flower is yet to spend and strength of youth Ars That flower thou soone wilt crop and wast the seed This In time I may at night expect me sister Ars I le waite you home This If this my plot doe hit Nere was the like devis'd by womans wit Exeunt Enter Demeneta and Thisbe againe with a candle Thisbe Come mistris let me make you unreadie instantlie all that I promised you is done I will goe fetch young Cnemon unto you who is making merrie here by and returne suddenlie lye downe take your pleasure and say nothing Exit Thisbe Enter Thisbe followed by Aristippus This Bind the adulterer fast master With that she ran to the doore and made it give so great a crash as she could crying out in this manner O wonderfull thing the villaine is fled take heed sir that you be not againe deceived Arist Peace be of good cheere I have this wicked and mischievous woman which I most desired O thou much hated of the gods I have thee And all thy shame about thâ—e come thou shalt With me unto the City to receive What punishment the lawes allot to such As live unchast and wrong their husbands bed Which is no lesse then death Aâ—iâ—tâ—ppâ—s dragges her along but she pulling herselfe out of 〈…〉 mâ—â—s hands sell suddenlie of purpose into a pit made 〈◊〉 the stage and so ended her life Aristip See Thisbe is she dead This Oh yes her necke Is broaken sir Aristip Then hath thy punishment Prevented what the law should have inflicted I le to the people and declare this matter And with my friends consult what meanes to use For to call home my sonne from banishment Whose truth and innocence doth open lie By this unheard of strange discovery Exeunt Actus tertii Scena sexta Enter Cariclea she lieth downe upon the bed indispos'd her kinsfolks weeping about her then enter Caricles and Calasiris Caric. My child my daughter deare tell me thy father The cause of thy disease have a good heart This wise man Calasiris is requested By me to finde some remedy to cure thee And he can well performe it as a man Of heavenly knowledge and a sacred priest My most â—ndeered friend you shall doe well To suffer him to exercise his art And holy spels for your recovery For I perceive thou art ore-look'd my child Caric. Sir t is my duty to obey your will In all things you command me Calas Then depart Deare Caricles and all the rest avoyd The roome we must be private here together Fetch me a little Laurell and a stoole Having three feet some fire and frankincense And let no man disturbe us till I call It shall be done forthwith heavens crowne your worke Exeunt all but Cariclea and Calasiris Calasiris begins to burne frankincense to mumble with his lips to lay lawrell upon her from top to toe to gape make strange gestures while Cariclea wagged her head oft and smiled Caric. Father you are deceived in my griefe You cannot ghesse at it for all your art Calas Nay daughter say not so but cheere your selfe For what doth vex you is a malady Common and easie to be cur'd by me Thou west ore-look'd not onely at the pompe Of Pirrhus funerall rites but at the race In armour too when you were overseer And gave the prize unto the conquerour Theagenes was he that overlook'd you Whose want on eye was alwaies fixt upon Your splendant beauty object of his sight Caric. Whether he daign'd to looke on me or no Apollo have him in his custody But whence is he and what 's his pedegree Calas He 's a Thessalian borne and as you hear'd Descended from Achilles who although He have bewitch'd you with an envious eye He suffers more than you by the reflex Of your Sun-burning eyes upon his heart Caric. 〈…〉 you wrongfully accuse the man Of witchcraft â—ho hath done no harme at all There 's no such matter t is some other sicknesse Calas Then tell me daughter and conceale it not If you desire to find a remedy I am no stranger to you but your friend and old acquaintance of your loving father I am of your profession too a priest I 'le keepe your counsell and be bound by oath To helpe you what I can all griefes are cur'd In the beginning but if left alone At length they grow incurable declare Your minde at full Caric. I love Theagines Calasiris I knew so much before he loves you too I 'le be your faithfull friend and true assistant Enter Caricles with Acestinus a skilfull physitian Caric. Deere friend what have you done what newes have You to tell me that is good Calasir All shall be well Caricles shall be heal'd to morrow morne Of her infirmitie I now will leave you To prosecute my busines for her health Caric. Adiew deere friend the gods reward thy paine Heere Acestinus lies the sicklie patient Exit Calasiris You are well read in physicke feele her pulse And give your wise opinion Acestin fairest maid Where doth your paine lie most She turn'd her face from him and repeated with a loud voice this verse of Homer Achilles to the bravest man of all the Greekish rout Acest Her state of heart I finde Priest Caricles My labour is in vaine no physicke can Restore her to her health Caric. The gods forbid Why say you so must my deare daughter die Without all hope of her recovery Acest Peace make not such adoe but here 〈…〉 speake Our art sir doth extend no further then He drawes Caricles aside To cure distempered bodies if the mind Diseased be without the bodies sicknesse We have no helpe for that the maids disease â—â—es in the mind her bodie 's in good state No humours doe abound there no headach No fever burnes her all is free within Caric. What then should be the cause of these her fits Utter what you perceive doth trouble her I doe beseech you skilfull Acestinus Acestin T is love doth trouble her which who knowes not Is an affection and griefe of the heart Doe you not see her eyes swolne in her head Rouling one every side her visage pale Her halfe distraction how she uttereth What ere comes in her minde and sleepes but little In briefe I doe perceive that she hath lost The moisture of her body and indeed Just amplitude thereof my counsell is You finde her out a man and that with speed Exit Acestinus Caric. A man heavens grant she be enclin'd that way Then Calasiris hath plaid well his part How fares my daughter now what sicknesse hast thou Shall I send for more Doctors yet Caric. T is needlesse Send none to me but Calasiris onely He hath the art to ease me and none else Caric. I le send him to thee sleepe Cariclea Untill he come if Alcamenes love Possesse her heart thanks to the gods above Exeunt Actus tertii Scena septima Enter at one doore Theagines at another Calasiris Theag. My worthy friend most
stout Achilles didst bring forth a very Mars in warre And Captaine good unto the Greekes thy glory scales the skies To thee did thy red-headed wife cause Pirrhus rough to rise The Trojans utter overthrow but stay to Greekish host Be thou good Pirrhus unto us a favourable ghost Who here in grave intombed liest in Phoebus sacred ground Bow downe thy care to th' holy hymnes that we to thee do sound And this our City suffer not in any feare to be Of thee and Thetis is our song Thetis all haile to thee The song ended enters Theagines Captaine of the Thessalians very richly apparelled followed by many gallants who guarding him as he went at last encompassed him round about the maides overcome with the beauty of Theagines could not moderate their passions but began to cast flowers and fruit upon him with that enters Cariclea most sumptuously adorned according to the manner her haire was neither all bound up nor all loose but the most part thereof that grew behind hanged over her shoulders that which grew from the crowne of her head downe to her forehead being of a yellow colour was crowned with a garland of young Laurell in her left hand shee bare a guilded Bow and a Quiver of arrowes hanged on her right shoulder and in her other hand she bare a taper burning after the young men had gone three times about Neoptolemus scpulture in their bravery the women cryed out pittiously the men made a strange noise with that Theagines speakes to Caricles Theag. Most sacred Priest of this high Deity We make request unto you to begin This sacrifice to Neoptolemus Caric. The sacrifice indeed belongs to me But you sir as the Captaine of this charge And sacred message ought to take the taper Of her there who of all those ceremonies Is presedent and burne the alter of This is the order and our Countrey fashion Theagnes takes the taper with a great deale of reverence from the hand of Cariclea and sets fire to the Alter but first he was in a maze at the exceeding beauty of Cariclea and she as much taken with his then they both smiled a little and blush'd and then became pale againe in conclusion he falls in love with her and she with him Theag. So burnes my heart as doth this Alter here The taper that did set my heart a fire Was faire Caricleas beauty aside Cariclea How my soule Could sacrifice to faire Theagines aside Caricles Great god of Delphos in whose sacred temple We celebrate these funerall obsequies Of great Achilles sonne vouchsafe to send A happy ômen which may crowne this worke Of our devotion offered at thy Altar The Oracle speakes touching Theagines and Cariclea Ye men of Delphos sing of her and her rare beauties praise Who now in grace begins to grow but fame shall and her daies Who leaving these my temples here and sailing surging streames Shall come at length to contries scorch'd with Phoebus burning beames Where they as recompences due that vertues rare doe gaine In time to come ere it be long White miters shall obtaine After this answer of the god Apollo the pompe is broken up and Exeunt Actus secundi Scena octava Enter the iudges and people of Athens then Aristippus And Demeneta with Cnemon bound 2 Iudg. Cnemon stand forth who doth accuse him here Aristippus steps forth and strewing ashes on his head sâ—ith Aristip I brought not up my sonne ye men of Athens To see him come unto this end but