could be also in affection Oh that mine eies like the eies of thy first Martyr could by the light of Faith see but a glimpse of heauen Oh that my heart could be rapt vp thither in desire How should I trample vpon these poore vanities of the earth How willingly should I endure all sorrowes all torments How scornfully should I passe by all pleasures How should I be in trauaile of my dissolution Oh when shall that blessed day come when all this wretched worldlinesse remoued I shall solace my selfe in my God Behold as the Hart braieth for the riuers of waters so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Oh when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God CHAP. XXXI 4. An humble Confession of our disability to effect what we wish AFter this Wishing shall follow humble Confession by iust order of nature for hauing bemoaned our want and wished supply not finding this hope in ourselues we must needs acknowledge it to him of whom onely we may both seeke and finde wherein it is to be duly obserued how the minde is by turnes depressed and lifted vp Being lifted vp with our taste of ioy it is cast downe with Complaint lift vp with Wishes it is cast downe with Confession which order doth best hold it in vre and iust temper and maketh it more feeling of the comfort which followeth in the conclusion This Confession must derogate all from ourselues and ascribe all to God Thus I desire O Lord to bee aright affected towards thee and thy glory I desire to come to thee but alas how weakly how heartlesly Thou knowest that I can neither come to thee nor desire to come but from thee It is Nature that holds me from thee this treacherous Nature fauours it selfe loueth the world hateth to thinke of a dissolution and chuseth rather to dwell in this dungeon with continuall sorrow and complaint than to endure a parting although to libertie and ioy Alas Lord it is my misery that I loue my paine How long shall these vanities thus besot me It is thou onely that canst turne away mine eies from regarding these follies and my heart from affecting them thou onely who as thou shalt one day receiue my soule into heauen so now before-hand canst fix my soule vpon heauen and thee CHAP. XXXII 5. An earnest Petition for that which we confesse to want AFter Confession naturally followes Petition earnestly requesting that at his hands which wee acknowledge our selues vnable and none but God able to performe O carrie it vp therefore thou that hast created and redeemed it carry it vp to thy glory Oh let me not alwaies be thus dull and brutish let not these scales of earthly affection alwaies dim and blinde mine eies Oh thou that laiedst clay vpon the blinde mans eies take away this clay from mine eies where-with alas they are so dawbed vp that they cannot see heauen Illuminate them from aboue and in thy light let mee see light Oh thou that hast prepared a place for my soule prepare my soule for that place prepare it with holinesse prepare it with desire and euen while it soiourneth on earth let it dwell in heauen with thee beholding euer the beautie of thy face the glory of thy Saints and of it selfe CHAP. XXXIII 6. A vehement Enforcement of our petition AFter Petition shall follow the Enforcement of our request from argument and importunate obsecration wherein we must take heed of complementing in termes with God as knowing that he will not be mocked by any fashionable forme of suit but requireth holy and feeling intreaty How graciously hast thou proclaimed to the world that who-euer wants wisdome shall aske it of thee which neither deniest nor vpbraidest O Lord I want heauenly wisdome to conceiue aright of heauen I want it and aske it of thee giue me to aske it instantly and giue me according to thy promise abundantly Thou seest it is no strange fauour that I begge of thee no other than that which thou hast richly bestowed vpon all thy valiant Martyrs Confessors Seruants from the beginning who neuer could haue so cheerefully embraced death and torment if through the middest of their flames and paine they had not seene their Crowne of glory The poore Theefe on the Crosse had no sooner craued thy remembrance when thou earnest to thy Kingdome than thou promisedst to take him with thee into heauen Presence was better to him than remembrance Behold now thou art in thy Kingdome I am on earth remember thine vnworthy seruant and let my soule in conceit in affection in conuersation be this day and for euer with thee in Paradise I see man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine they are pittifull pleasures he enioyeth while he forgetteth thee I am as vaine make me more wise Oh let mee see heauen and I know I shall neuer enuie nor follow them My times are in thine hand I am no better than my fathers a stranger on earth As I speake of them so the next yea this generation shall speake of me as one that was My life is a bubble a smoake a shadow a thought I know it is no abiding in this thorow fare Oh suffer me not so mad as while I passe on the way I should forget the end It is that other life that I must trust to With thee it is that I shall continue Oh let mee not be so foolish as to settle my selfe on what I must leaue and to neglect eternitie I haue seene enough of this earth and yet I loue it too much O let me see heauen another while and loue it so much more than the earth by how much the things there are more worthy to be loued Oh God looke downe on thy wretched Pilgrim and teach me to looke vp to thee and to see thy goodnesse in the Land of the liuing Thou that boughtest heauen for me guide me thither and for the price that it cost thee for thy mercies sake in spight of all tentations enlighten thou my soule direct it crowne it CHAP. XXXIV AFter this Enforcement doth follow Confidence wherein the soule 7. A cheerefull Confidence of obtaining what we haue requested and enforced after many doubtfull and vnquiet bickerings gathereth vp her forces and cheerefully rowzeth vp it selfe and like one of Dauids Worthies breaketh thorow a whole Armie of doubts and fetcheth comfort from the Well of life which though in some latter yet in all is a sure reward from God of sincere Meditation Yea be thou bold O my soule and doe not meerely craue but challenge this fauour of God as that which he oweth thee he oweth it thee because he hath promised it and by his mercy hath made his gift his debt Faithfull is he that hath promised which will also doe it Hath he not giuen thee not onely his hand in the sweet hopes of the Gospell but his seale
sinnes to informe our brethren How rife is this Dumbe Deuill euerywhere whiles hee stops the mouthes of Christians from these vsefull and necessarie duties For what end hath man those two priuiledges aboue his fellow creatures Reason and Speech but that as by the one he may conceiue of the great workes of his Maker which the rest cannot so by the other hee may expresse what hee conceiues to the honor of the Creator both of them and himselfe And why are all other creatures said to praise God and bidden to praise him but because they doe it by the apprehension by the expression of man If the heauens declare the glory of God how doe they it but to the eies and by the tongue of that man for whom they were made It is no small honor whereof the enuious spirit shall rob his Maker if he 〈◊〉 close vp the mouth of his onely rationall and vocall creature and turne the best of his workemanship into a dumbe Idoll that hath a mouth and speakes not Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Praise is not more necessary then complaint praise of God then complaint of ourselues whether to God or men The onely amends we can make to God what we haue not had the grace to auoid sinne is to confesse the sinne wee haue not auoided This is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurs of our liues If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse That cunning man-slayer knowes there is no way to purge the sicke soule but vpward by casting out the vicious humor wherewith it is clogged and therefore holds the lips close that the heart may not dis-burden it selfe by so wholesome euacuation When I kept silence my bones consumed For day and night thy band O Lord was heauy vpon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer O let me confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee that thou maist forgiue the punishment of my sinne We haue a tongue for God when wee praise him for our selues when wee pray and confesse for our brethren when we speake the truth for their information which if we hold backe in vnrighteousnesse we yeeld vnto that dumbe Deuill where doe we not see that accursed spirit Hee is on the Bench when the mute or partiall Iudge speakes not for truth and innocence He is in the pulpit when the Prophets of God smother or halue or adulterate the message of their master Hee is at the barre when irreligious Iurors dare lend an oath to feare to hope to gaine Hee is in the market when godlesse chapmen for their peny sell the truth and their soule He is in the common conuersation of men when the tongue belies the heart flatters the guilty balketh reproofes euen in the foulest crimes O thou who only art stronger then that strong one cast him out of the hearts and mouthes of men It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy Law That it might well appeare this impediment was not naturall so soone as the man is freed from the spirit his tongue is free to his speech The effects of spirits as they are wrought so they cease at once If the Sonne of God doe but remoue our spirituall possession we shall presently breake forth into the praise of God into the confession of our vilenesse into the profession of truth But what strange variety do I see in the spectators of this miracle some wondring others censuring a third sort tempting a fourth applauding There was neuer man or action but was subiect to variety of constructions What man could bee so holy as he that was God What act could bee more worthy then the dispossession of an euill spirit yet this man this act passeth these differences of interpretation What can we doe to vndergoe but one opinion If we giue almes and fast some will magnifie our charity and deuotion others will taxe our hypocrisie If wee giue not some will condemne our hard-heartednesse others will allow our care of iustice if wee preach plainly to some it will sauour of a carelesse slubbering to others of a mortified sincerity Elaborately some will tax our affectation others will applaud our diligence in dressing the delicate viands of God What maruell is it if it bee thus with our imperfection when it fared not otherwise with him that was purity and righteousnesse it selfe The austere fore-runner of Christ came neither eating nor drinking they say He hath a Deuill The sonne of man came eating and drinking they say This man is a glutton a friend of Publicans and sinners and here one of his holy acts caries away at once wonder censure doubt celebration There is no way safe for a man but to square his actions by the right rule of iustice of charitie and then let the world haue leaue to spend their glosses at pleasure It was an heroicall resolution of the chosen vessell I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans day I maruell not if the people maruelled for here were foure wonders in one The blinde saw the deafe heard the dumbe spake the demoniacke is deliuered Wonder was due to so rare and powerfull a worke and if not this nothing We can cast away admiration vpon the poore deuices or actiuities of men how much more vpon the extraordinary workes of omnipotency Who so knowes the frame of Heauen and earth shall not much be affected with the imperfect effects of fraile humanity but shall with no lesse rauishment of soule acknowledge the miraculous workes of the same Almighty hand Neither is the spirituall eiection worthy of any meaner intertainment Raritie and difficultie are wont to cause wonder There are many things which haue wonder in their worth and leese it in their frequence there are some which haue it in their strangenesse and leese it in their facilitie Both meet in this To see men haunted yea possessed with a dumbe Deuill is so frequent that it is a iust wonder to finde a man free but to finde the dumbe spirit cast out of a man and to heare him praising God confessing his sinnes teaching others the sweet experiments of mercy deserues iust admiration If the Cynick sought in the market for a man amongst men well may we seeke amongst men for a conuert Neither is the difficulty lesse then the rarenesse The strong man hath the possession all passages are blockt vp all helpes barred by the trechery of our nature If any soule be rescued from these spirituall wickednesses it is the praise of him that doth wonders alone But whom doe I see wondring The multiude The vnlearned beholders follow that act with wonder which the learned Scribes entertaine with obloquy God hath reuealed those things to babes which he hath hid from the wise and prudent With what scorne did those great Rabbins speake of these sonnes of the earth This
hauing honey in the mouth hath a sting in the taile Why am I so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them and not rather labour to aspire to that one absolute Good in whom is nothing sauouring of griefe nothing wanting to perfect happinesse 17 A sharpe reproofe I account better than a smooth deceit Therefore when my friend checkes me I will respect it with thankfulnesse when others flatter me I will suspect it and rest in mine owne censure of my selfe who should be more priuie and lesse partiall to my owne deseruings 18 Extremity distinguisheth friends Worldly pleasures like Physicians giue vs ouer when once we lie a dying and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts Christ Iesus standeth by his in the pangs of death and after death at the barre of iudgement not leauing them either in their bed or graue I will vse them therefore to my best aduantage not trust them But for thee O my Lord which in mercy and truth canst not faile me whom I haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities Kill me yet will I trust in thee 19 We haue heard of so many thousand generations passed and we haue seene so many hundreds die within our knowledge that I wonder any man can make account to liue one day I will die daily It is not done before the time which may be done at all times 20 Desire oft times makes vs vnthankfull For who so hopes for that he hath not vsually forgets that which he hath I will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes lest I should in the meane time contemne present benefits 21 In hoping well in being ill and fearing worse the life of man is wholly consumed When I am ill I will liue in hope of better when well in feare of worse neither will I at any time hope without feare lest I should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence wherein euill shall be so much more vnwelcome and intolerable because I looked for good nor againe feare without hope lest I should be ouer-much deiected nor doe either of them without true contentation 22 What is man to the whole earth What is earth to the heauen What is heauen to his Maker I will admire nothing in it selfe but all things in God and God in all things 23 There be three vsuall causes of ingratitude vpon a benefit receiued Enuie Pride Couetousnesse Enuie looking more at others benefits than our owne Pride looking more at our selues than the benefit Couetousnesse looking more at what wee would haue than what we haue In good turnes I will neither respect the giuer nor my selfe nor the gift nor others but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded So shall I requite others great pleasures with equall good will and accept of small fauours with great thankfulnesse 24 Whereas the custome of the world is to hate things present to desire future and magnifie what is past I will contrarily esteeme that which is present best For both whar is past was once present and what is future will be present future things next because they are present in hope what is past least of all because it cannot be present yet somewhat because it was 25 We pitie the folly of the Larke which while it plaieth with the fether and stoopeth to the glasse is caught in the Fowlers net and yet cannot see our selues alike made fooles by Satan who deluding vs by the vaine feathers and glasses of the world suddenly enwrappeth vs in his snares We see not the nets indeed it is too much that we shall feele them and that they are not so easily escaped after as before auoided O Lord keepe thou mine eies from beholding vanity And though mine eies see it let not my heart stoope to it but loath it afarre off And if I stoope at any time and be taken set thou my soule at libertie that I may say My soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and I am deliuered 26 In suffering euill to looke to secondary causes without respect to the highest maketh impatience For so we bite at the stone and neglect him that threw it If we take a blow at our equall we returne it with vsurie if of a Prince we repine not What matter is it if God kill me whether he doe it by an Ague or by the hand of a Tyrant Againe in expectation of good to looke to the first cause without care of the second argues idlenesse and causeth want As we cannot helpe our selues without God so God will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues In both I will looke vp to God without repining at the meanes in one or trusting them in the other 27 If my money were another mans I could but keepe it onely the expending shewes it my owne It is greater glory comfort and gaine to lay it out well than to keepe it safely God hath made me not his Treasurer but his Steward 28 Augustines friend Nebridius not vniustly hated a short answer to a weighty and difficult question because the disquisition of great truths requires time and the determining is perillous I will as much hate a tedious and farre-fetched answer to a short and easie question For as that other wrongs the truth so this the hearer 29 Performance is a binder I will request no more fauour of any man than I must needs I will rather chuse to make an honest shift than ouer-much enthrall my selfe by being beholding 30 The World is a Stage euery man an actor and plaies his part here either in a Comedie or Tragedie The good man is a Comedian which how-euer he begins ends merrily but the wicked man acts a Tragedie and therefore euer ends in horrour Thou seest a wicked man vaunt himselfe on this stage stay till the last Act and looke to his end as Dauid did and see whether that be peace Thou wouldest make strange Tragedies if thou wouldest haue but one Act. Who sees an Oxe grazing in a fat and ranke pasture and thinkes not that he is neere to the slaughter whereas the leane beast that toyles vnder the yoke is farre enough from the Shambles The best wicked man cannot be so enuied in his first shewes as he is pitiable in the conclusion 31 Of all obiects of Beneficence I will chuse either an old man or a childe because these are most out of hope to requite The one forgets a good turne the other liues not to repay it 32 That which Pythagoras said of Philosophers is more true of Christians for Christianity is nothing but a diuine and better Philosophy Three sorts of men come to the Market buyers sellers lookers on The two first are both busie and carefully distracted about their Market onely the third liue happily vsing the world as if they vsed it not 33 There be three things which of all other I will neuer striue for the wall the
in our iourney we long not for home Doest thou see men so in loue with their natiue soile that euen when it is all deformed with the desolations of warre and turned into rude heapes or while it is euen now flaming with the fire of ciuill broiles they couet yet still to liue in it preferring it to all other places of more peace and pleasure and shalt thou seeing nothing but peace and blessednesse at home nothing but trouble abroad content thy selfe with a faint wish of thy dissolution If heauen were thy Iayle thou couldest but thinke of it vncomfortably Oh what affection can be worthy of such an home CHAP. XXVII 10. Consid of fit testimonies of Scripture concerning our Theme LAstly if wee can recall any pregnant Testimonies of Scripture concerning our Theme those shall fitly conclude this part of our Meditation Of Scripture for that in these matters of God none but diuine authority can command assent and settle the conscience Witnesses of holy men may serue for colours but the ground must be onely from God There it is saith the Spirit of God which cannot deceiue thee that all teares shall bee wiped from our eies there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine yea there shall not onely bee an end of sorrowes but an abundant recompence for the sorrowes of our life as he that was rapt vp into the third Heauen and there saw what cannot be spoken speaketh yet thus of what he saw I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed to vs It was shewed vnto him what should hereafter be shewed vnto vs and he saw that if all the world full of miseries were laid in one ballance and the least glory of heauen in another those would be incomparably light yea as that diuine Father that one daies felicity aboue were worth a thousand yeeres torment below what then can be matched with the eternity of such ioyes Oh how great therefore is this thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men CHAP. XXVIII Of our second part of Meditation which is in the affections THe most difficult and knotty part of Meditation thus finished there remaineth that which is both more liuely and more easie vnto a good heart to be wrought altogether by the affections which if our discourses reach not vnto they proue vaine and to no purpose That which followeth therefore is the very soule of Meditation whereto all that is past serueth but as an instrument A man is a man by his vnderstanding part but he is a Christian by his will and affections Seeing therefore that all our former labour of the braine is onely to affect the heart after that the minde hath thus trauersed the point proposed through all the heads of reason it shall endeuour to finde in the first place some feeling touch Wherein is required a Taste and rellish of what we haue thought vpon and sweet rellish in that which it hath thus chewed which fruit through the blessing of God will voluntarily follow vpon a serious Meditation Dauid saith Oh taste and see how sweet the Lord is In Meditation we doe both see and taste but we see before we taste sight is of the vnderstanding taste of the affection neither can we see but we must taste we cannot know aright but we must needs be affected Let the heart therefore first conceiue and feele in it selfe the sweetnesse or bitternesse of the matter meditated which is neuer done without some passion nor expressed without some hearty exclamation Oh blessed estate of the Saints O glory not to be expressed euen by those which are glorified O incomprehensible saluation What sauour hath this earth to thee Who can regard the world that beleeueth thee Who can thinke of thee and not be rauished with wonder and desire Who can hope for thee and not reioyce Who can know thee and not be swallowed vp with admiration at the mercy of him that bestoweth thee O blessednesse worthy of Christs bloud to purchase thee Worthy of the continuall songs of Saints and Angels to celebrate thee How should I magnifie thee How should I long for thee How should I hate all this world for thee CHAP. XXIX AFter this Taste shall follow a Complaint Secondly a Complaint be wailing our wants and vntowardnesse wherein the heart bewaileth to it selfe his owne pouertie dulnesse and imperfection chiding and abasing it selfe in respect of his wants and indisposition wherein Humiliation truly goeth before glory For the more we are cast downe in our conceit the higher shall God lift vs vp at the end of this exercise in spirituall reioycing But alas where is my loue Where is my longing Where art thou O my soule What heauinesse hath ouertaken thee How hath the world bewitched and possessed thee that thou art become so carelesse of thine home so senselesse of spirituall delights so fond vpon thâ—se vanities Doest thou doubt whether there be an heauen or whether thou haue a God and a Sauiour there O farre be from thee this Atheisme farre be from thee the least thought of this desperate impiety Woe were thee if thou beleeuedst not But O thou of little Faith doest thou beleeue there is happinesse and happinesse for thee and desirest it not and delightest not in it Alas how weake and vnbeleeuing is thy beleefe How cold and faint are thy desires Tell me what such goodly entertainment hast thou met withall here on earth that was worthy to with-draw thee from these heauenly ioyes What pleasure in it euer gaue thee contentment or what cause of dislike findest thou aboue Oh no my soule it is onely thy miserable drowsinesse onely thy securitie The world the world hath besotted thee hath vndone thee with carelesnesse Alas if thy delight be so cold what difference is there in thee from an ignorant Heathen that doubts of another life yea from an Epicure that denies it Art thou a Christian or art thou none If thou bee what thou professest away with this dull and senselesse worldlinesse away with this earthly vncheerefulnesse shake off at last this prophane and godlesse securitie that hath thus long weighed thee downe from mounting vp to thy ioyes Looke vp to thy God and to thy Crowne and say with confidence O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation CHAP. XXX AFter this Complaint must succeed an hearty and passionate Wish of the soule Thirdly an hearty Wish of the soule for what it complaineth to want which ariseth cleerely from the two former degrees For that which a man hath found sweet and comfortable and complaines that he still wanteth hee cannot but wish to enioy O Lord that I could wait and long for thy saluation Oh that I could minde the things aboue that as I am a stranger indeed so I
though not so blessed yet so shalt thou be separated that my very dust shall be vnited to thee still and to my Sauiour in thee Wert thou vnwilling at the command of thy Creator to ioine thy selfe at the first with this body of mine why art thou then loth to part with that which thou hast found The Testimonies though intire yet troublesome Doest thou not heare Salomon say The day of death is better than the day of thy birth dost thou not beleeue him or art thou in loue with the worse and displeased with the better If any man could haue found a life worthy to be preferred vnto death so great a King must needs haue done it now in his very Throne he commends his Coffin Yea what wilt thou say to those Heathens that mourned at the birth and feasted at the death of their children They knew the miseries of liuing as well as thou the happinesse of dying they could not know and if they reioiced out of a conceit of ceasing to be miserable how shouldest thou cheere thy selfe in an expectation yea an assurance of being happy He that is the Lord of life and tried what it was to die hath proclaimed them blessed that die in the Lord. Those are blessed I know that liue in him but they rest not from their labours Toyle and sorrow is betweene them and a perfect enioying of that blessednesse which they now possesse onely in hope and inchoation when death hath added rest their happinesse is finished O death how sweet is that rest The taste of our Meditation wherewith thou refreshest the weary Pilgrims of this vale of mortalitie How pleasant is thy face to those eies that haue acquainted themselues with the sight of it which to strangers is grim and gastly How worthy art thou to be welcome vnto those that know whence thou art and whither thou tendest who that knowes thee can feare thee who that is not all nature would rather hide himselfe amongst the baggage of this vile life than follow thee to a Crowne what indifferent Iudge that should see life painted ouer with vaine semblances of pleasures attended with troupes of sorrowes on the one side and on the other with vncertaintie of continuance and certaintie of dissolution and then should turne his eyes vnto death and see her blacke but comely attended on the one hand with a momentanie paine with eternitie of glorie on the other would not say out of choice that which the Prophet said out of passion It is better for me to die than to liue But O my Soule what ailes thee to bee thus suddenly backward and fearefull The Complaint No heart hath more freely discoursed of death in speculation no tongue hath more extolled it in absence And now that it is come to thy beds-side and hath drawne thy curtaines and takes thee by the hand and offers thee seruice thou shrinkest inward and by the palenesse of thy face and wildnesse of thine eye bewraiest an amazement at the presence of such a ghest That face which was so familiar to thy thoughts is now vnwelcome to thine eies I am ashamed of this weake irresolution Whitherto haue tended all thy serious meditations what hath Christianitie done to thee if thy feares bee still heathenish Is this thine imitation of so many worthy Saints of God whom thou hast seene entertaine the violentest deaths with smiles and songs Is this the fruit of thy long and frequent instruction Didst thou thinke death would haue beene content with words didst thou hope it would suffice thee to talke while all other suffer Where is thy faith Yea where art thou thy selfe O my soule Is heauen worthy of no more thankes no more ioy Shall Heretikes shall Pagans giue death a better welcome than thou Hath thy Maker thy Redemer sent for thee and art thou loth to goe hath hee sent for thee to put thee in possession of that glorious Inheritance which thy wardship hath cheerefully expected and art thou loth to goe Hath God with this Sergeant of his sent his Angels to fetch thee and art thou loth to goe Rouze vp thy selfe for shame O my soule and if euer thou hast truly beleeued shake off this vnchristian diffidence and addresse thy selfe ioyfully for thy glory The Wish Yea O my Lord it is thou that must raise vp this faint and drooping heart of mine thou onely canst rid me of this weake and cowardly distrust Thou that sendest for my soule canst prepare it for thy selfe thou onely canst make thy messenger welcome to me O that I could but see thy face through death Oh that I could see death not as it was but as thou hast made it Oh that I could heartily pledge thee my Sauiour in this cup that so I might drinke new wine with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome The Confession But alas O my God nature is strong and weake in mee at once I cannot wish to welcome death as it is worthy when I looke for most courage I finde strongest temptations I see and confesse that when I am my selfe thou hast no such coward as I Let me alone and I shall shame that name of thine which I haue professed euery secure worldling shall laugh at my feeblenesse O God were thy Martyrs thus haled to their stakes might they not haue beene loosed from their rackes and chose to die in those torments Let it be no shame for thy seruant to take vp that complaint which thou mad'st of thy better Attendants The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake The Petition and enforcement O thou God of spirits that hast coupled these two together vnite them in a desire of their dissolution weaken this flesh to receiue and encourage this spirit either to desire or to contemne death and now as I grow neerer to my home let me increase in the sense of my ioyes I am thine saue me O Lord It was thou that didst put such courage into thine ancient and late witnesses that they either inuited or challenged death and held their persecutors their best friends for letting them loose from these gieues of flesh I know thine hand is not shortned neither any of them hath receiued more proofes of thy former mercies Oh let thy goodnesse inable me to reach them in the comfortable steddinesse of my passage Doe but draw this vaile a little that I may see my glory and I cannot but be inflamed with the desire of it It was not I that either made this body for the earth or this soule for my body or this heauen for my soule or this glorie of heauen or this entrance into glory All is thine owne worke Oh perfect what thou hast begun that thy praise and my happinesse may be consummate at once The assurance or Confidence Yea O my soule what need'st thou wish the God of mercies to be tender of his owne honour Art thou not a member of that body whereof thy Sauiour
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
that path there is no death and attending thereon Pr. 20.6 Pr. 12.2 all Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous Wouldst thou haue fauour A good man getteth fauour of the Lord. Ioy The righteous shall sing and reioyce and surely to a man that is good in his sight Pr. 29.6 Ec. 2.26 God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy so that the light of the righteous reioyceth but the candle of the wicked shall bee put out Preseruation and deliuerance Lo Pr. 13.9 Pr. 10.25 Pr. 10.29 Pr. 10.30 Pr. 11.4 Pr. 12.13 Pr. 11.8 Pr. 13.6 Pr. 15.6 Pr. 14.11 Pr. 10.27 Pr. 12.7 Ec. 8.12 Pr. 10.24 Pr. 29.18 the righteous is an euerlasting foundation for the way of the Lord is strength to the vpright man so as the righteous shall neuer be remoued and if he be in trouble Riches auaile not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth from death so the righteous shall come out of aduersitie and escape out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead thus euery way Righteousnesse preserueth the vpright in heart Prosperity and wealth The house of the righteous shall haue much treasure and his tabernacle shall flourish Long life The feare of the Lord increaseth the daies and not onely himselfe but his house shall stand And though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and God prolong his daies yet know I that it shall be well to them that feare the Lord and doe reuerence before him And lastly whatsoeuer good God will grant the desire of the righteous and he that keepeth the Law is blessed §. 7. In the estate of wickednesse our good things are accursed Wealth Life Fame Deuotions Prayers Sacrifices Euill inflicted of Losse Paine Affliction Death Damnation Pr. 10.2 Pr. 10.3 COntrarily there is perfect misery in wickednesse Looke on all that might seeme good in this estate Wealth The treasures of the wicked profit nothing the Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he either casteth away the substance of the wicked Pr. 13.25 so that the belly of the wicked shall want or else employeth it to the good of his for the wicked shall be a ransome for the iust Pr. 21.18 Ec. 2.26 and to the sinner God giueth paine to gather and to heape to giue to him that is good before God The wicked man may bee rich Pr. 15.6 Pr. 10.27 Pr. 10.25 Pr. 12.7 Pr. 2.22 Ec. 8.13 but how The reuenues of the wicked is trouble Life The yeeres of the wicked shall be diminished As the whirl-wind passeth so is the wicked no more for God ouerthroweth the wicked and they are not Whatsoeuer therefore their hope be the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be rotted out It shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies hee shall be like to a shadow because he feared not God Pr. 14.11 Pr. 10.7 yea the very house of the wicked shall be destroyed Fame Whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed the name of the wicked shall rot yea looke vpon his best endeuours Pr. 15.29 Pr. 28.9 his Prayers The Lord is farre off from the wicked but heareth the prayer of the righteous farre off from accepting For Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law Pr. 15.8 euen his prayer shall be abominable His sacrifice though well intended as all the rest of his waies is no better than abomination to the Lord how much more when he brings it with a wicked minde Pr. 15.9 Pr. 21.27 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 10.18 Pr. 13.9 Pr. 11.18 Pr. 26.10 Pr. 13.21 Pr. 5.22 Pr. 10.6 Pr. 29.6 Pr. 11.5 Pr. 13.6 Pr. 33.3 Pr. 11.31 Pr. 10.24 Pr. 5.23 And as no good so much euill whether of losse The way of the wicked will deceiue them their hope shall perish especially when they die their candle shall be put out their workes shall proue deceitfull Or of paine for the Excellent that formed all things rewardeth the foole and the transgressor and he hath appointed that Affliction should follow sinners Follow yea ouertake them His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe and couer his mouth and hee shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne euen in the transgression of the euill man is his snare so the wicked shall fall in his owne wickednesse for of it owne selfe iniquity ouerthroweth the sinner But besides that the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked though hand ioyne in hand he shall not be vnpunished behold the righteous shall be paid vpon earth how much more the wicked and the sinner That then which the wicked man feareth shall come vpon him both Death Hee shall die for default of instruction Pr. 11.19 Pr. 1◠32 Pr. 15.11 Pr. 12.2 Pr. 10.29 Pr. 19.29 and that by his owne hands for by following euill he seekes his owne death and after that damnation The wicked shall bee cast away for his malice Hell and destruction are before the Lord and a man of wicked imaginations will hee condemned so both in life in death after it nothing but Terrour shall be for the workers of iniquity where contrarily The feare of the Lord leadeth to life and hee that is filled therewith shall contiue and shall not be visited with euill SALOMONS ETHICKS THE SECOND BOOKE PRVDENCE §. 1. Of Vertue Wherein it consisteth Whereby it is ruled and directed VErtue consists in the meane vice in the extremes Pr. 4.26 Pr. 4.27 Let thy waies be ordered aright Turne not to the right hand nor to the left but remoue thy foot from euill The rule whereof it Gods Law Pr. 6.23 Pr. 30.5 Pr. 4.20 Pr. 4.21 Pr. 4.22 for the commandement is a Lanterne and instruction a light and euery word of God is pure My sonne hearken to my words incline thine eare to my sayings let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thine heart For they are life vnto those that finde them and health vnto all their flesh Pr. 7.2 Pr. 7.3 Keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue and mine instruction as the apple of thine eye Binde them vpon thy fingers and write them vpon the Table of thine heart All vertue is either Prudence Iustice Temperance Fortitude 1. Of Prudence which comprehends Wisdome Prouidence Discretion §. 2. Of wisdome the Description Effects It procures Knowledge Safety from sinne from iudgement Good direction for actions for words Wealth Honour Life THe prudent man is he whose eyes are in his head to see all things and to fore-see Ec. 2.14 Ec. 10.2 Pr. 8.12 Pr. 14.8 Pr. 9.12 Pr. 3.13 and whose heart is at his right hand to doe all dexterously and with iudgement Wisdome dwells with Prudence and findeth forth knowledge and counsels And to describe it The wisdome of the Prudent is to vnderstand his way his owne If thou be wise thou shalt be wise
is he that drinkes the waters of his owne Cisterne Pr. 5.15 Pr. 6.25 that desires not the beautie of a stranger in his heart neither lets her take him with her eye-lids contrarily the incontinent is hee that delights in a strange woman Pr. 5.20 Pr. 2.17 Pr. 23.28 Pr. 23.27 Ec. 7.28 See more of this vice Oecoâ— sect 2. and 3. Pr. 16.32 Pr. 14.29 Pr. 19.11 Pr. 14.29 Pr. 29.8 Pr. 16.23 Pr. 20.3 Ec. 7.11 Ec. 7.11 Pr. 14.17 Pr. 14.29 Pr. 27.4 Pr. 29.22 Pr. 22.24 Pr. 22.25 and embraces the bosome of a stranger or she that forsakes the guide of her youth and forgetteth the couenant of God she lieth in wait for a prey and she increaseth the transgressors amongst men For a whore is as a deepe ditch and a strange woman as a narrow pit Yea I finde more bitter than death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and whose hands as bands he that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Of the second is he that is slow to anger slow to wrath whose discretion deferreth his anger and whose glory is to passe by an offence which moderation as it argues him to be of great wisdome for wise men turne away wrath so it makes him better than the mightie man and procures him iust honour for It is the honour of a man to cease from strife contrary to which is he that is of an hastie spirit to be angry which as it proues him foolâ—sh for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles and he that is hastie to anger not onely committeth folly but exalteth it so it makes him dangerous Anger is cruell and wrath is raging and a furious man aboundeth in transgressions wherefore make no friendship with an angry man lest thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule §. 5. Fortitude In generall The specials of it Confidence Patience in Gods afflictions in mens iniuries Pr. 18.14 Pr. 28.1 Pr. 24.10 Pr. 29.25 Pr. 18 14. Pr. 28.1 Pr. 3.5 Pr. 3.6 Pr. 16.3 Pr. 14.32 Pr. 13.12 Pr. 28.25 Pr. 16.3 Pr. 3.6 Pr. 30.5 Pr. 21.31 Pr. 18.12 Pr. 16.20 Pr. 28.26 Pr. 27.1 FOrtitude is that whereby The spirit of a man sustaines his infirmities which makes the righteous bold as a Lion contrarily the weake of strength is hee that is faint in the day of aduersitie whose feare bringeth a snare vpon him and that desperate A wounded spirit who can beare which is often caused through guiltinesse The wicked fleeth when none pursueth him Confidence is to trust in the Lord with all thine heart and not to leane to thine owne wisdome but in all thy waies to acknowledge him and to commit thy workes to the Lord and to haue hope in thy death and though in other things The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart yet in this he that trusteth in the Lord shall be fat for from hence not onely his thoughts and waies are directed but he receiueth safetie and protection He is a shield to those that trust in him The horse is prepared for the day of battell but saluation is of the Lord. Yea The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth to it and is exalted So that He that trusteth in the Lord he is blessed whereas He that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole and it is a vaine thing to boast thy selfe of to morow for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth Pr. 3.11 Ec. 7.16 Patience is not to refuse the chastening of the Lord neither to bee grieued with his correction The patient man in the day of wealth is of good comfort and in the day of affliction considereth God also hath made this contrarie to that that man should finde nothing after him whereof to complaine knowing that the Lord correcteth whom hee loueth Pr. 3.12 Pr. 10.28 Pr. 19.3 Ec. 6.10 Pr. 29.1 and that the patient abiding of the righteous shall bee gladnesse Contrarily The heart of the foole fretteth against the Lord he is carelesse and rageth but to what purpose Man cannot striue with him that is stronger than he yea rather the man that hardeneth his necke when he is rebuked shall suddenly bee destroied and cannot be cured Pr. 20.22 in respect of mens iniuries Hee saith not I will recompence euill but waits vpon the Lord and hee shall saue him In which regard the patient in spirit that suffers Ec. 7.10 is better than the proud of spirit that requites SALOMONS POLITICKS OR COMMON-WEALTH THE FIRST BOOKE His KING COVNCELLOVR COVRTIER SVBIECT By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. SALOMONS POLITICKS OR Common-Wealth And first HIS KING §. 1. Degrees must be and are subordinate highest not many but one and those from God IN all well ordered gouernments there are degrees And higher than the highest and yet an higher than they and these Ec. 5.7 of Gods appointment not onely in the inferiour ranks The rich and poore meet and the Lord is the Maker of them all but in the supreme Pr. 2.22 By me Kings raigne saith Wisdome and Princes decree Iustice Pr. 8.15 Pr. 8.16 Pr. 30.27 and not they onely but the Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth so it is a iust wonder that the Grashoppers haue no King yet they goe forth by bands And as no King is a iudgement so many for Because of the transgression of the Land there are many Princes many Pr. 28.2 not onely in frequent succession but in society of regiment §. 2. In a King are described Quality of his person Naturall Morall Actions A King must be high as in place so in bloud Blessed art thou O Land Ec. 10.17 when thy King is the sonne of Nobles not of any seruile condition Pr. 19.10 Ec. 10.17 for nothing can be more vncomly than for a seruant to haue rule ouer Princes and it is a monster in State to see seruants ride on horses and Princes of bloud to walke as seruants on the ground neither more monstrous than intollerable There are three things for which the earth is moued Pr. 30.21 Pr. 30.22 yea foure which it cannot sustaine whereof one is A seruant when he raigneth §. 3. Morall qualities Negatiue what one he Not lasciuious Not riotous Not hollow and dissembling Not childish Not imprudent Not oppressing may not be Affirmatiue ANd as his bloud is heroicall so his disposition not lascinious What Pr. 31.25 Ec. 2.10 O my sonne of my desires giue not thy strength to women nor thy waies But why should he withhold from his eyes whatsoeuer they can desire Ec. 2.8 Can. 6.7 Pr. 31.3 Ec. 7.28 and withdraw his heart from any ioy why may he not haue all the delights of the sonnes of men as women taken captiue as Queenes and Concubines and
