PRACTIQVE THEORIES OR Votiue Speculations VPON Abrahams entertainment of the three Angels Sarah and Hagars Contention Isaacs Marriage with Rebekah Iohn Baptists Natiuity or birth Iohn Baptists Decollation or beheading S. Peters Calling S. Peters Confession S. Peters Denyall S. Peters Repentance Vpon Sauls Cruelty Vpon 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. To the right Honourable Robert Earle of Lindsey Lord High Chamberlaine of England long Honour vpon earth and in Heauen Glory euerlasting Most Honourable Lord A Tendrell planted in your soyle yea graffed in your Garden watered with your dew cherished with your Sunne after some smal growth is notwithstanding an vnhappy Remoual bold to returne you Fruit. Once was it when I had a perswasiue Faith in a destination to your Lordships Seruice neuerthelesse cannot the iniurious Distance and discontinuance of Time and Place other cause I trust is none for bid mine vtmost deuotion thereunto In a weake manifestation whereof I now presume to sacrifice this simple Offring of mine to your honourable Name Confessing it worthlesse beseeching that it may bee bettered by your Worth So please it your good Lordship together with my Duty to take notice of mine Endeauours herein You shal see summed vp in their seuerals An old hospitaller kindly entertaining his new kinde of Guests they hearfully accepting their but needles cheare Two of one sex agreeing onely to be Mothers and yet as Mothers most disagreeing A couple comming together to nature and the promise with a yoke so wisely orderly vndergone that it prooues not a more necessary then delectable yoke A man borne a Prophet and more then a Prophet a Prophet dying a man and viler then a man A Disciple taught his duty confessing what he was taught denying what he confessed Recanting what he denyed The wicked grassation of a Tyrant and Saints admired translation All is I confesse vnworthy your Lordships Name or Notice as being but a small thing and occasionall Time I hope and fauour may bring it as well to a Method as to a volume Should I now commemorate your Noble Auncestours and religious predicate your own vertues hopefull Progeny it would be but to light a Candle to your Sunne I cannot speake but as the world knowes vnder your desert Better were I to say nothing then not accordingly Besides I would be loath to loade your Lordships Modesty which I know can content you with the conscience of your Worth Let the World that hath known your Cost Care Toyle Hazard praise you it shall be mine to pray for you That to your owne Merits Honours terrestriall may be repayed you and for the onely merits of Christ Glory celestial vouchsafed you So vowes Your Honours most humbly deuoted Seruant IOHN GAVLE Ad minùs vulgarem seu literatiorem paulò quà m pro linguâ vernaculâ Lectorem DEus bone quà m multifariae nefariae penè dixerim Mortalium hae Mentes Adeo in contraria eunt Homines studia vt hic illi huic ille non vultu sanè quà m Sententiâ dissâ—milior In dijudicandis semper ne vnus quidem qui non est alius Quasi discernere non esset nisi dissentire ne nullum videatur solum illius erit Arbitrium Solum inquam aut diuersum peruersum immò malum De industriâ facit id est Malitiâ vt in deterius semper vergat trutina Vt vt erit Meritum nigrum solummodo addit Calculum Ne non intelligeret quod non condemnaret Ingenium quò quidem acrius eò acutius Nec solidum vllum putat praeter rigidum illud Indicium Verum enimvero priusquam morosa haec sternutantia nutantia rogo illa aut vaga paulisper vide Capita Nunquam minus sacra istiusmodi chara quam cum conueniunt conueniunt Est enim sensu forte consensu nequaquam quod accedunt Hic illius huius ille semper refragatur Sententiae Dat vnus Album alius Nigrum profert Et cui hic Calculum duntaxat aut Limam ille vnguem omnimodo Lituram Candidè interpretatur hic totum hic nihil non cauillatur Alius adprobat quod alius damnat Nec eidem de eodem datur semper idem sentire Breui dicam et planè Iudicant plerunque homines pro occasione affectu opinione pro ratione rarò aut cum delectu Censent plerique omnes prout est temperamentum corporis potius quam animi iudicium Pro examine haud determinant et consideratione sed pro impetu certe libidine Estque hoc modo pro arbitrio arbitrium O varias nec non vagas van as ergo imquas Mentium has Lances Heu quâ temeritate vacillat quâue iniuriâ vergit animi illa statera Vnum sunt ne nescias Bonum et Verum Quorsum iam de illis aliud atque aliud Iudicium Numsimul variè datur constituere et verè Levitas profecto illa animâ— et temeritas mentis non perspicacitas non acumen Futilis est fallaxque illa mentis vnibra quâ è plebe quilibet malè consulit malè iudicat Simplex tantùm et solida illa Mens animi discretivam dico rationis facultatem Non tantum Bona à Malis sed etiam tolerabilibus Neque Vera â Falsis tantùm sed et probabilibus perbelle nouit