Againe , when some told him of his mother and his brethren , desiring to speake with him , he tooke occasion from the mention of his earthly kindred to instruct us in the spirituall kindred , that is betweene him and every good Christian . It was told him by certain , which said , Thy mother and thy brethren stand without , desiring to see thee . And hee answered and said unto them , My mother and my brethren are these , which heare the word of God and doe it . Luke 8.20 , 21.

And againe , when the woman of Samaria came to draw water out of Iacobs Well ; out of this accident he fetcheth occasion to instruct her in the living water , that would refresh her soule unto eternall life . There commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water : Iesus saith unto her , give me to drinke . — Then said the woman ; how is it that thou being a Iew , askest drink of me , which am a woman of Samaria ? — Iesus answered and said unto her ; If thou knewest the gift of God , and who it is that saith to thee , Give me to drinke ; thou wouldest have asked of him , and he would have given thee living water . — Of which water whosoever drinketh , shal never thirst : but the water that I shall give him , shall bee in him a well of water , springing up into everlasting life . Ioh. 4.7 , 9 , 14.

And yet againe , when the people followed after him , that they might eate of his bread ; he taketh occasion from their desire of earthly meate , to instruct them concerning the bread of life . When the people came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus — Iesus answered them and said , verily , verily I say vnto you , Ye seeke mee , not because you saw the miracles , but because ye did eat of the loaves , and were filled . Labour not for the meate which perisheth , but for that meate , which endureth to everlasting life . Iohn 6.26 , 27.

Thus our Saviour by a constant custome , taketh occasion by the words that are spoken , and occurrences that happen in the world , to raise mens thoughts from earth to heaven : and from things that concerne this life to teach them spirituall lessons for obtaining of eternal life . By which practice of his , hee lifteth up men to heaven , while they remaine upon earth ; and breedeth in them heavenly mindednesse , while they are occupied about their worldly businesse . And this being his constant practice who is the wisdome of his father ; it proveth the truth of my conclusion , that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things .

II. The same point is further proved by the helps that we may receive from it towards holinesse and an happy life . In which kinde I may reckon these that follow .

1. It will make every creature that we see , and every occurrence that wee meet with in the world , to serve us as Schoolemasters to lead us unto Christ ; and as a Monitor to remember us of some duty . The meat on our tables will teach us the necessity of the meate that never perisheth ; and our hungring after that will admonish us how wee should desire the food of Gods word , that we may grow and bee strengthned in grace by it . The clothes we put on , will remember us of putting on the Lord Iesus , and of the glorious robes of righteousnesse , with which Gods children are adorned . The tender affection which we shew to our children ; will bring to remembrance the great love of our heavenly father towards his sons and daughters . The duty and service that wee require of our servants , will tell us , what greater duty we owe to our Lord in heaven : and their failings towards us , will remember us of many defects of our owne in Gods service , and of our rebellions against his commandments .

And the like may be said of all other the like occasions and occurrences : so that not a crumme of bread , nor a corne of salt , nor a drop of drinke , but as they serve to refresh nature , so they may serve also to increase and confirme grace in us . And all the creatures will have not onely a naturall use for this life ; but also a spirituall use towards eternall life and the happinesse of the world to come .

2. This practice of gathering holy meditations from worldly occurrences will help to preserve us from abusing the creatures in a sinfull sort . Hee that when he eateth his meate for refreshing of his body , shall think withall , Yea , but how much more necessary and comfortable is the food of Gods word to the famished soule ? will not likely abuse the creatures to surfetting and excesse . And hee that when he putteth on his best clothes ; shall think , Yea , but how much more glorious are the garments of righteousnesse and the fine linnen and silkes , with which the Saints are adorned ? that man or that woman will not likely be proud of a silk gowne , or a gold ring , or a beaver hat , or an imbroidered petticoate , or any thing , that fine minions take pride in . And if a man while he is labouring in his Trade , shall think ; Yea , but how much more paines should I take to enrich my soule with the treasures of Gods grace ? that man will not have the heart to dishonour God by dishonest gaine . And if a man , when hee exacteth diligent and daily labour from his apprentice or servants , and chideth them , if they be slack in his service ; shall think with himselfe , Yea , but how much more justly may God require all obedience at my hands , and chide and chasten mee for my great slothfulnesse in serving him ? that man will never rule over his servants with rigor , nor oppresse them with too much work , or too little meate . And the like is true in all other the like cases . And by this meanes we shall be kept from a sinfull abuse of the creatures , which otherwise would bee a great hinderance to our happinesse and a blessed life .

