A rare PATERNE OF Iustice and Mercy Exemplified in The many notable and charitable Legacies of Sr. Iames Cambel Knight and Alderman of London deceased Worthy imitation Whereunto is annexed A Meteor and a Starre OR Briefe and pleasant Meditations of Gods Providence to his Chosen of the Education of Children and of the vertue of Love with other Poems By Edw Browne Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handiworke Printed at London for William Ley at Pauls Chaine neere Doctors Commons M DC XLII The Effigies of the right wor ss Sr James Cambell Knight sometime Lo Mayor and Senior AldrnÌ„ of London etc. To the Right Worshipfull his vertuous and religious Lady Dame Rachel Cambel Relict Executrix of the last Will and Testament of Sir Iames Cambel Knight and Alderman of London deceased And to the Right Worshipfull his honoured friends Sir Thomas Abdy Knight and Baronet and Mr. Iames Cambel Esquire joint Executors with the said Lady Grace and peace be multiplied Right VVorshipfull DEtraction that ugly deformed Hell-borne Monster hath of late cast her poisoning envious breath upon my best actions even upon these harmlesse papers and would faine beget in you an evill opinion of me and of my honest endeavours thereby to worke my utter ruine But I hope the Lord who knoweth the integrity of my heart and the cleannesse of my hands from doing wrong to any especially to my late Iudicious loving-Master will worke in you such an heroicall and magnanimous spirit that you will not be infected with such pestiferous venome your Worships knowing very well that such Detractors like ravenous Vultures eate and gnaw upon the very life and livelihood of others onely for their owne ends viz. that they may grow fat and rich thereby for they care not how they impaire the good name fame or reputation of others so they themselves may get honour and esteeme though there be little worth in them deserving the same Therefore for vindication of my credit in this particular which now lyes a bleeding I am inforced to publish that I intended to keepe private to shew to your Worships and all other my friends that I have beene so far from intending the least disgrace that as I am in duty bound so I have ever sought the honour of my judicious loving Master And I am confident if in these workes of mine he had found any thing to his disparagement hee would in his life time have showne me my errors upon my request which he never did as your Ladiship very well knowes And as it is very well knowne throughout this Citie that my Master in his life did much good to others especially in Iusticiarie affaires so I doe humbly acknowledge that he did alwayes delight to doe me good even to the day of his death And therefore I thinke it part of my dutie now hee is departed this transitorie life to expresse my thankfull heart for the same which I can no better way perform being I have alreadâ—e beenâ— so presumptuous as to cast my unlearned workes into the Presse then to publish without flatterie his many worthie and imparalleled workes to his never-dying memorie That they may bee a meanes to excite and stir up others of his qualitie to doe workes of charitie to the poore and judicious benevolence to the rich Yet I doe ingenuously confesse that they deserve to bee ingraven in Pillars of durable Marble by some learned and eloquent Cicero rather then by my rustick quill on these timeperishing papers For my workes I commit them to your gracious acceptance and judicious censure hoping that what I have done amisse herein you will be pleased favourably to passe by because you know the attractive cause from whence these cloudie and muddie vapours did arise therefore I doubt not but the sun-shine of your favourable aspects will expell such mistie exhalations and ever remain upon the poore and weake yet honest and willing endeavours of Your unworthy yet truly faithfull servant Edward Browne 19. Maii. 1642. A RARE PATERNE of Iustice and Mercy Exemplified in the many judicious noble and charitable Legacies given and bequeathed in the last Will and testament of that grave Iudicous Senator Sir James Cambel Knight sometime Lord Maior and senior Alderman of London who departed this transitory life upon Wednesday the fift day of Ianuary Anno Dom. 1641. and was buried in the Parish Church of Saint Olaves Iewry London the 8. day of February following being Tuesday Obiit sine prole Aetatis suae 72. THe memory of the just is blessed saith the Wiseman but the name of the the wicked shall rot And surely the righteous shall bee had in everlasting remembrance saith holy DAVID Yet the Prophet ESAY complaines That the righteous perish and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth That the righteous are taken away from the evill to come In consideration whereof that I may not be culpable of the like reproofe I will with the Psalmist marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace For thereby I shall learn how to dye comfortably It may bee as a paterne or example to direct me and others in the houre of death For eth wicked they dye either sottishly impatiently or desperately First sottishly like blocks and idiots having neither penitent feeling of their sins nor comfortable assurance of salvation Being like to Nabal whose heart ten daies before his death died within him and he was like a stone Such men die like lambes and yet shall bee a prey for the devouring Lion they go quietly like fools to the stocks for correction Secondly others die impatiently who do not willingly bear the Lords correction deserved by their sins but rage fret and murmure as if God dealt too rigorously with them and through impatiency will use unlawfull meanes for their recovery as Ahaziah did who being sicke sent messengers to enquire of Baal zebub the god of Ekren if he should recover of his disease Thirdly others die desperately their consciences accusing them most terribly for their sins without any hope of pardon as Cain who said my sinne is greater then can be forgiven or Iudas who despairing of pardon for his sin in betraying our Saviour went and hanged himselfe The consciences of many wicked men lye quietly and never trouble them all their life time but are stirred up at their death and then rage and torment them like a mad dogge which is lately awaked out of sleepe But the righteous die most comfortably they beleeving in Christ and having repented of their sinnes are assured in their owne soules that all their sinnes are pardoned in Christ they wil make confession of their faith and give testimony of their repentance unto others for their comfort and example They will patiently endure all the paines of their sicknesse as Iob did knowing that all comes from the Lord and that it