Redeemer If thou die not if not willingly thou goest contrary to him and shalt neuer meet him Si per singules diâ—s pro â—o moreremur qui nos dlexit non sic debitum exolueremus Chrys Though thou shouldest euery day die a death for him thou couldest neuer requite his one death and doest thou sticke at one Euery word hath his force both to him and thee he died which is Lord of life and commander of death thou art but a tenant of life a subiect of death and yet it was not a dying but a giuing vp not of a vanishing and airy breath but of a spirituall soule which after separation hath an entire life in it selfe Hee gaue vp the Ghost hee died that hath both ouercome and sanctified and sweetned death What fearest thou Hee hath pull'd out the sting and malignity of death If thou bee a Christian carry it in thy bosome it hurts thee not Darest thou not trust thy Redeemer If hee had not died Death had beene a Tyrant now hee is a slaue O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victory Yet the Spirit of God saith not hee died but gaue vp the ghost The very Heathen Poet saith Hee durst not say that a good man dies It is worth the noting me thinkes that when Saint Luke would describe to vs the death of Annanias and Sapphirâ— hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee expired but when Saint Iohn would describe Christs death hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gaue vp the ghost How How gaue he it vp and whither So as after a sort he retained it his soule parted from his body his Godhead was neuer distracted either from soule or body this vnion is not in nature but in person If the natures of Christ could be diuided each would haue his subsistence so there should be more persons God forbid one of the natures thereof may haue a separation in it selfe the soule from the body one nature cannot bee separate from other or either nature from the person If you cannot conceiue wonder the Sonne of God hath wedded vnto himselfe our humanity without all possibility of diuorce the body hangs on the Crosse the soule is yeelded the Godhead is 〈◊〉 vnited to them both acknowledges sustaines them both The soule in his agony foules not the presence of the Godhead the body vpon the Crosse â—â—â—les not the presence of the soule Yet as the Fathers of Chalcedon say truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indiuisibly inseparably is the Godhead with both of these still and euer one and the same person The Passion of Christ as Augustine was the sleepe of his Diuinity so I may say The death of Christ was the sleepe of his humanitie If hee sleepe hee shall doe well said that Disciple of Lazarus Death was too weake to dissolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction Let not vs Christians goe too much by sense wee may bee firmely knit to God and not feele it thou canst not hope to be so neere thy God as Christ was vnited personally thou canst not feare that God should seeme more absent from thee Quantumcunque te dâ—ieceris haâ—iâ—ior non eris Christo Hieron than he did from his own Son yet was he still one with both body and soule when they were diuided from themselues when he was absent to sense he was present to faith when absent in vision yet in vnion one and the same so will he be to thy soule when hee is at worst Hee is thine and thou are his if thy hold seeme loosened his is not When temptations will not let thee see him he sees thee and possesses thee onely beleeue thou against sense aboue hope and though he kill thee yet trust in him Whither gaue he it vp Himselfe expresses Father into thy hands And This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise It is iustice to restore whence wee receiue Into thy hands Hee knew where it should be both safe and happy True he might bee bold thou sayest as the Sonne with the Father The seruants haue done so Dauid before him Stephen after him And lest we should not thinke it our common right Father saith hee I will that those thou hast giuen mee may bee with mee euen where I am he wils it therefore it must bee It is not presumption but faith to charge God with thy spirit neither can there euer be any beleeuing soule so meane that he should refuse it all the feare is in thy selfe how canst thou trust thy iewell with a stranger What sudden familiarity is this God hath beene with thee and gone by thee thou hast not saluted him and now in all the haste thou bequeathest thy soule to him On what acquaintance How desperate is this carelesnesse If thou haue but a little money whether thou keepe it thou layest it vp in thy Temple of trust or whether thou let it thou art sure of good assurance sound bonds If but a little land how carefully doest thou make firme conueiances to thy desired heires If goods thy Will hath taken secure order who shall enioy them Wee need not teach you Citizens to make sure worke for your estates If children thou disposest of them in trades with portions onely of thy soule which is thy selfe thou knowest not what shall become The world must haue it no more thy selfe wouldest keepe it but thou knowest thou canst not Sathan would haue it thou knowest not whether he shall thou wouldest haue God haue it and thou knowest not whether he will yea thy heart is now ready with Pharaoh to say Who is the Lord O the fearefull and miserable estate of that man that must part with his soule he knowes not whither which if thou wouldest auoid as this very warning shall iudge thee if thou doe not be acquainted with God in thy life that thou mayest make him the Guardian of thy soule in thy death Giuen vp it must needs be but to him that hath gouerned it if thou haue giuen it to Sathan in thy life how canst thou hope God will in thy death entertaine it Did you not hate me and expell mee out of my fathers house how then come yee to mee now in this time of your tribulation said Iephta to the men of Gilead No no either giue vp thy soule to God while he cals for it in his word in the prouocations of his loue in his afflictions in the holy motion of his spirit to thine or else when thou wouldest giue it he will none of it but as a Iudge to deliuer it to the Tormentor What should God doe with an vncleane drunken prophane proud couetous soule Without holinesse it is no seeing of God Depart from me ye wicked I know ye not Goe to the gods you haue serued See how God is euen with men they had in the time of the Gospell said to the holy name of Israel Depart from vs now in the time of iudgement he
not sustaine vs while we are Away with these weake diffidences and if wee bee Christians trust God with his owne Psal 37.34 Wait thou on the Lord and keepe his wayes and he shall exalt thee He will make all things new And shall all things be made new and our hearts bee old Shall nothing but our soules be out of the fashion Surely beloued none but new hearts are for the new heauens Except we be borne anew we enter not into life All other things shall in the very instant receiue their renouation onely our hearts must bee made new before hand or else they shall neuer be renewed to their glory S. Peter when he had told vs of looking for new heauens and new earth infers this vse vpon it Wherefore beloued seeing yee looke for such things 2 Pet. 3.14 be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Behold the new heauens require pure and spotlesse inhabitants As euer therefore we looke to haue our part in this blessed renouation let vs cast off all our euill and corrupt affections put off the old man with his works and now with the new yeere put on the new labour for a new heart begin a new life That which S. Iohn sayes here that God will say and doe in our entrance to glorification Behold I make all things new 2 Cor. 5.17 out of Esa 43. Saint Paul saith he hath done it already in our regeneration Old things are passed away all things are become new What meanes this but that our regeneration must make way for our glorification and that our glory must but perfect our regeneration and God supposes this is done when there are meanes to doe it Why doe we then still in spight of the Gospell retaine our old corruptions and thinke to goe to the wedding feast in our old clothes if some of vs do not rather as the vulgar reads that Iudg. 10 6. Addere nona veteribus adde new sinnes to our old new oathes new fashions of pride new complements of drunkennesse new deuices of filthinesse new tricks of Machiauelisme these are our nouelties which fetch downe from God new iudgements vpon vs to the tingling of the eares of all hearers and for which Topheth was prepared of old If God haue no better newes for vs we shall neuer enioy the new heauen with him For Gods sake therefore and for our soules sake let vs be wiser and renew our couenant with God and seeing this is a day of gifts let my New-yeeres-gift to you be this holy aduice from God which may make you happy for euer Let your New-yeeres-gift to God be your hearts the best part of your selues the center of your selues to which all our actions are circumferences and if they bee such a present as we haue reason to feare God will not accept because they are sinfull yet if they be humbled if penitent we know he will receiue them Psal 51. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise And if we cannot giue him our hearts yet giue him our desires and he will take our vnworthy hearts from vs I will take the stony hearts out of their bodies Ezec. 11.19 and he will graciously returne an happy New-yeeres-gift to vs Ezec. 11.14 I will put a new spirit within their bowels and will giue them an heart of flesh He will create a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within vs so as he will make a new heauen for vs he will make vs new for this heauen hee will make his Tabernacle in vs that hee may make ours with him Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men c. The superstitious Listrians cryed out amazed that Gods were come downe to them in the likenesse of men but we Christians know that it is no rare thing for God to come and dwell with men Yea are the Temples of the liuing God 2 Cor. 6.16 and I will dwell among them and walke there The faithfull heart of man is the Tabernacle of God But because though God bee euer with vs wee are not alwaies so with him yea whiles wee are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord as S. Paul complaines therefore will God vouchsafe vs a neerer cohabitation that shall not be capable of any interposition of any absence Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men But besides this Tabernacle of flesh time was when God dwelt in a materiall visible house with men Hee had his Tabernacle first which was a mouing Temple and then his Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 which was a fixed Tabernacle both of them had one measure both one name But as one said vpon that Eze. 42. Mensus est similitudinem domus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that both the Tabernacle and Temple were similitudes of Gods house rather than the house it selfe so say I that they were intended for notable resemblances both of the holy Church of God vpon earth and of the glorious Sanctuarie of heauen This is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 1 Pet. 2.5 which word signifieth both a Temple Ezra 4.1 and a Palace Dan. 1.4 because he dwels where he is worshipped and he is magnificent in both It is the materiall Tabernacle which is alluded to the immateriall which is promised A Tabernacle that goes a thousand times more beyond the glittering Temple of Salomon than Salomons Temple went beyond the Tabernacle of Moses Neither let it trouble any man that the name of a Tabernacle implies flitting and vncertaintie For as the Temple howsoeuer it were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a house of Ages yet lasted not either the first I meane or second vnto 500. yeeres so this house though God call it a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 16.9 yet he makes it an euerlasting habitation for he tels vs that both age and death are gone before it come downe to men But why rather doth the Tabernacle of God descend to men than men ascend to it Whether this be in respect of Iohns vision to whom the new Ierusalem seemed to descend from heauen descendit as one saith innotescendo and therefore it is resembled by all the riches of this inferiour world gold precious stones pearle or whether heauen is therefore said to descend to vs because it meets vs in the aire 1 Thess 4.16 when Christ Iesus attended with innumerable Angels shall descend to fetch his elect or whether this phrase be vsed for a greater expression of loue and mercy since it is more for Prince to come to vs than for vs to goe to his Court. Certainly God meanes only in this to set forth that perpetuall and reciprocall conuersation which hee will haue with men They shall dwell with God God shall dwell with them Our glory begins euer in grace God doth dwell with all those in grace with whom hee will dwell in glory Euery Christian carries in his
not without the interuention of a Sauiour To which claime is laid in two kindes either as imputatiue or as inherent The inherent wrought in vs the imputed wrought for vs. How easie were it to leade you through a thicket of distinctions into a large field of controuersie concerning the nature meanes manner of our Iustification No head in all Diuinity yeelds either more or more important Problems In so much as Cardinall De Monte Vice-President for the time of the Councell of Trent in an Oration made by him in the eleuenth session professes that when they meant to dispatch their Decree concerning Iustification in fifteene daies it cost them seuen moneths to finish without one daies intermission and when all is done they haue left the world which was before as Pighius ingenuously intricated by the thorny questions of Schoolemen rather more vnsatisfied and perplexed than they found it It is the maine care of our liues and deaths what shall giue vs peace and acceptation before the dreadfull Tribunall of God What but righteousnesse What righteousnesse or whose Ours or Christs Ours in the inherent graces wrought in vs in the holy works wrought by vs or Christs in his most perfect obedience and meritorious satisfaction wrought for vs applied to vs The Tridentine faction is for the former wee are for the latter God is as direct on our side as his Word can make him Euery where blazoning the defects of our owne righteousnesse the imperfections of our best Graces the deadly nature of our least sinnes the radicall sinfulnesse of our habituall concupiscence the pollution of our best works Euery where extolling the perfect obedience of our Redeemer the gracious application of that obedience the sweet comfort of that application the assurance and vnfailablenesse of that comfort and lastly our happy rest in that assurance I instance not open the Booke see where your eies can looke beside these Satis apertè saith their Cassander The Scripture is cleare ours So is all antiquity if they beleeue that learned Arbiter So are their more ingenuous Doctors of the last age So would they all be if they had grace to know God themselues grace sinne heauen hell God perfectly iust themselues miserably weake Grace sensibly imperfect sinne vnmeasurably sinfull Lastly if they knew that heauen is for none but the pure that hell is for the presumptuous O Sauiour no man is iust through thee but he that is sanctified by thee What is our inherent justice but sanctity That we aspire towards wee attaine not to Woe were vs if we were not more iust in thee than sanctified in our selues wee are sanctified in part according to the weaknesse of our receit we are iustified thorowly according to the perfection of thine acceptation were we fully sanctified here we should be more than men were we not thorowly iustified we should be no more than sinners before thee whiles wee stand before thee as sinners we can haue no peace Let others trust in the Charets and Horses of their owne strength wee will remember the Name of the Lord our God The worke of thy Iustice shall bee our peace Peace is a sweet word Euery body would be glad of it especially Peace at the last as the Psalmist speakes How haue the politickly religious held out twigs for the drowning soule to catch at Due satisfactions vndue supererogations patronages of Saints bargaines of Indulgences woolward pilgrimages and at last after whips and haire-clothes leaue the dying soule to a feare of Hell doubt of Heauen assurance of Purgatory flames How truly may it now say to these Doctors as Iob to his friends Miserable comforters are yee all Hearken O yee deare Christians to a better voice that sounds from heauen Mat. 11.28 Come to mee all yee that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest Is there any of you whose vnquiet brest boiles continually with the conscience of any foule sin whose heart is daily tyr'd vpon by the vultur of his secret guiltinesse whose bosome is gnawed before-hand with that hellish Worme which can no more giue ouer than die It bootes not to aske thee if thou wouldest haue peace Peace Rather than life Oh wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the most high God Micah 6. Shal I come before him with burnt offerings Wil the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes or with tenne thousand Riuers of Oyle Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Heare O thou distracted heart what talkest thou of giuing to the owner The world is his thou art not thine owne Yea were these things thine and not his yet know it is not giuing but taking that must procure thy peace An infinite Iustice is offended an infinite Iustice hath satisfied an infinite mercy hath applied it Take thou hold by the hand of faith on that infinite mercy and justice of thy Sauiour The worke of his Iustice shall be thy peace Fly about whither thou wilt O thou weary Doue thorow all the wide Regions of the heauen waters thou shalt no where finde rest for the soles of thy feet but in this Arke of Christs perfect righteousnesse In vaine shalt thou seeke it in schooles of morality in learned Libraries in spacious fields and forrests in pleasant gardens in sullen retirednesse in witty conuersation in wanton Theaters in drunken cellers in tables of gluttony in beds of iust chests of Mammon whiffes and draughts of intoxication songs of ribaldry sports of recreation No no the more thou seekest it in most of these the further it flies from thee the further thou art from finding it and if these things may giue some poore truce to thy thoughts it shall soone end in a more direfull warre There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Stray whither thou wilt O thou wounded heart thorow the Lawnds and Woods alas the shaft sticks still in thee or if that bee shaken out the head None but the soueraigne Dittany of thy Sauiours righteousnes can driue it out and till it be out thou canst haue no peace In plaine termes wouldst thou haue peace None but Christ can giue it thee He will giue it to none but the penitent none but the faithfull Oh spend thy selfe into the sighes and teares of true repentance and then raise thy humbled soule to a liuely confidence in thine all-sufficient Redeemer Set thy Lord Iesus betwixt God and thy sins God cannot see thy debt but through thine acquitance By his stripes we are healed by his wounds we are stanched by his death we are quickned by his righteousnesse we are discharged The worke of his righteousnesse is our peace Oh safe and blessed condition of beleeuers Let sinne Satan world death hel doe their worst Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ that died yea rather that
issue can distinguish betwixt a Dauid and a Doeg when they are both in the Tabernacle Honest Ahimelech could little suspect that he now offered a Sacrifice for his Executioner yea for the Murtherer of all his Family Oh the wise and deepe iudgements of the Almighty God owed a reuenge to the House of Eli and now by the delation of Doeg he takes occasion to pay it It was iust in God which in Doeg was most vniust Sauls cruelty and the trecherie of Doeg doe not lose one dram of their guilt by the Counsell of God neither doth the holy Counsell of God gather any blemish by their wickednesse If it had pleased God to inflict death vpon them sooner without any pretence of occasion his Iustice had beene cleere from all imputations now if Saul and Doeg be in stead of a pestilence or feuer who can cauill The iudgements of God are not open but are alwaies iust He knowes how by one mans sinne to punish the sinne of another and by both their sinnes and punishments to glorifie himselfe If his word sleepe it shall not dye but after long intermissions breakes forth in those effects which wee had forgotten to looke for and ceased to feare O Lord thou art sure when thou threatnest and iust when thou iudgest Keepe thou vs from the sentence of death else in vaine shall we labour to keepe our selues from the execution Contemplations THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE Containing SAVL in DAVIDS Caue NABAL and ABIGAIL DAVID and ACHISH SAVL and the Witch of Endor ZIKLAG spoyled and reuenged The death of SAVL ABNER and IOAB By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD PHILIP EARLE OF MONGOMERY ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN OF HIS MAIESTIES Bed-chamber and Knight of the most Honourable Order of the GARTER RIGHT HONOVRABLE AFter some vnpleasing intermissions Ireturne to that taske of Contemplation wherin onely my soule findeth rest Jf in other imployments I haue indeuoured to serue God and his Church yet in none I must confesse with equall contentment Me thinkes Controuersie is not right in my way to Heauen how euer the importunitie of an Aduersary may force me to fetch it in If Truth oppressed by an erroneous Teacher cry like a rauisht Virgin for my aid J betray it if J releeue it not when J haue done J returne gladly to these paths of Peace The fauour which my late Polemicall labour hath found beyond merit from the Learned cannot diuert my loue to those wrangling Studies How earnestly doth my heart rather wish an vniuersall cessation of these Armes that all the Professors of the deare Name of Christ might bee taken vp with nothing but holy and peaceable thoughts of Deuotion the sweetnesse whereof hath so farre affected mee that if I might doe it without danger of mis-construction I could beg euen of an Enemie this leaue to bee happy I haue already giuen account to the World of some expences of my houres this way and heere I bring more which if some Reader may censure as poore none can censure as vnprofitable J am bold to write them vnder your Honorable Name whereto I am deeply obliged that I may leaue behinde me this meane but faithfull Testimony of mine humble thankfulnesse to your Lordship and your most honoured and vertuous Ladie The noble respects J haue had from you both deserue my Prayers and best seruices which shall neuer be wanting to you and yours From your Honours sincerely deuoted in all true duty IOS HALL Contemplations SAVL IN DAVIDS CAVE IT was the strange lot of Dauid that those whom he pursued preserued him from those whom he had preserued The Philistims whom Dauid had newly smitten in Keilah call off Saul from smiting Dauid in the wildernesse when there was but an hillocke betwixt him and death Wicked purposes are easily checked not easily broken off Sauls Sword is scarce dry from the bloud of the Philistims when it thirsts anew for the bloud of Dauid and now in a renewed chase hunts him dry-foot thorow euery wildernesse The very Desart is too faire a refuge for innocence The hils and rockes are searched in an angry iealousie the very wilde Goats of the mountaines were not allowed to be companions for him which had no fault but his vertue Oh the seemingly-vnequall distribution of these earthly things Cruelty and oppression reignes in a Palace whiles goodnesse lurkes among the Rockes and Caues and thinkes it happinesse enough to steale a life Like a dead man Dauid is faine to be hid vnder the earth and seekes the comfort of protection in darknesse and now the wise prouidence of God leades Saul to his enemy without bloud He which before brought them within an hils dâ—stance without interuiew brings them now both within one roofe so as that whiles Saul seekes Dauid and finds him not he is found of Dauid vnsought If Saul had known his own opportunities how Dauid and his men had interred themselues he had saued a treble labour of chase of execution and buriall for had he but stopt the mouth of that Caue his enemies had laid themselues downe in their owne Graues The Wisdome of God thinkes fit to hide from euill men and spirits those meanes and seasons which might be if they had beene taken most preiudiciall to his owne we had beene oft foiled if Satan could but haue knowne our hearts sometimes we lie open to euils and happy it is for vs that he only knowes it which pitâ—ies in stead of tempting vs. It is not long since Saul said of Dauid lodged then in Keilah God hath deliuered him into mine hands for he is shut in seeing he is come into a city that hath gates and bars but now contrarily God deliuers Saul ere he was aware into the hands of Dauid and without the helpe of gates and barres hath inclosed him within the Valley of death How iust is it with God that those who seeke mischiefe to others finde it to themselues and euen whiles they are spreading nets are insnared Their deliberate plotting of euill is surprized with a sudden iudgement How amazedly must Dauid needs looke when hee saw Saul enter into the Caue where himselfe was what is this thinkes he which God hath done Is this presence purposed or casuall is Saul here to pursue or to tempt me Where suddenly the action bewrayes the intent and tels Dauid that Saul sought secrecy and not him The superfluity of his maliciousnesse brought him into the Wildernesse the necessity of nature led him into the Caue Euen those actions wherein wee place shame are not exempted from a prouidence The fingers of Dauids followers itched to sease on their Masters enemy and that they might not seeme led so much by faction as by faith they vrge Dauid with a promise from God The day is come whereof the Lord said vnto thee Behold I will deliuer thine enemy into thine hand and thou shalt do to him as it shall seeme
God moued and Satan moued Neither is it any excuse to Satan or Dauid that God moued neither is it any blemish to God that Satan moued The rulers sinne is a punishment to a wicked people though they had many sinnes of their owne whereon God might haue grounded a iudgement yet as before he had punisht them with dearth for Sauls sinne so now hee will not punish them with plague but for Dauids sinne If God were not angry with a people hee would not giue vp their gouernors to such euils as whereby he is prouoked to vengeance and if their gouernours be thus giuen vp the people cannot be safe The body drownes not whiles the head is aboue the water when that once sinkes death is neere Iustly therefore are we charged to make prayers and supplications as for all so especially for those that are in eminent authoritie when we pray for our selues we pray not alwayes for them but we cannot pray for them and not pray for our selues the publique weale is not comprised in the priuate but the priuate in the publique What then was Dauids sinne He will needs haue Israel and Iudah numbred Surely there is no malignity in numbers Neither is it vnfit for a Prince to know his owne strength this is not the first time that Israel hath gone vnder a reckoning The act offends not but the mis-affection The same thing had bin commendably done out of a Princely prouidence which now through the curiositie pride mis-confidence of the doer proues hainously vicious Those actions which are in themselues indifferent receiue either their life or their bane from the intentions of the agent Moses numbreth the people with thankes Dauid with displeasure Those sinnes which carie the smoothest foreheads and haue the most honest appearances may more prouoke the wrath of God then those which beare the most abomination in their faces How many thousand wickednesses passed through the hands of Israel which wee men would rather haue branded out for a iudgement then this of Dauids The righteous Iudge of the world censures sinnes not by their ill lookes but by their foule hearts Who can but wonder to see Ioab the Saint and Dauid the trespasser No Prophet could speake better then that man of blood The Lord thy God increase the people an hundredfold more then they be and that the eyes of my Lord the King may see it but why doth my Lord the King desire this thing There is no man so lewd as not to be somtimes in good moods as not to dislike some euill contrarily no man on earth can be so holy as not sometimes to ouerlash It were pitie that either Ioab or Dauid should be tryed by euery act How commonly haue we seene those men ready to giue good aduice to others for the auoiding of some sins who in more grosse outrages haue not had grace to counsell their owne hearts The same man that had deserued death from Dauid for his treacherous cruelty disswade Dauid from an act that caried but a suspition of euill It is not so much to be regarded who it is that admonisheth vs as what hee brings Good counsell is neuer the worse for the foule cariage There are some dishes that wee may eate euen from sluttish hands The purpose of sinne in a faithfull man is odious much more the resolution Notwithstanding Ioabs discreet admonition Dauid will hold on his course and will know the number of the people onely that he may know it Ioab and the Captaines addresse themselues to the worke In things which are not in themselues euill it is not for subiects to dispute but to obey That which authoritie may sinne in commanding is done of the inferiour not with safety onely but with praise Nine moneths and twenty dayes is this generall muster in hand at last the number is brought in Israel is found eight hundred thousand strong Iudah fiue hundred thousand the ordinary companies which serued by course for the royall guard foure and twenty thousand each moneth needed not be reckoned the addition of them with their seuerall Captaines raises the summe of Israel to the rate of eleuen hundred thousand A power able to puffe vp a carnall heart but how can an heart that is more then flesh trust to an arme of flesh Oh holy Dauid whither hath a glorious vanity transported thee Thou which once didst sing so sweetly Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for that is no helpe in him His breath departeth and hee returneth to his earth then his thought perish Blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God How canst thou now stoope to so vnsafe and vnworthy a confidence As some stomackfull horse that will not be stopt in his career with the sharpest â—it but runnes on heaâ—ily till he come to some wall or ditch and their stands still and trembles so did Dauid All the disswasions of Ioab could not restraine him from his intended course almost ten moneths doth hee runne on impetuously in a way of his owne rough and dangerous at last his heart smites him the conscience of his offence and the feare of iudgement haue fetcht him vpon his knees O Lord I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly It is possible for a sinne not to bait onely but to soiourne in the holiest soule but though it soiourne there as a stranger it shall not dwell there as an owner The renued heart after some rouings of errour will once ere ouer-long returne home to it selfe and fall out with that ill guide wherewith it was misled and with it selfe for being misled and now it is resolued into teares and breathes forth nothing but sighs and confessions and deprecations Here needed no Nathan by a parabolicall circumlocution to fetch in Dauid to a sight and acknowledgement of his sinne the heart of the penitent supplyed the Prophet no others tongue could smite him so deepe as his owne thoughts But though his reines chastised him in the night yet his Seer scourges him in the morning Thus saith the Lord I offer thee three things choose thee which of them I shall doe vnto thee But what shall we say to this When vpon the Prophets reproofe for an adultery clokeâ— with murder Dauid did but say I haue sinned it was presently returned God hath put away thy sinne neither did any smart follow but the death of a mis-begotten infant and now when he voluntarily reproued himselfe for but a needlesse muster and sought for pardon vnbidden with great humiliation God sends him three terrible scourges Famine Sword or Pestilence that he may choose with which of them he had rather to bleed he shall haue the fauour of an election not of a remission God is more angred with a spirituall and immediate affront offered to his Majestie in
God and to Dauid Araunah is loth to bargaine Since it was for God Dauid wisheth to pay deare I will not offer burnt-offering to the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing Heroicall spirits doe well become eminent persons He that knew it was better to giue then receiue would not receiue but giue There can be no deuotion in a niggardly heart As vnto dainty palates so to the godly soule that tasts sweetest that costs most Nothing is deare enough for the Creator of all things It is an heartlesse piety of those base-minded Christians that care onely to serue God good cheape Contemplations THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE Adonijah defeated Dauids end and Salomons beginning The execution of Ioab and Shimei Salomons choice with his Iudgement vpon the two Harlots The Temple Salomon with the Queene of Sheba Salomons defection BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY WORTHILY MVCH HONOVRED FRIEND SIR HENRY MILDMAY KNIGHT MASTER OF THE IEWELL-HOVSE ALL GRACE AND PEACE SIR Besides all priuate obligations your very name challengeth from mee all due seruices of loue and honour Jf I haue receiued mercy to beare any fruit next vnder heauen J may thanke the stocke wherein J was ymped which was set by no other then the happy hand of your Right Honorable Grandfather How haue J so long forborne the publike Testimonie of my iust gratulations and thankfull respects to so true an heire of his noble Vertues Pardon me that I pay this debt so late and accept of this parcell of my well-meant labours Wherein you shall see Salomon both in his rising and setting his rising hopefull and glorious his declination fearfull You shall see the proofes of his early graces of mercy in sparing Adonijah and Abiathar of iustice in punishing that riuall of his with Ioab and Shimei of wisedome in his award betwixt the two Harlots and the administration of his Court and State of pietie in building and hallowing the Temple all dashed in his fall repaired in his repentance J haue no cause to misdoubt either the acceptation or vse of these mine high pitched thoughts which together with your selfe and your worthy and vertuous Lady J humbly commend to the care and blessing of the highest who am bound by your worth and merits to be euer Your syncerely and thankfully deuoted in all obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE ADONIJAH Defeated DAVID had not so carefully husbanded his yeeres as to maintaine a vigorous age he was therfore what through warres what with sorrowes what with sicknesse decrepit betimes By that time hee was seuentie yeeres old his naturall heat was so wasted that his clothes could not warme him how many haue wee knowne of more strength at more age The holiest soule dwels not in an impregnable fort If the reuenging Angel spared Dauid yet age and death will not spare him Neither his new altar nor his costly sacrifice can be of force against decay of nature Nothing but death can preuent the weaknesses of age None can blame a people if when they haue a good King they are desirous to hold him Dauids seruants and subiects haue commended vnto his bed a faire yong Virgin not for the heat of lust but of life that by this meanes they might make an outward supply of fuell for that vitall fire which was well-neere extinguished with age As it is in the market or the stage so it is in our life One goes in another comes out when Dauid was withering Adonijah was in his blossome That sonne as he was next to Absalom both in the beautie of his body and the time of his birth so was he too like him in practice He also taking aduantage of his fathers infirmity will bee caruing himselfe of the Kingdome of Israel That he might no whit vary from his patterne he gets him also Chariots and Horsemen and fifty men to runne before him These two Absalom and Adonijah were the darlings of their father Their father had not displeased them from their childhood therefore they both displeased him in his age Those children had need to bee very gracious that are not marred with pampering It is more then God owes vs if we receiue comfort in those children whom wee haue ouer-loued The indulgence of parents at last paies them home in crosses It is true that Adonijah was Dauids eldest son now remaining and therefore might seeme to challenge the iustest title to the Crowne But the Kingdome of Israel in so late in erection had not yet knowne the right of succession God himselfe that had ordained the gouernment was as yet the immediate elector Hee fetcht Saul from among the stuffe and Dauid from the sheepfold and had now appointed Salomon from the ferule to the Scepter And if Adonijah which is vnlike had not knowne this yet it had been his part to haue taken his father with him in this claime of his succession and not so to preuent a brother that he should shoulder out a father and not so violently to preoccupate the throne that he should rather be a rebell then an heire As Absalom so Adonijah wants not furtherers in this vsurpation whether spirituall or temporall Ioab the Generall and Abiathar the Priest giue both counsell and aid to so vnseasonable a challenge These two had beene firme to Dauid in all his troubles in all insurrections yet now finding him fastned to the bed of age and death they shew themselues thus slipperie in the loose Outward happinesse and friendship are not knowne till our last act In the impotency of either our reuenge or recompence it will easily appeare who loued vs for our selues who for their owne ends Had not Adonijah knowne that Salomon was designed to the Kingdome both by God and Dauid he had neuer inuited all the rest of the Kings sonnes his brethren and left our Salomon who was otherwise the most vnlikely to haue beene his riuall in this honor all the rest were elder then hee and might therefore haue had more pretence for their competition Doubtlesse the Court of Israel could not but know that immediately vpon the birth of Salomon God sent him by Nathan the Prophet a name and message of loue neither was it for nothing that God called him Iedidiah and fore-promised him the honor of building an house to his Name and in returne of so glorious a seruice the establishment of the throne of his Kingdome ouer Israel for euer Notwithstanding all which Adonijah backed by the strength of a Ioab and the grauitie of an Abiathar will vnderworke Salomon and iustle into the not-yet-vacant seat of his father Dauid Vaine men whiles like proud and yet brittle clay they will be knoking their sides against the solid and eternall decree of God breake themselues in peeces I doe not finde that Adonijah sent any message of threats or vnkindnesse to Zadok the Priest or Nathan the prophet or Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada and the other worthies onely he inuited
