garment that is but mended a new house that is repaired Blush if yee haue any shame who thus ignorantly and maliciously cast this in our teeth Goe to now my brethren wee are by Gods grace reformed Let vs take heed lest we be deformed againe by mutuall dissentions This is that which weakens and lames vs and which laies vs open to the insulting triumphs of our Aduersaries Yet lest wee should seeme to giue too much way to a spightfull slander these iarres of our 〈◊〉 so great as our enemies either desire or clamour Certainly what disconâ—â—â—ner hitherto haue troubled vs wee are beholding to none other for them but to these our kinde enemies who vpbraid vs with them For if they had but reacht forth vnto vs an helping hand in due time and ioyntly conferd their endeuours which then behooued them for the reforming of the Church all had run squarely on There had beene no iarres no grudgings no parts takings But they stifly refused and by their frowardnesse and pertinacy caused this so weighty a taske to be cast vpon some few and those both weak vnable and altogether vnfit for such a charge It could not therefore be otherwise but that the opinions of some single men not conferd together in such a businesse must needs somewhat differ But thankes be to thee O blessed God the Author of peace that hast vouchsafed by thy spirit so to bridle the distemperate affections of men that their busie spirits being stirred vp haue not boyled forth into more fearefull diuisions But what are these so great dissentions and blowes of bloudy warre which our aduersaries so cry out vpon Forsooth rather than want they can faine names of sects to themselues And where they can finde the least difference in the paper of any obscure Author of ours presently they cry out New schismes new sects What malice is this what eager desire of multiplying quarrels If it had been so of old so small hides had not serued to containe the volumes of Augustine Epiphanius Philastrius there had not beene fewer sects than teachers since the publishing of the Gospell But let vs passe ouer the number and come to the weight Let the malitious prattle what they will With some of ours the controuersie is not about any solid lims of Christian Faith but onely of the very skin with some others not about the skin but the garment rather nor about the garment it selfe neither but of the very hemme There are certaine scholasticall opinions of a middle ranck meere Theologicall Corollaries or perhaps some outward ceremonies wherein we dissent Principles of Christian Religion there are not And withall these controuersies are but such as that when the heat whether of zeale or anger shall abate and either part shall well vnderstand each other they will easily admit of a Reconciliation Neither haue these very Romanists lesser quarrels amongst themselues They can more hide their enmities not exercise them lesse If they bee more wise they are not more accordant Neither is there I dare say any head of Religion wherein they doe at once differ from vs and agree all with one another Finally our differences are no greater than were those of old among the holy Fathers of the Church whose quarrels notwithstanding are not so odiously blazoned by posterity I let passe the priuate scoldings of the Ancients not without some vnpleasing I had almost said misbeseeming tartnesse I had rather set before your eyes for good luck sake those publique altercations of the Churches and Fathers which afterward shut vp in a blessed concord What quarrels arose at the Councell of Ephesus betweene Cyril of Alexandria and Iohn of Antioch The Churches vnder both stuck not to counterthunder Anathemaes one against another Thereupon Theodoret thrust in his sickle into this haruest against whom Cyrillus by Enoptius instigation makes as strong opposition Theodoret accuseth Cyril of Apollinarisme Cyril accuses Theodoret of Nestorianisme The flame of their rage brake out more and more and almost drew the Christian world to parties so that afterwards when Theodoret would haue entred the Councell of Chalcedon the Egyptian and other reuerend Bishops cryed out We must cast out Cyril if we take in Theodoret The very Canons cast him forth God abhors him The like was done afterwards in the eighth Action The Bishops openly proclaiming He is an Heretick a Nestorian Away with the Heretick But when the matter was well scand and it was found that he willingly subscrib'd to the Orthodox Creeds and the Epistles of Leo The whole Synod with one accord cryed out Theodoret is well worthy of a See in the Church Let the Church receiue her Orthodox Pastor It is worthy of immortality that which Gregory Nazianzan â—â—t ordeth of holy Athanasius The Romans seem'd to the Easterne Churches to follow the heresies of Sobellius in denying three Hypostases The Easterne likewise seemed to the Romans to fauour too much of Arrius in denying three Persons The quarrell grew hot Then came that great dispenser of soules and hauing meekly and mildly calld forth both sides before him he so handled the businesse that granting them the free vse of their termes he tied them close to the matter and shewed them a light whereby they might behold one another vpon this without more adoe finding themselues both in the right they fall to mutuall embracements Neither would it speed otherwise with vs Brethren as I doe verily beleeue if some Athanasius from Heauen would but ioyne our hands together Oh if once the gates of intestine and horrid warres were shut vp and the religious Princes which are the Nursing-fathers of the reformed Churches would command by vertue of their authority a Synod to be assembled as Generall as it might wherein both parts freely and modestly might lay forth their opinions and such common termes might be agreed vpon as wherein both parts might freely rest without preiudice to either How easily then how happily might these grieuous stirs bee quietly pacified Let vs pray for this my brethren let vs pray deuoutly In the meane while let vs all sweetly incline our hearts to peace and vnity Let there be amongst vs as S. Augustine to Ierome pure brotherhood Neither let vs suffer our selues vpon euery slight quirke of opinion to be distracted or torne asunder Let vs forget that there were euer any such in respect of the deuotion of a Sect as Luther Melancton Caluin Zuinglius Arminius or if any other mortall name for what haue we to doe with man Let vs breathe nothing let vs affect nothing but Iesus Christ We Diuines are Pleyades as Gregory saith wittily Let vs therefore shine still together though not without some difference of place In a pomegranate are many graines vnder one rinde You know the mystery Let vs ioyne these pomegranates to our Bells Let vs be loud but consorted Let vs deuote for euer with one heart all our operations ministeries gifts to one God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost to
was shut as Cyril Chrisostome Eusebius Hierome vnderstand it rather it is a prophesie of that outward and during peace vnder the Gospell which all the true professors of it should maintaine with themselues All nations though fierce sterne of disposition Bellicosa pectora vertuutur in mansuetudinem Christianam Hier. Suniae Fritellae yet if they once stoop sincerely to the Gospel shall compose themselues to a sweet accordance and imploy their vnited strength to the seruice of God But how is this fulfilled Some in all ages haue run forth into fury troubled the cōmon peace It is true but these are blanks such as vpon whom God hath not written holines It is no hoping that all horses shall be bridled or all bridles written on As grace so peace is not in such sort vniuersall that all should incline to it on all conditions There are some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace-haters it is as possible to tame a waspe as to incline them to peace Such are the wilful Romanists of our time to omit Schismes which will rather mingle heauen earth together than remit one gainefull error But what euer become of these Manizers which doe thus exclude themselues from the cōgregation of God it were happy if all the true acknowledged sonnes of the Church would admit the inscription of an holy peace Alas why doe wee that are brethren fall out for our change of suits by the way and make those quarrels deadly which deserue not to be quarrels Oh that some blessed Doue would bring an Oliue of peace into this Arke of God! Who is so fit for this glorious seruice as our gratious Peace-maker Nemo me impune lacesset is a good Posie but Beati pacifici is a better Let the Vice-gerent of him which is the Prince of peace as he was made for the peace of the walls and prosperity of the gates of Sion be that Angelus pacis Es 33.7 Let his wisdome and sweet moderation proceed to allay all these vnkindly stormes of the Church that we may liue to see that happy greeting of the Psalmist Righteousnesse and Peace haue kissed each other And as this holds in matter of iudgement so of practise too Do you see a loose lawlesse man wilful in his desires vnbridled in his affections inordinate in his life imploying his wit to scoffe at his Creator caring for nothing but the worse part of himselfe There is one of Zacharies horses when Gods Spirit breathes vpon the soule of this man he is now another from himselfe Holinesse to the Lord is written vpon his Bels. This was done sometimes of old Saul was among the Prophets Salomon and Manasses great patternes of conuersion but rarely in respect of the daies of the Gospell What should I speake of S. Paul No ground would hold him he runs chafing and foaming from Hierusalem to Damascus of his Iaylor of Mary Magdalen Behold whole troupes of wilde natures reclaimed Eph. 4. Col. 3. Act. 2. Who can despaire where God vndertakes Shew me neuer so violent and desperate a sinner let him be as Iobs wild asse in the desert or as Amos his horse that will run vpon the rocks Amos 6.12 if God once take him in hand thou shalt soone see that his horse is flesh and not spirit and shalt sing Deborahs Vngulae ceciderunt Iudg. 5.22 or Ioshuahs Subneruabis Ios 11.6 Now shalt thou see him stand quaking vnder the almighty hand of God so that he may write what he will in his bridle yea in his skin And if there be any such headstrong and restie stead here among vs let him know that God wil either breake his stomacke or his heart Flagellum equo saith Salomon and if that will not serue Collidā in te equum equitē Ier. 51.21 But alas how rare are these examples of reclamation Where is this power of the Gospell Men continue beasts still and with that filthy Gryllus plead for the priuilege of their bestiality The sins of men striue to outface the glory of the Gospell What shall I say to this If after all these meanes thou haue no bridle or thy bridle no inscription it is a fearefull doome of the Apostle If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish Thus much of the horses bels Now from the pots and bowles you shall see the degrees of the Churches perfection and see it I beseech you without wearinesse with intention The pots of the Temple were seething vessels for the vse of sacrifice These are the Priests themselues here for that there is a distinction made betwixt the Pots of the Lords house and euery pot in Ierusalem The ordinary Iew was euery pot therefore the Pots of the Lords house must be his Ministers These vnder the Gospell shall be of more honourable vse as the bowles before the Altar like as the Altar of perfumes was more inward and of higher respect The pots were of shining brasse bowles of gold 1 King 7.50 It is no brag to say that the Ministery of the Gospell is more glorious than that of the Law The least in the kingdome of Heauen saith CHRIST is greater than Iohn Baptist Matth. 11.11 The Kingdome of Heauen that is the Church not as Austen Ierome Bede expound it of the third heauen for Christ would make an opposition betwixt the old and new Testament The not vnlearned Iesuite Maldonat while he taxeth vs for preferring euery Minister of the Gospell to Iohn Baptist mends the matter so well that he verifies it of euery person Minimus quisque in Euangelio that is qui Euangelium recipit maior est illo not feeling how hee buffets himselfe for if the least of those that receiue the Gospell how much more the least of those that preach it This is no arrogance God would haue euery thing in the last Temple more glorious than in the first which was figured by the outward frame more glorious in CHRISTS time than that of SALOMON as that was beyond the Tabernacle This is a better Testament Hebr. 7.22 That had the shadow this the substance Heb. 10. Vnder this is greater illumination Effundam spiritum meum saith the Prophet before some few drops distilled now a whole current of graces Effundam If therefore Iohn Baptist were greater than the sonnes of men because they saw Christ to come hee pointed at him comming ours must needs be more glorious because wee see and point at him now come and fully exhibited Wee will not contest with the Leuiticall Priesthood for cost of clothes for price of vessels let the Church of Rome emulate this pompe which cares not if shee haue golden vessels though shee haue leaden Priests wee enuie it not but for inward graces for learning knowledge power of teaching there is no lesse difference than betwixt the pots of the Temple and bowles of the Altar God sayes of them in way of reiection Non est mihi voluntas in vobis Mal. 1. Hence the
been so scrupulously carefull that be should eate no vnclean thing and shall we now consent to an heathenish match Now therefore they grauely indeuour to coole this intemperate heat of his passion with good counsell as those which well knew the inconueniences of an vnequall yoke corruption in religion alienation of affections distraction of thoughts conniuence at Idolatry death of zeale dangerous vnderminings and lastly an vnholy seed Who can blame them if they were vnwilling to call a Philistim daughter I wish Manoah could speake so loud that al our Israelites might heare him Is there neuer a woman among the daughters of thy brethren or among all Gods people that thou goest to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims If religion be any other then a cypher how dare we not regard it in our most important choyce Is she a faire Philistim Why is not this deformity of the soule more powerfull to disswade vs then the beauty of the face or of metall to allure vs To dote vpon a faire skinne when we see a Philistim vnder it is sensuall and brutish Affection is not more blinde then deafe In vaine doe the parents seeke to alter a young man not more strong in body then in will Though he cannot defend his desires yet he pursues them Get me her for she pleases me And although it must needs be a weake motion that can plead no reason but appetite yet the good Parents sith they cannot bow the affection of their sonne with perswasion dare not breake it with violence As it becomes not children to be forward in their choyce so parents may not be too peremptory in their deniall It is not safe for children to ouer-run parents in settling their affections nor for parents where the impediments are not very materiall to come short of their children when the affections are once setled The one is disobedience the other may be tyranny I know not whether I may excuse either Samson in making this sute or his parents in yeelding to it by a diuine despensation in both For on the one side whiles the Spirit of God notes that as yet his parents knew not this was of the Lord it may seeme that he knew it and it is likely he would know not impart it This alone was enough to winne yea to command his parents It is not mine eye onely but the counsell of God that leads me to his coyce The way to quarrell with the Philistims is to match with them If I follow mine affection mine affection followes God in this proiect Surely hee that commanded his Prophet afterwards to marry an harlot may haue appointed his Nazarite to marry with a Philistim On the other side whether it were of God permitting or allowing I finde not It might so be of God as all the euill in the City and then the interposition of Gods decree shall be no excuse of Samsons infirmity I would rather thinke that God meant onely to make a Treacle of a Viper and rather appointed to fetch good out of Samsons euill then to approue that for good in Samson which in it selfe was euill When Samson went on wooing hee might haue made the sluggards excuse There is a Lion in the way but he that could not be staid by perswasion will not by feare A Lion young wilde fierce hungry comes roaring vpon him when he had no weapon but his hand no fence but his strength the same prouidence that carried him to Timnah brought the Lion to him It hath been euer the fashion of God to exercise his Champions with some initiatory incounters Both Samson and Dauid must first fight with Lions then with Philistims he whose type they bore meets with that roaring Lion of the wildernesse in the very threshold of his publike charge The same hand that prepared a Lion for Samson hath proportionably matches for euery Christian God neuer giues strength but he imployes it Pouerty meets one like an armed man Infamy like some furious Mastiue comes flying in the face of another the wilde Bore out of the forrest or the bloudy Tyger of persecution sets vpoÌ„ one the brawling curs of hereticall prauity or contentious neighbourhood are ready to bait another and by all these meaner and brutish aduersaries will God fit vs for greater conflicts It is a pledge of our future victory ouer the spirituall Philistims if we can say my soule hath been among Lions Come forth now thou weake Christian and behold this preparatory battell of Samson Dost thou thinke God deales hardly with thee in matching thee so hard and calling thee forth to so many fraies What doost thou but repine at thine owne glory How shouldst thou be victorious without resistance If the Parents of Samson had now stood behind the hedge and seen his incounter they would haue taken no further care of matching their sonne with a Philistim For who that should see a strong Lion ramping vpon an vnarmed man would hope for his life and victory The beast came bristling vp his feareful mane wafting his raised stem his eyes sparkling with fury his mouth roaring out knels of his last passage brething death from his nostrils now reioyced at so faire a prey Surely if the Lion had had no other aduersary then him whom he saw he had not lost his hope but now he could not see that his maker was his enemy The Spirit of the Lord came vpoÌ„ Samson what is a beast in the hand of the creator He that strooke the Lions with the aw of Adam Noah Daniel subdued this rebllious beast to Samson what maruell is it if Samson now tore him as if it had been a young Kid If his bones had been brasse and his skinne plâ—â—es of yron all had bin one The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe If that roaring Lyon that goes about continually seeking whom he may deuoure finde vs alone among the vineyards of the Philistims where is our hope Not in our heeles he is swifter then we not in our weapons we are naturally vnarmed not in our hands which are weake and languishing but in the Spirit of that God by whom we can doe all things if God fight in vs who can resist him There is a stronger Lion in vs then that against vs. Samson was not more valiant then modest he made no words of this great exploit the greatest performers euer make the least noyse He that works wonders alone could say See thou tell no man whereas those whose hands are most impotent are busiest of their tongues Great talkers shew that they desire onely to be thought eminent whereas the deepest waters are least heard But whiles hee concealed this euent from others hee pondred it in himselfe and when hee returned to Timnaâ—h went out of the way to see his dead Aduersary and could not but recall to himselfe â—is danger and deliuerance Heere the beast met me thus he fought thus I slew him The very dead
laid to which if they shall adde but one scruple it shall be to mee sufficient ioy contentment recompence From your Hal-sted Decemb. 4. Your Worships humbly deuouted IOS HALL THE FIRST CENTVRIE OF MEDITATIONS AND VOWES DIVINE and MORALL 1 IN Meditation those which begin heauenly thoughts and prosecute them not are like those which kindle a fire vnder greene wood and leaue it so soone as it but begins to flame leesing the hope of a good beginning for want of seconding it with a sutable proceeding when I set my selfe to meditate I will not giue ouer till I come to an issue It hath beene said by some that the beginning is as much as the middest yea more than all but I say the ending is more than the beginning 2 There is nothing but Man that respecteth greatnesse Not God not death not Iudgement Not God he is no accepter of persons Not nature we see the sonnes of Princes borne as naked as the poorest and the poore childe as faire well-fauoured strong witty as the heire of Nobles Not disease death iudgement they sicken alike die alike fare alike after death There is nothing besides naturall men of whom goodnesse is not respected I will honour greatnesse in others but for my selfe I will esteeme a dram of goodnesse worth a whole world of greatnesse 3 As there is a foolish wisdome so there is a wise ignorance in not prying into Gods Arke not enquiring into things not reuealed I would faine know all that I need and all that I may I leaue Gods secrets to himselfe It is happy for me that God makes me of his Court though not of his Counsell 4 As there is no vacuity in nature no more is there spiritually Euery vessell is full if not of liquor yet of aire so is the heart of man though by nature it is empty of grace yet it is full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Now as it is filled with grace so it is empty of his euill qualities as in a vessell so much water as goes in so much ayre goes out but mans heart is a narrow-mouthed vessell and receiues grace but by drops and therefore takes a long time to empty and fill Now as there be differences in degrees and one heart is neerer to fulnesse than another so the best vessell is not quite full while it is in the body because there are still remainders of corruption I will neither be content with that measure of grace I haue nor impatient of Gods delay but euery day I will endeuour to haue one drop added to the rest so my last day shall fill vp my vessell to the brim 5 Satan would seeme to bee mannerly and reasonable making as if hee would bee content with one halfe of the heart whereas God challengeth all or none as indeed hee hath most reason to claime all that made all But this is nothing but a craftie fetch of Satan for he knowes that if hee haue any part God will haue none so the whole falleth to his share alone My heart when it is both whole and at the best is but a strait and vnworthy lodging for God if it were bigger and better I would reserue it all for him Satan may looke in at my doores by a tentation but hee shall not haue so much as one chamber-roome set a part for him to soiourne in 6 I see that in naturall motions the neerer any thing comes to his end the swifter it moueth I haue seene great riuers which at their first rising out of some hills side might bee couered with a bushell which after many miles fill a very broad channell and drawing neere to the Sea doe euen make a little Sea in their owne bankes So the winde at the first rising as a little vapour from the crannies of the earth and passing forward about the earth the further it goes the more blustering and violent it waxeth A Christians motion after hee is regenerate is made naturall to God-ward and therefore the neerer he comes to heauen the more zealous he is A good man must not bee like Ezekias Sunne that went backward nor like Ioshuahs Sunne that stood still but Dauids Sunne that like a Bridegroome comes out of his chamber and as a Champion reioiceth to runne his race onely herein is the difference that when hee comes to his high noone hee declineth not How euer therefore the minde in her naturall faculties followes the temperature of the body yet in these supernaturall things she quite crosses it For with the coldest complexion of age is ioined in those that are truly religious the feruentest zeale and affection to good things which is therefore the more reuerenced and better acknowledged because it cannot bee ascribed to the hot spirits of youth The Deuill himselfe deuised that old slander of early holinesse A young Saint an old Deuill Sometimes young Deuils haue proued old Saints neuer the contrarie but true Saints in youth doe alwaies proue Angels in their age I will striue to bee euer good but if I should not finde my selfe best at last I should feare I was neuer good at all 7 Consent harteneth sinne which a little dislike would haue daunted at first As wee say There would bee no theeues if no receiuers so would there not bee so many open mouthes to detract and slander if there were not so many open eares to entertaine them If I cannot stop another mans mouth from speaking ill I will either open my mouth to reproue it or else I will stop mine cares from hearing it and let him see in my face that he hath no roome in my heart 8 I haue oft wondered how fishes can retaine their fresh taste and yet liue in salt waters since I see that euery other thing participates of the nature of the place wherein it abides So the waters passing thorow the chanels of the earth varie their sauour with the veines of soile thorow which they slide So brute creatures transported from one region to another alter their former qualitie and degenerate by little and little The like danger I haue seene in the manners of men conuersing with euill companions in corrupt places For besides that it blemisheth our reputation and makes vs thought ill though wee bee good it breeds in vs an insensible declination to ill and workes in vs if not an approbation yet a lesse dislike of those sinnes to which our eares and eies are so continually inured I may haue a bad acquaintance I will neuer haue a wicked companion 9 Expectation in a weake minde makes an euill greater and a good lesse but in a resolued minde it digests an euill before it come and makes a future good long before present I will expect the worst because it may come the best because I know it will come 10 Some promise what they cannot doe as Satan to Christ some what they could but meane not to doe as the sons of Iacob to the Sechemites some what they meant for the
from whatsoeuer may offend that maiestie we rest vpon and aboue this of true and canonicall obedience to God without all care of difficultie and in spight of all contradictions of nature Not out of the confidence of our owne power impotent men who are we that we should either vow or performe But as he said Giue what thou bidst and bid what thou wilt Hence the courage of Moses durst venture his hand to take vp the crawling hissing Serpent Hence Peter durst walk vpon the pauement of the waues Hence that heroicall spirit of Luther a man made of metall fit for so great a worke durst resolue and professe to enter into that fore-warned Citie though there had bin as many Deuils in their streets as tiles on their houses Both these vowes as wee once solemnly made by others so for our peace we must renew in our selues Thus the experienced minde both knowing that it hath met with a good friend and withall what the price of a friend is cannot but be carefull to retaine him warie of displeasing and therefore to cut off all dangers of variance voluntarily takes a double oath of allegeance of it selfe to God which neither benefit shall induce vs to breake if we might gaine a world nor feare vrge vs thereto though we must lose our selues The wauering heart that finds continuall combats in it selfe betwixt Pleasure and Conscience so equally matched that neither gets the day is not yet capable of peace and whether euer ouercommeth is troubled both with resistance and victorie Barren Rebecca found more case than when her twins struggled in her wombe If Iacob had beene there alone she had not complained of that painfull contention One while Pleasure holds the Fort and conscience assaults it which when it hath entred at last by strong hand after many batteries of iudgements denounced ere long Pleasure either corrupts the watch or by some cunning stratagem findes way to recouer her first hold So one part is euer attempting and euer resisting Betwixt both the heart cannot haue peace because it resolues not For while the soule is held in suspence it cannot enioy the pleasure it vseth because it is halfe taken vp with feare onely a strong and resolute repulse of pleasure is truly pleasant for therein the Conscience filling vs with heauenly delight maketh sweet triumphs in it selfe as being now the Lord of his owne dominions and knowing what to trust to No man knowes the pleasure of this thought I haue done well but he that hath felt it and he that hath felt it contemnes all pleasure to it It is a false slander raised on Christianitie that it maketh men dumpish and melancholicke for therefore are we heauie because we are not enough Christians We haue religion enough to mislike pleasures not enough to ouercome them But if we be once conquerors ouer our selues and haue deuoted our selues wholly to God there can be nothing but heauenly mirth in the soule Loe here yee Philosophers the true musicke of Heauen which the good heart continually heareth and answers it in the iust measures of ioy Others may talke of mirth as a thing they haue heard of or vainely fancied onely the Christian feeles it and in comparison thereof scorneth the idle ribaldish and scurrilous mirth of the prophane SECT XXIV ANd this resolution which we call for 2. Rule for our actions must not onely exclude manifestly euill actions but also doubting and suspension of minde in actions suspected and questionable wherein the iudgement must euer giue confident determination one way For this Tranquillitie consisteth in a steadinesse of the minde and how can that vessell which is beaten vpon by contrary waues and winds and tottereth to either part be said to keepe a steadie course Resolution is the onely mother of securitie For instance I see that Vsury which was wont to be condemned for no better than a Legall theft hath now obtained with many the reputation of an honest Trade and is both vsed by many and by some defended It is pittie that a bad practice should finde any learned or religious Patron The summe of my patrimony lieth dead by me sealed vp in the bagge of my Father my thriftier friends aduise mee to this easie and sure improuement Their counsell and my gaine preuaile my yeerely summes come in with no cost but of time wax parchment my estate likes it well better than my conscience which tells me still he doubts my trade is too easie to be honest Yet I continue my illiberall course not without some scruple and contradiction so as my feare of offence hinders the ioy of my profit and the pleasure of my gaine hartens me against the feare of iniustice I would be rich with ease and yet I would not be vncharitable I would not bee vniust All the while I liue in vnquiet doubts and distraction Others are not so much entangled in my bonds as I in my owne At last that I may be both iust and quiet I conclude to referre this case wholly to the sentence of my inward Iudge the Conscience the Aduocates Gaine and Iustice plead on either part at this barre with doubtfull successe Gaine informes the Iudge of a new and nice distinction of toothlesse and biting Interest and brings presidents of particular cases of Vsury so farre from any breach of charitie or iustice that both parts therein confesse themselues aduantaged Iustice pleads euen the most toothlesse vsury to haue sharpe gums and findes in the most harmelesse and profitable practice of it an insensible wrong to the common body besides the infinite wracks of priuate estates The weake Iudge suspends in such probable allegations and demurreth as being ouercome of both and of neither part and leaues me yet no whit more quiet no whit lesse vncertaine I suspend my practice accordingly being sure it is good not to doe what I am not sure is good to be done and now Gaine sollicits me as much as Iustice did before Betwixt both I liue troublesomely nor euer shall doe other till in a resolute detestation I haue whipped this euill Merchant out of the Temple of my heart This rigour is my peace Before I could not be well either full or fasting Vncertaintie is much paine euen in a more tolerable action Neither is it I thinke easie to determine whether it be worse to doe a lawfull act with doubting or an euill with resolution since that which in it selfe is good is made euill to me by my doubt and what is in nature euill is in this one point not euill to me that I doe it vpon a verdict of a Conscience so now my iudgement offends in not following the truth I offend not in that I follow my iudgment Wherein if the most wise God had left vs to roue onely according to the aime of our owne coniectures it should haue beene lesse faulty to be Scepticks in our actions and either not to iudge at all or to iudge amisse
