there should bee granted by Iohn 22. a Pardon for no lesse than a million of yeeres Who can endure since by their owne confession this fire must last but till the conflagration of the world that yet in one little Booke there should be tendred vnto credulous poore soules Pardons of but eleuen thousand thousands of yeeres What should we make many words of this There is now lying by me a worme-eaten Manu-script with faire Rubrickes in which besides other absurd and blasphemous promises there is power giuen to one little prayer to change the paines of hell due perhaps to him that sayes it into Purgatory and after that againe the paines of Purgatory into the ioyes of Heauen Lib. de Indulg Bellarmine had wisely respected his owne reputation if hee had giuen his voice according to that which he confesseth to haue beene the iudgement of some others That these like Bills were not giuen by the Popes but lewdly deuised by some of his base Questuaries for an aduantage But that which he should excuse hee defends What ingenuity of shame is to be expected of Iesuites and how cleane hath an old Parrot as he said of old forgotten the wand Who may abide this vniust and inhumane acceptation of persons that the wealthier sort may by their purses redeeme this holy treasure of the Church and by money deliuer the soules of themselues and their friends from this horrible Prison while the needy Soule must be stall frying in this flame without all hope of pardon or mature relaxation vntill the very last Iudgement day Lastly who can endure that whiles it is in the power of Christs Vicar to call miserable soules out of this tormenting fire which hell it selfe is said to exceed onely in the continuance yet that he should suffer them to lie howling there and most cruelly broyling still and not mercifully bestow on them all the heapes of his treasure as the spirituall ransome of so many distressed spirits Ambr. de Nabâ—th A wretched man is he as Ambrose said of the rich man which hath the power to deliuer so many soules from death and wants the will Why hath God giuen him this faculty of Indulgences if hee would not haue it beneficiall to Mankinde Auth. operis imperfect and where the Owner of the house will bee bountifull it is not for the Steward to bee niggardly Let that Circè of Rome keepe these huskes for her hogges SECTION XIII Concerning the distinction of Veniall and Mortall sinnes PArdons doe both imply and presuppose that knowne distinction of Mortall and Veniall sinne which neither hath God euer allowed neither whiles he gaine-sayes it will euer the Protestants That there are certaine degrees of euill we both acknowledge and teach so as we may here iustly tax the dishonesty and shamelesnesse of Campion Durcus Coccius and the Monkes of Burdeaux who haue vpbraided vs with the opinion of a certaine Stoicall and Iouinianish parity of sinnes yea Bellarmine himselfe hath already done this kinde office for vs. Some offences are more hainous than other yet all in the malignitie of their nature deadly As of poysons some kill more gently and lingringly others more violently and speedily yet both kill Moreouer if wee haue respect vnto the infinite mercy of God and to the obiect of this mercy the penitent and faithfull heart there is no sinne which to borrow the word of Prudentius is not veniall but in respect of the Anomy or disorder there is no sinne which is not worthy of eternall death Euery sinne is a Viper there is no Viper if we regard the nature of the best but kils whom she bites but if one of them shall haply light vpon the hand of Paul she is shaked into the fire without harme done Let no man feare that harmefull creature euer the lesse because he sees the Apostle safe from that poyson So is sinne to a faithfull man Saint Iohns word is All sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 6. Saint Pauls word is The wages of sinne is death Put these two together and this conceit of the naturall pardon ablenesse of sin vanishes alone Our Rhemists subtill men can no more abide this proposition conuerted than themselues All sinne indeed say they is anomia a transgression of the Law but euery transgression of the Law is not sinne The Apostle therefore himselfe turnes it for vs All vnrighteousnesse saith he is sin But euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vnrighteousnesse saith Austen vpon the place For the Law is the rule of righteousnesse therefore the preuarication of the Law is vnrighteousnesse Yea their very owne word shall stop their owne mouth for how is sinne vniuocally distinguished into Veniall and Mortall if the Veniall be no sinne and the wages of euery sinne is death That therefore which the Papists presume to say that this kinde of sinne deserues pardon in it selfe vnlesse they will take the word merit catachrestically with Stapleton And that which Bellarmine and Nauarus adde that Veniall sinnes are not against but beside the Law and lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Fr. à Vict. summa sacr Poenitentiae nu 100. p. 63. That which Franciscus à Victoria writes that a Bishops blessing or a Lords Prayer or a knocke on the breast or a little holy water or any such like slight receipt without any other good motion of the heart is sufficient to remit Veniall sinne is so shamefully abhorring from all piety and iustice that these open bands both of nature and sinne must be eternally defied of vs. It is an old and as true a ride Decr. 23.4.4 est iniusta c. Petr. Alagâ—â—nae Comp. Manual Nauarri p. 91. p. 267. p. 140. p. 191. p. 352. p. 100. Socr. l. 5.21 â—asinesse of pardon giues incouragement to sinne And beside what maner of sinnes doe they put in the ranke of Venials Drunkennesse adultery angry curses or blasphemies couetousnesse yea stealing lying cursing of parents horrible offences