to feele and complaine of smart And if men haue deuised such exquisite torments what can spirits more subtile more malicious And if our momentanie sufferings seeme long how long shall that be that is eternall And if the sorrowes indifferently incident to Gods deare ones vpon earth be so extreme as sometimes to driue them within sight of despairing what shall those be that are reserued onely for those that hate him and that he hateth None but those who haue heard the desperate complaints of some guiltie Spyra of whose soules haue beene a little scorched with these flames can enough conceiue of the horror of this estate it being the policy of our common enemy to conceale it so long that we may see and feele it at once lest we should feare it before it be too late to be auoided SECT XVII Remedy of the last and greatest breach of peace arising from death NOw when this great Aduersary like a proud Giant comes stalking out in his fearefull shape and insults ouer our fraile mortalitie daring the world to match him with an equall Champion whiles a whole host of worldlings shew him their backs for feare the true Christian armed onely with confidence and resolution of his future happinesse dares boldly encounter him and can wound him in the forehead the wonted seat of terror and trampling vpon him can cut off his head with his owne sword and victoriously returning can sing in triumph O death where is thy sting An happy victory Wee die and are not foiled yea we are conquerours in dying we could not ouercome death if we died not That dissolution is well bestowed that parts the soule from the body that it may vnite both to God All our life here as that heauenly Doctor well tearmes it is but a vitall death Augustine How aduantâgious is that death that determines this false and dying life and begins a true one aboue all the titles of happinesse The Epicure or Sadduce dare not die for feare of not being The guiltie and loose worldling dares not die for feare of being miserable The distrustfull and doubting semi-Christian dares not die because he knowes not whether hee shall be or be miserable or not be at all The resolued Christian dares and would die because he knowes he shall be happy and looking merrily towards heauen the place of his rest can vnfainedly say I desire to be dissolued I see thee my home I see thee a sweet and glorious home after a weary pilgrimage I see thee and now after many lingring hopes I aspire to thee How oft haue I looked vp at thee with admiration and rauishment of soule and by the goodly beames that I haue seene ghessed at the glory that is aboue them How oft haue I scorned these dead and vnpleasant pleasures of earth in comparison of thine I come now my ioyes I come to possesse you I come through paine and death yea if hell it selfe were in the way betwixt you and mee I would passe through hell it selfe to enioy you Tull. Tuscul Callimach Epigram And in truth if that Heathen Cleombrotus a follower of the ancient Academie but vpon onely reading of his Master Platoes discourses of the immortalitie of the soule could cast downe himselfe head-long from an high rocke and wilfully breake his necke that he might be possessed of that immortalitie which he beleeued to follow vpon death how contented should they be to die that knew they shall be more than immortall glorious Hee went not in an hate of the flesh August de Haeres as the Patrician Heretickes of old but in a blinde loue to his soule out of bare opinion We vpon an holy loue grounded vpon assured knowledge He vpon an opinion of future life we on knowledge of future glory He went vnsent for we called for by our Maker Why should his courage exceed ours since our ground our estate so farre exceeds his Euen this age within the reach of our memorie bred that peremptory Italian which in imitation of old Romane courage left in that degenerated Nation there should be no step left of the qualities of their Ancestors entring vpon his torment for killing a Tyrant cheered himselfe with this confidence My death is sharpe Mors acerba Fama perpetua my fame shall be euerlasting The voice of a Romane not of a Christian My fame shall be eternall an idle comfort My fame shall liue not my soule liue to see it What shall it auaile thee to be talkt of while thou art not Then fame onely is precious when a man liues to enioy it The fame that suruiues the soule is bootlesse Yet euen this hope cheered him against the violence of his death What should it doe vs that not our fame but our life our glory after death cannot die He that hath Stephens eies to looke into heauen cannot but haue the tongue of the Saints Come Lord How long That man seeing the glory of the end cannot but contemne the hardnesse the way But who wants those eies if he say and sweares that he feares not death beleeue him not if he protest this Tranquillitie and yet feare death beleeue him not beleeue him not if he say he is not miserable SECT XVIII THese are enemies on the left hand There want not some on the right The second ranke of the enemies of peace which with lesse profession of hostilitie hurt no lesse Not so easily perceiued because they distemper the minde not without some kinde of pleasure Surfet kils more than famine These are the ouer-desiring and ouer-ioying of these earthly things All immoderations are enemies as to health so to peace He that desires Hippocr Aphoris wants as much as he that hath nothing The drunken man is as thirstie as the sweating traueller Hence are the studies cares feares iealousies hopes griefes enuies wishes platformes of atchieuing alterations of purposes and a thousand like whereof each one is enough to make the life troublesome One is sicke of his neighbours field whose mis-shapen angles disfigure his and hinder his Lordship of entirenesse what he hath is not regarded for the want of what hee cannot haue Another feeds on crusts to purchase what he must leaue perhaps to a foole or which is not much better to a prodigall heire Another in the extremitie of couetous folly chuses to die an vnpitied death hanging himselfe for the fall of the market while the Commons laugh at that losse and in their speeches Epitaph vpon him as on that Pope He liued as a Wolfe and died as a Dogge One cares not what attendance hee dances at all houres on whose staires he sits what vices he soothes what deformities he imitates what seruile offices he doth in an hope to rise Another stomackes the couered head and stiffe knee of his inferiour angry that other men thinke him not so good as he thinkes himselfe Another eats his owne heart with enuy at the richer furniture and better
a few should be the aduantage of many soules Tho why doe I speake of losse I speake that as your feare not my owne and your affection causeth that feare rather then the occasion The God of the Haruest shall send you a Labourer more able as carefull That is my prayer and hope and shall be my ioy I dare not leaue but in this expectation this assurance What-euer become of me it shall be my greatest comfort to heare you commend your change and to see your happy progresse in those waies I haue both shewed you and beaten So shall we meet in the end and neuer part Written to Mr. J. B. and Dedicated to my Father Mr. J. Hall EP. X. Against the feare of Death YOu complaine that you feare death He is no man that doth not Besides the paine Nature shrinks at the thought of parting If you would learn the remedy know the cause for that she is ignorant and faithlesse Shee would not be cowardly if she were not foolish Our feare is from doubt and our doubt is from vnbeleefe and whence is our vnbeleefe but chiefly froÌ ignorance She knowes not what good is elsewhere she beleeues not her part in it Get once true knowledge true faith your feare shal vanish alone Assurance of heauenly things makes vs willing to part with earthly He cannot contemn this life that knowes not the other If you would despise earth therfore think of heauen If you would haue death easie thinke of that glorious life that followes it Certainly if we can endure paine for health much more should we abide a few pangs for glory Thinke how fondly we feare a vanquisht enemy Loe Christ hath triumpht ouer Death he bleedeth and gaspeth vnder vs and yet we tremble It is enough to vs that Christ dyed neyther would he haue dyed but that we might dye with safety and pleasure Thinke that death is necessarily annexed to nature We are for a time on condition that we shall not be wee receiue life but vpon the termes of re-deliuery Necessity makes some things easie as it vsually makes easie things difficult It is a fond iniustice to imbrace the couenant and shrinke at the condition Thinke there is but one common rode to all flesh There are no by-paths of any fairer or nearer way no not for Princes Euen company abateth miseries and the commonnesse of an euill makes it lesse fearefull What worlds of men are gone before vs yea how many thousands out of one field How many Crownes and Scepters lye piled vp at the gates of Death which their owners haue left there as spoiles to the conqueror Haue we been at so many graues so oft seene our selues dye in our friends and doe we shrinke when our course commeth Imagine you alone were exempted from the common law of mankind or were condemned to Methusalahs age assure your selfe death is not now so fearefull as your life would then be wearisome Thinke not so much what Death is as from whom he comes and for what We receiue euen homely messengers from great persons not without respect to their masters And what matters it who he be so he bring vs good newes What newes can be better than this That God sends for you to take possession of a Kingdome Let them feare Death which know him but as a pursuiuant sent from hell whom their conscience accuseth of a life wilfully filthy and bindes-ouer secretly to condemnation We know whither we are going and whom we haue beleeued Let vs passe on cheerfully through these blacke gates vnto our glory Lastly know that our improuidence onely addes terror vnto death Thinke of death and you shall not feare it Doe you not see that euen Beares and Tygres seem not terrible to those that liue with them How haue we seene their keepers sport with them when the beholders durst scarce trust their chaine Be acquainted with Death though he looke grimme vpon you at first you shall finde him yea you shall make him a good companion Familiarity cannot stand with feare These are receits enow Too much store doth rather ouer-whelme than satisfie Take but these and I dare promise you security EPISTLES THE SECOND DECAD BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE SECOND DECAD To Sir ROBERT DARCY EP. I. The estate of a true but weake Christian IF you aske how I fare Sometimes no man better and if the fault were not mine owne Alwayes Not that I can command health and bid the world smile when I list How possible is it for a man to be happy without these yea in spight of them These things can neyther augment nor impaire those comforts that come from aboue What vse what sight is there of the starres when the Sunne shines Then onely can I finde my selfe happy when ouer-looking these earthly things I can fetch my ioy from heauen I tell him that knowes it the contentments that earth can afford her best Fauourites are weake imperfect changeable momentany and such as euer end in complaint Wee sorrow that wee had them and while wee haue them we dare not trust them Those from aboue are full and constant What an heauen doe I feele in my selfe when after many trauerses of meditation I find in my hart a feeling possession of my God! When I can walke and conuerse with the God of heauen not without an opennesse of heart and familiarity When my soule hath caught fast and sensible hold of my Sauiour and either pulls him downe to it selfe or rather lifts vp it selfe to him and can and dare secretly auouch I know whom I haue beleeued When I can looke vpon all this inferior creation with the eies of a stranger am transported to my home in my thoughts solacing my selfe in the view meditation of my future glory and that present of the Saints When I see wherefore I was made and my conscience tells me I haue done that for which I came done it not so as I can boast but so as it is accepted while my weaknesses are pardoned and my acts measured by my desires and my desires by their sincerity Lastly when I can finde my selfe vpon holy resolution made firme and square fit to entertaine all euents the good with moderate regard the euill with courage and patience both with thankes strongly setled to good purposes constant and cheerfull in deuotion and in a word ready for God yea full of God Sometimes I can be thus and pity the poore and miserable prosperity of the godlesse and laugh at their moneths of vanity and sorrow at my owne But then againe for why should I shame to confesse it the world thrusts it selfe betwixt me and heauen and by his darke and indigested parts eclipseth that light which shined to my soule Now a senslesse dulnesse ouertakes me and besots me my lust to deuotion is little my ioy none at all Gods face is hid and I am troubled Then I begin
thou mightest neuer taste of it hee would bee in sense for a time as forsaken of his Father that thou mightest be receiued for euer Now bid thy soule returne to her rest and enioyne it Dauids taske Praise the Lord O my soule and What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And as rauisht from thy selfe with the sweet apprehension of this mercy call all the other creatures to the fellowship of this ioy with that diuine Esay Reioyce O yee heauens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines for the Lord hath redeemed Iacob and will bee glorified in Israel And euen now begin that heauenly Song which shall neuer end with those glorified Saints Praise and honour and glory and power be to Him that sitteth vpon the Throne and to the Lambe for euermore Thus our speech of Christs last word is finished His last act accompanied his words our speech must follow it Let it not want your deuout and carefull attention He bowed and gaue vp the ghost The Crosse was a slow death and had more paine than speed whence a second violence must dispatch the crucified their bones must be broken that their hearts might breake Our Sauiour stayes not deaths leisure but willingly and couragiously meets him in the way and like a Champion that scornes to be ouercome yea knowes hee cannot be yeeldeth in the middest of his strength that he might by dying vanquish death Hee bowed and gaue vp Not bowing because he had giuen vp but because he would Hee cryed with a loud voyce saith Matthew Nature was strong he might haue liued but he gaue vp the ghost and would die to shew himselfe Lord of life and death Oh wondrous example hee that gaue life to his enemies gaue vp his owne he giues them to liue that persecute and hate him and himselfe will die the whiles for those that hate him Hee bowed and gaue vp not they they might crowne his head they could not bow it they might vex his spirit not take it away they could not doe that without leaue this they could not doe because they had no leaue Hee alone would bow his head and giue vp his ghost I haue power to lay downe my life Man gaue him not his life man could not bereaue it No man takes it from mee Alas who could The High Priests forces when they came against him armed he said but I am he they flee and fall backward How easie a breath disperst his enemies whom hee might as easily haue bidden the earth yea hell to swallow or fire from heauen to deuoure Who commanded the Deuils and they obeyed could not haue beene attached by men he must giue not onely leaue but power to apprehend himselfe else they had not liued to take him hee is laid hold of Peter fights Put vp saith Christ Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and hee will giue me more than twelue Legions of Angels What an Army were here more then threescore and twelue thousand Angels and euery Angell able to subdue a world of men he could but would not be rescued he is led by his owne power not by his enemies and stands now before Pilate like the scorne of men crowned robbed scourged with an Ecce homo Yet thou couldst haue no power against me vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Behold he himselfe must giue Pilate power against himselfe Quod emittitur voluntarium est quod amââtur aecessarium Ambr. else he could not be condemned he will be condemned lifted vp nailed yet no death without himselfe Hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 No action that sauours of constraint can be meritorious he would deserue therefore he would suffer and die Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost O gracious and bountifull Sauiour hee might haue kept his soule within his teeth in spight of all the world the weaknesse of God is stronger than men and if he had but spoken the word the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him but hee would not Behold when hee saw that impotent man could not take away his soule he gaue it vp and would die that we might liue See here a Sauiour that can contemne his owne life for ours and cares not to be dissolued in himselfe that we might be vnited to his Father Skin for skin saith the Deuill and all that hee hath a man will giue for his life Loe here to proue Sathan a lyer skinne and life and all hath Christ Iesus giuen for vs. Wee are besotted with the earth and make base shifts to liue one with a maimed bodie another with a periured soule a third with a rotten name and how many had rather neglect their soule than their life and will rather renounce and curse God than die It is a shame to tell Many of vs Christians doat vpon life and tremble at death and shew our selues fooles in our excesse of loue cowards in our feare Peter denies Christ thrice and forsweares him Marcellinus twice casts graines of incense into the Idols fire Ecebolius turnes thrice Spira reuolts and despaires Oh let mee liue saith the fearefull soule Whither doest thou reserue thy selfe thou weake and timorous creature or what wouldest thou doe with thy selfe Thou hast not thus learned Christ he died voluntarily for thee thou wilt not be forced to die for him he gaue vp the ghost for thee thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe When I looke backe to the first Christians and compare their zealous contempt of death with our backwardnesse I am at once amazed and ashamed I see there euen women the feebler sex running with their little ones in their armes for the preferment of Martyrdome and ambitiously striuing for the next blow I see holy and tender Virgins chusing rather a sore and shamefull death than honourable Espousals I heare the blessed Martyrs Quod si venire nolucrint ego vim faciam vt dââorer intreating their tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying Ignatius amongst the rest fearing lest the beasts will not deuoure him and vowing the first violence to them that he might bee dispatched And what lesse courage was there in our memorable and glorious fore-fathers of the last of this age and doe we their cold and feeble off-spring looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death abhorre the violent though for Christ Alas how haue we gathered rust with our long peace Our vnwillingnesse is from inconsideration from distrust Looke but vp to Christ Iesus vpon his Crosse and see him bowing his head and breathing out his soule and these feares shall vanish he died and wouldest thou liue hee gaue vp the ghost and wouldest thou keepe it whom wouldest thou follow if not thy
parting now therefore he wisely prefers his own estate to Labans loue it is not good to regard too much the vniust discontentment of worldly men and to purchase vnprofitable fauour with too great losse Behold Laban followes Iacob with one troop Esau meets him with another both with hostile intentions both goe on till the vtmost point of their execution both are preuented ere the execution God makes fooles of the enemies of his Church he lets them proceed that they may be frustrate and when they are gone to the vtmost reach of their tether hee puls them backe to their taske with shame Loe now Laban leaues Iacob with a kisse Esau meets him with a kisse Of the one he hath an oath teares of the other peace with both Who shall need to feare man that is in league with God But what a wonder is this Iacob receiued not so much hurt from all his enemies as from his best friend Not one of his hairs perished by Laban or Esau yet he lost a ioint by the Angell and was sent halting to his graue He that knowes our strength yet wil wrestle with vs for our exercise and loues our violence and importunity O happy losse of Iacob he lost a ioynt and wonne a blessing It is a fauour to halt from God yet this fauour is seconded with a greater He is blessed because hee would rather halt then leaue ere he was blessed If he had left sooner he had not halted but hee had not prospered That man shall goe away sound but miserable that loues a limbe more then a blessing Surely if Iacob had not wrestled with God he had beene foyled with euills how many are the troubles of the righteous Not long after Rachel the comfort of his life dyeth And when but in her trauell and in his trauell to his Father When he had now before digested in his thoughts the ioy and gratulation of his aged Father for so welcome a burden His children the staffe of his age wound his soule to the death Reuben proues incestuous Iudah adulterous Dinah rauished Simeon and Leui murderous Er and Onan striken dead Ioseph lost Simeon imprisoned Beniamin the death of his Mother the Fathers right-hand indangered himselfe driuen by famine in his old age to die amongst the Aegyptians a people that held it abomination to eat with him If that Angell with whom hee stroue and who therefore stroue for him had not deliuered his soule out of all aduersity he had beene supplanted with euils and had beene so far from gaining the name of Israel that he had lost the name of Iacob now what sonne of Israel can hope for good daies when he heares his Fathers were so euill It is enough for vs if when wee are dead we can rest with him in the land of Promise If the Angell of the Couenant once blesse vs no paine no sorrowes can make vs miserable Of DINAH I Find but one onely daughter of Iacob who must needes therefore be a great darling to her Father and she so miscaries that she causes her Fathers griefe to be more then his loue As her mother Leah so she hath a fault in her eyes which was Curiosity She will needes see and be seene and whiles she doth vainely see shee is seene lustfully It is not enough for vs to looke to our owne thoughts except wee beware of the prouocations of others If wee once wander out of the lists that God hath set vs in our callings there is nothing but danger Her Virginity had been safe if she had kept home or if Sechem had forced her in her mothers tent this losse of her Virginity had been without her sin now she is not innocent that gaue the occasion Her eyes were guilty of the temptation Onely to see is an insufficient warrant to draw vs into places of spirituall hazard If Sechem had seen her busie at home his loue had beene free from out-rage now the lightnesse of her presence gaue incouragement to his inordinate desires Immodesty of behauior makes way to lust and giues life vnto wicked hopes yet Sechem be wrayes a good nature euen in filthinesse He loues Dinah after his sinne and will needs marry her whom he had defiled Commonly lust ends in loathing Ammon abhors Thamar as much after his act as before he loued her and beats her out of doores whom hee was sicke to bring in But Sechem would not let Dinah fare the worse for his sinne And now hee goes about to entertaine her with honest loue whom the rage of his lust had dishonestly abused Her deflouring shall bee no preiudice to her since her shame shall redound to none but him and he will hide her dishonour with the name of an husband What could hee now doe but sue to his Father to hers to her selfe to her brethren intreating that vvith humble submission which he might haue obtained by violence Those actions vvhich are ill begun can hardly be salued vp with late satisfactions whereas good entrances giue strength vnto the proceedings and successe to the end The yong mans father doth not only consent but sollicite and is ready to purchase a daughter either with substance or paine The two old men would haue ended the matter peaceably but youth commonly vndertakes rashly and performes with passion The sons of Iacob thinke of nothing but reuenge and which is worst of all begin their cruelty with craft and hide their craft with Religion A smiling malice is most deadly and hatred doth most rankle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled We cannot giue our sister to an vncircumcised man here was God in the mouth and Saran in the heart The bloodiest of all proiects haue euer wont to be coloured with Religion because the worse any thing is the better shew it desires to make and contrarily the better colour is put vpon any vice the more odious it is for as euery simulation addes to an euill so the best addes most euill themselues had taken the daughters and sisters of vncircumcised men yea Iacob himselfe did so why might not an vncircumcised man obtaine their sister Or if there be a difference of giuing and taking it had beene well if it had not beene onely pretended It had beene a happy Rauishment of Dinah that should haue drawne a whole Country into the bosome of the Church but here was a Sacrament intended not to the good of the soule but to murder of the body It was a hard taske for Hamor and Sechem not onely to put the knife to their owne foreskins but to perswade a multitude to so painfull a condition The sons of Iacob dissemble with them they with the people Shall not their flocks and substance be ours Common profit is pretended whereas onely Sechems pleasure is meant No motiue is so powerfull to the vulgar sort as the name of Commoditie The hope of this makes them prodigall of their skin and blood Not the loue to the Sacrament not the
strength of humane patience Oh what shall we then conceiue of that death which knowes no end As this life is no lesse fraile then the dody which it animates so that death is no lesse eternall then the soule which must endure it For vs to be dying so long as wee now haue leaue to liue is intollerable and yet one onely minute of that other tormenting death is worse then an age of this Oh the desperate infidelity of carlesse men that shrinke at the thought of a momentarry death and feare not eternall This is but a killing of the body that is a destruction of body and soule Who is so worthy to weare Crowne of Israel as hee that wonne the Crowne from Midian Their vsurpers were gone now they are headlesse It is a doubt whether they were better to haue had no Kings or Tyrants They sue to Gideon to accept of the Kingdome and are repulsed There is no greater ensample of modesty then Gideon When the Angell spake to him he abased himselfe below all Israel when the Ephraimites contended with him he prefers their gleanings to his vintage and casts his honour at their feete and now when Israel proffers him that Kingdome which he had merited he refuses it Hee that in ouercomming would allow them to cry The sword of the Lord and of Gideon in gouerning will haue none but The sword of the Lord. That which others plot and sue and sweare and bribe for Dignity and superiority he seriously reiects whether it were for that he knew God had not yet called them to a Monarchy or rather for that he saw the crowne among thornes What doe we ambitiously affect the commahd of these mole-hils of earth when wise men haue refused the proffers of kingdomes Why doe we not rather labour for that Kingdome which is free from all cares from all vncertainty Yet he that refuses their Crowne cals for their earings although not to enrich himselfe but religion So long had God been a stranger to Israel that now superstion goes currant for deuout worship It were pitty that good intentions should make any man wicked here they did so Neuer man meant beter then Gideon in his rich Ephod yet this very act set all Israel on whoring God had chosen a place and a seruice of his own When the wit of man will be ouer-pleasing God with better deuices then his own it turnes to madnesse and ends in mischiefe ABIMELECHS vsurpation GIdeon refused the Kingdome of Israel when it was offered his seuenty sons offered not to obtain that Scepter which their fathers victory had deserued to make hereditary onely Abimelec the concubines sonne sues and ambitiously plots for it What could Abimelec see in himselfe that hee should ouer-looke all his brethren If he lookt to his father they were his equals if to his mother they were his betters Those that are most vnworthy of honour are hottest in the chase of it whiles the conscience of better deserts bids men sit still and stay to bee either importuned or neglected There can bee no greater signe of vnfitnesse then vehement sute It is hard to say whether there bee more pride or ignorance in Ambition I haue noted this difference betwixt spirituall and earthly honour and the Clients of both wee cannot be worthy of the one without earnest prosecution nor with earnest prosecution worthy of the other The violent abtaine heauen onely the meeke are worthy to inherit the earth That which an aspiring heart hath proiected it will find both argument and meanes to effect If either bribes or fauour will carry it the proud man will not sit out The Shechemites are fit brokers for Abimelec That City which once betrayed it selfe to vtter depopulation in yeelding to the sute of Hamor now betraies it selfe and al Israel in yeelding to the request of Abimelec By them hath this Vsurper made himselfe a fair way to the Throne It was an easie question Whether wil ye admit of the sons of Gideon for your Rulers or of strangers If of the sons of Gideon whether of all or one If of one whether of your owne flesh and bloud or of others vnknowne To cast off the sonnes Gideon for strangers were vnthankfull To admit of seuenty Kings in one small Country were vnreasonable To admit of any other rather then their own kinsman were vnnaturall Gideons sonnes therefore must rule amongst all Israel One of his sonnes amongst those seuenty and who should be that one but Abimelec Naturall respects are the most dangerous corrupters of all elections What hope can there be of worthy Superiors in any free people where neerenesse of bloud carries it from fitnesse of disposition Whiles they say Hee is our brother they are enemies to themselues and Israel Faire words haue won his brethren they the Shechemites the Shechemites furnish him with money mony with men His men begin with murder and now Abimelec raignes alone Flattery bribes and bloud are the vsuall staires of the Ambitious The money of Baal is a fit hier for murderers that which Idolatry hath gathered is fitly spent vpon Treason One diuell is ready to helpe another in mischiefe seldome euer is ill gotten riches better imployed It is no wonder if he that hath Baal his Idol now make an Idoll of Honour There was neuer any man that worshipped but one Idol Woe be to them that lie in the way of the Aspiring Though they be brothers they shall bleed yea the neerer they are the more sure is their ruine Who would not now thinke that Abimelec should finde an hell in his breast after so barbarous and vnnaturall a massacre and yet behold he is a senslesse as the stone vpon which the bloud of his seuerity brethren was spilt Where Ambition hath possest it selfe throughly of the soule it turnes the heart into steele and makes it vncapeable of a conscience All sinnes will easily downe with the man that is resolued to rise Onely Iotham fell not at that fatall stone with his brethren It is an hard battell where none escapes He escapes not to raigne not to reuenge but to be a Prophet and a witnesse of the vengeance of God vpon the vsurper vpon the Abettors He liues to tel Abimelec that he was but a bramble a weed rather then a tree A right bramble indeed that grew but out of the base hedge-row of a Concubin that could not lift vp his head from the earth vnlesse he were supported by some bush or pale of Shechem that had laid hold of the fleece of Israel and had drawne bloud of all his brethren and lastly that had no substance in him but the sap vaine-glory and the pricks of cruelty It was better then a Kingdome to him out of his obscure Beere to see the fire out of his bramble to consume those tres The view of Gods reuenge is so much more pleasing to a good heart then his owne glory by how much it is more iust and full There was neuer
deserued it Whence it comes that we are so loth to thinke of our dissolution and going to God for naturally where we are not acquainted we Iist not to hazard our welcome chusing rather to spend our money at a simple Inne than to turne in for a free lodging to an vnknowne Oast whom we haue onely heard of neuer had friendship with whereas to an entire friend whose nature and welcome we know and whom wee haue elsewhere familiarly conuersed withal we goe as boldly willingly as to our home knowing that no houre can be vnseasonable to such a one whiles on the other side we scrape acquaintance with the world that neuer did vs good euen after many repulses I will not liue with God and in God without his acquaintance knowing it my happinesse to haue such a friend I will not let one day passe without some act of renewing my familiaritie with him not giuing ouer till I haue giuen him some testimonie of my loue to him and ioy in him and till he hath left behinde him some pledge of his continued fauour to me 30 Men for the most part would neither die nor be old When we see an aged man that hath ouer-liued all the teeth of his gums the haire of his head the sight of his eies the taste of his palate we professe we would not liue till such a combersome age wherein we proue burdens to our dearest friends and our selues yet if it be put to our choice what yeere we would die we euer shift it off till the next and want not excuses for this prorogation rather than faile alleaging we would liue to amend when yet wee doe but adde more to the heape of our sinnes by continuance Nature hath nothing to plead for this folly but that life is sweet wherein wee giue occasion of renewing that ancient checke or one not vnlike to it whereby that primitiue vision taxed the timorousnesse of the shrinking Confessors Yee would neither liue to bee old nor die ere your age what should I doe with you The Christian must not thinke it enough to endure the thought of death with patience when it is obtruded vpon him by necessitie but must voluntarily call it into his minde with ioy not onely abiding it should come but wishing that it might come I will not leaue till I can resolue if I might die to day not to liue till to morrow 31 As a true friend is the sweetest contentment in the world so in his qualities hee well resembleth hony the sweetest of all liquors Nothing is more sweet to the taste nothing more sharpe and cleansing when it meets with an exulcerate sore For my selfe I know I must haue faults and therefore I care not for that friend that I shall neuer smart by For my friends I know they cannot be faultlesse and therefore as they shall finde mee sweet in their praises and encouragements so sharpe also in their censure Either let them abide me no friend to their faults or no friend to themselues 32 In all other things we are lead by profit but in the maine matter of all we shew our selues vtterly vnthriftie and whiles we are wise in making good markets in these base commodities we shew our selues foolish in the great match of our soules God and the world come both to one shop and make proffers for our soules The world like a franke Chapman sayes All these will I giue thee shewing vs his bagges and promotions and thrusting them into our hands God offers a crowne of glory which yet he tels vs we must giue him day to performe and haue nothing in present but our hope and some small earnest of the bargaine Though we know there is no comparison betwixt these two in value finding these earthly things vaine and vnable to giue any contentment and those other of inualuable worth and benefit yet wee had rather take these in hand than trust God on his word for the future while yet in the same kinde we chuse rather to take some rich Lordships in reuersion after the long expectation of three liues expired than a present summe much vnder foot As contrarily when God and the world are sellers and we come to the Mart the world offers fine painted wares but will not part with them vnder the price of our torment God proclaimes Come yee that want buy for nought Now we thriftie men that trie all shops for the cheapest pennieworth refuse God proffering his precious commodities for nothing and pay an hard price for that which is worse than nothing painfull Surely wee are wise for any thing but our soules and not so wise for the body as foolish for them O Lord thy payment is sure and who knowes how present Take the soule that thou hast both made and bought and let me rather giue my life for thy fauour than take the offers of the world for nothing 33 There was neuer age that more bragged of knowledge and yet neuer any that had lesse soundnesse He that knowes not God knoweth nothing and hee that loues not God knowes him not for hee is so sweet and infinitely full of delight that who-euer knowes him cannot chuse but affect him The little loue of God then argues the great ignorance euen of those that professe knowledge I will not suffer my affections to run before my knowledge for then I shall loue fashionably onely because I heare God is worthy of loue and so be subiect to relapses but I will euer lay knowledge as the ground of my loue So as I grow in diuine knowledge I shall still profit in an heauenly zeale 34 Those that trauell in long pilgrimages to the holy Land what a number of wearie pases they measure what a number of hard lodgings and knowne dangers they passe and at last when they are come within view of their iournies end what a large tribute pay they at the Pisan Castle to the Turkes And when they are come thither what see they but the bare Sepulcher wherein their Sauiour lay and the earth that he trode vpon to the increase of a carnall deuotion What labour should I willingly vndertake in my iourney to the true Land of promise the celestiall Ierusalem where I shall see and enioy my Sauiour himselfe What tribute of paine or death should I refuse to pay for my entrance not into his Sepulcher but his Palace of glory and that not to looke vpon but to possesse it 35 Those that are all in exhortation no whit in doctrine are like to them that snuffe the candle but powre not in oile Againe those that are all in doctrine nothing in exhortation drowne the wike in oile but light it not making it fit for vse if it had fire put to it but as it is rather capable of good than profitable in present Doctrine without exhortation makes men all braine no heart Exhortation without doctrine makes the heart full leaues the braine empty Both together make a man
One makes a man wise the other good One serues that we may know our dutie the other that we may performe it I will labour in both but I know not in whether more Men cannot practise vnlesse they know and they know in vaine if they practise not 36 There be two things in euery good worke honour and profit The latter God bestowes vpon vs the former he keepes to himselfe The profit of our works redoundeth not to God My weldoing extendeth not to thee The honour of our worke may not be allowed vs. My glorie I will not giue to another I will not abridge God of his part that he may not bereaue me of mine 37 The proud man hath no God the enuious man hath no neighbour the angry man hath not himselfe What can that man haue that wants himselfe What is a man better if he haue himselfe and want all others What is he the neerer if hee haue himselfe and others and yet want God What good is it then to be a man if he be either wrathfull proud or enuious 38 Man that was once the soueraigne Lord of all creatures whom they seruiceably attended at all times is now sent to the very basest of all creatures to learne good qualities Goe to the Pismire c. and see the most contemptible creatures prefer'd before him The Asse knoweth his owner wherein we like the miserable heire of some great Peere whose house is decaied through the treason of our progenitors heare and see what Honours and Lord-ships wee should haue had but now finde our selues below many of the vulgar we haue not so much cause of exaltation that wee are men and not beasts as we haue of humiliation in thinking how much we were once better than we are and that now in many duties we are men inferiour to beasts so as those whom we contemne if they had our reason might more iustly contemne vs and as they are may teach vs by their examples and doe condemne vs by their practice 39 The idle man is the Deuils cushion on which hee taketh his free case who as hee is vncapable of any good so he is fitly disposed for all euill motions The standing water soone stinketh whereas the current euer keepes cleere and cleanly conueying downe all noisome matter that might infect it by the force of his streame If I doe but little good to others by my endeuours yet this is great good to me that by my labour I keepe my selfe from hurt 40 There can be no neerer coniunction in nature than is betwixt the body and the soule yet these two are of so contrarie disposition that as it falls out in an ill-marched man and wife those seruants which the one likes best are most dispraised of the other so here one still takes part against the other in their choice what benefits the one is the hurt of the other The glutting of the body pines the soule and the soule thriues best when the body is pinched Who can wonder that there is such faction amongst others that sees so much in his very selfe True wisdome is to take not with the stronger as the fashion of the world is but with the better following herein not vsurped power but iustice It is not hard to discerne whose the right is whether the seruant should rule or the mistresse I will labour to make and keepe the peace by giuing each part his owne indifferently but if more bee affected with an ambitious contention I will rather beat Hagar out of dores than she shall ouer-rule her mistresse 41 I see Iron first heated red hot in the fire and after beaten and hardened with cold water Thus will I deale with an offending friend first heat him with deserued praise of his vertue and then beat vpon him with reprehension so good nurses when their children are fallen first take them vp and speake them faire chide them afterwards Gentle speech is a good preparatiue for rigor He shall see that I loue him by my approbation and that I loue not his faults by my reproofe If he loue himselfe he will loue those that mislike his vices if he loue not himselfe it matters not whether he loue me 42 The liker we are to God which is the best and onely good the better and happier we must needs be All sinnes make vs vnlike him as being contrary to his perfect holinesse but some shew more direct contrarietie such is enuie For whereas God bringeth good out of euill the enuious man fetcheth euill out of good wherein also his sinne proues a kinde of punishment for whereas to good men euen euill things worke together to their good contrarily to the enuious good things worke together to their euill The euill in any man though neuer so prosperous I will not enuie but pittie The good graces I will not repine at but holily emulate reioicing that they are so good but grieuing that I am no better 43 The couetous man is like a Spider as in this that he doth nothing but lay his nets to catch euery Flie gaping onely for a bootie of gaine so yet more in that whiles hee makes nets for these Flies he consumeth his owne bowels so that which is his life is his death If there be any creature miserable it is he and yet hee is least to be pitied because he makes himselfe miserable such as he is I will acount him and will therefore sweepe downe his webs and hate his poyson 44 In heauen there is all life and no dying in hell is all death and no life In earth there is both liuing and dying which as it is betwixt both so it prepares for both So that he which here below dies to sinne doth after liue in heauen and contrarily hee that liues in sinne vpon earth dies in hell afterwards What if I haue no part of ioy here below but still succession of afflictions The wicked haue no part in heauen and yet they enioy the earth with pleasure I would not change portions with them I reioyce that seeing I cannot haue both yet I haue the better O Lord let me passe both my deaths here vpon earth I care not how I liue or die so I may haue nothing but life to looke for in another world 45 The conceit of proprietie hardens a man against many inconueniences and addeth much to our pleasure The mother abides many vnquiet nights many painfull throes and vnpleasant sauours of her childe vpon this thought It is my owne The indulgent father magnifies that in his owne sonne which he would scarce like in a stranger The want of this to God-ward makes vs so subiect to discontentment and cooleth our delight in him because we thinke of him aloofe as one in whom we are not interessed If we could thinke It is my God that cheereth me with his presence and blessings while I prosper that afflicteth me in loue when I am deiected my Sauiour is at Gods right hand my
good we refuse It is second folly in vs if we thanke him not The foolish babe cries for his fathers bright knife or gilded pilles The wiser father knowes that they can but hurt him and therefore with-holds them after all his teares The childe thinkes he is vsed but vnkindly Euery wise man and himselfe at more yeeres can say it was vsed but childish folly in desiring it in complaining that he missed it The losse of wealth friends health is sometimes gaine to vs. Thy body thy estate is worse thy soule is better why complainest thou SECT XIV The 4. and last part from their issue NAy it shall not be enough mee thinkes if onely wee be but contented and thankfull if not also chearefull in afflictions if that as we feele their paine so wee looke to their end although indeed this is not more requisite than rarely found as being proper onely to the good heart Euery bird can sing in a cleare heauen in a temperate spring that one as most familiar so is most commended that sings merrie notes in the middest of a showre or the dead of Winter Euery Epicure can enlarge his heart to mirth in the middest of his cups and dalliance onely the three children can sing in the furnace Paul and Silas in the stockes Martyrs at the stake It is from heauen that this ioy comes so contrary to all earthly occasions bred in the faithfull heart through a serious and feeling respect to the issue of what he feeles the quiet and vntroubled fruit of his righteousnesse glorie the crowne after his fight after his minute of paine eternity of ioy He neuer lookt ouer the threshold of heauen that cannot more reioyce that he shall be glorious than mourne in present that he is miserable SECT XV. Of the importunitie and terror of Death YEa this consideration is so powerfull that it alone is able to make a part against the feare or sense of the last and greatest of all terribles Death it selfe which in the conscience of his owne dreadfulnesse iustly laughs at all the vaine humane precepts of Tranquillitie appalling the most resolute and vexing the most cheerefull mindes Neither prophane Lucretius with all his Epicurean rules of confidence nor drunken Anacreon with all his wanton Odes can shift off the importunate and violent horrour of this Aduersarie Seest thou the Chaldean Tyrant beset with the sacred bowles of Ierusalem the late spoiles of Gods Temple and in contempt of their owner carowsing healths to his Queenes Concubines Peeres singing amids his cups triumphant carols of praise to his molten and carued gods Wouldest thou euer suspect that this high courage could be abated or that this sumptuous and presumptuous banquet after so royall and iocond continuance should haue any other conclusion but pleasure Stay but one houre longer and thou shalt see that face that now shines with a ruddie glosse according to the colour of his liquor looke pale and gastly stained with the colours of feare and death and that proud hand which now lifts vp her massie Goblets in defiance of God tremble like a leafe in a storme and those strong knees which neuer stooped to the burden of their laden body now not able to beare vp themselues but loosened with a sudden palsie of feare one knocking against the other and all this for that Death writes him a letter of summons to appeare that night before him and accordingly ere the next Sunne sent two Eunuches for his honorable conueiance into another world Where now are those delicate morsels those deep draughts those merry ditties wherewith the palate and eare so pleased themselues What is now become of all those cheerefull looks loose laughters stately port reuels triumphs of the feasting Court Why doth none of his gallant Nobles reuiue the fainted courage of their Lord with a new cup or with some stirring iest shake him out of this vnseasonable melancholy O death how imperious art thou to carnall mindes aggrauating their miserie not onely by expectation of future paine but by the remembrance of the wonted causes of their ioy and not suffering them to see ought but what may torment them Euen that monster of Cesars that had beene so well acquainted with bloud and neuer had sound better sport than in cutting of throats when now it came to his owne turne how effeminate how desperately cowardous did he shew himselfe to the wonder of all Readers that he which was euer so valiant in killing should be so womanishly heartlesse in dying SECT XVI THere are that feare not so much to be dead as to die The grounds of the feare of death the very act of dissolution frighting them with a tormenting expectation of a short but intolerable painfulnesse Which let if the wisdome of God had not interposed to timorous nature there would haue beene many more Lucreces Cleopatraes Achitophels and good lawes should haue found little opportunitie of execution through the wilfull funerals of malefactors For the soule that comes into the body without any at least sensible pleasure departs not from it without an extremitie of paine which varying according to the manner and meanes of separation yet in all violent deaths especially retaineth a violence not to be auoided hard to be endured And if diseases which are destin'd towards death as their end bee so painfull what must the end and perfection of diseases be Since as diseases are the maladies of the body so death is the malady of diseases There are that feare not so much to die as to be dead If the pang be bitter yet it is but short the comfortlesse state of the dead strikes some that could well resolue for the act of their passage Not the worst of the Heathen Emperours made that moanfull dittie on his death-bed wherein he bewraieth to all memory much feeling pittie of his soule for her doubtfull and impotent condition after her parture How doth Platoes worldling bewaile the misery of the graue besides all respect of paine Woe is mee that I shall lie alone rotting in the silent earth amongst the crawling Wormes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. not seeing ought aboue not seene Very not-being is sufficiently abhorred of nature if death had no more to make it fearefull But those that haue liued vnder light enough to shew them the gates of hell after thâir passage thorow the gates of death and haue learned that death is not onely horrible for our not-being here but for being infinitly eternally miserable in a future world nor so much for the dissolution of life as the beginning of torment those cannot without the certaine hope of their immunitie but carnally feare to die and hellishly feare to be dead For if it be such paine to die what is it to be euer dying And if the straining or luxation of one ioynt can so afflict vs what shall the racking of the whole body and the torturing of the soule whose animation alone makes the body
is the Head canst thou drowne when thy Head is aboue was it not for thee that hee triumpht ouer death Is there any feare in a foyled aduersarie Oh my Redeemer I haue already ouercome in thee how can I miscarrie in my selfe O my soule thou hast marched valiantly Behold the Damosels of that heauenly Ierusalem come forth with Timbrels and Harps to meet thee and to applaud thy successe And now there remaines nothing for thee but a Crowne of righteousnesse which that righteous Iudge shall giue thee at that Day Oh Death where is thy sting Oh graue where is thy victorie The Thanksgiuing Returne now vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath beene beneficiall vnto thee O Lord God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my head in the day of battell O my God and King I will extoll thee and will blesse thy name for euer and euer I will blesse thee daily and praise thy Name for euer and euer Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible I will meditate of the beautie of thy glorious Maiestie and thy wonderfull workes Hosanna thou that dwellest in the highest heauens Amen FINIS HOLY OBSERVATIONS LIB I. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF WALTHAM MY most bountifull Patron Grace and Peace RIGHT HONOVRABLE THis aduantage a Scholar hath aboue others that hee cannot be idle and that he can worke without instruments For the minde inured to contemplation will set it selfe on worke when other occasions faile and hath no more power not to studie than the eye which is open hath not to see some thing in which businesse it carries about his owne Librarie neither can complaine to want Bookes while it enioyeth it selfe J could not then neglect the commoditie of this plentifull leasure in my so easie attendance here but though besides my course and without the helpe of others writings must needs busie my selfe in such thoughts as J haue euer giuen account of to your Lordship such as J hope shall not be vnprofitable nor vnwelcome to their Patron to their Readers J send them forth from hence vnder your Honourable name to shew you that no absence no imployment can make mee forget my due respect to your Lordship to whom next vnder my gracious Master J haue deseruedly bequeathed my selfe and my endeuours Your goodnesse hath not wont to magnifie it selfe more in giuing than in receiuing such like holy presents the knowledge whereof hath intitled you to more labours of this nature if I haue numbred aright than any of your Peeres I misdoubt not either your acceptation or their vse That God who hath aboue all his other fauours giuen your Lordship euen in these carelesse times an heart truly religious giue you an happy increase of all his heauenly graces by my vnworthy seruice To his gracious care I daily commend your Lordship with my Honourable Lady wishing you both all that little ioy earth can affoord you and fulnesse of glory aboue Non-such Iuly 3. Your Lordships Most humbly deuoted for euer in all dutie and obseruance IOS HALL HOLY OBSERVATIONS 1 AS there is nothing sooner drie than a teare so there is nothing sooner out of season than worldly sorrow which if it bee fresh and still bleeding findes some to comfort and pittie it if stale and skinned ouer with time is rather entertained with smiles than commiseration But the sorrow of repentance comes neuer out of time All times are alike vnto that Eternitie whereto wee make our spirituall mones That which is past that which is future are both present with him It is neither weake nor vncomely for an old man to weepe for the sinnes of his youth Those teares can neuer be shed either too soone or too late 2 Some men liue to bee their owne executors for their good name which they fee not honestly buried before themselues die Some other of great place and ill desert part with their good name and breath at once There is scarce a vicious man whose name is not rotten before his carcasse Contrarily the good mans name is oft times heire to his life either borne after the death of the parent for that enuie would not suffer it to come forth before or perhaps so well growne vp in his life time that the hope thereof is the staffe of his age and ioy of his death A wicked mans name may be feared a while soone after it is either forgotten or cursed The good man either sleepeth with his body in peace or waketh as his soule in glory 3 Oft times those which shew much valour while there is equall possibilitie of life when they see a present necessitie of death are found most shamefully timorous Their courage was before grounded vpon hope that cut off leaues them at once desperate and cowardly whereas men of feebler spirits meet more cheerefully with death because though their courage be lesse yet their expectation was more 4 I haue seldome seene the sonne of an excellent and famous man excellent But that an ill bird hath an ill egge is not rare children possessing as the bodily diseases so the vices of their Parents Vertue is not propagated Vice is euen in them which haue it not reigning in themselues The graine is sowne pure but comes vp with chaffe and huske Hast thou a good sonne He is Gods not thine Is he euill Nothing but his sinne is thine Helpe by thy praiers and endeuours to take away that which thou hast giuen him and to obtaine from God that which thou hast and canst not giue Else thou maiest name him a possession but thou shalt finde him a losse 5 These things be comely and pleasant to see and worthy of honour from the beholder A young Saint an old Martyr a religious Souldier a conscionable Statesman a great man courteous a learned man humble a silent woman a childe vnderstanding the eie of his Parent a merry companion without vanitie a friend not changed with honour a sicke man cheerefull a soule departing with comfort and assurance 6 I haue oft obserued in merry meetings solemnly made that somewhat hath falne out crosse either in the time or immediatly vpon it to season as I thinke our immoderation in desiring or enioying our friends and againe euents suspected haue proued euer best God herein blessing our awfull submission with good successe In all these humane things indifferencie is safe Let thy doubts be euer equall to thy desires so thy disappointment shall not bee grieuous because thy expectation was not peremptorie 7 You shall rarely finde a man eminent in sundry faculties of minde or sundry manuarie trades If his memorie be excellent his fantasie is but dull if his fancie bee busie and quicke his iudgement is but shallow If his iudgement bee deepe his vtterance is
for it nor our Sauiour haue bidden vs to flee for it nor God promised it to his for a reward yet if in some cases we hate not life we loue not God nor our soules Herein as much as in any thing the peruersenesse of our nature appeares that we wish death or loue life vpon wrong causes wee would liue for pleasure or we would die for paine Iob for his sores Elias for his persecution Ionas for his Gourd would presently die and will needs out-face God that it is better for him to die than to liue wherein we are like to garrison-souldiers that while they liue within safe walls and shew themselues once a day rather for ceremonie and pompe than need or danger like warfare well enough but if once called forth to the field they wish themselues at home 29 Not onely the least but the worst is euer in the bottome what should God doe with the dregges of our age When sinne will admit thee his Client no longer then God shall be beholden to thee for thy seruice Thus is God dealt with in all other offerings The worst and least sheafe must be Gods Tenth The deformedst or simplest of our children must bee Gods Ministers the vncleanliest and most carelesse house must be Gods Temple The idlest and sleepiest houres of the day must be reserued for our praiers The worst part of our age for deuotion We would haue God giue vs still of the best and are ready to murmure at euery little euill he sends vs yet nothing is bad enough for him of whom we receiue all Nature condemnes this inequalitie and tels vs that he which is the Author of good should haue the best and he which giues all should haue his choice 30 When we goe about an euill businesse it is strange how readie the deuill is to set vs forward how carefull that we should want no furtherances So that if a man would be lewdly witty hee shall be sure to be furnished with store of profane iests wherein a loose heart hath double advantage of the conscionable If he would be voluptuous he shall want neither obiects nor opportunities The currant passage of ill enterprises is so farre from giuing cause of encouragement that it should iustly fright a man to looke backe to the Author and to consider that he therefore goes fast because the deuill driues him 31 In the choice of companions for our conuersation it is good dealing with men of good natures for though grace exerciseth her power in bridling nature yet sith wee are still men at the best some swinge she will haue in the most mortified Austeritie sullennesse or strangenesse of disposition and whatsoeuer qualities may make a man vnsociable cleaue faster to our nature than those which are morally euill True Christian loue may be separated from acquaintance and acquaintance from intirenesse These are not qualities to hinder our loue but our familiaritie 32 Ignorance as it makes bold intruding men carelesly into vnknowne dangers so also it makes men oft-times causelesly fearefull Herod feared Christs comming because he mistooke it If that Tyrant had knowne the manner of his spirituall Regiment he had spared both his owne fright and the bloud of other And hence it is that we feare death because we are not acquainted with the vertue of it Nothing but innocencie and knowledge can giue sound confidence to the heart 33 Where are diuers opinions they may be all false there can bee but one true and that one truth oft-times must be fetcht by peece-meale out of diuers branches of contrary opinions For it falls out not seldome that Truth is through ignorance or rash vehemency scattered into sundry parts and like to a little Siluer melted amongst the ruines of a burnt house must be tried out from heaps of much superfluous ashes There is much paines in the search of it much skill in finding it the value of it once found requites the cost of both 34 Affectation of superfluitie is in all things a signe of weaknesse As in words he that vseth circumlocutions to expresse himselfe shewes want of memory and want of proper speech And much talke argues a braine feeble and distempered What good can any earthly thing yeeld vs beside his vse and what is it but vanitie to affect that which doth vs no good and what vse is it in that which is superfluous It is a great skill to know what is enough and great wisdome to care for no more 35 Good things which in absence were desired now offering themselues to our presence are scarce entertained or at least not with our purposed cheerefulnesse Christs comming to vs and our going to him are in our profession well esteemed much wished but when he singleth vs out by a direct message of death or by some fearefull signe giueth likelihood of a present returne we are as much affected with feare as before with desire All changes although to the better are troublesome for the time vntill our setling There is no remedy hereof but inward preuention Our minde must change before our estate be changed 36 Those are greatest enemies to Religion that are not most irreligious Atheists though in themselues they bee the worst yet are seldome found hot Persecuters of others whereas those which in some one fundamentall point bee hereticall are commonly most violent in oppositions One hurts by secret infection the other by open resistance One is carelesse of all truth the other vehement for some vntruth An Atheist is worthy of more hatred an Heretike of more feare both of auoidance 37 Waies if neuer vsed cannot but bee faire if much vsed are made commodiously passable if before oft vsed and now seldome they become deepe and dangerous If the heart be not at all inured to meditation it findeth no fault with it selfe not for that it is innocent but secure if often it findeth comfortable passage for his thoughts if rarely and with intermission tedious and troublesome In things of this nature we onely escape complaint if we vse them either alwaies or neuer 38 Our sensuall hand holds fast whatsoeuer delight it apprehendeth our spirituall hand easily remitteth because appetite is stronger in vs than grace whence it is that we so hardly deliuer our selues of earthly pleasures which wee haue once entertained and with such difficultie draw our selues to a constant course of faith hope and spirituall ioy or to the renued acts of them once intermitted Age is naturally weake and youth vigorous but in vs the old man is strong the new faint and feeble the fault is not in grace but in vs Faith doth not want strength but we want faith 39 It is not good in worldly estates for a man to make himselfe necessary for hereupon he is both more toiled and more suspected but in the sacred Common-wealth of the Church a man cannot be ingaged too deeply by his seruice The ambition of spirituall well doing breeds no danger He that doth best and may
the present fauour of God we haue many times and feele not The stomacke findes the best digestion euen in sleepe when we least perceiue it and whiles wee are most awake this power worketh in vs either to further strength or disease without our knowledge of what is done within And on the other side that man is most dangerously sicke in whom nature decaies without his feeling without complaint To know our selues happy is good but woe were to vs Christians if we could not be happy and know it not 67 There are none that euer did so much mischiefe to the Church as those that haue beene excellent in wit and learning Others may be spightfull enough but want power to accomplish their malice An enemy that hath both strength and craft is worthy be feared None can sinne against the Holy Ghost but those which haue had former illumination Tell not me what parts a man hath but what grace honest sottishnesse is better than profane eminence 68 The entertainment of all spirituall euents must be with feare or hope but of all earthly extremities must be with contempt or derision For what is terrible is worthy of a Christians contempt what is pleasant to be turned ouer with a scorne The meane requires a meane affection betwixt loue and hatred We may not loue them because of their vanitie we may not hate them because of their necessary vse It is an hard thing to be a wise Oast and to fit our entertainment to all commers which if it be not done the soule is soone wasted either for want of customers or for the misrule of ill ghests 69 God and man build in a contrary order Man laies the foundation first then addes the walls the roofe last God beganne the roofe first spreading out this vault of heauen ere hee laid the Base of the earth Our thoughts must follow the order of his workmanship Heauen must be minded first earth afterward and so much more as it is seene more Our meditation must herein follow our sense A few miles giue bounds to our view of earth whereas we may neere see halfe the heauen at once Hee that thinkes most both of that which is most seene and of that which is not seene at all is happiest 70 I haue euer noted it a true signe of a false heart To be scrupulous and nice in small matters negligent in the maine whereas the good soule is still curious in substantiall points and not carelesse in things of an inferiour nature accounting no duty so small as to be neglected and no care great enough for principall duties not so tything Mint and Cummin that he should forget iustice and iudgement not yet so regarding iudgement and iustice that he should contemne Mint and Cummin He that thus misplaces his conscience will be found either hypocriticall or superstitious 71 It argues the world full of Atheists that those offences which may impeach humane society are entertained with an answerable hatred and rigour those which doe immediately wrong the supreme Maiestie of God are turned ouer with scarce so much as dislike If we conuersed with God as we doe with men his right would be at least as precious to vs as our owne All that conuerse not with God are without God not onely those that are against God but those that are without God are Atheists Wee may be too charitable I feare not to say that these our last times abound with honest Atheists 72 The best thing corrupted is worst An ill man is the worst of all creatures an ill Christian the worst of all men an ill professor the worst of all Christians an ill Minister the worst of all professors 73 Naturally life is before death and death is onely a priuation of life Spiritually it is contrary As Paul saith of the graine so may we of man in the businesse of regeneration He must die before he can liue yet this death presupposes a life that was once and should be God chuses to haue the difficultest first we must be content with the paine of dying ere we feele the comfort of life As we die to nature ere we liue in glory so we must die to sinne ere we can liue to grace 74 Death did not first strike Adam the first sinfull man nor Caine the first hypocrite but Abel the innocent and righteous The first soule that met with death ouercame death the first soule that parted from earth went to heauen Death argues not displeasure because he whom God loued best dies first and the murtherer is punished with liuing 75 The liues of most are mis-spent onely for want of a certaine end of their actions wherein they doe as vnwise Archers shoot away their arrowes they know not at what marke They liue onely out of the present not directing themselues and their proceedings to one vniuersall scope whence they alter vpon all change of occasions and neuer reach any perfection neither can doe other but continue in vncertaintie and end in discomfort Others aime at one certaine marke but a wrong one Some though fewer leuell at the right end but amisse To liue without one maine and common end is idlenesse and folly To liue to a false end is deceit and losse True Christian wisdome both shewes the end and findes the way And as cunning Politikes haue many plots to compasse one and the same designe by a determined succession so the wise Christian failing in the meanes yet still fetcheth about to his steady end with a constant change of endeuours such one onely liues to purpose and at last repents not that hee hath liued 76 The shipwracke of a good conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies It is no rare thing to note the soule of a wilfull sinner stripped of all her graces and by degrees exposed to shame so those whom we haue knowne admired haue falne to be leuell with their fellowes and from thence beneath them to a mediocritie and afterwards to sottishnesse and contempt below the vulgar Since they haue cast away the best it is iust with God to take away the worst and to cast off them in lesser regards which haue reiected him in greater 77 It hath euer beene counted more noble and successefull to set vpon an open enemy in his owne home than to expect till he set vpon vs whiles he make onely a defensiue war This rule serues vs for our last enemy Death whence that old demand of Epicure is easily answered Whether it be better Death should come to vs or that we should meet him in the way meet him in our minds ere he seize vpon our bodies Our cowardlinesse our vnpreparation is his aduantage whereas true boldnesse in confronting him dismaies and weakens his forces Happy is that soule that can send out the scouts of his thoughts before-hand to discouer the power of death a farre off and then can resolutely encounter him at vnawares vpon aduantage such one liues with securitie dies with
