tongue is no fuller of poyson then the venemous Viper and the kindnesse of their lippes no better then the vomit â—f Aspes a prophane and degenerate geneâ—ation euer readier to find two faults in anoâ—her then to amende one in themselues But â—ecause in my other workes I haue proclaimed â—pen defiance vnto such but for modestie sake without name and meane if they persist in their impious and irreligious humour the next time to labour to purge out their poyson with a dramme of Mythredatim and anatomize their names in print In a worke which I haue in hand intituled The Anatomie of a Christian At this time I thinke them not worthie of farther speech but onely in my prayers I confesse silence had beene more secure yet may I freely protest that no conceit of mine owne gifts nor the affectatioÌ„ of the vaine applause of mens mouthes but an vnfeined desire to doe good according to my poore talent and that by all meanes in the Church of God being also heartned by the good acceptance of my former labours with the well inclined and the profite and comfort they ingeniouslie confesse they haue reaped thereby hath encouraged mee to proceede herein This Right Worshipfull I presumed to censecrate and dedicate vnto you as a pledge of my good will and thankefulnesse for many your kind fauours and especially which I shall neuer drench in obliuion your readinesse in supporting my honest and iust cause nay Gods cause against certaine ignorant W. Iohnes proud and malicious Opposites which make a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof which speake of sanctification with vnsanctified lippes For which I doubt not as also for your loue to religion good to your countrey protection of the oppressed c. there is a reward layde vp for you in heauen euen an immarcessible Crowne of glorie If this as indeede it is not be not answerable to your worth impute it not I beseech you vnto my will but rather to my want of abilitie being loth to be branded with the more then barbarous note of ingratitude which I euer detested cane peius angue knowing the old prouerbe Omnia dixeris si ingratum dixeris Now I beseech the God of peace to sanctifie you that your soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the day of the Lord. Your Worships in all duetie WILLIAM EST. THE IVDGES AND IVRIES INSTRVCTION Ioh. 7.51 Ioh. 7.51 Doth our law iudge a man before it heare him and know what he hath done TO omitte all circumstances of time place and persons This question as our Maisters of Logick say may be resolued into a proposition or as â—e Rethoritians say implieth a proposiâ—â—on with an absurditie vpon the contraâ—â—e As that Gen. 18. Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Iudge 〈◊〉 all the world doe right and Rom. 6.1 Rom. 6.1 â—hall wee continue in sinne that grace may aâ—â—und God forbid So that it is in effect â—s if hee had sayde Our law doth not â—â—dge any man before it heare him and â—now what hee hath done Wherein obserue three things The diuision 1. That the law must iudge or the Iudge by the lawe Doth our laâ— iudge and this requireth in the Iudge knowledge of the law and obedience to the law 2. What is the subiect of this iudgement which must bee iudged a Man which teacheth the Iudge to to iudge warilie and without respect of persons impartiallie 3. The order that the law requireth in iudgement To heare the maâ— speake for himselfe and to know whaâ— he hath done For the first the written law hoâ— good soeuer it bee is dead in it selfe like a sword layd vp in scabert or pretious Oyntment shut vp in a boxe Thâ— Magistrate therefore is added to reuiuâ— this dead body of the law 1. King 17.21 as Elias diâ— the childe being dead by stretching himselfe vpon it By which coniunction the law becomes a Magistrate and the Magistrate a law The Magistratâ— lendeth a mouth to the law to speake and the law teacheth him a rule to speaâ— aright So that hence this poynt is madâ— playne The law must iudge by the Magistrates mouth and the Magistrate by the law as the mouth by the heart This may be gathered by the words of Nichodemuâ— here when he maketh the law the Iudge Doth our law iudge a man beforâ— it heare him and know what he hath doâ—â— by the mouth of the Iudge or the Iudge according to the law And therefore the Lord commaundeth Ioshua to meditate in the law day and night Ioshua 1. and not to let it depart from him Which also is meant of the Iudiciall law And an argument hereof are Pauls words to Ananias Act. 23. God shall smite thee thou whited wall for thou fittest to iudge me according to the law and commandest mee to bee smitten contrarie to the law Wherein we learne two things 1. That the Magistrate is set in place of Iustice to iudge according to the law 2. That therefore the sinne is great to iudge beside the law but to iudge contrarie to the law deserues to bee smitten of God himselfe Neither must wee thinke that this law of the Iewes had onely this prerogatiue for euery good law hath the same that the Ciuill law hath lib. 40. institut de officio Iudicis As Iustinian sheweth lib. 40. institut intitulo de officio Iudicis Where in the very first words he faith Imprimis illud obseruare debet Iudex ne aliter iudicet quaÌ„legibus c. The Iudge ought especially to obserue that he iudge no otherwise