on indeed and sorrow with him but to his discomfort Where the griefe is extreme and respects neere partnership doth but increase sorrow Paul chides his loue What doe you weeping and breaking my heart The teares of those we loue doe either slacken our hearts or wound them Who then shall comfort him himselfe Sometimes our owne thoughts finde a way to succour vs vnknowne to others no not himselfe Doubtlesse as Aquinas the influence of the higher part of the soule was restrained from the aid of the inferiour My soule is filled with euils Psalm 87.4 Who then his Father here here was his hope If the Lord had not helpen me my soule had almost dwels in silence I and my Father are one But now alas he euen hee deliuers him into the hands of his enemies when he hath done turnes his backe vpon him as a stranger yea hee woundeth him as an enemy The Lord would breake him Esay 53.10 yet any thing is light to the soule whiles the comforts of God sustaine it who can dismay where God will releeue But here My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me What a word was here to come from the mouth of the Sonne of God My Disciples are men weake and fearefull no maruell if they forsake mee The Iewes are themselues cruell and obstinate Men are men gracelesse and vnthankfull Deuils are according to their nature spightfull and malicious All these doe but their kinde and let them doe it but thou O Father thou that hast said This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased thou of whom I haue said It is my Father that glorifies mee what forsaken me Not onely brought me to this shame smitten me vnregarded mee but as it were forgotten yea forsaken me What euen mee my Father How many of thy constant seruants haue suffered heauy things yet in the multitudes of the sorrowes of their hearts thy presence and comforts haue refreshed their soules Hast thou releeued them and dost thou forsake me me thine onely deare naturall eternall Sonne O ye heauens and earth how could you stand whiles the maker of you thus complained Ye stood but partaking after a sort of his Passion the earth trembled and shooke her rocks tore her graues opened the heauens withdrew their light as not daring to behold this sad and fearefull spectacle Oh deare Christians how should these earthen and rocky hearts of ours shake and rend in peeces at this Meditation how should our faces be couered with darknesse and our ioy be turned into heauinesse All these voices and teares and sweats and pangs are for vs yea from vs. Shall the Sonne of God thus smart for our sinnes yea with our sinnes and shall not we grieue for our owne shall he weepe to vs in this Market-place and shall not we mourne Nay shall he sweat and bleed for vs and shall not we weepe for our selues Shall he thus lamentably shrieke out vnder his Fathers wrath and shall not we tremble Shall the heauens and earth suffer with him and we suffer nothing I call you not to a weake and idle pitty of our glorious Sauiour to what purpose His iniury was out glory No no Ye daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues for our sinnes that haue done this not for his sorrow that suffered it not for his pangs that were but for our owne that should haue beene and if wee repent not shall be Oh how grieuous how deadly are our sinnes that cost the Sonne of God besides bloud so much torment how farre are our soules gone that could not be ransomed with an easier price that tooke so much of this infinite Redeemer of men God and man how can it chuse but swallow vp and confound thy soule which is but finite and sinfull If thy soule had beene in his soules stead what had become of it it shall be if his were not instead of thine This weight that lies thus heauy on the Sonne of God and wrung from him these teares sweat bloud and these vnconceiueable grones of his afflicted spirit how should it chuse but presse downe thy soule to the bottome of hell and so it will doe if he haue not suffered it for thee thou must and shalt suffer it for thy selfe Goe now thou lewd man and make thy selfe merry with thy sins laugh at the vncleannesses or bloudinesse of thy youth thou little knowest the price of a sinne thy soule shall doe thy Sauiour did when he cryed out to the amazement of Angels and horror of men My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me But now no more of this It is finished the greater conflict the more happy victory Well doth he finde and feele of his Father what his type said before He will not chide alwaies nor keepe his anger for euer It is fearefull but in him short eternall to sinners short to his Sonne in whom the God-head dwelt bodily Behold this storme wherewith all the powers of the world were shaken is now ouer The Elders Pharises Iudas the souldiers Priests witnesses Iudges theeues executioners deuils haue all tired themselues in vaine with their owne malice and he triumphs ouer them all vpon the throne of his Crosse his enemies are vanquisht his Father satisfied his soule with this word at rest and glory It is finished Now there is no more betraying agonies arraignments scourgings scoffing crucifying conflicts terrors all is finished Alas beloued and will we not let the Sonne of God be at rest doe we now againe goe about to fetch him out of his glory to scorne and crucifie him I feare to say it Gods spirit dare and doth They crucifie againe to themselues the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him To themselues not in himselfe that they cannot it is no thanke to them they would doe it See and consider the notoriously-sinfull conuersations of those that should be Christians offer violence vnto our glorified Sauiour they stretch their hands to heauen and pull him down from his throne to his Crosse they teare him with thornes pierce him with nailes load him with reproches Thou hatest the Iewes spittest at the name of Iudas railest on Pilate condemnest the cruell butchers of Christ yet thou canst blaspheme and sweare him quite ouer curse swagger lye oppresse boyle with lust scoffe riot and liuest like a debauched man yea like an humane Beast yea like an vncleane Deuill Cry Hosanna as long as thou wilt thou art a Pilate a Iew a Iudas an Executioner of the Lord of life and so much greater shall thy iudgement bee by how much thy light and his glory is more Oh beloued is it not enough that hee dyed once for vs Were those paines so light that we should euery day redouble them Is this the entertainment that so gracious a Sauiour hath deserued of vs by dying Is this the recompence of that infinite loue of his that thou shouldest thus cruelly vex and wound him with thy sinnes Euery of our
it is come to passe that though there be many legions of Deuils and euery one more strong than many legions of men and more malicious than strong yet the little flocke of Gods Church liueth and prospereth I haue euer with me inuisible friends and enemies The consideration of mine enemies shall keepe me from securitie and make me fearefull of doing ought to aduantage them The consideration of my spirituall friends shall comfort me against the terrour of the other shall remedie my solitarinesse shall make me warie of doing ought indecently grieuing me rather that I haue euer heretofore made them turne away their eyes for shame of that whereof I haue not beene ashamed that I haue no more enioyed their societie that I haue beene no more affected with their presence What though I see them not I beleeue them I were no Christian if my faith were not as sure as my sense 96 There is no word or action but may be taken with two hands either with the right hand of charitable construction or the sinister interpretation of malice and suspicion and all things doe so succeed as they are taken I haue noted euill actions well taken passe currant for either indifferent or commendable Contrarily a good speech or action ill taken scarce allowed for indifferent an indifferent one censured for euill an euill one for notorious So fauour makes vertues of vices and suspicion makes vertues faults and faults crimes Of the two I had rather my right hand should offend It is alwaies safer offending on the better part To construe an euill act well is but a pleasing and profitable deceit of my selfe but to misconstrue a good thing is a treble wrong to my selfe the action the author If no good sense can be made of a deed or speech let the blame light vpon the author If a good interpretation may be giuen and I chuse a worse let me be as much censured of others as that misconceit is punishment to my selfe 97 I know not how it comes to passe that the minde of man doth naturally both ouerprize his owne in comparison of others and yet contemne and neglect his owne in comparison of what he wants The remedie of this latter euil is to compare the good things we haue with the euils which we haue not and others groane vnder Thou art in health and regardest it not Looke on the miserie of those which on their bed of sicknesse through extremitie of paine and anguish intreat death to release them Thou hast cleare eye-sight sound lims vse of reason and passest these ouer with slight respect Thinke how many there are which in their vncomfortable blindnesse would giue all the world for but one glimpse of light how many that deformedly crawle on all foure after the manner of the most loathsome creatures how many that in mad phrensies are worse than brutish worse than dead thus thou mightest bee and art not If I be not happy for the good that I haue I am yet happy for the euils that I might haue had and haue escaped I haue deserued the greatest euill euery euill that I misse is a new mercy 98 Earth which is the basest element is both our mother that brought vs forth our stage that beares vs aliue and our graue wherein at last we are entombed giuing to vs both our originall our harbour our Sepulcher She hath yeelded her backe to beare thousands of generations and at last opened her mouth to receiue them so swallowing them vp that she still both beareth more and lookes for more not bewraying any change in her selfe while she so oft hath changed her brood and her burden It is a wonder we can be proud of our parentage or of our selues while we see both the basenesse and stabilitie of the earth whence we came What difference is there Liuing earth treads vpon the dead earth which afterwards descends into the graue as senselesse and dead as the earth that receiues it Not many are proud of their soules and none but fooles can be proud of their bodies While wee walke and looke vpon the earth we cannot but acknowledge sensible admonitions of humility and while we remember them we cannot forget our selues It is a mother-like fauour of the earth that she beares and nourishes me and at the last entertaines my dead carkase but it is a greater pleasure that she teacheth me my vilenesse by her owne and sends me to heauen for what she wants 99 The wicked man carrieth euery day a brand to his hell till his heape be come to the height then he ceaseth sinning and begins his torment whereas the repentant in euery fit of holy sorrow caries away a whole faggot from the flame and quencheth the coales that remaine with his teares There is no torment for the penitent no redemption for the obstinate Safetie consisteth not in not sinning but in repenting neither is it sinne that condemnes but impenitence O Lord I cannot bee righteous let me be repentant 100 The estate of heauenly and earthly things is plainly represented to vs by the two lights of heauen which are appointed to rule the night and the day Earthly things are rightly resembled by the Moone which being neerest to the region of mortalitie is euer in changes and neuer lookes vpon vs twice with the same face and when it is at the full is blemished with some darke blots not capable of any illumination Heauenly things are figured by the Sunne whose great and glorious light is both naturall to it selfe and euer constant That other fickle and dimme starre is fit enough for the night of misery wherein we liue here below And this firme and beautifull light is but good enough for that Day of glory which the Saints liue in If it be good liuing here where our sorrowes are changed with ioyes what is it to liue aboue where our ioyes change not I cannot looke vpon the body of the Sunne and yet I cannot see at all without the light of it I cannot behold the glory of thy Saints O Lord yet without the knowledge of it I am blinde If thy creature be so glorious to vs here below how glorious shall thy selfe be to vs when we are aboue this Sunne This Sunne shall not shine vpward where thy glory shineth the greater light extinguisheth the lesser O thou Sunne of righteousnesse which shalt onely shine to me when I am glorified doe thou heat enlighten comfort me with the beames of thy presence till I be glorified AMEN FINIS HEAVEN VPON EARTH OR OF TRVE PEACE AND TRANQVILLITIE of Minde 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 HONOVRABLE HENRY Earle of Huntingdon Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaux Molines and Moiles his Maiesties Lieutenant in the Counties of Lâ—icester and Rutland my singular good Lord All increase of true Honour and HEAVEN begun vpon EARTH RIGHT HONORABLE I Haue
beneficence Vpon thy people largely spread PSALME 4. As the ten Commandements Attend my people THou witnesse of my truth sincere My God vnto my poore request Vouchsafe to lend thy gracious eare Thou hast my soule from thrall releast verse 2 Fauour me still and dâ—igne to heare Mine humble sute O wretched wights verse 3 How long will yee mine honour deare Turne into shame through your despights Still will ye loue what thing is vaine verse 4 And seeke false hopes know then at last That God hath chose and will maintaine His fauorite whom yee disgrac't God will regard my instant mone verse 5 Oh! tremble then and cease offending And on your silent bed alone Talke with your hearts your waies amending verse 6 Offer the truest sacrifice Of broken hearts on God besetting verse 7 Your onely trust The most deuise The waies of worldly treasure getting But thou O Lord lift vp to me The light of that sweet looke of thine verse 8 So shall my soule more gladsome be Than theirs with all their corne and wine verse 9 So I in peace shall lay me downe And on my bed take quiet sleepe Whiles thou O Lord shalt me alone From dangers all securely keepe PSALME 5. In the tune of 124. Psalme Now Israel may say c. BOw downe thine eare Lord to these words of mine And well regard the secret plaints I make verse 2 My King my God to thee I doe betake My sad estate oh doe thine eare incline To these loud cries that to thee powred bin verse 3 At early morne thou shalt my voice attend For at day breake I will my selfe addresse Thee to implore and wait for due redresse verse 4 Thou dost not Lord delight in wickednesse Nor to bad men wilt thy protection lend verse 5 The boasters proud cannot before thee stay Thou hat'st all those that are to sinne deuoted verse 6 The lying lips and who with bloud are spotted Thou doest abhorre and wilt for euer slay verse 7 But I vnto thine house shall take the way And through thy grace abundant shall adore With humble feare within thy holy place verse 8 Oh! lead me Lord within thy righteous trace Euen for their sakes that malice me so sore Make smooth thy paths my dimmer eies before verse 9 Within their mouth no truth is euer found Pure mischiefe is their heart a gaving toome verse 10 Is their wide throat and yet their tongues still sound verse 11 With smoothing words O Lord giue them their doome And let them fall in those their plots profound In their excesse of mischiefe them destroy verse 12 That Rebels are so those that to thee flie Shall all reioyce and sing eternally verse 13 And whom thou dost protect and who loue thee And thy deare name in thee shall euer ioy Since thou with blisse the righteous dost reward And with thy grace as with a shield him guard PSALME 6. As the 50. Psalme The mighty God c. LEt me not Lord be in thy wrath reproued Oh! scourge me not when thy fierce wrath is moued verse 2 Pity me Lord that doe with languor pine Heale me whose bones with paine dissolued bin verse 3 Whose weary soule is vexed aboue measure Oh Lord how long shall I bide thy displeasure verse 4 Turne thee O Lord rescue my soule distrest verse 5 And saue me of thy grace 'Mongst those that rest In silent death can none remember thee And in the graue how shouldst thou praised be verse 6 Weary with sighes All night I caus'd my bed To swim with teares my couch I watered verse 7 Deepe sorrow hath consum'd my dimmed eyne Sunke in with griefe at these lewd foes of mine verse 8 But now hence hence vaine plotters of mine ill The Lord hath heard my lamentations shrill verse 9 God heard my suit and still attends the same verse 10 Blush now my foes and flie with sudden shame PSALME 7. As the 112. Psalme The man is blest that God c. ON thee O Lord my God relies My onely trust from bloudy spight Of all my raging enemies Oh! let thy mercy me acquite verse 2 Lest they like greedy Lyons rend My soule while none shall it defend verse 3 O Lord if I this thing haue wrought If in my hands be found such ill verse 4 If I with mischiefe euer sought To pay good turnes or did not still Doe good vnto my causelesse foe That thirsted for my ouerthrow verse 5 Then let my foe in eager chace Ore-take my soule and proudly tread My life below and with disgrace In dust lay downe mine honour dead verse 6 Rise vp in rage O Lord eft-soone Aduance thine arme against my foâ—ne And wake for me till thou fulfill verse 7 My promis'd right so shall glad throngs Of people flocke vnto thine hill For their sakes then reuenge my wrong's verse 8 And râ—use thy selfe Thy iudgements be O're all the world Lord iudge thou me As truth and honest innocence Thou find'st in me Lord iudge thou me verse 9 Settle the iust with sure defence Let me the wicked's malice see verse 10 Brought to an end For thy iust eye Doth heart and inward reynes descry verse 11 My safety stands in God who shields The sound in heart whose doome each day verse 12 To iust men and contemners yeelds verse 13 Their due Except he change his way His sword is whet to bloud intended His murdering Bow is ready bended verse 14 Weapons of death he hath addrest And arrowes keene to pierce my foe verse 15 Who late bred mischiefe in his brest But when he doth on trauell goe verse 16 Brings forth a lie deepe pits doth delue And fals into his pits himselue verse 17 Backe to his owne head shall rebound His plotted mischiefe and his wrongs verse 18 His crowne shall craze But I shall sound Iehouah's praise with thankfull songs And will his glorious name expresse And tell of all his righteousnesse PSALME 8. As the 113. Psalme Yee children which c. HOw noble is thy mighty Name O Lord o're all the worlds wide frame Whose glory is aduanc't on high Aboue the rowling heauens racke verse 2 How for the gracelesse scorners sake To still th' auenging enemy Hast thou by tender infants tongue The praise of thy great Name made strong While they hang sucking on the brest verse 3 But when I see the heauens bright The moone and glittering starres of night By thine almighty hand addrest verse 4 Oh! what is man poore silly man That thou so mind'st him and dost daine To looke at his vnworthy seed verse 5 Thou hast him set not much beneath Thine Angels bright and with a wreath Of glory hast adorn'd his head verse 6 Thou hast him made high soueraigne verse 7 Of all thy works and stretcht his raigne Vnto the heards and beasts vntame verse 8 To Fowles and to the scaly traine That glideth through the watry Maine verse 9 How noble each-where is thy Name PSALME 9. To the
thou be diligent in declaring my will and giuing holy counsels to all thy fellow-members speake forth my praise in the great congregations which all attend willingly vpon thee and let me heare the voyce of thy constant and faithfull confession of me before the world The Church 14. Oh my Well-beloued flee away and be like vnto the Roe or to the yong Hart vpon the Mountaine of spices I Will most gladly doe what thou commandest O my Sauiour but that I may performe it accordingly be thou which art according to thy bodily presence in the highest heauens euer present with me by thy Spirit and hasten thy glorious comming to my full Redemption FINIS EPISTLES IN SIX DECADS BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE HENRY PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE Sonne and Heire Apparant to our Soueraigne Lord IAMES King of GREAT BRITAINE c. All glory in eyther world MOst Gratious Prince IT is not from any conceit of such worth in my labours that they durst looke so high A lower patronage would haue serued an higher work Jt were well if ought of mine could be worthy of popular eyes Or if I could wring ought from my selfe not vnworthy of a iudicious Reader J know your Highnesse wants neyther presents nor counsells presents from strangers counsells from your Teachers neyther of them matchable by my weaknesse onely duty herein excuseth me from presumption For J thought it iniustice to deuote the fruit of my labours to any other hand beside my Masters which also J knew to be as gracious as mine is faithfull Yet since euen good affections cannot warrant too much vilenesse in gifts to Princes lest while my modesty disparages my worke J should hazard the acceptation here shall your Grace finde variety not without profit J hate a Diuine that would but please and withall thinke it impossible for a man to profit that pleaseth not And if while my style fixeth it selfe vpon others any spirituall profit shall reflect vpon your Highnesse how happy am J who shall euer thinke I haue liued to purpose if by the best of my studies J shall haue done any good office to your soule Further which these times account not the least praise your Grace shal herein perceiue a new fashion of discourse by Epistles new to our language vsuall to others and as Nouelty is neuer without plea of vse more free more familiar Thus wee doe but talke with our friends by our pen and expresse our selues no whit lesse easily somewhat more digestedly Whatsoeuer it is as it cannot bee good enough to deserue that countenance so the countenance of such Patronage shall make it worthy of respect from others The God of Princes protect your person perfect your graces and giue you as much fauour in Heauen as you haue honour on earth Your Graces humbly-deuoted seruant IOS HALL EPISTLES THE FIRST VOLVME IN TVVO DECADS BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE TABLE DECAD I. EP. 1. TO IACOB WADSVVORTH lately reuolted in Spaine Expostulating for his departure and perswading his returne EP. 2. To the Lord DENNY my Lord and Patrone Of the contempt of the world EP. 3. To my Lord HAY. Of true honour EP. 4. To Master NEVVTON Of gratulation for the hopes of our Prince with an aduising apprecation EP. 5. To Sir THO CHALLONER A report of some Obseruations in my trauell EP. 6. To Sir DAVID MORAY Of the miracles of our time EP. 7. To Master W. BEDELL at Venice Lamenting the losse of some late eminent Diuines EP. 8. To the Earle of ESSEX Aduices for his Trauels EP. 9. To Sir ROBERT DRVRY and his LADY Concerning my Remouall EP. 10. To Master I. B. Against the feare of death DECAD II. EP. 1. To Sir RO DARCIE The estate of a true but weake Christian EP. 2. To Sir EDM BACON The benefit of Retirednesse EP. 3. To M. IOHN WHITING An Apology for Ministers mariage EP. 4. To Mrs BRINSLEY my sister Of the sorrow not to be repented of EP. 5. To M. HVGH CHOLMLIE Concerning the Metaphrase of the Psalmes EP. 6. To M. SAM SOTHEBIE A Preface to his Relation of Russia EP. 7. To M. STAN BVCHINSKI The comfort of Imprisonment EP. 8. To M. GEORGE WENNYFF Exciting to Christian cheerfulnesse EP. 9. To M. THO BVRLZ Against immoderat griefe for losse of friends EP. 10. To Master I. A. Against sorrow for worldly losses TO IACOB VVADSVVORTH lately reuolted in Spaine EPIST. I. Expostulating for his departure and perswading his returne HOw vnhappily is my style changed Alas that to a friend to a brother I must write as to an Apostate to an aduersary Doth this seeme harsh You haue turned it by being turned your selfe Once the same walls held vs in one louing Society the same Diocesse in one honourable function Now not one Land and which I lament not one Church You are gone we stand and wonder For a sheepe to stray through simplicity is both ordinary and lamentable but for a Shepheard is more rare more scandalous I dare not presume ouer-much vpon an appeale to a blinded conscience Those that are newly come from a bright candle into a darke roome are so much more blinde as their light was greater and the purest yuory turneth with fire into the deepest blacke Tell vs yet by your old ingenuity and by those sparkes of good which yet I hope lie couered vnder your cold ashes tell vs what diuided you Your motiues shall once be scanned before an higher barre Shame not to haue the weake eyes of the world see that which once your vndeceiueable Iudge shall see and censure What saw you what heard you anew that might offer violence to a resolued minde and make it either to alter or suspend If your reasons be inuincible informe vs that we may follow you but if as they are slight and feeble returne you to vs returne and thinke it no shame to haue erred iust shame to continue erring What such goodly beauty saw you in that painted but ill-fauoured Strumpet that should thus bewitch you so to forget your selfe and contemne the chaste loue of the Spouse of your Sauiour I saw her at the same time in her gayest dresse Let my soule neuer prosper if I could see any thing worthy to command affection I saw and scorned you saw and adored Would God your adoration were as farre from superstition as my scorne from impietie That God iudge betwixt vs whether herein erred yea let men iudge that are not drunke with those Babylonish dregs How long might an indifferent eye looke vpon the comicall and mimicke actions in those your mysteries that should be sacred your magical exorcismes your clericall shauings your vncleanly vnctions your crossings creepings censings sprinklings your coozning miracles garish processions burning of noone-day christning of bels marting of pardons tossing of beads your superstitious hallowing of candles waxe ashes
deliuered But besides the common desire of many finding the translation attempted by diuers and performed by some in such a manner as did not altogether satisfie It pleased my Father herein to improue my leasure wherein howsoeuer I may haue somewhat failed of the first elegancy yet I haue not beene far short of the sense I haue presumed to dedicate the same to your Lordship in respect of your many fauours and my obligations for which besides this officious though vnequall requitall I shal still vow my prayers for your Lordship and remaine Your Lordships most humbly deuoted RO HALL TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBVRY PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND AND METRAPOLITAN TO THE REVEREND LORDS THE BISHOPS AND TO THE WHOLE FLOVRISHING CLERGIE OF ENGLAND ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRY GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE CONVOCATION AT LONDON BEFORE WHOM THIS MEANE SERMON WAS DELIVERED J. H. THE LEAST OF ALL THE SERVANTS OF THE CHVRCH HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS HIS POORE AND VNWORTHY LABOVR IN aede Pauli déque Pauli oraculis Pro concione praeuiâ Synodo Jacrae Varias ab vno Spiritu Domino Deo Distinctiones esse donorum probans Ostendis Halle quanta spiritalium Quà m multiformis dos tibi fluat affatim Charismatumque multiplex peculium Quae nempe tractas per tui specimen doces Theologe nate pulpitis calami potens Cui suauitatis conscius semper stylus Cui pectus almi condus est sacrarij Et lingua promus pectoris cujus latus Loquentis ambit auribus rapax cohors Humerisque densa non sat est semel tua Hausisse vocis impetu fugacia Ni perlegendo te recognosci sinas Auri inuidebit oculus Templo Schola Nosti Decane flexanime quà m terecens Jam tunc ab ipso ambone redeuntem manu Prensum rogator vellicaui feruidus Manare fineres haec in absentum sinus Reliquisque nostri fratribus Cleri dari Quid mirum vbi ipsi postmodùm cudi typis Prouinciales postulant Episcopi Audin ' Iosephe Nolo iam te nil peto Non est amicus quod roget Domini regunt Parere justum est parere te certum est age Quà m facilis isthic obstetricanti labor Post tam verenda iussa quid restat mihi Nisi vt adprecantis suppleam idiotae locúm Amen sacrato succinens Patrum choro Lambethae Febr. 21. 1623. sic approbauit Tho Goadus S.T.D. NOAH'S DOVE YEe are here met which I humbly wish may proue euery way prosperous and happie to the Church of God most Reuerend Father in God Reuerend Bishops venerable Deanes Archdeacons Brethren of the Clergy by the prouidence of our good God and the command of our gracious Soueraigne to hold an holy Conuocation this day Blessed Paul in whose name this ancient pile doth not a little pride it selfe salutes you by my vnworthy tongue and as if he were present addresses himselfe to you and exhorts you In his former Epistle to the Corinthians the 12 Chapter verse 4. There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministeries but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but the same God c. SEe I beseech you the meet correspondence of all things Yee are met in one and here is vnity Yee are many of you met from the vtmost parts of this large Prouince and here is manifold diuersity yee are met the floure of our English Clergie learned and exquisite Diuines and here are diuersities of gifts Ye are met the Lords and Commons of our sacred function and here are diuersities of ministeries Yee are met for the holy affaires of the Church and here are Operations Ye are met as I verily hope and wish in vnity of Spirit and here is one Spirit Ye are lastly met to consecrate your selues your gifts Ministeries Operations to the seruice of our Lord God and here is that Lord that God whom we professe to serue Now that same God that same Lord Iesus Christ that same holy Spirit be present with vs all this day and by his blessed influences guide and gouerne this sacred meeting and happily direct all our councels and endeuours to the glory of his owne great name the saluation of our soules and the assured edification of his Church through Iesus Christ See here then Honoured Prelates and beloued Brethren the loope or combination of both worlds Both the worlds of our Diuinity The greater world God the lesser world Man What is there that can so much concerne vs to know to behold Will ye looke vp to God He is one in essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three in person The Father Lord Spirit He is three in one and one in three The Father Lord Spirit one and the same God Will yee cast your eye to Man yee shall see him not single but branched into infinite diuersitie not bare and naked but furnished with gifts not superfluous but destin'd to due seruices not idle but busie in meet operations Neither are these operations seruices gifts all of one kinde but diuersly distinguished and varied And whence are these so manifold graces so diuers imployments but from one God the Father Lord Spirit And wherefore are all these but that these operations ministeries gifts proceeding from one God Lord Spirit may be directed to one and may end as they began in a perfect vnity O maruellous coniunction of diuine and humane things O vnutterable communion of heauen and earth Wherein is laid forth vnto vs the intire respects and vnion of God to himselfe by consubstantialitie of God to man by munificence of man to God by the bond of thankfulnesse of men to each other by the bond of charity of gifts to ministeries of ministeries to operations of all to all I shall not now need neither indeed would it befit mee in so awfull an assembly of Diuines to dwell vpon Catecheticall points concerning the mysterie of the sacred Trinitie Although this labour is well worthy of you elsewhere my brethren and such as if I may perswade you you shall carefully bestow at home This familiar kinde of teaching the word of the beginnings of Christ is growne out of fashion Like ambitious Orators wee ouerlooke this popular straine and are carried to an affectation of perfection Ye see how the Heron can soare high yet liues for the most part in the lowest vally builds in the tallest trees yet feeds in the humble marishes So doe yee my deare fellow-labourers not so much caring to shew your selues learned as to make your people so This by the way Such as God is such he expresses himselfe to vs and such as hee expresses himselfe to vs such hee formes vs to himselfe As the Sun looking vpon a cloud fitly disposed for that purpose imprints in that moist glasse a certaine bright image of himselfe so doth God to his Church From that Celestiall and diuine Trinity therefore is here apparently deduced another Trinity sublunary and humane
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
Many harlots will put on the semblances of chastity of modesty neuer the contrary It is no trusting those which doe not wish to appeare good Iudah esteemes her by her habit and now the sight of an harlot hath stird vp in him a thought of lust Satan finds well that a fit obiect is halfe a victory Who would not bee ashamed to see a sonne of Iacob thus transported with filthy affections At the first fight he is inflamed neither yet did he see the face of her whom he lusted after it was enough motiue to him that she was a woman neither could the presence of his neighbor the Adullamite compose those wicked thoughts or hinder his vnchast acts That sinne must needs be impudent which can abide a witnesse yea so hath his lust besotted him that he cannot discerne the voice of Thamar that he cannot foresee the danger of his shame in parting with such pledges There is no passion which doth not for the time bereaue a man of himselfe Thamar had learned not to trust him without a pawne He had promised his sonne to her as a daughter and failed now he promised a Kid to her as an Harlot and performeth it Whether his pledge constrained him or the power of his word I enquire not Many are faithfull in all things saue those which are the greatest and dearest If his credit had beene as much indangered in the former promise he had kept it now hath Thamar requited him She expected long the enioying of his promised son and he performed not but here he performes the promise of the Kid and shee stayes not to expect it Iudah is sorry that he cannot pay the hire of his lust and now feareth lest he shall be beaten with his owne staffe lest his signet shall be vsed to confirme and seale his reproach resoluing not to know them and wishing they were vnknown of others Shame is the easiest wages of sin and the surest which euer begins first in our selues Nature is not more forward to commit sinne then willing to hide it I heare as yet of no remorse in Iudah but feare of shame Three moneths hath his sinne slept and now when he is securest it awakes and baites him Newes is brought him that Thamar begins to swell with her conception and now he swels with rage and cals her forth to the flame like a rigorous Iudge without so much as staying for the time of her deliuerance that his cruelty in this iustice should be no lesse ill then the vniustice of occasioning it If Iudah had not forgotten his sinne his pittie had beene more then his hatred to this of his daughters How easie is it to detest those sinnes in others which we flatter in our selues Thamar doth not denie the sinne nor refuse punishment but calls for that partner in her punishment which was her partner in the sinne the staffe the signet the handkerchiefe accuse and conuince Iudah and now he blushes at his owne sentence much more at his act and cries out She is more righteous then I. God will finde a time to bring his children vpon their knees and to wring from them penitent confessions And rather then he will not haue them soundly ashamed he will make them the trumpets of their owne reproach Yet doth he not offer himselfe to the flame with her but rather excuses her by himselfe This relenting in his owne case shamed his former zeale Euen in the best men nature is partiall to it selfe It is good so to sentence others frailties that yet we remember our owne whether those that haue beene or may be with what shame yea with what horror must Iudah needs looke vpon the great belly of Thamar and on her two sonnes the monuments of his filthinesse How must it needes wound his soule to heare them call him both Father and Grandfather to call her mother and sister If this had not cost him many a sigh he had no more escaped his Fathers curse then Reuben did I see the difference not of sinnes but of men Remission goes not by the measure of the sinne but the quality of the sinner yea rather the mercy of the Forgiuer Blessed is the man not that sinnes not but to whom the Lord imputes not his sinne Of IOSEPH I Maruell not that Ioseph had the double portion of Iacobs land who had more then two parts of his sorrowes None of his sonnes did so truely inherit his afflictions none of them was either so miserable or so great suffering is the way to glory I see in him not a cleerer type of Christ then of euery Christian Because we are deare to our Father and complaine of sinnes therefore are we hated of our carnall brethren If Ioseph had not medled with his brothers faults yet he had beene enuied for his Fathers affection but now malice is met with enuy There is nothing more thanklesse or dangerous then to stand in the way of a resolute sinner That which doth correct and obliege the penitent makes the wilfull mind furious and reuengefull All the spight of his brethren cannot make Ioseph cast off the liuery of his Fathers loue what need we care for the censures of men if our hearts can tell vs that we are in fauour with God But what meant young Ioseph to adde vnto his own enuy by reporting his dreames The concealement of our hopes or abilities hath not more modesty then safety He that was enuied for his dearnesse and hated for his intelligence was both enuied hated for his dreames Surely God meant to make the relation of these dreames a means to affect that which these dreames imported We men worke by likely meanes God by contraries The maine quarrell was Behold this dreamer commeth Had it not been for his dreames he had not bin sold if he had not bin sold he had not bin exalted So Iosephs state had not deserued enuy if his dreams had not caused him to be enuied Full little did Ioseph thinke when he went to seeke his brethren that this was the last time he should see his fathers house Full little did his brethren thinke when they sold him naked to the Ismaelites to haue once seene him in the Throne of Aegypt Gods decree runnes on and while we either thinke not of it or oppose it is performed In an honest and obedient simplicity Ioseph comes to enquire of his brethrens health and now may not returne to carry newes of his owne misery whiles he thinkes of their welfare they are plotting his destruction Come let vs slay him Who would haue expected this cruelty in them which should be the Fathers of Gods Church It was thought a fauour that Reubens entreaty obtained for him that he might be cast into the pit aliue to dye there He lookt for brethren and behold murtherers Euery mans tongue euery mans fist was bent against him Each one striues who shall lay the first hand vpon that changeable cote which was dyed with their Fathers
time and after retrait as Laban to Iacob some what they doe also giue but vnwillingly as Herod some what they willingly giue and after repent them as Ioshua to the Gibeonites So great distrust is there in man whether from his impotence or faithlesnesse As in other things so in this I see God is not like man but in what euer he promises he approues himselfe most faithfull both in his ability and performances I will therefore euer trust God on his bare word euen with hope besides hope aboue hope against hope and onwards I will relie on him for small matters of this life for how shall I hope to trust him in impossibilities if I may not in likelihoods How shall I depend on him for raising my body from dust and sauing my soule if I mistrust him for a crust of bread towards my preseruation 11 If the World would make me his Minion he could giue me but what he hath And what hath he to giue but a smoke of honour a shadow of riches a sound of pleasures a blast of fame which when I haue had in the best measure I may be worse I cannot bee better I can liue no whit longer no whit merrier no whit happier If hee professe to hate me what can he doe but disgrace me in my name impouerish mee in my estate afflict me in my body in all which it is easie not to be euer the more miserable I haue beene too long beguiled with the vaine semblances of it Now henceforth accounting my selfe borne to a better world I will in an holy loftinesse beare my selfe as one too good to be enamoured of the best pleasures to be daunted with the greatest miseries of this life 12 I see there is no man so happy as to haue all things and no man so miserable as not to haue some Why should I looke for a better condition than all others If I haue somewhat and that of the best things I will in thankfulnesse enioy them and want the rest with contentment 13 Constraint makes an easie thing toilsome whereas againe loue makes the greatest toile pleasant How many miles doe we ride and runne to see one silly beast follow another with pleasure which if we were commanded to measure vpon the charge of a Superiour we should complaine of wearinesse I see the folly of the most men that make their liues miserable and their actions tedious for want of loue to that they must doe I will first labour to settle in my heart a good affection to heauenly things so Lord thy yoke shall be easie and thy burthen light 14 I am a stranger euen at home therefore if the dogs of the world barke at me I neither care nor wonder 15 It is the greatest madnesse in the world to bee an hypocrite in religious profession Men hate thee because thou art a Christian so much as in appearance God hates thee double because thou art but in appearance so while thou hast the hatred of both thou hast no comfort in thy selfe Yet if thou wilt not be good as thou seemest I hold it better to seeme ill as thou art An open wicked man doth much hurt with notorious sinnes but an hypocrite doth at last more shame goodnesse by seeming good I had rather be an open wicked man than an hypocrite but I had rather be no man than either of them 16 When I cast downe mine eyes vpon my wants vpon my sinnes vpon my miseries me thinkes no man should be worse no man so ill as I my meanes so many so forcible and almost violent my progresse so small and insensible my corruptions so strong my infirmities so frequent and remedilesse my body so vnanswerable to my minde But when I looke vp to the blessings that God hath enriched me withall me thinkes I should soone be induced to thinke none more happy than my selfe God is my friend and my father the world not my master but my slaue I haue friends not many but so tried that I dare trust them an estate not superfluous not needy yet neerer to defect than abundance A calling if despised of men yet honourable with God a body not so strong as to admit security but often checking me in occasion of pleasure nor yet so weake as to afflict me continually A minde not so furnished with knowledge that I may boast of it nor yet so naked that I should despaire of obtaining it My miseries affoord me ioy mine enemies aduantage my account is cast vp for another world And if thou thinke I haue said too much good of my selfe either I am thus or I would be 17 The worldlings life is of all other most discomfortable For that which is his God doth not alway fauour him that which should be neuer 18 There are three messengers of death Casualty Sicknesse Age. The two first are doubtfull since many haue recouered them both the last is certaine The two first are sudden the last leasurely and deliberate As for all men vpon so many summons so especially for an old man it is a shame to be vnprepared for death for where other see they may die hee sees he must die I was long agone old enough to die but if I liue till age I will thinke my selfe too old to liue longer 19 I will not care what I haue whether much or little If little my account shall bee lesse if more I shall doe the more good and receiue the more glory 20 I care not for any companion but such as may teach me somewhat or learne somewhat of me Both these shall much pleasure me one as an Agent the other as a Subiect to worke vpon neither know I whether more For though it be an excellent thing to learne yet I learne but to teach others 21 If earth that is prouided for mortality and is possessed by the Makers enemies haue so much pleasure in it that Worldlings thinke it worth the account of their heauen such a Sunne to enlighten it such an heauen to wall it about such sweet fruits and flowers to adorne it such varietie of creatures for the commodious vse of it What must heauen needs bee that is prouided for God himselfe and his friends How can it bee lesse in worth than God is aboue his creatures and Gods friends better than his enemies I will not onely be content but desirous to be dissolued 22 It is commonly seene that boldnesse puts men forth before their time before their abilitie Wherein we haue seene many that like Lapwings and Partridges haue runne away with some part of their shell on their heads whence it followes that as they began boldly so they proceed vnprofitably and conclude not without shame I would rather be haled by force of others to great duties than rush vpon them vnbidden It were better a man should want worke than that great workes should want a man answerable to their weight 23 I will vse my friend as Moses did his rod While it