bodie vexation of conscience distemper of passions complaint of estate feares and sense of euill hopes and doubts of good ambitious rackirgs couetous toyles enuious vnderminings irkesome disappointments weary sacieties restlesse desires and many worlds of discontentments in this one What wonder is it that we would liue We laugh at their choice that are in loue with the deformed and what a face is this we dote vpon See if sinnes and cares and crosses haue not like a filthy Morphew ouer-spread it and made it loathsome to all iudicious eyes I maruell then that any wise men could be other but Stoicks and could haue any conceit of life but contemptuous not more for the misery of it while it lasteth then for the not lasting we may loue it wee cannot hold it What a shadow of a smoake what a dreame of a shadow is this wee affect Wise Salomon sayes there is a time to be borne and a time to dye you doe not heare him say a time to liue What is more flitting then time Yet life is not long enough to be worthy of the title of time Death borders vpon our birth and our cradle stands in our graue We lament the losse of our parents how soone shall our sonnes bewaile ours Loe I that write this and you that reade it how long are we here It were well if the world were as our tent yea as our Inne if not to lodge yet to bait in but now it is onely our thorow-fare one generation passeth another commeth none stayeth If this earth were a Paradise and this which we call our life were sweet as the ioyes aboue yet how should this ficklenesse of it coole our delight Grant it absolute who can esteeme a vanishing pleasure How much more now when the drammes of our honey are lost in pounds of gall when our contentments are as farre from sincerity as continuance Yet the true apprehension of life though ioyned with contempt is not enough to settle vs if either we be ignorant of death or ill perswaded for if life haue not worth enough to allure vs yet death hath horror enough to affright vs. Hee that would die cheerefully must know death his friend what is hee but the faithfull officer of our Maker who euer smiles or frownes with his Master neither can either shew or nourish enmitie where God fauours when he comes fiercely and puls a man by the throat and summons him to Hell who can but tremble The messenger is terrible but the message worse hence haue risen the miserable despaires and furious rauing of the ill conscience that findes no peace within lesse without But when he comes sweetly not as an executioner but as a guide to glory and profers his seruice and shewes our happinesse and opens the doore to our heauen how worthy is he of entertainment how worthy of gratulation But his salutation is painfull if courteous what then The Physician heales vs not without paine and yet wee reward him It is vnthankfulnesse to complaine vvhere the answer of profit is excessiue Death paineth how long how much with what proportion to the sequell of ioy O death if thy pangs be grieuous yet thy rest is sweet The constant expectation that hath possessed that rest hath already swallowed those pangs and makes the Christian at once wholly dead to his paine wholly aliue to his glory The soule hath not leysure to care for her suffering that beholds her crowne which if shee were conioyned to fetch thorow the flames of hell her faith would not sticke at the condition Thus in briefe he that liues Christianly shall dye boldly he that findes his life short and miserable shall dye willingly hee that knowes death and fore-sees glory shall die cheerefully and desirously To M. Samuel Burton Arch-deacon of Glocester EP. III. A discourse of the tryall and choice of the true Religion Sir This Discourse inioyned by you I send to your censure to your disposing but to the vse of others Vpon your charge I haue written it for the wauering If it seeme worthy communicate it else it is but a dash of your pen. I feare onely the breuitie a Volume were too little for this Subiect It is not more yours then the Author Farewell WE doe not more affect varietie in all other things then wee abhorre it in Religion Euen those which haue held the greatest falshoods hold that there is but one truth I neuer read of more then one Hereticke that held all Heresies true neither did his opinion seeme more incredible then the relation of it God can neither be multiplyed nor Christ diuided if his coat might bee parted his bodie was intire For that then all sides chalenge Truth and but one can possesse it let vs see who haue found it who enioy it There are not many Religions that striue for it tho many opinions Euery Heresie albe fundamentall makes not a Religion We say not The Religion of Arrians Nestorians Sabellians Macedonians but the sect or heresie No opinion challenges this name in our vsuall speech for I discusse not the proprietie but that which arising from many differences hath setled it selfe in the world vpon her owne principles not without an vniuersall diuision Such may soone be counted Tho it is true there are by so much too many as there are more then one Fiue religions then there are by this rule vpon earth which stand in competition for truth Iewish Turkish Greekish Popish Reformed whereof each pleads for it selfe with disgrace of the other The plaine Reader doubts how he may fit Iudge in so high a plea God hath put this person vpon him while he chargeth him to try the spirits to retaine the good reiect the euill If still he plead with Moses insufficiencie let him but attend God shall decide the case in his silence without difficultie The Iew hath little to say for himselfe but impudent denials of our Christ of their Prophecies whose very refusall of him more strongly proues him the true Messias neither could he be iustified to be that Sauiour if they reiected him not since the Prophets fore-saw and fore-told not their repelling of him onely but their reuiling If there were no more arguments God hath so mightily confuted them from heauen by the voice of his iudgement that al the vvorld hisseth at their conuiction Loe their very sinne is capitally written in their desolation and contempt One of their owne late Doctors seriously expostulates in a relenting Letter to another of his fellow Rabbins what might be the cause of so long and desperate a ruine of their Israel and comparing their former captiuities with their former sinnes argues and yet feares to conclude that this continuing punishment must needs be sent for some sinne so much greater then Idolatry Oppression Sabbath-breaking by how much this plague is more grieuous then all the other Which his feare tels him and he may beleeue it can be no other but the murder and refusall of their
fire vnquenchable Whether Infidels beleeue these things or no we know them so shall they but too late What remaines but that we applaud our selues in this happinesse and walke on cheerily in this heauenly profession acknowledging that God could not do more for vs and that we cannot doe enough for him Let others boast as your Ladiship might with others of ancient and Noble Houses large patrimonies or dowries honorable commands others of famous names high and enuied honours or the fauours of the greatest others of valour or beauty or some perhaps of eminent learning and wit it shall be our pride that we are Christians To my Lady HONORIA HAY. EP. IV. Discoursing of the necessitie of Baptisme and the estate of those which necessarily want it MADAM MEthinks children are like teeth troublesome both in the breeding and losing and oftentimes painfull while they stand yet such as wee neither would nor can well be without I goe not about to comfort you thus late for your losse I rather congratulate your wise moderation and Christian care of these first spirituall priuiledges desiring onely to satisfie you in what you heard as a witnesse not in what you needed as a mother Children are the blessings of Parents and Baptisme is the blessing of children and parents wherein there is not onely vse but necessitie necessitie not in respect so much of the end as of the precept God hath enioyned it to the comfort of parents and behoofe of children which therefore as it may not be superstitiously hastened so not negligently deferred That the contempt of baptisme damneth is past all doubt but that the constrained absence thereof should send infants to hell is a cruell rashnesse It is not their sinne to die early death is a punishment not an offence an effect of sinne not a cause of torment they want nothing but time which they could not command Because they could not liue a while longer that therefore they should die euerlastingly is the hard sentence of a bloody religion I am onely sorie that so harsh an opinion should bee graced with the name of a Father so reuerend so diuine whose sentence yet let no man plead by halues He who held it vnpossible for a childe to be saued vnlesse the baptismall water were powred on his face held it also as vnpossible for the same Infant vnlesse the sacramentall bread were receiued into his mouth There is the same ground for both the same error in both a weaknesse fit for forgetfulnesse see yet how ignorant or ill-meaning posterity could single out one halfe of the opinion for truth and condemne the other of falshood In spight of whom one part shall easily conuince the other yea without all force since both cannot stand both will fall together for company The same mouth which said Vnlesse yee be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost said also Except yee eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his blood an equall necessitie of both And lest any should plead different interpretations the same S. Austin auerres this later opinion also concerning the necessary communicating of children to haue been once the common iudgement of the Church of Rome A sentence so displeasing that you shall finde the memory of it noted vvith a blacke coale and wip't out in that infamous bill of Expurgations Had the ancient Church held this desperate sequele what strange and yet wilfull crueltie had it beene in them to deferre baptisme a whole yeare long till Easter or that Sunday which hath his name I thinke from the white robes of the baptised Yea what an aduenture vvas it in some to adiourne it till their age with Constantine if being vnsure of their life they had been sure the preuention of death would haue inferred damnation Looke vnto that legall Sacrament of circumcision which contrary to the fancies of our Anabaptists directly answers this Euangelicall Before the eight day they could not be circumcised before the eight day they might die If dying the seuenth day they were necessarily condemned either the want of a day is a sinne or God sometimes condemneth not for sinne Neither of them possible neither according with the iustice of the Law-giuer Or if from this parallel you please to looke either to reason or example the case is cleere Reason no man that hath faith can be condemned for Christ dwels in our hearts by faith and hee in whom Christ dwels cannot be a reprobate Now it is possible a man may haue a sauing faith before baptisme Abraham first beleeued to iustification then after receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of that faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Therefore some dying before their baptisme may yea must be saued Neither was Abrahams case singular he was the Father of all them also which beleeue not being circumcised these as they are his Sonnes in faith so in righteousnesse so in saluation vncircumcision cannot hinder where faith admitteth These following his steps of beliefe before the Sacrament shall doubtlesse rest in his bosome without the Sacrament without it as fatally absent not as willingly neglected It is not the water but the faith not the putting away the filth of the flesh saith S. Peter but the stipulation of a good conscience for who takes Baptisme without a full faith saith Hierom takes the water takes not the spirit Whence is this so great vertue of the water that it should touch the body and cleanse the heart saith Austin vnlesse by the power of the word not spoken but beleeued Thou seest water saith Ambrose euery water heales not that water onely heales which hath the grace of God annexed And if there bee any grace in the water saith Basil it is not of the nature of the water but of the presence of the Spirit Baptisme is indeed as Saint Ambrose stiles it the pawne and image of our resurrection yea as Basil the power of God to resurrection but as Ignatius expounds this phrase aright beleeuing in his death we are by baptisme made partakers of his resurrection Baptisme therefore without faith cannot saue a man and by faith doth saue him and faith without baptisme where it cannot bee had not where it may be had and is contemned may saue him That spirit which workes by meanes will not be tyed to meanes Examples Cast your eyes vpon that good thiefe good in his death though in his life abominable he was neuer washed in Iordan yet is receiued into Paradise his soule was foule with rapines and iniustice yea bloody with murders and yet being scoured onely with the blood of his Sauior not with water of baptisme it is presented glorious to God I say nothing of the soules of Traian and Falconella meere heathens liuing and dying without Christ without baptisme which yet their honest Legend reports to be deliuered from hell transported to heauen not so much as scorched in Purgatory The one by the prayers of Gregory
Redeemer If thou die not if not willingly thou goest contrary to him and shalt neuer meet him Si per singules diâs pro âo moreremur qui nos dlexit non sic debitum exolueremus Chrys Though thou shouldest euery day die a death for him thou couldest neuer requite his one death and doest thou sticke at one Euery word hath his force both to him and thee he died which is Lord of life and commander of death thou art but a tenant of life a subiect of death and yet it was not a dying but a giuing vp not of a vanishing and airy breath but of a spirituall soule which after separation hath an entire life in it selfe Hee gaue vp the Ghost hee died that hath both ouercome and sanctified and sweetned death What fearest thou Hee hath pull'd out the sting and malignity of death If thou bee a Christian carry it in thy bosome it hurts thee not Darest thou not trust thy Redeemer If hee had not died Death had beene a Tyrant now hee is a slaue O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victory Yet the Spirit of God saith not hee died but gaue vp the ghost The very Heathen Poet saith Hee durst not say that a good man dies It is worth the noting me thinkes that when Saint Luke would describe to vs the death of Annanias and Sapphirâ hee saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hee expired but when Saint Iohn would describe Christs death hee saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He gaue vp the ghost How How gaue he it vp and whither So as after a sort he retained it his soule parted from his body his Godhead was neuer distracted either from soule or body this vnion is not in nature but in person If the natures of Christ could be diuided each would haue his subsistence so there should be more persons God forbid one of the natures thereof may haue a separation in it selfe the soule from the body one nature cannot bee separate from other or either nature from the person If you cannot conceiue wonder the Sonne of God hath wedded vnto himselfe our humanity without all possibility of diuorce the body hangs on the Crosse the soule is yeelded the Godhead is ãâã vnited to them both acknowledges sustaines them both The soule in his agony foules not the presence of the Godhead the body vpon the Crosse âââles not the presence of the soule Yet as the Fathers of Chalcedon say truly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã indiuisibly inseparably is the Godhead with both of these still and euer one and the same person The Passion of Christ as Augustine was the sleepe of his Diuinity so I may say The death of Christ was the sleepe of his humanitie If hee sleepe hee shall doe well said that Disciple of Lazarus Death was too weake to dissolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction Let not vs Christians goe too much by sense wee may bee firmely knit to God and not feele it thou canst not hope to be so neere thy God as Christ was vnited personally thou canst not feare that God should seeme more absent from thee Quantumcunque te dâieceris haâiâior non eris Christo Hieron than he did from his own Son yet was he still one with both body and soule when they were diuided from themselues when he was absent to sense he was present to faith when absent in vision yet in vnion one and the same so will he be to thy soule when hee is at worst Hee is thine and thou are his if thy hold seeme loosened his is not When temptations will not let thee see him he sees thee and possesses thee onely beleeue thou against sense aboue hope and though he kill thee yet trust in him Whither gaue he it vp Himselfe expresses Father into thy hands And This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise It is iustice to restore whence wee receiue Into thy hands Hee knew where it should be both safe and happy True he might bee bold thou sayest as the Sonne with the Father The seruants haue done so Dauid before him Stephen after him And lest we should not thinke it our common right Father saith hee I will that those thou hast giuen mee may bee with mee euen where I am he wils it therefore it must bee It is not presumption but faith to charge God with thy spirit neither can there euer be any beleeuing soule so meane that he should refuse it all the feare is in thy selfe how canst thou trust thy iewell with a stranger What sudden familiarity is this God hath beene with thee and gone by thee thou hast not saluted him and now in all the haste thou bequeathest thy soule to him On what acquaintance How desperate is this carelesnesse If thou haue but a little money whether thou keepe it thou layest it vp in thy Temple of trust or whether thou let it thou art sure of good assurance sound bonds If but a little land how carefully doest thou make firme conueiances to thy desired heires If goods thy Will hath taken secure order who shall enioy them Wee need not teach you Citizens to make sure worke for your estates If children thou disposest of them in trades with portions onely of thy soule which is thy selfe thou knowest not what shall become The world must haue it no more thy selfe wouldest keepe it but thou knowest thou canst not Sathan would haue it thou knowest not whether he shall thou wouldest haue God haue it and thou knowest not whether he will yea thy heart is now ready with Pharaoh to say Who is the Lord O the fearefull and miserable estate of that man that must part with his soule he knowes not whither which if thou wouldest auoid as this very warning shall iudge thee if thou doe not be acquainted with God in thy life that thou mayest make him the Guardian of thy soule in thy death Giuen vp it must needs be but to him that hath gouerned it if thou haue giuen it to Sathan in thy life how canst thou hope God will in thy death entertaine it Did you not hate me and expell mee out of my fathers house how then come yee to mee now in this time of your tribulation said Iephta to the men of Gilead No no either giue vp thy soule to God while he cals for it in his word in the prouocations of his loue in his afflictions in the holy motion of his spirit to thine or else when thou wouldest giue it he will none of it but as a Iudge to deliuer it to the Tormentor What should God doe with an vncleane drunken prophane proud couetous soule Without holinesse it is no seeing of God Depart from me ye wicked I know ye not Goe to the gods you haue serued See how God is euen with men they had in the time of the Gospell said to the holy name of Israel Depart from vs now in the time of iudgement he
What relation hath wood to water or that which hath no sauour to the redresse of bitternesse Yet here is no more possibilitie of failing then proportion to the successe All things are subiect to the command of their Maker He that made all of nothing can make euery thing of any There is so much power in euery creature as he will please to giue It is the praise of Omnipotencie to worke by improbabilities Elisha with Salt Moses with wood shall sweeten the bitter waters Let no man despise the meanes when he knowes the Author God taught his people by actions as well as words This entrance shewed them their whole iourney wherein they should taste of much bitternesse but at last through the mercy God sweetned with comfort Or did it not represent themselues rather in the iourney in the fountaines of whose hearts were the bitter waters of manifold corruptions yet their vnsauourie soules are sweetned by the graces of his Spirit O blessed Sauiour the wood of thy Crosse that is the application of thy sufferings is enough to sweeten a whole Sea of bitternesse I care not how vnpleasant a potion I finde in this Wildernesse if the power and benefit of thy precious death may season it to my soule Of the Quayles and Manna THe thirst of Israel is well quenched for besides the change of the waters of Marah their station is changed to Elim where were twelue Fountaines for their twelue Tribes and now they complaine as fast of hunger Contentation is a rare blessing because it arises either from a fruition of all comforts or a not desiring of some which we haue not Now wee are neuer so bare as not to haue some benefits neuer so full as not to want something yea as not to be full of wants God hath much ado with vs either we lacke health or quietnesse or children or vvealth or company or ourselues in all these It is a vvonder these men found not fault with the want of sweet to their Quailes or with their old cloathes or their solitarie way Nature is moderate in her desires but conceit is vnsatiable Yet who can deny hunger to be a sore vexation Before they were forbidden sowre bread but now what leauen is to sowre as want When meanes hold out it is easie to be content Whiles their dough and other eates lasted vvhiles they vvere gathering of the Dates of Elim vve heare no newes of them Who cannot pray for his dayly bread when he hath it in his cup-bord But when our owne prouision failes vs then not to distrust the prouision of God is a noble tryall of faith They should haue said He that stopt the mouth of the Sea that it could not deuoure vs can as easily stop the mouth of our stomacks It was no easier matter to kill the first-borne of Aegypt by his immediate hand then to preserue vs He that commanded the Sea to stand still and guard vs can as easily command the earth to nourish vs He that made the Rod a Serpent can as well make these stones bread He that brought armies of Frogs and Caterpillers to Aegypt can as well bring vvhole drifts of birds and beasts to the desart He that sweetened the waters vvith Wood can aswell refresh our bodies vvith the fruits of the earth Why doe we not wait on him whom vve haue found so powerfull Now they set the mercy and loue of God vpon a wrong laste vvhiles they measure it onely by their present sense Nature is iocââd and cheerefull vvhiles it prospereth let God vvithdraw his hand no sight no trust Those can praise him vvith Timbrels for a present fauour that cannot depend vpon him in the vvant of meanes for a future We all are neuer vveary of receiuing soone weary of attending The other mutiny vvas of some few male-contents perhaps those strangers which fought their owne protection vnder the vving of Israel this of the whole troope Not that none were free Caleb Ioshua Moses Aaron Miriam were not yet tainted vsually God measures the state of any Church or Country by the most the greater part caries both the name and censure Sinnes are so much greater as they are more vniuersall so farre is euill from being extenuated by the multitude of the guilty that nothing can more aggrauate it With men commonnesse may plead for fauour vvith God at pleads for iudgement Many hands draw the Cable with more violence then few The leprosie of the whole body is more loathsome then that of a part But vvhat doe these mutiners say Oh that wee had dyed by the hand of the Lord And whose hand vvas this O ye fond Israelites if yee must perish by famine God caried you forth God restrained his creatures from you and vvhile you are ready to dye this ye say On that we had dyed by the hand of the Lord It is the folly of men that in immediate iudgements they can see Gods hand not in those whose second causes are sensible whereas God holds himselfe equally interessed in all challenging that there is no euill in the City but from him It is but one hand and many instruments that God strikes vs with The water may not lose the name though it come by chanels and pipes from the spring It is our faithlesnesse that in visible meanes we see not him that is inuisible And when would they haue vvisht to die When wee sate by the flesh-pots of Aegypt Alas what good vvould their flesh pots haue done them in their death If they might sustaine their life yet what could they auaile them in dying For if they were vnpleasant what comfort was it to see them If pleasant what comfort to part from them Our greatest pleasures are but paines in their losse Euery minde affects that which is like it selfe Carnall minds are for the flesh-pots of Aegypt though bought with seruitude spirituall are for the presence of God though redeemed with famine and would rather die in Gods presence then liue without him in the sight of delicate of full dishes They loued their liues well enough I heard how they shrieked when they were in danger of the Aegyptians yet now they say Oh that we had dyed Not Oh that wee might liue by the flesh-pots but Oh that wee had dyed Although life be naturally sweet yet a little discontentment makes vs weary It is a base cowardlinesse so soone as euer we are called from the garison to the field to thinke of running away Then is our fortitude worthy of praise when we can endure to be miserable But what can no flesh-pots serue but those of Aegypt I am deceiued if that Land affoorded them any flesh-pots saue their owne Their Landlords of Aegypt held it abomination to eate of their dishes or to kill that which they did eate In those times then they did eate of their owne and why not now They had droues of cattell in the Wildernesse vvhy did they not take of them Surely if they would haue
brethren Craftily yet and vnder pretence of a false title had they acknowledged the victory of Gideon with what forehead could they haue denied him bread Now I know not whether their faithlesnesse or enuy lie in their way Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna in thy hands There were none of these Princes of Succoth and Penuel but thought themselues better men then Gideon That he therefore alone should doe that which all the Princes of Israel durst not attempt they hated and scorned to heare It is neuer safe to measure euents by the power of the instrument nor in the causes of God whose calling makes the difference to measure others by our selues There is nothing more dangerous then in holy businesses to stand vpon comparisons and our owne reputation sith it is reason God should both chuse and blesse where he lists To haue questioned so sudden a victory had been pardonable but to deny it scornfully was vnworthy of Israelites Carnall men thinke that impossible to others which themselues cannot doe From hence are their censures hence their exclamations Gideon hath vowed a fearefull reuenge and now performes it the taunts of his brethren may not stay him from the pursuit of the Midianites Common enmities must first be opposed domesticall at more leysure The Princes of Succoth feared the tyranny of the Midianitish Kings but they more feared Gideons victory What a condition hath their enuy drawne them into that they are sorry to see Gods enemies captiue that Israels freedome must be their death that the Midianites and they must tremble at one and the same Reuenger To see themselues prisoners to Zeba and Zalmunna had not been so fearefull as to see Zeba and Zalmunna prisoners to Gideon Nothing is more terrible to euill mindes then to reade their owne condemnation in the happy successe of others hell it selfe would want one piece of his torment if the wicked did not know those whom they contemned glorious I know not whether more to commend Gideons wisedome and moderation in the proceedings then his resolution and iustice in the execution of this businesse I doe not see him run furiously into the City and kill the next His sword had not been so drunken with bloud that it should know no difference But he writes down the names of the Princes and singles them forth for reuenge When the Leaders of God come to a Iericho or Ai their slaughter was vnpartiall not a woman or child might liue to tell newes but now that Gideon comes to a Succoth a City of Israelites the rulers are called forth to death the people are frighted with the example not hurt with the iudgement To enwrappe the innocent in any vengeance is a murderous iniustice Indeed where all ioyne in the sin all are worthy to meet in the punishment It is like the Citizens of Succoth could haue been glad to succour Gideon if their rulers had not forbidden they must therefore escape whiles their Princes perish I cannot thinke of Gideons reuenge without horror That the Rulers of Succoth should haue their flesh torne from their backs with thornes and briers that they should bee at once beaten and scratcht to death What a spectacle it was to see their bare bones looking some-where thorow the bloudy ragges of their flesh and skinne and euery stroke worse then the last death multiplied by torment Iustice is sometimes so seuere that a tender beholder can scarce discerne it from cruelty I see the Midianites fare lesse ill the edge of the sword makes a speedy and easie passage for their liues whiles these rebellious Israelites dye lingringly vnder thornes and bryers enuying those in their death whom their life abhorred Howsoeuer men liue or dye without the pale of the Church a wicked Israelite shall be sure of plagues How many shall vnwish themselues Christians when Gods reuenges haue found them out The place where Iacob wrestled with God and preuailed now hath wrestled against God and takes a fall they see God auenging which would not beleeue him deliuering It was now time for Zeba and Zalmunna to follow those their troops to the graue whom they had led in the field Those which the day before were attended with an hundred thirty fiue thousand followers haue not so much as a Page now left to weep for their death and haue liued onely to see all their friends and some enemies dye for their sakes Who can regard earthly greatnesse that sees one night change two of the greatest Kings of the World into captiues It had been both pitty and sinne that the Heads of that Midianitish tyranny into which they had drawn so many thousands should haue escaped that death And yet if priuate reuenge had not made Gideon iust I doubt whether they had died The bloud of his brothers cals for theirs and awakes his sword to their execution He both knew and complained of the Midianitish oppression vnder which Israel groned yet the cruelty offered to all the thousands of his Fathers sonnes had not drawne the bloud of Zeba and Zalmunna if his owne mothers sonnes had not bled by their hands He that slew the Rulers of Succoth and Penuel spared the people now hath slain the people of Midian and would haue spared their Rulers but that God which will finde occasions to winde wicked men into iudgement will haue them slaine in a priuate quarrel which had more deserued it for the publike If we may not rather say that Gideon reuenged these as a Magistrate not as a brother For Gouernours to respect their owne ends in publike actions and to weare the sword of iustice in their owne sheath it is a wrongfull abuse of authority The slaughter of Gideons brethren was not the greatest sinne of the Midianitish Kings this alone shall kill them when the rest expected an vniust remission How many lewd men hath God payd with some one sinne for all the rest Some that haue gone away with vnnuturally filthinesse and capitall thefts haue clipped off their owne dayes with their coyne Others whose bloudy murders haue been punished in a mutinous word Others whose suspected felony hath payd the price of their vnknowne rape O God thy iudgements are iust euen when mens are vniust Gideons young soone is bidden to reuenge the death of his Vncles His sword had not yet learned the way to bloud especially of Kings though in yrons Deadly executions require strength both of heart and face How are those aged in euill that can draw their swords vpon the lawfuly Anointed of God These Tyrants plead not now for coutinuance of life but for the haste of their death Fall thou vpon vs. Death is euer accompanied with paine which it is no maruell if we wish short We doe not more affect protraction of an easefull life then speed in our dissolution for here euery pang that tends toward death renewes it To lye an houre vnder death is tedious but to be dying a whole day we thinke aboue the
posteritie Happy is that childe whose progenitors are in heauen hee is left an inheritor of blessing together with estate whereas wicked ancestors lose the thanke of a rich patrimonie by the curse that attends it He that thinkes because punishment is deferd that God hath forgiuen or forgot his offence is vnacquainted with iustice and knowes not that time makes no difference in eternity The Amalekites were wicked Idolaters and therefore could not want many present sinnes which deserued their extirpation That God which had taken notice of all their offences picks out this one noted sinne of their forefathers for reuenge Amongst all their indignities this shall beare the name of their iudgement As in legall proceedings with malefactors one inditement found giues the stile of their condemnation In the liues of those which are notoriously wicked God cannot looke besides a sinne yet when he drawes to an execution he fastens his sentence vpon one euill as principall others as accessaries so as at the last one sinne which perhaps wee make no account of shall pay for all The paganish Idolatries of the Amalekites could not but bee greater sinnes to God then their hard measure to Israel yet God sets this vpon the file whiles the rest are not recorded Their superstitions might bee of ignorance this sinne was of malice Malicious wickednesses of all other as they are in greatest opposition to the goodnesse and mercy of God shall be sure of the paiment of greatest vengeance The detestation of God may be measured by his reuenge slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxe and Sheepe Camell and Asse not themselues onely but euery thing that drew life either from them or for their vse must dye When the God of mercy speakes such bloody words the prouocation must needs be vehement sinnes of infirmitie doe but mutter spightfull sinnes cry loud for iudgement in the cares of God Prepensed malice in courts of humane iustice aggrauates the murther and sharpens the sentence of death What then was this sinne of Amalek that is called vnto this late reckoning What but their enuious and vnprouoked onsets vpon the backe of Israel this was it that God tooke so to heart as that hee not onely remembers it now by Samuel but hee bids Israel euer to remember it by Moses Remember how Amalek met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of you all that were feeble behinde thee when thou wast faint and weary Besides this did Amalek meet Israel in a pitcht battell openly in Rephidim for that God payed them in the present The hand of Moses lifted vp on the Hill slew them in the Valley He therefore repeats not that quarrell but the cowardly and cruell attempts vpon an impotent enemy sticke still in the stomacke of the Almighty Oppression and wrong vpon euen termes are not so hainous vnto God as those that are vpon manifest disaduantage In the one there is an hazard of returne In the other there is euer a tyrannous insultation God takes still the weaker part and will be sure therefore to plague them which seeke to put iniuries on the vnable to resist This sinne of Amalek slept all the time of the Iudges those gouernors were onely for rescue and defence now so soone as Israel hath a King and that King is setled in peace God giues charge to call them to account It was that which God had both threatned and sworne and now he chooses out a fit season for the execution As wee vse to say of winter the iudgements of God doe neuer rot in the skie but shall fall if late yet surely yet seasonably There is small comfort in the delay of vengeance whiles we are sure it shall lose nothing in the way by length of protraction The Kenites were the off-springs of Hobad or Iethro father in law to Moses the affinitie of him to whom Israel owed their deliuerance and being was worthy of respect but it was the mercy of that good and wise Midianite shewed vnto Israel in the wildernesse by his graue aduice cheerefull gratulation and aide which wonne this gratefull forbearance of his posterity He that is not lesse in mercy then in iustice as hee challenged Amaleks sinne of their succeeding generations so he deriues the recompence of Iethro's kindnesse vnto his far descended issue Those that were vnborne many ages after Iethro's death receiue life from his dust and fauour from his hospitalitie The name of their dead grandfather saues them from the common destruction of their neighbours The seruices of our loue to Gods children are neuer thanklesse when we are dead and rotten they shall liue and procure blessings to those which neuer knew perhaps not heard of their progenitors If we sow good workes succession shall reape them and we shall be happy in making them so The Kenites dwelt in the borders of Amalek but in tents as did their issue the Rechabites so as they might remoue with ease They are warned to shift their habitations lest they should perish with ill neighbours It is the manner of God first to separate before he iudge as a good husband weeds his come ere it bee ripe for the sickle and goes to the fanne ere he goe to the fire When the Kenites packe vp their fardels it is time to expect iudgement Why should not wee imitate God and separate our selues that we may not be iudged separate not one Kenite from another but euery Kenite from among the Amalekites else if we will needs liue with Amalek we cannot thinke much to dye with him The Kenites are no sooner remoued then Saul fals vpon the Amalekites Hee destroyes all the people but spares their King The charge of God was vniuersall for man and beast In the corruption of partialitie lightly the greatest escape Couetousnesse or mis-affection are commonly guiltie of the impunitie of those which are at once most eminent in dignitie and in offence It is a shamefull hypocrisie to make our commoditie the measure and rule of our execution of Gods command and vnder pretence of godlinesse to pretend gaine The vnprofitable vulgar must die Agag may yeelda rich ransome The leane and feeble cattle that would but spend stouer and die alone shall perish by the sword of Israel the best may stocke the grounds and furnish the markets O hypocrites did God send you for gaine or for reuenge Went you to be purueyors or executioners If you plead that all those wealthy herds had been but lost in a speedy death thinke yee that hee knew not this which commanded it Can that be lost which is deuoted to the will of the owner and Creator Or can ye thinke to gaine any thing by disobedience That man can neuer either do well or farewell which thinkes there can be more profit in any thing then in his obedience to his Maker Because Saul spared the best of the men the people spared the best of the cattle each is willing to fauour other in the
first encounter the Philistim receiues the first foile and shall first let in death into his eare ere it enter into his forehead Thou com'st to me with a sword and a speare and a sheild but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon This day shall the Lord close thee in my hand and I shall smite thee and take thine head from thee Here is another stile not of a boaster but of a Prophet Now shall Goliah know whence to expect his bane euen from the hands of a reuenging God that shall smite him by Dauid and now shall learne too late what it is to meddle with an enemy that goes vnder the inuisible protection of the Almighty No sooner hath Dauid spoken then his foot and hand second his tongue Hee runnes to fight with the Philistim It is a cold courage that stands onely vpon defence As a man that saw no cause of feare and was full of the ambition of victory hee flyes vpon that monster and with a stone out of his bag smites him in the forehead There was no part of Goliah that was capable of that danger but the face and that piece of the face the rest was defenced with a brazen wall which a weake sling would haue tryed to batter in vaine What could Goliah feare to see an aduersary come to him without edge or point And behold that one part hath God found out for the entrance of death He that could haue caused the stone to passe through the shield and brest-plate of Goliah rather directs the stone to that part whose nakednesse gaue aduantage Where there is power or possibility of nature God vses not to worke miracles but chuses the way that lies most open to his purposes The vaste fore-head was a faire marke but how easily might the sling haue missed it if there had not beene another hand in this cast besides Dauids Hee that guided Dauid into this field and raised his courage to this combat guides the stone to his end and lodges it in that seat of impudence There now lyes the great Defier of Israel groueling and grinning in death and is not suffered to deale one blow for his life and bites the vnwelcome earth for indignation that he dies by the hand of a Shepheard Earth and Hell share him betwixt them such is the end of insolence and presumption O God what is flesh and blood to thee which canst make a little peeble-stone stronger then a Gyant and when thou wilt by the weakest meanes canst strew thine enemies in the dust Where now are the two shields of Goliah that they did not beare off this stroke of death or wherefore serues that Weauers beame but to strike the earth in falling or that sword but to behead his Master What needed Dauid load himselfe with an vnnecessary weapon one sword can serue both Goliah and him If Goliah had a man to beare his shield Dauid had Goliah to beare his sword wherewith that proud blasphemous head is seuered from his shoulders Nothing more honours God then the turning of wicked mens forces against themselues There is none of his enemies but caries with them their owne destruction Thus didst thou O Sonne of Dauid foyle Satan with his owne weapon that whereby he meant destruction to thee and vs vanquished him through thy mighty power and raised thee to that glorious triumph and super-exaltation wherein thou art wherein we shall bee with thee IONATHANS Loue and SAVLS Enuy. BEsides the discomsiture of the Philistims Dauids victory had a double issue Ionathans Loue and Sauls Enuy which God so mixed that the one was a remedy of the other A good sonne makes amends for a way-ward father How precious was that stone that killed such an enemy as Goliah and purchased such a friend as Ionathan All Sauls Courtiers lookt vpon Dauid none so affected him none did match him but Ionathan That true correspondence that was both in their faith and valour hath knit their hearts If Dauid did set vpon a Beare a Lyon a Gyant Ionathan had set vpon a whole Host and preuailed The same Spirit animated both the same Faith incited both the same Hand prospered both All Israel was not worth this paire of friends so zealously confident so happily victorious Similitude of dispositions and estates tyes the fastest knots of affection A wise soule hath piercing eyes and hath quickly discerned the likenesse of it selfe in another as we doe no sooner looke into the Glasse or Water but face answers to face and where it sees a perfect resemblance of it selfe cannot choose but loue it with the same affection that it reflects vpon it selfe No man saw Dauid that day which had so much cause to dis-affect him none in all Israel should be a loser by Dauids successe but Ionathan Saul was sure enough setled for his time onely his Successor should forgoe all that which Dauid should gaine so as none but Dauid stands in Ionathans light and yet all this cannot abate one ior or dram of his loue Where God vniteth hearts carnall respects are too weake to disseuer them since that which breakes off affection must needs be stronger then that which conioyneth it Ionathan doth not desire to smother his loue by concealment but professes it in his cariage actions He puts off the Robe that was vpon him and all his garments euen to his Sword and Bow and Girdle giues them vnto his new friend It was perhaps not without a mystery that Sauls cloths fitted not Dauid but Ionathans fitted him and these he is as glad to weare as he was to be disburthened of the other that there might be a perfect resemblance their bodies are suted as well as their hearts Now the beholders can say there goes Ionathans other selfe If there bee another body vnder those clothes there is the same soule Now Dauid hath cast off his russet coate and his scrip and is a Shepheard no more he is suddenly become both a Courtier and a Captaine and a Companion to the Prince yet himselfe is not changed with his habit with his condition yea rather as if his wisedome had reserued it selfe for his exaltation he so manageth a sudden Greatnesse as that he winneth all hearts Honour shewes the man and if there be any blemishes of imperfection they will bee seene in the man that is inexpectedly lifted aboue his fellowes He is out of the danger of folly whom a speedy aduancement leaueth wise Ionathan loued Dauid the Souldiers honoured him the Court fauoured him the people applauded him onely Saul stomackt him and therefore hated him because he was so happy in all besides himselfe It had beene a shame for all Israel if they had not magnified their Champion Sauls owne heart could not but tell him that they did owe the glory of that day and the safety of himselfe and Israel vnto the sling of Dauid who in
cannot haue the heart or the face to stand out against the message of God but now as a man confounded and condemned in himselfe he cryes out in the bitternesse of a wounded Soule I haue sinned against the Lord. It was a short word but passionate and such as came from the bottome of a contrite heart The greatest griefes are not most verball Saul confessed his sinne more largely lesse effectually God cares not for phrases but for affections The first piece of our amends to God for sinning is the acknowledgement of sinne He can doe little that in a iust offence cannot accuse himselfe If wee cannot bee so good as we would it is reason wee should doe God so much right as to say how euill we are And why was not this done sooner It is strange to see how easily sin gets into the heart how hardly it gets out of the mouth Is it because sinne like vnto Satan where it hath got possession is desirous to hold it and knowes that it is fully eiected by a free confession or because in a guiltinesse of deformitie it hides it selfe in the brest where it is once entertayned and hates the light or because the tongue is so fee'd with selfe-loue that it is loath to be drawne vnto any verdict against the heart or hands or is it out of an idle misprision of shame which whiles it should be placed in offending is misplaced in disclosing of our offence Howeuer sure I am that God hath need euen of rackes to draw out confessions and scarce in death it selfe are we wrought to a discouery of our errors There is no one thing wherein our folly shewes it selfe more than in these hurtfull concealements Contrary to the proceedings of humane Iustice it is with God Confesse and liue no sooner can Dauid say I haue sinned than Nathan inferres The Lord also hath put away thy sinne He that hides his sins shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie Who would not accuse himselfe to bee aquittted of God O God who would not tell his wickednesse to thee that knowest it better than his owne heart that his heart may be eased of that wicednesse which being not told killeth Since we haue sinned why should wee bee niggardly of that action wherein we may at once giue glory to thee and reliefe to our soules Dauid had sworne in a zeale of Iustice that the rich Oppressor for but taking his poore Neighbours Lambe should dye the death God by Nathan is more fauourable to Dauid than to take him at his word Thou shalt not dye O the maruellous power of repentance Besides adultery Dauid had shed the bloud of innocent Vriah The strict Law was Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hee that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword Yet as if a penitent confession had dispensed with the rigour of Iustice now God sayes Thou shalt not dye Dauid was the voyce of the Law awarding death vnto sinne Nathan was the voyce of the Gospell awarding life vnto the repentance for sinne Whatsoeuer the sore be neuer any soule applyed this remedie and dyed neuer any soule escaped death that applyed it not Dauid himselfe shall not dye for this fact but his mis-begotten childe shall dye for him Hee that said The Lord hath put away thy sinne yet said also The Sword shall not depart from thine house The same mouth with one breath pronounces the sentence both of absolution and death Absolution to the Person Death to the Issue Pardon may well stand with temporall afflictions Where God hath forgiuen though hee doth not punish yet he may chastize and that vnto bloud neither doth hee alwayes forbeare correction where hee remits reuenge So long as hee smites vs not as an angry Iudge wee may indure to smart from him as a louing Father Yet euen this Rod did Dauid deprecate with teares How faine would hee shake off so easie a lode The Childe is striken the Father fasts and prayes and weepes and lyes all night vpon the Earth and abhorres the noyse of comfort That Childe which was the fruit and monument of his odious adultery whom hee could neuer haue looked vpon without recognition of his sinne in whose face hee could not but haue still read the records of his owne shame is thus mourned for thus sued for It is easie to obserue that good man ouer-passionately affected to his Children Who would not haue thought that Dauid might haue held himselfe well appayd that his soule escaped an eternall death his bodie a violent though God should punish his sinne in that Childe in whome hee sinned Yet euen against this crosse he bends his Prayers as if nothing had beene forgiuen him There is no Childe that would be scourged if hee might escape for crying No affliction is for for the time other than grieuous neither is therefore yeelded vnto without some kinde of reluctation Farre yet was it from the heart of Dauid to make any opposition to the will of God hee sued he struggled not There is no impatience in entreaties Hee well knew that the threats of temporall euils ranne commonly with a secret condition and therefore might perhaps bee auoyded by humble importunitie if any meanes vnder Heauen can auert iudgments it is our Prayers God could not chuse but like well the boldnesse of Dauids saith who after the apprehension of so heauie a displeasure is so far from doubting of the forgiuenesse of his sinne that hee dares become a Sutor vnto God for his sicke child Sinne doth not make vs more strange than Faith confident But it is not in the power of the strongest Faith to preserue vs from all afflictions After all Dauids prayers and teares the Childe must dye The carefull seruants dare but whisper this sad newes They who had found their Master so auerse from the motion of comfort in the sicknesse of the Childe feared him vncapable of comfort in his death Suspition is quick-witted Euery occasion makes vs misdoubt that euent which wee feare This secrecie proclaymes that which they were so loath to vtter Dauid perceiues his Childe dead and now hee rises vp from the Earth whereon hee lay and washes himselfe and changeth his apparell and goes first into Gods House to worship and into his owne to eate now hee refuses no comfort who before would take none The issue of things doth more fully shew the will of God than the prediction God neuer did any thing but what hee would hee hath sometimes foretold that for tryall which his secret will intended not hee would foretell it hee would not effect it because hee would therefore fore-tell it that hee might not effect it His predictions of outward euils are not alwayes absolute his actions are Dauid well sees by the euent what the Decree of God was concerning his Childe which now hee could not striue against without a vaine impatience Till wee know the determinations of the Almightie it is free
God and to Dauid Araunah is loth to bargaine Since it was for God Dauid wisheth to pay deare I will not offer burnt-offering to the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing Heroicall spirits doe well become eminent persons He that knew it was better to giue then receiue would not receiue but giue There can be no deuotion in a niggardly heart As vnto dainty palates so to the godly soule that tasts sweetest that costs most Nothing is deare enough for the Creator of all things It is an heartlesse piety of those base-minded Christians that care onely to serue God good cheape Contemplations THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE Adonijah defeated Dauids end and Salomons beginning The execution of Ioab and Shimei Salomons choice with his Iudgement vpon the two Harlots The Temple Salomon with the Queene of Sheba Salomons defection BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY WORTHILY MVCH HONOVRED FRIEND SIR HENRY MILDMAY KNIGHT MASTER OF THE IEWELL-HOVSE ALL GRACE AND PEACE SIR Besides all priuate obligations your very name challengeth from mee all due seruices of loue and honour Jf I haue receiued mercy to beare any fruit next vnder heauen J may thanke the stocke wherein J was ymped which was set by no other then the happy hand of your Right Honorable Grandfather How haue J so long forborne the publike Testimonie of my iust gratulations and thankfull respects to so true an heire of his noble Vertues Pardon me that I pay this debt so late and accept of this parcell of my well-meant labours Wherein you shall see Salomon both in his rising and setting his rising hopefull and glorious his declination fearfull You shall see the proofes of his early graces of mercy in sparing Adonijah and Abiathar of iustice in punishing that riuall of his with Ioab and Shimei of wisedome in his award betwixt the two Harlots and the administration of his Court and State of pietie in building and hallowing the Temple all dashed in his fall repaired in his repentance J haue no cause to misdoubt either the acceptation or vse of these mine high pitched thoughts which together with your selfe and your worthy and vertuous Lady J humbly commend to the care and blessing of the highest who am bound by your worth and merits to be euer Your syncerely and thankfully deuoted in all obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE ADONIJAH Defeated DAVID had not so carefully husbanded his yeeres as to maintaine a vigorous age he was therfore what through warres what with sorrowes what with sicknesse decrepit betimes By that time hee was seuentie yeeres old his naturall heat was so wasted that his clothes could not warme him how many haue wee knowne of more strength at more age The holiest soule dwels not in an impregnable fort If the reuenging Angel spared Dauid yet age and death will not spare him Neither his new altar nor his costly sacrifice can be of force against decay of nature Nothing but death can preuent the weaknesses of age None can blame a people if when they haue a good King they are desirous to hold him Dauids seruants and subiects haue commended vnto his bed a faire yong Virgin not for the heat of lust but of life that by this meanes they might make an outward supply of fuell for that vitall fire which was well-neere extinguished with age As it is in the market or the stage so it is in our life One goes in another comes out when Dauid was withering Adonijah was in his blossome That sonne as he was next to Absalom both in the beautie of his body and the time of his birth so was he too like him in practice He also taking aduantage of his fathers infirmity will bee caruing himselfe of the Kingdome of Israel That he might no whit vary from his patterne he gets him also Chariots and Horsemen and fifty men to runne before him These two Absalom and Adonijah were the darlings of their father Their father had not displeased them from their childhood therefore they both displeased him in his age Those children had need to bee very gracious that are not marred with pampering It is more then God owes vs if we receiue comfort in those children whom wee haue ouer-loued The indulgence of parents at last paies them home in crosses It is true that Adonijah was Dauids eldest son now remaining and therefore might seeme to challenge the iustest title to the Crowne But the Kingdome of Israel in so late in erection had not yet knowne the right of succession God himselfe that had ordained the gouernment was as yet the immediate elector Hee fetcht Saul from among the stuffe and Dauid from the sheepfold and had now appointed Salomon from the ferule to the Scepter And if Adonijah which is vnlike had not knowne this yet it had been his part to haue taken his father with him in this claime of his succession and not so to preuent a brother that he should shoulder out a father and not so violently to preoccupate the throne that he should rather be a rebell then an heire As Absalom so Adonijah wants not furtherers in this vsurpation whether spirituall or temporall Ioab the Generall and Abiathar the Priest giue both counsell and aid to so vnseasonable a challenge These two had beene firme to Dauid in all his troubles in all insurrections yet now finding him fastned to the bed of age and death they shew themselues thus slipperie in the loose Outward happinesse and friendship are not knowne till our last act In the impotency of either our reuenge or recompence it will easily appeare who loued vs for our selues who for their owne ends Had not Adonijah knowne that Salomon was designed to the Kingdome both by God and Dauid he had neuer inuited all the rest of the Kings sonnes his brethren and left our Salomon who was otherwise the most vnlikely to haue beene his riuall in this honor all the rest were elder then hee and might therefore haue had more pretence for their competition Doubtlesse the Court of Israel could not but know that immediately vpon the birth of Salomon God sent him by Nathan the Prophet a name and message of loue neither was it for nothing that God called him Iedidiah and fore-promised him the honor of building an house to his Name and in returne of so glorious a seruice the establishment of the throne of his Kingdome ouer Israel for euer Notwithstanding all which Adonijah backed by the strength of a Ioab and the grauitie of an Abiathar will vnderworke Salomon and iustle into the not-yet-vacant seat of his father Dauid Vaine men whiles like proud and yet brittle clay they will be knoking their sides against the solid and eternall decree of God breake themselues in peeces I doe not finde that Adonijah sent any message of threats or vnkindnesse to Zadok the Priest or Nathan the prophet or Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada and the other worthies onely he inuited
be yours Vouchsafe therefore to take part with your worthy Husband of these my simple Meditations And if your long and gracious experience haue written you a larger volume of wholesome lawes and better informed you by precepts fetcht from your owne feeling than J can hope for by my bare speculation yet where these my not vnlikely rules shall accord with yours let your redoubled assent allow them and they confirme it J made them not for the eie but for the heart neither doe J commend them to your reading but your practice wherein also it shall not be enough that you are a meere and ordinary agent but that you be a patterne propounded vnto others imitation So shall your vertuous and holy progresse besides your owne peace and happpinesse be my Crowne and reioycing in the Day of our common appearance Halsted Decemb. 4. Your L. humbly deuoted IOS HALL MEDITATIONS AND VOWES 1 A Man vnder Gods affliction is like a bird in a net the more he striueth the more he is intangled Gods Decree cannot be eluded with impatience What I cannot auoid I will learne to beare 2 I finde that all worldly things require a long time in getting and affoord a short pleasure in enioying them I will not care much for what I haue nothing for what I haue not 3 I see naturall bodies forsake their owne place and condition for the preseruation of the whole but of all other creatures Man and of all other Men Christians haue the least interest in themselues I will liue as giuen to others lent only to my selfe 4 That which is said of the Elephant that being guiltie of his deformitie hee cannot abide to looke on his owne face in the water but seekes for troubled and muddie channels we see well moralized in men of euill conscience who know their soules are so filthie that they dare not so much as view them but shift off all checks of their former iniquitie with vaine excuses of good-fellowship Whence it is that euery small reprehension so galls them because it calls the eye of the soule home to it selfe and makes them see a glimpse of what they would not So haue I seene a foolish and timorous Patient which knowing his wound very deepe would not endure the Chirurgion to search it whereon what can ensue but a festering of the part and a danger of the whole body So I haue seene many prodigall wasters run so farre in bookes that they cannot abide to heare of reckoning It hath beene an old and true Prouerbe Oft and euen reckonings make long friends I will oft summe my estate with God that I may know what I haue to expect and answer for Neither shall my score run on so long with God that I shall not know my debts or feare an Audit or despaire of pardon 5 I account this body nothing but a close prison to my soule and the earth a larger prison to my body I may not breake prison till I be loosed by death but I will leaue it not vnwillingly when I am loosed 6 The common feares of the World are causelesse and ill placed No man feares to doe ill euery man to suffer ill wherein if we consider it well we shall finde that we feare our best friends For my part I haue learned more of God and of my selfe in one weekes extremitie than all my whole lifes prosperitie had taught me afore And in reason and common experience prosperitie vsually makes vs forget our death aduersitie on the other side makes vs neglect our life Now if we measure both of these by their effects forgetfulnesse of death makes vs secure neglect of this life makes vs carefull of a better So much therefore as neglect of life is better than forgetfulnesse of death and watchfulnesse better than securitie so much more beneficiall will I esteeme aduersitie than prosperitie 7 Euen griefe it selfe is pleasant to the remembrance when it is once past as ioy is whiles it is present I will not therefore in my conceit make any so great difference betwixt ioy and griefe sith griefe past is ioyfull and long expectation of ioy is grieuous 8 Euery sicknesse is a little death I will be content to die oft that I may die once well 9 Oft times those things which haue beene sweet in opinion haue proued bitter in experience I will therefore euer suspend my resolute iudgement vntill the triall and euent in the meane while I will feare the worst and hope the best 10 In all diuine and morall good things I would faine keepe that I haue and get that I want I doe not more loath all other couetousnesse than I affect this In all these things alone I professe neuer to haue enough If I may increase them therefore either by labouring or begging or vsurie I shall leaue no meanes vnattempted 11 Some children are of that nature that they are neuer well but while the rod is ouer them such am I to God Let him beat me so he amend me let him take all away from me so he giue me himselfe 12 There must not be one vniforme proceeding with all men in reprehension but that must varie according to the disposition of the reproued I haue seene some men as thornes which easily touched hurt not but if hard and vnwarily fetch bloud of the hand others as nettles which if they be nicely handled sting and pricke but if hard and roughly pressed are pulled vp without harme Before I take any man in hand I will know whether he be a thorne or a nettle 13 I will account no sinne little since there is not the least but workes out the death of the soule It is all one whether I be drowned in the ebber shore or in the midst of the deepe Sea 14 It is a base thing to get goods to keepe them I see that God which only is infinitely rich holdeth nothing in his owne hands but giues all to his creatures But if we will needs lay vp where should wee rather repose it than in Christs treasurie The poore mans hand is the treasury of Christ All my superfluity shall be there hoorded vp where I know it shall be safely kept and surely returned me 15 The Schoole of God and Nature require two contrary manners of proceeding In the Schoole of Nature we must conceiue and then beleeue in the Schoole of God wee must first beleeue and then we shall conceiue He that beleeues no more than hee conceiues can neuer be a Christian nor he a Philosopher that assents without reason In Natures Schoole we are taught to bolt out the truth by Logicall discourse God cannot endure a Logician In his Schoole he is the best Scholler that reasons least and assents most In diuine things what I may I wil conceiue the rest I will beleeue and admire Not a curious head but a credulous and plaine heart is accepted with God 16 No worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it but as a Bee