distinguere prudens Rationis facultas Quae omnia malè admiscet aâ—t ineptius secernit caecus opinionis sensus Nostis nostis vos auriti magis et vt nil dicam de bardâ prorsus et nesciâ examinis turbâ vos quam pro plebe literariâ magis oculati Nostis inquam Multum in multis excaecatum Prudentiae huius nempe disceptatricis Oculum Fatuatum item Gustum aut Palatum Facem extinctam Lancem iniquam obtusum Aculeum et hebetatum valde Acumen Ecaeteris animi dotibus seu Dei Opt-Max donis ista ipsâ acie homines minus valemus Pollet aliquis intellectus capacitate memoriae tenacitate ingenij dexteritate sermonis item elegantiâ Iudicij haud ita acumine Quisque tamen heu quanta est hominum licentia modestè parum immo proteruè nimis hanc Trutinam praesumit sibi Librandi etiam illam arrogat libertatem Ab imis subsellijs quà m petulanter summum scandit Tribunal vel mediocriter doctus iamque primus ille arbiter Quum non aut quod non satis capit carpit nimis Eius enim est dum non aduertere praeiudicare Attentionem fortasse desideras ecce ecce Iudiciolum Scalpere tantum nouit ipse et quaerit Limam Gnomonem accipit et Regulam artis licet expers nec non operis ignarê° Sed heus tu te enim alloquor Mime aut Mâ—me Quid tibi Graculo cum hâc chordâ Asino vt aiunt cum hâc Lyrâ Tali cum Speculo perspectiuo scilicet
OR Votiue Speculations VPON Iohn Baptists Decollation or Beheading THe people were both wayes mistaken in calling Christ Iohn Baptist and in taking Iohn Baptist to be Christ They had not learnt yet to distinguish betwixt the Angell and the God the starre and the sunne the voyce and the Word the Herauld and the King the Cryer and the ludge the Vsher and the Lord the Friend and the Bridegroome the Witnesse and the Truth the Prophet and the Sauiour Christ Iesus that was to come and Iohn Baptist his Forerunner But this Lucifer farre vnlike that other not daring to vsurpe diuine honours though men would blindely and rudely haue thrust theÌ„ vpon him giues God the glory of what he is and quite denyes himselfe to be what he is not Once and againe he sayes Ioh. 1.10 Ioh. 3.28 I am not the Christ And so himselfe sets downe one difference betwixt them He must increase Ioh. 3.30 but I must be diminished And indeed thus are they distinguished more wayes then one Christ did increase for hee began to be reuealed what he was Iohn did decrease for he ceased to be called what he was not Christ did increase for he was yet to accomplish the worke of a Sauiour Iohn did decrease for he had already done the office of a Fore runner Christ did increase the Gospell was to be Preached Iohn did decrease the Law was to be abolished Christ did increase for comming after Iohn he was preferred before him Iohn did decrease for comming before Christ he was set after him Christ did increase in whom dwelt all the fulnesse of the God head bodily Iohn that receiued the Spirit but by measure did decrease Christ an inexhaustible fountaine of Grace did increase Iohn the burning Lampe did decrease Christ did increase for hee was hand and foot inlarged to a Crosse Iohn did decrease for he was cut shorter by the Head The shadow was to yeeld now that the substance came in place The voyce was to be silent now that the Word began to be vnderstood and the glimmering of the starre vanished now that the lustre of the sunne appeared It is behoofefull for vs Christians that both Christ should increase in vs and we decrease vnto our selues Christ and his Grace must liue in us and we dye to our selues and sinne Lord increase thou my Faith in thee and let me decrease to my sinne and selfe Oh be thou more and more to me and let me be lesse vnto my selfe Liue thou and let me dye proceed thou and let mee be restrained prosper thou let me decay yea yea Lord let me be ashamed thou glorified let me be despised and thou magnified let me be humbled and thou exalted let mee be nothing and thou all in all We haue all of vs one thing or other to bring vs to our ends Some Natures frailty some our owne Intemperance some others violence For the first neither was the Baptist borne by natures strength nor through weakenesse was it that he dyed And as touching the other two he dyed not by his owne but anothers euill Iohn both was borne and dyed for Christs cause He was borne foretelling Christ whom hee dyed confessing Borne was he to beare witnesse of the truth and hee dyed for witnessing the truth Mark 6.18 It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy Brothers Wife Here came Iohn Baptist in the spirit of Elias for as he to Ahab Thou 1 King 18.18 and thy Fathers house haue troubled Israel So he to Herod It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy Brothers Wife The Prophets haue not gone behinde their sace to tell Kings their faults Iohn shames not to tell euen Herod of his shame Nor speakes he faintly and generally It is not lawfull for a man to