3. The same practice will bee a meanes to season our hearts with heavenly mindednesse , even while wee are going about our worldly occasions . If wee should at any time forget God and our countrey that is above ; every occurrence in this life would remember us of the life to come . When we are at worke in our shops , or sit downe to eate at our boards , or lie downe to rest on our beds , or walk out to take ayre in the fields ; and whersoever we are , and whatsoever we doe ; some accident or other would befall us in our way , that would present good thoughts to our mindes and memories . And by this meanes we should have our conversation in heaven , while we are upon the earth ; as the Apostle speaketh : or , as a learned Writer phraseth it , we should have an heaven upon earth : and so in good part we should even in this life enjoy that happinesse , which we expect and desire fully to possesse in the life to come .

These are the proofes : the uses follow .

Vse 1. This detecteth the folly & preposterous course of worldlings , who usually goe the quite contrary way . The right way , & that which our Lord directeth us to by his example , is , that we use the creatures to bring us unto God : but these men use God and his service to bring themselves to their desires in the world . Such men I meane , who shew great for wardnesse in religion , that they may compasse their worldly ends . They pray , and they professe , and they heare Sermons , and they entertaine Preachers : but their praying , and their professing , and their hearing , and their honouring of Preachers , are but as so many stalking horses under which they lie hid , till they have caught the prey . It is but a fable ( but the moral of it is an evident truth ; ) which wise men tell us of a fishermans sonne . They say of him that he put himselfe into a Monastery , and there lived as a poore Monke : but being of good parts by nature , and thriving well in his studies , was for his well-deserving advanced to bee the Abbot of the Monastery . Which place of dignity when he had obtained , hee , in acknowledgment of his poore beginnings , and to remember himselfe whose sonne he was ; caused a net to be spred upon his table-cloth , whensoever hee went to meate . Afterward , for his vertues he was thought fit to be a Bishop ; and then was advanced to bee a Cardinal . And still in humility , and in thankfulnesse to God , the net was every day spred upon his table . And by this meanes he gained such an op nion of humility and holinesse , that men thought him not onely worthy of the preferments which he had , but even of farre greater ; and so in conclusion he was chosen to be Pope . In which place he lived as a great Lord , but forbore to spread the net any longer . And being asked the reason , he answered , that now the fish was taken for which he had spred the net all this while : meaning , that now he had gotten the preferment , at which he had still aimed . Beloved brethren , I suppose ye wil laugh at the devise : and some men perhaps will be the better pleased with it , because it was framed of a Clergyman . But shall I tell you what the Poet said in a like case ? [ Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur : ] Change but the name , and the fable fitteth your selves . It is not only meant of Scribes and Pharisees and such hypocriticall Preachers , who devoure widdowes and mens houses too under a shew of zealous preaching . But it is meant of hypocriticall professors also , who scarse ever open their eyes , save when they looke up to heaven : but it is that they may be thought to be holy & devout men , & such as mind nothing but heavenly things . And it is meant of covetous professors , who frequent sermons , and pray with their families , and set up Lectures abroad , and talk nothing but Scripture phrase : and all this , that they may draw customers to their shops , or hook-in other mens estates into their hands , and breake with the more advantage . And it is meant of ambitious professors , who talk still in a popular language , and speak for the good of their countrey , and finde fault with the errors in our government , and like zealous Patriots indeed , take part with the Commoners against their Alderman , and with the subjects against their Soveraigne ; and all that they may steale the hearts of the multitude , and by their voices and votes bee chosen into some place of honour , to which they doe aspire . Against all these , and all others , who pretend religion , and intend their owne ends , was this fable devised . They are the men that spread the net , till the fish be taken ; and more then that , they minde not . And of all these I say , they take a foolish and preposterous course , because they make religion to serve for worldly ends ; whereas all worldly things should serve the advancement of religion .

Vse 2. This is of great use for all them , who would serve God in sincerity . For it teacheth them how to gaine zeale and good affections towards God ; not onely by hearing of sermons and reading of Scriptures , and using a constant course in all holy duties ; but even by the ordinary occurrences that they meete with in the world . If they follow this course , and make use of it , they may grow in grace , and gaine holy affections , while they are in their shops , and while they walk in the streetes , and while they conferre with their friends , and while they either think or do any thing by themselves . And this I suppose may bee a sufficient motive , to perswade us to this practice . And for our better direction in the right use of it , learned men have prescribed us some rules , and holy men have left us some examples ; in whose steps if wee shall tread , we may gaine the like comfort that they have done .

