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A07626
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Quadrivium Sionis or the foure ways to Sion By John Monlas Mr of arts
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Monlas, John.
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1633
(1633)
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STC 18020; ESTC S102304
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90,305
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189
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miserable hearts where they lodge and therefore the ancient Fathers of the Church openly pronounce that the greatest felicity wherein Adam the first modell of mankinde was created was peace of the heart that rest of conscience which hee possessed absolutely within Paradise having no other care or thought but to love his Creator to honour his Conseruator and to adore his God But after that hee was fallen from that state of innocencie by the greatnesse of his fault after that sinne by disobedience had driven away peâ—ce from his heart then you see him in trouble he flieth he hideth himselfe he is afraid of himselfe he covereth his nakednesse with figge leaves he trembleth and dareth not answere to that terrible and fearefull voyce which hee heard walking in the Garden behold the first effects which his sinne brought forth The Royall Prophet David Psalm 85.10 saith Righteousnesse and peace have kissed each other vpon which Saint Augustine discourseth thus Duae sunt amicae justitia pax tu forte unam vis alteram nonfacis nemo enim est qui non velit pacem sed non omnes volunt operari justitiam si amicam pacis non amaveris neque te amabit pax ipsa Righteousnesse and Peace bee two friends thou it may bee desirest the one and wilt not practise the other there bee none but wish for peace but all will not doe righteousnesse if thou love not the friend of peace peace also will not loue thee Iustice with reason is called the mother of peace because it goeth alwayes before and is immediatly followed by it Peace is the worke of justice saith the Prophet Isaiah chap. 32.17 And the Psalmist in the 72. Psalm ver 7. In those dayes righteousnesse shall flourish and abundance of peace And Psalm 119. ver 165. Great peacâ— have they which love thy law From which propositions wee draw this conclusion that to have this peace of conscience it is needfull for us to be just to feare God and to walke exactly in the obseruation of his sacred commandements So contrarily the wicked can have no peace because of the worme of sinne that gnaweth continually their soules as we read Psalm 28.3 Ill lucke and unhappinesse is in their wayes and the way of peace have they not knowne There is no peace for the wicked saith the Lord they thinke neverthelesse that they have this peace when they enjoy their pleasures but this peace lasteth but a moment and like their pleasure is presently followed by an extreame griefe it is lethargick sleepe very dangerous it is a security but it is carnall it is a sleepe but that representeth unto them a thousand apparitions and a thousand strange visions The wicked mans peace is like those fires which by night appeare burning in hills and medowes the which if a man follow they will insensibly leade him into terrible downefalls but the true peace of a good conscience as saith an ancient Author is the title of Religion â—he Temple of Salomon the field of blessing the garden of delights the Angels joy the Arke of the covenant the treasure of the great King the Court of God the Tabernacle of his Sonne the tent of his Spirit the tower of Sion the booke with seaven seales which is to be opened upon that great and fearefull day of judgement Saint Augustine in his Citie of God speaketh thus of it Pax nostra propria hic est cum Deo per fidem in aeternum erit cum illo per speciem talis est paxut solatium miseriae sit potius quam beatitudinis gaudium Our owne peace that is the peace of our hearts is here with God by faith and in eternall life shall it be with him by vision that peace which now we enjoy is but a sparke in respect of that great fire here it suâ—sisteth but by faith then it shall be effected In a word let us say that the peace of conscience is a particular feeling and knowledge that God is pacified with us that he hath blotted out our misdeedes that hee hath cast away our iniquities from before his face like a clowd that wee are no longer under the Kingdome of Satan nor of the flesh but are received in our heavenly Fathers favour like the prodigall child that wee shall dwell in his house all the dayes of our life and there receive those goods joyes and delights which he hath reseruâ—d for his children Hitherto wee have spoken of peace in generall and in particular of politique peace and of the care must bee used to bring it to passe of peace of conscience or with God of the worlds or wicked mans peace that troubleth all them that live not like him now let us speake of that peace which is in our selues and of the vertue of it Among all the perfections wherewith our first Father Adam was adorned during the state of his innocencie mildnesse was one at the sent whereof all living creatures ranne to him to doe him homage and yeeld him obedience Moses in the booke of Numbers is called the debonnaire or gracious for which quality God loved him dearely and for a testimoniall of his love called him to that honourable charge of deliverer Prince and law giver of his people The King and Pâ—ophet David had this vertue in great measure in him for which cause God changing his Sheepheards crooke into a Royall Scepter gave him victory over a world of enemies that rose up continually against him which maketh him to cry out in one of his Psalmes Lord remember David and his mansuetude or clemencie Iâ— the booke of Leviticus God commandeth the Priests to offer him a Lamâ—e without blemish for a peace offering a Lambe is the symbole of mildnesse then according to that command hee that will receive the peace-makers recompence from God must offer him his soule full of gentlenesse and mildnesse The Lambe in the Revelation of all living creatures was onely found worthy to open the booke sealed with seaven seales so among all men the faithfull onely and among the faithfull the meeke shall bee able to open the booke of life there to behold his name written before the foundation of the world The Bridegroome in the Canticles calleth thuâ— his beloved Come my Dove that aâ—t in the clefâ—s of the rocke thy eyes are like Doves eyes and thy cheekes like Turâ—les my Dove is alone and perâ—ect Now it is familiar and common enough that of all creatures Doves arâ— the symbols of mildnesse and meekenesse for it is noted that they have no gall And here to apply these places to our designâ— let us know that the Bridegroome in this epithalamium or marriage song is Iesus Christ himselfe speaking to his Church setting her forth by her lively colours by the pensill of his love shewing us in this comparison of the Dove the perfections wherewith shee is adorned where if wee waigh and consider diligently the force of every word wee shall finde them
