knowest I loue thee Why are you else in such awe to offend that a world cannot bribe you to sinne Why in such deepe griefe vvhen you haue sinned that no mirth can refresh you Why in such feruent desire of enioying his presence Why in such agony when you enioy it not neither doth God loue you neither can you loue God without faith Yet more Doe you willingly nourish any one sinne in your brest do you not repent of all Doe you not hate all tho you cannot leaue all Doe you not complaine that you hate them no more Doe you not as for life wish for holinesse and endeuour it Nothing but faith can thus cleanse the heart that like a good hous-wife sweeps all the foule corners of the soule and will not leaue so much as one webbe in this roomie house Trust to it you cannot hate sinne for it owne sake and forsake it for Gods sake without faith the faithlesse hath had some remorse and feares neuer repentance Lastly doe you not loue a good man for goodnesse and delight in Gods Saints Doth not your loue leade you to compassion your compassion to reliefe An heart truely faithfull cannot but haue an hand christianly bountifull Charitie and Faith make vp one perfect paire of Compasses that can take the true latitude of a Christian heart Faith is the one foot pitcht in the centre vnmoueably while Charitie vvalkes about in a perfect circle of beneficence these two neuer did neither can goe asunder Warrant you your loue I dare warrant your faith What need I say more This heat of your affections and this light of your workes wil euince against all the gates of hell that you haue the fire of Faith let your soule then warme it selfe with these sweet and cordiall flames against all those cold despaires whereto you are tempted say Lord I beleeue and I will giue you leaue still to adde Helpe my vnbeleefe To Mr ED. ALLEYNE EP. VII A direction how to conceiue of God in our deuotions and meditations YOu haue chosen and iudged well How to conceiue of the Deitie in our prayers in our meditations is both the deepest point of all Christianitie and the most necessarie so deepe that if we wade into it we may easily drowne neuer finde the bottom so necessarie that without it our selues our seruices are prophane irreligious wee are all borne Idolaters naturally prone to fashion God to some forme of our owne whether of an humane bodie or of an admirable light or if our minde haue any other more likely and pleasing image First then away with all these wicked thoughts these grosse deuotions and with Iacob burie all your strange gods vnder the oake of Shechem ere you offer to set vp Gods Altar at Bethel and without all mentall representations conceiue of your God purely simply spiritually as of an absolute being without forme without matter without composition yea an infinite without all limit of thoughts Let your heart adore a spirituall Maiestie which it cannot comprehend yet knowes to be and as it were lose it selfe in his infinitenesse Thinke of him as not to be thought of as one whose wisdome is his iustice whose iustice is his power whose power is his mercie and whose wisedome iustice power mercy is himselfe as without qualitie good great without quantitie euerlasting without time present euery where without place containing all things without extent and when your thoughts are come to the highest stay there and be content to vvonder in silence and if you cannot reach to conceiue of him as he is yet take heed you conceiue not of him as he is not Neither will it suffice your Christian mind to haue this awefull and confused apprehension of the Deitie without a more speciall and inward conceit of three in this one three persons in this one essence not diuided but distinguished and not more mingled then diuided There is nothing vvherein the vvant of words can wrong and grieue vs but in this Here alone as we can adore and not conceiue so we can conceiue and not vtter yea vtter our selues and not be conceiued yet as wee may Thinke here of one substance in three subsistences one essence in three relations one IEHOVAH begetting begotten proceeding Father Sonne Spirit yet so as the Son is no other thing from the Father but another person or the Spirit from the Sonne Let your thoughts here vvalke warily the path is narrow the conceit either of three substances or but one subsistence is damnable Let me lead you yet higher and further in this intricate vvay towards the Throne of grace All this will not auaile you if you take not your Mediator with you if you apprehend not a true manhood gloriously vnited to the Godhead without change of either nature without mixture of both whose presence vvhose merits must giue passage acceptance vigour to your prayers Here must be therefore as you see thoughts holily mixed of a Godhead and humanitie one person in two natures of the same Deitie in diuers persons and one nature wherein if euer heauenly wisdome must bestir it selfe in directing vs so to seuer these apprehensions that none be neglected so to conioyne them that they bee not confounded O the depth of diuine mysteries more then can be wondred at O the necessitie of this high knowledge which vvho attaines not may babble but prayeth not Still you doubt and aske if you may not direct your prayers to one person of three Why not Safely and with comfort What need we feare while wee haue our Sauiour for our patterne O my father if possible let this Cup passe and Paul euery where both in thanks and requests but with due care of worshipping all in one Exclude the other while you fix your heart vpon one your prayer is sinne retaine all and mention one you offend not None of them doth ought for vs without all It is a true rule of Diuines All their externall workes are common To sollicit one therefore and not all were iniurious And if you stay your thoughts vpon the sacred humanitie of Christ with inseparable adoration of the Godhead vnited and thence climbe vp to the holy conceit of that blessed and dreadfull Trinity I dare not censure I dare not but commend your diuine method Thus should Christians ascend from earth to heauen from one heauen to another If I haue giuen your deuotions any light it is well the least glimpse of this knowledge is vvorth all the full gleames of humane and earthly skill But I mistake if your owne heart wrought vpon with serious meditations vnder that spirit of illumination will not proue your best master After this vveake direction studie to conceiue aright that you may pray aright and pray that you may conceiue and meditate that you may doe both and the God of heauen direct you inable you that you may doe all To M. THOMAS IAMES of Oxford EP. VIII A discourse of the grounds of the Papists
Of gifts ministeries operations From the spirit are deriued gifts ministeries from the Sonne operations from the Father There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit of ministeries but the same Lord of operations but the same God Away with all niceties of Pythagorean calculations All numbers are alike to me saue those which God himselfe hath chalked out vnto vs as here he hath manifestly done In one word An Vnity and a Trinity make vp this golden sentence There is a Trinity in this Vnity There is an Vnity in this Trinity First here is a perfect that is a Triple Trinity A Trinity of diuersities a Trinity of faculties a Trinity of giuers For there are so many diuersities as faculties and so many faculties as giuers The faculties are three gifts ministeries operations The giuers three The Father the Sonne the Spirit which all are included in one Vnity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same God And yet euen that Vnity hath his distinction whiles gifts are as it were by a specialty ascribed to the Spirit ministeries to the Sonne to the Father operations That our discourse may not seeme too perplexed wee will follow the foot-steps of our Apostle and with all possible perspicuity will apply the diuersities to the faculties the faculties to the giuers These Trinities to their Vnity and this done draw to a briefe conclusion A threefold Diuersity argues multiplicity What meant the Ancients to dreame but of three Graces here are a thousand graces gifts infinite Looke vpon all the grand-children of Adam that euer were amongst so many thousand millions of faces ye shall easily obserue some variety of fauours It is a wonder to see what diuersity of formes there is in that which wee call beauty No twins are so like as not to bewray some dissimilitude Certainly there is not so great variety of faces as of mindes As features are to the countenance so are gifts to the minde Each one hath some all haue many none haue all There are diuersities of gifts Salmeron with Caietan vnderstands here those gifts which wee call Gratias gratis datas Graces freely giuen wherein he saies true but not enough For as the old word is Fauours must be inlarged and â—hose gifts which make vs gracious are best worthy of this name It is not amisse that Hugo reckons vp three sorts of Gods gifts to man Gifts of nature of grace of glory By the gifts of nature wee are men by the gifts of grace we are holy by the gifts of glory we shall be blessed The gifts of nature are memory reason will wherein we excell the brute creatures The gifts of grace are faith hope charitie wherein we go beyond the Deuils The gifts of glory eternall and true blessednesse blessed and eternall truth true and blessed eternity wherein wee are equall to the Angels Amongst the gifts of nature the same Author reckons some to be of the lowest ranke some of the meane some of the highest In the lowest he accounts beauty and health of body In the meane hee accounts the faculties of the minde In the highest the vertues of the soule Thus there are diuersities of gifts There are some gifts of Regeneration there are some gifts of our calling by the former we are borne againe for our owne good with the latter we are furnished for the good of others These latter are peculiarly bestowed vpon seuerall men the former â—e by a certaine common propriety bestowed vpon all the Saints of God For as in the most wise disposition of this vniuerse the best things and those which are necessary for the sustentation of life as ayre light fire water are abundantly giuen to all but those things which serue onely for ornament and pleasure as Gold Pearle Precious stones are more sparingly bestowed vpon some few So euery sauing grace is abundantly dispensed to all Saints by the liberall hand of God Whereas tongues prophesie power of miracles as also eloquence skill honour and the rest of this kinde are reserued onely for some few receiuers And in all these what strange diuersity there is They differ in respect of themselues being in nature diuers from each other They differ in respect of the Subiect as being diuersly giuen to one and other for as the blinde Bard saw truly God doth not giue all to all They differ in respect of degree as they are more giuen to one than to other Thus euery way there are diuersities of gifts It is the common voice of nature that the same remaining the same cannot produce but the same but when we speake of the God of Nature that word of Bonauenture is more true Ab vnissimo Deo mananâ— multiforma ab aeterno temporalia From that most one God flowes multiformity of effects and from that eternall God temporall effects Hugo said well In te variatur qui in se non mutatur he is varied in thee who is not changed in himselfe If the diuine power had made onely one creature that alonely worke of his had beene worthy of a God and such as could proceed from no lesse than an omnipotent hand But now he hath created many things yea innumerable If God had made these many creatures altogether vniforme and like themselues onely distinguished in number not in forme the worke had beene more excellent and admirable than the frame of any one creature alone But now that he hath made these many these innumerable creatures no lesse different from themselues and so as that the difference of their formes striues with the praise of their number O the depth of diuine wisdome O the stupendious workmanship of omnipotencie And yet there is no Subiect wherein the power and prouidence of the Almighty doth so much magnifie it selfe as in the diuers Oeconomie of man In so much as in this little world there is a world of diuersities Maruell at your selues brethren and bee astonished at your owne prospects Whether we looke at the fashion of the face or the proportion of parts or the colour of the skin or the stature of the body or the indowments of the minde the degrees of faculties the disposition of nature the measure of graces the opportunities of stations or lastly the outward condition of our life O good God what wondrous diuersity is here how impossible is it for the eye to meet twise with the like obiect whithersoeuer it roueth Thus there are diuersities of gifts Away now from hence with all haughtinesse of pride all mutinies of enuie These two dangers will bee sure to haunt the most iust inequality The needy is enuious the rich is proud Poore I am contemned others are set vp others shine in scarlet and purple whiles I am patching of nasty raggs Others wallow in their wealth and excesse I fâ—â—â—sh for hunger Others Lord it in lofty seats I am trod vnder their foot-stooles Others are eloquent I am a stammerer Others excell in the skill of Arts and Tongues I am a silly ignorant And why
altogether of humane constitution must like to remedies in diseases be attempered to the present estate of matters and times Those things which were once religiously instituted afterwards according to occasion and the changed quality of manners and times may be with more Religion and Piety abrogated which yet is not to bee done by the temerity of the people but by the authority of Gouernors that tumult may be auoyded and that the publicke custome may be so altred that concord may not be broken the very same is perhaps to be thought concerning the Mariage of Priests of old as there was great paucity of Priests so great Pietie also They that they might more freely attend those holy Seruices made themselues chaste of their owne accord And so much were those Ancients affected to Chastitie that they would hardly permit Mariage vnto that Christian whom his Baptisme found single but a second Mariage yet more hardly And now that which seemed plausible in Bishops and Priests was translated to Deacons and at last to sub-Deacons which voluntarily receiued custome was confirmed by the authority of Popes In the meane time the member of Priests increased and their Pietie decreased Inter hos quanta raritas eorum qui castè viuunt How many swarmes of Priests are maintained in Monasteries and Colledges and amongst them how few are there that liue chastly I speake of them which doe publikely keepe Concubines in their houses in stead of their Wiues Nec enim attingo nunc secretiorum libidinum mystâ—ria c. I doe not now meddle with the mysteries of their more secret lusts I onely speake of those things which are most notoriously knowne to the World And yet when we know these things how easie are we to admit men into holy Orders and how difficult in releasing this constitution of single life when as contrarily S. Paul teaches that hands must not be rashly laid vpon any and more then once hath prescribed what manner of men Priests and Deacons ought to be but of their single life neither Christ nor his Apostles hath euer giuen any Law in the holy Scriptures Long since hath the Church abrogated the nightly Vigils at the Tombes of Martyrs which yet had been receiued by the publike custome of Christians and that for diuers Ages Those Fasts which were wont to continue till the euening it hath transferred to noon and many other things hath it changed according to the occasions arising Cur hic humanaÌ„ constitutionem vrgemus tam obstinatè praesertim cùm tot causa suadeant mutationem Primùm enim magna pars Sacerdotum viuit cum malâ famâ parumque requieta conscientia tractat illa sacrosancta mysteria c. And why then doe we so obstinately vrge this humane constitution especially when so many causes perswade vs to an alteration For first a great part of our Priests liues with an ill name and with an vnquiet conscience handleth those holy Mysteries And then the fruit of their labours for the most part is vtterly lost because their doctrine is contemned of their people by reason of their shamefull life Whereas if Mariage might be yeelded to those which doe not containe both they would liue more quietly and should preach Gods Word to the people with authority and might honestly bring vp their children neither should the one of them bee a mutuall shame to other c. FINIS A BRIEFE SVMME OF THE Principles of Religion fit to be knowne of such as would addresse themselues to Gods TABLE Q HOw many things are required of a Christian A. Two Knowledge and Practice Q What are we bound to know A. God and our selues Q. What must we know of God A. What one he is and what he hath done Q. What is God A. He is one Almightie and infinite Spirit Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Q. What hath he done A. He hath made all things he gouerneth and preserueth all things and hath eternally decreed how all things shall bee done and hath reuealed his will to vs in his Word Q. What more must we know concerning God and his actions A. That God the Son Christ Iesus tooke our nature vpon him dyed for our redemption rose again and now liueth gloriously in Heauen making intercession for vs. Q. Thus much concerning God What must we know of our selues A. What we were what we are and what we shall be Q. What were we A. We were made at first perfect and happy according to Gods Image in knowledge in holinesse in righteousnesse Q. What are we now A. Euer since the fall of our first Parents we are all naturally the sonnes of wrath subiect to misery and death But those whom God chooseth out to himselfe are in part renewed through grace and haue the Image of God in part repaired in them Q. What shall we be A. At the general resurrection of all flesh those which were in part renewed here shall be fully perfited and glorified in body and soule those which haue liued and dyed in their sinnes shall be iudged to perpetuall torments Q. Thus much for our knowledge Now for our practice what is required of vs A. Due obedience and seruice to God both in our ordinary course of life and also in the speciall exercises of his worship Q. What is that obedience which is required of vs in the ordinary course of our life A. It is partly prescribed vs by the Law and partly by the Gospell Q. What doth the Law require A. The Law contained in Ten Commandements enioyneth vs all piety to God and all iustice and charity to our neighbour Q. What doth the Gospell require A. Faith in Lord Iesus with the fruit of it Repentance as our onely remedie for the breach of the Law Q. What is faith A. The affiance of the soule vpon Christ Iesus depending vpon him alone for forgiuenesse and saluation Q What is Repentance A. An effectuall breaking off our old sinnes with sorrow and detestation and an earnest purpose and endeuour of contrary obedience Q. Thus much of our obedience in the whole course of life What are the seruices required more specially in the immediate exercises of Gods worship A. They are chiefly three first Due hearing and reading the Word secondly Receiuing the Sacraments thirdly Prayer Q. Which call you the Word of God A. The holy Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two Baptisme and the Lords Supper Q. What is the vse of Baptisme A. By water washing the body to assure vs that the blood of Christ applied to the soule of euery beleeuer clenseth him from his sinnes Q. What is the vse of the Lords Supper A. To be a signe a seale a pledge vnto vs of Christ Iesus giuen for vs giuen to vs. Q. What signifies the Bread and wine A. The body and blood of Christ broken and powred out for our redemption Q. What is required of euery Receiuer A. Vpon paine
