Heart's delight. A SERMON PREACHED at Paul's cross in London in Easter term. 1593. By THOMAS PLAYFERE Professor of Divinity for the Lady Margaret in Cambridge.  
HINC LUCEM ET SACRA POCULA  
ALMA MATER CANTABRIGIA  
PRINTED BY JOHN LEGAT, PRINter to the University of Cambridge: 1603.  
And are to be sold in Paul's Churchyard at trevigne of the Crown by Simon Waterson.   

To the most victorious, virtuous, and puissant Prince, King JAMES the first, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, all earthly and heavenly happiness.  
GLorious, gracious; It is our crown and the highest toy of our heart, that the crown of this kingdom is to be set up on your royal head. Otherwise, nothing in the world could have countervailed th'excessive sorrow, that her late Majesty departing hence left behind her, but the uncomparable joy and triumph which your expectation sent before you, and now your princely presence bringeth with you. When Solomon, 
1. Reg. 1. 40.  after his father David, was anointed king, they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, God save king Solomon, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rang with the sound of them. We have thought, no trumpets, no proclamations, no bonfires, no bells sufficient; neither have we heard the earth only ring-out, but also the heavens redouble and ●ccho-backe again the acclamations and applauses of all men, which hau● shouted and said, God save King james. Now also, when your Highness approacheth nearer, the strait charge which hath been publicly given to the contrary, cannot restrain your people, but that out of all countries & shires, they run and flock together, to behold and attend your Majesty, as some bright and beautiful star, 
Tanquam clarum ac beneficum ●ydus. Sen. de Clemen. l. ●. c. 3.  which by his divine-sweete influence worketh a general prosperity and peace. For what loy all subject doth not bless God, and bless himself that he lives to see this happy time, which was feared would prove full of great disorder and trouble, so wisely and wonderfully carried (God as it were from heaven stretching out his holy hand, and holding the minds of all men in a●e and obedience) as that in it the peaceable uniting of two mighty kingdoms, maketh us invincible against all our enemies, and all our enemies contemptible to us? Wherefore at this time, when all your liege people strive to show the gladness of their hearts, by tendering such services, as are suitable to their possibility and performance, I also among the rest have taken occasion humbly to dedicate unto your Majesty such a poor present as I had in a readiness. 
Nulli ita deo familiares sun●, sicut boni reges. Emissenus. Dom. 21. post pentecost.  Assuring myself, that as none are more familiar with God then godly Kings: so no treatises can be more welcome to godly kings, than such as may draw them into greatest familiarity with God. And I doubt not but that your Highness having hitherto had your heart's desires given you, because you have delighted in the Lord, will here after, if it be possible, much more delight in the Lord, that he may yet give you more desires of your heart. Nay I am so far from doubting of this, that I dare be bold to conclude with the Psalmist.  
The King shall rejoice in thy strength, 
Psal. 21. 1.  O Lord: exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.  
Thou hast given him his heart's desire: and hast not denied him the request of his lips.  
For thou shalt prevent him with the blessings of goodness: and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head.  
His honour is great in thy salvation: glory and great worship shalt thou lay upon him.  
For thou shalt give him everlasting felicity: and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance.  
And why? Because the King putteth his trust in the Lord: and in the mercy of the most High he shall not miscarry.  Your majesties most devoted, and obedient subject, THOMAS PLAYFERE.  

THE TEXT.  Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Psal. 37. 4. 
SAint john says in one place, Love not the world, nor the things of this world; if any man love the world, the love of God is not in him. So may I say, delight not in the world, nor in the things of this world: if any man delight himself in the world, he cannot delight himself in the Lord. Therefore saith Martial an ancient Bishop, 
a Quid ad no● delectatio msidi? ●pist. ad Tolo●. cap. 〈◊〉.  What have we to do with the delight of the world? You may call it as you will; pleasure, if you will; pastime, if you will; mirth, if you will; gladness, if you will; joy, if you will: but in God's dictionary it hath no such name. In the holy Scripture, it is otherwise called. It is called, Adam's goodly apple, which being eaten, deprived him of Paradise; Esau's red broth, which being supped up, bereaved him of his birthright; Jonathan's sweet honeycomb, which being but tasted, was like to cost him his life; the whore of Babylon's golden cup, which filled her full of all abominations; the traitor judas sugared sop, which made a way for the devil to enter into him; the prodigal child's wash or draff, which he most miserably swilled up with the swine. Thus is all the delight of the world called in God's dictionary, which is the holy Scripture. It is called Adam's apple, Esau's broth, Jonathan's comb, Babylon's cup, judas sop, the prodigal child's swill. So that all this delight is no delight. Or suppose it were: yet certainly it shall not give thee the desires of thy heart. Nay it shall be so far from breeding thee those joys, which thy heart most desireth, that it shall bring thee those torments which thy heart most abhorreth. It may, saith Chrysostome, 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  delight thee perhaps for a while, but sure it shall torment thee for ever. As any solid body, though it have never so fair a colour (as crimson, or carnation, or purple, or scarlet, or violet, or such like) yet always the shadow of it is black: so any earthly thing, though it have never so fair a show, yet all ways the shadow of it is black, and the delight thou takest in it, shall prove to be grievous in the end. Therefore Philo calleth it a sweet bitter 
c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  thing. As that little book in the Revelation, was sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly: so all worldly delight, is a sweet bitter thing, sweet in the beginning, but bitter in the ending. Which they of jerusalem had experience of. For being given to transitory pleasure, they are 
d Lamen. 3. 15.  said to be made drunken with wormwood. Now we know that drunkenness is sweet, but wormwood is bitter. And such a sweet bitter thing, such a drunkenness of wormwood, is all the drunken delight of the world. So that as one said, 
e 〈…〉  Call me not Naomie, but call 〈◊〉 Mara, call me not sweet, but call me bitter: so must we call worldly delight, not Naomie, but Mara, because it is nothing so much Naomie, sweet and pleasant at the first, as it is Mara and Amara, bitter and loathsome at the last. Like to a song of the Sirens, which are mentioned in the prophecy 
f chap. 13. v. 22.  of Esay. A Siren is a monster of the sea, the head whereof resembleth a virgin, but the feet a fish. And such a monster is all worldly delight, the head whereof, the beginning, allureth us as an amiable virgin, but the feet, the end, devoureth us as a ravenous fish. Therefore as Ulysses stopped his ears and bound himself to the mast of the ship, that he might not hea●e the Sirens song: so must we stop our ears, and refuse to hear the voice of these charming Sirens, charm they and sing they never so sweetly; yea we must bind ourselves to the mast of the ship, that is, to the cross of Christ, 
g Si de Vlys●e illo refert fabula quòd 〈◊〉 arbo●●●s religatio de pe●icul● liberavit, quamtò magis cruci● arb●? etc. Ambr. serm. 55  every one of us saying with our heavenly Ulysses, God forbid that I should delight in any thing, but in the cross of Christ, by which the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For the world and all worldly delight, is likened to a hedgehog. 
