This behold-therefore discouereth our defect in beholding , we haue need of as many 〈◊〉 as we haue dayes or houres , euery minute wee receiue , few looke backe to the giuer : the tracts of Gods benefits to●…ards vs are as Omnia te aduersum spectantia . the feete of the beasts to the Lions den , all looke towards vs b●…t non●… backe 〈◊〉 ; we receiue of him what we haue and are , he clothed vs , we feede at his vniuersall ordinary , but like shifting theeuish customers wee must bee followed with an ecce , you haue not payed .

Moses acknowledged there were no people vnder Deut. 47. 32. 33. the heauens , more blessed then Israel . Dauid sayd he had Ier. 2. 6. not dealt so with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : yet they sayd not where is the Deut. 9 13. Lord that brought vs 〈◊〉 of the la●…d of Egypt ? but were an Isai. 1. 2. obslinate , a 〈◊〉 people ; no wonder if the heauens Psal. 19. 1 , Et olim iam dictum est , & assiduè etiam nunc dicitur cognouit bos . Basil. proem . de i●…dicio dei . are called to witnesse , ( they declare the glory of God ) and the earth , for all creatures in their kinde are thankefull ; giue the beasts they will know thee , the oxe , the tu●…tle , the storke , all shall iudge man : giue the very earth it will bee abundantly thankefull ; giue man , you must giue him an ecce , heauen , earth , all creatures hold their courses ▪ man onely is exorbitant .

Christ did many wonders for the Iewes : see the vse they made of it , and by their error , we shall discouer our way ; some vnthankfully neglect him , some malitiously Deut 32. 6. persecute him . O foolish people and 〈◊〉 , do ye so reward the Psa●…m . 78. 25. Lord ? againe , I fed them with Ma●…na , with water also out of the stonie rocke . I say abridgeth all , 〈◊〉 could haeue beene Isai. 5. done more that I haue not done ? See their requitall , They gaue mee gall to eate , when I was thirstie they gaue mee vineger to Psal. 78 : 〈◊〉 : drinke : their vineger was sharpe to his sence , their vnthank●…ulnesse was more distastfull to his soule ; vnthankfulnesse was condemned and punished with death among the heathens : what wonder then if it be euer hat●…full to God and men ; no vnkindnesse so bitter as where our well meaning loues bids vs looke for loue againe .

All this commendeth to our vse Dauids 〈◊〉 quie , praise the Lord O my soule . How often falleth that sweete Psal. 103. Chorus and bearing to his heauenly song ; O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse , and declare the wonders that hee doth for the children of men . All good men are thankefull . Dauid had tasted of his mercy , and Psal. 116. pre●…ently sayth , Quidretribuam ? What shall ●… render ? The heart of a good man is like the image in a glasse , with eyes euer fixed on the eye which beholdeth them , 〈◊〉 Gods eye falleth on his miseries , his looketh vp to Gods mercies . There are many reasons for it . First , God giueth freely , and Gratiarum de cursus cessat vbi recursus non fuerit it . Bern. in cap. Fe●…an . serm. 1. onely expecteth ou●… thankes , not that they can benefite him , but that he might giue more . Secondly , the course of grace stoppes where is no recourse of gratitude . Thirdly , that perisheth which is done for vnthankefull men , by which meanes , they are not onely , not bettered by the good they receiue , but made worse by all they haue . Fourthly , the Saints remember they are the sonnes of God , and his deere children : and the greater bands of loue , the more 〈◊〉 ingratitude . It was not mine enemy saith the Psalmist , for then I could haue borne it : but that a familiar friend had done him dishonour , is the very strength and summe enforcing the iustnesse of his complaint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou my sonne , sayd Caesar , Brutus poynard of Sueton. all the conspirators was dipped in the Serpents gall : for Non quia iniuriam patitur irasc itur sed quia tu secisti Chrysost. the adopted sonnes of God to sinne is to grieue the holy spirit of God . It was not so much the Rom●…n lance , not so much the spitefull 〈◊〉 which cryed crucifige , which piersed Iesus sides , as that cursed abstract sinne , with it wee Heb. 6. crucifie againe the Lord of life , at this he cryeth , and thou one Nimis durus est qui dilectio nem si nolit impendere nolit rependere . of the twelue . He hath a stony heart who neither can loue fir●…t nor requite the louing : to render good for euill is an action diuine ; to 〈◊〉 good for good humane , to repay euill for euill , brutish ; but to recompen●…e euill for good is diuellish .