Amnon procures the iniustice of Absalom in punishing Amnon with Murder That which the Father should haue iustly reuenged and did not the Sonne reuenges vniustly The Rape of a Sister was no lesse worthy of death than the Murder of a Brother Yea this latter sinne was therefore the lesse because that Brother was worthy of death though by another hand whereas that Sister was guiltie of nothing but modest beautie yet he that knew this Rape passed ouer whole two yeares with impunitie dares not trust the mercie of a Father in the pardon of his Murder but for three yeares hides his head in the Court of his Grand-father the King of Geshur Doubtlesse that Heathenish Prince gaue him a kind welcome for so meritorious a reuenge of the dishonour done to his owne Loynes No man can tell how Absalom should haue sped from the hands of his otherwise ouer-indulgent Father if he had beene apprehended in the heat of the fact Euen the largest loue may be ouer-strayned and may giue a fall in the breaking These fearefull effects of lenity might perhaps haue whetted the seueritie of Dauid to shut vp these outrages in bloud Now this displeasure was weakned with age Time and thoughts haue digested this hard morsell Dauids heart told him that his hands had a share in this offence that Absalom did but giue that stroke which himselfe had wrongfully forborne that the vnrecouerable losse of one Sonne would be but wofully relieued with the losse of another Hee therefore that in the newes of the deceased Infant could change his clothes and wash himselfe and cheere vp his spirits with the resolution of I shall goe to him hee shall not returne to me comforts himselfe concerning Amnon and begins to long for Absalom THOSE three yeares banishment seemed not so much a punishment to the Son as to the Father Now Dauid beginnes to forgiue himselfe yet out of his wisedome so inclines to fauour that he conceales it and yet so conceales it that it may be descryed by a cunning eye If he had cast out no glances of affection there had beene no hopes for his Absalom if he had made profession of loue after so foule an Act there had beene no safetie for others now he lets fall so much secret grace as may both hold vp Absalom in the life of his hopes and not hearten the presumption of others GOOD Eyes see light thorow the smallest chinke The wit of Ioab hath sooone discerned Dauids reserued affection and knowes how to serue him in that which hee would and would not accomplish and now deuises how to bring into the light that birth of Desire whereof hee knew Dauid was both bigge and ashamed A woman of Tekoah that Sex hath beene euer held more apt for wiles is suborned to personate a mourner and to say that by way of Parable which in plaine termes would haue sounded too harshly and now whiles shee lamentably layes forth the losse and danger of her Sonnes she shewes Dauid his owne and whiles shee mooues compassion to her pretended Issue she winnes Dauid to a pittie of himselfe and a fauourable sentence for Absalom We loue our selues better than others but we see others better than our selues who so would perfectly know his owne case let him view it in anothers person PARABLES sped well with Dauid One drew him to repent of his owne sinne another to remit Absaloms punishment And now as glad to heare this Plea and willing to bee perswaded vnto that which if hee durst hee would haue sought for he gratifies Ioab with the grant of that suite which Ioab more gratified him in suing for Goe bring againe the young man ABSALOM How glad is Ioab that hee hath light vpon one Act for which the Sun both setting and rising should shine vpon him and now he speeds to Geshur to fetch backe Absalom to Ierusalem hee may bring the long-banished Prince to the Citie but to the Court he may not bring him Let him turne to his owne house and let him not see my face THE good King hath so smarted with mercie that now hee is resolued vpon austeritie and will relent but by degrees It is enough for Absalom that hee liues and may now breathe his natiue ayre Dauids face is no obiect for the eyes of a Murtherer What a Deareling this Sonne was to his Father appeares in that after an vnnaturall and barbarous rebellion passionate Dauid wishes to haue changed liues with him yet now whiles his bowels yearned his brow frowned The face may not bee seene where the heart is set THE best of Gods Saints may bee blinded with affection but when they shall once see their errors they are carefull to correct them Wherefore serues the power of Grace but to subdue the insolencies of nature It is the wisedome of Parents as to hide their hearts from their best children so to hide their countenances from the vngracious Fleshly respects may not abate their rigour to the ill deseruing For the Childe to see all his Fathers loue it is enough to make him wanton and of wanton wicked For a wicked Child to see any of his Fathers loue it emboldens him in euill and drawes on others ABSALOMS house is made his Prison Iustly is hee confined to the place which he had stayned with bloud Two yeares doth hee liue in Ierusalem without the happinesse of his Fathers sight It was enough for Dauid and him to see the smoke of each others Chimnies In the meane time how impatient is Absalom of this absence Hee sends for Ioab the Soliciter of his returne So hard an hand doth wise and holy Dauid carry ouer his reduced Sonne that his friendly Intercessor Ioab dares not visit him HE that afterwards kindled that seditious fire ouer all Israel sets fire now on the field of Ioab whom loue cannot draw to him feare and anger shall Continued displeasure hath made Absalom desperate Fiue yeares are passed since hee saw the face of his Father and now is hee no lesse weary of his life than of this delay Wherefore am I come downe from Geshur It had beene better for mee to haue beene there still Now therefore let mee see the Kings face and if there bee any iniquitie in mee let him kill mee Either banishment or death seemed as tolerable to him as the debarring of his Fathers sight WHAT a torment shall it be to the wicked to be shut out for euer from the presence of a God without all possible hopes of recouery This was but a Father of the flesh by whom if Absalom liued at first yet in him he liued not yea not without him onely but against him that Sonne found he could liue God is the Father of Spirits in whom wee so liue that without him can bee no life no being to bee euer excluded from him in whom wee liue and are what can it bee but an eternall dying an eternall perishing If in thy presence O God be the fulnesse of ioy in
thousand Rammes with fleeces to the King of Israel The backes of Israel can ill misse the wooll of Moab they will put on iron to recouer their cloth Iehoshaphat had beene once well chid well frighted for ioyning with Ahab against Aram yet doth he not sticke now againe to come into the field with Iehoram against Moab The case is more fauourable lesse dangerous Baal is cast downe The Images of the false gods are gone though the false Images of the true God stand still Beside this rebellious Moab had ioyned with the Syrians formerly against Iudah so as Iehoshaphat is interessed in the reuenge After resolution of the end wisely doe these Kings deliberate of the way It is agreed to passe through Edom that Kingdome was annexed to the Crowne of Iudah well might Iehoshaphat make bold with his owne It was it seemes a march farre about in the measure of the way but neerest to their purpose the assault would bee thus more easie if the passage were more tedious The three Kings of Israel Iudah Edom together with their Armies are vpon foot They are no sooner comne into the parching wildes of Edom then they are ready to die for thirst If the channels were far off yet the waters were further the scorching beames of the Sun haue dried them vp and haue left those riuers more fit for walke then entertainment What are the greatest Monarchs of the world if they want but water to their mouthes What can their Crownes and Plumes and rich Armes made them when they are abridged but of that which is the drinke of beasts With dry tongues and lippes doe they now conferre of their common misery Iehoram deplores the calamity into which they were falne but Iehoshaphat askes for a Prophet Euery man can bewaile a mischiefe euery man cannot finde the way out of it still yet I heare good Iehoshaphat speake too late He should haue inquired for a Prophet ere he had gone forth so had hee auoided these straits Not to consult at all with God is Iehorams sinne to consult late is Iehoshaphats the former is atheous carelesnesse the later forgetfull ouer-sight The best man may slacken good duties the worst contemnes them Not without some specialty from God doth Elisha follow the campe Else that had beene no Element for a Prophet Little did the good King of Iudah thinke that God was so neere him Purposely was this holy Seer sent for the succour of Iehoshaphat and his faithfull followers when they were so farre from dreaming of their deliuerie that they knew not of a danger It would be wide with the best men if the eye of diuine prouidence were not open vpon them when the eye of their care is shut towards it How well did Elisha in the warres The strongest squadron of Israel was within that brest All their Armour of proofe had not so much safety and protection as his Mantle Though the King of Israel would take no notice of the Prophet yet one of his Courtiers did Here is Elisha the sonne of Shaphat which powred water on the hands of Elijah This follower of Iehoram knowes Elijah by his owne name by his fathers by his masters The Court of Israel was profane and Idolatrous enough yet euen there Gods Prophet had both knowledge and honour His very seruice to Elijah was enough to win him reuerence It is better to be an attendant of some man then to be attended by many That hee had powred water on Elijahs hands was insinuation enough that hee could powre out water for those three Kings The three Kings vvalke downe by the motion of Iehoshaphat to the man of God It was newes to see three Kings going downe to the seruant of him vvho ran before the charet of Ahab Religion and necessity haue both of them much power of humiliation I know not vvhether more Either zeale or need vvill make a Prophet honored How sharply dares the man of God to chide his Soueraigne the King of Israel The liberty of the Prophets vvas no lesse singular then their calling Hee that vvould borrow their tongue must shew their Commission As God reproued Kings for their sakes so did not they sticke to reproue Kings for his sake Thus much freedome they must leaue to their successors that vve may not spare the vices of them vvhose persons we must spare Iustly is Iehoram turn'd off to the Prophets of his father and the Prophets of his mother It is but right and equall that those which wee haue made the comfort and stay of our peace should be the refuge of our extremity If our prosperity haue made the world our God how worthily shall our death-bed be choaked with this exprobration Neither would the case beare an Apology nor the time an expostulation Iehoram cannot excuse he can complaine he findes that now three Kings three Kingdomes are at the mercy of one Prophet it was time for him to speake faire nothing sounds from him but lamentations and intreaties Nay for the Lord hath called these three Kings together to deliuer them into the hand of Moab Iehoram hath so much grace as to confesse the impotency of those hee had trusted and the power of that God whom hee had neglected Euery sinner cannot see and acknowledge the hand of God in his sufferings Already hath the distressed Prince gained something by this misery None complaines so much as he none feeles so much as hee All the rest suffer for him and therefore he suffers in them all The man of God who well sees the in-sufficiency of Iehorams humiliation layes on yet more load As the Lord liueth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee Behold the double Spirit of Elijah the master was not more bold with the father then the seruant was with the sonne Elisha was a subiect and a Prophet Hee must say that as a Prophet which hee might not as a subiect As a Prophet hee would not haue lookt at him whom as a subiect he would haue bowed to It is one thing when God speaks by him another when he speakes of himselfe That it might well appeare his dislike of sinne stood with his honour of Soueraignty Iehoshaphat goes away with that respect which Iehoram missed No lesse doth God and his Prophet regard religious sincerity then they abhorre Idolatry and profanenesse What shall not be done for a Iehoshaphat For his sake shall those two other Princes and their vast Armies liue and preuaile Edom and Israel whether single or conioyned had perished by the drought of the desert by the sword of Moab One Iehoshaphat giues them both life and victory It is in the power of one good man to oblige a world wee receiue true though insensible fauours from the presence of the righteous Next to being good it is happy to conuerse with them that are so if wee bee not bettered by their example
is the Head canst thou drowne when thy Head is aboue was it not for thee that hee triumpht ouer death Is there any feare in a foyled aduersarie Oh my Redeemer I haue already ouercome in thee how can I miscarrie in my selfe O my soule thou hast marched valiantly Behold the Damosels of that heauenly Ierusalem come forth with Timbrels and Harps to meet thee and to applaud thy successe And now there remaines nothing for thee but a Crowne of righteousnesse which that righteous Iudge shall giue thee at that Day Oh Death where is thy sting Oh graue where is thy victorie The Thanksgiuing Returne now vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath beene beneficiall vnto thee O Lord God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my head in the day of battell O my God and King I will extoll thee and will blesse thy name for euer and euer I will blesse thee daily and praise thy Name for euer and euer Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible I will meditate of the beautie of thy glorious Maiestie and thy wonderfull workes Hosanna thou that dwellest in the highest heauens Amen FINIS HOLY OBSERVATIONS LIB I. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF WALTHAM MY most bountifull Patron Grace and Peace RIGHT HONOVRABLE THis aduantage a Scholar hath aboue others that hee cannot be idle and that he can worke without instruments For the minde inured to contemplation will set it selfe on worke when other occasions faile and hath no more power not to studie than the eye which is open hath not to see some thing in which businesse it carries about his owne Librarie neither can complaine to want Bookes while it enioyeth it selfe J could not then neglect the commoditie of this plentifull leasure in my so easie attendance here but though besides my course and without the helpe of others writings must needs busie my selfe in such thoughts as J haue euer giuen account of to your Lordship such as J hope shall not be vnprofitable nor vnwelcome to their Patron to their Readers J send them forth from hence vnder your Honourable name to shew you that no absence no imployment can make mee forget my due respect to your Lordship to whom next vnder my gracious Master J haue deseruedly bequeathed my selfe and my endeuours Your goodnesse hath not wont to magnifie it selfe more in giuing than in receiuing such like holy presents the knowledge whereof hath intitled you to more labours of this nature if I haue numbred aright than any of your Peeres I misdoubt not either your acceptation or their vse That God who hath aboue all his other fauours giuen your Lordship euen in these carelesse times an heart truly religious giue you an happy increase of all his heauenly graces by my vnworthy seruice To his gracious care I daily commend your Lordship with my Honourable Lady wishing you both all that little ioy earth can affoord you and fulnesse of glory aboue Non-such Iuly 3. Your Lordships Most humbly deuoted for euer in all dutie and obseruance IOS HALL HOLY OBSERVATIONS 1 AS there is nothing sooner drie than a teare so there is nothing sooner out of season than worldly sorrow which if it bee fresh and still bleeding findes some to comfort and pittie it if stale and skinned ouer with time is rather entertained with smiles than commiseration But the sorrow of repentance comes neuer out of time All times are alike vnto that Eternitie whereto wee make our spirituall mones That which is past that which is future are both present with him It is neither weake nor vncomely for an old man to weepe for the sinnes of his youth Those teares can neuer be shed either too soone or too late 2 Some men liue to bee their owne executors for their good name which they fee not honestly buried before themselues die Some other of great place and ill desert part with their good name and breath at once There is scarce a vicious man whose name is not rotten before his carcasse Contrarily the good mans name is oft times heire to his life either borne after the death of the parent for that enuie would not suffer it to come forth before or perhaps so well growne vp in his life time that the hope thereof is the staffe of his age and ioy of his death A wicked mans name may be feared a while soone after it is either forgotten or cursed The good man either sleepeth with his body in peace or waketh as his soule in glory 3 Oft times those which shew much valour while there is equall possibilitie of life when they see a present necessitie of death are found most shamefully timorous Their courage was before grounded vpon hope that cut off leaues them at once desperate and cowardly whereas men of feebler spirits meet more cheerefully with death because though their courage be lesse yet their expectation was more 4 I haue seldome seene the sonne of an excellent and famous man excellent But that an ill bird hath an ill egge is not rare children possessing as the bodily diseases so the vices of their Parents Vertue is not propagated Vice is euen in them which haue it not reigning in themselues The graine is sowne pure but comes vp with chaffe and huske Hast thou a good sonne He is Gods not thine Is he euill Nothing but his sinne is thine Helpe by thy praiers and endeuours to take away that which thou hast giuen him and to obtaine from God that which thou hast and canst not giue Else thou maiest name him a possession but thou shalt finde him a losse 5 These things be comely and pleasant to see and worthy of honour from the beholder A young Saint an old Martyr a religious Souldier a conscionable Statesman a great man courteous a learned man humble a silent woman a childe vnderstanding the eie of his Parent a merry companion without vanitie a friend not changed with honour a sicke man cheerefull a soule departing with comfort and assurance 6 I haue oft obserued in merry meetings solemnly made that somewhat hath falne out crosse either in the time or immediatly vpon it to season as I thinke our immoderation in desiring or enioying our friends and againe euents suspected haue proued euer best God herein blessing our awfull submission with good successe In all these humane things indifferencie is safe Let thy doubts be euer equall to thy desires so thy disappointment shall not bee grieuous because thy expectation was not peremptorie 7 You shall rarely finde a man eminent in sundry faculties of minde or sundry manuarie trades If his memorie be excellent his fantasie is but dull if his fancie bee busie and quicke his iudgement is but shallow If his iudgement bee deepe his vtterance is
pleased my gracious Redeemer not to neglect mee he came to me and knocked oft and called importunately at the doore of my heart by his word and chastisements and said Open the doore of thy soule O my sister my deare chaste comely vnspotted Church let mee come in and lodge and dwell with thee in my graces shut out the world and receiue me with a more liuely act and renouation of thy faith For loe I haue long waited patiently for this effect of thy loue and haue endured all the iniuries both of the night and weather of thy prouocations that I might at last enioy thee 3. I haue put off my coat how shall I put it on I haue washed my feet how shall I defile them I answered him againe pleading excuses for my delay Alas Lord I haue now since I left my forward profession of thee auoided a great number of cares and sorrowes must I take them vp againe to follow thee I haue liued cleane from the soile of these euills and shall I now thrust my selfe into danger of them 4. My Well-beloued put his hand from the hole of the doore and my bowels yearned toward him When my Sauiour heard this vnkinde answer of delay he let his hand fall from the key-hole which he had thus before without successe laboured about and withdrew himselfe from solliciting me any more whereupon my heart and bowels yearned within me for him and for the remorse of my so long foreslowing his admittance vnto me 5. I rose vp to open to my well-beloued and my hands did drop downe Myrrh and my fingers pure Myrrh vpon the handles of the Barres And now I rouzed vp my drousie heart what I could that I might in some cheerefull manner desire to receiue so gracious a Sauiour which when I but endeuoured I found that he had left behinde him such a plentifull blessing as the monument of his late presence vpon the first motions of my heart as that with the very touch of them I was both exceedingly refreshed and moued to further indignation at my selfe for delaying him 6. I opened to my Well-beloued but my Well-beloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when he did speake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he answered me not I opened to my beloued Sauiour but my Sauiour had now in my feeling withdrawne himselfe and hid his countenance from me holding me short of those gracious offers and meanes which I had refused and now I was almost past my selfe with despaire to remember that sweet inuitation of his which I neglected I sought him therefore in my thoughts in the outward vse of his ordinances and of my earnest prayers but he would not as yet be found of me or let me finde that I was heard of him 7. The watch men that went about the City found me they smote mee and wounded me the watch-men of the walls tooke away my vaile from me Those which should haue regarded mee and by their vigilancy haue secured mee from danger proued mine aduersaries in stead of comforting me they fell vpon me and wounded me with their false doctrines drawing me on into further errors spoiling me of that purity and sincerity of profession wherewith as with some rich and modest vaile I was formerly adorned and couered 8. I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem if you finde my Well-beloued that you tell him I am sicke of loue I aduise you solemnly O all yee that wish well to me for I care not who knowes the vehemencie of my passion if you shall finde my Sauiours presence in your selues before me pray for the recouerie of his loue to mee and bemoning my estate to him tell him how I languish with the impatient desire of his loue and presence to bee restored vnto mee 9. O the fairest among women what is thy Well-beloued more than another Well-beloued what is thy Well-beloued more than another louer that thou dost so charge vs O thou which art the most happy most gracious and most glorious of all creatures the chosen of the liuing God what is thy Well-beloued whom thou seekest aboue all other the sonnes of men what such eminencie is there in him aboue all Saints and Angels that thou art both so farre gone in affection to him and dost so vehemently adiure vs to speake vnto him for thee 10. My Well-beloued is white and ruddy the Standard-bearer of ten thousand My Well-beloued if you know not is of perfect beautie in whose face is an exact mixture of the colours of the purest and healthfullest complexion of holinesse for hee hath not receiued the spirit by measure and in him the Godhead dwels bodily he is infinitely fairer than all the sonnes of men and for goodlinesse of person may beare the Standard of comelinesse and grace amongst ten thousand 11. His head is as fine Gold his locks curled and blacke as a Rauen. The Dierie which dwelleth in him is most pure and glorious and that fulnesse of grace which is communicated to his humane nature is wonderously beautifull and so sets it forth as the blacke curled locks doe a fresh and well-fauoured countenance 12. His eies are like Doues vpon the riuers of waters which are washt with Milke and remaine in their fulnesse His iudgement of all things and his respect to his Church which are as his eies are full of loue and full of pietie shining like vnto Doues washed in water yea in Milke so as there is no spot or blemish to be found in them and they are withall so fully placed as is both most comely and most expedient for the perfect sight of the estate and necessities of his seruants 13. His cheekes are as a bed of spices and as sweet Flowers and his lips like Lillies dropping downe pure Myrrh The manifestation of himselfe to vs in his Word is sweet to our spirituall feeling as an heape of spice or those flowers that are vsed to make the best perfuming ointments are to the other senses his heauenly instructions and promises of his Gospell are vnspeakably comfortable and plenteous in the grace that is wrought by them 14. His hands as Rings of Gold set with the Chrysolite his belly like white Iuory couered with Saphyres His actions and his instruments which are his hands are set forth with much port and maiestie as some precious stone beautifies the Ring wherein it is set the secret counsels of his brest and the mysteries of his will are most pure and holy and full of excellent glorie 15. His legs are as pillars of Marble set vpon sockets of fine gold his countenance as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars All his proceedings are firme and stable and withall as Pillars of Marble set in sockets of tried gold so as they are neither subiect to wauering nor to any danger of infirmitie and corruption the shew and cariage of his whole person whereby hee makes himselfe knowne to his chosen is exceeding goodly and
