giue the name that hee might see they were made for him they shall be to him what he will In stead of their first homage they are presented to their new Lord and must see of whom they hold He that was so carefull of mans soueraigntie in his innocence how can hee be carelesse of his safety in his renovation If God had giuen them their names it had not bin so great a praise of Adams memory to recall them as it was now of his iudgement at first sight to impose them he saw the inside of all the creatures at first his Posteritie sees but their skins euer since and by this knowledge he fitted their names to their dispositions All that he saw were fit to be his seruants none to be his companions The same God that findes the want supplyes it Rather then Mans innocencie shall vvant an outward comfort God will begin a new creation Not out of the Earth which was the matter of Man not out of the inferiour creatures which were the seruants of Man but out of himselfe for dearenesse for equalitie Doubtlesse such was Mans power of obedience that if God had bidden him yeeld vp his rib waking for his vse he had done it cheerefully but the bounty of God was so absolute that he would not so much as consult with mans will to make him happy As man knew not while he was made so shall he not know vvhile his other selfe is made out of him that the comfort might be greater which was seen before it was expected If the Woman should haue beene made not without the paine or will of the Man shee might haue beene vpbraided vvith her dependance and obligation Now she owes nothing but to her Creator The ribbe of Adam sleeping can challenge no more of her then the earth can of him It was an happy change to Adam of a rib for an helper vvhat helpe did that bone giue to his side God had not made it if it had been superfluous and yet if Man could not haue been perfect vvithout it it had not beene taken out Many things are vsefull and conuenient which are not necessarie and if God had seene Man might not want it how easie had it beene for him which made the Woman of that bone to turne the flesh into another bone But hee saw man could not complaine of the want of that bone which he had so multiplyed so animated O God wee can neuer be losers by thy changes vvee haue nothing but vvhat is thine take from vs thine owne when thou vvilt wee are sure thou canst not but giue vs better Of Paradise MAn could no sooner see then hee saw himselfe happy His eye-sight and reason were both perfect at once and the obiects of both vvere able to make him as happy as he would When hee first opened his eyes hee saw heauen aboue him earth vnder him the creatures aboue him God before him hee knew what all these things meant as if he had beene long acquainted with them all Hee saw the heauens glorious but farre off his Maker thought it requisite to fit him vvith a Paradise nearer home If God had appointed him immediately to heauen his body had beene superfluous It was fit his body should be answered vvith an earthen Image of that heauen vvhich vvas for his soule had Man beene made onely for contemplation it vvould haue serued as well to haue beene placed in some vast desart on the top of some barren Mountaine But the same power which gaue him a heart to meditate gaue him hands to worke and worke fit for his hands Neither was it the purpose of the Creator that Man should but liue pleasure may stand with innocence he that reioyced to see all he had made to bee good reioyceth to see all that hee had made to be well God loues to see his creatures happy Our lawfull delight is his they know not God that thinke to please him with making themselues miserable The Idolaters thought it a fit seruice for Baal to cut and lance themselues neuer any holy man lookt for thankes from the True God by wronging himselfe Euery Earth was not fit for Adam but a Garden a Paradise What excellent pleasures and rare varieties haue men found in Gardens planted by the hands of men And yet all the vvorld of men cannot make one twigge or leafe or spire of grasse When hee that made the matter vndertakes the fashion how must it needs be beyond our capacitie excellent No herbe no flowre no tree was wanting there that might be for ornament or vse whether for sight or for sent or for taste The bounty of God raught further then to necessitie euen to comfort and recreation Why are wee niggardly to our selues vvhen God is liberall But for all this if God had not there conuersed vvith man no abundance could haue made him blessed Yet behold that vvhich vvas mans store-house vvas also his worke-house his pleasure was his taske Paradise serued not onely to feede his senses but to exercise his hands If happinesse had consisted in doing nothing man had not been imployed All his delights could not haue made him happy in an idle life Man therefore is no sooner made then he is set to vvorke neither greatnesse nor perfection can priuiledge a folded hand he must labour because he was happy how much more we that vvee may be This first labour of his vvas as without necessitie so without paines vvithout wearinesse how much more cheerefully we goe about our businesses so much nearer we come to our Paradise Neither did these Trees afford him onely action for his hands but instruction to his heart for here hee saw Gods Sacraments grow before him All other trees had a naturall vse these two in the middest of the Garden a spirituall Life is the act of the Soule Knowledge the life of the Soule the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life then vvere ordained as earthly helpes of the spirituall part Perhaps hee vvhich ordained the end immortalitie of life did appoint this Fruit as the meanes of that life It is not for vs to enquire after the life we had and the meanes we should haue had I am sure it is serued to nourish the soule by a liuely representation of that liuing Tree vvhose fruit is eternall life and whose leaues serue to heale the Nations O infinite mercy Man saw his Sauiour before him ere hee had neede of a Sauiour he saw in whom hee should recouer an heauenly life ere he lost the earthly but after he had tasted of the Tree of knowledge hee might not taste of the Tree of Life That immortall food was not for a mortall stomach Yet then did he most sauour that inuisible Tree of Life when he was most restrained from the other O Sauiour none but a Sinner can rellish thee My taste hath beene enough seasoned with the forbidden fruit to make it capable of thy sweetnesse Sharpen thou as well the stomach
and distraught with the euill because he hath no refuge to flie vnto For not being acquainted with God in his peace how should he but haue him to seeke in his extremitie When therefore some sudden stitch girds me in the side like to be the messenger of death or when the sword of my enemie in an vnexpected assault threatens my body I will seriously note how I am affected so the suddennest euill as it shall not come vnlooked for shall not goe away vnthought of If I finde my selfe couragious and heauenly-minded I will reioyce in the truth of Gods grace in me knowing that one dram of tried faith is worth a whole pound of speculatiue and that which once stood by me will neuer faile mee If deiected and heartlesse herein I will acknowledge cause of humiliation and with all care and earnestnesse seeke to store my selfe against the dangers following 93 The Rules of ciuill policie may well be applied to the minde As therefore for a Prince that he may haue good successe against either Rebels or forraine enemies it is a sure axiome Diuide and Rule but when he is once seated in the Throne ouer loyall subiects Vnite and Rule so in the regiment of the soule there must be variance set in the iudgement and the conscience and affections that that which is amisse may be subdued but when all parts are brought to order it is the only course to maintaine their peace that all seeking to establish and helpe each other the whole may prosper Alwayes to be at warre is desperate alwayes at peace secure and ouer-Epicure-like I doe account a secure peace a iust occasion of this ciuill dissension in my selfe and a true Christian peace the end of all my secret warres which when I haue atchieued I shall reigne with comfort and neuer will be quiet till I haue atchieued it 94 I brought sin enough with me into the world to repent of all my life though I should neuer actually sinne and sinne enough actually euery day to sorrow for though I had brought none with me into the world but laying both together my time is rather too short for my repentance It were madnesse in me to spend my whole life in iollity and pleasure whereof I haue so small occasion and neglect the opportunity of my so iust sorrow especially since before I came into the World I sinned after I am gone out of the World the contagion of my sinne past shall adde to the guilt of it yet in both these estates I am vncapable of repentance I will doe that while I may which when I haue neglected is vnrecouerable 95 Ambition is torment enough for an enemie For it affoords as much discontentment in enioying as in want making men like poysoned rats which when they haue tasted of their bane cannot rest till they drinke and then can much lesse rest till their death It is better for me to liue in the wise mens stocks in a contented want than in a fooles Paradise to vex my selfe with wilfull vnquietnesse 96 It is not possible but a conceited man must be a foole For that ouer-weening opinion he hath of himselfe excludes all opportunity of purchasing knowledge Let a vessell be once full of neuer so base liquor it will not giue roome to the costliest but spills beside whatsoeuer is infused The proud man though he be empty of good substance yet is full of conceit Many men had proued wise if they had not so thought themselues I am empty enough to receiue knowledge enough Let me thinke my selfe but so bare as I am and more I need not O Lord doe thou teach mee how little how nothing I haue and giue me no more than I know I want 97 Euery man hath his turne of sorrow whereby some more some lesse all men are in their times miserable I neuer yet could meet with the man that complained not of somewhat Before sorrow come I will prepare for it when it is come I will welcome it when it goes I will take but halfe a farewell of it as still expecting his returne 98 There be three things that follow an iniury so farre as it concerneth our selues for as the offence toucheth God it is aboue our reach Reuenge Censure Satisfaction which must bee remitted of the mercifull man Yet not all at all times but Reuenge alwaies leauing it to him that can and will doe it Censure oft times Satisfaction sometimes He that deceiues me oft though I must forgiue him yet charity bindes me not not to censure him for vntrusty and he that hath endammaged me much cannot plead breach of charity in my seeking his restitution I will so remit wrongs as I may not encourage others to offer them and so retaine them as I may not induce God to retaine mine to him 99 Garments that haue once one rent in them are subiect to be torne on euery naile and euery bryer and glasses that are once crackt are soone broken such is mans good name once tainted with iust reproch Next to the approbation of God and the testimony of mine owne conscience I will seeke for a good reputation amongst men not by close cariage concealing faults that they may not be knowne to my shame but auoiding all vices that I may not deserue it The efficacy of the agent is in the patient well disposed It is hard for me euer to doe good vnlesse I be reputed good 100 Many vegetable and many brute creatures exceed man in length of age Which hath opened the mouthes or Heathen Philosophers to accuse Nature as a step-mother to Man who hath giuen him the least time to liue that onely could make vse of his time in getting knowledge But herein Reiigion doth most mangnifie GOD in his wisdome and iustice teaching vs that other creatures liue long and perish to nothing onely Man recompences the shortnesse of his life with eternity after it that the sooner he dies well the sooner hee comes to perfection of knowledge which hee might in vaine seeke below the sooner he dies ill the lesse hurt he doth with his knowledge There is great reason then why man should liue long greater why he should die early I will neuer blame God for making mee too soone happy for changing my ignorance for knowledge my corruption for immortality my infirmities for perfection Come Lord Iesus come quickly FINIS MEDITATIONS AND VOWES DIVINE AND MORALL THE SECOND CENTVRY By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS AND WORSHIPFVLL LADIE THE Ladie DRVRY all increase of Grace MADAME J know your Christian ingenuitie such that you will not grudge others the communication of this your priuate right which yet J durst not haue presumed to aduenture if I feared that either the benefit of it would be lesse or the acceptation Now it shall be no lesse yours onely it shall be more knowne to