h Esa. 14. 23.  A hedgehog seems to be but a poor silly creature, not likely to do any great harm, yet indeed it is full of bristles or prickles, whereby it may annoy a man very shrewdly. So worldly delight seems to be little or nothing dangerous at the first, yet afterward as with bristles or pricks, it pierceth through the very conscience with untolerable pains. Therefore we must deal with this delight, as a man would handle a hedgehog. The safest way to handle a hedgehog is to take him by the heel. So must we deal with this delight. As jacob took Esau that rough hedgehog by the heel: in like sort we must take worldly delight not by the head, but by the heel, considering not the beginning, but the ending of it, that so we may never be deceived by it. For though it have a fair show at the first, yet it hath a black shadow at the last: though it be sweet at the first, yet it is bitter at the last: though it be drunkenness at the first, yet it is wormwood at the last● though it be Naomie at the first, yet it is Mara at the last: though it be a song at the first, yet it is a Siren at the last: though it be a silly hedgehog at the first, yet it is a sharp prickle at the last. Wherefore delight not thyself in the world, for it shall not give thee the desires of thy heart: but Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.  
Here is a precept: here is a promise. A precept in these words, Delight thyself in the Lord. First delight, than thyself, lastly in the Lord. A promise in these words, And he shall give thee the desires of thy heart, First, & he shall give thee, then, the desires, lastly, of thy heart. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.  
First, Delight. Well says Synesius, 
i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  The spirit of God, as it is a cheerful thing itself, so it maketh all them cheerful which are partakers of it. Indeed the wicked continually mourn and lament. There was a great cry in Egypt, because in every house among them, there was some one or other of their first borne dead. But the voice of joy and gladness is in the tabernacles of the righteous. 
k Psal. 118. 15.  They evermore delight in the Lord. I read 
l Aelianus in varia histo. l. ●. cap. 14.  of one Leonides a captain, who perceiving his soldiers left their watch, upon the city walls, and did nothing all the day long but quaff and tipple in alehouses near adjoining, commanded that the alehouses should be removed from the place where they stood, and set up close by the walls. That seeing the soldiers would never keep out of them, at the least wise they might watch as well as drink in them. So, because pleasure we must needs have, & we cannot be kept from it, god hath appointed that we should take Delight enough, and yet serve him never a whit the less. For it is no part of God's meaning, when thou interest into his sweet service, that thou shouldst abandon all delight, but only that thou shouldst change the cause of thy delight. That whereas before thou didst delight in the service of sin, now thou shouldest delight as much, or rather indeed a thousand times more, in the service of the Lord. It was not God's will that I●aak should be sacrificed, but only the ram. And so God would have us sacrifice only the ram, that is, all rammish and rank delight of the world. But as for Isaac, he must be preserved still, and kept alive: Isaac, in whom Abraham did see the day of Christ and rejoiced: Isaac, that is all spiritual laughter, all ghostly joy, all heavenly delight. For as no man might come into the court of Ashuerus, which was clothed in sackcloth: 
m Ester. 4. 2.  so no man may come into the court of our king, which is clothed in sackcloth, and hath not on the wedding garment of joy and delight in the Lord. Which is the cause why Christ calleth the assemblies of the faithful, Quires of Camps 
n Ch●ros castrorum. Can. 6. 12. . A choir sages; a Camp fights. How then may these two agree together? Very well in the godly. For the godly, when they fight most stoutly against the enemy, than they sing most merrily unto the lord. Whereupon Gregory saith, 
o David sal●ant●m plus stupeo qu●m pugnantem. Moral. l. 27. cap. 27.  I admire king David a great deal more, when I see him in the choir, then when I see him in the camp: when I see him singing as the sweet singer of Israel, then when I see him fight as the worthy warrior of Israel. For fight with others, he did overcome all others, but singing, & delighting himself, he did overcome himself. Ever as his son Solomon says for him, speaking to Christ. Turn away thine eyes from me, for they do overcome me, they wound my heart: they make me sick for love 
p 〈◊〉. 4. 6. . When David fought with others, he overcame others; he wounded others; he made others sick; but when he danced before the Ark, and delighted himself, he was overcome himself, he was wounded himself, he was sick himself. But fear you nothing. I warrant you this sickness will do him no harm. I will play still (says he) that others may still play upon me 
q Ludam, inquit, ut illudar. Bonus ludu●, quo Michol i●ascitur, & d●us delect●tur. ●reg. Mag. . For it is good sport when God is delighted, though Michol be displeased. So that of David's sickness we may say, as Christ said of Lazarus sickness. This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God 
r joh. 11. 4. . And therefore it is for the glory of God, because it is for the love of god. For David is sick no otherwise for love of the son of God, than God is sick himself, for love of the son of David. This is my beloved son (says he) in wh●me I am delighted 
s Math. 17. 5. . This is my beloved son: there he is in love. In whom I am delighted: there he is sick for love. Which is the cause why he commandeth us also to be delighted in his love 
t Prou. 5. 19 . For as a double desire is love: so a double love is delight. And therefore he says not simply, love him; but, he delighted in his love. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Delight.  
