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
it Right Honourable and beloued that God hath reserued vs to these better dayes of his Gospell wherein the helpes of saluation are more cleare obuious effectuall wherein as the glory of the latter House exceeded the former so the meanes of that incomprehensible glory of the house not made with hands eternall in the Heauens lie more open vnto vs What should we doe but both vti and frui gladly vse and sweetly enioy this vnspeakable blessing which God hath kept in store for vs and walke worthy of so incomparable a mercy The old Iewes liued in the dawning of the day wherein they had but a glimmering of that Sunne which would rise We liue after the high noone of that happy day If we walke not answerable to so great a light what can we looke for but vtter darknesse Ye shall now giue me leaue Right Honourable to carry these words in a meet analogie to the present occasion The Temples vnder the Law were both a figure and a patterne of the Churches vnder the Gospell Within this roofe vnder which we now stand here was both the former and the latter house and euen in these wals doth God make his Word good That the glory of this latter House shall be greater than of the former The first foundation of it was no doubt both pious and rich I shall not need to fetch the Pedegrees of it from Saint Iohn Baptist in Ierusalem Consecrated by Heraclius Patriarch of Ierusalem nor to discourse of either the deuotion or wealth of that religiously-military Order for whom these stones were first laid Imagine the Altar neuer so gay the Imagery neuer so curious the Vestments neuer so rich the Pillars Wals Windowes Pauement neuer so exquisite yet I dare boldly say this present glory of this House in this comely whitenesse and well-contriued coarctation is greater than the former What care I Nay What doth God care for the worke of a Lapidary or Painter or Mason One zealous Prayer one Orthodox Sermon is a more glorious furniture than all the precious rarities of Mechanique excellencies I doe most willingly as what good heart doth not honour the vertuous actions and godly intentions of our worthie forefathers which no doubt it hath pleased God in mercy to accept and crowne but withall it must be yeelded that they liued vnder the tyrannous iniurie and vsurpation of those Pharises who kept the keyes of knowledge at their owne girdles and would neither draw for them nor suffer them to draw for themselues Blessed be God for better conditions the Well of life lies open to vs neither are we only allowed but inuited to those heauenly liquors Inebriamini O Charissimi Drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloued Cant. 5.1 This happy libertie of the sauing Gospell of Iesus Christ daily and sincerely preached to vs Noble and beloued Christians is worthy to be more worth vnto vs than all the treasures ornaments priuileges of this transitory World and this since through the inestimable goodnesse of God ye doe and may finde in this latter House Well hath God verified this word in your eies and eares The glory of the latter House shall be greater than of the former Hitherto the comparatiue praise of the latter House the positiue followes in the promise of a gracious effect In this place will I giue peace wherein I know not whether the blessing doth more grace the place or the place the blessing both grace each other and both blesse Gods people In this place will I giue peace If ye looke at the blessing it selfe it is incomparable Peace that whereby the Hebrewes had wont to expresse all welfare in their salutations and wel-wishes the Apostolicall benediction dichotomizes all good things into Grace and Peace wherein at the narrowest by Grace all spirituall fauours were signified temporall by Peace The sweet Singer of Israel could not wish better to Gods Church than Peace be within her walls and behold this is it which God will giue I will giue peace Dabo pacem yea our eies should stoope too low if they should fix here The sweet Quiristers of Heauen when they sung that diuine Caroll to the honour of the first Christmas Glory to God in the highest heauens in earth peace c. next to Gloria in excelsis Deo said In terris pax Yet higher the great Sauiour of the World when he would leaue the most precious Legacie to his deare ones on earth that they were capable of he saies My peace I giue you And what he there giues he here promises Dabo pacem I will giue it But where Whence In this place Not any where not euery where but in his owne house in his latter house his Euangelicall House as if this blessing were confined to his holy walls he saith In this place will I giue peace This flower is not for euery soyle it growes not wilde but is only to be found in the Garden of Sion It is very pregnant which the Psalmist hath Psal 128.5 and 134.3 The Lord that made Heauen and Earth blesse thee out of Sion He doth not say The Lord that made the Earth blesse thee out of Heauen nor The Lord that made Heauen blesse thee out of heauen but blesse thee out of Sion As if he would teach vs that all blessings come as immediatly and primarily from heauen so mediatly secondarily from Sion where this Temple stood Some Philosophers haue held the Moone to be the receptacle of all the influences of the heauenly bodies and the conueyances of them to this inferiour World so as all the vertue of the vpper Orbes and Starres are deriued by her to this elementary Spheare Such doth both Dauid and Haggai repute the house of God whither as to Iosephs Store-house doth God conuey the blessings of peace that they may be thence transmitted to the sonnes of men How and why then doth God giue peace in this his House Because here as Bernard well Deus audit auditur God heares and is heard here audit orantes erudit audientes he heares his suppliants and teacheth his hearers As this place hath two vses it is both Oratorium and Auditorium so in respect of both doth it blesse vs with peace our mouth procures it in the one our eare in the other God workes in our hearts by both In the first God sayes as our Sauiour cites it Domus mea domus orationis My House shall be called the House of prayer And what blessing is it euen the best of Peace that our prayers cannot infeoffe vs in Salomon when he would consecrate the Church he had built solemnly sues to God that hee would inuest it with this priuilege of an vniuersally gracious audience and numbring the occasions of distressed Suppliants makes it euer the foot of his request Then hearken to the prayer that thy seruant shall make towards this place Heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest haue mercy If euer therefore
Amnon procures the iniustice of Absalom in punishing Amnon with Murder That which the Father should haue iustly reuenged and did not the Sonne reuenges vniustly The Rape of a Sister was no lesse worthy of death than the Murder of a Brother Yea this latter sinne was therefore the lesse because that Brother was worthy of death though by another hand whereas that Sister was guiltie of nothing but modest beautie yet he that knew this Rape passed ouer whole two yeares with impunitie dares not trust the mercie of a Father in the pardon of his Murder but for three yeares hides his head in the Court of his Grand-father the King of Geshur Doubtlesse that Heathenish Prince gaue him a kind welcome for so meritorious a reuenge of the dishonour done to his owne Loynes No man can tell how Absalom should haue sped from the hands of his otherwise ouer-indulgent Father if he had beene apprehended in the heat of the fact Euen the largest loue may be ouer-strayned and may giue a fall in the breaking These fearefull effects of lenity might perhaps haue whetted the seueritie of Dauid to shut vp these outrages in bloud Now this displeasure was weakned with age Time and thoughts haue digested this hard morsell Dauids heart told him that his hands had a share in this offence that Absalom did but giue that stroke which himselfe had wrongfully forborne that the vnrecouerable losse of one Sonne would be but wofully relieued with the losse of another Hee therefore that in the newes of the deceased Infant could change his clothes and wash himselfe and cheere vp his spirits with the resolution of I shall goe to him hee shall not returne to me comforts himselfe concerning Amnon and begins to long for Absalom THOSE three yeares banishment seemed not so much a punishment to the Son as to the Father Now Dauid beginnes to forgiue himselfe yet out of his wisedome so inclines to fauour that he conceales it and yet so conceales it that it may be descryed by a cunning eye If he had cast out no glances of affection there had beene no hopes for his Absalom if he had made profession of loue after so foule an Act there had beene no safetie for others now he lets fall so much secret grace as may both hold vp Absalom in the life of his hopes and not hearten the presumption of others GOOD Eyes see light thorow the smallest chinke The wit of Ioab hath sooone discerned Dauids reserued affection and knowes how to serue him in that which hee would and would not accomplish and now deuises how to bring into the light that birth of Desire whereof hee knew Dauid was both bigge and ashamed A woman of Tekoah that Sex hath beene euer held more apt for wiles is suborned to personate a mourner and to say that by way of Parable which in plaine termes would haue sounded too harshly and now whiles shee lamentably layes forth the losse and danger of her Sonnes she shewes Dauid his owne and whiles shee mooues compassion to her pretended Issue she winnes Dauid to a pittie of himselfe and a fauourable sentence for Absalom We loue our selues better than others but we see others better than our selues who so would perfectly know his owne case let him view it in anothers person PARABLES sped well with Dauid One drew him to repent of his owne sinne another to remit Absaloms punishment And now as glad to heare this Plea and willing to bee perswaded vnto that which if hee durst hee would haue sought for he gratifies Ioab with the grant of that suite which Ioab more gratified him in suing for Goe bring againe the young man ABSALOM How glad is Ioab that hee hath light vpon one Act for which the Sun both setting and rising should shine vpon him and now he speeds to Geshur to fetch backe Absalom to Ierusalem hee may bring the long-banished Prince to the Citie but to the Court he may not bring him Let him turne to his owne house and let him not see my face THE good King hath so smarted with mercie that now hee is resolued vpon austeritie and will relent but by degrees It is enough for Absalom that hee liues and may now breathe his natiue ayre Dauids face is no obiect for the eyes of a Murtherer What a Deareling this Sonne was to his Father appeares in that after an vnnaturall and barbarous rebellion passionate Dauid wishes to haue changed liues with him yet now whiles his bowels yearned his brow frowned The face may not bee seene where the heart is set THE best of Gods Saints may bee blinded with affection but when they shall once see their errors they are carefull to correct them Wherefore serues the power of Grace but to subdue the insolencies of nature It is the wisedome of Parents as to hide their hearts from their best children so to hide their countenances from the vngracious Fleshly respects may not abate their rigour to the ill deseruing For the Childe to see all his Fathers loue it is enough to make him wanton and of wanton wicked For a wicked Child to see any of his Fathers loue it emboldens him in euill and drawes on others ABSALOMS house is made his Prison Iustly is hee confined to the place which he had stayned with bloud Two yeares doth hee liue in Ierusalem without the happinesse of his Fathers sight It was enough for Dauid and him to see the smoke of each others Chimnies In the meane time how impatient is Absalom of this absence Hee sends for Ioab the Soliciter of his returne So hard an hand doth wise and holy Dauid carry ouer his reduced Sonne that his friendly Intercessor Ioab dares not visit him HE that afterwards kindled that seditious fire ouer all Israel sets fire now on the field of Ioab whom loue cannot draw to him feare and anger shall Continued displeasure hath made Absalom desperate Fiue yeares are passed since hee saw the face of his Father and now is hee no lesse weary of his life than of this delay Wherefore am I come downe from Geshur It had beene better for mee to haue beene there still Now therefore let mee see the Kings face and if there bee any iniquitie in mee let him kill mee Either banishment or death seemed as tolerable to him as the debarring of his Fathers sight WHAT a torment shall it be to the wicked to be shut out for euer from the presence of a God without all possible hopes of recouery This was but a Father of the flesh by whom if Absalom liued at first yet in him he liued not yea not without him onely but against him that Sonne found he could liue God is the Father of Spirits in whom wee so liue that without him can bee no life no being to bee euer excluded from him in whom wee liue and are what can it bee but an eternall dying an eternall perishing If in thy presence O God be the fulnesse of ioy in
