of iudgement that he prepare himselfe by examination Q. Whereof must a man examine himselfe A. Whether hee find in himselfe first Competent knowledge secondly A true though weake Faith thirdly Vnfained repentance for his sinnes fourthly Charity and readinesse to forgiue fiftly An hungring desire to this Sacrament fixtly A thankfull heart for Christ and it Q. What is Prayer A. A calling vpon God through Christ for a supply of all our wants and praising him for all his blessing FINIS Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPALL PASSAGES OF THE Holy Storie The first Volume IN FOVRE BOOKES By I.H. D.D. LONDON Printed for THO PAVIER MILES FLESHER and Iohn Haviland 1625. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE HENRY PRINCE OF WALES HIS HIGHNESSES VNWORTHY Seruant dedicates all his labours and wishes all Happinesse MOst Gracious Prince THis worke of mine which if my hopes and desires faile mee not time may hereafter make great I haue presumed both to dedicate in whole to your Highnesse and to parcell out in seueralls vnto subordinate hands It is no maruell if Bookes haue this freedome when we our selues can and ought to be all yours while we are our owne and others vnder you I dare say these Meditations how rude soeuer they may fall from my Pen in regard of their subiect are fit for a Prince Here your Highnesse shall see how the great patterne of Princes the KING of HEAVEN hath euer ruled the World how his Substitutes earthly Kings haue ruled it vnder him and with what successe either of glorie or ruine Both your Peace and Warre shall finde here holy and great examples And if Historie and obseruation be the best Councellors of your youth what storie can bee so wise and faithfull as that which God hath written for Men wherein you see both what hath beene done and what should be VVhat obseruation so worthy as that which is both raised from God and directed to him If the proprietie which your Highnesse iustly hath in the VVorke and Author may draw your Princely eyes and heart the rather to these holy Speculations your Seruant shall bee happier in this fauour then in all your outward bountie as one to whom your spirituall progresse deserues to bee dearer then his owne life and whose daily suit is that God would guide your steps aright in this slippery Age and continue to reioyce all good hearts in the view of your gratious proceedings Your Highnesses humbly deuoted Seruant IOS HALL Contemplations THE FIRST BOOKE The Creation of the World Man Paradise Cain and Abel The Deluge BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS EARLE OF EXCETER ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST Honorable Priuy Councell All Grace and Happinesse RIght Honorable I Knew J could not bestow my thoughts better then vpon Gods owne Historie so full of edification and delight which I haue in such sort indeuoured to doe that J shall giue occasion to my Reader of some Meditations which perhaps hee would haue missed Euery helpe in this kinde deserues to be precious J present the first part to your Honour wherein you shall see the World both made and smothered againe Man in the glory of his Creation and the shame of his fall Paradise at once made and lost The first Man killing his seede the second his brother Jf in these I shall giue light to the thoughts of any Reader let him with mee giue the praise to him from whom that light shone forth to me To whose grace and protection I humbly commend your Lordship as Your Honours vnfainedly deuoted in all obseruance and dutie IOS HALL Contemplations THE FIRST BOOKE The Creation WHAT can I see O God in thy creation but miracles of wonders Thou madest somthing of nothing and of that something all things Thou vvhich wast without a beginning gauest a beginning to Time and to the World in time It is the praise of vs men if vvhen we haue Matter wee can giue fashion thou gauest a being to the Matter without forme thou gauest a forme to that Matter and a glory to that Forme If wee can but finish a slight and vnperfect Matter according to a former patterne it is the height of our skill but to begin that which neuer was whereof there was no example whereto there was no inclination wherein there was no possibilitie of that which it should be is proper only to such power as thine the infinite power of an infinite Creator with vs not so much as a thought can arise without some Matter but here with thee all Matter arises from nothing How easie is it for thee to repaire all out of something which couldest thus fetch all out of nothing wherein can wee now distrust thee that hast proued thy selfe thus Omnipotent Behold to haue made the least Clod of nothing is more aboue vvonder then to multiply a World but now the Matter doth not more praise thy power then the Forme thy wisdome what beauty is here vvhat order what order in working vvhat beauty in the worke Thou mightest haue made all the World perfect in an instant but thou wouldest not That Will which caused thee to create is reason enough why thou didst thus create How should we deliberate in our actions which are so subiect to imperfection since it pleased thine infinite perfection not out of neede to take leasure Neither did thy wisdome herein proceede in time onely but in degrees At first thou madest nothing absolute first thou madest things which should haue being vvithout Life then those which should haue life and being lastly those which haue Being Life Reason So we our selues in the ordinary course of generation first liue the life of Vegetation then of Sense of Reason afterwards That instant wherein the Heauen and the Earth were created in their rude Matter there was neither Day nor Light but presently thou madest both Light and Day Whiles we haue this example of thine how vainely do we hope to be perfect at once It is well for vs if through many degrees vvee can rise to our consummation But alas vvhat was the very Heauen it selfe without Light how confused how formlesse like to a goodly Body vvithout a Soule like a soule without thee Thou art Light and in thee is no darknesse Oh how incomprehensibly glorious is the light that is in thee since one glimpse of this created light gaue so liuely a glory to all thy workmanship This euen the brute Creatures can behold That not the very Angels That shâ—nes forth onely to the other supreme World of immortalitie this to the basest part of thy creation There is one cause of our darknesse on earth and of the vtter darknesse in Hell the restraint of thy light Shine thou O God into the vast corners of my soule and in thy light I shall see light But whence O God was that first light the Sunne was not made till the fourth
might be said I deny not of euery Vertue of euery Vice J desired not to say all but enough Jf thou doe but reade or like these J haue spent good houres ill but if thou shalt hence abiure those Vices which before thou thoughtest not ill-fauoured or fall in loue with any of these goodly faces of Vertue or shalt hence finde where thou hast any little touch of these euils to cleare thy selfe or where any defect in these graces to supply it neither of vs shall need to repent of our labour THE SVMME OF THE WHOLE FIRST BOOKE THe Prooeme Page 171 Character of Wisdome Page 173 Of Honestie Page 174 Of Faith ibid. Of Humilitie Page 175 Of Valour Page 176 Of Patience Page 177 Of True-Friendship ibid. Of True-Nobilitie Page 178 Of the good Magistrate Page 179 Of the Penitent Page 180 Of the Happy Man Page 181 SECOND BOOKE THe Prooeme Page 185 Character of the Hypocrite Page 187 Of the Busie-Bodie Page 188 Of the Superstitious Page 177 Of the Profane ibid. Of the Male-content Page 189 Of the Inconstant Page 191 Of the Flatterer Page 192 Of the Slothfull ibid. Of the Couetous Page 193 Of the Vaine-glorious Page 194 Of the Presumptuous Page 195 Of the Distrustfull Page 196 Of the Ambitious Page 197 Of the Vnthrift Page 198 Of the Enuious ibid. THE FIRST BOOKE CHARACTERISMES OF VERTVES By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE PROOEME VErtue is not loued enough because she is not seene and Vice loseth much detestation because her vglinesse is secret Certainly my Lords there are so many beauties and so many graces in the face of Goodnesse that no eye can possibly see it without affection without rauishment and the visage of Euill is so monstrous through loathsome deformities that if her louers were not ignorant they would be mad with disdaine and astonishment What need we more than to discouer these two to the world This worke shall saue the labour of exhorting and disswasion J haue here done it as I could following that ancient Master of Morality Theophrastus who thought this the fittest taske for the ninety and ninth yeere of his age and the profitablest monument that he could leaue for a fare-well to his Grecians Loe here then Vertue and Vice stript naked to the open view and despoiled one of her rags the other of her ornaments and nothing left them but bare presence to pleade for affection see now whether shall finde more suters And if still the vaine mindes of lewd men shall dote vpon their old mistresse it will appeare to be not because she is not foule but for that they are blinde and bewitched And first behold the goodly features of Wisdome an amiable vertue and worthy to leade this Stage which as she extends her selfe to all the following Graces so amongst the rest is for her largenesse most conspicuous CHARACTER OF THE WISE MAN THere is nothing that hee desires not to know but most and first himselfe and not so much his owne strength as his weaknesses neither is his knowledge reduced to discourse but practice Hee is a skilfull Logician not by nature so much as vse his working minde doth nothing all his time but make syllogismes and draw out conclusions euery thing that hee sees and heares serues for one of the premisses with these hee cares first to informe himselfe then to direct others Both his eies are neuer at once from home but one keepes