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
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 gluâ—â—onous 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 shouldâ—â— in both It is good for a man not to stand vpon his Abâ—â—â—â—â—is 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
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice In mea n. patria Deus venter est in diem viuitur sanctior est ilic qui diâ—ior 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
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
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 aduantâ—gious 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
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
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
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 amâ—â—tur 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 dâ—â—orer 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
Redeemer If thou die not if not willingly thou goest contrary to him and shalt neuer meet him Si per singules diâ—s pro â—o 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee expired but when Saint Iohn would describe Christs death hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 â—â—â—les not the presence of the soule Yet as the Fathers of Chalcedon say truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 dâ—ieceris haâ—iâ—ior 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
courses are quite contrary to the Commandements of God Vpon the act done God passed the sentence of restraining Moses with the rest from the promised Land Now he performes it Since that time Moses had many fauors from God All which could not reuerse this decreed castigation That euerlasting rule is grounded vpon the very essence of God I am Iehouah I change not Our purposes are as our selues fickle and incertaine His are certaine and immutable some things which he reueales he alters nothing that he hath decreed Besides the soule of Moses to the glory whereof God principally intended this change I finde him carefull of two things His Successor and his Body Moses moues for the one the other God doth vnasked He that was so tender ouer the welfare of Israel in his life would not staken his care in death He takes no thought for himselfe for hee knew how gainfull an exchange he must make All his care is for his charge Some enuious natures desire to be missed when they must goe and wish that the weakenesse or want of a successor may be the foyle of their memory and honour Moses is in a contrary disposition It sufficeth him not to find contentment in his owne happinesse vnlesse hee may haue an assurance that Israel shall prosper after him Carnall minds are all for themselues and make vse of gouernment onely for their owne aduantages But good hearts looke euer to the future good of the Church aboue their owne against their owne Moses did well to shew his good affection to his people but in his silence God would haue prouided for his owne He that called him from the sheepe of Iethro will not want a gouernour for his chosen to succeed him God hath fitted him whom he will choose Who can be more meet then he whose name whose experience whose graces might supply yea reuiue Moses to the people He that searched the Land before was fittest to guide Israel into it Hee that was indued with the Spirit of God was the fittest deputy for God He that abode still in the Tabernacle of Ohel-moed as Gods attendant was fittest to bee sent forth from him as his Lieutenant But oh the vnsearchable counsell of the Almighty Aged Caleb and all the Princes of Israel are past ouer and Ioshua the seruant of Moses is chosen to succeed his master The eye of God is not blinded either with gifts or with blood or with beauty or with strength but as in his eternall elections so in his temporary hee will haue mercy on whom he will And well doth Ioshua succeed Moses The very acts of God of old were allegories where the Law ends there the Sauiour begins we may see the Land of Promise in the Law Onely Iesus the Mediator of the New Testament can bring vs into it So was he a seruant of the Law that hee supplies all the defects of the Law to vs Hee hath taken possession of the promised Land for vs he shall cary vs from this Wildernesse to our rest It is no small happinesse to any state when their gouernours are chosen by worthinesse and such elections are euer from God whereas the intrusions of bribery and iniust fauour or violence as they make the Common-wealth miserable so they come from him which is the author of confusion Woe be to that state that suffers it woe be to that person that workes it for both of them haue sold themselues the one to seruitude the other to sinne I doe not heare Moses repine at Gods choyce and grudge that this Scepter of his is not hereditarie but he willingly layes hands vpon his seruant to consecrate him for his successor Ioshua was a good man yet he had some sparkes of Enuy for when Eldad and Medad prophesied he stomakt it My Lord Moses forbid them Hee that would not abide two of the Elders of Israel to prophecie how would hee haue allowed his seruant to sit in his throne What an example of meekenesse besides all the rest doth he here see in this last act of his master who without all murmuring resignes his chaire of State to his Page It is all one to a gracious heart whom God will please to aduance Emulation and discontentment are the affections of carnall mindes Humility goes euer with regeneration which teaches a man to thinke what euer honor be put vpon others I haue more then I am worthy of The same God that by the hands of his Angels caried vp the soule of Moses to his glory doth also by the hand of his Angels cary his body down into the velley of Moab to his sepulture Those hands which had taken the Law from him those eyes that had seene his presence those lips that had conferred so oft with him that face that did so shine with the beames of his glory may not be neglected when the soule is gone He that tooke charge of his birth and preseruation in the Reedes takes charge of his cariage out of the world The care of God ceaseth not ouer his owne either in death or after it How iustly do we take care of the comely burials of our friends when God himselfe giues vs this example If the ministery of man had beene vsed in this graue of Moses the place might haue been knowne to the Israelites but God purposely conceales this treasure both from Men and Deuils that so he might both crosse their curiosity and preuent their superstition If God had loued the adoration of his seruant relikes he could neuer haue had a fitter opportunity for this deuotion then in the body of Moses It is folly to place Religion in those things which God hides on purpose from vs It is not the property of the Almighty to restraine vs from good Yet that diuine hand which lockt vp this treasure and kept the key of it brought it forth afterwards glorious In the transfiguration this body which was hid in the valley of Moab appeared in the hill of Tabor that wee may know these bodies of ours are not lost but layd vp and shall as sure bee raised in glory as they are layd downe in corruption We know that when he shall appeare wee shall also appeare with him in Glory Contemplations THE EIGHTH BOOKE Rahab Jordan diuided The siege of Jericho Achan The Gibeonites BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO THE TRVLY NOBLE AND WORTHILY HONOVRED GENTLEMAN MASTER ROBERT HAY ONE OF THE ATTENDANTS OF HIS MAIESTIES BED-CHAMBER A SINCERE FRIEND OF VERTVE AND LOVER OF LEARNING J. H. WITH APPRECATION OF ALL HAPPINESSE DEDICATES THIS PART OF HIS MEDITATIONS Contemplations THE EIGHTH BOOKE Of RAHAB IOshua was one of those twelue searchers which were sent to view the Land of Canaan yet now he addresses two Spyes for a more particular Suruey Those twelue were onely to enquire of the generall condition of the people and Land these two finde out the best entrance into the next part of the Countrey and into their
say Come vp we will goe vp for God hath deliuered them into our hands If they say Tarry till we come to you we will stand still Ionathan was too wise to trust vnto a casuall presage There might be some farre fetcht coniectures of the euent from the word We will come to you was a threat of resolution Come you to vs was a challenge of feare or perhaps Come vp to vs was a word of insultation from them that trusted to the inaccessiblenesse of the place and multitudes of men Insultation is from pride pride argued a fâ—ll but faith hath nothing to doe with probabilities as that which acknowledgeth no Argument but demonstration If there hid not beene an instinct from GOD of this assured warrant of successe Ionathan had presumed in stead of beleeuing and had tempted that GOD whom hee professed to glorifie by his trust There can be no faith where there is no promise and where there is a promise there can be no presumption Words are voluntary The tongues of the Philistims were as free to say Tarry as Come That God in whom our very tongues moue ouerruled them so as now they shall speake that word which shall cut their owne throats They knew no more harme in Come then Tarry both were alike safe for the sound for the sense but he that put a signification of their slaughter in the one not in the other did put that word into their mouth whereby they might inuite their owne destruction The disposition of our words are from the prouidence of the Almighty God and our hearts haue not alwayes the same meaning in our speeches In those words which we speake at random or out of affectation God hath a further drift of his owne glory and perhaps our iudgement If wicked men say Our tongues are our owne they could not say so but from him whom they defie in saying so and who makes their tongue their executioner No sooner doth Ionathan heare this inuitation then hee answers it Hee whose hands had learned neuer to faile his heart puts himselfe vpon his hands and knees to climbe vp into this danger the exploit was not more difficult then the way the paine of the passage was equall to the perill of the enterprize that his faith might equally triumph ouer both he doth not say how shall I get vp much lesse which way shall I get downe againe but as if the ground were leuell and the action dangerlesse hee puts himselfe into the view of the Philistims Faith is neuer so glorious as when it hath most opposition and will not see it Reason lookes euer to the meanes Faith to the end and in stead of consulting how to effect resolues what shall be effected The way to heauen is more steepe more painfull O God! how perillous a passage hast thou appointed for thy labouring Pilgrims If difficulties will discourage vs we shall but climbe to fall When we are lifting vp our foot to the last step there are the Philistims of death of temptations to grapple with giue vs but faith and turne vs loose to the spight either of Earth or Hell Ionathan is now on the top of the hill and now as if he had an army at his heeles he flyes vpon the hoste of the Philistims his hands that might haue beene weary with climbing are immediately commanded to fight and deale as many deaths as blowes to the amazed enemie He needs not walke farre for this execution Himselfe and his Armour-bearer in one halfe acres space haue slaine twenty Philistims It is not long since Ionathan smote their Garison in the hill of Geba perhaps from that time his name and presence carried terror in it but sure if the Philistims had not seene and felt more then a man in the face and hands of Ionathan they had not so easily groueled in death The blowes and shrikes cannot but affect the next who with a ghastly noise ranne away from death and afright their fellowes no lesse then themselues are afrighted The clamour and feare runnes on like fire in a traine to the very formost rankes Euery man would flye and thinkes there is so much more cause of flight for that his eares apprehend all his eyes nothing Each man thinkes his fellow stands in his way and therefore in stead of turning vpon him which was the cause of their flight they bend their swords vpon those whom they imagine to be the hinderers of their flight and now a miraculous astonishment hath made the Philistims Ionathans Champions and Executioners He followes and kils those which helped to kill others and the more he killed the more they feared and fled and the more they killed each other in the flight and that feare it selfe might preuent Ionathan in killing them the earth it selfe trembles vnder them Thus doth God at once strike them with his owne hand with Ionathans with theirs and makes them runne away from life whiles they would flye from an enemie Where the Almighty purposes destruction to any people hee needs not call in forraigne powers he needs not any hands or weapons but their own He can make vast bodies die no other death then their owne waight We cannot be sure to be friends among our selues whiles God is our enemy The Philistims flye fast but the newes of their flight ouer-runnes them euen vnto Sauls Pomegranate Tree The Watchmen discerne afarre off a flight and execution search is made Ionathan is found missing Saul will consult with the Arke Hypocrites while they haue leisure will perhaps be holy For some fits of deuotion they cannot bee bettered But when the tumult encreased Sauls piety decreases It is now no season to talke with a Priest withdraw thine hand Ahaiah the Ephod must giue place to Armes It is more time to fight then to pray what needs he Gods guidance when he sees his way before him He that before would needs sacrifice ere hee fought will now in the other extreame fight in a wilfull indeuotion Worldly minds regard holy duties no further then may stand with their owne carnall purposes Very easie occasions shall interrupt them in their religious intentions like vnto children which if a Bird doe but flye in their way cast their eye from their booke But if Saul serue not God in one kind he will serue him in another if he honour him not by attending on the Arke hee will honour him by a vow His negligence in the one is recompenced with his zeale in the other All Israel is adiured not to eate any food vntill the euening Hypocrisie is euer masked with a blind and thanklesse zeale To wait vpon the Arke and to consult with Gods Priest in all cases of importance was a direct commandement of God To eate no food in the pursuit of their enemies was not commanded Saul leaues that which he was bidden and does that which he was not required To eate no food all day was more difficult then to attend an houre vpon
