one son would bee but wofully releiued 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 he shall not returne to mee comforts himselfe concerning Amnon and begins to long for Absolom Those three yeeres banishment seemed not so much a punishment to the son as to the father Now Dauid begins to forgiue himselfe yet out of his wisdome so inclines to fauour that he conceales it and yet so conceales it that it may bee descryed by a cunning eye If hee had cast out no glances of affection there had beene no hopes for his Absalom if hee had made profession of loue after so foule an act there had beene no safety for others now hee lets fall so much secret grace as may both hold vp Abfalom 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 soone 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 wherof he knew Dauid was both big 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 she lamentably laies forth the losse danger of her sons she shewes Dauid his owne and whiles she moues compassion to her pretended issue shee wins Dauid to a pitty of himselfe and a fauourable sentence for Absalom We loue our selues better then others but wee see others better then 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 sin another to remit Absaloms punishment And now as glad to heare this plea and willing to bee perswaded vnto that which if he durst he would haue sought for he gratifies Ioab with the grant of that suit 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 Sunne both setting and rising should shine vpon him and now he speeds to Geshur to fetch back Absalom to Ierusalem he may bring the long-banished Prince to the City but to the Court hee 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 mercy that now hee is resolued vpon austerity 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 Dearling this son 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 be seen where the heart is set The best of Gods Saints may be blinded with affection but when they shall once see their errors they are carefull to correct them Wherfore serues the power of Grace but to subdue the insolencies of nature It is the wisdome 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 rigor 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 childe to see any of his fathers loue it emboldens him in euill and drawes on others Absaloms house is made his prison Iustly is he confined to the place which hee had stained with blood Two yeeres doth hee liue in Ierusalem without the happinesse of his fathers sight It was enough for Dauid and him to see the smoke of ech others chimnies In the meane time how impatient is Absalom of this absence Hee sends for Ioab the Solicitor of his returne So hard an hand doth wise and holy Dauid carry ouer his reduced sonne that his frendly Intercessor Ioab dares not visit him Hee 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 yeeres are passed since hee saw the face of his father and now he is no lesse weary of his life then of this delay Wherefore am I comne 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 iniquity in me let him kill me Either banishment or death seemed as tolerable to him as the debarring of his fathers sight What a torment shall it bee 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 son found hee could liue God is the Father of Spirits in whom wee so liue that without him can be no life no being to bee euer excluded from him in whom wee liue and are what can it be but an eternall dying an eternall perishing If in thy presence ô God be the fulnes of ioy in thine absence must needs be the fulnes of horror and torment Hide not thy face from vs ô Lord but shew vs the light of thy countenance that we may liue and praise thee Euen the fire of Ioabs field warmed the heart of Dauid whiles it gaue him proofe of the heat of Absaloms filiall affection As a man therefore inwardly weary of so long displeasure at last hee receiues Absalom to his sight to his fauour and seales his pardon with a kisse Naturall parents know not how to retaine an euerlasting anger towards the fruit of their loynes how much lesse shall the God of mercies be vnreconcileably displeased with his owne and suffer his wrath to burne like fire that cannot be quenched Hee will not alwayes chide neither will he keepe his anger for euer His wrath endureth but a moment in his fauour is life weeping may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Absalom is now as great as faire beauty and greatnesse make him proud pride works his ruine Great spirits will not rest content with a moderate prosperity Ere two yeeres bee run out Absalom runs out into a desperate plot of rebellion None but his owne father was aboue him in Israel None was so likely in humane expectation to succeed his father If his ambition could but haue contained it selfe for a few yeeres as Dauid was now neere his period dutifull carrige might haue procured that
doth so her Son and Sauiour is her monitor out of his diuine loue reforming her naturall How is â—t that ye sought me Knew ye not â—hat 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 shee names her Ioseph before her selfe She well knew that Ioseph had nothing but a name in this busines she knew how God had dignified her beyond him yet she saies Thy father and I soughâ— thee The Sonne of God stand not vpon contradiction to hiâ— mother but leading he thoughts from his supposed father to his true from earth tâ— heauen he answers Knew ye noâ— that I must goe about my Fatherâ— businesse It was honor enough to her that hee had vouchsafed to take flesh of her It was his eternall honor that hee waâ— God of God the euerlasting Son 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 again in her hart renew her answer to the Angell Behold the seruant of the Lord be it according to thy word We 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 fore-runne Christ not so much in the time of his birth as in his office nether was there more vnlikenesse in their disposition and carriage then similitude in their function both did preach and baptise only Iohn baptised by himselfe 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 himselfe 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 bestirred himselfe when hee was brought forth into the light of the Church to the honor and seruice of his Sauiour he did the