praise of him that made him styling the fabrick of mans body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the handy-work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved by God For the Body is the Soul's Castle the mouth the entrance the Lipps a double leav'd door the Teeth a portcullis and Ivory gate the Tongue the porter trenchman and Soul's Oratour the Head an eminent Tower where four senses externall Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting three senses internall Common sense Fantasie Memory keep so many scout-watches The Brain the Armorie and Treasury fenced about with hair skin bone the pia Mater or golden Eure the Neck a Wheel to turn this Turret to every point in the Compasse The Tongue Teeth and Palate musicall Instruments for modulation of the voice the Chordae or silver cords stretched through the body the Liver is the Well the Pores the Conduits the Veines the Pitchers of blood the Heart is the Cistern and Fountain of Life the Systole and Diastole moves gales of winde to free from putrefaction For this cause Man is called a Microcosme or little World in that he resembles the greater World The Liver resembles the Ocean the Veines the lesser Rivers the Breath the Aire the naturall Heat the warmth of the Aire the radicall Moysture the fatnesse of the Earth the Hairs of our head the Grasse of the earth Knowledge Light our Eyes the Sun and Moon our Beauty of Youth the Flowers of the Spring the Thoughts of our Minds Motions of Angells our four Complexions resemble the four Elements seven Ages seven Planets Thus was Man created a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing All till that by usurping All he lost All. Neither was this Beauty solely the Bodies but the Soul in beauty far surpassed the Body as far as the Soul is more active than the Body The Understanding clear without ignorance the Will holy without disobedience the Affections calme without distemperance Thoughts undistracted Heart untempted Conscience unwounded The wonderfull union of them both more wonderfull than both Earth and Heaven were espoused a Body from Earth a Soul from Heaven were united that nothing but Death could part nor Death neither if bodily concupiscence with Martha had not made choise of the worser part Knowledge of sicknesse and sorrowes was unknown No Paracelsus distracted about Extractions It would have been the Physitians Disease that there was no Disease the Grave's Death that there was no Death Envie 's Griefe that there was no Envy What Man was in Rule and Dominion after the Creation Emperour of the whole Earth Admirall of the whole Sea Heir of Eden peerlesse Peer of Paradise that with the Grand Sultan he might have insulted styling himselfe Ruler of the World and Shadow of God With the Pope have worn a triple Crown trampling upon Hell triumphing upon Earth trusting For Heaven All Creatures seeing the splendour of Majesty and God's Image resplendent in this new created Magistrate with reverence pointed at him with an Ecce Adam lo Adam The Stars that lately created were gazed upon as the world's wonder wonder at this new created Star with an Ecce Adam The Angells those ministring Spirits Heb. 1. 14. behold him to whom they must minister with an Ecce Adam God who after the Fall came with an Ecce exprobrandi or upbraiding comes now with an Ecce demonstrandi or declaring to all Creatures Ecce Adam lo this is Adam whom ye must all serve this Adam Lord of all was Man Lord what is Man Thus we have done with the first what what Man was in his Creation We come to the second what what man is in his Degeneration where we must distinguish of a three-fold what what degenerate Man is in his life what in his death what after death The Degenerate in life what in his Body what in his Soul In his Body the length of his time the strength of his time What Man is in the length of his time His life is a Mask his Prologue is acted in secret within the Curtains of the Womb the Protasis in his Birth and Cradle the Epitasis in his checker'd mirth and sorrow Death is the Catastrophe the Grave his Wardrobe His time is a gliding Shuttle a riding Post a flying Cloud a spying Eagle a floating Ship a fading Flower The Shuttle is through the Post is gone the Cloud dissolves the Eagle vanishes the Ship is out of ken the Flower fades His length is but a Span his strength Grasse his beauty but a Venice-Glasse a China's Dish his thoughts Dreams his body a Shadow his flesh but a Vapour his glory but a Taper which begins as a Bubble continues as a Blaze ends with a Blast Lord what is man Thus what Man his Body is in length of time the second what in strength of time what in his Infancy what in his Youth what in his Manage what in his Old age in all these Natures ridle unfolding Sphinx his ridle In his Infancy an Image hath hands and cannot handle right tongue and cannot speak feet and cannot go a soul and cannot understand an unreasonable Brute in the shape of reasonable Man conceived in lust imbrued in blood brought forth in sorrow with throbs and throws His Youth an untamed Tiger unsetled Quicksilver a Camelion of every colour a Polypus of every shape an Ape in all imitations beginning to swell with Pride boyl with Revenge burn with Lust gaspe for Honour gape for Riches Manhood is a Monster composed of many miseries a Sea of sorrowes a World of warrs where all fears affright him The Sea is full of Pirats the Land of Robbers Wealth is envied Poverty is contemned Wit distrusted Simplicity derided Religion suspected Vice advanced and Virtue disgraced Old age is a Creple blinde as Appius blear-eyed as Leah lame as Mephibosheth bald in the head wrinkled in the face rotten in the teeth stinking in the breath teasty with choller withered with drinesse overwhelmed with sicknesse bowed together with weaknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking upon the earth which must be his grave till he lie down in the grave gasping for breath begins with crying continues with sighing and ends with a groan Lord what is man Thus is every Age of life a Stage of strife that well may we sing with Ausonius a Turtle-like Song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Time is a troublesome Tide no place or condition is secure in the world Fear of Enemies affright Suits in Law vex wrongs of Neighbours oppresse care for Wife and Children consume The house is full of cares the Field is full of toyl the Country of rudenesse the City of factions the Court of envy the Church of Sects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What course of life then shall a man take when every life is a curse What Art shall he study when he is the dolefull subject of every Art and studying it studies his own misery What does Grammer teach him but to speak the language of his owne confusion The first part whereof containes the