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
true Messias Let now all the Doctors of those obstinate Synagogues answer this doubt of their owne obiecting But how past all contradiction is the ancient witnesse of all the holy Prophets answered and confirmed by their euents whose foresayings verified in all particular issues are more then demonstratiue No Art can describe a thing past vvith more exactnesse then they did this Christ to come What circumstance is there that hath not his perâ—â—ction Haue they not fore-vvritteâ— who shoâ—â—â— be his mother A Virgin Of what Tribe of Iuda Of vvhat house of Dauid What place Bethleem vvhat time vvhen the scepter should be taken from Iuda Or after sixtie nine vveekes What name Iesus Immanuel What habitation Nazareth What harbinger Iohn the second Elias What his businesse to preach saue deliuer What entertainment reiection What death the Crosse What manner piercing the body not breaking the bones What company amidst two vvicked ones Where at Ierusalem Whereabouts vvithout the Gates With vvhat vvords of imploration What draught of Vineger and Gall vvho vvas his Traitor and vvith vvhat successe If all the Synagogues of the Circumcision all the gates of Hell can obscure these euidences let me be a proselyte My labour herein is so much lesse as there is lesse danger of Iudaisme Our Church is vvell rid of that accursed Nation vvhom yet Rome harbors and in a fashion graces vvhiles in stead of spitting at or that their Neapolitan correction vvhereof Gratian speaks the Pope solemnly receiues at their hands that Bible vvhich they at once approue and ouerthrow But vvould God there vvere no more Iewes then appeare Euen in this sense also hee is a Iew that is one vvithin plainely vvhose heart doth not sincerely confesse his Redeemer Tho a Christian Iew is no other then an Atheist and therfore must be scourged else-where The Iew thus answered The Turke stands out for his Mahomet that cozening Arabian vvhose Religion if it deserue that name stands vpon nothing but rude ignorance and palpable Imposture Yet loe here a subtill Diuell in a grosse religion For when he saw that he could not by single twists of Heresie pull downe the well built walls of the Church hee vvindes them all vp in one Cable to see if his cord of so many folds might happily preuaile raising vp vvicked Mahomet to deny vvith Sabellius the distinction of persons with Arrius Christs diuinity with Macedonius the Deity of the Holy Ghost with Sergius two wils in Christ with Marcion Christs suffering And these policies seconded vvith violence how haue they vvasted Christendome O damnable mixture miserably successefull vvhich yet could not haue beene but that it meets with sottish Clients and sooths vp nature and debars both all knowledge and contraction What is their Alcoran but a fardle of foolish impossibilities Whosoeuer shall heare me relate the stories of Angell Adriels death Seraphuels trumpet Gabriels bridge Horroth and Marroths hanging the Moones descending into Mahomets sleeue the Litter wherin he saw God caried by eight Angels their ridiculous and swinish Paradise and thousands of the same bran would say that Mahomet hoped to meet either vvith beasts or mad-men Besides these barbarous fictions behold their lawes full of licence full of impietie in which reuenge is incouraged multitude of vviues allowed theft tolerated and the frame of their opinions such as vvell bewrayes their whole religion to be but the mungrell issue of an Arrian Iew Nestorian and Arabian A monster of many seeds and all accursed In both vvhich regards Nature her selfe in vvhose breast God hath written his royall Law tho in part by her defaced hath light enough to condemne a Turke as the worst Pagan Let no man looke for further disproofe These follies a wise Christian will scorne to confute and fearce vouchsafe to laugh at The Greekish Church so the Russes tearme themselues put in the next claime but with no better successe whose infinite Clergy affords not a man that can giue either reason or account of their owne doctrine These are the basest dregs of all Christians so we fauourably terme them tho they perhaps in more simplicitie then wilfulnesse would admit none of all the other Christian world to their font but those who in a solemne renunciation spit at and abiure their former God Religion Baptisme yet peraduenture wee might more iustly terme them Nicolaitans for that obscure Saint if a Saint if honest by an vnequall diuision findes more homage from them then his master These are as ignorant as Turkes as idolatrous as Heathens as obstinate as Iewes and more superstitious then Papists To speake ingenuously from that I haue heard and read if the worst of the Romish religion and the best of the Moscouitish bee compared the choice will be hard whether should be lesse ill I labour the lesse in all these whose remotenesse and absurditie secure vs from infection and whose onely name is their confutation I descend to that maine riuall of Truth which creepes into her bosome and is not lesse neere then subtle the religion if not rather the faction of Papisme whose plea is importunate and so much more dangerous as it caries fairer probability Since then of all religions the Christian obtaineth let vs see of those that are called Christian which should command assent and profession Euery religion beares in her lineaments the image of her parent the true Religion therefore is spirituall and lookes like God in her puritie all false religions are carnall and carie the face of Nature their mother and of him whose illusion begot them Satan In summe Nature neuer conceiued any which did not fauour her nor the spirit any which did not oppugne her Let this then be the Lydian stone of this tryall we need no more Whether Religion soeuer doth more plausibly content Nature is false whether giues more sincere glory to God is his Truth Lay aside preiudice Whither I beseech you tendeth all Popery but to make Nature either vainly proud or carelessely wanton What can more aduance her pride then to tell her that she hath in her own hands freedome enough of will with a little preuention to prepare her selfe to her iustification that she hath whereof to reioyce some what which shee hath not receiued that if God please but to vnfetter her she can walke alone She is insolent enough of her selfe this flatterie is enough to make her mad of conceit After this That if God will but beare halfe the charges by his cooperation she may vndertake to merit her owne glory and braue God in the proofe of his most accurate iudgement to fulfill the whole royall law and that from the superfluitie of her owne satisfactions shee may bee abundantly beneficiall to her neighbours that naturally without faith a man may doe some good workes that we may repose confidence in our merits Neither is our good onely by this flatterie extolled but our ill also diminished our euils are our sinnes some of them they say are in their
enuious vnderminings secret idolatry hypocriticall fashionablenesse haue spred themselues all ouer the world The Sunne of peace looking vpon our vncleane heaps hath bred these monsters and hath giuen light to this brood of darknesse Looke about you and see if three great Idols Honour Pleasure Gaine haue not shared the earth amongst them and left him least whose all is Your deniall driues mee to particulars I vrge no further If any aduersary insult in my confession tell him that I account them the greatest part of this euill neither could thus complaine if they were not VVho knowes not that as the earth is the dregs of the world so Italy is the dregs of the earth Rome of Italy It is no wonder to finde Satan in his Hell but to find him in Paradise is vncouth and grieuous Let them alone that will dye and hate to be cured For vs O that remedies were as easie as complaints That we could be as soone cleared as conuinced That the taking of the medicine were but so difficult as the prescription And yet nothing hinders vs from health but our wil neither Gospell nor Grace nor Glory are shut vp onely our hearts are not open Let me turne my stile from you to the secure to the peruerse tho why doe I hope they will heare mee that are deafe to God they will regard words that care not for iudgements Let me tell them yet if in vaine they must breake if they bow not That if mercy may be refused yet vengeance cannot be resisted that God can serue himselfe of them perforce neither to their thanke nor ease that the present plagues doe but threaten worse Lastly that if they relent not hell was not made for nothing What should be done then Except we would faine smart each man amend one and we all liue How commonly doe men complaine and yet adde to this heape Redresse stands not in words Let euery man pull but one brand out of this fire and the flame will goe out alone What is a multitude but an heape of vnities The more we deduce the fewer we leaue O how happy were it then if euery man would begin at home and take his owne heart to task and at once be his owne Accuser and Iudge to condemne his priuate errors yea to mulct them with death Till then alas what auailes it to talke While euery man censures and no man amends what is it but busie trifling But tho our care must begin at our selues it may not end there Who but a Cain is not his brothers keeper Publike persons are not so much their owne as others are theirs Who sits at the common sterne cannot distinguish betwixt the care of his owne safety and his vessels both drowne at once or at once salute the hauen Ye Magistrates for in you stand al our lower hopes whom God hath on purpose in a wise surrogation set vpon earth to correct her disorders take to your selues firme fore-heads courageous hearts hands busie and not partiall to discountenance shamelesse wickednesse to resist the violent sway of euils to execute wholesome lawes with strictnes with resolutiō The sword of the Spirit meets with such iron hearts that it both enters not and is rebated Loe it appeales to your arme to your ayd An earthen edge can best pierce this hardned earth If iniquity die not by your hands we perish And ye sonnes of Leui gather to your Moses in the gate of the Campe consecrate your hands to God in this holy slaughter of vice Let your voice be both a trumpet to incite and a two-edged sword to wound and kill Cry downe sinne in earnest and thunder out of that sacred chaire of Moses and let your liues speake yet louder Neither may the common Christian sit still and looke on in silence I am deceiued if in this cause God allow any man for priuate Here must bee all actors no witnesses His discreet admonitions seasonable reproofes and prayers neuer vnseasonable besides the power of honest example are expected as his due tribute to the common health What if we cannot turne the streame Yet we must swim against it euen without conquest it is glorious to haue resisted in this alone they are enemies that doe nothing Thus as one that delights more in amendment then excuse I haue both censured and directed The fauour of your sentence proceeds I know from your owne innocent vprightnesse So iudge of my seuere taxation It shall be happy for vs if wee can at once excuse and diminish accuse and redresse iniquity Let but the indeuour be ours the successe to GOD. EPISTLES THE THIRD AND LAST VOLVME CONTAINING TWO DECADS BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE MOST HIGH AND EXCELLENT PRINCE HENRY PRINCE of WALES All happinesse MOst Gratious Prince LEt me not whiles I desire to be dutifull seeme importunate in my dedications J now bring to your Highnesse these my last and perhaps most materiall Letters wherein if J mistake not as how easily are wee deceiued in our owne the pleasure of the variety shall striue with the importance of matter There is no worldly thing I confesse whereof I am more ambitious then of your Highnesses contentment which that you place in goodnesse is not more your glory then our ioy Doe so still and heauen and earth shall agree to blesse you and vs in you For me after this my officious boldnesse I shall betake my selfe in silence to some greater worke wherein J may approue my seruice to the Church and to your Highnesse as her second ioy and care My heart shall be alwayes and vpon all opportunities my tongue and pen shall no lesse gladly be deuoted to my gratious Master as one Who reioyce to be your Highnesses though vnworthy yet faithfull and obsequious Seruant IOS HALL THE SVMME OF THE SEVERALL EPISTLES DECAC V. EP. 1. To my B. Lord of Bathe and Wels. Discoursing of the causes and meanes of the increase of Popery EP. 2. To my Lord Bishop of Worcester Shewing the differences of the present Church from the Apostolicall and needlesnesse of our conformity thereto in all things EP. 3. To my Lady MARY DENNY Containing the description of a Christian and his differences from the worldling EP. 4. To my Lady HONORIA HAY. Discoursing of the necessity of Baptisme and the estate of those which necessarily want it EP. 5. To Sir RICHARD LEA. Discoursing of the comfortable remedies of all afflictions EP. 6. To Mr PETER MOLIN Preacher of the Church at Paris Discoursing of the late French occurrents and what vse God expects to bee made of them EP. 7. To Mr THOMAS SVTTON Exciting him and in him all others to early and cheerfull beneficence shewing the necessitie and benefit of good workes EP. 8. To E. B. Dedicated to Sir GEORGE GORING Remedies against dulnes and heartlesnes in our callings and encouragements to cheerfulnesse in labour EP. 9. To Sir IOHN HARRINGTON
of their Teachers be taught to say Let my death be to the remission of all my sinnes and then that he should haue giuen him a boule of mixt wine with a graine of Frankincense to bereaue him both of reason and paine I durst be confident in this latter the rather for that S. Marke calls this draught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myrrh-wine mingled as is like with other ingredients And Montanus agrees with me in the end Ad stuporem mentis alienationem A fashion which Galatine obserues out of the Sannedrim to bee grounded vpon Prou. 31.6 Giue strong drinke to him that is ready to perish I leaue it modestly in the middest let the learneder iudge Whatsoeuer it were he would not die till he had complained of thirst and in his thirst tasted it Neither would he haue thirsted for or tasted any but this bitter draught that the Scripture might be fulfilled They gaue mee vineger to drinke And loe now Consummatum est All is finished If there be any Iew amongst you that like one of Iohns vnseasonable Disciples shall aske Art thou he or shall we looke for another hee hath his answer Yee men of Israel why stand you gazing and gaping for another Messias In this alone all the Prophesies are finished and of him alone all was prophesied that was finished Pauls old rule holds still To the Iewes a stumbling blocke and that more ancient curse of Dauid Let their table bee made a snare And Steuens two brands sticke still in the flesh of these wretched men One in their necke stiffe-necked the other in their heart vncircumcised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one Obstinacie the other Vnbeleefe stiffe necks indeed that will not stoope and relent with the yoke of sixteene hundred yeeres iudgement and seruilitie vncircumcised hearts the filme of whose vnbeleefe would not be cut off with so infinite conuictions Oh mad and miserable Nation let them shew vs one prophesie that is not fulfilled let them shew vs one other in whom all the prophesies can be fulfilled and we will mix pittie with our hate If they cannot and yet resist their doome is past Those mine enemies that would not haue me to reigne ouer them bring them hither and slay them before me So let thine enemies perish O Lord. But what goe I so far Euen amongst vs to our shame this riotous age hath bred a monstrous generation I pray God I be not now in some of your bosomes Aug ad Hit Dâ—m volunt Iudaei esse Christiani nec Iudae sunt nec Christiani that heare me this day compounded much like to the Turkish religion of one part Christian another Iew a third worldling a fourth Atheist a Christians face a Iewes heart a worldlings life and therefore Atheous in the whole that acknowledge a God and know him not that professe a Christ but doubt of him yea beleeue him not The foole hath said in his heart There is no Christ What shall I say of these men They are worse than deuils that yeelding spirit could say Iesus I know and these miscreants are still in the old tune of that tempting deuill Situ es filius Dei If thou bee the Christ Oh God that after so cleare a Gospell so many miraculous confirmations so many thousand martyrdomes so many glorious victories of truth so many open confessions of Angels men deuils friends enemies such conspirations of heauen and earth such vniuersall contestations of all Ages and people there should be left any sparke of this damnable infidelitie in the false hearts of men Behold then yee despisers and wonder and vanish away Whom haue all the Prophets foretold or what haue the prophesies of so many hundreds yea thousands of yeeres foresaid that is not with this word finished who could foretell these things but the Spirit of God who could accomplish them but the Sonne of God Hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets saith Zacharie he hath spoken and he hath done one true God in both none other spirit could foresay these things should be done none other power could doe these things thus fore-shewed this word therefore can fit none but the mouth of God our Sauiour It is finished Wee know whom wee haue beleeued Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Let him that loues not the Lord Iesus be accursed to the death Thus the prophesies are finished Of the legall obseruations with more breuitie Christ is the end of the Law What Law Ceremoniall Morall Of the Morall it was kept perfectly by himselfe satisfied fully for vs Of the Ceremoniall it was referred to him obserued of him fulfilled in him abolisht by him There were nothing more easie than to shew you how all those Iewish Ceremonies lookt at Christ how Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Passeouer the Tabernacle both outer and inner the Temple the Lauer both the Altars the Tables of Shew-bread the Candlesticks the Vaile the Holy of Holies the Arke the Propitiatorie the pot of Manna Aarons Rod the High Priest his Order Line his Habits his Inaugurations his Washings his Anointings his Sprinklings Offerings the sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what-euer Iewish Rite had their vertue from Christ relation to him and their end in him This was then their last gaspe for now straight they died with Christ now the vaile of the Temple rent As Austen well notes out of Matthewes order Ex quo apparet tunc scissiam esse cum Cirillus emisit spiritam It tore then when Christs last breath passed That conceit of Theophilact is wittie that as the Iewes were wont to rend their garments when they heard blasphemie so the Temple not enduring these execrable blasphemies against the Sonne of God tore his vaile in peeces But this is not all the vaile rent is the obligation of the rituall Law canceled the way into the heauenly Sanctuarie opened the shadow giuing roome to the substance in a word it doth that which Christ saith Consummatum est Euen now then the law of Ceremonies died It had a long and solemne buriall Ceremoniae ficut defancta corpora necessariorum efficijs deducenda erant ad sepulturaÌ„ non simulatè sed religiose nec descrenda continuò Augustin Ego è contrario loquaâ— reclamante mundo libâ—râ voce pronunciem ceremonas Iudaeorum perniciâ—saâ— essâ— mortiferas quicunque eas obsâ—ruauâ—râ—t siue ex Iudaeis siuâ— ex Gentibus in barathrum diaboli deuolutum Hier. Quisque is nunc ea celebrare voluerit tanquam sopitos cineres erucus non erit pius c. as Augustine saith well perhaps figured in Moses who died not lingeringly but was thirty dayes mourned for what meanes the Church of Rome to digge them vp now rotten in their graues and that not as they had beeene buried but sowen with a plenteous increase yea with the inuerted vsurie of too many of you Citizens ten for one It is a graue and deepe
