Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A02528
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Contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy story. The fourth volume. By Ios. Hall; Contemplations upon the principall passages of the Holy Storie. Vol. 4
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Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.
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1618
(1618)
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STC 12656; ESTC S103669
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103,611
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500
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Contemplations VPON THE Principall passages of the Holy STORY By IOS HALL LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone 1618. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD the LORD HAY Baron of SALEY one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie COVNSELL RIGHT HO Vpon how iust reason these my Contemplations goe forth so late after their fellowes it were needlesse to giue account to your LO in whose trayne I had the honor since my last to passe both the SEA and the TWEDE All my priuate studies haue gladly vayled to the publique seruices of my Soueraigne Master No sooner could I recouer the happinesse of my quiet thoughts then I renued this my diuine taske Wherein I cannot but professe to place so much contentment as that I wish not any other measure of my life then it What is this other then the exaltation of ISAACS delight to walke forth into the pleasant fields of the Scriptures and to meditate of nothing vnder heauen Yea what other then IACOBS sweet vision of Angels climbing vp and downe that sacred ladder which GOD hath set betwixt heauen and earth Yea to rise yet hyer what other then an imitation of holy MOYSES in his conuersing with GOD himselfe on the Horeb of both Testaments And if I may call your LO forth a little from your great affaires of Court and State to blesse your eyes with this prospect how happy shall you confesse this change of obiects and how vnwillingly shall you obtaine leaue of your thoughts to returne vnto these sublunary imployments Our last discourse left Gods ARKE amongst the Philistims now we returne to see what it doth there and to fetch it thence Wherein your LO shall finde the reuenges of God neuer so deadly as when he giues most way vnto men The vaine confidence of wickednes ending in a late repentance The fearefull plagues of a presumptuous sawcinesse with God not preuented with the honestie of good intentions The mercy of God accepting the seruices of an humble faithfulnes in a meaner dresse From thence you shall see the dangerous issue of an affected innovation although to the better The errors of credulitie and blinde affection in the holiest gouernors guilty of the peoples discontentment The stubburne heddinesse of a multitude that once findes the reynes slacke in their necks not capable of any pause but their owne fall The vntrusty promises of a faire outside and a plausible entrance shutting vp in a wofull disappointment What doe I forestall a discourse so full of choyce your LO shall finde eâ—â—cry line vsefull and shall willingly confesse that the story of God can make a man not lesse wise then good Mine humble thankfulnes knowes not how to expresse it selfe otherwise then in these kinde of presents and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your Honor and Happinesse which shall neuer bee wanting from Your Lo sincerely and thankfully deuoted IOS HALL Contemplations THE ARKE and DAGON MEN could not arise to such height of impiety if they did not mistake God The acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence that God would send his Arke captiue to the Philistims is so construed by them as if he could not keep it The wife of Phinehas cryed out that glory was departed from Israel The Philistims dare say in triumph that glory is departed from the God of Israel The Arke was not Israels but Gods this victory reaches higher then to men Dagon had neuer so great a day so many sacrifices as now that he seemes to take the God of Israel prisoner Where should the captiue be bestowed but in the custodie of the Victor It is not loue but insultation that lodges the Arke close beside Dagon What a spectacle was this to see vncircumcised Philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of Gods presence to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an Idoll to see the two Cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false God OH the deepe and holy wisdome of the Almightie which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe fetches about most glory to his owne name He winks and sits still on purpose to see what men would doe and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature for a time that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice and power That honor pleaseth God and men best which is raised out of contempt THE Arke of God was not vsed to such porters The Philistims carry it vnto Ashdod that the victory of Dagon may be more glorious What paines superstition puts men vnto for the triumph of a false cause And if profane Philistims can thinke it no toyle to carry the Arke where they should not what a shame is it for vs if we doe not gladly attend it where we should How iustly may Gods truth scorne the imparitie of our zeale IF the Isralites did put confidence in the Arke can we maruell that the Philistims did put confidence in that power which as they thought had conquered the Arke The lesse is euer subiect vnto the greater What could they now thinke but that heauen and earth were theirs Who shall stand out against them when the God of Israel hath yeelded Securitie and presumption attend euer at the threshold of ruine GOD will let them sleepe in this confidence in the morning they shall finde how vainely they haue dreamed Now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace Dagon hath an house when God hath but a Tabernacle It is no measuring of religion by outward glory Into this house the proud Phoenitians come the next morning to congratulate vnto their god so great a captiue such diuine spoiles and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him vnder whom the God of Israel was fallen and lo where they finde their god fallen downe on the ground vpon his face before him whom they thought both his prisoner and theirs Their god is forced to doe that which they should haue done voluntarily although God casts downe that dumbe riuall of his for scorne not for adoration Oh yee foolish Philistims could yee think that the same house could hold GOD DAGON could yee thinke a senselesse stone a fit companion and guardian for the liuing GOD Had yee laid your Dagon vpon his face prostrate before the Arke yet would not God haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging but now that yee presume to set vp your carued stone equall to his Cherubins go read your folly in the floore of your temple and know that hee which cast your god so low can cast you lower THE true God owes a shame to those which will be making matches betwixt himselfe and Belial BVT this perhaps was onely a mischance or a neglect of attendance lay to your hands ô yee Philistims and raise vp Dagon into his place It is a miserable god that needs helping vp Had
