Gibeonites who dealt craftily Ios 9. when for the safety of their liues they brought old sackes old bottles and old clouted shooes vnto Iosua as though they had come from far when they indéed were neighbours euen so doe they deale craftily and ignorantly that bring workes vnto Christ for the safety of their soules as though they were auaileable when indéede they are not Alas what is man man is as light séede or as poysoned vessels whence no wholsome things can procéede There are thrée speciall things that belongs for your good First griefe and sorrow for sinnes past and corruptions present The second is Hope or affiance in the promises of God in Christ And the third is Constancie or perseuerance in the expectation of Gods mercies The first of these you haue which neuerthelesse may bring you to ineuitable destruction without the other two Be carefull therefore to séeke after the meanes of Faith and then looke for the blessing of God to sanctifie it vnto your vse without the which Faith and all meanes are but bare instruments Therefore S. Paul saith Wee are saued by grace thorow Faith and not of our selues for it is the gift of God So then it is plaine that Grace and Faith are partners Grace being the first and Faith the instrument it comprehends and apprehends passiuely the promises of God in Christ and applyeth to himselfe the merits or righteousnes of Christ So that Faith hath two functions or holy callings one is to waite for Grace the other is to waite and take hold of Christ The Sinner desires to know what Faith is Parishioner IF the Estridge digesteth hard Iron to preserue her health and if the sicke Patient swalloweth bitter pils to preserue his life how much more ought I to endure your doctrine how crosse and contrary soeuer to my body so as I may recouer the life of my soule but when you speak to me of Faith you seem as vpon the Macedonian mountaine called Olimpus high aboue the clouds as the Cibind high in the heauens clasping with the Eagle or as Magitians who worke prodigiously to allure simple people vnto them Sir the vnion Pearle you know hath his affinitie from the heauens and yet breeds in the Sea and a Spericall figure containes nothing but earthly matter euen so I poore wretch being of an earthly body cannot comprehend what Faith is though my Soule haue affinitie with the Heauens whence it came but must liue on earth longer then I would where all things that are aboue mee seeme prodigious and wonderfull vnto me For as a Torch turned downeward is extinguished euen so my naturall affections presse downe my soule leauing no light spirituall influence or reflection in me The Leopard changeth not his hew nor the Ethiope his skinne nor the Foxe his subtiltie nor yet the little Mouse her wildnesse euen so nature will haue course after kinde As Hiero King of Cicill heartily desired to know of Simonides the Philosopher what God was and as Apion desired of Homer to know his originall euen so good Christian Pastor doe I desire and heartily intreate you to know what Faith is and that thereby I may know my originall and beginning in Christ An Answere what Faith is Pastor AS I am very heartily glad to heare you desirous after Faith so am I hartily grieued that you haue so much Philosophy and so little Diuinitie The powerfull effect of Gods word to saluation 1 Cor. 2. is not as with the tickling and entising words of mans wisedome and yet it is in the foolishnesse thereof as men account to ouerthrow and to confound the wisedome of the wise As Dauid was vnwildy and vnfit in Sauls armor 1 Sam. 17. to fight against the Philistine so I must tell you that you are vnfit and vnwildy with this heathenish doctrine to fight against the diuell when as you should foyle him with the sword of Almightie God And as Dauid was faine to put off that armour to content himselfe with a fling and a stone before he had the victory and the triumph euen so you must be taine to put off this affectate eloquence and trust to the weapons of our spirituall warfare before you haue comfort to your conscience and saluation to your soule As the Zodomites did strike with blindnesse Lots dore when their eyes were open Gen. 19. The Assyrians went with blindnesse to Samaria amongst their enemies 2 King 6. in stead of going to their owne King at Aram when their eyes were open Num. 22. Or as Balaam roade with blindnesse against the Angell who resisted his going to the people Israel when his eies were open Euen so when you or any man with the learning of men with the bodily eyes or with the force of flesh shall séeke the atchieuing of Faith or of any other heauenly matter you shall but séeke to kill the Angels as the Zodomites did to take Elisha as the Assyrians did or to beate an Asse as Balaam did Heare now with all simplicitie and holy feare what Faith is Faith is a beléeuing of that which is beyond the vse of Nature or that which is beyond the vse of Reason or that which by the power of earthly things can be any way performed as the conception of Isaac the conception of Sampson and the conception of Christ Iesus the miracles of Moses the miracles of the Prophets the miracles of the Apostles and the miracles of Christ Iesus Gen. 15.16.7.18.21 Iudg. 13.2 King 2.4.5.6 Math Mar. Luke Ioh. such like The more a man doth reason with reason or expostulate with flesh and bloud the more incredible they shall séeme In another sort as it were more plainly Heb. 11. the Author to the Hebrewes saith Faith is a beleeuing that those things which now are were not and that those things which now are not