in many leaues whereof euery one carrieth his seuerall latitude but after an ancient fashion with one folded about a rouler in manner of a Pedegree The Heauens sayth Esay 30. shall bee folden like a booke that is like such a booke Now whether this volume noted a cause of wrath some Catalogue of hereticall positions quickly dispersable throughout the world suppose for example the Councell of Trent or if you will the Romish Canon Law which iustifies men notwithstanding theft and periurie or else an effect of wrath a denuntiation of some speedie iudgement from Heauen against theft and periurie the number of Interpreters is more equally diuided then the weight of their interpretation Farre bee it from my simplicitie to censure or restraine their spirits who collect hence higher mysteries by faire probabilities but in the beaten path according to the letter This is the curse that goeth ouer the whole earth Rabbi Dauid conceiueth in regard of vengeance written both within without the curse of the thiefe appearing on the one side the curse of the false swearer on the other Yea the originall word in the third verse whose doubtfull signification ministred the chiefe cause of different construction is translated by none of the worst Hebricians not after the metaphoricall sense shall bee pronounced innocent but shall bee cut off according to the sence naturall Naturally the word doth import a kinde of riddance no kinde of acquittance a desolation rather then an absolution And that I may not holde you long in the first entrie come neere and see the whole phrase of my Theme of it selfe directing vs throughout vnto matter penall supposing that which all threatnings doe suppose matter criminall Where since your religious attention stands arriued past all danger of farther difficulties bee pleased I beseech you to survey First The publication of the curse I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hoasts Secondly The surprisall or inuasion And it shall enter into the house of the theefe and of him that falsely sweareth by my Name Thirdly The continuance and it shall remaine in the midst of the house Fourthly The effect or consequent of it and shall consume it with the timber therof and the stones therof Of all which as God shall enable in order and first of the publication I will bring it forth 〈◊〉 When Mercie hath almost spent her spirits in words of forewarning prophecie Iustice ariseth to gird her selfe for workes of reuenging prouidence so the curse which was published before by reuelation shall now be published in execution in execution certaine and infallible For the zeale of the Lord of Hostes shall bring it forth Bring it forth Therefore your eyes shall behold an execution visible and exemplarie First admit in sobrietie the ratification of this extraordinarie curse for a part of his counsaile then followeth an absolute infallibilitie My counsaile shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Isaiah 46.10 Who hath resisted his will wee were best say None without assignation of seeming instances lest Augustine in the hundreth Chapter of his Enchiridion presently reply Hoc ipso quod contra voluntatem Dei fecerunt de ipsis fact a est voluntas Dei in that wherein the will of God was not done by them the will of GOD was done vpon them Such an vniuersall Soueraignetie clearely perceiued in the Lord of Hostes might well moue Saint Iames by occasion of certaâ—ne Marchants in his time who so deliberated aforehand of their future imployment that they scarce once looked vpwards to teach all humane language a most necessarie Parenthesis If the Lord will Iames 4.15 or if we liue wee will due this or that Which when a King of this Land 't was William Rusus sometimes omitted threatning to make a bridge from the rockes of Wales ouer into Ireland a Prince there vnderstanding of his irrespectiue speech boldly professed he neuer feared that mans comming who would so presumptuously determine in a confidence of his owne strength without due reference vnto Gods determination None but the King of Kings hath right vnto the stile Imperiall I will or will not without all limitation because his will and power bee matches only his decrees are alwayes attended with answerable successe of euents vneuitable Secondly forasmuch as the secret things belong to the Lord Deut. 29.29 but the things reuealed belong to vs and our children affoord this curse the common acception of a doome which proceedeth from God none otherwise then as a meanes of bringing his counsell to passe being pronounced out of mens desert and morall disposition yet can it brooke no other condition saue the condition of mens repentance If this Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague I thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18.8 Properly God is not as man that hee should repent 1. Sam. 15. but speakes as man Nouit Dominus aliquando