shroud themselues with them vnder this plausible title of veniall He must needs be shamelesly wicked that abhorres not this licentiousnesse Surely Socrates the Historian prophecied I thinke of these men There are some saith he that let goe whoredome as an indifferent matter which yet striue for an holy-day as for their life The ordinarie and not slight Controuersie as Cassander thinketh of the name nature condition punishment of the first sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall as Chrysostome calls it I willingly omit Neither doe I meddle with their Euangelicall perfection of vowes nor the dangerous seruitude of their rash and impotent Votaries nor the incoueniences of their Monkerie which yet are so great and many that the elect Cardinals of Paul the third doubted not with ioynt consent to affirme All the Orders of Couents we thinke fit to be abolished but for the condition of that single and solitary life let that be done which Cassander and
that path there is no death and attending thereon Pr. 20.6 Pr. 12.2 all Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous Wouldst thou haue fauour A good man getteth fauour of the Lord. Ioy The righteous shall sing and reioyce and surely to a man that is good in his sight Pr. 29.6 Ec. 2.26 God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy so that the light of the righteous reioyceth but the candle of the wicked shall bee put out Preseruation and deliuerance Lo Pr. 13.9 Pr. 10.25 Pr. 10.29 Pr. 10.30 Pr. 11.4 Pr. 12.13 Pr. 11.8 Pr. 13.6 Pr. 15.6 Pr. 14.11 Pr. 10.27 Pr. 12.7 Ec. 8.12 Pr. 10.24 Pr. 29.18 the righteous is an euerlasting foundation for the way of the Lord is strength to the vpright man so as the righteous shall neuer be remoued and if he be in trouble Riches auaile not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth from death so the righteous shall come out of aduersitie and escape out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stead thus euery way Righteousnesse preserueth the vpright in heart Prosperity and wealth The house of the righteous shall haue much treasure and his tabernacle shall flourish Long life The feare of the Lord increaseth the daies and not onely himselfe but his house shall stand And though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and God prolong his daies yet know I that it shall be well to them that feare the Lord and doe reuerence before him And lastly whatsoeuer good God will grant the desire of the righteous and he that keepeth the Law is blessed §. 7. In the estate of wickednesse our good things are accursed Wealth Life Fame Deuotions Prayers Sacrifices Euill inflicted of Losse Paine Affliction Death Damnation Pr. 10.2 Pr. 10.3 COntrarily there is perfect misery in wickednesse Looke on all that might seeme good in this estate Wealth The treasures of the wicked profit nothing the Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he either casteth away the substance of the wicked Pr. 13.25 so that the belly of the wicked shall want or else employeth it to the good of his for the wicked shall be a ransome for the iust Pr. 21.18 Ec. 2.26 and to the sinner God giueth paine to gather and to heape to giue to him that is good before God The wicked man may bee rich Pr. 15.6 Pr. 10.27 Pr. 10.25 Pr. 12.7 Pr. 2.22 Ec. 8.13 but how The reuenues of the wicked is trouble Life The yeeres of the wicked shall be diminished As the whirl-wind passeth so is the wicked no more for God ouerthroweth the wicked and they are not Whatsoeuer therefore their hope be the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be rotted out It shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies hee shall be like to a shadow because he feared not God Pr. 14.11 Pr. 10.7 yea the very house of the wicked shall be destroyed Fame Whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed the name of the wicked shall rot yea looke vpon his best endeuours Pr. 15.29 Pr. 28.9 his Prayers The Lord is farre off from the wicked but heareth the prayer of the righteous farre off from accepting For Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law Pr. 15.8 euen his prayer shall be abominable His sacrifice though well intended as all the rest of his waies is no better than abomination to the Lord how much more when he brings it with a wicked minde Pr. 15.9 Pr. 21.27 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 10.18 Pr. 13.9 Pr. 11.18 Pr. 26.10 Pr. 13.21 Pr. 5.22 Pr. 10.6 Pr. 29.6 Pr. 11.5 Pr. 13.6 Pr. 33.3 Pr. 11.31 Pr. 10.24 Pr. 5.23 And as no good so much euill whether of losse The way of the wicked will deceiue them their hope shall perish especially when they die their candle shall be put out their workes shall proue deceitfull Or of paine for the Excellent that formed all things rewardeth the foole and the transgressor and he hath appointed that Affliction should follow sinners Follow yea ouertake them His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe and couer his mouth and hee shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne euen in the transgression of the euill man is his snare so the wicked shall fall in his owne wickednesse for of it owne selfe iniquity ouerthroweth the sinner But besides that the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked though hand ioyne in hand he shall not be vnpunished behold the righteous shall be paid vpon earth how much more the wicked and the sinner That then which the wicked man feareth shall come vpon him both Death Hee shall die for default of instruction Pr. 11.19 Pr. 1◠32 Pr. 15.11 Pr. 12.2 Pr. 10.29 Pr. 19.29 and that by his owne hands for by following euill he seekes his owne death and after that damnation The wicked shall bee cast away for his malice Hell and destruction are before the Lord and a man of wicked imaginations will hee condemned so both in life in death after it nothing but Terrour shall be for the workers of iniquity where contrarily The feare of the Lord leadeth to life and hee that is filled therewith shall contiue and shall not be visited with euill SALOMONS ETHICKS THE SECOND BOOKE PRVDENCE §. 