it is come to passe that though there be many legions of Deuils and euery one more strong than many legions of men and more malicious than strong yet the little flocke of Gods Church liueth and prospereth I haue euer with me inuisible friends and enemies The consideration of mine enemies shall keepe me from securitie and make me fearefull of doing ought to aduantage them The consideration of my spirituall friends shall comfort me against the terrour of the other shall remedie my solitarinesse shall make me warie of doing ought indecently grieuing me rather that I haue euer heretofore made them turne away their eyes for shame of that whereof I haue not beene ashamed that I haue no more enioyed their societie that I haue beene no more affected with their presence What though I see them not I beleeue them I were no Christian if my faith were not as sure as my sense 96 There is no word or action but may be taken with two hands either with the right hand of charitable construction or the sinister interpretation of malice and suspicion and all things doe so succeed as they are taken I haue noted euill actions well taken passe currant for either indifferent or commendable Contrarily a good speech or action ill taken scarce allowed for indifferent an indifferent one censured for euill an euill one for notorious So fauour makes vertues of vices and suspicion makes vertues faults and faults crimes Of the two I had rather my right hand should offend It is alwaies safer offending on the better part To construe an euill act well is but a pleasing and profitable deceit of my selfe but to misconstrue a good thing is a treble wrong to my selfe the action the author If no good sense can be made of a deed or speech let the blame light vpon the author If a good interpretation may be giuen and I chuse a worse let me be as much censured of others as that misconceit is punishment to my selfe 97 I know not how it comes to passe that the minde of man doth naturally both ouerprize his owne in comparison of others and yet contemne and neglect his owne in comparison of what he wants The remedie of this latter euil is to compare the good things we haue with the euils which we haue not and others groane vnder Thou art in health and regardest it not Looke on the miserie of those which on their bed of sicknesse through extremitie of paine and anguish intreat death to release them Thou hast cleare eye-sight sound lims vse of reason and passest these ouer with slight respect Thinke how many there are which in their vncomfortable blindnesse would giue all the world for but one glimpse of light how many that deformedly crawle on all foure after the manner of the most loathsome creatures how many that in mad phrensies are worse than brutish worse than dead thus thou mightest bee and art not If I be not happy for the good that I haue I am yet happy for the euils that I might haue had and haue escaped I haue deserued the greatest euill euery euill that I misse is a new mercy 98 Earth which is the basest element is both our mother that brought vs forth our stage that beares vs aliue and our graue wherein at last we are entombed giuing to vs both our originall our harbour our Sepulcher She hath yeelded her backe to beare thousands of generations and at last opened her mouth to receiue them so swallowing them vp that she still both beareth more and lookes for more not bewraying any change in her selfe while she so oft hath changed her brood and her burden It is a wonder we can be proud of our parentage or of our selues while we see both the basenesse and stabilitie of the earth whence we came What difference is there Liuing earth treads vpon the dead earth which afterwards descends into the graue as senselesse and dead as the earth that receiues it Not many are proud of their soules and none but fooles can be proud of their bodies While wee walke and looke vpon the earth we cannot but acknowledge sensible admonitions of humility and while we remember them we cannot forget our selues It is a mother-like fauour of the earth that she beares and nourishes me and at the last entertaines my dead carkase but it is a greater pleasure that she teacheth me my vilenesse by her owne and sends me to heauen for what she wants 99 The wicked man carrieth euery day a brand to his hell till his heape be come to the height then he ceaseth sinning and begins his torment whereas the repentant in euery fit of holy sorrow caries away a whole faggot from the flame and quencheth the coales that remaine with his teares There is no torment for the penitent no redemption for the obstinate Safetie consisteth not in not sinning but in repenting neither is it sinne that condemnes but impenitence O Lord I cannot bee righteous let me be repentant 100 The estate of heauenly and earthly things is plainly represented to vs by the two lights of heauen which are appointed to rule the night and the day Earthly things are rightly resembled by the Moone which being neerest to the region of mortalitie is euer in changes and neuer lookes vpon vs twice with the same face and when it is at the full is blemished with some darke blots not capable of any illumination Heauenly things are figured by the Sunne whose great and glorious light is both naturall to it selfe and euer constant That other fickle and dimme starre is fit enough for the night of misery wherein we liue here below And this firme and beautifull light is but good enough for that Day of glory which the Saints liue in If it be good liuing here where our sorrowes are changed with ioyes what is it to liue aboue where our ioyes change not I cannot looke vpon the body of the Sunne and yet I cannot see at all without the light of it I cannot behold the glory of thy Saints O Lord yet without the knowledge of it I am blinde If thy creature be so glorious to vs here below how glorious shall thy selfe be to vs when we are aboue this Sunne This Sunne shall not shine vpward where thy glory shineth the greater light extinguisheth the lesser O thou Sunne of righteousnesse which shalt onely shine to me when I am glorified doe thou heat enlighten comfort me with the beames of thy presence till I be glorified AMEN FINIS HEAVEN VPON EARTH OR OF TRVE PEACE AND TRANQVILLITIE of Minde By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY Earle of Huntingdon Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaux Molines and Moiles his Maiesties Lieutenant in the Counties of Lâ—icester and Rutland my singular good Lord All increase of true Honour and HEAVEN begun vpon EARTH RIGHT HONORABLE I Haue
account of these thoughts no better than proudly foolish Thou art poore what difference is there betwixt a greater man and thee saue that he doth his businesses by others thou doest them thy selfe Hee hath Caters Cookes Baylines Stewards Secretaries and all other officers for his seuerall seruices thou prouidest dressest gatherest receiuest expendest writest for thy selfe His patrimonie is large thine earnings small If Briareus feed fiftie bellies with his hundred hands what is he the better than he that with two hands feedeth one He is serued in siluer thou in vessell of the same colour of lesser price as good for vse though not for value His dishes are more daintie thine as well rellished to thee and no lesse wholsome Hee eats Oliues thou Garlike hee mislikes not more the smell of thy sawce than thou dost the taste of his Thou wantest somewhat that he hath he wisheth something which thou hast and regardest not Thou couldst bee content to haue the rich mans purse but his gout thou woulds not haue He would haue thy health but not thy fare If we might picke out of all mens estates that which is laudable omitting the inconueniences wee would make our selues complete but if we must take all together we should perhaps little aduantage our selues with the change For the most wise God hath so proportion'd out euery mans condition that hee hath some iust cause of sorrow inseparably mixed with other contentments and hath allotted to no man liuing an absolute happinesse without some grieuances nor to any man such an exquisite miserie as that hee findeth not somewhat wherein to solace himselfe the weight whereof varies according to our estimation of them One hath much wealth but no childe to inherit it hee enuies at the poore mans fruitfulnesse which hath man heires and no lands and could be content with all his abundance to purchase a successor of his owne loynes Another hath many children little maintenance he commendeth the carelesse quietnesse of the barren and thinkes fewer mouthes and more meat would doe better The labouring man hath the blessing of a strong body fit to digest any fare to endure any labour yet hee wisheth himselfe weaker on condition hee might bee wealthier The man of nice education hath a feeble stomacke and rasping since his last meale doubts whether hee should eat of his best dish or nothing this man repines at nothing more than to see his hungry Plough-man feed on a crust and wisheth to change estates on condition hee might change bodies with him Say that God should giue thee thy wish what wouldest thou desire Let mee thou faiest be wise healthfull rich honourable strong learned beautifull immortall I know thou louest thy selfe so well that thou canst wish all these and more But say that God hath so shared out these gifts by a most wise and iust distribution that thou canst haue but some of these perhaps but one which wouldest thou single out for thy selfe Any thing beside what thou hast If learned thou wouldest bee strong if strong honourable if honourable long-liued Some of these thou art already Thou foole cannot God choose better for thee than thou for thy selfe In other matches thou trustest the choice of a skilfuller chapman when thou seest a goodly horse in the Faire though his shape please thine eie well yet thou darest not buy him if a cunning Horse-master shall tell thee he is faultie and art willing to take a plainer and sounder on his commendation against thy fancie How much more should we in this case allow his choice that cannot deceiue vs that cannot bee deceiued But thou knowest that other thou desirest to be better than what thou hast Better perhaps for him that hath it not better for thee Libertie is sweet and profitable to those that can vse it but fetters are better for the franticke man Wine is good nourishment for the healthfull poyson to the aguish It is good for a sound body to sleepe in a whole skinne but hee that complaines of swelling sores cannot sleepe till it be broken Hemlocke to the Goat and Spiders to the Monkey turne to good sustenance which to other creatures are accounted deadly As in diets so in estimation of good and euill of greater and lesser good there is much varietie All palats commend not one dish and what one commends for most delicate another reiects for vnsauourie And if thou know what dish is most pleasant to thee thy Physician knowes best which is wholsome Thou wouldst follow thine appetite too much and as the French haue in their Prouerbe wouldst dig thy owne graue with thy teeth thy wise Physician ouer-sees and ouer-rules thee Hee sees if thou wert more esteemed thou wouldst be proud if more strong licentious if richer couetous if healthfuller more secure but thou thinkest not thus hardly of thy selfe Fond man what knowest thou future things beleeue thou him that onely knowes what would bee what will be Thou wouldest willingly goe to heauen what better guide canst thou haue than him that dwels there If hee leade thee thorow deepe sloughs and brakie thickets know that he knowes this the neerer way though more combersome Can there be in him any want of wisdome not to foresee the best Can there be any want of power not to effect the best any want of loue not to giue thee what hee knowes is best How canst thou then faile of the best Since what his power can doe and what his Wisdome sees should be done his Loue hath done because al are infinite Hee willeth not things because they are good but they are good because hee wills them Yea if ought had beene better this had not beene God willeth what hee doth and if thy will accord not with his whether wilt thou condemne of imperfection SECT XXVII The conclusion of the whole I Haue chalked out the way of Peace What remaineth but that we walke along in it I haue conducted my Reader to the Mine yea to the Mint of Happinesse and shewed him those glorious heapes which may eternally enrich him If now hee shall goe away with his hands and skirt empty how is he but worthy of a miserable want Who shall pity vs while we haue no mercy on our selues Wilfull distresse hath neither remedie nor compassion And to speake freely I haue oft wondered at this painefull folly of vs men who in the open view of our peace as if we were condemned to a necessarie and fatall vnquietnesse liue vpon our owne racke finding no more ioy than if we were vnder no other hands but our executioners One droupeth vnder a fained euill another augments a small sorrow through impatience another drawes vpon himselfe an vncertaine euill through feare one seekes true contentment but not enough another hath iust cause of ioy and perceiues it not One is vexed for that his grounds of ioy are matched with equall grieuances another cannot complaine of any present occasion of sorrow yet liues sullenly because he