deserued it Whence it comes that we are so loth to thinke of our dissolution and going to God for naturally where we are not acquainted we Iist not to hazard our welcome chusing rather to spend our money at a simple Inne than to turne in for a free lodging to an vnknowne Oast whom we haue onely heard of neuer had friendship with whereas to an entire friend whose nature and welcome we know and whom wee haue elsewhere familiarly conuersed withal we goe as boldly willingly as to our home knowing that no houre can be vnseasonable to such a one whiles on the other side we scrape acquaintance with the world that neuer did vs good euen after many repulses I will not liue with God and in God without his acquaintance knowing it my happinesse to haue such a friend I will not let one day passe without some act of renewing my familiaritie with him not giuing ouer till I haue giuen him some testimonie of my loue to him and ioy in him and till he hath left behinde him some pledge of his continued fauour to me 30 Men for the most part would neither die nor be old When we see an aged man that hath ouer-liued all the teeth of his gums the haire of his head the sight of his eies the taste of his palate we professe we would not liue till such a combersome age wherein we proue burdens to our dearest friends and our selues yet if it be put to our choice what yeere we would die we euer shift it off till the next and want not excuses for this prorogation rather than faile alleaging we would liue to amend when yet wee doe but adde more to the heape of our sinnes by continuance Nature hath nothing to plead for this folly but that life is sweet wherein wee giue occasion of renewing that ancient checke or one not vnlike to it whereby that primitiue vision taxed the timorousnesse of the shrinking Confessors Yee would neither liue to bee old nor die ere your age what should I doe with you The Christian must not thinke it enough to endure the thought of death with patience when it is obtruded vpon him by necessitie but must voluntarily call it into his minde with ioy not onely abiding it should come but wishing that it might come I will not leaue till I can resolue if I might die to day not to liue till to morrow 31 As a true friend is the sweetest contentment in the world so in his qualities hee well resembleth hony the sweetest of all liquors Nothing is more sweet to the taste nothing more sharpe and cleansing when it meets with an exulcerate sore For my selfe I know I must haue faults and therefore I care not for that friend that I shall neuer smart by For my friends I know they cannot be faultlesse and therefore as they shall finde mee sweet in their praises and encouragements so sharpe also in their censure Either let them abide me no friend to their faults or no friend to themselues 32 In all other things we are lead by profit but in the maine matter of all we shew our selues vtterly vnthriftie and whiles we are wise in making good markets in these base commodities we shew our selues foolish in the great match of our soules God and the world come both to one shop and make proffers for our soules The world like a franke Chapman sayes All these will I giue thee shewing vs his bagges and promotions and thrusting them into our hands God offers a crowne of glory which yet he tels vs we must giue him day to performe and haue nothing in present but our hope and some small earnest of the bargaine Though we know there is no comparison betwixt these two in value finding these earthly things vaine and vnable to giue any contentment and those other of inualuable worth and benefit yet wee had rather take these in hand than trust God on his word for the future while yet in the same kinde we chuse rather to take some rich Lordships in reuersion after the long expectation of three liues expired than a present summe much vnder foot As contrarily when God and the world are sellers and we come to the Mart the world offers fine painted wares but will not part with them vnder the price of our torment God proclaimes Come yee that want buy for nought Now we thriftie men that trie all shops for the cheapest pennieworth refuse God proffering his precious commodities for nothing and pay an hard price for that which is worse than nothing painfull Surely wee are wise for any thing but our soules and not so wise for the body as foolish for them O Lord thy payment is sure and who knowes how present Take the soule that thou hast both made and bought and let me rather giue my life for thy fauour than take the offers of the world for nothing 33 There was neuer age that more bragged of knowledge and yet neuer any that had lesse soundnesse He that knowes not God knoweth nothing and hee that loues not God knowes him not for hee is so sweet and infinitely full of delight that who-euer knowes him cannot chuse but affect him The little loue of God then argues the great ignorance euen of those that professe knowledge I will not suffer my affections to run before my knowledge for then I shall loue fashionably onely because I heare God is worthy of loue and so be subiect to relapses but I will euer lay knowledge as the ground of my loue So as I grow in diuine knowledge I shall still profit in an heauenly zeale 34 Those that trauell in long pilgrimages to the holy Land what a number of wearie pases they measure what a number of hard lodgings and knowne dangers they passe and at last when they are come within view of their iournies end what a large tribute pay they at the Pisan Castle to the Turkes And when they are come thither what see they but the bare Sepulcher wherein their Sauiour lay and the earth that he trode vpon to the increase of a carnall deuotion What labour should I willingly vndertake in my iourney to the true Land of promise the celestiall Ierusalem where I shall see and enioy my Sauiour himselfe What tribute of paine or death should I refuse to pay for my entrance not into his Sepulcher but his Palace of glory and that not to looke vpon but to possesse it 35 Those that are all in exhortation no whit in doctrine are like to them that snuffe the candle but powre not in oile Againe those that are all in doctrine nothing in exhortation drowne the wike in oile but light it not making it fit for vse if it had fire put to it but as it is rather capable of good than profitable in present Doctrine without exhortation makes men all braine no heart Exhortation without doctrine makes the heart full leaues the braine empty Both together make a man
liue out of the world with thee if thou wilt but let me not liue in the world without thee 90 Sinne is both euill in it selfe and the effect of a former euill and the cause of sinne following a cause of punishment and lastly a punishment it selfe It is a damnable iniquitie in man to multiplie one sinne vpon another but to punish one sinne by another in God is a iudgement both most iust and most fearefull so as all the store-house of God hath not a greater vengeance with other punishments the body smarteth the soule with this I care not how God offends me with punishments so hee punish mee not with offending him 91 I haue seene some afflict their bodies with wilfull famine and scourges of their owne making God spares me that labour for hee whips mee daily with the scourge of a weake body and sometimes with ill tongues He holds me short many times of the feeling of his comfortable presence which is in truth so much more miserable an hunger than that of the body by how much the soule is more tender and the food denied more excellent Hee is my Father infinitely wise to proportion out my correction according to my estate and infinitely louing in fitting mee with a due measure Hee is a presumptuous childe that will make choice of his owne rod. Let mee learne to make a right vse of his corrections and I shall not need to correct my selfe And if it should please God to remit his hand a little I will gouerne my body as a Master not as a Tyrant 92 If God had not said Blessed are those that hunger I know not what could keepe weake Christians from sinking in despaire Many times all I can doe is to finde and complaine that I want him and wish to recouer him Now this is my stay that he in mercie esteemes vs not onely by hauing but by desiring also and after a sort accounts vs to haue that which we want and desire to haue and my soule affirming tells me I doe vnfainedly wish him and long after that grace I misse Let me desire still more and I know I shall not desire alwaies There was neuer soule miscarried with longing after grace O blessed hunger that ends alwaies in fulnesse I am sorry that I can but hunger and yet I would not bee full for the blessing is promised to the hungry Giue mee more Lord but so as I may hunger more Let me hunger more and I know I shall be satisfied 93 There is more in the Christian than thou seest For he is both an entire body of himselfe and he is a limme of another more excellent euen that glorious mysticall body of his Sauiour to whom he is so vnited that the actions of either are reciprocally referred to each other For on the one side the Christian liues in Christ dies in Christ in Christ fulfils the Law possesseth heauen on the other Christ is persecuted by Paul in his members and is persecuted in Paul afterwards by others he suffers in vs he liues in vs he workes in and by vs so thou canst not doe either good or harme to a Christian but thou doest it to his Redeemer to whom he is inuisibly vnited Thou seest him as a man and therefore worthy of fauour for humanities sake Thou seest him not as a Christian worthy of honour for his secret and yet true vnion with our Sauiour I will loue euery Christian for that I see honour him for that I shall see 94 Hell it selfe is scarce a more obscure dungeon in comparison of the earth than earth is in respect of heauen Here the most see nothing and the best see little Here halfe our life is night and our very day is darknesse in respect of God The true