haue his Brothers wife but stoutly taxes him in particular It is not lawfull for thee to haue her It is not lawfull for a man to haue his Brothers Wife this were but to confute the Doctrine It is not lawfull for thee to haue her this is to oppose the practice and example Herod heretofore heard Iohn gladly but now he hates to heare him Hypocrites while themselues are vntouched will heare the word of truth not onely with a kinde of patience but delight None are more taken with the reproofe of sinne then they and yet then they none more irke to bee reproued for their sinnes How frequently are men and deseruedly and yet but vnprofitably reproued What good doth it onely to inueigh against sinnes in generall when men haue not the grace to apply it to theÌ„selues Men think themselues vnmentioned vntouched It concernes not them to tell them neuer so of their faults if you tell them not as theirs We must indeed hare the vice not the man yet may taxe the man for his vice It is no offence to the person sometimes to taxe the person for his offence No man can truely say he is slandered when that is onely reprehended in him whereby God is dishonoured Nor is it an offence when one is publikely corrected to the intent that many may be amended Nor yet is it against Charity when one mans shame and scandall is recompenced with the peace and warinesse of a many Better an open reprehension then imitation of euill Neither is it other then duty so to doe Them that sinne rebuke before all 1 Tim. 5.20 that others also may feare The best way of reproofe is neither to slander a mans person nor fauour a mans sinne neither to betray nor smother his euils neither to carpe and censure nor sooth and flatter him in his faults and offences Neither to be zealously cruell nor pitâ—â—ously vniust Neither to bee so bitter against things but ridiâ—â—lous and so easie to things pernicious as to inueigh so against Errours and but chide at Abhominations neither to launce them that are sore but scratcâ— the seared neither to come to a foole with words nor with a club to a wise man Neither to come too neare and broadly poynt at the blushing and shamefast nor to keepe too farre off and speake too much beside the impudent and out-facing neither to vpbraid that openly which is done but once and against one nor husht it priuily which is done against all and openly If one speake in the clouds and but touch me a farre off yet so as my selfe findes me conscious of his words I will blush to commit that my selfe againe which I perceiue another is so loath now to discouer Sith his secrecy would excuse me for the first I will so accuse my selfe therefore that my warinesse may preuent the next If I deserue to be made a publike example better I be ashamed then confounded for my faults If he be my friend that repreâ—ends me it is because he loues mee nor is this to hate me though he be mine enemy that reprehends me If I be â—ustly reprehended I thereby may learne to amend if reprehended vniustly I so
for a yeere but vpon commendation and good liking and yet will hazard vpon a Wife at any tearmes though for the whole tearme of life Hee runnes on to experience rather then examine a Wife which indeed is not knowne â—re had which disobeyes not till shee be bound and begins not to dislike till now she be inioyed There 's no true content for a man to take a Wife by other then the aforesaid conditions Be shee rich or poore witty or silly merry or sad beauteous or deformed in all these are their seuerall troubles and distasts A rich Wife will be imperious and a poore cannot but be burdensome one he must endeauour to obserue the other must he labour to maintaine A witty Wife will be opposite and so the silly one obstinate neither will the one be fully answered nor the other truely informed A sad Wife will be comfortlesse a merry Wife may be scandalous neither shall he know how to cheare the one or how to checke the other A foule Wife is irkesome a faire Wife is suspitious be she beauteous others will loue her be she deformed how can he loue her himselfe He may feare to keepe the one the other will irke him to inioy But a good Wife is to be found for all this of him that bindes or bends himselfe to seeke out none but good To auoyd the worst is the way to light vpon the best I must be content with such a Wife as God hath allotted me but will seeke for such an one as hee hath allowed withall A Rose growes not from a Nettle or as that holy Prouerbe Doe men gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of Thistles Mat. 7.16 It is hard we say but a bad Bird should lay a bad egge Nor as he againe can a corrupt Tree bring forth good fruit verse 18. Abraham cannot expect that a wombe vncircumcised and accursed can raise vp fit seede to his Sonne Isaac both blessed and within the Couenant This charge is therfore with mutuall obligement deliuered