same before Christ which Christ charged his disciples to doe after him preach and baptise 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 hee 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 flowre the chaffe to the fire as his rayment was rough so was his tongue and if his food were wilde hony his speech was stinging locusts Thus must the way be made for Christ in euery hart Plausibility is no fit preface to regeneration if the hart 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 rayse vp vallyes 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 ours who from eternity lay hid in the counsell 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 hee was come thought fit to lye hid in Nazareth for the space of thirty yeares now at last begins to shew himselfe to the world and comes from Galile to Iordan He that was God alwayes and might haue beene 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 stayd for ere we can attaine our maturity and that when we are ripe for the imployments of God wee should no lesse willingly leaue our obscurity then wee tooke the benefit of it for our preparation He that was formerly circumcised would now bee baptised 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 satisfie his Church that was and baptised to sanctifie his Church that should bee that so in both Testaments hee might open away into heauen There was in him neither filthines nor fore-skin of corruption that should need either knife or water He came not to be a Sauiour for himselfe but for vs we are all vncleanenesse 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 baptising with blood 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 wee are washed from hence is that made both cleane and holy and can both cleanse and hallow vs And if the very hadkerchiefe which touched his Apostles had power of cure how much more that Water which the sacred body of Christ touched Christ comes far to seeke his baptisme to teach vs for whose sake he was baptised 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 scene that God is found of any man vnsought for that desire which only 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 Superiors for our part in those mysteries which God hath left in their keeping yâ—â— how gladly should wee come to that Christ who giues vs these blessings who is giuen to vs in them This seemed too great an honour for the modesty of Iohn to receiue
If his mother could say when her blessed cozen 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 hee say so when the diuine Son of that mother came to call for a fauor from him I haue neede to bee baptized of thee and commest thou to me O holy Baptist if there were not a greater borne of women then thou yet thou couldest not be borne of a woman and not neede 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 sin 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 then there is certainty of the need of baptisme Iohn baptized without Christ within The more holy a man is the more sensible he is of his vnholinesse No carnall man could haue said I haue need to be baptized of thee neither can he finde what he is the better for a little Font-water The sence of our wretchednes 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 far both honor Iohn and disparage himselfe to be baptized of his Messenger he that would take flesh of the Virgin education from his Parents sustenance from his creatures will take baptisme from Iohn It is the prayse of his mer cy that hee 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 poynt of humiliation Thus it behooues vs to fulfill all righteousnesse The counsels and appoyntments of God are righteousnesse it selfe There needs no other motiue either to the seruant or the Son then the knowledge of those righteous purposes This was enough to lead a faithfull man thorow all difficulties and inconueniences neither will it admit of any reply or any demurre Iohn yeeldeth to this honour which his Sauiour puts vpon him in giuing baptisme to the Authour of it Hee baptized others to the remission of their sinnes now hee baptizes him by them they are remitted both to the Baptizer and to others No sooner is Christ baptized then 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 then 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 duely 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 hee had in the Heauens in the Father in the Holy Spirit and might expect nothing but diuine from the enttance of such a Mediator CHRIST tempted NO sooner is Christ comne out of the water of Baptisme then he enters into the fire of Tentation No sooner is the Holy Spirit descended vpon his head in the forme of a Doue then hee is led by the spirit to be tempted No sooner doth God say This is my Son then Satan sayes If thou bee the Son of God It is not in the power either of the gtft 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 publique vowes and his pledges of fauour so much more busie and violent is the rage of that euill one to encounter vs Wee are no sooner stept forth into the field of God then hee labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands or to turne them against vs. The voyce from Heauen acknowledged Christ to bee the Son of God this diuine Testimony did not allay the malice of Satan but exasperate it Now that venomous Serpent swels with inward poyson and hastes to assayle him whom God hath honored from Heauen O God how should I looke to escape the suggestious of that wicked one when the Son of thy loue cannot bee 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 lim Arme thou mee therefore with an expectation of that euill I cannot auoyd Make thou me as strong as he is malicious Say to my soule also Thou art my Son and let Satan doe his worst All the time of our Sauiours obscurity I doe not finde him set vpon Now that hee looks forth to the publique execution of his diuine Office Satan bends his forces against him Our priuacy perhaps may sit down in peace but neuer man did endeauour a common good without opposition It is a signe that both the work is holy the Agent faithfull when wee meet with strong affronts We haue reason to bee comforted with nothing so much as with resistance If we were not in a way to do good we should finde no rubs Satan hath no cause to molest his owne and that whiles they goe about his owne seruice Hee desires nothing more then to make vs smooth paths to sin but when we would turne our feet to holinesse hee blocks vp the way with tentations Who can wonder enough at the sawcines of that bold Spirit that dares to set vpon the Son of the euerliuing God who can wonder enough at thy meeknes patience ô 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 layes thee open to this condition It is necessarily incident to manhood to be liable to tentations Thou wouldest not haue put no 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 been tempted much lesse the second It is not the presenting of tentation that can hurt vs but their entertainment Ill counsell is the fault of
