was still courteous to thy followers affable to sutors plausible to all Israel only 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 young man Absalom for my sake Euen in the holiest Parents nature may be guilty of an iniurious tendernesse of a bloudy 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 do If we be sonnes we are vngratious we are rebellious yet still is our heauenly Father thus compassionately regardfull of vs Dauid was not sure of the successe there was great inequalitie 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 victorie which only the goodnesse of his cause bade him hope for he saith Deale gently with the young man Absalom as for vs we are neuer but vnder mercy our God needs no aduantages to sweepe vs from the earth any moment yet he continues that life and those powers to vs whereby we prouoke him and bids his Angels deale kindly with vs and beare vs in their armes whiles we lift vp our hands and bend our tongues against heauen O mercie past the comprehension of all finite spirits and only to be conceiued by him whose it is Neuer more resembled by any earthly affection then by this of his Deputie 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 be transported to the wrong side What they wanted in abettors is supplied in the cause Vnnaturall ambition drawes the sword of Absalom Dauids a necessarie and iust defence They that in simplicitie 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 sonne 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 deuoures twentie 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 findes 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 out the ring-leader of this hatefull insurrection and will at once serue for his hangman and gallowes by one of those spreading armes snatching him away to speedy execution Absalom was comely and he knew it well enough His haire was no small peece of his beautie nor matter of his pride It was his wont to cut it once a yeere not for that it was too long but too heauie his heart could haue borne it longer if his necke had not complained And now the iustice of God hath platted an halter of those lockes Those tresses had formerly hangd loosely disheueld on his shoulders now he hangs by them He had wont to weigh his haire and was proud to finde it so heauie now his haire poyseth the weight of his bodie and makes his burden his torment It is no maruell if his owne haire turnd traitor to him who durst rise vp against his father That part which is misused by man to sinne is commonly imployed by God to reuenge The reuenge that it worketh for God makes amends for the offence whereto it is drawne against God The very beast wheron Absalom sat as wearie to beare so vnnaturall a burden resignes ouer his lode to the tree of Iustice There hangs Absalom betweene heauen and earth as one that was hated and abandoned both of earth and heauen As if God meant to prescribe this punishment for traitors Absalom Achitophel and Iudas die all one death So let them perish that dare lift vp their hand against Gods anointed The honest souldier sees Absalom hanging in the Oke and dares not touch him his hands were held with the charge of Dauid Beware that none touch the young man Absalom Ioab vpon that intelligence sees him and smites him with no lesse then three darts What the souldier forbore in obedience the Captaine doth in zeale not fearing to preferre his Soueraignes safetie to his command and more tendering the life of a King and peace of his Countrie then the weake affection of a father I dare not sit Iudge betwixt this zeale and that obedience betwixt the captaine and the Souldier the one was a good subiect the other a good Patriot the one loued the King the other loued Dauid and out of loue disobeyed the one meant as well as the other sped As if God meant to fulfill the charge of his Anointed without any blame of his subiects it pleased him to execute that immediate reuenge vpon the rebell which would haue dispatcht him without hand or dart only the Mule and the Oke conspired to this execution but that death would haue required more leasure then it was safe for Israel to giue and still life would giue hope of rescue to cut off all feares Ioab lends the Oke three darts to helpe forward so needfull a worke of iustice All Israel did not afford so firme a friend to Absalom as Ioab had beene who but Ioab had suborned the wittie widow of Tekoah to sue for the recalling of Absalom from his three yeeres exile Who but he went to fetch him from Geshur to Ierusalem Who but he fetcht him from his house at Ierusalem whereto he had beene two yeeres confined to the face to the lips of Dauid Yet now he that was his solicitour for the Kings fauour is his executioner against the Kings charge With honest hearts all respects either of bloud or friendship cease in the case of treason well hath Ioab forgotten himselfe to be friend to him who had forgotten himselfe to be a sonne Euen ciuilly the King is our common father our countrie our common mother nature hath no priuate relations which should not gladly giue place to these He is neither father nor sonne nor brother nor friend that conspires against the common parent Well doth he who spake parables for his masters sonne now speake darts to his Kings enemie and pierces that heart which was false to so good a father
