countries, all being within three months, or thereabouts.

Qu. It is said that compositions of honey, as mead, do ripen, and are most pleasant in the great colds.

The frosts with us are casual, and not tied to any months, so as they are not merely caused by the recess of the sun, but mixed with some inferior causes. In the inland of the northern countries, as in Russia, the weather for the three or four months of November, December, January, February, is constant, viz. clear and perpetual frost, without snows or rains.

There is nothing in our region, which by approach of a matter hot, will not take heat by

transition or excitation.

There is nothing hot here with us, but is in a kind of consumption if it carry heat in itself; for all fired things are ready to consume, chafed things are ready to fire, and the heat of mens' bodies needeth aliment to restore.

The transition of heat is without any imparting of substance, and yet remaineth after the body heated is withdrawn; for it is not like smells, for they leave some airs or parts not like light, for that abideth not when the first body is removed, not unlike to the motion of the load-stone, which is lent without adhesion of substance; for if the iron be filed where it was rubbed, yet it will draw or turn.

THE CHARACTERS OF A BELIEVING CHRISTIAN, IN PARADOXES AND SEEMING

CONTRADICTIONS.

1. A CHRISTIAN is one that believes things his reason cannot comprehend; he hopes for things which neither he nor any man alive ever saw he labours for that which he knoweth he shall never obtain; yet in the issue, his belief appears not to be false; his hope makes him not ashamed; his labour is not in vain.

2. He believes three to be one, and one to be three; a Father not to be elder than his son; a Son to be equal with his Father; and one proceeding from both to be equal with both; he believing three persons in one nature, and two natures in

one person.

3. He believes a Virgin to be a Mother of a Son; and that very Son of hers to be her Maker. He believes him to have been shut up in a narrow room, whom heaven and earth could not contain. He believes him to have been born in time, who was and is from everlasting. He believes him to have been a weak child carried in arms, who is the Almighty; and him once to have died, who only hath life and immortality in himself.

4. He believes the God of all grace to have been angry with one that hath never offended him;

and that God, that hates sin, to be reconciled to himself, though sinning continually, and never making or being able to make him satisfaction. He believes a most just God to have punished a most just person, and to have justified himself though a most ungodly sinner. He believes himself freely pardoned and yet a sufficient satisfaction was made for him.

5. He believes himself to be precious in God's sight, and yet loaths himself in his own. He dares not justify himself even in those things wherein he can find no fault with himself, and yet believes God accepts him in those services wherein he is able to find many faults.

6. He praises God for his justice, and yet fears him for his mercy. He is so ashamed as that he dares not open his mouth before God; and yet he comes with boldness to God, and asks him any thing he needs. He is so humble as to acknowledge himself to deserve nothing but evil; and yet believes that God means him all good. He is one that fears always, yet is as bold as a lion. He is often sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; nany times complaining, yet always giving thanks. He is the most lowly-minded, yet the greatest aspirer; most contented, yet ever craving.

7. He bears a lofty spirit in a mean condition; when he is ablest he thinks meanest of himself. He

is rich in poverty, and poor in the midst of riches. He believes all the world to be his, yet he dares take nothing without special leave from God. He covenants with God for nothing, yet looks for a great reward. He loseth his life and gains by it; and whilst he loseth it, he saveth it.

8. He lives not to himself, yet of all others he is most wise for himself. He denieth himself often, yet no man loveth himself so well as he. He is most reproached, yet most honoured. He hath most afflictions, and most comforts.

9. The more injury his enemies do him, the more advantages he gains by them. The more he forsakes worldly things, the more he enjoys them.

10. He is the most temperate of all men, yet fares most deliciously; he lends and gives most freely, yet he is the greatest usurer; he is meek towards all men, yet inexorable by men. He is the best child, husband, brother, friend; yet hates father and mother, brother and sister. He loves all men as himself, yet hates some men with a perfect hatred.

11. He desires to have more grace than any man hath in the world, yet is truly sorrowful when he seeth any man have less than himself; he knoweth no man after the flesh, yet gives all men their due respects; he knoweth if he please man he cannot be the servant of Christ, yet for Christ's sake he

pleaseth all men in all things. He is a peacemaker, yet is a continual fighter, and an irrecon

ciliable enemy.

12. He believes him to be worse than an infidel that provides not for his family, yet himself lives and dies without care. He accounts all his superiors, yet stands stiffly upon authority. He is severe to his children because he loveth them; and by being favourable unto his enemy, he revengeth himself upon him.

13. He believes the angels to be more excellent creatures than himself, and yet counts them his servants. He believes that he receives many good things by their means, and yet he neither prays for their assistance, nor offers them thanks, which he doth not disdain to do to the meanest Christian.

14. He believes himself to be a king, how mean soever he be; and how great soever he be, yet he thinks himself not too good to be a servant to the poorest saint.

15. He is often in prison yet always at liberty: a freeman though a servant. He loves not honour amongst men, yet highly prizeth a good name.

16. He believes that God had bidden every man that doth him good, to do so; he yet of any man is the most thankful to them that do aught for him. He would lay down his life to save the soul of his