mutare sententiam nunquam nouit mutare consilium God changeth his sentence he changeth not his counsell Nay so farre are the alterations of any or all inferior things from fastning vpon him but the least imputation of mutabilitie that if any second causes exigent doe cease or change that verie cessation or mutation is from the first causes intendement But in case they persist in their impenitencie the consumption decreed shall ouerflow with righteousnesse Isay 10.12 Then to close vp the passage or hinder the course of diuine iustice by mortall meanes will bee more impossible then for a man to stoppe the violent inundation of the Sea with his armes or to force lightning and beate it backe againe into the cloudes with his breath for the Lord of Hoasts will bring it forth Luke 12. There is nothing couered that shall not be reuealed neyther hid that shall not be knowne sooner or later the madnesse of Hypocrites shall bee made euident if not in the sinne as Iannes and Iambres furie yet as both Dauids and Iezabels 2. Sam. 12. in the punishment They did it secretly saith God but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne so shall the Name of the Lord of Hoasts be famous in euery sinners infamie There is another vision in the seuenth of Daniel very neere allied to this in signification where it is said A fierie streame issued out and came forth from the ancient of dayes thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand thousands stood before him That streame was this flying Booke and that Ancient of dayes is heere the Lord of Hoasts I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hoasts A Meditation whereunto their hearts of all this great assembly should in reason lay principall claime who take place neerest on earth to the Lord of Hostes called after his owne Name seated on his owne throne armed euery way with his owne authoritie Bring foorth O yee sonnes of the most High bring forth your fathers iudgement in imitation of
supplaÌ„t the feet afterwards sundry flowers and hearbs whereof then their garlands were platted are at this day prescribed for head-ach by Physitians There followed another reason the desire of trimnesse and elegancy that they might not only adorne but arme themselues against such sauors and annoiances as vsually fal out in a throng of pot-companions It is obâ—ected by Mart. Roia out of Tertullians book de corona Milites the 9. chap. that this was no Iewish fashion neither doe I striue to make it Iewish originally rather I thinke it deriued from the Gentiles by Iewish imitation for besides Clemens Alexandrinus Cap. 2. vers 8. the Author of Wisdome whether Philo or another Iew liuely describeth this riotous ceremony Let vs crowne our selues with rose-buds before they be withered yea the coniunction of these two sinnes pride and drunkennes intimate the crowne to be that crowne which in the third verse belongeth also to the drunkards The drunkards of Ephraim The Septuagint reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mercenaries or hirelings misplace but a point in the Hebrew letter Sacar for Schacar is as easily read as Siboleth pronounced for Schiboleth Drunkards they were then not in a sense metaphoricall drunke with errour as Hierom would haue it or as others drunke with prosperitie but for that they dwelt neere the vines and there is below repetition of wine and of vomiting they were in a literal and grosse sense the drunkards of Ephraim that is of Israel the kingdom of the ten Tribes partly for that Samaria the seat of the King was within the portion of Ephraim and partly for that â—eroboam the first founder of that reuolting regiment was an Ephramite For his glorious beauty shal bee like a fading fâ—owre In which words the King of Ashur his comming isimplied who tooke and carried away the people captiue in the ninth yeare of Hoshea the whole storie may yee consult in the 2. of Kings 17. The head of the valley of them that be fat is Samaria standing aboue the Valley Cenereth or else some fertile soile nothing inferior for fruitfulnesse to that place in the 20. of Matthew corruptly called Gethsemane truly Geshemanim the valley of fatnesse The sense and summe of the whole is this a commination of a iudgement executed by Salmanaser vpon the 10. Tribes led perforce into captiuity because they did abuse the fatnesse of a good land vnto Pride and Drunkennesse The Parts can be nolesse then foure 1 The denunciation of a woe Woe 2 The persons to whom and their sinne The crowne of pride the Drunkards of Ephraim 3 The reason why For their glorious beautie is a fading flowre 4 The place where which ministred occasion to the sinnes which is vpon the â—ead of the Valley of them that be fat and are ouercome with wine Of these in order To passe by the Prophet who threatneth instrumentally all Gods threatnings who threatneth principally may be thought either absolute or