precept of the Philosopher who taught him that by sitting and resting the minde gathereth wisdome * * Guliel Paris Another leaning to some Rest towards the left side for the greater quieting of the heart * * Dâ—onys Carthus A third standing with the eies lift vp to Heauen but shut for feare of distractions But of all other me thinketh Isaacs choice the best who meditated walking In this let euery man be his owne master so be we vse that frame of body that may both testifie reuerence and in some cases helpe to stirre vp further deuotion which also must needs be varied according to the matter of our Meditation If we thinke of our sinnes Ahabs soft pase the Publicans deiected eies and his hand beating his brest are more seasonable If of the ioyes of heauen Steuens countenance fixed aboue and Dauids hands lift vp on high are most fitting In all which the body as it is the instrument and vassall of the soule so will easily follow the affections thereof and in truth then is our deuotion most kindly when the body is thus commanded his seruice by the Spirit and not suffered to goe before it and by his forwardnesse to prouoke his master to emulation CHAP. XII NOw time and order call vs from these circumstances Of the matter and subiect of our â—editation to the matter and subiect of Meditation which must be Diuine and Spirituall not euill nor worldly O the carnall and vnprofitable thoughts of men We all meditate one how to doe ill to others another how to doe some earthly good to himselfe another to hurt himselfe vnder a colour of good as how to accomplish his lewd desires the fulfilling whereof proueth the bane of the soule how he may sinne vnseene and goe to hell with the least noise of the world Or perhaps some better mindes bend their thoughts vpon the search of naturall things the motions of euery heauen and of euery starre the reason and course of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea the manifold kinds of simples that grow out of the earth and creatures that creepe vpon it with all their strange qualities and operations Or perhaps the seuerall formes of gouernment and rules of State take vp their busie heads so that while they would be acquainted with the whole world they are strangers at home and while they seeke to know all other things â—â—â—y remaine vnknowne of themselues The God that made them the vilenesse of their nature the danger of their sinnes the multitude of their imperfections the Sauiour that bought them the Heauen that he bought for them are in the meane time as vnknowne as vnregarded as if they were not Thus doe foolish children spend their time and labour in turning ouer leaues to looke for painted babes not at all respecting the solid matter vnder their hands We fooles when will we be wise and turning our eies from vanity with that sweet Singer of Israel make Gods statutes our song and meditation in the house of our pilgrimage Earthly things proffer themselues with importunity Heauenly things must with importunity be sued to Those if they were not so little worth would not be so forward being forward need not any Meditation to solicit them These by how much more hard they are to intreat by so much more precious they are being obtained and therefore worthier our endeuor As then we cannot goe amisse so long as we keep our selues in the tracke of Diuinitie while the soule is taken vp with the thoughts either of the Deitie in his essence and persons sparingly yet in this point and more in faith and admiration than inquiry or of his attributes his Iustice Power Wisdome Mercy Truth or of his workes in the creation preseruation gouernment of all things according to the Psalmist I will meditate of the beauty of thy glorious Maiesty and thy wonderfull workes so most directly in our way and best fitting our exercise of Meditation are those matters in Diuinitie which can most of all worke compunction in the heart and most stirre vs vp to deuotion Of which kinde are the Meditations concerning Christ Iesus our Mediator his Incarnation Miracles Life Passion Buriall Resurrection Ascension Intercession the benefit of our Redemption the certainty of our Election the graces and proceeding of our Sanctification our glorious estate in Paradise lost in our first Parents our present vilenesse our inclination to sinne our seuerall actuall offences the tentations and sleights of euill Angels the vse of the Sacraments nature and practice of Faith and Repentance the miseries of our life with the frailty of it the certainty and vncertainty of our death the glory of Gods Saints aboue the awfulnesse of iudgement the terrors of hell and the rest of this quality wherein both it is fit to haue variety for that euen the strongest stomacke doth not alwaies delight in one dish and yet so to change that our choice may be free from wildnesse and inconstancy CHAP. XIII The order of the worke it selfe NOw after that we haue thus orderly suited the person and his qualities with the due circumstances of time place disposition of body and substance of the matter discussed I know not what can remaine besides the maine businesse it selfe and the manner and degrees of our prosecution thereof which aboue all other calleth for an intentiue Reader and resolute practice Wherein that we may auoid all nicenesse and obscurity since wee striue to profit we will giue direction for the Entrance Proceeding Conclusion of this Diuine worke CHAP. XIIII The entrance into the worke A Goodly building must shew some magnificence in the gate and great personages haue seemely Vshers to goe before them who by their vncouered heads command reuerence and way Euen very Poets of old had wont before their Ballads to implore the aid of their gods And the heathen Romans entred not vpon any publike ciuill businesse without a solemne apprecation of good successe 1 The common entrance which is Prayer How much lesse should a Christian dare to vndertake a spirituall worke of such importance not hauing craued the assistance of his God which me thinkes is no lesse than to professe he could doe well without Gods leaue When we thinke euill it is from our selues when good from God As Prayer is our speech to God so is each good Meditation according to Bernard Gods speech to the heart The heart must speake to God that God may speake to it Prayer therefore and Meditation are as those famous twinnes in the story or as two louing Turtles whereof separate one the other languisheth Prayer maketh way for Meditation Meditation giueth matter strength and life to our prayers By which as all other things are sanctified to vs so we are sanctified to all holy things This is as some royall Eunuch to perfume and dresse our soules that they may be fit to conuerse with the King of Heauen But the prayer that leadeth in
is without witnesse Openly many sinister respects may draw from vs a forme of religious duties secretly nothing but the power of a good conscience It is to be feared God hath more true and deuout seruice in Closets than in Churches 54 Words and diseases grow vpon vs with yeeres In age we talke much because wee haue seene much and soone after shall cease talking for euer Wee are most diseased because nature is weakest and death which is neere must haue harbingers such is the old age of the World No maruell if this last time be full of writing and weake discourse full of sects and heresies which are the sicknesses of this great and decaied body 55 The best ground vntilled soonest runs out into ranke weeds Such are Gods Children Ouer-growne with securitie ere they are aware vnlesse they bee well exercised both with Gods plow of affliction and their owne industry in meditation A man of knowledge that is either negligent or vncorrected cannot but grow wilde and godlesse 56 With vs vilest things are most common But with God the best things are most frequently giuen Grace which is the noblest of all Gods fauours is vnpartially bestowed vpon all willing receiuers whereas Nobilitie of bloud and height of place blessings of an inferiour nature are reserued for few Herein the Christian followes his Father his praiers which are his richest portion he communicates to all his substance according to his abilitie to few 57 God therefore giues because he hath giuen making his former fauours arguments for more Man therefore shuts his hand because hee hath opened it There is no such way to procure more from God as to vrge him with what hee hath done All Gods blessings are profitable and excellent not so much in themselues as that they are inducements to greater 58 Gods immediate actions are best at first The frame of this creation how exquisite was it vnder his hand afterward blemished by our sinne mans indeuours are weake in their beginnings and perfecter by degrees No science no deuice hath euer beene perfect in his cradle or at once hath seene his birth and maturitie of the same nature are those actions which God worketh mediatly by vs according to our measure of receit The cause of both is on the one side the infinitenesse of his wisdome and power which cannot be corrected by any second assaies On the other our weaknesse helping it selfe by former grounds and trials Hee is an happy man that detracts nothing from Gods works and addes most to his owne 59 The old saying is more common than true that those which are in hell know no other heauen for this makes the damned perfectly miserable that out of their owne torment they see the felicitie of the Saints together with their impossibility of attaining it Sight without hope of fruition is a torment alone Those that here might see God and will not or doe see him obscurely and loue him not shall once see him with anguish of soule and not enioy him 60 Sometimes euill speeches come from good men in their vnaduisednesse and sometimes euen the good speeches of men may proceed from an ill spirit No confession could be better than Satan gaue of Christ It is not enough to consider what is spoken or by whom but whence and for what The spirit is oftentimes tried by the speech but other-times the speech must be examined by the spirit and the spirit by the rule of an higher word 61 Greatnesse puts high thoughts and bigge words into a man whereas the deiected minde takes carelesly what offers it selfe Euery worldling is base-minded and therefore his thoughts creepe still low vpon the earth The Christian both is and knowes himselfe truly great and thereupon mindeth and speaketh of spirituall immortall glorious heauenly things So much as the soule stoopeth vnto earthly thoughts so much is it vnregenerate 62 Long acquaintance as it maketh those things which are euill to seeme lesse euill so it makes good things which at first were vnpleasant delightfull There is no euill of paine not no morall good action which is not harsh at the first Continuance of euill which might seeme to weary vs is the remedy and abatement of wearinesse and the practice of good as it profiteth so it pleaseth He that is a stranger to good and euill findes both of them troublesome God therefore doth well for vs while he exerciseth vs with long afflictions and we doe well to our selues while we continually busie our selues in good exercises 63 Sometimes it is well taken by men that we humble our selues lower than there is cause Thy seruant IACOB saith that good Patriarch to his brother to his inferiour And no lesse well doth God take these submisse extenuations of our selues I am a worme and no man Surely I am more foolish than a man and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me But I neuer finde that any man bragged to God although in a matter of truth and within the compasse of his desert and was accepted A man may be too lowly in his dealing with men euen vnto contempt with God he cannot but the lower he falleth the higher is his exaltation 64 The soule is fed as the body starued with hunger as the body requires proportionable diet and necessary varietie as the body All ages and statures of the soule beare not the same nourishment There is milke for spirituall Infants strong meat for the growne Christian The spoone is fit for one the knife for the other The best Christian is not so growne that he need to scorne the spoone but the weake Christian may finde a strong feed dangerous How many haue beene cast away with spirituall surfets because being but new-borne they haue swallowed downe bigge morsels of the highest mysteries of godlinesse which they neuer could digest but together with them haue cast vp their proper nourishment A man must first know the power of his stomacke ere he know how with safetie and profit to frequent Gods Ordinary 65 It is very hard for the best man in a sudden extremity of death to satisfie himselfe in apprehending his stay and reposing his heart vpon it for the soule is so oppressed with sudden terrour that it cannot well command it selfe till it haue digested an euill It were miserable for the best Christian if all his former praiers and meditations did not serue to aide him in his last straits and meet together in the center of his extremitie yeelding though not sensible releefe yet secret benefit to the soule whereas the worldly man in this case hauing not laid vp for this houre hath no comfort from God or from others or from himselfe 66 All externall good or euill is measured by sense neither can we account that either good or ill which doth neither actually auaile nor hurt vs spiritually this rule holds not All our best good is insensible For all our future which is the greatest good we hold onely in hope and
and all his officious respects turne home to himselfe He can be at once a slaue to command an Intelligencer to informe a Parasite to sooth and flatter a Champion to defend an Executioner to reuenge any thing for an aduantage of fauour He hath proiected a plot to rise and woe be to the friend that stands in his way He still haunteth the Court and his vnquiet spirit haunteth him which hauing fetcht him from the secure peace of his Country-rest sets him new and impossible taskes and after many disappointments incourages him to try the same sea in spight of his shipwracks and promises better successe A small hope giues him heart against great difficulties and drawes on new expense new seruilitie perswading him like foolish boies to shoot away a second shaft that he may finde the first He yeeldeth and now secure of the issue applauds himselfe in that honour which he still affecteth still misseth and for the last of all trials will rather bribe for a troublesome preferment than returne void of a title But now when he findes himselfe desperately crossed and at once spoiled both of aduancement and hope both of fruition and possibilitie all his desire is turned into rage his thirst is now onely of reuenge his tongue sounds of nothing but detraction and slander Now the place he sought for is base his riuall vnworthy his aduersary iniurious officers corrupt Court infectious and how well is he that may bee his owne man his owne master that may liue safely in a meane distance at pleasure free from staruing free from burning But if his designes speed well ere he be warme in that seat his minde is possessed of an higher What hee hath is but a degree to what he would haue now he scorneth what he formerly aspired to his successe doth not giue him so much contentment as prouocation neither can he be at rest so long as he hath one either to ouer-looke or to match or to emulate him When his Country-friend comes to visit him he carries him vp to the aâ—â—full Presence and now in his sight crowding neerer to the Chaire of State desires to be lookt on desires to be spoken to by the greatest and studies how to offer an occasion lest he should seeme vnknowne vnregarded and if any gesture of the least grace fall happily vpon him he lookes backe vpon his friend lest he should carelesly let it passe without a note and what hee wanteth in sense hee supplies in History His disposition is neuer but shamefully vnthankfull for vnlesse he haue all he hath nothing It must be a large draught whereof he will not say that those few drops doe not slake but inflame him so still he thinkes himselfe the worse for small fauours His wit so contriues the likely plots of his promotion as if he would steale it away without Gods knowledge besides his will neither doth he euer looke vp and consult in his fore-casts with the supreme Moderator of all things as one that thinkes honour is ruled by Fortune and that heauen medleth not with the disposing of these earthly lots and therefore it is iust with that wise GOD to defeat his fairest hopes and to bring him to a losse in the hottest of his chace and to cause honour to flie away so much the faster by how much it is more eagerly pursued Finally he is an importunate suter a corrupt client a violent vndertaker a smooth Factor but vntrusty a restlesse master of his owne a Bladder puft vp with the wind of hope and selfe-loue He is in the common body as a Mole in the earth euer vnquietly casting and in one word is nothing but a confused heape of enuy pride couetousnesse Of the Vnthrift HE ranges beyond his pale and liues without compasse His expence is measured not by abilitie but will His pleasures are immoderate and not honest A wanton eye a lickorish tongue a gamesome hand haue impouerisht him The vulgar sort call him bountifull and applaud him while he spends and recompence him with wishes when he giues with pitie when hee wants Neither can it be denied that he raught true liberalitie but ouer-went it No man could haue liued more laudably if when he was at the best he had staied there While he is present none of the wealthier ghests may pay ought to the shot without much vehemency without danger of vnkindnesse Vse hath made it vnpleasant to him not to spend He is in all things more ambitious of the title of good fellowship than of wisdome When he lookes into the wealthy chest of his Father his conceit suggests that it cannot be emptied and while he takes out some deale euery day hee perceiues not any diminution and when the heape is sensibly abated yet still flatters himselfe with enough One hand couzens the other and the belly deceiues both hee doth not so much bestow benefits as scatter them True merit doth not carie them but smoothnesse of adulation His senses are too much his guides and his purueyors and appetite is his steward He is an impotent seruant to his lusts and knowes not to gouerne either his minde or his purse Improuidence is euer the companion of vnthriftinesse This man cannot looke beyond the present and neither thinkes nor cares what shall be much lesse suspects what may be and while he lauishes out his substance in superfluities thinkes he onely knowes what the world is worth and that others ouerprize it He feeles pouertie before he sees it neuer complaines till he be pinched widi wants neuer spares till the bottome when it is too late either to spend or recouer He is euery mans friend saue his owne and then wrongs himselfe most when he courteth himselfe with most kindnesse He vies Time with the slothfull and it is an hard match whether chases away good houres to worse purpose the one by doing nothing or the other by idle pastime Hee hath so dilated himselfe with the beames of prosperitie that he lies open to all dangers and cannot gather vp himselfe on iust warning to auoid a mischiefe Hee were good for an Almner ill for a Steward Finally he is the liuing tombe of his fore-fathers of his posteritie and when he hath swallowed both is more emptie than before he deuoured them Of the Enuious HE feeds on others euils and hath no disease but his neighbours welfare whatsoeuer God doe for him he cannot be happy with company and if he were put to chuse whether he would rather haue equals in a common felicitie or superiours in miserie he would demurre vpon the election His eie casts out too much and neuer returnes home but to make comparisons with anothers good He is an ill prizer of forraine commoditie worse of his owne for that hee rates too high this vnder value You shall haue him euer inquiring into the estates of his equals and betters wherein he is not more desirous to heare all than loth to heate any thing ouer-good and if iust report
the faults of others He that couereth a transgression seeketh loue Pr. 17.9 Ec. 8.2 but he that repeateth a matter separateth the Prince To these hee is diligent taking heed to the mouth of the King and therefore worthily standeth before Kings and not before the base sort and withall true and faithfull when hee vndertakes anothers suit hee lingers not Pr. 22.29 knowing that The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart Pr. 13.12 Pr. 17.8 and though A bribe or reward is as a stone pleasant in the eies of them that haue it and prospereth whithersoeuer it turneth Pr. 19.6 Pr. 21.6 for euery man is a friend to him that giueth gifts yet hee accounteth the gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue to be vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death SALOMONS SVBIECT §. 9. His duty to His Prince Reuerence Obedience Fellow-Subiects EVery gouernment presupposeth Subiects Pr. 14.18 In the multitude of the people is the honour of the King and for the want of people commeth the destruction of the Prince Of whom God requires in respect of the Prince Reuerence Obedience Pr. 19.6 Pr. 29.26 Ec. 10.20 Pr. 24.21 Pr. 17.11 Ec. 10.20 Pr. 17.11 Pr. 24.22 That they should reuerence and seeke the face of the Prince not cursing the King so much as in their thought nor the rich in their bed-chamber but fearing the Lord and the King and not meddling with the seditious which only seeke euill For as the Fowle of the heauen shall carry the voice and the master of the wing declare the matter so for reuenge a cruell messenger shall be sent against theÌ„ their destruction shall arise suddenly and who knoweth their ruine For their due homage therefore and obedience to lawes they take heed to the mouth of the King and the word of the oath of God Ec. 8.2 and if a law be enacted Ec. 10.8 Ec. 10.9 Ec. 8 3. they violate it not nor striue for innouation Hee that breakes the hedge a serpent shall bite him He that remoueth stones shall hurt himselfe thereby and hee that cutteth wood shall be in danger thereby And if they haue offended they haste not to goe forth of the Princes sight nor stand in an euill thing for he will doe what-euer pleaseth him Ec. 10.4 but rather if the spirit of him that ruleth rise vp against them by gentlenesse pacifie great sinnes §. 10. To his fellow-Subiects in respect of more publike societie is required 1. Regard to Superiors in Estate Desert Inferiors Equals 2. Commerce more priuate societie Iust maintenance of each mans proprietie Truth of friendship Pr. 22.7 Pr. 27.21 IN respect of themselues he requires due regard of degrees whether of superiors The rich ruleth the poore and as the fining pot is for siluer and the furnace for gold so is euery man tryed according to his dignity so as they that come from the holy place be not forgotten in the City Ec. 8.10 Pr. Pr. 11.12 Pr. 14.21 where they haue done right or whether of inferiors for A poore man if he oppresse the poore Is like a raging raine that leaueth no food yea lesse than oppression He that despiseth his neighbour is both a sinner and destitute of vnderstanding or lastly of equals and therein quiet and peaceable demeanour not striuing with others causelesse Pr. 3.30 Pr. 17.14 Pr 25.9 Pr. 25.8 Pr. 26.17 Pr. 6.16 19. not to beginne contentions for the beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters therefore ere it be medled with he leaueth off and being prouoked debateth the matter with his neighbour And as he goes not forth hastily to strife so much lesse doth he take part in impertinent quarrels Hee that passeth by and medleth with the strife that belongs not to him is as one that takes a dogge by the eare and one of the six things that God hates is he that raiseth vp contentions among neighbours Ec. 5.8 Pr. 8.19 Secondly mutuall commerce and interchange of commodities without which is no liuing The abundance of the earth is ouer all and the King consists by the field that is tilled The husbandman therefore must till his land that hee may bee satisfied with bread for much increase commeth by the strength of the Oxe Pr. 14.4 Pr. 11. â—6 Pr. 24.30 31. and moreouer he must sell corne that blessings may be vpon him which if he withdraw the people shall curse him so that the slothfullman whose field is ouer growne with thornes and nettles is but an ill member Pr. 31.14 And againe The Merchant must bring his wares from farre and each so trade with other Ec. 10.19 P. 22.28 Pr. 23.10 Pr. 23.11 Pr. Pr. 23.4 Pr. 28.22 Pr. 28.20 Pr. 20.21 that both may liue They prepare bread for laughter and wine comforts the liuing but siluer answereth to all For lesse publike society is required due reseruation of propriety not to remoue the ancient bounds which his fathers haue made not to enter into the field of the fatherlesse for he that redeemeth them is mighty not to increase his riches by vsury and interest not to hasten ouer-much to be rich for such one knoweth not that pouerty shall come vpon him and that an heritage hastily gotten in the beginning in the end thereof shall not bee blessed and that in the meane time The man that is greedy of gaine Pr. 15.27 Pr. 18.24 troubleth his owne house 2. Truth of friendship A man that hath friends ought to shew himselfe friendly for a friend is neerer than a brother Pr. 27.10 Pr. 27.6 Pr. 27.9 Thy owne friend therefore and thy fathers friend forget thou not for whether he reproue thee The wounds of a louer are faithfull or whether he aduise As ointment and perfume reioyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by hearty counsell or whether he exhort Pr. 27.17 Pr. 19.4 Pr. 17.17 Pr. 27 19. Pr. 25.17 iron sharpens iron so doth a man sharpen the face of his friend and all this not in the time of prosperitie only as commonly Riches gather many friends and the poore is separated from his neighbour but contrarily A true friend loueth at all times and a brother is borne for aduersity in all estates therefore as the face in the water answers to face so the heart of man to man who yet may not be too much pressed Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbours house lest he be weary of thee and hate thee neither enter into thy brothers house in the day of thy calamity nor againe Pr. 27.10 too forward in proffering kindnesse to his owne losse A man destitute of vnderstanding Pr. 17.18 Pr. 6.1 2 c. Pr. 6.3 toucheth the hand and becommeth surety for his neighbour If therefore thou art become surety for thy neighbour much more if thou hast stricken hands with the stranger thou art snared with the words of thine owne mouth
