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
tune of that knowne song beginning Preserue vs Lord. THee and thy wondrous deeds O God Wiâ—h all my soule I sound abroad verse 2 My ioy my triumph is in thee Of thy dread name my song shall be verse 3 O highest God since put to flight And fal'ne and vanisht at thy sight verse 4 Are all my foes for thou hast past Iust sentence on my cause at last And sitting on thy throne aboue A rightfull Iudge thy selfe doest proue verse 5 The troupes profane thy checks haue stroid And made their name for euer void verse 6 Where 's now my foes your threatned wrack So well you did our Cities sacke And bring to dust while that ye say Their name shall die as well as they verse 7 Loe in eternall state God sits And his high Throne to iustice fits verse 8 Whose righteous hand the world shall weeld And to all folke iust doome shall yeeld verse 9 The poore from high finde his releefe The poore in needfull times of griefe verse 10 Who knowes the Lord to thee shall cleaue That neuer doest thy clients leaue verse 11 Oh! sing the God that doth abide On Sion mount and blazon wide verse 12 His worthy deeds For he pursues The guiltlesse bloud with vengeance due He mindes their cause nor can passe o're Sad clamors of the wronged poore verse 13 Oh! mercy Lord thou that dost saue My soule from gates of death and graue Oh! see the wrong my foes haue done verse 14 That I thy praise to all that gone Through daughter Sions beauteous gate With thankfull songs may loud relate And may reioyce in thy safe aide Behold the Gentiles whiles they made A deadly pit my soule to drowne Into their pit are sunken downe In that close snare they hid for mee Loe their owne feet intangled be verse 16 By this iust doome the Lord is knowne That th' ill are punisht with their owne verse 17 Downe shall the wicked backward fall To deepest hell and nations all verse 18 That God forget nor shall the poore Forgotten be for euermore The constant hope of soules opprest verse 19 Shall not aye die Rise from thy rest Oh Lord let not men base and rude Preuaile iudge thou the multitude verse 20 Of lawlesse Pagans strike pale feare Into those brests that stubborne were And let the Gentiles feele and finde They beene but men of mortall kinde PSALME 10. As the 51. Psalme O God Consider WHy stand'st thou Lord aloofe so long And hidst thee in due times of need verse 2 Whiles lewd men proudly offer wrong Vnto the poore In their owne deed And their deuice let them be caught verse 3 For loe the wicked braues and boasts In his vile and outragious thought And blesseth him that rauines most verse 4 On God he dares insult his pride Scornes to enquire of powers aboue But his stout thoughts haue still deni'd verse 5 There is a God His waies yet proue 〈◊〉 prosperous thy iudgements hye Doe farre surmount his dimmer fight verse 6 Therefore doth he all foes defie His heart saith I shall stand in spight Nor euer moue nor danger ' bide verse 7 His mouth is fill'd with curses foule And with close fraud His tongue doth hide verse 8 Mischiefe and ill he seekes the soule Of harmelesse men in secret waite And in the corners of the street Doth shead their bloud with scorne and hate His eies vpon the poore are set verse 9 As some fell Lyon in his den He closely lurkes the poore to spoyle He spoyles the poore and helplesse men When once he snares them in his toyle verse 10 He croucheth low in cunning wile And bowes his brest whereon whole throngs Of poore whom his faire showes beguile Fall to be subiect to his wrongs verse 11 God hath forgot in soule he saies He hides his face to neuer see verse 12 Lord God arise thine hand vp-raise Let not thy poore forgotten be verse 13 Shall these insulting wretches scorne Their God and say thou wilt not care verse 14 Thou see'st for all thou hast forborne Thou see'st what all their mischiefes are That to thine hand of vengeance iust Thou maist them take the poore distressed Rely on thee with constant trust The helpe of Orphans and oppressed verse 15 Oh! breake the wickeds arme of might And search out all their cursed traines And let them vanish out of sight verse 16 The Lord as King for euer raignes From forth his coasts the heathen sect verse 17 Are rooted quite thou Lord attendst To poore mens sutes thou deo'st direct Their hearts to them thine eare thou bendst verse 18 That thou maist rescue from despight The wofull fatherlesse and poore That so the vaine and earthen wight On vs may tyrannize no more FJNJS CHARACTERS OF VERTVES AND VICES JN TWO BOOKES 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 MY singular good Lords EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON of WALTHAM AND JAMES LORD HAY HIS RIGHT NOBLE AND WORTHY SONNE IN LAW I. H. HVMBLY DEDICATES HIS LABOVR DEVOTETH HIMSELFE Wisheth all Happinesse A PREMONITION OF THE TITLE AND VSE of Characters READER THe Diuines of the old Heathens were their Morall Philosophers These receiued the Acts of an inbred law in the Sinai of