then by the lawes c. And that the lawes in seuerall countries had the same authoritie may appeare by Eschines Oration Echines wherein hee affirmeth that the Athenian Magistrates were sworne thereto Whereunto it seemeth Themistocles Themistocles in Plutarch had reference when Simonides Simonides the Poet requested him to giue sentence with him in a matter vniust answered Neque tu bonus poeta si praeter musicae modulos caneres neque ego Iudex iustus si contra leges pronunciem Neyther art thou a good Poet if thou violate the rules of musicke neither am I an vpright Iudge if I giue sentence against law I stand not heere though I might to discusse that subtile question disputed in the schooles Whether is to bee preferred before other the Law or the Magistrates Wee are rather to giue God thankes that wee haue such good lawes and with all good Magistrates to put them in execution and to iudge according to the law Neither yet do I so mussell the mouth of the Magistrates as that when the law is defectiue he should bee mute but this I say when the law is not defectiue the Magistrate should iudge according to the law And hence it followeth that the Iudge ought to know the law and to obey the law I need not Right Honourable to mention your knowledge in the law but
are no better before God then men of blood and the feareful vengeance of God must needs light vpon you to the coÌ„suming both of roote and branch as the Lord hath threatned Esa 5.24 Esa 5.24 Therefore as the flame of fire consumeth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their roote shall bâ— as rottennesse and their bud shall rise vp like dust because they haue cost â—ff the lawe of the Lord of hostes and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel the truth whereof is verified by many wofull examples before our eyes Saint Hieromâ— expounding this place of â—eremâ— 4.2 Hier. And thou shall sweare the Lord liueth in truth in iudgâ—ment and in righteousnesse For the auoyding of periurie Tres in amâ—nti comâ—â—es essâ—â—â—bere That there ought to be three companions of an Oath to trueth it pertayneth that wee sweare not falslie vnto righteousnes that wee sweare nothing that is vniust filthie or vnhonest to iudgement that wee sweare not vndiscreetlie and rashlie that is for euery light occasion wee vsurpe not the most reuerend Name of God Now The horrible sinne of Periurie how grieuous this sinne of Periurie is it appeareth many waies as the spirit of God after a wonderfull maner shewed to the Prophet Zacharias in the vision of a flying Booke Zâ—ch 5. Eccle. 23.11 And the wise man saith A man that vseth much swearing shall bee filled with wickednes and the plague shâ—ll neuer goe from his house c. 1. The periured person is a sacriligious thiefe because he assumeth the holy Name of God against the will of God and God forbidding it to be a testimonie of a falshood A sacriligious person in that he inuadeth holy things to build his sinne vpon them as the Name of God his bodie his wounds c. which other sinners doe not Yea the very Diuels doe tremble and feare at the reuerend Name of God and by the inuocation thereof depart out of the possessed but these worse in this respect then the very Diuels prophane and blaspheme the holy Name of God without all feare O horrible impietie 2. The false swearer doth homage vnto the Diuell in holding vp his hands in false protestations or touching the booke by his false oath he worshippeth the Diuell renounceth God Therefore as an ancient Father saith Manus tam diù manet di â—bali quousque paeniteat 3. The false swearer falsifieth the Seale of the high King and therefore as a Traytor vnto God is to bee cast into the perpetuall prison there to bee tormented in the Luke that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Apoc. 21. because hee vsurpeth the Name of God which is the Seale and witnesse of all trueth to bee a seale testimonie and confirmation of lyes and falsedood And therefore the Lord calleth false swearing A defiling and polluting of his holie Name Leuit. 19.12 Ye shall not sweâ—r by my Name falslie neither shalt thou defile the Name of thy God I am the Lord. 4. The false swearer as much as in him lyeth maketh GOD a partaker in his wickednesse when hee bringeth him to be witnesse and a iustifier of his falshood And therefore in the particular Iudgement and in thâ— last Iudgement the Lord hath threatned to bee a swifte witnesse against false swearers Mala. 3.5 Mal. 3.5 I will came neere to you into iudgement and I will bee a swifte witnesse against the Southsayers and against the Adulterers and against false swearers Such periured persons as much as in them lyeth seeke to doe Christ greater iniurie then they that crucified him For they sayth a Father Intulere Christo malum paenae sed periuris quantum in se est Christum vult inuoluere malo culâ—ae For they layde vpon innocent Christ the punishment due for sinne but the periured persons as much as in them lieth will make Christ guiltie of their wickednesse which is farre worse for hee maketh Christ to be a false witnesse a liar and a iustifier of an vntruth men worse then the very Diuell himselfe for though he be a lyar Ioh. 8. and the father of lies and by lies seduceth the world yet hee neuer approueth his lies with an Oath making God a partaker of his malice that he might the sooner deceiue as the false swearer doth 5. The false swearer excludeth himselfe from the protection of the Name of God against whom hee sinneth It is a common saying Frustra inuocat legis auxilium qui in lâ—gem committit He doth in vaine craue aide of the law which offendeth against the law Our helpe saith the Prophet is in the Name of the Lord And Pro. 18. Pro. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth vnto it and are helped O that by any meanes I might perswade all Christians which tender their saluation especially such as are called to this great and weightie businesse of Pleading or to bee of the Iurie or Witnesses concerning the life liuing or right of their brethreÌ„ O that I might I say so much preuaile with them as that among so many houres of the day which they spend in idle vaine and futile thoughts talke play or fruitlesse exercises they would imploy if it were but one houre of the day after the example of a certaine holy man in reading meditating and pondering of one little Booke but trium foliorum of three leaues which I will commit to your Christian confideration I haue read of a certayne holy man who at first had led a sociable and dissolute life that chancing on a time into the companie of an honest and godly man such is the force of godly society hee in short time so wrought by wholsome perswasions with his affections that hee vtterly renounced his former course of life and gaue himselfe to a more priuate austere moderate and secluse kind of liuing The cause whereof being demaunded by one of his former companions who woulde haue drawne him such is the nature of euill companie to his vsuall riot Note this He answered That he was as yet so busied in reading of a little Booke which was but a Book of three leaues that he had no leysure so much as to thinke of any other businesse And being asked againe a long time after whether hee had read ouer these three leaues He replyed that these three leaues were of three seuerall coloures The Booke of three leaues Red White and Blacke redde white blacke which contayned so many Misteries that the more hee meditated thereon the more sweetnesse he alwayes found so that he had deuoted himselfe to meditate therein all the dayes of his life In the first leafe which is redde I meditate quoth he on the passion of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ of his pretious blood shed for a ransome of my sinnes and the sinnes of the whole world without which we had beene all the bondslaues of
vs vp to consider our miserie and the estate wherein we are that we might afterwards awake God with our prayers So dealt he with his beloued Apostles euen he that bringeth forth the winde out of his treasures Ps 135. it was he that stirred vp this tempest strooke this feare into his Disciples that feare might prouoke them to pray that their prayer might stirre vp Christ to shew this miracle whereby they and all his elect might be the better confirmed in the faith This promise he hath plighted this law of mercy he hath left vnto vs Come vnto me all ye that labour and I will refresh you call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare you Mat 11. Similies The Shepheard is quickly stirred vp at the voyce of his sheepe the louing mother at the crie of her childe the henne at the noise of her young and to all these God in holy scripture is compared So King Iehosophat being inuironed with an huge hoste of his enemies prayed vnto the Lord saying There is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that commeth against vs neither doe we knowe what to doe but to lift vp our eyes vnto thee 2. Chro 20. 2. Chro 20. And he obtained of God a maruellous victorie So the Apostle Peter exhorteth 1. Pet 5. 1. Pet. 5. Cast all your care vpon him for he careth for you Phil. 4. and Phillip 4. be nothing carefull but in all things let your request be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankâ—s Simile For as it grieueth not the nurse whose breasts are full of milke when the childe sucketh them but rather easeth and delighteth her so he is not troublesome to the most plentifull goodnes of God but very acceptable vnto him which offereth vnto him occasion to shew mercy this mercy of God most prone and readie to succour all them that call vpon him the Lord commendeth vnto the faithfull saying Mat. 7. Mat 7. If ye that are euill can giue vnto your children good gifts how much more shall your heauenly father giue good things to them that aske him A comfortable consideration Who then would euer despaire of his cause who would not expect a most certaine victorie when the iudge himselfe exhorteth the Plaintiffe to craue and prescribeth him a forme of crauing and promiseth that he shall easily obtaine And this doth our Iudge Iesus Christ that we might ouercome all difficulties he exhorteth vs to aske hee teacheth vs a forme of prayer and promiseth againe and againe Aske and you shall receiue Mat 7. Mat. 7. This example of the Disciples therefore teacheth vs what wee should doe when we are pressed downe with the waters of tribulations which when they sawe the imminent danger of death before their eyes they cried vnto the Lord sleeping Lord saue vs we perish for prayer is