deserued it Whence it comes that we are so loth to thinke of our dissolution and going to God for naturally where we are not acquainted we Iist not to hazard our welcome chusing rather to spend our money at a simple Inne than to turne in for a free lodging to an vnknowne Oast whom we haue onely heard of neuer had friendship with whereas to an entire friend whose nature and welcome we know and whom wee haue elsewhere familiarly conuersed withal we goe as boldly willingly as to our home knowing that no houre can be vnseasonable to such a one whiles on the other side we scrape acquaintance with the world that neuer did vs good euen after many repulses I will not liue with God and in God without his acquaintance knowing it my happinesse to haue such a friend I will not let one day passe without some act of renewing my familiaritie with him not giuing ouer till I haue giuen him some testimonie of my loue to him and ioy in him and till he hath left behinde him some pledge of his continued fauour to me 30 Men for the most part would neither die nor be old When we see an aged man that hath ouer-liued all the teeth of his gums the haire of his head the sight of his eies the taste of his palate we professe we would not liue till such a combersome age wherein we proue burdens to our dearest friends and our selues yet if it be put to our choice what yeere we would die we euer shift it off till the next and want not excuses for this prorogation rather than faile alleaging we would liue to amend when yet wee doe but adde more to the heape of our sinnes by continuance Nature hath nothing to plead for this folly but that life is sweet wherein wee giue occasion of renewing that ancient checke or one not vnlike to it whereby that primitiue vision taxed the timorousnesse of the shrinking Confessors Yee would neither liue to bee old nor die ere your age what should I doe with you The Christian must not thinke it enough to endure the thought of death with patience when it is obtruded vpon him by necessitie but must voluntarily call it into his minde with ioy not onely abiding it should come but wishing that it might come I will not leaue till I can resolue if I might die to day not to liue till to morrow 31 As a true friend is the sweetest contentment in the world so in his qualities hee well resembleth hony the sweetest of all liquors Nothing is more sweet to the taste nothing more sharpe and cleansing when it meets with an exulcerate sore For my selfe I know I must haue faults and therefore I care not for that friend that I shall neuer smart by For my friends I know they cannot be faultlesse and therefore as they shall finde mee sweet in their praises and encouragements so sharpe also in their censure Either let them abide me no friend to their faults or no friend to themselues 32 In all other things we are lead by profit but in the maine matter of all we shew our selues vtterly vnthriftie and whiles we are wise in making good markets in these base commodities we shew our selues foolish in the great match of our soules God and the world come both to one shop and make proffers for our soules The world like a franke Chapman sayes All these will I giue thee shewing vs his bagges and promotions and thrusting them into our hands God offers a crowne of glory which yet he tels vs we must giue him day to performe and haue nothing in present but our hope and some small earnest of the bargaine Though we know there is no comparison betwixt these two in value finding these earthly things vaine and vnable to giue any contentment and those other of inualuable worth and benefit yet wee had rather take these in hand than trust God on his word for the future while yet in the same kinde we chuse rather to take some rich Lordships in reuersion after the long expectation of three liues expired than a present summe much vnder foot As contrarily when God and the world are sellers and we come to the Mart the world offers fine painted wares but will not part with them vnder the price of our torment God proclaimes Come yee that want buy for nought Now we thriftie men that trie all shops for the cheapest pennieworth refuse God proffering his precious commodities for nothing and pay an hard price for that which is worse than nothing painfull Surely wee are wise for any thing but our soules and not so wise for the body as foolish for them O Lord thy payment is sure and who knowes how present Take the soule that thou hast both made and bought and let me rather giue my life for thy fauour than take the offers of the world for nothing 33 There was neuer age that more bragged of knowledge and yet neuer any that had lesse soundnesse He that knowes not God knoweth nothing and hee that loues not God knowes him not for hee is so sweet and infinitely full of delight that who-euer knowes him cannot chuse but affect him The little loue of God then argues the great ignorance euen of those that professe knowledge I will not suffer my affections to run before my knowledge for then I shall loue fashionably onely because I heare God is worthy of loue and so be subiect to relapses but I will euer lay knowledge as the ground of my loue So as I grow in diuine knowledge I shall still profit in an heauenly zeale 34 Those that trauell in long pilgrimages to the holy Land what a number of wearie pases they measure what a number of hard lodgings and knowne dangers they passe and at last when they are come within view of their iournies end what a large tribute pay they at the Pisan Castle to the Turkes And when they are come thither what see they but the bare Sepulcher wherein their Sauiour lay and the earth that he trode vpon to the increase of a carnall deuotion What labour should I willingly vndertake in my iourney to the true Land of promise the celestiall Ierusalem where I shall see and enioy my Sauiour himselfe What tribute of paine or death should I refuse to pay for my entrance not into his Sepulcher but his Palace of glory and that not to looke vpon but to possesse it 35 Those that are all in exhortation no whit in doctrine are like to them that snuffe the candle but powre not in oile Againe those that are all in doctrine nothing in exhortation drowne the wike in oile but light it not making it fit for vse if it had fire put to it but as it is rather capable of good than profitable in present Doctrine without exhortation makes men all braine no heart Exhortation without doctrine makes the heart full leaues the braine empty Both together make a man
riuers of Brimstone that feed this flame where there is no intermission of complaints no breathing from paine and after millions of yeeres no possibility of comfort And if the rod wherewith thou chastisest thy children O Lord euen in this life be so smart and galling that they haue beene brought downe to the brim of despaire and in the bitternesse of their soule haue intreated death to release them What shall I thinke of their plagues in whose righteous confusion thou insultest and saiest Aha I will auenge mee of mine enemies Euen that thou shalt not be thus miserable O my soule is some kinde of happinesse but that thou shalt be as happy as the reprobate are miserable how worthy is it of more estimation than thy selfe is capable of CHAP. XXV 8 Of comparisons and similitudes whereby it may be most fitly set forth AFter this opposition the minde shall make comparison of the matter meditated with what may neerest resemble it and shall illustrate it with fittest similitudes which giue no small light to the vnderstanding nor lesse force to the affection Wonder then O my soule as much as thou canst at this glory and in comparison thereof contemne this earth which now thou treadest vpon whose ioyes if they were perfect are but short and if they were long are imperfect One day when thou art aboue looking downe from the height of thy glory and seeing the sonnes of men creeping like so many Ants on this Mole-hill of earth thou shalt thinke Alas how basely I once liued Was yonder silly dungeon the place I so loued and was so loth to leaue Thinke so now before hand and since of heauen thou canst not yet account of thy earth as it is worthy How heartlesse and irkesome are yee O yee best earthly pleasures if ye be matched with the least of those aboue How vile are you O yee sumptuous buildings of Kings euen if all the entrailes of the earth had agreed to enrich you in comparison of this frame not made with hands It is not so high aboue the earth in distance of place as in worth and Maiesty Wee may see the face of Heauen from the heart of the earth but from the neerest part of the earth who can see the least glory of Heauen The three Disciples on Mount Tabor saw but a glimpse of this glory shining vpon the face of their Sauiour and yet being rauished with the sight cried out Master it is good being here and thinking of building of three Tabernacles for Christ Moses Elias could haue beene content themselues to haue lien without shâ—lter so they might alwaies haue enioyed that sight Alas how could earthly Tabernacles haue fitted those heauenly bodies They knew what they saw what they said they knew not Loe these three Disciples were not transfigured yet how deeply they were affected euen with the glory of others How happy shall we be when our selues shall be changed into glorious and shall haue Tabernacles not of our owne making but prepared for vs by God and yet not Tabernacles but eternall Mansions Moses saw God but a while and shined how shall we shine that shall behold his face for euer What greater honour is there than in Soueraignty What greater pleasure than in feasting This life is both a Kingdome and a feast A Kingdome Hee that ouercomes shall rule the Nations and shall sit with me in my Throne O blessed promotion Oh large dominion and royall seast to which Salomons Throne of Yuory was not worthy to become a foot-stoole A feast Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage-supper of the Lambe Feasts haue more than necessity of prouision more than ordinary diet but marriage-feasts yet more than common abundance but the Marriage-feast of the Sonne of God to his blessed Spoâ—fe the Church must so farre exceed in all heauenly munificence and variety as the persons are of the greater state and Maiesty There is new wine pure Manna and all manner of spirituall dainties and with the continuall cheere a sweet and answerable welcome while the Bridegroome louingly cheereth vs vp Eat O friends drinke and make you merry O welbeloued yea there shalt thou be my soule not a guest but how vnworthy soeuer the Bride her selfe whom he hath euerlastingly espoused to himselfe in truth and righteousnesse The contract is passed here below the marriage is consummate aboue and solemnized with a perpetuall feast so that now thou maist safety say My welbeloued is mine and I am his Wherefore hearken O my soule and consider and incline thine eare forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house thy supposed home of this world so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty for hee is the Lord and worship thou him CHAP. XXVI THe very Names and Titles of the matter considered 9 The Titles and Names of the thing considered yeeld no small store to our Meditation which being commonly so imposed that they secretly comprehend the nature of the thing which they represent are not vnworthy of our discourse What need I seeke those resemblances when the very name of life implieth sweetnesse to wâ—â—â— on earth euen to them which confesse to liue with some discontentment Surely the light is a pleasant thing and it is good to the eies to see the Sunne yet when Temporall is added to Life I know not how this addâ—tion detracteth something and doth greatly abate the pleasure of Life for those which â—oy to thinke of Life grieue to thinke it but Temporall so vexing is the end of that whose continuance was delightfull But now when there is an addition aboue Time of Eternity it maketh life so much more sweet as it is most lasting and lasting infinitely what can it giue lesse than an infinite contentment Oh dying and false life which wee enioy here and scarce a shadow and counterfeit of that other What is more esteemed than glory which is so precious to men of spirit that it makes them prodigall of their bloud proud of their wounds careblesse of themselues and yet alas how pent how fading is this glory affected with such dangers and death hardly after all Trophees and monuments either knowne to the next Sea or suruiuing him that dieth for it It is true glory to triumph in heauen where is neither enuy nor forgetfulnes What is more deare to vs than our Country which the worthy and faithfull Patriots of all times haue respected aboue their parents their Children their lines counting it only happy to liue in it and to die for it The banisht man pines for the want of it the traueller digesteth all the tediousnesse of his way all the sorrowes of an ill iourney in the onely hope of home forgetting all his forraine miseries when he feeleth his owne smoke Where is our Country but aboue Thence thou camest O my soule thither thou art going in a short but weary pilgrimage O miserable men if we account our selues at home in our pilgrimage if
also in the Sacraments Yea besides promise hand seale hath he not giuen thee a sure earnest of thy saluation in some weake but true graces Yet more hath he not giuen thee besides Earnest possession while he that is the Truth and Life saith He that beleeueth hath euerlasting life and hath passed from death to life Canst thou not then be content to cast thy selfe vpon this blessed issue If God be mercifull I am glorious I haue thee already Oh my life God is faithfull and I doe beleeue who shall separate me from the loue of Christ from my glory with Christ Who shall pull me out of my heauen Goe to then and returne to thy rest O my soule make vse of that heauen wherein thou art and be happy Thus we haue found that our Meditation like the wind gathereth strength in proceeding and as naturall bodies the neerer they come to their places moue with more celeritie so doth the soule in this course of Meditation to the vnspeakable benefit of it selfe CHAP. XXXV THe Conclusion remaineth The Conclusion of our Meditation in what order it must be wherein we must aduise like as Physicians doe in their sweats and exercise that we cease not ouer-suddenly but leaue off by little and little The minde may not be suffered to fall head-long from this height but must also descend by degrees The first whereof after our Confidence shall bee an heartie Gratulation First with Thanksgiuing and thanksgiuing For as man naturally cannot be miserable but he must complaine and craue remedie so the good heart cannot finde it selfe happy and not be thankfull and this thankfulnesse which it feeleth and expresseth maketh it yet more good and affecteth it more What shall I then doe to thee for this mercy O thou Sauiour of men What should I render to my Lord for all his benefits Alas what can I giue thee which is not thine owne before Oh that I could giue thee but all thine Thou giuest me to drinke of this cup of saluation I will therefore take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord Praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name And since here thou beginnest thine heauen begin here also that ioyfull song of thanksgiuing which there thou shalt sing more sweetly and neuer end CHAP. XXXVI Secondly with Recommendation of our soules and waies to God AFter this Thanksgiuing shall follow a faithfull recommendation of our selues to God wherein the soule doth cheerefully giue vp it selfe and repose it selfe wholly vpon her Maker and Redeemer committing her selfe to him in all her waies submitting her selfe to him in all his waies desiring in all things to glorifie him and to walke worthy of her high and glorious calling Both which latter shall be done as I haue euer found with much life and comfort if for the full conclusion we shall lift vp our heart and voice to God in singing some Versule of Dauids diuine Psalmes answerable to our disposition and matter whereby the heart closes vp it selfe with much sweetnesse and contentment This course of Meditation thus heartily obserued let him that practiseth it tell mee whether hee finde not that his soule which at the beginning of this exercise did but creepe and grouell vpon earth doe not now in the conclusion soare aloft in heauen and being before aloose off doe not now finde it selfe neere to God yea with him and in him CHAP. XXXVII An Epilogue THus haue I endeuoured Right Worshipfull Sir according to my slender facultie to prescribe a method of Meditation not vpon so strict tearmes of necessitie that whosoeuer goeth not my way erreth Diuers paths leade oft times to the same end and euery man aboundeth in his owne sense If experience and custome hath made another forme familiar to any man I forbid it not as that learned Father said of his Translation Let him vse his owne not contemne mine If any man be to chuse and begin let him practise mine till he meet with a better Master If another course may be better Reprouing the neglect of Meditation I am sure this is good Neither is it to be suffered that like as fantasticall men while they doubt what fashioned sute they should weare put on nothing so that we Christians should neglect the matter of this worthy businesse while wee nicely stand vpon the forme thereof Wherein giue mee leaue to complaine with iust sorrow and shame that if there be any Christian dutie whose omission is notoriously shamefull and preiudiciall to the soules of Professors it is this of Meditation This is the very end God hath giuen vs our soules for we misse-spend them if we vse them not thus How lamentable is it that we so imploy them as if our facultie of discourse serued for nothing but our earthly prouision as if our reasonable and Christian minds were appointed for the slaues and drudges of this body onely to bee the Caters and Cookes of our Appetite The world filleth vs yea cloieth vs we finde our selues worke enough to thinke What haue I yet How may I get more What must I lay out What shall I leaue for posteritie How may I preuent the wrong of mine Aduersary How may I returne it What answers shall I make to such allegations What entertainment shall I giue to such friends What courses shall I take in such suits In what pastime shall I spend this day In what the next What aduantage shall I reape by this practice what losse What was said answered replied done followed Goodly thoughts and fit for spirituall minds Say there were no other world how could we spend our cares otherwise Vnto this onely neglect let mee ascribe the commonnesse of that Laodicean temper of men or if that be worse of the dead coldnesse which hath stricken the hearts of many hauing left them nothing but the bodies of men and visors of Christians to this onely They haue not meditated It is not more impossible to liue without an heart than to bee deuout without Meditation Exhorting to the vse of Meditation Would God therefore my words could be in this as the Wise-man saith the words of the wise are like vnto Goades in the sides of euery Reader to quicken him vp out of this dull and lazie securitie to a cheerefull practice of this Diuine Meditation Let him curse mee vpon his death-bed if looking backe from thence to the bestowing of his former times hee acknowledge not these houres placed the most happily in his whole life if he then wish not hee had worne on t more daies in so profitable and heauenly a worke A MEDITATION OF DEATH ACCORDING to the former Rules The Entrance ANd now my soule that thou hast thought of the end what can fit thee better than to thinke of the way And though the forepart of the way to Heauen bee a good life the latter and more immediate is death shall
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
a seruice to God the Church by somuch more carefully to be regarded as it is more common For who is there that will not challenge a part in this labour and that shall not finde himselfe much more affected with holy measure rightly composed Wherefore I haue oft wondred how it could be offensiue to our aduersaries that these diuine Ditties which the Spirit of God wrote in verse should be sung in verse and that an Hebrew Poeme should be made English For if this kinde of composition had beene vnfit God would neuer haue made choice of numbers wherein to expresse himselfe Yea who knowes not that some other Scriptures which the Spirit hath indited in prose haue yet beene happily and with good allowance put into strict numbers If histories tell vs of a wanton Poet of old which lost his eies while hee went about to turne Moses into verse yet euery student knowes with what good successe and commendation Nonnus hath turned Iohns Gospell into Greeke Heroicks And Apollinarius that learned Syrian matched with Basil and Gregorie who liued in his time in the termes of this equalitie that Basils speech was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Apollinaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrote as Suidas reports all the Hebrew Scripture in Heroicks as Sozomen somewhat more restrainedly all the Archaiology of the Iewes till Sauls gouernment in 24. parts or as Socrates yet more particularly all Moses in Heroicks and all the other Histories in diuers metres but how-euer his other labours lie hid his Metaphrase of the Psalmes is still in our hands with the applause of all the learned besides the labours of their owne Flaminius and Arias Montanus to seeke for no more which haue worthily bestowed themselues in this subiect Neither doe I see how it can bee offensiue to our friends that wee should desire our English Metaphrase bettered I say nothing to the disgrace of that we haue I know how glad our aduersaries are of all such aduantages which they are ready enough to finde out without me euer reprochfully vpbraiding vs with these defects But since our whole Translation is now vniuersally reuised what inconuenience or show of innouation can it beare that the verse should accompanie the prose especially since it is well knowne how rude and homely our English Poesie was in those times compared with the present wherein if euer it seeth her full perfection I haue beene sollicited by some reuerend friends to vndertake this taske as that which seemed well to accord with the former exercises of my youth and my present profession The difficulties I found many the worke long and great yet not more painefull than beneficiall to Gods Church Whereto as I dare not professe any sufficiencie so I will not denie my readinesse and vtmost endeauour if I shall bee employed by Authoritie wherefore in this part I doe humbly suâ—mitâ—â—y selfe to the graue censures of them whose wisdome menageth these common affaires of the Church and am ready either to stand still or proceed as I shall see their Cloud or Fire goe before or behinde me Onely howsoeuer I shall for my true affection to the Church wish it done by better workemen Wherein as you approue so further my bold but not vnprofitable motion and commend it vnto greater cares as I doe you to the Greatest Non-such Iuly 3. Your louing kinsman IOS HALL ⧠Some few of DAVIDS Psalmes Metaphrased PSALME 1. In the tune of the 148. Psalme Giue laud vnto the Lord. WHo hath not walkt astray In wicked mens aduice Nor stood in sinners way Nor in their companies That scorners are As their fit mate In scoffing chaire Hath euer sate verse 2 But in thy lawes diuine O Lord sets his delight And in those lawes of thine Studies all day and night Oh how that man Thrice blessed is And sure shall gaine Eternall blisse verse 3 He shall be like the tree Set by the water-springs Which when his seasons be Most pleasant fruit forth brings Whose boughs so greene Shall neuer fade But couered beene With comely shade So to this happy wight All his designes shall thriue verse 4 Whereas the man vnright As chaffe which winds doe driue With euery blast Is tost on hie Nor can at last In safetie lie verse 5 Wherefore in that sad doome They dare not rise from dust Nor shall no sinner come To glory of the iust For God will grace The iust mans way While sinners race Runs to decay PSALME 2. In the tune of the 125. Psalme Those that doe put their confidence WHy doe the Gentiles tumults make And nations all conspire in vaine verse 2 And earthly Princes counsell take Against their God against the Raigne Of his deare Christ let vs they saine verse 3 Breake all their bonds and from vs shake Their thraldome yoke and seruile chaine verse 4 Whiles thus alas they fondly spake Hee that aloft rides on the skies Laughes all their lewd deuice to scorne verse 5 And when his wrathfull rage shall rise With plagues shall make them all forlorne And in his furie thus replies verse 6 But I my King with sacred horne Anointing shall in princely guise His head with royall Crowne adorne Vpon my Sions holy mount His Empires glorious seat shall be And I thus rais'd shall farre recount The tenour of his true degree verse 7 My Sonne thou art said God I thee Begat this day by due account Thy Scepter doe but aske of me All earthly kingdomes shall surmount verse 8 All nations to thy rightfull sway I will subiect from furthest end verse 9 Of all the world and thou shalt bray Those stubborne foes that will not bend With iron Mace like Poâ—ters clay verse 10 In pieces small yee Kings attend And yee whom others wâ—nt obey Learne wisdome and at last amend verse 11 See yee serue God with greater dread Than others you and in your feare Reioice the while and lowly spread verse 12 Doe homage to his Sonne so deare Lest he be wroth and doe you dead verse 13 Amids your way If kindled His wrath shall be O blessed those That doe on him their trust repose PSALME 3. As the 113. Psalme Ye children which c. AH Lord how many be my foes How many are against me â—ose verse 2 That to my grieued soule haue sed Tush God shall him no succour yeeld verse 3 Whiles thou Lord art my praise my shield And dost aduance my carefull head verse 4 Loud with my voice to God I cry'd His Grace vnto my sute reply'd From out his holy hill verse 5 I laid me downe slept rose againe For thou O Lord dost me sustaine And sau'st my soule from feared ill verse 6 Not if ten thousand armed foes My naked side should round enclose Would I be thereof ought a-dred Vp Lord and shield me from disgrace verse 7 For thou hast broke my foe-mens face And all the wickeds teeth hast shed verse 8 From thee O God is safe defence Doe thou thy free
tune of that knowne song beginning Preserue vs Lord. THee and thy wondrous deeds O God Wiâ—h all my soule I sound abroad verse 2 My ioy my triumph is in thee Of thy dread name my song shall be verse 3 O highest God since put to flight And fal'ne and vanisht at thy sight verse 4 Are all my foes for thou hast past Iust sentence on my cause at last And sitting on thy throne aboue A rightfull Iudge thy selfe doest proue verse 5 The troupes profane thy checks haue stroid And made their name for euer void verse 6 Where 's now my foes your threatned wrack So well you did our Cities sacke And bring to dust while that ye say Their name shall die as well as they verse 7 Loe in eternall state God sits And his high Throne to iustice fits verse 8 Whose righteous hand the world shall weeld And to all folke iust doome shall yeeld verse 9 The poore from high finde his releefe The poore in needfull times of griefe verse 10 Who knowes the Lord to thee shall cleaue That neuer doest thy clients leaue verse 11 Oh! sing the God that doth abide On Sion mount and blazon wide verse 12 His worthy deeds For he pursues The guiltlesse bloud with vengeance due He mindes their cause nor can passe o're Sad clamors of the wronged poore verse 13 Oh! mercy Lord thou that dost saue My soule from gates of death and graue Oh! see the wrong my foes haue done verse 14 That I thy praise to all that gone Through daughter Sions beauteous gate With thankfull songs may loud relate And may reioyce in thy safe aide Behold the Gentiles whiles they made A deadly pit my soule to drowne Into their pit are sunken downe In that close snare they hid for mee Loe their owne feet intangled be verse 16 By this iust doome the Lord is knowne That th' ill are punisht with their owne verse 17 Downe shall the wicked backward fall To deepest hell and nations all verse 18 That God forget nor shall the poore Forgotten be for euermore The constant hope of soules opprest verse 19 Shall not aye die Rise from thy rest Oh Lord let not men base and rude Preuaile iudge thou the multitude verse 20 Of lawlesse Pagans strike pale feare Into those brests that stubborne were And let the Gentiles feele and finde They beene but men of mortall kinde PSALME 10. As the 51. Psalme O God Consider WHy stand'st thou Lord aloofe so long And hidst thee in due times of need verse 2 Whiles lewd men proudly offer wrong Vnto the poore In their owne deed And their deuice let them be caught verse 3 For loe the wicked braues and boasts In his vile and outragious thought And blesseth him that rauines most verse 4 On God he dares insult his pride Scornes to enquire of powers aboue But his stout thoughts haue still deni'd verse 5 There is a God His waies yet proue 〈◊〉 prosperous thy iudgements hye Doe farre surmount his dimmer fight verse 6 Therefore doth he all foes defie His heart saith I shall stand in spight Nor euer moue nor danger ' bide verse 7 His mouth is fill'd with curses foule And with close fraud His tongue doth hide verse 8 Mischiefe and ill he seekes the soule Of harmelesse men in secret waite And in the corners of the street Doth shead their bloud with scorne and hate His eies vpon the poore are set verse 9 As some fell Lyon in his den He closely lurkes the poore to spoyle He spoyles the poore and helplesse men When once he snares them in his toyle verse 10 He croucheth low in cunning wile And bowes his brest whereon whole throngs Of poore whom his faire showes beguile Fall to be subiect to his wrongs verse 11 God hath forgot in soule he saies He hides his face to neuer see verse 12 Lord God arise thine hand vp-raise Let not thy poore forgotten be verse 13 Shall these insulting wretches scorne Their God and say thou wilt not care verse 14 Thou see'st for all thou hast forborne Thou see'st what all their mischiefes are That to thine hand of vengeance iust Thou maist them take the poore distressed Rely on thee with constant trust The helpe of Orphans and oppressed verse 15 Oh! breake the wickeds arme of might And search out all their cursed traines And let them vanish out of sight verse 16 The Lord as King for euer raignes From forth his coasts the heathen sect verse 17 Are rooted quite thou Lord attendst To poore mens sutes thou deo'st direct Their hearts to them thine eare thou bendst verse 18 That thou maist rescue from despight The wofull fatherlesse and poore That so the vaine and earthen wight On vs may tyrannize no more FJNJS CHARACTERS OF VERTVES AND VICES JN TWO BOOKES 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 MY singular good Lords EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON of WALTHAM AND JAMES LORD HAY HIS RIGHT NOBLE AND WORTHY SONNE IN LAW I. H. HVMBLY DEDICATES HIS LABOVR DEVOTETH HIMSELFE Wisheth all Happinesse A PREMONITION OF THE TITLE AND VSE of Characters READER THe Diuines of the old Heathens were their Morall Philosophers These receiued the Acts of an inbred law in the Sinai of Nature and deliuered them with many expositions to the multitude These were the Ouerseers of manners Correctors of vices Directors of liues Doctors of vertue which yet taught their people the body of their naturall Diuinitie not after one manner while some spent themselues in deepe discourses of humane felicitie and the way to it in common others thought it best to apply the generall precepts of goodnesse or decency to particular conditions and persons A third sort in a meane course betwixt the two other and compounded of them both bestowed their time in drawing out the true lineaments of euerie vertue and vice so liuely that who saw the medals might know the face which Art they significantly tearmed Charactery Their papers were so many tables their writings so many speaking pictures or liuing images whereby the ruder multitude might euen by their sense learne to know vertue and discerne what to detest J am deceiued if any course could be more likely to preuaile for herein the grosse conceit is led on with pleasure and informed while it feeles nothing but delight And if pictures haue beene accounted the bookes of Jdiots behold here the benefit of an image without the offence It is no shame for vs to learne wit of Heathens neither is it materiall in whose Schoole we take out a good lesson yea it is more shame not to follow their good than not to lead them better As one therefore that in worthy examples hold imitation better than inuention J haue trod in their paths but with an higher and wider steppe and out of their Tablets haue drawne these larger portraitures of both sorts More
Pr. 16.11 Pr. 15.9 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 28.6 Pr. 20.7 THe vprightnesse of the iust shall guide them and direct their way which is euer plaine and straight whereas the way of others is peruerted and strange Yea as to doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice so it is a ioy to the iust himselfe to doe iudgement all his labour therefore tendeth to life he knoweth the cause of the poore and will haue care of his soule His worke is right neither intendeth he any euill against his neighbour seeing he dwelleth by him without feare and what loseth he by this As the true balance and the weight are of the Lord and all the weights of the bagge are his worke So God loueth him that followeth righteousnesse and with men The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than hee that peruerteth his waies though he be rich Yea finally The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed §. 9. Deceit The kindes Coloured Direct Priuate Publike The iudgement attending it Pr. 16.18 COntrary to this is Deceit whether in a colour As he that faineth himselfe mad casteth fire-brands Pr. 26.19 arrowes and mortall things so dealeth the deceitfull man and saith Am I not in sport As this deceit is in the heart of them that imagine euill so in their hands are Diuers weights and diuers balances or directly Pr. 12.10 Pr. 10.10 Pr. 29.24 Pr. 1.19 Ec. 3.16 Ec. 3.17 Pr. 12.27 Pr. 20.17 Hee that is partner with a theefe hateth his owne soule and dangerous are the waies of him that is greedy of gaine much more publiquely I haue seene the place of iudgement where was wickednesse and the place of iustice where was iniquitie I thought in mine heart God will iudge the iust and the wicked yea oft-times speedily so as The deceitfull man rosteth not what he tooke in hunting or if he eat it The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with grauell §. 9. Loue To God rewarded with his loue with his blessings To men In passing by offences In doing good to our enemies LOue to God I loue them that loue me and they that seeke mee early Pr. 8.17 Pr. 8.21 shall finde me and with me blessings I cause them that loue mee to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures 2. To men 1. In passing by offences Pr. 10.12 Hatred stirreth vp contentions but loue couereth all trespasses and the shame that rises from them Pr. 12.16 Pr. 17.9 Pr. 15.21 so that hee onely that couereth a transgression seeketh loue 2. In doing good to our enemies If hee that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eat and if he bee thirstie giue him water to drinke Here therefore doe offend 1. the contentious 2. the enuious §. 10. The contentious whether in raising ill rumors or whether by pressing matters too farre THe first is hee that raiseth contentions among brethren which once raised Pr. 6.19 Pr. 18.19 are not so soone appeased A brother offended is harder to winne than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the barre of a Palace Pr. 16.29 This is that violent man that deceiueth his neighbour and leadeth him into the way which is not good Pr. 18.6 Pr. 26.21 the way of discord whether by ill rumors The fooles lips come with strife and as the coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife and that euen among great ones A froward person soweth strife and a tale-bearer maketh diuision among Princes or by pressing matters too farre When one churneth milke Pr. 16.28 Pr. 30.33 he bringeth forth butter and he that wringeth his nose causeth bloud to come out so he that forceth wrath bringeth forth strife the end whereof is neuer good Pr. 29.9 for if a wise man contend with a foolish man whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest §. 11. Enuy The kindes At our neighbour At the wicked The effects to others It selfe THe second is that iustice whereby the soule of the wicked wisheth euill Pr. 21.10 Pr. 24.17 and his neighbour hath no fauour in his eies that moueth him to bee glad when his enemie falleth and his heart to reioice when he stumbleth and this is a violent euill Pr. 14.30 1. To it selfe A sound heart is the life of the flesh but enuie is the rotting of the bones 2. To others Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who can stand before enuie Pr. 27.4 But of all other it is most vniust when it is set vpon an euill subiect Pr. 24.20 Pr. 3.31 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious neither be enuious at the wicked nor chuse any of his waies neither let thine heart be enuious against sinners Pr. 23.17 Pr. 24.1 Pr. 24.2 Pr. 3.32 Pr. 24.20 nor desire to be with them for as their heart imagineth destruction and their lips speake mischiefe so the froward is an abomination to the Lord and there shall be none end of the plagues of the euill man and his light shall be put out §. 12. Iustice to man onely First to others 1. in Mercy The quality The gaine of it Pr. 3.3 Pr. 21.13 Pr. 12.10 Pr. 16.6 Pr. 3.4 LEt not mercy and truth forsake thee binde them on thy necke and write them vpon the table of thine heart this suffereth not to stop thine care at the cry of the poore yea the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast no vertue is more gainfull for By mercy and truth iniquity shall bee forgiuen and By this thou shalt finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man Good reason For he honoreth God Pr. 14.31 that hath mercy on the poore yea he makes God his debter He that hath mercy on the poore Pr. 19.17 Pr. 11.17 Pr. 21.21 Pr. 14.21 lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him So that The mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule for He that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse and life and glory and therefore is blessed for euer §. 13. Against mercy offend 1. Vnmercifulnesse 2. Oppression 3. Bloud-thirstinesse Pr. 22.7 Pr. 14.20 Pr. 19.7 1. THat not only the rich ruleth the poore but that the poore is hated of his owne neighbour whereas the friends of the rich are many Of his neighbour Yea all the brethren of the poore hate him how much more will his friends depart from him though he be instant with words yet they will not Pr. 30.14 Pr. 22.16 2. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their iawes as kniues to eat vp the afflicted out of the earth These are they that oppresse the poore to increase themselues Pr. 22.22 Pr. 25.20 and giue to the rich that rob the poore because he is poore
17. and be more neere to heare than to giue the sacrifice of fooles for Pr. 13.13 He that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandement shall be rewarded §. 7. In a Counsellor of State or Magistrate is required Wisdome Discussing of causes Prouidence and working according to knowledge Pietie Iustice and freed from Partialitie Bribes Oppression WIthout Counsell all our thoughts euen of policie and state come to naught Pr. 15.22 but in the multitude of Counsellors is stedfastnesse and no lesse in their goodnesse 1. Pr. 24 5. Ec 7.2 Pr. 14 33. Pr. 17.24 Pr. in their wisdome which alone giues strength to the owner aboue ten mighty Princes that are in the City a vertue which though it resteth in the heart of him that hath vnderstanding yet is knowne in the mids of fooles For wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding and in his lips for howsoeuer he that hath knowledge spareth his words yet the tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright Pr. 15.2 Pr. 24.7 Pr. 26.1 and the foole cannot open his mouth in the gate and therefore is vnfit for authority As snow in summer and raine in haruest so is honour vnseemly for a foole And though it be giuen him how ill it agrees As the closing of a precious stone in an heape of stones Pr. 26.8 so is hee that giues glory to a foole From hence Pr. the good Iusticer both carefully heareth a cause knowing that Hee which answereth a matter before he heare it it is folly and shame to him and that related on both parts Pr. 18.17 Pr. 20.5 for He that is first in his owne cause is iust then commeth his neighbour and maketh inquirie of him and deeply fifteth it else he loseth the truth for The counsell of the heart of a man is like deepe waters but a man that hath vnderstanding will draw it out Pr. 22.3 Ec. 9.15 Pr. 13.16 Ec. 9 17. Pr. 21.22 From hence is his prouidence for the common good not only in seeing the plague and hid ng himselfe but in deliuering the city as he foreseeth so he worketh by knowledge and not in peace only as The words of the wise are more heard in quietnesse than the cry of him that ruleth among fooles but in warre A wise man goeth vp into the City of the mighty and casteth downe the strength of the confidence thereof For wisdome is better than strength Ec. 9.16 Ec. 9.18 Ec. 9.13 Ec. 9.14 Ec. 9.15 yea than weapons of warre I haue seene this wisdome vnder the Sunne and it is great vnto me A little City and men in it and a great King came against it and compassed it about and builded forts against it and there was found in it a poore and wise man and hee deliuered the City by his wisdome Neither can there be true wisdome in any Counsellor Pr. 14.16 Pr. 21.30 Pr. 11.3 Pr. without piety The wise man feareth and departs from euill being well assured that there is no wisdome nor vnderstanding nor counsell against the Lord and that Man cannot bee established by wickednesse and indeed how oft doth God so dispose of estates that the euill shall bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous neither is this more iust with God than acceptable with men for when the righteous reioyce Pr. 18.12 Pr. 29.2 Pr. 28.12 Pr. 28.28 Pr. 29.2 Pr. 25.26 Pr. Pr. 28.11 Pr. 24.23 there is great glory and when they are in authority the people reioyce contrarily when the wicked comes on and rises vp and beares rule the man is tryed the good hide themselues and all the people sigh and the righteous man falling downe before the wicked is like a troubled Well and a corrupt Spring Neither is Iustice lesse essentiall than either for to doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice To know faces therefore in a Iudge is not good for that man will transgresse for a peece of bread much lesse to accept the person of the wicked Pr. 18.5 to cause the righteous to fall in iudgement He that saith to the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him Yea yet higher Pr. 24.24 Pr. 17.15 Pr. 17.23 Pr. 18.16 Hee that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the iust both are an abomination to the Lord. Wherefore howsoeuer The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the waies of iudgement and commonly A mans gift inlargeth him and leadeth him with approbation before greatmen yet he knoweth that the reward destroyeth the heart Ec. 7.9 Pr. 12.7 Pr. 15.27 Pr. 21.15 Pr. 19.15 Pr. 21.11 Pr. 21.2 Ec. 14.5 Pr. 12.17 Pr. 18.17 Pr. 19.5 Pr. 19.9 Pr. Pr. 14.31 Pr. 22.22 Pr. 24.26 that the acceptance of it is but the robbery of the wicked which shall destroy them because they haue refused to execute iudgement he hateth gifts then that he may liue and it is a ioy to him to doe iudgement He doth vnpartially smite the scorner yea seuerely punish him that the wickedly foolish may beware and become wise And where as Euery way of a man is right in his owne eies and a false record will speake lies and vse deceit he so maketh inquirie that a false witnesse shall not bee vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish Lastly his hand is free from oppression of his inferiours which as it makes a wise man madde so the actor of it miserable for He that oppresseth the poore reproueth him that made him and if the afflicted be opprest in iudgement the Lord will defend their cause and spoile the soule that spoileth them and vpon all occasions he so determineth that they shall kisse the lips of him that answereth vpright words SALOMONS COVRTIER §. 8. Must bee Discreet Religious Humble Charitable Diligent Faithfull IN the light of the Kings countenance is life Pr. 16.15 Pr. 19.12 and his fauour is as the cloud of the latter raine or as the dew vpon the grasse which that the Courtier may purchase hee must be 1. Discreet The pleasure of a King is in a wise seruant Pr. 14.35 Pr. 22.11 Pr. 11.27 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 22.4 Pr. 15.33 Pr. 25.6 Pr. 25.7 Pr. 25.15 but his wrath shall be towards him that is lewd 2. Religious both in heart Hee that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of the lips the King shall be his friend and in his actions He that seeketh good things getteth fauour in both which the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and besides these humble The reward whereof is glory for before glory goeth humility He dare not therefore boast himselfe before the King and thrust himselfe ouer-forward in the presence of the Prince whom his eies doe see whom he see moued he pacifieth by staying of anger and by a soft answer breaketh a man of bone not aggrauating
