confirmed a          
confidence1 that he inclined ,sir       
,robert to a faint belief that the      
vision was true4 ,it is truly said that 
desire and doubt have no rest2 and it   
proved so with ,sir ,robert2 for he     
immediately sent a servant to ,drewry   
,house1 with a charge to hasten back and
 bring him word whether ,mrs4 ,donne    
were alive2 and1 if alive1 in what      
condition she was as to her health4 ,the
 twelfth day the messenger returned with
 this account3--,that he found and left 
,mrs4 ,donne very sad and sick in her   
bed2 and that1 after a long and         
dangerous labour1 she had been delivered
 of a dead child4 ,and1 upon            
examination1 the abortion proved to be  

the same day1 and about the very hour1  
that ,mr4 ,donne affirmed he saw her    
pass by him in his chamber4  ,this is a 
relation that will beget some wonder1   
and it well may2 for most of our world  
are at present possessed with an opinion
 that visions and miracles are ceased4  
,and1 though it is most certain that two
 lutes1 being both strung and tuned to  
an equal pitch1 and then one played     
upon1 the other that is not touched1    
being laid upon a table at a fit        
distance1 will--like an echo to a       
trumpet--warble a faint audible harmony 
in answer to the same tune2 yet many    
will not believe there is any such thing
 as a sympathy of souls2 and ,i am well 
pleased that every reader do enjoy his  
own opinion4 ,but if the unbelieving    
will not allow the believing reader of  
this story1 a liberty to believe that it
 may be true1 then ,i wish him to       
consider many wise men have believed    
that the ghost of ,julius ,csar did     
appear to ,brutus1 and that both ,st4   

,austin1 and ,monica his mother1 had    
visions in order to his conversion4 ,and
 though these and many others--too many 
to name--have but the authority of human
 story1 yet the incredible reader may   
find in the sacred story 7#a ,sam4      
xxviii4 #ad7 that ,samuel did appear to 
,saul even after his death--whether     
really or not1 ,i undertake not to      
determine4 ,and ,bildad1 in the ,book of
 ,job1 says these words 7iv4 #ac-af73 ,a
 spirit passed before my face2 the hair 
of my head stood up2 fear and trembling 
came upon me1 and made all my bones to  
shake4 ,upon which words ,i will make no
 comment1 but leave them to be          
considered by the incredulous reader2 to
 whom ,i will also commend this         
following consideration3 ,that there be 
many pious and learned men that believe 
our merciful ,god hath assigned to every
 man a particular guardian angel to be  
his constant monitor1 and to attend him 
in all his dangers1 both of body and    
soul4 ,and the opinion that every man   

hath his particular angel may gain some 
authority by the relation of ,st4       
,peter's miraculous deliverance out of  
prison 7,acts xii4 #g-aj2 #ac-ae71 not  
by many1 but by one angel4 ,and this    
belief may yet gain more credit by the  
reader's considering1 that when ,peter  
after his enlargement knocked at the    
door of ,mary the mother of ,john1 and  
,rhode1 the maidservant1 being surprised
 with joy that ,peter was there1 did not
 let him in1 but ran in haste and told  
the disciples1 who were then and there  
met together1 that ,peter was at the    
door2 and they1 not believing it1 said  
she was mad3 yet1 when she again        
affirmed it1 though they then believed  
it not1 yet they concluded1 and said1   
,it is his angel4  ,more observations of
 this nature1 and inferences from them1 
might be made to gain the relation a    
firmer belief2 but ,i forbear1 lest ,i1 
that intended to be but a relator1 may  
be thought to be an engaged person for  
the proving what was related to me2 and 

yet ,i think myself bound to declare    
that1 though it was not told me by ,mr4 
,donne himself1 it was told me--now long
 since--by a person of honour1 and of   
such intimacy with him1 that he knew    
more of the secrets of his soul than any
 person then living3 and ,i think he    
told me the truth2 for it was told with 
such circumstances1 and such            
asseveration1 that--to say nothing of my
 own thoughts--,i verily believe he that
 told it me did himself believe it to be
 true4  ,i return from my account of the
 vision1 to tell the reader1 that both  
before ,mr4 ,donne's going into ,france1
 at his being there1 and after his      
return1 many of the nobility and others 
that were powerful at court1 were       
watchful and solicitous to the ,king for
 some secular employment for him4 ,the  
,king had formerly both known and put a 
value upon his company1 and had also    
given him some hopes of a               
state-employment2 being always much     
pleased when ,mr4 ,donne attended him1  

especially at his meals1 where there    
were usually many deep discourses of    
general learning1 and very often        
friendly disputes1 or debates of        
religion1 betwixt his ,majesty and those
 divines1 whose places required their   
attendance on him at those times3       
particularly the ,dean of the ,chapel1  
who then was ,bishop ,montague--the     
publisher of the learned and eloquent   
,works of his ,majesty--and the most    
,reverend ,doctor ,andrews the late     
learned ,bishop of ,winchester1 who was 
then the ,king's ,almoner4  ,about this 
time there grew many disputes1 that     
concerned the ,oath of ,supremacy and   
,allegiance1 in which the ,king had     
appeared1 and engaged himself by his    
public writings now extant3 and his     
,majesty discoursing with ,mr4 ,donne1  
concerning many of the reasons which are
 usually urged against the taking of    
those ,oaths1 apprehended such a        
validity and clearness in his stating   
the questions1 and his answers to them1 

that his ,majesty commanded him to      
bestow some time in drawing the         
arguments into a method1 and then to    
write his answers to them2 and1 having  
done that1 not to send1 but be his own  
messenger1 and bring them to him4 ,to   
this he presently and diligently applied
 himself1 and within six weeks brought  
them to him under his own handwriting1  
as they be now printed2 the book bearing
 the name of ,pseudo-,martyr1 printed   
anno #afaj4  ,when the ,king had read   
and considered that book1 he persuaded  
,mr4 ,donne to enter into the ,ministry2
 to which1 at that time1 he was1 and    
appeared1 very unwilling1 apprehending  
it--such was his mistaken modesty--to be
 too weighty for his abilities4  ,such  
strifes ,st4 ,austin had1 when ,st4     
,ambrose endeavoured his conversion to  
,christianity2 with which he confesseth 
he acquainted his friend ,alipius4 ,our 
learned author--a man fit to write after
 no mean copy--did the like4 ,and       
declaring his intentions to his dear    

friend ,dr4 ,king1 then ,bishop of      
,london1 a man famous in his generation1
 and no stranger to ,mr4 ,donne's       
abilities--for he had been ,chaplain to 
the ,lord ,chancellor1 at the time of   
,mr4 ,donne's being his ,lordship's     
,secretary--that reverend man did       
receive the news with much gladness2    
and1 after some expressions of joy1 and 
a persuasion to be constant in his pious
 purpose1 he proceeded with all         
convenient speed to ordain him first    
,deacon1 and then ,priest not long      
after4  ,presently after he entered into
 his holy profession1 the ,king sent for
 him1 and made him his ,chaplain in     
,ordinary1 and promised to take a       
particular care for his preferment4     
,and1 though his long familiarity with  
scholars and persons of greatest quality
 was such1 as might have given some men 
boldness enough to have preached to any 
eminent auditory2 yet his modesty in    
this employment was such1 that he could 
not be persuaded to it1 but went usually

 accompanied with some one friend to    
preach privately in some village1 not   
far from ,london2 his first sermon being
 preached at ,paddington4 ,this he did1 
till his ,majesty sent and appointed him
 a day to preach to him at ,whitehall2  
and1 though much were expected from him1
 both by his ,majesty and others1 yet he
 was so happy--which few are--as to     
satisfy and exceed their expectations3  
preaching the ,word so1 as shewed his   
own heart was possessed with those very 
thoughts and joys that he laboured to   
distil into others3 a preacher in       
earnest2 weeping sometimes for his      
auditory1 sometimes with them2 always   
preaching to himself like an angel from 
a cloud1 but in none2 carrying some1 as 
,st4 ,paul was1 to ,heaven in holy      
raptures1 and enticing others by a      
sacred art and courtship to amend their 
lives3 here picturing a vice so as to   
make it ugly to those that practised it2
 and a virtue so as to make it beloved1 
even by those that loved it not2 and all

 this with a most particular grace and  
an unexpressible addition of comeliness4
  ,that summer1 in the very same month  
in which he entered into sacred ,orders1
 and was made the ,king's ,chaplain1 his
 ,majesty then going his progress1 was  
entreated to receive an entertainment in
 the ,university of ,cambridge3 and ,mr4
 ,donne attending his ,majesty at that  
time1 his ,majesty was pleased to       
recommend him to the ,university1 to be 
made ,doctor in ,divinity2 ,doctor      
,harsnett1 after ,archbishop of ,york1  
was then ,vice-,chancellor1 who1 knowing
 him to be the author of that learned   
book the ,pseudo-,martyr1 required no   
other proof of his abilities1 but       
proposed it to the ,university1 who     
presently assented1 and expressed a     
gladness that they had such an occasion 
to entitle him to be theirs4  ,his      
abilities and industry in his profession
 were so eminent1 and he so known and so
 beloved by persons of quality1 that    
within the first year of his entering   

into sacred ,orders1 he had fourteen    
advowsons of several benefices presented
 to him3 but they were in the country1  
and he could not leave his beloved      
,london1 to which place he had a natural
 inclination1 having received both his  
birth and education in it1 and there    
contracted a friendship with many1 whose
 conversation multiplied the joys of his
 life2 but an employment that might     
affix him to that place would be        
welcome1 for he needed it4  ,immediately
 after his return from ,cambridge his   
wife died1 leaving him a man of a       
narrow1 unsettled estate1 and--having   
buried five--the careful father of seven
 children then living1 to whom he gave a
 voluntary assurance never to bring them
 under the subjection of a step-mother2 
which promise he kept most faithfully1  
burying with his tears all his earthly  
joys in his most dear and deserving     
wife's grave1 and betook himself to a   
most retired and solitary life4  ,in    
this retiredness1 which was often from  

the sight of his dearest friends1 he    
became crucified to the world1 and all  
those vanities1 those imaginary         
pleasures1 that are daily acted on that 
restless stage1 and they were as        
perfectly crucified to him4  ,his first 
motion from his house was to preach     
where his beloved wife lay buried--in   
,st4 ,clement's ,church1 near ,temple   
,bar1 ,london2 and his text was a part  
of the ,prophet ,jeremy's ,lamentation3 
,lo1 ,i am the man that have seen       
affliction4  ,in this time of sadness he
 was importuned by the grave ,benchers  
of ,lincoln's ,inn--who were once the   
companions and friends of his youth--to 
accept of their ,lecture1 which1 by     
reason of ,dr4 ,gataker's removal from  
thence1 was then void2 of which he      
accepted1 being most glad to renew his  
intermitted friendship with those whom  
he so much loved1 and where he had been 
a ,saul1--though not to persecute       
,christianity1 or to deride it1 yet in  
his irregular youth to neglect the      

visible practice of it1--there to become
 a ,paul1 and preach salvation to his   
beloved brethren4  ,about which time the
 ,emperor of ,germany died1 and the     
,palsgrave1 who had lately married the  
,lady ,elizabeth1 the ,king's only      
daughter1 was elected and crowned ,king 
of ,bohemia1 the unhappy beginning of   
many miseries in that nation4  ,king    
,james1 whose motto--,beati             
pacifici--did truly speak the very      
thoughts of his heart1 endeavoured first
 to prevent1 and after to compose1 the  
discords of that discomposed ,state2    
and1 amongst other his endeavours1 did  
then send the ,lord ,hay1 ,earl of      
,doncaster1 his ,ambassador to those    
unsettled ,princes2 and1 by a special   
command from his ,majesty1 ,dr4 ,donne  
was appointed to assist and attend that 
employment to the ,princes of the       
,union1 for which the ,earl was most    
glad1 who had always put a great value  
on him1 and taken a great pleasure in   
his conversation and discourse3 and his 

friends at ,lincoln's ,inn were as glad2
 for they feared that his immoderate    
study1 and sadness for his wife's death1
 would1 as ,jacob said1 make his days   
few1 and1 respecting his bodily health1 
evil too3 and of this there were many   
visible signs4  ,about fourteen months  
after his departure out of ,england1 he 
returned to his friends of ,lincoln's   
,inn1 with his sorrows moderated1 and   
his health improved2 and there betook   
himself to his constant course of       
preaching4  ,about a year after his     
return out of ,germany1 ,dr4 ,carey was 
made ,bishop of ,exeter1 and by his     
removal1 the ,deanery of ,st4 ,paul's   
being vacant1 the ,king sent to ,dr4    
,donne1 and appointed him to attend him 
at dinner the next day4 ,when his       
,majesty was sat down1 before he had eat
 any meat1 he said after his pleasant   
manner1 ,dr4 ,donne1 ,i have invited you
 to dinner2 and1 though you sit not down
 with me1 yet ,i will carve to you of a 
dish that ,i know you love well2 for1   

knowing you love ,london1 ,i do         
therefore make you ,dean of ,st4        
,paul's2 and1 when ,i have dined1 then  
do you take your beloved dish home to   
your study1 say grace there to yourself1
 and much good may it do you4           
,immediately after he came to his       
,deanery1 he employed workmen to repair 
and beautify the ,chapel2 suffering as  
holy ,david once vowed1 his eyes and    
temples to take no rest till he had     
first beautified the house of ,god4     
,the next quarter following when his    
father-in-law1 ,sir ,george ,more1--whom
 time had made a lover and admirer of   
him--came to pay to him the conditioned 
sum of twenty pounds1 he refused to     
receive it2 and said--as good ,jacob    
did1 when he heard his beloved son      
,joseph was alive--',it is enough2' you 
have been kind to me and mine3 ,i know  
your present condition is such as not to
 abound1 and ,i hope mine is1 or will be
 such as not to need it3 ,i will        
therefore receive no more from you upon 

that contract1 and in testimony of it   
freely gave him up his bond4            
,immediately after his admission into   
his ,deanery the ,vicarage of ,st4      
,dunstan in the ,west1 ,london1 fell to 
him by the death of ,dr4 ,white1 the    
advowson of it having been given to him 
long before by his honourable friend    
,richard ,earl of ,dorset1 then the     
patron1 and confirmed by his brother the
 late deceased ,edward1 both of them men
 of much honour4  ,by these1 and another
 ecclesiastical endowment which fell to 
him about the same time1 given to him   
formerly by the ,earl of ,kent1 he was  
enabled to become charitable to the     
poor1 and kind to his friends1 and to   
make such provision for his children1   
that they were not left scandalous as   
relating to their or his profession and 
quality4  ,the next ,parliament1 which  
was within that present year1 he was    
chosen ,prolocutor to the ,convocation1 
and about that time was appointed by his
 ,majesty1 his most gracious master1 to 

preach very many occasional sermons1 as 
at ,st4 ,paul's ,cross1 and other       
places4 ,all which employments he       
performed to the admiration of the      
representative body of the whole ,clergy
 of this nation4  ,he was once1 and but 
once1 clouded with the ,king's          
displeasure1 and it was about this time2
 which was occasioned by some malicious 
whisperer1 who had told his ,majesty    
that ,dr4 ,donne had put on the general 
humour of the pulpits1 and was become   
busy in insinuating a fear of the       
,king's inclining to popery1 and a      
dislike of his government2 and          
particularly for the ,king's then       
turning the evening lectures into       
catechising1 and expounding the ,prayer 
of our ,lord1 and of the ,belief1 and   
,commandments4 ,his ,majesty was the    
more inclinable to believe this1 for    
that a person of nobility and great     
note1 betwixt whom and ,dr4 ,donne there
 had been a great friendship1 was at    
this very time discarded the court--,i  

shall forbear his name1 unless ,i had a 
fairer occasion--and justly committed to
 prison2 which begot many rumours in the
 common people1 who in this nation think
 they are not wise unless they be busy  
about what they understand not1 and     
especially about religion4  ,the ,king  
received this news with so much         
discontent and restlessness that he     
would not suffer the sun to set and     
leave him under this doubt2 but sent for
 ,dr4 ,donne1 and required his answer to
 the accusation2 which was so clear and 
satisfactory that the ,king said1 he was
 right glad he rested no longer under   
the suspicion4 ,when the ,king had said 
this1 ,dr4 ,donne kneeled down1 and     
thanked his ,majesty1 and protested his 
answer was faithful1 and free from all  
collusion1 and therefore desired that he
 might not rise till1 as in like cases1 
he always had from ,god1 so he might    
have from his ,majesty1 some assurance  
that he stood clear and fair in his     
opinion4 ,at which the ,king raised him 

from his knees with his own hands1 and  
protested he believed him2 and that he  
knew he was an honest man1 and doubted  
not but that he loved him truly4 ,and1  
having thus dismissed him1 he called    
some ,lords of his ,council into his    
chamber1 and said with much earnestness1
 ,my ,doctor is an honest man2 and1 my  
,lords1 ,i was never better satisfied   
with an answer than he hath now made me2
 and ,i always rejoice when ,i think    
that by my means he became a ,divine4   
,he was made ,dean in the fiftieth year 
of his age1 and in his fifty-fourth year
 a dangerous sickness seized him1 which 
inclined him to a consumption2 but ,god1
 as ,job thankfully acknowledged1       
preserved his spirit1 and kept his      
intellectuals as clear and perfect as   
when that sickness first seized his     
body2 but it continued long1 and        
threatened him with death1 which he     
dreaded not4  ,within a few days his    
distempers abated2 and as his strength  
increased so did his thankfulness to    

,almighty ,god1 testified in his most   
excellent ,book of ,devotions1 which he 
published at his recovery2 in which the 
reader may see the most secret thoughts 
that then possessed his soul1           
paraphrased and made public3 a book that
 may not unfitly be called a ,sacred    
,picture of ,spiritual ,ecstasies1      
occasioned and applicable to the        
emergencies of that sickness2 which     
book1 being a composition of            
meditations1 disquisitions1 and prayers1
 he writ on his sick-bed2 herein        
imitating the holy ,patriarchs1 who were
 wont to build their altars in that     
place where they had received their     
blessings4  ,this sickness brought him  
so near to the gates of death1 and he   
saw the grave so ready to devour him1   
that he would often say his recovery was
 supernatural3 but that ,god that then  
restored his health continued it to him 
till the fifty-ninth year of his life3  
and then1 in ,august #afcj1 being with  
his eldest daughter1 ,mrs4 ,harvey1 at  

,abury ,hatch1 in ,essex1 he there fell 
into a fever1 which1 with the help of   
his constant infirmity--vapours from the
 spleen--hastened him into so visible a 
consumption that his beholders might    
say1 as ,st4 ,paul of himself1 ,he dies 
daily2 and he might say with ,job1 ,my  
welfare passeth away as a cloud1 the    
days of my affliction have taken hold of
 me1 and weary nights are appointed for 
me4  ,reader1 this sickness continued   
long1 not only weakening1 but wearying  
him so much1 that my desire is he may   
now take some rest2 and that before ,i  
speak of his death thou wilt not think  
it an impertinent digression to look    
back with me upon some observations of  
his life1 which1 whilst a gentle slumber
 gives rest to his spirits1 may1 ,i     
hope1 not unfitly1 exercise thy         
consideration4  ,his marriage was the   
remarkable error of his life2 an error  
which1 though he had a wit able and very
 apt to maintain paradoxes1 yet he was  
very far from justifying it3 and though 

his wife's competent years1 and other   
reasons1 might be justly urged to       
moderate severe censures1 yet he would  
occasionally condemn himself for it3 and
 doubtless it had been attended with an 
heavy repentance1 if ,god had not       
blessed them with so mutual and cordial 
affections1 as in the midst of their    
sufferings made their bread of sorrow   
taste more pleasantly than the banquets 
of dull and low-spirited people4  ,the  
recreations of his youth were poetry1 in
 which he was so happy as if nature and 
all her varieties had been made only to 
exercise his sharp wit and high fancy2  
and in those pieces which were          
facetiously composed and carelessly     
scattered1--most of them being written  
before the twentieth year of his age--it
 may appear by his choice metaphors that
 both nature and all the arts joined to 
assist him with their utmost skill4  ,it
 is a truth1 that in his penitential    
years1 viewing some of those pieces that
 had been loosely--,god knows1 too      

loosely--scattered in his youth1 he     
wished they had been abortive1 or so    
short-lived that his own eyes had       
witnessed their funerals2 but1 though he
 was no friend to them1 he was not so   
fallen out with heavenly poetry1 as to  
forsake that2 no1 not in his declining  
age2 witnessed then by many divine      
sonnets1 and other high1 holy1 and      
harmonious composures4 ,yea1 even on his
 former sick-bed he wrote this heavenly 
hymn1 expressing the great joy that then
 possessed his soul1 in the assurance of
 ,god's favour to him when he composed  
it3--      ,,an ,,hymn      ,,to ,,god  
,,the ,,father      ,wilt ,thou forgive 
that sin where ,i begun1       ,which   
was my sin1 though it were done before8 
,wilt ,thou forgive that sin through    
which ,i run1       ,and do run still1  
though still ,i do deplore8     ,when   
,thou hast done1 ,thou hast not done1   
,for ,i have more4      ,wilt ,thou     
forgive that sin1 which ,i have won     
,others to sin1 and made my sin their   

door8     ,wilt ,thou forgive that sin  
which ,i did shun       ,a year or      
two3--but wallow'd in a score8     ,when
 ,thou hast done1 ,thou hast not done1  
,for ,i have more4      ,i have a sin of
 fear1 that when ,i've spun       ,my   
last thread1 ,i shall perish on the     
shore2     ,but swear by ,thyself1 that 
at my death ,thy ,son       ,shall shine
 as ,he shines now1 and heretofore2     
,and having done that1 ,thou hast done1 
,i fear no more4  ,i have the rather    
mentioned this hymn1 for that he caused 
it to be set to a most grave and solemn 
tune1 and to be often sung to the organ 
by the choiristers of ,st4 ,paul's      
,church1 in his own hearing2 especially 
at the ,evening ,service2 and at his    
return from his customary devotions in  
that place1 did occasionally say to a   
friend1 the words of this hymn have     
restored to me the same thoughts of joy 
that possessed my soul in my sickness1  
when ,i composed it4 ,and1 ,o the power 
of church-music6 that harmony added to  

this hymn has raised the affections of  
my heart1 and quickened my graces of    
zeal and gratitude2 and ,i observe that 
,i always return from paying this public
 duty of prayer and praise to ,god1 with
 an unexpressible tranquillity of mind1 
and a willingness to leave the world4   
,after this manner did the disciples of 
our ,saviour1 and the best of           
,christians in those ages of the ,church
 nearest to ,his time1 offer their      
praises to ,almighty ,god4 ,and the     
reader of ,st4 ,augustine's life may    
there find1 that towards his dissolution
 he wept abundantly1 that the enemies of
 ,christianity had broke in upon them1  
and profaned and ruined their           
sanctuaries1 and because their public   
hymns and lauds were lost out of their  
,churches4 ,and after this manner have  
many devout souls lifted up their hands 
and offered acceptable sacrifices unto  
,almighty ,god1 where ,dr4 ,donne       
offered his1 and now lies buried4  ,but 
now #afef1 ,oh ,lord6 how is that place 

become desolate6  ,before ,i proceed    
further1 ,i think fit to inform the     
reader1 that not long before his death  
he caused to be drawn a figure of the   
,body of ,christ extended upon an       
anchor1 like those which painters draw1 
when they would present us with the     
picture of ,christ crucified on the     
cross3 his varying no otherwise than to 
affix ,him not to a cross1 but to an    
anchor--the emblem of ,hope2--this he   
caused to be drawn in little1 and then  
many of those figures thus drawn to be  
engraven very small in ,heliotropium    
stones1 and set in gold2 and of these he
 sent to many of his dearest friends1 to
 be used as seals1 or rings1 and kept as
 memorials of him1 and of his affection 
to them4  ,his dear friends and         
benefactors1 ,sir ,henry ,goodier and   
,sir ,robert ,drewry1 could not be of   
that number2 nor could the ,lady        
,magdalen ,herbert1 the mother of       
,george ,herbert1 for they had put off  
mortality1 and taken possession of the  

grave before him2 but ,sir ,henry       
,wotton1 and ,dr4 ,hall1 the then--late 
deceased--,bishop of ,norwich1 were2 and
 so were ,dr4 ,duppa1 ,bishop of        
,salisbury1 and ,dr4 ,henry ,king1      
,bishop of ,chichester--lately          
deceased--men1 in whom there was such a 
commixture of general learning1 of      
natural eloquence1 and ,christian       
humility1 that they deserve a           
commemoration by a pen equal to their   
own1 which none have exceeded4  ,and in 
this enumeration of his friends1 though 
many must be omitted1 yet that man of   
primitive piety1 ,mr4 ,george ,herbert1 
may not2 ,i mean that ,george ,herbert1 
who was the author of ,the ,temple1 or  
,sacred ,poems and ,ejaculations4 ,a    
book1 in which by declaring his own     
spiritual conflicts1 he hath comforted  
and raised many a dejected and          
discomposed soul1 and charmed them into 
sweet and quiet thoughts2 a book1 by the
 frequent reading whereof1 and the      
assistance of that ,spirit that seemed  

to inspire the author1 the reader may   
attain habits of peace and piety1 and   
all the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost and   
,heaven3 and may1 by still reading1     
still keep those sacred fires burning   
upon the altar of so pure a heart1 as   
shall free it from the anxieties of this
 world1 and keep it fixed upon things   
that are above4 ,betwixt this ,george   
,herbert and ,dr4 ,donne1 there was a   
long and dear friendship1 made up by    
such a sympathy of inclinations that    
they coveted and joyed to be in each    
other's company2 and this happy         
friendship was still maintained by many 
sacred endearments2 of which that which 
followeth may be some testimony4        
,,to ,,mr4 ,,george ,,herbert2          
,,sent ,,him ,,with ,,one ,,of ,,my     
,,seals ,,of ,,the ,,anchor ,,and       
,,christ4      ,illustration      ,a    
,sheaf of ,snakes used     heretofore to
 be my ,seal1     which is the ,crest of
 our     poor family4      ,illustration
      ,qui prius assuetus serpentum     

falce tabellas       ,signare1 hc nostr 
symbola parva domus1     ,adscitus domui
 ,domini----      ,adopted in ,god's    
family1 and so     ,my old coat lost1   
into new ,arms ,i go4     ,the ,cross1  
my ,seal in ,baptism1 spread below1     
,does by that form into an ,anchor grow4
     ,crosses grow ,anchors1 bear as    
thou shouldst do     ,thy ,cross1 and   
that ,cross grows an ,anchor too4       
,but ,he that makes our ,crosses        
,anchors thus1     ,is ,christ1 who     
there is crucified for us4     ,yet with
 this ,i may my first ,serpents hold2-- 
,god gives new blessings1 and yet leaves
 the old--     ,the ,serpent1 may1 as   
wise1 my pattern be2     ,my poison1 as 
he feeds on dust1 that's me4     ,and1  
as he rounds the earth to murder1 sure  
,he is my death2 but on the ,cross1 my  
cure1     ,crucify nature then2 and then
 implore     ,all grace from ,him1      
crucified there before4     ,when all is
 ,cross1 and that ,cross ,anchor grown  
,this ,seal's a ,catechism1 not a ,seal 

alone4     ,under that little ,seal     
great gifts ,i send1     ,both works and
 pray'rs1 pawns and fruits of a friend4 
,o6 may that ,saint that rides on our   
,great ,seal1     ,to you that bear his 
name1 large bounty deal4      ,john     
,donne4        ,,in ,,sacram ,,anchoram 
,,piscatoris      ,,george ,,herbert4   
,quod ,crux nequibat fixa clavique      
additi1--     ,tenere ,christum scilicet
 ne ascenderet1     ,tuive ,christum--  
,although the ,cross could not here     
,christ detain1     ,when nail'd unto't1
 but ,he ascends again2     ,nor yet thy
 eloquence here keep ,him still1        
,but only whilst thou speak'st--this    
,anchor will3     ,nor canst thou be    
content1 unless thou to     ,this       
certain ,anchor add a ,seal2 and so     
,the water and the earth both unto thee 
,do owe the symbol of their certainty4  
,let the world reel1 we and all ours    
stand sure1     ,this holy cable's from 
all storms secure4      ,george         
,herbert4  ,i return to tell the reader1

 that1 besides these verses to his dear 
,mr4 ,herbert1 and that ,hymn that ,i   
mentioned to be sung in the choir of    
,st4 ,paul's ,church1 he did also       
shorten and beguile many sad hours by   
composing other sacred ditties2 and he  
writ an ,hymn on his death-bed1 which   
bears this title3--      ,,an ,,hymn    
,,to ,,god1 ,,my ,,god1 ,,in ,,my       
,,sickness4      ,march #bc1 #afcj4     
,since ,i am coming to that holy room1  
,where1 with ,thy ,choir of ,saints1 for
 evermore     ,i shall be made ,thy     
music1 as ,i come       ,i tune my      
instrument here at the door1       ,and1
 what ,i must do then1 think here       
before4      ,since my ,physicians by   
their loves are grown                   
,cosmographers2 and ,i their map1 who   
lie     ,flat on this bed----      ,so1 
in ,his purple wrapt1 receive my ,lord6 
,by these ,his thorns1 give me ,his     
other ,crown     ,and1 as to other souls
 ,i preach'd ,thy word1       ,be this  
my text1 my sermon to mine own1         

',that ,he may raise2 therefore the     
,lord throws down4'  ,if these fall     
under the censure of a soul1 whose too  
much mixture with earth makes it unfit  
to judge of these high raptures and     
illuminations1 let him know1 that many  
holy and devout men have thought the    
soul of ,prudentius to be most refined1 
when1 not many days before his death1 he
 charged it to present his ,god each    
morning and evening with a new and      
spiritual song2 justified by the example
 of ,king ,david and the good ,king     
,hezekiah1 who1 upon the renovation of  
his years paid his thankful vows to     
,almighty ,god in a royal hymn1 which he
 concludes in these words3 ,the ,lord   
was ready to save2 therefore ,i will    
sing my songs to the stringed           
instruments all the days of my life in  
the ,temple of my ,god4  ,the latter    
part of his life may be said to be a    
continued study2 for as he usually      
preached once a week1 if not oftener1 so
 after his sermon he never gave his eyes

 rest1 till he had chosen out a new     
text1 and that night cast his sermon    
into a form1 and his text into          
divisions2 and the next day betook      
himself to consult the ,fathers1 and so 
commit his meditations to his memory1   
which was excellent4 ,but upon ,saturday
 he usually gave himself and his mind a 
rest from the weary burthen of his      
week's meditations1 and usually spent   
that day in visitation of friends1 or   
some other diversions of his thoughts2  
and would say1 that he gave both his    
body and mind that refreshment1 that he 
might be enabled to do the work of the  
day following1 not faintly1 but with    
courage and cheerfulness4  ,nor was his 
age only so industrious1 but in the most
 unsettled days of his youth1 his bed   
was not able to detain him beyond the   
hour of four in a morning2 and it was no
 common business that drew him out of   
his chamber till past ten2 all which    
time was employed in study2 though he   
took great liberty after it4 ,and if    

this seem strange1 it may gain a belief 
by the visible fruits of his labours2   
some of which remain as testimonies of  
what is here written3 for he left the   
resultance of #adjj authors1 most of    
them abridged and analysed with his own 
hand3 he left also six score of his     
sermons1 all written with his own hand1 
also an exact and laborious ,treatise   
concerning self-murder1 called          
,biathanatos2 wherein all the laws      
violated by that act are diligently     
surveyed1 and judiciously censured3 a   
,treatise written in his younger days1  
which alone might declare him then not  
only perfect in the ,civil and ,canon   
,law1 but in many other such studies and
 arguments1 as enter not into the       
consideration of many that labour to be 
thought great clerks1 and pretend to    
know all things4  ,nor were these only  
found in his study1 but all businesses  
that passed of any public consequence1  
either in this or any of our            
neighbour-nations1 he abbreviated either

 in ,latin1 or in the language of that  
nation1 and kept them by him for useful 
memorials4 ,so he did the copies of     
divers ,letters and ,cases of           
,conscience that had concerned his      
friends1 with his observations and      
solutions of them2 and divers other     
businesses of importance1 all           
particularly and methodically digested  
by himself4  ,he did prepare to leave   
the world before life left him2 making  
his ,will when no faculty of his soul   
was damped or made defective by pain or 
sickness1 or he surprised by a sudden   
apprehension of death3 but it was made  
with mature deliberation1 expressing    
himself an impartial father1 by making  
his children's portions equal2 and a    
lover of his friends1 whom he remembered
 with legacies fitly and discreetly     
chosen and bequeathed4 ,i cannot forbear
 a nomination of some of them2 for      
methinks they be persons that seem to   
challenge a recordation in this place2  
as namely1 to his brother-in-law1 ,sir  

,thomas ,grimes1 he gave that striking  
clock1 which he had long worn in his    
pocket2 to his dear friend and executor1
 ,dr4 ,king--late ,bishop of            
,chichester--that ,model of ,gold of the
 ,synod of ,dort1 with which the ,states
 presented him at his last being at the 
,hague2 and the two pictures of ,padre  
,paolo and ,fulgentio1 men of his       
acquaintance when he travelled ,italy1  
and of great note in that nation for    
their remarkable learning4--,to his     
ancient friend ,dr4 ,brook--that married
 him--,master of ,trinity ,college in   
,cambridge1 he gave the picture of the  
,blessed ,virgin and ,joseph4--,to ,dr4 
,winniff who succeeded him in the       
,deanery--he gave a picture called the  
,skeleton4--,to the succeeding ,dean1   
who was not then known1 he gave many    
necessaries of worth1 and useful for his
 house2 and also several pictures and   
ornaments for the ,chapel1 with a desire
 that they might be registered1 and     
remain as a legacy to his               

successors4--,to the ,earls of ,dorset  
and ,carlisle he gave several pictures2 
and so he did to many other friends2    
legacies1 given rather to express his   
affection1 than to make any addition to 
their estates3 but unto the poor he was 
full of charity1 and unto many others1  
who1 by his constant and long continued 
bounty1 might entitle themselves to be  
his alms-people3 for all these he made  
provision1 and so largely1 as1 having   
then six children living1 might to some 
appear more than proportionable to his  
estate4 ,i forbear to mention any more1 
lest the reader may think ,i trespass   
upon his patience3 but ,i will beg his  
favour1 to present him with the         
beginning and end of his ,will4         
,in the name of the blessed and glorious
 ,trinity4 ,amen4 ,i ,john      ,donne1 
by the mercy of ,christ ,jesus1 and by  
the calling of the      ,church of      
,england1 ,priest1 being at this time in
 good health and      perfect           
understanding--praised be ,god          

therefore--do hereby make my      last  
,will and ,testament in manner and form 
following3--       ,first1 ,i give my   
gracious ,god an entire sacrifice of    
body and      soul1 with my most humble 
thanks for that assurance which ,his    
,blessed ,spirit imprints in me now of  
the ,salvation of the one1 and      the 
,resurrection of the other2 and for that
 constant and cheerful      resolution1 
which the same ,spirit hath established 
in me1 to live      and die in the      
religion now professed in the ,church of
 ,england4 ,in      expectation of that 
,resurrection1 ,i desire my body may be 
buried--in the most private manner that 
may be--in that place of      ,st4      
,paul's ,church1 ,london1 that the now  
,residentiaries have at my      request 
designed for that purpose1 c4--,and this
 my last ,will and      ,testament1 made
 in the fear of ,god1--whose mercy ,i   
humbly beg1 and      constantly rely    
upon in ,jesus ,christ--and in perfect  
love and      charity with all the      

world--whose pardon ,i ask1 from the    
lowest of      my servants1 to the      
highest of my superiors--written all    
with my      own hand1 and my name      
subscribed to every page1 of which there
 are      five in number4       ,sealed 
,december #ac1 #afcj4  ,nor was this    
blessed sacrifice of charity expressed  
only at his death1 but in his life also1
 by a cheerful and frequent visitation  
of any friend whose mind was dejected1  
or his fortune necessitous2 he was      
inquisitive after the wants of          
prisoners1 and redeemed many from       
prison1 that lay for their fees or small
 debts3 he was a continual giver to poor
 scholars1 both of this and foreign     
nations4 ,besides what he gave with his 
own hand1 he usually sent a servant1 or 
a discreet and trusty friend1 to        
distribute his charity to all the       
prisons in ,london1 at all the festival 
times of the year1 especially at the    
,birth and ,resurrection of our         
,saviour4 ,he gave an hundred pounds at 

one time to an old friend1 whom he had  
known live plentifully1 and by a too    
liberal heart and carelessness became   
decayed in his estate2 and when the     
receiving of it was denied1 by the      
gentleman's saying1 ,he wanted not2--for
 the reader may note1 that as there be  
some spirits so generous as to labour to
 conceal and endure a sad poverty1      
rather than expose themselves to those  
blushes that attend the confession of   
it2 so there be others1 to whom nature  
and grace have afforded such sweet and  
compassionate souls1 as to pity and     
prevent the distresses of               
mankind2--which ,i have mentioned       
because of ,dr4 ,donne's reply1 whose   
answer was1 ,i know you want not what   
will sustain nature2 for a little will  
do that2 but my desire is1 that you1 who
 in the days of your plenty have cheered
 and raised the hearts of so many of    
your dejected friends1 would now receive
 this from me1 and use it as a cordial  
for the cheering of your own3 and upon  

these terms it was received4 ,he was an 
happy reconciler of many differences in 
the families of his friends and         
kindred1--which he never undertook      
faintly2 for such undertakings have     
usually faint effects--and they had such
 a faith in his judgment and            
impartiality1 that he never advised them
 to any thing in vain4 ,he was1 even to 
her death1 a most dutiful son to his    
mother1 careful to provide for her      
supportation1 of which she had been     
destitute1 but that ,god raised him up  
to prevent her necessities2 who having  
sucked in the religion of the ,roman    
,church with the mother's milk1 spent   
her estate in foreign countries1 to     
enjoy a liberty in it1 and died in his  
house but three months before him4  ,and
 to the end it may appear how just a    
steward he was of his ,lord and         
,master's revenue1 ,i have thought fit  
to let the reader know1 that after his  
entrance into his ,deanery1 as he       
numbered his years1 he1 at the foot of a

 private account1 to which ,god and ,his
 ,angels were only witnesses with       
him1--computed first his revenue1 then  
what was given to the poor1 and other   
pious uses2 and lastly1 what rested for 
him and his2 and having done that1 he   
then blessed each year's poor remainder 
with a thankful prayer2 which1 for that 
they discover a more than common        
devotion1 the reader shall partake some 
of them in his own words3--  ,so all is 
that remains this year #afbd-e--  ,deo  
,opt4 ,max4 benigno largitori1  me1 at  
ab iis quibus hc  me reservantur1 gloria
 et gratia in ternum4 ,amen4            
,,translated ,,thus4  ,to ,god all      
,good1 all ,great1 the benevolent       
,bestower1 by me and by them1 for whom1 
by me1 these sums are laid up1 be glory 
and grace ascribed for ever4 ,amen4  ,so
 that this year1 #afbf1 ,god hath       
blessed me and mine with--  ,multiplicat
 sunt super nos misericordi tu1 ,domine4
  ,,translated ,,thus4  ,thy mercies1   
,oh ,lord6 are multiplied upon us4  ,da1

 ,domine1 ut qu ex immens bonitate tu   
nobis elargiri dignatus sis1 in         
quorumcunque manus devenerint1 in tuam  
semper cedant gloriam4 ,amen4           
,,translated ,,thus4  ,grant1 ,oh ,lord6
 that what out of ,thine infinite bounty
 ,thou hast vouchsafed to lavish upon   
us1 into whosoever hands it may devolve1
 may always be improved to thy glory4   
,amen4  ,in fine horum sex annorum manet
 #afbg-h-i--  ,quid habeo quod non      
accepi a ,domino8 ,largitur etiam ut qu 
largitus est sua iterum fiant1 bono     
eorum usu2 ut quemadmodum nec officiis  
hujus mundi1 nec loci in quo me posuit  
dignitati1 nec servis1 nec egenis1 in   
toto hujus anni curriculo mihi conscius 
sum me defuisse2 ita et liberi1 quibus  
qu supersunt1 supersunt1 grato animo ea 
accipiant1 et beneficum authorem        
recognoscant4 ,amen4  ,,translated      
,,thus4  ,at the end of these six years 
remains--  ,what have ,i1 which ,i have 
not received from the ,lord8 ,he        
bestows1 also1 to the intent that what  

,he hath bestowed may revert to ,him by 
the proper use of it3 that1 as ,i have  
not consciously been wanting to myself  
during the whole course of the past     
year1 either in discharging my secular  
duties1 in retaining the dignity of my  
station1 or in my conduct towards my    
servants and the poor--so my children   
for whom remains whatever is remaining1 
may receive it with gratitude1 and      
acknowledge the beneficent ,giver4      
,amen4       99     99     99     99    
99  ,but ,i return from my long         
digression4  ,we left the ,author sick  
in ,essex1 where he was forced to spend 
much of that winter1 by reason of his   
disability to remove from that place2   
and having never1 for almost twenty     
years1 omitted his personal attendance  
on his ,majesty in that month1 in which 
he was to attend and preach to him2 nor 
having ever been left out of the roll   
and number of ,lent ,preachers1 and     
there being then--in ,january1 #afcj--;a
 report brought to ,london1 or raised   

there1 that ,dr4 ,donne was dead2 that  
report gave him occasion to write the   
following letter to a dear friend3--    
,sir1       ,this advantage you and my  
other friends have by my frequent       
fevers1 that ,i am so much the oftener  
at the gates of ,heaven2 and      this  
advantage by the solitude and close     
imprisonment that they      reduce me to
 after1 that ,i am so much the oftener  
at my prayers1 in      which ,i shall   
never leave out your happiness2 and ,i  
doubt not1      among ,his other        
blessings1 ,god will add some one to you
 for my      prayers4 ,a man would      
almost be content to die--if there were 
no      other benefit in death--to hear 
of so much sorrow1 and so much good     
testimony from good men1 as ,i--,god be 
blessed for it--did upon the      report
 of my death2 yet ,i perceive it went   
not through all2 for one      writ to   
me1 that some--and he said of my        
friends--conceived ,i was      not so   
ill as ,i pretended1 but withdrew myself

 to live at ease1      discharged of    
preaching4 ,it is an unfriendly1 and1   
,god knows1 an      ill-grounded        
interpretation2 for ,i have always been 
sorrier when ,i      could not preach1  
than any could be they could not hear   
me4 ,it hath      been my desire1 and   
,god may be pleased to grant it1 that ,i
 might      die in the pulpit2 if not   
that1 yet that ,i might take my death in
      the pulpit2 that is1 die the      
sooner by occasion of those labours4    
,sir1 ,i hope to see you presently after
 ,candlemas2 about which time      will 
fall my ,lent ,sermon at ,court1 except 
my ,lord ,chamberlain      believe me to
 be dead1 and so leave me out of the    
roll3 but as long      as ,i live1 and  
am not speechless1 ,i would not         
willingly1 decline      that service4 ,i
 have better leisure to write1 than you 
to read2 yet      ,i would not willingly
 oppress you with too much letter4 ,god 
so      bless you and your son1 as ,i   
wish to      ,your poor friend and      

,servant       ,in ,christ ,jesus1      
,j4 ,donne4   ,before that month ended1 
he was appointed to preach upon his old 
constant day1 the first ,friday in      
,lent3 he had notice of it1 and had in  
his sickness so prepared for that       
employment1 that as he had long thirsted
 for it1 so he resolved his weakness    
should not hinder his journey2 he came  
therefore to ,london some few days      
before his appointed day of preaching4  
,at his coming thither1 many of his     
friends--who with sorrow saw his        
sickness had left him but so much flesh 
as did only cover his bones--doubted his
 strength to perform that task1 and did 
therefore dissuade him from undertaking 
it1 assuring him1 however1 it was like  
to shorten his life3 but he passionately
 denied their requests1 saying he would 
not doubt that that ,god1 who in so many
 weaknesses had assisted him with an    
unexpected strength1 would now withdraw 
it in his last employment2 professing an
 holy ambition to perform that sacred   

work4 ,and when1 to the amazement of    
some beholders1 he appeared in the      
pulpit1 many of them thought he         
presented himself not to preach         
mortification by a living voice1 but    
mortality by a decayed body1 and a dying
 face4 ,and doubtless many did secretly 
ask that question in ,ezekiel 7chap4    
xxxvii4 #c71 ,do these bones live8 or1  
can that soul organise that tongue1 to  
speak so long time as the sand in that  
glass will move towards its centre1 and 
measure out an hour of this dying man's 
unspent life8 ,doubtless it cannot4 ,and
 yet1 after some faint pauses in his    
zealous prayer1 his strong desires      
enabled his weak body to discharge his  
memory of his preconceived meditations1 
which were of dying2 the text being1 ,to
 ,god the ,lord belong the issues from  
death4 ,many that then saw his tears1   
and heard his faint and hollow voice1   
professing they thought the text        
prophetically chosen1 and that ,dr4     
,donne had preached his own ,funeral    

,sermon4  ,being full of joy that ,god  
had enabled him to perform this desired 
duty1 he hastened to his house2 out of  
which he never moved1 till1 like ,st4   
,stephen1 he was carried by devout men  
to his grave4  ,the next day after his  
sermon1 his strength being much wasted1 
and his spirits so spent as indisposed  
him to business or to talk1 a friend    
that had often been a witness of his    
free and facetious discourse asked him1 
,why are you sad8 ,to whom he replied   
with a countenance so full of cheerful  
gravity1 as gave testimony of an inward 
tranquillity of mind1 and of a soul     
willing to take a farewell of this      
world1 and said3--       ,i am not sad2 
but most of the night past ,i have      
entertained myself      with many       
thoughts of several friends that have   
left me here1 and      are gone to that 
place from which they shall not return2 
and that      within a few days ,i also 
shall go hence1 and be no more seen4    
,and      my preparation for this change

 is become my nightly meditation upon   
my bed1 which my infirmities have now   
made restless to me4 ,but at      this  
present time1 ,i was in a serious       
contemplation of the      providence and
 goodness of ,god to me2 to me1 who am  
less than the      least of ,his        
mercies3 and looking back upon my life  
past1 ,i now      plainly see it was    
,his hand that prevented me from all    
temporal      employment2 and that it   
was ,his will ,i should never settle nor
      thrive till ,i entered into the   
,ministry2 in which ,i have now lived   
almost twenty years--,i hope to ,his    
glory1--and by which1 ,i most           
humbly thank ,him1 ,i have been enabled 
to requite most of those      friends   
which shewed me kindness when my fortune
 was very low1 as      ,god knows it    
was3 and--as it hath occasioned the     
expression of my      gratitude--,i     
thank ,god most of them have stood in   
need of my      requital4 ,i have lived 
to be useful and comfortable to my good 

,father-in-law1 ,sir ,george ,more1     
whose patience ,god hath been           
pleased to exercise with many temporal  
crosses2 ,i have maintained      my own 
mother1 whom it hath pleased ,god1 after
 a plentiful fortune      in her younger
 days1 to bring to great decay in her   
very old age4 ,i      have quieted the  
consciences of many1 that have groaned  
under the      burden of a wounded      
spirit1 whose prayers ,i hope are       
available for      me4 ,i cannot plead  
innocency of life1 especially of my     
youth2 but ,i      am to be judged by a 
merciful ,god1 who is not willing to see
 what ,i      have done amiss4 ,and     
though of myself ,i have nothing to     
present to      ,him but sins and       
misery1 yet ,i know ,he looks not upon  
me now as ,i      am of myself1 but as  
,i am in my ,saviour1 and hath given me1
 even at      this present time1 some   
testimonies by ,his ,holy ,spirit1 that 
,i am      of the number of ,his ,elect3
 ,i am therefore full of inexpressible  

joy1 and shall die in peace4  ,i must   
here look so far back1 as to tell the   
reader that at his first return out of  
,essex1 to preach his last sermon1 his  
old friend and physician1 ,dr4 ,fox--a  
man of great worth--came to him to      
consult his health2 and that after a    
sight of him1 and some queries          
concerning his distempers he told him1  
,that by cordials1 and drinking milk    
twenty days together1 there was a       
probability of his restoration to       
health2 but he passionately denied to   
drink it4 ,nevertheless1 ,dr4 ,fox1 who 
loved him most entirely1 wearied him    
with solicitations1 till he yielded to  
take it for ten days2 at the end of     
which time he told ,dr4 ,fox1 ,he had   
drunk it more to satisfy him1 than to   
recover his health2 and that he would   
not drink it ten days longer1 upon the  
best moral assurance of having twenty   
years added to his life2 for he loved it
 not2 and was so far from fearing       
,death1 which to others is the ,king of 

