and her instruments watching their oportunitie and finding it layd this neck as upon the block that they might strike it off at a blow A blow indeede whose rage would have reched up to heaven which would have sent up the bodyes of men like the sparkels of a smiths forge and haue made as many divisions of each as there are sparcles SONNE Hold mother for you are out Beleeue Doct. Carier your child and take it upon our words who will not lie wee never heard the worke of that dismall day commended if so we had never been Papists MOTHER I think so too for the Lord awaked like a Giant refresht with wine brake the snare that it might not be told in Gath that the body of a state by meanes of a sulphutious blast was lifted up into the ayre like the body of a Lark soaring upon hir wings therefore were your mouths filled with shame in stead of laughter Foolish boy dost thou not know non placent scelera nisi peracta The throwing of wild-fire into a state is not commended before it takes and layeth wast then it is a meritorious worke Nay it hath beene compared to the worke of our Redemption I have an Author for that stop Reader thou must help us with thy prayers From this holy Mother O Lord deliver us A good man is mercifull to his Beast but the bowells of this Mother are cruell We do tell this to our Children that they may tell it to generations to come and they stand affrighted at it like a little Child when you tell it of Iohn of bare Armes And we doe pay our vowes in all the peoples sight nay because the whole fabricke of nature and the creatures in it had suffered in that blow we say let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord who stayed the blow like Abrahams hand so snatching us and them as brands out of the fire let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. If thou wilt be out of this number yet detest this Mothers cruelty nor let thy soule come into hir secret she will bid thee dig downe a wall that so thou maist prepare instruments of death I have done tracking this woman whom I have called Mother that she may so heare of hir cruelty as that the name of nature might brand hir as an Harlot Now I track the Church and hir Children and behold all hir wayes are peace she goeth plainly and quietly not like a boysterous wind but with a soft voyce she sinks into the heart well knowing the temper of it hir weapons are meeknesse gentlenesse long suffering if at any time or by any meanes except fire and sword that 's the whores mark truth abhors it she may win the people to her Observe further is this trueth opposed as indeed she is too much that 's truths destiny not hir fault is she tossed and tumbled and hurried see hir temper and thou wilt admire hir and for ever detest the Beast how doth she follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith patience and meekenesse Is she at length brought to the slaughter she is so That shall make hir light breake out as the noone day she knowes it well see hir temper still and behold in it the patience of the Saints Thou hast seene a sheep brought to the slaughter so is truth Thou hast seene a lamb before the shearer so stands truth Christ hath given hir a lesson even his owne example she hath learnt it she openeth not hir mouth I would not thou shouldest leave truths temper yet for I hope by feeling hir pulse thou wilt assure thy selfe she is of a sound constitution and plainly discover the contrary She is so farre from fire and sword or any such cruelty that she followeth peace with all men as farre as is possible she is no striker with the fist no smiter with the tongue there is a smiting with the tongue but it is bound to the peace and good behaviour I will shew thee hir Children as like the Mother as may be observe their carriage Being reviled we blesse being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat 1 Cor. 4. This is a strange Retaliation never to be found but from the Children of truth who must not render evill for evill but contrariwise blesse knowing that they are therunto called being heirs of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 9. We will single out one of hir Children who made Sauls heart melt David had the skirt of Sauls robe in his hand his heart smot him for that too He cried out to Saul What gesture used he He might stand upon his poynts then the wildernesse of Engedi at least the advantage he had of Saul made them equall did it not By no meanes Saul was the Lords Annointed still and Davids Master too and if he casts his eye upon David off goes the haâ—t David stoopt with his face to the earth and bowed himselfe there was his gesture What was Davids voice what titles gave he to him that hunted him like Partridge one would thinke they should be such as choller rage had laid upmost But you shall heare David was better taught my Lord the King the Lords Annointed my Father What is the matter of Davids words Wherefore doeth my Lord heare mens words saying David seeketh thy hurt behold my Father see yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand I might have had thy head as easily But I would thou couldest see how my heart hath smit me for cutting off the lap of the coat of the Lords annointed Heare yet further my Lord Saul I am much displeased with thy chamberlaine Abner whom thou hast made keeper of thy head and were I judge in Israel he might perhaps loose his owne head he is worthy to die but at the least he should out of his office he is too sleepy for that charge Why so he hath not kept his master the Lords anointed How doth that appeare Abner may see here and my Lord Saul may hearken though Abner be a valiant man and who like him in Israell yet is he not fit to be the keeper of the head of the Lords anointed that must have a surer watch then so I tell thee Abner thy masters head was in great danger this night and thou layest by him sleeping for novv see where the Kings spear is and the cruse of water are they not in my hands they were this night at thy Masters bolster and was not thy Masters head upon it Certainly Abner and let my Lord Saul heare had but a Philistim come in or but halfe a Iesuited Israelite thy Master though the Lords anointed had beene smitten to the earth at once there had not needed a second blow and his head had gon with the pot and speare But a David came into your campe this night a poore persecuted flea indeed one of truths children and God forbid that he should stretch forth the hand against the Lords anointed or suffer it to be