is his fatherly correction and a signe of his love because â—e chasteneth whom he loveth yea they receive their sicknesse as the Lords messenger speaking to their soules as the Prophet Isaiah did to Hezekiah Put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live and therefore they prepare themselves for another world Yeâ— further in their sicknesse they can pray most fervently as King Hezekiah did Isaiah 38. and then they will give most fruitfull and comfortable instructions to those which they leave behinde As the Swan sings most sweetly a little before his death so the righteous speake most divinely a little before their end Whosoever searcheth the Scriptures may read the divine prophecy of Iacob unto the twelve Patriarches Genes 49. the holy blessing of Moses upon the twelve tribes Deut 33. the godly exhortation of Iosua to the people of Israel placâ—d by hâ—m in Canaan Ios 23. the wise counsell of David unto Salomon who was to succeed him in the kingdome 1 King 2. Whosoever readeth the Ecclesiasticall histories may not onely see the vertuous lives but also the Christian like ends of the Saints and Martyrs in the Church And whosoever will be present at the death of those which truly feare God may thereby learne how they themselves ought to die for when the outward man doth decay the inward man is renewed more and more They shew that the neerer they doe approach unto their end the neerer they draw toward heaven But in these our dayes many may be found who either do not at all consider the death of the righteous or else doe consider it amisse Though it bee a matter worth consideration yet some doe not consider it at all because they see so many dye they make the lesse reckoning of it till death knocke at their owne doores they never regard it they must needs dye themselves before they can bee brought to consider of death they care not who sinke so they swimme nor how many die so they may live yea this is greatly to be lamented that some doe regard the death of a Christian no more then they regard the death of a dog But seeing wee may learne so many profitable instructions by their death let us now begin to consider it better then ever we did before Others doe consider it but yet amisse either fondly or frowardly Fondly through naturall affection arising from kindred affinitie or familiaritie If a stranger die it nothing moves them but if one of their owne friends dye they sigh and sob they howle and lament If the father lose his son he cries most pittifully as David did for Absalom O my son Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne If the mother lose her children shee behaveth her selfe like Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not If children lose their parents they cry after them as Elisha did after Elias when he was taken up my father my father If a sister lose her brother she weepeth for him as Mary did for Lazarus If the husband lose his wife he weepeth for her as Abraham wept for Sarah yea he mourneth like a Turtle Dove which hath lost his marrow If the wife lose her husband shee dealeth like Naomi who would not be called Naomi that is beautifull but Mara that is bitter because the Lord had given her much bitternesse If one familiar friend lose another hee lamenteth his death as David did the death of Ionathan Woe is me for thee my brother Ionathan very kinde hast thou beene unto me thy love to mee was wonderfull passing the love of women Indeed I cannot deny but that we ought in a speciall manner to consider the death of those which are neere and deare unto us for it may be they are taken from us because wee were unworthy of them or because we gloried and trusted over much in them and were not so thankfull for them as we ought If we had any help by them we must consider whether God have not deptived us of them for the punishment of our sinnes as the widow of Sarepta did at the death of her sonne saying unto Eliah Art thou come unto me to call my sinne to remembrance and to slay my sonne Yet this consideration must bee ordered by wisedome it must not be joyned with excessive sorrow Neither must wee consider their death alone but also the death of others which dye in the Lord and to learne to make an holy use thereof For as Sampson found sweet honey in the carcasse of a dead Lion so wee may finde some sweet instructions in the dead corps of every righteous man yea the more righteous that they are which doe die the more should their death be considered because it may yeeld greater store of instruction unto us And it may bee that God doth take away those which are neare unto us because wee doe carelesly regard the death of those which be farre off Againe some consider the death of the righteous very frowardly and peevishly yea I may say malitiously and preposterously For if any of them bee taken away by a sudden and extraordinary death they presently censure them as plagued of God and condemne their former profession thinking that God would not have so dealt with them if hee approved either of them or their profession But they must bee instructed in this point by wise Salomon who saith that no man knoweth love or hatred of all that is before him All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the just and the wicked to the good and the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not Eli was a Priest and a good man yet brake his necke by falling backward from his seat Ionathan was a sworne brother unto David a godly and faithfull friend yet was he slaine in battell by the hands of the Philistims That Prophet of God which came out of Iudah to Bethel to speak with Ieroboam and the altars which he had built for idolatry was no doubt an holy man yet was hee killed in the way by a Lion Iosiah was a good King like unto him there was no King before him neither after him rose any like him yet was he slaine in the valley of Megiddo by Necho King of Egypt Iobs children were well brought up by their godly father and it is said that before Iob offered sacrifice for them they were sanctified yet within a while after as they were eating and drinking in their eldest brothers house a violent winde overthrew the house and killed them all Wee must not therefore judge of men by their death but rather by their life Though sometime a good death may follow an evill life yet an evill death can never follow a good life Correct thine evill life and feare not an evill death he cannot die ill that lives well saith Augustine And afterward answers
so it falls and as man lives so for the most part he dyes except God worke a miracle as he did at the houre of death upon the Thiefe upon the Crosse And the most safest way to judge of a mans actions while he lived is to consider his behaviour at his death yet let us take heed how we rashly judge any as is before specified and rather judge charitably of all then uncharitably of any But Christs words are most certainly true that a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit neither can a good tree bring forth evill fruit for men doe not gather grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles therefore by their fruits you shall know them Now it was not my happines to bee with him at the houre of his death neither did I continue long in his presence during the time of his sicknesse because I had given him just cause of offence by some misdemeanours And likewise because I was sensible of my great losse of him in whom I thought my livelihood did consist for I did ever doubt that he would not bestow upon me any great benevolence at his death because he was so willing â—o doe mee good in his life Yet this I can testifie that he as Hezekiah having set his house in order by composing of his Will did prepare himselfe for death shall I say a month or two nay I may affirme a yeare or two before he died during which time hee seldome went abroad but kept in his house and spent his spare time in reading the Bible and other good bookes and in singing of Psalmes and especially the 39. Psal which he did often sing with very much chearfulnes