shall be in time to come Concerning the first branch of Faith to wit that those things which now are were not is to beléeue the Sunne the Moone the Starres creatures in the ayre creatures on the earth and in the seas which now wee haue vse of were not heretofore and the earth was couered with water or rather there was no earth and darknesse couered the great déepe If a man do consider of these things with the vse of Reason or naturall Philosophy hee will conclude and say as Nichodemus said to Christ How can these things be Now saith the Apostle you must comprehend or attaine to the knowledge of this by Faith Againe that all those glorious things which now are were made of nothing but by the bare word of God which séems more incredible to the naturall man here then he must take knowledge thereof by Faith The other branch of Faith which is a beléeuing that those things which now are not shall be to wit that the righteous shall inherite the ioyes of heauen and the wicked shall be tormented in hell that the bodies of men good and
holy pure and immaculate substance incorporated in an humane body where it became sinfull This great and innarrable creature so wonderfully wonderfull was made and framed of nothing as other creatures were As when a man makes a blast or breath out of his mouth it procéedeth not of his nature but of the ayre which he draweth in the strength of nature enforceth out not the same but some other euen so the Almightie breathed into Adam the breath of life to wit it came out of his mouth not out of his nature nor out of this ayre about vs but euen of nothing The naturall man cannot extinguish or decay the soule because it hath production not from him but from GOD onely As the body is the instrument of the soule so the soule is the instrument of God Par What be the affections of the soule Past They are motions first and then acts eyther good or euill There is also a custome grounded or fixed in the soule to good or euill which hardly can be remoued Par What difference make you of Soules or how many sorts of soules be there Past Trées hearbs plants and such like haue a soule but it is onely effectuall for growing Beasts are said to haue soules sensitiue féeling and perceiuing things present Man is said to haue a soule reasonable and hauing both the former Par. Doth God daily create soules as men come into the world Past It were very offensiue to affirme the same for then wée should inferre that God in the beginning when he created all things left something vnperfect or vndone Though sinne possessed the soule originally the sixt day in which Adam was created yet God created afterwards no new but preserued the selfe same soule by his diuine wisedome whereby it may be said he worketh alwayes and yet not after the same manner as at the first Par. I remember that you said the soule was created pure holy and immaculate how came it to passe that it was so sodainly ouerthrown by contagion corruption and such like Past The breach of Gods commandement was the cause of that corruption Such is the nature of sinne that it seazeth vpon the soule possessing it with all filthinesse and so consequently dispossessing her of all former integritie As in a sanctified and pure soule the beames of Gods truth and clearnesse doth shine euen so in a soule once touched or tainted with disobedience all deformities and workes of Satan will appeare As the body feareth death and other hurtfull things euen so the soule that continueth in Gods fauour not onely shunneth grosse sinnes but also small sinnes because they also proue very pernicious Par. Proue the immortalitie of the Soule Past The immortalitie of the Soule is substantially proued by the resurrection of Christ God said to Moses I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and Iacob Whereupon Christ concludeth that Abraham and the faithfull shall liue for euer If our soules were not immortall no reward to the godly nor punishment to the wicked were to be expected Then as S. Paul said we of all men were most miserable In this life the soule doth nourish the body with much care but being fréed from the body it nourisheth it selfe with diuine contemplation Par. Why did the Serpent tempt Euah and not her husband Past As the Serpent being a most subtile creature was a fit instrument for the Diuell to traduce sinne and disobedience into the woman euen so the woman being a goodly garish and an intising creature was a fit Instrument to traduce sinne into Adam and so consequently into euery man Par. How did the Serpent tempt her Past He tempted her with the promise of greater felicitie and glory which he effected by alledging profit and omitting the penaltie Sometimes the Diuell peruerteth Scripture giuing it a false glosse or a wrong interpretation as he did of that Psalme when he tempted Christ himselfe Par. Why did God so seuerely punish so small a sinne and all mankinde for one mans sinne Past There were two reasons one was to declare how loathsome a small sinne is to his Maiestie withall to declare that a small sin doth deface and disgrace the holy Image of God in man Par. Why did God create all other creatures first and man last Past Thereby to declare his singular mercy and prouidence in preparing and in making all things ready méete and fit for man against he came giuing no place for him nor for his posteritie to depend vpon themselues neyther yet to be doubtfull of any thing that might satisfie the body content the eye and delight the heart for all things were ready Par. Whence haue we the names and