done Why he was no more able to hurt then a dead dog could bite and therefore art thou O Lord my King and thou also Abner alive at this time and your eyes may behold both the speare and pott that was so nigh thy Masters Pillovv and my Master Saul may heare too and now I hope both my Lord and Abner from this very day will be able to discerne truth and innocency from wickednesse which ever proceedeth from the wicked man and be able to point at it too with the finger saying there it is behold Child Saul doth it he knowes the voice of David and it melts him into teares and see what he saith thou art more righteous then I thou hast rewarded me good when I rewarded thee evill and now my Child rhou hast seene truths guize and hir childrens carriage how meeke how harmlesse Thou maist likewise discerne the Beasts mark and from whence wickednesse doth proceed I know no motive in the world except the secret working of Gods Spirit more prevalent to cause thee to come away unlesse thou hast not a Sauls discerning But because I know thou art blind folded and hast no light but what comes in by chaunes and crevises I will contract what hath been sayd concerning these two Mothers into an Embleme one or two which thou maist perceiue by the least glimmering Then I will turne thee to two places of Scriptures from which thou shalt make thine owne collection The first Emblem shall bee of the holy Mother and a Mother shall be it An Hecuba in travell with a fire brand and forth it comes rushing into the Bush of the Church Or a Iezabell plotting the death of poore Naboth because he will not part with the Vinyard the inheritance of his Fathers She must not keep it for all her painting downe she must be cast like a milstone The Doggs did eate the flesh of Iezabel Take the Embleme of hir eldest sonnes and sonnes shall be it Samsons three hundred foxes running about the field with firebrands at their tailes see what hurt they doe the shockâ— are burnt Or for variety sake look upon the Gadarens heard of swine but not running into the lake though an evill spirit be in them The day of recompence for Sions controversie is not yet yet the enemy is not brought to the valley of Iehosophat to bee iudged there we must looke on them running into the vineyard that must be more wâ—st we leave them rooting there But here is the coÌ„fort Is it wast is Sharon a wildernes now I will up saith the Lord I will give to Israel the opening of the month in the midst of them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Ezech. 29. 21. Take the Embleme of she true Mother and that is made to our hands you heard hir begging of the Childs life Take the Embleme of hir Children David cursed and pelted at by Shimes and praying the while Steven stoning and even then saying Lord lay not this ot their charge We have done with the Emblemes wee turne to the Scriptures the first is 1 Kings 19. 11. There came a great strong wind but the Lord was not in the wind nor in the earth-quake nor in the fire There came a still and soft voice there the Lord was Make thy collection now here are two both would be Mothers both would speake in the evidence of the same spirits which of these comes like a wind renting as it goes like an earth-quake opening graves as it goes like a fire scorching as it goes or in a still and soft voice instructing perswading blessing praying as it goes with whom the soft voice is there the Lord is Answer this unto him who understands thy thoughts long before I have done with that Scripture we find the other 2 Sam. 7. compared with 1 Chron. 22. 8. where is something will hold us from our purpose a little for the Readers sake We find David sitting in his house and in peace yet not confined to his owne particular interest and looking no further one eye is on his house the other on the Arke and he sees no correspondency And yet he that hath Davids observation may observe a greater disproportion betwixt his conveniences the Arks now then was betwixt Davids and the Arkes then he sitts in his house of hewed stone he heares no complaining in the streetes Gods footstepps drop fatnesse towards him there are his conveniences What are the Arkes The enemy hath raised a mighty storme and the Arke hath scarce curtaines to keep it off I know well on the glory there iâ— a defence but I speak of that covering the outward eye may discerne Certainly if the consideration of David be this mans precept the practise of David will be his patterne whose mind was presently on worke how he might build an house for the Arke too Yet Nathan must stay his hand that must not be put to the worke We came purposely hither to enquire the reason of that but I desire the Reader would marke one thing by the way Though it were taken out of the power of Davids hand to build an house for the Arke yet the Lord tells him thou didst well in that it was in thy heart 2 Chro. 6. 8. A mans hand may be kept from the Arke every one cannot visibly worke the securitie of it nor bring it within Cedars Nay though the Arke shake every hand is not worthy to hold it up A man must looke to his warrant specially when he goes about the busines of the Arke But marke this they shall prosper that loue thee We wish you prosperitie in the name of the Lord O it is a gratious thing even when the hand can doe nothing But Mâ—roz with the inhabitants were cursâ— bitterly Iudg 5. 23. And the men of Sâ—câ—oth were taught that iâ— the word by briers and thâ—râ—â—â— Iudg. 8. 16. That was a sore teaching but who can help it They that will not be taught by instruction must be taught by paine 2. Esd 9. 12. It is Apocryphâ— thou maist keep it in thy Bible when it â—out of thy Creed and let it teach thee when thou look'st upon thy house of Ceder I meane thy many many conveniences many positrue many privatiue to haue the Arke in thy heart for this is to remember the Chareâ—â— of Israel and the horse men thereof that is the Church The glory of Israel that is the Gospell The Paules in prison and she Iaseps in affliction for this glorie for thy sake are we killed all the day long now what thou doest for these or any of these they â—â—e so like thou canst not distinguish them thou doest it to Christ and thou shewest mercy to thy owe soule For these will pray that thy mercy may be returned to thee thine in the tempestivitie of time The Lord â—â—ew mercy to Onesiphorus in that day Nor is that all the Lord shew mercy to the whole house of Onesiphorus Now to
thou maist make some use of this observation Thou hast beene looking on our practise call it our carcasse if thou wilt because it hath no life in it yet as dead as it is it might yeeld some honey if thou wert wise I read of one whose name is as a sweet oyntment that he never lookt on such an object but he would say Lord be mercifull unto me He knew the envious man had done that thing and who knowes his depths he knew a cunning Ioab had an hand in it too even that which is deceitfull above all things who knowes his slights to this man this carcasse yeelded honey But if thou canst not make this use of it as every one cannot yet beware thou stand'st no longer still looking on it as they on Amasa's body That may tell thee the danger I want strength to take it out of the way nor can I finde a cloth wide enough to cover it I counsell thee to hasten forward Thy owne corruption hath got much advantage and more ground it getts continually never more then when thou standest looking at others It hath got a strong hold nor is thy heart faithfull within thee to cast this rebell out Oh stand not still but pursue this enemy even to death looking up to him him only whose strength is perfected in weaknesse Here is a difficult worke and the hardnesse of it lyeth in this the getting the consent of ones will which is a stubborne thing And that cannot bee said to bee willing and pliable in deed till it is as content to fasten upon the meanes as it is to enjoy the end The soule of the sluggard desireth and hath nought Prov. 13. 