rather To be a staffe to stay my age upon As soone as he was borne his education VVas good and civill when he did attaine To riper yeeres I set him to our schooles And Academies there to study arts And Mathematicke sciences besides According to the lawes of this our City Made him free denison yet notwithstanding He hath not onely cast behind his backe These favours of my love but diversely Both injur'd me and beaten this good woman Who by our lawes is now my second wife And not content herewith one night he came Unto us with a drawne sword in his hand When we in bed suspected no such thing In mind to kill us both and was no farther From being a paracide but that by chance His sword by sudden feare fell out his hand Which ' Demeneta my good wife tooke up Therefore I flee to you most learned Judges And though I might by law of this our Senate Slay him with my owne hands yet I appeale Unto your justice and commit my cause To your grave censures counting it more sit To punish this my sonne by publike lawe Then private bloodshed With that Aristippus weepes Demeneta faining teares also Demen. Cnemon i 'me sorry for thee pretty boy In an ill hower wert thou brought to the world Unhappy creature Cnem. Grave and learned senate Vouchsafe to heare me speake 2 Iudg. We will not heare thee But answer to this question we propound Came you unto your father with a sword Drawne in your hand or no Cnem. I not deny But I came with a drawne sword in my hand But I will tell you how please you to heare me 3 Iudg. He hath confess'd ynough he ought not speake more for himselfe 1 Iudg. Let us proceed to sentence 2 Iudg. I judge him worthy to be ston'd to death 3 Iudg. I to be hang'd 4 Iudg. This is my sentence fathers â—hat he be cast headlong into the dungeon Cnem. O cruell stepmother and most unkind â—or thy curs'd sake am I so ill intreated â—gainst all equity and justice too â—hou kil'st me contrary to course of Law 1. Iudg. Your sentence is too hard and too severe â—et him not die but be for ever banish'd 2 Iudg. Let him be ston'd 3. Iudg. Nay hang'd 4. Iudg. nay cast into â—he dungeon 1. Iudg. since we differ conscript fathers â—n our opinions I doe thinke it fit â— be referr'd unto the peoples voyces 2. Iudg. I doe assent unto it 3 Iudg. So do I. 4. Iudg. And I. 1. Iudg. Then people give your voices shall young Cnemon â—ie or be banish'd The people banish'd banish'd banish'd 1. Iudg. Then Cnemon this must be thy punishment â—erpetuall exile from thy native land â—ever to be revok'd which if infring'd â—y thy presumption then expect to have â—o mercie from the senate but a grave â—eake up the Court Exeunt Actus secundi Scena nona Enter Caricles and Calasiris Caric. Saw you my onely joy and the sole honour â—f Delphos faire Cariclea my daughter Calas This was not sir the first time that I saw her â—s often as the people made resort Unto the temple I was present with her And more we have done sacrifice together And when she doubted any point depending On divine matters or on humane learning She would have me instruct her in the truth Caric. How did you like her at the sacrifice Did she set forth that brave sight any thing Calasiris You aske me a strang question Caricles As
if you doubted whether the bright moone Did passe the lesser starres Caric. The people prais'd Theagnes the young Thessalian captaine Attributing the second place to him Calasires Yea and the third too but they all acknowledge your daughter carryed it away and was The verie eye of the solemnitie Caric. Come will you goe with me to visite her I doubt the concourse of so great a troope Hath preiudic'd her rest Calasir though my affaires Call me another way yet I l'e dispence VVith them how great so ever and important To waite on you and her exeunt Actus secundi Scena decima Enter Cariclea love sicke she lyeth upon her bed Cariclea O cruell power of love why dost thou triumph In lovers rectles paines what glorie can Be added to thy deitie in seeking The overthrow of thy poore libertie Take here this tribute of my teares these sighes Sent from a gentle heart convaye them hence That they may meet Theagnies and flow With his as from one fountaine from one head To her enters Caricles and Calasiris Caricles embraceth her Caric. What ailes my sweet my deare Carcilea Tell me my daughter Carcilea Nothing but my head Doth ake a little and I faine would sleepe Cariclea faines her selfe asleepe Caric. What should this meane good Calasiris thinke you VVhat disease hath she tane Calasir You need not marvell At this for I believe some enuious eye Hath over look'd her Caric. I must laugh at this Then you beleive as commonlie men doe That there is witch craft Calasiris Yes as I beleive That any thing is true and for this cause The emptie aire that is about us round On everie side entring in by our eyes Our mouth our eares our nostrills all our pores Carrying such outward qualities with it As t is indew'd with doth ingraffe a like Infection in the man who hath receiv'd it As when a man hath enviously beheld Something that 's excellen forthwith the aire Is filled with that poisonous qualitie VVhich entreth into that is neere at hand This same aire being a slender suble thing Pierceth even to the bones and very marrow And by that cause hath envie beene the meanes Of that disease which by a propter name VVe call bewitching Caric. Your wise reasons beare Some probility I must confesse Cala. Consider Caricles how many have Gotten the plague although they never touch'd Nor saw nor eate nor lay with the deseâ—â—'d But being with them in the selfâ—same aire Let love be argument and proofe of thiâ— VVho taketh its beginning from the object Of what it sees and so as if it were Some privy passage by the eyes hath entrance Into the heart and this is probable For seeing of all other pores and sences The sight is capable of most mutations And so the hottest it must needs receive Such like infections as are round about it And with a hot spirit entertaine loves changes As for examples sake I will produce Out of the holie bookes some reasons for it Gathered from natures sole consideration You know the bird Charadrius doth heale Those persons whose disease is the kings evill Which bird doth flie away assoone as any Diseased with this griefe hath spied her And turnes her taile to him and shuttes her eyes Not as some say because she would not help them But that by looking on them she by nature Drawes that disease unto her therefore wiselie Declineth such a sight as present perill Caric. You have discuss'd this doubt right sagelie Sir I would my daughter once might feele and finde What love doth meane I would not then conceive That she were sick but in her perfect health But nothing lesse then this is to be thought Hath happened to her who contemnes all love But rather seemes to be bewitch'd indeed Deere Calasiris for our friendships sake Shew some point of your wisedome to dissolve This witchchraft and if possible to bring her Into a good opinion of my nephew Enter Nebulo with a bastinado in his hand Nebulo Sirs what d ee meane to make such tarriance Theagines hath made such a feast and all the good cheere will be eaten before you come for shame come away there are none of the ghestes wanting but you who are the principall if you will be such fooles to misse it you may but I 'le not follow your foolish example Calasiris This fellow cals us rather to a battle Then to a banket Caric. T is his rustiâ—ke manner O what a lofty fellow Bacchus is When he is well wash'd but come let us goe Least with his cudgell honest Nebulo Doe drive us forward Nebulo Well sirs you may jest But I meane earnest if I misse the feast Exeunt Finis actus secundi Actus tertii Scena prima Enter Aristippus solus in a melancholy humour Aristip How have I plai'd the foole and rob'd my selfâ— In hastie passion of my onelie sonne Repentance when it comes too late doth argue An inconsiderate iudgment O my Cnemon Would thou hadst kill'd me ere I banish'd thee For death is better sure then banishment Nere shall I see my boy well for this fault I will do penance penance on my selfe Athens adiew and all the Citie pleasures Forsake me quite my solitarie manour Farre in the countrey where no people comes Shall be my habitation day and night Where I will eate my heart out Exit Aristippus Enter Demeneta and Thisbe Demen. Oh my Cnemon My prettie boy more deere then my owne life How I lament thy chance and my mishap This Comfort your selfe deere mistris I beseech you Demen. Peace foole my griefe is more then can be cur'd â—y any words of comfort no man knowes What a sharpe corsive it was to my heart â—ore fervent is my love now he is absent This Fie fie forget him thinke upon his pride And high disdaine against you thinke he doth â—eserve this punishment and greater too Demen. How readie thou art Thisbe to doe mischiefe Thou art the fire brand that hast kindled this Combustion in my heart thou hast not beene A helpe unto me but a hinderance In the fruition of my love by thee And by thy meanes I have lost my onely joy And yet for all this thou dost still incense me To run on in this way most wicked wretch This Well I perceive your mind she thinkes to make me Support the fury of her franticke sits But I shall overreach you sure in wit And lay the saddle on the right horse backe aside Why do you thus accuse your trusty servant You know I did but what I was commanded Nor ere did any thing without your warrant If this thing happen'd not as you would have it Ascribe it not to any fault in me But rather as you justly may to fortune If you will have me yet devise some way To remedy your present griefe and sorrow You shall perceive how ready my good will Shall be at your commands Demen What remedy Can possibly be found since he that can Ease