And upon Newyeares day last perceiving his houre draw neere sealed his Will and went quietly to bed as to his grave from which place he would not be removed till the houre of his death which was upon the Wednesday following betweene six and seven of the clocke in the morning And one thing I cannot but observe that when any came to visit him during those foure daies viz. from Saturday to Wednesday and demanded how he did he would answer Sick as a prisoner in hope which me thinks was a heavenly speech for hee knew his soule was imprisoned in a brittle house of clay out of which he hoped she should shortly bee delivered and carried by the Angels of God into a heavenly habitation to enjoy everlasting freedome which I hope hee hath found But all this while I have ceased to treat of Justice and Mercy which was the chiefe of my intention for though they may be comprehended in the other forenamed vertues yet they are more conspicuous and apparent in his many judiciary and charitable Legacies bequeathed in his last Will Testament which might I have leave to publish in his owne words and make a commentary thereon according to my fancy me thinkes I could describe Justice and Mercy in most lively colours For first unto his Lady Justice and Mercy met together Justice in performance of his agreement mercy in remembrance of his love But in this could have wished that mercy had exceeded justice for as sheâ— hath beene a loving wife to him neere 24. yeares so it is welâ— knowne that she is a charitablâ— woman and for that cause Siâ— Iames made her the executrix oâ— his Will which otherwise heâ— would not have done For I am confident saith he in one clause oâ— his Testament that she will see thiâ— my Will really performed Secondly Justice appeares in his other bequests to his kindred and alliance In that hee hath given most to them he did least for in his life so that there might be an equivolence amongst all and none to take exception against the other Thirdly Justice appeares in his other bequests especially to his poore servants and retainers that he hath forgot none but remembred all in a lumpe of 300. pound to bee disposed at such times in such parcels and to such persons as his Lady pleaseth some of them being such as deserved nothing are his owne words in one clause of his will where they are thus mentioned And herein was a point of policy to keepe them under subjection in depending upon her favour After them hee remembers me with 20. pound on purpose to make me as I ever thought my selfe to be in some sort like Iacob to depend upon Gods providence on my owne endeavours that I should strive against such opposition that should be made against me in being an actor in the execution of these famous Legacies and if I shall deserve nothing for my paines therein according to Sir Iames his will I will have nothing But letting justice and mercy remaine with him in the actions of his life behold mercy shall flourish after his death And as she is over all Gods workes so she hath preheminence over all Sir Iames his bequests in a more eminent manner For hee hath not onely given â—eliefe to the poore and needy for the present but for the future So that these 7. workes of Mercy appertaining to the body according to this verse Visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo are accomplished by Sir Iames in his charitable Legacies for therein if you doe observe he hath visited the sicke given drinke to the thirsty fed the hungry redeemed captives and prisoners clothed the naked lodged the harbourlesse and buried the dead nay more hee hath not onely provided reliefe for the body but hee hath had regard to the soule according to this veâ—se Coâ—sulâ— castiga solare remitte fer ora He hath instructed the ignorant corrected the sinner comforted the heavie hearted forgiven offences borne with the weake and prayed for all Therefore there is no question to be made but that he hath received his reward in part with an Euge bone serve well done good and faithfull servant come and receive the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry c. First that poor children should be wel educated and brought up in good learning hee hath given one thousand Markes for the erection and maintenance of a Free-Schoole in the towne of Barking in Essex Secondly to keep youth from beggery and theevery which is begot by sloath and idlenesse the root of all evill hee hath bequeathed two thousand pounds for a stocke to keep such at labour and worke in Bridewell that they as others should labour with their owne hands and in the sweat of their browes eate their bread according as God commanded Adams posterity and this stocke is to be ordered and disposed by the advice and counsell of the sagest and gravest Senators of this City Thirdly to enable young beginners to goe on chearfully in their callings in workes of good husbandry he hath left thirteene hundred pounds to bee lent to poore freemen of the company of Ironmongers 100. pound a man upon good security at 4. li. per centum for a yeare Fourthly for the
be possible to prevent them Their death is a plaine prognostication of some evils to come and should bee as a trumpet to awaken others out of the sleepe of sinne Many of the wicked rejoyce when the godly are taken away from them they love their roomes better then their company they hated them and their profession in their life time because as they say they are not for our profit and they are contrary to our doings they checke us for offending against the law it grieves us to looke upon them for their lives are not like other men and therefore at their death they are glad that they are rid of them when indeed they have greater cause to howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come upon them The righteous need not to imitate the ungodly practice of Herod who being ready to die and thinking that his death would be a great joy to many shut up in prison some Noblemen in every town and required his sister Salome and her husband Alexa that so soone as he was dead they should kill those Noblemen and then all Iudea would lament his death The Lord himselfe doth often make the death of the righteous to bee lamented by sending of extraordinary judgements immediately after their death When Noah entred into the Arke the world is drowned with the floud when Lot departs out of Sodome it is burnt with fire 2 In this respect also the righteous have no cause to feare death but rather to desire it for what is it but an ending of some troubles and a preventing of others They may with Paul desire to be loosed to be with Christ which is best of all It is true which Salomon saith That the day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth For the day of a godly mans birth is the beginning of his miserie but the day of his death is the end of his miserie Indeed the day of a wicked mans death is the most wofull day that ever beâ—ell him for he is not taken away from the evill to come but he is taken unto evill to bee tormented in hell for evermore And therefore hee feares death as much as a malefactor feareth a Serjeant that commeth to carry him to prison where he is like to abide till the day of execution That is true in them which the Divell said Skin for skin and all that ever a man hath will he give for his life And as the Gibeonites were content rather to be bondmen hewers of wood and drawers of