The foure wayes to Sion I. The reward of Mercie MATH 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie II. The praise of Purity MATH 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. III. The Crowne of Peace and Concord MATH 5.9 Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God IV. The honour of Obedience 1. PET. 2.7 Feare God and honour the King Quadrivium SIONIS OR The foure Wayes TO SION by John Monlas Mr. of Arts LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes 1633. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND HIS singular good Lord EDVVARD Earle of Dorset Lord Chamberlaine to the Queene Lord Lieutenant of his Majesties Counties of Sussex and Middlesex One of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell and Knight of the most Illustrious Order of the â—arter RIGHT HONOVRABLE THis Pilgrime of Sion having beene beaten with the stormes and tempests of a long persecution beyond the Seas after hee had learnt the sweetnesse and tasted the goodnesse and Debonayritie which makes your Nation and Nobility of England honourable and recommendable to all the foure corners of the Vniverse hee is at last arrived in your Ports and Harbours to shelter himselfe from the waves and windes which so cruelly had beaten and assayled him as they would not permit him either to feede or rest But casting anchor here in your Harbours I finde that Fame hath infinitely wronged her selfe in not having sufficiently discoursed and published the excellencie of your goodnesse and merits Shee seemes to be sparing of your prayses which are so justly due to you For Experience hath now made mee know a thousand times more therof theÌ„ heretofore I heard or understood because I find so much benignity and goodnesse among you and especially your Honours house that I should eâ—teeme my selfe to be guilty of a base ingrâ—titude if I consecrated not the remaynder of my dayes to the honour of your service and commands For I confesse that this small Present which I now present and proffer you cannot counter vaile or equalize those sublime favours whereby you have eternally made me your debter Thâ—se Philosophers which entreat and discourse of naturall causes doe affirme That the Sunne which makes the Raynebowe in the firmament by the darting and defusion of his rayes in a watry clowd disposed to receive it doth there forme and ingender this diversity of colours so pleasing to our sight Your Honour my good Lord is the Sunne of my happinesse and I am this clowd covered with the rayes of your favours which makes all the world admire in me the greatnesse of your Generosity and the excellencie of your goodnes But herein notwithstanding consists not my satisfaction but rather your honour and glory and as I desire to publish that so I likewise desire to finde this For I cannot live contented if I made not a publique acknowledgement of those many favours whereby you have perfectly purchased and made me yours and this Confession consisteth in the oath of fidelity and obedience which I have sworne to the honour of your service and to testifie the the immortality of my vowes wherein with all possible humility I present you my selfe and this small Booke to your Honours feete A worke proportionable to my weakenesse but meerely disproportionable to your Greatnesse If I am any way guilty herein your goodnesse is the true cause thereof in regard it makes me beleeve that you will rather excuse my zeale then accuse or condemne my presumption and I doe promise my selfe this hope and flatter my selfe with this confidence that your Honour will partly excuse this worke of mine if it be not accuratly or delicately polished and that the will remayning where the power wants is free and current payment with great and generous spirits Some perchance may affirme and say that I have discoursed treated those Matters with too much simplicity which indeede is my onely intent and designe Because my text and matter doâ— necessarily oblige and tye me thereunto as also in regard I ever finde the easiest way to be the best for that the thornes of Studie and Schollership doe but ingage and ingulph our Witts in the labyrinth of insupportable length and languishment and the which most commonly when wee have all done and ranne thorowe wee in the end finde but a Minotaur of doubts and a pensive melancholy anxietie which devoures them My Lord I have no other designe or ambition in this my Dedication but to pay this tribute to your Honour hoping that your charities will cover my defects and your goodnesse over-vayle and pardon my weakenesse and imperfections And my Lord it is with all manner of right and reason that I consecrate and inscribe this small Worke of mine to your Honour and place your Honourable name in the Frontispice thereof as a bright Phare and relucent torch which shall communicate and lend its lustre and light to make it see and salute the world And so my good Lord I will seeke my delights in the honour of your service my inclinations shall have no other centre but the execution of your commaunds My vowes and prayers shall bee incessantly powred forth for your prosperities and my Ambition shall never flye or soare higher then to conserue the honour of your favours and to be both to your Honour and to the young Noblemen your Sonnes Your most humble and truly devoted Servant IOHN MONLAS The first Way to Sion THE REVVARD OF MERCIE MATH 5.7 Blâ—ssed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie THat which in men changeth Reason courtesie and humanitie into a wilde fierce and brutish nature and which makes them lesse pittifull then Lyons and more to be feared then Tygers is crueltie that terrible vice the mother of cowardize the spring of disasters and the death of innocencie For after a Coward hath once tasted of blood he delights in no other spectacle It is the cause of mischiefes and of so manie fatall and mournefull accidents for there being a naturall Antipathy betweene that vice and reason shee expells reason and therefore will not hearken unto her in her furious violent and suddaine counsels In a word it is the death of innocencie for to satisfie her bloody appetite shee spareth neither age nor sexe but upon the altar of her furious and brutish passion sacrificeth as well the just as the guilty and would not spare her selfe if shee feared not the selfe same paines and torments which she inflicts on others Now this vice is detested by noble spirits and generous soules is abhorred by Angels and in great abomination to God himselfe so by the law of contraries mercie must be the subject and royall field where we must abundantly reape the honour of men the love of Angels the graces and blessings of our heavenly Father then must mercy be practised by men admired by Angels and bee delightfull to God and therefore we see in our Text that the beloved Sonne of