to saints Relation of West relig sect 4. both themselves as to Francis Austin Dominick c. and other things as pilgrimages oblations c. Our Lady as they call her of Loretto hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories as they are fain to hang their cloysters and church-yards with them This is sacriledg yea it is idolatry To hind his soul with a bond Which none ought to do but such as 1. Are free or have the consent of their governours 2. Such as have knowledg and judgment to discerne of a vow or oath Eccles 5.3 5. 3. Are conscientious as Iacob Hannah c. Not such votaries as Herod Mat. 14.7 those Assassines Act. 23.14 those Idolaters Ier. 44.27 He shall not break his word If he do he will make a great breach in his conscience and crack his comfort exceedingly better not vow then not pay Eccles 5.4 It is a sin as bad or worse then perjury and God takes it heavily at mens hands Ier. 34.10 11. Vers 4. And her father shall hold his peace Qui tacet consentire videtur a rule in civill law silence is a kinde of consent Then all her vows shall stand Provided that she vow 1. Such things as are lawfull and warrantable by the word for to vow to doe evill is an utter abomination as Act. 23.14 Deut. 23.18 2. Such things as are possible and in her power either naturally or by the assistance of Gods grace promised to her Such is not the popish vowing of virginity sith omnes non capiant hoc all men cannot contain Their vowes of continency breed all manner of incontinency in their Clergy Vers 5. But if her father disallow her Those that vow Monasticall obedience renounce all duty to their parents and service to their country Parents are our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a heathen said our houshold gods as it were and have power to disannull or ratifie the vowes of their children but the â—apists are true heires to the Pharisees who taught not to honour father or mother Mat. 15.6 and so do make the Commandement of God of none effect by their tradition Full well have they done it Mark 7.9 But what cannot they do The Pope saith Cardinall Bellarmine Lib. 4. de Pontif Rom. potest de injustitia facere justitiam ex nihilo aliquid ex virtute vitium he can make righteousness of unrighteousness Sleidan Com. something of nothing vice of vertue And it seems so indeed by his practice For when the Cardinals meet to chuse a Pope they make a vow whosoever is chosen he shall sweare to such articles as they make And Sleidan saith the Pope is no sooner chosen but he breaks them all and checks their insolencies as if they went about to limit his power to whom all power is given both in heaven and earth Vers 6. And if she had at all an husband Hannah's vow 1 Sam. 1.11 was made either by the consent of her husband or else by peculiar instinct from God Vers 13. To afflict her soul This is one instance of what she may vow She may curbe wanton flesh from the use of things lawfull in themselves but hurtfull to her and that by a vow as did the Rechabites Ier. 35.8 9.10 which the devill seeing will despaire for vows are as exorcismes to allay our rebellious spirits and as cords to hamper our treacherous hearts when they would slip the collar and detrect the yoak In short a man may lawfully vow a thing that is either a part of Gods worship as to fast once a moneth before the Sacrament to pray so many times a day c. or a furtherance thereof as to found a lecture build a colledge school almes-house give so much weekly to the poor c. CHAP. XXXI Vers 2. Avenge the children of Israel This is called the vengeance of Iehovah vers 3. The righteous Iudg will not fail to avenge our unrighteous vexations if we commit our selves to him in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 Vers 3. Arme some of your selves unto the war Lactantius being according to his name a mild and milken man abhorred bloodshed thought it not lawfull for a just man to be a warriour Instit lib. 6. cap. 20. whose justice was his warfare But this was his errour Patres legendi sunt cum venia God bids here Arme your selves c. Indeed it is utterly unlawfull for men wilfully to thrust themselves into unnecessary warrs and it is reported in the life of Saint Angustine that he would never pray for such But when God sounds the alarme as here Cursed is he that doth this work of the Lord negligently Cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from blood Ier. 48.10 Vers 5. Twelve thousand This was no great army but they were Deo armati with whom there is no restraint to save by many or by few 1 Sam. 14.6 How wondrously did God work by that handfull of Hussites in Bohemia when all Germany was up in armes against them by the Popes instigation And may it not be said of that small remnant that now fighteth the Lords battels in Ireland The Lord hath done great things for