Nature and deliuered them with many expositions to the multitude These were the Ouerseers of manners Correctors of vices Directors of liues Doctors of vertue which yet taught their people the body of their naturall Diuinitie not after one manner while some spent themselues in deepe discourses of humane felicitie and the way to it in common others thought it best to apply the generall precepts of goodnesse or decency to particular conditions and persons A third sort in a meane course betwixt the two other and compounded of them both bestowed their time in drawing out the true lineaments of euerie vertue and vice so liuely that who saw the medals might know the face which Art they significantly tearmed Charactery Their papers were so many tables their writings so many speaking pictures or liuing images whereby the ruder multitude might euen by their sense learne to know vertue and discerne what to detest J am deceiued if any course could be more likely to preuaile for herein the grosse conceit is led on with pleasure and informed while it feeles nothing but delight And if pictures haue beene accounted the bookes of Jdiots behold here the benefit of an image without the offence It is no shame for vs to learne wit of Heathens neither is it materiall in whose Schoole we take out a good lesson yea it is more shame not to follow their good than not to lead them better As one therefore that in worthy examples hold imitation better than inuention J haue trod in their paths but with an higher and wider steppe and out of their Tablets haue drawne these larger portraitures of both sorts More
the other of Tecla What partiality is this to deny that to the children of Christians which they grant to knowne Infidels The promise is made to vs and our seed not to those that are without the pale of the Church Those Innocents which were massacred for Christ are by them canonized for Saints and make one day in their Kalendar each yeare both holy and dismall whereof yet scarce any liued to know water none to know baptisme Yea all Martyrs are here priuiledged who are Christened in their owne blood in stead of water but where hath God said All that die without baptisme shall die for euer except Martyrs why not except beleeuers It is faith that giues life to Martyrs which if they should vvant their first death could not auoid the second Ambrose doubted not to say his Valentinian was baptised because he desired it not because he had it he knew the mind of God who accounts vs to haue what we vnfainedly wish Children cannot liue to desire baptisme if their Parents desire it for them why may not the desire of others be theirs as well as according to Austins opinion the faith of others beleeuing and the mouth of others confessing In these cases therefore of any soules but our owne it is safe to suspend and dangerous to passe iudgement Secret things to God He that made all soules knowes vvhat to doe vvith them neither will make vs of counsell But if wee define either way the errors of charitie are inoffensiue We must honour good means and vse them and in their necessarie want depend vpon him who can vvorke beyond vvithout against meanes Thus haue I endeuoured your Ladiships satisfaction in what you heard not without some scruple If any man shall blame my choice in troubling you with a thornie and scholasticall discourse let him know that I haue learned this fashion of Saint Hierome the Oracle of Antiquitie vvho was vvont to entertaine his Paula and Eustochium Marcella Principia Hedibia and other deuout Ladies with learned canuases of the deepe points of Diuinitie This is not so perplexed that it need to offend nor so vnnecessary that it may be vnknowne To Sir RICHARD LEA since deceased EP. V. Discoursing of the comfortable remedies of all afflictions WISE men seeke remedies before their disease sensible patients when they begin to complaine fooles too late Afflictions are the common maladies of Christians These you feele and vpon the first groanes seeke for ease Wherefore serues the tongue of the learned but to speake words in season I am a Scholler of those that can comfort you If you shall vvith me take out my lessons neither of vs shal repent it You smart and complaine take heed lest too much There is no affliction not grieuous the bone that vvas disioynted cannot bee set right without paine No potion can cure vs if it worke not it vvorkes not except it make vs sicke we are contented with that sicknesse which is the vvay to health There is a vexation without hurt such is this We are afflicted not ouer-pressed needie not desperate persecuted not forsaken cast downe but perish not How should we vvhen all the euill in a Citie comes from the prouidence of a good God which can neither be impotent nor vnmercifull It is the Lord let him doe vvhat hee will Woe were vs if euils could come by chance or were let loose to alight where they list now they are ouer-ruled wee are safe The destinie of our sorrowes is written in heauen by a vvise