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
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
did his Rocke and bring downe riuers of teares to wash away your bloodshed Doe not so much feare your iudgement as abhorre your sinne yea your selfe for it And vvith strong cries lift vp your guilty hands to that God whom you offended and say Deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse O Lord. Let me tel you As vvithout repentance there is no hope so with it there is no condemnation True penitence is strong and can grapple with the greatest sinne yea with all the powers of hell What if your hands be red vvith blood Behold the blood of your Sauiour shall wash away yours If you can bathe your selfe in that your Scarlet soule shall bee as white as Snow This course alone shall make your Crosse the way to the Paradise of God This plaister can heale all the fores of the soule if neuer so desperate Onely take heed that your heart be deepe enough pierced ere you lay it on else vnder a seeming skin of dissimulation your soule shall fester to death Yet ioy vs with your true sorrow vvhom you haue grieued with your offence and at once comfort your friends and saue your soule To Mr. IOHN MOLE of a long time now prisoner vnder the Inquisition at Rome EPIST. IX Exciting him to his wonted constancy and encouraging him to Martyrdome WHat passage can these lines hope to find into that your strait and curious thraldome Yet who would not aduenture the losse of this paines for him which is ready to lose himselfe for Christ what doe we not owe to you which haue thus giuen your selfe for the common faith Blessed bee the name of that God who hath singled you out for his Champion and made you inuincible how famous are your bonds how glorious your constancy Oh that out of your close obscurity you could but see the honour of your suffering the affections of Gods Saints and in some an holy enuie at your distressed happinesse Those wals cannot hide you No man is attended with so many eyes from earth and heauen The Church your Mother beholds you not with more compassion then ioy Neither can it be sayd how shee at once pities your misery and reioyces in your patience The blessed Angels looke vpon you with gratulation and applause The aduersaries with an angry sorrow to see themselues ouercome by their captiue their obstinate cruelty ouer-matched with humble resolution and faithfull perseuerance Your Sauiour sees you from aboue not as a meere spectator but as a patient with you in you for you yea as an agent in your indurance and victory giuing new courage with the one hand and holding out a Crowne with the other Whom would not these sights incourage who now can pity your solitarines The hearts of all good men are with you Neither can that place be but full of Angels which is the continuall obiect of so many prayers yea the God of heauen was neuer so neere you as now you are remoued from men Let me speake a bold but true word It is as possible for him to be absent from his heauen as from the prisons of his Saints The glorified spirits aboue sing to him the persecuted soules below suffer for him and cry to him he is magnified in both present with both the faith of the one is as pleasing to him as the triumph of the other Nothing obligeth vs men so much as smarting for vs words of defence are worthy of thankes but paine is esteemed aboue recompence How do we kisse the wounds which are taken for our sakes professe that we would hate our selues if we did not loue those that dare bleed for vs How much more shall the God of mercies bee sensible of your sorrowes and crowne your patience To whom you may truly sing that ditty of the Prophet Surely for thy sake am I flaine continually and am counted as a sheepe for the slaughter What need I to stir vp your constancy which hath already amazed and wearied your persecutors No suspition shall driue me hereto but rather the thirst of your praise He that exhorts to persist in well-doing while he perswades commendeth Whither should I rather send you then to the fight of your owne Christian fortitude which neither prayers nor threats haue beene able to shake Here stands on the one hand liberty promotion pleasure life and which easily exceeds all these the deare respect of wife and children whom your only resolution shall make widow and orphanes these with smiles and vowes and teares seeme to importune you On the other hand bondage solitude horror death and the most lingring of all miseries tuine of posterity these with frownes and menaces labour to affright you Betwixt both you haue stood vnmoued fixing your eyes either right forward vpon the cause of your suffering or vpwards vpon the crowne of your reward It is an happy thing when our own actions may be either examples or arguments of good These blessed proceedings call you on to your perfection The reward of good beginnings prosecuted is doubled neglected is lost How vaine are those temptations which would make you a loser of all this praise this recompence Goe on therefore happily keepe your eyes where they are and your heart cannot be but where it is and where it ought Looke still for what you suffer and for whom For the truth for Christ what can be so precious as truth Not life it selfe All earthly things are not so vile to life as life to truth Life is momentarie Truth eternall Life is ours the Truth Gods Oh happy purchase to giue our life for the truth What can we suffer too much for Christ He hath giuen our life to vs hee hath giuen his owne life for vs. What great thing is it if he require what he hath giuen vs if ours for his Yea rather if he call for vvhat he hath lent vs yet not to bereaue but to change it giuing vs gold for clay glory for our corruption Behold that Sauiour of yours weeping and bleeding and dying for you alas our soules are too strait for his sorrowes wee can be made but paine for him He vvas made sinne for vs vvee sustaine for him but the impotent anger of men he strugled vvith the infinite vvrath of his Father for vs. Oh vvho can endure enough for him that hath passed thorow death and hell for his soule Thinke this and you shall resolue vvith Dauid I will bee yet more vile for the Lord. The worst of the despight of men is but Death and that if they inflict not a disease vvill or if not that Age. Here is no imposition of that vvhich vvould not be but an hastning of that which vvill be an hastning to your gaine For behold their violence shall turne your necessitie into vertue and profit Nature hath made you mortall none but an enemie can make you a Martyr you must die though they vvill not you cannot die for Christ but by them How could they else deuise to make you happie
Mercy to bee eminent amongst his vertues when Parsons himselfe yeelds it And if a vertue so continuing could bee capable of excesse this might seeme so in him For that which was said of Anastasius the Emperor Euagr. l. 3. c. 34. that hee would attempt no exploit though neuer so famous if it might cost the price of Christian blood and that which was said of Mauritius Euagr. l. 6. c. 1. that by his good will hee would not haue so much as a Traitor dye and that of Vespasian Sueton. Vesp Socr. l. 7. c. 22. that hee wept euen for iust executions and lastly that of Theodosius that hee wisht hee could recall those to life againe that had wronged him may in some sense bee iustly verified of our mercifull Soueraigne I pray God the measure of this vertue may neuer hurt himselfe I am sure the want of it shall neuer giue cause of complaint to his aduersaries But among all his Heroicall Graces which commend him as a Man as a Christian as a King Pietie and firmenesse in Religion calls me to it and will not suffer me to deferre the mention of it any longer A priuate man vnsetled in opinion is like a loose tooth in the head troublesome and vse-lesse but a publique person vnstayed is dangerous Resolution for the truth is so much better than knowledge by how much the possessing of a treasure is better than knowing where it is With what zeale did his Maiestie flie vpon the blasphemous nouelties of Vorstius How many solicitations threats promises profers hath hee trampled vnder his feet in former times for but a promise of an indifferent conniuence at the Romish religion Was it not an answer worthy of a King worthy of marble and brasse Watson B. Barl. answer to Parsons pag. 115. è Com. Northamp lib. that hee made vnto their agent for this purpose in the times of the greatest perill of resistance That all the Crownes and Kingdomes in this world should not induce him to change any iot of his profession Hath hee not so ingaged himselfe in this holy quarrell that the world confesses Rome had neuer such a◠Aduersarie and all Christian Princes reioyce to follow him as their worthy leader in all the battels of God and all Christian Churches in their prayers acclamations stile him in a double right Defender of the Faith more by desert than inheritance But because as the Sunne beames so praises are more kindly when they are cast oblique vpon their obiects than when they fall directly let me shew you him rather in the blessings we receiue from him than in the graces which are in him And not to insist vpon his extinguishing of those hellish feudes in Scotland and the reducing of those barbarous borderers to ciuilitie and order two acts worthy of eternitie and which no hand but his could doe Consider how great things the Lord hath done for vs by him in our Peace in our freedome of the Gospell in our Deliuerance Continuance detracts from the value of any fauour Little do we know the price of peace If wee had beene in the coat of our forefathers or our neighbours wee should haue knowne how to esteeme this deare blessing of God Oh my deare brethren wee neuer knew what it was to heare the murdering peeces about our eares to see our Churches and houses flaming ouer our heads to heare the fearefull cracks of their fals mixed with the confused out-cries of men Tum vero gemitus morientū sanguine in alto Armaque corporaque permisti caede virorum Semianimos voluuntur equi Virg. Aen. 11. killing incouraging to kill or resist dying and the shriekings of women and children we neuer saw tender babes snatcht from the breasts of their mothers now bleeding vpon the stones or sprawling vpon the pikes and the distracted mother rauished ere shee may haue leaue to die Wee neuer saw men and horses lie wallowing in their mingled bloud and the ghastly visages of death deformed with wounds The impotent wife hanging with teares on her armed husband as desirous to die with him with whom she may not liue The amazed runnings to and fro of those that would faine escape if they knew how and the furious pace of a bloudy victor The rifling of houses for spoile and euery souldier running with his load and ready to fight with other for our booty The miserable captiue driuen manicled before the insulting enemy Neuer did wee know how cruell an Aduersarie is and how burdensome