faith which she had made to her husband at his departure but still remained faithfull What Regiments what Fleets of schismaticall and hereticall wooers are now in the world who under pretence of devotion zeale and good intendments compasse Sea and Land to make one of their profession and what a great cunning crew of them in these Kingdomes every man striving what he may to advance and advantage his cause These wooe the silly and simple sort of people and with words of deceit cease not to entice unstable soules to wrong Christ to breake covenant with him and contract themselves with new husbands new Lords that have new Laws which Christ never used but ô take heed and beware let none of these wooers wooe you or if they wooe you let them not win you be true to Christ your loving Ulysses your true bridegroome your dear Soveraign your gratious Saviour O forget not his parables his precepts his sentences his Sacraments his prayer his peace that he left with you LI. IT was Annibals saying of Marcellus that he had to do with him who could never be quiet neither Conqueror nor Conquered l Plate in vita Annib. but Conquering he would pursue his victories and Conquered labour to recover his losse but much rather may a man say the like of Satan that great ramping Lion the Arch-envier of our peace and happinesse who is the most wrathfull and the most watchfull enemy who is never idle but ever imployed in sowing cockles amongst the Lords good corne who though we stoutly resist him and overcome him for a time yet will never rest nor give over but will be tempting againe yea will not cease to assay us againe and againe with the same temptations hoping at length to win our consents and to give us the foile Wherefore having often well fought against him and subdued him yet watch we still and pray we continually to God that we be not over-mastered by him LII I Would never sit upon that seate said Themistocles from which my friends should receive no more benefit from me then strangers And indeed how often do friends sway the ballance of Justice who hath not seen how private respects cause too many Judges to leave the truth and to hear the falsehood but ô the Scriptures teach Magistrates a clean contrary lesson when they put on the persons of Judges to put off the persons of friends when they sit in the place of Justice not to thinke they are now husbands or parents or kinsmen or neighbours but Judges and therefore without all by respects to discharge that truth which the great God of heaven and earth hath reposed in them and expecteth from them not once remembring their foes for any pressures and altogether forgetting their friends for any partiality LIII I Socrates an Athenian Orator in his counsell to Demonicus a young Gentleman man like to be called to a great place saith thus unto him Depart not from an Office more rich but more honourable then when thou undertookest it The instruction given by this heathen may shame many Christians our Officers regard not with what dishonour or dishonestie they keep or leave their places so they may be rich never fear though they tread their Wine out of other mens grapes reape their corne out of other mens fields so they may store their owne houses with provision so they may make their children great and turne them into gallants they take no care make no scruple though they turne their own souls into hell LIV. IT is written of Charles of Prague that he supped often with a few sentences and arguments in the Schooles m D. Humfred in vita Juelli his meditation was all the meat he had for that meale But if some of the most devout Sequestrators now a daies most abounding with lip holinesse and righteousnesse were restrained and tied for a while to no better allowance the which yet were great kindnesse to their covetous straitnesse and continuall cruelty towards their prisoners there is no doubt to be made but you should quickly hear them complaine of short commons I make no question but you should soone hear them with no small passion exclaime upon their persecutors malice covetousnesse pride seeking by others ruines to be Grandees and to advance their heads above all that is called their neighbour you should then hear at large of their owne good breeding great worth and deserts whereof they were never guilty you should then hear the subjects property displaied and set forth at full and approved by Laws and reasons both humane and Divine LV. HErod as we find in authentick historie making full account to destroy Christ amongst the rest not only slew all the other children near the place where Christ was borne but spared not his own child the fruite of his own loines flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone n Euscb lib. 1. c. 9. Macrob. Saturu lib. 2. cap. 4. what bones made he to pluck up that affection to his child which nature had planted in him or further to set unnaturall murther in the place The which being reported to Augustus the Emperour It is better saith he to be Herods sow then his son To such heavy sufferings to such hard distresses to such evident and extreame calamities have they been driven to in these unmercifull times who have spent their times their spirits their lives their patrimonies for the good of the Church such unconscionable and violent wrongs and oppressions have been practised of