greatnesse as this that it conceales men from themselues and when they will needs haue a sight of their owne actions it shewes them a false glasse to looke in Meannesse of stare that I can finde hath none so great inconuenience I am no whit sorrie that I am rather subiect to contempt than flattery 80 There is no earthly blessing so precious as health of body without which all other worldly good things are but troublesome Neither is there any thing more difficult than to haue a good soule in a strong and vigorous body for it is commonly seene that the worse part drawes away the better But to haue an healthfull and sound soule in a weake sickly body is no noueltie whiles the weaknesse of the body is an helpe to the foule playing the part of a perpetuall monitor to incite it to good and checke it for euill I will not be ouer-glad of health nor ouer-fearefull of sicknesse I will more feare the spirituall hurt that may follow vpon health than the bodily paine that accompanies sicknesse 81 There is nothing more troublesome to a good minde than to doe nothing For besides the furtherance of our estate the minde doth both delight and better it selfe with exercise There is but this difference then betwixt labour and idlenesse that labour is a profitable and pleasant trouble idlenesse a trouble both vnprofitable and comfortlesse I will be euer doing something that either God when he commeth or Satan when he tempteth may finde me busied And yet since as the old prouerbe is better it is to be idle than effect nothing I will not more hate doing nothing than doing something to no purpose I shall doe good but a while let me striue to doe it while I may 82 A faithfull man hath three eies The first of sense common to him with brute creatures the second of reason common to all men the third of faith proper to his profession whereof each looketh beyond other and none of them medleth with others obiects For neither doth the eye of sense reach to intelligible things and matters of discourse nor the eye of reason to those things which are supernaturall and spirituall neither doth faith looke downe to things that may be sensibly seene If thou discourse to a brute beast of the depths of Philosophy neuer so plainly he vnderstands not because they are beyond the view of his eye which is onely of sense If to a meere carnall man of diuine things he perceiueth not the things of God neither indeed can doe because they are spiritually discerned And therefore no wonder if those things seeme vnlikely incredible impossible to him which the faithfull man hauing a proportionable meanes of apprehension doth as plainly see as his eye doth any sensible thing Tell a plaine Country-man that the Sunne or some higher or lesser starre is much bigger than his Cart-wheele or at least so many scores bigger than the whole earth hee laughes thee to scorne as affecting admiration with a learned vntruth Yet the Scholler by the eye of reason doth as plainly see and acknowledge this truth as that his hand is bigger than his pen. What a thicke mist yea what a palpable and more than Egyptian darknesse doth the naturall man liue in what a world is there that he doth not see at all and how little doth he see in this which is his proper element There is no bodily thing but the brute creatures see as well as he and some of them better As for his eye of reason how dim is it in those things which are best fitted to it what one thing is there in nature which he doth perfectly know what herbe or flowre or worme that he treads on is there whose true essence he knoweth No not so much as what is in his owne bosome what it is where it is or whence it is that giues Being to himselfe But for those things which concerne the best world he doth not so much as confusedly see them neither knoweth whether they be Hee sees no whit into the great and awfull Maiestie of God He discernes him not in all his creatures filling the world with his infinite and glorious presence Hee sees not his wise prouidence ouer-ruling all things disposing all casuall euents ordring all sinfull actions of men to his owne glory He comprehends nothing of the beautie maiesty power and mercy of the Sauiour of the world sitting in his humanity at his Fathers right hand He sees not the vnspeakable happinesse of the glorified soules of the Saints He sees not the whole heauenly Common-wealth of Angels ascending and descending to the behoofe of Gods children waiting vpon him at all times inuisibly not excluded with closenesse of prisons nor desolatenesse of wildernesses and the multitude of euill spirits passing and standing by him to tempt him vnto euill but like vnto the foolish bird when he hath hid his head that he sees no body he thinkes himselfe altogether vnseene and then counts himselfe solitary when his eye can meet with no companion It was not without cause that we call a meere foole a naturall For how-euer worldlings haue still thought Christians Gods fooles we know them the fooles of the world The deepest Philosopher that euer was sauing the reuerence of the Schooles is but an ignorant sot to the simplest Christian For the weakest Christian may by plaine information see somwhat into the greatest mysteries of Nature because he hath the eie of Reason common with the best but the best Philosopher by all the demonstration in the world can conceiue nothing of the mysteries of godlines because he vtterly wants the eie of faith Though my insight into matters of the world be so shallow that my simplicity moueth pitie or maketh sport vnto others it shall be my contentment and happines that I see further into better matters That which I see not is worthlesse and deserueth little better than contempt that which I see is vnspeakable inestimable for comfort for glory 83 It is not possible for an inferiour to liue at peace vnlesse he haue learned to be contemned For the pride of his superiors and the malice of his equals and inferiors shall offer him continuall ineuitable occasions of vnquietnes As contentation is the mother of inward peace with our selues so is humility the mother of peace with others For if thou be vile in thine owne eies first it shall the lesse trouble thee to be accounted vile of others So that a man of an high heart in a low place cannot want discontentment whereas a man of lowly stomack can swallow and digest contempt without any distemper For wherein can he be the worse for being contemned who out of his own knowledge of his deserts did most of all contemne himselfe I should be very improuident if in this calling I did not looke for daily contempt wherein we are made a spectacle to the World to Angels and Men. When it comes I will either embrace it or
leading vs from earth to heauen And I heard a voyce from heauen c. This day is a day of note for three famous periods First it is the day of the dissipation of this Royall Family Then the last day of our publike and ioynt mourning Lastly the day of the alteration and renewing of our state and course of life with the New-yeere All these meet in this Text with their cordials and diuine remedies Our dissipation and dissolution in these words Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men Our mourning God shall wipe away all teares c. Our change of estate Behold I will make all things new I must craue leaue to glide thorow all of these with much speed and for the better conueniency of our discourse through the first last My speech therefore shall as it were climbe vp these six staires of doctrine 1. That here our eyes are full of teares how else should they be wip't away how all vnlesse many 2. That these teares are from sorrow and this sorrow from death and toyle out of the connexion of all these 3. That God will once free vs both from teares which are the effect of sorrow and from toile and death which are the causes of it 4. That this our freedome must bee vpon a change for that the first things are passed 5. That this change shall be in our Renouation Behold I make all things new 6. That this renouation and happy change shall be in our perpetuall fruition of the inseparable presence of God whose Tabernacle shall be with men Psal 84. Iudg. 2.5 As those grounds that lie low are commonly moorish this base part of the world wherein we liue is the vale of teares That true Bochim as the Israelites called their mourning-place We begin our life with teares and therefore our Lawyers define life by weeping if a childe were heard cry It is a lawfull proofe of his liuing else if hee be dead we say he is still-borne and at our parting God findes teares in our eies which he shall wipe off So we finde it alwayes not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time of weeping but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of solemne mourning as Salomon puts them together Eccl. 3.4 Except we be in that case that Dauid and his people were in 1 Sam. 30. Lam. 2.11 and Ieremie sayes the same in his Lamentations of the Iewes that they wept till they could weepe no more Here are teares at our deuotion The Altar couered with teares Mal. 2. Teares in the bed Dauid watered his couch with teares Psal 6. Teares to wash with as Maries Teares to eat Psal 42.3 Teares to drinke Psal 80. yea drunkennesse with teares Esay 16.9 This is our destiny as we are men but more as we are Christians To sow in Teares and God loues these wet seed-times they are seasonable for vs here below Those men therefore are mistaken that thinke to goe to heauen with dry eyes and hope to leape immediately out of the pleasures of earth into the Paradise of God insulting ouer the drouping estate of Gods distressed ones As Ierome and Bede say of Peter that he could not weepe while he was in the High Priests wals so these men cannot weepe where they haue offended But let them know that they must haue a time of teares and if they doe not begin with teares they shall end with them Woe be to them that laugh for they shall weepe and if they will not weepe and shake their heads here they shall weepe and waile and gnash their teeth hereafter Here must be teares and that good store All teares as riuers are called the teares of the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 38. so must our teares be the riuers of our eyes Psal 119.136 and our eyes fountaines Ier. 9.1 Here must be teares of penitence teares of compassion and will bee teares of sorrow Well are those two met therefore teares and sorrow for tho some shed teares for spight others for ioy as Cyprians Martyrs Gaudium pectoris lachrymis exprimentes yet commonly teares are the iuyce of a minde pressed with griefe Greg. Nis Orat. And as well doe teares and crying and sorrow accompany death either in the supposition or the deniall For as worldly sorrow euen in this sense causeth death by drying the bones and consuming the body so death euer lightly is a iust cause of sorrow sorrow to nature in our selues sorrow to ours And as death is the terriblest thing so it is the saddest thing that befals a man Nature could say in the Poet Quis matrem in funere nati Flere vetat yea God himselfe allowed his holy Priests to pollute themselues in mourning for their neerest dead friends Exod. 21. excepting the High Priest which was forbidden it in figure And the Apostle while he forbids the Thessalonians to mourne as without hope doth in a sort command their teares but barre their immoderation It was not without a speciall reference to a iudgement Ezech. 24. that God sayes to Ezechiel Sonne of man behold I will take from thee the pleasure of thy life with a plague yet shalt thou neither mourne nor weepe neither shall my teares runne downe So fit did the Iewes hold teares for Funerals that they hired mourners which with incomposed gestures ranne vp and downe the streets Eccl. 12. who did also cut and lance themselues that they might mourne in earnest Ier. 16. That good natur'd Patriarch Isaac mourned three yeeres for his mother as the Chineses doe at this day for their friends Iacob mourned two and twenty yeeres for Ioseph and there want not some which haue thought Adam and Eue mourned an 100. yeeres for Abel but who knowes not the wailings of Abel-â—itzraim for Ioseph of the valley of Megiddon for Iosiah And if euer any corps deserued to swim it teares if euer any losse could command lamentation then this of ours yea of this whole ILAND yea of the whole Church of God yea of the whole world iustly cals for it and truly hath it O HENRY our sweet Prince our sweet Prince HENRY the second glory of our Nation ornament of mankinde hope of posterity and life of our life how doe all hearts bleed and all eies worthily gush out for thy losse A losse that we had neither grace to feare nor haue capacity to conceiue Shall I praise him to you who are therefore now miserable because you did know him so well I forbeare it though to my paine If I did not spare you I could not so swiftly passe ouer the name and the vertues of that glorious Saint our deare Master or the aggrauation of that losse whereof you are too sensible my true commiseration shall command me silence yet I could not but touch our sore with this light hand tho yet raw and bleeding Death especially such a death must haue sorrow and teares All Nations all succession of times shall beare a part with vs in this lamentation
happy It is the third Heauen alone where thou O blessed Trinity enioyest thy selfe and thy glorified spirits enioy thee It is the manifestation of thy glorious presence that makes Heauen to be it selfe This is the priuiledge of thy Children that they here seeing thee which art inuisible by the eye of faith haue already begunne that heauen which the perfect sight of thee shall make perfect aboue Let my soule then let these heauens alone till it may see as it is seen That wee may descend to this lowest and meanest Region of Heauen wherewith our senses are more acquainted What maruels doe euer â—â—ere meet with vs There are thy Clouds thy bottles of raine Vessels as thinne as 〈◊〉 liquor which is contained in them there they hang and moue though weighty with their burden How they are vpheld and why they fall here and now we know not and wonder These thou makest one while as some Aerie Seas to hold water another while as some Aerie Furnaces whence thou scatterest thy sudden fires vnto all the parts of the Earth astonishing the World with the fearfull noyse of that eruption out of the midst of water thou fetchest fire and hard stones out of the midst of thin vapours another while as some steele-glasses wherein the Sunne lookes and shewes his face in the variety of those colours which he hath not There are thy streames of light blazing and falling Starres fires darred vp and downe in many formes hollow openings and as it were Gulfes in the skie bright circles about the Moone and other Planets Snowes Haile In all which it is enough to admire thine hand though we cannot search out thine action There are thy subtill Windes which we heare and feele yet neither can see their substance nor know their causes whence and whither they passe and what they are thou knowest There are thy Fowles of all shapes colours notes natures whilst I compare these with the inhabitants of that other heauen I finde those Starres and spirits like one another These Meteors and fowles in as many varieties as there are seuerall creatures Why is this Is it because Man for whose sake these are made delights in change thou in constancie Or is it that in these thou mayest shew thine owne skill and their imperfection There is no variety in that which is perfect because there is but one perfection and so much shall we grow nearer to perfectnesse by how much wee draw nearer to vnity and vniformitie From thence if wee goe downe to the great deepe the Wombe of moisture the Well of fountaines the great Pond of the world wee know not whether to wonder at the Element it selfe or the ghests which it containes How doth that sea of thine roare and fome and swell as if it would swallow vp the earth Thou stayest the rage of it by an insensible violence and by a naturall miracle confinest his wanes vvhy it moues and why it stayes it is to vs equally wonderfull what liuing Mountaines such are thy Whales rowle vp and downe in those fearfull billowes for greatnesse of number hugenesse of quantitie strangenesse of shapes varietie of fashions neither aire nor earth can compare vvith the vvaters I say nothing of thy hid treasures which thy vvisedome hath reposed in the bowels of the earth and sea How secretly and how basely are they laid vp secretly that we might not seeke them basely that vve might not ouer-esteeme them I need not digge so low as these metals mineries quarries vvhich yeeld riches enough of obseruation to the soule How many millions of vvonders doth the very face of the earth offer me Which of these Herbs Flowres Trees Leaues Seeds Fruits is there what Beast what Worme vvherein we may not see the footsteps of a Deity Wherein wee may not reade infinitenesse of power of skill and must be forced to confesse that hee vvhich made the Angels and Starres of heauen made also the vermine on the earth O God the heart of man is too strait to admire enough euen that vvhich he treads vpon What shall wee say to thee the Maker of all these O Lord how vvonderfull are thy vvorkes in all the world In wisedome hast thou made them all And in all these thou spakest and they were done Thy vvill is thy word and thy word is thy deed Our tongue and hand and heart are different all are one in thee which are simply one and infinite Here needed no helpes no instruments whâ—t could be present with the Eternall what needed or vvhat could be added to the infinite Thine hand is not shortned thy word is still equally effectuall say thou the word and my soule shall be made new againe say thou the word and my body shall be repaired from his dust For all things obey thee O Lord why doe I not yeeld to the word of thy councell since I must yeeld as all thy creatures to the word of thy command Of Man BVT O God what a little Lord hast thou made ouer this great World The least corne of sand is not so small to the whole Earth as Man is to the Heauen vvhen I see the Heauens the Sunne Moone and Starres O God what is man who would thinke thou shouldst make all these Creatures for one and that one vvell neere the least of all Yet none but he can see what thou hast done none but he can admire and adore thee in what he seeth how had he need to do nothing but this since he alone must do it Certainly the price and vertue of things consist not in the quantity one diamond is more worth then many Qâ—arries of stone one Loadstone hath more vertue then Mountaines of earth It is lawfull for vs to praise thee in our selues All thy creation hath not more wonder in it then one of vs other Creatures thou madest by a simple command Man not without a diuine consultation others at once Man thou didst first forme then inspire others in seuerall shapes like to none but themselues Man after thine owne Image others with qualities fit for seruice Man for dominion Man had his name from thee They had their names from Man How should we be consecrated to thee aboue all others since thou hast bestowed more cost on vs then others What shall I admire first Thy prouidence in the time of our Creation Or thy power and wisedom in the act First thou madest the great house of the World and furnishedst it then thou broughtest in thy Tenant to possesse it The bare vvalls had been too good for vs but thy loue vvas aboue our desert Thou that madest ready the Earth for vs before we were hast by the same mercy prepared a place in heauen for vs whiles wee are on earth The stage was first fully prepared then was Man brought forth thither as an Actor or Spectator that he might neither be idle nor discontent behold thou hadst addressed an earth for vse an Heauen for contemplation after thou hadst drawne