for them in the Ward-rope of Heauen They are euer either in blacke mourning in red persecuted or in white glorious Any way shall bee pleasant to me that leads vnto such an end It matters not what rags or what colours I weare with men so I may walke with my Sauiour in white and reigne with him in glorie 91 There is nothing more easie than to say Diuinitie by rote and to discourse of spirituall matters from the tongue or pen of others but to heare God speake it to the soule and to feele the power of Religion in our selues and to expresse it out of the truth of experience within is both rare and hard All that wee feele not in the matters of God is but hypocrisie and therefore the more wee professe the more wee sinne It will neuer be well with mee till in these greatest things I bee carelesse of others censures fearefull onely of Gods and my owne till sound experience haue really catechised my heart and made me know God and my Sauiour otherwise than by words I will neuer bee quiet till I can see and feele and taste God my hearing I will account as onely seruing to effect this and my speech onely to expresse it 92 There is no enemie can hurt vs but by our owne hands Satan could not hurt vs if our owne corruption betraied vs not afflictions cannot hurt vs without our owne impatience tentations cannot hurt vs without our owne yeeldance death could not hurt vs without the sting of our owne sinnes sinne could not hurt vs without our owne impenitence how might I defie all things if I could obtaine not to be my owne enemie I loue my selfe too much and yet not enough O God teach me to wish my selfe but so well as thou wishest me and I am safe 93 It grieues me to see all other creatures so officious to their Maker in their kinde that both winds and sea and heauen and earth obey him with all readinesse that each of these heares other and all of them their Creator though to the destruction of themselues and Man onely is rebellious imitating herein the euill spirits who in the receit of a more excellent kinde of reason are yet more peruerse hence it is that the Prophets are oft times faine to turne their speech to the earth void of all sense and life from this liuing earth informed with reason that onely which should make vs more pliable stifneth vs. God could force vs if hee pleased but hee had rather incline vs by gentlenesse I must stoope to his power why doe I not stoope to his will It is a vaine thing to resist his voice whose hand we cannot resist 94 As all naturall bodies are mixt so must all our morall disposition no simple passion doth well If our ioy be not allayed with sorrow it is madnesse and if our sorrow bee not tempered with some mixture of ioy it is hellish and desperate if in these earthly things we hope without all doubt or feare without all hope wee offend on both sides if we labour without all recreation we grow dull and heartlesse if wee sport our selues without all labour wee grow wilde and vnprofitable these compositions are wholsome as for the bodie so for the minde which though it bee not of a compounded substance as the body yet hath much varietie of qualities and affections and those contrarie to each other I care not how simple my heauenly affections are which the more free they are from composition are the neerer to God nor how compounded my earthly which are easily subiect to extremities if ioy come alone I will aske him for his fellow and euermore in spight of him couple him with his contrarie that so while each are enemies to other both may be friends to me 95 Ioy and sorrow are hard to conceale as from the countenance so from the tongue there is so much correspondence betwixt the heart and the tongue that they will moue at once euery man therefore speakes of his owne pleasure and care the Hunter and Falconer of his games the Plough-man of his teame the Souldier of his march and colours If the heart were as full of God the tongue could not refraine to talke of him The rarenesse of Christian communication argues the common pouertie of grace If Christ bee not in our hearts we are godlesse if hee be there without our ioy wee are senselesse if wee reioice in him and speake not of him wee are shamefully vnthankfull euery man taketh yea raiseth occasion to bring in speech of what he liketh As I will thinke of thee alwaies O Lord so it shall be my ioy to speake of thee often and if I finde not opportunitie I will make it 96 When I see my Sauiour hanging in so forlorne a fashion vpon the Crosse his head drouping downe his temples bleeding with thornes his hands and feet with the nailes and side with the speare his enemies round about him mocking at his shame and insulting ouer his impotence how should I thinke any otherwise of him than as himselfe complaineth forsaken of his Father But when againe I turne mine eies and see the Sunne darkened the earth quaking the rocks rent the graues opened the theefe confessing to giue witnesse to his Deitie and when I see so strong a guard of prouidence ouer him that all his malicious enemies are not able so much as to breake one bone of that body which seemed carelesly neglected I cannot but wonder at his glorie and safetie God is euer neere though oft vnseene and if he winke at our distresse he sleepeth not the sense of others must not bee iudges of his presence and care but our faith what care I if the world giue me vp for miserable whiles I am vnder his secret protection O Lord since thou art strong in our weaknesse and present in our senslesnesse giue mee but as much comfort in my sorrow as thou giuest mee securitie and at my worst I shall bee well 97 In sinnes and afflictions our course must bee contrarie wee must beginne to detest the greatest sinne first and descend to the hatred of the least wee must first beginne to suffer small afflictions with patience that we may ascend to the indurance of the greatest Then alone shall I be happy when by this holy method I haue drawne my soule to make conscience of the least euill of sinne and not to shrinke at the greatest euill of affliction 98 Prescription is no plea against the King much lesse can long custome pleade for error against that our supreme Lord to whom a thousand yeeres are but as yesterday yea Time which pleads voluntarily for continuance of things lawfull will take no fee not to speake against an euill vse Hath an ill custome lasted long it is more than time it were abrogated age is an aggrauation to sinne Heresie or abuse if it be gray-headed deserues sharper opposition to say I will doe ill because I haue done so is
is the Head canst thou drowne when thy Head is aboue was it not for thee that hee triumpht ouer death Is there any feare in a foyled aduersarie Oh my Redeemer I haue already ouercome in thee how can I miscarrie in my selfe O my soule thou hast marched valiantly Behold the Damosels of that heauenly Ierusalem come forth with Timbrels and Harps to meet thee and to applaud thy successe And now there remaines nothing for thee but a Crowne of righteousnesse which that righteous Iudge shall giue thee at that Day Oh Death where is thy sting Oh graue where is thy victorie The Thanksgiuing Returne now vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath beene beneficiall vnto thee O Lord God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my head in the day of battell O my God and King I will extoll thee and will blesse thy name for euer and euer I will blesse thee daily and praise thy Name for euer and euer Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible I will meditate of the beautie of thy glorious Maiestie and thy wonderfull workes Hosanna thou that dwellest in the highest heauens Amen FINIS HOLY OBSERVATIONS LIB I. 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 HONOVRABLE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF WALTHAM MY most bountifull Patron Grace and Peace RIGHT HONOVRABLE THis aduantage a Scholar hath aboue others that hee cannot be idle and that he can worke without instruments For the minde inured to contemplation will set it selfe on worke when other occasions faile and hath no more power not to studie than the eye which is open hath not to see some thing in which businesse it carries about his owne Librarie neither can complaine to want Bookes while it enioyeth it selfe J could not then neglect the commoditie of this plentifull leasure in my so easie attendance here but though besides my course and without the helpe of others writings must needs busie my selfe in such thoughts as J haue euer giuen account of to your Lordship such as J hope shall not be vnprofitable nor vnwelcome to their Patron to their Readers J send them forth from hence vnder your Honourable name to shew you that no absence no imployment can make mee forget my due respect to your Lordship to whom next vnder my gracious Master J haue deseruedly bequeathed my selfe and my endeuours Your goodnesse hath not wont to magnifie it selfe more in giuing than in receiuing such like holy presents the knowledge whereof hath intitled you to more labours of this nature if I haue numbred aright than any of your Peeres I misdoubt not either your acceptation or their vse That God who hath aboue all his other fauours giuen your Lordship euen in these carelesse times an heart truly religious giue you an happy increase of all his heauenly graces by my vnworthy seruice To his gracious care I daily commend your Lordship with my Honourable Lady wishing you both all that little ioy earth can affoord you and fulnesse of glory aboue Non-such Iuly 3. Your Lordships Most humbly deuoted for euer in all dutie and obseruance IOS HALL HOLY OBSERVATIONS 1 AS there is nothing sooner drie than a teare so there is nothing sooner out of season than worldly sorrow which if it bee fresh and still bleeding findes some to comfort and pittie it if stale and skinned ouer with time is rather entertained with smiles than commiseration But the sorrow of repentance comes neuer out of time All times are alike vnto that Eternitie whereto wee make our spirituall mones That which is past that which is future are both present with him It is neither weake nor vncomely for an old man to weepe for the sinnes of his youth Those teares can neuer be shed either too soone or too late 2 Some men liue to bee their owne executors for their good name which they fee not honestly buried before themselues die Some other of great place and ill desert part with their good name and breath at once There is scarce a vicious man whose name is not rotten before his carcasse Contrarily the good mans name is oft times heire to his life either borne after the death of the parent for that enuie would not suffer it to come forth before or perhaps so well growne vp in his life time that the hope thereof is the staffe of his age and ioy of his death A wicked mans name may be feared a while soone after it is either forgotten or cursed The good man either sleepeth with his body in peace or waketh as his soule in glory 3 Oft times those which shew much valour while there is equall possibilitie of life when they see a present necessitie of death are found most shamefully timorous Their courage was before grounded vpon hope that cut off leaues them at once desperate and cowardly whereas men of feebler spirits meet more cheerefully with death because though their courage be lesse yet their expectation was more 4 I haue seldome seene the sonne of an excellent and famous man excellent But that an ill bird hath an ill egge is not rare children possessing as the bodily diseases so the vices of their Parents Vertue is not propagated Vice is euen in them which haue it not reigning in themselues The graine is sowne pure but comes vp with chaffe and huske Hast thou a good sonne He is Gods not thine Is he euill Nothing but his sinne is thine Helpe by thy praiers and endeuours to take away that which thou hast giuen him and to obtaine from God that which thou hast and canst not giue Else thou maiest name him a possession but thou shalt finde him a losse 5 These things be comely and pleasant to see and worthy of honour from the beholder A young Saint an old Martyr a religious Souldier a conscionable Statesman a great man courteous a learned man humble a silent woman a childe vnderstanding the eie of his Parent a merry companion without vanitie a friend not changed with honour a sicke man cheerefull a soule departing with comfort and assurance 6 I haue oft obserued in merry meetings solemnly made that somewhat hath falne out crosse either in the time or immediatly vpon it to season as I thinke our immoderation in desiring or enioying our friends and againe euents suspected haue proued euer best God herein blessing our awfull submission with good successe In all these humane things indifferencie is safe Let thy doubts be euer equall to thy desires so thy disappointment shall not bee grieuous because thy expectation was not peremptorie 7 You shall rarely finde a man eminent in sundry faculties of minde or sundry manuarie trades If his memorie be excellent his fantasie is but dull if his fancie bee busie and quicke his iudgement is but shallow If his iudgement bee deepe his vtterance is
earth is his master yea his God which he shrines in his coffer and to which he sacrifices his heart Euery face of his coine is a new image which he adores with the highest veneration yet takes vpon him to be Protector of that he worshippeth which he feares to keepe and abhorres to lose not daring to trust either any other god or his owne Like a true Chymist he turnes euery thing into Siluer both what hee should eat and what he should weare and that he keeps to looke on not to vse When he returnes from his field he askes not without much rage what became of the loose crust in his cup-bord and who hath rioted among his Leekes He neuer eats good meale but on his neighbours trencher and there he makes amends to his complaining stomacke for his former and future fasts He bids his neighbours to dinner and when they haue done sends in a trencher for the shot Once in a yeere perhaps he giues himselfe leaue to feast and for the time thinks no man more lauish wherein he lists not to fetch his dishes from farre nor will be beholden to the shambles his owne prouision shall furnish his boord with an insensible cost and when his guests are parted talkes how much euery man deuoured and how many cups were emptied and feeds his family with the mouldy remnants a moneth after If his seruant breake but an earthen dish for want of light he abates it out of his quarters wages Hee chips his bread and sends it backe to exchange for staler He lets money and sells Time for a price and will not be importuned either to preuent or deferre his day and in the meane time looks for secret gratuities besides the maine interest which he sels and returnes into the stocke He breeds of Money to the third generation neither hath it sooner any being than he sets it to beget more In all things he affects secrecy and propriety he grudgeth his neighbour the water of his Well and next to stealing hee hates borrowing In his short and vnquiet sleepes he dreames of theeues and runs to the doore and names more men than he hath The least sheafe he euer culls out for Tithe and to rob God holds it the best pastime the cleerest gaine This man cries out aboue others of the prodigalitie of our times and tells of the thrift of our fore-fathers How that great Prince thought himselfe royally attired when he bestowed thirteene shillings and foure pence on halfe a sute How one wedding gowne serued our Grandmothers till they exchanged it for a winding sheet and praises plainnesse not for lesse sin but for lesse cost For himselfe he is still knowne by his fore-fathers coat which hee meanes with his blessing to bequeath to the many descents of his heires He neither would be poore nor be accounted rich No man complaines so much of want to auoid a Subsidie no man is so importunate in begging so cruell in exaction and when he most complaines of want he feares that which he complaines to haue No way is indirect to wealth whether of fraud or violence Gaine is his godlinesse which if conscience goe about to preiudice and grow troublesome by exclaiming against he is condemned for a common Barretor Like another Ahab he is sicke of the next field and thinkes he is ill seated while hee dwels by neighbours Shortly his neighbours doe not much more hate him than he himselfe He cares not for no great aduantage to lose his friend pine his body damne his soule and would dispatch himselfe when corne falls but that he is loth to cast away money on a cord Of the Vaine-glorious AL his humour rises vp into the froth of ostentation which if it once settle fals downe into a narrow roome If the excesse be in the vnderstanding part all his wit is in print the Presse hath left his head emptie yea not onely what he had but what he could borrow without leaue If his glory be in his deuotion he giues not an Almes but on record and if he haue once done well God heares of it often for vpon euery vnkindnesse hee is ready to vpbraid him with merits Ouer and aboue his owne discharge he hath some satisfactions to spare for the common treasure He can fulfill the Law with ease and earne God with superfluitie If he haue bestowed but a little summe in the glazing pauing parieting of Gods house you shall finde it in the Church-window Or if a more gallant humour possesse him he weares all his land on his backe and walking high lookes ouer his left shoulder to see if the point of his Rapier follow him with a Grace He is proud of another mans horse and well mounted thinkes euery man wrongs him that lookes not at him A bare head in the street doth him more good than a meales meat Hee sweares bigge at an Ordinary and talkes of the Court with a sharpe accent neither vouchsafes to name any not honourable nor those without some tearme of familiaritie and likes well to see the hearer looke vpon him amazedly as if he said How happy is this man that is so great with Great-Ones Vnder pretence of seeking for a scroll of newes he drawes out an handfull of letters indorsed with his owne stile to the height and halfe reading euery title passes ouer the latter part with a murmur not without signifying what Lord sent this what great Lady the other and for what sutes the last paper as it happens is his newes from his honorable friend in the French Court. In the midst of dinner his Lacquay comes sweating in with a sealed note from his Creditor who now threatens a speedy arrest and whispers the ill newes in his Masters eare when he aloud names a Counceller of State and professes to know the emploiment The same messenger he calls with an imperious nod and after expostulation where hee hath left his fellowes in his eare sends him for some new spur-leathers or stockings by this time footed and when he is gone halfe the roome recals him and saith aloud It is no matter Let the greater bagge alone till I come and yet againe calling him closer whispers so that all the table may heare that if his crimson sute be ready against the day the rest need no haste He picks his teeth when his stomacke is empty and calls for Phesants at a common Inne You shall finde him prizing the richest Iewels and fairest horses when his purse yeelds not money enough for earnest He thrusts himselfe into the prease before some great Ladies and loues to be seene neere the head of a great traine His talke is how many Mourners hee furnisht with gownes at his Fathers funerals how many messes how rich his Coat is and how ancient how great his alliance what challenges he hath made and answered what exploits he did at Cales or Newport and when he hath commended others buildings furnitures sutes compares them with his owne When
minde at once which the wise man keepes in till afterward that hasteth with his feet and therefore sinneth There is more hope of the other foole than of him 3. The wicked foole That despiseth wisdome and instruction that maketh a mocke of sinne to whom it is abomination to depart from euill to whom foolishnesse is ioy yea it is his pastime to doe wickedly and his practice to spread abroad folly And this man is obstinate in his courses for though thou bray a foole in a morter among wheat brayd with a pestell yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him and though it seeme to depart yet as a dogge turneth againe to his vomit so returnes hee to his foolishnesse Spare thy labour therefore speake not in the eares of a foole Pr. 23.9 for hee will despise the wisdome of thy words To these saith wisdome O ye foolish Pr. 1.23 how long will ye loue foolishnesse and the scornfull take pleasure in scorning and fooles hate knowledge Pr. 1.23 Turne you at my correction Loe I will poure out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my words Because I haue called and ye refused I haue stretched out my hand Pr. 1.24 none would regard but ye haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth Pr. 1.25 Pr. 1.26 Pr. 1.27 Pr. 1.28 Pr. 1.29 Pr. 1.30 like sudden desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirle-wind when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you Then shall they call vpon mee but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell but despised all my correction therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their owne way Pr. 1.21 and be filled with their owne deuices and what is that fruit but sorrow Pr. 14.13 Euen in laughing their heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse and like the noise of thornes vnder a pot so short and vaine is the laughter of fooles what but stripes Ec. 6.8 Pr. 10.13 Pr. 26.3 Pr. 10.8 10. A rod shall be for the backe of him that is destitute of vnderstanding yea it is proper to him To the Horse belongeth a whip to the Asse a bridle and a rod to the fooles backe wherewith not only himselfe shall be beaten Pr. 13.20 Pr. 10.21 Pr. 21.16 Pr. 10.14 Pr. but the companion of fooles shall bee afflicted Lastly what but death Fooles shall die for want of wit and remaine in the congregation of the dead yea the mouth of the foole is present destruction and The lips of a foole shall deuoure himselfe and that which should seeme to preserue him Pr. 1.32 very ease slaieth the foolish and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them SALOMONS ETHICKS THE THIRD BOOKE IVSTICE Iustice giues to each his owne To God Piety which comprehends Feare Honour and respect * * * * * Honour and Obedience are indeed mixed duties of Iustice both to God and man but because as they belong to man they are politike vertues and there handled here we consider them onely as due to God Obedience To God and man Fidelity Truth in words in dealings Loue. To man onely others Mercy Liberality our selues Diligence in our vocations §. 1. 1. Of Iustice in generall 2. Of the feare of God what it is what fruits it hath present future NExt to Prudence is Iustice A man of vnderstanding walketh vprightly Pr. 15.21 Pr. 10.7 Pr. 16.17 Pr. 12.22 The iust man therefore is he that walketh in his integrity and whose path is to decline from euell and briefly hee that deales truly in giuing each his owne Whether to God vnto whom Iustice challengeth Piety which comprehends Ec. 8.13 first the feare of the Lord and this feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride arrogancie and the euill way and in all our waies to acknowledge God Pr. 3.6 Pr. 14.2 Pr. 1.7 Pr. 15.33 that he may direct our waies so that he that walketh in his righteousnesse feareth the Lord but he that is lewd in his waies despiseth him which grace as it is the beginning of knowledge and the very instruction of wisdome Pr. 1.7 Pr. 15.33 Pr. 2.3 Pr. 2.4 Pr. 2.5 Pr. 15.16 Pr. 23.18 Pr. 14.26 so in some respect knowledge is the beginning of it for If thou caâ—lest after knowledge and cryest for vnderstanding if thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as treasures then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God and this feare giues both contentment Better is a little with the feare of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith and 2. future hope Feare the Lord continually for surely there is an end thy hope shall not be cut off In which regard This feare of the Lord is an assured strength to depend vpon because his children shall haue hope Pr. 3.7 Pr. 3.8 Pr. 19.23 Pr. 14.27 yea and present health and ioy Feare the Lord and depart from euill so health shall be to thy nauell and marrow to thy bones and with health life eternall The feare of the Lord leadeth to life yea is a well-spring thereof and he that is filled therewith Pr. 28.14 Pr. 30.9 Pr. 28.14 shall continue and shall not be visited with euill so that Blessed is the man that feareth alway whereas on the contrary He that hardneth his heart and denies God and saith Who is the Lord shall fall into euill §. 2. Honour in the best things in the best times Obedience in attending on his will in performing it Pr. 3.9 Pr. 3.10 HOnour and respect both from the best things Honor the Lord with thy riches and the first fruits of all thy encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with abundance and thy presses shall burst with new wine and in our best times Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Ec. 12.1 while the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Pr. 1.33 Thirdly Obedience Hee that obeyeth mee shall dwell safely saith Wisdome and bee quiet from feare of euill Pr. 4.20 Pr. 4.21 Pr. 10.17 Pr. 28.9 whether in attendance to the will of God My sonne hearken to my words incline thine eare vnto my sayings Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thine heart for He that regardeth instruction is in the way of life whereas he that turneth away his eare from it his very prayer shall be abominable Pr. 28.7 Pr. Pr. 28.4 Pr. 19.16 or in executing of it He that keepeth the commandement is a childe of vnderstanding yea he is blessed and thereby keepeth his owne soule where they that forsake the Law praise
thou art euen taken with the words of thine owne mouth Doe this now my sonne Pr. 27.13 Pr. 6.4 Pr. 6.5 seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour not hauing taken a pledge for thy suretiship goe and humble thy selfe and sollicit thy friends Giue no sleepe to thine eies nor slumber to thine eie-lids Deliuer thy selfe as a Doe from the hand of the Hunter and as a bird from the hand of the Fowler and take it for a sure rule Pr. 11.15 He that hateth suretiship is sure SALOMONS OECONOMICKS OR GOVERNMENT OF THE FAMILIE 1. HVSBAND WIFE 2. PARENT CHILDE 3. MASTER SERVANT By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. SALOMONS OECONOMICKS OR FAMILY §. 1. The head of the Family in whom is required Wisdome Stayednesse Thrift THE man is the head and guide of the family In whom wisdome is good with an inheritance Ec. 7.13 Pr. 24.3 for Through wisedome an house is builded and established which directs him to doe all things in due orders first to prepare his worke without Pr. 24.27 and then after to build his house and therewith stayednesse For Pr. as a bird that wandreth from her nest so is a man that wandreth from his owne place and which is the chiefe slay of his estate thriftinesse for Hee that troubleth his owne house by excesse shall inherit the wind Pr. 11.19 and the foole shall bee seruant to the wise in heart for which purpose he shall finde that The house of the righteous shall haue much treasure while the reuenues of the wicked is but trouble Pr. 15.6 or if not much yet Better is a little with the feare of the Lord than great treasure Pr. 15.16 and trouble therewith Howsoeuer therefore let him be content with his estate Let the Lambes bee sufficient for his cloathing and let the Goats be the price of his field Pr. 27.16 Pr. 27.27 Let the milke of his Goats be sufficient for his food for the food of his family and the sustenance of his maides and if he haue much reuenue let him looke for much expence For Ec. 5.10 When goods increase they are increased that eat them and what good commeth to the owners thereof but the beholding thereof with their eyes THE HVSBAND §. 2. Who must beare himselfe Wisely Chastly Quietly and cheerefully HE that findeth a wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord Pr. 18.22 Who must therefore behaue himselfe 1. wisely as the guide of her youth Pr. 2.17 Pr. 12.4 Pr. 5.15 as the Head to which she is a Crowne 2. Chastly Drinke the water of thine owne Cisterne and the riuers out of the middest of thine owne Well The matrimoniall loue must be pure and cleere not muddy and troubled Let thy fountaines flow forth Pr. 5.16 and the riuers of waters in the streets the sweet and comfortable fruits of blessed mariage in plentifull issue But let them be thine alone and not the strangers with thee Pr. 5.17 This loue abides no partners for this were to giue thine honour vnto others Pr. 5.9 Pr. 5.10 and thy strength to the cruell so should the stranger be filled with thy strength and as the substance will be with the affections thy labours should bee in the house of a stranger Pr. 5.11 and thou shalt mourne which is the best successe hereof at thine end when thou hast consumed besides thy goods thy flesh and thy body Pr. 5.12 Pr. 5.14 and say How haue I hated instruction and mine heart despâ—sed correction I was almost plunged into all euill of sinne and torments and that which is most shamefull in the middest of the assembly in the face of the world Let therefore that thine owne Fountaine be blessed Pr. 5.18 Pr. 5.19 and reioyce with the wife of thy youth Let her be as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe let her brests satisfie thee at all times and erre thou in her loue continually For why shouldest thou delight my sonne in a strange woman Pr. 5.20 Pr. 5.21 or whether in affection or act embrace the bosome of a stranger For the waies of man are before the eies of the Lord and he pondereth all his paths and if thy godlesnesse regard not that Pr. 6.25 Pr. 6.26 Pr. 6.26 Pr. 6.27 Pr. 6.28 Pr. 6.29 yet for thine owne sake Desire not her beauty in thy heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lids for because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of broad yea to the very huskes and more then that a Woman will hunt for the precious life of a man Thou sayest thou canst escape this actuall defilement Can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Or can a man goe vpon coles and his feet not be burnt So hee that goeth in to his neighbours wife shall not be innocent whosoeuer toucheth her This sinne is farre more odious than theft For men doe not despise a Theefe when he stealeth to satisfie his soule Pr. 6.30 Pr. 6.31 Pr. 6.32 Pr. 6.33 because hee is hungry But if he be found he shall restore seuen-fold or he shall giue all the substance of his house and it is accepted But he that commits adultery with a woman is mad hee that would destroy his owne soule let him doe it For he shall finde a wound and dishonour and his reproach shall neuer be put away Neither is the danger lesse than the shame Pr. 6.34 For iealousie is the rage of a man therefore the wronged husband will not spare in the day of vengeance Pr. 6.35 Pr. 9.17 Hee cannot beare the sight of any ransome neither will hee consent to remit it though thou multiply thy gifts And though stolne waters be sweet and hid bread be pleasant to our corrupt taste yet the adulterer knowes not that the dead are there Pr. 9.18 Pr. 2.18 19. Pr. 5.3 Pr. 5.4 Pr. 5.5 Pr. 23 27. Pr. 22.14 Pr. 15.17 Pr. 17.1 Pr. 19.11 and that her ghests are in the deepes of hell that her house tendeth to death And howsoeuer her lips drop as an hony-combe and her mouth is more soft than oile yet the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two-edged sword her feet goe downe to death and her steps take hold of hell yea the mouth of the strange woman is a deepe pit and he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall into it 3. Quietly and louingly for Better is a dinner of greene herbes where loue is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith Yea Better is a dry morsell if peace be with it than an house full of sacrifices with strife And if hee finde sometime cause of blame The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and his glory is to passe by an offence and onely Hee that couereth a
pleased my gracious Redeemer not to neglect mee he came to me and knocked oft and called importunately at the doore of my heart by his word and chastisements and said Open the doore of thy soule O my sister my deare chaste comely vnspotted Church let mee come in and lodge and dwell with thee in my graces shut out the world and receiue me with a more liuely act and renouation of thy faith For loe I haue long waited patiently for this effect of thy loue and haue endured all the iniuries both of the night and weather of thy prouocations that I might at last enioy thee 3. I haue put off my coat how shall I put it on I haue washed my feet how shall I defile them I answered him againe pleading excuses for my delay Alas Lord I haue now since I left my forward profession of thee auoided a great number of cares and sorrowes must I take them vp againe to follow thee I haue liued cleane from the soile of these euills and shall I now thrust my selfe into danger of them 4. My Well-beloued put his hand from the hole of the doore and my bowels yearned toward him When my Sauiour heard this vnkinde answer of delay he let his hand fall from the key-hole which he had thus before without successe laboured about and withdrew himselfe from solliciting me any more whereupon my heart and bowels yearned within me for him and for the remorse of my so long foreslowing his admittance vnto me 5. I rose vp to open to my well-beloued and my hands did drop downe Myrrh and my fingers pure Myrrh vpon the handles of the Barres And now I rouzed vp my drousie heart what I could that I might in some cheerefull manner desire to receiue so gracious a Sauiour which when I but endeuoured I found that he had left behinde him such a plentifull blessing as the monument of his late presence vpon the first motions of my heart as that with the very touch of them I was both exceedingly refreshed and moued to further indignation at my selfe for delaying him 6. I opened to my Well-beloued but my Well-beloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when he did speake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he answered me not I opened to my beloued Sauiour but my Sauiour had now in my feeling withdrawne himselfe and hid his countenance from me holding me short of those gracious offers and meanes which I had refused and now I was almost past my selfe with despaire to remember that sweet inuitation of his which I neglected I sought him therefore in my thoughts in the outward vse of his ordinances and of my earnest prayers but he would not as yet be found of me or let me finde that I was heard of him 7. The watch men that went about the City found me they smote mee and wounded me the watch-men of the walls tooke away my vaile from me Those which should haue regarded mee and by their vigilancy haue secured mee from danger proued mine aduersaries in stead of comforting me they fell vpon me and wounded me with their false doctrines drawing me on into further errors spoiling me of that purity and sincerity of profession wherewith as with some rich and modest vaile I was formerly adorned and couered 8. I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem if you finde my Well-beloued that you tell him I am sicke of loue I aduise you solemnly O all yee that wish well to me for I care not who knowes the vehemencie of my passion if you shall finde my Sauiours presence in your selues before me pray for the recouerie of his loue to mee and bemoning my estate to him tell him how I languish with the impatient desire of his loue and presence to bee restored vnto mee 9. O the fairest among women what is thy Well-beloued more than another Well-beloued what is thy Well-beloued more than another louer that thou dost so charge vs O thou which art the most happy most gracious and most glorious of all creatures the chosen of the liuing God what is thy Well-beloued whom thou seekest aboue all other the sonnes of men what such eminencie is there in him aboue all Saints and Angels that thou art both so farre gone in affection to him and dost so vehemently adiure vs to speake vnto him for thee 10. My Well-beloued is white and ruddy the Standard-bearer of ten thousand My Well-beloued if you know not is of perfect beautie in whose face is an exact mixture of the colours of the purest and healthfullest complexion of holinesse for hee hath not receiued the spirit by measure and in him the Godhead dwels bodily he is infinitely fairer than all the sonnes of men and for goodlinesse of person may beare the Standard of comelinesse and grace amongst ten thousand 11. His head is as fine Gold his locks curled and blacke as a Rauen. The Dierie which dwelleth in him is most pure and glorious and that fulnesse of grace which is communicated to his humane nature is wonderously beautifull and so sets it forth as the blacke curled locks doe a fresh and well-fauoured countenance 12. His eies are like Doues vpon the riuers of waters which are washt with Milke and remaine in their fulnesse His iudgement of all things and his respect to his Church which are as his eies are full of loue and full of pietie shining like vnto Doues washed in water yea in Milke so as there is no spot or blemish to be found in them and they are withall so fully placed as is both most comely and most expedient for the perfect sight of the estate and necessities of his seruants 13. His cheekes are as a bed of spices and as sweet Flowers and his lips like Lillies dropping downe pure Myrrh The manifestation of himselfe to vs in his Word is sweet to our spirituall feeling as an heape of spice or those flowers that are vsed to make the best perfuming ointments are to the other senses his heauenly instructions and promises of his Gospell are vnspeakably comfortable and plenteous in the grace that is wrought by them 14. His hands as Rings of Gold set with the Chrysolite his belly like white Iuory couered with Saphyres His actions and his instruments which are his hands are set forth with much port and maiestie as some precious stone beautifies the Ring wherein it is set the secret counsels of his brest and the mysteries of his will are most pure and holy and full of excellent glorie 15. His legs are as pillars of Marble set vpon sockets of fine gold his countenance as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars All his proceedings are firme and stable and withall as Pillars of Marble set in sockets of tried gold so as they are neither subiect to wauering nor to any danger of infirmitie and corruption the shew and cariage of his whole person whereby hee makes himselfe knowne to his chosen is exceeding goodly and
fallen how to strike a remorslesse The other in a distinct iudgement and a rare dexterity in clearing the obscure subtleties of the Schoole and easie explication of the most perplex discourses Doctor Reynolds is the last not in worth but in the time of his losse Hee alone was a well furnisht library full of all faculties of all studies of all learning the memory the reading of that man were neer to a miracle These are gone amongst many more whom the Church mournes for in secret would God her losse could be as easily supplied as lamented Her sorrow is for those that are past her remainder of ioy in those that remaine her hope in the next age I pray God the causes of her hope and ioy may be equivalent to those of her griefe What should this worke in vs but an imitation yea that word is not too bigge for you an emulation of their worthinesse It is no pride for a man to wish himselfe spiritually better then he dare hope to reach nay I am deceiued if it be not true humility For what doth this argue him but low in his conceit high in his desires only Or if so happy is the ambition of grace and power of sincere seruiceablenesse to God Let vs wish and affect this while the world layes plots for greatnesse Let me not prosper if I bestow enuy on them He is great that is good and no man me-thinkes is happy on earth to him that hath grace for substance and learning for ornament If you know it not the Church our mother lookes for much at your hands she knowes how rich our common father hath left you she notes your graces your opportunities your imployments she thinks you are gone so farre like a good Merchant for no small gaine and lookes you shall come home well laded And for vent of your present commodities tho our chiefe hope of successe be cut off with that vnhoped peace yet what can hinder your priuate trafficke for God I hope and who doth not that this blow will leaue in your noble Venetians a perpetuall scarre and that their late irresolution shall make them euer capable of all better counsell and haue his worke like some great Eclipse many yeares after How happy were it for Venice if as she is euery yeare maried to the Sea so she were once throughly espoused to Christ In the meane time let me perswade you to gratifie vs at home with the publication of that your exquisit Polemicall discourse whereto our conference with M. Alablaster gaue so happy an occasion You shall hereby cleare many truths and satisfie all Readers yea I doubt not but an aduersary not too peruerse shall acknowledge the Truths victory and yours It was wholsome counsell of a Father that in the time of an heresie euery man should write Perhaps you complain of the inundations of Francford How many haue been discouraged from benefiting the world be this conceit of multitude Indeed we all write and while we write cry out of number How well might many be spared euen of those that complaine of too many whose importunate babling cloyes the world without vse To my Lord the Earle of Essex EP. VIII Aduice for his Trauels MY Lord both my dutie and promise make my Letters your debt and if neither of these my thirst of your good You shall neuer but need good counsell most in trauell Then are both our dangers greater and our hopes I need not to tell you the eyes of the world are much vpon you for your owne sake for your fathers onely let your eyes be vpon it againe to obserue it to satisfie it and in some cases to contemn it As your graces so your weaknesses will be the sooner spied by how much you are more noted The higher any building is the more it requires exquisit proportion which in some low and rude piles is needlesse If your vertues shall be eminent like your fathers you cannot so hide your selfe but the world will see you and force vpon you applause admiration in spight of modesty but if you shall come short in these your fathers perfection shall be your blemish Thinke now that more eyes are vpon you then at home of forrainers of your owne theirs to obserue ours to expect For now we account you in the Schoole of wisedome whence if you returne not better you shall worse with the losse of your time of our hopes For I know not how naturall it is to vs to looke for alteration in trauell and with the change of aire and land to presuppose a change in the person Now you are through both your yeeres and trauell in the forge of your hopes We all looke not without desire and apprecation in what shape you will come forth Thinke it not enough that you see or can say you haue seene strange things of nature or euent it is a vaine and dead trauell that rests in the eye or the tongue All is but lost vnlesse your busie mind shall from the body that it sees draw forth some quintessence of obseruation wherewith to informe inrich it selfe There is nothing can quite the cost and labour of trauell but the gaine of wisedome How many haue we seene and pittied which haue brought nothing from forrain countries but mishapen clothes or exoticall gestures or new games or affected lispings or the diseases of the place or which is worst the vices These men haue at once wandred from their countrie and from themselues and some of them too easie to instance haue left God behind them or perhaps instead of him haue after a loose and filthy life brought home some idle Puppet in a box whereon to spend their deuotion Let their wracke warne you and let their follies be entertained by you with more detestation then pittie I know your Honour too well to feare you your young yeares haue beene so graciously preuented with soueraigne antidotes of truth and holy instruction that this infection despaires of preuailing Your very blood giues you argument of safety yet good counsell is not vnseasonable euen where danger is not suspected For Gods sake my Lord whatsoeuer you gaine lose nothing of the truth remit nothing of your loue and pietie to God of your fauour and zeale to religion As sure as there is a God you were trained vp in the true knowledge of him If either Angell or Deuill or Iesuit should suggest the contrary send him away with defiance There you see and heare euery day the true mother and the fained striuing and pleading for the liuing child The true Prince of peace hath past sentence from heauen on our side Doe not you stoope so much as to a doubt or motion of irresolution Abandon those from your table and salt whom your owne and others experience shall descry dangerous Those Serpents are full of insinuations But of all those of your owne country which are so much the more pernicious by how much they haue more colour
after While my body is dressing not with an effeminate curiosity nor yet with rude neglect my mind addresses it selfe to her ensuing taske bethinking what is to bee done and in what order and marshalling as it may my houres with my worke That done after some whiles meditation I walke vp to my masters and companions my bookes and sitting downe amongst them with the best contentment I dare not reach forth my hand to salute any of them till I haue first looked vp to heauen and craued fauour of him to whom all my studies are duly referred without whom I can neither profit nor labour After this out of no ouer-great variety I call forth those which may best fit my occasions wherein I am not too scrupulous of age Sometimes I put my selfe to schoole to one of those Ancients whom the Church hath honoured with the name of Fathers whose Volumes I confesse not to open without a secret reuerence of their holinesse and grauity Sometimes to those later Doctors which want nothing but age to make them classicall alwayes to Gods Booke That day is lost whereof some houres are not improued in those Diuine Monuments others I turne ouer out of choice these out of duty Ere I can haue sate vnto wearinesse my family hauing now ouercome all houshold-distractions inuites me to our common deuotions not without some short preparation These heartily performed send me vp with a more strong and cheerfull appetite to my former worke which I find made easie to me by intermission and varietie Now therefore can I deceiue the houres with change of pleasures that is of labours One while mine eyes are busied another while my hand and sometimes my mind takes the burthen from them both Wherein I would imitate the skilfullest Cookes which make the best dishes with manifold mixtures one houre is spent in Textuall Diuinity another in Controuersie Histories relieue them both Now when the mind is weary of others labours it begins to vndertake her owne sometimes it meditates and winds vp for future vse sometimes it layes forth her conceits into present discourse sometimes for it selfe ofter for others Neither know I whether it workes or playes in these thoughts I am sure no sport hath more pleasure no worke more vse Onely the decay of a weake body makes me thinke these delights insensibly laborious Thus could I all day as Ringers vse make my selfe Musicke with changes and complaine sooner of the day for shortness then of the businesse for toyle were it not that this faint monitor interrupts me still in the midst of my busie pleasures and inforces me both to respite and repast I must yeeld to both while my body and mind are ioyned together in these vnequall couples the better must follow the weaker Before my meales therefore and after I let my selfe loose from all thoughts and now would forget that I euer studied A full mind takes away the bodies appetite no lesse then a full body makes a dull and vnweildy mind Company discourse recreations are now seasonable and welcome These prepare me for a diet not gluttonous but medicinall The palate may not bee pleased but the stomacke nor that for it owne sake Neither would I thinke any of these comforts worth respect in themselues but in their vse in their end so farre as they may inable me to better things If I see any dish to tempt my palate I feare a Serpent in that Apple and would please my selfe in a wilfull deniall I rise capable of more not desirous not now immediately from my trencher to my booke but after some intermission Moderate speed is a sure helpe to all proceedings where those things which are prosecuted with violence of indeuour or desire either succeed not or continue not After my later meale my thoughts are sleight onely my memory may be charged with her taske of recalling what was committed to her custody in the day and my heart is busie in examining my hands and mouth and all other senses of that dayes behauiour And now the euening is come no Trades-man doth more carefully take-in his wares cleare his shop-board and shut his Windowes then I would shut vp my thoughts and cleare my minde That Student shall liue miserably which like a Camell lies downe vnder his burden All this done calling together my family we end the day with God Thus doe we rather driue away the time before vs then follow it I grant neither is my practice worthy to be exemplary neither are our callings proportionable The liues of a Nobleman of a Courtier of a Scholler of a Citizen of a Countriman differ no lesse then their dispositions yet must all conspire in honest labour Sweat is the destiny of all trades whether of the browes or of the mind God neuer allowed any man to doe nothing How miserable is the condition of those men which spend the time as if it were giuen them and not lent as if houres were waste creatures and such as should neuer be accounted for as if God would take this for a good bill of reckoning Item spent vpon my pleasures forty yeares These men shall once finde that no blood can priuiledge idlenesse and that nothing is more precious to God then that which they desire to cast away Time Such are my common dayes but Gods day cals for another respect The same Sunne arises on this day and enlightens it yet because that Sunne of righteousnesse arose vpon it and gaue a new life vnto the world in it and drew the strength of Gods morall precept vnto it therefore iustly doe we sing with the Psalmist This is the day which the Lord hath made Now I forget the world in a sort my selfe and deale with my wonted thoughts as great men vse who at some times of their priuacie forbid the accesse of all suters Prayer meditation reading hearing preaching singing good conference are the businesses of this day which I dare not bestow on any worke or pleasure but heauenly I hate superstition on the one side and loosenesse on the other but I finde it hard to offend in too much deuotion easie in prophanenesse The whole weeke is sanctified by this day and according to my care of this is my blessing on the rest I show your Lordship what I would doe and what I ought I commit my desires to the imitation of the weake my actions to the censures of the Wise and Holy my weaknesses to the pardon and redresse of my mercifull God To Mr T. S. Dedicated to Sir Fulke Greuill EP. II. Discoursing how we may vse the world without danger HOw to liue out of the danger of the World is both a great and good care and that which troubles too few Some that the world may not hurt them run from it and banish themselues to the tops of solitarie mountaines changing the Cities for Deserts houses for Caues and the societie of men for beasts and lest their enemie might insinuate himselfe into their