Then, Thyself. I would hate mine own soul (says Bernard) if I found it any where else then in the Lord and in his love 
u 〈…〉 . So that it is not enough for thee to delight, but thou must delight thyself, that is, thy soul. Saying with the blessed Virgin, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. Otherwise, as Dives did see Lazarus a far off lying in Abraham's bosom, being himself all the while tormented in hell, and having not so much as one drop of water to cool his tongue: so, eue● in laughing the soul may be sorrowful 
x Pro●. 14. 13. . The wretched soul of a sinner may see the face a far off laughing, and lying (as I may say) in Abraham's bosom, being it self all the while tormented (as it were) in hell▪ and having not so much as one drop of delight to assuage the sorrows of it. And like as Sampsons' lion had great store of honey in him, but tasted no sweetness of it: even so if thou rejoice in the face, and not in the heart, 
y 2. Cor. 5. 12.  thou mayest well perhaps have great store of honey in thee to delight others; but thou canst never taste the sweetness of it to delight thyself. Therefore says the princely prophet, O taste and see how sweet the Lord is. It is not enough for thee, to see it a far off, & not have it, as Dives did; or, to have it in thee, and not to taste it, as the lion did: but thou must as well have it as see it, and as well taste it as have it. O taste and see (says he) how sweet the Lord is. For so indeed Christ giveth his Church, not only a sight but also a taste of his sweet●nsse. A sight is where he says thus, 
z Can. 7. 12.  We will rise up early, and go into the vineyard, and see whether the vine have budded forth the small grapes, and whether the Pomegran●ets flourish. There is a sight of the vine. A taste, is where he says thus, 
a Can. 8. 2.  I will bring thee into the winseller, & cause thee to drink spiced wine, and new wine of the Pomegranne●s. There is a taste of the wine. The Church, not only goes into the vineyard, and sees the wine, but also goes into the wine-cellar and tastes the wine. But yet thou must go further than this, before thou canst come to thyself. For there are divers degrees of tastes. The Egyptians in their Hyroglyphickes, 
Or●s Apollo.  when they would describe an unperfect taste, paint meat in the teeth, when a more perfect taste, the beginning of the throat. Such an unperfect taste had the Israelites of the sweetness of God. God was most sweet unto them, when he gave them quails to eat. Yet while the meat was but in their teeth, the wrath of God was kindled against them 
b Nu●. 11. 〈◊〉.  There is the meat in the teeth: an unperfect taste. But the spouse of Christ hath a more perfect taste of the sweetness of god. For likening him to an apple tree, she says, I delight to sit under his shadow, & his fruit is sweet unto my throat. 
c Can. 2. 3.  There is the beginning of the throat: a more perfect taste. But notwithstanding all this, thou art not yet come to thyself. Therefore this taste must not content thee: because this taste cannot delight thee. For thy delight must not stick in thy teeth, or in thy throat, 
d Non ●st strepitus oris, sed ●●bilus cordis, non ●onus labiorum, s●d motus gaudiorum, concordia voluntatum, non con●onantia vocum.  but as a cordial thing, it must go down to thy very heart. That thou mayest say with the Psalmist, My heart and my flesh (not my flesh only, but my heart and my flesh) rejoice in the living God 
e Psal. 84. 3. . And again, Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name 
f Psal. 103. 1. . Now thou art come to thyself. For that which is within thee, is thyself; and all that is within thee, is all thyself. So that thyself, & all thyself, is delighted in the Lord, when as that which is within thee, and all that is within thee, praise his holy name. O how happy art thou, when thou knowest this jubilee, this joyfulness 
g Cum scis iubilationem. Psal. 89. 15. : when thou hast a secret sense, & an inward feeling of it: when every motion of thy mind, is an influence of God's spirit: when thy will & his word play together, as Isaac and Rebecka did. For then surely thou dost build to thyself desolate places 
h Greg. Moral. job. 3. 14. . Desolate places, I say, that all other things may be silent to thy soul: nay that thy very soul may be silent to itself: yea that there may be a silence in heaven 
i Reu. 8. 1.  answerable to the silence of thy soul, when thou dost delight thyself in the lord Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Thyself.  
Lastly, In the Lord. Gregory says thus, 
k Gust● incircumscripti luminis anima pa●citur, & supra se elata ad seipsam re ●abi dedignatur.  The mind of man is fed with the infinite light and love of God, and so being lifted up far above itself, doth now disdain to stoop down so low as ●o itself. And therefore doth not delight itself in itself, but delights itself in the Lord. Hereupon a father says, O lord, grant that I may know 
k Noverim me, noverim te.  myself, and know thee. That knowing myself and thee, I may loathe myself in myself, and delight myself only in thee. Truth indeed, O man, so thou oughtest to do, says God. For if thou didst know thyself and me, than thou wouldst displease thyself, and please me. But because thou know'st neither thyself, nor me, therefore thou dost please thyself, and displease me. But the time shall come, when thou shalt neither please thyself, nor me. Not me, because thou hast sinned: not thyself, because thou shalt be burned. So that then thou shalt please none, but the devil: both because thou hast sinned, as he did in heaven, and also because thou shalt be burned as he is in hell. Therefore he that delights himself in himself, delights not himself, but only the devil in himself. Whereas on the other side, he only delights himself, which not only delights himself, but adds also, In the Lord; and so delights himself in virtue, delights himself in godliness, delights himself in God himself. This Christ signifies, when speaking of his spouse, he says, 
l 〈…〉  Who is she, which comes out of the wilderness, abounding in delights, leaning upon her furbelowed? He that leans upon himself, can never abound in delights: but he alone aboundeth in delights, which leaneth upon his well-beloved. So did S. Paul: I ha●e laboured more than they all, says he. There he abound●th in delights. Yet not I, but the grace of God which is in me. There he leaneth upon his well-beloved. And again, I can do all things, says he. There he aboundeth in delights. In him that strengtheneth me. There he leaneth upon his well-beloved. In one word, when as he says, He that would rejoice and glory, let him▪ rejoice and glory in the Lord: it is all one, as if he should have said, He that would abound in delights, let him lean upon his well-beloved. Let him delight himself in the Lord. Let the Saints 
m In letitia letentur. psal. 68 3.  rejoice in joy, let them delight in delight. He that delights in an earthly thing, delights in vanity, he delights not in delight. But he only delights in delight, which makes God only the ground of his delight. According to that of Prosper, 
n Aeterna exultatio est, qn●● bono 〈◊〉 ●terno.  That alone is eternal delight, which is grounded upon the eternal good. Upon him that is only good, and saith to Moses, 
o Exod. 33. 19  I will in myself show thee all good. Every thing that is honest, every thing that is profitable, every thing that is pleasant, is only to be found 
p Qu●re 〈◊〉 bonum in quo sunt omni● bona & sufficit. Aug. Med.  in the Lord. As that Manna 
q Sapi. 16. 20.  had all manner of good tastes in it: so the Lord only, hath all manner of good things, all manner of true delights in him. Therefore the Church, having first bestowed the greatest part of Salomon's song, altogether in commendation of the beauty and comeliness of Christ, at length concludeth thus; Thy mouth is as sweet things, and thou art wholly delectable: how fair art thou, and how pleasant art thou, O my love, in pleasures? So that when I seek my love, my Lord, than I seek a delight, & a light, that passeth all lights, which no eye hath seen: I seek a sound & an harmony, that passeth all harmonies, which no ear hath heard: I seek a sent and a savour, that passeth all savours, which no sense hath smelled: I seek a relish and a taste, that passeth all tastes, which no tongue hath tasted: I seek a contentment and a pleasure, that passeth all pleasures, which no body hath felt. Nay, I cannot hold my heart, for my joy; yea, I cannot hold my joy, for my heart, to think that he which is my Lord, is now become my father, & so that he which was offended with me, for my sins sake, is now reconciled to me, for his sons sake. To think, that the high Majesty of God, will one day rai●e me out of the dust, and so that I, which am now a poor worm upon earth, shall hereafter be a glorious Saint in heaven. This, this makes me delight myself in the Lord; saying, O thou that art the delight of my delight; the life of my life; the soul of my soul; I delight myself in thee, I live only for thee, I offer myself unto thee, wholly to thee wholly: one to thee one: only to thee 
r Totum toti ● unum uni: unicum unico.  only. For sup pose now, as S. john speaketh, the whole world were full of books: and all the creatures in the world were writers: and all the grass piles upon the earth were pens: and all the water● in the sea were ink: yet, I assure you faithfully, all these books, all these writers, all these pens, all this ink, would not be sufficient to describe the very lest part, either of the goodness of the Lord in himself, or of the loving kindness of the Lord, towards thee. Wherefore, Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Thus much for the precept, in these words, Delight thyself in the Lord.  