another That blessed Sauiour of ours that was content to be led from lordan into the wildernes for the aduantage of the first tentation yeelds to be led from the wildernesse to Ierusalem for the aduantage of the second The place doth not a little auaile to the act The wildernesse was fit for a tentation arifing from want it was not fit for a tentation mouing to vain-glory The populous City was the fittest for such a motion Ierusalem was the glory of the world the Temple was the glory of Ierusalem the pinacles the highest peece of the Temple there is Christ content to be set for the opportunity of tentation O Sauiour of men how can wee wonder enough at this humility of thine that thou wouldst so farre abase thy selfe as to suffer thy pure and sacred body to bee transported by the presumptuous and malicious hand of that vnchaste spirit It was not his power it was thy patience that deserues our admiration Neither can this seem ouer-strange to vs when wee consider that if Satan bee the head of wicked men wicked men are the members of Satan What was Pilate or the Iewes that persecuted thine innocence but lims of this Diuell and why are we then amazed to see thee touched and locally transported by the head when wee see thee yeelding thy selfe ouer to be crucified by the members If Satan did the worse and greater mediately by their hands no maruell if hee doe the lesse and easier immediately by his own yet neither of them without thy voluntary dispensation Hee could not haue looked at thee without thee And if the Son of God did thus suffer his owne holy and precious body to bee carried by Satan what wonder is it if that Enemy haue sometimes power giuen him ouer the sinfull bodies of the adopted Sons of God It is not the strength of faith that can secure vs from the outward violences of that euill One This difference I finde betwixt his spirituall and bodily assaults those are beaten backe by the shield of faith these admit not of such repulse As the best man may bee lame blinde diseased so through the permission of God he may be bodily vexed by that olde Man-slayer Grace was neuer giuen vs for a target against externall afflictions Me thinkes I see Christ hoysed vp on the highest battlements of the Temple whose very roofe was an hundred and thirty cubits high and Satan standing by him with this speech in his mouth Well then since in the matter of nourishment thou wilt needes depend vpon thy Fathers prouidence that he can without meanes sustaine thee take now further triall of that prouidence in thy miraculous preseruation Cast thy selfe down from this height Behold thou art here in Ierusalem the famous and holy City of the world here thou art on the top of the pinacle of that Temple which is dedicated to thy Father and if thou be God to thy selfe the eyes of all men are now fixt vpon thee there cannot be deuised a more ready way to spred thy glory and to proclaime thy Deity then by casting thy selfe headlong to the earth All the world will say there is more in thee then a man and for danger there can bee none What can hurt him that is the Son of God and wherefore serues that glorious Guard of Angels which haue by diuine commission taken vpon them the charge of thine humanity since therefore in one act thou mayst bee both safe and celebrated trust thy Father and those thy seruiceable spirits with thine assured preseruation Cast thy selfe downe And why didst thou not ô thou malignant spirit endeauour to cast downe my Sauiour by those same presumptuous hands that brought him vp since the descent is more easie then the raising vp was it for that it had not beene so great an aduantage to thee that hee should fall by thy meanes as by his owne falling into sinne was more then to fall from the pinacle still thy care and sute is to make vs Authours to our selues of euill thou gainest nothing by our bodily hurt if the soule be safe Or was it rather for that thou couldst not I doubt not but thy malice could as well haue serued to haue offered this measure to himselfe as to his holy Apostle soone after but he that bounded thy power tether'd thee shorter Thou couldst not thou canst not doe what thou wouldst Hee that would permit thee to carry him vp binds thy hands from casting him downe And wo were it for vs if thou wert not euer stinted Why did Satan carry vp Christ so high but on purpose that his fall might bee the more deadly so deales hee still with vs he exalts vs that we may be dangerously abased Hee puffs men vp with swelling thoughts of their owne worthinesse that they may bee vile in the eyes of God and fall into condemnation It is the manner of God to cast downe that he may raise to abase that he may exalt Contrarily Satan raises vp that hee may throw downe and intends nothing but our deiection in our aduancement Height of place giues opportunity of tentation Thus busie is that wicked one in working against the members of Christ If any of them bee in eminence aboue others those hee labours most to ruinate They had need to stand fast that stand high Both there is more danger of their falling and more hurt in their fall Hee that had presumed thus far to tempt the Lord of life would faine now draw him also to presume vpon his Deity If thou bee the Son of God cast thy selfe downe There is not a more tryed shaft in all his quiuer then this a perswasion to men not to beare themselues too bold vpno the fauor of God Thou art the Elect and Redemed of God sin because grace hath abounded sin that it may abound Thou art safe enough though thou offend be not too much an aduersary to thine owne liberty False Spirit it is no liberty to sin but seruitude rather there is no liberty but in the freedome from sin 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 Son-ship teacheth vs awe and obedience and therefore because we are Sons we will not cast our selues downe into sin How idly doe Satan and wicked men measure God by the crooked line of their owne misconceit Ywis Christ cannot be the Son of God vnlesse hee cast himselfe downe from the pinacle vnlesse he come down from the Crosse God is not mercifull vnles he humor them in all their desires not iust vnlesse hee take speedy vengeance where they require it But when they haue spent their folly vpon these vaine imaginations Christ is the Son of God though hee stay on the top of the Temple God will bee mercifull though wee miscarry and iust though Sinners seeme lawlesse