different actions as persons yet all haue one common intention of good to themselues true in some but in the most imaginary The glorified Spirits haue but one vniforme worke wherein they all ioyne The praise of their Creator This is one difference betwixt the Saints aboue and below They aboue are free both from businesse and distraction these below are free though not absolutely from distraction not at all from businesse Paul could thinke of the cloke that he left at Troas and of the shaping of his skins for his Tents yet thorow these he look't still at heauen This world is made for businesse my actions must vary according to occasions my end shall be but one and the same now on earth that it must be one day in heauen 3 To see how the Martyrs of God died and the life of their persecutors would make a man out of loue with life and out of all feare of death They were flesh and bloud as well as we life was as sweet to them as to vs their bodies were as sensible of paine as ours wee goe to the same heauen with them How comes it then that they were so couragious in abiding such torments in their death as the very mention strikes horror into any Reader and we are so cowardly in encountering a faire and naturall death if this valour had beene of themselues I would neuer haue looked after them in hope of imitation Now I know it was he for whom they suffered and that suffered in them which sustained them They were of themselues as weake as I and God can bee as strong in me as hee was in them O Lord thou art not more vnable to giue me this grace but I am more vnworthie to receiue it and yet thou regardest not worthinesse but mercie Giue mee their strength and what end thou wilt 4 Our first age is all in hope When wee are in the wombe who knowes whether wee shall haue our right shape and proportion of body being neither monstrous nor deformed When wee are borne who knowes whether with the due features of a man wee shall haue the faculties of reason and vnderstanding When yet our progresse in yeeres discouereth wit or follie who knowes whether with the power of reason wee shall haue the grace of faith to bee Christians and when wee begin to professe well whether it bee a temporarie and seeming or a true and sauing faith Our middle age is halfe in hope for the future and halfe in proofe for that is past Our old age is out of hope and altogether in proofe In our last times therefore we know both what wee haue beene and what to expect It is good for youth to looke forward and still to propound the best things vnto it selfe for an old man to looke backward and to repent him of that wherein he hath failed and to recollect himselfe for the present but in my middle age I will looke both backward and forward comparing my hopes with my proofe redeeming the time ere it be all spent that my recouerie may preuent my repentance It is both a folly and miserie to say This I might haue done 5 It is the wonderfull mercie of God both to forgiue vs our debts to him in our sinnes and to make himselfe a debtor to vs in his promises So that now both waies the soule may be sure since hee neither calleth for those debts which hee hath once forgiuen nor withdraweth those fauours and that heauen which hee hath promised but as hee is a mercifull creditor to forgiue so is hee a true debtor to pay whatsoeuer hee hath vndertaken whence it is come to passe that the penitent sinner owes nothing to God but loue and obedience and God owes still much and all to him for he owes as much as he hath promised and what he owes by vertue of his blessed promise we may challenge O infinite mercie Hee that lent vs all that wee haue and in whose debt-bookes wee runne hourely forward till the summe be endlesse yet owes vs more and bids vs looke for payment I cannot deserue the least fauour hee can giue yet will I as confidently challenge the greatest as if I deserued it Promise indebteth no lesse than loane or desert 6 It is no small commendation to manage a little well He is a good Waggoner that can turne in a narrow roome To liue well in abundance is the praise of the estate not of the person I will studie more how to giue a good account of my little than how to make it more 7 Many Christians doe greatly wrong themselues with a dull and heauie kinde of fullennesse who not suffering themselues to delight in any worldly thing are thereupon oft-times so heartlesse that they delight in nothing These men like to carelesse guests when they are inuited to an excellent banquet lose their dainties for want of a stomacke and lose their stomacke for want of exercise A good conscience keepes alwaies good cheereâ hee cannot chuse but fare well that hath it vnlesse hee lose his appetite with neglect and slothfulnesse It is a shame for vs Christians not to finde as much ioy in God as worldlings doe in their forced meriments and lewd wretches in the practice of their sinnes 8 A wise Christian hath no enemies Many hate and wrong him but hee loues all men and all pleasure him Those that professe loue to him pleasure him with the comfort of their societie and the mutuall reflection of friendship those that professe hatred make him more warie of his waies shew him faults in himselfe which his friends would either not haue espied or not censured send him the more willingly to seeke fauour aboue and as the worst doe bestead him though against their wills so hee againe doth voluntarily good to them To doe euill for euill as Ioab to Abner is a sinfull weaknesse To doe good for good as Ahasuerus to Mordecai is but naturall iustice To doe euill for good as Iudas to Christ is vnthankfulnesse and villanie Onely to doe good for euill agrees with Christian profession And what greater worke of friendship than to doe good If men will not be my friends in loue I will perforce make them my friends in a good vse of their hatred I will be their friend that are mine and would not be 9 All temporall things are troublesome For if wee haue good things it is a trouble to forgoe them and when wee see they must bee parted from either wee wish they had not beene so good or that wee neuer had enioyed them Yea it is more trouble to lose them than it was before ioy to possesse them If contrarily wee haue euill things their very presence is troublesome and still we wish that they were good or that we were disburdened of them So good things are troublesome in euent euill things in their vse They in the future these in present they because they shall come to an end these because they doe
in our iourney we long not for home Doest thou see men so in loue with their natiue soile that euen when it is all deformed with the desolations of warre and turned into rude heapes or while it is euen now flaming with the fire of ciuill broiles they couet yet still to liue in it preferring it to all other places of more peace and pleasure and shalt thou seeing nothing but peace and blessednesse at home nothing but trouble abroad content thy selfe with a faint wish of thy dissolution If heauen were thy Iayle thou couldest but thinke of it vncomfortably Oh what affection can be worthy of such an home CHAP. XXVII 10. Consid of fit testimonies of Scripture concerning our Theme LAstly if wee can recall any pregnant Testimonies of Scripture concerning our Theme those shall fitly conclude this part of our Meditation Of Scripture for that in these matters of God none but diuine authority can command assent and settle the conscience Witnesses of holy men may serue for colours but the ground must be onely from God There it is saith the Spirit of God which cannot deceiue thee that all teares shall bee wiped from our eies there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine yea there shall not onely bee an end of sorrowes but an abundant recompence for the sorrowes of our life as he that was rapt vp into the third Heauen and there saw what cannot be spoken speaketh yet thus of what he saw I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed to vs It was shewed vnto him what should hereafter be shewed vnto vs and he saw that if all the world full of miseries were laid in one ballance and the least glory of heauen in another those would be incomparably light yea as that diuine Father that one daies felicity aboue were worth a thousand yeeres torment below what then can be matched with the eternity of such ioyes Oh how great therefore is this thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men CHAP. XXVIII Of our second part of Meditation which is in the affections THe most difficult and knotty part of Meditation thus finished there remaineth that which is both more liuely and more easie vnto a good heart to be wrought altogether by the affections which if our discourses reach not vnto they proue vaine and to no purpose That which followeth therefore is the very soule of Meditation whereto all that is past serueth but as an instrument A man is a man by his vnderstanding part but he is a Christian by his will and affections Seeing therefore that all our former labour of the braine is onely to affect the heart after that the minde hath thus trauersed the point proposed through all the heads of reason it shall endeuour to finde in the first place some feeling touch Wherein is required a Taste and rellish of what we haue thought vpon and sweet rellish in that which it hath thus chewed which fruit through the blessing of God will voluntarily follow vpon a serious Meditation Dauid saith Oh taste and see how sweet the Lord is In Meditation we doe both see and taste but we see before we taste sight is of the vnderstanding taste of the affection neither can we see but we must taste we cannot know aright but we must needs be affected Let the heart therefore first conceiue and feele in it selfe the sweetnesse or bitternesse of the matter meditated which is neuer done without some passion nor expressed without some hearty exclamation Oh blessed estate of the Saints O glory not to be expressed euen by those which are glorified O incomprehensible saluation What sauour hath this earth to thee Who can regard the world that beleeueth thee Who can thinke of thee and not be rauished with wonder and desire Who can hope for thee and not reioyce Who can know thee and not be swallowed vp with admiration at the mercy of him that bestoweth thee O blessednesse worthy of Christs bloud to purchase thee Worthy of the continuall songs of Saints and Angels to celebrate thee How should I magnifie thee How should I long for thee How should I hate all this world for thee CHAP. XXIX AFter this Taste shall follow a Complaint Secondly a Complaint be wailing our wants and vntowardnesse wherein the heart bewaileth to it selfe his owne pouertie dulnesse and imperfection chiding and abasing it selfe in respect of his wants and indisposition wherein Humiliation truly goeth before glory For the more we are cast downe in our conceit the higher shall God lift vs vp at the end of this exercise in spirituall reioycing But alas where is my loue Where is my longing Where art thou O my soule What heauinesse hath ouertaken thee How hath the world bewitched and possessed thee that thou art become so carelesse of thine home so senselesse of spirituall delights so fond vpon thâse vanities Doest thou doubt whether there be an heauen or whether thou haue a God and a Sauiour there O farre be from thee this Atheisme farre be from thee the least thought of this desperate impiety Woe were thee if thou beleeuedst not But O thou of little Faith doest thou beleeue there is happinesse and happinesse for thee and desirest it not and delightest not in it Alas how weake and vnbeleeuing is thy beleefe How cold and faint are thy desires Tell me what such goodly entertainment hast thou met withall here on earth that was worthy to with-draw thee from these heauenly ioyes What pleasure in it euer gaue thee contentment or what cause of dislike findest thou aboue Oh no my soule it is onely thy miserable drowsinesse onely thy securitie The world the world hath besotted thee hath vndone thee with carelesnesse Alas if thy delight be so cold what difference is there in thee from an ignorant Heathen that doubts of another life yea from an Epicure that denies it Art thou a Christian or art thou none If thou bee what thou professest away with this dull and senselesse worldlinesse away with this earthly vncheerefulnesse shake off at last this prophane and godlesse securitie that hath thus long weighed thee downe from mounting vp to thy ioyes Looke vp to thy God and to thy Crowne and say with confidence O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation CHAP. XXX AFter this Complaint must succeed an hearty and passionate Wish of the soule Thirdly an hearty Wish of the soule for what it complaineth to want which ariseth cleerely from the two former degrees For that which a man hath found sweet and comfortable and complaines that he still wanteth hee cannot but wish to enioy O Lord that I could wait and long for thy saluation Oh that I could minde the things aboue that as I am a stranger indeed so I
also in the Sacraments Yea besides promise hand seale hath he not giuen thee a sure earnest of thy saluation in some weake but true graces Yet more hath he not giuen thee besides Earnest possession while he that is the Truth and Life saith He that beleeueth hath euerlasting life and hath passed from death to life Canst thou not then be content to cast thy selfe vpon this blessed issue If God be mercifull I am glorious I haue thee already Oh my life God is faithfull and I doe beleeue who shall separate me from the loue of Christ from my glory with Christ Who shall pull me out of my heauen Goe to then and returne to thy rest O my soule make vse of that heauen wherein thou art and be happy Thus we haue found that our Meditation like the wind gathereth strength in proceeding and as naturall bodies the neerer they come to their places moue with more celeritie so doth the soule in this course of Meditation to the vnspeakable benefit of it selfe CHAP. XXXV THe Conclusion remaineth The Conclusion of our Meditation in what order it must be wherein we must aduise like as Physicians doe in their sweats and exercise that we cease not ouer-suddenly but leaue off by little and little The minde may not be suffered to fall head-long from this height but must also descend by degrees The first whereof after our Confidence shall bee an heartie Gratulation First with Thanksgiuing and thanksgiuing For as man naturally cannot be miserable but he must complaine and craue remedie so the good heart cannot finde it selfe happy and not be thankfull and this thankfulnesse which it feeleth and expresseth maketh it yet more good and affecteth it more What shall I then doe to thee for this mercy O thou Sauiour of men What should I render to my Lord for all his benefits Alas what can I giue thee which is not thine owne before Oh that I could giue thee but all thine Thou giuest me to drinke of this cup of saluation I will therefore take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord Praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name And since here thou beginnest thine heauen begin here also that ioyfull song of thanksgiuing which there thou shalt sing more sweetly and neuer end CHAP. XXXVI Secondly with Recommendation of our soules and waies to God AFter this Thanksgiuing shall follow a faithfull recommendation of our selues to God wherein the soule doth cheerefully giue vp it selfe and repose it selfe wholly vpon her Maker and Redeemer committing her selfe to him in all her waies submitting her selfe to him in all his waies desiring in all things to glorifie him and to walke worthy of her high and glorious calling Both which latter shall be done as I haue euer found with much life and comfort if for the full conclusion we shall lift vp our heart and voice to God in singing some Versule of Dauids diuine Psalmes answerable to our disposition and matter whereby the heart closes vp it selfe with much sweetnesse and contentment This course of Meditation thus heartily obserued let him that practiseth it tell mee whether hee finde not that his soule which at the beginning of this exercise did but creepe and grouell vpon earth doe not now in the conclusion soare aloft in heauen and being before aloose off doe not now finde it selfe neere to God yea with him and in him CHAP. XXXVII An Epilogue THus haue I endeuoured Right Worshipfull Sir according to my slender facultie to prescribe a method of Meditation not vpon so strict tearmes of necessitie that whosoeuer goeth not my way erreth Diuers paths leade oft times to the same end and euery man aboundeth in his owne sense If experience and custome hath made another forme familiar to any man I forbid it not as that learned Father said of his Translation Let him vse his owne not contemne mine If any man be to chuse and begin let him practise mine till he meet with a better Master If another course may be better Reprouing the neglect of Meditation I am sure this is good Neither is it to be suffered that like as fantasticall men while they doubt what fashioned sute they should weare put on nothing so that we Christians should neglect the matter of this worthy businesse while wee nicely stand vpon the forme thereof Wherein giue mee leaue to complaine with iust sorrow and shame that if there be any Christian dutie whose omission is notoriously shamefull and preiudiciall to the soules of Professors it is this of Meditation This is the very end God hath giuen vs our soules for we misse-spend them if we vse them not thus How lamentable is it that we so imploy them as if our facultie of discourse serued for nothing but our earthly prouision as if our reasonable and Christian minds were appointed for the slaues and drudges of this body onely to bee the Caters and Cookes of our Appetite The world filleth vs yea cloieth vs we finde our selues worke enough to thinke What haue I yet How may I get more What must I lay out What shall I leaue for posteritie How may I preuent the wrong of mine Aduersary How may I returne it What answers shall I make to such allegations What entertainment shall I giue to such friends What courses shall I take in such suits In what pastime shall I spend this day In what the next What aduantage shall I reape by this practice what losse What was said answered replied done followed Goodly thoughts and fit for spirituall minds Say there were no other world how could we spend our cares otherwise Vnto this onely neglect let mee ascribe the commonnesse of that Laodicean temper of men or if that be worse of the dead coldnesse which hath stricken the hearts of many hauing left them nothing but the bodies of men and visors of Christians to this onely They haue not meditated It is not more impossible to liue without an heart than to bee deuout without Meditation Exhorting to the vse of Meditation Would God therefore my words could be in this as the Wise-man saith the words of the wise are like vnto Goades in the sides of euery Reader to quicken him vp out of this dull and lazie securitie to a cheerefull practice of this Diuine Meditation Let him curse mee vpon his death-bed if looking backe from thence to the bestowing of his former times hee acknowledge not these houres placed the most happily in his whole life if he then wish not hee had worne on t more daies in so profitable and heauenly a worke A MEDITATION OF DEATH ACCORDING to the former Rules The Entrance ANd now my soule that thou hast thought of the end what can fit thee better than to thinke of the way And though the forepart of the way to Heauen bee a good life the latter and more immediate is death shall
I call it the way or the gate of life Sure I am that by it onely wâ passe into that blessednesse whereof we haue so thought that we haue found it cannot be thought of enough The Description What then is this death but the taking downe of these sticks whereof this earthly Tent is composed The separation of two great and old friends till they meet againe The Gaole-deliuerie of a long prisoner Our iourney into that other world for which wee and this thorow-fare were made Our paiment of our first debt to Nature the sleepe of the body and the awaking of the soule The Diuision But lest thou shouldest seeme to flatter him whose name and face hath euer seemed terrible to others remember that there are more deaths than one If the first death bee not so fearefull as hee is made his horrour lying more in the conceit of the beholder than in his owne aspect surely the second is not made so fearefull as hee is No liuing eye can behold the terrours thereof it is as impossible to see them as to feele them and liue Nothing but a name is common to both The first hath men casualties diseases for his executioners the second Deuils The power of the first is in the graue the second in hell The worst of the first is senslesnesse the easiest of the second is a perpetuall sense of all the paine that can make a man exquisitely miserable The Causes Thou shalt haue no businesse O my soule with the second death Thy first Resurrection hath secured thee Thanke him that hath redeemed thee for thy safetie And how can I thanke thee enough O my Sauiour which hast so mercifully bought off my torment with thy owne and hast drunke off that bitter potion of thy Fathers wrath whereof the very taste had beene our death Yea such is thy mercie O thou Redeemer of men that thou hast not onely subdued the second death but reconciled the first so as thy children taste not at all of the second and finde the first so sweetned to them by thee that they complaine of bitternesse It was not thou O God that madest death our hands are they that were guiltie of this euill Thou sawest all thy worke that it was good we brought forth sinne and sinne brought forth death To the discharge of thy Iustice and Mercie we acknowledge this miserable conception and needs must that childe be vgly that hath such parents Certainly if Being and Good be as they are of an equall extent then the dissolution of our Being must needs in it selfe be euill How ful of darkenesse and horrour then is the priuation of this vitall light especially since thy wisdome intended it to the reuenge of sinne which is no lesse than the violation of an infinite Iustice it was thy iust pleasure to plague vs with this brood of our owne begetting Behold that death which was not till then in the world is now in euery thing one great Conqueror findes it in a Slate another findes it in a Flie one findes it in the kernel of a Grape another in the pricke of a thorne one in the taste of an herbe another in the smell of a flower one in a bit of meat another in a mouthfull of aire one in the very sight of a danger another in the conceit of what might haue beene Nothing in all our life is too little to hide death vnder it There need no cords nor kniues nor swords nor Peeces we haue made our selues as many waies to death as there are helps of liuing But if we were the authors of our death it was thou that didst alter it our disobedience made it and thy mercie made it not to be euill It had beene all one to thee to haue taken away the very Being of death from thine owne but thou thoughtest it best to take away the sting of it onely as good Physicians when they would apply their Leeches scowre them with Salt and Nettles and when their corrupt bloud is voided imploy them to the health of the patient It is more glory to thee that thou hast remoued enmitie from this Esau that now he meets vs with kisses in stead of frownes and if wee receiue a blow from this rough hand yet that very stripe is healing Oh how much more powerfull is thy death than our sinne O my Sauiour how hast thou perfumed and softened this bed of my graue by dying How can it grieue mee to tread in thy steps to glory Our sinne made death our last enemie The Effects thy goodnesse hath made it the first friend that we meet with in our passage to another world For as shee that receiues vs from the knees of our mother in our first entrance to the light washeth cleanseth dresseth vs and presents vs to the brest of our nurse or the armes of our mother challenges some interest in vs when we come to our growth so death which in our passage to that other life is the first that receiues and presents our naked soules to the hands of those Angels which carry it vp to her glorie cannot but thinke this office friendly and meritorious What if this guide leade my carcase through corruption and rottennesse when my soule in the very instant of her separation knowes it selfe happy What if my friends mourne about my bed and coffin when my soule sees the smiling face and louing embracements of him that was dead and is aliue What care I who shuts these earthen eyes when death opens the eye of my soule to see as I am seene What if my name be forgotten of men when I liue aboue with the God of Spirits If death would be still an enemie The Subiect it is the worst part of mee that he hath any thing to doe withall the best is aboue his reach and gaines more than the other can leese The worst peece of the horrour of death is the graue and set aside infidelitie what so great miserie is this That part which is corrupted feeles it not that which is free from corruption feeles an abundant recompence and foresees a ioyfull reparation What is here but a iust restitution We carry heauen and earth wrapt vp in our bosomes each part returnes homeward And if the exceeding glory of heauen cannot countetuaile the dolesomnesse of the graue what doe I beleeuing But if the beautie of that celestiall Sanctuarie doe more than equalize the horrour of the bottomlesse pit how can I shrinke at earth like my selfe when I know my glorie And if examples can moue thee any whit looke behinde thee O my soule and see which of the Worthies of that ancient latter world which of the Patriarchs Kings Prophets Apostles haue not trod in these red steps Where are those millions of generations which haue hitherto peopled the earth How many passing-bels hast thou heard for they knowne friends How many sicke beds hast thou visited How many eies hast thou seene closed
How many vaine men hast thou seene that haue gone into the field to seeke death in hope to finde an honour as foolish as themselues How many poore creatures hast thou mulcted with death for thine owne pleasure And canst thou hope that that God will make a by-way and a Posterne for thee alone that thou maiest passe to the next world not by the gates of death not by the bottome of the graue What then doest thou feare O my soule There are but two stages of death The Adiunct the bed and the graue This latter if it haue senslesnesse yet it hath rest The former if it haue paine yet it hath speedinesse and when it lights vpon a faithfull heart meets with many and strong antidotes of comfort The euill that is euer in motion is not fearefull That which both time and eternitie finde standing where it was is worthy of terrour Well may those tremble at death which finde more distresse within than without whose consciences are more sicke and neerer to death than their bodies It was thy Fathers wrath that did so terrifie thy soule O my Sauiour that it put thy body into a bloudy sweat The mention and thought of thy death ended in a Psalme but this began in an agonie Then didst thou sweat out my feares The power of that agonie doth more comfort all thine than the Angels could comfort thee That very voice deserued an eternall separation of horrour from death where thou saidst My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thou hadst not complained of being left if thou wouldest haue any of thine left destitute of comfort in their parting I know not whom I can feare while I know whom I haue beleeued how can I be discouraged with the sight of my losse when I see so cleere an aduantage The Contrary What discomfort is this to leaue a fraile body to bee ioyned vnto a glorious head To forsake vaine pleasures false honours bootlesse hopes vnsatisfying wealth stormie contentments sinfull men perillous tentations a sea of troubles a gallie of seruitude an euill world and a consuming life for Freedome Rest Happinesse Eternitie And if thou wert sentenced O my soule to liue a thousand yeeres in this body with these infirmities how wouldest thou be wearie not of being only but of complaining Whiles ere the first hundred I should bee a childe ere the second a beast a stone ere the third and therefore should be so farre from finding pleasure in my continuance that I should not haue sense enough left to feele my selfe miserable And when I am once gone what difference is there betwixt the agedst of the first Patriarchs and mee and the childe that did but liue to be borne saue onely in what was and that which was is not And if this body had no weaknesse to make my life tedious yet what a torment is it that while I liue I must sinne Alas my soule euery one of thy knowne sinnes is not a disease but a death What an enemie art thou to thy selfe if thou canst not bee content that one bodily death should excuse thee from many spirituall to cast off thy body that thou maiest be stripped of the ragges yea the fetters of thy sinne and cloathed with the Robes of glorie Yet these termes are too hard Thou shalt not bee cast off O my body rather thou shalt be put to making this change is no lesse happy for thee than for thy partner This very skinne of thine which is now tawnie and wrinkled shall once shine this earth shall bee heauen this dust shall bee glorious These eyes that are now wearie of being witnesses of thy sinnes and miseries shall then neuer be wearie of seeing the beautie of thy Sauiour and thine owne in his These eares that haue beene now tormented with the impious tongues of men shall first heare the voice of the Sonne of God and then the voices of Saints and Angels in their songs of Alleluia And this tongue that now complaines of miseries and feares shall then beare a part in that diuine harmonie The comparisons In the meane time thou shalt but sleepe in this bed of earth hee that hath tried the worst of death hath called it no worse very Heathens haue termed them cousins and it is no vnusuall thing for cousins of bloud to carrie both the same names and features Hast thou wont O my body when the day hath wearied thee to lie downe vnwillingly to thy rest Behold in this sleepe there is more quietnesse more pleasure of visions more certaintie of waking more cheerefulnesse in rising why then art thou loth to thinke of laying off thy ragges and reposing thy selfe Why art thou like a childe vnwilling to goe to bed Hast thou euer seene any bird which when the cage hath beene opened would rather sit still and sing within her grates than flie forth vnto her freedome in the woods Hast thou euer seene any prisoner in loue with his bolts and fetters Did the Chiefe of the Apostles when the Angell of God shined in his Iayle and strooke him on the side and loosed his two chaines and bade him Arise quickly and opened both the woodden and Iron gate say What so soone yet a little sleepe What madnesse had it beene rather to slumber betwixt his two Keepers than to follow the Angell of God into libertie Hast thou euer seene any Mariner that hath saluted the sea with songs and the Hauen with teares What shall I say to this diffidence O my soule that thou art vnwilling to thinke of rest after thy toile of freedome after thy durance of the Hauen after an vnquiet and tempestuous passage How many are there that seeke death and cannot finde it meerely out of the irksomenesse of life Hath it found thee and offered thee better conditions not of immunitie from euils but of possession of more good than thou canst thinke and wouldest thou now flie from happinesse to be rid of it What Is it a name that troubles thee what if men would call sleepe death The Names wouldst thou be afraid to close thine eies what hurt is it then if he that sent the first sleepe vpon man whilest hee made him an helper send this last and soundest sleepe vpon mee whiles he prepares my soule for a glorious Spouse to himselfe It is but a parting which we call death as two friends when they haue lead each other on the way shake hands till they returne from their iourney If either could miscarry there were cause of sorrow now they are more sure of a meeting than of a parture what folly is it not to be content to redeeme the vnspeakable gaine of so deare a friend with a little intermission of enioying him He will returne laden with the riches of heauen and will fetch his old partner to the participation of this glorious wealth Goe then my Soule to this sure and gainefull traffique and leaue my other halfe in an harbour as safe
though not so blessed yet so shalt thou be separated that my very dust shall be vnited to thee still and to my Sauiour in thee Wert thou vnwilling at the command of thy Creator to ioine thy selfe at the first with this body of mine why art thou then loth to part with that which thou hast found The Testimonies though intire yet troublesome Doest thou not heare Salomon say The day of death is better than the day of thy birth dost thou not beleeue him or art thou in loue with the worse and displeased with the better If any man could haue found a life worthy to be preferred vnto death so great a King must needs haue done it now in his very Throne he commends his Coffin Yea what wilt thou say to those Heathens that mourned at the birth and feasted at the death of their children They knew the miseries of liuing as well as thou the happinesse of dying they could not know and if they reioiced out of a conceit of ceasing to be miserable how shouldest thou cheere thy selfe in an expectation yea an assurance of being happy He that is the Lord of life and tried what it was to die hath proclaimed them blessed that die in the Lord. Those are blessed I know that liue in him but they rest not from their labours Toyle and sorrow is betweene them and a perfect enioying of that blessednesse which they now possesse onely in hope and inchoation when death hath added rest their happinesse is finished O death how sweet is that rest The taste of our Meditation wherewith thou refreshest the weary Pilgrims of this vale of mortalitie How pleasant is thy face to those eies that haue acquainted themselues with the sight of it which to strangers is grim and gastly How worthy art thou to be welcome vnto those that know whence thou art and whither thou tendest who that knowes thee can feare thee who that is not all nature would rather hide himselfe amongst the baggage of this vile life than follow thee to a Crowne what indifferent Iudge that should see life painted ouer with vaine semblances of pleasures attended with troupes of sorrowes on the one side and on the other with vncertaintie of continuance and certaintie of dissolution and then should turne his eyes vnto death and see her blacke but comely attended on the one hand with a momentanie paine with eternitie of glorie on the other would not say out of choice that which the Prophet said out of passion It is better for me to die than to liue But O my Soule what ailes thee to bee thus suddenly backward and fearefull The Complaint No heart hath more freely discoursed of death in speculation no tongue hath more extolled it in absence And now that it is come to thy beds-side and hath drawne thy curtaines and takes thee by the hand and offers thee seruice thou shrinkest inward and by the palenesse of thy face and wildnesse of thine eye bewraiest an amazement at the presence of such a ghest That face which was so familiar to thy thoughts is now vnwelcome to thine eies I am ashamed of this weake irresolution Whitherto haue tended all thy serious meditations what hath Christianitie done to thee if thy feares bee still heathenish Is this thine imitation of so many worthy Saints of God whom thou hast seene entertaine the violentest deaths with smiles and songs Is this the fruit of thy long and frequent instruction Didst thou thinke death would haue beene content with words didst thou hope it would suffice thee to talke while all other suffer Where is thy faith Yea where art thou thy selfe O my soule Is heauen worthy of no more thankes no more ioy Shall Heretikes shall Pagans giue death a better welcome than thou Hath thy Maker thy Redemer sent for thee and art thou loth to goe hath hee sent for thee to put thee in possession of that glorious Inheritance which thy wardship hath cheerefully expected and art thou loth to goe Hath God with this Sergeant of his sent his Angels to fetch thee and art thou loth to goe Rouze vp thy selfe for shame O my soule and if euer thou hast truly beleeued shake off this vnchristian diffidence and addresse thy selfe ioyfully for thy glory The Wish Yea O my Lord it is thou that must raise vp this faint and drooping heart of mine thou onely canst rid me of this weake and cowardly distrust Thou that sendest for my soule canst prepare it for thy selfe thou onely canst make thy messenger welcome to me O that I could but see thy face through death Oh that I could see death not as it was but as thou hast made it Oh that I could heartily pledge thee my Sauiour in this cup that so I might drinke new wine with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome The Confession But alas O my God nature is strong and weake in mee at once I cannot wish to welcome death as it is worthy when I looke for most courage I finde strongest temptations I see and confesse that when I am my selfe thou hast no such coward as I Let me alone and I shall shame that name of thine which I haue professed euery secure worldling shall laugh at my feeblenesse O God were thy Martyrs thus haled to their stakes might they not haue beene loosed from their rackes and chose to die in those torments Let it be no shame for thy seruant to take vp that complaint which thou mad'st of thy better Attendants The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake The Petition and enforcement O thou God of spirits that hast coupled these two together vnite them in a desire of their dissolution weaken this flesh to receiue and encourage this spirit either to desire or to contemne death and now as I grow neerer to my home let me increase in the sense of my ioyes I am thine saue me O Lord It was thou that didst put such courage into thine ancient and late witnesses that they either inuited or challenged death and held their persecutors their best friends for letting them loose from these gieues of flesh I know thine hand is not shortned neither any of them hath receiued more proofes of thy former mercies Oh let thy goodnesse inable me to reach them in the comfortable steddinesse of my passage Doe but draw this vaile a little that I may see my glory and I cannot but be inflamed with the desire of it It was not I that either made this body for the earth or this soule for my body or this heauen for my soule or this glorie of heauen or this entrance into glory All is thine owne worke Oh perfect what thou hast begun that thy praise and my happinesse may be consummate at once The assurance or Confidence Yea O my soule what need'st thou wish the God of mercies to be tender of his owne honour Art thou not a member of that body whereof thy Sauiour
those which fare better because they know it not Each man iudges of others conditions by his owne The worst sort would bee too much discontented if they saw how farre more pleasant the life of others is And if the better sort such we call those which are greater could looke downe to the infinite miseries of inferiours it would make them either miserable in compassion or proud in conceit It is good sometimes for the delicate rich man to looke into the poore mans Cupbord and seeing God in mercie giues him not to know their sorrow by experience to know it yet in speculation This shall teach him more thanks to God more mercie to men more contentment in himselfe 18 Such as a mans praier is for another it shall be in time of his extremitie for himselfe for though he loue himselfe more than others yet his apprehension of God is alike for both Such as his praier is in a former extremitie it shall be also in death this way we may haue experience euen of a thing future If God haue beene farre off from thee in a fit of thine ordinarie sicknesse feare lest he will not be neerer thee in thy last what differs that from this but in time Correct thy dulnesse vpon former proofes or else at last thy deuotion shall want life before thy body 19 Those that come to their meat as to a medicine as Augustine reports of himselfe liue in an austere and Christian temper and shall bee sure not to ioy too much in the creature nor to abuse themselues Those that come to their medicine as to meat shall be sure to liue miserably and die soone To come to meat if without a gluââonous appetite and palate is allowed to Christians To come to meat as to a sacrifice vnto the belly is a most base and brutish idolatrie 20 The worst that euer were euen Cain and Iudas haue had some Fautors that haue honoured them for Saints and the Serpent that beguiled our first Parents hath in that name had diuine honour and thanks Neuer any man trod so perillous and deepe steps but some haue followed and admired him Each master of Heresie hath found some clients euen hee that taught all mens opinions were true Againe no man hath beene so exquisite but some haue detracted from him euen in those qualities which haue seemed most worthy of wonder to others A man shall bee sure to be backed by some either in good or euil and by some shouldââ in both It is good for a man not to stand vpon his Abâââââis but his quarrell and not to depend vpon others but himselfe 21 We see thousands of creatures die for our vse and neuer doe so much as pittie them why doe we thinke much to die once for God They are not ours so much as we are his nor our pleasure so much to vs as his glory to him their liues are lost to vs ours but changed to him 22 Much ornament is no good signe painting of the face argues an ill complexion of body a worse minde Truth hath a face both honest and comely and lookes best in her owne colours but aboue all Diuine Truth is most faire and most scorneth to borrow beautie of mans wit or tongue shee loueth to come forth in her natiue grace like a princely Matrone and counts it the greatest indignitie to bee dallied with as a wanton Strumpet she lookes to command reuerence not pleasure she would bee kneeled to not laughed at To pranke her vp in vaine dresses and fashions or to sport with her in a light and youthfull manner is most abhorring from her nature they know her not that giue her such entertainment and shall first know her angry when they doe know her Againe she would be plaine but not base not sluttish she would be clad not garishly yet not in ragges she likes as little to be set out by a base soile as to seeme credited with gay colours It is no small wisdome to know her iust guise but more to follow it and so to keepe the meane that while we please her we discontent not the beholders 23 In worldly carriage so much is a man made of as he takes vpon himselfe but such is Gods blessing vpon true humilitie that it still procureth reuerence I neuer saw Christian lesse honoured for a wise neglect of himselfe If our deiection proceed from the conscience of our want it is possible we should be as little esteemed of others as of our selues but if we haue true graces and prize them not at the highest others shall value both them in vs and vs for them and with vsury giue vs that honour we with-held modestly from our selues 24 He that takes his full libertie in what he may shall repent him how much more in what he should not I neuer read of Christian that repented him of too little worldly delight The surest course I haue still found in all earthly pleasures to rise with an appetite and to be satisfied with a little 25 There is a time when Kings goe not forth to warfare our spirituall warre admits no intermission it knowes no night no winter abides no peace no truce This calls vs not into garrison where we may haue ease and respit but into pitched fields continually we see our enemies in the face alwaies and are alwaies seene and assaulted euer resisting euer defending receiuing and returning blowes If either wee be negligent or weary we die what other hope is there while one fights and the other stands still We can neuer haue safetie and peace but in victory There must our resistance be couragious and constant where both yeelding is death and all treaties of peace mortall 26 Neutralitie in things good or euill is both odious and preiudiciall but in matters of an indifferent nature is safe and commendable Herein taking of parts maketh sides and breaketh vnitie In an vniust cause of separation he that fauoreth both parts may perhaps haue least loue of either side but hath most charitie in himselfe 27 Nothing is more absurd than that Epicurean resolution Let vs eat and drinke to morrow we shall die As if we were made onely for the paunch and liued that we might liue yet there was neuer any naturall man found sauour in that meat which he knew should be his last whereas they should say Let vs fast and pray to morrow we shall die for to what purpose is the bodie strengthned that it may perish Whose greater strength makes our death more violent No man bestowes a costly roofe on a ruinous tenement that mans end is easie and happy whom death findes with a weake bodie and a strong soule 28 Sometime euen things in themselues naturally good are to bee refused for those which being euill may be an occasion to a greater good Life is in it selfe good and death euill else Dauid Elias and many excellent Martyrs would not haue fled to hold life and auoid death nor Ezechiah haue praied
is without witnesse Openly many sinister respects may draw from vs a forme of religious duties secretly nothing but the power of a good conscience It is to be feared God hath more true and deuout seruice in Closets than in Churches 54 Words and diseases grow vpon vs with yeeres In age we talke much because wee haue seene much and soone after shall cease talking for euer Wee are most diseased because nature is weakest and death which is neere must haue harbingers such is the old age of the World No maruell if this last time be full of writing and weake discourse full of sects and heresies which are the sicknesses of this great and decaied body 55 The best ground vntilled soonest runs out into ranke weeds Such are Gods Children Ouer-growne with securitie ere they are aware vnlesse they bee well exercised both with Gods plow of affliction and their owne industry in meditation A man of knowledge that is either negligent or vncorrected cannot but grow wilde and godlesse 56 With vs vilest things are most common But with God the best things are most frequently giuen Grace which is the noblest of all Gods fauours is vnpartially bestowed vpon all willing receiuers whereas Nobilitie of bloud and height of place blessings of an inferiour nature are reserued for few Herein the Christian followes his Father his praiers which are his richest portion he communicates to all his substance according to his abilitie to few 57 God therefore giues because he hath giuen making his former fauours arguments for more Man therefore shuts his hand because hee hath opened it There is no such way to procure more from God as to vrge him with what hee hath done All Gods blessings are profitable and excellent not so much in themselues as that they are inducements to greater 58 Gods immediate actions are best at first The frame of this creation how exquisite was it vnder his hand afterward blemished by our sinne mans indeuours are weake in their beginnings and perfecter by degrees No science no deuice hath euer beene perfect in his cradle or at once hath seene his birth and maturitie of the same nature are those actions which God worketh mediatly by vs according to our measure of receit The cause of both is on the one side the infinitenesse of his wisdome and power which cannot be corrected by any second assaies On the other our weaknesse helping it selfe by former grounds and trials Hee is an happy man that detracts nothing from Gods works and addes most to his owne 59 The old saying is more common than true that those which are in hell know no other heauen for this makes the damned perfectly miserable that out of their owne torment they see the felicitie of the Saints together with their impossibility of attaining it Sight without hope of fruition is a torment alone Those that here might see God and will not or doe see him obscurely and loue him not shall once see him with anguish of soule and not enioy him 60 Sometimes euill speeches come from good men in their vnaduisednesse and sometimes euen the good speeches of men may proceed from an ill spirit No confession could be better than Satan gaue of Christ It is not enough to consider what is spoken or by whom but whence and for what The spirit is oftentimes tried by the speech but other-times the speech must be examined by the spirit and the spirit by the rule of an higher word 61 Greatnesse puts high thoughts and bigge words into a man whereas the deiected minde takes carelesly what offers it selfe Euery worldling is base-minded and therefore his thoughts creepe still low vpon the earth The Christian both is and knowes himselfe truly great and thereupon mindeth and speaketh of spirituall immortall glorious heauenly things So much as the soule stoopeth vnto earthly thoughts so much is it vnregenerate 62 Long acquaintance as it maketh those things which are euill to seeme lesse euill so it makes good things which at first were vnpleasant delightfull There is no euill of paine not no morall good action which is not harsh at the first Continuance of euill which might seeme to weary vs is the remedy and abatement of wearinesse and the practice of good as it profiteth so it pleaseth He that is a stranger to good and euill findes both of them troublesome God therefore doth well for vs while he exerciseth vs with long afflictions and we doe well to our selues while we continually busie our selues in good exercises 63 Sometimes it is well taken by men that we humble our selues lower than there is cause Thy seruant IACOB saith that good Patriarch to his brother to his inferiour And no lesse well doth God take these submisse extenuations of our selues I am a worme and no man Surely I am more foolish than a man and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me But I neuer finde that any man bragged to God although in a matter of truth and within the compasse of his desert and was accepted A man may be too lowly in his dealing with men euen vnto contempt with God he cannot but the lower he falleth the higher is his exaltation 64 The soule is fed as the body starued with hunger as the body requires proportionable diet and necessary varietie as the body All ages and statures of the soule beare not the same nourishment There is milke for spirituall Infants strong meat for the growne Christian The spoone is fit for one the knife for the other The best Christian is not so growne that he need to scorne the spoone but the weake Christian may finde a strong feed dangerous How many haue beene cast away with spirituall surfets because being but new-borne they haue swallowed downe bigge morsels of the highest mysteries of godlinesse which they neuer could digest but together with them haue cast vp their proper nourishment A man must first know the power of his stomacke ere he know how with safetie and profit to frequent Gods Ordinary 65 It is very hard for the best man in a sudden extremity of death to satisfie himselfe in apprehending his stay and reposing his heart vpon it for the soule is so oppressed with sudden terrour that it cannot well command it selfe till it haue digested an euill It were miserable for the best Christian if all his former praiers and meditations did not serue to aide him in his last straits and meet together in the center of his extremitie yeelding though not sensible releefe yet secret benefit to the soule whereas the worldly man in this case hauing not laid vp for this houre hath no comfort from God or from others or from himselfe 66 All externall good or euill is measured by sense neither can we account that either good or ill which doth neither actually auaile nor hurt vs spiritually this rule holds not All our best good is insensible For all our future which is the greatest good we hold onely in hope and
himselfe and when he approcheth to the Throne of God he is so taken vp with the diuine greatnesse that in his owne eies he is either vile or nothing Places of publike charge are faine to sue to him and hale him out of his chosen obscuritie which he holds off not cunningly to cause importunitie but sincerely in the conscience of his defects He frequenteth not the stages of common resorts and then alone thinkes himselfe in his naturall element when hee is shrowded within his owne walls He is euer iealous ouer himselfe and still suspecteth that which others applaud There is no better obiect of beneficence for what he receiues he ascribes meerely to the bountie of the giuer nothing to merit He emulates no man in any thing but goodnesse and that with more desire than hope to ouertake No man is so contented with his little and so patient vnder miseries because he knowes the greatest euils are below his sinnes and the least fauours aboue his deseruings He walkes euer in awe and dare not but subiect euery word and action to an high and iust censure Hee is a lowly valley sweetly planted and well watered the proud mans earth whereon he trampleth but secretly full of wealthy Mines more worth than he that walkes ouer them a rich stone set in lead and lastly a true Temple of God built with a low roofe Of a Valiant man HE vndertakes without rashnesse and personnes without feare hee seekes not for dangers but when they finde him hee beares them ouer with courage with successe He hath oft-times lookt Death in the face and passed by it with a smile and when he sees he must yeeld doth at once welcome and contemne it Hee fore-casts the worst of all euents and encounters them before they come in a secret and mentall warre and if the suddennesse of an vnexpected euill haue surprized his thoughts and infected his cheekes with palenesse he hath no sooner digested it in his conceit than he gathers vp himselfe and insults ouer mischiefe Hee is the master of himselfe and subdues his passions to reason and by this inward victorie workes his owne peace He is afraid of nothing but the displeasure of the Highest and runnes away from nothing but sinne he lookes not on his hands but his cause not how strong he is but how innocent and where goodnesse is his warrant he may be ouer-mastered he cannot be foiled The sword is to him the last of all trials which he drawes forth still as Defendant not as Challenger with a willing kinde of vnwillingnesse no man can better manage it with more safetie with more fauour hee had rather haue his bloud seene than his backe and disdaines life vpon base conditions No man is more milde to a relenting or vanquisht aduersarie or more hates to set his foot on a carcase He had rather smother an iniurie than reuenge himselfe of the impotent and I know not whether more detests cowardlinesse or crueltie He talkes little and brags lesse and loues rather the silent language of the hand to be seene than heard He lies euer close within himselfe armed with wise resolution and will not be discouered but by death or danger He is neither prodigall of bloud to mis-spend it idlely nor niggardly to grudge it when either God calls for it or his Countrey neither is hee more liberall of his owne life than of others His power is limited by his will and he holds it the noblest reuenge that he might hurt and doth not He commands without tyrannie and imperiousnesse obeyes without seruilitie and changes not his minde with his estate The height of his spirits ouer-lookes all casualties and his boldnesse proceeds neither from ignorance nor senselesnesse but first he values euils and then despises them he is so ballaced with wisdome that he floats steddily in the midst of all tempests Deliberate in his purposes firme in resolution bold in enterprising vnwearied in atchieuing and howsoeuer happy in successe and if euer he be ouercome his heart yeelds last Of a Patient man THe patient man is made of a metall not so hard as flexible his shoulders are large fit for a load of iniuries which he beares not out of basenesse and cowardlinesse because he dare not reuenge but out of Christian fortitude because he may not he hath so conquered himselfe that wrongs cannot conquer him and herein alone findes that victory consists in yeelding He is aboue nature while he seemes below himselfe The vildest creature knowes how to turne againe but to command himselfe not to resist being vrged is more than heroicall His constructions are euer full of charity and fauour either this wrong was not done or not with intent of wrong or if that vpon mis-information or if none of these rashnesse though a fault shall serue for an excuse Himselfe craues the offenders pardon before his confession and a slight answer contents where the offended desires to forgiue He is Gods best witnesse when he stands before the barre for truth his tongue is calmely free his forehead firme and hee with erect and setled countenance heares his iust sentence and reioyces in it The Iaylors that attend him are to him his Pages of honour his dungeon the lower part of the vault of heauen his racke or wheele the staires of his ascent to glory he challengeth his executioners and encounters the fiercest paines with strength of resolution and while he suffers the beholders pity him the tormentors complaine of wearinesse and both of them wonder No anguish can master him whether by violence or by lingring He accounts expectation no punishment can abide to haue his hopes adiourned till a new day Good lawes serue for his protection not for his reuenge and his owne power to auoid indignities not to returne them His hopes are so strong that they can insult ouer the greatest discouragements and his apprehensions so deepe that when he hath once fastned he sooner leaueth his life than his hold Neither time nor peruersnesse can make him cast off his charitable endeuours and despaire of preuailing but in spight of all crosses and all denials he redoubleth his beneficiall offers of loue He trieth the sea after many ship-wracks beats still at that doore which he neuer saw opened Contrariety of euents doth but exercise not dismay him and when crosses afflict him he sees a diuine hand inuisibly striking with these sensible scourges against which hee dares not rebell nor murmure Hence all things befall him alike and he goes with the same minde to the shambles and to the fold His recreations are calme and gentle and not more full of relaxation than void of fury This man onely can turne necessity into vertue and put euill to good vse He is the surest friend the latest and easiest enemy the greatest conqueror and so much more happy than others by how much he could abide to be more miserable Of the true Friend HIs affections are both vnited and diuided
that path there is no death and attending thereon Pr. 20.6 Pr. 12.2 all Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous Wouldst thou haue fauour A good man getteth fauour of the Lord. Ioy The righteous shall sing and reioyce and surely to a man that is good in his sight Pr. 29.6 Ec. 2.26 God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy so that the light of the righteous reioyceth but the candle of the wicked shall bee put out Preseruation and deliuerance Lo Pr. 13.9 Pr. 10.25 Pr. 10.29 Pr. 10.30 Pr. 11.4 Pr. 12.13 Pr. 11.8 Pr. 13.6 Pr. 15.6 Pr. 14.11 Pr. 10.27 Pr. 12.7 Ec. 8.12 Pr. 10.24 Pr. 29.18 the righteous is an euerlasting foundation for the way of the Lord is strength to the vpright man so as the righteous shall neuer be remoued and if he be in trouble Riches auaile not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth from death so the righteous shall come out of aduersitie and escape out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead thus euery way Righteousnesse preserueth the vpright in heart Prosperity and wealth The house of the righteous shall haue much treasure and his tabernacle shall flourish Long life The feare of the Lord increaseth the daies and not onely himselfe but his house shall stand And though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and God prolong his daies yet know I that it shall be well to them that feare the Lord and doe reuerence before him And lastly whatsoeuer good God will grant the desire of the righteous and he that keepeth the Law is blessed §. 7. In the estate of wickednesse our good things are accursed Wealth Life Fame Deuotions Prayers Sacrifices Euill inflicted of Losse Paine Affliction Death Damnation Pr. 10.2 Pr. 10.3 COntrarily there is perfect misery in wickednesse Looke on all that might seeme good in this estate Wealth The treasures of the wicked profit nothing the Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he either casteth away the substance of the wicked Pr. 13.25 so that the belly of the wicked shall want or else employeth it to the good of his for the wicked shall be a ransome for the iust Pr. 21.18 Ec. 2.26 and to the sinner God giueth paine to gather and to heape to giue to him that is good before God The wicked man may bee rich Pr. 15.6 Pr. 10.27 Pr. 10.25 Pr. 12.7 Pr. 2.22 Ec. 8.13 but how The reuenues of the wicked is trouble Life The yeeres of the wicked shall be diminished As the whirl-wind passeth so is the wicked no more for God ouerthroweth the wicked and they are not Whatsoeuer therefore their hope be the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be rotted out It shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies hee shall be like to a shadow because he feared not God Pr. 14.11 Pr. 10.7 yea the very house of the wicked shall be destroyed Fame Whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed the name of the wicked shall rot yea looke vpon his best endeuours Pr. 15.29 Pr. 28.9 his Prayers The Lord is farre off from the wicked but heareth the prayer of the righteous farre off from accepting For Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law Pr. 15.8 euen his prayer shall be abominable His sacrifice though well intended as all the rest of his waies is no better than abomination to the Lord how much more when he brings it with a wicked minde Pr. 15.9 Pr. 21.27 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 10.18 Pr. 13.9 Pr. 11.18 Pr. 26.10 Pr. 13.21 Pr. 5.22 Pr. 10.6 Pr. 29.6 Pr. 11.5 Pr. 13.6 Pr. 33.3 Pr. 11.31 Pr. 10.24 Pr. 5.23 And as no good so much euill whether of losse The way of the wicked will deceiue them their hope shall perish especially when they die their candle shall be put out their workes shall proue deceitfull Or of paine for the Excellent that formed all things rewardeth the foole and the transgressor and he hath appointed that Affliction should follow sinners Follow yea ouertake them His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe and couer his mouth and hee shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne euen in the transgression of the euill man is his snare so the wicked shall fall in his owne wickednesse for of it owne selfe iniquity ouerthroweth the sinner But besides that the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked though hand ioyne in hand he shall not be vnpunished behold the righteous shall be paid vpon earth how much more the wicked and the sinner That then which the wicked man feareth shall come vpon him both Death Hee shall die for default of instruction Pr. 11.19 Pr. 1â 32 Pr. 15.11 Pr. 12.2 Pr. 10.29 Pr. 19.29 and that by his owne hands for by following euill he seekes his owne death and after that damnation The wicked shall bee cast away for his malice Hell and destruction are before the Lord and a man of wicked imaginations will hee condemned so both in life in death after it nothing but Terrour shall be for the workers of iniquity where contrarily The feare of the Lord leadeth to life and hee that is filled therewith shall contiue and shall not be visited with euill SALOMONS ETHICKS THE SECOND BOOKE PRVDENCE §. 1. Of Vertue Wherein it consisteth Whereby it is ruled and directed VErtue consists in the meane vice in the extremes Pr. 4.26 Pr. 4.27 Let thy waies be ordered aright Turne not to the right hand nor to the left but remoue thy foot from euill The rule whereof it Gods Law Pr. 6.23 Pr. 30.5 Pr. 4.20 Pr. 4.21 Pr. 4.22 for the commandement is a Lanterne and instruction a light and euery word of God is pure My sonne hearken to my words incline thine eare to my sayings let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thine heart For they are life vnto those that finde them and health vnto all their flesh Pr. 7.2 Pr. 7.3 Keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue and mine instruction as the apple of thine eye Binde them vpon thy fingers and write them vpon the Table of thine heart All vertue is either Prudence Iustice Temperance Fortitude 1. Of Prudence which comprehends Wisdome Prouidence Discretion §. 2. Of wisdome the Description Effects It procures Knowledge Safety from sinne from iudgement Good direction for actions for words Wealth Honour Life THe prudent man is he whose eyes are in his head to see all things and to fore-see Ec. 2.14 Ec. 10.2 Pr. 8.12 Pr. 14.8 Pr. 9.12 Pr. 3.13 and whose heart is at his right hand to doe all dexterously and with iudgement Wisdome dwells with Prudence and findeth forth knowledge and counsels And to describe it The wisdome of the Prudent is to vnderstand his way his owne If thou be wise thou shalt be wise