light of the world and the Father of lights dwelleth aboue There is the light of knowledge to informe vs and the light of ioy to comfort vs without all change of darknesse There was neuer any captiue loued his dungeon and complained when he must bee brought out to light and libertie whence then is this naturall madnesse in vs men that wee delight so much in this vncleane noysome darke and comfortlesse prison of earth and thinke not of our release to that lightsome and glorious Paradise aboue vs without griefe and repining We are sure that we are not perfectly well here if we could bee as sure that we should be better aboue we would not feare changing Certainly our sense tells vs we haue some pleasure here and we haue not faith to assure vs of more pleasure aboue and hence we settle our selues to the present with neglect of the future though infinitely more excellent The heart followes the eies and vnknowne good is vncared for O Lord doe thou breake thorow this darknesse of ignorance and faithlesnesse wherewith I am compassed Let mee but see my heauen and I know I shall desire it 95 To be carried away with an affectation of fame is so vaine and absurd that I wonder it can be incident to any wise man For what a mole-hill of earth is it to which his name can extend when it is furthest carried by the wings of report and how short a while doth it continue where it is once spread Time the deuourer of his owne brood consumes both vs and our memories not brasse nor marble can beare age How many flattering Poets haue promised immortalitie of name to their Princes who now together are buried long since in forgetfulnesse Those names and actions that are once on the file of heauen are past the danger of defacing I will not care whether I bee knowne or remembred or forgotten amongst men if my name and good actions may liue with God in the records of eternitie 96 There is no man nor no place free from spirits although they testifie their presence by visible effects but in few Euery man is an Oast to entertaine Angels though not in visible shapes as Abraham and Lot The euill ones doe nothing but prouoke vs to sinne and plot mischiefes against vs by casting into our way dangerous obiects by suggesting sinfull motions to our mindes stirring vp enemies against vs amongst men by frighting vs with terrors in our selves by accusing vs to God On the contrary The good Angels are euer remouing our hinderances from good and our occasions of euill miâ—gating our tentations helping vs against our enemies deliuering vs from dangers comforting vs in sorrowes furthering our good purposes and at last carrying vp our soules to heauen It would affright a weake Christian that knowes the power and malice of wicked spirits to consider their presence and number but when with the eies of Elishaes seruant he sees those on his side as present as diligent more power full he cannot but take heart againe especially if he consider that neither of them is without God limiting the one the bounds of their tentation directing the other in the safegard of his children Whereupon
to feele and complaine of smart And if men haue deuised such exquisite torments what can spirits more subtile more malicious And if our momentanie sufferings seeme long how long shall that be that is eternall And if the sorrowes indifferently incident to Gods deare ones vpon earth be so extreme as sometimes to driue them within sight of despairing what shall those be that are reserued onely for those that hate him and that he hateth None but those who haue heard the desperate complaints of some guiltie Spyra of whose soules haue beene a little scorched with these flames can enough conceiue of the horror of this estate it being the policy of our common enemy to conceale it so long that we may see and feele it at once lest we should feare it before it be too late to be auoided SECT XVII Remedy of the last and greatest breach of peace arising from death NOw when this great Aduersary like a proud Giant comes stalking out in his fearefull shape and insults ouer our fraile mortalitie daring the world to match him with an equall Champion whiles a whole host of worldlings shew him their backs for feare the true Christian armed onely with confidence and resolution of his future happinesse dares boldly encounter him and can wound him in the forehead the wonted seat of terror and trampling vpon him can cut off his head with his owne sword and victoriously returning can sing in triumph O death where is thy sting An happy victory Wee die and are not foiled yea we are conquerours in dying we could not ouercome death if we died not That dissolution is well bestowed that parts the soule from the body that it may vnite both to God All our life here as that heauenly Doctor well tearmes it is but a vitall death Augustine How aduantâ—gious is that death that determines this false and dying life and begins a true one aboue all the titles of happinesse The Epicure or Sadduce dare not die for feare of not being The guiltie and loose worldling dares not die for feare of being miserable The distrustfull and doubting semi-Christian dares not die because he knowes not whether hee shall be or be miserable or not be at all The resolued Christian dares and would die because he knowes he shall be happy and looking merrily towards heauen the place of his rest can vnfainedly say I desire to be dissolued I see thee my home I see thee a sweet and glorious home after a weary pilgrimage I see thee and now after many lingring hopes I aspire to thee How oft haue I looked vp at thee with admiration and rauishment of soule and by the goodly beames that I haue seene ghessed at the glory that is aboue them How oft haue I scorned these dead and vnpleasant pleasures of earth in comparison of thine I come now my ioyes I come to possesse you I come through paine and death yea if hell it selfe were in the way betwixt you and mee I would passe through hell it selfe to enioy you Tull. Tuscul Callimach Epigram And in truth if that Heathen Cleombrotus a follower of the ancient Academie but vpon onely reading of his Master Platoes discourses of the immortalitie of the soule could cast downe himselfe head-long from an high rocke and wilfully breake his necke that he might be possessed of that immortalitie which he beleeued to follow vpon death how contented should they be to die that knew they shall be more than immortall glorious Hee went not in an hate of the flesh August de Haeres as the Patrician Heretickes of old but in a blinde loue to his soule out of bare opinion We vpon an holy loue grounded vpon assured knowledge He vpon an opinion of future life we on knowledge of future glory He went vnsent for we called for by our Maker Why should his courage exceed ours since our ground our estate so farre exceeds his Euen this age within the reach of our memorie bred that peremptory Italian which in imitation of old Romane courage left in that degenerated Nation there should be no step left of the qualities of their Ancestors entring vpon his torment for killing a Tyrant cheered himselfe with this confidence My death is sharpe Mors acerba Fama perpetua my fame shall be euerlasting The voice of a Romane not of a Christian My fame shall be eternall an idle comfort My fame shall liue not my soule liue to see it What shall it auaile thee to be talkt of while thou art not Then fame onely is precious when a man liues to enioy it The fame that suruiues the soule is bootlesse Yet euen this hope cheered him against the violence of his death What should it doe vs that not our fame but our life our glory after death cannot die He that hath Stephens eies to looke into heauen cannot but haue the tongue of the Saints Come Lord How long That man seeing the glory of the end cannot but contemne the hardnesse the way But who wants those eies if he say and sweares that he feares not death beleeue him not if he protest this Tranquillitie and yet feare death beleeue him not beleeue him not if he say he is not miserable SECT XVIII THese are enemies on the left hand There want not some on the right The second ranke of the enemies of peace which with lesse profession of hostilitie hurt no lesse Not so easily perceiued because they distemper the minde not without some kinde of pleasure Surfet kils more than famine These are the ouer-desiring and ouer-ioying of these earthly things All immoderations are enemies as to health so to peace He that desires Hippocr Aphoris wants as much as he that hath nothing The drunken man is as thirstie as the sweating traueller Hence are the studies cares feares iealousies hopes griefes enuies wishes platformes of atchieuing alterations of purposes and a thousand like whereof each one is enough to make the life troublesome One is sicke of his neighbours field whose mis-shapen angles disfigure his and hinder his Lordship of entirenesse what he hath is not regarded for the want of what hee cannot haue Another feeds on crusts to purchase what he must leaue perhaps to a foole or which is not much better to a prodigall heire Another in the extremitie of couetous folly chuses to die an vnpitied death hanging himselfe for the fall of the market while the Commons laugh at that losse and in their speeches Epitaph vpon him as on that Pope He liued as a Wolfe and died as a Dogge One cares not what attendance hee dances at all houres on whose staires he sits what vices he soothes what deformities he imitates what seruile offices he doth in an hope to rise Another stomackes the couered head and stiffe knee of his inferiour angry that other men thinke him not so good as he thinkes himselfe Another eats his owne heart with enuy at the richer furniture and better
for thy selfe An excellent vertue for Blessed is the man that findeth wisdome Pr. 3.14 Pr. 16.16 Pr. 3.15 Pr. 3.16 Pr. 3.17 Pr. 3.18 Pr. 15.14 Pr. 18.15 Pr. 19.2 Pr. 10.14 Pr. 13.16 Pr. 14.18 Pr. 2.10 Pr. 2.11 Pr. 2.12 Pr. 2.13 Pr. 15.24 Pr. 8.20 Pr. 16.23 Pr. 10.12 and getteth vnderstanding The merchandise thereof is better than siluer and the gaine thereof is better than gold It is more precious than pearles and all the things that thou canst desire are not to be compared to her Length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory Her waies are waies of pleasure and all her paths prosperity She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that receiueth her The fruits of it are singular for first A wise heart doth not onely seeke but get knowledge without which the minde is not good and the care of the wise learning And not get it only but lay it vp and not so onely but workes by it and yet more is crowned with it Besides knowledge here is safety When wisdome entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things and from them that leaue the waies of righteousnesse to walke in the waies of darknesse and as from sinne so from iudgement The way of life is on high the prudent to auoid from hell beneath Thirdly good direction 1. For actions Wisdome causeth to walke in the way of righteousnesse and in the mids of the paths of iudgement 2. For words The heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely and addeth doctrine to his lips Pr. 19.25 Pr. 8.21 So that the words of the mouth of a wise man haue grace yea he receiues grace from others Either instruct or reproue the Prudent and he will vnderstand knowledge Ec. 8.11 Pr. 3.35 Pr. 16.22 Not to speake of wealth she causeth them that loue her to inherit substance and silleth their treasures shee giueth not onely honour for the wisdome of a man doth make his face to shine and the wise man shall inherit glory but life Vnderstanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it and he that findeth mee saith Wisdome findeth life Pr. 8.34 Pr. 4.5 Pr. 4.6 Pr. 4.7 Pr. 4.8 and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord. Wherefore get wisdome get vnderstanding forget not neither decline from the words of my mouth Forsake her not and she shall keepe thee loue her and she shall preserue thee Wisdome is the beginning get wisdome therefore and aboue all possessions get vnderstanding Exalt her Pr. 4.9 and she shall exalt thee She shall bring thee vnto honour if thou embrace her shee shall giue a goodly ornament to thine head yea shee shall giue thee a crowne of glory §. 