Lyon taught Samson thankfulnesse there was more honey in this thought then in the carkasse The mercies of God are ill bestowed vpon vs if we cannot step aside to view the monuments of his deliuerances Dangers may be at once past and forgotten As Samson had not found his hony-comb if he had not turned aside to see his Lion so we shal lose the comfort of Gods benefits if we doe not renue our perils by meditation Lest any thing should befall Samson wherein is not some wonder his Lion doth more amaze him dead then aliue For loe that carkasse is made an Hiue and the bitternesse of death is turned into the sweetnesse of honey The Bee a nice and dainty creature builds her cells in an vnsauory carkasse the carkasse that promised nothing but strength annoyance now offers comfort refreshing and in a sort payes Samson for the wrong offered Oh the wonderfull goodnesse of our God that can change our terrours into pleasure and can make the greatest euils beneficiall Is any man by his humiliation vnder the hand of God growne more faithfull conscionable there is hony out of the Lion Is any man by his temptation or fall become more circumspect there is also hony out of the Lion ther is no Samson to whom euery Lion doth not yeeld hony Euery Christian is the better for his euils yea Satan himselfe in his exercise of Gods children aduantageth them Samson doth not disdaine these sweets because he findes them vncleanly layd His diet was strict and forbade him any thing that sauoured of legall impurity yet hee eates the hony-combe out of the belly of a dead beast good may not be refused because the meanes are accidentally euill Hony is hony still though in a dead Lion Those are lesse wise and more scrupulous then Samson which abhorre the graces of God because they finde them in ill vessels One cares not for the Preachers true doctrine because his life is euill Another will not take a good receit from the hand of a Physician because he is giuen to vnlawfull studies A third will not receiue a deserued contribution from the hands of a Vsurer It is a weake neglect not to take the hony because we hate the Lion Gods children haue right to their fathers blessings wheresoeuer they finde them The match is now made Samson though a Nazarite hath both a wedding and a feast God neuer misliked moderate solemnities in the seuerest life and yet this Bridal feast was long the space of seuen days If Samson had matched with the best Israelite this celebration had been no greater neither had this perhaps been so long if the custome of the place had not required it Now I doe not heare him plead his Nazaritisme for a colour of singularity It is both lawfull and fit in things not prohibited to conforme our selues to the manners and rites of those with whom we liue That Samson might thinke it an honour to match with the Philistims hee whom before the Lion found alone is now accompanied with thirty attendants They called them companions but they meant them for spies The courtesities of the world are hollow and thanklesse neither doth it euer purpose so ill as when it shewes fayrest None are so neere to danger as those whom it entertaines with smiles whiles it frownes we know what to trust to but the fauours of it are worthy of nothing but feares and suspicion Open defiance is better then false loue Austerity had not made Samson vnciuill he knows how to entertaine Philistims with a formall familiarity And that his intellectuall parts might be approued answerable to his armes he will first try masteries of wit set their braines on worke with harmlesse thoughts His riddle shall appose them and a deep wager shall binde the solution Thirty shirts and thirty sutes of raiment neither their losse nor their gayne could be much besides the victory being diuided vnto thirty partners but Samsons must needs be both waies very large who must giue or receiue thirty alone The seuen daies of the feast are expiring and yet they which had bin all this while deuouring of Samsons meat cannot tel who that eater should be from whence meat should come In course of nature the strong feeder takes in meat and sends out filthines but that meat and sweetnes should come frō a dououring stomacke was beyond their apprehension And as fooles and dogs vse to beginne in iest and end in earnest so did these Philistims and therefore they force the Bride to intice her husband to betray himselfe Couetousnes Pride haue made them impatient of losse and now they threat to fire her and her fathers house for recompence of their entertainement rather then they will lose a small wager to an Israelite Somewhat of kinne to these sauage Philistims are those cholerick Gamesters which if the dice be not their friend fall out with God curse that which is not Fortune strike their fellowes and are ready to take vengeance vpon themselues Those men are vnfit for sport that lose their patience together with their wager I doe not wonder that a Philistim woman loued her selfe and her fathers family more then an Israelitish Bridegroome and if she bestowed teares vpon her husband for the ransome of them Samson himselfe taught her this difference I haue not told it my father or my mother and should I tell it thee If shee had not been as she was shee had neither done this to Samson nor heard this from him Matrimoniall respects are dearer then naturall It was the law of him that ordained marriage before euer Parents were that Parents should be forsaken for the husband or wife But now Israelitish Parents are worthy of more intirenesse then a wife of the Philistims And yet whom the Lion could not conquer the teares of a woman haue conquered Samson neuer bewraied infirmity but in vxoriousnesse What assurance can there be of him that hath a Philistim in his bosom Adam the perfectest man Samson the strongest man Salomon the wisest man were betrayed with the flattery of their helpers As there is no comfort comfortable to a faithfull yoke-fellow so woe be to him that is matched with a Philistim It could not but much discontent Samson to see that his aduersaries had plowed with his Heifer and that vpon his owne backe now therefore he payes his wager to their cost Ascalon the City of the Philistims is his wardrope he fetches thence thirty sutes lined with the liues of the owners He might with as much ease haue slain these thirty companions which were the authors of this euil but his promise forbade him whiles he was to clothe their bodies to vnclothe their soules and that Spirit of God which stird him vp to reuenge directed him in the choice of the subiects If we wonder to see thirty throats cut for their sutes we may easily know that this was but the occasion of that slaughter whereof the cause was their
way the best seat If I deserue well a low place cannot disparage me so much as I shall grace it if not the height of my place shall adde to my shame whiles euery man shall condemne me of pride matched with vnworthinesse 34 I see there is not so much difference betwixt a man and a beast as betwixt a Christian and a naturall man For whereas man liues but one life of reason aboue the beast a Christian liues foure liues aboue a naturall man The life of inchoate regeneration by grace the perfect life of imputed righteousnesse the life of glory begun in the separation of the soule the life of perfect glory in the society of the body with the soule in full happinesse The worst whereof is better by many degrees than the best life of a naturall man For whereas the dignitie of the life is measured by the cause of it in which regard the life of the plant is basest because it is but from the iuyce arising from the root administred by the earth the life of the bruit creature better than it because it is sensitiue of a man better than it because reasonable and the cause of this life is the Spirit of God so farre as the Spirit of God is aboue reason so farre doth a Christian exceed a meere naturalist I thanke God much that hee hath made me a man but more that hee hath made me a Christian without which I know not whether it had beene better for me to haue beene a beast or not to haue beene 35 Great mens fauours friends promises and dead mens shooes I will esteeme but not trust to 36 It is a fearefull thing to sinne more fearefull to delight in sinne yet worse than worst to boast of it If therefore I cannot auoid sinne because I am a man yet I will auoid the delight defence and boasting of sinne because I am a Christian 37 Those things which are most eagerly desired are most hardly both gotten and kept God commonly crossing our desires in what we are ouer-feruent I will therefore account all things as too good to haue so nothing too deare to lose 38 A true friend is not borne euerie day It is best to be courteous to all entire with few So may we perhaps haue lesse cause of ioy I am sure lesse occasion of sorrow 39 Secrecies as they are a burthen to the minde ere they be vttered so are they no lesse charge to the receiuer when they are vttered I will not long after more inward secrets lest I should procure doubt to my selfe and iealous feare to the discloser But as my mouth shall be shut with fidelitie not to blab them so mine eare shall not bee too open to receiue them 40 As good Physicians by one receit make way for another so is it the safest course in practice I will reueale a great secret to none but whom I haue found faithfull in lesse 41 I will enioy all things in God and God in all things nothing in it selfe So shall my ioyes neither change nor perish For how euer the things themselues may alter or fade yet he in whom they are mine is euer like himselfe constant and euerlasting 42 If I would prouoke my selfe to contentation I will cast downe mine eies to my inferiours and there see better men in worse condition if to humility I will cast them vp to my betters and so much more deiect my selfe to them by how much more I see them thought worthy to be respected of others and deserue better in themselues 43 True vertue rests in the conscience of it selfe either for reward or censure If therefore I know my selfe vpright false rumors shall not daunt me if not answerable to the good report of my fauourers I will my selfe finde the first fault that I may preuent the shame of others 44 I will account vertue the best riches knowledge the next riches the worst and therefore will labour to be vertuous and learned without condition as for riches if they fall in my way I refuse them not but if not I desire them not 45 An honest word I account better than a carelesse oath I will say nothing but what I dare sweare and will performe It is a shame for a Christian to abide his tongue a false seruant or his minde a loose mistresse 46 There is a iust and easie difference to be put betwixt a friend and an enemie betwixt a familiar and a friend and much good vse to be made of all but of all with discretion I will disclose my selfe no whit to my enemie somewhat to my friend wholly to no man lest I should be more others than mine owne Friendship is brittle stuffe How know I whether he that loues me may not hate mee hereafter 47 No man but is an easie Iudge of his owne matters and lookers on oftentimes see the more I will therefore submit my selfe to others in what I am reproued but in what I am praised onely to my selfe 48 I will not be so merry as to forget God nor so sorrowfull to forget my selfe 49 As nothing makes so strong and mortall hostilitie as discord in religions so nothing in the world vnites mens hearts so firmely as the bond of faith For whereas there are three grounds of friendship Vertue Pleasure Profit and by all confessions that is the surest which is vpon Vertue it must needs follow that what is grounded on the best and most heauenly Vertue must be the fastest which as it vnites man to God so inseparably that no tentations no torments not all the gates of Hell can seuer him so it vnites one Christian soule to another so firmely that no outward occurrences no imperfections in the partie loued can dissolue them If I loue not the childe of God for his owne sake for his Fathers sake more than my friend for my commodity or my kinsman for bloud I neuer receiued any sparke of true heauenly loue 50 The good duty that is deferred vpon a conceit of present vnfitnesse at last growes irksome and thereupon altogether neglected I will not suffer my heart to entertaine the least thought of lothnesse towards the taske of deuotion wherewith I haue stinted my selfe but violently breake thorow any motion of vnwillingnesse not without a deepe checke to my selfe for my backwardnesse 51 Hearing is a sense of great apprehension yet farre more subiect to deceit than seeing not in the manner of apprehending but in the vncertainty of the obiect Words are vocall interpreters of the minde actions reall and therefore how euer both should speake according to the truth of what is in the heart yet words doe more belie the heart than actions I care not what words I heare when I see deeds I am sure what a man doth he thinketh not so alwaies what he speaketh Though I will not bee so seuere a censor that for some few euill acts I should condemne a man of false-heartednesse yet in common course of life
All mouthes are boldly opened with a conceit of impunitie My eare shall bee no graue to burie my friends good name But as I will bee my present friends selfe So will I bee my absent friends deputie to say for him what he would and cannot speake for himselfe 70 The losse of my friend as it shall moderately grieue mee so it shall another way much benefit mee in recompence of his want for it shall make mee thinke more often and seriously of earth and of heauen Of earth for his body which is reposed in it Of Heauen for his soule which possesseth it before mee Of earth to put me in minde of my like frailtie and mortality Of Heauen to make me desire and after a sort emulate his happinesse and glory 71 Varietie of obiects is wont to cause distraction when againe a little one laid close to the eye if but of a peny breadth wholly takes vp the sight which could else see the whole halfe Heauen at once I will haue the eies of my minde euer fore-stalled and filled with those two obiects the shortnesse of my life eternity after death 72 I see that he is more happy that hath nothing to lose than he that loseth that which he hath I will therefore neither hope for riches nor feare pouerty 73 I care not so much in any thing for multitude as for choice Bookes and friends I will not haue many I had rather seriously conuerse with a few than wander amongst many 74 The wicked man is a very coward and is afraid of euery thing Of God because he is his enemy of Satan because he is his tormentor of Gods creatures because they ioyning with their Maker fight against him of himselfe because he beares about him his owne accuser and executioner The godly man contrarily is afraid of nothing Not of God because he knowes him his best friend and therefore will not hurt him not of Satan because he cannot hurt him not of afflictions because he knowes they proceed from a louing God and end to his owne good not of the creatures since the very stones of the field are in league with him not of himselfe since his conscience is at peace A wicked man may be secure because he knowes not what he hath to feare or desperate through extremitie of feare but truly couragious he cannot be Faithlesnesse cannot chuse but be false-hearted I will euer by my courage take triall of my faith By how much more I feare by so much lesse I beleeue 75 The godly man liues hardly and like the Ant toiles here during the Summer of his peace holding himselfe short of his pleasures as looking to prouide for an hard Winter Which when it comes he is able to weare it out comfortably whereas the wicked man doth prodigally lash out all his ioyes in the time of his prosperitie and like the Grashopper singing merrily all Summer is starued in Winter I will so enioy the present that I will lay vp more for hereafter 76 I haue wondred oft and blushed for shame to reade in meere Philosophers which had no other Mistresse but Nature such strange resolution in the contempt of both fortunes as they call them such notable precepts for a constant setlednesse and tranquillitie of minde and to compare it with my owne disposition and practice whom I haue found too much drouping and deiected vnder small crosses and easily againe caried away with little prosperitie To see