the right vse of these creatures Past Euen from Adam for we read that God brought euery creature or rather euery creature came of his owne accord being commanded of God and presented himselfe before Adam Par. How were all things made and created Past They were made euen of this word Let as though hée would declare thereby his excéeding power to whose will or Let there was no let or stay but all things had a present prosperous progresse Par. Whereas in the creation of Adam God spake of himselfe plurally Gen. 1.26 to wit Let vs make man after our owne likenesse declare vnto mee somewhat briefly and materially what God is by whom as you say all things were so wisely ordered so effectually performed and miraculously maintained and preserued Past The Epicures Atheists and such like are compared to the Hircanian fishes from whom comes neither good nor euill because they are not danted with the feare of God nor delighted with his loue But you I finde by this to be far otherwise minded and therefore reuerently and in the feare of his holy Maiestie I will answere you God before the creation was perfect and after the creation was the same God is vnknowne according to his essence and infinite according to his Maiestie He illuminateth spirituall things he illustrateth intellectuall natures and he is the highest amongst intelligible things No man is able to attaine vnto the essence of a Star much lesse of God As a man standing vpon the shoare of the Sea séeth not the bredth and depth of it euen so the Angels in heauen and the Elect on earth may sée God really yet not comprehend the depth of his greatnesse nor the height of his euerlasting essence In regard whereof he answered Moses when he desired to know what he was with few words of innumerable difficultie and incomprehensiblenesse Exod. 3.14 saying I am that I am As though hée had said Though I did declare my selfe vnto thée what I am yet canst thou not comprehend mée neyther yet he to whom I send thée When he was to comfort Abraham and to set him forward as an example vnto all his posteritie for faith and an vpright life Gen. 17.1 he said vnto him I am God all-sufficient As if he had said Feare not in me is
prophane vses to the seruice of the liuing God appointed at the Altar by praying by praising and by sacrificing for themselues and for the people in and about the Tabernacle whiles it was in vse and afterwards in the temple of Salomon Par. What is the seauenth and last particular to wit the Sabaoth Past The Sabaoth signifieth according to the deriuation thereof rest peace and quietnesse It was precisely kept thorow out all generations amongst the people of Israel vpon diuers and sundry expresse commandements so as neither man nor beast might be séene doing any bodily labour therein which outward rest had relation and reference to the inward affections of the Soule wrought by the spirit resting from sinne and all prophanenesse Therein also was an absolute representation of heauenly rest and peace of soule and of body in the life to come They might not gather Manna on the Sabaoth day though it came from heauen miraculously for the nourishment of their hungry bodies because they might be occupied in a more speciall businesse to wit in gathering spirituall Manna a foode for their soules The Lord of the Sabaoth vouchsafed to dignifie the Sabaoth with his owne personall presence and to make it a signe or pledge of warrantise betwixt his people and himselfe And this was published first by God himselfe secondly by Moses thirdly by Iesus Christ and fourthly by the Church This ceremoniall Sabaoth did properly point out a time publike for the ministration of the Law which immediate Sabaoths instituted by Moses are of diuers sorte A Sabaoth of yeares to wit euery seauenth yeare in which the Israelites might not till nor sow There was a Sabaoth euery fifty yeare in which was proclaimed a generall fréedome which yeare was called a yeare of Iubile The Noëmian is seauen months There is another externall and immediate Sabaoth to wit the Sunday or Lords day which God appointed to his Church There is also a spirituall Sabaoth to wit an holy rest from sin which only appertains to the elect such as of whom S. Paul speakes who liue not after the flesh but after the spirit these shal enioy the celestiall Sabaoth which is that most pure and perfect Sabaoth which was begun in the old Ceremoniall Law continued in the new Law and which shall be accomplished in the kingdome of heauen Par. What vse or profit haue we by the Iudiciall and Ceremoniall lawes Past The vse and profit is twofold one is an humbling of all sorts at the feet of God For when our sinnes are gathered together as it were on an heape and the entrance into our owne vnablenesse to make a kinde of satisfaction it must néedes strike a feare and a confusion into our hearts and thereby prostrate vs before God The other is the simple submission and yéelding vp of all the functions and offices of soule and body which is vnpossible for man to doe because the soule doth consist of a minde and of affections and the minde doth consist of vnderstanding iudgement and memory all which are decaied and to no purpose for the worke of our redemption Yea all the members of mans body and all the parts thereof which should be imployed in his holy worship doe easily and plainely bewray their stubbornenesse negligence and contempt Par. What is the sum or principall matter in the booke of Numbers besides the numbring of the people which maketh the booke called Numbers Past Moses therein