an helper is in warre Looke round about you All your neighbours haue seene and tasted these calamities All the rest of the world haue beene whirled about in these wofull tumults onely this ILAND hath like the center stood vnmoueable Nam cum tristis hyems alias produxerit vndas Tum Nilum retinent ripae Claud. Epigr. Onely this ISLE hath beene like Nilus which when all other waters ouer-flow keeps within the banks That we are free from these and a thousand other miseries of warre Whither should we ascribe it but next vnder God to his Anointed as a King as a King of Peace For both Anarchie is the mother of diuision as we see in the State of ITALIE wherein when they wanted their King all ranne into ciuill broiles Otho Fris lib. 7. cap. 29. The Venetians with them of Rauenna Verona and Vincentia with the Paduans and Taruisians The Pisans and Florentines with them of Luca and Sienna And besides euery King is not a Peace-maker Ours is made of Peace Socr. lib. 7. c. 22. There haue beene Princes which as the Antiochians said of IVLIAN taking occasion by the Bull which hee stampt in his coyne haue goared the world to death The breasts of some Princes haue beene like a Thunder-cloud whose vapours would neuer leaue working till they haue vented themselues with terror to the world Ours hath nothing in it but a gracious raine to water the inheritance of God Behold He euen He alone like to NOAHS Doue brought an Oliue of peace to the tossed Arke of Christendome Hee like another AVGVSTVS before the second comming of CHRIST hath becalmed the world and shut the iron gates of warre and is the bond of that peace hee hath made And if the Peace-maker both doth blesse and is blessed how should we blesse him and blesse God for him and hold our selues blessed in him Now what were peace without religion but like a Nabals sheepe-shearing like the fatting of an Epicurean hogge the very festiuall reuels of the Deuill But for vs we haue Gloria in excelsis Deo sung before our Pax in terris in a word we haue Peace with the Gospell Discors l. 1. c. 20. Due continuoue successioni di principi virtuosi fanno grandi effetti Plato 8. de Rep. Machiauel himselfe could say in his Discourses that two continued successions of vertuous Princes fanno grandi effetti cannot but doe great matters Wee proue it so
embassages to be your Lieger with God If ye had seene him take his heeles and runne away from you into the wildernesse what could ye haue said or done more Behold our better Moses was with vs a while vpon earth he is now ascended into the Mount of Heauen to mediate for vs shall we now thinke of another Sauiour Shall we not hold it our happinesse that he is for our sakes aboue And what if your Moses had been gone for euer Must yee therefore haue gods made If ye had said Choose vs another Gouernour it had beene a wicked and vnthankfull motion ye were too vnworthy of a Moses that could so soone forget him but to say Make vs Gods was absurdly impious Moses was not your God but your Gouernour Neither was the presence of God tyed to Moses You saw God still when he was gone in his pillar and in his Manna and yet ye say Make vs Gods Euery word is full of senselesse wickednesse How many gods would you haue Or what gods are those that can be made Or what euer the Idolatrous Aegyptians did with what face can ye after so many miraculous obligations speake of another God Had the voice of God scarce done thundring in your eares Did you so lately heare and see him to be an infinite God Did ye quake to heare him say out of the midst of the flames I am Iehouah thy God Thou shalt haue no Gods but mee Did yee acknowledge God your Maker and doe ye now speake of making of gods If yee had said Make vs another man to goe before vs it had been an impossible suit Aaron might helpe to marre you and himselfe He could not make one haire of a man and doe ye say Make vs Gods And what should those gods doe Goe before you How could they go before you that cannot stand alone your helpe makes them to stand and yet they must conduct you Oh the impatient ingratitude of carnall minds Oh the sottishnesse of Idolatry Who would not haue said Moses is not with vs but he is with God for vs He stayes long He that called him withholds him His delay is for our sakes as well as his ascent Though we see him not we will hope for him his fauours to vs haue deserued not to be reiected Or if God will keepe him from vs hee that withholds him can supply him He that sent him can lead vs without him His fire and Cloud is all-sufficient God hath said and done enough for vs to make vs trust him We will we can haue no other God we care not for any other guide But behold here none of this Moses stayes but some fiue and thirty dayes and now hee is forgotten and is become but this Moses Yea God is forgotten with him and as if God and Moses had beene lost at once they say Make vs Gods Naturall men must haue God at their bent and if hee come not at a call he is cast off and they take themselues to their owne shifts like as the Chinois whip their gods when they answer them not Whereas his holy ones wait long and seeke him and not onely in their sinking but from the bottome of the deepes call vpon him and though he kill them will trust in him Superstition besots the minds of men and blinds the eye of reason and first makes them not men ere it makes them idolaters How else could hee that is the Image of God fall downe to the Images of creatures How could our forefathers haue so doted vpon stockes and stones if they had beene themselues As the Syrians were first blinded and then led into the midst of Samaria so are the Idolaters first bereaued of their wits and common sense and afterwards are caried brutishly into all palpable impiety Who would not haue been ashamed to heare this answer from the brother of Moses Plucke off your Earings He should haue said Plucke this Idolatrous thought out of your hearts and now in stead of chiding he soothes them And as if he had been no kin to Moses he helpes to lead them backe againe from God to Aegypt The people importuned him perhaps with threats Hee that had waded thorow all the menaces of Pharaoh doth he now shrinke at the threats of his owne Moses is not afraid of the terrors of God His faith that caried him thorow the water led him vp to the fire of Gods presence whiles his brother Aaron feares the faces of those men which he lately saw pale with the feare of their glorious Law-giuer As if hee that forbade other gods could not haue maintained his owne act and agent against men Sudden feares when they haue possessed weake minds lead them to shamefull errours Importunitie or violence may lessen but they cannot excuse a fault Wherefore was he a Gouernor but to depresse their disordered motions Facility of yeelding to a sinne or wooing it with our voluntarie suit is an higher staire of euill but euen at last to be won to sinne is damnable It is good to resist any onset of sinne but one condescent loses all the thankes of our opposition What will it auaile a man that others are plagued for solliciting him whiles he smarteth for yeelding If both be in hell what ease is it to him that another is deeper in the pit What now did Aaron Behold he that alone was allowed to climbe vp the trembling and fiery Hill of Sinai with Moses and heard God say Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image for I am a iealous God as if hee meant particularly to preuent this act within one moneth cals for their earings makes the grauen Image of a Calfe erects an Altar consecrates a day to it cals it their God and weepes not to see them dance before it It is a miserable thing when Gouernours humour the people in their sinnes and in stead of making vp the breach enlarge it Sinne will take heart by the approbation of the meanest looker on but if authoritie once second it it growes impudent As contrarily where the publike gouernment opposes euill though it be vnder-hand practised not without feare there is life in that state Aaron might haue learned better counsell of his brothers example When they came to him with stones in their hands and said Giue vs water he ranne as roundly to God with prayers in his mouth So should Aaron haue done when they said Giue vs gods but he weakely runnes to their earings that which should be made their god not to the True God which they had and forsooke Who can promise to himselfe freedome from grosse infirmities when he that went vp into the Mount comes down and doth that in the valley which he heard forbidden in the Hill I see yet and wonder at the mercy of that God which had iustly called himselfe iealous This very Aaron whose infirmity had yeelded to so foule an idolatry is after chosen by God to be a Priest to himselfe Hee that
looked to Gods hand for right Our fâ—ines exclude vs from Gods protection whereas vprightnesse challenges and findes his patronage An Affe taken had made him vncapable of fauour Corrupt Gouernors lose the comfort of their owne brest and the tuition of God The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators prayes for the people As lewd men thinke to carie it with number Corah had so farre preuailed that hee had drawne the multitude to his side God the auenger of treasons would haue consumed them all at once Moses and Aaron pray for their Rebels Although they were worthy of death and nothing but death could stop their mouths yet their mercifull Leaders will not buy their owne peace with the losse of such enemies Oh rare and imitable mercy The people rise vp against their Gouernors Their Gouernors fall on their faces to God for the people so farre are they from plotting reuenge that they will not endure God should reuenge for them Moses knew well enough that all those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse God had vowed it for their former insurrection yet how earnestly doth hee sue to God not to consume them at once The very respit of euils is a fauour next to the remouall Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fifty Captaines brought sticks to it All Israel warmed themselues by it onely the incendiaries perish Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them whose death they intended God and Moses knew to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction and the traine though neither be faultlesse yet the one is plagued the other forgiuen Gods vengeance when it is at the hotest makes differences of men Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah Euer before common iudgements there is a separation In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth the Iudge himselfe will separate in these particular executions we must separate our selues The societie of wicked men especially in their sinnes is mortally dangerous whiles we will not be parted how can wee complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation Our very company sinnes with them why should wee not smart with them also Moses had well hoped that when these Rebels should see all the Israelites run from them as from monsters and looking affrightedly vpon their Tents and should heare that fearfull Proclamation of vengeance against them howsoeuer they did before set a face on their conspiracie yet now their hearts would haue misgiuen But lo these bold Traitors stand impudently staring in the doore of their Tents as if they would outface the reuenge of God As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them As if no one Israelite had euer bled for rebelling Those that shall perish are blinded Pride and infidelitie obdures the heart and makes euen cowards fearlesse So soone as the innocent are seuered the guilty perish the earth cleaues and swallowes vp the Rebels This element was not vsed to such morsels It deuoures the carkasses of men but bodies informed with liuing soules neuer before To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth had been fearfull but to see the earth at once their executioner and graue was more horrible Neither the Sea nor the Earth are fit to giue passage The Sea is moist and flowing and will not be diuided for the continuitie of it The earth is dry and massie and will neither yeeld naturally not meet againe when it hath yeelded yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel for their preseruation the earth did cleaue to giue way to the Conspirators in iudgement Both Sea and Earth did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of God There was more wonder in this latter It was a maruell that the waters opened it was no wonder that