Vnthankefulnesse is the very center to which all these blacke lines of sinne are drawne ; euery sinne is an ingratitude against God , by so much more detestable , by how much greater Gods goodnesse . Whence it is not hard to gather , that of all Gods creatures , the Deuill is most vnthankfull , and wicked men next . Behold therefore what thou doest , and thou shalt see what cause thou hast to be thankfull , it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull ; He is very vniust who is not thankefull .

The third Ecce is a Remembrancer . Most men are ●… : Ecce recordationis . large in vowes and intents , but of vnfaithfull memories : you shall haue many with Iacobs vowes , in Iacobs estate , beginning his Pilgrimage , then they dreame of a Ladder to Heauen , thinke of the wayes of God , but with their two Droues find no leysure for Bethel , the House of God : if they haue this Ecce of remembrance , it is but as that fraudulent Votarie sacrificed his almond shels in stead of halfe his vowed gaines , as much time as they esteeme cast away .

Wonderfull were the mercies of God vpon the House of Israel , then sang Moses and Miriam , but they suddenly forgat his 〈◊〉 : the sweet Singer of Israel hath abridged the storie , He was so mercifull , he forgaue their misdeeds , Psal. 78. 12. many a time turned he his wrath away , many a time did they prouoke him , they thought not of his Hand , and the day wherein he deliuered them . So yong Samuel sleeping in the Tabernacle , answered Gods calls for the present , but presently fell asleepe againe : therefore God often awakeneth , often remembreth . It is true with man there are a burdensome kind of Benefactor●… , which do not so much speak of their benefits because they haue done them , as do them that they Plin. sec. l. ●… . ep. Pomp. Saturn . might speak of them : these but purchase hate with a price .

The Antients painted friendship extending both hands , one giuing , the other receiuing , she euer looking toward the receiuing hand . It is for giuers to forget , & receiuers to remember ; but our infirmitie requireth Gods frequent vpbraidings : therfore saith Ambrose on these words , I pardon , De Poenitent . l. 2. c. 6. and remember not iniquitie ; but doe thou remember , I recount not what I haue forgiuen , but remember , that thou mayest amend . Boast not thy selfe as if thou wert innocent , lest thou proue more guilty , the more thou 〈◊〉 thy selfe . God appointed first fruit ▪ offrings of this Ecce of Remembrance to be performed with this recognition , I acknowledge Deu , 16. 1 , 2 , 3. this day vnto the Lord , that I am come into the countrey which the Lord sware vnto our Fathers for to giue vs ; a Syrian was my father , who being 〈◊〉 to perish for hunger , went downe into Aegypt , and 〈◊〉 there with a small companie , & grew there into a Nation : and now loe I haue brought the first fruits of the land which thou hast giuen me . How often doth God looke on mens aduersitie , and labour , ease their shoulders from the burdens ? how often doth he exchange their despised care , carefull penury , for fauours , honours , riches , fruitfull possessions ; but where are our firstfruit-offerings ? How many doth he restore to health ? I say not , Where are the other nine ? but where is the one man of ten , of an hundred , which remembreth himselfe to come back to God ? Betwixt these two limits of weale and woe , the distance is like the passage to Elizium , there is a Let●…e by the way , whose sleepy waters once tasted , we soone forget , not only a Syrian was my father , but euen our first fruits , our acknowledgement of Gods mercy . Messala forgot his own name , say the Historians ; saith not our experience the like ? we haue our Messala's , who in the Land of Promise soone forget their name , deriued from their hungry Syrian father . I must say more , we are all Messala's , & in the violence of sins lethargie forget the excellent Name ? nay , nature of man : all creatures were made for man , & whereas they haue only foure muscles to turne their eyes round about , prone to the earth , man hath a fift , to pull his towards Heauen ; yet man more forgetfull then all , must often be put in mind of Gods benefits .

