our Combats watch when wee sleepe and stirre when wee neglect least the enemy approach to hurt vs or the Sonne of wickednesse to doe vs any violence 12 In all this that hath beene spoken nothing makes for the worshipping of Angels that the Romanists so much stand for for what can bee more plaine against them then that Coloss 2. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which hee hath not seene or that of an Angel himselfe Rev. 16.10 see thou doe it not I am thy fellow servant worship God wherevpon S. Augustine in Psal 96. if you would rightly worship the Angels you should learne of thē not to worship them I am not ignorant what put-offs there are for these and the like evidences but they intangle rather then resolue The time clapsed wil not beare the discussing of the point I forbeare only this by the way and by way of Caution let the Angel-worshippers or Votaries take heed of mistakes least in their vnwarrantable devotions insteed of an Angel of light they meet sometime with a worse commodity then a light Angel for they know who can transforme himselfe 2. Cor. 11. And it may perchance so fall out that when according to the Iesuite Albertinus rules they haue the familiarity of their guardian Angel they bee fitted with a familiar they would faine be ridde of But for vs Beloved in a surer course what an incouragement might this bee in all our exigents to emboulden vs to be resolute whatsoeuer befals vs when Elishah's servant cried out in the middest of the Aramites Alas Master what shall we doe 2. Kings 6.16 feare not saith the man of God for they that are with vs are more then they that are with them The Mountaines are full of Horses Chariots of fire to rescue Gods litle ones against all opposers If Pharaoh bee at the heeles of Israel to doe them a mischiefe the Angel which was before in a pillar of cloude and fire will come behinde And if Rabshakeh rayle on good King Hezechiah and his Master Zenacherib beleager Hierusalem the Lord hath an Angel to raise the seige Thou considerest not thine owne priviledges whosoeuer thou art who neglectest that comfort which this Doctrine may yeeld vnto thee Though thy Birth bee never so base thy state never so meane thy reputation never so slighted at the hands of wordlings thou hast Angels to attend thee if thou attend to Gods precepts the dogges shall not only licke thy sores but the Angels convey thy soule into Abrahams bosome Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him or the Sonn of man that thou so regardest him haue we bin so serviceable vnto thee that thy chiefest servants must so attend to performe vnto vs such service Last of all what a motiue should this bee vnto vs Beloved that out perversenesse grieue and driue not from vs these vnspotted assistants For as there is ioy in heaven amongst the Angels at the conversion of a sinner so they sorrow in earth no doubt when they finde vs set on mischiefe or carelesse what may befall hereafter If Sampson loose his sacred lockes in a Delilah's lappe Iud. 16. no marvaile if the spirit of th' Almighty forsake him And when Saul will not doe as the Lord inioyneth him insteed of protecting Angels an evill spirit may haunt him O quantum debet tibi hoc verbum inferre reverentiam afferre devotionem conferre fiduciam What reverence devotion and confidence saith S. Bernard should this kind of Doctrine administer vnto vs Reverence for their presence devotion for their loue confidence for their protection For if the presence of earthly Potentates exclude all vncivill behauiour and the over-sight of Iehoiada a subiect 2. King 12. could keepe King Ioash in order how much more then should we respect these Celestiall Tutors least as smoake doth Bees and an evill savour Doues so the stench of our sinnes as S. Basil notes should make these blessed guides loath our company this the Father would dislike who is in heaven and oversees all that is done the remainder of my text which in a word I shall endeauour to dispatch 13 The supposall of Gods absence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or not taking notice of our actions makes most too venturous either to act that which they should not or to neglect their duty Perversenesse might wrest my text to the fauouring of such conceipts as that my Father and being in heaven might be far enough from hauing much to doe with vs. But hee whom our Saviour termeth my Father and affirmeth to be in heaven otherwise shews to be our Father Mat. 5. Luc. 12. and your Father neither his being in heauen boundeth him from being every where My Father is vsed here and elsewhere to beat downe that surmise that he might be Iosephs sonne and rayse them to acknowledge his Godhead and the pointing to his heavenly being takes them off from sticking too much as commonly we doe to things here below It was not without cause therefore that our most learned and most Iudicious King Iames of blessed memory was so sharp against the two ring-leaders of perturbation in these our wanton times Conrade Vorstius and Iames Arminius Vorstius incroached too farre vpon libertas prophetandi liberty as