did his Rocke and bring downe riuers of teares to wash away your bloodshed Doe not so much feare your iudgement as abhorre your sinne yea your selfe for it And vvith strong cries lift vp your guilty hands to that God whom you offended and say Deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse O Lord. Let me tel you As vvithout repentance there is no hope so with it there is no condemnation True penitence is strong and can grapple with the greatest sinne yea with all the powers of hell What if your hands be red vvith blood Behold the blood of your Sauiour shall wash away yours If you can bathe your selfe in that your Scarlet soule shall bee as white as Snow This course alone shall make your Crosse the way to the Paradise of God This plaister can heale all the fores of the soule if neuer so desperate Onely take heed that your heart be deepe enough pierced ere you lay it on else vnder a seeming skin of dissimulation your soule shall fester to death Yet ioy vs with your true sorrow vvhom you haue grieued with your offence and at once comfort your friends and saue your soule To Mr. IOHN MOLE of a long time now prisoner vnder the Inquisition at Rome EPIST. IX Exciting him to his wonted constancy and encouraging him to Martyrdome WHat passage can these lines hope to find into that your strait and curious thraldome Yet who would not aduenture the losse of this paines for him which is ready to lose himselfe for Christ what doe we not owe to you which haue thus giuen your selfe for the common faith Blessed bee the name of that God who hath singled you out for his Champion and made you inuincible how famous are your bonds how glorious your constancy Oh that out of your close obscurity you could but see the honour of your suffering the affections of Gods Saints and in some an holy enuie at your distressed happinesse Those wals cannot hide you No man is attended with so many eyes from earth and heauen The Church your Mother beholds you not with more compassion then ioy Neither can it be sayd how shee at once pities your misery and reioyces in your patience The blessed Angels looke vpon you with gratulation and applause The aduersaries with an angry sorrow to see themselues ouercome by their captiue their obstinate cruelty ouer-matched with humble resolution and faithfull perseuerance Your Sauiour sees you from aboue not as a meere spectator but as a patient with you in you for you yea as an agent in your indurance and victory giuing new courage with the one hand and holding out a Crowne with the other Whom would not these sights incourage who now can pity your solitarines The hearts of all good men are with you Neither can that place be but full of Angels which is the continuall obiect of so many prayers yea the God of heauen was neuer so neere you as now you are remoued from men Let me speake a bold but true word It is as possible for him to be absent from his heauen as from the prisons of his Saints The glorified spirits aboue sing to him the persecuted soules below suffer for him and cry to him he is magnified in both present with both the faith of the one is as pleasing to him as the triumph of the other Nothing obligeth vs men so much as smarting for vs words of defence are worthy of thankes but paine is esteemed aboue recompence How do we kisse the wounds which are taken for our sakes professe that we would hate our selues if we did not loue those that dare bleed for vs How much more shall the God of mercies bee sensible of your sorrowes and crowne your patience To whom you may truly sing that ditty of the Prophet Surely for thy sake am I flaine continually and am counted as a sheepe for the slaughter What need I to stir vp your constancy which hath already amazed and wearied your persecutors No suspition shall driue me hereto but rather the thirst of your praise He that exhorts to persist in well-doing while he perswades commendeth Whither should I rather send you then to the fight of your owne Christian fortitude which neither prayers nor threats haue beene able to shake Here stands on the one hand liberty promotion pleasure life and which easily exceeds all these the deare respect of wife and children whom your only resolution shall make widow and orphanes these with smiles and vowes and teares seeme to importune you On the other hand bondage solitude horror death and the most lingring of all miseries tuine of posterity these with frownes and menaces labour to affright you Betwixt both you haue stood vnmoued fixing your eyes either right forward vpon the cause of your suffering or vpwards vpon the crowne of your reward It is an happy thing when our own actions may be either examples or arguments of good These blessed proceedings call you on to your perfection The reward of good beginnings prosecuted is doubled neglected is lost How vaine are those temptations which would make you a loser of all this praise this recompence Goe on therefore happily keepe your eyes where they are and your heart cannot be but where it is and where it ought Looke still for what you suffer and for whom For the truth for Christ what can be so precious as truth Not life it selfe All earthly things are not so vile to life as life to truth Life is momentarie Truth eternall Life is ours the Truth Gods Oh happy purchase to giue our life for the truth What can we suffer too much for Christ He hath giuen our life to vs hee hath giuen his owne life for vs. What great thing is it if he require what he hath giuen vs if ours for his Yea rather if he call for vvhat he hath lent vs yet not to bereaue but to change it giuing vs gold for clay glory for our corruption Behold that Sauiour of yours weeping and bleeding and dying for you alas our soules are too strait for his sorrowes wee can be made but paine for him He vvas made sinne for vs vvee sustaine for him but the impotent anger of men he strugled vvith the infinite vvrath of his Father for vs. Oh vvho can endure enough for him that hath passed thorow death and hell for his soule Thinke this and you shall resolue vvith Dauid I will bee yet more vile for the Lord. The worst of the despight of men is but Death and that if they inflict not a disease vvill or if not that Age. Here is no imposition of that vvhich vvould not be but an hastning of that which vvill be an hastning to your gaine For behold their violence shall turne your necessitie into vertue and profit Nature hath made you mortall none but an enemie can make you a Martyr you must die though they vvill not you cannot die for Christ but by them How could they else deuise to make you happie
was shut as Cyril Chrisostome Eusebius Hierome vnderstand it rather it is a prophesie of that outward and during peace vnder the Gospell which all the true professors of it should maintaine with themselues All nations though fierce sterne of disposition Bellicosa pectora vertuutur in mansuetudinem Christianam Hier. Suniae Fritellae yet if they once stoop sincerely to the Gospel shall compose themselues to a sweet accordance and imploy their vnited strength to the seruice of God But how is this fulfilled Some in all ages haue run forth into fury troubled the cōmon peace It is true but these are blanks such as vpon whom God hath not written holines It is no hoping that all horses shall be bridled or all bridles written on As grace so peace is not in such sort vniuersall that all should incline to it on all conditions There are some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace-haters it is as possible to tame a waspe as to incline them to peace Such are the wilful Romanists of our time to omit Schismes which will rather mingle heauen earth together than remit one gainefull error But what euer become of these Manizers which doe thus exclude themselues from the cōgregation of God it were happy if all the true acknowledged sonnes of the Church would admit the inscription of an holy peace Alas why doe wee that are brethren fall out for our change of suits by the way and make those quarrels deadly which deserue not to be quarrels Oh that some blessed Doue would bring an Oliue of peace into this Arke of God! Who is so fit for this glorious seruice as our gratious Peace-maker Nemo me impune lacesset is a good Posie but Beati pacifici is a better Let the Vice-gerent of him which is the Prince of peace as he was made for the peace of the walls and prosperity of the gates of Sion be that Angelus pacis Es 33.7 Let his wisdome and sweet moderation proceed to allay all these vnkindly stormes of the Church that we may liue to see that happy greeting of the Psalmist Righteousnesse and Peace haue kissed each other And as this holds in matter of iudgement so of practise too Do you see a loose lawlesse man wilful in his desires vnbridled in his affections inordinate in his life imploying his wit to scoffe at his Creator caring for nothing but the worse part of himselfe There is one of Zacharies horses when Gods Spirit breathes vpon the soule of this man he is now another from himselfe Holinesse to the Lord is written vpon his Bels. This was done sometimes of old Saul was among the Prophets Salomon and Manasses great patternes of conuersion but rarely in respect of the daies of the Gospell What should I speake of S. Paul No ground would hold him he runs chafing and foaming from Hierusalem to Damascus of his Iaylor of Mary Magdalen Behold whole troupes of wilde natures reclaimed Eph. 4. Col. 3. Act. 2. Who can despaire where God vndertakes Shew me neuer so violent and desperate a sinner let him be as Iobs wild asse in the desert or as Amos his horse that will run vpon the rocks Amos 6.12 if God once take him in hand thou shalt soone see that his horse is flesh and not spirit and shalt sing Deborahs Vngulae ceciderunt Iudg. 5.22 or Ioshuahs Subneruabis Ios 11.6 Now shalt thou see him stand quaking vnder the almighty hand of God so that he may write what he will in his bridle yea in his skin And if there be any such headstrong and restie stead here among vs let him know that God wil either breake his stomacke or his heart Flagellum equo saith Salomon and if that will not serue Collidā in te equum equitē Ier. 51.21 But alas how rare are these examples of reclamation Where is this power of the Gospell Men continue beasts still and with that filthy Gryllus plead for the priuilege of their bestiality The sins of men striue to outface the glory of the Gospell What shall I say to this If after all these meanes thou haue no bridle or thy bridle no inscription it is a fearefull doome of the Apostle If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish Thus much of the horses bels Now from the pots and bowles you shall see the degrees of the Churches perfection and see it I beseech you without wearinesse with intention The pots of the Temple were seething vessels for the vse of sacrifice These are the Priests themselues here for that there is a distinction made betwixt the Pots of the Lords house and euery pot in Ierusalem The ordinary Iew was euery pot therefore the Pots of the Lords house must be his Ministers These vnder the Gospell shall be of more honourable vse as the bowles before the Altar like as the Altar of perfumes was more inward and of higher respect The pots were of shining brasse bowles of gold 1 King 7.50 It is no brag to say that the Ministery of the Gospell is more glorious than that of the Law The least in the kingdome of Heauen saith CHRIST is greater than Iohn Baptist Matth. 11.11 The Kingdome of Heauen that is the Church not as Austen Ierome Bede expound it of the third heauen for Christ would make an opposition betwixt the old and new Testament The not vnlearned Iesuite Maldonat while he taxeth vs for preferring euery Minister of the Gospell to Iohn Baptist mends the matter so well that he verifies it of euery person Minimus quisque in Euangelio that is qui Euangelium recipit maior est illo not feeling how hee buffets himselfe for if the least of those that receiue the Gospell how much more the least of those that preach it This is no arrogance God would haue euery thing in the last Temple more glorious than in the first which was figured by the outward frame more glorious in CHRISTS time than that of SALOMON as that was beyond the Tabernacle This is a better Testament Hebr. 7.22 That had the shadow this the substance Heb. 10. Vnder this is greater illumination Effundam spiritum meum saith the Prophet before some few drops distilled now a whole current of graces Effundam If therefore Iohn Baptist were greater than the sonnes of men because they saw Christ to come hee pointed at him comming ours must needs be more glorious because wee see and point at him now come and fully exhibited Wee will not contest with the Leuiticall Priesthood for cost of clothes for price of vessels let the Church of Rome emulate this pompe which cares not if shee haue golden vessels though shee haue leaden Priests wee enuie it not but for inward graces for learning knowledge power of teaching there is no lesse difference than betwixt the pots of the Temple and bowles of the Altar God sayes of them in way of reiection Non est mihi voluntas in vobis Mal. 1. Hence the
one Head Christ one body the Church that being washed with one Baptisme ransomed with one price professing one Faith and holding the Vnity of the spirit in the bond of Peace we may at last happily enioy one and the same Heauen through Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory for euermore Amen FINIS AN HOLY PANEGYRICK A SERMON PREACHED at Pauls Crosse vpon the anniuersarie Solemnitie of the happie Inauguration of our drad Soueraigne Lord King James March 24. 1613. 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 HONOVRABLE SIR JOHN SWINERTON Knight Lord Maior of the Citie of LONDON All Grace and Happinesse RIght Honourable MY owne forwardnesse whereof it repenteth me not hath sent forth other of my labours vnbidden but this your effectuall importunitie hath drawne forth into the common light It is an holy desire that the eye may second the eare in any thing that may helpe the soule and we that are fishers of men should bee wanting to our selues if wee had not baits for both those senses J plead not the disaduantage of a dead letter in respect of that life which elocution puts into any discourse Such as it is J make it both publike and yours J haue caused my thoughts so neere as J could to goe backe to the verie tearmes wherein J expressed them as thinking it better to fetch those words I haue let fall than to follow those J must take vp That therefore which it pleased your Lo. to heare with such patient attention and with so good affection to desire J not vnwillingly suffer abroad that these papers may speake that permanently to the eyes of all our Countrymen which in the passage found such fauour in the eares of your Citizens and such roome in so many hearts Besides your first and vehement motion for the Presse your knowne loue to learning deserues a better acknowledgement and no doubt findes it from more worthie hands And if my gratulation would adde any thing those should enuie you which will not imitate you For the rest God giue your Lo. a wise vnderstanding and couragious heart that you may prudently and strongly menage these wilde times vpon which you are fallen and by your holy example and powerfull endeuours helpe to shorten these reines of licentiousnesse That so this Citie which is better taught than any vnder heauen may teach all other places how to liue and may honour that profession which hath made it renowmed and all Gods Church ioyfull The welfare and happinesse whereof and your Lo. in it is vnfainedly wished by Your Lordships humbly deuoted IOS HALL AN HOLY PANEGYRICKE 1 SAM 12.24 25. Therefore feare you the Lord and serue him in truth with all your hearts and consider how great things he hath done for you But if you doe wickedly ye shall perish both ye and your King I Hold it no small fauour of God Right Honourable and beloued that hee hath called mee to the seruice of this day both in the name of such a people to praise him for his Anointed and in his name to praise his Anointed to his people The same hand that giues the opportunitie vouchsafe to giue successe to this businesse That which the Iewes sinned in but desiring it is our happinesse to enioy I need not call any other witnesse than this day wherein we celebrate the blessing of a King and which is more of a King higher than other Princes by the head and shoulders And if other yeeres had forgotten this tribute of their loyaltie and thankfulnesse yet the example of those ancient Romane Christians as Eusebius and Sozomen report would haue taught vs Decimum quemque annum Imperatores Romani magna festiuitate celebrant Sozom l. 1. 24. Idem Euseb de vita Const that the tenth compleat yeere of our Constantine deserues to be solemne and Iubilar And if our ill nature could be content to smother this mercy in silence the very Lepers of Samaria should rise vp against vs and say We doe not well this is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace My discourse yet shall not bee altogether laudatorie but as Samuels led in with exhortation and carried out with threatning For this Text is a composition of duties fauours dangers of duties which we owe of fauours receiued of dangers threatned The duties that God lookes for of vs come before the mention of the fauours we haue receiued from him though after their receit to teach vs that as his mercy so our obedience should be absolute and the danger followes both to make vs more carefull to hold the fauours and performe the duties And mee thinkes there cannot be a more excellent mixture If we should heare only of the fauors of God nothing of our duties wee should fall into conceitednesse if onely of our duties without recognition of his fauours we should prooue vncheerefull and if both of these without mention of any danger we should presume on our fauours and be slacke in our duties Prepare therefore your Christian eares and hearts for this threefold cord of God that through his blessing these dueties may draw you to obedience the dangers to a greater awe and the fauours to a further thankfulnesse The goodnesse of these outward this as is not such as that it can priuilege euery desire of them from sinne Iuxta Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Monarchie 〈…〉 and likeâ—â— to his rule that sits in the assembly of Gods One God 〈…〉 the acclamation of those ancient Christians and ye it was mis-desired of the Isrâ—â—â—es Wee may not euer desire that which is better in it selfe but that which is bâ—tter for vs Neither must wee follow our conceit in this iudgement but the appointment of God Now though God had appointed in time both a Scepter and a Law-giuer to 〈◊〉 yet they sinned in mending the pase of God and sputting on his decree And if they had staid his leisure so that they had desired that which was best in it selfe best for them appointed by God and now appointed yet the manner and ground offended For out of an humor of innouation out of discontent out of distrust out of an itch of conformitie to other Nations to aske a King it was not onely a sinne as they confesse vers 29. but ragnah rabbah a great wickednesse as Samuel tells them vers 17. and as oftentimes we may reade Gods displeasure in the face of heauen he shewes it in the weather God thunders and raines in the middest of wheat-â—aruest The thunder was fearefull the raine in that hot climate and season strangely vnseasonable both to bee in the instant of Samuels speech was iustly miraculous The heathen Poets bring in their fained God thundering in applause I neuer finde the true God did so Psal 29. This voice of
and hell whom it is both dishonour and basenesse not to serue Non reputes magnum quod Deoserum sed maximum repata quod ipse dignatur te in se uuÌ„ assumere sibi Bernard Psal 1.6 Revel vlt. Eccles 10.7 The highest stile that King Dauid could deuise to giue himselfe not in the phrase of a friuolous French complement but in the plaine speech of a true Israelite was Behold I am thy seruant and he that is Lord of many seruants of the Deuill delights to call himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God The Angels of Heauen reioyce to bee our fellowes in this seruice But there cannot bee a greater shame than to see seruants ride on horse-backe and Princes walking as seruants on the ground I meane to see the God of heauen made a lacquey to our vile affections and in the liues of men to see God attend vpon the world Brethren there is seruice enough in the world but it is to a wrong master In mea patria Deus venter as Hierome said Euerie worldling is a Papist in this that hee giues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice In mea n. patria Deus venter est in diem viuitur sanctior est ilic qui diâ—ior est Hier. ad Chrematum to the creature which is the lowest respect that can bee Yea so much more humble than latria as it is more absolute and without respect of recompence Yea I would it were vncharitable to say that many besides the sauages of Calecut place Satan in the throne and God on the foot-stoole For as Witches and Sorcerers conuerse with euill spirits in plausible and familiar formes which in vgly shapes they would abhorre so many a man serues Satan vnder the formes of gold and siluer vnder the images of Saints and lightsome Angels vnder glittering coats or glorious titles or beauteous faces whom they would defie as himselfe And as the free-borne Israelite might become a seruant either by forfaiture vpon trespasse or by sale or by spoile in warre so this accursed seruitude is incurred the same wayes by them which should bee Christians By forfeiture for though the debt and trespasse bee to God yet tradet lictori hee shall deliuer the debtor to the Iaylor By sale Matth. 18.34 1 King 21.20 as Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse sold vnder sinne saith the Apostle By spoyle beware lest any man make a spoyle of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Paul to his Colossians Alas Col. 2.8 what a miserable change doe these men make to leaue the liuing God which is so bountifull that he rewards a cup of cold water with eternall glory to serue him that hath nothing to giue but his bate wages and what wages The wages of sinne is death And what death not the death of the bodie in the seuering of the soule but the death of the soule in the separation from God there is not so much difference betwixt life and death as there is betwixt the first death and the second Oh wofull wages of a desperate worke Well were these men if they might goe vnpaid and serue for nothing but as the mercy of God will not let any of our poore seruices to him goe vnrewarded so will not his iustice suffer the contrary seruice goe vnpaid 1 Thess 1.8 in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and those that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Beloued as that worthy Bishop said on his death-bed we are happy in this Ambrose that wee serue a good Master how happy shall it be for vs if we shall doe him good seruice that in the day of our account we may heare Euge serue bone well done good seruant enter into thy masters ioy Now he that prescribes the act seruice must also prescribe the manner Truly totally God cannot abide we should serue him with a double heart an heart an heart that is hypocritically Neither that we should serue him with a false heart that is niggardly and vnwillingly but against doubling he will be serued in truth and against haluing he will be serued with all the heart To serue God and not in truth is mockerie To serue him truly and not with the whole heart is a base dodging with God This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-seruice is a fault with men but let vs serue God but while hee sees vs it is enough Behold hee sees vs euery where If hee did not see our heart it were enough to serue him in the face and if the heart were not his Epist 108. QuidaÌ„ veniunt vt audiam non vt discant Aliqui cum pugillaribus veniunt non vt res excipiant sed verba it were too much to giue him a part of it but now that he made this whole heart of ours it is reason hee should be serued with it and now that he sees the inside of the heart it is madnesse not to serue him in truth Those serue God not in truth which as Seneca saies of some auditors come to heare not to learne which bring their tablets to write words not their hearts for the finger of God to write in Whose eyes are on their Bible whiles their heart is on their Count-booke which can play the Saints in the Church Ruffians in the tauerne Tyrants in their houses Cheators in their shops those Dames which vnder a cloke of modestie and deuotion hide nothing but pride and fiendishnesse Those serue God not with all their heart whose bosome is like Rachels tent that hath Teraphim Idols hid in the straw or rather like a Philistims Temple that hath the Arke and Dagon vnder one roofe That come in euer with Naamans exceptiues Onely in this Those that haue let downe the world like the spies into the bottome of the well of their heart and couer the mouth of it with wheat I meane that hide great oppressions with the shew of small beneficences Those which like Salomons false Curtizan crie Diuidatur and are willing to share themselues betwixt God and the world And certainly this is a noble policie of the Deuill because he knowes hee hath no right to the heart hee can be glad of any corner but withall he knowes that if he haue any he hath all for where he hath any part God will haue none This base-mindednesse is fit for that euill one God will haue all or nothing It was an heroicall answer Theod. l. 4. c. 4. that Theodoret reports of Valentinian whom when the souldiers had chosen to bee Emperour they were consulting to haue another ioyned with him No my souldiers said he it was in your power to giue me the Empire while I had it not but now when I haue it it is not in your power to giue me a partner We our selues say The bed and the throne can abide no riuals May wee not well say of the heart as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one Alas
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
with his verie pen hath so laid error vpon the backe that all the world cannot raise it what a shame were it to be wanting to him to Truth to our selues But perhaps now I know some of your thoughts you would buy Truth ye thinke you would hold it if ye could be sure to know it There are many slips amongst the true coyne Either of the mothers pleaded the liuing childe to be hers with equall protestations oathes teares True yet a Salomons sword can diuide Truth from falshood and there is a test and fire that can discerne true metals from adulterate In spight of all counterfeiting there are certaine infallible marks to know Truth from Error Take but a few of many whether in the originals in the natures in the ends of both In the first Truth is diuine Error is humane what is grounded vpon the diuine word must needs be irrefragably true that which vpon humane Traditions either must or may be erroneous In the second Truth is one conforme euer to it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one said Omne verum omni vero consonat All Truth accords with euery Truth as Gerson and as it is pure so peaceable Error is full of dissonance of cruelty No particulars of ours dissent from the written verity of God We teach no man to equiuocate Our practise is not bloudy with treasons and massacres In the third Truth as it came from God so is referd to him neither hath any other end than the glory of the God of Truth Error hath euer some selfe-respects either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy lucre or vaine-glory profit or pride We doe not pranke vp nature we aime not either to fill the cofers or feed the ambition of men Let your Wisdomes apply and inferre and now if ye can shut your eyes that you should not see the Truth and if ye care not for your soules when ye see it sell it Let no false tongue perswade you there is no danger in this sale How charitably so euer we thinke of poore blinded soules that liue in the forced and inuincible darknesse of error certainly Apostasie is deadly How euer those speed that are robbed of Truth you cannot sell Truth and be saued Haue mercy therefore on your own soules for their sakes for the sake of him that bought them with the deare ransome of his precious bloud And as God hath blessed you with the inualuable treasure of Truth so hoard it vp in your hearts and menage it in your liues Oh let vs be Gens iusta custodiens veritatem Esa 26. A iust nation keeping fast the Truth So whiles ye keepe the Truth the Truth shall keepe you both in Life in Death in Iudgment In life vnto death in death and iudgement vnto the consummation of that endlesse and incomprehensible glory which the God of Truth hath prepared for them that ouercome To the happy possession whereof he that hath ordained in his good time as mercifully bring vs and that for the sake of the Son of his Loue Iesus Christ the Righteous To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and glory now and for euer Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT THE RECONCILEMENT OF THE HAPPILY-RESTORED and reedified Chapell of the Right Honourable the Earle of EXCETER in his House of S. IOHNS ON SAINT STEPHENS DAY 1623. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for GEORGE WINDER and are to be sold at his shop in Saint DVNSTONS Church-yard 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD Lady the Lady ELIzABETH Countesse of Exceter RIght Honourable this poore Sermon both preached and penned at your motion that is to mee your command now presents it selfe to your hand and craueth a place though vnworthy in your Cabinet yea in your heart That holy zeale which desired it will also improue it The God whom your Ladiship hath thus honoured in the care and cost of his House will not faile to honour you in yours For me your Honour may iustly challenge mee on both sides both by the Druryes in the right of the first Patronage and by the Cecils in the right of my succeeding deuotions Jn either and both that little J haue or am is sincerely at your Ladiships seruice as whom you haue merited to be Your Honours in all true obseruance and duty IOS HALL A SERMON PREACHED AT THE REEDIFIED CHAPEL OF THE RIGHT HONOVRAble Earle of Exceter in his House of Saint Iohns HAGGAI 2.9 The glory of the latter house shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord of Hosts AS we haue houses of our owne so God hath his yea as great men haue more houses than one so hath the great God of Heauen much more more both in succession as here the latter house and the first and in varietie He hath an house of flesh Ye are the Temples of the liuing God An house of stone Salomon shall build me an house An house immateriall in the Heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 Wherfore then hath God an house Wherefore haue we ours but to dwell in But doth not he himselfe tell Dauid and so doth Stephen the Protomartyr vpon whose day we are falne tell the Iewes that He dwels not in Temples made with hands True He dwels not in his House as we in ours by way of comprehension he dwels in it by testification of presence So doe we dwell in our houses that our houses containe vs that we are only within them and they without vs. So doth he dwel in his that yet he is elsewhere yea euery where that his house is within him Shortly God dwels where he witnesses his gracious presence that because he doth both in the Empyreall heauen amongst his Angels and Saints and in his Church vpon earth therefore his dwelling is both in the highest Heauen in perfect glory and on Earth in the hearts and assembly of his children As of the former our Sauiour saith In domo Patris mei In my Fathers house are many Mansions So also may we say of the latter There is much variety and choice in it There was the Church of the Iewes the Church of the Gentiles There is a materiall and a spirituall house In the one Salomons Zorobabels such piles as this In the other so much multiplicity as there are Nations yea Congregations that professe the Name of Christ One of these was a figure of the other the Materiall vnder the Law of the Spirituall vnder the Gospell Yee see now the first house and the latter the subiect of our Text and discourse The latter commended to vs comparatiuely positiuely Comparatiuely with the former Maior gloria Positiuely in it selfe In this place will I giue peace Both set out by the stile of the promiser and a vower saith the Lord of Hosts All which challenge your
not to eat when they are come Compelled not by perswasions for these were the first inuitations therefore by further meanes Though this conceit hath no place with vs where men are vrged not to receiue a new faith but to performe the old to abandon that wicked Idolatry which had defiled them and to entertaine but that truth which the very power of their Baptisme challenged at their hand But this was the old song of the Donatists Farre bee it from our conscience to compell any man to the faith If God did not draw vs and by a sweet violence bend our wils to his when should wee follow him Either you haue not read or not cared for the practise of the ancient Church and Augustines resolution concerning the sharp penalties imposed vpon the Donatists would God none of your kindred in his time with his excellent defences of these proceedings SECT XI BVT tell vs then what should haue beene done The Gospell should haue beene euery where preached All conuerts should haue beene singled out Constitution of the Church of England Barrow and Greenew passim and haue giuen a voluntary and particular confession of their Faith and Repentance I answer you The Gospell was long and worthily preached in the daies of King Edward enough to yeeld both Martyrs to the stake and Professors to the succeeding times Were their holy Sermons their learned writings and their precious bloud which was no lesse vocall of no force Afterwards in the beginning of Famous Queene Elizabeths reparation what confluence was there of zealous Confessors returning now from their late exile How painfully and diuinely did they labour in this Vineyard of God How did they with their many holy Partners which had shrowded themselues during that storme of persecution in a dangerous secrecie spread themselues ouer this Land and each-where drew stockes of hearers to them and with them Is all this nothing to their ingratefull Posteritie If you murmure that there were no more take heed lest you forget there were so many for vs we doe seriously blesse God for these and triumph in them All this premised now comes a Christian Edict from the State that euery man shall yeeld obedience to this Truth wherein they had beene thus instructed It was performed by the most whose submission what was it but an actuall profession of their faith and repentance And since such was their face who dares iudge of their hearts More than this if euer can be shewed absolutely necessary in such a State of the Church to the very constitution and repaired being thereof I doe here vow neuer to take the Church of England for my Mother Wee know and grieue to see how scornfully your whole Sect H. Answ Coūterp and amongst the rest your resolute Doctor turnes ouer these gracious entrances proceedings of these two Royall and blessed Reformers and whom should hee finde to raise his scoffes vpon but that Saint-like Historian M. Fox Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1180. Now saies Master Fox a new face of things began to appeare as it were in a Stage new Players comming in the old thrust out Now saith your Doctors Comment new Bishops came in Counterp 226. as Players vpon the old stage of the Popish Church as if the Church were no whit altered but the men Shall we say this is too much malice or too little wit and conscience Euen in the Lord Protectors daies that holy man reports that after the Scriptures restored and Masses abolished greater things followed these softer beginnings in the reformation of the Churches P. Martyr P. Fagius Bucer c. Learned and godly Diuines were called for from forraine parts a separation was made though not so much willing as wilfull of open and manifest Aduersaries from Professors whether true or dissembled Commissioners were appointed to visit euery seuerall Diocesse Euery Bench of them had seuerall godly and learned Preachers to instruct the people in the truth and to disswade them from Idolatry and Superstition The Popes Supremacy not thrust but taught downe All wil-worship whatsoeuer oppugned by publike Sermons Images destroyed Pilgrimages forbidden the Sacraments inioyned to be reuerently and holily ministred Ecclesiasticall persons reformed in life in Doctrine Processions laid downe Presence and attendance vpon Gods word commanded the holy expending of Sabbath daies appointed due preparation to Gods table called for set times of teaching inioyned to Bishops and other Ministers all Shrines and Monuments of Idolatry required to bee vtterly taken from publike and priuate houses All this before his Parliament By that Six Articles 1547. Pag. 1182. Col. 2.60 all bloody lawes against Gods truth were repealed zealous Preachers encouraged so as saith that worthy Historian God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified What need I goe further than this first yeere Heare this and be ashamed and assure your selues that no man can euer reade those holy Monuments of the Church but must needs spet at your separation After that sweet and hopefull Prince what his Renowned Sister Queene ELIzABETH did the present times doe speake and the future shall speake when all these Murmurers shall sleepe in the dust The publike Disputations zealous preachings restaurations of banished Religion and men Extirpations of Idolatry Christian Lawes wise and holy proceedings and renewed couenants with God are still fresh in the memories of some and in the eares of all so as all the World will iustly say you haue lost shame with Truth in denying it Yea to fetch the matter yet further If the Reader shall looke backe to the dayes of their puissant Father King HENRY the Eighth Act Monu p. 999. 1000. he cannot but acknowledge especially during the time of Queene ANNE and before those six bloudie Articles a true face of a Church though ouer-spred with some Morphue of corruptions and some commendable forwardnesse of Reformation for both the Popes Supremacie was abrogated the true Doctrine of Iustification commonly taught confidence in Saints vntaught the vanity of Pardons declared worship of Images and Pilgrimages forbidden learned and godly Ministers required their absences mis-demeanors inhibited the Scriptures translated publikely and priuately inioyned to be read and receiued the Word of God commanded to be sincerely and carefully preached Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1002. and to all this Holy Master Fox addeth for my conclusion such a vigilant care was then in the King and his Councell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse Religion to reforme errours to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignorance and to reduce the mis-leading of Christs Flocke drowned in blind Poperie Superstitious Customes and Idolatry to some better forme of Reformation whereunto he prouided not onely these Articles Barr. against Gyff Conference with Sperin and Master Egerton Greenw Barr. Arg. to Master Cartwr Master Trauers Master Clark Browne Reformation without tarrying Precepts Iniunctions aboue specified to informe the rude people but
that giues the inward grace But hath not God giuen inward grace by our outward Ministerie Your hearts shall be our witnesses What wil follow therefore but that our Ministerie is his peculiar appointment SEP Where say you are those rotten heaps of Transubstantiating of bread And where say I leâ—â—ned you your deuout kneeling to or before the bread but from that error of Transubstantiation Yea what lesse can it insinuate than either that or some other the like idolatrous conceit If there were not some thing more in the Bread and Wine than in the water at Baptisme or in the Word read or preâ—â—â—ed Why should such solemne kneeling bee so seuerely pressed at that 〈◊〉 rather than vpon the other occasions And well and truely haue your owne men affirmed that it were farre lesse sinne and appearance of an Idolatrie that is nothing so grosse to tye men in their Prayers to kneele before a Crucifixe than before the Bread and Wine and the reason followeth for that Papists commit an Idolatrie far more grosse and odious in worshipping the Bread than in worshipping any other of their Images or Idols whatsoeuer Apol. of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Dioc. part 1. pag. 66. SECTION XXXVI OVR kneeling you deriue like a good Herald from the errour of Transubstantiation but to set downe the descent of this pedigree will trouble you Kneeling at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper De Consecr d. 2. Ego Bereng Apol. we doe vtterly denie it and challenge your proofe How new a fiction Transubstantiation is appeares out of Berengaries Recantation to Pope Nicholas The error was then so young it had not learned to speake shew vs the same noueltie in our kneeling Till of 〈◊〉 bleâ—â—eld not the Bread to bee God of olde they haue held it saâ—â—ed This is the gesture of reuerence in our Prayer at the receit as Master Burgesse wâ—ll interpreted it not of idolatrous adoration of the Bread This was most-what in the eleuation the abolishing whereof cleares vs of this imputation you know wee hate this conceit why doe you thus force wrongs vpon the innocent Neither are we alone in this vse The Church of Bohemy allowes and practises it and why is this error lesse palpable in the wafers of Geneua If the King should offer vs his hand to kisse wee take it vpon our knees how much more when the King of Heauen giues vs his Sonne in these Pledges But if there were not somthing more than iust reuerence why doe we solemnely kneele at the Communion not at Baptisme Can you finde no difference In this besides that there is both a more liuely and feeling signification of the thing represented we are the parties but in the other witnesses This therefore I dare boldly say that if your partner M. Smith should euer which God forbid perswade you to rebaptize your fittest gesture or any others at full age would be to receiue that Sacramentall water kneeling How glad you are to take all scraps that fall from any of ours for your aduantage Would to God this obseruation of your malicious gathering would make all our reuerend Brethren wary of their censures Surely no idolatry can be worse than that Popish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bread and the Crucifix striue for the higher place if we should therefore be so tied to kneele before the Bread as they are tied to kneele before the Crucifix their sentence were iust They adore the Crucifix not we the Bread they pray to the Crucifix not we to the Bread they direct their deuotions at the best by the Crucifix to their Sauiour we doe not so by the Bread we kneele no more to the Bread than to the Pulpit when we ioyne our praiers with the Ministers But our quarrell is not with them you that can approue their iudgements in dislike might learne to follow them in approbation and peaceable Communion with the Church if there be a galled place you will be sure to light vpon that Your charity is good whatsoeuer your wisdome be SEP To let passe your deuout kneeling vnto your Ordinary when you take the Oath of Canonicall obedience or receiue absolution at his hands which as the maine actions are religious must needs be religious adoration what is the adoring of your truly humane though called Diuine Seruice booke in and by which you worship God at the Papists doe by their Images If the Lord Iesus in his Testament haue not commanded any such Booke it is accursed and abominable if you thinke he haue shew vs the place where that we may know it with you or manifest vnto vs that euer the Apostles vsed themselues or commended to the Churches after them any such Seruice booke Was not the Lord in the Apostles time and Apostolike Churches purely and perfectly worshipped when the Officers of the Church in their ministration manifested the spirit of prayer which they had receiued according to the present necessities and occasions of the Church before the least pâ—rcell of this pacchery came into the World And might not the Lord now be also purely and perfectly worshipped though this printed image with the painted and câ—â—â—ed â—â—â—ges were sent backe to Rome yea or cast to Hell from whence both they and it came Spâ—â—ke in your selfe might not the Lord be intirely worshipped with pure and holy worship though 〈◊〉 other Booke but the holy Scriptures were brought into the Church If yes as who can denyâ—â— that knowes what the worship of God meaneth what then doth your Seruice booke there The Word of God is perfect and admitteth of none addition Cursed be he that addeth to the Word of the Lord and cursed be that which is added and so he your great idoll the Communion booke though like Nabuchadnezzars Image some part of the matter be Gold and Siluer which is also so much the more detestable by how much it is the more highly aduanced amongst you SECTION XXXVII Whether our Ordinary and Seruice booke be made Idols by vs. YEt 〈◊〉 Idolatry And which is more New and strange such I dare say as will nâ—â—er be found in the two 〈◊〉 Commandements Behold here two now Idols Our Ordinary and our Seruice booke a speaking Idoll and a written Idoll Calecute hath â—ne-strange Deitie the Deuill Siberia many whose people worship euery day what they see first Rome hath many merry Saints but Saint Ordinary and Saint Seruice booke were neuer heard of till your Canonization In earnest doe you thinke we make our Ordinary an idoll What else you kneele deuoutly to him when you receiue either the Oath or Absolution This must needs be religious adoration is there no remedy You haue twice kneeled to our Vice-Chancellor when you were admitted to your degree you haue oft kneeled to your Parents and Godfathers to receiue a blessing did you make Idols of them the party to be ordained kneeles vnder the hand of the Presbyterie doth he religiously adore them Of old they were wont to kisse the