conditionall of the latter the condition is sometimes concealed within the purpose of his owne will Sometimes expressed and that extraordinarily by singular reuelation vnto some or vnto all in his written word ordinatily the reuealed ordinarie condition is either Legal If you will not obey Leu. 26. or Euangelicall Except you repent Luk. 13.3 Apoc. 2.5 Repentance is an ordinary reuealed Euangelicall condition to bee still supplied whensoeuer God threatneth and giueth space for repentance Though we should imagine now Salmanasar very neere the gates of Samaria neuerthelesse three yeeres siege was warning sufficient yea that the Lord of Hostes should threaten at al before he striketh nay therefore threaten that being preuented by conuersion he might not strike at all may fil my mouth and your cares God grant it may fill our hearts with a feeling consideration of his long suffering There were more daies you know spent in the destruction of one City Ierico then in the making of the whole world the whole world was made in sixe yet notwithstanding the wickednesse of many generations whereunto wee haue added no small portion it stands after many thousands A man would thinke Iudgement were all this while omitted as an improper impertinent busines scarce agreeable to the blessed nature of such a Soueraigne goodnesse I am sure some conster the Prophet in the 21. verse of this Chapter where he termeth a iudgement his work his strange work his act his strange act so as if euery act of scuerity secmed strange vnto him for after his patience would haue been but for infinitenes tyred with a tedious expectation of our leysure to repent at length when the sword is drawne the hand is vp ready to smite mercy steps in like the Angell to Abraham Wherefore should Ephraim be destroyed Why will ye die O yee house of Israel Neuer had people better experience of this then this people as you may perceiue in the 11. of Hosea How shall I giue thee vp Epharaim how shall I deliuer thee Hos 11. vers 8. Israel how shall I set thee as Zeboâ—m mine heart is turned within me my repentings are rouled together How and How mercy belike hath got the victory and all the weapons in the Armory of heauen are become like the Rainebow a bow indeed but without an arrow with a full bent but without a string the wrong side being alwaies vp wards as if we shot at him not hee at vs. Confounded then be Tertullians aduersary whose hellish heresie deuiding the God-head charged the God of the old Testament with blood and cruelty Cruell and bloody Marcion who hadst thou not been a cursed spawne of that principall Apostata who in Paradise a place full of loue would haue fastened enuy vpon his Maker hardly couldst thou haue laid so foule an imputation of rigor in a world of mercies vpon thy Creator but thou forgattest he was thy Creator he created that head which inuented that tongue which vttered this diuelish blasphemy couldest thou forget thine owne head and tongue inuention and vtterance afterwards in mercy hee spared thee when thou through malice sparedst not him Was this a cruell God No Marcion no God needs no cruelty 2. Cor. 1.3 if he would turne all things into nothing he might doe it in iustice and his iustice is a part of his goodnes But he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of mercies the motiue of shewing mercy is within him but the motiue of executing iudgement and reuenge is without him in our prouocation you reade him not called the Father of iudgement Behold then a heauenly patterne when all earthly patterns faile according to which you may proportion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publike and priuate discipline whomsoeuer God hath made Censurers and Commanders ouer your inferior brethren I stand not now before many Magistrates if I did I durst not shew my self wiser then their lawes which limit all necessary iurisdiction setting downe the time betwixt iudgement and punishment Only I would with
were no such great temptation where the wisest knowes but in part the rest see but a part of that part As there is no day without a night only that is the longest day which hath the shortest night so no minde of man without some clouds and shadowes of errour or of ignorance Optimus ille est qui minimis vrgetur That is the best which hath fewest Hee that thus sheweth you my brethren how farre you are behind doth as good as bid you mend your pace In all this I may perhaps striue to curbe the proud imagination God knowes I doe not God forbid I should at any hand attempt to stay the painefull search and pursuit of wisdom which in meÌ„ of our profession must admit no bounds but the common bounds of our mortality more especially because of these latter daies In the Primitiue time as S. Austen often obserueth Satan like a lion by persecuting Emperors tried altogether the patience now Kings are nursing fathers and Queenes nursing