Contemplations THE SIXTH VOLVME By Ios. HALL D. of D. LONDON Printed by J. H. for Nathaniel Butter 1622. Contemplations THE SIXTEENTH BOOKE Containing Shimei Cursing Achitophel The death of Absalom Shebaes Rebellion The Gibeonites reuenged The numbring of the people TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE LORD FRANCIS Lord RVSSELL Baron of THORNHAVGH all increase of Honour and Happinesse RIGHT HO You shall not need to impute it to any other reason besides your vertues that I haue presumed to shroud this peece of my labours vnder your Noble Patronage The world hath taken iust notice how much the Gospell is graced by your reall profession whom neither honor hath made ouerlie nor wealth lauish nor charge miserable nor greatnesse licentious Goe on happily in these safe and gainfull steps of goodnesse and still honour the God that hath honoured you In the meane time accept from my vnworthy hands these poore Meditations more hie for their subiect then meane for their author Wherein SHIMEIES curses shall teach you how vnable either greatnesse or innocence is to beare off the blowes of ill tongues and how basenesse euer molds it selfe according to the aduantage of times ACHITOPHELS depth compared with his end shall shew how witlesse and insensate craft is when it striues against honestie and how iustly they are forsaken of their reason that haue abandoned God The bloud of ABSALOM and SHEBA proclaime the ineuitable reuenge of rebellion which neither in woods nor walls can finde safetie The late famine of Israel for the forgotten violence offered to the Gibeonites shewes what note God takes of our oathes and what sure vengeance of their violation DAVIDS muster seconded with the plague of Israel teaches how highly God may be offended with sinnes of the least appearance how seuere to his owne how mercifull in that seueritie If these my thoughts shall be approued beneficiall to any soule I am rich I shall vow my praiers to their successe and to the happinesse of your Honourable Familie both in the root and branches Whereto I am in all Humble dutie deuoted IOS HALL Contemplations SHIMEI cursing WITH an heauy heart and a couered head and a weeping eie and bare feet is Dauid gone away from Hierusalem neuer did he with more ioy come vp to his citie then now he left it with sorrow how could he doe otherwise whom the insurrection of his owne Sonne droue out from his house from his throne from the Arke of God and now when the depth of this griefe deserued nothing but compassion the foule mouth of Shimei entertaines Dauid with curses There is no small crueltie in the picking out of a time for mischiefe That word would scarce gall at one season which at another killeth The same shaft flying with the winde pierces deepe which against it can hardly finde strength to sticke vpright The valour and iustice of children condemnes it for iniuriously cowardly to strike their aduersary when he is once downe It is the murder of the tongue to insult vpon those whom God hath humbled and to draw bloud of that backe which is yet blew from the hand of the Almightie If Shimei had not presumed vpon Dauids deiection he durst not haue beene thus bold now he that perhaps durst not haue lookt at one of those Worthies single defies them all at once and doth both cast and speake stones against Dauid and all his armie The malice of a base spirits sometimes carries them further then the courage of the valiant In all the time of Dauids prosperitie we heard no newes of Shimei his silence and colourable obedience made him passe for a good subiect yet all that while was his heart vnsound and trayterous Peace and good successe hides many a false heart like as a snow-drift couers an heape of dung which once melting away descryes the rottennesse that lay within Honor and welfare are but flattering glasses of mens affections aduersitie will not deceiue vs but will make a true report as of our owne powers so of the dispositions of others He that smiled on Dauid in his throne curseth him in his flight if there be any quarrels any exceptions to be taken against a man let him looke to haue them laid in his dish when he fares the hardest This practise haue wicked men learnt of their master to take the vtmost aduantages of our afflictions He that suffers had need to be double armed both against paine and censure Euery word of Shimei was a slaunder He that tooke Sauls speare from his head and repented to haue but cut the lap of his garment is reproched as a man of bloud The man after Gods owne heart is branded for a man of Belial He that was sent for out of the fields to be anointed is taxed for an vsurper If Dauids hands were stained with bloud yet not of Sauls house it was his seruant not his master that bled by him yet is the bloud of the Lords anointed cast in Dauids teeth by the spight of a false tongue Did we not see Dauid after all the proofes of his humble loyaltie shedding the bloud of that Amalakite who did but say he shed Sauls Did we not heare him lament passionately for the death of so ill a master chiding the mountaines of Gilboa on which he fell and angerly wishing that no dewe might fall where that bloud was powred out and charging the daughters of Israel to weepe ouer Saul who had clothed them in scarlet Did we not heare and see him inquiring for any remainder of