house while the other roues abroad for intelligence In materiall and weightie points he abides not his minde suspended in vncertainties but hates doubting where hee may where he should be resolute and first he makes sure worke for his soule accounting it no safetie to bee vnsetled in the fore-knowledge of his finall estate The best is first regarded and vaine is that regard which endeth not in securitie Euery care hath his iust order neither is there any one either neglected or misplaced Hee is seldome ouerseene with credulitie for knowing the falsenesse of the world hee hath learn'd to trust himselfe alwaies others so farre as hee may not bee dammaged by their disappointment He seekes his quietnesse in secrecie and is wont both to hide himselfe in retirednesse and his tongue in himselfe He loues to be ghessed at not knowne and to see the world vnseene and when he is forced into the light shewes by his actions that his obscuritie was neither from affectation nor weaknesse His purposes are neither so variable as may argue inconstancie nor obstinately vnchangeable but framed according to his after-wits or the strength of new occasions He is both an apt scholler and an excellent master for both euery thing he sees informes him and his minde enriched with plentifull obseruation can giue the best precepts His free discourse runs backe to the ages past and recouers euents out of memorie and then preuenteth Time in flying forward to future things and comparing one with the other can giue a verdict well-neere propheticall wherein his coniectures are better than anothers iudgements His passions are so many good seruants which stand in a diligent attendance ready to be commanded by reason by Religion and if at any time forgetting their duty they be miscarried to rebell he can first conceale their mutinie then suppresse it In all his iust and worthy designes hee is neuer at a losse but hath so proiected all his courses that a second begins where the first failed and fetcheth strength from that which succeeded not There be wrongs which he will not see neither doth he alwaies looke that way which he meaneth nor take notice of his secret smarts when they come from great ones In good turnes he loues not to owe more than he must in euill to owe and not pay Iust censures he deserues not for he liues without the compasse of an aduersarie vniust he contemneth and had rather suffer false infamie to die alone than lay hands vpon it in an open violence He confineth himselfe in the circle of his owne affaires and lists not to thrust his finger into a needlesse fire Hee stands like a center vnmoued while the circumference of his estate is drawne aboue beneath about him Finally his wit hath cost him much and he can both keepe and value and imploy it He is his owne Lawyer the treasurie of knowledge the oracle of counsell blinde in no mans cause best-sighted in his owne Of an Honest man HE lookes not to what hee might doe but what hee should Iustice is his first guide the second law of his actions is expedience Hee had rather complaine than offend and hates sinne more for the indignitie of it than the danger his simple vprightnesse workes in him that confidence which oft times wrongs him and giues aduantage to the subtill when he rather pitties their faithlesnesse than repents of his credulitie hee hath but one heart and that
perfited euen of the sonnes of Priests and if the number of Angels be of them to be repayred those that indeuour to procure that they should not be doe what in them lies destroy the supernall City and labour that the number of Angels may not be perfited then which what can be more peruersely done For this is done against the will and predestination of him which hath done those things which shall be for he hath done in his predestination those things which shall be in effect whosoeuer therefore goes about to procure that God may not in effect doe those things which he hath done in his predestination goes about to make void the very predestination of God If then God haue already in his predestination decreed that the sons of Priests shall once be in effect he that goes about to procure that they may not be in effect endeuours to destroy the work of God because he hath already done it in predestination and so striues to ouerthrow Gods predestination and to gain-stand that will of God which is eternall For God would from eternity and before all worlds create all men in the world in that certaine order wherein he pre-conceiued and predestinated to create them He doth nothing disorderly he createth nothing in the world which he hath not fore-ordained by disposing it in the predestination of his mind that went before all worlds Whatsoeuer therefore is by him created in this world doth necessarily follow the predestination of his mind predisposing and preordaining all things because it is impossible that should not be done which God from eternity hath willed and fore-ordained to be done It is therefore necessary that all men should be created in that very Order wherein he willed and from eternity fore-ordained Or else all men are not created as God would haue them nor as he fore-ordained them But because this is inconuenient it must needs bee that they are created as hee willed from eternity and fore-thought and fore-ordained because he hath done all things that he would and neuer did any thing which he willed nor from euerlasting and hath fore-conceiued in his certaine and vnchangcable Decree For neither can his will be frustrated nor his fore-thought deceiued nor his fore-ordinations altered Which since it is so needs must it be that as Laicks so Priests also of whom men are created should yeeld their seruice to the diuine will and preordination to the creating of them For parents are not the authors of the creation of their children but the seruants who if they should not yeeld their seruice they should if it were possible make void the fore-thought of God and resist his ordination which if they should wittingly doe they should offend the more if ignorantly the lesse not onely against God the Father but also against the heauenly Ierusalem the Mother of all Saints because what in them were they should not suffer those to be created of whom it is to be builded and those things to be prepared whereby that Celestiall Country is bestowed But from this offence their impotence frees them because they cannot resist the will of God and crosse his preordination For the will and predestination of God is that eternall Law in which the course of all things is decreed and the patterne wherein the forme of all ages is set forth which can by no meanes be defaced Not to yeeld our seruice then hereunto is euill because to yeeld it is good and especially if it be done with a good intent which is then done when as Parents meet together in a desire of propagation of issue not in an appetite of exercising their lust Of propagation I say that both the present Church may be multiplyed and the celestiall City built and the number of the Elect made vp none of which could be done without such coniugal meeting For if the first Parents of the Saints had continued all either continent or virgins no Saint had beene borne of them in the world none of them had beene crowned with glory and honour in heauen none of them ascribed into the number of Angels But since it is an inestimable good that Saints are borne in the world that they are crowned with glory and honour in heauen and that they are ascribed into the number of Angels thereupon the fruitfulnesse of Parents is more blessed and their meeting holier So then it is better for them to haue begotten such children then not to haue begotten them and to haue brought forth such fruit of mariage then to haue beene continent or Virgins without fruit Although it is good for some to be continent or virgins namely for them whom God eternally willed and preordained to be so created in the world that they should remaine either in Continence or Virginity For as he hath eternally willed and fore-ordained that some should be so created in the world as that they should yeeld the fruit of mariage and beget children so also hath he willed and from eternity fore-ordained some to be so created that they should continue in Continencie or Virginity And as those other yeeld their seruice to the will and preordination of God in the creation of children so these also serue the will and preordination of God in conseruing their continence and virginity and hereupon is both the fruitfulnesse of the one and the Virginity of the other good and laudable which if it did not yeeld seruiceâ— the will and preordination of God would be neither good nor laudable For whatsoeuer is contrary to the wil and preordination of God is neither good nor laudable If therefore God willed and predestinated some to be Virgins others to yeeld the fruit of mariage for if all were virgins no Saint that now is or shall bee borne should either bee now or hereafter borne in the world neither should those virgins be at all because they should not be borne for of the fruitfulnesse of the one arises the others virginity therefore is fruitfulnesse a great good from which holy virginity hath proceeded now that there should be some virgins and others that should beare the fruits of mariage the word which God soweth in their hearts teacheth vs. For in the hearts of some he soweth the word of good fruitfulnesse yeelding the encrease of mariage and in the hearts of others he sowes the word of virginity Those then in whom hee sowes the the word of virginity they desire to keepe virginity but those in whom hee sowes the word of mariage they desire to yeeld the fruit of mariage WHERETO I WILL ADDE FOR Conclusion the wise and ingenuous iudgement of Erasmus Roterodamus The rather because it pleased my Refuter to lay this worthy Author in our dish Jn his Epistle to Christopher Bishop of Basil Habetur Tomo nono Op. Eras pag. 982. concerning humane Constitutions Thus he writes Nam in totum quae sunt humani iuris quemadmodum in morbis remedia c. FOr those things which are