The promise followeth. First, And he shall give thee. Well says Leo, Love is the greatest reward of love, that either can be, or can be desired 
s Dilectionis●ulla maior expetenda est ●enumeratio, 〈◊〉 ipsa di●ectio. Ser. 7. de adieu. . So that though there were no other reward, promised thee, for delighting in the Lord, but only the delight itself, it were sufficient. For the benefit is not Gods, but wholly thine. God is never a whit the better, for thy delighting thyself in him. If thou be righteous, what dost thou give him, or what doth he receive at thy hands 
t job. 35. 7. ? Thy delight may perhaps reach to the saints, which are in the earth, but it can never reach to ●he Saints which are in heaven: and much less, can it reach to God, which is the Lord of heaven 
u Psal. 16. 2. . Nay, I will say more. If thou shouldst gi●e God whole rivers full of oil, & whole houses full of gold, for never so little a drop of this delight, it would be nothing. Thy gift would be nothing, to his gift: thy oil and gold, would be nothing to his oil of gladness. Yet behold the bountifulness, and liberality of the lord. He hires thee, and gives thee wages, not to do himself good, but to do thyself good. And here he promiseth to reward his own mercies, as if they were thine own merits. And as though the benefit were not thine, but wholly his: so he changeth the words, and for, Thou shalt give him, says, He shall give thee. But this he doth, as Augustine testifieth, 
x Non 〈◊〉 a more, sed 〈◊〉 mo● is ●ror●. Decivit. 〈◊〉. li●●. 〈◊〉. cap. 6.  Not by the love of error, but by the error of love. For the love of error, is man's Rhetoric, it is a figure, which man often useth, Humanum est errare 
y It is man's property to err. . But the error of love, is God's Rhetoric, it is a figure, which God often useth, Di●inum est amare 
z It is God's property to lou●. . Especially it is a divine thing, to love so dearly, as God loveth us. Who, though he do not love to err, yet he doth err for love. Counting and calling, that which is only our commodity, his own commodity. So, Christ is said 
a Can. 2. 16.  to be fed amongst the lilies. The lilies of the fields, are the millions of the angels 
b Lilia agro rum, millia angelorum.  or of all those which lead a pure, and an angelical life. These indeed Christ feedeth. He feedeth them in the green pastures, and leadeth them forth, by the waters of comfort. Yea, not only he feedeth them, but also by this figure, the error of love, he is said to be fed with them. Because though he for his part, have little need, I wis, to ●e fed, yet it is as great a pleasure to him, to feed them, as if he were fed himself among them 
c 〈…〉 verso pascere sit ei pa●ci. Bernard. Cant. se●m. 7●. . So likewise he says, If any man open the door, I will sup with him, and he with me 
d Reu. 3. 20. . We indeed sup with Christ. Generally, whensoever he gives us grace to feel in our affections, the ravishing joys of the spirit. As when he says, I have eaten my honey comb, with my honey, I have drunken my wine, with my milk: eat you also, O my friends, drink and make you merry, O my well-beloved. But more especially we sup with Christ, when he calls us to the holy Communion, and bids us to the Lords supper. For than he stays us with flagons, and comforts us with 
e Cant. 〈◊〉  apples: with apples and flagons: with bread and wine: with his own dear body, and his own precious blood. Thus do we sup with Christ. But how doth Christ sup with us? Is it possible? possible, that he which shall never hunger, or thirst any more? possible, that he, which is fullness itself, in whom, all the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelleth? Is it possible (I say) that he should stand without, knocking at the door, as a beggar, to get a meals meat of us? Yea sure: doubt you not. It is possible enough. By a certain figure, (I ween you call it the error of love: that's it: by this figure, the error of love) it is a very possible thing: nay, it is a very easy thing to do: yea it is a very great pleasure to him to do it. Behold (says he) I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the d●re, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Well then, how doth Christ sup with us? Christ suppe● with us, when we entertain him, as Marie did, with the salt tears of repentance & grief: and as Lot did, with the sweet bread of sincerity, and truth. For the salt tears of our repentance, are the only drink, which Christ will drink with us. And the sweet bread of our sincerity, is the only bread, which Christ will eat with us. But what meat hath he to his bread? I have a meat (says he) which you know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. In the volume of thy book it is written of me, that I should do thy will, O my God, it is my delight, it is meat and drink to me, to do it. And as it is meat to him, to do it himself: so is it meat to him, to see vas do it. Then doth he sup with us. And this is the first service. But what hath he for a second course? A dish of apples, gathered of the tree of life. For toward the latter end of the supper, when they come to their fruit, a Christian says to Christ, 
f Can. 7. 13. Omnia pom● vetera & nova. Vulgata trans.  O my well-beloved, I have kept for thee, all manner of apples, both old and ne●. Contrition, humiliation, denying of thyself, mortification of the old man: these are old apples. Sobriety, innocency, holiness of life, vivification of the new man: these are new apples. And when a Christian feasts, & feeds Christ with such divers and dainty fruits of righteousness, than he says to him, O my well-beloved, I have kept for thee all manner of apples, both old and new. But what music hath ●e now? We must needs have some music. Christ cannot sup without music. Drink, and bread, and meat, and apples, will make him but a slender supper, except we mend it all the better with music. This must be the very best part of the supper. For a c●̄●ort of musicans at a banquet, is as a signet of Carbuncle, set in gold; and as the signet of an Emrod, well trimmed with gold: so is the melody of music, in a pleasant 
g Ecclesiasticus cap. 32. vers. 5.  banquet. Therefore when Christ sups with us, we must be sure he have music. We must welcome him, and cheer him up, with psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with a grace, and making melody in our hearts to God. 