they shut againe for the retiring and flowing was naturall It was no lesse maruell that the earth opened but more maruell that it did shut againe because it had no naturall disposition to meet when it was diuided Now might Israel see they had to doe with a God that could reuenge with ease There were two sorts of Traitors the Earth swallowed vp the one the Fire the other All the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their Maker Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but vnfit fire to God these Leuites bring the right fire but vnwarranted persons before him Fire from God consumes both It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions The ministerie will not grace the man The man may disgrace the ministerie The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flattering perswasion before as now they ranne from the sight and feare of his iudgement I maruell not if they could not trust that earth whereon they stood whiles they knew their hearts had been false It is a madnesse to run away from punishment and not from sinne Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. The Brazen Serpent Balaam Phinehas The death of Moses BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY RIGHT HONOVRABLE RELIGIOVS AND BOVNTIFVLL PATRONE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF WALTHAM THE CHIEFE COMFORT OF MY LABOVRS J. H. WISHETH ALL TRVE HAPPINESSE AND DEDICATES THIS PART OF HIS MEDITATIONS Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE AARONS Censer and Rod. WHen shall wee see an end of these murmurings and these iudgements Because these men rose vp against Moses and Aaron therefore God consumed them and because God consumed them therefore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron and now because the people thus murmure God hath againe begun to consume them What a circle is here of sinnes and iudgements Wrath is gone out from God Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at the setting out By how much more faithfull and familiar wee are with God so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements as those which are well acquainted with men know by their lookes and gestures that which strangers vnderstand but by their actions As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their Watch-tower descried the iudgements of God afarre off If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand-breadth he could not haue told Ahab he should be wet It is enough for Gods Messengers out of their acquaintance with their Masters proceedings to fore-see punishment No maruell if those see it not which are wilfully sinfull we men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espy it Moses though he were great with God yet hee takes not vpon him this reconciliation he may aduise Aaron what to do himselfe vndertakes not to act it It is the worke of the Priesthood to make an atonement for the people Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh now he is the peoples tongue to God he onely must offer vp the incense of the publike prayers to God Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his
leaues to the sword of humane authority that hee might winne awe to his owne ordinances As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments Nothing procures so much credit to gouernment as strict and impartiall executions of great and noble offenders Those whom their sinnes haue embased deserue no fauour in the punishment As God knowes no honour no royalty in matter of sinne no more may his Deputies Contrarily conniuence at the outrages of the mighty cuts the sinewes of any State neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible then the making difference of offenders that small sacriledges should bee punished when great ones ride in triumph If good ordinations turne once to Spiders webs which are broken thorow by the bigger Flyes no hand will feare to sweepe them downe God was angry Moses and all good Israelites grieued the heads hanged vp the people plagued yet behold one of the Princes of Israel feares not to braue God and his Ministers in that sinne which he sees so grieuously reuenged in others I can neuer wonder enough at the impudence of this Israelite Here is fornication an odious crime and that of an Israelite whose name challenges holinesse yea of a Prince of Israel whose practice is a rule to inferiours and that with a woman of Midian with whom euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull and that with contempt of all gouernment and that in the face of Moses and all Israel and that in a time of mourning and iudgement for that same offence Those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes Whiles sinne hides it selfe in corners there is yet hope for where there is shame there is a possibility of grace but when once it dare looke vpon the Sunne and sends challenges to authority the case is desperate and ripe for iudgement This great Simeonite thought he might sinne by priuiledge He goes as if he said Who dares controll me His nobility hath raised him aboue the reach of correction Commonly the sinnes of the mighty are not without presumption and therefore their vengeance is no lesse then their security and their punishment is so much greater as their conceit of impunity is greater All Israel saw this bold lewdnesse of Zimri but their hearts and eyes were so full of griefe that they had not roome enough for indignation Phineas lookt on with the rest but with other affections When he saw this defiance bidden to God and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people that whiles they were wringing their hands a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation with his wicked dalliance his hart boiles with a desire of an holy reuenge and now that hand which was vsed to a Censer and sacrificing knife takes vp his Iauelin and with one stroke ioynes these two bodies in their death which were ioyned in their sin and in the very flagrance of their lust makes a new way for their soules to their owne place O noble and heroicall courage of Phineas which as it was rewarded of God so is worthy to be admired of men He doth not stand casting of scruple Who am I to doe this The son of the high Priest My place is all for peace and mercy It is for mee to sacrifice and pray for the sinne of the people not to sacrifice any of the people for their sinne My duty cals me to appease the anger of God what I may not to reuenge the sins of men to pray for their conuersion not to worke the confusion of any sinner and who are these Is not the one a great Prince in Israel the other a Princesse of Midian Can the death of two so famous persons go vnreuenged Or if it be safe and fit why doth my vncle Moses rather shead his owne teares then their blood I will mourne with the rest let them reuenge whom it concerneth But the zeale of God hath barred out all weake deliberations and he holds it now both his duty and his glory to be an executioner of so shamelesse a paire of offenders God loues this heat of zeale in all the cariages of his seruants And if it transport vs too far hee pardoneth the errors of our feruency rather then the indifferences of lukewarmnesse As these two were more beasts then any that euer he sacrificed so the shedding of their blood was the acceptablest sacrifice that euer hee offered vnto God for both all Israel is freed from the plague and all his posteritie haue the Priesthood entayled to them so long as the Iewes were a people Next to our prayes there is no better sacrifice then the blood of malefactors not as it is theirs but as it is shed by authority Gouernors are faulty of those sinns they punish not There can be no better sighâ— in any State then to see a malefactor at the Gallowes It is not enough for vs to stand gazing vpon the wickednesse of the times yea although with teares vnlesse we endeuor to redresse it especially publike persons cary not their Iauelin in their hand for nought Euery one is ready to aske Phineas for his commission and those that are willing to salue vp the act plead extraordinary instinct from God who no doubt would not haue accepted that which himselfe wrought not But what need I run so far for this warrant when I heare God say to Moses Hang vp all the heads of Israel and Moses say to the Vnder-Rulers Euery one slay his men that are ioyned to Baal-Peor Euery Israelite is now made a Magistrate for this execution and why not Phineas amongst the rest Doth his Priesthood exempt him from the blood of sinners How then doth Samuel hew Agag in pieces Euen those may make a carkasse which may not touch it And if Leui got the Priesthood by shedding the blood of Idolaters why may it not stand with that Priesthood to spill the blood of a fornicator and Idolater Ordinary iustice will beare out Phineas in this act It is not for euery man to challenge this office this which double proclamation allowed to Phineas All that priuate persons can doe is either to lift vp their hands to heauen for redresse of sinne or to lift vp their hands against the sinne not against the person Who made thee a Iudge is a lawfull question if iâ—â—eer with a person vnwarranted Now the sinne is punished the plague ceaseth The reuenge of God sets out euer after the sinne but if the reuenge of men which commonly comes later can ouertake it God giues ouer the chase How oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment auoided a greater There are none so good friends to the State as couragious and impartiall ministers of iustice These are the reconcilers of God and the people more then the prayers of them that fit still and doe nothing Of the death of MOSES AFter many painfull and perillous enterprises now is Moses drawing to his rest He hath brought his Israelites froÌ„
greatest Citie Ioshua himselfe was full of Gods Spirit and had the Oracle of God ready for his direction yet now he goes not to the Propitiatorie for consultation but to the Spyes Except where ordinary means faile vs it is no appealing the immediate helpe of GOD we may not seeke to the posterne but where the common gate is shut It was promised Ioshua that he should leade Israel into the promised Land yet he knew it was vnsafe to presume The condition of his prouident care was included in that assurance of successe Heauen is promised to vs but not to our carelesnesse infidelitie disobedience He that hath set this blessed Inheritance before vs presupposes our wisdome faith holinesse Either force or policy are fit to be vsed vnto Canaanites He that would be happy in this spirituall warfare must know where the strength of his enemy lyeth and must frame his guard according to the others assault It is a great aduantage to a Christian to know the fashion of Satans onsets that he may the more easily compose himselfe to resist Many a soule hath miscaried through the ignorance of his enemy which had not perished if it had well knowne that the weaknesse of Satan stands in our faith The Spyes can finde no other lodging but Rahabs house Shee was a victualler by profession and as those persons and trades by reason of the commonnesse of entertainment were amongst the Iewes infamous by name and note shee was Rahab the Harlot I will not thinke she professed filthinesse onely her publike trade through the corruption of those times hath cast vpon her this name of reproach yea rather will I admire her faith then make excuses for her calling How many women in Israel now Miriam was dead haue giuen such proofes of their knowledge and faith How noble is that confession which she makes of the power and truth of God Yea I see here not onely a Disciple of God but a Prophetesse Or if she had once been publike as her house was now 〈…〉 worthy Coâ—â—t and so approued her selfe for honest and wise behauiour that she is â—â—ought wâ—â—hy to bee the great Grandmother of Dauids Father and â—e holy Line of the Messias is not ashamed to admit her into 〈◊〉 happy Pedegreeâ—â—he mercy of our God doth not measure vs by what wâ— were It would be wide with the best of vs if the eye of God should looke backward to our former estate there â—e should see Abraham an Idolater Paul a Persecuâ—â— Manasses a Necromancer Mary Magdalen a Curtizan and the best vile enough to be ashamed of himselfe Who can despaire of mercy that sees euen Rahab fetcht into the blood of Israel and line of Christ If Rahab had not receiued these Spies but as vnknowne passengers with respect to their money and not to their errand it had been no praise for in such cases