and eternall decree Behold he that hath ordained moderates them A faithfull God that giues an issue vvith the tentation An issue both of their end and their successe He chides not alwayes much lesse striketh Our light afflictions are but for a moment not so long in respect of our vacancy and rest If wee weepe sometimes our teares are precious As they shall neuer be dry in his bottle so they shall soone be dry vpon our cheekes He that wrings them from vs shall vvipe them off how sweetly doth hee interchange our sorrowes and ioyes that we may neither be vaine nor miserable It is true To be strooke once in anger is fearfull his displeasure is more then his blow In both our God is a consuming fire Feare not these stripes are the tokens of his loue he is no Sonne that is not beaten yea till he smart and cry if not till he bleed no Parent corrects anothers childe and he is no good Parent that corrects not his owne Oh rod worthy to be kissed that assures vs of his loue of our adoption What speake I of no hurt short praises doe but discommend I say more these euils are good looke to their effects What is good if not patience affliction is the mother of it tribulation bringeth forth patience What can earth or heauen yeeld better then the assurance of Gods Spirit Afflictions argue yea seale this to vs. Wherein stands perfect happinesse if not in our neere resemblance of Christ Why was man created happy but because in Gods image The glory of Paradise the beauty of his body the duty of the creatures could not giue him felicitie without the likenesse to his Creator Behold what wee lost in our height wee recouer in our miserie a conformitie to the image of the Sonne of God he that is not like his elder brother shall neuer be coheire with him Loe his side temples hands feet all bleeding his face blubbred ghaftly and spitted on his skin all pearled with a bloody sweat his head drouping his soule heauy to the death see you the vvorldling mercy soft delicate perfumed neuer wrinkled with sorrow neuer humbled with afflictions What resemblance is here yea what contrarietie Ease flayeth the foole it hath made him resty and leaues him miserable Be not deceiued No man can follow Christ without his Crosse much lesse reach him and if none shall raigne with Christ but those that suffer vvith him what shall become of these iolly ones Goe now thou dainty worldling and please thy selfe in thy happinesse laugh alwayes and be euer applauded It is a wofull felicitie that thou shalt finde in opposition to thy Redeemer He hath said Woe to them that laugh Beleeuest thou and dost not weepe at thy laughter and with Salomon condemne it of madnesse And againe with the same breath Blessed are yee that weepe who can beleeue this and not reioyce in his owne teares and not pitie the faint smiles of the godlesse Why blessed For ye shall laugh Behold wee that weepe on earth shall laugh in heauen we that now weepe vvith men shall laugh vvith Angels while the fleering worldling shall be gnashing and howling with Diuels we that weepe for a time shall laugh for euer who would not be content to deferre his ioy a little that it may be perpetuall and infinite What mad man would purchase this crackling of thornes such is the vvorldlings ioy with eternall shrieking and torment hee that is
instance in Moses 866 The wicked in their afflictions like the beasts that grow mad with baiting 874 Euery maine affliction is the godly mans Red-Sea 883 A way to discerne the afflictions of God and Satan 884 The enduring afflictions commendable 887 Afflictions send men to prayer 930 The purpose of affliction is to make vs importunate 971 When God hath beaten his child he will burne the rod. 971 The aduantage which afflictions haue 994 our afflictions more noted of the sender then of the sufferer 995 It is the infirmitie of our nature oft-times to bee afflicted with the causes of our ioy 997 An example of Gods making our afflictions beneficial 1000 Extremitie of distresse will send the prophanest to God 1109 1110 Agag of him and Saul 1073 Ag◠a pretty diuision of our ages and hopes in them 46 and burthens also 48 Agnus Dei The vertue of that which was sent by Pope Vrbanus the fift vnto the Greeke Emperour 621 Ahab of him Benhadad 1351 Of him and Naboth 1356 His spleene against Naboth whether of anger or griefe 1357 Iezebels cōforting him 1357 The power of conscience in him 1359 His sorrow censured 1359 Of his death 1360 c. The number of his Prophets ibid. All Satans subtiltie in desiring not all but halfe the heart p. 2 Our seruice to God must bee totall 477. 