men and better betwixt good qualities and infirmities Why hath God giuen me education not in a Desart alone but in the company of good and vertuous men but that by the sight of their good carriage I should better my owne Why should we haue interest in the vices of men and not in their vertues And although precepts be surer yet a good mans action is according to precept yea is a precept it selfe The Psalmist compared the Law of God to a Lanterne good example beares it It is safe following him that carries the light If he walke without the light he shall walke without me 66 As there is one common end to all good men saluation and one author of it Christ so there is but one way to it doing well and suffering euill Doing well me thinks is like the Zodiacke in the heauen the hie way of the Sunne thorow which it daily passeth Suffering euill is like the Eclipticke line that goes thorow the middest of it The rule of doing well the Law of God is vniforme and eternall and the copies of suffering euill in all times agree with the originall No man can either do well or suffer ill without an example Are we sawne in peeces so was Esay Are we beheaded so Iohn Baptist Crucified so Peter Throwne to wilde beasts so Daniel Into the furnace so the three children Stoned so Steuen Banished so the beloued Disciple Burnt so millions of Martyrs Defamed and slandered what good man euer was not It were easie to be endlesse both in torments and sufferers whereof each hath begun to other all to vs. I may not hope to speed better than the best Christians I cannot feare to fare worse It is no matter which way I goe so I come to heauen 67 There is nothing beside life of this nature that it is diminished by addition Euery moment we liue longer than other and each moment that we liue longer is so much taken out of our life It increaseth and diminisheth onely by minutes and therefore is not perceiued the shorter steps it taketh the more slily it passeth Time shall not so steale vpon me that I shall not discerne it and catch it by the fore-lockes nor so steale from me that it shall carry with it no witnesse of his passage in my proficiency 68 The prodigall man while he spendeth is magnified when he is spent is pitied and that is all his recompence for his lauisht Patrimonie The couetous man is grudged while he liues and his death is reioyced at for when he ends his riches begin to bee goods He that wisely keepes the meane betweene both liueth well and heares well neither repined at by the needy nor pittied by greater men I would so manage these worldly commodities as accounting them mine to dispose others to partake of 69 A good name if any earthly thing is worth seeking worth striuing for yet to affect a bare name when we deserue either ill or nothing is but a proud hypocrisie and to be puffed vp with the wrongfull estimation of others mistaking our worth is an idle and ridiculous pride Thou art well spoken of vpon no desert what then Thou hast deceiued thy neighbours they one another and all of them haue deceiued thee for thou madest them thinke of thee otherwise than thou art and they haue made thee thinke of thy selfe as thou art accounted the deceit came from thee the shame will end in thee I will account no wrong greater than for a man to esteeme and report me aboue that I am not reioicing in that I am well thought of but in that I am such as I am esteemed 70 It was a speech worthy the commendation and frequent remembrance of so diuine a Bishop as Augustine which is reported of an aged Father in his time who when his friends comforted him on his sicke bed and told him they hoped hee should recouer answered If I shall not die at all well but if euer why not now Surely it is folly what we must doe to doe vnwillingly I will neuer thinke my soule in a good case so long as I am loth to thinke of dying and will make this my comfort Not I shall yet liue longer but I shall yet doe more good 71 Excesses are neuer alone Commonly those that haue excellent parts haue some extremely vicious qualities great wits haue great errours and great estates haue great cares whereas mediocritie of gifts or of estate hath vsually but easie inconueniences else the excellent would not know themselues and the meane would bee too much deiected Now those whom we admire for their faculties we pittie for their infirmities and those which finde themselues but of the ordinarie pitch ioy that as their vertues so their vices are not eminent So the highest haue a blemished glory and the meane are contentedly secure I will magnifie the highest but affect the meane 72 The body is the case or sheath of the minde yet as naturally it hideth it so it doth also many times discouer it For although the forehead eyes and frame of the countenance doe sometime belie the disposition of the heart yet most commonly they giue true generall verdicts An angry mans browes are bent together and his eies sparkle with rage which when he is well pleased looke smooth and cheerefully Enuie hath one looke desire another sorrow yet another contentment a fourth different from all the rest To shew no passion is too Stoicall to shew all is impotent to shew other than we feele hypocriticall The face and gesture doe but write and make commentaries vpon the heart I will first endeuour so to frame and order that as not to entertaine any passion but what I need not care to haue laid open to the world and therefore will first see that the Text be good then that the glosse bee true and lastly that it be sparing To what end hath God so walled-in the heart if I should let euery mans eies into it by my countenance 73 There is no publike action which the world is not ready to scan there is no action so priuate which the euill spirits are not witnesses of I will endeuour so to liue as knowing that I am euer in the eies of mine enemies 74 When we our selues and all other vices are old then couetousnesse alone is young and at his best age This vice loues to dwell in an old ruinous cotage yet that age can haue no such honest colour for niggardlinesse and insatiable desire A young man might plead the vncertaintie of his estate and doubt of his future need but an old man sees his set period before him Since this humour is so necessarily annexed to this age I will turne it the right way and nourish it in my selfe The older I grow the more couetous I will be but of the riches not of the world I am leauing but of the world I am entring into It is good coueting what I may haue and cannot leaue behinde mee 75
Redeemer If thou die not if not willingly thou goest contrary to him and shalt neuer meet him Si per singules diâ—s pro â—o moreremur qui nos dlexit non sic debitum exolueremus Chrys Though thou shouldest euery day die a death for him thou couldest neuer requite his one death and doest thou sticke at one Euery word hath his force both to him and thee he died which is Lord of life and commander of death thou art but a tenant of life a subiect of death and yet it was not a dying but a giuing vp not of a vanishing and airy breath but of a spirituall soule which after separation hath an entire life in it selfe Hee gaue vp the Ghost hee died that hath both ouercome and sanctified and sweetned death What fearest thou Hee hath pull'd out the sting and malignity of death If thou bee a Christian carry it in thy bosome it hurts thee not Darest thou not trust thy Redeemer If hee had not died Death had beene a Tyrant now hee is a slaue O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victory Yet the Spirit of God saith not hee died but gaue vp the ghost The very Heathen Poet saith Hee durst not say that a good man dies It is worth the noting me thinkes that when Saint Luke would describe to vs the death of Annanias and Sapphirâ— hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee expired but when Saint Iohn would describe Christs death hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gaue vp the ghost How How gaue he it vp and whither So as after a sort he retained it his soule parted from his body his Godhead was neuer distracted either from soule or body this vnion is not in nature but in person If the natures of Christ could be diuided each would haue his subsistence so there should be more persons God forbid one of the natures thereof may haue a separation in it selfe the soule from the body one nature cannot bee separate from other or either nature from the person If you cannot conceiue wonder the Sonne of God hath wedded vnto himselfe our humanity without all possibility of diuorce the body hangs on the Crosse the soule is yeelded the Godhead is 〈◊〉 vnited to them both acknowledges sustaines them both The soule in his agony foules not the presence of the Godhead the body vpon the Crosse â—â—â—les not the presence of the soule Yet as the Fathers of Chalcedon say truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indiuisibly inseparably is the Godhead with both of these still and euer one and the same person The Passion of Christ as Augustine was the sleepe of his Diuinity so I may say The death of Christ was the sleepe of his humanitie If hee sleepe hee shall doe well said that Disciple of Lazarus Death was too weake to dissolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction Let not vs Christians goe too much by sense wee may bee firmely knit to God and not feele it thou canst not hope to be so neere thy God as Christ was vnited personally thou canst not feare that God should seeme more absent from thee Quantumcunque te dâ—ieceris haâ—iâ—ior non eris Christo Hieron than he did from his own Son yet was he still one with both body and soule when they were diuided from themselues when he was absent to sense he was present to faith when absent in vision yet in vnion one and the same so will he be to thy soule when hee is at worst Hee is thine and thou are his if thy hold seeme loosened