true Orthographie and charactering of his cares the Comma's Colons and Periods if any there be of his passions The second unfolds his Casuum discrimina a thousand diversities of dangers accidents varied with divers Cases with Genders of sorrow ingendring numberlesse declining that which is good and inclining to that which is evill The third displaies his misconstruction of Charity in not Concording and agreeing with equalls in not Governing his Inferiours in not submitting to the government of Superiours And what is the last but an Accenting of his griefes by severall pricks in the flesh and Scanning of things upon the fingers of human reason to tickle the ear of fancy and affection What is his Rhetorick but a Poyson cooked in a painted dish each Trope a translation from Purity to Corruption each Climax climbes up by degrees of renued griefe each Auxesis augments and each Hyperbole makes up the height of his hardship What is his Logick but an art of Reasoning to inform Reason of the losse of Reason each Predicament a Ladder of human frailty declaring the Substance of his body of death the Quantity and Quality of his sin in what Relation he stands to the Devill Hell and the Grave the guilt of every Action the sting of every Passion ubi quando Where When in what manner and Habit every sin was committed Demonstrating by causes and proving by Induction his destruction His Musick is a Modulation made up of diversity of maladies in place of melodies his birth by Originall sin sounds Base by Actuall Treble worse unconstant never keepes Tenour his life is a Cliffe his might a Minim his wit but a Crochet his wisdome a Quillet his glory but a Quaver Lord what is Man His Arithmetick deciphers the numberlesse number of his necessities adding subtracting dividing multiplying measuring all things by the rule of Golden number roules in a Circle and ends in a Cypher His Physick serves to seek out the symptomes of his sicknesse the brain conceives frenzies madnesse vertigoes in the brain the Eye sees three hundred diseases in the sight of the eye the Ear can hear of a Parotis or impostumated inflammation in the ear the tongue can tell of an Angina or Argurangina a Quincie or silver-Quincie in the throat which ties the tongue-strings The Hand can feel a Chiragra or Gout of bribery in the hand the Sinews are sensible of convulsions of worldly cares the Bowells of Tympanies or swellings of pride the Heart of a Cardialgia or carnall fear the whole Man of a noli me tangere impatience of admonition Thus Man is become the Anatomie of Misery and the Misery of Anatomy and yet his greatest misery is that he cannot help his misery making the whole World a Pesthouse the Earth an Aceldama or field of blood and the Sea a Golgotha or place of Sculs Thus what Man is in his body The next what in his Soul First What in regard of misery of losses Secondly What in regard of misery of crosses In regard of misery of losses the soul of Man hath lost blessings internall externall eternall Internall the perfect Image of the Creator the perfect knowledge of the Creature God Christ holinesse in heart uprightnesse in life union betwixt God and the soul which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very soul of the soul Lost blessings externall not Rivers of Milk Wine Oyle Mountaines of Gold Silver Diamonds not a world of Crownes Scepters Diadems these were but Blanks but the Prize in this Lottery lost was his lot of inheritance in Heaven communion with Saints and Angells in that inheritance that never fails Lost blessings eternall the glory of a Crown and a Crown of glory the blessed Vision and the vision of Blisse of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Secondly what the Soul of Man is in regard of the misery of Crosses crossed with the stain of sin crossed with the pain of sin the stain of sin the Mind is stuffed with vanity the Understanding is darkened with ignorance the Will stiffned with stubbornesse hence the Soul is defiled with lust polluted with filthinesse outraged with passions over carried with affections pined with envy overcharged with gluttony surfetted with drunkennesse boyled with revenge transported with rage The pain of sin consists in consciousnesse of horrour of Conscience and sense of a reprobate sense This horrour meets a man in the dark and makes him leap in the night and makes him quake in his sleeps and makes him start in every corner and makes him think every Bush a Man every Man a Devill every Devill a messenger to fetch him quick to Hell By this Theodorick saw the face of a Man in the mouth of a Fish Nessus heard the noise of Murder in the voice of Birds Saunders run distracted over the Irish Mountains This made Cain wander Saul stab himselfe Judas hang himselfe Arius empty his bowells at the Stool Latomus cry desperately he was damned Julian confesse that he was conquered makes Man the Lord of all slave to all Lord what is Man Thus this Generall what degenerate Man is in this life the next what degenerate Man unregenerate is in his death Come to his Bed-side and see how darts of calamity dart him Stiches aches cramps feavours obstructions rheume flegme chollick stone winde as so many tempests and whirlwindes attempt him View his body sweating his members trembling the head shooting the face waxing pale the nose black the neather jaw-bone hanging down the eye-strings breaking the tongue faultring the breath shortning the throat ratling at every gasp the heart-strings cracking Thus strugling in comes Death Hells Purveyor to summon the Soul to Hell Reason accuses the Devill endites Memory gives evidence Conscience condemnes damned Spirits flutter like flies to catch this Spirit flying O then with what stentorious cries would it pierce the Clouds if it had a voyce to cry Help Eyes that were as quick-sighted in vanities as Lynceus and see for some comfort help Ears late organs of melody and hearken for some comfort help tongue that was my Suada-Orator or Demostenes perswade Satan affright Death flatter Hell and tell my soul some comfort Help Feet that were my wings of swiftnesse and quickly fetch some comfort help hands that were my Sword and Buckler quiet my conscience stop hells mouth banish Satan and minister me some comfort Alas the Eyes are closed up the Ears deaf the Tongue speechlesse the Feet lame the Hands dead not able to remove the slime that stops the breath and Man that was even now a Body and Soul is a stinking Carcase without Soul Lord what is Man Thus Death is displayed Next what degenerate Man is after death A man of Death fewell of Hell fire lashed with Satyrs wounded with Scorpions scourged with Furies sting'd with Dragons gnawen with Vipers still rowling the Stone of sorrow with Sisyphus turning the restlesse Wheel with Ixion hungring and thirsting freezing and burning with Tantalus burning with heat freezing with cold
him was nothing made Coloss 1. 16. All things were created by him and for him For him in his Mysticall not in his Personall capacity As God â—e had no use of terrestriall things as Man now he is impassible immortall in Heaven therefore not in his own Person but in the person of his Saints what is done to them he acknowledges don to himself all the world all things in the world are given for the use of his Saints All things to use the Philosophers distinction that are bona animi goods of the mind bond corporis goods of the body bona fortunae goods offortune All things as Divines say internall in the soul externall of both body and soul eternall for the saving welfare of both All things as Aquinas saies upon this place quae cedant in nostrum bonum that may turn to our good divinae personae ad fruendum to behold the vision of the Trinity have communion with Saints and Angells commerce with Men comfort with and from all the Creatures All things as cur Saviour saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we have need Matth. 