4. Hieromes translation of that verse seemed very strange to me but I hope it proved usefull I take it rather as a comment then a translation He reads the words thus vult et non vult piger The sluggard wills he wills not It implies a kind of contradiction in the will and that is strange yet but seemingly and there is the use For that man who desires and wills how covetous soever he be and yet is not diligent but turneth on his bed like the doote on his hinges he getts not forward where he was there hee iâ— that man in deed and in trueth wills not Why he is not diligent therefore be not mistaken he doth not will the end for the desiring of the end in deed and in truth implies the meanes in sinceritie This saying if there be a willing mind rocks many asleepe and keepes them as fast on their bed as the doore on its hinges But diligence must try whether there bee a willing mind or no if no diligence no willingnesse thou canst not thinke of a thing more considerable Thou seest now what use I would have thee make of our practise I would have thee mend thine owne practise by looking on ours So thou hast my counsell now thou must hearken to my correction these doe well together let parents marke that Thy report in thy letter is like the report brought to David upon the murther of Aâ—â—â—â— A thing is increased by report as a snow-ball by tumbling All the Kings sout are slaine That was not so onely A … was slaine whose lust and drunkennes gave the cause Absolon the hand What one of all your ministry or laâ—â—y doe allow of fasting c Thou hast an envlous eye that canst looke on nothing but what the envious man hath done we have living bodies as I shall shew thee anon Againe thou hast in thy letter pronounced us uncleane my Child should have used much warinesse therein the law of the hopeâ— tells thee so much the morrall whereof stands as a strong bâ—â— against rash censure Thou wilt say thou hast pronounced us uncleane from the Priests mouth I might question the Priests order yet I take not that advantage tell the Priest that every white sâ—â—b or white spot is not the plague of leprosie though it be like it when the garments are washed the man may bee cleane and the Priest shall bee judged for his rash judgement Aske him then whether he hath considered of this sore according to the proportion of time seven dayes yet seven dayes more c. All the places that ever I met with or ever shall which may bee a few amongst many being put together will not so stop the way against rash judgement as will this one therefore admire the Scripture The Priest tells thee he hath considered accordingly and that he findes the sore deepe in the flesh nay in his head the seat of life therefore hath he pronounced him utterly uncleane Now I could helpe thee to make this reply to your Priest First we question whether the person were so neere him as that he could discerne his uncleannesse so plainely then if it be granted he was we conclude that the person received his uncleannesse from the Priest For it is a position amongst us that the priests breath is as infections aâ— the plague â—â—d that Idolatry is a spreading leprosie But here would be much to doe to bring the Priest to confesse the plague of his owne heaâ—â— though it be a meane point in confession therefore I leave that and I take the advantage only which the law concerning the Leper gives me which is this your Priest hath pronounced him uncleane and yet hath not put him apart This was against the saw then and the morrall of it now which is of force He is uncleane saith the law hee shall dwell alone without the Campe shall his habitation be Levit. 13. 46. Then not in the Campe then he only uncleane not the whole Campe for his sake What one saith my Child speaking from the Priests mouth doth allow of fasting â—re Alas to thy owne prejudice thou hast put the whole and the sicke together We say not but that there is a leprosie amongst us we cannot thinke but there are uncleane persons in a whole land yet we say it infecteth no farther then it spreadeth and it spreadeth not over all Pitch is a defiling thing who will denie that but they are children that will be pidling in it What was that to thee what is that to me if we touch it not Coales will burne he was burn't that denied it they will not burne thee unlesse thou takest them in thy bosome nor me unlesse I walke upon them That which neither comes into the mouth nor goes forth of the mouth cannot defile a man We grant that we have some wicked persons amongst us call them sonnes of Bichri if thou wilt for they doe not yeeld subjection to David Would my Child for their sakes swallow up the inheritance of the Lord oh farre be it far of thy heart as it is from the power of thy hands to destroy a peaceable and faithfull mother in Israell who if shee doth not cast their heads over the wall doth not therfore strengthen their hands nothing lesse shee
thee waking that so discovering thy danger thou maist get forth of thy Iaels Tent and take sanctuarie at the rocks the mightie God of this Salvation I tell you child a thousand stripes on thy body cannot deface the print of one sinne that is write with a pen of a Diamond As many knockeâ— one thy breasts will not soften thy hard heart which is as an adamant All your holy water not sprinckled but powrâ—d till the challice be dry will not wash away one sin Is is as the spot of a Leopard or as â—rimson of deepe dyâ— in the wooll in the cloath The Harlots wiping hir mouth will not serue hir nor Pilats washing his hands nor Elishas staffe a man may be at great coast hee may part with rivers of oyle and yet his countenance looke never a whit more chearefull in the day of the Lord. He may kneele till the strong men are wearie yet may the heart continue still stiffe He may go one pilgrimage to this Saint and the other relique yea and bare foote till he pinch his feete and pricke them too yet may he be never the nearer heaven his heart may remaine untouched still nay it is certaine child that nothing is a greater enemy to true mortification then the counterfeits nothing holds a man off more from the power then loue with the forme nothing more prevalent then these Iaels Tents to rocke thy heart in securitie and to keepe it in it's owne hardnesse till a dart strikes through the liver and a naile the temples the Harlot will never cleanse the heart if shee thinkâ— to mae all cleane by wiping her lips Pilat shall stand gulitie of innocent blod for ever because he thinkes he is cleare of it now that he hath washed his hands the blood stickes neerer then so the Prophet will never be sent for if his staffe will serue the turne but when a man lookes one his sinnes as those that put to death the Lord of glory or as that speare which perced his sides and is so pricked at the heart and receives the sentence of death within himself this man now looks upon the true crucifix his sinnes are alway before him What is this man doing now He troubleth not himselfe with empty questions and vaine genealogies wherein thou didst foolishly busie thy selfe some moneths before thou transgressedst the bounds namely whether Peter was at Rome or the Pope be his successor Peter might be at Rome and Rome never the better but much the worse for then another Apostle was there whose doctrine Rome followes not This man hath other worke in hand he goes upon certainties Peter is in heaven there is no question in that How came he thither Peter confessed with his mouth on that the Church was built Peter beleeved with his heart thereby he was tyed unto it as fast as the branch unto the vine Now marke this mans enquirie Can I confesse with my mouth the Lord Iesus Can I beleeve with my heart that God raised him from the dead Rom. 10. 