water then to bee killed by the Israelites as other nations were So they had rather indure any kinde of miserie then to die as others doe because they feare a worse estate after death and therefore must bee pulled from the earth with as great violence as Ioab was pulled from the hornes of the altar unto which he had fled as to a place of refuge But the godly knowing what an happie exchange they make by death they desire to die so soone as it pleaseth the Lord. Indeed none ought for the ending of present calamities or preventing of future miseries to shorten their owne dayes as Saul did by falling on his owne sword nor yet for the present enjoying of eternall happinesse procure their owne death as Cleombrotus did who reading Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule cast himselfe headlong from a wall that he might change this life for a better He onely who gave life must take it away and the Lord may say to such I will receive no soules which against my will have gone out of the body the Philosophers which did so were martyrs of foolish Philosophy Yet seeing that death freeth the righteous from present and future miseries they may be most willing to die so soone as the Lord calleth for them and when death approacheth may say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 3 Lastly in this respect we must learne not to mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous Though wee received great comfort and enjoyed some benefit by them while they were alive as I did by my late Master Sir Iames Cambel yet seeing that death is an advantage unto them we should â—ee content patiently to bear our owne losse in respect of their great gaine If two friends should lie in prison together or should dwel together in a strange Countrey where both of them were hardly used were many wayes injured endured great want and sustained much miserie though they loved one another dearly and the one were an heâ—pe and comfort to the other yet if the one should bee taken from the other and brought to his chiefest friends and among them be not onely freed from all such miseries as before he had endured but also bee advanced to great preferment will the other which is left behinde him be discontented at it Will he not rather wish himselfe to bee there with him in the like then desire that either hee had stayed with him or might returne againe This our life is as a prison or strange Country in which wee indure great miserie and may every day looke for more if therefore our dearest friends bee taken from us freed from these miseries and advanced to great glory with Christ and his Saints in the Kingdome of heaven wee have no cause to wish that either they had stayed longer with us or might returne againe unto us but rather desire that wee might quickly goe unto them to bee glorified in like sort Though we may thinke that they died too soone for us yet they died not too soone for themselves for the sooner they come to rest and happinesse the better it is for them Their condition is farre better then ours for they are freed from miserie we are reserved for further miserie they are already arrived at the haven of eternall rest and we are still tossed on the sea of this world with troublesome waves and dangerous tempests they have ended their journey with lesser travell and making a shorter cut and wee are yet travelling with wearisomnes in our journey If any one of them could speake after their death he would say unto them which weepe for him as Christ said to the daughters of Ierusalem Weepe not for me but weepe for your selves and for your children because of the dangerous dayes that shall ensue Or as Christ said unto his Disciples If ye loved me ye would verily rejoyce because I goe unto the Father But if examples doe move any thing at all I may apply all that hath beene spoken to this present occasion A righteous man is perished a mercifull man is taken away for God hath made me seriously to consider and lay close to my heart the losse of my late â—udicious loving Master Sir Iames Cambel Therefore for a memoriall of him I have presumed to set forth his unparallel'd Legacies Which though they be unskilfully performed yet God may work such an effect in
and Alablaster carv'd most rare Of the favour of man FAvour of great men in this world 's a Flower Hardly in long time got lost in an hower He then that builds his hope upon a prop That is so weake must needs expect it drop For though he spend his time his care his skill In dunging dressing keeping it from ill That might annoy it yet the â—eate of rashnesse Cold of neglect or wind of its owne harshnesse May wither nip or blow it quite away Such is the fruite of such a rotten stay Oh! happie then in this world's he that well Can live and breath without this flowers smell But there is none on earth that truely can Live or subsist without the helpe of man For Lawyers live upon their Clients fees And some rich men on poore mens miseries So Clergie men upon the lay depend And each to other must needs be a friend For sellers live upon the buyers gaines And rich men do grow proud on poore folks pains Why then should I thinke it more stange to me When I see others iâ— the same degree A bad bargaine sometimes hath the buyer And poore men are not alwaies paid their â—yer For though somtimes I do displeasurâ— gaine By some rash word or deed which breeds my pâ—ine Yet after I am sorry and doe feare How I do in the selfe same kinde appeare So though to some Favour a Flower be Yet unto me it is a well growne Tree Which I will labour for to keep and cherrish That neither me nor mine may come to perrish And therefore never will I cease to pray That God may guide me in faire vertues way For therein surely I shall finde the Grace And Favour of good men as time and place Shall give occasion in this hope I 'le rest Not doubting but i' th end I shal be blest With all such things as God sees good for me According to my calling and degree An Acrostick Elegie ON The deaths of the right worshipful Mr. Anthony Abdie Alderman of London who departed this transitorie life on Thursday the 10. of September 1640. and Mistris Abigail his wife who died the Friday before ALL men are borne to die that is most true No man can hinder death not I nor you Though we were wise rich lusty storng and faier Hee 's such a Sergeant for Bribes hee 'll not care Oh! hee 's too cruell neither man nor wife No King nor Keysar can make him spare life Yet why should he so cruell be to these Alas could not the wife alone him please But must he presently the husband take Did death think much he should his wife for sake In Hymens day they promis'd ne're to part Ev'n untâ—ll Death did strike them to the heart And so they did performe that solemne vow By living both together untill now In thirty yeares she was his wedded wife God made them rich in blessings of this life And so to make them happy children ten I know they had three maids the other men Like Olive plants about their Table spread And two of them are maried three are dead But heer 's the cause of this my riming quill Death at one inâ—â—ant should this couple kill In midst of joy this makes me mourne yet learne Ev'n as to poore folke so to rich ' Death 's sterne An Acrostick Epitaph ALL mortall men that by us passe Note well consider life 's as grasse That seemeth fresh and faire all day Hew'n down by death soon â—ades