6. and Him we will follow as the best Interpreter So then we may conclude with the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are ours and God with Christ hath given all things to us all If every man might be his own Interpreter how sweet and heavenly would this Doctrine be the Drunkard would swim in Rivers of Wine the Whoremonger would have more Dalilah's than the Turkish Grand Sultan or Solomon had the Glutton would receive his daily tribute of delicates from Earth Sea and Aire the Tyrant would make the Earth an Aceldama or field of blood the Sea a Golgotha or place of sculs the Covetous man would make the world his Counting-house each Iland a Closet of his Treasury the Pope and each ambitious Roman Prelate would number their Crowns and Scepters by their Beads But look again before thou feed thy soul with this fools Paradise it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ If thou hast Christ thou shalt have all things if thou hast not Christ thou hast nothing but that which thou possessest is not thine own not thine own by a Spirituall right though thine own by a Civill right All things were lost by the first Adam restored by Christ the second Adam who Heb. 1. 2. is heir of all and only they that have Christ are heirs and joynt heirs with Christ of all Rom. 8. 17. So then he may be a spirituall usurper that is a civill lawfull possessour possessour either jure gentium by the Law of Nations and that by Conquest as the Israelites subdued Canaan or jure civili by the Civill Law so we possesse things given by the bounty of others got with the sweat of our own brows appropriated unto us by buying exchanging falling upon us by descent death of friends honours given as the reward of vertue Some would have this Civill right to be derived to all by Creation not to be lost by Degeneration God that feeds the Storks cloaths the Lillies will much more feed and cloath his nobler Creatures for whose sake the Storks and Lillies were created Some say they were given in and by Christ to all He that delivered up his Son for all delivered up all things with his Son for all The Turks Infidells Impious that have not Christ are not debarred of these lesser benefits that come by Christ Some give this Civill right onely to the visible members of the Church he that is baptized into Christ hath onely the benefit of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that come by Christ Which of these opinions is the truth I will not determine that onely the Faithfull have spirituall claim to this All in the Text it is confessed by all they onely can say and pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us our daily bread For what is it to have spirituall right but to have the Spirit turning all things to their comfort and increase of glory Rom. 8. 28. All things work for the good of them that love God all things to the confusion of them that love not God But how have spirituall men all things A right to all things not a possession of all things Thus Abraham had a right to Canaan because God had promised it though he possessed it not God if it were for their good would give them the fruition of all things An Orphant trusts his Guardian for his means a Patient his Physitian for his dyet and dare not thou trust God While thou art Militant here thou art under tuition and shalt not possesse all till thou be Triumphant We restrain a man in a Lethargy of his appetite of sleep and deny cold drink to one sick of a Feavour though he be owner of all in the house So does God the wise Physician of our Souls give us all things that we need but not all things that we lust To look back again at the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will give us all things with Christ O happy union Christ and his benefits are never severed He that gives Gold will much more give the Drosse He that gives Pearles will give Pebles He that gave Christ the Lord of life wil give all things convenient for life Heat may be separated from fire as in Nebuchandnezzar's Furnace light from the Sun as at our Saviour's Passion but no good thing can be separated from the Son of God he that hath the Son hath life And here me-thinks I see the noble Army of Martyrs that seemed to the World to have nothing to throw down the Gantlet of defiance and triumph that in Christ they have all things Armour of proof a strong Tower an invincible Fort a Rock of salvation that if Men Devills Leviathans Behemoths losses diseases torments swarm about them like the Flies of Aegypt this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in Christ will make them sing under the whip at the stake in the flames make the patient laugh when the Spectatour weeps carry frail flesh singing and rejoycing through a world of bonds rods swords racks wheeles flames strapadoes break through torments armies tempests floods to Heaven shake off bonds fetters manacles and lead captivity captive And if all these things come by Christ O then let us get Christ himselfe which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the giver of all Men venture themselves on the angry Seas digg into the bowells of the Earth for Gold and Silver expose their bodies in Warrs to wounds scarrs skirmages massacres death for honour riches wealth empire dignity which without Christ are for substance but shadowes vapours Sodom's apples for continuance but bubbles blasts dreams and for true solace of the soul but like the Vipers conception whose momentary pleasure ends in murdering both body and soul What pain dammage and travail do the Alchymists sustain to gain the Philosophers Stone a thing doubtfull whether it be possible more doubtfull
which are two the one young Samuel revealing who by this occasion received primam tonsuram his first unction to prophecy the other is old Eli who like Sexagenarius de ponte as his bodily so his spirituall eyes grew dim for 1 Sam. 3. 1. The word of the Lord was pretious in those daies there was no open vision Secondly we have the thing revealed which is either the sin or the punishment of sin sin either the father Eli's for not correcting and chastising his sons or the sin of his sons Hophni and Phinehas who being Priests of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. were sons of Beliall knew not the Lord by their rapine made men abhor the daily sacrifice 17. lay with the women that assembled at the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 22. The punishment of sin either threatned first by a man of God not otherwise named 1 Sam. 2. 27. secondly by Samuel himselfe that the Lord would cut off the whole family of Eli from the priesthood and that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Or executed in the fourth Chapter for thirty thousand of the Israelites were put to the sword the whole Camp scattered Hophni and Phinehas the Priests slain the Ark of God taken captive by the Philistims the Wife of Phinehas hearing of it fell into the pangs of childbirth and was delivered of a Son calling his name Ichobod the glory is departed from Israel and so expired and at the relation of the messenger Eli being ninty eight years old fell back from his chair and brake his neck Thus the whole Family was dysastered rarò antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo Seneca Punishment and shame like a blood-hound alwaies pursues sin at the heeles the Ark was taken the Army routed the Priests slain Phinehas his Wife perished in the after-pangs Eli brake his neck Hence observe that sin is the deserving cause procuring the ruine and calamity of Church and State Cities and Families Sin it is that infects our purest aire that damps our richest mines that poysons our sweetest dainties that laies thornes in our softest beds of down that undermines Palaces pulls down Crowns shakes Thrones and ruinates Kingdomes that sets all mortall Wights at opposition heat against cold cold against heat winter and summer light and darknesse moysture and drought in arms one against another That the whole world is become a boyling furnace of contradictions where man is the mettall the body is the drosse which must first be burned by the refining fire of death before the soul can become pure gold fit for the heavenly Sanctuary For the proof of this hear Jeremie's lamentation Lam. 3. 39. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Heaven and earth answers his Interrogatory with a soul 's sad Eccho Man suffereth for his sins Come on further and see all Creatures Angells Men Beasts Plants Elements Heavens in sorrowes discord sighing out the sad Epitaphium of mans mortality 42. We have sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared thou hast covered us with wrath and persecuted us thou hast slain and not spared Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death As tooth for tooth eye for eye hand for hand one talent for another so death is a deserved reward for sin death first seizing upon the body while we live by the canker of corruption and mortality bringing at the length death of the body by dissolution and all this hatched and brooded under the Cocatrice sin Come on and travail with St. Paul to Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this cause saies he many are weak amongst you and sick and many sleep For this cause that is for the poyson of sin the canker of corruption in generall for spilling of our Saviour's blood piercing his side nailing his feet unworthy receiving of the holy Sacrament in particular Are sick that is feavours boyle you consumptions waste you plague and pestilence devour you And many sleep sleep in an everlasting Lethargy and apoplexie of death never to be awaked before the last doom Many that Biers are become restlesse Peripateticks the Spade and Mattock tyred the Sextons still digging the Graves still gaping passing-Bells without any stop or period confounding the language one of another the Church-yards more peopled then the Theaters Mista senum ac juvenum densantur funera no sex nor age nor young nor old are spared but are made a subject for death to read mortalitie's lecture upon This made David complain that his bones waxed old and that his moysture was turned into the drought of summer Psal 32. made him houle and cry that his daies were consumed like smoak his bones were burned as hearth withered like grasse he was become like a Pelican in the wildernesse or a sparrow on the house top Ps 102. This made Job complain that his griefe was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrowes of the Almighty were within him that the poyson had drunk up his spirit the terrours of God had set themselves in array against him Job 6. This makes all Mankinde rot as a Pomgranate shiver as a Potsheard splinter as a Venice Glasse corrupt as a standing Pool and vanish into ashes like Sodom's Apples And the reason of all this is because the justice of God requires it sin is daily in the view of his all-piercing eye sends up cries aloud into his holy ear piercing through the clouds for revenge importuning his vindicative hand to whet his glittering sword to feather his arrowes to make sharp the point of his spear to wash his footsteps in blood And then shall not he that hath called his footstool the Earth and his throne the Heavens to witnesse and hath sworn by himselfe the greatest that sin shall not passe without revenge shall not he be just Besides this consider all Creatures as daily Oratours that miserably complaining put up their petitions to him The higher House the suburbs of Heaven sits drooping the Sun is turned into blood and eclipsed the Stars unsnuffed burn dim within the socket of their sphears their naturall force abated their influence impaired all waxes old as does a garment and saies that sin is the cause The aire is stifled with the poysoned breath of meteors and insteed of comforting the inhabitants of the earth is become a stage of prodigies and terrours flying Dragons amaze blazing Stars as Beacons of astonishment affright Thunder with her loud Canon-shot makes roaring the impetuous fury of the Bolts brings death the Clouds in time of need are barren in time of harvest intoxicate the earth with deluges no dew sometimes but mildew no light but lightning no blast nor gale of winde but blasting and saies that sin is the cause The sea roules the windes blow unmercifully the waves rage impetuously all things are troubled unnaturally which makes the Leviathans roar and the fishes die and saies that sin is the cause The earth quakes
come to the Object of this search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pearls The word for Pearl in this place hath its name from Mare the Sea or at least is Gemma Marina a Pearl proper to the Sea and this which Quintilian commends continues the Allegory Gemmarum multa sunt genera saies Plinie Pearles are of many kinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Sea-kind is the best and of them those in profundo maris are best that are in the depth of the Sea No wonder then if this Merchant does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek these Pearles They have many names to be sought by That which Christ here and Theophrastus elsewhere calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pearl Arrianus calls Cynaedum Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Statius Propertius and Claudian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cicero Gemmam Pliny Unionem Virgil Baccham Concheam and St. Jerom rubri maris granum a grain of the Red Sea Thus the Names a word of the Nature They are Conchae pretious Shells conceived in Conchyliis in Sea-fishes which at the time of their conception drinking the dew from Heaven gravidae in partu enituntur Margaritas are delivered of Pearles together with their Spawns These goodly Pearles the Merchant seeks and emblemed in these every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeks some Good and to his knowledge as the Philosopher saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chiefest good Our souls at first like Needles of a Diall were touched with the Magneticall tincture of Gods Image poynting at Him the Pole till sin like the Onyons of Egypt and the presence of the Adamant in our hearts bends our thoughts another way like Children new-born we still seek some Breast to suck and with the confounded Linguists at Babell lisp out some language with Ixion taking the Cloud for Juno a Glasse for a Pearle Jacob for Esau Mans Soul is a seeking-Creature and for lack of the chiefest must have some though but apparent Good Hence it comes to passe that this brittle glassie sea of the World that should be the Chanell to convey us and our perspective Glasse to look up to Heaven proves our Harbour and our Looking-glasse This gavefewell to that faction betwixt the Academicks and the Peripateticks both of them confessing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the object of the Will was that which is good The one said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but apparent good the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true good Aristotle joyned both or quicquid sub specie boni whatsoever seemes good And that is meant by goodly Pearles so called not because they are all so but because they all seem to be so True Good is a conformity with the will of God archetypa not with the will of man Some are simply evill as sensuality sinfull pleasure Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither Good nor Evill but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are used these are the Goods of Fortune as they call them Honour Riches Some truly Good yet not the chiefe Good because referred to a chiefer or Architectonicall end as Prudence and Morall vertues though Austin in Heathens calls them splendida peccata glittering sins Well then no wonder if as Varro saith and the Father of Hippo secondeth him in his Civitate Dei there were three hundred opinions in the language of my Text concerning these Pearles As truth is is one so Errour is infinite and yet they were ignorant of the Law the Jewish Targum Cabala and Sanhedrim which Interpreters comprise within these Pearls O the endlesse search of these inferiour things we may seek them but not rest in them Seeking is a motion motion argues imperfection so does Pearles in the plurall number Martha carked for many things there was but one thing needfull It is wittily at least observed by Origen that God put no lo it was good upon that day when the light was divided from the darknesse nor must we put any rest in these Pearls For to instance in a few What is Pleasure but a pill in Sugar Beauty but a painted Snake Honour but a blast of idle Winde Riches but a smile of Fortune and all the Wealth the World hath piled together but Obelisks of vanity Let some Gallants condemn this as the voice of a melancholick Schollar yet I know a day will come when Eccles 12. 