lessons of grace there he learnes what belongs to a Sauiour what one hee is what he hath done and for whom how he became ours we his now finding himselfe in a true state of danger of humilitie of neede of desire of fitnes for Christ he brings home to himself al that he learns and what he knowes he applies His former Tutor he feared this hee loueth that shewed him his wounds yea made them this binds and heales them that killed him this shewes him life and leades him to it Now at once he hates himselfe defies Satan trusts to Christ makes account both of pardon and glory This is his most precious Faith whereby he appropriates yea in grosses Christ Iesus to himselfe whence hee is iustified from his sinnes purified from his corruptions established in his resolutiōs comforted in his doubts defended against temptations ouercomes all his enemies Which vertue as it is most imploied and most opposed so carries the most care from the Christian hart that it be sound liuely growing Sound not rotten not hollow not presumptuous sound in the Act not a superficiall conceit but a true deepe and sensible apprehension an apprehension not of the braine but of the heart and of the heart not approuing or assenting but trusting and reposing Sound in the obiect none but Christ he knows that no friendship in heauen can do him good without this The Angells cannot God will not Ye beleeue in the Father beleeue also in me Liuely for it cannot giue life vnlesse it haue life the faith that is not fruitfull is dead the fruits of faith are good workes whether inward within the roofe of the heart as loue awe sorrow piety zeale ioy and the rest or outward towards God or our bretheren obedience and seruice to the one to the other reliefe and beneficence These he beares in his time sometimes all but alwayes some Growing true faith cannot stand still but as it is fruitfull in workes so it increaseth in degrees from a little seede it proues a large plant reaching from earth to heauen and from one heauen to another euery showre and euery Sun addes something to it Neither is this grace euer solitary but alwaies attended royallie For hee that beleeues what a Sauiour hee hath cannot but loue him he that loues him cannot but hate whatsoeuer may displease him cannot but reioice in him hope to inioy him and desire to enioy his hope and contemne all those vanities which he once desired and enioyed His minde now scorneth to grouell vpon earth but soareth vp to the things aboue where Christ sits at the right hand of God and after it hath seene what is done in heauen looks strangely vpon al worldly things He dare trust his faith aboue his reason and sense and hath learned to weane his appetite from crauing much Hee stands in awe of his owne conscience and dare no more offend it then not displease himselfe Hee feares not his enemies yet neglects them not equally auoiding security and timorousnesse Hee sees him that is inuisible and walks with him awfully familiarly He knowes what he is borne to and therefore digests the miseries of his wardship with patience hee findes more comfort in his afflictions then any worldling in pleasures And as hee hath these graces to comfort him within so hath hee the Angels to attend him without spirits better then his owne more powerfull more glorious These beare him in their armes wake by his bed keepe his soule while hee hath it and receiue it when it leaues him These are some present differences the greatest are future which could not bee so great if themselues were not witnesses no lesse then betwixt heauen and hell torment and glory an incorruptible crowne and fire vnquēchable Whether Infidels be leeue these things or no we know them so shall they but too late What remaynes but that wee applaud our selues in this happines walke on clearly in this heauenly professiō acknowledging that God could not do more for vs that we cānot do enough for him Let others boast as your Ladiship might with others of ancient and noble houses large Patrimonies or dowries honourable commaunds others of famous names high and enuied honors or the fauors of the greatest others of valor or beauty or some perhaps of eminent learning and wit it shall bee our pride that we are Christians To my Lady Honoria Hay Ep. IIII. Discoursing of the necessity of Baptisme and the estate of those which necessarily want it MADAME MEthinks children are like teeth troublesome both in the breeding and loosing oftentimes painful while they stand yet such as we neither would nor can well be without I goe not about to comfort you thus late for your losse I rather congratulate your wise moderation Christian care of these first spirituall priuiledges desiring only to satisfie you in what you hard as a witnesse not in what you needed as a mother Children are the blessings of Parents and baptisme is the blessing of children and parents Wherein there is not only vse but necessity Necessity not in respect so much of the end as of the precept God hath enioyned it to the comfort of parents and behoofe of children which therefore as it may not be superstitiously hastened so not negligently differred That the contempt of baptisme damneth is past all doubt but that the constrained absence thereof should send infants to hel is a cruell rashnesse It is not their sinne to die early death is a punishment