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
citie garment house without them it cannot be well and perfect yet which of our aduersaries will say we haue no discipline Some they grant but not the right as if they said Your Citie hath a bricke wall indeed but it should haue one of hewne stone your Vineyard is hedged but it should be paled and ditched while they cauill at what we want we thanke God for what we haue and so much wee haue in spight of all detraction as makes vs both a true Church and a worthy one But the maine quarrell is against our Ministerie and forme of worship let these be examined this is the circle of their censure No Church therefore no Ministery and no Ministerie therefore no Church vnnaturall sonnes that spit in the face of those spirituall Fathers that begot them and the Mother that bore them What vvould they haue Haue we not competent gifts from aboue for so great a function Are wee all vnlearned vnsufficient Not a man that knowes to diuide the word aright As Paul to the Corinths Is it so that there is not one wise man amongst vs No man will affirme it some of them haue censured our excesse in some knowledge none our defect in all What then Haue wee not a true desire to doe faithfull seruice to God and his Church No zeale for Gods glory Who hath been in our hearts to see this Who dare vsurpe vpon God and condemne our thoughts Yea wee appeale to that onely Iudge of hearts whether he hath not giuen vs a sincere longing for the good of his Sion he shall make the thoughts of all hearts manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God If then we haue both ability and will to doe publike good our inward calling which is the maine point is good and perfect for the outward what want we Are wee not first after good tryall presented and approued by the learned in our Colledges examined by our Church-gouernors ordain'd by imposition of hands of the Eldership allowed by the Congregations we are set ouer doe wee not labour in word and doctrine doe we not carefully administer the Sacraments of the Lord Iesus haue we not by our publike meanes wonne many soules to God what should we haue and doe more All this and yet no true Ministers we passe very little to bee iudged of them or of mans day but our Ordainers you say are Antichristian surely our censurers are vnchristian tho we should grant it some of vs vvere baptized by Hereticks is the Sacrament annihilated and must it be redoubled How much lesse Ordination vvhich is but an outward admission to preach the Gospell God forbid that we should thus condemne the innocent more hands vvere laid vpon vs then one and of them for the principall except but their perpetuall honour and some few immateriall rites let an enemie say what they differ from Super-intendents and can their double honour make them no Elders If they haue any personall faults why is their calling scourged Looke into our Sauiours times vvhat corruptions were in the very Priesthood It vvas now made annuall which was before fixed and singular Christ saw these abuses and was silent here was much dislike and no clamour we for lesse exclaime and separate euen personall offences are fetcht into the condemnation of lawfull courses God giue both pardon and redresse to this foule vncharitablenesse Alas how ready are we to tosse the fore-part of our Wallet whiles our own faults are ready to breake our necks behind vs all the world sees and condemnes their Ordination to be faulty yea none at all yet they cry out first on vs craftily I thinke left we should complaine that Church-gouernors should ordaine Ministers hath bin the constant practice of the Church from Christs time to this houre I except onely in an extreame desolation meerely for the first course that the people should make their Ministers was vnheard of in all ages and Churches till Bolton Browne and Barrow and hath neither colour nor example Doth not this comparison seeme strange and harsh Their Tradesmen may make true Ministers our Ministers cannot who but they would not be ashamed of such a position Or who but you would not thinke the time mis-spent in answering it No lesse friuolous are those exceptions that are taken against our worship of God condemned for false and idolatrous whereof Volumes of Apologies are written by others we meet together pray reade heare preach sing administer and receiue Sacraments wherein offend we How many Gods doe we pray to or to whom but the True God In what words but holy whom do we preach but the same Christ vvith them what point of faith not theirs What Sacraments but those they dare not but allow Where lyes our Idolatry that we may let it out In the manner of performing in set Prayers Antichristian Ceremonies of crossing kneeling c. For the former what sinne is this The original and truth of prayer is in the heart the voice is but as accidentall if the heart may often conceiue the same thought the tongue her seruant may often vtter it in the same words and if dayly to repeat the same speeches bee amisse then to entertaine the same spirituall desires is sinfull to speake once vvithout the heart is hypocriticall but to speake often the same request with the heart neuer offendeth What intolerable boldnesse is this to condemne that in vs which is recorded to haue been the continuall practice of Gods Church in al successions Of the Iewes in the time of Moses Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezekiah Ieremie Of the ancient Christian assemblies both Greeke and Latine and now at this day of all reformed Churches in Christendome yea which our Sauiour himselfe so directly allowed and in a manner prescribed and the blessed Apostles Paul and Peter in all their formall salutations which were no other then set prayers so commonly practised for the other lest I exceed a Letter tho wee yeeld them such as you imagine worse they cannot bee they are but Ceremonious appendances the body and substance is sound Blessed be God that we can haue his true Sacraments at so easie a rate as the payment if they were such of a few circumstantiall inconueniences how many deare children of God in all ages euen neere the golden times of the Apostles haue gladly purchased them much dearer and not complained but see how our Church imposes them not as to binde the conscience otherwise then by the common bond of obedience not as actions wherein Gods worship essentially consisteth but as themselues Ceremonies comely or conuenient not necessarie whatsoeuer is this a sufficient ground of separation How many moderate and wiser spirits haue we that cannot approue the Ceremonies yet dare not forsake the Church and that hold your departure farre more euill then the cause You are inuited to a feast if but a Napkin or Trencher be mis-placed or a dish ill carued do you run from the Table and not
that may challenge and command our eares and hearts this is it for behold the sweetest word that euer Christ spake and the most meritorious act that euer he did are met together in this his last breath In the one yee shall see him triumphing yeelding in the other yet so as he ouercomes Imagine therefore that you saw Christ Iesus in this day of his passion who is euery day here crucified before your eyes aduanced vpon the Chariot of his Crosse and now after a weary conflict cheerefully ouer-looking the despight and shame of men the wrath of his Father the Law sinne death hell which all he gasping at his foot and then you shall conceiue with what spirit he saith Consummatum est It is finished What is finished Shortly All the prophesies that were of him All legall obseruations that prefigured him his owne sufferings our saluation The prophesies are accomplisht the ceremonies abolisht his sufferings ended our saluation wrought these foure heads shall limit this first part of my speech onely let them finde and leaue you attentiue Euen this very word is prophesied of All things that are written of mee haue an end saith Christ What end This it is finished This very end hath his end here What therefore is finished Not this prediction onely of his last draught as Augustine that were too particular Let our Sauiour himselfe say All things that are written of mee by the Prophets It is a sure and conuertible rule Nothing was done by Christ which was not foretold Nothing was euer foretold by the Prophets of Christ which was not done It would take vp a life to compare the Prophets and Euangelists ☜ ☞ Esay 7.14 Matth. 1.23 Michah 5.2 Matth. 2.6 Esay 11.1 Matth. 2.15 Ieremie 31.15 Matth. 2.18 Iudg. 13.5 Matth. 2. vlt. Esay 40.3 Matth. 3.2 Esay 9.1 Matth. 4.15 Leuit. 14.4 Matth. 8.4 Esay 53.4 Matth. 8.17 Esay 61.1 Matth. 11.4 Esay 42.1 Matth. 12.17 Ionah 1.17 Matth. 12.40 Esay 6.9 Matth. 13.14 Psalm 78.2 Matth. 13.35 Esay 35.5 6. Matth. 15.30 Esay 62.11 Matth. 21.5 Zach. 9.9 Matth. Ibidem Ieremie 7.11 Matth. 21.13 Psalm 8.2 Matth. 21.16 Esay 5.8 Matth. 21.33 Psal 118.22 Matth. 21.44 Psal 110.1 Matth. 22.44 Esay 3.14 Matth. 21.44 Psal 41.9 Matth. 26.31 Esay 53.10 Matth. 26.54 Zach. 13.7 Matth. 26.31 Lam. 4.20 Matth. 26.56 Esay 50.6 Matth. 26.67 Zach. 11.13 Matth. 27.9 Psalm 22.18 Matth. 27.35 Psalm 22.2 Matth. 27.46 Psalm 69.22 Matth. 27.48 the predictions and the history and largely to discourse how the one foretels and the other answers let it suffice to looke at them running Of all the Euangelists Saint Matthew hath beene most studious in making these references and correspondences with whom the burden or vndersong of euery euent is still vt impleretur That it might bee fulfilled Thus hath he noted if I haue reckoned them aright two and thirtie seuerall prophesies concerning Christ fulfilled in his birth life death To which S. Iohn adds many more Our speech must bee directed to his Passion Omitting the rest let vs insist in those He must be apprehended it was fore-prophesied The Anointed of the Lord was taken in their nets saith Ieremie but how he must be sold for what thirty siluer peeces and what must those doe buy a field all foretold And they tooke thirty siluer peeces the price of him that was valued and gaue them for the Potters field saith Zacharie miswritten Ieremie by one letter mistaken in the abbreuiation By whom That childe of perdition that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Which was hee It is foretold He that eateth bread with me saith the Psalmist And what shall his Disciples doe Runne away so saith the prophesie I will smite the shepherd and the sheepe shall bee scattered saith Zacharie What shall bee done to him Hee must be scourged and spet vpon behold not those filthy excrements could haue light vpon his sacred face without a prophesie I hid not my face from shame and spetting saith Esay What shall bee the issue In short he shall be led to death it is the prophesie The Messias shall bee slaine saith Daniel what death He must be lift vp Like as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so shall the Sonne of man bee lift vp Chrysostome saith well that some actions are parables so may I say some actions are prophesies such are all types of Christ and this with the formost Lift vp whither to the Crosse it is the prophesie hanging vpon a tree saith Moses how lift vp nailed to it so is the prophesie Foderunt manus They haue pierced my hands and my feet saith the Psalmist With what companie Two theeues With the wicked was hee numbred saith Esay Where Without the gates saith the prophesie What becomes of his garments They cannot so much as cast the dice for his coat but it is prophesied They diuided my garments and on my vestures cast lots saith the Psalmist Hee must die then on the Crosse but how voluntarily Not a bone of him shall be broken what hinders it loe there he hangs as it were neglected and at mercy yet all the raging Iewes no all the Deuils in hell cannot stir one bone in his blessed bodie It was prophesied in the Easter-Lamb and it must bee fulfilled in him that is the true Passeouer in spight of fiends and men how then hee must be thrust in the side behold not the very speare could touch his precious side being dead but it must be guided by a prophesie They shall see him whom they haue thrust thorow saith Zacharie what shall he say the while not his very words but are fore-spoken his complaint Eli Eli lammasabactani as the Chalde or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew Psalm 22.2 his resignation In manus tuas Into thy hands I commend my spirit Psal 31.5 his request Father forgiue them Hee prayed for the transgressors saith Esay And now when hee saw all these prophesies were fulfilled knowing that one remained he said I thirst Domine quid sitis saith one O Lord what thirstest thou for A strange hearing that a man yea that GOD and MAN dying should complaine of thirst Could hee endure the scorching flames of the wrath of his Father the curse of our sinnes those tortures of bodie those horrours of soule and doth he shrinke at his thirst No no he could haue borne his drought he could not beare the Scripture not fulfilled It was not necessitie of nature but the necessitie of his Fathers decree that drew forth this word I thirst They offered it before he refused it Whether it were an ordinarie potion for the condemned to hasten death as in the storie of M. Anthonie which is the most receiued construction or whether it were that Iewish potion whereof the Rabbines speake whose tradition was that the malefactor to be executed Sit mors mea in remissionâ—m omnium miquitatuÌ„ mearum Vt vsus rationis tollatur should after some good counsell from two
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
thou mightest neuer taste of it hee would bee in sense for a time as forsaken of his Father that thou mightest be receiued for euer Now bid thy soule returne to her rest and enioyne it Dauids taske Praise the Lord O my soule and What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And as rauisht from thy selfe with the sweet apprehension of this mercy call all the other creatures to the fellowship of this ioy with that diuine Esay Reioyce O yee heauens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines for the Lord hath redeemed Iacob and will bee glorified in Israel And euen now begin that heauenly Song which shall neuer end with those glorified Saints Praise and honour and glory and power be to Him that sitteth vpon the Throne and to the Lambe for euermore Thus our speech of Christs last word is finished His last act accompanied his words our speech must follow it Let it not want your deuout and carefull attention He bowed and gaue vp the ghost The Crosse was a slow death and had more paine than speed whence a second violence must dispatch the crucified their bones must be broken that their hearts might breake Our Sauiour stayes not deaths leisure but willingly and couragiously meets him in the way and like a Champion that scornes to be ouercome yea knowes hee cannot be yeeldeth in the middest of his strength that he might by dying vanquish death Hee bowed and gaue vp Not bowing because he had giuen vp but because he would Hee cryed with a loud voyce saith Matthew Nature was strong he might haue liued but he gaue vp the ghost and would die to shew himselfe Lord of life and death Oh wondrous example hee that gaue life to his enemies gaue vp his owne he giues them to liue that persecute and hate him and himselfe will die the whiles for those that hate him Hee bowed and gaue vp not they they might crowne his head they could not bow it they might vex his spirit not take it away they could not doe that without leaue this they could not doe because they had no leaue Hee alone would bow his head and giue vp his ghost I haue power to lay downe my life Man gaue him not his life man could not bereaue it No man takes it from mee Alas who could The High Priests forces when they came against him armed he said but I am he they flee and fall backward How easie a breath disperst his enemies whom hee might as easily haue bidden the earth yea hell to swallow or fire from heauen to deuoure Who commanded the Deuils and they obeyed could not haue beene attached by men he must giue not onely leaue but power to apprehend himselfe else they had not liued to take him hee is laid hold of Peter fights Put vp saith Christ Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and hee will giue me more than twelue Legions of Angels What an Army were here more then threescore and twelue thousand Angels and euery Angell able to subdue a world of men he could but would not be rescued he is led by his owne power not by his enemies and stands now before Pilate like the scorne of men crowned robbed scourged with an Ecce homo Yet thou couldst haue no power against me vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Behold he himselfe must giue Pilate power against himselfe Quod emittitur voluntarium est quod amâ—â—tur aecessarium Ambr. else he could not be condemned he will be condemned lifted vp nailed yet no death without himselfe Hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 No action that sauours of constraint can be meritorious he would deserue therefore he would suffer and die Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost O gracious and bountifull Sauiour hee might haue kept his soule within his teeth in spight of all the world the weaknesse of God is stronger than men and if he had but spoken the word the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him but hee would not Behold when hee saw that impotent man could not take away his soule he gaue it vp and would die that we might liue See here a Sauiour that can contemne his owne life for ours and cares not to be dissolued in himselfe that we might be vnited to his Father Skin for skin saith the Deuill and all that hee hath a man will giue for his life Loe here to proue Sathan a lyer skinne and life and all hath Christ Iesus giuen for vs. Wee are besotted with the earth and make base shifts to liue one with a maimed bodie another with a periured soule a third with a rotten name and how many had rather neglect their soule than their life and will rather renounce and curse God than die It is a shame to tell Many of vs Christians doat vpon life and tremble at death and shew our selues fooles in our excesse of loue cowards in our feare Peter denies Christ thrice and forsweares him Marcellinus twice casts graines of incense into the Idols fire Ecebolius turnes thrice Spira reuolts and despaires Oh let mee liue saith the fearefull soule Whither doest thou reserue thy selfe thou weake and timorous creature or what wouldest thou doe with thy selfe Thou hast not thus learned Christ he died voluntarily for thee thou wilt not be forced to die for him he gaue vp the ghost for thee thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe When I looke backe to the first Christians and compare their zealous contempt of death with our backwardnesse I am at once amazed and ashamed I see there euen women the feebler sex running with their little ones in their armes for the preferment of Martyrdome and ambitiously striuing for the next blow I see holy and tender Virgins chusing rather a sore and shamefull death than honourable Espousals I heare the blessed Martyrs Quod si venire nolucrint ego vim faciam vt dâ—â—orer intreating their tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying Ignatius amongst the rest fearing lest the beasts will not deuoure him and vowing the first violence to them that he might bee dispatched And what lesse courage was there in our memorable and glorious fore-fathers of the last of this age and doe we their cold and feeble off-spring looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death abhorre the violent though for Christ Alas how haue we gathered rust with our long peace Our vnwillingnesse is from inconsideration from distrust Looke but vp to Christ Iesus vpon his Crosse and see him bowing his head and breathing out his soule and these feares shall vanish he died and wouldest thou liue hee gaue vp the ghost and wouldest thou keepe it whom wouldest thou follow if not thy
saith to them Depart from me They would not know God when they might now God will not know them when they would Now therefore beloued if thou wouldst not haue God scorne the offer of thy death-bed fit thy soule for him in thy health furnish it with grace iniure it to a sweet conuersation with the God of heauen then mayest thou boldly giue it vp and hee shall as gratiously receiue it yea fetch it by his Angels to his glory Hee gaue vp the ghost We must doe as he did not all with the same successe Giuing vp supposes a receiuing a returning This inmate that we haue in our bosome is sent to lodge here for a time may not dwell here alwayes The â—ight of this tenure is the Lords not ours As hee said of the hatcher It is but lent it must be restored It is ours to keepe his to dispose and require See and consider both our priuilege and charge It is not with vs as with bruit creatures wee haue a liuing ghost to informe vs which yet is not ours and alas what is ours if our soules be not but must be giuen vp to him that gaue it Why doe wee liue as those that tooke no keepe of so glorious a guest as those that should neuer part with it as those that thinke it giuen them to spend not to returne with a reckoning If thou hadst no soule if a mortall one if thine owne if neuer to bee required how couldst thou liue but sensually Oh remember but who thou art what thou hast and whither thou must and thou shalt liue like thy selfe while thou art and giue vp thy ghost confidently when thou shalt cease to be Neither is there here more certainty of our departure than comfort Carry this with thee to thy death-bed and see if it can refresh thee when all the world cannot giue thee one dram of comfort Our spirit is our dearest riches if wee should lose it here were iust cause of griefe Howle and lament if thou thinkest thy soule perisheth it is not forfeited but surrendered How safely doth our soule passe thorow the gates of death without any impeachment while it is in the hand of the Almighty Woe were vs if he did not keepe it while we haue it much more when wee restore it We giue it vp to the same hands that created infused redeemed renewed that doe protect preserue establish and will crowne it I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day O secure and happy estate of the godly O blessed exchange of our condition while our soule dwels in our breast how is it subiect to infinite miseries distempered with passions charged with sinne vexed with tentations aboue none of these how should it be otherwise This is our pilgrimage that our home this our wildernesse that our land of promise this our bondage that our kingdome our impotency causeth this our sorrow When our soule is once giuen vp what euill shall reach vnto heauen and wrestle with the Almighty Our lothnesse to giue vp comes from our ignorance and infidelity No man goes vnwillingly to a certaine preferment I desire to bee dissolued saith Paul I haue serued thee I haue beleeued thee and now I come to thee saith Luther The voyce of Saints not of men If thine heart can say thus thou shalt not need to intreat with old Hilariâ—â— Egredere mea anima egredere quid times Goe thy wayes forth my soule goe forth what fearest thou but it shall flie vp alone cheerefully from thee and giue vp it selfe into the armes of God as a faithfull Creator and Redeemer This earth is not the element of thy soule it is not where it should be It shall be no lesse thine when it is more the owners Thinke now seriously of this point Gods Angell is abroad and strikes on all sides we know not which of our turnes shall be the next we are sure we carry deaths enow within vs. If we bee ready our day cannot come too soone Stirre vp thy soule to an heauenly cheerefulnesse like thy Sauiour Know but whither thou art going and thou canst not but with diuine Paul Vt contra Nullam animam recipio quae me â—olente separatur à corpâ—re HieroÌ„ say from our Sauiours mouth euen in this sense It is a more blessed thing to giue than to receiue God cannot abide an vnwilling guest giue vp that spirit to him which he hath giuen thee and he will both receiue what thou giuest and giue it thee againe with that glory and happinesse which can neuer be conceiued and shall neuer bee ended Euen so LORD IESVS come quickly Gloria in excelsis Deo THE IMPRESE OF GOD. IN TWO SERMONS PREACHED AT THE COVRT In the Yeeres 1611. 1612. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE IMPRESE OF GOD. THE FJRST PART ZACHAR 14.20 In that day shall be written vpon the bridles or bels of the Horses Holinesse vnto the Lord and the pots of the Lords house shall be like the bowles before the Altar IF any man wonder whither this discourse can tend of horses and bels and pots and bowles for the Altar Let him consider that of Tertullian Ratio diuina in medulla est non in superficie These Horses if they be well menaged will proue like those fiery horses of Elias to carry vs vp to our heauen 2 King 2.11 These Bels like those golden bels of Aarons robe Exod. 39.25 These Pots like that Olla pulmenti of the Prophets after Elisha's meale 2 King 4. and these Bowles like that blessed and fruitfull nauell of the CHVRCH Cant. 7.2 S. Paul askes Doth God take care for oxen so may I here Doth God take care for horses Surely to prouide for them not to prophesie of them much lesse of their bels the vnnecessarie ornaments of a necessary creature But hee that forbids vs to learne of the horse that lesson of stubbornnesse by the PSALMIST and checks vs oft by the oxe and asse for their good nature would haue vs learne here vnder this parable of the horse and the bels of the horse and the writing on those bels the estate of our owne peace and sanctification God doth both speake and worke in Parables as that Father saith well Of this then I may truly say as Hierome said of the Booke of IOB Singula verba plena sunt sensibus Suffer your selues with Abrahams Ram to bee perplexed a while in these bryars that you may be prepared for a fit sacrifice to God In that day What day is that All dayes are his who is the Ancient of dayes and yet he sayes Abraham saw my day and reioyced Hee that made all dayes sayes yet againe This is the day which the Lord hath made There is one day of the weeke Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Reuel 1. and yet I would it were his Gods day by creation by ordination I would it were his by obseruation too There is one day in an Age his While it is called to day Heb. 3. The day of visitation and yet this thy day Luke 19.42 One day in a world his Matth. 7.22 In that day A day beyond the world his To day haue I begotten thee Hodie i. ab Eterno which is a nunc stans as Aquinas defines it The Heathens haue fiue famous periods of computations Ninus Monarchie Ogyges Flood Troian Warre Olympiads Vrbs condita All ours is ab illo die which S. Paul cals the fulnesse of Time But Christ hath two dayes as two commings His first In die illa radix Iesse saith Esay 11.10 The day of his comming to soiourne in the world His second 1 Cor. 1.8 The day of his returne which S. Paul cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.30 when he comes to ransome vs and to iudge the world Both are dayes indeed In the first there is no night of his absence tho to our sense there be some little darknesse of our misery In the second no absence nor no misery A day without night Reuel 21.25 This prophesie is true of both Partially and inchoatly of the first totally and absolutely of the second Of the first so far as it makes way for and resembles the second and this as it is here principally intended so shall it be the drift of our discourse This is the day Now what of this day There shall be a Motto written An honourable Motto such as was written vpon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Turbaut of the High Priest Holinesse to the Lord And where shall it be written An honourable Motto in an ignoble place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not as Aquila and Theodotian vnder the belly of the horse super profundum Nor as Symmachus vnder his feet super incessum vmbrosum These senses are senslesse tho you take them cum grano salis as the Lawyers admonish they sauour neither the sense nor word Not as Ierome the Septuagint and Geneue super froenum Tho this hath the sense well not the word Hieroms master came a little neerer super phaleras Those of the Rabbins yet light rightest both on the word and sense which turne super Tintinnabula For ten times at least in the Chronicles and Ezra is the same word dually vsed for Cymbals and the Verbe of this root is the same whereby God would expresse the tingling of the eares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tinnient aures audientium Ier. 19. To adorne their horses with bels was not onely a fashion in those South-East Countries but in our fore-fathers dayes in this Land as it were easie to shew you but out of Chancers Antiquity and some of vs haue seene it still in vse else-where What bels then were these Not of the Priest It had beene easie to transferre his Embleme from his forehead to his skirts but of the horses The horse an vncleane beast Leuit. 11. A warlike beast Equus paratur in diem belli Prou. 21 31. Whence still shall you finde Horses and Chariots put together and In bello equis Ose 1.7 Behold this Motto had wont to be written vpon a man now vpon a beast had wont vpon an holy man The High Priest now vpon an vncleane beast before vpon a man of peace now on a beast of warre Before vpon the forehead of the High Priest now as Rab. Eliezer inter oculos betwixt the eyes of the horse But what not to continue there as some Rabbins and good Interpreters but so that of these very Bels shall be made Pots for the vse of sacrifice Like as of the glasses of the Iewish women was made a Lauer and of the iewels of the Midianitish Camels a rich Ephod This is well to come thus neere yet they shall bee promoted higher They shall be Bowles for the Altar The Pots might be greater for there was Olla grandis 2 King 4. But the bowles were more noble and more peculiarly deuoted to Gods seruice Moses shall comment vpon Zacharie Num. 7. Twelue seuerall times you haue the matter of these bowles siluer the weight 70. shekels The vse for floure and oyle for the meat-offering besides that following imployment for the incense But I hold not this dependance necessary Here are rather two distinct prophesies tho to one purpose as we shall see in the processe You see now Zacharies holy riddle read That God vnder the Gospell will effect a gratious sanctification both of things and persons and by those things which in their vse haue beene altogether profane will indifferently glorifie himselfe and worke them both to peace and holinesse And as Cyprian saith Fidem rerum cursus impleuit What now is more fit for Courtiers to heare of than an Imprese of Honour What more fit for Kings and Princes than the Imprese of the God of heauen And as in all Impreses there is a body and a soule as they are termed so are both here without any affectation the soule of it is the Motto or Word Holinesse to the Lord The body is the subiect it selfe As oft-times the very shield is the deuise The subiect Bells of the horses In the Word first see the ancient vse of Heraldry in the Scriptures That part especially which concernes Inscriptions as on Coynes Shields Ensignes If the Testament of the Patriarcks had as much credit as antiquitie all the Patriarcks had their Armes assign'd them by IACOB Iudah a Lion Dan a Serpent Nepthali an Hinde Beniamin a Wolfe Ioseph a bough and so the rest The coyne which Iacob paid to the Shechemites was stamped with a Lambe Gen. 32. And if Iudahs ring that hee left with Thamar had not had an inscription it could not so certainely haue descryed his master These coynes had a figure without a word The frontall of the High Priest had a word without a figure The sheckel of the Sanctuarie whose character wee haue oft seene had both a word and a figure the word Holy Ierusalem the figure A pot of Manna like a large chalice and Aarons rod not budding but branching out Salomon compares the Church to an Armie with Banners there could be no vse no distinction of Banners without inscriptions The Maccabees had foure Hebrew letters in their Ensigne for both their word and deuise whence they had their name Yea this is not in via onely but in patriâ They shall haue a white stone and a new name written in it The field and the armes both named and vnknowne The vse therefore of inscriptions and armes must needs be very laudable as ancient since God himselfe was the first Herald and shall be the last Yea the very Anabaptists that shake off all the yoke of Magistracie yet when they had ripened their fanaticall proiects and had raised their King Becold from the shop-bord to the Throne would not want this point of honour
the condition of our mortalitie are passed ouer It shall be fully when the first things of the world are passed Passed not by abolition but by immutation as that Father said well Not the frame of the world but the corruption of that frame must passe The Spirit of God is not curious he cals those things first which were onely former not in respect of the state which is but that which shall be For those things which were first of all were like their Maker good not capable of destruction Our sinnes tainted the whole creation and brought shame vpon all the frame of heauen and earth That which we did shall be disanulled that which God did shall stand for euer and this dissolution shall be our glory other dissolutions strike teares into our eyes as this day is witnesse it is our sorrow that the first things are passed our offices our pensions our hopes our fauours and which we esteemed most our seruices are gone Let this last dissolution comfort vs against the present Who can grieue to see a Familie dissolued that considers the world must bee dissolued This little world of ours first whereof this day giues vs an image for as our seruice so our life must away and then that great one whose dissolution is represented in these The difference is that whereas this dissolution brings teares to some eies that wipes them away from all For all our teares and sorrow and toile and crying and death are for our sinnes take away corruption and misery goes away with it and till then it will neuer be remoued No man puts new wine into old vessels much lesse will God put the new wine of glory into the old vessels of corruption They are our sinnes which as in particular they haue rob'd vs of our Prince changed our seasons swept away thousands with varieties of deaths so in generall they haue deformed the face of heauen and earth and made all the Creation sigh and groane and still make vs incapable of the perfection of our blessednes for while the first things continue there must needs be teares and sorrow and death Let vs therefore looke vpon heauen and earth as goodly creatures but as blemished as transitory as those which we shall once see more glorious Let vs looke vpon our selues with indignation which haue thus distained them and as those which after some terme of their cottage expired are assured they shall haue a marble palace built for them doe long after the time perfixed them and thinke the dayes and moneths pace slowly away till then so let vs earnestly desire the day of the dissolution of this great house of the world that wee may haue our consummation in the new heauen For so soone as euer the old is past Behold saith God I will make all things new Yea the passage of the one is the renewing of the other As the Snake is renewed not by putting on any new coat but by leauing his slough behind him the gold is purified by leauing his drosse in the fire Therefore hee addes not I will but I doe make all new and because this is a great worke behold a great Agent He that sate vpon the Throne said Behold I make all new A Throne signifies Maiestie and sitting permanence or perpetuity God sayes Heauen is my throne in the Psalme but as Salomons throne of iuory and gold was the best piece of his house So Gods throne is the most glorious heauen the heauen of heauens for you see that tho heauen and earth passe away yet Gods throne remain'd still and hee sitting on it neither sinne nor dissolution may reach to the Empyreall heauen the seat of God Here is a state worthy of the King of Kings All the thrones of earthly Monarchs are but pieces of his foot-stoole And as his throne is maiesticall and permanent so is his residence in it Hee sate in the throne S. Stephen saw him standing as it were ready for his defence and protection S. Iohn sees him sitting as our Creed also runnes in regard of his inalterable glory How brittle the thrones of earthly Princes are and how they doe rather stand than sit in them and how slippery they stand too wee feele this day and lament O Lord establish the throne of thy seruant our King and let his seed endure for euer Let his throne be as the Sunne before thee for euermore and as the Moone a faithfull witnesse in heauen But howsoeuer it be with our earthly Gods of his kingdome there is no end Here is a master for Kings whose glory it is to rise vp from their thrones and throw downe their Crownes at his feet and to worship before his foot-stoole Be wise therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Rulers of the earth serue this Lord in feare and reioyce in him with trembling Yea behold here since wee haue the honour to serue him whom Kings serue a royall Master for vs It was one of our sinnes I feare that wee made our Master our God I meane that we made flesh our arme and placed that confidence in him for our earthly stay which we should haue fixed in heauen Our too much hope hath left vs comfortlesse Oh that we could now make God our Master and trust him so much the more as we haue lesse in earth to trust to There is no seruice to the King of heauen for both his throne is euerlasting and vnchangeable and his promotions certaine and honourable He that sits on the throne hath said it To him that ouercomes will I giue to sit with mee in my throne euen as I ouercame and sit with my Father in his throne Behold yee ambitious spirits how yee may truly rise to more than euer the sonnes of Zebedee desired to aspire to seruing is the way to raigning serue him that sits vpon the Throne and ye shall sit yourselues vpon the Throne with him This is the Agent the act is fit for him I make all things new Euen the very Turkes in their Alcoran can subscribe to that of Tertullian Qui potuit facere potest reficere I feare to wrong the holy Maiesty with my rude comparison It is not so much to God to make a world as for vs to speake He spake the word and it was done There is no change which is not from him He makes new Princes new yeeres new gouernments and will make new heauens new earth new inhabitants how easie then is it for him to make new prouisions for vs If wee bee left destitute yet where is our faith Shall God make vs new bodies when they are gone to dust shall he make new heauens and new earth and shall not he whose the earth is and the fulnesse thereof prouide some new meanes and courses of life for vs while we are vpon earth Is the maintenance of one poore worme more than the renewing of heauen and earth Shall he be able to raise vs when we are not and shall he
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
say they be vitious they are but hay and stubble which nothing appertaine to the foundation of this euerlasting frame The Church may bee either more sound or more corrupt for them It cannot be more or lesse a Church The beauty or deformity of a Church may consist in them the strength the welfare of it doth not Surely whosoeuer willingly subscribes to the Word of God signed in the euerlasting monuments of Scripture to the ancient Creeds to the foure Generall Councells to the common consent of the Fathers for six hundred yeeres after Christ which we of the reformed Church religiously professe to doe if he may erre in small points yet he cannot be an Heretick Some particular Church may easily offend by imputing heresie to an vndeserued opinion whether perhaps true or lightly erroneous but neither soule nor Church can greatly erre while it treads in the steps of the most ancient and vniuersall Must hee therefore of necessity die a Romanist that would die a Catholick This is an idle fancy and worthy of no lesse than Bedlam Giue me leaue ye Reuerend Fathers The blessed Ghost of the most holy and latest Bishop of this See interrupts my speech and charges me not to suffer his ashes so shamefully to be wronged I can neither be silent for indignation nor speake for anger It was not onely rumor'd but bookes were cast abroad ouer the world concerning the reuolt of this worthy and excellent Prelate reporting that at his death hee reconciled himselfe to the Church of Rome and with many sighes renounced the Heresies of the Church of England and at last being absolued by a Popish Priest sweetly slept in the faith of the Church of Rome Neither did his departed soule want somewhere as is reported suffrages and oblations of Massmongers in this behalfe Oh immortall God! what blasphemy is here Can impudencie it selfe so cast off all shame as to raise so slanderous a lie thus boldly against the credit of so many witnesses against the solemne detestation of their owne Priest against the religious othes of his neerest friends and domestique seruants against the Sermon and publique writings of his Learned Sonne a sonne well worthy of such a Father Other lies haue some colour to plead for their credit This besides boldnesse hath none at all How many of vs sate by that faithfull Pastor of ours then breathing toward his last and receiued from his dying lips words of most constant piety And some of you reuerend Fathers deuoutly receiued with him that sacred Vinticum the last bread that euer hee tasted euen the bread of the Lord and were witnesses of the last motions of his soule then ready to depart and breathing toward his heauen Ours he liued Ours hee died and now as ours is crowned in heauen Goe on now yea mis-zealous spirits goe on to lie stoutly somewhat will alwaies stick fast to the accusers But in the meane time It cannot be truth that needs the props of lies Onely this by the way Let the boldest Sophister of the Romish Schoole come forth now and if hee can for shame let him vndertake to proue that those most noted additions of the Tridentine Faith which onely we reiect were receiued of all the Church in all Ages for necessary heads of Religion or let him confesse as he needs must that we haue still constantly persisted in the Communion of One Holy Catholick Church and faith Hee shall easily bewray his owne nouelty but neuer shall euince any Heresie of ours It is a golden saying of Cardinall Contarenus Harken I beseech you if any ingenuous spirit of you all be a friend to Rome Non opus est concilio non syllogismis ad sedandas hasce Lutheraâ—â—â—um turbas c. There needs no Councell saith he no Syllogismes to allay these broyles of the Lutherans but onely charity humility and a sincere minde that being void of all selfe-loue we may be perswaded to correct and reforme those things wherein we haue manifestly transgressed Thus he Thou art wise indeed O Contarenus would to God thy fellowes were so also But we forsooth are the disobedient and rebellious children of our mother the Church whose commands while wee disdaine to receiue and obey and reuerence her decrees we are enwrapped in a shamefull schisme and stricken with the curses of an angry Mother Surely this were an odious contumely But for vs wee haue not acknowledg'd her a Mother a Sister wee haue But grant wee were Sons yet wee are no slaues To forge a new faith and imperiously thrust it vpon her owne is not the part of an indulgent parent but of a Tyrant This lawlesse liberty we confesse we could neuer endure and therefore are wee openly thunder-stricken with more than one Anathema Neither haue they otherwise dealt with vs than that foolish fellow in Gerson who being very busie to driue away a fly from his neighbours forehead braind the man But lament ye with me my brethren the wofull case of that Church that hath learned to fit her faith to the Times and is more impatient of a remedy than of the disease Whilst they so eagerly persecute vs let vs heartily pitty them And let vs still wish to them that which they enuie and denie to vs Saluation Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Our prayers our teares our admonitions must not bee wanting Returne to your selues now at last oh ye Christian soules Returne from whence you haue sensibly declined Recouer your first loue your first workes Suffer not your selues any longer to be mocked with the glorious title of a Church Frame your selues to that holy Vnity which hitherto you haue so stifly resisted which oh if once we might liue to see effected you should well finde as it runs in the law of the twelue Tables that the recouered should with vs haue the same priuileges with the healthfull Behold wee are ready as our gracious and peaceable King Iames piously vndertooke to meet you halfe way But if they shall still obstinately cast off all hope of Vnity and being set on fire with the hatred of peace shall goe on to delight themselues onely in the alarum of their sacred Trumpet as they call it why should not wee religiously and entirely keepe peace among our selues I speake to all the Sonnes of the purer Church wheresoeuer dispersed we professe this Church of ours by Gods grace reformed Reformed I say not new made as some emulous spirits spightfully slander vs. For me I am ready to forke to the very ground when I heare that hedge-row reproach Where was your Religion before Luther Where was your Church Heare oh ye ignorant Heare oh ye enuious Cauillers we desired the reformation of an old Religion not the formation of a new The Church accordingly was reform'd not new wrought It remaines therefore the same Church it was before but onely purged from some superfluous and pernitions additaments of error Is it a new face that was lately washed a new