the thanke is rather to the ghest then to the Oast but now she knew their purpose she knew that the harbor of them was the danger of her owne life and yet shee hazards this entertainment Either faith or friendship are neuer tried but in extremities To shew countenance to the messengers of God whiles the publike face of the State smiles vpon them is but a courtesie of course but to hide out owne liues in theirs when they are persecuted is an act that lookes for a reward These times need not fauour wee know not what may come Alas how likely is it they would shelter them in danger which respect them not in prosperity All intelligences of State come first to the Court It most concernes Princes to harken after the affaires of each other If this poore Inholder knew of the Sea dried vp before Israel and of the discomfiture of Og and Sehon Surely this rumour was stale with the King of Iericho he had heard it and feared and yet in stead of sending Ambassadors for peace hee sends Pursuiâ—nts for the Spyes The spirit of Rahab 〈◊〉 with that same report wherewith the King of Iericho was hardâ—ed all make not and vse of the messages of the proceedings of God The King sends to tell her what she knew shee had not hid them if shee had not knowne their errand I know not whether first to wonder at the gracious prouision of God for the Spies or at the strong faith which hee hath wrought in the heart of a weake woman two strangers Israelites Spies and noted for all these in a foraine in an hostile Land haue a safe harbour prouided them euen amongst their enemies In Iericho at the very Court gate against the Proclamation of a King against the indeuours of the people Where cannot the God of heauen either find or raise vp friends to his owne cause and seruants Who could haue hoped for such faith in Rahab which contemned her life for the present that she might saue it for the future neglected her owne King and Country for strangers which she neuer saw and more feared the destruction of that Citie before it knew that it had an aduersarie then the displeasure of her King in the mortall reuenge of that which he would haue accounted treacherie She brings them vp to the roofe of her house and hides them with stalkes of Flax That plant which was made to hide the body from nakednesse and shame now is vsed to hide the Spies from death Neuer could these stalkes haue been improued so well with all her houswifery after they were bruised as now before they were fitted to her wheele Of these shee hath wouen an euerlasting web both of life and propagation And now her tongue hides them no lesse then her hand her charitie was good her excuse was not good Euill may not be done that good may come of it we may doe any thing but sinne for promoting a good cause And if not in so maine occasions how shall God take it that weare not dainty of falshoods in trifles No man will looke that these Spies could take any sound sleepe in these beds of stalkes It is enough for them that they liue though they rest not And now when they heard Rahab comming vp the staires doubtlesse they looked for an executioner but behold she comes vp with a message better then their sleepe adding to their protection aduice for their future safety whereto she makes way by a faithfull report of Gods former wonders and the present disposition of her people and by wise capitulations for the life and security of her Family The newes of Gods miraculous proceedings for Israel haue made her resolue of their successe and the ruines of Iericho Then only doe we make a right vse of the workes of God when by his iudgements vpon others weare warned to auoid our owne He intends his acts for presidents of iustice The parents and brethren of Rahab take their rest They are not troubled with the feare and care of the successe of Israel but securely goe with the current of the present
is his Oracle In matter of iudgement to be guided only by the euent is the way to error Falshood shall be truth and Satan an Angell of light if we follow this rule Euen very coniectures somtimes happen right A Prophet or Dreamer may giue a true signe or wonder and yet himselfe say Let vs goe after other gods A small thing can win credit with weake mindes which where they haue once sped cannot distrust The idolatrous Danites are so besotted with this successe that they will rather steale then want the gods of Micha and because the gods without the Priest can doe them lesse seruice then the Priest without the gods therefore they steale the Priest with the gods O miserable Israelites that could thinke that a god which could bee stolne that could looke for protection from that which could not keep it selfe from stealing which was won by their theft not their deuotion Could they worship those Idols more deuoutly then Micha that made them And if they could not protect their maker from robbery how shall they protect their theeues If it had beene the holy Arke of the true God how could they think it would blesse their violence or that it would abide to be translated by rapin and extortion Now their superstition hath made them mad vpon a god they must haue him by what meanes they care not though they offend the true God by stealing a false Sacriledge is fit to be the first seruice of an Idol The spies of Dan had been curteously entertained by Micha thus they reward his hospitality It is no trusting the honesty of Idolaters if they haue once cast off the true God whom will they respect It seems Leuites did not more want maintenance then Israel wanted Leuites Here was a Tribe of Israel without a spirituall guide The withdrawing of due meanes is the way to the vtter desolution of the Church Rare offrings make cold Altars There needed small force to draw this Leuite to change his charge Hold thy peace and come and be our father and Priest Whether is it better c. Here is not patience but ioy He that was won with ten shekels may be lost with eleuen When maintenance and honour calls him hee goes vndriuen and rather steales himselfe away then is stolne The Leuite had to many gods to make conscience of pleasing one There is nothing more inconstant then a Leuite that seeks nothing but himselfe Thus the wilde fire of Idolatry which lay before couched in the priuate ball of Micha now flies furiously thorow all the Tribe of Dan who like to theeues that haue carried away plaguy clothes insensibly infected themselues and their posterity to death Heresie and superstition haue small beginnings dangerous proceedings pernicious conclusions This contagion is like a canker which at the first is scarce visible afterward it eates away the flesh and consumes the body CONTEMPLATIONS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE CONTAINING The Leuites Concubine The desolation of Beniamin Naomi and Ruth Boaz and Ruth Anna and Peninna Anna and Eli. Eli and his sonnes By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of Worcester AT LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE and NATHANIEL BVTTER Ann. Dom. 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR FVLKE GREVILL KNIGHT CHANCELOVR OF THE EXCHEQVER ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVY COVNCELLORS A MOST WISE LEARNED IVDICIOVS INGENVOVS CENCOR OF SCOLLERSHIP A WORTHY EXAMPLE OF BENEFACTORS TO LEARNING I. H. VVith his vnfained prayers for THE HAPPY SVCCESSE OF ALL HIS HONOVRABLE DESIGNEMENTS HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS MEANE PIECE OF HIS STVDIES CONTEMPLATIONS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE The Leuites Concubine THere is no complaint of a publikely disordered State where a Leuite is not at one end of it either as an agent or a patient In the Idolatrie of Micha and the Danites a Leuite was an actor In the violent vncleannesse of of Gibeah a Leuite suffers No Tribe shal sooner feele the want of gouernment then that of Leui. The law of God allowed the Leuite a wife humane conniuence a concubine neyther did the Iewish concubine differ from a wife but in some outward complements Both might challenge all the true essence of marriage so little was the difference that the father of the concubine is called the father in law to the Leuite Shee whom ill custom had of a wife made a concubine is now by her lust of a concubine made an harlot Her fornication together with the change of her bed hath changed her abode Perhaps her owne conscience thrust her out of doores perhaps the iust seuerity of her husband Dismission was too easie a penalty for that which God had sentenced with death She that had deserued to be abhorred of her husband seeks shelter frō her Father Why would her Father suffer his house to be defiled with an adultresse tho out of his own loynes Why did he not ra-say What Doost thou thinke to finde my house an harbor for thy sin Whiles thou wert a wife to thine husband thou wert a daughter to me Now thou art neyther Thou art not mine I gaue thee to thy husband Thou art not thy husbands thou hast betrayed his bed Thy filthinesse hath made thee thine owne and thine adulterers Goe seeke thine entertainement where thou hast lost thine honesty Thy lewdnesse hath brought a necessity of shame vpon thine abbettors How can I countenance thy person and abandon thy sinne I had rather be a iust man then a kinde Father Get thee home therefore to thy husband craue his forgiuenesse vpon thy knees redeeme his loue with thy modesty and obedience when his heart is once open to thee my doores shall not be shut In the meane time know I can be no Father to an harlot Indulgence of Parents is the refuge of vanity the bawd of wickednesse the bane of children How easily is that Theefe induced to steale that knowes his Receiuer When the lawlesnes of youth knowes where to finde pitty and toleration what mischiefe can it forbeare By how much better this Leuite was so much more iniurious was the Concubines sinne What husband would not haue said She is gone let shame and griefe goe with her I shall find one no lesse pleasing and more faithfull Or if it be not to much mercy in me to yeeld to a returne let her that hath offended seeke me What more direct way is there to a resolued loosenesse then to let her see I cannot want her The good nature of this Leuite cast off all these tearmes and now after foure months absence sends him to seeke for her that had runne away from her fidelity And now hee thinkes She sinned against me perhaps she hath repented perhaps shame and feare haue with-held her from returning perhaps she will be more loyall for her sinne If her importunity should win me halfe the thankes were lost but now my voluntary offer of fauour shall oblige her for euer Loue procures truer seruitude then necessity Mercy becomes well the heart of any man but most of a