the wicked and he that despiseth his waies shall die §. 3. Fidelity in performances To God To man in faithfull reproofe OR whether to God and man 1. Fidelity both first in performing that wee haue vndertaken If thou haue vowed a vow to God deferre not to pay it for hee delighteth not in fooles Ec. 5.3 Ec. 5.4 pay therefore that thou hast vowed It is better that thou shouldst not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay it Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sin Ec. 5.5 Neither say before the Angell that this is ignorance Pr. 20.25 Pr. 12.22 Pr. 28.10 Pr. 28.20 Pr. 25.19 Wherefore shall God bee angry by thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hands For It is destruction to a man to deuoure that which is sanctified and after the vowes to enquire Neither this to God onely but to man They that deale truly are his delight and the vpright shall inherit good things yea The faithfull man shall abound in blessings whereas the perfidious man as he wrongs others for Confidence in an vnfaithfull man in time of trouble Pr. 17.13 is like a broken tooth and a sliding foot so he gaineth not in the end himselfe He that rewardeth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house 2. In a faithfull reproofe Open rebuke is better than secret loue The wounds of a louer are faithfull and the kisses of an enemie are pleasant but false Pr. Pr. 15.12 Pr. 25.12 so that he that reproueth shall finde more thanke at the last and how euer the scorner take it yet he that reproueth the wise and obedient eare is as a gold eare ring and an ornament of fine gold §. 4. Truth in words The qualitie The fruit to himselfe to others The opposites 1. Lies Slander 2. Dissimulation Flatterie HE that speaketh truth will shew righteousnesse Wherein Pr. 12.17 Pr. 14.25 A faithfull Witnesse deliuereth soules but a deceiuer speaketh lies A vertue of no small importance for Death and Life are in the hand of the tongue and as a man loues Pr. 18.21 hee shall eat the fruit thereof to good or euill to himselfe others Himselfe Pr. 15.4 Pr. 12.19 Pr. 10.20 Pr. 10.21 Pr. 23.23 A wholsome tongue is as a Tree of life and the lip of truth shall be stable for euer Others The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer and the lips of the Righteous doe feed many therefore Buy the truth and sell it not as those doe which either 1. lye 2. slander 3. dissemble or 4. flatter §. 5. The lyer His fashions His manifestation His punishment A Faithfull witnesse will not lie but a false record will speake lies Of those six Pr. 14.5 Pr. 6.16 Pr. 6.17 Pr. 6.19 Pr. 19.28 Pr. 26.28 Pr. 12.19 Pr. 19.5 Pr. 12.22 Pr. 21.28 Pr. 25.18 Pr. 24.28 29. Pr. 30.7 Pr. 30.8 Pr. 19.22 yea seuen things that God hateth two are A lying tongue and a false witnesse that speaketh lies For such a one mocketh at iudgement and his mouth swallowes vp iniquitie yea a false tongue hateth the afflicted He is soone perceiued for a lying tongue varieth incontinently and when he is found A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape for the lying lips are abomination to the Lord therefore a false witnesse shall perish and who pitties him Such a one is an hammer a sword a sharpe arrow to his neighbour he deceiueth with his lips and saith I will doe to him as he hath done to me Two things then haue I required of thee denie me them not vntill I die c. Remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes Let me be a poore man rather than a lyer §. 6. The slanderer what his exercise in misreports in vnseasonable medling what his entertainment THis wicked man diggeth vp euill and in his lips is like burning fire Pr. 16.27 Pr. 16.30 Hee shutteth his eies to deuise wickednesse hee moueth his lips and bringeth euill to passe and either hee inuenteth ill rumors A righteous man hateth lying words Pr. 13.5 but the wicked causeth slander and shame Pr. 20.3 Pr. 11.13 Pr. 26.20 Pr. 18.8 or else in true reports he will be foolishly medling and goeth about discouering secrets where he that is of a faithfull heart concealeth matters and by this meanes raiseth discord Without wood the fire is quenched and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth for the words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings Ec. 7.23 and goe downe into the bowels of the belly therefore as on the one side thou mayest not giue thine heart to all that men speake of thee Pr. 25.23 left thou heare thy seruant cursing thee so on the other no countenance must be giuen to such for As the North-wind driues away raine so doth an angry countenance the slandering tongue §. 7. The dissembler of foure kinds malicious vaine-glorious couetous impenitent The flatterer his successe to himselfe to his friend his remedie Pr. 10.18 THE slanderer and dissembler goe together Hee that dissembleth hatred with lying lips Pr. 26.24 and he that inuenteth slander is a foole There is then a malicious dissembler He that hateth will counterfeit with his lips and in his heart he layeth vp deceit Pr. 26.25 Pr. 26.26 such one though he speake fauourably beleeue him not for there are seuen abominations in his heart Hatred may be couered with deceit but the malice thereof shall at last bee discouered in the congregation There is a vaine-glorious dissembler that maketh himselfe rich Pr. 13.7 Pr. 13.7 Pr. 20.24 Pr. 23.6 Pr. 23.7 and is poore and 3. a couetous There is that makes himselfe poore hauing great riches and this both 1. in bargains It is naught it is naught faith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasteth and 2. In his entertainment The man that hath an euill eie as though he thought in his heart so will he say to thee Eat and drinke Pr. 28.13 Pr. 27.14 but his heart is not with thee Lastly an impenitent Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie The flatterer praiseth his friend with a loud voice rising early in the morning but with what successe Pr. 29.5 To himselfe It shall be counted to him for a curse To his friend A man that flattereth his neighbour Pr. 26.28 Pr. 20.19 spreadeth a net for his steps he spreadeth and catcheth For a flattering mouth causeth ruine The onely remedie then is Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Ec. 7.7 for It is better to heare the rebuke of wise men than the song of fooles §. 8. Truth in dealings wherein is the true dealers Practices To doe right with ioy Reward Gods loue Good memoriall Pr. 11.3 Pr. 11.5 Pr. 15.19 Pr. 21.8 Pr. 21.3 Pr. 21.15 Pr. 10.16 Pr. 29.7 Pr. 29.10 Pr. 21.8 Pr. 3.29
tarry in the suburbs Grant that these were as ill as an enemy can make them or can pretend them You are deceiued if you thinke the walles of Babylon stand vpon Ceremonies Substantiall errors are both her foundation and frame These rituall obseruations are not so much as Tile and Reede rather like to some Fane vpon the roofe for ornament more then vse Not parts of the building but not necessarie appeadances If you take them otherwise you wrong the Church if thus and yet depart you wrong it and your selfe As if you would haue perswaded righteous Lot not to stay is Zoar because it was so neere Sodome I feare if you had seene the money-changers in the Temple how euer you would haue prayed or taught there Christ did it not forsaking the place but scourging the offenders And this is the valour of Christian teachers To oppose abuses not to runne away from them Where shall you not thus finde Babylon Would you haue runne from Geneua because of her wafers Or from Corinth for her disordered loue-feasts Either runne out of the world or your flight is in vaine If experience of change teach you not that you shall finde your Babylon euery where returne not Compare the place you haue left with that you haue chosen let not feare of seeming to repent ouer-soone make you partiall Loe there a common harbour of all opinions of all heresies if not a mixture Here you drew in the free and cleare aire of the Gospel without that odious composition of Iudaisme Arrianisme Anabaptisme There you liue in the stench of these and more You are vnworthy of pitie if you will approue your misery Say if you can that the Church of England if shee were not yours is not an heauen to Amsterdam How is it then that our gnats are harder to swallow then their camels and that whiles all Christendome magnifies our happinesse and applauds it your handfull alone so detests our enormities that you despise our graces See whether in this you make not God a loser The thanke of all his fauours is lost because you want more and in the meane time who gaines by this sequestration but Rome and Hell How doe they insult in this aduantage that our mothers owne children condemne her for vncleane that we are dayly weakened by our diuisions that the rude multitude hath so palpable a motiue to distrust vs Sure you intended it not but if you had been their hired Agent you could not haue done our enemies greater seruice The God of heauen open your eyes that you may see the vniustice of that zeale which hath transported you and turne your heart to an endeuour of all Christian satisfaction Otherwise your soules shall finde too late that it had beene a thousand times better to swallow a Ceremonie then to rend a Church yea that euen wheredomes and murders shall abide an easier answer then separation I haue done if onely I haue aduised you of that fearfull threatning of the Wise-man The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the gouernment of his mother the Rauens of the valley shall picke it out and the yong Eagles eate it To Sir ANDREW ASTELEY EP. II. A discourse of our due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it to vs. SInce I saw you I saw my father die How boldly and merrily did hee passe thorow the gates of death as if they had no terrour but much pleasure Oh that I could as easily imitate as not forget him We know wee must tread the same way how happy if with the same minde Our life as it giues way to death so must make way for it It will be though we will not it will not bee happy without our will without our preparation It is the best and longest lesson to learne how to die and of surest vse which alone if we take not out it were better not to haue liued Oh vaine studies of men how to walke thorough Rome streets al day in the shade how to square cirles how to salue vp the celestiall motions how to correct mis-written copies to fetch vp old words from forgetfulnesse and a thousand other like points of idle skill whiles the maine care of life and death is neglected There is an Art of this infallible eternall both in truth and vse for though the meanes bee diuers yet the last act is still the same and the disposition of the soule need not be other it is all one whether a feuer bring it or a sword wherein yet after long profession of other sciences I am still why should I shame to confesse a learner and shall be I hope whilest I am yet it shall not repent vs as diligeÌt schollers repeat their parts vnto each other to be more perfect so mutually to recall some of our rules of well-dying The first whereof is a conscionable life The next a right apprehension of life and death I tread in the beaten path doe you follow me To liue holily is the way to die safely happily If death be terrible yet innocence is bold and will neither feare it selfe nor let vs feare where contrariwise wickednesse is cowardly and cannot abide either any glimpse of light or shew of danger Hope doth not more draw our eyes forward then conscience turnes them backward and forces vs to looke behinde vs affrighting vs euen without past euils Besides the paine of death euery sinne is a new Fury to torment the soule and to make it loth to part How can it chuse when it sees on the one side what euill it hath done on the other vvhat euill it must suffer it vvas a cleare heart what else could doe it that gaue so bold a forehead to that holy Bishop who durst on his death-bed professe I haue so liued as I neither feare to die nor shame to liue What care we when be found if well-doing What care we how suddenly vvhen our preparation is perpetuall What care we how violently vvhen so many inward friends such are our good actions giue vs secret comfort There is no good Steward but is glad of his Audit his straight accounts desire nothing more then a discharge onely the doubtfull and vntrustie feares of his reckoning Neither onely doth the vvant of integritie make vs timorous but of wisedome in that our ignorance cannot equally value either the life which vve leaue or the death vve expect Wee haue long conuersed vvith this life and yet are vnacquainted how should wee then know that death we neuer saw or that life vvhich followes that death These cottages haue been ruinous and wee haue not thought of their fall our way hath beene deepe and we haue not looked for our rest Shew mee euer any man that knew vvhat life vvas and vvas loth to leaue it I vvill shew you a prisoner that would dwell in his Goale a slaue that likes to be chained to his Galley What is there here but darknesse of ignorance discomfort of euents impotency of
not dare to vent them out either by your hand or tongue to trouble the common peace It is a miserable praise to bee a witty disturber Neither will it serue you to be thus good alone but if God shall giue you the honour of this estate the world will looke you should be the graue guide of a well-ordered family for this is proper to vs that the vices of our charge reflect vpon vs the sinnes of others are our reproach If another mans children mis-cary the Parent is pitied if a Ministers censured yea not our seruant is faulty vvithout our blemish In all these occasions a misery incident to vs alone our griefe is our shame To descend nearer vnto the sacred affaires of this heauenly trade in a Minister Gods Church is accounted both his house to dwell in and his field to worke in vvherein vpon the penalty of a curse he faithfully wisely diligently deuoutly deales with God for his people with his people for and from God Whether he instruct hee must doe it with euidence of the spirit or whether he reproue with courage and zeale or whether he exhort with meeknesse and yet with power or whether he confute with demonstration of truth not with rage and personall maliciousnesse not with a wilfull heat of contradiction or whether he admonish with long-suffering and loue without preiudice and partialitie in a word all these he so doth as he that desires nothing but to honour God and saue men His wisdome must discerne betwixt his sheepe and wolues in his sheepe betwixt the wholesome and vnsound in the vnfound betwixt the weake and tainted in the tainted betwixt the natures qualities degrees of the disease and infection and to all these he must know to administer a word in season He hath Antidotes for all tentations counsels for all doubts euictions for all errors for all languishings incouragements No occasion from any altered estate of the soule may finde him vnfurnished He must ascend to Gods Altar with much awe with sincere and cheerefull deuotion so taking celebrating distributing is Sauiour as thinking himselfe at table in heauen with the blessed Angels In the meane time as he wants not a thankefull regard to the Master of the feast so not care of the guests The greatnesse of an offender may not make him sacrilegiously partiall nor the obscurity negligent I haue said little of any of our duties and of some nothing yet enough I think to make you if not timorous carefull Neither vvould I haue you hereupon to hide your selfe from this calling but to prepare your selfe for it These times call for them that are faithfull and if they may spare some learning conscience they can not Goe on happily it argues a minde Christianly noble to bee incouraged with the need of his labours with the difficulties To Mrs A. P. EP. VI. A discourse of the signes and proofes of a true faith THere is no comfort in a secret felicitie To be happy and not know it is little aboue miserable Such is your state onely herein better then the common case of the most that the well of life lyes open before you but your eyes like Agars are not open to see it vvhiles they haue neither water nor eyes We doe not much more want that which vve haue not then that which we doe not know we haue Let mee tell you some of that spirituall eye-salue which the Spirit commends to his Laodiceans that you may clearely see how well you are There is nothing but those scales betwixt you and happinesse Thinke not much that I espy in you what your selfe sees not Too much neerenesse oft-times hindreth sight and if for the spots of our own faces we trust others eyes why not for our perfections You are in heauen and know it not He that beleeues is already passed from death to life You beleeue whiles you complaine of vnbeleefe If you complained not I should mis-doubt you more then you doe your selfe because you complaine Secure and insolent presumption hath killed many that breathes nothing but confidence and safety and abandons all doubts and condemnes them That man neuer beleeued that neuer doubted This liquor of faith is neuer pure in these vessels of clay without these lees of distrust What then Thinke not that I incourage you to doubt more but perswade you not to bee discouraged with doubting All vncertaintie is comfortlesse those that teach men to coniecture and forbid to resolue reade lectures of misery Those doubts are but to make way for assurance as the oft shaking of the tree fastens it more at the root You are sure of God but you are afraid of your selfe The doubt is not in his promise but your application Looke into your owne heart How know you that you know any thing that you beleeue that you will that you approue that you affect any thing If a man like your selfe promise you ought you know whether you trust him whether you relye your selfe on his fidelitie Why can you not know it in him that is God and man The difference is not in the act but the obiect But if these habits because of their inward and ambiguous nature seeme hard to be descried turne your eyes to those open markes that cannot beguile you How many haue bragged of their Faith when they haue embraced nothing but a vaine cloud of presumption Euery man repeats his Creed few feele it few practise it Take two boughs in the dead of winter how like is one wood to another how hardly discerned Afterwards By their fruit you shall know them That faith whose nature was obscure is euident in his effects What is faith but the hand of the soule What is the dutie of the hand but either to hold or worke This hand then holds Christ workes obedience and holinesse and if this act of apprehension be as secret as the cause since the closed hand hideth still what it holdeth see the hand of faith open see what it worketh and compare it vvith your owne proofe Deny if you can yet I had rather appeale to any Iudge then your preiudiced selfe that in all your needs you can step boldly to the Throne of Heauen and freely powre out your enlarged heart to your God and craue of him vvhether to receiue what you vvant or that you may vvant vvhat you haue and would not Be assured from God this can be done by no power but that you feare to misse of faith God as he is not so he is not called a father without this In vain doth he pray that cannot cal God father No father without the spirit of adoption no spirit without faith vvithout this you may babble you cannot pray Assume you that you can pray I dare conclude vpon my soule You beleeue As little as you loue your selfe denie if you can that you loue God Say that your Sauiour from heauen should aske you Peters question could your soule returne any other answer then Lord thou
himselfe of himselfe a worme and no man the shame of men and contempt of the people Who is the King of glory Psal 24.10 the Lord of Hoasts he is the King of glory Set these two together the King of glory the shame of men the more honour the more abasement Looke backe to his Cradle there you finde him rejected of the Bethlemites borne and laid alas how homely how vnworthily sought for by Herod exiled to Aegypt obscurely brought vp in the Cottage of a poore Foster-Father transported and tempted by Sathan derided of his kindred blasphemously traduced by the Iewes pinched with hunger restlesse harbourlesse sorrowfull persecuted by the Elders and Pharises sold by his owne seruant apprehended arraigned scourged condemned and yet it is not finished Let vs with that Disciple follow him a farre off and passing ouer all his contemptuous vsage in the way see him brought to his Crosse Still the further we looke the more wonder euery thing adds to this ignominie of suffering and triumph of ouer-comming Where was it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Act 26.27 not in a corner as Paul saith to Festus but in Ierusalem the eye the heart of the world Obscuritie abateth shame publique notice heightens it Before all Israel and before this Sunne saith God to Dauid when he would thorowly shame him In Ierusalem which he had honoured with his presence taught with his preachings astonisht with his miracles bewayled with his teares O Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I and thou wouldest not O yet if in this thy day Crueltie and vnkindnesse after good desert afflict so much more as our merit hath beene greater Whereabouts without the gates in Caluarie among the stinking bones of execrable Malefactors Before the glory of the place bred shame now the vilenesse of it When but in the Passeouer a time of greatest frequence and concourse of all Iewes and Proselytes An holy time when they should receiue the figure they reiect the substance when they should kill and eat the Sacramentall Lambe in faith in thankfulnesse they kill the Lambe of God our true Passeouer in crueltie and contempt With whom The qualitie of our companie either increases or lessens shame In the midst of theeues saith one as the Prince of theeues In ââedio latronuÌ tanquam latronuÌ immanissimus Luthâr there was no guile in his mouth much lesse in his hands yet behold he that thought it no robberie to be equall with God is made equall to robbers and murderers yea superiour in euill What suffered he As all lifes are not alike pleasant so all deaths are not equally fearefull There is not more difference betwixt some life and death than betwixt one death and another See the Apostles gradation He was made obedient to the death euen the death of the Crosse The Crosse a lingring tormenting ignominious death The Iewes had foure kindes of death for malefactors the towell the sword fire stones each of these aboue other in extremitie Strangling with the towell they accounted easiest the sword worse than the towell the fire worse than the sword stoning worse than the fire but this Romane death was worst of all Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a Tree Yet as Ierome well hee is not therefore accursed because he hangeth but therefore he hangeth because he is accursed He was made ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Curse for vs. The curse was more than the shame yet the shame is vnspeakable and yet not more than the paine Yet all that die the same death are not equally miserable the very theeues fared better in their death than hee I heare of no irrision no inscription no taunts no insultation on them they had nothing but paine to encounter he paine and scorne An ingenuous and noble Nature can worse brooke this than the other any thing rather than disdainfulnesse and derision especially from a base enemie I remember that learned Father begins Israels affliction with Ismaels persecuting laughter The Iewes the Souldiers yea the very Theeues flouted him and triumpht ouer his misery his bloud cannot satisfie them without his reproach Which of his senses now was not a window to let-in sorrow his eyes saw the teares of his Mother and friends the vnthankfull demeanure of Mankinde the cruell despight of his enemies his eares heard the reuilings and blasphemies of the multitude and whether the place were noysome to his sent his touch felt the nayles his taste the gall Looke vp O all yee beholders looke vpon this pretious bodie and see what part yee can finde free That head which is adored and trembled at by the Angelicall spirits is all raked and harrowed with thornes Caput Angelicis spiritibus tremebundum spinis corenatur c. that face of whom it is said Thou art fairer than the children of men is all besmeared with the filthy spettle of the Iewes and furrowed with his teares those eyes clearer than the Sunne are darkned with the shadow of death those eares that heare the heauenly consorts of Angels now are filled with the cursed speakings and scoffs of wretched men those lips that spake as neuer man spake that command the spirits both of light and darknesse are scornfully wet with vinegar and gall those feet that trample on all the powers of hell his enemies are made his footstoole are now nayled to the footstoole of the Crosse those hands that freely sway the scepter of the heauens now carry the reede of reproach and are nayled to the tree of reproach that whole bodie which was conceiued by the Holy-Ghost was all scourged wounded mangled this is the out-side of his sufferings Was his heart free Oh no the inner part or soule of this paine which was vnseene is as far beyond these outward and sensible as the soule is beyond the bodie Gods wrath beyond the malice of men these were but loue-tricks to what his soule endured O all yee that passe by the way behold and see if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow Alas Lord what can we see of thy sorrowes wee cannot conceiue so much as the hainousnes and desert of one of those sinnes which thou barest wee can no more see thy paine than wee could vndergoe it onely this wee see that what the infinite sinnes of almost infinite men committed against an infinite Maiestie deserued in infinite continuance all this thou in the short time of thy Passion hast sustained Wee may behold and see but all the glorious spirits in Heauen cannot looke into the depth of this suffering Doe but looke yet a little into the passions of this his Passion for by the manner of his sufferings we shall best see what he suffered Wise and resolute men doe not complaine of a little holy Martyrs haue beene racked and would not be loosed what shall we say if the author of their strength God and Man bewray passions what would haue ouerwhelmed men would not haue made him shrinke and what made him
about three hundred yeeres agoe Not of Reason Negotiatores teâae sunt ipsi Sacerdotes qui vendunt orationes missas prodenarijs facientes domum orationis Apotâecam negotiationis In Reue. l. 10. p. 5. how should one meere man pay for another dispense with another to another by another Not of Scripture which hath flatly said The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth vs from all sinne and yet I remember that acute Sadeel hath taught me that this practise is according to Scripture what Scripture Hee cast the money-changers out of the Temple and said Yee haue made my house a denne of theeues Which also Ioachim their propheticall Abbot well applies to this purpose Some modest Doctors of Lonan would faine haue minced this Antichristian blasphemy who began to teach that the passions of the Saints are not so by Indulgences applied that they become true satisfactions but that they only serue to moue God by the sight of them to apply vnto vs Christs satisfaction But these meale-mouth'd Diuines were soone charm'd Bellar. lib. 1. de Indulgent foure seuerall Popes as their Cardinall confesseth fell vpon the necke of them their opinion Leo the tenth Pius the fift Gregory the thirteenth and Clemens the sixt and with their furious Buls bellow out threats against them and tosse them in the aire for Heretickes and teach them vpon paine of a curse to speake home with Bellarmine Passionibus sanctorum expiari delicta and straight Applicari nobis sanctorum passiones ad redimend as poenas quas propeccatis Deo debemus That by the sufferings of Saints our sinnes are expiated and that by them applied wee are redeemed from those punishments which we yet owe to God Blasphemy worthy the tearing of garments How is it finished by Christ if men must supply Oh blessed Sauiour was euery drop of thy bloud enough to redeeme a world and doe we yet need the helpe of men How art thou a perfect Sauiour if our brethren also must be our Redeemers Oh yee blessed Saints how would you abhorre this sacrilegious glorie and with those holy Apostles yea that glorious Angell say Vide ne feceris and with those wise Virgins Lest there will not bee enough for vs and you goe to them that sell and buy for your selues For vs we enuie not their multitude let them haue as many Sauiours as Saints and as many Saints as men wee know with Ambrose Christi passio adiutore non eguit Christs passion needs no helper and therefore with that worthy Martyr dare say None but Christ none but Christ Let our soules die if he cannot saue them let them not feare their death or torment if he haue finished Heare this thou languishing and afflicted soule There is not one of thy sins but it is paid for not one of thy debts in the scroll of God but it is crossed not one farthing of all thine infinite ransome is vnpaid Alas thy sinnes thou sayest are euer before thee and Gods indignation goes still ouer thee and thou goest mourning all the day long and with that patterne of distresse criest out in the bitternes of thy soule I haue sinned what shall I doe to thee O thou preseruer of men What shouldst thou doe Turne and beleeue Now thou art stung in thy conscience with this fiery Serpent looke vp with the eyes of faith to this brazen Serpent Christ Iesus and be healed Behold his head is humbly bowed down in a gracious respect to thee his arms are stretched out louingly to embrace thee yea his precious side is open to receiue thee and his tongue interprets all these to thee for thine endlesse comfort It is finished There is no more accusation iudgment death hel for thee all these are no more to thee than if they were not Who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead I know how ready euery man is to reach forth his hand to this dole of grace and how angry to be beaten from this dore of mercy We are all easily perswaded to hope well because wee loue our selues well Which of all vs in this great congregation takes exceptions to himselfe and thinkes I know there is no want in my Sauiour there is want in me He hath finished but I beleeue not I repent not Euery presumptuous and hard heart so catches at Christ as if he had finisht for all as if he had broken downe the gates of hell and loosed the bands of death and had made forgiuenes as common as life Prosperitas stultorum perdit eos saith wise Salomon Ease slaieth the foolish and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them yea the confidence of prosperity Thou saiest God is mercifull thy Sauiour bounteous his passion absolute all these and yet thou maiest be condemned Mercifull not vniust bountifull not lauish absolutely sufficient for all not effectuall to all Whatsoeuer God is what art thou Here is the doubt Thou saiest well Christ is the good Shepheard Wherein He giues his life but for whom for his sheepe What is this to thee While thou art secure prophane impenitent thou art a Wolfe or a Goat My sheepe heare my voyce what is his voice but his precepts Where is thine obedience to his commandements If thou wilt not heare his Law neuer harken to his Gospell Here is no more mercy for thee than if there were no Sauiour He hath finished for those in whom he hath begunne if thou haue no beginnings of grace as yet hope not for euer finishing of saluation Come to me all ye that are heauy laden saith Christ thou shalt get nothing if thou come when he calls thee not Thou art not called and canst not be refreshed vnlesse thou be laden not with sinne this alone keepes thee away from God but with conscience of sinne A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Is thy heart wounded with thy sinne doth griefe and hatred striue within thee whether shall be more Are the desires of thy soule with God Doest thou long for holinesse complaine of thy imperfections struggle against thy corruptions Thou art the man feare not It is finished That Law which thou wouldest haue kept and couldest not thy Sauiour could and did keepe for thee that saluation which thou couldest neuer worke-out alone alas poore impotent creatures what can we doe towards heauen without him which cannot moue on earth but in him hee alone for thee hath finished Looke vp therefore boldly to the throne of God and vpon the truth of thy repentance and faith know that there is no quarrell against thee in heauen nothing but peace and ioy All is finished He would be spitted on that he might wash thee he would be couered with scornefull robes that thy sinnes might be couered he would bee whipped that thy soule might not be scourged eternally he would thirst that thy soule might be satisfied he would beare all his Fathers wrath that thou mightest beare none he would yeeld to death that
not sustaine vs while we are Away with these weake diffidences and if wee bee Christians trust God with his owne Psal 37.34 Wait thou on the Lord and keepe his wayes and he shall exalt thee He will make all things new And shall all things be made new and our hearts bee old Shall nothing but our soules be out of the fashion Surely beloued none but new hearts are for the new heauens Except we be borne anew we enter not into life All other things shall in the very instant receiue their renouation onely our hearts must bee made new before hand or else they shall neuer be renewed to their glory S. Peter when he had told vs of looking for new heauens and new earth infers this vse vpon it Wherefore beloued seeing yee looke for such things 2 Pet. 3.14 be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Behold the new heauens require pure and spotlesse inhabitants As euer therefore we looke to haue our part in this blessed renouation let vs cast off all our euill and corrupt affections put off the old man with his works and now with the new yeere put on the new labour for a new heart begin a new life That which S. Iohn sayes here that God will say and doe in our entrance to glorification Behold I make all things new 2 Cor. 5.17 out of Esa 43. Saint Paul saith he hath done it already in our regeneration Old things are passed away all things are become new What meanes this but that our regeneration must make way for our glorification and that our glory must but perfect our regeneration and God supposes this is done when there are meanes to doe it Why doe we then still in spight of the Gospell retaine our old corruptions and thinke to goe to the wedding feast in our old clothes if some of vs do not rather as the vulgar reads that Iudg. 10 6. Addere nona veteribus adde new sinnes to our old new oathes new fashions of pride new complements of drunkennesse new deuices of filthinesse new tricks of Machiauelisme these are our nouelties which fetch downe from God new iudgements vpon vs to the tingling of the eares of all hearers and for which Topheth was prepared of old If God haue no better newes for vs we shall neuer enioy the new heauen with him For Gods sake therefore and for our soules sake let vs be wiser and renew our couenant with God and seeing this is a day of gifts let my New-yeeres-gift to you be this holy aduice from God which may make you happy for euer Let your New-yeeres-gift to God be your hearts the best part of your selues the center of your selues to which all our actions are circumferences and if they bee such a present as we haue reason to feare God will not accept because they are sinfull yet if they be humbled if penitent we know he will receiue them Psal 51. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise And if we cannot giue him our hearts yet giue him our desires and he will take our vnworthy hearts from vs I will take the stony hearts out of their bodies Ezec. 11.19 and he will graciously returne an happy New-yeeres-gift to vs Ezec. 11.14 I will put a new spirit within their bowels and will giue them an heart of flesh He will create a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within vs so as he will make a new heauen for vs he will make vs new for this heauen hee will make his Tabernacle in vs that hee may make ours with him Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men c. The superstitious Listrians cryed out amazed that Gods were come downe to them in the likenesse of men but we Christians know that it is no rare thing for God to come and dwell with men Yea are the Temples of the liuing God 2 Cor. 6.16 and I will dwell among them and walke there The faithfull heart of man is the Tabernacle of God But because though God bee euer with vs wee are not alwaies so with him yea whiles wee are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord as S. Paul complaines therefore will God vouchsafe vs a neerer cohabitation that shall not be capable of any interposition of any absence Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men But besides this Tabernacle of flesh time was when God dwelt in a materiall visible house with men Hee had his Tabernacle first which was a mouing Temple and then his Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 which was a fixed Tabernacle both of them had one measure both one name But as one said vpon that Eze. 42. Mensus est similitudinem domus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that both the Tabernacle and Temple were similitudes of Gods house rather than the house it selfe so say I that they were intended for notable resemblances both of the holy Church of God vpon earth and of the glorious Sanctuarie of heauen This is the true ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of God 1 Pet. 2.5 which word signifieth both a Temple Ezra 4.1 and a Palace Dan. 1.4 because he dwels where he is worshipped and he is magnificent in both It is the materiall Tabernacle which is alluded to the immateriall which is promised A Tabernacle that goes a thousand times more beyond the glittering Temple of Salomon than Salomons Temple went beyond the Tabernacle of Moses Neither let it trouble any man that the name of a Tabernacle implies flitting and vncertaintie For as the Temple howsoeuer it were called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a house of Ages yet lasted not either the first I meane or second vnto 500. yeeres so this house though God call it a Tabernacle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Luke 16.9 yet he makes it an euerlasting habitation for he tels vs that both age and death are gone before it come downe to men But why rather doth the Tabernacle of God descend to men than men ascend to it Whether this be in respect of Iohns vision to whom the new Ierusalem seemed to descend from heauen descendit as one saith innotescendo and therefore it is resembled by all the riches of this inferiour world gold precious stones pearle or whether heauen is therefore said to descend to vs because it meets vs in the aire 1 Thess 4.16 when Christ Iesus attended with innumerable Angels shall descend to fetch his elect or whether this phrase be vsed for a greater expression of loue and mercy since it is more for Prince to come to vs than for vs to goe to his Court. Certainly God meanes only in this to set forth that perpetuall and reciprocall conuersation which hee will haue with men They shall dwell with God God shall dwell with them Our glory begins euer in grace God doth dwell with all those in grace with whom hee will dwell in glory Euery Christian carries in his
and hell whom it is both dishonour and basenesse not to serue Non reputes magnum quod Deoserum sed maximum repata quod ipse dignatur te in se uuÌ assumere sibi Bernard Psal 1.6 Revel vlt. Eccles 10.7 The highest stile that King Dauid could deuise to giue himselfe not in the phrase of a friuolous French complement but in the plaine speech of a true Israelite was Behold I am thy seruant and he that is Lord of many seruants of the Deuill delights to call himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God The Angels of Heauen reioyce to bee our fellowes in this seruice But there cannot bee a greater shame than to see seruants ride on horse-backe and Princes walking as seruants on the ground I meane to see the God of heauen made a lacquey to our vile affections and in the liues of men to see God attend vpon the world Brethren there is seruice enough in the world but it is to a wrong master In mea patria Deus venter as Hierome said Euerie worldling is a Papist in this that hee giues ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seruice In mea n. patria Deus venter est in diem viuitur sanctior est ilic qui diâior est Hier. ad Chrematum to the creature which is the lowest respect that can bee Yea so much more humble than latria as it is more absolute and without respect of recompence Yea I would it were vncharitable to say that many besides the sauages of Calecut place Satan in the throne and God on the foot-stoole For as Witches and Sorcerers conuerse with euill spirits in plausible and familiar formes which in vgly shapes they would abhorre so many a man serues Satan vnder the formes of gold and siluer vnder the images of Saints and lightsome Angels vnder glittering coats or glorious titles or beauteous faces whom they would defie as himselfe And as the free-borne Israelite might become a seruant either by forfaiture vpon trespasse or by sale or by spoile in warre so this accursed seruitude is incurred the same wayes by them which should bee Christians By forfeiture for though the debt and trespasse bee to God yet tradet lictori hee shall deliuer the debtor to the Iaylor By sale Matth. 18.34 1 King 21.20 as Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse sold vnder sinne saith the Apostle By spoyle beware lest any man make a spoyle of you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Paul to his Colossians Alas Col. 2.8 what a miserable change doe these men make to leaue the liuing God which is so bountifull that he rewards a cup of cold water with eternall glory to serue him that hath nothing to giue but his bate wages and what wages The wages of sinne is death And what death not the death of the bodie in the seuering of the soule but the death of the soule in the separation from God there is not so much difference betwixt life and death as there is betwixt the first death and the second Oh wofull wages of a desperate worke Well were these men if they might goe vnpaid and serue for nothing but as the mercy of God will not let any of our poore seruices to him goe vnrewarded so will not his iustice suffer the contrary seruice goe vnpaid 1 Thess 1.8 in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and those that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Beloued as that worthy Bishop said on his death-bed we are happy in this Ambrose that wee serue a good Master how happy shall it be for vs if we shall doe him good seruice that in the day of our account we may heare Euge serue bone well done good seruant enter into thy masters ioy Now he that prescribes the act seruice must also prescribe the manner Truly totally God cannot abide we should serue him with a double heart an heart an heart that is hypocritically Neither that we should serue him with a false heart that is niggardly and vnwillingly but against doubling he will be serued in truth and against haluing he will be serued with all the heart To serue God and not in truth is mockerie To serue him truly and not with the whole heart is a base dodging with God This ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã eye-seruice is a fault with men but let vs serue God but while hee sees vs it is enough Behold hee sees vs euery where If hee did not see our heart it were enough to serue him in the face and if the heart were not his Epist 108. QuidaÌ veniunt vt audiam non vt discant Aliqui cum pugillaribus veniunt non vt res excipiant sed verba it were too much to giue him a part of it but now that he made this whole heart of ours it is reason hee should be serued with it and now that he sees the inside of the heart it is madnesse not to serue him in truth Those serue God not in truth which as Seneca saies of some auditors come to heare not to learne which bring their tablets to write words not their hearts for the finger of God to write in Whose eyes are on their Bible whiles their heart is on their Count-booke which can play the Saints in the Church Ruffians in the tauerne Tyrants in their houses Cheators in their shops those Dames which vnder a cloke of modestie and deuotion hide nothing but pride and fiendishnesse Those serue God not with all their heart whose bosome is like Rachels tent that hath Teraphim Idols hid in the straw or rather like a Philistims Temple that hath the Arke and Dagon vnder one roofe That come in euer with Naamans exceptiues Onely in this Those that haue let downe the world like the spies into the bottome of the well of their heart and couer the mouth of it with wheat I meane that hide great oppressions with the shew of small beneficences Those which like Salomons false Curtizan crie Diuidatur and are willing to share themselues betwixt God and the world And certainly this is a noble policie of the Deuill because he knowes hee hath no right to the heart hee can be glad of any corner but withall he knowes that if he haue any he hath all for where he hath any part God will haue none This base-mindednesse is fit for that euill one God will haue all or nothing It was an heroicall answer Theod. l. 4. c. 4. that Theodoret reports of Valentinian whom when the souldiers had chosen to bee Emperour they were consulting to haue another ioyned with him No my souldiers said he it was in your power to giue me the Empire while I had it not but now when I haue it it is not in your power to giue me a partner We our selues say The bed and the throne can abide no riuals May wee not well say of the heart as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one Alas
this day wherein religion is not onely warmed but locked in her seat so fast that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it There haue beene Princes and that in this land which as the heathen Politician compared his Tyrant haue beene like to ill Physitians that haue purged away the good humors and left the bad behind them with whom any thing hath bin lawful but to be religious Some of your gray haires can be my witnesses Behold the euils we haue escaped shew vs our blessings Here hath bin no dragging out of houses no hiding of Bibles no creeping into woods no Bonnering or Butchering of Gods Saints no rotting in dungeons no casting of infants out of the mothers belly into the mothers flames nothing but Gods truth abundantly preached cheerefully professed incouraged rewarded What nation vnder heauen yeelds so many learned Diuines What times euer yeelded so many preaching Bishops When was this City the City of our ioy euer so happy this way as in these late successions Whither can we ascribe this health of the Church and life of the Gospell but next to God to His example His countenance His endeuours Wherein I may not omit how right he hath trod in the steps of that blessed Constantine in al his religious proceedings Let vs in one word parallel them Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 36. Constantine caused fifty Volumes of the Scriptures to bee faire written out in parchment for the vse of the Church Lib. 3.61.62 King Iames hath caused the Bookes of Scriptures to bee accurately translated and published by thousands Constantine made a zealous edict against Nouatians Valentinians Marcionites King Iames Lib. 3.63 besides his powerfull proclamations and soueraigne lawes hath effectually written against Popery and Vorstianisme Constantine tooke away the liberty of the meetings of Heretickes King Iames hath by wholesome lawes inhibited the assemblies of Papists and schismatickes Constantine sate in the middest of Bishops Lib. 1. c. 37. In media istorum frequentia ac congressu adesse vna considere non dedâgnatus Basil dor as if hee had beene one of them King Iames besides his solemne conferences vouchsafes not seldome to spend his meales in discourse with his Bishops and other worthy Diuines Constantine charged his sonnes vt planè sine fuco Christiani essent that they should be Christians in earnest King Iames hath done the like in learned and diuine precepts which shall liue till time bee no more Yea in their very coynes is a resemblance Constantine had his picture stampt vpon his mettals praying Lib. 4.15 King Iames hath his picture with prayer about it O Lord protect the kingdomes which thou hast vnited Lastly Constantine built Churches one in Ierusalem another in Nicomedia Lib. 3.43 King Iames hath founded one Colledge which shall helpe to build and confirme the whole Church of God vpon earth Yee wealthy Citizens that loue Ierusalem cast in your store after this royall example into the Sanctuary of God and whiles you make the Church of God happy make your selues so Brethren if wee haue any relish of Christ any sense of heauen let vs blesse God for the life of our soule the Gospell and for the spirit of this life his Anointed But where had beene our peace or this freedome of the Gospell without our deliuerance and where had our deliuerance beene without him As it was reported of the Oake of Mamre that all religions rendred their yeerely worship there Socr. l. 2. c. 3. The Iewes because of Abraham their Patriarch the Gentile because of the Angels that appeared there to Abraham The Christians because of Christ that was there seene of Abraham with the Angels So was there to King Iames in his first beginnings a confluence of all sects with papers in their hands and as it was best for them with a Rogamus Domine non pugnamus like the subiects of Theodosius Ribera in prophet min. ex Ioseph Antiq. lib. 9 vlt. â mritam Iudaeos cognatos appellari soliti quamdiu illis bene erat At vbi contra c. 1 King 12. Flectâre si nequco c. But our cozens of Samaria when they saw that Salomons yoke would not bee lightned soone flew off in a rage What portion haue wee in Dauid And now those which had so oft looke vp to Heauen in vaine resolue to dig downe to Heli for aid Satan himselfe met them and offered for sauing of their labour to bring Hell vp to them What a world of sulphur had hee prouided against that day What a brewing of death was tunned vp in those vessels The murderous Pioners laught at the close felicity of their proiect and now before-hand seemed in conceit to haue heard the cracke of this hellish thunder and to see the mangled carcasses of the Heretickes flying vp so suddenly that their soules must needs goe vpward towards their perdition their streets strewed with legges and armes and the stones braining as many in their fall as they blew vp in their rise Remember the Children of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Psal 117.7 Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall hee bee that serueth thee as thou wouldest haue serued vs. But hee that sits in Heauen laught as fast at them to see their presumption that would bee sending vp bodies to heauen before the resurrection and preferring companions to Elias in a fiery Chariot and said vt quid fremuerunt Consider now how great things the Lord hath done for vs The snare is broken and wee are deliuered But how As that learned Bishop well applied Salomon to this purpose Diuinatio in labijs Regis Pro. 16.10 B. Barlow p. 350 If there had not beene a diuination in the lips of the King wee had beene all in iawes of death Vnder his shadow wee are preserued aliue as Ieremie speaketh It is true God could haue done it by other meanes but hee would doe it by this that wee might owe the being of our liues to him of whom wee held our well-being before Oh praised be the God of heauen for our deliuerance Praised bee God for his anointed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Suet. by whom wee are deliuered Yea how should wee call to our fellow creatures the Angels Saints heauens elements meteors mountaines beasts trees to helpe vs praise the Lord for this mercy Addit neque me liberosque meos cariores habebo quam Caium eius sorores Clodoneus Otho Fris l. 4. c. 32. Clodoucus Otho Fris l. 4. c. 31. And as the oath of the Romane souldiers ranne how deare and precious should the life of Caesar bee to vs aboue all earthly things how should wee hate the base vnthankfulnesse of those men which can say of him as one said of his Saint Martin Martinus bonus in auxilio charus in negotio who whiles they
it at any price At no price sell it It is the fauour of God that it may be bought for any rate It is the Iustice of God that vpon any rate it should not bee sold As buying and selling are opposites in relation So that for which wee must not sell Truth is opposite to that for which we may buy it We must buy it with labour therefore we may not sell it for ease If need be we must buy it with losse therefore we may not sell it for gaine we must buy it with disgrace we may not sell it for honour we must buy it with exile or imprisonment we may not sell it for libertie we must buy it with paine we may not sell it for pleasure We must buy it with death wee may not sell it for life Not for any not for all of these may we sell Truth this were damnosa mercatio as Chrysostome In euery bargaine and sale there must be a proportion now ease gaine honour liberty pleasure life yea worlds of all these are no way counteruailable to Truth For what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and leese his owne soule And hee cannot sell Truth but his soule is lost And if any thing in the world may seeme a due price of Truth it is Peace Oh sweet and deare name of Peace the good newes of Angels the ioy of good men who can but affect thee who can but magnifie thee The God of heauen before whom I stand from whom I speake knowes how oft how deeply I haue mourned for the diuisions of his Church how earnestly I haue set my hand on worke vpon such poore thoughts of reunion as my meannesse could reach but when all is done I still found we may not offer to sell Truth for Peace It is true that there be some Scholasticall and immateriall Truths the infinite subdiuision whereof haue rather troubled than informed Christendome which for the purchase of peace might bee kept in and returned into such safe generalities as minds not vnreasonable might rest in but sold out they may not be If some Truths may be contracted into a narrower roome none may be contracted for Qui diuinis innutriti sunt eloquijs as that Father said Those that are trained vp in diuine truths may not change a syllable for a world Tene quod habes Hold that thou hast is a good rule in all things which if in temporalities it were well obserued we should not haue so many gallants squander away their inheritances to liue Cameleon-like vpon the ayre of fauour But how euer this be too wel obserued in these earthly things by frugall hands which take as if they were quicke hold as if they were dead yet in spiritual graces it can neuer be obserued enough we get Truth we buy it as Iacob did his birth-right to keepe to enioy not to sell againe If therefore the world if Satan shal offer to grease vs in the fist for truth let vs answer him as Simon Peter did Simon the Sorcerer Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought the Truth of God may be purchased with mony What shall we say then to those pedling petty-chapmen which wee meet withall in euery market that will be bartring away the truth of God for trifles Surely the forme of our spirituall market is contrary to the ciuill In our ciuill markets there are more buyers than sellers there would be but poore takings if many did not buy of one but in the spirituall there are more Sellers of Truth than Buyers Many a one sels that he neuer had that he should haue had the Truth of God Here one chops away the Truth for Feare or ambition There another lets it goe for the old shooes of a Gebeonitish pretence of Antiquitie Here one parts with it for a painted gilded hobby-horse of an outwardly pompous magnificence of the Church there another for the bables of childish superstition One for the fancies of hope another for the breath of a colloguing Impostor Amongst them all Diminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum Psal 12. Truth is failed from the children of men Yea as Esay complained in his time Corruit in platea veritas Esa 59.14 Truth is fallen in the streets What a shame it is to see that in this cleere and glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell vnder the pious gouernment of the true Defender of the Faith there should not want some soules that should trucke for the truth of God as if it were some Cheapside or some Smithfield-Commoditie Commutauerunt veritatem Dei They haue changed the Truth of God into a lie Rom. 1.25 And all their care is that they may be deceiued good cheape Whose heart cannot bleed to see so many well-rigg'd and hopefull Barkes of our yong Gentry laden with the most precious merchandises of Nature and Grace hall'd in euery day to these deceitfull Ports of Error the owners partly cheated partly robbed of Truth despoiled of their rich fraight and at last turn'd ouer-boord into a sea of Desperation Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey that ye should not hold fast the Truth Where shall I lay the fault of this miscariage Me thinkes I could aske the Disciples question Nunquid ego Domine Is it we Lord Are there of vs that preach our selues and not Christ Are there that preach Christ and liue him not Woe to the world because of offences It must needs bee that offences should come but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth God forbid that we should be so bad that the seuen hils should not iustifie vs But what euer we be the Truth is still euer it selfe neither the better for our innocence nor worse for our guilt If men be faultie what hath Truth offended Except the sacred word of the Euer-liuing God can mis-guide you we haue set you right We are but Dust and Ashes yet O God giue vs thine humble vassals leaue in an awfull confidence so far to contest with thee the Lord of heauen and earth as to say If we be deceiued thou hast deceiued vs. It is thou that hast spoken by vs to thy people Let God be True and euery man a Lier Whither should we goe from thee Thou hast the words of eternall life Deare Christians our fore-fathers transmitted to vs the intire inheritance of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ repurchased by the bloud of their martyrdome Oh let not our ill husbandry impaire it Let not posterity once say they might haue beene happy but for the vnthriftinesse of vs their progenitors Let it not be said that the coldnesse of vs the Teachers and professors of Truth hath dealt with Religion as Rehoboham did with his shields which he found of Gold but lest of Brasse If Truth had no friends we should plead for it but now that we haue before our eyes so powerfull an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of Christian faith that
with his verie pen hath so laid error vpon the backe that all the world cannot raise it what a shame were it to be wanting to him to Truth to our selues But perhaps now I know some of your thoughts you would buy Truth ye thinke you would hold it if ye could be sure to know it There are many slips amongst the true coyne Either of the mothers pleaded the liuing childe to be hers with equall protestations oathes teares True yet a Salomons sword can diuide Truth from falshood and there is a test and fire that can discerne true metals from adulterate In spight of all counterfeiting there are certaine infallible marks to know Truth from Error Take but a few of many whether in the originals in the natures in the ends of both In the first Truth is diuine Error is humane what is grounded vpon the diuine word must needs be irrefragably true that which vpon humane Traditions either must or may be erroneous In the second Truth is one conforme euer to it selfe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as one said Omne verum omni vero consonat All Truth accords with euery Truth as Gerson and as it is pure so peaceable Error is full of dissonance of cruelty No particulars of ours dissent from the written verity of God We teach no man to equiuocate Our practise is not bloudy with treasons and massacres In the third Truth as it came from God so is referd to him neither hath any other end than the glory of the God of Truth Error hath euer some selfe-respects either ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã filthy lucre or vaine-glory profit or pride We doe not pranke vp nature we aime not either to fill the cofers or feed the ambition of men Let your Wisdomes apply and inferre and now if ye can shut your eyes that you should not see the Truth and if ye care not for your soules when ye see it sell it Let no false tongue perswade you there is no danger in this sale How charitably so euer we thinke of poore blinded soules that liue in the forced and inuincible darknesse of error certainly Apostasie is deadly How euer those speed that are robbed of Truth you cannot sell Truth and be saued Haue mercy therefore on your own soules for their sakes for the sake of him that bought them with the deare ransome of his precious bloud And as God hath blessed you with the inualuable treasure of Truth so hoard it vp in your hearts and menage it in your liues Oh let vs be Gens iusta custodiens veritatem Esa 26. A iust nation keeping fast the Truth So whiles ye keepe the Truth the Truth shall keepe you both in Life in Death in Iudgment In life vnto death in death and iudgement vnto the consummation of that endlesse and incomprehensible glory which the God of Truth hath prepared for them that ouercome To the happy possession whereof he that hath ordained in his good time as mercifully bring vs and that for the sake of the Son of his Loue Iesus Christ the Righteous To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and glory now and for euer Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT THE RECONCILEMENT OF THE HAPPILY-RESTORED and reedified Chapell of the Right Honourable the Earle of EXCETER in his House of S. IOHNS ON SAINT STEPHENS DAY 1623. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for GEORGE WINDER and are to be sold at his shop in Saint DVNSTONS Church-yard 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD Lady the Lady ELIzABETH Countesse of Exceter RIght Honourable this poore Sermon both preached and penned at your motion that is to mee your command now presents it selfe to your hand and craueth a place though vnworthy in your Cabinet yea in your heart That holy zeale which desired it will also improue it The God whom your Ladiship hath thus honoured in the care and cost of his House will not faile to honour you in yours For me your Honour may iustly challenge mee on both sides both by the Druryes in the right of the first Patronage and by the Cecils in the right of my succeeding deuotions Jn either and both that little J haue or am is sincerely at your Ladiships seruice as whom you haue merited to be Your Honours in all true obseruance and duty IOS HALL A SERMON PREACHED AT THE REEDIFIED CHAPEL OF THE RIGHT HONOVRAble Earle of Exceter in his House of Saint Iohns HAGGAI 2.9 The glory of the latter house shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord of Hosts AS we haue houses of our owne so God hath his yea as great men haue more houses than one so hath the great God of Heauen much more more both in succession as here the latter house and the first and in varietie He hath an house of flesh Ye are the Temples of the liuing God An house of stone Salomon shall build me an house An house immateriall in the Heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 Wherfore then hath God an house Wherefore haue we ours but to dwell in But doth not he himselfe tell Dauid and so doth Stephen the Protomartyr vpon whose day we are falne tell the Iewes that He dwels not in Temples made with hands True He dwels not in his House as we in ours by way of comprehension he dwels in it by testification of presence So doe we dwell in our houses that our houses containe vs that we are only within them and they without vs. So doth he dwel in his that yet he is elsewhere yea euery where that his house is within him Shortly God dwels where he witnesses his gracious presence that because he doth both in the Empyreall heauen amongst his Angels and Saints and in his Church vpon earth therefore his dwelling is both in the highest Heauen in perfect glory and on Earth in the hearts and assembly of his children As of the former our Sauiour saith In domo Patris mei In my Fathers house are many Mansions So also may we say of the latter There is much variety and choice in it There was the Church of the Iewes the Church of the Gentiles There is a materiall and a spirituall house In the one Salomons Zorobabels such piles as this In the other so much multiplicity as there are Nations yea Congregations that professe the Name of Christ One of these was a figure of the other the Materiall vnder the Law of the Spirituall vnder the Gospell Yee see now the first house and the latter the subiect of our Text and discourse The latter commended to vs comparatiuely positiuely Comparatiuely with the former Maior gloria Positiuely in it selfe In this place will I giue peace Both set out by the stile of the promiser and a vower saith the Lord of Hosts All which challenge your
it is vncapable either of sinne or pardon To lie vnburied or to be buried vnseemly is so much a punishment that the Heathens obiected it though vpon the hauocke and fury of Warre to the Christians as an argument of Gods neglect All that Authoritie can doe to the dead Rebell is to put his carcasse to shame and deny him the honour of seemely sepulture Thus doth the Church to those that will die in wilfull contempt Those Grecian virgins that feared not death Aug. de Ciu. l. 2. Athenienses decreuerunt ne siquis se interfecisset sepeliretur in agro attico c. were yet refrained with the feare of shame ââter death it was a reall not imaginary curse of Iezabel The dogs shall eat Iezabel Now the absolution as you call it by an vnproper but malicious name is nothing else but a liberty giuen by the Church vpon repentance signified of the fault of the late offender of all those externall Rites of decent Funerall Death it selfe is capable of inequality and vnseemelinesse Suppose a iust Excommunication What reason is it that he which in his life and death would be as a Pagan should be as a Christiaâ in his buriall What is any or all this to Purgatory The next intimation of our Purgatory is our Christian buriall in the place in the manner The place holy ground the Church Churchyard c. The manner Ringing Singing Praying ouer the corps Thus therefore you argue We bury the body in the Church or Churchyard c. therefore we hold a Purgatory of the Soule a proofe not lesse strange than the opinion We doe neither scorne the carcasses of our friends as the old Troglodites nor with the old Aegyptians respect them more than when they were enformed with a liuing soule but we keepe a meane course betwixt both vsing them as the remainders of dead men Sleeping-places Coemiteria Euseb l. 7. c. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Splendidissimae sepulturae tradidit Eus l. 7. c. 15 Curatio funeris conditio sepulturae pâânpa exequiarum magis sunt viuârum solatia quam subsidia mortuorum Aug. de ciuit l. 1. c. 12. Si enim paterna vestis annulus tanto charaest posteris nullo modo ipsa spernenda sunt corpora Aug. de Ciu. l. 1. c. 13. Orig. cont Cels l. 8. Rationalem animam honorare didicimus c. yet as dead Christians and as those which we hope one day to see glorious We haue learned to call no place holy in it selfe since the Temple but some more holy in their vse than others The old ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Christians wherein their bodies slept in peace were not lesse esteemed of them than they are scorned of you Galienus thought he did them a great fauour and so they tooke it when he gaue them the liberty not only of their Churches but of their former burying places In the same booke Eusebius commends Astirius a noble Senator for his care and cost of Marinus his buriall Of all these rites of Funerall and choice of place we professe to hold with Augustine that they are onely the comforts of the liuing not helpes of the dead yet as Origen also teacheth vs wee haue learned to honour a reasonable much more a Christian soule and to commit the instrument or case of it honourably to the graue All this might haue taught our Answerer that we make account of an heauen of a resurrection not of a Purgatory But we ring hallowed bells for the Soule Doe not those bells hang in hallowed Steeples too and doe wee not ring them with hallowed ropes what fancie is this If Papists were so fond of old their folly and their belles for the most part are both out of date wee call them soule-belles for that they signifie the departure of the soule not for that they help the passage of the soule This is meere Boyes-play But we pray ouer or for the dead Doe we not sing to him also Pardon me I must needâ tell you here is much spite and little wit To pray for the confââmation of the glory of all Gods elect What is it but Thy kingdome come How vainly doe you seeke a knot in a rush while you cauill at so holy a Petition Goe and learne how much better it is to call them our Brothers which are not in an harmelesse ouer-weening and ouer-hoping of charity than to call them no brothers which are in a proud censorious vncharitablenes you cannot be content to tell an vntruth but you must face it out Let any Reader iudge how farre our practice in this dissented from our doctrine would to God in nothing more Yes saith this good friend in the most other things our words professe our deeds denie at once you make vs hypocrites and your selues Pharises Let all the world know that the English Church at Amsterdam professeth nothing which it practiseth not we may not be so holy or so happy Generality is a notable shelter of vntruth Many mo you say Popish deuices yet name none No you cannot Aduanced aboue all that is called God surely this is a paradoxe of slanders you meant at once to shame vs with falshood and to appose vs with Riddles we say to the Highest Whom haue we in Heauen but thee and for earth your selfe haue granted we giue too much to Princes which are earthen Gods may come vnder Pauls ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Either name our Deitie or craue mercie for your wrong certainly though you haue not remorse yet you shall haue shame SEP You are far from doing to the Romish Idols as was done to the Aegyptian Idols MITHââ and SERAPIS whose Priests were expelled their Ministerie and Monuments exposeâââ vtter scorne and desolation their Temples demolished and raced to the very foundation SECTION XLV The Churches still retained in England Socrat. Hist Ec. l. 5. c. 16.17 Bed hist Eccl. l. 1. Cit. Gregor Ep. Aug. suo c. 30. Edilâârto regi c. 32. Contra sibi c. Sed Haereticorum templa veââata à Constantinâ Eused l. 3. c. 63. THE Maiestie of Romish Petti-gods I truely told you was long agone with Mithra and Serapis exposed to the laughter of the vulgar you straine the comparison too farre yet we follow you Their Priests were expelled for as your Doctor yeeldeth other Actors came vpon the same stage others in religion else it had beene no change Their Ministerie and Monuments exposed to vtter scornâ Their Masses their oblations their adorations their invocations their anoylings their exorcizings their sârift their absolutions their Images Rood-lofts and whatsoeuer else of this kinde But the Temples of those olde Heathens were demolished and razâd Here is the quarrell ours stand still in their proud Maiestie Can you see no difference betwixt our Churches and their Temples Aug. de Ciuit. l. 8 c. 27. Hoâker 5. b. c. 13. Id. Aug. coner Maximin Arrian Nonne si templum c. Optat. MileuitaÌ l.