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
that they are my fellowes in respect of creation whereas there is no proportion betwixt mee and my Maker 66 One said It is good to inure thy youth to speake well for good speech is many times drawne into the affection But I would feare that speaking well without feeling were the next way to procure an habituall hypocrisie Let my good words follow good affections not goe before them I will therefore speake as I thinke but withall I will labour to thinke well and then I know I cannot but speake well 67 When I consider my soule I could be proud to thinke of how diuine a nature and qualitie it is but when I cast downe mine eies to my body as the Swanne to her blacke legs and see what loathsome matter issues from the mouth nostrils cares pores and other passages and how most carrion-like of all other creatures it is after death I am iustly ashamed to thinke that so excellent a guest dwels but in a meere cleanly dunghill 68 Euery worldling is a mad man For besides that hee preferreth profit and pleasure to Vertue the World to God Earth to Heauen Time to Eternitie hee pampers the body and starues the soule He feedes one Fowle an hundred times that it may feed him but once and seekes all Lands and Seas for dainties not caring whether any or what repast he prouideth for his soule Hee cloathes the body with all rich ornaments that it may bee as faire without as it is filthie within whilest his soule goes bare and naked hauing not a tag of knowledge to couer it Yea hee cares not to destroy his soule to please the body when for the saluation of the soule he will not so much as hold the body short of the least pleasure What is if this be not a reasonable kinde of madnesse Let me enioy my soule no longer than I preferre it to my body Let mee haue a deformed leane crooked vnhealthfull neglected body so that I may finde my soule sound strong well furnished well disposed both for earth and heauen 69 Asa was sicke but of his feet farre from the heart yet because he sought to the Physicians not to God he escaped not Ezechiah was sicke to die yet because he trusted to God not to Physicians he was restored Meanes without God cannot helpe God without meanes can and often doth I will vse good meanes not rest in them 70 A mans best monument is his vertuous actions Foolish is the hope of immortality and future praise by the cost of senselesse stone when the Passenger shall onely say Here lies a faire stone and a filthy carkasse That only can report thee rich but for other praises thy selfe must build thy monument aliue and write thy owne Epitaph in honest and honourable actions Which are so much more noble than the other as liuing men are better than dead stones Nay I know not if the other be not the way to worke a perpetuall succession of infamy whiles the censorious Reader vpon occasion therof shall comment vpon thy bad life whereas in this euery mans heart is a Toombe and euery mans tongue writeth an Epitaph vpon the well-behaued Either I will procure me such a monument to be remembred by or else it is better to be inglorious than infamous 71 The basest things are euer most plentifull History and experience tell vs that some kinde of Mouse breedeth 120 young ones in one nest whereas the Lion or Elephant beareth but one at once I haue euer found The least wit yeeldeth the most words It is both the surest and wisest way to Speake little and Thinke more 72 An euill man is clay to God wax to the Deuill God may stamp him into powder or temper him anew but none of his meanes can melt him Contrariwise a good man is Gods wax and Satans clay he relents at euery looke of God but is not stirred at any tentation I had rather bow than breake to God but for Satan or the world I had rather be broken in peeces with their violence than suffer my selfe to be bowed vnto their obedience 73 It is an easie matter for a man to be carelesse of himselfe and yet much easier to be enamoured of himselfe For if he be a Christian whiles he contemneth the world perfectly it is hard for him to reserue a competent measure of loue to himselfe if a worldling it is not possible but he must ouer-loue himselfe I will striue for the meane of both and so hate the world that I may care for my selfe and so care for my selfe that I bee not in loue with the world 74 I will hate popularitie and ostentation as euer dangerous but most of all in Gods businesse which who so affect doe as ill spokesmen who when they are sent to wooe for God speake for themselues I know how dangerous it is to haue God my Riuall 75 Earth affords no sound contentment For what is there vnder Heauen not troublesome besides that which is called pleasure and that in the end I finde most irksome of all other My soule shall euer looke vpward for ioy and downeward for penitence 76 God is euer with me euer before me I know he cannot but ouer-see me alwaies though my eies be held that I see him not yea he is still within me though I feele him not neither is there any moment that I can liue without God Why doe I not therefore alwaies liue with him Why doe I not account all houres lost wherein I enioy him not 77 There is no man so happy as the Christian When he lookes vp vnto heauen hee thinkes That is my home the God that made it and owes it is my Father the Angels more glorious in nature than my selfe are my attendants mine enemies are my vassals Yea those things which are the terriblest of all to the wicked are most pleasant to him When he heares God thunder aboue his head he thinks This is the voice of my Father When he remembreth the Tribunall of the last Iudgement he thinkes It is my Sauiour that sits in it when death he esteemes it but as the Angell set before Paradise which with one blow admits him to eternall ioy And which is most of all nothing in earth or hell can make him miserable There is nothing in the world worth enuying but a Christian 78 As Man is a little world so euery Christian is a little Church within himselfe As the Church therefore is sometimes in the wane through persecution other times in her full glory and brightnesse so let mee expect my selfe sometimes drouping vnder Tentations and sadly hanging downe the head for the want of the feeling of Gods presence at other times caried with the full saile of a resolute assurance to heauen knowing that as it is a Church at the weakest stay so shall I in my greatest deiection hold the Childe of God 79 Tentations on the right hand are more perillous than those on the left and destroy a
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
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 thâ—ir 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
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
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
secrecie haue abridged themselues of dyet cloathing lodging harbour fit for reasonable creatures seeming to haue left off themselues no lesse then companions As if the world were not euery where as if wee could hide our selues from the Diuell as if solitarinesse were priuiledged from Temptations as if we did not more violently affect restrained delights as if these Ieromes did not finde Rome in their heart when they had nothing but rocks and trees in their eye Hence these places of retirednesse founded at first vpon necessity mixt vvith deuotion haue proued infamously vncleane Cels of lust not of pietie This course is preposterous if I were worthy to teach you a better way learne to be an Hermite at home Begin with your owne heart estrange and weane it from the loue not from the vse of the world Christianitie hath taught vs nothing if we haue not learned this distinction It is a great weaknesse not to see but we must be inamoured Elisha saw the secret state of the Syrian Court yet as an enemy The blessed Angels see our earthly affaires but as strangers Moses his bodie was in the Court of Pharaoh amongst the delicate Egyptians his heart was suffering vvith the afflicted Israelites Lot tooke part of the faire medowes of Sodom not of their sinnes Our blessed Sauiour saw the glory of all Kingdomes and contemned them and cannot the vvorld looke vpon vs Christians but wee are bewitched We see the Sunne dayly and warme vs at his beames yet make not an Idol of it doth any man hide his face lest he should adore it All our safety or danger therefore is from within In vaine is the body an Auachoret if the heart be a Ruffian And if that bee retired in affections the body is but a Cipher Lo then the eyes will looke carelesly and strangely on what they see and the tongue will sometimes answer to that was not asked Wee eate and recreate because we must not because we would and when we are pleased wee are suspitious Lawfull delights wee neither refuse nor dote vpon and all contentments goe and come like strangers That all this may be done take vp your heart with better thoughts be sure it will not be empty if heauen haue fore-stalled all the roomes the vvorld is disappointed and either dares not offer or is repulsed Fixe your selfe vpon the glory of that eternitie vvhich abides your after this short pilgrimage You cannot but contemne what you finde in comparison of what you expect Leaue not till you attaine to this that you are willing to liue because you cannot as yet be dissolued Bee but one halfe vpon earth let your better part conuerse aboue whence it is and inioy that whereto it was ordained Thinke how little the World can doe for you and what it doth how deceitfully what stings there are with this Honey what Farewell succeeds this Welcome When this Iael brings you milke in the one hand know she hath a nayle in the other Aske your heart what it is the better what the merier for all those pleasures wherewith it hath befriended you let your owne tryall teach you contempt Thinke how sincere how glorious those ioyes are which abide you elsewhere and a thousand times more certaine though future then the present And let not these thoughts be flying but fixed In vaine doe we meditate if we resolue not when your heart is once thus setled it shall command all things to aduantage The World shall not betray but serue it and that shall bee fulfilled which God promises by his Salomon When the wayes of a man please the Lord he will make his enemies also at peace with him Sir this aduice my pouertie afforded long since to a weake friend I write it not to you any otherwise then as Schollers are wont to say their part to their Masters The world hath long and iustly both noted and honoured you for eminence in wisedome and learning and I aboue the most I am ready with the awe of a Learner to imbrace all precepts from you you shall expect nothing from me but Testimonies of respect and thankfulnesse To Sir GEORGE FLEETWOOD EP. III. Of the remedies of sinne and motiues to auoid it THere is none either more common or more troublesome guest then Sinne. Troublesome both in the solicitation of it and in the remorse Before the act it wearies vs with a wicked importunitie after the act it torments vs with feares and the painfull gnawings of an accusing Conscience Neither is it more irkesome to men then odious to God who indeed neuer hated any thing but it and for it any thing How happy were we if we could be rid of it This must be our desire but cannot bee our hope so long as we carry this body of sinne and death about vs yet which is our comfort it shall not cary vs though we carie it It will dwell with vs but with no command yea with no peace We grudge to giue it house-roome but wee hate to giue it seruice This our Hagar wil abide many strokes ere she be turned out of doores she shall goe at last and the seed of promise shall inherit alone There is no vnquietnesse good but this and in this case quietnesse cannot stand with safety neither did euer warre more truely beget peace then in this strife of the soule Resistance is the way to victorie and that to an eternall peace and happinesse It is a blessed care then how to resist sinne how to auoid it and such as I am glad to teach and learne As there are two grounds of all sinne so of the auoidance of sinne Loue and Feare These if they be placed amisse cause vs to offend if right are the remedies of euill The Loue must be of God Feare of iudgement As he loues much to whom much is forgiuen so he that loues much will not dare to doe that which may need forgiuenesse The heart that hath felt the sweetnesse of Gods mercies will not abide the bitter rellish of sinne This is both a stronger motiue then Feare and more Noble None but a good heart is capable of this grace which who so hath receiued thus powerfully repels tentations Haue I found my God so gracious to me that he hath denied me nothing either in earth or heauen and shall not I so much as deny my owne will for his sake Hath my deare Sauiour bought my soule at such a price and shall he not haue it Was he crucified for my sinnes and shall I by my sinnes crucifie him againe Am I his in so many bonds and shall I serue the Diuell O God! is this the fruit of thy beneficence to me that I should wilfully dishonor thee Was thy blood so little worth that I should tread it vnder my feet Doth this become him that shall be once glorious with thee Hast thou prepared heauen for me and doe I thus prepare my selfe for heauen Shall I thus recompence thy loue in doing that