,terrors1 that he longed for the day of 
his dissolution4  ,it is observed1 that 
a desire of glory or commendation is    
rooted in the very nature of man2 and   
that those of the severest and most     
mortified lives1 though they may become 
so humble as to banish self-flattery1   
and such weeds as naturally grow there2 
yet they have not been able to kill this
 desire of glory1 but that like our     
radical heat1 it will both live and die 
with us2 and many think it should do so2
 and we want not sacred examples to     
justify the desire of having our memory 
to outlive our lives2 which ,i mention1 
because ,dr4 ,donne1 by the persuasion  
of ,dr4 ,fox1 easily yielded at this    
very time to have a monument made for   
him2 but ,dr4 ,fox undertook not to     
persuade him how1 or what monument it   
should be2 that was left to ,dr4 ,donne 
himself4  ,a monument being resolved    
upon1 ,dr4 ,donne sent for a carver to  
make for him in wood the figure of an   
urn1 giving him directions for the      

compass and height of it2 and to bring  
with it a board1 of the just height of  
his body4 ,these being got1 then without
 delay a choice painter was got to be in
 readiness to draw his picture1 which   
was taken as followeth4--,several       
charcoal fires being first made in his  
large study1 he brought with him into   
that place his winding-sheet in his     
hand1 and having put off all his        
clothes1 had this sheet put on him1 and 
so tied with knots at his head and feet1
 and his hands so placed as dead bodies 
are usually fitted1 to be shrouded and  
put into their coffin1 or grave4 ,upon  
this urn he thus stood1 with his eyes   
shut1 and with so much of the sheet     
turned aside as might shew his lean1    
pale1 and death-like face1 which was    
purposely turned towards the ,east1 from
 whence he expected the second coming of
 his and our ,saviour ,jesus4 ,in this  
posture he was drawn at his just height2
 and when the picture was fully         
finished1 he caused it to be set by his 

bedside1 where it continued and became  
his hourly object till his death1 and   
was then given to his dearest friend and
 executor ,dr4 ,henry ,king1 then chief 
,residentiary of ,st4 ,paul's1 who      
caused him to be thus carved in one     
entire piece of white marble1 as it now 
stands in that ,church2 and by ,dr4     
,donne's own appointment1 these words   
were to be affixed to it as an          
epitaph3--       ,,johannes ,,donne     
,,sac4 ,,theol4 ,,profess4 ,,post       
,,varia ,,studia1 ,,quibus ,,ab ,,annis 
,,tenerrimis      ,,fideliter1 ,,nec    
,,infeliciter ,,incubuit2 ,,instinctu   
,,et ,,impulsu ,,sp4      ,,sancti1     
,,monitu ,,et ,,hortatu ,,regis         
,,jacobi1 ,,ordines ,,sacros ,,amplexus1
      ,,anno ,,sui ,,jesu1 ,,mdcxiv4    
,,et ,,su ,,tatis ,,xlii4 ,,decanatu    
,,hujus ,,ecclesi      ,,indutus1       
,,xxvii4 ,,novembris1 ,,mdcxxi4 ,,exutus
 ,,morte ,,ultimo ,,die ,,martii1       
,,mdcxxxi4 ,,hic ,,licet ,,in ,,occiduo 
,,cinere1 ,,aspicit ,,eum ,,cujus       

,,nomen ,,est      ,,oriens4  ,and now1 
having brought him through the many     
labyrinths and perplexities of a various
 life1 even to the gates of death and   
the grave2 my desire is1 he may rest1   
till ,i have told my reader that ,i have
 seen many pictures of him1 in several  
habits1 and at several ages1 and in     
several postures3 and ,i now mention    
this because ,i have seen one picture of
 him1 drawn by a curious hand1 at his   
age of eighteen1 with his sword1 and    
what other adornments might then suit   
with the present fashions of youth and  
the giddy gaieties of that age2 and his 
motto then was--      ,how much shall ,i
 be changed     ,before ,i am changed6  
,and if that young1 and his now dying   
picture were at this time set together1 
every beholder might say1 ,lord6 how    
much is ,dr4 ,donne already changed1    
before he is changed6 ,and the view of  
them might give my reader occasion to   
ask himself with some amazement1 ,lord6 
how much may ,i also1 that am now in    

health1 be changed before ,i am changed2
 before this vile1 this changeable body 
shall put off mortality6 and therefore  
to prepare for it4--,but this is not    
writ so much for my reader's memento1 as
 to tell him1 that ,dr4 ,donne would    
often in his private discourses1 and    
often publicly in his sermons1 mention  
the many changes both of his body and   
mind1 especially of his mind from a     
vertiginous giddiness2 and would as     
often say1 ,his great and most blessed  
change was from a temporal to a         
spiritual employment2 in which he was so
 happy1 that he accounted the former    
part of his life to be lost2 and the    
beginning of it to be1 from his first   
entering into ,sacred ,orders1 and      
serving his most merciful ,god at ,his  
altar4  ,upon ,monday1 after the drawing
 this picture1 he took his last leave of
 his beloved study2 and1 being sensible 
of his hourly decay1 retired himself to 
his bedchamber2 and that week sent at   
several times for many of his most      

considerable friends1 with whom he took 
a solemn and deliberate farewell1       
commending to their considerations some 
sentences useful for the regulation of  
their lives2 and then dismissed them1 as
 good ,jacob did his sons1 with a       
spiritual benediction4 ,the ,sunday     
following1 he appointed his servants1   
that if there were any business yet     
undone1 that concerned him or           
themselves1 it should be prepared       
against ,saturday next2 for after that  
day he would not mix his thoughts with  
any thing that concerned this world2 nor
 ever did2 but1 as ,job1 so he waited   
for the appointed day of his            
dissolution4  ,and now he was so happy  
as to have nothing to do but to die1 to 
do which he stood in need of no longer  
time2 for he had studied it long1 and to
 so happy a perfection1 that in a former
 sickness he called ,god to witness 7in 
his ,book of ,devotions1 written then71 
,he was that minute ready to deliver his
 soul into his ,hands1 if that minute   

,god would determine his dissolution4   
,in that sickness he begged of ,god the 
constancy to be preserved in that estate
 for ever2 and his patient expectation  
to have his immortal soul disrobed from 
her garment of mortality1 makes me      
confident that he now had a modest      
assurance that his prayers were then    
heard1 and his petition granted4 ,he lay
 fifteen days earnestly expecting his   
hourly change2 and in the last hour of  
his last day1 as his body melted away1  
and vapoured into spirit1 his soul      
having1 ,i verily believe1 some         
revelation of the beatifical vision1 he 
said1 ,i were miserable if ,i might not 
die2 and after those words1 closed many 
periods of his faint breath by saying   
often1 ,thy kingdom come1 ,thy will be  
done4 ,his speech1 which had long been  
his ready and faithful servant1 left him
 not till the last minute of his life1  
and then forsook him1 not to serve      
another master--for who speaks like     
him1--but died before him2 for that it  

was then become useless to him1 that now
 conversed with ,god on earth as ,angels
 are said to do in heaven1 only by      
thoughts and looks4 ,being speechless1  
and seeing heaven by that illumination  
by which he saw it1 he did1 as ,st4     
,stephen1 look stedfastly into it1 till 
he saw the ,son of ,man standing at the 
right hand of ,god ,his ,father2 and    
being satisfied with this blessed sight1
 as his soul ascended1 and his last     
breath departed from him1 he closed his 
own eyes1 and then disposed his hands   
and body into such a posture1 as        
required not the least alteration by    
those that came to shroud him4  ,thus   
variable1 thus virtuous was the life2   
thus excellent1 thus exemplary was the  
death of this memorable man4  ,he was   
buried in that place of ,st4 ,paul's    
,church1 which he had appointed for that
 use some years before his death2 and by
 which he passed daily to pay his public
 devotions to ,almighty ,god--who was   
then served twice a day by a public form

 of prayer and praises in that place2   
but he was not buried privately1 though 
he desired it2 for1 beside an unnumbered
 number of others1 many persons of      
nobility1 and of eminence for learning1 
who did love and honour him in his life1
 did show it at his death1 by a         
voluntary and sad attendance of his body
 to the grave1 where nothing was so     
remarkable as a public sorrow4  ,to     
which place of his burial some mournful 
friends repaired1 and1 as ,alexander the
 ,great did to the grave of the famous  
,achilles1 so they strewed his with an  
abundance of curious and costly flowers2
 which course they--who were never yet  
known--continued morning and evening for
 many days1 not ceasing till the stones 
that were taken up in that ,church to   
give his body admission into the cold   
earth--now his bed of rest--were again  
by the mason's art so levelled and      
firmed as they had been formerly1 and   
his place of burial undistinguishable to
 common view4  ,the next day after his  

burial some unknown friend1 some one of 
the many lovers and admirers of his     
virtue and learning1 writ this epitaph  
with a coal on the wall over his        
grave3--      ,reader6 ,i am to let thee
 know1     ,donne's body only lies      
below2     ,for1 could the grave his    
soul comprise1     ,earth would be      
richer than the skies6  ,nor was this   
all the honour done to his reverend     
ashes2 for1 as there be some persons    
that will not receive a reward for that 
for which ,god accounts ,himself a      
debtor2 persons that dare trust ,god    
with their charity1 and without a       
witness2 so there was by some grateful  
unknown friend1 that thought ,dr4       
,donne's memory ought to be perpetuated1
 an hundred marks sent to his faithful  
friends and executors 7,dr4 ,king and   
,dr4 ,montford71 towards the making of  
his monument4 ,it was not for many years
 known by whom2 but1 after the death of 
,dr4 ,fox1 it was known that it was he  
that sent it2 and he lived to see as    

lively a representation of his dead     
friend as marble can express3 a statue  
indeed so like ,dr4 ,donne1 that--as his
 friend ,sir ,henry ,wotton hath        
expressed himself--,it seems to breathe 
faintly1 and posterity shall look upon  
it as a kind of artificial miracle4  ,he
 was of stature moderately tall2 of a   
straight and equally-proportioned body1 
to which all his words and actions gave 
an unexpressible addition of comeliness4
  ,the melancholy and pleasant humour   
were in him so contempered1 that each   
gave advantage to the other1 and made   
his company one of the delights of      
mankind4  ,his fancy was unimitably     
high1 equalled only by his great wit2   
both being made useful by a commanding  
judgment4  ,his aspect was cheerful1 and
 such as gave a silent testimony of a   
clear knowing soul1 and of a conscience 
at peace with itself4  ,his melting eye 
showed that he had a soft heart1 full of
 noble compassion2 of too brave a soul  
to offer injuries1 and too much a       

,christian not to pardon them in others4
  ,he did much contemplate--especially  
after he entered into his sacred        
calling--the mercies of ,almighty ,god1 
the immortality of the soul1 and the    
joys of heaven3 and would often say in a
 kind of sacred ecstacy--,blessed be    
,god that ,he is ,god1 only and divinely
 like ,himself4  ,he was by nature      
highly passionate1 but more apt to      
reluct at the excesses of it4 ,a great  
lover of the offices of humanity1 and of
 so merciful a spirit that he never     
beheld the miseries of mankind without  
pity and relief4  ,he was earnest and   
unwearied in the search of knowledge1   
with which his vigorous soul is now     
satisfied1 and employed in a continual  
praise of that ,god that first breathed 
it into his active body3 that body which
 once was a temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 
and is now become a small quantity of   
,christian dust3--  ,but ,i shall see it
 re-animated4  ,i4,w4                   
,,devotions     ,,vpon     ,emergent    

,occasions and seuerall     steps in my 
,sicknes4   ,digested into       #a4    
,,meditations upon our ,humane          
,condition4       #b4 ,,expostulations1 
and ,debatements with ,god4       #c4   
,,prayers1 upon the severall occasions1 
to him4       99     99     99     99   
99  ,by ,,iohn ,,donne1 ,deane of ,s4   
,pauls1 ,london4       99     99     99 
99     99  ,london  ,printed by ,a4 ,m4 
for ,,thomas ,,iones4 #afbd4     ,,to   
,,the ,,most ,,excellent ,,prince1      
,,prince ,,charles4   ,,most ,,excellent
 ,,prince1  ,i have had three births2   
one1 natural1 when ,i came into the     
world2 one1 supernatural1 when ,i       
entered into the ministry2 and now1 a   
preternatural birth1 in returning to    
life1 from this sickness4 ,in my second 
birth1 your ,highness' royal father     
vouchsafed me his hand1 not only to     
sustain me in it1 but to lead me to it4 
,in this last birth1 ,i myself am born a
 father3 this child of mine1 this book1 
comes into the world1 from me1 and with 

me4 ,and therefore1 ,i presume 7as ,i   
did the father1 to the ,father7 to      
present the son to the ,son2 this image 
of my humiliation1 to the lively image  
of his ,majesty1 your ,highness4 ,it    
might be enough1 that ,god hath seen my 
devotions3 but examples of good kings   
are commandments2 and ,hezekiah writ the
 meditations of his sickness1 after his 
sickness4 ,besides1 as ,i have lived to 
see 7not as a witness only1 but as a    
partaker71 the happiness of a part of   
your royal father's time1 so shall ,i   
live 7in my way7 to see the happiness of
 the times of your ,highness too1 if    
this child of mine1 inanimated by your  
gracious acceptation1 may so long       
preserve alive the memory of  ,your     
,highness humblest and devotedest1      
,,john ,,donne4     ,,contents  ,the    
,stations of the ,sickness              
,,page  #a4 ,the first alteration1 the  
first grudging of the sickness       #g 
#b4 ,the strength and the function of   
the senses1 and other    faculties1     

change and fail                         
#ab  #c4 ,the patient takes his bed     
#ag  #d4 ,the physician is sent for     
#bc  #e4 ,the physician comes           
#cj  #f4 ,the physician is afraid       
#ce  #g4 ,the physician desires to have 
others joined with him          #dc  #h4
 ,the king sends his own physician      
#ej  #i4 ,upon their consultation1 they 
prescribe                       #ef     
#aj4 ,they find the disease to steal on 
insensibly1 and endeavor     to meet    
with it so                              
#fc  #aa4 ,they use cordials1 to keep   
the venom and the malignity     of the  
disease from the heart                  
#fi  #ab4 ,they apply pigeons1 to draw  
the vapours from the head        #gg    
#ac4 ,the sickness declares the         
infection and malignity thereof     by  
spots                                   
#hc  #ad4 ,the ,physicians observe these
 accidents to have fallen     upon the  
critical days                           
#hh  #ae4 ,i sleep not day or night     

#if  #af4 ,from the bells of the church 
adjoining1 ,i am daily     remembered of
 my burial in the funerals of others    
#ajb  #ag4 ,now1 this bell tolling      
softly for another1 says to me1         
,thou must die                          
#ajg  #ah4 ,the bell rings out1 and     
tells me in him1 that ,i am dead        
#aad  #ai4 ,at last the physicians1     
after a long and stormy voyage1     see 
land3 ,they have so good signs of the   
concoction of     the disease1 as that  
they may safely proceed to purge        
#abb  #bj4 ,upon these indications of   
digested matter1 they proceed     to    
purge                                   
#aca  #ba4 ,god prospers their practice1
 and he1 by them1 calls     ,lazarus out
 of his tomb1 me out of my bed          
#ach  #bb4 ,the physicians consider the 
root and occasion1 the     embers1 and  
coals1 and fuel of the disease1 and seek
     to purge or correct that           
#ade  #bc4 ,they warn me of the fearful 
danger of relapsing             #aeb    

,,devotions  ,i  ,,insultus ,,morbi     
,,primus4  ,the first ,alteration1 the  
first ,grudging1 of the ,sickness4   ,i4
 ,,meditation4  ,variable1 and therefore
 miserable condition of man6 this minute
 ,i was well1 and am ill1 this minute4  
,i am surprised with a sudden change1   
and alteration to worse1 and can impute 
it to no cause1 nor call it by any name4
 ,we study health1 and we deliberate    
upon our meats1 and drink1 and air1 and 
exercises1 and we hew and we polish     
every stone that goes to that building2 
and so our health is a long and a       
regular work3 but in a minute a cannon  
batters all1 overthrows all1 demolishes 
all2 a sickness unprevented for all our 
diligence1 unsuspected for all our      
curiosity2 nay1 undeserved1 if we       
consider only disorder1 summons us1     
seizes us1 possesses us1 destroys us in 
an instant4 ,o miserable condition of   
man6 which was not imprinted by ,god1   
who1 as he is immortal himself1 had put 
a coal1 a beam of immortality into us1  

which we might have blown into a flame1 
but blew it out by our first sin2 we    
beggared ourselves by hearkening after  
false riches1 and infatuated ourselves  
by hearkening after false knowledge4 ,so
 that now1 we do not only die1 but die  
upon the rack1 die by the torment of    
sickness2 nor that only1 but are        
pre-afflicted1 super-afflicted with     
these jealousies and suspicions and     
apprehensions of sickness1 before we can
 call it a sickness3 we are not sure we 
are ill2 one hand asks the other by the 
pulse1 and our eye asks our own urine   
how we do4 ,o multiplied misery6 we die1
 and cannot enjoy death1 because we die 
in this torment of sickness2 we are     
tormented with sickness1 and cannot stay
 till the torment come1 but             
pre-apprehensions and presages prophesy 
those torments which induce that death  
before either come2 and our dissolution 
is conceived in these first changes1    
quickened in the sickness itself1 and   
born in death1 which bears date from    

these first changes4 ,is this the honour
 which man hath by being a little world1
 that he hath these earthquakes in      
himself1 sudden shakings2 these         
lightnings1 sudden flashes2 these       
thunders1 sudden noises2 these eclipses1
 sudden offuscations and darkening of   
his senses2 these blazing stars1 sudden 
fiery exhalations2 these rivers of      
blood1 sudden red waters8 ,is he a world
 to himself only therefore1 that he hath
 enough in himself1 not only to destroy 
and execute himself1 but to presage that
 execution upon himself2 to assist the  
sickness1 to antedate the sickness1 to  
make the sickness the more irremediable 
by sad apprehensions1 and1 as if he     
would make a fire the more vehement by  
sprinkling water upon the coals1 so to  
wrap a hot fever in cold melancholy1    
lest the fever alone should not destroy 
fast enough without this contribution1  
nor perfect the work 7which is          
destruction7 except we joined an        
artificial sickness of our own          

melancholy1 to our natural1 our         
unnatural fever4 ,o perplexed           
discomposition1 ,o riddling distemper1  
,o miserable condition of man6   ,i4    
,,expostulation4  ,if ,i were but mere  
dust and ashes ,i might speak unto the  
,lord1 for the ,lord's hand made me of  
this dust1 and the ,lord's hand shall   
re-collect these ashes2 the ,lord's hand
 was the wheel upon which this vessel of
 clay was framed1 and the ,lord's hand  
is the urn in which these ashes shall be
 preserved4 ,i am the dust and the ashes
 of the temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 and 
what marble is so precious8 ,but ,i am  
more than dust and ashes3 ,i am my best 
part1 ,i am my soul4 ,and being so1 the 
breath of ,god1 ,i may breathe back     
these pious expostulations to my ,god3  
,my ,god1 my ,god1 why is not my soul as
 sensible as my body8 ,why hath not my  
soul these apprehensions1 these         
presages1 these changes1 these          
antidates1 these jealousies1 these      
suspicions of a sin1 as well as my body 

of a sickness8 ,why is there not always 
a pulse in my soul to beat at the       
approach of a temptation to sin8 ,why   
are there not always waters in mine     
eyes1 to testify my spiritual sickness8 
,i stand in the way of temptations1     
naturally1 necessarily2 all men do so2  
for there is a snake in every path1     
temptations in every vocation2 but ,i   
go1 ,i run1 ,i fly into the ways of     
temptation which ,i might shun2 nay1 ,i 
break into houses where the plague is2  
,i press into places of temptation1 and 
tempt the devil himself1 and solicit and
 importune them who had rather be left  
unsolicited by me4 ,i fall sick of sin1 
and am bedded and bedrid1 buried and    
putrified in the practice of sin1 and   
all this while have no presage1 no      
pulse1 no sense of my sickness4 ,o      
height1 ,o depth of misery1 where the   
first symptom of the sickness is hell1  
and where ,i never see the fever of     
lust1 of envy1 of ambition1 by any other
 light than the darkness and horror of  

hell itself1 and where the first        
messenger that speaks to me doth not    
say1 ,thou mayest die1 no1 nor ,thou    
must die1 but ,thou art dead2 and where 
the first notice that my soul hath of   
her sickness is irrecoverableness1      
irremediableness3 but1 ,o my ,god1 ,job 
did not charge thee foolishly in his    
temporal afflictions1 nor may ,i in my  
spiritual4 ,thou hast imprinted a pulse 
in our soul1 but we do not examine it2 a
 voice in our conscience1 but we do not 
hearken unto it4 ,we talk it out1 we    
jest it out1 we drink it out1 we sleep  
it out2 and when we wake1 we do not say 
with ,jacob1 ,surely the ,lord is in    
this place1 and ,i knew it not3 but     
though we might know it1 we do not1 we  
will not4 ,but will ,god pretend to make
 a watch1 and leave out the spring8 to  
make so many various wheels in the      
faculties of the soul1 and in the organs
 of the body1 and leave out grace1 that 
should move them8 or will ,god make a   
spring1 and not wind it up8 ,infuse his 

first grace1 and not second it with     
more1 without which we can no more use  
his first grace when we have it1 than we
 could dispose ourselves by nature to   
have it8 ,but alas1 that is not our     
case2 we are all prodigal sons1 and not 
disinherited2 we have received our      
portion1 and mispent it1 not been denied
 it4 ,we are ,god's tenants here1 and   
yet here1 he1 our landlord1 pays us     
rents2 not yearly1 nor quarterly1 but   
hourly1 and quarterly2 every minute he  
renews his mercy1 but we will not       
understand1 lest that we should be      
converted1 and he should heal us4#a     
,i4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most      
gracious ,god1 who1 considered in       
thyself1 art a circle1 first and last1  
and altogether2 but1 considered in thy  
working upon us1 art a direct line1 and 
leadest us from our beginning1 through  
all our ways1 to our end1 enable me by  
thy grace to look forward to mine end1  
and to look backward too1 to the        
considerations of thy mercies afforded  

me from the beginning2 that so by that  
practice of considering thy mercy1 in my
 beginning in this world1 when thou     
plantedst me in the ,christian church1  
and thy mercy in the beginning in the   
other world1 when thou writest me in the
 book of life1 in my election1 ,i may   
come to a holy consideration of thy     
mercy in the beginning of all my actions
 here3 that in all the beginnings1 in   
all the accesses and approaches1 of     
spiritual sicknesses of sin1 ,i may hear
 and hearken to that voice1 ,o thou man 
of ,god1 there is death in the pot1#b   
and so refrain from that which ,i was so
 hungerly1 so greedily flying to4 ,a    
faithful ambassador is health1#c says   
thy wise servant ,solomon4 ,thy voice   
received in the beginning of a sickness1
 of a sin1 is true health4 ,if ,i can   
see that light betimes1 and hear that   
voice early1 ,then shall my light break 
forth as the morning1 and my health     
shall spring forth speedily4#d ,deliver 
me therefore1 ,o my ,god1 from these    

vain imaginations2 that it is an        
over-curious thing1 a dangerous thing1  
to come to that tenderness1 that        
rawness1 that scrupulousness1 to fear   
every concupiscence1 every offer of sin1
 that this suspicious and jealous       
diligence will turn to an inordinate    
dejection of spirit1 and a diffidence in
 thy care and providence2 but keep me   
still established1 both in a constant   
assurance1 that thou wilt speak to me at
 the beginning of every such sickness1  
at the approach of every such sin2 and  
that1 if ,i take knowledge of that voice
 then1 and fly to thee1 thou wilt       
preserve me from falling1 or raise me   
again1 when by natural infirmity ,i am  
fallen4 ,do this1 ,o ,lord1 for his     
sake1 who knows our natural infirmities1
 for he had them1 and knows the weight  
of our sins1 for he paid a dear price   
for them1 thy ,son1 our ,saviour1       
,christ ,jesus4 ,amen4   ,,ii4 ,,post   
,,actio ,l,,sa4  ,the ,strength and the 
function of the senses1 and other       

faculties1 change and fail4   ,,ii4     
,,meditation4  ,the heavens are not the 
less constant1 because they move        
continually1 because they move          
continually one and the same way4 ,the  
earth is not the more constant1 because 
it lies still continually1 because      
continually it changes and melts in all 
the parts thereof4 ,man1 who is the     
noblest part of the earth1 melts so     
away1 as if he were a statue1 not of    
earth1 but of snow4 ,we see his own envy
 melts him1 he grows lean with that2 he 
will say1 another's beauty melts him2   
but he feels that a fever doth not melt 
him like snow1 but pour him out like    
lead1 like iron1 like brass melted in a 
furnace2 it doth not only melt him1 but 
calcine him1 reduce him to atoms1 and to
 ashes2 not to water1 but to lime4 ,and 
how quickly8 ,sooner than thou canst    
receive an answer1 sooner than thou     
canst conceive the question2 earth is   
the centre of my body1 heaven is the    
centre of my soul2 these two are the    

natural places of these two2 but those  
go not to these two in an equal pace3 my
 body falls down without pushing2 my    
soul does not go up without pulling2    
ascension is my soul's pace and measure1
 but precipitation my body's4 ,and even 
angels1 whose home is heaven1 and who   
are winged too1 yet had a ladder to go  
to heaven by steps4 ,the sun which goes 
so many miles in a minute1 the stars of 
the firmament which go so very many     
more1 go not so fast as my body to the  
earth4 ,in the same instant that ,i feel
 the first attempt of the disease1 ,i   
feel the victory2 in the twinkling of an
 eye ,i can scarce see2 instantly the   
taste is insipid and fatuous2 instantly 
the appetite is dull and desireless2    
instantly the knees are sinking and     
strengthless2 and in an instant1 sleep1 
which is the picture1 the copy of death1
 is taken away1 that the original1 death
 itself1 may succeed1 and that so ,i    
might have death to the life4 ,it was   
part of ,adam's punishment1 ,in the     

sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy   
bread3 it is multiplied to me1 ,i have  
earned bread in the sweat of my brows1  
in the labour of my calling1 and ,i have
 it2 and ,i sweat again and again1 from 
the brow to the sole of the foot1 but ,i
 eat no bread1 ,i taste no sustenance3  
miserable distribution of mankind1 where
 one half lacks meat1 and the other     
stomach6   ,,ii4 ,,expostulation4       
,david professes himself a dead dog to  
his king ,saul1#e and so doth           
,mephibosheth to his king ,david1#f and 
yet ,david speaks to ,saul1 and         
,mephibosheth to ,david4 ,no man is so  
little1 in respect of the greatest man1 
as the greatest in respect of ,god2 for 
here1 in that1 we have not so much as a 
measure to try it by2 proportion is no  
measure for infinity4 ,he that hath no  
more of this world but a grave2 he that 
hath his grave but lent him till a      
better man or another man must be buried
 in the same grave2 he that hath no     
grave but a dunghill1 he that hath no   

more earth but that which he carries1   
but that which he is1 he that hath not  
that earth which he is1 but even in that
 is another's slave1 hath as much       
proportion to ,god1 as if all ,david's  
worthies1 and all the world's monarchs1 
and all imagination's giants1 were      
kneaded and incorporated into one1 and  
as though that one were the survivor of 
all the sons of men1 to whom ,god had   
given the world4 ,and therefore how     
little soever ,i be1 as ,god calls      
things that are not1 as though they     
were1 ,i1 who am as though ,i were not1 
may call upon ,god1 and say1 ,my ,god1  
my ,god1 why comes thine anger so fast  
upon me8 ,why dost thou melt me1 scatter
 me1 pour me like water upon the ground 
so instantly8 ,thou stayedst for the    
first world1 in ,noah's time1 one       
hundred and twenty years2 thou stayedst 
for a rebellious generation in the      
wilderness forty years1 wilt thou stay  
no minute for me8 ,wilt thou make thy   
process and thy decree1 thy citation and

 thy judgment1 but one act8 ,thy        
summons1 thy battle1 thy victory1 thy   
triumph1 all but one act2 and lead me   
captive1 nay1 deliver me captive to     
death1 as soon as thou declarest me to  
be enemy1 and so cut me off even with   
the drawing of thy sword out of the     
scabbard1 and for that question1 ,how   
long was he sick8 leave no other answer1
 but that the hand of death pressed upon
 him from the first minute8 ,my ,god1 my
 ,god1 thou wast not wont to come in    
whirlwinds1 but in soft and gentle air4 
,thy first breath breathed a soul into  
me1 and shall thy breath blow it out8   
,thy breath in the congregation1 thy    
word in the church1 breathes communion  
and consolation here1 and consummation  
hereafter2 shall thy breath in this     
chamber breathe dissolution and         
destruction1 divorce and separation8    
,surely it is not thou1 it is not thy   
hand4 ,the devouring sword1 the         
consuming fire1 the winds from the      
wilderness1 the diseases of the body1   

all that afflicted ,job1 were from the  
hands of ,satan2 it is not thou4 ,it is 
thou1 thou my ,god1 who hast led me so  
continually with thy hand1 from the hand
 of my nurse1 as that ,i know thou wilt 
not correct me1 but with thine own hand4
 ,my parents would not give me over to a
 servant's correction1 nor my ,god to   
,satan's4 ,i am fallen into the hands of
 ,god with ,david1 and with ,david ,i   
see that his mercies are great4#g ,for  
by that mercy1 ,i consider in my present
 state1 not the haste and the despatch  
of the disease1 in dissolving this body1
 so much as the much more haste and     
despatch1 which my ,god shall use1 in   
re-collecting and re-uniting this dust  
again at the resurrection4 ,then ,i     
shall hear his angels proclaim the      
,surgite mortui1 ,rise1 ye dead4 ,though
 ,i be dead1 ,i shall hear the voice2   
the sounding of the voice and the       
working of the voice shall be all one2  
and all shall rise there in a less      
minute than any one dies here4   ,,ii4  

,,prayer4  ,o most gracious ,god1 who   
pursuest and perfectest thine own       
purposes1 and dost not only remember me1
 by the first accesses of this sickness1
 that ,i must die1 but inform me1 by    
this further proceeding therein1 that ,i
 may die now2 who hast not only waked me
 with the first1 but called me up1 by   
casting me further down1 and clothed me 
with thyself1 by stripping me of my     
self1 and by dulling my bodily senses to
 the meats and eases of this world1 hast
 whet and sharpened my spiritual senses 
to the apprehension of thee2 by what    
steps and degrees soever it shall please
 thee to go1 in the dissolution of this 
body1 hasten1 ,o ,lord1 that pace1 and  
multiply1 ,o my ,god1 those degrees1 in 
the exaltation of my soul toward thee   
now1 and to thee then4 ,my taste is not 
gone away1 but gone up to sit at        
,david's table1 to taste1 and see1 that 
the ,lord is good4#h ,my stomach is not 
gone1 but gone up1 so far upwards toward
 the supper of the ,lamb1 with thy      

saints in heaven1 as to the table1 to   
the communion of thy saints here in     
earth4 ,my knees are weak1 but weak     
therefore that ,i should easily fall to 
and fix myself long upon my devotions to
 thee4 ,a sound heart is the life of the
 flesh2#i and a heart visited by thee1  
and directed to thee1 by that visitation
 is a sound heart4 ,there is no         
soundness in my flesh1 because of thine 
anger4#aj ,interpret thine own work1 and
 call this sickness correction1 and not 
anger1 and there is soundness in my     
flesh4 ,there is no rest in my bones1   
because of my sin2#aa transfer my sins1 
with which thou art so displeased1 upon 
him with whom thou art so well pleased1 
,christ ,jesus1 and there will be rest  
in my bones4 ,and1 ,o my ,god1 who      
madest thyself a light in a bush1 in the
 midst of these brambles and thorns of a
 sharp sickness1 appear unto me so that 
,i may see thee1 and know thee to be my 
,god1 applying thyself to me1 even in   
these sharp and thorny passages4 ,do    

this1 ,o ,lord1 for his sake1 who was   
not the less the ,king of heaven for thy
 suffering him to be crowned with thorns
 in this world4  ,,footnotes3  #a ,matt4
 xiii4 #ae4  #b #b ,kings1 iv4 #dj4  #c 
,prov4 xiii4 #ag4  #d ,isaiah1 lviii4   
#h4  #e #a ,sam4 xxiv4 #ae4  #f #b ,sam4
 ix4 #h4  #g #b ,sam4 xxiv4 #ad4  #h    
,psalm xxxiv4 #h4  #i ,prov4 xiv4 #cj4  
#aj ,psalm xxxviii4 #c4  #aa ,psalm     
xxxviii4 #c4     ,,iii4 ,,decubitus     
,,sequitur ,,tandem4  ,the patient takes
 his bed4   ,,iii4 ,,meditation4  ,we   
attribute but one privilege and         
advantage to man's body above other     
moving creatures1 that he is not1 as    
others1 grovelling1 but of an erect1 of 
an upright1 form naturally built and    
disposed to the contemplation of heaven4
 ,indeed it is a thankful form1 and     
recompenses that soul1 which gives it1  
with carrying that soul so many feet    
higher towards heaven4 ,other creatures 
look to the earth2 and even that is no  
unfit object1 no unfit contemplation for

 man1 for thither he must come2 but     
because man is not to stay there1 as    
other creatures are1 man in his natural 
form is carried to the contemplation of 
that place which is his home1 heaven4   
,this is man's prerogative2 but what    
state hath he in this dignity8 ,a fever 
can fillip him down1 a fever can depose 
him2 a fever can bring that head1 which 
yesterday carried a crown of gold five  
feet towards a crown of glory1 as low as
 his own foot to-day4 ,when ,god came to
 breathe into man the breath of life1 he
 found him flat upon the ground2 when he
 comes to withdraw that breath from him 
again1 he prepares him to it by laying  
him flat upon his bed4 ,scarce any      
prison so close that affords not the    
prisoner two or three steps4 ,the       
anchorites that barked themselves up in 
hollow trees and immured themselves in  
hollow walls1 that perverse man that    
barrelled himself in a tub1 all could   
stand or sit1 and enjoy some change of  
posture4 ,a sick bed is a grave1 and all

 that the patient says there is but a   
varying of his own epitaph4 ,every      
night's bed is a type of the grave2 at  
night we tell our servants at what hour 
we will rise1 here we cannot tell       
ourselves at what day1 what week1 what  
month4 ,here the head lies as low as the
 foot2 the head of the people as low as 
they whom those feet trod upon2 and that
 hand that signed pardons is too weak to
 beg his own1 if he might have it for   
lifting up that hand4 ,strange fetters  
to the feet1 strange manacles to the    
hands1 when the feet and hands are bound
 so much the faster1 by how much the    
cords are slacker2 so much the less able
 to do their offices1 by how much more  
the sinews and ligaments are the looser4
 ,in the grave ,i may speak through the 
stones1 in the voice of my friends1 and 
in the accents of those words which     
their love may afford my memory2 here ,i
 am mine own ghost1 and rather affright 
my beholders than instruct them2 they   
conceive the worst of me now1 and yet   

fear worse2 they give me for dead now1  
and yet wonder how ,i do when they wake 
at midnight1 and ask how ,i do          
to-morrow4 ,miserable1 and 7though      
common to all7 inhuman posture1 where ,i
 must practise my lying in the grave by 
lying still1 and not practise my        
resurrection by rising any more4        
,,iii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god and my
 ,jesus1 my ,lord and my ,christ1 my    
strength and my salvation1 ,i hear thee1
 and ,i hearken to thee1 when thou      
rebukest thy disciples1 for rebuking    
them who brought children to thee2      
,suffer little children to come to me1  
sayest thou4#ab ,is there a verier child
 than ,i am now8 ,i cannot say1 with thy
 servant ,jeremy1 ,lord1 ,i am a child1 
and cannot speak2 but1 ,o ,lord1 ,i am a
 sucking child1 and cannot eat2 a       
creeping child1 and cannot go2 how shall
 ,i come to thee8 ,whither shall ,i come
 to thee8 ,to this bed8 ,i have this    
weak and childish frowardness too1 ,i   
cannot sit up1 and yet am loth to go to 

bed4 ,shall ,i find thee in bed8 ,oh1   
have ,i always done so8 ,the bed is not 
ordinarily thy scene1 thy climate3      
,lord1 dost thou not accuse me1 dost    
thou not reproach to me my former sins1 
when thou layest me upon this bed8 ,is  
not this to hang a man at his own door1 
to lay him sick in his own bed of       
wantonness8 ,when thou chidest us by thy
 prophet for lying in beds of ivory#ac1 
is not thine anger vented2 not till thou
 changest our beds of ivory into beds of
 ebony8 ,david swears unto thee1 that he
 will not go up into his bed1 till he   
had built thee a house4#ad ,to go up    
into the bed denotes strength1 and      
promises ease2 but when thou sayest1    
that thou wilt cast ,jezebel into a bed1
 thou makest thine own comment upon     
that2 thou callest the bed tribulation1 
great tribulation4#ae ,how shall they   
come to thee whom thou hast nailed to   
their bed8 ,thou art in the             
congregation1 and ,i in a solitude3 when
 the centurion's servant lay sick at    

home1#af his master was fain to come to 
,christ2 the sick man could not4 ,their 
friend lay sick of the palsy1 and the   
four charitable men were fain to bring  
him to ,christ2 he could not come4#ag   
,peter's wife's mother lay sick of a    
fever1 and ,christ came to her2 she     
could not come to him4#ah ,my friends   
may carry me home to thee1 in their     
prayers in the congregation2 thou must  
come home to me in the visitation of thy
 ,spirit1 and in the seal of thy        
sacrament4 ,but when ,i am cast into    
this bed my slack sinews are iron       
fetters1 and those thin sheets iron     
doors upon me2 and1 ,lord1 ,i have loved
 the habitation of thine house1 and the 
place where thine honour dwelleth4#ai ,i
 lie here and say1 ,blessed are they    
that dwell in thy house2#bj but ,i      
cannot say1 ,i will come into thy house2
 ,i may say1 ,in thy fear will ,i       
worship towards thy holy temple2#ba but 
,i cannot say in thy holy temple4 ,and1 
,lord1 the zeal of thy house eats me    

up1#bb as fast as my fever2 it is not a 
recusancy1 for ,i would come1 but it is 
an excommunication1 ,i must not4 ,but1  
,lord1 thou art ,lord of hosts1 and     
lovest action2 why callest thou me from 
my calling8 ,in the grave no man shall  
praise thee2 in the door of the grave1  
this sick bed1 no man shall hear me     
praise thee4 ,thou hast not opened my   
lips that my mouth might show thee thy  
praise1 but that my mouth might show    
forth thy praise4 ,but thine apostle's  
fear takes hold of me1 that when ,i have
 preached to others1 ,i myself should be
 a castaway2#bc and therefore am ,i cast
 down1 that ,i might not be cast away4  
,thou couldst take me by the head1 as   
thou didst ,habbakuk1 and carry me so2  
by a chariot1 as thou didst ,elijah1#bd 
and carry me so2 but thou carriest me   
thine own private way1 the way by which 
thou carriedst thy ,son1 who first lay  
upon the earth and prayed1 and then had 
his exaltation1 as himself calls his    
crucifying2 and first descended into    

hell1 and then had his ascension4 ,there
 is another station 7indeed neither are 
stations but prostrations7 lower than   
this bed2 to-morrow ,i may be laid one  
story lower1 upon the floor1 the face of
 the earth2 and next day another story1 
in the grave1 the womb of the earth4 ,as
 yet ,god suspends me between heaven and
 earth1 as a meteor2 and ,i am not in   
heaven because an earthly body clogs me1
 and ,i am not in the earth because a   
heavenly soul sustains me4 ,and it is   
thine own law1 ,o ,god1 that if a man be
 smitten so by another1 as that he keep 
his bed1 though he die not1 he that hurt
 him must take care of his healing1 and 
recompense him#be4 ,thy hand strikes me 
into this bed2 and therefore1 if ,i rise
 again1 thou wilt be my recompense all  
the days of my life1 in making the      
memory of this sickness beneficial to   
me2 and if my body fall yet lower1 thou 
wilt take my soul out of this bath1 and 
present it to thy ,father1 washed again1
 and again1 and again1 in thine own     

tears1 in thine own sweat1 in thine own 
blood4   ,,iii4 ,,prayer4  ,o most      
mighty and most merciful ,god1 who1     
though thou have taken me off of my     
feet1 hast not taken me off of my       
foundation1 which is thyself2 who1      
though thou have removed me from that   
upright form in which ,i could stand and
 see thy throne1 the heavens1 yet hast  
not removed from me that light by which 
,i can lie and see thyself2 who1 though 
thou have weakened my bodily knees1 that
 they cannot bow to thee1 hast yet left 
me the knees of my heart2 which are     
bowed unto thee evermore2 as thou hast  
made this bed thine altar1 make me thy  
sacrifice2 and as thou makest thy ,son  
,christ ,jesus the priest1 so make me   
his deacon1 to minister to him in a     
cheerful surrender of my body and soul  
to thy pleasure1 by his hands4 ,i come  
unto thee1 ,o ,god1 my ,god1 ,i come    
unto thee1 so as ,i can come1 ,i come to
 thee1 by embracing thy coming to me1 ,i
 come in the confidence1 and in the     

application of thy servant ,david's     
promise1 that thou wilt make all my bed 
in my sickness2#bf all my bed2 that     
which way soever ,i turn1 ,i may turn to
 thee2 and as ,i feel thy hand upon all 
my body1 so ,i may find it upon all my  
bed1 and see all my corrections1 and all
 my refreshings to flow from one and the
 same1 and all from thy hand4 ,as thou  
hast made these feathers thorns1 in the 
sharpness of this sickness1 so1 ,lord1  
make these thorns feathers again1       
feathers of thy dove1 in the peace of   
conscience1 and in a holy recourse to   
thine ark1 to the instruments of true   
comfort1 in thy institutions and in the 
ordinances of thy church4 ,forget my    
bed1 ,o ,lord1 as it hath been a bed of 
sloth1 and worse than sloth2 take me    
not1 ,o ,lord1 at this advantage1 to    
terrify my soul with saying1 ,now ,i    
have met thee there where thou hast so  
often departed from me2 but having burnt
 up that bed by these vehement heats1   
and washed that bed in these abundant   

sweats1 make my bed again1 ,o ,lord1 and
 enable me1 according to thy command1 to
 commune with mine own heart upon my    
bed1 and be still#bg2 to provide a bed  
for all my former sins whilst ,i lie    
upon this bed1 and a grave for my sins  
before ,i come to my grave2 and when ,i 
have deposited them in the wounds of thy
 ,son1 to rest in that assurance1 that  
my conscience is discharged from further
 anxiety1 and my soul from further      
danger1 and my memory from further      
calumny4 ,do this1 ,o ,lord1 for his    
sake1 who did and suffered so much1 that
 thou mightest1 as well in thy justice  
as in thy mercy1 do it for me1 thy ,son1
 our ,saviour1 ,christ ,jesus4          
,,footnotes3  #ab ,matt4 xix4 #ac4  #ac 
,amos1 vi4 #d4  #ad ,psalm cxxxii4 #c4  
#ae ,rev4 ii4 #bb4  #af ,matt4 viii4 #f4
  #ag ,matt4 viii4 #d4  #ah ,matt4 viii4
 #ad4  #ai ,psalm xxvi4 #h4  #bj ,psalm 
lxxxiv4 #d4  #ba ,psalm v4 #g4  #bb     
,psalm lxix4 #i4  #bc #a ,cor4 ix4 #bg4 
#bd #b ,kings1 ii4 #aa4  #be ,exodus1   

xxi4 #ah4  #bf ,psalm xli4 #c4  #bg     
,psalm iv4 #d4     ,,iv4 ,,medicusque   
,,vocatur4  ,the physician is sent for4 
,,iv4 ,,meditation4  ,it is too little  
to call man a little world2 except ,god1
 man is a diminutive to nothing4 ,man   
consists of more pieces1 more parts1    
than the world2 than the world doth1    
nay1 than the world is4 ,and if those   
pieces were extended1 and stretched out 
in man as they are in the world1 man    
would be the giant1 and the world the   
dwarf2 the world but the map1 and the   
man the world4 ,if all the veins in our 
bodies were extended to rivers1 and all 
the sinews to veins of mines1 and all   
the muscles that lie upon one another1  
to hills1 and all the bones to quarries 
of stones1 and all the other pieces to  
the proportion of those which correspond
 to them in the world1 the air would be 
too little for this orb of man to move  
in1 the firmament would be but enough   
for this star2 for1 as the whole world  
hath nothing1 to which something in man 

doth not answer1 so hath man many pieces
 of which the whole world hath no       
representation4 ,enlarge this meditation
 upon this great world1 man1 so far as  
to consider the immensity of the        
creatures this world produces2 our      
creatures are our thoughts1 creatures   
that are born giants2 that reach from   
east to west1 from earth to heaven2 that
 do not only bestride all the sea and   
land1 but span the sun and firmament at 
once2 my thoughts reach all1 comprehend 
all4 ,inexplicable mystery2 ,i their    
creator am in a close prison1 in a sick 
bed1 any where1 and any one of my       
creatures1 my thoughts1 is with the sun1
 and beyond the sun1 overtakes the sun1 
and overgoes the sun in one pace1 one   
step1 everywhere4 ,and then1 as the     
other world produces serpents and       
vipers1 malignant and venomous          
creatures1 and worms and caterpillars1  
that endeavour to devour that world     
which produces them1 and monsters       
compiled and complicated of divers      

parents and kinds2 so this world1       
ourselves1 produces all these in us1 in 
producing diseases1 and sicknesses of   
all those sorts3 venomous and infectious
 diseases1 feeding and consuming        
diseases1 and manifold and entangled    
diseases made up of many several ones4  
,and can the other world name so many   
venomous1 so many consuming1 so many    
monstrous creatures1 as we can diseases 
of all these kinds8 ,o miserable        
abundance1 ,o beggarly riches6 how much 
do we lack of having remedies for every 
disease1 when as yet we have not names  
for them8 ,but we have a ,hercules      
against these giants1 these monsters2   
that is1 the physician2 he musters up   
all the forces of the other world to    
succour this1 all nature to relieve man4
 ,we have the physician1 but we are not 
the physician4 ,here we shrink in our   
proportion1 sink in our dignity1 in     
respect of very mean creatures1 who are 
physicians to themselves4 ,the hart that
 is pursued and wounded1 they say1 knows

 an herb1 which being eaten throws off  
the arrow3 a strange kind of vomit4 ,the
 dog that pursues it1 though he be      
subject to sickness1 even proverbially1 
knows his grass that recovers him4 ,and 
it may be true1 that the drugger is as  
near to man as to other creatures2 it   
may be that obvious and present simples1
 easy to be had1 would cure him2 but the
 apothecary is not so near him1 nor the 
physician so near him1 as they two are  
to other creatures2 man hath not that   
innate instinct1 to apply those natural 
medicines to his present danger1 as     
those inferior creatures have2 he is not
 his own apothecary1 his own physician1 
as they are4 ,call back therefore thy   
meditation again1 and bring it down3    
what's become of man's great extent and 
proportion1 when himself shrinks himself
 and consumes himself to a handful of   
dust2 what's become of his soaring      
thoughts1 his compassing thoughts1 when 
himself brings himself to the ignorance1
 to the thoughtlessness1 of the grave8  

,his diseases are his own1 but the      
physician is not2 he hath them at home1 
but he must send for the physician4     
,,iv4 ,,expostulation4  ,i have not the 
righteousness of ,job1 but ,i have the  
desire of ,job3 ,i would speak to the   
,almighty1 and ,i would reason with     
,god4#bh ,my ,god1 my ,god1 how soon    
wouldst thou have me go to the          
physician1 and how far wouldst thou have
 me go with the physician8 ,i know thou 
hast made the matter1 and the man1 and  
the art2 and ,i go not from thee when ,i
 go to the physician4 ,thou didst not   
make clothes before there was a shame of
 the nakedness of the body1 but thou    
didst make physic before there was any  
grudging of any sickness2 for thou didst
 imprint a medicinal virtue in many     
simples1 even from the beginning2 didst 
thou mean that we should be sick when   
thou didst so8 when thou madest them8   
,no more than thou didst mean1 that we  
should sin1 when thou madest us3 thou   
foresawest both1 but causedst neither4  