1. Of Vertue Wherein it consisteth Whereby it is ruled and directed VErtue consists in the meane vice in the extremes Pr. 4.26 Pr. 4.27 Let thy waies be ordered aright Turne not to the right hand nor to the left but remoue thy foot from euill The rule whereof it Gods Law Pr. 6.23 Pr. 30.5 Pr. 4.20 Pr. 4.21 Pr. 4.22 for the commandement is a Lanterne and instruction a light and euery word of God is pure My sonne hearken to my words incline thine eare to my sayings let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thine heart For they are life vnto those that finde them and health vnto all their flesh Pr. 7.2 Pr. 7.3 Keepe my Commandements and thou shalt liue and mine instruction as the apple of thine eye Binde them vpon thy fingers and write them vpon the Table of thine heart All vertue is either Prudence Iustice Temperance Fortitude 1. Of Prudence which comprehends Wisdome Prouidence Discretion §. 2. Of wisdome the Description Effects It procures Knowledge Safety from sinne from iudgement Good direction for actions for words Wealth Honour Life THe prudent man is he whose eyes are in his head to see all things and to fore-see Ec. 2.14 Ec. 10.2 Pr. 8.12 Pr. 14.8 Pr. 9.12 Pr. 3.13 and whose heart is at his right hand to doe all dexterously and with iudgement Wisdome dwells with Prudence and findeth forth knowledge and counsels And to describe it The wisdome of the Prudent is to vnderstand his way his owne If thou be wise thou shalt be wise
his Saints see him but some more clearly as the same Sunne is seene of all eyes not with equall strength Such as the eye of our faith was to see him that is inuisible such is the eye of our present apprehension to see as we are seene Who sees not that our rewards are according to our workes not for them as on merit woe be to that soule which hath but what it earneth but after them as their rule of proportion and these how sensibly vnequall One giues but a cup of cold water to a disciple another giues his blood for the master Different workes haue different wages not of desert but of mercy Fiue talents well imployed carry away more recompence then two yet both approued both rewarded with their Masters ioy Who can sticke at this that knowes those heauenly spirits to whom we shall be like are marshalled by their Maker into seuerall rankes He that was rapt into their element and saw their blessed orders as from his owne knowledge hath stiled them Thrones Principalities Powers Dominions If in one part of this Celestiall Family the great Housholder hath thus ordered it why not in the other yea euen in this he hath instanced You shall sit on twelue Thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel If he meane not some preheminence to his Apostles how doth he answer how doth he satisfie them Yet more Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome therefore Abraham is more honoured then Lazarus I shall need no moe proofes if from heauen you shall looke down into the great Gulfe and there see diuersity of torments according to the value of sinnes Equality of offences you acknowledge an idle Paradoxe of the Stoicks to hold vnequall sinnes equally punished were more absurd and more iniurious to Gods iustice There is but one fire which yet otherwise burnes the straw otherwise wood and iron He that made and commands this dungeon these tortures tells vs that the wilfully disobedient shall smart with moe stripes the ignorant with fewer Yet so conceiue of these heauenly degrees that the least is glorious So do these vessels differ that all are full there is no want in any no enuy Let vs striue for a place not striue for the order how can we wish to be more then happy Your other question is of our mutuall knowledge aboue the hope whereof you thinke would giue much contentment to the necessity of our parture for both wee are loth not to know those whom we loue and wee are glad to thinke wee shall know them happy whereof if it may comfort you I am no lesse confident If I may not goe so far as with the best of the Fathers to say we shall know one anothers thoughts I dare say our persons we shall our knowledge our memory are not there lost but perfected yea I feare not to say we shall know both our miseries past and the present sufferings of the damned It makes our happinesse not a little the sweeter to know that we were miserable to know that others are and must bee miserable wee shall know them not feele them Take heed that you clearly distinguish betwixt speculation and experience We are then farre out of the reach of euils We may see them to comfort vs not to affect vs. Who doubts that these eyes shall see and know the glorious manhood of our blessed Sauiour aduanced aboue all the powers of heauen And if one body why not more And if our elder brother why no more of our spirituall fraternity Yea if the twelue thrones of those Iudges of Israel shall be conspicuous how shall wee not acknowledge them And if these who shall restraine vs from more You will easily grant that our loue can neuer faile Faith and hope giue place to sight to present fruition for these are of things not seene but loue is perpetuall not of God only but his Saints For nothing ceases but our earthly parts nothing but what sauors of corruption Christian loue is a grace and may well chalenge a place in heauen and what loue is there of what we know not More plainly If the three Disciples in Tabor knew Moses and Elias how much more shall we know them in Gods Sion Lastly for it is a letter not a volume that I