10. Then I shall be saved but soft he is uppon an hard taske this is not a work of a day or two If he get faith he must know how he got it This man is upon this businesse still And what difficulties doth he meet with by the way amongst which this is not the least that Iael stands at the entry of her tent and the Harlott at her doore beckning to this babe in Christ come in to mee come in to mee these be false Christs and there be many of them within and without But he heares a voyce behind him saying walke in the way turne not aside we will suppose this man now troubled and bowed downe greatly I would aske your Priests what would ye do to him will ye put on him all your Saules Armour Alas it is but combersorne hee must march on in that strength wherein David came against Goliah not by might but by my spirit saith the Lord. Zech. 4. Will yee give him some of your balme your holy water your oyle your daubinges you are phisitians of no vallue All his money is spent upon trifles already and yet the bloody issue remaineth Will your Pope now freely give him his pardon since all his money is spent Alas he knowes he shall go forth from thence ashamed and with his hands upon his head the Lord will reiect those confidences Ier. 2. 36. 37. What would this man have I marvaile what seekes he after A ransome sure a pardon And if he get it he must have it without money or money worth the must bee brought to a kind of beggery in himselfe to a kind of nothing What should a sound man do with a Phisitian An whole man with plaister An uncondemned man a pardon He is now emptied indeed of his treasure of one of his greatest enemies himselfe he leaneth unto nothing within him nor to any earthly thing without him Now compare the pennance of your Capucino Franciscan or Dominican who will not part with his hole for as much land as the little bird flyeth over nay he hopes that his contendednesse in so little a place on earth shall procure him a large mantion in heaven I say compare his voluntary religion his humblenesse of mind his not sparing the body all his bodily exercise Coloss 2. 18. 23. with this mans pennance if I may call it so and it will be no more like unto it then the Harlots wipinge the mouth is to the clensiing the heart thâ—n Pilats washing his hands to the purging his conscience I say no more like it then Elishaes staffe is to Elisha himselfe then Solomons needle worke to the little Lilly I meane then art unto nature There is but imitation in the one art is but natures ape there is life in the other all the power in the world cannot produce it And observe it the effects of that mans pennance this mans sorrow are as different the one seeks after trifles and bables such as never pleased any but children and fooles empty things lies and vanities for as the wound is such is the remedy the heart was never touched The other labours after the one thing which is necessary which that he may obtaine he goeth downe by stepps of the flockes into the garden of spices and there he feedes on greene and cleane pasture regarding no more the stepps of Popes and Cardinalls Friars and Monkes then the crawling of a louse or the skipp of a flea he hangs upon the mouth of his beloved and observeth what they say who testify of him he waiteth upon God in his ordinance and he hath long patience nothing shall content him till his mouth be filled as with marrow and fatnes till the Lord hath reached forth his hand of mercy unto him and thereby inabled him to reach back his to the Lord whereby he receiveth blood to justify him and water to sanctify him for the hand of faith doth not only
a great King saith the Lord and my name is terrible Againe which is a consequent from the former and may be for explication whereas thou readest of dead works and a dead Faith which like her that liued in pleasure haue but a name onely thou hast thence concluded that it is not the bare doing of any thing that brings the doer into acceptation with God But that there is some more inward thing that witnesseth to the worker that he is in Christ in whom his person is sanctified and through whom the action is accepted And this also considering what Christ saith As the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Ioh. 15. 4. Considering also what the Apostle saith By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice then Caine But without faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11. 2. 6. which consideration if it hath put thee upon the pursuit after faith wherby thou art fastned to Christ as closse as the branch to the Vine It is impossible thy workes should be dead Againe which is still for explication whereas thou hast read in one place a plaine reproofe for holding downe the head like a Bullrush and in another a plaine command But thou when thou fastest anoint thy head and wash thy face that is seeme least when thou do'st most thou hast thence concluded that God is pleased with sinceritie of life and manners not with a monasticall seuere seeming habit With a broken and contrite heart not with strange expressions of humiliation set forth in a poore and austere life of many orders amongst the Priests in their sundry acts of penance wherein they deale with themselues Bedlam-like or like Baals Preists And this considering God saith rent your hearts and not your garments I add for explication nor your skins neither the skinne is the outward garment of the soule As they might not vnder the Law so may not we under the Gospell disfigure our selues in mourning Zachariah foretelling the mourning that shall be by those one whom the power of grace and supplications is pour'd expressed it by two liuely comparisons their mourning shall be like his whose coale is put out who hath lost his onely sonne It shall be like that mourning which was for good Iosiah that was an extreame mourning Now how should this be performed The experience of Sions mourners can tell you this for there is the same spirit in them as in the text They shall mourne every familie apart and their wives apart I know outward expressions of this sorrow may be nay are and will be it is hard to bite in that sorrow nor is it expedient yet the direction must be followed but thou when thou fastest anoint thy head Matth. 