may seeme somewhat peremptory and questionable for how could they presume on the truth of a conclusion that had never learned logique or sate perchance at the feet of any Gamaliel Better it might haue beseemed them to haue consulted first with their great Rabbines what to thinke then to haue presently proclaimed this to be the promised Prophet But here wee are to take notice by the way that consequences are of two sorts some immediatly flowing from the premisses others farther remote The first are obvious to any that haue but common sence and vse of reason as when our Saviour would proue to his affrighted disciples that he was no spirit Luk. 24.39 Handle me and see saith he for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see mee haue A spirit hath not flesh and bones but I haue flesh and bones therefore I am not a spirit Naturall reason in an Infidell will approue of such a conclusion which faith ever presupposeth not opposeth non tollit sed extollit saith one it is so farre from taking reason away or abating it that it raiseth it to a higher pitch In deductions more remote from principles there will be need of a guid to point out the intervenient dependances how one truth followeth vpon another So in that of Our Saviour against the Saduces I am the God of Abraham Luk. 20.37 the God of Isaack the God of Iacob there is required much skill that every man hath not to make good the inference therefore the dead shall rise In such difficulties God hath appointed Bishops Doctors and Pastours in his Church to direct the more vns kilfull and to minde and exhort them to apply all to their edification in faith and manners They ordinarily by their calling are to interpret but the hearers to attend vnto and examine their Interpretation whether it bee consonant to the rule giuen by God in Scripture which cannot deceaue Let Saint Paul therefore vrge the Scripture never so strongly that Christ was the promised Prophet that was to come yet the noble Bereans shall be commended for examining it by the rule whether it were so or not It is the Turkes course to establish Mahumetisme Act. 17.11 by the sword the Popes to vphold superstition by fire and powder-plots and where that cannot get ground by other proiects and forgeries the Anabaptists by Enthusiasmes and the like But the Orthodoxe Christian contents himselfe wholy with the Canon that is giuen Any conclusion evidently drawne from that shall sway him out of that he himselfe may profitably collect whatsoever he finds there is warranted according to that he will censure whatsoeuer others teach him before he will submit his faith reason and conscience to follow them This too much admiring of particular Masters by a faith implicite which the Papists magnifie pinning as it were religion vpon other mens sleeues when those Masters differ amongst themselues must needs breed great distractions and those can no otherwise bee soldered then by repairing to that one rule which should keepe vs all in vnity Our Saviour appeales to no other Iudge in this controversie betweene him and the Scribes and Pharisees whether hee were the Prophet that was to come or no Luke 12. then to the people that were his Auditors v. 14. When you see a cloud rise out of the West saith he straight way yee say there commeth a storme and so it is and when yee see the South winde blowe yee say there will be heat and it commeth to passe yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the heauen and of the earth but how is it that yee doe not discerne this time Yea and why of your selues iudge you not what is right Necessary is it that offences come and Heresies will ever be on foot for the triall of the faithfull wee can but propose vnto you our grounds and inferences for the maintenance of the truth and that by way of perswasion It is left to you to discerne by Scripture who goes the right way to try whether yee are in the faith to proue the spirits whether they are of God not by the deceitfull waights of mens inventions but by the ballance of the Sanctuary that the holy Ghost hath ser before Our Saviour here affordeth a true Miracle out the people act their owne part in making a due inference Of a truth This subverteth at once two mayne points of Popery The one of their Infallible Interpreters yet stood for by all The other wherein some comply with the Socinians taken vp of late by Cardinall Perone Verone and other French Iesuits who will tye vs to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bare words of the Scripture onely without admitting any consequence These things will hardly stand together for if consequences may not be admitted what need any Interpreter at all to direct them Infallibly And if there be such an infallible Interpreter what is left to the iudgement of the Auditory Might not our Saviour with St Peter and St Paul when they send vs to search the Scripture put vs into a surer way by directing vs vnto Christ's Vicar and S. Peters successour I may not stand longer to make plaine the poorenesse of either of these plots Let it be our syncere study Beloued to make vse of that wee read or heare from any not to suffer good things to slyde away without due application This was the peoples assurance here and the thing assured is this This is that Prophet that should come into the world The last circumstance left to dismisse your patience 12. That Prophet that should come into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the pith of all that went before which my Meditations most aymed after but I perceiue the