censure of that resolute Hierome Ego è contrario loquar c. I say saith he and in spight of all the world dare maintaine that now the Iewish ceremonies are pernitious and deadly and whosoeuer shall obserue them whether hee be Iew or Gentile in barathrum Diaboli deuolutum Shall frie in Hell for it Still Altars still Priest sacrifices still still washings still vnctions sprinkling shauing purifying still all and more than all Let them heare but Augustines censure Quisquis nunc c. Whosoeuer shall now vse them as it were raking them vp out of their dust hee shall not bee Pius deductor corporis sed impius sepulturae violator an impious and sacrilegious wretch that ransacks the quiet tombes of the dead I say not that all Ceremonies are dead but the Law of Ceremonies and of Iewish It is a sound distinction of them that profound Peter Martyr hath in his Epistle to that worthy Martyr Father Bishop Hooper Some are typicall fore-signifying Christ to come some of order and decencie those are abrogated not these the Iewes had a fashion of prophesying in the Churches so the Christians from them as Ambrose the Iewes had an eminent pulpit of wood so wee they gaue names at their Circumcision so wee at Baptisme they sung Psalmes melodiously in Churches so doe we they paid and receiued tithes so doe wee they wrapt their dead in linnen with odors so wee the Iewes had sureties at their admission into the Church so wee these instances might be infinite the Spouse of Christ cannot bee without her laces and chaines and borders Christ came not to dissolue order But thou O Lord how long how long shall thy poore Church finde her ornaments her sorrowes and see the deare sonnes of her wombe bleeding about these apples of strife let mee so name them not for their value euen small things when they are commanded looke for no small respect but for their euent the enemie is at the gates of our Syracuse how long will wee suffer our selues taken vp with angles and circles in the dust yee Men Brethren and Fathers helpe for Gods sake put to your hands to the quenching of this common flame the one side by humilitie and obedience the other by compassion both by prayers and teares who am I that I should reuiue to you the sweet spirit of that diuine Augustine who when hee heard and saw the bitter contentions betwixt two graue and famous Diuines Ierome and Ruffine Heu mihi saith he qui vos alicubi fiâ—al inuenire non possum Alas that I should neuer finde you two together how I would fall at your feet how I would embrace them and weepe vpon them and beseech you either of you for other and each for himselfe both of you for the Church of God but especially for the weake for whom Christ died who not without their owne great danger see you two fighting in this Theatre of the world Yet let me doe what he said he would doe begge for peace as for life by your filiall pietie to the Church of God whose ruines follow vpon our diuisions by your loue of Gods truth by the graces of that one blessed Spirit whereby we are all informed and quickned by the precious bloud of that Sonne of God which this day and this houre was shed for our redemption bee inclined to peace and loue and though our braines be different yet let our hearts be one It was as I heard the dying speech of our late reuerend worthy and gratious Diocesan Modo me moriente viuat ac floreat Ecclesia Oh yet if when I am dead the Church may liue and flourish What a spirit was here what a speech how worthy neuer to die how worthy of a soule so neere to his heauen how worthy of so happy a succession Yee whom God hath made inheritors of this blessed care who doe no lesse long for the prosperitie of Sion liue you to effect what hee did but liue to wish all peace with our selues and warre with none but Rome and Hell And if there bee any wayward Separatist whose soule professeth to hate peace I feare to tell him Pauls message yet I must Si tu pacem sugis ego te ab Ecclesia fugere mando Would to God those were cut off that trouble you How cut off As good Theodosius said to Demophilus a contentious Prelate Si tu pacem fugis c. If thou flie peace I will make thee flie the Church Alas they doe flie it that which should be therir punishment they make their contentment how are they worthy of pittie As Optatus of his Donatists they are Brethren might be companions and will not Oh wilfull men whither doe they runne from one Christ to another Is Christ diuided we haue him thankes be to our good God and we heare him daily and whither shall we goe from thee thou hast the words of eternall life Thus the Ceremonies are finished now heare the end of his sufferings with like patience and deuotion his death is here included it was so neere that he spake of it as done and when it was done all was done How easie is it to lose our selues in this discourse how hard not to be ouerwhelmed with matter of wonder and to finde either beginning or end his sufferings found an end our thoughts cannot Lo with this word he is happily waded out of those deeps of sorrowes whereof our conceits can finde no bottome yet let vs with Peter gird our coat and cast our selues a little into this sea All his life was but a perpetuall Passion In that he became man he suffered more than wee can doe either while we are men or when we cease to be men he humbled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea he emptied himselfe We when we cease to be here are cloathed vpon 2 Cor. 5. Wee both winne by our being and gaine by our losse he lost by taking our more or lesse to himselfe that is manhood For though euer as God I and my Father are one yet as man My Father is greater than I. That man should be turned into a beast into a worme into dust into nothing is not so great a disparagement as that God should become man and yet it is not finished it is but begun But what man If as the absolute Monarch of the world hee had commanded the vassalage of all Emperors and Princes and had trod on nothing but Crownes and Scepters and the necks of Kings and bidden all the Potentates of the earth to attend his traine this had carried some port with it sutable to the heroicall Maiestie of Gods Sonne No such matter here is neither Forme nor Beautie vnlesse perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forme of a seruant you haue made me to serue with your sinnes Behold hee is a man to God a seruant to man and be it spoken with holy reuerence a drudge to his seruants Hee is despised and reiected of men yea as
on indeed and sorrow with him but to his discomfort Where the griefe is extreme and respects neere partnership doth but increase sorrow Paul chides his loue What doe you weeping and breaking my heart The teares of those we loue doe either slacken our hearts or wound them Who then shall comfort him himselfe Sometimes our owne thoughts finde a way to succour vs vnknowne to others no not himselfe Doubtlesse as Aquinas the influence of the higher part of the soule was restrained from the aid of the inferiour My soule is filled with euils Psalm 87.4 Who then his Father here here was his hope If the Lord had not helpen me my soule had almost dwels in silence I and my Father are one But now alas he euen hee deliuers him into the hands of his enemies when he hath done turnes his backe vpon him as a stranger yea hee woundeth him as an enemy The Lord would breake him Esay 53.10 yet any thing is light to the soule whiles the comforts of God sustaine it who can dismay where God will releeue But here My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me What a word was here to come from the mouth of the Sonne of God My Disciples are men weake and fearefull no maruell if they forsake mee The Iewes are themselues cruell and obstinate Men are men gracelesse and vnthankfull Deuils are according to their nature spightfull and malicious All these doe but their kinde and let them doe it but thou O Father thou that hast said This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased thou of whom I haue said It is my Father that glorifies mee what forsaken me Not onely brought me to this shame smitten me vnregarded mee but as it were forgotten yea forsaken me What euen mee my Father How many of thy constant seruants haue suffered heauy things yet in the multitudes of the sorrowes of their hearts thy presence and comforts haue refreshed their soules Hast thou releeued them and dost thou forsake me me thine onely deare naturall eternall Sonne O ye heauens and earth how could you stand whiles the maker of you thus complained Ye stood but partaking after a sort of his Passion the earth trembled and shooke her rocks tore her graues opened the heauens withdrew their light as not daring to behold this sad and fearefull spectacle Oh deare Christians how should these earthen and rocky hearts of ours shake and rend in peeces at this Meditation how should our faces be couered with darknesse and our ioy be turned into heauinesse All these voices and teares and sweats and pangs are for vs yea from vs. Shall the Sonne of God thus smart for our sinnes yea with our sinnes and shall not we grieue for our owne shall he weepe to vs in this Market-place and shall not we mourne Nay shall he sweat and bleed for vs and shall not we weepe for our selues Shall he thus lamentably shrieke out vnder his Fathers wrath and shall not we tremble Shall the heauens and earth suffer with him and we suffer nothing I call you not to a weake and idle pitty of our glorious Sauiour to what purpose His iniury was out glory No no Ye daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues for our sinnes that haue done this not for his sorrow that suffered it not for his pangs that were but for our owne that should haue beene and if wee repent not shall be Oh how grieuous how deadly are our sinnes that cost the Sonne of God besides bloud so much torment how farre are our soules gone that could not be ransomed with an easier price that tooke so much of this infinite Redeemer of men God and man how can it chuse but swallow vp and confound thy soule which is but finite and sinfull If thy soule had beene in his soules stead what had become of it it shall be if his were not instead of thine This weight that lies thus heauy on the Sonne of God and wrung from him these teares sweat bloud and these vnconceiueable grones of his afflicted spirit how should it chuse but presse downe thy soule to the bottome of hell and so it will doe if he haue not suffered it for thee thou must and shalt suffer it for thy selfe Goe now thou lewd man and make thy selfe merry with thy sins laugh at the vncleannesses or bloudinesse of thy youth thou little knowest the price of a sinne thy soule shall doe thy Sauiour did when he cryed out to the amazement of Angels and horror of men My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me But now no more of this It is finished the greater conflict the more happy victory Well doth he finde and feele of his Father what his type said before He will not chide alwaies nor keepe his anger for euer It is fearefull but in him short eternall to sinners short to his Sonne in whom the God-head dwelt bodily Behold this storme wherewith all the powers of the world were shaken is now ouer The Elders Pharises Iudas the souldiers Priests witnesses Iudges theeues executioners deuils haue all tired themselues in vaine with their owne malice and he triumphs ouer them all vpon the throne of his Crosse his enemies are vanquisht his Father satisfied his soule with this word at rest and glory It is finished Now there is no more betraying agonies arraignments scourgings scoffing crucifying conflicts terrors all is finished Alas beloued and will we not let the Sonne of God be at rest doe we now againe goe about to fetch him out of his glory to scorne and crucifie him I feare to say it Gods spirit dare and doth They crucifie againe to themselues the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him To themselues not in himselfe that they cannot it is no thanke to them they would doe it See and consider the notoriously-sinfull conuersations of those that should be Christians offer violence vnto our glorified Sauiour they stretch their hands to heauen and pull him down from his throne to his Crosse they teare him with thornes pierce him with nailes load him with reproches Thou hatest the Iewes spittest at the name of Iudas railest on Pilate condemnest the cruell butchers of Christ yet thou canst blaspheme and sweare him quite ouer curse swagger lye oppresse boyle with lust scoffe riot and liuest like a debauched man yea like an humane Beast yea like an vncleane Deuill Cry Hosanna as long as thou wilt thou art a Pilate a Iew a Iudas an Executioner of the Lord of life and so much greater shall thy iudgement bee by how much thy light and his glory is more Oh beloued is it not enough that hee dyed once for vs Were those paines so light that we should euery day redouble them Is this the entertainment that so gracious a Sauiour hath deserued of vs by dying Is this the recompence of that infinite loue of his that thou shouldest thus cruelly vex and wound him with thy sinnes Euery of our
the condition of our mortalitie are passed ouer It shall be fully when the first things of the world are passed Passed not by abolition but by immutation as that Father said well Not the frame of the world but the corruption of that frame must passe The Spirit of God is not curious he cals those things first which were onely former not in respect of the state which is but that which shall be For those things which were first of all were like their Maker good not capable of destruction Our sinnes tainted the whole creation and brought shame vpon all the frame of heauen and earth That which we did shall be disanulled that which God did shall stand for euer and this dissolution shall be our glory other dissolutions strike teares into our eyes as this day is witnesse it is our sorrow that the first things are passed our offices our pensions our hopes our fauours and which we esteemed most our seruices are gone Let this last dissolution comfort vs against the present Who can grieue to see a Familie dissolued that considers the world must bee dissolued This little world of ours first whereof this day giues vs an image for as our seruice so our life must away and then that great one whose dissolution is represented in these The difference is that whereas this dissolution brings teares to some eies that wipes them away from all For all our teares and sorrow and toile and crying and death are for our sinnes take away corruption and misery goes away with it and till then it will neuer be remoued No man puts new wine into old vessels much lesse will God put the new wine of glory into the old vessels of corruption They are our sinnes which as in particular they haue rob'd vs of our Prince changed our seasons swept away thousands with varieties of deaths so in generall they haue deformed the face of heauen and earth and made all the Creation sigh and groane and still make vs incapable of the perfection of our blessednes for while the first things continue there must needs be teares and sorrow and death Let vs therefore looke vpon heauen and earth as goodly creatures but as blemished as transitory as those which we shall once see more glorious Let vs looke vpon our selues with indignation which haue thus distained them and as those which after some terme of their cottage expired are assured they shall haue a marble palace built for them doe long after the time perfixed them and thinke the dayes and moneths pace slowly away till then so let vs earnestly desire the day of the dissolution of this great house of the world that wee may haue our consummation in the new heauen For so soone as euer the old is past Behold saith God I will make all things new Yea the passage of the one is the renewing of the other As the Snake is renewed not by putting on any new coat but by leauing his slough behind him the gold is purified by leauing his drosse in the fire Therefore hee addes not I will but I doe make all new and because this is a great worke behold a great Agent He that sate vpon the Throne said Behold I make all new A Throne signifies Maiestie and sitting permanence or perpetuity God sayes Heauen is my throne in the Psalme but as Salomons throne of iuory and gold was the best piece of his house So Gods throne is the most glorious heauen the heauen of heauens for you see that tho heauen and earth passe away yet Gods throne remain'd still and hee sitting on it neither sinne nor dissolution may reach to the Empyreall heauen the seat of God Here is a state worthy of the King of Kings All the thrones of earthly Monarchs are but pieces of his foot-stoole And as his throne is maiesticall and permanent so is his residence in it Hee sate in the throne S. Stephen saw him standing as it were ready for his defence and protection S. Iohn sees him sitting as our Creed also runnes in regard of his inalterable glory How brittle the thrones of earthly Princes are and how they doe rather stand than sit in them and how slippery they stand too wee feele this day and lament O Lord establish the throne of thy seruant our King and let his seed endure for euer Let his throne be as the Sunne before thee for euermore and as the Moone a faithfull witnesse in heauen But howsoeuer it be with our earthly Gods of his kingdome there is no end Here is a master for Kings whose glory it is to rise vp from their thrones and throw downe their Crownes at his feet and to worship before his foot-stoole Be wise therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Rulers of the earth serue this Lord in feare and reioyce in him with trembling Yea behold here since wee haue the honour to serue him whom Kings serue a royall Master for vs It was one of our sinnes I feare that wee made our Master our God I meane that we made flesh our arme and placed that confidence in him for our earthly stay which we should haue fixed in heauen Our too much hope hath left vs comfortlesse Oh that we could now make God our Master and trust him so much the more as we haue lesse in earth to trust to There is no seruice to the King of heauen for both his throne is euerlasting and vnchangeable and his promotions certaine and honourable He that sits on the throne hath said it To him that ouercomes will I giue to sit with mee in my throne euen as I ouercame and sit with my Father in his throne Behold yee ambitious spirits how yee may truly rise to more than euer the sonnes of Zebedee desired to aspire to seruing is the way to raigning serue him that sits vpon the Throne and ye shall sit yourselues vpon the Throne with him This is the Agent the act is fit for him I make all things new Euen the very Turkes in their Alcoran can subscribe to that of Tertullian Qui potuit facere potest reficere I feare to wrong the holy Maiesty with my rude comparison It is not so much to God to make a world as for vs to speake He spake the word and it was done There is no change which is not from him He makes new Princes new yeeres new gouernments and will make new heauens new earth new inhabitants how easie then is it for him to make new prouisions for vs If wee bee left destitute yet where is our faith Shall God make vs new bodies when they are gone to dust shall he make new heauens and new earth and shall not he whose the earth is and the fulnesse thereof prouide some new meanes and courses of life for vs while we are vpon earth Is the maintenance of one poore worme more than the renewing of heauen and earth Shall he be able to raise vs when we are not and shall he
whence he fetches his forceablest r r P. 94. Refut Testimony for forced Continency slit in the Nose and bored in the Eare long-since by Å¿ Å¿ Censur Coci p 133. Salmeron Baronius Bellarmine and Francis Lucas Of the same stampe that the Reader may here see once for all how he is gulled by this false Priest with foysted Authorites is his Augustine De bono Viduatis t t Refut p. 20. 49. 68. thrice by him here quoted not without great triumph branded by Erasmus Hosius Lindanus as likewise u u Refut p. 40. his Augustine de Eccles dogmat confessed counterfeit by Bellarmine his friends of Louain and x x Refut p. 80. the Sermons de Tempore cashier'd by Erasmus Mart. Lypsius the Louanians Whereto let vs adde the book of great Athanasius de Virginitate y y Refut p. 35. produced in great state by C. E. not without great wrong and shame fathered vpon that Saint as if Erasmus and Nannius did not shew the ridiculous precepts therein contained would speake enough To follow all were endlesse Of this kind lastly is his Cyprian de Disciplin bono Pudicitiae not more magnificently z z Refut p. 36. brought forth by C. E. then fairely eiected by Erasmus Espencaeus These are the glorious Testimonies which grace the swelling Pages of mine Aduersarie These are the pious frauds wherewith honest Readers are shamefully coozened It shall suffice thus in a word to haue thanked my Reuerend Monitor for his sage aduice and to aduise my Reader to know whom he trusts Vid. supra Refut p. 74 75. Refut p. 78. Pag. 79. For Origen we haue already answered My Detector could not haue chosen a better man for the proof of the facility of this Worke then him who according to the broad Tralation of his rude Rhemists gelded himselfe and made himselfe no man for it That all graces are deriued to vs from the Fountaine or rather the full Ocean of Christs Merits and Mercies which he shewes from S. Hierome we willingly teach against them so farre are we from being iniurious to the Passion of our Deare Redeemer But if he will therefore inferre that euery man may be a perpetuall Virgin he may as well hope that therefore euery Scribbler may write all true Our Sauiour himselfe which said I will draw all men vnto me yet said All men cannot receiue this not I cannot giue it but they cannot take it As for that practice which he cites from S. Austin of forcing men both into Orders and Continency it shewes rather the Fact then the Equity what was done in a particular Church rather then what should be The Refuter himselfe renounceth it in the precedent Page For the Church forceth none thereunto neither is it any other then a direct restraint of that which the Councell of Nice determined to bee left free Lastly that there may appeare to be no lesse impossibility of honest Truth in some men then true Chastity he cites one place for all out of S. Austin * * Lib. 2. c. 19. de Adulter Coniug vid. sup Let not the burden of Continency affright vs it will be light if it be of Christ it will be of Christ if there be Faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which hee doth command See Reader with what fidelity and by this esteeme the rest S. Austin speakes there of persons diuorced each from other whom necessity as he supposes the case cals to Continency the Detector cites him for the power of voluntary votaries The very place confutes him It will be Christs yoke saith Austin if there be faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which he doth command There can be no Faith where is no command Now C. E. will grant there is no o o Neque enim sicut non maâ—haueris non occides ita dici potest non nâ—bes Aug. de Virg. Sanct. l. sing c. 30. Refut p. 80. vsque ad 87. command of single life to all Therefore all cannot aske it in Faith therefore all cannot thinke it the Yoke of Christ all cannot beare it SECT XV. NOw at last like some sorie Squip that after a little hissing and sparkling ends in an vnsauoury cracke my Refuter after all these Flourishes of their possibilitie shuts vp in a scurrilous Declamation against our Ministerie granting it indeed impossible amongst vs to liue chaste and telling his Reader that wee blush not to blaze in Pulpits and printed Bookes this brutish Paradox that Chastitie is a vertue impossible to all because so it is to such lasciuious p p Illud dixerim tantum abfuisse vt ista coacta castitas illam coniugalem vicerit c. saith Polydor Virg. This I may say that it is so farre off that this compelled Chastitie excelled the Coniugall Châ—stitie that no crime of any offence could bring more hatred to the state of Priesthood or more disgrace to Religion or more sorrow to all good men then the blemish of the vnchaste life of Priests c. Polyd. l. 5. c. 4. Libertines sensuall and sinfull people as Heretikes are and here are sordes dedecora scabies libidinum the brutish spirit of Heresie fleshly and sensuall Impure mouth How well doth it become the sonne of that Babylonian Strumpet to call the Spouse of Christ Harlot How well doth it become lips drencht in the Cup of those Fornications to vtter blasphemous Slanders Spumam Cerberi against Innocence By how much more brutish that paradox is so much more deuillish is the vniust imputation of it to vs Which of vs euer blazed it Which of vs doth hate it lesse then the lye that charges it vpon vs How many Reuerend Fathers haue wee in the highest Chaires of our Church how many aged Diuines in our Vniuersities how many graue Prebendaries in our Cathedrall Churches how many worthy Ministers in their rurall stations that shine with this vertue in the eyes of the World If therefore the proper place of Chastitie be the Church of God as this Cauiller pleads it is ours in right q q Hier. l. 2. in Ose Quicunque amare pudicitiam se simulant vt Manichaeus Marcion Arrius Tatianus inflauratores veteris haereseos venenato ore mella promittunt caeterùm iuxta Apostolum quae secretò agunt turpe est dicere Minut. Fal. Octau theirs in pretence And so much more noble is this in ours for that in ours it is r r Inuiolati corporis virginitate fruuntuur potius quà m gloriantur free in them Å¿ Å¿ Talis castitas quia non est spontanea non habet magnam retributionem Bran. Carthus O mysteria O mores vbi necessitas imponitur castitati authoritas datur libidiâ—i Itaque nec casta est qua metu cogitur nec c. Illa pudica qua these tenetur Ambros l. 1. de Virg. forced Infida custos castitatis necessitas as that
