our oblation but at their Memorials we offer to God who made them men and Martyrs giuing thanks for their victories and incouraging our selues by calling vpon God to the like Crownes of Martyrdome And his is our Religion iust for although we are content to preserue the memorie of Saints where they haue suffered and are buried yet it is not to call vpon them but to remember their constancy to the praise of God and imitate their vertues as occasion is offered In which sence wee are bold to preserue the Reuerent Remembrance in this place of our prime-martyr Saint Alban by the losse of whose life the Gospell first made entrie into this lande insomuch as I may call this place the u Ose 2. 15. vallie of Achor the doore of hope and the first-fruits of England in suffering for the faith Ans 3. to the 1. ob Thirdlie wee answer that although wee did build no Churches now which is vntrue yet is it no lesse honorable to bee restorers then founders Deucalion was thought to haue done as great an act as Prometheus Noah is as much reuowned as Adam and it pleased the second Adam to be a restorer of mankind which is a greater title then to bee the first Author as Adam was I am sure that the worke of our Redemption excelleth our Creation and therefore it is true that we * Plus debeâ— pro me refecto quam facto Barn â—ract de dilig deo owe to the Lord more for our selues reformed then first formed losias was blessed for purging the Temple Zorobabel for reedifying the same as well as Salomon who builded it Other former Princes great Men haue brought forth as first Parents these and such like Monuments which in processe of time had more feeding then teaching and therefore grew out of fashion But it is the honor of our Religious Kings and Princes as principally they are nurcing fathers and mothers of the Gospell so to draw their breasts and suckle these and such like Orphan-Churches that by their Princely bounty they may be necessary and accessorie helpes to Gods seruice In naturall children the chiefe care is or ought to be of the soule the next of the body first nurture is to be respected then Nature and so in these Monuments chiefly Religion is to be regarded then the building first must a Church be beautified in x Barn moribus then in marruoribus in manners then in the marble and other Ornaments And this is the course of our Religious Princes first to cleanse these houses of prayer from Corruption then to raise them from their Ruines I may speake sensiblie if it please God effectually in respect of this place this auncient and now drooping Church vnder whose roofe we notwithstanding are happily present before the Lord and his annointed Iacob Neuer did poore Orphan-Church standing in such need of a royall nurcing father more seasonably inioy the hopefull presence of so great a Monarch And aboue all this benefit shee doth with other her sister Churches alreadie enioy and must euer with all thankefulnesse acknowledge that by her royall Iacobs meanes next vnder God her children may dayly drinke of the water of life sucke at the breasts of our sweet Sauiour here offered and receaue the comforts of publike praier of the Ministerie and Sacraments being the most essentiall parts of a Church and benefits as much exceeding the most excellent building of lime and stone as the pure spring water exceeds the workemanshippe about the well and such as our forefathers would haue reioiced to enioy in fields in woods m Cottages But yet seeing this Monument this building is now the place the pallace the temple y Genes 36. 22 Rehoboth a large well of receipt and roome enough where where the seruants of God doe assemble for water of comfort it pittieth them to see the worke of it so ruinous the brinke so dangerous the steening falne in and a Monument thus venerable vpon the wast so that all that passe by are ready to spoile her both the Rich couetous and the poore irreligious both in desire sacrilegious In regard whereof sometimes her sonnes doe wish that shee were rather a z Augustin Zacheus with a sound bodie then Goliah with this crazie hectique Consumption because her paralyticque members as a great body vnsound rather burthen then beautifie and yet the resection and cutting off of an Integrall part euen in the greatest body is a maime and disfiguring neither euer vsed but as vltimum refugium in diseases desperate It is a spectacle of much remorse to behold a noble personage high-borne so in distresle that for want of friends and meanes to support her shee is ready to fall and lie on the ground as subiect to beggerie scorne and shame Euen a 2 King 9. 34. King Iehu had commiseration in extremis vpon Iesabel quia filia Regis because shee was the daughter to a King although a b 1 King 16. 31 daughter to Eâ—â—â—aal K. of the Zidomans wicked daughter of a heathnish King And may not I cal this Church a Kings daughter and in that respect looke for pittie to whom c M. Cambden Off a a King Christian gaue the first being other d Egfrid Elbelred Henric. 