his is not When temptations will not let thee see him he sees thee and possesses thee onely beleeue thou against sense aboue hope and though he kill thee yet trust in him Whither gaue he it vp Himselfe expresses Father into thy hands And This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise It is iustice to restore whence wee receiue Into thy hands Hee knew where it should be both safe and happy True he might bee bold thou sayest as the Sonne with the Father The seruants haue done so Dauid before him Stephen after him And lest we should not thinke it our common right Father saith hee I will that those thou hast giuen mee may bee with mee euen where I am he wils it therefore it must bee It is not presumption but faith to charge God with thy spirit neither can there euer be any beleeuing soule so meane that he should refuse it all the feare is in thy selfe how canst thou trust thy iewell with a stranger What sudden familiarity is this God hath beene with thee and gone by thee thou hast not saluted him and now in all the haste thou bequeathest thy soule to him On what acquaintance How desperate is this carelesnesse If thou haue but a little money whether thou keepe it thou layest it vp in thy Temple of trust or whether thou let it thou art sure of good assurance sound bonds If but a little land how carefully doest thou make firme conueiances to thy desired heires If goods thy Will hath taken secure order who shall enioy them Wee need not teach you Citizens to make sure worke for your estates If children thou disposest of them in trades with portions onely of thy soule which is thy selfe thou knowest not what shall become The world must haue it no more thy selfe wouldest keepe it but thou knowest thou canst not Sathan would haue it thou knowest not whether he shall thou wouldest haue God haue it and thou knowest not whether he will yea thy heart is now ready with Pharaoh to say Who is the Lord O the fearefull and miserable estate of that man that must part with his soule he knowes not whither which if thou wouldest auoid as this very warning shall iudge thee if thou doe not be acquainted with God in thy life that thou mayest make him the Guardian of thy soule in thy death Giuen vp it must needs be but to him that hath gouerned it if thou haue giuen it to Sathan in thy life how canst thou hope God will in thy death entertaine it Did you not hate me and expell mee out of my fathers house how then come yee to mee now in this time of your tribulation said Iephta to the men of Gilead No no either giue vp thy soule to God while he cals for it in his word in the prouocations of his loue in his afflictions in the holy motion of his spirit to thine or else when thou wouldest giue it he will none of it but as a Iudge to deliuer it to the Tormentor What should God doe with an vncleane drunken prophane proud couetous soule Without holinesse it is no seeing of God Depart from me ye wicked I know ye not Goe to the gods you haue serued See how God is euen with men they had in the time of the Gospell said to the holy name of Israel Depart from vs now in the time of iudgement he
how excellent were her Masculine graces of learning valour wisdome by which shee might iustly challenge to bee the Queene of men So learned was shee that shee could giue present answers to Embassadors in their owne tongues or if they listed to borrow of their neighbours shee paid them in that they borrowed So valiant that her name like Ziscaes drum made the proudest Romanists to quake So wise Didymus veridicus that whatsoeuer fell out happily against the common Aduersaries in FRANCE NETHERLANDS IRELAND it was by themselues ascribed to her policie What should I speake of her long and successefull gouernment of her miraculous preseruations of her famous victories wherein the waters O nimâ—uÌ„ dilecta Deo cui militat aether coniurati veniunt ad classica venti Claud. Pro. 13.29 winds fire and earth fought for vs as if they had beene in pay vnder Her of Her excellent lawes of Her carefull executions Many daughters haue done worthily but thou furmountest them all Such was the sweetnesse of her gouernment and such the feare of miserie in her losse that many worthie Christians desired their eyes might bee closed before Hers and how many thousands therefore welcomed their owne death because it preuented Hers Euerie one pointed to her white haires and said with that peaceable Leontius Soz. l. 3. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dolm. p. 1. p. 2 6. p. 2. p. 117. When this snow melts there will be a floud Neuer day except alwaies the fift of Nouember was like to bee so bloudie as this not for any doubt of Title which neuer any loyall heart could question nor any disloyall euer did besides Dolman but for that our Esauites comforted themselues against vs and said The day of mourning for our mother will come shortly then will wee slay our brethren What should I say more Lots were cast vpon our Land and that honest Politician which wanted nothing but a gibbet to haue made him a Saint Father Parsons tooke paines to set downe an order how all English affaires should be marshalled when they should come to bee theirs Consider now the great things that the Lord hath done for vs. Behold this day which should haue beene most dismall to the whole Christian world he turned to the most happie day that euer shone forth to this ILAND That now wee may iustly insult with those Christians of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. 3.15 Where are your prophesies O yee fond Papists Our snow lies here melted where are those flouds of bloud that you threatned Yea as that blessed soule of Hers gained by this change of an immortall crowne for a corruptible so blessed be the name of our God this Land of ours hath not lost by that losse Many thinke that this euening the world had his beginning Surely a new and golden world began this day to vs and which it could not haue done by her loynes promises continuance if our sinnes interrupt it not to our posterities I would the flatterie of a Prince were treason in effect it is so for the flatterer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kinde murtherer I would it were so in punishment If I were to speake before my Soueraigne King and Master I would praise God for him not praise him to himselfe Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 4. A Preacher in CONSTANTINES time saith Eusebius ausus est Imperatorem in os beatum dicere presumed to call CONSTANTINE an happy Emperour to his face but he went away with a checke such speed may any Parasite haue which shall speake as if he would make Princes proud and not thankfull A small praise to the face may be adulation though it be within bounds a great praise in absence may be but iustice If we see not the worth of our King how shall we be thankfull to God that gaue him Giue me leaue therefore freely to bring forth the Lords Anointed before you 1 Sam. 10.24 and to say with SAMVEL See you him whom the Lord hath chosen Euagr. l. 5. c. 21. As it was a great presage of happinesse to Mauritius the Emperour that an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a familiar Deuill remouing him from place to place in his swathing bands yet had no power to hurt him So that those early conspiracies wherewith Satan assaulted the very cradle of our deare Soueraigne preuailed not it was a iust bodement of his future greatnesse and beneficiall vse to the world And hee that gaue him life a 〈◊〉 Crowne together and miraculously preserued them both gaue him graces fit for his Deputie on earth to weild that Crowne and improue that life to the behoofe of Christendome Let mee begin with that which the Heathen man required to the happinesse of any State his learning and knowledge wherein I may safely say he exceedeth all his 105 Predecessors Our Conqueror King William as our Chronicler reports by a blunt prouerbe that he was wont to vse against vnlearned Princes Malmesbur made his sonne Henry a Beauclearc to those times But a candle in the darke will make more show than a bonefire by day In these dayes so lightsome for knowledge to excell euen for a professed student is hard and rare Neuer had England more learned Bishops and Doctors which of them euer returned from his Maiesties discourse without admiration What King christned hath written so learned volumes To omit the rest his last of this kind wherein he hath so held vp Cardinall Bellarmine and his Master Pope Paulus is such that Plessis and Mouline the two great lights of France professe to receiue their light in this discourse from his beames and the learned Iesuite Salkeild could not but be conuerted with the necessitie of those demonstrations and I may boldly say Poperic since it was neuer receiued so deepe a wound from any worke as from that of His. What King euer moderated the solemne acts of an Vniuersitie in all professions and had so many hands clapt in the applause of his acute and learned determinations Briefely such is his intire acquaintance with all sciences and with the Queene of all Diuinitie that he might well dispute with the infallible Pope Paulus Quintus for his triple Crowne and I would all Christian quarrels lay vpon this duell His iustice in gouerning matcheth his knowledge how to gouerne for as one that knowes the Common-wealth cannot bee vnhappy wherein according to the wise Heathens rule law is a Queene and will a subiect Plato He hath euer endeuoured to frame the proceedings of his gouernment to the lawes not the lawes to them Witnesse that memorable example whereof your eyes were witnesses I meane the vnpartiall execution of one of the ancientest Barons of those parts for the murder of a meane subiect Wherein not the fauour of the blocke might be yeelded that the dishonour of the death might bee no lesse than the paine of the death Yet who will not grant his