,thou1 ,lord1 promisest here trees1     
whose fruit shall be for meat1 and their
 leaves for medicine4#bi ,it is the     
voice of thy ,son1 ,wilt thou be made   
whole8#cj that draws from the patient a 
confession that he was ill1 and could   
not make himself well4 ,and it is thine 
own voice1 ,is there no physician8#ca   
that inclines us1 disposes us1 to accept
 thine ordinance4 ,and it is the voice  
of the wise man1 both for the matter1   
physic itself1 ,the ,lord hath created  
medicines out of the earth1 and he that 
is wise shall not abhor them1#cb and for
 the art1 and the person1 the physician 
cutteth off a long disease4 ,in all     
these voices thou sendest us to those   
helps which thou hast afforded us in    
that4 ,but wilt not thou avow that voice
 too1 ,he that hath sinned against his  
,maker1 let him fall into the hands of  
the physician2#cc and wilt not thou     
afford me an understanding of those     
words8 ,thou1 who sendest us for a      
blessing to the physician1 dost not make

 it a curse to us to go when thou       
sendest4 ,is not the curse rather in    
this1 that only he falls into the hands 
of the physician1 that casts himself    
wholly1 entirely upon the physician1    
confides in him1 relies upon him1       
attends all from him1 and neglects that 
spiritual physic which thou also hast   
instituted in thy church4 ,so to fall   
into the hands of the physician is a    
sin1 and a punishment of former sins2   
so1 as ,asa fell1 who in his disease    
sought not to the ,lord1 but to the     
physician4#cd ,reveal therefore to me   
thy method1 ,o ,lord1 and see whether ,i
 have followed it2 that thou mayest have
 glory1 if ,i have1 and ,i pardon1 if ,i
 have not1 and help that ,i may4 ,thy   
method is1 ,in time of thy sickness1 be 
not negligent3 wherein wilt thou have my
 diligence expressed8 ,pray unto the    
,lord1 and he will make thee whole4#ce  
,o ,lord1 ,i do2 ,i pray1 and pray thy  
servant ,david's prayer1 ,have mercy    
upon me1 ,o ,lord1 for ,i am weak2 heal 

me1 ,o ,lord1 for my bones are vexed3#cf
 ,i know that even my weakness is a     
reason1 a motive1 to induce thy mercy1  
and my sickness an occasion of thy      
sending health4 ,when art thou so ready1
 when is it so seasonable to thee1 to   
commiserate1 as in misery8 ,but is      
prayer for health in season1 as soon as 
,i am sick8 ,thy method goes further3   
,leave off from sin1 and order thy hands
 aright1 and cleanse thy heart from all 
wickedness4#cg ,have ,i1 ,o ,lord1 done 
so8 ,o ,lord1 ,i have2 by thy grace1 ,i 
am come to a holy detestation of my     
former sin4 ,is there any more8 ,in thy 
method there is more3 ,give a sweet     
savour1 and a memorial of fine flour1   
and make a fat offering1 as not         
being4#ch ,and1 ,lord1 by thy grace1 ,i 
have done that1 sacrificed a little of  
that little which thou lentest me1 to   
them for whom thou lentest it3 and now  
in thy method1 and by thy steps1 ,i am  
come to that1 ,then give place to the   
physician1 for the ,lord hath created   

him2 let him not go from thee1 for thou 
hast need of him4#ci ,i send for the    
physician1 but ,i will hear him enter   
with those words of ,peter1 ,jesus      
,christ maketh thee whole2#dj ,i long   
for his presence1 but ,i look that the  
power of the ,lord should be present to 
heal me4#da   ,,iv4 ,,prayer4  ,o most  
mighty and most merciful ,god1 who art  
so the ,god of health and strength1 as  
that without thee all health is but the 
fuel1 and all strength but the bellows  
of sin2 behold me under the vehemence of
 two diseases1 and under the necessity  
of two physicians1 authorized by thee1  
the bodily1 and the spiritual physician4
 ,i come to both as to thine ordinance1 
and bless and glorify thy name that1 in 
both cases1 thou hast afforded help to  
man by the ministry of man4 ,even in the
 new ,jerusalem1 in heaven itself1 it   
hath pleased thee to discover a tree1   
which is a tree of life there1 but the  
leaves thereof are for the healing of   
the nations4#db ,life itself is with    

thee there1 for thou art life2 and all  
kinds of health1 wrought upon us here by
 thine instruments1 descend from thence4
 ,thou wouldst have healed ,babylon1 but
 she is not healed4#dc ,take from me1 ,o
 ,lord1 her perverseness1 her           
wilfulness1 her refractoriness1 and hear
 thy ,spirit saying in my soul3 ,heal   
me1 ,o ,lord1 for ,i would be healed4   
,ephraim saw his sickness1 and ,judah   
his wound2 then went ,ephraim to the    
,assyrian1 and sent to ,king ,jareb1 yet
 could not he heal you1 nor cure you of 
your wound4#dd ,keep me back1 ,o ,lord1 
from them who misprofess arts of healing
 the soul1 or of the body1 by means not 
imprinted by thee in the church for the 
soul1 or not in nature for the body4    
,there is no spiritual health to be had 
by superstition1 nor bodily by          
witchcraft2 thou1 ,lord1 and only thou1 
art ,lord of both4 ,thou in thyself art 
,lord of both1 and thou in thy ,son art 
the physician1 the applier of both4     
,with his stripes we are healed1#de says

 the prophet there2 there1 before he was
 scourged1 we were healed with his      
stripes2 how much more shall ,i be      
healed now1 now when that which he hath 
already suffered actually is actually   
and effectually applied to me8 ,is there
 any thing incurable1 upon which that   
balm drops8 ,any vein so empty as that  
that blood cannot fill it8 ,thou        
promisest to heal the earth2#df but it  
is when the inhabitants of the earth    
pray that thou wouldst heal it4 ,thou   
promisest to heal their waters1 but     
their miry places and standing waters1  
thou sayest there1 thou wilt not        
heal4#dg ,my returning to any sin1 if ,i
 should return to the ability of sinning
 over all my sins again1 thou wouldst   
not pardon4 ,heal this earth1 ,o my     
,god1 by repentant tears1 and heal these
 waters1 these tears1 from all          
bitterness1 from all diffidence1 from   
all dejection1 by establishing my       
irremovable assurance in thee4 ,thy ,son
 went about healing all manner of       

sickness4#dh 7,no disease incurable1    
none difficult2 he healed them in       
passing74 ,virtue went out of him1 and  
he healed all1#di all the multitude 7no 
person incurable71 he healed them every 
whit#ej 7as himself speaks71 he left no 
relics of the disease2 and will this    
universal physician pass by this        
hospital1 and not visit me8 not heal me8
 not heal me wholly8 ,lord1 ,i look not 
that thou shouldst say by thy messenger 
to me1 as to ,hezekiah1 ,behold1 ,i will
 heal thee1 and on the third day thou   
shalt go up to the house of the         
,lord4#ea ,i look not that thou shouldst
 say to me1 as to ,moses in ,miriam's   
behalf1 when ,moses would have had her  
healed presently1 ,if her father had but
 spit in her face1 should she not have  
been ashamed seven days8 ,let her be    
shut up seven days1 and then return2#eb 
but if thou be pleased to multiply seven
 days 7and seven is infinite7 by the    
number of my sins 7and that is more     
infinite71 if this day must remove me   

till days shall be no more1 seal to me  
my spiritual health1 in affording me the
 seals of thy church2 and for my        
temporal health1 prosper thine          
ordinance1 in their hands who shall     
assist in this sickness1 in that manner1
 and in that measure1 as may most       
glorify thee1 and most edify those who  
observe the issues of thy servants1 to  
their own spiritual benefit4            
,,footnotes3  #bh ,job1 xiii4 #c4  #bi  
,ezek4 xlvii4 #ab4  #cj ,john1 v4 #f4   
#ca ,jer4 viii4 #bb4  #cb ,ecclus4      
xxxviii4 #d4  #cc ,ecclus4 xxxviii4 #ae4
  #cd #a ,chron4 xvi4 #ab4  #ce ,ecclus4
 xxxviii4 #i4  #cf ,psalm vi4 #b4  #cg  
,ecclus4 xxxviii4 #aj4  #ch ,ecclus4    
xxxviii4 #aa4  #ci ,ecclus4 xxxviii4    
#ab4  #dj ,acts1 ix4 #cd4  #da ,luke1 v4
 #ag4  #db ,rev4 xxii4 #b4  #dc ,jer4   
li4 #i4  #dd ,hosea1 v4 #ac4  #de       
,isaiah1 liii4 #e4  #df #b ,chron4 vii4 
#ad4  #dg ,ezek4 xlvii4 #aa4  #dh ,matt4
 iv4 #bc4  #di ,luke1 vi4 #ai4  #ej     
,john1 vii4 #bc4  #ea #b ,kings1 xx4 #e4

  #eb ,num4 xii4 #ad4     ,v4 ,,solus   
,,adest4  ,the physician comes   ,v4    
,,meditation4  ,as sickness is the      
greatest misery1 so the greatest misery 
of sickness is solitude2 when the       
infectiousness of the disease deters    
them who should assist from coming2 even
 the physician dares scarce come4       
,solitude is a torment which is not     
threatened in hell itself4 ,mere        
vacuity1 the first agent1 ,god1 the     
first instrument of ,god1 nature1 will  
not admit2 nothing can be utterly empty1
 but so near a degree towards vacuity as
 solitude1 to be but one1 they love not4
 ,when ,i am dead1 and my body might    
infect1 they have a remedy1 they may    
bury me2 but when ,i am but sick1 and   
might infect1 they have no remedy but   
their absence1 and my solitude4 ,it is  
an excuse to them that are great1 and   
pretend1 and yet are loath to come2 it  
is an inhibition to those who would     
truly come1 because they may be made    
instruments1 and pestiducts1 to the     

infection of others1 by their coming4   
,and it is an outlawry1 an              
excommunication upon the patient1 and   
separates him from all offices1 not only
 of civility but of working charity4 ,a 
long sickness will weary friends at     
last1 but a pestilential sickness averts
 them from the beginning4 ,god himself  
would admit a figure of society1 as     
there is a plurality of persons in ,god1
 though there be but one ,god2 and all  
his external actions testify a love of  
society1 and communion4 ,in heaven there
 are orders of angels1 and armies of    
martyrs1 and in that house many         
mansions2 in earth1 families1 cities1   
churches1 colleges1 all plural things2  
and lest either of these should not be  
company enough alone1 there is an       
association of both1 a communion of     
saints which makes the militant and     
triumphant church one parish2 so that   
,christ was not out of his diocess when 
he was upon the earth1 nor out of his   
temple when he was in our flesh4 ,god1  

who saw that all that he made was good1 
came not so near seeing a defect in any 
of his works1 as when he saw that it was
 not good for man to be alone1 therefore
 he made him a helper2 and one that     
should help him so as to increase the   
number1 and give him her own1 and more  
society4 ,angels1 who do not propagate  
nor multiply1 were made at first in an  
abundant number1 and so were stars2 but 
for the things of this world1 their     
blessing was1 ,increase2 for ,i think1  
,i need not ask leave to think1 that    
there is no phoenix2 nothing singular1  
nothing alone4 ,men that inhere upon    
nature only1 are so far from thinking   
that there is any thing singular in this
 world1 as that they will scarce think  
that this world itself is singular1 but 
that every planet1 and every star1 is   
another world like this2 they find      
reason to conceive not only a plurality 
in every species in the world1 but a    
plurality of worlds2 so that the        
abhorrers of solitude are not solitary1 

for ,god1 and ,nature1 and ,reason      
concur against it4 ,now a man may       
counterfeit the plague in a vow1 and    
mistake a disease for religion1 by such 
a retiring and recluding of himself from
 all men as to do good to no man1 to    
converse with no man4 ,god hath two     
testaments1 two wills2 but this is a    
schedule1 and not of his1 a codicil1 and
 not of his1 not in the body of his     
testaments1 but interlined and          
postscribed by others1 that the way to  
the communion of saints should be by    
such a solitude as excludes all doing of
 good here4 ,that is a disease of the   
mind1 as the height of an infectious    
disease of the body is solitude1 to be  
left alone3 for this makes an infectious
 bed equal1 nay1 worse than a grave1    
that though in both ,i be equally alone1
 in my bed ,i know it1 and feel it1 and 
shall not in my grave3 and this too1    
that in my bed my soul is still in an   
infectious body1 and shall not in my    
grave be so4   ,v4 ,,expostulation4  ,o 

,god1 my ,god1 thy ,son took it not ill 
at ,martha's hands1 that when he said   
unto her1 ,thy brother ,lazarus shall   
rise again1#ec she expostulated it so   
far with him as to reply1 ,i know that  
he shall rise again in the resurrection1
 at the last day2 for she was miserable 
by wanting him then4 ,take it not ill1  
,o my ,god1 from me1 that though thou   
have ordained it for a blessing1 and for
 a dignity to thy people1 that they     
should dwell alone1 and not be reckoned 
among the nations#ed 7because they      
should be above them71 and that they    
should dwell in safety alone#ee 7free   
from the infestation of enemies71 yet ,i
 take thy leave to remember thee1 that  
thou hast said too1 ,two are better than
 one2 and1 ,woe be unto him that is     
alone when he falleth2#ef and so when he
 is fallen1 and laid in the bed of      
sickness too4 ,righteousness is         
immortal2#eg ,i know thy wisdom hath    
said so2 but no man1 though covered with
 the righteousness of thy ,son1 is      

immortal so as not to die2 for he who   
was righteousness itself did die4 ,i    
know that the ,son of ,righteousness1   
thy ,son1 refused not1 nay affected1    
solitariness1 loneness1#eh many1 many   
times2 but at all times he was able to  
command more than twelve legions of     
angels#ei to his service2 and when he   
did not so1 he was far from being alone3
 for1 ,i am not alone1 says he1 but ,i1 
and the ,father that sent me4#fj ,i     
cannot fear but that ,i shall always be 
with thee and him2 but whether this     
disease may not alien and remove my     
friends1 so that they stand aloof from  
my sore1 and my kinsmen stand afar      
off1#fa ,i cannot tell4 ,i cannot fear  
but that thou wilt reckon with me from  
this minute1 in which1 by thy grace1 ,i 
see thee2 whether this understanding1   
and this will1 and this memory may not  
decay1 to the discouragement and the ill
 interpretation of them that see that   
heavy change in me1 ,i cannot tell4 ,it 
was for thy blessed1 thy powerful ,son  

alone1 to tread the wine-press alone1   
and none of the people with him4#fb ,i  
am not able to pass this agony alone1   
not alone without thee2 thou art thy    
spirit1 not alone without thine2        
spiritual and temporal physicians are   
thine1 not alone without mine2 those    
whom the bands of blood or friendship   
have made mine1 are mine2 and if thou1  
or thine1 or mine1 abandon me1 ,i am    
alone1 and woe unto me if ,i be alone4  
,elias himself fainted under that       
apprehension1 ,lo1 ,i am left alone2#fc 
and ,martha murmured at that1 said to   
,christ1 ,lord1 dost not thou care that 
my sister hath left me to serve         
alone8#fd ,neither could ,jeremiah enter
 into his lamentations from a higher    
ground than to say1 ,how doth the city  
sit solitary that was full of people4#fe
 ,o my ,god1 it is the leper that thou  
hast condemned to live alone2#ff have ,i
 such a leprosy in my soul that ,i must 
die alone2 alone without thee8 ,shall   
this come to such a leprosy in my body  

that ,i must die alone2 alone without   
them that should assist1 that should    
comfort me8 ,but comes not this         
expostulation too near a murmuring8     
,must ,i be concluded with that1 that   
,moses was commanded to come near the   
,lord alone2#fg that solitariness1 and  
dereliction1 and abandoning of others1  
disposes us best for ,god1 who          
accompanies us most alone8 ,may ,i not  
remember1 and apply too1 that though    
,god came not to ,jacob till he found   
him alone1 yet when he found him alone1 
he wrestled with him1 and lamed him2#fh 
that when1 in the dereliction and       
forsaking of friends and physicians1 a  
man is left alone to ,god1 ,god may so  
wrestle with this ,jacob1 with this     
conscience1 as to put it out of joint1  
and so appear to him as that he dares   
not look upon him face to face1 when as 
by way of reflection1 in the consolation
 of his temporal or spiritual servants1 
and ordinances he durst1 if they were   
there8 ,but a faithful friend is the    

physic of life1 and they that fear the  
,lord shall find him4#fi ,therefore hath
 the ,lord afforded me both in one      
person1 that physician who is my        
faithful friend4   ,v4 ,,prayer4  ,o    
eternal and most gracious ,god1 who     
calledst down fire from heaven upon the 
sinful cities but once1 and openedst the
 earth to swallow the murmurers but     
once1 and threwest down the tower of    
,siloam upon sinners but once2 but for  
thy works of mercy repeatedst them      
often1 and still workest by thine own   
patterns1 as thou broughtest man into   
this world1 by giving him a helper fit  
for him here2 so1 whether it be thy will
 to continue me long thus1 or to dismiss
 me by death1 be pleased to afford me   
the helps fit for both conditions1      
either for my weak stay here1 or my     
final transmigration from hence4 ,and if
 thou mayst receive glory by that way   
7and by all ways thou mayst receive     
glory71 glorify thyself in preserving   
this body from such infections as might 

withhold those who would come1 or       
endanger them who do come2 and preserve 
this soul in the faculties thereof from 
all such distempers as might shake the  
assurance which myself and others have  
had1 that because thou hast loved me    
thou wouldst love me to my end1 and at  
my end4 ,open none of my doors1 not of  
my heart1 not of mine ears1 not of my   
house1 to any supplanter that would     
enter to undermine me in my religion to 
thee1 in the time of my weakness1 or to 
defame me1 and magnify himself with     
false rumours of such a victory and     
surprisal of me1 after ,i am dead4 ,be  
my salvation1 and plead my salvation2   
work it and declare it2 and as thy      
triumphant shall be1 so let the militant
 church be assured that thou wast my    
,god1 and ,i thy servant1 to and in my  
consummation4 ,bless thou the learning  
and the labours of this man whom thou   
sendest to assist me2 and since thou    
takest me by the hand1 and puttest me   
into his hands 7for ,i come to him in   

thy name1 who in thy name comes to me71 
since ,i clog not my hopes in him1 no1  
nor my prayers to thee1 with any limited
 conditions1 but inwrap all in those two
 petitions1 ,thy kingdom come1 thy will 
be done1 prosper him1 and relieve me1 in
 thy way1 in thy time1 and in thy       
measure4 ,amen4  ,,footnotes3  #ec      
,john1 xi4 #bc4  #ed ,num4 xxiii4 #i4   
#ee ,deut4 xxxiii4 #bh4  #ef ,eccles4   
iv4 #aj4  #eg ,wisd4 i4 #ae4  #eh ,matt4
 xiv4 #bc4  #ei ,matt4 xxvi4 #ac4  #fj  
,john1 viii4 #af4  #fa ,psalm xxxviii4  
#aa4  #fb ,isaiah1 lxiii4 #c4  #fc #a   
,kings1 xiv4 #ad4  #fd ,luke1 x4 #dj4   
#fe ,lam4 i4 #a4  #ff ,lev4 xiii4 #df4  
#fg ,exod4 xiv4 #b4  #fh ,gen4 xxxii4   
#bd4 #be4  #fi ,ecclus4 vi4 #af4        
,,vi4 ,,metuit4  ,the physician is      
afraid4   ,,vi4 ,,meditation4  ,i       
observe the physician with the same     
diligence as he the disease2 ,i see he  
fears1 and ,i fear with him2 ,i overtake
 him1 ,i overrun him1 in his fear1 and  
,i go the faster1 because he makes his  

pace slow2 ,i fear the more1 because he 
disguises his fear1 and ,i see it with  
the more sharpness1 because he would not
 have me see it4 ,he knows that his fear
 shall not disorder the practice and    
exercise of his art1 but he knows that  
my fear may disorder the effect and     
working of his practice4 ,as the ill    
affections of the spleen complicate and 
mingle themselves with every infirmity  
of the body1 so doth fear insinuate     
itself in every action or passion of the
 mind2 and as wind in the body will     
counterfeit any disease1 and seem the   
stone1 and seem the gout1 so fear will  
counterfeit any disease of the mind4 ,it
 shall seem love1 a love of having2 and 
it is but a fear1 a jealous and         
suspicious fear of losing4 ,it shall    
seem valour in despising and            
undervaluing danger2 and it is but fear 
in an overvaluing of opinion and        
estimation1 and a fear of losing that4  
,a man that is not afraid of a lion is  
afraid of a cat2 not afraid of starving1

 and yet is afraid of some joint of meat
 at the table presented to feed him2 not
 afraid of the sound of drums and       
trumpets and shot and those which they  
seek to drown1 the last cries of men1   
and is afraid of some particular        
harmonious instrument2 so much afraid as
 that with any of these the enemy might 
drive this man1 otherwise valiant       
enough1 out of the field4 ,i know not   
what fear is1 nor ,i know not what it is
 that ,i fear now2 ,i fear not the      
hastening of my death1 and yet ,i do    
fear the increase of the disease2 ,i    
should belie nature if ,i should deny   
that ,i feared this2 and if ,i should   
say that ,i feared death1 ,i should     
belie ,god4 ,my weakness is from nature1
 who hath but her measure2 my strength  
is from ,god1 who possesses and         
distributes infinitely4 ,as then every  
cold air is not a damp1 every shivering 
is not a stupefaction2 so every fear is 
not a fearfulness1 every declination is 
not a running away1 every debating is   

not a resolving1 every wish that it were
 not thus1 is not a murmuring nor a     
dejection1 though it be thus2 but as my 
physician's fear puts not him from his  
practice1 neither doth mine put me from 
receiving from ,god1 and man1 and       
myself1 spiritual and civil and moral   
assistances and consolations4   ,,vi4   
,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1 ,i 
find in thy book that fear is a stifling
 spirit1 a spirit of suffocation2 that  
,ishbosheth could not speak1 nor reply  
in his own defence to ,abner1 because he
 was afraid4#gj ,it was thy servant     
,job's case too1 who1 before he could   
say anything to thee1 says of thee1 ,let
 him take his rod away from me1 and let 
not his fear terrify me1 then would ,i  
speak with him1 and not fear him2 but it
 is not so with me4#ga ,shall a fear of 
thee take away my devotion to thee8     
,dost thou command me to speak to thee1 
and command me to fear thee2 and do     
these destroy one another8 ,there is no 
perplexity in thee1 my ,god2 no         

inextricableness in thee1 my light and  
my clearness1 my sun and my moon1 that  
directest me as well in the night of    
adversity and fear1 as in my day of     
prosperity and confidence4 ,i must then 
speak to thee at all times1 but when    
must ,i fear thee8 ,at all times too4   
,when didst thou rebuke any petitioner  
with the name of importunate8 ,thou hast
 proposed to us a parable of a judge#gb 
that did justice at last1 because the   
client was importunate1 and troubled    
him2 but thou hast told us plainly1 that
 thy use in that parable was not that   
thou wast troubled with our             
importunities1 but 7as thou sayest      
there7 that we should always pray4 ,and 
to the same purpose thou proposest      
another1#gc that if ,i press my friend1 
when he is in bed at midnight1 to lend  
me bread1 though he will not rise       
because ,i am his friend1 yet because of
 mine importunity he will4 ,god will do 
this whensoever thou askest1 and never  
call it importunity4 ,pray in thy bed at

 midnight1 and ,god will not say1 ,i    
will hear thee to-morrow upon thy knees1
 at thy bedside2 pray upon thy knees    
there then1 and ,god will not say1 ,i   
will hear thee on ,sunday at church2    
,god is no dilatory ,god1 no froward    
,god2 prayer is never unseasonable1 ,god
 is never asleep1 nor absent4 ,but1 ,o  
my ,god1 can ,i do this1 and fear thee2 
come to thee and speak to thee1 in all  
places1 at all hours1 and fear thee8    
,dare ,i ask this question8 ,there is   
more boldness in the question than in   
the coming2 ,i may do it though ,i fear 
thee2 ,i cannot do it except ,i fear    
thee4 ,so well hast thou provided that  
we should always fear thee1 as that thou
 hast provided that we should fear no   
person but thee1 nothing but thee2 no   
men8 ,no4 ,whom8 ,the ,lord is my help  
and my salvation1 whom shall ,i fear8#gd
 ,great enemies8 ,not great enemies1 for
 no enemies are great to them that fear 
thee4 ,fear not the people of this land1
 for they are bread to you2#ge they     

shall not only not eat us1 not eat our  
bread1 but they shall be our bread4 ,why
 should we fear them8 ,but for all this 
metaphorical bread1 victory over enemies
 that thought to devour us1 may we not  
fear1 that we may lack bread literally8 
,and fear famine1 though we fear not    
enemies8 ,young lions do lack and suffer
 hunger1 but they that seek the ,lord   
shall not want any good thing4#gf       
,never8 ,though it be well with them at 
one time1 may they not fear that it may 
be worse8 ,wherefore should ,i fear in  
the days of evil8#gg says thy servant   
,david4 ,though his own sin had made    
them evil1 he feared them not4 ,no8 not 
if this evil determine in death8 ,not   
though in a death2 not though in a death
 inflicted by violence1 by malice1 by   
our own desert2 fear not the sentence of
 death1#gh if thou fear ,god4 ,thou art1
 ,o my ,god1 so far from admitting us   
that fear thee to fear others1 as that  
thou makest others to fear us2 as ,herod
 feared ,john1 because he was a holy and

 a just man1 and observed him4#gi ,how  
fully then1 ,o my abundant ,god1 how    
gently1 ,o my sweet1 my easy ,god1 dost 
thou unentangle me in any scruple       
arising out of the consideration of thy 
fear6 ,is not this that which thou      
intendest when thou sayest1 ,the secret 
of the ,lord is with them that fear     
him2#hj the secret1 the mystery of the  
right use of fear4 ,dost thou not mean  
this when thou sayest1 we shall         
understand the fear of the ,lord8#ha    
,have it1 and have benefit by it2 have  
it1 and stand under it2 be directed by  
it1 and not be dejected with it4 ,and   
dost thou not propose that church for   
our example when thou sayest1 the church
 of ,judea walked in the fear of        
,god2#hb they had it1 but did not sit   
down lazily1 nor fall down weakly1 nor  
sink under it4 ,there is a fear which   
weakens men in the service of ,god4     
,adam was afraid1 because he was        
naked4#hc ,they who have put off thee   
are a prey to all4 ,they may fear1 for  

,thou wilt laugh when their fear comes  
upon them1 as thou hast told them more  
than once4#hd ,and thou wilt make them  
fear where no cause of fear is1 as thou 
hast told them more than once too4#he   
,there is a fear that is a punishment of
 former wickednesses1 and induces more4 
,though some said of thy ,son1 ,christ  
,jesus1 that he was a good man1 yet no  
man spake openly for fear of the ,jews4 
,joseph was his disciple1 but secretly1 
for fear of the ,jews4#hf ,the disciples
 kept some meetings1 but with doors shut
 for fear of the ,jews4 ,o my ,god1 thou
 givest us fear for ballast to carry us 
steadily in all weathers4 ,but thou     
wouldst ballast us with such sand as    
should have gold in it1 with that fear  
which is thy fear2 for the fear of the  
,lord is his treasure4#hg ,he that hath 
that lacks nothing that man can have1   
nothing that ,god does give4 ,timorous  
men thou rebukest3 ,why are ye fearful1 
,o ye of little faith8#hh ,such thou    
dismissest from thy service with scorn1 

though of them there went from ,gideon's
 army twenty-two thousand1 and remained 
but ten thousand4#hi ,such thou sendest 
farther than so2 thither from whence    
they never return3 ,the fearful and the 
unbelieving1 into that burning lake     
which is the second death4#ij ,there is 
a fear and there is a hope1 which are   
equal abominations to thee2 for1 they   
were confounded because they hoped1#ia  
says thy servant ,job2 because they had 
misplaced1 miscentred their hopes1 they 
hoped1 and not in thee1 and such shall  
fear1 and not fear thee4 ,but in thy    
fear1 my ,god1 and my fear1 my ,god1 and
 my hope1 is hope1 and love1 and        
confidence1 and peace1 and every limb   
and ingredient of happiness enwrapped2  
for joy includes all1 and fear and joy  
consist together1 nay1 constitute one   
another4 ,the women departed from the   
sepulchre1#ib the women who were made   
supernumerary apostles1 apostles to the 
apostles2 mothers of the church1 and of 
the fathers1 grandfathers of the church1

 the apostles themselves2 the women1    
angels of the resurrection1 went from   
the sepulchre with fear and joy2 they   
ran1 says the text1 and they ran upon   
those two legs1 fear and joy2 and both  
was the right leg2 they joy in thee1 ,o 
,lord1 that fear thee1 and fear thee    
only1 who feel this joy in thee4 ,nay1  
thy fear1 and thy love are inseparable2 
still we are called upon1 in infinite   
places1 to fear ,god1 yet the           
commandment1 which is the root of all   
is1 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god2
 he doeth neither that doeth not both2  
he omits neither1 that does one4        
,therefore when thy servant ,david had  
said that the fear of the ,lord is the  
beginning of wisdom1#ic and his son had 
repeated it again1#id he that collects  
both calls this fear the root of wisdom2
 and1 that it may embrace all1 he calls 
it wisdom itself4#ie ,a wise man1       
therefore1 is never without it1 never   
without the exercise of it2 therefore   
thou sentest ,moses to thy people1 that 

they might learn to fear thee all the   
days of their lives1#if not in heavy and
 calamitous1 but in good and cheerful   
days too2 for ,noah1 who had assurance  
of his deliverance1 yet1 moved with     
fear1 prepared an ark1 for the saving of
 his house4#ig ,a wise man will fear in 
everything4#ih ,and therefore1 though ,i
 pretend to no other degree of wisdom1  
,i am abundantly rich in this1 that ,i  
lie here possessed with that fear which 
is thy fear1 both that this sickness is 
thy immediate correction1 and not merely
 a natural accident1 and therefore      
fearful1 because it is a fearful thing  
to fall into thy hands2 and that this   
fear preserves me from all inordinate   
fear1 arising out of the infirmity of   
nature1 because thy hand being upon me1 
thou wilt never let me fall out of thy  
hand4   ,,vi4 ,,prayer4  ,o most mighty 
,god1 and merciful ,god1 the ,god of all
 true sorrow1 and true joy too1 of all  
fear1 and of all hope too1 as thou hast 
given me a repentance1 not to be        

repented of1 so give me1 ,o ,lord1 a    
fear1 of which ,i may not be afraid4    
,give me tender and supple and          
conformable affections1 that as ,i joy  
with them that joy1 and mourn with them 
that mourn1 so ,i may fear with them    
that fear4 ,and since thou hast         
vouchsafed to discover to me1 in his    
fear whom thou hast admitted to be my   
assistance in this sickness1 that there 
is danger therein1 let me not1 ,o ,lord1
 go about to overcome the sense of that 
fear1 so far as to pretermit the fitting
 and preparing of myself for the worst  
that may be feared1 the passage out of  
this life4 ,many of thy blessed martyrs 
have passed out of this life without any
 show of fear2 but thy most blessed ,son
 himself did not so4 ,thy martyrs were  
known to be but men1 and therefore it   
pleased thee to fill them with thy      
,spirit and thy power1 in that they did 
more than men2 thy ,son was declared by 
thee1 and by himself1 to be ,god2 and it
 was requisite that he should declare   

himself to be man also1 in the          
weaknesses of man4 ,let me not          
therefore1 ,o my ,god1 be ashamed of    
these fears1 but let me feel them to    
determine where his fear did1 in a      
present submitting of all to thy will4  
,and when thou shalt have inflamed and  
thawed my former coldnesses and         
indevotions with these heats1 and       
quenched my former heats with these     
sweats and inundations1 and rectified my
 former presumptions and negligences    
with these fears1 be pleased1 ,o ,lord1 
as one made so by thee1 to think me fit 
for thee2 and whether it be thy pleasure
 to dispose of this body1 this garment1 
so as to put it to a farther wearing in 
this world1 or to lay it up in the      
common wardrobe1 the grave1 for the     
next1 glorify thyself in thy choice now1
 and glorify it then1 with that glory1  
which thy ,son1 our ,saviour ,christ    
,jesus1 hath purchased for them whom    
thou makest partakers of his            
resurrection4 ,amen4  ,,footnotes3  #gj 

#b ,sam4 iii4 #aa4  #ga ,job1 ix4 #cd4  
#gb ,luke1 xviii4 #a4  #gc ,luke1 xi4   
#e4  #gd ,psalm xxvii4 #a4  #ge ,num4   
xiv4 #i4  #gf ,psalm xxxv4 #gj4  #gg    
,psalm xlix4 #e4  #gh ,ecclus4 xli4 #c4 
#gi ,mark1 vi4 #bj4  #hj ,psalm xxv4    
#ad4  #ha ,prov4 ii4 #e4  #hb ,acts1 ix4
 #ca4  #hc ,gen4 iii4 #aj4  #hd ,prov4  
i4 #bf2 x4 #bd4  #he ,psalm xiv4 #e2    
liii4 #e4  #hf ,john1 vii4 #ac2 xix4    
#ch2 xxix4 #ai  #hg ,isaiah1 xxxiii4 #f4
  #hh ,matt4 viii4 #bf4  #hi ,judges1   
vii4 #c4  #ij ,rev4 xxi4 #h4  #ia ,job1 
vi4 #bj4  #ib ,matt4 xxviii4 #h4  #ic   
,psalm cxi4 #aj4  #id ,prov4 i4 #g4  #ie
 ,ecclus4 i4 #bj1 #bg4  #if ,deut4 iv4  
#aj4  #ig ,heb4 xi4 #g4  #ih ,ecclus4   
xviii4 #bg4     ,,vii4 ,,socios ,,sibi  
,,jungier ,,instat4  ,the physician     
desires to have others joined with him4 
,,vii4 ,,meditation4  ,there is more    
fear1 therefore more cause4 ,if the     
physician desire help1 the burden grows 
great3 there is a growth of the disease 
then2 but there must be an autumn too2  

but whether an autumn of the disease or 
me1 it is not my part to choose2 but if 
it be of me1 it is of both2 my disease  
cannot survive me1 ,i may overlive it4  
,howsoever1 his desiring of others      
argues his candour1 and his ingenuity2  
if the danger be great1 he justifies his
 proceedings1 and he disguises nothing  
that calls in witnesses2 and if the     
danger be not great1 he is not          
ambitious1 that is so ready to divide   
the thanks and the honour of that work  
which he begun alone1 with others4 ,it  
diminishes not the dignity of a monarch 
that he derive part of his care upon    
others2 ,god hath not made many suns1   
but he hath made many bodies that       
receive and give light4 ,the ,romans    
began with one king2 they came to two   
consuls2 they returned in extremities to
 one dictator3 whether in one or many1  
the sovereignty is the same in all      
states and the danger is not the more1  
and the providence is the more1 where   
there are more physicians2 as the state 

is the happier where businesses are     
carried by more counsels than can be in 
one breast1 how large soever4 ,diseases 
themselves hold consultations1 and      
conspire how they may multiply1 and join
 with one another1 and exalt one        
another's force so2 and shall we not    
call physicians to consultations8 ,death
 is in an old man's door1 he appears and
 tells him so1 and death is at a young  
man's back1 and says nothing2 age is a  
sickness1 and youth is an ambush2 and we
 need so many physicians as may make up 
a watch1 and spy every inconvenience4   
,there is scarce any thing that hath not
 killed somebody2 a hair1 a feather hath
 done it2 nay1 that which is our best   
antidote against it hath done it2 the   
best cordial hath been deadly poison4   
,men have died of joy1 and almost       
forbidden their friends to weep for     
them1 when they have seen them die      
laughing4 ,even that tyrant1 ,dionysius 
7,i think the same that suffered so much
 after71 who could not die of that      

sorrow1 of that high fall1 from a king  
to a wretched private man1 died of so   
poor a joy as to be declared by the     
people at a theatre that he was a good  
poet4 ,we say often that a man may live 
of a little2 but1 alas1 of how much less
 may a man die8 ,and therefore the more 
assistants the better4 ,who comes to a  
day of hearing1 in a cause of any       
importance1 with one advocate8 ,in our  
funerals we ourselves have no interest2 
there we cannot advise1 we cannot       
direct2 and though some nations 7the    
,egyptians in particular7 built         
themselves better tombs than houses     
because they were to dwell longer in    
them1 yet amongst ourselves1 the        
greatest man of style whom we have had1 
the ,conqueror1 was left1 as soon as his
 soul left him1 not only without persons
 to assist at his grave but without a   
grave4 ,who will keep us then we know   
not2 as long as we can1 let us admit as 
much help as we can2 another and another
 physician is not another and another   

indication and symptom of death1 but    
another and another assistant1 and      
proctor of life3 nor do they so much    
feed the imagination with apprehension  
of danger1 as the understanding with    
comfort4 ,let not one bring learning1   
another diligence1 another religion1 but
 every one bring all2 and as many       
ingredients enter into a receipt1 so may
 many men make the receipt4 ,but why do 
,i exercise my meditation so long upon  
this1 of having plentiful help in time  
of need8 ,is not my meditation rather to
 be inclined another way1 to condole and
 commiserate their distress who have    
none8 ,how many are sicker 7perchance7  
than ,i1 and laid in their woful straw  
at home 7if that corner be a home71 and 
have no more hope of help1 though they  
die1 than of preferment1 though they    
live6 ,nor do more expect to see a      
physician then1 than to be an officer   
after2 of whom1 the first that takes    
knowledge1 is the sexton that buries    
them1 who buries them in oblivion too6  

,for they do but fill up the number of  
the dead in the bill1 but we shall never
 hear their names1 till we read them in 
the book of life with our own4 ,how many
 are sicker 7perchance7 than ,i1 and    
thrown into hospitals1 where 7as a fish 
left upon the sand must stay the tide7  
they must stay the physician's hour of  
visiting1 and then can be but visited6  
,how many are sicker 7perchance7 than   
all we1 and have not this hospital to   
cover them1 not this straw to lie in1 to
 die in1 but have their gravestone under
 them1 and breathe out their souls in   
the ears and in the eyes of passengers1 
harder than their bed1 the flint of the 
street8 that taste of no part of our    
physic1 but a sparing diet1 to whom     
ordinary porridge would be julep enough1
 the refuse of our servants bezoar      
enough1 and the offscouring of our      
kitchen tables cordial enough4 ,o my    
soul1 when thou art not enough awake to 
bless thy ,god enough for his plentiful 
mercy in affording thee many helpers1   

remember how many lack them1 and help   
them to them or to those other things   
which they lack as much as them4        
,,vii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my   
,god1 thy blessed servant ,augustine    
begged of thee that ,moses might come   
and tell him what he meant by some      
places of ,genesis3 may ,i have leave to
 ask of that ,spirit that writ that     
book1 why1 when ,david expected news    
from ,joab's army1#ii and that the      
watchman told him that he saw a man     
running alone1 ,david concluded out of  
that circumstance1 that if he came      
alone1 he brought good news8#ajj ,i see 
the grammar1 the word signifies so1 and 
is so ever accepted1 good news2 but ,i  
see not the logic nor the rhetoric1 how 
,david would prove or persuade that his 
news was good because he was alone1     
except a greater company might have made
 great impressions of danger1 by        
imploring and importuning present       
supplies4 ,howsoever that be1 ,i am sure
 that that which thy apostle says to    

,timothy1 ,only ,luke is with me1#aja   
,luke1 and nobody but ,luke1 hath a     
taste of complaint and sorrow in it3    
though ,luke want no testimony of       
ability1 of forwardness1 of constancy1  
and perseverance1 in assisting that     
great building which ,st4 ,paul laboured
 in1 yet ,st4 ,paul is affected with    
that1 that there was none but ,luke to  
assist4 ,we take ,st4 ,luke to have been
 a physician1 and it admits the         
application the better that in the      
presence of one good physician we may be
 glad of more4 ,it was not only a civil 
spirit of policy1 or order1 that moved  
,moses's father-in-law to persuade him  
to divide the burden of government and  
judicature with others1 and take others 
to his assistance1#ajb but it was also  
thy immediate ,spirit1 ,o my ,god1 that 
moved ,moses to present unto thee       
seventy of the elders of ,israel1#ajc to
 receive of that ,spirit1 which was upon
 ,moses only before1 such a portion as  
might ease him in the government of that

 people2 though ,moses alone had        
endowments above all1 thou gavest him   
other assistants4 ,i consider thy       
plentiful goodness1 ,o my ,god1 in      
employing angels more than one in so    
many of thy remarkable works4 ,of thy   
,son1 thou sayest1 ,let all the angels  
of ,god worship him2#ajd if that be in  
heaven1 upon earth he says1 that he     
could command twelve legions of         
angels2#aje and when heaven and earth   
shall be all one1 at the last day1 thy  
,son1 ,o ,god1 the ,son of man1 shall   
come in his glory1 and all the holy     
angels with him4#ajf ,the angels that   
celebrated his birth to the             
shepherds1#ajg the angels that          
celebrated his second birth1 his        
resurrection1 to the ,maries1#ajh were  
in the plural1 angels associated with   
angels4 ,in ,jacob's ladder1#aji they   
who ascended and descended1 and         
maintained the trade between heaven and 
earth1 between thee and us1 they who    
have the commission1 and charge to guide

 us in all our ways1#aaj they who       
hastened ,lot1#aaa and in him1 us1 from 
places of danger and temptation1 they   
who are appointed to instruct and govern
 us in the church here1#aab they who are
 sent to punish the disobedient and     
refractory1#aac that they are to be     
mowers and harvestmen#aad after we are  
grown up in one field1 the church1 at   
the day of judgment1 they that are to   
carry our souls whither they carried    
,lazarus1#aae they who attended at the  
several gates of the new ,jerusalem1#aaf
 to admit us there2 all these who       
administer to thy servants1 from the    
first to their last1 are angels1 angels 
in the plural1 in every service angels  
associated with angels4 ,the power of a 
single angel we see in that one1 who in 
one night destroyed almost two hundred  
thousand in ,sennacherib's army1#aag yet
 thou often employest many2 as we know  
the power of salvation is abundantly in 
any one evangelist1 and yet thou hast   
afforded us four4 ,thy ,son proclaims of

 himself that the ,spirit hath anointed 
him to preach the ,gospel1#aah yet he   
hath given others for the perfecting of 
the saints in the work of the           
ministry4#aai ,thou hast made him       
,bishop of our souls1#abj but there are 
others bishops too4 ,he gave the ,holy  
,ghost1#aba and others gave it also4    
,thy way1 ,o my ,god 7and1 ,o my ,god1  
thou lovest to walk in thine own ways1  
for they are large71 thy way from the   
beginning1 is multiplication of thy     
helps2 and therefore it were a degree of
 ingratitude not to accept this mercy of
 affording me many helps for my bodily  
health1 as a type and earnest of thy    
gracious purpose now and ever to afford 
me the same assistances4 ,that for thy  
great help1 thy word1 ,i may seek that  
not from comers nor conventicles nor    
schismatical singularities1 but from the
 association and communion of thy       
,catholic church1 and those persons whom
 thou hast always furnished that church 
withal3 and that ,i may associate thy   

word with thy sacrament1 thy seal with  
thy patent2 and in that sacrament       
associate the sign with the thing       
signified1 the bread with the body of   
thy ,son1 so as ,i may be sure to have  
received both1 and to be made thereby   
7as thy blessed servant ,augustine says7
 the ark1 and the monument1 and the tomb
 of thy most blessed ,son1 that he1 and 
all the merits of his death1 may1 by    
that receiving1 be buried in me1 to my  
quickening in this world1 and my        
immortal establishing in the next4      
,,vii4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most   
gracious ,god1 who gavest to thy        
servants in the wilderness thy manna1   
bread so conditioned1 qualified so1 as  
that to every man manna tasted like that
 which that man liked best1 ,i humbly   
beseech thee to make this correction1   
which ,i acknowledge to be part of my   
daily bread1 to taste so to me1 not as  
,i would but as thou wouldst have it    
taste1 and to conform my taste1 and make
 it agreeable to thy will4 ,thou wouldst

 have thy corrections taste of          
humiliation1 but thou wouldst have them 
taste of consolation too2 taste of      
danger1 but taste of assurance too4 ,as 
therefore thou hast imprinted in all    
thine elements of which our bodies      
consist two manifest qualities1 so that 
as thy fire dries1 so it heats too2 and 
as thy water moists1 so it cools too2   
so1 ,o ,lord1 in these corrections which
 are the elements of our regeneration1  
by which our souls are made thine1      
imprint thy two qualities1 those two    
operations1 that1 as they scourge us1   
they may scourge us into the way to     
thee2 that when they have showed us that
 we are nothing in ourselves1 they may  
also show us1 that thou art all things  
unto us4 ,when therefore in this        
particular circumstance1 ,o ,lord 7but  
none of thy judgments are circumstances1
 they are all of all substance of thy   
good purpose upon us71 when in this     
particular1 that he whom thou hast sent 
to assist me1 desires assistants to him1

 thou hast let me see in how few hours  
thou canst throw me beyond the help of  
man1 let me by the same light see that  
no vehemence of sickness1 no temptation 
of ,satan1 no guiltiness of sin1 no     
prison of death1 not this first1 this   
sick bed1 not the other prison1 the     
close and dark grave1 can remove me from
 the determined and good purpose which  
thou hast sealed concerning me4 ,let me 
think no degree of this thy correction  
casual1 or without signification2 but   
yet when ,i have read it in that        
language1 as a correction1 let me       
translate it into another1 and read it  
as a mercy2 and which of these is the   
original1 and which is the translation2 
whether thy mercy or thy correction were
 thy primary and original intention in  
this sickness1 ,i cannot conclude1      
though death conclude me2 for as it must
 necessarily appear to be a correction1 
so ,i can have no greater argument of   
thy mercy1 than to die in thee and by   
that death to be united to him who died 

for me4  ,,footnotes3  #ii #b ,sam4     
xviii4 #be4  #ajj ,so all but our       
translation takes it2 even ,buxdor and  
,schindler4  #aja #b ,tim4 iv4 #aa4     
#ajb ,exod4 xviii4 #ac4  #ajc ,num4 xi4 
#af4  #ajd ,heb4 i4 #f4  #aje ,matt4    
xxvi4 #ec4  #ajf ,matt4 xxv4 #ca4  #ajg 
,luke1 ii4 #ac1 #ad4  #ajh ,john1 xx4   
#ab4  #aji ,gen4 xxviii4 #ab4  #aaj     
,psalm xci4 #aa4  #aaa ,gen4 xix4 #ae4  
#aab ,rev4 i4 #bj4  #aac ,rev4 viii4 #b4
  #aad ,matt4 xiii4 #ci4  #aae ,luke1   
xvi4 #bb4  #aaf ,rev4 xxi4 #ab4  #aag #b
 ,kings1 xix4 #ce4  #aah ,luke1 iv4 #ah4
  #aai ,eph4 iv4 #ab4  #abj #a ,pet4 ii4
 #be4  #aba ,john1 xx4 #bb4     ,,viii4 
,,et ,,rex ,,ipse ,,suum ,,mittit4  ,the
 ,king sends his own physician4         
,,viii4 ,,meditation4  ,still when we   
return to that meditation that man is a 
world1 we find new discoveries4 ,let him
 be a world1 and himself will be the    
land1 and misery the sea4 ,his misery   
7for misery is his1 his own2 of the     
happiness even of this world1 he is but 

tenant1 but of misery the freeholder2 of
 happiness he is but the farmer1 but the
 usufructuary1 but of misery the lord1  
the proprietary71 his misery1 as the    
sea1 swells above all the hills1 and    
reaches to the remotest parts of this   
earth1 man2 who of himself is but dust1 
and coagulated and kneaded into earth by
 tears2 his matter is earth1 his form   
misery4 ,in this world that is mankind1 
the highest ground1 the eminentest      
hills1 are kings2 and have they line and
 lead enough to fathom this sea1 and    
say1 ,my misery is but this deep8       
,scarce any misery equal to sickness1   
and they are subject to that equally    
with their lowest subject4 ,a glass is  
not the less brittle1 because a king's  
face is represented in it2 nor a king   
the less brittle1 because ,god is       
represented in him4 ,they have          
physicians continually about them1 and  
therefore sickness1 or the worst of     
sicknesses1 continual fear of it4 ,are  
they gods8 ,he that called them so      

cannot flatter4 ,they are gods1 but sick
 gods2 and ,god is presented to us under
 many human affections1 as far as       
infirmities3 ,god is called angry1 and  
sorry1 and weary1 and heavy1 but never a
 sick ,god2 for then he might die like  
men1 as our gods do4 ,the worst that    
they could say in reproach and scorn of 
the gods of the heathen was1 that       
perchance they were asleep2 but gods    
that are so sick as that they cannot    
sleep are in an infirmer condition4 ,a  
god1 and need a physician8 ,a ,jupiter1 
and need an sculapius8 that must have   
rhubarb to purge his choler lest he be  
too angry1 and agarick to purge his     
phlegm lest he be too drowsy2 that as   
,tertullian says of the ,egyptian gods1 
plants and herbs1 that ,god was beholden
 to man for growing in his garden1 so we
 must say of these gods1 their eternity 
7an eternity of threescore and ten      
years7 is in the apothecary's shop1 and 
not in the metaphorical deity4 ,but     
their deity is better expressed in their

 humility than in their height2 when    
abounding and overflowing1 as ,god1 in  
means of doing good1 they descend1 as   
,god1 to a communication of their       
abundances with men according to their  
necessities1 then they are gods4 ,no man
 is well that understands not1 that     
values not his being well2 that hath not
 a cheerfulness and a joy in it2 and    
whosoever hath this joy hath a desire to
 communicate1 to propagate that which   
occasions his happiness and his joy to  
others2 for every man loves witnesses of
 his happiness1 and the best witnesses  
are experimental witnesses2 they who    
have tasted of that in themselves which 
makes us happy4 ,it consummates         
therefore1 it perfects the happiness of 
kings1 to confer1 to transfer1 honour   
and riches1 and 7as they can7 health1   
upon those that need them4   ,,viii4    
,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1 ,i 
have a warning from the wise man1 that  
when a rich man speaketh every man      
holdeth his tongue1 and1 look1 what he  

saith1 they extol it to the clouds2 but 
if a poor man speak1 they say1 ,what    
fellow is this8 ,and if he stumble1 they
 will help to overthrow him4#abb        
,therefore may my words be undervalued  
and my errors aggravated1 if ,i offer to
 speak of kings2 but not by thee1 ,o my 
,god1 because ,i speak of them as they  
are in thee1 and of thee as thou art in 
them4 ,certainly those men prepare a way
 of speaking negligently or irreverently
 of thee1 that give themselves that     
liberty in speaking of thy vicegerents1 
kings2 for thou who gavest ,augustus the
 empire1 gavest it to ,nero too2 and as 
,vespasian had it from thee1 so had     
,julian4 ,though kings deface in        
themselves thy first image in their own 
soul1 thou givest no man leave to deface
 thy second image1 imprinted indelibly  
in their power4 ,but thou knowest1 ,o   
,god1 that if ,i should be slack in     
celebrating thy mercies to me exhibited 
by that royal instrument1 my sovereign1 
to many other faults that touch upon    

allegiance ,i should add the worst of   
all1 ingratitude1 which constitutes an  
ill man2 and faults which are defects in
 any particular function are not so     
great as those that destroy our         
humanity4 ,it is not so ill to be an ill
 subject as to be an ill man2 for he    
hath an universal illness1 ready to flow
 and pour out itself into any mould1 any
 form1 and to spend itself in any       
function4 ,as therefore thy ,son did    
upon the coin1 ,i look upon the king1   
and ,i ask whose image and whose        
inscription he hath1 and he hath thine2 
and ,i give unto thee that which is     
thine2 ,i recommend his happiness to    
thee in all my sacrifices of thanks1 for
 that which he enjoys1 and in all my    
prayers for the continuance and         
enlargement of them4 ,but let me stop1  
my ,god1 and consider2 will not this    
look like a piece of art and cunning1 to
 convey into the world an opinion that  
,i were more particular in his care than
 other men8 and that herein1 in a show  

of humility and thankfulness1 ,i magnify
 myself more than there is cause8 ,but  
let not that jealousy stop me1 ,o ,god1 
but let me go forward in celebrating thy
 mercy exhibited by him4 ,this which he 
doth now1 in assisting so my bodily     
health1 ,i know is common to me with    
many3 many1 many have tasted of that    
expression of his graciousness4 ,where  
he can give health by his own hands he  
doth1 and to more than any of his       
predecessors have done3 therefore hath  
,god reserved one disease for him1 that 
he only might cure it1 though perchance 
not only by one title and interest1 nor 
only as one king4 ,to those that need it
 not1 in that kind1 and so cannot have  
it by his own hand1 he sends a donative 
of health in sending his physician4 ,the
 holy king ,st4 ,louis1 in ,france1 and 
our ,maud1 is celebrated for that1 that 
personally they visited hospitals1 and  
assisted in the cure even of loathsome  
diseases4 ,and when that religious      
,empress ,placilla1 the wife of         