it is euen too little for God what doe we thinke of taking an Inmate into this cottage It is a fauour and happinesse that the God of glorie will vouchsafe to dwell in it alone Euen so O God take thou vp these roomes for thy selfe and inlarge them for the entertainment of thy Spirit Haue thou vs wholly and let vs haue thee Let the world serue it selfe O let vs serue thee with all our hearts God hath set the heart on worke to feare the hands on worke to serue him now that nothing may bee wanting he sets the head on worke to consider and that not so much the iudgements of God yet those are of singular vse and may not be forgotten as his mercies What great things hee hath done for you not against you Hee that looked vpon his owne works and saw they were good and delighted in them delights that we should looke vpon them too and applaud his wisdome power and mercie that shines in them Euen the least of Gods works are worthie of the obseruation of the greatest Angell in heauen but the magnalia Dei the great things he hath done are more worthie of our wonder of our astonishment Great things indeed that hee did for Israel he meant to make that Nation a precedent of mercie that all the world might see what he could doe for a people Heauen and earth conspired to blesse them What should I speake of the wonders of Aegypt Surely I know not whether their preseruation in it or deliuerance out of it were more miraculous Did they want a guide Himselfe goes before them in fire Did they want a shelter His cloud is spred ouer them for a couering Did they want way The sea it selfe shall make it and bee at once a street and a wall to them Did they want bread Heauen it selfe shall powre downe food of Angels Did they want meat to their bread The wind shall bring them whole drifts of Quailes into their Tents Doe they want drinke to both The verie Rocke shall yeeld it them Doe they want suits of apparell Their verie clothes shall not wax old on their backs Doe they want aduice God himselfe shall giue his vocall Oracle betweene the Cherubins Doe they want a Law God shall come downe vpon Sinai and deliuer it in fire thundring smoke earth-quakes and write it with his owne finger in tables of stone Doe they want habitations God shall prouide them a land that flowes with milke and honie Are they persecuted God stands in fire betweene them and their harmes Are they stung to death The brazen Serpent shall cure them Are they resisted The walls of Iericho shall fall downe alone hailestones braine their enemies The Sunne shall stand still in heauen to see Ioshuahs reuenge and victorie Oh great and mightie things that God did for Israel And if any Nation vnder heauen could either parallel or second Israel in the fauours of God this poore little ILAND of ours is it The cloud of his protection hath couered vs. The bloud-red sea of persecution hath giuen way to vs and we are passed it dry-shod The true Manna from heauen is rained downe abundantly about our tents The water of life gusheth forth plenteously to vs The better law of the Gospell is giuen vs from heauen by the hands of his Sonne the walls of the spirituall Iericho are fallen downe before vs at the blast of the trumpets of God and cursed be he that goes about to build them vp againe Now therefore that we may come more close to the taske of this day Let me say to you as SAMVEL to his Israelites Consider with mee what great things the Lord hath done for vs and as one wisht that the enuious had eyes in euerie place so could I seriously wish that all which haue ill will at our Sion had their eares with me but one houre that if they belong not to God they might burst with Iudas which repine with Iudas at this seasonable cost of the precious oyntment of our praises If I should looke backe to the ancient mercies of God and shew you that this Kingdome though diuided from the world was one of the first that receiued the Gospell That it yeelded the first Christian Emperor that gaue peace and honour to the Church The first and greatest lights that shone forth in the darkest of Poperie to all the world and that it was the first kingdome that shooke Antichrist fully out of the saddle I might finde iust matter of praise and exultation but I will turne ouer no other Chronicles but your memorie This day alone hath matter enough of an eternall gratulation For this is the communis terminus wherein Gods fauours meet vpon our heads which therefore represents to vs both what we had and what we haue The one to our sense the other to our remembrance This day was both Queene ELIzABETHS Initium gloriae and King IAMES his Initium regni To her Natalitium salutis as the passion-dayes of the Martyrs were called of old and Natalis Imperij to him These two names shew vs happinesse enough to take vp our hearts for euer And first why should it not bee our perpetuall glorie and reioycing that wee were her subiects Oh blessed Queene the mother of this Nation the nurse of this Church the glorie of womanhood the enuie and example of forraine Nations the wonder of times how sweet and sacred shall thy memorie bee to all posterities How is thy name not Parables of the dust Iob 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Iewes speake not written in the earth as Ieremie speaks but in the liuing earth of all loyall hearts neuer to bee razed And though the foule mouthes of our Aduersaries sticke not to call her miseram foeminam as Pope Clement did nor to say of her as Euagrius sayes vncharitably of Iustinian the great Law-giuer ad supplicia iusto Dei iudicio apud inferos luenda profecta est Euagr. l. 5. c. 1. and those that durst bring her on the stage liuing bring her now dead as I haue heard by those that haue seene it into their processions like a tormented ghost attended with fiends and firebrands to the terrour of their ignorant beholders Yet as wee saw shee neuer prospered so well as when shee was most cursed by their Pius 5 so now wee hope she is rather so much more glorious in heauen by how much they are more malicious on earth These arrogant wretches that can at their pleasure fetch Salomon from heauen to hell and Traian and Falconella from hell to heauen Campian and Garnet from earth to heauen Queene Elizabeth from earth to hell shall finde one day that they haue mistaken the keyes and shall know what it is to iudge by being iudged In the meane time in spight of the gates of Rome Memoria iustae in benedictionibus To omit those vertues which were proper to her sex by which she deserued to bee the Queene of women
of the sonnes of Anak the spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places If we looke at their number they are Legions If to their strength they are Principalities and Powers If to their nature they are spirits that rule in the aire We are men flesh and bloud single weake sinfull What euer we are our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will he is the Lord of Hosts though Cowards in our selues yet in him we are more than Conquerors he who is more than all power than All truth hath said it The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against his Church Thanks be to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Lastly he is the Lord of hosts his vndertakings are infallible Hath he said that the glory of the Euangelicall Church shall exceed the Legall Hath he said that In this place he will giue peace How can the Church faile of glory or the soule of peace His word can be no more defectiue than himselfe impotent Trust God with his owne causes trust him with thy selfe doe that he bids expect what he promises haunt this House of his wait on his ordinances The Lord of Hosts shall giue thee that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and with peace glory in that vpper House of his not made with hands eternall in the Heauens To the possession whereof that God who hath ordained vs in his good time mercifully bring vs. And now O Lord God of Hosts make good thy promises to this House of thine Whensoeuer any Suppliant shall in this place offer vp his praiers vnto thee heare thou in Heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest haue mercy What Word soeuer of thine shall sound out of this place let it be the fauour of life vnto life to euery hearer What Sacrament soeuer of thine in this place shall be administred let it be effectuall to the saluation of euery receiuer Thou that art the God of glory and peace giue peace and glory to thy Seruants for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake euen the Sonne of thy loue Iesus Christ the iust To whom with thee and the holy Ghost one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and thanksgiuing now and for euer TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Dr. HALL DEANE OF WORCESTER my worthie and much respected Friend all happinesse with my loue in CHRIST IESVS REuerend Sir this Sermon I know is at the Presse before you expected But I thought as this glorious Chapell occasioned it so it might minister occasion of perpetuall remembrance of the Chapell by remaining its first Monument And altho both these were confined to the priuate the Chapell for the Family of my Right Honorable Lord the Earle of Exceter who hath giuen the materiall thereof sufficient luster and the Copie of the Sermon to the Cabinet of my truly Noble and vertuous Lady his Countesse yet both these are much and oft required to the publike the Sermon to be an instruction and so it is the Chapell to be an example and so it may be The Sermon to teach all to be all glorious in their soules The Chapell to teach some who build houses for their owne habitation to set vp another for Gods Religion The Sermon was craued at the hands of my Honourable Ladie that it might come to the Presse who of her owne pious disposition gaue forth the Copie and for her Noble esteeme of your selfe and of the worth of your sermon was willing and desirous to giue it way to the Printer And this I thought good to impart vnto you and to the courteous Reader that you may be satisfied of the meanes how and the cause why it comes in publike And so praying for you and desiring your prayers for me I remaine Your truly louing Friend H. BAGVLEY THE TRVE Peace-Maker LAID FORTH IN A SERMON BEFORE HIS MAIESTY AT THEOBALDS September 19. 1624. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for NATHANIEL BVTTER 1624. THE TRVE Peace-Maker ESAY 32.17 Opus Iustitiae pax The worke of Iustice or righteousnesse shall be peace MY Text you heare is of Iustice and peace two royall graces and such as flow from soueraigne Maiesty There is a double Iustice Diuine and humane there is a double peace outward in the state inward in the soule Accordingly there is a double sense of my Text a spirituall a ciuill sense The spirituall concerning Theologicall Iustice and inward peace The ciuill concerning humane iustice and outward peace The spirituall thus The Messias shall cause the fruit of his perfect iustice to be our inward peace with God and our selues The ciuill thus The Magistrate shall cause the worke of ciuill Iustice in his administration to be our outward peace with one another In both or either as Musculus well there is an allusion in the Hebrew word to a field the soile is the heart or the State the seed is Iustice the fruit peace That which was waste ground is now a Carmell a fruitfull field and the fruit of this field of Iustice is peace As there is good reason we will beginne with the spirituall Iustice and Peace The great King of Heauen will disforest that peece of the world which hee calls his Church and put it to tillage it shall be sowne with righteousnesse and shall yeeld a sweet crop of peace in this onely not in the barren heaths of the prophane world shall true peace grow At first God and man were good friends How should there bee other than good termes betwixt Heauen and Paradise God made man iust and iust man whiles he was so could not chuse but loue the iust God that made him sin set them at odds in one act and instant did man leese both his iustice and peace now the world is changed now the stile of God is Fortis vltor God the auenger Ier. 51.56 and the stile of men God the auenger The sonnes of wrath Filij irae sons of wrath Ephes 2.3 There is no possible peace to be made betwixt God man but by the perfect Iustice of him that was both God man I would there were a peace in the Church about this Iustice It is pitie shame there is not but there must be heresies As there are two parts of Diuinity the Law and the Gospell so each of these haue their Iustice there is a Iustice of the Law and an Euangelicall Iustice The Iustice of the Law when a meere morall man is iustified out of his owne powers by the works of the Law very Papists will giue so much way to S. Paul so much affront to Pelagius as to renounce this freely anathematizing that man who by the strength of humane nature or the doctrine of the Law shal challenge iustification Vnlesse perhaps some Andradius haue priuiledge to teach Morall righteousnesse that this Ethica Iustitia was enough to iustifie and saue the old Philosophers The Euangelicall Iustice is
name of God may blesse them The prayers which accompany this solemnitie are parts of Gods worship not the contract it selfe This is a mixt action therefore compounded of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill imposed on the Minister not vpon necessity but expedience neither essential to him but accidentally annexed for greater conuenience These two friuolous grounds haue made your cauill either very simple or very wilfull SEP Your Court of faculties from whence your dispensations and tolerations for Non-residency and Plurality of Benefices are had together with your commuting of Penances and absoluing one man for another Take away this power from the Prelates and you maime the Beast in a limme SECTION XXXIX SEE if this man be not hard driuen for accusations when he is faine to repeate ouer the very same crime Commutation of Penance in our Church which he had largely vrged before All the world will know that you want variety when you send in these twice-sod Coleworts Somewhat yet we finde new Commutation of Penance Our Courts would tell you that here is nothing dispenced with but some ceremony of shame in the confession which in the greater sort is exchanged for a common benefit of the poore into a pecuniary mulct yet say they not so as to abridge the Church of her satisfaction by the confession of the offender and if you grant the Ceremony deuised by them why doe you finde fault that it is altered or commuted by them As for Absolution you haue a spite at it because you sought it and were repulsed If the censures be but their owne so you hold why blame you the managing of them in what maner seemes best to the authors This power is no more a limme of the Prelacy than our Prelacy is that Beast in the Reuelation and our Prelacy holds it selfe no more S. Iohns beast then it holds you S. Pauls beast Phil. 3.2 Sep. In your High Commission Court very absolute where by the Oath Ex Officio men are constrained to accuse themselues of such things as whereof no man will or can accuse them what necessity is laid vpon men in this case let your prisons witnesse SECTION XL. Oath Ex officio I Aske of Auricular Confession you send me to our High Commission Court these two are much alike But here is also very absolute necessity of confession True but as in a case of iustice not of shrift to cleare a truth not to obtaine absolution to a bench of Iudges not to a Priests eare Here are too many ghostly Fathers for an auricular confession But you will mistake it is enough against vs that men are constrained in these courts to confesse against themselues why name you these courts onely Euen in others also oathes are vrged not onely ex officio mercenario but noâ—ili The honorablest Court of Star-chamber giues an oath in a criminall case to the defendant So doth the Chancery and Court of Requests Shortly to omit forraine examples how many instances haue you of this like proceeding in the common Lawes of this Land But withall you might learne that no Enquiry Ex officio may be thus made but vpon good grounds D. Cosâ—â—s his Apol. as Fame Scandall vehement presumption c. going before and giuing iust cause of suspicion Secondly D. Auâ—r determ de Iurâ—â—â—rando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 5.12 Icsh 7.19 1 Sam. 14 43. G. Iohns M. Crud Trouble at Amsterd p. 132. Non potest quis in vna causa eodem momâ—nto duas portarepersonas vt in eodem iudicio accusator sit iudâ—â— Optat. 〈◊〉 7. that this proceeding is not allowed in any case of crime whereby the life or limmes of the examined party may be indangered nor yet where there is a iust suspition of future periury vpon such enforcement Thus is the suspected wife vrged to cleare hâ—â— honesty by oath Thus the Master of the house must cleare his truth Exod. â—â— 8 Thus Aâ—â—an and Ionathan were vrged to be their owne accusers though not by oath But if perhap◠〈…〉 Iusticer in their proceedings must this b◠〈…〉 petty-Courts at ho◠〈…〉 onely to the Commission Court of England but to the Inquisition of Spaine See 〈◊〉 your Pastor defending himselfe to be both an accuser and Iudge in the same cause See their proceedings Ex Officio without commission and if your prisons cannot witnesse it your excommunications may SEP Though you haue lost the Shrines of Saints yet you retaine their daâ—es and those holy as the Lords day and that with good profit to your spirituall carnall Courts from such as pâ—â—fane them with the least and most lawfull 〈◊〉 notwithstanding the liberty of the siâ— dayes labour which the Lord hath giuen and as much would the Masters of these Courts bee stirred at the Casting of these Saints dayes out of the Calender 〈◊〉 were the Masters of the possessed maid when the Spirit of diuination was cast out of her Act. 1â— 19 SECTION XLI WEe haue not lost but cast away the Idolatrous shrines of Saints Holy-dayes how obserued in the Church of England their daies we retaine theirs not for worship of them which our Church condemneth but partly for â—ommoâ— oration of their high deserts and excellent examples partly for distinction indeed therefore Gods dayes and not theirs their praises redound to him shew vs where we implore them where wee consecrate daies to their seruice The maine end of Holy-daies is for the seruice of God and some Socr. l. 5. c. 21. Est 9.17 Nehe. 12.27 1 Mac. 4.29 Iohn 10.13 Aug. Ep. 44. Scias à Christianis Catholicis nullum coli mortuorum nihil denique vt numen adâ—rari quod fit factum condituâ—â— Ã Deo Quae tolo orbe terrarum c. sicuti quoque Domini passio resurrectio in coelum ascensus aduentus Spiritus sancti anniuersar à solemnitate câ—â—ebrantur Aug. Epist 118. Churches of France and Flanders in Harâ— confess Th Whites Discouer p. 1â— as Socrates sets downe of old quo se à láborum conteâ—â—ione relaxâ—â—â— for relaxation from labour and if such daies may be appointed by the Church as were the Holy daies of Pâ—rim of the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem the dedication of the Temple whose names should they rather beare though but for meere distinction than the blessed Apostles of Christ But his is a colour onely for you equally condemne those dayes of Christs Birth Ascension Circumcision Resurrection Anunciation which the Church hath beyond all memory celebrated what then is our fault Wee keepe these holy as the Lords day in the same manner though not in the same degree Indeed we come to the Church and worship the God of the Martyrs and Saints is this yet our offence No but we abstaine from our most lawfull labour in them True yet not in conscience of the day but in obedience to the Church If the Church shall indict a solemne Fast doe you not hold
sword too which will not yeeld so much as that shee can erre which refused to amend those notorious abuses which by the moderate verdict of her Elect Cardinals were condemned and lastly which by the palpable flatteries of her last and worst Parasites the Iesuites is growne not secure onely but prouder than euer shee was Can it be then from others How oft hath this been indeuoured in vaine Rome may bee sacked and battered as it hath often beene by militarie forces but purged by admonitions conuictions Socr. l. 5. c. 10. censures it will neuer be I remember on this occasion what Sininnius the Lector aduised Bishop Nectarius in the like case That hee had euer found disputations so farre from reconciling of Schismes that they are still wont to inflame the minds of heretikes to suffer contention What then Can it be from her selfe and others Alas Potericatue vero pacem esse pati pacis dissolutores how should it vnlesse either others had power or her selfe had will to bee redressed Synod Arimiâ—ens For certainely if there be any one sparke of good hope yet aliue it must be in the aid and determination of a generall councell and such a Synod is no lesse impossible Ad constan Theod. l. 2. c. 19. than reconciliation it selfe For who shall call it who shall sit President in it who shall bee present and giue their voyces What shall be the rule of the decisions what the order of execution Let them bring forth if they will the sister or the daughter of that their Tridentine assembly who can hold from smiles and scorne Fosooth they would deale with vs as Luther wittily iested of the summoning of this Councell by Paul the third much like vnto them that mocke an hungry dogge with a crust and a knife who in stead of giuing him the bread let him feele the haft well may we resolue with Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In Praefat. Concil Binij to auoid all such meetings of Bishops for that no such Synod euer did good but tended rather to the decay than aduantage of the Church I remember Isidore deriues the Latine word Concilium à cilijs oculorum for that all direct the sight of their mindes into one center There can therefore bee no Councell held by those which professe a generall and publike disagreement of iudgement In vaine should we indeuour any such course vnlesse euery one of them would resolue to thinke of peace at home and would perswade his heart laying aside all preiudice and wilfull respects of faction Optat. Mileu l. 7. Decr. 2. q. multi ingenuously to submit himselfe to the truth when it once appeares and more to regard their soules than their estates For can wee thinke it equall as things now stand that the same parties should be allowed witnesses plaintiffes defendants Iudges in their owne cause Or shall wee perhaps hope that those priuiledges which haue hitherto beene trecherously and tyrannically vsurped by Papists will now vpon better aduisement be ingenuously giuen vp by them and renounced or that they will now at last thunder and lighten Anathemaes against their owne heads Some fooles may hope for this which are vnacquainted with that old verse so common in the mouth and pen of Lipsius Moribus antiquis Res stat Romana virisque But for vs vnlesse Hee that doth wonders alone by his stretched out arme from heauen should mightily beyond all hope effect this we know too well that it cannot be done Onely this one thing which God hath promised we doe verily expect to see the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the LORD IESVS shall with the breath of his mouth destroy this lawlesse-man long since reuealed to his Church and by the brightnesse of his glorious comming fully discouer and dispatch him Not onely in the meanes and way but in the end also Hier. in Mat. 24. Theocr. eâ—diss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. is Rome opposite to heauen The heauen shall passe away by a change of qualitie not an vtter destruction of substance Rome by destruction not by change Of vs therefore and them shall that old Bucolicke Verse bee verified Out of each others brest their swords they drew Nor would they rest till one the other slew Glory to God Victorie to the Truth Warre with Heresie Peace to the Church AMEN FINIS Quo vadis A IVST CENSVRE OF TRAVELL AS IT IS COMMONLY VNdertaken by the Gentlemen of our NATION 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 MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD EDWARD Lord DENNY Baron of Waltham RIght Honourable IF euer any men had reason to be in loue with the face of a forraine entertainment those are they which were admitted to the attendance of the truly Generous and Honorable Lord HAY your most noble Sonne in his late Embassage to France in which number my vnworthinesse was allowed to make one who can therefore well witnesse that no man could either receiue more honour from a strange Countrey or doe more honour to his owne What wanted there that might make men confesse themselues more welcome than strangers Neither doubt J but that after many ages France it selfe will wonder at the bountifull expressions of her owne fauours But whiles others were inioying the noble courtesies of the time my thoughts entertained themselues with searching into the proofe of that ordinarie Trauell wherewith I saw men commonly affected which J must needs confesse the more I saw the lesse I liked Neither is it in the power of any forraine munificence to make me thinke ours any where so well as at home Earthly commodities are no part of my thought I looked as J ought at the soule which I well saw vses not only to gather no mosse in this rolling but suffers the best graces it hath to moulder away insensibly in such vnnecessarie agitation J haue now beene twise abroad both times as thinking my selfe worthy of nothing but neglect J bent my eies vpon others to see what they did what they got my inquirie found our spirituall losse so palpable that now at last my heart could not chuse but breake forth at my hand and tell my Country-men of the dangerous issue of their curiositie J meddle not with the common iourneyes to the minerall waters of the Spa to which many sicke soules are beholden for a good excuse who whiles they pretend the medicinall vse of that spring can freely quaffe of the puddle of popish superstition poysoning the better part in stead of helping the worse These J leaue to the best Physitian Authoritie which if it may please to vndertake the cure may perhaps saue as many English soules from infection as that water cures bodies of diseases J deale onely with those that professe to seeke the glory of a perfect breeding and the perfection of that
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
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
altogether of humane constitution must like to remedies in diseases be attempered to the present estate of matters and times Those things which were once religiously instituted afterwards according to occasion and the changed quality of manners and times may be with more Religion and Piety abrogated which yet is not to bee done by the temerity of the people but by the authority of Gouernors that tumult may be auoyded and that the publicke custome may be so altred that concord may not be broken the very same is perhaps to be thought concerning the Mariage of Priests of old as there was great paucity of Priests so great Pietie also They that they might more freely attend those holy Seruices made themselues chaste of their owne accord And so much were those Ancients affected to Chastitie that they would hardly permit Mariage vnto that Christian whom his Baptisme found single but a second Mariage yet more hardly And now that which seemed plausible in Bishops and Priests was translated to Deacons and at last to sub-Deacons which voluntarily receiued custome was confirmed by the authority of Popes In the meane time the member of Priests increased and their Pietie decreased Inter hos quanta raritas eorum qui castè viuunt How many swarmes of Priests are maintained in Monasteries and Colledges and amongst them how few are there that liue chastly I speake of them which doe publikely keepe Concubines in their houses in stead of their Wiues Nec enim attingo nunc secretiorum libidinum mystâ—ria c. I doe not now meddle with the mysteries of their more secret lusts I onely speake of those things which are most notoriously knowne to the World And yet when we know these things how easie are we to admit men into holy Orders and how difficult in releasing this constitution of single life when as contrarily S. Paul teaches that hands must not be rashly laid vpon any and more then once hath prescribed what manner of men Priests and Deacons ought to be but of their single life neither Christ nor his Apostles hath euer giuen any Law in the holy Scriptures Long since hath the Church abrogated the nightly Vigils at the Tombes of Martyrs which yet had been receiued by the publike custome of Christians and that for diuers Ages Those Fasts which were wont to continue till the euening it hath transferred to noon and many other things hath it changed according to the occasions arising Cur hic humanaÌ„ constitutionem vrgemus tam obstinatè praesertim cùm tot causa suadeant mutationem Primùm enim magna pars Sacerdotum viuit cum malâ famâ parumque requieta conscientia tractat illa sacrosancta mysteria c. And why then doe we so obstinately vrge this humane constitution especially when so many causes perswade vs to an alteration For first a great part of our Priests liues with an ill name and with an vnquiet conscience handleth those holy Mysteries And then the fruit of their labours for the most part is vtterly lost because their doctrine is contemned of their people by reason of their shamefull life Whereas if Mariage might be yeelded to those which doe not containe both they would liue more quietly and should preach Gods Word to the people with authority and might honestly bring vp their children neither should the one of them bee a mutuall shame to other c. FINIS A BRIEFE SVMME OF THE Principles of Religion fit to be knowne of such as would addresse themselues to Gods TABLE Q HOw many things are required of a Christian A. Two Knowledge and Practice Q What are we bound to know A. God and our selues Q. What must we know of God A. What one he is and what he hath done Q. What is God A. He is one Almightie and infinite Spirit Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Q. What hath he done A. He hath made all things he gouerneth and preserueth all things and hath eternally decreed how all things shall bee done and hath reuealed his will to vs in his Word Q. What more must we know concerning God and his actions A. That God the Son Christ Iesus tooke our nature vpon him dyed for our redemption rose again and now liueth gloriously in Heauen making intercession for vs. Q. Thus much concerning God What must we know of our selues A. What we were what we are and what we shall be Q. What were we A. We were made at first perfect and happy according to Gods Image in knowledge in holinesse in righteousnesse Q. What are we now A. Euer since the fall of our first Parents we are all naturally the sonnes of wrath subiect to misery and death But those whom God chooseth out to himselfe are in part renewed through grace and haue the Image of God in part repaired in them Q. What shall we be A. At the general resurrection of all flesh those which were in part renewed here shall be fully perfited and glorified in body and soule those which haue liued and dyed in their sinnes shall be iudged to perpetuall torments Q. Thus much for our knowledge Now for our practice what is required of vs A. Due obedience and seruice to God both in our ordinary course of life and also in the speciall exercises of his worship Q. What is that obedience which is required of vs in the ordinary course of our life A. It is partly prescribed vs by the Law and partly by the Gospell Q. What doth the Law require A. The Law contained in Ten Commandements enioyneth vs all piety to God and all iustice and charity to our neighbour Q. What doth the Gospell require A. Faith in Lord Iesus with the fruit of it Repentance as our onely remedie for the breach of the Law Q. What is faith A. The affiance of the soule vpon Christ Iesus depending vpon him alone for forgiuenesse and saluation Q What is Repentance A. An effectuall breaking off our old sinnes with sorrow and detestation and an earnest purpose and endeuour of contrary obedience Q. Thus much of our obedience in the whole course of life What are the seruices required more specially in the immediate exercises of Gods worship A. They are chiefly three first Due hearing and reading the Word secondly Receiuing the Sacraments thirdly Prayer Q. Which call you the Word of God A. The holy Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two Baptisme and the Lords Supper Q. What is the vse of Baptisme A. By water washing the body to assure vs that the blood of Christ applied to the soule of euery beleeuer clenseth him from his sinnes Q. What is the vse of the Lords Supper A. To be a signe a seale a pledge vnto vs of Christ Iesus giuen for vs giuen to vs. Q. What signifies the Bread and wine A. The body and blood of Christ broken and powred out for our redemption Q. What is required of euery Receiuer A. Vpon paine
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
touched of the purest Israelite Here the hem of his garment is touched by the woman that had the flux of blood yea his very face was touched with the lips of Iudas There the very earth vvas prohibited them on which he descended Here his very body and blood is profered to our touch and taste Oh the maruellous kindnesse of our God! How vnthankfull are we if we doe not acknowledge this mercy aboue his ancient people They were his owne yet strangers in comparison of our libertie It is our shame and sinne if in these meanes of intirenesse we be no better acquainted with God then they which in their greatest familiaritie vvere commanded aloofe God was euer wonderfull in his workes and fearfull in his iudgements but hee was neuer so terrible in the execution of his will as now in the promulgation of it Here was nothing but a maiesticall terrour in the eyes in the eares of the Israelites as if God meant to shew them by this how fearfull he could be Here was the lightning darted in their eyes the thunders roaring in their eares the Trumpet of God drowning the thunder claps the voice of God out-speaking the Trumpet of the Angell The Cloud enwrapping the smoake ascending the fire flaming the Mount trembling Moses climbing and quaking palenesse and death in the face of Israel vprore in the elements and all the glory of heauen turned into terrour In the destruction of the first World there were clouds without fire In the destruction of Sodom there was fire raining without clouds but here was fire smoake clouds thunder earthquakes and whatsoeuer might worke more astonishment then euer was in any vengeance inflicted And if the Law vvere thus giuen how shall it be required If such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes what shall the Sessions bee I see and tremble at the resemblance The Trumpet of the Angell called vnto the one The voice of an Archangell the Trumpet of God shall summon vs to the other To the one Moses that climbed vp that Hill and alone saw it sayes God came with ten thousands of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shal stand before him In the one Mount Sinai onely was on a flame all the World shall be so in the other In the one there was fire smoake thunder and lightning In the other a fiery streame shall issue from him wherewith the heauens shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt away vvith a noise Oh God how powerfull art thou to inflict vengeance vpon sinners who didst thus forbid sinne and if thou vvert so terrible a Law-giuer vvhat a Iudge shalt thou appeare What shall become of the breakers of so fierie a Law Oh vvhere shall those appeare that are guilty of the transgressing that law vvhose very deliuery vvas little lesse then death If our God should exact his Law but in the same rigour wherein he gaue it sinne could not quite the cost But now the fire vvherein it was deliuered was but terrifying the fire wherein it shall bee required is consuming Happy are those that are from vnder the terrours of that Law which was giuen in fire and in fire shall be required God would haue Israel see that they had not to do with some impotent Commander that is faine to publish his Lawes without noyse in dead paper which can more easily enioyne then punish or descry then execute and therefore before hee giues them a Law he shewes them that he can command Heauen Earth Fire Ayre in reuenge of the breach of the Law That they could not but thinke it deadly to displease such a Law-giuer or violate such dreadfull statutes that they might see all the Elements examples of that obedience which they should yeeld vnto their Maker This fire wherein the Law was giuen is still in it and will neuer out Hence are those terrours which it flashes in euery conscience that hath felt remorse of sinne Euery mans heart is a Sinai and resembles to him both heauen and hell The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law That they might see he could finde out their closest sinnes hee deliuers his Law in the light of fire from out of the smoake That they might see what is due to their sinnes they see fire aboue to represent the fire that should be below them That they might know he could waken their securitie the Thunder and louder voice of GOD speakes to their hearts That they might see what their hearts should doe the Earth quakes vnder them That they might see they could not shift their appearance the Angels call them together Oh royall Law and mighty Law-giuer How could they think of hauing any other God that had such proofes of this How could they think of making any resemblance of him whom they saw could not be seene and whom they saw in not being seene infinite How could they thinke of daring to profane his Name vvhom they heard to name himselfe with that voice Iehoua How could they thinke of standing vvith him for a day whom they saw to command that heauen vvhich makes and measures day How could they thinke of disobeying his Deputies whom they saw so able to reuenge How could they thinke of killing when they were halfe dead with the feare of him that could kill both body and soule How could they think of the flames of lust that saw such fires of vengeance How could they thinke of stealing from others that saw whose the heauen and the earth was to dispose of at his pleasure How could they thinke of speaking falsely that heard God speake in so fearfull a tone How could they thinke of coueting others goods that saw how vveake and vncertaine right they had to their owne Yea to vs vvas this Law so deliuered to vs in them neither had there beene such state in the promulgation of it if God had not intended it for Eternity We men that so feare the breach of humane Lawes for some small mulcts of forfeiture how should vvee feare thee O Lord that canst cast body and soule into hell Of the Golden Calfe IT was not much aboue a moneth since Israel made their couenant with God since they trembled to heare him say Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me since they saw Moses part from them and climbe vp the Hill to God and now they say Make vs Gods we know not what is become of this Moses Oh ye mad Israelites haue ye so soon forgotten that fire and thunder which you heard and saw Is that smoake vanished out of your minde as soone as out of your sight Could your hearts cease to tremble with the earth Can yee in the very sight of Sinai call for other Gods And for Moses was it not for your sakes that he thrust himselfe into the midst of that smoake and fire which ye feared to see afar off Was he not now gone after so many sudden