posteritie Happy is that childe whose progenitors are in heauen hee is left an inheritor of blessing together with estate whereas wicked ancestors lose the thanke of a rich patrimonie by the curse that attends it He that thinkes because punishment is deferd that God hath forgiuen or forgot his offence is vnacquainted with iustice and knowes not that time makes no difference in eternity The Amalekites were wicked Idolaters and therefore could not want many present sinnes which deserued their extirpation That God which had taken notice of all their offences picks out this one noted sinne of their forefathers for reuenge Amongst all their indignities this shall beare the name of their iudgement As in legall proceedings with malefactors one inditement found giues the stile of their condemnation In the liues of those which are notoriously wicked God cannot looke besides a sinne yet when he drawes to an execution he fastens his sentence vpon one euill as principall others as accessaries so as at the last one sinne which perhaps wee make no account of shall pay for all The paganish Idolatries of the Amalekites could not but bee greater sinnes to God then their hard measure to Israel yet God sets this vpon the file whiles the rest are not recorded Their superstitions might bee of ignorance this sinne was of malice Malicious wickednesses of all other as they are in greatest opposition to the goodnesse and mercy of God shall be sure of the paiment of greatest vengeance The detestation of God may be measured by his reuenge slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxe and Sheepe Camell and Asse not themselues onely but euery thing that drew life either from them or for their vse must dye When the God of mercy speakes such bloody words the prouocation must needs be vehement sinnes of infirmitie doe but mutter spightfull sinnes cry loud for iudgement in the cares of God Prepensed malice in courts of humane iustice aggrauates the murther and sharpens the sentence of death What then was this sinne of Amalek that is called vnto this late reckoning What but their enuious and vnprouoked onsets vpon the backe of Israel this was it that God tooke so to heart as that hee not onely remembers it now by Samuel but hee bids Israel euer to remember it by Moses Remember how Amalek met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of you all that were feeble behinde thee when thou wast faint and weary Besides this did Amalek meet Israel in a pitcht battell openly in Rephidim for that God payed them in the present The hand of Moses lifted vp on the Hill slew them in the Valley He therefore repeats not that quarrell but the cowardly and cruell attempts vpon an impotent enemy sticke still in the stomacke of the Almighty Oppression and wrong vpon euen termes are not so hainous vnto God as those that are vpon manifest disaduantage In the one there is an hazard of returne In the other there is euer a tyrannous insultation God takes still the weaker part and will be sure therefore to plague them which seeke to put iniuries on the vnable to resist This sinne of Amalek slept all the time of the Iudges those gouernors were onely for rescue and defence now so soone as Israel hath a King and that King is setled in peace God giues charge to call them to account It was that which God had both threatned and sworne and now he chooses out a fit season for the execution As wee vse to say of winter the iudgements of God doe neuer rot in the skie but shall fall if late yet surely yet seasonably There is small comfort in the delay of vengeance whiles we are sure it shall lose nothing in the way by length of protraction The Kenites were the off-springs of Hobad or Iethro father in law to Moses the affinitie of him to whom Israel owed their deliuerance and being was worthy of respect but it was the mercy of that good and wise Midianite shewed vnto Israel in the wildernesse by his graue aduice cheerefull gratulation and aide which wonne this gratefull forbearance of his posterity He that is not lesse in mercy then in iustice as hee challenged Amaleks sinne of their succeeding generations so he deriues the recompence of Iethro's kindnesse vnto his far descended issue Those that were vnborne many ages after Iethro's death receiue life from his dust and fauour from his hospitalitie The name of their dead grandfather saues them from the common destruction of their neighbours The seruices of our loue to Gods children are neuer thanklesse when we are dead and rotten they shall liue and procure blessings to those which neuer knew perhaps not heard of their progenitors If we sow good workes succession shall reape them and we shall be happy in making them so The Kenites dwelt in the borders of Amalek but in tents as did their issue the Rechabites so as they might remoue with ease They are warned to shift their habitations lest they should perish with ill neighbours It is the manner of God first to separate before he iudge as a good husband weeds his come ere it bee ripe for the sickle and goes to the fanne ere he goe to the fire When the Kenites packe vp their fardels it is time to expect iudgement Why should not wee imitate God and separate our selues that we may not be iudged separate not one Kenite from another but euery Kenite from among the Amalekites else if we will needs liue with Amalek we cannot thinke much to dye with him The Kenites are no sooner remoued then Saul fals vpon the Amalekites Hee destroyes all the people but spares their King The charge of God was vniuersall for man and beast In the corruption of partialitie lightly the greatest escape Couetousnesse or mis-affection are commonly guiltie of the impunitie of those which are at once most eminent in dignitie and in offence It is a shamefull hypocrisie to make our commoditie the measure and rule of our execution of Gods command and vnder pretence of godlinesse to pretend gaine The vnprofitable vulgar must die Agag may yeelda rich ransome The leane and feeble cattle that would but spend stouer and die alone shall perish by the sword of Israel the best may stocke the grounds and furnish the markets O hypocrites did God send you for gaine or for reuenge Went you to be purueyors or executioners If you plead that all those wealthy herds had been but lost in a speedy death thinke yee that hee knew not this which commanded it Can that be lost which is deuoted to the will of the owner and Creator Or can ye thinke to gaine any thing by disobedience That man can neuer either do well or farewell which thinkes there can be more profit in any thing then in his obedience to his Maker Because Saul spared the best of the men the people spared the best of the cattle each is willing to fauour other in the
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
call for the blood of the Gibeonites though drudges of Israel and a remnant of Amorites Why this There was a periury attending vpon this slaughter It was an ancient Oath wherein the Princes of the congregation had bound themselues vpon Ioshua's league to the Gibeonites that they would suffer them to liue an oath extorted by fraud but solemne by no lesse â—â—me then the Lord God of Israel Saul will now thus late either not acknowledge it or not keepe it out of his zeale therefore to the children of Israel and Iudah he roots â—ut some of the Gibeonites whether in a zeale of reuenge of their first imposture or in a zeale of inlarging the possessions of Israel or in a zeale of executing Gods charge vpon the brood of Canaanites he that spared Agag whom he should haue smitten smites the Gibeonites whom he should haue spared Zeale and good intention is no excuse much lesse a warrant for euill God holds it an high indignitie that his name should be sworne by and violated Length of time cannot dispense with our oathes with our vowes The vowes and oathes of others may binde vs how much more our owne There was a famine in Israel a naturall man would haue ascribed it vnto the drought and that drought perhaps to some constellations Dauid knowes to looke higher and sees a diuine hand scourging Israel for some great offence and ouer-ruling those second causes to his most iust executions Euen the most quick-sighted worldling is pore-blind to 〈◊〉 all obiects and the weakest eyes of the regenerate pierce the heauens and espy God in all earthly occurrences So well was Dauid acquainted with Gods proceedings that he knew the remouall of the iudgement must begin at the satisfaction of the wronged At once therefore doth he pray vnto God and treat with the Gibeonites What shall I doe for you and wherewith shall I make the atonement that I may blesse the inheritance of the Lord In vaine should Dauid though a Prophet blesse Israel at the Gibeonites did not 〈…〉 lesse them Iniuries done vs on earth giue vs power in heauen The oppressor is in no mans mercy but his whom he hath trampled vpon Little did the Gibeonites thinke that God had so taken to heart their wrongs that for their sakes all Israel should suffer Euen when we thinke not of it is the righteous Iudge auenging our vnrighteous vexations Our hard measures cannot bee hid from him his returnes are hid from vs It is sufficient for vs that God can bee no more neglectiue then ignorant of our sufferings It is now in the power of these despised Hiuites to make their owne termes with Israel Neither Siluer nor Gold will sauour with them towards their satisfaction Nothing can expiate the blood of their fathers but the blood of seuen sonnes of their deceased persecutor Here was no other then a iust retaliation Saul had punished in them the offence of their predecessors they will now reuenge Sauls sinne in his children The measure we mete vnto others is with much equity re-measured vnto our selues Euery death would not content them of Sauls sonnes but a cursed and ignominious hanging on the Tree Neither would that death content them vnlesse their owne hands might bee the executioners Neither would any place serue for the execution but Gibeah the Court of Saul neither would they doe any of this for the wreaking of their own fury but for the appeasing of Gods wrath We will hang them vp vnto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul Dauid might not refuse the condition Hee must deliuer they must execute Hee chooses out seuen of the sonnes and grand-children of Saul That house had raised long an vniust persecution against Dauid now God payes it vpon anothers score Dauids loue and oath to Ionathan preserues lame Mephibosheth How much more shall the Father of all mercies doe good vnto the children of the faithfull for the couenant made with their Parents The fiue sonnes of Adriel the Meholathite Dauids ancient riuall in his first loue which were borne to him by Merab Sauls Daughter and brought vp by her barren sister Michol the wife of Dauid are yeelded vp to death Merab was after a promise of mariage to Dauid vniustly giuen away by Saul to Adriel Michol seemes to abet the match in breeding the children now in one act nor of Dauids seeking the wrong is thus late auenged vpon Saul Adriel Merab Michol the children It is a dangerous matter to offer iniury to any of Gods faithfull ones If their meeknesse haue easily remitted it their God will not passe it ouer without a seuere retribution These fiue together with two sonnes of Rizpah Sauls Concubine are hanged vp at once before the Lord yea and before the eyes of the World No place but an Hill wil serue for this execution The acts of iustice as they are intended for example so they should be done in that eminent fashion that may make them both most instructiue and most terrifying Vnwarrantable courses of priuate reuenge seeke to hide their heads in secresie The beautifull face of iustice both affects the light and becomes it It was the generall charge of Gods Law that no corps should remaine all night vpon the gibbet The Almighty hath power to dispense with his owne command so doubtlesse he did in this extraordinary case these carkasses did not defile but expiate Sorrowfull Rizpah spreads her a Tent of Sackcloth vpon the Rocke for a sad attendance vpon those sonnes of her wombe Death might bereaue her of them not them of her loue This spectacle was not more grieuous to her then pleasing to God and happy to Israel Now the clouds drop â—â—messe and the earth runs forth into plenty The Gibeonites are satisfied God reconciled Israel relieued How blessed a thing it is for any Nation that iustice is vnpartially executed euen vpon the mighty A few drops of blood haue procured large showres from Heauen A few carkasses are a rich compost to the earth The drought and dearth remoue away with the breath of those pledges of the offender Iudgements cannot tyrannize where iustice raignes as contrarily there can be no peace where blood cryes vnheard vnregarded The numbring of the people ISrael was growne wanton and mutinous God puls them downe first by the sword then by famine now by pestilence Oh the wondrous yet iust wayes of the Almightie Because Israel hath sinned therefore Dauid shall sinne that Israel may be punished Because God is angry with Israel therefore Dauid shall anger him more and strike himselfe in Israel and Israel through himselfe The spirit of God elsewhere ascribes this motion to Satan which here it attributes to God Both had their hand in the worke God by permission Satan by suggestion God as a Iudge Satan as an enemy God as in a iust punishment for sinne Satan as in an act of sinne God in a wise ordination of it to good Satan in a malicious intent of confusion Thus at once