6. For close hereof I adde this The outward gesture hath then a comely posture when a touched heart commands it An hearty sorrow is seene in the face It is true Deprendas animi tormenta deprendas et gaudia sumit utrumque inde habitum facies The inwardnesse of the griefe and the outward expression of the same even in sight may be as neare as Iohn and Peter in their race but still the first is more intense more lasting it out-runnes the second Againe and lastly when thou art commanded to beware in giuing almes that thou be not thine owne trumpet Corrupt nature is much pleased with that musicke And that upon thy prayers thou must shut the doores that is do all in secret before him who sees in secret but rewards openly thou hast thence concluded that it is most ordinary for a man truly religious to doe the workes of a syncere Christian and yet not to be seene or marked for feare of applause from others and ticklings from his owne heart which he would not haue to be his reward and therefore would not giue the least advantage that way And then as thou wilt not disalow publicke acts of charity or rashly iudge their miscarriage for who art thou that darest iudge anothers worke outwardly good though through the frailty of humane nature there is great hazard of miscarriage so nor darest thou consure a man for his not so frequent working or not working at all to thy knowledge And this for that the proper seat of Religion is the heart which indeede alwayes setts the hand and mouth on worke opening both but yet most times so secretly that the left hand cannot know what the right hand doth By this thou perceiuest what a faire hope is conceiued of thee First I will tell thee why then thou shalt know also that thou art not yet quitted from Idolatry Why The Lord hath given his word unto Iacob and his statutes to Israell Hee hath not dealt so with other nations nor haue the Heathen knowledge of his law The word of God the will of God the law of God the testimonies of God David calls them his counsellers also hee saw wonders in them they made him wiser then the auncient then his teachers This word of God I say is set before thee mauger the malice of Divell and Pope translated into thy mother tongue It is notwithstanding the neglect of such a iewell the loathing of such Manna rained downe round about thy tents nor so only it is committed unto thee at this day if thou wilt reach forth thine hand thou may'st open it if thou wilt open thine eyes thou may'st reade it It is a sealed book indeed but to none but such whose contempt hath closed the eye who haue hated iustruction So then God is not wanting unto thee and I hope that thou hast not beene wanting to thy selfe thou hast not neglected so great salvation There is the reason of my hope that thou hast seene by this cleare light and discovered too that the senses of some Papists are stupid and their ignorance monstrous and thou hast prayed for them Lord lighten their eyes els they sleepe in death Now looke home search thine owne tent turne up the furniture too for thy heart will keepe hir I dolls as closse as Rachell did when thou maist thinke thy selfe as cleare of them as Iacob his tents For surely thou maist be confident herein that since every sinne is founded upon a kind of Idolatry this sinne of Idolatry is not poured out of thy heart as water out of a bottle but as milke therefore is there a great tincture left behind And certainely thou maist say of this sinne as the Apostle concerning death the last enemie that shall bee destroyed is death So the last sinne that shall be destroyed in thy heart shall bee Idolatry I meane the Idolizing of the creature something wrought by thee or something wrought in thee It being the highest pitch and upmost peg in Christianity Yet so high mâ—st thou bee wound notwithstanding thy waight pressing downe to come before the Lord with the Syrians protestation Deut. 27. And then to say in his and Davids
built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone in whom all the building coupled together groweth to a holy Temple in the Lord Ephes 2. 20. HARLOT Why But all this while you are but upon the sand no true foundation nor infallibilitie of supporting Will you haue a Sonnes soule hazarded upon sand MOTHER Hazard my childs soule Harlot Oh pretious thing O rich Iewell an inestimable treasure it is amidst the thinges of the world like Dauid amonge the people worth ten thousand of them and much more of all the thinges in the world my deare child runne not the hazard of that Hazard a foote thou maist and yet thou wilt not thou hast another a legge thou hast another an hand thou hast an other an arme thou hast an other an eye thou hast an other Here are no pairs loose one and loose all O vnvaluable losse and unrecoverable the redemption thereof must cease for ever What would not a parent now doe to put a childs soule out of hazard Then heare me my Sonne Sonne of my bowels harken Is that soule in danger that is in the Arke made by Gods owne appointment both for the matter and manner directed to him by that morning Starr from which it hath a certaine course Listen my child child of my bowels listen Is that corner-stone a sandy foundation can the waight of men and Angels presse it can the gates of hell remoue it Indeed if that stone fall upon thee or me we are crushed in peices Math. 21. 44. So are wee if we fall upon it heedlesly carelesly presumptuously but come unto it in the whole obedience of thy heart sticke cleaue unto it as Ruth to Naomie be not intreated to leaue it or to depart from it and thou canst not miscary Harken my Sonne Sonne of my bowels harken can the blowing of the winde can the beating of the storme remoue that house which the wise builder hath founded upon a Rocke Thou doest my Sonne beleeue Christs words I know thou doest beleeue them Then harken my Sonne this once Sonne of my bowels harken He that layeth a foundation diggeth deepe certainely so did this wise builder beyond all humane traditions here was no setling Beyond all will-worship a counterfeite ground Beyond all satisfaction of his owne this was not solid Beyond the intercession of Saints and Angells this was not safe Beyond the righteousnesse of his best workes here he would faine stay but it would not hold the waight still he diggs further for the soule that seeketh the Lord is not satisfied untill he find him Where have yee laid my Lord saith Mary let mee finde him or all is nothing Hee digges deeper even as hee that seekes a treasure or as a thirsty man after a spring of water or like those three mighty he will through the whole hoast of the Philistimes but hee will digg through those sandy bottomes and get to the rocke And now upon it he is and by it supported and from it refreshed for behold here is strength to hold him up here are waters living waters to comfort him for this rocke is Christ It is good being here here will he set up his rest here will hee abide for ever If the Rocke faile not he cannot faile blessed is the man that hath this foundation thrice blessed is he that hath this water to drinke he will ever dig it in broken pits Can the raine or haile fall now upon this man as upon a wildernesse to whom that man for so Christ the Rocke is called and observe the number will be as a hiding place from the wind as a refuge from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great rocke in a wearie land Isa 32. 1 2. Now the raine may fall and the floods come and the winds blow and beate upon this house behold it stands for it is grounded upon a rocke Matth. 7. 