defiance which proclaimes warre with God And I would to God that peace which Rome either can performe or dare promise were of any better of any other nature Well then Let it bee our present taske carefully to discusse Saint Pauls condition of Possibility and to teach how vaine it is to hope that a true holy and safe peace can be either had or maintained with our present Romanists whether we regard the auerse and stubborne disposition of the one side or the nature of the matters controuerted or lastly the impossibilitie of those meanes whereby any reconciliation may bee wrought These three shall be the limits wherein this our not vnprofitable nor yet vnseasonable worke shall suffer it selfe to be bounded SECT III. The obstinate and aduerse disposition of the Romanists AND as for the first I suppose we need not labour much Indeed God can easily make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lodge with the Kid. Esa 11.6 How easie is it for him so to soften the adamantine hearts of men by bathing them in the bloud of that immaculate Lambe that they should melt into pure loue but as the times now are it would be no lesse miraculous to finde a Popish heart truly charitable to vs than to see the Lions fawning vpon Daniel Euen where there is strife about indifferent things there is necessarily required a conspiring of the minds of them which would be reconciled neither is it enough that one side is content together with armes to lay downe hatred and how will our Romanists endure this Surely that hatred of Eteocles to his brother or that of Vatinius is but meere loue to this of Papists Sacr. Cere l. 1. Alas when and where are wee not spet vpon as the most desperately hereticall enemies of the Church Rome admits Iewes into her bosome from whose hands their Popes holinesse disdains not to receiue the booke of the Law of God Socr. l 7. c. 3. but Protestants she may not endure That which Socrates complaines as iniuriously done by Theodosius a Grecian Bishop against the very Macedonian Heretikes is daily done by them against vs No Arrians no Circumcellion heretikes were euer more cruell Bellar. de notis Eccles l. 4. c. 9. Nota Sexta sic accus Luth. Cal. Brent Bellar. ib. Reipsa Calumistis in Anglia mulier quaedam est summus sacerdos Bellar. Anno â532 Tesle Surio apud Bell. l. 1. de Chro. Ibid. haeres 16. Zuingl Bucer Ibid. Haer. 9. Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 1. sect 7. Aug. Conf. art 7. Ibid. Haeres 8. Luth. art 36. Cal Iust 2. c. 2. Ibid. Heres 10. Haeres 6. cit Cal. Iust 4. c. 19. Quaer reliq Ib. apud Bellar. and these idle Fablers in the meane time slander vs to the world as guiltie of the same outragious proceedings against them What heresie is there in all times which that Romulean Wolfe and her bawling Clients are not wont to cast vpon vs One while wee are the Schollers of Simon Magus because wee doe but once mention Grace and Saluation for what haue wee else to doe with that wicked Sorcerer Another while we are fetcht from the cursed schoole of Eunomius for that we attribute too much to Faith and yet no more than that holy Heretike Saint Paul One while we are Pepuzians that ascribe too much to women then wee are Origenists for holding the Image of God to be defaced in man then contrarily Prâclians for holding the sinne of concupiscence not enough defaced One while we are the followers of Sabellius because I thinke we liued in the same age with Seruetus another while of Eutiches because wee liued in the time of Swinckfeldius for what businesse haue wee euer had else with those branded Heretikes Wee are Pelagians one while for holding the wages of sinne to bee death then wee are Donatists for admitting none but the iust into the Church of the elect sometimes wee are Manichees for denying Free-will straight we are Arrians for refusing traditions then Nouatians for taking away penance another while we are Aerians for reiecting oblations for the dead and fastings then Iouinianists for not allowing a slippery and vanishing Faith the followers of Vigilantius for disclaiming the adoration of reliques of Nestorius for disliking the asseueration of the Sacramentall bread now we are Xenaites for demolishing of Images then we are Lampetians for disallowing the seruitude of idle vowes It matters not whether the foule mouth of that hired strumpet accuse Timotheus the Presbyter or Athanasius the Bishop ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã âânos carpere malorum solatiuÌ est Hier ad Theop. ad ver Io. Hier. Quotidiana fornax nostra aduersariorum lingua Aug. Confes l. 10 c. 37. And Fricius Modreuâus lib. de emendanda rep Examen pacifique de la doctrina des Huguenots so that some body be smitten It matters not what be spoken so it be malicious That is fully resolued of which Nazianzen hath No man shall hold in the reines of a riotous and lawlesse tongue for as Hierom. saith well it is the pastime of the wicked to slander the good That therefore which was the solemne fashion of the Lindians neuer to do seruice to their Hercules without railing the same is too ordinary with these publike Heralds of our patience Our daily fornace as Austen speakes wittily is our aduersaries tongue How easily might I here vnlode whole carâs of reproches that haue bin heaped together by the scurrilous parasites of Rome What riuers of bloud what bonfires of worthy Saints might I here shew my Reader All these the world knowes and feeles too much And as for those honest and good-natured men which would needs vndertake to be the sticklers of these stripes as Cassander Fricius the Interimists and that namelesse Apologist of the French how ill haue they sped on both parts With whom it hath no otherwise fared me thinkes than with some fond shepheard that thrusts himselfe betwixt two furious Rammes running together in their full strength and abides the shocke of both Neither may it euer succeeded better to these kind Philistims which will be bringing this Arke of God into the house of Dagon And for vs since we must needs be put to it we shall not here as it often falls out in other quarrells striue to our losse Abraham farâd well by the dissensions of Lot all the milke and hony of whole Palestine hereupon befell to him whereof hee should else haue shared but the halfe Doubtlesse these contentions through the goodnesse of God shall enrich vs with a great increase both of Truth and Glory SECTION IV. That the Confession of the same Creed is not with them sufficient for Peace IT is not Cassanders speech onely but euery wise and honest mans Lib. de offic boni vâri that the Creed is the common cognizance of our faith and wee all doe with one voyce willingly professe it Surely Theodoret when be would by a
enmitie But there are some enmities more secret and which doe not outwardly bewray themselues but behold heere is publique resistance ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It is not subiect But perhaps it will once yeeld of it selfe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It cannot Xiphil Epist Dionis sayth the Spirit of God See in how rebellious an estate we are to God What pronenesse is heere to will good what abilitie to performe it Let the Papists if they will sacrifice to themselues as Seianus had wont of old or to their nets as the Prophet speaketh As for vs come what can come vpon our opposition wee neither can nor dare arrogate vnto our selues those things which by an holy reseruation incommunicablenesse are proper onely vnto the Highest It is safe indeed for the Papists when they will to come vp to vs but we cannot goe downe to them without a fearefull precipitation of our soules Consult Cass cit Bonauent in haec verba hoc piaruÌ mentium est vt nil sibi tribuunt c. Let Cassander witnesse this for vs Let Bonauenture himselfe witnes it for him This is the propertie of holy minds to attribute nothing to themselues but all to the grace of God So that how much soeuer a man ascribe to the grace of God hee swarueth not from true pietie though by giuing much to grace hee withdraw something from the power of nature or Free-will but when any thing is withdrawne from the grace of God and ought attributed to nature which is due to grace there may bee great danger to the soule Thus farre those two ingenuous Papists But to inferre wee giue all to grace the Papists something to nature and what they giue to nature we giue to God Therefore we doe and say that which is fit for holy minds they if Bonauenture may be witnesse that which swerues from piety and is ioyned with much danger of their soule SECTION IX Concerning Merits THe foundation of Popish Iustification is the freedome of our will and vpon the walls of Iustification is merit raised wee will haue no quarrell about the word Bucer cit à Cass Cypr. l. 3. ep 20. Prââ Iud. The holy Fathers of old as wee all grant tooke the word in a good sense which the later Diuines haue miserably corrupted About the thing it selfe wee must striue eternally we promise a reward to good workes yea an euerlasting one It is a true word of the Iewes He that labours in the Euen shall eat on the Sabbath Qui laborauit in vespera comedet in Sabbatho Conc. Trident. Orthod expl l. 6. Caiet in Galat. for God hath promised it and will performe who yet crowneth vs in mercy and compassion as the Psalmist speaks not as the Papists in the rigour of iustice not as Andradius according to the due desert of our worke By the free gift of God and not our merits as Caietan wisely and worthily Or if any man like that word better God doth it in Iustice but in respect of his owne promise not the very dignity of our workes That a iust mans worke in the truth of the thing it selfe is of a value worthy of the reward of heauen which industrious and learned Morton cites out of the English Professor of Dowây and hath a meet proportion both of equality and dignity Weston de Tripl hom off l. 2. Vid. protest Appeal lib. 2. c. 11. Tom. 1. in Th. 3. d. 11. to the recompence of eternall life as Pererius and that in it selfe without any respect of the merits and death of Christ which Suarez and Bajus shamed not to write seemes iustly to vs little lesse than blasphemie But say our moderate Papists CHRIST hath merited this merit of ours neither can any other workes challenge this to themselues but those which are done in GOD as Andradius speaks but those which are dipped and dyed in the bloud of CHRIST as our later Papists elegantly and emphatically speake But what is this but to coozen the world and to cast a mist before the eyes of the vnskilfull Our sinnes are dyed in the bloud of CHRIST not our merits Or if they also Hath CHRIST then deserued that our workes should bee perfect How comes it about that the workes of the best men are so lame and defectiue Hath he deserued that though they bee imperfect yet they might merit What iniurie is this to God what contradiction of termes Behold now so many Sauiours as good men what I doe is mine what I merit is mine whosoeuer giues me either to do or to merit Whosoeuer rides on a lame horse cannot but moue vn-euenly vneasily vncertainly what insolent ouer-weeners of their owne workes are these Papists which proclaime the actions which proceed from themselues worthy of no lesse than heauen To whom wee may iustly say as Constantine said to Acesius the Novatian Set vp ladders O yee Papists and clime vp to heauen alone Socr. l. 1. c. 7. Erigââ vobis scalus c. Homo iustus ãâã c. Who can abide that noted speech of Bellarmine A iust man hath by a double title right to the same glory one by the merits of CHRIST imparted to him by grace another by his owne merits contrary to that of the Spirit of God The wages of sinne is death but The gift of God is eternall life vpon which words another Cardinall Caietan speakes in a holier fashion thus He doth not say that the wages of our righteousnesse is eternall life but The gift of God is eternall life that wee may vnderstand and learne that we attaine eternall life not by our owne merits but by the free gift of God for which cause also he addes By Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. fin Behold the merit behold the righteousnesse whose wages is eternall life but to vs in respect of IESVS CHRIST it is a free gift Thus Caietan Caiet Cââ in Rom. 6. What could either Luther or Caluin or any Protestant say more plainly How imperfect doth the Scripture euery where proclaime both Gods graces in vs and our workes to him and though the graces of God were absolutely perfect yet they are not ours if our workes were so yet they are formerly due And if they be due to God what recompence of transcendent glory is due to vs Behold wee are both seruants and vnprofitable Not worthy saith God worthy and more say the Papists Ephess 2. By grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues saith God By grace indeed but yet of our selues say the Papists What insolencie is this Let our Monkes now goe and professe wilfull pouertie whiles Ezekiah did neuer so boast of his heaps of treasure as these of their spirituall wealth Hier. Epitaph Fabiolae Hierome said truely It is more hard to bee stripped of our pride than of our Gold and Iewels for euen when those outward ornaments are gone many times these inward rags swell vp the soule
with you also from him Doe not talke and purpose and proiect but execute Doe not so doe good that wee may thanke your death-bed for it and not you Late beneficence is better then none but so much as early beneficence is better then late Hee that giues not till hee dyes shewes that hee would not giue if hee could keepe it And God loues a cheerfull giuer That which you giue thus you giue it by your Testament I can scarce say you giue it by your will The good mans praise is Dispersit dedit he disperses his goods not he left them behind him and his distribution is seconded with the retribution of God His righteousnesse endureth for euer Psalme 112.9 Our Sauiour tells vs that our good works are our light Let your light so shine that men may see your good workes which of you lets his light go behinde him and hath it not rather caried before him that he may see which way it goes and which way himselfe goes by it Doe good therefore in your life that you may haue comfort in your death and a Crowne of life after death Now all this haue I spoken not for that I haue ought as S. Paul sayes whereof to accuse my Nation Blessed be God as good workes haue abounded in this age so this place hath superabounded in good workes Bee it spoken to the glory of that God whose all our good works are to the honour of the Gospell to the conuiction of that lewd slander of Solifidianisme London shall vye good workes with any City vpon earth This day and your eares are abundant witnesses As those therefore that by an handfull ghesse at the whole sacke it may please you by this yeeres Briefe to iudge of the rest Wherein I doe not feare lest Enuie it selfe shall accuse vs of a vaine-glorious ostentation Those obstreperous benefactors that like to Hens which cannot lay an egge but they must cackle straight giue no almes but with trumpets lose their thankes with God Almes should be like oyle which though it swimme aloft when it is falne yet makes no noise in the falling not like water that still sounds where it lights But howsoeuer priuate beneficence should not be acquainted with both the hands of the giuer but silently expect the reward of him that seeth in secret yet God should bee a great loser if the publike fruits of charity should bee smothered in a modest secrecy To the praise therefore of that good God which giues vs to giue and rewards vs for giuing to the example of posterity to the honor of our Profession to the incouragement of the wel-deseruing and to the shame of our malicious aduersaries heare what this yeare hath brought forth Here followeth a briefe memoriall of the charitable acts of the City this yeere last past c. And if the season had not hindered your eyes should haue seconded your eares in the comfortable testimonie of this beneficence Euge c. Well done good and faithfull seruants Thus should your Profession bee graced thus should the incense of your almes ascend in pillers of holy smoke into the nostrils of God thus should your talents bee turned into Cities This colour is no other then celestiall and so shall your reward be Thus should the foundation be laid of that building whose wals reach vp vnto heauen whose roofe is finished and laid on in the heauen of heauens in that immortalitie of glory which the God of all glory peace and comfort hath prouided for all that loue him Vnto the participation whereof the same God of ours mercifully bring vs through the Sonne of his loue Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost one infinite and incomprehensible God be giuen all praise honour and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS THE HONOVR OF THE MARIED CLERGIE MAINTAINED AGAINST THE MALICIOVS CHALLENGES of C.E. Masse-Priest OR THE APOLOGIE WRITTEN SOME yeares since for the Mariage of persons Ecclesiasticall made good against the Cauils of C. E. Pseudo-Catholike Priest Jn three Bookes BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD AND MY MOST HONORED Lord GEORGE Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuy Councell MOST REVEREND FATHER and no lesse honored Lord IT was my desire and hope to spend the residue of my Time and thoughts in sweet and sacred Contemplation Satan enuying me this happinesse interrupts me by the malice of an importunate Aduersarie Twelue yeares agoe I wrote a little Apologeticall Letter for the Mariage of persons Ecclesiasticall and now thus late when I had almost forgot that I had written it a moody Masse-priest drops out a tedious and virulent Refutation thorow my sides striking at the most Honorable and flourishing Clergie of the whole Christian world labouring not so much for my disgrace what would that auaile him as the dishonour and scorne of our holy Profession in the eyes of our people I could contemne it in silence if the Quarrell were onely mine Now my wrong cannot be distinguished from thousands God and his Church are ingaged in this cause which in my foile could not but sustaine losse neither may I be now silent with safetie without misconstruction Let this hand and Tongue bee no longer mine then they may serue my Master in Heauen and his Spouse on Earth That which I wrote in some three houres he hath answered in three quaternions of yeares and what I vvrote in three leaues hee hath answered in no fewer Pages then 380. Should I follow him in this proportion hee might after some Centuries of yeares expect an answer in Tostatus-hydes whose first word should be Quis legit haec Or if my patience would delay my Reply to the iust paces of his Answer this Volume of his vvould perhaps bee vanished into Grocers shops for waste Paper in thuris piperisue cucullos and vvould no more need answer then now it deserueth one But hearing of the insultation of some Popishly affected who gloried and triumphed in this ACHILLES pro Catholicis I addressed my selfe to the Worke vvith no little indignation and no lesse speed That my selfe-conceited Aduersarie and his seduced abettors may see how little a well-ordered Mariage is guilty of deadding our spirits or slacking our hands At the beginning of this Summers Progresse when it pleased his sacred Maiestie to take notice of this sorie Libell and to question vvith me concerning it I had not so much as read it ouer so newly vvas it come to my hands ere his happy returne be it spoken to the onely glory of him that inabled me I had not only finished this Answer but twice written it ouer with my owne hand and yet made this but the recreation of the weightier businesse of my Calling which now did more then ordinarily vrgeme It was my purpose to haue answered as beseemeth the person
death yet both then and before his mariage he would take it in great scorne as well he might to bee suspected for dishonest True and might defie Men and Deuils in that Challenge What of this It followes then If Master Hall could for so long together liue a chaste life why no more Why not alwayes Demonstratiuely concluded As if a man should say C. E. doth speake some wise words how can hee at any time write thus foolishly A Christian hath sometime grace to auoyd a Temptation why not alwayes Why doth he not keepe himselfe euer from sinning A good Swimmer may hold his breath vnder the water for some portion of a Minute why not for an houre why not for more A deuour Papist may fast after his Breake-fast till his Dinner in the afternoone therefore why not a Weeke why not a Moneth why not so long as Eue the Maid of Meurs The Spirit of God if at least he may bee allowed for the Author of Continencie breatheth where and when he listeth and that God which makes Mariages in Heauen either auerts the heart from these thoughts or inclines it at his pleasure Shortly The great Doctor of the Gentiles had neuer learned this Diuinity of Doway whose charge is e e 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except with consent for a season that yee may giue your selues to Fasting and Prayer And againe Come together that Satan tempt you not through your incontinency He onely wanted my Monitor to jogge him on the Elbow as here What needs all this fleshlinesse if they can safely containe whiles they giue themselues to extraordinarie deuotion Why not more Why not alwayes It is pitie Refut p 65. that no man would aduise the Apostle how great a gap this Doctrine of his opens to all lasciuiousnesse Let me but haue leaue to put Saint Pauls Name in stead of mine into this challenge of my Refuter and thus he argues If S. Paul say that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for awhile they are able to liue chaste but not for any long while I aske againe How long that while shall endure Refut p. 65. and what warrant they haue therein for not falling seeing it may so fall out that in the while appointed they may bee more tempted then they shall bee againe in all their liues after How sawcy would this Sophistrie be how shamelesse The words are his onely the Name is changed what the elect Vessell would answer in such a case for himselfe let C. E. suppose returned by mee SECT XIII THe Refuter hath borrowed some Weapons of his Master Bellarmine and knowes not how to weare them It would moue any mans disdaine to see how absurdly those poore Arguments are blundred together We must distinguish them as we may First Saint Paul condemnes the yong Widowes mentioned Refut p. 63. therefore hee ouerthrowes this impossibilitie of containing I answer Saint Paul aduises the yong Widowes to marry and admits none into the Church-booke vnder threescore yeares therefore he establishes in some this impossibilitie Secondly Saint Paul aduises Timothy to liue chaste Reader Refut p. 63. 46. tell him the word is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which their owne vulgar 1. Tit. 8. turnes Sober and in 2. Tit. 5. Prudent But to grant him his owne Phrase Can my Detector descry no difference betwixt Chaste and Single Did he and his Fellowes neuer heare of a coniugall Chastitie So they haue still wont to speake as if Chastitie were onely opposite to Mariage as if no single life could be vnchaste His Espencaeus might haue taught him that Verse in Virgil Casta pudicitiam seruat domus and hee might haue heard of that Roman law of Vestals Castae ex castis purae ex puris sunto yea his Erasmus might haue taught him yet further f f Eras Apol. pro declam Matr. Secundus gradus Virginitatis est Matrimonii casta dilectio Opus Imperf in Matth. Refut p. 64. Ab his duabus Columnis crede mihi difficile duellor Ibid. ex Bernardo C. E. Refut p. 64. E diuerso nihil prohibet in coniugio Virginitati locum esse that euen in Mariage there may be Virginitie Thirdly the Fathers exhort to Virginity especially S. Ambrose and Saint Austin Let him tell this to them that know it not to them that dislike true chastity in Virgins not to them that condemne vnchastnesse in a pretended Virginity To what Vertue do not the Fathers exhort yet neuer supposing them to be within our lure Lastly where is the shame of my Refuter that cites Austin as the Man on whom he depends for his vniuersall possibility of Continency when his own Maldonate professes that S. Austin is the onely enemy to this Doctrine Fourthly Where there is impossibility or necessity there is no sinne no counsell as no man sinnes in not making new Starres in not doing Miracles A stale shift that oft sounded in the eares of Austin and Prosper from their Pelagians The naturall man in this deprauednesse of estate cannot but offend God therefore he sinnes not in sinning Counsell giuen shewes what we should do not what we can g g Aug. l de Nat. Grat c. 43. Iubendo admonet c. saith Austin In commanding he admonisheth vs both to doe what wee can and to aske that which wee cannot doe In Continencie then our indeuour is required for the attaining of that which God will giue vs God neuer imployed vs in making of Starres Though my Refuter is euery day set on greater Worke then making of him that made Starres Lastly it is true there is no sinne in marying there may bee sinne after a vow in not vsing all lawfull meanes of Chastitie The Fathers therefore supposing a h h Post multam deliberationem considerationem c. Basil Refut p. 65. pre-required assurance of the gift and calling of God in those whom mature deliberation and long proofe had couered with the vayle of Virginitie doe iustly both call for their continuance and censure their lapses Fiftly vpon this ground the Father cannot blame his Childe for incontinence To containe implyes impossibilitie Aske him wherefore serues Mariage Yea but to prouide an Husband or a Wife is not a worke of an houres warning in the meane time what shall they doe Sure the man thinkes of those hot Regions of his Religion where they are so sharpe set that they must haue Stewes allowed of one Sexe at least Else what strange violence is this that he conceiues As our Iunius answered his Bellarmine in the like Hic homo sibi videtur agere de equis admissarijs ruentibus in venerem de hippomanc non de hominibus ratione praeditis he speakes as if hee had to doe with Stallions not with Men not with Christians amongst whom is to bee supposed a decent order and due regard of seasonablenesse and expediency A doughty Argument Marg. of the Refut p. 65. wherewith Master Hall is sore
Cain the death of one Abel The same Deuill that set enmitie betwixt Man and God sets enmity betwixt Man and Man and yet God said I will put enmitie betweene thy seed and her seed Our hatred of the Serpent and his seed is from God Their hatred of the holy Seed is from the Serpent Behold here at once in one person the Seed of the Woman and of the Serpent Cains naturall parts are of the Woman his vitious qualities of the Serpent The Woman gaue him to be a brother the Serpent to be a man-slayer all vncharitablenesse all quarrels are of one Author we cannot entertaine Wrath and not giue place to the Deuill Certainely so deadly an act must needs be deeply grounded What then was the occasion of this capitall malice Abels sacrifice is accepted what was this to Cain Cains is reiected what could Abel remedie this Oh enuie the corrosiue of all ill minds and the roote of all desperate actions the same cause that moued Satan to tempt the first Man to destroy himselfe and his posteritie the same moues the second Man to destroy the third It should haue beene Cains ioy to see his brother accepted It should haue beene his sorrow to see that himselfe had deserued a reiection his Brothers example should haue excited and directed him Could Abel haue stayed Gods fire from descending Or should he if he could reiect Gods acceptation and displease his Maker to content a Brother Was Cain euer the farther from a blessing because his Brother obtained mercy How proud and foolish is malice which growes thus mad for no other cause but because God or Abel is not lesse good It hath beene an old and happy danger to be holy Indifferent actions must be carefull to auoid offence But I care not what Deuill or what Cain be angry that I doe good or receiue good There was neuer any nature without enuie Euery man is borne a Cain hating that goodnesse in another which he neglected in himselfe There was neuer enuy that was not bloody for if it eate not an others heart it will eat our owne but vnlesse it be restrained it will surely feed it selfe with the blood of others oft-times in act alwaies in affection And that God which in good accepts the will for the deed condemnes the will for the deed in euill If there be an euill heart there will bee an euill eye and if both these there will be an euill hand How early did Martyrdome come into the world the first man that dyed dyed for Religion who dare measure Gods loue by outward euents when hee sees wicked Cain standing ouer bleeding Abel whose sacrifice was first accepted and now himselfe is sacrificed Death was denounced to Man as a curse yet behold it first lights vpon a Saint how soone was it altered by the mercy of that iust hand which inflicted it If Death had beene euill and Life good Cain had beene slaine and Abel had suruiued now that it begins with him that God loues O Death where is thy sting Abel sayes nothing his blood cryes Euery drop of innocent blood hath a tongue and is not onely vocall but importunate what a noyse then did the blood of my Sauiour make in Heauen who was himselfe the Shepheard and the Sacrifice the Man that was offered and the God to whom it was offered The Spirit that heard both sayes It spake better things thân the blood of Abel Abels blood called for reuenge his for mercy Abels pleaded his owne innocency his the satisfaction for all the beleeuing world Abels procured Cains punishment his freed all repentant soules from punishment better things indeed then the blood of Abel Better and therefore that which Abels blood said was good It is good that God should be auenged of sinners Execution of iustice vpon offenders is no lesse good then rewards of goodnesse No sooner doth Abels blood speake vnto God then God speakes to Cain There is no wicked man to whom God speakes not if not to his eare yet to his heart what speech was this Not an accusation but an inquirie yet such an inquirie as would inferre an accusation God loues to haue a sinner accuse himselfe and therefore hath he set his Deputie in the brest of man neither doth God loue this more then nature abhorres it Cain answers stubbornly The very name of Abel wounds him no lesse then his hand had wounded Abel Consciences that are without remorse are not without horror wickednesse makes men desperate the Murderer is angry with God as of late for accepting his brothers oblation so now for listning to his blood And now he dares answer God with a question Am I my brothers Keeper where be should haue said Am not I my brothers murderer Behold hee scorneth to keepe whom he feared not to kill Good duties are base and troublesome to wicked minds whiles euen violences of euill are pleasant Yet this miscreant which neither had grace to auoyd his sinne nor to confesse it now that he is conuinced of sinne and cursed for it how he howleth how he exclaimeth He that cares not for the act of his sinne shall care for the smart of his punishment The damned are weary of their torments but in vaine How great a madnesse is it to complaine too late He that would not keepe his brother is cast out from the protection of God he that feared not to kill his brother feares now that whosoeuer meets him will âill him The troubled conscience proiecteth fearefull things and sinne makes euen cruell men cowardly God saâ it was too much fauour for him to die he therefore wills that which Cain wills Cain would liue It is yeelded him but for a curse how often doth God heare sinners in anger He shall liue banished from God carying his hell in his bosome and the brand of Gods vengeance in his forehead God reiects him the Earth repines at him men abhorre him himselfe now wishes that death which he feared and no man dare pleasure him with a murder how bitter is the end of sin yea without end still Cain finds that he killed himselfe more then his brother We should neuer sinne if our fore-sight were but as good as our sense The issue of sinne would appeare a thousand times more horrible then the act is pleasant Of the Deluge THE World was growne so foule with sinne that God saw it was time to wash it with a Floud And so close did wickednes cleaue to the Authors of it that when they were washt to nothing yet it would not off yea so deep did it stick in the very graine of the earth that God saw it meet to let it soke long vnder the waters So vnder the Law the very vessels that had touched vncleane water must either be rinced or broken Mankind began but with one and yet he that saw the first man liued to see the Earth peopled with a world of men yet men grew not so fast as wickednesse One man could
How iniurious were that affection to keepe his sonne so long in his eye till they should see each other dye for hunger The ten brothers returne into Egypt loaded with double money in their sacks and a present in their hands the danger of mistaking is requited by honest minds with more then restitution It is not enough to finde our owne hearts cleare in suspicious actions except we satisfie others Now hath Ioseph what he would the sight and presence of his Beniamin whom he therefore borrowes of his Father for a time that hee might returne him with a greater interest of ioy And now he feasts them whom hee formerly threatned and turnes their feare into wonder all vnequall loue is not partiall all the brethren are entertained bountifully but Beniamin hath a fiue-fold portion By how much his welcome was greater by so much his pretended theft seemed more hainous for good turnes aggrauate vnkindnesses and our offences are encreased with our obligations How easie is it to find aduantages where there is a purpose to accuse Beniamins sacke makes him guilty of that whereof his heart was free Crimes seeme strange to the innocent well might they abiure this fact with the offer of bondage and death For they which carefully brought againe that which they might haue taken would neuer take that which was not giuen them But thus Ioseph would yet daily with his brethren and make Beniamin a thiefe that he might make him a seruant and fright his brethren with the perill of that their charge that he might double their ioy and amazednesse in giuing them two brothers at once our happinesse is greater and sweeter when we haue well feared and smarted with euils But now when Iudah seriously reported the danger of his old Father and the sadnesse of his last complaint compassion and ioy will be concealed no longer but breake forth violently at his voice and eyes Many passions doe not well abide witnesses because they are guilty to their owne weaknesse Ioseph sends forth his seruants that he might freely weepe He knew hee could not say I am Ioseph without an vnbeseeming vehemence Neuer any word sounded so strangely as this in the eares of the Patriarkes Wonder doubt reuerence ioy feare hope guiltinesse strooke them at once It was time for Ioseph to say Feare not No maruell if they stood with palenesse and silence before him looking on him and on each other the more they considered they wondred more and the more they beleeued the more they feared For those words I am Ioseph seemed to sound thus much to their guilty thoughts You are murtherers and I am a Prince in spight of you My power and this place giue mee all opportunities of reuenge My glory is your shame my life your danger your sinne liues together vvith me But now the teares and gracious words of Ioseph haue soone assured them of pardon and loue and haue bidden them turne their eyes from their sinne against their brother to their happinesse in him and haue changed their doubts into hopes and ioyes causing them to looke vpon him without feare though not without shame His louing embracements cleare their hearts of all iealousies and hasten to put new thoughts into them of fauour and of greatnesse So that now forgetting what euill they did to their brother they are thinking of what good their brother may doe to them Actions salued vp with a free forgiuenesse are as not done and as a bone once broken is stronger after well setting so is loue after reconcilement But as wounds once healed leaue a scarre behinde them so remitted iniuries leaue commonly in the actors a guilty remembrance which hindered these brethren from that freedome of ioy which else they had conceiued This was their fault not Iosephs who striues to giue them all securitie of his loue and wil be as bountifull as they were cruell They sent him naked to strangers hee sends them in new and rich liueries to their Father they tooke a small summe of money for him hee giues them great treasures They sent his torne coat to his Father He sends varietie of costly rayments to his Father by them They sold him to be the loade of Camels He sends them home with Chariots It must be a great fauour that can appease the conscience of a great injury Now they returne home rich and ioyfull making themselues happy to thinke how glad they should make their Father with this newes That good old man would neuer haue hoped that Aegypt could haue afforded such prouision as this Ioseph is yet aliue This was not food but life to him The returne of Beniamin was comfortable but that his dead sonne was yet aliue after so many yeares lamentation was tidings too happy to be beleeued and was enough to endanger that life with excesse of ioy which the knowledge thereof doubled Ouer-excellent obiects are dangerous in their sudden apprehensions One graine of that ioy would haue safely cheered him whereof a full measure ouer-layes his heart with too much sweetnesse There is no earthly pleasure whereof we may not surfet of the sprituall we can neuer haue enough Yet his eyes reuiue his minde which his eares had thus astonished When hee saw the Chariots of his sonne he beleeued Iosephs life and refreshed his owne He had too much before so that he could not enioy it now he saith I haue enough Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue They told him of his honour he speakes of his life Life is better then honour To haue heard that Ioseph liued a seruant would haue ioyed him more then to heare that he dyed honourably The greater blessing obscures the lesse He is not worthy of honour that is not thankefull for life Yet Iosephs life did not content Iacob without his presence I will goe downe and see him ere I dye The sight of the eye is better then to walke in desires Good things pleasure vs not in their being but in our inioying The height of all earthly contentment appeared in the meeting of these two whom their mutuall losse had more endeared to each other The intermission of comforts hath this aduantage that it sweetens our delight more in the returne then was abated in the forbearance God doth oft-times hide away our Ioseph for a time that we may bee more ioyous and thankfull in his recouerie This was the sincerest pleasure that euer Iacob had which therefore God reserued for his age And if the meeting of earthly friends be so vnspeakably comfortable how happy shall we be in the light of the glorious face of God our heauenly Father of that our blessed Redeemer whom we sold to death by our sinnes and which now after that noble Triumph hath all power giuen him in Heauen and Earth Thus did Iacob reioyce when he was to goe out of the Land of Promise to a foraine Nation for Iosephs sake being glad that hee should lose his Countrey for his sonne What shall our ioy be who
at least These headlong euils as they are the forest so they must be most prouided for as on the contrary a sudden aduancement from a low condition to the height of Honour is most hard to manage No man can maruell how that Tyrant blinded his Captiues when he heares that he brought them immediately out of a darke dungeon into Roomes that vvere made bright and glorious Wee are not worthy to know for what wee are reserued no euill can amate vs if we can ouercome sudden extremities The long deferring of a good though tedious yet makes it the better when it comes Well did the Israelites hope that the Waters which were so long inifinding would be precious when they were found Yet behold they are crossed not onely in their desires but in their hopes for after three dayes trauell the first Fountaines they finde are bitter Waters If these Wels had not runne pure Gall they could not haue so much complained Long thirst will make bitter Waters sweet yet such were these Springs that the Israelites did not so much like their moisture as abhorre their relish I see the first handsell that God giues them in their voyage to the Land of Promise Thirst and bitternesse Satan giues vs pleasant entrances into his wayes and reserues the bitternesse for the end God inuites vs to our worst at first and sweetens our conclusion with pleasure The same God that would not lead Israel through the Philistims Land lest they should shrinke at the sight of Warre now leads them through the Wildernesse and feares not to try their patience with bitter potions If hee had not loued them the Aegyptian Furnace or Sword had preuented their thirst or that Sea whereof their Enemies drunke dead and yet see how hee dyets them Neuer any haue had so bitter draughts vpon Earth as those be loues best The palate is an ill iudge of the fauours of God O my Sauiour thou didst drinke a more bitter Cup from the hands of thy Father then that which thou refusedst of the Iewes or then that which I can drinke from thee Before they could not drinke if they would now they might and would not God can giue vs blessings with such a tang that the fruition shall not much differ from the want So many a one hath riches not grace to vse them many haue children but such as they prefer barrennesse They had said before Oh that wee had water now Oh that we had good water It is good so to desire blessings from God that we may be the better for inioying them so to craue water that it may not be sawced with bitternesse Now these fond Israelites in stead of praying murmur in stead of praying to God murmur against Moses What hath the righteous done Hee made not either the Wildernesse dry or the Waters bitter Yea if his conduct were the matter what one foot went he before them without God The Pillar led them and not he yet Moses is murmured at It is the hard condition of authoritie that when the multitude fare well they applaud themselues when ill they repine against their Gouernours Who can hope to be free if Moses escape not Neuer any Prince so merited of a people Hee thrust himselfe vpon the Pikes of Pharaohs tyrannie Hee brought them from a bondage worse then death His Rod diuided the Sea and shared life to them death to their Pursuers Who would not haue thought these men so obliged to Moses that no death could haue opened their mouthes or raised their hands against him Yet now the first occasion of want makes them rebell No benefit can stop the mouth of Impatience If our turne be not serued for the present former fauours are either forgotten or contemned No maruell if we deale so with men when God receiues this measure from vs. One yeere of Famine One Summer of Pestilence One Moone of vnseasonable weather makes vs ouer-looke all the blessings of God and more to mutine at the sense of our euill then to praise him for our varieties of good whereas fauours well bestowed leaue vs both mindfull and confident and will not suffer vs either to forget or distrust O God I haue made an ill vse of thy mercies if I haue not learned to be content with thy corrections Moses was in the same want of water with them in the same distaste of bitternesse and yet they say to Moses What shall we drinke If they had seene him furnished with full vessels of sweet water and themselues put ouer to this vnsauoury liquor enuie might haue giuen some colour to this mutiny but now their Leaders common miserie might haue freed him from their murmurs They held it one piece of the late Egyptian tyrannie that a taske was required of them which the Imposers knew they could not performe to make Bricke when they had no Straw Yet they say to Moses What shall we drinke Themselues are growne Exactors and are ready to menace more then stripes if they haue not their ends without meanes Moses tooke not vpon him their prouision but their deliuerance and yet as if he had been the common Victualer of the Campe they aske What shall wee drinke When want meets with impatient minds it transports them to fury Euery thing disquiets and nothing satisfies them What course doth Moses now take That which they should haue done and did not They cryed not more feruently to him then he to God If he were their Leader God was his That which they vniustly required of him he iustly requires of God that could doe it He knew whence to looke for redresse of all complaints this was not his charge but his Makers which was able to maintaine his owne act I see and acknowledge the harbour that wee must put into in all our ill vveather It is to thee O God that wee must powre out our hearts which onely canst make our bitter waters sweet Might not that Rod which tooke away the liquid nature from the waters and made them solid haue also taken away the bitter qualitie from these waters and made them sweet since to flow is naturall vnto the water to bee bitter is but accidentall Moses durst not imploy his Rod without a Precept he knew the power came from the Commandement We may not presume on likelihoods but depend vpon warrants therefore Moses doth not lift vp his Rod to the Waters but his hand and voice to God The hand of faith neuer knocked at heauen in vaine No sooner hath Moses shewed his grieuance then God shewes him the remedie yet an vnlikely one that it might be miraculous He that made the waters could haue giuen them any sauour How easie is it for him that made the matter to alter the qualitie It is not more hard to take away then to giue Who doubts but the same hand that created them might haue immediately changed them Yet that Almightie power will doe it by meanes A piece of wood must sweeten the waters
counsell of so wise and mercifull a God hath drawne vs into his want and shall not he as easily find the way out It is the Lord let him doe what he will There can be no more forceable motiue to patience then the acknowledgment of a diuine hand that strikes vs. It is fearefull to be in the hand of an aduersarie but who would not be confident of a Father Yet in our fraile humanity choler may transport a man from remembrance of nature but when wee feele our selues vnder the discipline of a wise God that can temper our afflictions to our strength to our benefit who would not rather murmur at himselfe that hee should swerue towards impatience Yet these sturdy Israelites wilfully murmur and will not haue their thirst quenched with faith but with water Giue vs water Nooked to heare when they would haue entreated Moses to pray for them but in stead of entreating they contend and in stead of prayers I find commands Giue vs water If they had gone to God without Moses I should haue praised their faith but now they goe to Moses without God I hate their stubborne faithlesnesse To seeke to the second meanes vvith neglect of the first is the fruit of a false faith The answer of Moses is like himselfe milde and sweet Why contend ye with mee Why tempt ye the Lord In the first expostulation condemning them of iniustice since not he but the Lord had afflicted them In the second of presumption that since it was God that tempted them by want they should tempt him by murmuring In the one hee would haue them see their wrong in the other their danger As the act came not from him but from God so he puts it off to God from himselfe Why tempt yee the Lord The opposition which is made to the instruments of God redounds euer to his person He holds himselfe smitten through the sides of his Ministers So hath God incorporated these respects that our subtilty cannot diuide them But what temptation is this Is the Lord among vs or no Infidelitie is crafty and yet foolish Craftie in her insinuations foolish in her conceits They imply If we were sure the Lord were with vs we would not distrust They conceiue doubts of his pr sence after such confirmations What could God doe more to make them know hiâ present vnlesse euery moment should haue renued miracles The plagues of Aegypt and the diuision of the Sea were so famous that the very Innes of Iericho rang of them Their waters were lately sweetned the Quailes were yet in their teeth their Manna was yet in their eye yea they saw God in the Pillar of the Cloud and yet they say Is the Lord amongst vs No argument is enough to an incredulous heart not sense not experience How much better was that faith of Thomas that would beleeue his eyes and hands though his care he would not Oh the deepe infidelitie of these Israelites that saw and beleeued not And how will they know if God be amongst them As if hee could not bee with them and they be a thirst either God must humour carnall minds or be distrusted If they prosper though it be with wickednesse God is with them If they be thwarted in their owne designes straight Is God with vs It was the way to put God from them to distrust and murmure If he had not been with them they had not liued If he had been in them they had not mutined They can thinke him absent in their want and cannot see him absent in their sinne and yet wickednesse not affliction argues him gone Yea then is he most present when he most chastises Who would not haue looked that this answer of Moses should haue appeased their fury As what can still him that will not be quiet to thinke he hath God for his Aduersarie But as if they would wilfully warre against Heauen they proceed yet with no lesse craft then violence bending their exception to one part of the answer and smoothly omitting what they could not except against They will not heare of tempting God they maintaine their strife with Moses both with words and stones How malicious how headdy is impatience The act was Gods they cast it vpon Moses Wherefore hast thou brought vs The act of God was mercifull they make it cruell To kill vs and our children As if God and Moses meant nothing but their ruine who intended nothing but their life and libertie Foolish men What needed this iourney to death Were they not as obnoxious to God in Aegypt Could not God by Moses as easily haue killed them in Aegypt or in the Sea as their enemies Impatience is full of misconstruction If it be possible to find out any glosse to corrupt the Text of Gods actions they shall be sure not to scape vntainted It was no expostulating with an vnreasonable multitude Moses runs straight to him that was able at once to quench their thirst and their fury What shall I do to this people It is the best way to trust God with his owne causes when men will bee intermedling with his affaires they vndoe themselues in vaine We shall finde difficulties in all great enterprises if wee be sure we haue begun them from God wee may securely cast all euents vpon his prouidence which knowes how to dispose and how to end them Moses perceiued rage not in the tongues only but in the hands of the Israelites Yet a while longer and they will stone me Euen the Leader of Gods people feared death and sinned not in fearing Life is worthy to be deare to all especially to him whom publike charge hath made necessary Meere feare is not sinfull It is impotence and distrust that accompany it which make it euill How well is that feare bestowed that sends vs the more importunately to God Some man would haue thought of flight Moses flyes to his Prayers and that not for reuenge but for helpe Who but Moses would not haue said This twice they haue mutined and beene pardoned and now againe thou seest O Lord how madly they rebell and how bloodily they intend against me preserue me I beseech thee and plague them I heare none of this but imitating the long suffering of his God he seekes to God for them which sought to kill him for the quarrell of God Neither is God sooner sought then found All Israel might see Moses goe towards the Rocke None but the Elders might see him strike it Their vnbeleefe made them vnworthy of this priuiledge It is no small fauor of God to make vs witnesses of his great Workes That he crucifies his Sonne before vs that he fetches the water of Life out of the true Rocke in our sight is an high prerogatiue If his rigour would haue taken it our infidelity had equally excluded vs whom now his mercy hath receiued Moses must take his Rod God could haue done it by his will without a word or by his word without the
greatest Citie Ioshua himselfe was full of Gods Spirit and had the Oracle of God ready for his direction yet now he goes not to the Propitiatorie for consultation but to the Spyes Except where ordinary means faile vs it is no appealing the immediate helpe of GOD we may not seeke to the posterne but where the common gate is shut It was promised Ioshua that he should leade Israel into the promised Land yet he knew it was vnsafe to presume The condition of his prouident care was included in that assurance of successe Heauen is promised to vs but not to our carelesnesse infidelitie disobedience He that hath set this blessed Inheritance before vs presupposes our wisdome faith holinesse Either force or policy are fit to be vsed vnto Canaanites He that would be happy in this spirituall warfare must know where the strength of his enemy lyeth and must frame his guard according to the others assault It is a great aduantage to a Christian to know the fashion of Satans onsets that he may the more easily compose himselfe to resist Many a soule hath miscaried through the ignorance of his enemy which had not perished if it had well knowne that the weaknesse of Satan stands in our faith The Spyes can finde no other lodging but Rahabs house Shee was a victualler by profession and as those persons and trades by reason of the commonnesse of entertainment were amongst the Iewes infamous by name and note shee was Rahab the Harlot I will not thinke she professed filthinesse onely her publike trade through the corruption of those times hath cast vpon her this name of reproach yea rather will I admire her faith then make excuses for her calling How many women in Israel now Miriam was dead haue giuen such proofes of their knowledge and faith How noble is that confession which she makes of the power and truth of God Yea I see here not onely a Disciple of God but a Prophetesse Or if she had once been publike as her house was now ãâ¦ã worthy Coâât and so approued her selfe for honest and wise behauiour that she is ââought wââhy to bee the great Grandmother of Dauids Father and âe holy Line of the Messias is not ashamed to admit her into ãâã happy Pedegreeââhe mercy of our God doth not measure vs by what wâ were It would be wide with the best of vs if the eye of God should looke backward to our former estate there âe should see Abraham an Idolater Paul a Persecuââ Manasses a Necromancer Mary Magdalen a Curtizan and the best vile enough to be ashamed of himselfe Who can despaire of mercy that sees euen Rahab fetcht into the blood of Israel and line of Christ If Rahab had not receiued these Spies but as vnknowne passengers with respect to their money and not to their errand it had been no praise for in such cases the thanke is rather to the ghest then to the Oast but now she knew their purpose she knew that the harbor of them was the danger of her owne life and yet shee hazards this entertainment Either faith or friendship are neuer tried but in extremities To shew countenance to the messengers of God whiles the publike face of the State smiles vpon them is but a courtesie of course but to hide out owne liues in theirs when they are persecuted is an act that lookes for a reward These times need not fauour wee know not what may come Alas how likely is it they would shelter them in danger which respect them not in prosperity All intelligences of State come first to the Court It most concernes Princes to harken after the affaires of each other If this poore Inholder knew of the Sea dried vp before Israel and of the discomfiture of Og and Sehon Surely this rumour was stale with the King of Iericho he had heard it and feared and yet in stead of sending Ambassadors for peace hee sends Pursuiânts for the Spyes The spirit of Rahab ãâã with that same report wherewith the King of Iericho was hardâed all make not and vse of the messages of the proceedings of God The King sends to tell her what she knew shee had not hid them if shee had not knowne their errand I know not whether first to wonder at the gracious prouision of God for the Spies or at the strong faith which hee hath wrought in the heart of a weake woman two strangers Israelites Spies and noted for all these in a foraine in an hostile Land haue a safe harbour prouided them euen amongst their enemies In Iericho at the very Court gate against the Proclamation of a King against the indeuours of the people Where cannot the God of heauen either find or raise vp friends to his owne cause and seruants Who could haue hoped for such faith in Rahab which contemned her life for the present that she might saue it for the future neglected her owne King and Country for strangers which she neuer saw and more feared the destruction of that Citie before it knew that it had an aduersarie then the displeasure of her King in the mortall reuenge of that which he would haue accounted treacherie She brings them vp to the roofe of her house and hides them with stalkes of Flax That plant which was made to hide the body from nakednesse and shame now is vsed to hide the Spies from death Neuer could these stalkes haue been improued so well with all her houswifery after they were bruised as now before they were fitted to her wheele Of these shee hath wouen an euerlasting web both of life and propagation And now her tongue hides them no lesse then her hand her charitie was good her excuse was not good Euill may not be done that good may come of it we may doe any thing but sinne for promoting a good cause And if not in so maine occasions how shall God take it that weare not dainty of falshoods in trifles No man will looke that these Spies could take any sound sleepe in these beds of stalkes It is enough for them that they liue though they rest not And now when they heard Rahab comming vp the staires doubtlesse they looked for an executioner but behold she comes vp with a message better then their sleepe adding to their protection aduice for their future safety whereto she makes way by a faithfull report of Gods former wonders and the present disposition of her people and by wise capitulations for the life and security of her Family The newes of Gods miraculous proceedings for Israel haue made her resolue of their successe and the ruines of Iericho Then only doe we make a right vse of the workes of God when by his iudgements vpon others weare warned to auoid our owne He intends his acts for presidents of iustice The parents and brethren of Rahab take their rest They are not troubled with the feare and care of the successe of Israel but securely goe with the current of the present