hee calls it with the Anabaptist of prophecying Arminius vpon the strength of his wit was too confident vpon meditation without reading which savours too strongly of a private spirit Both slight Fathers and Schoolemen and our latter Reformers whereas God hath left their directions to be thankfully considered of vs and not to depart from them rashly to get a name What a daring Blasphemy was that of Vorstius to circumscribe Gods essence from being every where Arminius for ought I finde never went so far but in his course Gods vnsearchable prerogatiue to doe with his owne as he list his operatiue grace working all in all to say no more was little beholding to him Their reasons are for the discussing of Schooles where both sides may be fully heard in sifting of all particulars Preaching calls for application to the amendment of our liues in those things which are plainely manifested The chiefe reason why we most mis-carry in that behalfe is because our great spirits hardly condescend to become Gods little ones We thinke not as we should vpon that in our Church Liturgy sursum corda lift vp your hearts wee lift them vp vnto the Lord. We are onely to seeke him here to climbe vp by that we finde and apprehend his glory which is the complement of our happinesse Doe so many blessings descend daily vpon vs from him and should not we looke vp in thankfulnesse to the place from whence they come Is heaven the mark we ayme at and shall we cast our eyes another way Vnto thee will I lift vp mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heauens for
they might proceed in their powder-proiect seeing in the blowing vp of the King and Protestants divers also of the Papists must necessarily goe the same way replies very profoundly that no doubt it might well be done seeing it should redounde to the good of the Catholique Church And this Eudaemon defends with great earnestnesse Which puts mee in minde of a story related by Platina in the life of Iohn the foure and twentieth when one Facinus Canis was hired by the Gibellines to suppresse their contrary factions of the Gwelphes in the city of Papia and the covenant was that hee should haue the goods of the Gwelphes for his pay Hee obtaining the victory falls a rifling of the Gibellines also without distinction and being accused therefore as not standing to his promise replies That themselues indeed were Gibellines and should be safe but their goods were Gwelphes and must goe to wrack as well as those of their adversaries So assure your selues Beloued if Italians and Spaniards should once come which God of his infinite mercy forbid to compose the differences betweene vs our home-bred Recusants howsoeuer our blood should pay for it yet their estates might perhaps be confiscated as infected by our heresy Garnets decision would be of force such matters must not be stood vpon when the good of the Catholique cause is thereby advanced O that religion should ever be made a cloake for such atheisticall practises What hard measure had beene offered by our King and State that these traytours should bee so exasperated Were they hurried to the fire as in Queene Maries daies or was there a new Inquisition erected in imitation of that of Spaine with tortures and racks to rectify them Nay were they not tolerated at a small rate or none at all to enioy their possessions and liberty graced with titles of Honour admitted to be about His Maiesty and haue the protection of his lawes without any violence offered From whence then came the powder-plot but from the devill himselfe the malice of the whore of Babylon which delighteth to carouse in blood But God hath snared the wicked in the worke of his owne hands the snare is broken we are deliuered Isaih 47. Come down therefore sit in the dust sit on the ground sit silent O daughter of Babylon Is not thy nakednes vncovered thy shame seene art thou not taken in the crafty wilinesse that thou hast imagined O that our poore besotted recusants would but be brought to an ingenuous examination of these things whether it were likely they would lead them to heauen who devise and allow of such powder-stratagens from Hell Whether true Religion hath beene euer advanced by such bloudy and treacherous snares and engines Then would they surely afford their Higgaion Selah to celebrate with vs this day this thrice-happy Deliverance Which is the duty left for vs in the last place to conclude with 9 Higgaion Selah Few words and obscure yet importing more matter then could be well expressed in any other tongue And therefore as they are omitted in the Greeke and vulgar Latine as also in our Church-booke translation by reason of their obscurenesse and remotenesse from popular capacities especially in a continuate reading without interpretation so are they faithfully restored by our last Translatours as integrall parts of the text which are not to bee left out though the greatest skill of the Learned may be stagger'd at their meaning Needelesse therefore was the exception of some Critikes to our Church-Booke for not reading commonly those words to the people seeing they