late upon grave learned and conscientious Divines the chariots and horsemen of our Israel by the horsemen and footmen in our Israel that just cause have they to cry out and say to such persecutors shame saving the honour due unto God Better be the peoples plowmen then Priests LVI IT was the Poets vaine and groundless conceit of Hector that so long as he lived Troy could not be destroyed terming him the immovable and inexpugnable pillar of Troy But well may it be said of a faithfull man that he is a mighty stay strength a maine defender and upholder of the place where he liveth for whose sake for whose presence and prayers out of the Lords abundant kindnesse to all his even the wicked are often within the shadow of Gods protection spared as for one just Lot the Angels spared the City Zoar Zoar might perhaps be as bad as Sodom but here was a difference It had a righteous Lot within Sodom had none o Gen. 19.21 LVII DIonysius the younger confessed that he maintained many Sophisters not that he did admire them but that for their sakes he might himselfe be admired Though there be no great number now a daies that are further liberall to Scholars and Ministers then only in outward complement yet I fear a great part of them also part not with their kindnesses to please God who requireth it at their hands whom they ought to make reckoning of above all and to
HERMES-THEOLOGUS or New Descants upon OLD RECORDS Rom 2 22. thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Rom. 10.12 The new Testament Gen. 17.9 The old Testament The Christian Math. â—6 24. The Iewe Isa. 29. 10. The Turke in Math. 24. 5. 24. The Pagan Psal 7 â— 11. Hermes Theologus OR A Divine MERCURIE Dispatcht with a grave Message OF NEW DESCANTS VPON OLD RECORDS No lesse delightfull in the best sense then truly usefull for these Times By THEOPH WODENOTE B. D. sometime fellow of Kings Colledge in CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed for R. ROYSTON 1649. THE PREFACE To the Readers Readers THese insuing meditations so well fitted so pathetically penned and so rightly applied to the present temper of these unhappy times need no Preface to make way for them unto your friendly acceptance if there be in your breasts any true remaines of Conscience or candour nor yet any letters of commendation to ingratiate their Author into your good opinions they alone do fully declare him a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdome of God who like a good housholder as you may here find brings forth out of his Treasure things new and old But my reading them together with the consideration of him and his present condition gives occasion and I hope without offence to breathe forth the passions of a grieving spirit that melteth daily for the desolations of Christs Vineyard here amongst us by the violent and cruell ejection of those faithfull and skilfull husband-men whom he had inabled and imployed to dresse and till the same of which number this truely Reverend and Godly Author was one whose name and face perhaps is strange in these more publick and active parts of the Kingdome but that you may the better know him be pleased to understand that he is a man of Isaacs spirit one of God Almighties inward acquaintance that converseth oft in secret with him and hath skill to contemplate on things that are high And as most sutable to so Divine a worke he made choice of a private life with violence thereby unto his owne Iustre his true worth disdaining the affectation of popular applause or to make a noise in the world as many do whose fame is best a far off where themselves are least known he was planted long ago in a remote part of this Kingdome where for above thirty years being Batchelour in Divinity of Antient standing he hath continued acting the part of a faithfull Minister ruling his flock with great prudence and discretion and feeding them with the food of heaven which he most skilfully dressed and rightly divided confining and applying himself within his proper sphear unto his owne people amongst whom he was a burning and a shining light and they as they had cause did rejoyce in his light they sat under his Ministry with great content and his Doctrine was sweet unto them they were in his heart and he in theirs to live to die and go to heaven together But when they that act as if they were borne to breake in sunder what God hath joyned had set up their banners in those quarters and begun their new-found Reformation in those parts a most sorrowfull separation was quickly made between this Godly Pastor and his loving flock for he being throughly guilty of the scandals of these times scil of Learning piety wisdome Loyalty obedience honesty and such like and so not capable to be an Apostate from the Gospel he had taught was thought fit for that cause to be cast aside as a broken sheard or a thing of no use in these daies of new lights and revelations and so was suspended from his labours silenced from Preaching and Sequestred from his Living to the end that he and his flock as they had lived long most comfortably together might now at the last even perish and starve together he for want of Corporall food and they for want of Spirituall But behold from that evill of theirs good is sprung up to us from the darke condition of that particular Parish the World in generall hath gained