intrude thus into the throne of your Maker Consider and conferre seriously What faith is it that is thus necessarily required to each member in this Constitution Your owne Doctor shall define it Faith required to the receiuing in of members is the knowledge of the Doctrine of saluation by Christ 1 Cor. 12.9 Gal. 3.2 Now I beseech you in the feare of God lay by a while all vnchristian preiudice and peremptory verdicts of those soules which cost Christ as much bloud as your owne and tell me ingenuously whether you dare say that not onely your Christian brethren with whom you lately conuersed but euen your fore-fathers which liued vnder Queene Elizabeths first confused reformation knew not the doctrine of saluation by Christ if you say they did not your rash iudgement shall be punished fearefully by him whose office you vsurpe As you looke to answer before him that would not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax presume not thus aboue men and Angels If they did then had they sufficient claime both to true Constitution and Church But this faith must be testified by obedience so it was If you thinke not so yours is not testified by loue both were weake both were true Weaknesse in any grace or worke takes not away truth Their sinnes of ignorance could no more disanull Gods couenant with them than multiplicity of wiues with the Patriarchs SECT IX Order 2. Part of Constitution how farre requisite and whether hindered by constraint D. Allis against the Descript Confess of the Brownists Brow State of true Christians Inquire into M. White Ans ibid. Arist Pol. 3. c. 1. WHat wanted they then Nothing but Order and not all Order but yours Order a thing requisite and excellent but let the world iudge whether essentiall Consider now I beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesus whether this be a matter for which heauen and earth should be mixed whether for want of your Order all the world must be put out of all Order and the Church out of life and being Nothing say we can be more disorderly than the confusion of your Democracie or popular state if not Anarchie Where all in a sort ordaine and excommunicate We condemne you not for no true members of the Church what can be more orderlesse by your owne confessions than the Trine-vne Church at Amsterdam which yet you grant but faulty If there be disproportion and dislocation of some parts is it no true humane body will you rise from the feast vnlesse the dishes be set on in your owne fashion Is it no Citie if there bee mudwalles halfe broken low Cottages vnequally built no State-house But your order hath more essence than you can expresse and is the same which Polititians in their trade call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorporating into one common ciuill body by a voluntary vnion and that vnder a lawfull gouernment Our Church wants both wherein there is both constraint and false office Take your owne resemblance and your owne asking Say that some Tyrant as Basilius of Ruffâ—â— shall forcibly compell a certaine number of Subiects into Mosco and shall hold them in by an awfull Garrison forcing them to new lawes and Magistrates perhaps hard and bloudy They yeeld and making the best of all liue together in a cheerefull communion with due commerce louing conuersation submissiue execution of the enioyned lawes In such case Whether is Mosco a true Cittie or not Since your Doctor cites Aristotle Arist Pol. 3 c. 1. Edesius Frumentius pueri à Meropio Tyrio Philosopho in Indiam dâ—portati postca ibi Christianam religionem plantarunt Ruffâ—n l. 1. c. 9. Foemina inter Iberâ—s let it not irke him to learne of that Philosopher who can teach him that when Calisthenes had driuen out the Tyrant from Athens and set vp a new Gouernment and receiued many strangers and bondmen into the Tribes it was doubted not which of them were Citizens but whether they were made Citizens vniustly If you should finde a company of true Christians in vtmost India would you stand vpon termes and enquire how they became so Whiles they haue what is necessary for that heauenly profession what need your curiosity trouble it selfe with the meanes SECT X. Constraint requisite 2 Chr. 33.16 2 Chr. 34.32 33. 2 Chr. 15.13 Barr. against Gyff Brow Reformation without tarrying Greenewood Conference with Cooper Browne Reformation without tarrying Conference with Doctor Andr. Master Hutch Conference with D. Andr. Reformation without tarrying Ber. Fides suadenda non cogenda Counterpoyson Dixit Pater familias seruis Quoscunque inueneritis cogite intrare c. Aug. Epist 48. Pless de Eccles c. 10. Aug. Quod si â—ogip riegem aliquem vel ad bona sicuisset vos ipsi miseri à nobis ad fidem purissimam cogi deluistis sed absit à nostra conscientia vt ad fidem nostram aliquem cogamus Aug. Epist 48. 68. Qui phreneticum ligat qui letharg excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat Ibid. Clâ—mant Neminem ad vnitatem cogendum quid hoc aliud quam quod de vobis quidam Quod volumus sanctum est YOu see then what an idle plea constraint is in the constitution of a Citie the ground of all your exception But it is otherwise in Gods citie the Church why then doth his Doctorship parallel these two And why may not euen constraint it selfe haue place in the lawfull constitution or reformation of a Church Did not Manasses after his comming home to God charge and command Iuda to serue the Lord God of Israel Did not worthy Iosiah when he had made a couenant before the Lord cause all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to it and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God What haue Queene Elizabeth or King Iames done more Or what other Did not Asa vpon Obeds prophesie gather both Iuda and Beniamin and all the strangers from Ephraim Manasses and Simeon and enact with them that whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God should bee slaine What meanes this peruersenesse You that teach we may not stay Princes leisure to reforme will you not allow Princes to vrge others to reforme What crime is this that men were not suffered to bee open Idolaters that they were forced to yeeld submission to Gods ordinances Euen your owne teach that Magistrates may compell Infidels to heare the doctrine of the Church and Papists you say elsewhere though too roughly are Infidels But you say not to be members of the Church Gods people are of the willing sort True Neither did they compell them to this They were before entred into the visible Church by true Baptisme though miserably corrupted They were not now initiated but purged Your subtill Doctor can tell vs from Bernard that faith is to be perswaded not to bee compelled yet let him remember that the guests must be compelled to come in though
soule in death the same day The same day was Q. Elizabeths Initium Regni her Coronation Ianuary 15 following That leasure enough might be taken in these great affaires the See of Canterbury continued void aboue a yeare At last in the second yeare of Q. Elizabeth 1559 December 17 was Matthew Parker legally consecrated Archb. of Canterbury by foure Bishops William Barlow formerly Bishop of Bathe then elect of Chichester Iohn Scory before of Chichester now elect of Hereford Miles Couerdale Bishop of Exeter Iohn Hodgeskins Suffragan of Bedford Mathew Parker thus irrefragably setled in the Archiepiscopall See with three other Bishops in the same Moneth of December solemnely consecrated Edmund Grindall and Edwin Sands The publike Records are euident and particular relating the Time Sunday morning after Prayers The place Lambeth-Chappell The manner Imposition of hands The consecrators Mathew Cant. William Chichester Iohn Hereford Iohn Bedford The Preacher at the Consecration Alexander Nowell afterwards the worthy Deane of Pauls The Text Take heed to your selves and to all the flocke c. The Communion lastly administred by the Archbishop For Bishop Iewel he was consecrated the Moneth following in the same forme by Mathew Cant. Edmund London Richard Ely Iohn Bedford Lastly for Bishop Horne he was consecrated a whole yeare after this by Mathew Cant. Thomas S. Dauids Edmund London Thomas Couentry and Lichfield The circumstances Time Place Form Preacher Text seuerally recorded The particulars whereof I referre to the faithfull and cleare relation of Master Francis Mason whose learned and full discourse of this subiect might haue satisfied all eyes and stopped all mouthes What incredible impudency is this then for those which pretend not Christianitie onely but the Consecration of God wilfully to raise such shamefull slanders from the pit of Hell to the disgrace of Truth to the disparagement of our holy calling Let me therefore challenge my Detector in this so important a point wherein his zeale hath so farre out-run his wit and with him all the Brats of that proud Harlot that no Church vnder Heauen can shew a more cleere eeuen vncontrolable vntroubled line of the iust succession of her Sacred Orders then this of ours if his Rome for her tyrannous Primacie could bring forth but such Cards the world vvould bee too straight for her He shall maugre be forced to confesse that either there were neuer true Orders in the Church of England which he dares not say or else that they are still Ours The Bishops in the time of King Henry the eight were vndoubted If they left Rome in some corrected opinions their Character was yet by confession a a Quis ignorat Cathol c. similiter Ordinatos verè esse Ordinatos quando Ordinator verè Episcopus fuerat adhuc erat saltem quantum ad characterem Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 10. indeleble They laid their hands according to Ecclesiasticall constitution vpon the Bishops in King Edwards dayes And they both vpon the Bishops in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths They againe vpon the succeeding Inheritors of their holy Sees and they lastly vpon vs so as neuer man could shew a more certaine and exquisite Pedigree from his great Grand-father then wee can from the acknowledged Bishops of King Henries time and thence vpwards to hundreds of Generations I confesse indeed our Archbishops and Bishops haue wanted some Aaronicall accustrements Gloues Rings Sandals Miters and Pall and such other trash and our inferiours Orders haue wanted Gâ—eazing and Shauing and some other pelting Ceremonies But let C. E. proue these essentiall which we want or those Acts and Formes not essentiall vvhich we haue Et Phyllida solus habeto In the meane time the Church of England is blessed with a true Clergy and glorious and such a one as his Italian generation may impotently enuy and snarle at shall neuer presume to compete vvith in worthinesse and honour And as Doctor Taylor that couragious Martyr said at his parting Blessed bee God for holy Matrimonie SECT XVIII MY Cauiller purposely mistakes my rule of Basil the Great Refut p. 90. 