not an offence an effect of sinne not a cause of torment they want nothing but time which they could not cōmand Because they could not liue a while longer that therfore they should die euerlastingly is the hard sentence of a bloody religion I am onely sorry that so harsh an opinion should bee graced with the name of a father so reuerend so diuine whose sentence yet let no man pleade by halues He who helde it vnpossible for a child to be saued vnlesse the baptismall water were powred on his face held it also as vnpossible for the same infant vnlesse the sacramētal bread were receiued into his mouth There is the same ground for both the same error in both a weaknes fit for forgetfulnes seeyet how ignorāt or il meaning posterity could single out one half of the opinion for truth and condemne the other of falshood In spight of whom one part shall easily conuince the other yea without al force since both cannot stand both will fall together for company The same mouth which said vnlesse ye be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost said also Except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood An equall necessity of both And lest any one should plead different interpretations the same Saint Austin auerres this later opinion also concerning the necessary communicating of children to haue beene once the common iudgement of the Church of Rome A sentence so displeasing that you
common mother If it be truth thou affectest what alone Coulde neuer any eyes till thine bee blessed with this obiect where hath that Sacred verity hid her self thus long from all her carefull Inquisitors that shee now first shewes her head to thee vnsought Hath the Gospel shined thus long and bright and left some Corners vnseene Away with all newe truths faire and plausible they may be sound they cannot some may admire thee for them none shall blesse thee But graunt that some of these are no lesse true then nice poyntes What doe these vnseasonable Crochets and quauers trouble the harmonious plain-songs of our peace Some quiet error may bee better then some vnruly truth Who binds vs to speak all we thinke So the Church may be still would God thou wert wise alone Did not our aduersaries quarrell enough before at our quarrels Were they not rich enough with our spoils By the dear name of our common parents what meanest thou Arminius Whether tend these new-rais'd dissentions Who shall thriue by them but they which insult vpon vs rise by the fall of truth who shall be vndone but thy Brethren By that most precious and bloudy ransome of our Sauiour and by that awefull appearance we shall once make before the glorious Tribunall of the son of God remember thy selfe and the poore distracted limbes of the Church let not those excellent parts wherewith God hath furnished thee lye in the narrow way and cause any weake one eyther to fall or stumble or erre For Gods sake either say nothing or the same How many great wittes haue sought no By-paths and now are happy with their fellowes Let it be no disparagement to goe with many to heauen What could hee reply to so playne a charge No distinction can auoid the power of simple truth I know hee hears not this of me first Neither that learned and woorthy Fran. Gomarus nor your other graue fraternity of reuerend Diuines haue beene silent in so mayne a cause I feare rather too much noyse in any of these tumults There may too many contend not intreat Multitude of sutors is commonly powerfull howe much more in iust motions But if either hee or you shall turne me home and bid me spend my little moisture vppon our owne brandes I graunt there is both the same cause and the same neede This Counsell is no whit further from vs because it is directed to you Any Reader can chaunge the person I lament to see that euery where peace hath not many Clients but fewer louers yea euen many of those that praise her follow her not Of old the very Nouation men Women Children brought stones and morter with the Orthodox to the building of the Church of the Resurrection and ioyned louingly with them against the Arrians lesser quarrels diuide vs and euery diuision ends in blowes and euery blow is returned and none of al lightes beside the Church Euen the best Apostles dissented neither knoledge nor holynesse can redresse all differences True but wisedome and charity could teach vs to auoyde their preiudice If we had but these two vertues quarrels should not hurt vs nor the Church by vs But alas self-loue is too strong for both these This alone opens the flood-gates of dissention and drownes the sweet but low valley of the Church Men esteem of opinions because their owne will haue truth serue not gouerne What they haue vnder-taken must be true Victory is sought for not satisfaction Victory of the Authour not of the cause Hee is a rare man that knowes to yeeld as wel to argue what shold we do then but bestow our selues vpon that which too many neglect publicke peace first in Prayers that we may preuaile then in teares that we preuaile not Thus haue I beene bold to chat with you of our greatest and common cares Your old loue late Hospitall entertainment in that your Island called for this rememberance the rather to keepe your English tongue in breath which was wont not to bee the least of your desires Would God you could make vs