them vnder whose shelter they liue but how vnnaturall is the villany of those miscreants that can be content to bee actors in the capitall wrongs offred to soueraigne authority It were a wonder if after the death of a Prince there should want some Pick-thanke to insinuate himselfe into his Successour An Amalekite young manrides post to Ziklag to find out Dauid whom euen common rumor had notified for the anoynted heyre to the Kingdome of Israel to bee the first messenger of that newes which hee thought could bee no other then acceptable the death of Saul and that the tydings might be so much more meritorious he addes to the report what he thinkes might carry the greatest retribution In hope of reward or honour the man is content to bely himselfe to Dauid It was not the speare but the sword of Saul that was the instrument of his death neither could this stranger finde Saul but dying since the Armour-bearer of Saul saw him dead ere he offred that violence to himselfe The hand of this Amalekite therfore was not guilty his tongue was Had not this messenger measur'd Dauids foot by his owne last hee had forborne this peece of the newes and not hoped to aduantage himselfe by this falshood Now he thinks The tydings of a Kingdome cannot but please None but Saul and Ionathan stood in Dauids way Hee cannot chuse but like to heare of their remouall Especially since Saul did so tyrannously persecute his innocence If I shall onely report the fact done by another I shall goe away but with the recompence of a lucky Post wheras if I take vpon mee the action I am the man to whom Dauid is beholden for the Kingdome he cannot but honour and requite me as the author of his deliuerance and happinesse Worldly mindes thinke no man can be of any other then their owne diet and because they finde the respects of selfe-loue and priuate profit so strongly preuailing with themselues they cannot conceiue how these should bee capable of a repulse from others How much was this Amalekite mocked of his hopes whiles he imagined that Dauid would now triumph and feast in the assured expectation of the Kingdome and possession of the Crowne of Israel hee findes him renting his clothes and wringing his hands and weeping and mourning as if all his comfort had been dead with Saul and Ionathan and yet perhaps he thought This sorrow of Dauid is but fashionable such as great heyres make shew of in the fatall day they haue longed for These teares will soone be dry the sight of a Crowne will soon breed a succession of other passions But this error is soon corrected For when Dauid had entertained this Bearer with a sad fast all the day he cals him forth in the euening to executiō How wast thou not afrayd saith he to put forth thy hand to destroy the Anoynted of the Lord Doubtlesse the Amalekite made many faire pleas for himselfe out of the grounds of his owne report Alas Saul was before falne vpon his owne speare It was but mercy to kill him that was halfe dead that he might die the shorter Besides his entreaty and importunate prayers moued mee to hasten him through those painfull gates of death had I striken him as an enemy I had deserued the blow I had giuen now I sent him the hand of a frend why am I punished for obeying the voyce of a King and for perfiting what himselfe begun and could not finish And if neither his own wound nor mine had dispatched him the Philistims were at his heeles ready to doe this same act with insultation which I did in fauour and if my hand had not preuented them wherehad been the Crowne of Israel which I now haue here presented to thee I could haue deliuered that to King Achish and haue beene rewarded with honour let mee not dye for an act well meant to thee how euer construed by thee But no pretence can make his owne tale not deadly Thy bloud bee vpon thine owne head for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords Anoynted It is a iust supposition that euery man is so great a Fauourer of himselfe that he will not mis-report his owne actions nor say the worst of himselfe In matter of confession men may without iniury be taken at their words If he did it his fact was capitall If he did it not his lye It is pittyany other recompence should befall those false flatterers that can be content to father a sinne to get thankes Euery drop of royall bloud is sacred For a man to say that he hath shed it is mortall Of how farre different spirits from this of Dauid are those men which suborne the death of Princes and celebrate and canonize the murtherers Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be thou not joyned to their assembly Abner and Joab HOw mercifull and seasonable are the prouisions of God Ziglag was now nothing but ruines and ashes Dauid might returne to the soyle where it stood to the roofes and walls he could not No sooner is he disapointed of that harbour then God prouides him Cities of Hebron Saul shall dye to giue him elbow-roome Now doth Dauid finde the comfort that his extremity sought in the Lord his God Now are his clowdes for a time passed ouer and the Sun breaks gloriously forth Dauid shall raigne after his sufferings So shall we if we indure to the end finde a Crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day But though Dauid well knew that his head was long before anoynted and had heard Saul himselfe confidently auouching his succession yet he will not stirre from the heapes of Ziglag till hee haue consulted with the Lord It did not content him that he had Gods warrant for the kingdome but hee must haue his instructions for the taking possession of it How safe and happie is the