fore-seeing that which hee should not bee able to auoid Foolish men giue away their soules for nothing The itch of impertinent and vnprofitable knowledge hath beene the hereditary disease of the sonnes of Adam Eue How many haue perished to know that which hath procured their perishing How ambitious should wee bee to know those things the knowledge whereof is eternall Life Many a lewd Office are they put to which serue wicked Masters one while Sauls seruants are set to kill innocent Dauid another while to shed the bloud of Gods Priests and now they must goe seeke for a Witch It is no small happinesse to attend them from whom we may receiue precepts and examples of vertue Had Saul beene good hee had needed no disguise Honest actions neuer shame the doers Now that hee goeth about a sinfull businesse hee changeth himselfe hee seekes the shelter of the night hee takes but two followers with him It is true that if Saul had come in the port of a King the Witch had as much dissembled her condition as now hee dissembleth his yet it was not onely desire to speed but guiltinesse that thus altered his habit such is the power of conscience that euen those who are most affected to euill yet are ashamed to be thought such as they desire to be Saul needed another face to fit that tongue which should say Coniecture to me by the familiar spirit and bring me vp whom I shall name vnto thee An obdurate heart can giue way to any thing NOTVVITHSTANDING the peremptory edict of Saul there are still Witches in Israel Neither good Lawes nor carefull executions can purge the Church from Malefactors There will still bee some that will ieopard their heads vpon the grossest sinnes No Garden can be so curiously tended that there should not bee one Weed left in it Yet so farre can good Statutes and due inflictions of punishment vpon offenders preuaile that mischieuous persons are glad to pull in their heads and dare not doe ill but in disguise and darknesse It is no small aduantage of Iustice that it affrights sinne if it cannot be expelled As contrarily wofull is the condition of that place where is a publike profession of wickednesse This Witch was no lesse crafty than wicked shee had before as is like bribed Officers to escape inditement lurke in secrecy and now shee will not worke her feares without securitie her suspition proiects the worst Wherefore seekest thou to take wee in a snare to cause mee to dye Oh vaine Sorceresse that could bee wary us auoid the punishment of Saul carelesse to auoid the iudgment of God Could wee fore-thinke what our sinne would cost vs wee durst not but be innocent This is a good and seasonable answer for vs to make vnto Satan when hee sollicites vs to euill wherefore seekest thou to take mee in a snare to cause mee to dye Nothing is more sure than this intention in the tempter than this euent in the issue Oh that wee could but so much feare the eternall paines as wee doe the temporary and bee but so carefull to saue our soules from torment as our bodies No sooner hath Saul sworne her safetie than shee addresseth her to her Sorcery Hope of impunitie drawes on sinne with boldnesse were it not for the delusions of false promises Satan should haue no Clients Could Saul be so ignorant as to thinke that Magick had power ouer Gods deceased Saints to rayse them vp yea to call them downe from their rest Time was when Saul was among the Prophets And yet now that he is in the impure lodge of Deuils how senselesse hee is to say Bring me vp Samuel It is no rare thing to lose euen our wit and iudgement together with graces How iustly are they giuen ouer to fottishnesse that haue giuen themselue ouer to sinne The Sorceresse it seemes exercising her coniurations in a roome apart is informed by her Familiar who it was that set her on worke shee can therefore finde time in the midst of her Exorcismes to binde the assurance of her owne safetie by expostulation She cryed with a loud voyce why hast thou deceiued mee for thou art Saul The very name of Saul was an accusation Yet is he so farre from striking his brest that doubting lest this feare of the Witch should interrupt the desired worke hee encourages her whom hee should haue condemned Be not afraid Hee that had more cause to feare for his owne sake in an expectation of iust iudgment cheeres vp her that feared nothing but himselfe How ill doth it become vs to giue that counsell to others whereof wee haue more neede and vse in our owne persons As one that had more care to satisfie his curiositie than her suspicion hee askes what sawest thou Who would not haue looked that Sauls haire should haue stared on his head to heare of a spirit raised His sinne hath so hardened him that hee rather pleases himselfe in it which hath nothing in it but horror So farre is Satan content to descend to the seruice of his seruants that hee will approue his fained obedience to their very outward sences What forme is so glorious that hee either cannot or dare not vndertake Here Gods ascend out of the Earth Else-where Satan transformes him into an Angell of light What wonder is it that his wicked Instruments appeare like Saints in their hypocriticall dissimulation if wee will bee iudging by the appearance wee shall bee sure to erre No eye could distinguish betwixt the true Samuell and a false spirit Saul who was well worthy to bee deceiued seeing those gray haires and that Mantle inclines himselfe to the ground and bowes himselfe He that would not worship God in Samuel aliue now worships Samuel in Satan and no maruell Satan was now become his refuge in steed of God his vrim was darknesse his Prophet a Ghost Euery one that consults with Satan worships him though hee bow not neither doth that euill spirit desire any other reuerence than to be sought to How cunningly doth Satan resemble not onely the habit and gesture but the language of Samuel Wherefore hast thou disquieted me and wherefore dost thou aske of mee seeing the Lord is gone from thee and is thine enemy Nothing 〈…〉 pleasing to that euill one than to be solicited yet in the person of Samuel hee can say Why hast thou disquitted wâ—â—e Had not the Lord beene gone from Saul hee had neuer coâ—ne to the Deuillish Oracle of Endor and yet the counterfetting spirit can say Why dost thou arke of 〈◊〉 seeing the Lord is gone from thee Satan cares not how little hee is knowne to bee himselfe he loues to passe vnder any sonne rather than his owne The more holy the person is the more carefully doth Satan act him that by his stale hee may ensnare vs. In euery motion it is good to try the spirits whether they be of God Good words are no meanes to distinguish a Prophet from a Deuill
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
difference than is betwixt a Sauiour fore-shadowed and come The intermission of those military imployments which haue won you iust honor both in forraine nations and at home is in this only gainefull that it yeelds you leasure to these happy thoughts which shall more fully acquaint you with him that is at once the God of Hosts the Prince of Peace To the furtherance whereof these my poore labours shall doe no thankelesse offices In lieu of your noble fauours to me both at home and where you haue merited command nothing can bee returned but humble acknowledgements and hearty prayers for the increase of your Honor and all happinesse to your selfe and your thrice-worthy and vertuous Lady by him that is deepely obliged and truely deuoted to you both IOS HALL CONTEMPLATIONS THE SECOND BOOKE Christ among the Doctors EVen the Spring shewes vs what we may hope for of the tree in Summer In his nonage therefore would our Sauiour giue vs a taste of his future proofe left if his perfection should haue shewed it selfe without warning to the world it should haue beene entertained with more wonder than beliefe now this act of his Childhood shall prepare the faith of men by fore-expectation notwithstanding all this early demonstration of his diuine graces the incredulous Iewes could afterwards say Whence hath this man his wisdome and great works What would they haue said if he had suddenly leapt forth into the cleare light of the world The Sun would dazle all eyes if he should breake forth at his first rising into his full strength now he hath both the day-star to goe before him and to bâ—kâ—eâ— looke for that glorious body and the liuely colours of the day to publish his approach the eye is comforted not hurt by his appearance The Parents of Christ went vp yeerely to Ierusalem at the feast of the Passeouer the law was only for the maâ—es I doe not finde the blessed Virgin bound to this voiage the weaker sex receiued indulgence from God yet she knowing the spirituall profit of that iourney takes paines voluntarily to measure that long way euery yeere Pieâ— regards not any distinction of sexes or degrees neither yet doth Gods acceptation rather doth iâ— please the mercy of the highest more to reward that seruice which though he like in all yet out of fauour hee will not impose vpon all It could not bee but that shee whom the holy Ghost ouershaddowed should be zealous of Gods seruice those that will goe no further than they are dragged in their religious exercises are no whit of kin to her whom all generations shall call blessed The childe Iesus in the minority of his age went vp with his Parents to the holy solemnity not this yeere onely but in all likelihood others also hee in the power of whose Godhead and by the motion of whose Spirit â—â—ll others ascended thither would not himselfe stay at home In all his examples hee meant our instruction this pious act of hiâ— nonage intended to leade our first yeeres into timely deuotion The first liquor seasons the vessell for a long time after It is euery way good for a man to beare Gods yoke euen from his infancy it is the poliâ—ie of the Deuill to discourage early holinesse â—he that goes out betimes in the morning is more like to dispatch his iourney than he that lingers till the day be spent This blessed Family came not to looke at the feast and be gone but they duly staid out all the appointed dayes of vnleauened bread they and the rest of Israel could not want houshold businesses at home those secular affaires could not either keepe them from repairing to Ierusalem or send them away immaturely Worldly eares must giue place to the sacred Except wee will deport vnblessed we must attend Gods seruices till we may receiue his dismission It was the fashion of those times and places that they went vp and so returned by troupes to those set meeâ—ings of their holy festiuals The whole Parish of Nazareth went and came together Good fellowship doth no way so well as in the passage to Heauen much comfort is added by society to that iourney which is of it selfe pleasant It is an happy word Come let vs goe vp to the House of the Lord. Mutuall incouragement is none of the least benefits of our holy assemblies Many sticks laid together make a good fire which if they lie single lose both their light and heat The feast ended what should they doe but 〈◊〉 to Nazareth Gods seruices may not bee so attended as that wee should neglect our particular callings Himselfe cals vs from his owne House to ours and takes pleasure to see a painfull Client They are fouly mistaken that thinke God cares for no other trade but deuotion Piety and diligence must keepe meet changes with each other neither doth God lesse accept of our returne to Nazareth than our going vp to Ierusalem I cannot thinke that the blessed Virgine or good Ioseph could be so negligent of their diuine charge as not to call the childe Iesus to their setting forth from Ierusalem But their backe was no sooner turned vpon the Temple than this face was towards it he had businesse in that place when theirs was ended there he was both worshipped and represented He in whom the Godhead dwelt bodily could doe nothing without God his true Father led him away from his supposed Sometimes the affaires of our ordinary vocation may not grudge to yeeld vnto spirituall occasions The Parents of Christ knew him well to be of a disposition not strange nor sullen and stoicall but sweet and sociable and therefore they supposed he had spent the time and the way in company of their friends and neighbours They doe not suspect him wandred into the solitary fields but when euening came they goe to seeke him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance If hee had not wonted to conuerse formerly with them hee had not now beene sought amongst them Neither as God nor man doth he take pleasure in a sterne froward austerity and wilde retirednesse but in a milde affablenesse and amiable conuersation But O blessed Virgine who can expresse the sorrowes of they perplexed soule when all that euening-search could affoord thee no newes of thy Sonne Iesus Was not this one of those swords of Simeon which should pierce thorow thy tender breast How didst thou chide thy credulous neglect in not obseruing so precious a charge and blame thine eyes for once looking beside this obiect of thy loue How didst thou with thy carefull husband spend that restlesse night in mutuall expostulations and bemonings of your losse How many suspitious imaginations did that while racke thy greeued spirit Perhaps thou mightest doubt lest they which laid for him by Herods command at his birth had now by the secret instigation of Archelaus surprised him in his childhood or it may be thou thoughtst thy diuine Son had now withdrawne himselfe from the earth and returned
Fruitlesse is the wonder that endeth not in faith No light is sufficient where the eyes are held through vnbeliefe or preiudice The Doctors were not more amazed to heare so profound a childhood than the parents of Christ were to see him among the Doctors the ioy of finding him did striue with the astonishment of finding him thus And now not Ioseph he knew how little right he had to that diuine Sonne but Mary breakes forth into a louing expostulation Sonne why hast thou dealt so with vs that she might not seeme to take vpon her as an imperious Mother it is like she reserued this question till she had him alone wherein she meant rather to expresse griefe than correption Onely herein the blessed Virgin offended that her inconsideration did not suppose as it was that some higher respects than could be due to flesh and bloud called away the Sonne of God from her that was the daughter of man She that was but else mother of humanity should not haue thought that the businesse of God must for her sake be neglected We are all partiall to our selues naturally and prone to the regard of our owne rights questionlesse this gracious Saint would not for all the world haue willingly preferd her owne attendance to that of her God through heedlesnesses she doth so her sonne and Sauiour is her monitor out of his diuine loue reforming her naturall How is it that yee sought mee Knew yee not that I must goe about my Fathers businesse Immediately before the blessed Virgin had said Thy father and I sought thee with heauy hearts Wherein both according to the supposition of the world she called Ioseph the Father of Christ and according to the fashion of a dutifull wife she names her Ioseph before her selfe She well knew that Ioseph had nothing but a name in this businesse she knew how God had dignified her beyond him yet she sayes Thy father and I sought thee The Sonne of God stands not vpon contradiction to his mother but leading her thoughts from his supposed father to his true from earth to heauen he answers Knew yee not that I must goe about my Fathers businesses It was honor enough to her that he had vouchsafed to take flesh of her It was his eternall honour that hee was God of God the euerlasting Sonne of the heauenly Father good reason therefore was it that the respects to flesh should giue place to the God of Spirits How well contented was holy Mary with so iust an answer how doth she now againe in her heart renew her answer to the Angels Behold the seruant of the Lord be it according to thy word Wee are all the Sonnes of God in another kinde Nature and the world thinkes wee should attend them we are not worthy to say we haue a Father in heauen if we cannot steale away from these earthly distractions and imploy our-selues in the seruices of our God Christs Baptisme IOhn did euery way forenâ—e Christ not so much in the time of his Birth as in his office neither was there more vnlikenesse in their disposition and carriage that similitude in their function both did preach and baptize only Iohn baptized by himself our Sauiour by his Disciples our Sauiour wrought miracles by himselfe by his Disciples Iohn wrought none by either Wherein Christ meant to shew himselfe a Lord and Iohn a seruant and Iohn meant to approue himself a true seruant to him whose harbinger he was hee that leapt in the wombe of his mother when his Sauiour then newly conceiued came in presence bestird himselfe when he was brought forth into the light of the Church to the honor and seruice of his Sauiour hee did the same before Christ which Christ charged his Disciples to doe after him Preach and Baptize The Gospell ran alwayes in one tenor and was neuer but like it selfe So it became the Word of him in whom there is no shadow by turning and whose Word it is I am Iehoua I change not It was fit that he which had the Prophets the starre the Angels to foretell his comming into the world should haue his Vsher to goe before him when he would notifie himselfe to the world Iohn was the Voyce of a Cryer Christ was the Word of his Father it was fit this Voyce should make a noyse to the world ere the Word of the Father should speake to it Iohns note was still Repentance The Axe to the root the Fan to the floore the Chaffe to the fire as his raiment was rough so was his tongue and if his foode were wilde Hony his speech was stinging Locusts Thus must the way be made for Christ in euery heart Plausibility is no fit preface to regeneration if the heart of man had continued vpright God might haue beene intertained without contradiction but now violence must be offered to our corruption ere we can haue roome for grace if the great Way-maker doe not cast downe hills and raise vp valleys in the bosomes of men there is no passage for Christ neuer will Christ come into that soule where the Herald of repentance hath not beene before him That Sauiour of ouâ—s who from eternity lay hid in the Counsaile of God who in the fulnes of time so came that hee lay hid in the wombe of his mother for the space of forty weekes after he was come thought fit to lye hid in Nazareth for the space of thirty yeeres now at last begins to shew himselfe to the world and comes from Galile to Iordan He that was God alwayes and mought haue bin perfect man in an instant would by degrees rise to the perfection both of his Manhood and execution of his mediator-ship to teach vs the necessity of leasure in spirituall proceedings that many Suns and successions of seasons and meanes must be stayed for ere we can attaine our maturity and that when we are ripe for the imployments of God we should no lesse willingly leaue our obscurity than we took the benefit of it for our preparation He that was formerly circumcised would now bee baptized what is Baptisme but an Euangelicall circumcision What was circumcision but a legall baptisme One both supplyed and succeeded the other yet the Author of both will vndergoe both He would be circumcised to sanctifie his Church that was and baptized to sanctifie his Church that should be that so in both Testaments he might open a way into heauen There was in him neither filthinesse nor foreskin of corruption that should need either knife or water He came not to be a Sauiour for himselfe but for vs we are all vncleannesse and vncircumcision he would therefore haue that done to his most pure body which should be of force to cleare our impure soules thus making himselfe sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him His baptisme giues vertue to ours His last action or rather passion was his baptizing with bloud his first was his baptization with water