away On earthly things set not your love Nature's adverse to things above Yeeld therefore unto God your heart And after death you 'll feele no smart But if you do in sinne delight Death then will make you feele his might In dolour great in pain so fell Ev'n as the torments are in hell And thus wee shew what we do find By our example bend your mind In wisdomes schoole to learne and know Gods will and in good workes it show As we two did and made it shine In Pious deeds in Love divine Like to the Turtle and his mate Alwaies we liv'd in quiet state But cruell death with his sharp knife Did mow the Grasse of my wives life I followed her then sease to weepe Ev'n as in Bed we sweetely sleepe They were both buried together upon the first day of October 1640. in the Parish Church of Saint Andrew Undershaft IN MEMORIAM PRudentissimi Senator is Jacobi Cambel Mil t is nuper Major iâ— Civitatis Londinensis aâ—tea Senior is Aldermani unius Pacis Iusticiarum in Civitate predicta Major is insuper Privilegiorum Civitatis Westmonasterii Praesidis Hospitalis seu Xenodochii Divi Thomae in Burgo Southwarke Galicorum Mercatorum Rector is Memoriale Edwardi Brown eidem devotissimi dum vixit Ratio Operis TO make my Sun and Moon shine cleare My Starre and Mete or thus appeare Within bright favours firmament I hope my time is not mispent In useles workes in fruitlesse pain For little Credit much lesse gaine Because my Masters praise and worth In these Books like wise is set forth Yet howsoever I know this Spes Proemium in Coelis FINIS In Memoriam Prudentissimi Senator Iacobi Cambell Militis c. For prudent justice and true Piety Here lyes a Patern pray observe him well And for true Love without Hypocrisy He was a Mirror In his soule did dwell True Faith the Mother of the Graces three Of Justice Holynes and Charity So though his Corps seemeth herein to ly His Virtues rare shall live never dy A METEOR OR Briefe and pleasant MEDITATIONS Of the Providence of God toward His CHOSEN And Of the education of Children Conscientia bona non timet pericula EXODUS 9. 23. 24. And the Lord rained haile upon the Land of Egypt so there was haile and fire mingled with haile very grievous such as there was none like it in all the Land of Egypt since it became a Nation To His judicious-loving and ever-honoured Master the right Worshipfull Sir Iames Cambel Knight and senior Alderman of London c. INgratitude as it stops the streame of Gods mercie from descending upon his people so it dams up the current of charitable mens bounty towards the poore for hee that is not thankfull for former benefits is unworthy to receive any future good In consideration whereof I having received from your Worship many undeserved favours for the space of these 16. yeares service under you did bethinke with my selfe which way I might really expresse my thankfull heart for the same But when â— considered my owne penury and insufficiency for the performance of any worke worthy your judicious and grave inspection I was afraid that in stead of favour I might incurre dâ—spleasure And therefore rested my selfe in contemplation of mâ—ne owne workes which after some pleâ—sing paine I hâ—d conceâ—ved in my minde But having oft observed you reading divers famous mens writâ—ngs as Perkins Greenhamâ— and others the latchet of whose shooes I
the objections of these men and makes this the foot of his song Thou wilt say unto me have not many just men perished by shipwracke certainly hee cannot die ill which liveâ— well Have not many just men beenâ— slain by the enemies sword Certainly he cannot die ill which lived well Have not many just men beene killeâ— by theeves Have not many righteouâ— men beene torne in pieces by wildâ— beasts Certainly hee cannot die ilâ— which lived well c. But I will say unto such as censure the righteous for their strange and violenâ— death as Christ said of thosâ— eighteene upon whom the wa 〈…〉 of Siloam fel and slew them Think yee that these were greater sinners then others I tell you nay but except ye repent ye all shall likewise perish As for sudden death it is evill to them which lead an evill life because it findes them unprâ—pared it carries them away suddenly unto torment but it is not evill to them which live well because it findes them prepared it frees them from much paine which others endure through long sicknesse and carries them forthwith to the place where they desire to be The righteous doe so dispose of themselves in the morning as if they might die before night and at night as if they might die before morning and therefore whensoever death comes it finds them prepared and is a benefit unto them 2 Againe if the righteous a little before death bee dangerously tempted by Satan and shew their infirmitie by uttering some speeches which tend to doubting or desperation though afterward they get victorie and triumph over the divel carnall people think there is no peace of conscience and therefore no salvation to bee had by that religion and so speake evill of it Let such consider the estate of Iob in his misery who cursing the day of his birth said that the arrowes of the Almighty did sticke in him the venome whereof had drunke up his spirit that the terrors of God did fight against him that the Lord was his enemie did write bitter things against him and did set him as a butt to shoot at As also the estate of David through terror of conscience while he concealed his â—inne His bones consumed he roared all the day long his moisture was turned into the drought of summer Againe let them know that the devill doth most tempt the best Hee then tempted Christ when hee was baptized and filled with the holy Ghost so will he most tempt Christians when they have received greatest gifts of Gods Spirit As theeves labour to breake downe and rob those houses onely where great store of treasure or wealth is laid up and as Pyrates desire to take that ship which is best loaden with the dearest merchandize so the Divell doth most seeke to make a prey of them which are endued with the greatest measure of spirituall graces When the strong man armed keepeth the house the things that he possesseth are in peace but when a stronger then he overcommeth him then he gathereth greater forces and makes a new assault to enter againe In any commotion whom doe Rebels kill and spoil not those which submit themselves unto them and joyne with them in their rebellion but those which are faithfull unto their Prince and fight for their Prince against them as doth appeare now in the Rebels of Ireland Now the Divell is as a Rebell in the Lords Kingdome whom then will he most trouble and assault not the wicked which submit themselves unto him and joyne with him in rebellion against God but the godly which abide faithfull fight under the Lords banners against him Whosoever would reigne with Christ in heaven must overcome the Divell on earth for he promiseth To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne How can there be a victory where there is no battell And how can there be any battell where there is not assaulting and resisting And no marvell though the Divell doe most assault the righteous at their death for he taketh the opportunitie of the time his wrath is then great knowing that hee hath but a short time Hee must either overcome them at that instant or else not at all yea he takes the advantage of their present weakness and those