man that is resolued to do nothing without God Neither will generalities of direction be sufficient euen particular circumstances must looke for a word still is God a piller of fire and cloude to the eye of euery Israelite neither may there be any motion or stay but from him That action cannot but succeed which proceeds vpon so sure a warrant God sends him to Hebron a city of Iudah Neither will Dauid goe vp thither alone but he takes with him all his men with their whole housholds they shall take such part as himselfe As they had shared with him in his misery so they shall now in his prosperity Neither doth he take aduantage of their late mutinye which was yet fresh and greene to cashier those vnthankefull and vngracious followers but pardoning their secret rebellions he makes them partakers of his good successe Thus doth our heauenly leader whom Dauid prefigured take vs to raigne with him who haue suffered with him passing by our manyfold infirmities as if they had not
and is now payed with the bloud of his son how shall I hope to speede 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 houshold It was an honour to that zealous Gittite that the Arke would come vnder his roofe yet God rewards that honour with benediction Neuer man was a loser by true godlinesse The house of Obed-Edom cannot this while want obseruation the eyes of Dauid and all Israel are 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 City 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 judgement against him what Israelites had not been dishartned from attending the Arke Now Dauid Israel was not more affrighted with the vengeance vpon Vzzah then encouraged by the blessing of Obed-Edom The wise God doth so order his iust and mercifull proceedings that the awefulnesse of men may be tempered with loue Now the sweet singer of Israel reuiues 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 sacrifices 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 frend as after an vnkindnesse In the first setting out of the Ark Dauids feare was at least an equall match to his ioy therefore after the first sixe paces hee offred a sacrifice both to pacifie God and thank 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 limme no part that did not professe their mirth by motion no noyse of voyce or instrument wanted to assist their spirituall iollity Dauid led the way dauncing with all his might in his linnen Ephod Vzzah was still in his eye he durst not vsurpe vpon a garment of Priests but hee will borrow their colour to grace the solemnity though he dare not the fashion White was euer the colour of ioy and linnen was light for vse therfore he couers his Princely robes with white linnin and meanes to honor 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 hart Neither can there bee a greater argument of a foule Soule then a dislike of the glorious calling of God Barren Mical hath too many Sons that scorne the holy habit and exercises shee lookes through her window and seeing the attyre and gestures of her deuout husband despiseth him in her hart 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 harts can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse Piety hath no relish to their palate but distastfull Dauids hart 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 hee returnes a bitter checke to his Micall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father all his house c. Had not Mical twitted her husband with the shame of his zeale she had not heard of the shamefull reiection of her Father now since shee will be forrgetting whose wife she was she shall be put in minde whose daughter she was Contumelyes that are cast vpon vs in the causes of God may safely bee repayed If we be meal-mouthed in the scornes of religion wee are not patient but zeale-lesse Heere we may not forbeare her that lies in our bosome If Dauid had not loued Mical dearely he had neuer stood vpon those points with Abner Hee knew that if Abner came to him the Kingdome of Israel would accompany him and yet he sends him the charge of not seeing his face except he brought Mical Sauls daughter with him as if he would not regard the Crowne of Israel whiles hee wanted that wife of his Yet heere hee takes her vp roundly as if she had bene an enimy not a partener of his bed All relations are a loofe off in comparison of that betwixt God and the Soule He that loues Father or Mother or wife or childe better then me saith our Sauiour is not worthy of me Euen the highest delights of our harts 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 bee yet more vile then thus and will bee low in mine owne sight he knew this very abasement heroycall and that the only way to true glory is not to be ashamed of our lowest humiliation vnto God Well might he promise himselfe honor from those whose contempt shee had threatned The hearts of men are not their owne hee that made them ouer-rules them and inclines them to an honorable conceit of those that honor their maker So as holy men haue oft-times inward reuerence euen where they haue outward indignities Dauid came to blesse his house Mical brings a curse vpon her selfe Her scornes shall make her childelesse to the day of her death Barrennesse was held in those times none of the least iudgements God doth so reuenge Dauids quarrell vpon Mical that her sudden disgrace shall bee recompenced with perpetuall Shee shall not bee held worthy to beare a Sonne to him whom she vniustly contemned How iust is it with God to prouide whips for the back scorners It is no maruell if those that mocke at goodnesse bee plagued with continuall fruitlesnesse Mephibosheth and Ziba SO soone as euer Dauid can but breathe himselfe from the publique cares hee casts backe his thoughts to the deare remembrance of his Ionathan Sauls seruant is likely to giue him the best intelligence of Sauls sons The question is therfore moued to Ziba Remaineth there yet none of the house of Saul and lest suspition might conceale the remainders of