both of them wash the world from their sins Yea this latter did not only wash the soules of men but washeth that very water by which we are washed from hence is that made both cleane and holy and can both cleanse and hallow vs And if the very handkerchiefe which touched his Apostles had power of cure how much more that Water which the sacred body of Christ touched Christ comes farre to seeke his baptisme to teach vs for whose sake hee was baptized to wait vpon the ordinances of God and to sue for the fauour of spirituall blessings They are worthlesse commodities that are not worth seeking for it is rarely seene that God is found of any man vnsought for that desire which onely makes vs capable of good things cannot stand with neglect Iohn durst not baptize vnbidden his Master sent him to doe this seruice and behold the Master comes to his seruant to call for the participation of that priuiledge which he himselfe had instituted and enioyned how willingly should wee come to our spirituall Superiours for our part in those mysteries which God hath left in their keeping yea how gladly should we come to that Christ who giues vs these blessings who is giuen to vs in them This seemed too great an honor for the modesty of Iohn to receiue If his mother could say when her blessed cousin the Virgin Mary came to visit her Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me how much more might he say so when the diuine Sonne of that mother came to call for a fauour from him I haue need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me O holy Baptist if there were not a greater borne of women than thou yet thou couldest not bee borne of a woman and not need to be baptized of thy Sauiour Hee baptized with fire thou with water Little would thy water haue auailed thee without his fire If he had not baptized thee how wert thou sanctified from the wombe There can be no flesh without filthinesse neither thy supernaturall conception nor thy austere life could exempt thee from the need of baptisme Euen those that haue not liued to sinne after the similitude of Adam yet are they so tainted with Adam that vnlesse the second Adam clense them by his baptisme they are hopelesse There is no lesse vse of baptisme vnto all than there holy a man is the more sensible hee is of his vnholinesse No carnall man could haue said I haue neede to be baptized of thee neither can he finde what hee is the better for a little Font-water The sence of our wretchednesse and the valuation of our spirituall helps is the best tryall of our regeneration Our Sauiour doth not deny that either Iohn hath need to be baptized of him or that it is strange that he should come to be baptized of Iohn but he will needs thus farre both honor Iohn and disparage himselfe to be baptized of his Messenger hee that would take flesh of the Virgin cducation from his Parents sustenance from his creatures will take baptisme from Iohn It is the prayse of his mercy that he will stoope so low as to bee beholden to his creatures which from him receiue their being and power both to take and giue Yet not so much respect to Iohn as obedience to his Father drew him to this point of humiliation Thus it behoues vs to fulfill all righteousnes The Counsels Appointments of God are righteousnesse it selfe There needs no other motiue either to the seruant or the Son than the knowledge of those righteous purposes This was enough to leade a faithful man thorow all difficulties and inconueniences neither will it admit of any reply or any demurre Iohn yeeldeth to this honor which his Sauiour puts vpon him in giuing baptisme to the Author of it Hee baptized others to the remission of their sinnes now hee baptizes him by whom they are remitted both to the Baptizer and to others No sooner is Christ baptized than hee comes forth of the water The element is of force but during the vse It turnes common when that is past neither is the water sooner powred on his head than the Heauens are opened and the Holy Ghost descendeth vpon that Head which was baptized The Heauens are neuer shut whiles either of the Sacraments is duly administred and receiued neither doe the Heauens euer thus open without the descent of the Holy Ghost But now that the God of Heauen is baptized they open vnto him which are opened to all the faithfull by him and that Holy Ghost which proceeded from him together with the Father ioynes with the Father in a sensible testimony of him that now the world might see what interest he had in the Heauens in the Father in the holy Spirit and might expect nothing but diuine from the entrance of such a Mediator Christ tempted NO sooner is Christ comne out of the water of Baptisme than he enters into the fire of tentation No sooner is the holy Spirit descended vpon his head in the forme of a Doue than he is led by the Spirit to be tempted No sooner doth God say This is my Sonne than Satan sayes If thou be the Some of GOd It is not in the power either of the gift or seales of Grace to deliuer vs from the assaults of Satan they may haue the force to repell euill suggestions they haue none to preuent them yea the more we are ingaged vnto God by our publike vowes and his pledges of fauour so much more busie and violent is the rage of that euill one to encounter vs We are no sooner stept forth into the field of God than he labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands or to turne them against vs. The voyce from Heauen acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of God this diuine Testimony did not allay the malice of Satan but exasperate it Now that venomous Serpent swels with inward poison and hastes to assaile him whom God hath hounoured from Heauen O God how should I looke to escape the suggestions of that wicked one when the Sonne of thy loue cannot be free when euen grace it selfe drawes on enmity That enemy that spared not to strike at the Head will he forbeare the weakest and remotest limme Arme thou me therefore with an expectation of that euill I cannot auoid Make thou me as strong as he is malicious Say to my soule also Thou art my Sonne and let Satan doe his worst All the time of our Sauiours obscurity I doe not finde him set vpon Now that he lookes forth to the publike execution of his diuine Office Satan bends his forces against him Our priuacy perhaps may sit downe in peace but neuer man did endeuour a common good without opposition It is a signe that both the worke is holy and the Agent faithfull when we meet with strong affronts We haue reason to be comforted with nothing so much as with
resistance If wee were not in a way to doe good we should finde no rubs Satan hath no cause to molest his owne and that whiles they goe about his owne seruice He desires nothing more than to make vs smooth paths to sinne but when we would turne our feet to holinesse he blocks vp the way with tentations Who can wonder enough at the sawcinesse of that bold spirit that dares to set vpon the Sonne of the euerliuing God who can wonder enough at thy meeknesse and patience O Sauiour that wouldst be tempted He wanted not malice and presumption to assault thee thou wantedst not humility to endure those assaults I should stand amazed at this voluntary dispensation of thine but that I see the susception of our humane nature laies thee open to this condition It is necessarily incident to manhood to be liable to tentations Thou wouldest not haue put on flesh if thou hadst meant vtterly to put off this consequence of our infirmity If the state of innocence could haue beene any defence against euill motions the first Adam had not beene tempted much lesse the second It is not the presenting of tentations that can hurt vs but their entertainment Ill counsell is the fault of the Giuer not of the Refuser We cannot forbid lewd eyes to looke in at our windowes we may shut our doores against their entrance It is no lesse our praise to haue resisted than Satans blame to suggest euill Yea O blessed Sauiour how glorious was it for thee how happy for vs that thou were tempted Had not Satan tempted thee how shouldest thou haue ouercome Without blowes there can be no victory no triumph How had thy power beene manifested if no aduersary had tried thee The first Adam was tempted and vanquished the second Adam to repay and repaire that foile doth vanquish in being tempted Now haue we not a Sauiour and High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but such an one as was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne how boldly therefore may we goe vnto the Throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace of helpe in time of need Yea this Duell was for vs Now we see by this conflict of our Almighty Champion what manner of Aduersary we haue how he fights how he is resisted how ouercomne Now our very temptation affords vs comfort in that we see the dearer we are vnto God the more obnoxious we are to this triall neither can we be discouraged by the hainousnesse of those euils whereto wee are moued since wee see the Sonne of God solicited to infidelity couetousnesse idolatry How glorious therefore was it for thee O Sauiour how happy for vs that thou were tempted Where then wast thou tempted O blessed Iesu or whither wentest thou to meet with our great aduersary I doe not see thee led into the market-place or any other part of the city or thy home-sted of Nazareth but into the vast wildernesse the habitation of beasts a place that carrieth in it both horror and opportunity why wouldst thou thus retire thy selfe from men but as confident Champions are wont to giue aduantage of ground or weapon to their Antagonist that the glory of their victory may be the greater So wouldest thou O Sauiour in this conflict with our common enemy yeeld him his owne termes for circumstances that thine honour and his foile may be the more Solitarinesse is no small helpe to the speed of a tentation Woe to him that is alone for if he fall there is not a second to lift him vp Those that out of an affectation of holinesse seeke for solitude in rocks and caues of the deserts doe no other than run into the mouth of the danger of tentation whiles they thinke to auoid it It was enough for thee to whose diuine power the gates of hell were weaknesse thus to challenge the Prince of darknesse Our care must be alwaies to eschew all occasions of spirituall danger and what we may to get vs out of the reach of tentations But O the depth of the Wisdome of God! How camest thou O Sauiour to be thus tempted That Spirit whereby thou wast conceiued as man and which was one with thee and the Father as God led thee into the wildernesse to bee tempted of Satan Whiles thou taughtest vs to pray to thy Father Leade vs not temptation thou meantest to instruct vs that if the same Spirit led vs not into this perilous way we goe not into it Wee haue still the same conduct Let the path bee what it will how can wee miscarry in the hand of a Father Now may wee say to Satan as thou didst vnto Pilate Thou couldst haue no power ouer me except it were giuen thee from aboue The Spirit led thee it did not driue thee here was a sweet inuitation no compulsion of violence So absolutely conformable was thy will to thy Deity as if both thy natures had but one volition In this first draught of thy bitter potion thy soule said in a reall subiection Not may will but thy will be done We imitate thee O Sauiour though we cannot reach to thee All thine are led by thy Spirit Oh teach vs to forget that we haue wils of our owne The Spirit led thee thine inuincibie strength did not animate thee into this combat vncalled What do we weaklings so far presume vpon our abilities or successe as that we dare thrust our selues vpon temptations vnbidden vnwarranted Who can pitty the shipwracke of those Marriners which will needes put forth and hoise sailes in a tempest Forty dayes did our Sauiour spend in the wildernesse fasting and solitary all which time was worne out in temptation how euer the last brunt because it was most violent is onely expressed Now could not the aduersary complaine of disaduantage whiles he had the full scope both of time and place to doe his worst And why did it please thee O Sauiour to fast forty dayes and forty nights vnlesse as Moses fasted forty dayes at the deliuery of the Law and Elias at the restitution of the Law So thou thoughtest fit at the accomplishment of the Law and the promulgation of the Gospel to fulfil the time of both these Types of thine Wherein thou intendest our wonder not our imitation Not our imitation of the time though of the act Here were no faulty desires of the flesh in thee to be tamed no possibility of a freer more easie assent of the soule to God that could bee affected of thee who wast perfectly vnited vnto God but as for vs thou wouldst suffer death so for vs thou wouldst suffer hunger that we might learne by fasting to prepare our selues for tentations In fasting so long thou intendest the manifestation of thy power in fasting no longer the truth of thy man-hood Moses Elias through the miraculous sustentation of God fasted so long without any question made of the truth of their bodies So long
of God sinne because grace hath abounded sinne that it may abound Thou art safe enough though thou offend bee not too much an aduersarie to thine owne liberty False spirit it is no libertie to sinne but seruitude rather there is no libertie but in the freedome from sinne Euery one of vs that hath the hope of Sonnes must purge himselfe euen as hee is pure that hath redeemed vs Wee are bought with a price therefore must wee glorifie God in our bodies and spirits for they are Gods Our Sonne-ship teaches vs awe and obedience and therefore because wee are Sonnes wee will not cast our selues downe into sinne How idlely doe Satan and wicked men measure God by the crooked line of their owne misconceit Ywis Christ cannot bee the Sonne of God vnlesse he cast himselfe downe from the Pinacle vnlesse hee come downe from the Crosse God is not mercifull vnlesse he honour them in all their desires not iust vnlesse hee take speedie vengeance where they require it But when they haue spent their folly vpon these vaine imaginations Christ is the Sonne of God though hee stay on the top of the Temple God will be mercifull though wee mis-carry and iust though sinners seeme lawlesse Neither will hee bee any other than hee is or measured by any rule but him selfe But what is this I see Satan himselfe with a Bible vnder his arme with a Text in his mouth It is written Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee How still in that wicked One doth subtilty striue with Presumption Who could not but ouer-wonder at this if hee did not consider that since the Deuill dare to touch the sacred Body of Christ with his hand hee may well touch the Scriptures of God with his tongue Let no man henceforth maruell to heare Heretikes or Hypocrites quote Scriptures when Satan himselfe hath not spared to cite them what are they the worse for this more than that holy Body which is transported Some haue beene poysoned by their meates and drinks yet either these nourish vs or nothing It is not the Letter of the Scripture that can carry it but the Sence if wee diuide these two wee prophane and abuse that word wee alledge And wherefore doth this foule spirit vrge a Text but for imitation for preuention and for successe Christ had alledged a Scripture vnto him hee re-alledges Scripture vnto Christ At leastwise hee will counterfeit an imitation of the Sonne of God Neither is it in this alone what one act euer passed the Hand of God which Satan did not apishly attempt to second If wee follow Christ in the outward action with contrary intentions wee follow Satan in following Christ Or perhaps Satan meant to maâ—e Christ hereby weary of this weapon As wee see fashions when they are taken vp of the Vnworthy are cast off by the Great It was doubtlesse one cause why Christ afterward forbad the Deuill euen to confesse the Truth because his mouth was a flander But chiefly doth he this for a better colour of his tentation Hee gâ—ds ouer this false mettall with Scripture that it may passe current Euen now is Satan transformed into an Angell of light and will seeme godly for a mischiefe If Hypocrites make a faire shew to deceiue with a glorious lustre of holinesse wee see whence they borrowed it How many thousand soules are betrayed by the abuse of what word whose vse is soueraigne and sauing No Deuill is so dangerous as the religious Deuill If good meate turne to the nourishment not of nature but of the disease wee may not forbeare to feed but indeauour to purge the body of those euill humours which cause the stomach to worke against it selfe O God thou that hast giuen vs light giue vs cleare and sound eyes that we may take comfort of that light thou hast giuen vs Thy Word is holy make our hearts so and than shall they finde that Word not more true than cordiall Let not this diuine Table of thine bee made a snare to our soules What can bee a better act than to speake Scripture It were a wonder if Satan should doe a good thing well He cites Scripture then but with mutilation and distortion it comes not out of his mouth but maymed and peruerted One peece is left out all mis-applyed Those that wrest or mangle Scripture for their owne turne it is easie to see from what Schoole they come Let vs take the word from the Authour not from the Vsurper Dauid would not doubt to eate that sheepe which hee pulled out of the mouth of the Beare or Lyon Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee Oh comfortable assurance of our protection Gods children neuer goe vnattended Like vnto great Princes wee walke euer in the midst of our guard though inuisible yet true carefull powerfull What creatures are so glorious as the Angels of heauen yet their Maker hath set them to serue vs Our adoption makes vs at once great and safe Wee may bee contemptible and ignominious in the eyes of the world but the Angels of God obserue vs the while and scorne not to wait vpon vs in our homeliest occasions The Sunne or the light may wee keepe out of our houses the aire we cannot much lesse these Spirits that are more simple and immateriall No walls no bolts can seuer them from our sides they accompany vs in dungeons they goe with vs into our exile How can wee either feare danger or complaine of solitarinesse whiles wee haue so vnseparable so glorious Companions Is our Sauiour distasted with Scripture because Satan misse-layes it in his dish Doth he not rather snatch this sword out of that impure hand and beat Satan with the weapon which he abuseth It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God The Scripture is one as that God whose it is Where it carryes an appearance of difficultie or inconuenience it needs no light to cleare it but that which it hath in it selfe All doubts that may arise from it are fully answered by collation It is true that God hath taken this care and giuen this charge of his owne hee will haue them kept not in their sinnes they may trust him they may not tempt him here meant to incourage their faith not their presumption To cast our selues vpon an immediate prouidence when meanes faile not is to disobey in stead of beleeuing God we may challenge God on his Word wee may not straine him beyond 〈◊〉 wee may make account of what hee promised wee may not subiect his promises to vniust â—â—minations and where no need is make triall of his Power Iustice Mercy by deuises of our owne All the Deuils in hell could not elude the force of this diuine answer and now Satan sees how vainely hee tempteth Christ to tempt God Yet againe for all this doe I see him setting vpon the Sonne of God Satan is not foyled when he is resisted neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten vpon Christ he shall
the fact as of the message There are busie spirits that loue to cary newes though thanklesse though purposelesse such was AhimaaZ the son of Zadock who importunately thrust himselfe into this seruice wise Ioab who well saw how vnwelcome tydings must be the burthen of the first post disswades him in vaine hee knew Dauid too well to imploy a frieÌ„d in that errand An Ethiopian seruant was a fitter bearer of such a message then the son of the Priest The entertainment of the person doth so follow the quality of the newes that Dauid could argue a far off He is a good man he commeth with good tidings Oh how welcome deserue those messengers to bee that bring vs the glad tidings of saluation that assure vs of the foile of all spirituall enemies and tell vs of nothing but victories and Crownes and Kingdomes If we thinke not their feet beautifull our hearts are foule with infidelity and secure worldlinesse So wise is Ahimaaz growne by Ioabs intimation that though hee out-went Cushi in his pace he suffers Cushi to out-goe him in his tale cunningly suppressing that part which he knew must be both necessarily deliuered and vnpleasingly receiued As our care is wont to be where our loue is Dauids first word is not how fares the host but how farâ—â— the yong man Absalom Like a wise and faithfull messenger Cushi answers by honest insinuation The enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt be as that yong man is implying both what was done and why Dauid should approue it being done How is the good King thunder strooke with that word of his Black-more who as if he were at once bereaued of all comfort and cared not to liue but in the name of Absalom goes and weepes and cryes out O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom Would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my son my son What is this wee heare that hee whose life Israel valued at ten thousand of theirs should be exchanged with a traitors that a good King whose life was sought should wish to lay it down for the preseruation of his murtherer The best men haue not wont to be the least passionate But what shall we say to that loue of thine O Sauiour who hast said of vs wretched traitors not Would God I had died for you But I will dye I doe dye I haue died for you Oh loue like thy selfe infinite incomprehensible whereat the Angels of Heauen stand yet amazed wherewith thy Saints are rauished Turne away thine eyes from me for they ouercome mee Oh thou that dwellest in the Gardens the companions hearken to thy voyce cause vs to heare it that we may in our measure answer thy loue and enioy it for euer SHEBAES Rebellion IT was the doome which God passed vpon the man after his owne heart by the mouth of Nathan that the sword should neuer depart from his house for the blood of Vriah After that wound healed by remission yet this scarre remaines Absalom is no sooner cast down into the pit then Sheba the son of Bichri is vp in armes If Dauid be not plagued yet he shal bee corrected First by the rod of a son then of a subiect He had lift vp his hand against a faithfull subiect now a faithlesse dares to lift vp his hand against him Malice like some hereditarie sicknesse runs in a blood Saul and Shimei and Sheba were all of an house That ancient grudge was not yet dead The fire of the house of Iemini was but raked vp neuer throughly out and now that which did but smoke in Shemei flames in Sheba Although euen through this chastisement it is not hard to discerne a Type of that perpetuall succession of enmity which should be raised against the true King of Israel O Son of Dauid when didst thou euer want enemies How wert thou designed by thine eternall Father for a signe that should be spoken against How did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth assembled and the Rulers came together against thee Yea how doe the subiects of thine owne kingdome daily conspire against thee Euen now whiles thou enioyest peace and glory at thy Fathers right hand as soone shalt thou want friends as enemies vpon earth No eye of any traitor could espie a iust quarrell in the gouernment of Dauid yet Sheba blowes the trumpet of rebellion and whiles Israel and Iudah are striuing who should haue the greatest part in their re-established Soueraigne hee stickes not to say We haue no part in Dauid neither haue wee inheritance in the son of Ishai and whiles he sayes Euery man to his tents O Israel hee calls euery man to his owne So in proclaiming a liberty from a iust and loyall subiection he inuites Israel to the bondage of an vsuâ—per That a lewde Conspirator should breathe Treason it is no wonder but is it not wonder and shame that vpon euery mutinous blast Israel should turne Traitor to Gods anointed It was their late expostulation with Dauid why their brethren the men of Iudah should haue stolne him from them now might Dauid mâ—re iustly expostulate why a rebell of their brethren should haue stolne them from him As nothing is more vnstable then the multitude so nothing is more subieâ—â— distastes then Soueraignty for as weake minds seeke pleasure in change so euery light conceit of irritation seemes sufficient colour of change Such as the false dispositions of the vulgar are loue cannot bee security enough for Princes without the awfulnesse of power What hold can there bee of popularity when the same hands that euen now fought for Dauid to be all theirs now fight against him vnder the son of Bichri as none of theirs As Bees when they are once vp in a swarm are ready to light vpon euery bow so the Israelites being stirred by the late commotion of Absalom are apt to follow euery Sheba It is vnsafe for any State that the multitude should once know the way to an insurrection the least track in this kind is easily made a path Yet if Israel rebell Iudah continues faithfull neither shall the son of Dauid euer be left destitute of some true subiects in the worst of Apostasies Hee that could command all hearts will euer bee followed by some God had rather glorifie himselfe by a remnant Great Commanders must haue actiue thoughts Dauid is not so taken vp with the embroiled affaires of his state as not to intend domesticke iustice His ten concubines which were shamelesly defiled by his incestuous son are condemned to ward and widowhood Had not that constupration been partly violent their punishment had not been so easie had it not also beene partly voluntary they had not been so much punished But how much so euer the act did partake of either force or will iustly are they sequestred from Dauids bed Absalom was not more vnnaturall in his rebellion then in his