mothers like a Serpent in hereticks he trieth the wisdom of the Church Wherfore as you disdaine after so long training and experience in the Lords battels to bee surprized like naked maymed dead men without weapon hand or heart to make resistance hate with a perfect hatred al the counsels of your Antichristian enemies among whom simplicitie sometimes a sinne personal in the lay people for want of teaching is grown to a sinne cathedrall in the Rabbies whilest teaching appointed to remooue is abused to maintaine simplicity Wheresoeuer simplicity is commanded the sense of that commandement to the youngest reader of the Scripture can bee no stranger for either it respecteth affection for subject as Concerning maliciousnesse be children but in vnderstanding bee of a ripe age 1. Cor. 14. or else it respecteth euill things as obiects Rom. 16.19 rather then good I would haue you wise to that which is good but simple to that which is euill To conclude my brethren that this part may not trespasse on the rest if any want wisdome Christ and his word are wisedome two words are as good as twenty for direction no more but this Ora labora prayer and labour deuotion and diligence Now because as Augustine truly iudgeth Nemo rectè sapit nisi qui acceperit spirituÌ„ No man is truly wise but he that hath receiued the spirit pray that nothing may be left vncoÌ„prehended in your prayers for Christs spirit Would you briefly know the successe Ye haue it already promised Mat. 7.11 If ye which are euil can giue good gifts vnto your childreÌ„ how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him Christs Spirit will more surely teach Christs wisdome then Aristotles braine will make a man dispute like Aristotle Last of all that you may be wiser with Dauid then your fathers then your teachers then your enemies your labour must be bestowed in reading and obseruing the Scriptures wise you cannot bee without it Ieremie 8. They haue reiected the wordes of the Lord and what wisedome is in them That well knowen Epistle ad Demetriadem sheweth that you cannot choose but be wise with them Ama Scriptur as sanct as amabitte sapientia That wisdome may loue thee loue thou the Scriptures This of the Obiect Wisedome is iustified And that is the Action As often as the Scripture saith or the Church prayeth that Gods name may be magnified or sanctified because neither augmentation of quantitie nor intention of qualities can agree with an infinite nature we must conceaue no more then a notification or at the most a solemne celebration of his greatnesse and goodnesse none otherwise is wisedome iustified of her children For the Papists here may suffer vs to take it for graunted with lesse contradiction then where iustification is applied to mens persons that the word is legall or iudiciall Now wisdom being considered within the bounds of a consistory to iustifie must either importan act of a Iudge by sentence to pronounce it iust or an act of a witnesse by deposition or acknowledgement to declare it iust The former signification is I confesse receiued by them that interpret Christs words of the Iewes tropically to this effect Thus the Iewes forsooth may censure wisdome and children belike sit in iudgement to condemne their owne mother But the latter I should suppose more naturall comparing this place with that Luke 7.29 Then all the people that beard and the Publicanes iustified God that is confessed the wisedome of God in Christ and Iohn Baptists preaching I know no necessary reason on wisedoms part All this is onely for her childrens sake for if philosophicall vertue need not outward supportment and a meere morall man may rest vpon the center of his owne integrity without walking in the circumference of report abroad whereof the vilest vassall and basest groome is both condus and promus keeper and commander much more may wisedome take such solace in her selfe as God did take in her in and before the beginning She was daily his delight reioycing alwayes before him Prou 8. I receiue not the record of man Iohn 5. Neuerthelesse these things I say that yee might bee saued That we might be saued the most venemous malice of mortall tyranny neither hath beene nor euer shall be able to stop the breath of all wisedoms trumpeters together Herod cannot murder Iames and Peter at one blow when the three children are in the furnace Daniel is at libertie when Daniel is in the lyons denne the three children are in credit while Christ is scarce knowen Iohn giueth his testimony whiles he is almost opprest Nicodemus staÌ„ds vp when his owne sheepe are scattered behold of a wolfe a sheepe of a malefactour from the very brink of hell vpon the Crosse a confessour Yea the Lord will rayse in the latter times as Iohn did prophesie though not any great number yet at least sufficient to saue their euidence from the maine exception of singularitie two witnesses Apoc. II. This