you thus Why doth the same Prayer written adde to the Word which spoken addeth not Because conceiued Prayer is commanded not the other But first not your particular Prayer Secondly without mention either of conception or memorie God commands vs to pray in spirit and with the heart These circumstances onely as they are deduced from his Generals so are ours But whence soeuer it please you to fetch our Booke of publike Prayer from Rome or Hell or to what Image soeuer you please to resemble it Let moderate spirits heare what the pretious IEVVEL of England saith of it We haue come as neere as we could to the Church of the Apostles Apolog. p. 170. Accessimus c. H. Burr against Gyfford c. neither onely haue we framed our Doctrine but also our Sacraments and the forme of publike Prayers according to their Rites and Institutions Let no Iew now obiect Swines-flesh to vs He is no iudicious man that I may omit the mention of Cranmer Bucer Ridley Taylor c. some of whose hands were in it all whose voyces were for it with whom one IEWEL will not ouer-weigh ten thousand Separatists SEP The number of Sacraments seemes greater amongst you by one at the least than Christ hath left in his Testament and that is Marriage which howsoeuer you doe not in expresse termes call a Sacrament no more did Christ and the Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments yet doe you in truth create it a Sacrament in the administration and vse of it There are the parties to bee married and their marriage representing Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion to which mysterie saith the Oracle of your Seruice-Booke expresly God hath consecrated them there is the Ring hallowed by the said Seruice-Booke whereon it must bee laid for the Element there are the words of consecration In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost there is the place the Church the time vsually the Lords day the Minister the Parish Priest And being made as it is a part of Gods Worship and of the Ministers office what is it if it be not a Sacrament It is a part of Prayer or preaching and with a Sacrament it hath the greatest consimilitude but an Idoll I am sure it is in the celebration of it being made a Ministeriall duty and part of Gods worship without warrant call it by what name you will SECTION XXXVIII HOw did Confirmation escape this number how did Ordination Marriage not made a Sacrament by the Church of England it was your ouer-sight I feare not your charitie some things seeme and are not such is this your number of our Sacraments you will needs haue vs take-in marriage into this ranke why so wee doe not you confesse call it a Sacrament as the vulgar misinterpreting Pauls Mysterium Eph. 5. why should we not if we so esteemed it wherfore â—erue names but to denotate the nature of things if wee were not ashamed of the opinion we could not be ashamed of the word No more say you did Christ and his Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments but we doe and you with vs See now whether this clause doe not confute your last where hath Christ euer said There are two Sacraments Yet you dare say so what is this but in your sense an addition to the word yea we say flatly there are but two yet we doe you say in truth create it a Sacrament how oft and how resolutely hath our Church maintained against Rome that none but Christ immediately can create Sacraments If they had this aduantage against vs how could we stand How wrongfull is this force to fasten an opinion vpon our Church which she hath condemned But wherein stands this our creation It is true the parties to bee married and their marriage represent Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion Beware lest you strike God through our sides what hath Gods Spirit said either lesse or other then this Eph. 5.25 26 27 32. Doth he not make Christ the husband the Church his Spouse Doth he not from that sweete coniunction and the effects of it argue the deare respects that should bee in marriage Or what doth the Apostle aâ—â—nde else-where vnto when hee saies as Moses of Eue wee are flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone And how famous amongst the ancient is that resemblance of Eue taken out of Adams side sleeping to the Church taken out of Christs side sleeping on the Crosse Since marriage therefore so clearely represents this mysterie and this vse is holy and sacred what error is it to say that marriage is consecrated to this mysterie But what is the Element The Ring These things agree not you had before made the two parties to bee the matter of this sacrament What is the matter of the Sacrament but the Element If they be the matter they are the Element and so not the Ring both cannot be If you will make the two parties to be but the receiuers how doth all the mysterie lie in their representation Or if the Ring be the Element then all the mysterie must be in the Ring not in the parties Labor to bee more perfect ere you make any more new Sacraments but this Ring is laid vpon the Seruice-booke why not For readinesse not for holinesse Nay but it is hallowed you say by the booke If it bee a Sacramentall Element it rather hallowes the booke than the booke it you are not mindfull enough for this trade But what exorcismes are vsed in this hallowing Or who euer held it any other than a ciuill pledge of fidelitie Then follow the words of Consecration I pray you what difference is there betwixt hallowing and consecration The Ring was hallowed before the booke now it must be consecrated How iâ—ely By what words In the name of the Father c. These words you know are spoken after the Ring is put on was it euer heard of that a SacrameÌ„tall Element was consecrated after it was applied See how-il your slanders are digested by you The place is the Church the time is the Lords day the Minister is the actor and is it not thus in all â—â—her reformed Churches aswell as ours Behold wee are not alone all Churches in the world if this will doe it are guiltie of three Sacraments Tell me would you not haue marriage solemnized publikely You cannot mislike though your founder seemes to require nothing heere but notice giuen to witnesses then to bed Well if publike Brâ— state of Christians 17â— you account it withall a graue and weighty businesse therefore such as must be sanctified by publike praier What place is fitter for publike praier than the Church Who is fitter to offer vp the publike prayer than the Minister who should rather ioyne the parties in Mariage than the publike deputy of that God who solemnly ioyned the first couple who rather than hee which in the
6. Leuistis proculdubio pallas Iudicate quid de coâ—â—cibus fecistis Aut vtrumque lauate aut c. Si quod tangit aspectus lauandum est vt parietes c. Videmus rectum videmus coelum c. haec à vobis lauaâ—i non possunt The very name it selfe if at least you haue vnderstood it Kirke or Church which is nothing but an abbreuiation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords house might haue taught you that ours were dedicated to God theirs to the Deuill in their false gods Augustine answers you as directly as if he were in my roome The Gentiles saith he to their gods erected Temples wee not Temples vnto our Martyrs as vnto Gods but memorials as vnto dead men whose spirits with God are still liuing These then if they were abused by Popish Idolatrie is there no way but Downe with them downe with them to the ground Well fare the Donatists yet your old friends they but washed the walles that were polluted by the Orthodoxe by the same token that Optatus askes them why they did not wash the bookes which ours toucht and the heauens which they lookt vpon What are the very stones sinfull what can be done with them The very earth where they should lye on heapes would bee vncleane But not their pollution angers you more than their proud Maiestie What house can bee too good for the Maker of all things As God is not affected with State so is he not delighted in basenesse If the pompe of the Temple were ceremoniall yet it leaues this moralitie behinde it that Gods house should be decent and what if goodly If we did put holinesse in the stones as you doe vncleanenesse it might be sinne to bee costly Let mee tell you there may bee as much pride in a clay wall as in a carued Proud Maiestie is better than proud basenesse the stone or clay will offend in neither we may in both If you loue cottages the auncient Christians with vs loued to haue Gods house stately as appeares by the example of that worthy Bishop of Alexandria Athanas Apol. Euseb de vita Const Oâ—bo Frising l. 5. c. 3. and that gracious Constantine in whose daies these sacred piles began to lift vp their heads vnto this enuied height Take you your owne choyce giue vs ours let vs neitheir repine nor scorne at each other SEP But your Temples especially your Cathedrall and mother Churches stand still in their proud Maiestie possessed by Arch-Bishops and Lord-Bishops like the Flamins and Arch-Flamins amongst the Gentiles from whom they were deriued and furnished with all manner of pompous and superstitious monuments as carued and painted Images Massing-Copes and Surplices chanting and Organ-musicke and many other glorious ornaments of the Romish Harlot by which her Maiestie is commended to and admired by the vulgar so farre are you in these respects for being gone or fled yea or crept either out of Babylon Now if you be thus Babylonish where you repute your selues most Sion-like and thus confounded in your owne euidence what defence could you make in the things whereof an aduersary would challenge you If your light be darknesse how great is your darkenesse SECTION XLVI ALL this while I feared you had beene in Popish Idolatry The Founders and Furnitures of our Churches now I finde you in Heathenish These our Churches are still possessed by their Flamins and Arch Flamins I had thought none of our Temples had beene so ancient certainly I finde but one poore ruinous building reported to haue worne out this long tyranny of time For the most you might haue read their age and their Founders in open records But these were deriued from those surely the Churches as much as the men It is true the Flamins and whateuer other heathen Priests were put downe Lumb l. 4. dist 24. Isid l. 7. Etymol cap. 12. Theophilus Episc cum caeteras statuas deorum confringereâ— vnam integram seruari iussit eamque in loco publico crexit vt Christian Bishops were set vp Are these therefore deriued from those Christianity came in the roome of Iudaisme was it therefore deriued from it Before you told vs that our Prelacie came from that Antichrist of Rome now from the Flamins of the Heathen Both no lesse than either If you cannot be true yet learne to be constant But what meane you to charge our Churches with carued painted Images It is well you write to those that know them Why did not you say wee bow our knees to them and offer incense Perhaps you haue espied some olde dustie statue in an obscure corner couered ouer with Cob-webs Gentiles tempore progrediente non inficiâ—rentur se iuâ—â—smodi deos coluisse Ammonius Grammaticus hacdere valde discruciatus Dixit grauem plagèm religioni Graecorum inflictam quod illa vna statua non cuerteretur Socrat. l. 5. c. 16. with halfe a face that miserably blemisht or perhaps halfe a Crucifixe inuerted in a Church-window and these you surely noted for English Idols no lesse dangerous glasse you might haue seene at Geneua a Church that hates Idolatry as much as you doe vs What more Massing Copes and Surplices some Copes if you will more Surplices no Massing Search your bookes againe you shall finde Albes in the Masse no Surplices As for Organ-musicke you should not haue fetcht it from Rome but from Ierusalem In the Reformed Church at Middleburgh you might haue found this skirt of the Harlot which yet you grant at least crept out of Babylon Iudge now Christian Reader of the weight of these grand exceptions and see whether ten thousand such were able to make vs no Church and argue vs not onely in Babylon but to be Babylon it selfe Thus Babylonish we are to you and thus Sion-like to God euery true Church is Gods Sion euery Church that holds the Foundation is true according to that golden rule Ephes 2.21 Euery building that is coupled together in this corner-stone groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord No aduersary either Man or Deuill can confound vs eitheir in our euidences or their owne challenges we may be faultie but we are true And if the darkenesse you finde in vs be light how great is our light SEP But for that not the separation but the cause makes the Schismatike and lest you should seeme to speake euill of the thing you know not and to condemne a cause vnhearâ— you lay downe in the next place the supposed cause of our separation against which you deale as insufficiently And that you pretend to be none other than your consorting with the Papists in certaine Ceremonies touching which and our separation in regard of them thus you write M.H. If you haue taken but the least knowledge of the ground of our iudgement and practice how dare you thus abuse both vs and the Reader as if the onely or chiefe ground of our separation were your Popish Ceremonies But if you goe
be read in the Catholike Church and as they are had in the old vulgar Latine Edition for holy and Canonicall let him be accursed Thus she Iudge you now of our age and say whether the opinion of the ancient Church that is ours be not a direct enemie to Popery and flatly accursed by the Romish Passe on yet a little further Our question is whether the Hebrew and Greeke Originals be corrupted and whether those first Copies of Sciptures be not to be followed aboue all Translations Heare first the ancient Church with vs But saith Saint AVGVSTINE how soeuer it be taken whether it be beleeued to bee so done or not beleeued or lastly whether it were so or not so I hold it a right course that when any thing is found different in either bookes the Hebrew and Septuagint since for the certaintie of things done there can be but one truth that tongue should rather be beleeued from whence the Translation was made into another language Vpon which words LVDOVICVS VIVES yet a Papist saith thus The same saith he doth HIEROM proclaime euery where and reason it selfe teacheth it and there is none of found iudgement that will gainsay it but in vain doth the consent of all good wits teach this for the stubborne blockishnesse of men opposeth against it Let HIEROM himselfe then a greater Linguist be heard speake And if there bee any man saith he that will say the Hebrew bookes were afterwards corrupted by the Iewes let him heare ORIGEN what he answeres in the eight volume of his explanations of ESAY to this question that the Lord and his Apostles which reproue other faults in the Scribes and Pharises would neuer haue beene silent in this which were the greatest crime that could be But if they say that the Hebrewes falsified them after the comming of Christ and Preaching of the Apostles I cannot hold from laughter that our Sauiour and the Euangelists and Apostles should so cite testimonies of Scripture as the Iewes would afterwards depraue them Thus IEROME And the Canon law it selfe hath this determination that the truth and credit of the bookes of the old Testament should bee examined by the Hebrew Volumes of the new by the Greeke And Pope INNOCENTIVS as he is cited by GRATIAN could say Haue recourse to the diuine Scriptures in their Original Greeke The same lastly by BELLARMINES owne confession Bellar. l. de verb. Dei 2. cap. 11. §. 3. the Fathers teach euery where As IEROME in his booke against HELVIDIVS and in his Epistle to MARCELLA that the Latine Edition of the Gospell is to be called backe to the Greeke fountaines and the Latine Edition of the old Testament is to be amended by the Hebrew in his Comment vpon ZACHARY 8. The very same hath AVSTEN in his second booke of Christian doctrine Chap. 11.12.15 and Epist 19. and elsewhere This was the old Religion and ours now heare the new The present Church of Rome hath thus The holy Synod decreeth that the old vulgar Latine Edition in all Lectures Dispuations Sermons Expositions be held for Authenticall saith the Councell of Trent And her Champion BELLARMINE hath these words That the fountaine of the Originals in many places runne muddy and impure wee haue formerly shewed and indeede it can scarce be doubted Accedit quod patres passim docent ad fontes Hebraeos Graeces esse recurrendum Hieron in lib. contr Heluid in Epist ad Marcellam c. Concil Trid. sess 4. Sacrosancta Synodus statuit vt haec ipsa vetus c. pro authentica habeatur Bell de verb. l. 2. c. 11. Nunc autem fontes multis in locis turbidos fluere c. Omnino contendunt Iudaeos in odium Christianae relig studiose deprauasse ita docet Iacobus Christop litanus Canus c. Bell. 2. de verb. Dei p. 100. So Raynolds in his refutation pag. 303. against Isaac Valla Andradius Monta c. Haeretici huius temporis odio vulgatae editionis nimium tribuunt editiâ—i Hebraicae c. omnia exaâ—â—nari vâ—lunt ad Hebraeum textum quem non semel purissimum fontem appellant Bell. l. 2. de verb. c. 2. Epiphan contr Anomaeos Haeres 76. Omnia sunt clara lucida c. Basil in Ascet oâ— Regul breuiores quae ambiguè obscurê videntur dici in quibusdam locis sacrae script reg 267. Aug. Ep. 3. Non tenta in scriptâ—â—is difficultate perueniter ad ea quae necessaria sunt saluti c. Aug. de doctr Christ l. 2. c. 9. In ijs quae â—pertè in scriptura positá siâ—â—t invenâ—tur illa 〈◊〉 quae continent fidem moresque vinendi Magnificè salubriter spirit sanctui ita script c. De doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 4. Aug. Epist 3. Modus ipse dicendi quo sancta Scriptura c. Sed invitat omnes humili sermone but that as the Latine Church hath beene more constant in keeping the faith than the Greeke so it hath beene more vigilant in defending her bookes from corruption Yea some of the Popish Doctors maintaine that the Iewes in hatred of the Christian faith did on purpose corrupt many places of Scripture so holds GREGORY de VALENTIA IACOBVS CHRISTOPOLITANVS in his Preface to the Psalmes CANVS in the second booke of his common places But in stead of all BELLARMINE shall shut vp all with these words The Heretikes of this time in hatred of the vulgar Edition giue too much to the Hebrew Edition as CALVIN CHEMNITIVS GEORGIVS MAIOR All which would haue euery thing examined and amended by the Hebrew text which they commonly call a most pure fountaine See now whether that which BELLARMINE confesses to haue bin the Iudgement of HIEROME AVSTEN and all the ancient Fathers be not here condemned by him as the opinion of the Heretikes Ours was theirs and theirs is condemned vnder our names Iudge whether in this also Popery be not an vpstart Yet one step more Our question is whether the Scripture be easie or most obscure and whether in all essentiall poynts it doe not interpret it selfe so as what is hard in one place is openly laid forth in another Heare the Iudgment of the old Church and ours All things are cleare and plaine and nothing contrary in the Scriptures saith EPIPHANIVS Those things which seeme doubtfully and obscurely spoken in some places of Scripture are expounded by them which in other places are open and plaine saith BASIL What could CALVIN and LVTHER say more There is no so great hardnesse in the Scriptures to come to those things which are necessary to saluation saith AVSTEN In those things which are openly laid downe in Scripture are found all those things which containe our faith and rules of our life saith the same Father who yet againe also saith thus The Spirit of God hath Royally and wholsomely tempered the holy Scriptures so as both by the plaine places he might preuent our hunger and by the
c. Bell. de effectu Sacram. l. 2. cap. 25. pag. 300. Omnium Dogmatum firmitas c. So Pigh l. 1. de Hier. et Stapl. l. 9. Princ. doct c. 1. Compertum est ab his damnata vt haeretica in Lutheri libri◠quae in Bernardi Augustinique libris vt Orthodoxa imo vt pia leguntur Erasm Epist ad Card. Mogunt pag. 401. AVSTIN betwixt vs and the Donatists where the Church in What shall we do then shall we seeke her in her owne words or in the words of her Head the Lord Iesus Christ I suppose we ought to seeke her rather in his words which is the Truth and knowes best his own body for the Lord knowes who are his wee will not haue the Church sought in our words And in the same Booke Whether the Donatists hold the Church saith the same Father let them not shew but by the Canonicall Bookes of Diuine Scriptures for neither do we therefore say they should beleeue vs that we are in the Church of Christ because OPTATVS or AMBROSE hath commended this Church vnto vs which we now hold or because it is acknowledged by the Councels of our fellow Teachers or because so great miracles are done in it it is not therefore manifested to bee true and Catholike but the Lord Iesus himselfe iudged that his Disciples should rather be confirmed by the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets These are the rules of our cause these are the foundations these are the confirmations And vpon the Psalmes Lest thou shouldest erre saith the same AVGVSTINE in thy iudgement of the Church lest any man should say to thee This is Christ which is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church for many c. Heare the voyce of the Shepheard himselfe which is clothed in flesh c. He shewes himselfe to thee handle him and see Hee shewes his Church lest any man should deceiue thee vnder the name of the Church c. yet CHRYSOSTOME more directly thus Hee that would know which is the true Church of Christ whence may he know it in the similitude of so great confusion but onely by the Scriptures Now the working of miracles is altogether ceased yea they are rather found to bee fainedly wrought of them which are but false Christians Whence then shal he know it but only by the Scriptures The Lord Iesus therefore knowing what great confusion of things would bee in the last dayes therefore commands that those which are Christians and would receiue confirmation of their true faith should flye to nothing but to the Scriptures Otherwise if they flye to any other helpe they shall be offended and perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church This is the old faith Now heare the new contradicting it vs. The Scripture saith ECKIVS a Popish Doctor is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church for the Canonicall Writers are members of the Church Whereupon let it be obiected to an Heretike that wil striue against the decrees of the Church by what weapons hee will fight against the Church hee will say By the Canonicall Scriptures of the foure Gospels and Pauls Epistles Let it be straight obiected to him how hee knowes these to be Canonicall but by the Church And a while after The Scripture saith hee defined in a Councell it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to vs that you abstaine from things offered to Idols and bloud and strangled the Church by her authority altred a thing so cleerely defined expressed for it vseth both strāgled and bloud Behold the power of the Church is aboue the Scripture thus ECKIVS And besides CVSANVS BELLARMINE saith thus If wee take away the authoritie of the present Church and of the present Councell of Trent all the Decrees of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith may be called into doubt And in the same place a little after The strength of all ancient Councels and the certaintie of all opinions depends on the authority of the present Church You haue heard both speake say now with whom is true antiquitie and on Gods name detest the newer of both It were as easie to bring the same if not greater euidence for the perfection and all-sufficiencie of Scripture and so to deliuer all the bodie of our religion by the tongues and pens of the Fathers that either you must bee forced to hold them Nouelists with vs or your selues such against them How honest and ingenuous is that confession of your ERASMVS who in his Epistle to the Bishop and Cardinall of Mentz could say It is plainly found that many things in LVTHERS Bookes are condemned for Hereticall which in the bookes of BERNARD and AVSTEN are read for Holy and Orthodoxe This is too much for a taste If your appetite stand to it I dare promise you full dishes Let me therefore appeale to you if light and darkenesse be more contrary than these points of your Religion to true Antiquitie No no Let your Authors glose as they list Popery is but a yong faction corruptly raysed out of ancient grounds And if it haue as wee grant some ancient errours falshood cannot bee bettered with Age there is no prescription against God and Truth What we can proue to be erroneous we need not proue new some hundreths of yeeres is an idle Plea against the Ancient of dayes What can you plead yet more for your change Their numbers perhaps and our handfuls You heard all the World was theirs scarce any corner ours How could you but suspect a few These are but idle brags we dare and can share equally with them in Christendome And if we could not this rule will teach you to aduance Turcisme aboue Christianity and Paganisme aboue that the World aboue the Church Hell aboue Heauen If any proofe can be drawne from numbers He that knowes all sayes the best are fewest The Peace of Rome left out because it was but a Translation in this Editiō c. What then could stirre you Our diuisions and their vnity If this my following labour doe not make it good to all the World that their peace is lesse than ours their dissension more by the confession of their owne months bee you theirs still and let mee follow you I stand not vpon the scoldings of Priests and Iesuites nor the late Venetian iarres nor the pragmaticall differences now on foote in the view of all Christendome betwixt their owne cardinalls in their Sacred conclaue and all their Clergie concerning the Popes temporall power Neyther doe I call any friend to bee our Aduocate none but Bellarmine and Nauarrus shall be my Orators and if these plead not this cause enough let it fall See heere dangerous rifts and flawes not in the outward barke onely but in the very heart and pith of your Religion and if so many be confessed by one or two what might bee gathered out of all and if so many bee acknowledged thinke how many
him Riches are but a liuelesse and senselesse metall the true God is a liuing God therefore trust in him Riches are but passiues in gift they cannot bestow so much as themselues much lesse ought besides themselues the true God giues you all things to enioy therefore Trust in him the two latter because they are more directly stood vpon and now fall into our way require a further discourse Elchai The liuing God is an ancient and vsuall title to the Almighty The liuing especially when he would disgrace an vnworthy riuall As S. Paul in his speech to the Lystrians opposes to their vaine Idols the liuing God Viuo ego As I liue is the oath of God for this purpose as Hierom noteth neither doe I remember any thing besides his hâ—linesse and his life that he sweares by When Moses askt Gods name he described himselfe by I AM. He is hee liues and nothing is nothing liues absolutely but hee all other things by participation from him In all other things their life and they are two but God is his owne life and the life of God is no other then the liuing God and because he is his owne life he is eternall for as Thomas argues truly against the Gentiles Nothing ceases to be but by a separation of life and nothing can bee separated from it selfe for euery separation is a diuision of one thing from another Most iustly therefore is he which is absolute simple eternall in his being called the liuing God Although not onely the life that he hath in himselfe but the life that he giues to his creatures challengeth a part in this title A glimpse whereof perhaps the Heathen saw when they called him Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to liue In him we liue saith S. Paul to his Athenians As light is from the Sunne so is life from God which is the true soule of the world more for without him it could not be so much as a carcasse and spreads it selfe into all the animate creatures Life we say is sweet and so it is indeed the most excellent and precious thing that is deriued from the common influence of God There is nothing before life but Being and Being makes no distinction of things for that can be nothing that hath no Being Life makes the first and greatest diuision Those creatures therefore which haue life we esteeme far beyond those that haue it not how noble soeuer otherwise Those things therefore which haue the perfitest life must needs be the best Needs then must it follow that he which is life it selfe who is absolute simple eternall the fountaine of all that life which is in the world is most worthy of all the adoration ioy loue and confidence of our hearts and of the best improuement of that life which he hath giuen vs. Trust therefore in the liuing God Couetousnesse the Spirit of God tels vs is Idolatry or as our old Translation turnes it worshipping of images Euery stampe or impression in his coyne is to the couetous man a very idoll And what madnesse is there in this idolatry to dote vpon a base creature and to bestow that life which wee haue from God vpon a creature that hath no life in it selfe and no price but from men Let me then perswade euery soule that heares me this day as Iacob did his houshold Gen. 35.2 Put away the strange gods that are among you and be cleane and as S. Paul did his Lystrians Oh turne away from these vanities vnto the liuing God The last attractiue of our trust to God is his mercy and liberality Who giues vs 〈◊〉 all things to enioy Who giues vs richly all things to enioy A theme wherein yee will grant it easie to leese our selues First God not onely hath all in himselfe but he giues to vs. He giues not somewhat though a crust is more then we are worthy of but all things And not a little of all but richly and all this not to looke on but to enioy Euery word would require not a seuerall houre but a life to meditate of it and the tongue not of men but of Angels to expresse it It is here with vs as in a throng we can get neither in nor out But as we vse to say of Cares so it shall be with our discourse that the greatnesse of it shall procure silence and the more we may say of this head the lesse wee will say It shall content vs onely to top these sheaues since we cannot stand to thresh them out Whither can ye turne your eyes to looke beside the bounty of God If yee looke vpward His mercy reacheth to the heauens If downeward The earth is full of his goodnesse and so is the broad sea If yee looke about you What is it that hee hath not giuen vs Ayre to breathe in fire to warme vs water to coole vs clothes to couer vs food to nourish vs fruits to refresh vs yea delicates to please vs beasts to serue vs Angels to attend vs heauen to receiue vs and which is aboue all his owne Sonne to redeeme vs. Lastly if ye looke into your selues Hath hee not giuen vs a soule to informe vs senses to informe our soule faculties to furnish that soule Vnderstanding the great surueyor of the secrets of Nature and Grace Fantasie and Inuention the master of the workes Memory the great keeper or Master of the rolles of the soule a power that can make amends for the speed of Time in causing him to leave behinde him those things which else he would so cary away as if they had not beene Will which is the Lord Paramount in the state of the soule the commander of our actions the elector of our resolutions Iudgement which is the great Councellor of the will Affections which are the seruants of them both a bodie fit to execute the charge of the soule so wondrously disposed as that euery part hath best opportunitie to his owne functions so qualified with health arising from proportion of humours that like a watch kept in good tune it goes right and is fit to serue the soule and maintaine it selfe an estate that yeelds all due conueniences for both soule and body seasonable times raine and sunshine peace in our borders competency if not plenty of all commodities good lawes religious wise iust Gouernours happy and flourishing dayes and aboue all the liberty of the Gospell Cast vp your bookes O yee Citizens and summe vp your receits I am deceiued if he that hath least shall not confesse his obligations infinit There are three things especially wherein yee are beyond others and must acknowledge your selues deeper in the Books of God then the rest of the world Let the first be the cleare deliuerance from that wofull iudgement of the pestilence Oh remember those sorrowfull times Aboue 30000. in one yeare when euer moneth swept away thousands from among you When a
day light the first If man had been he might haue seene all lightsome but whence it had comne he could not haue seene as in some great Pond we see the bankes full we see not the Springs from vvhence that water ariseth Thou madest the Sunne madest the Light vvithout the Sunne before the Sunne that so Light might depend vpon thee and not vpon thy Creature Thy power will not be limited to meanes It was easie to thee to make an Heauen without Sunne Light vvithout an Heauen Day without a Sunne Time without a day It is good reason thou shouldest be the Lord of thine owne workes All meanes serue thee vvhy doe we weake vvretches distrust thee in the want of those meanes vvhich thou canst either command or forbeare How plainly wouldest thou teach vs that we Creatures need not one another so long as we haue thee One day we shall haue light againe vvithout the Sun Thou shalt be our Sunne thy presence shall be our light Light is sowne for the righteous The Sun and Light is but for the World below it selfe thine onely for aboue Thou giuest this light to the Sunne vvhich the Sunne giues to the World That light which thou shalt once giue vs shall make vs shine like the Sunne in glory Now this light which for three daies was thus dispersed through the whole heauens it pleased thee at last to gather and vnite into one body of the Sun The whole Heauen was our Sun before the Sun was created but now one Starre must be the Treasury of Light to the Heauen and E rth How thou louest the vnion and reduction of all things of one kind to their own head and centre so the Waters must by thy command be gathered into one place the sea so the vpper Wâ—ters must be seuered by these Aerie limits from the lower so heauy substances hasten downeward and light mount vp so the generall light of the first dayes must be called into the compasse of one Sunne so thou wilt once gather thine Elect from all coasts of Heauen to the participation of one glory Why doe we abide our thoughts and affections scattered from thee from thy Saints from thine anointed Oh let this light which thou hast now spread abroad in the hearts of all thine once meet in thee We are as thy Heauens in this their first imperfection be thou our Sunne vnto which our light may be gathered Yet this light was by thee inter-changed with darknes which thou mightst as easily haue commanded to be perpetuall The continuance euen of the best things cloyeth wearieth there is nothing but thy selfe wherin there is not satiety So pleasing is the vicissitude of things that the inter-course euen of those occurrents which in their own nature are lesse worthy giues more contentment then the vn-altered estate of better The day dyes into night and rises into the morning againe that we might not expect any stability here below but in perpetuall successions It is alwayes day with thee aboue the night fauoureth only of mortality Why are we not here spiritually as we shall be hereafter Since thou hast made vs Children of the light and of the day teach vs to walke euer in the light of thy presence not in the darknesse of error and vnbeliefe Now in this thine inlightned frame how fitly how wisely are all the parts disposed that the Method of the Creation might answer the Matter and the Forme both Iâ— hold all purity aboue below the dregs and lees of all The higher I goe the more perfection each Element superior to other not more in place then dignity that by these staires of ascending perfection our thoughts might climbe vnto the top of all glory and might know thine imperiall Heauen no lesse glorious aboue the visible then those aboue the earth Oh how miserable is the place of our pilgrimage in respect of our home Let my soule tread awhile in the steps of thine owne proceedings and so thinke as thou wroughtest When we vvould describe a man vve begin not at the feet but the head The head of thy Creation is the heauen how high how spacious how glorious It is a wonder that we can looke vp to so admirable a height and that the very eye is not tyred in the way If this ascending line could be drawn right forwards some that haue calculated curiously haue found it fiue hundred yeares iourney vnto the starrie Heauen I doe not examine their Art O Lord I vvonder rather at thine which hast drawne so large a line about this little point of earth For in the plainest rules of Art and experience the Compasse must needs be six times as much as halfe the height We thinke one Iland great but the Earth vnmeasurably If wee were in that Heauen with these eyes the whole earth were it equally inlightned would seeme as little to vs as now the least Starre in the firmament seemes to vs vpon earth And indeed how few Starres are so little as it And yet how many void and ample spaces are there beside all the Starres The hugenesse of this thy worke O God is little inferiour for admiration to the maiesty of it But oh what a glorious heauen is this which thou hast spred ouer our heads With how precious a Vault hast thou walled in this our inferiour world What vvorlds of light hast thou set aboue vs Those things which we see are wondrous but those which wee beleeue and see not are yet more Thou dost but set out these vnto view to shew vs what there is within How proportionable are thy workes to thy selfe Kings erect not cottages but set forth their magnificence in sumptuous buildings so hast thou done O King of glory If the lowest pauement of that Heauen of thine be so glorious what shall wee thinke of the better parts yet vnseene And if this Sun of thine be of such brightnesse and maiestie oh what is the glory of the Maker of it And yet if some other of thy Starres were let downe as low as it those other Starres would be Sunnes to vs which now thou hadst rather to haue admired in their distance And if such a skie be prepared for the vse and benefit euen of thine Enemies also vpon Earth how happy shall those eternall Tabernacles be which thou hast sequestred for thine owne Behold then in this high and stately building of thine I see three stages This lowest Heauen for Fowles for Vapours for Meteors The second for the Starres The third for thine Angels and Saints The first is thine outward Court open for all The second is the body of thy couered Temple wherein are those Candles of Heauen perpetually burning The third is thine Holy of Holâ—â—â— In the first is Tumult and Vanity In the second Immutability and Rest In the third Glory and Blessednesse The first we feele the second wee see the third we beleeue In these two lower is no felicitie for neither the Fowles nor Starres are
happy It is the third Heauen alone where thou O blessed Trinity enioyest thy selfe and thy glorified spirits enioy thee It is the manifestation of thy glorious presence that makes Heauen to be it selfe This is the priuiledge of thy Children that they here seeing thee which art inuisible by the eye of faith haue already begunne that heauen which the perfect sight of thee shall make perfect aboue Let my soule then let these heauens alone till it may see as it is seen That wee may descend to this lowest and meanest Region of Heauen wherewith our senses are more acquainted What maruels doe euer â—â—ere meet with vs There are thy Clouds thy bottles of raine Vessels as thinne as 〈◊〉 liquor which is contained in them there they hang and moue though weighty with their burden How they are vpheld and why they fall here and now we know not and wonder These thou makest one while as some Aerie Seas to hold water another while as some Aerie Furnaces whence thou scatterest thy sudden fires vnto all the parts of the Earth astonishing the World with the fearfull noyse of that eruption out of the midst of water thou fetchest fire and hard stones out of the midst of thin vapours another while as some steele-glasses wherein the Sunne lookes and shewes his face in the variety of those colours which he hath not There are thy streames of light blazing and falling Starres fires darred vp and downe in many formes hollow openings and as it were Gulfes in the skie bright circles about the Moone and other Planets Snowes Haile In all which it is enough to admire thine hand though we cannot search out thine action There are thy subtill Windes which we heare and feele yet neither can see their substance nor know their causes whence and whither they passe and what they are thou knowest There are thy Fowles of all shapes colours notes natures whilst I compare these with the inhabitants of that other heauen I finde those Starres and spirits like one another These Meteors and fowles in as many varieties as there are seuerall creatures Why is this Is it because Man for whose sake these are made delights in change thou in constancie Or is it that in these thou mayest shew thine owne skill and their imperfection There is no variety in that which is perfect because there is but one perfection and so much shall we grow nearer to perfectnesse by how much wee draw nearer to vnity and vniformitie From thence if wee goe downe to the great deepe the Wombe of moisture the Well of fountaines the great Pond of the world wee know not whether to wonder at the Element it selfe or the ghests which it containes How doth that sea of thine roare and fome and swell as if it would swallow vp the earth Thou stayest the rage of it by an insensible violence and by a naturall miracle confinest his wanes vvhy it moues and why it stayes it is to vs equally wonderfull what liuing Mountaines such are thy Whales rowle vp and downe in those fearfull billowes for greatnesse of number hugenesse of quantitie strangenesse of shapes varietie of fashions neither aire nor earth can compare vvith the vvaters I say nothing of thy hid treasures which thy vvisedome hath reposed in the bowels of the earth and sea How secretly and how basely are they laid vp secretly that we might not seeke them basely that vve might not ouer-esteeme them I need not digge so low as these metals mineries quarries vvhich yeeld riches enough of obseruation to the soule How many millions of vvonders doth the very face of the earth offer me Which of these Herbs Flowres Trees Leaues Seeds Fruits is there what Beast what Worme vvherein we may not see the footsteps of a Deity Wherein wee may not reade infinitenesse of power of skill and must be forced to confesse that hee vvhich made the Angels and Starres of heauen made also the vermine on the earth O God the heart of man is too strait to admire enough euen that vvhich he treads vpon What shall wee say to thee the Maker of all these O Lord how vvonderfull are thy vvorkes in all the world In wisedome hast thou made them all And in all these thou spakest and they were done Thy vvill is thy word and thy word is thy deed Our tongue and hand and heart are different all are one in thee which are simply one and infinite Here needed no helpes no instruments whâ—t could be present with the Eternall what needed or vvhat could be added to the infinite Thine hand is not shortned thy word is still equally effectuall say thou the word and my soule shall be made new againe say thou the word and my body shall be repaired from his dust For all things obey thee O Lord why doe I not yeeld to the word of thy councell since I must yeeld as all thy creatures to the word of thy command Of Man BVT O God what a little Lord hast thou made ouer this great World The least corne of sand is not so small to the whole Earth as Man is to the Heauen vvhen I see the Heauens the Sunne Moone and Starres O God what is man who would thinke thou shouldst make all these Creatures for one and that one vvell neere the least of all Yet none but he can see what thou hast done none but he can admire and adore thee in what he seeth how had he need to do nothing but this since he alone must do it Certainly the price and vertue of things consist not in the quantity one diamond is more worth then many Qâ—arries of stone one Loadstone hath more vertue then Mountaines of earth It is lawfull for vs to praise thee in our selues All thy creation hath not more wonder in it then one of vs other Creatures thou madest by a simple command Man not without a diuine consultation others at once Man thou didst first forme then inspire others in seuerall shapes like to none but themselues Man after thine owne Image others with qualities fit for seruice Man for dominion Man had his name from thee They had their names from Man How should we be consecrated to thee aboue all others since thou hast bestowed more cost on vs then others What shall I admire first Thy prouidence in the time of our Creation Or thy power and wisedom in the act First thou madest the great house of the World and furnishedst it then thou broughtest in thy Tenant to possesse it The bare vvalls had been too good for vs but thy loue vvas aboue our desert Thou that madest ready the Earth for vs before we were hast by the same mercy prepared a place in heauen for vs whiles wee are on earth The stage was first fully prepared then was Man brought forth thither as an Actor or Spectator that he might neither be idle nor discontent behold thou hadst addressed an earth for vse an Heauen for contemplation after thou hadst drawne
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