from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile My Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Behold the fauour of God doth not depend vpon Salomons obedience If Salomon shall suffer his faithfulnesse to faile towards his God God will not requite him with the failing of his faithfulnesse to Salomon If Salomon breake his Couenant with God God will not breake his Couenant with the father of Salomon with the sonne of Dauid He shall smart hee shall not perish Oh gracious word of the God of all mercies able to giue strength to the languishing comfort to the despairing to the dying life Whatsoeuer wee are thou wilt be still thy selfe O holy One of Israel true to thy Couenant constant to thy Decree The sinnes of thy chosen can neither frustrate thy counsell nor out-strip thy mercies Now I see Salomon of a wanton louer a graue Preacher of mortification I see him quenching those inordinate flames with the teares of his repentance Me thinks I heare him sighing deepely betwixt euery word of that his solemne penance which he would need enioyne himselfe before all the world I haue applyed my heart to know the wickednesse of folly euen the foolishnesse of madnesse and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands Who so pleaseth God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Salomon was taken as a sinner deliuered as a penitent His soule escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare was broken and he deliuered It is good for vs that he was both taken and deliuered Taken that wee might not presume and that we might not despaire deliuered He sinned that we might not sinne hee recouered that we may not sinke vnder our sinne But oh the iustice of God inseparable from his mercy Salomons sinne shall not escape the rod of men Rather then so wise an offender shall want enemies God shall raise vp three aduersaries vnto Salomon Hadad the Edomite Rezon the King of Aram Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat whereof two were foraine one domesticall Nothing but loue and peace sounded in the name of Salomon nothing else was found in his raigne whiles he held in good termes with his God But when once hee fell foule with his Maker all things began to be troubled There are whips laid vp against the time of Salomons fore-seene offence which are now brought forth for his correction On purpose was Hadad the sonne of the King of Edom hid in a corner of Egypt from the sword of Dauid and Ioab that he might be reserued for a scourge to the exorbitant sonne of Dauid God would haue vs make account that our peace ends with our innocence The same sinne that sets debate betwixt God and vs armes the creatures against vs It were pitie wee should be at any quiet whiles wee are falne out with the God of peace Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPALL HISTORIES OF THE NEVV TESTAMENT THE THIRD BOOKE Containing The Widowes sonne raised The Rulers sonne healed The dumbe Deuill eiected MATTHEW called Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gaderene Herd By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY RIGHT VVORTHY AND WORSHIPFVLL FRIEND MASTER IOHN GIFFORD of Lancrasse in Deuon Esquire All Grace and Peace SIR J hold it as I ought one of the rich mercies of GOD that he hath giuen me fauour in some eies which haue not seene me but none that J know hath so much demerited me vnknowne as your worthy Familie Ere therefore you see my face see my hand willingly professing my thankefull Obligations Wherewith may it please you to accept of this parcell of thoughts not vnlike those fellowes of theirs whom you haue entertained aboue their desert These shall present vnto you our bountifull SAVIOVR magnifying his mercies to men in a sweet varietie healing the diseased raising the dead casting out the Deuill calling in the Publican and shall raise your heart to adore that infinite goodnesse Euery helpe to our deuotion deserues to bee precious So much more as the decrepit age of the World declines to an heartlesse coldnesse of Pietie That GOD to whose honour these poore labours are meant blesse them in your hands and from them to all Readers To his protection J heartily commend you and the right vertuous Gentlewoman your worthy wife with all the pledges of your happy affection as whom you haue deserued to be Your truly thankfull and officious friend IOS HALL The Widowes Sonne raised THE fauours of our beneficent Sauiour were at the least contiguous No sooner hath he raised the Centurions seruant from his bed then he raises the Widowes Sea from his Beere The fruitfull clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field Nain must partake of the bounty of Christ as well as Cana or Capernaum And if this Sunne were fixed in one Orbe yet it diffuseth heat and light to all the world It is not for any place to ingrosse the messengers of the Gospell whose errand is vniuersall This immortall seed may not fall all in one furrow The little City of Nain stood vnder the hill of Hermon neere vnto Tabor but now it is watered with better dewes from aboue the doctrine miracles of a Sauiour Not for state but for the more euidence of the worke is our Sauior attended with a large traine so entring into the gate of that walled City as if he meant to besiege their faith by his power and to take it His prouidence hath so contriued his iourney that he meets with the sad pompe of a funerall A wofull widow attended with her weeping neighbours is following her onely sonne to the graue There was nothing in this spectacle that did not command compassion A yong man in the flowre in the strength of his age swallowed vp by death Our decrepit age both expects death and sollicites it but vigorous youth lookes strangely vpon that grim sergeant of God Those mellow apples that fall alone from the tree we gather vp with contentment wee chide to haue the vnripe vnseasonably beaten downe with cudgells But more a yong man the onely sonne the onely childe of his mother No condition can make it other then grieuous for a well natur'd mother to part with her own bowels yet surely store is some mitigation of losse Amongst many children one may be more easily missed for still wee hope the suruiuing may supply the comforts of the dead but when all our hopes and ioyes must either liue or die in one the losse of that one admits of no consolation When God would describe the most passionate expression of sorrow that can fall into the miserable hee can but say Oh daughter of my people gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thy selfe in the ashes make lamentation and bitter mourning as for thine onely sonne Such was the losse such was the sorrow of this disconsolate
he was leprous neither doe I see Elisha come forth to him and receiue him with such outward courtesies as might be fit for an honourable stranger for in those rich cloathes the Prophet saw an Aramite and perhaps some tincture of the late-shed blood of Israel Rather that he might make a perfect triall of the humility of that man whom he meanes to gratifie and honour after some short attendance at his doore he sends his seruant with a message to that Peere who could not but thinke the meanest of his retinue a better man then Gehezies Master What could the Prophet haue done other to the Lacquay of Naamans man Hee that would be a meet subiect of mercy must bee thoroughly abased in his owne conceit and must be willingly pliable to all the conditions of his humiliation Yet had the message caried in it either respect to the person or probabilitie of effect it could not haue beene vnwelcome but now it sounded of nothing but sullennesse and vnlikelihood Goe and wash in Iordan seuen times and thy flesh shall come againe to thee and thou shalt bee cleane What wise man could take this for any other then a meere scorne and mockery Goe wash Alas What can water doe It can cleanse from filthinesse not from leprosie And why in Iordan What differs that from other streames and why iust seuen times What vertue is either in that channell or in that number Naaman can no more put off nature then leprosie In what a chafe did hee fling away from the Prophets doore and sayes Am I comne thus far to fetch a flout from an Israelite Is this the issue both of my iourney and the Letters of my King Could this Prophet find no man to play vpon but Naaman Had he meant seriously why did he thinke himselfe too good to come forth vnto me Why did he not touch me with his hand and blesse me with his prayers and cure mee with his blessing Is my misery fit for his derision If water could doe it what needed I to come so farre for this remedy Haue I not oft done thus in vaine Haue wee not better streames at home then any Israel can afford Are not Abana and Pharphar Riuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel Folly and pride striue for place in a naturall heart and it is hard to say whether is more predominant Folly in measuring the â—ower of Gods ordinances by the rule of humane discourse and ordinary eâ—ent pride in a scornfull valuation of the institutions of GOD in comparison of our owne deuices Abana and Pharphar two for one Riuers not waters of Damascus a stately City and incomparable Are they not Who dares deny it Better not as good then the waters not the riuers all the waters Iordan and all the rest of Israel a beggerly Region to Damascus No where shall wee find a truer patterne of the disposition of Nature how she is altogether led by sense and reason how she fondly iudges of all obiects by the appearance how shee acquaints her selfe only with the common rode of Gods proceedings how she stickes to her owne principles how she misconstrues the intentions of God how shee ouer-conceits her owne how she disdaines the meane conditions of others how she vpbraids her opposites with the proud comparison of her owne priuiledges Nature is neuer but like her selfe No maruell if carnall minds despise the foolishnesse of preaching the simplicity of Sacraments the homelinesse of ceremonies the seeming inefficacy of censures These men looke vpon Iordan with Syrian eyes One drop of whose water set apart by diuine ordination hath more vertue then all the streames of Abana and Pharphar It is a good matter for a man to be attended with wise and faithfull followers Many a one hath had better counsell from his heeles then from his elbowes Naamans seruants were his best friends they came to him and spake to him and said My Father If the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldst thou not haue done it How much rather then when hee saith to thee Wash and bee cleane These men were seruants not of the humour but of the profit of their master Some seruile spirits would haue cared onely to sooth vp not to benefit their Gouernour and would haue encouraged his rage by their owne Sir will you take this at the hand of a base fellow Was euer man thus flouted Will you let him carie it away thus Is any harmlesse anger sufficient reuenge for such an insolence Giue vs leaue at least to pull him out by the eares and force him to doe that by violence which hee would not doe out of good manners Let our fingers teach this saucy Prophet what it is to offer an affront to a Prince of Syria But these men loued more their masters health then his passion and had rather therefore to aduise then flatter to draw him to good then follow him to euill Since it was a Prophet from whom he receiued this prescription they perswade him not to despise it intimating there could be no fault in the sleightnesse of the receit so long as there was no defect of power in the commander that the vertue of the cure should be in his obedience not in the nature of the remedy They perswade and preuaile Next to the Prophet Naaman may thanke his seruants that hee is not a Leper He goes downe vpon their intreaty and dips seuen times in Iordan his flesh riseth his leprosie vanisheth Not the vniust fury and techinesse of the patient shall crosse the cure lest whiles God is seuere the Prophet should be discredited Long enough might Naaman haue washed there in vaine if Elisha had not sent him Many a Leper hath bathed in that streame and hath come forth no lesse impure It is the word the ordinance of the Almighty which puts efficacy into those meanes which of themselues are both impotent and improbable What can our Font doe to the washing away of sinne If Gods institution shall put vertue into our Iordan it shall scoure off the spirituall leprosies of our hearts and shall more cure the soule then clense the face How ioyfull is Naaman to see this change of his skinne this renouation of his flesh of his life Neuer did his heart find such warmth of inward gladnesse as in this streame Vpon the sight of his recouery he doth not poste home to the Court or to his family to call for witnesses for partners of his ioy but thankfully returnes to the Prophet by whose meanes he receiued this mercy He comes backe with more contentment then he departed with rage Now will the man of God bee seene of that recouered Syrian whom he would not see leprous His presence shall bee yeelded to the gratulation which was not yeelded to the suit Purposely did Elisha forbeare before that he might share no part of the praise of this worke with his Maker that God might be so much more magnified as