light we that are a far off had not been acquainted with his graces if we had not been befriended by his Afflictions the savour of his spices had never reached our sences at so great a distance his humility did so hinder had they not been thus bruised and beaten This grave and good man being accustomed all his daies to take paines in Gods Vineyard had not learn'd to stand idle nor can his Aged years be perswaded to it though he be knockt off from his holy calling He cannot sleep his gray haires can take no rest but near unto if not within the house of God though he be banish'd from the Temple yet he must looke towards it though charged to publish Christ no more in the Congregation nor to Preach any longer that name yet the word of truth being like fire within him his spirit cannot rest nor can he forbeare but the Presse must receive something of him if the Pulpit doth exclude him For indeed the fire of the Sanctuary in a pious soule can never be extinguish'd nor can he that doth Gods worke for Gods sake ever be discouraged with all that Earth or Hell can do the love of Christ is more powerfull with him to constraine unto then the threats of men or Devils can be to affright from I must worke saies such a one the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night of death will come when I cannot worke as long as I am in the world I must be a light therein and hold forth some light to it a necessity lies upon me so to do and woe unto me if I Preach not if I reprove not if I detect not the worlds sin one way or other scriptis saltem si non dictis by writing at least if not by Preaching I must discharge a good conscience else how shall I appeare before my Judge at the reckoning day These or such like are the inward discourses of an honest heart and these doubtlesse are the resolves of this Reverend man who hath here sent us from the Spirituall Garden of his soul a Taste of divine fruit which we hope is but an Essay to a larger Banquet but a glimpse of Ophir where Gold is of a rich mine where pretious Treasures are to be found And most worthy are these his Meditations our serious view and friendliest acceptation for the resemblance they have and bear which is in speciall to be noted with that forme and manner of speaking used by our Saviour sure the lookes and language of this Author plainly shew whose Disciple he is and of what spirit T is said of Christ that he taught the people by parables and without a parable spake he not unto them and may not the same be affirmed of this man that he teacheth us by Parables and without an History or Similitude he speaketh not yea as Christ took occasion from every thing that occurred to
men for their speciall pattern in these times Nay more then this how are the very Artiticles of Gods holy Religion iâ— self here setled slighted and cast aside by them 〈◊〉 wholly insufficient for our faith to build upon How have many of those men who were bound in speciall to defend the same in regard of their office and calling their frequent Oaths and Protestation to that purpose been the Instruments to alter the 〈◊〉 the waged Balaams to blast and disesteeme them And how have they hereby confirmed the slanders of our Romish adversaries against us who have often said that we had no Church no Established Doctrine no foundation for our Profession How are these hereby raised in their hopes to see a restoration of their Babell in the downfall of our Jerusalme O that those who call themselves the Assembly of Divines by their grosse Apostacy from their first faith and love have been the chief meanes of working all these mischiefes would but read over and lay to heart seriously those passages which they shall find to this purpose in a late Book intituled Englands complaint for the sin of Rebellion written by that constant Brother and faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ M. Lionell Gatford whom most of them well know to be a man of most approved integrity But here 's not all yet not the Articles of our Religion only but the protector of them the Annointed of the Lord himself is in like manner cast aside How hath he been contemn'd of late nay how hath the Majesty and Authority of God been viâ—â—â—â—d in him together with those Scriptures which command our Honour and Obedience How hath His sacred Person been railed upon slandred and reviled How hath He been persecuted hunted tormented for His Conscience sake How hath he been robbed deprived of all his Revenues his Comforts and his Freedom for His love and affections to the Church of God because He was the Head chief Member of it there was too much of Truth as there was of bitterness in that speech which since His Majesty was in bondage I heard uttered from the Pulpit by a Fryer in France who railing against the Protestants of that Kingdome for denying the Pope to be Head of the Church who sayes he would they have the head thereof the King perhaps even like their Brethren in England who first made their King the Head of their Church and now they make Him their Slave Nay more yet with the Kings Person and Authority His graces also are the object of their scorne and hate His magnanimity His patience His care to keep His conscience undefiled yea the maine study and work of these pretenders to conscience these bawlers for Liberty of Conscience hath been for a