setteth down diuers Lawes some for the Nazarits some against fornication People sedition Leuites ignorance Priests incredulity Sabaoth murmuring Sanctuary  The fift Particular concerning Iosua Par. Now I desire to know who wrote the booke of Iosua Past Iosua or Iesus the sonne of Nun carieth the title of this Booke because he and Eliazar did penne the same He was a most feruent follower of the faith therefore by faith most admirably he slew mighty Kings Iosua 10.26 euen one and thirty in number and deuided their dwellings and their lands by lots amongst the people of Israel 11.12 according to the word of the Lord many hundred yeares before He resembled Iesus Christ the ouer-ruling and euerlasting Conquerour He was thrée and fifty yeares old before he came from Egypt he ruled seauent éene yeares 24.29.30 he died when he was one hundred and tenne yeares old and was buried in mount Ephraim which was his owne limitation border or lot Par. What speciall matter haue I to marke therein Past The booke deuides it selfe by chapters after this manner in regard of the matter From Chapter the 1 to chapter the 6 comprehending Iosua hisstory the story of the Spies the story of Iordan Circumcision and Passeouer 6 13 the story of the Gibeonites Sacriledge the sacking of Cities and killing of Kings 13 20 Cities of refuge the Leuites portion Manasses tribe Iosua his zeale 20 24 Israel haue now rest Ruben Gad and Manasses are sent to their inheritances Iosua exhorts the people and dieth The sixt Particular concerning the booke of Iudges Past This booke according to the Gréeke and Latines is called Iudicum because indéede the matter principall is concerning the gouernment of Gods people vnder Iudges from the death of Iosua vnto Hely the high priest about 299. yeares and Samuel wrote it Par. Declare vnto me the Iudges in their order and by their names Past As I haue set them down so haue you néede to be perfect in their particular stories Othoniel of the tribe of Iudah who gaue them rest 40. yeares Ehud of the tribe of Beniamin who gaue them rest 18. yeares Deborah and Barack of the tribe of Ephraim who raigned 40. yeares Gedeon of the tribe of Ephraim who slew his brethren was slaine himselfe ruled 40. yeares Abimelech of Isachars tribe 23. yeares Tola of Manasses tribe 22. yeares Iair of Ephraim 16. yeares Iepthe and Abesan of Iudah 7. yeares Eglon of the tribe of Zabulon who ruled 10. yeares Abden of the tribe of Manasses who ruled 8. yeares Sampson of the tribe of Dan who ruled 20. yeares Hely of the tribe of Leui who ruled 40. yeares These Iudges continued in story 450. yeares reckoning withall the yeares of the oppressors Par. Who were the oppressors Past These they were by their names and by their succession Philistines Cananites Sidonians Heuites Chusan vnder whom Israell were in bondage 8. yeares Eglon King of Moab vnder whom they liued in bondage 18. yeares Iabine and Sisera King of Canaan vexed them 20. yeares Madianites vexed them 7. years Amalekites they of the East with their Captaines Oreb and Zeb Zeba and Zalmana Kings of Madian Philistines who vexed them 18. yeares Ammonites who vexed them 40. yeares Par. Who wrote the Booke of Ruth Past Samuell the Prophet is said to write this Booke because the Hebrewes doe reckon it and the Booke of Iudges as one for Ruth liued when Deborah ruled Israell Par. What was this woman of what Nation or kindred Past Shée was a Moabitish
a witnesse because the conscience is a thousand more then needes euen so repentance towards God that is deferred needes no witnesse because when it commeth the conscience doth accuse it doth witnesse it doth condemne it doth iudge and it is many times ready to execute As Honey doth make sowre things sweet euen so I must tell you that the sight of my sins doth make things that are in their nature sweet to others sowre to me As he that is in extreame heate will be glad with a little cooling as hee that is in extreame sicknesse will be glad with a little ease and as hee that is in extreame hunger will be glad of a little food euen so I good reuerend Sir extreamely tormented wth the waight of sinne miserably vexed with the guiltinesse of conscience and heartily frighted with the feare of Gods deserued iudgements wold be glad with a little comfort with a little ease with a little pittance or crumme of recreation For mee thinkes I see Birds swimme and Fishes flye all things are so crosse and so contrary vnto me Me thinkes I see the lake Troglodides thrise sweet and thrise bitter in one day and me thinkes I see the shoare Lepanthus in the morning sending forth a sweet pleasant calme but in the euening lightning and thundering Some perswade me that by faith onely I shall haue comfort in conscience and saluation which glads mee and is sweet vnto mee for a while others disswade me and say vnto me that I must obtaine it by Faith and Workes which presently dampe mee and are as hot thunderbolts vnto me I am as in a mismaze or labyrinth Ariadnes thread would winde mee out but conscience still puls me in As Diues being in hell did wish and desire that his brethren might be warned lest they also should come to that place of torments so I being thus perplexed doe heartily wish and desire Almighty God that not onely my naturall brethren but all people may be warned by Gods word that they may make conscience of his Sabaoths and that they may specially regard zealous men lest they be tormented in conscience as I am Tell me therefore tell me I humbly pray you tell me what shall I say what shall I doe or what way or