time hath surprised mee and I must comply Two things here would haue fallen distinctly to be considered of The first receiued by Instruction this people had heard before that there was such a Prophet by them to be expected The Second conceived by the present Miracle wrought that this was He. They had often read heard in the Law and the Prophets that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head that when the Scepter should depart from Iudah and a Law-giuer from between his feet that then Shiloh should come They expected according to vndoubted Prophecies the Virgins sonne of the root of Iesse the branch of Iustice the eminent Shepheard the Gouernour the King of Sion the desire of all Nations c. But the speciall promise they seeme to take notice of here was that of their Law-giuer Moses Deut. 18.15 Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet from the mid'st of thee of thy Brethren like vnto mee vnto him yee shall harken This they had heard this ranne in their minds this they now made vse of and so comparing the Prophecies with the event fell vpon the right Fuller demonstrations haue wee to
Davids practice Ieremies Lamentations and our Saviours weeping for Lazarus and over Ierusalem are warranted to be Heroicall We haue more sinnes Beloued to bewaile but fewer teares to shead greater occasion to hide our faces but lesse contrition to doe it many Physitians shall bee first fee'd before this remedy bee thought vpon that Hezekiah prayed vnto the Lord. 6. Hee prayed Simon Magus had not the grace to pray himselfe but the face to intreat others I make no doubt but here the Prophet Isaiah prayed the Priests prayed the Courtiers and people prayed all were good helpes and it was their dutie yet this sufficeth not Hezekiah except hee pray himselfe hee could best plead his owne cause and commence his owne suit and haue the better audience But to whom doth hee pray Popery was not then on foot to pray to Saints departed before their images or buying Masses or applying reliques Isaiah had instructed them better that Abraham was ignorant of them and the Brazen Serpent was broken downe by the Kings command and called Nehushtan that no such praying should be vsed vnto it Hee prayed therefore as the text hath it vnto the Lord and none other him hee had onely offended his mercy hee had ever found ready his power hee was assured of he alone throughly knewe his wofull case and therefore not as much as dreamed of the mediation of any other The forme of his prayer is set downe in the twentieth of the 26. of Kings and Esay the 38. in the same wordes to teach vs to regard that the more which the Holy Ghost vouchsafeth so precisely to repeat From whence if our Puritans hope to drawe any instance for their extemporary brabbling and brawling against our set formes of prayer the text will shew them as repugnant to Hezekiah herein as commonly they are otherwise to all their lawfull Superiours For his prayer here was on his bed vpon his particular and extraordinary necessity they must vent theirs in the Church where no such occasion is offered to the excluding of better formes then their best premeditation can affoord vs. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall that this particular request of his might not bee heard or disturbed The gift of these men is vnder-valued if their proselytes be not about them to applaud and admire it More tolerable therefore it were that they troubled not the Church more by their prating then they helpe it by such praying In this case if their conceits were not too fleeting they might consider that prayer is of two sorts Publique or private Publique may be either solemne in the Church or more retired in a familie or some other occasioned assembly Now to thrust in here with sudden and vnconcocted flashes were not only to crosse Scripture Fathers and the continuall practice of all Christian Assemblies that euer deserved the name of Churches but also to abuse such Holy meetings by hindring the concurrence of devotions in knowne petitions wherein they ought to joyne and the saying Amen to that they must be sure is warrantable Private prayers I confesse are of another nature wherein divers notwithstanding may bee holpe what to say and directed what to aske by publike formes though such particulars may often fall out in regard of personall grievances sinnes or benefits that may dictate as it were an ejaculatory prayer as the occasion shall bee offered Such was Hezekiah's here and such were to be wished more rife among all sorts of people Notable examples herein wee haue of Iacob O Lord God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaack Gen. 32.9 The Lord which saidst vnto me Returne into thy Countrey and to thy kinred and I will deale well with thee I am not worthy of the lest of all thy mercies all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy servant For with my staffe I passed over this Iordan and now I am become two bands Deliuer me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him So Sampson vpon his resolution to dye O Lord God saith he remember me Iud. 16 28. I pray thee and strengthen me onely this once O God that I may bee at once avenged of the Philistims for my two eyes And what are the most part of Davids Psalmes but a contexture of such heavenly wishes aptly composed for his owne vse and the direction of others that expect the same protection O how would it become the conversation of Christians in stead of corrupt communication and blasphemous oathes and cursings to haue their