now all hearts are cold all faces pale and euery man hath but life enough to runne away How suddenly is this brauing troupe dispersed Adonijah their new Prince flies to the hornes of the Altar as distrusting all hopes of life saue the Sanctity of the place and the mercy of his riuall So doth the wise and iust God befoole proud and insolent sinners in those secret plots wherein they hope to vndermine the true sonne of Dauid the Prince of Peace he suffers them to lay their heads together and to feast themselues in a iocund securitie and promise of successe at last when they are at the height of their ioyes and hopes he confounds all their deuices and layes them open to the scorne of the world and to the anguish of their owne guilty hearts DAVIDS end and SALOMONS beginning IT well became Salomon to begin his Raigne in peace Adonijah receiues pardon vpon his good behauiour and findes the Throne of Salomon as safe as the Altar Dauid liues to see a wise sonne warme in his seat and now hee that had yeelded to succession yeelds to nature Many good counsels had Dauid giuen his Heire now hee summes them vp in his end Dying words are wont to bee weightiest The Soule when it is entring into glory breathes nothing but diuine I goe the way of all the earth How well is that Princely heart content to subscribe to the conditions of humane mortality as one that knew Soueraigntie doth not reach to the affaires of nature Though a King he neither expects nor desires an immunity from dissolution making not account to goe in any other then the common track to the vniuersall home of mankind the house of age Whither should earth but to earth and why should we grugde to doe that which all doe Be thou strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man Euen when his spirit was going out he puts spirit into his Sonne Age puts life into youth and the dying animates the vigorous He had well found that strength was requisit to gouernment that he had need to be no lesse then a man that should rule ouer men If greatnesse should neuer receiue any opposition yet those worlds powers A weake man may obey none but the strong can gouerne Gracelesse courage were but the whetstone of tyranny Take heed therefore to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Statutes The best legacy that Dauid bequeathes to his heire is the care of piety himselfe had found the sweetnesse of a good conscience and now he commends it to his successor If there be any thing that in our desires of the prosperous condition of our children takes place of goodnesse our hearts are not vpright Here was the father a King charging the King his sonne to keepe the Statutes of the King of Kings as one that knew greatnesse could neither exempt from obedience nor priuiledge sinne as one that knew the least deuiation in the greatest and highest Orbe is both most sensible and most dangerous Neither would he haue his sonne to looke for any prosperity saue onely from well-doing That happinesse is built vpon sands or Ice which is raised vpon any foundation besides vertue If Salomon were wise Dauid was good and if old Salomon had well remembred the counsell of old Dauid he had not so foulely mis-caried After the precepts of pietie follow those of iustice distributing in a due recompence as reuenge to Ioab and Shimei so fauour to the house of Barzillai The bloodinesse of Ioab had lien long vpon Dauids heart the hideous noyse of those treacherous murders as it had pierced heauen so it still filled the eares of Dauid He could abhorre that villanie though he could not reuenge it What he cannnot pay hee will owe and approue himselfe at last a faithfull debtor Now hee will defray it by the hand of Salomon The slaughter was of Abner and Amasa Dauid appropriates it Thou knowest what Ioab did to me The Soueraigne is smitten in the Subiect Neither is it other then iust that the arraignment of meane malefactors runnes in the stile of wrong to the Kings Crowne and dignity How much more 〈◊〉 thou O Sonne of Dauid take to thy selfe those insolencies which are done to thy poorest subiects seruants sonnes members here vpon earth No Saul can touch a Christian here below but thou feelest it in heauen and complainest But what shall we thinke of this Dauid was a man of Warre Salomon a King of Peace yet Dauid referres this reuenge to Salomon How iust it was that he who shed the blood of warre in peace and put the blood of war vpon his girdle that was about his loynes should haue his blood shed in peace by a Prince of peace Peace is fittest to rectifie the out-rages of Warre Or whether is not this done in type of that diuine administration wherein thou O father of heauen hast committed all iudgement vnto thine eternall Sonne Thou who couldst immediately either plague or absolue sinners wilt doe neither but by the hand of a Mediator Salomon learned betimes what his ripenesse taught afterwards Take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousnesse Cruell Ioab and malicious Shimei must be therfore vpon the first opportunity remoued The one lay open to present iustice for abetting the conspiracy of Adonijah neither needes the helpe of time for a new aduantage The other went vnder the protection of an oath from Dauid and therefore must be fetcht in vpon a new challenge The hoare head of both must bee brought to the graue with blood else Dauids head could not bee brought to his graue in peace Due punishment of malefactors is the debt of authority If that holy King haue runne into arerages yet as one that hates and feares to breake the banke he giues order to his pay-master It shall bee defraid if not by him yet for him Generous natures cannot be vnthankfull Barzillai had shewed Dauid some kindnesse in his extremity and now the good man will haue posterity to inherite the thankes How much more bountifull is the Father of mercies in the remuneration of our poore vnworthy seruices Euen successions of generations shall fare the better for one good parent The dying words and thoughts of the man after Gods owne heart did not confine themselues to the straites of these particular charges but inlarged themselues to the care of Gods publike seruice As good men are best at last Dauid did neuer so busily and carefully marshall the affaires of God as when he was fixed to the bed of his age and death Then did he lode his sonne Salomon with the charge of building the house of God then did hee lay before the eyes of his sonne the modell and patterne of that whole sacred worke whereof if Salomon beare the name yet Dauid no lesse merits it He now giues the platforme of the Courts and buildings Hee giues the gold and siluer for
men according to no other conditions then of their faith The Centurions seruant was sicke the Rulers sonne The Centurion doth not sue vnto Christ to come onely sayes My seruant is sicke of a Palsie Christ answers him I will come and heale him The Ruler sues vnto Christ that hee would come and heale his sonne Christ will not goe onely sayes Goe thy way thy sonne liues Outward things carie no respect with God The Image of that diuine Maiestie shining inwardly in the graces of the soule is that which wins loue from him in the meanest estate The Centurions faith therefore could do more then the Rulers greatnesse and that faithfull mans seruant hath more regard then this great mans sonne The Rulers request was Come and heale Christs answer was Goe thy way thy sonne liues Our mercifull Sauiour meets those in the end whom hee crosses in the way How sweetly doth he correct our prayers and whiles he doth not giue vs what we aske giues vs better then we asked Iustly doth he forbeare to go downe with this Ruler lest he should confirme him in an opinion of measuring his power by conceits of locality distance but he doth that in absence for which his presence was required with a repulse Thy sonne liueth giuing a greater demonstration of his omnipotencie then was craued How oft doth hee not heare to our will that hee may heare vs to our aduantage The chosen vessell would be rid of tentations he heares of a supply of grace The sicke man askes release receiues patience life and receiues glory Let vs aske what we thinke best let him giue what he knowes best With one word doth Christ heale two Patients the sonne and the father the sons feuer the fathers vnbeleefe That operatiue word of our Sauiour was not without the intention of a triall Had not the Ruler gone home satisfied with that intimation of his sonnes life and recouerie neither of them had beene blessed with successe Now the newes of performance meets him one halfe of the way and hee that beleeued somewhat ere he came and more when he went grew to more faith in the way and when he came home inlarged his faith to all the skirts of his familie A weake faith may be true but a true faith is growing He that boasts of a full stature in the first moment of his assent may presume but doth not beleeue Great men cannot want clients their example swaies some their authoritie more they cannot goe to either of the other worlds alone In vaine doe they pretend power ouer others who labour â—ut to draw their families vnto God The Dumbe Deuill eiected THat the Prince of our Peace might approue his perfect victories wheresoeuer hee met with the Prince of darknesse hee foyled him he eiected him He found him in heauen thence did hee throw him headlong and verified his Prophet I haue cast thee out of mine holy mountaine And if the Deuils left their first habitation it was because being Deuills they could not keepe it Their estate indeed they might haue kept and did not their habitation they would haue kept and might not How art thou falne from heauen O Lucifer He found him in the heart of man for in that closet of God did the euill spirit after his exile from heauen shrowd himselfe Sin gaue him possession which he kept with a willing violence thence hee casts him by his word and spirit He found him tyrannizing in the bodies of some possessed men and with power commands the vncleane spirits to depart This act is for no hand but his When a strong man keepes possession none but a stronger can remoue it In voluntary things the strongest may yeeld to the weakest Sampson to a Dalilah but in violent euer the mightiest caries it A spirituall nature must needs be in ranke aboue a bodily neither can any power be aboue a spirit but the God of spirits No otherwise is it in the mentall possession Where euer sinne is there Satan is As on the contrary whosoeuer is borne of God the seed of God remaines in him That euill one not onely is but rules in the sonnes of disobedience in vaine shall wee try to eiect him but by the diuine power of the Redeemer For this cause the Sonne of God was manifested that hee might destroy the workes of the Deuill Doe we finde our selues haunted with the familiar Deuills of Pride selfe-loue sensuall desires vnbeleefe None but thou O Son of the euerliuing God can free our bosomes of these hellish guests Oh clense thou mee from my secret sinnes and keepe mee that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me O Sauiour it is no Paradox to say that thou castest out more Deuils now then thou diddest whiles thou wert vpon earth It was thy word When I am lifted vp I will draw all men vnto me Satan weighes downe at the feet thou pullest at the head yea at the heart In euery conuersion which thou workest there is a dispossession Conuert mee O Lord and I shall be conuerted I know thy meanes are now no other then ordinary if we expect to be dispossessed by miracle it would be a miracle if euer wee were dispossessed Oh let thy Gospell haue the perfect worke in me so onely shall I bee deliuered from the powers of darknesse Nothing can be said to be dumbe but what naturally speakes nothing can speake naturally but what hath the instruments of speech which because spirits want they can no otherwise speake vocally then as they take voices to themselues in taking bodies This deuill was not therefore dumbe in his nature but in his effect The man was dumbe by the operation of that deuill which possessed him and now the action is attributed to the spirit which was subiectiuely in the man It is not you that speake saith our Sauiour but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you As it is in bodily diseases that they doe not infect vs alike some seize vpon the humors others vpon the spirits some assault the braine others the heart or lungs so in bodily and spirituall possessions In some the euill spirit takes away their senses in some their lims in some their inward faculties like as spiritually they affect to moue vs vnto seuerall sinnes One to lust another to couetousnesse or ambition another to cruelty and their names haue distinguished them according to these various effects This was a dumbe Deuill which yet had possessed not the tongue onely of this man but his eare not that onely but as it seemes his eies too O suttle and tyrannous spirit that obstructs all wayes to the soule that keepes out all meanes of grace both from the doores and windowes of the heart yea that stops vp all passages whether of ingresse or egresse Of ingresse at the eye or eare of egresse at the mouth that there might be no capacity of redresse What holy vse is there of our tongue but to praise our Maker to confesse our
sinnes to informe our brethren How rife is this Dumbe Deuill euerywhere whiles hee stops the mouthes of Christians from these vsefull and necessarie duties For what end hath man those two priuiledges aboue his fellow creatures Reason and Speech but that as by the one he may conceiue of the great workes of his Maker which the rest cannot so by the other hee may expresse what hee conceiues to the honor of the Creator both of them and himselfe And why are all other creatures said to praise God and bidden to praise him but because they doe it by the apprehension by the expression of man If the heauens declare the glory of God how doe they it but to the eies and by the tongue of that man for whom they were made It is no small honor whereof the enuious spirit shall rob his Maker if he 〈◊〉 close vp the mouth of his onely rationall and vocall creature and turne the best of his workemanship into a dumbe Idoll that hath a mouth and speakes not Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Praise is not more necessary then complaint praise of God then complaint of ourselues whether to God or men The onely amends we can make to God what we haue not had the grace to auoid sinne is to confesse the sinne wee haue not auoided This is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurs of our liues If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse That cunning man-slayer knowes there is no way to purge the sicke soule but vpward by casting out the vicious humor wherewith it is clogged and therefore holds the lips close that the heart may not dis-burden it selfe by so wholesome euacuation When I kept silence my bones consumed For day and night thy band O Lord was heauy vpon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer O let me confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee that thou maist forgiue the punishment of my sinne We haue a tongue for God when wee praise him for our selues when wee pray and confesse for our brethren when we speake the truth for their information which if we hold backe in vnrighteousnesse we yeeld vnto that dumbe Deuill where doe we not see that accursed spirit Hee is on the Bench when the mute or partiall Iudge speakes not for truth and innocence He is in the pulpit when the Prophets of God smother or halue or adulterate the message of their master Hee is at the barre when irreligious Iurors dare lend an oath to feare to hope to gaine Hee is in the market when godlesse chapmen for their peny sell the truth and their soule He is in the common conuersation of men when the tongue belies the heart flatters the guilty balketh reproofes euen in the foulest crimes O thou who only art stronger then that strong one cast him out of the hearts and mouthes of men It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy Law That it might well appeare this impediment was not naturall so soone as the man is freed from the spirit his tongue is free to his speech The effects of spirits as they are wrought so they cease at once If the Sonne of God doe but remoue our spirituall possession we shall presently breake forth into the praise of God into the confession of our vilenesse into the profession of truth But what strange variety do I see in the spectators of this miracle some wondring others censuring a third sort tempting a fourth applauding There was neuer man or action but was subiect to variety of constructions What man could bee so holy as he that was God What act could bee more worthy then the dispossession of an euill spirit yet this man this act passeth these differences of interpretation What can we doe to vndergoe but one opinion If we giue almes and fast some will magnifie our charity and deuotion others will taxe our hypocrisie If wee giue not some will condemne our hard-heartednesse others will allow our care of iustice if wee preach plainly to some it will sauour of a carelesse slubbering to others of a mortified sincerity Elaborately some will tax our affectation others will applaud our diligence in dressing the delicate viands of God What maruell is it if it bee thus with our imperfection when it fared not otherwise with him that was purity and righteousnesse it selfe The austere fore-runner of Christ came neither eating nor drinking they say He hath a Deuill The sonne of man came eating and drinking they say This man is a glutton a friend of Publicans and sinners and here one of his holy acts caries away at once wonder censure doubt celebration There is no way safe for a man but to square his actions by the right rule of iustice of charitie and then let the world haue leaue to spend their glosses at pleasure It was an heroicall resolution of the chosen vessell I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans day I maruell not if the people maruelled for here were foure wonders in one The blinde saw the deafe heard the dumbe spake the demoniacke is deliuered Wonder was due to so rare and powerfull a worke and if not this nothing We can cast away admiration vpon the poore deuices or actiuities of men how much more vpon the extraordinary workes of omnipotency Who so knowes the frame of Heauen and earth shall not much be affected with the imperfect effects of fraile humanity but shall with no lesse rauishment of soule acknowledge the miraculous workes of the same Almighty hand Neither is the spirituall eiection worthy of any meaner intertainment Raritie and difficultie are wont to cause wonder There are many things which haue wonder in their worth and leese it in their frequence there are some which haue it in their strangenesse and leese it in their facilitie Both meet in this To see men haunted yea possessed with a dumbe Deuill is so frequent that it is a iust wonder to finde a man free but to finde the dumbe spirit cast out of a man and to heare him praising God confessing his sinnes teaching others the sweet experiments of mercy deserues iust admiration If the Cynick sought in the market for a man amongst men well may we seeke amongst men for a conuert Neither is the difficulty lesse then the rarenesse The strong man hath the possession all passages are blockt vp all helpes barred by the trechery of our nature If any soule be rescued from these spirituall wickednesses it is the praise of him that doth wonders alone But whom doe I see wondring The multiude The vnlearned beholders follow that act with wonder which the learned Scribes entertaine with obloquy God hath reuealed those things to babes which he hath hid from the wise and prudent With what scorne did those great Rabbins speake of these sonnes of the earth This
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