The righteous God hath so done his maruellous works , that they ought to be had in remembrance : God deliuereth , and only saith as Ioseph , Remember me when it shall be Gen. 40. 14 , 23 well with thee , yet Ioseph i●… forgotten ; the danger is , we will not then doe well when we are well . God chargeth the Israelites that they should not then forsake him , when Exod. 10. 17. they came to the fruitfull p●…ssessions . Hee that is in any great danger cryeth with Pharaoh , Take away from mee this death onely . He that is in a stresse at sea will call on God and rouze vp o●…hers like Ionahs Marriners . He that is vnder the Crosse s●…ith , as the thiefe on the Crosse , Lord remember me ? He that is si●…ke , perhaps hath learned of Dauid , all the d●… and all the night to call vpon God . He that is poore and selleth his pittie , mouing plaints for bread sendeth out the name of God before euery petition : there is no danger of his memory now ; but take him , take all these laden with Gods bountie , when of all times a man would thinke they cannot now forget God , hauing their hands full of his benefits , and then Ioseph is forgotten ; then they finde no time to thinke of God : so some men like the Siphius naturally soft , are hardned with oyle . Others like dishonest debtors , the more they owe , the more they shun the presence of their creditor As our eyes too neere ●…he obiect cannot see it , there must bee a proportionable ●…istance , so when Gods blessings are euen vpon vs , then we are in danger not to see them . God therefore often ta●…eth them from vs a while , that we may learne to w●…igh by want , who could not by possessing them . The Lynx Hi●…ron . Plin. de lupis grega rijs l. 8. c. 22. hath excellent eyes , but so bad a memory , that but looking backe he forgetteth what he pursued : such are we in ●…ffliction q●…icke sighted , but if we looke backe on prosperi●…ie we forget all : ●…ew dayes we keepe in memory deliuerances from mise●…ies some yeares old . No wonder if ●…od often beat vs treuant like non proficients , long lear●…ing soone forgetting : dull and fraile memori●…s must bee ●…olpen with frequent repetitions : therefore he humbled ●…srael he telleth the cause , remember the Lord thy God , if Deut 〈◊〉 . ●…hou forget , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day you shall surely perish : if euer ●…orgetfulnesse deserue the rod , it is when we remember ●…ot the Lord , he neuer forgetteth vs , in the corne , in the fruites of the earth whilst we sleepe , or thinke not of him , he neuer forgetteth vs ▪ our fields ●…elvs we must remember him , our houses , garments , children , health , peace , all creatures , cry remember your Creator ; amidst so many remembrancers , it were many shames to forget God .

Some excuse themselues by the fraylty of their memory , yet forget not their losses , their paines : you shall haue some man lament the losse of one tooth twentie times , who neuer had it in his heart to thanke God for many other left , for his hands , legs , or eyes : is the losse of one limme so great , are not the vse and integritie of many worth thankes ? Some fault their age , yet forget not their treasure : our delights are our memories darling , can a mother forget her child ?

Others challenge Nature of partiality , yet without a tutor remember iniuries . Memory the soules Notary registreth wronges in Marble , fauours in Ice , which the least warmth of prosperity dissolueth . Long we remember euils , benefit●… not long : our minds are Lymbecks , anger Antisthen . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. l. 6. the fire , all goodnesse is soone distilled , we onely retaining the vselesse dregs , in which , his art of forgetting were worth all our time : it is a sure marke of an vnsanctified memory , to be forgetfull of all but that we should forget : such is the vnthankefull mans mind ; as hee sayde of his gout , would I worke ? I haue no hands : would I walke ? Dole●…dum est & manus & pedes habeo . I haue no feete : must I smart ? paine findeth me hands and feete . For God , he hath no memory at home ; for sinne , for the world his wits are euer about him . But is thy memory indeed broken and vnfaithfull ? vse it like a bankerout , giue no day but enforce present payment : deferre not a day to be thankefull , lest after many faire warnings , a worse euill arrest thee a carelesse debtor . If this ecce hath remembred you ; another attendeth to comfort you , which 2. ●…m. 18. 27 commeth as Dauid sayd of Abimaaz with good tidings .

This ecce is de●…iued from the foregoing three , we could 4. Ecce consolationis . not be disconsolate , if we knew , acknowledged , and remembred what God doth , and hath done for vs .