3. Of Prouidence What she is What her obiects What her effects Ec. 8.5 PRouidence is that whereby the heart of the wise fore-knoweth the time and iudgement Ec. 8.6 the time when it will be the iudgement how it will be done both which are appointed to euery purpose vnder Heauen Ec. 8.7 Not that man can foresee all future things No he knoweth not that that shall be For who can tell him when it shall bee not so much as concerning himselfe Ec. 9.12 Neither doth man know his time but as the fishes are taken with an euill net and as the birds which are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth on them suddenly yea the steps of a man are ruled by the Lord Pr. 20.24 Pr. 22.3 how should a man then vnderstand his owne way But sometimes he may The prudent man seeth the plague a farre off and fleeth and as for good things Pr. 30.2 5. With the Pismire he prouideth his meat in Summer working still according to fore-knowledge Ec. 11.4 yet not too strictly and fearefully for he that obserueth the wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reape §. 4. Of Discretion what it is what it worketh for our acts for our speeches Pr. 16.20 Pr. 16.23 Pr. 14.15 Ec. 3.1 DIscretion is that whereby a man is wise in his businesses and whereby the heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely and addeth doctrine to his lips For actions The Prudent will consider his steps and make choice of his times for To all things there is an appointed time and a time for euery purpose vnder heauen Ec. 3.2 Ec. 3.3 4. Ec. 3.8 Pr. 24.5 Pr. 14.24 a time to plant and a time to plucke vp that which is planted a time to slay and a time to heale c. a time of warre and a time of peace from hence it is that the wise man is strong and rich for by knowledge shall the Chambers bee fild with precious things which he knowes how to employ well The crowne of the wise is their riches from hence Pr. 13.15 that his good vnderstanding maketh him acceptable to others For speeches Pr. 15.2 Pr. 10.13 Pr. 10.12 Pr. 25.11 Pr. 15.23 Pr. 20.15 Pr. 14.3 Pr. 12.18 Pr. 16.24 The tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright and in the lips of him that hath vnderstanding wisdome is found and his words haue grace both 1. for the seasonablenesse A word spoken in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer and how good is a word in due season 2. for the worth of them The lips of knowledge are a precious iewell lastly for their vse The lips of the wise shall preserue them and their tongue is health and with health pleasure Faire words are as an hony-combe sweetnesse to the soule and health to the bones §. 5. The extremes Ouer-wise Foolish Who he is What kindes there bee of Fooles the meere foole the rash foole the wicked foole What successe HEre are two extremes On the right hand Make not thy selfe ouer-wise Ec. 7. wherefore shouldest thou be desolate On the left Neither be foolish Ec. 7.19 Pr. 21.16 Pr. 17.16 Pr. 15.2 why shouldest thou perish not in thy time The foole is that man that wandreth out of the way of wisdome which hath none heart that is is destitute of vnderstanding either to conceiue or to doe as he ought Of which sort is 1. The meere foole That foole Pr. 14.24 Pr. 17.16 Pr. 24.7 Pr. 29.20 Pr. 29.11 Pr. 19.2 Pr. 29.20 Pr. 1.7 Pr. 14.9 Pr. 13.19 Pr. 15.21 Pr. 10.3 Pr. 13.16 Pr. 27.22 Pr. 26.11 who when he goeth by the way his heart faileth whose folly is foolishnesse in whose hand there is a price in vaine to get wisdome which is too high for him to attaine lastly in whom are not the lips of knowledge 2. The rash foole that is hasty in his matters that powreth out all his
Damosels without number This is to destroy Kings He shall finde more bitter than death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares Not riotously excessiue Pr. 31.4 whether in wine for It is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes strong drinke Ec. 9.7 What not at all To him alone is it not said Goe eat thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart who should eat or drinke or haste to outward things more than he Ec. 2.25 Pr. 31.5 Ec. 10.16 Pr. 23.2 Pr. 23.3 Not immoderatly so as he should drinke and forget the decree and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction Or in meat for Woe be to thee O Land when thy Princes eat in the morning and if he be not the master of his appetite his dainty meats will proue deceiueable Not hollow not double in speeches in profession Pr. 17.7 Ec. 10.16 The lip of excellency becomes not a foole much lesse lying talke a Prince Not childish Woe to thee O Land whose King is a childe not so much in age which hath sometimes proued successefull Pr. 23.16 but in condtion Not imprudent not oppressing two vices conioyned A Prince destitute of vnderstanding is also a great oppressor And to conclude in all or any of these Ec. 4.13 not wilfully inflexible A poore and wise childe is better than an old and foolish King that will no more be admonished §. 4. Affirmatiue what one he must be To others Iust Mercifull Slow to Anger Bountifull In himselfe Temperate Wise Valiant Secret Ec. 10.17 Pr. 11.1 COntrarily he must be Temperate Blessed art thou O Land when thy Princes eat in time for strength and not for drunkennesse Iust and righteous for false ballances especially in the hand of gouernment are an abomination to the Lord but a perfect weight pleaseth him Pr. 16.12 Pr. 14.34 Pr. 29.2 A vertue beneficiall both 1 to himselfe for the Throne is established by Iustice and 2. to the State Iustice exalteth a Nation than which nothing doth more binde and cheare the hearts of the people for When the righteous are in authority the people reioyce but when the wicked beares rule the people sigh and with truth and iustice Pr. 20.18 must mercy be ioyned inseparably for Mercy and truth preserue the King and his Throne shall be established also by mercy And all these must haue wisdome to menage them Pr. 8.16 Pr. 20.26 Pr. 28.16 Pr. 29.4 By it Princes rule and are terrible to the ill-deseruing A wise King scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them To all these must bee added bounty A Prince that hateth couetousnesse shall prolong his daies where contrarily A man of gifts destroyeth his country and yet further a conquest of his owne passions a princely victory Pr. 16.32 for He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty man and hee that ruleth his owne minde better than he that winneth a City because of all other The Kings wrath is like the roaring of a Lion Pr. 19.12 and what is that but the messenger of death and if it may be Pr. 30.29 Pr. 30.31 a conquest of all others through valour There are three things that order well their going yea foure are comely in going whereof the last and principall is A King against whom no man dares rise vp Pr. 25.3 Lastly secrecie in determinations The Heauen in height and earth in deepnesse and the Kings heart can no man no man should search out Pr. 21.1 neither should it be in any hands but the Lords who as he knowes it so he turnes it whithersoeuer it pleaseth him §. 5. His actions common speciall to his place To iudge righteously 1. according to the truth of the cause 2. according to the distresse of the party vnpartially remit mercifully Pr. 16.12 Pr. 16.7 HIs actions must suit his disposition which must bee vniuersally holy for It is an abomination to Kings of all other to commit wickednesse Which holinesse alone is the way to all peace When the waies of a man please the Lord he will make his enemies at peace with him Peculiarly to his place hee must first iudge his people Pr. 20.8 a King that sitteth in the Throne of iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eies Pr. 29.4 Pr. 16.10 and by this hee maintaines his country and while he doth sit there A diuine sentence must be in the lips of the King and his mouth may not transgresse in iudgement For Pr. 29.14 a King that iudgeth the poore in truth his Throne shall be established for euer Neither may his eare be partially open which disposition shall be sure to be fed with reports for Pr. 29.12 Of a Prince that harkneth to lies all his seruants are wicked nor his mouth shut especially in cases of distresse Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destruction Pr. 31.8 Pr. 31.9 open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore yet not with so much regard to the estate of persons as the truth of the cause Pr. 17.26 for Surely it is not good to condemne the iust in what euer condition nor that Princes should smite such for equity wherein he shall wisely search into all difficulties The glory of God is to passe by infirmities Pr. 25.1 but the Kings honour is to search out a thing yet so as he is not seldome mercifull in execution Deliuering them that are drawne to death Pr. 24.11 Ec. 8.9 and preseruing them that are drawne to be slaine These obserued it cannot be that man should rule ouer man to his hurt SALOMONS COVNSAILOR §. 6. Counsaile For the soule How giuen The necessity of it The qualitie wise righteous pleasant How receiued For the State AS where no soueraignty so where no counsell is the people fall and contrarily Pr. 11.14 Pr. 22.6 Pr 15.22 Pr. 29.18 Pr. 11.30 Ec. 22.9 where many Counsellors are there is health and more than health Stedfastnes Counsell for the soule Where no vision is the people perish which requires both holinesse and wisdome The fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise the more wise the Preacher is the more he teacheth the people knowledge and causeth them to heare and searcheth forth and prepareth many parables and not only an vpright writing and speaking euen the word of truth Ec. 12.10 but pleasant words also so that the sweetnesse of the lips increaseth doctrine and not more delightfull than effectuall for Pr. 16.21 The words of the wise are like goads and nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies that are giuen by one Pastor Ec. 12.11 which againe of euery hearer challenge due reuerence and regard who must take heed to his foot when he entreth into the House of God Ec. 4