the house of Saul that he might shew him the kindnesse of God Did we not see him honouring lame Mephibosheth with a princely seat at his owne table Did we not see him reuenging the bloud of his riuall Ishbosheth vpon the heads of Rechab and Baanah What could any liuing man haue done more to wipe off these bloudy aspersions Yet is not a Shimei ashamed to charge innocent Dauid with all the bloud of the house of Saul How is it likely this clamorous wretch had secretly traduced the name of Dauid all the time of his gouernment that dares thus accuse him to his face before all the mightie men of Israel who were witnesses of the contrary The greater the person is the more open doe his actions lie to mis-interpretation and censure Euery tongue speakes partially according to the interest he hath in the cause or the patient It is not possible that eminent persons should be free from imputations Innocence can no more protect them then power If the patience of Dauid can digest this indignitie his traine cannot their fingers could not but itch to returne iron for stones If Shimei raile on Dauid Abishai railes on Shimei Shimei is of Sauls familie Abishai of Dauids each speakes for his owne Abishai most iustly bends his tongue against Shimei as Shimei against Dauid most vniustly Had Shimei been any other then a dog he had neuer so rudely barked at an harmlesse passenger neither could he deserue
That God whose counsells are secret euen where his actions are open will not be close to his Prophet to his Priest without inquirie we shall know nothing vpon inquirie nothing shall be concealed from vs that is fit for vs to know Who can choose but wonder at once both at Dauids slacknesse in consulting with God and Gods speed in answering so slow a demand He that so well knew the way to Gods Oracle suffers Israel to be three yeeres pinched with famine ere he askes why they suffer Euen the best hearts may be ouertaken with dulnesse in holy duties But oh the maruellous mercy of our God that takes not the aduantage of our weaknesses Dauids question is not more slow then his answer is speedie It is for Saul and for his bloudie house because he slew the Gibeonites Israel was full of sinnes besides those of Sauls house Sauls house was full of sinnes besides those of bloud Much bloud was shed by them besides that of the Gibeonites yet the iustice of God singles out this one sinne of violence offered to the Gibeonites contrary to the league made by Ioshua some foure hundred yeeres before for the occasion of this late vengeance Where the causes of offence are infinite it is iust with God to pitch vpon some it is mercifull not to punish for all Welneere fortie yeeres are past betwixt the commission of the sinne and the reckoning for it It is a vaine hope that is raised from the delay of iudgement No time can be any preiudice to the ancient of daies When we haue forgotten our sinnes when the world hath forgotten vs he sues vs afresh for our arerages The slaughter of the Gibeonites was the sinne not of the present but rather the former generation and now posteritie paies for their forefathers Euen we men hold it not vniust to sue the heires and executors of our debters Eternall paiments God vses only to require of the person temporarie oft-times of succession As Saul was higher by the head and shoulders then the rest of Israel both in stature and dignitie so were his sinnes more conspicuous then those of the vulgar The eminence of the person makes the offence more remarkable to the eies both of God and men Neither Saul nor Israel were faultlesse in other kindes yet God fixes the eie of his reuenge vpon the massacre of the Gibeonites Euery sin hath a tongue but that of bloud ouer cries and drownes the rest He who is mercy it selfe abhorres crueltie in his creature aboue all other inordinatenesse That holy soule which was heauie pressed with the weight of an hainous adulterie yet cries out Deliuer me from bloud O God the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse If God would take account of bloud he might haue entred the action vpon the bloud of Vriah spilt by Dauid or if he would rather insist in Sauls house vpon the bloud of Ahimelech the Priest and fourescore and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod but it pleased the wisdome and iustice of the Almightie rather to call for the bloud of the Gibeonites though drudges of Israel and a remnant of Amorites Why this There was a periurie attending vpon this slaughter It was an ancient oath wherein the Princes of the Congregation had bound themselues vpon Iosuaâ—s league to the Gibeonites that they would suffer them to liue an oath extorted by fraud but solemne by no lesse name then the Lord God of Israel Saul will now thus late either not acknowledge it or not keepe it out of his zeale therefore to the children of Israel and Iudah he roots out some of the Gibeonites whether in a zeale of reuenge of their first imposture or in a zeale of inlarging the possessions of Israel or in a zeale of executing Gods charge vpon the brood of Canaanites he that spared Agag whom he should haue smitten smites the Gibeonites whom he should haue spared Zeale and good intention is no excuse much lesse a warrant for euill God holds it an hie indignitie that his name should be sworne by and violated Length of time cannot