1. manuscr Regist Kings after him this coÌ„spicuous Amplitude Shee hath already met with Iehu who hauing seuerely punished her for all the fornications and witchcraftes the Idolatries and delusions of Monks and Fryars wrought in her could not chuse but now if he beheld it remorse her humble estate the rather because shee is filia regis and Basilica a Kings daughter But Iehu tooke pittie when it was too late and when Iesabel was almost deuoured of the dogges This Church is yet more happie who though shee hath had many blowes yet hauing not receaued her deathes wound shee stands capable of the mercie and fauour of a peaceable Salomon a blessed Iosias a Kingly Iacob to giue her life and health againe And it is no ordinary helpe nor vulgar hand that can heale her sore because as shee was the daughter and is the nurce-child of a King so her disease is the Kings euill and requires the speedie assistance of a most Catholike and Imperiall Phisition to cure her wounds or els his sacred Authority if her estate bee found desperate to cut of her mortified limmes and binde vp the sounder parts for Gods seruice Yet it is indeed the Recouerie of her pristinate health and soundnesse that her sonnes on their knees desire which if it may not bee obtained their last Refuge and next Petition must be that which gracious Princes doe not loue to heare e Isai 3. 5. Ruina haec sub manu tua Let her fall be vnder the hand of highest Authoritie being the mournefull note of people when they had no Respondebit dicens non sum medicus ib. King to helpe them But who am I that I should enter into
the mony further then the necessitie of the worke requireth and still keeping a booke of accompts therein ready to exhibite all their proceedings to the examination and censure of those worthie Knights adioyning or to any other well-willer to this businesse who shall request it For the continuance of which faithfull diligence considering howe strong a motiue the vigilant eye and abundant caution of the Right Reuerend Father my Lord Bishoppe of London will bee to the under-takers I dare promise all good dealing yet if standers-by may doe any good both I and others haue vowed to bee inquisitiue into the businesse and finding anie miscarriage to informe and clamour against the faulters But I rest in hope of a better Office wherein I may rather commend their doings then finde fault In the meane time ceasing to bee further troublesome to your Grace I humbly take my leaue neuer ceasing to pray as dutie bindeth mee for the prosperous victorious reigne of our dread Soueraigne and his royall issue that the weakest in his house may bee like Dauid and his house a sure house like Dauids euen like Gods house and as an Angell of the Lord before the people And for your Grace that after manie successe-full labours in your pastorall Charge by ruling and teaching the Church of God accompanied in this life inwardlie with comfort of conscience outwardlie with double honour you may receiue an incorruptible Crowne of righteousnesse and glorie from that great Shepheard of the Sheepe Christ lesus our Lord and Sauiour Amen Your Graces most humble and duetifull Chaplaine William Westerman IACOBS VVELL IOHN 4. 6. And there was IACOBS WELL. LET it not seeme absurd that I reade this short Chorography and briefe description of a matter in appearance so small before this most Illustrious Audience Rich treasure may bee hidden in a roome vnlikely and such a narrow well as this may affoord much comfortable water There was no pinne in the Temple of God but was seruiceable to some holy vse neither is there any iot or tittle in the scripture of truth but is profitable for some instruction At this fountaine once the King of heauen vailed in the flesh of our infirmitie refreshed himselfe when he was hungry wcarie and thirstie although rich in himselfe aboue all And let my Soueraigne Lord so great a King vpon the earth in his dcuotions thirsting after the water of Life at the beginning of his happie progresse vouchsafe his first repose out of this well by the draught of his vnworthy seruant although his own precious heart be like Solomons a 1. King 4. 29. large as the sands and deepe as the waters of the Sea In this well here spoken off the Patriarch lacob left a memoriall of his Charity and care for succeeding ages and at this well the God of Iacob left a mirrour of his thirst for the conuersion and comforting of soules Now to preserue the remembrance of both did the Euangelist set downe this particular note in his holy Mappe Out of which let me be bold according to the number of the words to obserue three especiall Occurrences First of the place There Secondly of a Monument in the place a Well Thirdly of the Author and founder of it Iacob Iacobs Well A place of note for many circumstances and this especially of our blessed Sauiours presence A monument not great but of good vse and benefit in those drie countries A