such courage and strength to contemne death in those which thought they wholly perished in death and to finde such faint-heartednesse in my selfe at the first conceit of death who yet am thorowly perswaded of the future happinesse of my soule I haue the benefit of nature as well as they besides infinite other helps that they wanted Oh the dulnesse and blindnesse of vs vnworthy Christians that suffer Heathens by the dim candle-light of Nature to goe further than we by the cleere Sun of the Gospell that an indifferent man could not tell by our practice whether were the Pagan Let me neuer for shame account my selfe a Christian vnlesse my Art of Christianitie haue imitated and gone beyond nature so farre that I can finde the best Heathen as farre below me in true resolution as the vulgar sort were below them Else I may shame Religion it can neither honest nor helpe me 77 If I would be irreligious and vnconscionable I would make no doubt to be rich For if a man will defraud dissemble forsweare bribe oppresse serue the time make vse of all men for his owne turne make no scruple of any wicked action for his aduantage I cannot see how hee can escape wealth and preferment But for an vpright man to rise is difficult while his conscience straightly curbes him in from euery vniust action and will not allow him to aduance himselfe by indirect meanes So riches come seldome easily to a good man seldome hardly to the consciencelesse Happy is that man that can be rich with truth or poore with contentment I will not enuy the grauell in the vniust mans throat Of riches let mee neuer haue more than an honest man can beare away 78 God is the God of order not of confusion As therefore in naturall things he vseth to proceed from one extreme to another by degrees through the meane so doth hee in spirituall The Sun riseth not at once to his highest from the darknesse of midnight but first sends forth some feeble glimmering of light in the dawning then lookes out with weake and watrish beames and so by degrees ascends to the midst of heauen So in the seasons of the yeere we are not one day scorched with a Summer heat and on the next frozen with a sudden extremitie of cold But Winter comes on softly first by cold dewes then hoare frosts vntill at last it descend to the hardest weather of all such are Gods spirituall proceedings He neuer brings any man from the estate of sin to the estate of glory but through the estate of grace And as for grace he seldome brings a man from grosse wickednesse to any eminence of perfection I will be charitably iealous of those men which from notorious lewdnesse leape at once into a sudden forwardnesse of profession Holinesse doth not like Ionas gourd grow vp in a night I like it better to goe on soft and sure than for an hastie fit to runne my selfe out of winde and after stand still and breathe me 79 It hath beene said of old To doe well and heare ill is princely Which as it is most true by reason of the enuy which followes vpon iustice so is the contrary no lesse iustified by many experiments To doe ill and to heare well is the fashion of many great men To doe ill because they are borne out with the assurance of impunitie To heare well because of abundance of Parasites which as Rauens to a carkasse gather about great men Neither is there any so great misery in
whole processe second my rule with his example that so what might seeme obscure in the one may by the other be explained and the same steps he seeth me take in this he may accordingly tread in any other Theme CHAP. XVIII FIrst therefore it shall be expedient to consider seriously The practice of Meditation wherein First we begin with some description of that we meditate of what the thing is whereof we meditate What then O my soule is the life of the Saints whereof thou studiest Who are the Saints but those which hauing beene weakly holy vpon earth are perfectly holy aboue which euen on earth were perfectly holy in their Sauiour now are so in themselues which ouercomming on earth are truly canonized in Heauen What is their life but that blessed estate aboue wherein their glorified soule hath a full fruition of God CHAP. XIX THe nature whereof Secondly followes an easie and voluntary diuision of the matter meditated after we haue thus shadowed out to our selues by a description not curious alwaies and exactly framed according to the rules of Art but sufficient for our owne conceit the next is if it shall seeme needfull or if the matter will beare or offer it some easie and voluntary diuision whereby our thoughts shall haue more roome made for them and our proceeding shall be more distinct There is a life of nature wh n thou my soule dwellest in this body and informest thine earthly burthen There is a life of grace when the Spirit of God dwells in thee There is a life of glory when the body being vnited to thee both shall be vnited to God or when in the meane time being separated from thy companion thou inioyest God alone This life of thine therefore as the other hath his ages hath his statures for it entreth vpon his birth when thou passest out of thy body and changest this earthly house for an Heauenly It enters into his full vigour when at the day of the common resurrection thou resumest this thy companion vnlike to it selfe like to thee like to thy Sauiour immortall now and glorious In this life here may be degrees there can be no imperfection If some be like the skie others like the Starres yet all shine If some sit at their Sauiours right hand others at his left all are blessed If some vessels hold more all are full none complaineth of want none enuieth at him that hath more CHAP. XX. 3 A consideration of the causes thereof in all kinds of them WHich done it shall be requisit for our perfecter vnderstanding and for the laying grounds of matter for our affection to carry it thorow those other principall places and heads of reason which Nature hath taught euery man both for knowledge and amplification the first whereof are the Causes of all sorts Whence is this eternall life but from him which onely is eternall which onely is the fountaine of life yea life it selfe Who but the same God that giues our temporall life giueth also that eternall The Father bestoweth it the Sonne meriteth it the Holy Ghost seales and applieth it Expect it onely from him O my soule whose free election gaue thee the first title to it to be purchased by the bloud of thy Sauiour For thou shalt not therefore be happy because he saw that thou wouldst be good but therefore art thou good because he hath ordained thou shalt be happy Hee hath ordained thee to life he hath giuen thee a Sauiour to giue this life vnto thee faith whereby thou mightest attaine to this Sauiour his Word by which thou mightst attaine to this faith what is there in this not his And yet not his so simply as that it is without thee without thy merit indeed not without thine act Thou liuest here through his blessing but by bread thou shalt liue aboue through his mercy but by thy faith below apprehending the Author of thy life And yet as he will not saue thee without thy faith so thou canst neuer haue faith without his gift Looke vp to him therefore O my soule as the beginner and finisher of thy saluation and while thou magnifiest the Author be rauished with the glory of the worke which farre passeth both the tongue of Angels and the heart of man It can be no good thing that is not there How can they want water that haue the spring Where God is enioyed in whom only all things are good what good can bee wanting And what perfection of blisse is there where all goodnesse is met and vnited In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore O blessed reflection of glory We see there as we are seene in that we are seene it is our glory in that we see it is Gods glory therefore doth be glorifie vs that our glory should be to his How worthy art thou O Lord that through vs thou shouldest looke at thy selfe CHAP. XXI 4 The Consideration of the Fruits and Effects THe next place shal be the fruits and effects following vpon their seuerall causes which also affoords very feeling and copious matter to our meditation wherein it shall be euer best not so much to seeke for all as to chuse out the chiefest No maruell then if from this glory proceed vnspeakable ioy and from this ioy the sweet songs of praise and thanksgiuing The Spirit bids vs when we are merry sing How much more then when we are merry without all mixture of sorrow beyond all measure of our earthly affections shall we sing ioyfull Hallelu-iahs and Hosannahs to him that dwelleth in the highest Heauens our hearts shall be so full that we cannot chuse but sing and wee cannot but sing melodiously There is no iar in this Musicke no end of this song O blessed change of the Saints They doe nothing but weepe below and now nothing but sing aboue We sowed in teares reape in ioy there was some comfort in those teares when they were at worst but there is no danger of complaint in this heauenly mirth If we cannot sing here with Angels On earth peace yet there wee shall sing with them Glory to God on high and ioyning our voices to theirs shall make vp that celestiall consort which none can either heare or beare part in and not be happy CHAP. XXII 5 Consideration of the Subiect wherein or whereabout it is AFter which comes to be considered the Subiect either wherein that is or whereabout that is imploied which we meditate of As And indeed what lesse happinesse doth the very place promise wherein this glory is exhibited which is no other than the Paradise of God Here below we dwell or rather we wander in a continued wildernes there we shall rest vs in the true Eden I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse Kings vse not to dwell in Cottages of Clay but in Royall Courts fit for their estate How much more shall the King of Heauen who hath
for it nor our Sauiour haue bidden vs to flee for it nor God promised it to his for a reward yet if in some cases we hate not life we loue not God nor our soules Herein as much as in any thing the peruersenesse of our nature appeares that we wish death or loue life vpon wrong causes wee would liue for pleasure or we would die for paine Iob for his sores Elias for his persecution Ionas for his Gourd would presently die and will needs out-face God that it is better for him to die than to liue wherein we are like to garrison-souldiers that while they liue within safe walls and shew themselues once a day rather for ceremonie and pompe than need or danger like warfare well enough but if once called forth to the field they wish themselues at home 29 Not onely the least but the worst is euer in the bottome what should God doe with the dregges of our age When sinne will admit thee his Client no longer then God shall be beholden to thee for thy seruice Thus is God dealt with in all other offerings The worst and least sheafe must be Gods Tenth The deformedst or simplest of our children must bee Gods Ministers the vncleanliest and most carelesse house must be Gods Temple The idlest and sleepiest houres of the day must be reserued for our praiers The worst part of our age for deuotion We would haue God giue vs still of the best and are ready to murmure at euery little euill he sends vs yet nothing is bad enough for him of whom we receiue all Nature condemnes this inequalitie and tels vs that he which is the Author of good should haue the best and he which giues all should haue his choice 30 When we goe about an euill businesse it is strange how readie the deuill is to set vs forward how carefull that we should want no furtherances So that if a man would be lewdly witty hee shall be sure to be furnished with store of profane iests wherein a loose heart hath double advantage of the conscionable If he would be voluptuous he shall want neither obiects nor opportunities The currant passage of ill enterprises is so farre from giuing cause of encouragement that it should iustly fright a man to looke backe to the Author and to consider that he therefore goes fast because the deuill driues him 31 In the choice of companions for our conuersation it is good dealing with men of good natures for though grace exerciseth her power in bridling nature yet sith wee are still men at the best some swinge she will haue in the most mortified Austeritie sullennesse or strangenesse of disposition and whatsoeuer qualities may make a man vnsociable cleaue faster to our nature than those which are morally euill True Christian loue may be separated from acquaintance and acquaintance from intirenesse These are not qualities to hinder our loue but our familiaritie 32 Ignorance as it makes bold intruding men carelesly into vnknowne dangers so also it makes men oft-times causelesly fearefull Herod feared Christs comming because he mistooke it If that Tyrant had knowne the manner of his spirituall Regiment he had spared both his owne fright and the bloud of other And hence it is that we feare death because we are not acquainted with the vertue of it Nothing but innocencie and knowledge can giue sound confidence to the heart 33 Where are diuers opinions they may be all false there can bee but one true and that one truth oft-times must be fetcht by peece-meale out of diuers branches of contrary opinions For it falls out not seldome that Truth is through ignorance or rash vehemency scattered into sundry parts and like to a little Siluer melted amongst the ruines of a burnt house must be tried out from heaps of much superfluous ashes There is much paines in the search of it much skill in finding it the value of it once found requites the cost of both 34 Affectation of superfluitie is in all things a signe of weaknesse As in words he that vseth circumlocutions to expresse himselfe shewes want of memory and want of proper speech And much talke argues a braine feeble and distempered What good can any earthly thing yeeld vs beside his vse and what is it but vanitie to affect that which doth vs no good and what vse is it in that which is superfluous It is a great skill to know what is enough and great wisdome to care for no more 35 Good things which in absence were desired now offering themselues to our presence are scarce entertained or at least not with our purposed cheerefulnesse Christs comming to vs and our going to him are in our profession well esteemed much wished but when he singleth vs out by a direct message of death or by some fearefull signe giueth likelihood of a present returne we are as much affected with feare as before with desire All changes although to the better are troublesome for the time vntill our setling There is no remedy hereof but inward preuention Our minde must change before our estate be changed 36 Those are greatest enemies to Religion that are not most irreligious Atheists though in themselues they bee the worst yet are seldome found hot Persecuters of others whereas those which in some one fundamentall point bee hereticall are commonly most violent in oppositions One hurts by secret infection the other by open resistance One is carelesse of all truth the other vehement for some vntruth An Atheist is worthy of more hatred an Heretike of more feare both of auoidance 37 Waies if neuer vsed cannot but bee faire if much vsed are made commodiously passable if before oft vsed and now seldome they become deepe and dangerous If the heart be not at all inured to meditation it findeth no fault with it selfe not for that it is innocent but secure if often it findeth comfortable passage for his thoughts if rarely and with intermission tedious and troublesome In things of this nature we onely escape complaint if we vse them either alwaies or neuer 38 Our sensuall hand holds fast whatsoeuer delight it apprehendeth our spirituall hand easily remitteth because appetite is stronger in vs than grace whence it is that we so hardly deliuer our selues of earthly pleasures which wee haue once entertained and with such difficultie draw our selues to a constant course of faith hope and spirituall ioy or to the renued acts of them once intermitted Age is naturally weake and youth vigorous but in vs the old man is strong the new faint and feeble the fault is not in grace but in vs Faith doth not want strength but we want faith 39 It is not good in worldly estates for a man to make himselfe necessary for hereupon he is both more toiled and more suspected but in the sacred Common-wealth of the Church a man cannot be ingaged too deeply by his seruice The ambition of spirituall well doing breeds no danger He that doth best and may