war now they will goe fight with their brethren if their brethren will as they suspected turne Idolaters they cannot hold them any other then Canaanites The Reubenites and their fellowes had newly setled the rest of Israel in their possessions and now ere they can be warme in their seats Israel is vp in Armes to thrust them out of their own The hatred of their suspected Idolatry makes them forget either their blood or their benefits Israel sayes These men were the first in our battels and shall be the first in our reuenge they fought well for vs we will try how they can fight for themselues What if they were our Champions Their reuolt from God hath lost them the thank of their former labours their Idolatry shall make them of brethren aduersaries their owne bloud shall giue handfell to their new Altar O noble and religious zeale of Israel Who would thinke these men the sonnes of them that danced about the molten Calfe That consecrated an Altar to that Idoll Now they are ready to die or kill rather then endure an Altar without an Idoll Euery ouerture in matter of Religion is worthy of suspition worthy of our speedy opposition God looks for an early redresse of the first beginnings of impiety As in treasons or mutinies wise States-men find it safest to kill the serpent in the egge so in motions of spiritual alteration one spoonefull of water will quench that fire at the first which afterwards whole buckets cannot abate Yet doe not these zealous Israelites run rashly and furiously vpon their brethren nor say What need we expostulate The fact is cleare what care we for words when we see their Altar What can this meane but either seruice to a false god or diuision in the seruice of the true There can be no excuse for so manifest a crime why doe we not rather think of punishment then satisfaction But they send ere they go and consult ere they execute Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest and ten Princes for euery Tribe one are addressed both to inquire and disswade to inquire of the purpose of the fact to diswade from that which they imagined was purposed Wisedome is a good guide to zeale and onely can keepe it from running out into fury If discretion doe not hold in the reynes good intentions will both breake their own necks and the ryders yea which is strange without this the zeale of God may lead vs from God Not onely wisedome but charity moued them to this message For grant they had been guilty must they perish vnwarned Peaceable meanes must first be vsed to recall them ere violence be sent to persecute them The old rule of Israel hath been still to inquire of Abel No good Shepheard sends his dog to pull out the throat of his strayed sheepe but rather fetches it on his shoulders to the fold Sudden cruelty stands not with Religion He which will not himselfe breake the bruised reede how will he allow vs either to bruise the whole or to breake the bruised or to burne the broken Neither yet was here more charity in sending then vncharitablenesse in the misconstruction They begin with a challenge and charge their brethren deeply with transgression apostasie rebellion I know not how two contrary qualities fall into loue it is not naturally suspicious and yet many times suggests iealous feares of those we affect If these Israelites had not loued their brethren they would neuer haue sent so far to restraine them they had neuer offered them part of their owne patrimony if they had not beene excessiuely iealous they had not censured a doubtfull action so sharply They met at Shilo where the Tabernacle was but if they had consulted with the Arke of God they had saued both this labour this challenge This case seemed so plaine that they thought aduice needles Their inconsideratenesse therefore brands their brethren with crimes whereof they were innocent and makes themselues the onely offenders In cases which are doubtfull and vncertaine it is safe either to suspend the iudgement or to passe it in fauour otherwise a plaine breach of charity in vs shall be worse then a questionable breach of iustice in another Yet this little gleame of their vncharitable loue began at themselues if they had not feared their owne iudgements in the offence of Reuben I know not whether they had been so vehement The fearefull reuenges of their brethrens sinne are still in their eye The wickednesse of Peor stretched not so far as the plague Achan sinned and Israel was beaten therefore by iust induction they argue Yee rebell to day against the Lord to morrow will the Lord be wroth with all the Congregation They still tremble at the vengeance passed and finde it time to preuent their owne punishment in punishing their brethren Gods proceedings haue then their right vse when they are both carefully remembred and made patterns of what he may doe Had these Reubenites been as hot in their answere as the Israelites were in their charge here had growne a bloudy war out of misprision But now their answere is milde and moderate and such as well shewed that though they were further from the Arke yet no lesse neere to God They thought in themselues This act of ours though it were well meant by vs yet might well be by interpretation scandalous it is reason our mildnesse should giue satisfaction for that offence which we haue not preuented Hereupon their answere was as pleasing as their act was dangerous Euen in those actions whereby an offence may be occasioned though not giuen charity bindes vs to cleare both our owne name and the conscience of others Little did the Israelites looke for so good a ground of an action so suspicious An Altar without a sacrifice An Altar and no Tabernacle An Altar without a precept and yet not against God It is not safe to measure all mens actions by our owne conceit but rather to thinke there may be a further drift and warrant of their act then we can attaine to see By that time the Reubenites haue commented vpon their owne worke it appeares as iustifiable as before offensiue What wisedome and religion is found in that Altar which before shewed nothing but Idolatry This discourse of theirs is full both of reason and piety We are seuered by the riuer Iordan from the other Tribes perhaps hereafter our choyce may exclude vs from Israel Posterity may peraduenture say Iordan is the bounds of all natural Israelites the streams wherof neuer gaue way to those beyond the Riuer If they had beene ours either in bloud or religion they would not haue beene sequestred in habitation Doubtlesse therefore these men are the off-spring of some Strangers which by vicinity of abode haue gotten some tincture of our language manners religion What haue we to doe with them what haue they to doe with the Tabernacle of God Sith therefore we may not either remoue Gods Alter to vs
corne which were worthy of a sickle It is a breach of Iustice not to proportionate the punishment to the offence To whip a man for a murder or to punish the purse for incest or to burne treason in the hand or to award the stockes to burglary is to patronize euill in stead of auenging it Of the two extremes rigour is more safe for the publike weale because the ouer-punishing of one offender frights many from sinning It is betâ—er to liue in a common-wealth where nothing is lawfull then where euery thing Indulgent parents are cruell to themselues and their posterity Ely could not haue deuised which way to haue plagued himselfe and his house so much as by his kindnesse to his childrens sinnes What variety of iudgements doth he now heare of from the messenger of God First because his old age which vses to be subiect to choler inclined now to mis-fauour his sonnes therefore there shall not be an old man left of his house for euer and because it vexed him not enough to see his sonnes enemies to God in their profession therefore he shall see his enemie in the habitation of the Lord and because himselfe forbore to take vengeance of his sonnes and esteemed their life aboue the glory of his Master therefore God will reuenge himselfe by killing them both in one day and because he abused his soueraignty by conniuence at sinne therefore shall his house be stripped of his honour and see it translated to another and lastly because he suffered his sonnes to please their owne wanton appetite in taking meat off from Gods trencher therefore those which remaine of his house shall come to his successors to beg a piece of siluer and a morsell of bread in a word because he was partiall to his sonnes God shall execute all this seuerely vpon him and them I doe not read of any fault Ely had but indulgence and which of the notorious offenders were plagued more Parents need no other meanes to make them miserable then sparing the rod. Who should be the bearer of these fearfull tidings to Ely but young Samuel whom himselfe had trained vp He was now grown past hiâ— mothers coats fit for the Message of God Old Ely rebuked not his young sonnes therefore yong Samuel is sent to rebuke him I maruell not whiles the Priesthood was so corrupted if the Word of God were precious if there were no publike vision It is not the manner of God to grace the vnworthy The ordinarie ministration in the Temple was too much honor for those that robbed the Altar though they had no extraordinary reuelations Hereupon it was that God lets old Ely sleepe who slept in his sinne and awakes Samuel to tell what he would do with his master He which was wont to be the mouth of God to the people must now receiue the Message of God from the mouth of another As great persons will not speake to those with whom they are highly offended but send them their checks by others The lights of the Temple were now dim and almost ready to giue place to the morning when God called Samuel to signifie perhaps that those which should haue been the lights of Israel burned no lesse dimly and were neere their going out and should be succeeded with one so much more lightsome then they as the Sunne was more bright then the Lampes God had good leasure to haue deliuered this message by day but he meant to make vse of Samuels mistaking and therefore so speakes that Ely may be asked for an answer and perceiue himself both omitted censured He that meant to vse Samuels voice to Ely imitates the voice of Ely to Samuel Samuel had so accustomed himselfe to obedience and to answer the call of Ely that lying in the further cells of the Leuites he is easily raised from his sleep and euen in the night runs for his message to him who was rather to receiue it from him Thrice is the old man disquieted with the diligence of his seruant and though visions were rare in his daies yet is he not so vnacquainted with God as not to attribute that voice to him which himselfe heard not Wherefore like a better Tutor then a parent he teaches Samuel what he shall answer Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth It might haue pleased God at the first call to haue deliuered his message to Samuel not expecting the answer of a nouice vnseene in the visions of a God yet doth he rather deferre it till the fourth summons and will not speake till Samuel confessed his audience God loues euer to prepare his seruants for his imployments and will not commit his errands but to those whom he addressed both by wonder and attention and humility Ely knew well the gracious fashion of God that where he tended a fauour prorogation could be no hindrance therefore after the call of God thrice answered with silence he instructs Samuel to be ready for the fourth If Samuels silence had been wilfull I doubt whether he had been againe sollicited now God doth both pitty his error and requite his diligence by redoubling his name at the last Samuel had now many yeeres ministred before the Lord but neuer till now heard his voice and now heares it with much terror for the first word that he heares God speake is threatning and that of vengeance to his master What were these menaces but so man premonitions to himselfe that should succeed Ely God begins early to season their hearts with feare whom hee meanes to make eminent instruments of his glory It is his mercy to make vs witnesses of the iudgements of others that we may be forewarned ere we haue the occasions of sinning I doe not heare God bid Samuel deliuer this message to Ely He that was but now made a Prophet knowes that the errands of God intend not silence and that God would not haue spoken to him of another if he had meant the newes should be reserued to himselfe Neither yet did he run with open mouth vnto Ely to tell him this vision vnasked No wise man will be hasty to bring ill tidings to the great rather doth he stay till the importunity of his Master should wring it from his vnwillingnes and then as his concealement shewed his loue so his full relation shall approue his fidelity If the heart of Ely had not told him this newes before God told it Samuel he had neuer been so instant with Samuel not to conceale it His conscience did well presage that it concerned himselfe Guiltines needs no Prophet to assure it of punishment The minde that is troubled protecteth terrible things and though it cannot single out the iudgement allotted to it yet it is in a confused expectation of some grieuous euill Surely Ely could not thinke it worse then it was The sentence was fearefull and such as I wonder the necke or the heart of old Ely could hold out the report of That God sweares he will
made to bee seene he ouerlookes all Israel in height of stature for presage of the eminence of his estate from the shoulders vpward was he higher then any of the people Israel sees their lots are falne vpon a noted man one whose person shewed he was borne to be a King and now all the people shout for ioy they haue their longing and applaud their owne happinesse and their Kings honour How easie is it for vs to mistake our owne estates to reioyce in that which we shall find the iust cause of our humiliation The end of a thing is better then the beginning the safest way is to reserue our ioy till wee haue good proofe of the worthinesse and fitnesse of the obiect What are wee the better for hauing a blessing if we know not how to vse it The office and obseruance of a King was vncowth to Israel Samuel therefore informes the people of their mutuall duties and writes them in a booke and layes it vp before the Lord otherwise nouelty might haue beene a warrant for their ignorance and ignorance for neglect There are reciprocall respects of Princes and people which if they be not obserued gouernment languisheth into confusion these Samuel faithfully teacheth them Though he may not be their iudge yet he will be their Prophet he will instruct if he may not rule yea he will instruct him that shall rule There is no King absolute but he that is the King of all gods Earthly Monarchs must walke by a rule which if they transgresse they shall be accountable to him that is higher then the highest who hath deputed them Not out of care of ciuility so much as conscience must euery Samuel labour to keepe eauen termes betwixt Kings and Subiects prescribing iust moderation to the one to the other obedience and loyalty which who euer endeauors to trouble is none of the friends of God or his Church The most and best applaud their new King some wicked ones despised him and said How shall he saue vs It was not the might of his Parents the goodlinesse of his person the priuiledge of his lot the fame of his prophesying the Panegyricke of Samuel that could shield him from contempt or winne him the hearts of all There was neuer yet any man to whom some tooke not exceptions It is not possible either to please or displease all men while some men are in loue with vice as deeply as others with vertue and some as ill dislike vertue if not for it selfe yet for contradiction They well saw Saul chose not himselfe they saw him worthy to haue beene chosen if the Election should haue beene carried by voices and those voyces by their eyes they saw him vnwilling to hold or yeeld when hee was chosen yet they will enuy him What fault could they find in him whom God had chosen His parentage was equall his person aboue them his inward parts more aboue them then the outward Malecontents will rather deuise then want causes of flying out and rather then faile the vniuersall approbation of others is ground enough of their dislike It is a vaine ambition of those that would be loued of all The Spirit of God when he enioynes vs peace with all he addes if it be possible and fauour is more then peace A mans comfort must be in himselfe the conscience of deseruing well The neighbouring Ammonites could not but haue heard of Gods fearfull vengeance vpon the Philistims and yet they will be taking vp the quarrell against Israel Nahash comes vp against Iabesh Gilead Nothing but grace can teach vs to make vse of others iudgements wicked men are not moued with ought that fals beside them they trust nothing but their owne smart What fearfull iudgements doth God execute euery day resolute sinners take no notice of them and are growne so peremptorie as if God had neuer shewed dislike of their wayes The Gileadites were not more base then Nahash the Ammonite was cruell The Gileadites would buy their peace with seruility Nahash would sell them a seruile peace for their right eyes Iephtha the Gileadite did yet sticke in the stomacke of Ammon and now they thinke their reuenge cannot be too bloody It is a wonder that hee which would offer so mercilesse a condition to Israel would yeeld to the motion of any delay Hee meant nothing but shame and death to the Israelites yet hee condescends to a seuen dayes respit Perhaps his confidence made him thus carelesse Howsoeuer it was the restraint of God that gaue this breath to Israel and this opportunity to Sauls courage and victory The enemies of Gods Church cannot bee so malicious as they would cannot approue themselues so malicious as they are God so holds them in sometimes that a stander-by would thinke them fauourable The newes of Gileads distresse had soone filled and afflicted Israel the people thinke of no remedie but their pittie and teares Euils are easily grieued for not easily redressed Onely Saul is more stirred with indignation then sorrow That GOD which put into him a spirit of prophesie now puts into him a spirit of fortitude Hee was before appointed to the Throne not setled in the Throne he followed the beasts in the field when he should haue commanded men Now as one that would be a King no lesse by merit then election he takes vpon him and performes the rescue of Gilead he assembles Israel he leads them he raiseth the siege breakes the troops cuts the throats of the Ammonites When God hath any exploit to performe he raiseth vp the heart of some chosen Instrument with heroicall motions for the atchieuement When all hearts are cold and dead it is a a signe of intended destruction This day hath made Saul a compleat King and now the thankfull Israelites begin to enquire after those discontented Mutiners which had refused allegeance vnto so worthy a Commander Bring those men that we may slay them This sedition had deserued death though Saul had beene foiled at Gilead but now his happy victorie whets the people much more to a desire of this iust execution Saul to whom the iniurie was done hinders the reuenge There shall no man dye this day for to day the Lord hath saued Israel that his fortitude might not goe beyond his mercy How noble were these beginnings of Saul His Prophesie shewed him miraculously wise his Battell and Victory no lesse valiant his pardon of his Rebels as mercifull There was not more power shewed in ouercomming the Ammonites then in ouercomming himselfe and the impotent malice of these mutinous Israelites Now Israel sees they haue a King that can both shed blood and spare it that can shed the Ammonites blood and spare theirs His mercy winnes those hearts whom his valour could not As in God so in his Deputies Mercy and Iustice should be inseparable wheresoeuer these two goe asunder gouernment followes them into distraction and ends in ruine If it had beene a wrong offered to Samuel the
first encounter the Philistim receiues the first foile and shall first let in death into his eare ere it enter into his forehead Thou com'st to me with a sword and a speare and a sheild but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon This day shall the Lord close thee in my hand and I shall smite thee and take thine head from thee Here is another stile not of a boaster but of a Prophet Now shall Goliah know whence to expect his bane euen from the hands of a reuenging God that shall smite him by Dauid and now shall learne too late what it is to meddle with an enemy that goes vnder the inuisible protection of the Almighty No sooner hath Dauid spoken then his foot and hand second his tongue Hee runnes to fight with the Philistim It is a cold courage that stands onely vpon defence As a man that saw no cause of feare and was full of the ambition of victory hee flyes vpon that monster and with a stone out of his bag smites him in the forehead There was no part of Goliah that was capable of that danger but the face and that piece of the face the rest was defenced with a brazen wall which a weake sling would haue tryed to batter in vaine What could Goliah feare to see an aduersary come to him without edge or point And behold that one part hath God found out for the entrance of death He that could haue caused the stone to passe through the shield and brest-plate of Goliah rather directs the stone to that part whose nakednesse gaue aduantage Where there is power or possibility of nature God vses not to worke miracles but chuses the way that lies most open to his purposes The vaste fore-head was a faire marke but how easily might the sling haue missed it if there had not beene another hand in this cast besides Dauids Hee that guided Dauid into this field and raised his courage to this combat guides the stone to his end and lodges it in that seat of impudence There now lyes the great Defier of Israel groueling and grinning in death and is not suffered to deale one blow for his life and bites the vnwelcome earth for indignation that he dies by the hand of a Shepheard Earth and Hell share him betwixt them such is the end of insolence and presumption O God what is flesh and blood to thee which canst make a little peeble-stone stronger then a Gyant and when thou wilt by the weakest meanes canst strew thine enemies in the dust Where now are the two shields of Goliah that they did not beare off this stroke of death or wherefore serues that Weauers beame but to strike the earth in falling or that sword but to behead his Master What needed Dauid load himselfe with an vnnecessary weapon one sword can serue both Goliah and him If Goliah had a man to beare his shield Dauid had Goliah to beare his sword wherewith that proud blasphemous head is seuered from his shoulders Nothing more honours God then the turning of wicked mens forces against themselues There is none of his enemies but caries with them their owne destruction Thus didst thou O Sonne of Dauid foyle Satan with his owne weapon that whereby he meant destruction to thee and vs vanquished him through thy mighty power and raised thee to that glorious triumph and super-exaltation wherein thou art wherein we shall bee with thee IONATHANS Loue and SAVLS Enuy. BEsides the discomsiture of the Philistims Dauids victory had a double issue Ionathans Loue and Sauls Enuy which God so mixed that the one was a remedy of the other A good sonne makes amends for a way-ward father How precious was that stone that killed such an enemy as Goliah and purchased such a friend as Ionathan All Sauls Courtiers lookt vpon Dauid none so affected him none did match him but Ionathan That true correspondence that was both in their faith and valour hath knit their hearts If Dauid did set vpon a Beare a Lyon a Gyant Ionathan had set vpon a whole Host and preuailed The same Spirit animated both the same Faith incited both the same Hand prospered both All Israel was not worth this paire of friends so zealously confident so happily victorious Similitude of dispositions and estates tyes the fastest knots of affection A wise soule hath piercing eyes and hath quickly discerned the likenesse of it selfe in another as we doe no sooner looke into the Glasse or Water but face answers to face and where it sees a perfect resemblance of it selfe cannot choose but loue it with the same affection that it reflects vpon it selfe No man saw Dauid that day which had so much cause to dis-affect him none in all Israel should be a loser by Dauids successe but Ionathan Saul was sure enough setled for his time onely his Successor should forgoe all that which Dauid should gaine so as none but Dauid stands in Ionathans light and yet all this cannot abate one ior or dram of his loue Where God vniteth hearts carnall respects are too weake to disseuer them since that which breakes off affection must needs be stronger then that which conioyneth it Ionathan doth not desire to smother his loue by concealment but professes it in his cariage actions He puts off the Robe that was vpon him and all his garments euen to his Sword and Bow and Girdle giues them vnto his new friend It was perhaps not without a mystery that Sauls cloths fitted not Dauid but Ionathans fitted him and these he is as glad to weare as he was to be disburthened of the other that there might be a perfect resemblance their bodies are suted as well as their hearts Now the beholders can say there goes Ionathans other selfe If there bee another body vnder those clothes there is the same soule Now Dauid hath cast off his russet coate and his scrip and is a Shepheard no more he is suddenly become both a Courtier and a Captaine and a Companion to the Prince yet himselfe is not changed with his habit with his condition yea rather as if his wisedome had reserued it selfe for his exaltation he so manageth a sudden Greatnesse as that he winneth all hearts Honour shewes the man and if there be any blemishes of imperfection they will bee seene in the man that is inexpectedly lifted aboue his fellowes He is out of the danger of folly whom a speedy aduancement leaueth wise Ionathan loued Dauid the Souldiers honoured him the Court fauoured him the people applauded him onely Saul stomackt him and therefore hated him because he was so happy in all besides himselfe It had beene a shame for all Israel if they had not magnified their Champion Sauls owne heart could not but tell him that they did owe the glory of that day and the safety of himselfe and Israel vnto the sling of Dauid who in
Samuel himselfe whiles hee was aliue could not haue spoken more grauely more seuerely more diuinely than this euill ghost For the Lord will rent thy Kingdome out of thy hand and giue it to thy neighbour Dauid because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lord not executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites therefore hath the Lord done this vnto thee this day When the Deuill himselfe puts on grauity and religion who can maruell at the hypocrisie of men Well may lewd men bee good Preachers when Satan himselfe can play the Prophet Where are those Ignorants that thinke charitably of charmes and spells because they finde nothing in them but good words What Prophet could speake better words than this Deuill in Samuels Mantle Neither is there at any time so much danger of that euill spirit as when hee speakes best I could wonder to heare Satan preach thus prophetically if I did not know that as hee was once a good Angell so hee can still act what hee was Whiles Saul was in consultation of sparing Agag wee shall neuer finde that Satan would lay any blocke in his way Yea then hee was a prompt Orator to induce him into that sinne now that it is past and gone hee can lade Saul with fearefull denunciations of iudgement Till wee haue sinned Satan is a parasite when wee haue sinned hee is a Tyrant What cares hee to flatter any more when hee hath what hee would Now his onely worke is to terrifie and confound that hee may enioy what he hath wonne How much better is it seruing that Master who when wee are most deiected with the conscience of euill heartens vs with inward comfort and speakes peace to the soule in the midst of tumult Ziklag spoyled and reuenged HAd not the King of the Philistims sent Dauid away early his Wiues and his people and substance which hee left at Ziklag had beene vtterly lost Now Achish did not more pleasure Dauid in his entertainment than in his dismission Saul was not Dauids enemy more in the persecution of his person than in the forbearance of Gods enemies Behold thus late doth Dauid feele the smart of Sauls sinne in sparing the Amalekites who if Gods sentence had beene duly executed had not now suruiued to annoy this parcell of Israel As in spirituall respects our sinnes are alwayes hurtfull to our selues so in temporall oft-times preiudiciall to posteritie A wicked man deserues ill of those hee neuer liued to see I cannot maruell at the Amalekites assault made vpon the Israelites of Ziklag I cannot but maruell at their clemencie how iust it was that while Dauid would giue aid to the enemies of the Church against Israel the enemies of the Church should rise against Dauid in his peculiar charge of Israel But whilst Dauid rouing against the Amalekites not many dayes before left neither man nor woman aliue how strange is it that the Amalekites inuading and surprizing Ziklag in reuenge kill neither man nor woman Shall wee say that mercy is fled from the brests of Israelites and rests in Heathens Or shall wee rather ascribe this to the gracious restraint of God who hauing designed Amalek to the slaughter of Israel and not Israel to the slaughter of Amalek moued the hand of Israel and held the hands of Amalek This was that alone that made the Heathens take vp with an vn-bloudy reuenge burning only the wâ—â—es and leading away the persons Israel crossed the reuealed will of God insparing Amalek Amalek fulfils the secret will of God in sparing Israel It was still the lot of Amalek to take Israel at all aduantages vpon their first comming out of Egypt when they were weary weake and vnarmed then did Amalek assault them And now when one part of Israel was in the field against the Philistians another was gone with the Philistims against Israel the Amalekites set vpon the Coasts of both and goes away laded with the spoile No other is to bee exspected of our spirituall Aduersaries who are euer readiest to assayle when wee are the vnreadiest to defend It was a wofull spectacle for Dauid and his Souldiers vpon their returne to find mines and ashes in stood of houses and in steed of their Families solitude Their Citie was vanished into smoke their housholds into captiuitie neither could they know whom to accuse or where to enquire for redresse whiles they made account that their home should recompence their tedious iourney with comfort the miserable desolation of their home doubles the discomfort of their iourney what remained there but teares and lamentations They lifted vp their voyces and wept till they could weepe no more Heere was plentie of nothing but misery and sorrow The heart of euery Israelite was brim full of griefe Dauids ranne ouer for besides that his crosse was the same with theirs all theirs was his alone each man looke on his fellow as a partner of affliction but euery one lookt vpon Dauid as the cause of all their affliction and as common displeasure is neuer but fruitfull of reuenge they all agree to stone him as the Author of their vndoing whom they followed all this while as the hopefull meanes of their aduacements Now Dauids losse is his least griefe neither as if euery thing had conspired to torment him can hee looke besides the aggrauation of his sorrow and danger Saul and his Souldiers had hunted him out of Israel the Philistim Courtiers had hunted him from the fauour of Achish the Amalekites spoyled him in Ziklag yet all these are easie aduersaries in comparison of his owne his owne followers are so far from pittying his participation of the losse that they are ready to kill him because they are miserable with him Oh the many and grieuous perplexities of the man after Gods owne heart If all his traine had ioyned their best helpes for the mitigation of his griefe their Cordials had beene too weake but now the vexation that arises from their fury and malice drowneth the sence of their losse and were enough to distract the most resolute heart why should it bee strange to vs that wee meete with hard tryalls when wee see the deare Annoynted of God thus plunged into euils What should the distressed sonne of Ishai now doe Whither should hee thinke to turne him to goe backe to Israel hee durst not to goe to Achish hee might not to abide amonst those waste heapes hee could not or if there might haue beene harbor in those burnt wals yet there could bee no safety to remayne with those mutinous spirits But Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God oh happie and sure refuge of a faithfull soule The earth yeelded him nothing but matter of disconsolation and heauinesse hee lifts his eyes aboue the hils whence commeth his saluation It is no maruell that God remembreth Dauid in all his troubles since Dauid in all his troubles did thus remember his God hee knew that though no mortall eye of reason or sence could discerne any euasion
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
than the delicate Bed of her whom he thought as honest as he knew faire The Arke saith hee and Israel and Iudah dwell in Tents and my Lord Ioab and the Seruants of my Lord abide in the open Fields shall I then goe into my house to eat and drinke and lye with my Wife by thy life and by the life of thy soule I will not doe this thing Who can but bee astonished at this change to see a Souldier austere and a Prophet wanton And how doth that Souldiers austeritie shame the Prophets wantonnesse Oh zealous and mortified Soule worthy of a more faithfull Wife of a more iust Master how didst thou ouer-looke all base sensuality and hatedst to bee happy alone Warre and Lust had wont to bee reputed friends thy brest is not more full of courage than chastity and is so farre from wandring after forbidden pleasures that it refuseth lawfull There is a time to laugh and a time to mourne a time to embrace and a time to bee farre from embracing euen the best actions are not alwayes seasonable much lesse the indifferent Hee that euer takes libertie to doe what hee may shall offend no lesse than hee that sometimes takes libertie to doe what hee may not If any thing the Arke of GOD is fittest to leade our times according as that is eyther distressed or prospereth should wee frame our mirth or mourning To dwell in seeled Houses whiles the Temple lyes waste is the ground of Gods iust quarrell How shall wee sing a Song of the Lord in a strange Land If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth yea if I preferre not Hierusalem to my chiefe ioy As euery man is a limme of the Communitie so must hee bee affected with the estate of the vniuersall bodie whether healthfull or languishing It did not more aggrauate Dauids sinne that whiles the Arke and Israel was in hazard and distresse hee could finde time to loose the reines to wanton desires and actions than it magnifies the religious zeale of Vriah that hee abandons comfort till he see the Arke and Israel victorious Common dangers or calamities must like the rapt motion carrie our hearts contrarie to the wayes of our priuate occasions He that cannot bee moued with words shall bee tried with Wine Vriah had equally protested against feasting at home and societie with his wife To the one the authoritie of a King forceth him abroad in hope that the excesse thereof shall force him to the other It is like that holy Captaine intended onely to yeeld so much obedience as might consist with his course of austeritie But Wine is a mocker when it goes plausibly in no man can imagine how it will rage and tyrannize hee that receiues that Traytour within his gates shall too late complaine of surprizall Like vnto that ill spirit it insinuates sweetly but in the end it bytes like a Serpent and hurts like a Cockatrice Euen good Vriah is made drunke the holiest soule may be ouer-taken It is hard gaine-saying where a King beginnes an health to a subiect Where oh where will this wickednesse end Dauid will now procure the sinne of another to hide his owne Vriahs drunkennesse is more Dauids offence than his It is weakly yeelded to of the one which was wilfully intended of the other The one was as the Sinner the other as the Tempter Had not Dauid knowne that Wine was an inducement to Lust hee had spared those superfluous Cups Experience had taught him that the eye debauched with Wine will looke vpon strange women The Drunkard may bee any thing saue good Yet in this the ayme failed Grace is stronger than Wine Whiles that with-holdes in vaine shall the fury of the Grape attempt to carry Vriah to his owne Bed Sober Dauid is now worse than drunken Vriah Had not the King of Israel beene more intoxicate with sinne than Vriah with drinke hee had not in a sober intemperance climbed vp into that Bed which the drunken temperance of Vriah refused If Dauid had bin but himselfe how had he loued how had he honoured this honest and religious zeale in his so faithfull Seruant whom now he cruelly seekes to reward with death That fact which Wine cannot hide the Sword shall Vriah shall beare his owne Mittimus vnto Ioab Put yee Vriah in the fore-front of the strength of the Battle and recule backe frō him that he may be smitten and dye What is becomne of thee O thou good spirit that hadst woont to guide thy chosen Seruant in his former wayes Is not this the man whom we lately saw so heart smitten for but cutting off the lap of the Garment of a Wicked Master that is now thus lauish of the bloud of a gracious and well-deseruing Seruant Could it be likely that so worthy a Captaine could fall alone Could Dauid haue expiated this sinne with his owne bloud it had beene but well spent but to couer his sinne with the innocent bloud of others was a crime aboue astonishment Oh the deepe deceitfulnesse of sinne If the Deuill should haue comne to Dauid in the most louely forme of Bathsheba her selfe and at the first should haue directly and in termes solicited him to murder his best Seruant I doubt not but hee would haue spat scorne in that face on which hee should otherwise haue doted now by many cunning windings Satan rises vp to that tentation and preuailes that shall bee done for a colour of guiltinesse whereof the foule would haue hated to bee immediately guiltie Euen those that finde a iust horror in leaping downe from some high Tower yet may bee perswaded to descend by stayres to the bottome Hee knowes not where he shall stay that hath willingly flipt into a knowne wickednesse How many doth an eminent offender draw with him into euill It could not bee but that diuers of the Attendants both of Dauid and Bathsheba must bee conscious to that adulterie Great mens sinnes are seldome secret And now Ioab must be fetcht in as accessary to the murder How must this example needs harden Ioab against the conscience of Abners bloud Whiles he cannot but thinke Dauid cannot auenge that in mee which he acteth himselfe Honour is pretended to poore Vriah death is meant This man was one of the Worthies of Dauid their courage sought glorie in the difficultest exploits That reputation had neuer beene purchased without attempts of equall danger Had not the Leader and Followers of Vriah beene more treacherours than his Enimies were strong hee had come off with Victory Now hee was not the first or last that perished by his friends Dauid hath forgotten that himselfe was in like sort betrayed in his Masters intention vpon the dowrie of the Philistims-fore-skinnes I feare to aske Who euer noted so foule a plot in Dauids reiected Predecessour Vriah must be the Messenger of his owne death Ioab must be
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
nature but turne the watery iuyce that arises vp from the roote into wine he will onely doe this now suddenly and at once which he doth vsually by sensible degrees It is euer duely obserued by the Sonne of God not to doe more miracle than he needs How liberall are the prouisions of Christ If hee had turned but one of those vessels it bad beene a iust proofe of his power and perhaps that quantitie had serued the present necessitie now hee furnisheth them with so much wine as would haue serued an hundred and fiftie ghests for an intire feast Euen the measure magnifies at once both his power and mercy The munificent hand of God regards not our need onely but our honest affluence It is our sinne and our shame if wee turne his fauour into wantonnesse There must bee first a filling ere there bee a drawing out Thus in our vessels the first care must be of our receit the next of our expence God would haue vs Cisternes not Channels Our Sauiour would not bee his owne â—aster but hee sends the first draught to the Gouernour of the feast Hee knew his owne power they did not Neither would hee beare witnesse of himselfe but fetch it out of others mouthes They that knew not the originall of that wine yet praysed the taste Euery man at the beginning doth set forth good wine and when men haue well drunke then that which is worse but thou hast kept the good wine vntill now The same bounty that expressed it selfe in the quantitie of the Wine shewes it selfe no lesse in the excellence Nothing can fall from that diuine hand not exquisite That liberalitie hated to prouide crab-wine for his guests It was fit that the miraculous effects of Christ which came from his immediate hand should bee more perfect than the naturall O blessed Sauiour how delicate is that new Wine which wee shall one day drinke with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome Thou shalt turne this water of our earthly affliction into that Wine of gladnesse wherewith our soules shall be satiate for euer Make haste O my Beloued and bee thou like to a Roe or to a yong Hart vpon the Mountaine of Spices The good Centurion EVen the bloudy trade of Warre yeelded worthy Clients to Christ This Romane Captaine had learned to beleeue in that Iesus whom many Iewes despised No Nation no Trade can shut out a good heart from God If hee were a Forreiner for birth yet hee was a Domestick in heart Hee could not change his bloud he could ouer-rule his affections He loued that Nation which was chosen of God and if he were not of the Synagogue yet hee built a Synagogue where hee might not bee a Partie hee would bee a Benefactor Next to being good is a fauouring of goodnesse We could not loue Religion if we vtterly want it How many true Iewes were not so zealous Either will or ability lacked in them whom duty more obliged Good affections doe many times more than supply nature Neither doth God regard whence but what wee are I doe not see this Centurion come to Christ as the Israelitish Captaine came to Elias in Carmel but with his Cap in his hand with much suit much submission by others by himselfe hee sends first the Elders of the Iewes whom hee might hope that their Nation and place might make gracious then lest the imployment of others might argue neglect he seconds them in person Cold and fruitlesse are the motions of friends where wee doe wilfully shut vp our owne lips Importunitie cannot but speed well in both Could wee but speake for our selues as this Captaine did for his Seruant what could wee possibly want What maruell is it if God be not forward to giue where wee care not to aske or aske as if wee cared not to receiue Shall wee yet call this a suit or a complaint I heare no one word of entreatie The lesse is said the more is concealed it is enough to lay open his want Hee knew well that hee had to deale with so wise and mercifull a Physitian as that the opening of the maladie was a crauing of cure If our spirituall miseries be but confessed they cannot fayle of redresse Great varietie of Suitors resorted to Christ One comes to him for a Sonne another for a Daughter a third for himselfe I see none come for his Seruant but this one Centurion Neither was he a better man than a Master His Seruant is sick hee doth not driue him out of doores but layes him at home neither doth he stand gazing by his beds-side but seekes forth He seekes forth not to Witches or Charmers but to Christ he seekes to Christ not with a fashionable relation but with a vehement aggrauation of the disease Had the Master beene sicke the faithfullest Seruant could haue done no more He is vnworthy to bee well serued that will not sometimes wait vpon his followers Conceits of inferioritie may not breed in vs a neglect of charitable offices so must we looke downe vpon our Seruants here on earth as that we must still looke vp to our Master which is in Heauen But why didst thou not O Centurion rather bring thy Seruant to Christ for cure than sue for him absent There was a Paralyticke whom Faith and Charitie brought to our Sauiour and let downe thorow the vncouered roofe in his Bed why was not thine so carryed so presented Was it out of the strength of thy faith which assured thee thou needest not shew thy Seruant to him that saw all things One and the same grace may yeeld contrarie effects They because they beleeued brought the Patient to Christ thou broughtest not thine to him because thou beleeuedest their act argued no lesse desire thinâ— more confidence Thy labour was lesse because thy faith was more Oh that I could come thus to my Sauiour and make such more to him for my selfe Lord my soule is sicke of vnbeliefe sicke of selfe-loue sicke of inordinate desires I should not neede to say more Thy mercie O Sauiour would not then stay byfâ—â— my suit but would preuent mee as here with a gracious ingagement I will come and heale thee I did not heare the Centurion say Either come or heale him The one he meant though he said not the other hee neither said nor meant Christ ouer giues both his words and intentions It is the manner of that diuine munificence where hee meets with a faithfull Suitor to giue more than is requested to giue when hee is not requested The very insinuations of our necessities are no lesse violent than successefull We thinke the measure of humane bountie runnes ouer when we obtayne but what we aske with importunitie that infinite goodnesse keepes within bounds when it ouer-flowes the desires of our hearts As he said so hee did The word of Christ either is his act or concurres with it Hee did not stand still when hee said I will come but hee went as hee spake When the