,theodosius1 was told that she          
diminished herself too much in those    
personal assistances and might do enough
 in sending relief1 she said she would  
send in that capacity as a ,christian1  
as a fellow-member of the body of thy   
,son1 with them4 ,so thy servant ,david 
applies himself to his people1 so he    
incorporates himself in his people1 by  
calling them his brethren1 his bones1   
his flesh2#abc and when they fell under 
thy hand1 even to the pretermitting of  
himself1 he presses upon thee by prayer 
for them2 ,i have sinned1 but these     
sheep1 what have they done8 ,let thine  
hand1 ,i pray thee1 be against me and   
against my father's house4#abd ,it is   
kingly to give2 when ,araunah gave that 
great and free present to ,david1 that  
place1 those instruments for sacrifice1 
and the sacrifices themselves1 it is    
said there by thy ,spirit1 ,all these   
things did ,araunah give1 as a king1 to 
the king4#abe ,to give is an approaching
 to the condition of kings1 but to give 

health1 an approaching to the ,king of  
kings1 to thee4 ,but this his assisting 
to my bodily health1 thou knowest1 ,o   
,god1 and so do some others of thine    
honourable servants know1 is but the    
twilight of that day wherein thou1      
through him1 hast shined upon me before2
 but the echo of that voice1 whereby    
thou1 through him1 hast spoke to me     
before1 then when he1 first of any man1 
conceived a hope that ,i might be of    
some use in thy church and descended to 
an intimation1 to a persuasion1 almost  
to a solicitation1 that ,i would embrace
 that calling4 ,and thou who hadst put  
that desire into his heart1 didst also  
put into mine an obedience to it2 and   
,i1 who was sick before of a vertiginous
 giddiness and irresolution1 and almost 
spent all my time in consulting how ,i  
should spend it1 was by this man of     
,god1 and ,god of men1 put into the pool
 and recovered3 when ,i asked1          
perchance1 a stone1 he gave me bread2   
when ,i asked1 perchance1 a scorpion1 he

 gave me a fish2 when ,i asked a        
temporal office1 he denied not1 refused 
not that2 but let me see that he had    
rather ,i took this4 ,these things thou1
 ,o ,god1 who forgettest nothing1 hast  
not forgot1 though perchance he1 because
 they were benefits1 hath2 but ,i am not
 only a witness1 but an instance1 that  
our ,jehoshaphat hath a care to ordain  
priests1 as well as judges3#abf and not 
only to send physicians for temporal but
 to be the physician for spiritual      
health4   ,,viii4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal 
and most gracious ,god1 who1 though thou
 have reserved thy treasure of perfect  
joy and perfect glory to be given by    
thine own hands then1 when1 by seeing   
thee as thou art in thyself1 and knowing
 thee as we are known1 we shall possess 
in an instant1 and possess for ever1 all
 that can any way conduce to our        
happiness1 yet here also1 in this world1
 givest us such earnests of that full   
payment1 as by the value of the earnest 
we may give some estimate of the        

treasure1 humbly and thankfully ,i      
acknowledge1 that thy blessed ,spirit   
instructs me to make a difference of thy
 blessings in this world1 by that       
difference of the instruments by which  
it hath pleased thee to derive them unto
 me4 ,as we see thee here in a glass1 so
 we receive from thee here by reflection
 and by instruments4 ,even casual things
 come from thee2 and that which we call 
fortune here hath another name above4   
,nature reaches out her hand and gives  
us corn1 and wine1 and oil1 and milk2   
but thou fillest her hand before1 and   
thou openest her hand that she may rain 
down her showers upon us4 ,industry     
reaches out her hand to us and gives us 
fruits of our labour for ourselves and  
our posterity2 but thy hand guides that 
hand when it sows and when it waters1   
and the increase is from thee4 ,friends 
reach out their hands and prefer us2 but
 thy hand supports that hand that       
supports us4 ,of all these thy          
instruments have ,i received thy        

blessing1 ,o ,god2 but bless thy name   
most for the greatest2 that1 as a member
 of the public1 and as a partaker of    
private favours too1 by thy right hand1 
thy powerful hand set over us1 ,i have  
had my portion not only in the hearing1 
but in the preaching of thy ,gospel4    
,humbly beseeching thee1 that as thou   
continuest thy wonted goodness upon the 
whole world by the wonted means and     
instruments1 the same sun and moon1 the 
same nature and industry1 so to continue
 the same blessings upon this state and 
this church by the same hand1 so long as
 that thy ,son1 when he comes in the    
clouds1 may find him1 or his son1 or his
 son's sons ready to give an account and
 able to stand in that judgment1 for    
their faithful stewardship and          
dispensation of thy talents so          
abundantly committed to them2 and be to 
him1 ,o ,god1 in all distempers of his  
body1 in all anxieties of spirit1 in all
 holy sadnesses of soul1 such a         
physician in thy proportion1 who are the

 greatest in heaven1 as he hath been in 
soul and body to me1 in his proportion1 
who is the greatest upon earth4         
,,footnotes3  #abb ,ecclus4 xiii4 #bc4  
#abc #b ,sam4 xix4 #ab4  #abd #b ,sam4  
xxiv4 #ag4  #abe #b ,sam4 xxiv4 #bb1    
#bc4  #abf #b ,chron4 xix4 #h4     ,,ix4
 ,,medicamina ,,scribunt4  ,upon their  
consultation they prescribe4   ,,ix4    
,,meditation4  ,they have seen me and   
heard me1 arraigned me in these fetters 
and received the evidence2 ,i have cut  
up mine own anatomy1 dissected myself1  
and they are gone to read upon me4 ,o   
how manifold and perplexed a thing1 nay1
 how wanton and various a thing1 is ruin
 and destruction6 ,god presented to     
,david three kinds1 war1 famine and     
pestilence2 ,satan left out these1 and  
brought in fires from heaven and winds  
from the wilderness4 ,if there were no  
ruin but sickness1 we see the masters of
 that art can scarce number1 not name   
all sicknesses2 every thing that        
disorders a faculty1 and the function of

 that1 is a sickness2 the names will not
 serve them which are given from the    
place affected1 the pleurisy is so2 nor 
from the effect which it works1 the     
falling sickness is so2 they cannot have
 names enough1 from what it does1 nor   
where it is1 but they must extort names 
from what it is like1 what it resembles1
 and but in some one thing1 or else they
 would lack names2 for the wolf1 and the
 canker1 and the polypus are so2 and    
that question whether there be more     
names or things1 is as perplexed in     
sicknesses as in any thing else2 except 
it be easily resolved upon that side    
that there are more sicknesses than     
names4 ,if ruin were reduced to that one
 way1 that man could perish no way but  
by sickness1 yet his danger were        
infinite2 and if sickness were reduced  
to that one way1 that there were no     
sickness but a fever1 yet the way were  
infinite still2 for it would overload   
and oppress any natural1 disorder and   
discompose any artificial1 memory1 to   

deliver the names of several fevers2 how
 intricate a work then have they who are
 gone to consult which of these         
sicknesses mine is1 and then which of   
these fevers1 and then what it would do1
 and then how it may be countermined4   
,but even in ill it is a degree of good 
when the evil will admit consultation4  
,in many diseases1 that which is but an 
accident1 but a symptom of the main     
disease1 is so violent1 that the        
physician must attend the cure of that1 
though he pretermit 7so far as to       
intermit7 the cure of the disease       
itself4 ,is it not so in states too8    
,sometimes the insolency of those that  
are great puts the people into          
commotions2 the great disease1 and the  
greatest danger to the head1 is the     
insolency of the great ones2 and yet    
they execute martial law1 they come to  
present executions upon the people1     
whose commotion was indeed but a        
symptom1 but an accident of the main    
disease2 but this symptom1 grown so     

violent1 would allow no time for a      
consultation4 ,is it not so in the      
accidents of the diseases of our mind   
too8 ,is it not evidently so in our     
affections1 in our passions8 ,if a      
choleric man be ready to strike1 must ,i
 go about to purge his choler1 or to    
break the blow8 ,but where there is room
 for consultation things are not        
desperate4 ,they consult1 so there is   
nothing rashly1 inconsiderately done2   
and then they prescribe1 they write1 so 
there is nothing covertly1 disguisedly1 
unavowedly done4 ,in bodily diseases it 
is not always so2 sometimes1 as soon as 
the physician's foot is in the chamber1 
his knife is in the patient's arm2 the  
disease would not allow a minute's      
forbearing of blood1 nor prescribing of 
other remedies4 ,in states and matter of
 government it is so too2 they are      
sometimes surprised with such accidents1
 as that the magistrate asks not what   
may be done by law1 but does that which 
must necessarily be done in that case4  

,but it is a degree of good in evil1 a  
degree that carries hope and comfort in 
it1 when we may have recourse to that   
which is written1 and that the          
proceedings may be apert1 and ingenuous1
 and candid1 and avowable1 for that     
gives satisfaction and acquiescence4    
,they who have received my anatomy of   
myself consult1 and end their           
consultation in prescribing1 and in     
prescribing physic2 proper and          
convenient remedy2 for if they should   
come in again and chide me for some     
disorder that had occasioned and        
induced1 or that had hastened and       
exalted this sickness1 or if they should
 begin to write now rules for my diet   
and exercise when ,i were well1 this    
were to antedate or to postdate their   
consultation1 not to give physic4 ,it   
were rather a vexation than a relief1 to
 tell a condemned prisoner1 ,you might  
have lived if you had done this2 and if 
you can get your pardon1 you shall do   
well to take this or this course        

hereafter4 ,i am glad they know 7,i have
 hid nothing from them71 glad they      
consult 7they hid nothing from one      
another71 glad they write 7they hide    
nothing from the world71 glad that they 
write and prescribe physic1 that there  
are remedies for the present case4      
,,ix4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my    
,god1 allow me a just indignation1 a    
holy detestation of the insolency of    
that man who1 because he was of that    
high rank1 of whom thou hast said1 ,they
 are gods1 thought himself more than    
equal to thee2 that king of ,aragon1    
,alphonsus1 so perfect in the motions of
 the heavenly bodies as that he         
adventured to say1 that if he had been  
of counsel with thee1 in the making of  
the heavens1 the heavens should have    
been disposed in a better order than    
they are4 ,the king ,amaziah would not  
endure thy prophet to reprehend him1 but
 asked him in anger1 ,art thou made of  
the king's counsel8#abg ,when thy       
prophet ,esaias asks that question1 ,who

 hath directed the spirit of the ,lord1 
or being his counsellor1 hath taught    
him8#abh it is after he had settled and 
determined that office upon thy ,son1   
and him only1 when he joins with those  
great titles1 the mighty ,god and the   
,prince of peace1 this also1 the        
,counsellor2#abi and after he had       
settled upon him the spirit of might and
 of counsel4#acj ,so that then thou1 ,o 
,god1 though thou have no counsel from  
man1 yet dost nothing upon man without  
counsel4 ,in the making of man there was
 a consultation2 ,let us make man4#aca  
,in the preserving of man1 ,o thou great
 ,preserver of men1#acb thou proceedest 
by counsel2 for all thy external works  
are the works of the whole ,trinity1 and
 their hand is to every action4 ,how    
much more must ,i apprehend that all you
 blessed and glorious persons of the    
,trinity are in consultation now1 what  
you will do with this infirm body1 with 
this leprous soul1 that attends         
guiltily1 but yet comfortably1 your     

determination upon it4 ,i offer not to  
counsel them who meet in consultation   
for my body now1 but ,i open my         
infirmities1 ,i anatomize my body to    
them4 ,so ,i do my soul to thee1 ,o my  
,god1 in an humble confession1 that     
there is no vein in me that is not full 
of the blood of thy ,son1 whom ,i have  
crucified and crucified again1 by       
multiplying many1 and often repeating   
the same1 sins2 that there is no artery 
in me that hath not the spirit of error1
 the spirit of lust1 the spirit of      
giddiness in it2#acc no bone in me that 
is not hardened with the custom of sin  
and nourished and suppled with the      
marrow of sin2 no sinews1 no ligaments1 
that do not tie and chain sin and sin   
together4 ,yet1 ,o blessed and glorious 
,trinity1 ,o holy and whole college1 and
 yet but one physician1 if you take this
 confession into a consultation1 my case
 is not desperate1 my destruction is not
 decreed4 ,if your consultation         
determine in writing1 if you refer me to

 that which is written1 you intend my   
recovery3 for all the way1 ,o my ,god   
7ever constant to thine own ways71 thou 
hast proceeded openly1 intelligibly1    
manifestly by the book4 ,from thy first 
book1 the book of life1 never shut to   
thee1 but never thoroughly open to us2  
from thy second book1 the book of       
nature1 where1 though subobscurely and  
in shadows1 thou hast expressed thine   
own image2 from thy third book1 the     
,scriptures1 where thou hadst written   
all in the ,old1 and then lightedst us a
 candle to read it by1 in the ,new1     
,testament2 to these thou hadst added   
the book of just and useful laws1       
established by them to whom thou hast   
committed thy people2 to those1 the     
manuals1 the pocket1 the bosom books of 
our own consciences2 to those thy       
particular books of all our particular  
sins2 and to those1 the books with seven
 seals1 which only the ,lamb which was  
slain1 was found worthy to open2#acd    
which1 ,i hope1 it shall not disagree   

with the meaning of thy blessed ,spirit 
to interpret the promulgation of their  
pardon and righteousness who are washed 
in the blood of that ,lamb2 and if thou 
refer me to these books1 to a new       
reading1 a new trial by these books1    
this fever may be but a burning in the  
hand and ,i may be saved1 though not by 
my book1 mine own conscience1 nor by thy
 other books1 yet by thy first1 the book
 of life1 thy decree for my election1   
and by thy last1 the book of the ,lamb1 
and the shedding of his blood upon me4  
,if ,i be still under consultation1 ,i  
am not condemned yet2 if ,i be sent to  
these books1 ,i shall not be condemned  
at all2 for though there be something   
written in some of those books          
7particularly in the ,scriptures7 which 
some men turn to poison1 yet upon these 
consultations 7these confessions1 these 
takings of our particular cases into thy
 consideration7 thou intendest all for  
physic2 and even from those sentences   
from which a too late repenter will suck

 desperation1 he that seeks thee early  
shall receive thy morning dew1 thy      
seasonable mercy1 thy forward           
consolation4   ,,ix4 ,,prayer4  ,o      
eternal and most gracious ,god1 who art 
of so pure eyes as that thou canst not  
look upon sin1 and we of so unpure      
constitutions as that we can present no 
object but sin1 and therefore might     
justly fear that thou wouldst turn thine
 eyes for ever from us1 as1 though we   
cannot endure afflictions in ourselves1 
yet in thee we can2 so1 though thou     
canst not endure sin in us1 yet in thy  
,son thou canst1 and he hath taken upon 
himself1 and presented to thee1 all     
those sins which might displease thee in
 us4 ,there is an eye in nature that    
kills as soon as it sees1 the eye of a  
serpent2 no eye in nature that nourishes
 us by looking upon us2 but thine eye1  
,o ,lord1 does so4 ,look therefore upon 
me1 ,o ,lord1 in this distress and that 
will recall me from the borders of this 
bodily death2 look upon me1 and that    

will raise me again from that spiritual 
death in which my parents buried me when
 they begot me in sin1 and in which ,i  
have pierced even to the jaws of hell by
 multiplying such heaps of actual sins  
upon that foundation1 that root of      
original sin4 ,yet take me again into   
your consultation1 ,o blessed and       
glorious ,trinity2 and though the       
,father know that ,i have defaced his   
image received in my creation2 though   
the ,son know ,i have neglected mine    
interest in the redemption2 yet1 ,o     
blessed ,spirit1 as thou art to my      
conscience so be to them1 a witness     
that1 at this minute1 ,i accept that    
which ,i have so often1 so rebelliously 
refused1 thy blessed inspirations2 be   
thou my witness to them that1 at more   
pores than this slack body sweats tears1
 this sad soul weeps blood2 and more for
 the displeasure of my ,god1 than for   
the stripes of his displeasure4 ,take   
me1 then1 ,o blessed and glorious       
,trinity1 into a reconsultation1 and    

prescribe me any physic4 ,if it be a    
long and painful holding of this soul in
 sickness1 it is physic if ,i may       
discern thy hand to give it2 and it is  
physic if it be a speedy departing of   
this soul1 if ,i may discern thy hand to
 receive it4  ,,footnotes3  #abg #b     
,chron4 xxv4 #af4  #abh ,isaiah1 xlii4  
#ac4  #abi ,isaiah1 ix4 #f4  #acj       
,isaiah1 xi4 #b4  #aca ,gen4 i4 #bf4    
#acb ,job1 vii4 #bj4  #acc #a ,tim4 iv4 
#a2 ,hos4 iv4 #ab2 ,isaiah1 xix4 #ad4   
#acd ,rev4 vii4 #a4     ,x4 ,,lente ,,et
 ,,serpenti ,,satagunt ,,occurrere      
,,morbo4  ,they find the disease to     
steal on insensibly1 and endeavour to   
meet with it so4   ,x4 ,,meditation4    
,this is nature's nest of boxes3 the    
heavens contain the earth2 the earth1   
cities2 cities1 men4 ,and all these are 
concentric2 the common centre to them   
all is decay1 ruin2 only that is        
eccentric which was never made2 only    
that place1 or garment rather1 which we 
can imagine but not demonstrate4 ,that  

light1 which is the very emanation of   
the light of ,god1 in which the saints  
shall dwell1 with which the saints shall
 be apparelled1 only that bends not to  
this centre1 to ruin2 that which was not
 made of nothing is not threatened with 
this annihilation4 ,all other things    
are2 even angels1 even our souls2 they  
move upon the same poles1 they bend to  
the same centre2 and if they were not   
made immortal by preservation1 their    
nature could not keep them from sinking 
to this centre1 annihilation4 ,in all   
these 7the frame of the heavens1 the    
states upon earth1 and men in them1     
comprehend all71 those are the greatest 
mischiefs which are least discerned2 the
 most insensible in their ways come to  
be the most sensible in their ends4 ,the
 heavens have had their dropsy1 they    
drowned the world2 and they shall have  
their fever1 and burn the world4 ,of the
 dropsy1 the flood1 the world had a     
foreknowledge one hundred and twenty    
years before it came2 and so some made  

provision against it1 and were saved2   
the fever shall break out in an instant 
and consume all2 the dropsy did no harm 
to the heavens from whence it fell1 it  
did not put out those lights1 it did not
 quench those heats2 but the fever1 the 
fire1 shall burn the furnace itself1    
annihilate those heavens that breathe it
 out4 ,though the dogstar have a        
pestilent breath1 an infectious         
exhalation1 yet1 because we know when it
 will rise1 we clothe ourselves1 and we 
diet ourselves1 and we shadow ourselves 
to a sufficient prevention2 but comets  
and blazing stars1 whose effects or     
significations no man can interrupt or  
frustrate1 no man foresaw3 no almanack  
tells us when a blazing star will break 
out1 the matter is carried up in secret2
 no astrologer tells us when the effects
 will be accomplished1 for that is a    
secret of a higher sphere than the      
other2 and that which is most secret is 
most dangerous4 ,it is so also here in  
the societies of men1 in states and     

commonwealths4 ,twenty rebellious drums 
make not so dangerous a noise as a few  
whisperers and secret plotters in       
corners4 ,the cannon doth not so much   
hurt against a wall1 as a mine under the
 wall2 nor a thousand enemies that      
threaten1 so much as a few that take an 
oath to say nothing4 ,god knew many     
heavy sins of the people1 in the        
wilderness and after1 but still he      
charges them with that one1 with        
murmuring1 murmuring in their hearts1   
secret disobediences1 secret repugnances
 against his declared will2 and these   
are the most deadly1 the most           
pernicious4 ,and it is so too with the  
diseases of the body2 and that is my    
case4 ,the pulse1 the urine1 the sweat1 
all have sworn to say nothing1 to give  
no indication of any dangerous sickness4
 ,my forces are not enfeebled1 ,i find  
no decay in my strength2 my provisions  
are not cut off1 ,i find no abhorring in
 mine appetite2 my counsels are not     
corrupted nor infatuated1 ,i find no    

false apprehensions to work upon mine   
understanding2 and yet they see that    
invisibly1 and ,i feel that insensibly1 
the disease prevails4 ,the disease hath 
established a kingdom1 an empire in me1 
and will have certain arcana imperii1   
secrets of state1 by which it will      
proceed and not be bound to declare     
them4 ,but yet against those secret     
conspiracies in the state1 the          
magistrate hath the rack2 and against   
these insensible diseases physicians    
have their examiners2 and those these   
employ now4   ,x4 ,,expostulation4  ,my 
,god1 my ,god1 ,i have been told1 and   
told by relation1 by her own brother    
that did it1 by thy servant ,nazianzen1 
that his sister in the vehemency of her 
prayer1 did use to threaten thee with a 
holy importunity1 with a pious          
impudency4 ,i dare not do so1 ,o ,god2  
but as thy servant ,augustine wished    
that ,adam had not sinned1 therefore    
that ,christ might not have died1 may ,i
 not to this one purpose wish that if   

the serpent1 before the temptation of   
,eve1 did go upright and speak1#ace that
 he did so still1 because ,i should the 
sooner hear him if he spoke1 the sooner 
see him if he went upright8 ,in his     
curse ,i am cursed too2 his creeping    
undoes me2 for howsoever he begin at the
 heel1 and do but bruise that1 yet he1  
and death in him1 is come into our      
windows2#acf into our eyes and ears1 the
 entrances and inlets of our soul4 ,he  
works upon us in secret and we do not   
discern him2 and one great work of his  
upon us is to make us so like himself as
 to sin in secret1 that others may not  
see us2 but his masterpiece is to make  
us sin in secret1 so as that we may not 
see ourselves sin4 ,for the first1 the  
hiding of our sins from other men1 he   
hath induced that which was his         
offspring from the beginning1 a lie2#acg
 for man is1 in nature1 yet in          
possession of some such sparks of       
ingenuity and nobleness1 as that1 but to
 disguise evil1 he would not lie4 ,the  

body1 the sin1 is the serpent's2 and the
 garment that covers it1 the lie1 is his
 too4 ,these are his1 but the hiding of 
sin from ourselves is he himself3 when  
we have the sting of the serpent in us1 
and do not sting ourselves1 the venom of
 sin1 and no remorse for sin1 then1 as  
thy blessed ,son said of ,judas1 ,he is 
a devil2#ach not that he had one1 but   
was one2 so we are become devils to     
ourselves1 and we have not only a       
serpent in our bosom1 but we ourselves  
are to ourselves that serpent4 ,how far 
did thy servant ,david press upon thy   
pardon in that petition1 ,cleanse thou  
me from secret sins8#aci ,can any sin be
 secret8 for a great part of our sins1  
though1 says thy prophet1 we conceive   
them in the dark1 upon our bed1 yet1    
says he1 we do them in the light2 there 
are many sins which we glory in doing1  
and would not do if nobody should know  
them4 ,thy blessed servant ,augustine   
confesses that he was ashamed of his    
shamefacedness and tenderness of        

conscience1 and that he often belied    
himself with sins which he never did1   
lest he should be unacceptable to his   
sinful companions4 ,but if we would     
conceal them 7thy prophet found such a  
desire1 and such a practice in some1    
when he said1 ,thou hast trusted in thy 
wickedness1 and thou hast said1 ,none   
shall see me#adj71 yet can we conceal   
them8 ,thou1 ,o ,god1 canst hear of them
 by others3 the voice of ,abel's blood  
will tell thee of ,cain's murder2#ada   
the heavens themselves will tell thee4  
,heaven shall reveal his iniquity2 a    
small creature alone shall do it1 ,a    
bird of the air shall carry the voice1  
and tell the matter2#adb thou wilt      
trouble no informer1 thou thyself       
revealedst ,adam's sin to thyself2#adc  
and the manifestation of sin is so full 
to thee1 as that thou shalt reveal all  
to all2 ,thou shalt bring every work to 
judgment1 with every secret thing2#add  
and there is nothing covered that shall 
not be revealed4#ade ,but1 ,o my ,god1  

there is another way of knowing my sins1
 which thou lovest better than any of   
these2 to know them by my confession4   
,as physic works1 so it draws the       
peccant humour to itself1 that1 when it 
is gathered together1 the weight of     
itself may carry that humour away2 so   
thy ,spirit returns to my memory my     
former sins1 that1 being so recollected1
 they may pour out themselves by        
confession4 ,when ,i kept silence1 says 
thy servant ,david1 day and night thy   
hand was heavy upon me2 but when ,i     
said1 ,i will confess my transgressions 
unto the ,lord1 thou forgavest the      
iniquity of my sin4#adf ,thou           
interpretest the very purpose of        
confession so well1 as that thou scarce 
leavest any new mercy for the action    
itself4 ,this mercy thou leavest1 that  
thou armest us thereupon against        
relapses into the sins which we have    
confessed4 ,and that mercy which thy    
servant ,augustine apprehends when he   
says to thee1 ,thou hast forgiven me    

those sins which ,i have done1 and those
 sins which only by thy grace ,i have   
not done3 they were done in our         
inclination to them1 and even that      
inclination needs thy mercy1 and that   
mercy he calls a pardon4 ,and these are 
most truly secret sins1 because they    
were never done1 and because no other   
man1 nor ,i myself1 but only thou       
knowest1 how many and how great sins ,i 
have escaped by thy grace1 which1       
without that1 ,i should have multiplied 
against thee4   ,x4 ,,prayer4  ,o       
eternal and most gracious ,god1 who as  
thy ,son ,christ ,jesus1 though he knew 
all things1 yet said he knew not the day
 of judgment1 because he knew it not so 
as that he might tell us2 so though thou
 knowest all my sins1 yet thou knowest  
them not to my comfort1 except thou know
 them by my telling them to thee4 ,how  
shall ,i bring to thy knowledge1 by that
 way1 those sins which ,i myself know   
not8 ,if ,i accuse myself of original   
sin1 wilt thou ask me if ,i know what   

original sin is8 ,i know not enough of  
it to satisfy others1 but ,i know enough
 to condemn myself1 and to solicit thee4
 ,if ,i confess to thee the sins of my  
youth1 wilt thou ask me if ,i know what 
those sins were8 ,i know them not so    
well as to name them all1 nor am sure to
 live hours enough to name them all 7for
 ,i did them then faster than ,i can    
speak them now1 when every thing that ,i
 did conduced to some sin71 but ,i know 
them so well as to know that nothing but
 thy mercy is so infinite as they4 ,if  
the naming of sins of thought1 word and 
deed1 of sins of omission and of action1
 of sins against thee1 against my       
neighbour and against myself1 of sins   
unrepented and sins relapsed into after 
repentance1 of sins of ignorance and    
sins against the testimony of my        
conscience1 of sins against thy         
commandments1 sins against thy ,son's   
,prayer1 and sins against our own creed1
 of sins against the laws of that       
church1 and sins against the laws of    

that state in which thou hast given me  
my station2 if the naming of these sins 
reach not home to all mine1 ,i know what
 will4 ,o ,lord1 pardon me1 me1 all     
those sins which thy ,son ,christ ,jesus
 suffered for1 who suffered for all the 
sins of all the world2 for there is no  
sin amongst all those which had not been
 my sin1 if thou hadst not been my ,god1
 and antedated me a pardon in thy       
preventing grace4 ,and since sin1 in the
 nature of it1 retains still so much of 
the author of it that it is a serpent1  
insensibly insinuating itself into my   
soul1 let thy brazen serpent 7the       
contemplation of thy ,son crucified for 
me7 be evermore present to me1 for my   
recovery against the sting of the first 
serpent2 that so1 as ,i have a ,lion    
against a lion1 the ,lion of the tribe  
of ,judah against that lion that seeks  
whom he may devour1 so ,i may have a    
serpent against a serpent1 the wisdom of
 the serpent against the malice of the  
serpent1 and both against that lion and 

serpent1 forcible and subtle            
temptations1 thy dove with thy olive in 
thy ark1 humility and peace and         
reconciliation to thee1 by the          
ordinances of thy church4 ,amen4        
,,footnotes3  #ace ,josephus4  #acf     
,jer4 ix4 #ba4  #acg ,john1 viii4 #dd4  
#ach ,john1 vi4 #gj4  #aci ,psalm xix4  
#ab4  #adj ,isaiah1 xlvii4 #aj4  #ada   
,gen4 iv4 #aj4  #adb ,eccles4 x4 #bj4   
#adc ,gen4 iii4 #h4  #add ,eccles4 xii4 
#ad4  #ade ,matt4 x4 #bf4  #adf ,psalm  
xxxii4 #c-e4     ,,xi4 ,,nobilibusque   
,,trahunt1 ,a ,,cincto ,,corde1         
,,venenum1 ,,succis ,,et ,,gemmis1 ,,et 
,,qu ,,generosa1 ,,ministrant ,,ars1    
,,et ,,natura1 ,,instillant4  ,they use 
cordials1 to keep the venom and         
malignity of the disease from the heart4
   ,,xi4 ,,meditation4  ,whence can we  
take a better argument1 a clearer       
demonstration1 that all the greatness of
 this world is built upon opinion of    
others and hath in itself no real being1
 nor power of subsistence1 than from the

 heart of man8 ,it is always in action  
and motion1 still busy1 still pretending
 to do all1 to furnish all the powers   
and faculties with all that they have2  
but if an enemy dare rise up against it1
 it is the soonest endangered1 the      
soonest defeated of any part4 ,the brain
 will hold out longer than it1 and the  
liver longer than that2 they will endure
 a siege2 but an unnatural heat1 a      
rebellious heat1 will blow up the heart1
 like a mine1 in a minute4 ,but         
howsoever1 since the heart hath the     
birthright and primogeniture1 and that  
it is nature's eldest son in us1 the    
part which is first born to life in man1
 and that the other parts1 as younger   
brethren1 and servants in his family1   
have a dependance upon it1 it is reason 
that the principal care be had of it1   
though it be not the strongest part1 as 
the eldest is oftentimes not the        
strongest of the family4 ,and since the 
brain1 and liver1 and heart hold not a  
triumvirate in man1 a sovereignty       

equally shed upon them all1 for his     
well-being1 as the four elements do for 
his very being1 but the heart alone is  
in the principality1 and in the throne1 
as king1 the rest as subjects1 though in
 eminent place and office1 must         
contribute to that1 as children to their
 parents1 as all persons to all kinds of
 superiors1 though oftentimes those     
parents or those superiors be not of    
stronger parts than themselves1 that    
serve and obey them that are weaker4    
,neither doth this obligation fall upon 
us1 by second dictates of nature1 by    
consequences and conclusions arising out
 of nature1 or derived from nature by   
discourse 7as many things bind us even  
by the law of nature1 and yet not by the
 primary law of nature2 as all laws of  
propriety in that which we possess are  
of the law of nature1 which law is1 to  
give every one his own1 and yet in the  
primary law of nature there was no      
propriety1 no meum et tuum1 but an      
universal community overall2 so the     

obedience of superiors is of the law of 
nature1 and yet in the primary law of   
nature there was no superiority1 no     
magistracy72 but this contribution of   
assistance of all to the sovereign1 of  
all parts to the heart1 is from the very
 first dictates of nature1 which is1 in 
the first place1 to have care of our own
 preservation1 to look first to         
ourselves2 for therefore doth the       
physician intermit the present care of  
brain or liver1 because there is a      
possibility that they may subsist1      
though there be not a present and a     
particular care had of them1 but there  
is no possibility that they can subsist1
 if the heart perish3 and so1 when we   
seem to begin with others1 in such      
assistances1 indeed1 we do begin with   
ourselves1 and we ourselves are         
principally in our contemplation2 and so
 all these officious and mutual         
assistances are but compliments towards 
others1 and our true end is ourselves4  
,and this is the reward of the pains of 

kings2 sometimes they need the power of 
law to be obeyed2 and when they seem to 
be obeyed voluntarily1 they who do it do
 it for their own sakes4 ,o how little a
 thing is all the greatness of man and  
through how false glasses doth he make  
shift to multiply it1 and magnify it to 
himself6 ,and yet this is also another  
misery of this king of man1 the heart1  
which is also applicable to the kings of
 this world1 great men1 that the venom  
and poison of every pestilential disease
 directs itself to the heart1 affects   
that 7pernicious affection71 and the    
malignity of ill men is also directed   
upon the greatest and the best2 and not 
only greatness but goodness loses the   
vigour of being an antidote or cordial  
against it4 ,and as the noblest and most
 generous cordials that nature or art   
afford1 or can prepare1 if they be often
 taken and made familiar1 become no     
cordials1 nor have any extraordinary    
operation1 so the greatest cordial of   
the heart1 patience1 if it be much      

exercised1 exalts the venom and the     
malignity of the enemy1 and the more we 
suffer the more we are insulted upon4   
,when ,god had made this earth of       
nothing1 it was but a little help that  
he had1 to make other things of this    
earth3 nothing can be nearer nothing    
than this earth2 and yet how little of  
this earth is the greatest man6 ,he     
thinks he treads upon the earth1 that   
all is under his feet1 and the brain    
that thinks so is but earth2 his highest
 region1 the flesh that covers that1 is 
but earth1 and even the top of that1    
that wherein so many ,absaloms take so  
much pride1 is but a bush growing upon  
that turf of earth4 ,how little of the  
world is the earth6 ,and yet that is all
 that man hath or is4 ,how little of a  
man is the heart1 and yet it is all by  
which he is2 and this continually       
subject not only to foreign poisons     
conveyed by others1 but to intestine    
poisons bred in ourselves by            
pestilential sicknesses4 ,o who1 if     

before he had a being he could have     
sense of this misery1 would buy a being 
here upon these conditions8   ,,xi4     
,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1 all
 that thou askest of me is my heart1 ,my
 ,son1 give me thy heart4#adg ,am ,i thy
 ,son as long as ,i have but my heart8  
,wilt thou give me an inheritance1 a    
filiation1 any thing for my heart8 ,o   
thou1 who saidst to ,satan1 ,hast thou  
considered my servant ,job1 that there  
is none like him upon the earth1#adh    
shall my fear1 shall my zeal1 shall my  
jealousy1 have leave to say to thee1    
,hast thou considered my heart1 that    
there is not so perverse a heart upon   
earth2 and wouldst thou have that1 and  
shall ,i be thy son1 thy eternal ,son's 
coheir1 for giving that8 ,the heart is  
deceitful above all things1 and         
desperately wicked2 who can know it8#adi
 ,he that asks that question makes the  
answer1 ,i the ,lord search the heart4  
,when didst thou search mine8 ,dost thou
 think to find it1 as thou madest it1 in

 ,adam8 ,thou hast searched since1 and  
found all these gradations in the ill of
 our hearts1 that every imagination of  
the thoughts of our hearts is only evil 
continually4#aej ,dost thou remember    
this1 and wouldst thou have my heart8 ,o
 ,god of all light1 ,i know thou knowest
 all1 and it is thou#aea that declarest 
unto man what is his heart4 ,without    
thee1 ,o sovereign ,goodness1 ,i could  
not know how ill my heart were4 ,thou   
hast declared unto me1 in thy word1 that
 for all this deluge of evil that hath  
surrounded all hearts1 yet thou         
soughtest and foundest a man after thine
 own heart2#aeb that thou couldst and   
wouldst give thy people pastors         
according to thine own heart2#aec and ,i
 can gather out of thy word so good     
testimony of the hearts of men as to    
find single hearts1 docile and          
apprehensive hearts2 hearts that can1   
hearts that have learned2 wise hearts in
 one place1 and in another in a great   
degree wise1 perfect hearts2 straight   

hearts1 no perverseness without2 and    
clean hearts1 no foulness within3 such  
hearts ,i can find in thy word2 and if  
my heart were such a heart1 ,i would    
give thee my heart4 ,but ,i find stony  
hearts too1#aed and ,i have made mine   
such3 ,i have found hearts that are     
snares2#aee and ,i have conversed with  
such2 hearts that burn like ovens2#aef  
and the fuel of lust1 and envy1 and     
ambition1 hath inflamed mine2 hearts in 
which their masters trust1 and he that  
trusteth in his own heart is a fool2#aeg
 his confidence in his own moral        
constancy and civil fortitude will      
betray him1 when thou shalt cast a      
spiritual damp1 a heaviness and         
dejection of spirit upon him4 ,i have   
found these hearts1 and a worse than    
these1 a heart into the which the devil 
himself is entered1 ,judas's heart4#aeh 
,the first kind of heart1 alas1 my ,god1
 ,i have not2 the last are not hearts to
 be given to thee4 ,what shall ,i do8   
,without that present ,i cannot be thy  

son1 and ,i have it not4 ,to those of   
the first kind thou givest joyfulness of
 heart1#aei and ,i have not that2 to    
those of the other kind thou givest     
faintness of heart2#afj and blessed be  
thou1 ,o ,god1 for that forbearance1 ,i 
have not that yet4 ,there is then a     
middle kind of hearts1 not so perfect as
 to be given but that the very giving   
mends them2 not so desperate as not to  
be accepted but that the very accepting 
dignifies them4 ,this is a melting      
heart1#afa and a troubled heart1 and a  
wounded heart1 and a broken heart1 and a
 contrite heart2 and by the powerful    
working of thy piercing ,spirit such a  
heart ,i have4 ,thy ,samuel spake unto  
all the house of thy ,israel1 and said1 
,if you return to the ,lord with all    
your hearts1 prepare your hearts unto   
the ,lord4#afb ,if my heart be prepared1
 it is a returning heart4 ,and if thou  
see it upon the way1 thou wilt carry it 
home4 ,nay1 the preparation is thine    
too2 this melting1 this wounding1 this  

breaking1 this contrition1 which ,i have
 now1 is thy way to thy end2 and those  
discomforts are1 for all that1 the      
earnest of thy ,spirit in my heart2#afc 
and where thou givest earnest1 thou wilt
 perform the bargain4 ,nabal was        
confident upon his wine1 but in the     
morning his heart died within him4#afd  
,thou1 ,o ,lord1 hast given me wormwood1
 and ,i have had some diffidence upon   
that2 and thou hast cleared a morning to
 me again1 and my heart is alive4       
,david's heart smote him when he cut off
 the skirt from ,saul2#afe and his heart
 smote him when he had numbered his     
people3#aff my heart hath struck me when
 ,i come to number my sins2 but that    
blow is not to death1 because those sins
 are not to death1 but my heart lives in
 thee4 ,but yet as long as ,i remain in 
this great hospital1 this sick1 this    
diseaseful world1 as long as ,i remain  
in this leprous house1 this flesh of    
mine1 this heart1 though thus prepared  
for thee1 prepared by thee1 will still  

be subject to the invasion of malign and
 pestilent vapours4 ,but ,i have my     
cordials in thy promise2 when ,i shall  
know the plague of my heart1 and pray   
unto thee in thy house1#afg thou wilt   
preserve that heart from all mortal     
force of that infection2 and the peace  
of ,god1 which passeth all              
understandings shall keep my heart and  
mind through ,christ ,jesus4#afh   ,,xi4
 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most gracious
 ,god1 who in thy upper house1 the      
heavens1 though there be many mansions1 
yet art alike and equally in every      
mansion2 but here in thy lower house1   
though thou fillest all1 yet art        
otherwise in some rooms thereof than in 
others2 otherwise in thy church than in 
my chamber1 and otherwise in thy        
sacraments than in my prayers2 so though
 thou be always present and always      
working in every room of this thy house1
 my body1 yet ,i humbly beseech thee to 
manifest always a more effectual        
presence in my heart than in the other  

offices4 ,into the house of thine       
anointed1 disloyal persons1 traitors1   
will come2 into thy house1 the church1  
hypocrites and idolators will come2 into
 some rooms of this thy house1 my body1 
temptations will come1 infections will  
come2 but be my heart thy bedchamber1 ,o
 my ,god1 and thither let them not      
enter4 ,job made a covenant with his    
eyes1 but not his making of that        
covenant1 but thy dwelling in his heart1
 enabled him to keep that covenant4 ,thy
 ,son himself had a sadness in his soul 
to death1 and he had a reluctation1 a   
deprecation of death1 in the approaches 
thereof2 but he had his cordial too1    
,yet not my will1 but thine be done4    
,and as thou hast not delivered us1     
thine adopted sons1 from these          
infectious temptations1 so neither hast 
thou delivered us over to them1 nor     
withheld thy cordials from us4 ,i was   
baptized in thy cordial water against   
original sin1 and ,i have drunk of thy  
cordial blood1 for my recovery from     

actual and habitual sin1 in the other   
sacrament4 ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 who hast    
imprinted all medicinal virtues which   
are in all creatures1 and hast made even
 the flesh of vipers to assist in       
cordials1 art able to make this present 
sickness1 everlasting health1 this      
weakness1 everlasting strength1 and this
 very dejection and faintness of heart1 
a powerful cordial4 ,when thy blessed   
,son cried out to thee1 ,my ,god1 my    
,god1 why hast thou forsaken me8 thou   
didst reach out thy hand to him2 but not
 to deliver his sad soul1 but to receive
 his holy soul3 neither did he longer   
desire to hold it of thee1 but to       
recommend it to thee4 ,i see thine hand 
upon me now1 ,o ,lord1 and ,i ask not   
why it comes1 what it intends2 whether  
thou wilt bid it stay still in this body
 for some time1 or bid it meet thee this
 day in paradise1 ,i ask not1 not in a  
wish1 not in a thought4 ,infirmity of   
nature1 curiosity of mind1 are          
temptations that offer2 but a silent and

 absolute obedience to thy will1 even   
before ,i know it1 is my cordial4       
,preserve that to me1 ,o my ,god1 and   
that will preserve me to thee2 that1    
when thou hast catechised me with       
affliction here1 ,i may take a greater  
degree1 and serve thee in a higher      
place1 in thy kingdom of joy and glory4 
,amen4  ,,footnotes3  #adg ,prov4 xxiii4
 #bf4  #adh ,job1 i4 #h4  #adi ,jer4    
xvii4 #i4  #aej ,gen4 vi4 #e4  #aea     
,amos1 iv4 #ac4  #aeb #a ,sam4 xiii4    
#ad4  #aec ,jer4 iii4 #ae4  #aed ,ezek4 
xi4 #ai4  #aee ,eccles4 vii4 #bf4  #aef 
,hos4 vii4 #f4  #aeg ,prov4 xxviii4 #bf4
  #aeh ,john1 xiii4 #b4  #aei ,ecclus4  
l4 #bc4  #afj ,lev4 xxvi4 #cf4  #afa    
,josh4 ii4 #aa4  #afb #a ,sam4 vii4 #c4 
#afc #b ,cor4 i4 #bb4  #afd #a ,sam4    
xxv4 #cg4  #afe #a ,sam4 xxiv4 #e4  #aff
 #b ,sam4 xxiv4 #aj4  #afg #a ,kings1   
viii4 #ch4  #afh ,phil4 iv4 #g4         
,,xii4 ------------------ ,spirante     
columba     ,supposita pedibus1         
revocantur ad ima vapores4  ,they apply 

pigeons1 to draw the vapours from the   
head4   ,,xii4 ,,meditation4  ,what will
 not kill a man if a vapour will8 ,how  
great an elephant1 how small a mouse    
destroys6 ,to die by a bullet is the    
soldier's daily bread2 but few men die  
by hail-shot4 ,a man is more worth than 
to be sold for single money2 a life to  
be valued above a trifle4 ,if this were 
a violent shaking of the air by thunder 
or by cannon1 in that case the air is   
condensed above the thickness of water1 
of water baked into ice1 almost         
petrified1 almost made stone1 and no    
wonder that kills2 but that which is but
 a vapour1 and a vapour not forced but  
breathed1 should kill1 that our nurse   
should overlay us1 and air that         
nourishes us should destroy us1 but that
 it is a half atheism to murmur against 
,nature1 who is ,god's immediate        
commissioner1 who would not think       
himself miserable to be put into the    
hands of ,nature1 who does not only set 
him up for a mark for others to shoot   

at1 but delights herself to blow him up 
like a glass1 till she see him break1   
even with her own breath8 ,nay1 if this 
infectious vapour were sought for1 or   
travelled to1 as ,pliny hunted after the
 vapour of tna and dared and challenged 
,death in the form of a vapour to do his
 worst1 and felt the worst1 he died2 or 
if this vapour were met withal in an    
ambush1 and we surprised with it1 out of
 a long shut well1 or out of a new      
opened mine1 who would lament1 who would
 accuse1 when we had nothing to accuse1 
none to lament against but fortune1 who 
is less than a vapour8 ,but when        
ourselves are the well that breathes out
 this exhalation1 the oven that spits   
out this fiery smoke1 the mine that     
spews out this suffocating and          
strangling damp1 who can ever1 after    
this1 aggravate his sorrow by this      
circumstance1 that it was his neighbour1
 his familiar friend1 his brother1 that 
destroyed him1 and destroyed him with a 
whispering and a calumniating breath1   

when we ourselves do it to ourselves by 
the same means1 kill ourselves with our 
own vapours8 ,or if these occasions of  
this self-destruction had any           
contribution from our own wills1 any    
assistance from our own intentions1 nay1
 from our own errors1 we might divide   
the rebuke1 and chide ourselves as much 
as them4 ,fevers upon wilful distempers 
of drink and surfeits1 consumptions upon
 intemperances and licentiousness1      
madness upon misplacing or overbending  
our natural faculties1 proceed from     
ourselves1 and so as that ourselves are 
in the plot1 and we are not only        
passive1 but active too1 to our own     
destruction4 ,but what have ,i done1    
either to breed or to breathe these     
vapours8 ,they tell me it is my         
melancholy2 did ,i infuse1 did ,i drink 
in melancholy into myself8 ,it is my    
thoughtfulness2 was ,i not made to      
think8 ,it is my study2 doth not my     
calling call for that8 ,i have done     
nothing wilfully1 perversely toward it1 

yet must suffer in it1 die by it4 ,there
 are too many examples of men that have 
been their own executioners1 and that   
have made hard shift to be so3 some have
 always had poison about them1 in a     
hollow ring upon their finger1 and some 
in their pen that they used to write    
with2 some have beat out their brains at
 the wall of their prison1 and some have
 eat the fire out of their chimneys2#afi
 and one is said to have come nearer our
 case than so1 to have strangled        
himself1 though his hands were bound1 by
 crushing his throat between his knees4 
,but ,i do nothing upon myself1 and yet 
am mine own executioner4 ,and we have   
heard of death upon small occasions and 
by scornful instruments3 a pin1 a comb1 
a hair pulled1 hath gangrened and       
killed2 but when ,i have said a vapour1 
if ,i were asked again what is a vapour1
 ,i could not tell1 it is so insensible 
a thing2 so near nothing is that that   
reduces us to nothing4 ,but extend this 
vapour1 rarefy it2 from so narrow a room

 as our natural bodies1 to any politic  
body1 to a state4 ,that which is fume in
 us is1 in a state rumour2 and these    
vapours in us1 which we consider here   
pestilent and infectious fumes1 are1 in 
a state1 infecitious rumours1 detracting
 and dishonourable calumnies1 libels4   
,the heart in that body is the king1 and
 the brain his council2 and the whole   
magistracy1 that ties all together1 is  
the sinews which proceed from thence2   
and the life of all is honour1 and just 
respect1 and due reverence2 and         
therefore1 when these vapours1 these    
venomous rumours1 are directed against  
these noble parts1 the whole body       
suffers4 ,but yet for all their         
privileges1 they are not privileged from
 our misery2 that as the vapours most   
pernicious to us arise in our own       
bodies1 so do the most dishonourable    
rumours1 and those that wound a state   
most arise at home4 ,what ill air that  
,i could have met in the street1 what   
channel1 what shambles1 what dunghill1  

what vault1 could have hurt me so much  
as these homebred vapours8 ,what        
fugitive1 what almsman of any foreign   
state1 can do so much harm as a         
detractor1 a libeller1 a scornful jester
 at home8 ,for as they that write of    
poisons1 and of creatures naturally     
disposed to the ruin of man1 do as well 
mention the flea as the viper#agj1      
because the flea1 though he kill none1  
he does all the harm he can2 so even    
these libellous and licentious jesters  
utter the venom they have1 though       
sometimes virtue1 and always power1 be a
 good pigeon to draw this vapour from   
the head and from doing any deadly harm 
there4   ,,xii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my   
,god1 my ,god1 as thy servant ,james1   
when he asks that question1 ,what is    
your life8 provides me my answer1 ,it is
 even a vapour1 that appeareth for a    
little time1 and then vanisheth         
away2#aga so1 if he did ask me what is  
your death1 ,i am provided of my answer1
 it is a vapour too2 and why should it  

not be all one to me1 whether ,i live or
 die1 if life and death be all one1 both
 a vapour8 ,thou hast made vapour so    
indifferent a thing as that thy         
blessings and thy judgments are equally 
expressed by it1 and is made by thee the
 hieroglyphic of both4 ,why should not  
that be always good by which thou hast  
declared thy plentiful goodness to us8  
,a vapour went up from the earth1 and   
watered the whole face of the           
ground4#agb ,and that by which thou hast
 imputed a goodness to us1 and wherein  
thou hast accepted our service to thee1 
sacrifices2 for sacrifices were         
vapours2#agc and in them it is said1    
that a thick cloud of incense went up to
 thee4#agd ,so it is of that wherein    
thou comest to us1 the dew of heaven1   
and of that wherein we come to thee1    
both are vapours2 and he1 in whom we    
have and are all that we are or have1   
temporally or spiritually1 thy blessed  
,son1 in the person of ,wisdom1 is      
called so too2 ,she is 7that is1 he is7 

the vapour of the power of ,god1 and the
 pure influence from the glory of the   
,almighty4#age ,hast thou1 thou1 ,o my  
,god1 perfumed vapour with thine own    
breath1 with so many sweet acceptations 
in thine own word1 and shall this vapour
 receive an ill and infectious sense8   
,it must2 for1 since we have displeased 
thee with that which is but vapour 7for 
what is sin but a vapour1 but a smoke1  
though such a smoke as takes away our   
sight1 and disables us from seeing our  
danger71 it is just that thou punish us 
with vapours too4 ,for so thou dost1 as 
the wise man tells us1 thou canst punish
 us by those things wherein we offend   
thee2 as he hath expressed it there1 by 
beasts newly created1 breathing         
vapours4#agf ,therefore that commination
 of thine1 by thy prophet1 ,i will show 
wonders in the heaven1 and in the earth1
 blood and fire1 and pillars of         
smoke2#agg thine apostle1 who knew thy  
meaning best1 calls vapours of          
smoke4#agh ,one prophet presents thee in

 thy terribleness so1 ,there went out a 
smoke at his nostrils1#agi and another  
the effect of thine anger so1 ,the house
 was filled with smoke2#ahj and he that 
continues his prophecy as long as the   
world can continue1 describes the       
miseries of the latter times so1 ,out of
 the bottomless pit arose a smoke1 that 
darkened the sun1 and out of that smoke 
came locusts1 who had the power of      
scorpions4#aha ,now all smokes begin in 
fire1 and all these will end so too3 the
 smoke of sin and of thy wrath will end 
in the fire of hell4 ,but hast thou     
afforded us no means to evaporate these 
smokes1 to withdraw these vapours8 ,when
 thine angels fell from heaven1 thou    
tookest into thy care the reparation of 
that place1 and didst it by assuming1 by
 drawing us thither2 when we fell from  
thee here1 in this world1 thou tookest  
into thy care the reparation of this    
place too1 and didst it by assuming us  
another way1 by descending down to      
assume our nature1 in thy ,son4 ,so that

 though our last act be an ascending to 
glory 7we shall ascend to the place of  
angels71 yet our first act is to go the 
way of thy ,son1 descending1 and the way
 of thy blessed ,spirit too1 who        
descended in the dove4 ,therefore hast  
thou been pleased to afford us this     
remedy in nature1 by this application of
 a dove to our lower parts1 to make     
these vapours in our bodies to descend1 
and to make that a type to us1 that1 by 
the visitation of thy ,spirit1 the      
vapours of sin shall descend1 and we    
tread them under our feet4 ,at the      
baptism of thy ,son1 the ,dove          
descended1 and at the exalting of thine 
apostles to preach1 the same ,spirit    
descended4 ,let us draw down the vapours
 of our own pride1 our own wits1 our own
 wills1 our own inventions1 to the      
simplicity of thy sacraments and the    
obedience of thy word2 and these doves1 
thus applied1 shall make us live4       
,,xii4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most   
gracious ,god1 who1 though thou have    

suffered us to destroy ourselves1 and   
hast not given us the power of          
reparation in ourselves1 hast yet       
afforded us such means of reparation as 
may easily and familiarly be compassed  
by us1 prosper1 ,i humbly beseech thee1 
this means of bodily assistance in this 
thy ordinary creature1 and prosper thy  
means of spiritual assistance in thy    
holy ordinances4 ,and as thou hast      
carried this thy creature1 the dove1    
through all thy ways through nature1 and
 made it naturally proper to conduce    
medicinally to our bodily health1       
through the law1 and made it a sacrifice
 for sin there1 and through the gospel1 
and made it1 and thy ,spirit in it1 a   
witness of thy ,son's baptism there1 so 
carry it1 and the qualities of it1 home 
to my soul1 and imprint there that      
simplicity1 that mildness1 that         
harmlessness1 which thou hast imprinted 
by nature in this creature4 ,that so all
 vapours of all disobedience to thee1   
being subdued under my feet1 ,i may1 in 

the power and triumph of thy ,son1 tread
 victoriously upon my grave1 and trample
 upon the lion and dragon#ahb that lie  
under it to devour me4 ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 
by the prophet1 callest the dove the    
dove of the valleys1 but promisest that 
the dove of the valleys shall be upon   
the mountain4#ahc ,as thou hast laid me 
low in this valley of sickness1 so low  
as that ,i am made fit for that question
 asked in the field of bones1 ,son of   
man1 can these bones live8#ahd so1 in   
thy good time1 carry me up to these     
mountains of which even in this valley  
thou affordest me a prospect1 the       
mountain where thou dwellest1 the holy  
hill1 unto which none can ascend but he 
that hath clean hands1 which none can   
have but by that one and that strong way
 of making them clean1 in the blood of  
thy ,son ,christ ,jesus4 ,amen4         
,,footnotes3  #afi ,coma1 latro4 in     
,val4 ,max4  #agj ,ardoinus4  #aga      
,james1 iv4 #ad4  #agb ,gen4 ii4 #f4    
#agc ,lev4 xvi4 #ac4  #agd ,ezek4 viii4 