the eares of God then a speechlesse repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward He knew how little he should get by brawling with God If he breathed our discontentment he saw God could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently and humbly and contentedly to rest the heart in the iustice and wisedome of Gods proceeding and to bee so farre from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and though shee well knowes we meddle not with our match when we striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and dye If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Masters wee may not answer againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must be our mouth else as mothers doe their children God shall whip vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-heartednesse and piety There Aaron sees his sonnes lye he may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shead a teare for their death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sonnes dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet who can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is worthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to deny nature that he must more magnifie the iustice of God then lament the iudgement Those whom God hath called to his immediate seruice must know that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe be seasonable it becomes a funerall And if Nadab and Abihu had dyed in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorrow of their Father and Brethren for when God forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead hee excepts the cases of this neernesse of blood Now all Israel may mourne for these two only the Father and Brethren may not God is iealous lest their sorrow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of God must be applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the Father and Brother may not doe the Cousins are commanded dead carkasses are not for the presence of God His iustice was shewne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the Sanctuary Neither are they caried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israel to see a linnen Ephod vpon the Beere The iudgement was so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either more pleasing vnto God or more commodious to men then that when he hath executed iudgement it should bee seene and wondred at for therefore he strikes some that he may warne all Of AARON and MIRIAM THe Israelites are stayed seuen dayes in the station of Hazzeroth for the punishment of Miriam The sinnes of the gouernors are a iust stop to the people all of them smart in one all must stay the leasure of Miriams recouerie Whosoeuer seekes the Land of Promise shall finde many lets Amalek Og Schon and the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel these resisted but hindred not their passage their sinnes onely stay them from remouing Afflictions are not crosses to vs in the way to heauen in comparison to our sinnes What is this I see Is not this Aaron that was brother in nature and by office ioynt Commissioner with Moses Is not this Aaron that made his Brother an Intercessor for him to God in the case of his Idolatry Is not this Aaron that climbed vp the Hill of Sinai with Moses Is not this Aaron whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto God Is not this Miriam the elder Sister of Moses Is not this Miriam that led the Triumph of the Women and sung gloriously to the Lord It not this Miriam which layd her Brother Moses in the Reeds and fetcht her Mother to be his Nurse Both Prophets of God both the flesh and blood of Moses And doth this Aaron repine at the honor of him which gaue himselfe that honour and saued his life Doth this Miriam repine at the prosperity of him whose life she saued Who would not haue thought this should haue beene their glory to haue seene the glory of their owne Brother What could haue beene a greater comfort to Miriam then to thinke How happily doth he now sit at the Sterne of Israel whom I saued from perishing in a Boat of Bul-rushes It is to mee that Israel owes this Commander But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature nor the honour of Gods choyce Miriam and Aaron are in mutiny against Moses Who is so holy that sinnes not What sinne is so vnnaturall that the best can auoyde without God But what weaknesse soeuer may plead for Miriam who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes Of late I saw him caruing the molten Image and consecrating an Altar to a false god now I see him seconding an vnkind mutiny against his Brother Both sinnes find him accessary neither principall It was not in the power of the legall Priesthood to performe or promise innocency to her Ministers It was necessary wee should haue another high Priest which could not bee tainted That King of righteousnesse was of another order He being without sinne hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of men Whom can it now offend to see the blemishes of the Euangelicall Priesthood when Gods first high Priest is thus miscaried Who can looke for loue and prosperity at once when holy and meeke Moses finds enmity in his owne flesh and blood Rather then we shall want A mans enemies shall be those of his owne house Authority cannot fayle of opposition if it be neuer so mildly swayed that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome To doe well and heare ill is Princely The Midianitish wife of Moses cost him deare Before she hazarded his life now the fauour of his people Vnequall matches are seldome prosperous Although now this scandall was onely taken Enuy was not wise enough to choose a ground of the quarrell Whether some secret and emulatory brawles passed between Zipporah and Miriam as many times these sparkes of priuate brawles grow into a perillous and common flame or whether now that Iethro and his family was ioyned with Israel there were surmises of transporting the Gouernment to strangers or whether this vnfit choice of Moses is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him Euen in fight the exceptions were
friuolous Emulation is curious and out of the best person or act will raise something to cauill at Seditions doe not euer looke the same way they moue Wise men can easily distinguish betwixt the visor of actions and the face The wife of Moses is mentioned his superiority is shot at Pride is lightly the ground of all sedition Which of their faces shined like Moses Yea let him but haue drawne his vaile which of them durst looke on his face Which of them had fasted twice forty dayes Which of them ascended vp to the top of Sinai and was hid with smoke and fire Which of them receiued the Law twice in two seuerall Tables from Gods owne hand And yet they dare say Hath God spoken only by Moses They do not deny Moses his honour but they challenge a part with him and as they were the elder in nature so they would bee equall in dignitie equall in administration According to her name Miriam would bee exalted And yet how vnfit were they One a woman whom her sex debarred from rule the other a Priest whom his office sequestred from earthly gouernment Selfe-loue makes men vnreasonable and teaches them to turne the glasse to see themselues bigger others lesse then they are It is an hard thing for a man willingly and gladly to see his equals lifted ouer his head in worth and opinion Nothing will more try a mans grace then questions of emulation That man hath true light which can bee content to be a candle before the Sunne of others As no wrong can escape God so least of all those which are offered to Princes Hee that made the care needs no intelligence of our tongues We haue to doe with a God that is light of hearing we cannot whisper any euill so secretly that hee should not cry out of noise and what need we any further euidence when our Iudge is our witnesse Without any delation of Moses God heares and challenges them Because hee was meeke therefore he complained not Because hee was meeke and complained not therefore the Lord struck in for him the more The lesse a man striues for himselfe the more is God his Champion It is the honour of great persons to vndertake the patronage of their Clients How much more will God reuenge his Elect which cry to him day and night He that said I seeke not mine owne glory addes But there is one that seekes it and iudges God takes his part ouer that sights not for himselfe No man could haue giuen more proofes of his courage then Moses Hee slue the Egyptian He confronted Pharaoh in his owne Court Hee beat the Midianite shepheards He feared not the troopes of Egypt He durst looke God in the face amidst all the terrors of Sinai and yet that spirit which made and knew his heart sayes Hee was the mildest man vpon earth Mildnesse and Fortitude may well lodge together in one brest to correct the misconceits of those men that thinke none valiant but those that are fierce and cruell No sooner is the word out of Miriams mouth then the Word of Gods reproofe meets it How he bestirs him and will be at once seene and heard when the name of Moses is in question Moses was zealously carefull for Gods glory and now God is zealous for his The remunerations of the Almightie are infinitely gracious He cannot want honour and patronage that seekes the honour of his Maker The ready way to true glory is goodnesse God might haue spoken so lowd that Heauen and Earth should haue heard it so as they should not haue needed to come forth for audience but now hee cals them out to the barre that they may be seene to heare It did not content him to chide them within doores the shame of their fault had beene lesse in a priuate rebuke but the scandall of their repining was publike Where the sinne is not afraid of the light God loues not the reproofe should be smothered They had depressed Moses God aduances him They had equalled them to Moses God prefers him to them Their plea was that God had spoken by them as well as Moses Gods reply is That hee hath in a more entire fashion spoken to Moses then them God spake to the best of them but either in their dreame sleeping or in vision waking But to Moses he spake with more inward illumination with more liuely representation To others as a stranger to Moses as a friend God had neuer so much magnified Moses to them but for their enuy We cannot deuise to pleasure Gods seruants so much as by despighting them God was angry when he chode them but more angry when he departed The withdrawing of his presence is the presence of his wrath Whiles hee stayes to reproue there is fauour in his displeasure but when he leaues either man or Church there is no hope but of vengeance The finall absence of God is hell it selfe When he forsakes vs though for a time it is an introduction to his vtmost iudgement It was time to looke for a iudgement when God departed so soone as he is gone from the eyes of Miriam the leprosie appeares in her face her foule tongue is punished with a foule face Since she would acknowledge no difference betwixt her selfe and her brother Moses euery Israelite now sees his face glorious here leprous Deformitie is a fit cure of Pride Because the venome of her tongue would haue eaten into the reputation of her brother therefore a poisonous infection eates into her flesh Now both Moses Miriam need to weare a vayle the one to hide his glory the other her deformitie That Midianite Zapparah whom she scorned was beautifull in respect of her Miriam was striken Aaron escaped both sinned his Priesthood could not rescue him the greatnesse of his dignity did but adde to the haynousnesse of his sinne his repentance freed him Alasse my Lord I beseech thee lay not this sinne vpon vs which we haue foolishly committed I wonder not to see Aaron free while I see him penitent This very confession saued him before from bleeding for Idolatry which now preserues him from Leprosie for his enuious repining The vniuersall Antidote for all the iudgements of God is our humble repentance Yea his sad deprecation preuailed both to cleare himselfe and recouer Miriam The brother sues for himselfe and his sister to that brother whom they both emulated for pardon from himselfe and that God which was offended in him Where now is that equality which was pretended Behold hee that so lately made his brother his fellow now makes him his God Lay not this sinne vpon vs Let her not bee as one dead As if Moses had imposed this plague and could remoue it Neuer any opposed the seruants of God but one time or other they haue beene constrained to confesse a superiority Miriam would haue wounded Moses with her tongue Moses would heale her with his O Lord heale her now The wrong is the greater because
ambitious If they had not thought it an high preferment they had neuer so much enuied the office of Aaron What shall wee thinke of this change Is the Euangelicall ministration of lesse worth then the Leuiticall Whiles the Testament is better is the seruice worse How is it that the great thinke themselues too good for this imployment How is it that vnder the Gospell men are disparaged with that which honoured them vnder the Law that their ambition and scorne meet in one subiect These twelue rods are not laid vp in seuerall cabinets of their owners but are brought forth and laid before the Lord. It is fit God should make choice of his owne attendants Euen wee men hold it iniurious to haue seruants obtruded vpon vs by others neuer shall that man haue comfort in his Ministerie whom God hath not chosen The great Commander of the world hath set euery man in his station To one he hath said Stand thou in this Tower and watch To another Make thou good these Trenches To a third Digge thou in this Mine Hee that giues and knowes our abilities can best set vs on worke This rod was the pastorall staffe of Aaron the great Shepheard of Israel God testifies his approbation of his charge by the fruit That a rod cut off from the tree should blossome it was strange but that in one night it should beare buds blossomes fruit and that both ripe and hard it was highly miraculous The same power that reuiues the dead plants of winter in the Spring doth it here without earth without time without sunne that Israel might see and grant It was no reason his choice should be limited whose power is vnlimited Fruitfulnesse is the best argument of the calling of God Not only all the plants of his setting but the very boughs cut off from the body of them will flourish And that there may not want a succession of increase here are fruit blossomes buds both proofe and hope inseparably mixed It could not but bee a great comfort vnto Aaron to see his rod thus miraculously flourishing to see this wonderfull Testimonie of Gods fauour and Election Sure he could not but thinke Who am I O God that thou shouldest thus choose me out of all the Tribes of Israel My weaknesse hath beene more worthy of thy rod of correction then my rod hath been worthy of these blossomes How hast thou magnified me in the sight of all thy people How able art thou to vphold my imbecilitie with the rod of thy support how able to defend me with the rod of thy power who hast thus brought fruit out of the saplesse rod of my profession That seruant of God is vvorthy to faint that holds it not a sufficient encouragement to see the euident proofes of his Masters fauour Commonly those fruits which are soone ripe soone wither but these Almonds of Aarons rod are not more early then lasting the same hand which brought them out before their time preserued them beyond their time and for perpetuall memorie both rod and fruit must bee kept in the Arke of God The Tables of Moses the rod of Aaron the Manna of God are monuments fit for so holy a shrine The Doctrine Sacraments and gouernment of Gods people are precious to him and must be so to men All times shall see and wonder how his ancient Church was fed taught ruled Moses his rod did great miracles yet I finde it not in the Arke The rod of Aaron hath this priuiledge because it caried the miracle still in it selfe whereas the wonders of that other rod were passed Those monuments would God haue continued in his Church which carie in them the most manifest euidences of that which they import The same God which by many transient demonstrations had approued the calling of Aaron to Israel will now haue a permanent memoriall of their coniunction that whensoeuer they should see this relike they should be ashamed of their presumption and infidelitie The name of Aaron was more plainely written in that rod then the sin of Israel was in the fruit of it and how much Israel finds their rebellion beaten with this rod appeares in their present relenting and complaint Behold we are dead we perish God knowes how to pull downe the biggest stomack and can extort glory to his owne Name from the most obstinate gainsayers Of the Brazen Serpent SEuen times already hath Israel mutined against Moses and seuen times hath either been threatned or punished yet now they fall to it afresh As a teastie man finds occasion to chafe at euery trifle so this discontented people either finde or make all things troublesome One while they haue no water then bitter One while no God then one too many One while no bread then bread enough but too light One while they will not abide their Gouernours then they cannot abide their losse Aaron and Miriam were neuer so grudged aliue as they are bewailed dead Before they wanted Onions Garlicke Flesh-pots now they want Figs Vines Pomegranats Corne. And as crabid children that cry for euery thing they can thinke of are whipped by their wise mother So God iustly serues these fond Israelites It was first their way that makes them repine They were faine to goe round about Idumea the iourney was long and troublesome They had sent intreaties to Edom for licence of passage the next way reasonably submissely It was churlishly denied them Esau liues still in his posteritie Iacob in Israel The combate which they began in Rebeccaes belly is not yet ended Amalec which was one limme of Esau followes them at the heeles The Edomite which was another meets them in the face So long as there is a world there will bee opposition to the chosen of God They may come at their perill the way had beene neerer but bloody they dare not goe it and yet complaine of length If they were afraid to purchase their resting place with warre how much lesse would they their passage What should God doe with impatient men They will not goe the neerest way and yet complaine to goe about Hee that will passe to the promised Land must neither stand vpon length of way nor difficulty Euery way hath his inconueniencies the neerest hath more danger the farthest hath more paine Either or both must be ouercome if euer we will enter the rest of God Aaron and Miriam were now past the danger of their mutinies for want of another match they ioyne God with Moses in their murmurings Though they had not mentioned him they could not seuer him in their insurrection For in the causes of his owne seruants he challenges euen when he is not challenged What will become of thee O Israel when thou makest thy Maker thine enemy Impatience is the cousin to Frensie this causes men not to care vpon whom they run so they may breathe out some reuenge How oft haue we heard men that haue beene displeased by others teare the name of their Maker
vpheld vs whether by remouing occasions or by casting in good instincts As our good indeuours are oft hindered by Satan so are our euill by good Angels else were not our protection equall to our danger and wee could neither stand nor rise It had beene as easie for the Angell to strike Balaam as to stand in his way and to haue followed him in his starting aside as to stop him in a narrow path But euen the good Angels haue their stints in their executions God had somewhat more to doe with the tongue of Balaam and therefore he will not haue him slaine but withstood and so withstood that hee shall passe It is not so much glory to God to take away wicked men as to vse their euill to his owne holy purposes How soone could the Commander of heauen and earth rid the world of bad members But so should hee lose the praise of working good by euill instruments It sufficeth that the Angels of God resist their actions while their persons continue That no man may maruell to see Balaam haue visions from God and vtter prophecies from him his very Asse hath his eyes opened to see the Angell which his Master could not and his mouth opened to speak more reasonably then his Master There is no beast deserues so much wonder as this of Balaam whose common sense is aduanced aboue the reason of his rider so as for the time the prophet is brutish and the beast propheticall Who can but stand amazed at the eye at the tongue of this silly creature For so dull a sight it was much to see a bodily obiect that were not too apparent but to see that spirit which his rider discerned not was farre beyond nature To heare a voice come from that mouth which was vsed onely to bray it was strange and vncouth but to heare a beast whose nature is noted for incapacity to our reason his Master a professed Prophet is in the very height of miracles Yet can no heart sticke at these that considers the dispensation of the Almighty in both Our eye could no more see a beast then a beast can see an Angell if he had not giuen this power to it How easie is it for him that made the eye of man and beast to dimme or inlighten it at his pleasure And if his power can make the very stones to speake how much more a creature of sense That euill spirit spake in the Serpent to our first Parents Why is it more that a spirit should speake in the mouth of a beast How ordinarily did the heathen receiue their Oracles out of stones trees Do not we our selues teach birds to speak those sentences they vnderstand not We may wonder we cannot distrust when we compare the act with the Author which can as easily create a voice without a body as a body without a voice Who now can hereafte plead his simplicity and dulnesse of apprehending spirituall things when he sees how God exalts the eies of a beast to see a spirit Who can be proud of seeing visions since an Angell appeared to a beast neither was his skinne better after it then others of his kind Who can complaine of his owne rudenesse and inability to reply in a good cause when the very beast is inabled by God to conuince his Master There is no mouth into which God cannot put words and how oft doth hee choose the weake and vnwise to confound the learned and mighty What had it beene better for the Asse to see the Angell if he had rushed still vpon his sword Euils were as good not seen as not auoyded But now he declines the way and saues his burthen It were happy for peruerse sinners if they could learne of this beast to run away from fore-seene iudgements The reuenging Angell stands before vs and though we know we shall as sure die as sin yet we haue not the wit or grace to giue backe though it be with the hurt of a foot to saue the body with the paine of the body to saue the soule I see what fury and stripes the impotent prophet bestowes vpon this poore beast because he will not goe on yet if he had gone on himselfe had perished How oft do we wish those things the not obtaining whereof is mercy We grudge to be staid in the way to death and fly vpon those which oppose our perdition I doe not as who would not expect see Balaams haire stand vpright nor himselfe alighting and appaled at this monster of miracles But as if no new thing had happened he returnes words to the beast full of anger voyd of admiration Whether his trade of sorcering had so inured him to receiue voices from his Familiars in shape of beasts that this euent seemed not strange to him Or whether his rage and couetousnesse had so transported him that he had no leasure to obserue the vnnaturall vnusualnesse of the euent Some men make nothing of those things which ouercome others with honor and astonishment I heare the Angell of God taking notice of the cruelty of Balaam to his beast His first words to the vnmercifull prophet are in expostulating of this wrong We little thinke it but God shall call vs to an account for the vnkind and cruell vsages of his poore mute creatures He hath made vs Lords not tyrants owners not tormenters hee that hath giuen vs leaue to kill them for our vse hath not giuen vs leaue to abuse them at our pleasure they are so our drudges that they are our fellowes by creation It was a signe the Magician would easily wish to strike Israel with a curse when hee wished a sword to strike his harmelesse beast It is ill falling into those hands whom beasts find vnmercifull Notwithstanding these rubs Balaam goes on and is not afraid to ride on that beast whose voice he had heard And now Posts are sped to Balac with the newes of so welcome a ghest Hee that sent Princes to fetch him comes himselfe on the way to meet him Although he can say Am not I able to promote thee yet hee giues this high respect to him as his better from whom hee expected the promotion of himselfe and his people Oh the honour that hath beene formerly done by Heathens to them that haue borne but the face of Prophets I shame and grieue to compare the times and men Onely O God bee thou mercifull to the contempt of thy seruants As if nothing needed but the presence of Balaam the superstitious King out of the ioy of his hope feasts his gods his prophet his Princes and on the morrow caries him vp to the high-places of his Idol Who can doubt whether Balaam were a false prophet that sees him sacrificing in the mount of Baal Had he beene from the true God he would rather haue said Pull me downe these altars of Baal then Build mee here seuen others The very place conuinces him of fashood and Idolatry And why seuen Altars What
vs. Gideon cannot conceiue of himselfe as an exempt person but puts himselfe among the throng of Israel as one that could not be sensible of any particular comfort while the common case of Israel laboured The maine care of a good heart is still for the publike neither can it enioy it selfe while the Church of God is distressed As faith drawes home generalities so charity diffuses generalities from it selfe to all Yet the valiant man was here weake weake in faith weake in discourse whiles hee argues Gods absence by affliction his presence by deliuerances and the vnlikelihood of successe by his owne disability all grosse inconsequences Rather should he haue inferred Gods presence vpon their correction for wheresoeuer God chastises there he is yea there he is in mercy Nothing more proues vs his then his stripes he will not bestow whipping where he loues not Fond nature thinkes God should not suffer the winde to blow vpon his deare ones because her selfe makes this vse of her owne indulgence but none out of the place of torment haue suffered so much as his dearest children He saies not we are Idolaters therfore the Lord hath forsaken vs because we haue forsaken him This sequell had been as good as the other was faultie The Lord hath deliuered vs vnto the Midianites therefore he hath forsaken vs Sinnes not afflictions argue God absent Whiles Gideon bewrayeth weaknes God both giues him might and imployes it Goe in this thy might and saue Israel Who would not haue looked that God should haue looked angerly on him and chid him for his vnbeliefe But he whose mercy will not quench the weakest fire of grace though it be but in flax lookes vpon him with compassionate eyes and to make good his owne word giues him that valour he had acknowledged Gideon had not yet said Lord deliuer Israel much lesse had he said Lord deliuer Israel by my hand The mercy of God preuents the desire of Gideon if God should not begin with vs we should be euer miserable if he should not giue vs till we aske yet who should giue vs to aske if his Spirit did not worke those holy grones and sighes in vs we should neuer make sute to God He that commonly giues vs power to craue sometimes giues vs without crauing that the benifit might be so much more welcome by how much lesse it was expected we so much more thankfull as he is more forward When he bids vs aske it is not for that hee needs to be intreated but that he may make vs more capeable of blessings by desiring them And where he sees feruent desires he stayes not for words and he that giues ere we aske how much more will he giue when we aske He that hath might enough to deliuer Israel yet hath not might enough to keepe himselfe from doubting The strongest faith will euer haue some touch of infidelity And yet this was not so much a distrust of the possibility of deliuering Israel as an inquiry after the meanes Whereby shall I saue Israel The salutation of the Angell to Gideon was as like to Gabriels salutation of the blessed Virgin as their answeres were like Both Angels brought newes of deliuerance both were answered with a question of the meanes of performance with a report of the difficulties in performing Ah my Lord whereby shall I saue Israel How the good man disparages himselfe It is a great matter O Lord thou that speakest of and great actions require mighty Agents As for me who am I My Tribe is none of the greatest in Israel My Fathers family is one of the meanest in his Tribe and I the meanest in his family Pouerty is a sufficient barre to great enterprises Whereby shall I Humility is both a signe of following glory and a way to it and an occasion of it Bragging and height of spirit will not carry it with God None haue euer been raised by him but those which haue formerly deiected themselues None haue been confounded by him that haue been abased in themselues Thereupon it is that he addes I will therefore bee with thee as if he had answered Hadst thou not been so poore in thy self I would not haue wrought by thee How should God be magnified in his mercies if we were not vnworthy How should hee be strong if not in our weakenesse All this while Gideon knew not it was an Angell that spake with him He saw a man stand before him like a Traueller with a staffe in his hand The vnusualnesse of those reuelations in those corrupted times was such that Gideon might thinke of any thing rather then an Angell No maruell if so strange a promise from an vnknowne messenger found not a perfect assent Faine would hee beleeue but faine would hee haue good warrant for his faith In matters of faith we cannot goe vpon too sure grounds As Moses therefore being sent vpon the same errand desired a signe whereby Israel might know that God sent him So Gideon desires a signe from this bearer to know that his newes is from God Yet the very hope of so happy newes not yet ratified stirres vp in Gideon both ioy and thankfulnesse After all the iniury of the Midianites he was not so poore but hee could bestow a Kid cakes vpon the Reporter of such tidings Those which are rightly affected with the glad newes of our spirituall deliuerance studie to shew their louing respects to the messengers The Angell stayes for the repairing of Gideons feast Such pleasure doth God take in the thankfull indeuours of his seruants that he patiently waites vpon the leysure of our performances Gideon intended a dinner the Angell turned it into a sacrifice He whose meat and drinke it was to doe his Fathers will cals for the broth and flesh to be powred out vpon the stone And when Gideon lookt he should haue blessed and eaten he touches the feast with his staffe and consumes it with fire from the stone and departed He did not strike the stone with his staffe for the attrition of two hard bodies would naturally beget fire but he touched the meat and brought fire from the stone And now whiles Gideon saw and wondred at the spirituall act he lost the sight of the Agent He that came without intreating would not haue departed without taking leaue but that he might increase Gideons wonder and that his wonder might increase his faith His salutation therefore was not so strange as his farewell Moses touched the rocke with his staffe and brought forth water and yet a man and yet continued with the Israelites This messenger touches the stone with his staffe and brings forth fire and presently vanishes that he may approue himselfe a spirit And now Gideon when head had gathered vp himselfe must needs thinke He that can raise fire out of a stone can raise courage and power out of my dead breast He that by this fire hath consumed the broth and flesh can by the feeble flame of
he indure it to be crossed so much as indirectly It is lesse danger to steale any thing from God then his glory As a Prince which if we steale or clip his coyne may pardon it but if we goe about to rob him of his Crowne will not be appeased There is nothing that we can giue to God of whom wee receiue all things that which he is content to part with he giues vs but he will not abide we should take ought from him which he would reserue for himselfe It is all one with him to saue with many as with few but he rather chooses to saue by few that all the victory may redound to himself O God what art thou the better for our praises to whom because thou art infinite nothing can be added It is for our good that thou wouldst be magnified of vs Oh teach vs to receiue the beâ—â—fâ—t of they mercifull fauours and to returne thee the thanks Gideons Army must be lessened Who are so fit to be cashiered as the fearâ—◠〈◊〉 bids him therefore proclaime licence for all faint hearts to leaue the field An ill instrument may shame a good worke God will not glorifie himselfe by cowards As the timerous shall be without the gates of heauen so shall they be without the lists of Gods field Although it was not their courage that should saue Israel yet without their courage God would not serue himselfe of them Christianity requires men for if our spirituall difficulties meet not with high spirits in stead of whetting our fortitude 〈◊〉 quaile it Dauids royall Band of Worthies was the type of the forces of the Church all valiant men and able to incounter with thousands Neither must wee be strong onely but acquainted with our owne resolutions not out of any carnal presumption but out of a faithful reliance vpon the strength of God in whom when wee are weake then wee are strong Oh thou white liuer doth but a foule word or a frowne scarre thee from Christ Doth the losse of a little land oâ—â—â—uer disquiet thee Doth but the sight of the Midianites in the valley strike thee Home then home to the world thou art not then for the conquering Band of Christ If thou canst not resolue to follow him through infamy prisons racks iybbers flames depart to thine house and saue thy life to thy losse Me thinks now Israel should haue complained of indignity and haue said Why shouldst thou thinke O Gideon that there can be a cowardly Israelite And if the experience of the power and mercy of God be not enough to make vs fearelesse yet the sense of seruitude must needs haue made vs resolute for who had not rather to be buried dead then quicke Are we not fain to hide our heads in the caues of the earth and to make our graues our houses Not so much as the very light that we can freely inioy the tyrannie of death is but short and easie to this of Midian and yet what danger can there be of that sith thou hast so certainly assured vs of Gods promise of victory and his miraculous confirmation No Gideon those hearts that haue brought vs hither after thy colours can as well keepe vs from retiring But now who can but blesse himselfe to finde of two and thirty thousand Israelites two and twenty thousand cowards Yet al these in Gideons march made as faire affourish of courage as the boldest Who can trust the faces of men that sees in the Army of Israel aboue two for one timerous How many make a glorious shew in the warfaring Church which then they shall see danger of persecution shall shrinke from the Standard of God Hope of satifie examples of neighbours desire of praise feare of censures coaction of lawes fellowship of friends draw many into the field which so soone as euer they see the Aduersary repent of their conditions if they may cleanly escape wil be gone early from Mount Gilead Can any man be offended at the number of these shrinkers when he sees but ten thousand Israelites left of two and twenty thousand in one morning These men that would haue been ashamed to goe away by day now drop away by night And if Gideon should haue called any one of them backe and said Wilt thou flee would haue made an excuse The darknesse is a fit vaile for their palenesse or blushing fearefulnesse cannot abide the light None of these thousands of Israel but would haue been loth Gideon should haue seene his face whiles he said I am fearfull Very shame holds some in their station whose hearts are already fled And if we cannot endure that men should be witnesses of that feare which we might liue to correct how shall wee abide once to shew our fearefull heads before that terrible Iudge when he cals vs forth to the punishment of our feare Oh the vanity of foolish hypocrites that run vpon the terrors of God whiles they would auoid the shame of men How doe wee thinke the small remainder of Israel looked when in the next morning-muster they found themselues but ten thousand left How did they accuse their timerous Countreymen that had left but this handfull to encounter the millions of Midian and yet still God complaines of too many and vpon his triall dismisses nine thousand seuen hundred more His first triall was of the valour of their mindes his next is of the ability of their bodies Those which besides boldnesse are not strong patient of labour and thirst willing to stoope content with a little such were those that tooke vp water with their hand are not for the select band of God The Lord of Hosts wil serue himself of none but able Champions If he haue therfore singled vs into his combat this very choyce argues that he finds that strength in vs which we cannot confesse in our selues How can it but coÌ„fort vs in our great trials y if the Searcher of hearts did not finde vs fit he would neuer honour vs with so hard an imployment Now when there is not scarce left one Israelite to euery thousand of the Midianites it is seasonable with God to ioyne battell When God hath stripped vs of all our earthly confidence then doth he finde time to giue vs victory and not till then lest he should be a loser in our gaine like as at last he vnclothes vs for our body that he may cloath vs vpon with glory If Gideon feared when he had two and thirthy thousand Israelites at his heels is it any wonder if he feared when all these were shrunke into three hundred Though his confirmation were more yet his meanes were abated Why was not Gideon rather the Leader of those two and twenty thousand run-awayes then of these three hundred souldiers Oh infinite mercy and forbearance of God that takes not vantage of so strong an infirmity but in stead of casting encourages him That wise prouidence hath prepared a dreame in the head of one Midianite an
law was not sent backe in dislike she comes home laden with corne Ruth hath gleaned more this night then in halfe the haruest The care of BoaZ was that she should not returne to her mother empty Loue wheresoeuer it is cannot be niggardly Wee measure the loue of God by his gifts How shall he abide to send vs away empty from those treasures of goodnesse BoaZ is restlesse in the prosecution of this suite and hies him from his threshing floore to the gate and there conuents the neerer kinsman before the Elders of the City what was it that made Boaz so ready to entertain so forward to vrge this match Wealth she had none not so much as bread but what she gleaned out of the field Friends she had none and those she had elsewhere Moabites beauty she could not haue much after that scorching in her trauell in her gleanings Himselfe tells her what drew his heart to her Al the City of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous womā Vertue in whomsoeuer it is found is a great dowry and where it meets with an heart that knowes how to value it is accounted greater riches then all that is hid in the bowels of the earth The corne heape of Boaz was but chaffe to this and his money drosse As a man that had learned to square all his actions to the law of God Boaz proceeds legally with his riuall and tells him of a parcell of Elimelecs land which it is like vpon his remouall to Moab he had alienated which he as the next kinsman might haue power to redeeme yet so as he must purchase the wife of the deceased with the land Euery kinsman is not a Boaz the man could listen to the land if it had bin free from the clog of a necessary marriage but now hee will rather leaue the land then take the wife lest whiles hee should preserue Elimelecs inheritance hee should destroy his owne for the next seed which he should haue by Ruth should not be his heire but his deceased kinsmans How knew he whether God might not by that wife send heires enow for both thir estates rather had he therefore incurre a manifest iniustice then hazad the danger of his inheritance The Law of God bound him to raise vp seed to the next in blood the care of his inheritance drawes him to neglect of his duty though with infamy and reproch and he had rather his face should be spit vpon and his name should be called The house of him whose shoow as pulled off then to reserue the honour of him that did his brother right to his owne preiudice How many are there that doe so ouer-loue their issue as that they regard neither sinne nor shame in aduancing it and that will rather indanger their soule then leese their name It is a wofull inheritance that makes men heires of the vengeance of God Boaz is glad to take the aduantage of his refusall and holds that shoo which was the signe of his tenure more worth then all the land of Elimelec And whereas other Wiues purchase their husbands with a large dowry this man purchaseth his wife at a deare rate and thinkes his bargain happy All the substance of the earth is not worth a vertuous and prudent wife which Boaz doth now so reioyce in as if he this day only began to be wealthy Now is Ruth taken into the house of Boaz she that before had said she was not like one of his maidens is now become their mistresse This day she hath gleaned all the fields and barnes of a rich husband and that there might be no want in her happines by a gracious husband she hath gained an happy seede and hath the honour aboue all the dames of Israel to be the great grand-mother of a King of Dauid of the Messiah Now is Marah turnd backe againe to Naomi and Orpah if she heare of this in Moab cannot but enuy at her sisters happinesse Oh the sure and bountifull payments of the almighty Who euer came vnder his wing in vaine Who euer lost by trusting him Who euer forsooke the Moab of this world for the true Israel and did not at last reioyce in the change ANNA and PENINNA ILL customs where they are once entertained are not easily discharged Polygamy besides carnall delight might now plead age example so as euen Elkanah though a Leuite is tainted with the sin of Lamech Like as fashions of attire which at the first were disliked as vncomely yet when they are once grown cōmon are taken vp of the grauest Yet this sin as then currant with the time could not make Elkanah not religious The House of God in Shilo was duely frequented of him oftentimes alone in his ordinary course of attendance with all his males thrice a yeere and once a yeere with all his family The continuance of an vnknowne sinne cannot hinder the vprightnesse of a mans heart with God as a man may haue a mole vpon his backe and yet thinke his skin cleare the least touch of knowledge or wilfullnesse marres his sincerity He that by vertue of his place was imployed about the the sacrifices of others would much lesse neglect his owne It is a shame for him that teaches Gods people that they should not appeare before the Lord empty to bring no sacrifice for himselfe If Leuites be profane who should be religious It was the fashion when they sacrificed to feast so did Elkanah the day of his deuotion is the day of his triumph he makes great cheere for his whole family euen for that wife which he loued lesse There is nothing more comely then cheerefulnesse in the seruices of God What is there in all the world wherewith the heart of man should be so lift vp as with the consceience of his duty done to his Maker Whiles we doe so God dorh to vs as our glasse smile vpon vs while we smile on him Loue will be seen by entertainement Peninna and her children shall not complaine of want but Anna shall find her husbands affection in her portion as his loue to her was double so was her part She fared not the worse because she was childles no good husband will dislike his wife for a fault out of the power of her rednesse yea rather that which might seeme to lose the loue of her husband winnes it her barrennesse The good nature of Elkanah laboured by his deare respects to recompence this affliction that so she might finde no lesse contentment in the fruit of his hearty loue then she had griefe from her owne fruitlesnesse It is the property of true mercy to be most fauourable to the weakest Thus doth the gracious spouse of the Christian soule pitty the barrennesse of his seruants O Sauiour we should not finde thee so indulgent to vs if we did not complaine of our owne vnworthinesse Peninna may haue the more children but barren Anna hath the most loue How much rather could