hapy with newes not of Truce but sincere amity vnion not of Prouinces but spirits The God of Spirits effect it both heere and there to the glory of his Name and Church EPIST. VIII To W. I. condemned for Murder ¶ Effectually preparing him and vnder his name whatsoeuer Malefactor for his death IT is a bad cause that robbeth vs of al the comfort of friendes yea that turnes their remēbrance into sorrow None can do so but those that proceed from our selues For outward euils which come from the infliction of others make vs cleaue faster to our helpers and cause vs to seeke and finde ease in the very commisseration of those that loue vs whereas those grieses which arise from the iust displeasure of Conscience will not abide so much as the memory of others affection or if it do makes it so much the greater corrasiue as our case is more vncapeable of their comfort Such is yours You haue made the mention of our names tedious to your selfe and yours to vs. This is the beginning of your payne that you had frends If you may now smart soundly from vs for your good it must be the onely ioy you must expect and the finall dutie wee owe to you It is both vaine and comfortlesse to heare what might haue beene neither would J send you backe to what is past but purposely to increase your sorrow who haue caused al our comfort to stand in your teares If therefore our former Counsailes had preuailed neyther had your hands shed innocent bloude nor Iustice yours Now to your great sinne you haue done the one and the other must be done to your paine and we your welwillers with sorrow and shame liue to be witnesses of both Your sin is gone before the reuenge of Iustice wil follow Seeing you are guilty let GOD be iust Other sinnes speake this cryeth and will neuer be silent till it bee answered with it selfe For your life the case is hopeles feed not your selfe with vaine presumptions but settle your selfe to expiate anothers bloude vvith your owne Would God your desert had beene such that we might vvith any comfort haue desired you might liue But now alas your fact is so heynous that your life can neyther bee craued without in-iustice nor bee protracted without inwarde torment And if our priuate affection shoulde make vs deafe to the shouts of bloud and partiality should teach vs to forget all care of publicke right yet resolue there is no place for hope Since then you could not liue guiltlesse there remaines nothing but that you labour to dye penitent and since your bodye cannot bee saued aliue to endeuour that your soule may bee saued in death Wherein howe happye shall it bee for you if you shall yet giue care to this my last aduice too late indeede for your recompence to the Worlde not too late for your selfe You haue deserued
death and expect it Take heede least you so fasten your eyes vppon the first death of the body that you should not look beyond it to the second which alone is worthy of trēbling worthy of teares For this though terrible to Nature yet is common to vs with you You must dye What doe wee else And what differs our end from yours but in hast and violence And vvho knowes whether in that It may bee a sickenesse as sharpe as suddaine shal fetch vs hence It may bee the same death or a worse for a better cause Or if not so There is much more miserie in lingering Hee dies easily that dyes soone But the other is the vtmost vengeaunce that GOD hath reserued for his enemies This is a matter of long feare and short payne A few panges lets the soule out of prison but the Torment of that other is euerlasting after tenne thousand yeares scorching in that flame the payne is neuer the neerer to his ending No time giues it hope of abating yea time hath nothing to do with this eternity You that shall feele the paine of one minutes dying thinke what paine it is to be dying for euer and euer This although it bee attended with a sharpe paine yet is such as some strong spirits haue indured without shew of yeildance I haue herd of an Irish Traitor that when he lay pining vppon the wheele with his bones broke asked his friend if hee changed his countenance at all caring lesse for the paine then the shew of feare Few men haue dyed of greater paines then others haue sustained and liue But that other ouer-whelms both body and soule and leaues no roome for any comfort in the possibility of mitigation Heere men are executioners or diseases there fiends Those diuels that were ready to tempt the gracelesse vnto sinne are as ready to follow the damned with tortures Whatsoeuer becom of your carcasse saue your soule from these flames and so mannage this short time you haue to liue that you may die but once This is not your first sinne yea God hath now punnished your former sins with this A fearefull punishment in it selfe if it deserued no more your cōscience which now beginnes to tell trueth cannot but assure you that there is no sinne more worthy of hell then murder yea more proper to it Turne ouer those holy leaues which you haue too much neglected now smart for neglecting you shall finde Murderers among those that are shut out from the presence of God you shall finde the Prince of that darknes in the highest stile of his mischief termed a Man-slayer Alas how fearefull a case is this that you haue heerein-resembled him for whome Topheth was prepared of old and