others to dine with him or would haue others also to dine after him or rather seekes for some to dine before him It was now the height of the sunne and heate of the day Gen. 18 1. a time when men would both be iourneying and wearied in their iourneyes The heate of the day the fittest time to entertaine strangers in for they would now most need refreshment There is an aptnesse to all things and a due time for euery duty Our best actions are more laudable because seasonable and-then most acceptable when most opportune It is no courtesie to bid a man eate when his belly is full nor is it thankesworthy to doe a man an vnnecessary office Hospitality seekes not whom to surfet but refresh and therefore takes her time when to feede not cloy What call yee it to surcharge mens superfluities this is Charity to relieue the necessities of men He that will onely bid me eate after dinner I will thanke him as much as though I did and but doe as much as though I thankt him Not onely is Abraham doore open for any to comein but he sits there besides lest any man might passe by True Hospitallers are ready not onely to admit but inuite their Guests It is not enough that strangers are not neglected but this is iâ— that they are intreated That is charity indeede not onely to take but euen seeke out occasions to doe good And now while Abraham sits so vnder the shadow of his Tent whether naturally to shield his body from the ayres then vehement iniury ciuilly to spye out Passengers the expected obiects of his entertainement of religiously to contemplate vpon Gods present benefits or future promises now what a wondrous vouchsafement The Lord loath to let slip so â—ayre an opportunity clad in pilgrims weedes presents himselfe on the sudden as an obuious guest to the expectation of so hearty an Hoste God takes his opportunities to vtter himselfe to his Saints and Seruants And while perhaps wee thinke not on him approaches vs in that manner we thinke not of Abrahams eyes were fixt to a solitary meditation yet can those rolling organs no sooner remoue their station Gen. 18.2 then behold good company at hand He lift vp his eyes and looked and loe three Men aloofe before him Euen in the twinâ—kling of an eye God giues vs occasion to doe good Who so waytâ—s to doe well cannot long want matter to worke vpon the Head or Members still administer opportunity to his expectation Now sees Abraham on a sudden what his eyes haue so long wayted for Hee creepes not vnder the couert of his Tent as one that would haue his eye as farre from inuitation as his heart is from entertainement Nor sits he still as a Porter in his Tent doore to demand their businesse ere hee admit their entrance He stickes not to stirre out for a wet shooe or a sun-burnt face No weathers extremity can so iniure his body as their now omission would his minde Wherefore to let them know they are not come â—re welcome hee not onely tarryes to expect them but with like alacrity and celerity hee ranne to meet them God intrudes not where man inuites not Neither is he then a guest saue vpon intreaty His gifts are of more worth then to come vncalled He may wel misse of Grace that onely sits him downe to expect her My Soule when the Bridegroome commeth by thee see thou carelesly stay not for him but shewing readinesse euen beyond ability doe him this honour as to goe out and meet him And must he himselfe needes goe meet them Why first sends he not forth his seruants to see who they were to inquire whether they were friends or foes neighbours or strangers vnknowne or of acquaintance to aske who they are and whence what they intend and whether they would Free-hearts are plaine positiue little inquisitiue or not at all Charity is alwaies more bounteous then curious and Hospitality is not so busie to examine as ready to entertaine It is the common vie I know to question rather then relieue I had rather misse such an ones kindenesse then answere his obiections But I maâ—uell not so much that Abraham goes so to meete them as that hee bowes so to salute them In all likelihood hee should rather haue lookt for that office from them then done it to them He was at home and a Lord in attendance they but trauellers and as trauellers vse but meane in appearance he graue and gray-headed they as Angels appeare vsually but yong to see to Hee one to entertaine them and they such as might be beholden to him And yet as if hee had seene and knowne them to haue beene more ancient and honourable then himselfe and they as ready to doe him the kindenesse as he them while he would be beneficiall as if hee were bound to be thankefull Gen. 18.2 hee bowed himselfe to the ground Many are proud though but to inuite Abraham is humble euen to entertaine Others thinke they haue highly merited in the offer of a kindenesse or endeauour he betokens how much he is obliged if so his courtesie may but be accepted A man iâ— not hospitable vniesse humble withall Better not