too many neglect publike peace first in prayers that we may preuaile then in teares that we preuaile not Thus haue I beene bold to chat with you of our greatest and common cares Your old loue and late hospitall entertainment in that your Iland called for this remembrance the rather to keepe your English tongue in breath vvhich was wont not to be the least of your desires Would God you could make vs happie with newes not of truce but sincere amitie and vnion not of Prouinces but spirits The God of spirits effect it both here and there to the glory of his Name and Church To W. J. condemned for murder EP. VIII Effectually preparing him and vnder his name whatsoeuer Malefactor for his death IT is a bad cause that robbeth vs of all the comfort of friends yea that turnes their remembrance into sorrow None can do so but those that proceed from our selues for outward euils vvhich come from the infliction of others make vs cleaue faster to our helpers and cause vs to seeke and find ease in the very commiseration of those that loue vs whereas those griefes which arise from the iust displeasure of conscience will not abide so much as the memorie of others affection or if it doe makes it so much the greater corrasiue as our case is more vncapable of their comfort Such is yours You haue made the mention of our names tedious to your selfe and yours to vs. This is the beginning of your paine that you had friends If you may now smart soundly from vs for your good it must be the only ioy you must expect and the finall dutie we owe to you It is both vaine and comfortlesse to heare what might haue beene neither would I send you backe to what is past but purposely to increase your sorrow vvho haue caused all our comfort to stand in your teares If therefore our former counsels had preuailed neither had your hands shed innocent blood nor iustice yours Now to your great sinne you haue done the one and the other must bee done to your paine and we your well-willers with sorrow and shame liue to be witnesses of both Your sinne is gone before the reuenge of iustice will follow seeing you are guilty let God be iust Other sinnes speake this cryeth and will neuer be silent till it be answered with it selfe For your life the case is hopelesse feede not your selfe with vaine presumptions but settle your selfe to expiate anothers blood with your own Would God your desert had been such that we might with any comfort haue desired you might liue But now alas your fact is so hainous that your life can neither bee craued without iniustice nor be protracted without inward torment And if our priuate affection should make vs deafe to the shouts of blood and partialitie should teach vs to forget all care of publique right yet resolue there is no place for hope Since then you could not liue guiltlesse there remaines nothing but that you labour to die penitent and since your bodie cannot bee saued aliue to endeuour that your soule may bee saued in death Wherein how happie shall it be for you if you shall yet giue care to my last aduice too late indeed for your recompence to the world not too late for your selfe You haue deserued death and expect it Take heed lest you so fasten your eyes vpon the first death of the bodie that you should not looke beyond it to the second which alone is vvorthy of trembling vvorthy of teares For this though terrible to Nature yet is common to vs with you You must die what doe we else And what differs our end from yours but in haste and violence And vvho knowes vvhether in that It may be a sicknesse as sharpe as sudden shal fetch vs hence it may be the same death or a vvorse for a better cause Or if not so there is much more misery in lingring Hee dies easily that dies soone but the other is the vtmost vengeance that God hath reserued for his enemies This is a matter of long feare and short paine A few pangs lets the soule out of prison but the torment of that other is euerlasting after ten thousand yeares scorching in that flame the paine is neuer the neerer to his ending No time giues it hope of abating yea time hath nothing to doe vvith this eternitie You that shall feele the paine of one minutes dying thinke what paine it is to be dying for euer and euer This although it be attended with a sharpe paine yet is such as some strong spirits haue endured without shew of yeeldance I haue heard of an Irish Traitor that when he lay pining vpon the vvheele with his bones broke asked his friend if he changed his countenance at all caring lesse for the paine then the shew of feare Few men haue died of greater paines then others haue sustained and liue But that other ouerwhelmes both bodie and soule and leaues no roome for any comfort in the possibilitie of mitigation Here men are executioners or diseases there fiends Those Deuils that were ready to tempt the gracelesse vnto sinne are as ready to follow the damned vvith tortures Whatsoeuer become of your carkase saue your soule from the flames and so manage this short time you haue to liue that you may die but once This is not your first sinne yea God hath now punished your former sinnes vvith this a fearfull punishment in it selfe if it deserued no more your conscience which now begins to tell truth cannot but assure you that there is no sinne more worthy of hell then murder yea more proper to it Turne ouer those holy leaues which you haue too much neglected and now smart for neglecting you shall finde murderers among those that are shut out from the presence of God you shall find the Prince of that darknesse in the highest stile of his mischiefe termed a man-slayer Alas how fearfull a case is this that you haue herein resembled him for vvhom Topheth was prepared of old and imitating him in his action haue endangered your selfe to partake of his torment Oh that you could but see what you haue done what you haue deserued that your heart could bleed enough within you for the blood your hands haue shed That as you haue followed Satan our common enemy in sinning so you could defie him in repenting That your teares could disappoint his hopes of your damnation What a happie vnhappinesse shall this be to your sad friends that your better part yet liueth That from an ignominious place your soule is receiued to glory Nothing can effect this but your repentance and that can doe it Feare not to looke into that horror which should attend your sinne and bee now as seuere to your selfe as you haue been cruell to another Thinke not to extenuate your offence vvith the vaine titles of manhood vvhat praise is this that you vvere a valiant murderer Strike your owne brest as Moses
leading vs from earth to heauen And I heard a voyce from heauen c. This day is a day of note for three famous periods First it is the day of the dissipation of this Royall Family Then the last day of our publike and ioynt mourning Lastly the day of the alteration and renewing of our state and course of life with the New-yeere All these meet in this Text with their cordials and diuine remedies Our dissipation and dissolution in these words Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men Our mourning God shall wipe away all teares c. Our change of estate Behold I will make all things new I must craue leaue to glide thorow all of these with much speed and for the better conueniency of our discourse through the first last My speech therefore shall as it were climbe vp these six staires of doctrine 1. That here our eyes are full of teares how else should they be wip't away how all vnlesse many 2. That these teares are from sorrow and this sorrow from death and toyle out of the connexion of all these 3. That God will once free vs both from teares which are the effect of sorrow and from toile and death which are the causes of it 4. That this our freedome must bee vpon a change for that the first things are passed 5. That this change shall be in our Renouation Behold I make all things new 6. That this renouation and happy change shall be in our perpetuall fruition of the inseparable presence of God whose Tabernacle shall be with men Psal 84. Iudg. 2.5 As those grounds that lie low are commonly moorish this base part of the world wherein we liue is the vale of teares That true Bochim as the Israelites called their mourning-place We begin our life with teares and therefore our Lawyers define life by weeping if a childe were heard cry It is a lawfull proofe of his liuing else if hee be dead we say he is still-borne and at our parting God findes teares in our eies which he shall wipe off So we finde it alwayes not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time of weeping but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of solemne mourning as Salomon puts them together Eccl. 3.4 Except we be in that case that Dauid and his people were in 1 Sam. 30. Lam. 2.11 and Ieremie sayes the same in his Lamentations of the Iewes that they wept till they could weepe no more Here are teares at our deuotion The Altar couered with teares Mal. 2. Teares in the bed Dauid watered his couch with teares Psal 6. Teares to wash with as Maries Teares to eat Psal 42.3 Teares to drinke Psal 80. yea drunkennesse with teares Esay 16.9 This is our destiny as we are men but more as we are Christians To sow in Teares and God loues these wet seed-times they are seasonable for vs here below Those men therefore are mistaken that thinke to goe to heauen with dry eyes and hope to leape immediately out of the pleasures of earth into the Paradise of God insulting ouer the drouping estate of Gods distressed ones As Ierome and Bede say of Peter that he could not weepe while he was in the High Priests wals so these men cannot weepe where they haue offended But let them know that they must haue a time of teares and if they doe not begin with teares they shall end with them Woe be to them that laugh for they shall weepe and if they will not weepe and shake their heads here they shall weepe and waile and gnash their teeth hereafter Here must be teares and that good store All teares as riuers are called the teares of the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 38. so must our teares be the riuers of our eyes Psal 119.136 and our eyes fountaines Ier. 9.1 Here must be teares of penitence teares of compassion and will bee teares of sorrow Well are those two met therefore teares and sorrow for tho some shed teares for spight others for ioy as Cyprians Martyrs Gaudium pectoris lachrymis exprimentes yet commonly teares are the iuyce of a minde pressed with griefe Greg. Nis Orat. And as well doe teares and crying and sorrow accompany death either in the supposition or the deniall For as worldly sorrow euen in this sense causeth death by drying the bones and consuming the body so death euer lightly is a iust cause of sorrow sorrow to nature in our selues sorrow to ours And as death is the terriblest thing so it is the saddest thing that befals a man Nature could say in the Poet Quis matrem in funere nati Flere vetat yea God himselfe allowed his holy Priests to pollute themselues in mourning for their neerest dead friends Exod. 21. excepting the High Priest which was forbidden it in figure And the Apostle while he forbids the Thessalonians to mourne as without hope doth in a sort command their teares but barre their immoderation It was not without a speciall reference to a iudgement Ezech. 24. that God sayes to Ezechiel Sonne of man behold I will take from thee the pleasure of thy life with a plague yet shalt thou neither mourne nor weepe neither shall my teares runne downe So fit did the Iewes hold teares for Funerals that they hired mourners which with incomposed gestures ranne vp and downe the streets Eccl. 12. who did also cut and lance themselues that they might mourne in earnest Ier. 16. That good natur'd Patriarch Isaac mourned three yeeres for his mother as the Chineses doe at this day for their friends Iacob mourned two and twenty yeeres for Ioseph and there want not some which haue thought Adam and Eue mourned an 100. yeeres for Abel but who knowes not the wailings of Abel-â—itzraim for Ioseph of the valley of Megiddon for Iosiah And if euer any corps deserued to swim it teares if euer any losse could command lamentation then this of ours yea of this whole ILAND yea of the whole Church of God yea of the whole world iustly cals for it and truly hath it O HENRY our sweet Prince our sweet Prince HENRY the second glory of our Nation ornament of mankinde hope of posterity and life of our life how doe all hearts bleed and all eies worthily gush out for thy losse A losse that we had neither grace to feare nor haue capacity to conceiue Shall I praise him to you who are therefore now miserable because you did know him so well I forbeare it though to my paine If I did not spare you I could not so swiftly passe ouer the name and the vertues of that glorious Saint our deare Master or the aggrauation of that losse whereof you are too sensible my true commiseration shall command me silence yet I could not but touch our sore with this light hand tho yet raw and bleeding Death especially such a death must haue sorrow and teares All Nations all succession of times shall beare a part with vs in this lamentation