What do you vnder these colours if you regard the fauour of that whose amitie is enmitie with God What care you for the censure of him whom you should both scorne and vanquish Did euer wise Christians did euer your Master allow either this manhood or this feare Was there euer any thing more strictly more fearfully forbidden of him then reuenge in the challenge then in the answer paiment of euill and murder in both It is pitie that euer the water of Baptisme was spilt vpon his face that cares more to discontent the world then to wrong God He saith Vengeance is mine and you steale it from him in a glorious theft hazarding your soule more then your body You are weary of your selfe while you thrust one part vpon the sword of an enemie the other on Gods Yet perhaps I haue yeelded too much Let goe Christians The wiser world of men and who else are worth respect will not passe this odious verdict vpon your refusall valiant men haue reiected challenges with their honours vntainted Augustus when he receiued a defiance and braue appointment of combat from Antonie could answer him That if Antonie were weary of liuing there vvere vvayese now besides to death And that Scythian King returned no other reply to Iohn the Emperor of Constantinople And Metellus challenged by Sertorius durst answer scornefully vvith his pen not vvith his sword That it vvas not for a Captaine to dye a souldiers death Was it not dishonorable for these wise and noble Heathens to turne off these desperate offers What law hath made it so with vs Shall I seriously tell you Nothing but the meere opinion of some humorous Gallants that haue more heart then braine confirmed by a more idle custome Worthly grounds whereon to spend both life and soule vvhereon to neglect God himselfe posteritie Goe now and take vp that sword of vvhose sharpnesse you haue boasted and hasten to the field vvhether you die or kill you haue murdered If you suruiue you are haunted vvith the conscience of blood if you die with the torments and if neither of these yet it is murder that you vvould haue killed See whether the fame of a braue fight can yeeld you a counteruailable redresse of these mischiefes how much more happily valiant had it been to master your selfe to feare sinne more then shame to contemne the world to pardon a wrong to preferre true Christianitie before idle manhood to liue and doe vvell To Mr MAT. MILWARD EP. III. A discourse of the pleasure of study and contemplation with the varieties of schollar-like imployments not without incitation of others thereunto and a censure of their neglect I Can wonder at nothing more then how a man can be idle but of all other a Scholar in so many improuements of reason in such sweetnesse of knowledge in such variety of studies in such importunity of thoughts Other Artizans do but practise we still learne others runne still in the same gyre to vvearinesse to satietie our choice is infinite other labours require recreations our very labour recreates our sports wee can neuer want either somewhat to doe or somewhat that we would do How numberlesse are those volumes vvhich men haue vvritten of Arts of Tongues How endlesse is that volume which God hath written of the vvorld wherein euery creature is a Letter euery day a new Page vvho can be weary of either of these To finde wit in Poetry in Philosophy profoundnesse in Mathematicks acutenesse in History wonder of euents in Oratory sweet eloquence in Diuinity supernaturall light and holy deuotion as so many rich metals in their proper mynes whom would it not rauish with delight After all these let vs but open our eyes we cannot looke beside a lesson in this vniuersall Booke of our Maker worth our study worth â—aking out What creature hath not his miracle vvhat euent doth not challenge his obseruation And if vveary of foraine imployment we list to looke home into our selues there wee finde a more priuate world of thoughts which set vs on vvorke anew more busily not lesse profitably now our silence is vocall our solitarinesse popular and we are shut vp to doe good vnto many And if once we be cloyed with our owne company the doore of conference is open here interchange of discourse besides pleasure benefits vs and he is a weake companion from whom we returne not wiser I could enuy if I could beleeue that Anachoret vvho secluded from the vvorld and pent vp in his voluntary prison-wals denied that hee thought the day long vvhiles yet hee vvanted learning to vary his thoughts Not to be cloyed with the same conceit is difficult aboue humane strength but to a man so furnished vvith all sorts of knowledge that according to his dispositions he can change his studies I should wonder that euer the Sunne should seeme to pase slowly How many busie tongues chase away good houres in pleasant chat and complaine of the haste of night What ingenuous minde can be sooner weary of talking vvith learned Authors the most harmelesse and sweetest of companions What an heauen liues a Scholar in that at once in one close roome can dayly conuerse vvith all the glorious Martyrs and Fathers that can single out at pleasure either sententious Tertullian or graue Cyprian or resolute Hierome or flowing Chrysostome or diuine Ambrose or deuout Bernard or vvho alone is all these heauenly Augustine and talke vvith them and heare their wise and holy counsels verdicts resolutions yea to rise higher with courtly Esay with learned Paul with all their fellow-Prophets Apostles yet more like another Moses with God himselfe in them both Let the vvorld contemne vs while we haue these delights we cannot enuy them wee cannot wish our selues other then wee are Besides the way to all other contentments is troublesome the onely recompence is in the end To delue in the mynes to scorch in the fire for the getting for the fining of gold is a slauish toyle the comfort is in the wedge to the owner not the labourers where our very search of knowledge is delightsome Study it selfe is our life from which vve would not be barred for a world How much sweeter then is the fruit of study the conscience of knowledge In comparison whereof the soule that hath once tasted it easily contemnes all humane comforts Goe now yee worldlings and insult ouer our palenesse our needinesse our neglect Ye could not bee so iocund if you vvere not ignorant if you did not vvant knowledge you could not ouer-looke him that hath it For me I am so farre from emulating you that I professe I had as leiue be a brute beast as an ignorant rich man How is it then that those Gallants vvhich haue priuiledge of blood and birth and better education do so scornfully turne off these most manly reasonable noble exercises of scholarship An hawke becomes their fist better then a booke No dogge but is a better companion Any thing or
how excellent were her Masculine graces of learning valour wisdome by which shee might iustly challenge to bee the Queene of men So learned was shee that shee could giue present answers to Embassadors in their owne tongues or if they listed to borrow of their neighbours shee paid them in that they borrowed So valiant that her name like Ziscaes drum made the proudest Romanists to quake So wise Didymus veridicus that whatsoeuer fell out happily against the common Aduersaries in FRANCE NETHERLANDS IRELAND it was by themselues ascribed to her policie What should I speake of her long and successefull gouernment of her miraculous preseruations of her famous victories wherein the waters O nimâ—uÌ„ dilecta Deo cui militat aether coniurati veniunt ad classica venti Claud. Pro. 13.29 winds fire and earth fought for vs as if they had beene in pay vnder Her of Her excellent lawes of Her carefull executions Many daughters haue done worthily but thou furmountest them all Such was the sweetnesse of her gouernment and such the feare of miserie in her losse that many worthie Christians desired their eyes might bee closed before Hers and how many thousands therefore welcomed their owne death because it preuented Hers Euerie one pointed to her white haires and said with that peaceable Leontius Soz. l. 3. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dolm. p. 1. p. 2 6. p. 2. p. 117. When this snow melts there will be a floud Neuer day except alwaies the fift of Nouember was like to bee so bloudie as this not for any doubt of Title which neuer any loyall heart could question nor any disloyall euer did besides Dolman but for that our Esauites comforted themselues against vs and said The day of mourning for our mother will come shortly then will wee slay our brethren What should I say more Lots were cast vpon our Land and that honest Politician which wanted nothing but a gibbet to haue made him a Saint Father Parsons tooke paines to set downe an order how all English affaires should be marshalled when they should come to bee theirs Consider now the great things that the Lord hath done for vs. Behold this day which should haue beene most dismall to the whole Christian world he turned to the most happie day that euer shone forth to this ILAND That now wee may iustly insult with those Christians of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. 3.15 Where are your prophesies O yee fond Papists Our snow lies here melted where are those flouds of bloud that you threatned Yea as that blessed soule of Hers gained by this change of an immortall crowne for a corruptible so blessed be the name of our God this Land of ours hath not lost by that losse Many thinke that this euening the world had his beginning Surely a new and golden world began this day to vs and which it could not haue done by her loynes promises continuance if our sinnes interrupt it not to our posterities I would the flatterie of a Prince were treason in effect it is so for the flatterer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kinde murtherer I would it were so in punishment If I were to speake before my Soueraigne King and Master I would praise God for him not praise him to himselfe Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 4. A Preacher in CONSTANTINES time saith Eusebius ausus est Imperatorem in os beatum dicere presumed to call CONSTANTINE an happy Emperour to his face but he went away with a checke such speed may any Parasite haue which shall speake as if he would make Princes proud and not thankfull A small praise to the face may be adulation though it be within bounds a great praise in absence may be but iustice If we see not the worth of our King how shall we be thankfull to God that gaue him Giue me leaue therefore freely to bring forth the Lords Anointed before you 1 Sam. 10.24 and to say with SAMVEL See you him whom the Lord hath chosen Euagr. l. 5. c. 21. As it was a great presage of happinesse to Mauritius the Emperour that an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a familiar Deuill remouing him from place to place in his swathing bands yet had no power to hurt him So that those early conspiracies wherewith Satan assaulted the very cradle of our deare Soueraigne preuailed not it was a iust bodement of his future greatnesse and beneficiall vse to the world And hee that gaue him life a 〈◊〉 Crowne together and miraculously preserued them both gaue him graces fit for his Deputie on earth to weild that Crowne and improue that life to the behoofe of Christendome Let mee begin with that which the Heathen man required to the happinesse of any State his learning and knowledge wherein I may safely say he exceedeth all his 105 Predecessors Our Conqueror King William as our Chronicler reports by a blunt prouerbe that he was wont to vse against vnlearned Princes Malmesbur made his sonne Henry a Beauclearc to those times But a candle in the darke will make more show than a bonefire by day In these dayes so lightsome for knowledge to excell euen for a professed student is hard and rare Neuer had England more learned Bishops and Doctors which of them euer returned from his Maiesties discourse without admiration What King christned hath written so learned volumes To omit the rest his last of this kind wherein he hath so held vp Cardinall Bellarmine and his Master Pope Paulus is such that Plessis and Mouline the two great lights of France professe to receiue their light in this discourse from his beames and the learned Iesuite Salkeild could not but be conuerted with the necessitie of those demonstrations and I may boldly say Poperic since it was neuer receiued so deepe a wound from any worke as from that of His. What King euer moderated the solemne acts of an Vniuersitie in all professions and had so many hands clapt in the applause of his acute and learned determinations Briefely such is his intire acquaintance with all sciences and with the Queene of all Diuinitie that he might well dispute with the infallible Pope Paulus Quintus for his triple Crowne and I would all Christian quarrels lay vpon this duell His iustice in gouerning matcheth his knowledge how to gouerne for as one that knowes the Common-wealth cannot bee vnhappy wherein according to the wise Heathens rule law is a Queene and will a subiect Plato He hath euer endeuoured to frame the proceedings of his gouernment to the lawes not the lawes to them Witnesse that memorable example whereof your eyes were witnesses I meane the vnpartiall execution of one of the ancientest Barons of those parts for the murder of a meane subiect Wherein not the fauour of the blocke might be yeelded that the dishonour of the death might bee no lesse than the paine of the death Yet who will not grant his