long time vastare conscientiam Regis to violate the Conscience of their Soveraign and to breake the peace thereof And what dogged spightfulnesse have they discover'd of late against the pitifulnesse of spirit that is in Him How faine would they be torturing and murdering of Him for His tendernesse of heart towards the miseries of His people its well knowne to all the world and to themselves too who began these wicked Wars and at whose doore the guilt of bloodlies yet because the good King seeing them wholy of the Pharisees stampe abhorring to practice the lesson that Christ taught of denying themselves and confessing their sin and yet being desirous to purchase His peoples peace is content for their security of His pardon that He will not bring them to a triall by Law for their past demerits but remit them wholly to the hand of God to connive even at their throwing their dirt in His face what vile Doctrines and cursed Uses do their Pamphleteers and their Pulpiteers raise from thence and presse upon the people why that God hath now resolved the great doubt hath heard his peoples prayers in charging the guilt of blood upon the Kings soule and brought Him to acknowledge that He hath been the cause of all which hath been shed and therefore it belongs to the people now to see unto it that Justice be done upon Him and upon His friends for it Was ever such horrid wickednesse heard of such transcendent villany in mortall creatures would not the Devil himselfe blush to appear in their shapes may we not looke for some strange judgement like that of the earths opening to swallow them up had Davids people when he to have them spared had cryed out t is I that have sinned spake of calling him to account for the losse of 70000 men they had shewne lesse impudence then these have done Nay the malitious Jews though they crucified Christ because he was a King yet were not so super-superlatively vile as to consult his death because he was content in their stead and for their safety to be accounted as a sinner Assuredly therfore these men have out-gone all before them for aske now of the daies that are past since the time that God created man upon the earth aske from the one side of heaven unto the other whether there hath ever been such bloody spunges as these shew themselves to be such monsters of nature amongst men O the basenesse the impiety the wormewood and the gall of their spirits if ever the Title of Rex diabolorum was rightly applyable to the King of this land 't is since the viperine birth of these miscreants And that such only as themselves are might be continued if possible in the Nation there is a speciall course taken that knowledge and good manners might not abound in those that come after for the Universities are metamorphised and purged too as well as the Church of learned and good men Thistles are there set instead of Wheat and Cockle instead of Barly Yea all Orders and degrees amongst men if some may have their will must be abolished presently and confusion planted in all places as 't is already in a great measure Kings and Princes Nobles and persons of Honour must be but as the meane people which God indeed may justly permit in respect of some for those contempts and miseries which even they have help'd to bring upon his Church sure these things are a lamentation and ought to be for a lamentation Never was there so foolish and so mad a Nation under the Sun as we have proved our selves to the derision of all about us the ruine and decay of our Ancient glory our outward Happinesse and of our soules for ever O therefore I say againe that mine head were full of water and that mine eyes were fountaines of teares to bewaile these things O that the people of this Land especially they that are got Highest would but consider what they have done and yet at last before all is lost set some period to their owne doings O that those men of wealth and place who advanced at first their whole might to lay levell this famous Church to take from it all Honours orders and
our Church when he shall see our faith turned into faction our Religion into Rebellion our patience into violence our zeale into self-love our fidelity into perjury our Christian humility into most cunning hypocrisie that would seeme to hate hypocrisie when he shall espie us to have bread in one hand and a stone in the other when he shall hear us talke like Christians and see us live like Turkes when he shall find the words of our mouthes softer then butter having war in our hearts when he shall perceive our speeches smoother then oyle and yet they be very swords u Psal 55.22 LXV IT was divinely said by Alexander the Great though an Heathen when he was reproved by the Questor for being too bountifull in his Sacrifices If thou desire long to be happy be not niggardly to God in matters that belong to his worship which if they doe not flourish all other things are sure to decay O in what other matters are we so sparing and base in respects of our pleasures of our profits of our honours how readily can we lash out so many and so many pounds not caring what we spend but when any thing should come from us to a good purpose to a charitable use but when we should do wel willingly and freely to disburse how fast fingred and close handed are we but for the better service and maintenance of the service