constant counsell of wisedome thus reuealed implieth in her children a necessarie duetie that they labour by all meanes for her outward iustification For the Apostles rule hast thou faith Rom. 14.22 haue it to thy selfe before God inioyneth an abstinence from scandalous vse of things indifferent and vndetermined it exempts not our obedience from those commandements which bind vs semper non ad semper alwayes for purpose though not at all times for performance I meane the iustification of wisedome by the most peculiar and heroicall effect of faith and â—haritie Martyrdome Doth Martyrdome sound harsh in our tender eares my brethren and seemes it for these peaceable times vnseasonable Therefore enlarge the signification and suppose it common vnto all times For as we learne of Saint Paul in the first to the Philippians of Cyprian in his ninth Epistle and of Cyprians imitator throughout the booke De duplici Martyrio there is a bloody martyrdome when Christ is magnified in
the Roses of the Church by death and there is a bloodlesse martyrdome when Christ is magnified in the Lilies of the Church by life This latter is either verball when with the mouth wee confesse vnto saluation or reall when what in word we confesse we denie not in our deeds this our light so shining before men that they seeing our good workes glorifie our Father which is in heauen As God is glorified and Christ magnified so I hold wisedome iustified Which one point well prosecuted with hearty meditation might inuite many vertuous students from lower disciplines to that high profession which aboue all others affordeth fittest occasions yea most ineuitable necessities to pleade for wisedome publikely much more enforce vs professed Diuines who like that footlesse bird described by Geographers stili houer in the aire alwayes contemplatiue after Christs example Ioh. 9.4 To doe the worke of him that sent vs while it is day with all our power For there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisdome in the graue whither we with all the world are trauailing 'T is but a little time redeemed our owne reason I make no question vpon sence of such wants as practise would haue richly â—â—pplâ—ed will one day teach vs that speculation abâ—â—â—uâ—â—ly more excellent is not the whole frame or building rather a ground worke of action for our present estate more necessary Much like the lower milstone which resteth it selfe adde vnto it the other vpper mouing milstone both will grinde sweetly together But where exercise is not learned and honest men must want experience where experience failes all men are imperfect Imperfect men must needs be timorous and timorous men shall yeeld perforce to the dishonest and illiterate Chaplins of time who with monstrous tongues bigger then their hands can play their prizes in empty formes farre more valiantly Non quia plus cordis sed minus or is habent Not because they haue more courage but because they haue lesse modesty did our faint-hearted bashfulnes only cast our persons behind the matter were lesse grieuous I should for my part dissemble such a preiudice but the cause the common cause of Christ sustaineth a wrong wisedome her selfe is wounded through her childrens bashfulnesse Not one man O that I might erre in saying not one Minister of an hundreth but sometimes or other yeelds an implied consent vnto Gods dishonour Which of vs in his place aduentures to withstand corruption who dares rebuke oppression as Paul did Pâ—â—er to the face where is the eare that ringleth the blood that riseth the hart that treÌ„bleth at the liars the swearers cursed variations A multitude of vnhallowed tongues doe by custome whet themselues euery where to pierce through the name of our heauenly Father as the word is Leuit. 24. And loe while children that are dumbe like king Crasus sonne should speake we children that can speake are dumbe speechlesse yet is there store enough of spirituall weapons wisedomes armory yeelds not in any sort for choice of furniture to the towre of Dauid ten thousand shields hang therein and all the targets of the strong men but alas all the strong men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as the chiefe rulers did not confesse Christ Ioh. 12 lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue for they loued the prayse of men more then the prayse of God So loue and feare of them that can helpe no more then a broken reede hurâ—no more then a silly spider hath stolne away courage from mens hearts mens hearts from the Lord. And were our forefathers in their fiery triall almost prodigall of their blood for Christ against the current nay the torrent of magistrate kingdom â—hal we through shame be niggards of a word for Christ in this free passage of the Gospel against priuate sins lurking in corners vnder the roofe and miching in the thickets vnder the leaues of hypocrisie God for bid wise men know