mouthes filled with such Prayses and Prayers How well doe such speeches sound from the mouthes of good subiects God saue the King or Giue the King thy Iudgements O Lord and thy righteousnes vnto the Kings Sonne In the warlike raigne of David wee haue a large description in Scripture of Captaines and Worthies but in Solomons succeeding Peaceable government of stately buildings notable examples of Iustice flourishing of the Arts trafficking with forraine Nations and the like All which are the extraordinary blessings of God and by his disposall haue their turnes and periods which most commonly are found in the body as the head is affected Where a King therefore makes the Lords Prayer the best Prayer the subject of his meditations with what face may subiects be backward in following such directions Hezekiah as wee all know wanted not titles nor treasure nor friends nor any other good parts that might grace a man and yet heere wee see in the vpshot of extremity his onely refuge is Prayer And this brings him to the speech of the Physitian which recouered him For when he had prayed vnto the Lord the Lord spake vnto him and hee gaue him a signe Where we haue the last words of my Text and third member of my division pointing at the Physitian and the course he tooke 7. And he spake vnto him and hee gaue him a signe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at sundry times and in divers manners hath it pleased the Lord of heaven to speake to men here vpon earth by his Sonne by his servants by Angels by men internally externally in dreames by open visions as Suarez vpon Aquinas's third part quest 30. Peucer in his commentary of the divers kinds of divination Mencelius in a peculiar tract of the knowledge of God doe at large declare This speaking here to Hezekiah was by Isaiah the Prophet as the text 2. Kings 20. clearely sheweth And as the extremity was great and vrgent so this speaking was quicke and comfortable in these most gracious tearmes Turne againe and tell Hezekiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Captaine of my people Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares Behold I will heale thee on the 3d day thou shalt goe vp vnto the house of the Lord. Could there be better newes to a dying man Yet this is not all I will adde saith he vnto thy
the Infanta of Spaine There in the eight picture you shall finde a head of a noble Virgin called Alexandra devoted in her life to the Rosary ascending from the bottome of a pit into which it had beene barbarously throwne and making Auricular confession to a Dominican Fryer and thereby preventing her damnation 150 daies after it had beene cut off from the body In the 12. the blessed Virgin is fetched from heauen to be a Midwife to a Spanish Lady and our Saviour himselfe to be Chaplaine for the Christning of the child and afterwards to say Masse at the Churching where S. Anne and S. Magdalen also attended in the manner of gossips It would be teadious to your patience but to haue a list of the new Saints in their Miracles S. Isodore S. Teresa S. Francis Xaverius and the like who are scarce yet warme in the Calender Only S. Ignatius the Iesuits founder may be a little taken notice of his picture wee haue in a peculiar table set forth by Francis Villamena and dedicated to the Duke of Bavaria on the top of it is prefixed this Motto fit for him and his that haue beene the firebrands of so many combustions Ignem veni mittere in terram quid volo nisi accendatur I came to set fire on the earth and what will I but that it be kindled About this picture in Ovall rounds are ranged this Saints Miracles to the number of 29. Here you may see him shining and lifted vp from the earth and receauing in a moment from God by infusion the knowledge of the greatest matters and from the B. Virgin with the child in her armes the gift of chastity Not farre from that you shall finde a Landresse cured of a withered arme only by washing of his linnen Over against he sits cudgelling away with a staffe in his left hand an ill favoured Fiend that came to tempt him all may not be repeated but that which is strangest of all is in the bottome There is God the Father painted with his sonne by holding in his hand the Crosse and mediating to his sonne for S. Ignatius there kneeling before them that hee would receiue him and his fellowes vpon the Fathers commendation into his protection The subscription is A Deo Patre cum sociis commendatum Iesus in tutelam recipit What should we thinke of this passage wee acknowledge as the life of our faith that the Son is our Mediator and Advocate to the Father but that the Father should ever mediate to the Sonne for the Iesuits to be receiued into his peculiar patronage I thinke it will be hardly found but only in this pageant of the Iesuits But these are but the fancies of peevish painters may some man say not any way countenanced by the pillars of that Church I would willingly haue it so too and wish with all my heart there were that syncere dealing amongst them that nothing could hee said against them that might not be as soone answered But it falls out otherwise for haue wee not vnder hand seale of this Pope now being Vrbane the 8. in the Bull of the Canonizations of Ignatius Loyola a Catalogue of the like miracles in the curing of divers not only by prayer to him but by applying his Image to the parts most desperatly affected A coppy of which Bull is to be seene in our publique Library in Oxford I trust his holinesse will not father fancies But I should dwell here too