them whereof we are glad Have they not been helped with a little help indeed the more is our shame Dan. 11.34 that send them no more Vers 6. Them and Phinehas Not without Joshua the Generall though not here mentioned the mighty conquerour of all Israels enemies that rose up and resisted them famours is he for his faithfulness and fortitude in cognoscendis rebus bellicis perspicax in agendo solers noverat optimè insidias facere proelium committere victoria uti Dio in Domitiano c. as Dio saith of Decebalus king of the Daci in Domitians dayes i.e. Well-skilled in war-like businesses and diligent in dispatching them He knew well how to lay an ambush worst an enemy use a victory c. Vers 8. And Zur The father of Cozbi that noble harlot Dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in luto Sâ—des prima et vita ima is but golden rubbish eminent infamy noble dishonour Balaam also the son of Beor See the Note on Chap. 24.25 O that God would cause the false â—rophets and the unclean spirit for whom they act and by whom they are acted to pass out of our land according to his promise Zeph. 13.2 Vers 9. Took all the women The Iewes are a nation Blunt voyage to this day noted for effeminate and yet they hold that women are of a lower creation made for the propagation and pleasure of man Diruendi sunt etiam ipsi cinoni arum 〈◊〉 ne redeant said Zisca Lavat in Deuter and therefore they suffer them not to enter their Synagogues but appoint them a gallery without Vers 10. And they burnt all their ciâ—yes For the same reason perhaps that our Henry the eight demolished so many Monasteries saying Câ—rvorum nidos esse penitus disturbandos ne
but many of their spirits are in prison so saith Saint Peter 1 Pet. 3.19 But withal in the next Chapter the same Apostle tells us That for this cause the Gospel was preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit Compare these words with those 1 Pet. 3.18 19 20. and it will appear the Apostle speaks of these Antediluvians All were not saved that were in the Ark nor all damned we may well think that were out of it Could they see their foundation overflown with a flood as the phrase is Job 22.16 and not lay for themselves a good foundation by laying hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6.19 Saint Ambrose conceiveth that Noah was seven days in the Ark afore the flood came That as God was six days in creating the world and rested the seventh so these perishing persons admonished by the number of the days of the Creation Eccles 12.1 might remember their Creator and make their peace Nunquam serò si seriò Vers 5. And Noah did according unto all This All is a little word but of large extent He doth not his masters but his own will that doth no more then himself will A dispensatory conscience is an evil conscience God cryes to us Quicquid propter Dâ—â—m fit aqualis or fit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will have universal obedience both for subject and object We must be entirely willing in all things to please God or we utterly displease him Herod did many things and was not a button the better Jehu's golden calves made an end of him though he made an end of Baals worship He that doth some and not all Gods wills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.22 with David in desire and affection at least doth but as Benhadad recover of one disease and die of another yea if he take not a better course for himself he doth but take pains to go to hell Psal 119.6 Then shall we not be ashamed when we have respect at least to all Gods Commandments Vers 7. And Noah went in and his sons c. Not till he was compelled by the coming in of the flood say the Jews Of no good will but because there was no other remedy Thus they belye the good old Preacher Let no man think much to be mis-judged Jo. Wooveâ—ius in Polymath Novit sapiens ad hoc scomma se productum ut depugnet cum iis qui maledictis aluntur ut venenis capreae Vers 9. There went in two and two Of their own accord by divine instinct Noah was not put to the pains of hunting after them or driving them in Onely he seems to have been six days in receiving and disposing of them in their several cells and fetching in food When God bids us do this or that never stand to cast perils but set upon the work yield the obedience of Faith and fear nothing The creatures came into Noah without his care or cost He had no more to do but to take them in and place them The Prophet allâ—des hereto â—sai 11.6 7. all bloodiness and rapine laid aside Vers 10. The waters of the flood were upon the earth God is as faithful in his menaces Zeph. 3.5 as in his promises The wicked think them but wind but they shall feel them to be fire Jere. 5.14 Your fathers where are they Vexatio dat intellectum Did not my words though never so much slighted lay