91. and my Text of the Great Apostle whiles from both I resolue thus I passe not what I heare Men or Angels say while I heare God say Let him be the Husband of one Wife he wil needs so construe it as if I tooke this of S. Pauls for a command not for an allowance As if I meant to imply from hence that euery Bishop is bound to haue a Wife Who is so blind as the wilfull Their Leo b b Leo ep 87. abaâ— 85. Tam sacra semper est habita ista Praeceptio calls these words a Preception I did not If hee knew any thing he could not be ignorant that this sense is against the streame of our Church and no lesse then a Grecian errour Who knowes not the extreames of Greece and Rome and the Track of Truth betwixt them both The Greeke Church saith Hee cannot be in holy Orders that is not maried The Romish Church saith He cannot bee in holy Orders that is maried The Church Reformed sayes Hee may bee in holy Orders that is maried and conuertibly Some good friends vvould needs fetch vs into this idle Grecisme and to the societie of the old Frisons c c Espenc lib. 1. de Contin c. 1. and if Saint Ierome take it aright of Vigilantius Espencaeus and Bellarmine and our Rhemists free vs. There is no lesse difference betwixt them and vs then betwixt May and Must Libertie and Necessitie If then Let him be the Husband of one Wife argue that a Bishop may bee a maried man I haue vvhat I would and passe not for the contrarie from Men and Angels We willingly grant vvith Luther that this charge is negatiue Refut p. 91 92. Non velut sanciens dicit saith Chrysostome But this negatiue charge implyes an affirmatiue allowance we seeke for no more As for the authorities which my Detector hath borrowed of his Vncles of Rhemes they might haue beene well spared He tels vs Saint Ierom sayes Qui vâ—am habuerit non habeat He who hath had one Wife not hee that hath one I tell him Saint Paul saith d d Tit. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man be the Husband of one Wife not If hee haue beene Let e e Chrysost in 1. Tit. homil 2. Saint Chrysostome therein answer Hierome and Epiphanius and all other pretended opposites Obstruere prorsus intendit haereticorum era qui nuptias damnaâ—t c. He purpos'd in this to stop the mouthes of Heretikes that condemned mariage shewing that that estate is faultlesse yea so precious that with it a man might bee aduanced to the holy Episcopall Chaire Thus he whom their learned f f Esp vbi supra Bishop Espencaeus seconds and by the true force of the Text cleareth this sense against all contradiction Nec enim Paulini de Episcopis c. For
26. Chapters and for things which are not found in him As if the man had desperately sworne to write nothing but false Trust not me Reader Trust thine â—â—â—e eyes Thou shalt finde that Booke of h h Vid Et. sch Eaiâ— Basil Anno 1587. Eusebius to haue one and thirty Chapters and in the cited place thou shalt duly finde the History of Domnus Whose patience would not this impudency moue If I reckoned not examples enow or such as he likes not as vniustly seeming litigious there is choice enough of more Tertullian Prosper Hilary Eupsychus Polycrates and his seuen Ancestors to which let him adde 24 Diocesses at once in Germanie France Spaine Anno 1057 of maried Clergie-men recorded by their own i i For Act. Mon. in buâ— quaest Gebuilerus and make vp his mouth with that honest confession of Auentine k k Auent hist Boior l. 5. Their Wiues called praesbyterissa ibid. c. honesto vocabulo as he there speakes Sacerdotes illa tempestate publicè vxores sicut caeteri Christiani habebant filios procreabant Priests in those dayes publikely had wiues as other Christians had and begat children which the old Verse if he had rather expresses in almost the same termes Quodam Praesbyteri poterant vxoribus vti which his Mantuan hath yet spun in a finer thred as we shall shew in this Section What l l Hodie apud Graecos Sacerdotes post susceptum ordinem ducere vxorem sed vnicam ac virginem à Graecis didici Proposit Er asmicorum censur cum declaratione c. de caâ—â—ibaetu danger is there now therefore either of the breach of my promise to my worthy friend Master Doctor Whiting or of my diuorce or of his victory If the man and his modesty had not been long since parted these idle crackes had neuer beene But whereas this mighty Champion challeges mee with great insultation in many passages of his brauing discourse to name but one Bishop or Priest of note which after holy Orders conuersed coniugally with his Wife without the scandall of the Church branding such if any were for infamous and daring to pawne his cause vpon this tryall I doe here accept his offer and am ready to produce him such an Example as if all the Iesuites heads in the world stood vpon his shoulders Tu vero si quid minus per aetatem in hymnâ— Epistola intelligis His children hurt him not not his Wife lawfully conioyned in Wedlocke in those dayes God misâ—â—â—d 〈◊〉 the Mariage bed nor the cradle 〈◊〉 they could not tell how to wrangle against I doe not vrge to him that Prosper of Aquitane a Bishop and a Saint whose Verses to his Wife are famous and imply their inseparable conuersation Age iam precor mearum Cornes irremot a rerum c. Nor yet the fore-named Hilary Bishop of Poitlers who in his old age if that Epistle be worthy of any credit writing to his Daughter confesses her yeares so few that through the incapacitie of her age shee might perhaps not vnderstand the Hymne or Epistle of whom the honest Carmelite Mantuanus could ingenously confesse Non nocuit tibi progenies non obstitit vxor Legitimo coniunct a thoro Non horruit illa Tempestate Deus thalamos cunabula taedâ—â— Nor Bishop Simplictus of whom m m Sidon Apol. Conc. adâ—unct Cp. 9. l. 7. Sidonius giues this praise that his Parents were eminent either in Cathedris or Tribunalibus and that his Pedigree was famous either Episcopis or Praefectis and for his wife that she was of the Stock of the Palludii qui aut literarum aut altarium cathedras cum sui ordinis laude tenuerunt of whom also Sidonius can say she did respondere Sacerdotiis vtriusque familiae answer the Priesthoodâ— of either Family Nor Alcimus n n Alcim Auit Vien Gal. Arch. l. ad sororem circa An. 492. Auitus the French Archbishop who writing to his Sister of her Parentage hath thus Stemma Parentum I will not deare Sister make report of the Pedegree of thy great Grandsâ—â—â—eâ— c. 〈…〉 renowâ—ed life of Priests made famous to the World Quos licet antiquo mundus donârit honore Et titulis à primaeuo insigniuerit ortu Plus tamen ornantur sacris insignibus illi c. Nec jam atauos soror alma tibi proanosque retexam Vita Sacerdotum quos reddidit inclyta claros Nor Paulinus Bishop of Nola in Campania to whom Ausonius writes Tanequil tua nesciat istud And Formidatamque iugatam objicis c. These and such like might suffice reasonable men but since wee haue to doe vvith those Aduersaries whom S. Paul cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who if we vrge hundreds of such euident examples turne vs off with bold shifts and will needs put vs to proue those acts which seeke secrecie Let him and all his complices whet their wits vpon that cleare and irrefragable place of Gregory Nazianzen a man beyond all exception who brings in his Father Gregory whom the world knowes to haue beene Bishop of the same See speaking thus of him Greg. Naz. Car. de vita sua Edit Marel Parâ— To. 2. p. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nondum tot anni sunt tui quot jam in sacris mihi sunt peracti victimis c. That is The yeares of thy age are not so many as of my Priesthood Words that will conuince the most importunate gain-sayer that Greg. Nazianzen was borne to his worthy father after the time of his holy Orders And lest any man should suspect that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nondum may reach onely to the birth not to the begetting of Gregory Nazianzen so as perhaps he might be borne after his Fathers Orders begotten before them Let him know to make all sure and plaine that Gorgonia and Caesarius the sister and brother of this Gregory were by the same father begotten afterwards as is euident both by that Verse of Nazianzen who speaking of his mother as then childlesse when she begged him of God sayes Ibid. de vita sua c. Iamâ— Cupiebat illa masculum foetum domi Spectare magna vt pars cupit mortalium Elias Cretens In Orat. Greg. Naz. 19. And the cleare Testimonie of Elias Cretensis Quamvis enim si natiuitatem spectes c. Although saith he if you regard his birth he was not the onely child of his Parents forasmuch as after him both Gorgonia and Caesarius were borne Thus he O infamous Gregories the scum of the Clergie O irregular Father that durst defile his sacred function with so carnall an act O shamelesse sonne that blushes not to proclaime his owne sinfull generation Goe now petulant Refuter and see whether you can either yeeld or answer As for that glorious shew of Antiquity where with C. E. hopes to bleare his Readers eyes gracing himselfe herein