3. the keepers of their house of clay shall tremble those that look out of the windowes shall be darkened and Death shall gnaw upon them like sheep then they shall confesse that none nor all these can give their souls content There is one pretious Pearle that neither Prince nor People Men nor Angells have in their keeping Heighth nor Depth Principalities nor Powers Life nor Death can take away and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this one pretious Pearl So we are passed to the third part or parallel where observe this method first seek then finde God answers every man to nay above his expectation Saul sought Asses and found a Crown the Milesian fishers Fishes and found a golden Trivet the Merchant sought Pearls of lesse price and found one of greater price This Pearl is but one and yet instar omnia it comprises all Plinie calls it an Union and what is it else but an union of God and Man into one person of God and Mankinde into one Covenant One because Truth as the Schoolman saith upon this place is in divisa undivided as the Trinity in Athanasius his Creed This Pearle was sought because promised in the Law but found in the Gospell Abraham made his Servant put his hand under his thigh and swear as Isiodore Pelusiota saies by Christ that was to come out of those loyns The Massorites sought this Pearle out of the profound Sea of Curiosities Rabbins and Jewes amongst Thrones Palaces and Principalities and it is more than probable that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Popular sort sought but an earthly Prince But as Mercury in the Fable sent the Husbandman a Golden Hatchet who petitioned but for an Iron one so the carnall Jewes seeking but an earthly Messias found an Emanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found saies the Mathematician and what but the Rule of Algebra Italiam cryed Aeneas and novum orbem Columbus but at the ken of an earthen shoar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have seen his Star saies the Wise-men but when they had seen the Babe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rejoyced exceedingly And so this Merchant when he had found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this one Pearl of great price Many things have been esteemed pretious Gyges his Ring by which he went invisible Vulcan's Panoplie that was falsly reported to secure from all Weapons Aesculapius his Herbe Panace to cure all Diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contain all curiosities the Palm in Plinie to minister all things necessarie for Meat Drink Cloathing and Building the pretious Stone Opalum to have the vertue of all Stones the brightnesse of the Carbuncle purple colour
Lord alwaies and again I say Rejoyce By this zeal John Baptist leapt in his Mothers wombe at the presence of Mary conceiving By this zeal Simeon's trembling armes received heat to embrace our Saviour By this zeal the Angels rejoyce in heaven at a sinners conversion Surely it was a high pitch of affection and no affection but zeal that lift the soul of Diagoras of Chylon the Lacedemonian of the Roman VVidow off the hinges this affection was joy And as a high pitch of joy so strain the pegg of sorrow and it will prove zeal Joy a rapture for the present good sorrow a pressure for the present evill Rachell's sorrow for her Children Mourning and weeping and great lamentation Jeremiah's mourning for the captivity of the people Come and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow may make up the tale of zeal David's mourning all the day long watering of his couch Ezekiah's chattering as a swallow or crane in the desert is the fruit of zeal Hope when it is wafted with full sailes towards the Haven and like the Heliotrophium spreads it selfe towards the Sun of righteousnesse is zeal It was this zeal of strerched forth Hope that put this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance in Paul's mouth I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38. And as hope so fear when it is a Graduate in the University of the Soul puts on the habit of zeal this fear must be filiall Such zeal as this was the fear of Martyrs which feared God more then thousand deaths and burnings This zealous fear of God wrought in Ignatius this heavenly resolution Fire gallowes wilde beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body and all the tortures of hell come upon me so that I may enjoy my Lord Jesus and his kingdome Anger when in the forge of the affections it receives a heat more than ordinary becomes zeal In this zeal Moses broak the Tables when he saw the golden Calfe set up Phinehas in this zeal thrust through the Adulterers Samuel slew Agag Hatred when it growes inveterate and headie Aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus is zeal This is the zeal that all Saints have towards sin Satan corruption Love when it is elevated to the height is zeal such love such zeal was that of Jonathan's love stronger than death stronger then the love of a woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoycing at anothers hurt when it is fixed upon the right object in a high measure is zeal that object must be malum poenae the evill of punishment not malum culpae the evill of sin In this zeal Moses and the Israelâ—tes sung a song of deliverance for the overthrow of Pharaoh Barak and Deborah for the death of Sisera This zeal wings David's Apostrophe to God VVash thy footsteps O Lord in the blood of thine enemies and laugh at their destruction Thus you see zeal consists not in anger love or sorrow alone but in a high pitch of all the affections or any of them In the second place we come to distinguish the severall kindes of zeal or by the touchstone of tryall to difference true from false All zeal is a fire and then true when like Eliah's fire it is from Heaven then false when like Nadab's and Abihu's it is strange fire such as God commands not False zeal may be fixed either upon the true or false object true zeal onely upon the right object When zeal is set upon the false object it may be great setting Churches and Commonweales in combustion but can never be good This wildfire is either Doctrinall in opinion or Practicall in conversation Doctrinall so the Turks are zealous for their Mahometan superstition and Alcaron the Ephesians for their Temple of Diana and silver Shrines the Church of Rome for their Popes Supremacy Images Indulgences the Brownists against the buildings of our Churches which they call Antichristian Synagogues Practicall in