dispense with our oathes with our vowes The vowes and oathes of others may binde vs how much more our owne There was a famine in Israel a naturall man would haue ascribed it vnto the drought and that drought perhaps to some constellations Dauid knowes 〈◊〉 looke higher and sees a diuine hand scourging Israel for some great offence and ouer-ruling those second causes to his most iust executions Euen the most quick-sighted worldling is pore-blinde to spirituall obiects and the weakest eyes of the regenerate pierce the Heauens and espy God in all earthly occurrences So well was Dauid acquainted with Gods proceedings that hee knew the remouall of the iudgement must begin at the satisfaction of the wronged At once therefore doth he pray vnto God and treat with the Gibeonites What shall I doe for you and wherewith shall I make the attonement that I may blesse the inheritance of the Lord In vaine should Dauid though a Prophet blesse Israel if the Gibeonites did not blesse them Iniuries done vs on earth giue vs power in heauen The oppressor is in no mans mercy but his whom he hath trampled vpon Little did the Gibeonites thinke that God had so taken to heart their wrongs that for their sakes all Israel should suffer Euen when we thinke not of it is the righteous Iudge auenging our vnrighteous vexations Our hard measures cannot be hid from him his returns are hid from vs It is sufficient for vs that God can be no more neglectiue then ignorant of our sufferings It is now in the power of these despised Hiuites to make their own termes with Israel Neither Siluer nor Gold will sauour with them towards their satisfaction Nothing can expiate the bloud of their fathers but the bloud of seauen sonnes of their deceased persecutor Here was no other then a iust retaliation Saul had punished in them the offence of their predecessours they will now reuenge Sauls sinne in his children The measure we mete vnto others is with much equitie re-measured vnto our selues Euery death would not content them of Sauls sonnes but a cursed and ignominious hanging on the Tree Neither would that death content them vnlesse their owne hands might be the executioners Neither would any place serue for the execution but Gibeah the Court of Saul neither would they doe any of this for the wreaking of their owne fury but for the appeasing of Gods wrath We will hang them vp vnto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul Dauid might not refuse the condition Hee must deliuer they must execute Hee chooses out seuen of the sonnes and grand-children of Saul That House had raysed long an vniust persecution against Dauid now God payes it vpon anothers score Dauids loue and oath to Ionathan preserues lame Mephibosheth How much more shall the Father of all mercies doe good vnto the children of the
lyer The wise Princesse found cause to distrust so vncertaine an informer whose reports are still either doubtfull or fabulous and like windes or streames increase in passing If very great things were not spoken of Salomon fame should haue wrongd him and if but iust rumors were spread of his wisdome there needed much credulitie to beleeue them This great Queene would not suffer her selfe to be lead by the eares but comes in person to examine the truth of forraine relations How much more vnsafe is it in the most important businesses of our soules to trust the opinions and reports of others Those eares and eies are ill bestowed that doe not serue to choose and iudge for their owners When we come to a rich treasure we need not be bidden to carrie away what we are able This wise Lady as she came far for knowledge so finding the plentie of this veine she would not depart without her full lode There was nothing wherein she would leaue her selfe vnsatisfied she knew that she could not euery day meet with a Salomon and therefore shee makes her best vse of so learned a master Now she empties her heart of all her doubts and fils it with instruction It is not good neglecting the oportunities of furnishing our soules with profitable with sauing knowledge There is much wisdome in mouing a question well though there be more in assoyling it What vse doe we make of Salomons teacher if sitting at the feet of Christ we leaue our hearts either ignorant or perplexed As if the errand of this wealthie Queene had beene to buy wisdome she came with her Camels laden with Gold and precious stones and rich odors Though to a mightie King she will not come to schoole emptie-handed If she came to fetch an inualuable treasure she findes it reason to giue thankes vnto him that kept it As he is a foole that hath a price in his hand to get wisdome and wants an heart So is he vnthankfull that hath an heart to get wisdome and hath no price in his hand A price not counteruailable to what he seekes but retributorie to him of whom he seekes How shamefull is it to come alwaies with close hands to them that teach vs the great mysteries of saluation Expectation is no better then a kinde enemy to good deserts Wee leese those obiects which we ouer-looke Many had been admired if they had not beene ouer-much befriended by fame who now in our iudgement are cast as much below their ranke as they were fore-imagined aboue it This disaduantage had wife Salomon with this stranger whom rumour had bid to look for incredible excellencies