course shall I take in hand to be reconciled to God to haue peace in my owne conscience and to haue assurance that my soule shall be receiued into the fellowship of the Saints in heauen amongst whom there are some that I most heartily desire to see A comfortable Confection for a sorrowfull Sinner Pastor YOu discourse so philosophically of naturall things as makes you séeme yet to me a naturall man in which discourse I obserue two speciall questions or rather obiections well worthy the answering One is your perturbations for sinnes committed the other is your doubt whether Faith Works or Faith onely iustifieth To the first I answere that your great griefes perturbations in soule and conscience are not arguments or notes of reprobation but rather of Faith of Iustification which is begunne in you For by how much you haue the sense and féeling of your sins by so much the more you haue the assurance of mercy as hée who hath the sense and féeling of his naturall disease hath some assurance that he is not in danger of death And by how much dangerous the disease of the body is found to be so much the more vehement and bitter a corosiue must be vsed but first a Corasiue then a Lenitiue Euen so Christ Iesus the holy Physitian heales the soules of great sinners by suffering them to call to cry to vexe to grieue and euen to roare with the surpassing greatnesse therof and afterwards when the extremitie and bitternesse of the passion is past then hée heares then hée grants and then hee receiues to mercy vsing therein the practise of a good naturall Physitian who ministreth not medicine to a maladye when it is raging and at the worst but when it is somewhat mitigated asswaged and abated And it is iustice with God to doe sometimes as hée is done vnto he cals cryes earely and late and man will not heare he offers mercy earely and late yet man will not estéeme of it No maruell then if man call and cry and God will not heare him if man call and cry for mercy and God will not by and by heare him Hope confidently in Gods mercy constantly and resolutely abide therefore and wait the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart You haue the example of Dauid of Ezekias of Peter and many others who called who cryed who wept and roared bitterly who hoped in God and were resolute at last the Lord heard them As for your other scruple or doubt concerning faith with workes or faith without works the places befitting this purpose are farre more then néede or conueniency will suffer me to vtter That faith onely iustifieth Paul hauing no good worke but rather being full of guile and crueltie as his owne story sets forth was iustified by faith only which makes him in great humility and thankfulnesse to preach the same in all that his Epistle to the Romanes and in many places of his other Epistles to the other Nations S. Iames in his Epistle catholicall writes no lesse when as he saith Iames 2.15 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes meaning workes that follow a true iustifiing Faith and not workes annexed as iustifying with Faith S. Peter setting forth the excellencie of Faith saith 1 Pet. 1. that the triall therof is much more excellent then gold meaning a tryall in tribulations after iustification and not before S. Iohn approuing Iustification also by faith 1 Iohn 1. magnifieth the mercies of God in Christ and concludes all men vnder sinne The allowance of faith onely is manifestly proued by Christs owne examples who healed all manner of diseases vpon sinners by Faith onely and also forgiuing sinnes which was in effect the office also of Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. And againe the vse of ceremonies in the Law forced no farther for Iustification then to faith in the Messiah I must say in another sort if righteousnesse come by the Law that is to say if righteousnesse come by workes then Christ dyed in vaine and our Faith is of none effect And I must say as S. Paul said 1 Cor. 15. If there be no resurrection then are we of all men most miserable euen so if faith and workes doe iustifie then am I with you and with infinite thousands more of all men most miserable Gen. 11. As Nimrod with his builders were far wide when they thought with the strength of their hands to worke their way to heauen and the Pharisee when he boasted of his vprightnesse euen so are they that think to obtaine saluation by their workes farre wide and cleane out of the right way Like the
all knowledge all power all mercy euen that is my name Par. What is the Word or second person in Trinitie Past Hée is the onely naturall Sonne of the most high and eternall God his Father his Word his Image and Character coessentiall and coequall with the Father and the holy Ghost Hée is said to be the Sonne of God in regard of his Godhead and not in regard of his manhood Par. Now let me intreate you to speake of his humanitie Past This diuine nature tooke vpon himselfe a reasonable soule and an humane body of a virgin and was made flesh as of the séed of Dauid and of the roote of Iesse The Godhead in no case can be said to haue any conuersion into the flesh neyther the Godhead to stand in stead of the soule no more then that he could be turned into sinne After his glorious resurrection these two natures to wit his Diuinitie and his Humanitie continued still distinct in substance and properties and euer continued one and the same And yet it is to be granted that there was great necessitie of the Godhead in his humane action or suffering that by the vertue thereof hée might