justifie these their own projects not by force of Armes but Arguments I make no doubt but they will apparently be found though not so unwilling to attempt it as heathenish Papinian for what dare they not undertake yet more unable to performe it Strange imaginations spring out of every dunghill but solid and substantiall reasons grow but in few grounds XXVI LYcurgus saith Plutarch was not so well advised when seeing the Lacedemonians drink too much and fall to drunkennesse and so to further Sin he commanded to cut down their Vines and would not suffer any to grow in that Common-wealth It had been better saith he to have digged wels near to the Vines so have allaied and asswaged the strength and licorishnesse of wine with water If our Fonts if our Communion-Tables Pulpits Seates Temples have been abused in time of Popery with a multitude of Superstitious Ceremonies and needlesse inventions what shall we therefore use them no more Rather let us use them no more so What shall we therefore give them over that were strange frowardnesse and folly Rather let us use them better And even herein have we the example of our blessed Lord and Saviour who did not condemne Moses chaire for the life of a Pharisee but preached where they had preached though they were notorious hypocrites though he denounced so many woes against them as against none more yea though the Temple in his time were become a den of theeves yet then and there sent he up devout and holy Prayers XXVII PLiny the younger a Panym writing unto Trajan an heathen Emperour of the conversation and behaviour of the Christians of that time confesseth them free from all faults and offences both against Prince and people excepting this that before break of day they usually met and prayed together and sang praises unto God An excellent example in the general for all Christians to the worlds end to keep themselves unspotted from the world and to keep their devotion at all times sharp and ready But O! if there were a Certificate now to be made our Christian people could not be charged with any such fault for not onely praying on the week day with one accord in the Temple but even praying on the Sabbath is grown quite out of request Preaching or rather the shew or shadow of it hath thrust Praying quite out of doores O Supplications whither are you fled O Prayers whither are you gone O Intercessions and giving of thanks what is become of you O come againe you Supplications and Prayers O returne you Intercessions and giving of thanks Oh that all such may be usually made againe for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie (o) 1 Tim. 2.1 2. XXVIII I Reade how the Christians living under Prester John the great King of Aethiopia who professeth the faith of Christ though not so purely as it were to be wished are bound under great penalties whensoever they have received the holy Sacrament not so much as once to spit untill the going downe of the Sun (p) Mat. Dres Fearing no doubt lest they should any way seeme to sleight those holy mysteries wherein the unspeakable benefit of life everlasting purchased for them by the death and passion of Jesus Christ is graciously represented unto them There is no Nation under the Sunne better instructed in the knowledge of the Sacraments or any other points conducing to Salvation then our English people are And yet what small difference are we foulely falne of late to make betweene the Bread and Wine at the Communion and at other common times O are we afraid to spit presently after the receiving of them I mean Are we afraid of giving any apparence of want of respect Nay what rude and ungodly carriages and practices proceed from many of us both before and after wee have beene partakers of the Lords Table XXIX POlycarpus that ancient Father the Apostle Saint John's Scholar as he was led to punishment being perswaded by the Proconsul to save his life by the denying of Christ made this answer Fourscore and six years have I served him and he hath never hurt me how can I now sorsake him that hath hitherto preserved me (q) Euseb Eccl. Hist lib. 4. c. 15. Though not fourscore and six yeares yet many yeares may many say they have religiously observed the memory of Christs Nativity Circumcision Passion victorious Resurrection glorious Ascension into heaven and gracious sending of the holy Ghost upon his Disciples neither have they received any evill any unkindnesse from him all this while O unthankful creatures then unworthy to live move or have their being if any thing should make them now to leave off serving him at such times and fall a serving themselves XXX THe humanity of Theseus was much talked of and wondred at in that he vouchsafed with his own hands to wash the dead carkasses of his Souldiers slain at Thebes What shall we say or think of the goodnesse of our grand Captaine CHRIST Lord of Lords who was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities and with whose stripes we are healed (r) Esay 53.5 who for our sake did sweat drops of blood trickling downe to the ground (Å¿) Luke 22.44 who disdained not to wash away our sins with his owne most precious blood shall we not talk of him shall we not wonder at him shall we not willingly take up all occasions to remember him shall we grudge him any day that ever was celebrated in remembrance of any of his unmatchable benefits XXXI AUgerius Busbequius somtimes Ambassadour to the great Turke assureth us that in their Synagogues they use so great reverence that if they doe but with one finger scratch their heads whilst they are worshipping they think all their Devotion is lost yea they use to say Would we not be carefull of all our respects our gestures our looks our words if we were to speak with one of the Bassaes How much more then when we speak to God (t) Legat. Turcicae Epist 3. How much worse then are they then Turks who come into their publick assemblies where God hath promised to be more especially present without any such spirits of lowlinesse and dread without any such meditations or thoughts of awe to obey him or feare to displease him and there speak to God as unreverently and rashly as if they were amongst their companions Should they come with the like disrespect and unmannerly speech but to an earthly Judge Take away that saucie fellow saith the Judge Commit him O remember that God standeth in the congregation of Princes he is a Judge amongst Gods (u) Psal 82.1 O consider that even Kings and Princes are to praise God and all the Judges of the world (w) Psal 148.11 XXXII THeodosius the Emperour being by perswasion moved to keep from the Church till he had
HERMES-THEOLOGUS or New Descants upon OLD RECORDS Rom 2 22. thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Rom. 10.12 The new Testament Gen. 17.9 The old Testament The Christian Math. â—6 24. The Iewe Isa. 29. 10. The Turke in Math. 24. 5. 24. The Pagan Psal 7 â— 11. Hermes Theologus OR A Divine MERCURIE Dispatcht with a grave Message OF NEW DESCANTS VPON OLD RECORDS No lesse delightfull in the best sense then truly usefull for these Times By THEOPH WODENOTE B. D. sometime fellow of Kings Colledge in CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed for R. ROYSTON 1649. THE PREFACE To the Readers Readers THese insuing meditations so well fitted so pathetically penned and so rightly applied to the present temper of these unhappy times need no Preface to make way for them unto your friendly acceptance if there be in your breasts any true remaines of Conscience or candour nor yet any letters of commendation to ingratiate their Author into your good opinions they alone do fully declare him a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdome of God who like a good housholder as you may here find brings forth out of his Treasure things new and old But my reading them together with the consideration of him and his present condition gives occasion and I hope without offence to breathe forth the passions of a grieving spirit that melteth daily for the desolations of Christs Vineyard here amongst us by the violent and cruell ejection of those faithfull and skilfull husband-men whom he had inabled and imployed to dresse and till the same of which number this truely Reverend and Godly Author was one whose name and face perhaps is strange in these more publick and active parts of the Kingdome but that you may the better know him be pleased to understand that he is a man of Isaacs spirit one of God Almighties inward acquaintance that converseth oft in secret with him and hath skill to contemplate on things that are high And as most sutable to so Divine a worke he made choice of a private life with violence thereby unto his owne Iustre his true worth disdaining the affectation of popular applause or to make a noise in the world as many do whose fame is best a far off where themselves are least known he was planted long ago in a remote part of this Kingdome where for above thirty years being Batchelour in Divinity of Antient standing he hath continued acting the part of a faithfull Minister ruling his flock with great prudence and discretion and feeding them with the food of heaven which he most skilfully dressed and rightly divided confining and applying himself within his proper sphear unto his owne people amongst whom he was a burning and a shining light and they as they had cause did rejoyce in his light they sat under his Ministry with great content and his Doctrine was sweet unto them they were in his heart and he in theirs to live to die and go to heaven together But when they that act as if they were borne to breake in sunder what God hath joyned had set up their banners in those quarters and begun their new-found Reformation in those parts a most sorrowfull separation was quickly made between this Godly Pastor and his loving flock for he being throughly guilty of the