yet so wonderfull were the graces of Salomon that they ouercame the hiest expectation and the liberallest beleefe So as when shee saw the architecture of his buildings the prouisions of his tables the order of his attendants the religion of his sacrifices shee confessed both her iniust incredulity in not beleeuing the report of his wisdome and the iniury of report in vnderrating it I beleeued not the words till I came and mine eyes had seene it and loe the one halfe was not told mee Her eyes were more sure informers then her eares She did not so much heare as see Salomons wisdome in these reall effects His answers did not so much demonstrate it as his prudent gouernment There are some whose speeches are witty whiles their carriage is weake whose deeds are incongruities whiles their words are Apothegmes It is not worth the name of wisdome that may be heard onely and not seene Good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well-framed actions if wee know these things happy are we if we doe them And if this great person admired the wisdome the buildings the domesticke order of Salomon and chiefly his stately ascent into the House of the Lord how should our soules be taken vp with wonder at thee O thou true sonne of Dauid and Prince of euer-lasting peace who receiuedst the spirit not by measure who hast built this glorious house not made with hands euen the heauen of heauens whose infinite prouidence hath sweetly disposed of all the family of thy creatures both in heauen and earth and who lastly didst ascend vp on hie and ledst captiuity captiue and gauest gifts to men So well had this studious Lady profited by the Lectures of that exquisite Master that now shee enuies shee magnifies none but them who may liue within the ayre of Salomons wisdome Happy are thy men and happy are thy seruants which stand continually before thee and that heare thy wisdome As if she could haue beene content to haue changed her Throne for the foot-stoole of Salomon It is not easie to conceiue how great a blessing it is to liue vnder those lips which doe both preserue knowledge and vtter it If wee were not glutted with good counsell we should finde no relish in any worldly contentment in comparison hereof But hee that is full despiseth an hony-combe Shee whom her owne experience had taught how happy a thing it is to haue a skilfull Pilote sitting at the sterne of the State blesseth Israel for Salomon blesseth God for Israel blesseth Salomon and Israel mutually in each-other Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel Because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made hee the King to doe judgement and justice It was not more Salomons aduancement to be King of Israel then it was the aduancement of Israel to be gouerned by a Salomon There is no earthly proofe of Gods loue to any Nation comparable to the substitution of a wise and pious gouernour to him wee owe our peace our life and which is deseruedly dearer the life of our soules the Gospell But oh God how much hast thou loued thine Israel for euer in that thou hast set ouer it that righteous Branch of Iesse whose name is Wonderfull Counsellor the mightie God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace in whose dayes Iudah shall be saued and Israel shall dwell safely Sing O heauen and reioyce O earth and breake forth into singing O mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will haue euerlasting mercie vpon his afflicted The Queene of Sheba did not bring her gold and precious stones to looke on or to re-carry but to giue to a wealthier then her selfe Shee giues therefore to Salomon an hundred and twenty talents of Gold besides costly stones and odors He that made siluer in Hierusalem as stones is yet richly presented on all hands The riuers still runne into the Sea To him that hath shall be giuen How should wee bring vnto thee O thou King of Heauen the purest gold of thine owne graces the sweetest odors of our obediences Was not this withall a type of that homage which should be done vnto thee O Sauiour by the heads of the Nations The Kings of Tarshish and the Iles bring presents the
No otherwise is it in the mentall possession Where euer sinne is there Satan is As on the contrarie whosoeuer is borne of God the seed of God remaines in him That euill one not only is but rules in the sons of disobedience in vaine shall we trie to eiect him but by the diuine power of the Redeemer For this cause the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the Deuill Doe we finde our selues haunted with the familiar Deuils of Pride selfe-loue sensuall desires vnbeleefe None but thou ô Sonne of the euer-liuing God can free our bosomes of these hellish guests Oh cleanse thou me from my secret sinnes and keepe me that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me O Sauiour it is no Paradox to say that thou castest out more Deuils now then thou didst whiles thou wert vpon earth It was thy word When I am lifted vp I will draw all men vnto me Satan weighes downe at the feet thou pullest at the head yea at the heart In euery conuersion which thou workest there is a dispossession Conuert me ô Lord and I shall bee conuerted I know thy meanes are now no other then ordinarie if we expect to be dispossessed by miracle it would be a miracle if euer we were dispossessed Oh