long if I persued more particulars 10 Contra Mirabularios istos cautum me fecit Deus meus saith S. Augustine Against such miracle-mongers God hath armed me to take heed In Iohan. Tract 3. Where he saith in the last times many false Prophets shall rise Math. 24.11 and shall shew great signes and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect Behold I haue told you before V. 24.25 and the vse is there added to this doctrine wherefore if they shall say vnto you behold he is in the desart goe not forth behold he is in the secret Chambers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the originall it will beare in a pix or sacring boxe by Transubstantiation beleeue it not The Apostles second this S. Paul tells vs that that man of sinne that sonne of perdition that wicked one shall come after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 2. Thes 2.9.10 and with all deceivablenesse of vnrighteousnesse and therefore we are to take heed and to stand fast S. Iohn foretells vs of a great beast Revel 13. that should doe great wonders and deceiue those that dwell in the earth by meanes of those Miracles and addes this If any haue an eare to heare let him heare There were then signes saith an ancient author vpon the 24. of Mathew Operis Imperfecti which vsually hath gone vnder the name of S. Schrisostome whereby heretofore true Christians might be differenced from their opposites Hom. 49. First discipline then Miracles thirdly good life But after the abomination of desolation once sits in the holy place the Idolaters shall haue Church Scriptures Bishops Sacraments in a more pompous manner then the right beleeuers They shall stand vpon Miracles make a shew of a greater strictnesse of life then any of the true professors and that with so high a hand that then there will be left nothing to know who are in the right Nist tantummodo saith he per Scripturas but only by the Scriptures Paris apud Audoenum Parvum in 80.1557 But this whole passage in one Edition is left out for some reasons the Factors for Popery best know Now for the discerning of true miracles from false we need goe no farther then tantummodò per Scripturas De Notis Ecclesiae c. 14. here in the text Bellarmine in refutation of a fond dotage of Mahumet that he set the Moone together when it was cut in too and restored it to heauen thinkes it sufficient to reply Neminem fuisse qui videret hoc miraculum who saw this miracle besides him that is said to worke it And may not wee likewise demand who hath seene these Indian Miracles and others that they so much vaunt of This miracle here was not done by candle light in a corner to bee seene through a grate at a distance but at bright day It was fully seene not by one but many not of one sort but of divers conditions not ingaged in a faction but indifferent These plaine honest men are indifferent trialls betweene realities and forgeries and therefore the people vpon such evidence inferred as followes This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the World my last part left to conclude with 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where first wee haue their assurance Of a truth 2. the thing assured This is that Prophet that should come into the World This assurance of this multitude no otherwise qualified
be left in Hell not that hee was ever there but because hee was thereto liable if Christ had not interposed Would any man gather from the speech of God to Abimelech Behold thou art but a deadman Gen. 20. that it argued hee was dead indeed or rather that he deserued so to be and should surely looke for it if he proceeded to wrong faithfull Abraham in his wife Sarah Why then may it not stand by the same analogie David was not left to that dungeon into which Gods iustice through sinne would haue cast him if Christs descent had not freed him by a plenary and victorious satisfaction Christ then alone did the deed but David and all the faithfull both before and after receaue the benefit his sufferings were our Acquittings his death our life his descending into Hell our freedome from thence Of his soule therefore our Prophet speaketh principally but of his owne by a consequent 10. My soule Notwithstanding divers had rather hazard an Article of their Creed then acknowledge this for good And surely Beloued if we sayle in this proofe the rest will be sooner deluded And here I must professe with Musculus vpon these words of my Text In Ps 16. I am not ignorant how diversly learned men doe thinke It is so mewhat obsoure indeed saith he and subiect to many disputations But yet no godly man vpon such an occasion wil I trust resist or offer violence to the Apostles words Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell But desire rather God for the vnderstanding of it And in the meane time with a single faith cleaue to the Word of Truth although he cannot clearely perceaue the Manner how it was performed For mine owne part though I ever tooke that of Basil for an especiall goodrule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is so proper to a Christian Bishop I may extend it to every good Christian as to be a peacemaker yet to balk an Article of our faith whē iust occasion leads a man to professe it in a fit Auditory were to neglect that Iniunction of the Apostle Be ready alwaies to giue an answere to every man that asketh you to giue a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and feare 1. Pet. 3.15 and to lay open a gap to such scoffers as Bertius and the like that we conceale a certaine kinde of