haue them otherwise in a more exact translation and reserved to the exposition of a learned Preacher Some there be that slight both the words as interiections expressing only a sudden passion vnder an imperfect sense But others diue deeper whom we haue good reason to follow Higgaion is but twise besides in this place found in the Scripture and that onely in the Psalmes once in the 19. Psalme Let the words of my mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight Vers vlt. O Lord my strength and my redeemer And againe in the 92. It is a good thing to giue thankes vnto the Lord Vers 3. and to sing prayses to thy name O thou most high To shew forth thy louing kindnes in the morning thy faithfulnes every night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon an instrument of tenne strings and vpon the Psalterie vpon the Harp with a solemne sound The word Selah wee haue 92. times but Higgaion and Selah together onely in this place which argueth more then an ordinary rejoycing proportioned to the Prophets deliuerance which out of doubt was extraordinarie All that I read deriue the word Higgaion from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to publish with the mouth to meditate with the heart to rowze vp all the faculties with the most serious intention Agreeable to this is the word Selah either from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as R. Kimchi would haue it to lift vp to rayse properly a way to make it more passable or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tread downe to make plaine To the same purpose Avenarius sayes that in all the Commentaries of the Rabbines he could obserue no certaine signification of this word and Buxtorfius is of the minde that it signifieth nothing but onely a tone peculiar to the Musitians of those dayes It were endlesse to heape vp all varieties which either word breedeth among the learned Iunius makes both joyned in this place to signifie rem meditandam summe a matter to bee especially thought on Vatablus with the Rabbines and the Chalday Paraphrase extend it to an everlasting Meditation They that restraine it to song or instruments differ not in a manner from them vpon the point for that which the former obserue in the subiect they afford vs in the tune All concurre in this That the greatest deliuerances are to bee celebrated with the greatest thanksgiuing no cheerefullnesse must be wanting no laudable solemnity of musicke assembling feasting congratulation neglected in performing such religious duties Private and daily or ordinary blessings may bee privately and daily or ordinarily recounted at least with a single Selah a stirring or chearing vp of our particular devotions but for such deliverances as that of Eighty eight and this publike and extraordinary freeing of the Church the whole State the preseruation of the King Queene Prince all the Nobles all the Iudges the Reverend Clergy and Lawyers the Worthies of all our Country and Corporations vpon the point to be blowne vp and dismembred by the Divels engine together with the vtter desolation of so flourishing a Kingdome here a Higgaion Selah must be joyned together Halleluiahs added vnto it Trumpets and Shalmes must be winded aloud Asaph's and Iedithun's must shew their skill new songs new cantica canticorum whole new sets of cāticles Mictham's Mismor's
that no fault is layd to this good Kings charge before his sicknesse but after More safely then we may conclude with S. Hierom vpon the 38. of Isaiah That this disease was rather a restraint from future presumption then a punishment for former sinnes Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflicted by way of revenge or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a ransom to make satisfaction but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lessoning for himselfe or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an example to others a tryall for his instruction saith Bernard not a forsaking to his destruction For howsoever all afflictions presuppose sinne yet all are not inflicted as the punishment of sinne which Iobs long disputation with his friends and the Lords determination in the end maketh most apparent Neither want there farther proofes in this kinde When the Disciples made question concerning the man that was borneblind Iohn 9. Whether it came through his owne or his parents fault our Saviour denies both members of the division and tells them that it was rather that the workes of God should be made manifest in him The Tower of Siloā fell vpon eighteene persons not so much for their sinnes as for the lessoning of others Luk. 13. Because of the mixt cup in the Lords hand Psal 75. his children sometimes are to drinke the purer wine though his enemies shall bee sure of the dregs For what is this world else but as the Author of the Sermons de Tempore shewes it as it were in a Map a vast and glowing Furnace where the wicked are the drosse the godly the gold tribulation the fire and God himselfe the Workeman Is it not better therefore saith Saint Augustine that God should chastise thee here