well A founder of much reuerence for his faith for his workes of pietie and charitie as also for his great Antiquitie Iacob There was Iacobs Welll The first of these occurrences whereof I purpose to speak least is the site and Landship of the place modelled or rather folded vp in this briefe locall demonstratiue There but explicated more at large for Historie Geographie before and after by former circumstances of Iacob and later of Christ For first the place is bounded out as beeing interiacent between Iudaea and Galile in the midway betweene them both Secondly the name of the Region Samaria and of the Citie Sychar so called b Maldonat for Sychem is expressed which was a chiefe Citie seated at Mount c Josephus Garrizim where Iacobs sonnes once made their furious Massacre Thirdly the bordering vicinitie is laid down as being neere to the possession d Gen. 34 that Iacob gaue to his sonne Ioseph which hee e Gen. 33. purchased of Hemor Shechems father And lastly is described the departure of our sweet Sauiour from his own countrimen and brethren this way passing along as his iourney ledde him and heere as it were f De torrente in via bibens Psal 1 10. drinking of the brooke by the way for his refection In whom wee may behold that prophesie of Iacob made to his sonne Ioseph more liuely verified then in Ioseph himselfe g Ramus faecunà us iuxta fontem Gen. 45 22. He shall bee as a fruitfull branch by the Well side for neuer did Ioseph take personall possession in this place but h Heb. 11. 22. by faith or by the translation of his bones and in his posteritie and they Alas how often interrupted and at the last exterminated quite Insomuch as this place euen this Citie and Country may be pointed at for a Theater I will not say of Fortune but of Gods iustice in the conuersion of State and alteration of Religion For notwithstanding that this was Iacobs purchase Iosephs inheritance by promise by legacie by prophecie confirmed to the faithfull Yet beside the former sacking of this Citie by Iacobs sonnes and the abandoning of the same by Iacob himselfe It was first i Iudg. 9. fired by that Ambitious bramble Abimelech then the whole Region peruerted by the Caluish Religion of k 1. Kin. 13. Ieroboam in whose defection this Citie was l 1. King 12. 25 suddenly built and as suddenly left Then Samaria it selfe m 2. Kin. 6. besieged and famished and at length all harrosed dispcopled desolated and being n 2. Kin. 17. replanted with Idolatrous inhabitants fearing not GOD they were wearied with Lyons When being better taught yet at their best as they did feare God so they still worshipped their Idols continuing in a confused Meslin of Religion And this race of sirangers Mongrels and Neuters remained heere till this approch of our Sauiour who now as a o Cant2 2. Lillie amongst the thornes as the Churches dearest spouse heere fedde and p Cant. 1. 6. rested himselfe at noone thirsting in bodie but more in soule for the saluation of mankinde q August in hunc locum petens promittens bibere praying and yet promising drinke being r Egens tanquam accepturus afflâ—ens tanquam satiaturus vbi supr 1. in want as one that would receiue and flowing ouer as one that would replenish others But I wrap vp this description of place againe with these three briefe notes vpon it First that there is no
certaintie of continuall prosperitie in the most setled estates of the world whereof let Sichem and Samaria be pregnant witnesses Secondly that sinne priuiledged and corruption of Religion authorised although but in policie as it was by Ieroboam who knew better yet is the bane and ruine of the most flourishing commonwealths and churches Lastly that neither the Church of God visibly nor the spirit illuminating that Church infallibly is bound to any place citie or sea there to reside in the succession of persons for Iosephs possession was inhabited by Idolaters s Osc 4. 15. Bethel became Bethauen Turkes and dogges haue surprised the holie land Antichrist sitteth in the t 2 Thessal 2. 4. Temple of God where was light there is darkenesse where it was day now it is night the faithfull u Isai 1. 21. Citie is turned harlot x Nequie blandiatur sibi dc loco Barn Least any should flatter themselues in the inherent holinesse of the place And thus wee leaue wandring at large about the place and settle our selues in view of a little Monument in the place where our blessed Sauiour did vouchsafe to sit Secondly In this place there was a well or a spring for euerie well is a spring although cuery spring be not a well A Spring or a fountaine may be in y Augustin superficie easie to come by A well is in profundo deepe to be drawne at and so was this A seasonable Commoditie of publike vse and long Continuance seruing for Iacobs children and their Cattle although now for strangers Water in a thirsty Lord must needs bee a benefit of great Conuenieucy vnknowne to them that haue enough No greater care had the Petriarchs in temporall things then to furnish themselues and their people with water Wherefore the z Genes 26. 