the profession of the Gospel and practice of true religion He that had done so worthily in Ephrata became famous in Bethlehem He grew more famous His name being perfumed with such and so great variety of Gods graces did send forth a most fragrant and sweet smell and savour into all the families of the countrey round about him insomuch Many desite to sojournwith him that now divers Gentlemen of the best ranck did much desire to sojourne under his roofe and to table with him for their better information in the way of God and more effectuall reclaiming of themselves and their families That honourable and worthy Knight Sir Richard Grosvenor Baronet when he was young and tender was by his parents godly and gracious care and desire of his religious education Sir R. G. in his tender yeares brought up in his house transplanted as it were into this family where for the space of three yeares he was trained up and nurtured in the knowledge and feare of God and that with so good successe and fruit of this Gentlemans labours and endeavours through the blessing of God upon him that both the University in his youth and the countrey in his reper age may and will seale him a worthy testimony for a Gentleman of an amiable and sweet disposition and of a studious and religious carriage and conversation amongst them The seed that was then sowen and the plants that were then set in this soyle are yet still increasing and bringing forth more fruit both in his person and calling whereof as wee have seene a faire increase already in some of his more eminent imployments so doe we yet looke for a more plentifull harvest of his holy and wholesome fruits in their season as hee may have further calling thereunto Much about this time also his brother in Law Master Hardware of the Peile M. Hard. and his family also tabled with him was very desirous to draw nearer unto him and so with his good liking and allowance brought himselfe and his whole family wife children and servants to be tabled with him This Master Hardware at the first seeing this Gentleman in the government of his family so full and free for wholesome admonitions and reproofes could no better abide a rebuke than sore eyes can endure the Sun Which when Master Bruen had once and againe observed knowing that Patient to be very sicke that is impatient of the meanes and medicine which might cure him He began to cast about how he might best deale with him and most effectually worke upon him for his good What he did to this end and with what effect and fruit His wise and gracious dealing with him and his he shall himselfe tell you in his own words I remember saith hee my brother Hardware when hee was tabler with us at first would not bee reproved but after a while having the 141. Psalme for our Evenings exercise and then divers of my family did usually give Notes being godly and well affected all concluded together that all should speake of the fifth verse Let the righteous reprove mee c. And my selfe gave the last note after which time he never resisted any more Yea more than all this And the good effect and fruit ther of he gives him yet a better testimony of his growth and proficiency in religion under his own hand in these words It pleased God saith hee so to worke upon his and their hearts that they went home with new hearts converted unto God and professed religion in holy sincerity untill their death My brother Hardware then at Peile Both in his family and set up religion in his family with great power and comfort So that the very first evening after their comming home they began to sing Psalms to read the Scriptures to Pray and to Catechise all which being ended his wife ran unto him and kissed him with great rejoycing saying O husband I thank God and blesse his name that ever you came to Staplefoord And so afterwards being Major of Chester In the city he that year shewed his religion very graciously in his government all praise to God c. These things he hath thus set downe as he hath done also many more as certaine memorials of Gods mercies Thus to season others in blessing his desires and endeavours for the seasoning of others both persons and families with the salt of true religion by his hand that so they might bee better able to offer themselves and their services as holy living and spirituall sacrifices acceptable unto God in Christ Jesus This was his labour of love And to build up Gods house in his owne was his labour of love And joy of his heart to build up the house of God even in his owne house and taking some out of other families as rough stones out of the Quarries to hew and square them smooth and polish them to be as lively and precious stones of and for the Lords Temple And this was the very joy of his heart to see the word of the Lord prosper in his hand according to that saying of Saint Iohn I have no greater joy than to heare that my children walke in the truth I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soule prospereth CHAP. XXXII THis comfort and contentment which hee tooke in laying the foundation The good successe whereof and building up the walles of Gods house in this manner did give him great encouragement to furnish himselfe better and to make his provision greater for this worke both by his private studies and also by his publike travels and endeavours being herein not much unlike to holy David who having it in the purpose of his heart 1 Chr. 29 1 2. to build Gods house provided abundantly all manner of materials wood and stone iron and brasse gold and silver marble and precious stones Made him like David to make greater provision as hee could procure them farre or neare besides all the treasure that he offered of his owne proper goods even three thousand talents of the gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver to the furthering and finishing of the Lords house For whereas in those dayes it seemed good unto the Lord having compassion on his people to raise up and establish many holy exercises of religion By publike exercises both in Cheshire and in Lancashire which were kept constantly every moneth and maintained worthily by the godly labours of the faithfull Ministers and Messengers of God in those parts and that with great and comfortable successe and fruit for the edifying of the Churches of God in knowledge faith and obedience to the Gospell This worthy Gentleman Which hee frequented taking hold of this faire opportunity did frequent these assemblies and partake of the labours of the Lords Builders with great diligence care and conscience storing himselfe with their treasures
