best merits lighter then vanity that he I say will iustifie those that say in the pride of their heart Is not this great Babel that I haue built for my selfe and for the glory of my Maiesty am I not rich and righteous and haue need of nothing He shall find none iniquity in me that were wickednesse Seest thou a man that is thus proud in his owne eyes There is as much hope of a Publican as of such a one For euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low and euâ—ry one that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted So it is as God resisteth the proud or as the Originall speaketh more emphatically setteth himselfe in battell array against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he giueth grace to the humble he is many wayes gracious to him First in forgiuing him much as in the Gospell that seruant that hauing nothing to pay fell downe before his Lord and besought him to be good vnto him had the whole debt forgiuen him Math. 18. Then by giuing him much namely the spirit of Regeneration the spirit of Sanctification the spirit of wisedome of Counsell of Faith of Adoption of Iustification c. All these graces that I speake nothing of worldly or temporall blessings are imparted to such as are lowly in their owne eyes and condemneâ— themselues that they may be acquitted by God according to that which is written I dwell in the high heauens with him also that is lowly These therefore are speciall motiues to humility And iustly might our Apostle vpon the consideration of them inferre as he doth in my Text. Therefore But now that we haue considered of the Illatiue and of that which went before my Text immediatly let vs looke a little more narrowly into the Text it selfe euen to that which is inferred vpon this terme Therefore humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God Two things are contained in this verse The former an Exhortation the other a Reason The Exhortation or Precept in these words Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God The Reason or Promise in these That hee may exalt you in good time or in fit time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Touching the first It is strange to recount how many Exhortations there be deliuered in the Scriptures perswading to humility by Moses by the Prophets by the Apostles by Christ himselfe What may this meane Peter thought himselfe much disgraced that he was called vpon the third time to feed Christs flocke So Iehu spake but halfe a word against â—esabel and straightwayes a couple of Chamberlains or Courtiers Sarisim threw her downe So once bidding did serue Zacheus and presently he came downe from the tree So Math. the 4. The two brethren that were called by our Sauiour presently forsooke thier nets and followed him But now to humility wee are exhorted in the Scriptures not three or foure times or seuen times but I thinke seâ—â—nty times seuen times Vniuâ—rsa facies ac vt ita dixerim vultus sanctarum Scripturaâ—um bene intuenâ—cs id admonere videtur vt qui gloriatur in Domino glorietur The whole face and countenance of the holy Scriptures so to speake seemeth to admonish those that looke well into them thus much That hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord. Thus Austin He must reioyce or boast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord therefore he must be farre from boasting of himselfe except it be of his infirmities as the Apostle speaketh then he must not be high-minded he must haue no proud lookes as the Prophet hath it but hee must be as one that is weaned yea he must be in himselfe as one that is weaned Indeed that is true humility that is not so much in shew and in outward appearance as in deed and in truth There was a great Rabblement or Order of Fryers called Humiliati professing great humility who but they and crouching low and stooping low what else and yet their stomackes did so swell and were so bloody that they were intolerable to Rome it selfe and therefore cashiered and abandoned So Paul the fourth pretended so great mortification and neglect of the world and worldly things that it was a speciall motiue to the Cardinals to chuse him Pope in hope to rule him as they lusted but when this humble Fellow had found Peters Keyes then he did no longer looke downe towards the dust as it were seeking them but held vp his head as high as lofty as euer did any in that Chayre Antipater as Plutarch writeth went very meanely apparelled more like a priuat man then a Prince yet he was noted censured by them that knew him well to be intus purpureus all purple within Aut loquendum nobis est vt vestiti sumus aut vestiendum vt loquimur Quid aliud pollicemur aliud ostendimus Either we must speake sutably to our apparell or else wee must be apparelled sutably to our speech Why doe we promise one thing and shew another A Hood doth not make a Monke You know the Prouerbe Neither doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ragged coate make an humble Philosopher said Hero by the report of Nazianzen Diogenes trampled vpon Platoes pride but with greater pride And the Gibeonites for all their humble speech and old apparell were notwithstanding very coozeners So then if humility consist neither in word nor in apparell wherein is the vertue thereof to be found and how may it be discerned Truely Beloued the heart is deceitfull aboue all who can know it The Lord he searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines to giue to euery man according to