then spare thee here and forsake thee hereafter He would haue a Champion valiant without an adversary saith Saint Basil that supposeth a iust man should be free from afflictions For What are all such crosses but as so many penitenti-Ill Sermons preached by God himselfe to make vs know our selues and bring vs home vnto him He that proues not a good student in this Schoole of the Crosse hath small hopes to attaine hereafter to any degree in heauen The old Testament began almost with Abels slaughter and the New with the butchering of the Infants and Iohn Baptists imprisonment The Patriarks Prophets and Apostles with all Gods chosen had their part of this cup. He chastiseth all that he receiueth Prov. 3. So here good King Hezechiah in the height of his prosperity is remembred with a sicknesse to minde the greatest of their frailty and the holiest of their humiliation and the happiest not to depend vpon their owne abilities much more the meanest here should learne with patience to vndergoe such crosses as their betters haue borne and with compassion not to censure but to comfort their afflicted brethren For canst thou murmure if God should visite thee when thou considerest that Hezekiah was sicke Or account thy payne too greeuous when his was to the death or complaine it comes vnseasonably seeing this happened to him in those dayes wherein nothing was expected but joy and triumphs I should distrust your vnderstandings and religious dispositions to presse this point further It is a sad theame to discourse of sicknesse the remedy therefore I trust will bee the more welcome which the Text leadeth vnto in the words following 5. And he prayed vnto the Lord. Prayer pierceth the cloudes offereth violence to the Kingdome of heauen and in manner ouer-ruleth him that over-ruleth all things But that this Physicke proue strong in operation it must bee continued and fervent as the best Doctours prescribe and tempered with the precious ingredients of Faith Hope and Charity Non vox sed votum non musica chordula sed cor Not windy wordes but waighty wishes not the harpe strings but the heart strings not hee that crieth lowdest but he that loueth most hath the best acceptance before the. Throne of grace In this forme no doubt dying Hezekiah commended his desperate case to the Lord of life and howsoeuer the harsh message of Isaiah the Prophet was sufficient to breake his heart so vnexpectedly sent so peremptorily deliuered so likely to take effect in so great extremity Set thine house in order for thou shalt surely dye and not liue which the damnable glosse of some Rabbines make yet a great deale more horrid Thou shalt surely dye say they that is in this World And not liue that is in the World to come Yet faith lets not goe it's hold hope would not bee perswaded but that God would be intreated hee had heard of his mercies of old and had tasted of the sweetnesse of them in all the passage of his life and therefore hee now resolues to imploy his expiring spirits and gasping breath as long as they should continue to try at the last cast what might be obtained Blessed King it was Gods entraordinary grace that settled thee in this directest course some would sooner haue murmured Haue I beene so carefull and Zealous to doe God seruice and shall this bee my recompence to be cut off before my time must I after so many fayre promises dye thus childlesse in my flourishing age and is there no other order to be taken but onely to set my house in order Many of the like speeches impatience would haue vttered and perchance haue abused the Prophet for bringing such a dismall doome But our Kings broken and contrite heart containeth no such dregges hee heares all with patience beares all with patience considers all with patience and so with teares in his eyes death in his face yet confidence in his heart hee turnes about vnto the wall This hee did say many Interpreters because the Temple stood that way towards which it was their custome to turne their faces in prayer Saint Hierome takes the reason to bee rather that the standers by might not behold his teares and Lyra that they might not hinder him as Angelomus further notes by disturbing his devotion His teares may bee also thought to proceed not so much from the horrour of instant death or a loth to depart from worldly pleasures or an vnmanly sinking vnder the extremity of paine howsoeuer such brunts most commonly shame the valour of those who hold themselues most resolute as from a desire he had to perfect the reformation which was begun and to leaue an heyre behinde for then he had none to succeede in his Kingdome and continue the blessed line For how could it chuse but grieue him to fore-thinke on the distraction that was like to ensue in a State so vnsettled Many yet addicted to Idolatry false-hearted Shebna the Treasurer gaping to succeed which could not be without opposition Many particulars besides which himselfe only knew and the world could not take notice of might justly occasion him to water his couch with teares And teares in such a case either for publique good or private escapes by