And Prophannesse vaine applause or worldly credit which are held in these dayes to make an accomplished Gentleman As if great men did take great delight Egregiè de Caesare Tullius Cum quosdam ait ornare voluit non illos honestavit sed ornamanta ipsa turpavit Hieron ad Pammachium to make their children heires of their ignorance and propnanenesse as well as of their houses and families lands and livings Pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse reselli We are asham'd that so base things may justly be imputed To Gentlemen and cannot well as justly be refuted CHAPTER V. AT his comming to Oxford it is apparent At his comming to Oxford somwhat Po pish Possid in vita August Cap 1. Omnes nos qui in Christo evedimus de Jdololatriae errore venimus Non eaim nascimur sed renascinur Christiani Hieron adv Vigilant that hee brought up with him some seeds and weeds also of Popish errours which had beene either scattered by others or gathered by himselfe by that which he did heare and see in the countrey before his comming So much hee doth acknowledge himselfe that he was then as Paul said of the men of Athens very superstitious Angustine confesseth of himselfe he was first a Manachy before he was a Preacher or professor of the true Religion And Paul himselfe acknowledgeth he was first a Pharisie before he was called and entrusted in Christs service Every man indeed by nature is a Pharisie and more or lesse a friend to Popery there being no religion so agreeable to carnall reason and fleshly wisedome nor so pleasing and plausible to naturall affection as pharisaicall devotion and hypocrisie and popish superstition and idolatry Which is not spoken to this end to lessen his fault or to blaunch over the errours of his youth but to magnifie the goodnesse and grace of God towards him that finding him wandring and going astray as a lost sheepe But the Lord did reclaime him hee was pleased to reclaime him and reduce him unto the flocke and fold of Christ Jesus And seeing hee was in danger to make but sorry proceedings of such bad beginnings and like enough to reape but a poore harvest after such a spring it seemed good unto the Lord not only to blast those weeds in the bud and to rid up by the roots those Popish errours but to furnish his head and heart with such plants and seeds of grace and truth as did bring forth their fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse in due season The speciall instrument wherewith the Lord did worke Vide Aug. con l. 8. c. 2 De Victorino was his owne Word first opened to his eye and applyed to his eare by a companion of his a towardly young Gentleman and then accompanied by the Spirit unto his minde and heart for his father conviction and conversion The name of this his companion Meanes of his reclaiming from popish errors by his companion master Breerwood was John Breerwood an Aldermans sonne of the City of Chester who being then well grounded in the truth and seeing Master Bruen infected with some popish errours and lyes as the forbearing of meats and drinks for religion and conscience sake upon Fryday and other dayes and the forbidding of Marriage to Ministers as unlawfull by the Popes Canons and Constitutions and divers other erroneous opinions of the like nature was as willing to shew himselfe and adversarie to his errours as a friend unto his person and began to make an assault against his little Bable and mounted Gods great Ordinance against the Popish Canons and taking as it were his Powder and Shot from the Scripture and fire from the Altar he battered and beat down the strong hold of Sathan and laid levell with the ground every popish opinion and every high thing that had exalted tt selfe against the true knowledge of God and so brought every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ By the Scripture urged The Scripture which he principally pressed him withall was that I Tim. 4.1 2 3 4 5. against the Popish doctrine of forbidding of meates and marriage Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrine of divels and speaking lies through hypocrisie and having their conscience seared with a hot Iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats which God hath created to bee received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth for every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer A blessed Scripture marvellous plentifull for the truth and powerfull against a lye A word spoken in season saith Salomon is like appels of gold with pictures of silver giving great contentment both for profit and delight to those that have the grace to receive it Of such fruit and effect was this portion of Gods Word at that time to this young Gentleman which he doth thus ingenuously acknowledge in his owne words This when I saw Applyed and considered that this was a doctrine of divels taught and delivered by seducing spirits and such as speake lyes through hypocrisie c. I was then inflamed with zeale against that prophane beast of Rome and all Popery both persons and things with all their Monuments Rites and Ceremonies c. This was the Lords doing and it was marvellous in his and so it is in our eyes that of two friends and companions both of them but young and tender one should thus bee stirred up and strengthened by Gods Word and Spirit to draw out his fellow from such blindnesse and darknesse and to bring him into the light and liberty of the Sons of God The ordinary publike meanes of effectuall calling and conversion