come I know your griefe although you are Asham'd to tell it me I know it well For nothing from my wisedome can be hid And from the knowledge of the gods my son Calasiris casteth some account upon his finger as if he would prophesie Young man thou art in love nay start not backe Thou art in love with faire Cariclea Theagines embraceth him about the necke Theag. Thy prophesie is true I am in love With faire Cariclea save me learned man For without helpe I cannot live a day So much this mischiefe workes upon my heart I never till now knew the effects of love Nor ere saw woman that I thought deserv'd To be beloved before Caricleas beauty Made me a slave to Cupids cruelty Calas Weepe not Theagines be of good cheere For since you have recourse to me for helpe My wisedome shall prevaile above her strength Although shee be perverse and easily Will not be drawne to love I 'le try all meanes For your sake whom I love and use all art I can to breake her nature be but bold And doe as I shall shew you Theag. With my soule And if you doe this I am yours and all I have at your command one knockes Calas Who 's there be gone Theagines to morrow morne I 'le meet you In great Apollos Temple and talke more Exit Theagines Enter Nebulo O is it you Sir Nebulo what newes Bringst thou I prethee Neb. What d ee take me for a newes Carrier I would you should know it I am none such I have not to doe with other mens businesse nor their wives I would they had not to doe with mine but t is no mater for once there is promised a reformation I hope all will be amended let it passe but to the point now Calas I to the point Nebulo by all meanes Neb. And then to the businesse afterward Caricles Why didst thou not meane the businesse when thou mention'dst the point is it not all one in the sense I conceive it so else thou art more learned than I am Neb. No t is not all one the point is one thing and the busines another we must first handle the point before we come to the businesse for your better understanding I will make it plainer Calas Thou art a very learned Doctor sure in matters of this nature Neb. I hope so yet my wife hath gone beyond me I 'le besworne by many degrees Calas But Nebulo prethee what wouldst thou have with me how doth thy Master and my good friend Caricles Neb. In health but doggedly out of tune hee will be with you presently so much he bid me tell you and something else but I have forgotten it so much businesse I have to thinke of Enter Caricles Calas My dearest friend and brother welcome to me Why doe you looke with such a sullen cheere Methinks you 're very sad and melancholy Caricles I am indeed and I have reason for it I come to crave your counsell what to doe But first depart and leave us Nebulo Neb. Wherefore I pray well there will be a sweet counsell now I am excluded I should be loth to change heads with either of them for all my hornes Exit Nebulo Caricles My daughter Sir since yesterday the race Was run in armour tweene Theagenes And stout Ormenes hath beene wondrous sicke And the last night did never sleepe one winke Calasiris Who won the garland Sir Caric. Theagines Cariclea as the custome is did hold The prize and he receiv'd it at her hand She still growes worse and worse deere Calasiris Imploy your skill and wisedome to restore her I know t is easie for you if you please To heale her who you say is but bewitch'd For I believe t is not impossible For holie Priestes to bring to passe strange things Calas Let 's goe then if you please unto the maid And by recommendation strive to make Me more familiarlie acquainted with her That she the bolder may sustaine my cure Caric. Content Apollo graunt a good successe Unto thy worke and Aesculapius Exeunt Actus tertii Scena quarta Enter Aristippus and Thisbe This Master I doubt not but my sudden comming Appeareth strange as being unexpected The cause whereof I will relate unto you Without more circumstance or vaine preambles I come here to accuse my selfe unto you And to receive such punishment as your Discretion shall thinke sit for my offence By me sir you have partly lost your sonne I doe confesse I was an accessary Though much against my will when I perceiv'd My mistris liv'd not well but wrong'd your bed Not onely provident to shun the danger Might light upon my selfe for keeping counsell If it should come to light by any other But chiefly sorrowfull for your mis-hap Who should in recompence of all your kindnesse Vnto your wife reape such disgrace from her I came one night to my yong master Cnemon My selfe not daring to acquaint you with it And told him there was one who us'd to play The lecher with my mistris he enrag'd Thinking that then they were in bed together Tooke suddenly his sword into his hand And notwithstanding that I told them then They were not at their sport he would not heare me But thinking that I had repented of Bewraying it ran like a mad man forth Unto your bed-side with intent to kill Th' adulterer what followed sir you know Now to confirme that this I say is true If so you please this night I le shew your wife My mistris Demeneta with her friend A bed together in a neighbours house Without the City Aristip If thou canst doe this I le make thee free and pardon all thy faults For I suppose I should revive againe So I reveng'd were on my enemy I had such a suspition in my head That she was false but kept it to my selfe Because I wanted cleere proofes to convince her But what must I doe Thisbe tell me wench This You know the garden where the monument Of Epicures doth stand there come a little Before the night and stay for me adiew Exeunt Actus tertii Scena quinta Enter Arsinoe and Thisbe Ars My old acquaintance welcome welcome Thisbe This Thanks good Arsinoe will you teach me now A lesson on the Virginals Ars You jeere me I faine would learne of your but prethee tell me What businesse brought thee hither This I will tell thee You know Feledemus the dauncer Ars Yes This We too must daunce la velta here to night Let 's have a chamber and a bed made ready Sweet sister for I 've premis'd him this night He shall come first and I will follow after Assoone as I to bed have brought my mistris Ars All things shall be according to thy wish My better halfe This But when he comes I pray you Be out the way for he is very shame-fac'd As being a novice in this art Ars Is he Not entred yet This Not yet I can assure yee His
opportunely met Calasi What beautifull Theagines Theag. How can he Be beautifull that pleaseth not Cariclea Calasir No more you make me angrie thus to doubt My skill by which she is entrap'd in love And longs to see you Theag. What is that you say Doth faire Cariclea wish to see me father Why doe you then detaine me here and not Conduct me to her Theagines offers to run forth Calasiris catcheth him by the cloake and holds him fast Calas Nay sir stay a while Though you are very nimble of your feet You must not thinke this matter must be handled As if it were a prize for every man That list to get it take my counsell first Know you not that her father Caricles Is the chiefe man in Delphos that the lawes Give present death to such as stâ—ale a maid Without their friends consent be wise my sonne Theag. The matter were not great although I dy'd After I had enjoyed Cariclea Death for her sake is life but Calasiris If you thinke good let us demand her of Old Caricles her father for my wife I doe suppose my blood is high ynough To be commixt with his Calas We shall not speed Not that he thinkes you any way unworthy But ' cause she 's promis'd to his sisters sonne By him in marriage Theag. O ye gods above It cannot be nor shall it by your leaves Theagenes and none but he shall wed Cariclea who ere presumes to touch My goddesse but my selfe shall sure repent it This hand is not benum'd nor this sword blunt But it can take revenge Calas It shall not need Theagines be patient be but rul'd By me and we will bring all things to passe According to your wish now leave me here Alone to project on your good be carefull You be not seene oft-times to talke with me But when you come come private and alone To shun suspition Theag. Farewell reverend Father Exit Theagenes Enter Caricles So efficacious is your wisdome sir So forceable our friendship as it hath wrought That effect I wish'd upon my daughter Cariclea is in love and quite subdu'd By strong affection who before was stubbornâ— Unto so sweet a yoake Calas I knew my charmes Were of sufficient force to doe the feate But can you tell aswell what man she loves As that she is in love Caric. No by Apollo Would Alcamenes were the man she lov'd My sisters sonne I have indeavour'd it All that I can to make her fancy him Calas T is best you bring him to her and so try The aime of her affection mutuall sight Of lovers kindleth sparkes which else would die Rak'd up in ashes of forgetfulnesse Caric. I le take your counsell Calas And returne with newes How you have sped Caric. I le give you a relation Exit Caricles Calas I must convey them hence this taske is laid Upon me by the gods but where I know not The Oracle is mysticall and darke I cannot well interpret what it meanes We must begin our voyage by sea it seemes As may be gathered by the Oracle Where it is said and sayling surging streames Shall come at length to countries scorch'd with Phoebus burning beames If I could by any meanes get the Fascia now which was laid out with Cariclea wherein Caricles said he heard all the maids estate was notified I should be instructed more particularly what I ought to doe and whether the Ladies of destiny would send us Enter Caricles Now brother what successe Caric. Oh wofull newes My daughter seemes distracted such a strange Infirmity doth seise her when I brought My nephew Alcamenes to her sight Freshly apparel'd as if Gorgons head Appear'd or some more fearefull thing she cri'd With a loud voice and turn'd her countenance From him and me withall she put her hand Unto her throat