and confirmed Gen. 24.3 Not to take a Wife to Isaac of the daughters of the Canaanites According to this example he giues a good precept 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not vnequally yoked with Infidels Which way draw they and to what end that are vnequally yoked If they marry not in the Lord alas how their Prayers are hindred Married persons are one flesh so ought they to be one spirit also As Affection so should Religion ioyne them both together that distinguished in sexe they might be the same in minde and Grace might chiefely liken whom Nature onely had made vnlike One Faith is likewise required to God-ward as one Troth betwixt themselues How vnseemely is it to see Man and Wife like an * Deut. 22.9 10.11 Oxe and an Asse vnder one yoke How vnsute able to haue a wedding garment especially patcht vp with party colours How hath God ioyned them together one towards another that neuer ioyned themselues together towards God Oh the misery of such a diuision in such an vnion Amongst these sinister Coniunctions an Israelite and a Canaanite a Nazarite and a Philistin a Iew and a Gentile a Christian and an Infidell a Man and a Beast I doe not easily discerne which hath most cause to complaine first of an vnequall yoake I my selfe will loath alike to be there coupled as where Nature as a man so where Grace as a Christian hath distinguished It is Abrahams onely care to prouide a Match for his Sonne and the care seconded with execution the prouision terminated with successe If the choyce of Parents bee herein happily regarded with what impiety is their consent hereto refused Good and lawfull Marriage was neuer without a Giuing in Marriage nor this latter without a Parents hand God gaue Children to their Parents and therefore are they theirs to giue Both must here indeed leaue Father and Mother yet not without their leaue It was Parents consent begat their Children and it also should bestow them Whose consent gaue vs a Being their Counsell may further our being well Herein to regard our Parents is commendable nor is the other to be excused Yeares may exempt vs somewhat from their awing but not altogether from their aduise Isaac was now old enough to haue sought out a Wife for himselfe yet not onely askes he his Fathers consent but stands to his Fathers choyce Would I licenciously runne headlong without aduice or guidance to put a necke vnder that yoke which I cannot lay off but with life or rashly knit a knot which Death onely can vndoe If I rashly binde my selfe to shame and beggery without their counsell I may iustly complaine too late of both without their comfort and rightly be debarred of their Countenance whose Counsell I disregarded The Father doubtlesse might haue married his Sonne to a Wife nearer home then his owne Country and very like of greater value then his owne kindred But this is it the sonne of Abraham shall inherite his Fathers blessing but the daughters of the Canaanites his neighbours are lyable to their Fathers curse Now what community betwixt Blessing and Cursing betwixt Good and Euill Sinne and Grace Life and Death These hee saw to be palpable Idolaters and profane but them he knew to be morally honest yea disposed to piety He therefore reiects them hee might haue obtained with more case and honour to seeke out Her whom he findes though with more difficulty yet greater vertue Godly Parents asks not chiefely how Great how Rich but how Good how Religious The old way was to marry by the Eares but now by the eyes or Fingers there is no hearing of her vertues either he must see her Face or feele her Gold How many cast themselues away vpon Wealth and are married to Money more then Vertue Nay 't is the Wealth the man is married to not the Wife The man is rather hired to a Mistresse then married to a Wife and so as if she had no worth in her it is the Wiues worth comes with her His or Hers are valued and not themselues And thus neither Giue they nor take to Marriage but hereto rather are they Bought and Sold. Nay there is more Conditioning betwixt parties marrying then betweene the one party or other in buying or selling In stead of the old manner of Contracting we haue a new kinde of Couenanting They are bound strictly vnder hand and seale that ought chiefly to be bound in heart Dowries Ioyntures Feofments all are expresly conditioned Loue vertue piety scarce are meant or mentioned Oh! with what distraction me thinkes is a soule staiued beggerly vgly imbraced in a Carcasse though pampered wealthy beautifull Besides wedlocks bond of peace is not of the Hands but the Hearts And where Wealth is euen forcible to ioyne the one and Vertue not regarded to vnite the other there Death is commonly within a while thought a ready and sweet liberty to so lasting and miserable chaines Hee who in the