from him neither makes he any other of dying than of walking home when he is abroad or of going to bed when he is weary of the day He is well prouided for both worlds and is sure of peace here of glory hereafter and therefore hath a light heart and a cheerefull face All his fellow-creatures reioyce to serue him his betters the Angels loue to obserue him God himselfe takes pleasure to conuerse with him and hath Sainted him afore his death and in his death crowned him THE SECOND BOOKE CHARACTERISMES OF VICES By IOS HALL By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE PROOEME I Haue shewed you many faire Vertues I speake not for them if their sight cannot command affection let them lose it They shall please yet better after you haue troubled your eies a little with the view of deformities and by how much more they please so much more odious and like themselues shall these deformities appeare This light contraries giue to each other in the midst of their enmitie that one makes the other seeme more good or ill Perhaps in some of these which thing I doe at once feare and hate my stile shall seeme to some lesse graue more Satyricall if you finde mee not without cause iealous let it please you to impute it to the nature of those Vices which will not bee otherwise handled The fashions of some euils are besides the odiousnesse ridiculous which to repeat is to seeme bitterly merry J abhorre to make sport with wickednesse and forbid any laughter here but of disdaine Hypocrisie shall leade this ring worthily I thinke because both she commeth neerest to Vertue and is the worst of Vices CHARACTER OF THE HYPOCRITE AN Hypocrite is the worst kinde of Plaier by so much as he acts the better part which hath alwaies two faces oft times two hearts That can compose his forehead to sadnesse and grauitie while he bids his heart bee wanton and carelesse within and in the meane time laughs within himselfe to thinke how smoothly he hath coozened the beholder In whose silent face are written the characters of Religion which his tongue and gestures pronounce but his hands recant That hath a cleane face and garment with a foule soule whose mouth belies his heart and his fingers belie his mouth Walking early vp into the Citie he turnes into the great Church and salutes one of the pillars on one knee worshipping that God which at home he cares not for while his eie is fixed on some window on some passenger and his heart knowes not whither his lips goe Hee rises and looking about with admiration complaines on our frozen charitie commends the ancient At Church he will euer sit where he may be seene best and in the middest of the Sermon puls out his Tables in haste as if he feared to leese that note when he writes either his forgotten errand or nothing then he turnes his Bible with a noyse to seeke an omitted quotation and folds the leafe as if he had found it and askes aloud the name of the Preacher and repeats it whom hee publikely salutes thankes praises inuites entertaines with tedious good counsell with good discourse if it had come from an honester mouth He can command teares when he speakes of his youth indeed because it is past not because it was sinfull himselfe is now better but the times are worse All other sinnes he reckons vp with detestation while he loues and hides his darling in his bosome All his speech returnes to himselfe and euery occurrent drawes in a storie to his owne praise When he should giue he lookes about him and saies Who sees me No almes no praiers fall from him without a witnesse belike lest God should denie that he hath receiued them and when he hath done lest the world should not know it his owne mouth is his Trumpet to proclaime it With the superfluitie of his vsurie he builds an Hospitall and harbours them whom his extortion hath spoiled so while he makes many beggers he keepes some He turneth all Gnats into Camels and cares not to vndoe the world for a circumstance Flesh on a Friday is more abomination to him than his neighbours bed He abhorres more not to vncouer at the name of Iesus than to sweare by the name of God When a Rimer reads his Poeme to him he begs a Copie and perswades the Presse there is nothing that hee dislikes in presence that in absence hee censures not Hee comes to the sicke bed of his stepmother and weepes when hee secretly feares her recouerie Hee greets his friend in the street with so cleere a countenance so fast a closure that the other thinkes hee reads his heart in his face and shakes hands with an indefinite inuitation of When will you come and when his backe is turned ioyes that he is so well rid of a guest yet if that guest visit him vnfeared he counterfets a smiling welcome and excuses his cheare when closely he frownes on his wife for too much Hee shewes well and saies well and himselfe is the worst thing he hath In briefe he is the strangers Saint the neighbours disease the blot of goodnesse a rotten sticke in a darke night a Poppie in a corne field an ill tempered candle with a great snuffe that in going out smells ill and an Angell abroad a Deuill at home and worse when an Angell than when a Deuill Of the Busie-body HIs estate is too narrow for his minde and therefore hee is faine to make himselfe roome in others affaires yet euer in pretence of loue No newes can stir but by his doore neither can hee know that which hee must not tell What euery man ventures in Guiana voyage and what they gained hee knowes to a haire Whether Holland will haue peace he knowes and on what conditions and with what successe is familiar to him ere it be concluded No Post can passe him without a question and rather than he will leese the newes hee rides backe with him to appose him of tidings and then to the next man he meets he supplies the wants of his hastie intelligence and makes vp a perfect tale wherewith he so haunteth the patient auditor that after many excuses he is faine to endure rather the censure of his manners in running away than the tediousnesse of an impertinent discourse His speech is oft broken off with a succession of long parenthesis which he euer vowes to fill vp ere the conclusion and perhaps would effect it if the others eare were as vnweariable as his tongue If he see but two men talke and reade a letter in the street he runnes to them and askes if he may not be partner of that secret relation and if they denie it hee offers to tell since he may not heare wonders and then falls vpon the report of the Scottish Mine or of the great Fish taken
he who all that his hand shall finde to doe doth it with all his power I haue seene indeed the trauell Ec. 3.20 that God hath giuen the sonnes of men to humble them thereby Ec. 1.8 Ec. 3.9 that all things are full of Labour man cannot vtter it But what profit hath he that worketh of the thing wherein he trauelleth Much euery way first Health The sleepe of him that trauelleth Ec. 5.11 Pr. 20.13 Pr. 10.4 Pr. 13.4 Pr. 14.23 Pr. 12.27 is sweet whether hee eat little or much Secondly Wealth Open thine eies and thou shalt be satisfied with bread yea The hand of the diligent maketh rich and his soule shall be fat and not sufficiency onely but in all labour there is abundance but the talke of the lips bringeth want yet more the riches that the diligent man hath are precious 3. Honour A diligent man shall stand before Kings and not before the base sort Pr. 22.19 Pr. 12.24 and The hand of the diligent shall beare rule but the idle shall be vnder tribute §. 18. Slothfulnesse The properties The danger of it Ec. 4.5 Pr. 19.24 THe slothfull is he that foldeth his hands and eateth vp his owne flesh That hideth his hand in his bosome and will not pull it out againe to his mouth That turneth on his bed Pr. 26.24 as a doore turneth on the hinges and saith Yet a little sleepe Pr. 6.10 a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe Euery thing that he ought to doe is troublesome The way of the slothfull man is an hedge of thornes which hee is loth to set foot in There is a Lion without saith he I shall bee slaine in the street Pr. 15.19 who although herein he be wiser in his owne conceit Pr. 22.13 Pr. 26.13 Pr. 26.16 Pr. 12.11 Pr. 13.4 Pr. 21.25 Pr. 18.9 Pr. 10.5 Pr. 19.15 Pr. 20.4 Pr. 20.13 Ec. 10.18 than seuen men that can render a reason Yet the truth is hee that so much as followes the idle is destitute of vnderstanding He lusteth indeed and affecteth great things but his soule hath nought so The very desire of the slothfull slayeth him for his hands refuse to worke And not only hee that is slothfull in his worke is brother to him that is a great waster but he that sleepeth and Slothfulnesse causeth to fall asleepe in haruest is the sonne of confusion and He that will not plough because of Winter shall beg in Summer and haue nothing Loue not sleepe therefore lest thou come to pouerty for what is it that hence commeth not to ruine For the house By slothfulnesse the roofe of the house goeth to decay and by idlenesse of the hands Pr. 24.30 Pr. 24.31 the house droppeth thorow For the Land I past by the field of the slothfull and by the Vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding and loe it was all growne ouer with thornes and nettles had couered the face of it and the stone wall thereof was broken downe Pr. 24.32 Then I beheld and considered it well I looked vpon it Pr. 10.4 Pr. 6.6 Pr. 6.7 Pr. 6.8 Pr. 6.9 Pr. 24.33 Pr. 6.11 and receiued instruction so in euery respect the slothfull hand maketh poore Goe to the Pismire therefore thou sluggard and behold her wayes and be wise For she hauing no Guide Gouernour nor Ruler prepareth her meat in Summer and gathereth her food in haruest How long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe Yet a little sleepe yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the hands to sleepe Therefore thy pouerty commeth as a speedy Traueller and thy necessity as an armed man SALOMONS ETHICKS THE FOVRTH BOOKE TEMPERANCE and FORTITVDE Temperance is the moderation of our desires whether in Diet Sobrietie in words and actions Modestie and Humilitie in affections continencie refraining of anger §. 1. Temperance in diet Excesse how dangerous to Body Soule Estate THe temperate in diet is hee that refraineth his appetite Pr. 25.28 Pr. 23.31 Pr. 23.2 Pr. 23.1 Pr. 25.16 Ec. 3.13 that lookes not on the wine when it is red that puts his knife to his throat when hee sits with a Ruler that when hee findes hony eats but that which is sufficient for him lest hee should bee ouer-full It is true that a man eateth and drinketh and seeth the commoditie of all his labour this is the gift of God yea Ec. 5.17 this I haue seene good that it is comely to eat and to drinke and to take pleasure in all his labour wherein hee trauelleth vnder the Sunne Ec. 9.7 Ec. 3 22. Ec. 2 24. Pr. 21.2 Ec. 2.3 Ec. 2.10 Pr. 27.7 Pr. 30.21 Pr. 30.21 the whole number of the daies of his life which God giueth him for this is his portion God allowes vs to eat our bread with ioy and drinke our wine with a cheerefull heart and there is nothing better than this yea there is no profit but this But not that a man should bee giuen to his appetite that hee should seeke in his heart to draw his flesh to wine or that whatsoeuer his eies desire hee should not with-hold it from them Such a man when hee is full despiseth an hony-combe whereas to the hungry euery bitter thing is sweet and in his excesse is outragious One of the three things yea foure Ec. 5.11 Pr. 23.29 for which the earth is moued and cannot sustaine it selfe is a foole when hee is filled with meat Neither doth this prosper with himselfe For his body The satietie of the rich will not suffer him to sleepe To whom is woe to whom is sorrow to whom is murmuring Pr. 23.30 to whom are wounds without cause and to whom is the rednesse of the eies Pr. 23.31 Pr. 23.32 Euen to them that tarry long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine For his soule Looke not on the wine when it is red Pr. 13.33 and sheweth his colour in the cup or goeth downe pleasantly In the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice Thine eies shall looke vpon the strange woman Pr. 23.34 Pr. 23.35 and thy lips shall speake lewd things and thou shalt be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the Sea and as hee that sleepeth in the top of the mast they haue stricken mee shalt thou say but I was not sicke they haue beaten me Pr. 25.28 Pr. 23.20 but I knew not when I awoke therefore will I seeke it yet still For his estate He is like a citie which is broken downe and without walls Keepe not company therefore with drunkards nor with gluttons for the glutton and drunkard shall bee poore Pr. 20.1 and the sleeper shall be clothed with rags and in all these Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not wise §. 2. Modestie In words what it requires
Parasites fewer friends The most are friendly in sight seruiceable in expectation hollow in loue trustlesse in experience Yet now Buchinski see and confesse thou hast found one friend which hath made thee many on whom while thou bestowedst much fauour thou hast lost none I cannot but thinke how welcome Liberty which tho late yet now at last hath lookt backe vpon him shall bee to the Cell of his affliction when smiling vpon him she shall lead him by the hand and like another Angell open the iron gates of his miserable captiuity and from those hard Prestaues and sauage Christians cary him by the hayre of the head into this paradise of God In the meane time I haue written to him as I could in a knowne language with an vnknowne hand that my poore Letters of gratulation might serue as humble attendants to greater For your worke I wish it but such glad entertainment as the profit yea the delight of it deserues and feare nothing but that this long delay of publication will make it scarce newes We are all growne Athenians and account a strange report like to a fish and a guest Those eyes and hands staid it which might doe it best I cannot blame you if you thinke it more honored by the stay of his gracious perusall then it could be by the earthly acceptation of the world Euen the cast garments of Princes are precious Others haue in part preuented you whose labours to yours are but as an Eccho to a long period by whom we heare the last sound of these stirres ignorant of the beginning They giue vs but a taste in their hand you lead vs to the open fountaine Let the Reader giue you but as much thanke as you giue him satisfaction you shall desire no more Finally God giue vs as much good vse as knowledge of his iudgements the world helpe of your labourss your selfe incouragement Buchinski liberty To Stanislaus Buchinski late Secretary to Demetrius Emp. of Russia EPIST. VII Of the comfort of Imprisonment THe knowledge that the eye giues of the face alone is shallow vncertaine imperfect For what is it to see the vtmost skin or fauour of the visage changeable with disease changeable with passion The eare me thinkes doth both most clearly disclose the minds of others and knit them faster to ours which as it is the sense of discipline so of friendship commanding it euen to the absent and in the present cherishing it This thing we haue lately proued in your selfe most noble Stanislaus neerer examples we might haue had better we could not How many how excellent things haue we heard of you from our common friend though most yours which haue easily wonne our beleefe our affections How oft how honorable mention hath he made of your name How frequently how feruently haue we wisht you both safety and liberty And now loe where she comes as the Greeks say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and visits her forlorne Client Although I would not doubt to say that this outward durance of the body hath seemed more harsh to the beholders then to your selfe a wise man which is more a Christian whose free soule in the greatest straits of the outward man flies ouer Seas and Lands whither it listeth neither can by any distance of place nor swelling of waues nor height of mountaines nor violence of enemies nor strong bars nor walls nor guards be restrained from what place it selfe hath chosen Loe that enioyes God enioyes it selfe and his friends and so feeds it selfe with the pleasure of enioying them that it easily either forgets or contemnes all other things It is no Paradoxe to say that A wise Christian cannot be imprisoned cannot be banished He is euer at home euer free For both his liberty is within him and his home is vniuersall And what is it I beseech you for you haue tried that makes a prison Is it straitnesse of walls Then you haue as many fellowes as there are men For how is the soule of euery man pent within these clay wals of the body more close more obscure whence shee may looke oft through the grates of her busie thoughts but is neuer released in substance till that God who gaue vs our Mittimus into this Gaole giue vs our Deliuery with Returne yee sonnes of Adam Thus either all men are prisoners or you are none Is it restraint How many especially of that other sex in those your Easterne parts chamber vp themselues for state so as they neither see the Sunne nor others them How many superstitious men for deuotion how many obscure Aglai for ease and carelesnesse keepe themselues in their owne cottage in their owne village and neuer walke forth so much as to the neighbour townes And what is your Russia to all her inhabitants but a large prison a wide Galley yea what other is the world to vs How can hee complaine of straitnesse or restraint that roues ouer all the world and beyond it Tyranny may part the soule from the body cannot confine it to the body That which others doe for ease deuotion state you doe for necessity why not as willingly since you must doe it Do but imagine the other cause and your case is the same with theirs which both haue chosen and delight to keepe close yet hating the name of prisoners while they embrace the condition But why doe I perswade you not to mislike that which I pray you may forsake I had rather you should bee no prisoner at all then to bee a cheerfull prisoner vpon necessity If the doores be open my perswasion shall not hold you in Rather our prayers shall open those doores and fetch you forth into this common liberty of men which also hath not a little though an inferior contentment For how pleasant is it to these senses by which we men are wont to be led to see and bee seene to speake to our friends and heare them speake to vs to touch and kisse the deare hands of our Parents and with them at last to haue our eyes closed Either this shall be fall you or what hopes what paines I adde no more hath this your carefull friend lost and we what wishes what consultations It shall be I dare hope yea beleeue it Onely thou our good God giue such end as thou hast done entrance into this businesse and so dispose of these likely endeauors that whom we loue and honor absent we may at last in presence see and embrace To my father in law M.G. VVenyffe EP. VIII Exciting to Christian cheerefulnesse YOu complaine of dulnesse a common disease and incident to the best mindes and such as can most contemne vanities For the true Worldling hunts after nothing but mirth neither cares how lawlesse his sport be so it be pleasant hee faines to himselfe false delights when he wants and if he can passe the time and chase away Melancholie he thinkes his day spent happily And thus it must needs be while the world is his
