children. I may say of him, as St. Ambrose said of Theodosius the Emperor, Non totus recessit, reliquit nobis liberos, in quibus eum debemus agnoscere, et in quibus eum cernimus et tenemus : he is not all gone, he hath left us a good portion of himself behind in his sons, in whom we may yet see him, and hold him. I shall not wish any one of them the double portion of their father's spirit, but rather that they may be, as indeed they are, all co-heirs thereof.

For his works, I hope with reverence I may lawfully say of them, as the Psalmist doth of God's, that they all praise him, because all men praise them. At least I may say, as the Spirit doth in the Apocalypse, Blessed is the dead that died in the Lord, for he resteth from his labours, and his works follow him. Blessed is he, because his works, that is, the reward of them, follow him; and we are blessed, because they are left behind him. That which Nazianzen said of Basil's works, may truly be said of this man's; επει και τα παρεργα του ανδρος των πονουμένων ετεροις πολυ τιμιοτερα και tepipaveσtepa: his by-businesses, HIS OCCASIONAL MEDITATIONS, are more precious than the elaborate works of other men.

For his body, that is already laid up in his dormitory, without the honourable ceremony of embalming, which Israel had. (Gen. 1. 2.) But though he wanted that, and other ceremonies of deserved honour, which his own humility and the envy of the times denied him, yet doth he not want that which the wise man saith is better than a precious oil or ointment, (Eccles. vii. 1.) namely a good name. For I may say of this man's name, as the Spouse speaks of the name of her Beloved, that it is an ointment poured forth: (Cant. i. 3.): an ointment that carrieth with it all the excellences of a precious oil; that is, besides the rich ingredients wherewith it is substantially compounded; these three accidental qualities too, of a fragrant and far-spreading odor or scent, the gentle and pleasing lævor or smoothness, the bright shining nitor or lustre.

My task at this time hath been to break a small box of ointment to pour upon his feet; and I hope there is nobody will accuse me of any waste, either of my time or my oil; especially considering both were little. If there should be any murmurers, I hope to find them that will excuse me with this apology, saying, I have done a good work upon him, I have done what I could, and done it for his burial. (Mark xiv. 8; Matt. xxvi. 10-12.) And sure we do all well to help to embalm his name, especially since we may

do it at his own cost, for he hath provided the spices in his life. When he lived, his lips dropped myrrh, and his pen the oil of calamus and cinnamon; the smell whereof hath filled the house of God with such perfume, as I hope this age, as ill-scented as it is, will never wear out.

His life was so well acted, as, had not his modesty forbidden it, he might have taken his leave of the world, as Augustus did, with Valete et plaudite, Farewell, and speak well of me.

He is now silent, and so must I be, for the time will not allow me to protract my speech. An angel from heaven hath translated the soul of this angel of the Church, and placed it among the twenty-four elders, which St. John saw about the throne of God: (Rev. iv. 4:) which good interpreters have taken to be a type of the twenty-four chief priests under the law, and of their analogical successors, the bishops of the christian church, attired with a white robe of glory, instead of his earthly rochet; and instead of his crosier, he hath a branch of the peaceful and victorious palm put into his hands; and for his mitre, which fell with the royal crown, (when the time was come that his old master's prophecy was to be fulfilled, No Bishop, no King,) he hath a crown of glory set upon his head. A Pisgah sight he often had of this heavenly Canaan, when he was upon his mount of contemplation; but now he is gotten up to the top of the ladder, and seeth the face of God indeed in the true Peniel.

Methinks now I hear some of you say with Balaam, O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my latter end might be like his! I shall tell you, in a few words, how that may, and I have done.

Follow the steps of his holy life, and the instructions of his godly books; learn of Israel and of this parallel father, to prize the spiritual birthright, above any present fleshly enjoyments, and to wrestle with God for it in prayer: meditate much and often of heaven and heavenly things, as he did; imitate him in his holy vows, and be careful to pay them: follow, I say, the steps of his faith and charity, and you cannot miss of such an end. For as many as walk according to this rule, peace shall be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. AMEN.

TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE,

HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES,

HIS HIGHNESS'S UNWORTHY SERVANT, DEDICATES ALL HIS LABOURS, AND WISHES ALL HAPPINESS.

Most gracious prince,-This work of mine, which, if my hopes and desires fail me not, time may hereafter make great, I have presumed both to dedicate in whole to your highness, and to parcel out in severals unto subordinate hands. It is no marvel if books have this freedom, when we ourselves can and ought to be all yours, while we are our own and others under you. I dare say, these meditations, how rude soever they may fall from my pen, in regard of their subject are fit for a prince. Here your highness shall see how the great pattern of princes, the King of Heaven, hath ever ruled the world; how his substitutes, earthly kings, have ruled it under him, and with what success either of glory or ruin. Both your peace and war shall find here holy and great examples. And if history and observation be the best counsellors of your youth, what story can be so wise and faithful as that which God hath written for men, wherein you see both what hath been done, and what should be? What observation so worthy as that which is both raised from God, and directed to him? If the propriety which your highness justly hath in the work and author, may draw your princely eyes and heart the rather to these holy speculations, your servant shall be happier in this favour than in all your outward bounty; as one to whom your spiritual progress deserves to be dearer than his own life; and whose daily suit is, that God would guide your steps aright in this slippery age, and continue to rejoice all good hearts in the view of your gracious proceedings. Your highness's humbly devoted servant,

JOSEPH HALL.

The CONTEMPLATIONS were originally published in several small volumes, at various intervals, from the year 1612. This distinction is here preserved, as accounting for the general dedications which occur, independent of the separate dedication of each particular book.-H.

CONTEMPLATIONS.

BOOK I.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THOMAS, EARL OF EXETER,

ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL,

ALL GRACE AND HAPPINESS.

Right Honourable,—I knew I could not bestow my thoughts better than upon God's own history, so full of edification and delight: which I have in such sort endeavoured to do, that I shall give occasion to my reader of some meditations, which perhaps he would have missed. Every help in this kind deserves to be precious. I present the first part to your honour, wherein you shall see the world both made and smothered again: man in the glory of his creation, and the shame of his fall: paradise at once made and lost: the first man killing his seed, the second his brother. If in these I shall give light to the thoughts of my reader, let him with me give the praise to Him from whom that light shone forth to me. To whose grace and protection I humbly commend your lordship, as

Your honour's unfeignedly devoted, in all observance and duty,
JOSEPH HALL.

CONTEMPLATION I.-THE CREATION.

GENESIS I.

WHAT Can I see, O God, in thy creation, but miracles of wonders? Thou madest something of nothing, and of that something, all things. Thou, which wast without a beginning, gavest a beginning to time, and to the world in time. It is the praise of us men if, when we have matter, we can give fashion: thou gavest a being to the matter, without form; thou gavest a form to that matter, and a glory to that form. If we can but finish a slight and imperfect matter according to a former pattern, it is the height of our skill: but to begin that which never was, whereof there was no example, whereto there was no inclination, wherein there was no possibility of that which it should be, is proper only to such power as thine; the infinite power of an infinite Creator: with us, not so much as a thought can arise without some matter; but here with thee, all matter arises from nothing. How easy is it for thee to repair all out of something, which couldst thus fetch all out of nothing! Wherein can we now dis