vvas gone forth had frequent visions of his Maker So whiles in our affections we remaine here below in our Cofers wee cannot haue the comfortable assurances of the presence of God but if wee can abandon the loue and trust of these earthly things in the conscience of our obedience now God shall appeare to vs and speake peace to our soules and neuer shall we finde cause to repent vs of the change Let mee therefore conclude this point with that diuine charge of our Sauiour Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where moth and rust doc corrupt and theeues breake thorow and steale but lay vp for your selues treasure in heauen Thus much of the Negatiue part of our charge Wherein wee haue dwelt so long that we may scarce soiourne in the other But trust in God Trust not but Trust The heart of man is so conscious of his owne weaknesse that it will not goe vvithout a prop and better a weake stay then none at all Like as in matter of policy the very state of Tyrannie is preferred to the want of a King The same breath therfore that withdraws one refuge from vs substitutes a better and in stead of Riches which is the false god of the world commends to vs the true and liuing God of heauen and earth Euen as some good Carpenter raises vp the studs and in stead of a rotten groundsell layes a sound The same trust then must we giue to God which wee may not giue to riches The obiect onely is changed the act is not changed Him must wee esteeme aboue all things to him must we looke vp in all on him must we depend for all both protection and prouision from his goodnesse and mercy must we acknowledge all and in him must we delight with contempt of all and this is to Trust in God It was a sweet dirty of the Psalmist which we must all learne to sing Bonum est confidere in Domino It is good to trust in the Lord Good in respect of him and good for vs. For him It is one of the best pieces of glory to be trusted to as with vs Ioseph holds Potiphar cannot doe him a greater honour then in trusting him with all And his glory is so precious that he cannot part with that to any creature all other things hee imparts willingly and reserues nothing to himselfe but this Being life knowledge happinesse are such blessings as are eminently originally essentially in God and yet Being he giues to al things Life to many Knowledge to some kindes of creatures Happinesse to some of these kinds as for Riches he so giues them to his creature that hee keepes them not at all to himselfe but as for his Glory whereof our trust is a part hee will not endure it communicated to Angell or man not to the best ghost in heauen much lesse to the drosse of the earth Whence is that curse not without an indignation Cursed bee the man that trusts in man that maketh flesh his arme yea or spirit either besides the God of Spirits Whom haue I in heauen but thee Herein therefore doe wee iustice to God when we giue him his owne that is his glory our confidence But the greatest good is our own God shewes much more mercy to vs in allowing and inabling vs to trust him then we can doe iustice in trusting him For alas hee could in his iust iudgement glorifie himselfe in our not trusting him in taking vengeance of vs for not glorifying him Our goodnesse reaches not to him but his goodnesse reaches downe to vs in that our hearts are raised vp to confidence in him For what safety what vnspeakable comfort is there in trusting to God When our Sauiour in the last words of his Diuine Farewell Sermon to his Disciples would perswade them to confidence Iob 16. vlt. he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so doth the Angell to Paul in prison a a word that signifies boldnesse implying that our confidence in God causeth boldnes and courage and what is there in all he world that can worke the heart to so comfortable and vnconquerable resolution as our reposall vpon God The Lord is my trust whom then can I feare In the Lord put I mâ— trust how say ye then to my soule Flee hence as a bird to the hils Yea how oft doth Dauid inferre vpon this trust a non confundar I shal not be ashamed And this case is generall That they that but their trust in the Lord are as mount Sion that cannot be moued Faith can remoue mountaines but the mountaines that are raised on faith are vnremoueable Here is a stay for you O ye wealthy great worthy of your trust If ye were Monarchs on earth or Angels in heauen ye could be no way safe but in this trust How easie is it for him to inrich or impouerish you to hoyse you vnto the seats of honor or to spurne you down What mynes what Princes can raise you â—â— to wealth against him without him Hee can bid the winds and Seas fauour your vessels he can bid them sinke in a calm The rich and the poore meet together God is the maker of both Pro. 22. Ye may trade and toyle and carke and spare and put vp and cast about and at last sit you downe with a sigh of late repentance and say Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it It is in vaine to rise early and lye down late and eat the bread of sorrow Vnto how many of you may I say with the Prophet Haggai Ye haue sowne much and bring in little ye eat and haue not enough ye drink but ye are not filled ye cloâ—th you but ye â—e not warme and hee that earneth much puts his gaines into a broken 〈◊〉 And whence is all this Ye looked for much and loe it came to little when yee brought it home I did blow vpon it saith the Lord of Hosts Behold how easie a thing it is for the God of heaâ— onto blast all your substance yea not onely to diminish but to curse it 〈…〉 and to make you weary of it and of your selues Oh cast your selâ—e◠〈…〉 those Almighty hands Seeke him in whom onely you shall fiâ—d 〈…〉 happinesse Honour him with your substance that hath honored you with it Truâ—â— in riches but trust in God It is motiue enough to your trust that he is a God all arguments are in folded in that one yet this Text giues you certaine explicit inforcements of this confidence Euery one of these reasons implying a secret kind of disdainfull comparison betwixt the true God and the false perswade you to trust in God Riches are but for this world the true God is Lord of the other and beginnes his glory where the glory of the world ends therefore trust in him Riches are vncertaine the true God is Amen the first and the last euer like himselfe therefore trust in
of my soule by repenting by beleeuing so shall I eate and in despite of Adam liue for euer The one Tree was for confirmation the other for tryall one shewed him what life he should haue the other what knowledge he should not desire to haue Alas he that knew all other things knew not this one thing that hee knew enough how Diuine a thing is knowledge whereof euen Innocencie it selfe is ambitious Satan knew what he did If this bait had been gold or honour or pleasure Man had contemned it vvho can hope to auoid error when euen mans perfection is mistaken He lookt for speculatiue knowledge hee should haue looked for experimentall he thought it had been good to know euill Good vvas large enough to haue perfected his knowledge and therein his blessednesse All that God made was good and the Maker of them much more good they good in their kindes he good in himselfe It would not content him to know God and his creatures his curiositie affected to know that which God neuer made euill of sinne and euill of death vvhich indeed himselfe made by desiring to know them now we know vvell euill enough and smart vvith knowing it How deare hath this lesson cost vs that in some cases it is better to be ignorant and yet doe the sonnes of Eue inherit this saucy appetite of their Grand-mother How many thousand soules miscarie with the presumptuous affectation of forbidden knowledge O God thou hast reuealed more then wee can know enough to make vs happy teach me a sober knowledge and a contented ignorance Paradise vvas made for Man yet there I see the Serpent What maruell is it if my corruption find the serpent in my Closet in my Table in my bed vvhen our holy Parents found him in the midst of Paradise No sooner he is entred but hee tempteth he can no more be idle then harmlesse I doe not see him at any other Tree hee knew there was no danger in the rest I see him at the Tree forbidden How true a Serpent is hee in euery point In his insinuation to the place in his choice of the Tree in his assault of the Woman in his plausiblenesse of speech to auoid terror in his question to moue doubt in his reply to worke distrust in his protestation of safety in his suggestion to enuie and discontent in his promise of gaine And if he were so cunning at the first what shall we thinke of him now after so many thousand yeares experience Onely thou O God and these Angels that see thy face are wiser then he I doe not aske why when he left his goodnesse thou didst not bereaue him of his skill Still thou wouldest haue him an Angell though an euill one And thou knowest how to ordaine his craft to thine owne glory I doe not desire thee to abate of his subtilty but to make me wise Let mee begge it without presumption make me wiser then Adam euen thine Image which he bore made him not through his owne weaknesse wise enough to obey thee thou offeredst him all Fruits and restrainedst but one Satan offered him but one and restrained not the rest when hee chose rather to be at Satans feeding then thine it was iust with thee to turne him out of thy gates with a curse why shouldest thou feed a Rebell at thine owne boord And yet we transgresse daily and thou shuttest not heauen against vs how is it that wee finde more mercy then our fore-father His strength is worthy of seuerity our weaknesse finds pity That God from whose face he fled in the Garden now makes him with shame to flie out of the Garden those Angels that should haue kept him now keepe the gates of Paradise against him It is not so easie to recouer happinesse as to keepe it or leese it Yea the same cause that draue Man from Paradise hath also withdrawne Paradise from the vvorld That fierie sword did not defend it against