shame is a consequent of sinne good men will bestow their shame vpon their owne sinnes against the Gospel but for the Gospell of Christ and against the sinnes of others Horat. lib. 1. epi. ad quintin Vir bonus sapiens audebit dicere Penthâ—u Thou art the man It is not lawfull for thee to take thy brother Philips wife 2. Sam. 12.7 Mat. 14.4 Thou and thy fathers house doe trouble Israel 1 King 18.18 Well hath he learned by heart no doubt Hest 4.14 that stinging part of Mordecaies admonition to Queene Hester If thou hold thy peace comfort and deliuerance shall appeare out of another place but thou and thy fathers house shall perish For looke what Iohn Husses extraordinarie spirit prophesied of Luther definitely for the time Centum reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis After an hundred yeeres you shall answere to God for this An ordinarie spirit may with good warrant foretell indefinitely though some die and others fly once in an age one of a tribe at the least shall alwayes arise that the world may be conuicted and wisedome iustified But the fearefull who deny Christ being asham'd of him and his word before men shal be denied before Angels and inherit their portion among the fearefull in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Apoc. 21. Good God it is beyond imagination terrible for vs to thinke but aboue all wonder horrible for them to feele what an endlesse traine of policies will vtterly deceiue and what a world of confusion shal surprize the greatest earthly wizards when wisedome shall turne away her face and say Depart from me I know you not dastards you haue beene none of my champions strangers you are and none of my children Wisedome is iustified of her children A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES in Oxford on Act Sunday in the afternoone MATTH 11.19 Of her Children THE variable formes of Gods ordinance in Christ piping in Iohn mourning almost outvyed and ouerswayed by the no lesse variable forms of mens reproches Christ is a drunkard Iohn hath a deuill being heretofore discouered Indeed the protasis or part premised in application of the parable aboue In this aduersatiue Apoâ—losâ—s a most sententious conclusion plainely resolu'd into an actiue sence I promised to prosecute First an obiect what it was Wisedome Secondly an action 't was iustified and how Lastly the autors of this action who they were wisedomes Children Wisdome as both Ambrose and many other had taught me seemed to be not munus naturae a gift of nature sednaturae munerator but the rewarder of nature Ephes 4.8 euen he that ascended vp on high led captiuity captiue gaue gifts vnto men Christ himselfe more principally Colos 2.3 because in his person al thetreasure of wisedome and knowledge were hid 2. Cor. 4.6 because in his face the light of the knowledge of the glory of God was reuâ—â—â—ed because for his nature in respect of the Father for his office in
myracles shall straight surrender their reputatioÌ„ of strangenes do you but glad our hearts and blesse our sight with some possibilities of this myracle Euery man will turne to his friend with amazed lookes neighbour communing with neighbour in tearmes of astonishment and admiration Is Saul also among the Prophets Doe the children of Nimrod hunters and oppressors the children of Lamech sighters and swaggerers the children of Iubal singers and players come in What all Wisdomes children See see It is the Lords doing and needs must it be wonderfull in our eyes God hath perswaded Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem. O the deepenesse of the riches of wisdome which raiseth out of stones children vnto Abraham And O thou Sauior of men which only workest wonders arise shew forth thy strength in our weaknesse that such stones may be children before they moulder into dust such Iapheths before they die may dwell at length in the tents of Shem. For let religion be a fable and ministers false prophets if vpon this happie change you be not as men that dreamed musing and maruciling at your selues to see such a dawning of light such a day-spring in your iudgements seconded with a trance and rauishment of euery religious affection Old things then are done away with a deepe loathing and detestation of their remembrance as though your golden houres of precious time spent vpon your youthfull vanities had beene a greater waste then if a country-man pardon my familiar comparison then if a country-man I say should anoint his Axle-tree with Amber-greese or liquor his bootes with Balsamum And you that of late posted by wisedoms schoole as by a Pest-house or middle pillar of a race shall now watch dayly at the postes of her doore You that of late would haue spit in wisedomes face likelier to haue cut off a preachers head then heare his words whilst you courted Heâ—oâ—ias daughter shall now suppose your selues preferred if you may loose the