grace returne that both my selfe and all the companie of Angels may see and reioice in thee and what shall yee see O all yee hoasts of heauen what shall yee see in my Church Euen such an awfull grace and maiestie as is in a well-marshalled army ready to meet with the enemie CHAP. VII 1. How beautifull are thy goings with shooes O Princes daughter the compasse of thy hips like iewels the worke of the hand of a cunning workeman HOw beautifull are thy feet O daughter of the Highest being shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and readily addressed to run the way of the commandements of thy God! thou art compassed about thy loines with the girdle of veritie which is both precious for the matter of it and cunningly framed by the skill of the spirit of truth 2. Thy nauell is as a round cup that wanteth not liquor thy bellie is as an heape of wheat compassed about with Lillies The nauell whereby all thy spirituall conceptions receiue their nourishment is full of all fruitfull supply and neuer wants meanes of sustenance to feed them in thy wombe which also is so plenteous in thy blessed increase that it is as an heape of wheat consisting of infinite pure graines which consort together with much sweetnesse and pleasure 3. Thy two brests are as two young Kids that are twinnes Thy two Testaments which are thy two full and comely brests by whose wholsome milke thou nourishest all thy faithfull children once borne into the light are for their excellent and perfect agreement and their amiable proportion like two twinnes of Kids 4. Thy necke is like a Tower of Iuorie thine eies are like artificiall pooles in a frequented gate thy nose is as the Tower of Lebanon that looketh toward Damascus Those who by their holy authoritie support thy gouernment which are as some straight and strong necke to beare vp thy head are for their height and defence like a Tower for their order purenesse and dignitie like a Tower of Iuory thy Teachers and Ministers which are thine eies are like vnto some cleare and artificiall ponds of water in a place of greatest resort wherein all commers may see the faces of their consciences and whence they may plentifully draw the Waters of life Thy nose by which all spirituall sents are conuayed to thee is perfectly composed and featured like some curious Turret of that goodly house in Lebanon so as thy iudgement and power of discerning the spirits is admirable for the order and excellencie thereof 5. Thine head vpon thee is as scarlet and the bush of thine head like purple the King is tied in thy beames The whole tyre of thine head which are the ceremonies vsed by thee are very gracefull and of high estimation and price to all the beholders and as for me I am so enamoured of thee that I am euen tied by my owne desire to a perpetuall presence in thine holy assemblies 6. How faire art thou and how pleasant art thou O my loue in pleasures Oh how beautifull and louely art thou therefore O my Church in all thy parts and ornaments how sweet and pleasant art thou O my Loue in whatsoeuer might giue me true contentment 7. This thy stature is like a Palme-tree and thy brests like clusters Thy whole frame is for goodlinesse and straight growth like vnto some tall Palme-tree which the more it is depressed by the violence of persecutions riseth the more and the two brests of thy Testaments are like two full iuicie clusters which yeeld comfortable and abundant refreshing 8. I said I will goe vp into the Palme-tree I will take hold of her boughs thy brests shall now be like the clusters of the Vines and the sauour of thy nose like Apples Seeing then thou art my Palme-tree I haue resolued in my selfe to adioine my selfe to thee to enioy thee to gather those sweet fruits of thy graces which thou yeeldest and by my presence also will cause thee to be more plentifull in all good workes and doctrine so as thou shalt afford abundance of heauenly liquor vnto all the thirstie soules of thy children and an acceptable verdure of holinesse and obedience vnto me 9. And the roofe of thy mouth like good wine which goeth straight vp to my Wel-beloued and causeth the lips of him that is asleepe to speake And the deliuerie of my Word by the mouthes of my Ministers shall be as some excellent wine which sparkleth right vpward being well accepted of that God in whose name it is taught and looketh most pleasantly in the glasse being no lesse highly esteemed of the receiuers which is of such wonderfull power that it is able to put words both of repentance and praise into the lips of him that lies asleepe in his sinnes The Church 10. I am my Wel-beloueds and his desire is toward me BEhold such as I am I am not my owne much lesse am I any others I am wholly my Sauiours and now I see and feele whatsoeuer I had deserued that hee is mine also in all intire affection who hath both chosen mee and giuen himselfe for mee 11. Come my Wel-beloued let vs goe into the fields let vs lodge in the villages Come therefore O my deare Sauiour let vs ioine together in our naturall care let thy Spirit and my seruice be intent vpon thy Congregations here below on earth and let vs stay in the place where our spirituall Husbandrie lieth 12. Let vs goe vp early in the morning to the Vines and see if the Vine flourish whether it hath disclosed the first Grapes or whether the Pomegranats blossome there will I giue thee my loue Let vs with all haste and cheerfulnesse visit the fruitfull vines of our beleeuing children and to our mutuall comfort be witnesses and partakers of all the signes and fruits of grace of all those good workes and thanksgiuings of those holy endeuours and worthy practices which they yeeld forth vnto vs let vs iudge of their forwardnesse and commend it whereupon it will easily appeare that the consummation of our happy mariage draweth neere in which there shall be a perfect vnion betwixt vs. 13. The Mandrakes haue giuen a smell and in our gates are all sweet things new and old my Well-beloued I haue kept them for thee Behold thy godly seruants which not onely beare fruit themselues but are powerfull in the prouocation of others present their best seruices vnto thee and euen at our doores not farre to seeke not hard to procure is offer made vnto thee of all variety of fruit whether from thy young Conuerts or thy more setled Professors and all these I spend not lauishly but in my louing care duely reserue them for thee and for the solemne day of our full mariage CHAP. VIII The Iewish Church 1. Oh that thou werest as my brother that sucked the brest of my mother I would finde thee without I would kisse thee then they should not despise me OH that
thou be diligent in declaring my will and giuing holy counsels to all thy fellow-members speake forth my praise in the great congregations which all attend willingly vpon thee and let me heare the voyce of thy constant and faithfull confession of me before the world The Church 14. Oh my Well-beloued flee away and be like vnto the Roe or to the yong Hart vpon the Mountaine of spices I Will most gladly doe what thou commandest O my Sauiour but that I may performe it accordingly be thou which art according to thy bodily presence in the highest heauens euer present with me by thy Spirit and hasten thy glorious comming to my full Redemption FINIS EPISTLES IN SIX DECADS BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE HENRY PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE Sonne and Heire Apparant to our Soueraigne Lord IAMES King of GREAT BRITAINE c. All glory in eyther world MOst Gratious Prince IT is not from any conceit of such worth in my labours that they durst looke so high A lower patronage would haue serued an higher work Jt were well if ought of mine could be worthy of popular eyes Or if I could wring ought from my selfe not vnworthy of a iudicious Reader J know your Highnesse wants neyther presents nor counsells presents from strangers counsells from your Teachers neyther of them matchable by my weaknesse onely duty herein excuseth me from presumption For J thought it iniustice to deuote the fruit of my labours to any other hand beside my Masters which also J knew to be as gracious as mine is faithfull Yet since euen good affections cannot warrant too much vilenesse in gifts to Princes lest while my modesty disparages my worke J should hazard the acceptation here shall your Grace finde variety not without profit J hate a Diuine that would but please and withall thinke it impossible for a man to profit that pleaseth not And if while my style fixeth it selfe vpon others any spirituall profit shall reflect vpon your Highnesse how happy am J who shall euer thinke I haue liued to purpose if by the best of my studies J shall haue done any good office to your soule Further which these times account not the least praise your Grace shal herein perceiue a new fashion of discourse by Epistles new to our language vsuall to others and as Nouelty is neuer without plea of vse more free more familiar Thus wee doe but talke with our friends by our pen and expresse our selues no whit lesse easily somewhat more digestedly Whatsoeuer it is as it cannot bee good enough to deserue that countenance so the countenance of such Patronage shall make it worthy of respect from others The God of Princes protect your person perfect your graces and giue you as much fauour in Heauen as you haue honour on earth Your Graces humbly-deuoted seruant IOS HALL EPISTLES THE FIRST VOLVME IN TVVO DECADS BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE TABLE DECAD I. EP. 1. TO IACOB WADSVVORTH lately reuolted in Spaine Expostulating for his departure and perswading his returne EP. 2. To the Lord DENNY my Lord and Patrone Of the contempt of the world EP. 3. To my Lord HAY. Of true honour EP. 4. To Master NEVVTON Of gratulation for the hopes of our Prince with an aduising apprecation EP. 5. To Sir THO CHALLONER A report of some Obseruations in my trauell EP. 6. To Sir DAVID MORAY Of the miracles of our time EP. 7. To Master W. BEDELL at Venice Lamenting the losse of some late eminent Diuines EP. 8. To the Earle of ESSEX Aduices for his Trauels EP. 9. To Sir ROBERT DRVRY and his LADY Concerning my Remouall EP. 10. To Master I. B. Against the feare of death DECAD II. EP. 1. To Sir RO DARCIE The estate of a true but weake Christian EP. 2. To Sir EDM BACON The benefit of Retirednesse EP. 3. To M. IOHN WHITING An Apology for Ministers mariage EP. 4. To Mrs BRINSLEY my sister Of the sorrow not to be repented of EP. 5. To M. HVGH CHOLMLIE Concerning the Metaphrase of the Psalmes EP. 6. To M. SAM SOTHEBIE A Preface to his Relation of Russia EP. 7. To M. STAN BVCHINSKI The comfort of Imprisonment EP. 8. To M. GEORGE WENNYFF Exciting to Christian cheerfulnesse EP. 9. To M. THO BVRLZ Against immoderat griefe for losse of friends EP. 10. To Master I. A. Against sorrow for worldly losses TO IACOB VVADSVVORTH lately reuolted in Spaine EPIST. I. Expostulating for his departure and perswading his returne HOw vnhappily is my style changed Alas that to a friend to a brother I must write as to an Apostate to an aduersary Doth this seeme harsh You haue turned it by being turned your selfe Once the same walls held vs in one louing Society the same Diocesse in one honourable function Now not one Land and which I lament not one Church You are gone we stand and wonder For a sheepe to stray through simplicity is both ordinary and lamentable but for a Shepheard is more rare more scandalous I dare not presume ouer-much vpon an appeale to a blinded conscience Those that are newly come from a bright candle into a darke roome are so much more blinde as their light was greater and the purest yuory turneth with fire into the deepest blacke Tell vs yet by your old ingenuity and by those sparkes of good which yet I hope lie couered vnder your cold ashes tell vs what diuided you Your motiues shall once be scanned before an higher barre Shame not to haue the weake eyes of the world see that which once your vndeceiueable Iudge shall see and censure What saw you what heard you anew that might offer violence to a resolued minde and make it either to alter or suspend If your reasons be inuincible informe vs that we may follow you but if as they are slight and feeble returne you to vs returne and thinke it no shame to haue erred iust shame to continue erring What such goodly beauty saw you in that painted but ill-fauoured Strumpet that should thus bewitch you so to forget your selfe and contemne the chaste loue of the Spouse of your Sauiour I saw her at the same time in her gayest dresse Let my soule neuer prosper if I could see any thing worthy to command affection I saw and scorned you saw and adored Would God your adoration were as farre from superstition as my scorne from impietie That God iudge betwixt vs whether herein erred yea let men iudge that are not drunke with those Babylonish dregs How long might an indifferent eye looke vpon the comicall and mimicke actions in those your mysteries that should be sacred your magical exorcismes your clericall shauings your vncleanly vnctions your crossings creepings censings sprinklings your coozning miracles garish processions burning of noone-day christning of bels marting of pardons tossing of beads your superstitious hallowing of candles waxe ashes
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
God begin with those which he meant not to continue but to shew vs we may not alwayes look for one face of things The nurse feeds and tends her child at first afterward hee is vndertaken by the discipline of a Tutor must he be alwayes vnder the spoone and ferule because he began so If he haue good breeding it matters not by whose hands Who can denie that we haue the substance of all those royall lawes which Christ and his Apostles left to his Church What doe we now thus importunately catching at shadowes If there had been a necessitie of hauing what we want or vvanting what we haue let vs not so farre vvrong the wisdom and perfection of the Law-giuer as to thinke he would not haue inioyned that and forbidden this His silence in both argues his indifferencie and calls for ours which vvhile it is not peaceably entertained there is clamour without profit malice without cause and strife without end To my Lady MARY DENNY EP. III. Containing the description of a Christian and his differences from the worldling MADAM IT is true that worldly eyes can see no difference betwixt a Christian another man the out-side of both is made of one clay and cast in one mould both are inspired with one common breath Outward euents distinguish them not those God neuer made for euidences of loue or hatred So the senses can perceiue no difference betwixt the reasonable soule and that which informes the beast yet the soule knowes there is much more then betwixt their bodies The fame holds in this Faith sees more inward difference then the eye sees outward resemblance This point is not more high then materiall which that it may appeare let me shew what it is to be a Christian You that haue felt it can second mee with your experience and supply the defects of my discourse He is the liuing temple of the liuing God where the Deity is both resident and worshipped The highest thing in a man is his own spirit but in a Christian the spirit of God which is the God of spirits No grace is wanting in him and those which there are want not stirring vp Both his heart and his hands are cleane All his outward purity flowes from within neither doth he frame his soule to counterfet good actions but out of his holy disposition commands and produces them in the light of God Let vs begin with his beginning and fetch the Christian out of his nature as another Abraham from his Chaldea whiles the worldling liues and dies in nature out of God The true conuert therefore after his wylde and â—ecure courses puts himselfe through the motions of Gods Spirit to schoole vnto the Law there hee learnes what he should haue done what he could not do what he hath done what he hath deserued These lessons cost him many a stripe many a teare and not more griefe then terror for this sharpe master makes him feele what sinne is and what hell is and in regard of both what himselfe is When he hath vvell smarted vnder the whip of this seuere vsher and is made vile enough in himself then is he led vp into the higher schoole of Christ and there taught the comfortable lessons of grace there hee learnes vvhat belongs to a Sauiour what one he is what he hath done and for whom how he became ours vve his and now finding himselfe in a true state of danger of humilitie of need of desire of fitnesse for Christ he brings home to himselfe all that he learnes and what he knowes he applyes His former Tutor he feared this he loueth that shewed him his wounds yea made them this binds and heales them that killed him this shewes him life and leades him to it Now at once he hates himselfe defies Satan trusts to Christ makes account both of pardon glory This is his most precious Faith whereby he appropriates yea ingrosses Christ Iesus to himselfe whence he is iustified from his sinnes purified from his corruptions established in his resolutions comforted in his doubts defended against temptations ouercomes all his enemies Which vertue as it is most imployed and most opposed so caries the most care from the Christian heart that it be sound liuely growing sound not rotten not hollow not presumptuous sound in the act not a superficiall conceit but a true deepe and sensible apprehension an apprehension not of the braine but of the heart and of the heart not approuing or assenting but trusting and reposing Sound in the obiect none but Christ he knowes that no friendship in heauen can doe him good without this The Angels cannot God will not Ye beleeue in the Father beleeue also in me Liuely for it cannot giue life vnlesse it haue life the faith that is not fruitfull is dead the fruits of faith are good workes whether inward within the roofe of the heart as loue awe sorrow pietie zeale ioy and the rest or outward towards God or our brethren obedience and seruice to the one to the other reliefe and beneficence These he beares in his time sometimes all but alwayes some Growing true faith cannot stand still but as it is fruitfull in workes so it increaseth in degrees from a little seed it proues a large plant reaching from earth to heauen and from one heauen to another euery shower and euery Sun addes something to it Neither is this grace euer solitarie but alwayes attended royally for that he beleeues what a Sauiour he hath cannot but loue him and he that loues him cannot but hate whatsoeuer may displease him cannot but reioyce in him and hope to enioy him and desire to enioy his hope and contemne all those vanities which he once desired and enioyed His minde now scorneth to grouell vpon earth but soareth vp to the things aboue where Christ sits at the right hand of God and after it hath seene what is done in heauen lookes strangely vpon all worldly things He dare trust his faith aboue his reason and sense and hath learned to weane his appetite from crauing much Hee stands in awe of his own conscience and dare no more offend it then not displease himselfe He feares not his enemies yet neglects them not equally auoiding security and timorousnesse He sees him that is inuisible and walks with him awfully familiarly He knowes what he is borne to and therefore digests the miseries of his wardship with patience he findes more comfort in his afflictions then any worldling in pleasures And as hee hath these graces to comfort him within so hath hee the Angels to attend him without spirits better then his owne more powerfull more glorious These beare him in their armes wake by his bed keepe his soule while he hath it and receiue it when it leaues him These are some present differences the greatest are future which could not be so great if themselues were not witnesses no lesse then betwixt heauen and hell torment and glory an incorruptible crowne and
fire vnquenchable Whether Infidels beleeue these things or no we know them so shall they but too late What remaines but that we applaud our selues in this happinesse and walke on cheerily in this heauenly profession acknowledging that God could not do more for vs and that we cannot doe enough for him Let others boast as your Ladiship might with others of ancient and Noble Houses large patrimonies or dowries honorable commands others of famous names high and enuied honours or the fauours of the greatest others of valour or beauty or some perhaps of eminent learning and wit it shall be our pride that we are Christians To my Lady HONORIA HAY. EP. IV. Discoursing of the necessitie of Baptisme and the estate of those which necessarily want it MADAM MEthinks children are like teeth troublesome both in the breeding and losing and oftentimes painfull while they stand yet such as wee neither would nor can well be without I goe not about to comfort you thus late for your losse I rather congratulate your wise moderation and Christian care of these first spirituall priuiledges desiring onely to satisfie you in what you heard as a witnesse not in what you needed as a mother Children are the blessings of Parents and Baptisme is the blessing of children and parents wherein there is not onely vse but necessitie necessitie not in respect so much of the end as of the precept God hath enioyned it to the comfort of parents and behoofe of children which therefore as it may not be superstitiously hastened so not negligently deferred That the contempt of baptisme damneth is past all doubt but that the constrained absence thereof should send infants to hell is a cruell rashnesse It is not their sinne to die early death is a punishment not an offence an effect of sinne not a cause of torment they want nothing but time which they could not command Because they could not liue a while longer that therefore they should die euerlastingly is the hard sentence of a bloody religion I am onely sorie that so harsh an opinion should bee graced with the name of a Father so reuerend so diuine whose sentence yet let no man plead by halues He who held it vnpossible for a childe to be saued vnlesse the baptismall water were powred on his face held it also as vnpossible for the same Infant vnlesse the sacramentall bread were receiued into his mouth There is the same ground for both the same error in both a weaknesse fit for forgetfulnesse see yet how ignorant or ill-meaning posterity could single out one halfe of the opinion for truth and condemne the other of falshood In spight of whom one part shall easily conuince the other yea without all force since both cannot stand both will fall together for company The same mouth which said Vnlesse yee be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost said also Except yee eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his blood an equall necessitie of both And lest any should plead different interpretations the same S. Austin auerres this later opinion also concerning the necessary communicating of children to haue been once the common iudgement of the Church of Rome A sentence so displeasing that you shall finde the memory of it noted vvith a blacke coale and wip't out in that infamous bill of Expurgations Had the ancient Church held this desperate sequele what strange and yet wilfull crueltie had it beene in them to deferre baptisme a whole yeare long till Easter or that Sunday which hath his name I thinke from the white robes of the baptised Yea what an aduenture vvas it in some to adiourne it till their age with Constantine if being vnsure of their life they had been sure the preuention of death would haue inferred damnation Looke vnto that legall Sacrament of circumcision which contrary to the fancies of our Anabaptists directly answers this Euangelicall Before the eight day they could not be circumcised before the eight day they might die If dying the seuenth day they were necessarily condemned either the want of a day is a sinne or God sometimes condemneth not for sinne Neither of them possible neither according with the iustice of the Law-giuer Or if from this parallel you please to looke either to reason or example the case is cleere Reason no man that hath faith can be condemned for Christ dwels in our hearts by faith and hee in whom Christ dwels cannot be a reprobate Now it is possible a man may haue a sauing faith before baptisme Abraham first beleeued to iustification then after receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of that faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Therefore some dying before their baptisme may yea must be saued Neither was Abrahams case singular he was the Father of all them also which beleeue not being circumcised these as they are his Sonnes in faith so in righteousnesse so in saluation vncircumcision cannot hinder where faith admitteth These following his steps of beliefe before the Sacrament shall doubtlesse rest in his bosome without the Sacrament without it as fatally absent not as willingly neglected It is not the water but the faith not the putting away the filth of the flesh saith S. Peter but the stipulation of a good conscience for who takes Baptisme without a full faith saith Hierom takes the water takes not the spirit Whence is this so great vertue of the water that it should touch the body and cleanse the heart saith Austin vnlesse by the power of the word not spoken but beleeued Thou seest water saith Ambrose euery water heales not that water onely heales which hath the grace of God annexed And if there bee any grace in the water saith Basil it is not of the nature of the water but of the presence of the Spirit Baptisme is indeed as Saint Ambrose stiles it the pawne and image of our resurrection yea as Basil the power of God to resurrection but as Ignatius expounds this phrase aright beleeuing in his death we are by baptisme made partakers of his resurrection Baptisme therefore without faith cannot saue a man and by faith doth saue him and faith without baptisme where it cannot bee had not where it may be had and is contemned may saue him That spirit which workes by meanes will not be tyed to meanes Examples Cast your eyes vpon that good thiefe good in his death though in his life abominable he was neuer washed in Iordan yet is receiued into Paradise his soule was foule with rapines and iniustice yea bloody with murders and yet being scoured onely with the blood of his Sauior not with water of baptisme it is presented glorious to God I say nothing of the soules of Traian and Falconella meere heathens liuing and dying without Christ without baptisme which yet their honest Legend reports to be deliuered from hell transported to heauen not so much as scorched in Purgatory The one by the prayers of Gregory
too many neglect publike peace first in prayers that we may preuaile then in teares that we preuaile not Thus haue I beene bold to chat with you of our greatest and common cares Your old loue and late hospitall entertainment in that your Iland called for this remembrance the rather to keepe your English tongue in breath vvhich was wont not to be the least of your desires Would God you could make vs happie with newes not of truce but sincere amitie and vnion not of Prouinces but spirits The God of spirits effect it both here and there to the glory of his Name and Church To W. J. condemned for murder EP. VIII Effectually preparing him and vnder his name whatsoeuer Malefactor for his death IT is a bad cause that robbeth vs of all the comfort of friends yea that turnes their remembrance into sorrow None can do so but those that proceed from our selues for outward euils vvhich come from the infliction of others make vs cleaue faster to our helpers and cause vs to seeke and find ease in the very commiseration of those that loue vs whereas those griefes which arise from the iust displeasure of conscience will not abide so much as the memorie of others affection or if it doe makes it so much the greater corrasiue as our case is more vncapable of their comfort Such is yours You haue made the mention of our names tedious to your selfe and yours to vs. This is the beginning of your paine that you had friends If you may now smart soundly from vs for your good it must be the only ioy you must expect and the finall dutie we owe to you It is both vaine and comfortlesse to heare what might haue beene neither would I send you backe to what is past but purposely to increase your sorrow vvho haue caused all our comfort to stand in your teares If therefore our former counsels had preuailed neither had your hands shed innocent blood nor iustice yours Now to your great sinne you haue done the one and the other must bee done to your paine and we your well-willers with sorrow and shame liue to be witnesses of both Your sinne is gone before the reuenge of iustice will follow seeing you are guilty let God be iust Other sinnes speake this cryeth and will neuer be silent till it be answered with it selfe For your life the case is hopelesse feede not your selfe with vaine presumptions but settle your selfe to expiate anothers blood with your own Would God your desert had been such that we might with any comfort haue desired you might liue But now alas your fact is so hainous that your life can neither bee craued without iniustice nor be protracted without inward torment And if our priuate affection should make vs deafe to the shouts of blood and partialitie should teach vs to forget all care of publique right yet resolue there is no place for hope Since then you could not liue guiltlesse there remaines nothing but that you labour to die penitent and since your bodie cannot bee saued aliue to endeuour that your soule may bee saued in death Wherein how happie shall it be for you if you shall yet giue care to my last aduice too late indeed for your recompence to the world not too late for your selfe You haue deserued death and expect it Take heed lest you so fasten your eyes vpon the first death of the bodie that you should not looke beyond it to the second which alone is vvorthy of trembling vvorthy of teares For this though terrible to Nature yet is common to vs with you You must die what doe we else And what differs our end from yours but in haste and violence And vvho knowes vvhether in that It may be a sicknesse as sharpe as sudden shal fetch vs hence it may be the same death or a vvorse for a better cause Or if not so there is much more misery in lingring Hee dies easily that dies soone but the other is the vtmost vengeance that God hath reserued for his enemies This is a matter of long feare and short paine A few pangs lets the soule out of prison but the torment of that other is euerlasting after ten thousand yeares scorching in that flame the paine is neuer the neerer to his ending No time giues it hope of abating yea time hath nothing to doe vvith this eternitie You that shall feele the paine of one minutes dying thinke what paine it is to be dying for euer and euer This although it be attended with a sharpe paine yet is such as some strong spirits haue endured without shew of yeeldance I haue heard of an Irish Traitor that when he lay pining vpon the vvheele with his bones broke asked his friend if he changed his countenance at all caring lesse for the paine then the shew of feare Few men haue died of greater paines then others haue sustained and liue But that other ouerwhelmes both bodie and soule and leaues no roome for any comfort in the possibilitie of mitigation Here men are executioners or diseases there fiends Those Deuils that were ready to tempt the gracelesse vnto sinne are as ready to follow the damned vvith tortures Whatsoeuer become of your carkase saue your soule from the flames and so manage this short time you haue to liue that you may die but once This is not your first sinne yea God hath now punished your former sinnes vvith this a fearfull punishment in it selfe if it deserued no more your conscience which now begins to tell truth cannot but assure you that there is no sinne more worthy of hell then murder yea more proper to it Turne ouer those holy leaues which you haue too much neglected and now smart for neglecting you shall finde murderers among those that are shut out from the presence of God you shall find the Prince of that darknesse in the highest stile of his mischiefe termed a man-slayer Alas how fearfull a case is this that you haue herein resembled him for vvhom Topheth was prepared of old and imitating him in his action haue endangered your selfe to partake of his torment Oh that you could but see what you haue done what you haue deserued that your heart could bleed enough within you for the blood your hands haue shed That as you haue followed Satan our common enemy in sinning so you could defie him in repenting That your teares could disappoint his hopes of your damnation What a happie vnhappinesse shall this be to your sad friends that your better part yet liueth That from an ignominious place your soule is receiued to glory Nothing can effect this but your repentance and that can doe it Feare not to looke into that horror which should attend your sinne and bee now as seuere to your selfe as you haue been cruell to another Thinke not to extenuate your offence vvith the vaine titles of manhood vvhat praise is this that you vvere a valiant murderer Strike your owne brest as Moses