those vvaters vvherewith the sinnes of men drowned the glory of that place neither now doe I care to seeke vvhere that Paradise vvas vvhich vve lost I know vvhere that Paradise is vvhich vve must care to seeke and hope to finde As man was the Image of God so was that earthly Paradise an Image of Heauen both the Images are defaced both the first Patternes are eternall Adam was in the first and stayed not In the second is the second Adam which said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise There was that chosen Vessell and heard and saw what could not be expressed by how much the third Heauen exceeds the richest Earth so much doth that Paradise whereto wee aspire exceed that which we haue lost Of CAIN and ABEL LOoke now O my soule vpon the two first Brethren perhaps Twins and wonder at their contrary dispositions and estates If the priuiledges of Nature had beene worth any thing the first borne Child should not haue beene a Reprobate Now that we may ascribe all to free Grace the elder is a Muderer the yonger a Saint though goodnesse may be repayred in our selues yet it cannot bee propagated to ours Now might Adam see the Image of himselfe in Cain for after his owne Image begot he him Adam slue his Posteritie Cain his Brother we are too like one another in that wherein wee are vnlike to God Euen the clearest graine sends forth that chaffe from which it was fanned ere the sowing yet is this Cain a possession the same Eue that mistooke the fruit of the Garden mistooke also the fruit of her owne body her hope deceiued her in both so many good names are ill bestowed and our comfortable expectations in earthly things doe not seldome disappoint vs. Doubtlesse their education was holy For Adam though in Paradise hee could not be innocent yet was a good man out of Paradise his sinne and fall now made him circumspect and since hee saw that his act had bereaued them of that Image of God which he once had for them he could not but labor by all holy endeuours to repaire it in them that so his care might make amends for his trespasse How plaine is it that euen good breeding cannot alter destinie That which is crooked can none make straight who would thinke that Brethren and but two Brethren should not loue each other Dispersed loue growes weak and fewnesse of obiects vseth to vnite affections If but two Brothers be left aliue of many they think that the loue of all the rest should suruiue in them and now the beames of their affection are so much the hotter because they reflect mutually in a right line vpon each other yet behold here are but two Brothers in a World and one is the Butcher of the other Who can wonder at dissentions amongst thousands of brethren when he sees so deadly opposition betwixt two the first roots of brotherhood who can hope to liue plausibly securely amongst so many Cains when he sees one
cannot neglect his owne so least of all in their sorrowes After two yeares more of Iosephs patience that God which caused him to bee lift out of the former pit to be sold now cals him out of the dungeon to honour Hee now puts a dreame into the head of Pharaoh He puts the remembrance of Iosephs skill into the head of the Cup-bearer who to pleasure Pharaoh not to requite Ioseph commends the Prisoner for an Interpreter He puts an interpretation in the mouth of Ioseph he puts this choice into the heart of Pharaoh of a miserable prisoner to make the Ruler of Aegypt Behold one houre hath changed his fetters into a chaine of gold his rags into fine linnen his stocks into a Chariot his layle into a Palace Potiphars captiue into his Masters Lord the noise of his chaines into Abrech He whose chastitie refused the wanton alurements of the Wife of Potiphar hath now giuen him to his Wife the daughter of Potipherah Humilitie goes before honour Seruing and Suffering are the best Tutors to Gouernment How well are Gods children paid for their patience How happy are the issues of the faithfull Neuer any man repented him of the aduancement of a good man Pharaoh hath not more preferd Ioseph then Ioseph hath enriched Pharaoh If Ioseph had not ruled Aegypt and all the bordering Nations had perished The prouidence of so faithfull an Officer hath both giuen the Aegyptians their liues and the money cattell lands bodies of the Aegyptians to Pharaoh Both haue reason to bee well pleased The Subiects owe to him their liues the King his Subiects and his Dominions the bounty of God made Ioseph able to giue more then hee receiued It is like the seuen yeares of plenty were not confined to Aegypt other Countries adioyning were no lesse fruitfull yet in the seuen yeares of famine Egypt had corne when they wanted See the difference betwixt a wise prudent frugalitie and a vaine ignorant expence of the benefits of God The sparing hand is both full and beneficiall whereas the lauish is not onely empty but iniurious Good Iacob is pinched with the common famine No piety can exempt vs from the euils of neighbourhood No man can tell by outward euents which is the Patriarke and which the Canaanite Neither doth his profession lead him to the hope of a miraculous preseruation It is a vaine tempting of God to cast our selues vpon an immediate prouision with neglect of common meanes His ten sonnes must now leaue their flocks and goe downe into Aegppt to be their Fathers purueyours And now they goe to buy of him whom they had sold and bowe their knees to him for his reliefe which had bowed to them before for his owne life His age his habit the place the language kept Ioseph from their knowledge neither had they called off their minds from their folds to enquire of matters of foraine State or to heare that an Ebrew was aduanced to the highest honour of Aegypt But he cannot but know them whom hee left at their full growth vvhose tongue and habit and number were all one whose faces had left so deepe an impression in his minde at their vnkinde parting It is wisedome sometimes to conceale our knowledge that we may not preiudice truth Hee that was hated of his brethren for being his Fathers spye now accuses his brethren for common spyes of the weaknesses of Aegypt he could not without their suspition haue come to a perfect intelligence of his Fathers estate and theirs if he had not obiected to them that which was not Wee are alwayes bound to goe the nearest way to truth It is more safe in cases of inquisition to fetch farre about that he might seeme enough an Aegyptian he sweares heathenishly how little could they suspect this Oath could proceed from the sonne of him which swore by the feare of his Father Isaac How oft haue sinister respects drawne weake goodnesse to disguise it selfe euen with sinnes It was no small ioy to Ioseph to see this late accomplishment of his ancient dreame to see these suppliants I know not whether more brethren or enemies groueling before him in an vnknowne submission and now it doth him good to seeme mercilesse to them whom he had found wilfully cruell to hide his loue from them which had shewed their hate to him and to thinke how much he fauoured them and how little they knew it And as sporting himselfe in their seeming misery he pleasantly imitates all those actions reciprocally vnto them which they in despight and earnest had done formerly to him hee speakes roughly reiects their perswasions puts them in hold and one of them in bonds The minde must not alwayes be iudged by the outward face of the actions Gods countenance is oft-times as seuere and his hand as heauy to them whom he best loueth Many a one vnder the habit of an Aegyptian hath the heart of an Israelite No song could be so delightfull to him as to heare them in a late remorse condemne themselues before him of their old cruelty towards him who was now their vnknowne witnesse and Iudge Nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience as affliction neither need there any other art of memory for sinne besides misery They had heard Iosephs deprecation of their euill with teares and had not pitied him yet Ioseph doth but heare their mention of this euill which they had done against him and pities them with teares he weepes for ioy to see their repentance and to compare his safety and happinesse with the cruelty which they intended and did and thought they had done Yet hee can abide to see his brother his prisoner whom no bonds could binde so strong as his affection bound him to his captiue Simeon is left in pawne in fetters the rest returne with their corne with their money paying nothing for their prouision but their labour that they might be as much troubled with the beneficence of that strange Aegyptian Lord as before with his imperious suspition Their wealth was now more irkesome to them then their need and they feare God meanes to punish them more in this superfluitie of money then in the want of victuals What is this that God hath done to vs It is a wise course to be iealous of our gaine and more to feare then desire abundance Old Iacob that was not vsed to simple and absolute contentments receiues the blessing of seasonable prouision together with the affliction of that heauy message the losse of one sonne and the danger of another and knowes not whether it be better for him to dye with hunger or with griefe for the departure of that sonne of his right hand He driues off all till the last Protraction is a kinde of ease in euils that must come At length as no plea is so importunate as that of famine Beniamin must goe one euill must bee hazarded for the redresse of another what would it auaile him to see whom he loued miserable
How iniurious were that affection to keepe his sonne so long in his eye till they should see each other dye for hunger The ten brothers returne into Egypt loaded with double money in their sacks and a present in their hands the danger of mistaking is requited by honest minds with more then restitution It is not enough to finde our owne hearts cleare in suspicious actions except we satisfie others Now hath Ioseph what he would the sight and presence of his Beniamin whom he therefore borrowes of his Father for a time that hee might returne him with a greater interest of ioy And now he feasts them whom hee formerly threatned and turnes their feare into wonder all vnequall loue is not partiall all the brethren are entertained bountifully but Beniamin hath a fiue-fold portion By how much his welcome was greater by so much his pretended theft seemed more hainous for good turnes aggrauate vnkindnesses and our offences are encreased with our obligations How easie is it to find aduantages where there is a purpose to accuse Beniamins sacke makes him guilty of that whereof his heart was free Crimes seeme strange to the innocent well might they abiure this fact with the offer of bondage and death For they which carefully brought againe that which they might haue taken would neuer take that which was not giuen them But thus Ioseph would yet daily with his brethren and make Beniamin a thiefe that he might make him a seruant and fright his brethren with the perill of that their charge that he might double their ioy and amazednesse in giuing them two brothers at once our happinesse is greater and sweeter when we haue well feared and smarted with euils But now when Iudah seriously reported the danger of his old Father and the sadnesse of his last complaint compassion and ioy will be concealed no longer but breake forth violently at his voice and eyes Many passions doe not well abide witnesses because they are guilty