conversation when our zeal towards riches makes Mammom our God and things below that should be our Perspective-glasse to look towards Heaven proves our Looking-glasse when such is our zeal in Prayer that though we seem to petition first for spirituall things after for temporall our affections reads them backwards like figures valuing the latter ten times more than the former Again zeal may be false when it is fixed even upon the right object and that either in regard of the measure or means In regard of the measure either too cold which is remission or too hot which is superstition too cold and this is the temperature of carnall worldlings time-serving polititians formall professours that will seem to be Christians and yet will give no sheafe of their corn no penny of their talent no oyle of their cruse to the poor members of Christ Christians in name yet Devills incarnate indeed zealous for the smoak of their chimney's the watercourse of their channells the dust of their waies the bubble of their fame yet without any touch of conscience hear the name of God blasphemed see his Church profaned ruinated see the Fatherlesse wronged the Widow oppressed see the bleeding wounds of both Church and Common-wealth gaping Zeal upon the right object too hot which is superstition this zeale is either of them which are too hot for Ceremonies that they advance them into the chair of Substance punish the neglect of them as severely as blasphemy as murther as theft Too hot against Ceremonies that while they brand others with superstition surmount the highest Tower of superstition forsaking holy solemnities for a Ceremony the Sacrament for a gesture the Ministry for things of the least moment pay Tithe of Annise Mint and Cummine let passe the wonderfull things of God strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camell False zeal yet fixed upon the right object in regard of the means and ground upon which it is builded builded either upon ignorance our own ends or other men Ignorance of them that are hot in themselves a spur to others a censurer of all men that are slacker then they in duties that ought to be done yet they know no ground in Scripture no reason in Nature why This is false zeal the zeal of ignorant Romists to believe as the Church believes Zeal upon the right object for our own ends thus Judas was zealous for the bag the People in the Wildernesse for the Bread the Priests of Bell for the Wheat and Oyle those in Tertullian's time that went with the Christians to the Assembly of Prayer because they were commonly attended with Love-feasts This is false zeal because it is not a heat of the heart but of the stomack and may be so sincere as to arise out of the bowells yet it ends in the belly False zeal upon the right object when it is builded upon men zealous of the Word when it is
mention without trembling Esau lost his Birthright for preferring a messe of Pottage before it the Jewes smarted for preferring Barabbas before Christ Judas felt Gods wrath for valuing our blessed Saviour at thirty pieces of silver In every sin we prefer the service of Satan before Gods service the pleasure of iniquity before the fruits of righteousnesse death before life our own will before Gods will The fourth Reason may be taken from the effects and execution of his anger we see symptoms of Gods wrath in some in their bodies as Oehazie's leprosie some in lack of liberty as Manasses some in their children as Eli some in the gripes of a yelling conscience as Cain Judas Achiâ—ophel and Saul some in taking away their reason as Nabuchadnezzar in some of suddain death as Belshazzar while he was quaffing Herod while he was boasting the people of Sodom while they were wallowing in their uncleannesse Dathan and Abâ—ram swallowed quick to Hell while they murmured against Moses and Aaron and usurped the Priests office Lastly in all reprobates at the last judgment which will be a day of anger indeed where his wrath shall seaze upon them for ever Hitherto the Reasons the Uses follow First of Information And how God can be angry in opening of the Text we toucht to make way to that which followed Let us further enquire wherein it consists When anger is said to be a desire of revenge as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports to desire as ravinously as a hungry stomack does meat an inflaming of the blood about the heart a sorrow of the heart for the contempt that is done to us with an inkindling of indignation against the despiser Anger as it is thus described neither for the materiall nor formall can belong to God because he is a pure Essence free from passion all-sufficient in himselfe cannot be crossed in his absolute will Yet in a sense it is true that Anger is in God and that in these three respects First it argues his will and most just decree of taking revenge and punishing the injuries and contempt offered to him and his Church as Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse that is God manifests by punishments what he hath decreed from eternity Secondly it signifies the comminations and threatnings of punishments against sinners for when God threatens to bring plagues and judgments he is said to be angry Psal 6. 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure that is do not punish me as thou threatens me according to my sins Thirdly it signifies the effects of his displeasure and the execution it selfe of those plagues and judgments which he had before decreed and threatned Thus you see God may be said to be angry because in his will he decrees in his word he threatens in his wisdome punishes This may serve to confute that Stoicall opinion that God cannot be angry because anger say they is a disease of the soul that cannot surprise a wise man Here they may see that it derogates not but suites with the wisdome of him who is wisdome it selfe Here the Epicures may see how blasphemously they dishonour God when they say he sits idle in Heaven takes care for nothing punishes none How neer unto these are all our carnall Worldlings that take their ease eat drink and saie in their hearts Tush God cares not Let them know that for all this though they escape a while unpunished he will bruise them in pieces with a rod of iron like a potters vessell The second enquirie is Seeing God in a sense may be said to be angry whether anger be one of those Attributes that are imitable and warrantable in us or no We are commanded to be holy as he is holy mercifull as he is mercifull But of anger it may be doubted because it blindes the understanding perverts the will disorders the affections The truth is anger is not onely warrantable but sometimes not to be angry is sin This may be proved by the example of Christ Joel 2. 7. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up Zeal is a passion mixt of anger and love by his actions in driving the buyers and sellers out of the Temple by precept Ephes 4. 