threatning to kill her selfe And bound it with an oth if we departed Not suddenlie the chamber which we did In Lesse time then she spake it least she should Put that in execution which she said Now Calaâ—iâ—is once againe I come Most humbly to beseech you that you will not Suffer the maid to pâ—â—ith nor her father Be frâ—strâ—te of his purpose Calasiris Caricles T is true your daughter is distrest in mind For she is moved with the multitude Which I have burthen'd her of purpose with They are not of the leâ—st but such as should Force heâ—to doe what she abhorred most Aswell by nature as decreâ— of minde But I suppose some god doth take in hand To hinder this 〈…〉 and strive to crosse My mâ—niâ—ters therefore 〈…〉 And time you they me that same Fascia You said was 〈…〉 with faire 〈◊〉 Amongst her costlie ieâ—â—lls 〈…〉 Least that it be enchâ—â—nted 〈◊〉 and wrought With such things as doe now exaspeâ—ate Her mindâ— by reason that some enemie Assoone As 〈◊〉 was borne had this ordain'd To keepe her from all love and thought of marriage That the might die 〈…〉 behind noc issue Cariâ— T is probable it may be so indeed Come goe with me and I will shew you all What in the Fascia is contain'd and written I undeâ—stâ—nd it not character Is Aeâ—hâ—opiâ—n and the letters aâ—â— Nâ—t commâ—n but such as the prinâ—es use Oâ— Aegyâ—t in thâ—ir holiâ— businesses Câ—â—â—s understand thâ— Aethiopian tongue Which unto thâ—â—â— must interpreâ— wrong Exâ—unt 〈…〉 Actus quarti Scena prima Enter Calasiris Theagines and Carâ—cleâ— Calas Come let 's away my children let 's away Why do we linger hereâ— the gods commands Must be obeyd all things are ready for Our secret flight a ship for Memphis bound Waites us without the wind comes gently from Th' adjoyning shore and stayeâ— to swell the sailes With pride till you imbarke see here the Fascia Which by a slie devise from Caricles I have obtain'd nothing doth hinder us To meet this long wish'd opportunity If you have got your jewels deerest jewell From your supposed father Caric. Calasiris I have them all but how gat you I pray The Fascia from old Caricles for when He had receiv'd me from Sysimethres Who brought me up he brought me here to Greece I know not how and tooke the Fascia from me Which in a chest he did preserve and keepe Calas How I came by it you shall know hereafter But can you tell me what it doth containe Caric. How should I as being never told by any Besides although I oftentimes had seene it I could not understand the character Pray sir interpret what it doth containe Calas It doth declare your parents and your Countrey And all your fortunes thus I read it to you Verbatim as it stands give your attentions The Fascia Persina Queene of the Aethiopians to her daughter onely in sorrow by what name soever she shall be called 〈◊〉 wriâ—â— in haste this laâ—enâ—ation contaâ—ned â—â—rein as her lust gift My daughter the sunne being authour of our storke is â—â—â—nesse that for no mis-deed I have cast thee forth and concealed thee from thy
Moses Miriam Deborah Barak Samuel David Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah the Iewes in captivity the Apostles and many other in all ages yea and the blessed spirits in heaven also All deliverances are wrought by God Whatsoever the instrumentall meanes be he is the principall efficient and author As he is the Creator of all things so the Governour the disposer and orderer of all And all creatures in the world are his servants his instruments used by him according to his will If therefore by any right victory be ascribed not to the munition but to the Generall recovery of health not to the potion but to the Physitian good-workmanship not to the materialls or tooles but to the Artificer by much more right victory recovery all deliverances all blessings are to be ascribed to God who enableth Generalls Physitians and all others to do what they do and giveth all efficacy to the means that are any way effectuall It is therefore most just and equall that that which is done by God be ascribed to him His right it is and shall he not have his right Will subjects deale so unjustly with their King souldiers with their Generall servants with their master Fie on them therefore that either take no notice at all of such deliverances as they have or els impute them to any other then to God whether it be to themselves to other men to any secondary causes to fortune or to any thing els Three sorts of men do especially offend herein Idolaters that ascribe Gods due to Idols Flatterers that attribute it to men Ambitious persons that take it to themselves Two great evills are thus committed The Creator is robbed of his due To creatures is given more then their due He the onely true God is esteemed as no God They that are no Gods are accounted as Gods O my soule come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Be rather of the communion of Saints whose understanding being rightly informed in the extent of the divine providence wherby every good thing that is wrought is wrought they are so in their hearts affected therewith as they cannot conceale the same but make their tongues their glory in acknowledging and making known what God hath done to their soules This though it be most due to God yet he accepts it as a kindnes as an honour done to him And in testimony of his gracious acceptance of this gratefull remembrance he will afterward on other occasions be ready to deliver For he never repenteth any goodnesse shewed to such as duly acknowledge the same If we thankfully commemorate his blessings we shall excite him to conferre greater blessings upon us Behold then a ready way to give glory to God and to gaine good to our selves §. 52. Of Gods delivering from death III. GOD can deliver from the power of death He can deliver 1. In such cases as threaten death wherein men have cause to feare death as the Israelites had when Pharaoh with a mighty hoste pursued them and they had no way to fly but thorow the sea Exod. 14. 2 c. and againe when they were besieged by the Syrians 2 King 6. 24 c. 2. When death hath begun to lay hold and to ceaze upon them as a lion and a beare did upon the lambs which David kept Thus it seemeth that death had ceazed on Paul and on Hezekiah who notwithstanding were both delivered 3. When there is no possibility of avoiding death by any ordinary meanes Thus was Ionah delivered out of the sea and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego out of the hot fiery fornace God hath promised to be with his in fire and water in most desperate distresses 4. When they are in the very power of death and death actually ceazed upon them and deprived them of life Hereof we have many instances both in the old and New Testament The vision of dry bones that came together were knit with sinewes covered with flesh and skinne and had breath of life breathed into them and lived was a visible demonstration hereof But that evidence which farre surpasseth all is the generall resurrection of all at the last day Supreme and absolute is the power and soveraignty of God over all even grave and death and him that hath the power of death the Devill They are all his vassals to hold or to let go whom he will 1. Admirable is the comfort which hence ariseth to such as being well instructed in the power of God can in assurance of faith rest on him as David did who when he knew not whither on earth to flie for succour encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God For nothing can befall us without the limits of his power no danger can happen out of which he is not able to deliver us Quest. May Saints in confidence expect any deliverance that God is able to give Answ Not simply but with a willing subjection of themselves to his will as they who said Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us from thine hand O King But if not be it knowne to thee O King that we will not serve thy gods Herein then lieth the comfort which ariseth from Gods power that our God who is able to deliver us will deliver us if in his wisdome he see deliverance fit for us For thus we may safely conclude What God seeth to be good for us he will do What God will do he can do What God can and will do shall be done Therefore what God seeth to be good for us shal be done Iust cause is here given unto us of looking to God when death presents it selfe before our eyes and to say unto him We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee Cast not therefore thine eyes too much downeward Fixing eyes aright on God worketh faith §. 53. Of Passion in Saints IIII. SAints may be much affected with afflictions They may weepe as this Prophet did and cry yea with a loud and bitter cry and roare all the day long and waile and houle and expresse other symptoms and signes of much anguish and great griefe Is their strength the strength of stones Or is their flesh of brasse Flesh and bloud remaining in the best while they remaine in this world maketh them sensible of smart of paine of losse of disgrace of other crosses which lie heavy upon them and presse and pinch them sore 1. Away with the senslesse and blockish opinion of Stoicks who say that no passion beseemes a wise man The Heathen Philosophers by that light of nature which they had have sufficiently refuted that paradox To us that have the light of Gods Word which commandeth expression of passion when