his wayes c. Ieremy 17. So our Sauiour Iohn 1. was able to giue a true verdict of Nathaniel as soone as he sawe him Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile How this Because he was God But now man hath but a shallâ—w sound and a short reach and dealeth onely by probabilities and likely-hoods and according to outward appearance and therefore may be deceiued in that respect is not to pronounce lightly concerning other mens humility or pride Yet for all that as Christ saith of false prophets By their fruites you shall know them So the sonne of Sirach speaketh not in vaine A mans garment grenning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man sheweth his teeth and gate or paceing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declare after a sort what he is and which way he doth incline The British Clergy being sent vnto by Augustine not the learned Bishop of Hippo whom you heare so often cited out of this place but an vnlearned and vnsauory Monke whom Gregory sent ouer hither reade but his questions moued to the said Gregory as they be registred by Beda and you will say he was no better to make their appearance before him consulted a graue man famous for his wisedome in those dayes what they were best to doe He aduised them to be ruled by him if he were a
SERMONS OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MILES SMITH LATE LORD BISHOP OF GLOCESTER TRANSCRIBED OVT OF HIS ORIGINALL MANVSCRIPTS AND NOW PVBLISHED FOR THE COMMON GOOD PSALME 112.6 The Righteous shall be in euerlasting Remembrance PROVERBS 10.7 The memory of the Iust is blessed LONDON Printed by Elizabeth Allde for Robert Allot dwelling at the Blacke Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1632. NOBILISSIMIS ACPIETATE ET PRVDENTIA SPECTATISSIMIS DOMINIS DN HENRICO COMITI DANBIENSI ET DN EDVARDO COMITI NORVICENSI HAS Reuerendi in Christo Patris doctissimi Praesulis Milonis SMITHI Gloucestrensis nuper Episcopi Conciones Humillimè dedicat qui D. V. plurimum debet I. S. THE PREFACE THESE Sermons following which grauely fell from the lips of this worthy Bishop some of them in the ordinary course of his Ministery other some at more speciall times are now by the Religious care and industry of certaine of his friends and neere-ones imprinted and sent forth into publicke view Pliny the great Naturalist taxeth some of the Greeke and Latin Writers in his time of folly at the least for sending abroad their empty and worthlesse Pamphlets with an ouer-praise in the Title promising much at the first sight but vtterly deceiuing the Reader in his further search like the Apple whereof Solinus writes that growes where Sodom and Gomorrha stood which hath a rind or out-side pleasing to the eye but being pressed though but lightly with the hand it euaporats and becomes vnprofitable And as former ages haue suffered in this kind so I would it were not the iust complaint and grieuance of the times wherein we liue Multitudes of Writers we haue and bookes without number euâ—n to excesse many of them such as notwitstanding their plausible Inscriptions giue iust occasion to the buyer after perusall to cry out with Him in the Comedy Polego oleum operam perdidi And to complaine in the Prophets phrase I haue spent my money for that which is not bread and my labour for that which satisfieth not But now he that shall with iudgement reade these ensuing labours will finde somewhat more than a naked Title to commend them And albeit diuers of them seeme to be the fruits of his younger yeeres and come not forth in that lustre and beauty as the Author had he purposed to haue made them publicke could and would haue sent them being transcribed from his Originall Manuscripts as they fell to hand without choice yet such they are as I perswade my selfe will passe the eyes of the Learned who are fittest ablest to iudge not without deserued approbation There is in them as well matter for the vnderstanding to worke vpon whereby the Reader may be made Eruditior the better Scholar as to moue the affections wherby he may become Melior the better Christian. Milke and strong meate both for men and babes the wise may thence be made more wise and the weake more strong Concerning the man himselfe whose memory in many respects is blessed how much might be spoken of him how many singular gracious parts he had deseruing commendation on his behalfe imitation on ours it cannot in a few words be expressed But for my part I purpose not here to vndertake a story of his life I was not so exactly learned therein neither haue I beene sufficiently instructed for so great a worke my intentions onely driue at this namely to let them know that knew him not what he was in the generall of his carriage confining my discourse within the compasse of a few particulars lest otherwise the Preface exceeding the proportion of the subsequent worke that witty scoffe might be applyed to me that somtime by the biting Cynicke was cast vpon the Citizens of Myndus Viri Myndij portas claudite ne vrbsvest ra egrediatur Briefely then For the manner of his life and the constant tenor thereof this I can affirme that therein he shewed forth the fruits of the spirit to wit such as whereof the Apostle speakes Galat. 