As sweet spices yield small savour, until they are beaten to powder, so the wonderful works of God are either, not at all, or ⟨image 4⟩very slightly smelt in the nostrils of man, who is of a dull sense, unless they be rubbed and chased in the mind, through a fervent affection, and singled out with a particular view, like them which tell money, who look not confusedly at the whole heap, but at the value of every parcel: So then a true Christian must endeavour himself to deliver not in gross, but by retail the millions of Gods mercy to his soul, in secret thoughts, chewing the cud of every Circumstance, with continual Contemplation. ⟨image 4⟩And as a thrifty Gardi ner, which is loath to see one Rose leaf to fall from the stalk without stilling; so the Christian soul is unwilling to pass, or to stifle the beds of spices in the Garden of Christ, without gathering some fruit, Cant. 6. which contain a mystery and hidden virtue, and our Camphire clusters in the Vineyards, of Engedie, Cant. 1. must bear solved into drops, by the Still of Meditation, or else they may be noted for weeds in the Herbal of men, which hath his full of all kinds, ⟨image 5⟩but some are slightly passed over, as the watery herbs of vanity, which grow on every wall of carnal mens hearts, and yield but a slight taste how good the Lord is, or should be to their souls: It therefore behoveth us first to mind the tokens of his mercy and love, and afterwards for the helping of our weak digestion to champ and chew by an often revolution every part and parcel thereof before we let it down into our stomachs, that by that means it may effectually nourish every vein and living artery of ⟨image 5⟩our soul, and fill them full with the pure blood of Christs body, the least drop whereof refresheth, & cheereth the soul and body of him which is in a swoon through his sin, and maketh him apt to walk and talk, as one who is now living in Christ.
As sweete spices yeeld small savour, untill they are beaten to powder, so the wonderfull workes of God are either, not at all, or ⟨image 4⟩very slightly smelt in the nostrils of man, who is of a dull sense, unlesse they be rubbed and chased in the minde, through a fervent affection, and singled out with a particuler view, like them which tell money, who looke not confusedly at the whole heape, but at the valew of every parcell: So then a true Christian must endeavour himselfe to deliver not in grosse, but by retaile the millions of Gods mercy to his soule, in secret thoughts, chewing the cud of every Circumstance, with continuall Contemplation. ⟨image 4⟩And as a thriftie Gardi ner, which is loath to see one Rose leafe to fall from the stalke without stilling; so the Christian soule is unwilling to passe, or to stifle the beds of spices in the Garden of Christ, without gathering some fruit, Cant. 6. which containe a mystery and hidden vertue, and our Champhire clusters in the Vineyards, of Engedie, Cant. 1. must bere solved into droppes, by the Still of Meditation, or else they may be noted for weedes in the Herball of men, which hath his full of all kindes, ⟨image 5⟩but some are slightly passed over, as the watery herbes of vanity, which grow on every wall of carnall mens hearts, and yeeldbut a slight taste how good the Lord is, or should be to their soules: It therefore behoveth us first to mind the tokens of his mercy and love, and afterwards for the helping os our weake digestion to champe and chew by an often revolution every part and parcell thereof before we let it downe into our stomackes, that by that meanes it may effectually nourish every veine and living artery of ⟨image 5⟩our soule, and fill them full with the pure blood of Christs body, the least drop wherof refresheth, & chereth the soule and body of him which is in a swound through his sinne, and maketh him apt to walke and talke, as one who is now living in Christ.