Gods ancient law would haue made a quicke dispatch and haue determined the case by the death of the offender and the liberty of the innocent and not it alone How many Heathen Law-giuers haue subscribed to Moses Arabians Grecians Romans yea very Gothes the dregs of Barbarisme haue thought this wrong not expiable but by blood With vs the easinesse of reuenge as it yeelds frequence of offences so multitude of doubts Whether the wronged husband should conceale or complaine complaining whether he should retaine or dismisse dismissing whether he may marry or must continue single not continuing single whether he may receiue his own or chuse another but your inquiries shall be my bounds The fact you say is too euident Let me aske you To your selfe or to the world This point alone must vary our proceedings Publike notice requires publike discharge Priuate wrongs are in our owne power publike in the hands of authority The thoughts of our owne brests while they smother themselues within vs are at our command whether for suppressing or expressing but if they once haue vented themselues by words vnto others eares now as common strayes they must stand to the hazard of censure such are our actions Neither the sword nor the keyes meddle within doores what but they vvithout If fame haue laid hold on the wrong prosecute it cleere your name cleere your house yea Gods Else you shall be reputed a Pandar to your owne bed and the second shame shall surpasse the first so much as your owne fault can more blemish you then anothers If there were no more he is cruelly mercifull that neglects his owne fame But what if the sinne were shrouded in secrecy The loathsomnesse of vice consists not in common knowledge It is no lesse hainous if lesse talked of Report giues but shame God and the good soule detest close euils Yet then I ask not of the offence but of the offender not of her crime but her repentance She hath sinned against heauen and you But hath she washed your polluted bed with her teares Hath her true sorrow beene no lesse apparant then her sinne Hath she peeced her old vow with new protestations of fidelity Do you find her at once humbled and changed Why should that eare be deafe to her prayers that was open to her accusation why is there not yet place for mercy Why doe we Christians liue as vnder Martiall law wherein we sinne but once Plead not authority Ciuilians haue beene too rigorous the mercifull sentence of Diuinity shal sweetly temper humane seuereness How many haue we known the better for their sinne That Magdalene her predecessor in filthinesse had neuer loued so much if she had not so much sinned How oft hath Gods Spouse deserued a diuorce which yet still her confessions her teares haue reuersed How oft hath that scroll beene written and signed and yet againe cancelled and torne vpon submission His actions not his words onely are our precepts Why is man cruell where God relents The wrong is ours onely for his sake without whose law were no sinne If the Creditor please to remit the debt doe standers-by complaine But if she be at once filthy and obstinate flie from her bed as contagious Now your beneuolence is adultery you impart your body to her she her sinne to you A dangerous exchange An honest body for an harlots sinne Herein you are in cause that she hath more then one adulterer I applaud the rigour of those ancient Canons which haue still roughly censured euen this cloake of vice As there is necessity of charity in the former so of iustice in this If you can so loue your wife that you detest not her sin you are a better husband then a Christian a better bawd then an husband I dare say no more vpon so generall a relation good Physitians in dangerous diseases dare not prescribe on bare sight of vrine or vncertaine report but will feele the pulse and see the symptomes ere they resolue on the receit You see how no niggard I am of my counsels would God I could as easily asswage your griefe as satisfie your doubts To M. ROBERT HAY. EPIST. VIII A Discourse of the continuall exercise of a Christian how he may keepe his heart from hardnesse and his wayes from error TO keepe the heart in vre with God is the highest taske of a Christian Good motions are not frequent but the constancy of good disposition is rare and hard This worke must be continuall or else speedeth not like as the body from a setled and habituall distemper must be recouered by long diets and so much the rather for that we cannot intermit here without relapses If this field be not tilled euery day it will runne out into thistles The euening is fittest for this worke when retyred into our selues we must cheerefully and constantly both looke vp to God and into our hearts as we haue to doe with both to God in thanksgiuing first then in request It shall be therefore expedient for the soule duly to recount to it selfe all the specialties of Gods fauours a confused thankes fauours of carelesnesse and neither doth affect vs nor win acceptance aboue Bethinke your selfe then of all these externall inferiour earthly graces that your being breathing life motion reason is from him that hee hath giuen you a more noble nature then the rest of the creatures excellent faculties of the mind perfection of senses soundnesse of body competency of estate seemlinesse of condition fitnesse of calling preseruation from dangers rescue out of miseries kindnesse of friends carefulnesse of education honesty of reputation liberty of recreations quietnesse of life opportunity of well-doing protection of Angels Then rise higher to his spirituall fauours tho here on earth and striue to raise your affections with your thoughts Blesse God that you were borne in the light of the Gospell for your profession of the truth for the honor of your vocation for your incorporating into the Church for the priuiledge of the Sacraments the free vse of the Scriptures the communion of Saints the benefit of their prayers the ayde of their counsels the pleasure of their conuersation for the beginnings of regeneration any foot-steps of faith hope loue zeale patience peace ioy conscionablenesse for any desire of more Then let your soule mount highest of all into her heauen and acknowledge those celestiall graces of her election to glory redemption from-shame and death of the intercession of her Sauiour of the preparation of her place and there let her stay a while vpon the meditation of her future ioyes This done the way is made for your request Sue now to your God as for grace to answer these mercies so to see wherein you haue not answered them From him therefore cast your eyes downe vpon your selfe and as some carefull Iusticer doth a suspected fellon so doe you strictly examine your heart of what you haue done that day of what you should haue done enquire whether
skin of Vertue and lookes louely Vertue as often comes forth like a Martyr in the Inquisition with a San-benit vpon her backe and a cap painted with Deuils vpon her head to make her vgly to the beholders Iudge not therefore according to the appearance The appearance or face is of things as of men We see it at once with one cast of the eye yet there are angles and hils and dales which vpon more earnest view the eye sees cause to dwell in so it is with this appearance or face of things which how-euer it seemes wholly to appeare to vs at the first glance yet vpon further search will descry much matter of our inquiry For euery thing from the skin inclusiuely to the heart is the face euery thing besides true being is appearance All the false 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vse to beguile the iudgement of man hide themselues vnder this appearance These reduce themselues to three heads Presumptions false Formes Euents Presumptions must be distinguished for whereas there are three degrees of them first levia Probabilia light Probabilities then faire Probabilities and thirdly strong Probabilities which are called Indicia iuris the two first are allowed by very Inquisitors but as sufficient to cause suspicion to take information to attache the suspected not enough whereon to ground the Libell or the torture much lesse a finall Iudgement Thus Elie sees Annaes lips goe therefore she is drunke The Pharises see Christ sit with sinners he is a friend to their sins False formes are presented either to the eye or to the eare In the former besides supernaturall delusions there is a deceit of the sight whether through the indisposition of the Organ or the distance of the Obiect or the mis-disposition of the medium So as if we should iudge according to appearance the Sunne should double it selfe by the first through the crossenesse of the eye it should diminish it selfe by the second and seeme as big as a large Siue or no large Cart wheele at the most It should dance in the rising and moue irregularly by the third To the eare are mis-reports and false suggestions whether concerning the person or the cause In the former the calumniating tongue of the Detractor is the Iugler that makes any mans honestie or worth appeare such as his malice listeth In the latter the smooth tongue of the subtile Rhetorician is the Impostor which makes causes appeare to the vnsetled iudgement such as his wit or fauour pleaseth Euents which are oft-times as much against the intention and aboue the remedie of the Agent as besides the nature of the Act There is sometimes a good euent of euill as Iasons aduersary cured him in stabbing him the Israelites thriue by oppression the Field of the Church yeelds most when it is manured with bloud There is sometimes an ill euent of good Ahimelec giues Dauid the Shew-bread and the Sword hee and his family dies for it Sapientis est praestare culpam It is enough for a wise man to weild the Act the issue he cannot Wisdome makes demonstratiue Syllogismes à priori from the causes folly Paralogismes à posteriori from the successe Careat successibus opto quisquie ab euentu c. was of old the word of the Heathen Poet. If therefore either vpon sleight probabilities or false formes or subsequent euents wee passe our verdict wee doe what is here forbidden Iudge according to appearance Had the charge beene onely Iudge not and gone no further it had beene very vsefull and no other than our Sauiour gaue in the Mount wee are all on our way Euery man makes himselfe a Iustice Itinerant and passeth sentence of all that comes before him yea beyond all commission of all aboue him and that many times not without grosse mis-construction as in the case of our late directions Our very Iudges are at our barre Secrets of Court of Counsell of State escape vs not yea not those of the most reserued Cabinet of Heauen Quis te constituit Iudicem Who made thee a Iudge as the Israelite vniustly to Moses These are sawcy vsurpers of forbidden Chaires and therefore it is iust with God that according to the Psalmist such Iudges should be cast downe in stony places yea as it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should be left in the hands of the rocke allidantur Petrae that they should be dasht against the rocks that will be sailing without Card or compasse in the vast Ocean of Gods Counsels or his Anointeds But now here our Sauiour seales our Commission sets vs vpon the Bench allowes vs the act but takes order for the manner we may iudge we may not iudge according to the appearance wee may bee Iudges whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one to condemne the other to absolue wee may not bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudges of euill thoughts and we shall be euill-thoughted Iudges if we shall iudge according to the appearance Not only Fortune and Loue but euen Iustice also is wont to be painted blindfold to import that it may not regard faces God sayes to euery Iudge as he did to Samuel concerning Eliab Looke not on his countenance nor the height of his stature Is an outragious rape committed Is bloud shed Looke not whether it be a Courtiers or a Pesants whether by a Courtier or a Pesant either of them cries equally loud to heauen Iustice cannot be too Lyncean to the being of things nor too blinde to the appearance The best things appeare not the worst appeare most God the Angels soules both glorified and encaged in our bosomes grace supernaturall truths these are most-what the obiects of our faith and faith is the euidence of things not seeene Like as in bodily obiects the more pure and simple ought is as aire and ethereall fire the more it flyeth the sight the more grosse and compacted as water and earth the more it fils the eye Iudge not therefore according to appearance It is an vsefull and excellent rule for the auoiding of errour in our iudgement of all matters whether Naturall Ciuill or Diuine Naturall what is the appearance of a person but the colour shape stature The colour is oft-times bought or borrowed the shape forced by Art the stature raised to contradict Christ a cubit high Iudge not therfore according to appearance What are the collusions of Iuglers and Mountebanks the weepings and motions of Images the noyses of miraculous cures and dispossessions but appearances Fit aliquando in Ecclesiâ maxima deceptio populi in miraculis fictis à sacerdotibus There is much cozenage of the poore people by cogged miracles saith Cardinall Lyranus these holy frauds could not gull men if they did not iudge according to appearance Should appearance bee the rule our haruest had beene rich there was not more shew of plenty in our fields than now of scarcity in our streets This dearth to say truth is not
Cain the death of one Abel The same Deuill that set enmitie betwixt Man and God sets enmity betwixt Man and Man and yet God said I will put enmitie betweene thy seed and her seed Our hatred of the Serpent and his seed is from God Their hatred of the holy Seed is from the Serpent Behold here at once in one person the Seed of the Woman and of the Serpent Cains naturall parts are of the Woman his vitious qualities of the Serpent The Woman gaue him to be a brother the Serpent to be a man-slayer all vncharitablenesse all quarrels are of one Author we cannot entertaine Wrath and not giue place to the Deuill Certainely so deadly an act must needs be deeply grounded What then was the occasion of this capitall malice Abels sacrifice is accepted what was this to Cain Cains is reiected what could Abel remedie this Oh enuie the corrosiue of all ill minds and the roote of all desperate actions the same cause that moued Satan to tempt the first Man to destroy himselfe and his posteritie the same moues the second Man to destroy the third It should haue beene Cains ioy to see his brother accepted It should haue beene his sorrow to see that himselfe had deserued a reiection his Brothers example should haue excited and directed him Could Abel haue stayed Gods fire from descending Or should he if he could reiect Gods acceptation and displease his Maker to content a Brother Was Cain euer the farther from a blessing because his Brother obtained mercy How proud and foolish is malice which growes thus mad for no other cause but because God or Abel is not lesse good It hath beene an old and happy danger to be holy Indifferent actions must be carefull to auoid offence But I care not what Deuill or what Cain be angry that I doe good or receiue good There was neuer any nature without enuie Euery man is borne a Cain hating that goodnesse in another which he neglected in himselfe There was neuer enuy that was not bloody for if it eate not an others heart it will eat our owne but vnlesse it be restrained it will surely feed it selfe with the blood of others oft-times in act alwaies in affection And that God which in good accepts the will for the deed condemnes the will for the deed in euill If there be an euill heart there will bee an euill eye and if both these there will be an euill hand How early did Martyrdome come into the world the first man that dyed dyed for Religion who dare measure Gods loue by outward euents when hee sees wicked Cain standing ouer bleeding Abel whose sacrifice was first accepted and now himselfe is sacrificed Death was denounced to Man as a curse yet behold it first lights vpon a Saint how soone was it altered by the mercy of that iust hand which inflicted it If Death had beene euill and Life good Cain had beene slaine and Abel had suruiued now that it begins with him that God loues O Death where is thy sting Abel sayes nothing his blood cryes Euery drop of innocent blood hath a tongue and is not onely vocall but importunate what a noyse then did the blood of my Sauiour make in Heauen who was himselfe the Shepheard and the Sacrifice the Man that was offered and the God to whom it was offered The Spirit that heard both sayes It spake better things thâ—n the blood of Abel Abels blood called for reuenge his for mercy Abels pleaded his owne innocency his the satisfaction for all the beleeuing world Abels procured Cains punishment his freed all repentant soules from punishment better things indeed then the blood of Abel Better and therefore that which Abels blood said was good It is good that God should be auenged of sinners Execution of iustice vpon offenders is no lesse good then rewards of goodnesse No sooner doth Abels blood speake vnto God then God speakes to Cain There is no wicked man to whom God speakes not if not to his eare yet to his heart what speech was this Not an accusation but an inquirie yet such an inquirie as would inferre an accusation God loues to haue a sinner accuse himselfe and therefore hath he set his Deputie in the brest of man neither doth God loue this more then nature abhorres it Cain answers stubbornly The very name of Abel wounds him no lesse then his hand had wounded Abel Consciences that are without remorse are not without horror wickednesse makes men desperate the Murderer is angry with God as of late for accepting his brothers oblation so now for listning to his blood And now he dares answer God with a question Am I my brothers Keeper where be should haue said Am not I my brothers murderer Behold hee scorneth to keepe whom he feared not to kill Good duties are base and troublesome to wicked minds whiles euen violences of euill are pleasant Yet this miscreant which neither had grace to auoyd his sinne nor to confesse it now that he is conuinced of sinne and cursed for it how he howleth how he exclaimeth He that cares not for the act of his sinne shall care for the smart of his punishment The damned are weary of their torments but in vaine How great a madnesse is it to complaine too late He that would not keepe his brother is cast out from the protection of God he that feared not to kill his brother feares now that whosoeuer meets him will â—ill him The troubled conscience proiecteth fearefull things and sinne makes euen cruell men cowardly God saâ— it was too much fauour for him to die he therefore wills that which Cain wills Cain would liue It is yeelded him but for a curse how often doth God heare sinners in anger He shall liue banished from God carying his hell in his bosome and the brand of Gods vengeance in his forehead God reiects him the Earth repines at him men abhorre him himselfe now wishes that death which he feared and no man dare pleasure him with a murder how bitter is the end of sin yea without end still Cain finds that he killed himselfe more then his brother We should neuer sinne if our fore-sight were but as good as our sense The issue of sinne would appeare a thousand times more horrible then the act is pleasant Of the Deluge THE World was growne so foule with sinne that God saw it was time to wash it with a Floud And so close did wickednes cleaue to the Authors of it that when they were washt to nothing yet it would not off yea so deep did it stick in the very graine of the earth that God saw it meet to let it soke long vnder the waters So vnder the Law the very vessels that had touched vncleane water must either be rinced or broken Mankind began but with one and yet he that saw the first man liued to see the Earth peopled with a world of men yet men grew not so fast as wickednesse One man could