thankfulnesse vpon his returne There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord while he was gone but when he was returned and setled in Kiriath-iearim The mercies of God draw more teares from his children then his iudgements doe from his enemies There is no better signe of good nature or grace then to be wonne to repentance with kindnesse Not to thinke of God except we be beaten vnto it is seruile Because God was come againe to Israel therefore Israel is returned to God If God had not come first they had neuer come If hee that came to them had not made them come to him they had beene euer parted They were cloyed with God while he was perpetually resident with them now that his absence had made him dainty they cleaue to him feruently and penitently in his returne This was it that God meant in his departure a better welcome at his comming backe I heard no newes of Samuel all this while the Arke was gone Now when the Arke is returned and placed in Kiriath-iearim I heare him treat with the people It is not like he was silent in this sad desertion of God but now he takes full aduantage of the professed contrition of Israel to deale with them effectually for their perfect conuersion vnto God It is great wisedome in spirituall matters to take occasion by the fore-locke and to strike while the iron is hot We may beat long enough at the doore but till God haue opened it is no going in and when he hath opened it is no delaying to enter The triall of sincerity is the abandoning of our wonted sinnes This Samuel vrgeth If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart put away the strange gods from among you and Ashtaroth In vaine had it beene to professe repentance whilst they continued in idolatry God will neuer acknowledge any conuert that stayes in a knowne sinne Graces and Vertues are so linckt together that hee which hath one hath all The partiall conuersion of men vnto God is but hatefull hypocrisie How happily effectuall is a word spoken in season Samuels exhortation wrought vpon the hearts of Israel and fetcht water out of their eyes suits and confessions and vowes out of their lips and their false gods out of their hands yet it was not meerly remorse but feare also that moued Israel to this humble submission The Philistims stood ouer them still and threatned them with new assaults the memory of their late slaughter and spoile was yet fresh in their minds sorrow for the euils past and feare of the future fetcht them downe vpon their knees It is not more necessary for men to be cheared with hopes then to bee awed with dangers where God intends the humiliation of his seruants there shal not want meanes of their deiection It was happy for Israel that they had an enemy Is it possible that the Philistims after those deadly plagues which they sustained from the God of Israel should think of inuading Israel those that were so mated with the presence of the Arke that they neuer thought themselues safe till it was out of fight doe they now dare to thrust themselues vpon the new reuenge of the Arke It slue them whiles they thought to honor it and doe they thinke to escape whilst they resist it It slue them in their owne Coasts and do they come to it to seeke death yet behold no sooner do the Philistims heare that the Israelites are gathered to Mizpeh but the Princes of the Philistims gather themselues against them No warnings will serue obdurate hearts wicked men are euen ambitious of destruction Iudgements need not to goe finde them out they runne to meet their bane The Philistims come vp and the Israelites feare they that had not the wit to feare whilst they were not friends with God haue not now the grace of fearlessenesse when they were reconciled to God Boldnesse and Feare are commonly misplaced in the best hearts when we should tremble we are confident and when wee should be assured we tremble Why should Israel haue feared since they had made their peace with the God of Hosts Nothing should affright those which are vpright with God The peace which Israel had made with God was true but tender They durst not trust their owne innocency so much as the prayers of Samuel Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for vs. In temporall things nothing hinders but we may fare better for other mens faith then for our owne It is no small happinesse to be interessed in them which are Fauourites in the Court of Heauen one faithfull man in these occasions is more worth then millions of the wauering and vncertaine A good heart is easily wonne to deuotion Samuel cries and sacrificeth to God he had done so though they had intreated his silence yea his forbearance Whiles he is offering the Philistims fight with Israel and God fights with the Philistims The Lord thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistims and scattered them Samuel fought more vpon his knees then all Israel besides The voyce of God answered the voyce of Samuel and speakes confusion and death to the Philistims How were the proud Philistims dead with feare ere they dyed to heare the fearfull thunder claps of an angry God against them to see that Heauen it selfe fought against them He that slue them secretly in the reuenges of his Arke now kils them with open horror in the fields If presumption did not make wicked men mad they would neuer lift their hand against the Almightie what are they in his hands when he is disposed to vengeance The meeting of SAVL and SAMVEL SAMVEL began his acquaintance with God early and continued it long He began it in his long Coats and continued to his gray hayres He iudged Israel all the dayes of his life God doth not vse to put off his old Seruants their age indeareth them to him the more If wee be not vnfaithfull to him hee cannot be vnconstant to vs. At last his decayed age met with ill partners his Sonnes for Deputies and Saul for a King The wickednesse of his Sonnes gaue the occasion of a change Perhaps Israel had neuer thought of a King if Samuels Sonnes had not beene vnlike their Father Who can promise himselfe holy children when the loynes of a Samuel and the education in the Temple yeelded monsters It is not likely that good Samuel was faulty in that indulgence for which his owne mouth had denounced Gods iudgement against Hely yet this holy man succeds Hely in his crosse as well as his place though not in his sinne and is afflicted with a wicked succession God will let vs find that Grace is by gift not by inheritance I feare Samuel was too partiall to nature in the surrogation of his Sonnes I doe not heare of Gods allowance to this act If this had beene Gods choice as well as his it had beene like to haue receiued more
our spirituall combats when we haue not a Prophet to leade vs It is all one sauing that it sauours of more contempt not to haue Gods Seers and not to vse them He can be no true Israelite that is not distressed with the want of a Samuel As one that had learned to beginne his rule in obedience Saul stayes seuen dayes in Gilgal according to the Prophets direction and still he lookes long for Samuel which had promised his presence sixe daies he expects and part of the seuenth yet Samuel is not come The Philistims draw neere the Israelites runne away Samuel comes not they must fight God must be supplicated what should Saul doe rather then God should want a sacrifice and the people satisfaction Saul will command that which he knew Samuel would if he were present both command and execute It is not possible thinkes he that God should be displeased with a sacrifice he cannot but bee displeased with indeuotion Why doe the people runne from me but for want of meanes to make God sure What would Samuel rather wish then that we should bee godly The act shall be the same the onely difference shall be in the person If Samuel be wanting to vs we will not be wanting to God it is but an holy preuention to be deuout vnbidden Vpon this conceit he commands a sacrifice Sauls sins make no great shew yet are they still hainously taken the impietie of them was more hidden and inward from all eyes but Gods If Saul were among the Prophets before will he now be among the Priests Can there be any deuotion in disobedience O vaine man What can it auaile thee to sacrifice to God against God Hypocrites rest onely in formalities If the outward act be done it sufficeth them though the ground be distrust the manner vnreuerence the cariage presumption What then should Saul haue done Vpon the trust of God and Samuel hee should haue stayed out the last houre and haue secretly sacrificed himselfe and his prayers vnto that God which loues Obedience aboue Sacrifice Our faith is most commendable in the last act It is no praise to hold out vntill wee be hard driuen Then when we are forsaken of meanes to liue by faith in our God is worthy of a Crowne God will haue no worship of our deuising we may onely doe what he bids vs not bid what he commands not Neuer did any true pietie arise out of the corrupt puddle of mans braine If it flow not from Heauen it is odious to Heauen What was it that did thus taint the valour of Saul with this weaknesse but distrust He saw some Israelites goe he thought all would goe he saw the Philistims come he saw Samuel came not his diffidence was guilty of his misdeuotion There is no sinne that hath not his ground from vnbeleefe This as it was the first infection of our pure nature so is the true source of all corruption man could not sinne if he distrusted not The Sacrifice is no sooner ended then Samuel is come and why came he no sooner He could not be a Seer and not know how much hee was lookt for how troublesome and dangerous his absence must needs be He that could tell Saul that hee should prophesie could tell that hee would sacrifice yet hee purposely forbeares to come for the triall of him that must be the Champion of God Samuel durst not haue done thus but by direction from his Master It is the ordinary course of God to proue vs by delayes and to driue to exigents that we may shew what we are He that anointed Saul might lawfully from God controll him There must bee discretion there may not be partialitie in our censures of the greatest God makes difference of sinnes none of persons if we make difference of sinnes according to persons we are vnfaithfull both to God and man Scarce is Saul warme in his kingdome when hee hath euen lost it Samuels first words after the Inauguration are of Sauls reiection and the choice and establishment of his Successor It was euer Gods purpose to settle the Kingdome in Iuda He that tooke occasion by the peoples sinne to raise vp Saul in Beniamin takes occasion by Sauls sinne to establish the Crowne vpon Dauid In humane probability the Kingdome was fixed vpon Saul and his more worthy Sonne In Gods Decree it did but passe through the hands of Beniamin to Iudah Besides trouble how fickle are these earthly glories Saul doubtlesse lookt vpon Ionathan as the Inheritor of his Crowne and behold ere his peaceable Possession hee hath lost it from himselfe Our sinnes strip vs not of our hopes in heauen onely but of our earthly blessings The way to entaile a comfortable prosperitie vpon our Seed after vs is our conscionable obedience vnto God IONATHANSVictory and SAVLS Oath IT is no wonder if Sauls courage were much cooled with the heauie newes of his reiection After this he stayes vnder the Pomgranate tree in Gibeah He stirs not towards the Garison of the Philistims As Hope is the mother of Fortitude so nothing doth more breed cowardlinesse then despaire Euery thing dismayes that heart which God hath put out of protection Worthy Ionathan which spring from Saul as some sweet Impe growes out of a Crabstocke is therefore full of valour because full of faith He well knew that he should haue nothing but discouragements from his fathers feare as rather choosing therefore to auoid all the blockes that might lie in the way then to leape ouer them he departs secretly without the dismission of his Father or notice of the people onely God leads him and his Armour bearer followes him O admirable faith of Ionathan whom neither the steepnesse of Rockes not the multitude of Enemies can disswade from so vnlikely an assault Is it possible that two men whereof one was weaponlesse should dare to thinke of incountring so many thousands O Diuine Power of Faith that in all difficulties and attempts makes a man more then men and regards no more armies of men then swarmes of flyes There is no restraint to the Lord saith he to saue with many or by few It was not so great newes that Saul should bee amongst the Prophets as that such a word should come from the Sonne of Saul If his Father had had but so much Diuinity he had not sacrificed The strength of his God is the ground of his strength in God The question is not what Ionathan can doe but what God can doe whose power is not in the meanes but in himselfe That mans faith is well vnderlayed that vpholds it selfe by the Omnipotency of God thus the Father of the faithfull built his assurance vpon the power of the Almighty But many things God can doe which he will not doe How knowest thou Ionathan that God will be as forward as he is able to giue thee victory For this saith he I haue a watch-word from God out of the mouthes of the Philistims If they
how much they were victors then finding the dead corps of Saul and his sonnes they begin their triumphs The head of King Saul is cut off in lieu of Goliahs and now all their Idoll temples ring of their successe Foolish Philistims if they had not beene more beholden to Sauls sins than their gods they had neuer carried away the honour of those Trophees In stead of magnifying the iustice of the true God who punished Saul with deserued death they magnifie the power of the false Superstition is extremely iniurious to God It is no better than Theft to ascribe vnto the second causes that honor which is due vnto the first but to giue Gods glory to those things which neither act nor are it is the highest degree of spirituall robbery Saul was none of the best Kings yet so impatient are his subiects of the indignity offred to his dead corps that they will rather leaue their owne bones amongst the Philistims than the carcasse of Saul Such a close relation there is betwixt a Prince and Subiect that the dishonour of either is inseparable from both How willing should wee bee to hazard our bodies or substance for the vindication either of the person or name of a good King whiles hee liues to the benefit of our protection It is an vniust ingratitude in those men which can endure the disgrace of them vnder whose shelter they liue but how vnnaturall is the villany of those Miscreants that can bee content to bee actors in the capitall wrongs offered to soueraigne authoritie It were a wonder if after the death of a Prince there should want some Picke-thanke to insinuate himselfe into his Successor An Amalekite young man rides post to Ziklag to finde out Dauid whom euen common rumour â—ad notified for the annointed Heire to the Kingdome of Israel to bee the first Messenger of that newes which he thought could be no other than acceptable the death of Saul and that the tidings might be so much more meritorious hee addes to the report what hee thinkes might carrie the greatest retribution In hope of reward or honour the man is content to bely himselfe to Dauid It was not the Speare but the Sword of Saul that was the instrument of his death neither could this stranger finde Saul but dying since the Armour bearer of Saul saw him dead ere hee offered that violence to himselfe The hand of this Amalekite therefore was not guilty his tongue was Had not this Messenger measured Dauids foote by his owne Last hee had forborne this peece of the newes and not hoped to aduantage himselfe by this falshood Now he thinkes The tidings of a Kingdome cannot but please None but Saul and Ionathan stood in Dauids way Hee cannot chuse but like to heare of their remouall Especially since Saul did so tyrannously persecute his innocence If I shall onely report the fact done by another I shall goe away but with the recompence of a â—â—ckie Post whereas if I take vpon mee the action I am the man to whome Dauid is beholden for the Kingdome hee cannot but honour and require mee as the Authour of his deliuerance and happinesse Worldly mindes thinke no man can be of any other than their owne dyet and because they finde the respects of selfe-loue and priuate profit so strongly preuailing with themselues they cannot conceiue how these should be capable of a repulse from others How much was this Amalekite mocked of his hopes whiles he imagined that Dauid would now triumph and feast in the assured expectation of the Kingdome and Possession of the Crowne of Israel he findes him renting his clothes and wringing his handes and weeping and mourning as if all his comfort had bin dead with Saul and Ionathan and yet perhaps hee thought This sorrow of Dauid is but fashionable such as greate heires make shew of in the fatall day they haue longed for These teares will soone be dry the sight of a Crowne will soone breed a succession of other passions But this errour is soone corrected For when Dauid had entertayned this Bearer with a sadfast all the day hee cals him forth in the euening to execution How wast thou not afraid saith he to put forth thy hand to destroy the Annoynted of the Lord Doubtlesse the Amalekite made many faire pleas for himselfe out of the grounds of his owne report Alas Saul was before falne vpon his owne Speare It was but mercie to kill him that was halfe dead that hee might die the shorter Besides his entreaty and importunate prayers mooued mee to hasten him through those painefull gates of death had I striken him as an enemy I had deserued the blow I had giuen now I lent him the hand of a friend why am I punished for obeying the voyce of a King and for perfiting what himselfe begun and could not finish And if neither his owne wound nor mine had dispatched him the Philistims were at his heeles ready to doe this same act with insultation which I did in fauour and if my hand had not preuented them where had beene the Crowne of Israel which I now haue here presented to thee I could haue deliuered that to King Achish and haue beene rewarded with honour let me not dye for an act well meant to thee how euer construed by thee But no pretence can make his owne tale not deadly Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head for thine owne mouth hath testified aganst thee saying I haue slaine the Lords Annoynted It is a iust supposition that euery man is so great a Fauourer of himselfe that hee will not mis-report his owne actions nor say the worst of himselfe In matter of confession men may without iniury be taken at their words If hee did it his fact was capitall If hee did it not his lye It is pitty any other recompence should befall those false Flatterers that can be content to father a sinne to get thankes Euery drop of royall bloud is sacred For a man to say that hee hath shed it is mortall Of how farre different spirits from this of Dauid are those men which suborne the death of Princes and celebrate and canonize the Mutherers Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be thou not ioyned to their Assembly ABNER and IOAB HOw mercifull and seasonable are the prouisions of God Zildag was now nothing but ruines and ashes Dauid might returne to the soile where it stood to the roofes and wals he could not No sooner is he disappointed of that harbour than God prouides him Cities of Hebron Saul shall die to giue him elbow-roome Now doth Dauid finde the comfort that his extremity sought in the Lord his God Now are his clouds for a time passed ouer and the Sunne breakes gloriously forth Dauid shall reigne after his sufferings So shall we if we endure to the end finde a Crowne of Righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day But though Dauid well knew
a Traytor to his friend the host of God must shamefully turne their backes vpon the Ammonites all that Israelitish bloud must bee shed that murder must be seconded with dissimulation and all this to hide one adultery O God thou hadst neuer suffered so deare a Fauourite of thine to fall so fearefully if thou hadst not meant to make him an vniuersall example to Mankind of not presuming of not despairing How can wee presume of not sinning or despayre for sinning when wee finde so great a Saint thus fallen thus risen NATHAN and DAVID YEt Bathsheba mourned for the death of that Husband whom she had beene drawne to dishonour How could shee bestow teares enow vpon that Funerall whereof her sinne was the cause If shee had but a suspicion of the plot of his death the Fountaines of her eyes could not yeeld water enough to wash off her Husbands bloud Her sin was more worthy of sorrow than her losse If this griefe had beene right placed the hope of hiding her shame and the ambition to bee a Queene had not so soone mittigated it neyther had shee vpon any termes beene drawne into the Bed of her husbands murtherer Euery gleame of earthly comfort can dry vp the teares of worldly sorrow Bathsheba hath soone lost her griefe at the Court The remembrance of an Husband is buried in the ioyliltie and state of a Princesse Dauid securely enioyes his ill-purchased loue and is content to exchange the conscience of his sinne for the sense of his pleasure But the iust and holy God will not put it vp so hee that hates sinne so much the more as the offender is more deare to him will let Dauid feele the bruise of his fall If Gods best Children haue beene sometimes suffered to sleepe in a sinne at last he hath awakened them in a fright Dauid was a Prophet of God yet hee hath not only stept into these foule sinnes but soiournes with them If any profession or state of life could haue priuiledged from sinne the Angels had not sinned in Heauen nor man in Paradise Nathan the Prophet is sent to the Prophet Dauid for reproofe for conuiction Had it beene any other mans case none could haue beene more quick sighted than the Princely Prophet in his owne hee is so blinde that God is faine to lend him others eyes Euen the Phisician himself when hee is sick sends for the counsell of those whom his health did mutually aid with aduice Let no man thinke himselfe too good to learne Teachers themselues may bee taught that in their owne particular which in a generalitie they haue often taught others It is not only ignorance that is to be remoued but mis-affection Who can prescribe a iust period to the best mans repentance About tenne moneths are passed since Dauids sinne in all which time I finde no newes of any serious compunction It could not bee but some glances of remorse must needs haue passed thorough his Soule long ere this but a due and solemne contrition was not heard of till Nathans message and perhaps had beene further adiourned if that Monitor had beene longer deferred Alas what long and dead sleepes may the holyest Soule take in fearefull sinnes Were it not for thy mercie O God the best of vs should end our spirituall Lethargie in sleepe of death It might haue pleased God as easily to haue sent Nathan to checke Dauid in his first purpose of sinning So had his eyes beene restrayned Bathsheba honest Vriah aliue with honour now the wisdome of the Almightie knew how to winne more glorie by the permission of so foule an euill than by the preuention yea he knew how by the permission of one sinne to preuent millions how many thousand had sinned in a vaine presumption on their owne strength if Dauid had not thus offended how many thousand had despiared in the conscience of their owne weaknesses if these horrible sinnes had not receiued forgiuenesse It is happy for all times that we haue so holy a Sinner so sinfull a penitent It matters not how bitter the Pill is but how well wrapped so cunningly hath Nathan conueyed this dose that it begins to worke ere it be tasted there is no one thing wherein is more vse of wisdome than the due contriuing of a reprehension which in a discreet deliuerie helps the disâ—â—se in an vnwise destroyes Nature Had not Nathan beene vsed to the possession of Dauids care this complaint had beene suspected It well beseemes a King to take information by a Prophet Whiles wise Nathan was querulously discoursing of the cruell rich man that had forceably taken away the only Lambe of his poore Neighbour how willingly doth Dauid listen to the Storie and how sharply euen aboue Law doth he censure the fact As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye Full little did he thinke that he had pronounced sentence against himselfe It had not beene so heauie if he had not knowne on whom it should haue light Wee haue open eares and quick tongues to the vices of others How seuere Iusticers wee can bee to our very owne crimes in others persons How flattering Parasites to anothers crime in our selues The life of doctrine is in application Nathan might haue bin long enough in his narration in his inuectiue ere Dauid would haue bin touched with his owne guiltinesse but now that the Prophet brings the Word home to his bosome hee cannot but be affected Wee may take pleasure to heare men speake in the Cloudes we neuer take profit till wee finde a proprietie in the exhortation or reproofe There was not more cunning in the Parable than courage in the application Thou art the man If Dauid be a King he may not looke not to heare of his faults Gods messages may be no other than vnpartiall It is a trecherous flattery in diuine errands to regard greatnesse If Prophets must bee mannerly in the forme yet in the matter of reproofe resolute The words are not their owne They are but the Heralds of the King of Heauen Thus saith the Lord God of Israel How thunder-stricken doe we thinke Dauid did now stand How did the change of his colour bewray the confusion in his Soule whiles his conscience said the same within which the Prophet sounded in his eare And now least ought should be wanting to his humiliation all Gods former fauours shall be laid before his eyes by way of exprobration He is worthy to be vpbrayded with mercies that hath abused mercies vnto wantonnesse whiles we doe well God giues and sayes nothing when we doe ill hee layes his benefits in our dish and casts them in our teeth that our shame may be so much the more by how much our obligations haue bin greater The blessings of God in our vnworthy carriage proue but the aggrauations of sinne and additions to iudgement I see all Gods Children falling into sinne some of them lying in sinne none of them maintayning their sinne Dauid
cannot haue the heart or the face to stand out against the message of God but now as a man confounded and condemned in himselfe he cryes out in the bitternesse of a wounded Soule I haue sinned against the Lord. It was a short word but passionate and such as came from the bottome of a contrite heart The greatest griefes are not most verball Saul confessed his sinne more largely lesse effectually God cares not for phrases but for affections The first piece of our amends to God for sinning is the acknowledgement of sinne He can doe little that in a iust offence cannot accuse himselfe If wee cannot bee so good as we would it is reason wee should doe God so much right as to say how euill we are And why was not this done sooner It is strange to see how easily sin gets into the heart how hardly it gets out of the mouth Is it because sinne like vnto Satan where it hath got possession is desirous to hold it and knowes that it is fully eiected by a free confession or because in a guiltinesse of deformitie it hides it selfe in the brest where it is once entertayned and hates the light or because the tongue is so fee'd with selfe-loue that it is loath to be drawne vnto any verdict against the heart or hands or is it out of an idle misprision of shame which whiles it should be placed in offending is misplaced in disclosing of our offence Howeuer sure I am that God hath need euen of rackes to draw out confessions and scarce in death it selfe are we wrought to a discouery of our errors There is no one thing wherein our folly shewes it selfe more than in these hurtfull concealements Contrary to the proceedings of humane Iustice it is with God Confesse and liue no sooner can Dauid say I haue sinned than Nathan inferres The Lord also hath put away thy sinne He that hides his sins shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie Who would not accuse himselfe to bee aquittted of God O God who would not tell his wickednesse to thee that knowest it better than his owne heart that his heart may be eased of that wicednesse which being not told killeth Since we haue sinned why should wee bee niggardly of that action wherein we may at once giue glory to thee and reliefe to our soules Dauid had sworne in a zeale of Iustice that the rich Oppressor for but taking his poore Neighbours Lambe should dye the death God by Nathan is more fauourable to Dauid than to take him at his word Thou shalt not dye O the maruellous power of repentance Besides adultery Dauid had shed the bloud of innocent Vriah The strict Law was Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hee that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword Yet as if a penitent confession had dispensed with the rigour of Iustice now God sayes Thou shalt not dye Dauid was the voyce of the Law awarding death vnto sinne Nathan was the voyce of the Gospell awarding life vnto the repentance for sinne Whatsoeuer the sore be neuer any soule applyed this remedie and dyed neuer any soule escaped death that applyed it not Dauid himselfe shall not dye for this fact but his mis-begotten childe shall dye for him Hee that said The Lord hath put away thy sinne yet said also The Sword shall not depart from thine house The same mouth with one breath pronounces the sentence both of absolution and death Absolution to the Person Death to the Issue Pardon may well stand with temporall afflictions Where God hath forgiuen though hee doth not punish yet he may chastize and that vnto bloud neither doth hee alwayes forbeare correction where hee remits reuenge So long as hee smites vs not as an angry Iudge wee may indure to smart from him as a louing Father Yet euen this Rod did Dauid deprecate with teares How faine would hee shake off so easie a lode The Childe is striken the Father fasts and prayes and weepes and lyes all night vpon the Earth and abhorres the noyse of comfort That Childe which was the fruit and monument of his odious adultery whom hee could neuer haue looked vpon without recognition of his sinne in whose face hee could not but haue still read the records of his owne shame is thus mourned for thus sued for It is easie to obserue that good man ouer-passionately affected to his Children Who would not haue thought that Dauid might haue held himselfe well appayd that his soule escaped an eternall death his bodie a violent though God should punish his sinne in that Childe in whome hee sinned Yet euen against this crosse he bends his Prayers as if nothing had beene forgiuen him There is no Childe that would be scourged if hee might escape for crying No affliction is for for the time other than grieuous neither is therefore yeelded vnto without some kinde of reluctation Farre yet was it from the heart of Dauid to make any opposition to the will of God hee sued he struggled not There is no impatience in entreaties Hee well knew that the threats of temporall euils ranne commonly with a secret condition and therefore might perhaps bee auoyded by humble importunitie if any meanes vnder Heauen can auert iudgments it is our Prayers God could not chuse but like well the boldnesse of Dauids saith who after the apprehension of so heauie a displeasure is so far from doubting of the forgiuenesse of his sinne that hee dares become a Sutor vnto God for his sicke child Sinne doth not make vs more strange than Faith confident But it is not in the power of the strongest Faith to preserue vs from all afflictions After all Dauids prayers and teares the Childe must dye The carefull seruants dare but whisper this sad newes They who had found their Master so auerse from the motion of comfort in the sicknesse of the Childe feared him vncapable of comfort in his death Suspition is quick-witted Euery occasion makes vs misdoubt that euent which wee feare This secrecie proclaymes that which they were so loath to vtter Dauid perceiues his Childe dead and now hee rises vp from the Earth whereon hee lay and washes himselfe and changeth his apparell and goes first into Gods House to worship and into his owne to eate now hee refuses no comfort who before would take none The issue of things doth more fully shew the will of God than the prediction God neuer did any thing but what hee would hee hath sometimes foretold that for tryall which his secret will intended not hee would foretell it hee would not effect it because hee would therefore fore-tell it that hee might not effect it His predictions of outward euils are not alwayes absolute his actions are Dauid well sees by the euent what the Decree of God was concerning his Childe which now hee could not striue against without a vaine impatience Till wee know the determinations of the Almightie it is free
admission surely our iudgment shall be so much the greater by how much better we know whom we haue excluded What doe we cry shame on the Bethleemites whilest we are wilfully more churlish more vnthankfull There is no roome in my heart for the wonder at this humility He for whom heauen is too strait whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe lâ—es in the strait cabbin of the wombe and when he would inlarge himselfe for the world is not allowed the roome of an Inne The many mansions of heauen were at his disposing the earth was his and the fulnes of it yet he suffers himselfe to be refused of a base cottage and complaineth not What measure should discontent vs wretched men when thou O God farest thus from thy creatures How should we learne both to want and abound from thee which abounding with the glory and riches of heauen wouldest want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth Thou camest to thine owne aâ— thy owne receiued thee not How can it trouble vs to be reiected of the world which is not ours what wonder is it if thy seruants wandred abroad in sheeps skins and goats skins destitute and afflicteth when their Lord is denied harbour how should all the world blush at this indignity of Bethleem He that came to saue men is sent for his first lodging to the beasts The stable it become his Inne the cratch his bed O strange cradle of that great King which heauen it selfe may enuy O Sauiour thou that wert both the Maker and Owner of heauen of earth couldst haue made thee a Palace without hands couldst haue commanded thee an empty roome in those houses which thy creatures had made When thou didst but bid the Angels auoid their first place they fell downe form heauen like lightning and when in thine humbled estate thou didst but say I am he who was able to stand before thee How easie had it bin for thee to haue made place for thy selfe in the throngs of the stateliest Courts Why couldest thou be thus homely but that by conteÌ„ning worldly glories thou mightst teach vs to contemne them that thou mightst sanctifie pouerty to them whom thou callest vnto want that since thou which hadst the choice of all earthly conditions wouldst be borne poore and despised those which must want out of necessity might not thinke their pouerty grieuous Here was neither friend to entertaine nor seruant to attend nor place wherein to be attended onely the poore beasts gaue way to the God of al the world It is the great mystery of godlines that God was manifested in the flesh and seene of Angels but here which was the top of all wonders the very beasts might see their Maker For those spirits to see God in the flesh it was not so strange as for the brute creatures to see him which was the God of spirits He that would be led into the wildernesse amongst wilde beasts to be tempted would come into the house of beasts to be borne that from the height of his diuine glory his humiliation might be the greater How can we be abased low enough for thee O Sauiour that hast thus neglected thy selfe for vs That the visitation might be answerable to the homelines of the place attendants prouision who shal come to congratulate his birth but poore shepherds The kings of the earth rest at home and haue no summons to attend him by whom they reigne God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty In an obscure time the night vnto obscure men shepherds doth God manifest the light of his Son by glorious Angels It is not our meannesse O God that can exclude vs from the best of thy mercies yea thus far dost thou respect persons that thou hast put downe the mighty and exalted them of low degree If these shepherds had beene snorting in their beds they had no more seene Angels nor heard newes of their Sauior than their neighbours Their vigilancy is honored with this heauenly vision those which are industrious in any calling are capable of further blessings whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation No lesse than a whole Chore of Angels are worthy to sing the hymne of Glory to God for the incarnation of his Sonne What ioy is enough for vs whose nature he tooke and whom he came to restore by his incarnation If we had the tonges of Angels we could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious Redeemer No sooner doe the shepherds heare the newes of a Sauiour than they run to Bethleem to seek him Those that left their beds to tend their flocks leaue their flocks to inquire after their Sauior No earthly thing is too deare to be forsaken for Christ If we suffer any worldly occasioÌ„ to stay vs froÌ„ Bethleem we care more for our sheep than our soules It is not possible that a faithful heart should heare where Christ is not labour to the sight to the fruition of him Where art thou O Sauiour but at home in thine owne house in the assembly of thy Saints Where art thou to be found but in thy Word and Sacraments yea there thou seekest for vs if there we haste not to seeke for thee we are worthy to want thee worthy that our want of thee here should make vs want the presence of thy face for euer The Sages and the Starre THe shepherds and rhe cratâ—h accorded well yet euen they saw nothing which they might not contemne neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a king than that King whom they came to see But oh the Diuine Maiesty that shined in this basenes There lies the Babe in the stable crying in the manger whom the Angels came downe from heauen to proclaime whom the Sages come from the East to adore whom an heauenly Star notifies to the world that now men might see that heauen and earth serues him-that neglected himselfe Those lights that hang low are not far seene but those which are high placed are equally seene in the remotest distances Thy light ô Sauiour was no lesse than heauenly The East saw that which Bethleem might haue seene oft times those which are neerest in place are farthest off in affection Large obiects when they are too close to the eie doe so ouer-fill the sense that they are not discerned What a shame is this to Bethleem the Sages came out of the East to worship him whom that village refused The Bethleemites were Iewes The wise-men Gentiles This first entertainment of Christ was a prâ—sage of the sequell The Gentiles shall come from far to adore Christ whiles the Iewes reiect him Those Easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature professed Philosophers them hath God singled out to the honor of the manifestation of Christ Humane learning well improued makes vs capable of diuine There is no knowledge wherof God is not the Author he would neuer haue
both of them wash the world from their sins Yea this latter did not only wash the soules of men but washeth that very water by which we are washed from hence is that made both cleane and holy and can both cleanse and hallow vs And if the very handkerchiefe which touched his Apostles had power of cure how much more that Water which the sacred body of Christ touched Christ comes farre to seeke his baptisme to teach vs for whose sake hee was baptized to wait vpon the ordinances of God and to sue for the fauour of spirituall blessings They are worthlesse commodities that are not worth seeking for it is rarely seene that God is found of any man vnsought for that desire which onely makes vs capable of good things cannot stand with neglect Iohn durst not baptize vnbidden his Master sent him to doe this seruice and behold the Master comes to his seruant to call for the participation of that priuiledge which he himselfe had instituted and enioyned how willingly should wee come to our spirituall Superiours for our part in those mysteries which God hath left in their keeping yea how gladly should we come to that Christ who giues vs these blessings who is giuen to vs in them This seemed too great an honor for the modesty of Iohn to receiue If his mother could say when her blessed cousin the Virgin Mary came to visit her Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me how much more might he say so when the diuine Sonne of that mother came to call for a fauour from him I haue need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me O holy Baptist if there were not a greater borne of women than thou yet thou couldest not bee borne of a woman and not need to be baptized of thy Sauiour Hee baptized with fire thou with water Little would thy water haue auailed thee without his fire If he had not baptized thee how wert thou sanctified from the wombe There can be no flesh without filthinesse neither thy supernaturall conception nor thy austere life could exempt thee from the need of baptisme Euen those that haue not liued to sinne after the similitude of Adam yet are they so tainted with Adam that vnlesse the second Adam clense them by his baptisme they are hopelesse There is no lesse vse of baptisme vnto all than there holy a man is the more sensible hee is of his vnholinesse No carnall man could haue said I haue neede to be baptized of thee neither can he finde what hee is the better for a little Font-water The sence of our wretchednesse and the valuation of our spirituall helps is the best tryall of our regeneration Our Sauiour doth not deny that either Iohn hath need to be baptized of him or that it is strange that he should come to be baptized of Iohn but he will needs thus farre both honor Iohn and disparage himselfe to be baptized of his Messenger hee that would take flesh of the Virgin cducation from his Parents sustenance from his creatures will take baptisme from Iohn It is the prayse of his mercy that he will stoope so low as to bee beholden to his creatures which from him receiue their being and power both to take and giue Yet not so much respect to Iohn as obedience to his Father drew him to this point of humiliation Thus it behoues vs to fulfill all righteousnes The Counsels Appointments of God are righteousnesse it selfe There needs no other motiue either to the seruant or the Son than the knowledge of those righteous purposes This was enough to leade a faithful man thorow all difficulties and inconueniences neither will it admit of any reply or any demurre Iohn yeeldeth to this honor which his Sauiour puts vpon him in giuing baptisme to the Author of it Hee baptized others to the remission of their sinnes now hee baptizes him by whom they are remitted both to the Baptizer and to others No sooner is Christ baptized than hee comes forth of the water The element is of force but during the vse It turnes common when that is past neither is the water sooner powred on his head than the Heauens are opened and the Holy Ghost descendeth vpon that Head which was baptized The Heauens are neuer shut whiles either of the Sacraments is duly administred and receiued neither doe the Heauens euer thus open without the descent of the Holy Ghost But now that the God of Heauen is baptized they open vnto him which are opened to all the faithfull by him and that Holy Ghost which proceeded from him together with the Father ioynes with the Father in a sensible testimony of him that now the world might see what interest he had in the Heauens in the Father in the holy Spirit and might expect nothing but diuine from the entrance of such a Mediator Christ tempted NO sooner is Christ comne out of the water of Baptisme than he enters into the fire of tentation No sooner is the holy Spirit descended vpon his head in the forme of a Doue than he is led by the Spirit to be tempted No sooner doth God say This is my Sonne than Satan sayes If thou be the Some of GOd It is not in the power either of the gift or seales of Grace to deliuer vs from the assaults of Satan they may haue the force to repell euill suggestions they haue none to preuent them yea the more we are ingaged vnto God by our publike vowes and his pledges of fauour so much more busie and violent is the rage of that euill one to encounter vs We are no sooner stept forth into the field of God than he labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands or to turne them against vs. The voyce from Heauen acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of God this diuine Testimony did not allay the malice of Satan but exasperate it Now that venomous Serpent swels with inward poison and hastes to assaile him whom God hath hounoured from Heauen O God how should I looke to escape the suggestions of that wicked one when the Sonne of thy loue cannot be free when euen grace it selfe drawes on enmity That enemy that spared not to strike at the Head will he forbeare the weakest and remotest limme Arme thou me therefore with an expectation of that euill I cannot auoid Make thou me as strong as he is malicious Say to my soule also Thou art my Sonne and let Satan doe his worst All the time of our Sauiours obscurity I doe not finde him set vpon Now that he lookes forth to the publike execution of his diuine Office Satan bends his forces against him Our priuacy perhaps may sit downe in peace but neuer man did endeuour a common good without opposition It is a signe that both the worke is holy and the Agent faithfull when we meet with strong affronts We haue reason to be comforted with nothing so much as with
God that hee knew cherishing was euer went to follow stripes after vehement euacuation cordials after a darke night the cleare light of the morning Hope therfore doth not only vphold but cheare vp his heart in the midst of his sorrow If we can looke beyond the cloud of our affliction and see the Sun-shine of comfort on the other side of it we cannot bee so discouraged with the presence of euill as heartned with the issue As on the contrary let a man be neuer so mery within and see paine and miserie waiting for him at the doore his expectation of euill shall easily daunt all the sense of his pleasure the retributions of temporall fauours goe but by peraduentures It may be the Lord will looke on mine affliction of eternall are certaine and infallible If we suffer we shall reigne why should not the assurance of raigning make vs triumph in suffering Dauids patience drawes on the insolence of Shimei Euill natures grow presumptuous vpon forbearance In good dispositions iniury vnanswered growes weary of it selfe and dies in a voluntary remorse but in those dogged stomackes which are onely capable of the restraints of feare the silent digestion of a former wrong prouokes a second Mercy had need to be guided with wisedome left it proue cruell to it selfe Oh the base minds of inconstant Time-seruers Stay but a while till the wheele be a little turned you shall see humble Shimei fall downe on his face before Dauid in his returne ouer Iordan now his submission shall equall his former rudenesse his praiers shall requite his curfes his teares make amends for his stones Let not my Lord impute iniquitie vnto me neither doe thou remember that which thy seruant did peruersly the day that my Lord the King went out of Ierusalem that the King should take it to heart for thy seruant doth know that I haue sinned False-hearted Shimei had Absalom prospered thou hadst not sinned thou hadst not repented then hadst thou bragged of thine insultation ouer his miseries whose pardon thou now beggest with teares The changes of worldly minds are thanklesse since they are neither wrought out of conscience nor loue but onely by a slauish feare of a iust punishment Dauid could say no more to testifie his sorrow for his hainous sinnes against God to Nathan then Shimei sayes of himselfe to Dauid whereto may be added the aduantage of a voluntary confession in this offender which in Dauid was extorted by the reproofe of a Prophet yet is Dauids confession seriously penitent Shemies craftily hypocriticall Those alterations are iustly suspected which are shaped according to the times and outward occasions the true penitent lookes onely at God and his sinne and is changed when all other things are themselues Great offences had need of answerable satisfactions As Shimei was the onely man of the House of Beniamin that came forth and cursed Dauid in his flight so is hee the first man euen before those of the House of Ioseph though nearer in situation that comes to meet Dauid in his returne with prayers and gratulation Notorious offenders may not thinke to sit downe with the taske of ordinary seruices The retributions of their obedience must be proportiable to their crimes ACHITOPHEL SO soone as Dauid heard of Achitophels hand in that conspiracy hee fals to his prayers O Lord I pray thee turne the counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse The knowne wisedome of his reuolted counsellor made him a dangerous and dreadfull aduersary Great parts mis-imployed cannot but proue most mischieuous when wickednesse is armed with wit and power none but a God can defeat it when we are matched with a strong and subtile enmity it is high time if euer to bee deuout If the bounty of God haue thought good to furnish his creatures with powers to warre against himselfe his wisedome knowes how to turne the abuse of those powers to the shame of the owners and the glory of the giuer Oh the policy of this Machiauell of Israel no lesse deepe then hell it selfe Goe in to thy fathers concubines which he hath left to keepe the house and when all Israel shall heare that thou art abhorred of thy father the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong The first care must be to secure the faction There can be no safety in siding with a doubtfull rebell if Absalom be a traytor yet he is a Sonne Nature may returne to it selfe Absalom may relent Dauid may remit where then are we that haue helpt to promote the conspiracy the danger is ours whiles this breach may bee peeced There is no way but to ingage Absalom in some further act vncapable of forgiuenesse Besides the throne let him violate the bed of his Father vnto his treason let him adde an incest no lesse vnnaturall now shall the world see that Absalom neither hopes nor cares for the reconciliation of a father Our quarrell can neuer haue any safe end but victory the hope whereof depends vpon the resolution of our followers they cannot bee resolute but vpon the vnpardonable wickednesse of their Leader Neither can this villany be shamefull enough if it be secret The closenesse of euill argues feare or modesty neither of which can beseeme him that would be a successefull traytor Set vp a Tent on the top of the house and let all Israel be witnesses of thy sinne and thy Fathers shame Ordinary crimes are for vulgar offenders Let Absalom sinne eminently and doe that which may make the world at once to blush and wonder Who would euer haue thought that Achitophel had liued at Court at the Councell-table of a Dauid Who would thinke that mouth had euer spoken well Yet had hee been no other then as the Oracle of God to the religious Court of Israel euen whiles he was not wise enough to be good Policy and grace are not alwayes lodged vnder one roofe This man whiles he was one of Dauids deepe Counsellors was one of Dauids fooles that said in their hearts There is no God else hee could not haue hoped to make good an euill with worse to build the successe of treason vpon incest Prophane hearts doe so contriue the plots of their wickednesse as if there were no ouer-ruling power to crosse their designes or to reuenge them He that sits in heauen laughs them to scorne and so farre giues way to their sinnes as their sinnes may proue plagues vnto themselues These two Sonnes of Dauid met with pestilent counsell Amnon is aduised to incest with his sister Absalom is aduised to incest with his fathers Concubines That by Ionadab this by Achitophel Both preuaile It is as easie at least to take ill counsell as to giue it Pronenesse to villany in the great cannot want either proiectors to deuise or parasites to execute the most odious and vnreasonable sinnes The Tent is spred lest it should not bee conspicuous enough on the top of the house The act is done in the fight of all Israel The