relieue then therefore to contemne To boast them beholden to him for his cheare this were to spill it in the bosomes of his guests Nâ— vnkindenesse to a hindenesse boasted or vpbraided I hate to haue roast and be beaten with the spit It could not but sticke in my stomacke that were so cast into my teeth Abraham ranne towards men but meets with Angels that of purpose this at vnawares God honours and rewards good workes in his Saints beyond both their knowledge and expectation Especially Hâ—spitality hath this honour who takes in Strangers hath God his Guest Hee that bids thus accept of all persons without acception vrges this as a sufficient recompence for such their cost and courtesie Be not forgetfull to entertaine Strangers Heb. 13.2 for thereby some meaning Abraham here for one haue receiued Angels vnawares How honourable are the hospitable whom euen Angels haue graced with their presence Abraham was wonted to relieue men and therefore worthy to receiue Angels Had he not done that duty this honour had not beene vnto him Because he bestowed on them that needed Hee will also accept that needs it not In as much as he did it to one of these little ones he takes it as done to him and will therefore haue him so doe to him as he did no one of those little ones Abraham was called the Friend of God Neuer was there as is vsuall amongst Friends the like familiaritie betwixt them as now when God sate and are with Abraham Iam. 2.23 Ah that old world and innocent they vnawares entertained Angels in Men Oh this our euill age and inhospitable wee wittingly in men exclude Saints They thought better indifferently to admit the bad then ignorantly to neglect the good we
cal'd are men of meane estates My Soule 's a Sister but of low degree If such may serue this Lord then well may Shee One's here first call'd neither for wit nor wealth For hee 's both simple and a Fisherman Yet when he heares the voyce of sauing health Leaues all and followes with all speed he can My soule will all but him for him reiect Who emptied himselfe for his elect The Lord inquiring of his owne repute Since others misse demands his seruants dâ—â—me This Seruant whilst the rest are flow or mute With ready answer giues him true esteems My soule thinke not his fellowes were so weake That he spoke first because they could not speake Forthwith the Master doth the Seruant blesse For 's good opinion to him giues the Keyes To shut to open vnto more and lesse To whose iust censure heauen and earth obeyet My soule sayes he was not alone here blest Nor had the power before aboue the rest The Seruant-being highly thus rewarded For 's Masters sake he vowes to spend his breath But when he should his Master most haue guarded Then shrinkes for feare of danger and of death My Soule takes it a lesson of humility Not to presume 〈…〉 ability Traytours assault his Lords him smite and scoffâ— As Lyon Lambe to den so him they hale For feare of such he followes a farre off His promise he forgets his heart â—iâ—e failâ—â— My soule the strength is Gods in us is showne But weakenesse we haue nothing of our owne Ere long it so fals out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Sexe Age Office impotent and weake Yet as ' gainst Champion stout his courage quaiks She vrges him the truth he dares not speakâ— My soule obserues weake motiues spurre apace To sinne in breast where feare is voyd of grace Thrice in a fraile taxation him she tryes Thy voyce Quoth she bewrayes that thou art one Through feare as fraile thrice he againe denyes Cursing and swearing sayes he I am none My Soule when sinne 's on foot each prouocation Besides increase of sinne is aggrauation While thrice hee 's tempted and while thrice he sinnes Thrice claps the watchfull Bird wakes him from sleepe His Master to him beckes and he beginnes To call his fault to minde goes out to weepe My soule 〈◊〉 He fell himselfe PRACTIQVE THEORIES OR Votiue Speculations Vpon Sauls Cruelty Pauls Conuersion By IOHN GAVLE LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Robert Allot and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Blacke Beare 1630. Practique Theories OR Votiue Speculations VPON Sauls Cruelty SAtan ere he fell thought none since his fall would none better then himselfe His venome boyled and brast out vpon vs because we stood and fell not we fell and rose againe sith himselfe sanke vtterly and past recouery Whether of Deuils or Men Malice and Sinne are equally aged and semblably euill Both haue the same Name and Guise as if there were no sinne but malice Malice is as much as sinne in generall and as if malice were a sinne by it selfe there is a malice which is a particular sinne Briefely they borrow and repay each other in a mutuall loane Malice is not but sinfull nor sinne but malicious All euill is enuious The Good which a bad man will not imitate hee cannot but enuy Alwayes either doe our owne vices irke vs or else the vertues of another And who