intended in this not necessary but likely discourse that famous parable can tell you that those which are in hell may know singular and seuerall persons though distant in place The rich Glutton knowes Lazarus and Abraham I heare what you say It is but a parable neither will I presse you with the contrary authority of Ambrose Tertullian Gregory Hierome or any Father nor with that vniuersall rule of Chrysostome that those onely are parables where examples are expressed and names concealed I yeeld it yet all holy parables haue their truths at least their probabilities Deny this and you disable their vse wrong their Author Our Sauiour neuer said ought was done that cannot be and shall then the damned retaine ought which the glorified lose No man euer held that the soule was aduantaged by torment Comfort you therefore in this you shall know and be knowne But farre be from hence all carnall and earthly thoughts as if your affections should be as below doubled to your wife or child Nature hath no place in glory here is no respect of blood none of mariage This grosser aquaintance and pleasure is for the Paradise of Turkes not the Heauen of Christians Here is as no mariage saue betwixt the Lambe and his Spouse the Church so no matrimoniall affections You shall reioyce in your glorified child not as your child but as glorified In briefe let vs so enquire of our company that aboue all things we striue to be there our selues where we are sure if we haue not what we imagined we shall haue more then we could imagine To Mr T.L. EP. VII Concerning the matter of diuorce in case of apparant adultery aduising the innocent party of the fittest course in that behalfe ALL intermedling is attended with danger and euer so much more as the band of the parties contending is nearer and straiter how can it then want perill to iudge betwixt those which are or should bee one flesh yet great necessities require hazard My profession would iustly checke me if I preferred not your conscience to my owne loue I pity and lament that your owne bosome is false to you that your selfe with shame and with sin are pulled from your selfe giuen to whom you would not An iniury that cannot be parallelled vpon earth and such as may without our wonder distract you sleight crosses are digested with study and resolution greater with time the greatest not without study time counsell There is no extreame euill whose euasions are not perplexed I see here mischiefe on either hand I see you beset not with griefes onely but dangers No man euer more truly held a wolfe by the eare which he can neither stay nor let goe with safety
owe him all grudge him any thing Away with the mention of outward things all the bloud in our bodies is due to him all the prayers and well-wishes of our soules are due to him How solemnly festiuall should this day be to vs and to our posterities for euer How cheerefully for our peace our religion our deliuerance should wee take vp that acclamation with the people of Rome vsed in the Coronation of Charles the great Carolo Iacobo a Deo coronata Fris l. 5. c. 31. magno pacifico Britannorum Imperatori vita victoria To Charles Iames crowned of God the great and peaceable Emperor of Britaine Life and victory and let God and his people say Amen These were great things indeed that God did for Israel great that he hath done for vs great for the present not certaine for the future They had not no more haue we the blessings of God by entaile or by lease Only at the good will of the Lord and that is during our good behauiour Sin is a forfeiture of all fauours If you doe wickedly you shall perish It was not for nothing that the same word in the originall signifies both sin and punishment These two are inseparable There is nothing but a little priority in time betweene them The Angels did wickedly they perisht by their fall from heauen The old world did wickedly they perisht by waters from heauen The Sodomites did wickedly the perisht by fire from heauen Corah and his company did wickedly they perisht by the earth The Egyptians did wickedly they perisht by the Sea The Canaanites did wickedly they perisht by the sword of Israel The Israelites did wickedly they perisht by pestilence serpents Philistims What should I run my selfe out of breath in this endlesse course of examples There was neuer sin but it had a punishment either in the actor or in the Redeemer There was neuer punishment but was for sinne Heauen should haue no quarrell against vs Hell could haue no power ouer vs but for our sinnes Those are they that haue plagued vs Those are they that threaten vs. But what shall be the iudgement Perishing To whom To you and your King He doth not say If your King doe wickedly you shall perish as sometimes he hath done nor If your King doe wickedly he shall perish although Kings are neither priueleged from sinnes nor from iudgements nor if you doe wickedly you only shall perish but If ye doe wickedly ye and your King shall perish So neere a relation is there betwixt the King and Subiect the sin of the one reacheth to the iudgment of the other and the iudgment of the one is the smart of both The King is the Head the Commons the stomacke if the head be sick the stomacke is affected Dauid sins the people die If the stomacke be sicke the head complaines For the transgression of the people are many Princes What could haue snatcht from our head that sweet Prince of fresh bleeding memory that might iustly haue challenged Othoes name Otho 3. Fris 6. 