1. And first for rules : Ludovicus Vives , a man renowned as well for piety as learning , among other learned workes of his , hath published a Treatise , which hee calleth Excitationes animi ad Deum ; that is , The liftings up of the soule unto God . In this book he prescribeth us rules of meditation and prayer upon every incidentall occasion : for example , when we awake out of sleep in a morning , and finde our selves refreshed by our rest ; then hee biddeth us think , how joyfull and blessed a thing it will be , to bee raised up to eternall life , after our sleeping in the grave ; and to pray withall , that as God hath raised our bodies from their sleep , that wee may do the works of this life ; so hee would raise up our soules from the sleep of sin , that we may do the works of piety and a godly life . And when wee are going on a journey ; then we should think , that our life here is a pilgrimage on earth , in which we are separated from our owne countrey and our dearest friends , that is , from heaven ; and the blessed soules that be there ; and then wee should pray , that God will teach us to live here as pilgrims and strangers , that are travelling toward a better countrey , and that our conversation may be in heaven , while our bodily mansion is on earth . And when we see a candle lighted in the evening , to be a comfort against the dismall darknesse of the night ; that then we should think , how necessary the knowledge of Gods word is , which is a light to our eyes , and lanterne to our feete : and pray withall , that God would keep this candle still shining before us , that wee may know how to serve him aright . The like rules of good thoughts and prayers he prescribeth us , when we put on our clothes , when we go out of doores , when we sit down to meate , when we prepare to bedward , and upon other the like occasions ; leaving us no part of the day , nor no occasion of our life , without some holy thoughts , that may make us like to the Saints , that be in heaven . This book of Vives and the meditations and prayers contained in it , that worthy Martyr M. Bradford hath translated , or the greatest part of them into our English tongue , and hath presented them to the view of the world , in a book of his , called Bradfords Meditations and prayers . And after him , M Henry Bull , who hath gathered together many sweete flowers of such like devotion , hath also , for the benefit of his countrey-men printed these meditations and prayers among the rest . There , if ye please , yee may reade them : and I dare say , if ye reade them with attention and care , you will not think your labour either lost or ill bestowed . Besides these books , there is one also of late yeares , penned by a reverend and learned Prelate of our Church , called Occasionall Meditations . In it you are directed how on ordinary and triviall occasions , yee may raise up your thoughts to heaven-ward . But that book I suppose , is in the hands of most men : and the known worth of the Author will sufficiently commend it to their reading . I onely will say thus much , that who so shall peruse these books , and make use of them accordingly ; I doubt not , but he will finde in them good helps to heaven , and great comfort to his soule . And so I leave the Rules .

2. The examples , that I make choise of for this purpose , are two .

1. Examp. The first of one Pambo , an ancient and religious man . Of him * * Socrat. hist. l. 4 c. 18. pag. 660. Rosw . de vitis Patrum l. 3. num. 164 pag. 524. v. etiam l. 1. c. 3. in vita S. Pelagiae . pa. 377. de Nonno Episcopo . Socrates reporteth , that seeing a light woman finely tricked up , and sumptuously adorned , that shee might please , and allure lovers unto her , hee burst out into teares , and being asked why he wept , he gave these two reasons for it . 1. because he saw in what miserable state that woman was in ; it grieved him that so goodly a creature of Gods making , should be in so ready a way to hell and destruction : and 2. because , said he , I do not take so much paines to please my good God , as she doth to please sinfull men . This example if we wil follow , we may make use of it divers wayes for our good : namely thus ; when we see a Porter sweating under his burden , that he may earne a poore wages ; we may check our own dulnesse , who are so soone weary of labouring for an eternall Kingdome ; that we grudge to spend a quarter of an houre in prayer , or a whole houre in hearing of Gods word , or a day in abstinence and fasting for our sins . For what a shame is it that a labouring man should willingly take so much paines for a tester or a shilling , when we think so little paines to be overmuch for obtaining of eternall life and the Kingdome of heaven ? And when we see a Shopkeeper abridge himself of his meate and of his sleep , that hee may attend his customers and make gaine of his trading ; wee may justly blame our selves for our backwardnesse in Gods service , and that we cannot abridge our selves in our eating and in our sleeping and in our sporting and in our clothing , that wee may bee the fitter and more expedite for good duties and for the Kingdome of God . And when we see a man that taketh physick , fast aforehand , and after the taking of it , to content himselfe with a thin supping , that the medicine may work the better ; wee may think every man with himselfe , what a foole am I , that on the Lords day , when God prepareth and giveth me physick for my soule , I do so fill my stomach with meate , and my head with strong drink , as maketh my selfe unfit for Gods service , and my praying , and hearing and reading unprofitable for my soule ? And when wee see men and women look themselves in the glasse every day , that they may carie with them no spots or deformity in their faces , that may shame them when they goe abroad among men : wee should accuse our shamelesse security in matters of our soules , and that we doe not examine our consciences and look our soules in the glasse of Gods Law , that there bee no deformity in our lives , that may shame us before God and his Angels . I might make many such applications of Pamboes practice to our selves , and gather such collections to shame our selves for our indevotion and want of feeling : but out of these there is direction enough for them that are willing to make use of it ; & too much for them , who shal despise it .