#aa4  #age ,wisd4 vii4 #be4  #agf ,wisd4
 xi4 #ah4  #agg ,joel1 ii4 #cj4  #agh   
,acts1 ii4 #ai4  #agi ,psalm xviii4 #h4 
#ahj ,isaiah1 vi4 #d4  #aha ,rev4 ix4   
#b4     ,,xiii4 ,,ingeniumque ,,malum1  
,,numeroso ,,stigmate1 ,,fassus         
,,pellitur ,,ad ,,pectus1 ,,morbique    
,,suburbia1 ,,morbus4  ,the sickness    
declares the infection and malignity    
thereof by spots4   ,,xiii4             
,,meditation4  ,we say that the world is
 made of sea and land1 as though they   
were equal2 but we know that there is   
more sea in the ,western than in the    
,eastern hemisphere4 ,we say that the   
firmament is full of stars1 as though it
 were equally full2 but we know that    
there are more stars under the ,northern
 than under the ,southern pole4 ,we say 
the elements of man are misery and      
happiness1 as though he had an equal    
proportion of both1 and the days of man 
vicissitudinary1 as though he had as    
many good days as ill1 and that he lived
 under a perpetual equinoctial1 night   

and day equal1 good and ill fortune in  
the same measure4 ,but it is far from   
that2 he drinks misery1 and he tastes   
happiness2 he mows misery1 and he gleans
 happiness2 he journeys in misery1 he   
does but walk in happiness2 and1 which  
is worst1 his misery is positive and    
dogmatical1 his happiness is but        
disputable and problematical3 all men   
call misery misery1 but happiness       
changes the name by the taste of man4   
,in this accident that befalls me1 now  
that this sickness declares itself by   
spots to be a malignant and pestilential
 disease1 if there be a comfort in the  
declaration1 that thereby the physicians
 see more clearly what to do1 there may 
be as much discomfort in this1 that the 
malignity may be so great as that all   
that they can do shall do nothing2 that 
an enemy declares himself then1 when he 
is able to subsist1 and to pursue1 and  
to achieve his ends1 is no great        
comfort4 ,in intestine conspiracies1    
voluntary confessions do more good than 

confessions upon the rack2 in these     
infections1 when nature herself         
confesses and cries out by these outward
 declarations which she is able to put  
forth of herself1 they minister comfort2
 but when all is by the strength of     
cordials1 it is but a confession upon   
the rack1 by which1 though we come to   
know the malice of that man1 yet we do  
not know whether there be not as much   
malice in his heart then as before his  
confession2 we are sure of his treason1 
but not of his repentance2 sure of him1 
but not of his accomplices4 ,it is a    
faint comfort to know the worst when the
 worst is remediless1 and a weaker than 
that to know much ill1 and not to know  
that that is the worst4 ,a woman is     
comforted with the birth of her son1 her
 body is eased of a burden2 but if she  
could prophetically read his history1   
how ill a man1 perchance how ill a son1 
he would prove1 she should receive a    
greater burden into her mind4 ,scarce   
any purchase that is not clogged with   

secret incumbrances2 scarce any         
happiness that hath not in it so much of
 the nature of false and base money1 as 
that the allay is more than the metal4  
,nay1 is it not so 7at least much       
towards it7 even in the exercise of     
virtues8 ,i must be poor and want before
 ,i can exercise the virtue of          
gratitude2 miserable1 and in torment1   
before ,i can exercise the virtue of    
patience4 ,how deep do we dig1 and for  
how coarse gold6 ,and what other        
touchstone have we of our gold but      
comparison1 whether we be as happy as   
others1 or as ourselves at other times8 
,o poor step toward being well1 when    
these spots do only tell us that we are 
worse than we were sure of before4      
,,xiii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my  
,god1 thou hast made this sick bed thine
 altar1 and ,i have no other sacrifice  
to offer but myself2 and wilt thou      
accept no spotted sacrifice8 ,doth thy  
,son dwell bodily in this flesh that    
thou shouldst look for an unspottedness 

here8 or is the ,holy ,ghost the soul of
 this body1 as he is of thy spouse1 who 
is therefore all fair1 and no spot in   
her8#ahe or hath thy ,son himself no    
spots1 who hath all our stains and      
deformities in him8 or hath thy spouse1 
thy church1 no spots1 when every        
particular limb of that fair and        
spotless body1 every particular soul in 
that church1 is full of stains and      
spots8 ,thou bidst us hate the garment  
that is spotted with the flesh4#ahf ,the
 flesh itself is the garment1 and it    
spotteth itself with itself4 ,and if ,i 
wash myself with snow water1 mine own   
clothes shall make me abominable2#ahg   
and yet no man yet ever hated his own   
flesh4#ahh ,lord1 if thou look for a    
spotlessness1 whom wilt thou look upon8 
,thy mercy may go a great way in my soul
 and yet not leave me without spots2 thy
 corrections may go far and burn deep1  
and yet not leave me spotless3 thy      
children apprehended that1 when they    
said1 ,from our former iniquity we are  

not cleansed until this day1 though     
there was a plague in the congregation  
of the ,lord4#ahi ,thou rainest upon us1
 and yet dost not always mollify all our
 hardness2 thou kindlest thy fires in   
us1 and yet dost not always burn up all 
our dross2 thou healest our wounds1 and 
yet leavest scars2 thou purgest the     
blood1 and yet leavest spots4 ,but the  
spots that thou hatest are the spots    
that we hide4 ,the carvers of images    
cover spots1#aij says the wise man2 when
 we hide our spots1 we become idolators 
of our own stains1 of our own           
foulnesses4 ,but if my spots come forth1
 by what means soever1 whether by the   
strength of nature1 by voluntary        
confession 7for grace is the nature of a
 regenerate man1 and the power of grace 
is the strength of nature71 or by the   
virtue of cordials 7for even thy        
corrections are cordials71 if they come 
forth either way1 thou receivest that   
confession with a gracious              
interpretation4 ,when thy servant ,jacob

 practised an invention to procure spots
 in his sheep1#aia thou didst prosper   
his rods2 and thou dost prosper thine   
own rods1 when corrections procure the  
discovery of our spots1 the humble      
manifestation of our sins to thee2 till 
then thou mayst justly say1 ,the whole  
need not the physician2#aib till we tell
 thee in our sickness we think ourselves
 whole1 till we show our spots1 thou    
appliest no medicine4 ,but since ,i do  
that1 shall ,i not1 ,lord1 lift up my   
face without spot1 and be steadfast1 and
 not fear8#aic ,even my spots belong to 
thy ,son's body1 and are part of that   
which he came down to this earth to     
fetch1 and challenge1 and assume to     
himself4 ,when ,i open my spots ,i do   
but present him with that which is his2 
and till ,i do so1 ,i detain and        
withhold his right4 ,when therefore thou
 seest them upon me1 as his1 and seest  
them by this way of confession1 they    
shall not appear to me as the pinches of
 death1 to decline my fear to hell 7for 

thou hast not left thy holy one in hell1
 thy ,son is not there72 but these spots
 upon my breast1 and upon my soul1 shall
 appear to me as the constellations of  
the firmament1 to direct my             
contemplation to that place where thy   
,son is1 thy right hand4   ,,xiii4      
,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most gracious 
,god1 who as thou givest all for        
nothing1 if we consider any precedent   
merit in us1 so givest nothing for      
nothing1 if we consider the             
acknowledgment and thankfulness which   
thou lookest for after1 accept my humble
 thanks1 both for thy mercy1 and for    
this particular mercy1 that in thy      
judgment ,i can discern thy mercy1 and  
find comfort in thy corrections4 ,i     
know1 ,o ,lord1 the ordinary discomfort 
that accompanies that phrase1 that the  
house is visited1 and that1 that thy    
marks and thy tokens are upon the       
patient2 but what a wretched and        
disconsolate hermitage is that house    
which is not visited by thee1 and what a

 waif and stray is that man that hath   
not thy marks upon him8 ,these heats1 ,o
 ,lord1 which thou hast brought upon    
this body1 are but thy chafing of the   
wax1 that thou mightst seal me to thee3 
these spots are but the letters in which
 thou hast written thine own name and   
conveyed thyself to me2 whether for a   
present possession1 by taking me now1 or
 for a future reversion1 by glorifying  
thyself in my stay here1 ,i limit not1  
,i condition not1 ,i choose not1 ,i wish
 not1 no more than the house or land    
that passeth by any civil conveyance4   
,only be thou ever present to me1 ,o my 
,god1 and this bedchamber and thy       
bedchamber shall be all one room1 and   
the closing of these bodily eyes here1  
and the opening of the eyes of my soul  
there1 all one act4  ,,footnotes3  #ahb 
,psalm xci4 #ac4  #ahc ,ezek4 vii4 #af4 
#ahd ,ezek4 xxxvii4 #c4  #ahe ,cant4 iv4
 #g4  #ahf ,jude1 #bc4  #ahg ,job1 ix4  
#cj  #ahh ,eph4 v4 #bi  #ahi ,josh4     
xxii4 #ag  #aij ,wisd4 xiii4 #ad  #aia  

,gen4 xxx4 #cc  #aib ,matt4 ix4 #ab     
#aic ,job1 xi4 #ae4     ,,xiv4 ,,idque  
,,notant ,,criticis ,,medici ,,evenisse 
,,diebus4  ,the physicians observe these
 accidents to have fallen upon the      
critical days4   ,,xiv4 ,,meditation4   
,i would not make man worse than he is1 
nor his condition more miserable than it
 is4 ,but could ,i though ,i would8 ,as 
a man cannot flatter ,god1 nor          
overpraise him1 so a man cannot injure  
man1 nor undervalue him4 ,thus much must
 necessarily be presented to his        
remembrance1 that those false           
happinesses which he hath in this world1
 have their times1 and their seasons1   
and their critical days2 and they are   
judged and denominated according to the 
times when they befall us4 ,what poor   
elements are our happinesses made of1 if
 time1 time which we can scarce consider
 to be any thing1 be an essential part  
of our happiness6 ,all things are done  
in some place2 but if we consider place 
to be no more but the next hollow       

superficies of the air1 alas6 how thin  
and fluid a thing is air1 and how thin a
 film is a superficies1 and a           
superficies of air6 ,all things are done
 in time too1 but if we consider time to
 be but the measure of motion1 and      
howsoever it may seem to have three     
stations1 past1 present1 and future1 yet
 the first and last of these are not    
7one is not now1 and the other is not   
yet71 and that which you call present1  
is not now the same that it was when you
 began to call it so in this line       
7before you sound that word present1 or 
that monosyllable now1 the present and  
the now is past74 ,if this imaginary1   
half-nothing time1 be of the essence of 
our happinesses1 how can they be thought
 durable8 ,time is not so2 how can they 
be thought to be8 ,time is not so2 not  
so considered in any of the parts       
thereof4 ,if we consider eternity1 into 
that time never entered2 eternity is not
 an everlasting flux of time1 but time  
is a short parenthesis in a long period2

 and eternity had been the same as it   
is1 though time had never been4 ,if we  
consider1 not eternity1 but perpetuity2 
not that which had no time to begin in1 
but which shall outlive time1 and be    
when time shall be no more1 what a      
minute is the life of the durablest     
creature compared to that6 and what a   
minute is man's life in respect of the  
sun's1 or of a tree8 and yet how little 
of our life is occasion1 opportunity to 
receive good in2 and how little of that 
occasion do we apprehend and lay hold   
of8 ,how busy and perplexed a cobweb is 
the happiness of man here1 that must be 
made up with a watchfulness to lay hold 
upon occasion1 which is but a little    
piece of that which is nothing1 time8   
and yet the best things are nothing     
without that4 ,honours1 pleasures1      
possessions1 presented to us out of     
time8 in our decrepit and distasted and 
unapprehensive age1 lose their office1  
and lose their name2 they are not       
honours to us that shall never appear1  

nor come abroad into the eyes of the    
people1 to receive honour from them who 
give it2 nor pleasures to us1 who have  
lost our sense to taste them2 nor       
possessions to us1 who are departing    
from the possession of them4 ,youth is  
their critical day1 that judges them1   
that denominates them1 that inanimates  
and informs them1 and makes them        
honours1 and pleasures1 and possessions2
 and when they come in an unapprehensive
 age1 they come as a cordial when the   
bell rings out1 as a pardon when the    
head is off4 ,we rejoice in the comfort 
of fire1 but does any man cleave to it  
at midsummer8 ,we are glad of the       
freshness and coolness of a vault1 but  
does any man keep his ,christmas there2 
or are the pleasures of the spring      
acceptable in autumn8 ,if happiness be  
in the season1 or in the climate1 how   
much happier then are birds than men1   
who can change the climate and accompany
 and enjoy the same season ever4        
,,xiv4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my   

,god1 wouldst thou call thyself the     
ancient of days1#aid if we were not to  
call ourselves to an account for our    
days8 ,wouldst thou chide us for        
standing idle here all the day1#aie if  
we were sure to have more days to make  
up our harvest8 ,when thou bidst us take
 no thought for to-morrow1 for          
sufficient unto the day 7to every day7  
is the evil thereof1#aif is this truly1 
absolutely1 to put off all that concerns
 the present life8 ,when thou           
reprehendest the ,galatians by thy      
message to them1 ,that they observed    
days1 and months1 and times1 and        
years1#aig when thou sendest by the same
 messenger to forbid the ,colossians all
 critical days1 indicatory days1 ,let no
 man judge you in respect of a holy day1
 or of a new moon1 or of a sabbath1#aih 
dost thou take away all consideration1  
all distinction of days8 ,though thou   
remove them from being of the essence of
 our salvation1 thou leavest them for   
assistances1 and for the exaltation of  

our devotion1 to fix ourselves1 at      
certain periodical and stationary times1
 upon the consideration of those things 
which thou hast done for us1 and the    
crisis1 the trial1 the judgment1 how    
those things have wrought upon us and   
disposed us to a spiritual recovery and 
convalescence4 ,for there is to every   
man a day of salvation4 ,now is the     
accepted time1 now is the day of        
salvation1#aii and there is a great day 
of thy wrath1#bjj which no man shall be 
able to stand in2 and there are evil    
days before1 and therefore thou warnest 
us and armest us1 ,take unto you the    
whole armour of ,god1 that you may be   
able to stand in the evil day4#bja ,so  
far then our days must be critical to   
us1 as that by consideration of them1 we
 may make a judgment of our spiritual   
health1 for that is the crisis of our   
bodily health4 ,thy beloved servant1    
,st4 ,john1 wishes to ,gaius1 that he   
may prosper in his health1 so as his    
soul prospers2#bjb for if the soul be   

lean the marrow of the body is but      
water2 if the soul wither1 the verdure  
and the good estate of the body is but  
an illusion and the goodliest man a     
fearful ghost4 ,shall we1 ,o my ,god1   
determine our thoughts1 and shall we    
never determine our disputations upon   
our climacterical years1 for particular 
men and periodical years1 for the life  
of states and kingdoms1 and never       
consider these in our long life1 and our
 interest in the everlasting kingdom8   
,we have exercised our curiosity in     
observing that ,adam1 the eldest of the 
eldest world1 died in his climacterical 
year1 and ,shem1 the eldest son of the  
next world1 in his2 ,abraham1 the father
 of the faithful1 in his1 and the       
blessed ,virgin ,mary1 the garden where 
the root of faith grew1 in hers4 ,but   
they whose climacterics we observe1     
employed their observation upon their   
critical days1 the working of thy       
promise of a ,messias upon them4 ,and   
shall we1 ,o my ,god1 make less use of  

those days who have more of them8 ,we1  
who have not only the day of the        
prophets1 the first days1 but the last  
days1 in which thou hast spoken unto us 
by thy ,son8#bjc ,we are the children of
 the day1#bjd for thou hast shined in as
 full a noon upon us as upon the        
,thessalonians3 they who were of the    
night 7a night which they had           
superinduced upon themselves71 the      
,pharisees1 pretended1 that if they had 
been in their fathers' days 7those      
indicatory and judicatory1 those        
critical days71 they would not have been
 partakers of the blood of the          
prophets2#bje and shall we who are in   
the day1 these days1 not of the         
prophets1 but of the ,son1 stone those  
prophets again1 and crucify that ,son   
again1 for all those evident indications
 and critical judicatures which are     
afforded us8 ,those opposed adversaries 
of thy ,son1 the ,pharisees1 with the   
,herodians1 watched a critical day2 then
 when the state was incensed against    

him1 came to tempt him in the dangerous 
question of tribute4#bjf ,they left him1
 and that day was the critical day to   
the ,sadducees4 ,the same day1 says thy 
,spirit in thy word1 the ,sadducees came
 to him to question him about the       
resurrection1#bjg and them he silenced2 
they left him1 and this was the critical
 day for the ,scribe1 expert in the law1
 who thought himself learneder than the 
,herodian1 the ,pharisee1 or ,sadducee2 
and he tempted him about the great      
commandment1#bjh and him ,christ left   
without power of replying4 ,when all was
 done1 and that they went about to begin
 their circle of vexation and temptation
 again1 ,christ silences them so1 that  
as they had taken their critical days1  
to come in that and in that day1 so     
,christ imposes a critical day upon     
them4 ,from that day forth1 says thy    
,spirit1 no man durst ask him any more  
questions4#bji ,this1 ,o my ,god1 my    
most blessed ,god1 is a fearful crisis1 
a fearful indication1 when we will      

study1 and seek1 and find1 what days are
 fittest to forsake thee in2 to say1 now
 religion is in a neutrality in the     
world1 and this is my day1 the day of   
liberty2 now ,i may make new friends by 
changing my old religion1 and this is my
 day1 the day of advancement4 ,but1 ,o  
my ,god1 with thy servant ,jacob's holy 
boldness1 who1 though thou lamedst him1 
would not let thee go till thou hadst   
given him a blessing2#baj though thou   
have laid me upon my hearse1 yet thou   
shalt not depart from me1 from this bed1
 till thou have given me a crisis1 a    
judgment upon myself this day4 ,since a 
day is as a thousand years with         
thee1#baa let1 ,o ,lord1 a day be as a  
week to me2 and in this one1 let me     
consider seven days1 seven critical     
days1 and judge myself that ,i be not   
judged by thee4 ,first1 this is the day 
of thy visitation1 thy coming to me2 and
 would ,i look to be welcome to thee1   
and not entertain thee in thy coming to 
me8 ,we measure not the visitations of  

great persons by their apparel1 by their
 equipage1 by the solemnity of their    
coming1 but by their very coming2 and   
therefore1 howsoever thou come1 it is a 
crisis to me1 that thou wouldst not lose
 me who seekest me by any means4 ,this  
leads me from my first day1 thy         
visitation by sickness1 to a second1 to 
the light and testimony of my           
conscience4 ,there ,i have an evening   
and a morning1 a sad guiltiness in my   
soul1 but yet a cheerful rising of thy  
,sun too2 thy evenings and mornings made
 days in the creation1 and there is no  
mention of nights2 my sadnesses for sins
 are evenings1 but they determine not in
 night1 but deliver me over to the day1 
the day of a conscience dejected1 but   
then rectified1 accused1 but then       
acquitted1 by thee1 by him who speaks   
thy word1 and who is thy word1 thy ,son4
 ,from this day1 the crisis and         
examination of my conscience1 breaks out
 my third day1 my day of preparing and  
fitting myself for a more especial      

receiving of thy ,son in his institution
 of the ,sacrament2 in which day1 though
 there be many dark passages and        
slippery steps to them who will entangle
 and endanger themselves in unnecessary 
disputations1 yet there are light hours 
enough for any man to go his whole      
journey intended by thee1 to know that  
that bread and wine is not more really  
assimilated to my body1 and to my blood1
 than the body and blood of thy ,son is 
communicated to me in that action1 and  
participation of that bread and that    
wine4 ,and having1 ,o my ,god1 walked   
with thee these three days1 the day of  
thy visitation1 the day of my           
conscience1 the day of preparing for    
this seal of reconciliation1 ,i am the  
less afraid of the clouds or storms of  
my fourth day1 the day of my dissolution
 and transmigration from hence4 ,nothing
 deserves the name of happiness that    
makes the remembrance of death bitter2  
and1 ,o death1 how bitter is the        
remembrance of thee1 to a man that lives

 at rest in his possessions1 the man    
that hath nothing to vex him1 yea unto  
him that is able to receive meat6#bab   
,therefore hast thou1 ,o my ,god1 made  
this sickness1 in which ,i am not able  
to receive meat1 my fasting day1 my eve 
to this great festival1 my dissolution4 
,and this day of death shall deliver me 
over to my fifth day1 the day of my     
resurrection2 for how long a day soever 
thou make that day in the grave1 yet    
there is no day between that and the    
resurrection4 ,then we shall all be     
invested1 reapparelled in our own       
bodies2 but they who have made just use 
of their former days be super-invested  
with glory2 whereas the others1         
condemned to their old clothes1 their   
sinful bodies1 shall have nothing added 
but immortality to torment4 ,and this   
day of awaking me1 and reinvesting my   
soul in my body1 and my body in the body
 of ,christ1 shall present me1 body and 
soul1 to my sixth day1 the day of       
judgment1 which is truly1 and most      

literally1 the critical1 the decretory  
day2 both because all judgment shall be 
manifested to me then1 and ,i shall     
assist in judging the world then1 and   
because then1 that judgment shall       
declare to me1 and possess me of my     
seventh day1 my everlasting ,sabbath in 
thy rest1 thy glory1 thy joy1 thy sight1
 thyself2 and where ,i shall live as    
long without reckoning any more days    
after1 as thy ,son and thy ,holy ,spirit
 lived with thee1 before you three made 
any days in the creation4   ,,xiv4      
,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most gracious 
,god1 who1 though thou didst permit     
darkness to be before light in the      
creation1 yet in the making of light    
didst so multiply that light1 as that it
 enlightened not the day only1 but the  
night too2 though thou have suffered    
some dimness1 some clouds of sadness and
 disconsolateness to shed themselves    
upon my soul1 ,i humbly bless and       
thankfully glorify thy holy name1 that  
thou hast afforded me the light of thy  

,spirit1 against which the prince of    
darkness cannot prevail1 nor hinder his 
illumination of our darkest nights1 of  
our saddest thoughts4 ,even the         
visitation of thy most blessed ,spirit  
upon the blessed ,virgin1 is called an  
overshadowing4 ,there was the presence  
of the ,holy ,ghost1 the fountain of all
 light1 and yet an overshadowing2 nay1  
except there were some light1 there     
could be no shadow4 ,let thy merciful   
providence so govern all in this        
sickness1 that ,i never fall into utter 
darkness1 ignorance of thee1 or         
inconsideration of myself2 and let those
 shadows which do fall upon me1         
faintnesses of spirit1 and condemnations
 of myself1 be overcome by the power of 
thine irresistible light1 the ,god of   
consolation2 that when those shadows    
have done their office upon me1 to let  
me see1 that of myself ,i should fall   
into irrecoverable darkness1 thy ,spirit
 may do his office upon those shadows1  
and disperse them1 and establish me in  

so bright a day here1 as may be a       
critical day to me1 a day wherein and   
whereby ,i may give thy judgment upon   
myself1 and that the words of thy ,son1 
spoken to his apostles1 may reflect upon
 me1 ,behold ,i am with you always1 even
 to the end of the world4#bac           
,,footnotes3  #aid ,dan4 vii4 #bb4  #aie
 ,matt4 xx4 #f4  #aif ,matt4 vi4 #cd4   
#aig ,gal4 iv4 #aj4  #aih ,col4 ii4 #af4
  #aii #b ,cor4 vi4 #b4  #bjj ,rev4 vi4 
#ag4  #bja ,eph4 vi4 #aa4  #bjb #c      
,john1 #b4  #bjc ,heb4 i4 #b4  #bjd #a  
,thes4 v4 #h4  #bje ,matt4 xxiii4 #cj4  
#bjf ,matt4 xxii4 #ae4  #bjg ,matt4     
xxii4 #bc4  #bjh ,matt4 xxii4 #cf4  #bji
 ,matt4 xxii4 #df4  #baj ,gen4 xxxii4   
#bf4  #baa #b ,pet4 iii4 #h4  #bab      
,ecclus4 xli4 #a4     ,,xv4 ,,interea   
,,insomnes ,,noctes ,,ego ,,duco1       
,,diesque4  ,i sleep not day nor night4 
,,xv4 ,,meditation4  ,natural men have  
conceived a twofold use of sleep2 that  
it is a refreshing of the body in this  
life2 that it is a preparing of the soul

 for the next2 that it is a feast1 and  
it is the grace at that feast2 that it  
is our recreation and cheers us1 and it 
is our catechism and instructs us2 we   
lie down in a hope that we shall rise   
the stronger1 and we lie down in a      
knowledge that we may rise no more4     
,sleep is an opiate which gives us rest1
 but such an opiate1 as perchance1 being
 under it1 we shall wake no more4 ,but  
though natural men1 who have induced    
secondary and figurative considerations1
 have found out this second1 this       
emblematical use of sleep1 that it      
should be a representation of death1    
,god1 who wrought and perfected his work
 before nature began 7for nature was but
 his apprentice1 to learn in the first  
seven days1 and now is his foreman1 and 
works next under him71 ,god1 ,i say1    
intended sleep only for the refreshing  
of man by bodily rest1 and not for a    
figure of death1 for he intended not    
death itself then4 ,but man having      
induced death upon himself1 ,god hath   

taken man's creature1 death1 into his   
hand1 and mended it2 and whereas it hath
 in itself a fearful form and aspect1 so
 that man is afraid of his own creature1
 ,god presents it to him in a familiar1 
in an assiduous1 in an agreeable and    
acceptable form1 in sleep2 that so when 
he awakes from sleep1 and says to       
himself1 ,shall ,i be no otherwise when 
,i am dead1 than ,i was even now when ,i
 was asleep8 he may be ashamed of his   
waking dreams1 and of his melancholy    
fancying out a horrid and an affrightful
 figure of that death which is so like  
sleep4 ,as then we need sleep to live   
out our threescore and ten years1 so we 
need death to live that life which we   
cannot outlive4 ,and as death being our 
enemy1 ,god allows us to defend         
ourselves against it 7for we victual    
ourselves against death twice every     
day71 as often as we eat1 so ,god having
 so sweetened death unto us as he hath  
in sleep1 we put ourselves into our     
enemy's hands once every day1 so far as 

sleep is death2 and sleep is as much    
death as meat is life4 ,this then is the
 misery of my sickness1 that death1 as  
it is produced from me and is mine own  
creature1 is now before mine eyes1 but  
in that form in which ,god hath         
mollified it to us1 and made it         
acceptable1 in sleep ,i cannot see it4  
,how many prisoners1 who have even      
hollowed themselves their graves upon   
that earth on which they have lain long 
under heavy fetters1 yet at this hour   
are asleep1 though they be yet working  
upon their own graves by their own      
weight8 ,he that hath seen his friend   
die to-day1 or knows he shall see it    
to-morrow1 yet will sink into a sleep   
between4 ,i cannot1 and oh1 if ,i be    
entering now into eternity1 where there 
shall be no more distinction of hours1  
why is it all my business now to tell   
clocks8 ,why is none of the heaviness of
 my heart dispensed into mine eye-lids1 
that they might fall as my heart doth8  
,and why1 since ,i have lost my delight 

in all objects1 cannot ,i discontinue   
the faculty of seeing them by closing   
mine eyes in sleep8 ,but why rather1    
being entering into that presence where 
,i shall wake continually and never     
sleep more1 do ,i not interpret my      
continual waking here1 to be a parasceve
 and a preparation to that8   ,,xv4     
,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1 ,i 
know 7for thou hast said it7 that he    
that keepeth ,israel shall neither      
slumber nor sleep3#bad but shall not    
that ,israel1 over whom thou watchest1  
sleep8 ,i know 7for thou hast said it7  
that there are men whose damnation      
sleepeth not2#bae but shall not they to 
whom thou art salvation sleep8 or wilt  
thou take from them that evidence1 and  
that testimony that they are thy        
,israel1 or thou their salvation8 ,thou 
givest thy beloved sleep3#baf shall ,i  
lack that seal of thy love8 ,you shall  
lie down1 and none shall make you       
afraid3#bag shall ,i be outlawed from   
that protection8 ,jonah slept in one    

dangerous storm1#bah and thy blessed    
,son in another2#bai shall ,i have no   
use1 no benefit1 no application of those
 great examples8 ,lord1 if he sleep1 he 
shall do well1#bbj say thy ,son's       
disciples to him of ,lazarus2 and shall 
there be no room for that argument in   
me8 or shall ,i be open to the contrary8
 ,if ,i sleep not1 shall ,i not be well 
in their sense8 ,let me not1 ,o my ,god1
 take this too precisely1 too literally2
 ,there is that neither day nor night   
seeth sleep with his eyes1#bba says thy 
wise servant ,solomon2 and whether he   
speak that of worldly men1 or of men    
that seek wisdom1 whether in            
justification or condemnation of their  
watchfulness1 we cannot tell3 we can    
tell that there are men that cannot     
sleep till they have done mischief1#bbb 
and then they can2 and we can tell that 
the rich man cannot sleep1 because his  
abundance will not let him4#bbc ,the    
tares were sown when the husbandmen were
 asleep#bbd2 and the elders thought it a

 probable excuse1 a credible lie1 that  
the watchmen which kept the sepulchre   
should say1 that the body of thy ,son   
was stolen away when they were          
asleep4#bbe ,since thy blessed ,son     
rebuked his disciples for sleeping1     
shall ,i murmur because ,i do not sleep8
 ,if ,samson had slept any longer in    
,gaza1 he had been taken2#bbf and when  
he did sleep longer with ,delilah1#bbg  
he was taken4 ,sleep is as often taken  
for natural death in thy ,scriptures1 as
 for natural rest4 ,nay1 sometimes sleep
 hath so heavy a sense1 as to be taken  
for sin itself1#bbh as well as for the  
punishment of sin1 death4#bbi ,much     
comfort is not in much sleep1 when the  
most fearful and most irrevocable       
malediction is presented by thee in a   
perpetual sleep4 ,i will make their     
feasts1 and ,i will make them drunk1 and
 they shall sleep a perpetual sleep1 and
 not wake4#bcj ,i must therefore1 ,o my 
,god1 look farther than into the very   
act of sleeping before ,i misinterpret  

my waking2 for since ,i find thy whole  
hand light1 shall any finger of that    
hand seem heavy8 ,since the whole       
sickness is thy physic1 shall any       
accident in it be my poison by my       
murmuring8 ,the name of watchmen belongs
 to our profession2 thy prophets are not
 only seers1 endued with a power of     
seeing1 able to see1 but watchmen       
evermore in the act of seeing4 ,and     
therefore give me leave1 ,o my blessed  
,god1 to invert the words of thy ,son's 
spouse3 she said1 ,i sleep1 but my heart
 waketh2#bca ,i say1 ,i wake1 but my    
heart sleepeth3 my body is in a sick    
weariness1 but my soul in a peaceful    
rest with thee2 and as our eyes in our  
health see not the air that is next     
them1 nor the fire1 nor the spheres1 nor
 stop upon any thing till they come to  
stars1 so my eyes that are open1 see    
nothing of this world1 but pass through 
all that1 and fix themselves upon thy   
peace1 and joy1 and glory above4 ,almost
 as soon as thy apostle had said1 ,let  

us not sleep1#bcb lest we should be too 
much discomforted if we did1 he says    
again1 ,whether we wake or sleep1 let us
 live together with ,christ4#bcc ,though
 then this absence of sleep may argue   
the presence of death 7the original may 
exclude the copy1 the life the picture71
 yet this gentle sleep and rest of my   
soul betroths me to thee1 to whom ,i    
shall be married indissolubly1 though by
 this way of dissolution4   ,,xv4       
,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most gracious 
,god1 who art able to make1 and dost    
make1 the sick bed of thy servants      
chapels of ease to them1 and the dreams 
of thy servants prayers and meditations 
upon thee1 let not this continual       
watchfulness of mine1 this inability to 
sleep1 which thou hast laid upon me1 be 
any disquiet or discomfort to me1 but   
rather an argument1 that thou wouldst   
not have me sleep in thy presence4 ,what
 it may indicate or signify concerning  
the state of my body1 let them consider 
to whom that consideration belongs2 do  

thou1 who only art the ,physician of my 
soul1 tell her1 that thou wilt afford   
her such defensatives1 as that she shall
 wake ever towards thee1 and yet ever   
sleep in thee1 and that1 through all    
this sickness1 thou wilt either preserve
 mine understanding from all decays and 
distractions which these watchings might
 occasion1 or that thou wilt reckon and 
account with me from before those       
violences1 and not call any piece of my 
sickness a sin4 ,it is a heavy and      
indelible sin that ,i brought into the  
world with me2 it is a heavy and        
innumerable multitude of sins which ,i  
have heaped up since2 ,i have sinned    
behind thy back 7if that can be done71  
by wilful abstaining from thy           
congregations and omitting thy service1 
and ,i have sinned before thy face1 in  
my hypocrisies in prayer1 in my         
ostentation1 and the mingling a respect 
of myself in preaching thy word2 ,i have
 sinned in my fasting1 by repining when 
a penurious fortune hath kept me low2   

and ,i have sinned even in that fulness1
 when ,i have been at thy table1 by a   
negligent examination1 by a wilful      
prevarication1 in receiving that        
heavenly food and physic4 ,but as ,i    
know1 ,o my gracious ,god1 that for all 
those sins committed since1 yet thou    
wilt consider me1 as ,i was in thy      
purpose when thou wrotest my name in the
 book of life in mine election2 so into 
what deviations soever ,i stray and     
wander by occasion of this sickness1 ,o 
,god1 return thou to that minute wherein
 thou wast pleased with me and consider 
me in that condition4  ,,footnotes3     
#bac ,matt4 xxviii4 #bj4  #bad ,psalm   
cxxi4 #d4  #bae #b ,pet4 ii4 #c4  #baf  
,psalm cxxvii4 #b4  #bag ,lev4 xxvi4 #f4
  #bah ,jonah1 i4 #e4  #bai ,matt4 viii4
 #bd4  #bbj ,john1 xi4 #ab4  #bba       
,eccles4 viii4 #af4  #bbb ,prov4 iv4    
#af4  #bbc ,eccles4 v4 #ab4  #bbd ,matt4
 xiii4 #be2 xxviii4 #ac4  #bbe ,matt4   
xxvi4 #dj4  #bbf ,judges1 xvi4 #c4  #bbg
 ,judges1 xvi4 #ai4  #bbh ,eph4 v4 #ad4 

#bbi #a ,thes4 v4 #f4  #bcj ,jer4 li4   
#eg4  #bca ,cant4 v4 #b4  #bcb #a ,thes4
 v4 #f4  #bcc #a ,thes4 v4 #aj4         
,,xvi4 ,,et ,,properare ,,meum          
,,clamant1 ,e ,,turre ,,propinqua1      
,,obstreper ,,campan ,,aliorum ,,in     
,,funere1 ,,funus4  ,from the bells of  
the church adjoining1 ,i am daily       
remembered of my burial in the funerals 
of others4   ,,xvi4 ,,meditation4  ,we  
have a convenient author1#bcd who writ a
 discourse of bells when he was prisoner
 in ,turkey4 ,how would he have enlarged
 himself if he had been my              
fellow-prisoner in this sick bed1 so    
near to that steeple which never ceases1
 no more than the harmony of the        
spheres1 but is more heard4 ,when the   
,turks took ,constantinople1 they melted
 the bells into ordnance2 ,i have heard 
both bells and ordnance1 but never been 
so much affected with those as with     
these bells4 ,i have lain near a        
steeple#bce in which there are said to  
be more than thirty bells1 and near     

another1 where there is one so big1 as  
that the clapper is said to weigh more  
than six hundred pounds1#bcf yet never  
so affected as here4 ,here the bells can
 scarce solemnize the funeral of any    
person1 but that ,i knew him1 or knew   
that he was my neighbour3 we dwelt in   
houses near to one another before1 but  
now he is gone into that house into     
which ,i must follow him4 ,there is a   
way of correcting the children of great 
persons1 that other children are        
corrected in their behalf1 and in their 
names1 and this works upon them who     
indeed had more deserved it4 ,and when  
these bells tell me1 that now one1 and  
now another is buried1 must not ,i      
acknowledge that they have the          
correction due to me1 and paid the debt 
that ,i owe8 ,there is a story of a bell
 in a monastery#bcg which1 when any of  
the house was sick to death1 rung always
 voluntarily1 and they knew the         
inevitableness of the danger by that4   
,it rung once when no man was sick1 but 

the next day one of the house fell from 
the steeple and died1 and the bell held 
the reputation of a prophet still4 ,if  
these bells that warn to a funeral now1 
were appropriated to none1 may not ,i1  
by the hour of the funeral1 supply8 ,how
 many men that stand at an execution1 if
 they would ask1 ,for what dies that    
man8 should hear their own faults       
condemned1 and see themselves executed  
by attorney8 ,we scarce hear of any man 
preferred1 but we think of ourselves    
that we might very well have been that  
man2 why might not ,i have been that man
 that is carried to his grave now8      
,could ,i fit myself to stand or sit in 
any man's place1 and not to lie in any  
man's grave8 ,i may lack much of the    
good parts of the meanest1 but ,i lack  
nothing of the mortality of the weakest2
 they may have acquired better abilities
 than ,i1 but ,i was born to as many    
infirmities as they4 ,to be an incumbent
 by lying down in a grave1 to be a      
doctor by teaching mortification by     

example1 by dying1 though ,i may have   
seniors1 others may be older than ,i1   
yet ,i have proceeded apace in a good   
university1 and gone a great way in a   
little time1 by the furtherance of a    
vehement fever1 and whomsoever these    
bells bring to the ground to-day1 if he 
and ,i had been compared yesterday1     
perchance ,i should have been thought   
likelier to come to this preferment then
 than he4 ,god hath kept the power of   
death in his own hands1 lest any man    
should bribe death4 ,if man knew the    
gain of death1 the ease of death1 he    
would solicit1 he would provoke death to
 assist him by any hand which he might  
use4 ,but as when men see many of their 
own professions preferred1 it ministers 
a hope that that may light upon them2 so
 when these hourly bells tell me of so  
many funerals of men like me1 it        
presents1 if not a desire that it may1  
yet a comfort whensoever mine shall     
come4   ,,xvi4 ,,expostulation4  ,my    
,god1 my ,god1 ,i do not expostulate    

with thee1 but with them who dare do    
that2 who dare expostulate with thee1   
when in the voice of thy church thou    
givest allowance to this ceremony of    
bells at funerals4 ,is it enough to     
refuse it1 because it was in use among  
the ,gentiles8 so were funerals too4 ,is
 it because some abuses may have crept  
in amongst ,christians8 ,is that enough1
 that their ringing hath been said to   
drive away evil spirits8 ,truly1 that is
 so far true1 as that the evil spirit is
 vehemently vexed in their ringing1     
therefore1 because that action brings   
the congregation together1 and unites   
,god and his people1 to the destruction 
of that kingdom which the evil spirit   
usurps4 ,in the first institution of thy
 church in this world1 in the foundation
 of thy militant church amongst the     
,jews1 thou didst appoint the calling of
 the assembly in to be by trumpet2#bch  
and when they were in1 then thou gavest 
them the sound of bells in the garment  
of thy priest4#bci ,in the triumphant   

church1 thou employest both too1 but in 
an inverted order2 we enter into the    
triumphant church by the sound of bells 
7for we enter when we die72 and then we 
receive our further edification1 or     
consummation1 by the sound of trumpets  
at the resurrection4 ,the sound of thy  
trumpets thou didst impart to secular   
and civil uses too1 but the sound of    
bells only to sacred4 ,lord1 let not us 
break the communion of saints in that   
which was intended for the advancement  
of it2 let not that pull us asunder from
 one another1 which was intended for the
 assembling of us in the militant1 and  
associating of us to the triumphant     
church4 ,but he1 for whose funeral these
 bells ring now1 was at home1 at his    
journey's end yesterday2 why ring they  
now8 ,a man1 that is a world1 is all the
 things in the world2 he is an army1 and
 when an army marches1 the van may lodge
 to-night where the rear comes not till 
to-morrow4 ,a man extends to his act and
 to his example2 to that which he does1 

and that which he teaches2 so do those  
things that concern him1 so do these    
bells2 that which rung yesterday was to 
convey him out of the world in his van1 
in his soul2 that which rung to-day was 
to bring him in his rear1 in his body1  
to the church2 and this continuing of   
ringing after his entering is to bring  
him to me in the application4 ,where ,i 
lie ,i could hear the psalm1 and did    
join with the congregation in it2 but ,i
 could not hear the sermon1 and these   
latter bells are a repetition sermon to 
me4 ,but1 ,o my ,god1 my ,god1 do ,i    
that have this fever need other         
remembrances of my mortality8 ,is not   
mine own hollow voice1 voice enough to  
pronounce that to me8 ,need ,i look upon
 a death's head in a ring1 that have one
 in my face8 or go for death to my      
neighbour's house1 that have him in my  
bosom8 ,we cannot1 we cannot1 ,o my     
,god1 take in too many helps for        
religious duties2 ,i know ,i cannot have
 any better image of thee than thy ,son1

 nor any better image of him than his   
,gospel2 yet must not ,i with thanks    
confess to thee1 that some historical   
pictures of his have sometimes put me   
upon better meditations than otherwise  
,i should have fallen upon8 ,i know thy 
church needed not to have taken in1 from
 ,jew1 or ,gentile1 any supplies for the
 exaltation of thy glory1 or our        
devotion2 of absolute necessity ,i know 
she needed not2 but yet we owe thee our 
thanks1 that thou hast given her leave  
to do so1 and that as1 in making us     
,christians1 thou didst not destroy that
 which we were before1 natural men1 so1 
in the exalting of our religious        
devotions now we are ,christians1 thou  
hast been pleased to continue to us     
those assistances which did work upon   
the affections of natural men before2   
for thou lovest a good man as thou      
lovest a good ,christian2 and though    
grace be merely from me1 yet thou dost  
not plant grace but in good natures4    
,,xvi4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most   