vel nasciturus Nec ipsi etiam virgines essent quia nati non essent Ex foecunditate enim illorum orta est istorum virginitas Magnum igitur bonum est foecunditas de qua sancta praecessit virginitas Quia autem virgines esse debeant qui nuptiarum fructus facientes docet cos verbum quod Deus seminat in cordibus illorum In aliorum enim cordibus seminat verbum bonae foecunditatis nuptiarum fructum facientis in aliorum vero cordibus seminat verbum virginitatis * * Deest opinor pars clausula Illi ergo in quibus seminat verbum virginitatis c. ipsi virginitatem seruare desiderant In quibus vero verbum nuptiarum seminat ipsi facere nuptiarum fructum appetunt WHICH FOR MY COVNTRYMENS SAKE I haue thus Englished I Would faine know who it was that first ordained that Christian Priests might not marry God or Man For if it were God surely his determination is to bee held and obserued with all veneration and reuerence But if it were Man and not God and this Tradition came out of the heart of Man not out of the Mouth of God then neither is saluation got by it if it be obserued nor lost if it be not obserued For it doth not belong to Man either to saue or destroy any man for his merits but it is proper only vnto God That God hath ordained this it it neither found written in the Old Testament nor in the Gospell nor in the Epistles of the Apostles in all which is set down whatsoeuer God hath inioyned vnto men It is therefore a Tradition of Man and not an institution of God nor of his Apostles As the Apostle instituted rather that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife which he would neuer haue appointed if it had beene adulterie for a Bishop to haue at once a Wife and a Church as it were two Wiues like as some affirme Now that which hath not authority from the holy Scriptures is with the same facility contemned that it is spoken For the holy Church is not the Wife not the Spouse of the Priest but of Christ as S. Iohn saith He that hath the Bride he is the Bridegroome Of this Bridegroome I say is the Church the Spouse and yet it is lawfull euen for this Spouse in part to marry by Apostolique Tradition For the Apostle speakes thus to the Corinthians because of fornications let euery man haue his owne Wife And I would that all men were as I am but euery man hath his proper gift of God one thus another otherwise For all men haue not one gift namely of Virginity and Continency but some are virgins and containe others containe not to whom he granteth mariage lest Sathan tempt them through their incontinency and they should miscary in the ruine of their vncleannesse So also of Priests some are continent others are incontinent and those which are continent haue receiued the gift of their continence from God without whose Gift and Grace they cannot be continent But those which are incontinent haue not receiued this gift of grace but whether by the intemperance of their humour or the weaknesse of their mind run out into fleshly desires which they would in no wise doe if they had receiued from God the Grace and Vertue of Continence For they also which are deliuered by the Grace of God from the body of this death feele another Law in their members rebelling against the Law of their minde and captiuating them to the Law of sin and compelling them to doe that which they would not This Law therefore holding them captiue and this Concupiscence of the flesh prouoking them they are compelled either to fornicate or mary whereof whether is the better we are taught by the authority of the Apostle who tels vs it is better to marry then to burne Surely that which is the better is to be chosen and held now it is better to marry because it is worse to burne and because it is better to marry then to burne it is conuenient for those which containe not to marry not to burne For mariage is good as August speaks in his booke super Genesin ad Literam in it is commended the good of nature whereby the prauity of incontinence is ruled and the fruitfulnesse of Nature graced For the weaknesse of either Sexe declining towards the ruine of filthinesse is well relieued by honesty of mariage so as the same thing which may be the office of the found is also the remedie vnto the sicke Neither yet because incontinence is euill is therefore Mariage euen that wherewith the Incontinent are ioyned to be reputed not good yea rather not for that euill is the good faulty but for this good is that euill pardonable since that good which mariage hath yea which mariage is can neuer be sin Now this good is three fold the Fidelity the Fruit the Sacrament of that estate In the Fidelity is regarded That besides this bond of Mariage there be not carnall society with any other In the Fruit of it That it be louingly raised and religiously bred In the Sacrament of it That the mariage be not separated and that the dismissed party of either Sexe be not ioyned to any other no not for issues sake This is as it were the Rule of Mariage whereby the fruitfulnesse of Nature is graced or the prauity of Incontinence ruled And this Rule of Mariage and this three-fold good the eternall Truth hath appointed in the order of his Decree and that eternall Law of his against which whatsoeuer is done spoken or willed is sinne which Augustine in his booke against Faustus the Manichee witnesseth saying Sin is either Deed Word or desire against the Law Eternall This Eternall Law is the diuine Will or Decree forbidding the disturbance and commanding the preseruation of due naturall order whatsoeuer therefore commands naturall Order to be disturbed forbids it to be conserued prohibits men to vse Mariage and to attaine to the threefold good thereof Fidelitie Issue Sacrament and commands them to breake that Rule of Eternall Truth whereby the fruitfulnesse of Nature is graced or the prauity of Incontinency is ruled commands men to abhorre those things whereby naturall Order is held and maintained This Commandement I say forbids naturall Order to bee obserued commands it to bee disturbed and therefore is against the Law of God and by consequence is sinne For they sinne that ordaine such a command by which naturall Order is destroyed These men doe not it seemes beleeue that of the children of Priests God takes for the building of his City aboue and for the restoring of the number of Angels For if they did beleeue it they would neuer ordaine such a Mandare because they should wittingly and ouer rashly goe about to effect that the supernall City should neuer be perfited and the number of Angels neuer repayred For if the supernall City be to be
leaues to the sword of humane authority that hee might winne awe to his owne ordinances As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments Nothing procures so much credit to gouernment as strict and impartiall executions of great and noble offenders Those whom their sinnes haue embased deserue no fauour in the punishment As God knowes no honour no royalty in matter of sinne no more may his Deputies Contrarily conniuence at the outrages of the mighty cuts the sinewes of any State neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible then the making difference of offenders that small sacriledges should bee punished when great ones ride in triumph If good ordinations turne once to Spiders webs which are broken thorow by the bigger Flyes no hand will feare to sweepe them downe God was angry Moses and all good Israelites grieued the heads hanged vp the people plagued yet behold one of the Princes of Israel feares not to braue God and his Ministers in that sinne which he sees so grieuously reuenged in others I can neuer wonder enough at the impudence of this Israelite Here is fornication an odious crime and that of an Israelite whose name challenges holinesse yea of a Prince of Israel whose practice is a rule to inferiours and that with a woman of Midian with whom euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull and that with contempt of all gouernment and that in the face of Moses and all Israel and that in a time of mourning and iudgement for that same offence Those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes Whiles sinne hides it selfe in corners there is yet hope for where there is shame there is a possibility of grace but when once it dare looke vpon the Sunne and sends challenges to authority the case is desperate and ripe for iudgement This great Simeonite thought he might sinne by priuiledge He goes as if he said Who dares controll me His nobility hath raised him aboue the reach of correction Commonly the sinnes of the mighty are not without presumption and therefore their vengeance is no lesse then their security and their punishment is so much greater as their conceit of impunity is greater All Israel saw this bold lewdnesse of Zimri but their hearts and eyes were so full of griefe that they had not roome enough for indignation Phineas lookt on with the rest but with other affections When he saw this defiance bidden to God and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people that whiles they were wringing their hands a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation with his wicked dalliance his hart boiles with a desire of an holy reuenge and now that hand which was vsed to a Censer and sacrificing knife takes vp his Iauelin and with one stroke ioynes these two bodies in their death which were ioyned in their sin and in the very flagrance of their lust makes a new way for their soules to their owne place O noble and heroicall courage of Phineas which as it was rewarded of God so is worthy to be admired of men He doth not stand casting of scruple Who am I to doe this The son of the high Priest My place is all for peace and mercy It is for mee to sacrifice and pray for the sinne of the people not to sacrifice any of the people for their sinne My duty cals me to appease the anger of God what I may not to reuenge the sins of men to pray for their conuersion not to worke the confusion of any sinner and who are these Is not the one a great Prince in Israel the other a Princesse of Midian Can the death of two so famous persons go vnreuenged Or if it be safe and fit why doth my vncle Moses rather shead his owne teares then their blood I will mourne with the rest let them reuenge whom it concerneth But the zeale of God hath barred out all weake deliberations and he holds it now both his duty and his glory to be an executioner of so shamelesse a paire of offenders God loues this heat of zeale in all the cariages of his seruants And if it transport vs too far hee pardoneth the errors of our feruency rather then the indifferences of lukewarmnesse As these two were more beasts then any that euer he sacrificed so the shedding of their blood was the acceptablest sacrifice that euer hee offered vnto God for both all Israel is freed from the plague and all his posteritie haue the Priesthood entayled to them so long as the Iewes were a people Next to our prayes there is no better sacrifice then the blood of malefactors not as it is theirs but as it is shed by authority Gouernors are faulty of those sinns they punish not There can be no better sighâ— in any State then to see a malefactor at the Gallowes It is not enough for vs to stand gazing vpon the wickednesse of the times yea although with teares vnlesse we endeuor to redresse it especially publike persons cary not their Iauelin in their hand for nought Euery one is ready to aske Phineas for his commission and those that are willing to salue vp the act plead extraordinary instinct from God who no doubt would not haue accepted that which himselfe wrought not But what need I run so far for this warrant when I heare God say to Moses Hang vp all the heads of Israel and Moses say to the Vnder-Rulers Euery one slay his men that are ioyned to Baal-Peor Euery Israelite is now made a Magistrate for this execution and why not Phineas amongst the rest Doth his Priesthood exempt him from the blood of sinners How then doth Samuel hew Agag in pieces Euen those may make a carkasse which may not touch it And if Leui got the Priesthood by shedding the blood of Idolaters why may it not stand with that Priesthood to spill the blood of a fornicator and Idolater Ordinary iustice will beare out Phineas in this act It is not for euery man to challenge this office this which double proclamation allowed to Phineas All that priuate persons can doe is either to lift vp their hands to heauen for redresse of sinne or to lift vp their hands against the sinne not against the person Who made thee a Iudge is a lawfull question if iâ—â—eer with a person vnwarranted Now the sinne is punished the plague ceaseth The reuenge of God sets out euer after the sinne but if the reuenge of men which commonly comes later can ouertake it God giues ouer the chase How oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment auoided a greater There are none so good friends to the State as couragious and impartiall ministers of iustice These are the reconcilers of God and the people more then the prayers of them that fit still and doe nothing Of the death of MOSES AFter many painfull and perillous enterprises now is Moses drawing to his rest He hath brought his Israelites froÌ„
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 〈…〉 worthy Coâ—â—t and so approued her selfe for honest and wise behauiour that she is â—â—ought wâ—â—hy to bee the great Grandmother of Dauids Father and â—e holy Line of the Messias is not ashamed to admit her into 〈◊〉 happy Pedegreeâ—â—he 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 â—e should see Abraham an Idolater Paul a Persecuâ—â— 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 Pursuiâ—nts for the Spyes The spirit of Rahab 〈◊〉 with that same report wherewith the King of Iericho was hardâ—ed 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
hath reuenged God of his people God will reuenge his people of him It is no priuiledge to be an instrument of Gods vengeance by euill meanes Though Eglon were an vsurper yet had Ehud been a Traytor if God had not sent him it is onely in the power him that makes Kings when they are once settled to depose them It is no more possible for our moderne butchers of Princes to shew they are imployed by God then to escape the reuenge of God in offering to doe this violence not being imployed What a strange enoyce doth God make of an Executioner A man shut of his right hand either he had but one hand or vsed but one and that the worse and more vnready Who would not haue thought both hands too little for such a worke or if either might haue been spared how much rather the left God seeth not as man seeth It is the ordinary wont of the Almighty to make choyce of the vnlikeliest meanes The instruments of God must not be measured by their owne power or aptitude but by the will of the Agent Though Ehud had no hands he that imployed him had enabled him to this slaughter In humane things it is good to looke to the meanes in diuine to the worker No meanes are to be contemned that God will vse no meanes to be trusted that man will vse without him It is good to be suspicious where is least shew of danger and most appearance of fauour This left-handed man comes with a present in his hand but a dagger vnder his skirt The Tyrant besides seruice lookt for gifts and now receiues death in his bribe Neither God nor men doe alwaies giue where they loue How oft doth God giue extraordinary illumination power of miracles besides wealth and honour where he hates So doe men too oft accompany their curses with presents either least an enemy should hurt vs or that we may hurt them The intention is the fauour in gifts and not the substance Ehuds faith supplies the want of his hand Where God intends successe hee lifts vp the heart with resolutions of courage and contempt of danger What indifferent beholder of this proiect would not haue condemned it as vnlikely to speed To see a maimed man goe alone to a great King in the middest of all his troupes to single him out from all witnesses to set vpon him with one hand in his owne Parlor where his Courtiers might haue heard the least exclamation and haue comne in if not to the rescue yet to the reuenge Euery circumstance is full of improbabilities Faith euermore ouer-lookes the difficulties of the way and bends her eyes onely to the certainty of the end In this intestine slaughter of our tyrannicall corruptions when we cast our eyes vpon our selues wee might well despaire Alasse what can our left hands doe against these spirituall