26. Mirabilia mundi now in the prime of all the worlds expectation but our traiterous wickednesses His Christian modesty vpon his deathbed could charge himselfe no no I haue sins enow of my own to do this But this very accusation did cleere him burden vs. O glorious Prince they are our sins that are guilty of thy death our losse We haue done wickedly thou perishedst A harsh word for thy glorified condition But such a perishing as is incident to Saints for there is a Perire de medio as well as a Perire à facie a perishing from the earth as wel as a perishing froÌ„ God It was a ioiful perishing to thee our sins haue aduaÌ„taged thy soule which is partly therefore happy because we were vnworthy of thee but they haue robbed vs of our happines in thee Oh our treacherous sins that haue offered this violence to that sweet hopeful sacred person And doe they not yet still conspire against him that is yet dearer to vs the root of these godly branches the breath of our nostrils the anointed of God Brethren let me speak it coÌ„fidently As euery sin is a traitor to a mans owne soule so euery wicked man is a traitor to his King yea euery of his crying sins is a false-harted rebel that hides powder pocket dags for the precious life of his Soueraign Any states-man may learn this euen of Machiauel himselfe which I confesse when I read I thought of the Deuill confessing Christ That the giuing of God his due Ossâ—ruanza del culto diuinae cagione della grandezza delle Cofiil dispregio diqâ—a c. Discor l. 1. c. 11. Euagr. l. 3. c. 41. is the cause of the greatnesse of any State and contrarily the neglect of his seruice the cause of ruine and if any prophane Zosimus shall doubt of this point I would but turne him to Euagrius his discourse to this purpose where he shall finde instances of enow particulars What-euer politicke Philosophers haue distinguisht betwixt bonus vir and ciuis I say that as a good man cannot be an ill subiect so a lewd man can no more be a good subiect than euill can be good Let him sooth and sweare what he will his sinnes are so many treasons against the Prince and State for Ruine is from iniquitie saith Ezechiel Alas Ezech. 7.19 what safetie can we be in when such miscreants lurke in our houses iet in our streets when the Country City Court is so full of these spirituall conspiracies Ye that are Magistrates not for Gods sake only but for your Kings sake whose Deputies ye are as he is Gods not for religion only but for very policie as you tender the deare life of our gratious Soueraigne as you regard the sweet peace of this State and Kingdome the welfare of this Church yea as you loue your owne life peace welfare rouze vp your spirits awaken your Christian courage and set your selues heartily against the traitorly sinnes of these times which threaten the bane of all these Cleanse ye these Augean stables of our drunken Tauernes of our prophane Stages and of those blinde Vaults of professed filthinesse Whose steps goe downe to the chambers of death yea to the deepe of hell Pro. 27.7.9.18 And ye my holy brethren the messengers of God if there be any sonnes of Thunder amongst you if euer you ratled from heauen the terrible iudgements of God against sinners now doe it for contrary to the naturall the deepe winter of iniquitie is most seasonable for this spirituall thunder Be heard aboue be seene beneath Out-face sin out-preach it out-liue it Wee are starres in the right hand of God Reu. 8.11 let vs be like any starres saue the Moone that hath blots in her face or the starre Worme-wood whose fall made bitter waters or Saint Iudes planets that wander in irregularities Iude 13. Cum imperio docetur
an Antichristian estate if God giue secret mercie what is that to her Gods superaboundant grace doth neither abate ought of her Antichristianisme nor moue you to follow him in couering and passing by the manifold enormities in our Church wherewith those good things are inseparably commingled Your owne mouth shall condemne you Doth God passe ouer our enormities and doe you sticke yea separate Doth his grace couer them and doe you display them Haue you learned to be more iust than your Maker Or if you be not aboue his iustice why are you against his mercy God hath not disclaimed vs by your owne confession you haue preuented him If Princes leasurees may not be stayed in reforming yet shall not Gods in reiecting Your ignorance enwrapped you in your errors his infinite wisedome sees them and yet his infinite mercy forbeares them so might you at once haue seene disliked stayed If you did not herein goe contrary to the courses of our common God how happy should both sides haue beene yea how should there be no sides How should we be more inseparably commingled than our good and euill But should you haue continued still in sinne that grace might haue abounded God forbid you might haue continued here without sinne saue your owne and then grace would no lesse haue abounded to you than now your sin abounds in not continuing What neede you to surfet of another mans Trencher Other sinnes need no more to infect you than your graces can sanctifie them As for your further light suspect it not of God suspect it to bee meere darknesse and if the light in you bee darknesse how great is that darknesse What so true and glorious a light of God and neuer seene till now No Worlds Times Churches Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Fathers Doctors Gen. 1.2 Esa 5.20 Woe to them that put darknesse for light Esa 59.9 Christians euer saw this truth looke forth besides you vntill you Externall light was Gods first creature and shall this spirituall light whereby all Churches should be discerned come thus late Mistrust therefore your eyes and your light and feare Esayes woe and the Iewes miserable disappointment we wait for light but loe it is darknesse for brightnesse but we walke in obscuritie SEP But the Church of England say you is our Mother and so ought not to be auoyded But say I we must not so cleaue to holy Mother Church as we neglect our Heauenly Father and his Commandements which we know in that estate we could not but transgresse and that