sinnes which before he perswaded people to be small and light at the time of death hee maketh great and heavie Even as a tree or piece of wood while it swims in a river seemeth to be light and one may easily draw it but when it comes to the shore and is laid upon dry ground can scarcely be drawne by ten men so sinne is made light by the Divell so long as men live that so hee may still encourage them to practise it but when it comes to the shore of death then hee makes it heavie and begins most to trouble their consciences with it that if it were possible they might by it bee brought to desperation In the middest of the tentation when the godly seeme most to overcome who lyes as though hee were dead yet hee hath life in him and therefore as Paul saw that life was in Eutiches embraced him and delivered him alive when the people tooke him up for dead and he will at last so restore them as that they shall live for ever 3 Lastly others beholding them which were reputed righteous to die very strangely to rave to blaspheme to utter many idle and impious speeches to bee unruly and behave themselves very foolishly they begin to suspect their profession but let them know that these things may arise from the extremity of their disease For in hot Fevers and burning Agues the choler ascending into the braine will hinder the use of understanding and so cause them thus to misbehave themselves rather like mad men then Christians And therefore as Paul said of himselfe after regeneration It is no more I that doe it but the sin that dwelleth in me so may I say of them it is not they which doe it but the disease which is upon them All sinnes committed by the righteous in those extremities are but sinnes of ignorance because they want the use of reason to judge of sinne they are also sinnes of infirmitie arising from the frailty of their flesh and for them they wil afterward repent if they recover the use of reason and bee able to know them to be sinnes or if they doe not they are freely pardoned in the death of Christ as well as other sinnes bee Wherefore I say to those which censure them uncharitably for that their end as Christ said to the Jewes for their carnall censure of him Iudge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement yea judge not that yee bee not judged For rather then rashly judge of others those which survive the righteous have just cause to feare some present evils and labour by unfained repentance if it
and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be And yet I am perswaded hee was not ignorant that God by Samuel had ordained him to bee Kingâ— over Israel for that was not done in aâ— corner all the Elders of the city of Bethlehem were callâ—d to his anointing And Abigail Nabals wife was confident That God would make him a sure house But in this Nabal was very politique for hee did pretend that David was a rebell against the Prince and aâ— disturber of the peace of the Common-wealth for so much his words import viz. There be many servants that now adayes run away from their masters And so much for his obduration Thirdly a Rocke as it is a hard stony place so it is a steepy craggy and dangerous place either to goe up or come downe for man or horse if it bee on the land and in the sea if a ship lights â—n a Rocke it is surely torne in pieces Now I cannot tell whether Nabal was â—uch a covetous churle that ships richâ—y laden I meane men of great estates were undone by him in taking the preâ—ent forfeiture of bonds or other pledges I doe not read that he did so grind â—he face of the poore debitor Buâ— it is â—laine he was very dangerous fo◠〈…〉 gle â—oore men to come neare his owne â—ervants could not give him a good word in truth for in his absence thus â—hey spake to their mistresse Our master â—s of such a currish dogged wicked disposiâ—ion that no man may speak to him but he â—â—leth at them And so much I thought good to write to prove Nabal a Rocke And now I am to declare how God made water to flow out of this Rocke but as I did not describe a naturall rock so I doe not meane naturall water but metaphoricall something in the likenes of water for as water is welcome to a â—hirsty body so is reliefe to the poore and as water refresheth the parched ground so doth joy and comfort the pensive spirit In both which respects you shall behold water to flow out of this Rocke First for the water of reliefe that 's plaine by the Text for now David being pursued by Saul arose and went downe to the wildernesse of Pacun a barren place where being destitute of provision for himselfe and 600. men strucke this Rocke with the rod of his mouth in a faire and gentle manner by friendly and loving salutations thus Both thou and thy house and all that thou hast be in peace wealth and prosperity Behold I have heard that thou â—ast shearers Now thy shepheards were with us and we did them no hurt neither did they misse any thing all the while they were in Carmel aske thy servants and they shall show thee wherefore let these young men finde favour in thine eyes for wee come in a good season Give I pray whatsoever commeth to thy hand unto thy servants and to thy sonne David But no water issuing forth of this Rock he did intend to hew it in pieces as appeares by these words Indeed I have kept in vaine all that this fellow had in the wildernesse so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him for hee hath required me evill for good so and more also doe God unto the enemies of David for surely I will not leave of all that hee hath by the dawning of the day any that pisseth against the wall And herein David was like unto Moses for God commanded Moses but to speake to the Rocke and he presently strikes it But God prevented Davids striking for before hee could come to have a view of the rock the water of reliefe and refreshment 200. cakes and two bottles of wine 5. sheepe ready dressed and 5. measures of parched corne 100. frailes of Reisons and 200. of figs came purling downe by a secret place of the mountaine in a faire and lovely pipe I meane by the meanes of discreet and beautifull Abigail Seâ—â—ndly for the water of comfort marke I pray how that flowed from this Rocke Time was when David was had in honour and reputation for his wisdome valour and skill in musicke so that he was praised of the women in their songs â—aul hath slaine his thousand and David hâ—â— ten thousand loved of all Israel and Iuda because he went out and in before them and honoured of Sâ—ul himselfe though more for feare then for love because the Lord was with him and that he behaved himselfe more wisely then any of his servants who promised him his eldest daughter in marriage to be a snare unto him but deceived him of Merab as Laban deceived Iacob of Rachel yet when it was told him that Michol his daughter loved David hee was well pleased that he should purchase her with the hazard of his life yet whereas Saâ—l bargained but for a hundred of the Philistins fore-skins David paid him two hundred so just are the godly in all their dealings But he enjoyed the comfort of his deare purchase but a short time for then Sauls malice began to flame and plainly to shew it selfe which a long time before lay hid in the straw of dissimulation and hypocrisie for after that time Saul hunted after him as a Partridge on the mountaines as himselfe complaines so that his soule was even parched and dried up with