All the afflictions of the children of God are but healing stripes : I smite and heale ( sayth God ) hee woundeth with infirmitie , but healeth with ●…aith : a sicknesse to health , D●…t 〈◊〉 . 39. as Christ sayd of Lazarus , this sickenesse is not vnto death : Percussit ●…mitate sanauit fide . Ambr. ad Belic . it hath more smart then danger : when Iason Pheraeus friends had giuen him ouer , he found helpe at his enemies hands , whose stroke opening the impostume , onely killed the disease : our sickenesse is but Ias●…ns wound , Plus aculei quam periculi . ib. Medicinam inuenit ex hoste . the ▪ faithfull stripes of a louing God . Therefore are the righteous often called Gods children , babes , little babes : God dealeth with vs like wayward children : we are froward , if we taste affliction , if then God giueth such medicine , he often giueth an ecce of comfort . As if he sayd , bee st●…ll my child it will make thee well againe . Behold thou ar●… healed .

When the Lyonesse fighteth for her whelpes , shee is Vse . obserued to cast her eyes towards the earth , lest she should Plin. l. 8 c. 16. feare the danger of hunters speares : when we are to encounter Ne venabula expauescat . with afflictions , losses , sicknesse , for our dearest soules , we must not looke on the misery so much , not on Sathans fiery iauclins ( they may perhaps affright vs ) as fixe our eyes on heauen , on the mercy of God . Dauid found comfort in it , I will lift vp mine eyes to the hits , euen to God Psal. 121. which made heauen and earth : when betwixt the two armies he was to enter the dangerous lists , his eye was not so much on the ouergrowne champion of Gath , as on the Lord who deliuered him from the pawes of the Lyon and the Beare . We easily faint like cowards at the sight of blood when our memory apprehendeth a present feare , an absent succor , a terror seene , a refuge out of view , a present sicknesse , a san●…tus es to come . Therefore in euery tryall consider not so much what thou sufferest for the present , as what thereby thou shalt enioy for the time to come .

The Thracians for euery good and prosperous day , layd vp a white stone , for an aduerse , a black ; so one day iudged of another , the last of all . It is true of mortall men , none are absolutely happy ; yet he is abundantly happy who cannot finally be vnhappy : perhaps the worldly man iudgeth as the Thracians did calculate , by externals , happy are the people which are in such a case , where there is no complaining in the streetes . Dauid otherwise iudged , happy are the people ( though there bee complaining ) which haue the Lord for their God : hee knew that though the last day made absolutely happy , yet that happinesse is begun from the day wee receiue the one white stone with a new name , our redemption written : from thence wee Reu. 2. 17. must learne to comfort our selues with this , behold wee are healed , what euer wee suffer , it shall worke for our Rom. 8. happinesse .

The Arimaspi were sayd to haue but one eye , and all their businesse to fight for gold . Carnall mens hearts haue but one eye , one thought , and that for riches . Therefore they are comfortlesse in their trials , because they want an eye for heauen , at least this ecce to shake off the scales , and open that they haue , as Dauiel opened his window toward Ierusalem the Citie of God , who saw the comfort through those clouds of feare ●… Saint Stephen saw the Act 7. 56 ▪ same , when nothing but ineuitable execution presented Videte quam oculata sit fides quam lyn●…eos habet oculos . Bern. in Epiph. it selfe to his eyes , then hee witnesseth to the eye lesse faithlesse spectators , Behold I see the heauens open : see how full of eyes is faith , had we Saint Stephens faith , his sight , could we see heauen open to the afflicted , wee should haue his vnmoueable affiance : wee are comfortlesse in our tryals , as Elishas seruant was at first , for want of seeing our comforts .

Antiphon was iudged to haue weake eyes , because hee saw no farre-distant obiects , yet could discerne his own image by the most slender reflection of the ayre : that we●… are so curious sighted to the very appearances of miseries in our selues , not seeing the solid comfort in God , she w●…s we are tender eyed , therfore we often say what Magdalen once , they haue taken away my Lord . In our sorrowes we Iohn 20. know not our Iesus talking with vs : the reason is , because the sense of present euill , hath many doores to giue it entrance into the soule ; the eye , the eare , the taste , all the body is sensible of paine , like Hannibals house full of doores : but vnseene comforts enter through faith the only doore , leading to the doore of life Christ Iesus . So hath mans soule a smal window aboue to receiue light from heauen , but the doore , the passage for earth is of three heights ; the more neede haue we to cleare this little window towards heauen , that we may see the comfort which followeth in the next place .