grieues not because himselfe is euill he commonly repines because another is good I wonder not at such enuy inraged when I consider the enmity foretold I will put enmity betwixt thee Gen. 3.15 and the Woman and betwixt thy seed and her seed God himselfe hath prouoked and proclaimed open hostility and euerlasting enmity betwixt Satan and the Saints The quarrell pertained not to our Fore-father alone but his successions It was no more theirs betwixt whom it first began then ours to whom it is still deriued God indeed loues and likes loue and vnity in his creatures but preferres a iust warre before an vniust peace betwixt them Betwixt whom peace and familiarity hath beene dangerous and euill there warre and hostility is both good and profitable Better a pious warfare then a vitious couenant My God was my friend in making me and the Deuill foes I were his foe then should I seeke or grant to be reconciled against my God If God bee with mee who can be against me I but scatter if I gather not with him So God loue me let the Deuill enuy me Oh let me haue peace and amity with God in Christ warre and enmity with the Deuill and sinne It was sinne that separated betwixt God and man that put enmity betwixt the Deuill and man but it can combine and make friends betwixt man and man How soone are we sworne Brethren in iniquity The most froward and thwarting spirits will easily agree to be euill If it be to drinke iniquity like water Lord how wee draw all at the same Well! if it be to draw sinne with cartropes and iniquity with cords of vanity how wee toyle together and sweate and blow vnder one yoke There is no peace to the wicked within themselues yet haue they a kinde of couenant one with another How the Serpents claspe and climbe together Euen Iayes and Crowes take pleasure to bee birds of a feather euen the Wolues will flocke and Apes hugge The wicked haue their mutuall and malitious imbracements And which is the worst confederacy their agreement is not so much amongst themselues as against the godly The wicked conspire not so much in being as in doing euill Euill men arride not onely in this that they are so themselues as that they would doe so to others Beware the flocke when the Foxes consult or Wolues come together It is alwayes against the true-man that the theeues shake hands Iudas consulted with the Priests against Christ So consents Saul to the people against a Christian Not onely the people stone Steuen Act. 8.1 but Saul was also consenting to his death The onely agreement with euill men is to consent vnto their euill And this is euermore the first entrance into euill to consent vnto it Sinne creeps on by consent It is bold indeed to insinuate with vs but so as it askes our admission Sinne intrudes not but with our leaue nor are we guilty of any temptation but so as we yeeld vnto it No man is euill against his will nor doe we at any time sinne against our owne consent Our owne euill is not ours if we consent not to it and to consent vnto iâ— makes anothers euill our owne Oh my God! am I not wicked vnlesse I will Alas Lord none but thou can dispose my will to any thing but wickednesse I cannot shunne Lord strengthen mee to resist Temptations Sinne would daily intrude into my soule my God giue mee grace not to admit of sinne To behold euill and not forbid it is to consent vnto it For he confesses
would rather then admit any neglect all Our age I call it and inhospitable wherein euery man is grudging of his owne and enuious of anothers No man is now inuited but to his owne cost none entertained but to his much reproach Mens hearts and harbours are so cold makes Angels keepe at home God is rather refused in a stranger then a stranger receiued for Gods sake O all ye mercilesse men looke whom ye neglect nay despise rather in the Stranger Traueller Poore and Needy You now thrust him from you with rebukes that shall once tell you to your shame Mat. 25.43 I was a a stranger and ye tooke me not in He shall then iustly barre heauen gates against you whose bowels of compassion were so cruelly shut against your Brethren Yet taking a narrow view of these his wished and welcome Guests he not onely beginnes somewhat to perceiue that his men are no worse then Angels but also one of his Angels no lesse then God It was He came now in the shadow that after was to come in the substance of the flesh Abraham now saw him somewhat with a fleshly whom hee wholly saw with a ghostly eye He said it certainely of this day more then others and next to that Day indeed Abraham reioyced to see my day Ioh. 8.56 and saw it and was glad Abraham ranne toward Three he worshipped but one Three he saw and but one hee called his Lord. The high and holy Trinity is here well assimalated but I thinke little intented may hence be intimated but cannot be here presented The good Guests were modest it was therefore Abraham was so earnest Because they were bashfull ought hee to bee obsequious and therefore