the eares of God then a speechlesse repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward He knew how little he should get by brawling with God If he breathed our discontentment he saw God could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently and humbly and contentedly to rest the heart in the iustice and wisedome of Gods proceeding and to bee so farre from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and though shee well knowes we meddle not with our match when we striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and dye If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Masters wee may not answer againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must be our mouth else as mothers doe their children God shall whip vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-heartednesse and piety There Aaron sees his sonnes lye he may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shead a teare for their death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sonnes dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet who can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is worthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to deny nature that he must more magnifie the iustice of God then lament the iudgement Those whom God hath called to his immediate seruice must know that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe be seasonable it becomes a funerall And if Nadab and Abihu had dyed in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorrow of their Father and Brethren for when God forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead hee excepts the cases of this neernesse of blood Now all Israel may mourne for these two only the Father and Brethren may not God is iealous lest their sorrow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of God must be applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the Father and Brother may not doe the Cousins are commanded dead carkasses are not for the presence of God His iustice was shewne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the Sanctuary Neither are they caried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israel to see a linnen Ephod vpon the Beere The iudgement was so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either more pleasing vnto God or more commodious to men then that when he hath executed iudgement it should bee seene and wondred at for therefore he strikes some that he may warne all Of AARON and MIRIAM THe Israelites are stayed seuen dayes in the station of Hazzeroth for the punishment of Miriam The sinnes of the gouernors are a iust stop to the people all of them smart in one all must stay the leasure of Miriams recouerie Whosoeuer seekes the Land of Promise shall finde many lets Amalek Og Schon and the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel these resisted but hindred not their passage their sinnes onely stay them from remouing Afflictions are not crosses to vs in the way to heauen in comparison to our sinnes What is this I see Is not this Aaron that was brother in nature and by office ioynt Commissioner with Moses Is not this Aaron that made his Brother an Intercessor for him to God in the case of his Idolatry Is not this Aaron that climbed vp the Hill of Sinai with Moses Is not this Aaron whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto God Is not this Miriam the elder Sister of Moses Is not this Miriam that led the Triumph of the Women and sung gloriously to the Lord It not this Miriam which layd her Brother Moses in the Reeds and fetcht her Mother to be his Nurse Both Prophets of God both the flesh and blood of Moses And doth this Aaron repine at the honor of him which gaue himselfe that honour and saued his life Doth this Miriam repine at the prosperity of him whose life she saued Who would not haue thought this should haue beene their glory to haue seene the glory of their owne Brother What could haue beene a greater comfort to Miriam then to thinke How happily doth he now sit at the Sterne of Israel whom I saued from perishing in a Boat of Bul-rushes It is to mee that Israel owes this Commander But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature nor the honour of Gods choyce Miriam and Aaron are in mutiny against Moses Who is so holy that sinnes not What sinne is so vnnaturall that the best can auoyde without God But what weaknesse soeuer may plead for Miriam who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes Of late I saw him caruing the molten Image and consecrating an Altar to a false god now I see him seconding an vnkind mutiny against his Brother Both sinnes find him accessary neither principall It was not in the power of the legall Priesthood to performe or promise innocency to her Ministers It was necessary wee should haue another high Priest which could not bee tainted That King of righteousnesse was of another order He being without sinne hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of men Whom can it now offend to see the blemishes of the Euangelicall Priesthood when Gods first high Priest is thus miscaried Who can looke for loue and prosperity at once when holy and meeke Moses finds enmity in his owne flesh and blood Rather then we shall want A mans enemies shall be those of his owne house Authority cannot fayle of opposition if it be neuer so mildly swayed that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome To doe well and heare ill is Princely The Midianitish wife of Moses cost him deare Before she hazarded his life now the fauour of his people Vnequall matches are seldome prosperous Although now this scandall was onely taken Enuy was not wise enough to choose a ground of the quarrell Whether some secret and emulatory brawles passed between Zipporah and Miriam as many times these sparkes of priuate brawles grow into a perillous and common flame or whether now that Iethro and his family was ioyned with Israel there were surmises of transporting the Gouernment to strangers or whether this vnfit choice of Moses is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him Euen in fight the exceptions were
incouraged it insults and tyrannizes It was more iust that Israel should rise against Beniamin then that Beniamin should rise for Gibeah by how much it is better to punish offenders then to shelter the offenders from punishing And yet the wickednesse of Beniamin sped better for the time then the honesty of Israel Twise was the better part foyled by the lesse and worse The good cause was sent backe with shame the euill returned with victory and triumph O God! their hand was for thee in the fight thy hand was with them in their fall They had not fought for thee but by thee neither could they haue miscarried in the fight if thou hadst not fought against them Thou art iust and holy in both The cause was thine the sinne in managing of it was their owne They fought in an holy quarrell but with confidence in themselues for as presuming of victory they aske of God not what should be their successe but who should be their Captaine Number and innocence made them too secure I was iust therefore with God to let them feele that euen good zeale cannot beare out presumption and that victorie lies not in the cause but in the God that ownes it Who cannot imagine how much the Beniaminites insulted in their double field and day And now beganne to thinke God was on their side Those swords which had been taught the way into forty thousand bodies of their brethren cannot feare a new encounter Wicked men cannot see their prosperity a piece of their curse neither can examine their actions but the euents Soone after thy shall finde what it was to adde bloud vnto filthinesse and that the victorie of an euill cause is the way to ruine and confusion I should haue feared lest this double discomfiture should haue made Israel either distrustfull or weary of a good cause but still I finde them no lesse couragious with more humility Now they fast and weepe and sacrifice These weapons had beene victorious in their first assault Beniamin had neuer been in danger of pride for ouercomming if this humiliation of Israel had preuented the fight It is seldome seene but that which we doe with feare prospereth whereas confidence in vndertaking layes euen good endeuours in the dust Wickednesse could neuer bragge of any long prosperity nor complaine of the lacke of paiment Still God is euen with it at the last Now he payes the Beniaminites both that death which they had lent to the Israelites and that wherein they stood indebted to their brotherhood of Gibeah And now that both are met in death there is as much difference betwixt those Israelites and these Beniaminites as betwixt Martyrs and Malefactors To die in a sinne is a fearefull reuenge of giuing patronage to sinne The sword consumes their bodies another fire their Cities whatsoeuer became of their soules Now might Rachel haue iustly wept for her children because they were not for behold the men women and children of her wicked Tribe are cut off only some few scattered remainders ran away from this vengeance and lurked in caues and rockes both for feare and shame There was no difference but life betwixt their brethren and them the earth couered them both yet vnto them doth the reuenge of Israel stretch it selfe and vowes to destroy if not their persons yet their succession as holding them vnworthy to receiue any comfort by that sex to which they had been so cruell both in act and maintenance If the Israelites had not held marriage and issue a very great blessing they had not thus reuenged themselues of Beniamin now they accounted the with-holding of their wiues a punishment second to death The hope of life in our posterity is the next contentment to an enioying of life in our selues They haue sworne and now vpon cold bloud repent them If the oath were not iust why would they take it and if it were iust why did they recant it If the act were iustifiable what needed these teares Euen a iust oath may be rashly taken not only iniustice but temerite of swearing ends in lamentation In our very ciuill actions it is a weakenesse to doe that which we would after reuerse but in our affaires with God to checke our selues too late and to steepe our oathes in teares is a dangerous folly Hee doth not command vs to take voluntary oathes he commands vs to keepe them If we binde our selues to inconuenience we may iustly complaine of our owne setters Oathes doe not onely require iustice but iudgement wise deliberation no lesse then equity Not conscience of their fact but commiseration of their brethren led them to this publike repentance O God why is this come to passe that this day one Tribe of Israel shall want Euen the iustest reuenge of men is capable of pitty Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argues cruelty Charitable mindes are grieued to see that done which they would not wish vndone the smart of the offender doth not please them which yet are throughly displeased with the sinne and haue giuen their hands to punish it God himselfe takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner yet loues the punishment of sinne As a god parent whips his childe yet weepes himselfe There is a measure in victory and reuenge if neuer so iust which to exceed leeses mercy in the suit of Iustice If there were no fault in their seuerity it needed no excuse and if there were a fault it will admit of no excuse yet as if they meant to shift off the sin they expostulate with God O Lord God of Israel why is this come to passe this day God gaue them no command of this rigour yea he twice crost them in the execution and now in that which they intreated of God with teares they challenge him It is a dangerous iniustice to lay the burden of our sins vpon him which tempteth no man nor can bee tempted with euill whiles we would so remoue our sinne we double it A man that knew not the power of an oath would wonder at this contrarietie in the affections of Israel They are sorry for the slaughter of Beniamin and yet they slay those that did not helpe them in the slaughter Their oath cals them to more bloud The excesse of their reuenge vpon Beniamin may not excuse the men of Gillead If euer oath might looke for a dispensation this might plead it Now they dare not but kill the men of Iabesh Gilead lest they should haue left vpon themselues a greater sin of sparing then punishing Iabesh Gilead came not vp to aid Israel therefore all the inhabitants must die To exempt our selues whether out of singularity or stubbornnesse from the common actions of the Church when we are lawfully called to them is an offence worthy of iudgement In the maine quarrels of the Church neutrals are punished This execution shall make amends for the former of the spoile of Iabesh Gilead shall the Beniaminites be stored with wiues that no
iudge Elyes house and that with beggery with death with desolation that the wickednes of his house shal not be purged with sacrifice or offrings for euer And yet this which euery Israelites eare should tingle to heare of when it should be done old Ely heares with an vnmoued patience and humble submission It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Oh admirable faith and more then humane constancy and resolution worthy of the aged president of Shiloh worthy of an heart sacrificed to that God whose iustice had refused to expiate his sinne by sacrifice If Ely haue been an ill father to his sonnes yet he is a good son to God and is ready to kisse the very rod he shal smart withall It is the Lord whom I haue euer found holy and iust and gracious and he cannot but be himself Let him do what seemeth him good for whatsoeuer seemeth good to him cannot but be good howsoeuer it seemes to mee Euery man can open his hand to God while he blesses but to expose our selues willingly to the afflicting hand of our Maker and to kneele to him whiles he scourges vs is peculiar onely to the faithfull If euer a good heart could haue freed a man from temporall punishments Ely must neds haue escaped Gods anger was appeased by his humble repentāce but his iustice must be satisfied Elies sinne and his sonnes was in the eye and mouth of all Israel his therefore should haue been much wronged by their impunity Who would not haue made these spirituall guides an example of lawlesnesse and haue said What care I how I liue if Elyes sonnes goe away vnpunished As not the teares of Ely so not the words of Samuel may fall to the ground We may not measure the displeasure of God by his stripes many times after the remission of the sin the very chastisements of the Almighty are deadly No repentance can assure vs that we shall not smart with outward afflictions That can preuent the eternall displeasure of God but still it may bee necessary and good we should be corrected Our care and suit must be that the euils which shall not be auerted may be sanctified If the prediction of these euils were fearefull what shall the execution be The presumption of the il-taught Israelites shal giue occasion to this iudgement for being smitten before the Philistims they send for the Arke into the field Who gaue them authority to command the Ark of God at their pleasure Here was no consulting with the Ark which they would fetch no inquiry of Samuel whether they should fetch it but an heady resolution of presumptuous Elders to force God into the field and to challenge successe If God were not with the Arke why did they send for it and reioyce in the comming of it If God were with it why was not his allowance asked that it should come How can the people be good where the Priests are wicked When the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord of Hosts that dwels between the Cherubins was brought into the Host though with meane and wicked attendance Israel doth as it were fill the heauen and shake the earth with shouts as if the Arke and victory were no lesse vnseparable then they had their sinnes Euen the lewdest men will be looking for fauour from that God whom thy cared not to displease contrary to the conscience of their deseruings Presumptiō doth the same in wicked mē which faith doth in the holiest Those that regarded not the God of the Arke thinke themselues safe happy in the Ark of God Vaine men are transported with a confidence in the out-sides of religion not regarding the substance and soule of it which only can giue them