said if he had suddenly leapt forth into the cleare light of the world The Sunne would dazle all eyes if hee should breake forth at his first rising into his full strength now he hath both the day-star to goe before him and to bid men looke for that glorious body and the liuely colours of the day to publish his approch the eye is comforted not hurt by his appearance The Parents of Christ went vp yearely to Ierusalem at the feast of the Passouer the law was onely for the males I doe not finde the blessed virgin bound to this voyage the weaker sexe receiued indulgence from God yet shee knowing the spirituall profit of that iourney takes paines voluntarily to measure that long way euery yeare Piety regards not any distinction of sexes or degrees nether yet doth Gods acceptation rather doth it please the mercy of the highest more to reward that seruice which though he like in all yet out of fauour he will not impose vpon all It could not be but that she whom the holy ghost ouershadowed should bee zealous of Gods seruice those that will go no further then they are dragged in their religious exercises are no whit of kinne 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 yeare onely but in all likelyhood others also hee in the power of whose God-head and by the motion of whose Spirit all others ascended thither would not himselfe stay at home In al his examples he meant our Instruction this pious act of his nonage intended to lead our first yeares 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 policie of the deuill to discourage early holynes hee that goes out betimes in the morning is more like to dispatch his iourney then he that lingers till the day bee spent This blessed Family came not to looke at the feast be gone but they duely stayd 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 repayring to Ierusalem or send them away immaturely Worldly cares must giue place to the sacred Except wee will depart vnblessed we must attend Gods seruices till wee 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 meetings 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 go vp to the house of the Lord Mutual incouragement is none of the least benefits of our holy assemblies Many sticks layd together make a good fire which if they lye single lose both their light and heat The feast ended what should they do but return 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 diligence must keep meet changes with each other neither doth God lesse acept of our returne to Nazareth then our going vp to Ierusalem I cannot thinke that the blessed Virgin 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 then his face was towards it hee had businesse in that place when theirs was ended there hee was both worshipped and represented hee in whom the God-head dwelt bodily could do 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 stoycall but sweet and sociable and therfore they supposed he had spent the time and the way in the company of their frends and neighbours They doe not suspect him wandred into the solitary fields but when euening came they go to seeke him among their kinsfolk 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 conuersasation But ô blessed Virgin who can expresse the sorrowes of thy perplexed soule when all that euening-search could affoord thee no newes of thy Son Iesus Was not this one of those swords of Simeon which should pierce thorow thy tender brest 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 suspicious imaginations did that while racke thy greeued spirit Perhaps thou mightst doubt lest they which layd for him by Herods command at his birth had now by the secret instigation of Archelaus surprized him in his child-hood or it may be thou thoughtst thy diuine Son had now withdrawne himselfe from the earth and returned to his heauenly glory without warning or peraduenture thou studyedst with thy selfe whether any careles on thy behalfe had not giuen occasion to this absence Oh deare Sauiour who can misse and not mourne for thee Neuer any soule conceiued thee by faith that was lesse afflicted with the sense of thy dissertion then comforted with the ioy of thy presence Iust is that sorrow and those teares seasonable that are bestowed vpon thy losse What comfort are we capable of whiles we want thee What relish is there in these earthly delights without thee What is there to mitigate our passionate discomforts if not from thee Let thy selfe loose ô my soule to the fulnesse of sorrow when thou findest thy selfe bereeued of him in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and deny to receiue comfort from any thing saue from his returne In vaine is Christ sought among his kinred according to the flesh So far are they still from giuing vs their ayd to find the true Messias that they lead vs from him Backe againe therefore are Ioseph and Mary gone to seeke him at Hierusalem Shee goes about in the City by the streets and by the open places and seekes him whom her soule loueth She sought him for the time and found him not Doe we thinke she spared her search the euening of her returne shee hastes to the Inne where she last left
the Giuer not of the Refuser We cannot forbid leudeies to look in at our windowes we may shut our dores against their entrance It is no lesse our praise to haue resisted then Satans blame to suggest euill Yea ô blessed Sauiour how glorious was it for thee how happy for vs that thou wert tempted Had not Satan tempted thee how shouldest thou haue ouercomne Without blowes there can be no victory no triumph How had thy power been manifested if no aduersary had tried thee The first Adam was tempted 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 bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but such an one as was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin how boldly therfore may we goe vnto the Throne of grace that wee may receiue mercy and finde grace of help in time of neede Yea this Deuil was for vs Now we see by this conflict of our Almighty Champion what manner of Aduersary we haue how hee fights how hee is resisted how ouercomne Now our very temptation affords vs comfort in that wee see the dearer we are vnto God the more obnoxious we are to this trial neither can wee be discouraged by the haynousnesse of those euils wherto we are moued since we see the Son of God solicited to Infidelity Couetousnes Idolatry How glorious therfore was it for thee ô Sauior how happy for vs that thou wert 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 beastes a place that caryeth in it both horror and oportunity why wouldst thou thus retyre 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 wouldst thou O Sauiour in