Crypticall divinity among our selues which we are loath the world should take notice of In this Point those that know the confused heap of Authors their differences will pardon me if I passe by more then I shall speake especially the time and place so confining me that I must not exceed the one or forget the other In a generality therefore among these that dissent concerning the article of the descension of our Saviour into Hell some discredit it as crept in from the margine into the Text Others reiect it Beza in Mat. 27. ver 52. as a kinde of a legendary Narration To strengthen the first suspicion no Confessions or Councells or Authors haue beene vnrifled by Lauater and Parker and others But few haue fallen into the Intemperancy of the latter besides Carlile Broughton who are rather to bee pittied then confuted S. Augustine is peremptory that vpon this ground of my text Ep. 99. who but an Infidel wil deny that Christ was in Hell And Calvin is cleare that the omitting of this article would sheere off Instit l. 2. c. 16. §. 8. a great deale of the fruit of our redemption Neither is it materiall that divers Churches for a long time had it not and some Confessions in Councills haue omitted it For if such an exception should passe for currant it would goe hard as wee all knowe with divers parts of Canonicall Scripture Rather the generall acceptance afterward of those that first wanted it argueth the Authority it brought with it to command their assent and Omissions are not denyals especially of that which is otherwise supplied Now to confound this Article with the former of his buriall as though this were a Repetition of that by way of explication were a strange kinde of Battologie as Calvin well obserueth for such a popular fumme of Divinity and an exposition that should exceed the Text in obscurity The Article standing therefore firme and distinct all the difficulty remaineth about the meaning of it some labouring earnestly for a tropicall sense others to haue the words as they lye in their natiue signification Vide Bell. de Christ l. 4. c. 6. Concerning the Trope there is further no small difference Some standing for a Metonymie expound this descent of the effect only and fruit of Christs death and passion which others in a metaphoricall sense transferre to the inward sorrowes and hellish anguish which in the garden and vpon the crosse hee endured So that the Text according to these mens conceits must be thus glossed He descended into hell that is either before his death hee sustained the horror of Gods wrath due to vs in Iustice for our sinnes or afterward the Effect of his passion was exhibited in Hell it selfe to the perpetuall terrour of the Divell and his complices Last of all those that stick to the letter haue fallen out about the propriety of the words One taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the graue and withholding for descending makes this to be the sense He descended that is he lay in bondage and was held captiue into Hell that is of death Vid. Lavat par 1. c. 8. in the graue Another trauels as farre as Macedon to confirme out of their Greek dialect in the Lords prayer this Interpretation to be proper Hee descended into Hell that is his soule retired or departed to the place of blessed spirits almost as much in effect as though he had said Hee ascended into heauen The greater part therefore haue pitched vpon a reall descent into Hell properly taken but betweene these also there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great gulfe fixed that keepeth them from concurring in opinion The Papists maintaine he descended to free the Fathers out of Limbo where they were formerly imprisoned as in a skirt or gate-house of Hell Others only acknowledge in it his spoiling of principalities and powers making a shew of them openly by triumphing ouer them as the Apostle himselfe speaketh Col. 2.15 Infinite it were to fift all particulars or to except against al fancies my purpose is rather to settle the wauering then to goe about to reduce every wilfull wanderer 11. And first it will bee granted on all sides that whatsoeuer sufferings required as due for our ransome were vndergone by our Saviour in this life and fully accomplished in his death Wherevpon the false fire of some is quite extinguished that Christ descended in soule to suffer as destitute at length of any fuell to mainetaine it Secondly none deny but that the anguish which our Saviour endured for our sakes was
stupendious miracles in all kinds he daily wrought were severally as well as iointly sufficient proofes that he was the promised Messias Yet all this may not satisfie without search of these Records Search the scripture saith he for against them yee haue no exception as yee may haue against miracles and other evidences In them yee your selues are convinced in your owne consciences and thinke to haue eternall life Now these are they which testifie of me Ioh. 5. When the Lawyer therefore last of all would needs haue a Rule whereby to inherit eternall life his dispatch was without further adoe What is written Luk. 10. How readest thou After such eminent Elogies from the Master for the scriptures supreame esteeme and vse the suffrages of all his followers may bee well deemed needlesse 10. Vpon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this scriptum est the Fathers came in with their forcible exhortations It is a manifest revolt from faith saith the great Basil to bring in any thing for religion Definit 80 c. 22. that is not written and because