deliuered But besides the common desire of many finding the translation attempted by diuers and performed by some in such a manner as did not altogether satisfie It pleased my Father herein to improue my leasure wherein howsoeuer I may haue somewhat failed of the first elegancy yet I haue not beene far short of the sense I haue presumed to dedicate the same to your Lordship in respect of your many fauours and my obligations for which besides this officious though vnequall requitall I shal still vow my prayers for your Lordship and remaine Your Lordships most humbly deuoted RO HALL TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBVRY PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND AND METRAPOLITAN TO THE REVEREND LORDS THE BISHOPS AND TO THE WHOLE FLOVRISHING CLERGIE OF ENGLAND ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRY GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE CONVOCATION AT LONDON BEFORE WHOM THIS MEANE SERMON WAS DELIVERED J. H. THE LEAST OF ALL THE SERVANTS OF THE CHVRCH HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS HIS POORE AND VNWORTHY LABOVR IN aede Pauli déque Pauli oraculis Pro concione praeuiâ Synodo Jacrae Varias ab vno Spiritu Domino Deo Distinctiones esse donorum probans Ostendis Halle quanta spiritalium Quà m multiformis dos tibi fluat affatim Charismatumque multiplex peculium Quae nempe tractas per tui specimen doces Theologe nate pulpitis calami potens Cui suauitatis conscius semper stylus Cui pectus almi condus est sacrarij Et lingua promus pectoris cujus latus Loquentis ambit auribus rapax cohors Humerisque densa non sat est semel tua Hausisse vocis impetu fugacia Ni perlegendo te recognosci sinas Auri inuidebit oculus Templo Schola Nosti Decane flexanime quà m terecens Jam tunc ab ipso ambone redeuntem manu Prensum rogator vellicaui feruidus Manare fineres haec in absentum sinus Reliquisque nostri fratribus Cleri dari Quid mirum vbi ipsi postmodùm cudi typis Prouinciales postulant Episcopi Audin ' Iosephe Nolo iam te nil peto Non est amicus quod roget Domini regunt Parere justum est parere te certum est age Quà m facilis isthic obstetricanti labor Post tam verenda iussa quid restat mihi Nisi vt adprecantis suppleam idiotae locúm Amen sacrato succinens Patrum choro Lambethae Febr. 21. 1623. sic approbauit Tho Goadus S.T.D. NOAH'S DOVE YEe are here met which I humbly wish may proue euery way prosperous and happie to the Church of God most Reuerend Father in God Reuerend Bishops venerable Deanes Archdeacons Brethren of the Clergy by the prouidence of our good God and the command of our gracious Soueraigne to hold an holy Conuocation this day Blessed Paul in whose name this ancient pile doth not a little pride it selfe salutes you by my vnworthy tongue and as if he were present addresses himselfe to you and exhorts you In his former Epistle to the Corinthians the 12 Chapter verse 4. There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministeries but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but the same God c. SEe I beseech you the meet correspondence of all things Yee are met in one and here is vnity Yee are many of you met from the vtmost parts of this large Prouince and here is manifold diuersity yee are met the floure of our English Clergie learned and exquisite Diuines and here are diuersities of gifts Ye are met the Lords and Commons of our sacred function and here are diuersities of ministeries Yee are met for the holy affaires of the Church and here are Operations Ye are met as I verily hope and wish in vnity of Spirit and here is one Spirit Ye are lastly met to consecrate your selues your gifts Ministeries Operations to the seruice of our Lord God and here is that Lord that God whom we professe to serue Now that same God that same Lord Iesus Christ that same holy Spirit be present with vs all this day and by his blessed influences guide and gouerne this sacred meeting and happily direct all our councels and endeuours to the glory of his owne great name the saluation of our soules and the assured edification of his Church through Iesus Christ See here then Honoured Prelates and beloued Brethren the loope or combination of both worlds Both the worlds of our Diuinity The greater world God the lesser world Man What is there that can so much concerne vs to know to behold Will ye looke vp to God He is one in essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three in person The Father Lord Spirit He is three in one and one in three The Father Lord Spirit one and the same God Will yee cast your eye to Man yee shall see him not single but branched into infinite diuersitie not bare and naked but furnished with gifts not superfluous but destin'd to due seruices not idle but busie in meet operations Neither are these operations seruices gifts all of one kinde but diuersly distinguished and varied And whence are these so manifold graces so diuers imployments but from one God the Father Lord Spirit And wherefore are all these but that these operations ministeries gifts proceeding from one God Lord Spirit may be directed to one and may end as they began in a perfect vnity O maruellous coniunction of diuine and humane things O vnutterable communion of heauen and earth Wherein is laid forth vnto vs the intire respects and vnion of God to himselfe by consubstantialitie of God to man by munificence of man to God by the bond of thankfulnesse of men to each other by the bond of charity of gifts to ministeries of ministeries to operations of all to all I shall not now need neither indeed would it befit mee in so awfull an assembly of Diuines to dwell vpon Catecheticall points concerning the mysterie of the sacred Trinitie Although this labour is well worthy of you elsewhere my brethren and such as if I may perswade you you shall carefully bestow at home This familiar kinde of teaching the word of the beginnings of Christ is growne out of fashion Like ambitious Orators wee ouerlooke this popular straine and are carried to an affectation of perfection Ye see how the Heron can soare high yet liues for the most part in the lowest vally builds in the tallest trees yet feeds in the humble marishes So doe yee my deare fellow-labourers not so much caring to shew your selues learned as to make your people so This by the way Such as God is such he expresses himselfe to vs and such as hee expresses himselfe to vs such hee formes vs to himselfe As the Sun looking vpon a cloud fitly disposed for that purpose imprints in that moist glasse a certaine bright image of himselfe so doth God to his Church From that Celestiall and diuine Trinity therefore is here apparently deduced another Trinity sublunary and humane
should not I Oh foole these that thou talkest of are gifts and therefore freely bestowed where it pleases the giuer What doth he owe to thee that hath giuen these things to others Withall know there are diuersitie of gifts God hath perhaps denied thee heapes of red and white earth but hee hath giuen thee strength of body At how high a rate would the great ones of the world buy that blessing of thine Hee hath denied thee eloquence he hath yet giuen thee sharpnesse of wit he hath denied thee honor but he hath giuen thee sweet rest quiet security 〈◊〉 hath denied thee preferment he hath not denied thee health Goe then and enuie the great mans weake stomach sleeplesse nights racks of cares enuie to him if thou canst the slipperie staires of the Court and the common enuie of the most He wanâ—â— something which thou inioyest and something he hath which is denied thee He had rather make choice of thy condition thou of his Each of you hath his owne neither of you shall haue all neither shall haue both There are diuersities of gifts Yea and we new blowne bladders how easily are wee puft vp with euery blast of gifts I am not like other men How base are the vulgar of men I sit gloriously impurpled other fellowes may be glad to licke the dust of my footstoole I am inriched with all liberall sciences this people which now not the Law are accursed I haue skill of tongues others are rude Idiots I leade the amazed hearers by the eares whither I list through the power of my oratory others freeze and languish in their Pulpits Heare O thou proud man These things whereof thou braggest are not thine owne What hast thou that thou hast not receiued All these are gifts And art thou thus happy alone Vaine boaster thou knowest noe others thou knowest not thy selfe There are diuersities of gifts which thy thoughts reach not vnto Sit thou aloft and cheare thy selfe with the bowed knees of thy suppliants they are happier men than thy selfe that are glad to lie close and affect a quiet and safe obscurity Be thou more learned then another that other perhaps is wiser than thou bee thou more eloquent than another man that other is perhaps more iudicious If thy tongue be richer than anothers his minde is richer than thine It is reported that in the house of worthy M. Luther was found written Res verba Philippus Res sine verbis Lutherus Verba sine re Erasmus Melancton was words and matter Luther matter without words Erasmus words without matter Euery one hath his owne share Neither art thou furnished with all gifts nor that other with none Let not him enuie thee neither doe thou contemne him Rather both apply your selues to cast in the shot of your contributions to the publique good For to what end hath our bountifull God showred downe these diuers kinds of gifts from heauen vpon man but that he might hereby prouide for the common profit and welfare of mankinde Why hath the blinde man legges and the lame man eyes but that the one may exchange with the other for the benefit of both Thinkest thou that God meant to heape his gifts vpon thee for thine owne sake onely Fie on this shamefull selfe-loue Surely he that made thee made thee for a conduit-pipe to conuay not a Cisterne to hold the water of his graces God hath clothed you as ye well know Reuerend Prelates with this sacred purple that you should shine before others as conspicuous Guides of that strait and hard way of life and that by your well-bestowed honors you should credit his Church and be the seruants of many Ye perceiue now I imagine how inexpectedly my speech is glided from Gifts to Ministeries The Author of these Gifts the Spirit of God leads me by S. Pauls hand who presently vpon 〈◊〉 mention of gifts subioynes ministeries and vpon the members of ministeries addes operations This 〈◊〉 munificent Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that with Athanasius we may note the â—â—â—ce of the Article hath enabled the most of you Fathers and brethren with an eminent meaâ—â— to of gifts With what powers of the minde what singular learning what powerfull eloquence with how great wisdome with what grauity with what 〈◊〉 of honour with what large dignities It is a great word that I shall speake and yet I must and will saying without all either arrogance or â—â—â—tery Stupor mundi Cleris Priâ—â—â—â—cus The â—onder of the world is the Clergy of 〈◊〉 So many learned Diuines â—o many eloquence Preachers shall in vaine be sought elsewhere this day in what 〈◊〉 regioni vnder the rope of heauen What 〈◊〉 reckon vp those great lights of our Church not long since set Iuellâ— Hâ—â—â—freys Foxes Whâ—â—giftâ— Fulâ—â—s â—â—â—â—ers Rayâ—â—lds Bilsons Greâ—â—â—s Babingtons Eedeses Hollands Plâ—ysâ—â—s Abâ—â—ses Perâ—â—â—ses 〈◊〉 Hookers Oâ—â—ralls Willets Whites â—â—sâ—ns There are now of you vnder thâ—â— very â—oofe that heare me this day in whose iust praises I could be content to spâ—â—d not 〈◊〉 houâ—e 〈◊〉 life herein not that mutuall modesty inioynes me silence Hoâ—â—gâ—â— at so eâ—â—ri yee are yee are not your owne All these gifts end in seruices Oh let it please you to stir vp this grace of God in you and faithfully to imploy all these your gifts to the happy aduancement of your ministeries in the practise of your life as in the course of my speech Let the Diuersities of gifts bee taken vp with the Diuersities of ministeries There are then as differences of gifts so of ministeries And which bee they Differences in offices and in degrees There were Apostles Prophets Euangelists There are were shall be Bishops Presbyters Deacons These are more than one ranke of Ministers It was part of the exploded heresie of Aerius that tooke away these three steps of the Clergie as the Synod of Carthage calls them Yea and somwhere Ierome himselfe smarts with the lash of this censure as if perhaps hee did more sauour of Aerius than of Tully Not without open wrong in both but I may not now stay vpon needlesse Apologies There is none of you I hope can be so witlesse as to question these diuersities of Ministeries Did they euer reade Histories that doubt of this point Sure they haue neuer so much as seene them Turne ouer all the monuments of Times and places so farre as euer Christendome hath spred it selfe you shall finde nothing more euident I will not here stand to abridge the Annalls of all Ages and Regions Looke vpon the Councells and first of all the first and chiefe of those which are stiled Generall the great Councell of Niâ—e You shall there see three hundred and eighteene Bishops so many as Abraham had souldiers in the victory ouer the Kings as Ambrose wittily alludeth But perhaps they were then but newly instituted neâ—ly receiued in the Church No such matter Those Fathers professe it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ancient guise that the Bishop
them that loue our soules and hate them that loue our sinnes They are these rough hands that must bring vs sauory dishes and carry away a blessing truth is for them now thankes shall be for them hereafter but in the meane time they may not be iudged by the appearance Lastly if we shall iudge friendship by complement salubrity by sweetnesse seruice by the eye fidelity by oathes valour by brags a Saint by his face a deuill by his feet we shall be sure to be deceiued Iudge not therefore according to appearance But that yee mistake not though we may not iudge onely by the appearance yet appearance may not bee neglected in our iudgement Some things according to the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeme and are are as they seeme Semblances are not alwaies seuered from truth Our senses are safe guides to our vnderstandings Wee iustly laugh at that Scepticke in Laertius who because his seruant robbed his Cup-bord doubted whether hee left his victuals there What doe wee with eyes if wee may not beleeue their intelligence That world is past wherein the glosse Clericus amplectens foeminam praesumitur benedicendi causà fecisse The wanton imbracements of another mans wife must passe with a Clarke for a ghostly benediction Men are now more wise lesse charitable Words and probable shewes are appearances actions are not and yet euen our words also shall iudge vs If they bee filthy if blasphemous if but idle wee shall account for them wee shall bee iudged by them Ex ore tuo A foule tongue shewes euer a rotten heart By their fruits yee shall know them is our Sauiours rule I may safely say No body desires to borrow colours of euill if you doe ill thinke not that we will make dainty to thinke you so When the God of loue can say by the Disciple of loue Qui facit peccatum ex diabolo est Hee that committeth sinne is of the deuill Euen the righteous Iudge of the world iudgeth secundum opera according to our works we cannot erre whiles wee tread in his steps If wee doe euill sinne lies at the doore but it is on the street side Euery Passenger sees it censures it How much more he that sees in secret Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill Euery soule here is no exemption by greatnesse no buying off with bribes no bleering of the eyes with pretences no shrouding our selues in the night of secrecy but if it be a soule that doth euill Tribulation and anguish is for it Contrarily If we doe well shall we not be accepted If we be charitable in our almes iust in our awards faithfull in our performances sober in our carriages deuout in our religious seruices conscionable in our actions Glory and honour and peace to euery man that workeâ—h good we shall haue peace with our selues honour with men glory with God and his Angels Yea that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding such honour as haue al his Saints the incomprehensible glory of the God of peace the God of Saints and Angels to the participation whereof that good God that hath ordained vs as mercifully bring vs for the sake of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ the iust To whom with thee O Father and thy good Spirit one infinite God our God be giuen all praise honour and glory now and for euer Amen THE GREAT IMPOSTOR LAID OPEN IN A SERMON AT GRAYES INNE Febr. 2. 1623. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON ⧠Printed for NATHANIEL BVTTER 1624. TO THE MOST NOBLE AND WORTHILY HONOVRED SOCIETIE OF GRAYES INNE AT WHOSE BARRE THIS JMPOSTOR WAS openly arraigned J. H. HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS PVBLIKE LIFE OF HIS WEAKE AND VNWORTHIE LABOVR THE GREAT IMPOSTOR LAID OPEN OVT OF IER 17.9 The heart is deceitfull aboue all things I Know where I am in one of the famous Phrontisteries of Law and Iustice wherefore serues Law and Iustice but for the preuention or punishment of fraud and wickednesse Giue me leaue therefore to bring before you Students Masters Fathers Oracles of Law and Iustice the greatest Cheator and Malefactor in the world our owne Heart It is a great word that I haue said in promising to bring him before you for this is one of the greatest aduantages of his fraud that hee cannot bee seene That as that old Iugler Apollonius Thyanaeus when he was brought before the Iudge vanished out of sight so this great Impostor in his very presenting before you dispeareth and is gone yea so cunningly that he doth it with our owne consent and we would be loth that he could be seene Therefore as an Epiphonema to this iust complaint of deceitfulnesse is added Who can know it It is easie to know that it is deceitfull and in what it deceiues though the deceits themselues cannot bee knowne till too late As wee may see the ship and the sea and the ship going on the sea yet the way of a ship in the sea as Salomon obserues wee know not God askes and God shall answer What hee askes by Ieremie he shall answer by S. Paul Who knowes the heart of man Euen the spirit of man that is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 If then the heart haue but eyes enow to see it selfe by the reflection of thoughts it is enough Ye shall easily see heare enough out of the analogie and resemblance of hearts to make you both astonished and ashamed The heart of man lies in a narrow roome yet all the world cannot fill it but that which may be said of the heart would more than fill a world Here is a double stile giuen it of deceitfulnesse of wickednesse either of which knowes no end whether of being or of discourse I spend my houre and might doe my life in treating of the first See then I beseech you the Impostor and the Imposture The Impostor himselfe The heart of man The Imposture Deceitfull aboue all things As deceitfull persons are wont euer to goe vnder many names and ambiguous and must be exprest with an alias so doth the heart of man Neither man himselfe nor any part of man hath so many names as the heart alone For euery facultie that it hath and euery action it doth it hath a seuerall name Neither is there more multiplicitie than doubt in this name Not so many termes are vsed to signifie the heart as the heart signifies many things When ye heare of the heart ye thinke straight of that fleshie part in the center of the body which liues first and dies last and whose beatings you finde to keepe time all the body ouer That is not it which is so cunning Alas that is a poore harmelesse peece meerely passiue and if it doe any thing as the subministration of Vitall spirits to the maintenance of the whole frame it is but good no it is the spirituall part that lurkes in this flesh which is guilty of such deceit We must learne of
conscience ye finde nothing and all this by the legier-de-maine of the heart Thus Achan hath hid his wedge and now he dares stand out to a lot Thus Salomons Harlot hath wip't her mouth and it was not she Thus Saul will lie-out his sacrilege vntill the very beasts out-bleat and out-bellow him Thus the swearer sweares and when hee hath done sweares that he swore not Thus the vncleane fornicator bribes off his sinne and his shame and now makes challenges to the world of his honesty It cannot be spoken how peeuishly witty the heart of man is this way neither doubt I but this wilinesse is some of the poyson that the subtile serpent infected vs with in that fatall morsell They were three cunning shifts which the Scripture recordeth of three women as that sex hath beene euer noted for more sudden pregnancie of wit Rachel Rahab and the good wife of Bahurim The first hiding the Teraphim with a modest seat the second the spies with flaxe-stalkes and the third Dauids scouts with corne spred ouer the Well but these are nothing to the deuices that nature hath wont to vse for the cloaking of sinne God made man vpright saith Salomon but he sought many inuentions Is Adam challenged for sinne Behold all on the sudden it is passed from his hand to Gods The woman that thou gauest me Is Saul challenged for a couetous and disobedient remissenesse the sinne is straight passed from the field to the Altar I saued the fattest for a Sacrifice to the Lord thy God So the one begins his sin in God and the other ends it in him Is Dauid bewitched with lust to abuse the Wife the Husband must be sent home drunke to hide it or if not that to his long home in a pretended fauour of his valour Is a griping Vsurer disposed to put his money together to breed a monster he hath a thousand quirks to cozen both law and conscience Is a Simoniacall Patron disposed to make a good match of his peoples soules it shall be no bargaine but a gift he hath a liuing to giue but an horse to sell And sure I thinke in this wise age of the world Vsurers and Simonists striue who shall finde the wittiest way to hell What should I speake of the secret frauds in contracts booties in matches subornation of instruments hiring of oathes feeing of officers equiuocations of answers and ten thousand other tricks that the heart of man hath deuised for the conueiances of sin in all which it too well approues it selfe incomparably deceitfull The false semblance of the heart is yet worse for the former is most-what for the smothering of euill this is for the iustifying of euill or the disgrace of good In these two doth this act of falshood chiefly consist in making euill good or good euill For the first The naturall man knowes well how filthy all his brood is and therefore will not let them come forth but disguised with the colours and dresses of good so as now euery one of natures birds is a Swan Pride is handsomnesse desperate fury valour lauishnesse is noble munificence drunkennesse ciuility flattery complement murderous reuenge iustice the Curtizan is bona foemina the Sorcerer a wise man the oppressor a good husband Absolom will goe pay his vowes Herod will worship the Babe For the second such is the enuy of nature that where shee sees a better face than her owne shee is ready to scratch it or cast dirt in it and therefore knowing that all vertue hath a natiue beauty in it she labours to deforme it by the foulest imputations Would the Israelites be deuout they are idle Doth Dauid daunce for ioy before the Arke he is a foole in a Morris Doth Saint Paul discourse of his heauenly Vision too much learning hath made him mad Doe the Disciples miraculously speake all the tongues of Babel They are ful of new wine Doe they preach Christs kingdome they are seditious The resurrection they are bablers Is a man conscionable he is an Hypocrite Is he conformable he is vnconscionable Is he plaine dealing hee is rudely vnciuill Is he wisely insinuatiue he is a flatterer In short such is the wicked craft of the heart that it would let vs see nothing in it owne forme but faine would shew vs euill faire that we might be inamored of it and vertue vgly that we might abhorre it and as it doth for the way so doth it for the end hiding from vs the glory of heauen that is laid vp for ouer-commers and shewing vs nothing but the pleasant closure of wickednesse making vs beleeue that hell is a palace and heauen a dungeon that so we might be in loue with death and thus both in cunning conueyance and false semblance The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things Ye haue seene the fashion of this deceit cast now your eies vpon the subiect And whom doth it then deceiue It doth deceiue others it can deceiue it selfe it would deceiue Satan yea God himselfe Others first How many doe we take for honest and sound Christians who yet are but errant hypocrites These Apes of Satan haue learned to transforme themselues into Angels of light The heart bids the eies looke vpward to heauen when they are full of adultery It bids the hands to raise vp themselues towards their Maker when they are full of bloud It bids the tongue wagge holily when there is nothing in the bosome but Atheous profanenesse It bids the knee to bow like a Camell when the heart is stiffe as an Elephant yea if need be it can bid a teare fall from the eie or an almes or iust action fall from the hand and all to gâ—ll the world with a good opinion In all which false chapmen and horse-coursers doe not more ordinarily deceiue their buyers in shops and faires than we doe one another in our conuersation Yea so crafty is the heart that it can deceiue it selfe By ouer-weening his owne powers as the proud man by vnder-valuing his graces as the modest by mis-taking his estate as the ignorant How many hearts doe thus grossely beguile themselues The first thinkes hee is rich and fine when hee is beggerly and naked so did the Angell of Laodicea The second is poore in his owne spirit when hee is rich of Gods spirit The third thinkes that he is a great fauourite of heauen when he is rather branded for an out-cast that hee is truly noble when he is a slaue to that which is baser than the worst of Gods creatures sinne Let the proud and ignorant worldling therefore know that though others may mocke him with applauses yet that all the world cannot make him so much a foole as his owne heart Yea so cunning is the heart that it thinkes to goe beyond the deuill himselfe I can thinks it swallow his bait and yet auoid his hooke I can sinne and liue I can repent of sinning and defeat my punishment by repenting I can runne vpon
there are that lurke in secret and will not be confessed How loth would we bee after all exclamations that your busie Iesuites could rake out so many confessed quarrels out of all our Authors as I haue heere found in two of yours We want onely their cunning secrecy in the carriage of our quarrels Our few and slight differences are blazoned abroad with infamy and offence their hundreds are craftily smothered in silence Let your owne eyes satisfie you in this not my pen see now what you would neuer beleeue What is it then that could thus bewitch you to forsake the comely and heauenly Truth of God and to dote vpon this beastly Strumpet to change your Religion for a ridiculous sensuall cruell irreligious faction A Religion if wee must call it so that made sport to our plaine forefathers with the remembrance of her grauest deuotions How oft haue you seene them laugh at themselues whiles they haue told of their creeping-crouch kissing the Pax offering their Candles signing with Ashes partiall Shrifts merry Pilgrimages ridiculous Miracles and a thousand such May-games which now you begin after this long hissing at to looke vpon soberly and with admiration A Religion whose fooleries very Boyes may shout and laugh at if for no more but this that it teaches men to put confidence in Beades Medals Roses hallowed Swords Spels of the Gospell Agnes Dei and such like idle bables ascribing vnto them Diuine vertue yea so much as is due to the Sonne of God himselfe and his precious bloud I speake not of some rude Ignorants your very Booke of holy-ceremonies shall teach you what your holy-fathers doe and haue done That tels you first with great allowance and applause that Pope VRBAN the fift sent three Agnes Dei to the Greeke Emperor with these verses Balsam pure wax and Chrismes-liquor cleere Balsamus munda cerae cum Chrismatis vnda conficiunt AgnuÌ„ quod munus de tibi magnuÌ„ c. Fulgura de coelo c. Peccatum frangit vt Christi sanguis angit c. Sacr. Cerem lib. 1. Vt ea quae in hoc equaruÌ„ vesculo praeparato ad nominis tui gloriaÌ„ infundere decreuimê° benedicas quatenus ipsoruÌ„â— veneratione honore nobis famulis tuis crimina diluantur abster gentur maculae peccatorum iâ—petrentur veniae gratia conferantur vt tandem vna cum sanctis electis tuis vitam percipere mereaâ—ur aeternam Fran. a Victoria Ordin Praedicatorum Sum. Sacram art 184. p. 204. Sed quod faciet Confessor cum interrogatur de peccato c. Respondes secundum omnes quod sic Sed fac quod Index aut praelatus ex malitia exigat à me iuramentuÌ„ an sciam in Confessione Respondeo quod coactus iuret se nescire in confessura quia intelligitur senescire ad reuelandum aut taliter quod possit dicere Make vp this pretious Lambe I send thee heere All lightning it dispels and each ill spright Remedies stone and makes the heart contrite Euen as the bloud that Christ for vs did shed It helps the child-beds paine and giues good speed Vnto the birth Great gifts it still doth win To all that weare it and that worthy bin It quels the rage of fire and cleanely bore It brings from shipwracke safely to the shore And lest you should plead this to be the conceite of some one Phantasticall Pope heare and be ashamed out of the same Booke what by prescription euery Pope vseth to pray in the blessing of the water which serues for that Agnus Dei If you know not thus he prayeth That it would please thee O God to blesse those things which we purpose to powre into this Vessell of water prepared to the glory of thy Name so as by the worship and honour of them we thy seruants may haue our heynous offences done away the blemishes of our sinnes wip't off and thereby we may obtaine pardon and receiue grace from thee so that at the last with thy Saints and Elect Children we may merit to obtaine euerlasting life Amen How could you choose but be in loue with this Superstition Magicke Blasphemie practised and maintained by the heads of your Church A Religion that allowes iuggling Equiuocations and reserued senses euen in very oathes Besides all that hath bin shamelesly written by our Iesuites to this purpose Heare what Franciscus Victoria an ingenuous Papist and a learned Reader of Diuinitie in Salmantica writes in the name of all But what shall a Confessor doe saith he if he be askt of a sin that he hath heard in Confession May he say that he knowes not of it I answere according to all our Doctors that he may But what if hee be compelled to sweare I say that he may and ought to sweare that he knowes it not for that it is vnderstood that he knowes it not besides confession and so he sweares true But say that the Iudge or Prelate shall maliciously require of him vpon his oath whether he know it in confession or no I answer that a man thus vrged may still sweare that he knowes it not in confession for that it is vnderstood he knowes it not to reueale it or so as he may tell Who teach and doe thus in anothers case iudge what they would doe in their owne O wise cunning and holy periuries vnknowne to our fore-fathers A Religion that allowes the buying and selling of sins of Pardons of soules so as now Purgatory can haue no rich men in it but fooles and friendlesse Deuils are Tormenters there as themselues hold from many Reuelations of Bede Bernard Carthusian yet Men can command Deuils and money can command men A Religion that relies wholy vpon the infallibilitie of those whom yet they grant haue bin and may be monstrous in their liues and dispositions How many of those heyres of PETER by confession of their owne Records by Bribes by Whores by Deuils haue climed vp into that chaire Yet to say that those men which are confessed to haue giuen their soules to the Deuil that they might be Popes can erre while they are Popes is Heresie worthy of a stake and of Hell A Religion that hood-winks the poore Laitie in forced ignorance lest they should know Gods will or any way to Heauen but theirs so as millions of soules liue no lesse without Scripture than as if there were none that forbids spirituall food as poyson and fetches Gods Booke into the Inquisition A Religion that teaches men to worship stockes and stones with the same honour that is due to their Creator which practise lest it should apeare to her simple Clyents how palpably opposite it is to the second Commandement they haue discreetly left out those words of Gods Law as a needlesse illustration in their Catechismes and Prayer Bookes of the vulgar A Religion that vtterly ouerthrowes the true humanitie of Christ while they giue vnto it tenne thousand places at once and yet no place flesh and no flesh