inferre upon feare and love of God which are the two principall affections whereby our high esteeme of God and due respect to him are manifested a walking in his waies and keeping his commandements thus Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his waies Feare God and keepe his commandements Love the Lord and walke in his waies This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements The duty comprised under this Metaphor of walking is oft and much pressed thorowout the Scripture and that under this very word It is commanded commended rewarded and thereupon conscionably it hath beene and still must be observed and that in regard of 1 Gods glory 2 Others good 3 Our owne good 1 By practice it is that the virtues or praises of him that hath called us out of darknes into his marvelous light are shewed forth Thus men may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heaven Good cause therforehad the Lord to say Herin is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit 2 By practice it is that such as are called are stirred up to an holy emulation for they that walke aright become ensamples to others and such as are not called may either be wonne or haue their mouthes stopped 3 By practice it is that sincerity of heart integrity of conscience soundnesse of faith and truth of all graces are manifested cherished and increased Yea and the presence of Gods Spirit in us testified Hereby inward assurance is gained and outward evidence is given of our election before the world and of our salvation after the world Many judgements are by this walking or prevented or removed or mitigated or sanctified and everlasting perdition avoided If motives may be of force to provoke us to performe a duty motives are not wanting to provoke us to this duty of walking as here it is professed What may now be thought of such as having attained to a sufficient measure of knowledge and are with that which they know of God and of his kind dealing with them inwardly affected and are thereupon moved to professe as much loue as the Prophet here doth but yet faile in performance in practice They walke not Their apprehension affection profession are all in vaine except to be as so many evidences against them to make them the more inexcusable and to aggravate their judgement the more I deny not but that knowledge of God and of his favour towards us a good liking thereof and a cheerfull acknowledgement and profession of what we know are very needfull and usefull For walking without knowledge must needs be preposterous and erroneous without a good affection hypocriticall and vaine and without a free profession too too timorous So as these three are necessary though not sufficient Question may be made of the truth of them all where they are not sealed and ratified by an answerable walking and practice And adversaries of the truth will take the more occasion to slander the truth Our adversaries doe much urge against us and our profession that we walke not that we practise not and alleage this against our profession to impeach the integrity of our religion which should make us more conscionable in shewing forth our good workes for stopping of their mouthes Our doctrine is even in this point as in others sound and orthodoxe In Schooles in Churches by preaching by printing we teach a necessity of walking of practising of doing good works according to this rule of the Apostle Tit. 3. 14. Let ours learne to maintaine good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitfull And we acknowledge them to be so necessary as without them we cannot be saved The ground of their cavilling against our doctrine about good works is because we do not set too high a prize upon them and make them meritorious which is to make them no good works but proud presumptuous damnable diabolicall works There be many forceable reasons for the necessity of good works though that vaine frothie windy false arrogant impious blasphemous reason of merit be not pressed They are expresly commanded of God therefore necessary Though they be not the cause of raigning yet they are the way to the kingdome out of which way we cannot attaine to the Kingdome therefore necessary Though the faithfull are not justified by them yet by them is their faith justified Iam. 2. 22. therefore necessary Though the doing of them do not merit eternall life yet the not doing of them meriteth everlasting death Mat. 25. 41 42 therefore necessary Though by the strict standerd of the Law being found unperfect they are rejected yet by the gracious mitigation of the Gospell being found sincere they are accepted therefore necessary Though when we shall have done all those things which are commanded us we are unprofitable servants yet by doing according to our ability what we are commanded we shew our selves gratefull children therefore are good works necessary This last motive is of more moment with an ingenuous child then any merit can be For when the beleever thorowly pondereth the free grace and rich mercy of God in giving him Christ in accepting him in Christ in pardoning all his sinnes in reserving eternall life for him his heart is so inflamed with a desire of testifying all gratefulnesse as he is ready with his uttermost power to do whatsoever he may know to be well-pleasing unto God Now Gods Word declaring that to do good is a sacrifice well-pleasing to God the fore-named desire doth more enforce him to do good then the merit of many heavens could Gratefulnesse more worketh on an ingenuous spirit then reward can And that which in way of gratefulnesse is wrought is much more kindly wrought then that which is done for recompence Answerably it is also more acceptable to God for it manifesteth a better respect towards him 2 Ye that have tasted of the bounty of the Lord and are well informed in his good-will towards you and thereupon have your hearts inflamed with the heavenly fire of love and are stirred up to purpose and promise to approve your selves to him have a care of your cariage and ratifie the truth of all by an answerable walking Sweet is that melodie and happy is that harmony where mind heart tongue life and all consent to make a concent Say therefore and do as ye say I will walke and that with such a mind as is set out in the next doctrine §. 60. Of persisting in good courses II. SAints must proceed in their approved practice They must not be wearie in well doing Marke them saith the Apostle which walke so as they have vs for an example What kind of walking doth he meane He himself hath plainely and fully expressed it in the verses before It was this To follow on To reach forth unto the things which are before
them under their feet Be wise now ye that are moved to give open and publike testification of your inward and private resolution Be wise in making choice of your company You that have escaped sundry dangers on sea and land that have had victory over enemies that have beene eased and recovered of any maladies that have beene preserved from the plague that have had any other evidence of Gods speciall providence and favour let not play-houses let not tavernes ale-houses and tobacco-houses let not assemblies of profane persons of swearers of drunkards of riotous and licentious persons be the places whither you resort to recount the deliverances which God hath given you This rather beseemeth such as have vowed vowes to Bacchus to Ceres to Priapus to Venus yea and to Devils then to the great Lord of heaven and earth Associate your selves with the Saints with such as feare God with such as may encourage you in that which you do well and instruct and direct you in that whereof you are ignorant and wherein you do amisse Goe to that place where that God who hath preserved delivered or any way blessed you delighteth to be where he most manifesteth his presence where he expecteth that your vow should be paid to him Let your heart bee set upon that place while by force you are kept from it as Davids was So soone as possibly you can come to it You Captaines Souldiers Merchants Mariners Travellers or others that come from the sea or other dangerous places you women that are safely delivered in childbed you that have beene sicke and are recovered you that have beene cut of the stone or cured of any other malady you that are loosed out of prison you that after any restraint have liberty Let this be the first publike place that you come unto So soone as you can say say it in truth say it and do it I will pay my vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people Amen §. 95. Of the meaning and method of the fifteenth Verse PSAL. CXVI XV. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his Saints THe second reason to enforce the equity of the duty before mentioned to praise the Lord is here expressed being taken from the high account which God had of his life This is here indefinitely set downe in the third person without any expresse application therof to himself yet so as by the precedent and subsequent matter it may evidently be gathered that he meant himself as well as others For in the verses before and after he useth the first person and expresly speaketh of himselfe thus I will pay c. I am thy servant c. To good purpose is this tender care of God thus indefinitely set downe as 1 To shew that his case was no other then the case of others Others and those Saints too might be brought even to death as well as he 2 To declare the impartiall respect of God to all to others as well as to him to him as well as to others 3 To intimate the ground of that care God had of him even because he was a Saint and yet not himselfe to give that title to himselfe least hee might seeme to doe it on vaine-glory Thus we see how this change of person from the first vers 14. to the third vers 15 from the third vers 15. to the first vers 16. as it hath an elegancy in it so also an especiall emphasis The persons among whom implicitly he reckons himselfe stiled Saints are in the originall set out by a word that importeth an especiall respect of God towards them The root whence that word issueth signifieth mercy Whereupon the Hebrewes have given such a name to a storke which kind among foules is the most mercifull and that not only the old to their young ones as most are but also the young ones to the old which they use to feed and carie when