of God and advancement of his glory not a farthing more can we afford to part with then what we are taxed and forced unto And yet what a gratious promise have they who honour the Lord with their substance and with the first fruits of all their increase So shall their barnes be filled with plenty and their presses shall burst out with new wine w Pro. 3.9 10. LXVI SAint Ambrose writeth that Theodosius the Emperour when he died had a greater care of the Church then of his sickness his life was not dear unto him so the Church might flourish after his death so peace might be within her wals and prosperity within her palaces Now if men may enjoy health and obtaine plenty for the back and the belly waxe rich and great and live like Emperours no matter which way Religion turneth or what becommeth of that state and businesse no matter how the Church fareth either for the future or present how it goeth with the Church they respect little so themselves and their families may go on Nay which is yet a worse symptome and bewrayeth the great power of Satan over them what scruple at all do they make to pill and spoile and rob the Church so as they may enrich themselves and their posterities LXVII CAepio with his Souldiers robbed the wealthy Temple of Tholouse a City of Narbon in France near the Pyrene mountaine but of those that had a share in any of those goods not one ever prospered x Guevara It was so generally observed that it occasioned a Proverb If any man by what meanes soever decayed were fallen into poverty they would say of him He hath some of the gold of Tholouse The indowment of all other Churches whereof many have been plundered of rich Chalices and other utensils in these sacrilegious times are like the gold of Tholouse that brought ruine to them and their families If any man thrive with them that holdeth them by a wrong tenure he hath better speed then any such malefactor before him How many Sacrilegious persons have utterly ruinated themselves it is easie to find in many Monuments of learning how a canker hath eaten their estates as a gangrene did their consciences but see the Chronicles search Histories of sundry Nations both ancient and moderne and find me out but one Church-robber here that hath thrived past the third generation LXVIII I Have read that many things have been given to our Churches with a curse in the Churches against any such as should ever presume to take them away Whether mans curse shall take hold of Church-robbers is wholly in the disposition of God and a secret but I am sure he himself hath openly cursed all those how many or great soever they be that rob him in Tythes and offerings y Mal. 3.8 9. yea cursed them with a curse redoubling the words not without great cause but emphatically to signifie that they shall be cursed with a strange curse a signall curse such a curse as he that heareth his ears shall tingle and his knees smite one the other and many learned religious and wise men thinke that this Land now mourneth as for other offences so especially for this great robbery the grand the common the far-spreading the crying sin of this Kingdom As all Israel was plagued till Achan was punished so they fear God will not leave to scourge us till we have rooted out all of Achans generation LXIX PIttacus one of the seaven wise men of Greece being asked counsell whether in marriage it were best for every one to choose his equall bad him that asked him go to children playing at fence and they would tell him every one to his match If they which are so greedy to take away that which hath by devout people many years ago been given to the Church for the better maintenance of Gods worship were so wise as first to be advised whether it were lawfull it were no unfit answer for them to bid them go learn of children who hold it both undecent and unlawfull to give a thing to one another and then take it away and therefore much more rudenesse is it to take from God what hath been a long time given unto him and accepted by him LXX PEtrus Blesensis making report of the Arch-deaconry of London to Innocentius then Bishop of Rome said It was a Dragon a stately name or title Arch-deacon of London not having whereof to live except of wind not having meanes he meant to maintaine a man of breeding and parts fit for that place Were our present Clergy preferments exactly surveyed and duly considered with the corrupt customes and prescriptions the common cousenages conspiracies and oppressions which they are subject unto I verily beleeve they would most of them be found more then half empty caskes of more sound then substance so purloined and impaired at the least that they are nothing near the value whereunto they are raised in the worlds opinion and therefore had more need of restoring then abstracting physick LXXI MAster Lambert who wrote the Perambulation of Kent a man of sound judgement in his owne profession the Law and above many others of his time of great knowledge in Divinity speaking of a Kentish Benefice converted into an Impropriation thus delivereth his censure upon it One amongst many of those monstrous births of covetousnesse begotten by the man of Rome in the darke night of superstition and yet suffered to live in this day-light of the Gospel to the great hinderance of learning the impoverishment of the Ministery and the infamy