or which had continued in the succession of this custome of mariage still maintaining the lawfulnesse and vse of it inuiolable So then in summe This he hath gained which I am ready euer to auow The ancientest Councels are against him The later are against vs and God with vs against them of which we haue learned e e Gnapheut Orat. in defens Io Pistorii Woe to you rebellious Children that you should hold your Councel and not of me Priuata decreta to say Va vobis filii desertores vt faceretis Concilium non ex me And if his Mistris of Rome haue elsewhere found vassals it followes not that we may not be free Yea it is more then manifest by those euidences we haue already produced from their own records that notwithstanding this cogged number of his prouinciall Synods and Priuate decrees as Volusian termes them all the time of the first seuen hundred yeares the freedome of this practice continued in many parts of the Christian world Insomuch as amongst the rest the Church of Armenia for the time of the yeares mentioned vpheld a Tradition f f Concil Constant 6 Can. 33. Quoniam Cognouimus in Armenionum regiore eos solum in Cleri Ordinem referri qui sunt ex genere Sacerdotaâ—i not to admit of any Clergy-man but those which descended ex genere Sacerdotali descended from Priests Witnesse the Fathers of Constantinople in their three and thirtieth Canon Where my Detector should doe well to inquire what Balsamons Clerici Chryso-bullati meanes Sure I am that this example sufficiently proues the practicall libertie of those Churches in the questioned limits of the seuen first Centuries To which wee may adde the Church of Bulgaria out of his g g Dist 28. Gratian The Church of Germany out of h h Annal. â—oyorum supra Auentine The Church of Ireland out of i i Vita S. Malach. Lib. Synod Wigoâ—n Eccles Canon Conâ—il Hybern sub Patricio Auxilio Isernino Quicunque Clericus ab ostiario vsque ad Sacerdotem sine tunica visâ—â— fuerit c. vxor eius sine velato capite â—â—bulauerit pariter à laicis contemnantur c. Matth. Park Def. of Pr. Mar. Refut p. 235. Bernard who confesses the Episcopall See of Armach to haue been furnished with a lineall descent of Bishops for eight generations before the time of his Malachias which vvere still both vxorati and literati How those men were Bishops and yet sine ordinibus is a Riddle which I confesse I cannot a read Perhaps they were without Romane Orders but if they were not Clerkes after the then Irish fashion what needed they be Literati that they might be Bishops The Church of our Britaine as we shall see in the Processe and others These are more then enough to let the World see this restraint for all this pretence of Prouinciall and partiall Councels neuer vniuersally obtained SECT XVII YEt the man hauing vnmercifully crusht mee in pieces with this empty bladder of windie and worthlesse authoritie crowes ouer me thus in conclusion And truely to me he seemeth not to be more mad then blind for otherwise hee would neuer haue proclaimed this freedome of seuen hundred yeares seeing the very forme of words vsed by his câ—ne sacred Councell doth so strongly withstand his fond collection For there it is decreed Qui sunt in sacris c. We will that the mariages of such as be in holy Orders from this time forward be firme and valid For in case this freedome had beene common before why did they say Deinceps from this time forward Thus he Wherein I would his superiours did but see how kindly he buffets himselfe For if this be the force of Deinceps or A modo I thus argue against him He hath pleaded before From this time forward that neither this nor any other Church euer allowed nor euer practised the celebration of mariage after Ordination Now if he turne to the sixth Canon of this councell of Constantinople hee shall finde Decernimus vt nulli deinceps hypodiacono c. We decree that from hence forward no Sub-Deacon Deacon or Priest may marry after his Ordination Therefore by the force of his inference before this time for almost seuen hundred yeares this was commonly practised And now to answer my Refuters Deinceps If his wit had been any way matchable with his malice he might haue seene that this Deinceps had relation to the Roman Church not to the Greeke For if he know not this Synod meant to prescribe Lawes to his Mistresse and to correct that their iniurious Tradition of restraint and to inlarge this libertie through all the Territories of the Vniuersal Church For this purpose is the Deinceps of the Constantinopolitane Fathers who well knew how much it needed in the Westerne Church which had inthralled their Clergie in the bondage of that vnlawfull prohibition So as the Refuter whiles hee playes vpon vpon my want of Logicke in not descrying the dangerous necessitie of this inference vpon me plainely bewrayes his owne want of braines in not descrying the folly of his obiection Refut p. 236. and where he tels me like a dull Iester That all the Wals and Windowes from the Hall to the Kitchin may mourne to see an Vniuersitie-man haue so little wit I must tell him that all the Doores of Doway may leape off their hindges to see their Champion so childishly absurd Refut p. 237. Now then to answer his idle Epilogue if it appeare that his owne Pope and Canonist and the receiued Histories of the Church and the examples of seuerall Nations and persons acknowledge this ancient liberty both in the Easterne and some Westerne Churches de facto And Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles the ancient Councels with this fixt of Constantinople approue it de iure it followes that the necessarie imposition of professed continency is but a part of that sowre milke wherewith the Shee Wolfe of the Seuen-hils feeds the faction of her Romulists and Rhemists and none of that wholesome sustenance which God and his purer Church haue prouided for their Children THE HONOVR OF THE MARIED CLERGIE maintained c. The third Booke SECT I. THE Mariage of Ecclesiastiques which had the common allowance of the first Times had in some parts but the conniuence of the subsequent and the prohibition of the last Those Churches that were not parties to the faction of Rome could not but be much moued with so peremptorie a Decree of a famous Councell reducing them in this point to the exactnesse of Apostolique institution and professing to rectifie that Romane deuiation No maruell therefore if not long after there ensued a collision of opposite parts and much scuffling betwixt the abettors of Antichristian seruitude Refut p. 241. and Euangelicall libertie whom this Hedge-creeper dare terme incontinent Grecians Schismatikes Heretikes his Pen is no slander The multitude of his Synods wherein
that holy vse an hundred thousand talents of gold a thousand thousand talents of siluer besides brasse and yron passing weight Hee weighes out those precious metalls for their seuerall designements Euery future vessell is laid out already in his poise if not in his forme Hee excites the Princes of Israel to their assistance in so high a worke He takes notice of their bountifull offerings He numbers vp the Leuites for the publique seruice and sets them their taskes Hee appoints the Singers and other Musitians to their stations the Porters to the Gates that should be And now when he hath set all things in a desired order and forwardnesse he shuts vp with a zealous blessings of his Salomon and his people and sleepes with his fathers Oh blessed soule how quiet a possession hast thou now taken after so many tumults of a better Crowne Thou that hast prepared all things for the house of thy God how happily art thou now welcomed to that house of his not made with hands eternall in the heauens Who now shall enuie vnto good Princes the honour of ouerseeing the businesses of God and his Church when Dauid was thus punctuall in these diuine prouisions What feare can bee of vsurpation where they haue so glorious a precedent Now is Salomon the second time crowned King of Israel and now in his owne right as formerly in his fathers sits peaceably vpon the Throne of the Lord His awe and power comâ— on faster then his yeeres Enuie and ambition where it is once kindled may sooner be hid in the ashes then quite put out Adonijah yet hangs after his old hopes He remembers how sweet he found the name of a King and now hath laid a new plot for the setting vp of his crackt title He would make the bed a step to the throne His old complices are sure enough His part would gather much strength if he might inioy Abishag the relict of his father to wife If it were not the Iewish fashion as is pretended that a Kings widow should mary none but a King yet certainly the power both of the alliance and friendship of a Queene must needes not a little aduance his purpose The crafty riuall dare not either moue the suit to Salomon or effect the mariage without him but would cunningly vndermine the sonne by the suit of that mother whose suit had vndermined him The weaker vessells are commonly vsed in the most dangerous suggestions of euill Bathsheba was so wise a woman that some of her counsels are canonized for diuine yet she saw not the depth of this drift of Adonijah therefore she both entertaines the suit and moues it But what euer were the intent of the suitor could she choose but see the vnlawfulnesse of so incestuous a match It is not long since shee saw her late husband Dauid abominating the bed of those his Concubines that had been touched by his sonne Absalom and can she hold it lawfull that his sonne Adonijah should climb vp to the bed of his fathers wife Sometimes euen the best eyes are dimme and discerne not those things which are obuious to weaker sights Or whether did not Bathsheba well see the foulenesse of the suit and yet in compassion of Adonijahs late repulse wherein she was the chiefe agent and in a desire to make him amends for the losse of the Kingdome she yeelds euen thus to gratifie him It is an iniurious weakenesse to bee drawne vpon any by-respects to the furtherance of faulty suits of vnlawfull actions No sooner doth Bathsheba come in place then Salomon her sonne rises from his chaire of State and meets her and bowes to her and sets her on his right hand as not