griefe and sorrow Now â—â— the midst of these troubles behold how God comforted him for after hee â—aw that he was bereaved of Michol his â—oving wife whom Saul gave to Phaltiel and after that God had slaine his enemy â—â—bal who ten dayes before his death â—ade a Feast like a King Yet that is â—range for how could he being a churle â—s the Scripture affirmes spare so much â—ost and come into such a merry humor â—s to drinke himselfe drunke Me thinkes â—e should bee rather tearmed a generous Gentleman a good fellow and a joviall Companion Oh me I have found it he as a churle for all that for he made a â—â—st like Dives to the rich and mighty â—ch as himselfe and was merry with â—em to keepe himselfe in good reputatiâ— with great men of the world but had â— care of poore Lazarus that was ready starve at his gate for want of cloathes cover his naked diseased body and bread and drinke to satisfie his hungrâ— and thirsty appetite he did not rememb 〈…〉 the afflictions of Ioseph nor the troubles â— David and for his servants he could oâ—der them well enough so that as he live snarling and barking like a dogge so he dyed grumbling and grunting like a hog and for ought I know without any repentance of his former evill life because it said his heart dyed within him and became like a stone which was more fâ— feare of the danger he was in then for anâ— remorse he had of his sinnes yet out â— this stony hard rocke God brought thâ— water of comfort to
our free justification Not by mans workes but by the holy Ghost Inspiring saving faith but I almost In this most sacred Theme my selfe had lost Then how wee 're justifi'de therein to shew What Graces in Repentance Garden grow How in the heart springs sorrowfull Contrition How in the lips doth sprout humble Confession How satisfaction from the hands dâ— flow To them we wrong'd Repâ—â—â—ance true to show How wee should die to sinne and live to God But in this Theam I make too long abode Yet not too long but that my Wit 's unable My Brain 's too shallow and my selfe unstable Therefore I 'll leave it unto all Divines That in such things should spend their pains and times For â— have small skill in me to reveale The Love of God which I must needs conceile For that bright glory I cannot expresse It is encitâ—h that my weâ—ke shallownesse Can onâ—ly thinke of that same mighty power Which is prepared in that heavenly Bower For to describe it fully any man By pen and inke neuer be able can Therefore â—â—e draw a vâ—ilâ— before mine eyes Not dâ—ring to behold such mysteriâ—s Which is so great thâ— like never eye saw This well is deepe I have no pale to draw Eare h 〈…〉 h not hard nor the heart understood What God prepara'hath for his childrens good How as his earthly Globe doth fâ—r surpasse In beauty and aâ—lights that darkesome place Of our Nativity so heav'nly bliss Doth farre â—urmount all that in this world is How mortall bodies subjest to corruption Shal be immortall without interruption How that the soule shal be fil'd with the sight Of God and Saints in that Celestiall light And there I hope for to behold my wife For here she liv'd a Godly quiet life Oh here is Love past all mans apprehension And therfore farre beyond my dull invention Therfore I 'll cease in this discourse and pray That God may keepe me in a vertuous way That I in God may comprehended be For I 'm not able to hold him in me Yet why thus say I if I living be I truely dwell in God and he in me For God is Love and he that dwels in Love Doth dwell in God but this is farre above My apprehension fully to relate The rare conjunction of this hapy state Oh Lord I pray thee send thy Love in me That I againe may returne mine to thee Then shall I praise thee with a thankefull heart When thou thy Love thus to me doth impart Now I 'll conclude with praise unto thy might For thus inabling my weake hand to write Soli Deo Honor Gloria A briefe Meditation of Mans Love LOve is a Passion of the heart seated in the affections and called by the Philosophers A mentaâ—â— vertue because it is a longing desire of the minde to be united to the beloved object There are three kindes or species of Love The first is divine spirituall and heavenly The second is carnall earthly and sinfull The third is humane civill and naturall The first love is pious and onely makes happy The second is sinfull and only makes miserable The third is vertuous and commendable The first love is proper to the pious Religious man The second is proper to the sinfull wicked man The third is proper to the civill honest man Thus Love may be compared to water conveied from the fountaine of the heart in these three pipes first if we consider this liquor running in the first channell then we shall finde it to bee pure cleare and the onely saving water of life In whose heart soever this divine spirituall and heavenly liquor springs shall never thirst but rests alwayes satisfied in prospeâ—â—ty â—â— is â—â—mperâ—te and humble and in adversity he is patient and meeke in what state of life soever hee is in hee is therewith content He is in this world but is not of this world He useth the things of this life as though he used them not his delight is in grace and goodnesse and all evill wayes he utterly abhorres for although he walketh upon the earth his conversation is in heaven he is truly a heavenly minded man he really fulfilleth the commandements of the first Table in the Decalogue he loves the Lord with all his heart with all his minde and with all his strength nothing is so comfortable to him as the favour of God nothing so fearfull as his displeasure nothing so desirable as grace and nothing so haâ—efull as sinne while the ship of his soule doth sayle upon the troublesome waves of this miserable world no storme of persecution can stay or hinder his heavenly course of godlinesse till it arive at the haven of eternall happinesse because the anchor of this ship is a stedfast hope cast upon the firme rock Christ Jesus her cables are a strong confidence fast bound to the maine mast of a lively saving and justifying faith her lading is no vaine merchandize or trumperies but rare jewells and costâ—y ornaments even the rich treasury of the graces of Gods Spirit The Pilot is the word of God which at the last will guide her to the desired haven This man waâ—kes upon the earth as a stranger and pilgrim The world is but his Inne wherein hee lodging for a night departeth in the morning Heaven is his Countrey there rests his love there lyes his treasure there is his heart here he hath many enemies the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and pride of life The world the flesh and the Divell against these he is strongly armed with the whole armour of God for the defence of the head the helmet of salvation for the defence of the heart the brestplate of righteousnesse for the loines the girdle of verity for the safeguard of the feet shoos of the preparation of the Gospell of peace and â—or the defence of the whole man the shield of faith wherewith he quencheth all the fiery darts of Satans suggestions blunteth the edge of the worlds allurements and dulleth the heat of fleshly temptations his offensive weapon is onely the sword of the Spirit which he cunningly using cutteth off all sinne for the word of God is lively and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword for it cutteth through even to the dividing assunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joynts and the marrow It is an axe with which the whole tree of sinne with his forbidden fruit is hewn downe with these weapons the man that is inflamed with the love of God will trample upon the flesh despise and contemne the world resist the Divell and at the day of death by the assisting grace of his Captaine Christ Jesus will conquer and overcome sinne death and hell and be carried by the Angells of God into heaven the place of happinesse where he shall hold a perpetuall feast sing an everlasting song weare an incorruptible Crowne possesse an eternall Inheritance and fully enjoy his love with endlesse joy content