Col. ●. 16.  Thus doth Christ sup with us. But now to return to the main point again, from which we have a little digressed, As else where, by the error of love, Christ is said, to be fed among the lilies, whereas indeed only he feedeth the lilies; and to sup with us, whereas indeed only we sup with him: so here, by the same figure, he is said to reap commodity by thy delight, whereas indeed only the commodity is thine, all the commodity, all the benefit, is only thine. Yet (to see the admirable love of God) he says not, Thou shalt give him, but, He shall give thee. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. And he shall give thee.  
Then, The desires. He that loves to desire God, 
h Qui amat desiderare, desideret amare De amore dei cap. 3. vid.  (says Bernard) must also desire to love God. Then he shall have neither satiety, nor yet anxiety. Neither satiety, because he loves to desire: 
Gregorium Moral. ●. 18. c. 28.  Nor yet anxiety, because he desires to love. Thus doth the Church. Let him kiss me (says she) 
i Cant. ●. 〈◊〉  with the kisses of his mouth. Let him not smite me, but kiss me: not once, but often: not with the kisses of his feet, but of his mouth: not of any of his prophet's mouths, but of his own mouth; Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. Here are many desires. Here indeed she loves to desire 
k Psal. 119. 20▪ Concupiui● desiderare. . But it followeth, For thy love, 
●sal. 119. 20  is better than wine. The person is suddenly changed. Before, it was more strangely in the third person, Let him, and, his mouth. Now, it is more familiarly, in the second person, For thy love. for thy love is better than wine. Here is but one love. Here only she desires to love. For as the curtains of the tabernacle, were coupled and tied together with ●aches and strings, so that one curtain did draw another, and all the curtains did draw together, to cover nothing else, but the tabernacle 
l 〈…〉 : after the same sort, the desires of the godly, are coupled and tied together, so that one desire draws another, and all their desires draw together, to make them covet nothing else, but God. And even as lacob, when he held the angel in his arms, stood upon one foot: and halted vpo● the other foot: 
m G●n. 32. 31.  so he that embraceth God, can do nothing with that halting foot, which before carried him to the desire of the world, but standeth only upon that sound foot, which now carrieth him wholly to the desire of God. And like as all the streets of jerusalem sing Hallel●ia: 
n Tobi●s 13. 18.  so all the desires of them that are delighted in God, are referred to God. There are many ●●reates in jerusalem; yet there is but one Halleluia, which is sung in all those ●●reates. In like sort, there are many desires in a godly man; yet there is but one thing, God only, which is desired in all these desires. For, these desires, as the kisses of Christ, come all from one lo●e: these desires, as the curtains of the tabernacle, are all ty●d together with one string: these desires, as the goings of jacob, stand all upon one foot●: these desires, as the streets of jerusalem, sing all one Halleluia. So that if thou look into his desires, that delighteth in the Lord, thou shalt see no iniquity, no contradiction in them. But if thou look in to his desires, that delighteth in sin, thou shalt say with the Psalmist, 
Psal. 55. 〈◊〉.  I see iniquity, and contradiction in the city. For as Manasses was against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasses, and both of them against 
o 〈…〉  luda: so the desires of the wicked, are contrary to God, and to themselves. All their desires, are contrary to all gods desires. Manasses & Ephraim, are both against juda. There's iniquity. Some of their desires, are contrary to othersome of their desires. Manasses is against Ephraim, and Ephraim is against Manasses. There's contradiction. Therefore the desires of the wicked, being so contrary to God, and to themselves, their desires are not given to them, but they are given to their desires 
p 〈◊〉 1. 24.  Because, though they love to desire God, yet they do not desire to love god. Though they care not how much God do for them: yet they care not how little they do for God. But as for the godly, they are not given to their desires, but their desires are given to them. Because not only, they love to desire God, but also, they desire to love God. And so all their desires, being as it were, but one desire, all agreeing in one God, when they have god, they have al● their desires given them in God 
q Domine, an●e te omne deside●ium me●●sal. 38. 10 . So the three children, 
●am v●ima perfectio ipsius animz deus est, & centrum locusque natu●alis omnium desideriotum ●ius.  being men of desires, 
r Viri desideriorum Dan. 9 23  had their desires given them. They desired to be delivered from the furnace. This desire was given them, when as God walked with them in the fiery furnace 
s Daniel. 3. 25. . So Moses, being a man of God, had his ●●sires given him. He desired to see God's fac●. This desire was given him, when as Christ talked with him, face to face 
t Mark. 9 4.  So John, being a friend of God, had his desires given him. He desired to see Christ's glory. This desire was given him, when as Christ said, He 〈◊〉 loveth me, shall be loved of me, and I will 〈◊〉 show mine own self ●nt● him 
u joh. 14. 21. . So Lazarus, being Gods little beggar 
x Mendicus dei. Greg. , (as I may say) had his desires given him. He desired to be relieved, not so much with the meat of that earthly Di●es, as with the mercy of that heavenly Di●es, which is so rich in mercy. This desire was given him, when as the Patriarch speaking of him to the glutton said, Now is he comforted, and thou art tormented 
y Luk. 16. 25.  And so, whosoever thou art: if thou be a man of desires, as the three children were: if thou be a man of God, as Moses was: if thou be a friend of God, as john was: if thou be a beggar of God, as Lazarus was: he shall give thee all that thou canst beg, or desire. For, to speak no more of those three children, these three men, which I named last unto you; Moses, the man of God: john the friend of God: Lazarus, the beggar of God; did lie in three bosoms. In Moses bosom: in Christ's bosom: in Abraham's bosom. Moses hand, did lie in Moses bosom 
z 〈…〉 : S. john did lie in Christ's bosom: Lazarus, did lie in Abraham's bosom. Moses bosom, is law: Christ's bosom, is Gospel: Abraham's bosom is glory. Therefore, fear must drive thee out of Moses bosom: faith must keep thee in Christ's bosom: felicity must bring thee to Abraham's bosom. For first, thou must with Moses, put thy hand into Moses bosom, and there seeing how full of leprosy thy hand is, and how wicked all thine own handy works are, thou must abhor thyself, in thyself. Afterward, thou must with john, conu●ie not thy had only, but thy whole body, and thy soul also, into Christ's bosom, and there seeing how thou art▪ cleansed from the leprosy of thy sin, and freely justified by faith in Christ, thou must delight thyself in the Lord. Then, thou must be carried into Abraham's bosom, and there, both loving to desire God, and desiring to love God, he shall give thee thy desires. First, I say, lie in Moses bosom, and abhor horre thyself in thyself: afterward, lie in Christ's bosom, and delight thyself in the Lord: then, thou shalt lie in Abraham's bosom, (O blessed bosom! O sweet bosom!) And he shall give thee, thy desires. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. The desires.  