cogitation working as it commonly doth remissely causeth not any sudden alteration in our Traueller but as we say of Comets and Eclipses hath his effect when the cause is forgotten Neither is there any one more apparant ground of that lukewarme indifferency which is fallen vpon our times than the ill vse of our wandrings for our Trauellers being the middle ranke of men and therefore either followers of the great or commanders of the meaner sort cannot want conuenience of diffusing this temper of ease vnto both SECT XV. ALl this mischiefe is yet hid with a formall profession so as euery eye cannot finde it in others it dares boldly breake forth to an open reuolt How many in our memory whiles with Dinah they haue gone forth to gaze haue lost their spirituall chastity and therewith both the Church and themselues How many like vnto the brooke Cedron run from Hierusalem thorow the vale of Iehosaphat and end their course in the dead sea Robert Pointz in his preface to the testimonies for the reall presence 2 Chron. 24. A popish writer of our Nation as himselfe thought not vnlearned complaining of the obstinacy of vs hereticks despaires of preuailing because he findes it to be long agoe fore-prophecied of vs in the Booke of the Chronicles At illi Protestantes audire noluerunt It is well that Protestants were yet heard of in the old Testament as well as Iesuites whose name one of their owne by good hap hath found Num. 26.24 Like as Erasmus found Friers in S. Pauls time inter falsos Fratres Socrat. in Iosuam l. 1. c. 2. q. 19. Gretser contra Lerneum c. 1. 2. Vere aiquidam haereticus Iesuitas in sacris literis repertri But it were better if this mans word were as true as it is idle Some of ours haue heard to their cost whose losse ioyned with the griefe of the Church and dishonour of the Gospel we haue sufficiently lamented How many haue wee knowne stroken with these Aspes which haue died sleeping And in truth whosoeuer shall consider this open freedome of the meanes of seducement must needs wonder that we haue lost no more especially if he be acquainted with those two maine helps of our Aduersaries importunity and plausibility Neuer any Pharisee was so eager to make a Proselyte as our late factors of Rome and if they be so hot set vpon this seruice as to compasse sea and land to winne one of vs shall we be so mad as to passe both their sea and land to cast our selues into the mouth of danger No man setteth foot vpon their coast which may not presently sing with the Psalmist They come about mee like Bees It fares with them as with those which are infected with the pestilence who they say are carried with an itching desire of tainting others When they haue all done this they haue gained that if Satan were not more busie and vehement than they they could gaine nothing But in the meane time there is nothing wherein I wish we would emulate them but in this heat of diligence and violent ambition of winning Pyrrhus did not more enuy the valour of those old Romane souldiers which he read in their wounds and dead faces than we doe the busie audacitie of these new The world could not stand before vs if our Truth might be but as hotly followed as their falshood Oh that our God whose cause we maintaine would enkindle our hearts with the fire of holy zeale but so much as Satan hath inflamed theirs with the fire of fury and faction Oh that he would shake vs out of this dull ease and quicken ourslacke spirits vnto his owne worke Arise O North and come O South and blow vpon our garden that the spices thereof may flow forth These suters will take no deniall but are ready as the fashion was to doe with rich matches to carry away mens soules whether they will or no. Wee see the proofe of their importunity at home No bulwarke of lawes no barres of iustice though made of three trees can keepe our rebanished fugitiues from returning from intermedling How haue their actions said in the hearing of the world that since heauen will not heare them they will try what hell can doe And if they dare bee so busie in our owne homes where they would seeme somewhat awed with the danger of iustice what thinke we will they not dare to doe in their owne territories where they haue not free scope onely but assistance but incouragement Neuer generation was so forward as the Iesuiticall for captation of wils amongst their owne or of soules amongst strangers What state is not haunted with these ill spirits yea what house yea what soule Not a Princes Councell-Table not a Ladies chamber can be free from their shamelesse insinuations It was not for nothing that their great Patron Philip the second King of Spaine called them Clerices negotiadores and that Marcus Antonius Columna Generall of the Nauy to Pius Quintuâ— in the battell of Lepanto and Viceroy of Sicile could say to Father Don Alonso a famous Iesuite affecting to be of the counsell of his conscience Voi altri padri di Ihesu hauete la mente al ciclo le mani al mondo l'anima al diauolo SECT XVI YEt were there the lesse perill of their vehemence if it were only rude and boysterous as in some other sects that so as it is in Canon shot it might be more easily shund than resisted but here the skill of doing mischiefe contends with the power their mis-zealous passions hide themselues in a pleasing sweetnesse and they are more beholden to policy than strength What Gentleman of any note can crosse our Seas whose name is not landed in their books before hand in preuention of his person whom now arriued if they finde vntractable through too much preiudice they labour first to temper with the plausible conuersation of some smooth Catholike of his owne Nation the name of his Countrey is warrant enough for his insinuation Not a word yet may be spoken of Religion as if that were no part of the errand So haue we seene an Hawke cast off at an Hernshaw to looke and flie a quite other way after many carelesse and ouerly fetches to towre vp vnto the prey intended There is nothing wherein this faire companion shall not apply himselfe to his welcome Countryman At last when he hath possest himselfe of the heart of his new acquaintance got himselfe the reputation of a sweet ingenuity and delightfull sociablenesse he findes opportunities to bestow some witty scoffes vpon those parts of our religion which lie most open to aduantage And now it is time to inuite him after other rarities to see the Monastery of our English Benedictines or if elsewhere those English Colleges which the deuout beneficence of our well-meaning neighbours with no other intention than some couetous Farmers lay saltcats in their doue-coats haue bountifully erected There it is a wondes
the sleeue and tel him in his eare so loud that all the world may heare him Lib. 4. de saiut Ind. c. 12. c. Prodigia nulla producimus neque vero est opus Of the same stampe are the daily-renewed miracles reuelations visions wherewith any mans eares must needs be beaten amongst them Africke was at the best but barren of nouelties in comparison of Rome and yet the world is incredulous if it will not suffer it selfe gulled with these holy frauds And no fewer are those lewd calumniations the stuffe of all their inuectiues whereby they labour to make vs loathsome to the world our persons our doctrines are loaded with reproaches neither matters it how iust they are but how spightfull What other measure can bee expected of vs when their best friends haue thus vpon some priuate dislikes smarted from them Their owne holy Fathers Clement the eighth and Sixtus Quintus and with them the honour of the Iesuiticall Order Cardinall Tollet can all shew bloudy wales in their backes from their lashes Their late Patron of famous memory whose heart they well merited and keepe it as their deare relique enshrined in their La-Flesche was after his death in their Pulpits proclaimed Tyran and worse Exemplar Epist sup cit no maruell then if after the virulent declamations of our Gifford their Gabriel and the malicious suggestions of others of that viperous brood we haue much adoe to perswade our neighbours that we haue any Churches Baptisme Liturgie Religion I appeale then to all eyes and eares how easie it is for a man that will take leaue to himselfe of making what truth he lists and defending them by what vntruths he pleaseth to leade a credulous heart whither he pleaseth SECT XIX BVt if the power of falsified reason preuaile not these desperate factors of Rome as I haue beene informed haue learned out of their acquaintance in the Court of the Prince of darknesse to imploy stronger aid On some of their hands I feare Magicall delusions and deuillish incantations shall not want rather than they will want a client Neither can this seeme strange to any that knowes how familiarly the Roman Church professes the solemne practise of coniuration in such a fashion as it doth more than trouble the best Casuists to set down a perfect difference betwixt their sacred Magick the Diabolicall From hence perhaps haue proceeded those miraculous apparitions if at least they were any other but fancy or fraud wherewith some of our death-sicke Gentlemen amongst them haue bin frighted into Catholikes A famous Diuine of France second to none for learning or fidelitie told me this one amongst other instances of his owne experience which he yet liues to iustifie A Gentleman of the Religion whose wife was popishly deuoted lying vpon the bed of his sicknesse in expectation of death sends for this Diuine his Pastor the sicke mans wife sends for a Iesuite both meet at the beds side each perswades him to his owne part both plead for their religion at this barre before these Iudges after two houres disputation not onely the Gentleman was cheerefully confirmed in that iudgement which he had embraced but his wife also out of the euidence of truth began to incline to him and it The Iesuite departed discontent yet within some few houres after returning when the coast was cleerer intreats some priuate conference with the Gentlewoman with whom walking in her garden he did vehemently expostulate mixing therewithall his strongest perswasions at last to shut vp his discourse he importun'd her with many obsecrations that shee would vouchsafe to receiue from his hands a little box which he there offered her and for his sake weare about her continually shee condescended No sooner had shee taken it than shee fell to so great a detestation of her husband that shee could by no meanes bee drawne into his presence and within two dayes after in this estate shee died An act more worthy the sword of iustice than the pen of an Aduersary These courses are as secret as wicked Not daring therefore peremptorily to accuse I had rather leaue these practises to further inquiry Sure I am that by their tongues Satan labours to inchant the world and hath strongly deluded too many soules And are wee weary of ours that we dare tempt God and offer our selues as challengers to this spirituall danger The Iesuites amongst much change of houses haue two famous for the accordance of their names one called The Bow at Nola the other The Arrow La Flesche in France though this latter were more worthy of the name of a whole Quiuer containing not fewer than eight hundred shafts of all sizes Their Apostate Fryer if I shall not honour him too much plaid vpon them in his Distich Arcum Nola dedit dedit illis alma Sagittam Gallia quis funem quem meruere dabit Nola the bow and France the shaft did bring But who shall helpe them to an hempen string This prouision is for the care of Christian Princes but in the meane time what madnesse is it in vs not onely to giue aime to these rouing Flights but to offer our selues to bee their standing Butt that they may take their full aime and hit vs leuell at pleasure Doe wee not heare some of their owne fellow Catholikes in the middest of their awfullest Senate the Parliament of Paris pleading vehemently against those factious spirits and crying out passionately of that danger which will follow vpon their admission both of lewd manners and false doctrine and doe we in greater opposition feare neither and especially from English Iesuites Some Countries yeeld more venomous vipers than others ours the worst I would it were not too easie to obserue that as our English Papists are commonly most Iesuitish so our English Iesuites are more furious than their fellowes Euen those of the hottest Climates cannot match them in fiery dispositions And doe wee put our selues out of our comfortable Sunne-shine into the midst of the flame of these noted Incendiaries Doe we take pleasure to make them rich with the spoile of our soules and because they will not come fast enough to fetch these booties doe we goe to carry them vnto their pillage SECT XX. THe danger is in the men more than in their cause and if this great Curtizan of the world had not so cunning Pandars I should wonder how shee should get any but foolish customers The Searcher of all hearts before whose Tribunall I shall once come to giue an account of this Censure knowes I speak it not maliciously Him I call to witnesse that I could not finde any true life of Religion amongst those that would be Catholikes I meddle not with the errors of Speculations or Schoole-points wherein their iudgement palpably offendeth I speake of the liuely practice of Piety What haue they amongst them but a very outside of Christianitie a meere formality of deuotion Looke into their Churches there their poore ignorant Laity hope to
vvas gone forth had frequent visions of his Maker So whiles in our affections we remaine here below in our Cofers wee cannot haue the comfortable assurances of the presence of God but if wee can abandon the loue and trust of these earthly things in the conscience of our obedience now God shall appeare to vs and speake peace to our soules and neuer shall we finde cause to repent vs of the change Let mee therefore conclude this point with that diuine charge of our Sauiour Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where moth and rust doc corrupt and theeues breake thorow and steale but lay vp for your selues treasure in heauen Thus much of the Negatiue part of our charge Wherein wee haue dwelt so long that we may scarce soiourne in the other But trust in God Trust not but Trust The heart of man is so conscious of his owne weaknesse that it will not goe vvithout a prop and better a weake stay then none at all Like as in matter of policy the very state of Tyrannie is preferred to the want of a King The same breath therfore that withdraws one refuge from vs substitutes a better and in stead of Riches which is the false god of the world commends to vs the true and liuing God of heauen and earth Euen as some good Carpenter raises vp the studs and in stead of a rotten groundsell layes a sound The same trust then must we giue to God which wee may not giue to riches The obiect onely is changed the act is not changed Him must wee esteeme aboue all things to him must we looke vp in all on him must we depend for all both protection and prouision from his goodnesse and mercy must we acknowledge all and in him must we delight with contempt of all and this is to Trust in God It was a sweet dirty of the Psalmist which we must all learne to sing Bonum est confidere in Domino It is good to trust in the Lord Good in respect of him and good for vs. For him It is one of the best pieces of glory to be trusted to as with vs Ioseph holds Potiphar cannot doe him a greater honour then in trusting him with all And his glory is so precious that he cannot part with that to any creature all other things hee imparts willingly and reserues nothing to himselfe but this Being life knowledge happinesse are such blessings as are eminently originally essentially in God and yet Being he giues to al things Life to many Knowledge to some kindes of creatures Happinesse to some of these kinds as for Riches he so giues them to his creature that hee keepes them not at all to himselfe but as for his Glory whereof our trust is a part hee will not endure it communicated to Angell or man not to the best ghost in heauen much lesse to the drosse of the earth Whence is that curse not without an indignation Cursed bee the man that trusts in man that maketh flesh his arme yea or spirit either besides the God of Spirits Whom haue I in heauen but thee Herein therefore doe wee iustice to God when we giue him his owne that is his glory our confidence But the greatest good is our own God shewes much more mercy to vs in allowing and inabling vs to trust him then we can doe iustice in trusting him For alas hee could in his iust iudgement glorifie himselfe in our not trusting him in taking vengeance of vs for not glorifying him Our goodnesse reaches not to him but his goodnesse reaches downe to vs in that our hearts are raised vp to confidence in him For what safety what vnspeakable comfort is there in trusting to God When our Sauiour in the last words of his Diuine Farewell Sermon to his Disciples would perswade them to confidence Iob 16. vlt. he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so doth the Angell to Paul in prison a a word that signifies boldnesse implying that our confidence in God causeth boldnes and courage and what is there in all he world that can worke the heart to so comfortable and vnconquerable resolution as our reposall vpon God The Lord is my trust whom then can I feare In the Lord put I mâ— trust how say ye then to my soule Flee hence as a bird to the hils Yea how oft doth Dauid inferre vpon this trust a non confundar I shal not be ashamed And this case is generall That they that but their trust in the Lord are as mount Sion that cannot be moued Faith can remoue mountaines but the mountaines that are raised on faith are vnremoueable Here is a stay for you O ye wealthy great worthy of your trust If ye were Monarchs on earth or Angels in heauen ye could be no way safe but in this trust How easie is it for him to inrich or impouerish you to hoyse you vnto the seats of honor or to spurne you down What mynes what Princes can raise you â—â— to wealth against him without him Hee can bid the winds and Seas fauour your vessels he can bid them sinke in a calm The rich and the poore meet together God is the maker of both Pro. 22. Ye may trade and toyle and carke and spare and put vp and cast about and at last sit you downe with a sigh of late repentance and say Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it It is in vaine to rise early and lye down late and eat the bread of sorrow Vnto how many of you may I say with the Prophet Haggai Ye haue sowne much and bring in little ye eat and haue not enough ye drink but ye are not filled ye cloâ—th you but ye â—e not warme and hee that earneth much puts his gaines into a broken 〈◊〉 And whence is all this Ye looked for much and loe it came to little when yee brought it home I did blow vpon it saith the Lord of Hosts Behold how easie a thing it is for the God of heaâ— onto blast all your substance yea not onely to diminish but to curse it 〈…〉 and to make you weary of it and of your selues Oh cast your selâ—e◠〈…〉 those Almighty hands Seeke him in whom onely you shall fiâ—d 〈…〉 happinesse Honour him with your substance that hath honored you with it Truâ—â— in riches but trust in God It is motiue enough to your trust that he is a God all arguments are in folded in that one yet this Text giues you certaine explicit inforcements of this confidence Euery one of these reasons implying a secret kind of disdainfull comparison betwixt the true God and the false perswade you to trust in God Riches are but for this world the true God is Lord of the other and beginnes his glory where the glory of the world ends therefore trust in him Riches are vncertaine the true God is Amen the first and the last euer like himselfe therefore trust in
death yet both then and before his mariage he would take it in great scorne as well he might to bee suspected for dishonest True and might defie Men and Deuils in that Challenge What of this It followes then If Master Hall could for so long together liue a chaste life why no more Why not alwayes Demonstratiuely concluded As if a man should say C. E. doth speake some wise words how can hee at any time write thus foolishly A Christian hath sometime grace to auoyd a Temptation why not alwayes Why doth he not keepe himselfe euer from sinning A good Swimmer may hold his breath vnder the water for some portion of a Minute why not for an houre why not for more A deuour Papist may fast after his Breake-fast till his Dinner in the afternoone therefore why not a Weeke why not a Moneth why not so long as Eue the Maid of Meurs The Spirit of God if at least he may bee allowed for the Author of Continencie breatheth where and when he listeth and that God which makes Mariages in Heauen either auerts the heart from these thoughts or inclines it at his pleasure Shortly The great Doctor of the Gentiles had neuer learned this Diuinity of Doway whose charge is e e 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except with consent for a season that yee may giue your selues to Fasting and Prayer And againe Come together that Satan tempt you not through your incontinency He onely wanted my Monitor to jogge him on the Elbow as here What needs all this fleshlinesse if they can safely containe whiles they giue themselues to extraordinarie deuotion Why not more Why not alwayes It is pitie Refut p 65. that no man would aduise the Apostle how great a gap this Doctrine of his opens to all lasciuiousnesse Let me but haue leaue to put Saint Pauls Name in stead of mine into this challenge of my Refuter and thus he argues If S. Paul say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for awhile they are able to liue chaste but not for any long while I aske againe How long that while shall endure Refut p. 65. and what warrant they haue therein for not falling seeing it may so fall out that in the while appointed they may bee more tempted then they shall bee againe in all their liues after How sawcy would this Sophistrie be how shamelesse The words are his onely the Name is changed what the elect Vessell would answer in such a case for himselfe let C. E. suppose returned by mee SECT XIII THe Refuter hath borrowed some Weapons of his Master Bellarmine and knowes not how to weare them It would moue any mans disdaine to see how absurdly those poore Arguments are blundred together We must distinguish them as we may First Saint Paul condemnes the yong Widowes mentioned Refut p. 63. therefore hee ouerthrowes this impossibilitie of containing I answer Saint Paul aduises the yong Widowes to marry and admits none into the Church-booke vnder threescore yeares therefore he establishes in some this impossibilitie Secondly Saint Paul aduises Timothy to liue chaste Reader Refut p. 63. 46. tell him the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which their owne vulgar 1. Tit. 8. turnes Sober and in 2. Tit. 5. Prudent But to grant him his owne Phrase Can my Detector descry no difference betwixt Chaste and Single Did he and his Fellowes neuer heare of a coniugall Chastitie So they haue still wont to speake as if Chastitie were onely opposite to Mariage as if no single life could be vnchaste His Espencaeus might haue taught him that Verse in Virgil Casta pudicitiam seruat domus and hee might haue heard of that Roman law of Vestals Castae ex castis purae ex puris sunto yea his Erasmus might haue taught him yet further f f Eras Apol. pro declam Matr. Secundus gradus Virginitatis est Matrimonii casta dilectio Opus Imperf in Matth. Refut p. 64. Ab his duabus Columnis crede mihi difficile duellor Ibid. ex Bernardo C. E. Refut p. 64. E diuerso nihil prohibet in coniugio Virginitati locum esse that euen in Mariage there may be Virginitie Thirdly the Fathers exhort to Virginity especially S. Ambrose and Saint Austin Let him tell this to them that know it not to them that dislike true chastity in Virgins not to them that condemne vnchastnesse in a pretended Virginity To what Vertue do not the Fathers exhort yet neuer supposing them to be within our lure Lastly where is the shame of my Refuter that cites Austin as the Man on whom he depends for his vniuersall possibility of Continency when his own Maldonate professes that S. Austin is the onely enemy to this Doctrine Fourthly Where there is impossibility or necessity there is no sinne no counsell as no man sinnes in not making new Starres in not doing Miracles A stale shift that oft sounded in the eares of Austin and Prosper from their Pelagians The naturall man in this deprauednesse of estate cannot but offend God therefore he sinnes not in sinning Counsell giuen shewes what we should do not what we can g g Aug. l de Nat. Grat c. 43. Iubendo admonet c. saith Austin In commanding he admonisheth vs both to doe what wee can and to aske that which wee cannot doe In Continencie then our indeuour is required for the attaining of that which God will giue vs God neuer imployed vs in making of Starres Though my Refuter is euery day set on greater Worke then making of him that made Starres Lastly it is true there is no sinne in marying there may bee sinne after a vow in not vsing all lawfull meanes of Chastitie The Fathers therefore supposing a h h Post multam deliberationem considerationem c. Basil Refut p. 65. pre-required assurance of the gift and calling of God in those whom mature deliberation and long proofe had couered with the vayle of Virginitie doe iustly both call for their continuance and censure their lapses Fiftly vpon this ground the Father cannot blame his Childe for incontinence To containe implyes impossibilitie Aske him wherefore serues Mariage Yea but to prouide an Husband or a Wife is not a worke of an houres warning in the meane time what shall they doe Sure the man thinkes of those hot Regions of his Religion where they are so sharpe set that they must haue Stewes allowed of one Sexe at least Else what strange violence is this that he conceiues As our Iunius answered his Bellarmine in the like Hic homo sibi videtur agere de equis admissarijs ruentibus in venerem de hippomanc non de hominibus ratione praeditis he speakes as if hee had to doe with Stallions not with Men not with Christians amongst whom is to bee supposed a decent order and due regard of seasonablenesse and expediency A doughty Argument Marg. of the Refut p. 65. wherewith Master Hall is sore
the Schisme But first he cannot I hope deny him to haue been their Abbot then their Archbishop As for his red Hat it neuer came from Wittenberge nor Geneua it was of their owne dying Felix the false Pope he sayes gaue it him Reader the famous Councell of Basil consisting of no lesse then foure hundred reuerend Persons Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Doctors gathered and allowed at first by Pope Martin then by his Successor Eugenius the fourth afterwards was vpon some Politike considerations called off by Eugenius The Fathers of the Councell finding their owne strength stood vpon the right of their Superioritie and as they well might censured the Pope hee proceeded to obstinacy those braue spirits vpon ripe consideration iustly deposed him In the roome of this Eugenius otherwise called Gabriel Condulmarius was by iust number of voices elected Amadeus the deuout Duke of Sauoy and named Felix the Fifth a man too good for that See neither had he euer any so great blemish in all his life as the name of a Pope Volateran can tell vs what a Kennell of Hounds he shoued to the Ambassadors namely whole Tables of poore soules dayly fed by him All Histories speake of his Deuotion and Piety This man called from his intended retirednesse must carie the Keyes He makes choice of Archbishop Panormitan for one of his Cardinals What offence is here But he was a false Pope If the Councell of Basil were a true Councell then was Felix a true Pope It is in my Readers choice whether he will beleeue foure hundred Diuines representing the whole Church or a Popes Parasite But Panormitan dyed in the Schisme against Eugenius The World knowes that the greatest blot Panormitan euer had was his violent plea for Eugenius against the Bishop of Argens against eloquent Segouius against the whole streame of that Councell This is the thanke he now caries away Felix scelus virtus vocatur If Eugenius had not dealt vnder hand with the Dolphin of France and Fredericke of Austria then ambitious of the Empire and tryed all his wits both to make new Cardinals and to diuert the Neutrals Eugenius had not beene foelix and Felix had been still Eugenius the true and vndoubted Successor of Peter How-euer if these points should be strictly stood vpon Rome would be at a losse which many a time hath been to seeke for her head But what though it were granted that Panormitan was Cardinalated by an intruding Pope Can this call downe the authority of his iudgement and Writings especially those which he wrote before he was Cardinall or Archbishop being onely Abbot And yet may be cited by vs vnder the name of Cardinall as Bellarmines Dictates and Composures elder then his red Hat yet are fathered vpon that Title Once this I am sure of that f f Bell. de Cleric lib. 1. c. 19. Catholicum alio auin doctum anthorem Cardinall Bellarmine doubts not to stile Panormitan a Catholike and learned Doctor This is the man that stands with his Hat off to this worshipfull Clarke of Doway and tels him that Continency is not of the substance of order nor by Diuine Law annexed to it whereto hee shuffles out a miserable and desperate answer as we shall see in the sequell But in the meane time see the cunning of my Catholike Cauiller This is not the sentence I stood vpon of Panormitan it was not this whereto I proclaimed mine OyeZ but another which he slily smothers not daring so much as to repeat it lest his Romanizing popular ignorant Readers should heare and see and smell that the sacred Celibate of Priests did stinke an hundreth yeares before Luthers time I will therefore here supply for him and hoping hee will in his next take notice of the sentence will represent it here againe Abb. Panorm de Cleric coniugat Cap. Cùm olim The words are these Melius foret et pro bono salute animarum salubrius si vniuscuiusque voluntati relinqueretur ita vt non valentes aut non volentes continere possint contrahere Quia experientia docente experimus contrarium effectum sequi ex illa lege continentiae cùm hodie plerique non viuant spiritualiter nec sint mundi sed emaculenter illicito coitu cum ipsorum grauissimo peccato vbi cum propria vxore esset castitas That is It were better and more wholesome for the good and saluation of soules if it were left to euery mans will so as they which either cannot or will not containe might marry For we find by experience a contrary effect to follow vpon that Law of Continency since the greatest part of our Priests at this day liue not spiritually neither are chaste but are defiled with vnlawfull copulations not without their most hainous sinne whereas with their owne Wiues it should be Chastitie Thus he A sentence worthy of that Epiphonema of mine Is this a Cardinall thinke you or an Huguenot With this my Detector deales as their Inquisition doth with a mis-named Heretike he chokes it vp in secret or if hee bring it forth Refut p. 107. it is not without a gag in the mouth All his answer is We tye not our selues to euery mans opinion and This sentence is censured by Bellarmine as erroneous As if Panormitan were euery body and Bellarmine an Oracle It is enough for vs that one of their owne greatest learnedst zealousest Prelates iustifieth our Mariages and wisheth them in vse rather then their Continency To that other Testimony of Panormitan he answers by a grant yeelding vs freely That if we take diuine Law for that which is expressely determined in Scripture Refut p. 105. it must needs be said that there is no euident proofe set down of continency in Ecclesiasticall men by the Apostles yet that it is so insinuated and the obseruation of it hath beene so ancient as Bellarmine noteth that it may be truely termed Apostolicall Thus he And euen for this are we beholden to him All his friends would not haue beene so liberall His Ioannes Maior his Clictouaeus his Torrensis and all their rigorous Clients would not haue said so As on the other side the old Glosse was not so wise that could onely say which is now expunged Apostoli docuerunt exemplo The Apostles taught this by their example But what are these so pregnant insinuations Good wits haue found them out One was that of g g Decret p. 1. dist 28. Innocentius the second That these men are the vessels and Temples of God therefore they may not Cubilibus immunditiis seruire serue for chambering and wantonnesse Ywis no Lay-men is such therefore he may be allowed to be filthy Another was Luke 21. of Franc. Torrensis Take heed lest your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life Whereof Bishop h h Esâ—enc de cont l. 2. Espencaeus is so ashamed that hee answers it with an Absit God forbid saith he that