and rest Secondly if wee consider this liquor running in the second current then wee shall finde it to bee muddy foule loathsome and the onely poysonous and soul-killing water in whose heart soever this carnall earthly and sinfull liquor springs shall ever thirst and never be satisfied he is in every thing contrary to the former lover hee is never contented with his estate In prosperity he is proud presumptuous and cruell and in adversity hee is desperate fretfull and envious His minde is onely upon earth and fading transitory riches hee careth for no heavenly grace so he may have carnall pleasure he takes no care for his soule but all his care is to pamper his body he accounteth the godly simple fooles and esteemes them as the off-scowring among the people he boasteth himselfe in the multitude of his riches and solaceth himselfe in his pleasures he thinkes hee shall live for ever upon eâ—â—th and puts the day of death a farrâ— off hee caâ—eth not by what meanes he getteth â—is riches so hee may goe bravely and fare deliciously every day Thus the lover of carnall and flâ—shly delights will not feare to commit adultery gluttony drunkennesse c. fulfill the dâ—sire or lust of the flesh And thus the lâ—ver of the world will venture to commâ—t coveâ—ousnesse oppression cruelty c. to fulfill and satisfie the lust of the eyes and pride of liâ—e The man thâ—t is inflamed with this love liveth upoâ—â—he earth as a Citizen in his owne C 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world dandleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 child◠〈…〉 ding his desire with richâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flâ—sh pâ—mpereâ—h him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—eding his desire with plâ—â—sure and dâ—l 〈…〉 and the Devill fostereth him as his father by perswading him that he is in a happy condition yet he is in subjection to the world a servant to the flesh and a slave to the divell Thus he lives in seeming happinesse and dyes in reall misery and or one drop of the shadow of comfort loseth an Ocean of true consolation Thirdly and lastly if wee looke upon this liquor running in the third pipe wee shall finde it to be clean good and wholesome waâ—er Iâ— whose heart soever this humane â—viâ—l and naturall liquor springs may rest satisfied for a time but this cannot give the heart any true content except it proceed from the first love which in a good Christian are never separate for he that truly loveth God will love his brother also but he that hath not this charitable love for so we may terme it cannot have the first love as the Apostle testifieth saying If any man saith hee loveth God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seene love God whom hee hath not seene Yet this love may be without the first as appeares in divers of the Heathen Philosophers who have exceeded many Christians in morall vertues yet were without the divine spirituall and heavenly love for they did not know God nor the mystery of godlinesse and therefore had no faith and consequently could not have the first love which proceedeth from faith The man that is inflamed with this love doth really fulfill the commandments of the second Table in the morall Law he loves his neighbour as himselfe this is a true charitable man he hath dispersed abroad and given to the poore hee doth much good in the world he relieves the needy helpes the oppressed feeds the hungry instructs the ignorant comforts the comfortlesse c. he layes for himselfe here a good foundation by good workes and shall at the last receive the reward of his labour if he faint not This love doth in large it selfe into three severall species or pipes In the first runnes that humane love wherewith we love all mankinde as they are men of one common nature with us In the second runnes that civill love wherewith wee love our owne Countrey and Nation as they are men brought up under one civill government in Lawes and Religion with us and in the third pipe runnes that naturall love wherewith we love our kindred or friends as they are of the bloud or to whom wee are bound by some speciall obligation of amity To let the humane and civill love runne out as men are pleased to convey it forth from the fountaine of their heart I will onely fix my meditations upon this naturall love and of that I will not write any thing of the love of parents to their children or brother to brother c. although I know their love may bee very great But I will onely insist to write what that natural love is wherewith a man is affected to a woman And herein I would not bee understood to meane that lustfull love which is commonly covered under this title although experience shewes that it is very powerfull in whose heart soever it is kindled and is a raging passion as all love is if it bee not kept in as fire within the chimny the sea within his bounds It is a foolish madnesse a labyrinth of errour and a miserable thraldome before it can be obtained But if the lover doth fulfill his desire what hath he got but a racke to his minde a torture to his soule a gibbet to his conscience a staine to his reputation and a pleasing yet fatall poyson This breeds a consumption in his purse rottennesse in his bones and a blot in his good name But if this love bee in the lawfull way of marriage as this kinde is seldome to that effect then if the lover doth make his choice onely for the beauty of the body without any respect to the qualities of the minde hee may finde one that may please his eye but commonly she proves a wanton Hellen or a trayterous Dallila one that will consume his wealth and worke his destruction or else such a one that will make him a scoffing stocke to the world by cunning planting upon his head Acteons livery Thus for pleasure he gets misery and for a beautifull outside embraceth a snake in his bosome poyson in his meat and gall in his drinke Againe I would not bee understood to meane that covetous desire which is also commonly clothed with this title and in these dayes chiefly embraced when a man doth onely chuse a wife for riches although hee cannot like her person much lesse love her Such may meet with one that may fulfill his desire with wealth but commonly she proves a scolding Xantippe one that will be alwayes scolding railing and taunting him and with whom hee shall never live one quiet houre Thus for a little wealth he is alwayes pinched with a strait shooe lives in continuall vexation and at the last is forced to leave her because he cannot live quietly with her But this is not the love which I purpose to describe for this is carnall earthly and sinfull but the other is naturall honest and commendable which is an honest desire of the