the common refuge of humane infirmities And therefore a certaine ancient father as Theodoret reporteth said that Physitions did vse many kindes of medicines Prayer the medicine for all maladies according to thâ— varietie of the diseases of their Patients but for the expelling of all diseases oâ— the soule for the vndergoing of all discommodities of this life prayer is thâ— onely remedie and common medicine because it draweth the omnipotent Goâ— vnto it who onely is the soueraigne medicine for euery maladie The efficacie of prayer the ancient Fathers could neuer sufficiently commend Augustine called Prayer clauem coeli Aug ser 226. de temp 1. Regum 18.38.45 the keye of Heauen With this keye Eliah opened heauen and brought downe fire which consumed the sacrifice and also with his prayers caused the heauen to powre downe raine to make the earth fruitfull An other calleth prayer tabulam naufragorum the table or planke for such as suffer shipwracke in the seas of temptations of thiâ— life Chrysost which in the dangerous seas and waues of this world carieth vs safe vnto the hauen of all happines Chrysostomâ— calleth it animae solem the sunne of the soule because as the sunne inlightneth the world so prayer illuminateth the mind Innumerable almost are the examples both in holy scriptures and other writers of all ages which manifest the wonderfull efficacie of prayer but at this time this shall suffice 2. Ex. vers 26. In that the Lord reproued his Disciples for their distrustfull feare saying Why are ye fearefull ô ye of litle faith We are taught in the middest of our tribulations and miseries neuer to suffer our confidence and trust in God to quaile The Disciples were not without faith for in this present danger they called vpon the Lord which they could neuer haue done except they had beleeued that he could haue holpen them Yet their faith was but litle as it appeareth by their distrustfull feare for as perfect loue casteth out all feare Io 4. so a perfect faith expelleth all timerous distrust and crieth with the Prophet Ps 27. Ps 27. The Lord is my light and saluation whom then shall I feare the Lord is the strâ—ngth of my life of whom shall I be afraide Some by the word faith vnderstand confidence or trust and take it metonymicos whereby the cause is taken for the effect for a strong faith bringeth foorth confidence And therefore some translate it exigua fiducia praediti endued with litle confidence And worthily our Sauiour reproued them of their diffidence for they that had seene so often the Diuinitie and power of Christ confirmed with so many miracles what cause had they to feare as if he were not the same God on the seas as on the land And surely many such there are at this day which though they haue oftentimes proued Gods aide in their tribulations yet if any new thing happen vnto them they by and by murmur against God and distrust his goodnes and as the world is changed with them so withall their confidence is changed Such were the distrustfull speeches of the wicked which are mentioned Ps 78. Psal 78. They speake against God saying Can God prepare a table in the wildernes he smote indeed the rocke that the waters gushed out but can he giue bread also or prepare flesh for his people We see that sometime it chanceth among men that an enemie if he be of any generous and heroicall nature succoureth an enemie that in extremitie flieth vnto him for succour reputing it an honor vnto him How much more will God protect defend them which humblie flie vnto him in their extremities and miseries Let vs therefore hold fast in all our miseries our confidence in God as an answere of the soule both sure and stedfâ—st Heb 6. Heb. 6. And againe he said vnto them which suffered for Christs sake the spoyling of their goods Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward Heb 10. Heb. 10. Surely all godly men in their greatest
Luke addeth a third namely their exceeding feare Marc. 4.41 Luc 8.25 Obseruations and Doctrines 7. Out of vers 27. By the example of the people which maruelled and admired at Christ vt hominem dormiâ—ntem Chrysost in opere impâ—rs hom 23. Deum imperantem creaturam obedientem saith Chrysostome sleeping as a man commanding as a God and the creature obeying and extolling the Maiestie and power of Christ we are taught not curiously to search the wonderfull workes of God or carelesly to consider of them but in true simplicitie of heart to admire and reuerence them and learne thereby the true feare of God who is so wonderfull in all his workes for scrutator maiestatis opprimitur a gloria saith Prosper de vocation Prosper de vocatione Gen. gen the curious searcher of the Maiestie is oppressed of the glorie And by the humble man that knocketh by prayer hath the doore opened vnto him to finde which the rash searcher into Gods secrets in the proud spirit of curiositie shall neuer be able to finde out Bern super Cant 24. saith S. Bern 8 Againe let vs learne here to obey him to whom all insensible creatures yeeld obedience Hereof speaketh the primeable Prophet Psal 148.8 Ps 148.8 Praise ye the Lord fire and haile snowe and vapours stormie winde which execute his word And is it not a wonder that all creatures with such readines and constancie shew their obedience to the Creator and that