true peace But rather then God will humour superstition in Israelites hee will suffer his owne Arke to fall into the hands of Philistims Rather will he seeme to slacken his hand of protection then he will be thought to haue his hands bound by a formall misconfidence The slaughter of the Israelites was no plague to this It was a greater plague rather to them that should suruiue and behold it The two sonnes of Ely which had helped to corrupt their brethren die by the hands of the vncircumcised are now too late separated from the Arke of God by Philistims which should haue been before separated by their Father They had liued formerly to bring Gods Altar into contempt now liue to carry his Arke into captiuity and at last as those that had made vp the measure of their wickednesse are slaine in their sinne Ill newes doth euer either runne or flie The man of Beniamin which ran from the Host hath soone filled the City with outcries and Elies eares with the crie of the City The good old man after ninety and eight yeers sits in the gate as one that neuer thought himselfe too aged to doe God seruice heares the news of Israels discomfiture and his sonnes death though with sorrow yet with patience but when the messenger tels him of the Arke of God taken he can liue no longer that word strikes him down backward from his throne and kils him in the fall no sword of a Philistim could haue slaine him more painefully neither know I whether his necke or his heart were first broken Oh fearefull iudgement that euer any Israelites eare could tingle withall The Arke lost what good man would wish to liue without God Who can chuse but think he hath liued too long that hath ouer-liued the Testimonies of Gods presence with his Church Yea the very daughter in law of Ely a woman the wife of a lewd husband when she was at once traueling vpon that tidings in that trauel dying to make vp the ful sum of Gods iudgement vpon that wicked house as one insensible of the death of her father of her husband of her self in cōparison of this los cals her then vnseasonable son Ichabod with her last breath says The Glory is departed from Israel the Arke is taken what cares she for a posterity which should want the Ark what cares she for a son come into the world of Israel when God was gone frō it and how willingly doth she depart from them from whom God was departed Not outward magnificence not state not wealth not fauour of the mighty but the presence of God in his Ordinances are the glory of Israel the subducing whereof is a greater iudgement then destruction Oh Israel worse now then no people a thousand times more miserable then Philistims Those Pagans went away triumphing with the Arke of God and victory and leaue the remnants of the chosen people to lament that they once had a God Oh cruell and wicked indulgence that is now found guilty of the death not only of the Priests and people but of Religion Vniust mercy can neuer end in lesse then bloud and it were well if only the body should haue cause to complaine of that kinde
strike many terrors into our weaknesse we could not be dismayed with them if wee did not forget our condition Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father If that Spirit O God witnesse with our spirits that wee are thine how can wee feare any of those spirituall wickednesses Giue vs assurance of thy fauour and let the powers of Hell doe their worst It was no ordinarie fauour that the Virgin found in Heauen No mortall Creature was euer thus graced that hee should take part of her nature that was the God of nature that hee which made all things should make his humane body of hers that her wombe should yeeld that flesh which was personally vnited to the Godhead that shee should beare him that vpholds the world Loe thou shalt conceiue and beare a Sonne and shalt call his name Iesus It is a question whether there be more wonder in the Conception or in the Fruit the Conception of the Virgin or Iesus conceiued Both are maruellous but the former doth not more exceed all other wonders than the latter exceedeth it For the childe of a virgin is the reimprouement of that power which created the World but that God should bee incarnate of a Virgin was an abasement of his Maiestie and an exaltation of the creature beyond all example Well was that Child worthy to make the Mother blessed Here was a double Conception one in the wombe of her body the other of the soule If that were more miraculous this was more beneficiall That was here priuiledge the was her happinesse If that were singular to her this is common to all his chosen There is no renewed heart wherein thou O Sauiour art not formed againe Blessed bee thou that hast herein made vs blessed For what wombe can conceiue thee and not partake of thee Who can partake of thee and not be happie Doubtlesse the Virgin vnderstood the Angell as hee meant of a present Conception which made her so much more inquisitiue into the manner and meanes of this euent How shall this bee since I know not a man That shee should conceiue a Son by the knowledge of man after her Marriage consummate could haue bin no wonder But how then should that Sonne of hers bee the Sonne of God This demand was higher how her present Virginity should bee instantly fruitfull might bee well worthy of admiration of inquirie Here was desire of information not doubts of infidelitie yea rather this question argues Faith It takes for granted that which an vnbeleeuing heart would haue stuck at She sayes not who and whence art thou what Kingdome is this where and when shall it bee erected But smoothly supposing all those strang things would be done shee insists onely in that which did necessarily require a further intimation and doth not distrust but demand Neither doth shee say this cannot be nor how can this be but how shall this be so doth the Angel answer as one that knew he needed not to satisfie curiositie but to informe iudgement and vphold faith Hee doth not therefore tell her of the manner but of the Author of this act The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouer-shaddow thee It is enough to know who is the vndertaker and what he will doe O God what doe wee seeke a cleere light where thou wilt haue a shaddow No Mother knowes the manner of her naturall Conception what presumption shall it be for flesh and bloud to search how the Sonne of God tooke flesh and bloud of his Creature It is for none but the Almighty to know those workes which hee doth immediatly concerning himselfe those that concerne vs hee hath reuealed Secrets to God things reuealed to vs. This answer was not so full but that a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message yet after the Angels Solution wee heare of no more Obiections no more Interrogations The faithfull heart when it once vnderstands the good pleasure of God argues no more but sweetly rests it selfe in a quiet exspectation Behold the Seruant of the Lord bee it to mee according to thy Word There is not a more noble proofe of our Faith than to captiuate all the powers of our vnderstanding and will to our Creator and without all sciscitations to goe blindfold whither he will leade vs All disputations with God after his will knowne arise from infidelitie Great is the Mysterie of godlinesse and if wee will giue Nature leaue to cauill we cannot bee Christians O God thou art faithfull thou art powerfull It is enough that thou hast said it In the humilitie of our obedience wee resigne our selues ouer to thee Behold the Seruants of the Lord bee it vnto vs according to thy Word How fit was her wombe to conceiue the flesh of the Sonne of God by the power of the Spirit of God whose brest had so soone by the power of the same Spirit conceiued an assent to the will of God and now of an Hand-mayd of God shee is aduanced to the Mother of God No sooner hath shee said bee it done than it is done the Holy Ghost ouer-shaddowes her and formes her Sauiour in her owne bodie This very Angell that talkes with the blessed Virgin could scarce haue bin able to expresse the ioy of her heart in the sense of this diuine burden Neuer any mortall Creature had so much cause of exultation How could shee that was full of God bee other than full of ioy in that God Griefe growes greater by concealing Ioy by expression The Holy Virgin had vnderstood by the Angell how her Cousin Elizabeth was no lesse of kinne to her in condition the fruitfulnesse of whose age did somewhat suit the fruitfulnesse of her Virginitie Happinesse communicated doubles it selfe Here is no strayning of courtesie The blessed Maid whom vigor of age had more fitted for the way hastens her iourney into the Hill-countrey to visit that gracious Matron whom God had made a signe of her miraculous Conception Only the meeting of Saints in Heauen can paralell the meeting of these two Cosins The two Wonders of the World are met vnder one roofe and congratulate their mutuall happinesse When wee haue Christ spiritually conceiued in vs wee cannot bee quiet till wee haue imparted our ioy Elizabeth that holy Matron did no sooner wel-come her blessed Cosin than her Babe wel-comes his Sauiour Both in the retyred Closets of their Mothers Wombe are sensible of each others presence the one by his omniscience the other by instinct He did not more fore-runne Christ than ouer-runne Nature How should our hearts leape within vs when the Sonne of God vouchsafes to come into the secret of our soules not to visit vs but to dwell with vs to dwell in vs THe birth of CHRIST AS all the actions of men so especially the publike actions of publike men are ordered by God
of God sinne because grace hath abounded sinne that it may abound Thou art safe enough though thou offend bee not too much an aduersarie to thine owne liberty False spirit it is no libertie to sinne but seruitude rather there is no libertie but in the freedome from sinne Euery one of vs that hath the hope of Sonnes must purge himselfe euen as hee is pure that hath redeemed vs Wee are bought with a price therefore must wee glorifie God in our bodies and spirits for they are Gods Our Sonne-ship teaches vs awe and obedience and therefore because wee are Sonnes wee will not cast our selues downe into sinne How idlely doe Satan and wicked men measure God by the crooked line of their owne misconceit Ywis Christ cannot bee the Sonne of God vnlesse he cast himselfe downe from the Pinacle vnlesse hee come downe from the Crosse God is not mercifull vnlesse he honour them in all their desires not iust vnlesse hee take speedie vengeance where they require it But when they haue spent their folly vpon these vaine imaginations Christ is the Sonne of God though hee stay on the top of the Temple God will be mercifull though wee mis-carry and iust though sinners seeme lawlesse Neither will hee bee any other than hee is or measured by any rule but him selfe But what is this I see Satan himselfe with a Bible vnder his arme with a Text in his mouth It is written Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee How still in that wicked One doth subtilty striue with Presumption Who could not but ouer-wonder at this if hee did not consider that since the Deuill dare to touch the sacred Body of Christ with his hand hee may well touch the Scriptures of God with his tongue Let no man henceforth maruell to heare Heretikes or Hypocrites quote Scriptures when Satan himselfe hath not spared to cite them what are they the worse for this more than that holy Body which is transported Some haue beene poysoned by their meates and drinks yet either these nourish vs or nothing It is not the Letter of the Scripture that can carry it but the Sence if wee diuide these two wee prophane and abuse that word wee alledge And wherefore doth this foule spirit vrge a Text but for imitation for preuention and for successe Christ had alledged a Scripture vnto him hee re-alledges Scripture vnto Christ At leastwise hee will counterfeit an imitation of the Sonne of God Neither is it in this alone what one act euer passed the Hand of God which Satan did not apishly attempt to second If wee follow Christ in the outward action with contrary intentions wee follow Satan in following Christ Or perhaps Satan meant to maâ—e Christ hereby weary of this weapon As wee see fashions when they are taken vp of the Vnworthy are cast off by the Great It was doubtlesse one cause why Christ afterward forbad the Deuill euen to confesse the Truth because his mouth was a flander But chiefly doth he this for a better colour of his tentation Hee gâ—ds ouer this false mettall with Scripture that it may passe current Euen now is Satan transformed into an Angell of light and will seeme godly for a mischiefe If Hypocrites make a faire shew to deceiue with a glorious lustre of holinesse wee see whence they borrowed it How many thousand soules are betrayed by the abuse of what word whose vse is soueraigne and sauing No Deuill is so dangerous as the religious Deuill If good meate turne to the nourishment not of nature but of the disease wee may not forbeare to feed but indeauour to purge the body of those euill humours which cause the stomach to worke against it selfe O God thou that hast giuen vs light giue vs cleare and sound eyes that we may take comfort of that light thou hast giuen vs Thy Word is holy make our hearts so and than shall they finde that Word not more true than cordiall Let not this diuine Table of thine bee made a snare to our soules What can bee a better act than to speake Scripture It were a wonder if Satan should doe a good thing well He cites Scripture then but with mutilation and distortion it comes not out of his mouth but maymed and peruerted One peece is left out all mis-applyed Those that wrest or mangle Scripture for their owne turne it is easie to see from what Schoole they come Let vs take the word from the Authour not from the Vsurper Dauid would not doubt to eate that sheepe which hee pulled out of the mouth of the Beare or Lyon Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee Oh comfortable assurance of our protection Gods children neuer goe vnattended Like vnto great Princes wee walke euer in the midst of our guard though inuisible yet true carefull powerfull What creatures are so glorious as the Angels of heauen yet their Maker hath set them to serue vs Our adoption makes vs at once great and safe Wee may bee contemptible and ignominious in the eyes of the world but the Angels of God obserue vs the while and scorne not to wait vpon vs in our homeliest occasions The Sunne or the light may wee keepe out of our houses the aire we cannot much lesse these Spirits that are more simple and immateriall No walls no bolts can seuer them from our sides they accompany vs in dungeons they goe with vs into our exile How can wee either feare danger or complaine of solitarinesse whiles wee haue so vnseparable so glorious Companions Is our Sauiour distasted with Scripture because Satan misse-layes it in his dish Doth he not rather snatch this sword out of that impure hand and beat Satan with the weapon which he abuseth It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God The Scripture is one as that God whose it is Where it carryes an appearance of difficultie or inconuenience it needs no light to cleare it but that which it hath in it selfe All doubts that may arise from it are fully answered by collation It is true that God hath taken this care and giuen this charge of his owne hee will haue them kept not in their sinnes they may trust him they may not tempt him here meant to incourage their faith not their presumption To cast our selues vpon an immediate prouidence when meanes faile not is to disobey in stead of beleeuing God we may challenge God on his Word wee may not straine him beyond 〈◊〉 wee may make account of what hee promised wee may not subiect his promises to vniust â—â—minations and where no need is make triall of his Power Iustice Mercy by deuises of our owne All the Deuils in hell could not elude the force of this diuine answer and now Satan sees how vainely hee tempteth Christ to tempt God Yet againe for all this doe I see him setting vpon the Sonne of God Satan is not foyled when he is resisted neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten vpon Christ he shall