condition She watches for them all and breakes her mid-night sleepe to preuent their last One wise and faithfull person does well in an house where all are carelesse there is no comfort but in perishing together It had been an ill nature in Rahab if she had been content to be saued alone that her loue might be a match to her faith shee couenants for all her Family and so returnes life to those of whom shee receiued it But the bond of nature and of grace will draw al ours to the participation of the same good with our selues It had been neuer the better for the Spies if after this nights lodging they had been turned out of doores to the hazard of the way For so the pursuers had light vpon them and preuented their returne with their death Rahabs counsell therefore was better then her harbour which sent them no doubt with victuals in their hands to seek safety in the mountaines till the heat of that search were past He that hath giuen vs charge of our liues will not suffer vs to cast them vpon wilfull aduentures Had not these Spyes hid themselues in those Desart hils Israel had wanted directors for their enterprises There is nothing more expedient for the Church then that some of Gods faithfull messengers should withdraw themselues and giue way to persecutions Courage in those that must die is not a greater aduantage to the Gospell then a prudent retiring of those which may suruiue to maintaine and propagate it It was a iust and reasonable transaction betwixt them that her life should bee saued by them which had saued theirs They owe no lesse to her to whom they were not so much ghests as prisoners And now they passe not their promise onely but their oath They were strangers to Rahab and for ought she knew might haue been godlesse yet she dares trust her life vpon their oath So sacred and inuiolable hath this bond euer beene that an heathen woman thought her selfe secure vpon the oath of an Israelite Neither is she more confident of their oath taken then they are carefull both of taking and performing it So farre are they from desiring to salue vp any breach of promise by equiuocation that they explaine all conditions and would preuent all possibilities of violation All Rahabs Family must be gathered into her house and that red cord which was an instrument of their deliuerie must be a signe of hers Behold this is the sauing colour The destroying Angell sees the doore-cheekes of the Israelites sprinkled with red and passes them ouer The Warriours of Israel see the window of Rahab dyed with red and saue her Family from the common destruction If our soules haue this tincture of the precious blood of our Sauiour vpon our doores or windows we are safe But if any ãâ¦ã the brethren of Rahab shall fly from this red flag and roue about the City and not containe himselfe vndet that roofe which hid the Spyes it is vaine for him to tell the auengers that he is Rahabs brother That title will not saue him in the street within doores it will If we will wander out of the limits that God hath set vs we cast our selues out of his protection we cannot challenge the benefit of his gracious Preseruation and our most precious Redemption when we fly out into the by-wayes of our owne hearts Not for innocence but for safety and harbour the Church is that house of Rahab which is saued when all Iericho shall perish Whiles we keepe vs in the lists thereof we cannot miscary through mis-opinion but when once we runne out of it let vs looke for iudgement from God and errour in our owne iudgement Of Jordan diuided THe two Spies returned with newes of the victory that should be I doe not heare them say The Land is vnpeopled or the people are vnfurnished with armes vnskilfull of the discipline of warre but They faint because of vs therefore their Land is ours Either successe or discomfiture begins euer at the heart A mans inward disposition doth more then presage the euent As a man raises vp his owne heart before his fall and depresses it before his glory so God raises it vp before his exaltation and casts it downe before his ruine It is no otherwise in our spirituall conflicts If Satan see vs once faint hee giues himselfe the day There is no way to safety but that our hearts bee the last that shall yeeld That which the heathens attributed to Fortune we may iustly to the hand of God That he speedeth those that are forward All the ground that we lose is giuen to our aduersaries This newes is brought but ouer-night Ioshua is on his way by morning and preuents the Sunne for haste Delayes whether in the businesse of God or our owne are hatefull and preiudiciall Many a one loses the Land of Promise by lingring if we neglect Gods time it is iust with him to crosse vs in ours Ioshua hastens till he haue brought Israel to the verge of the promised Land Nothing parts them now but the riuer of Iordan There he stayes a time that the Israelites might feed themselues a while with the sight of that which they should afterwards enioy That which they had beene forty yeares in seeking may not be seized vpon too suddenly God loues to giue vs cooles and heats in our desires and will so allay our ioyes that their fruition hurt vs not He knowes that as it is in meats the long forbearance where of causes a surfet when we come to full feed so it fares in the contentments of the mind therefore he feeds vs not with the dish but with the spoon and will haue vs neither cloyed nor famished If the mercy of God haue brought vs within fight of heauen let vs bee content to pause a while and vpon the banks of Iordan fit our selues for our entrance Now that Israel is brought to the brim of Canaan the cloud is vanished which led them all the way And as soone as they haue but crossed Iordan the Manna ceaseth which nourisht them all the way The cloud and Manna were for their passage not for their rest for the Wildernesse not for Canaan It were as easie for God to worke miracles alwayes but he knowes that custome were the way to make them no miracles He goes by wayes but till he haue brought vs into the Roade and then he refers vs to his ordinary proceedings That Israelite should haue beene very foolish that would still haue said I will not stirre till I see the cloud I wil not eate vnlesse I may haue that food of Angels Wherefore serues the Arke but for their direction Wherefore serues the Wheat of Canaan but for bread So fond is that Christian that will still depend vpon expectation of miracles after the fulnesse of Gods Kingdome If God beare vs in his armes when we are children yet when we are well-growne he looks we should goe on our owne
bidden If we will be vnseasonable in our good actions we may hurt and not benefit our selues Euery liuing thing in Iericho man woman child cattell must die our folly would thinke this mercilesse but there can bee no mercy in iniustice and nothing but iniustice in not fulfilling the charge of God The death of Malefactors the condemnation of wicked men seeme harsh to vs but we must learne of God that there is a punishing mercy Cursed be that mercy that opposes the God of mercy Yet was not Ioshua so intent vpon the slaughter as not to be mindfull of Gods part and Rahabs First he giues charge vnder a curse of reseruing all the treasure for God Then of preseruing the family of Rahab Those two Spyes that receiued life from her now returne it to her and hers They call at the window with the red cord and send vp newes of life to her the same way which they receiued theirs Her house is no part of Iericho neither may fire be set to any building of that City till Rahab and her family be set safe without the host The actions of our faith and charity will be sure to pay vs if late yet surely Now Rahab findes what it is to beleeue God whiles out of an impure idolatrous Citie she is transplanted into the Church of God and made a mother of a royall and holy posteritie Of ACHAN WHen the wals of Iericho were falne Ioshua charged the Israelites but with two precepts Of sparing Rahabs house and of abstaining from that treasure which was anathematized to God and one of them is broken As in the entrance to Paradise but one tree was forbidden and that was eaten of God hath prouided for our weaknesse in the paucity of commands but our innocency stands not so much in hauing few precepts as in keeping those we haue So much more guilty are wee in the breach of one as wee are more fauoured in the number They needed no command to spare no liuing thing in Iericho but to spare the treasure no command was enough Impartialitie of execution is easier to performe then contempt of these worldly things because we are more prone to couet for our selues then to pitie others Had Ioshua bidden saue the men and diuide the treasure his charge had been more plausible then now to kill the men and saue the treasure or if they must kill earthly minds would more gladly shead their enemies blood for a bootie then out of obedience for the glory of their Maker But now it is good reason since God threw downe those wals and not they that both the blood of that wicked Citie should be spilt to him not to their owne reuenge and that the treasure should bee reserued for his vse not for theirs Who but a miscreant can grudge that God should serue himselfe of his owne I cannot blame the rest of Israel if they were vvell pleased with their conditions onely one Achan troubles the peace and his sinne is imputed to Israel the innocence of so many thousand Israelites is not so forceable to excuse his one sinne as his one sinne is to taint all Israel A lewd man is a pernicious creature That hee damnes his owne soule is the least part of his mischiefe he commonly drawes vengeance vpon a thousand either by the desert of his sinne or by the infection Who would not haue hoped that the same God which for ten righteous men would haue spared the fiue wicked Cities should not haue beene content to drowne one sinne in the obedience of so many righteous But so venemous is sinne especially when it lights among Gods people that one dram of it is able to infect the whole masse of Israel Oh righteous people of Israel that had but one Achan How had their late circumcision cut away the vncleane foreskin of their disobedience How had the blood of their Paschal Lambe scoured their soules from couetous desires The world was well mended with them since their stubborne murmurings in the Desart Since the death of Moses and the gouernment of Ioshua I doe not find them in any disorder After that the Law hath brought vs vnder the conduct of the true Iesus our sinnes are more rare and our liues are more conscionable Whiles we are vnder the Law we do not so keep it as when wee are deliuered from it our Christian freedome is more holy then our seruitude Then haue the Sacraments of God their due effect when their receit purgeth vs from our old sinnes and makes our conuersation cleane and spirituall Little did Ioshua know that there was any sacriledge committed by Israel that sinne is not halfe cunning enough that hath not learned secrecie Ioshua was a vigilant Leader yet some sinnes will escape him Onely that eye which is euery where findes vs out in our close wickednesse It is no blame to authoritie that some sinnes are secretly committed The holiest congregation or family may be blemisht with some malefactors it is iust blame that open sinnes are not punished wee shall wrong gouernment if wee shall expect the reach of it should be infinite Hee therefore which if he had knowne the offence would haue sent vp prayers and teares to God now sends Spyes for a further discouery of Ai They turne with newes of the weaknesse of their aduersaries and as contemning their paucity perswades Ioshua that a wing of Israel is enough to ouershadow this city of Ai. The Israelites were so fleshed with their former victory that now they thinke no wals or men can stand before them Good successe lifts vp the heart with too much confidence and whiles it disswades men from doing their best oft-times disappoints them With God the meanes can neuer bee too weake without him neuer strong enough It is not good to contemne an impotent enemy In this second battell the Israelites are beaten It was not the fewnesse of their assailants that ouerthrow them but the sin that lay lurking at home If all the Host of Israel had set vpon this poore village of Ai they had beene all equally discomfited the wedge of Achan did more fight against them then all the swords of the Canaanites The victories of God go not by strength but by innocence Doubtlesse these men of Ai insulted in this foyle of Israel and said Loe these are the men from whose presence the waters of Iordan ran backe now they runne as fast away from ours These are they before whom the wals of Iericho fell downe now they are falne as fast before vs and all their neighbours tooke heart from this victory Wherein I doubt not but besides the punishment of Israels sinne God intended the further obduration of the Canaanites Like as some skilfull player loses on purpose at the beginning of the game to draw on the more abetments The newes of their ouerthrow spred as farre as the fame of their speed and euery City of Canaan could say Why not we as well as Ai But good
himselfe to God and as the same Angell which appeared to Gideon turnes his feast into a sacrifice And now hee is Manoahs sollicitor to better thankes than he offered How forward the good Angels are to incite vs vnto piety Either this was the Sonne himselfe which said it was his meat and drinke to doe his Fathers will or else one of his spirituall attendance of the same diet We can neuer feast the Angels better then with our hearty sacrifices to God Why do not we learn this lesson of them whom we propouÌd to our selues as the patterns of our obedience We shall be once like the Angels in condition why are we not in the meane time in our dispositions If we doe not prouoke and exhort one another to godlinesse and do care more for a feast then a sacrifice our appetite is not Angelicall but brutish It was an honest minde in Manoah whiles he was addressing a sacrifice to God yet not to neglect his messenger faine would he know whom to honour True piety is not vnciuill but whiles it magnifies the author of all blessings is thankfull to the meanes Secondary causes are worthy of regard neither need it detract any thing froÌ the praise of the agent to honour the instrument It is not only rudenesse but iniust ice in those which can be content to heare good newes from God with contempt of the bearers The Angell will neither take nor giue but conceales his very name from Manoah All honest motions are not fit to be yeelded to good intentions are not alwaies sufficient grounds of condiscent If we doe sometimes aske what we know not it is no maruell if we receiue not what we aske In some cases the Angell of God tells his name vnasked as Gaberiel to the Virgin here not by intreaty If it were the Angell of the couenant he had as yet no name but Iehouah if a created Angell he had no commission to tell his name and a faithfull messenger hath not a word beyond his charge Besides that he saw it would be of more vse for Manoah to know him really then by words Oh the bold presumption of those men which as if they had long soiourned in heauen and been acquainted with all the holy Legions of spirits discourse of their orders of their titles when this one Angell stops the mouth of a better man then they with Why dost thou aske after my name which is secret Secret things to God reuealed to vs and our children No word can be so significant as actions The act of the Angell tells best who he was He did wonderfully wonderfull therefore was his name So soone as euer the flame of the sacrifice ascended hee mounted vp in the smoke of it that Manoah might see the sacrifice and the messenger belonged both to one God and might know both whence to acknowledge the message and whence to expect the performance Gideons Angell vanished at his sacrifice but this in the sacrifice that Manoah might at once see both the confirmation of his promse the acceptation of his obedience whiles the Angell of God vouchsafed to perfume himselfe with that holy smoke and carry the sent of it vp into heauen Manoah beleeued before and craued no signe to assure him God voluntarily confirmes it to him aboue his desire To him that hath shal bee giuen Where there are beginnings of faith the mercy of God will adde perfection How doe we thinke Manoah and his wife looked to see this spectacle They had not spirit enough left to looke vpon another but in stead of looking vp cheerefully to heauen they fall downe to the earth on their faces as weake eyes are dazeled with that which should comfort them This is the infirmity of our nature to be afflicted with the causes of our ioy to be astonished with our confirmations to conceiue death in that vision of God whererein our life happinesse consists If this homely sight of the Angell did so confound good Manoah what shall become of the enemies of God when they shall be brought before the glorious Tribunall of the God of Angels I maruell not now that the Angell appeared both times rather to the wife of Manoah her faith was the stonger of the two It falls out sometimes that the weaker vessell is fuller and that of more precious liquor that wife is no helper which is not ready to giue spirituall comfort to her husband The reason was good and irrefragable If the Lord were pleased to kill vs he would not haue receiued a burnt offering from vs. God will not accept gifts where hee intends punishment and professes hatred The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord If we can finde assurance of Gods acception of our sacrifices we may be sure he loues our persons If I incline to wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me but the Lord hath heard me SAMSONS Marriage OF all the Deliuerers of Israel there is none of whom are reported so many weaknesses or so many miracles as of Samson The newes which the Angell told of his conception and education was not more strange then the newes of his owne choyce he but sees a daughter of the Philistim and falls in loue All this strength begins in infirmity One maide of the Philistims ouer-comes that champion which was giuen to ouercome the Philistims Euen he that was dieted with water fouÌd heat of vnfit desires As his body was stroÌg notwithstanding that fare so were his passions without the gift of continency a low feed may impaire nature but not inordination To follow nothing but the eye in the choyce of his wife was a lust vnworthy of a Nazarite This is to make the sense not a Counseller but a Tyran Yet was Samson in this very impotency dutifull He did not in the presumption of his strength rauish her forceably He did not make vp a clandestine match without consulting with his Parents but he makes sute to them for consent Giue me her to wife As one that could be master of his owne act though not of his passion and as one that had learned so to be a suter as not to forget himselfe to be a sonne Euen in this deplored state of Israel children durst not presume to be their owne caruers how much lesse is this tolerable in a well guided and Christian Common-wealth Whosoeuer now dispose of themselues without their Parents they doe wilfully vnchild themselues and change naturall affection for violent It is no maruell if Manoah and his wife were astonished at this vnequall motion of their sonne Did not the Angell thought they tell vs that this child should be consecrated to God must he begin his youth in vnholy wedlock Did not the Angell say that our sonne should begin to saue Israel from the Philistims and is he now captiued in his affections by a daughter of the Philistims Shall our deliuerance from the Philistims begin in an alliance Haue we
stirres vp his courage and strikes them both hip thigh with a mighty plague That God which can doe nothing imperfectly where hee begins eyther mercy or iudgement will not leaue till hee haue happily finished As it is in his fauours so in his punishments One stroke drawes on another The Israelites were but slaues and the Philistims were their masters so much more indignely therefore must they needs take it to be thus affronted by one of their owne vassals yet shall we commend the moderation of these Pagans Samson being not mortally wronged by one Philistim falls foule vpon the whole Nation the Philistims hainously offended by Samson doe not fall vpon the whole Tribe of Iudah but being mustered together call to them for satisfaction from the person offending the same hand of God which wrought Samson to reuenge restrained them from it It is no thanke to themselues that sometimes wicked men cannot bee cruell The men of Iudah are by their feare made friends to their Tyrants and taytors to their friend it was in their cause that Samson had shed bloud yet they conspire with the Philistims to destroy their owne flesh and bloud So shall the Philistims bee quit with Israel that as Samson by Philistims reuenged himselfe of Philistims so they of an Israelite by the hand of Israelites That which open enemies dare not attempt they work by false brethren and these are so much more perilous as they are more entire It had been no lesse easie for Samson to haue slaine those thousands of Iudah that came to binde him then those other of the Philistims that meant to kill him bound And what if he had said Are ye turnd Traytors to your Deliuerer your bloud be vpon your owne heads But the Spirit of God without whom he could not kil either beast or man would neuer stirre him vp to kill his brethren though degenerated into Philistims they haue more power to binde him then he to kill them Israelitish bloud was precious to him that made no more scruple of killing a Philistim then a Lion That bondage and vsury that was allowed to a Iew from a Pagan might not be exacted from a Iew. The Philistims that had before plowed with Samsons Heifer in the case of the Riddle are now plowing a worse furrow with an Heifer more his owne I am ashamed to heare these cowardly Iewes say Knowest thou not that the Philistims are Lords ouer vs Why hast thou done thus vnto vs We are therefore come to binde thee Wheras they should haue said We finde these tyrannicall Philistims to vsurpe dominion ouer vs thou hast happily begun to shake off their yoke and now we are come to second thee with our seruice the valour of such a Captaine shall easily lead vs forth to liberty We are ready either to die with thee or to bee freed by thee A fearefull man can neuer be a true friend rather then incurre any danger he will be false to his owne soule Oh cruell mercy of these men of Iuda Wee will not kill thee but we will binde thee and deliuer thee to the hands of the Philistims that they may kill thee As if it had not been much worse to dye an ignominious and tormenting death by the hands of Philistims then to bee at once dispatcht by them which wisht either his life safe or his death easie When Saul was pursued by the Philistims vpon the mountaines of Gilboa he could say to his Armour-bearer Draw forth thy sword and kill me lest the vncircumcised come and thrust me thorow and mocke me and at last would rather fall vpon his owne sword then theirs And yet these cousins of Samson can say Wee will not kill thee but we will binde thee and deliuer thee It was no excuse to these Israelites that Samsons binding had more hope then his death It was more in the extraordinary mercy of God then their will that hee was not tyed with his last bonds Such is the goodnesse of the Almighty that he turnes the cruell intentions of wicked men to an aduantage Now these Iewes that might haue let themselues loose from their owne bondage are binding their Deliuerer whom yet they knew able to haue resisted In the greatest strength there is vse of patience There was more fortitude in this suffering then in his former actions Samson abides to be tyed by his owne countrymen that he may haue the glory of freeing himselfe victoriously Euen so O Sauiour our better Nazarite thou which couldst haue called to thy Father and haue had twelue Legions of Angels for thy rescue wouldst be bound voluntarily that thou mightst triumph So the blessed Martyrs were racked and would not be loosed because they expected a better resurrection If we be not as well ready to suffer ill as to doe good we are not fit for the consecration of God To see Samson thus strongly manicled and exposed to their full reuenge could not but be a glad spectacle to these Philistims and their ioy was so full that it could not but flie forth of their mouthes in shouting and laughter Whom they say loose with terror it is pleasure to see bound It is the sport of the spirituall Philistims to see any of Gods Nazarites fettered with the cords of iniquitie their Imps are ready to say Aha so would we haue it But the euent answers their false ioy with that clause of triumph Reioyce not ouer me O mine enemie though I fall yet I shal rise again How soon was the countenance of these Philistims changed and their shouts turned into shriekings The Spirit of the Lord came vpon Samson and then what are cords to the Almighty His new bonds are as a flax burnt with fire and he rouzes vp himselfe like that young Lion whom he first incountred flyes vpon those cowardly aduersaries who if they had not seen his cords durst not haue seen his face If they had been so many diuels as men they could not haue stood before that Spirit which lifted vp the heart and hand of Samson Wicked men neuer see fairer prospect then when they are vpon the very threshold of destruction Security and Ruine are so close bordering vpon each other that where we see the face of the one we may be sure the other is at his backe This didst thou O blessed Sauiour when thou wert fastened to the Crosse when thou layest bound in the graue with the cords of death thus didst thou miraculously raise vp thy selfe vanquish thine enemies and lead captiuity captiue Thus doe all thy holy ons when they seem most forsaken and laid open to the insultation of the world finde thy Spirit mighty to their deliuerance and the discomfiture of their malicious aduersaries Those three thousand Israelites were not so ill aduised as to come vp into the rocke vnweaponed to apprehend Samson Samson therefore might haue had his choice of swords or speares for this skirmish with the Philistims yet he leaues
were Why doe not we learne zeale of Idolaters And if they be so forward in acknowledgement of their deliuerances to a false deity how cheerefully should we ascribe ours to the true O God whatsoeuer be the meanes thou art the Author of all our successe Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and tell the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of men No Musician would serue for this feast but Samson hee must now be their sport which was once their terror that he might want no sorrow scorn is added to his misery Euery wit and hand playes vpon him Who is not ready to cast his bone and his iest at such a captiue So as doubtlesse he wisht himselfe no lesse deafe then blind and that his soule might haue gone out with his eyes Oppression is able to make a wise man mad and the greater the courage is the more painefull the insultation Now Samson is punished shall the Philistims escape If the iudgement of God begin at his owne what shall become of his enemies This aduantage shall Samson make of their tyranny that now death is no punishment to him his soule shall flie forth in this bitternesse without pain and that his dying reuenge shall be no lesse sweet to him then the liberty of his former life He could not but feele God mockt through him and therefore whiles they are scoffing hee prayes his seriousnesse hopes to pay them for all those iests If he could haue been thus earnest with God in his prosperity the Philistims had wanted this laughing stocke No deuotion is so feruent as that which arises froÌ extremity O Lord God I pray thee think vpon me O God I beseech thee strengthen me at this time only Though Samsons haire were shorter yet he knew Gods hand was not as one therefore that had yet eyes enough to see him that was inuisible and whose faith was recouered before his strength he sues to that God which was a party in this indignity for power to reuenge his wrongs more then his own It is zeale that moues him not malice his renued faith tels him that he was destined to plague the Philistims and reason tels him that his blindnesse puts him out of the hope of such another opportunity Knowing therfore that this play of the Philistims must end in his death he recollects all the forces of his soule and body that his death may be a punishment in stead of a disport and that his soule may bee more victorious in the parting then in the animation and so addresses himselfe both to dye and kill as one whose soule shall not feele his owne dissolution whiles it shall carry so many thousand Philistims with it to the pit All the acts of Samson are for wonder not for imitation So didst thou O blessed Sauiour our better Samson conquer in dying and triumphing vpon the chariot of the Crosse didst leade captiuity captiue The law sinne death hell had neuer been vanquisht but by thy death All our life liberty and glory springs out of thy most precious bloud MICHAES Idolatry THe mother of Micha hath lost her siluer and now she fals to cursing she did afterwards but change the forme of her god her siluer was her god ere it did put on the fashion of an image else she had not so much cursed to lose it if it had not too much possessed her in the keeping A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein it delights without impatience cannot be impatient without curses whereas the man that hath learned to inioy God and vse the world smiles at a shipwrack and pitties a theefe and cannot curse but pray Micha had so little grace as to steale from his mother and that out of wantonnesse not out of necessity for if she had not been rich so much could not haue been stolne from her and now he hath so much grace as to restore it her curses haue fetcht againe her treasures He cannot so much loue the money as he feares her imprecations Wealth seemes too deare bought with a curse Though his fingers were false yet his heart was tender Many that make not conscience of committing sinne yet make conscience of facing it It is well for them that they are but nouices in euill Those whom custome hath fleshed in sinne can either deny and forsweare or excuse and defend it their seared hearts cannot feele the gnawing of any remorse and their forehead hath learned to be as an impudent as their heart is senslesse I see no argument of any holinesse in the mother of Micha her curses were sinne to heâ selfe yet Micha dares not but feare them I know not whether the causlesse curse be more worthy of pitty or derision it hurts the author not his aduersary but the deserued curses that fall euen from vnholy mouthes are worthy to be feared How much more should a man hold himselfe blasted with thâ iust inprecations of the godly What metall are those made of that can applaud themselues in the bitter curses which their oppressions haue wrung from the poore and reioyce in these signes of their prosperity Neither yet was Micha more stricken with his mothers curses then with the conscience of sacriledge so soone as he findes there was a purpose of deuotion in this treasure he dares not conceale it to the preiudice as he thought of God more then of his mother What shall we say to the palate of those men which as they finde no good rellish but in stolne waters so best in those which are stolne from the fountaine of God How soone hath the old woman changed her note Euen now she passed an indefinite curse vpon her sonne for stealing and now she blesses him absolutely for restoring Blessed be my sonne of the Lord. She hath forgotten the theft when she sees the restitution How much more shall the God of mercies be more pleased with our confession then prouoked with our sinne I doubt not but this siluer and this superstition came out of Egypt together with the mother of Micha This history is not so late in time as in place for the Tribe of Dan was not yet setled in that first diuision of the promised land so as this old woman had seen both the Idolatry of Egypt and the golden Calfe in the wildernes and no doubt contributed some of her earerings to that Deity after all the plagues which she saw inflicted vpon her brethren for that Idoll of Horeb and Baal-Peor shee still reserues a secret loue to superstition now shewes it Where mis-religion hath once possessed it selfe of the heart it is very hardly cleansed out but like the plague it will hang in the very clothes and after long lurking breake forth in an expected infection and old wood is the aptest to take this fire After all the ayring in the desart Michoes mother will smell of Egypt It had bin better the siluer had bin stolne then thus bestowed for now they haue so
Leuite He that had helped to offer so many sacrifices to God for the multitude of euery Israelites sinnes saw how proportionable it was that man should not hold one sinne vnpardonable He had serued at the Altar to no purpose if he whose trade was to sue for mercy had not at all learned to practise it And if the reflexion of mercy wrought this in a seruant what shall we expect from him whose essence is mercy O God we doe euery day breake the holy couenant of our loue We prostitute our selues to euery filthy tentation and then runne and hide our selues in our fathers house the world If thou didst not seeke vs vp we should neuer returne if thy gracious proffer did not preuent vs we should be vncapeable of forgiuenesse It were abundant goodnesse in thee to receiue vs when we should intreat thee but lo thou intreatest vs that we would receiue thee How should we now adore and imitate thy mercy sith there is more reason we should sue to each other then that thou shouldest sue to vs because we may as well offend as be offended I doe not see the womans father make any meanes for reconciliation but when remission came home to his dores no man could entertaine it more thankfully The nature of many men is froward to accept and negligent to sue for they can spend secret wishes vpon that which shall cost them no indeuour Great is the power of loue which can in a sort vndoe euils past if not for the act yet for the remembrance Where true affection was once conceiued it is easily pieced againe after the strongest interruption Heere needs no tedious recapitulation of wrongs no importunity of sute The vnkindnesses are forgotten their loue is renued and now the Leuite is not a stranger but a sonne By how much more willingly he came by so much more vnwillingly hee is dismissed The foure moneths absence of his daughter is answered with foure dayes feasting Neither was there so much ioy in the former wedding feast as in this because theÌ he deliuered his daughter intire now desperate then he found a sonne but now that sonne hath found his lost daughter and he found both The recouery of any good is far more pleasant then the continuance Little doe we know what euill is towards vs Now did this old man and this restored couple promise themselues all ioy and contentment after this vnkinde storme and said in themselues Now we begin to liue And now this feast which was meant for their new nuptialls proues her funerall Euen when we let our selues loosest to our pleasures the hand of God though inuisibly is writing bitter things against vs. Sith wee are not worthy to know it is wisedome to suspect the worst while it is least seene Sometimes it falls out that nothing is more iniurious then courtesie If this old man had thrust his sonne and daughter early out of dores they had auoyded this mischief now his louing importunity detaines them to their hurt and his owne repentance Such contentment doth sincere affection finde in the presence of those we loue that death it selfe hath no other name but departing The greatest comfort of our life is the fruition of friendship the dissolution whereof is the greatest paine of death As all earthly pleasures so this of loue is distasted with a necessity of leauing How worthy is that onely loue to take vp our hearts which is not open to any danger of interruption which shall out-liue the date euen of faith and hope and is as eternall as that God and those blessed spirits whom wee loue If we hang neuer so importunately vpon one anothers sleeues and shead flouds of teares to stop their way yet we must bee gone hence no occasion no force shall then remoue vs from our fathers house The Leuite is stayed beyond his time by importunity the motions whereof are boundlesse and infinite one day drawes on another neither is there any reason of this dayes stay which may not serue still for to morrow His resolution at last breakes thorow all those kinde hinderances rather will he venture a benighting then an vnnecessary delay It is a good hearing that the Leuite makes hast home An honest mans heart is where his calling is such a one when he is abroad is like a fish in the aire whereinto if it leape for recreation or necessity yet it soone returnes to his own element This charge by how much more sacred it is so much more attendance it expecteth Euen a day breakes square with the conscionable The Sunne is ready to lodge before them His seruant aduises him to shorten his iourney holding it more fit to trust an early Inne of the Iebusites then to the mercy of the night And if that counsell had been followed perhaps they which found Iebusites in Israel might haue found Israelites in Iebus No wise man can hold good counsell disparaged by the meannesse of the Author If we be glad to receiue any treasure from our seruant why not precious admonitions It was the zeale of this Leuite that shut him out of Iebus We will not lodge in the City of strangers The Iebusites were strangers in religion not strangers enough in their habitation The Leuite will not receiue common courtesie from those which were aliens from God though home-borne in the heart of Israel It is lawfull enough in tearmes of ciuility to deale with Infidels the earth is the Lords and we may enioy it in the right of the owner while we protest against the wrong of the vsurper yet the lesse communion with Gods enemies the more safety If there were another aire to breathe in from theirs another earth to tread vpon they should haue their own Those that affect a familiar intirenesse with Iebusites in conuersion in leagues of amity in matrimoniall contracts bewray eyther too much boldnesse or too little conscience He hath no bloud of an Israelite that delights to lodge in Iebus It was the fault of Israel that an heathenish Towne stood yet in the nauell of the Tribes and that Iebus was no sooner turned to Ierusalem Their lenity and neglect were guilty of this neighbourhood that now no man can passe from Bethleem Iuda to Mount Ephraim but by the City of Iebusites Seasonable iustice might preuent a thousand euils whicâ afterwards know no remedy but patience The way was not long betwixt Iebus and Gibeah for the Sun was stooping when the Leuite was ouer against the first and is but now declined when he comes to the other How his heart was lightned when he was entred into an Israelitish City and can thinke of nothing but hospitality rest security There is no perfume so sweet to a Traueller as his own smoake Both expactation and feare doe commonly disappoint vs for seldome euer doe we enioy the good we looke for or smart with a feared euill The poore Leuite could haue found but such entertainment with the Iebusites Whither are the
incouraged it insults and tyrannizes It was more iust that Israel should rise against Beniamin then that Beniamin should rise for Gibeah by how much it is better to punish offenders then to shelter the offenders from punishing And yet the wickednesse of Beniamin sped better for the time then the honesty of Israel Twise was the better part foyled by the lesse and worse The good cause was sent backe with shame the euill returned with victory and triumph O God! their hand was for thee in the fight thy hand was with them in their fall They had not fought for thee but by thee neither could they haue miscarried in the fight if thou hadst not fought against them Thou art iust and holy in both The cause was thine the sinne in managing of it was their owne They fought in an holy quarrell but with confidence in themselues for as presuming of victory they aske of God not what should be their successe but who should be their Captaine Number and innocence made them too secure I was iust therefore with God to let them feele that euen good zeale cannot beare out presumption and that victorie lies not in the cause but in the God that ownes it Who cannot imagine how much the Beniaminites insulted in their double field and day And now beganne to thinke God was on their side Those swords which had been taught the way into forty thousand bodies of their brethren cannot feare a new encounter Wicked men cannot see their prosperity a piece of their curse neither can examine their actions but the euents Soone after thy shall finde what it was to adde bloud vnto filthinesse and that the victorie of an euill cause is the way to ruine and confusion I should haue feared lest this double discomfiture should haue made Israel either distrustfull or weary of a good cause but still I finde them no lesse couragious with more humility Now they fast and weepe and sacrifice These weapons had beene victorious in their first assault Beniamin had neuer been in danger of pride for ouercomming if this humiliation of Israel had preuented the fight It is seldome seene but that which we doe with feare prospereth whereas confidence in vndertaking layes euen good endeuours in the dust Wickednesse could neuer bragge of any long prosperity nor complaine of the lacke of paiment Still God is euen with it at the last Now he payes the Beniaminites both that death which they had lent to the Israelites and that wherein they stood indebted to their brotherhood of Gibeah And now that both are met in death there is as much difference betwixt those Israelites and these Beniaminites as betwixt Martyrs and Malefactors To die in a sinne is a fearefull reuenge of giuing patronage to sinne The sword consumes their bodies another fire their Cities whatsoeuer became of their soules Now might Rachel haue iustly wept for her children because they were not for behold the men women and children of her wicked Tribe are cut off only some few scattered remainders ran away from this vengeance and lurked in caues and rockes both for feare and shame There was no difference but life betwixt their brethren and them the earth couered them both yet vnto them doth the reuenge of Israel stretch it selfe and vowes to destroy if not their persons yet their succession as holding them vnworthy to receiue any comfort by that sex to which they had been so cruell both in act and maintenance If the Israelites had not held marriage and issue a very great blessing they had not thus reuenged themselues of Beniamin now they accounted the with-holding of their wiues a punishment second to death The hope of life in our posterity is the next contentment to an enioying of life in our selues They haue sworne and now vpon cold bloud repent them If the oath were not iust why would they take it and if it were iust why did they recant it If the act were iustifiable what needed these teares Euen a iust oath may be rashly taken not only iniustice but temerite of swearing ends in lamentation In our very ciuill actions it is a weakenesse to doe that which we would after reuerse but in our affaires with God to checke our selues too late and to steepe our oathes in teares is a dangerous folly Hee doth not command vs to take voluntary oathes he commands vs to keepe them If we binde our selues to inconuenience we may iustly complaine of our owne setters Oathes doe not onely require iustice but iudgement wise deliberation no lesse then equity Not conscience of their fact but commiseration of their brethren led them to this publike repentance O God why is this come to passe that this day one Tribe of Israel shall want Euen the iustest reuenge of men is capable of pitty Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argues cruelty Charitable mindes are grieued to see that done which they would not wish vndone the smart of the offender doth not please them which yet are throughly displeased with the sinne and haue giuen their hands to punish it God himselfe takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner yet loues the punishment of sinne As a god parent whips his childe yet weepes himselfe There is a measure in victory and reuenge if neuer so iust which to exceed leeses mercy in the suit of Iustice If there were no fault in their seuerity it needed no excuse and if there were a fault it will admit of no excuse yet as if they meant to shift off the sin they expostulate with God O Lord God of Israel why is this come to passe this day God gaue them no command of this rigour yea he twice crost them in the execution and now in that which they intreated of God with teares they challenge him It is a dangerous iniustice to lay the burden of our sins vpon him which tempteth no man nor can bee tempted with euill whiles we would so remoue our sinne we double it A man that knew not the power of an oath would wonder at this contrarietie in the affections of Israel They are sorry for the slaughter of Beniamin and yet they slay those that did not helpe them in the slaughter Their oath cals them to more bloud The excesse of their reuenge vpon Beniamin may not excuse the men of Gillead If euer oath might looke for a dispensation this might plead it Now they dare not but kill the men of Iabesh Gilead lest they should haue left vpon themselues a greater sin of sparing then punishing Iabesh Gilead came not vp to aid Israel therefore all the inhabitants must die To exempt our selues whether out of singularity or stubbornnesse from the common actions of the Church when we are lawfully called to them is an offence worthy of iudgement In the maine quarrels of the Church neutrals are punished This execution shall make amends for the former of the spoile of Iabesh Gilead shall the Beniaminites be stored with wiues that no
Philistims may be against him The purpose of any fauour is more then the value of it Euen the greatest honours may be giuen with an intent of destruction Many a man is raised vp for a fall So forward is Saul in the match that hee sends spokes men to sollicit Dauid vnto that honour which he hopes will proue the high-way to death The dowry is set An hundred fore-skins of the Philistims not their heads but their fore-skins that this victory might bee more ignominious still thinking why may not one Dauid miscary as well as an hundred Philistims And what doth Sauls enuy all this while but enhance Dauids zeale and valour and glorie That good Captaine little imagining that himselfe was the Philistim whom Saul maligned supererogates of his Master and brings two hundred for one and returnes home safe and renowned neither can Saul now fly for shame There is no remedy but Dauid must be a sonne where he was a riuall and Saul must feed vpon his owne heart since he cannot see Dauids Gods blessing graces equally together with mans malice neither can they deuise which way to make vs more happy then by wishing vs euill MICHALS wyle THis aduantage can Saul yet make of Dauids promotion that as his Aduersarie is raised higher so hee is drawne nearer to the opportunity of death Now hath his enuy cast off all shame and since those craftie plots succeed not hee directly subornes Murtherers of his riuall There is none in all the Court that is not set on to bee an Executioner Ionathan himselfe is sollicited to imbrue his hand in the blood of his friend of his Brother Saul could not but see Ionathans cloathes on Dauids backe he could not but know the league of their loue yet because he knew withall how much the prosperitie of Dauid would preiudice Ionathan he hoped to haue found him his sonne in malice Those that haue the Iaundis see all things yellow those which are ouergrowne with malicious passions thinke all men like themselues I doe not heare of any reply that Ionathan made to his father when he gaue him that bloody charge but he waits for a fit time to disswade him from so cruell an iniustice Wisdome had taught him to giue way to rage and in so hard an aduenture to craue aide of opportunitie If we be not carefull to obserue good moodes when wee deale with the passionate we may exasperate in stead of reforming Thus did Ionathan who knowing how much better it is to be a good friend then an ill sonne had not onely disclosed that ill counsell but when be found his father in the fields in a calmes temper laboured to diuert it And so farre doth the seasonable and pithy Oratory of Ionathan preuaile that Saul is conuinced of his wrong and sweares As God liues Dauid shall not die Indeed how could it be otherwise vpon the plea of Dauids innocence and well-deseruings How could Saul say he should dye whom hee could accuse of nothing but faithfulnesse Why should he designe him to death which had giuen life to all Israel Oft-times wicked mens iudgements are forced to yeeld vnto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebellion Euen the foulest hearts doe sometimes entertaine good motions like as on the contrary the holiest soules giue way sometimes to the suggestions of euill The flashes of lightning may be discerned in the darkest Prisons But if good thoughts looke into a wicked heart they stay not there as those that like not their lodging they are soone gone Hardly any thing distinguishes betwixt good and euill but continuance The light that shines into an holy heart is constant like that of the Sunne which keepes due times and varies not his course for any of these sublunary occasions The Philistim Warres renue Dauids victories and Dauids victory renues Sauls enuy and Sauls enuy renues the plots of Dauids death Vowes and Oaths are forgotten That euill spirit which vexes Saul hath found so much fauour with him as to winne him to these bloody machinations against an innocent His owne hands shall first bee imployed in this execution The speare which hath twice before threatned death to Dauid shall now once againe goe vpon that message Wise Dauid that knew the danger of an hollow friend and reconciled enemy and that found more cause to mind Sauls earnest then his owne play giues way by his nimblenesse to that deadly weapon and resigning that stroke vnto the wall flies for his life No man knowes how to be sure of an vnconscionable man If either goodnesse or merit or affinitie or reasons or oaths could secure a man Dauid had been safe now if his heeles doe not more befriend him then all these hee is a dead man No sooner is hee gone then messengers are sped after him It hath been seldome seene that wickednesse wanted Executioners Dauids house is beset with Murderers which watch at all his doores for the opportunitie of blood Who can but wonder to see how God hath fetch from the loines of Saul a remedy for the malice of Sauls heart His owne children are the onely meanes to crosse him in the sinne and to preserue his guiltlesse Aduersarie Michal hath more then notice of the plot and with her subtill with countermines her father for the rescue of an Husband Shee taking the benefit of the night lets Dauid downe through a window Hee is gone and disappoints the ambushes of Saul The messengers begin to be impatient of this delay and now thinke it time to inquire after their Prisoner She whiles them off with the excuse of Dauids sicknes so as now her Husband had good leisure for his escape and layes a Statue in his bed Saul likes the newes of any euill befalne to Dauid but fearing he is not sicke enough sends to aide his disease The messengers returne and rushing into the house with their Swords drawne after some harsh words to their imagined charge surprize a sicke Statue lying with a Pillow vnder his head and now blush to see they haue spent all their threats vpon a senselesse stocke and made themselues ridiculous whiles they would be seruiceable But how shall Michal answer this mockage vnto her furious father Hitherto shot hath done like Dauid wife now she begins to be Sauls Daughter He said to me Let me goe or else I will kill thee Shee whose wit had deliuered her Husband from the Sword of her Father now turnes the edge of her Fathers wrath from her selfe to her Husband His absence made her presume of his safety If Michal had not bin of Sauls plot he had neuer expostulated with her in those termes Why hast thou let mine enemy escapeâ neither had she framed that answer He said Let me goe I doe not find any great store of religion in Michal for both she had an Image in the house afterward mocked Dauid for his deuotion yet Nature hath taught her to prefer an Husband to a Father to chide a
from these intricate euils yet that the eye of diuine Prouidence had discryed it long before and that though no humane power could make way for his safetie yet that the ouer-ruling hand of his God could doe it with ease His experience had assured him of the fidelity of his Guardian in Heauen and therefore he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God In vaine is comfort expected from God if we consult not with him Abiethâr the Priest is called for Dauid was not in the Court of Achish without the Priest by his side nor the Priest without the Ephod Had these beene left behind in Ziklag they had beene miscaried with the rest and Dauid had now beene hopelesse How well it succeeds to the Great when they take God with them in his Ministers in his Ordinances As contrarily when these are laid by as superfluous there can bee nothing but vncertainety of successe or certainety of mischeife The presence of the Priest and Ephod would haue little auailed him without their vse by them hee askes counsell of the Lord in these straits The mouth and eares of God which were shut vnto Saul are open vnto Dauid no sooner can hee aske than hee receiues answere and the answere that hee receiues is full of courage and comfort Follow for thou shalt surely ouertake them and recouer all That God of truth neuer disappointed any mans trust Dauid now finds that the eye which waited vpon God was not sent away weeping Dauid therefore and his men are now vpon their march after the Amalekites It is no lingring when God bids vs goe They which had promised rest to their weary limbes after their returne from Achish in their harbour of Ziâlag are glad to forget their hopes and to put their stiffe ioynts vnto a new taske of motion It is no maruell if two hundred of them were so ouer-tired with their former toile that they were not able to passe ouer the Riuer Besor Dauid was a true Type of Christ We follow him in these holy Warres against the spirituall Amalekites All of vs are not of an equall strength Some are carryed by the vigour of their faith through all difficulties Others after long pressure are ready to languish in the way Our Leader is not more strong than pittifull neither doth hee scornfully casheere those whose desires are heartie whiles their abilities are vnanswerable How much more should our charitie pardon the Infirmities of our brethren and allow them to fit by the stuffe who cannot endure the march The same Prouidence which appointed Dauid to follow the Amalekites had also ordered an Egyptian to bee cast behind them This cast Seruant whome his cruell Master had left to faintnesse and famine shall bee vsed as the meanes of the recouery of the Israelites losse and of the reuenge of the Amalekites Had not his Master neglected him all these Rouers of Amalek had gone away with their life and booty It is not safe to dispise the meanest vassall vpon earth There is a mercy and care due to the most despicable peece of all humanity wherein wee cannot bee wanting without the offence without the punishment of God Charitie distinguisheth an Israelite from an Amalekite Dauids followers are strangers to this Egyptian an Amalekite was his Master His Master leaues him to dye in the field of sicknesse and hunger these strangers releeued him and ere they know whether they might by him receiue any light in their pursuit they refresh his dying spirits with Bread and Water with Figges and Raisins Neither can the hast of their way bee any hinderance to their compassion Hee hath no Israelitish bloud in him that is vtterly mercilesse Perhaps yet Dauids followers might also in the hope of some intelligence shew kindnesse to this forlorne Egyptian Worldly wisdome teacheth vs to sowe small courtesies where wee may reape large Haruests of recompence No sooner are his spirits recalled than hee requites his food with information I cannot blame the Egyptian that hee was so easily induced to discry these vnkinde Amalekites to mercifull Israelites those that gaue him ouer vnto death to the restorers of his life much lesse that ere hee would descry them he requires an oath of security from so bad a Master Well doth he match death with such a seruitude Wonderfull is the prouidence of God euen ouer those which are not in the neerest bonds his owne Three dayes and three nights had this poore Egyptian Slaue lyen sicke and hunger-starued in the fields and lookes for nothing but death when God sends him succour from the hands of those Israelites whom hee had helped to spoyle though not so much for his sake as for Israels is this heathenish Straglet ãâã It pleases God to extend his common fauours to all his creatures but in miraculous preseruations hee hath still wont to haue respect to his owne By this meanes therefore are the Israelites brought to the sight of their late spoylers whom they find scattered abroad vpon all the earth eating and drinking and dancing in triumph for the great prey they had taken It was three dayes at least since this gainfull forraging of Amalek and now seeing no feare of any pursuer and promising themselues safetie in so great and vpââaded a distance they make themselues merry with so rich and easie a victory and now suddenly when they began to thinke of enioying the beautie and wealth they had gotten the sword of Dauid was vpon their throates Destruction is neuer neerer than when securitie hath chased away feare With how sad faces and hearts had the Wiues of Dauid and the other Captiues of Israel looked vpon the triumphall Reuels of Amalek and what a change doe wee thinke appeared in them when they saw their happie and valiant Rescuers flying in vpon their insolent Victors and making the death of the Amalekites the ransome of their captiuitie They mourned euen now at the dances of Amalek now in the shriekes and death of Amalek they shout and reioyce The mercy of our God forgets not to enterchange our sorrowes with ioy and the ioy of the wicked with sorrow The Amalekites haue paid a deare lone for the goods of Israel which they now restore with their owne liues and now their spoyle hath made Dauid richer than hee expected that booty which they had swept from al other parts accrewed to him Those Israelites that could not goe on to fight for their share are comne to meet their brethren with gratulation How partiall are wee wont to bee vnto our owne causes Euen very Israelites will bee ready to fall out for matter of profit where selfe-loue hath bred a quarrell euery man is subiect to flatter his owne case It seemed plausible and but iust to the actors in this rescue that those which had taken no part in the paine and hazard of the iourney should receiue no part of the commoditie It was fauour enough for them to recouer their wiues and children though they shared not in