abound euerywhere and make no difference betwixt Beggers and Princes Though Pharaoh and his Courtiers abhorred to see themselues louzy yet they hoped this miracle would be more easily imitable but now the greater possibility the greater foyle How are the great wonder-mongers of Aegypt abashed that they can neither make Lice of their owne nor deliuer themselues from the Lice that are made Those that could make Serpent and Frogs could not either make or kill Lice to shew them that those Frogs and Serpents were not their own workmanship Now Pharaoh must needs see how impotent a deuil he serued that could not make that vermine which euery day rises voluntarily out of corruption Iannes and Iambres cannot now make those Lice so much as by delusion which at another time they cānot chuse but produce vnknowing which now they cannot auoid That spirit which is powerfull to execute the greatest things when he is bidden is vnable to doe the least when he is restrained Now these corriuals of Moses can say This is the finger of God Ye foolish inchanters was Gods finger in the Lice not in the Frogs not in the Blood not in the Serpent And why was it rather in the lesse then in the greater Because ye did imitate the other not these As if the same finger of God had not beene before in your imitation which was now in your restraint As if yee could haue failed in these if ye had not beene onely permitted the other Whiles wicked minds haue their full scope they neuer look vp aboue themselues but when once God crosses them in their proceedings their want of successe teaches them to giue God his owne All these plagues perhaps had more horror then paine in them The Frogs creep vpon their clothes the Lice vpon their skins but those stinging Hornets which succeed them shall wound and kill The water was anoyed with the first plague the earth with the second and third this fourth fils the ayre and besides corruption brings smart And that they may see this winged army comes from an angry God not either from nature or chance euen the very Flies shal make a difference betwixt Aegypt and Goshen He gaue them their being sets them their stint They can no more sting an Israelite then fauor an Aegyptian The very wings of Flies are directed by a prouidence and doe acknowledge their limits Now Pharaoh finds how impossible it is for him to stand out with God since all his power cannot rescue him from Lice and Flyes And now his heart begins to thaw a little Goe doe sacrifice to your God in this Land or since that will not be accepted Goe into the wildernesse but not far but how soone it knits againe Good thoughts make but a thorow fare of carnall hearts they can neuer settle there yea his very misgiuing hardens him the more that now neither the murren of his cattell nor the botches of his seruants can stir him a whit He saw his cattle strucke dead with a sudden contagion hee saw his Sorcerers after their contestation with Gods messengers strucke with a scab in their very faces and yet his heart is not strucke Who would thinke it possible that any soule could be secure in the middest of such variety and frequence of iudgements These very plagues haue not more wonder in them then their successe hath To what an height of obduration will sin lead a man and of all sins incredulity Amidst all these storms Pharaoh sleepeth till the voice of Gods mighty thunders and hayle mixed with fire rouzed him vp a little Now as betwixt sleeping and waking he starts vp and sayes God is righteous I am wicked Moses pray for vs and presently layes downe his head againe God hath no sooner done thundering then he hath done fearing Al this while you neuer find him carefull to preuent any one euill but desirous still to shift it off when hee feeles it neuer holds constant to any good motion neuer prayes for himselfe but carelesly wils Moses and Aaron to pray for him neuer yeelds God his whole demand but higgleth and dodgeth like some hard chapman that would get a release with the cheapest First They shal not goe then Goe and sacrifice but in Aegypt next Goe sacrifice in the wildernes but not far off after Goe ye that are men then Goe you and your children onely at last Goe all saue your sheepe and cattle Wheresoeuer meere Nature is she is still improuident of future good sensible of present euill inconstant in good purposes vnable through vnacquaintance and vnwilling to speake for her selfe niggardly in her grants and vncheerfull The plague of the Grashoppers startled him a little and the more through the importunity of his seruants for when hee considered the fish destroyed with the first blow the cattle with the fift the corne with the seuenth the fruit and leaues with this eighth and nothing now left him but a bare fruitlesse earth to liue vpon and that couered ouer with Locusts necessity droue him to relent for an aduantage Forgiue me this once take from me this death onely But as constrained repentance is euer short and vnsound the West wind together with the Grashoppers blowes away his remorse now is he ready for another iudgement As the Grashoppers tooke away the sight of the earth from him so now a grosse darknesse takes away the sight of heauen too other darknesses were but priuatiue this was reall and sensible The Aegyptians thought this night long how could they chuse when it was six in one and so much the more for that no man could rise to talk with other but was necessarily confined to his owne thoughts One thinkes the fault in his owne eyes which he rubs oftentimes in vaine Others think that the Sunne is lost out of the Firmament and is now withdrawn for euer Others that all things are returning to their first confusion all think themselues miserable past remedy and wish whatsoeuer had befalne them that they might haue had but light enough to see themselues die Now Pharaoh proues like to some beasts that grow mad with baiting grace often resisted turnes to desperatenesse Get thee from me looke thou see my face no more whensoeuer thou commest in my sight thou shalt dye As if Moses could not plague him as well in absence as if he that could not take away the Lice Flyes Frogs Grashoppers could at his pleasure take away the life of Moses that procured them What is this but to run vpon the iudgements and run away from the remedies Euermore when Gods messengers are abandoned destruction is neere Moses will see him no more till he see him dead vpon the sands but God will now visit him more then euer The fearfullest plagues God still reserues for the vpshot All the former do but make way for the last Pharaoh may exclude Moses and Aaron but Gods Angell hee cannot exclude In sensible messengers are vsed when the visible are
the iourney and curse of the couetous prophet if God had not stayed him How oft are wicked men cursed by a diuine hand euen in those sins which their heart stands to It is no thank to lewd men that their wickednesse is not prosperous Whence is it that the world is not ouer-run with euill but from this that men cannot be so ill as they would The first entertainment of this message would make a stranger thinke Balaam wife and honest Hee will not giue a sudden answer but craues leasure to consult with God and promises to returne the answer he shall receiue Who would not say This man is free from rashnesse from partiality Dissimulation is crafty able to deceiue thousands The words are good when he comes to action the fraud bewaries it selfe For both he insinuates his own forwardnesse and casts the blame of the prohibition vpon God and which is worse deliuers but halfe his answer he sayes indeed God refuses to giue them leaue to goe He sayes not as it was He charges me not to curse them for they are blessed So did Balaam deny as one that wisht to be sent for againe Perhaps a peremptory refusall had hindered his further sollicitation Concealement of some truths is sometimes as faulty as a deniall True fidelity is not niggardly in her relations Where wickednesse meets with power it thinkes to command all the world and takes great scorne of any repulse So little is Balac discouraged with one refusall that he sends so much the stronger message Mo Princes and more honorable Oh that wee could be so importunate for our good as wicked men are for the compassing of their owne designes A deniall doth but whet the desires of vehement suitors Why are we faint in spirituall things when we are not denied but delayed Those which are themselues transported with vanity and ambition thinke that no heart hath power to resist these offers Balacs Princes thought they had strooke it dead when they had once mentioned promotion to great honour Selfe-loue makes them thinke they cannot be slaues whiles others may be free and that all the world would be glad to runne on madding after their bait Nature thinks it impossible to contemn honor and wealth and because too many soules are thus taken cannot beleeue that any would escape But let carnall hearts know there are those can spit the world in the face and say Thy gold and siluer perish with thee and that in comparison of a good conscience can tread vnder foot his best proffers like shadowes as they are and that can doe as Balaam said How neere truth and falshood can lodge together Here was piety in the lips and couetousnesse in the heart Who can any more regard good words that heares Balaam speake so like a Saint An housefull of gold siluer may not peruert his tongue his heart is won with lesse for if he had not already swallowed the reward and found it sweet why did he againe sollicit God in that which was peremptorily denyed him If his mind had not beene bribed already why did he stay the messenger why did he expect a change in God why was he willing to feed them with hope of successe which had fed him with hope of recompence One prohibition is enough for a good man Whiles the delay of God doth but hold vs in suspence importunity is holy and seasonable but when once he giues a resolute deniall it is prophane saucinesse to sollicit him When we aske what we are bidden our suites are not more vehement then welcome but when we begge prohibited fauours our presumption is troublesome and abhominable No good heart will endure to be twice forbidden Yet this opportunity had obtained a permission but a permission worse then a deniall I heard God say before Go not nor curse them Now he sayes Goe but curse not Anon he is angry that he did not goe Why did he permit that which he forbade if he be angry for doing that which he permitted Some things God permits with an indignation not for that he giues leaue to the act but that he giues a man ouer to his sinne in the act this sufferance implies not fauour but iudgement so did God bid Balaam to goe as Salomon bids the yong man follow the wayes of his owne heart It is one thing to like another thing to suffer Moses neuer approued those legall diuorces yet he tolerated them God neuer liked Balaams iourney yet he displeasedly giues way to it as if he said Well since thou art so hot set on this iourney be gone And thus Balaam tooke it else when God after professed his displeasure for the iourney it had beene a ready answer Thou commandedst me but herein his confession argues his guilt Balaams suite and Israels Quailes had both one fashion of grant in anger How much better is it to haue gracious denials then angry yeeldings A small perswasion hartens the willing It booted not to bid the couetous prophet hasten to his way Now he makes himselfe sure of successe His corrupt hart tels him that as God had relented in his licence to goe so he might perhaps in his licence to curse and he saw how this curse might blesse him with abundance of wealth hee rose vp earely therefore and saddled his Asse The night seemed long to his forwardnesse Couetous men need neither clocke nor bell to awaken them their desires make them restlesse O that we could with as much eagernesse seeke the true riches which onely can make vs happy We that see onely the out-side of Balaam may maruell why he that permitted him to goe afterward opposes his going but God that saw his heart perceiued what corrupt affections caried him hee saw that his couetous desires and wicked hopes grew the stronger the neerer he came to his end An Angell is therefore sent to with-hold the hasty Sorcerer Our inward disposition is the life of our actions according to that doth the God of spirits iudge vs whiles men censure according to our externall motions To goe at all when God had commanded to stay was presumptuous but to goe with desire to curse made the act doubly sinfull and fetcht an Angell to resist it It is one of the worthy imployments of good Angels to make secret opposition to euill designes Many a wicked act haue they hindered without the knowledge of the agent It is all one with the Almighty to worke by Spirits and men It is therefore our glory to be thus set on worke To stop the course of euill either by disswasion or violence is an Angelicall seruice In what danger are wicked men that haue Gods Angels their opposites The Deuill moued him to goe a good Angell resists him If an heauenly Spirit stand in the way of a Sorcerers sinne how much more ready are all those spirituall powers to stop the miscariages of Gods deare children How oft had we falne yet more if these Guardians had not
all the munition of Israel and finding the new iaw-bone of an Asse takes that vp in his hand and with that base instrument of death sends a thousand Philistims to their place All the swords and shields of the armed Philistims cannot resist that contemptible Engine which hath now left a thousand bodies as dead as the carcasse of that beast whose bone it was This victory was not in the weapon was not in the arme it was in the Spirit of God which moued the weapon in the arme O God if the meanes be weake yet thou art strong Through God wee shall doe great acts Yea I can doe all things through him that strengtheneth me Seest thou a poore Christian which by weake counsell hath obtained to ouercome a tentation there is the Philistim vanquisht with a sorry iaw-bone It is no maruell if he were thus admirably strong and victorious whose bodily strength God meant to make a type of the spirituall power of Christ And behold as the three thousands of Iuda stood still gazing with their weapons in their hand whiles Samson alone subdued the Philistims so did men and Angels stand looking vpon the glorious atcheiuements of the Son of God who might iustly say I haue trod the wine-presse alone Both the Samsons complained of thirst The same God which gaue his Champion victory gaue him also refreshing and by the same meanes The same bone yeelds him both conquest life and is of a weapon of offence turned into a well of water Hee that fetcht water out of the flint for Israel fetches it out of a bone for Samson What is not possible to the infinite power of that Almighty Creator that made all things of nothing Hee can giue Samson hony from the mouth of the Lion and water from the mouth of the Asse Who would not cheerefully depend vpon that God which can fetch moisture out of drinesse and life out of death SAMSONS end I Cannot wonder more at Samsons strength then his weaknesse Hee that began to cast away his loue vpon a wife of the Philistims goes on to mis-spend himselfe vpon the harlots of the Philistims He that did not so much ouercome the men as the women ouercome him His affections blinded him first ere the Philistims could doe it would he else after the effusion of so much of their bloud haue suffered his lust to carry him within their walls as one that cared more for his pleasure then his life Oh strange debauchednesse and presumption of a Nazarite The Philistims are vp in Armes to kill him hee offers himselfe to their City to their Stewes and dare expose his life to one of their harlots whom he had slaughtered I would haue looked to haue seene him betake himselfe to his stronger Rocke then that of Etam and by his austere deuotion to seek protection of him of whom he receiued strength but now as if he had forgtten his consecration I finde him turned Philistim for his bed and of a Nazarite scarce a man In vaine doth he nourish his haire whiles he feeds these passions How vsually doe vigor of body and infirmity of minde lodge vnder one roofe On the contrary a wearish out-side is a strong motiue to mortification Samsons victories haue subdued him and haue made him first a slaue to lewd desires and then to the Philistims I may safely say that more vessels miscarry with a faire gale then with a tempest Yet was not Samson so blinded with lust as not at all to looke before him he foresaw the morning would be dangerous the bed of his fornication therefore could hold him no longer then midnight then he rises and in a mocke of those ambushes which the Azahites laid for him hee carries away the gates wherein they thought to haue incaged him It a temptation haue drawn vs aside to lie downe to sinne it is happy for vs if wee can arise ere wee bee surprised with iudgement Samson had not left his strength in the bed of an harlot neither had that God which gaue it him stript him of it with his clothes when he laid him downe in vncleannesse His mercy vses not to take vantage of our vnworthinesse but euen when we cast him off holds vs fast That bountifull hand leaues vs rich of common graces when we haue mis-spent our better store Like as our first Parents when they had spoiled themselues of the Image of their Creator yet were left wealthy of noble faculties of the soule I finde Samson come off from his sinne with safety he runnes away lightly with an heauier weight then the gates of Azzah the burden of an ill act Present impunitie argues not an abatement of the wickednes of his sin or of the dislike of God nothing is so worthy of pitty as a sinners peace Good is not therefore good because it prospers but because it is commanded Euill is not euill because it is punished but because it is forbidden If the holy Parents of Samson liued to see these outrages of their Nazarite I doubt whether they did not repent them of their ioy to heare newes of a sonne It is a shame to see how he that might not drinke wine is drunke with the cup of fornications His lust carries him from Azzah to the plaine of Sorek and now hath found a Dalilah that shall pay him for all his former vncleannesse Sinne is steepe and slippery and if after one fall wee haue found where to stand it is the praise not of our footing but of the hand of God The Princes of the Philistims knew already where Samsons weakenesse lay though not his strength and therefore they would entise his harlot by gifts to entise him by her dalliance to betray himselfe It is no maruell if she which would be filthy would be also perfidious How could Samson chuse but thinke if lust had not bewitched him Shee whose body is mercenary to me will easily sell me to others Shee will be false if she will be an harlot A wide conscience will swallow any sin Those that haue once thralled themselues to a known euill can make no other difference of sinnes but their owne losse or aduantage A lyar will steale a theefe can kill a cruell man can bee a Traytor a drunkard can falsifie wickednesse once entertained can put on any shape Trust him in nothing that makes not a conscience of euery thing Was there euer such another motion made to a reasonable man Tell me wherein thy great strength lieth and wherewith thou maiest be bound to doe thee hurt Who would not haue spurned such a sutor out of dores What will not impudency aske or stupiditie receiue He that killed the thousand Philistims for comming to binde him indures this harlot of the Philistims to consult with himselfe of binding him and when vpon the triall of a false answer he saw so apparant trechery yet wilfully betrayes his life by her to his enemies All sinnes all passions haue power to infatuate a man
man may think these men slaine for their daughters they plainly dye for their sinne and these Gileadites might not haue liued without the periury of Israel and now sith they must dye it is good to make benefit of necessity I inquire not into the rigour of the oath If their solemne vow did not binde them to kill all of both sexes in Beniamin why did they not spare their virgins and if it did so binde them why did they spare the virgins of Gilead Fauours must be enlarged in all these religious restrictions Where breath may be taken in them it is not fit nor safe they should be straitned Foure hundred virgins of Gilead haue lost Parents and brethren and kindred and now finde husbands in lieu of them An inforced marriage was but a miserable comfort for such a losse like Wards or captiues they are taken and chuse not These suffice not their friendly aduersaries consult for more vpon worse conditions Into what troublesome and dangerous straits doe men thrust themselues by either vniust or inconsiderate vowes In the midst of all this common lawlesnesse of Israel here was conscience made on both sides of matching with Infidels The Israelites can rather be content their daughters should be stollen by their owne then that the daughters of aliens should be giuen them These men which had not grace enough to detest and punish the beastlinesse of their Gileadites yet are not so gracelesse as to chuse them wiues of the Heathen All but Athiests howsoeuer they let themselues loose yet in some things finde themselues restrained and shew to others that they haue a coÌ„science If there were not much danger and much sinne in this vnequall yoke they would neuer haue perswaded to so heauy an inconuenience Disparitie of religion in matrimoniall contracts hath so many mischiefes that it is worthy to be redeemed with much preiudice They which might not giue their owne daughters to Beniamin yet giue others whiles they giue leaue to steale them Stollen marriages are both vnnatural and full of hazrad for loue whereof marriage is the knot cannot be forced this was rather rape then wedlocke What vnlikenesse perhaps contrarietie of disposition what auersenes of affection may there be in not only a sudden but a forceable meeting If these Beniaminites had not taken liberty of giuing themselues ease by diuorcemeÌ„t they would often haue found leisure to rue this stollen booty This act may not be drawn to example and yet here was a kinde of indefinite consent Both deliberation and good liking are little enough for a during estate and that which is once done for euer These virgins come vp to the feast of the Lord and now out of the midst of their daunces are carried to a double captiuity How many virgins haue lost themselues in daunces and yet this sport was not immodest These virgins daunced by themselues without the company of them which might moue towards vnchastity for if any men had been with them they they had found so many rescuers as they had assaulters now the exposing of their weake sex to his iniury proues their innocence Our vsuall daunces are guilty of more sinne Wanton gestures and vnchaste touches lookes motions draw the heart to folly The ambushes of euill spirits carry away many a soule from daunces to a fearefull desolation It is supposed that the parents thus robbed of their daughters will take it heauily There cannot be a greater crosse then the miscariage of children They are not onely the liuing goods bur pieces of their parents that they should therefore be torne from them by violence is no lesse iniury then the dismembring of their owne bodies NAOMI and RVTH BEtwixt the raigne of the Iudges Israel was plagued with tyranny and whiles some of them raigned with famine Seldome did that rebellious people want somewhat to humble them One rod is not enough for a stubborne child The famine must needs be great that makes the inhabitants to runne their country The name of home is so sweet that we cannot leaue it for a little Behold that land which had wont to flow with milke and hony now abounds with want and penurie and Bethleem in stead of an house of bread is an house of famine A fruitfull land doth God make barren for the wickednes of them that dwell therein The earth beares not for it selfe but for vs God is not angry with it but with men For our sakes it was first cursed to thornes thistles after that to moisture and since that not seldome to drought and by all these to barrennesse Wee may not looke alwaies for plenty It is a wonder whiles there is such superfluitie of wickednesse that our earth is no more sparing of her fruits The whole earth is the Lords and in him ours It is lawfull for the owners to change their houses at pleasure Why should we not make free vse of any part of our owne possessions Elimelech and his family remoue from Bethleem Iuda vnto Moab Nothing but necessity can dispense with a locall relinquishing of Gods Church Not pleasure not profit not curiosity Those which are famished out God calls yea driues from thence The Creator and possessor of the earth hath not confined any man to his necessary destruction It was lawfull for Elimelech to make vse of Pagans and Idolaters for the supply of all needfull helps There cannot bee a better imployment of Moabites then to be the treasures and purueyors of Gods children Wherefore serue they but to gather for the true owners It is too much nicenesse in them which forbeaâ—e the benefit they might make of the faculties of profane or hereticall persons They consider not that they haue more right to the good such men can doe then they that doe it and challenge that good for their owne But I cannot see how it could be lawfull for his Sons to match with the daughters of Moab Had these men heard how farre and vnder how solemn an oath their father Abraham sent for a wife of his owne Tribe for his sonne Isaac Had they heard the earnest charge of holy Isaac to the sonne hee blessed Thou shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan Hâ—d they forgotten the plagues of Israel for but a short conuersation with the Moabitish women If they plead remotenesse from their own people Did they not remember how fâ—rre Iacob walked to Padan-Aram Was it further from Moab to Bethleem then froÌ„ Bethleem to Moab and if the care of themselues led theÌ„ from Bethleem to Moab should not their care of obedience to God haue as wel carried them backe from Moab to Bethleem Yet if their wiues would haue left their Idotrie with their maidenhead the match had been more safe but now euen at the last farewell Naomi can say of Orpah that shee is returned to her gods These men haue sinned in their choice and it speeds with them accordingly Where did euer one of these vnequall matches prosper
one man slue all those thousands at a blow It was enough for the puissant King of Israel to follow the chase and to kill them whom Dauid had put to flight yet he that could lend his clothes and his armour to this exploit cannot abide to part with the honour of it to him that hath earned it so dearly The holy Songs of Dauid had not more quieted his spirits before then now the thankfull Song of the Israelitish women vexed him One little Dittie of Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand sung vnto the Timbrels of Israel fetcht againe that euill spirit which Dauids Musicke had expelled Saul needed not the torment of a worse spirit then Enuie Oh the vnreasonablenesse of this wicked passion The women gaue Saul more and Dauid lesse then he deserued For Saul alone could not kill a thousand and Dauid in that one act of killing Goliah slue in effect all the Philistims that were slaine that day and yet because they giue more to Dauid then to himselfe he that should haue endited begun that Song of thankfulnesse repines and growes now as mad with enuy as he was before with griefe Truth and Iustice are no protection against Malice Enuie is blind to all obiects saue other mens happinesse If the eyes of men could bee contained within their owne bounds and not roue forth into comparisons there could be no place for this vicious affection but when they haue once taken this lawlesse scope to themselues they lose the knowledge of home and care onely to be employed abroad in their owne torment Neuer was Sauls brest so fit a lodging for the euill spirit as now that it is drest vp with enuy It is as impossible that Hell should bee free from Deuils as a malicious heart Now doth the franticke King of Israel renew his old fits and walkes and talkes distractedly He was mad with Dauid and who but Dauid must be called to allay his madnesse Such as Dauids wisedome was he could not but know the termes wherein he stood with Saul yet in lieu of the harsh and discordous notes of his masters enuy he returnes pleasing Musicke vnto him He can neuer bee good Courtier nor good man that hath not learned to repay if not iniuries with thankes yet euill with good Whiles there was a Harpe in Dauids hand there was a Speare in Sauls wherewith he threatens death as the recompence of that sweet melodie He said I will smite Dauid through to the wall It is well for the innocent that wicked men cannot keep their owne counsell God fetcheth their thoughts out of their mouthes or their countenance for a seasonable preuention which else might proceed to secret execution It was time for Dauid to withdraw himselfe his obedience did not tye him to bee the marke of a furious master hee might ease Saul with his musicke with his blood hee might not Twice therefore doth he auoid the Presence not the Court not the Seruice of Saul One would haue thought rather that Dauid should haue beene affraid of Saul because the Deuill was so strong with him then that Saul should be affraid of Dauid because the Lord was with him yet we find all the feare in Saul of Dauid none in Dauid of Saul Hatred and feare are ordinary companions Dauid had wisedome and faith to dispell his feares Saul had nothing but infidelity and deiected selfe-condemned distempred thoughts which must needs nourish them yet Saul could not feare any hurt from Dauid whom he found so loyall and seruiceable Hee feares onely too much good vnto Dauid and the enuious feare is much more then the distrustfull now Dauids presence begins to be more displeasing then his Musicke was sweet Despight it selfe had rather preferre him to a remote dignity then endure him a neerer attendant This promotion encreaseth Dauids honour and loue and this loue and honour aggrauates Sauls hatred and feare Sauls madnesse hath not bereaued him of his craft For perceiuing how great Dauid was growne in the reputation of Israel he dares not offer any personall or direct violence to him but hires him into the iawes of a supposed death by no lesse price then his eldest Daughter Behold mine eldest daughter Merab her will I giue thee to wife onely be a valiant Sonne to me and fight the Lords Battels Could euer man speak more graciously more holily What could bee more graciously offered by a King then his eldest Daughter What care could be more holy then of the Lords battels yet neuer did Saul intend so much mischiefe to Dauid or so much vnfaithfulnesse to God as when he spake thus There is neuer so much danger of the false-hearted as when they make the fairest weather Sauls Speare bad Dauid be gone but his plausible words inuite him to danger This honour was due to Dauid before vpon the compact of his victory yet he that twice inquired into the reward of that enterprize before he vndertooke it neuer demanded it after that atchieuement neither had Saul the iustice to offer it as a recompence of so noble an exploit but as a snare to an enuied victory Charitie suspects not Dauid construes that as an effect and argument of his Masters loue which was no other but a child of Enuy but a plot of mischiefe and though he knew his owne desert and the Iustice of his claime to Merab yet hee in a sincere humilitie disparageth himselfe and his Parentage with a who am I As it was not the purpose of this modestie in Dauid to reiect but to sollicit the proffered fauour of Saul so was it not in the power of this bashfull humiliation to turne backe the edge of so keene an enuy It helpes not that Dauid makes himselfe meane whiles others magnifie his worth Whatsoeuer the colour was Saul meant nothing to Dauid but danger and death and since all those Battels will not effect that which he desired himselfe will not effect that which hee promised If hee cannot kill Dauid he will disgrace him Dauids honour was Sauls disease It was not likely therefore that Saul would adde vnto that honour whereof he was so sicke already Merab is giuen vnto another neither doe I heare Dauid complaine of so manifest an iniustice He knew that the God whose battels he fought had prouided a due reward of his patience If Merab faile God hath a Michal in store for him she is in loue with Dauid his comelinesse and valour haue so wonne her heart that she now emulates the affection of her Brother Ionathan If she be the yonger Sister yet she is more affectionate Saul is glad of the newes his Daughter could neuer liue to doe him better seruice then to be a new snare to his Aduersarie Shee shall bee therefore sacrificed to his enuie and her honest and sincere loue shall bee made a bait for her worthy and innocent Husband I will giue him her that shee may be a snare vnto him that the hand of the