so remembring himselfe to be a King that he should forget he was a sonne No outward dignity can take away the rights and obligations of nature Had Bathsheba beene as meane as Salomon was mighty she had caried away this honor from a gracious sonne Yet for all these due complements Bathsheba goes away with a deniall Reuerence she shall haue she shall not haue a condescent In the acts of Magistracie all regards of naturall relations must giue way That which she propounded as a small request is now after a generall and confused ingagement reiected as vnreasonable It were pity wee should bee heard in all our suits Bathsheba makes a petition against herselfe and knowes it not her safetie and life depends vpon Salomons raign yet she vnwittingly moues for the aduancement of Adonijah Salomon was to dutifull too checke his mother and too wise to yeeld to her In vnfit supplications wee are most heard when we are repelled Thus doth our God many times answer our prayers with mercifull denialls and most blesseth vs in crossing our desires Wise Salomon doth not find himselfe perplexed with the scruple of his promise he that had said Aske on for I will not say thee nay can now sweare God doe so to mee and more also if Adonijah haue not spoken this word against his owne life His promise was according to his supposition his supposition was of no other then of a suit honest reasonable expedient now he holds himselfe free from that grant wherein there was at once both sin and danger No man can be intangled with generall words against his owne iust and honest intentions The policies of wicked men befoole them at last this intercession hath vndone Adonijah and in stead of the Throne hastens his graue The sword of Benaiah puts an end to that dangerous riuality Ioab and Abiathar still held Champerty with Adonijah Their hand was both in his claime of the Kingdome and in the suit of Abishag There are crimes wherein there are no accessories such is thâ—â— of treason Abiathar may thanke his burden that he liues Had he not borne the Arke of the Lord before Dauid he had not now caried his head vpon his shoulders Had he not been afflicted with Dauid he had perished with Adonijah now though he were in his owne merit a man of death yet he shall suruiue his partners Get thee to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields The Priesthood of Abiathar as it aggrauated his crime so it shall preserue his life Such honor haue good Princes giuen to the Ministers of the Sanctuarie that their very coate hath beene defence enough against the sword of iustice how much more should it be of proofe against the contempt of base persons Besides his function respect is had to his sufferings The father and brethren of Abiathar were slaine for Dauids sake therefore for Dauids sake Abiathar though worthy of death shall liue He had been now a dead man if he had not beene formerly afflicted Thus doth our good God deale with vs by the rod he preuents the sword and therefore will not condemne vs for our sins because we haue suffered If Abiathar doe not forfait his life yet his office he shall he must change Ierusalem for Anathoth and the Priesthood for a retired priuacie
taken 1020 What an oath requires ibid. Obedience All the creatures more obedience then Man 37 All our obedience cannot beare out one sin with God 940 Obedience is a fit entrance into soueraigntie 1053 Blind obedience when it doth well 1054 True obedience is euer ioyned with humilitie and feare 1075 The truth and heartinesse of our obedience respected of God in the meanest 1175 Obstinate Neither scourges nor fauours can worke with them 341 Occasion Hee that would bee free from the acts of sinne must auoid the occasions 853 How the Deuill watcheth his occasions to lay his temptations 1193 Old Nothing more odious the fruitlesse old age 9 Of Gods not acceptance of the dregges of our old age 140 One One sinne what it doth 954 Opinion Among diuersities of opinions how to carie our selues 15 Opportunitie It with conuenience is guilty of much theft 1356 Opposition No calling of God so conspicuous as not to find some opposition 1119 Ostentation Of great ostentation with little learning 5 Seldome a good end of ostentation 1085 Ordinances A sweet description of Gods ordinances 492 That God at once requires both familiaritie and feare in our approach to them 897 It is a dangerous thing to be too bold with the ordinances of God 949 A consideration of the poorenesse and weaknesse of Gods ordinances 933 With what securitie they walke that take their directions from God 1047 A fearfull thing to vse Gods ordinances with vnreuerent boldnesse 1049 Gods children cannot bee discouraged from Gods ordinances 1050 How well it goes with them that take God and his Ministers with them in his ordinances 1114 Outward The outward face or countenance makes commentary on the heart 61 Of outward preparation how necessarie 897 What may bee well said to such as vse outward deuotion more then sincere obedience 972 How to looke on outward priuiledges 991 No measuring Religion by outward glory 1044 When men are caried away with outward shewes it is a signe that God meanes them a delusion 1053 Owne What a man should account his owne 6 The conceit of owning hardens a man against many inconueniencies 56 Of both ouer-prizing neglecting that which is our own 67 P PArables They sped well with Dauid 1148 Paradise A contemplation of it 815 Satan euen in it 816 The place of Paradise whether to be sought for 817 Paine It shall humble them whom shame cannot 1045 Painting a notable inuectiue against our painted plaister-faced Iezebels 700 Papists Of popish deprauing Antiquity 349 The papists and the ancient Iewes paralleld 415 Their superstitious heathenish and ridiculous worship of Idols 661 No possible reconciliation with papists 663 They haue nothing but the outside of Religion 684 Pardons popish pardons censured 433 651 Pardons may well stand with temporall afflictions 1143 Parents A good note for them in the education of their children 996 Parents indulgence a patron of vanity 1015 Reuerence to Parents neuer goes vnrecompenced 1025 Parents that haue bad children what they must doe 1032 Indulgent parents cruell to themselues 1034 A good note for parents in the example of Sauls father 1053 The sanctity of the parent cannot beare out the sinne of the sonne 1128 Passion nothing so befooles a man as passion 81 Christs passion sweetly layd out 427 428. The application of it 431 How subiect the best are to passion 1103. Vnruly passions euer run into extremities 1146 Patience the character of a patient man 177 In Gods affaires and mans iniuries 226 How well gods children are paid for their patience 854 A forceable argument thereto 890 There is no greater token of grace then to smart patiently 913 Patrons Their epethites being euill 412 A serious exhortation to theÌ„ ibid. Peace The happinesse of that Church which hath Truth and peace kissing each other 6 Impossible for an inferior to liue at peace except hee hath learned to be contemned 35 A perswasion to a study of the common peace 395 An earnest perswasion to liue in peace 413 414 The price of peace 481 482 Peace what without religion 482 Of true and false peace 529 Where to seeke for peace 530 Who giues it ibid. How made betweene God and man 537 Who are not and who are indeed the true enemies vnto peace 542 543 The commodities and conditions of peace 625 As the wicked haue no peace with God so the godly haue no peace with them 847 Whether peace may bee held on oath which is made by fraudulent conditions 959 Nothing so worthy of pity as the sinners peace 1006 It is the safest policie to bee at peace with God 1062 It is an vnreasonable in equality to hope to finde God in trouble that would not regard him in peace 1110 Propension to peace becomes a Victorâ— 1120 When peace is a friend to religion 1127 Of the aboâ—e of peace ibid. Penitent The Character of a true penitent 280 Penance how enioyned in the Church of England 590 Penuel Succotlâ— their reuenge 989 Perfection the imperfectnesse of it expressed by our Creation 809 Perish those that perish are blinded c. 921 Perkins commended 287 Permission euen that in thing we may remedy makes vs no lesse actors then consent 966 Persecution a pitty description of it 482 Bloody persecution an argument of an euil cause and the reason 865 Person the person must be in fauour that will haue his work to prosper 950 One sinful person how pernicious 954 The person honors the place and not contrariwise 1162 Pharoah his Embleme 872 He is like a beast that grows mad in baiting 874 Pharisaisme What. 408 Whether an order or Profession ibid. An austere sect 409 Their imployment ibid. The difference between the Pharisees and Scribes ibid. Of the seuen kinds of Pharisees ibid. About their strictnesse ibid. The Iewes sottishnesse in beleeuing of the Scribes and Pharisees 410 How farre Christians are behind them 411 Phineas 936 His heroicall spirit and courage 938 Philosophy or Philosophers The censure of it and them 73 Piety vid godlinesse True piety is not vnciuill 997 A forced pietie is thanklesse 1110 There is no villany but hath some shew of pietie 1172 Pilgrims A very fit meditation for them 51 A pilgrims paine for heauen prettily paralleld 54 The misery of our pilgrimage in respect of our home 811 No perfume so sweet to a pilgrim as his owne smoake 1017 The perilous passage in our pilgrimage 1065 Pitie vid. Mercie Foolish pitie is humane and dangerous 970 Place It honours not the person as the person doth it 1162 Therefore must we not bee transported too much with the glory of places 1163 Plague Whether lawfull for Pastor or people to fly in time of the plague 350 Plausibilitie Not fit for regeneration 1189 Pleasure It must not be bought at too deare a rate 13 How to carie our selues in the enioyment of pleasure and paine 14 15 No worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it 25 A rule in taking of pleasure 139 A discourse of the vse