5. Loue Ioy Peace Longsuffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance In all which graces he had so large a part that should I runne ouer and examine them particularly with Historicall relation and application to him I suppose that a few lines nay leaues would not containe the Commentary that might be written of him Adde hereunto that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sincerity and godly purenesse that appeared in all his actions striuing not so much to seeme as verily and indeed to be a patterne of gracious deportement and then it may be said of him as sometime of old Symeon that he was a iust and a religious man Luke 2. And as our Sauiour testifieth of Nathaniel Iohn 1. An Israelite in whom was no guile And see how nature and grace did cooperate in this godly Bishop in furnishing of him with an aptitude to euery good worke He alwayes shewed himselfe most ready to minister to the necessity of the indigent and needy hauing a tender touch euen naturally that way Yeerely pensions he allowed whilest he liued as his great charge would giue him leaue to be distributed to the poore as of the place where he was Bishop so in other places where he had meanes besides the daily reliefe they of the Citie found at his gates Exhibition of maintenance he continued to diuers poore Scholars in the Vniuersitie of Oxford whose Parents were not able to sustaine that charge and was euer forward in succouring and releeuing poore Strangers and Trauellers that came vnto him To be short the bread that he gaue it was not Panis lapidosus as Fabius Verrucosus in Seneca termed a hartlesse sowre gift but whether his Almes were great or small they were alwayes mixed with alacrity and cheerefulnesse which Plato so long agoe commended in Leptines and the Apostle Saint Paul notes to be a quality which God himselfe is much affected withall 2 Corin. 9. And as he was pitifull to the poore so very charitable towards all and apt to forgiue wrongs and iniuries done vnto him hardly to be digested in the stomach of a carnall man The vertuous and religious he alwayes praised and incouraged vsing instruction and rebuke to the contrary-minded not in the voyce of Thunder in an ouer-zealous straine and heate of Passion but in the still voyce in the sweet and soft words of meekenesse the most likely if not the onely way of winning in the course of discipline as learned Oecumenius sets it downe And that he was not so quick in the eare and so nimble in the eye as many are to spie after and catch at the weakenesses of other men cannot be attributed to any remissenesse in him but to charitie For t is certaine that he could not easily be brought to suspect euill in any where he did not see it or had some strong euidence of truth leading him on to beleeue it The byas of his good inclination still hanging
the first It is certaine that as the Father hath life in himselfe and light and wisedome and knowledge so he giueth his Son to haue the same in him nay he hath the same of himselfe as he is God No want in the God-head may be imagined nor degrees of hauing but all is perfit and at once yea and from the beginning He therefore being Iehouah and Shaddai all-being and euer-being all-sufficient and euer-sufficient may not be thought to haue asked this question to be better informed for his owne part for he knoweth all and needed not that any should testifie of man for hee knew what was in man Iohn 2. But as in the 12. of Iohn Christ saith This voyce came not for my sake but for yours So may we say of Christs words in my Text that they were not vttered for himselfe but for vs. It was good that the world should be satisfied concerning the resolution of the Apostles to follow Christ whatsoeuer came of it for their honour for our example for the glory of God in giuing such gifts vnto men Therefore doth the Lord bring forth their righteousnesse as the morning and causeth their faith to breake forth into confession They beleeued and therefore did they speake Wee also if we beleeue we will speake and will not be ashamed of him before men lest he also be ashamed of vs before his Father which is in heauen It is worth the remembring that Plutarch in his booke of Isis Osiris writeth of the Peach namely that the Egyptians of all fruit did make choise of that to consecrate it to their great Goddesse for this cause because the fruit thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is like to ones heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the leafe to the tongue Indeed when the heart and the tongue goe together then the harmony is sweete and the seruice pleasing both to God and man Euen as Saint Paul setteth downe the perfitnesse of our duty and consequently of our happinesse With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse with the mouth he confesseth vnto saluation This therefore may seeme to be a speciall cause why Christ demandeth of the twelue whether they would play the Turne-coats as some others did namely to draw forth their confession and profession of their faith As for the other doubt Whether the Elect can fall away the same will easily be cleared if we agree vpon the termes of Elect and falling away namely if we vnderstand by Elect such as are chosen according to the purpose of grace vnto an inheritance immortall vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for them and by falling away an vtter departing from the fellowship of the Saints and an vtter renouncing of the truth reuealed The truly Elect cannot so vtterly become cast-awayes If then man and the world and the Deuill were stronger then God then the gifts and calling of God had repentance then Christ should not loue to the end whom he loueth yea then some should be able to take them out of the