not to obtaine then not to maintaine Forwardnesse to haue is folly and misery without ability to vphold As Friends so Familâ—es are casier in the purchase then the preseruation Him will I reckon as an Infidell whole laudable care extends not to his owne prouision him worse where it is wanting to his own and those of his houshold Thus is the Troth plight the knot knit betwixt Isaac and Rebekah Both are Marryed â—nâ—e Loued He Comforted Marriage without Loue Gen. 24.67 is vnquieâ—nesseâ— Loue without Comfort is Barrennesse but all thus annexed make Happinesse I would wish mine enemy no heauier bondage then vnder the seauen Withes of Sampson and Dalilah my Neighbour as my selfe no easier freedome then within this threefold Cord of Isaac and Râ—bekah Marriage Lâ—ue and Comfort I will so expect the first as by Gods blessing to communicate the second to participate the last The Monodie OR Soliloquie IT is not good for man to be alone Both World and Church should so want propagation Hee 's either God or Beast that thus is one And not a man whose end and ayme's a Nation My soule takes him for brute and sauage elfe That being borne is borne but for himselfe A Father old once blessed in a Sonne Would not alone ingrosse such happy state But still consults what 's fittest to be done To make both Sonnes and Blisse continuate My Soule though Enuy would alone be blest Yet would not Loue be so without therest As fittest helpe vnto such blissefull life He strait resolues vpon mature decree Vnto his onely Sonne to take a Wife That in more Sonnes he may more happy be My soule if ayming at each state of blisse Thou faile in meanes the end well mayst thou misse The Father takes't as due to make the choyce The Sonne in duty yeelds obeysance to it Thâ—ones verdit stands not saue with th 'others voyce Mutuall consent is requisite to doe it My soule had rather bide her owne diuulsion Then such free act should suffer hard compulsion The neighbouring Daughters noble rich and fayre Are not with inward Graces qualified And so not found fit matches for his Heyre ' Cause these they want themselues are here deny'd My soule such Parents are but rare to finde That value lesse the Body to the Minde But wearied steps are spent to seeke fit Spouse By trusty seruant who his way to blesse Solicites oft with prayers and with vowes The Power diuine which answers with successe My Soule with ease thou Nature mayst imbrace Thy trauell must combine 'twixt thee and Grace Now while he hath scarce breathed from his prayer As heart could wish to haue with speed obtain'd A Damosell yong chast vertuous and fayre At once is seene and knowne and woo'd gain'd My soule ne're knew the man ere could complaine He did beginne in God and end in vaine Ere long blest Groome he meets with chosen Bride Ioyfull espouâ—als knit both hearts and hands Loue is with loue replyd on either side Both comfort haue in such their blissefull bands My soule as longing Spouse fame would be wed Vnto tâ—â— well beloued Christ her Head PRACTIQVE THEORIES OR Votiue Speculations VPON Iohn Baptists Natiuity or Birth Decollation or Beheading 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 Iohn Baptists Natiuity or Birth THe same Angell foretold the same Scripture records the same Church celebrates the Birth of Christ and the Baptist Captaine and Souldier Lord and Friend Master and Seruant Sauiour and Fore-runner God will that one Herauld shall in like manner fore-summon and proclaime them both God honours his Saints as himself reseruing his Propertyes he communicates his Priuiledges and vouchsafes them likewise what to him pertaines alone How the shadow is suffered to resemble the substance The Forerunner hath likewise his Forerunner He that bare witnesse witnesse was also borne of him He that was borne for the good of the Church the Church hath thought good to commemorate his Birth Wee may liken the Saints with their Sauiour so we lessen not the Sauiour by his Saints Iohn Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe Christ was so and more not sanctifyed there but euen sinlesse altogether The Matrons wombe was hallowed but the Virgins vndefiled her Babe was endowed but hers conceâ—ued by the Holy Ghost Iohn Baptist was borne of a woman old and barren and Christ of a woman free and vntouched He borne beyond natures order but He without natures Act. Iohn was borne of a barren wombe where nature was desperate but Christ of a Virgins wombe where Nature was amazed It is not vsuall for many more to be borne as was the Baptist but not possible for any other to be borne as Christ was Many reioyced at the Birth of the Baptist but Christs Birth was the glad tidings of great ioy vnto all They reioyced at Iohns birth that then were but Christs was the ioy of all both before and after Iohns name was foretold and much of his life and many of his parts but Christs Name and Person and office and all were foretold The Angell that