wickednesses But when wee see who hath both commanded and vndertaken to prosper these Holy designes how can we misdoubt the successe I can doe all things through him that strengthens mee When Ehud hath obtayned the conuenient secrecy both of the weapon and place now with a confident forehead hee approches the Tyrant and salutes him with a true and awfull preface to so important an act I haue a message to thee from God Euen Ehuds ponyard was Gods message not onely the vocall admonitions but also the reall iudgements of God are his errands to the world He speakes to vs in raine and waters in sicknesses and famine in vnseasonable times and inundations These are the secondary messages of God if we will not heare the first we must heare these to our cost I cannot but wonder at the deuout reuerence of this Heathen Prince hee sate in his Chaire of State the vnweildinesse of his fat body was such that hee could not rise with readinesse ease yet no sooner doth he heare newes of a message from God but he rises vp from his Throne and reuerently attends the tenor thereof Though hee had no superiour to controll him yet he cannot abide to be vnmannerly in the businesse of God This man was an Idolater a Tyrant yet what outward respects doth hee giue to the true God Eternall ceremonies of piety and complements of deuotion may well be found with falshood in Religion They are a good shadow of truth where it is but where it is not they are the very body of hypocrasie Hee that had risen vp in Armes against Gods people and the true worship of God now rises vp in reuerence to his name God would haue liked well to haue had lesse of his courtesie more of his obedience He lookt to haue heard the message with his eares he feels it in his guts so sharpe a message that it pierced the body and let out the soule through that vnclean passage neither did it admit of any answere but silence and death In that part had he offended by pampering it and making it his god and now his bane findes the same way with his sinne This one hard and cold morsell which hee cannot digest paies for all those gluttonous delicates whereof he had formerly surfeted It is the manner of God to take fearefull reuenges of the professed enemies of his Church It is a maruell that neither any noyse in his dying nor the fall of so grosse a body called in some of his attendants But that God which hath intended to bring about any designe disposes of all circumstances to his owne purpose If Ehud had not come forth with a calme and setled countenance and shut the dores after him all his proiect had been in the dust What had it been better that the King of Moab was slaine if Israel had neither had a messenger to informe nor a Captaine to guide them Now he departs peaceably and blowes a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim gathers Israel and fals vpon the body of Moab as well as he had done vpon the head and procures freedome to his people He that would vndertake great enterprises had need of wisdome and courage wisedome to contriue and courage to execute wisedome to guide his courage and courage to second his wisedome both which if they meet with a good cause cannot but succeed IAEL and SISERA IT is no wonder if they who ere foure-score daies after the Law deliuered fell to Idolatry alone now after foure-score yeers since the Law restored fell to Idolatry among the Canaanites Peace could in a shorter time worke loosenesse in any people And if forty yeeres after Othniels deliuerance they clapsed what maruell is it that in twise forty after Ehud they thus miscarried What are they the better to haue killed Eglon the King of Moab if the Idolatry of Moab haue killed them The sinne of Moab shall be found a worse Tyrant then thir Eglon. Israel is for euery market they sold themselues to Idolatry God sels them to the Canaanites it is no maruell they are slaues if they will be Idolaters After their
not trust to my friendship and hospitality But what doe these weake feares these idle fancies of ciuility If Sisera be in league with vs yet is he not at defiance with God Is he not a Tyrant to Israel Is it for nothing that God hath brought him into my Tent May I not now find meanes to repay vnto Israel all their kindnes to my Grand-father Iethro Doth not God offer mee this day the honour to be the Rescuer of his people Hath God forbidden me strike and shall I hold my hand No Sisera sleepe now thy last and take here this fatall reward of all thy cruelty and oppression He that put this instinct into her heart did put also strength into her hand He that guided Sisera to her Tent guided the naile thorow his temples which hath made a speedy way for his soule thorow those parts and now hath fastned his eare so close to the earth as if the body had been listening what was become of the soule There lyes now the great terror of Israel at the foote of a woman He that brought so many hundred thousands into the Field hath not now one Page left either to auert his death or to accompany it or bewaile it He that had vaunted of his yron chariots is slaine by one naile of yron wanting onely this one point of his infelicity that he knowes not by whose hand he perished GIDEONS Calling THe iudgements of God still the further they goe the forer they are the bondage of Israel vnder Iabin was great but it was freedome in comparison of the yoke of the Midianites During the former tyranny Deborah was permitted to iudge Israel vnder a Palme-tree Vnder this not so much as priuate habitations will be allowed to Israel Then the seat of iudgement was in sight of the Sun now their very dwellings must be secret vnder the earth They that reiected the protection of God are glad to seeke to the mountaines for shelter and as they had sauagely abused themselues so they are faine to creepe into dens and caues of the rocks like wilde creatures for safegard God had sowen spirituall seede amongst them and they suffered their heathenish neighbors to pull it vp by the rootes and now no sooner can they sowe their materiall seede but Midianites and Amalckites are ready by force to destroy it As they inwardly dealt with God so God deales outwardly by them Their eyes may tell them what their souls haue done yet that God whose mercy is aboue the worst of our sinnes sends first his Prophet with a message of reproofe and then this Angell with a message of deliuerance The Israelites had smarted enough with their seruitude yet God sends them a sharpe rebuke It is a good signe wheÌ„ God chides vs his round reprehensions are euer gracious fore-runners of mercy whereas his silent conniuence at the wicked argues deepe and secret displeasure The Prophet made way for the Angell reproofe for deliuerance humiliation for comfort Gideon was threshing Wheat by the Wine-presse Yet Israel hath both Wheat and Wine for all the incursions of their enemies The worst estate out of hell hath either some comfort or at least some mittigation in spight of all the malice of the world God makes secret prouision for his owne How should it be but hee that ownes the earth and all creatures should reserue euer a sufficiency from forrainers such the wicked are for his houshold In the worst of the Medianitish tyranny Gideons field barne are priueledged as his fleece was afterwards from the showre Why did Gideon thrâ—sh his corne To hide it Not from his neighbours but his enemies his Granary might easily be more close then his barne As then Israelites threshed out their come to hide it from the Midianites but now Midianites thresh out come to hide it from the Israelites These rurall Tyrants of our time doe not more lay vp come then curses he that withdraweth come the people will curse him yea God will curse him with them and for them What shifts nature will make to liue Oh that we could be so carefull to lay vp spirituall food for our soules out of the reach of those spirituall Midianites we could not but liue in despight of all aduersaries The Angels that haue euer God in their face and in their thoughts haue him also in the mouthes The Lord is with thee But this which appeared vnto Gideon was the Angell of the Couenant the Lord of Angels Whiles he was with Gideon he might well fall The Lord is with thee He that sent the comforter was also the true Comforter of his Church he well knew how to lay a sure ground of consolation and that the onely remedy of sorrow and beginning of true ioy is The presence of God The griefe of the Apostles for the expected losse of their Master could neuer be cured by any receit but this of the same Angel Behold I am with you to the end of the World What is our glory but the fruition of Gods presence The punishment of the damned is a separation from the beatificall face of God needs must therefore his absence in this life be a great torment to a good heart and no crosse can be equiualent to this beginning of heauen in the Elect The Lord is with thee Who can complaine either of solitarinesse or opposition that hath God with him With him not onely as a witnesse but as a party Euen wicked men and diuels cannot exclude God not the barres of hell can shut him out He is with them perforce but to iudge to punish them yea God will be euer with them to their cost but to protect comfort saue he is with none but his Whiles he calls Gideon valiant he makes him so How could he be but valiant that had God with him The godlesse man may be carelesse but cannot be other then cowardly It pleases God to acknowledge his own graces in men that he may interchange his owne glory with their comfort how much more should we confesse the graces of one another An enuious nature is preiudiciall to God he is a strange man in whom there is not some visible good yea in the Diuels themselues we may easily note some commendable parts of knowledge strength agility Let God haue his owne in the worst creature yea let the worst creature haue that praise which God would put vpon it Gideon cannot passe ouer this salutation as some fashionable complement but layes hold on that part which was most important the tenure of all his comfort and as not regarding the praise of his valour inquires after that which should be the ground of his valour the presence of God God had spoken particularly to him he expostulates for all It had beene possible God should be present with him not with the rest as hee promised to haue been with Moses not Israel and yet when God sayes The Lord is with thee he answeres Alasse Lord if the Lord be with
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 frō 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 he◠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 th◠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
posterity of Beniamin dâ—generated that their Gibeah should be no lesse wicked then populous The first signe of a setled godlesnesse is that a Leuite is suffered to lye without doores If God had been in any of their houses his seruant had not been excluded Where no respect is giuen to Gods messengers there can be no Religion Gibeah was a second Sodome euen there also is another Lot which is therefore so much more hospitall to strangers because himselfe was a stranger The Oast as well as the Leuite is of Mount Ephraim Each man knowes best to commiserate that euill in others which himselfe hath passed thorow All that professe the Name of Christ are Countrymen and yet strangers here below How cheerefully should we entertaine each other when we meet in the Gibeah of this in hospitall world This good old man of Gibeah came home late from his worke in the fields The Sunne was set ere he gaue ouer And now seeing this man a stranger an Israelite a Leuite an Ephramite and that in his way to the house of God to take vp his lodging in the street hee proffers him the kindnesse of his house-roome Industrious spirits are the fittest receptacles of all good motions whereas those which giue themselues to idle and loose courses doe not care so much as for themselues I heare of but one man at his worke in all Gibeah the rest were quaffing and reuelling That one man ends his worke in a charitable entertainement the other end their play in a brutish beastlinesse and violence These villanies had learned both the actions and the language of the Sodomites One vncleane diuell was the prompter to both and this honest Ephramite had learnt of righteous Lot both to intreat and to proffer As a perplexed Mariner that in a storme must cast away something although precious so this good Oast rather will prostitute his daughter a virgin together with the concubine then this prodigious villany should be offered to a man much more to a man of God The detestation of a fouler sinne drew him to ouer-reach in the motion of a lesser which if it had been accepted how could he haue escaped the partnership of their vncleannesse and the guilt of his daughters rauishment No man can wash his hands of that sinne to which his will hath yeelded Bodily violence may be inoffensiue in the patient voluntary inclination to euill though out of feare can neuer be excusable yet behold this wickednesse is too little to satisfie these monsters Who would haue looked for so extreame abomination from the loynes of Iacob the wombe of Rachel the sonnes of Beniamin Could the very Iebusites their neighbors be euer accused of such vnnaturall outrage I am ashamed to say it Euen the worst Pagans were Saints to Israel What auailes it that they haue the Ark of God in Shilo while they haue Sodom in their streets that the law of God is in their fringes whiles the diuell is in their hearts Nothing but hell it selfe can yeeld a worse creature then a depraued Israelite the very meanes of his reformation are the fuel of his wickednesse Yet Lot sped so much better in Sodom then his Ephraimite did in Gibeah by how much more holy guests he entertained There the guests were Angels heere a sinfull man There the guests saued the oast here the oast could not saue the guest from burtish violence Those Sodomites were stricken with outward blindnes and defeated These Beniamites are onely blinded with lust and preuaile The Leuite comes forth perhaps his coat saued his person from this villany who now thinks himselfe wel that he may haue leaue to redeeme his own dishonour with his concubines If he had not loued her dearely he had neuer sought her so farre after so foule a sinne Yet now his hate of that vnnaturall wickednes ouercame his loue to her Shee is