to the crown: parts were taken, and the Roman army, siding in factions, was likely to fall foul, and mutually fight against itself. Scipio the general prevented the danger by providing two mural crowns, giving one to each who claimed it, affirming that, on the examination of the proofs, both did appear to him at the same instant to climb the wall. O let us not set several kinds of prayers at variance betwixt themselves which of them should be most useful, most honourable. All are most excellent at several times, groans, crown-ejaculations, crown-extemporary, crown-set, crown-mixed prayer; I dare boldly say, he that in some measure loves not all kind of lawful prayers, loves no kind of lawful prayers. For if we love God the Father, we can hate no ordinance, his child, though perchance an occasion may affect one above another.

crown

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XVIII. ALL MANNER OF PRAYER.

T is an ancient stratagem of Satan (yet still he useth it, still men are cheated by it), to set God's ordinance at variance, as the disciples fell out amongst themselves, which of them should be the greatest. How hath the reader's pew been clashed against the preacher's pulpit, to the shaking almost of the whole church, whether that the word preached or read be most effectual to

*Plutarch in Scipio's Life, p. 187.

salvation. Also, whether the word preached or catechised be most useful. But no ordinance so abused as prayer. Prayer hath been set up against preaching, against catechising, against itself. Whether public or private, church or closet, set or extempore prayer be the best. See how St. Paul determines the controversy, яάσу прoσεxй with all manner of prayer (so the Geneva translation) and supplication in the spirit.* Preferring none, commending all lawful prayer to our practice.

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XIX. TO GOD ALONE.

MONGST all manner of prayer to God, I find in scripture neither promise, precept, nor precedent to warrant prayers to saints. And were there no other reason, this would encourage me to pray to Christ alone, because

St. Paul struck Elimas blind; Christ made blind Bartemeus see. St. Peter killed Ananias and Sapphira with his word; Christ with his word revived dead Lazarus. The disciples forbade the Syrophoenician woman to call after Christ, Christ called unto her after they had forbidden her. All my Saviour's works are saving works, none extending to the death of mankind.

Surely Christ, being now in heaven, hath not less goodness because he hath more glory, his bowels still yearn on us. I will therefore rather present my prayers to him who always did heal,

* Ephes. vi. 18.

And

than to those who sometimes did hurt. though this be no convincing argument to papists, it is a comfortable motive to protestants. A good third, where so good firsts and seconds have been laid before.

OCCASIONAL MEDITATIONS.

I

I. LOVE AND ANGER.

SAW two children fighting together in the street. The father of the one passing by, fetched his son away and corrected him; the other lad was left without any check, though both were equally faulty in the fray. I was half offended, that being guilty alike, they were not punished alike: but the parent would only meddle with him over whom he had an undoubted dominion, to whom he bare an unfeigned affection.

The wicked sin, the godly smart most in this world. God singleth out his own sons, and beateth them by themselves: whom he loveth he chasteneth.* Whilst the ungodly, preserved from affliction, are reserved for destruction. It being needless that their hair should be shaved with a hired razort whose heads are intended for the axe of divine justice.‡

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II. UPWARDS, UPWARDS.

OW large houses do they build in London on little ground! Revenging themselves on

*Heb. xii. 6. † Is. vii. 20.

L

Matt. iii. 10.

the narrowness of their room with store of stories. Excellent arithmetic! from the root of one floor

to multiply so many chambers. And though painful the climbing up, pleasant the staying there, the higher the healthfuller, with clearer light and sweeter air.

Small are my means on earth. May I mount my soul the higher in heavenly meditations, relying on divine providence; he that fed many thousands with five loaves,* may feed me and mine with the fifth part of that one loaf, that once all mine. Higher, my soul! higher! In bodily buildings, commonly the garrets are most empty, but my mind, the higher mounted, will be the better furnished. Let perseverance to death be my uppermost chamber, the roof of which grace is the pavement of glory.

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III. BEWARE, WANTON WIT.

SAW an indenture too fairly engrossed; for

the writer (better scrivener than clerk) had so filled it with flourishes that it hindered my reading thereof; the wantonness of his pen made a new alphabet, and I was subject to mistake his dashes for real letters.

What damage hath unwary rhetoric done to religion? Many an innocent reader hath taken Damascene and Theophilact at their word, counting their eloquent hyperboles of Christ's presence in the sacrament, the exact standards of their judg

* Matt. xiv. 17.