Lastly, Of thy heart. Thy heart here, is all one with thyself before. As if the words had stood thus, Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thyself: or else thus, Delight thy heart in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. To the point then. Augustine says thus, 
a Fecisti nos domine ad te, & ideo inqui●●um ●st cor 〈…〉.  O Lord, thou hast made us for thine own self, & therefore our heart is ever unquiet, while it is from thee, never at quiet, until it come to thee. A bull which is baited at the ring, as soon as ever he gets any little breathing, turns him straightway toward that place, by which he was brought in, imagining, that by how much the more, he is nearer to the stall, by so much the more, he shall be further from the stake. In like manner, a faithful heart, being baited and towzed in this world with many dogs 
b Psal. 22. 16.  which come about it, always hath an eye to that place, from which it came, and is never quiet till it return to him, from whom it was fet at the 
c Querula p●nitus & 〈◊〉 abunda est. donec ad ●um, à quo ori●inaliter exiit, triumphali virtute revertatur.  first. He that lets down a bucket to draw water out of a well, as long as the bucket is under the water, though it be never so full, he may get it up easily; but when he begins to draw the bucket clear out of the water, then with all his strength he can scarce get it up; yea many times the bucket when it is at the very highest, breaks the iron chain, and violently falls back again. After the same sort, a Christian heart, so long as it is in him who is a well of life, is filled with delight, and with great joy drinketh in the water of comfort, out of the fountain of 
d 〈◊〉. 12. 3.  salvation; but being once haled and pulled from God, it draweth back, and as much as it can possibly resisteth, and is never quiet, till it be in him again, who is the centre of the 
e Vi amoris in deum tanquam in centrum proprium movetur, ut in ipso summé delectetur.  soul. For as the needle's point in the mariners compass, never stands still, till it come right against the north pole: so the heart of the wise men, never stood still, till they came right against the star, which appeared in the 
f Math. 2. 9  East; & the very star itself, never stood still, till it came right against the other star, which shined more brightly in the manger, than the sun did in heaven. Wherefore our hearts do always err, they are Planet's 
g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ude 13.  & wandering stars, before they come to Christ: but then only they are stars of the firmament, the true seed of Abraham, when they are firmly 
h Psal. 57 8.  fixed, and settled in God. The Prophet jonas, all the while he fled from God, in what a case was he one while he was turmoiled in the storms of the tempest: another while, he was soused in the waves of the sea: another while, he was boiled in the bowels of the whale. But as soon as he returned to God, by and by he was cast up safe upon the sea shore: and then he said to his soul, My soul return unto thy rest, because the Lord hath restored thyself unto thee 
i Quia dominu● reddidit te ●ibi. Psal. 116. 7.  Because, whereas before, thou hadst lost thyself: lost thyself in the tempest: lost thyself in the sea: lost thyself in the whale: now the Lord hath restored thyself unto thee. Wherefore the heart of man hath lost all rest; nay it hath lost itself, before it be cast upon the sea shore; before it be cast upon God: but when once it delighteth in the Lord, when once it findeth God, than it findeth itself, them it returneth unto rest. Nicaula queen of Saba, could never be quiet in her own country, till she came to Solomon: but when she saw his glory, and heard his wisdom, than her heart failed her, she had enough, she could desire to see and heart no more. And so the heart of a Christian, can never be quiet in the strange country of this world, till it come to Christ, which is the true Solomon, the prince of peace; when it comes once to Christ then it says thus to God, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, because mine eyes have seen the prince, because mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Even as one good heart says for all, O Lord, how amiable are thy dwellings? Solomon had goodly buildings, but they were nothing to thy dwellings. My soul fainteth, and faileth for them 
k Concupisci● & deficie. ●sal. 〈◊〉. 2. . It fainteth before I see them: and it faileth when I have seen them; then I am quiet enough, than I can desire to see no more. For like, as Noah's dove could find no rest for the sole of her foot, all the while she was flickering over the flond, till she returned to the ark, with an olive branch in her mouht: so the heart: of a christian, which is the turtle dove of Christ, can find no rest all the while it is hovering over the waters of this world, till it have silver wings as a dove, and with the olive branch of faith, fly to the true Noah, which signifieth rest, till jesus Christ put forth his holy hand out of the ark, and taking this heart into his hand, receive it to himself. Even as one good heart says for all, I will not climb up into my bed, nor suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eielidds to slumber, nor the temples of my head to take their rest, until I find a tabernacle for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of 
l Psal. 132. 4.  jacob. Until I find, that my heart is not in mine own hand, but in God's hand: until I find, that God dwelleth in me, and I in him: until I find, that my soul is a tabernacle for the Lord, and my heart is an habitation for the mighty God of jacob, I cannot rest, says he. But when I find this once: when I come to Noah in the ark: when I delight myself in the Lord; then I will climb up into my bed, and suffer mine eyes to sleep, and mine eyelids to slumber, and the temples of my head to take their rest. But what's the reason of all this? I am somewhat bold to ask, because I would be glad to know: what's the reason I say, that the bull, can never be quiet, till he come to the stall; that the bucket, can never be quiet, till it come to the water; that the needle, can never be quiet, till it come to the north pool; that jonas, can never be quiet, till he come to the sea shore; that Nicaula, can never be quiet, till she come to Solomon; that Noah's dove, can never be quiet, till it come to the ark; that man's heart, can never be quiet, till it come to God? The reason of it is this. When God created heaven and earth, he rested not in the heaven, or in any heavenvly thing, not in the earth, or in any earthly thing, but only in man, which is both. A heavenly thing for his soul, and an earthly thing for his body. As soon as he had made man, he kept a sabbath, and rested. Even so the heart of man, resteth not in the earth, or in any earthly thing, not in the heaven, or in any heavenly thing, but only in God, which is lord of both. Lord of heaven and earth: Lord of soul and body. As soon as it cometh to God, and delighteth in him, it keepeth holiday, and resteth. God's heart never resteth, till it come to man: man's heart never resteth till it come to God. For as god says to man, My son give me thy heart 
m Prou. 2●. 26. : so man says to God, my lord give me thyself. For even as the heart desireth the water-brookes: so longeth my heart, my soul, after thee, o God. Therefore, o God, give me thyself. Show me thyself, and it sufficeth 
n job. 14. 8.  me. For thou only, O Lord, art indeed, as thou art called in Hebrew Sh●ddai, all-sufficient, yea more than sufficient. Thy very grace, is sufficient for 