hainously and against our consciences not onely in the want of many Christian Ordinances to which we are most straightly bound both by Gods Word and our owne necessities SECTION XVII THE Church of England is your Mother to her small comfort she hath borne you The Motherhood of the Church of England how far it obligeth vs. Deut. 21 22 23. and repented Alas you haue giuen her cause to powre out Iobs curses vpon your Birth-day by your not onely forsaking but cursing her Stand not vpon her faults which you shall neuer proue capitall Not onely the best Parent might haue brought forth a rebellious sonne to be stoned What then Doe we prefer dutie to piety and so plead for our Holy Mother Church that we neglect our Heauenly Father yea offend him See what you say it must needs be an Holy Mother that cannot be pleased without the displeasure of God A good wife that opposes such an husband a good sonne that vpbraids this vniustly Therefore is shee a Church your Mother holy Mater Ecclesia Mater est etiam Matris nostrae Aug. Epist 38. because shee bred you to God cleaues to him obeyes his commandements and commands them And so farre is shee from this desperate contradiction that shee voweth not to hold you for her sonne vnlesse you honour God as a Father It is a wilfull slander that you could not but hainously transgresse vnder her I dare take it vpon my soule that all your transgression which you should necessarily haue incurred by her obedience is nothing so hainous as your vncharitablenesse in your censures and disobedience Conscience is a common plea euen to those you hate we inquire not how strong it is but how well informed not whether it suggest this but whereupon To go against the conscience is sinne to follow a mis-informed conscience is sinne also If you do not the first we know you are faultie in the second He that is greater than the conscience will not take this for an excuse But wherein should haue beene this transgression so vnauoidable hainous against conscience First in the want of many Ordinances to which we are most strictly bound both by Gods Word and our owne necessities SECTION XVIII CAn you thinke this hangs well together The want of pretended Ordinances of God whether sinfull to vs and whether they are to bee set vp without Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—m per exteriorem viâ—lâ—â—tiaÌ„ corâ—â—pitur si interior innocentia custodiatâ—r cap. 114. 3. Custodi c. Ad docendum populum Israelâ—ticum omnipotens Deus Prophetis praeconium dedit non Regibus imperauit Aug. l. 2. contra Gau. c. 11. Barr. causes of separat def p. 6. Barr. Reformation without tarrying Aug. contra Petilian l. 2. Optatus Mileuit lib. 30. Bar. second Examination before the Lord Archbishop and Lord Chiefe-Iustice compar with his reply to M. Gyff Art 5. You should here want many of Gods Ordinances why should you want them Because you are not suffered to enioy them who hinders it Superior powers Did euer man wilfully and hainously offend for wanting of that which he could not haue What hath conscience to doe with that which is out of our power Is necessity with you become a sinne and that hainous Dauid is driuen to lurke in the wildernesse and forced to want the vse of many diuine Ordinances It was his sorrow not his transgression Hee complaines of this but doth he accuse himselfe of sinne Not to desire them had beene sinne no sinne to be debarred them Well might this be Sauls sinne but not his Haue you not sinnes enow of your owne that you must needs borrow of others But I see your ground You are bound to haue these Ordinances and therefore without Princes yea against them so it is your transgression to want them in spight of Magistrates Gaudentius the Donatist taught you this of old And this is one of the Hebrew Songs which Master Barrow sings to vs in Babylon that we care not to make Christ attend vpon Princes and to be subiect to their Lawes and Gouernment and his Predecessor the root of your Sect tels vs in this sense the Kingdome of Heauen must suffer violence and that it comes not with obseruation that men may say Loe the Parliament or loe the Bishops decrees and in the same Treatise The Lords Kingdome must wait on your policy forsooth and
vs to affect that perpetuity in our succession which is denied vs in our persons Our very bodies would emulate the eternity of the soule And if God haue built any of vs an house on earth as well as prepared vs an House in heauen it must be confessed a fauour worth our thankfulnesse but as the perpetuity of our earthly houses is vncertaine so let vs not rest our hearts vpon that but make sure of the House which is eternall in the heauens Doubtlesse the goodnesse of the Daughter added to the Fathers sorrow Shee was not more louing then religious neither is shee lesse willing to be the Lords then her fathers and as prouoking her Father to that which he thought piety though to her owne wrong she saies If thou hast opened thy mouth vnto the Lord doe with me as thou hast promised Many a daughter would haue disswaded her Father with teares haue wisht rather her fathers impiety then her owne preiudice Shee sues for the smart of her Fathers vow How obsequious should children be to the will of their carefull Parents euen in their finall disposition in the world when they see this holy maid willing to abandon the world vpon the rash vow of a Father They are the liuing goods of their Parents and must therefore wait vpon the bestowing of their owners They mistake themselues which thinke they are their own If this maid had vowed her selfe to God without her Father it had been in his power to abrogate it but now that he vowed her to God without her selfe it stands in force But what shall we say to those children whom their Parents vow and care cannot make so much as honest that will