to their owne weaknesse Ioseph sends forth his seruants that he might freely weepe He knew hee could not say I am Ioseph without an vnbeseeming vehemence Neuer any word sounded so strangely as this in the eares of the Patriarkes Wonder doubt reuerence ioy feare hope guiltinesse strooke them at once It was time for Ioseph to say Feare not No maruell if they stood with palenesse and silence before him looking on him and on each other the more they considered they wondred more and the more they beleeued the more they feared For those words I am Ioseph seemed to sound thus much to their guilty thoughts You are murtherers and I am a Prince in spight of you My power and this place giue mee all opportunities of reuenge My glory is your shame my life your danger your sinne liues together vvith me But now the teares and gracious words of Ioseph haue soone assured them of pardon and loue and haue bidden them turne their eyes from their sinne against their brother to their happinesse in him and haue changed their doubts into hopes and ioyes causing them to looke vpon him without feare though not without shame His louing embracements cleare their hearts of all iealousies and hasten to put new thoughts into them of fauour and of greatnesse So that now forgetting what euill they did to their brother they are thinking of what good their brother may doe to them Actions salued vp with a free forgiuenesse are as not done and as a bone once broken is stronger after well setting so is loue after reconcilement But as wounds once healed leaue a scarre behinde them so remitted iniuries leaue commonly in the actors a guilty remembrance which hindered these brethren from that freedome of ioy which else they had conceiued This was their fault not Iosephs who striues to giue them all securitie of his loue and wil be as bountifull as they were cruell They sent him naked to strangers hee sends them in new and rich liueries to their Father they tooke a small summe of money for him hee giues them great treasures They sent his torne coat to his Father He sends varietie of costly rayments to his Father by them They sold him to be the loade of Camels He sends them home with Chariots It must be a great fauour that can appease the conscience of a great injury Now they returne home rich and ioyfull making themselues happy to thinke how glad they should make their Father with this newes That good old man would neuer haue hoped that Aegypt could haue afforded such prouision as this Ioseph is yet aliue This was not food but life to him The returne of Beniamin was comfortable but that his dead sonne was yet aliue after so many yeares lamentation was tidings too happy to be beleeued and was enough to endanger that life with excesse of ioy which the knowledge thereof doubled Ouer-excellent obiects are dangerous in their sudden apprehensions One graine of that ioy would haue safely cheered him whereof a full measure ouer-layes his heart with too much sweetnesse There is no earthly pleasure whereof we may not surfet of the sprituall we can neuer haue enough Yet his eyes reuiue his minde which his eares had thus astonished When hee saw the Chariots of his sonne he beleeued Iosephs life and refreshed his owne He had too much before so that he could not enioy it now he saith I haue enough Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue They told him of his honour he speakes of his life Life is better then honour To haue heard that Ioseph liued a seruant would haue ioyed him more then to heare that he dyed honourably The greater blessing obscures the lesse He is not worthy of honour that is not thankefull for life Yet Iosephs life did not content Iacob without his presence I will goe downe and see him ere I dye The sight of the eye is better then to walke in desires Good things pleasure vs not in their being but in our inioying The height of all earthly contentment appeared in the meeting of these two whom their mutuall losse had more endeared to each other The intermission of comforts hath this aduantage that it sweetens our delight more in the returne then was abated in the forbearance God doth oft-times hide away our Ioseph for a time that we may bee more ioyous and thankfull in his recouerie This was the sincerest pleasure that euer Iacob had which therefore God reserued for his age And if the meeting of earthly friends be so vnspeakably comfortable how happy shall we be in the light of the glorious face of God our heauenly Father of that our blessed Redeemer whom we sold to death by our sinnes and which now after that noble Triumph hath all power giuen him in Heauen and Earth Thus did Iacob reioyce when he was to goe out of the Land of Promise to a foraine Nation for Iosephs sake being glad that hee should lose his Countrey for his sonne What shall our ioy be who
still and command amongst his cups To defile their fingers with the blood of so few seemed no mastery that act would bee inglorious on the part of the Victors More easily might they bring in three heads of dead enemies then one aliue Imperiously enough therefore doth this boaster out of his chaire of state and ease command Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out for warre take them aliue There needs no more but Take them this field is won with a word Oh the vaine and ignorant presumptions of wretched men that will be reckoning without against their Maker Euery Israelite kils his man the Syrians flee and cannot runne away from death Benhadad and his Kings are more beholden to their horses then to their gods or themselues for life and safety else they had been either taken or slaine by those whom they commanded to be taken How easie is it for him that made the heart to fill it with terror and consternation euen where no feare is Those whom God hath destin'd to slaughter he will smite neither needs he any other enemy or executioner then what he findes in their owne bosome We are not the masters of our owne courage or feares both are put into vs by that ouer-ruling power that created vs Stay now O stay thou great King of Syria and take with thee those forgotten handfuls of the dust of Israel Thy gods will doe so to thee and more also if thy followers returne without their vowed burden Learne now of the despised King of Israel from henceforth not to sound the triumph before the battell not to boast thy selfe in the girding on of thine harnesse as in the putting off I heare not of either the publike thanksgiuing or amendment of Ahab Neither danger nor victory can change him from himselfe Benhadad and he though enemies agree in vnrepentance the one is no more moued with mercy then the other with iudgement Neither is God any changeling in his proceedings towards both his iudgement shall still follow the Syrian his mercy Israel Mercy both in fore-warning and redeliuering Ahab Iudgement in ouerthrowing Benhadad The Prophet of God comes againe and both foretels the intended re-encounter of the Syrian and aduises the care and preparation of Israel Goe strengthen thy selfe and marke and see what thou doest for at the returne of the yeare the King of Syria will come vp against thee God purposeth the deliuerance of Israel yet may not they neglect their fortifications The mercifull intentions of God towards them may not make them carelesse The industry and courage of the Israelites fall within the decree of their victory Security is the bane of good successe It is no contemning of a foyled enemie the shame of a former disgrace and miscariage whets his valor and sharpens it to reuenge No power is so dreadfull as that which is recollected from an ouerthrow The hostility against the Israel of God may sleepe but will hardly die If the Aramites sit still it is but till they be fully ready for an assault Time will shew that their cessation was onely for their aduantage neither is it otherwise with our spirituall aduersaries sometimes their onsets are intermitted they tempt not alwaies they alwaies hate vs their forbearance is not out of fauour but attendance of opportunitie happy are wee if out of a suspicion of their silence we can as busily prepare for their resistance as they doe for our impugnation As it is a shame to bee beaten so yet the shame is lesse by how much the victor is greater to mitigate the griefe and indignation of Benhadads foile his parasites ascribe it to gods not to men an humane power could no more haue vanquish't him then a diuine power could by him be resisted Their gods are gods of the hils Ignorant Syrians that name gods and confine them varying their deities according to situations They saw that Samaria whence they were repelled stood vpon the hill of Shemer They saw the Temple of Ierusalem stood vpon mount Sion they knew it vsuall with the Israelites to sacrifice in their high places and perhaps they had heard of Elijahs altar vpon mount Carmel and now they sottishly measure the effects of the power by the place of the worship as if he that was omnipotent on the hill were impotent in the Valley What doltish conceits doth blinde Paganisme frame to it selfe of a God-head As they haue many gods so finite euery region euery hill euery dale euery streame hath their seuerall gods and each so knowes his owne bounds that he dares not offer to incroach vpon the other or if he doe abuyes it with losse Who would thinke that so grosse blockishnesse should finde harbour in a reasonable soule A man doth not alter with his station He that wrestled strongly vpon the hill loseth not his force in the plaine all places finde him alike actiue alike valorous yet these barbarous Aramites shame not to imagine that of God which they would blush to affirme of their owne champions Superstition infatuates the heart out of measure neither is there any fancy so absurd or monstrous which credulous infidelity is not ready to entertaine with applause In how high scorne doth God take it to bee thus basely vnder-valued by rude heathen This very mis-opinion concerning the God of Israel shall cost the Syrians a shamefull and perfect destruction They may call a Counsell of War and lay their heads together and change their Kings into Captaines and their hills into valleyes but they shall finde more graues in the plaines then in the mountaines This very mes-prison of God shall make Ahab though he were more lewd victorious An hundred thousand Syrians shall fall in one day by those few hands of Israel And a dead wall in Aphek to whose shelter they fled shall reuenge God vpon the rest that remained The stones in the wall shall rather turne executioners then a blasphemous Aramite shall escape vnreuenged So much doth the iealous God hate to be robd of his glory euen by ignorant Pagans whose tongue might seeme no slander That proud head of Benhadad that spoke such big words of the dust of Israel and swore by his gods that hee would kill and conquer is now glad to hide it selfe in a blinde hole of Aphek and now in stead of questioning the power of the God of Israel is glad to heare of the mercy of the Kings of Israel Behold now wee haue heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings Let vs I pray thee put sack-cloth on our loines and ropes on our heads and goe out to the King of Israel peraduenture he will saue thy life There can bee no more powerfull attractiue of humble submission then the intimation and conceit of mercy Wee doe at once feare and hate the inexorable This is it O Lord that allures vs to thy throne of grace the knowledge of the grace of that throne