o 2. Cor. 12. 9  me. But thou, O Lord dost give both grace and 
p ●sal. ●4 ●2.  glory. Therefore, whom have I in heaven, but thee? and whom have I in earth, but 
q Psal. 73. 25.  thee? Thou only givest grace in earth: so that I have none in earth but thee. And thou only givest glory in heaven: so that I have none in heaven but thee. O what a sweet friend is this? What a sweet friend is God our good friend, which only feedeth and filleth the 
r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  heart? He only feedeth it in earth, & filleth it in heaven: feedeth it with grace, and filleth it with 
* 〈…〉 Psal. 17. 16.  glory. For every thing hath a kind of food proper unto it. Offer a lion grass, he will never eat it: offer him flesh, he will eater it. Why so? Because that is unnatural, this is natural to him. So, offer the heart of a Christian, which is courageous and bold as a 
s 〈◊〉 28. 1.  lion, offer it all the glory of the world, which is as the flower of 
t Esa. 40. 6.  grass, it is never a whit the better Offer it Christ, who says, My flesh is meat indeed, than it is satisfied. Therefore one says, The lions want, and suffer hunger, but they that fear the Lord, want no manner of thing that is good. The lions: such lions, as have no grace, but grass only to feed upon, they want and suffer hunger. Hungry and thirsty their soul fainteth in 
u Psal. 107. 5.  them. But they that fear the Lord: such lions, as by faith feed upon the flesh of Christ, delight in the Lord, feed upon God, they are fat, and well liking, they want no manner of thing that is good. For as the people sitting upon the grass, and feeding upon the bread, were all 
x Mark. 6. 39  satisfied: so these lions are all satisfied, because sitting upon the grass of the world, yea not only sitting upon it, but also treading upon it, and trampling it under their feet, they feed only upon the bread of life. For these lions can easily conceive, that if at that time, five loaves being blessed by our Lord, did satisfy five thousand, then much more our blessed Lord himself, can satisfy every heart, which hungereth and thirsteth for him. Therefore these lions, save the very fragments of this feast, and keep them in their hearts, as in baskets, knowing that all the grass of the world, cannot do them half so much good, as the very lest crumb of Christ's comfort. For so one lion says among the rest, My soul refuseth comfort. But when I remember God, I am 
y 〈…〉  delighted. As if he should say, I have a lions heart in me; my soul refuseth to feed upon the grass of the world: it goes against my stomach: I cannot brook it; I cannot digest it: that's but a cold comfort: My soul refuseth all such comfort: But when I remember God, I am delighted. Though I cannot see God presently before me; yet if I do but remember him; if do but meditate of him; if I do but think of him; if I do but dream of him; I am 
z 〈…〉.  delighted. Though I cannot have a whole loaf, yet if I can get but a fragment: if I can get but a shieve: if I can get but a morsel: if I can but any little crumb of comfort, that falls from the table of the Lord; my heart is sufficiently refreshed and fed. But as God only feedeth the heart: so God only filleth the heart. For the heart of man, as for the manner of diet, it is like the heart of a lion: so for the bigness of it, it is like the heart of the Ibis. Orus Apollo writeth, that the Egyptians, when they would describe the heart, paint that bird, which they call the Ibis. Because they think that no creature, for proportion of the body, hath so great a heart, as the Ibis hath. But me thinks, they might better paint a man. Because no creature, no not the Ibis itself, hath so great a heart, as a man hath. 
Eccles. 1. 8.  For the eye is never filled with seeing, nor the ear with hearing, and much less, the heart with desiring. But even as the Poets feign, that the fifty daughters of king Danaus killing their husbands, are enjoined for their punishment in hell, to fill a tun with water, that is bored full of holes, which though they labour never so much about it, yet they can never bring to pass● 
a 〈…〉 : semblably, he that would go about to fill his heart, with worldly delights, were as good power water into a five, as we say, for any pleasure he shall have, after all his labour and pains. Solomon, having had a long time, trial of all transitory pleasures, at length frankly confessed, that they were so far from being a contentation to his heart, that they were a very great vexation to his spirit. Nay Alexander▪ though he had conquered the whole world, yet still he said with the king of Spain, Non sufficit arbi● 
b All the whole world 〈…〉 : yea in the end, he grew to be very malcontent, and found himself greatly grieved, because there were not forsooth, many more worlds for him to conquer. By which example of Solomon and Alexander, (though otherwise a heathen,) it doth plainly appear, that if it had pleased God, to have created as many worlds, as there are creatures in this one world, (which he might have done with the least word of his mouth,) yet this infinite number of worlds, which should have been created, could not have filled the very lest heart, of any one man, without the creator himself. This Orontius an excellent mathematician showeth, who describing the whole world in the form of an heart, leaveth many void spaces in his heart which he cannot fill up with the world. For as a circle, can never fill a triangle, but always there will be three empty corners in the triangle unfilled, if there be nothing else to fill it, but the circle: so the round world, which is a circle, can never fill the heart of man, which is a triangle, made according to the image of the Trinity, but always there will be some empty corners, in the triangle of the heart unfilled, if there be nothing else to fill it, but the circle of the world. Only the glorious trinity, filleth the triangle of the heart, and filleth every corner of it, and filleth every corner of it fuller, than it can possibly 
c 〈…〉  hold. For, suppose almighty God should now work a miracle, and give some one man a heart, as large, and as huge, not only as all the hearts of all the men, that ever were, are, or shall be, but also as all the affections of all the angels, and heavenly powers above; yea I will say that, which shall be yet much more marvelous, if this one heart were so great, that it could at one instant, actually contain in it, more corporal and spiritual things, then are in all the deeps beneath, in the valleys, in the mountains, and in all the heavens above: yet as true as God is in heaven, this so large, and so huge a heart, could not be able to hold the very lest part, of the perfection of God; but if one drop of his deity and glory, were powered into it, by and by it would burst in a hundredth pieces, and fly a sunder, as an old vessel, filled with new 
d Behold the heavens and the heavens of heavens are not able to contain thee. 1. Reg. 8. 27.  wine. O what a wonderful strange thing is this? what shall we devise to say of it? Ten thousand worlds, cannot fill one heart: and yet ten thousand hearts, cannot hold one God. Therefore, as much as one heart, is too good and too great, for ten thousand worlds: so much is one God, too good and too great, for ten thousand 
e De●s maior est cor de nostro. 1. joh. 3. 20  hearts. So fully doth the Lord, & nothing but the Lord, feed, and fill thy soul, and give thee all, nay more than all, thy heart can desire. Wherefore, Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Thus much for the promise, in these words, And he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.  