latchet of her shoe striuing to wash the feet of her handmaids seruants accounted in your eyes from which the scales are fallen most beautifull you that of late abhorred the fruit of wisedomes lippes no better in your vnfaâ—ory taiâ—â— then the poyson of Aspes shall now like new borne babes cry for her milke hanging at her brests the brests of the two Testaments Iudge then this day whether I haue not iust cause in the name of this famous nurserie to begge of all parents and all parents great reason in the name of Christ to begge in their prayers vnto God for this blissefull alteration For as much as it is the sole and compendiarie way to bee a wise father or mother of earthly children First to bee a wise child of our heauenly Father Such a father will not send his sonne hither onely with his purse and a seruing man looking no higher then a chamber a table a bed a stoole and a candlesticke but come himselfe to choose with good aduice shall I say a Gamaliel for his Paul rather a Paul for his young Timothie that in his tender yeeres being like a looking glasse which may be defiled with a breath or a stringed instrument which is put out of tune with the very change of weather he may bee well sorted and well seasoned lest as many words that lose their sence in construction he lose innocencie by company verely a temptation as many good soules taken like brands out of the fire can best testifie more violent outragious then a tempestuous whirlewind more virulent contagious then the breath of a Basiliske Such a mother as is wisedomes childe will not onely seeke wooll and flaxe to labour cheerefully with her hands amongst her daughters at home singing and saying Mittenda est fratri nunc nunc properate puellae Quamprimum nostrâ fact a lacerna manu Haste haste my girles your brother must haue of our owne making a liuerie but like Anna bring it vp her selfe from yeere to yeere that she may conferre with Eli as concerning young Samuels dedication So concerning young Samuels education both father and mother that are wisedomes children at meeting and at parting will with exchange of teares insert this parenthesis neuer too long into their blessing My soone my sonne the booke and language of wisedome the studie and exercise of wisdome the house and company of wisdome aboue all bookes languages studies exercises houses and companies So should they be sure to receiue none but Timothies and Samuels hence back againe men not onely secured of this their relation that they be themselues wisedomes children but armed with a disposition for the good of others to be wisedomes witnesses which is my second Generall When I compare this present Antithesis with our Sauiours argument Ioh. 10.26 27. Iohn 10. Ye beleeue not for ye are not of my sheep my sheepe heare my voyce So far am I from suspecting children as onely remayning like witnesses at an exigent in defect and vpon de fault of more sufficient record that I conceiue them in wisedomes cause the fittest deponents from their iudgement who may deeme this a paradox I streight appeale to Gods own choice for notwithstanding some transient reuelations might glide through Balaam and Caiphas as wise in themselues meanewhile as trunks It is on both sides confessed sauing that some Papists sticke at Salomon that Gods publike Notaries the Canonicall writers of the Scriptures were all regenerate and children of wisedome 2. Pet. 1.21 Holy men of God saith Peter spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost Holy men spake as if wisdom the richest Domains of the Crown of heauen The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way Prou. 8. were something resembled in the ancient Demaines of England which may not bee tried as the Lawyers say by strangers but onely by the Tenants of the same Demaines And why not soonest by strangers The truth can haue no greater aduantage a man would thinke then when it may be said Our God is not as their God our enemies being iudges Nulla est victoria maior Claudian Quà m quae confessos animo quoque subiug at hosles A faire colour when things are by strangers and enemies discernable For fuller answer giue me leaue to lead your meditations not much aside through the reasonable proceedings in mens Courts by witnesses against whom domesticall inward acquaintance is a most materiall exception because they that dwell vnder the same roofe may without any iealousie be mistrusted for partiall affection in one anothers behalfe Neuerthelesse euen these are admitted whensoeuer others either actually were not or habitually that is in likelihood could not be present at the fact Suppose it if you will some clandestine contract the maine scope of all depositioÌ„s being the manifestation of the truth by them that are best able to enforme whence it followeth that a challenge against the Iudge himselfe should in reason be sooner heard then against a a witnesse for if