imitating him in his action haue endangered your self to partake of his tormēts Oh that you coulde but see what you haue done what you haue deserued That your heart could bleed enough within you for the bloud your handes haue shed That as you haue followed Satan our common enemy in sinning so you could defye him in repenting That your teares could disapoint his hopes of your damnation What an happy vnhappinesse shall this be to your sad friendes that your better part yet liueth That frō an ignominious place your soule is receyued to glory Nothing can effect this but your Repentance and that can do it Feare not to looke into that horrour which should attend your sinne and bee now as seuere to your selfe as you haue beene cruell to another Thinke not to extenuate your offence with the vain Titles of man-hood what praise is this that you were a valiaunt Murderer Strike your owne breast as Moses did his Rooke and bring down Riuers of tears to wash away your bloud-shed Do not so much feare your iudgment as abhorre your sinne yea your selfe for it And with strong cries lift vppe your guilty hands to that God whom you offended and say Deliuer mee from blood-guiltines O Lord. Let me tell you as without repentance there is no hope so with it ther is no condemnation True penitence is strong can grapple with the greatest sin yea with all the powers of hell What if your hands be red with blood Behold the blood of your Sauiour shall wash away yours If you can bath your selfe in that your Scarlet soule shall be as white as Snow This course alone shal make your Crosse the way to the Paradice of God This plaister can heale all the sores of the foul if neuer so desperate Onely take heede that your heart bee deepe enough pierced ere you lay it on else vnder a seeming skinne of dissimulation your soule shall fester to death Yet ioy vs vvith your true sorrowe whome you haue grieued with your offence at once comfort your friends and saue your soule EPIST. IX To Mr. Iohn Mole of a long time nowe prisoner vnder the Inquisition at Rome ¶ Exciting him to his wonted Constancie and incouraging him to Martyrdome WHat passage can these lines hope to finde into that your straight and curious thraldome Yet who would not aduenture the losse of this paines for him which is ready to loose himself for Christ what do we not ow to you which haue thus giuen your self for the cōmon faith blessed be the name of that God who hath singled you out for his Champion made you inuincible how famous are your bonds How glorious your constancy Oh that out of your close obscurity you could but see the honour of your suffring the affections of Gods Saints in som an holy enuy at your distressed hapines Those wals cannot hide you No man is attended with so many eyes from earth heauen The Church your Mother beholdes you not with more compassion then ioy Neither can it bee sayde how shee at once pitties your misery and reioyces in your patience The blessed Angels looke vpon you with gratulation and applause The aduersaries with an angry sorrowe to see themselues ouercome by their captiue their obstinate cruelty ouer-matched with humble resolution and faithfull perseuerance Your Sauiour sees you from aboue not as a meer spectator but as a patient with you in you for you yea as an agent in your indurance victory giuing new courage with the one hād and holding out a Crowne with the other Whom would not these sights incorage who now can pitty your solitarinesse The harts of all good men are with you Neither can that place be but full of angels which is the continuall obiect of so many Prayers yea the God of heauen was neuer so near you as now ye are remooued from men Let me speake a bold but true worde Jt is as possible for him to bee absent from his Heauen as from the prisons of his Saints The glorified spirits aboue sing to him the persecuted soules below suffer for him and crie to him he is magnified in both present with both the faith of the one is as pleasing to him as the triumph of
the other Nothing obligeth vs men so much as smarting for vs words of defence are woorthy of thankes but pain is esteemed aboue recompence How do we kisse the woundes which are taken for our sakes and professe that we would hate our selues if wee did not loue those that dare bleed for vs How much more shal the God of mercies be sensible of your sorrowes and crowne your patience To whom you may truely sing that ditty of the Diuine Psalmist Surely for thy sake am I slaine continually and am counted as a Sheepe for the slaughter What neede I to stir vp your constancy which hath already amazed and wearied your persecutors No suspition shall driue me heereto but rather the thirst of your praise He that exhorts to persist in well-doing whiles he perswades commendeth Whether shoulde I rather send you then to the sight of your own Christian fortitude which neither Prayers nor threats haue bin able to shake Heere stands on the one hand Liberty Promotion Pleasure life and which easily exceeds al these the deare respect of wife and children whome your onely resolution shall make Widdow and Orphanes these with smiles and vowes and teares seeme to importune you On the other hand bondage solitude horror death and the most lingering of all miseries ruine of posterity these with frowns and menaces labour to afright