ouercome all sufferings yea Death and the Diuel In the holy vnion or coniunction of these two natures we are to take them inseparably euen â—ince the moment or point of time in which the holy Virgin conceiued being made as one person Par. What vse haue wee of these two natures in one person Past It declareth the obedience of Christ performed in the manhood with innarrable wisedome and surpassing faithfulnesse In his wisedome he was able to deliuer vnto vs the whole will of his Father and in his faithfulnesse he concealed nothing As the Phoenix in her hot nest at Arabia is burned to ashes and yet saith I liue still and old age dyeth in me euen so Christ though being in his graue like one dead yet dyeth not but mortalitie dyeth in him for the good of all men Par. What be the parts of Christs mediation Past It consisteth principally of two parts to wit his Priesthood and his Kingdome His Priesthood stands in teaching and in doing he is a Prophet Doctor and Apostle for that he plainely teacheth the will of his father and saith I call you no more seruants because they know not what their maister doth but I call you friends Christ taught by Prophets by Apostles and by Euangelists and himselfe taught by farre greater authoritie then euer did any before or after The priesthood of Christ and the priesthood of Aron being compared wée shall therein finde two necessary parts to be considered One is what manner one he ought to be that entreth into this Office The other how it ought to be executed The manner or qualitie of him that entreth is two-fold to wit well qualified with gifts within and well called without He is to vs sanctification that is fréedome from the tyrannie of sinne the effects of righteousnesse and sanctification goe alwaies together For immediately so soone as man is partaker of Christs righteousnesse he is also possessed with the spirit of sanctification which worketh mortification and viuification P. what is the third persoÌ„ in Trinity Past He is said to be the holy Ghost to wit a diuine innarrable maiestie procéeding from the father and the son who in respect of his diuers operations workings and effects is called by diuers effectuall names which being considered in their natures they doe clearly enlarge his gifts and graces towards the Church It is sometimes called Fire Oyle Wine Water Doue Cloude Winde Spirit Earnest peÌ„ny Comforter God Par. What religion had these the other holy fathers before recited betwixt the Creation the Flood Past The law of nature Gen. 11. They had the Law of Nature which was a rule of reason or an hidden iustice inforcing to doe well It was indéede the sum and effect of Gods diuine law which was most liuely expressed in the names of those ten holy Fathers who being linked together makes vp a Christian Sacrifice or an holy summe of true religion As he is not rightly reckoned a man that wants reason so hée was not then rightly reckoned to be of God that wanted this religious rule Saint Paul said as the eternall power and godhead by the creation of the world maketh all wicked men without excuse though they had no law euen so men knowing the end of their creation by the law of nature are without excuse if they doe euil though they were blinde and saw not the creation The Gentiles said hée that had not the Law written did by nature the things contained in the Law they hauing not the law written were a law vnto themselues euen so the people of the old world and others that sinned before the Law perished euerlastingly as those which afterwards perished vnder the law Rom. 7.23 Saint Paul cals the Law of nature the Law of the minde shewing thereby that as the minde is such an effectuall power of the Soule as maketh all other faculties thereof and of the bodie to plyable and without tediousnesse to performe matters beyond ordinary strength euen so by the law being spirituall he was vrged to the performance of all other matters and lawes which were literall beyond all ordinary strength And as a line Diameter-wise in a Geometricall figure doth equally diuide one side from another euen so this Law naturall diuideth equally that which is Gods to God and that which is mans to man Nightingales are said to contend in singing that they die in their contention happy say I is he that so contends with the law of his minde against the law of his members for so to die is indéede to liue The East gate of Sala Temple was alwaies shut and neuer opened because the Lord God of hosts once entred by it and as into the windowes of Noahs Arke nothing entred but light euen so the minde of man wherein the law of God hath once entred must alwaies be shut against prophane inclinations and euer opened to diuine contemplations Par. Who were enemies in those times and who I pray you were they that priuately or publikely opposed themselues against this Law and the professors thereof Past These were open and knowne enemies to wit the Diuell Caine. Lamech From whom issued that wicked sort of people who so highly displeased God that he repented him of the good he had done to mankinde Par. What is there to be said concerning the Diuell Past The Angels séeing the excellencie of their creation day by day and perceiuing that they and all creatures else were made but as seruants to Adam they presently vpon his creation murmured and not being content God threw them into euerlasting darknesse The head of these euill spirits was Lucifer As he was more cleare and brighter then other Angels so hée fell into a more filthy Apostacie Hée was not euill by kinde but of his own aduisement