forespaâ—e of Iohn commenced him but adored Christ of whom he forespake It is mans honour that Christ in many things may be compared but that he should not in euery thing be preferred were Gods dishonour We are but a drop of that goodnesse whereof hee is the sea but a sparkle of that Glory whereof he is the fire We may be holy as he is holy but not as holy we may be perfect so as he is perfect but not so perfect It is not for the Sonnes of men to paralell but resemble the Sonne of God I would wish but to be the shadow to this substance the drop to this sea the sparkle to this fire Oh let my soule but haue the likenesse whereof my Sauiour is the perfection The Saints Funerals the Church counts their Natalitials cals their Death-dayes their birth-dayes and not once mentioning the day they were borne in a World commemorates the day they were borne for Heauen Other Saints S. Peter S. Stephen c. We commemorate their death wee celebrate the birth onely of this Saint S. Iohn the Baptist Beside the Baptist no Saint was borne into the Church of Christ therefore the Church celebrates the birth of no Saint beside the Baptist All else were borne of flesh and bloud before they were borne of Water and of the Spirit but he borne of the Spirit before he was borne of flesh and bloud He was made a member of the Church in his mothers wombe the Church then could not chuse but take notice of his birth Our births are soule and to be forgotten hallowed was his Birth and to be remembred We are borne in sinne he was sanctified from the wombe We many of vs both load and shame our Mothers his he
promised him for the peoples good He prayes for all and is answered touching himselfe Thy prayer is heard c. Luk. 1.14 yet so as it concernes others also many shall reioyce at hiâ— Birth It is prayer that preuaileâ— with God Nothing so powerful in euery thing as prayer Prayer hath remitted the sinne preuented the iudgement obtaineâ— a reward It hath reared vp Waters and cast downe Walls shut the Heauens opened the Earth brought downe raine kept in fire shut vp mouthes and set open doores it hath ouercome the enemy comforted the afflicted prouided for thâ— poore it hath raysed the deaâ— repelled deuils healed Diseases begotten Children who can reckon all that rests in the power of prayer There is nothing which God cannot doe in himselfe nothing which he will not doe for prayer Authority cannot command nor strength enforce nor worth deserue any thing at Gods hand God will not be commanded nor forced nor hired but intreated Iam. 5.16 The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man auayleth much with God When and wherein I would preuaile with God I will onely and earnestly pray vnto him The Mother of the Lord and Mother of the Prophet meet together The Mother congratulates the comming of the Mother and so doth the Prophet of the Lord. Elizabeth to Mary and Iohn to Iesus Iesus came to saâ—ctifie Iohn in the wombe and Iohn salutes Iesus there Vnheard of congratulation they so salute each o her as neither is heard The Saint and Sauiour inuisibly meet together and vnspeakeably imbrace each other with a mediation onely of two tender walls She now tels to her what he now did to him As soone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the Babe leaped in my wombe for ioy What a ioyfull exultation was here in the wombe euen such as now was not in the world beside Elizabeth was first acquainted with Maries comming but Iohn with Christs She first heard the voyce but hee first knew the Word She first answered in the way of courtesie but he first reioyced in regard of the Mystery O mystery of Angels in an Infants motion the Morning Starre thus springing from below how it betokens the Day-spring from on high Ioh. 5.35 The burning and shining light shining and burning in an early knowledge and zeâ—le before it come to the Candlestieke it first illuminates the Bushell Hee that now leaped in his Mothers wombe told her who was in her wombe whose salutation she now heard Maries salutation made Iohn leape but Iohns leaping made Elizabeth prophecy of Christ It was through the fruit of her owne wombe she said vnto the other Luk. 1.42 Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe In that he is so hasty not oneâ—y to fore-runne his Lord but euen himselfe in a manner makes the Mother of the fore-runner to know and acknowledge the Mother of the Lord. This consideration is admirable how that he now is aware of Christs comming that yet is ignorant of his owne that he vnderstands of his Lord while yet he is not sensible of himselfe and that while he yet sees not what is present hee tels what is to come Behold therefore and wonder the spirit of diuine Grace is vpon him when the spirit of a naturall life is scarce yet within him yea he leapeâ— already in the spirit while he is not fully in the flesh So as heâ— begins to liue