25. Be ye anry and sin not that is though anger in it selfe may be good yet the inordinatenesse of it makes it a sin and that is three waies First if we be angry rashly above measure for sleight or no causes Secondly if we be angry for private injuries and not for dishonouring of God Thirdly if we be angry more for the hatred we bear to our brethren than for their sins Otherwise to be angry at sin if the action be streaming in Christs blood may be a meanes to asswage Gods anger for sin Let the second Use serve to examine our selves whether we have provoked the Lord to anger or no And if by what signes we may know the day of his anger is at hand First whether we have provoked him to anger may be known from the cause which is the contempt and contumacious despight we offer to God in every sin I 'le onely name two or three which the Scripture often mentions as the greatest incentives of his anger First Idolatry a sin that puts God out of his Throne sets up Idolls in his place which is not only when we worship other Gods but when we suffer riches honour beauty pleasure to take up or soul which should be the holy Ghosts temple This is high treason against God therefore how often shewed he his anger to the Israelites in fiery serpents plagues pestilences dearth famine sword and captivity To this may be added tempting of God rebellion against God that sin of witchcraft blasphemy hypocrisie and profaning of the Lords Day The second way whereby we may know whether we have angered God is to examine our souls whether we have been dutifull to Parents obedient to Rulers reverent to our Betters The Scripture styles them Gods they that despise them despise God in as much as they are ranked among the cursed Deut. 27. 16. Cursed is he that setteth light by his father or by his mother and let all the people say Amen Nay so great is Gods anger that he threatens the Ravens shall pull out their eyes Thirdly Murderers and those that imbrue their hands in innocent blood offer injury and despight unto God with a high hand and therefore highly displease him He that stabbs but at the Grand Sultan's Picture is guilty of treason then how shall the blood of his brother crie for vengeance against him that defaces Gods Image in Man witnesse Cain's ghastly conscience David's broken bones Judas bursten bowells and the wrath of God against the Jewes who cryed His blood be upon us and upon our children Fourthly the wronging of Widows and Orphans oppressing the poor and strangers are sins that anger God He hath
and trembles like a recoyling Canoâ— and mourns as with a sympathie while the heavens weep the flowers droop and closes up their heads within the lap of their mother earth the grasse withers the corn is blasted the fruits are thunderstroke and in stead of pagles daizes and roses of paradise bryars brambles nettles thistles spring out of her wombe and saies that sin is the cause All Nations all States all Kingdomes are troubled and saies that sin is the cause The Pagans against Turks Turks against Christendom one Province against another as whirlewindes in a strait move tumults Victorious Sweden hath long sit in Sable as a Matron mourning under the Myrtle trees deploring the dismall fate of her deceased Worthy which occasion'd so many alterations in government since and fluctuations in State and saies that sin is the cause Poland lies sick licking the scars of her lately received wounds and saies that sin is the cause Denmark bewailes her ill â—ccesse abroad and feeles the smart of her losses and intestine jarrs at home and saies that sin is the cause Whole Italy is distracted with convulsions and the State of Venice can scarce finde a pillow to sleep securely upon and saies that sin is the cause France before she could recover her bloodshed at the great Massacre hath begun to bleed afresh with civill jarrs and saies that sin is the cause Whole Germany hath been for many years in a combustion burning of Cities is no greater wonder then the sparkling of a Smith's forge slaying of men of as small account as of sheep in a slaughter-house to die in Troops as familiar as to live in Trenches such overflowing of blood that Rivers were dyed with the crimson tincture old grey heads mourning yoâ—ng infants crying women like Leah blear-eyed with weeping like Rachel lamenting the death of their children and cannot be comforted because they are not and all conclude that sin is the cause We of these Nations once styled fortunate Ilands garded like Goshen in the midst of Aegypt with turelar Angells have for these many years layne under the stroke of the destroying Angell and the stage of War hath been set up in our Territories making all places Aceldama's fields of blood the Common-weal distracted with factions the Church rent with schisms and as if these intestine broyles at home were not sufficient engagements with the Hollanders abroad to the losse of life and treasury with whom no sooner was a Peace if lasting made but Spain that had fed us with her blandishments proclaimes her selfe an enemy preparing hostility against us as if the Armado in eighty eight were but an earnest of what they intended to pay us Thus this poor Church and State lies bleeding and is not sin the cause Well then to sum up all shall not the petitions of the Heavens darkned of the Stars bedimn'd of the Aire poysoned of the Sea troubled of the Earth cursed of Kingdomes ruinated of the unreasonable Creatures groaning under the burden and looking up towards heaven as if the Stars that fought in order for Sisera would pitty and rescue them shall not these I say awake the Lord out of sleep as a Gyant refreshed with wine to put on his Brigandine and to gird on his Sword If souls for this deserve to die then how much more the body And shall not these that were petitioners become also executioners Lo the heavens as if it were their task to kill and slay hath for her armes hung up in the Zodiack man's anatomy the Planet Mars as though he were still the god of War the Dog-star and Saturn murders their children the Ayer poysons with infections feavours plagues the Sea is become a devouring gulph and contrary to Nature's intent is made a Goigotha or place of sculls the Earth that with her fruites should have nourished and with her conserves cherished is become an Aceldama or Theatre of blood one Nation one City one Kingdome one Family one Brother rises up against another as if man were born with those that arose of the Dragon's teeth in the Poet mutuis periâ—e gladiis bleed to death on one anothers sword And then shall not Gods just wrath our just desert so many executioners in heaven in earth by sea by land bring ruine and calamity of Church and State Cities and Families Hence as the case stands we are blame-worthy in a four-fold respect 1. Of Satan 2. Of security 3. Of pride 4. Of intemperance First of Satan who by his subtle sleights as he hath killed the body would murder also the soul and yet we sleight it as though we should die neither body nor soul Satan is that Panther that with his sweet odours allures us till he have gotten us within the reach of his talants that he may tear us that Crocodile that commiserates us till he have murdered us that Hyena that flatters us till he have killed us that Syren that sings till she hath drowned us that with Jael allures in with milk and murders with a nail with Joab embraces with one hand and stabs with another that whore of Babylon that gives poysoned drink in golden cups that cunning fisher that baits his hooks with the pleasures of sin that lies as a Snake in thy greenest grasse as an Enemy to assault thee in thy securest travails as a Ruffian to cut thy throat in thy sweerest sleep Art thou banquetting like Job's children with thy friends take heed Satan's there Art thou with Job praying take heed Satan's there Art thou with Iudas and the Apostles receiving the Communion take heed Satan's there In thy eating in thy drinking in thy hearing in thy praying in thy meditating beware Satan is busie about thee take heed he that hath wrought thy bodily death would also of thy soul O man of God beware mors in ollâ death is in the pot Secondly this discovers the security of carnall secure men that mind death no more hanging over their heads then Ierusalem did the blazing Star and Army in the aire then Damocles did the glittering sword perpendicular over his head then Ionah did the swelling of the waves over the Ship while he was under the hatches sleeping but they lie snorting in a lethargy of sin till a deluge of death overwhelme them as the flood did the old World as fire and brimstone did Sodom and Gomorrah as the house of Dagon did the Philistims that then death and grave and worms and hell and destruction seazes upon them Thirdly this discovers the vanity of pride many while their life is consuming as a candle burning within the socket as a coal taken out of the fire growing black studies only to varnish and paint over that rotten stock the body robbing all creatures to adorn it from one takes his wool from another his skin from another his fur from another their excrements as silk from worms beggs pearles of the fishes diggs into the ground for gold and silver turnes up the sands of the sea for