25. See a mount Sion now which stands for ever and the blast of the mighty shall be as a storme against the wall Oh my child though my eyes be shutt up yet am I as it were in Balaams rapture who can rell the strength of this man for as the Rocke is such is his strength as the strength of an Vnicorne no poyson shall hurt him no sorcery shall make against him hee hath a refuge from the storme a shaddow from the heat a strength in distresse what can daunt this man now can evill tydings whereof the world is full and are to be expected daily like Iobs messengers No then being well able to judge of the times his heart would be shaken like a leafâ— with the wind but he is no reâ—d whose foundation is myre and durt The Lord iâ— his confidence Proverb 3. 24. He hath laid himselfe downe in peace and taketh his rest his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112. Can the judgement when it doth come quaile him No for of all the houres of the day hee was inquisitive with his beloved where he should rest at noone he knew that would be an hot time His beloved told him and ever since he rests assured that the nature of the judgement be it what it will be shall be changed it shall give but a gentle correction a fatherly chastisement a sower sweet meat shall come forth of the eater Iudges 14. 14. What will the King of feares doe What lay him upon his earth sure and there it will keepe him till the graves give up their dead But now it is sense that goes no further The body returnes to its earth the soule to him that gave it The sting of death is sin and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be to God who hath given us victorie through Iesus Christ So then this mighty King who hath with stood his power will do the very same to this man which the Angell did to Paul Silas and as Pharaoh to Ioseph It will open to him the Prison doores knock off his fetters take off his Prison cloathes Let those feare to whom Christ is not both in life and death advantage This man cannot feare but rejoice rather For though the grave for a time must be his house and the wormes his companions Yet putting death on the one side and immortalitie on the other wormes on the one side and Angells on the other Rottennesse on the one side and Christ Iesus on the other he is bold and loves rather to remove and so for ever to bee with the Lord where he shall toile no more he shall weepe no more he shall sigh no more hee shal hunger no more he shall thirst no more Râ—st is come all teares are wiped away his Sunne shall no more goe downe neither shall the Moone withdraw it selfe for the Lord shall be his everlasting light and the dayes of his mourning shall be ended Isaiah 60. 20. Who can tell
willingly But I will never grant that the Apostles begged or lived a beggars life it is much one yet we will see from what premises Bellarmine concludes it which are these The Apostles had forsaken all The Apostles might provide neither gold nor silver Matth. 10. The Apostles did not worke with their hands therefore they lived vitam mendicantium in my English a beggars life I shall not medle with persons the Cardinall in his booke yet liveth yet speaketh but very ignorantly very unmannerly therefore is he delivered into the hands of a woman who by the help of the Scripture will confute Bellarmine He speaks ignorantly for thou art to know that he who brings his servants into straights knoweth well how to deliver his servants out of the straits he speaks uncivilly too and upon that I will insist a little Their shall be no begger in Israel after the flesh and shall there be beggars in Israel after the spirit It is not probable David had observed much in his youth so had he in his age yet he never saw the Righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread Yea but David was a King you will say the righteous might goe a begging for ought he knew hee was in his Pallace he little saw the distresses of his subiects yes sure his eares were open to the cries of his good people Indeed his countenance expelled the wicked as the Sunne the mist but his delight was with the Saints with them that excelled in vertue he tooke good notice of them and I wil tell you how you may be sure of it David was a King and David followed the Ewes great with young too David run from Cave to cave like a poore hunted Partrialge Saule made him skip like a flea more then this David did water his Coucth with teares too This non ignora mali I was thus afflicted my selfe It draws forth a mans soule to an other miseris succurrere disco it will make a man â—atch at a poore mans petition and teach him not to send the Petitioner away sad Thou shalt respect the stranger Why Thou wast a stranger in Aegypt What then Thou knowest the heart of a stranger Davids affliction board his eare He hard the sighs and groanes of his poore he knew the heart of the afflicted It is certaine Davids experience was much more then a Cardinalls and you have heard what David said You are bound to beleeue him before the whole Conclaue of the Cardinalls Yet heare you the Cardinals Reasons The Apostles work't not with their handes therefore they begged It followes not I know some who worke not with their hands yet think it foule scorne to be called beggers Yea but the Apostles might have no money in their purses therefore they begged It followes not my purse hath often times ben empty yet I thanke God I never begged I would much rather worke with my handes and I will presume so would the Apostles too rather then they would have begged The fowles of the ayre shall teach this great scholler they worke not with their hands I am sure for they sowe not neither doe they reape yet your heavenly Father feedeth them I aske were not the Apostles much better then they They did dispense the Sacred Oracles of God can wee thinke that God would suffer them to begg their bread The prettie Lillies shall teach him too they toyle not yet Solomon then nay which is more the Pope now in all his glory is not arayed like on of them Then the Apostles begged not their cloathing nor their bread O yee of little wit Againe would Paules hearers plucke out their eyes to doe Paul good that is they would part with the dearest things and can we thinke that the Apostles hearers would not draw forth a morsell of bread or a dish of drink to refresh empty soules unlesse they begged it But it will be said though I make the best of it I can yet the Apostles liued upon the liberalitie of others which is vita mendicantium beggar-like Pray you let us see how this followes A man is liberall to me I accept it therefore doe I live beggar-like It is as I have said an uncivill conclusion But let us examine whether the Apostles did live upon others liberality I find not the Scripture saith so let me put in a houswiues similitude I have spun a pound of flaxe I expect sixe pence for my labour I can scarce live on that for you shall find that a poore bodies labour is the cheapest commoditie in the market call you this liberalitie I say my worke is worthy of my wages if it were more Gods Apostles for they be sent doe dispense unto us spirituall things we let them partake of our temporalls what a matter is this not so much as the six pence for flaxe Christs words clearâ— this provide neither gold c. So they may begg No For the worke man is worthy of his meate Math. 10. 