the goods Wise and holy Dauid whose prayse was no lesse to ouercome his owne in time of peace than his enemies in warre cals his contending followers from Law to equitie and so orders the matter that since the Plaintifes were detained not by will but by necessity and since their forced stay was vse-full in garding the stuffe they should partake equally of the prey with there fellowes A sentence wel-beseeming the Iustice of Gods Annoynted Those that represent God vpon earth should resemble him in their proceeding It is the iust mercie of our God to measure vs by our wils not by our abilities to recompence vs graciously according to the truth of our desires and endeauours and to account that performed by vs which hee only letteth vs from performing It were wide with vs if sometimes purpose did not supply actions Whiles our heart faulteth not wee that through spirituall sicknesse are faine to abide by the stuffe shall share both in grace and glorie with the Victors The death of SAVL THe Witch of Endor had halfe slaine Saul before the Battell it is just that they who consult with Deuils should goe away with discomfort Hee hath eaten his last bread at the hand of a Sorceresse and now necessitie drawes him into that field where hee sees nothing but despaire Had not Saul beleeued the ill newes of the counterfeite Samuel hee had not beene strooke downe on the ground with words Now his beliefe made him desperate Those actions which are not sustayned by hope must needes languish and are only promoted by outward compulsion Whiles the mind is vncertaine of successe it relieues it selfe with the possibilities of good in doubts there is a comfortable mixture but when it is assured of the worst euent it is vtterly discouraged and deiected It hath therefore pleased the wisdome of God to hide from wicked men his determination of their finall estate that their remainders of hope may harten them to good In all likelihood one selfe-same day saw Dauid a victor ouer the Amalekites and Saul discomfited by the Philistims How should it bee otherwise Dauid consulted with God and preuailed Saul with the Witch of Endor and perisheth The end is commonly answerable to the way It is an idle iniustice when wee doe ill to looke to speede well The slaughter of Saul and his sonnes was not in the first Scene of this Tragicall field that was rather reserued by God for the last act that Sauls measure might bee full God is long ere hee strikes but when hee doth it is to purpose First Israel flees and fals downe wounded in Mount Gilboa They had their part in Sauls sinne they were actors in Dauids persecution Iustly therefore doe they suffer with him whom they had seconded in offence As it is hard to bee good vnder an euill Prince so it is as rare not to bee enwrapped in his iudgments It was no small addition to the anguish of Sauls death to see his sonnes dead to see his people fleeing and slaine before him They had sinned in their King and in them is their King punished The rest were not so worthy of pittie but whose heart would it not touch to see Ionathan the good sonne of a wicked father inuolued in the common destruction Death is not partiall All dispositions all merits are alike to it if valour if holinesse if sinceritie of heart could haue beene any defence against mortalitie Ionathan had suruiued Now by their wounds and death no man can descerne which is Ionathan The soule onely findes the difference which the body admitteth not Death is the common gate both to Heauen and Hell wee all passe that ere our turning to either hand The sword of the Philistims fetcheth Ionathan through it with his fellowes no sooner is his foot ouer that threshold than God conducteth him to glory The best cannot bee happy but through their dissolution Now therefore hath Ionathan no cause of complaint hee is by the rude and cruell hand of a Philistim but remoued to a better Kingdome then hee leaues to his brother and at once is his death both a temporall affliction to the sonne of Saul and an entrance of glorie to the friend of Dauid The Philistim-archers shot at randome God directs their arrowes into the bodie of Saul Lest the discomfiture of his people and the slaughter of his sonnes should not bee griefe enough to him hee feeles himselfe wounded and sees nothing before him but horror and death and now as a man forsaken of all hopes he begs of his Armour-bearer that deaths-blow which else hee must to the doubling of his indignation receiue from a Philistim Hee begges this bloudie fauour of his seruant and is denyed Such an awefulnesse hath God placed in souereigntie that no intreatie no extreamitie can moue the hand against it What metall are those men made of that can suggest or resolue and attempt the violation of Maiestie Wicked men care more for the sâââe of the World than the danger of their soule Despââââ Saul will now supply his Armor-bearer and as a man that ãâã armes against himselfe he falls vpon his owââ Sword What if he had died by the ãâã of a Philistin So did his sinne Ionathan and lost no glory These conceits of disreputation preuaile with carnall hearts aboue all spirituall respects There is no greater murderer ãâã glory Nothing more argues an heart voide of grace than to bee transporte onâ idle popularity into actions preiudiciaâââ to the Soule Euill examples especially of the great neuer escaped imitation the Aâââor-beateâ of Saul followes his Master and came doe that to himselfe which to his King hee durst not as if their owne Swords had beeing more familiar executions ãâã they yeelded vnto them what they grudged to their pursuers From the beginning was Sauls euer his owne enemy neither did any hands hurt him but his owne to and now his death is sutable ãâã his life his owne hand paies his âââard of all his wickednesse The end of Hypocrites and enuious men is commonly fearefull Now is the bloud of Gods Priests which Saul shed and of Dauid which hee would haue shed required and requited The euill spirit had said the euening before To âârrow thou shalt bee with mee and now Saul hasteth to make the Deuill no Liemâââââer than faile he giues himselfe his owne Mittimus Oh the wofull extremities of a despairing soule plunging him euer into a greater mischiefe to auoide the lesse He might haââ beene a patient in anothers violence and faultinesse now whiles hee will needs act the Philistins part vpon himselfe he liued and died a Murderer The case is deadly when the Prisoner breakes the Iayle and will not stay for his deliuery and though we may not passe sentence vpon such a soule yet vpon the fact we may the soule may possibly repent in the parting the act is hainous and such as without repentance kils the soule It was the next day ere the Philistims knew
abasement Heroicall and that the onely way to true glory is not to be ashamed of our lowest humiliation vnto God Well might he promise himselfe honour from those whose contempt she had threatned The hearts of men are not their owne he that made them ouer-rules them and inclines them to an honourable conceit of those that honour their Maker So as holy men haue oft times inward reuerence euen where they haue outward indignities Dauid came to blesse his house Mical brings a curse vpon her selfe Her scornes shall make her childlesse to the day of her death Barrennesse was held in those times none of the least iudgements God doth so reuenge Dauids quarrell vpon Mical that her sudden disgrace shall be recompenced with perpetuall She shall not be held worthy to beare a sonne to him whom she vniustly contemned How iust is it with God to prouide whips for the backe of scorners It is no maruell if those that mocke at goodnesse be plagued with continuall fruitlesnesse MEPHIBOSHETH and ZIBA SO soone as euer Dauid can but breathe himselfe from the publike cares hee casts backe his thoughts to the deare remembrance of his Ionathan Sauls seruant is likely to giue him the best intelligence of Sauls sonnes The question is therefore moued to Ziba Remaineth there yet none of the house of Saul and lest suspition might conceale the remainders of an emulous liue in feare of reuenge intended he addes On whom I may shew the mercy of God for Ionathans sake O friendship worthy of the Monuments of Eternity fit only to requite him whose loue was more than the loue of women Hee doth not say Is there any of the house of Ionathan but of Saul that for his friends sake hee may shew fauour to the Posterity of his Persecutor Ionathans loue could not bee greater than Sauls malice which also suruiued long in his issue from whom Dauid found a busie and stubborne riualitie for the Crowne of Israel yet as one that gladly buried all the hostilitie of Sauls house in Ionathans graue hee askes Is there any man left of Sauls house that I may shew him mercie for Ionathans sake It is true loue that ouerliuing the person of a friend will bee inherited of his seed but to loue the posteritie of an enemie in a friend it is the miracle of friendship The formall amitie of the World is confined to a face or to the possibility of recompence languishing in the disabilitie and dying in the decease of the party affected That loue was euer false that is not euer constant and then most operatiue when it cannot be either knowne or requited To cut off all vnquiet competition for the Kingdome of Israel the prouidence of God had so ordered that there is none left of the house of Saul besides the sonnes of his Concubines saue only young and lame Mephihosheth so young that hee was but fiue yeeres of age when Dauid entred vpon the Gouernment of Israel so lame that if his age had fitted his impotence had made him vnfit for the Throne Mephibosheth was not borne a Cripple it was an heedlesse Nurse that made him so She hearing of the death of Saul and Ionathan made such haste to flee that her young Master was lamed with the fall Yw is there needed no such speed to runne away from Dauid whose loue pursues the hidden sonne of his brother Ionathan How often doth our ignorant mistaking cause vs to runne from our bestfriends and to catch knockes and maimes of them that professe our protection MEPHIBOSHETH could not come otherwise than fearefully into the presence of Dauid whom hee knew so long so spitefully opposed by the house of Saul hee could not bee ignorant that the fashion of the World is to build their owne security vpon the bloud of the opposite faction neither to thinke themselues safe whiles any branch remaines springing out of that root of their emulation Seasonably doth Dauid therefore first expell all those vniust doubts ere hee administer his further cordials Feare not for I will surely shew thee kindnesse for Ionathan thy fathers sake and will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father and thou shalt eate bread at my table continually Dauid can see neither Sauls bloud nor lame legs in Mephibosheth whiles he sees in him the features of his friend Ionathan how much lesse shall the God of mercies regard our infirmities or the corrupt bloud of our sinfull Progenitors whiles he beholds vs in the face of his Sonne in whom he is well pleased Fauours are wont so much more to affect vs as they are lesse expected by vs Mephibosheth as ouer-ioyed with so comfortable a word and confounded in himselfe at the remembrance of the contrary-deseruings of his Family bowes himselfe to the earth and sayes What is thy seruant that thou shouldst looke vpon such a dead Dog as I am I find no defect of wit though of limmes in Mepihbesheth hee knew himselfe the Grand-childe of the King of Israel the sonne of Ionathan the lawfull heire of both yet in regard of his owne impotencie and the trespasse and reiection of his house hee thus abaseth himselfe vnto Dauid Humiliation is a right vse of Gods affliction What if hee were borne great If the sinne of his Grandfather hath lost his estate and the hand of his Nurse hath deformed and disabled his person hee now forgets what hee was and cals himselfe worse than hee is A Dogge Yet a liuing Dogge is better than a dead Lion there is dignity and comfort in life Mephibosheth is therefore a dead Dogge vnto Dauid It is not for vs to nourish the same spirits in our aduerse estate that wee found in our highest prosperitie What vse haue wee made of Gods hand if wee bee not the lower with ourfall God intends wee should carry our crosse not make a fire of it to warme vs It is no bearing vp our sayles in a tempest Good Dauid cannot dis-esteeme Mephibosheth euer the more for disparaging himselfe hee loues and honours this humilitie in the Sonne of Ionathan There is no more certaine way to glory and aduancement than a lowly deiection of our selues Hee that made himselfe a Dogge and therefore fit onely to lye vnder the table yea a dead Dogge and therefore fit onely for the ditch is raised vp to the table of a King his seat shall bee honourable yea royall his fare delicious his attendance noble How much more will our gracious God lift vp our heads vnto true honour before men and Angels if wee can bee sincerely humbled in his sight If wee miscall our selues in the meanenesse of our conceits to him hee giues vs a new name and sets vs at the Table of his glorie It is contrary with GOD and men if they reckon of vs as wee set our selues hee values vs according to our abasements Like a Prince truely munificent and faithfull Dauid promises and performes at once Ziba Sauls seruant hath the charge giuen him of
for vs to striue in our prayers to striue with him not against him when once wee know them it is our dutie to sit downe in a silent contentation Whiles the Childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me that the Childe may liue but now he is dead Wherfore should I fast Can-I bring him backe againe The griefe that goes before an euill for remedie can hardly bee too much but that which followes an euill past remedie cannot bee too little Euen in the saddest accident Death wee may yeeld something to nature nothing to impatience immoderation of sorrow for losses past hope of recouery is more fullen than vse-full our stomacke may be bewrayed by it not our wisdome AMNON and TAMAR IT is not possible that any word of God should fall to the ground Dauid is not more sure of forgiuenesse than smart Three maine sins passed him in this businesse of Vriah Adultery Murder Dissimulation for all which he receiues present payment for Adultery in the deflowring of his Daughter Thamar for Murder in the killing of his Sonne Amnon for Dissimulation in the contriuing of both Yet all this was but the beginning of euils Where the Father of the Family brings sinne home to the house it is not easily swept our Vnlawfull Lust propagates it selfe by example How iustly is Dauid scourged by the sinne of his Sonnes whome his Act taught to offend Maacha was the Daughter of an Heathenish King By her had Dauid that beautifull but vnhappy Issue Absalom and his no lesse faire Sister Thamar Perhaps thus late doth Dauid feele the punishment of that vnfit choice I should haue maruelled if so holy a man had not found crosses in so vnequall a match either in his person or at least in his feed Beauty if it be not well disciplin'd proues not a Friend but a Traytour three of Dauids Children are vndone by it at once What else was guilty of Amnons incestuous loue Tamars rauishment Absoloms pride It is a blessing to be faire yet such a blessing as if the soule answer not to the face may leade to a curse How commonly haue we seene the foââlest soule dwell fairest It was no fault of Tamars that shee was beautifull the Candle offends not in burning the foolish flie offends in scorching it selfe in the flame yet it is no small misery to become a tentation vnto another and to be made but the occasion of others ruine Amnon is loue-sicke of his sister Tamar and languishes of that vnnaturall heat Whither will not wanton lust carry the inordinate mindes of pampered and vngouerned youth None but his halfe sister will please the eyes of the young Prince of Israel Ordinary pleasures will not content those whom the conceit of greatnesse youth and ease haue let loose to their appetite Perhaps yet this vnkindly flame might in time haue gone out alone had not there beene a Ionadab to blow these coales with ill counsell It were strange if great Princes should want some Parasiticall Followers that are ready to feed their ill humors Why art thou the Kings Sonne so leane from day to day As if it were vnworthy the Heire of a King to suffer either Law or Conscience to stand in the way of his desires Whereas wise Princes know well that their places giue them no priuiledge of sinning but call them in rather to so much more strictnesse as their example may be more preiudiciall Ionadab was the Cousin German of Amnon Ill aduice is so much more dangegerous as the interest of the giuer is more Had he beene a true friend hee had bent all the forces of his disswasion against the wicked motions of that sinfull lust and had shewed the Prince of Israel how much those lewd desires prouoked God and blemished himselfe and had lent his hand to strangle them in their first Conception There cannot be a more worthy improuement of friendship than in a feruent opposition to the sinnes of them whom we professe to loue No enemy can be so mortall to great Princes as those officious Clients whose flattery soothes them vp in wickednesse These are Traytors to the Soule and by a pleasing violence kill the best part eternally How ready at hand is an euill suggestion Good counsell is like vnto Wel-water that must be drawne vp with a Pumpe or Bucket Ill counsell is like to Conduit-water which if the cocke be but turned runnes out alone Ionadab hath soone proiected how Amnon shall accomplish his lawlesse purpose The way must be to faine himselfe sicke in body whose minde was sicke of lust and vnder this pretence to procure the presence of her who had wounded and only might cure him The daily increasing languor and leanenesse and palenesse of loue-sicke Amnon might well giue colour to a Kerchiefe and a pallet Now is it soone told Dauid that his eldest Sonne is cast vpon his sicke bed there needs no suite for his visitation The carefull Father hastenâ to his Bed-side not without doubts and feates He that was lately so afflicted with the sicknesse of a Childe that scarce liued to see the light how sensible must we needs thinke hee would bee of the indisposition of his first borne Soone in the prime of his age and hopes It is not giuen to any Prophet to fore-see all things Happie had it beene for Dauid if Amnon had beene truly sicke and sicke vnto death yet who could haue perswaded this passionate Father to haue beene content with this succession of losses this early losse of his Successour How glad is he to heare that his Daughter Tamars skill might bee likely to fit the dyet of so deareâ patient Conceit is word to rule much both in sicknesse and the cure Tamar is sent by her Father to the house of Amnon Her hand only must dresse that Dish which may please the nice Palace of her sicke Brother Euen the Children of Kings in those homelyâr Tymes did not scorne to put their fingers to some workes of huswifrie Shee tooke floure and did knead it and did make Cakes in his sight and did bake the Cakes and tooke a Pan and powred them out before him Had shee not beene sometimes vsed to such domestique imployments shee had beene now to seeke neither had this beene required of her but vpon the knowledge of her skill Shee doth not plead the impayring of her beauty by the scorching of the fire nor thinkes her hand too dainty for such meane Services but settles to the worke as one that had rather regard the necessities of her Brother than her owne state Only pride and idlenesse haue banisht honest and thrifty diligence out of the houses of the great This was not yet the Dish that Amnon longed for It was the Cooke and not the Cates which that wanton eye affected Vnlawfull Acts seeke for secrecie The companie is dismissed Tamar onely staies Good meaning suspects nothing Whiles she presents the meat
to that name and bloud the going downe into Egypt had not so much difficulty as the staying there Their absence from their countrey was little better than a bannishment but what was this other than to serue a prentiship in the house of bondage to be any where saue at home was irkesome but to be in Egypt so many yeares amongst idolatrous Pagans must needs be painefull to religious hearts The Command of their God and the Presence of Christ makes amends for all How long should they haue thought it to see the Temple of God if they had not had the God of the Temple with them How long to present their sacrifices at the Altar of God if they had not had him with them which made all sacrifices accepted and which did accept the sacrifice of their hearts Herod was subtle in mocking the wise-men whiles he promised to worship him whom hee meant to kill now God makes the wise men to mocke him in disappointing his expectation It is iust with God to punish those which would beguile others with illusion Great spirits are so much more impatient of disgrace How did Herod now rage and fret and vainely wish to haue met with those false spies and tells with what torments he would reuenge their trechery and curses himselfe for trusting strangers in so important a businesse The Tyrants suspition would not let him rest long Ere many daies hee sends to inquire of them whom hee sent to inquire of Christ The notice of their secret departure increaseth his ielousie and now his anger runnes madde and his feare proues desperate All the infants of Bethleem shall bleed for this one And that hee may make sure worke hee cuts out to himselfe large measures both of time and place It was but very lately that the Starre appeared that the wise-men re-appeared not They asked for him that was borne they did not name when hee was borne Herod for more securitie ouer-reaches their time and fetches into the slaughter all the children of two yeears age The Priests and Scribes had told him the towne of Bethleem must bee the place of the Messia's natiuity He fetches in all the children of the coasts adioyning yea his owne shall for the time be a Bethleemite A tyrannous guiltinesse neuer thinkes it selfe safe but euer seekes to assure it selfe in the excesse of cruelty Doubtlesse hee which so priuily inquired for Christ did as secretly brew this massacre The mothers were set with their children on their laps feeding them with the brest or talking to them in the familiar language of their loue when suddenly the Executioner rushes in and snatches them from their armes and at once pulling forth his Commission and his knife without regard to shrikes or teares murthers the innocent babe and leaues the passionate mother in a meane betweene madnesse and death What cursing of Herod what wringing of hands what condoling what exclaiming was now in the streets of Bethleem O bloudy Herod that couldst sacrifice so many harmelesse liues to thine ambition What could those infants haue done If it were thy person whereof thou wert afraid what likelihood was it thou couldst liue till those sucklings might endanger thee This newes might affect thy successors it could not concerne thee if the heate of an impotent and furious enuy had not made thee thirsty of bloud It is not long that thou shalt enioy this cruelty After a few hatefull yeeres thy soule shall feele the weight of so many innocents of so many iust curses He for whose sake thou killedst so many shall strike thee with death and then what wouldest thou haue giuen to haue bin as one of those infants whom thou murtheredst In the meane time when thine executioners returned and told thee of their vnpartiall dispatch thou smiledst to thinke how thou had defeated thy riuall and beguiled the starre and deluded the prophesies whiles God in heauen and his Son on earth laugh thee to scorne and make thy rage an occasion of further glory to him whom thou meantest to suppresse He that could take away the liues of others cannot protract his owne Herod is now sent home The coast is cleare for the returne of that holy family Now God cals them from their exile Christ and his Mother had not stayed so long out of the confines of the reputed visible Church but to teach vs continuance vnder the Crosse Sometimes God sees it good for vs not to sip of the cup of affliction but to make a dict-drinke of it for constant and common vse If he allow vs no other liquor for many yeeres we must take it off cheerefully and know that it is but the measure of our betters Ioseph and Mary stirre not without a command their departure stay remoouall is ordered by the voice of God If Egypt had beene more tedious vnto them they durst not moue their foot till they were bidden It is good in our owne businesse to follow reason or custome but in Gods businesse if we haue any other guide but himselfe we presume and cannot expect a blessing O the wonderfull dispensation of God in concealing of himselfe from men Christ was now some fiue yeeres old he beares himselfe as an infant and knowing all things neither takes nor giues notice of ought concerning his remoouall and disposing but appoints that to be done by his Angell which the Angell could not haue done but by him Since hee would take our nature he would be a perfect childe suppressing the manifestation and exercise of that God-head whereto that infancy-nature was conioyned Euen so O Sauiour the humility of thine infancy was answerable to that of thy birth The more thou hidest and abasest thy selfe for vs the more should we magnifie thee the more should we deiect our selues for thee Vnto Thee with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euer Amen FJNJS Contemplations VPON THE HISTORIE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT The second Booke Containing Christ among the Doctors Christ Baptized Christ Tempted Simon Called The Mariage in Cana. The good Centurion By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE HONORABLE GENERALL SIR EDVVARD CECILL KNIGHT all honor and happinesse Most Honored Sir THe store of a good Scribe is according to our Sauiour both old and new J would if J durst be ambitious of this onely honor hauing therefore drawne forth these not-friuolous thoughts out of the old Testament I fetch these following from the new God is the same in both as the body differs not with the age of the sute with the change of robes The olde and new wine of holy Truth came both out of one vineyard yet here may wee safely say to the Word of his Father as was said to the Bridegroome of Cana Thou hast kept the best wine till the last The authority of both is equally sacred the vse admits no lesse
Ruler intreated him for his sonne I Come downe ere hee dye our Sauiour sâird not a foote The Centurion did but complaine of the sicknesse of his Seruant and Christ vnasked sayes I will come and heale him That hee might bee farre from so much as seeming to honour wealth and dispise meanesse he that came in the shape of a Seruant would goe downe to the sicke Seruants pallet would not goe to the Bed of the rich Rulers Sonne It is the basest motiue of respect that ariseth meerely from outward greatnesse Either more grace or more need may iustly challenge our fauourable regards no lesse than priuate Obligations Euen so O Sauiour that which thou offenedst to doe for the Centurions Seruant hast thou done for vs Wee were sicke vnto death So farre had the dead palsie of sinne ouer-taken vs that there was no life of grace left in vs When thou wert not content to sit still in heauen and say I will cure them but addedst also I will come and cure them Thy selfe came downe accordingly to this miserable World and hast personally healed vs So as now wee shall not dye but liue and declare thy workes O Lord And oh that wee could enough prayse that loue and mercie which hath so graciously abased thee and could be but so low deiected before thee as thou hast stooped low vnto vs that wee could be but as lowly subiects of thy goodnesse as we are vnworthy Oh admirable returne of Humilitie Christ will goe downe to visit the sicke Seruant the Master of that Seruant sayes Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe The Iewish Elders that went before to mediate for him could say Hee is worthy that thou shouldest doe this for him but the Centurion when hee comes to speake for himselfe I am not worthy They said Hee was worthy of Christs miracle Hee sayes hee is vnworthy of Christs presence There is great difference betwixt others valuations and our owne Sometimes the world vnder-rates him that findes reason to set an high price vpon himselfe Sometimes againe it ouer values a man that knowes iust cause of his owne humiliation If others mistake vs this can bee no warrant for our errour We cannot bee wise vnlesse we receiue the knowledge of our selues by direct beames not by reflection vnlesse we haue learned to contemne vniust applauses and scorning the flatterie of the World to frowne vpon our owne vilenesse Lord I am not worthy Many a one if he had bin in the Centurions coate would haue thought well of it A Captaine a man of good abilitie and command a founder of a Synagogue a Patron of Religion yet hee ouer-lookes all these and when hee casts his eye vpon the diuine worth of Christ and his owne weaknesse hee sayes I am not worthy Alas Lord I am a Gentile an Alien a man of bloud thou art holy thou art omnipotent True Humilitie will teach vs to finde out the best of another and the worst piece of our selues Pride contrarily shewes vs nothing but matter of admiration in our selues in others of contempt Whiles hee confest himselfe vnworthy of any fauour hee approued himselfe worthy of all Had not Christ beene before in his heart he could not haue thought himselfe vnworthy to entertayne that Guest within his house Vnder the low roofe of an humble brest doth God euer delight to dwell The state of his Palace may not be measured by the height but by the depth Brags and boldfaces doe oft-times carry it away with men nothing preuayles with God but our voluntary deiections It is fit the foundations should be layd deepe where the building is high The Centurions Humilitie was not more low than his faith was lofty that reaches vp into Heauen and in the face of humane weaknesse descryes Omnipotence Onely say the word and my Seruant shall be whole Had the Centurions roofe beene Heauen it selfe it could not haue beene worthy to bee come vnder of him whose Word was Almighty and who was the Almightie Word of his Father Such is Christ confessed by him that sayes Only say the worde none but a diuine Power is vnlimited neither hath Faith any other bounds than God himselfe There needs no footing to remoue Mountaynes or Deuils but a word doe but say the word O Sauiour my sinne shall bee remitted my soule shall bee healed my body shall be raysed from dust both soule and body shall be glorious Whereupon then was the steddie confidence of the good Centurion âee saw how powerfull his owne word was with those that were vnder his command though himselfe were vnder the command of another the force whereof extended euen to absent performances well therefore might he argue that a free and vnbounded power might giue infallible commands and that the most obstinate Disease must therefore needs yeeld to the becke of the God of nature weaknesse may shew vs what is in strength By one drop of water wee may see what is in the mayne Ocean I maruell not if the Centurion were kind to his Seruants for they were dutifull to him hee can but say Doe this and it is done these mutuall respects draw on each other cheerefull and diligent seruice in the one cals for a due and fauourable care in the other they that neglect to please cannot complaine to be neglected Oh that I could bee but such a Seruant to mine heauenly Master Alas euery of his commands sayes Doe this and I doe it not Euery of his inhibitions sayes Doe it not and I doe it Hee sayes goe from the World I runne to it hee sayes Come to mee I runne from him Woe is mee this is not seruice but enmity How can I looke for fauour whiles I returne rebellion It is a gracious Master whom wee serue there can be no duty of ours that hee sees not that hee acknowledges not that hee crownes not wee could not but bee happy if wee could bee officious What can be more maruellous than to see Christ maruell All maruelling supposes an ignorance going before and aâknowledge following some accident vnexpected now who wrought this Faith in the Centurion but hee that wondred at it He knew well what hee wroughâ because he wrought what he would yet he wondred at what he both wrought and knew to teach vs much more to admire that which hâe at once knowes and holds admirable He wrought this faith as God hee wondred at it as man God wrought and man admired hee that was both did both to teach vs where to bestow our wonder I neuer finde Christ wondring at Gold or Siluer at the costly and curious workes of humane skill or industry Yea when the Disciples wondred at the magnificence of the Temple he rebuked them rather I finde him not wondring at the frame of Heauen and Earth nor at the orderly disposition of all creatures and euents the familiaritie of these things intercepts the admiration But when hee sees the grace or acts of faith hee
out the ringleader of this hatefull insurrection and will at once serue for his hangman and gallowes by one of those spreading armes snatching him away to speedy execution Absalom was comely and hee knew it well enough His haire was no small peece of his beauty nor matter of his pride It was his wont to cut it once a yeere not for that it was too long but too heauy his heart could haue borne it longer if his necke had not complained And now the iustice of God hath platted an halter of those locks Those tresses had formerly hanged loosely disheueld on his shoulders now he hangs by theÌ He had wont to weigh his haire and was proud to find it so heauy now his haire poyseth the weight of his body and makes his burden his torment It is no maruell if his owne haire turn'd traitor to him who durst rise vp against his father That part which is misused by man to sinne is commonly imployed by God to reuenge The reuenge that it worketh for God makes amends for the offence whereto it is drawne against God The very beast whereon Absalom sat as weary to beare so vnnaturall a burden resignes ouer his lode to the tree of Iustice There hangs Absalom betweene heauen and earth as one that was hated and abandoned both of earth and heauen As if God meant to prescribe this punishment for Traytors Absalom Achitophel and Iudas dye all one death So let them perish that dare lift vp their hand against Gods anointed The honest souldier sees Absalom hanging in the Oke and dares not touch him his hands were held with the charge of Dauid Beware that none touch the yong man Absalom Ioab vpon that intelligenceâ sees him and smites him with no lesse then three darts What the souldier forbore in obedience the Captaine doth in zeale not fearing to preferre his Soueraignes safety to his command and more tendering the life of a King and peace of his Countrey then the weake affection of a father I dare not sit Iudge betwixt this zeale and that obedience betwixt the Captaine and the Souldier the one was a good subiect the other a good Patriot the one loued the King the other loued Dauid and out of loue disobeyed the one meant as well as the other sped As if God meant to fulfill the charge of his Anointed without any blame of his subiects it pleased him to execute that immediate reuenge vpon the rebell which would haue dispatcht him without hand or dart only the Mule and the Oke conspired to this execution but that death would haue required more leasure then it was safe for Israel to giue and still life would giue hope of rescue to cut off all feares Ioab lends the Oke three darts to helpe forward so needfull a worke of iustice All Israel did not afford so firme a friend to Absalom as Ioab had beene who but Ioab had suborned the witty widow of Tekoah to sue for the recalling of Absalom from his three yeeres exile Who but he went to fetch him from Geshur to Ierusalem Who but he fetcht him from his house at Ierusalem whereto he had beene two yeeres confined to the face to the lips of Dauid Yet now he that was his sollicitor for the Kings fauor is his executioner against the Kings charge With honest hearts all respects either of blood or friendship cease in the case of Treason well hath Ioab forgotten himselfe to be friend to him who had forgotten himselfe to bee a sonne Euen ciuilly the King is our common father our Country our common mother Nature hath no priuate relations which should not gladly giue place to these He is neither father nor sonne nor brother nor friend that conspires against the common parent Well doth he who spake parables for his masters sonne now speake darts to his Kings enemy and pierces that heart which was false to so good a father Those darts are seconded by Ioabs followers each man tries his weapon vpon so faire a marke One death is not enough for Absalom he is at once hanged shot mangled stoned Iustly was he lift vp to the Oke who had lift vp himselfe against his father and soueraigne Iustly is hee pierced with darts who had pierced his fathers heart with so many sorrowes Iustly is he mangled who hath dismembred and diuided all Israel Iustly is he stoned who had not only cursed but pursued his owne parent Now Ioab sounds the retrait and cals off his eager troupes from execution howeuer he knew what his rebellious Countrymen had deserued in following an Absalom Wise Commanders know how to put a difference betwixt the heads of a faction and the misguided multitude and can pity the one whiles they take reuenge on the other So did Absalom esteeme himselfe that hee thought it would bee a wrong to the world to want the memoriall of so goodly a person God had denied him sons How iust it was that he should want a sonne who had robd his father of a sonne who would haue robd himselfe of a father his father of a Kingdome It had beene pity so poysonous a plant should haue beene fruitfull His pride shall supply nature hee reares vp a stately pillar in the Kings dale and cals it by his owne name that hee might liue in dead stones who could not suruiue in liuing issue and now behold this curious pile ends in a rude heape which speakes no language but the shame of that carkasse which it couers Heare this ye glorious fooles that care not to perpetuate any memory of your selues to the world but of ill-deseruing greatnesse the best of this affectation is vanity the worst infamy and dishonour whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed and if his humility shâll refuse an Epitaph and chose to hide himselfe vnder the bare earth God himselfe shall ingraue his name vpon the pillar of eternity There now lies Absalom in the pit vnder a thousand graue-stones in euery of which is written his euerlâsting reproach well might this heape ouer-liue that pillar for when that ceased to be a pillar it began to bee an heape neither will it cease to bee a monument of Absaloms shame whiles there are stones to bee found vpon earth Euen at this day very Pagans and Pilgrimes that passe that way cast each man a stone vnto that heape and are wont to say in a solemne execration Cursed bee the paricide Absalom and cursed bee all vniust persecutors of their parents for euer Fasten your eyes vpon this wofull spectacle O all yee rebellious and vngracious children which rise vp against the loynes and thighes from which yee fell and know that it is the least part of your punishment that your carkasses rot in the earth and your name in ignominie these doe but shadow out those eternall sufferings of your soules for your foule and vnnaturall disobedience Absalom is sped who shall report it to his father Surely Ioab was not so much afraid of
now all hearts are cold all faces pale and euery man hath but life enough to runne away How suddenly is this brauing troupe dispersed Adonijah their new Prince flies to the hornes of the Altar as distrusting all hopes of life saue the Sanctity of the place and the mercy of his riuall So doth the wise and iust God befoole proud and insolent sinners in those secret plots wherein they hope to vndermine the true sonne of Dauid the Prince of Peace he suffers them to lay their heads together and to feast themselues in a iocund securitie and promise of successe at last when they are at the height of their ioyes and hopes he confounds all their deuices and layes them open to the scorne of the world and to the anguish of their owne guilty hearts DAVIDS end and SALOMONS beginning IT well became Salomon to begin his Raigne in peace Adonijah receiues pardon vpon his good behauiour and findes the Throne of Salomon as safe as the Altar Dauid liues to see a wise sonne warme in his seat and now hee that had yeelded to succession yeelds to nature Many good counsels had Dauid giuen his Heire now hee summes them vp in his end Dying words are wont to bee weightiest The Soule when it is entring into glory breathes nothing but diuine I goe the way of all the earth How well is that Princely heart content to subscribe to the conditions of humane mortality as one that knew Soueraigntie doth not reach to the affaires of nature Though a King he neither expects nor desires an immunity from dissolution making not account to goe in any other then the common track to the vniuersall home of mankind the house of age Whither should earth but to earth and why should we grugde to doe that which all doe Be thou strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man Euen when his spirit was going out he puts spirit into his Sonne Age puts life into youth and the dying animates the vigorous He had well found that strength was requisit to gouernment that he had need to be no lesse then a man that should rule ouer men If greatnesse should neuer receiue any opposition yet those worlds powers A weake man may obey none but the strong can gouerne Gracelesse courage were but the whetstone of tyranny Take heed therefore to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Statutes The best legacy that Dauid bequeathes to his heire is the care of piety himselfe had found the sweetnesse of a good conscience and now he commends it to his successor If there be any thing that in our desires of the prosperous condition of our children takes place of goodnesse our hearts are not vpright Here was the father a King charging the King his sonne to keepe the Statutes of the King of Kings as one that knew greatnesse could neither exempt from obedience nor priuiledge sinne as one that knew the least deuiation in the greatest and highest Orbe is both most sensible and most dangerous Neither would he haue his sonne to looke for any prosperity saue onely from well-doing That happinesse is built vpon sands or Ice which is raised vpon any foundation besides vertue If Salomon were wise Dauid was good and if old Salomon had well remembred the counsell of old Dauid he had not so foulely mis-caried After the precepts of pietie follow those of iustice distributing in a due recompence as reuenge to Ioab and Shimei so fauour to the house of Barzillai The bloodinesse of Ioab had lien long vpon Dauids heart the hideous noyse of those treacherous murders as it had pierced heauen so it still filled the eares of Dauid He could abhorre that villanie though he could not reuenge it What he cannnot pay hee will owe and approue himselfe at last a faithfull debtor Now hee will defray it by the hand of Salomon The slaughter was of Abner and Amasa Dauid appropriates it Thou knowest what Ioab did to me The Soueraigne is smitten in the Subiect Neither is it other then iust that the arraignment of meane malefactors runnes in the stile of wrong to the Kings Crowne and dignity How much more ãâã thou O Sonne of Dauid take to thy selfe those insolencies which are done to thy poorest subiects seruants sonnes members here vpon earth No Saul can touch a Christian here below but thou feelest it in heauen and complainest But what shall we thinke of this Dauid was a man of Warre Salomon a King of Peace yet Dauid referres this reuenge to Salomon How iust it was that he who shed the blood of warre in peace and put the blood of war vpon his girdle that was about his loynes should haue his blood shed in peace by a Prince of peace Peace is fittest to rectifie the out-rages of Warre Or whether is not this done in type of that diuine administration wherein thou O father of heauen hast committed all iudgement vnto thine eternall Sonne Thou who couldst immediately either plague or absolue sinners wilt doe neither but by the hand of a Mediator Salomon learned betimes what his ripenesse taught afterwards Take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousnesse Cruell Ioab and malicious Shimei must be therfore vpon the first opportunity remoued The one lay open to present iustice for abetting the conspiracy of Adonijah neither needes the helpe of time for a new aduantage The other went vnder the protection of an oath from Dauid and therefore must be fetcht in vpon a new challenge The hoare head of both must bee brought to the graue with blood else Dauids head could not bee brought to his graue in peace Due punishment of malefactors is the debt of authority If that holy King haue runne into arerages yet as one that hates and feares to breake the banke he giues order to his pay-master It shall bee defraid if not by him yet for him Generous natures cannot be vnthankfull Barzillai had shewed Dauid some kindnesse in his extremity and now the good man will haue posterity to inherite the thankes How much more bountifull is the Father of mercies in the remuneration of our poore vnworthy seruices Euen successions of generations shall fare the better for one good parent The dying words and thoughts of the man after Gods owne heart did not confine themselues to the straites of these particular charges but inlarged themselues to the care of Gods publike seruice As good men are best at last Dauid did neuer so busily and carefully marshall the affaires of God as when he was fixed to the bed of his age and death Then did he lode his sonne Salomon with the charge of building the house of God then did hee lay before the eyes of his sonne the modell and patterne of that whole sacred worke whereof if Salomon beare the name yet Dauid no lesse merits it He now giues the platforme of the Courts and buildings Hee giues the gold and siluer for
that holy vse an hundred thousand talents of gold a thousand thousand talents of siluer besides brasse and yron passing weight Hee weighes out those precious metalls for their seuerall designements Euery future vessell is laid out already in his poise if not in his forme Hee excites the Princes of Israel to their assistance in so high a worke He takes notice of their bountifull offerings He numbers vp the Leuites for the publique seruice and sets them their taskes Hee appoints the Singers and other Musitians to their stations the Porters to the Gates that should be And now when he hath set all things in a desired order and forwardnesse he shuts vp with a zealous blessings of his Salomon and his people and sleepes with his fathers Oh blessed soule how quiet a possession hast thou now taken after so many tumults of a better Crowne Thou that hast prepared all things for the house of thy God how happily art thou now welcomed to that house of his not made with hands eternall in the heauens Who now shall enuie vnto good Princes the honour of ouerseeing the businesses of God and his Church when Dauid was thus punctuall in these diuine prouisions What feare can bee of vsurpation where they haue so glorious a precedent Now is Salomon the second time crowned King of Israel and now in his owne right as formerly in his fathers sits peaceably vpon the Throne of the Lord His awe and power comâ on faster then his yeeres Enuie and ambition where it is once kindled may sooner be hid in the ashes then quite put out Adonijah yet hangs after his old hopes He remembers how sweet he found the name of a King and now hath laid a new plot for the setting vp of his crackt title He would make the bed a step to the throne His old complices are sure enough His part would gather much strength if he might inioy Abishag the relict of his father to wife If it were not the Iewish fashion as is pretended that a Kings widow should mary none but a King yet certainly the power both of the alliance and friendship of a Queene must needes not a little aduance his purpose The crafty riuall dare not either moue the suit to Salomon or effect the mariage without him but would cunningly vndermine the sonne by the suit of that mother whose suit had vndermined him The weaker vessells are commonly vsed in the most dangerous suggestions of euill Bathsheba was so wise a woman that some of her counsels are canonized for diuine yet she saw not the depth of this drift of Adonijah therefore she both entertaines the suit and moues it But what euer were the intent of the suitor could she choose but see the vnlawfulnesse of so incestuous a match It is not long since shee saw her late husband Dauid abominating the bed of those his Concubines that had been touched by his sonne Absalom and can she hold it lawfull that his sonne Adonijah should climb vp to the bed of his fathers wife Sometimes euen the best eyes are dimme and discerne not those things which are obuious to weaker sights Or whether did not Bathsheba well see the foulenesse of the suit and yet in compassion of Adonijahs late repulse wherein she was the chiefe agent and in a desire to make him amends for the losse of the Kingdome she yeelds euen thus to gratifie him It is an iniurious weakenesse to bee drawne vpon any by-respects to the furtherance of faulty suits of vnlawfull actions No sooner doth Bathsheba come in place then Salomon her sonne rises from his chaire of State and meets her and bowes to her and sets her on his right hand as not so remembring himselfe to be a King that he should forget he was a sonne No outward dignity can take away the rights and obligations of nature Had Bathsheba beene as meane as Salomon was mighty she had caried away this honor from a gracious sonne Yet for all these due complements Bathsheba goes away with a deniall Reuerence she shall haue she shall not haue a condescent In the acts of Magistracie all regards of naturall relations must giue way That which she propounded as a small request is now after a generall and confused ingagement reiected as vnreasonable It were pity wee should bee heard in all our suits Bathsheba makes a petition against herselfe and knowes it not her safetie and life depends vpon Salomons raign yet she vnwittingly moues for the aduancement of Adonijah Salomon was to dutifull too checke his mother and too wise to yeeld to her In vnfit supplications wee are most heard when we are repelled Thus doth our God many times answer our prayers with mercifull denialls and most blesseth vs in crossing our desires Wise Salomon doth not find himselfe perplexed with the scruple of his promise he that had said Aske on for I will not say thee nay can now sweare God doe so to mee and more also if Adonijah haue not spoken this word against his owne life His promise was according to his supposition his supposition was of no other then of a suit honest reasonable expedient now he holds himselfe free from that grant wherein there was at once both sin and danger No man can be intangled with generall words against his owne iust and honest intentions The policies of wicked men befoole them at last this intercession hath vndone Adonijah and in stead of the Throne hastens his graue The sword of Benaiah puts an end to that dangerous riuality Ioab and Abiathar still held Champerty with Adonijah Their hand was both in his claime of the Kingdome and in the suit of Abishag There are crimes wherein there are no accessories such is thââ of treason Abiathar may thanke his burden that he liues Had he not borne the Arke of the Lord before Dauid he had not now caried his head vpon his shoulders Had he not been afflicted with Dauid he had perished with Adonijah now though he were in his owne merit a man of death yet he shall suruiue his partners Get thee to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields The Priesthood of Abiathar as it aggrauated his crime so it shall preserue his life Such honor haue good Princes giuen to the Ministers of the Sanctuarie that their very coate hath beene defence enough against the sword of iustice how much more should it be of proofe against the contempt of base persons Besides his function respect is had to his sufferings The father and brethren of Abiathar were slaine for Dauids sake therefore for Dauids sake Abiathar though worthy of death shall liue He had been now a dead man if he had not beene formerly afflicted Thus doth our good God deale with vs by the rod he preuents the sword and therefore will not condemne vs for our sins because we haue suffered If Abiathar doe not forfait his life yet his office he shall he must change Ierusalem for Anathoth and the Priesthood for a retired priuacie
It was fourescore yeeres agoe since the sentence of iudgement was denounced against the house of Eli now doth it come to execution This iust quarrell against Abiathar the last of that line shall make good the threatned iudgement The wickednesse of Elies house was neither purged by sacrifice nor obliterated by time If God pay slowly yet he payes sure Delay of most certaine punishment is neither any hindrance to his iustice nor any comfort to our miseries The Execution of IOAB and SHIMEI ABiathar shall liue though he serue not It is in the power of Princes to remit at least those punishments which attend the breach of humane Lawes good reason they should haue power to dispence with the wrongs done to their owne persons The newes of Adonijahs death and Abiathars remouall cannot but affright Ioab who now runnes to Gibeon and takes sanctuary in the Tabernacle of God all his hope of defence is in the hornes of the Altar Fond Ioab hadst thou formerly sought for counsell from the Tabernacle thou hadst not now needed to seeke to it for refuge if thy deuotions had not beene wanting to that Altar thou hadst not needed it for a shelter It is the fashion of our foolish presumption to looke for protection where wee haue not cared to yeeld obedience Euen a Ioab clings fast to Gods Altar in his extremity which in his ruffe and welfare he regarded not The worst men would be glad to make vse of Gods ordinances for their aduantage Necessity will driue the most profane and lawlesse man to God But what doe these bloody hands touching the holy Altar of God Miserable Ioab what helpe canst thou expect from that sacred pile Those hornes that were besprinkled with the blood of beasts abhorre to be touched by the blood of men that Altar was for the expiation of sin by blood not for the protection of the sin of blood If Adonijah fled thither and escaped it is murder that pursues thee more then conspiracie God hath no sanctuary for a wilfull Homicide Yet such respect doth Benaiah giue to that holy place that his sword is vnwilling to touch him that touches the Altar Those hornes shall put off death for the time and giue protraction of the execution though not preseruation of life How sweet is life euen to those who haue been prodigall of the blood of others that Ioab shifts thus to hold it but some few houres Benaiah returnes with Ioabs answer in stead of his head Nay but I will dy here as not daring to vnsheath his sword against a man sheltered in Gods tabernacle without a new commission Yong Salomon is so wel acquainted with the Law of God in such a case that he sticks not at the sentence he knew that God had enacted If a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine Altar that he may die He knew Ioabs murders had not been more presumptuous then guilefull and therefore he sends Benaiah to take away the offender both from God and men from the Altar and the world No subiect had merited more then Ioab When proclamation was made in Israel that who euer should smite the Iebusites first he should be the Chiefe and Captaine Ioab was the man When Dauid built some part of Ierusalem Ioab built the rest so as Ierusalem owes it selfe to Ioab both for recouery and reparation No man held so close to Dauid no man was more intent to the weale of Israel none so successefull in victories yet now is he cald to reckon for his old sinnes and must repay blood to Amasa and Abner It is not in the power of all our deserts to buy off one sinne either with God or man where life is so deeply forfaited it admits of no redemption The honest simplicity of those times knew not of any infamy in the execution of iustice Benaiah who was the great Marshall vnder Salomon thinkes not his fingers defiled with that fatall stroke It is a foolish nicenesse to put more shame in the doing of iustice then in the violating of it In one act Salomon hath approued himselfe both a good Magistrate and a good sonne fulfilling at once the will of a father and the charge of God concluding vpon this iust execution that vpon Dauid and vpon his seed and vpon his house and vpon his Throne there shall bee peace for euer from the Lord and inferring that without this there could haue beene no peace Blood is a restlesse suitor and will not leaue clamoring for iudgement till the mouth bee stopped with reuenge In this case fauour to the offender is cruelty to the fauourer Now hath Ioab paid all his arerages by the sword of Benaiah there is no suit against his corps that hath the honor of a buriall fit for a Peere of Israel for the neere cozen to the King Death puts an end to all quarrells Salomon strikes off the skore when God is satisfied The reuenge that suruiues death and will not be shut vp in the Coffin is barbarous and vnbeseeming true Israelites Onely Shimei remaines vpon the file his course is next yet so as that it shall be in his owne liberty to hasten his end Vpon Dauids remission Shimei dwels securely in Bahurim a town of the Tribe of Beniamin Doubtlesse when he saw so round iustice done vpon Adonijah and Ioab his guilty heart could not think Salomons message portended ought but his execution and now he cannot but be well pleased with so easie conditions of dwelling at Ierusalem and not passing ouer the brooke Kidron What more delightful place could he choose to liue in theÌ that city which was the glory of the whole earth What more pleasing bounds could he wish then the sweet bankes of Kidron Ierusalem could be no prison to him whiles it was a Paradise to his betters and if he had a desire to take fresh aire hee had the space of sixe furlongs to walke from the city to the brooke Hee could not complaine to bee so delectably confined And besides thrice euery yeere he might be sure to see all his friends without stirring his foot Wise Salomon whiles hee cared to seeme not too seuere an exactor of that which his father had remitted prudently laies insensible twigs for so foule an offender Besides the old grudge no doubt Salomon saw cause to suspect the fidelity of Shimei as a man who was euer knowne to be hollow to the house of Dauid The obscurity of a Country life would easily afford him more safe opportunities of secret mischiefe Many eies shall watch him in the citie he cannot looke out vnseene hee cannot whisper vnheard Vpon no other termes shall hee inioy his life which the least straying shall forfait Shimei feeles no paine in this restraint How many Nobles of Israel doe that for pleasure which he doth vpon command Three yeers hath he liued within compasse limited both by Salomons charge and his owne oath It was still in
from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile My Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Behold the fauour of God doth not depend vpon Salomons obedience If Salomon shall suffer his faithfulnesse to faile towards his God God will not requite him with the failing of his faithfulnesse to Salomon If Salomon breake his Couenant with God God will not breake his Couenant with the father of Salomon with the sonne of Dauid He shall smart hee shall not perish Oh gracious word of the God of all mercies able to giue strength to the languishing comfort to the despairing to the dying life Whatsoeuer wee are thou wilt be still thy selfe O holy One of Israel true to thy Couenant constant to thy Decree The sinnes of thy chosen can neither frustrate thy counsell nor out-strip thy mercies Now I see Salomon of a wanton louer a graue Preacher of mortification I see him quenching those inordinate flames with the teares of his repentance Me thinks I heare him sighing deepely betwixt euery word of that his solemne penance which he would need enioyne himselfe before all the world I haue applyed my heart to know the wickednesse of folly euen the foolishnesse of madnesse and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands Who so pleaseth God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Salomon was taken as a sinner deliuered as a penitent His soule escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare was broken and he deliuered It is good for vs that he was both taken and deliuered Taken that wee might not presume and that we might not despaire deliuered He sinned that we might not sinne hee recouered that we may not sinke vnder our sinne But oh the iustice of God inseparable from his mercy Salomons sinne shall not escape the rod of men Rather then so wise an offender shall want enemies God shall raise vp three aduersaries vnto Salomon Hadad the Edomite Rezon the King of Aram Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat whereof two were foraine one domesticall Nothing but loue and peace sounded in the name of Salomon nothing else was found in his raigne whiles he held in good termes with his God But when once hee fell foule with his Maker all things began to be troubled There are whips laid vp against the time of Salomons fore-seene offence which are now brought forth for his correction On purpose was Hadad the sonne of the King of Edom hid in a corner of Egypt from the sword of Dauid and Ioab that he might be reserued for a scourge to the exorbitant sonne of Dauid God would haue vs make account that our peace ends with our innocence The same sinne that sets debate betwixt God and vs armes the creatures against vs It were pitie wee should be at any quiet whiles wee are falne out with the God of peace Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPALL HISTORIES OF THE NEVV TESTAMENT THE THIRD BOOKE Containing The Widowes sonne raised The Rulers sonne healed The dumbe Deuill eiected MATTHEW called Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gaderene Herd By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY RIGHT VVORTHY AND WORSHIPFVLL FRIEND MASTER IOHN GIFFORD of Lancrasse in Deuon Esquire All Grace and Peace SIR J hold it as I ought one of the rich mercies of GOD that he hath giuen me fauour in some eies which haue not seene me but none that J know hath so much demerited me vnknowne as your worthy Familie Ere therefore you see my face see my hand willingly professing my thankefull Obligations Wherewith may it please you to accept of this parcell of thoughts not vnlike those fellowes of theirs whom you haue entertained aboue their desert These shall present vnto you our bountifull SAVIOVR magnifying his mercies to men in a sweet varietie healing the diseased raising the dead casting out the Deuill calling in the Publican and shall raise your heart to adore that infinite goodnesse Euery helpe to our deuotion deserues to bee precious So much more as the decrepit age of the World declines to an heartlesse coldnesse of Pietie That GOD to whose honour these poore labours are meant blesse them in your hands and from them to all Readers To his protection J heartily commend you and the right vertuous Gentlewoman your worthy wife with all the pledges of your happy affection as whom you haue deserued to be Your truly thankfull and officious friend IOS HALL The Widowes Sonne raised THE fauours of our beneficent Sauiour were at the least contiguous No sooner hath he raised the Centurions seruant from his bed then he raises the Widowes Sea from his Beere The fruitfull clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field Nain must partake of the bounty of Christ as well as Cana or Capernaum And if this Sunne were fixed in one Orbe yet it diffuseth heat and light to all the world It is not for any place to ingrosse the messengers of the Gospell whose errand is vniuersall This immortall seed may not fall all in one furrow The little City of Nain stood vnder the hill of Hermon neere vnto Tabor but now it is watered with better dewes from aboue the doctrine miracles of a Sauiour Not for state but for the more euidence of the worke is our Sauior attended with a large traine so entring into the gate of that walled City as if he meant to besiege their faith by his power and to take it His prouidence hath so contriued his iourney that he meets with the sad pompe of a funerall A wofull widow attended with her weeping neighbours is following her onely sonne to the graue There was nothing in this spectacle that did not command compassion A yong man in the flowre in the strength of his age swallowed vp by death Our decrepit age both expects death and sollicites it but vigorous youth lookes strangely vpon that grim sergeant of God Those mellow apples that fall alone from the tree we gather vp with contentment wee chide to haue the vnripe vnseasonably beaten downe with cudgells But more a yong man the onely sonne the onely childe of his mother No condition can make it other then grieuous for a well natur'd mother to part with her own bowels yet surely store is some mitigation of losse Amongst many children one may be more easily missed for still wee hope the suruiuing may supply the comforts of the dead but when all our hopes and ioyes must either liue or die in one the losse of that one admits of no consolation When God would describe the most passionate expression of sorrow that can fall into the miserable hee can but say Oh daughter of my people gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thy selfe in the ashes make lamentation and bitter mourning as for thine onely sonne Such was the losse such was the sorrow of this disconsolate