hold upon them And they returned that is changed their mindes when they smarted and said Like as the Lord thought to do unto us so hath he delt with us Zach. 1.5 6. There wanted not those in the old world that held all the threats of a flood to be interrorem onely and when they heard Noah thundering Luke 20.16 put off all as those in the Gospel with God forbid We cannot get men to believe that God is so just or the devil so black or sin so heavy or hell so hot till it hath even closed her mouth upon them Prov. 14.16 Prov. 12.3 The fool rageth and is confident passeth on and is punished and will not be better advised But what said the Martyr Brâ—dford They that tremble not in hearing shall be crusht to peeces in feeling Gods wrath is such as none can avert or avoyd Vers 11. In the second moneth In April as it is thought then when every thing was in its prime and pride birds chirping trees sprouting c. nothing less looked for then a flood then God shot at them with an arrow suddenly as saith the Psalmist Psal 64.7 1 Thes 5.3 So shall sudden destruction come upon the wicked at last day when they lest look for it So the Sun shone fair upon Sodom the same day wherein ere night it was fearfully consumed What can be more lovely to look on then the corn-field a day before harvest or a vineyard before the vintage Nos quasi medios inter duo sâ—pulchra posuit All the fountains of the great deep c. So we live continually betwixt two deaths the waters above and below us Serve the Lord with fear Vers 13. In the self same day Things are repeated that they may be the better observed and the greatness of the mercy the more acknowledged that God should single out so few and save them c. Vers 16. And the Lord shut him in A mean office one would think for God to shut the door after Noah He could not well do it himself the door doubtless being great and heavy and others that were without would not do him so much service God therefore doth it himself and therefore it could not but be well done indeed In a case of necessity we need not question Gods readiness to do us any good office so long as we keep close to him in a holy Communion In a Letter of B. Hoopers 2 Chron. 15.2 to certain good people taken praying in Bowe Church-yard and now in trouble thus he writes Read the second Chapter of Luke there the shepherds that watched upon their sheep all night assoon as they heard Christ was born at Bethlehem by and by they went to see him They did not reason nor debate with themselves Act. Mon. fol. 1347. who should keep the Wolf from the sheep in the mean while but did as they were commanded and committed their sheep to him whose pleasure they obeyed So let us do now we be called commit all other things to him that calleth us He will take heed that all things shall be well he will help the husband comfort the wife guide the servants keep the house preserve the goods yea rather then it shall be undone he will wash the dishes and rock the cradle Cast therefore all your care upon God c. Thus he Vers 17. It was lift up above the waters Afterwards it went upon the
Scripture-wisdom especially Our Saviours Epitaph written in Hebrew Greek and Latine as it sets forth Christ unto us to be First The most holy for the Hebrew tongue is called the holy Tongue Secondly Lashon haccadosh The most wise for in Greek is all humane wisdom written Thirdly The most powerful for the Latines were Lords of the earth and propagated their tongue amongst all Nations So it signifies that God would have the dignity and study of these three tongues to be retained and maintained in the Churches of Christ to the worlds end Hebricians saith Reuchlin drink of the Fountains Hebraei bibunt fontes Graeci rivos Latini paludes Reuchl Joh. Manâ—â—i loc com p. 130. Grecians of the Rivers Latinists of the standing pools onely There were that mocked at the multitude of tongues Acts 2.13 And the Monks were mad almost at such Camilli literarii as chased out barbarism and brought in the learned Languages But let us acknowledg it a singular gift of God as for the gathering of the Church at first Acts 2. Ephes 4.13 So still for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come unto a perfect man to speak the Language of Canaan in the Kingdom of Heaven And from thence did the Lord scatter them The Hebrew Doctors say R. Menahem in Gen. 11. That at this dispersion there were seventy Nations with seventy sundry Languages Epiphanius saith That their one Language was divided into seventy two for so many men were then present and each man had his several dialect and went his several way with it Cleopatra is famous in history for her skill in tongues She could give a ready answer to Ambassadors that came whether they were Ethiopians Hebrews Arabians Syrians Medes or Parthians Yea she could tune and turn