be no other then godlesse in spight of their Baptisme and education What but that they are giuen their Parents for a curse and shall one day find what it is to be rebellious All her desire is that she may haue leaue to bewaile that which she must be forced to keepe Virginity If she had not held it an affliction there had been no cause to bewayle it it had been no thanke to vndergoe it if she had not knowne it to be a crosse Teares are no argument impatience we may morne for that we repine not to beare How comes that to be a meritorious vertue vnder the Gospell which was but a punishment vnder the Law The daughters of Israel had been too lauish of their teares if virginity had been absolutely good What iniury should it haue been to lament that spirituall preferment which they should rather haue emulated While Iepthaes daughter was two moneths in the mountaines shee might haue had good opportunity to escape her fathers vow but as one whom her obedience tyed as close to her Father as his vow tyed him to God she returnes to take vp that burden which shee had bewailed to forsee If we be truly dutifull to our Father in heauen we would not slip our neckes out of the yoke though we might nor flie from his commands though the dore were open SAMSON conceiued OF extraordinary persons the very birth and conception is extraordinary God beginnes his wonders betimes in those whom he will make wonderfull There was neuer any of those which were miraculously conceiued whose liues were not notable singular The presages of the wombe and the cradle are commonly answered in the life It is not the vse of God to cast away strange beginnings If Manoahs wife had not been barren the Angell had not been sent to her Afflictions haue this aduantage that they occasion God to shew that mercy to vs whereof the prosperous are vncapable It would not beseeme a mother to be so indulgent to an healthfull child as to a sicke It was to the woman that the Angell appeared not to the husband whether for that the reproch of barrennesse lay vpon her more heauily then on the father or for that the birth of the child should cost her more deare then her husband or lastly for that the difficultie of this newes was more in her conception then in his generation As Satan layes his batteries euer to the weakest so contrarily God addresseth his comforts to those hearts that haue most need As at the first because Eue had most reason to be deiected for that her sin had drawn man into the Transgression therefore the Cordiall of God most respecteth her The seede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head As a Pysitian first tells the state of the disease with his symptomes and then prescribes so doth the Angell of God first tell the wife of Manoah her complaint then her remedy Thou art barren Al our afflictiōs are more noted of that God which sends them then of the Patient that suffers them how can it be but lesse possible to indure any thing that he knowes not than that he inflicteth not He saith to one Thou art sicke to another Thou art poore to a third Thou art defamed Thou art oppressed to another That All-seeing eye takes notice from heauen of euery mans condition no lesse then if he should send an Angell to tell vs he knew it His knowledge compared with his mercy is the iust comfort of al our sufferings O God we are many times miserable and feele it not Thou knowest euen those sorrowes which we might haue Thou knowest what thou hast done doe what thou wilt Thou art barren Not that the Angell would vpbraid the poore woman with her affliction but therefore he names her paine that the mention of her cure might be so much more welcome Comfort shal come vnseasonably to that heart which is not apprehensiue of his owne sorrow We must first know our euils ere we can quit them It is the iust method of euery true Angell of God first to let vs see that whereof either we doe or should complaine and then to apply comforts Like as a good Physician first pulls down the body and then raises it with cordialls If we cannot abide to heare of our faults we are not capeable of amendment If the Angell had first said Thou shalt conceiue and not premised Thou art barren I doubt whether she had conceiued faith in her soule of that infant which her body should conceiue Now his knowledge of her present estate makes way for the assurance of the future Thus euer it pleases our good God to leaue a pawne of his fidelity with vs that we should not distrust him in what he will doe when wee finde him faithfull in that which we see done It is good reason that he which giues the sonne to the barren mother should dispose of him and diet him both in the wombe first and after in the world The mother must first be a Nazarite that her sonne may be so Whiles she was barren shee might drinke what shee would but now that she shall conceiue a Samson her choyce must be limited There is an holy austerity that euer followes the speciall calling of God The worldling