exposed to the furious lust of barbarous Ruffians and which he misdoubted not abuseth to death Oh the iust and euen course which the Almighty Iudge of the world holds in all his retribulations This woman had shamed the bed of a Leuit by her former wantonnesse she had thus far gone smoothly away with her sinne her father harboured her her husband forgaue her her owne heart found no cause to complaine because shee smarted not now when the world had forgotten her offence God cals her to reckoning and punishes her with her owne sinne She had voluntarily exposed her selfe to lust now is exposed forceably Adultery was her sin adultery was her death What smiles soeuer wickednesse casts vpon the heart whiles it sollicites it will owe vs a displeasure and proue it selfe a faithfull Debter The Leuite looked to finde her humbled with this violence not murdered and now indignation moues him to adde horrour to the fact Had not his heart been raysed vp with an excesse of desire to make the crime as odious as it was sinful his action could not be excuseÌ„ Those hands that might not touch a carkais now carue the corps of his own dead wife into morsels and send these tokens to all the Tribes of Israel that when they should see these gobbets of the body murdered the more they might detest the murderers Himselfe puts on cruelty to the dead that he might draw them to a iust reuenge of her death Actions nororiously villanous may iustly countenance an extraordinary meanes of prosecution Euery Israelite hath a part in a Leuites wrong No Tribe hath not his share in the carcasse and the reuenge The desolation of BENIMIN THese morsels could not chuse but cut the hearts of Israel with horror and compassion horror of the act and compassion of the sufferer and now their zeale drawes them together either for satisfaction or reuenge Who would not haue looked that the hands of Beniamin should haue been first vpon Gibeah and that they should haue readily sent the heads of the offenders for a second seruice after the gobbets of the concubine But now in stead of punishing the sinne they patronize the actors and will rather die in resisting iustice then liue and prosper in furthering it Surely Israel had one Tribe too many all Beniamin is turned into Gibeah the sons not of Beniamin but of Belial The abetting of euill is worse then the commission This may be vpon infirmity but that must be vpon resolution Easie punishment is too much fauour to sinne conniuence is much worse but the defence of it and that vnto bloud is intollerable Had not these men been both wicked and quarrellous they had not drawne their swords in so foule a cause Peaceable dispositions are hardly drawn to fight for innocence yet these Beniaminites as if they were in loue with villanie and out of charity with God will be the wilfull Champions of lewdnesse How can Gibeah repent them of that wickednesse which all Beiamin will make good in spight of their consciences Euen where sinne is suppressed it will rise but where it is
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 sâ—â—â—e of the World than the danger of their soule Despâ—â—â—â— Saul will now supply his Armor-bearer and as a man that 〈◊〉 armes against himselfe he falls vpon his owâ—â— Sword What if he had died by the 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 glory Nothing more argues an heart voide of grace than to bee transporte onâ— idle popularity into actions preiudiciaâ—â—â— to the Soule Euill examples especially of the great neuer escaped imitation the Aâ—â—â—or-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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 his life his owne hand paies his â—â—â—ard 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 â—â—rrow thou shalt bee with mee and now Saul hasteth to make the Deuill no Liemâ—â—â—â—â—er 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 haâ—â— 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
God moued and Satan moued Neither is it any excuse to Satan or Dauid that God moued neither is it any blemish to God that Satan moued The rulers sinne is a punishment to a wicked people though they had many sinnes of their owne whereon God might haue grounded a iudgement yet as before he had punisht them with dearth for Sauls sinne so now hee will not punish them with plague but for Dauids sinne If God were not angry with a people hee would not giue vp their gouernors to such euils as whereby he is prouoked to vengeance and if their gouernours be thus giuen vp the people cannot be safe The body drownes not whiles the head is aboue the water when that once sinkes death is neere Iustly therefore are we charged to make prayers and supplications as for all so especially for those that are in eminent authoritie when we pray for our selues we pray not alwayes for them but we cannot pray for them and not pray for our selues the publique weale is not comprised in the priuate but the priuate in the publique What then was Dauids sinne He will needs haue Israel and Iudah numbred Surely there is no malignity in numbers Neither is it vnfit for a Prince to know his owne strength this is not the first time that Israel hath gone vnder a reckoning The act offends not but the mis-affection The same thing had bin commendably done out of a Princely prouidence which now through the curiositie pride mis-confidence of the doer proues hainously vicious Those actions which are in themselues indifferent receiue either their life or their bane from the intentions of the agent Moses numbreth the people with thankes Dauid with displeasure Those sinnes which carie the smoothest foreheads and haue the most honest appearances may more prouoke the wrath of God then those which beare the most abomination in their faces How many thousand wickednesses passed through the hands of Israel which wee men would rather haue branded out for a iudgement then this of Dauids The righteous Iudge of the world censures sinnes not by their ill lookes but by their foule hearts Who can but wonder to see Ioab the Saint and Dauid the trespasser No Prophet could speake better then that man of blood The Lord thy God increase the people an hundredfold more then they be and that the eyes of my Lord the King may see it but why doth my Lord the King desire this thing There is no man so lewd as not to be somtimes in good moods as not to dislike some euill contrarily no man on earth can be so holy as not sometimes to ouerlash It were pitie that either Ioab or Dauid should be tryed by euery act How commonly haue we seene those men ready to giue good aduice to others for the auoiding of some sins who in more grosse outrages haue not had grace to counsell their owne hearts The same man that had deserued death from Dauid for his treacherous cruelty disswade Dauid from an act that caried but a suspition of euill It is not so much to be regarded who it is that admonisheth vs as what hee brings Good counsell is neuer the worse for the foule cariage There are some dishes that wee may eate euen from sluttish hands The purpose of sinne in a faithfull man is odious much more the resolution Notwithstanding Ioabs discreet admonition Dauid will hold on his course and will know the number of the people onely that he may know it Ioab and the Captaines addresse themselues to the worke In things which are not in themselues euill it is not for subiects to dispute but to obey That which authoritie may sinne in commanding is done of the inferiour not with safety onely but with praise Nine moneths and twenty dayes is this generall muster in hand at last the number is brought in Israel is found eight hundred thousand strong Iudah fiue hundred thousand the ordinary companies which serued by course for the royall guard foure and twenty thousand each moneth needed not be reckoned the addition of them with their seuerall Captaines raises the summe of Israel to the rate of eleuen hundred thousand A power able to puffe vp a carnall heart but how can an heart that is more then flesh trust to an arme of flesh Oh holy Dauid whither hath a glorious vanity transported thee Thou which once didst sing so sweetly Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for that is no helpe in him His breath departeth and hee returneth to his earth then his thought perish Blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God How canst thou now stoope to so vnsafe and vnworthy a confidence As some stomackfull horse that will not be stopt in his career with the sharpest â—it but runnes on heaâ—ily till he come to some wall or ditch and their stands still and trembles so did Dauid All the disswasions of Ioab could not restraine him from his intended course almost ten moneths doth hee runne on impetuously in a way of his owne rough and dangerous at last his heart smites him the conscience of his offence and the feare of iudgement haue fetcht him vpon his knees O Lord I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly It is possible for a sinne not to bait onely but to soiourne in the holiest soule but though it soiourne there as a stranger it shall not dwell there as an owner The renued heart after some rouings of errour will once ere ouer-long returne home to it selfe and fall out with that ill guide wherewith it was misled and with it selfe for being misled and now it is resolued into teares and breathes forth nothing but sighs and confessions and deprecations Here needed no Nathan by a parabolicall circumlocution to fetch in Dauid to a sight and acknowledgement of his sinne the heart of the penitent supplyed the Prophet no others tongue could smite him so deepe as his owne thoughts But though his reines chastised him in the night yet his Seer scourges him in the morning Thus saith the Lord I offer thee three things choose thee which of them I shall doe vnto thee But what shall we say to this When vpon the Prophets reproofe for an adultery clokeâ— with murder Dauid did but say I haue sinned it was presently returned God hath put away thy sinne neither did any smart follow but the death of a mis-begotten infant and now when he voluntarily reproued himselfe for but a needlesse muster and sought for pardon vnbidden with great humiliation God sends him three terrible scourges Famine Sword or Pestilence that he may choose with which of them he had rather to bleed he shall haue the fauour of an election not of a remission God is more angred with a spirituall and immediate affront offered to his Majestie in
willing their torment they may be made most sensible of paine and by the obedible submission of their created nature wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures Besides the very horrour which ariseth from the place whereto they are euerlastingly confined For if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may bee held in a loathed or painfull body and conceiue sorrow to bee so imprisoned Why may wee not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of Angels or men may be held in those direfull flames and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer Tremble rather O my soule at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill Angels who for one onely act of Apostasie from God are thus perpetually tormented whereas we sinfull wretches multiply many and presumptuous offences against the Maiestie of our God And withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercy to the miserable generation of man which after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted Angels so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities and both suffers vs to be free for the time from these hellish torments and giues vs opportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name who for giueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and compassions There is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more Art thou come to torment vs before our time They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution which they also vnderstood to be not yet come For though they knew not when the Day of Iudgement should be a point concealed from the glorious Angels of heauen yet they knew when it should not be and therefore they say Before the time Euen the very euill spirits confesse and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall Sessions They beleeue lesse then Deuils that either doubt of or deny that day of finall retribution Oh the wonderfull mercy of our God that both to wicked men and spirits respites the vtmost of their torment He might vpon the first instant of the fall of Angels haue inflicted on them the highest extremitie of his vengeance Hee might vpon the first sinnes of our youth yea of our nature haue swept vs away and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake he stayes a time for both Though with this difference of mercy to vs men that here not onely is a delay but may be an vtter preuention of punishment which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible They doe suffer they must suffer and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must yet they must once suffer more then they doe Yet so doth this euill spirit expostulate that he sues I beseech thee torment mee not The world is well changed since Satans first onset vpon Christ Then hee could say If thou be the Sonne of God now Iesus the Sonne of the most high God then All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me now I beseech thee torment mee not The same power when hee lists can change the note of the Tempter to vs How happy are wee that haue such a Redeemer as can command the Deuils to their chaines Oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners that haue said Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs How euer the Almighty suffers you for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your Creator yet the time shall come when yee shall see the very masters whom ye haue serued the powers of darknesse vnable to auoid the reuenges of God How much lesse shall man striue with his Maker man whose breath is in his nostrils whose house is clay whose foundation is the dust Nature teaches euery creature to wish a freedome from paine the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill Yet what a thing is this to heare the deuill at his prayers I beseech thee torment me not Deuotion is not guilty of this but feare There is no grace in the suit of Deuils but nature no