her tongue as an instrument of many strings saith Plutarch to what language soever she pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. This mindes me of those cloven tongues and of that utterance the Spirit gave them Acts 2. Parthians Medes Elamites strangers of Rome Jews and Proselytes Cretes and Arabians heard the Apostles speak in their own tongue the wonderful works of God to the singular advantage of the Church that was then out of all Nations to be collected and that by a like means as these Rebels were scattered Vers 11. And Sheâ— lived after he begat c. He saw ten generations and lived till Isaac was fifty yeer old who might well be his Pupil which if Shem were Melchisedech is so much the more likely Heber also lived till Abraham was dead a singular blessing to them both This comfort the Patriarks had of their tiresome and tedious pilgrimage that as Shem saw Lamech so Lâ—mech saw Adam and Isaac saw Shem. Now ipse aspectus viri boni delectat saith Seneca How much more when they that fear the Lord speak often one to another Mal. 3.16 for mutual edification and encouragement This the mad world calls faction and caprichiousness Tert. Apel. advers geutes cap. 39. 〈◊〉 520. But what saith Tertullian to it Cùm boni cum probi coeunt cum pii cum casti congregantur non est factio dicenda sed curia Et è contrario illis nomen factionis accommodandum est qui in odium bonorum proborum conspirant Vers 28. And Haran died before his father Torah The Hebrews say he died a Martyr being burnt with fire by his Countrymen the Chaldees because he would not worship the Fire which they had made their god Martyrdom came early into the world as we know in Abel who as he was the first that died so he died for Religion Now if this be true of Haran as the Jew Doctors will have it then he had for ought we know the maidenhead as a certain Martyr phrased it of that kinde of Martyrdom The first that were burnt for Religion since the Reformation are said to be Henry and John two Augustine Monksat Brussels Anno 1523. under James Hogostratus the Domician Inquisitor The executioner being demanded whether they recanted in the flames he denyed there was any such thing But said That when the fire was put to them they continued singing the Creed and Tâ— Deum Erasm lib. 24. Eâ—ist 4. till the flame took away their voyce All this Erasmus testifieth though he were no Lutheran and thereupon maketh this good but wary note Damnari dissecari suspendi exuri decollari piis cum impiis sunt communia daâ—â—ere dissecare in cruoem agere exurere decollare bonis judiâ—ibus cum piratis ac tyrannis communia sunt Varia sunt hominum judicia ille faelix qui judice Deo absolvitur Our Protomartyr in Queen Maries days was Reverend Master Rogers he gave the first adventure upon the fire His wife and children being eleven in number ten able to go and one sucking at her brest Act. Mâ—n fol. 1356. met him by the way as he went toward Smithfield This sorrowful sight of his own flesh and blood could nothing move him but that he constantly held out to the death and so received a crown of life Neither hath God left himself without witness among the very Heathens For in the City of Lima in Mexico not two moneths before our coming thither saith Captain Drake twelve persons were condemned by the Spaniards there The world encompassed by S. Fr. Drake p. 59. for profession of the Gospel Of which six were bound to one stake and burnt the rest remained yet in prison to drink of the same cup within a few days Vers 30. But Sarai was barren Till she had prayed for a childe thirty yeers and then she had him with abundance of joy At first she beleeved not the promise but laughed at the unlikelyhood and was checkt for it But when she had better bethought her self Through faith she received strength to conceive seed because she judged him faithful who had promised Heb. 11.11 She was when past age delivered of a childe who was not more the childe of her flesh then of her Faith Whether she were that Iscah spoken of in the verse next aforegoing the Doctors are divided Some say Ea quae clavum administration is tenes that Iscah in Chaldee signifieth the same that Saâ—ai in Hebrew Others more probably make Sarai another woman and the daughter not of Haran but of Terah How else could Abram say of her That she was the daughter of his father 〈◊〉 not of his mother Gen. 20.12 Vers 31. And Terah took c. Being admonished of the Divine Oraclâ— Actâ— 7 12â—â— by his son Abraham he rebuked him not neither charged him upon his blessing to abide in his native Countrey as many a father would have done for what was he wiser and better then his forefathers but abandoned his idols and went as far as his old legs couâ—â— carry him toward the Countrey that God should shew them Heb. 11. For as yet they went forth not knowing