it is not of faith it must needs bee sinne for who may speake 0 saith Saint Ambrose De vocat gent. l. 2. c. 3. where the Scripture is silent That which hath not ground from hence addes Saint Hierome is as easily put off as vrged In Mat. 23. I therefore rest saith Theodoret only vpon the Scriptures Dial. l. 1. c. 8. This must end all differences when all is done as S. Augustine affirmes Cont. Crescon l. 2. c. 31. with Origen The Schoolemen here fall in full in the maine with the Fathers Lumbard in in praefat Aq. Scotus to whom those that follow them are not opposite howsoever their practise hath beene stragling and dissonant in the infinite distractions of these syding times Thus farre these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written direct vs. But here we are not to mould the Scriptures according to our fancies or wrest them to serue our owne turnes or stand vpon our owne private iudgement in their doubtfull exposition nor content our selues that this or that is written except we take it and partake it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written Church Councells Fathers Schoolemen new and old Expositors tongues Arts Histories may and ought to be vsed in their severall places Mat. 13. for the more iudicious clearing and applying of them For every Scribe which is instructed vnto the kingdome of heauen saith our Saviour is like vnto a man that is an housholder who bringeth forth out of his treasurie things new and old How much then doth it stand vs vpon heartily and seriously to pray as our Church teacheth vs in the Collect of the last weeke Blessed Lord which hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning grant that we may in such wise heare them read marke learne and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given vs in our Saviour Iesus Christ Amen For to what end should these things bee written Beloued if not to be read and learned and pondred and conferred and revised againe and againe of vs for our eternall good Precept vpon precept line vpon line must here be taken according to the Prophets method least at any time we should let thē slip as our Apostle tells the Hebrewes Records for our temporall estates will be carefully looked after Heb. 2. and shall these heavenly evidences bee neglected No dainties shall bee thought too deare for the bodies well-fare and is not the soules eternall happines worth the looking after Certainely when modesty blusheth feare faultreth flattery sootheth ignorance sticketh craft adviseth for it's owne endes hypocrisies makes shewes and performes nothing This scriptum est will ever continue to bee bold with the best and greatest to tell all truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth as here it doth of these debosh't Israelites 11. The people sate downe to eat and drinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rose vp to play The people not all as we had before but the greater summe the most part Those that gathered themselues together vnto Aaron not to make them a new leader in steed of Moses for I thinke they greatly cared not whether they had any or no but new Gods insteed of Iehovah not to giue them lawes for directions or punish them when they offended but to leaue them to their owne licentiousnesse and when they were disposed to travell to goe before them Exod. 32.1 such is mans corrupt and selfe-wild nature We loue not Gods or Governors that will be punctuall or busie vpon vs for the observation of morall ceremoniall and iudiciall laws that wil thunder or lighten in the giuing or breach of their commandements but galdly admit of those that will quietly permit vs to follow our owne humours eat and drinke without a reckoning play without exception at vnlawfull games or in vnfit times or places without any restraint or moderation Now such Gods must needs be of our own making otherwise they would be hardly so fitted to our intemperate desires This skill this people had gotten without a teacher God they knew made them and now in requitall they would make them Gods But how would they serue them Not with grace before meat in their eating and drinking nor with the Psalmists excitation to devotion piously premised in our Church Liturgie O come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our salvation Let vs come before his presence with thanksgiuing and shew our selues glad in him with Psalmes O come let vs worship and fall down kneel before the Lord our maker Fal down and kneele and worship Nay sit downe to eat and drinke and rise againe to play O the vngratefull and perverse disposition of vs all the more God in mercy remembers vs the sooner wee forget both our selues and him and the better hee deales with vs the worse most commonly wee proue Pius Quintus that Pope who excommunicated Queene Elizabeth was wont to say I should not relate it but that I haue a Iesuit for my author and that is Cornelius à Lapide vpon the 11th of Numbers at the 11th verse Cum essem religiosus when I was a religious man he meant I thinke a plaine Monk without any Ecclesiasticall degree or dignity I had a very good hope of the salvation of my soule Being made Cardinall Extimui I was much afraid of it Nunc Pontifex creatus but now being Pope what now Penè despero I almost despaire of it And so thought Clement the 8th addes my former Author that followed after him An ingenious confession I must needs professe especially from such men so much ingaged in the pompes and vanities of this wicked world We can censure such passages at our pleasure but I