continued the same as one Monarchie 1240. yeares And at the death of Sardanapalus the last and worst of those kings Arbaces the President of the Medes and Bellechus the President of Babilon so concluded together that the whole Monarchie was diuided betwéene them Arbaces was crowned king of the Medes and Persians and Bellechus was crowned king of Siria and Babilon whose Palace was translated from Niniuie to Babilon being the stronger citie Nabuchadnezar was the son of Nabuchadonosor which was the sonne of Benmerodach which was the sonne of Merodachbaladan which was the sonne of Asser Addon which was the sonne of Senacherib which was the sonne of Salmanasar which was the sonne of Phull-Asser which was the sonne of Phull-Belochus This Nabuchadnezer of whom you inquire is the same that subdued the Citie of Ierusalem burnt it with the Temple and captiuated the Nobilitie Par. What was signified by the great Image which Nabuchadnezer saw Past This Image consisted of fiue seuerall parts The first part was a head of gold which signified the great magnificence power and glory of thrée Monarches or Kings of Babilon to wit Nabuchadnezer Euilmerodach Baltasar whose Empire endured by the space onely of seuenty years then was this head of gold cut off and the glory of those kings quite extinguished then the people of Israell were fréed The second part was armes and breasts of siluer which signified the kings of the Medes and Persians who tyrannized 130. yeares after the end of the captiuitie Of which one hundred and thirty yeares these kings following raigned nine and twentie yeares Cyrus Darius Ahasuerus Darius Cambises Xerxes Ochus In the twentieth yeare of the first Darius the temple was finished being full nine and forty years in building as Daniel had foretolde in his seauenty wéeks Chap. 9. The other kings that made vp the 130. yeares are these Artaxerxes Ochus Arses Darius the Persian And at the end of these yeares are the armes and brest of Siluer cut off the glory also of those kings wholly extinguished The third was belly and thighes of brasse which signified Alexander the great Par. What signified the legges of iron Past The fourth was legges of iron which signified these ten Kings 1 Seleucus Nicanor 2 Antiochus Soter 3 Antiochus Theos 4 Seleucus Callicus 5 Seleucus Siranus 6 Antiochus Negas 7 Seleucus Philopater 8 Antiochus Epimanes 9 Ptolomeus Lagi 10 Ptolomeus Philadelphus These ruled cruelly and were strong as Iron 294. yeares vnto Cleopaters death who confirmed Herod the Idumean king in Israell The fift part was féete and toes being part of Iron and part of Clay which signified the same Kingdome to be partly strong and partly broken Par. What meant the King by that great Image of Gold which he did set vp in the plaine of Dura Past Chap. 3. Hée meant therein as he expressed in plaine tearmes and in his déedes to make himselfe reputed and taken as a great God which was most horrible blasphemy and plaine sacriledge Par. Might not Daniel haue yeelded vnto the time and present necessitie which was offered as others did and so haue worshipped the Image with his body keeping his Soule and conscience cleare for the seruice of the true knowne Almighty Past No. He might not haue so dallied with the seruice of God who sées and knowes all things and whose seruice is to be performed in body and in soule For that had béene in him blasphemy and sacriledge as in Nabuchadnezer He chose rather to dye a tyrannous death by confessing of gods true worship then to liue by the denyall thereof which he should haue done most plainely if he had yéelded But contrariwise when the king perswaded him to yéelde as others did he vttered thrée worthy spéeches méete for euery Christian The first was in these words Behold O King God is able to deliuer vs. In which he declared his beliefe in the power of God The second was 17.18 God will deliuer vs. In which he shewed his faith in things to come The third was If not O King be it knowne vnto thee we will not worship the golden Image which thou hast set vp In which he declared his Christian magnanimity and holy courage Par. There is mention made in the fourth chapter Chap. 4. of another vision or dreame which the King did see to wit a Tree whose boughes reached to the heauens whose branches ouerspread Sea and Land and whose rootes were fastned in the earth What was signified by that Past By this Trée was signified Nabuchadnezars territories and dominions and the excéeding great subiection that was yeelded vnto him of all nations Kings and Potentates of the whole world as was also signified by the head of gold before recited Par. What was signified by the cutting downe of the Tree and the fastning of the rootes thereof in the earth as with a chaine Past The holy Prophet Daniel saith that the cutting downe of the Trée signified Nabuchadnezar his seauen yeares of exilement and eiection among beasts And the fastning of the Trée by the rootes signified that he should returne to his Palace and Kingdome after that God had so corrected him for his pride Par. Why did almighty God so discomfort Baltashar with such a fearefull sight vpon the wall before all such as were assembled to his ioyall feast Past It was no maruell that God did so terrifie him For he and the most of his nobility riotously wasted the good creatures of God and therewith became drunken adulterous and sacrilegious For he was not content with the great abundance of plate that he had of his owne in great variety but he would néeds drinke in his drunkennesse out