gracious ,god1 who having consecrated   
our living bodies to thine own ,spirit1 
and made us temples of the ,holy ,ghost1
 dost also require a respect to be given
 to these temples1 even when the priest 
is gone out of them1 to these bodies    
when the soul is departed from them1 ,i 
bless and glorify thy name1 that as thou
 takest care in our life of every hair  
of our head1 so dost thou also of every 
grain of ashes after our death4 ,neither
 dost thou only do good to us all in    
life and death1 but also wouldst have us
 do good to one another1 as in a holy   
life1 so in those things which accompany
 our death4 ,in that contemplation ,i   
make account that ,i hear this dead     
brother of ours1 who is now carried out 
to his burial1 to speak to me1 and to   
preach my funeral sermon in the voice of
 these bells4 ,in him1 ,o ,god1 thou    
hast accomplished to me even the request
 of ,dives to ,abraham2 thou hast sent  
one from the dead to speak unto me4 ,he 
speaks to me aloud from that steeple2 he

 whispers to me at these curtains1 and  
he speaks thy words3 ,blessed are the   
dead which die in the ,lord from        
henceforth4#bdj ,let this prayer        
therefore1 ,o my ,god1 be as my last    
gasp1 my expiring1 my dying in thee2    
that if this be the hour of my          
transmigration1 ,i may die the death of 
a sinner1 drowned in my sins1 in the    
blood of thy ,son2 and if ,i live       
longer1 yet ,i may now die the death of 
the righteous1 die to sin2 which death  
is a resurrection to a new life4 ,thou  
killest and thou givest life3           
whichsoever comes1 it comes from thee2  
which way soever it comes1 let me come  
to thee4  ,,footnotes3  #bcd ,magius4   
#bce ,antwerp4  #bcf ,roan4  #bcg       
,roccha4  #bch ,numb4 x4 #b4  #bci      
,exod4 xviii4 #cc-d4     ,,xvii4 ,,nunc 
,,lento ,,sonitu ,,dicunt1 ,,morieris4  
,now1 this bell tolling softly for      
another1 says to me3 ,thou must die4    
,,xvii4 ,,meditation4  ,perchance he for
 whom this bell tolls may be so ill1 as 

that he knows not it tolls for him2 and 
perchance ,i may think myself so much   
better than ,i am1 as that they who are 
about me1 and see my state1 may have    
caused it to toll for me1 and ,i know   
not that4 ,the church is ,catholic1     
universal1 so are all her actions2 all  
that she does belongs to all4 ,when she 
baptizes a child1 that action concerns  
me2 for that child is thereby connected 
to that body which is my head too1 and  
ingrafted into that body whereof ,i am a
 member4 ,and when she buries a man1    
that action concerns me3 all mankind is 
of one author1 and is one volume2 when  
one man dies1 one chapter is not torn   
out of the book1 but translated into a  
better language2 and every chapter must 
be so translated2 ,god employs several  
translators2 some pieces are translated 
by age1 some by sickness1 some by war1  
some by justice2 but ,god's hand is in  
every translation1 and his hand shall   
bind up all our scattered leaves again  
for that library where every book shall 

lie open to one another4 ,as therefore  
the bell that rings to a sermon calls   
not upon the preacher only1 but upon the
 congregation to come1 so this bell     
calls us all2 but how much more me1 who 
am brought so near the door by this     
sickness4 ,there was a contention as far
 as a suit 7in which both piety and     
dignity1 religion and estimation1 were  
mingled71 which of the religious orders 
should ring to prayers first in the     
morning2 and it was determined1 that    
they should ring first that rose        
earliest4 ,if we understand aright the  
dignity of this bell that tolls for our 
evening prayer1 we would be glad to make
 it ours by rising early1 in that       
application1 that it might be ours as   
well as his1 whose indeed it is4 ,the   
bell doth toll for him that thinks it   
doth2 and though it intermit again1 yet 
from that minute that that occasion     
wrought upon him1 he is united to ,god4 
,who casts not up his eye to the sun    
when it rises8 but who takes off his eye

 from a comet when that breaks out8 ,who
 bends not his ear to any bell which    
upon any occasion rings8 but who can    
remove it from that bell which is       
passing a piece of himself out of this  
world8 ,no man is an island1 entire of  
itself2 every man is a piece of the     
continent1 a part of the main4 ,if a    
clod be washed away by the sea1 ,europe 
is the less1 as well as if a promontory 
were1 as well as if a manor of thy      
friend's or of thine own were3 any man's
 death diminishes me1 because ,i am     
involved in mankind1 and therefore never
 send to know for whom the bells tolls2 
it tolls for thee4 ,neither can we call 
this a begging of misery1 or a borrowing
 of misery1 as though we were not       
miserable enough of ourselves1 but must 
fetch in more from the next house1 in   
taking upon us the misery of our        
neighbours4 ,truly it were an excusable 
covetousness if we did1 for affliction  
is a treasure1 and scarce any man hath  
enough of it4 ,no man hath affliction   

enough that is not matured and ripened  
by it1 and made fit for ,god by that    
affliction4 ,if a man carry treasure in 
bullion1 or in a wedge of gold1 and have
 none coined into current money1 his    
treasure will not defray him as he      
travels4 ,tribulation is treasure in the
 nature of it1 but it is not current    
money in the use of it1 except we get   
nearer and nearer our home1 heaven1 by  
it4 ,another man may be sick too1 and   
sick to death1 and this affliction may  
lie in his bowels1 as gold in a mine1   
and be of no use to him2 but this bell1 
that tells me of his affliction1 digs   
out and applies that gold to me3 if by  
this consideration of another's danger  
,i take mine own into contemplation1 and
 so secure myself1 by making my recourse
 to my ,god1 who is our only security4  
,,xvii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my  
,god1 is this one of thy ways of drawing
 light out of darkness1 to make him for 
whom this bell tolls1 now in this       
dimness of his sight1 to become a       

superintendent1 an overseer1 a bishop1  
to as many as hear his voice in this    
bell1 and to give us a confirmation in  
this action8 ,is this one of thy ways1  
to raise strength out of weakness1 to   
make him who cannot rise from his bed1  
nor stir in his bed1 come home to me1   
and in this sound give me the strength  
of healthy and vigorous instructions8 ,o
 my ,god1 my ,god1 what thunder is not a
 well-tuned cymbal1 what hoarseness1    
what harshness1 is not a clear organ1 if
 thou be pleased to set thy voice to it8
 ,and what organ is not well played on  
if thy hand be upon it8 ,thy voice1 thy 
hand1 is in this sound1 and in this one 
sound ,i hear this whole concert4 ,i    
hear thy ,jacob call unto his sons and  
say1 ,gather yourselves together1 that  
,i may tell you what shall befall you in
 the last days3#bda he says1 ,that which
 ,i am now1 you must be then4 ,i hear   
thy ,moses telling me1 and all within   
the compass of this sound1 ,this is the 
blessing wherewith ,i bless you before  

my death2#bdb this1 that before your    
death1 you would consider your own in   
mine4 ,i hear thy prophet saying to     
,hezekiah1 ,set thy house in order1 for 
thou shalt die1 and not live3#bdc he    
makes use of his family1 and calls this 
a setting of his house in order1 to     
compose us to the meditation of death4  
,i hear thy apostle saying1 ,i think it 
meet to put you in remembrance1 knowing 
that shortly ,i must go out of this     
tabernacle3#bdd this is the publishing  
of his will1 and this bell is our       
legacy1 the applying of his present     
condition to our use4 ,i hear that which
 makes all sounds music1 and all music  
perfect2 ,i hear thy ,son himself       
saying1 ,let not your hearts be         
troubled2#bde only ,i hear this change1 
that whereas thy ,son says there1 ,i go 
to prepare a place for you1 this man in 
this sound says1 ,i send to prepare you 
for a place1 for a grave4 ,but1 ,o my   
,god1 my ,god1 since heaven is glory and
 joy1 why do not glorious and joyful    

things lead us1 induce us to heaven8    
,thy legacies in thy first will1 in the 
,old ,testament1 were plenty and        
victory1 wine and oil1 milk and honey1  
alliances of friends1 ruin of enemies1  
peaceful hearts and cheerful            
countenances1 and by these galleries    
thou broughtest them into thy           
bedchamber1 by these glories and joys1  
to the joys and glories of heaven4 ,why 
hast thou changed thine old way1 and    
carried us by the ways of discipline and
 mortification1 by the ways of mourning 
and lamentation1 by the ways of         
miserable ends and miserable            
anticipations of those miseries1 in     
appropriating the exemplar miseries of  
others to ourselves1 and usurping upon  
their miseries as our own1 to our       
prejudice8 ,is the glory of heaven no   
perfecter in itself1 but that it needs a
 foil of depression and ingloriousness  
in this world1 to set it off8 ,is the   
joy of heaven no perfecter in itself1   
but that it needs the sourness of this  

life to give it a taste8 ,is that joy   
and that glory but a comparative glory  
and a comparative joy8 not such in      
itself1 but such in comparison of the   
joylessness and the ingloriousness of   
this world8 ,i know1 my ,god1 it is far1
 far otherwise4 ,as thou thyself1 who   
art all1 art made of no substances1 so  
the joys and glory which are with thee  
are made of none of these circumstances1
 essential joy1 and glory essential4    
,but why then1 my ,god1 wilt thou not   
begin them here8 ,pardon1 ,o ,god1 this 
unthankful rashness2 ,i that ask why    
thou dost not1 find even now in myself1 
that thou dost2 such joy1 such glory1 as
 that ,i conclude upon myself1 upon all1
 they that find not joys in their       
sorrows1 glory in their dejections in   
this world1 are in a fearful danger of  
missing both in the next4   ,,xvii4     
,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most gracious 
,god1 who hast been pleased to speak to 
us1 not only in the voice of nature1 who
 speaks in our hearts1 and of thy word1 

which speaks to our ears1 but in the    
speech of speechless creatures1 in      
,balaam's ass1 in the speech of         
unbelieving men1 in the confession of   
,pilate1 in the speech of the devil     
himself1 in the recognition and         
attestation of thy ,son1 ,i humbly      
accept thy voice in the sound of this   
sad and funeral bell4 ,and first1 ,i    
bless thy glorious name1 that in this   
sound and voice ,i can hear thy         
instructions1 in another man's to       
consider mine own condition2 and to     
know1 that this bell which tolls for    
another1 before it come to ring out1 may
 take me in too4 ,as death is the wages 
of sin it is due to me2 as death is the 
end of sickness it belongs to me2 and   
though so disobedient a servant as ,i   
may be afraid to die1 yet to so merciful
 a master as thou ,i cannot be afraid to
 come2 and therefore into thy hands1 ,o 
my ,god1 ,i commend my spirit1 a        
surrender which ,i know thou wilt       
accept1 whether ,i live or die2 for thy 

servant ,david made it1#bdf when he put 
himself into thy protection for his     
life2 and thy blessed ,son made it1 when
 he delivered up his soul at his death3 
declare thou thy will upon me1 ,o ,lord1
 for life or death in thy time2 receive 
my surrender of myself now2 into thy    
hands1 ,o ,lord1 ,i commend my spirit4  
,and being thus1 ,o my ,god1 prepared by
 thy correction1 mellowed by thy        
chastisement1 and conformed to thy will 
by thy ,spirit1 having received thy     
pardon for my soul1 and asking no       
reprieve for my body1 ,i am bold1 ,o    
,lord1 to bend my prayers to thee for   
his assistance1 the voice of whose bell 
hath called me to this devotion4 ,lay   
hold upon his soul1 ,o ,god1 till that  
soul have thoroughly considered his     
account2 and how few minutes soever it  
have to remain in that body1 let the    
power of thy ,spirit recompense the     
shortness of time1 and perfect his      
account before he pass away2 present his
 sins so to him1 as that he may know    

what thou forgivest1 and not doubt of   
thy forgiveness1 let him stop upon the  
infiniteness of those sins1 but dwell   
upon the infiniteness of thy mercy2 let 
him discern his own demerits1 but wrap  
himself up in the merits of thy ,son    
,christ ,jesus2 breathe inward comforts 
to his heart1 and afford him the power  
of giving such outward testimonies      
thereof1 as all that are about him may  
derive comforts from thence1 and have   
this edification1 even in this          
dissolution1 that though the body be    
going the way of all flesh1 yet that    
soul is going the way of all saints4    
,when thy ,son cried out upon the cross1
 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast thou       
forsaken me8 he spake not so much in his
 own person1 as in the person of the    
church1 and of his afflicted members1   
who in deep distresses might fear thy   
forsaking4 ,this patient1 ,o most       
blessed ,god1 is one of them2 in his    
behalf1 and in his name1 hear thy ,son  
crying to thee1 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why  

hast thou forsaken me8 and forsake him  
not2 but with thy left hand lay his body
 in the grave 7if that be thy           
determination upon him71 and with thy   
right hand receive his soul into thy    
kingdom1 and unite him and us in one    
communion of saints4 ,amen4             
,,footnotes3  #bdj ,rev4 xiv4 #ac4  #bda
 ,gen4 xlix4 #a4  #bdb ,deut4 xxxiii4   
#a4  #bdc #b ,kings1 xx4 #a4  #bdd #b   
,pet4 i4 #ac4  #bde ,john1 xiv4 #a4     
#bdf ,psalm xxxi4 #e4         ,,xviii4  
------------------------ ,,at ,,inde    
,,mortuus ,,es1 ,,sonitu ,,celeri1      
,,pulsuque ,,agitato4  ,the bell rings  
out1 and tells me in him1 that ,i am    
dead4   ,,xviii4 ,,meditation4  ,the    
bell rings out1 the pulse thereof is    
changed2 the tolling was a faint and    
intermitting pulse1 upon one side2 this 
stronger1 and argues more and better    
life4 ,his soul is gone out1 and as a   
man who had a lease of one thousand     
years after the expiration of a short   
one1 or an inheritance after the life of

 a man in a consumption1 he is now      
entered into the possession of his      
better estate4 ,his soul is gone1       
whither8 ,who saw it come in1 or who saw
 it go out8 ,nobody2 yet everybody is   
sure he had one1 and hath none4 ,if ,i  
will ask mere philosophers what the soul
 is1 ,i shall find amongst them that    
will tell me1 it is nothing but the     
temperament and harmony1 and just and   
equal composition of the elements in the
 body1 which produces all those         
faculties which we ascribe to the soul2 
and so in itself is nothing1 no         
separable substance that overlives the  
body4 ,they see the soul is nothing else
 in other creatures1 and they affect an 
impious humility to think as low of man4
 ,but if my soul were no more than the  
soul of a beast1 ,i could not think so2 
that soul that can reflect upon itself1 
consider itself1 is more than so4 ,if ,i
 will ask1 not mere philosophers1 but   
mixed men1 philosophical divines1 how   
the soul1 being a separate substance1   

enters into man1 ,i shall find some that
 will tell me1 that it is by generation 
and procreation from parents1 because   
they think it hard to charge the soul   
with the guiltiness of original sin if  
the soul were infused into a body in    
which it must necessarily grow foul1 and
 contract original sin whether it will  
or no2 and ,i shall find some that will 
tell me1 that it is by immediate        
infusion from ,god1 because they think  
it hard to maintain an immortality in   
such a soul1 as should be begotten and  
derived with the body from mortal       
parents4 ,if ,i will ask1 not a few men1
 but almost whole bodies1 whole         
churches1 what becomes of the souls of  
the righteous at the departing thereof  
from the body1 ,i shall be told by some1
 that they attend an expiation1 a       
purification in a place of torment2 by  
some1 that they attend the fruition of  
the sight of ,god in a place of rest1   
but yet but of expectation2 by some1    
that they pass to an immediate          

possession of the presence of ,god4 ,st4
 ,augustine studied the nature of the   
soul as much as any thing1 but the      
salvation of the soul2 and he sent an   
express messenger to ,st4 ,hierome1 to  
consult of some things concerning the   
soul2 but he satisfies himself with     
this3 ,let the departure of my soul to  
salvation be evident to my faith1 and ,i
 care the less how dark the entrance of 
my soul into my body be to my reason4   
,it is the going out1 more than the     
coming in1 that concerns us4 ,this soul 
this bell tells me is gone out1 whither8
 ,who shall tell me that8 ,i know not   
who it is1 much less what he was1 the   
condition of the man1 and the course of 
his life1 which should tell me whither  
he is gone1 ,i know not4 ,i was not     
there in his sickness1 nor at his death2
 ,i saw not his way nor his end1 nor can
 ask them who did1 thereby to conclude  
or argue whither he is gone4 ,but yet ,i
 have one nearer me than all these1 mine
 own charity2 ,i ask that1 and that     

tells me he is gone to everlasting rest1
 and joy1 and glory4 ,i owe him a good  
opinion2 it is but thankful charity in  
me1 because ,i received benefit and     
instruction from him when his bell      
tolled2 and ,i1 being made the fitter to
 pray by that disposition1 wherein ,i   
was assisted by his occasion1 did pray  
for him2 and ,i pray not without faith2 
so ,i do charitably1 so ,i do faithfully
 believe1 that that soul is gone to     
everlasting rest1 and joy1 and glory4   
,but for the body1 how poor a wretched  
thing is that8 we cannot express it so  
fast1 as it grows worse and worse4 ,that
 body1 which scarce three minutes since 
was such a house1 as that that soul1    
which made but one step from thence to  
heaven1 was scarce thoroughly content to
 leave that for heaven2 that body hath  
lost the name of a dwelling-house1      
because none dwells in it1 and is making
 haste to lose the name of a body1 and  
dissolve to putrefaction4 ,who would not
 be affected to see a clear and sweet   

river in the morning1 grow a kennel of  
muddy land-water by noon1 and condemned 
to the saltness of the sea by night8 and
 how lame a picture1 how faint a        
representation is that1 of the          
precipitation of man's body to          
dissolution8 ,now all the parts built   
up1 and knit by a lovely soul1 now but a
 statue of clay1 and now these limbs    
melted off1 as if that clay were but    
snow2 and now the whole house is but a  
handful of sand1 so much dust1 and but a
 peck of rubbish1 so much bone4 ,if he  
who1 as this bell tells me1 is gone now1
 were some excellent artificer1 who     
comes to him for a cloak or for a       
garment now8 or for counsel1 if he were 
a lawyer8 if a magistrate1 for justice8 
,man1 before he hath his immortal soul1 
hath a soul of sense1 and a soul of     
vegetation before that3 this immortal   
soul did not forbid other souls to be in
 us before1 but when this soul departs1 
it carries all with it2 no more         
vegetation1 no more sense4 ,such a      

mother-in-law is the earth1 in respect  
of our natural mother2 in her womb we   
grew1 and when she was delivered of us1 
we were planted in some place1 in some  
calling in the world2 in the womb of the
 earth we diminish1 and when she is     
delivered of us1 our grave opened for   
another2 we are not transplanted1 but   
transported1 our dust blown away with   
profane dust1 with every wind4          
,,xviii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my 
,god1 if expostulation be too bold a    
word1 do thou mollify it with another2  
let it be wonder in myself1 let it be   
but problem to others2 but let me ask1  
why wouldst thou not suffer those that  
serve thee in holy services1 to do any  
office about the dead1#bdg nor assist at
 their funeral8 ,thou hadst no          
counsellor1 thou needst none2 thou hast 
no controller1 thou admittedst none4    
,why do ,i ask8 ,in ceremonial things   
7as that was7 any convenient reason is  
enough2 who can be sure to propose that 
reason1 that moved thee in the          

institution thereof8 ,i satisfy myself  
with this2 that in those times the      
,gentiles were over-full of an          
over-reverent respect to the memory of  
the dead3 a great part of the idolatry  
of the nations flowed from that2 an     
over-amorous devotion1 an over-zealous  
celebrating1 and over-studious          
preserving of the memories1 and the     
pictures of some dead persons2 and by   
the vain glory of men1 they entered into
 the world1#bdh and their statues and   
pictures contracted an opinion of       
divinity by age3 that which was at first
 but a picture of a friend grew a god in
 time1 as the wise man notes1 ,they     
called them gods1 which were the work of
 an ancient hand4#bdi ,and some have    
assigned a certain time1 when a picture 
should come out of minority1 and be at  
age to be a god in sixty years after it 
is made4 ,those images of men that had  
life1 and some idols of other things    
which never had any being1 are by one   
common name called promiscuously dead2  

and for that the wise man reprehends the
 idolater1 for health he prays to that  
which is weak1 and for life he prays to 
that which is dead4#bej ,should we do   
so8 says thy prophet2#bea should we go  
from the living to the dead8 ,so much   
ill then being occasioned by so much    
religious compliment exhibited to the   
dead1 thou1 ,o ,god 7,i think71 wouldst 
therefore inhibit thy principal holy    
servants from contributing any thing at 
all to this dangerous intimation of     
idolatry2 and that the people might say1
 ,surely those dead men are not so much 
to be magnified as men mistake1 since   
,god will not suffer his holy officers  
so much as to touch them1 not to see    
them4 ,but those dangers being removed1 
thou1 ,o my ,god1 dost certainly allow  
that we should do offices of piety to   
the dead and that we should draw        
instructions to piety from the dead4 ,is
 not this1 ,o my ,god1 a holy kind of   
raising up seed to my dead brother1 if  
,i1 by the meditation of his death      

produce a better life in myself8 ,it is 
the blessing upon ,reuben1 ,let ,reuben 
live1 and not die1 and let not his men  
be few2#beb let him propagate many4 ,and
 it is a malediction1 ,that that dieth1 
let it die1#bec let it do no good in    
dying2 for trees without fruit1 thou1 by
 thy apostle1 callest twice dead4#bed   
,it is a second death1 if none live the 
better by me after my death1 by the     
manner of my death4 ,therefore may ,i   
justly think1 that thou madest that a   
way to convey to the ,egyptians a fear  
of thee and a fear of death1 that there 
was not a house where there was not one 
dead2#bee for thereupon the ,egyptians  
said1 ,we are all dead men3 the death of
 others should catechise us to death4   
,thy ,son ,christ ,jesus is the first   
begotten of the dead2#bef he rises      
first1 the eldest brother1 and he is my 
master in this science of death2 but    
yet1 for me1 ,i am a younger brother    
too1 to this man who died now1 and to   
every man whom ,i see or hear to die    

before me1 and all they are ushers to me
 in this school of death4 ,i take       
therefore that which thy servant        
,david's wife said to him1 to be said to
 me1 ,if thou save not thy life         
to-night1 to-morrow thou shalt be       
slain4#beg ,if the death of this man    
work not upon me now1 ,i shall die worse
 than if thou hadst not afforded me this
 help2 for thou hast sent him in this   
bell to me1 as thou didst send to the   
angel of ,sardis1 with commission to    
strengthen the things that remain1 and  
that are ready to die1#beh that in this 
weakness of body ,i might receive       
spiritual strength by these occasions4  
,this is my strength1 that whether thou 
say to me1 as thine angel said to       
,gideon1 ,peace be unto thee1 fear not1 
thou shalt not die2#bei or whether thou 
say1 as unto ,aaron1 ,thou shalt die    
there2#bfj yet thou wilt preserve that  
which is ready to die1 my soul1 from the
 worst death1 that of sin4 ,zimri died  
for his sins1 says thy ,spirit1 which he

 sinned in doing evil2 and in his sin   
which he did to make ,israel sin2#bfa   
for his sins1 his many sins1 and then in
 his sin1 his particular sin4 ,for my   
sins ,i shall die whensoever ,i die1 for
 death is the wages of sin2 but ,i shall
 die in my sin1 in that particular sin  
of resisting thy ,spirit1 if ,i apply   
not thy assistances4 ,doth it not call  
us to a particular consideration that   
thy blessed ,son varies his form of     
commination1 and aggravates it in the   
variation1 when he says to the ,jews    
7because they refused the light         
offered71 ,you shall die in your        
sin3#bfb and then when they proceeded to
 farther disputations1 and vexations1   
and temptations1 he adds1 ,you shall die
 in your sins2#bfc he multiplies the    
former expression to a plural4 ,in this 
sin1 and in all your sins1 doth not the 
resisting of thy particular helps at    
last draw upon us the guiltiness of all 
our former sins8 ,may not the neglecting
 of this sound ministered to me in this 

man's death1 bring me to that misery1 so
 that ,i1 whom the ,lord of life loved  
so as to die for me1 shall die1 and a   
creature of mine own shall be immortal2 
that ,i shall die1 and the worm of mine 
own conscience shall never die8#bfd     
,,xviii4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most 
gracious ,god1 ,i have a new occasion of
 thanks1 and a new occasion of prayer to
 thee from the ringing of this bell4    
,thou toldest me in the other voice that
 ,i was mortal and approaching to death2
 in this ,i may hear thee say that ,i am
 dead in an irremediable1 in an         
irrecoverable state for bodily health4  
,if that be thy language in this voice1 
how infinitely am ,i bound to thy       
heavenly ,majesty for speaking so       
plainly unto me8 for even that voice1   
that ,i must die now1 is not the voice  
of a judge that speaks by way of        
condemnation1 but of a physician that   
presents health in that4 ,thou          
presentest me death as the cure of my   
disease1 not as the exaltation of it2 if

 ,i mistake thy voice herein1 if ,i     
overrun thy pace1 and prevent thy hand1 
and imagine death more instant upon me  
than thou hast bid him be1 yet the voice
 belongs to me2 ,i am dead1 ,i was born 
dead1 and from the first laying of these
 mud walls in my conception1 they have  
mouldered away1 and the whole course of 
life is but an active death4 ,whether   
this voice instruct me that ,i am a dead
 man now1 or remember me that ,i have   
been a dead man all this while4 ,i      
humbly thank thee for speaking in this  
voice to my soul2 and ,i humbly beseech 
thee also to accept my prayers in his   
behalf1 by whose occasion this voice1   
this sound1 is come to me4 ,for though  
he be by death transplanted to thee1 and
 so in possession of inexpressible      
happiness there1 yet here upon earth    
thou hast given us such a portion of    
heaven1 as that though men dispute      
whether thy saints in heaven do know    
what we in earth in particular do stand 
in need of1 yet1 without all            

disputation1 we upon earth do know what 
thy saints in heaven lack yet for the   
consummation of their happiness1 and    
therefore thou hast afforded us the     
dignity that we may pray for them4 ,that
 therefore this soul1 now newly departed
 to thy kingdom1 may quickly return to a
 joyful reunion to that body which it   
hath left1 and that we with it may soon 
enjoy the full consummation of all in   
body and soul1 ,i humbly beg at thy     
hand1 ,o our most merciful ,god1 for thy
 ,son ,christ ,jesus' sake4 ,that that  
blessed ,son of thine may have the      
consummation of his dignity1 by entering
 into his last office1 the office of a  
judge1 and may have society of human    
bodies in heaven1 as well as he hath had
 ever of souls2 and that as thou hatest 
sin itself1 thy hate to sin may be      
expressed in the abolishing of all      
instruments of sin1 the allurements of  
this world1 and the world itself2 and   
all the temporary revenges of sin1 the  
stings of sickness and of death2 and all

 the castles1 and prisons1 and monuments
 of sin1 in the grave4 ,that time may be
 swallowed up in eternity1 and hope     
swallowed in possession1 and ends       
swallowed in infiniteness1 and all men  
ordained to salvation in body and soul  
be one entire and everlasting sacrifice 
to thee1 where thou mayst receive       
delight from them1 and they glory from  
thee1 for evermore4 ,amen4  ,,footnotes3
  #bdg ,levit4 xxi4 #a4  #bdh ,wisd4    
xiv4 #ad4  #bdi ,wisd4 xiii4 #aj4  #bej 
,wisd4 xiii4 #ah4  #bea ,isaiah1 viii4  
#ai4  #beb ,deut4 xxxiii4 #f4  #bec     
,zech4 xi4 #i4  #bed ,jude1 #ab4  #bee  
,exod4 xii4 #cj4  #bef ,rev4 i4 #e4     
#beg #a ,sam4 xix4 #aa4  #beh ,rev4 iii4
 #b4  #bei ,judg4 vi1 #bc4  #bfj ,numb4 
xx4 #bf4  #bfa #a ,kings1 xvi4 #ai4     
#bfb ,john1 viii4 #ba4  #bfc ,john1     
viii4 #bd4  #bfd ,isaiah1 lxvi4 #bd4    
,,xix4 ,,oceano ,,tandem ,,emenso1      
,,aspicienda ,,resurgit ,,terra2        
,,vident1 ,,justis1 ,,medici1 ,,jam     
,,cocta ,,mederi ,,se ,,posse1          

,,indiciis4  ,at last the physicians1   
after a long and stormy voyage1 see     
land3 they have so good signs of the    
concoction of the disease1 as that they 
may safely proceed to purge4   ,,xix4   
,,meditation4  ,all this while the      
physicians themselves have been         
patients1 patiently attending when they 
should see any land in this sea1 any    
earth1 any cloud1 any indication of     
concoction in these waters4 ,any        
disorder of mine1 any pretermission of  
theirs1 exalts the disease1 accelerates 
the rages of it2 no diligence           
accelerates the concoction1 the maturity
 of the disease2 they must stay till the
 season of the sickness come2 and till  
it be ripened of itself1 and then they  
may put to their hand to gather it      
before it fall off1 but they cannot     
hasten the ripening4 ,why should we look
 for it in a disease1 which is the      
disorder1 the discord1 the irregularity1
 the commotion and rebellion of the     
body8 ,it were scarce a disease if it   

could be ordered and made obedient to   
our times4 ,why should we look for that 
in disorder1 in a disease1 when we      
cannot have it in nature1 who is so     
regular and so pregnant1 so forward to  
bring her work to perfection and to     
light8 ,yet we cannot awake the ,july   
flowers in ,january1 nor retard the     
flowers of the spring to autumn4 ,we    
cannot bid the fruits come in ,may1 nor 
the leaves to stick on in ,december4 ,a 
woman that is weak cannot put off her   
ninth month to a tenth for her delivery1
 and say she will stay till she be      
stronger2 nor a queen cannot hasten it  
to a seventh1 that she may be ready for 
some other pleasure4 ,nature 7if we look
 for durable and vigorous effects7 will 
not admit preventions1 nor              
anticipations1 nor obligations upon her1
 for they are precontracts1 and she will
 be left to her liberty4 ,nature would  
not be spurred1 nor forced to mend her  
pace2 nor power1 the power of man1      
greatness1 loves not that kind of       

violence neither4 ,there are of them    
that will give1 that will do justice1   
that will pardon1 but they have their   
own seasons for all these1 and he that  
knows not them shall starve before that 
gift come1 and ruin before the justice1 
and die before the pardon save him4     
,some tree bears no fruit1 except much  
dung be laid about it2 and justice comes
 not from some till they be richly      
manured3 some trees require much        
visiting1 much watering1 much labour2   
and some men give not their fruits but  
upon importunity3 some trees require    
incision1 and pruning1 and lopping2 some
 men must be intimidated and syndicated 
with commissions1 before they will      
deliver the fruits of justice3 some     
trees require the early and the often   
access of the sun2 some men open not1   
but upon the favours and letters of     
court mediation3 some trees must be     
housed and kept within doors2 some men  
lock up1 not only their liberality1 but 
their justice and their compassion1 till

 the solicitation of a wife1 or a son1  
or a friend1 or a servant1 turn the key4
 ,reward is the season of one man1 and  
importunity of another2 fear the season 
of one man1 and favour of another2      
friendship the season of one man1 and   
natural affection of another2 and he    
that knows not their seasons1 nor cannot
 stay them1 must lose the fruits3 as    
nature will not1 so power and greatness 
will not be put to change their seasons1
 and shall we look for this indulgence  
in a disease1 or think to shake it off  
before it be ripe8 ,all this while1     
therefore1 we are but upon a defensive  
war1 and that is but a doubtful state2  
especially where they who are besieged  
do know the best of their defences1 and 
do not know the worst of their enemy's  
power2 when they cannot mend their works
 within1 and the enemy can increase his 
numbers without4 ,o how many far more   
miserable1 and far more worthy to be    
less miserable than ,i1 are besieged    
with this sickness1 and lack their      

sentinels1 their physicians to watch1   
and lack their munition1 their cordials 
to defend1 and perish before the enemy's
 weakness might invite them to sally1   
before the disease show any declination1
 or admit any way of working upon       
itself8 ,in me the siege is so far      
slackened1 as that we may come to fight1
 and so die in the field1 if ,i die1 and
 not in a prison4   ,,xix4              
,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1    
thou art a direct ,god1 may ,i not say a
 literal ,god1 a ,god that wouldst be   
understood literally and according to   
the plain sense of all that thou sayest8
 but thou art also 7,lord1 ,i intend it 
to thy glory1 and let no profane        
misinterpreter abuse it to thy          
diminution71 thou art a figurative1 a   
metaphorical ,god too2 a ,god in whose  
words there is such a height of figures1
 such voyages1 such peregrinations to   
fetch remote and precious metaphors1    
such extensions1 such spreadings1 such  
curtains of allegories1 such third      

heavens of hyperboles1 so harmonious    
elocutions1 so retired and so reserved  
expressions1 so commanding persuasions1 
so persuading commandments1 such sinews 
even in thy milk1 and such things in thy
 words1 as all profane authors seem of  
the seed of the serpent that creeps1    
thou art the ,dove that flies4 ,o1 what 
words but thine can express the         
inexpressible texture and composition of
 thy word1 in which to one man that     
argument that binds his faith to believe
 that to be the word of ,god1 is the    
reverent simplicity of the word1 and to 
another the majesty of the word2 and in 
which two men equally pious may meet1   
and one wonder that all should not      
understand it1 and the other as much    
that any man should4 ,so1 ,lord1 thou   
givest us the same earth to labour on   
and to lie in1 a house and a grave of   
the same earth2 so1 ,lord1 thou givest  
us the same word for our satisfaction   
and for our inquisition1 for our        
instruction and for our admiration too2 

for there are places that thy servants  
,hierom and ,augustine would scarce     
believe 7when they grew warm by mutual  
letters7 of one another1 that they      
understood them1 and yet both ,hierom   
and ,augustine call upon persons whom   
they knew to be far weaker than they    
thought one another 7old women and young
 maids7 to read the ,scriptures1 without
 confining them to these or those       
places4 ,neither art thou thus a        
figurative1 a metaphorical ,god in thy  
word only1 but in thy works too4 ,the   
style of thy works1 the phrase of thine 
actions1 is metaphorical ,the           
institution of thy whole worship in the 
old law was a continual allegory2 types 
and figures overspread all1 and figures 
flowed into figures1 and poured         
themselves out into farther figures2    
circumcision carried a figure of        
baptism1 and baptism carries a figure of
 that purity which we shall have in     
perfection in the new ,jerusalem4       
,neither didst thou speak and work in   

this language only in the time of thy   
prophets2 but since thou spokest in thy 
,son it is so too4 ,how often1 how much 
more often1 doth thy ,son call himself a
 way1 and a light1 and a gate1 and a    
vine1 and bread1 than the ,son of ,god1 
or of man8 ,how much oftener doth he    
exhibit a metaphorical ,christ1 than a  
real1 a literal8 ,this hath occasioned  
thine ancient servants1 whose delight it
 was to write after thy copy1 to proceed
 the same way in their expositions of   
the ,scriptures1 and in their composing 
both of public liturgies and of private 
prayers to thee1 to make their accesses 
to thee in such a kind of language as   
thou wast pleased to speak to them1 in a
 figurative1 in a metaphorical language1
 in which manner ,i am bold to call the 
comfort which ,i receive now in this    
sickness in the indication of the       
concoction and maturity thereof1 in     
certain clouds and recidences1 which the
 physicians observe1 a discovering of   
land from sea after a long and          

tempestuous voyage4 ,but wherefore1 ,o  
my ,god1 hast thou presented to us the  
afflictions and calamities of this life 
in the name of waters8 so often in the  
name of waters1 and deep waters1 and    
seas of waters8 ,must we look to be     
drowned8 are they bottomless1 are they  
boundless8 ,that is not the dialect of  
thy language2 thou hast given a remedy  
against the deepest water by water2     
against the inundation of sin by        
baptism2 and the first life that thou   
gavest to any creatures was in waters3  
therefore thou dost not threaten us with
 an irremediableness when our affliction
 is a sea4 ,it is so if we consider     
ourselves2 so thou callest ,genezareth1 
which was but a lake1 and not salt1 a   
sea2 so thou callest the ,mediterranean 
sea still the great sea1 because the    
inhabitants saw no other sea2 they that 
dwelt there thought a lake a sea1 and   
the others thought a little sea1 the    
greatest1 and we that know not the      
afflictions of others call our own the  

heaviest4 ,but1 ,o my ,god1 that is     
truly great that overflows the channel1 
that is really a great affliction which 
is above my strength2 but thou1 ,o ,god1
 art my strength1 and then what can be  
above it8 ,mountains shake with the     
swelling of thy sea2#bfe secular        
mountains1 men strong in power2         
spiritual mountains1 men strong in      
grace1 are shaken with afflictions2 but 
thou layest up thy sea in               
storehouses2#bff even thy corrections   
are of thy treasure1 and thou wilt not  
waste thy corrections2 when they have   
done their service to humble thy        
patient1 thou wilt call them in again1  
for thou givest the sea thy decree1 that
 the waters should not pass thy         
commandment4#bfg ,all our waters shall  
run into ,jordan1 and thy servants      
passed ,jordan dry foot2#bfh they shall 
run into the red sea 7the sea of thy    
,son's blood71 and the red sea1 that red
 sea1 drowns none of thine3 but they    
that sail on the sea tell of the danger 

thereof4#bfi ,i that am yet in this     
affliction1 owe thee the glory of       
speaking of it2 but1 as the wise man    
bids me1 ,i say1 ,i may speak much and  
come short1 wherefore in sum thou art   
all4#bgj ,since thou art so1 ,o my ,god1
 and affliction is a sea too deep for   
us1 what is our refuge8 ,thine ark1 thy 
ship4 ,in all other afflictions1 those  
means which thou hast ordained in this  
sea1 in sickness1 thy ship is thy       
physician4 ,thou hast made a way in the 
sea1 and a safe path in the waters1     
showing that thou canst save from all   
dangers1 yea1 though a man went to sea  
without art3#bga yet1 where ,i find all 
that1 ,i find this added2 nevertheless  
thou wouldst not1 that the work of thy  
wisdom should be idle4#bgb ,thou canst  
save without means1 but thou hast told  
no man that thou wilt2 thou hast told   
every man that thou wilt not4#bgc ,when 
the centurion believed the master of the
 ship more than ,st4 ,paul1 they were   
all opened to a great danger2 this was a

 preferring of thy means before thee1   
the author of the means3 but1 my ,god1  
though thou beest every where3 ,i have  
no promise of appearing to me but in thy
 ship1 thy blessed ,son preached out of 
a ship3#bgd the means is preaching1 he  
did that2 and the ship was a type of the
 church1 he did it there4 ,thou gavest  
,st4 ,paul the lives of all them that   
sailed with him2#bge if they had not    
been in the ship with him1 the gift had 
not extended to them4 ,as soon as thy   
,son was come out of the ship1          
immediately there met him1 out of the   
tombs1 a man with an unclean spirit1 and
 no man could hold him1 no not with     
chains4#bgf ,thy ,son needed no use of  
means2 yet there we apprehend the danger
 to us1 if we leave the ship1 the means1
 in this case the physician4 ,but as    
they are ships to us in those seas1 so  
is there a ship to them too in which    
they are to stay4 ,give me leave1 ,o my 
,god1 to assist myself with such a      
construction of these words of thy      

servant ,paul to the centurion1 when the
 mariners would have left the ship1     
,except these abide in the ship1 you    
cannot be safe3#bgg except they who are 
our ships1 the physicians1 abide in that
 which is theirs1 and our ship1 the     
truth1 and the sincere and religious    
worship of thee and thy gospel1 we      
cannot promise ourselves so good safety2
 for though we have our ship1 the       
physician1 he hath not his ship1        
religion2 and means are not means but in
 their concatenation1 as they depend and
 are chained together4 ,the ships are   
great1 says thy apostle1 but a helm     
turns them2#bgh the men are learned1 but
 their religion turns their labours to  
good1 and therefore it was a heavy curse
 when the third part of the ships       
perished3#bgi it is a heavy case where  
either all religion1 or true religion1  
should forsake many of these ships whom 
thou hast sent to convey us over these  
seas4 ,but1 ,o my ,god1 my ,god1 since  
,i have my ship and they theirs1 ,i have

 them and they have thee1 why are we yet
 no nearer land8 ,as soon as thy ,son's 
disciple had taken him into the ship1   
immediately the ship was at the land    
whither they went4#bhj ,why have not    
they and ,i this dispatch8 ,every thing 
is immediately done1 which is done when 
thou wouldst have it done4 ,thy purpose 
terminates every action1 and what was   
done before that is undone yet4 ,shall  
that slacken my hope8 thy prophet from  
thee hath forbidden it4 ,it is good that
 a man should both hope1 and quietly    
wait for the salvation of the ,lord4#bha
 ,thou puttest off many judgments till  
the last day1 and many pass this life   
without any2 and shall not ,i endure the
 putting off thy mercy for a day8 ,and  
yet1 ,o my ,god1 thou puttest me not to 
that1 for the assurance of future mercy 
is present mercy4 ,but what is my       
assurance now8 what is my seal8 ,it is  
but a cloud2 that which my physicians   
call a cloud1 in that which gives them  
their indication4 ,but a cloud8 ,thy    

great seal to all the world1 the        
rainbow1 that secured the world for ever
 from drowning1 was but a reflection    
upon a cloud4 ,a cloud itself was a     
pillar which guided the church1#bhb and 
the glory of ,god not only was1 but     
appeared in a cloud4#bhc ,let me return1
 ,o my ,god1 to the consideration of thy
 servant ,elijah's proceeding in a time 
of desperate drought2#bhd he bids them  
look towards the sea2 they look1 and see
 nothing4 ,he bids them again and again 
seven times2 and at the seventh time    
they saw a little cloud rising out of   
the sea1 and presently they had their   
desire of rain4 ,seven days1 ,o my ,god1
 have we looked for this cloud1 and now 
we have it2 none of thy indications are 
frivolous1 thou makest thy signs seals1 
and thy seals effects1 and thy effects  
consolation and restitution1 wheresoever
 thou mayst receive glory by that way4  
,,xix4 ,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most   
gracious ,god1 who though thou passedst 
over infinite millions of generations1  

before thou camest to a creation of this
 world1 yet when thou beganst1 didst    
never intermit that work1 but           
continuedst day to day1 till thou hadst 
perfected all the work1 and deposed it  
in the hands and rest of a sabbath1     
though thou have been pleased to glorify
 thyself in a long exercise of my       
patience1 with an expectation of thy    
declaration of thyself in this my       
sickness1 yet since thou hast now of thy
 goodness afforded that which affords us
 some hope1 if that be still the way of 
thy glory1 proceed in that way and      
perfect that work1 and establish me in a
 sabbath and rest in thee1 by this thy  
seal of bodily restitution4 ,thy priests
 came up to thee by steps in the temple2
 thy angels came down to ,jacob by steps
 upon the ladder2 we find no stair by   
which thou thyself camest to ,adam in   
paradise1 nor to ,sodom in thine anger2 
for thou1 and thou only1 art able to do 
all at once4 ,but ,o ,lord1 ,i am not   
weary of thy pace1 nor weary of mine own

 patience4 ,i provoke thee not with a   
prayer1 not with a wish1 not with a     
hope1 to more haste than consists with  
thy purpose1 nor look that any other    
thing should have entered into thy      
purpose1 but thy glory4 ,to hear thy    
steps coming towards me is the same     
comfort as to see thy face present with 
me2 whether thou do the work of a       
thousand years in a day1 or extend the  
work of a day to a thousand years1 as   
long as thou workest1 it is light and   
comfort4 ,heaven itself is but an       
extension of the same joy2 and an       
extension of this mercy1 to proceed at  
thy leisure1 in the way of restitution1 
is a manifestation of heaven to me here 
upon earth4 ,from that people to whom   
thou appearedst in signs and in types1  
the ,jews1 thou art departed1 because   
they trusted in them2 but from thy      
church1 to whom thou hast appeared in   
thyself1 in thy ,son1 thou wilt never   
depart1 because we cannot trust too much
 in him4 ,though thou have afforded me  

these signs of restitution1 yet if ,i   
confide in them1 and begin to say1 all  
was but a natural accident1 and nature  
begins to discharge herself1 and she    
will perfect the whole work1 my hope    
shall vanish because it is not in thee4 
,if thou shouldst take thy hand utterly 
from me1 and have nothing to do with me1
 nature alone were able to destroy me2  
but if thou withdraw thy helping hand1  
alas1 how frivolous are the helps of    
nature1 how impotent the assistances of 
art8 ,as therefore the morning dew is a 
pawn of the evening fatness1 so1 ,o     
,lord1 let this day's comfort be the    
earnest of to-morrow's1 so far as may   
conform me entirely to thee1 to what    
end1 and by what way soever thy mercy   
have appointed me4  ,,footnotes3  #bfe  
,psalm xlvi4 #c4  #bff ,psalm xxxiii4   
#g4  #bfg ,prov4 viii4 #bi4  #bfh ,josh4
 iii4 #ag4  #bfi ,ecclus4 xliii4 #bd4   
#bgj ,ecclus4 xliii4 #bg4  #bga ,wisd4  
xiv4 #c4  #bgb ,wisd4 xiv4 #e4  #bgc    
,acts1 xxvii4 #aa4  #bgd ,luke1 v4 #c4  

#bge ,acts1 xxvii4 #bd4  #bgf ,mark1 v4 
#b4  #bgg ,acts1 xxvii4 #ca4  #bgh      
,james1 iii4 #d4  #bgi ,rev4 viii4 #i4  
#bhj ,john1 vi4 #ba4  #bha ,lam4 iii4   
#bf4  #bhb ,exod4 xiii4 #ba4  #bhc      
,exod4 xvi4 #aj4  #bhd #a ,kings1 xviii4
 #dc4     ,,xx4 ,,id ,,agunt4  ,upon    
these indications of digested matter1   
they proceed to purge4   ,,xx4          
,,meditation4  ,though counsel seem     
rather to consist of spiritual parts    
than action1 yet action is the spirit   
and the soul of counsel4 ,counsels are  
not always determined in resolutions1 we
 cannot always say1 this was concluded2 
actions are always determined in        
effects1 we can say1 this was done4     
,then have laws their reverence and     
their majesty1 when we see the judge    
upon the bench executing them4 ,then    
have counsels of war their impressions  
and their operations1 when we see the   
seal of an army set to them4 ,it was an 
ancient way of celebrating the memory of
 such as deserved well of the state1 to 

afford them that kind of statuary       
representation1 which was then called   
,hermes1 which was the head and         
shoulders of a man standing upon a cube1
 but those shoulders without arms and   
hands4 ,altogether it figured a constant
 supporter of the state1 by his counsel2
 but in this hieroglyphic1 which they   
made without hands1 they pass their     
consideration no farther but that the   
counsellor should be without hands1 so  
far as not to reach out his hand to     
foreign temptations of bribes1 in       
matters of counsel1 and that it was not 
necessary that the head should employ   
his own hand2 that the same men should  
serve in the execution which assisted in
 the counsel2 but that there should not 
belong hands to every head1 action to   
every counsel1 was never intended so    
much as in figure and representation4   
,for as matrimony is scarce to be called
 matrimony where there is a resolution  
against the fruits of matrimony1 against
 the having of children1#bhe so counsels

 are not counsels1 but illusions1 where 
there is from the beginning no purpose  
to execute the determinations of those  
counsels4 ,the arts and sciences are    
most properly referred to the head2 that
 is their proper element and sphere2 but
 yet the art of proving1 logic1 and the 
art of persuading1 rhetoric1 are deduced
 to the hand1 and that expressed by a   
hand contracted into a fist1 and this by
 a hand enlarged and expanded2 and      
evermore the power of man1 and the power
 of ,god1 himself is expressed so4 ,all 
things are in his hand2 neither is ,god 
so often presented to us1 by names that 
carry our consideration upon counsel1 as
 upon execution of counsel2 he oftener  
is called the ,lord of ,hosts than by   
all other names1 that may be referred to
 the other signification4 ,hereby       
therefore we take into our meditation   
the slippery condition of man1 whose    
happiness in any kind1 the defect of any
 one thing conducing to that happiness1 
may ruin2 but it must have all the      

pieces to make it up4 ,without counsel1 
,i had not got thus far2 without action 
and practice1 ,i should go no farther   
towards health4 ,but what is the present
 necessary action8 ,purging2 a          
withdrawing1 a violating of nature1 a   
farther weakening4 ,o dear price1 and ,o
 strange way of addition1 to do it by   
subtraction2 of restoring nature1 to    
violate nature2 of providing strength1  
by increasing weakness4 ,was ,i not sick
 before8 ,and is it a question of       
comfort to be asked now1 did your physic
 make you sick8 ,was that it that my    
physic promised1 to make me sick8 ,this 
is another step upon which we may stand1
 and see farther into the misery of man1
 the time1 the season of his misery2 it 
must be done now4 ,o over-cunning1      
over-watchful1 over-diligent1 and       
over-sociable misery of man1 that seldom
 comes alone1 but then when it may      
accompany other miseries1 and so put one
 another into the higher exaltation1 and
 better heart4 ,i am ground even to an  

attenuation and must proceed to         
evacuation1 all ways to exinanition and 
annihilation4   ,,xx4 ,,expostulation4  
,my ,god1 my ,god1 the ,god of order1   
but yet not of ambition1 who assignest  
place to every one1 but not contention  
for place1 when shall it be thy pleasure
 to put an end to all these quarrels for
 spiritual precedences8 ,when shall men 
leave their uncharitable disputations1  
which is to take place1 faith or        
repentance1 and which1 when we consider 
faith and works8 ,the head and the hand 
too are required to a perfect natural   
man2 counsel and action too1 to a       
perfect civil man2 faith and works too1 
to him that is perfectly spiritual4 ,but
 because it is easily said1 ,i believe1 
and because it doth not easily lie in   
proof1 nor is easily demonstrable by any
 evidence taken from my heart 7for who  
sees that1 who searches those rolls87   
whether ,i do believe or no1 is it not  
therefore1 ,o my ,god1 that thou dost so
 frequently1 so earnestly1 refer us to  

the hand1 to the observation of actions8
 ,there is a little suspicion1 a little 
imputation laid upon over-tedious and   
dilatory counsels4 ,many good occasions 
slip away in long consultations2 and it 
may be a degree of sloth1 to be too long
 in mending nets1 though that must be   
done4 ,he that observeth the wind shall 
not sow1 and he that regardeth the      
clouds shall not reap2#bhf that is1 he  
that is too dilatory1 too superstitious 
in these observations1 and studies but  
the excuse of his own idleness in them2 
but that which the same wise and royal  
servant of thine says in another place1 
all accept1 and ask no comment upon it1 
,he becometh poor that dealeth with a   
slack hand1 but the hand of the diligent
 maketh rich2#bhg all evil imputed to   
the absence1 all good attributed to the 
presence of the hand4 ,i know1 my ,god  
7and ,i bless thy name for knowing it1  
for all good knowledge is from thee71   
that thou considerest the heart2 but    
thou takest not off thine eye till thou 

come to the hand4 ,nay1 my ,god1 doth   
not thy ,spirit intimate that thou      
beginnest where we begin 7at least1 that
 thou allowest us to begin there71 when 
thou orderest thine own answer to thine 
own question1 ,who shall ascend into the
 hill of the ,lord8 thus1 ,he that hath 
clean hands1 and a pure heart8#bhh ,dost
 thou not 7at least7 send us first to   
the hand8 ,and is not the work of their 
hands that declaration of their holy    
zeal1 in the present execution of       
manifest idolators1 called a            
consecration of themselves1#bhi by thy  
,holy ,spirit8 ,their hands are called  
all themselves2 for even counsel itself 
goes under that name in thy word1 who   
knowest best how to give right names3   
because the counsel of the priests      
assisted ,david1#bij ,saul says the hand
 of the priest is with ,david4 ,and that
 which is often said by ,moses1 is very 
often repeated by thy other prophets1   
,these and these things the ,lord       
spake1#bia and the ,lord said1 and the  