our pride and false confidence in earthly things then with a fleshly criâ—â— though hainously seconded It was an hard and wofull choise of three yeares famine added to three fore-past or of three moneths flight from the sword of an enemie or three dayes pestilence The Almighty that had fore-determined his iudgement referres it to Dauids will as fully as if it were vtterly vndetermined God hath resolued yet Dauid may choose That infinite wisdome hath foreseene the very will of his creature which whiles it freely inclines it selfe to what it had rather vnwittingly wils that which was fore appointed in heauen We doe well beleeue thee O Dauid that thou wert in a wonderfull strait this very liberty is no other then fetters Thou needst not haue famine thou needst not haue the sword thou needst not haue pestilence one of them thou must haue There is misery in all there is misery in any thou and thy people can die but once and once they must dye either by famine warre or pestilence Oh God how vainely doe we hope to passe ouer our sinnes with impunitie when all the fauour that Dauid and Israel can receiue is to choose their bane Yet behold neither sinnes nor threats nor feares can bereaue a true penitent of his faith Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great There can bee no euill of punishment wherein God haue not an hand there could be no famine no sword without him but some euils are more immediate from a diuine stroke such was that plague into which Dauid is vnwillingly willing to fall He had his choyce of dayes moneths yeares in the same number and though the shortnesse of time prefixed to the threatned pestilence might seeme to offer some aduantage for the leading of his election yet God meant and Dauid knew it herein to proportion the difference of time to the violence of the plague neither should any fewer perish by so few dayes pestilence then by so many yeares famine The wealthiest might auoid the dearth the swiftest might runne away from the sword no man could promise himselfe safety from that pestilence In likelihood Gods Angell would rather strike the most guilty Howeuer therefore Dauid might well looke to be inwrapped in the common destruction yet he rather chooseth to fall into that mercy which hee had abused and to suffer from that iustice which he had prouoked Let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord. Humble confessions and deuout penance cannot alwayes auert temporall iudgements Gods Angell is abroad and within that short compasse of time sweepes away seuenty thousand Israelites Dauid was proud of the number of his subiects now they are abated that he may see cause of humiliation in the matter of his glory In what we haue offended we commonly smart These thousands of Israel were not so innocent that they should onely perish for Dauids sinne Their sinnes were the motiues both of this sinne and punishment besides the respect of Dauids offence they die for themselues It was no ordinarie pestilence that was thus suddenly and vniuersally mortall Common eyes saw the botch and the markes saw not the Angell Dauids clearer sight hath espyed him after that killing peragration through the Tribes of Israel shaking his sword ouer Ierusalem and houering ouer Mount Sion and now hee who doubtlesse had spent those three dismall dayes in the saddest contrition humbly casts himselfe downe at the feet of the auenger and layes himselfe ready for the fatall stroke of iustice It was more terrour that God intended in the visible shape of his Angell and deepeâ— humiliation and what he meant he wrought Neuer soule could be more deiected more anguished with the sense of a iudgement in the bitternesse whereof hee cryes out Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly But these Sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house The better any man is the more sensible he is of his owne wretchednesse Many of those Sheepe were Wolues to Dauid What had they done They had done that which was the occasion of Dauids sinne and the cause of their owne punishment But that gracious penitent knew his owne sinne he knew not theirs and therefore can say I haue sinned What haue they done It is safe accusing where wee may be boldest and are best acquainted our selues Oh the admirable charitie of Dauid that would haue ingrossed the plague to himselfe and his house from the rest of Israel and sues to interpose himselfe betwixt his people and the vengeance He that had put himselfe vpon the pawes of the Beare and Lyon for the rescue of his Sheepe will now cast himselfe vpon the sword of the Angell for the preseruation of Israel There was hope in those conflicts in this yeeldance there could be nothing but death Thus didst thou O sonne of Dauid the true and great Shepheard of thy Church offer thy selfe to death for them who had their hands in thy blood who both procured thy death and deserued their owne Here he offered himselfe that had sinned for those whom he professed to haue not done euill thou that didst no sinne vouchsauest to offer thy selfe for vs that were all sinne Hee offered and escaped thou offeredst and diedst and by thy death we liue and are freed from euerlasting destruction But O Father of all mercies how little pleasure doest thou take in the blood of sinners it was thine owne pitie that inhibited the Destroyer Ere Dauid could see the Angell thou hadst restrained him It is sufficient hold now thy hand If thy compassion did not both with-hold and abridge thy iudgements what place were there for vs out of hell How easie and iust had it beene for God to haue made the shutting vp of that third euening red with blood his goodnes repents of the slaughter and cals for that Sacrifice wherewith he will be appeased An Altar must be built in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite Lo in that very Hill where the Angell held the sword of Abraham from killing his Sonne doth God now hold the Sword of the Angel from killing his people Vpon this very ground shall the Temple after stand heere shall be the holy Altar which shall send vp the acceptable oblations of Gods people in succeeding generations O God what was the threshing-floore of a Iebusite to thee aboue all other soyles What vertue what merit was in this earth As in places so in persons it is not to bee heeded what they are but what thou wilt That is worthiest which thou pleasest to accept Rich and bountifull Araunah is ready to meet Dauid in so holy a motion and munificently offers his Sion for the place his Oxen for the Sacrifice his Carts Ploughs and other Vtensils of his Husbandry for the wood Two franke hearts are well met Dauid would buy Araunah would giue The Iebusite would not sell Dauid will not take Since it was for
mother neither words nor teares can suffice to discouer it Yet more had she beene ayded by the counsell and supportation of a louing yoke-fellow this burden might haue seemed lesse intolerable A good husband may make amends for the losse of a sonne had the root beene left to her intire she might better haue spared the branch now both are cut vp all the stay of her life is gone and shee seemes abandoned to a perfect misery And now when shee gaue herselfe vp for a forlorne mourner past all capacity of redresse the God of comfort meets her pities her relieues her Here was no solicitor but his owne compassion In other occasions he was sought and sued to The Centurion comes to him for a seruant the Ruler for a sonne Iairus for a daughter the neighbours for the Paralyticke here hee seekes vp the patient and offers the cure vnrequested Whiles wee haue to doe with the Father of mercies our afflictions are the most powerfull suitors No teares no prayers can moue him so much as his owne commiseration Oh God none of our secret sorrowes can be either hid from thine eyes or kept from thine heart and when wee are past all our hopes all possibilities of helpe then art thou neerest to vs for deliuerance Here was a conspiration of all parts to mercy The heart had compassion the mouth said Weepe not the feet went to the Beere the hand touched the coffin the power of the Deity raised the dead What the heart felt was secret to it selfe the tongue therefore expresses it in words of comfort Weepe not Alas what are words to so strong and iust passions To bid her not to weepe that had lost her onely sonne was to perswade her to be miserable and not feele it to feele and not regard it to regard and yet to smother it Concealement doth not remedy but aggrauate sorrow That with the counsell of not weeping therefore she might see cause of not weeping his hand seconds his tongue He arrests the Coffin and frees the Prisoner Yongman I say vnto thee arise The Lord of life and death speakes with command No finite power could haue said so without presumption or with successe That is the voice that shall one day call vp our vanished bodies from those elements into which they are resolued and raise them out of their dust Neither sea nor death nor hell can offer to detaine their dead when he charges them to be deliuered Incredulous nature what doest thou shrinke at the possibility of a resurrection when the God of nature vndertakes it It is no more hard for that almighty Word which gaue being vnto all things to say Let them be repaired then Let them be made I doe not see our Sauiour stretching himselfe vpon the dead corps as Elias and Elisha vpon the sonnes of the Sunamite and Sareptan nor kneeling downe and praying by the Beere as Peter did to Dorcas but I heare him so speaking to the dead as if he were aliue and so speaking to the dead that by the word hee makes him aliue I say vnto thee arise Death hath no power to bid that man lye still whom the Sonne of God bids Arise Immediately he that was dead sate vp So at the sound of the last trumpet by the power of the same voice we shall arise out of the dust and stand vp glorious this mortall shall put on immortalitie this corruptible incorruption This body shall not be buried but sowne and at our day shall therefore spring vp with a plentifull increase of glory How comfortlesse how desperate should be our lying downe if it were not for this assurance of rising And now behold lest our weake faith should stagger at the assent to so great a difficulty he hath already by what hee hath done giuen vs tasts of what he will doe The power that can raise one man can raise a thousand a million a world no power can raise one but that which is infinite and that which is infinite admits of no limitation Vnder the old Testament God raised one by Elias another by Elisha liuing a third by Elisha dead By the hand of the Mediator of the New Testament hee raised here the sonne of the Widow the daughter of Iairus Lazarus and in attendance of his owne resurrection he made a gaole-deliuery of holy prisoners at Ierusalem Hee raises the daughter of Iairus from her bed this widowes sonne from his Coffin Lazarus from his graue the dead Saints of Ierusalem from their rottennesse that it might appeare no degree of death can hinder the efficacie of his ouer-ruling command Hee that keepes the keyes of death cannot onely make way for himselfe through the common Hall and outer-roomes but through the inwardest and most reserued closets of darknesse Me thinkes I see this yong man who was thus miraculously awaked from his deadly sleepe wiping and rubbing those eies that had beene shut vp in death and descending from the Beere wrapping his winding sheet about his loines cast himselfe down in a passionate thankfulnesse at the feet of his Almightie restorer adoring that diuine power which had commanded his soule back again to her forsaken lodging though I heare not what he said yet I dare say they were words of praise wonder which his returned soule first vttered It was the mother whom our Sauior pitied in this act not the sonne who now forced from his quiet rest must twice passe through the gates of death As for her sake therefore he was raised so to her hands was he deliuered that she might acknowledge that soule giuen to her not to the possessor Who cannot feele the amazement and extasie of ioy that was in this reuiued mother when her son now salutes her from out of another world And both receiues and giues gratulations of of his new life How suddenly were all the teares of that mournfull traine dried vp with a ioyfull astonishment How soone is that funerall banquet turned into a new Birth-day feast What striuing was here to salute the late carkasse of their returned neighbour What awfull and admiring lookes were cast vpon that Lord of life who seeming homely was approued omnipotent How gladly did euery tongue celebrate both the worke and the author A great Prophet is raised vp amongst vs and God hath visited his people A Prophet was the highest name they could finde for him whom they saw like themselues in shape aboue themselues in power They were not yet acquainted with God manifested in the flesh This miracle might well haue assured them of more then a Prophet but he that raised the dead man from the Beere would not suddenly raise these dead hearts from the graue of Infidelitie they shall see reason enough to know that the Prophet who was raised vp to them was the God that now visited them and at last should doe as much for them as hee had done for the yong man raise them from death to life from dust to glory The
Rulers Sonne cured THe bounty of God so exceedeth mans that there is a contrarietie in the exercise of it We shut our hands because we haue opened them God therefore opens his because he hath opened them Gods mercies are as comfortable in their issue as in themselues Seldome euer doe blessings goe alone where our Sauiour supplyed the Bridegroomes wine there he heales the Rulers sonne Hee had not in all these coasts of Galilee done any miracle but here To him that hath shall be giuen We doe not finde Christ oft attended with Nobilitie here hee is It was some great Peere or some noted Courtier that was now a suitor to him for his dying sonne Earthly greatnesse is no defence against afflictions Wee men forbeare the mighty Disease and death know no faces of Lords or Monarks Could these be bribed they would be too rich why should we grudge not to be priuiledged when wee see there is no spare of the greatest This noble Ruler listens after Christs returne into Galile The most eminent amongst men will be glad to hearken after Christ in their necessitie Happy was it for him that his sonne was sicke he had not else been acquainted with his Sauiour his soule had continued sicke of ignorance and vnbeliefe Why else doth our good God send vs pain losses opposition but that he may be sought to Are we afflicted whither should we goe but to Cana to seeke Christ whither but to the Cana of heauen where our water of sorrow is turned to the wine of gladnesse to that omnipotent Physitian who healeth all our infirmities that we may once say It is good for mee that I was afflicted It was about a dayes iourney from Capernaum to Cana Thence hither did this Courtier come for the cure of his sonnes Feuer What paines euen the greatest can be content to take for bodily health No way is long no labour tedious to the desirous Our soules are sicke of a spirituall feuer labouring vnder the cold fit of infidelitie and the hot fit of selfe-loue and we sit still at home and see them languish vnto death This Ruler was neither faithlesse nor faithfull Had he been quite faithlesse he had not taken such paines to come to Christ Had he been faithfull hee had not made this suit to Christ when he was come Come downe and heale my sonne ere he die Come downe as if Christ could not haue cured him absent Ere he die as if that power could not haue raised him being dead how much difference was here betwixt the Centurion and the Ruler That came for his seruant this for his sonne This sonne was not more aboue that seruant then the faith which sued for that seruant surpassed that which sued for the sonne The one can say Master come not vnder my roofe for I am not worthy onely speake the word and my seruant shall be whole The other can say Master either come vnder my roofe or my sonne cannot be whole Heale my sonne had been a good suit for Christ is the onely Physitian for all diseases but Come downe and heale him was to teach God how to worke It is good reason that he should challenge the right of prescribing to vs who are euery way his owne it is presumption in vs to stint him vnto our formes An expert workman cannot abide to bee taught by a nouice how much lesse shall the all-wise God endure to bee directed by his creature This is more then if the patient should take vpon him to giue a Recipe to the Physitian That God would giue vs grace is a beseeming suit but to say Giue it me by prosperitie is a sawcy motion As there is faithfulnesse in desiring the end so modesty and patience in referring the meanes to the author In spirituall things God hath acquainted vs with the meanes whereby he will worke euen his owne Sacred ordinances Vpon these because they haue his owne promise we may call absolutely for a blessing In all others there is no reason that beggers should be choosers He who doth whatsoeuer he will must doe it how he will It is for vs to receiue not to appoint He who came to complaine of his sons sicknes heares of his own Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue This noble man was as is like of Capernaum There had Christ often preached there was one of his chiefe residencies Either this man had heard our Sauiour oft or might haue done yet because Christs miracles came to him onely by heare-say for as yet we finde none at all wrought where hee preached most therefore the man beleeues not enough but so speakes to Christ as to some ordinarie Physitian Come downe and heale It was the common disease of the Iewes incredulitie which no receit could heale but wonders A wicked and adulterous generation seekes signes Had they not been wilfully gracelesse there was already proofe enough of the Messias the miraculous conception and life of the fore-runner Zacharies dumbnesse the attestation of Angels the apparition of the Starre the iourney of the Sages the vision of the Shepheards the testimonies of Anna and Simeon the prophesies fulfilled the voice from heauen at his baptisme the diuine words that hee spake and yet they must haue all made vp with miracles which though he be not vnwilling to giue at his owne times yet he thinkes much to be tied vnto at theirs Not to beleeue without signes was a signe of stubborne hearts It was a foule fault and a dangerous one Ye will not beleeue What is it that shall condemne the world but vnbeliefe What can condemne vs without it No sin can condemne the repentant Repentance is a fruit of faith where true faith is then there can be no condemnation as there can be nothing but condemnation without it How much more foule in a noble Capernaite that had heard the Sermons of so diuine a Teacher The greater light we haue the more shame it is for vs to stumble Oh what shall become of vs that reele and fall into the clearest Sunâ—shine that euer looked forth vpon any Church Be mercifull to our sinnes O God and say any thing of vs rather then Ye will not beleeue Our Sauiour tels him of his vnbeliefe hee feeles not himselfe sicke of that disease All his mind is on his dying for As easily do we complaine of bodily griefes as we are hardly affected with spirituall Oh the meeknesse and mercy of this Lambe of God When wee would haue lookt that hee should haue punished this suitor for not beleeuing hee condescends to him that hee may beleeue Goe thy way thy sonne liueth If wee should measure our hopes by our owne worthinesse there were no expectation of blessings but if we shall measure them by his bountie and compassion there can bee no doubt of preuailing As some tender mother that giues the brest to her vnquiet childe in stead of the rod so deales hee with our peruersnesses How God differences
God and interrupts that glorious seruice with a loud inclamation of iudgement Doubtlesse the man wanted not wit to know what displeasure what danger must needs follow so vnwelcome a message yet dares hee vpon the commission of God doe this affront to an Idolatrous King in the midst of all his awfull magnificence The Prophets of God goe vpon many a thanklesse errand Hee is no messenger for God that either knowes or feares the faces of men It was the Altar not the person of Ieroboam which the Prophet thus threatens Yet not the stones are stricken but the founder in both their apprehensions So deare as the deuices of our owne braine to vs as if they were incorporated into our selues There is no opposition whereof we are so sensible as that of religion That the royall Altar should be thus polluted by dead mens bones and the blood of the Priests was not more vnpleasing then that all this should be done by a childe of the house of Dauid for Ieroboam well saw that the throne and the altar must gand or fall together that a sonne of Dauid could not haue such power ouer the Altar without an vtter subuersion of the gouernment of the succession therefore is he thus galled with this comminatory prediction The rebellious people who had said What portion haue we in Dauid heare now that Dauid will perforce haue a portion in them and might well see what beasts they had made themselues in worshipping the image of a beast and sacrificing to such a God as could not preserue his owne Altar from violation and ruine All this while I doe not see this zealous Prophet laying his hand to the demolition of this Idolatrous Altar or threatning a knife to the Author of this deprauation of religion Onely his tongue smites both not with foule but sharpe words of menace not of reproach It was for Iosias a King to shed the blood of those sacrificers to deface those Altars Prophets are for the tongue Princes for the hand Prophets must onely denounce iudgement Princes execute Future things are present to the Eternall It was some two hundred and sixty years ere this prophecy should be fulfilled yet the man of God speaks of it as now in acting What are some Centuries of yeares to the Ancient of dayes How slow and yet how sure is the pace of Gods reuenge It is not in the power of time to frustrate Gods determinations There is no lesse iustice nor seueritie in a delayed punishment What a perfect Record there is of all names in the roll of Heauen before they be after they are past what euer seeming contingency there is in their imposition yet they fall vnder the certainty of a decree and are better knowne in heauen ere they be then on earth whiles they are He that knowes what names wee shall haue before we or the world haue a being doth not oft reueale this peece of his knowledge to his creature here he doth naming the man that should be two hundred yeeres after for more assurance of the euent that Israel may say this man speakes from a God who knowes what shall be There cannot bee a more sure euidence of a true Godhead then the foreknowledge of those things whose causes haue yet no hope of being But because the proofe of this prediction was not more certaine then remote a present demonstration shall conuince the future The Altar shall rend in peeces the ashes shall be scattered How amazedly must the seduced Israelites needes looke vpon this miracle and why doe they not thinke with themselues whiles these stones rend why are our hearts whole Of what an ouer-ruling power is the God whom wee haue forsaken that can thus teare the Altars of his corriuals How shall wee stand before his vengeance when the very stones breake at the word of his Prophet Perhaps some beholders were thus affected but Ieroboam whom it most concerned in stead of bowing his knees for humiliation stretcheth forth his hand for reuenge and cryes Lay hold on him Resolute wickednesse is impatient of a reproofe and in stead of yeelding to the voice of God rebelleth Iust and discreet reprehension doth not more reforme some sinners then exasperate others How easie is it for God to coole the courage of proud Ieroboam the hand which his rage stretches out dries vp and cannot bee pulled backe againe and now stands the King of Israel like some anticke statue in a posture of impotent indeuour so disabled to the hurt of the Prophet that hee cannot command that peece of himselfe What are the great Potentates of the world in the powerfull hand of the Almighty Tyrants cannot be so harmefull as they are malicious The strongest heart may be brought downe with affliction Now the stout stomach of Ieroboam is fallen to an humble deprecation Intreat now the face of the Lord thy thy God and pray for me that my hand may bee restored mee againe It must needs bee a great streight that could driue a proud heart to begge mercy where he bent his persecution so doth Ieroboam holding it no scorne to be beholden to an enemy In extremities the worst men can bee content to sue for fauour where they haue spent their malice It well becomes the Prophets of God to be mercifull I doe not see this Seer to stand vpon termes of exprobration and ouerly contestations with Ieroboam to say Thine intentions to me were cruell Had thine hand preuailed I should haue sued to thee in vaine Continue euer a spectacle of the fearfull iustice of thy Maker whom thou hast prouoked by thine Idolatry whom thou wouldest haue smitten in my perfection but hee meekely sues for Ieroboams release and that God might abundantly magnifie both his power and mercy is heard and answered with successe We doe no whit sauour of heauen if we haue not learned to doe good for euill When both winde and Sunne the blasts of iudgement and the beames of fauour met together to worke vpon Ieroboam who would not looke that hee should haue cast off this cumbrous and mis-beseeming cloake of his Idolatry and haue said Lord thou hast striken mee in iustice thou hast healed mee in mercy I will prouoke thee no more This hand which thou hast restored shall bee consecrated to thee in pulling downe these bold abominations Yet now behold hee goes on in his old courses and as if God had neither done him good nor euill liues and dies idolatrous No stone is more hard or insensate then a sinfull heart The changes of iudgement and mercy doe but obdure it in stead of melting The seduced Prophet IEroboams hand is amended his soule is not that continues still dry and inflexible Yet whiles hee is vnthankfull to the Author of his recouery he is thankfull to the instrument he kindely inuites the Prophet whom he had threatned and will remunerate him whom hee endeuoured to punish The worst men may be sensible of bodily fauours Ciuill respects
to a liking to a forbearance of his misdeuotion Yea so much the more doth the heart of Asa rise against these puppets for that they were the sinne the shame of his father Did there want thinke we some Courtier of his Fathers retinue to say Sir fauour the memorie of him that begot you you cannot demolish these statues without the dishonour of their Erector Hide your dislike at the least It will bee your glory to lay your finger vpon this blot of your fathers reputation If you list not to allow his act yet winke at it The godly zeale of Asa turnes the deafe eare to these monitors and lets them see that hee doth not more honor a father then hate an Idol No dearenesse of person should take off the edge of our detestation of the sinne Nature is worthy of forgetfulnesse and contempt in opposition to the God of Nature Vpon the same ground as hee remoued the Idols of his father Abijam so for Idols he remoued his Grand-mother Maachah shee would not be remoued from her obscene Idols shee is therefore remoued from the station of her honor That Princesse had aged both in her regency and superstition Vnder her rod was Asa bruought vp and schooled in the rudiments of her Idolatry whom she could not infect she hoped to ouer-awe so as if Asa will not follow her gods yet she presumes that shee may retaine her owne Doubtlesse no meanes were neglected for her reclamation none would preuaile Religious Asa gathers vp himselfe and begins to remember that he is a King though a sonne that she though a mother yet is a subiect that her eminence could not but countenance Idolatry that her greatnesse suppressed religion which hee should in vaine hope to reforme whiles her superstition swayed forgetting therefore the challenges of nature the awe of infancy the custome of reuerence hee strips her of that command which hee saw preiudiciall to his Maker All respects of flesh and blood must be trampled on for God Could that long-setled Idolatry want abettors Questionlesse some or other would say This was the religion of your father Abijam this of your Grand-father Rehoboam this of the latter daies of your wise and great Grand-father Salomon this of your Grand-mother Maachah this of your great Grand-mother Naamah why should it not be yours Why should you suspect either the wisdome or piety or saluation of so many Predecessors Good Asa had learned to contemne prescription against a direct law He had the grace to know it was no measuring truth by so modeme antiquity his eyes scorning to looke so low raise vp themselues to the vncorrupt times of Salomon to Dauid to Samuel to the Iudges to Ioshua to Moses to the Patriarks to Noah to the religious founders of the first world to the first father of mankinde to Paradise to heauen In comparison of these Maachahs God cannot ouerlooke yesterday the ancientest error is but a nouice to Truth And if neuer any example could be pleaded for puritie of religion it is enough that the precept is expresse He knew what God said in Sinai and wrote in the Tables Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor any similitude Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them If all the world had beene an Idolater euer since that word was giuen hee knew how little that precedent could auaile for disobedience Practice must bee corrected by law and not the law yeeld to practice Maachah therefoe goes downe from her seat her Idols from their groue shee to retirednesse they to the fire and from thence to the water Wofull deities that could both burne and drowne Neither did the zeale of Asa more magnifie it selfe in these priuatiue acts of weeding out the corruptions of Religion then in the positiue acts of an holy plantation In the falling of those Idolatrous shrines the Temple of God flourishes That doth he furnish with those sacred treasures which were dedicated by himselfe by the Progenitors Like the true sonne of Dauid hee would not serue God cost-free Rehoboam turned Salomons gold into brasse Asa turnes Rehoboams brasse into gold Some of these vessels it seemes Abijam Asaes father had dedicated to God but after his vow inquired yea with held them Asa like a good sonne payes his fathers debts and his owne It is a good signe of a well-meant deuotion when wee can abide it chargeable as contrarily in the affaires of God a niggardly hand argues a cold and hollow heart All these were noble and excellent acts the extirpation of Sodomie the demolition of Idols the remouall of Maachah the bountious contribution to the Temple but that which giues true life vnto all these is a sound root Asaes heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes No lesse laudable workes then these haue proceeded from Hypocrisie which whiles they haue caried away applause from men haue lost their thankes with God All Asaes gold was but drosse to his pure intentions But oh what great and many infirmities may consist with vprightnesse What allayes of imperfection will there be found in the most refined soule Foure no small faults are found in true-hearted Asa First the high-places stood still vnremoued What high places There were some dedicated to the worship of false gods these Asa tooke away There were some misdeuoted to the worship of the true God these hee lets stand There was grosse Idolatry in the former there was a weake will-worship in the latter whiles hee opposes impietie hee winkes at mistakings yet euen the varietie of altars was forbidden by an expresse charge from God who had confined his seruice to the Temple With one breath doth God report both these The high-places were not remoued yet neuerthelesse Asaes heart was perfit God will not see weakenesses where he sees truth How pleasing a thing is sinceritie that in fauour thereof the mercy of our iust God digests many an errour Oh God let our hearts goe vpright though our feet slide the fall cannot through thy grace be deadly howeuer it may shame or paine vs. Besides to confront his riuall of Israel Baasha this religious King of Iudah fetches in Benhadad the King of Syria into Gods inheritance vpon too deare a rate the breach of his league the expilation of the Temple All the wealth wherewith Asa had endowed the House of the Lord was little enough to 〈◊〉 an Edomite to betray his fidelitie and to inuade Israel Leagues may bee made with Infidels not at such a price vpon such tearmes There can bee no warrant for a wilfull subornation of perfidiousnesse In these cases of outward things the mercy of God dispenceth with our true necessities not with the affected O Asa where was thy piety whiles thou robbest God to corrupt an Infidell for the daughter of Israelites O Princes where is your pietie whiles yee hire Turkes to the slaughter of Christians to the spoile of Gods Church Yet which was worse Asa doth not onely imploy the
the opportunity of Ahabs presence when he might be sure Iezebel was away Obadiah meets the Prophet knowes him and as if he had seene God in him fals on his face to him vvhom he knew his master persecuted Though a great Peere hee had learned to honor a prophet No respect was too much for the president of that sacred colledge To the poore boarder of the Sareptan here was no lesse then a prostration and My Lord Elijah from the great High Steward of Israel Those that are truely gracious cannot be niggardly of their obseruances to the messengers of God Elijah receiues the reuerence returnes a charge Goe tell thy Lord Behold Elijah is here Obadiah finds this lode too heauy neither is he more striken with the boldnes then with the vnkindnesse of this command boldnesse in respect of Elijah vnkindnesse in respect of himselfe For thus he thinkes If Elijah do come to Ahab he dies If he doe not come I die If it bee knowne that I met him and brought him not it is death If I say that he will come voluntarily and God shall alter his intentions it is death How vnhappy a man am I that must be either Elijahs executioner or my own were Ahabs displeasure but smoking I might hope to quēch it but now that the flame of it hath broken forth to the notice to the search of all the Kingdomes and Nations round about it may consume me I cannot extinguish it This message were for an enemy of Elijah for a client of Baal As for me I haue well approued my true deuotion to God my loue to his Prophets What haue I done that I should be singled out either to kill Elijah or to be killed for him Many an hard plunge must that man needs be driuen to who would hold his conscience together with the seruice and fauor of a Tyrant It is an happy thing to serue a iust master there is no danger no straine in such obedience But when the Prophet bindes his resolution with an oath and cleares the heart of Obadiah from all feares from all suspicions the good man dares bee the messenger of that which he saw was decreed in heauen Doubtlesse Ahab startled to heare of Elijah comming to meet him as one that did not more hate then feare the Prophet Well might he thinke thus long thus far haue I sought Elijah Elijah would not come to seeke me but vnder a sure guard and with some strange commission His course mantle hath the aduantage of my robe and Scepter If I can command a peece of the earth I see hee can command heauen The edge of his reuenge is taken off with a doubtfull expectation of the issue and now when Elijah offers himselfe to the eies of Ahab He who durst not strike yet durst challenge the Prophet Art thou hee that troubleth Israel Ieroboams hand was still in Ahabs thoughts he holds it not so safe to smite as to expostulate He that was the head of Israel speakes out that which was in the heart of all his people that Elijah was the cause of all their sorrow Alas what hath the righteous Prophet done He taxed their sin he foretold the iudgement he deserued it not he inflicted it not yet he smarts and they are guilty As if some fond people should accuse the Herald or the Trumpet as the cause of their warre or as if some ignorant peasant when he sees his fowles bathing in his pond should cry out of them as the causes of soule weather Oh the heroicall Spirit of Elijah he stand alone amids all the traine of Ahab and dares not onely repell this charge but retort it I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim No earthly glory can daunt him who hath the cleere and heartning visions of God This holy Seer discernes the true cause of our sufferings to bee our sinnes Foolish men are plagued for their offences and it is no small part of their plague that they see it not The onely common disturber of men Families Cities Kingdomes worlds is sinne There is no such traitor to any state as the wilfully wicked The quietest and most plausible offender is secretly seditious and stirreth quarrels in heauen The true messengers of God cary authority euen where they are maligned Elijah doth at once reproue the King and require of him the improuement of his power in gathering all Israel to Carmel in fetching thither all the Prophets of Baal Baal was rich in Israel whiles God was poore Whiles God hath but one hundred Prophets hid closely in Obadiahs caues Baal hath eight hundred and fifty foure hundred and fifty dispersed ouen the villages and townes of Israel foure hundred at the Court Gods Prophets are glad of bread and water whiles the foure hundred Trencher Prophets of Iezebel feed on her dainties They lurke in caues whiles these Lord it in the pleasantest groues Outward prosperity is a false note of truth All these with all Israel doth Elijah require Ahab to summon vnto Carmel It is in the power of Kings to command the Assembly of the Prophets the Prophet sues to the Prince for the indiction of this Synode They are iniurious to Soueraignty who arrogate this power to none but spirituall hands How is it that Ahab is as ready to performe this charge as Elijah to moue it I dare answer for his heart that it was not drawne with loue Was it out of the sense of one iudgement and feare of another hee smarted with the dearth and drought and well thinkes Elijah would not be so round with him for nothing Was it out of an expectation of some miraculous exploit which the Prophet would doe in the sight of all Israel Or was it out of the ouer-ruling power of the Almighty The heart of Kings is in the hand of God and he turnes it which way soeuer he pleaseth Israel is met together Elijah rates them not so much for their superstition as for their vnsetlednesse and irresolution One Israelite serues God another Baal yea the same Israelite perhaps serues both God and Baal How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him Nothing is more odious to God then a prophane neutrality in maine oppositions of religion To go vpright in a wrong way is a lesse eie-sore to God then to halt betwixt right wrong The Spirit wisheth that the Laodicean were either hot or cold either temper would be better borne then neither then both In reconcileable differences nothing is more safe then indifferency both of practice and opinion but in cases of so necessary hostility as betwixt God and Baal hee that is on neither side is the deadlyest enemy to both Lesse hatefull are they to God that serue him not at all then they that serue him with a riuall Whether out of guiltinesse or feare or
then thy fathers and thou shalt liue to honour him Toile and sorrow haue lulled the Prophet asleepe vnder his Iuniper tree that wholesome shade was well chosen for his repose whiles death was called for the cozen of death comes vnbidden The Angell of God waits on him in that hard lodging no wildernesse is too solitarie for the attendance of those blessed spirits As hee is guarded so is hee awaked by that Messenger of God and stirred vp from his rest to his repast whiles hee slept his breakfast is made ready for him by those spirituall hands There was a cake baked on the coales and a cruse of water at his head Oh the neuer-ceasing care and prouidence of the Almigâ—tie not to bee barred by any place by any condition when meanes are wanting to to vs when we are wanting to our selues when to God euen then doth hee follow vs with his mercy and cast fauours vpon vs beyond against expectation What varietie of purueyance doth he make for his seruant One while the Rauens then the Sareptan now the Angell shall be his Cator none of them without a miracle Those other prouided for him waking this sleeping O God the eye of thy prouidence is not dimmer the hand of thy power is not shorter onely teach thou vs to serue thee to trust thee Needs must the Prophet eate and drinke and sleepe with much comfort whiles hee saw that hee had such a guardian attendant purueiour and now the second time is he raised by that happy touch to his meale and his way Arise and eate because the iourney is too great for thee What needed hee to trauell further sith that diuine power could as well protect him in the Wildernesse as in Horeb What needed hee to eate since hee that meant to sustaine him forty dayes with one meale might as well haue sustained him without it God is a most free Agent neither will be tied to the termes of humane regularities It is enough that hee knowes and approues the reasons of his owne choice and commands once in forty dayes and nights shall Elijah eate to teach vs what God can doe with little meanes and but once to teach vs what hee can doe without meanes Once shall the Prophet eate Man liues by bread and but once Man liues not by bread onely but by euery word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Moses Elijah our Sauiour fasted each of them forty daies and forty nights the three great fasters met gloriously in Tabor I finde not where God euer honoured any man for feasting It is abstinence not fulnesse that makes a man capable of heauenly visions of diuine glory The iourney was not of it selfe so long the Prophet tooke those wayes those houres which his heart gaue him In the very same Mount where Moses first saw God shall Elijah see him one and the same caue as is very probable was the receptacle to both It could not bee but a great confirmation of Elijah to renue the sight of those sensible monuments of Gods fauour and protection to his faithfull predecessor Moses came to see God in the Bush of Horeb God came to finde Elijah in the Caue of Horeb What doest thou here Elijah The place was directed by a prouidence not by a command Hee is hid sure enough from Iezebel hee cannot bee hid from the all-seeing eye of God Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit or Whither shall I fly from thy presence If I ascend vp into Heauen thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the Sea euen there shall thine hand finde me and thy right hand shall hold mee Twice hath God propounded the same question to Eljiah Once in the heart once in the mouth of the Caue Twice doth the Prophet answer in the same words Had the first answer satisfied the question had not beene re-demanded Now that sullen answer which Elijah gaue in the darknesse of the Caue is challenged into the Light not without an awfull preface The Lord first passeth by him with the terrible demonstrations of his power A great strong wind rent the Mountaines and brake the Rocks in pieces That tearing blast was from God God was not in it So was hee in it as in his other extraordinarie workes not so in it as by it to impart himselfe to Elijah it was the vshier not the cariage of God After the winde came an Earthquake more fearfull then it That did but moue the aire this the earth that beat vpon some prominences of earth this shooke it from the Center After the earth-quake came a fire more fearfull them either The other affected the eare the feeling but this lets in horrour into the Soule by the eye the quickest and most apprehensiue of the senses Elijah shall see Gods mighty power in the earth aire fire before hee heare him in the soft voice all these are but boistrous harbingers of a meeke and still word In that God was Behold in that gentle and mild breath there was omnipotency there was but powerfulnesse in those fierce representations There is not alwaies the greatest efficacie where is the greatest noise God loues to make way for himselfe by terrour but he conuayes himselfe to vs in sweetnesse It is happy for vs if after the gusts and flashes of the Law wee haue heard the soft voice of Euangelicall mercy In this very mount with the same horror God had deliuered his Law to Moses and Israel It is no maruell if Elijah wrap his face in his Mantle His obedience drawes him forth to the mouth of the Caue his feare still hides his head Had there not beene much courage in the Prophets faith hee had not stood out these affrightfull fore-runners of the diuine presence though with his face couered The very Angels doe no lesse before that all-glorious Maiestie then vaile themselues with their wings Farre be it from vs once to thinke of that infinite and omnipotent Deitie without an humble awfulnesse Feare changes not the tenour of Elijahs answer Hee hath not left one word behinde him in the Caue I haue beene very iealous for the Lord God of Hosts because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy Couenant throwne downe thine Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the sword and I euen I onely am left and they seeke my life to take it away I heare not a direct answer from the Prophet to the demand of God then hee had said I runne away from the threats of Iezebel and here I hide my head from her malicious pursuit His guiltinesse would not let him speake out all Hee had rather say I haue beene iealous for the Lord God of Hosts then I was fearfull of Iezebel Wee are all willing to make the best of our owne case but what hee wants of his owne accusation hee spends vpon the complaint of Israel Neither doth he more bemone