Fathers hand All which points and twenty more to this purpose are directly contrary to Gods Word which cannot lye Therefore we conclude that a man truly Elect cannot throughly perish I grant Saul and Iudas were Elect or chosen but it was to an office not to the Kingdome of glory Peter and others fell away but it was for a time not finally they wauered and staggered and felt some eclipse in their faith but the same was neuer extinguished nor rooted vp Christ prayed for Peter and not for him onely but for as many as should beleeue in his Name Iohn 17. that their faith should not faile And can Satan or all the power of hell preuaile against Christs prayer Praedestinatorum nemo cum Diabolo peribit nemo vsque ad mortem sub Diaboli potestate remanebit None of the predestinate shall perish with the Deuill none of them shall remaine vnder the Deuils power euen vnto death as Saint Augustine speakes And in his booke De Catechizandis rudibus Cap. 11. â—erusalem shall be deliuered and none of her shall perish for he that perished was not a Citizen of her Thus he He learned it of Saint Iohn They went out from vs but were not of vs c. Let vs end this point with another testimony of Austin more pregnant and plaine then either of them Horum he speaketh of the Elect si quisquam perit fallitur Deus sed nemo eorum fuerit quia non fallitur Deus Horum si quisquam perit vitio humano vincitur Deus sed nemo eorum fuerit quia nulla re vincitur Deus that is if any of the Elect perish God is deceiued but none of them perisheth because God is not deceiued if any of them perish God is ouercome by mans fault or naughtinesse but none of them perisheth because God is ouercome of nothing Well hauing thus vntyed the two knots or doubts that might seeme to entangle the Text let vs returne to the same againe and see what further we may learne out of it Will ye also goe away Plutarch writeth of Brutus that this was a great content and comfort to him at his end that though he had Crebra transfugia of the common sort many of them forsooke him and turned to the enemy yet none of his friends or neere ones forsooke him On the other side it must needs be a great corrasiue to Caesars heart that Labienus that had done him so worthy seruice against the Galles nine or tenne yeeres together left him in the quarrell betweene him and Pompey took Pompeys part I haue nourished brought vp children they to rebell against me this cuts my gall saith God in effect in Esay What my son that came out of mine own bowels to miniken the matter against me nay to make head against me This is such a matter as would make a man exclaime Be astonied O heauens and blush O earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my sonne said one to his neere one He made resistance against others saith the story but when he saw his owne naturall to draw vpon him then he was weary of his life then he desired to liue no longer Therefore herein appeareth Christs magnanimity that he was not danted for the perfidiousnes of the run-awayes but all the while he had them that were of best note to sticke vnto him he reckoned not for the Apostasie of others Let vs be of the same minde Beloued Suppose all should cowre downe cowardly saue three hundred nay suppose that all should worship the Image that Nabuchadnezzar of Rome putteth vp saue three nay suppose that all should bowe their knees to Baal or worship the golden Calfe saue Elias and Moses should this make vs to goe away Nay greater is he that is in vs then he that is in the world saith our Sauiour And more there bee which be with vs then they
merit for themselues but as for the imputing of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs beleeuing that they make a iest at euen as their forefathers the Heathen did Irridere fidem Christianorum iocularibus facetijs lancinare as Arnobius sayes yet Saint Paul saith Rom. 5.19 As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of One many shall be made righteous How were wee made sinners by one mans disobedience that is Adams Was not the same imputed to vs and laid to our charge as if we had beene actuall transgressors with Adam and had bin in Paradise with him and had eaten of the forbidden fruit as well as he Euen so we must haue Christs obedience and sufferings imputed to vs as though we had suffered and done as much as the Law requireth in our persons or else we cannot be presented blameles in Gods sight Neither hath this Doctrine seemed strange to the Fathers Pro delictis nostris ipse precatur delicta nostra sua delicta facit vt Iustitiam suam nostram iustitiam faceret He prayeth for our offences and maketh our offences to be his owne offences that he might make his righteousnesse to be our owne righteousnesse Thus â—ugustin Bernard also that I trouble you with no more was of thâ— same mind Cur non aliunde iustitia cùm aliunde reatus Why may not righteousnesse come from another as well as guiltinesse comes from another As if he said Might the first Adams sinne be imputed to vs and may not the second Adams righteousnesse be imputed as well But to whom The Scripture is so plaine God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that as many as beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Yee are saued by grace through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe Ephes. 