Health so much differeth from health , that what it is , I Quid sanitas in esse . cannot without distinction describe . Health in it esse and proper being , was that vncorrupt disposition of bodie in mans innocencie , when the foure first qualities in Man , as a Citie 〈◊〉 vnitie in it selfe , by their brotherly 〈◊〉 , fortified him against all assaults of Paines , Aches , Sicknesse , Wearinesse , Decrepednesse , Old Age . Then was no ambition among them : but though they were by their beings contrarie , yet vnited into one being of a right temper , they stroue not , but so 〈◊〉 each other , that the euenly-diuided power kept peace betwixt them all , till the ambitious mind taught them to 〈◊〉 : then Heat and Cold , Moist and Drie , eagerly as it were fighting for soueraignetie , by restlesse ciuill warres ouerthrew Mans body , the little modell of a State , neuer ending their intestine quarrell , till the great Vsurper Death entring through the breach of sinne , surprized all .

Since sinne was borne , a thousand life-killing Maladies Quid sanitas in existere . fore runne , as if they were sworne Harbingers to Death . So that Health in it existence and present being , is assaulted with many Infirmities , Distempers , Surfets , vntimély Accidents , a thousand Gates are set open to Death : And him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael , 1. King . 19. 17. shall Iehu slay , and him that escapeth from the sword of Iehu , shall Elisha slay . If a man liue free of all these ▪ Old Age commeth in the Maine Battaile , with Legions of Diseases ; an vnresistable all-subduing power .

I wonder what . Democritus it was , and in what merrie moode ; how he 〈◊〉 his cares asleepe , how he forgot his first language , or vnderstood not his last adue to the world , when he described a Man to be a Creature apt Homo est animal risibile . to laugh ; Man borne with teares , liuing with sorrow , dying with griefe . Nature ( said one ) which armeth all the Creatures , cast out Man naked in the day of his Natiuitie , to teares and crying . Thus happily borne , he 〈◊〉 natus iacet manibus pedibusque devinctis flens animal caeteris 〈◊〉 , à 〈◊〉 vitam auspicatur . lyeth bound hand and foot a weeping little Master of all the Creatures , beginning his life with punishment . And now Diseases swarme , * * Paenae militant in me . Lyra vices & exercitus contra me Iun. & 〈◊〉 . velut copiae aliae aliis succedentes . Changes and 〈◊〉 are against vs , and as much varietie of Medicines , and those ouercome with nouelties in Diseases , making it a part of sicknesse to perish by skill , it being easier dying of the Pli. l. 7. Proem . Disease , then too much remedie . 〈◊〉 and frayle is mans health ; Few and euill are the dayes of my Pilgrimage , said good Iacob : halfe our life is like death ; as death representeth sleepe , so sleepe death . The vnripe dayes of froward Infancie are hardly to be reputed a life ; wherein though we liue , we thinke not of liuing : neyther of Old Age , the second Childhood , the Age of Sorrow and Care , wherein we haue so little pleasure , as oft we learne Est etiam morbus aliquis per sapientiam mori . Plin. of Ionah to inuite that vn welcome guest Death , that coldhanded last and surest Physician for all Diseases , whom others in vaine striue to rob of some houres possession . Adde to these the sickly houres our stronger yeeres haue told ; how many spent in sinne ( for I can neyther call that health , when eyther the pensiue mind maketh the body sicke , or the pampered body the mind : ) and if the vnhealthie are to be 〈◊〉 ( as one said of Sea-men ) betwixt Ne immortalem in nobis morbum ●…ret . Basil. the liuing and the dead , we shall find , that he who hath reckoned many yeeres , hath liued but few , and those euill . That our dayes are euill , we cause ; that being euill , they are few ; Gods mercy prouideth .

At the best , externall health is but a delaying the maladie for a little time : the Period is set , our liues Glasses euer runne : in our best strength wee decay . Hezekiah may haue fifteene yeeres pieced vnto his life , yet hee must dye : The Heauens may stand still , yet the day Iosh. 10. 13. must end : Lazarus may liue some posthume dayes , yet must come to the Graue againe : The giuer of Natures Lawes onely can dispense with them ; but we run towards our ends , no Age , no Estate , no Place can 〈◊〉 vs .