pretious stones and then Peacock-like prides themselves in these which are but liveries of beasts scum of the earth badges of sin earnests of death and recognisants of hell thus jetting till death comes and sounds his trumpet in his ear O fool this night they will require thy soul of thee c. Fourthly this discovers the vanity of intemperate and voluptuous men that with Philoxenus studie only to relish dainties make their throats tunnells and their bellies barrells and shewes by their daily sacrifices their Oâ—gia Dâ—onysia and Bacchanalia that they are of that Epicure Sardinapalus his minde that was wont to say ventrem deorum esse maxâ—mâ—m that the belly was the greatest of the gods living thus till death arrest them and then they shall be arrayed with nothing but a shroud or winding-sheet have no dwelling place but the grave no house but a stinking coffin no servants and tenants but crawling worms have no allowance to give them but their own flesh which they shall feed upon till all be consumed and they made a fit Sceleton for death to read Anatomie's Lecture upon Consider again this was more particularly for the sins of Eli and his Sons Let those that attend upon God's Ordinances in this present age reflectupon this It must be acknowledg'd sure that the hand of God hath gone out against us more then against others of our rank at other times at least that God hath not restrained violence against us so as he did against those of our profession in the daies of old The portion of the Egyptian Priest that served the Ox the Ape and the Onyon escaped sale in the time of the famine Learned Junius in his Academia Cap. 4. saies that the Philistims spared the Schooles of the Prophers in their warrs with Israel and that the Phoenicians Chaldeans and Indians were tender over such places the Goths and Vandalls as barbarous as they were when they entered Italy scarce laid a sacriligious hand upon the Churches revenues Thus then did God restrain the spirit of Princes yet that God who in his own Law Levit. 25. 22. gave the Levites a speciall priviledge of redeeming lands sold by themselves at any time when other tribes were limited to a set time hath not stayed the raging of these waves but that the Churches Patrimony is sold to others without redemption We must acknowledge that God's wrath whether for our personall sins or the sins of our Predecessors or for the sins of the people joyntly hath taken hold of us Zach. 1. 5. that the Lord hath devised a device against us hath watched upon the evill and hath brought it upon us For under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done unto Ierusalem Dan. 9. 14. Let us not flatter our selves presumptuously the punishment answers the sin as the wax the seal and as the moulds own the figure and let us own both Yet let none think now that this confession will give advantage to the adversary they may take where none is given They may say let the Lord be glorified by their own confession we offend not though we devoure and dishonour them because they have sinned against the Lord the habitation of justice Ier. 50. 7. But they shall finde at last that to forsake the Levite is a sin that it is a bitter thing to help forward affliction when God is but a little displeased that Ierusalem will be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone to every one that cries but down with it Wo to thee O Ashur the rod of Gods wrath the stasse in thine hand is Gods indignation for our correction to purifie us the sons of Levi from our drosse For It is the Lord that does it So we passe from the Revelation to the Acceptation And he said it is the Lord. But how did Eli know that it was the Lord Partly by the man of God partly by Samuel's dream or vision for he knew that the Lord had called the Child It is a heathenish tradition that no dreams that relate to publick concernment are to be credited that proceed not from Princes as Macrobius stories it upon Somnium Scipionis Hence Nestor in Homer proclaims in the Grecian Councill that credit is to be given to Agamemâ—on concerning the marshalling of his Army because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Generall or ruler of the people which otherwise should have been sieighted But Ely was better instructed who knew in part though not so fully as was afterwards revealed Ioel. 2. 28. that God would poure his spirit upon all flesh and their sons and daughters should prophecy their old men should dream dreams and their young men should see visions Therefore Ely willingly submitted saying It is the Lord. Lord by Creation all things were made by him Ioh. 1. 3. Lord by Donation All power is gâ—ven me in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. 18. Lord by Redemption for we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. Lord by Conquest By death he destroyed him that had the power of death the devill Heb. 2. 14. Lord by Marriage I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Cant. 6. 3. Lord by way of excellency depending on no creature Lord of Lords Lord not only of goods body life but of soul and spirit Lord not for a season but for ever an eternall Lord a Lord that cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abuse his authority but is Jehovah zedeck Jehovah our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. A Lord that doth what he pleaseth Let him do what seemeth him good So we passe from his confession to his submission Let him do what seemeth him good Peter Martyr makes a scruple whether these words proceeded from a penitent soul or no saying they might come from an evill and hypocriticall minde though God who is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a searcher of the heart knowes this yet he concludes probabile est illum resipuisse non tamen necessarium it is probable that he repented but not necessary Gregory is of opinion that this answer is no true signe of his humiliation but rather of his hardnesse of heart and reprobation and endeavours to confirm it by three reasons First saies he we finde not that after this he either repented or corrected his sons Secondly because he seemes to be willing rather to incur the heavy displeasure of God then by severe and condigne punishment to offend his children Thirdly because he seemes rather presumptuously and disorderly to trust to the mercy of God than by serious repentance and selfe-denyall to go in the way of God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Si Dominus ubi timor If it be the Lord saies he where is his fear where are his prayers where his tears where his groans we read of none Haec oratio non culpam agnoscentis non dei misericordiam implorantis sed animum despondentis iram provocantis This speech is not of one imploring Gods mercy