this bait to take so wel that he neuer changed it since he crept into Paradise How many haue we knowne whose heads haue been broken with their owne rib In the first world the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men and tooke them wiues of all they liked they multiplyed not children but iniquities Balaam knew well if the dames of Moab could make the Israelites wantons they should soon make them Idolaters All lyes open where the couenant is not both made with the eye and kept It was the charge of God to the Kings of Israel before they were that they should not multiply Wiues Salomon hath gone beyond the stakes of the law and now is readie to leese himselfe amongst a thousand bedfellowes Who so layes the reines in the necke of his carnall appetite cannot promise where he will rest Oh Salomon where was thy wisedome whiles thine affections runne away with thee into so wilde a voluptuousnesse What bootes it thee to discourse of all things whiles thou mis-knowest thy selfe The perfections of speculation doe not argue the inward powers of selfe-gouernment The eye may be cleare whiles the hand is palsied It is not so much to be heeded how the soule is informed as how it is disciplined The light of knowledge doth well but the due order of the affections doth better Neuer any meere man since the first knew so much as Salomon many that haue knowne lesse haue had more command of themselues A competent estate well husbanded is better then a vast patrimony neglected There can be no safety to that soule where is not a strait curbe vpon our desires If our lusts be not held vnder as slaues they will rule as tyrants Nothing can preuent the extremitie of our mis-cariage but early and strong denials of our concupiscence Had Salomon done thus delicacie and lawlesse greatnesse had not ledde him into these bogs of intemperance The wayes of youth are steepe and slipperie wherein as it is easie to fall so it is commonly relieued with pitie but the wanton inordinations of age are not more vnseasonable then odious yet behold Salomons yonger yeares were studious and innocent his ouer-hastened age was licentious and misgouerned For when Salomon was old his wiues turned away his heart after other gods If any age can secure vs from the danger of a spirituall fall it is our last and if any mans old-age might secure him it was â—alomons the beloued of God the Oracle the miracle of wisedome who would haue looked but that the blossomes of so hopefull a spring should haue yeelded a goodly and pleasant fruit in the Autumne of age yet behold euen Salomons old age vicious There is no time wherin we be safe whiles we can carie this body of sin about vs Youth is impetuous mid-age stubborne old age weake all dangerous Say not now The fury of my youthfull flashes is ouer I shall henceforth finde my heart calme and impregnable whiles thou seest old Salomon doting vpon his Concubines yea vpon their Idolatry It is no presuming vpon time or meanes or strength how many haue begunne and proceeded well who yet haue shamed themselues in their last stage If God vphold vs not we cannot stand If God vphold vs we cannot fal when we are at our strongest it is best to be weake in our selues and when at our weakest strong in him in whom we can doe all things I cannot yet thinke so hard of Salomon that he would proiect his person to Ashteroth the goddesse of the Sidonians or Milchom the Idol of the Ammonites or Chemosh the abomination of Moab Hee that knew all things from the shrub of the Cedar could not be ignorant that these statues were but stocks and stones or metals and the powers resembled by them Deuils It is not like he could be so insensate to adore such Deities but so farre was the vxorious King blinded with affection that hee gaue not passage onely to the Idolatry of his heathenish wiues but furtherance So did he dote vpon their persons that he humoured them in their sinnes Their act is therefore his because his eyes winkt at it his hand aduanced it Hee that built a Temple to the liuing God for himselfe and Israel in Sion built a Temple to Chemosh in the mount of Scandall for his Mistresses of Moab in the very face of Gods House No hill about Ierusalem was free from a Chappell of Deuils Each of his dames had their Puppets their Altars their Incense Because Salomon feeds them in their superstition he drawes the sinne home to himselfe and is branded for what he should haue forbidden Euen our very permission appropriates crimes to vs Wee need no more guiltinesse of any sinne then our willing toleration Who can but yearne and feare to see the wofull wracke of so rich and goodly a vessell O Salomon wert not thou hee whose yonger yeares God honoured with a message and stile of loue To whom God twice appeared and in a gracious vision renewed the Couenant of his fauour Whom he singled out from all the generation of men to be the founder of that glorious Temple which was no lesse cleerely the Type of heauen then thou wert of Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God Wert not thou that deep Sea of wisdome which God ordained to send forth riuers and fountaines of all diuine and humane knowledge to all Nations to all ages Wert not thou one of those select Secretaries whose hand it pleased the Almighty to employ in three pieces of the diuine monuments of sacred Scriptures Which of vs dares euer hope to aspire vnto thy graces Which of vs can promise to secure our selues from thy ruines We fall O God we fall to the lowest hell if thou preuent vs not if thou sustaine vs not Vphold thou me according to thy Word that I may liue and let mee not be ashamed of my hope Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquitie haue dominion ouer me All our weaknesse is in our selues all our strength is in thee O God be thou strong in our weaknesse that our weake knees may be euer steddy in thy strength But in the midst of the horror of this spectacle able to affright all the sonnes of men behold some glimpse of comfort was it of Salomon that Dauid his father prophesied Though he fall he shall not bee vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand If sensible grace yet finall mercy was not taken from that beloued of God In the hardest of this winter the sap was gone downe to the root though it shewed not in the branches Euen whiles Salomon remoued that word stood fast Hee shall be my sonne and I will be his Father He that foresaw his sinne threatned and limited his correction If he breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit his transgression with a rod and his iniquitie with stripes Neuerthelesse my louing kindnesse will I not vtterly take