let thy Gospell haue the perfect worke in me so only shall I be deliuered from the powers of darknesse Nothing can be said to be dumbe but what naturally speakes nothing can speake naturally but what hath the instruments of speech which because spirits want they can no otherwise speake vocally then as they take voices to themselues in taking bodies This deuill was not therefore dumbe in his nature but in his effect The man was dumbe by the operation of that deuill which possessed him and now the action is attributed to the spirit which was subiectiuely in the man It is not you that speake saith our Sauiour but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you As it is in bodily diseases that they doe not infect vs alike some seaze vpon the humors others vpon the spirits some assault the braine others the heart or lungs so in bodily and spirituall possessions In some the euill spirit takes away their senses in some their limms in some their inward faculties like as spiritually they affect to moue vs vnto seuerall sinnes One to lust another to couetousnesse or ambition another to crueltie and their names haue distinguished them according to these various effects This was a dumbe deuill which yet had possessed not the tongue only of this man but his eare nor that only but as it seemes his eies too O suttle and tyrannous spirit that obstructs all waies to the soule that keeps out all meanes of grace both from the doores and windowes of the heart yea that stops vp all passages whether of ingresse or egresse Of ingresse at the eie or eare of egresse at the mouth that there might bee no capacitie of redresse What holy vse is thereof our tongue but to praise our Maker to confesse our sins to informe our brethren How rife is this dumbe Deuill euery-where whiles he stops the mouthes of Christians from these vsefull and necessarie duties For what end hath man those two priueledges aboue his fellow creatures Reason and Speech but that as by the one he may conceiue of the great workes of his Maker which the rest cannot so by the other he may expresse what he conceiues to the honour of the Creator both of them and himselfe And why are all other creatures said to praise God and bidden to praise him but because they doe it by the apprehension by the expression of man If the heauens declare the glory of God how doe they it but to the eies and by the tongue of that man for whom they were made It is no small honour whereof the enuious spirit shall robbe his Maker if he can close vp the mouth of his only rationall and vocall creature and turne the best of his workmanship into a dumbe Idoll that hath a mouth and speakes not Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Praise is not more necessarie then complaint praise of God then complaint of our selues whether to God or men The only amends we can make to God when we haue not had the grace to auoid sinne is to confesse the sinne we haue not auoided This is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurrs of our liues If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse That cunning man-slayer knowes there is no way to purge the sicke soule but vpward by casting out the vicious humor wherewith it is clogged and therefore holds the lips close that the heart may not disburden it selfe by so wholsome euacuation When I kept silence my bones consumed For day and night thy hand ô Lord was heauie vpon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer O let me confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee that thou maist forgiue the punishment of my sinne We haue a tongue for God when we praise him for our selues when we pray and confesse for our brethren when we speake the truth for their information which if we hold backe in vnrighteousnesse we yeeld vnto that dumbe Deuill where doe we not see that accursed spirit He is on the Bench when the mute or partiall Iudge speakes not for truth and innocence He is in the pulpit when the Prophets of God smother or halue or adulterate the message of their master He is at the barre when irreligious Iurors dare lend an oath to feare to hope to gaine He is in the market when godlesse chapmen for their pennie sell the truth and their soule Hee is in the common conuersation of men when the tongue belies the heart flatters the guiltie balketh reproofes euen in the foulest crimes O thou who only art stronger then that strong one cast him out of the hearts and mouthes of men It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy law That it might well appeare this impediment was not naturall so soone as the man is freed from the spirit his tongue is free to his speech The effects of spirits as they are wrought so they cease at once If the Sonne of God doe but remoue our spirituall possession we shall presently brake forth into the praise of God into the confession of our vilenesse into the profession of truth But what strange varietie doe I see in the spectators of this miracle some wondring others censuring a third sort tempting a fourth applauding There was neuer man or action but was subiect to varietie of constructions What man could be so holy as he that was God What act could be more worthy then the dispossession of an euill spirit yet this man this act passeth these differences of interpretation What can we doe to vndergoe but one