478 Whether all may reade the Scriptures 617 Trust him in nothing that hath not a conscience in euery thing 1006 Partiall conuersion of man is but hatefull hypocrisie 1051 The worst men will make head against some though not all sinnes 1109 Allegeance of the oath and iust suffering of those that refuse it 342 c. Almes it ought to be like Oyle 708 Alone Sinne is not acted alone 1138 Altar the altar of the Reubenites 967 No gaine so sweet as of a robbed altar 1054 The Altar cleaued to in danger by Ioab but otherwise not regarded 1261 1262 But t is no fit place for a bloody Homicide 1262 Alteration the itching desire of alteration manifested 1053 Amalek his foyle 893 His sin called to reckoning 1074 Ambition an ambitious man is the greatest enemy to himselfe 5 It hath torment enough in euery estate 16 Pretty steps of ambition 95 Its Character 197 Hard to say whether there be more Pride or Ignorance in ambition 985 Ambition euer in trauel 1150 Ammon of him and Thamar 1144 His lust prettily laid out 1146 Anabaptists their Kings or Captaines pride 443 Their dissention at Amsterdam prettily set out 445 Angels of the offices and acts of good and euill Angels 66 67 The vse that we should make of them as our friends and foes ibid. The danger of wicked men which haue Gods Angels to oppose them 934 Good Angels haue their stints in their executions ibid. How forward the good Angels are to incite to pietie 997 Hearty sacrifices are an Angels feast ibid. T is presumption to discourse of their Orders Titles c. 997 Of the Angell and Zacharie 1159 They reioyce to bee with vs whilst wee are with God 1161 What it is to pray to Angels in the Virgins salutation 1163 Anger the small difference betweene anger and madnesse 140 Anna and Peninna 1028 Of Eli and Hanna 1030 Amsterdam vid. Title Brownists and Separatists their separation iniury to the Church with the censure and aduice 315 Antiquitie of popish deprauing antiquitie 349 Apparell the children of God haue three suits of apparell 37 The glory of apparell is sought in noueltie c. with a sharpe reproofe of out-running modestie in it 1135 Appearance nothing more vncertaine then it 489 Of appearance of things and Men. 490 Appearance may bee reduced into three heads ibid. Where appearance is the rule see how the ordinances of God become to bee scorned 492 The Saints mis-deemed the Gallants estate mis-iudged 493 And false religion seeme true 494 Appearance is either a true falsehood or an vncertaine truth 1078 Application the life of doctrine 1142 Apocrypha whether it be to be receiued as Scripture 614 Austeritie there is euer an holy austeritie must follow the calling of God 995 Arke How to bee reuerenced 949 The strength of Gods Arke 952 The Arke and Dagon 1043 The prophane Philistims toyle in carying the Arke shames many our attendance at it ibid. The Arkes reuenge and returne 1046 The Israelites ioy of the returne of the Arke 1049 The remoue of the Arke 1050 Of Vzzah and the Arke 1127 Arts all arts are handmaids to Diuinitie 143 Asa of him 1326 Foure principall monuments of Asa his vertues 1327 Astonishment By it God makes way for his greatest messages 870 Authority An impression of Maiesty in lawfull authoritie 904 The errour of the mightie is armed with authority 917 Authority the marke of enuy 920 Awe The awefulnesse that God hath put into Soueraignty 1116 Awefulnesse is a good interpreter of Gods secret acts 1129 B BAdam Of him 931 And of his Asse 934 His madnesse in cursing the people 936 A pretty vse of Baalams death ibid. Bablers a good note of them 12 Baptisme A discourse of the necessity of it and of the estate of those which necessarily want it 367 Of Christs baptisme 1189 It giues vertue to ours ibid. Bathsheba Of her and Dauid and Vriah 1137 Shee mournes for her husbands death 1141 Beasts God will call vs to account for our cruelty to dumbe beasts 935 Beauty If it bee not well disciplin'd it proues not a friend but a foe 1145 Beelzebub Who he was 1289 Beginnings Wee must stop the beginnings of sin 937 Strange beginnings are not vsually cast away 994 Those affaires are like to proceed well that haue their beginnings of God 1025 Little can wee iudge by the beginnings of an action what will be the end 1053 As it is seene in Saul 1056 Beleefe First beleeue then conceiue 25 vide Faithfulnesse Beniamin His desolation 1019 Beneficence Our cheerfulnesse thereto excited 373 Benefits Wee lose the comfort of them if wee renue not our perils by meditation 1000 Birth Not to be too much discouraged by the basenesse of our birth 991 The very birth and conception of extraordinary persons is extraordinary 994 Bishops Whether ours be Antichristian 578 Blood It is a restlesse suter 1262 Boaz and Ruth 1025 Body How to bee caried in the worship of God 13 The gesture of the body shold expresse and helpe the deuotion of the soule 894 Dead bodies are not lost but layd vp 942 Boldnesse It s vsuall issue without ability 5 It is dangerous to bee too bold with the ordinances of God 949 Fearfull to vse the holy Ordinances of God with an vnreuerend boldnesse 1049 Boldnesse and feare are commonly misplaced in the best hearts 1052 A good conscience wil make a man bold 1060 Bookes Of neglecting good bookes 411 A bewailing the want of order iudgement in reading Popish bookes 412 God hath two bookes one of his word another of his works 1124 Brownists vide Separatists their scandalous aspersions