thorow age they are not able to helpe themselves This title is attributed to men in a double respect 1 Passively in regard of Gods mind and affection to them 2 Actively in regard of their minde and affection to others Gods mercy and kindnesse is great towards them and their mercy and kindnesse is great towards their brethren They are therfore by a kind of excellency and property stiled men of mercy In regard of this double acceptation of the word some translate it mercifull tender or courteous Others with a periphrase with many words because they have not one fit word to expresse the full sense thus Those whom God followeth with bounty or to whom God extendeth his bounty This latter I take to be the most proper to this place for the word being passively taken for such as are made partakers of Gods kindnesse it sheweth the reason of that high account wherein God hath them even his owne grace and favour We have a word in English that in this passive signification fitly answereth the Hebrew which is this favourite By death he meaneth their soule or life which is subject to death For in another place he saith Precious shal be their bloud in his sight What here he calleth death there he calleth bloud And in Scripture phrase bloud is said to bee the life of living creatures Very fitly is this privative death mentioned in setting forth Gods care over their life because by their death it is manifested partly by preserving them from death and partly by providing for them in death A Trope not much unlike to this is used where God saith I wil be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse that is to them in freeing them from their unrighteousnesse The word translated precious is in Scripture attributed to things Rare or scarce The Word of God was precious Sweet A good name is better then precious ointment The preciousnesse of an ointment is in the savour of it Eccl. 7. 1. Pure or holy Take forth the precious from the vile Ierem. 15. 19. Honourable Kings daughters among thine honourable word for word precious women Psal 45. 9. Deare or beloved Ephraim my deare word for word precious sonne Much set by or of great account His name was much set by word for word precious 1 Sam. 18. 30. Of great value or worth Such were the stones which the Queene of Sheba brought to Salomon Precious stones 1 King 10. 10. The soules of Saints are every way precious to God especially in the three latter respects as they are deare much set by of great worth being redeemed by the precious bloud of Christ For hee deales with them as men doe with things deare much set by of great value Men use to keepe precious jewels safe They make more esteeme of them then of all other things They will not be prodigall of them They will see good cause why they should part with them or else they will
evidences of Gods favour towards his favourites the Holy Ghost doth expresly set downe and that in one booke the booke of Psalmes 1 The Lord sets apart him that is a favourite to himselfe Psal 4. 3. 2 Every favourite shall pray unto God in a time when he may be found Psal 32. 6. 3 Gods praise is in the congregation of favourites Psal 149. 1. They are incited to sing to the Lord and to blesse him Psal 30. 4. 145. 10. 4 The Lord will speake peace to his favourites Psal 85. 8. 5 He preserveth the soules of his favourites Psal 97. 10. 6 He exalteth the praise of his favourites Psal 148. 14. 7 Favourites shall shout aloud for joy Psal 132. 16. 8 This honour have all his favourites Psal 149. 9. That we be not puffed up with this prerogative but rather provoked to walke worthy of the Lord worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called our care must be 1 To understand his will Eph. 5. 17. 2 To love him with all our soule Deut. 6. 5. Psal 31. 23. 3 To cleave to him â—os 23 8. 4 To give thanks to him Psal 30. 4. 5 To do that which is well pleasing in his sight Heb. 13. 21. 6 To be followers of his ancient favourites Heb. 6. 12. God hath beene pleased to choose us in their roome they being translated hee beares such a mind to us as he did to them Is it not then most just and equall that the same mind should be in us that was in them towards God that the faith of Abel conversation of Enoch uprightnesse of Noah obedience of Abraham meeknesse of Moses courage of Ioshuah devotion of David repentance of Salomon constancy of Daniel love of Iohn such readinesse to follow Christ as was in the Disciples and other like properties in other favourites of God may be in us that so it may never repent the Lord that he hath cast his favor upon us and made us his favourites God still remaines the same the same in his essence the same in his mind affection to such as are so minded and affected towards him as his ancient favourites were Wherefore though Abel Henoch Noah Abraham and other favourites be dead and gone yet let their spirit appeare to live in us that while we live God may not want favourites on earth but that we for the present may shew that we have so set before us the life of our predecessors as we become examples and patternes to our successors §. 97. Of Gods account of Saints death II. GOD is tender of his favourites death Their bloud he accounts precious If he have a bottle for their teares what hath he for their bloud Christ doth forcibly inferre his Fathers care of the life and death of his favourites by arguments from the lesse as first from one of the meanest of creatures thus One sparrow shall not fall on the ground without your father Then from the meanest accident that is inherent in man his haires which are no forcible then death Assuredly their name estate liberty and every thing els is precious to him to whom their life and death is precious 2 Admirable is the comfort which on the fore-named ground Gods favourites have or may have in their death Naturall men account death the most terrible thing that can befall a man because they conceive it to be the period of a mans happinesse But they whose death is precious in Gods sight cannot conceive it to be so terrible much lesse such a period For then would God keepe them from death In that their death is precious Blessed are they that die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. When they die there is good cause they should die The wise God will not let go a precious thing without cause Yea he will not let it go without advantage Their death is advantageable to God to themselves to others This may surviving friends apply to the death of such as are taken away be they Magistrates Ministers Husband Wife Parent Child Neighbour Kinsman or any other especially if they have left any evidence of Gods favour towards them Such are but gone before us not cleane gone away from us Missed they may be they may not be lamented as lost Occasion is not to be given to Pagans of just reproof in that we lament those as perished lost whom we avouch to live with God so by 〈◊〉 expression of our inward affection disanull that faith which by word we professe 3 This high account which God maketh of his favourites death is a forceable motive to stir us up to give all diligence to be of the number of these favourites that so our teares may be kept in Gods bottle our complaints in his bosome our cries in his eares our bodies within the guard even in the hands of his angels our soules bound in the bundle of life our life and death in the treasure of his jewels as a precious thing For Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his favourites Yea the soule of one Saint is more precious to him then infinite multitudes of sinners Let us covet therefore and with our utmost power endeavour to be of this blessed Society of Saints and not consorts of sinners §. 98. Of the exposition and resolution of part of the sixteenth Verse PSAL. CXVI XVI O LORD truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the sonne of thine hand-maid THe third reason whereby the Prophet was the rather induced to render solemne praise to God is here laid downe And it is taken from the constant favour of God towards him God of old had taken him even from his mothers wombe to be his servant and still continued that grace to him Therefore he would praise him The argument may be brought to this briefe forme Godsancient servants must praise him But I am Gods ancient servant Therefore I must praise him I deny not but that this acknowledgement of Gods ancient kindnesse to himselfe in particular may be referred to the argument indefinitely set down in the former verse and here added as an application thereof For having indefinitely noted how the death of Gods favourites was precious in his sight here he giveth instance thereof in himselfe and saith I am Gods servant and my death was precious to him for he loosed my bands This reference is not impertinent But I take this for another distinct argument rather then for an application or confirmation of the former There is in the originall a word premised which is diversly expounded because in Scripture it is diversly used namely as a note of attention or obsecration or demonstration or asseveration and translated Behold Truly I beseech thee But in all the acceptions thereof it hath an emphasis and here questionlesse it is used for emphasis sake as every of the other clauses are For first here is an apostrophe