scandals of these times scil of Learning piety wisdome Loyalty obedience honesty and such like and so not capable to be an Apostate from the Gospel he had taught was thought fit for that cause to be cast aside as a broken sheard or a thing of no use in these daies of new lights and revelations and so was suspended from his labours silenced from Preaching and Sequestred from his Living to the end that he and his flock as they had lived long most comfortably together might now at the last even perish and starve together he for want of Corporall food and they for want of Spirituall But behold from that evill of theirs good is sprung up to us from the darke condition of that particular Parish the World in generall hath gained light we that are a far off had not been acquainted with his graces if we had not been befriended by his Afflictions the savour of his spices had never reached our sences at so great a distance his humility did so hinder had they not been thus bruised and beaten This grave and good man being accustomed all his daies to take paines in Gods Vineyard had not learn'd to stand idle nor can his Aged years be perswaded to it though he be knockt off from his holy calling He cannot sleep his gray haires can take no rest but near unto if not within the house of God though he be banish'd from the Temple yet he must looke towards it though charged to publish Christ no more in the Congregation nor to Preach any longer that name yet the word of truth being like fire within him his spirit cannot rest nor can he forbeare but the Presse must receive something of him if the Pulpit doth exclude him For indeed the fire of the Sanctuary in a pious soule can never be extinguish'd nor can he that doth Gods worke for Gods sake ever be discouraged with all that Earth or Hell can do the love of Christ is more powerfull with him to constraine unto then the threats of men or Devils can be to affright from I must worke saies such a one the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night of death will come when I cannot worke as long as I am in the world I must be a light therein and hold forth some light to it a necessity lies upon me so to do and woe unto me if I Preach not if I reprove not if I detect not the worlds sin one way or other scriptis saltem si non dictis by writing at least if not by Preaching I must discharge a good conscience else how shall I appeare before my Judge at the reckoning day These or such like are the inward discourses of an honest heart and these doubtlesse are the resolves of this Reverend man who hath here sent us from the Spirituall Garden of his soul a Taste of divine fruit which we hope is but an Essay to a larger Banquet but a glimpse of Ophir where Gold is of a rich mine where pretious Treasures are to be found And most worthy are these his Meditations our serious view and friendliest acceptation for the resemblance they have and bear which is in speciall to be noted with that forme and manner of speaking used by our Saviour sure the lookes and language of this Author plainly shew whose Disciple he is and of what spirit T is said of Christ that he taught the people by parables and without a parable spake he not unto them and may not the same be affirmed of this man that he teacheth us by Parables and without an History or Similitude he speaketh not yea as Christ took occasion from every thing that occurred to
greatest delights they may have secret heart-burnings and grievous vexations what God and themselves only know The Lord hath spoken it twice and therefore it must needs be plaine and peremptory that there is no peace to the wicked t Esay 48.22.57 21. Their lookes may be sometimes lively but their hearts are alwayes heavy LXXXV DIonysius Heracleotes a soure and severe defender of that Stoicall unfeelingness of passions being tormented in his reines cried out that all things were false which he had till then held and maintained of paine and griefe as that it might be easily borne and endured whatsoever it was for now he felt the contrary that paine pincheth and will be felt and is able to make the strongest stoope notwithstanding all plaisters of phylosophie and humane reasons A wounded conscience many no doubt thinke is not so hard to bear as some talke may easily be salved up by many outward carnall helps Feasting and merry company eating and drinking musick and gaming and things of like nature can easily smooth it over but if ever they feele it indeed they will assuredly confesse that all such medicines are nought worth against spiritual qualmes and that the horrour of a terrified conscience is an importable burthen no way to be asswaged but by the only mediation of Christ Jesus LXXXVI PHilip King of Macedon said that he was bound to the Athenian Oratours which reviled him because they were to him as fire to gold wind to corne file to rust soape to linnen because they were an occasion to make him the more