this can but with our common enemy yeeld him his owne tearmes for circumstances that thine honour and his foyle may be the more Solitarynesse is no small helpe to the speed of a tentation Wo 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 holines seeke for solitude in rocks and caues of the deserts doe no other then runne into the mouth of the danger of tentation whiles they thinke to avoyd it It was enough for thee to whose diuine power the gates of hell were weakenesse thus to challenge the Prince of darknesse Our care must be alwaies to eschue 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 camst thou ô 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 Lead vs not into temptation thou meantest to instruct vs that if the same Spirit lead vs not into this perilous way we goe not into it We haue still the same conduct Let the path bee what it will how can wee miscarry in the hand of a Father Now may we 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 heere was a sweet inuitation no compulsion of violence So absolutely conformable was thy wil 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 subjection Not my will but thy will be done We imitate thee ô 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 inuinâ—ible strength did not animate thee into thiâ— combat vncalled What doe we weakelings so far presume vpon our abilities or successe as that we dare thrust our selues vpon temptations vnbidden vnwarranted Who can pitty the ship-wracke of those Mariners which will needs put forth and hoise sayles 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 only expressed Now could not the Aduersary complaine of disadvantage whiles he had the ful scope both of time and place to doe his worst And why did iâ— please thee ô Sauiour to fasâ— forty dayes and forty nightsâ— vnlesse as Moses fasted forty daies at the deliuery of the law and Elias at the restetution oâ— the law So thou thoughtest fit at the accomplishment of the law and the promulgation of the Gospell to fulfill the time of both these tipes of thine wherin thou intendedst our wonder not our imitation Not our imitation of the time though of the act Heere were no faulty desires of the flesh in thee to be tamed no possibility of a freer and more easie ascent of the soule to God that could be affected of thee who wast perfectly vnited vnto God but as for vs thou wouldest suffer death so for vs thou wouldst suffer hunger that wee might learne by fasting to prepare our selues for tentations In fasting so long thou intendedst the manifestation of thy power in fasting no longer the truth of thy manhood Moses and Elias through the miraculous sustentation of God fasted so long without any question made of the truth of their bodies So long therefore thou thoughtest good to fast as by reason of these precedents might be without preiudice of thine humanity which if it should haue pleased thee to support as thou couldst without meanes thy very power might haue opened the mouth of cauills againsâ— the verity of thine humane nature That thou mightest therfore well approue that therâ— was no difference betwixt theâ— and vs but sinne thou thaâ— couldst haue fasted withouâ— hunger and liued withouâ— meate wouldst both feed and fast and hunger Who can be discouraged with the scantnesse of frends or bodily prouisions when hee sees his Sauiour thus long destitute of all earthly comforts both of society and sustenance Oh the policie and malice of that old Serpent when he sees Christ bewray some infirmity of nature in being hungry then he layes sorest at him by tentations His eye was neuer off from our Sauiour all the time of his sequestration and now that he thinks he espies any one part to lye open he driues at it with all his might We haue to doe with an aduersary no lesse vigilant then malicious who will bee sure to watch all opportunities of our mischiefe and where he sees any aduantage of our weakenesse will not neglect
Neither will he be any other then he is or measured by any rule but himselfe But what is this I see Satan himselfe with a Bible vnder his arme with a Text in his mouth It is written He 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 dared to touch the sacred bódy 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 thē what are they the worse for this more then that holy body which he transported Some haue been poysoned by their meats drinks yet either these nourish vs or nothing It is not the letter of the Scripture that can carry it but the sence if we diuide these two wee prophane and abuse that word wee alledge And wherfore doth this foule Spirit vrgea Text but for imitation for preuention and for successe Christ had alledged a Scripture vnto him hee re-alledges Scripture vnto Christ At least wise he will counterfet an imitation of the Son 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 we follow Christ in the outward action with contrary intentions wee follow Satan in following Christ Or perhaps Satan meant to make Christ hereby weery of this weapon As wee see fashions when they are taken vp of the vnworthy are cast of by the great It was doubtles one cause why Christ afterwards forbad the Diuell euen to confesse the truth because his mouth was a slander But chiefely doth he this for a better colour of his tentation He guilds ouer this falfe mettall with Scripture that it may passe currant Euen now is Satan transformed into an Angel of light and will seeme godly for a mischeife If hypocrites make a faire show to deceiue with a glorious lustre of holinesse we see whence they borrowd it How many thousand soules are betrayd by the abuse of that word whose vse is soueraigne and sauing No diuell is so dangerous as the religious diuell If good meate turne to the nourishment not of nature but of the disease we may not forbeare to feed but indeauour to purge the body of those euill humors 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 then shall they finde that word not more true then cordiall Let not this diuine table of thine bee made a snare to our soules What can be a better act then 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 misapplyed 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 author not from the vsurper Dauid would not doubt to eate that sheep 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 we 