man for whose sake they were all created should in an ingratefull and obstinate minde perfidiously denie obedience to the Lord Therefore the Prophet Esa 1. vers 2. Esa 1. vers 2. that he might taxe this shamefull obstinacie of mans heart calleth heauen and earth to witnes against him Heare ô heauens and hearken ô earth c. the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his maisters crib but Israel hath not knowne c. As if he had said all you ô my Creatures are obedient vnto my voyce onely man is of a stubborne and disobedient heart and ye shall all be witnesses against him I commanded the sea and it was diuided in two partes so that the Israelites went through as on drie land the waters giuing them free passage Exod 14. Exod 14. I commanded the earth and it opened her mouth and swallowed vp rebellious Korah Dathan and Abyram Num 16. Numb 16. At my command the fire came out and consumed the sons of Aaron Leuit 10. Leuit. 10. I commaÌ„ded the Sun at the prayers of Ioshuah and it stood stil in the midst of heauen to giue a glorious victorie vnto my people Iosh 10. Ioshu 10. The earth trembled and quaked saith the Prophet the foundations also of the mountaines moued and shooke because he was angrie Ps 18.7 Ps 18.7 when Christ suffered the sun was darkned the rockes claue asunder Math 27. Mat 17. yet the heart of man harder theÌ„ the very stones will not be mollified Let man learne then obediently to serue the Lord The vse and carefully frame himselfe to keepe his commandements to whom the earth the sea and the windes the elements and all vnreasonable creatures obey and execute his will Let vs learne here to magnifie extoll The vse praise the Lord as often as we behold his goodnes mercy and loue towards vs when he keepeth vs in dangers deliuereth vs in tribulations taketh vs out of the haÌ„ds of our enemies protecteth vs from the rage and power of Sathan and incessantly laude and glorifie his name who hath called vs out of darknes into his maruellous light 1. Pet. 29. 1 Pet. 29. 9 Lastly we haue here a testimonie of the wonderfull prouidence of God which plainely appeareth in this place in confounding openly in the malignant practises of Sathan the immortal enemie of God and mankinde and conuerting all his pernitious enterprises maugre his rage and furie to the benefite of his Church and the good of his elect In this tempest at sea Sathans practise was vtterly to roote out the name of the Lord and his glory by drenching his ship in the floods and drowning his followers But by the admirable prouideÌ„ce of God it came to passe that this tempest ministred matter of illustrating the glory of Christ and extolling of his Godhead For when Christ rebuked the winds quieted the tempest and calmed the sea the people rauished with the admiration of his diuine maiestie and astonished cryed out what man is this that commandeth and both windes and sea obey him So the Diuell thought by his cursed ministers to burie Christ with the glory of his name in the sepulchre when they made the Sepulcher sure with the watch and sealed the stone Mat. 27. â—6 Mat. 27. â—6 But all this the wisedome of God so disposing was so farre off from the obscuring of Christes glorie that it made for the manifesting of the same Mat. 28. vers 4.11 and confirmed the certaintie of his resurrection when the Keepers for feare of him being astonied ranne into the Citie and shewed vnto the High Priests all the things that were done Mat. 28. vers 4. and 11. Wherefore in all our miseries and afflictions and in the furies of Sathan and his instruments whiles we are tossed on the tempestuous seas of this life let vs with an assured confidence flie vnto the Father of all mercies and consolation awake him with our faithfull and deuoute prayers who onely knoweth how and is willing and able to alay all the strormes of this troublesome life giue a ioyfull issue to our temptations and at length to conduct vs to the safe shores and happy hauen of eternall happinesse where is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are indeficient pleasures for euermore To whom with the Soone and the holy Ghost three persons in one most glorious Trinitie one God in vnitie might and Maiestie be ascribed all honour prayse power and dominion now and for euermore Amen FINIS THE IVDGES AND IVRIES INSTRVCTION WITH A WARNING TO Witnesses to shunne the horrible sinne of Periurie The greatnesse whereof is here layde before them Very neeessary for these times By WILLIAM EST Preacher of Gods word Zechariah 5.4 I will bring forth a curse saith the Lord of Hostes and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe and into the house of him that falslie sweareth by my Name and it shall remaine in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and stones thereof LONDON Printed by T. Creede for Arthur Iohnson Dwelling at the signe of the white Horse in Pauls Church-yard 1614. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull William Hinson Esquire grace and peace in the Prince of peace Iesus Christ Right Worshipfull I Haue once againe launched forth from a safe Hauen into a turbulent and tempestuous sea of Mens humours and exposed my selfe afresh to the carping censure of hatesome Criticall Loylus and filthie Black-mouthed Momus whose virulent