to God ere he liue to himselfe yea begins to liue to God in the act of grace â—râ— God in the order of nature begin to liue to him Totally diuine is he ere he yet be compleately humane Doth the part of a Prophet while yet he hath noâ— the members of a man and begins to leape when now he caâ— neither goe nor creepe Iohn Baptist liued to God before he was My God grant me to liue to him now that I am and liue with him when I shall be nâ— more Elizabeth was maruellously quickened and in a moment Yet is she orderly and but ordinarily deliuered For her fuâ—â— time came that shee should bee deliuered Luk. 1 57. and she brought forth a Sonne It is wont with God to keepe Order euen in Wonder or to begin miraculously and conclude with means So comes he at first like himself but stoops to vs at the last shewes himselfe onely in the beginning but vses vs also in the end Elizabeth conceiued beyond nature but she must not bring forth without order God made her conceiue though the fit time was past but would not haue her bring forth till the full time came He would haue her partaker of the miracle but others should be but witnesses of the meanes God deals wonderfully with his Saints when the world perceiues no other but ordinary He vouchsafes his Saints speciall Graces but lets the World conceiue of no other but common Gifts So God in his gratious vouchsafements doe wonderfully to me I care not though the world conceiue or consider but wontedly of me Now they haue him they agree not how to call him The kinne they take vpon them to name the Childe and giue him no other name but as they vsed the name of the kinne He is Fathers Sonne and they giue him Fathers name They called him Zacharias Luk. 1.59 But he must not be long knowne by that name What talke they now of the name of his Kindred the name of a Prophet is already giuen vnto him His God-father is God the Father who christened him before by a Deputy Thou shalt call his Name Iohn Luk. 1.13 This was a great vouchsafement of God to some of his Saints that he hath giuen them their names So is this to all that he knowes them by their Names that hee calles them by their names that their names are written in the booke of life God cares by what names we be called Hee giues vs our names in our Christendome to make vs mindfull of his mercy and our duty so oft as wee heare the sound or mention of our names Yet are they at controuersie how to call him They reason with his mother about the matter and the father is hee that must resolue them who because he is tongue ty'd tels them vnder hand His name is Iohn Luk. 1.63 A name not fansied of himselfe but imposed of God a name which himselfe inuents not but repeates That name is of importance which is giuen of God Iohn beside the appellation hath this signification the grace of God There were other of this name beside the Baptist but none in whom the import of this name was so fully and truely accomplished The names they imposed of old were Sentences or Prophecyes None of them taught or signed so much as the name Iohn Next to the name Iesus is the name Iohn I was God that gaue them both Iohn and Iesus are as much aâ— Grace and Saluation Iohn prepares the way to Iesus betokening there is no way to saluation but by
Grace Iohns name was an honour to him noâ— was Iohn a disgrace to his name He both was and was called Gratious We many by our baâ— manners slander and belye ouâ— good Names We haue fayre appellations and filthy conditions Nay haue nothing to betoken vs Christians but the name usurping the stile whereof we want the truth so contrary are our liues to our callings and titles of our persons so vnlike the workes of our Professions What skilleth it to be called Clement Vrbane Pius and yet be cruell vnciuill â—uill to be called Christian Prudence Grace Faith and yet to be vnchristian vnwise vngratious vnbeleeuing Lord let me not be a scandall to my Calling nor a reproach to mine owne name But make me mindefull of my vow and duty so oft as my name is mentioned and as ready to answer vnto my faith as I would vnto my name Iohn was a miracle himselfe although himselfe did no miracle He was not so much the instrument as matter of wonder Though he did no miraclâ— yet nothing but miracles was done vpon him Wonderfull was his Birth and so his life wonderfull Neither was he borne according to natures strength and order nor does he liue after natures manner and meanes He presently flits from a wombe to a wildernesse changes one Desart for another His birth and life are both alone He is borne but one and so he will liue but one While he yet hath no fellowship with men he shunneâ— their society and ere he yet comâ— amongst them wholly auoidâ— the company and concourse of men And wherefore does heâ— thus but to teach men by his example if not to auoyd yet not to regard a World To bid Christians especially not so to toyle