25. Philistins could not shew their spight in any thing so much to Isaac as to stoppe vp his wels Neither that wee may speake of later times did the Romish Philistin in any thing so deepely discouer his malice as when hee sent paisoners to intoxicate and corrupt the fountaines and waters of the Protestant Countries in Germanie whereof we may reade a Sleidan Comlib 18. how the Princes and Noble men did much complaine A well therefore and in such a place was surely a benefit much graced by the Concurrency of those foure Circumstances whereof the b Senec. de benef Necessaria Vtilia Iucunda Mansura learned speake for it was necessarie profitable pleasant and permanent What more necessary then water No not a friend for all the prouerbe Who can liue without it What more profitable then such a well in a drie scorched Countrie for them that liue or dwell or trauell there And so pleasant is water that c Prou. 23. 25. Salomon likeneth good newes out of a farre Countrie vnto coole waters comforting a thirstie soule The first and greatest cause that made the Israelites to quarrell and mutin with Moses was for want or for bitternesse of their water as d Exod. 15. 24 Marah e Exod. 17. 7. Massah and Meribath can witnesse One and the same word as the Learned obserue in the sacred fountainetongue is set for an eye and a spring which may not vnfitly teach vs thâ—t as the eyes are necessary and beautifull springs to grace the little world of our bodies so fountaines of water are as eyes to beautifie and solace the greater world of the earth Our sweet Sauiour who at this well asked temporall water and offered spirituall water of life hath promised a reward to a Cuppe of cold water giuen in season for his sake And what is a f Mat. 10. 42. Cuppe of colde water to a well of water Yet a well of water is no great thing neither in it selfe but that as Nazianzen speaketh g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Monastic That little is not little when it produceth much But aboue all that which addeth an Improuement to the necessity profit and pleasure of this well is the Continuance and perennitie of it holding out euen till the time of our Sauiour out-lasting so many changes generations and monarchies and yet still there was Iacobs well Monumentum aere perennius h Hor. A monument more durable then brasse But this is not all wee are yet too shallow And our deare Sauiour hath taught vs to draw deeper and fetch our hence more then Ordinarie and vulgar water For by this well he tooke a fit occasion to proffer and giue a tast of that spirituall water of life whereof he himselfe is the euer-lasting and vnexhausted fountaine Wherefore I cannot seeme to bring water out of mine owne braine vnto this text nor from the words thereof to wring out blood by fotcing them if following the example of the greatest Doctor Christ himselfe I take occasion from this well and this water to speake of all the Commodities and Emoluments of mans life which the Beneficence of worthie men founders and Benefactours hath bountifully streamed out for the publike vse and Benefit of many In the Suruey of which Commodities as we passe along because Monuments are so called as Monentia i Augustin Moncns mentem mentem monitors of the mind let me behold by them monere mentem memorem to aduertise the minde and the mindefull how that first some Monuments on the left hand are vaine and superfluous Secondly some in a degree further Impious and superstitious Thirdly some on the right hand of Contrary nature Charitable and Religious And first vaine Monuments on the left hand I call them not according to the vanitie wherewith Salomon hath branded all worldly things for so the best ofsprings of mans Industry are vaine But vaine I meane Idle without any intended benefit or profit for the wealth of the people or the seruice of God onely showing forth mens pride or follie the superfluity of their riches and their securitie Of this sort was k Genes 11. Nimrods Babel l 2 Sam. 18. 18 Absolons pillar the Theaters and Pyramides of Aegypt being but m Regum pecuniae otiosa stulta oslentatio Plin an Idle and foolish Ostentation of the wast money of great Princes But not to triflle about those meerely vaine and Prodigious follies I come to a more necessary Suruey namely what vaine profusion of money and labour hath beene Imploied first in houses and mansions for the liuing secondly in tombes for the dead Thirdly in superfluities about the houses of prayer fourthly in Monuments of writing And first touching mansions and i Vaine Monuments dwelling houses for the liuing no doubt they must and may be built for n Arles necessity for pleasure for defence for state and splendour But the venime of the spider makes a webb of little worth and the corruption of the builder taints his worke with a touch of vanity May you bee pleased to see how First when he layes the foundation in