A good inducement this is to provoke parents to suffer this word of exhortation 2 Be ye also O Children exhorted and perswaded to yeeld your selves pliable from the time that you have any capacity to the good instruction of your parents that by your continuing to grow in grace answerably to the means which by the divine providence have been afforded you you may with the greater comfort and stronger confidence both in time of humiliation when for preventing or averting some judgement or obtaining or regaining some blessing you powre forth your soules to God or in time of gratulation for some judgement removed or some blessing bestowed you enlarge your hearts and open your mouths you may say to God I am the sonne of thine hand-maid and thou hast beene my God from my mothers wombe Take heed that being borne in Gods house and by your parent the son of his hand-maid you become not a bond slave and have the flesh a bond-woman for your mother They that serve the flesh in the lusts thereof are such What can such expect but the doome denounced against the bond woman and her sonne which was this Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne for the sonne of the bondwoman shall not bee heire with the sonne of the free woman A wofull doome for such as are borne in Gods house to be so cast out Thereby they may know that they have nothing common with the true sonnes of God Nothing I say in regard of those spirituall priviledges which belong to Gods free-borne children So walke therefore O children that are borne in the Church so carie your selves all your daies as you may on all occasions say to the Lord I am the sonne of thine hand maid §. 103. Of childrens honour by pious parents V. IT is an honour to children to descend from pious parents This is true in relation to ancient progenitors For it was a greater honour to the Iewes in all succeeding ages that they descended from the pious Patriarchs But the nearer such parents are the more honourable it is to children Most of all honourable when their immediate parents from whose loines and out of whose wombe they proceed are pious Of such an one the Prophet here speaketh I am the sonne of thine hand-maid For questionlesse he here calleth his mother Gods hand-maid as hee called himselfe Gods servant in a spirituall respect in regard of Gods grace to her and in her Such were Salomons parents of whom for honour sake he maketh frequent mention Such was as Lois the grandmother so Eunice the mother of Timothy Nothing in truth can make any more honourable then piety Whatsoever mens outward condition bee in this world though never so meane yet if they excell in vertue they are most honourable in Gods eye What man before God more noble then Peter who was but a poore fisherman What woman more illustrious then blessed Mary who is set out to be a carpenters wife Pious persons for birth are borne of God For dignities they are Gods favourites of Gods Court the most honourable therein they are the spouse of his sonne For revenewes the exchequer of Gods treasures is alwayes open for them to have out of it his most precious jewels yea they are the true heires of this world and of the world to come 1 Such parents as desire that their children should all their daies make an honourable mention of them let them here take notice of the onely right course to have their desire accomplished Let them so walke before their children as they may have sure evidences that they are Gods servants that when children make mention of their father before the Lord they may have cause to say of him as Salomon did of his father Thy servant my father and of their mother Thy hand-maid For a child to stile himselfe the sonne of a Duke and Dutches Earle and Countesse Lord and Lady or any other like is not in truth such an honour as this Sonne of Gods servant and hand-maid By this poore meane despised parents in this world may make their children honourable and may make their owne names honourable to their children 2 Such children as would have just cause not vaine-gloriously to bragge but divinely to glory in their parents let them here know what kind of parents doe give that just cause If indeed their father be Gods servant and their mother Gods hand-maid let them not be ashamed of them because they be poore of meane condition not esteemed in this world but heartily thanke God that they are borne of such parents as may give them occasion to say I am the child of Gods servant and of Gods hand-maid It is an hard taske to perswade most children hereunto But they that know God and the dignities and immunities of his servants will without all question yeeld to the truth and equity hereof §. 104. Of the resolution and instructions of the last clause of the 16. Verse PSAL. CXVI XVI Thou hast loosed my bonds THe fourth reason which stirred up the Prophet to give publike thanks to God was the kindnesse which God had done to him That kindnesse was a gracious deliverance from a grievous distresse thus expressed Thou hast loosed my bonds The argument may bee thus framed They whose bonds thou O Lord hast loosed are bound to praise thee But Thou hast loosed my bonds Therefore I am bound to praise thee Thus these words have a relation to the principall duty promised in this Psalme They may also have an immediate reference to the other part of this verse and that as an effect following from the cause The Lord accounted him his servant and therefore loosed his bonds To make this reference the better discerned some joyne this part of the verse with the former in one entire sentence which they expresse in forme of a petition thus I beseech thee O Lord seeing I am thy servant I am thy servant the sonne of thine hand-maid loose my bonds But the mood and tense whereby this last clause is expressed admitteth not the forme of petition And the very matter whereabout he now is namely gratulation sheweth it rather to be a profession of a former then a supplication for a future deliverance Besides the inference of the 17 verse immediately on this clause doth demonstrate that he speaketh of a thing past a favour done and succour received And that mention is here made thereof as of the cause of praising God For if the question should be asked why mention is here made of loosing his bonds The 17. verse giveth a ready answer I will offer c. As if it had beene more fully expressed Because the Lord hath loosed my bonds therefore I will offer a sacrifice of praise Wherefore to take the words as our English hath truly and properly translated them thus Thou hast loosed my bonds The word translated loosed doth properly signifio to open and
enemies thereof §. 125. Of the seasonable succour afforded to oppressed Germany AMong other evidences of the divine Providence towards the reformed Churches the late seasonable succour afforded to the Churches in Germany is most remarkable Many yeares together hath Germany beene sore vexed with intestine and civill warre Who can without a melting heart thinke on the much bloud that hath beene spilt the ruines of many faire Cities Townes Castles Churches and other edifices that have beene made the distresses that many exiles of all sorts Princes and Subjects Noble and Meane Clergy and Laiety Male and Female Old and Young have beene brought unto the miserable bondage under which such as have remained in their owne territories and habitations have groaned the heavy and undue taxes that have beene laid on such as have not had their titles dignities inheritances callings and liberties by violence wrested from them who can without much compunction and compassion heare of or thinke on those and many other pressures and oppressions The Princes of the reformed Churches in Germany were forced to put up a joint complaint and remonstrance of their grievances and to consult about means at least of some ease for their burdens were intollerable if not of full redresse But their complaints proved like to the complaints of the Israelites put up to Pharaoh for easing their heavy burdens Their savour thereby came to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants They were in a worse case then before So proud was the enemy by reason of the great armies that he had gathered together and so flesht he was in the conquests that he had made as he regarded no complaints he feared no revenge He deemed his power to be invincible When thus the reformed Churches in Germany were brought to the lowest ebbe and so neare to the pits brink as they were upon tumbling downe to their utter ruine that mans extremity might appeare to be Gods opportunity in a most seasonable time the Lord raised up and sent unto them a Deliverer Gustavus of Sued in whose title is couched Augustus and Deus Gustavus importing by transposition of letters Augustus and Sued read backward Deus If the small army with which he came into Germany and the great things which he hath done since he came thither be duly weighed we shall see cause to acknowledge that the Lord of hosts was with him That which is by experience noted of the snow that by being tumbled up and downe of a little ball it comes to be a great heape that can hardly be stirred is likewise by experience found verified in his army We read of a dreame which a souldier of the huge host of the Midianites that for multitude was as the sand by the sea-side thus related to his fellow I dreamed a dreame and loe a cake of barley bread tumbled unto the host of Midian and came unto it and smote it that it fell and overturned it that the tent lay along The interpretation which in the event proved most true was this This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the sonne of Ioash a man of Israel for into his hand hath God delivered Midian and all the host A fit allusion thereunto which hath likewise in the event proved to be most true may be this The sword of the King of Sued a Defender of the true Religion hath smitten the armies of the enemies of the Gospell and into his hand hath the Lord delivered his Churches enemies This King proves to be as another Cyrus the Lords Annointed whose right hand the Lord hath holden to subdue nations before him He shall performe the Lords pleasure Cyrus the Persian Monarch though he were to admiration victorious yet did he not with such expedition gaine in and bring under his power so many Forts Castles Walled Townes and Cities every way well manned fenced and fortified no nor that hammer of