on earth since they are borne for heauen Or rather he thus reserues himselfe for his comming for whom indeed he came It is expressed of him He was in the Desarts Luk. 1.80 till the day of his shewing vnto Israel Ioh. 1.23 Iohn began to shew himselfe in that day that he said I am the voyce c. But was not fully shewne himselfe till the next day to that Ioh. 1.29 when he shewed Him also Behold the Lambe of God The voyce was silent and solitary now a while for why the Word was not yet to be proclaimed Iohn was an Alien from the World but though was a Citizen of the Wildernesse Though Iohn resorted not to mens dwellings yet men repaired to Iohns abiding The whole land of Iudea was not wide enough for a Wildernesse indeed This indeed was called so but in comparison Not because solitary altogether and dispeopled but because lesse inhabited and frequented In this kinde of Wildernesse was Iohn as set apart for his Office not to set vp an Order He neither that I can heare praysed the Desart nor perâ—waded thereunto He bad men but doe as they ought and let him alone to doe as he did Who cals Iohn a Pilgrime Monke Hermite Anachorete c. Will they make a sedentary loyterer of Christs Fore-runner This is to belye the Baptist to make him their Prince or Patron The Orders of this kinde haue Authors of their owne They haue Fathers such as themselues haue falsified or fayned whereon to father theâ— Iohn minded to ply his appointed office not to teach men to liue in an vncertaine Calling Would Iohn in stitute or inioyne such a life as is neither iâ— Church nor Common-wealth Euen men are borne one for another and is there a kinde of Christian that is onely for himselfe Either is he a God or a Beast that alwayes is alone Now of Beasts they say none so sauage as the solitary God said it of all Solitude It is not good for man to be alone Gen. 2.18 Nâ—t Good because neither safe nor honest Gen. 4. Not safe Caine slew Abel all alone in the Field He the rather did the wickednesse because there was no witnesse Not honest Gen. 19. Lot that was chast in Sodome became incestuous in a Caue No temptations to those of the Wildernesse Mat. 4. The deuiâ— tempted Christ there The Tempter is then secure when he can but take vs by our selues Euen Solitude it selfe pâ—râ—waâ—es to euill and we the sooner â—oe it when there is none to marke it Feâ—re and shame forbid a man in presence he giues way to his lusts onely when hee is alone He that trauels alone soonest wanders and is most in danger Bad company is not good yet is a man many times his owne worst companion and is more innocent with any then with himselfe A man is his owne carelesse keeper and therefore it is ill trusting him with himselfe He that shunnes others let him first forsake himselfe A good conscience is peaceable and settled in a Tumulâ— a bad one is troubled and brawles in Silence And if a man be not at quiet within him what auaylâ—s it that the Region is so round about him Hâ—e that dâ—th ill though in secret â—olitarinesse hath witnesse enough within him He that doth well hath few enough to obserue him though the eyes of a world were vpon him It is a fault to light a Candle and put it vnder a Bushell and to hide a vertue is a vice Nor is it better then to doe bad to withdraw themselues from doing good But they therfore renounce a world to shunne temptations Temptations are well auoyded but better ouercome They thus betake themselues wholly to Deuotion That is no Deuotion which is beside Religion They sequester themselues to good meditations Good meditations are not better thought then taught Say what they can for such their Solitude those that would be Saints by themselues I onely beleeue The Communion of Saints It skilleth not where I dwell so God dwell with mee not where I liue so I liue to God World or Wildernesse I care not so my God bee with me City or Country no matter whether so I serue God in either I passe not to shrowd me vnder a neighbour Turfe or a forraine Heape For I know that if my earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolued I haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens Come to Iohns Habit from his Habitation and next his Dwelling mark his Cloathing Hee had his raymert of Camels hayre Maâ— 3.4 and a leatherne girdle about his loynes We Preach to liue Iohn liu'd to Preach His life was seene when his doctrine was â—ot knowne We Preach better then we liue Iohn liu'd accorâ—ingly as he Preachâ— He preacht Repentance Repent ye Mat. 2.2 for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand as his Habit here betokens his practice was Repentance The old Penitents vsed to sit in Sackcloath what Sackcloath so hard as Hayrecloath Christ markes him if not commends him for the roughnesse of his rayment Luk. 7.25 What went ye out to see a man cloathed in soft rayment they which are gorgeously apparelled are in