to bow in the offer lest they might blush in the acceptation That they might not blush to be beholden hee confesses himselfe fauoured Gen. 18.3 If I haue found fauour in thy sight passe not away I pray thee from thy Seruant It is many times a fauour to take as to doe a kindenesse Nor at all times lyes the fauour in the office but interpretation The hospitable thinke them fauoured when they may but fauour and conceit they giue not but receiue For indeed he hath the benefit himselfe that doth it to the deseruing I will confesse my God fauours mee that hee will but daine to accept my duty It is not good to be proud in doing good See what an hearty not haughty inuitation he salutes reuâ—rently and inuitâ—s with humility My Lord passe not away I pray thee from thy seruant To haue done it as they vse in a pride or humour had beene enough to haue made them not onely refuse but distast his kindenesse But if I haue found fauour in thy sight sayes hee as if the whole were but their vouchsafement and as if himselfe did no more but his duty Gen. 18 5. he sayes Therefore are yee come vnto your seruant True patterne is he of hospitality with what expedition reuerence cheerefulnesse doth hee meete salute inuite And yet Free-heart makes hee cold complements the least part of good entertainement How he takes himselfe highly fauoured in the acceptation of his so humbly proffered seruice Wee haue no worth before God but goe all by fauour This is to finde fauour in his sight that our duties are accepted before him It is a great blessing of God where Grace is vouchsafed a daily guest for there is a continuall feast Her entertainement is euery mans grace and fauour was neuer any mans disaduantage or dishonour I will therfore sweep mine house dresse my meate draw my wine spreade my table decke my chamber and accordingly seeke and sue vnto her If I haue found fauour in thy sight passe not away I pray thee from thy seruant How faine and fairely hee would insinuate with them Any wayes to perswade them to take his kindenesse Gen. 18.4.5 Let a little water I pray you be brought and wash your feete and rest your selues vnder the tree And I will bring a morsell of bread that you may comfort your hearts afterward yee shall goe your wayes Trauellers he knew were both hungry and hasty Some refreshment he intimates vnto them is not onely requisite but ready for them he promises them they shall not stay long for a little and since they came but to him by the way hee will not so stay them but that they may goe their way The Angels came purposely to fire Sodome yet all agree to feast with Abraham by the way God is ready at once to fauour the good and plague the bad can together heape iudgements vpon the vngodly and shew mercy vnto his Saints Mercy and iudgement are in his right hand and in his left Lord let my Soules be not the Geates but the Sheepes Seate and Lot The mans modesty offers his Guests a pittance a little water a morsell of bread but his bounty performes it with abundance Cakes and butter and milke and the Calfe tender and good He inuites them onely to a modicum that his guests might not gather by him they should bee chargeable but rather welcome to him A good man will say well and doe better and is one that alwayes intends more good then he vtters Humility instructeth to thinke the worst of what we are and so modesty to speake the least of what wee haue Discretion offers courtesies with the least albeit shee intends them with the most But alas vice is vertues ape Complement the worlds Fashion-monger is growne into fauour Her guise is also to mince out her inuitations to a morsell when she places her Guests to a superfluity of messes Were my seate at her table I know not whether I could rather commend her courtesie or complaine of her curiosity seeing I discerne not whether it be after her owne prodigality or for my welcome The rude and churlish refusall of a well profered courtesie argues plainely either ignorance or immodesty Abraham requests his vnexpected and scarce yet perceiued great strangers no lesse would hee haue done had he found them as yet he thought them meaner to be pleased to wash rest and cate with him for each purpose offering them Water a Tree and Bread And all this not offered ere accepted Gen. 28.5 So doe as thou best said How ready is Gods Spirit to imbrace the good motions of our hearts entertainement He that stands at the doore and knockes ere wee are ready to open will doubtlesse when wee willingly set ope our gates to receiue him not refuse to enter O be thou open thou euerlasting doore of my heart that the King of glory may come in Abraham himselfe was now but a stranger and yet he entertaines strangers Hee that had not an house wherein to lay his owne head affords his Guests a Tree to rest vnder God loues a cheerefull giuer though but according to what he hath The Widdowes Mite he esteemes a Talent And measures what we doe oft times by what wee would as