,lord commanded1 not by the counsels1   
not by the voice1 but by the hand of    
,moses1 and by the hand of the prophets4
 ,evermore we are referred for our      
evidence of others1 and of ourselves1 to
 the hand1 to action1 to works4 ,there  
is something before it1 believing2 and  
there is something after it1 suffering2 
but in the most eminent1 and obvious1   
and conspicuous place stands doing4 ,why
 then1 ,o my ,god1 my blessed ,god1 in  
the ways of my spiritual strength1 come 
,i so slow to action8 ,i was whipped by 
thy rod1 before ,i came to consultation1
 to consider my state2 and shall ,i go  
no farther8 ,as he that would describe a
 circle in paper1 if he have brought    
that circle within one inch of          
finishing1 yet if he remove his compass 
he cannot make it up a perfect circle   
except he fall to work again1 to find   
out the same centre1 so1 though setting 
that foot of my compass upon thee1 ,i   
have gone so far as to the consideration
 of myself1 yet if ,i depart from thee1 

my centre1 all is imperfect4 ,this      
proceeding to action1 therefore1 is a   
returning to thee1 and a working upon   
myself by thy physic1 by thy purgative  
physic1 a free and entire evacuation of 
my soul by confession4 ,the working of  
purgative physic is violent and contrary
 to nature4 ,o ,lord1 ,i decline not    
this potion of confession1 however it   
may be contrary to a natural man4 ,to   
take physic1 and not according to the   
right method1 is dangerous4#bib ,o      
,lord1 ,i decline not that method in    
this physic1 in things that burthen my  
conscience1 to make my confession to    
him1 into whose hands thou hast put the 
power of absolution4 ,i know that physic
 may be made so pleasant as that it may 
easily be taken2 but not so pleasant as 
the virtue and nature of the medicine be
 extinguished4#bic ,i know ,i am not    
submitted to such a confession as is a  
rack and torture of the conscience2 but 
,i know ,i am not exempt from all4 ,if  
it were merely problematical1 left      

merely indifferent whether we should    
take this physic1 use this confession1  
or no1 a great physician acknowledges   
this to have been his practice1 to      
minister to many things which he was not
 sure would do good1 but never any other
 thing but such as he was sure would do 
no harm4#bid ,the use of this spiritual 
physic can certainly do no harm2 and the
 church hath always thought that it     
might1 and1 doubtless1 many humble souls
 have found1 that it hath done them     
good4 ,i will therefore take the cup of 
salvation1 and call upon thy name4#bie  
,i will find this cup of compunction as 
full as ,i have formerly filled the cups
 of worldly confections1 that so ,i may 
escape the cup of malediction and       
irrecoverable destruction that depends  
upon that4 ,and since thy blessed and   
glorious ,son1 being offered1 in the way
 to his execution1 a cup of             
stupefaction1#bif to take away the sense
 of his pain 7a charity afforded to     
condemned persons ordinarily in those   

places and times71 refused that ease1   
and embraced the whole torment1 ,i take 
not this cup1 but this vessel of mine   
own sins into my contemplation1 and ,i  
pour them out here according to the     
motions of thy ,holy ,spirit1 and any   
where according to the ordinances of thy
 holy church4   ,,xx4 ,,prayer4  ,o     
eternal and most gracious ,god1 who     
having married man and woman together1  
and made them one flesh1 wouldst have   
them also to become one soul1 so as that
 they might maintain a sympathy in their
 affections1 and have a conformity to   
one another in the accidents of this    
world1 good or bad2 so having married   
this soul and this body in me1 ,i humbly
 beseech thee that my soul may look and 
make her use of thy merciful proceedings
 towards my bodily restitution1 and go  
the same way to a spiritual4 ,i am come1
 by thy goodness1 to the use of thine   
ordinary means for my body1 to wash away
 those peccant humours that endangered  
it4 ,i have1 ,o ,lord1 a river in my    

body1 but a sea in my soul1 and a sea   
swollen into the depth of a deluge1     
above the sea4 ,thou hast raised up     
certain hills in me heretofore1 by which
 ,i might have stood safe from these    
inundations of sin4 ,even our natural   
faculties are a hill1 and might preserve
 us from some sin4 ,education1 study1   
observation1 example1 are hills too1 and
 might preserve us from some4 ,thy      
church1 and thy word1 and thy           
sacraments1 and thine ordinances are    
hills above these2 thy spirit of        
remorse1 and compunction1 and repentance
 for former sin1 are hills too2 and to  
the top of all these hills thou hast    
brought me heretofore2 but this deluge1 
this inundation1 is got above all my    
hills2 and ,i have sinned and sinned1   
and multiplied sin to sin1 after all    
these thy assistances against sin1 and  
where is there water enough to wash away
 this deluge8 ,there is a red sea1      
greater than this ocean1 and there is a 
little spring1 through which this ocean 

may pour itself into that red sea4 ,let 
thy spirit of true contrition and sorrow
 pass all my sins1 through these eyes1  
into the wounds of thy ,son1 and ,i     
shall be clean1 and my soul so much     
better purged than my body1 as it is    
ordained for better and a longer life4  
,,footnotes3  #bhe ,august4  #bhf       
,eccles4 xi4 #d4  #bhg ,prov4 x4 #d4    
#bhh ,psalm xxiv4 #c4  #bhi ,exod4      
xxxii4 #bi4  #bij #a ,sam4 xxii4 #ag4   
#bia ,lev4 viii4 #cf4  #bib ,galen4     
#bic ,galen4  #bid ,galen4  #bie ,psalm 
cxvi4 #ac4  #bif ,mark1 xv4 #bc4        
,,xxi4 -------------- ,,atque ,,annuit  
,,ille1     ,,qui1 ,,per ,,eos1         
,,clamat1 ,,linquas ,,jam1 ,,lazare1    
,,lectum4  ,god prospers their practice1
 and he1 by them1 calls ,lazarus out of 
his tomb1 me out of my bed4   ,,xxi4    
,,meditation4  ,if man had been left    
alone in this world at first1 shall ,i  
think that he would not have fallen8 ,if
 there had been no woman1 would not man 
have served to have been his own        

tempter8 ,when ,i see him now subject to
 infinite weaknesses1 fall into infinite
 sin without any foreign temptations1   
shall ,i think he would have had none1  
if he had been alone8 ,god saw that man 
needed a helper1 if he should be well2  
but to make woman ill1 the devil saw    
that there needed no third4 ,when ,god  
and we were alone in ,adam1 that was not
 enough2 when the devil and we were     
alone in ,eve1 it was enough4 ,o what a 
giant is man when he fights against     
himself1 and what a dwarf when he needs 
or exercises his own assistance for     
himself8 ,i cannot rise out of my bed   
till the physician enable me1 nay1 ,i   
cannot tell that ,i am able to rise till
 he tell me so4 ,i do nothing1 ,i know  
nothing of myself2 how little and how   
impotent a piece of the world is any man
 alone8 ,and how much less a piece of   
himself is that man8 ,so little as that 
when it falls out 7as it falls out in   
some cases7 that more misery and more   
oppression would be an ease to a man1 he

 cannot give himself that miserable     
addition of more misery4 ,a man that is 
pressed to death1 and might be eased by 
more weights1 cannot lay those more     
weights upon himself3 he can sin alone1 
and suffer alone1 but not repent1 not be
 absolved1 without another4 ,another    
tells me1 ,i may rise2 and ,i do so4    
,but is every raising a preferment8 or  
is every present preferment a station8  
,i am readier to fall to the earth1 now 
,i am up1 than ,i was when ,i lay in the
 bed4 ,o perverse way1 irregular motion 
of man2 even rising itself is the way to
 ruin6 ,how many men are raised1 and    
then do not fill the place they are     
raised to8 ,no corner of any place can  
be empty2 there can be no vacuity4 ,if  
that man do not fill the place1 other   
men will2 complaints of his             
insufficiency will fill it2 nay1 such an
 abhorring is there in nature of        
vacuity1 that if there be but an        
imagination of not filling1 in any man1 
that which is but imagination1 neither  

will fill it1 that is1 rumour and voice1
 and it will be given out 7upon no      
ground but imagination1 and no man knows
 whose imagination71 that he is corrupt 
in his place1 or insufficient in his    
place1 and another prepared to succeed  
him in his place4 ,a man rises sometimes
 and stands not1 because he doth not or 
is not believed to fill his place2 and  
sometimes he stands not because he      
overfills his place4 ,he may bring so   
much virtue1 so much justice1 so much   
integrity to the place1 as shall spoil  
the place1 burthen the place2 his       
integrity may be a libel upon his       
predecessor and cast an infamy upon him1
 and a burthen upon his successor to    
proceed by example1 and to bring the    
place itself to an undervalue and the   
market to an uncertainty4 ,i am up1 and 
,i seem to stand1 and ,i go round1 and  
,i am a new argument of the new         
philosophy1 that the earth moves round2 
why may ,i not believe that the whole   
earth moves1 in a round motion1 though  

that seem to me to stand1 when as ,i    
seem to stand to my company1 and yet am 
carried in a giddy and circular motion  
as ,i stand8 ,man hath no centre but    
misery2 there1 and only there1 he is    
fixed1 and sure to find himself4 ,how   
little soever he be raised1 he moves1   
and moves in a circle giddily2 and as in
 the heavens there are but a few circles
 that go about the whole world1 but many
 epicycles1 and other lesser circles1   
but yet circles2 so of those men which  
are raised and put into circles1 few of 
them move from place to place1 and pass 
through many and beneficial places1 but 
fall into little circles1 and1 within a 
step or two1 are at their end1 and not  
so well as they were in the centre1 from
 which they were raised4 ,every thing   
serves to exemplify1 to illustrate man's
 misery4 ,but ,i need go no farther than
 myself3 for a long time ,i was not able
 to rise2 at last ,i must be raised by  
others2 and now ,i am up1 ,i am ready to
 sink lower than before4   ,,xxi4       

,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1 how
 large a glass of the next world is     
this6 ,as we have an art1 to cast from  
one glass to another1 and so to carry   
the species a great way off1 so hast    
thou1 that way1 much more2 we shall have
 a resurrection in heaven2 the knowledge
 of that thou castest by another glass  
upon us here2 we feel that we have a    
resurrection from sin1 and that by      
another glass too2 we see we have a     
resurrection of the body from the       
miseries and calamities of this life4   
,this resurrection of my body shows me  
the resurrection of my soul2 and both   
here severally1 of both together        
hereafter4 ,since thy martyrs under the 
altar press thee with their solicitation
 for the resurrection of the body to    
glory1 thou wouldst pardon me1 if ,i    
should press thee by prayer for the     
accomplishing of this resurrection1     
which thou hast begun in me1 to health4 
,but1 ,o my ,god1 ,i do not ask1 where  
,i might ask amiss1 nor beg that which  

perchance might be worse for me4 ,i have
 a bed of sin2 delight in sin is a bed3 
,i have a grave of sin2 senselessness of
 sin is a grave3 and where ,lazarus had 
been four days1 ,i have been fifty years
 in this putrefaction2 why dost thou not
 call me1 as thou didst him1 with a loud
 voice1#big since my soul is as dead as 
his body was8 ,i need thy thunder1 ,o my
 ,god2 thy music will not serve me4     
,thou hast called thy servants1 who are 
to work upon us in thine ordinance1 by  
all these loud names--winds1 and        
chariots1 and falls of waters2 where    
thou wouldst be heard1 thou wilt be     
heard4 ,when thy ,son concurred with    
thee to the making of man1 there it is  
but a speaking1 but a saying4 ,there1 ,o
 blessed and glorious ,trinity1 was none
 to hear but you three1 and you easily  
hear one another1 because you say the   
same things4 ,but when thy ,son came to 
the work of redemption1 thou            
spokest1#bih and they that heard it took
 it for thunder2 and thy ,son himself   

cried with a loud voice upon the cross  
twice1#bii as he who was to prepare his 
coming1 ,john ,baptist1 was the voice of
 a crier1 and not of a whisperer4       
,still1 if it be thy voice1 it is a loud
 voice4 ,these words1 says thy ,moses1  
thou spokest with a great voice1 and    
thou addedst no more1#cjj says he there4
 ,that which thou hast said is evident1 
and it is evident that none can speak so
 loud2 none can bind us to hear him1 as 
we must thee4 ,the ,most ,high uttered  
his voice4 ,what was his voice8 ,the    
,lord thundered from heaven1#cja it     
might be heard2 but this voice1 thy     
voice1 is also a mighty voice2#cjb not  
only mighty in power1 it may be heard1  
nor mighty in obligation1 it should be  
heard2 but mighty in operation1 it will 
be heard2 and therefore hast thou       
bestowed a whole psalm#cjc upon us1 to  
lead us to the consideration of thy     
voice4 ,it is such a voice as that thy  
,son says1 the dead shall hear it2#cjd  
and that is my state4 ,and why1 ,o ,god1

 dost thou not speak to me1 in that     
effectual loudness8 ,saint ,john heard a
 voice1 and he turned about to see the  
voice3#cje sometimes we are too curious 
of the instrument by what man ,god      
speaks2 but thou speakest loudest when  
thou speakest to the heart4 ,there was  
silence1 and ,i heard a voice1 says one1
 to thy servant ,job4#cjf ,i hearken    
after thy voice in thine ordinances1 and
 ,i seek not a whispering in            
conventicles2 but yet1 ,o my ,god1 speak
 louder1 that so1 though ,i do hear thee
 now1 then ,i may hear nothing but thee4
 ,my sins cry aloud2 ,cain's murder did 
so3 my afflictions cry aloud2 the floods
 have lifted up their voice 7and waters 
are afflictions71 but thou1 ,o ,lord1   
art mightier than the voice of many     
waters2#cjg than many temporal1 many    
spiritual afflictions1 than any of      
either kind3 and why dost thou not speak
 to me in that voice8 ,what is man1 and 
whereto serveth he8 ,what is his good   
and what is his evil8#cjh ,my bed of sin

 is not evil1 not desperately evil1 for 
thou dost call me out of it2 but my     
rising out of it is not good 7not       
perfectly good71 if thou call not       
louder1 and hold me now ,i am up4 ,o my 
,god1 ,i am afraid of a fearful         
application of those words1 ,when a man 
hath done1 then he beginneth2#cji when  
this body is unable to sin1 his sinful  
memory sins over his old sins again2 and
 that which thou wouldst have us to     
remember for compunction1 we remember   
with delight4 ,bring him to me in his   
bed1 that ,i may kill him1#caj says     
,saul of ,david3 thou hast not said so1 
that is not thy voice4 ,joash's own     
servants slew him when he was sick in   
his bed3#caa thou hast not suffered     
that1 that my servants should so much as
 neglect me1 or be weary of me in my    
sickness4 ,thou threatenest1 that as a  
shepherd takes out of the mouth of the  
lion two legs1 or a piece of an ear1 so 
shall the children of ,israel1 that     
dwell in ,samaria1 in the corner of a   

bed1 and in ,damascus1 in a couch1 be   
taken away2#cab and even they that are  
secure from danger shall perish4 ,how   
much more might ,i1 who was in the bed  
of death1 die8 ,but thou hast not so    
dealt with me4 ,as they brought out sick
 persons in beds1 that thy servant      
,peter's shadow might over-shadow       
them1#cac thou hast1 ,o my ,god1        
over-shadowed me1 refreshed me2 but when
 wilt thou do more8 ,when wilt thou do  
all8 ,when wilt thou speak in thy loud  
voice8 ,when wilt thou bid me take up my
 bed and walk8#cad ,as my bed is my     
affections1 when shall ,i bear them so  
as to subdue them8 ,as my bed is my     
afflictions1 when shall ,i bear them so 
as not to murmur at them8 ,when shall ,i
 take up my bed and walk8 ,not lie down 
upon it1 as it is my pleasure1 not sink 
under it1 as it is my correction8 ,but  
,o my ,god1 my ,god1 the ,god of all    
flesh1 and of all spirit1 to let me be  
content with that in my fainting spirit1
 which thou declarest in this decayed   

flesh1 that as this body is content to  
sit still1 that it may learn to stand1  
and to learn by standing to walk1 and by
 walking to travel1 so my soul1 by      
obeying this thy voice of rising1 may by
 a farther and farther growth of thy    
grace proceed so1 and be so established1
 as may remove all suspicions1 all      
jealousies between thee and me1 and may 
speak and hear in such a voice1 as that 
still ,i may be acceptable to thee1 and 
satisfied from thee4   ,,xxi4 ,,prayer4 
,o eternal and most gracious ,god1 who  
hast made little things to signify      
great1 and conveyed the infinite merits 
of thy ,son in the water of baptism1 and
 in the bread and wine of thy other     
sacrament1 unto us1 receive the         
sacrifice of my humble thanks1 that thou
 hast not only afforded me the ability  
to rise out of this bed of weariness and
 discomfort1 but hast also made this    
bodily rising1 by thy grace1 an earnest 
of a second resurrection from sin1 and  
of a third1 to everlasting glory4 ,thy  

,son himself1 always infinite in        
himself1 and incapable of addition1 was 
yet pleased to grow in the ,virgin's    
womb1 and to grow in stature in the     
sight of men4 ,thy good purposes upon   
me1 ,i know1 have their determination   
and perfection in thy holy will upon me2
 there thy grace is1 and there ,i am    
altogether2 but manifest them so unto   
me1 in thy seasons1 and in thy measures 
and degrees1 that ,i may not only have  
that comfort of knowing thee to be      
infinitely good1 but that also of       
finding thee to be every day better and 
better to me2 and that as thou gavest   
,saint ,paul the messenger of ,satan1 to
 humble him so for my humiliation1 thou 
mayst give me thyself in this knowledge1
 that what grace soever thou afford me  
to-day1 yet ,i should perish to-morrow  
if ,i had not had to-morrow's grace too4
 ,therefore ,i beg of thee my daily     
bread2 and as thou gavest me the bread  
of sorrow for many days1 and since the  
bread of hope for some1 and this day the

 bread of possessing1 in rising by that 
strength1 which thou the ,god of all    
strength hast infused into me1 so1 ,o   
,lord1 continue to me the bread of life3
 the spiritual bread of life1 in a      
faithful assurance in thee2 the         
sacramental bread of life1 in a worthy  
receiving of thee2 and the more real    
bread of life in an everlasting union to
 thee4 ,i know1 ,o ,lord1 that when thou
 hast created angels1 and they saw thee 
produce fowl1 and fish1 and beasts1 and 
worms1 they did not importune thee1 and 
say1 ,shall we have no better creatures 
than these1 no better companions than   
these8 but stayed thy leisure1 and then 
had man delivered over to them1 not much
 inferior in nature to themselves4 ,no  
more do ,i1 ,o ,god1 now that by thy    
first mercy ,i am able to rise1         
importune thee for present confirmation 
of health2 nor now1 that by thy mercy ,i
 am brought to see that thy correction  
hath wrought medicinally upon me1       
presume ,i upon that spiritual strength 

,i have2 but as ,i acknowledge that my  
bodily strength is subject to every puff
 of wind1 so is my spiritual strength to
 every blast of vanity4 ,keep me        
therefore still1 ,o my gracious ,god1 in
 such a proportion of both strengths1 as
 ,i may still have something to thank   
thee for1 which ,i have received1 and   
still something to pray for and ask at  
thy hand4  ,,footnotes3  #big ,john1 xi4
 #dc4  #bih ,john1 xii4 #bh4  #bii      
,matt4 xxvii4 #df1 #ej4  #cjj ,deut4 v4 
#bb4  #cja #b ,sam4 xxii4 #ad4  #cjb    
,psalm lxviii4 #cc4  #cjc ,psalm xxix4  
#cjd ,john1 v4 #be4  #cje ,rev4 i4 #ab4 
#cjf ,job1 iv4 #af4  #cjg ,psalm xciii4 
#c1 #d4  #cjh ,ecclus4 xviii1 #h4  #cji 
,ecclus4 v4 #g4  #caj #a ,sam4 xix4 #ae4
  #caa #b ,chron4 xxiv4 #be4  #cab      
,amos1 iii4 #ab4  #cac ,acts1 v4 #ae4   
#cad ,matt4 ix4 #f4     ,,xxii4 ,,sit   
,,morbi ,,fomes ,,tibi ,,cura4  ,the    
physicians consider the root and        
occasion1 the embers1 and coals1 and    
fuel of the disease1 and seek to purge  

or correct that4   ,,xxii4 ,,meditation4
  ,how ruinous a farm hath man taken1 in
 taking himself6 ,how ready is the house
 every day to fall down1 and how is all 
the ground overspread with weeds1 all   
the body with diseases2 where not only  
every turf1 but every stone bears weeds2
 not only every muscle of the flesh1 but
 every bone of the body hath some       
infirmity2 every little flint upon the  
face of this soil hath some infectious  
weed1 every tooth in our head such a    
pain as a constant man is afraid of1 and
 yet ashamed of that fear1 of that sense
 of the pain4 ,how dear1 and how often a
 rent doth man pay for his farm6 ,he    
pays twice a day1 in double meals1 and  
how little time he hath to raise his    
rent6 ,how many holidays to call him    
from his labour6 ,every day is half     
holiday1 half spent in sleep4 ,what     
reparations1 and subsidies1 and         
contributions he is put to1 besides his 
rent6 ,what medicines besides his diet2 
and what inmates he is fain to take in1 

besides his own family2 what infectious 
diseases from other men6 ,adam might    
have had ,paradise for dressing and     
keeping it2 and then his rent was not   
improved to such a labour as would have 
made his brow sweat2 and yet he gave it 
over2 how far greater a rent do we pay  
for this farm1 this body1 who pay       
ourselves1 who pay the farm itself1 and 
cannot live upon it6 ,neither is our    
labour at an end when we have cut down  
some weed as soon as it sprung up1      
corrected some violent and dangerous    
accident of a disease which would have  
destroyed speedily1 nor when we have    
pulled up that weed from the very root1 
recovered entirely and soundly from that
 particular disease2 but the whole      
ground is of an ill nature1 the whole   
soil ill disposed2 there are            
inclinations1 there is a propenseness to
 diseases in the body1 out of which1    
without any other disorder1 diseases    
will grow1 and so we are put to a       
continual labour upon this farm1 to a   

continual study of the whole complexion 
and constitution of our body4 ,in the   
distempers and diseases of soils1       
sourness1 dryness1 weeping1 any kind of 
barrenness1 the remedy and the physic   
is1 for a great part1 sometimes in      
themselves2 sometimes the very situation
 relieves them2 the hanger of a hill    
will purge and vent his own malignant   
moisture1 and the burning of the upper  
turf of some ground 7as health from     
cauterizing7 puts a new and a vigorous  
youth into that soil1 and there rises a 
kind of phoenix out of the ashes1 a     
fruitfulness out of that which was      
barren before1 and by that which is the 
barrenest of all1 ashes4 ,and where the 
ground cannot give itself physic1 yet it
 receives physic from other grounds1    
from other soils1 which are not the     
worse for having contributed that help  
to them from marl in other hills1 or    
from slimy sand in other shores1 grounds
 help themselves1 or hurt not other     
grounds from whence they receive help4  

,but ,i have taken a farm at this hard  
rent1 and upon those heavy covenants1   
that it can afford itself no help 7no   
part of my body1 if it were cut off1    
would cure another part2 in some cases  
it might preserve a sound part1 but in  
no case recover an infected72 and if my 
body may have had any physic1 any       
medicine from another body1 one man from
 the flesh of another man 7as by mummy1 
or any such composition71 it must be    
from a man that is dead1 and not as in  
other soils1 which are never the worse  
for contributing their marl or their fat
 slime to my ground4 ,there is nothing  
in the same man to help man1 nothing in 
mankind to help one another 7in this    
sort1 by way of physic71 but that he who
 ministers the help is in as ill case as
 he that receives it would have been if 
he had not had it2 for he from whose    
body the physic comes is dead4 ,when    
therefore ,i took this farm1 undertook  
this body1 ,i undertook to drain not a  
marsh but a moat1 where there was1 not  

water mingled to offend1 but all was    
water2 ,i undertook to perfume dung1    
where no one part but all was equally   
unsavoury2 ,i undertook to make such a  
thing wholesome1 as was not poison by   
any manifest quality1 intense heat or   
cold1 but poison in the whole substance1
 and in the specific form of it4 ,to    
cure the sharp accidents of diseases is 
a great work2 to cure the disease itself
 is a greater2 but to cure the body1 the
 root1 the occasion of diseases1 is a   
work reserved for the great physician1  
which he doth never any other way but by
 glorifying these bodies in the next    
world4   ,,xxii4 ,,expostulation4  ,my  
,god1 my ,god1 what am ,i put to when ,i
 am put to consider and put off the     
root1 the fuel1 the occasion of my      
sickness8 ,what ,hippocrates1 what      
,galen1 could show me that in my body8  
,it lies deeper than so1 it lies in my  
soul2 and deeper than so1 for we may    
well consider the body before the soul  
came1 before inanimation1 to be without 

sin2 and the soul1 before it come to the
 body1 before that infection1 to be     
without sin3 sin is the root and the    
fuel of all sickness1 and yet that which
 destroys body and soul is in neither1  
but in both together4 ,it is the union  
of the body and soul1 and1 ,o my ,god1  
could ,i prevent that1 or can ,i        
dissolve that8 ,the root and the fuel of
 my sickness is my sin1 my actual sin2  
but even that sin hath another root1    
another fuel1 original sin2 and can ,i  
divest that8 ,wilt thou bid me to       
separate the leaven that a lump of dough
 hath received1 or the salt1 that the   
water hath contracted1 from the sea8    
,dost thou look1 that ,i should so look 
to the fuel or embers of sin1 that ,i   
never take fire8 ,the whole world is a  
pile of fagots1 upon which we are laid1 
and 7as though there were no other7 we  
are the bellows4 ,ignorance blows the   
fire4 ,he that touched any unclean      
thing1 though he knew it not1 became    
unclean1#cae and a sacrifice was        

required 7therefore a sin imputed71     
though it were done in ignorance4#caf   
,ignorance blows this coal2 but then    
knowledge much more2 for there are that 
know thy judgments1 and yet not only do1
 but have pleasure in others that do    
against them4#cag ,nature blows this    
coal2 by nature we are the children of  
wrath2#cah and the law blows it2 thy    
apostle ,saint ,paul found that sin took
 occasion by the law1 that therefore1   
because it is forbidden1 we do some     
things4 ,if we break the law1 we sin2   
sin is the transgression of the law2#cai
 and sin itself becomes a law in our    
members4#cbj ,our fathers have imprinted
 the seed1 infused a spring of sin in   
us4 ,as a fountain casteth out her      
waters1 we cast out our wickedness1 but 
we have done worse than our fathers4#cba
 ,we are open to infinite temptations1  
and yet1 as though we lacked1 we are    
tempted of our own lusts4#cbb ,and not  
satisfied with that1 as though we were  
not powerful enough1 or cunning enough1 

to demolish or undermine ourselves1 when
 we ourselves have no pleasure in the   
sin1 we sin for others' sakes4 ,when    
,adam sinned for ,eve's sake1#cbc and   
,solomon to gratify his wives1#cbd it   
was an uxorious sin2 when the judges    
sinned for ,jezebel's sake1#cbe and     
,joab to obey ,david1#cbf it was an     
ambitious sin2 when ,pilate sinned to   
humour the people1#cbg and ,herod to    
give farther contentment to the         
,jews1#cbh it was a popular sin4 ,any   
thing serves to occasion sin1 at home in
 my bosom1 or abroad in my mark and aim2
 that which ,i am1 and that which ,i am 
not1 that which ,i would be1 proves     
coals1 and embers1 and fuel1 and bellows
 to sin2 and dost thou put me1 ,o my    
,god1 to discharge myself of myself1    
before ,i can be well8 ,when thou bidst 
me to put off the old man1#cbi dost thou
 mean not only my old habits of actual  
sin1 but the oldest of all1 original    
sin8 ,when thou bidst me purge out the  
leaven1#ccj dost thou mean not only the 

sourness of mine own ill contracted     
customs1 but the innate tincture of sin 
imprinted by nature8 ,how shall ,i do   
that which thou requirest1 and not      
falsify that which thou hast said1 that 
sin is gone over all8 ,but1 ,o my ,god1 
,i press thee not with thine own text1  
without thine own comment2 ,i know that 
in the state of my body1 which is more  
discernible than that of my soul1 thou  
dost effigiate my soul to me4 ,and      
though no anatomist can say1 in         
dissecting a body1 ,here lay the coal1  
the fuel1 the occasion of all bodily    
diseases1 but yet a man may have such a 
knowledge of his own constitution and   
bodily inclination to diseases1 as that 
he may prevent his danger in a great    
part2 so1 though we cannot assign the   
place of original sin1 nor the nature of
 it1 so exactly as of actual1 or by any 
diligence divest it1 yet1 having washed 
it in the water of thy baptism1 we have 
not only so cleansed it1 that we may the
 better look upon it and discern it1 but

 so weakened it1 that howsoever it may  
retain the former nature1 it doth not   
retain the former force1 and though it  
may have the same name1 it hath not the 
same venom4   ,,xxii4 ,,prayer4  ,o     
eternal and most gracious ,god1 the ,god
 of security1 and the enemy of security 
too1 who wouldst have us always sure of 
thy love1 and yet wouldst have us always
 doing something for it1 let me always  
so apprehend thee as present with me1   
and yet so follow after thee1 as though 
,i had not apprehended thee4 ,thou      
enlargedst ,hezekiah's lease for fifteen
 years2 thou renewedst ,lazarus's lease 
for a time which we know not2 but thou  
didst never so put out any of these     
fires as that thou didst not rake up the
 embers1 and wrap up a future mortality 
in that body1 which thou hadst then so  
reprieved4 ,thou proceedest no otherwise
 in our souls1 ,o our good but fearful  
,god2 thou pardonest no sin1 so as that 
that sinner can sin no more2 thou makest
 no man so acceptable as that thou      

makest him impeccable4 ,though therefore
 it were a diminution of the largeness1 
and derogatory to the fulness of thy    
mercy1 to look back upon the sins which 
in a true repentance ,i have buried in  
the wounds of thy ,son1 with a jealous  
or suspicious eye1 as though they were  
now my sins1 when ,i had so transferred 
them upon thy ,son1 as though they could
 now be raised to life again1 to condemn
 me to death1 when they are dead in him 
who is the fountain of life1 yet were it
 an irregular anticipation1 and an      
insolent presumption1 to think that thy 
present mercy extended to all my future 
sins1 or that there were no embers1 no  
coals1 of future sins left in me4       
,temper therefore thy mercy so to my    
soul1 ,o my ,god1 that ,i may neither   
decline to any faintness of spirit1 in  
suspecting thy mercy now to be less     
hearty1 less sincere1 than it uses to   
be1 to those who are perfectly          
reconciled to thee1 nor presume so of it
 as either to think this present mercy  

an antidote against all poisons1 and so 
expose myself to temptations1 upon      
confidence that this thy mercy shall    
preserve me1 or that when ,i do cast    
myself into new sins1 ,i may have new   
mercy at any time1 because thou didst so
 easily afford me this4  ,,footnotes3   
#cae ,lev4 v4 #b4  #caf ,num4 xv4 #bd4  
#cag ,rom4 i4 #cb4  #cah ,eph4 ii4 #c4  
#cai #a ,john1 iii4 #d4  #cbj ,rom4 vii4
 #bc4  #cba ,jer4 vi4 #g2 vii4 #bf4     
#cbb ,james1 i4 #ad4  #cbc ,gen4 iii4   
#f4  #cbd #a ,kings1 xi4 #c4  #cbe #a   
,kings1 xxi4  #cbf #b ,sam4 xi4 #af-ba4 
#cbg ,luke1 xxiii4 #bc4  #cbh ,acts1    
xii4 #c4  #cbi ,eph4 iv4 #bb4  #ccj #a  
,cor4 v4 #g4     ,,xxiii4 ,,metusque1   
,,relabi4  ,they warn me of the fearful 
danger of relapsing4   ,,xxiii4         
,,meditation4  ,it is not in man's body1
 as it is in the city1 that when the    
bell hath rung1 to cover your fire1 and 
rake up the embers1 you may lie down and
 sleep without fear4 ,though you have by
 physic and diet raked up the embers of 

your disease1 still there is a fear of a
 relapse2 and the greater danger is in  
that4 ,even in pleasures and in pains1  
there is a proprietary1 a meum et tuum1 
and a man is most affected with that    
pleasure which is his1 his by former    
enjoying and experience1 and most       
intimidated with those pains which are  
his1 his by a woful sense of them1 in   
former afflictions4 ,a covetous person1 
who hath preoccupated all his senses1   
filled all his capacities with the      
delight of gathering1 wonders how any   
man can have any taste of any pleasure  
in any openness or liberality2 so also  
in bodily pains1 in a fit of the stone1 
the patient wonders why any man should  
call the gout a pain2 and he that hath  
felt neither1 but the toothache1 is as  
much afraid of a fit of that as either  
of the other of either of the other4    
,diseases which we never felt in        
ourselves come but to a compassion of   
others that have endured them2 nay1     
compassion itself comes to no great     

degree if we have not felt in some      
proportion in ourselves that which we   
lament and condole in another4 ,but when
 we have had those torments in their    
exaltation ourselves1 we tremble at     
relapse4 ,when we must pant through all 
those fiery heats1 and sail through all 
those overflowing sweats1 when we must  
watch through all those long nights1 and
 mourn through all those long days 7days
 and nights1 so long as that ,nature    
herself shall seem to be perverted1 and 
to have put the longest day1 and the    
longest night1 which should be six      
months asunder1 into one natural1       
unnatural day71 when we must stand at   
the same bar1 expect the return of      
physicians from their consultations1 and
 not be sure of the same verdict1 in any
 good indications1 when we must go the  
same way over again1 and not see the    
same issue1 that is a state1 a          
condition1 a calamity1 in respect of    
which any other sickness were a         
convalescence1 and any greater1 less4   

,it adds to the affliction1 that        
relapses are 7and for the most part     
justly7 imputed to ourselves1 as        
occasioned by some disorder in us2 and  
so we are not only passive but active in
 our own ruin2 we do not only stand     
under a falling house1 but pull it down 
upon us2 and we are not only executed   
7that implies guiltiness71 but we are   
executioners 7that implies dishonour71  
and executioners of ourselves 7and that 
implies impiety74 ,and we fall from that
 comfort which we might have in our     
first sickness1 from that meditation1   
,alas1 how generally miserable is man1  
and how subject to diseases 7for in that
 it is some degree of comfort that we   
are but in the state common to all71 we 
fall1 ,i say1 to this discomfort1 and   
self-accusing1 and self-condemning3     
,alas1 how improvident1 and in that how 
unthankful to ,god and his instruments1 
am ,i in making so ill use of so great  
benefits1 in destroying so soon so long 
a work1 in relapsing1 by my disorder1 to

 that from which they had delivered me3 
and so my meditation is fearfully       
transferred from the body to the mind1  
and from the consideration of the       
sickness to that sin1 that sinful       
carelessness1 by which ,i have          
occasioned my relapse4 ,and amongst the 
many weights that aggravate a relapse1  
this also is one1 that a relapse        
proceeds with a more violent dispatch1  
and more irremediably1 because it finds 
the country weakened1 and depopulated   
before4 ,upon a sickness1 which as yet  
appears not1 we can scarce fix a fear1  
because we know not what to fear2 but as
 fear is the busiest and irksomest      
affection1 so is a relapse 7which is    
still ready to come7 into that which is 
but newly gone1 the nearest object1 the 
most immediate exercise of that         
affection of fear4   ,,xxiii4           
,,expostulation4  ,my ,god1 my ,god1 my 
,god1 thou mighty ,father1 who hast been
 my physician2 thou glorious ,son1 who  
hast been my physic2 thou blessed       

,spirit1 who hast prepared and applied  
all to me1 shall ,i alone be able to    
overthrow the work of all you1 and      
relapse into those spiritual sicknesses 
from which infinite mercies have        
withdrawn me8 ,though thou1 ,o my ,god1 
have filled my measure with mercy1 yet  
my measure was not so large as that of  
thy whole people1 the nation1 the       
numerous and glorious nation of ,israel2
 and yet how often1 how often did they  
fall into relapses6 ,and then1 where is 
my assurance8 ,how easily thou passedst 
over many other sins in them1 and how   
vehemently thou insistedst in those into
 which they so often relapsed2 those    
were their murmurings against thee1 in  
thine instruments and ministers1 and    
their turnings upon other gods1 and     
embracing the idolatries of their       
neighbours4 ,o my ,god1 how slippery a  
way1 to how irrecoverable a bottom1 is  
murmuring2 and how near thyself he      
comes1 that murmurs at him who comes    
from thee6 ,the magistrate is the       

garment in which thou apparelest        
thyself1 and he that shoots at the      
clothes cannot say he meant no ill to   
the man3 thy people were fearful        
examples of that1 for how often did     
their murmuring against thy ministers   
end in a departing from thee6 ,when they
 would have other officers1 they would  
have other gods2 and still to-day's     
murmuring was to-morrow's idolatry2 as  
their murmuring induced idolatry1 and   
they relapsed often into both1 ,i have  
found in myself1 ,o my ,god 7,o my ,god1
 thou hast found it in me1 and thy      
finding it hast showed it to me7 such a 
transmigration of sin1 as makes me      
afraid of relapsing too4 ,the soul of   
sin 7for we have made sin immortal1 and 
it must have a soul71 the soul of sin is
 disobedience to thee2 and when one sin 
hath been dead in me1 that soul hath    
passed into another sin4 ,our youth     
dies1 and the sins of our youth with it2
 some sins die a violent death1 and some
 a natural2 poverty1 penury1            

imprisonment1 banishment1 kill some sins
 in us1 and some die of age2 many ways  
we become unable to do that sin1 but    
still the soul lives and passes into    
another sin2 and that that was          
licentiousness grows ambition1 and that 
comes to indevotion and spiritual       
coldness3 we have three lives in our    
state of sin1 and where the sins of     
youth expire1 those of our middle years 
enter1 and those of our age after them4 
,this transmigration of sin found in    
myself1 makes me afraid1 ,o my ,god1 of 
a relapse2 but the occasion of my fear  
is more pregnant than so1 for ,i have   
had1 ,i have multiplied relapses        
already4 ,why1 ,o my ,god1 is a relapse 
so odious to thee8 ,not so much their   
murmuring and their idolatry1 as their  
relapsing into those sins1 seems to     
affect thee in thy disobedient people4  
,they limited the holy ,one of          
,israel1#cca as thou complainest of     
them3 that was a murmuring2 but before  
thou chargest them with the fault       

itself1 in the same place thou chargest 
them with the iterating1 the redoubling 
of that fault before the fault was      
named2 ,how oft did they provoke me in  
the wilderness1 and grieve me in the    
desert8 ,that which brings thee to that 
exasperation against them1 as to say1   
that thou wouldst break thine own oath  
rather than leave them unpunished 7,they
 shall not see the land which ,i sware  
unto their fathers7 was because they had
 tempted thee ten times1#ccb infinitely2
 upon that thou threatenest with that   
vehemency1 ,if you do in any wise go    
back1 know for a certainty ,god will no 
more drive out any of these nations from
 before you2 but they shall be snares   
and traps unto you1 and scourges in your
 sides1 and thorns in your eyes1 till ye
 perish4#ccc ,no tongue but thine own1  
,o my ,god1 can express thine           
indignation against a nation relapsing  
to idolatry4 ,idolatry in any nation is 
deadly1 but when the disease is         
complicated with a relapse 7a knowledge 

and a profession of a former recovery71 
it is desperate2 and thine anger works1 
not only where the evidence is pregnant 
and without exception 7so thou sayest   
when it is said1 that certain men in a  
city have withdrawn others to idolatry1 
and that inquiry is made1 and it is     
found true2 the city1 and the           
inhabitants1 and the cattle are to be   
destroyed71#ccd but where there is but a
 suspicion1 a rumour1 of such a relapse 
to idolatry1 thine anger is awakened1   
and thine indignation stirred4 ,in the  
government of thy servant ,joshua1 there
 was a voice1 that ,reuben and ,gad1    
with those of ,manasseh1 had built a new
 altar4#cce ,israel doth not send one to
 inquire1 but the whole congregation    
gathered to go up to war against        
them1#ccf and there went a prince of    
every tribe2 and they object to them1   
not so much their present declination to
 idolatry1 as their relapse3 ,is the    
iniquity of ,peor too little for us8#ccg
 an idolatry formerly committed1 and    

punished with the slaughter of          
twenty-four thousand delinquents4 ,at   
last ,reuben and ,gad satisfy them1 that
 that altar was not built for idolatry1 
but built as a pattern of theirs1 that  
they might thereby profess themselves to
 be of the same profession that they    
were1 and so the army returned without  
blood4 ,even where it comes not so far  
as to an actual relapse into idolatry1  
thou1 ,o my ,god1 becomest sensible of  
it2 though thou1 who seest the heart all
 the way1 preventest all dangerous      
effects where there was no ill meaning1 
however there were occasion of          
suspicious rumours given to thine       
,israel of relapsing4 ,so odious to     
thee1 and so aggravating a weight upon  
sin is a relapse4 ,but1 ,o my ,god1 why 
is it so8 so odious8 ,it must be so1    
because he that hath sinned and then    
repented1 hath weighed ,god and the     
devil in a balance2 he hath heard ,god  
and the devil plead1 and after hearing  
given judgment on that side to which he 

adheres by his subsequent practice2#cch 
if he return to his sin1 he decrees for 
,satan1 he prefers sin before grace1 and
 ,satan before ,god2 and in contempt of 
,god1 declares the precedency for his   
adversary2 and a contempt wounds deeper 
than an injury1 a relapse deeper than a 
blasphemy4 ,and when thou hast told me  
that a relapse is more odious to thee1  
need ,i ask why it is more dangerous1   
more pernicious to me8 ,is there any    
other measure of the greatness of my    
danger1 than the greatness of thy       
displeasure8 ,how fitly and how         
fearfully hast thou expressed my case in
 a storm at sea1 if ,i relapse2 ,they   
mount up to heaven1 and they go down    
again to the depth6#cci ,my sickness    
brought me to thee in repentance1 and my
 relapse hath cast me farther from thee4
 ,the end of that man shall be worse    
than the beginning1#cdj says thy ,word1 
thy ,son2 my beginning was sickness1    
punishment for sin3 but a worse thing   
may follow1#cda says he also1 if ,i sin 

again2 not only death1 which is an end  
worse than sickness1 which was the      
beginning1 but hell1 which is a         
beginning worse than that end4 ,thy     
great servant denied thy ,son1#cdb and  
he denied him again1 but all before     
repentance2 here was no relapse4 ,o1 if 
thou hadst ever readmitted ,adam into   
,paradise1 how abstinently would he have
 walked by that tree6 ,and would not the
 angels that fell have fixed themselves 
upon thee1 if thou hadst once readmitted
 them to thy sight8 ,they never         
relapsed2 if ,i do1 must not my case be 
as desperate8 ,not so desperate2 for as 
thy majesty1 so is thy mercy1#cdc both  
infinite2 and thou1 who hast commanded  
me to pardon my brother seventy-seven   
times1 hast limited thyself to no       
number4 ,if death were ill in itself1   
thou wouldst never have raised any dead 
man to life again1 because that man must
 necessarily die again4 ,if thy mercy in
 pardoning did so far aggravate a       
relapse1 as that there were no more     

mercy after it1 our case were the worse 
for that former mercy2 for who is not   
under even a necessity of sinning whilst
 he is here1 if we place this necessity 
in our own infirmity1 and not in thy    
decree8 ,but ,i speak not this1 ,o my   
,god1 as preparing a way to my relapse  
out of presumption1 but to preclude all 
accesses of desperation1 though out of  
infirmity ,i should relapse4   ,,xxiii4 
,,prayer4  ,o eternal and most gracious 
,god1 who1 though thou beest ever       
infinite1 yet enlargest thyself by the  
number of our prayers1 and takest our   
often petitions to thee to be an        
addition to thy glory and thy greatness1
 as ever upon all occasions1 so now1 ,o 
my ,god1 ,i come to thy majesty with two
 prayers1 two supplications4 ,i have    
meditated upon the jealousy which thou  
hast of thine own honour1 and considered
 that nothing comes nearer a violating  
of that honour1 nearer to the nature of 
a scorn to thee1 than to sue out thy    
pardon1 and receive the seals of        

reconciliation to thee1 and then return 
to that sin for which ,i needed and had 
thy pardon before4 ,i know that this    
comes too near to a making thy holy     
ordinances1 thy word1 thy sacraments1   
thy seals1 thy grace1 instruments of my 
spiritual fornications4 ,since therefore
 thy correction hath brought me to such 
a participation of thyself 7thyself1 ,o 
my ,god1 cannot be parted71 to such an  
entire possession of thee1 as that ,i   
durst deliver myself over to thee this  
minute1 if this minute thou wouldst     
accept my dissolution1 preserve me1 ,o  
my ,god1 the ,god of constancy and      
perseverance1 in this state1 from all   
relapses into those sins which have     
induced thy former judgments upon me4   
,but because1 by too lamentable         
experience1 ,i know how slippery my     
customs of sin have made my ways of sin1
 ,i presume to add this petition too1   
that if my infirmity overtake me1 thou  
forsake me not4 ,say to my soul1 ,my    
son1 thou hast sinned1 do so no         

more2#cdd but say also1 that though ,i  
do1 thy spirit of remorse and           
compunction shall never depart from me4 
,thy holy apostle1 ,st4 ,paul1 was      
shipwrecked thrice1#cde and yet still   
saved4 ,though the rocks and the sands1 
the heights and the shallows1 the       
prosperity and the adversity of this    
world1 do diversely threaten me1 though 
mine own leaks endanger me1 yet1 ,o     
,god1 let me never put myself aboard    
with ,hymenus1 nor make shipwreck of    
faith and a good conscience1#cdf and    
then thy long-lived1 thy everlasting    
mercy1 will visit me1 though that which 
,i most earnestly pray against1 should  
fall upon me1 a relapse into those sins 
which ,i have truly repented1 and thou  
hast fully pardoned4  ,,footnotes3  #cca
 ,psalm lxxviii4 #da4  #ccb ,numb4 xiv4 
#bb1 #bc4  #ccc ,josh4 xxiii4 #ab1 #ac4 
#ccd ,deut4 xiii4 #ab-af4  #cce ,josh4  
xxii4 #aa1 #ab4  #ccf ,josh4 xxii4 #aa1 
#ab4  #ccg ,josh4 xxii4 #ag4  #cch      
,tertullian4  #cci ,psalm cvii4 #bf4    