10. Then the Apostles will not feare but he that paid the Israelits for their burdens and righted him who served a long siedge will see their wages paide they shall not begg Now if any will yet take his warrant hence that he may part with his possessions and then begg an Almes I have no more to say to him from this text Iubea miserum esse libenter which I English thus let him be in want in ignorance too willingly I come now to Peterâ— converts to whom Christ had made his words good I will make you fishers of men He caught as many men at a Sermon as before he caught Fishes Christs power was plaine in the on and in the other Three thowsand were pricked in their hearts at on sermon Men and brethren what shall we doe Certainely they thought that if the Lord did forgive them hee did forgiue much then they would love much By this meanes here was a sparke of loue kindled A sparke is true fire it will giue a reflexion it will soone kindle a flame This reflects upon the members they shall haue no want For if a man that hath this worlds goods yet releeveth not his brother in want how dwelleth the loue of God in that man It will never be answered Then all sold their possessions and parted to all as there was need It is an indefinit speech thinks Calvine ordinarie in the Scripture under the forme of an vniversall It is like that all did not part with their houses and Lands For of all the 3. thousand only one is named the other a counterfeit as a memorable example of liberalitie Ioses having Land sold it So farr Calvin Ioses might keep his house for ought I know and what was in his house a wiser body then my selfe cannot tell But let it bee granted all sold their possessions yet they cannot make a rule of this a Rule must be fitted to circumstances of persons time and place Here was an extraordinary liberalitie here was an
my arrand which should haue been done before but that I intend the instruction of two Wee enquire of this text why David might not build an house for the Arke it answers because Dauid had shed much blood It was the bloud of Philistians indeed yet that was bloud Solomon must doe it who was a King of peace who had shed none There was a mysterie in this more cleare now That materiall house made with hands was a typpe of a spirituall made without hands who hath for her protection him who is the God of peace and is maried thogh the solemnitie bee not yet to him who iâ— the author of peace and her children are the the children of peace Therefore as neither hammer nor axe nor toole of Iron was heard in that 1. King 6. 7. so nor in this Righteousnesse and Trueth doe kisse each other Peace is followed with all men as far as is possible so that holines be not left behind Follow peace and holinesse Heb. 12. But suppose this peacable body cannot bee at peace and keep holinesse too yet she must not flie at the throat holines is rather pluckt out than infused that way She will not out with the sword with Peter and cutt off the â—are much lesse with his supposed Successor the head shee finds no warrant for that no not where she finds two swords The sword must be sheath'd for all that touch it unwarrantably must perish by it Neither axe nor toole of iron must be heard in it Now let us consider The Lord hath his Temple and living stones are daily laid upon it Here are two would have a hand in it and they would be accompted builders that need not be ashamed By which of these two hath it beene built by whose hands is it daily raised Consider the matter before thou judgest and looke upon it well by that light this Scripture yeelds thee Where is the axe where is the toole of iron heard who hath come out against the body as the Priests and Elders against the head with swords and staves where was the mattock heard who prepared a Cellar well furnished with Barrells and all filled up to the brim with deadly wine by whom is all this bloud shed not by dropps but by buckets not by streames but by rivers of Philistines thou wilt say for so thou art taught it will never be granted It is the blood of the Saints which is tunned up as their tears are bottled But we take that which cannot be denied here is blod That was blod which was spilt in Paris Holland Germanie Italy there she came neere home all places Christian nay I may say an heathenish too A poore Heathen professed he would not come to heaven if the Spaniards were there this holy Mothers instruments A heavy speech if you mark it The poore wretch felt a fullnesse of paine he never heard of thy fullnes of joy pitty the speech and abhor cruelty thou shalt never win a Christian that way much lesse an heathen Heare out the Iudious words he lay tortured so that he died by peece-meale so many joints so many deaths surely said he the God of these Christians is cruell thus their cruelty made the name of God to be blasphemed See Reader An Heathen by the light of nature a candle in respect of thy Sunne could tell who was their God by their worke There is much use in it but it must needs teach thee this that thou canst not resemble God in any thing more then in shewing mercy nor canst thou more lively transforme thy selfe into the image of Satan then in shewing thy selfe cruell A cruell man he serves a cruell master Consider againe that mercy is an attractive thing and therefore if â—uer thou hast to do with heathens let thy compassion drop towards them it may lead them to the fountaine let the little stream of thy compassion â—â—n towards them it may for ought thou knovvest carry them to the ocean Is there so much compassion in these men we will serve their God he is a mercifull God sure Still this blood iâ— before us we will now determine the question who shed it and we find out the murtherer by two witnesses the first comes double we find the swords in the slayers hands drunk with the blood of the slaine Who is that who comes forth with as many swords as she hath hands whose mouth is that which where there were but two swordâ— challengeth them both there is one witnesse And the blood doth evidence too crying against this holy Mother shed in England in France c. we will goe no further we wade in it already and it riseth like the waters yet will she have a hand in the building this house Iudg Child what warrant there can be for this and consider it according to that sincerity wherein thou wouldst be found when thou â—â—t to stand before the great Iudge at which time Belshazzars knees shall smite each other and he shall weary the mountaine to fall upon him I adde one thing which may tell my heare hath gone with my pen It is this that I am perswaded in my soul that there may be a candle lighted from these Scriptures which all the world cannot put out And though there be a mystery of iniquity yet hath this blood washed off the seeming beauty of this well-favoured Harlot and the fire she hath kindled hath marred the painting of this Iezabell unto any ones eye that hath the least glimmering My conclusion unto this shall be a short reasoning and then a gentle perswasion Thou art drinking of this holy Mothers cup dost thou know what poison is in it I reason with thee as Iotâ—anâ— with the men of Sechem wherein if thou understandst thou shalt perceive thou hast not dealt kindly noâ— truly nor faithfully with thy parents with the Church with thine owne soule Hearken to thy Mother Child that the Lord may hearken unto thee Hast thou dealt kindly with thy dead Father with thy dying Mother with thy Father that toiled for thee with thy Mother that groand for thee with thy parents that thought all too little for the Child come husband yeâ— wife let us take care that the Child may have his education he will returne it one day when we are old he will be our staffe to leane upon A staffe indeed which peirceth not the hand but the heart an Aegyptian staffe of reed Hast thou dealt kindly with thy parents hast thou Harken to me that the Lord may harken unto thee Hast thou dealt truely with the Church Thou wast â—â— thy blood she tooke thee in her armes 〈◊〉 blessed thee praying that he who came after would power cleane waters vpâ—â— thee so … sing thee with fire and the Holy Ghost then she held thee in her armes and â—ipped or sprinkled thee which is one and after the Primitiue Institution she used no spittle or the like for she keepeth the patterne then shee layd thee to