vertuous and advised and enforced him all his life long both in his actions and words to prove them lyars I will therefore so live saith he that no man shall beleeve them that if I cannot bar the mouthes of the slanderers yet I may stop the eares of the hearers u Plutar. in his Apotheg There is hardly now a learned Orthodoxe and consciencious Divine amongst us that is not traduced for a Papist by a sort of sawcy schismaticall hungry cormorants that gape for our meanes how wisely shall we profit by their malitious reproach if thereupon we carry our selves every day to the end of our lives more virtuously then other having better consciences that whereas they speak evill of us as evill doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ w 1 Pet. 3.16 LXXXVII CRates having lost all by shipwrack go too fortune quoth he I know what thou meanest thou intendest only to call me to Phylosophie Thus he being a Pagan that knew not fortune from God And shall Christians no sooner begin to fall into misery but be at their wits end shall not they perceive the end of Gods afflicting them that he doth it to instruct them the better to know him themselves and the world to know him whom they have so often offended and turne unto him by true repentance to know their mortall and fraile nature that weareth and wasteth away with outward crosses to know the mutability of the world and the deceitfulnesse of the world shall not they consider that when they are judged they are chastened by the Lord that they should not be condemned with the world x 1 Cor. 11 32. LXXXVIII I Read how Phydius was apt for all practises could turne his hand to any trade could shew his cunning as well in any other mettall or matter as in brasse This cannot all doe neither is it fit for all to do Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called y 1 Cor. 7.10 Study to be quiet and to do your owne businesse saith the Apostle z 1 Thes 4 11. It is not fit for men to meddle in other mens trades neither shall we likely find such another Phideas but howsoever a true Christian though he cannot fashion his hand to every trade yet should learne to frame his heart to every estate he should know how to rise and how to fall how to want and how to abound he should be able to swimme in prosperity without pride and to suffer in adversity without peevishnesse humbly and thankfully imbracing whatsoever favour the Lord sendeth him and kissing whatsoever cross he laieth on his back LXXXIX IN the Olympian combatings set forth and solemnized in the honour of Sathan they only woare the Crowne who overcame by doing harme to others they which struck the greatest blow went away with the prize but in our spirituall conflicts not they which strike but these which bear the greatest stroake shall go away with the reward they rather are Crowned who win the victory by suffering wrong of others suffering is the way to glory Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heaven for as they suffer here with Christ so they shall raigne hereafter with Christ Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falsely for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you a Mat. 5.10 11 12. XC WHat a bitter and cruell wrong was that offered to Mauritius the Emperour when his ungratefull subject and servant Phocas slew before his face his Wife and five Children And yet were not his thoughts so much upon the Adversary to be vexed as upon the righteous God to be humbled And yet spake he not one word to the enemy no not in such a woefull case b Abbas Urs 158. but considering weighing his own sins continued still crying till the sword sundred his head from his body just art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements Why then do we of inferiour places so many degrees behind Mauritius in these times of persecution so earnestly looke to the heavines and grievousnes of the wrongs offered why then do we so passionately presse the unkindnesse and injustice of the outward agents and instruments why do we not rather looke up as we ought to him that sitteth at the sterne and guideth all particulars why do we not rather recount and ponder how many wayes we our selves have offended God and our neighbours for which we may justly suffer why do we not rather consider that it commeth not upon us without our deserts because God is just nor will it be without our profit because God is good XCI EXceeding is the love of earthly heathenish mothers to children when Agrippena Neroes mother being with child with him was after great consultation seriously fore-told by Astrologers that her son should be Emperour but when he was advanced should kill his mother let me be slaine saith shee so he may raigne and much more no doubt is the love being better ordered by Gods word of true Christian parents but ô how infinite is Gods love to his adopted sons and daughters Can a woman forget her sucking child saith the Lord by the