reiected as ill onely Hushaies was allowed for better he can liue no longer now that he is beaten at his owne weapon this alone is cause enough to saddle his Asse and to goe home and put the halter about his owne necke Pride causes men both to misinterpret disgraces and to ouer-rate them Now is Dauids prayer heard Achitophels counsell is turned into foolishnesse Desperate Achitophel what if thou be not the wisest man of all Israel Euen those that haue not attained to the hiest pitch of wisedome haue found contentment in a mediocrity what if thy counsell were despised A wise man knowes to liue happily in spight of an vniust contempt what madnesse is this to reuenge another mans reputation vpon thy selfe And whiles thou striuest for the highest roome of wisedome to runne into the grossest extremitie of folly Worldly wisedome is no protection from shame and ruine How easily may a man though naturally wise be made weary of life A little paine a little shame a little losse a small affront can soone rob a man of all comfort and cause his owne hands to rob him of himselfe If there were not higher respects then the world can yeeld to maintaine vs in being it should be a miracle if indignation did not kill more then disease now that God by whose appointment we liue here for his most wise and holy purposes hath found meanes to make life sweet and death terrible What a mixture doe we find here of wisedome and madnesse Achitophel will needs hang himselfe there is madnesse He will yet set his house in order there is an act of wisedome And could it be possible that hee who was so wise as to set his house in order should be so mad as to hang himselfe That he should bee carefull to order his house who regarded not to order his impotent passions That hee should care for his house who cared not for either body or soule How vaine it is for a man to be wise if he be not wise in God How preposterous are the cares of idle worldlings that preferre all other things to themselues and whiles they looke at what they haue in their cofers forget what they haue in their breasts The Death of ABSALOM THE same God that raised enmity to Dauid from his owne loynes procured him fauour from forainers Strangers shall releiue him whom his owne sonne persecutes Here is not a losse but an exchange of loue Had Absalom beene a sonne of Ammon and Shobi a sonne of Dauid Dauid had found no cause of complaint If God take with one hand he giues with another whiles that diuine bounty serues vs in good meat though not in our owne dishes we haue good reason to be thankfull No sooner is Dauid come to Mahanaim then Barzillai Machir and Shobi refresh him with prouisions Who euer saw any child of God left vtterly destitute Whosoeuer be the messenger of our aide we know whence he comes Heauen shall want power and earth meanes before any of the houshold of faith shall want maintenance He that formerly was forced to imploy his armes for his defence against a tyrannous father in law must now buckle them on against an vnnaturall sonne Now therefore he musters his men and ordaines his Commanders and marshalls his troupes and since their loyall importunity will not allow the hazard of his person he at once incourages them by his eye and restraines them with his tongue Deale gently with the yong man Absalom for my sake How vnreasonably fauourable are the warres of a father O holy Dauid what meanes this ill placed loue this vniust mercy Deale gently with a Traitor but of all traitors with a Sonne of all sonnes with an Absalom the gracelesse dareling of so good a father and all this for thy sake whose Crowne whose blood he hunts after For whose sake should Absalom be pursued if he must be forborne for thine He was still courteous to thy followers affable to sutors plausible to all Israel onely to thee he is cruell Wherefore are those armes if the cause of the quarrell must be a motiue of mercy Yet thou saist Deale gently with the yong man Absalom for my sake Euen in the holiest Parents nature may bee guilty of an iniurious tendernesse of a bloody indulgence Or whether shall we not rather thinke this was done in type of that vnmeasurable mercy of the true King and redeemer of Israel who prayed for his persecutors for his murderers and euen whiles they were at once scorning and killing him could say Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If wee bee sonnes we are vngracious wee are rebellious yet still is our heauenly Father thus compassionately regardfull of vs Dauid was not sure of the successe there was great inequality in the number Absaloms forces were more then double to his It might haue come to the contrary issue that Dauid should haue beene forced to say Deale gently with the Father of Absalom but in a supposition of that victory which only the goodnesse of his cause bade him hope for hee saith Deale gently with the yong man Absalom As for vs we are neuer but vnder mercy our God needes no aduantages to sweepes vs from the earth any moment yet hee continues that life and those powers to vs whereby wee prouoke him and bids his Angels deale kindly with vs and beare vs in their armes whiles wee lift vp our hands and bend our tongues against heauen O mercie past the comprehension of all finite spirits and onely to be conceiued by him whose it is Neuer more resembled by any earthly affection then by this of his Deputy and Type Deale gently with the young man Absalom for my sake The battell is ioyned Dauids followers are but an handfull to Absaloms How easily may the fickle multitude bee transported to the wrong side What they wanted in abettors is supplied in the cause Vnnaturall ambition drawes the sword of Absalom Dauids a necessary and iust defence They that in simplicity of heart followed Absalom cannot in malice of heart persecute the father of Absalom with what courage could any Israelite draw his sword against a Dauid or on the other side who can want courage to fight for a righteous Soueraigne and father against the conspiracie of a wicked son The God of Hosts with whom it is all one to saue with many or with few takes part with iustice and lets Israel feele what it is to beare armes for a traiterous vsurper The sword deuours twenty thousand of them and the wood deuoures more then the sword It must needs be a very vniuersall rebellion wherein so many perished What vertue or merits can assure the hearts of the vulgar when so gracious a Prince finds so many reuolters Let no man looke to prosper by rebellion the very thickets and stakes and pits and wild beasts of the wood shall conspire to the punishment of traitors Amongst the rest see how a fatall Oke hath singled
in the poole of Samaria the dogges come to claime their due they licke vp the blood of the great King of Israel The tongues of those brute creatures shall make good the tongue of Gods Prophet Michaiah is iustified Naboth is reuenged the Baalites confounded Ahab iudged Righteous art thou O God in all thy waies and holy in all thy workes AHAzIAH sicke and ELIJAH reuenged AHaziah succeeds his father Ahab both in his throne and in his sinne Who could looke for better issue of those loines of those examples God followes him with a double iudgement of the reuolt of Moab and of his owne sicknesse All the reigne of Ahab had Moab beene a quiet Tributarie and furnished Israel with rich flockes and fleeces now their subiection dies with that warlike King and will not be inherited This rebellion tooke aduantage as from the weaker spirits so from the sickly body of Ahaziah whose disease was not naturall but casuall walking in his palace of Samaria some grate in the floore of his Chamber breakes vnder him and giues way to that fall whereby hee is bruised and languisheth The same hand that guided Ahabs shaft cracks Ahaziahs lattesse How infinite varietie of plagues hath the iust GOD for obstinate sinners whether in the field or in the chamber he knowes to finde them out How fearlesly did Ahaziah walke on his wonted pauement The Lord hath laid a trap for him whereinto whiles he thinkes least he fals irrecouerably No place is safe for the man that is at variance with God The body of Ahaziah was not more sicke then his soule was gracelesse None but chance was his enemy none but the God of Ekron must bee his friend He lookes not vp to the Omnipotent hand of diuine iustice for the disease or of mercy for the remedy An Idoll is his refuge whether for cure or intelligence Wee heare not till now of Baal-zebub this new God of flies is perhaps of his making who now is a suter to his owne erection All these heathen Deities were but a Deuill with change of appellations the influence of that euill spirit deluded those miserable clients else there was no fly so impotent as that out-side of the god of Ekron Who would thinke that any Israelite could so farre dote vpon a stocke or a Fiend Time gathered much credit to this Idol in so much as the Iewes afterwards stiled Beel-zebub the Prince of all the regions of darknesse Ahaziah is the first that brings his Oracle in request and payes him the tribute of his deuotion Hee sends messengers and sayes Goe inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recouer of this disease The message was either idle or wicked idle if he sent it to a stock if to a deuill both idle and wicked What can the most intelligent spirits know of future things but what they see either in their causes or in the light of participation What a madnesse was it in Ahaziah to seeke to the posterne whiles the fore-gate stood open Could those euill spirits truely foretell euents no way pre-existent yet they might not without sinne bee consulted the euill of their nature debarres all the benefit of their information If not as intelligencers much lesse may they be sought to as gods who cannot blush to heare and see that euen the very Euangelicall Israel should yeeld Pilgrims to the shrines of darknesse How many after this cleere light of the Gospell in their losses in their sicknesses send to these infernall Oracles and damne themselues wilfully in a vaine curiositie The message of the iealous God intercepts them with a iust disdaine as here by Elijah Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that yee goe to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron What can be a greater disparagement to the True God then to be neglected then to stand aside and see vs make loue to an hellish riuall were there no God in Israel in heauen what could wee doe other what worse This affront of what euer Ahaziah cannot escape without a reuenge Therefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die It is an high indignitie to the True God not to be sought to in our necessities but so to bee cashiered from our deuotions as to haue a false god thrust in his roome is such a scorne as it is well if it can escape with one death Let now the famous god of Ekron take off that brand of feared mortalitie which the liuing God hath set vpon Ahaziah Let Baal-zebub make good some better newes to his distressed suppliant Rather the King of Israel is himselfe without his repentance hasting to Beel-zebub This errand is soone done The messengers are returned ere they goe Not a little were they amazed to heare their secret message from anothers mouth neither could chuse but thinke Hee that can tell what Ahaziah said what hee thought can foretell how hee shall speed Wee haue met with a greater God then wee went to seeke what need wee inquire for another answer With this conceit with this report they returne to their sicke Lord and astonish him with so short so sad a relation No maruell if the King inquired curiously of the habit and fashion of the man that could know this that durst say this They describe him a man whether of an hairy skin or of rough course carelesse attire thus drest thus girded Ahaziah readily apprehends it to be Elijah the old friend of his father Ahab of his mother Iezebel More then once had he seene him an vnwelcome guest in the Court of Israel The times had beene such that the Prophet could not at once speake true and please Nothing but reproofes and menaces sounded from the mouth of Elijah Michaiah and hee were still as welcome to the eyes of that guilty Prince as the Syrian arrow was into his flesh Too well therefore had Ahaziah noted that querulous Seer and now is not a little troubled to see himselfe in succession haunted with that bold and ill-boding spirit Behold the true sonne of Iezebel the anguish of his disease the expectation of death cannot take off the edge of his persecution of Elijah It is against his will that his death-bed is not bloody Had Ahaziah meant any other then a cruell violence to Elijah he had sent a peaceable messenger to call him to the Court hee had not sent a Captaine with a band of Souldiers to fetch him the instruments which hee vseth cary reuenge in their face If he had not thought Elijah more then a man what needed a band of fifty to apprehend one and if he did thinke him such why would hee send to apprehend him by fifty Surely Ahaziah knew of old how miraculous a Prophet Elijah was what power that man had ouer all their base Deities what command of the Elements of the heauens and yet hee sends to attache him It is a strange thing
His Vow 992 A pretty expostulation of Ieptha's daughter in meeting her father 993 Iericho Of the siege of Iericho 950 Of their feare and courage 951 A pretty vse to bee made of the peoples walking about Iericho seuen dayes 952 Ieroboam 1315 He set vp two calues in Dan and Bethel 1316 Of his wife 1323 She is disguised but found out 1324 1325 The Prophets thunderclaps of vengeance against him 1325 Iesuite A caueat for Kings to beware of them 372 Their couetousnesse and ambition 416 417 The Iesuites cunning insinuations into those whom they hope to peruert 679 680 Accompanied with horrible vntruths 681 682 Their coniurations 683 They haue nothing but the ouside of Religion 684 Iezabel Of her counsell to Ahab in the matter of Naboth 1357 Ignorance It is a wise Ignorance not to pry into things not reuealed p. 1 Ignorance cannot acquit if it can abate our sinne 1067 the affectation of ignorance desperate ibid. Imitation A caution to be had in it 59 60 These sins that nature conuaies not we haue by imitation 1010 Impatience The ill wishes of the impatient often heard 929 Importunitie It s good speed 1205 Imprisonment Of its comfort 305 Impunitie Hope of it drawes on sinne with boldnesse 1111 Inconsideratenesse What it oft doth 969 Inconstancie The inconstant is vnfit for societie 36 The vnconstants Character 191 Increase A certaine way of it 1032 Indifferencie In humane things it is most safe to bee indifferent 136 Indulgences Popish Indulgences censured as against antiquitie reason and Scripture 433 Parents indulgence what 1015 Cruell to themselues 1034 It is a notorious sinne in Parents ibid. Infants Of them and Herod 1176 c. Infidelitie Its Character 196 A sharpe reproofe of it 425 505 Infidelitie is craftie yet foolish 891 It is lawfull enough to deale with Infidels with a caueat 1017 Infirmities Euen the best of Gods Saints haue them 1077 When they best appeare 1108 Ingratitude Three vsuall causes of ingratitude 26 Very Nature hates ingratitude 895 Inheritance Our heauenly inheritance glorious and not subiect to alteration 64 Iniuries Three things follow an iniury so farre as it concernes our selues p. 16 Iniuries hurt not more in the receiuing then in the remembrance 30 Iniuries like a wound 857 Innocencie It is no shelter for an euill tongue 921 Inquisition Its tyranny with a fearfull example on the executioners 283 Insultation That in the rigour of Iustice argueth creation 1020 Intention Good intentions cannot warrant vnlawfull acts 1128 What bewrayes euil intentions more then vicious Agents 1312 Inward Our inward disposition is the life of our actions 934 And a mans inward disposition doth presage the euent 948 Ioab and Abner 1119 Ioabs execution 1261 Iohn Baptist Of his baptising Christ his modesty 1190 1191 Ionathan Of his victory 1064 His admirable faith ibid. Of his loue and Sauls enuy 1086 His and Dauids loue prettily set out ibid. Iordan Of it diuided 948 Ioseph His brethrens enuy prettily described 853 Ioseph twice stript of his garment 854 Ioseph praised for his patience and wisedome ibid. Ioy vid. Reioyce It is shamefull for true Christians not to be ioyfull 46 47 Of worldlings ioy and the godlies 51 The ioy of such as haue an euil conscience is but dissembled 76 T is the safest way to reserue our ioy till wee haue good proofe of the worthinesse and fitnesse of its obiect 1058 Isaac He sacrificed 834 835 Israel His affliction 863 Israels iust now scoured 864 Israel fed with Sacraments â—92 Of their seuen mutinies against Moses 928 What pretences â—re be made a true Philistim will bee quickly weary of a true Israelite 1002 The great change in Israel 1127 Iudaisme The fearfull danger of being in it 426 Iudges A note for them in regard of partialitie 1074 1075 Iudging We may Iudge but we must take heed to the order 491 The not iudging according to appearance is a vsefull rule for auoiding errour in iudging 491 Excellent things of iudging a mans selfe 1060 God separates before hee iudgeth and so should wee 1074 What to doe that wee may not care to bee censured of men 1287 1288 Iudgements God is to be magnified in his iudgements 49 The Day of Iudgement how terrible shewed by resemblance 898 Wicked men neuer care to obserue Gods iudgements vntil theÌ„selues be touched 931 Gods sentence of iudgement certaine 941 Gods mercy in letting vs to see his iudgements on others 1035 God knowes no persons in the execution of iudgements 1048 Nothing but grace can teach vs to make vse of other mens iudgements 1058 The Iudgements of God are not alwayes open but iust 1093 When wee make a right vse of the iudgements of God 1128 Iudgement assuredly attends on those that dare oft vp their hands against Gods Vicegerents 1263 Iunius commended 287 Iustice It giues to euery man his owne 215 A buyer of places of Iudicature will surely sell iustice 519 Of the two-fold iustice Legall and Euangelicall 538 Of Legall and distributiue iustice 1540 How Iustice is a notable work of mercy ibid. The Churches peace ariseth from iustice 541 Insultation in the rigour of iustice argueth cruelty 1020 Wee may not alwayes measure the iustice of God by present occasions 1121 The beautifull face of iustice both effects and light and comes to it 1245 Iustification The Romish heresie concerning it 643 K KIng vid. Princes described by his qualities actions Naturall Morall 229 c. Our King commended 479 Parallel'd with Constantine 482 483 The neere relation of sinne and punishment in the Soueraigne and subiect 484 Of Kings humouring their people in their sinnes 900 Kings sinnes are a iust stop to the people 915 Gods ancient purpose to raise vp a King to his people 1052 In Kings mercy and iudgement should bee inseparable 1059 A Kings first care must be to aduance Religion 1127 It well beseemes a King to heare a Prophet 1142 Kingdome Euery man hath a Kingdome within himselfe· 14 Kneeling at the Sacrament defended 583 Knowledge What 〈◊〉 best to know p. 31 Knowledge of a mans selfe is the best knowledge 36 Of knowledge without foundnesse 53 Wee must labour if we will haue a right rellish of diuine knowledge 63 Of our knowing one another in heauen 326 The itch of impertinent knowledge is hereditary 1110 L LAbour labouring minds are the best receptacles for good motions 1017 Laugh There is nothing more lamentable then to see a man laugh wheÌ„ he should mourne 1109 Law Of it 896 How terrible in its deliuery 898 The power of it 〈◊〉 mans soule ibid. Learning Who fit to learne and and who to teach p. 10 Humane learning well improued makes way for diuine 1170 Legion What it imports 1300 Leuite Of Micha's Leuite 1010 1011 c. The Leuites Concubine 1015 Liberalitie What 221 The extreames thereof ibid. Life He that liues well cannot but dye well p. 9 The shortnesse of life how mans happinesse 17 Of his dissolution 23 Three things wherein