acknowledgement it is the same of thine owne hand haue I given backe unto thee for who hath first given to the Lord And with Paul yet not I but the grace of God which is in me And with the Church the Lord hath given me dominion over the strong Iudg. 5. 13. The Lord hath wrought all my workes for me and so to hang on God as the finisher and perfecter of what he hath begun yet in an assured confidence of this very thing that hee who hath begun a good worke will performe it til the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. I know I haue transgressed the bounds of an Epistle which must not fill the hand I know not also whether the gate the house are proportionable I mean the Epistle the Booke I am sure they are both to big Let not that trouble thee it was neither thy labour nor thy cost why should'st thou complaine It falls out in matters of this nature as in building this roome is not light enough nor is that large enough the third would have some addition by that time all is done the paines cost and building farre exceedes the Idea or first proportion so here It is true he that would say all must needes say too much yet I beseech thee spare thy Censure this once I will never venture it againe nor had I now unlesse there had beene a cause what have I now done is there not a cause I leave thee now to the power of his Grace who can build further we have a barren mould though the Lord hath had long patience how soone hee will come to require fruit wee know not Pray we that hee would husband us yet one yeare by his servants give unto us the springs of water the upper and the nether springs then cause his winds to blow upon it so shall we have a goodly portion Pray wee that hee would open our mouthes wide then fill them as with marrow and fà tnes so shall wee fare well A LETTER WRITTEN FROM DOWAY 6 OF MARCH 1627. VNTO HIS MOTHER DEARE MOTHER It is not the first time since my departure that I have writ unto you neither shall it be the last Nature will finde a way to vent her duty were shee never so hard opprest Out of sight is not out of mind for were you but as mindefull of your selfe as I am of you I doubt not but by the effects you should finde mee a dutifull Sonne But as the blinde who see not themselues thinke all others not to see them likewise so you forgetting your selfe thinke mee forgetfull of you to God knowes before whom one day I am to give an account of my duty towards you how that there passeth not a day or night either when you and yours take your rest wherein there is not intercession made for you If I knew what els in this my state a Child 's naturall obligation could effect in the behalfe of a Mother I would with what indeavour I could accomplish it But alas Deare Mother when your request is unreasonable nay unnaturall as the forsaking my Religion Gods Church his truth nay himselfe it stands not with the duty of a Sonne any way to yeeld in the least to so uniust demaunds of a Mother O that your desires were but of that nature of that good Mother wee reade of in the Maccabees was who did encourage her Children to suffer even to death for God I doubt not but God would so strengthen mee with his grace that you should find my duty as ready to obey as your piety would bee willing to command Though it bee not common for a Sonne to teach his Mother but rather to follow her in what shee should direct him yet when parents misled from the way of truth shall without knowledge command what is contrary to Gods will and their Childrens conscience It may be nay it is the part of a dutifull Sonne to remember that their command is amisse and cannot bee followed All I here now doe is no more I doe but informe you that the happinesse you wish mee is not true and reall happinesse That not longer I now but your owne soule might bee the obiect of your thoughts That you would from henceforth no longer be a stranger from the truth But submit your selfe to her who as a loving Mother would receive and embrace you with all affection within the armes of veritie first be instructed by her Deare Mother and then shall you learne to governe and guide your owne Children in thinges that are good And then I am sure they will bee ruled and guided by you And this is all should I doe lesse I should thinke with the Apostle that I were farre worse then an Infidell For how can I behold wolves which pray not for you but prey upon you and hold my tongue Where were my duty I perceiving you tost up and downe in the waves of heresie as you are and your selfe ready to suffer shipwrack and I not so much as offering you my hand to draw you into the Arke Which of all those blind guides that now pervert your soule will affirme that the foundation on which your salvation purchased so dearly by the blood of your Saviour on which your faith is built is unfallable If fallable why doe you hazard your salvation purchased so dearely by the blood of your Saviour upon sand Deare Mother I as a poore Child of your owne bowells as upon my bended knees in all duty of a Sonne doe desire you consider your owne declining age tho last iudgement and if you doe not now here in time worke a prevention of that fearefull sentence which otherwise must passe upon you that so you may avoid the wrath to come endeavour somewhat to examine whether all be true your false prophets preach unto you or at least whether they practise what they preach First try and then trust And because your capacity cannot master a better argument then to examine the lives of your professors of your owne sect There begin See first whether your new upstart ministers do not like stage players trickt up in their neat apparrell onely and barely act and talke and practise nothing they will tell you of Christs passion his povertie his want his hunger and thirst his humility his patience his labour and travell his ignominie in being apprehended scourged spit on in bearing his crosse they will also tell you of the Apostles povertie their sufferings their wrongs and afflictions but who is he either of your Ministry or Laity will follow your Saviour in these his passions who is there among you that in your selves allow either of fasting or watching or voluntary poverty or good workes or afflicting your selves for Gods sake to be despised to forsake the world live for ever austerely in pennance for sins they can commend these things in Christ and his Apostles and yet forbid to be practised by themselves They will tell