of the vessels that were brought from the Temple at Ierusalem and which were dedicated to the seruice of God Par. What was the writing and the signification Past The writing consisted of thrée words first Mene secondly Tekell thirdly Vpharsin The signification of the first word is that God had numbred the yeares of his kingdome and finished it The signification of the second was that God had considered of his conuersation and found it not answerable to his will And the signification of the third word was that his kingdome should be forthwith taken from him by Cirus and Darius Kings of the Medes and Persians According to which writing it came to passe the selfe same night Par. What was the decree or law that King Darius made by the perswasion of his Nobility Past It was that whosoeuer did call vpon or worship any other God saue Nabuchadnezar the King for thirty dayes space should be throwne into a den of Lyons Par. How came it to passe that the Lyons being a sauage sort of creatures did spare Daniel and so suddenly destroyed the conspiratours with their wiues and children Past Thereby almighty GOD did declare that all creatures of what sort or kinde soeuer they be are but as ministers or instruments of GOD in Mercy or in Iustice and
leauing his people vtterly destitute prophefled in Babilon during the seauenty yeares Captiuitie Par. Declare your reason why you place Haggi Zachary and Malachie with Ezra Nehemiah and Hester Reason for the fift Past These doe lye in order according to the times The last Degrée that I handled doth concerne the time in which the people were in captiuitie and this Degrée concernes the time from the end of their Captiuitie vntill the finishing of the Temple at Ierusalem And the three Prophets annexed vnto them were such as God gaue to comfort and to set them forward in their building and in Religion Par. What reason haue you to sort some Bookes of the olde Testament with the Epistles Reason for the sixt Past These Bookes olde and new for matter chiefly contained in them are in another sort and kinde farre differing from the former They are more properly called Doctrinall and Sapientall because therein the holy Ghost most compendiously by similitudes comparisons allegories and examples doth perswade all men to embrace Christ Iesus in holinesse of life and conuersation Reason for the seauenth These Bookes fall out according to the Degrées so to be placed For Daniel intreats of matter and things done during the captiuitie and somewhat largely of things to be performed vntill Christs Incarnation So Saint Iohn likewise in the Reuelation poynts out by manifest particulars to those great things that were and are to be performed vntill the last day in which Christ Iesus shall come with triumph and great glory to pronounce the fulnesse of ioy for his Elect. Thus I end as I began yéelding all praise empire and dominion to his blessed Maiestie A Prayer for the Morning O Lord thou which couerest the night with darknesse and causest man therein to take his rest and by euery day and night doest shew thy great glory in the heauens and also thy wisedome and power by gouerning and preseruing all thy creatures vpon the earth O Lord I thy poore seruant and creature doe most humbly thanke thée from the bottome of my heart for my swéet and comfortable rest this night past and for watching ouer me by thine eye of prouidence and kéeping both my body and soule by thy grace from sinne and death Beséeching thée O Lord God my Father Sauiour and Comforter to blesse to sanctifie direct and preserue mée in this thy new day and that I may become a new creature vnto thée O God in holinesse and righteousnesse labouring faithfully and painefully in my calling that so my labours this day may be sanctified and blessed vnto mée and mine and that I may shew forth thy praise in all my wayes and declare my loue and charitie vnto men in all my workes that after the dayes of this my life and pilgrimage finished and ended here in this world I may liue with thée for euer in the world to come through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour who liueth and raigneth with thée and the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen A Prayer for the Euening O Gracious and merciful God I am most bound vnto thy heauenly Maiestie for my preseruation this day because I and all men are continually subiect vnto all dangers and perils griefes and sorrowes sicknesse and death yea we lye open vnlesse thy grace and might doe defend vs vnto the temptations and tyranny of the World the Flesh and the Diuell which daily séeke and desire our hurt and confusion both of body and soule for euer Wherefore O gracious and euerliuing God as thy right hand and sauing health hath béene with mée this day and thou hast directed blessed and comforted mée thy poore seruant in all my wayes and labours for the which I most humbly thanke thée so I most earnestly intreate thy Maiestie in thy loue and mercy for Christ Iesus sake to kéepe mée and all mine in safety this night and to couer vs vnder the shadow of thy wings from all perils and dangers whatsoeuer and that our soules as well as our bodies may take their swéet and comfortable rest and ioy in thée and likewise that thou wouldest grant that whensoeuer thou shalt knocke at the doore of our harts to call vs vnto thée O God wée may with the wise Virgins be watchfull and haue oyle in our lampes that we may be receiued into eternall rest through Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne and our only Sauiour Amen FINIS