2. In which words the Apostle doth set downe the two maine causes of our Saluation the fiâ—st and efficient whereof is grace that is the grace of Christ the second faith being the instrumentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the quality inherent in vs could merit any thing in the matter of our Iustification without respect vnto Christ but excludeth that together with all worth and workes of ours Not of workes saith the Apostle and rendreth the reason lest any man should boast signifying that because God would barre all flesh from glorying in his sight haue all the glory himselfe therefore therefore that works are wholy excluded from being causes or instruments of our sauing But there must be an end of the former part of our discourse except we will haue the later altogether vntouched Come we therefore to the reason or ground of St. Pauls resolution For it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth c. Euery word of this reasonisa reason how strong therfore is the reason I cannot be ashamed saith S. Paul of power specially of such power as is Diuine specially of such Diuine power as saueth specially of such that saueth not him that meriteth but him that beleeueth specially such as saueth not two or three beleeuers but euery one without exception And such a thing is the Gospell therefore I cannot be ashamed of it The major of whose Argument we will first consider of briefely and then wee may insist vpon the minor more at large Phocion that worthy Athenian being sent and employed by Chabrias then in the chiefest office to gather the tribute of the Ilanders and with twenty ships made answer That if he were sent to fight the Nauy was too small if to friends and companions in waste it was too great one ship might serue the turne The like is written of Tigranes King of Armenia that when he espyed the Romane Army containing not aboue eluen thousand of horse and foote his being of aboue 200000. he despised them in his heart saying If they come as Embassadours they are too many if as Soldiers too few So in the Booke of God namely 1. Reg. 20. When Benhadad that had so great an Army that he vanted saying The gods doe so and so vnto me if the dust of Samaria be enough to all the people that follow me for euery man an handfull and was otherwise so puissant that thirty two Kings did helpe him When he I say sawe the seruants of the Princes as it were a forlorne Company embatteld against him Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out to fight to take them aliue So also Numb 13. When the Spies that were sent out to search the Land of promise made report of it that all the people that they sawe there were men of great stature euen Gyants the sonnes of Anak and that themselues were in comparison to them but as Grassehoppers the whole Congregation lifted vp their voyce and cryed and wept all the night they were so much abashed at the report of their power By which examples that I produce no more you may see that as opinion of power and strength maketh the one part bold and couragious so feeblenesse and weakenesse dismayeth and confoundeth the other Thou art not able to goe and fight with yonder Philistine said Saul to Dauid 1. Sam. 17. For thou art a boy and he is a man of warre from his youth So lest any should say to our Apostle You threaten to come to the Romanes Rerum Dominos gentemque togatam and to bring your Gospell with you Alas what can you doe what can it doe Your bodily presence is but weake your speech rude your words but wind nay distastefull and vnwelcome to all the world Is it not euery where spoken against Doth any of the Rulers Consuls Tribunes Pretors c. beleeue on Christ but onely a few of the rascality which know not the Law Lest any I say should say so the Apostle answereth for himselfe that he knoweth what he doth the Word that hee bringeth is not his owne but His that sent him the Gospell that he preacheth is not weake but mighty in operation able to cast downe strong holds and whatsoeuer opposeth it selfe to it It is power and therefore what can it not doe Yea it is the power of God that is such a powerfull Instrument as whereto God promiseth a blessing and force for euer therefore shall it stand out to the end What if the Romanes be mighty Yet he that dwelleth in the heauens is mightier What if he be a strong man armed that keepeth the house Yet when a stronger then he commeth he will take away his armour wherein he trusted and rifle him If God be on our side if his presence goe with vs as Moses said we shall find all things worke for the best to bring men to faith and consequently to Saluation Therefore
heauenly calling But how then can the Common-weale be vpholden for thus it must be exemplary Iustice must be shewed or else all will goe to hauocke Thus they complaine and therefore the fault is not in them that their Circuit is not without blood but the fault is in the multitude and hainousnesse of offences which maketh them against their will to charge and command as the Romane did in old time I Lictor colliga manus caput obnubito infelici arbori suspendito yea and this maketh them that are condemned many of them to confesse as the Poet did Ipsaque delictis victa est Clementia nostris Our offences were of that nature that clemency it selfe could not pardon them Nothing in a manner can be required or desired either of the good Iudges of this tim◠and namely of these before whom I speake except it should 〈◊〉 this See how my mouth is open vnto you how my heart is enlarged as Saint Paul speaketh namely that you would not suffer any to suffer death whom their booke if they could read would saue For how few offences be now