the goods Wise and holy Dauid whose prayse was no lesse to ouercome his owne in time of peace than his enemies in warre cals his contending followers from Law to equitie and so orders the matter that since the Plaintifes were detained not by will but by necessity and since their forced stay was vse-full in garding the stuffe they should partake equally of the prey with there fellowes A sentence wel-beseeming the Iustice of Gods Annoynted Those that represent God vpon earth should resemble him in their proceeding It is the iust mercie of our God to measure vs by our wils not by our abilities to recompence vs graciously according to the truth of our desires and endeauours and to account that performed by vs which hee only letteth vs from performing It were wide with vs if sometimes purpose did not supply actions Whiles our heart faulteth not wee that through spirituall sicknesse are faine to abide by the stuffe shall share both in grace and glorie with the Victors The death of SAVL THe Witch of Endor had halfe slaine Saul before the Battell it is just that they who consult with Deuils should goe away with discomfort Hee hath eaten his last bread at the hand of a Sorceresse and now necessitie drawes him into that field where hee sees nothing but despaire Had not Saul beleeued the ill newes of the counterfeite Samuel hee had not beene strooke downe on the ground with words Now his beliefe made him desperate Those actions which are not sustayned by hope must needes languish and are only promoted by outward compulsion Whiles the mind is vncertaine of successe it relieues it selfe with the possibilities of good in doubts there is a comfortable mixture but when it is assured of the worst euent it is vtterly discouraged and deiected It hath therefore pleased the wisdome of God to hide from wicked men his determination of their finall estate that their remainders of hope may harten them to good In all likelihood one selfe-same day saw Dauid a victor ouer the Amalekites and Saul discomfited by the Philistims How should it bee otherwise Dauid consulted with God and preuailed Saul with the Witch of Endor and perisheth The end is commonly answerable to the way It is an idle iniustice when wee doe ill to looke to speede well The slaughter of Saul and his sonnes was not in the first Scene of this Tragicall field that was rather reserued by God for the last act that Sauls measure might bee full God is long ere hee strikes but when hee doth it is to purpose First Israel flees and fals downe wounded in Mount Gilboa They had their part in Sauls sinne they were actors in Dauids persecution Iustly therefore doe they suffer with him whom they had seconded in offence As it is hard to bee good vnder an euill Prince so it is as rare not to bee enwrapped in his iudgments It was no small addition to the anguish of Sauls death to see his sonnes dead to see his people fleeing and slaine before him They had sinned in their King and in them is their King punished The rest were not so worthy of pittie but whose heart would it not touch to see Ionathan the good sonne of a wicked father inuolued in the common destruction Death is not partiall All dispositions all merits are alike to it if valour if holinesse if sinceritie of heart could haue beene any defence against mortalitie Ionathan had suruiued Now by their wounds and death no man can descerne which is Ionathan The soule onely findes the difference which the body admitteth not Death is the common gate both to Heauen and Hell wee all passe that ere our turning to either hand The sword of the Philistims fetcheth Ionathan through it with his fellowes no sooner is his foot ouer that threshold than God conducteth him to glory The best cannot bee happy but through their dissolution Now therefore hath Ionathan no cause of complaint hee is by the rude and cruell hand of a Philistim but remoued to a better Kingdome then hee leaues to his brother and at once is his death both a temporall affliction to the sonne of Saul and an entrance of glorie to the friend of Dauid The Philistim-archers shot at randome God directs their arrowes into the bodie of Saul Lest the discomfiture of his people and the slaughter of his sonnes should not bee griefe enough to him hee feeles himselfe wounded and sees nothing before him but horror and death and now as a man forsaken of all hopes he begs of his Armour-bearer that deaths-blow which else hee must to the doubling of his indignation receiue from a Philistim Hee begges this bloudie fauour of his seruant and is denyed Such an awefulnesse hath God placed in souereigntie that no intreatie no extreamitie can moue the hand against it What metall are those men made of that can suggest or resolue and attempt the violation of Maiestie Wicked men care more for the sâ—â—â—e of the World than the danger of their soule Despâ—â—â—â— Saul will now supply his Armor-bearer and as a man that 〈◊〉 armes against himselfe he falls vpon his owâ—â— Sword What if he had died by the 〈◊〉 of a Philistin So did his sinne Ionathan and lost no glory These conceits of disreputation preuaile with carnall hearts aboue all spirituall respects There is no greater murderer 〈◊〉 glory Nothing more argues an heart voide of grace than to bee transporte onâ— idle popularity into actions preiudiciaâ—â—â— to the Soule Euill examples especially of the great neuer escaped imitation the Aâ—â—â—or-beateâ— of Saul followes his Master and came doe that to himselfe which to his King hee durst not as if their owne Swords had beeing more familiar executions 〈◊〉 they yeelded vnto them what they grudged to their pursuers From the beginning was Sauls euer his owne enemy neither did any hands hurt him but his owne to and now his death is sutable 〈◊〉 his life his owne hand paies his â—â—â—ard of all his wickednesse The end of Hypocrites and enuious men is commonly fearefull Now is the bloud of Gods Priests which Saul shed and of Dauid which hee would haue shed required and requited The euill spirit had said the euening before To â—â—rrow thou shalt bee with mee and now Saul hasteth to make the Deuill no Liemâ—â—â—â—â—er than faile he giues himselfe his owne Mittimus Oh the wofull extremities of a despairing soule plunging him euer into a greater mischiefe to auoide the lesse He might haâ—â— beene a patient in anothers violence and faultinesse now whiles hee will needs act the Philistins part vpon himselfe he liued and died a Murderer The case is deadly when the Prisoner breakes the Iayle and will not stay for his deliuery and though we may not passe sentence vpon such a soule yet vpon the fact we may the soule may possibly repent in the parting the act is hainous and such as without repentance kils the soule It was the next day ere the Philistims knew
so they must shew it vpon all good occasions letting passe no opportunitie of making spare of bloud Ishbosheth was it seemes a man of no great spirits for being no lesse than fortie yeares old when his father went into his last field against the Philistims hee was content to stay at home Abner hath put ambition into him and hath easily raised him to the head of a faction against the annoynted Prince of Gods people If this vsurped Crowne of Sauls Sonne had any worth or glory in it hee cannot but acknowledge to owe it all vnto Abner yet how forward is vnthankfull Ishbosheth to receiue a false suggestion against his chiefe Abettor Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers Concubine Hee that made no conscience of an vniust claime to the Crowne and a maintenance of it with bloud yet seemes scrupulous of a lesse sinne that carried in it the colour of a disgrace The touch of her who had beene honoured by his fathers bed seemed an intolerable presumption and such as could not bee seuered from his owne dishonour Selfe-loue sometimes borrowes the face of honest zeale Those who out of true grounds dislike sinnes doe hate them all indifferently according to their hainousnesse Hypocrites are partiall in their detestation bewraying euer most bitternesse against those offences which may most preiudice their persons and reputations It is as dangerous as vniust for Princes to giue both their eares and their heart to mis-grounded rumors of their innocent followers This wrong hath stript Ishbosheth of the Kingdome Abner in the meane time cannot be excused from a treacherous inconstancy If Sauls sonne had no true Title to the Crowne why did hee maintaine it If hee had why did he forsake the cause and person Had Abner out of remorse for furthering a false claime taken off his hand I know not wherein he could be blamed except for not doing it sooner But now to withdraw his professed allegeance vpon a priuate reuenge was to take a lewd leaue of an ill action If Ishbosheth were his lawfull Prince no iniury could warrant a reuolt Euen betwixt priuate persons a returne of wrongs is both vncharitable and vniust how euer this goe currant for the common iustice of the World how much more should we learne from a supreme hand to take hard measures with thankes It had beene Abners duty to haue giuen his King a peaceable and humble satisfaction and not to flie out in a snuffe If the spirit of the Ruler rise vp against thee leaue not thy place for yeelding pacifieth great offences now his impatient falling although to the right side makes him no better than traiterously honest So soone as Abner hath entertained a resolution of his rebellion hee perswades the Elders of Israel to accompany him in the change and whence doth he fetch his maine motiue but from the Oracle of God The Lord hath spoken of Dauid saying By the hand of my seruant Dauid will I saue my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistims and out of the hand of all their enemies Abner knew this ful well before yet then was well content to smother a knowne truth for his owne turne and now the publication of it may serue for his aduantage hee wins the heart of Israel by shewing Gods Charter for him whom he had so long opposed Hypocrites make vse of God for their owne purposes and care onely to make diuine authority a colour for their owne designes No man euer heard Abner godly till now neither had he beene so at this time if he had not intended a reuengefull departure from Ishbosheth Nothing is more odious than to make Religion a stalking horse to Policy WHO can but glorifie God in his iustice when he sees the bitter end of this treacherous dissimulation Dauid may vpon considerations of State entertaine his new Guest with a Feast and well might hee seeme to deserue a welcome that vndertakes to bring all Israel to the league and homage of Dauid but God neuer meant to vse so vnworthy meanes for so good a worke Ioab returnes from pursuing a troupe and finding Abner dismissed in peace and expectation of a beneficiall returne followes him and whether out of enuy at a new riuall of honour or out of the reuenge of Asahel hee repaies him both dissimulation and death God doth most iustly by Ioab that which Ioab did for himselfe most vniustly I know not setting the quarrell aside whether wee can worthily blame Abner for the death of Asahel who would needs after faire warnings runne himselfe vpon Abners Speare yet this fact shall procure his paiment for worse Now is Ishbosheths wrong reuenged by an enemy wee may not alwayes measure the Iustice of Gods proceedings by present occasions Hee needs not make vs acquainted or aske vs leaue when hee will call for the arrerages of forgotten sinnes Contemplations THE FIFTEENTH BOOKE Contayning VzZAH and the Arke DAVID with MEPHIBOSHETH and ZIBA HANVN and DAVIDS Ambassadors DAVID with BATHSHEBA and VRIAH NATHAN and DAVID AMON and THAMAR ABSALOMS returne and conspiracie TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD William LORD BVRLEIGH ALL GRACE AND Happinesse RIGHT HONOVRABLE THere are but two Bookes wherin we can reade God The one is his Word his Workes the other This is the bigger Volume that the more exquisite The Characters of this are more large but dim of that smaller but clearer Philosophers haue turned ouer this and erred That Diuines and studious Christians not without full and certaine information Jn the Workes of God we see the shadow or footsteps of the Creator in his Word we see the face of God in a glasse Happinesse consists in the Vision of that infinite Maiesty and if wee be perfectly happy aboue in seeing him face to face our happinesse is well forward below in seeing the liuely representation of his face in the glasse of Scriptures Wee cannot spend our eyes too much vpon this Obiect For mee the more J see the more J am amazed the more I am rauished with this glorious beautie With the honest Lepers I cannot bee content to enioy this happy sight alone there is but one way to euery mans Felicity May it please your Lordship to take part with many your Peeres in these my weak but not vnprofitable Contemplations which shall hold themselues not a little graced with your Honourable Name Whereto together with your right Noble and most Worthy Lady I haue gladly deuoted my selfe to bee Your Lordships in all dutifull obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations VzZAH AND THE ARKE REMOVED THe house of Saul is quiet the Philistims beaten victory cannot end better than in deuotion Dauid is no sooner settled in his house at Ierusalem than he fetcheth God to bee his guest there the thousands of Israel goe now in an holy march to bring vp the Arke of God to the place of his rest The tumults of Warre affoorded no opportunity of this seruice onely peace is a friend to Religion neither
see God iust we may goe on safely and prosper But here his foot staies and his hand fals from his Instrument and his tongue is ready to taxe his owne vnworthinesse How shall the Arke of the Lord came vnto me That heart is carnall and proud that thinkes any man worse than himselfe Dauids feare staies his progresse Perhaps he might haue proceeded with good successe but he dares not venture where hee sees such a deadly checke It is better to be too fearefull than too forward in those affaires which doe immediately concerne God As it is not good to refraine from holy businesses so it is worse to doe them ill Awfulnesse is a safe Interpreter of Gods secret actions and a wise guide of ours THIS euent hath holpen Obed-Edom to a guest hee lookt not for God shall now soiourne in the house of him in whose heart hee dwelt before by a strong faith else the man durst not haue vndertaken to receiue that dreadfull Arke which Dauid himselfe feared to harbour Oh the courage of an honest and faithfull heart Obed-Edom knew well enough what slaughter the Arke had made among the Philistims and after that amongst the Bethshemites and now hee saw Vzzah lye dead before him yet doth hee not make any scruple of entertaining it neither doth hee say My Neighbour Abinadab was a carefull and religious host to the Arke and is now payed with the bloud of his sonne how shall I hope to speed better but he opens his doores with a bold cheerefulnesse and notwithstanding all those terrors bids God welcome Nothing can make God not amiable to his owne Euen his very Iustice is louely Holy men know how to reioyce in the Lord with trembling and can feare without discouragement THE God of Heauen will not receiue any thing from men on free cost hee will pay liberally for his lodging a plentifull blessing vpon Obed-Edom and all his household It was an honour to that zealous Gittite that the Arke could come vnder his roofe yet God rewards that honour with benediction Neuer man was a loser by true godlinesse The house of Obad-Edom cannot this while want obseruation the eyes of Dauid and all Israel were neuer off from it to see how it fared with this entertainment And now when they finde nothing but a gracious acceptation and sensible blessing the good King of Israel takes new heart and hastens to fetch the Arke into his royall Citie The view of Gods fauours vpon the godly is no small encouragement to confidence and obedience Doubtlesse Obed-Edom was not free from some weaknesses If the Lord should haue taken the aduantage of iudgement against him what Israelites had not beene disheartened from attending the Arke Now Dauid and Israel was not more affrighted with the vengeance vpon Vzzah than encouraged by the blessing of Obed-Edom The wise God doth so order his iust and mercifull proceedings that the awfulnesse of men may bee tempered with loue Now the sweet singer of Israel reuines his holy Musicke and addes both more spirit and more pompe to so deuout a businesse I did not before heare of Trumpets nor dancing nor shouting nor sacrifice nor the linnen Ephod The sense of Gods passed displeasure doubles our care to please him and our ioy in his recouered approbation wee neuer make so much of our health as after sicknesse nor neuer are so officious to our friend as after an vnkindnesse In the first setting out of the Arke Dauids feare was at least an equall match to his ioy therefore after the first six paces hee offered a sacrifice both to pacifie God and thanke him but now when they saw no signe of dislike they did more freely let themselues loose to a fearelesse ioy and the body stroue to expresse the holy affection of the soule there was no liâ—â—the no part that did not professe their mirth by motâ—on no noyse of voyce or instrument wanted to assist their spirituall iollity Dauid led the way dancing with all his might in his linnen Ephod Vzzah was still in his eye he durst not vsurpe vpon a garment of Priests but will borrow their colour to grace the solemnitie though hee dare not the fashion White was euer the colour of ioy and linnen was light for vse therefore he couers his Princely Robes with white linnen and meanes to honour himselfe by his conformity to Gods Ministers Those that thinke there is disgrace in the Ephod are farre from the spirit of the man after Gods owne heart Neither can there be a greater argument of a soule soule than a dislike of the glorious calling of God Barren Nical hath too many sonnes that scorne the holy habit and exercises she lookes through her window and seeing the attyre and gestures of her deuout husband despiseth him in her heart neither can shee conceale her contempt but like Sauls Daughter cast it proudly in his face Oh how glorious was the King of Israel this day which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the Maidens of his Seruants as a Foole vncouereth himselfe Worldly hearts can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse Pietie hath no relish to their palate but distastfull DAVIDS heart did neuer swell so much at any reproch as this of his Wife his loue was for the time lost in his anger and as a man impatient of no affront so much as in the way of his deuotion he returnes a bitter checke to his MICAL It was before the Lord which those me rather than thy Father and all his house c. Had not Mical twitted her Husband with the shame of his zeale shee had not heard of the shamefull reiection of her father now since shee will bee forgetting whose Wife she was shee shall be put in mind whose Daughter she was Contumelies that are cast vpon vs in the causes of God may safely be repared If we be meale-mouthed in the scornes of Religion we are not patient but zealelesse Here we may not forbeare her that lyes in our bosome If Dauid had not loued Mical dearely he had neuer stood vpon those points with Abner He knew that if Abner came to him the Kingdome of Israel would accompany him and yet hee sends him the charge of not seeing his face except hee brought Mical Sauls daughter with him as if he would not regard the Crowne of Israel whiles he wanted that Wife of his Yet here he takes her vp roundly as if shee had beene an enemy not a partner of his bed All relations are aloofe off in comparison of that betwixt God and the soule He that loues Father or Mother or Wife or Childe better than me saith our Sauiour is not worthy of me Euen the highest delights of our hearts must be trampled vpon when they will stand out in riuality with God Oh happy resolution of the royall Prophet and Propheticall King of Israel I will be yet more vile than thus and will be low in mine owne sight he knew this very
admission surely our iudgment shall be so much the greater by how much better we know whom we haue excluded What doe we cry shame on the Bethleemites whilest we are wilfully more churlish more vnthankfull There is no roome in my heart for the wonder at this humility He for whom heauen is too strait whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe lâ—es in the strait cabbin of the wombe and when he would inlarge himselfe for the world is not allowed the roome of an Inne The many mansions of heauen were at his disposing the earth was his and the fulnes of it yet he suffers himselfe to be refused of a base cottage and complaineth not What measure should discontent vs wretched men when thou O God farest thus from thy creatures How should we learne both to want and abound from thee which abounding with the glory and riches of heauen wouldest want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth Thou camest to thine owne aâ— thy owne receiued thee not How can it trouble vs to be reiected of the world which is not ours what wonder is it if thy seruants wandred abroad in sheeps skins and goats skins destitute and afflicteth when their Lord is denied harbour how should all the world blush at this indignity of Bethleem He that came to saue men is sent for his first lodging to the beasts The stable it become his Inne the cratch his bed O strange cradle of that great King which heauen it selfe may enuy O Sauiour thou that wert both the Maker and Owner of heauen of earth couldst haue made thee a Palace without hands couldst haue commanded thee an empty roome in those houses which thy creatures had made When thou didst but bid the Angels auoid their first place they fell downe form heauen like lightning and when in thine humbled estate thou didst but say I am he who was able to stand before thee How easie had it bin for thee to haue made place for thy selfe in the throngs of the stateliest Courts Why couldest thou be thus homely but that by conteÌ„ning worldly glories thou mightst teach vs to contemne them that thou mightst sanctifie pouerty to them whom thou callest vnto want that since thou which hadst the choice of all earthly conditions wouldst be borne poore and despised those which must want out of necessity might not thinke their pouerty grieuous Here was neither friend to entertaine nor seruant to attend nor place wherein to be attended onely the poore beasts gaue way to the God of al the world It is the great mystery of godlines that God was manifested in the flesh and seene of Angels but here which was the top of all wonders the very beasts might see their Maker For those spirits to see God in the flesh it was not so strange as for the brute creatures to see him which was the God of spirits He that would be led into the wildernesse amongst wilde beasts to be tempted would come into the house of beasts to be borne that from the height of his diuine glory his humiliation might be the greater How can we be abased low enough for thee O Sauiour that hast thus neglected thy selfe for vs That the visitation might be answerable to the homelines of the place attendants prouision who shal come to congratulate his birth but poore shepherds The kings of the earth rest at home and haue no summons to attend him by whom they reigne God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty In an obscure time the night vnto obscure men shepherds doth God manifest the light of his Son by glorious Angels It is not our meannesse O God that can exclude vs from the best of thy mercies yea thus far dost thou respect persons that thou hast put downe the mighty and exalted them of low degree If these shepherds had beene snorting in their beds they had no more seene Angels nor heard newes of their Sauior than their neighbours Their vigilancy is honored with this heauenly vision those which are industrious in any calling are capable of further blessings whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation No lesse than a whole Chore of Angels are worthy to sing the hymne of Glory to God for the incarnation of his Sonne What ioy is enough for vs whose nature he tooke and whom he came to restore by his incarnation If we had the tonges of Angels we could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious Redeemer No sooner doe the shepherds heare the newes of a Sauiour than they run to Bethleem to seek him Those that left their beds to tend their flocks leaue their flocks to inquire after their Sauior No earthly thing is too deare to be forsaken for Christ If we suffer any worldly occasioÌ„ to stay vs froÌ„ Bethleem we care more for our sheep than our soules It is not possible that a faithful heart should heare where Christ is not labour to the sight to the fruition of him Where art thou O Sauiour but at home in thine owne house in the assembly of thy Saints Where art thou to be found but in thy Word and Sacraments yea there thou seekest for vs if there we haste not to seeke for thee we are worthy to want thee worthy that our want of thee here should make vs want the presence of thy face for euer The Sages and the Starre THe shepherds and rhe cratâ—h accorded well yet euen they saw nothing which they might not contemne neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a king than that King whom they came to see But oh the Diuine Maiesty that shined in this basenes There lies the Babe in the stable crying in the manger whom the Angels came downe from heauen to proclaime whom the Sages come from the East to adore whom an heauenly Star notifies to the world that now men might see that heauen and earth serues him-that neglected himselfe Those lights that hang low are not far seene but those which are high placed are equally seene in the remotest distances Thy light ô Sauiour was no lesse than heauenly The East saw that which Bethleem might haue seene oft times those which are neerest in place are farthest off in affection Large obiects when they are too close to the eie doe so ouer-fill the sense that they are not discerned What a shame is this to Bethleem the Sages came out of the East to worship him whom that village refused The Bethleemites were Iewes The wise-men Gentiles This first entertainment of Christ was a prâ—sage of the sequell The Gentiles shall come from far to adore Christ whiles the Iewes reiect him Those Easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature professed Philosophers them hath God singled out to the honor of the manifestation of Christ Humane learning well improued makes vs capable of diuine There is no knowledge wherof God is not the Author he would neuer haue