mother neither words nor teares can suffice to discouer it Yet more had she beene ayded by the counsell and supportation of a louing yoke-fellow this burden might haue seemed lesse intolerable A good husband may make amends for the losse of a sonne had the root beene left to her intire she might better haue spared the branch now both are cut vp all the stay of her life is gone and shee seemes abandoned to a perfect misery And now when shee gaue herselfe vp for a forlorne mourner past all capacity of redresse the God of comfort meets her pities her relieues her Here was no solicitor but his owne compassion In other occasions he was sought and sued to The Centurion comes to him for a seruant the Ruler for a sonne Iairus for a daughter the neighbours for the Paralyticke here hee seekes vp the patient and offers the cure vnrequested Whiles wee haue to doe with the Father of mercies our afflictions are the most powerfull suitors No teares no prayers can moue him so much as his owne commiseration Oh God none of our secret sorrowes can be either hid from thine eyes or kept from thine heart and when wee are past all our hopes all possibilities of helpe then art thou neerest to vs for deliuerance Here was a conspiration of all parts to mercy The heart had compassion the mouth said Weepe not the feet went to the Beere the hand touched the coffin the power of the Deity raised the dead What the heart felt was secret to it selfe the tongue therefore expresses it in words of comfort Weepe not Alas what are words to so strong and iust passions To bid her not to weepe that had lost her onely sonne was to perswade her to be miserable and not feele it to feele and not regard it to regard and yet to smother it Concealement doth not remedy but aggrauate sorrow That with the counsell of not weeping therefore she might see cause of not weeping his hand seconds his tongue He arrests the Coffin and frees the Prisoner Yongman I say vnto thee arise The Lord of life and death speakes with command No finite power could haue said so without presumption or with successe That is the voice that shall one day call vp our vanished bodies from those elements into which they are resolued and raise them out of their dust Neither sea nor death nor hell can offer to detaine their dead when he charges them to be deliuered Incredulous nature what doest thou shrinke at the possibility of a resurrection when the God of nature vndertakes it It is no more hard for that almighty Word which gaue being vnto all things to say Let them be repaired then Let them be made I doe not see our Sauiour stretching himselfe vpon the dead corps as Elias and Elisha vpon the sonnes of the Sunamite and Sareptan nor kneeling downe and praying by the Beere as Peter did to Dorcas but I heare him so speaking to the dead as if he were aliue and so speaking to the dead that by the word hee makes him aliue I say vnto thee arise Death hath no power to bid that man lye still whom the Sonne of God bids Arise Immediately he that was dead sate vp So at the sound of the last trumpet by the power of the same voice we shall arise out of the dust and stand vp glorious this mortall shall put on immortalitie this corruptible incorruption This body shall not be buried but sowne and at our day shall therefore spring vp with a plentifull increase of glory How comfortlesse how desperate should be our lying downe if it were not for this assurance of rising And now behold lest our weake faith should stagger at the assent to so great a difficulty he hath already by what hee hath done giuen vs tasts of what he will doe The power that can raise one man can raise a thousand a million a world no power can raise one but that which is infinite and that which is infinite admits of no limitation Vnder the old Testament God raised one by Elias another by Elisha liuing a third by Elisha dead By the hand of the Mediator of the New Testament hee raised here the sonne of the Widow the daughter of Iairus Lazarus and in attendance of his owne resurrection he made a gaole-deliuery of holy prisoners at Ierusalem Hee raises the daughter of Iairus from her bed this widowes sonne from his Coffin Lazarus from his graue the dead Saints of Ierusalem from their rottennesse that it might appeare no degree of death can hinder the efficacie of his ouer-ruling command Hee that keepes the keyes of death cannot onely make way for himselfe through the common Hall and outer-roomes but through the inwardest and most reserued closets of darknesse Me thinkes I see this yong man who was thus miraculously awaked from his deadly sleepe wiping and rubbing those eies that had beene shut vp in death and descending from the Beere wrapping his winding sheet about his loines cast himselfe down in a passionate thankfulnesse at the feet of his Almightie restorer adoring that diuine power which had commanded his soule back again to her forsaken lodging though I heare not what he said yet I dare say they were words of praise wonder which his returned soule first vttered It was the mother whom our Sauior pitied in this act not the sonne who now forced from his quiet rest must twice passe through the gates of death As for her sake therefore he was raised so to her hands was he deliuered that she might acknowledge that soule giuen to her not to the possessor Who cannot feele the amazement and extasie of ioy that was in this reuiued mother when her son now salutes her from out of another world And both receiues and giues gratulations of of his new life How suddenly were all the teares of that mournfull traine dried vp with a ioyfull astonishment How soone is that funerall banquet turned into a new Birth-day feast What striuing was here to salute the late carkasse of their returned neighbour What awfull and admiring lookes were cast vpon that Lord of life who seeming homely was approued omnipotent How gladly did euery tongue celebrate both the worke and the author A great Prophet is raised vp amongst vs and God hath visited his people A Prophet was the highest name they could finde for him whom they saw like themselues in shape aboue themselues in power They were not yet acquainted with God manifested in the flesh This miracle might well haue assured them of more then a Prophet but he that raised the dead man from the Beere would not suddenly raise these dead hearts from the graue of Infidelitie they shall see reason enough to know that the Prophet who was raised vp to them was the God that now visited them and at last should doe as much for them as hee had done for the yong man raise them from death to life from dust to glory The
weake Proselyte if shee were so much Feare not goe doe as thou hast said but make me thereof a little cake first and bring it to me and after make for thee and thy sonne For thus saith the God of Israel The barrell of meale shall not waste nor the cruse of oyle faile till the day that God send raine vpon the earth She must goe spend vpon a stranger part of that little she hath in hope of more which she hath not which shee may haue she must part with her present food which she saw in trust of future which she could not see she must rob her sense in the exercise of her beleef shorten her life in being vpon the hope of a protractioÌ of it in promise she must beleeue God will miraculously increase what shee hath yeelded to consume shee must first feed the stranger with her last victuals and then after her selfe and her sonne Some sharpe dame would haue shaken vp the Prophet and haue sent him away with an angry repulse Bold Israelite there is no reason in this request wert thou a friend or a brother with what face couldest thou require to pull my last bit out of my mouth Had I superfluitie of prouision thou mightest hope for this effect of my charitie now that I haue but one morsell for my selfe and my sonne this is an iniurious importunitie what can induce thee to thinke thy life an vnknowne traueller should be more deare to me then my sons then my owne How vnciuill is this motion that I should first make prouision for thee in this dying extremitie It had bin too much to haue begged my last scraps Thou tellest me the meale shall not waste nor the oile faile how shall I beleeue thee Let me see that done before thou eatest In vaine should I challenge thee when the remainder of my poore store is consumed If thou canst so easily multiply victuals how is it that thou wantest Doe that before-hand which thou promisest shall be afterwards performed there will be no need of my little But this good Sareptan was wrought by God not to mistrust a Prophet she will doe what he bids and hope for what he promises she will liue by faith rather then by sense and giue away the present in the confidence of a future remuneration first she bakes Elijahs cake then her owne not grudging to see her last morsels go downe anothers throat whiles herselfe was famishing How hard precepts doth God lay where he intends bountie Had not God meant her preseruation he had suffred her to eat her last cake alone without any interpellation now the mercy of the Almighty purposing as well this miraculous fauour to her as to his Prophet requires of her this taske which flesh and blood would haue thought vnreasonable So we are wont to put hard questions to those schollers whom wee would promote to higher formes So in all atchieuements the difficulty of the enterprise makes way for the glory of the actor Happy was it for this widow that shee did not shut her hand to the man of God that she was no niggard of her last handfull Neuer corne or oliue did so encrease in growing as here in consuming This barrell this cruse of hers had no bottome the barrell of meale wasted not the cruse of oyle failed not Behold not getting not sauing is the way to abundance but giuing The mercy of God crownes our beneficence with the blessing of store who can feare want by a mercifull liberality when he sees the Sareptan had famished if she had not giuen and by giuing abounded With what thankfull deuotion must this woman euery day needs look vpon her barrell and cruse wherein shee saw the mercy of God renewed to her continually Doubtlesse her soule was no lesse fed by faith then her body with this supernaturall prouision How welcome a guest must Elijah needs be to this widow that gaue her life and her sonnes to her for his board yea that in that wofull famine gaue her and her sonne their board for his house roome The dearth thus ouercome the mother lookes hopefully vpon her onely son promising her selfe much ioy in his life and prosperity when an inexpected sicknesse surpriseth him and doth that which the famine but threatned When can we hold our selues seeâre from euils no sooner is one of these Sergeants compounded withall then we are arrested by another How ready we are to mistake the grounds of our afflictions and to cast them vpon false causes The pasionate mother cannot find whither to impute the death of her son but to the presence of Elijah to whom shee comes distracted with perplexitie not without an vnkinde challenge of him from whom shee had receiued both that life shee had lost and that she had What haâed to do with thee O thou man of God Art thou come to me to call my sin to remembrance and to stay my sonne As if her son could not haue died if Elijah had not been her guest when as her son had dyed but for him why should shee thinke that the Prophet had saued him from the famine to kill him with sicknesse As if God had not been free in his actions and must needes strike by the same hands by which he preserued Shee had the grace to know that her affliction was for her sinne yet was so vnwise to imagine the are rages of her iniquities had not bin called for if Elijah had not been the remembrancer He who had appeased God towards her is suspected to haue incensed him This wrongfull misconstruction was enough to moue any patience Elijah was of an hot spirit yet his holinesse kept him from fury This challenge rather increased the zeale of his prayer then stirred his choller to the offendent Hee takes the dead child out of his mothers bosome and layes him vpon his owne bed and cries vnto the Lord Oh Lord my God hast thou brought euill also vpon the Widow with whom I soiourne by slaying her sonne In stead of chiding the Sareptan out of the feruency of his soule he humbly expostulates with his God His onely remedy is in his prayer that which shut heauen for raine must open it for life Euery word inforceth First he pleads his interest in God Oh Lord my God then the quality of the patient a Widow and therefore both most distressed with the losse and most peculiar to the charge of the Almighty Then his interest as in God so in this patient with whom I soiourne as if the stroke were giuen to himselfe through her sides and lastly the quality of the punishment By slaying her son the onely comfort of her life and in all these implying the scandall that must needes arise from this euent where euer it should be noysed to the name of his God to his owne when it should be said Loe how Elijahs entertainment is rewarded Surely the Prophet is either impotent or vnthankfull Neither doth his tongue moue thus
of ioy and thankfulnesse Hee knew well this meteor was not at the biggest it was newly borne of the wombe of the waters and in some minutes of age must grow to a large stature stay but a while and Heauen is couered with it From how small beginnings haue great matters arisen It is no otherwise in all the gracious proceedings of God with the soule scarce sensible are those first workes of his spirit in the heart which grow vp at last to the wonder of men and applause of Angels Well did Elijah know that God who is perfection it selfe would not defile his hand with an inchoate and scanted fauour as one therefore that fore-saw the face of heauen ouer-spread with this cloudy spot hee sends to Ahab to hasten his Charet that the raine stop him not It is long since Ahab feared this let neuer was the newes of a danger more welcome Doubtlesse the King of Israel whiles hee was at his diet lookt long for Elijahs promised showers where is the raine whose sound the Prophet heard how is it that his eares were so much quicker then our eyes Wee saw his fire to our terrour how gladly would we see his Waters When now the seruant of Elijah brings him newes from heauen that the clouds were setting forward and if hee hastened not would be before him The winde arises the clouds gather the sky thickens Ahab betakes him to his Charet Elijah girds vp his loynes and runnes before him Surely the Prophet could not want the offer of more ease in his passage but he will be for the time Ahabs lacquey that the King and all Israel may see his humility no lesse than his power and may confesse that the glory of those miracles hath not made him insolent Hee knew that his very sight was monitorie neither could Ahabs minde be beside the miraculous workes of God whiles his eye was vpon Elijah neither could the Kings heart be otherwise then well-affected towards the Prophet whiles he saw that himselfe and all Israel had receiued a new Life by his procurement But what newes was here for Iezebel Certainly Ahab minced nothing of the report of all those astonishing accidents If but to salue vp his owne honour in the death of those Baalites hee made the best of Elijahs merits hee told of his challenge conflict victorie of the fire that fell downe from Heauen of the conuiction of Israel of the vnauoidable execution of the Prophets of the prediction and fall of those happy showers and lastly of Elijahs officious attendance Who would not haue expected that Iezebel should haue said It is no striuing no dallying with the Almightie No reasonable creature can doubt after so prodigious a decision God hath wonne vs from Heauen hee must possesse vs Iustly are our seducers perished None but the God that can command fire and water shall bee ours There is no Prophet but his But shee contrarily in stead of relenting rageth and sends a message of death to Elijah So let the gods doe to mee and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time Neither scourges nor fauours can worke any thing with the obstinately wicked All euill hearts are not equally dis-affected to good Ahab and Iezebel were both bad enough yet Ahab yeelds to that worke of God which Iezebel stubbornly opposeth Ahab melts with that water with that fire wherewith Iezebel is hardened Ahab was bashfully Iezebel audaciously impious The weaker sexe is euer commonly stronger in passion and more vehemently caried with the sway of their desires whether to good or euill She sweares and stamps at that whereat shee should haue trembled She sweares by those gods of hers which were not able to saue their Prophets that she will kill the Prophet of God who had scorned her gods and slaine her Prophets It is well that Iezebel could not keepe counsell Her threat preâeâted him whom shee had meant to kill The wisedome and power of God could ââue found euasions for his Prophet in her greatest secresie but now he needs no other meanes of rescue but her owne lips She is no lesse vaine then the gods shee sweares by In spight of her fury and her oath and her gods Elijah shall liue At once shall she finde her selfe frustrate and forsworne She is now ready to bite her tongue to eat her heart for anger at the disappointment of her cruell Vow It were no liuing for godly men if the hands of Tyrants were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts Men and Deuils are vnder the restraint of the Almighty neither are their designes more lauish then their executions short Holy Elijah flees for his life wee heare not of the command of God but we would willingly presuppose it So diuine a Prophet should doe nothing without God His heeles were no new refuge As no where safe within the ten Tribes hee flees to Beersheba in the Territories of Iudah as not there safe from the machinations of Iezebel hee flees alone one dayes iourney into the wildernesse there hee sits him downe vnder a Iuniper tree and as weary of life no lesse then of his way wishes to rise no more It is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers O strange and vncouth mutation What is this wee heare Elijah fainting and giuing vp that heroicall spirit deiected and prostrate Hee that durst say to Ahabs face It is thou and thy fathers house that troubleth Israel hee that could raise the dead open and shut the Heauens fetch downe both fire and water with his prayers hee that durst chide and contest with all Israel that durst kill the foure hundred and fifty Baalites with the sword doth hee shrinke at the frownes and threats of a woman doth hee wish to be rid of his life because hee feared to lose it Who can expect an vndaunted constancie from flesh and blood when Elijah failes The strongest and holiest Saint vpon earth is subiect to some qualmes of feare and infirmitie To bee alwayes and vnchangeably good is proper onely to the glorious Spirits in heauen Thus the wise and holy God will haue his power perfited in our weaknesse It is in vaine for vs whiles wee carie this flesh about vs to hope for so exact health as not to be cast downe sometimes with fits of spirituall distemper It is no new thing for holy men to wish for death Who can either maruell at or blame the desire of aduantage For the weary traueller to long for rest the prisoner for libertie the banished for home it is so naturall that the contrary disposition were monstrous The benefit of the change is a iust motiue to our appetition but to call for death out of a satietie of life out of an impatience of suffering is a weaknesse vnbeseeming a Saint It is not enough O Elijah God hath more worke yet for thee thy God hath more honoured thee
still and command amongst his cups To defile their fingers with the blood of so few seemed no mastery that act would bee inglorious on the part of the Victors More easily might they bring in three heads of dead enemies then one aliue Imperiously enough therefore doth this boaster out of his chaire of state and ease command Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out for warre take them aliue There needs no more but Take them this field is won with a word Oh the vaine and ignorant presumptions of wretched men that will be reckoning without against their Maker Euery Israelite kils his man the Syrians flee and cannot runne away from death Benhadad and his Kings are more beholden to their horses then to their gods or themselues for life and safety else they had been either taken or slaine by those whom they commanded to be taken How easie is it for him that made the heart to fill it with terror and consternation euen where no feare is Those whom God hath destin'd to slaughter he will smite neither needs he any other enemy or executioner then what he findes in their owne bosome We are not the masters of our owne courage or feares both are put into vs by that ouer-ruling power that created vs Stay now O stay thou great King of Syria and take with thee those forgotten handfuls of the dust of Israel Thy gods will doe so to thee and more also if thy followers returne without their vowed burden Learne now of the despised King of Israel from henceforth not to sound the triumph before the battell not to boast thy selfe in the girding on of thine harnesse as in the putting off I heare not of either the publike thanksgiuing or amendment of Ahab Neither danger nor victory can change him from himselfe Benhadad and he though enemies agree in vnrepentance the one is no more moued with mercy then the other with iudgement Neither is God any changeling in his proceedings towards both his iudgement shall still follow the Syrian his mercy Israel Mercy both in fore-warning and redeliuering Ahab Iudgement in ouerthrowing Benhadad The Prophet of God comes againe and both foretels the intended re-encounter of the Syrian and aduises the care and preparation of Israel Goe strengthen thy selfe and marke and see what thou doest for at the returne of the yeare the King of Syria will come vp against thee God purposeth the deliuerance of Israel yet may not they neglect their fortifications The mercifull intentions of God towards them may not make them carelesse The industry and courage of the Israelites fall within the decree of their victory Security is the bane of good successe It is no contemning of a foyled enemie the shame of a former disgrace and miscariage whets his valor and sharpens it to reuenge No power is so dreadfull as that which is recollected from an ouerthrow The hostility against the Israel of God may sleepe but will hardly die If the Aramites sit still it is but till they be fully ready for an assault Time will shew that their cessation was onely for their aduantage neither is it otherwise with our spirituall aduersaries sometimes their onsets are intermitted they tempt not alwaies they alwaies hate vs their forbearance is not out of fauour but attendance of opportunitie happy are wee if out of a suspicion of their silence we can as busily prepare for their resistance as they doe for our impugnation As it is a shame to bee beaten so yet the shame is lesse by how much the victor is greater to mitigate the griefe and indignation of Benhadads foile his parasites ascribe it to gods not to men an humane power could no more haue vanquish't him then a diuine power could by him be resisted Their gods are gods of the hils Ignorant Syrians that name gods and confine them varying their deities according to situations They saw that Samaria whence they were repelled stood vpon the hill of Shemer They saw the Temple of Ierusalem stood vpon mount Sion they knew it vsuall with the Israelites to sacrifice in their high places and perhaps they had heard of Elijahs altar vpon mount Carmel and now they sottishly measure the effects of the power by the place of the worship as if he that was omnipotent on the hill were impotent in the Valley What doltish conceits doth blinde Paganisme frame to it selfe of a God-head As they haue many gods so finite euery region euery hill euery dale euery streame hath their seuerall gods and each so knowes his owne bounds that he dares not offer to incroach vpon the other or if he doe abuyes it with losse Who would thinke that so grosse blockishnesse should finde harbour in a reasonable soule A man doth not alter with his station He that wrestled strongly vpon the hill loseth not his force in the plaine all places finde him alike actiue alike valorous yet these barbarous Aramites shame not to imagine that of God which they would blush to affirme of their owne champions Superstition infatuates the heart out of measure neither is there any fancy so absurd or monstrous which credulous infidelity is not ready to entertaine with applause In how high scorne doth God take it to bee thus basely vnder-valued by rude heathen This very mis-opinion concerning the God of Israel shall cost the Syrians a shamefull and perfect destruction They may call a Counsell of War and lay their heads together and change their Kings into Captaines and their hills into valleyes but they shall finde more graues in the plaines then in the mountaines This very mes-prison of God shall make Ahab though he were more lewd victorious An hundred thousand Syrians shall fall in one day by those few hands of Israel And a dead wall in Aphek to whose shelter they fled shall reuenge God vpon the rest that remained The stones in the wall shall rather turne executioners then a blasphemous Aramite shall escape vnreuenged So much doth the iealous God hate to be robd of his glory euen by ignorant Pagans whose tongue might seeme no slander That proud head of Benhadad that spoke such big words of the dust of Israel and swore by his gods that hee would kill and conquer is now glad to hide it selfe in a blinde hole of Aphek and now in stead of questioning the power of the God of Israel is glad to heare of the mercy of the Kings of Israel Behold now wee haue heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings Let vs I pray thee put sack-cloth on our loines and ropes on our heads and goe out to the King of Israel peraduenture he will saue thy life There can bee no more powerfull attractiue of humble submission then the intimation and conceit of mercy Wee doe at once feare and hate the inexorable This is it O Lord that allures vs to thy throne of grace the knowledge of the grace of that throne
with thee is mercy and plentious redemption thine hand is open before our mouthes before our hearts If we did not see thee smile vpon suiters we durst not presse to thy footstoole Behold now we know that the King of heauen the God of Israel is a mercifull God Let vs put sackcloth vpon our loynes and strew ashes vpon our heads and goe meet the Lord God of Israel that he may saue our soules How well doth this habit become insolent and blasphemous Benhadad and his followers a rope and sackcloth A rope for a Crowne sackcloth for a robe Neither is there lesse change in the tongue Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Euen now the King of Israel said to Benhadad My Lord O King I am thine Tell my Lord the King all that thou didst send for to thy seruant I will doe Now Benhadad sends to the King of Israel Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Hee that was erewhile a Lord and King is now a seruant and he that was a seruant to the king of Syria is now his Lord he that would blow away all Israel in dust is now glad to beg for his own life at the doore of a despised enemy no courage is so haughty which the God of hosts cannot easily bring vnder what are meÌ or deuils in those almighty haÌds The greater the deiection was the stronger was the motiue of commiseration That haltar pleaded for life and that plea for but a life stirred the bowels for fauour How readily did Ahab see in Benhadads sudden misery the image of the instability of all humane things and relents at the view of so deepe and passionate a submission Had not Benhadad said Thy seruant Ahab had neuer said My brother seldome euer was there losse in humility How much lesse can we feare disparagement in the annihilating of our selues before that infinite Maiestie The drowning man snatches at euery twig It is no maruell if the messengers of Benhadad catch hastilie at that last of grace and hold it fast Thy brother Benhadad Fauours are wont to draw on each other Kindnesses breed on themselues neither need wee any other perswasion to beneficence then from our owne acts Ahab cals for the King of Syria sets him in his owne Charet treats with him of an easie yet firme league giues him both his life and his Kingdome Neither is the Crowne of Syria sooner lost then recouered Onely hee that came a free Prince returnes tributarie Onely his traine is clipt too short for his wings an hundred twentie seuen thousand Syrians are abated of his Guard homeward Blasphemy hath escaped too well Ahab hath at once peace with Benhadad warre with God God proclaimes it by his Herald one of the sonnes of the Prophets not yet in his owne forme but disguised both in fashion and complaint It was a strange suit of a Prophet Smite me I pray thee Many a Prophet was smitten and would not neuer any but this wished to bee smitten The rest of his fellowes were glad to say Saue mee this onely sayes Smite me His honest neighbour out of loue and reuerence forbeares to strike There are too many thinkes hee that smite the Prophets though I refraine What wrong hast thou done that I should repay with blowes Hadst thou sued for a fauour I could not haue denyed thee now thou suest for thine hurt the deniall is a fauour Thus he thought but Charitie cannot excuse disobedience Had the man of God called for blowes vpon his owne head the refusall had beene iust and thanke-worthy but now that he sayes In the Word of the Lord Smite me this kindnesse is deadly Because thou hast not obeyed the voyce of the Lord behold assoone as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee It is not for vs to examine the charges of the Almighty Be they neuer so harsh or improbable if they bee once knowne for his there is no way but obedience or death Not to smite a Prophet when God commands is no lesse sinne then to smite a Prophet when God forbids It is the diuine precept or prohibition that either makes or aggrauates an euill And if the Israelite bee thus reuenged that smote not a Prophet what shall become of Ahab that smote not Benhadad Euery man is not thus indulgent an easie request will gaine blowes to a Prophet from the next hand yea and a wound in smiting I know not whether it were an harder taske for the Prophet to require a wound then for a well-meaning Israelite to giue it Both must bee done The Prophet hath what hee would what hee must will a sight of his owne blood and now disguised herewith and with ashes vpon his face hee way-layes the King of Israel and sadly complaines of himselfe in a reall parable for dismissing a Syrian prisoner deliuered to his hands vpon no lesse charge then his life and soone receiues sentence of death from his owne mouth Well was that wound bestowed that strucke Ahabs soule through the flesh of the Prophet The disguise is remoued The King sees not a souldier but a Seer and now finds that he hath vnawares passed sentence vpon himselfe There needs no other doome then from the lips of the offender Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Had not Ahab knowne the will of God concerning Benhadad that had beene mercy to an enemy which was now cruelty to himselfe to Israel His eares had heard of the blasphemies of that wicked tongue His eyes had seene God goe before him in the example of that reuenge No Prince can strike so deepe into his state as in not striking In priuate fauour there may bee publike vnmercifulnesse AHAB and NABOTH NAboth had a faire Vineyard It had beene better for him to haue had none His vineyard yeelded him the bitter Grapes of death Many a one hath beene sold to death by his lands and goods wealth hath beene a snare as to the soule so to the life Why doe wee call those goods which are many times the bane of the owner Naboths vineyard lay neere to the Court of Iezebel It had beene better for him it had beene planted in the wildernesse Doubtlesse this vicinity made it more commodious to the possessor but more enuious and vnsafe It was now the perpetuall obiect of an euill eye and stirred those desires which could neither be well denyed nor satisfied Eminency is still ioyned with perill obscuritie with peace There can bee no worse annoyance to an inheritance then the greatnesse of an euill neighbourhood Naboths vines stood too neere the smoake of Iezebels chimneys too much within the prospect of Ahabs window Now lately had the King of Israel beene twice victorious ouer the Syrians no sooner is he returned home then hee is ouercome with euill desires The foyle
of his seruice The euening praises the day and the chiefe grace of the theater is in the last Scene Be faithfull to the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life That Elijah should be translated and what day he should be translated God would haue no secret The sonnes of the Prophets at Bethel at Iericho both know it and aske Elisha if he knew it not Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy Master from thy head this day and hee answered Yea I know it hold yee your peace How familiarly do these Prophets inter-know one another How kindly do they communicate their visions Seldome euer was any knowledge giuen to keep but to impart The grace of this rich Iewell is lost in concealement The remouall of an Elijah is so important a businesse that it is not fit to be done without noise Many shall haue their share in his losse he must be missed on the sudden it was meet therefore that the world should know his rapture should be diuine and glorious I doe not finde where the day of any naturall death is notified to so many by how much more wonder there was in this Assumption by so much more shall it bee fore-reuealed It is enough for ordinarie occurrents to bee knowne in their euent supernaturall things haue need of premonition that mens hearts may bee both prepared for their receit and confirmed in their certainty Thrice was Elisha intreated thrice hath hee denied to stay behinde his now-departing Master on whom both his eyes and his thoughts are so fixed that hee cannot giue allowance so much as to the interpellation of a question of his fellow-Prophets Together therefore are this wonderfull paire comne to the last stage of their separation the bankes of Iordan Those that were not admitted to bee attendants of the iourney yet will not bee debarred from being spectators of so maruellous an issue Fifty men of the sonnes of the Prophets went and stood to view afarre off I maruell there were no more How could any sonne of the Prophets stay within the Colledge walls that day when hee knew what was meant to Elijah Perhaps though they knew that to bee the Prophets last day yet they might thinke his disparition should bee sudden and insensible besides they found how much hee affected secrecie in this intended departure yet the fifty Prophets of Iericho will make proofe of their eyes and with much intention assay who shall haue the last sight of Elijah Miracles are not purposed to silence and obscuritie God will not worke wonders without witnesses since hee doth them on purpose to winne glory to his name his end were frustrate without their notice Euen so O Sauiour when thou hadst raised thy selfe from the dead thou wouldest bee seene of more then fiue hundred brethren at once and when thou wouldest raise vp thy glorified bodie from earth into Heauen thou didst not ascend from some close valley but from the Mount of Oliues not in the night not alone but in the cleare day in the view of many eyes which were so fixed vpon that point of thine heauen that they could scarce bee remoued by the checke of Angels Iordan must be crossed by Elijah in his way to heauen There must be a meet parallel betwixt the two great Prophets that shal meet Christ vpon Tabor Moses and Elias Both receiued visions on Horeb to both God appeared there in fire and other formes of terrour both were sent to Kings one to Pharaoh the other to Ahab Both prepared miraculous Tables the one of Quailes and Manna in the Desert the other of Meale and Oyle in Sarepta Both opened heauen the one for that nourishing dew the other for those refreshing showres Both reuenged Idolatries with the sword the one vpon the worshippers of the golden Calfe the other vpon the foure hundred Baalites Both quenched the drought of Israel the one out of the Rocke the other out of the Cloud Both diuided the waters the one of the Red Sea the other of Iordan Both of them are forewarned of their departure Both must be fetcht away beyond Iordan The body of Elijah is translated the body of Moses is hid What Moses doth by his Rod Elijah doth by his Mantle with that hee smites the Waters and they as fearing the diuine power which wrought with the Prophet runne away from him and stand on heapes leauing their dry channell for the passage of those awfull feet It is not long since he mulcted them with a generall exsiccation now he onely bids them stand aside and giue way to his last walke that he might with dry feet mount vp into the celestiall chariot The waters doe not now first obey him they know that Mantle of old which hath oft giuen lawes to their falling rising standing they are past ouer and now when Elijah finds himselfe treading on his last earth hee profers a munificent boone to his faithfull seruant Aske what I shall doe for thee before I am taken from thee I doe not heare him say Aske of me when I am gone In my glorified condition I shall bee more able to bestead thee but aske before I goe Wee haue a communion with the Saints departed not a commerce when they are inabled to doe more for vs they are lesse apt to be sollicited by vs It is safe suing where we are sure that we are heard Had not Elijah receiued a peculiar instinct for this profer he had not been thus liberall It were presumption to be bountifull on anothers cost without leaue of the owner The mercy of our good God allowes his fauourites not onely to receiue but to giue not onely to receiue for themselues but to conuey blessings to others What can that man want that is befriended of the faithfull Elisha needs not goe farre to seeke for a suit It was in his heart in his mouth Let a double portion of thy spirit be vpon me Euery Prophet must be a sonne to Elijah but Elisha would be his heire and craues the happy right of his primogeniture the double share to his brethren It was not wealth nor safety nor ease nor honour that Elisha cares for the world lies open before him hee may take his choice the rest he contemneth nothing will serue him but a large measure of his masters spirit No carnall thought was guilty of this sacred ambition Affectation of eminence was too base a conceit to fall into that man of God He saw that the times needed strong conuictions he saw that hee could not otherwise weild the succession to such a Master therefore he sues for a double portion of spirit the spirit of prophesie to foreknow the spirit of power to worke We cannot bee too couetous too ambitious of spirituall gifts such especially as may inable vs to win most aduantage to God in our vocations Our wishes are the true touch-stone of our estate such as we wish to be we are worldly hearts affect earthly things spirituall
we are blest by their protection Who wonders not to heare a Prophet call for a Minstrell in the middest of that mournfull distresse of Israel and Iudah Who would not haue expected his charge of teares and prayers rather then of Musicke How vnreasonable are songs to an heauy heart It was not for their eares it was for his owne bosome that Elisha called for Musicke that his spirits after their zealous agitation might bee sweetly composed and put into a meet temper for receiuing that calme visions of God Perhaps it was some holy Leuite that followed the Campe of Iehoshaphat whose minstrelsie was required for so sacred a purpose None but a quiet brest is capable of diuine Reuelations Nothing is more powerfull to settle a troubled heart then a melodious harmony The Spirit of Prophesie was not the more inuited the Prophets Spirit was the better disposed by pleasing sounds The same God that will reueale his will to the Prophet suggests this demand Bring me a Minstrell How many say thus when they would put God from them Profane mirth wanton musicke debauches the soule and makes no lesse roome for the vncleane spirit then spirituall melody doth for the Diuine No Prophet had euer the Spirit at command The hand of the Minstrell can doe nothing without the hand of the Lord Whiles the Musicke sounds in the eare God speakes to the heart of Elisha Thus saith the Lord Make this valley full of ditches Yee shall not see wind neither shall ye see raine yet that valley shall be full of water c. To see wind and raine in the height of that drought would haue seemed as wonderfull as pleasing but to see abundance of water without wind or raine was yet more miraculous I know not how the fight of the meanes abates our admiration of the effect Where no causes can be found out wee are forced to confesse omnipotency Elijah releeued Israel with water but it was out of the cloudes and those cloudes rose from the sea but vvhence Elisha shall fetch it is not more maruellous then secret All that euening all that night must the faith of Israel and Iudah bee exercised with expectation At the houre of the morning sacrifice no sooner did the blood of that Oblation gush forth then the streames of vvaters gushed forth into their new channells and filled the Countrey with a refreshing moisture Elijah fetcht downe his fire at the houre of the euening sacrifice Elisha fetcht vp his water at the houre of the morning sacrifice God giues respect to his owne houres for the encouragement of our obseruation If his wisdome hath set vs any peculiar times wee cannot keepe them without a blessing The deuotions of all true Iewes all the world ouer were in that houre combined How seasonably doth the wisdome of God picke out that instant wherein hee might at once answer both Elishaes prophesie and his peoples prayers The Prophet hath assured the Kings not of water onely but of victory Moab heares of enemies and is addressed to warre Their owne error shall cut their throats they rise soone enough to beguile themselues the beames of the rising Sunne glistering vpon those vaporous and vnexpected waters caried in the eyes of some Moabites a semblance of blood a few eyes were enough to fill all eares with a false noise the deceiued sense miscaries the imagination This is blood the Kings are surely slaine and they haue smitten one another now therefore Moab to the spoile Ciuill broyles giue iust aduantage to a common enemy Therefore must the Camps be spoiled because the Kings haue smitten each other Those that shall bee deceiued are giuen ouer to credulity The Moabites doe not examine either the conceit or the report but flie in confusedly vpon the Campe of Israel whom they finde too late to haue no enemies but themselues As if death would not haue hastened enough to them they come to fetch it they come to challenge it It seizeth vpon them vnauoidably they are smitten their Cities razed their Lands marred their Wells stopped their trees felled as if God meant to waste them but once No onsets are so furious as the last assaults of the desperate The King of Moab now hopelesse of recouery would bee glad to shut vp with a pleasing reuenge with seuen hundred resolute followers he rushes into the battaile towards the King of Edom as if he would bid death welcome might he but carie with him that despighted neighbour and now mad with the repulse he returnes and whether as angry with his destiny or as barbarously affecting to win his cruell gods with so deare a sacrifice he offers them with his owne hand the blood of his eldest sonne in the sight of Israel and sends him vp in smoake to those hellish Deities O prodigious act whether of rage or of deuotion What an hand hath Satan ouer his miserable vassals What maruell is it to see men sacrifice their soules in an vnfelt oblation to these plausible tempters when their owne flesh and blood hath not beene spared There is no Tyrant to the Prince of darknesse ELISHA with the Shunamite THE holy Prophets vnder the old Testament did not abhorre the mariage bed they did not thinke themselues too pure for an institution of their Maker The distressed widow of one of the sonnes of the Prophets comes to Elisha to bemoane her condition Her husband is dead and dead in debt Death hath no sooner seized on him then her two sonnes the remaining comfort of her life are to be seized on by his creditors for bond-men How thicke did the miseries of this poore afflicted woman light vpon her Her husband is lost her estate clogged with debts her children ready to be taken for slaues Her husband was a religious and worthy man hee paid his debts to Nature he could not to his Creditors they are cruell and rake in the scarce-closed wound of her sorrow passing an arrest worse then death vpon her sonnes Widow-hood pouertie seruitude haue conspired to make her perfitly miserable Vertue and goodnesse can pay no debts The holiest man may be deepe in arerages and breake the banke Not through lauishnesse and riot of expence Religion teaches vs to moderate our hands to spend within the proportion of our estate but through either iniquitie of times or euill casualties Ahab and Iezebel were lately in the Throne who can maruell that a Prophet was in debt It was well that any good man might haue his breath free though his estate were not wilfully to ouer-lash our ability cannot stand with wisedome and good gouernment but no prouidence can guard vs from crosses Holinesse is no more defence against debt then against death Grace can keepe vs from vnthriftinesse not from want Whither doth the Prophets widow come to bewaile her case but to Elisha Euery one would not be sensible of her affliction or if they would pity yet could not releeue her Elisha could doe both Into his eare doth hee vnload her
not distracted with an accident so sudden so sorrowfull she layes her dead childe vpon the Prophets bed shee lockes the doore shee hides her griefe lest that consternation might hinder her designe she hastens to her husband and as not daring to bee other then officious in so distresse-full an occasion acquaints him with her iourney though not with the cause requires of him both attendance and conueyance shee posts to mount Carmel shee cannot so soone finde out the man of God as hee hath found her He sees her afarre off and like a thankfull guest sends his seruant hastily to meet her to inquire of the health of her selfe her husband her childe Her errand was not to Gehezi it was to Elisha no messenger shall interrupt her no eare shall receiue her complaint but the Prophets Downe shee fals passionately at his feet and forgetting the fashion of her bashfull strangenesse layes hold of them whether in an humble veneration of his person or in a feruent desire of satisfaction Gehezi who well knew how vncouth how vnfit this gesture of salutation was for his master offers to remoue her and admonisheth her of her distance The mercifull Prophet easily apprehends that no ordinary occasion could so transport a graue and well-gouerned matrone as therefore pittying her vnknowne passion hee bids Let her alone for her soule is vexed within her and the Lord hath hid it from mee and hath not told mee If extremitie of griefe haue made her vnmannerly wise and holy Elisha knowes how to pardon it Hee dares not adde sorrow to the afflicted hee can better beare an vnseemelinesse in her greeting then cruelty in her molestation Great was the familiaritie that the Prophet had with his God and as friends are wont mutually to impart their counsels to each other so had the Lord done to him Elisha was not idle on mount Carmel What was it that he saw not from thence Not heauen onely but the world was before him yet the Shunamites losse is concealed from him neither doth he shame to confesse it Oft-times those that know greater matters may yet bee ignorant of the lesse It is no disparagement to any finite creature not to know something By her mouth will God tell the Prophet what by vision hee had not Then she said Did I desire a sonne of my Lord Did I not say doe not deceiue me Deepe sorrow is sparing of words The expostulation could not be more short more quicke more pithy Had I begged a son perhaps my importunity might haue been yeelded to in anger Too much desire is iustly punished with losse It is no maruell if what we wring from God prosper not This fauour to mee was of thine owne motion Thy suit O Elisha made me a mother Couldst thou intend to torment me with a blessing How much more easie had the want of a sonne been then the mis-cariage Barrennesse then orbation Was there no other end of my hauing a son then that I might lose him O man of God let mee not complaine of a cruel kindnesse thy prayers gaue me a son let thy prayers restore him let not my dutifull respects to thee bee repaid with an aggrauation of misery giue not thine hand-maid cause to wish that I were but so vnhapy as thou foundest me Oh wofull fruitfulnesse if I must now say that I had a sonne I know not whether the mother or the Prophet were more afflicted the Prophet for the mothers sake or the mother for her owne Not a word of reply doe wee heare from the mouth of Elisha his breath is onely spent in the remedy Hee sends his seruant with all speed to lay his staffe vpon the face of the childe charging him to auoyd all the delayes of the way Had not the Prophet supposed that staffe of his able to beat away death why did hee send it and if vpon that supposition hee sent it how was it that it failed of effect was this act done out of humane conceit not out of instinct from God Or did the want of the mothers faith hinder the successe of that cure She not regarding the staffe or the man holds fast to Elisha No hopes of his message can loose her fingers As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee She imagined that the seruant the staffe might bee seuered from Elisha she knew that where euer the Prophet was there was power It is good relying vpon those helpes that cannot faile vs. Merit and importunity haue drawne Elisha from Carmel to Shunem Hee findes his lodging taken vp by that pale carkeise hee shuts his doore and fals to his prayers this staffe of his what euer became of the other was long enough hee knew to reach vp to Heauen to knocke at those gates yea to wrench them open Hee applies his body to those cold and senselesse limbs By the feruour of his soule hee reduces that soule by the heat of his body he educeth warmth out of that corps The childe neeseth seuen times as if his spirit had beene but hid for the time not departed it fals to worke a fresh the eyes looke vp the lippes and hands moue The mother is called in to receiue a new life in her twice-giuen sonne she comes in full of ioy full of wonder and bowes her selfe to the ground and fals downe before those feet which shee had so boldly layd hold of in Carmel Oh strong faith of the Shunamite that could not be discouraged with the seizure and continuance of death raising vp her heart still to an expectation of that life which to the eyes of nature had beene impossible irreuocable Oh infinite goodnesse of the Almightie that would not suffer such faith to be frustrate that would rather reuerse the lawes of nature in returning a guest from heauen and raising a corps from death then the confidence of a beleeuing heart should be disappointed How true an heire is Elisha of his master not in his graces onely but in his actions Both of them diuided the waters of Iordan the one as his last act the other as his first Elijahs curse was the death of the Captaines and their troupes Elishaes curse was the death of the children Elijah rebuked Ahab to his face Elisha Iehoram Elijah supplied the drought of Israel by raine from heauen Elisha supplied the drought of the three Kings by waters gushing out of the earth Elijah increased the oyle of the Sareptan Elisha increased the oyle of the Prophets widow Elijah raised from death the Sareptans son Elisha the Shunamites Both of them had one mantle one spirit both of them climbed vp one Carmel one heauen ELISHA with NAAMAN OF the full showers of grace which fell vpon Israel and Iudah yet some drops did light vpon their neighbours If Israel bee the worse for her neerenesse to Syria Syria is the better for the vicinity of Israel Amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy Naaman was a great
comfort 78 Many a man sends others to heauen and yet goes to hell himselfe and not few hauing drawne others to hell yet themselues returne by a late repentance to life In a good action it is not good to search too deepely into the intention of the agent but in silence to make our best benefit of the worke In an euill it is not safe to regard the qualitie of the person or his successe but to consider the action abstracted from all circumstances in his owne kinde So we shall neither neglect good deeds because they speed not well in some hands nor affect a prosperous euill 79 God doth some singular actions wherein we cannot imitate him some wherein we may not most wherein he may and would faine be followed He fetcheth good out of euill so may we turne our owne and others sinnes to priuate or publike good wee may not doe euill for a good vse but we must vse our euill once done to good I hope I shall not offend to say that the good vse which is made of sinnes is as gainefull to God as that which arises from good actions Happy is that man that can vse either his good well or his euill 80 There is no difference betwixt anger and madnesse but continuance for raging anger is a short madnesse What else argues the shaking of the hands and lips palenesse or rednesse or swelling of the face glaring of the eies stammering of the tongue stamping with the feet vnsteady motions of the whole body rash actions which we remember not to haue done distracted and wilde speeches And madnesse againe is nothing but a continued rage yea some madnesse rageth not such a milde madnesse is more tolerable than frequent and furious anger 81 Those that would keepe state must keepe aloofe off especially if their qualities bee not answerable in height to their place For many great persons are like a well-wrought picture vpon a course cloth which a farre off shewes faire but neere hand the roundnesse of the threed marres the good workmanship Concealement of gifts after some one commended act is the best way to admiration and secret honour but hee that would profit must vent himselfe oft and liberally and shew what he is without all priuate regard As therefore many times honor followes modesty vnlookt for so contrarily a man may shew no lesse pride in silence and obscuritie than others which speake and write for glory And that other pride is so much the worse as it is more vnprofitable for whereas those which put forth their gifts benefit others whiles they seeke themselues these are so wholly deuoted to themselues that their secrety doth no good to others 82 Such as a mans delights and cares are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches commonly on his death-bed The proud man talkes of his faire sutes the glutton of his dishes the wanton of his beastlinesse the religious man of heauenly things The tongue will hardly leaue that to which the heart is inured If wee would haue good motions to visit vs while we are sicke wee must send for them familiarly in our health 83 He is a rare man that hath not some kinde of madnesse raigning in him One a dull madnesse of melancholy another a conceited madnesse of pride another a superstitious madnesse of false deuotion a fourth of ambition or couetousnesse a fift the furious madnesse of anger a sixt the laughing madnesse of extreme mirth a seuenth a drunken madnesse an eight of outragious lust a ninth the learned madnesse of curiositie a tenth the worst madnesse of profanenesse and Atheisme It is as hard to reckon vp all kindes of madnesses as of dispositions Some are more noted and punished than others so that the mad man in one kinde as much condemnes another as the sober man condemnes him Onely that man is both good and wise and happy that is free from all kindes of phrensie 84 There be some honest errors where-with I neuer found that God was offended That an husband should thinke his owne Wife comely although ill-fauoured in the eies of others That a man should thinke more meanely of his owne good parts than of weaker in others To giue charitable though mistaken constructions of doubtfull actions and persons which are the effects of naturall affection humilitie loue were neuer censured by God Herein alone we erre if we erre not 85 No maruell if the worldling escape earthly afflictions God corrects him not because he loues him not He is baâe borne and begot God will not doe him the fauour to whip him The world afflicts him not because it loues him for each one is indulgent to his owne God vses not the rod where he meanes to vse the sword The Pillorie or scourge is for those malefactors which shall escape execution 86 Weake stomacks which cannot digest large meales feed oft and little For our soules that which wee want in meaââââ we must supply in frequence We can neuer fully enough comprehend in our thoughts the ioyes of heauen the meritorious sufferings of Christ the terrors of the second death therefore we must meditate of them often 87 The same thoughts doe commonly meet vs in the same places as if we had left them there till our returne For that the minde doth secretly frame to it selfe memoratiue heads whereby it recals easily the same conceits It is best to imploy our minde there where it is most fixed Our deuotion is so dull it cannot haue too many aduantages 88 I finde but one example in all Scripture of any bodily cure which our Sauiour wrought by degrees onely the blinde man whose weake faith craued helpe by others not by himselfe saw men first like trees then in their true shape All other miraculous cures of Christ were done at once and perfect at first Contrarily I finde but one example of a soule fully healed that is sanctified and glorified both in a day all other by degrees and leisure The steps of grace are soft and short Those externall miracles he wrought immediatly by himselfe and therefore no maruell if they were absolute like their Author The miraculous worke of our Regeneration he works together with vs He giueth it efficacy we giue it imperfection FINIS SOME FEW OF DAVIDS PSALMES METAPHRASED for a taste of the rest By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO MY LOVING AND LEARNED COVSIN Mr. SAMVEL BVRTON Archdeacon of Glocester INdeed my Poetrie was long sithence out of date and yeelded her place to grauer studies but whose veine would it not reuiue to looke into those heauenly Songs I were not worthy to be a Diuine if it should repent mee to be a Poet with Dauid after I shall haue aged in the Pulpit This work is holy and strict abides not any youthfull or heathenish libertie but requires hands free from profanenesse loosenesse affection It is