respect of glory to their Creator but their owne ease They cannot pray against sinne but against torment for sinne What newes is it now to heare the profanest mouth in extremitie imploring the Sacred Name of God when the Deuils doe so The worst of all creatures hates punishment and can say Lead me not into paine onely the good heart can say Leade mee not into temptation If wee can as heartily pray against sinne for the auoiding of displeasure as against punishment when wee haue displeased there is true grace in the soule Indeed if wee could feruently pray against sinne we should not need to pray against punishment which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that bodie but if we haue not laboured against our sins in vaine doe wee pray against punishment God must be iust and the wages of sinne is death It pleased our holy Sauiour not onely to let fall words of command vpon this spirit but to interchange some speeches with him All Christs actions are not for example It was the errour of our Grand-mother to hold chat with Satan That God who knowes the craft of that old Serpent and our weake simplicitie hath charged vs not to enquire of an euill spirit surely if the Disciples returning to Iacobs Well wondred to see Christ talke with a woman well may wee wonder to see him talking with an vncleane Spirit Let it be no presumption O Sauiour to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this wherein wee may not follow thee Wee know that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs wee know there was no guile found in thy mouth no possibilitie of taint in thy nature in thine actions Neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may bee done by thee without sinne which wee cannot but sinne in doing There is a vast difference in the intention in the Agent For on the one side thou didst not aske the name of the spirit as one that knew not and would learne by inquiring but that by the confession of that mischiefe which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might bee the more conspicuous the more glorious so on the other God and man might doe that safely which meere man cannot doe without danger thou mightest touch the leprosie and not be legally vncleane because thou touchedst it to heale it didst not touch it with possibility of infection So mightest thou who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature wert vncapable of any staine by the interlocution with Satan safely conferre with him whom corrupt man pre-disposed to the danger of such a parle may not meddle with without sinne because not without perill It is
right Commentary vpon Gods intention in this act for the terrour of the disobedient and to giue his voice to the certaintie of that future iudgement which his late guest had threatned to Israel sometimes it pleased the wisedome of God to expresse and iustifie himselfe euen by the tongues of faulty Instruments Withall he hath so much faith and courage as to fetch that carkasse from the Lion so much piety and compassion as to weepe for the man of God to interre him in his owne Sepulcher so much loue as to wish himselfe ioyned in death to that body which he had hastened vnto death It is hard to finde a man absolutely wicked Some grace will bewray it selfe in the most forsaken brests It is a cruell courtesie to kill a man and then to helpe him to his graue to betray a man with our breath and then to bedew him with our teares The Prophet had needed no such friend if hee had not met with such an enemy The mercies of the wicked are cruell IEROBOAMS Wife IT is no measuring of Gods fauour by the line of outward welfare Ieroboam the idolatrous vsurper of Israel prospers better then the true heires of Dauid Hee liues to see three successions in the throne of Iuda Thus the Iuy liues when the oake is dead Yet could not that mis-gotten crown of his keep his head alwaies from aching He hath his crosses too God whips sometimes more then his own His enemies smart from him as well as his children his children in loue his enemies in iudgement Not simply the rod argues loue but the temper of the hand that weelds it and the backe that feeles it First Ieroboams hand was striken now his Sonne Abijah the eldest the best sonne of Ieroboam is smitten with sicknesse As children are but the pieces of their Parents in another skin so Parents are no lesse striken in their children then in their naturall lims Ieroboam doth not more feele his arme then his sonne Not wicked men onely but beasts may haue naturall affections It is no thanke to any creature to loue his owne Nature wrought in Ieroboam no grace He is enough troubled with his sons disgrace no whit bettered I would haue heard him say God followes me with his afflictions it is for mine impiety what other measure can I expect from his iustice Whiles mine Idols stand how can I look that my house should prosper I will turne from my wickednes O God turne thou from thy wrath These thoughts were too good for that obdured heart His son is sick he is sorrowfull but as an amazed man seeks to go forth at the wrong doore his distraction sends him to a false help He thinks not of God he thinks of his Prophet He thinks of the Prophet that had foretold him he should be a King he thinks not of the God of that Prophet who made him a King It is the property of a carnall heart to confine both his Obligations and his hopes to the meanes neglecting the Author of good Vaine is the respect that is giuen to the seruant where the Master is contemned Extremity drawes Ieroboams thoughts to the Prophet whom else he had not cared to remember-The King of Israel had Diuines enow of his owne Else hee must needs haue thought them miserable gods that were not worth a Prophet And besides there was an old Prophet if he yet suruiued dwelling within the smoke of his Palace whose visions had bin too well approued why would Ieroboam send so farre to an Ahijah Certainly his heart despised those base Priests of his high places neither could trust either to the gods or the Clergie of his own making His conscience rests vpon the fidelity of that man whose doctrine hee had forsaken How did this Idolater striue against his owne heart whiles he inwardly despised those whom he professed to honour and inwardly honoured them whom hee professed to despise Wicked brests are false to themselues neither trusting to their owne choice nor making choice of that which they may dare to trust They will set a good face vpon their secretly-vnpleasing sinnes and had rather be selfe-condemned then wise and penitent As for that old Seer it is like Ieraboam knew his skill but doubted of his sinceritie that man was too much his neighbour to be good s Ahijahs truth had beene tryed in a case of his owne Hee whose word was found iust in the prediction of his Kingdome was well worthy of credit in the newes of his sonne Experience is a great encouragement of our trust It is a good matter to be faithfull this loadstone of our fidelity shall draw to vs euen hearts of iron hold them to our reliance As contrarily deceit doth both argue and make a bankrupt who can trust where he is disappointed O God so oft so euer haue we found thee true in all thy promises in all thy performances that if we doe not seeke thee if wee doe not trust thee in the sequell wee are worthy of our losse worthy of thy desertions Yet I do not see that Ieroboam sends to the Prophet for his aide but for intelligence Curiositie is guilty of this message and not deuotion hee cals not for the prayers not for the benediction of that holy man but for meere information of the euent He well saw what the prayers of a Prophet could doe That which cured his hand might it not haue cured his sonne Yet he that said to a man of God Intreat the face of the Lord thy God that he may restore my hand sayes not now in his message to Ahijah Intreat thy God to restore my Sonne Sinne makes such a strangenesse betwixt God and man that the guilty heart either thinkes not of suing to God or feares it What a poore contentment it was to foreknow that euill which hee could not auoid and whose notice could but hasten his misery Yet thus fond is our restlesse curiosity that it seekes ease in the drawing on of torment He is worthy of sorrow that will not stay till it comes to him but goes to fetch it Whom doth Ieroboam send on this message but his wife how but disguised Why her and why thus Neither durst he trust this errand with another nor with her in her own forme It was a secret that Ieroboam sends to a Prophet of God none might know it but his owne bosome and she that lay in it if this had bin noised in Israel the example had been dangerous Who would not haue said the King is glad to leaue his counterfeit deities and seek to the true Why should we adhere to them whom he forsakes As the message must not be knowne to the people so shee that beares it must not bee knowne to the Prophet her name her habit must be changed shee must put off her robes and put on a russet coat she must put off the Queene and put on the peasant in stead of her Scepter she must take vp
in the lawfull reformation of a Church 558 Contemplation a discourse of the study of it 341 Contemplation of the creation of the World 809 Of Man 812 Of Paradise 815 Of Cain and Abel 817 Of the Deluge 819 Of Noah 827 Of Babel 829 c. Content an inducement to contentment in want 3 A reason to be so 4 Earth yeelds no contentment 12 How to prouoke a mans selfe to contentation 28 What brings contentment in earthly things 58 Pretty enducements to bee content with our present estates 95 96. None liue so ill but that they content themselues in somewhat 136 Contentation a rare blessing 886 It oft fals out that those times which promise most content proue most dolefull in the issue 993 Contention a right behauiour in contention 10 Contention what it doth 219 Continencie what with its contraries 225 Conuersation of hauing it in the world 603 Conuert of his welcome home 965 Corah his conspiracy 919 Corruption the best thing corrupted is worst 147 Cost the Israelites cost to a calfe shall iudge vs in our want of it for true Religion 901 Councellor and counsell for soule and state 231 What is required in a Councellor ibid. It is sign of a desperate cause when once we seek to make Satan our counsellor 931 Counsell good and ill whereto compared 1145 Countenance dishonesty growes bold when it is countenanced by greatnesse 1138 Courtier sixe qualities of a Courtier 233 Two mischiefes of the Court Flatterie and Trecherie 280 The description of a good faithfull Courtier 331 Couetousnesse hath a great resemblance with Drunkennesse 8 A base thing to get goods onely to keepe them 24 25. The couetous like a spider 55 The couetous character 193 The couetous described 221 The couetous restlesse 933 934 Creation of our contemplation therein 809 The head of our creation is Heauen 811 The wonderfulnesse of it seene in man 813 Creatures how they al fight for God 531 872 c. 929 How obseruant they are to him that made them 949 950 The power of nourishment is not in the creature but in the Maker 996 God would rather haue his creatures perish any way then to serue for the vse of the wicked 1003 There is a speciall prouideÌ„ce in their motion 1049 Creed the confession of the same creed is not sufficient with Rome for peace 637 Credulitie it is the daughter of Folly 1102 Crosses of them 80 of such as arise from conceit and of true and reall crosses 80 81 Remedies of crosses before they come 81 And when they are come 83 against sorrow for worldly crosses 309 Crucifie excellent things of our crucifying Christ a new 431 432 Crueltie it is commonly ioyned with error 564 God will call vs to account for our cruelty against dumbe beasts 935 sudden cruelty stands not with religion 969 Yet sometimes a vertue 996 It is no thanks to themselues that wicked men cannot bee cruell 1003 The mercies of God in turning the cruelty of the wicked to the aduantage of the godly 1004 Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argueth cruelty 1020 Curious A censure of the curious in diet and apparell that are negligent or indifferent in Gods businesse 1110 Curse a causelesse curse whom it hurts 1009 Of Shemei his curse 1231 Custome It shall bee no plea for sinne or errour 38 Custome in sinne will so flesh vs as to deny or forsweare any thing 1009 D DAnger there should wee bend our greatest care where we finde our greatest danger 1193 Dancing allowed described and censured 677 In a case disallowed 1021 Dauid his choice or Election 1076 Called to the Court. 1079 Of him and Goliah 1080 Dauids reproach by his brother 1081 His preparation to the Combate 1084 An excellent vse of it ibid. His deliuerance out at a window 1089 Of Samuels harbouring him 1090 Of Dauid and Abimetech 1091 A notable demonstration of his royaltie 1101 A description of Dauids and his peoples perplexitie 1113 Dauid a type of Christ in his warres ibid. His too much credulitie 1133 Dauid a spectacle of infirmitie 1137 What in warre and what in peace 1137 An expostulation with Dauid about his sinne 1138 Of Dauid and Nathan 1141 His confession 1142 Obseruations of Dauids childs death 1143 Dauid is not more sure of forgiuenesse then of smart 1144 The relation of his particular pay ibid. His cariage in Shemeies curse 1232 His patience drawes on his impudencie 1233 Of his numbring the people 1246 His admirable charity 1249 His honour in welcoming the Prophets 1257 Dauids end 1258 Day That al daies are Gods but some more specially 441 442 Holy dayes how obserued in the Church of England 589 Death It hath three messengers p. 4 The wicked therein hath three terrible spectacles 7 Its desire how lawfull â—5 Mans vnwillingnesse to die 53 To bee vnwilling is signe of being in a bad case 61 Of the importunitie and terrour of death 84 The grounds of the feare of death 85 The remedy of the last and greatest breach of peace arising from death 86 A meditation of death 126 Of that Epicurean resolution Let vs eate and drinke for c. 1 Cor. 15.32 139 140 What resolutenesse doth to death 148 An Epistle against the feare of death 291 Of immoderate mourning for the dead 307 A discourse of due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it 317 An effectuall preparation of a murtherer to his death 379 Sweet comforts in the meditation of Christs death 434 A pretty item in mourning for the dead 913 Euery circumstance of our dissolutioÌ„ is determined 939 The difference of a godly and wicked mans death ibid. How God forewarnes vs of death 940 Dead bodies are not lost but laid vp 942 T is iust with God that hee that liues without grace should dye without comfort 1105 Death is not partiall 1116 Deceit Its kinds and iudgements 218 219 The hearts deceit in its faculties and affections largely described 504 c. A pretty description of deceiuing others 506 and of the deuils deceit ibid. Described by its effects 507 Oh the deceit of sinne 1140 Decree It is in vaine to striue against Gods decree when we know it 1057 Delay An argument not to delay our repentance till the last day 63 Delay dangerous 948 Desire A man besotted with euill desires is made fit for any villany 937 Where God sees feruent desire he stayes not for words 977 Despaire Then it no greater wrong to God p. 35 Excellent examples against it 946 To what mad shifts men are driuen to in despaire 1210 Detraction or detractor our behauiour with or against such p. 2 A sweet resolution against detraction 3 Deuill He â—ill we haue sinned is a Parasite but when wee haue sinned he is a Tyrant 1112 Hee is no lesse vigilant then malicious 1103 The dumbe deuill eiected 1285 Sinne giues him possession 1286 There is the deuill most tyrannous where hee is most obeyed 1293 There is no time wherein the deuill is not