Now then, dear brother, Delight: and not delight only; but Thyself, also: and not thyself only; but In the Lord, also: Delight thyself in the Lord: and again I say, Delight: and again I say, Thyself: and again I say, In the Lord. Delight thyself in the Lord. O remember, for the love of God, remember this worthy sentence of an ancient father, 
d 〈…〉  Let all creatures seems vile unto thee, says he, that only thy create our may seem sweet unto thee. Armenia, a noble lady, being bidden to king Cyrus' wedding, went thither with her husband. At night, when they were returned home, her husband asked her, how she liked the bridegroom, whither she thought him to be a fair and beautiful prince, or no? Truth, says she, I know not. For all the while I was forth, I cast mine eyes upon none other, but upon thyself. So basely did this noble lady esteem of king Cyrus' beauty, who was the Monarch of the world, in respect of that entire good will and affection, she bore to her husband, which was so great, that her eyes could never be from him. And so must we, set God always before our eyes, and not once look aside, or be enamoured with any gaud of worldly glory, but despise every blaze of beauty whatsoever, that may draw us from beholding our heavenly husband, and delighting only in him, which is fairer than the children of men. S. Paul being rapt up to the third heaven, knows not, whither it were with the body, or without the body. And because we should mark it well once, he sets it down twice. That he was rapt up to the third heaven, he is sure; that he heard words which no man can utter, he is sure; that he was exceedingly delighted in the Lord, he is sure. But whither his body were with him or no, he knows not. So much did he forget and neglect, even his own body, which is so near, and so dear a thing, in comparison of that incomparable delight, which then he took in the Lord. S. Peter, seeing but a glimpse of Christ's glory, upon mount Tabor, stood so astonished and amazed with it, that he was in a sort beside himself, when he was at that time beside Christ. Master, says he, it is good for us to be here. As if he should have said, Now farewell Galilee, and all my goods: farewell fellow Disciples, and all my friends: farewell wife, & all the world: so I may enjoy this heavenly sight, and be continually thus delighted in the Lord. Holy Ignatius, going to his martyrdom, was so strangely ravished with this delight, that he burst out into these words, Nay, come fires; come beasts: come breaking of all my bones: come racking of my whole body: come all the torments of the devil together upon me: come what can come, in the whole earth, or in hell either 
e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. , so that I may enjoy jesus Christ, and may be continually delighted in the Lord. And so must thou (dear brother) insult over all creatures, and exsult only in thy creator. Thou must contemn all beauty, as Armenia did: yea thine own body, as Paul did: yea all the world as Peter did: yea thy very life, as Ignatius did: and be content to do any thing, though it were to be torn and pulled in a thousand pieces: or for a time, if it were possible, to suffer all the pains which the fiends and furies of hell can inflict upon thee, so as in the end, thou mayest delight, either the Lord in thyself, or thyself in the Lord. Then, than He shall give thee: and not, He shall give thee only, but The desires, also: and not The desires only, but Of thy heart, also. Then he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. And again I say, He shall give thee: and again I say, The desires: and again I say, Of thy heart. Then he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Then, though thou have a long time played the unthrift, and wasted all thy goods in the world: yet, if with the lost child, thou return home again, to thy father's house, he shall grant thee thy hearts desire, and receive thee with minstrelsy and dancing, and all manner of festival joy, and that plenty of bread, which nourisheth every hired servant in his house, shall much more feed thee, which art his loving child, unto everlasting life. Then, though all the leeks and onions of Egypt, which is the world, have failed thee: yet, if with Israel, thou depend only upon God, he shall distill the dew of his grace, into thy heart, and lay aside a chosen rain for thee, and cause thee to drink of the sweet crystal streams of his pleasure, and give thee to eat of that hidden and heavenly Manna, which no man knoweth, but he that receiveth it. Then, though all the clothes and coverings in the world, cannot keep thee warm; yet, if with David, thou be a man according to Gods own heart, he shall send thee that mystical Abishag, which shall comfort thy heart, and make thee hot and fervent in spirit, which shall renew thy strength and make thee young again, and lusty as an Eagle. Then, though thou have a long time lost thy labour, in serving Laban, which is the world: yet, if with jacob thou return home again to thy father's house, god shall meet thee by the way, and, as the Prophet Osey speaketh, he shall allure thee as thy paramour, and lead thee into the wilderness, and there speak according to thine own heart, friendly, and lovingly unto thee. And, even as lovers, are oftentimes disposed for the nonce, to take a fall of one another, the stronger of the weaker: so God shall wrestle a fall with thee, as he did with jacob, and yield so much in love to thee, as that he shall suffer thee to give him the fall, and to prevail against him. jesus: what exceeding love is this? why are we not even now, in the name of God, inflamed with the love of God: and wholly ravished with delight in the Lord? At least wise I marvel, what a mischief many base minded worldlings mean, that they had rather feed upon the husks of hogs, than the bread of man? that they had rather eat, the any on's of Egypt, than the manna of heaven? that they had rather lie acold, frozen and shivering in sin, then be revived and cherished by Abishag? that they had rather take unsupportable pain, to serve Laban, then take unspeakable pleasure, to serve God? Fie upon it: what a vile folly is this? what a stark madness is this? what is this else, but to be even bodily tormented, whereas they might be most spiritually delighted? what is this else, but to go out of one hell, into another hell, where as they might go out of one heaven into another heaven? For, why do you (beloved) why do you tell me so much, of I know not what: of a worm, that never dieth? of a fire, that never is quenched? of a lake, that burneth with brimstone? of weeping, and gnashing of teeth? Thus I tell you (good christians) and I tell you truly, and God in heaven hears what I say, though you hear me not; I tell you as loud as ever I can; that, to serve sin so slavishly: to please the devil so wretchedly: to delight in the word so brutishly, as many men do: this is worse than all worms: worse than all fires: worse than all lakes: worse than all weeping: worse than hell itself. Whereas, on the other side, to serve God, to please God▪ to delight in God, to rejoice & solace thy soul in the Lord, which hath always given thee, and will always give thee, the desires of thy heart; this is better than all treasures: better than all crowns: better than all kingdoms: better than all immortality: better than heaven itself. This, this it is, which shall bring thee, out of one paradise, into another paradise.