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
them not to his feast with the Kings sonnes and seruants Sometimes a very omission is an affront and a menace They well knew that since they were not called as guests they were counted as enemies Ceremonies of courtesie though they be in themselues slieght and arbitrarie yet the neglect of them in some cases may vndergoe a dangerous construction Nathan was the man by whom God had sent that errand of grace to Dauid concerning Salomon assuring him both to raigne and prosper yet now when Adonijahs plot was thus on foot he doth not fit still and depend vpon the issue of Gods decree but he bestirres him in the businesse and consults with Bathsheba how at once to saue their liues and to aduance Salomon and defeat Adonijah Gods pre-determination includes the meanes as well as the end the same prouidence that had ordained a Crowne to Salomon a repulse to Adonijah preseruation to Bathsheba and Nathan had fore-appointed the wise and industrious endeuours of the Prophet to bring about his iust and holy purposes If we would not haue God wanting to vs wee must not bee wanting to our selues Euen when wee know what God hath meant to vs wee may not bee negligent The Prophets of God did not look for reuelation in all their affaires in some things they were left to the counsell of their owne hearts the policy of Nathan was of vse as well as his prophecy that alone hath turned the streame into the right channell Nothing could be more wisely contriued then the sending in of Bathsheba to Dauid with so seasonable forceable an expostulation and the seconding of hers with his owne Though lust were dead in Dauid yet the respects of his old matrimoniall loue liued still the very presence of Bathsheba pleaded strongly but her speech more the time was when his affection offended in excesse towards her being then anothers he cannot now neglect her being his owne and if either his age or the remorse of his old offence should haue set him off yet shee knew his oath was sure My Lord thou swarest by the Lord thy God vnto thine handmaid saying Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall raigne after me and he shall sit vpon my throne His word had beene firme but his oath was inuiolable wee are ingaged if wee haue promised but if wee haue sworne we are bound Neither heauen nor earth hath any gieues for that man that can shake off the feâ—ters of an oath for he cares not for that God whom he dares inuoke to a falshood and he that cares not for God will not care for man Ere Bathsheba can bee ouer the threshold Nathan vpon compact is knocking at the doore Gods Prophet was neuer but welcome to the bed-chamber of King Dauid In a seeming strangenesse hee fals vpon the same suit vpon the same complaint with Bathsheba Honest policies doe not mis-become the holiest Prophets Shee might seeme to speake as a woman as a mother out of passion the word of a Prophet could not bee misdoubted Hee therefore that had formerly brought to Dauid that chiding and bloody message concerning Bathsheba comes now to Dauid to sue for the life and honour of Bathsheba and he that was sent from God to Dauid to bring the newes of a gracious promise of fauour vnto Salomon comes now to challenge the execution of it from the hands of a father and hee whose place freed him from suspition of a faction complaines of the insolent demeanure and proclamation of Adonijah what he began with an humble obeysance shutting vp in a lowly and louing expostulation Is this thing done by my Lord the King and thou hast not shewed thy seruant who should sit on the Throne of my Lord the King after him As Nathan was of Gods Counsell vnto Dauid so was he of Dauids Counsell both to God and the State As God therefore vpon all occasions told Nathan what he meant to doe with Dauid so had Dauid wont to tell Nathan what he meant to doe in his holy and most important ciuill affaires There are cases wherein it is not vnfit for Gods Prophets to meddle with matters of State It is no disparagement to religious Princes to impart their counsels vnto them who can requite them with the counsels of God That wood which a single yron could not riue is soone splitted with a double wedge The seasonable importunity of Bathsheba and Nathan thus seconding each other hath so wrought vpon Dauid that now his loue to Adonijah giues place to indignation nature to an holy fidelity and now he renewes his ancient oath to Bathsheba with a passionate solemnity As the Lord liueth who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersity euen as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel saying Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me and he shall sit vpon my throne in my stead so will I certainly doe this day In the decay of Dauids body I find not his intellectiue powers any whit impaired As one therefore that from his bed could with a perfect if weake hand stere the gouernment of Israel hee giues wise and full directions for the inauguration of Salomon Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah the Captaine receiue his graue and Princely charge for the cariage of that so weightie a businesse They are commanded to take with them the royall guard to set Salomon vpon his fathers Mule to care him downe in state to Gihon to anoint him with the holy oyle of the Tabernacle to sound the trumpets and proclaime him in the streets to bring him backe with triumph and magnificence to the Court and to set him in the royall Throne with all the due ceremonies of Coronation How pleasing was this command to them who in Salomons glory saw their owne safety Benaiah applauds it and not fearing a fathers enuie in Dauids presence wisheth Salomons throne exalted aboue his The people are rauished with the ioy of so hopefull a succession and breake the earth and fill the heauen with the noise of their Musicke and shoutings Salomons guests had now at last better cheare then Adonijahs whose feast as all wicked-mens ended in horror no sooner are their bellies full of meat then their eares are full of the sound of those trumpets which at once proclaime Salomons triumph and their confusion Euer after the meale is ended comes the reckoning God could as easily haue preuented this iollity as marred it But hee willingly suffers vaine men to please themselues for the time in the conceited successe of their own proiects that afterwards their disappointment may be so much the more grieuous No doubt at this feast there was many an health drunken to Adonijah many a confident boast of their prospering designe many a scorne of the despised faction of Salomon now for their last dish is serued vp astonishment and fearfull expectation of a iust reuenge Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest brings the newes of Salomons solemne and ioyfull enthronization
halfe was not told me Her eyes were more sure informers then her eares Shee did not so much heare as see Salomons wisedome in these reall effects His answers did not so much demonstrate it as his prudent gouernment There are some whose speeches are witty whiles their cariage is weake whose deeds are incongruities whiles their words are Apothegmes It is not worth the name of wisedome that may bee heard onely and not seene Good discourse is but the froth of wisedome the pure and solid substance of it is in well-framed actions if we know these things happy are we if we doe them And if this great person admired the wisedome the buildings the domesticke order of Salomon and chiefly his stately ascent into the House of the Lord how should our soules be taken vp with wonder at thee O thou true son of Dauid and Prince of euerlasting peace who receiuedst the spirit not by measure who hast built this glorious house not made with hands euen the heauen of heauens whose infinite prouidence hath sweetly disposed of all the family of thy creatures both in heauen and earth and who lastly didst ascend vp on high and ledst captiuitie captiue and gauest gifts to men So well had this studious Ladie profited by the Lectures of that exquisite Master that now she enuies shee magnifies none but them who may liue within the aire of Salomons wisedome Happy are thy men and happy are thy seruants which stand continually before thee and that beare thy wisedome As if she could haue beene content to haue changed her Throne for the footstoole of Salomon It is not easie to conceiue how great a blessing it is to liue vnder those lips which doe both preserue knowledge and vtter it If we were not glutted with good counsell we should finde no rellish in any worldly contentment in comparison hereof But he that is full despiseth an hony-combe She whom her owne experience had taught how happy a thing it is to haue a skilfull Pilote sitting at the sterne of the State blesseth Israel for Salomon blesseth God for Israel blesseth Salomon and Israel mutually in each other Blessed bee the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel Because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made he the King to doe iudgement and iustice It was not more Salomons aduancement to be King of Israel then it was the aduancement of Israel to be gouerned by a Salomon There is no earthly proofe of Gods loue to any Nation comparable to the substitution of a wise and pious gouernour to him wee owe our peace our life and which is deseruedly dearer the life of our soules the Gospell But oh God how much hast thou loued thine Israel for euer in that thou hast set ouer it that righteous Branch of Iesse whose name is Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace in whose dayes Iudah shall be saued and Israel shall dwell safely Sing O heauen and reioyce O earth and breake forth into singing O mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will haue euerlasting mercy vpon his afflicted The Queene of Sheba did not bring her gold and precious stones to looke on or to re-carie but to giue to a wealthier then her selfe She giues therefore to Salomon an hundred and twenty talents of gold besides costly stones and odours He that made siluer in Hierusalem as stones is yet richly presented on all hands The riuers still runne into the Sea To him that hath shall be giuen How should wee bring vnto thee O thou King of Heauen the purest gold of thine owne graces the sweetest odours of our obediences Was not this withall a type of that homage which should be done vnto thee O Sauiour by the heads of the Nations The Kings of Tarshish and the Iles bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Saba bring gifts yea all Kings shall worship thee all Nations shall serue thee They cannot enrich themselues but by giuing vnto thee It could not stand with Salomons magnificence to receiue rich courtesies without a returne The greater the person was the greater was the obligation of requitall The gifts of meane persons are taken but as tributes of duty it is dishonourable to take from equals and not to retribute there was not therefore more freedome in her gift then in her receit Her own will was the measure of both She gaue what she would she receiued whatsoeuer shee would aske And shee had little profited by Salomons schoole if she had not learned to aske the best She returnes therefore more richly laden then she came she gaue to Salomon as a thankfull Client of wisedome Salomon returnes to her as a munificent Patrone according to the liberalitie of a King We shall be sure to be gainers by whatsoeuer we giue vnto thee O thou God of wisedome and peace Oh that we could come from the remote regions of our infidelitie and worldlinesse to learne wisdome of thee who both teachest and giuest it abundantly without vpbraiding without grudging could bring with vs the poore presents of our faithfull desires and sincere seruices how wouldest thou receiue vs with a gracious acceptation and send vs away laden with present comfort with eternall glory SALOMONS defection SInce the first man Adam the world hath not yeelded either so great an example of wisedome or so fearfull an example of apostasie as Salomon What humane knowledge Adam had in the perfection of nature by creation Salomon had by infusion both fully both from one fountaine If Adam called all creatures by their names Salomon spake from the Cedars of Lebanon to the mosse that springs out of the wall and besides these vegetables there was no Beast nor Fowle nor Fish nor creeping thing that escaped his discourse Both fell both fell by one meanes as Adam so might Salomon haue said The woman deceiued me It is true indeed that Adam fell as all Salomon as one yet so as that this one is the patterne of the frailty of all If knowledge could haue giuen an immunity from sinne both had stood Affections are those feet of the soule on which it either stands or fals Salomon loued many out-landish women I wonder not if the wise King mis-caried Euery word hath bane enough for a man Women many women outlandish idolatrous and those not onely had but doted on Sexe multitude nation condition all conspired to the ruine of a Salomon If one woman vndid all mankinde what maruell is it if many women vndid one yet had those many beene the daughters of Israel they had tempted him onely to lust not to mis-deuotion now they were of those Nations whereof the Lord had said to the children of Israel Goe not ye in to them nor let them come in to you for surely they will turne your hearts after their gods to them did Salomon ioyne in loue who can maruell if they disioyned his heart from God Satan hath found
willing their torment they may be made most sensible of paine and by the obedible submission of their created nature wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures Besides the very horrour which ariseth from the place whereto they are euerlastingly confined For if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may bee held in a loathed or painfull body and conceiue sorrow to bee so imprisoned Why may wee not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of Angels or men may be held in those direfull flames and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer Tremble rather O my soule at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill Angels who for one onely act of Apostasie from God are thus perpetually tormented whereas we sinfull wretches multiply many and presumptuous offences against the Maiestie of our God And withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercy to the miserable generation of man which after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted Angels so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities and both suffers vs to be free for the time from these hellish torments and giues vs opportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name who for giueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and compassions There is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more Art thou come to torment vs before our time They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution which they also vnderstood to be not yet come For though they knew not when the Day of Iudgement should be a point concealed from the glorious Angels of heauen yet they knew when it should not be and therefore they say Before the time Euen the very euill spirits confesse and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall Sessions They beleeue lesse then Deuils that either doubt of or deny that day of finall retribution Oh the wonderfull mercy of our God that both to wicked men and spirits respites the vtmost of their torment He might vpon the first instant of the fall of Angels haue inflicted on them the highest extremitie of his vengeance Hee might vpon the first sinnes of our youth yea of our nature haue swept vs away and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake he stayes a time for both Though with this difference of mercy to vs men that here not onely is a delay but may be an vtter preuention of punishment which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible They doe suffer they must suffer and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must yet they must once suffer more then they doe Yet so doth this euill spirit expostulate that he sues I beseech thee torment mee not The world is well changed since Satans first onset vpon Christ Then hee could say If thou be the Sonne of God now Iesus the Sonne of the most high God then All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me now I beseech thee torment mee not The same power when hee lists can change the note of the Tempter to vs How happy are wee that haue such a Redeemer as can command the Deuils to their chaines Oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners that haue said Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs How euer the Almighty suffers you for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your Creator yet the time shall come when yee shall see the very masters whom ye haue serued the powers of darknesse vnable to auoid the reuenges of God How much lesse shall man striue with his Maker man whose breath is in his nostrils whose house is clay whose foundation is the dust Nature teaches euery creature to wish a freedome from paine the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill Yet what a thing is this to heare the deuill at his prayers I beseech thee torment me not Deuotion is not guilty of this but feare There is no grace in the suit of Deuils but nature no respect of glory to their Creator but their owne ease They cannot pray against sinne but against torment for sinne What newes is it now to heare the profanest mouth in extremitie imploring the Sacred Name of God when the Deuils doe so The worst of all creatures hates punishment and can say Lead me not into paine onely the good heart can say Leade mee not into temptation If wee can as heartily pray against sinne for the auoiding of displeasure as against punishment when wee haue displeased there is true grace in the soule Indeed if wee could feruently pray against sinne we should not need to pray against punishment which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that bodie but if we haue not laboured against our sins in vaine doe wee pray against punishment God must be iust and the wages of sinne is death It pleased our holy Sauiour not onely to let fall words of command vpon this spirit but to interchange some speeches with him All Christs actions are not for example It was the errour of our Grand-mother to hold chat with Satan That God who knowes the craft of that old Serpent and our weake simplicitie hath charged vs not to enquire of an euill spirit surely if the Disciples returning to Iacobs Well wondred to see Christ talke with a woman well may wee wonder to see him talking with an vncleane Spirit Let it be no presumption O Sauiour to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this wherein wee may not follow thee Wee know that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs wee know there was no guile found in thy mouth no possibilitie of taint in thy nature in thine actions Neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may bee done by thee without sinne which wee cannot but sinne in doing There is a vast difference in the intention in the Agent For on the one side thou didst not aske the name of the spirit as one that knew not and would learne by inquiring but that by the confession of that mischiefe which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might bee the more conspicuous the more glorious so on the other God and man might doe that safely which meere man cannot doe without danger thou mightest touch the leprosie and not be legally vncleane because thou touchedst it to heale it didst not touch it with possibility of infection So mightest thou who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature wert vncapable of any staine by the interlocution with Satan safely conferre with him whom corrupt man pre-disposed to the danger of such a parle may not meddle with without sinne because not without perill It is
to send me a gracious release of that strict charge Why should I thinke that Gods reuelations are not as free to others as to me and if this Prophet haue receiued a countermand from an Angell of God how shall I not disobey God if I doe not follow him Vpon this ground he returnes with this deceitfull host when the meat was now in his mouth receiues the true message of death from the same lips that brought him the false message of his inuitation Thus saith the Lord for as much as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God but camest back and hast eaten bread and drunke water in the place forbidden thee thy carkasse shal not come to the Sepulcher of thy fathers Oh wofull Prophet when hee lookes on his host he sees his executioner whiles he is feeding of his body he heares of his carkasse at the table he heares of his denied Sepulcher and all this for eating and drinking where he was forbidden by God though bidden as from God The violation of the least charge of a God is mortall No pretences can warrant the transgression of a diuine command A word from God is pleaded on both sides The one was receiued immediately from God the other related mediately by man One the Prophet was sure of the other was questionable A sure word of God may not bee left for an vncertaine An expresse charge of the Almighty admitteth not of any checke His will is but one as himselfe is and therefore it is out of the danger of contradiction Me thinks I see the man of God change countenance at this sharpe sauce of his pleasing morsels his face before-hand is died with the palenesse of death me thinkes I heare him vrging many vnkind expostulations with his iniurious host who yet dismisses him better prouided for the ease of his iourny then he found him Perhaps this officiousnesse was our of desire to make some amends for his late seducement It is a poore recompence when he hath betrayed his life and wronged the soule to cast some courtesies vpon the body This old Bethelite that had taken paines to come and fetch the man of God into sin will not now goe backe with him to accompany his departure Doubtlesse hee was afraid to be in wrapped in the iudgement which hee saw hanged ouer that obnoxious head Thus the mischieuous guides of wickednesse leaue a man when they haue led him to his bane as familiar Deuils forsake their Witches when they haue brought them once into fetters The man of God returnes alone carefull no doubt and pensiue for his offence when a Lion out of the wood meets him assaults him kils him Oh the iust and seuere iudgements of the Almighty who hath brought this fierce beast out of his wild ranges into the high way to be the executioner of his offending seruant Doubtlesse this Prophet was a man of great holinesse of singular fidelity else he durst not haue been Gods Herald to carie a message of defiance to Ieroboam King of Israel in the midst of all his royall magnificence yet now for varying from but a circumstance of Gods command though vpon the suggestion of a diuine warrant is giuen for a prey to the Lion Our interest in God is so farre from excusing our sinne that it aggrauates it Of all others the sinne of a Prophet shall not passe vnreuenged The very wilde beasts are led by a prouidence Their wise and powerfull Creator knowes how to serue himselfe of them The Lions guard one Prophet kill another according to the commission receiued from their Maker What sinner can hope to escape vnpunished when euery creature of God is ready to be an auenger of euill The beasts of the field were made to serue vs we to serue our Creator When we forsake our homage to bim that made vs it is no maruell if the beasts forget their duty to vs and deale with vs not as Masters but as rebels When an holy man abuyes so dearely such a sleight frailty of a credulous mistaking what shall become of our hainous and presumptuous sinnes I cannot thinke but this Prophet died in the fauour of God though by the teeth of the Lion His life was forfeited for example his foule was safe Yea his very carkasse was left though torne yet faire after those deadly graspes as if God had said I will onely take thy breath from thee as the penalty of thy disobedience a Lion shall doe that which an apoplexie or feuer might doe I owe thee no further reuenge then may be satisfied with thy blood Violent euents doe not alwaies argue the anger of God Euen death it selfe is to his seruants a fatherly castigation But oh the vnsearchable wayes of the Almighty The man of God sinnes and dies speedily the lying Prophet that seduced him suruiues Yea wicked Ieroboam enioyes his Idolatry and treads vpon the graue of his reprouer There is neither fauour in the delay of stripes nor displeasure in the haste Rather whom God loues he chastises as sharply so speedily whiles the rest prosper to condemnation Euen the rod of a louing father may draw blood How much happier is it for vs that wee die now to liue for euer then that we liue a while to die euer Had this Lion set vpon the Prophet for hunger why did hee not deuoure as well as kill him Why did he not rather kill the beast then the man since we know the nature of the Lion such that he is not wont to assaile man saue in the extreme want of other prey Certainly the same power that imployed those fangs restrained them that the world might see it was not appetite that prouoked the beast to this violence but the ouer-ruling command of God Euen so O Lord thy powerfull hand is ouer that roaring Lion that goes about continually seeking whom hee may deuoure thine hand with-holds him that though he may shed the blood of thine elect yet he cannot hurt their soules and whiles he doth those things which thou permittest and orderest to thy iust ends yet he cannot doe lesser things which he desireth and thou permittest not The fierce beast stands by the carkasse as to auow his owne act and to tell who sent him so to preserue that body which he hath slaine Oh wonderfull worke of God the Executioner is turned Guardian and as the Officer of the highest commands all other creatures to stand aloofe from his chaâ—ge and commands the fearfull Asse that brought this burthen thither not to stirre thence but stand ready prest to recarie it to the Sepulcher and now when he hath sufficiently witnessed to all passengers that this act was not done vpon his own hunger but vpon the quarrell of his Maker he deliuers vp his charge to that old Prophet who was no lesse guilty of this blood then himselfe This old Seducer hath so much truth as both to giue a
weake Proselyte if shee were so much Feare not goe doe as thou hast said but make me thereof a little cake first and bring it to me and after make for thee and thy sonne For thus saith the God of Israel The barrell of meale shall not waste nor the cruse of oyle faile till the day that God send raine vpon the earth She must goe spend vpon a stranger part of that little she hath in hope of more which she hath not which shee may haue she must part with her present food which she saw in trust of future which she could not see she must rob her sense in the exercise of her beleef shorten her life in being vpon the hope of a protractioÌ„ of it in promise she must beleeue God will miraculously increase what shee hath yeelded to consume shee must first feed the stranger with her last victuals and then after her selfe and her sonne Some sharpe dame would haue shaken vp the Prophet and haue sent him away with an angry repulse Bold Israelite there is no reason in this request wert thou a friend or a brother with what face couldest thou require to pull my last bit out of my mouth Had I superfluitie of prouision thou mightest hope for this effect of my charitie now that I haue but one morsell for my selfe and my sonne this is an iniurious importunitie what can induce thee to thinke thy life an vnknowne traueller should be more deare to me then my sons then my owne How vnciuill is this motion that I should first make prouision for thee in this dying extremitie It had bin too much to haue begged my last scraps Thou tellest me the meale shall not waste nor the oile faile how shall I beleeue thee Let me see that done before thou eatest In vaine should I challenge thee when the remainder of my poore store is consumed If thou canst so easily multiply victuals how is it that thou wantest Doe that before-hand which thou promisest shall be afterwards performed there will be no need of my little But this good Sareptan was wrought by God not to mistrust a Prophet she will doe what he bids and hope for what he promises she will liue by faith rather then by sense and giue away the present in the confidence of a future remuneration first she bakes Elijahs cake then her owne not grudging to see her last morsels go downe anothers throat whiles herselfe was famishing How hard precepts doth God lay where he intends bountie Had not God meant her preseruation he had suffred her to eat her last cake alone without any interpellation now the mercy of the Almighty purposing as well this miraculous fauour to her as to his Prophet requires of her this taske which flesh and blood would haue thought vnreasonable So we are wont to put hard questions to those schollers whom wee would promote to higher formes So in all atchieuements the difficulty of the enterprise makes way for the glory of the actor Happy was it for this widow that shee did not shut her hand to the man of God that she was no niggard of her last handfull Neuer corne or oliue did so encrease in growing as here in consuming This barrell this cruse of hers had no bottome the barrell of meale wasted not the cruse of oyle failed not Behold not getting not sauing is the way to abundance but giuing The mercy of God crownes our beneficence with the blessing of store who can feare want by a mercifull liberality when he sees the Sareptan had famished if she had not giuen and by giuing abounded With what thankfull deuotion must this woman euery day needs look vpon her barrell and cruse wherein shee saw the mercy of God renewed to her continually Doubtlesse her soule was no lesse fed by faith then her body with this supernaturall prouision How welcome a guest must Elijah needs be to this widow that gaue her life and her sonnes to her for his board yea that in that wofull famine gaue her and her sonne their board for his house roome The dearth thus ouercome the mother lookes hopefully vpon her onely son promising her selfe much ioy in his life and prosperity when an inexpected sicknesse surpriseth him and doth that which the famine but threatned When can we hold our selues seeâ—re from euils no sooner is one of these Sergeants compounded withall then we are arrested by another How ready we are to mistake the grounds of our afflictions and to cast them vpon false causes The pasionate mother cannot find whither to impute the death of her son but to the presence of Elijah to whom shee comes distracted with perplexitie not without an vnkinde challenge of him from whom shee had receiued both that life shee had lost and that she had What haâ—ed to do with thee O thou man of God Art thou come to me to call my sin to remembrance and to stay my sonne As if her son could not haue died if Elijah had not been her guest when as her son had dyed but for him why should shee thinke that the Prophet had saued him from the famine to kill him with sicknesse As if God had not been free in his actions and must needes strike by the same hands by which he preserued Shee had the grace to know that her affliction was for her sinne yet was so vnwise to imagine the are rages of her iniquities had not bin called for if Elijah had not been the remembrancer He who had appeased God towards her is suspected to haue incensed him This wrongfull misconstruction was enough to moue any patience Elijah was of an hot spirit yet his holinesse kept him from fury This challenge rather increased the zeale of his prayer then stirred his choller to the offendent Hee takes the dead child out of his mothers bosome and layes him vpon his owne bed and cries vnto the Lord Oh Lord my God hast thou brought euill also vpon the Widow with whom I soiourne by slaying her sonne In stead of chiding the Sareptan out of the feruency of his soule he humbly expostulates with his God His onely remedy is in his prayer that which shut heauen for raine must open it for life Euery word inforceth First he pleads his interest in God Oh Lord my God then the quality of the patient a Widow and therefore both most distressed with the losse and most peculiar to the charge of the Almighty Then his interest as in God so in this patient with whom I soiourne as if the stroke were giuen to himselfe through her sides and lastly the quality of the punishment By slaying her son the onely comfort of her life and in all these implying the scandall that must needes arise from this euent where euer it should be noysed to the name of his God to his owne when it should be said Loe how Elijahs entertainment is rewarded Surely the Prophet is either impotent or vnthankfull Neither doth his tongue moue thus
only Thrice doth hee stretch himselfe vpon the dead body as if he could wish to infuse of his owne life into the childe and so often cals to his God for the restitution of that soule What can Elijah aske to be denyed The Lord heard the voice of his Prophet the soule of the child came into him againe and he reuiued What miracle is impossible to faithfull prayers There cannot bee more difference betwixt Elijahs deuotion and ours then betwixt supernaturall and ordinary acts If he therefore obtained miraculous fauours by his prayers do we doubt of those which are within the sphere of nature and vse What could we want if wee did not slacke to ply heauen with our prayers Certainly Elijah had not beene premonished of this sudden sicknesse and death of the child He who knew the remote affaires of the world might not know what God would doe within his owne roofe The greatest Prophet must content himselfe with so much of Gods counsell as he will please to reueale and he will sometimes reueale the greater secrets and conceale the lesse to make good both his owne liberty and mans humiliation So much more vnexpected as the stroke was so much more welcome is the cure How ioyfully doth the man of God take the reuiued child into his armes and present him to his mother How doth his heart leape within him at this proofe of Gods fauour to him mercy to the widow power to the childe What life and ioy did now show it selfe in the face of that amazed mother when she saw againe the eyes of her sonne fixed vpon hers when shee felt his flesh warme his motions vitall Now she can say to Elijah By this I know that thou art a man of God and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth Did she not til now know this Had she not said before What haue I to doe with thee O thou man of God Were not her cruse and her barrel sufficient proofes of his diuine commission Doubtlesse what her meale and oyle had assured her of the death of her sonne made her to doubt and now the reuiuing did re-ascertaine Euen the strongest faith sometimes sluggereth and needeth new acts of heauenly supportation the end of miracles is confirmation of truth It seemes had this widowes sonne continued dead her beleefe had beene buried in his graue notwithstanding her meale and her oile her soule had languished The mercy of God is faine to prouide new helpes for our infirmities and graciously condescends to our owne termes that hee may worke out our faith and saluation ELIJAH with the Baalites THree yeares and an halfe did Israel lie gasping vnder a patrhing drought and miserable famine No creature was so odious to them as Elijah to whom they ascribed all their misery Me thinkes I heare how they railed on and cursed the Prophet How much enuy must the seruants of God vndergoe for their masters Nothing but the tongue was Elijahs the hand was Gods the Prophet did but say what God would doe I doe not see them fall out with their sins that had deserued the iudgement but with the messenger that denounced it Baal had no fewer seruants then if there had beene both raine and plenty Elijah safely spends this storme vnder the lee of Sarepta Some three yeares hath he lien close in that obscure corner and liued vpon the barrell and cruse which he had multiplied At last God cals him forth Goe shew thy selfe to Ahab and I will send raine vpon the earth no raine must fall till Elijah were seen of Ahab Hee caried away the clouds with him he must bring them againe The King the people of Israel shall bee witnesses that God will make good the word the oath of his Prophet Should the raine haue falne in Elijahs absence who could haue knowne it was by his procurement God holds the credit of his messengers precious and neglects nothing that may grace them in the eyes of the world Not the necessity of seuen thousand religious Israelites could cracke the word of one Elijah There is nothing wherin God is more tender then in approuing the veracity of himselfe in his ministers Lewd Ahab hath an holy Steward As his name was so was hee a seruant of God whiles his Master was a slaue to Baal Hee that reserued seuen thousand in the Kingdome of Israel hath reserued an Obadiah in the Court of Israel and by him hath reserued them Neither is it likely there had been so many free hearts in the countrey if Religion had not beene secretly backed in the Court It is a great happinesse when God giues fauour and honour to the Vertuous Elijah did not lie more close in Sarepta then Obadiah did in the Court Hee could not haue done so much seruice to the Church if he had not beene as secret as good Policy and religion doe as well together as they doe ill asunder The Doue without the Serpent is easily caught the serpent without the Doue stings deadly Religion without policy is too simple to be safe Policy without religion is too subtile to be good Their match makes themselues secure and many happy Oh degenerated estate of Israel any thing was now lawfull there sauing piety It is well if Gods Prophets can find an hole to hide their heads in They must needes bee hard driuen when fifty of them are faine to croud together into one caue There they had both shade and repast Good Obadiah hazards his owne life to preserue theirs and spends himselfe in that extream dearth vpon their necessary diet Bread and water was more now then other whiles wine and delicates Whether shall we wonder more at the mercy of God in reseruing an hundred Prophets or in thus sustaining them being reserued When did God euer leaue his Israel vnfurnished of some Prophets When did he leaue his Prophets vnprouided of some Obadiah How worthy art thou O Lord to be trusted with thine owne charge whiles there are men vpon earth or birds in the aire or Angels in heauen thy messengers cannot want prouision Goodnesse caries away trust where it cannot haue imitation Ahab diuides with Obadiah the suruey of the whole land They two set their owne eyes on work for the search of water of pasture to preserue the horses and mules aliue Oh the poore and vaine cares of Ahab He casts to kill the Prophet to saue the cattle he neuer seekes to saue his owne soule to destroy Idolatry he takes thought for grasse none for mercy Carnall hearts are euer either groueling on the earth or delving into it no more regarding God or their soules then if they either were not or were worthlesse Elijah heares of the progresse and offers himselfe to the view of them both Here was wisdome in this courage First hee presents himselfe to Obadiah ere he will bee seene of Ahab that Ahab might vpon the report of so discreet an informer digest the expectation of his meeting Then he takes
Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel Let it be knowne this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy Seruant and that I haue done all these things at thy word Heare me O Lord heare me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God that thou hast turned their hearts backe againe The Baalites prayers were not more tedious then Elijahs was short and yet more pithy then short charging God with the care of his couenant of his truth of his glory It was Elijah that spake loud Oh strong cryes of faith that pierce the heauens and irresistably make their way to the throne of grace Israel shall well see that Elijahs God whom they haue forsaken is neither talking nor pursuing nor trauelling nor sleeping Instantly the fire of the Lord fals froÌ„ heauen consumes the burnt sacrifice the wood the stones the dust licks vp the water that was in the trench With what terror must Ahab and Israel needs see this fire rolling downe out of the sky and alighting with such fury so neere their heads heads no lesse fit for this flame then the sacrifice of Elijah Well might they haue thought How easily might this fire haue dilated it selfe and haue consumed our bodies as well as the wood and stone and haue lickt vp our blood as well as that water I know not whether they had the grace to acknowledge the mercy of God they could doe no lesse then confesse his power The Lord is God The Lord is God The iron was now hot with this heauenly fire Elijah stayes not till it coole againe but strikes immediately Take the Prophets of Baal let not one of them escape This wager was for life Had they preuailed in procuring this fire and Elijah failed of effect his head had been forfeited to them now in the contrary successe theirs are lost to him Let no man complaine that those holy hands were bloody This sacrifice was no lesse pleasing to God then that other Both the man and the act were extraordinarie and led by a peculiar instinct Neither doth the Prophet this without the assent of the supreme Magistrate who was now so affected with this miraculous worke that hee could not in the heat of that conuiction but allow the iustice of such sentence Farre be it from vs to accuse Gods commands or executions of cruelty It was the ancient and peremptory charge of God that the authors of Idolatry and seduction should dye the death no eye no hand might spare them The Prophet doth but moue the performance of that Law which Israel could not without sinne haue omitted It is a mercifull and thanke-worthy seuerity to rid the world of the Ring-leaders of wickednesse ELIjAH running before AHAB Flying from IEzEBEL I Heare no newes of the foure hundred Prophets of the Groues They lye close vnder the wing of Iezebel vnder their pleasing shades neither will be suffered to vndergoe the danger of this tryall the carkeises of their fellowes helpe to fill vp the haife-dry channell of Kishon Iustice is no sooner done then Ahab heares newes of mercy from Elijah Get thee vp eate and drinke for there is a sound of abundance of raine Their meeting was not more harsh then their parting was friendly It seemes Ahab had spent all that day fasting in an eager attendance of those conflicting Prophets It must needs bee late ere the execution could be done Elijahs part began not till the euening So farre must the King of Israel bee from taking thought for the massacre of those foure hundred and fifty Baalites that now hee may goe eate his bread with ioy and drinke his wine with a chearefull heart for God accepteth this worke and testifies it in the noise of much raine Euery drop of that Idolatrous blood was answered with a showre of raine with a streame of water and plenty poured downe in euery showre A sensible blessing followes the vnpartiall stroakes of seuere iustice Nothing is more cruell then an vniust pitie No eares but Elijahs could as yet perceiue a sound of raine the clouds were not yet gathered the vapours were not yet risen yet Elijah heares that which shall be Those that are of Gods Councell can discerne either fauours or iudgements afarre off the slacke apprehensions of carnall hearts make them hard to beleeue that as future which the quicke and refined senses of the faithfull perceiue as present Ahab goes vp to his repast Elijah goes vp to his prayers That day had bin painfull to him the vehemence of his spirit drawes him to a neglect of his body The holy man climbes vp to the top of Carmel that now hee may talke with his God alone neither is he sooner ascended then he casts himselfe downe vpon the earth He bowes his knees to God and bowes his face downe to his knees by this humble posture acknowledging his awfull respects to that Maiestie which he implored We cannot prostrate our bodies or soules too low to that infinitely glorious Deity who is the Creator of both His thoughts were more high then his body was low what he said wee know not we know that what he said opened the heauens that for three yeares and an halfe had bin shut vp God had said before I will send raine vpon the earth yet Elijah must pray for what God did promise The promises of the Almighty do not discharge our prayers but suppose them he will doe what he vndertakes but wee must sue for that which we would haue him doe Our petitions are included in the decrees in the ingagements of God The Prophet had newly seene and caused the fire to descend immediately out of heauen he doth not looke the water should doe so he knew that the raine must come from the clouds and that the clouds must arise from vapours and those vapours from the Sea thence doth he expect them But as not willing that the thoughts of his fixed deuotion should be distracted he doth not goe himselfe onely sends his seruant to bring him the newes of his successe At the first sight nothing appeares Seuen times must he walke to that prospect and not till his last view can discerne ought All that while is the Prophet in his prayers neither is any whit danted with that delay Hope holds vp the head of our holy desires and perseuerance crownes it If we receiue not an answer â—o our suits at the sixth motion wee may not bee out of countenance but must try the seuenth At last a little cloud arises out of the Sea of an hand breadâ—â— So many so feruent prayers cannot but pull water out of heauen as well as fire Those sighs reflect vpon the earth and from the earth reflect vpon heauen â—om heauen rebound vpon the Sea and raise vapours vp thence to heauen againe If we finde that our prayers are heard for the substance wee may not cauill at the quantitie Euen an hand broad cloud contents Eliah and fils his heart full
of ioy and thankfulnesse Hee knew well this meteor was not at the biggest it was newly borne of the wombe of the waters and in some minutes of age must grow to a large stature stay but a while and Heauen is couered with it From how small beginnings haue great matters arisen It is no otherwise in all the gracious proceedings of God with the soule scarce sensible are those first workes of his spirit in the heart which grow vp at last to the wonder of men and applause of Angels Well did Elijah know that God who is perfection it selfe would not defile his hand with an inchoate and scanted fauour as one therefore that fore-saw the face of heauen ouer-spread with this cloudy spot hee sends to Ahab to hasten his Charet that the raine stop him not It is long since Ahab feared this let neuer was the newes of a danger more welcome Doubtlesse the King of Israel whiles hee was at his diet lookt long for Elijahs promised showers where is the raine whose sound the Prophet heard how is it that his eares were so much quicker then our eyes Wee saw his fire to our terrour how gladly would we see his Waters When now the seruant of Elijah brings him newes from heauen that the clouds were setting forward and if hee hastened not would be before him The winde arises the clouds gather the sky thickens Ahab betakes him to his Charet Elijah girds vp his loynes and runnes before him Surely the Prophet could not want the offer of more ease in his passage but he will be for the time Ahabs lacquey that the King and all Israel may see his humility no lesse than his power and may confesse that the glory of those miracles hath not made him insolent Hee knew that his very sight was monitorie neither could Ahabs minde be beside the miraculous workes of God whiles his eye was vpon Elijah neither could the Kings heart be otherwise then well-affected towards the Prophet whiles he saw that himselfe and all Israel had receiued a new Life by his procurement But what newes was here for Iezebel Certainly Ahab minced nothing of the report of all those astonishing accidents If but to salue vp his owne honour in the death of those Baalites hee made the best of Elijahs merits hee told of his challenge conflict victorie of the fire that fell downe from Heauen of the conuiction of Israel of the vnauoidable execution of the Prophets of the prediction and fall of those happy showers and lastly of Elijahs officious attendance Who would not haue expected that Iezebel should haue said It is no striuing no dallying with the Almightie No reasonable creature can doubt after so prodigious a decision God hath wonne vs from Heauen hee must possesse vs Iustly are our seducers perished None but the God that can command fire and water shall bee ours There is no Prophet but his But shee contrarily in stead of relenting rageth and sends a message of death to Elijah So let the gods doe to mee and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time Neither scourges nor fauours can worke any thing with the obstinately wicked All euill hearts are not equally dis-affected to good Ahab and Iezebel were both bad enough yet Ahab yeelds to that worke of God which Iezebel stubbornly opposeth Ahab melts with that water with that fire wherewith Iezebel is hardened Ahab was bashfully Iezebel audaciously impious The weaker sexe is euer commonly stronger in passion and more vehemently caried with the sway of their desires whether to good or euill She sweares and stamps at that whereat shee should haue trembled She sweares by those gods of hers which were not able to saue their Prophets that she will kill the Prophet of God who had scorned her gods and slaine her Prophets It is well that Iezebel could not keepe counsell Her threat preâ—eâ—ted him whom shee had meant to kill The wisedome and power of God could â—â—ue found euasions for his Prophet in her greatest secresie but now he needs no other meanes of rescue but her owne lips She is no lesse vaine then the gods shee sweares by In spight of her fury and her oath and her gods Elijah shall liue At once shall she finde her selfe frustrate and forsworne She is now ready to bite her tongue to eat her heart for anger at the disappointment of her cruell Vow It were no liuing for godly men if the hands of Tyrants were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts Men and Deuils are vnder the restraint of the Almighty neither are their designes more lauish then their executions short Holy Elijah flees for his life wee heare not of the command of God but we would willingly presuppose it So diuine a Prophet should doe nothing without God His heeles were no new refuge As no where safe within the ten Tribes hee flees to Beersheba in the Territories of Iudah as not there safe from the machinations of Iezebel hee flees alone one dayes iourney into the wildernesse there hee sits him downe vnder a Iuniper tree and as weary of life no lesse then of his way wishes to rise no more It is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers O strange and vncouth mutation What is this wee heare Elijah fainting and giuing vp that heroicall spirit deiected and prostrate Hee that durst say to Ahabs face It is thou and thy fathers house that troubleth Israel hee that could raise the dead open and shut the Heauens fetch downe both fire and water with his prayers hee that durst chide and contest with all Israel that durst kill the foure hundred and fifty Baalites with the sword doth hee shrinke at the frownes and threats of a woman doth hee wish to be rid of his life because hee feared to lose it Who can expect an vndaunted constancie from flesh and blood when Elijah failes The strongest and holiest Saint vpon earth is subiect to some qualmes of feare and infirmitie To bee alwayes and vnchangeably good is proper onely to the glorious Spirits in heauen Thus the wise and holy God will haue his power perfited in our weaknesse It is in vaine for vs whiles wee carie this flesh about vs to hope for so exact health as not to be cast downe sometimes with fits of spirituall distemper It is no new thing for holy men to wish for death Who can either maruell at or blame the desire of aduantage For the weary traueller to long for rest the prisoner for libertie the banished for home it is so naturall that the contrary disposition were monstrous The benefit of the change is a iust motiue to our appetition but to call for death out of a satietie of life out of an impatience of suffering is a weaknesse vnbeseeming a Saint It is not enough O Elijah God hath more worke yet for thee thy God hath more honoured thee
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
in the poole of Samaria the dogges come to claime their due they licke vp the blood of the great King of Israel The tongues of those brute creatures shall make good the tongue of Gods Prophet Michaiah is iustified Naboth is reuenged the Baalites confounded Ahab iudged Righteous art thou O God in all thy waies and holy in all thy workes AHAzIAH sicke and ELIJAH reuenged AHaziah succeeds his father Ahab both in his throne and in his sinne Who could looke for better issue of those loines of those examples God followes him with a double iudgement of the reuolt of Moab and of his owne sicknesse All the reigne of Ahab had Moab beene a quiet Tributarie and furnished Israel with rich flockes and fleeces now their subiection dies with that warlike King and will not be inherited This rebellion tooke aduantage as from the weaker spirits so from the sickly body of Ahaziah whose disease was not naturall but casuall walking in his palace of Samaria some grate in the floore of his Chamber breakes vnder him and giues way to that fall whereby hee is bruised and languisheth The same hand that guided Ahabs shaft cracks Ahaziahs lattesse How infinite varietie of plagues hath the iust GOD for obstinate sinners whether in the field or in the chamber he knowes to finde them out How fearlesly did Ahaziah walke on his wonted pauement The Lord hath laid a trap for him whereinto whiles he thinkes least he fals irrecouerably No place is safe for the man that is at variance with God The body of Ahaziah was not more sicke then his soule was gracelesse None but chance was his enemy none but the God of Ekron must bee his friend He lookes not vp to the Omnipotent hand of diuine iustice for the disease or of mercy for the remedy An Idoll is his refuge whether for cure or intelligence Wee heare not till now of Baal-zebub this new God of flies is perhaps of his making who now is a suter to his owne erection All these heathen Deities were but a Deuill with change of appellations the influence of that euill spirit deluded those miserable clients else there was no fly so impotent as that out-side of the god of Ekron Who would thinke that any Israelite could so farre dote vpon a stocke or a Fiend Time gathered much credit to this Idol in so much as the Iewes afterwards stiled Beel-zebub the Prince of all the regions of darknesse Ahaziah is the first that brings his Oracle in request and payes him the tribute of his deuotion Hee sends messengers and sayes Goe inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recouer of this disease The message was either idle or wicked idle if he sent it to a stock if to a deuill both idle and wicked What can the most intelligent spirits know of future things but what they see either in their causes or in the light of participation What a madnesse was it in Ahaziah to seeke to the posterne whiles the fore-gate stood open Could those euill spirits truely foretell euents no way pre-existent yet they might not without sinne bee consulted the euill of their nature debarres all the benefit of their information If not as intelligencers much lesse may they be sought to as gods who cannot blush to heare and see that euen the very Euangelicall Israel should yeeld Pilgrims to the shrines of darknesse How many after this cleere light of the Gospell in their losses in their sicknesses send to these infernall Oracles and damne themselues wilfully in a vaine curiositie The message of the iealous God intercepts them with a iust disdaine as here by Elijah Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that yee goe to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron What can be a greater disparagement to the True God then to be neglected then to stand aside and see vs make loue to an hellish riuall were there no God in Israel in heauen what could wee doe other what worse This affront of what euer Ahaziah cannot escape without a reuenge Therefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die It is an high indignitie to the True God not to be sought to in our necessities but so to bee cashiered from our deuotions as to haue a false god thrust in his roome is such a scorne as it is well if it can escape with one death Let now the famous god of Ekron take off that brand of feared mortalitie which the liuing God hath set vpon Ahaziah Let Baal-zebub make good some better newes to his distressed suppliant Rather the King of Israel is himselfe without his repentance hasting to Beel-zebub This errand is soone done The messengers are returned ere they goe Not a little were they amazed to heare their secret message from anothers mouth neither could chuse but thinke Hee that can tell what Ahaziah said what hee thought can foretell how hee shall speed Wee haue met with a greater God then wee went to seeke what need wee inquire for another answer With this conceit with this report they returne to their sicke Lord and astonish him with so short so sad a relation No maruell if the King inquired curiously of the habit and fashion of the man that could know this that durst say this They describe him a man whether of an hairy skin or of rough course carelesse attire thus drest thus girded Ahaziah readily apprehends it to be Elijah the old friend of his father Ahab of his mother Iezebel More then once had he seene him an vnwelcome guest in the Court of Israel The times had beene such that the Prophet could not at once speake true and please Nothing but reproofes and menaces sounded from the mouth of Elijah Michaiah and hee were still as welcome to the eyes of that guilty Prince as the Syrian arrow was into his flesh Too well therefore had Ahaziah noted that querulous Seer and now is not a little troubled to see himselfe in succession haunted with that bold and ill-boding spirit Behold the true sonne of Iezebel the anguish of his disease the expectation of death cannot take off the edge of his persecution of Elijah It is against his will that his death-bed is not bloody Had Ahaziah meant any other then a cruell violence to Elijah he had sent a peaceable messenger to call him to the Court hee had not sent a Captaine with a band of Souldiers to fetch him the instruments which hee vseth cary reuenge in their face If he had not thought Elijah more then a man what needed a band of fifty to apprehend one and if he did thinke him such why would hee send to apprehend him by fifty Surely Ahaziah knew of old how miraculous a Prophet Elijah was what power that man had ouer all their base Deities what command of the Elements of the heauens and yet hee sends to attache him It is a strange thing
Prophets yeeldance as for his owne life This was the way to offer violence to the Prophet of God to the God of that Prophet euen humble supplications Wee must deprecate that euill which wee would auoid if we would force blessings we must intreat them There is nothing to be gotten from God by strong hand any thing by suit The life of the Captaine is preserued Elijah is by the Angell commanded to goe downe with him speedily fearelesly The Prophet casts not with himselfe What safety can there be in this iourney I shall put my selfe into the hands of rude Souldiers and by them into the hands of an inraged King if he did not eagerly thirst after my blood hee had neuer sought it with so much losse But so soone as hee had a charge from the Angell hee walkes downe resolutely and as it were dares the dangers of so great an hostilitie Hee knew that the same God who had fought for him vpon the hill would not leaue him in the Valley hee knew that the Angell which bade him goe was guard enough against a world of enemies Faith knowes not how to feare and can as easily contemne the suggestion of perils as infidelitie can raise them The Prophet lookes boldly vpon the Court which doubtlesse was not a little disaffected to him and comes confidently into the bed-chamber of Ahaziah and sticks not to speake ouer the same words to his head which hee had sent him not long since by his first messengers Not one syllable will the Prophet abate of his errand It is not for an Herald of Heauen to be out of countenance or to mince ought of the most killing messages of his God Whether the inexpected confidence both of the man and of the speech amazed the sicke King of Israel or whether the feare of some present iudgement wherewith hee might suspect Elijah to come armed vpon any act of violence that should bee offered ouer-awed him or whether now at the last vpon the sight and hearing of this man of God the Kings heart began to relent and checke it selfe for that sinne for which hee was iustly reproued I know not but sure I am the Prophet goes away vntouched neither the furious purposes of Ahaziah nor the exasperations of a Iezebel can hurt that Prophet whom God hath intended to a fiery Chariot The hearts of Kings are not their owne Subiects are not so much in their hands as they are in their Makers How easily can God tame the fiercenesse of any creature and in the midst of their most heady careere stop them on the sudden and fetcht them vpon the knees of their humble submission It is good trusting God with the euents of his owne commands who can at pleasure either auert euils or improue them to good According to the word of the Prophet Ahaziah dies not two whole yeares doth hee sit in the Throne of Israel which hee now must yeeld in the want of children to his brother Wickednesse shortens his reigne he had too much of Ahab and Iezebel to expect the blessing either of length or prosperitie of gouernment As alwaies in the other so oft-times in this world doth God testifie his anger to wicked men Some liue long that they may aggrauate their iudgement others die soon that they may hasten it The Rapture of ELIJAH LOng and happily hath Elijah fought the wars of his God and now after his noble and glorious victories God will send him a Chariot of Triumph Not suddenly would God snatch away his Prophet without warning without expectation but acquaints him before-hand with the determination of his glory How full of heauenly ioy was the soule of Elijah whiles he foreknew and lookt for this instant happinesse With what contempt did he cast his eyes vpon that earth which he was now presently to leaue with what rauishment of an inward pleasure did hee looke vpon that heauen which he was to enioy For a meet fare-well to the earth Elijah will goe visit the schooles of the Prophets before his departure These were in his way Of any part of the earth they were nearest vnto Heauen In an holy progresse therefore hee walkes his last round from Gilgal neere Iordan to Bethel from Bethel to Iericho from Iericho to Iordan againe In all these sacred Colledges of Diuines he meant to leaue the legacie of his loue counsell confirmation blessing How happy a thing it is whiles we are vpon earth to improue our time gifts to the best behoofe of Gods Church And after the assurance of our owne blessednesse to helpe others to the same heauen But O God who can but wonder at the course of thy wise and powerfull administrations Euen in the midst of the degeneration and Idolatries of Israel hast thou reserued to thy selfe whole societies of holy Prophets and out of those sinfull and reuolted Tribes hast raised the two great miracles of Prophets Elijah and Elisha in an immediate succession Iudah it selfe vnder a religious Iehoshaphat yeelded not so eminent and cleerely illuminated spirits The mercy of our prouident God will neither be confined nor excluded neither confined to the places of publike profession nor excluded from the depraued Congregations of his owne people where hee hath loued he cannot easily be estranged Rather where sinne abounds his grace aboundeth much more and raiseth so much stronger helps as he sees the dangers greater Happy was Elisha in the attendance of so gracious a Master and the more happy that he knows it Faine would Elijah shake him off at Gilgal if not there at Bethel if not yet there at Iericho A priuate message on which Elijah must goe alone is pretended from the Lord Whether shall we say the Prophet did this for the tryall of the constant affection of his carefull and diligent seruant or that it was concealed from Elijah that his departure was reuealed to Elisha Perhaps hee that knew of his owne reception into heauen did not know what witnesses would bee allowed to that miraculous act and now his humble modesty affected a silent and vn-noted passage Euen Elisha knew something that was hid from his Master now vpon the threshold of heauen No meere creature was euer made of the whole counsell of the Highest Some things haue been disclosed to babes and nouices that haue been closed vp to the most wise and iudicious In naturall speculations the greater wit and deeper iudgement stil caries it but in the reuelations of God the fauour of his choice swayes all not the power of our apprehension The master may both command and intreat his seruants stay in vaine Elisha must bee pardoned this holy and zealous disobedience As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee His master may be withdrawne from him he will not be withdrawne from his Master He knew that the blessing was at the parting and if he had diligently attended all his life and now slacked in the last act he had lost the reward
of his seruice The euening praises the day and the chiefe grace of the theater is in the last Scene Be faithfull to the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life That Elijah should be translated and what day he should be translated God would haue no secret The sonnes of the Prophets at Bethel at Iericho both know it and aske Elisha if he knew it not Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy Master from thy head this day and hee answered Yea I know it hold yee your peace How familiarly do these Prophets inter-know one another How kindly do they communicate their visions Seldome euer was any knowledge giuen to keep but to impart The grace of this rich Iewell is lost in concealement The remouall of an Elijah is so important a businesse that it is not fit to be done without noise Many shall haue their share in his losse he must be missed on the sudden it was meet therefore that the world should know his rapture should be diuine and glorious I doe not finde where the day of any naturall death is notified to so many by how much more wonder there was in this Assumption by so much more shall it bee fore-reuealed It is enough for ordinarie occurrents to bee knowne in their euent supernaturall things haue need of premonition that mens hearts may bee both prepared for their receit and confirmed in their certainty Thrice was Elisha intreated thrice hath hee denied to stay behinde his now-departing Master on whom both his eyes and his thoughts are so fixed that hee cannot giue allowance so much as to the interpellation of a question of his fellow-Prophets Together therefore are this wonderfull paire comne to the last stage of their separation the bankes of Iordan Those that were not admitted to bee attendants of the iourney yet will not bee debarred from being spectators of so maruellous an issue Fifty men of the sonnes of the Prophets went and stood to view afarre off I maruell there were no more How could any sonne of the Prophets stay within the Colledge walls that day when hee knew what was meant to Elijah Perhaps though they knew that to bee the Prophets last day yet they might thinke his disparition should bee sudden and insensible besides they found how much hee affected secrecie in this intended departure yet the fifty Prophets of Iericho will make proofe of their eyes and with much intention assay who shall haue the last sight of Elijah Miracles are not purposed to silence and obscuritie God will not worke wonders without witnesses since hee doth them on purpose to winne glory to his name his end were frustrate without their notice Euen so O Sauiour when thou hadst raised thy selfe from the dead thou wouldest bee seene of more then fiue hundred brethren at once and when thou wouldest raise vp thy glorified bodie from earth into Heauen thou didst not ascend from some close valley but from the Mount of Oliues not in the night not alone but in the cleare day in the view of many eyes which were so fixed vpon that point of thine heauen that they could scarce bee remoued by the checke of Angels Iordan must be crossed by Elijah in his way to heauen There must be a meet parallel betwixt the two great Prophets that shal meet Christ vpon Tabor Moses and Elias Both receiued visions on Horeb to both God appeared there in fire and other formes of terrour both were sent to Kings one to Pharaoh the other to Ahab Both prepared miraculous Tables the one of Quailes and Manna in the Desert the other of Meale and Oyle in Sarepta Both opened heauen the one for that nourishing dew the other for those refreshing showres Both reuenged Idolatries with the sword the one vpon the worshippers of the golden Calfe the other vpon the foure hundred Baalites Both quenched the drought of Israel the one out of the Rocke the other out of the Cloud Both diuided the waters the one of the Red Sea the other of Iordan Both of them are forewarned of their departure Both must be fetcht away beyond Iordan The body of Elijah is translated the body of Moses is hid What Moses doth by his Rod Elijah doth by his Mantle with that hee smites the Waters and they as fearing the diuine power which wrought with the Prophet runne away from him and stand on heapes leauing their dry channell for the passage of those awfull feet It is not long since he mulcted them with a generall exsiccation now he onely bids them stand aside and giue way to his last walke that he might with dry feet mount vp into the celestiall chariot The waters doe not now first obey him they know that Mantle of old which hath oft giuen lawes to their falling rising standing they are past ouer and now when Elijah finds himselfe treading on his last earth hee profers a munificent boone to his faithfull seruant Aske what I shall doe for thee before I am taken from thee I doe not heare him say Aske of me when I am gone In my glorified condition I shall bee more able to bestead thee but aske before I goe Wee haue a communion with the Saints departed not a commerce when they are inabled to doe more for vs they are lesse apt to be sollicited by vs It is safe suing where we are sure that we are heard Had not Elijah receiued a peculiar instinct for this profer he had not been thus liberall It were presumption to be bountifull on anothers cost without leaue of the owner The mercy of our good God allowes his fauourites not onely to receiue but to giue not onely to receiue for themselues but to conuey blessings to others What can that man want that is befriended of the faithfull Elisha needs not goe farre to seeke for a suit It was in his heart in his mouth Let a double portion of thy spirit be vpon me Euery Prophet must be a sonne to Elijah but Elisha would be his heire and craues the happy right of his primogeniture the double share to his brethren It was not wealth nor safety nor ease nor honour that Elisha cares for the world lies open before him hee may take his choice the rest he contemneth nothing will serue him but a large measure of his masters spirit No carnall thought was guilty of this sacred ambition Affectation of eminence was too base a conceit to fall into that man of God He saw that the times needed strong conuictions he saw that hee could not otherwise weild the succession to such a Master therefore he sues for a double portion of spirit the spirit of prophesie to foreknow the spirit of power to worke We cannot bee too couetous too ambitious of spirituall gifts such especially as may inable vs to win most aduantage to God in our vocations Our wishes are the true touch-stone of our estate such as we wish to be we are worldly hearts affect earthly things spirituall
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
the meanes were more weake and despicable The miracle hath his due worke First doth Naaman acknowledge the God that wrought it then the Prophet by whom hee wrought it Behold now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel Oh happy Syrian that was at once cured of his leprosie and his mes-prison of God Naaman was too wise to thinke that either the water had cured him or the man hee saw a diuine power working in both such as he vainely sought from his Heathen Deities with the heart therefore hee beleeues with the mouth he confesses Whiles he is thus thankfull to the author of his cure hee is not vnmindfull of the instrument Now therefore I pray thee take a blessing of thy seruant Naaman came richly furnished with ten talents of siluer sixe thousand pieces of gold ten changes of raiment All these and many more would the Syrian Peere haue gladly giuen to bee deliuered from so noisome a disease No maruell if he importunately offer some part of them to the Prophet now that hee is deliuered some testimony of thankfulnesse did well where all earthly recompence was too short The hands of this man were no lesse full of thankes then his mouth Dry and barren professions of our obligations where is power to requite are vnfit for noble and ingenuous spirits Naaman is not more franke in offering his gratuitie then Elisha vehement in refusing it As the Lord liueth before whom I stand I will receiue none Not that he thought the Syrian gold impure Not that hee thought it vnlawfull to take vp a gift where he hath laid downe a benefit But the Prophet will remit of Naamans purse that hee may win of his soule The man of God would haue his new conuert see cause to bee more enamoured of true piety which teacheth her Clients to contemne those worldly riches and glories which base worldlings adore and would haue him thinke that these miraculous powers are so farre transcending the valuation of all earthly pelfe that those glittering treasures are worthy of nothing but contempt in respect thereof Hence is it that he who refused not the Shunamites table and stoole and candlesticke will not take Naamans present There is much vse of godly discretion in directing vs when to open when to shut our hands Hee that will not bee allowed to giue desires yet to take Shall there not I pray thee bee giuen to thy seruant two mules load of earth for thy seruant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice to other Gods but vnto the Lord. Israelitish mold lay open to his cariage without leaue of Elisha but Naaman regards not to take it vnlesse it may bee giuen him and giuen him by the Prophets hand Well did this Syrian finde that the man of God had giuen a supernaturall vertue to the water of Israel and therefore supposed he might giue the like to his earth Neither would any earth serue him but Elishaes else the mold of Israel had been more properly craued of the King then the Prophet of Israel Doubtlesse it was deuotion that moued this suit The Syrian saw God had a proprietie in Israel and imagines that hee will be best pleased with his owne On the sudden was Naaman halfe a Proselyte still here was a weake knowledge with strong intentions Hee will sacrifice to the Lord but where in Syria not in Hierusalem Not the mold but the Altar is that God respects which hee hath allowed no where but in his chosen Sion This honest Syrian will be remouing God home to his Country he should haue resolued to remoue his home to God And though he vowes to offer no sacrifice to any other God yet he craues leaue to offer an outward courtesie to Rimmon though not for the Idols sake yet for his masters In this thing the Lord pardon thy seruant that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and hee leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy seruant in this thing Naaman goes away resolute to professe himselfe an Israelite for Religion all the Syrian Court shall know that hee sacrifices vpon Israelitish earth to the God of Israel they shall heare him protest to haue neither heart nor knee for Rimmon If hee must goe into the house of that Idoll is shall bee as a seruant not as a suppliant his duty to his Master shall cary him not his deuotion to his Masters God If his master goe to worship there not he neither doth he say When I bow my selfe to the Image of Rimmon but in the house hee shall bow to be leaned vpon not to adore yet had not Naaman thought this a fault hee had not craued a pardon his heart told him that a perfect conuert should not haue abid the roofe the sight the ayre of Rimmon that his obseruance of an earthly master should not draw him to the semblance of an act of outward obseruance to the riuall of his master in Heauen that a sincere detestation of Idolatry could not stand with so vnseasonable a courtesie Farre therefore is Naaman from being a patterne saue of weaknesse since he is yet more then halfe a Syrian since he willingly accuses himselfe and in stead of defending deprecates his offence It is not for vs to expect a full stature in the cradle of conuersion As nature so grace rises by many degrees to perfection Leprosie was in Naaman cured at once not corruption The Prophet as glad to see him but thus forward dismisses him with a ciuill valediction Had an Israelite made this suit hee had been answered with a checke thus much from a Syrian was worthy of a kinde farewell They are parted Gehezi cannot thus take his leaue his heart is maled vp in the rich chests of Naaman and now hee goes to fetch it The Prophet and his man had not looked with the same eyes vpon the Syrian treasure the one with the eye of contempt the other with the eye of admiration and couetous desire The disposition of the master may not bee measured by the minde by the act of his seruant Holy Elisha may be attended by a false Gehezi No examples no counsels will preuaile with some hearts who would not haue thought that the follower of Elisha could bee no other then a Saint yet after the view of all those miracles this man is a mirrour of worldlinesse Hee thinkes his master either too simple or too kinde to refuse so iust a present from a Syrian himselfe will bee more wise more frugall Desire hastens his pace he doth not goe but runne after his bootie Naaman sees him and as true noblenesse is euer courteous alights from his Charet to meet him The great Lord of Syria comes forth of his Coach to salute a Prophets seruant not fearing that hee can humble himselfe ouermuch to one of Elisha's family He greets Gehezi with the same word wherewith hee was lately dimitted
that his head was long before anointed and had heard Saul himselfe confidently auouching his Succession yet he will not stirre from the heapes of Ziklag till he haue consulted with the Lord It did not content him that he had Gods warrant for the Kingdome but he must haue his instructions for the taking possession of it How safe and happy is the man that is resolued to do nothing without God Neither will generalities of direction be sufficient euen particular circumstances must looke for a word still is God a Pillar of fire and cloude to the eye of euery Israelite neither may there be any motion or stay but from him That action cannot but succeed which proceeds vpon so sure a warrant God sends him to Hebron a City of Iudah Neither will Dauid goe vp thither alone but he takes with him all his men with their whole housholds they shall take such part as himselfe As they had shared with him in his misery so they shall now in his prosperity Neither doth he take aduantage of their late mutinie which was yet fresh and greene to cashire those vnthankfull and vngracious followers but pardoning their secret rebellions he makes them partakers of his good successe Thus doth our heauenly Leader whom Dauid prefigured take vs to reigne with him who hath suffered with him passing by our manifold infirmities as if they had not beene he remoueth vs from the Land of our banishment and the ashes of our forlorne Ziklag to the Hebron of our Peace and glory The expectation of this day must as it did with Dauids Souldiers digest all our sorrowes Neuer any calling of God was so conspicuous as not to finde some Opposites What Israelite did not know Dauid appointed by God to the succession of the Kingdome Euen the Amalekite could carry the Crowne to him as the true Owner yet there want not an Abner to resist him and the Title of an Ishbosheth to colour his resistance If any of Sauls house could haue made challenge to the Crowne it should haue beene Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan Who it seemes had too much of his Fathers bloud to be a Competitor with Dauid the question is not who may claime the most right but who may best serue the faction Neither was Ishbosheth any other than Abners Stale Saul could not haue a fitter Courtier whether in the imitation of his Masters enuy or the ambition of ruling vnder a borrowed name he strongly opposed Dauid there are those who striue against their owne hearts to make a side with whom conscience is oppressed by affection An ill quarrell once vndertaken shall be maintained although with bloud Now not so much the bloud of Saul as the ingagement of Abner makes the Warre The sonnes of Zerniah stand fast to Dauid It is much how a man placeth his first interest If Abner had beene in Ioabs roome when Sauls displeasure droue Dauid from the Court or Ioab in Abners these actions these euents had beene changed with the persons It was the only happinesse of Ioab that he fell on the better side Both the Commanders vnder Dauid and Ishbosheth were equally cruell both are so iniured to bloud that they make but a sport of killing Custome makes sinne so â—â—miliar that the horror of it is to some turned into pleasure Come let the young mâ—n play before vs. ABNER is the Challenger and speeds thereafter for though in the matches of Duell both sides miscarryed yet in the following conflict Abner and his men are beaten By the successe of those single Combates no man knowes the better of the cause Both sides perish to shew how little God liked either the offer or the acceptation of such a tryall but when both did their best God punisheth the wrong part with discomfiture Oh the misery of ciuill dissention Israel and Iudah were brethren Our carried the name of the Father the other of the Sonne Iudah was but a branch of Israel Israel was the roote of Iudah yet Iudah and Israel must fight and kill each other onely vpon the quarrell of an ill Leaders ambition The speed of Asahel was not greater than his courage It was a mind fit for one of Dauids Worthies to strike at the head to match himselfe with the best He was both swift and strong but the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong If hee had gon neuer so slowly he might haue ouer-taken death now hee runnes to fetch it So little lust had Abner to shed the bloud of a sonne of Zerniah that hee twice aduises him to retreate from pursuing his owne perill Asahels cause was so much better as Abners successe Many a one miscarries in the rash prosecution of a good quarrell when the Abettors of the worst part goe away with victory Heate of zeale sometimes in the vndiscreet pursuit of a iust Aduersary prooues mortall to the agent preiudiciall to the seruice ABNER whiles hee kils yet hee flyes and runnes away from his owne death whiles he inflicts it vpon another Dauids followers had the better of the field and day The Sunne as vnwilling to see any more Israelitish bloud shed by brethren hath withdrawne himselfe and now both parts hauing got the auantage of an hill vnder them haue safe conuenience of parley Abner beginnes and perswades Ioab to surcease the fight Shall the sword deuoure for euer Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternesse in the end How long shall it bee ere thou bid the people returne from following their Brethren It was his fault that the sword deuoured at all and why was not the beginning of a ciuill Warre bitternesse Why did hee call forth the people to skirmish and inuite them to death Had Abner beene on the winning hand this motion had beene thanke-worthy It is a noble disposition in a Victor to call for a cessation of Armes whereas necessitie wrings this suite from the ouer-mastered There cannot be a greater prayse to a valiant and wise Commander than a propension to all iust termes of peace For warre as it is sometimes necessary so it is alwayes euill and if fighting haue any other end proposed besides peace it proues murder Abner shall finde himselfe no lesse ouercome by Ioab in clemencie than power Hee sayes not I will not so easily leaue the aduantage of my victory since the Dice of warre runne on my side I will follow the chace of my good successe Thou shouldest haue considered of this before thy prouocation It is now too late to moue vnto forbearance But as a man that meant to approue himselfe equally free from cowardise in the beginning of the conflict and from crueltie in the end hee professeth his forwardnesse to entertaine any pretence of sheathing vp the swords of Israel and sweares to Abner that if it had not beene for his proud irritation the people had in the morning before ceased from that bloudy pursuit of their brethren As it becomes publike persons to bee louers of peace