that to be done by his Angell which the Angell could not haue done but by him Since hee would take our nature he would be a perfect childe suppressing the manifestation exercise of that Godhead whereto that infant nature was conioyned Euen so O Sauiour the humilitie of thine infancy was answerable to that of thy birth The more thou hidest and abasest thy selfe for vs the more should we magnifie thee the more should we deiect our selues for thee Vnto Thee with the Father the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS Contemplations VPON THE Principall passages of the Holy STORY The FOVRTH VOLVME By IOS HALL LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone 1618. Contemplations THE TWELVTH BOOKE Contayning The Arke and Dagon The Arkes Reuenge Returne The Remoue of the Arke The meeting of Saul and Samuel The Inauguration of Saul Samuels Contestation Sauls sacrifice Ionathans victory Sauls oath TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD the LORD HAY Baron of SALEY one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie COVNSELL RIGHT HO Vpon how iust reason these my Contemplations goe forth so late after their fellowes it were needlesse to giue account to your LO in whose trayne I had the honor since my last to passe both the SEA and the TWEDE All my priuate studies haue gladly vayled to the publique seruices of my Soueraigne Master No willingly confesse that the story of God can make a man not lesse wise then good Mine humble thankfulnes knowes not how to expresse it selfe otherwise then in these kinde of presents and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your Honor and Happinesse which shall neuer bee wanting from Your Lo sincerely and thankfully deuoted IOS HALL Contemplations THE ARKE and DAGON MEN could not arise to such height of impiety if they did not mistake God The acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence that God would send his Arke captiue to the Philistims is so construed by them as if he could not keep it The wife of Phinebas cryed out that glory was departed from Israel The Philistims dare say in triumph that glory is departed from the God of Israel The Arke was not Israels but Gods this victory reaches higher then to men Dagon had neuer so great a day so many sacrifices as now that he seemes to take the God of Israel prisoner Where should the captiue be bestowed but in the custodie of the Victor It is not loue but insultation that lodges the Arke close beside Dagon What a spectacle was this to see vncircumcised Philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of Gods presence to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an Idoll to see the two Cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false God OH the deepe and holy wisdome of the Almightie which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe fetches about most glory to his owne name He winks and sits still on purpose to be what men would doe and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature for a time that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice and power That honor pleaseth God and men best which is raised out of contempt THE Arke of God was not vsed to such porters The Philistims carry it vnto Ashdod that the victory of Dagon may be more glorious What paines superstition puts men vnto for the triumph of a false cause And if profane Philistims can thinke it no toyle to carry the Arke where they should not what a shame is it for vs if we doe not gladly attend it where we should How iustly may Gods truth scorne the imparitie of our zeale IF the Israelites did put confidence in the Arke can we maruell that the Philistims did put confidence in that power which as they thought had conquered the Arke The lesse is euer subiect vnto the greater What could they now thinke but that heauen and earth were theirs Who shall stand out against them when the God of Israel hath yeelded Securitie and presumption attend euer at the threshold of ruine GOD will let them sleepe in this confidence in the morning they shall finde how vainely they haue dreamed Now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace Dagon hath an house when God hath but a Tabernacle It is no measuring of religion by outward glory Into this house the proud Phoenitians come the next morning to congratulate vnto their god so great a captiue such diuine spoiles and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him vnder whom the God of Israel was fallen and lo where they finde their god fallen downe on the ground vpon his face before him whom they thought both his prisoner and theirs Their god is forced to doe that which they should haue done voluntarily although God casts downe that dumbe riuall of his for scorne not for adoration Oh yee foolish Philistims could yee think that the same house could hold GOD DAGON could yee thinke a senselesse stone a fit companion and guardian for the liuing GOD Had yee laid your Dagon vpon his face prostrate before the Arke yet would not God haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging but now that yee presume to set vp your carued stone equall to his Cherubins go read your folly in the floore of your temple and know that hee which cast your god so low can cast you lower THE true God owes a shame to those which will be making matches betwixt himselfe and Belial BVT this perhaps was onely a mischance or a neglect of attendance lay to your hands ô yee Philistims and raise vp Dagon into his place It is a miserable god that needs helping vp Had yee not beene more senselesse then that stone how could you choose but thinke How shall hee raise vs aboue our enemies that cannot rise alone how shall he establish vs in the station of our peace that cannot hold his own foot If Dagon did giue the soyle vnto the God of Israel what power is it that hath cast him vpon his face in his owne Temple It is iust with God that those which want grace shall want wit too it is the power of superstition to turne men into those stocks and stones which they worship They that make them are like vnto them Doubtlesse this first fall of Dagon was kept as secret and excused as well as it might and serued rather for astonishment then conviction there was more strangenes then horror in that accident that whereas Dagon had wont to stand and the Philistims fall downe now Dagon fell downe and the Philistims stood and must become the patrons of their owne god their god worships them vpon his face and craues more helpe from them then euer he could giue But if their sottishnes can digest this all is well Dagon is set in his place and