nothing more dangerous for any state then to call in forraigne powers for the suppression of an home-bred enemie the remedy hath oft in this case proued worse then the disease Asa King of Iudah implores the ayde of Benhadad the Syrian against Baasha King of Israel That stranger hath good colour to set his foot in some out-skirt-townes of Israel and now these serue him but for the handsell of more Such sweetnesse doth that Edomite find in the soile of Israel that his ambition will not take vp with lesse then all He that entred as a Friend will proceed as a Conqueror and now aimes at no lesse then Samaria it selfe the heart the head of the ten Tribes There was no cause to hope for better successe of so perfidious a League with an Infidell Who can looke for other then warre when he sees Ahab and Iezebel in the Throne Israel in the groues and temples of Baalim The ambition of Benhadad was not so much guilty of this warre as the Idolatry of that wicked nation How can they expect peace from earth who doe wilfully fight against heauen Rather will the God of Hosts arme the brute the senselesse creatures against Israel then he will suffer their defiance vnreuenged Ahab and Benhadad are well matched an Idolatrous Israelite with a paganish Idumaean well may God plague each with other who meanes vengeance to them both Ahab finds himselfe hard pressed with the siege and therefore is glad to enter into treaties of peace Benhadad knowes his owne strength and offers insolent conditions Thy siluer and thy gold is mine thy wiues also and thy children euen the goodliest are mine It is a fearefull thing to be in the mercy of an enemy In case of hostility might will carue for it selfe Ahab now after the diusion of Iudah was but halfe a King Benhadad had two and thirthy Kings to attend him What equality was in this opposition Wisely doth Ahab therefore as a reed in a tempest stoop to this violent charge of so potent an enemy My Lord O King according to thy saying I am thine and all that I haue It is not for the ouer-powred to capitulate Weaknesse may not argue but yeeld Tyranny is but drawne on by submission and where it finds feare and deiection insulteth Benhadad not content with the soueraigntie of Ahabs goods cals for the possession Ahab had offred the Dominion with reseruation of his subordinate interest he will be a tributary so he may be an owner Benhadad imperiously besides the command cals for the propriety and suffers not the King of Israel to enioy those things at all which he would inioy but vnder the fauour of that predominancie Ouer-strained subiection turnes desperate if conditions bee imposed worse then death there needes no long disputation of the remedy The Elders of Israel whose share was proportionably in this danger hearten Ahab to a deniall which yet comes out so fearefully as that it appeares rather extorted by the peremptory indignation of the people then proceeding out of any generosity of his Spirit Neither doth he say I will not but I may not The proud Syrian who would haue taken it in foule scorne to bee denied though he had sent for all the heads of Israel snuffes vp the wind like a wilde Asse in the Wildernesse and brags and threats and sweares The gods doe so to me and more also if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfulls for all the people that follow me Not the men not the goods onely of Samaria shall bee caried away captiue but the very earth whereon it stands and this with how much ease No Souldier shall need to bee charged with more then an handfull to make a valley where the mother City of Israel once stood Oh vaine boaster In whom I know not whether pride or folly be more eminent Victorie is to bee atchieued not to bee sworne future euents are no matter of an oath Thy gods if they had beene might haue beene called as witnesses of thy intentions not of that successe whereof thou wouldst be the Author without them Thy gods can doe nothing to thee nothing for thee nothing for themselues all thine Aramites shall not cary away one corne of sand out of Israel except it bee vpon the soles of their feet in their shamefull flight It is well if they can cary backe those skins that they brought thither Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himselfe as hee that putteth it off There is no cause to feare that man that trusts in himselfe Man may cast the dice of war but the disposition of them is of the Lord. Ahab was lewd but Benhadad was insolent If therefore Ahab shall be scourged with the rod of Benhadads feare Benhadad shall bee smitten with the sword of Ahabs reuenge Of all things God will not endure a presumptuous and selfe-confident vaunter after Elijahs flight and complaint yet a Prophet is addressed to Ahab Thus saith the Lord Hast thou seene all this great multitude behold I will deliuer it into thine hand this day and thou shalt know that I am the Lord Who can wonder enough at this vnweariable mercy of God After the fire and ruine fetcht miraculously from Heauen Ahab had promised much performed nothing yet againe will God blesse and solicit him with victory One of those Prophets whom hee persecuted to death shall comfort his deiection with the newes of deliuerance and triumph Had this great worke beene wrought without premonition either chance or Baal or the golden calues had caried away the thankes Before hand therefore shall Ahab know both the Author and the meanes of his victory God for the Author the two hundred thirty two yong men of the Princes for the meanes What are these for the Vant-gard and seuen thousand Israelite for the maine battell against the troupes of three thirty Kings and as many centuries of Syrians as Israel had single souldiers An equality of number had taken away the wonder of the euent but now the God of hoasts will be confessed in this issue not the valor of men How indifferent it is with thee O Lord to saue by many or by few to destroy many or few A world is no more to thee then a man how easie is it for thee to enable vs to be more then Conquerors ouer Principalities and Powers to subdue spirituall wickednesses to flesh and blood Through thee we can doe great things yea we can doe all things through thee that strengthnest vs Let not vs want faith we are sure there can bee no want in thy power or mercy There was nothing in Benhadads pauilions but drink and surfet and iollity as if wine should make way for blood Security is the certain vsher of destruction we neuer haue to much cause to feare as when we feare nothing This handful of Israel dares look out vpon the Prophets assurance to the vast host of Benhadad It is enough for that proud Pagan to sit
with thee is mercy and plentious redemption thine hand is open before our mouthes before our hearts If we did not see thee smile vpon suiters we durst not presse to thy footstoole Behold now we know that the King of heauen the God of Israel is a mercifull God Let vs put sackcloth vpon our loynes and strew ashes vpon our heads and goe meet the Lord God of Israel that he may saue our soules How well doth this habit become insolent and blasphemous Benhadad and his followers a rope and sackcloth A rope for a Crowne sackcloth for a robe Neither is there lesse change in the tongue Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Euen now the King of Israel said to Benhadad My Lord O King I am thine Tell my Lord the King all that thou didst send for to thy seruant I will doe Now Benhadad sends to the King of Israel Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Hee that was erewhile a Lord and King is now a seruant and he that was a seruant to the king of Syria is now his Lord he that would blow away all Israel in dust is now glad to beg for his own life at the doore of a despised enemy no courage is so haughty which the God of hosts cannot easily bring vnder what are mē or deuils in those almighty hāds The greater the deiection was the stronger was the motiue of commiseration That haltar pleaded for life and that plea for but a life stirred the bowels for fauour How readily did Ahab see in Benhadads sudden misery the image of the instability of all humane things and relents at the view of so deepe and passionate a submission Had not Benhadad said Thy seruant Ahab had neuer said My brother seldome euer was there losse in humility How much lesse can we feare disparagement in the annihilating of our selues before that infinite Maiestie The drowning man snatches at euery twig It is no maruell if the messengers of Benhadad catch hastilie at that last of grace and hold it fast Thy brother Benhadad Fauours are wont to draw on each other Kindnesses breed on themselues neither need wee any other perswasion to beneficence then from our owne acts Ahab cals for the King of Syria sets him in his owne Charet treats with him of an easie yet firme league giues him both his life and his Kingdome Neither is the Crowne of Syria sooner lost then recouered Onely hee that came a free Prince returnes tributarie Onely his traine is clipt too short for his wings an hundred twentie seuen thousand Syrians are abated of his Guard homeward Blasphemy hath escaped too well Ahab hath at once peace with Benhadad warre with God God proclaimes it by his Herald one of the sonnes of the Prophets not yet in his owne forme but disguised both in fashion and complaint It was a strange suit of a Prophet Smite me I pray thee Many a Prophet was smitten and would not neuer any but this wished to bee smitten The rest of his fellowes were glad to say Saue mee this onely sayes Smite me His honest neighbour out of loue and reuerence forbeares to strike There are too many thinkes hee that smite the Prophets though I refraine What wrong hast thou done that I should repay with blowes Hadst thou sued for a fauour I could not haue denyed thee now thou suest for thine hurt the deniall is a fauour Thus he thought but Charitie cannot excuse disobedience Had the man of God called for blowes vpon his owne head the refusall had beene iust and thanke-worthy but now that he sayes In the Word of the Lord Smite me this kindnesse is deadly Because thou hast not obeyed the voyce of the Lord behold assoone as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee It is not for vs to examine the charges of the Almighty Be they neuer so harsh or improbable if they bee once knowne for his there is no way but obedience or death Not to smite a Prophet when God commands is no lesse sinne then to smite a Prophet when God forbids It is the diuine precept or prohibition that either makes or aggrauates an euill And if the Israelite bee thus reuenged that smote not a Prophet what shall become of Ahab that smote not Benhadad Euery man is not thus indulgent an easie request will gaine blowes to a Prophet from the next hand yea and a wound in smiting I know not whether it were an harder taske for the Prophet to require a wound then for a well-meaning Israelite to giue it Both must bee done The Prophet hath what hee would what hee must will a sight of his owne blood and now disguised herewith and with ashes vpon his face hee way-layes the King of Israel and sadly complaines of himselfe in a reall parable for dismissing a Syrian prisoner deliuered to his hands vpon no lesse charge then his life and soone receiues sentence of death from his owne mouth Well was that wound bestowed that strucke Ahabs soule through the flesh of the Prophet The disguise is remoued The King sees not a souldier but a Seer and now finds that he hath vnawares passed sentence vpon himselfe There needs no other doome then from the lips of the offender Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Had not Ahab knowne the will of God concerning Benhadad that had beene mercy to an enemy which was now cruelty to himselfe to Israel His eares had heard of the blasphemies of that wicked tongue His eyes had seene God goe before him in the example of that reuenge No Prince can strike so deepe into his state as in not striking In priuate fauour there may bee publike vnmercifulnesse AHAB and NABOTH NAboth had a faire Vineyard It had beene better for him to haue had none His vineyard yeelded him the bitter Grapes of death Many a one hath beene sold to death by his lands and goods wealth hath beene a snare as to the soule so to the life Why doe wee call those goods which are many times the bane of the owner Naboths vineyard lay neere to the Court of Iezebel It had beene better for him it had beene planted in the wildernesse Doubtlesse this vicinity made it more commodious to the possessor but more enuious and vnsafe It was now the perpetuall obiect of an euill eye and stirred those desires which could neither be well denyed nor satisfied Eminency is still ioyned with perill obscuritie with peace There can bee no worse annoyance to an inheritance then the greatnesse of an euill neighbourhood Naboths vines stood too neere the smoake of Iezebels chimneys too much within the prospect of Ahabs window Now lately had the King of Israel beene twice victorious ouer the Syrians no sooner is he returned home then hee is ouercome with euill desires The foyle
hee gaue was not worse then that hee tooke There is more true glory in the conquest of our lusts then in all bloody Trophees In vaine shall Ahab boast of subduing a forraigne enemy whiles he is subdued by a domesticke enemy within his own brest Opportunity and Conuenience is guilty of many a theft Had not this ground lien so faire Ahab had not beene tempted His eye lets in this euill guest into the soule which now dares come forth at the mouth Giue mee thy vineyard that I may haue it for a garden of herbes because it is neere to my house and I will giue thee a better vineyard for it or if it seeme good to thee I will giue thee the worth of it in money Yet had Ahab so much ciuility and iustice that he would not wring Naboths patrimony out of his hand by force but requires it vpon a faire composition whether of price or of exchange His gouernment was vicious not tyrannicall Proprietie of goods was inuiolably maintained by him No lesse was Naboth allowed to claime a right in his vineyard then Ahab in his palace This wee owe to lawfull Soueraignty to call ought our owne and well worthy is this priuiledge to be repaid with all humble and loyall respects The motion of Ahab had it beene to any other then an Israelite had beene as iust equall reasonable as the repulse had beene rude churlish inhumane It is fit that Princes should receiue due satisfaction in the iust demands not onely of their necessities but conuenience and pleasure well may they challenge this retribution to the benefit of our common peace and protection If there bee any sweetnesse in our vineyards any strength in our fields we may thanke their scepters Iustly may they expect from vs the commoditie the delight of their habitation and if we gladly yeeld not to their full elbow-roome both of site and prouision we can be no other then ingratefull Yet dares not Naboth giue any other answer to so plausible a motion then The Lard forbid it me that I should giue thee the inheritance of my Fathers The honest Israelite saw violence in this ingenuity There are no stronger commands then the requests of the great It is well that Ahab will not wrest away this patrimony it is not well that he desired it The land was not so much stood vpon as the law One earth might be as good as another and money equiualent to either The Lord had forbidden to alien their inheritance Naboth did not feare losse but sinne What Naboth might not lawfully doe Ahab might not lawfully require It pleased God to bee very punctuall and cautelous both in the distinction and preseruation of the intirenesse of these Iewish inheritances Nothing but extreme necessitie might warrant a sale of land and that but for a time if not sooner yet at the Iubile it must reuert to the first owner It was not without a comfortable signification that whosoeuer had once his part in the land of Promise could neuer lose it Certainly Ahab could not but know this diuine restriction yet doubts not to say Giue me thy vineyard The vnconscionable will know no other law but their profit their pleasure A lawlesse greatnesse hates all limitations and abides not to heare men should need any other warrant but will Naboth dares not be thus tractable How gladly would he be quit of his inheritance if God would acquit him from the sinne Not out of wilfulnesse but obedience doth this faithfull Israelite hold off from this demand of his Soueraign not daring to please an earthly King with offending the heauenly When Princes command lawfull things God commands by them when vnlawfull they command against God passiue obedience we must giue actiue we may not wee follow then as subordinate not as opposite to the highest Who cannot but see and pity the straits of honest Naboth Ahab requires what God forbids he must fall out either with his God or his King Conscience caries him against policy and he resolues not to sinne that he might be gracious For a world he may not giue his vineyard Those who are themselues godlesse thinke the holy care of others but idly scrupulous The King of Israel could not chuse but see that onely Gods prohibition lay in the way of his designes not the stomacke of a froward subiect yet he goes away into his house heauy and displeased and casts himselfe downe vpon bed and turnes away his face and refuses his meat Hee hath taken a surfet of Naboths grapes which marres his appetite and threats his life How ill can great hearts endure to bee crossed though vpon the most reasonable and iust grounds Ahabs place call'd him to the Guardianship of Gods Law and now his heart is ready to breake that this parcell of that Law may not bee broken No maruell if hee made not dainty to transgresse a locall statute of God who did so shamefully violate the eternall Law of both Tables I know not whether the spleen or the gall of Ahab be more affected Whether more of anger or griefe I cannot say but sick he is keepes his bed and balks his meat as if he should die of no other death thē the salads that he would haue had O the impotēt passion and insatiable desires of Couetousnesse Ahab is Lord King of all the territories of Israel Naboth is the owner of one poore Vineyard Ahab cannot inioy Israel if Naboth inioy his Vineyard Besides Samaria Ahab was the great Lord Paramount of Damascus and all Syria the victor of him that was attended with two and thirty Kings Naboth was a plaine townsman of Iezreel the good husband of a little Vineyard Whether is the weathier I doe not heare Naboth wish for any thing of Ahabs I heare Ahab wishing not without indignation of a repulse for somwhat from Naboth Riches pouerty is more in the heart then in the hand He is wealthy that is contented he is poore that wanteth more Oh rich Naboth that carest not for all the large possessions of Ahab so thou maist bee the Lord of thine owne Vineyard Oh miserable Ahab that carest not for thine owne possessions whiles thou mayest not be the Lord of Naboths Vineyard He that caused the disease sends him a Physitian Satan knew of old how to make vse of such helpers Iezebel comes to Ahabs bed-side and casts cold water in his face and puts into him spirits of her owne extracting Dost thou now gouerne the Kingdome of Israel Arise eat bread and let thine heart be merry I will giue thee the Vineyard of Naboth Ahab wanted neither wit nor wickednesse Yet is he in both a very nouice to this Zidonian dame There needs no other Deuill then Iezebel whether to proiect euill or to worke it She chides the pusillanimity of her deiected husband and perswades him his rule cannot bee free vnlesse it be licentious that there should bee no bounds for soueraignetie but will Already hath shee
preponderate light falshood in a thousand Euen King Ahab as bad as hee was kept tale of his Prophets and could giue account of one that was missing There is yet one man Michaiah the sonne of Iudah by whom we may inquire of the Lord but I hate him for hee doth not prophecy good concerning me but euill It is very probable that Michaiah was that disguised Prophet who brought to Ahab the fearefull message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad for which he was euer since fast in prison deepe in disgrace Oh corrupt heart of selfe condemned Ahab If Micaiah spake true to thee how was it euill If others said false how was it good and if Micaiah spake from the Lord why dost thou hate him This hath wont to bee the ancient lot of Truth censure and hatred Censure of the message hatred of the bearer To carnall eares the message is euill if vnpleasing and if plausible good If it be sweet it cannot be poison if bitter it cannot be wholsome The distemper of the receiuer is guilty of this mis-conceit In it selfe euery truth as it is good so amiable euery falshood loathsome as euill A sicke palate cries out of the taste of those liquors which are well allowed of the heathfull It is a signe of a good state of the soule when euery verdure can receiue his proper iudgement Wise and good Iehosaphat disswades Ahab from so hard an opinion and sees cause so much more to vrge the consultation of Michaiah by how much hee findes him more vnpleasing The King of Israel to satisfie the importunitie of so great and deare an allie sends an Officer for Michaiah He knew well belike where to finde him within those foure walls where vniust cruelty had disposed of that innocent Seer Out of the obscuritie of the prison is the poore Prophet fetcht in the light of so glorious a Confession of two Kings who thought this Conuocation of Prophets not vnworthy of their greatest representation of State ad Maiestie There he finds Zedekiah the leader of that false crue not speaking only but acting his prediction Signes were no lesse vsed by the Prophets then words this arch-flatterer hath made him bornes of iron the horne is forceable the iron irresistible by an irresistible force shall Ahab push the Syrians as if there were more certaintie in this mans hands then in his tongue If this son of Chenaanah had not had a forehead of brasse for impudency and a heart of Lead for flexiblenesse to humors and times he had neuer deuised these horns of iron wherewith his King was goared vnto blood Howsoeuer it is enough for him that he is beleeued that he is seconded All the great Inquest of these Prophets gaue vp their verdict by this foreman not one of foure hundred dissented Vnanimitie of opinion in the greatest Ecclesiasticall assemblies is not euer an argument of truth There may be as common and as firme agreement in error The messenger that came from Michaiah like a carnall friend sets him in a way of fauour tels him what the rest said how they pleased how vnsafe it would bee for him to varie how beneficiall to assent Those that adore earthly greatnesse thinke euery man should dote vpon their Idols and hold no termes too high their ambitious purchases Faithfull Micaiah scornes the motion he knows the price of the word and contemnes it As the Lord liueth what the Lord saith vnto me that will I speake Neither feares nor fauours can tempt the holily resolute They can trample vpon dangers or honors with a carelesse foot and whether they be smiled or frowned on by the great dare not either alter or conceale their errand The question is moued to Micaiah He at first so yeelds that he contradicts yeelds in words contradicts in pronunciation The syllables are for them the sound against them Ironies deny strongest in affirming and now being pressed home he tels them that God had shewed him those sheepe of Israel should ere long by this meanes want their Shepheard The very resemblance to a good Prince had beene affectiue The sheepe is an helplesse creature not able either to guard or guide it selfe all the safety all the direction of it is from the keeper without vvhom euery curre chases and werries it euery tracke seduceth it Such shall Israel soone bee if Ahab bee ruled by his Prophets The King of Israel doth not beleeue but quarrell not at himselfe who had deserued euill but at the Prophet who foresignified it and is more carefull that the King of Iuda should marke how true he had fore-told concerning the Prophet then how the Prophet had fore-told concerning him Bold Micaiah as no whit discouraged with the vniust checks of greatnesse doubles his prediction and by a second vision particularizeth the meanes of this dangerous errour Whiles the two Kings sate maiestically in their Thrones hee tels them of a more glorious Throne then theirs whereon he saw the King of Gods sitting Whiles they were compassed with some hundreds of Prophets thousands of Subiects and Souldiers he tels them of all the host of heauen attending that other Throne Whiles they were deliberating of a war he tels them of a God of heauen iustly decreeing the iudgement of a deadly deception to Ahab This decree of the highest is not more plainly reuealed then expressed parabolically The wise and holy God is represented after the manner of men consulting of that ruine which hee intended to the wicked King of Israel That increated and infinite wisdome needs not the aduice of any finite and created powers to direct him needs not the assent and aid of any spirit for his execution much lesse of an euill one yet here an euill spirit is brought in by way of vision mixt with parable profeting the seruice of his lie accepted imployed successefull These figures are not void of truth The action and euent is reduced to a decree the decree is shadowed out by the resemblance of humane proceedings All euill motions and counsells are originally from that malignant Spirit That euill spirit could haue no power ouer men but by the permission by the decree of the Almighty That Almighty as he is no Author of sin so he ordinates all euill to good It is good that is iust it is iust that one sinne should be punished by another Satan is herein no other then the executioner of that God who is as far from infusing euill as from not reuenging it Now Ahab sees the ground of that applauded consent of his rabble of Prophets one euil spirit hath no lesse deceiued them then they their master he is one therefore he agrees with himselfe he is euill therefore both he they agree in deceit Oh the noble and vndanted spirit of Micaiah neither the Thrones of the Kings nor the number of the Prophets could abate one word of his true though displeasing message The King of Israel shall heare that he is mis-led by lyers they
not distracted with an accident so sudden so sorrowfull she layes her dead childe vpon the Prophets bed shee lockes the doore shee hides her griefe lest that consternation might hinder her designe she hastens to her husband and as not daring to bee other then officious in so distresse-full an occasion acquaints him with her iourney though not with the cause requires of him both attendance and conueyance shee posts to mount Carmel shee cannot so soone finde out the man of God as hee hath found her He sees her afarre off and like a thankfull guest sends his seruant hastily to meet her to inquire of the health of her selfe her husband her childe Her errand was not to Gehezi it was to Elisha no messenger shall interrupt her no eare shall receiue her complaint but the Prophets Downe shee fals passionately at his feet and forgetting the fashion of her bashfull strangenesse layes hold of them whether in an humble veneration of his person or in a feruent desire of satisfaction Gehezi who well knew how vncouth how vnfit this gesture of salutation was for his master offers to remoue her and admonisheth her of her distance The mercifull Prophet easily apprehends that no ordinary occasion could so transport a graue and well-gouerned matrone as therefore pittying her vnknowne passion hee bids Let her alone for her soule is vexed within her and the Lord hath hid it from mee and hath not told mee If extremitie of griefe haue made her vnmannerly wise and holy Elisha knowes how to pardon it Hee dares not adde sorrow to the afflicted hee can better beare an vnseemelinesse in her greeting then cruelty in her molestation Great was the familiaritie that the Prophet had with his God and as friends are wont mutually to impart their counsels to each other so had the Lord done to him Elisha was not idle on mount Carmel What was it that he saw not from thence Not heauen onely but the world was before him yet the Shunamites losse is concealed from him neither doth he shame to confesse it Oft-times those that know greater matters may yet bee ignorant of the lesse It is no disparagement to any finite creature not to know something By her mouth will God tell the Prophet what by vision hee had not Then she said Did I desire a sonne of my Lord Did I not say doe not deceiue me Deepe sorrow is sparing of words The expostulation could not be more short more quicke more pithy Had I begged a son perhaps my importunity might haue been yeelded to in anger Too much desire is iustly punished with losse It is no maruell if what we wring from God prosper not This fauour to mee was of thine owne motion Thy suit O Elisha made me a mother Couldst thou intend to torment me with a blessing How much more easie had the want of a sonne been then the mis-cariage Barrennesse then orbation Was there no other end of my hauing a son then that I might lose him O man of God let mee not complaine of a cruel kindnesse thy prayers gaue me a son let thy prayers restore him let not my dutifull respects to thee bee repaid with an aggrauation of misery giue not thine hand-maid cause to wish that I were but so vnhapy as thou foundest me Oh wofull fruitfulnesse if I must now say that I had a sonne I know not whether the mother or the Prophet were more afflicted the Prophet for the mothers sake or the mother for her owne Not a word of reply doe wee heare from the mouth of Elisha his breath is onely spent in the remedy Hee sends his seruant with all speed to lay his staffe vpon the face of the childe charging him to auoyd all the delayes of the way Had not the Prophet supposed that staffe of his able to beat away death why did hee send it and if vpon that supposition hee sent it how was it that it failed of effect was this act done out of humane conceit not out of instinct from God Or did the want of the mothers faith hinder the successe of that cure She not regarding the staffe or the man holds fast to Elisha No hopes of his message can loose her fingers As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee She imagined that the seruant the staffe might bee seuered from Elisha she knew that where euer the Prophet was there was power It is good relying vpon those helpes that cannot faile vs. Merit and importunity haue drawne Elisha from Carmel to Shunem Hee findes his lodging taken vp by that pale carkeise hee shuts his doore and fals to his prayers this staffe of his what euer became of the other was long enough hee knew to reach vp to Heauen to knocke at those gates yea to wrench them open Hee applies his body to those cold and senselesse limbs By the feruour of his soule hee reduces that soule by the heat of his body he educeth warmth out of that corps The childe neeseth seuen times as if his spirit had beene but hid for the time not departed it fals to worke a fresh the eyes looke vp the lippes and hands moue The mother is called in to receiue a new life in her twice-giuen sonne she comes in full of ioy full of wonder and bowes her selfe to the ground and fals downe before those feet which shee had so boldly layd hold of in Carmel Oh strong faith of the Shunamite that could not be discouraged with the seizure and continuance of death raising vp her heart still to an expectation of that life which to the eyes of nature had beene impossible irreuocable Oh infinite goodnesse of the Almightie that would not suffer such faith to be frustrate that would rather reuerse the lawes of nature in returning a guest from heauen and raising a corps from death then the confidence of a beleeuing heart should be disappointed How true an heire is Elisha of his master not in his graces onely but in his actions Both of them diuided the waters of Iordan the one as his last act the other as his first Elijahs curse was the death of the Captaines and their troupes Elishaes curse was the death of the children Elijah rebuked Ahab to his face Elisha Iehoram Elijah supplied the drought of Israel by raine from heauen Elisha supplied the drought of the three Kings by waters gushing out of the earth Elijah increased the oyle of the Sareptan Elisha increased the oyle of the Prophets widow Elijah raised from death the Sareptans son Elisha the Shunamites Both of them had one mantle one spirit both of them climbed vp one Carmel one heauen ELISHA with NAAMAN OF the full showers of grace which fell vpon Israel and Iudah yet some drops did light vpon their neighbours If Israel bee the worse for her neerenesse to Syria Syria is the better for the vicinity of Israel Amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy Naaman was a great
without cruelty though in the hot chases of warre executions may be iustifiable yet in the coolenesse of deliberation it can bee no other then inhumane to take those liues which haue beene yeelded to mercy But here thy bow and thy sword are guiltlesse of the successe onely a strange prouidence of the Almighty hath cast them into thine hands whom neither thy force nor thy fraud could haue compassed If it bee victory thou aimest at ouercome them with kindnesse Set bread and water before them that they may eate and drinke Oh noble reuenge of Elisha to feast his persecutors To prouide a Table for those who had prouided a graue for him These Syrians came to Dothan full of bloody purposes to Elisha he sends them from Samaria full of good cheare and iollity Thus thus should a Prophet punish his pursuers No vengeance but this is heroicall and fit for Christian imitation If thine enemy hunger giue him bread to eate if hee thirst giue him water to drinke For thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head and the Lord shall reward thee Be not ouercome with euill but ouercome euill with good The King of Israel hath done that by his feast which hee could not haue done by his sword The bands of Syria will no more come by way of ambush or incursion into the bounds of Israel Neuer did a charitable act goe away without the retribution of a blessing In doing some good to our enemies wee doe most good to our selues God cannot but loue in vs this imitation of his mercy who bids his Sunne shine and his raine fall where he is most prouoked and that loue is neuer fruitlesse The Famine of Samaria releeued NOt many good turnes are written in Marble soone haue these Syrians forgotten the mercifull beneficence of Israel After the forbearance of some hostile inroade all the forces of Syria are mustered against Iehoram That very Samaria which had releeued the distressed Aramites is by the Aramites besieged and is affamished by those whom it had fed The famine within the walles was more terrible then the sword without Their worst enemy was shut within and could not be dislodged of their owne bowels Whither hath the Idolatry of Israel brought them Before they had beene scourged with warre with drought with dearth as with single cords they remaine incorrigible and now God twists two of these bloody lashes together and galls them euen to death there needs no other executioners then their owne mawes Those things which in their nature were not edible at least to an Israelite were now both deare and dainty The Asse was besides the vntoothsomnesse an impure creature that which the law of Ceremonies had made vncleane the law of necessitie had made delicate and precious the bones of so carrion an head could not bee picked for lesse then foure hundred pieces of siluer neither was this scarcitie of victuals only but of all other necessaries for humane vse that the belly might not complaine alone the whole man was equally pinched The King of Israel is neither exempted from the iudgement nor yet yeelds vnder it He walkes vpon the walls of his Samaria to ouersee the Watches set the Engines ready the Guards changed together with the posture of the enemy when a woman cries to him out of the Citie Help my Lord O King Next to God what refuge haue we in all our necessities but his Anointed Earthly Soueraigntie can aide vs in the case of the iniustice of men but what can it doe against the iudgements of God If the Lord doe not helpe thee whence shall I helpe thee out of the barne floore or out of the wine-presse Euen the greatest powers must stoope to afflictions in themselues how should they be able to preuent them in others To sue for aide where is an vtter impotence of redresse is but to vpbraid the weaknesse and aggrauate the misery of those whom we implore Iehoram mistakes the suit The suppliant cals to him for a wofull peece of Iustice Two mothers haue agreed to eate their sonnes The one hath yeelded hers to be boiled and eaten the other after shee hath taken her part of so prodigious a banquet withdrawes her child and hides him from the knife Hunger and enuy make the Plaintiffe importunate and now shee craues the benefit of royall iustice Shee that made the first motion with-holds her part of the bargain and flyes from that promise whose trust had made this mother childlesse Oh the direfull effects of famine that turnes off all respects of nature and giues no place to horror causing the tender mother to lay her hands yea her teeth vpon the fruit of her owne body and to receiue that into her stomacke which shee hath brought forth of her wombe What should Iehoram doe The match was monstrous The challenge was iust yet vnnaturall This complainant had purchased one halfe of the liuing child by the one halfe of hers dead The mother of the suruiuing Infant is pressed by couenant by hunger restrained by nature To force a mother to deliuer vp her child to voluntarie slaughter had been cruell To force a Debtor to pay a confessed arerage seemed but equall If the remaining child be not dressed for food this mother of the deuoured child is both robbed and affamished If he be innocent blood is shed by authoritie It is no maruell if the questiō astonished the Iudge not so much for the difficulty of the demand as the horror of the occasion to what lamentable distresse did Iehoram find his people driuen Not without cause did the King of Israel rend his garments and shew his sackcloth wel might he see his people branded with that ancient curse which God had denounced against the rebellious The Lord shall bring a Nation against thee of a fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old nor shew fauour to the yong And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine owne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters The tender and delicate woman her eyes shall bee euill towards her yong one that commeth out from betweene her feet and toward◠the children which shee shall beare for she shall eate them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitnesse He mournes for the plague he mournes not for the cause of this plague his sinne and theirs I finde his sorrow I find not his repentance The worst man may grieue for his smart onely the good heart grieues for his offence In stead of being penitent Iehoram is furious and turnes his rage from his sinnes against the Prophet God doe so to me and more also if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day Alas what hath the righteous done Perhaps Elisha that wee may imagine some colours of this displeasure fore-threatned this iudgement but they deserued it perhaps hee might haue auerted it by his prayers their
vndertaken a great taske to teach men how to bee happy in this life J haue vndertaken and performed it wherein J haue followed Seneca and gone beyond him followed him as a Philosopher gone beyond him as a Christian as a Diuine Finding it a true censure of the best Moralists that they were like to goodly Ships graced with great titles the Sauegard the Triumph the Good-speed and such like when yet they haue beene both extremely Sea-beaten and at last wracked The volume is little perhaps the vse more J haue euer thought according to the Greeke Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What it is euen iustice challengeth it to him to whom the Author hath deuoted himselfe The children of the bondman are the goods of the parents Master J humbly betake it to your Honours protection and your Honour to the protection of the Highest Your Honours most humbly deuoted in all dutie and seruice IOS HALL The Analysis or Resolution of this Treatise concerning TRANQVILLITIE Our Treatise concerning Tranquillitie is partly Refutatorie where the precepts of the Heathen are Recited Reiected for Enumeration Insufficient Qualitie of remedies too weake Positiue which teacheth What it is and wherein it consists How to be attained Enemies of peace subdued whether those On the left hand Of sinnes done Whose trouble is In their guiltines consid How turbulent they are till the conscience be pacified How remedied Peace is through reconciliation Reconciliation through Remission Remission by Satisfaction Satisfaction Not by vs. By infinite merits of Where are considered The person and merits of Christ by whom peace is offered The receiuing of our offered peace by faith In their sollicitation Remedied by resolute resistance Where is the subduing and moderation of our Affections Of paine suffered Crosses Imaginarie How redressed True How preuented and prepared against by Expectation Exercise How to be born Contentedly in respect of their cause Thankefully in respect of their good effect Ioyfully in respect of their issue Death consid How fearefull Which way sweetned On the right Ouer-ioying Ouer-desiring Of Riches Honour Pleasure How to be esteemed As Not good in themselues Exposing vs to euill Rules and grounds of Peace set downe Maine or principall A continuall fruition of the presence of God to be renewed to vs by all holy exercises Subordinate In respect of our actions A resolution To refraine from all occasions of the displeasure of God To performe all required duties To doe nothing doubtingly In respect of our estate To depend wholly on the prouidence of God To account our owne estate best HEAVEN VPON EARTH OR Of true Peace of Minde SECT I. WHEN I had studiously read ouer the morall writings of some wise Heathen especially those of the Stoicall profession Censure of Philosophers I must confesse I found a little enuie and pitie striuing together within me I enuied nature in them to see her so witty in deuising such plausible refuges for doubting and troubled minds I pittied them to see that their carefull disquisition of true rest led them in the end but to meere vnquietnesse Wherein me thought they were as Hounds swift of foot but not exquisite in sent which in an hasty pursuit take a wrong way spending their mouthes and courses in vaine Their praise of ghessing wiâ—tily they shall not leese their hopes both they lost and whosoeuer followes them If Seneca could haue had grace to his wit what wonders would he haue done in this kinde what Diuine might not haue yeelded him the chaire for precepts of Tranquillity without any disparagement As he was this he hath gained Neuer any Heathen wrote more diuinely neuer any Philosopher more probably Neither would I euer desire better Master if to this purpose I needed no other mistris than Nature But this in truth is a taske which Nature hath neuer without presumption vndertaken and neuer performed without much imperfection Like to those vaine and wandring Empirickes which in Tables and pictures make great ostentation of Cures neuer approuing their skill to their credulous Patients And if she could haue truly effected it alone I know not what employment in this life she should haue left for grace to busie her selfe about nor what priuilege it should haue beene heere below to be a Christian since this that we seeke is the noblest worke of the soule and in which alone consists the only heauen of this world this is the summe of all humane desires which when we haue attained then onely we begin to liue and are sure we cannot thence-forth liue miserably No maruell then if all the Heathen haue diligently sought after it many wrote of it none attained it Not Athens must teach this lesson but Ierusalem SECT II. YEt something Grace scorneth not to learne of Nature What Tranquillity is and wherein it consists as Moses may take good counsell of a Midianite Nature hath euer had more skill in the end than in the way to it and whether shee haue discoursed of the good estate of the minde which wee call TRANQVILLITIE or the best which is happinesse hath more happily ghessed at the generall definition of them than of the meanes to compasse them Shee teacheth vs therefore without controlement that the Tranquillity of the minde is as of the Sea and weather when no wind stirreth when the waues doe not tumultuously rise and fall vpon each other but when the face both of the Heauen and waters is still faire and equable That it is such an euen disposition of the heart wherein the scoales of the minde neither rise vp towards the beame through their owne lightnesse or the ouerweening opinion of prosperity nor are too much depressed with any loade of sorrow but hanging equall and vnmoued betwixt both giue a man liberty in all occurrences to enioy himselfe Not that the most temperate minde can be so the master of his passions as not sometimes to ouer-ioy his griefe or ouer-grieue his ioy according to the contrary occasions of both for not the euenest weights but at their first putting into the ballance somewhat sway both parts thereof not without some shew of inequality which yet after some little motion settle themselues in a meet poyse It is enough that after some sudden agitation it can returne to it selfe and rest it selfe at last in a resolued peace And this due composednesse of minde we require vnto our Tranquillitie not for some short fits of good mood which soone after end in discontentment but with the condition of perpetuity For there is no heart makes so rough weather as not sometimes to admit of a calme and whether for that he knoweth no present cause of his trouble or for that he knoweth that cause of trouble is counteruailed with as great an occasion of priuate ioy or for that the multitude of euills hath bred carelesnesse the man that is most disordred findes some respits of quietnesse The balances that are most ill matched in their vnsteddy motions come to an equality