the whole life is exercised 25 To liue in God is the way not to liue a wearisome life 65 Of Gods being called The Liuing God with a sweet vse of it 705 Our course of life musâ— either allow or condemne vs 1327 Light It was created before the Sunne was 810 A sweet Contemplation of the light ibid. Little Of guiding a little well p. 46 Lot Of him and Sodom 835 Loue T is but base loue to loue for a benefit p. 9 A true note of selfe-loue ibid. It is both a misery and shame to bee a bankerout in loue 31 Three things that a man may loue without exception 51 Loue to God and men 219 Loues strength after reconcilement 856 857 Open defiance is better then false loue 1001 Loue procures truer seruitude then necessitie 1016 Loue cannot bee separated from a desire of fruition 1024 Loue must suffer both fire and Anvill ibid. T is a vaine ambition to seeke to be loued of all 1058 Ionathans loue 1086 A good note of true and false loue 1131 Lust It coÌ„monly ends in loathing 848 Lusts madnesse 854 Lust is quicke-sighted 1138 Lyar His fashion manifestation and punishment 217 Whether we may lie for the promotion of a good cause 946 Lyars behold their pedigree 1198 Lyon His rage against Sampson in that encounter prettily described 999 Where our strength lyes against that Lyon the Deuill 1000 A lesson of thankfulnesse learned from the Lyons carkasse ibid. M MAdnesse he is a rare man that hath not some kind of madnesse in him 143 Magicke It is through the permissioÌ„ of God powerfull 931 Magistrate The Character of a good Magistrate 179 What is required in a Magistrate 231 An excellent patterne for a Magistrate in a troublesome gouernment 919 A speciall note of a good Magistrate 920 A Magistrate his pace in punishment of offenders must be slow and sure 957 Maiestie An impression of Maiestie in lawfull authoritie 904 Malice vid. Enuy of smiling Malice 849 God will euer raise vp secret fauourers to his own among those that are most malicious 853 Malice witty 854 No sinne whose harbour is so vnsafe as that of malice 864 There is no looking for fauour at the hand of malice 893 Malice regards not the truth but the spight of an accusation 921 Malice cares not so much for safety as for conquest 931 Malice in a wicked heart is the King of passions 965 Their malice hastens their destruction ibid. Malicious wickednesse of all others shall neuer goe without paiment 1073 Truth and Iustice hath no protection against malice 1087 The malicious like him that hath the Iaundis 1089 Malice hid doth but lurke for opportunitie 1147 Malice will euer say the worst 1288 Man The contemplation of his Creation 813 The description of him ad partes ibid. By his internall parts ib. c. Manhood Of sinfull manhood 338 339 Marina Of it and Quailes 886 Marinaâ— how many wayes a Miracle 889 The difference betweene the true and typicall Manna ibid. Manoâ—h Many things of him 996 997. c. Marahâ— waters 883 Mariage An apologeticall discourse of the mariage of Ecclesiast call persons 297 A question of separation of a maried couple with ioynt-consent whether lawfull 377 Whether the Church of England maketh mariage a Sacrament 587 Of Ministers mariage whether lawfull 721 Those that are vnequally yoaked may not looke euer to draw one way 869 They seldome prosper 914 Sampsons mariage 998 Not without the consent of his Parents ibid. His Parents expostulation of his motion of mariage with a Philistim ibid. Of an euen cariage in the case of mariage both of the Parents and Children 999 another expostulation about the lawfulnesse of Sampsons mariage ibid. His woe that is maried to a Philistim or vnequally yoaked 1001 Slight occasions may not breake off the knot of mariage-loue 1002 Not by imaginations but by proofes ibid. Of disparietie of Religion in mariage 1021 God owes shame to such as will be making matches betwixt himselfe and Belial 1044 Mariage made a plot for mischiefe 1088 The bonds of mariage how strong they should be 1090 A picture of those mariages that are made for money not for the Man 1102 Those mariages were well made wherein vertues are matched and happinesse is mutuall 1106 The mariage in Cana. 1202. The happinesse of that wedding which Christ is at ibid. The mariage that wee are all inuited vnto 1203 Martyrs their vndauntednesse 436 Mary vid. Virgin 436 Masse concerning it 658 Masters what they must be 243 Matthew He is called 1290 Described 1291 Meanes It without God cannot helpe but God without it can p. 12 That a mans mind should be to his meanes expressed by sweet similies 59 Small and vnlikely meanes shall preuaile where God hath appointed an effect 847 The meanes must bee vsed with faith 889 To seeke the second meanes without the first is a token of a false faith 891 Prayer without meanes is but a mockery of God 894 Wee must not looke for immediate redresse from God but rather by meanes 901 Meanes can doe nothing without God 951 In humane things but not in diuine is good to looke to the meanes 972 Small meanes shal set forward that which God hath decreed 1080 The meanes nothing without Gods blessing 1194 Meat of milke and strong meat 145 146 Meditation It must bee continued p. 1 The benefit and vses of meditation 105 Its descriptions and kinds ibid. Of extemporall meditations 106 Cautions in them ibid. Of deliberate meditation 107 The hill of meditation may not be climbed with a prophane foot ibid. His qualities therefore are prescribed 108 109 Of other circumstances of meditation as the place and time 110 Gesture of the bodie and the subiect 111 Of its order entrance and proceeding 112 113 The Scale of meditation 114 with many excellent things a pag. 114 ad 125 A meditation of death 126 Or the heart inured to meditation 141 Three things wherein Gods mercie abundantly appeared to vs. ibid. c. Mediocritie That is safest and firmest 1107 Mephibosheth Of him Ziba 1131 His humilitie 1132 A pretty pitying of Mephibosheth ibid. Mercy vid. Compassion the infinite sweetnesse of Gods mercy shadowed 8 Mercy what it doth 220 Who offends against it ibid. Gods mercies to Israel and England exactly numbred and sweetly parallel'd 478 479 We can looke no way but that we shall meet with and behold and embrace mercie 706 Gods Maiestie seene of his sonnes in his mercy 871 Gods great mercy to murmurers set forth 887 The vse that Gods seruants should make of his mercies towards their his enemies the wicked 887 Mercie must not hearten vs to sinning 900 An excellent example of mercy that may keepe any from despaire 946 It is a curse mercy that opposeth Gods mercy 953 A true property of mercy to bee most fauourable to the weakest 1029 Mercy drawes more teares from Gods friends then iudgements doe from his enemies 1051 It is good to take all occasion of
his mouth t t Erasm Apolog. pro declam Matri Ibid Eras Englished thus And I would they were gelded indeed which hide their vicious courses with the glorius name of Eunuchisme more freely following their filthy lusts vnder the shadow of chastity Neither will my modesty suffer me to report into what shamefull courses they fall many times which resist nature c Ex vita Sacerdotum palam dedecorosa palà m contemnitur eorum doctrina inde perit fructus verbi Dei. Quod si ijs qui non contineÌ„t concederetur matrimonium ipsi viuerent quietius populo cuÌ„ authoritate praedicarent verbuÌ„ Dei ad Christ Epis Basil Refut p. 60. Refut p. 74. Nunc is est rerum ac temporum status vt nusquam reperias minus inquinatam morum integritatem quà m inter coniugatos Now such is the state of the times that you shall neuer finde lesse corruption of manners and life then amongst the maried Was it not Erasmus that said Atque vtinam verè castrati sint quicunque suis vitijs magnificum castrationis praetexunt titulum sub vmbra castitatis turpiùs libidinantes c. Neque enim mei pudoris esse puto coÌ„memorare in quae dedecora saepe prolabantur qui naturae repugnant c. This is enough to let my Detector see we need not die in his debt for Erasmus SECT XI BVt it is no arguing from the Act to the possibilty These did not containe but they might What whether it were giuen them or no So seemes mine Aduersary to hold whiles he censures Luther for saying that this is Gods gift and that here wee can onely take and not giue Yea but if they had asked it would haue beene giuen them Aske and it shall be giuen so saies my Refuter out of Origen none of the best Interpreters so his Masters the Iesuits Sufficit promissio generalis saith * * Bell. l. 2. de Mon. c. 31. Bellar. By this Rule if the Cardinall should but pray for the Popedome the three Crownes must come tumbling vpon his Head and if C. E. should but pray for a red Hat it would haue Mercuriall wings and come flying to Doway I would he had but prayed for Wit he had then perhaps beene silent Not considering that Virginity and Honour and degrees of Wit though excellent in their kinds yet are such things as without which we may inioy God and goe to Heauen and therefore that perhaps God sees it best for vs to aske them and goe without What can be more plaine then that of * * Hiero aduers Iouin l. 1. Hierome If all might be Virgins Christ would neuer haue said Qui potest capere capiat Neither would the Apostle so timorously haue perswaded to Virginity Could he euer suppose that Virginitie might bee had without prayers and yet he sayes If all might be Virgins c. Who would not haue thought that this one Text of our Sauiour should haue stopt all mouthes His Disciples had said If thus it is good not to marry He replyes All men cannot receiue this Word saue they to whom it is giuen and concludes He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Yet here see the forehead of a Iesuite Maldonate vpon the place dares say thus * * Mald. in Mat. 19.11 Omnes fereÌ„ c. That he saith all men doe not receiue this Word all Interpreters almost doe so expound it as if the sense were All men cannot performe this which you say that is Want a wife because all haue not the gift of Chastity but onely those to whom it is giuen for which he cites onely Origen Gregory Nazianzene Ambrose concealing the rest of his Almost all yet after in the same Page forgetting himselfe solus D. Augustinus c. Onely Saint Austin vses saith he to teach that this gift of Continency is not giuen to all I cannot bee perswaded to follow them but to some onely It is happy yet that herein we are granted to erre with Saint Austin and yet ere long we take in Origen Nazianzene Ambrose Hierome and at last ouertake Ferè omnes so as we need not feare solitarinesse in this errour But what sayes the Iesuite to this good company Adduci non possum vt sequar No maruell Marke how well the Iesuites follow Iesus himselfe Iesus sayes All men cannot receiue this The Iesuits say * * Omnes continere posse si veliâ—â— Bellar. l. 2. de Mont. c. 31. All men may receiue it Iesus sayes It must be giuen from God The Iesuits say a a Et Donum Dei esse tamen in potestate arbitrio hominis positum ibid. Qui potest habeat secum aurum hoc Virginitatis Qui minus nuptiarum argentum excipiat Chrysost in 1. Tim. 4. It is so the gift of God that it is in the power of Man How can wee looke to escape their Opposition when they dare thus contradict our Sauiour For me I shall be still in this Heresie That all their Priests and Moncks and Nuns cannot containe And his b b â—â—nauen in Opus de processu Relig. p. 120. Sumptuosa Turris est verbum grande quod non omnes capere possunt Bern. de Contempt Mun. Nam si generale esset quod potest vnus omnes possunt Primas Refut p. 60 61. Bonauenture shall beare me out who teaches me that to the third degree of Chastity requiri priuilegium singulare there is a singular priuiledge required for that it seemes to be aboue the pitch of naturall possibilitie to liue in the Flesh and not to feele the faults of Flesh SECT XII AS for his holy Sisters at Bruxels the touch of whom hath so much enfired his ghostly zeale I intended no quarrell to them in particular They may bee as honest as their Champion is malicious What I said was out of the supposition of the common frailty And if he haue beene so much in their bosome as to know they neuer repented them it is well knowne that others haue whose Song hath beene in the hearing of those I know What shall I doe shall I die and neuer maried be Like vnto those Vestals Foelices nuptae moriar nisi nubere dulce est As for the mischiefe following hence the visible monuments of so many murthered Infants if not in Gregories Ponds in the very place where I now liue and c c Vid. Histor Radulphi Bourn Augustadensis Eccle. Abbatis qui testatur se vidisse in quadaâ— piscina in Monialium Abbatia qua Prouixes dicebatur multa paruâ—lorum ossa ipsaque corpora integra ibi reperiebantur Antiq. Brit. Reueâ— Clem. 5. Paâ—â— ex Adam Marim elsewhere conuinces it too much But d d Refut p. 61. my example ywis shall cleere his Vestalls of Bruxels and all other Votaries Master Hall was absent some three Moneths in France Flesh is fraile Temptations frequent adde to these his body sickly and well neere to
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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