willing their torment they may be made most sensible of paine and by the obedible submission of their created nature wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures Besides the very horrour which ariseth from the place whereto they are euerlastingly confined For if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may bee held in a loathed or painfull body and conceiue sorrow to bee so imprisoned Why may wee not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of Angels or men may be held in those direfull flames and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer Tremble rather O my soule at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill Angels who for one onely act of Apostasie from God are thus perpetually tormented whereas we sinfull wretches multiply many and presumptuous offences against the Maiestie of our God And withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercy to the miserable generation of man which after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted Angels so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities and both suffers vs to be free for the time from these hellish torments and giues vs opportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name who for giueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and compassions There is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more Art thou come to torment vs before our time They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution which they also vnderstood to be not yet come For though they knew not when the Day of Iudgement should be a point concealed from the glorious Angels of heauen yet they knew when it should not be and therefore they say Before the time Euen the very euill spirits confesse and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall Sessions They beleeue lesse then Deuils that either doubt of or deny that day of finall retribution Oh the wonderfull mercy of our God that both to wicked men and spirits respites the vtmost of their torment He might vpon the first instant of the fall of Angels haue inflicted on them the highest extremitie of his vengeance Hee might vpon the first sinnes of our youth yea of our nature haue swept vs away and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake he stayes a time for both Though with this difference of mercy to vs men that here not onely is a delay but may be an vtter preuention of punishment which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible They doe suffer they must suffer and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must yet they must once suffer more then they doe Yet so doth this euill spirit expostulate that he sues I beseech thee torment mee not The world is well changed since Satans first onset vpon Christ Then hee could say If thou be the Sonne of God now Iesus the Sonne of the most high God then All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me now I beseech thee torment mee not The same power when hee lists can change the note of the Tempter to vs How happy are wee that haue such a Redeemer as can command the Deuils to their chaines Oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners that haue said Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs How euer the Almighty suffers you for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your Creator yet the time shall come when yee shall see the very masters whom ye haue serued the powers of darknesse vnable to auoid the reuenges of God How much lesse shall man striue with his Maker man whose breath is in his nostrils whose house is clay whose foundation is the dust Nature teaches euery creature to wish a freedome from paine the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill Yet what a thing is this to heare the deuill at his prayers I beseech thee torment me not Deuotion is not guilty of this but feare There is no grace in the suit of Deuils but nature no respect of glory to their Creator but their owne ease They cannot pray against sinne but against torment for sinne What newes is it now to heare the profanest mouth in extremitie imploring the Sacred Name of God when the Deuils doe so The worst of all creatures hates punishment and can say Lead me not into paine onely the good heart can say Leade mee not into temptation If wee can as heartily pray against sinne for the auoiding of displeasure as against punishment when wee haue displeased there is true grace in the soule Indeed if wee could feruently pray against sinne we should not need to pray against punishment which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that bodie but if we haue not laboured against our sins in vaine doe wee pray against punishment God must be iust and the wages of sinne is death It pleased our holy Sauiour not onely to let fall words of command vpon this spirit but to interchange some speeches with him All Christs actions are not for example It was the errour of our Grand-mother to hold chat with Satan That God who knowes the craft of that old Serpent and our weake simplicitie hath charged vs not to enquire of an euill spirit surely if the Disciples returning to Iacobs Well wondred to see Christ talke with a woman well may wee wonder to see him talking with an vncleane Spirit Let it be no presumption O Sauiour to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this wherein wee may not follow thee Wee know that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs wee know there was no guile found in thy mouth no possibilitie of taint in thy nature in thine actions Neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may bee done by thee without sinne which wee cannot but sinne in doing There is a vast difference in the intention in the Agent For on the one side thou didst not aske the name of the spirit as one that knew not and would learne by inquiring but that by the confession of that mischiefe which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might bee the more conspicuous the more glorious so on the other God and man might doe that safely which meere man cannot doe without danger thou mightest touch the leprosie and not be legally vncleane because thou touchedst it to heale it didst not touch it with possibility of infection So mightest thou who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature wert vncapable of any staine by the interlocution with Satan safely conferre with him whom corrupt man pre-disposed to the danger of such a parle may not meddle with without sinne because not without perill It is
in the poole of Samaria the dogges come to claime their due they licke vp the blood of the great King of Israel The tongues of those brute creatures shall make good the tongue of Gods Prophet Michaiah is iustified Naboth is reuenged the Baalites confounded Ahab iudged Righteous art thou O God in all thy waies and holy in all thy workes AHAzIAH sicke and ELIJAH reuenged AHaziah succeeds his father Ahab both in his throne and in his sinne Who could looke for better issue of those loines of those examples God followes him with a double iudgement of the reuolt of Moab and of his owne sicknesse All the reigne of Ahab had Moab beene a quiet Tributarie and furnished Israel with rich flockes and fleeces now their subiection dies with that warlike King and will not be inherited This rebellion tooke aduantage as from the weaker spirits so from the sickly body of Ahaziah whose disease was not naturall but casuall walking in his palace of Samaria some grate in the floore of his Chamber breakes vnder him and giues way to that fall whereby hee is bruised and languisheth The same hand that guided Ahabs shaft cracks Ahaziahs lattesse How infinite varietie of plagues hath the iust GOD for obstinate sinners whether in the field or in the chamber he knowes to finde them out How fearlesly did Ahaziah walke on his wonted pauement The Lord hath laid a trap for him whereinto whiles he thinkes least he fals irrecouerably No place is safe for the man that is at variance with God The body of Ahaziah was not more sicke then his soule was gracelesse None but chance was his enemy none but the God of Ekron must bee his friend He lookes not vp to the Omnipotent hand of diuine iustice for the disease or of mercy for the remedy An Idoll is his refuge whether for cure or intelligence Wee heare not till now of Baal-zebub this new God of flies is perhaps of his making who now is a suter to his owne erection All these heathen Deities were but a Deuill with change of appellations the influence of that euill spirit deluded those miserable clients else there was no fly so impotent as that out-side of the god of Ekron Who would thinke that any Israelite could so farre dote vpon a stocke or a Fiend Time gathered much credit to this Idol in so much as the Iewes afterwards stiled Beel-zebub the Prince of all the regions of darknesse Ahaziah is the first that brings his Oracle in request and payes him the tribute of his deuotion Hee sends messengers and sayes Goe inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recouer of this disease The message was either idle or wicked idle if he sent it to a stock if to a deuill both idle and wicked What can the most intelligent spirits know of future things but what they see either in their causes or in the light of participation What a madnesse was it in Ahaziah to seeke to the posterne whiles the fore-gate stood open Could those euill spirits truely foretell euents no way pre-existent yet they might not without sinne bee consulted the euill of their nature debarres all the benefit of their information If not as intelligencers much lesse may they be sought to as gods who cannot blush to heare and see that euen the very Euangelicall Israel should yeeld Pilgrims to the shrines of darknesse How many after this cleere light of the Gospell in their losses in their sicknesses send to these infernall Oracles and damne themselues wilfully in a vaine curiositie The message of the iealous God intercepts them with a iust disdaine as here by Elijah Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that yee goe to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron What can be a greater disparagement to the True God then to be neglected then to stand aside and see vs make loue to an hellish riuall were there no God in Israel in heauen what could wee doe other what worse This affront of what euer Ahaziah cannot escape without a reuenge Therefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die It is an high indignitie to the True God not to be sought to in our necessities but so to bee cashiered from our deuotions as to haue a false god thrust in his roome is such a scorne as it is well if it can escape with one death Let now the famous god of Ekron take off that brand of feared mortalitie which the liuing God hath set vpon Ahaziah Let Baal-zebub make good some better newes to his distressed suppliant Rather the King of Israel is himselfe without his repentance hasting to Beel-zebub This errand is soone done The messengers are returned ere they goe Not a little were they amazed to heare their secret message from anothers mouth neither could chuse but thinke Hee that can tell what Ahaziah said what hee thought can foretell how hee shall speed Wee haue met with a greater God then wee went to seeke what need wee inquire for another answer With this conceit with this report they returne to their sicke Lord and astonish him with so short so sad a relation No maruell if the King inquired curiously of the habit and fashion of the man that could know this that durst say this They describe him a man whether of an hairy skin or of rough course carelesse attire thus drest thus girded Ahaziah readily apprehends it to be Elijah the old friend of his father Ahab of his mother Iezebel More then once had he seene him an vnwelcome guest in the Court of Israel The times had beene such that the Prophet could not at once speake true and please Nothing but reproofes and menaces sounded from the mouth of Elijah Michaiah and hee were still as welcome to the eyes of that guilty Prince as the Syrian arrow was into his flesh Too well therefore had Ahaziah noted that querulous Seer and now is not a little troubled to see himselfe in succession haunted with that bold and ill-boding spirit Behold the true sonne of Iezebel the anguish of his disease the expectation of death cannot take off the edge of his persecution of Elijah It is against his will that his death-bed is not bloody Had Ahaziah meant any other then a cruell violence to Elijah he had sent a peaceable messenger to call him to the Court hee had not sent a Captaine with a band of Souldiers to fetch him the instruments which hee vseth cary reuenge in their face If he had not thought Elijah more then a man what needed a band of fifty to apprehend one and if he did thinke him such why would hee send to apprehend him by fifty Surely Ahaziah knew of old how miraculous a Prophet Elijah was what power that man had ouer all their base Deities what command of the Elements of the heauens and yet hee sends to attache him It is a strange thing
of his seruice The euening praises the day and the chiefe grace of the theater is in the last Scene Be faithfull to the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life That Elijah should be translated and what day he should be translated God would haue no secret The sonnes of the Prophets at Bethel at Iericho both know it and aske Elisha if he knew it not Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy Master from thy head this day and hee answered Yea I know it hold yee your peace How familiarly do these Prophets inter-know one another How kindly do they communicate their visions Seldome euer was any knowledge giuen to keep but to impart The grace of this rich Iewell is lost in concealement The remouall of an Elijah is so important a businesse that it is not fit to be done without noise Many shall haue their share in his losse he must be missed on the sudden it was meet therefore that the world should know his rapture should be diuine and glorious I doe not finde where the day of any naturall death is notified to so many by how much more wonder there was in this Assumption by so much more shall it bee fore-reuealed It is enough for ordinarie occurrents to bee knowne in their euent supernaturall things haue need of premonition that mens hearts may bee both prepared for their receit and confirmed in their certainty Thrice was Elisha intreated thrice hath hee denied to stay behinde his now-departing Master on whom both his eyes and his thoughts are so fixed that hee cannot giue allowance so much as to the interpellation of a question of his fellow-Prophets Together therefore are this wonderfull paire comne to the last stage of their separation the bankes of Iordan Those that were not admitted to bee attendants of the iourney yet will not bee debarred from being spectators of so maruellous an issue Fifty men of the sonnes of the Prophets went and stood to view afarre off I maruell there were no more How could any sonne of the Prophets stay within the Colledge walls that day when hee knew what was meant to Elijah Perhaps though they knew that to bee the Prophets last day yet they might thinke his disparition should bee sudden and insensible besides they found how much hee affected secrecie in this intended departure yet the fifty Prophets of Iericho will make proofe of their eyes and with much intention assay who shall haue the last sight of Elijah Miracles are not purposed to silence and obscuritie God will not worke wonders without witnesses since hee doth them on purpose to winne glory to his name his end were frustrate without their notice Euen so O Sauiour when thou hadst raised thy selfe from the dead thou wouldest bee seene of more then fiue hundred brethren at once and when thou wouldest raise vp thy glorified bodie from earth into Heauen thou didst not ascend from some close valley but from the Mount of Oliues not in the night not alone but in the cleare day in the view of many eyes which were so fixed vpon that point of thine heauen that they could scarce bee remoued by the checke of Angels Iordan must be crossed by Elijah in his way to heauen There must be a meet parallel betwixt the two great Prophets that shal meet Christ vpon Tabor Moses and Elias Both receiued visions on Horeb to both God appeared there in fire and other formes of terrour both were sent to Kings one to Pharaoh the other to Ahab Both prepared miraculous Tables the one of Quailes and Manna in the Desert the other of Meale and Oyle in Sarepta Both opened heauen the one for that nourishing dew the other for those refreshing showres Both reuenged Idolatries with the sword the one vpon the worshippers of the golden Calfe the other vpon the foure hundred Baalites Both quenched the drought of Israel the one out of the Rocke the other out of the Cloud Both diuided the waters the one of the Red Sea the other of Iordan Both of them are forewarned of their departure Both must be fetcht away beyond Iordan The body of Elijah is translated the body of Moses is hid What Moses doth by his Rod Elijah doth by his Mantle with that hee smites the Waters and they as fearing the diuine power which wrought with the Prophet runne away from him and stand on heapes leauing their dry channell for the passage of those awfull feet It is not long since he mulcted them with a generall exsiccation now he onely bids them stand aside and giue way to his last walke that he might with dry feet mount vp into the celestiall chariot The waters doe not now first obey him they know that Mantle of old which hath oft giuen lawes to their falling rising standing they are past ouer and now when Elijah finds himselfe treading on his last earth hee profers a munificent boone to his faithfull seruant Aske what I shall doe for thee before I am taken from thee I doe not heare him say Aske of me when I am gone In my glorified condition I shall bee more able to bestead thee but aske before I goe Wee haue a communion with the Saints departed not a commerce when they are inabled to doe more for vs they are lesse apt to be sollicited by vs It is safe suing where we are sure that we are heard Had not Elijah receiued a peculiar instinct for this profer he had not been thus liberall It were presumption to be bountifull on anothers cost without leaue of the owner The mercy of our good God allowes his fauourites not onely to receiue but to giue not onely to receiue for themselues but to conuey blessings to others What can that man want that is befriended of the faithfull Elisha needs not goe farre to seeke for a suit It was in his heart in his mouth Let a double portion of thy spirit be vpon me Euery Prophet must be a sonne to Elijah but Elisha would be his heire and craues the happy right of his primogeniture the double share to his brethren It was not wealth nor safety nor ease nor honour that Elisha cares for the world lies open before him hee may take his choice the rest he contemneth nothing will serue him but a large measure of his masters spirit No carnall thought was guilty of this sacred ambition Affectation of eminence was too base a conceit to fall into that man of God He saw that the times needed strong conuictions he saw that hee could not otherwise weild the succession to such a Master therefore he sues for a double portion of spirit the spirit of prophesie to foreknow the spirit of power to worke We cannot bee too couetous too ambitious of spirituall gifts such especially as may inable vs to win most aduantage to God in our vocations Our wishes are the true touch-stone of our estate such as we wish to be we are worldly hearts affect earthly things spirituall
not distracted with an accident so sudden so sorrowfull she layes her dead childe vpon the Prophets bed shee lockes the doore shee hides her griefe lest that consternation might hinder her designe she hastens to her husband and as not daring to bee other then officious in so distresse-full an occasion acquaints him with her iourney though not with the cause requires of him both attendance and conueyance shee posts to mount Carmel shee cannot so soone finde out the man of God as hee hath found her He sees her afarre off and like a thankfull guest sends his seruant hastily to meet her to inquire of the health of her selfe her husband her childe Her errand was not to Gehezi it was to Elisha no messenger shall interrupt her no eare shall receiue her complaint but the Prophets Downe shee fals passionately at his feet and forgetting the fashion of her bashfull strangenesse layes hold of them whether in an humble veneration of his person or in a feruent desire of satisfaction Gehezi who well knew how vncouth how vnfit this gesture of salutation was for his master offers to remoue her and admonisheth her of her distance The mercifull Prophet easily apprehends that no ordinary occasion could so transport a graue and well-gouerned matrone as therefore pittying her vnknowne passion hee bids Let her alone for her soule is vexed within her and the Lord hath hid it from mee and hath not told mee If extremitie of griefe haue made her vnmannerly wise and holy Elisha knowes how to pardon it Hee dares not adde sorrow to the afflicted hee can better beare an vnseemelinesse in her greeting then cruelty in her molestation Great was the familiaritie that the Prophet had with his God and as friends are wont mutually to impart their counsels to each other so had the Lord done to him Elisha was not idle on mount Carmel What was it that he saw not from thence Not heauen onely but the world was before him yet the Shunamites losse is concealed from him neither doth he shame to confesse it Oft-times those that know greater matters may yet bee ignorant of the lesse It is no disparagement to any finite creature not to know something By her mouth will God tell the Prophet what by vision hee had not Then she said Did I desire a sonne of my Lord Did I not say doe not deceiue me Deepe sorrow is sparing of words The expostulation could not be more short more quicke more pithy Had I begged a son perhaps my importunity might haue been yeelded to in anger Too much desire is iustly punished with losse It is no maruell if what we wring from God prosper not This fauour to mee was of thine owne motion Thy suit O Elisha made me a mother Couldst thou intend to torment me with a blessing How much more easie had the want of a sonne been then the mis-cariage Barrennesse then orbation Was there no other end of my hauing a son then that I might lose him O man of God let mee not complaine of a cruel kindnesse thy prayers gaue me a son let thy prayers restore him let not my dutifull respects to thee bee repaid with an aggrauation of misery giue not thine hand-maid cause to wish that I were but so vnhapy as thou foundest me Oh wofull fruitfulnesse if I must now say that I had a sonne I know not whether the mother or the Prophet were more afflicted the Prophet for the mothers sake or the mother for her owne Not a word of reply doe wee heare from the mouth of Elisha his breath is onely spent in the remedy Hee sends his seruant with all speed to lay his staffe vpon the face of the childe charging him to auoyd all the delayes of the way Had not the Prophet supposed that staffe of his able to beat away death why did hee send it and if vpon that supposition hee sent it how was it that it failed of effect was this act done out of humane conceit not out of instinct from God Or did the want of the mothers faith hinder the successe of that cure She not regarding the staffe or the man holds fast to Elisha No hopes of his message can loose her fingers As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee She imagined that the seruant the staffe might bee seuered from Elisha she knew that where euer the Prophet was there was power It is good relying vpon those helpes that cannot faile vs. Merit and importunity haue drawne Elisha from Carmel to Shunem Hee findes his lodging taken vp by that pale carkeise hee shuts his doore and fals to his prayers this staffe of his what euer became of the other was long enough hee knew to reach vp to Heauen to knocke at those gates yea to wrench them open Hee applies his body to those cold and senselesse limbs By the feruour of his soule hee reduces that soule by the heat of his body he educeth warmth out of that corps The childe neeseth seuen times as if his spirit had beene but hid for the time not departed it fals to worke a fresh the eyes looke vp the lippes and hands moue The mother is called in to receiue a new life in her twice-giuen sonne she comes in full of ioy full of wonder and bowes her selfe to the ground and fals downe before those feet which shee had so boldly layd hold of in Carmel Oh strong faith of the Shunamite that could not be discouraged with the seizure and continuance of death raising vp her heart still to an expectation of that life which to the eyes of nature had beene impossible irreuocable Oh infinite goodnesse of the Almightie that would not suffer such faith to be frustrate that would rather reuerse the lawes of nature in returning a guest from heauen and raising a corps from death then the confidence of a beleeuing heart should be disappointed How true an heire is Elisha of his master not in his graces onely but in his actions Both of them diuided the waters of Iordan the one as his last act the other as his first Elijahs curse was the death of the Captaines and their troupes Elishaes curse was the death of the children Elijah rebuked Ahab to his face Elisha Iehoram Elijah supplied the drought of Israel by raine from heauen Elisha supplied the drought of the three Kings by waters gushing out of the earth Elijah increased the oyle of the Sareptan Elisha increased the oyle of the Prophets widow Elijah raised from death the Sareptans son Elisha the Shunamites Both of them had one mantle one spirit both of them climbed vp one Carmel one heauen ELISHA with NAAMAN OF the full showers of grace which fell vpon Israel and Iudah yet some drops did light vpon their neighbours If Israel bee the worse for her neerenesse to Syria Syria is the better for the vicinity of Israel Amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy Naaman was a great