left to the benefit of the booke not Treason or petite-treason God forbid they should or murther or stabbe or rape or burglary or robbery or horse or mare-stealing or purse-cutting or picking or any such grieuous or odious crime onely for the stealing of Oxe or Cow which cannot be driuen farre or of pigge or sheep which be but little worth for these and such petite-matters they may haue their booke yea and they can haue their booke but once in their liues neither if they offend againe they die without mercy And shall the committing of a small offence and the committing of it but once bring destruction vpon a penitent person that peraduenture hath wife and children and all because he cannot read which was not his fault but his parents and which now if he could doe were to no purpose for as the King of Gath said Haue I need of mad men so we may say Hath the Church need of Stigmaticks of such as haue beene burnt in the hand Ratio legis anima legis the reason why a Law was made that is the soule of the Lawe when the reason ceaseth the Law may be spared In the former Martiall times when euery man leaned vpon his sword as the Prophet speaketh and bookishnesse was counted cowardlinesse as it is also at this day in many parts of Turkie there was some reason to grant some priuiledge or immunity to such as shewed any desire to be learned to the end that learning might be more generally embraced But now the case is altered there is not so much doubt lest too few should put their hand to this plow as lest too many and the people are rather to be restrained from offering their sonnes to the Church as Moses put backe many of the peoples offerings for the Tabernacle Exod. 36. than to be incited forward therefore they that are thought worthy to liue by their book it is pitty but they should liue euen without the book So might the Ordinary be eased of his duty of attendance which at the first as it seemeth to me was voluntary if he lusted he might challenge for the Church but now is made necessary and the neglect finable some-where but specially so might his Deputy be discharged from the sinne of vntruth for calling euill good a bad reader a good reader which he must be faine to doe sometimes or else he will be called as Moses was by his wife a bloody man a bloody husband But this can hardly be done without a Parliament I beleeue verily yea and I beleeue this too that no man would doe it more willingly than your Lordship if you had warrant for it but now vntill you haue warrant by Parliament or otherwise I hope I shall not offend if I request you and indeed I doe request you to hold on your charitable course of repriuing yea and to increase therein euen to repriue all such that might be saued by their bookes if they could read Now whereas it is obiected that once in the Gaole and neuer good againe there they learne to be their perfect craftsmasters in all kinds of lewdnesse and villany yea by this meanes the Country would be charged with keeping them that is ouer-charged already I answere briefely and for the former point touching their incorrigiblenesse this that I hope for better things and things that accompany saluation howsoeuer some speake to the contrary When I finde in Saint Paul that One simus a runne-agate and vnprofitable became afterwards profitable to his master and to others yea became a faithfull Minister if the report be true in the Canons of the Apostles Can. 31. When I finde that Marie Magdalene which had beene possessed of seuen Deuils seuen that is many and many Deuils that is foule vices whereof the Deuill was the instiller and perswader to become Christs Oastesse nay Disciple and to haue a speciall praise in the Gospell Briefely when I finde the domestickes of Narcissus Narcissus as bad a man and as odious as any liued in his time who in all likely-hood were most impure and abominable seeing and learning such things of their master who were most shamefull for like pot like couer like master like man Then I say to omit other testimonies that might be produced to this purpose out of all monuments in all ages to be saluted by Saint Paul Rom. 16. as being of the house-hold of faith and in all probability true conuerts I will not despaire of any mans conuersion that breatheth while I breathe he may stand for God is able to make him stand he may scape out of the snares of the Deuill for God giueth grace so to doe he may haue a will and ability to doe that which is good for God worketh both This for answere to the former imputation of incorrigiblenesse To the later of charging the Countrie by their liuing and so consequently by their maintenance in Gaole it is so sordid that it cannot be touched without the dishonour of the Country It bringeth me into remembrance of the barbarous and inhumane dealing of them of Sparta for which they were condemned by their fellow-miscreants whose manner was when any infants were borne lame or vnlusty to cast them vnto a by-place they called it Apotheta some pit or ditch chosen for the purpose that so their mothers forsooth might be freed from a great deale of paines in looking vnto them and themselues from a great deale of misery to be indured in the world but specially that the State might be eased of a great deale of trouble and charge Brethren let me speake vnto you freely of the City of Sparta as Saint Peter saith Acts 2. Let me speake vnto you freely of the Patriarch Dauid it had beene better that Sparta had beene made a fish-poole or beene swallowed vp of an