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 be 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 Sun or the light may wee keepe out of our houses the ayre we cannot much lesse these fpirits 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 we haue so vnseperable so glorious companions Is our Sauiour distasted with Scripture because Satan mislaies it in his dish Doth he not rather snatch this sword out of that impure hand and beat Satan with the weapon which hee abuseth It is written Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord thy God The Scripture is one as that God whose it is Where it carryes an appearance of difficulty 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 collection It is true that God hath taken this care and giuen this charge of his owne he will haue them kept not in their sinnes they may trust him they may not tempt him hee meant to incourage their faith not their presumption To cast our selues vpon an immediate prouidence when meanes faile not is to disobey in steed of beleeuing God we may challenge God on his word we may not straine him beyond it wee may make account of what he promised we may not subiect his promises to vniust examinations and where no need is make triall of his power iustice mercie by deuises of our owne All the Diuels in hel could not elude the force of this diuine answer and now Satan sees how vainely he tempteth Christ to tempt God Yet againe for all this doe I see him setting vpon the Son of God Satan is not foyled when he is resisted neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten vpon Christ he shall be tryed with honor As some expert Fencer that challenges at all weapons so doth this great enemy In vaine shall we plead our skill in some if we faile in any It must be our wisdome to be prepared for all kinde of assaults As those that hold townes and forts doe not only defend themselues from incursions but from the cannon and the Pioner still doth that subtil Serpent trauerse his ground for an aduantage The Temple is not hye enough for his next tentation He therefore carryes vp Christ to the top of an exceeding high mountaine All enemies in pitcht fields striue for the benefit of the hill or riuer or winde or sunne That which his seruant Balac did by his instigation himselfe doth now immediately change places in hope of preuailing If the obscure country will not moue vs hee tries what the Court can do if not our home the Tauerne if not the field our closet As no place is left free by his malice so no place must be made preiudiciall by our carelesnesse and as wee should alwayes watch ouer our selues so then most when the oportunity carries cause of suspicion Wherfore is Christ caryed vp so high but for prospect If the kingdomes of the earth
is not more the shame of Israel then the glory of the Centurion that our Sauiour sayes I haue not found so great faith in Israel Had Israel yeelded any equal faith it could not haue beene vnespyed of those all-seeing eyes yet were their helps so much greater then their faith was lesse and God neuer giues more then hee requires Where we haue laid our tillage and compost and seed who would not looke for a crop but if the vncultured fallow yeeld more how iustly is that vnanswerable ground neer to a curse Our Sauiour did not mutter this censorious testimony to himselfe nor whisper it to his Disciples but he turned him about to the people and spake it in their eares that hee might at once worke their shame and emulation In all other things except spirituall our selfe-love makes vs impatient of equals much lesse can we indure to bee out-stripped by those who are our professed inferiours It is well if any thing can kindle in vs holy ambitions Dull and base are the spirits of that man that can abide to see another ouertake him in the way and out-run him to Heauen Hee that both wrought this faith and wondred at it doth now reward it Goe thy wayes and as thou hast beleeued so bee it vnto thee Neuer was any faith vnseene of Christ neuer was any seene without allowance neuer was any allowed without remuneration The measure of our receits in the matter of fauour is the proportion of our beleefe The infinite mercy of God which is euer like it selfe followes but one rule in his gifts to vs the faith that he giues vs Giue vs ô God to beleeue and bee it to vs as thou wilt it shall bee to vs aboue that we will The Centurion sues for his seruant and Christ sayes So bee it vnto thee The seruants health is the benefit of the Master and the Masters faith is the health of the seruant And if the prayers of an earthly master preuailed so much with the Sonne of God for the recouery of a seruant how shall the intercession of the Son of God preuaile with his Father in Heauen for vs that are his impotent children and seruants vpon earth What can we want ô Sauiour whiles thou suest for vs Hee that hath giuen thee for vs can deny thee nothing for vs can deny vs nothing for thee In thee we are happy and shall be glorious To thee ô thou mighty Redeemer of Israel with thine eternall Father together with thy blessed Spirit one God infinite and incomprehensible be giuen all praise honour and glory for euer and euer AMEN FINIS Errata PAg. 6. lin 7 for where read when pag. 14. lin 3. for the read he p 29. l. 16. for of r. or p. 30. l. 16 for vertue r. wealth p. 32. l. for foe r. foyle p. 42. l. 9. for desection r. deiection p. 44. l. 15. for with r. without p. 74. l. 6. for to r. then to p. 75. l. 5. for not him r. not to him p. 78. l. 9. for destroyer r. disease p. 147. l. penult for cessatum r. cessation p. 150. l. 7. for vnto r. into p. 196. l. 2. for we r. he p. 205. l 5. for gentliest r. goodliest p. 234. l. 2. for estate r. state p. 234. l. 11. for wore r. more p. 302. l. 5. for whom r. who p 341. l. penult for carelesse r. carelesnesse p 342. l. 5. for dissertion r. desertion p. 349. l. vlt. for contents r. contents himselfe p. 363. l. 17. for satisfie r. sanctifie p. 371. l. 7. for by them r. by whom p. 378. l. 4. for no r. on p. 380. l. 5 for Diuell r. Duell p. 382. l. 1. for can but r conflict p. 402. l. 11. for vnchaste r. uncleane p. 410. l. for not to beare r. to beare p. 419. l. vlt. for collection r. collation p. 425. l. 2. for creature r. crowne p. 443. l. 4. for againe r. gaine p 443 l. 10. for he r. we p. 467. l. 17. for out r. ought p. 481. l. 9. for light r. life