rather choke than nourish vs Let him withdraw his hand from his creature in their greatest abundance wee perish Why doe we therefore bend our eyes on the meanes and not looke vp to the hand that giues the blessing What so necesary dependance hath the blessing vpon the creature if our Prayers hold them not together As wee may not neglect the meanes so wee may not neglect the procurement of a blessing vpon the meanes nor bee vnthankfull to the hand that hath giuen the blessing In the first assault Sathan moues Christ to doubt of his Fathers Prouidence and to vse vnlawfull meanes to help himselfe in the next hee moues him to presume vpon his Fathers protection and the seruice of his blessed Angels Hee grounds the first vpon a conceit of want the next of abundance If hee be in extreames it is all to one end to misleade vnto euill If wee cannot be driuen drowne to despayre he labours to lift vs vp to presumption It is no one foyle 〈…〉 put this bold spirit out of countenance Temptations like waues breake one in the â—eke of another Whilâ—â— wee are in this warfare wee must make account that the repulse of one temptation doth but more to another That blessed Sauiour of ours that was content to bee led from Iordan into the Wildernesse for the aduantage of the first temptation yeelds to bee 〈◊〉 from the Wildernesse to Ierusalem for the aduantage of the second The place doth not a little auayle to the act The Wildernesse was fit for a temptation ariâ— from want it was not fit for a temptation mouing to vain-glory The populous Citie was the fittest for such a motion Ierusalem was the glory of the World the Temple was the glory of Ierusalem the Pinacles the highest peace of the Pinacle there is Christ content to be set for the opportunitie of tentation O Sauiour of men how can wee wonder enough at this humilitie of thine that thou worthless so fâ—rre abasâ— thy selfe as to suffer thy pure and sacred Body to bee transported by the presumptuous and malicious hand of that vncleane spirit It was not his power it was thy patience that deserues our admiration Neyther can this seeme 〈◊〉 strange to vs when wee consider that if Sathan bee the head of wicked men wicked men 〈◊〉 the members of Sathan What was Pilate or the Iewes that persecuted thine innocence but limmes of this Deuill and why are wee then amazed to see thee touched and locally transported by the head whe wee see thee yeelding thy selfe ouer to bee crucified by the members If Sathan did the worke and greater mediately by their hands no maruell if hee doe the lesse and easier immediately by his owne yet neyther of them without thy voluntary dispensation Hee could not 〈◊〉 looked nâ— thee without thee And if the Sonne of God did thus suffer his owne holy and precious Bodie to bee carryed by Sathan what wonder is it if that Enemie haue sometimes power giuen him ouer the sinnefull bodies of the adopted Sonnes of God It is not the strength of faith that can secure vs from the outward violences of that euill one This difference I finde betwixt his spirituall and bodily assaults those are beaten backe by the shield of faith there aduise not of such repulse As the best man may bee lame blinde diseased so through the permission of God hee may bee bodily vexed by an old Maâ—yer Grace was neuer giuen vs for a Target against externall afflictions Mee thinkes I see Christ hoysed vpon the highest Battlements of the Temple whose very roofe was an hundred and thirty Cubits high and Sathan standing by him with this speech in his mouth Well then since in the matter of nourishments thou will needs depend vpon thy Fathers Prouidence that hee can without meanes sustaine thee take now further trial of that Prouidence in thy miraculous preseruation Cast thy selfe downe from this height Behold thou art hereiin Ierusalem the famous and holy Citie of the World here thou art on the top of the pinacle of that Temple which is dedicated to thy Father and if thou bee God to thy selfe the eyes of all men are now fixt vpon thee there cannot bee deuised a more ready way to spred thy glory and to proclaime thy Deitie than by casting thy selfe head long to the Earth All the World will say there is more in thee than a man and for danger there can bee none What can hurt him that is the Sonne of God and wherefore serues that glorious Guard of Angels which haue by diuine Commission taken vpon them the charge of thine humanity since therefore in contract them mayest bee both safe and celebrated trust thy Father and those thy seruiceable spirits with thine assured preseruation Cast thy selfe downe And why didst thou not O thou malignant spirit endeuour to cast downe my Sauiour by those same presumptuous hands that brought him vp since the descent is more easie than the raysing vp was it for that it had not beene so great an aduantage to thee that hee should fall by thy meanes as by his owne falling into sinne was more than to fall from the pinacle still thy care and suite is to make vs Anâ— to our selues of euill thou gainest nothing by our bodily hurt if the soule bee safe Or was it rather for that thou couldst not I doubt not but thy malice could as well haue serued to haue offered this measure to himselfe as to his holy Apostle soone after but hee that bounded thy power tether'd thee shorter Thou couldst not thou canst not doe what thou wouldst He that would permit thee to carrie him vp binds thy hands from casting him downe And woe were it for vs if thou werâ— not euer stinted Why did Satan carry vp Christ so high but on purpose that his fall might bee the more deadly so deales hee still with vs he exalts vs that wee may bee dangerously abased Hee puffs them vp with swelling thoughts of their owne worthinesse that they may bee vile in the eyes of God and fall into condemnation It is the manner of God to cast downe that hee may raise to abase that hee may exalt Contrarily Satan raises vp that he may throw downe and intends nothing but our deiection in our aduancement Height of place giues opportunity of tentation Thus busie is that wicked one in working against the members of Christ If any of them bee in eminence aboue others those hee labours most to ruinate They had need to stand fast that stand high Both there is more danger of their falling and more hurt in their fall Hee that had presumed thus farre to tempt the Lord of Life would faine now draw him also to presume vpon his Deitie If thou bee the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe There is not a more tryed shaft in all his quiuer than this a perswasion to men to beare themselues too bold vpon the fauour of God Thou art the Elect and Redeemed
lust If now Dauid should haue returned to his owne bed hee had seconded the incest How much more worthy of separation are they who haue stained the mariage-bed with their wilfull sinne Amasa was one of the witnesses and abettors of Absaloms filthinesse yet is he out of policie receiued to fauour and imployment whiles the concubine suffer Great men yeeld many times to those things out of reasons of state which if they were priuate persons could not bee easily put ouer It is no small wisdome to engage a new reconciled friend that he may be confirmed by his owne act Therefore is Amasa commanded to leauie the forces of Iudah Ioab after many great merits and atchieuements lies rusting in neglect he that was so intire with Dauid as to bee of his counsell for Vriahs blood and so firme to Dauid as to lead all his battels against the house of Saul the Ammonites the Aramites Absalom is now cashiered must yeeld his place to a stranger late an enemy Who knows not that this sonne of Zeruiah had shed the blood of war in peace But if the blood of Absalom had not bin louder then the blood of Abner I feare this change had not been Now Ioab smarteth for a loyall disobedience How slippery are the stations of earthly honors and subiect to continuall â—â—ueability Happy are they who are in fauour with him in whom there is no shadow of change Where men are commonly most ambitious to please with their first imployments Amasa slackens his pace The least delay in matters of rebellion is perilous may be inrecouerable The sons of Zeruiah are not sullen Abishai is sent Ioab goes vnsent to the pursuit of Sheba Amasa was in their way whom no quarrell but their enâ—y had made of a brother an enemy Had the heart of Amasa beene priuy to any cause of grudge he had suspected the Kisse of Ioab now his innocent eyes looke to the lips not to the hand of his secret enemy The lips were smooth Art thou in health my brother the hand was bloody which smote him vnder the fift ribbe That vnhappy hand knew well this way vnto death which with one wound hath let out the Soules of two great Captaines Abaer and Amasa both they were smitten by Ioab both vnder the fift ribbe both vnder a pretence of friendship There is no enmity so dangerous as that which comes masked with loue Open hostility cals vs to our guard but there is no fence against a trusted trecherie We need not bee bidden to auoyde an enemy but who would run away from a friend Thus spiritually deales the world with our soules it kisses vs and stabs vs at once If it did not embrace vs with one hand it could not murther vs with the other Onely God deliuer vs from the danger of 〈◊〉 trust and we shall be safe Ioab is gone and leaues Amasa wallowing in blood That spectacle cannot but stay all passengers The death of great persons drawes euer many eyes Each man sayes Is not this my Lord Amasa Wherefore doe we goe to fight whiles our Generall lyes in the dust What a sad presage is this of our owne miscariage The wit of Ioabs followers hath therefore soone both remoued Amasa out of the way and couered him not regarding so much the losse as the eye-sore of Israel Thus wicked Politicks care not so much for the commission of villany as for the notice Smothered euils are as not done If oppressions if murders if treasons may be hid from view the obdured heart of the offender complaines not of remorse Bloody Ioab with what face with what heart canst thou pursue a Traitor to thy King whiles thy selfe art so foule a Traitor to thy friend to thy cozen-german and in so vnseasonable a slaughter to thy Soueraigne whose cause thou professest to reuenge If Amasa were now in an act of loyalty iustly on Gods part payd for the arerages of his late rebellion yet that it should bee done by thy hand then and thus it was flagitiously cruell Yet behold Ioab runs away securely with the fact haâ—â—â—ing to plague that in another whereof himselfe was no lesse guilty So vast are the gorges of some consciences that they can swallow the greatest crimes and find no straine in the passage It is possible for a man to be faithfull to some one person and perfidious to all others I do not find Ioab other then firme and loyall to Dauid in the midst of all his priuate falshoods whose iust quarrell he pursues against Sheba through all the Tribes of Israel None of all the strong Forts of reuolted Israel can hide the Rebell from the zeale of his reuenge The Citty of Abel lends harbor to that conspirator whom all Israel would and cannot protect Ioab casts vp a Mount against it and hauing inuironed it with a siege begins to worke vpon the wall and now after long chase is in hand to dig out that Vermin which hath earthed himselfe in this borough of Bethmaachah Had not the City been strong and populous Sheba had not cast himselfe for succor within those wals yet of all the inhabitants I see not any one man moue for the preseruation of their whole body Onely a woman vndertakes to treat with Ioab for their safety Those men whose spirits were great enough to maintaine a Traitor against a mighty King scorne not to giue way to the wisdome of a matron There is no reason that sexe should disparage where the vertue and merit is no lesse then masculine Surely the soule acknowledgeth no sex neither is varied according to the outward frame How oft haue we knowne female hearts in the brests of Men and contrarily manly powers in the weaker vessels It is iniurious to measure the act by the person and not rather to esteeme the person for the act She with no lesse prudence then courage challengeth Ioab for the violence of his assault and layes to him that law which he could not bee an Israelite and disauow the Law of the God of peace whose charge it was that when they should come neere to a City to fight against it they should offer it peace and if this tender must be made to forainers how much more to brethren So as they must inquire of Abel ere they batter'd it War is the extreme act of vindicatiue iustice neither doth God euer approue it for any other then a desperate remedy and if it haue any other end then peace it turnes into publike murder It is therefore an inhumane cruelty to shed blood where we haue not profered faire conditions of peace the refusall whereof is iustly punished with the sword of reuenge Ioab was a man of blood yet when the wise woman of Abel charged him with going about to destroy a mother in Israel and swallowing vp the inheritance of the Lord with what vehemency doth hee deprecate that challenge God forbid God forbid it me that I should deuoure or destroy it Although that city with
internall impulsion Caried by the same power that vnbound him for the oportunity of his Tyranny for the horrour of the place for the affamishment of his body for the auoidance of all meanes of resistance Solitary deserts are the delights of Satan It is an vnwise zeale that moues vs to doe that to our selues in an opinion of merit and holinesse which the Deuill wishes to doe to vs for a punishment and conueniencie of tentation The euill spirit is for solitarinesse God is for societie He dwels in the assembly of his Saints yea there hee hath a delight to dwell Why should not wee account it our happinesse that we may haue leaue to dwell where the author of all happinesse loues to dwell There cannot bee any misery incident into vs whereof our gracious Redeemer is not both conscious and sensible without any intreatie therefore of the miserable Demoniack or suit of any friend the God of spirits takes pitie of his distresse and from no motion but his owne commands the ill spirit to come forth of the man O admirable president of mercy preuenting our requests exceeding our thoughts forcing fauours vpon our impotence doing that for vs which we should and yet cannot desire If men vpon our instant solicitations would giue vs their best aide it were a iust praise of their bounty but it well became thee O God of mercy to goe without force to giue without suit And doe wee thinke thy goodnesse is impaired by thy glory If thou wert thus commiseratiue vpon earth art thou lesse in heauen How doest thou now take notice of all our complaints of all our infirmities How doth thine infinite pitie take order to redresse them What euill can befall vs which thou knowest not feelest not relieuest not How safe are wee that haue such a Guardian such a Mediator in heauen Not long before had our Sauiour commanded the winds and waters and they could not but obey him now he speakes in the same language to the euill spirit hee intreats not he perswades not hee commands Command argues superioritie Hee onely is infinitely stronger then the strong one in possession Else where powers are matcht though with some inequalitie they tugge for the victory and without a resistance yeeld nothing There are no fewer sorts of dealing with Satan then with men Some haue dealt with him by suit as the old Satanian hereticks and the present Indian Sauages sacrificing to him that hee hurt not Others by couenant conditioning their seruice vpon his assistance as Witches and Magicians Others by insinuation of implicite compact as charmers and Figure-casters Others by abduration as the sonnes of Scena and moderne Exorcists vnwarrantably charging him by an higher name then their owne None euer offered to deale with Satan by a direct and primary command but the God of spirits the great Archangell when the strife was about the body of Moses commanded not but imprecated rather The Lord rebuke thee Satan It is onely the God that made this spirit an Angell of light that can command him now that he hath made himselfe the Prince of darknesse If any created power dare to vsurpe a word of command he laughs at their presumption and knows them his vassals whom hee dissembles to feare as his Lords It is thou onely O Sauiour at whose becke those stubborne Principalities of hell yeeld and tremble no wicked man can bee so much a slaue to Satan as Satan is to thee the interposition of the grace may defeat that dominion of Satan thy rule is absolute and capable of no let What need wee to feare whiles wee are vnder so omnipotent a Commander The waues of the deepe rage horribly yet the Lord is stronger then they Let those Principalities and Powers doe their worst Those mighty aduersaries are vnder the command of him who loued vs so well as to bleed for vs What can wee now doubt off His power or his will How can wee professe him a God and doubt of his power How can wee professe him a Sauiour and doubt of his will Hee both can and will command those infernall powers we are no lesse safe then they are malicious The Deuill saw Iesus by the eyes of the Demoniack For the same saw that spake but it was the ill spirit that said I beseech thee torment mee not It was sore against his will that hee saw so dreadfull an obiect The ouer-ruling power of Christ dragged the foule spirit into his presence Guiltinesse would faine keepe out of sight The limmes of so wofull an head shall once call on the Hils and Rocks to hide them from the face of the Lambe such Lyon-like terrour is in that milde face when it lookes vpon wickednesse Neither shall it bee one day the least part of the torment of the damned to see the most louely spectacle that heauen can afford Hee from whom they fled in his offers of grace shall be so much more terrible as hee was and is more gracious I maruell not therefore that the Deuill when hee saw Iesus cryed out I could maruell that hee fell downe that hee worshipped him That which the proud spirit would haue had Christ to haue done to him in his great Duell the same he now doth vnto Christ fearfully seruilely forcedly Who shall henceforth bragge of the externall homage hee performes to the Sonne of God when hee sees Satan himselfe fall downe and worship What comfort can there be in that which is common to vs with Deuils who as they beleeue and tremble so they tremble and worship The outward bowings is the body of the action the disposition of the soule is the soule of it therein lies the difference from the counterfeit stoopings of wicked men and spirits The religious heart serues the Lord in feare and reioyces in him with trembling What it doth is in way of seruice In seruice to his Lord whose soueraignty is his comfort and protection In the feare of a son not of a slaue In feare tempered with ioy In a ioy but allayed with trembling whereas the prostration of wicked men and deuils is onely an act of forme or of force as to their Iudge as to their Tormentor not as to their Lord in meere seruility not in reuerence in an vncomfortable dulnesse without all delight in a perfect horror without capacitie of ioy These worship without thankes because they fall downe without the true affections of worship Who so maruels to see the Deuill vpon his knees would much more maruell to heare what came from his mouth Iesu the sonne of the most high God A confession which if we should heare without the name of the Author we should aske from what Saint it came Behold the same name giuen to Christ by the Deuill which was formerly giuen him by the Angell Thou shalt call his name Iesus That awfull name whereat euery knee shall bow in heauen in earth and vnder the earth is called vpon by this prostrate Deuill and lest that
should not import enough since others haue beene honoured by this name in Type he addes for full distinction The Sonne of the most High God The good Syrophenecian and blind Bartemeus could say The Sonne of Dauid It was well to acknowledge the true descent of his pedigree according to the flesh but this infernall spirit lookes aloft and fetcheth his line out of the highest heauens The Sonne of the most high God The famous confession of the prime Apostle which honoured him with a new name to immortalitie was no other then Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and what other doe I heare from the lips of a fiend None more diuine words could fall from the highest Saint Nothing hinders but that the veriest miscreant on earth yea the foulest Deuill in Hell may speake holily It is no passing of iudgement vpon loose sentences So Peter should haue been cast for a Satan in denying forswearing cursing and the Deuill should haue beene set vp for a Saint in confessing Iesus the Sonne of the most high God Fond hypocrite that pleasest thy selfe in talking well heare this Deuil and when thou canst speake better then he looke to fare better but in the meane time know that a smooth tongue and a foule heart caries away double iudgements Let curious heads dispute whether the Deuill knew Christ to bee God In this I dare beleeue himselfe though in nothing else he knew what hee beleeued what hee beleeued what he confessed Iesus the Sonne of the most high God To the confusion of those semi-Christians that haue either held doubtfully or ignorantly mis-knowne or blasphemously denied what the very Deuils haue professed How little can a bare speculation auaile vs in these cases of Diuinitie So farre this Deuill hath attained to no ease no comfort Knowledge alone doth but puffe vp it is our loue that edifies If there be not a sense of our sure interest in this Iesus a power to apply his merits and obedience we are no wâ—â—t the safer no whit the better onely we are so much the wiser to vnderstand who shall condemne vs. The piece of the clause was spoken like a Saint Iesus the Sonne of the most high God the other piece like a Deuill What haue I to doe with thee If the disclamation were vniuersall the latter words would impugne the former for whiles hee confesses Iesus to be the Sonne of the most high God hee withall confesses his owne ineuitable subiection Wherefore would he beseech if he were not obnoxious He cannot hee dare not say What hast thou to doe with me but What haue I to doe with thee Others indeed I haue vexed thee I feare in respect then of any violence of any personall prouocation What haue I to doe with thee And doest thou aske O thou euill spirit what thou hast to doe with Christ whiles thou vexest a seruant of Christ Hast thou thy name from knowledge and yet so mistakest him whom thou confessest as if nothing could be done to him but what immediately concernes his owne person Heare that great and iust Iudge sentencing vpon his dreadfull Tribunall In as much as thou didst it vnto one of these little ones thou didst it vnto me It is an idle misprision to seuer the sense of an iniury done to any of the members from the head Hee that had humilitie enough to kneele to the Son of God hath boldnesse enough to expostulate Art thou come to torment vs before our time Whether it were that Satan who vseth to enioy the torment of sinners whose musick it is to heare our shrieks and gnashings held it no small piece of his torment to bee restrained in the exercise of his tyrannie Or whether the very presence of Christ were his racke For the guilty spirit proiecteth terrible things and cannot behold the Iudge or the executioner without a renouation of horror Or whether that as himselfe professeth he were now in a fearfull expectation of being commanded downe into the deepe for a further degree of actuall torment which he thus deprecates There are tortures appointed to the very spirituall natures of euill Angels Men that are led by sense haue easily granted the body subiect to torment who yet haue not so readily conceiued this incident to a spirituall substance The holy Ghost hath not thought it fit to acquaint vs with the particular manner of these inuisible acts rather willing that wee should herein feare then enquire but as all matters of faith though they cannot be proued by reason for that they are in an higher sphere yet afford an answer able to stop the mouth of al reason that dares bark against them since truth cannot be opposite to it selfe so this of the sufferings of spirits There is therefore both an intentionall torment incident to spirits and a reall For as in blessednes the good spirits find themselues ioined vnto the chiefe good and herevpon feele a perfect loue of God and vnspeakable ioy in him and rest in themselues so contrarily the euill spirits perceiue themselues eternally excluded from the presence of God and see themselues setled in a wofull darknesse and from the sense of this separation arises an horrour not to be expressed not to be conceiued How many men haue wee knowne to torment themselues with their owne thoughts There needs no other gibbet then that which their troubled spirit hath erected in their owne heart and if some paines begin at the body and from thence afflict the soule in a copartnership of griefe yet others arise immediately from the soule and draw the body into a participation of misery Why may we not therefore conceiue meere and separate spirits capable of such an inward excruciation Besides which I heare the Iudge of men and Angels say Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels I heare the Prophet say Tophet is prepared of old If with feare and without curiositie wee may looke vpon those flames Why may we not attribute a spirituall nature to that more then naturall fire In the end of the world the elements shall be dissolued by fire and if the pure quintessentiall matter of the skie and the element of fire it selfe shall be dissolued by fire then that last fire shall be of another nature then that which it consumeth what hinders then but that the omnipotent God hath from eternitie created a fire of another nature proportionable euen to spirituall essences Or why may wee not distinguish of fire as it is it selfe a bodily creature and as it is an instrument of Gods iustice so working not by any materiall vertue or power of it owne but by a certain height of supernaturall efficacie to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous Iudge Or lastly why may wee not conceiue that though spirits haue nothing materiall in their nature which that fire should worke vpon yet by the iudgement of the almightie Arbiter of the world iustly
for none but God to hold discourse with Satan Our surest way is to haue as little to doe with that euill one as wee may and if hee shall offer to maintaine conference with vs by his secret tentations to turne our speech vnto our God with the Archangell The Lord rebuke thee Satan It was the presupposition of him that knew it that not only men but spirits haue names This then he askes not out of an ignorance or curiositie nothing could bee hid from him who calleth the starres and all the hosts of heauen by their names but out of a iust respect to the glory of the miracle hee was working whereto the notice of the name would not a little auaile For if without inquirie or confession our Sauiour had erected this euill spirit it had passed for the single dispossession of one onely Deuill whereas now it appeares there was a combination and hellish champertie in these powers of darknesse which were all forced to vaile vnto that almighty command Before the Deuill had spoken singularly of himselfe What haue I to doe with thee and I beseech thee torment me not Our Sauiour yet knowing that there was a multitude of Deuils lurking in that brest who dissembled their presence wrests it out of the Spirit by this interrogation What is thy name Now can those wicked ones no longer hide themselues He that asked the question forced the answer My name is Legion The author of discord hath borrowed a name of warre from that military order of discipline by which the Iewes were subdued doth the Deuill fetch his denomination They were many yet they say My name not Our name though many they speake as one they act as one in this possession There is a maruellous accordance euen betwixt euill spirits that Kingdome is not diuided for then it could not stand I wonder not that wicked men doe so conspire in euill that there is such vnanimitie in the broachers and abettors of errours when I see those Deuils which are many in substance are one in name action habitation Who can bragge too much of vnitie when it is incident into wicked spirits All the praise of concord is in the subiect if that be holy the consent is Angelicall if sinfull deuillish What a fearfull aduantage haue our spirituall enemies against vs If armed troopes come against single straglers what hope is there of life of victory How much doth it concerne vs to band our hearts together in a communion of Saints Our enemies come vpon vs like a torrent Oh let not vs runne asunder like drops in the dust All our vnited forces will bee little enough to make head against this league of destruction Legion imports Order number conflict Order in that there is a distinction of regiment a subordination of Officers Though in hell there be confusion of faces yet not confusion of degrees Number Those that haue reckoned a Legion at the lowest haue counted it six thousand others haue more then doubled it though here it is not strict but figuratiue yet the letter of it implyes multitude How fearfull is the consideration of the number of Apostate Angels And if a Legion can attend one man how many must we needs thinke are they who all the world ouer are at hand to the punishment of the wicked the exercise of the good the tentation of both It cannot be hoped there can be any place or time wherein we may be secure from the onsets of these enemies Be sure ye lewd men ye shall want no furtherance to euill no torment for euill Be sure yee godly yee shall not want combatants to try your strength and skill Awaken your courages to resist and stirâ—e vp your hearts make sure the meanes of your safety There are more with vs then against vs The God of heauen is with vs if we be with him and our Angels behold the face of God If euery deuill were a Legion we are safe Though wee walke through the valley of the shadow of death we shall feare no euill Thou O Lord shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of our enemies and thy right hand shall saue vs. Conflict All this number is not for sight for rest but for motion for action Neither was there euer houre since the first blow giuen to our first Parents wherein there was so much as a truce betwixt these aduersaries As therefore strong frontier Townes when there is a peace concluded on both parts breake vp their garison open their gates neglect their Bulwarkes but when they heare of the enemy mustering his forces in great and vnequall numbers then they double their guard keepe Sentinell repaire their Sconces so must we vpon the certaine knowledge of our numerous and deadly enemies in continuall aray against vs addresse our selues alwayes to a wary and strong resistance I doe not obserue the most to thinke of this ghostly hostilitie Either they doe not finde there are tentations or those tentations hurtfull they see no worse then themselues and if they feele motions of euill arising in them they impute it to fancy or vnreasonable appetite to no power but natures and those motions they follow without sensible hurt neither see they what harme it is to finne Is it any maruell that carnall eyes cannot discerne spirituall obiects That the world who is the friend the vassall of Satan is in no warre with him Elisha's seruant when his eyes were opened saw troops of spirituall souldiers which before hee discerned not If the eyes of our soules bee once enlightened by supernaturall knowledge and the cleare beames of faith wee shall as plainely descry the inuisible powers of wickednesse as now our bodily eyes see heauen and earth They are though wee see them not we cannot be safe from them if wee doe not acknowledge not oppose them The Deuils are now become great suitors to Christ That hee would not command them into the deepe that hee would permit their entrance into the swine What is this deepe but hell both for the vtter separation from the face of God and for the impossibilitie of passage to the region of rest and glory The very euill spirits then feare and expect a further degree of torment they know themselues reserued in those chaines of darknesse for the iudgement of the great day There is the same wages due to their sinnes and to ours neither are the wages paid till the worke bee done they tempting men to sinne must needs sinne grieuously in tempting as with vs men those that mislead into sinne offend more then the actors not till the vpshot therefore of their wickednesse shall they receiue the full measure of their condemnation This day this deepe they tremble at what shall I say of those men that feare it not It is hard for men to beleeue their owne vnbeliefe If they were perswaded of this fiery dungeon this bottomlesse deepe wherein euery sinne shall receiue an horrible portion with the damned durst they stretch