you Betwixt both you haue stoode vnmooued fixing your eyes either right forward vpon the cause of your suffering or vpwards vppon the Crowne of your reward It is an happy thing when our owne actions may be either examples or arguments of good These blessed proceedings call you on to your perfection The reward of good beginnings prosecuted is doubled neglected is lost How vaine are those temptations vvhich would make you a looser of all this praise this recompence Go on therfore happily keepe your eies where they are and your heart cannot bee but where it is and where it ought Looke still for what you suffer for whom For the truth or Christ what can be so precious as truth Not life it selfe All earthly things are not so vile to life as life to truth Life is momentary Truth eternall Life is ours the Truth Gods Oh happy purchase to giue our life for the Truth What can we suffer too much for Christ He hath giuen our life to vs he hath giuen his own life for vs. What great thing is it if he require what he hath giuen vs if ours for his Yea rather if he cal for what he hath lent vs yet not to bereue but to chaunge it giuing vs Gold for our clay glory for our corruption Behold that Sauiour of yours weeping bleeding dying for your alas our soules are too strait for his sorrowes we can be made but paine for him He was made sin for vs we sustain for him but the impotent anger of men hee strugled with the infinite wrath of his Father for vs. Oh who can endure enough for him that hath passed thorough Death and hell for his Soule Thinke this and you shall resolue with Dauid I will bee yet more vile for the Lord. The woorst of the despight of men is but Death and that if they inflict not a disease wil or if not that Age. Heere is no imposition of that which would not be but an hastening of that which will bee An hastening to your gaine For behold their violence shall turne your necessity into Vertue and profit Nature hath made you mortall none but an enemie can make you a Martyr you must die though they will not you cannot die for Christ but by them How coulde they else deuise to make you happie Since the giuer of both liues hath said Hee that shall loose his life for my sake shall saue it Loe this alone is lost with keeping and gained by losse Say you were freed vppon the safest conditions and returning As how welcome should that newes be more to yours then to your selfe Perhappes death may meete you in the way perhaps ouer-take you at home neither place nor time can promise immunitie from the common destinie of men Those that may abridge your houres cannot lengthen them and while they last cannot secure them from vexation yea themselues shall followe you into their dust and cannot auoide what they can inflicte death shal equalie tirannize by them and ouer them so their fauors are but fruitlesse their malice gainefull For it shall change your prison into heauen your Fetters into a Crown your Iailours to Angels your misery into glory Looke vppe to your future estate and reioyce in the present Beholde the Tree of Life the hidden Manna the Scepter of Power the Morning-Starre the white garment the newe name the Crowne and Throne of Heauen are adressed for you Ouercome and enioy them oh glorious condition of Martyrs whom conformity in death hath made like their Sauiour in blessednesse whose honour is to attend him for euer whō they haue ioyed to imitate VVhat are these which are arayd in long white robes and whence came they These are saies that Heauenly Elder they which came out of great Tribulation and vvashed their long Robes and haue made their long Robes white in the bloude of the Lambe Therefore they are in the presence of the Throne of GOD and serue him day and night in the Temple and hee that sitteth on the Throne will dwel among them and Gouerne them and leade them vnto the liuelie Fountaines of waters and GOD shall wipe all teares from their eyes All the elect haue Seales in theyr fore-heades But Martyrs haue Palme in theyr handes All the elect haue White Robes Martyrs both white and long White for their Glorie long for the largenesse of their Glorie Once redde with theyr owne bloude now white with the bloude of the Lambe There is nothing in our bloude but weake obedience nothing but merrit in the Lambes-bloud Behold his merite makes our obedience Glorious You doo but sprinckle his feet with your bloude Loe hee washes your long white Robes with his Euerie droppe of your bloude is answered with a streame of his and euerie droppe of his is woorth Riuers of ours Precious in the sight of the Lorde is the Death of his Saintes Precious in preuention Precious in acceptation precious in remuneration Oh giue willingly that which you cannot keepe that you may receyue what you cannot leese The way is steepe but now you breath towardes the top Let not the want of some few steps loose you an eternall rest Put too the strength of your owne Fayth The Prayers of Gods Saints shall further your pace that gracious hand that sustaines heauen and earth shall vphold and sweetly draw you vp to your glory Go on to credite the gospell with your perseuerance and shew the false-hearted Clients of that Romayne-Court that the Trueth yeildes reall and heartie professours such as dare no lesse smart then speake for her Without the wals of your restraint where can