the world great Alexander â—s this Annointed of the Lord hath done in so short a time The Enemy spent more yeares in subduing Cities and Townes in Germany then this Deliverer hath spent moneths in reducing them Conquering Caesar came even into this Country whereinto victorious Gustavus is come and with such celerity subdued one principality after another as the Orator is bold to say that he passed over places by victories more speedily then another could have done by paces This is indeed an hyperbolicall speech but yet thereby exceeding great celerity is set out which also is implied by another hyperbolicall phrase used by Caesar himselfe in a letter to his friend in these three words Veni Vidi Vici I came I saw I overcame meaning thereby that so soone as he came to a place and tooke a view of it he forthwith tooke it Yet in much shorter time hath Gustavus subdued and taken in more townes and cities then Caesar did and that after another manner then Caesar did Had Caesar when he came into Germany such an adversary as Tilly Were there raised such armies of men and horse against Caesar as against Gustavus Were there such garrisons such amunition such provision of all things requisite to repell an enemy in the places which Caesar subdued as in those which Gustavus tooke Never did Caesar at least for the time that he was in Germany meet with so strong opposition as Gustavus hath met withall Never was that Generall brought unto such hazards as this King hath beene brought unto In no part of Germany did Caesar ever meet with such a pitcht held or such a set battell as Gustavus did on Gods-Aker neare Liepsich Nor ever was a battell maintained with such prudence and providence with such courage and constancy against an enemy that was so strong and stout so seldome foiled so much prevailing against an army supposed invincible by reason of former successes and present preparations against all the advantages that an enemie could desire as the battell at Leipsich by valorous Gustavus And all this after a great if not the greater part of his owne army was put to rout and the Enemy thereupon made so confident as he cried Victory Victory Follow Follow but with such successe as the Benjamites had when in the beginning of the battell they had smitten the Israelites and thereupon cried They are smitten downe before us On the seventh day of September the Birth-day of victorious Queene ELIZABETH was this never to be forgotten victory obtained And on the seventeenth day of November the Coronation day of the said puissant Princesse was the high and mighty King of Sued entertained in the Imperiall city of Frank-ford on Main the city where the Germane Emperor useth to be elected Since the fore-named incomparable victory at Leipsich all things with very good successe have fallen cut §. 126. Of the causes of the Suedish Kings entring into Germany THe conquests made by the victorious King of Sued are in their kind very glorious but
may be praid against 50. From Death God can deliver 103 Death of Saints precious 202. Death of Saints ever seasonable 208. Death not to be feared by Saints 209 Delight in Gods house 266. Delight therein how wrought 268 Evidences of that Delight 268. Deliver See Preserve Despaire not 109. Distresse wherto Saints brought 22. 34. Distresse no ground of censure 35. Distresse in the extremity of it to be acknowledged after deliverance 37 Directions how to do it 38. Distresse requires enquiry after a remedy 40. Distresse requires prayer 42. Distresses particular in which prayer is to be made 43. 44. Distresse moves God 60. Distresse none so extreme as to exceed God 's ability 77. Distresse in extremity is Gods opportunity to helpe 802. Distresse may soile Saints 107. Distresse procures answerable remedy 110. Distresse cannot suppresse faith 140 Distresse make question Gods promises 146. Distres makes not forget God 157 Distresse removed binds to praise God 228. Draw neare to God in faith 47. 51 Dulnes in praising God 263. 264. Duty to be practised 115. To Duty bind thy selfe 129. With Duty answer mercy 130. E EArnestnesse with God 218. Earth the land of the living 114. 123. Ejaculations not sufficient 21. Englands mercies 120. Esteeme God aright 147. 148. Expiatory sacrifices 240. Extenuate not distresse 37. Extraordinary praise 6. Extremity of distresse to be acknowledged after deliverance 37. Extremity none exceeds Gods ability 77. Extremity of man Gods opportunity 80. F FAith in Gods goodnesse an encouragement to call on him 68. Faith works boldnesse of speech 138 Faith how it makes to speake 139 Faiths stability in trials 140. Faith may be with feare 153. In Faith draw neare to God 47 51 Faith nourished by continued evidences of Gods favour 220. Faith justified by works 116. Faithfulnes of God in promises 58 Faithfulnesse of God ground of faith 59. Familiarity of Saints with God 46. 47. Familiarity with God how wrought 100. Favour of God ground of Saints rest 92. Favour of God how obtained 94. Favour of God well weighed works familiarity with God 100. Favourites of God 202. Favourites favours 205. Favourites duties 206. Favourites death precious 207. Favourites seeke to be 210. Feare and faith may be together 153. Fervent must be our love of God 15 Fervency of prayer 48. Fervency a note of confidence 49. Fervent prayer in extremity 81. Fortune an enemy to providence 31 G GIve to God man may 245. Give to God much by Iews 244 Give to God the poorest may 245. Give to God what the rich must 246. God heareth prayer 19. 23. God forward to heare prayer 23. God as knowne by name to be called upon 45. God affords familiar accesse to Saints 46. Gods attributes of goodnesse 52. Gods righteousnesse or faithfulnesse 53. 58. Gods gratiousnesse 53. 56. Gods mercifulnesse 54. 60. Gods goodnesse from himselfe 56. God worthy of all praise 58. Gods faithfulnesse 58. God moved with mans misery 60 Gods greatnesse See Greatnesse Gods goodnesse See Goodnesse God to Saints hath a particular relation 64. God most careth for such as wholly depend on him 73 God able to helpe in all extremities 77. God perfectly saveth 78. God onely to be trusted to 79. God helpes at a pinch 80. Gods favor grouÌ„d of Saints rest 92. God can deliver from death 103. Gods power how rest on 104. God to be set before us 120. God rightly to be esteemed 149. God especially to be praised 160. God hath favourites 203. God receiveth of man 244. Goodnesse of God from himselfe 56. Goodnesse of God agreeing with his greatnesse 62. Goodnesse of God mixed with greatnesse to be meditated on 63. Goodnesse of God especially to Saints 67. Goodnesse of God an encouragement to call on him 68. Goodnesse moves God to deliver his people 69. Gratefulnesse See Praise Gratefulnesse makes inquisitive 157. Gratefulnesse makes ready to doe any thing 159. Gratefulnesse hath especiall relation to God 160. Gratefulnesse is wrought by right understanding Gods benefits 162. Gratefulnesse from one kindnesse raiseth the mind to all 163. Gratefulnesse is most stirred up by sense of kindnesse to ones selfe 165 Gratefulnesse works acknowledgment of kindnesse 166. Gratefulnesse manifested by gratulation 174. Gratefulnesse joyned with invocation 177. Gratefulnesse to God testified by duties of piety 242. Gratiousnesse as in God 53. 56. Gratulatory actions 177. Gratulatory sacrifices 240. Greatnesse of God agreeing with his goodnesse 62. Greatnesse of God as mixed with his goodnesse to be meditated on 63. H HAters of God 14. Heare See Prayer Heart with voice in prayer 21. House of God what it is 251. House of God diversly taken 251. Houses of God are all places set apart for Gods worship 259. House of God to be delighted in 261 266. House of God had prerogatives prefigured in the Temple 267. Hypocrites 121. I IErusalem described 254. Ingratitude 174. Causes of it 162. Ingratitude conceales kindnesses 167. Iudge See Censure K KIndnesse of God seasonable 110. Kindnesse of God to be observed 131. Kindnesse apprehended workes a care to please 160. Kindnesse applied to ones selfe makes gratefull 165. Kindnesses to bee acknowledged 166. 167. Know God by name 46. Knowledge of Gods goodnesse an encouragement to call on him 68. Knowledge without practice vaine 116. L LAnd of living earth 114. 123. Land of living how to bee used 126. Life time to please God 126. 128. Life-time let slip prejudiciall â—27 Life of Saints how many waies preserved 208. Living many are dead 124. Love what it is when good 9 11. Love due to God 13. Love must be servent 15. Love nothing as God 16. Love enflamed by apprehension of kindnesse 17. M MErcy to be sought of God 61. Mercy how it may be found 61 Mercy of God to be answered with duty 130. 131. Mercifulnesse as in God 54. Misery See Distresse Mourning to be moderated 107. Mustles five in mans eye 51. N NAme of God 45. Necessity of man moves God to afford an answerable remedy 110. O OBlations how accepted 245. Observation of Gods mercy to others works acknowledgement of his mercy to us 8â— Observe kindnesse to thy selfe 165. Opportunity of life 118. Oppressors of oppressed inhumane 88. P PArents to dedicate children betimes to God 220. Parents pious an honour to children 222. Passion in Saint 104. 141. Passions to be kâ—ept downe 142. Passions distempered cause unadvised speech 144. Passion judges all alike 151. Passion setled blameworthy 152. Persevere in good 118. Plague how great with us 7. Of a Plague a wonderfull decrease 8. Please God here 126. Power of God how rested on 104. Pray boldly 138. 2â—9 Prayer heard of God 19. 23. Prayer heard a great kindnesse 26 Duties hereon inferred 26. Prayer heard a motive againe to pray 28. Prayer heard to be observed 30. Prayer how known to be heard ib. Prayer in affliction 42. Prayer to God as knowne 45. Prayer servent 48. Prayer in danger of death 50. Prayer and praise together 177. Pray after praiers