#cdj ,matt4 xii4 #de4  #cda ,john1 v4   
#ad4  #cdb ,mark1 xiv4 #gj4  #cdc       
,ecclus4 ii4 #ah4  #cdd ,ecclus4 i4 #ba4
  #cde #b ,cor4 xi4 #be4  #cdf #a ,tim4 
i4 #ai4     ,,death',s ,,duel1  ,,or1 ,a
 ,,consolation ,,to ,,the ,,soul        
,,against ,,the ,,dying ,,life ,,and    
,,living ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,body4     
,,delivered ,,in ,a ,,sermon ,,at       
,,whitehall1 ,,before ,,the ,,king',s   
,,majesty1 ,,in ,,the ,,beginning ,,of  
,,lent1 #afcj4  ,,by ,,that ,,late      
,,learned ,,and ,,reverend ,,divine1    
,,john ,,donne1 ,,dr4 ,,in ,,divinity1  
,,and ,,dean ,,of ,,st4 ,,paul',s1      
,,london4  ,,being ,,his ,,last         
,,sermon1 ,,and ,,called ,,by ,,his     
,,majesty',s ,,household1 ,,the         
,,doctor',s ,,own ,,funeral ,,sermon4   
,,to ,,the ,,reader   ,this sermon was1 
by sacred authority1 styled the author's
 own funeral sermon1 most fitly1 whether
 we respect the time or matter4 ,it was 
preached not many days before his death1
 as if1 having done this1 there remained

 nothing for him to do but to die2 and  
the matter is of death--the occasion and
 subject of all funeral sermons4 ,it    
hath been observed of this reverend man1
 that his faculty in preaching          
continually increased1 and that1 as he  
exceeded others at first1 so at last he 
exceeded himself4 ,this is his last     
sermon2 ,i will not say it is therefore 
his best1 because all his were          
excellent4 ,yet thus much3 a dying man's
 words1 if they concern ourselves1 do   
usually make the deepest impression1 as 
being spoken most feelingly1 and with   
least affectation4 ,now1 whom doth it   
concern to learn both the danger and    
benefit of death8 ,death is every man's 
enemy1 and intends hurt to all1 though  
to many he be occasion of greatest good4
 ,this enemy we must all combat dying1  
whom he living did almost conquer1      
having discovered the utmost of his     
power1 the utmost of his cruelty4 ,may  
we make such use of this and other the  
like preparatives1 that neither death1  

whensoever it shall come1 may seem      
terrible1 nor life tedious1 how long    
soever it shall last4     ,,death',s    
,,duel  ,,psalm ,,lxviii4 #bj1 in fine4 
,and unto ,god the ,lord belong the     
issues of death 7i4e4 from death74      
,buildings stand by the benefit of their
 foundations that sustain and support   
them1 and of their buttresses that      
comprehend and embrace them1 and of     
their contignations that knit and unite 
them4 ,the foundations suffer them not  
to sink1 the buttresses suffer them not 
to swerve1 and the contignation and     
knitting suffers them not to cleave4    
,the body of our building is in the     
former part of this verse4 ,it is this3 
,he that is our ,god is the ,god of     
salvation2 ad salutes1 of salvations in 
the plural1 so it is in the original2   
the ,god that gives us spiritual and    
temporal salvation too4 ,but of this    
building1 the foundation1 the           
buttresses1 the contignations1 are in   
this part of the verse which constitutes

 our text1 and in the three divers      
acceptations of the words amongst our   
expositors3 ,unto ,god the ,lord belong 
the issues from death1 for1 first1 the  
foundation of this building 7that our   
,god is the ,god of all salvation7 is   
laid in this1 that unto this ,god the   
,lord belong the issues of death2 that  
is1 it is in his power to give us an    
issue and deliverance1 even then when we
 are brought to the jaws and teeth of   
death1 and to the lips of that          
whirlpool1 the grave4 ,and so in this   
acceptation1 this exitus mortis1 this   
issue of death is liberatio  morte1 a   
deliverance from death1 and this is the 
most obvious and most ordinary          
acceptation of these words1 and that    
upon which our translation lays hold1   
the issues from death4 ,and then1       
secondly1 the buttresses that comprehend
 and settle this building1 that he that 
is our ,god is the ,god of all          
salvation1 are thus raised2 unto ,god   
the ,lord belong the issues of death1   

that is1 the disposition and manner of  
our death2 what kind of issue and       
transmigration we shall have out of this
 world1 whether prepared or sudden1     
whether violent or natural1 whether in  
our perfect senses or shaken and        
disordered by sickness1 there is no     
condemnation to be argued out of that1  
no judgment to be made upon that1 for1  
howsoever they die1 precious in his     
sight is the death of his saints1 and   
with him are the issues of death2 the   
ways of our departing out of this life  
are in his hands4 ,and so in this sense 
of the words1 this exitus mortis1 the   
issues of death1 is liberatio in morte1 
a deliverance in death2 not that ,god   
will deliver us from dying1 but that he 
will have a care of us in the hour of   
death1 of what kind soever our passage  
be4 ,and in this sense and acceptation  
of the words1 the natural frame and     
contexture doth well and pregnantly     
administer unto us4 ,and then1 lastly1  
the contignation and knitting of this   

building1 that he that is our ,god is   
the ,god of all salvations1 consists in 
this1 ,unto this ,god the ,lord belong  
the issues of death2 that is1 that this 
,god the ,lord having united and knit   
both natures in one1 and being ,god1    
having also come into this world in our 
flesh1 he could have no other means to  
save us1 he could have no other issue   
out of this world1 nor return to his    
former glory1 but by death4 ,and so in  
this sense1 this exitus mortis1 this    
issue of death1 is liberatio per mortem1
 a deliverance by death1 by the death of
 this ,god1 our ,lord ,christ ,jesus4   
,and this is ,saint ,augustine's        
acceptation of the words1 and those many
 and great persons that have adhered to 
him4 ,in all these three lines1 then1 we
 shall look upon these words1 first1 as 
the ,god of power1 the ,almighty ,father
 rescues his servants from the jaws of  
death2 and then as the ,god of mercy1   
the glorious ,son rescued us by taking  
upon himself this issue of death2 and   

then1 between these two1 as the ,god of 
comfort1 the ,holy ,ghost rescues us    
from all discomfort by his blessed      
impressions beforehand1 that what manner
 of death soever be ordained for us1 yet
 this exitus mortis shall be introitus  
in vitam1 our issue in death shall be an
 entrance into everlasting life4 ,and   
these three considerations3 our         
deliverance  morte1 in morte1 per       
mortem1 from death1 in death1 and by    
death1 will abundantly do all the       
offices of the foundations1 of the      
buttresses1 of the contignation1 of this
 our building2 that he that is our ,god 
is the ,god of all salvation1 because   
unto this ,god the ,lord belong the     
issues of death4  ,first1 then1 we      
consider this exitus mortis to be       
liberatio  morte1 that with ,god the    
,lord are the issues of death2 and      
therefore in all our death1 and deadly  
calamities of this life1 we may justly  
hope of a good issue from him4 ,in all  
our periods and transitions in this     

life1 are so many passages from death to
 death2 our very birth and entrance into
 this life is exitus  morte1 an issue   
from death1 for in our mother's womb we 
are dead1 so as that we do not know we  
live1 not so much as we do in our sleep1
 neither is there any grave so close or 
so putrid a prison1 as the womb would be
 unto us if we stayed in it beyond our  
time1 or died there before our time4 ,in
 the grave the worms do not kill us2 we 
breed1 and feed1 and then kill those    
worms which we ourselves produced4 ,in  
the womb the dead child kills the mother
 that conceived it1 and is a murderer1  
nay1 a parricide1 even after it is dead4
 ,and if we be not dead so in the womb1 
so as that being dead we kill her that  
gave us our first life1 our life of     
vegetation1 yet we are dead so as       
,david's idols are dead4 ,in the womb we
 have eyes and see not1 ears and hear   
not4#cdg ,there in the womb we are      
fitted for works of darkness1 all the   
while deprived of light2 and there in   

the womb we are taught cruelty1 by being
 fed with blood1 and may be damned1     
though we be never born4 ,of our very   
making in the womb1 ,david says1 ,i am  
wonderfully and fearfully made1 and such
 knowledge is too excellent for me1#cdh 
for even that is the ,lord's doing1 and 
it is wonderful in our eyes2#cdi ipse   
fecit nos1 it is he that made us1 and   
not we ourselves1#cej nor our parents   
neither4 ,thy hands have made and       
fashioned me round about1 saith ,job1   
and 7as the original word is7 thou hast 
taken pains about me1 and yet 7says he7 
thou dost destroy me4 ,though ,i be the 
masterpiece of the greatest master 7man 
is so71 yet if thou do no more for me1  
if thou leave me where thou madest me1  
destruction will follow4 ,the womb1     
which should be the house of life1      
becomes death itself if ,god leave us   
there4 ,that which ,god threatens so    
often1 the shutting of a womb1 is not so
 heavy nor so discomfortable a curse in 
the first as in the latter shutting1 nor

 in the shutting of barrenness as in the
 shutting of weakness1 when children are
 come to the birth1 and no strength to  
bring forth4#cea  ,it is the exaltation 
of misery to fall from a near hope of   
happiness4 ,and in that vehement        
imprecation1 the prophet expresses the  
highest of ,god's anger1 ,give them1 ,o 
,lord1 what wilt thou give them8 give   
them a miscarrying womb4 ,therefore as  
soon as we are men 7that is1 inanimated1
 quickened in the womb71 though we      
cannot ourselves1 our parents have to   
say in our behalf1 ,wretched man that he
 is1 who shall deliver him from this    
body of death8#ceb if there be no       
deliverer4 ,it must be he that said to  
,jeremiah1 ,before ,i formed thee ,i    
knew thee1 and before thou camest out of
 the womb ,i sanctified thee4 ,we are   
not sure that there was no kind of ship 
nor boat to fish in1 nor to pass by1    
till ,god prescribed ,noah that absolute
 form of the ark4#cec ,that word which  
the ,holy ,ghost1 by ,moses1 useth for  

the ark1 is common to all kind of boats1
 thebah2 and is the same word that      
,moses useth for the boat that he was   
exposed in1 that his mother laid him in 
an ark of bulrushes4 ,but we are sure   
that ,eve had no midwife when she was   
delivered of ,cain1 therefore she might 
well say1 ,possedi virum  ,domino1 ,i   
have gotten a man from the ,lord1#ced   
wholly1 entirely from the ,lord2 it is  
the ,lord that enabled me to conceive1  
the ,lord that infused a quickening soul
 into that conception1 the ,lord that   
brought into the world that which       
himself had quickened2 without all this 
might ,eve say1 my body had been but the
 house of death1 and ,domini ,domini    
sunt exitus mortis1 ,to ,god the ,lord  
belong the issues of death4 ,but then   
this exitus  morte is but introitus in  
mortem2 this issue1 this deliverance1   
from that death1 the death of the womb1 
is an entrance1 a delivering over to    
another death1 the manifold deaths of   
this world2 we have a winding-sheet in  

our mother's womb which grows with us   
from our conception1 and we come into   
the world wound up in that              
winding-sheet1 for we come to seek a    
grave4 ,and as prisoners discharged of  
actions may lie for fees1 so when the   
womb hath discharged us1 yet we are     
bound to it by cords of hest1 by such a 
string as that we cannot go thence1 nor 
stay there2 we celebrate our own        
funerals with cries even at our birth2  
as though our threescore and ten years' 
life were spent in our mother's labour1 
and our circle made up in the first     
point thereof2 we beg our baptism with  
another sacrament1 with tears2 and we   
come into a world that lasts many ages1 
but we last not4 ,in domo ,patris1 says 
our ,saviour1 speaking of heaven1 mult  
mansiones1 divers and durable2 so that  
if a man cannot possess a martyr's house
 7he hath shed no blood for ,christ71   
yet he may have a confessor's1 he hath  
been ready to glorify ,god in the       
shedding of his blood4 ,and if a woman  

cannot possess a virgin's house 7she    
hath embraced the holy state of         
marriage71 yet she may have a matron's  
house1 she hath brought forth and       
brought up children in the fear of ,god4
 ,in domo ,patris1 in my ,father's      
house1 in heaven1 there are many        
mansions2#cee but here1 upon earth1 the 
,son of man hath not where to lay his   
head1#cef saith he himself4 ,nonne      
terram dedit filiis hominum8 ,how then  
hath ,god given this earth to the sons  
of men8 ,he hath given them earth for   
their materials to be made of earth1 and
 he hath given them earth for their     
grave and sepulchre1 to return and      
resolve to earth1 but not for their     
possession4 ,here we have no continuing 
city1#ceg nay1 no cottage that          
continues1 nay1 no persons1 no bodies1  
that continue4 ,whatsoever moved ,saint 
,jerome to call the journeys of the     
,israelites in the wilderness1#ceh      
mansions2 the word 7the word is nasang7 
signifies but a journey1 but a          

peregrination4 ,even the ,israel of ,god
 hath no mansions1 but journeys1        
pilgrimages in this life4 ,by what      
measure did ,jacob measure his life to  
,pharaoh8 ,the days of the years of my  
pilgrimage4#cei ,and though the apostle 
would not say morimur1 that whilst we   
are in the body we are dead1 yet he     
says1 perigrinamur1 whilst we are in the
 body we are but in a pilgrimage1 and we
 are absent from the ,lord3#cfj he might
 have said dead1 for this whole world is
 but an universal churchyard1 but our   
common grave1 and the life and motion   
that the greatest persons have in it is 
but as the shaking of buried bodies in  
their grave1 by an earthquake4 ,that    
which we call life is but hebdomada     
mortium1 a week of death1 seven days1   
seven periods of our life spent in      
dying1 a dying seven times over2 and    
there is an end4 ,our birth dies in     
infancy1 and our infancy dies in youth1 
and youth and the rest die in age1 and  
age also dies and determines all4 ,nor  

do all these1 youth out of infancy1 or  
age out of youth1 arise so1 as the      
phoenix out of the ashes of another     
phoenix formerly dead1 but as a wasp or 
a serpent out of a carrion1 or as a     
snake out of dung4 ,our youth is worse  
than our infancy1 and our age worse than
 our youth4 ,our youth is hungry and    
thirsty after those sins which our      
infancy knew not2 and our age is sorry  
and angry1 that it cannot pursue those  
sins which our youth did2 and besides1  
all the way1 so many deaths1 that is1 so
 many deadly calamities accompany every 
condition and every period of this life1
 as that death itself would be an ease  
to them that suffer them4 ,upon this    
sense doth ,job wish that ,god had not  
given him an issue from the first death1
 from the womb1 ,wherefore thou hast    
brought me forth out of the womb8 ,oh   
that ,i had given up the ghost1 and no  
eye seen me6 ,i should have been as     
though ,i had not been4#cfa ,and not    
only the impatient ,israelites in their 

murmuring 7would to ,god we had died by 
the hand of the ,lord in the land of    
,egypt71#cfb but ,elijah himself1 when  
he fled from ,jezebel1 and went for his 
life1 as that text says1 under the      
juniper tree1 requested that he might   
die1 and said1 ,it is enough now1 ,o    
,lord1 take away my life4#cfc ,so ,jonah
 justifies his impatience1 nay1 his     
anger1 towards ,god himself3 ,now1 ,o   
,lord1 take1 ,i beseech thee1 my life   
from me1 for it is better to die than to
 live4#cfd ,and when ,god asked him1    
,dost thou well to be angry for this8 he
 replies1 ,i do well to be angry1 even  
unto death4 ,how much worse a death than
 death is this life1 which so good men  
would so often change for death6 ,but if
 my case be as ,saint ,paul's case1     
quotidi morior1 that ,i die daily1 that 
something heavier than death fall upon  
me every day2 if my case be ,david's    
case1 tota die mortificamur2 all the day
 long we are killed1 that not only every
 day1 but every hour of the day1        

something heavier than death fall upon  
me2 though that be true of me1          
,conceptus in peccatis1 ,i was shapen in
 iniquity1 and in sin did my mother     
conceive me 7there ,i died one death72  
though that be true of me1 ,natus filius
 ir1 ,i was born not only the child of  
sin1 but the child of wrath1 of the     
wrath of ,god for sin1 which is a       
heavier death3 yet ,domini ,domini sunt 
exitus mortis1 with ,god the ,lord are  
the issues of death2 and after a ,job1  
and a ,joseph1 and a ,jeremiah1 and a   
,daniel1 ,i cannot doubt of a           
deliverance4 ,and if no other           
deliverance conduce more to his glory   
and my good1 yet he hath the keys of    
death1#cfe and he can let me out at that
 door1 that is1 deliver me from the     
manifold deaths of this world1 the omni 
die1 and the tota die1 the every day's  
death and every hour's death1 by that   
one death1 the final dissolution of body
 and soul1 the end of all4 ,but then is 
that the end of all8 ,is that           

dissolution of body and soul the last   
death that the body shall suffer 7for of
 spiritual death we speak not now74 ,it 
is not1 though this be exitus  morte3 it
 is introitus in mortem2 though it be an
 issue from manifold deaths of this     
world1 yet it is an entrance into the   
death of corruption and putrefaction1   
and vermiculation1 and incineration1 and
 dispersion in and from the grave1 in   
which every dead man dies over again4   
,it was a prerogative peculiar to       
,christ1 not to die this death1 not to  
see corruption4 ,what gave him this     
privilege8 ,not ,joseph's great         
proportion of gums and spices1 that     
might have preserved his body from      
corruption and incineration longer than 
he needed it1 longer than three days1   
but it would not have done it for ever4 
,what preserved him then8 ,did his      
exemption and freedom from original sin 
preserve him from this corruption and   
incineration8 ,it is true that original 
sin hath induced this corruption and    

incineration upon us2 if we had not     
sinned in ,adam1 mortality had not put  
on immortality#cff 7as the apostle      
speaks71 nor corruption had not put on  
incorruption1 but we had had our        
transmigration from this to the other   
world without any mortality1 any        
corruption at all4 ,but yet since       
,christ took sin upon him1 so far as    
made him mortal1 he had it so far too as
 might have made him see this corruption
 and incineration1 though he had no     
original sin in himself2 what preserved 
him then8 ,did the hypostatical union of
 both natures1 ,god and man1 preserve   
him from this corruption and            
incineration8 ,it is true that this was 
a most powerful embalming1 to be        
embalmed with the ,divine ,nature       
itself1 to be embalmed with eternity1   
was able to preserve him from corruption
 and incineration for ever4 ,and he was 
embalmed so1 embalmed with the ,divine  
,nature itself1 even in his body as well
 as in his soul2 for the ,godhead1 the  

,divine ,nature1 did not depart1 but    
remained still united to his dead body  
in the grave2 but yet for all this      
powerful embalming1 his hypostatical    
union of both natures1 we see ,christ   
did die2 and for all his union which    
made him ,god and man1 he became no man 
7for the union of the body and soul     
makes the man1 and he whose soul and    
body are separated by death as long as  
that state lasts1 is properly no man74  
,and therefore as in him the dissolution
 of body and soul was no dissolution of 
the hypostatical union1 so there is     
nothing that constrains us to say1 that 
though the flesh of ,christ had seen    
corruption and incineration in the      
grave1 this had not been any dissolution
 of the hypostatical union1 for the     
,divine nature1 the ,godhead1 might have
 remained with all the elements and     
principles of ,christ's body1 as well as
 it did with the two constitutive parts 
of his person1 his body and his soul4   
,this incorruption then was not in      

,joseph's gums and spices1 nor was it in
 ,christ's innocency1 and exemption from
 original sin1 nor was it 7that is1 it  
is not necessary to say it was7 in the  
hypostatical union4 ,but this           
incorruptibleness of his flesh is most  
conveniently placed in that2 ,non dabis1
 thou wilt not suffer thy ,holy ,one to 
see corruption2 we look no further for  
causes or reasons in the mysteries of   
religion1 but to the will and pleasure  
of ,god2 ,christ himself limited his    
inquisition in that ita est1 even so1   
,father1 for so it seemeth good in thy  
sight4 ,christ's body did not see       
corruption1 therefore1 because ,god had 
decreed it should not4 ,the humble soul 
7and only the humble soul is the        
religious soul7 rests himself upon      
,god's purposes and the decrees of ,god 
which he hath declared and manifested1  
not such as are conceived and imagined  
in ourselves1 though upon some          
probability1 some verisimilitude2 so in 
our present case ,peter proceeds in his 

sermon at ,jerusalem1 and so ,paul in   
his at ,antioch4#cfg ,they preached     
,christ to have been risen without      
seeing corruption1 not only because ,god
 had decreed it1 but because he had     
manifested that decree in his prophet1  
therefore doth ,saint ,paul cite by     
special number the second ,psalm for    
that decree1 and therefore both ,saint  
,peter and ,saint ,paul cite for it that
 place in the sixteenth ,psalm2#cfh for 
when ,god declares his decree and       
purpose in the express words of his     
prophet1 or when he declares it in the  
real execution of the decree1 then he   
makes it ours1 then he manifests it to  
us4 ,and therefore1 as the mysteries of 
our religion are not the objects of our 
reason1 but by faith we rest on ,god's  
decree and purpose--7it is so1 ,o ,god1 
because it is thy will it should be     
so7--so ,god's decrees are ever to be   
considered in the manifestation thereof4
 ,all manifestation is either in the    
word of ,god1 or in the execution of the

 decree2 and when these two concur and  
meet it is the strongest demonstration  
that can be3 when therefore ,i find     
those marks of adoption and spiritual   
filiation which are delivered in the    
word of ,god to be upon me2 when ,i find
 that real execution of his good purpose
 upon me1 as that actually ,i do live   
under the obedience and under the       
conditions which are evidences of       
adoption and spiritual filiation2 then1 
so long as ,i see these marks and live  
so1 ,i may safely comfort myself in a   
holy certitude and a modest             
infallibility of my adoption4 ,christ   
determines himself in that1 the purpose 
of ,god was manifest to him2 ,saint     
,peter and ,saint ,paul determine       
themselves in those two ways of knowing 
the purpose of ,god1 the word of ,god   
before the execution of the decree in   
the fulness of time4 ,it was prophesied 
before1 said they1 and it is performed  
now1 ,christ is risen without seeing    
corruption4 ,now1 this which is so      

singularly peculiar to him1 that his    
flesh should not see corruption1 at his 
second coming1 his coming to judgment1  
shall extend to all that are then alive2
 their hest shall not see corruption1   
because1 as the apostle says1 and says  
as a secret1 as a mystery1 ,behold ,i   
shew you a mystery1 we shall not all    
sleep 7that is1 not continue in the     
state of the dead in the grave71 but we 
shall all be changed in an instant1 we  
shall have a dissolution1 and in the    
same instant a redintegration1 a        
recompacting of body and soul1 and that 
shall be truly a death and truly a      
resurrection1 but no sleeping in        
corruption2 but for us that die now and 
sleep in the state of the dead1 we must 
all pass this posthume death1 this death
 after death1 nay1 this death after     
burial1 this dissolution after          
dissolution1 this death of corruption   
and putrefaction1 of vermiculation and  
incineration1 of dissolution and        
dispersion in and from the grave1 when  

these bodies that have been the children
 of royal parents1 and the parents of   
royal children1 must say with ,job1     
,corruption1 thou art my father1 and to 
the worm1 ,thou art my mother and my    
sister4 ,miserable riddle1 when the same
 worm must be my mother1 and my sister  
and myself6 ,miserable incest1 when ,i  
must be married to my mother and my     
sister1 and be both father and mother to
 my own mother and sister1 beget and    
bear that worm which is all that        
miserable penury2 when my mouth shall be
 filled with dust1 and the worm shall   
feed1 and feed sweetly#cfi upon me2 when
 the ambitious man shall have no        
satisfaction1 if the poorest alive tread
 upon him1 nor the poorest receive any  
contentment in being made equal to      
princes1 for they shall be equal but in 
dust4 ,one dieth at his full strength1  
being wholly at ease and in quiet2 and  
another dies in the bitterness of his   
soul1 and never eats with pleasure2 but 
they lie down alike in the dust1 and the

 worm covers them4#cgj ,in ,job and in  
,isaiah1#cga it covers them and is      
spread under them1 the worm is spread   
under thee1 and the worm covers thee4   
,there are the mats and the carpets that
 lie under1 and there are the state and 
the canopy that hang over the greatest  
of the sons of men4 ,even those bodies  
that were the temples of the ,holy      
,ghost come to this dilapidation1 to    
ruin1 to rubbish1 to dust2 even the     
,israel of the ,lord1 and ,jacob        
himself1 hath no other specification1 no
 other denomination1 but that vermis    
,jacob1 thou worm of ,jacob4 ,truly the 
consideration of this posthume death1   
this death after burial1 that after ,god
 7with whom are the issues of death7    
hath delivered me from the death of the 
womb1 by bringing me into the world1 and
 from the manifold deaths of the world1 
by laying me in the grave1 ,i must die  
again in an incineration of this flesh1 
and in a dispersion of that dust4 ,that 
that monarch1 who spread over many      

nations alive1 must in his dust lie in a
 corner of that sheet of lead1 and there
 but so long as that lead will last2 and
 that private and retired man1 that     
thought himself his own for ever1 and   
never came forth1 must in his dust of   
the grave be published1 and 7such are   
the revolutions of the grave7 be mingled
 with the dust of every highway and of  
every dunghill1 and swallowed in every  
puddle and pond4 ,this is the most      
inglorious and contemptible             
vilification1 the most deadly and       
peremptory nullification of man1 that we
 can consider4 ,god seems to have       
carried the declaration of his power to 
a great height1 when he sets the prophet
 ,ezekiel in the valley of dry bones1   
and says1 ,son of man1 can these bones  
live8 as though it had been impossible1 
and yet they did2 the ,lord laid sinews 
upon them1 and flesh1 and breathed into 
them1 and they did live4 ,but in that   
case there were bones to be seen1       
something visible1 of which it might be 

said1 ,can this thing live8 ,but in this
 death of incineration and dispersion of
 dust1 we see nothing that we call that 
man's4 ,if we say1 ,can this dust live8 
,perchance it cannot2 it may be the mere
 dust of the earth1 which never did     
live1 never shall4 ,it may be the dust  
of that man's worm1 which did live1 but 
shall no more4 ,it may be the dust of   
another man1 that concerns not him of   
whom it was asked4 ,this death of       
incineration and dispersion is1 to      
natural reason1 the most irrecoverable  
death of all2 and yet ,domini ,domini   
sunt exitus mortis1 unto ,god the ,lord 
belong the issues of death2 and by      
recompacting this dust into the same    
body1 and remaining the same body with  
the same soul1 he shall in a blessed and
 glorious resurrection give me such an  
issue from this death as shall never    
pass into any other death1 but establish
 me into a life that shall last as long 
as the ,lord of ,life himself4  ,and so 
have you that that belongs to the first 

acceptation of these words 7unto ,god   
the ,lord belong the issues of death72  
,that though from the womb to the grave1
 and in the grave itself1 we pass from  
death to death1 yet1 as ,daniel speaks1 
the ,lord our ,god is able to deliver   
us1 and he will deliver us4  ,and so we 
pass unto our second accommodation of   
these words 7unto ,god the ,lord belong 
the issues of death72 that it belongs to
 ,god1 and not to man1 to pass a        
judgment upon us at our death1 or to    
conclude a dereliction on ,god's part   
upon the manner thereof4  ,those        
indications which the physicians        
receive1 and those presagitions which   
they give for death or recovery in the  
patient1 they receive and they give out 
of the grounds and the rules of their   
art2 but we have no such rule or art to 
give a presagition of spiritual death   
and damnation upon any such indication  
as we see in any dying man2 we see often
 enough to be sorry1 but not to despair2
 we may be deceived both ways3 we use to

 comfort ourself in the death of a      
friend1 if it be testified that he went 
away like a lamb1 that is1 without any  
reluctation2 but ,god knows that may be 
accompanied with a dangerous damp and   
stupefaction1 and insensibility of his  
present state4 ,our blessed ,saviour    
suffered colluctations with death1 and a
 sadness even in his soul to death1 and 
an agony even to a bloody sweat in his  
body1 and expostulations with ,god1 and 
exclamations upon the cross4 ,he was a  
devout man who said upon his death-bed1 
or death-turf 7for he was a hermit71    
,septuaginta annos ,domino servivisti1  
et mori times8 ,hast thou served a good 
master threescore and ten years1 and now
 art thou loth to go into his presence8 
,yet ,hilarion was loth4 ,barlaam was a 
devout man 7a hermit too7 that said that
 day he died1 ,cogita te hodie cpisse   
servire ,domino1 et hodie finiturum1    
,consider this to be the first day's    
service that ever thou didst thy        
,master1 to glorify him in a            

,christianly and a constant death1 and  
if thy first day be thy last day too1   
how soon dost thou come to receive thy  
wages6 ,yet ,barlaam could have been    
content to have stayed longer forth4    
,make no ill conclusions upon any man's 
lothness to die1 for the mercies of ,god
 work momentarily in minutes1 and many  
times insensibly to bystanders1 or any  
other than the party departing4 ,and    
then upon violent deaths inflicted as   
upon malefactors1 ,christ himself hath  
forbidden us by his own death to make   
any ill conclusion2 for his own death   
had those impressions in it2 he was     
reputed1 he was executed as a           
malefactor1 and no doubt many of them   
who concurred to his death did believe  
him to be so4 ,of sudden death there are
 scarce examples be found in the        
,scriptures upon good men1 for death in 
battle cannot be called sudden death2   
but ,god governs not by examples but by 
rules1 and therefore make no ill        
conclusion upon sudden death nor upon   

distempers neither1 though perchance    
accompanied with some words of          
diffidence and distrust in the mercies  
of ,god4 ,the tree lies as it falls1 it 
is true1 but it is not the last stroke  
that fells the tree1 nor the last word  
nor gasp that qualifies the soul4 ,still
 pray we for a peaceable life against   
violent death1 and for time of          
repentance against sudden death1 and for
 sober and modest assurance against     
distempered and diffident death1 but    
never make ill conclusions upon persons 
overtaken with such deaths2 ,domini     
,domini sunt exitus mortis1 to ,god the 
,lord belong the issues of death4 ,and  
he received ,samson1 who went out of    
this world in such a manner 7consider it
 actively1 consider it passively in his 
own death1 and in those whom he slew    
with himself7 as was subject to         
interpretation hard enough4 ,yet the    
,holy ,ghost hath moved ,saint ,paul to 
celebrate ,samson in his great          
catalogue1#cgb and so doth all the      

church4 ,our critical day is not the    
very day of our death1 but the whole    
course of our life4 ,i thank him that   
prays for me when the bell tolls1 but ,i
 thank him much more that catechises me1
 or preaches to me1 or instructs me how 
to live4 ,fac hoc et vive1 there is my  
security1 the mouth of the ,lord hath   
said it1 do this and thou shalt live4   
,but though ,i do it1 yet ,i shall die  
too1 die a bodily1 a natural death4 ,but
 ,god never mentions1 never seems to    
consider that death1 the bodily1 the    
natural death4 ,god doth not say1 ,live 
well1 and thou shalt die well1 that is1 
an easy1 a quiet death2 but1 ,live well 
here1 and thou shalt live well for ever4
 ,as the first part of a sentence pieces
 well with the last1 and never respects1
 never hearkens after the parenthesis   
that comes between1 so doth a good life 
here flow into an eternal life1 without 
any consideration what manner of death  
we die4 ,but whether the gate of my     
prison be opened with an oiled key 7by a

 gentle and preparing sickness71 or the 
gate be hewn down by a violent death1 or
 the gate be burnt down by a raging and 
frantic fever1 a gate into heaven ,i    
shall have1 for from the ,lord is the   
cause of my life1 and with ,god the     
,lord are the issues of death4 ,and     
further we carry not this second        
acceptation of the words1 as this issue 
of death is liberatio in morte1 ,god's  
care that the soul be safe1 what agonies
 soever the body suffers in the hour of 
death4  ,but pass to our third part and 
last part3 ,as this issue of death is   
liberatio per mortem1 a deliverance by  
the death of another4 ,sufferentiam ,job
 audiisti1 et vidisti finem ,domini1    
says ,saint ,james 7v4 #aa71 ,you have  
heard of the patience of ,job1 says he3 
all this while you have done that1 for  
in every man1 calamitous1 miserable man1
 a ,job speaks4 ,now1 see the end of the
 ,lord1 sayeth that apostle1 which is   
not that end that the ,lord proposed to 
himself 7salvation to us71 nor the end  

which he proposes to us 7conformity to  
him71 but see the end of the ,lord1 says
 he1 the end that the ,lord himself came
 to1 death1 and a painful and a shameful
 death4 ,but why did he die8 and why die
 so8 ,quia ,domini ,domini sunt exitus  
mortis 7as ,saint ,augustine1           
interpreting this text1 answers that    
question71#cgc because to this ,god our 
,lord belonged the issues of death4     
,quid apertius diceretur8 says he there1
 what can be more obvious1 more manifest
 than this sense of these words8 ,in the
 former part of this verse it is said1  
,he that is our ,god is the ,god of     
salvation2 ,deus salvos faciendi1 so he 
reads it1 the ,god that must save us4   
,who can that be1 says he1 but ,jesus8  
,for therefore that name was given him  
because he was to save us4 ,and to this 
,jesus1 says he1 this ,saviour1#cgd     
belong the issues of death2 ,nec        
oportuit eum de hac vita alios exitus   
habere quam mortis3 being come into this
 life in our mortal nature1 he could not

 go out of this life any other way but  
by death4 ,ideo dictum1 says he1        
therefore it is said1 to ,god the ,lord 
belonged the issues of death2 ut        
ostenderetur moriendo nos salvos        
facturum1 to show that his way to save  
us was to die4 ,and from this text doth 
,saint ,isidore prove that ,christ was  
truly man 7which as many sects of       
heretics denied1 as that he was truly   
,god71 because to him1 though he were   
,dominus ,dominus 7as the text doubles  
it71 ,god the ,lord1 yet to him1 to ,god
 the ,lord belonged the issues of death2
 oportuit eum pati2 more cannot be said 
than ,christ himself says of himself2   
,these things ,christ ought to          
suffer2#cge he had no other way but     
death3 so then this part of our sermon  
must needs be a passion sermon1 since   
all his life was a continual passion1   
all our ,lent may well be a continual   
,good ,friday4 ,christ's painful life   
took off none of the pains of his death1
 he felt not the less then for having   

felt so much before4 ,nor will any thing
 that shall be said before lessen1 but  
rather enlarge the devotion1 to that    
which shall be said of his passion at   
the time of due solemnization thereof4  
,christ bled not a drop the less at the 
last for having bled at his circumcision
 before1 nor will you a tear the less   
then if you shed some now4 ,and         
therefore be now content to consider    
with me how to this ,god the ,lord      
belonged the issues of death4 ,that     
,god1 this ,lord1 the ,lord of life1    
could die1 is a strange contemplation2  
that the ,red ,sea could be dry1 that   
the sun could stand still1 that an oven 
could be seven times heat and not burn1 
that lions could be hungry and not bite1
 is strange1 miraculously strange1 but  
super-miraculous that ,god could die2   
but that ,god would die is an exaltation
 of that4 ,but even of that also it is a
 super-exaltation1 that ,god should die1
 must die1 and non exitus 7said ,saint  
,augustine71 ,god the ,lord had no issue

 but by death1 and oportuit pati 7says  
,christ himself71 all this ,christ ought
 to suffer1 was bound to suffer2 ,deus  
ultimo ,deus1 says ,david1 ,god is the  
,god of revenges1 he would not pass over
 the son of man unrevenged1 unpunished4 
,but then ,deus ultionum libere egit    
7says that place71 the ,god of revenges 
works freely1 he punishes1 he spares    
whom he will4 ,and would he not spare   
himself8 he would not3 ,dilectio fortis 
ut mors1 love is strong as death2#cgf   
stronger1 it drew in death1 that        
naturally is not welcome4 ,si possibile 
says ,christ1 if it be possible1 let    
this cup pass1 when his love1 expressed 
in a former decree with his ,father1 had
 made it impossible4 ,many waters quench
 not love4#cgg ,christ tried many3 he   
was baptised out of his love1 and his   
love determined not there2 he mingled   
blood with water in his agony1 and that 
determined not his love2 he wept pure   
blood1 all his blood at all his eyes1 at
 all his pores1 in his flagellation and 

thorns 7to the ,lord our ,god belonged  
the issues of blood71 and these         
expressed1 but these did not quench his 
love4 ,he would not spare1 nay1 he could
 not spare himself4 ,there was nothing  
more free1 more voluntary1 more         
spontaneous than the death of ,christ4  
,it is true1 libere egit1 he died       
voluntarily2 but yet when we consider   
the contract that had passed between his
 ,father and him1 there was an oportuit1
 a kind of necessity upon him3 all this 
,christ ought to suffer4 ,and when shall
 we date this obligation1 this oportuit1
 this necessity8 ,when shall we say that
 began8 ,certainly this decree by which 
,christ was to suffer all this was an   
eternal decree1 and was there any thing 
before that that was eternal8 ,infinite 
love1 eternal love2 be pleased to follow
 this home1 and to consider it          
seriously1 that what liberty soever we  
can conceive in ,christ to die or not to
 die2 this necessity of dying1 this     
decree is as eternal as that liberty2   

and yet how small a matter made he of   
this necessity and this dying8 ,his     
,father calls it but a bruise1 and but a
 bruising of his heel#cgh 7the serpent  
shall bruise his heel71 and yet that    
was1 that the serpent should practise   
and compass his death4 ,himself calls it
 but a baptism1 as though he were to be 
the better for it4 ,i have a baptism to 
be baptised with1#cgi and he was in pain
 till it was accomplished1 and yet this 
baptism was his death4 ,the ,holy ,ghost
 calls it joy 7for the joy which was set
 before him he endured the cross71#chj  
which was not a joy of his reward after 
his passion1 but a joy that filled him  
even in the midst of his torments1 and  
arose from him2 when ,christ calls his  
calicem a cup1 and no worse 7,can ye    
drink of my cup7#cha1 he speaks not     
odiously1 not with detestation of it4   
,indeed it was a cup1 salus mundo1 a    
health to all the world4 ,and quid      
retribuam1 says ,david1 ,what shall ,i  
render to the ,lord8#chb ,answer you    

with ,david1 ,accipiam calicem1 ,i will 
take the cup of salvation2 take it1 that
 cup is salvation1 his passion1 if not  
into your present imitation1 yet into   
your present contemplation4 ,and behold 
how that ,lord that was ,god1 yet could 
die1 would die1 must die for our        
salvation4 ,that ,moses and ,elias      
talked with ,christ in the              
transfiguration1 both ,saint ,matthew   
and ,saint ,mark#chc tells us1 but what 
they talked of1 only ,saint ,luke2      
,dicebant excessum ejus1 says he1 ,they 
talked of his disease1 of his death1    
which was to be accomplished at         
,jerusalem4#chd ,the word is of his     
exodus1 the very word of our text1      
exitus1 his issue by death4 ,moses1 who 
in his exodus had prefigured this issue 
of our ,lord1 and in passing ,israel out
 of ,egypt through the ,red ,sea1 had   
foretold in that actual prophecy1       
,christ passing of mankind through the  
sea of his blood2 and ,elias1 whose     
exodus and issue of this world was a    

figure of ,christ's ascension2 had no   
doubt a great satisfaction in talking   
with our blessed ,lord1 de excessu ejus1
 of the full consummation of all this in
 his death1 which was to be accomplished
 at ,jerusalem4 ,our meditation of his  
death should be more visceral1 and      
affect us more1 because it is of a thing
 already done4 ,the ancient ,romans had 
a certain tenderness and detestation of 
the name of death2 they could not name  
death1 no1 not in their wills2 there    
they could not say1 ,si mori contigerit1
 but si quid humanitas contingat1 not if
 or when ,i die1 but when the course of 
nature is accomplished upon me4 ,to us  
that speak daily of the death of ,christ
 7he was crucified1 dead1 and buried71  
can the memory or the mention of our own
 death be irksome or bitter8 ,there are 
in these latter times amongst us that   
name death freely enough1 and the death 
of ,god1 but in blasphemous oaths and   
execrations4 ,miserable men1 who shall  
therefore be said never to have named   

,jesus1 because they have named him too 
often2 and therefore hear ,jesus say1   
,nescivi vos1 ,i never knew you1 because
 they made themselves too familiar with 
him4 ,moses and ,elias talked with      
,christ of his death only in a holy and 
joyful sense1 of the benefit which they 
and all the world were to receive by    
that4 ,discourses of religion should not
 be out of curiosity1 but to            
edification4 ,and then they talked with 
,christ of his death at that time when  
he was in the greatest height of glory1 
that ever he admitted in this world1    
that is1 his transfiguration4 ,and we   
are afraid to speak to the great men of 
this world of their death1 but nourish  
in them a vain imagination of           
immortality and immutability4 ,but bonum
 est nobis esse hic 7as ,saint ,peter   
said there71 ,it is good to dwell here1 
in this consideration of his death1 and 
therefore transfer we our tabernacle    
7our devotions7 through some of those   
steps which ,god the ,lord made to his  

issue of death that day4 ,take in the   
whole day from the hour that ,christ    
received the passover upon ,thursday    
unto the hour in which he died the next 
day4 ,make this present day that day in 
thy devotion1 and consider what he did1 
and remember what you have done4 ,before
 he instituted and celebrated the       
sacrament 7which was after the eating of
 the passover71 he proceeded to that act
 of humility1 to wash his disciples'    
feet1 even ,peter's1 who for a while    
resisted him4 ,in thy preparation to the
 holy and blessed sacrament1 hast thou  
with a sincere humility sought a        
reconciliation with all the world1 even 
with those that have been averse from   
it1 and refused that reconciliation from
 thee8 ,if so1 and not else1 thou hast  
spent that first part of his last day in
 a conformity with him4 ,after the      
sacrament he spent the time till night  
in prayer1 in preaching1 in psalms3 hast
 thou considered that a worthy receiving
 of the sacrament consists in a         

continuation of holiness after1 as well 
as in a preparation before8 ,if so1 thou
 hast therein also conformed thyself to 
him2 so ,christ spent his time till     
night4 ,at night he went into the garden
 to pray1 and he prayed prolixious1 he  
spent much time in prayer1 how much8    
,because it is literally expressed1 that
 he prayed there three several          
times1#che and that returning to his    
disciples after his first prayer1 and   
finding them asleep1 said1 ,could ye not
 watch with me one hour1#chf it is      
collected that he spent three hours in  
prayer4 ,i dare scarce ask thee whither 
thou wentest1 or how thou disposedst of 
thyself1 when it grew dark and after    
last night4 ,if that time were spent in 
a holy recommendation of thyself to     
,god1 and a submission of thy will to   
his1 it was spent in a conformity to    
him4 ,in that time1 and in those        
prayers1 was his agony and bloody sweat4
 ,i will hope that thou didst pray2 but 
not every ordinary and customary prayer1

 but prayer actually accompanied with   
shedding of tears and dispositively in a
 readiness to shed blood for his glory  
in necessary cases1 puts thee into a    
conformity with him4 ,about midnight he 
was taken and bound with a kiss1 art    
thou not too conformable to him in that8
 ,is not that too literally1 too exactly
 thy case1 at midnight to have been     
taken and bound with a kiss8 ,from      
thence he was carried back to           
,jerusalem1 first to ,annas1 then to    
,caiaphas1 and 7as late as it was7 then 
he was examined and buffeted1 and       
delivered over to the custody of those  
officers from whom he received all those
 irrisions1 and violences1 the covering 
of his face1 the spitting upon his face1
 the blasphemies of words1 and the      
smartness of blows1 which that gospel   
mentions3 in which compass fell that    
gallicinium1 that crowing of the cock   
which called up ,peter to his           
repentance4 ,how thou passedst all that 
time thou knowest4 ,if thou didst any   

thing that needest ,peter's tears1 and  
hast not shed them1 let me be thy cock1 
do it now4 ,now1 thy ,master 7in the    
unworthiest of his servants7 looks back 
upon thee1 do it now4 ,betimes1 in the  
morning1 so soon as it was day1 the     
,jews held a council in the high        
priest's hall1 and agreed upon their    
evidence against him1 and then carried  
him to ,pilate1 who was to be his judge2
 didst thou accuse thyself when thou    
wakedst this morning1 and wast thou     
content even with false accusations1    
that is1 rather to suspect actions to   
have been sin1 which were not1 than to  
smother and justify such as were truly  
sins8 ,then thou spentest that hour in  
conformity to him2 ,pilate found no     
evidence against him1 and therefore to  
ease himself1 and to pass a compliment  
upon ,herod1 tetrarch of ,galilee1 who  
was at that time at ,jerusalem 7because 
,christ1 being a ,galilean1 was of      
,herod's jurisdiction71 ,pilate sent him
 to ,herod1 and rather as a madman than 

a malefactor2 ,herod remanded him 7with 
scorn7 to ,pilate1 to proceed against   
him2 and this was about eight of the    
clock4 ,hast thou been content to come  
to this inquisition1 this examination1  
this agitation1 this cribration1 this   
pursuit of thy conscience2 to sift it1  
to follow it from the sins of thy youth 
to thy present sins1 from the sins of   
thy bed to the sins of thy board1 and   
from the substance to the circumstance  
of thy sins8 ,that is time spent like   
thy ,saviour's4 ,pilate would have saved
 ,christ1 by using the privilege of the 
day in his behalf1 because that day one 
prisoner was to be delivered1 but they  
choose ,barabbas2 he would have saved   
him from death1 by satisfying their fury
 with inflicting other torments upon    
him1 scourging and crowning with thorns1
 and loading him with many scornful and 
ignominious contumelies2 but they       
regarded him not1 they pressed a        
crucifying4 ,hast thou gone about to    
redeem thy sin1 by fasting1 by alms1 by 

disciplines and mortifications1 in way  
of satisfaction to the justice of ,god8 
,that will not serve1 that is not the   
right way2 we press an utter crucifying 
of that sin that governs thee3 and that 
conforms thee to ,christ4 ,towards noon 
,pilate gave judgment1 and they made    
such haste to execution as that by noon 
he was upon the cross4 ,there now hangs 
that sacred body upon the cross1        
rebaptized in his own tears1 and sweat1 
and embalmed in his own blood alive4    
,there are those bowels of compassion   
which are so conspicuous1 so manifested1
 as that you may see them through his   
wounds4 ,there those glorious eyes grew 
faint in their sight1 so as the sun1    
ashamed to survive them1 departed with  
his light too4 ,and then that ,son of   
,god1 who was never from us1 and yet had
 now come a new way unto us in assuming 
our nature1 delivers that soul 7which   
was never out of his ,father's hands7 by
 a new way1 a voluntary emission of it  
into his ,father's hands2 for though to 

this ,god our ,lord belonged these      
issues of death1 so that considered in  
his own contract1 he must necessarily   
die1 yet at no breach or battery which  
they had made upon his sacred body      
issued his soul2 but emisit1 he gave up 
the ghost2 and as ,god breathed a soul  
into the first ,adam1 so this second    
,adam breathed his soul into ,god1 into 
the hands of ,god4  ,there we leave you 
in that blessed dependency1 to hang upon
 him that hangs upon the cross1 there   
bathe in his tears1 there suck at his   
wounds1 and lie down in peace in his    
grave1 till he vouchsafe you a          
resurrection1 and an ascension into that
 kingdom which ,he hath prepared for you
 with the inestimable price of his      
incorruptible blood4 ,amen4             
,,footnotes3  #cdg ,psalm cxv4 #f4  #cdh
 ,psalm cxxxix4 #f4  #cdi ,psalm cxviii4
 #bc4  #cej ,psalm c4 #c4  #cea ,isaiah1
 xxxvii4 #c4  #ceb ,rom4 vii4 #bd4  #cec
 ,gen4 vi4 #ad4  #ced ,gen4 iv4 #a4     
#cee ,john1 xiv4 #b4  #cef ,matt4 viii4 

#bj4  #ceg ,heb4 xiii4 #ad4  #ceh ,exod4
 xvii4 #a4  #cei ,gen4 xlvii4 #i4  #cfj 
#b ,cor4 v4 #f4  #cfa ,job1 x4 #ah1 #ai4
  #cfb ,exod4 xvi4 #c4  #cfc #a ,kings1 
xix4 #d4  #cfd ,jonah1 iv4 #c4  #cfe    
,rev4 i4 #ah4  #cff #a ,cor4 xv4 #cc4   
#cfg ,acts1 ii4 #ca2 xiii4 #ce4  #cfh   
,ver4 #aj4  #cfi ,job1 xxiv4 #bj4  #cgj 
,job1 xxi4 #bc1 #be1 #bf4  #cga ,isaiah1
 xiv4 #aa4  #cgb ,heb4 xi4  #cgc ,de    
,civitate ,dei1 lib4 xvii4  #cgd ,matt4 
i4 #ba4  #cge ,luke1 xxiv4 #bf4  #cgf   
,cant4 viii4 #f4  #cgg ,ibid4 #g4  #cgh 
,gen4 iii4 #ae4  #cgi ,luke1 xii4 #ej4  
#chj ,heb4 xii4 #b4  #cha ,matt4 xx4    
#bb4  #chb ,psalm cxvi4 #ab4  #chc      
,matt4 xvii4 #c2 ,mark1 ix4 #d4  #chd   
,luke1 ix4 #ca4  #che ,luke1 xxii4 #da4 
#chf ,matt4 xxvi4 #dj4     ,transcribers
 ,notes3  ,i corrected an error in      
,footnote #a4 ,the original book said   
,matt4 xiii4 #af1 which ,i corrected to 
verse #ae4  ,i corrected an error in    
,footnote #fe4 ,the original book said  
,jer41 which ,i corrected to ,lam4