is I confesse the Ministery of reconciliation in 2 Cor. 5.18.19 Private persons may sometimes help one another for conversion and by the preaching of the Gospell yet can it not I thinke bee denyed but that the Lord doth sometimes furnish and imploy some private persons in this worke of winning soules either by enlightening their mindes or convincing their judgements or smighting their consciences or drawing them from the fellowship of sinne and sinners unto the use of Gods Ordinances and the fellowship of Gods servants The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life Prov. 11.30 Dan. 12.3 and hee that winneth foules is wise saith Salomon Daniel also hath the like saying They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many unto righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever And Saint James speaketh yet more plainly and effectuall to this purpose Brethren if any of dou doe erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save
hodie quare non hac hora finis turpitudinis meae How long how long To morrow and to morrow Why not to day why not this houre is there not an end of my former filthinesse O happy Austin and holy man of God that was first thus humbled that he might be exalted And yet more happy that having the Lord to seeke him as a lost sheep he finding himselfe to go astray began presently to seek the Shepheard that sought him and happy most of all in this that in so seeking the Lord he did both finde him and was found of him In many particulars I will not compare this Gentleman for measure of grace with S. Austin but for the nature manner meanes and time and truth of their conversion he may well go hand in hand with him 1. Austin was about 32 yeares of age when he was effectually called and converted and so was he 2. Austin had at that time many combats betwixt Reason and Religion the flesh and the spirit and so had he 3. Austin had his heart full of prayers and his eyes full of teares when he sought after God and so had he 4. Austin had and held sweet communion with God by Colloquies Soliloquies holy and heavenly meditations and so did he 5. Austin having once tasted the sweetnesse of the Lord thought nothing so pleasant as to forgoe the pleasures of his former vanities Aug. Cons lib. 9. cap. 1. Quam suave mihi subitò factum est carere suavitatibus nugarum And held it now a joy to renounce those joyes and toyes which before he was afraid to lose Et quas amittere metus fuerat eas jam dimittere gaudium erat And such for all the world were this Gentlemans desires and delights such his disposition and affection when once he had tasted how sweet the Lord was and had drunk of the pleasures of his house somwhat more freely and fully than formerly he had done Whereof Austin gives the reason for them both Tu enim Domine qui vera es summa suavitas ejiciebas eas à me ejiciebas intrabas pro eâ—s omni voluptate dulcior omni luce clarior c. For thou O Lord who art the true and chief sweetnesse it selfe didst cast out of me those pleasures of vanities thou didst cast them out and didst enter in thy selfe in stead of them being unto me more delicious than any delight more cleare than any light whatsoever 6. Austins conversion was so blest of God that it was an occasion of the conversion of others of his friends as of Alipius Nebridius and Evodius neare about the same time And so was this Gentlemans conversion blest of God also being attended and accompanied with the conversion of diverse of his friends brothers and sisters and neighbours who being brought on by his good meanes and Gods blessing unto a love and liking of the truth of the Gospell were also effectually called to the profession and practice of the same 7. Austin being converted did not onely cease from the practice of his former vanities and old sinnes of his youth but he renounced the heresie of the Manichees wherewith he was tainted and did for go his Rhetoricke Lecture at Millan fearing to doe hurt unto his Schollars any longer by poysoning their mindes with errors and lies and corrupting their hearts with words of vanity And so did this Gentleman utterly renounce the pleasure and practice of his former vanities and purge out of his heart the poyson of Popish errours wherewith formerly he had been infected and would never any more either read or heare such Lectures of vanity as formerly he was wont to do 8. Lastly Austin upon his conversion began to seeke and serve the Lord with great power and zeale both in his person and calling standing and striving for the truth against a lie yea every lie that durst confront it or assaile it And so did this Gentleman for his calling and standing according to the gifts and graces which God had given him though herein much inferiour to Augustine I confesse who is gone before him yet superiour by much to many if not the most of his rank that either lived with him or shall follow after him The truth of all which specialties shall God willing be seene in divers and sundry particulars more plainly in the course of his life and sequele of this story CHAP. XIV SOme of the first though not the fairest fruits of his change and conversion The fruits of his conversion First as heire of the family in civill matters Secondly cap. 18. His reformation began then to appeare when first of an heire he became an inheritor of his Fathers state and took possession of his house and lands For being of himselfe unfit as many young heires are either to undertake such a charge or manage such an estate as by the fall of their parents is fallen unto them he notwithstanding by the mercy and grace of God at his first entrance began to cut off and cast out all lets and impediments which might hinder him and to use and embrace all helpes that might further him in running the race which the Lord had now set before him for whereas there were two speciall matters of importance that might now perplex him first how upon so small beginnings he might sufficiently provide for his owne family Removing impediments and secondly how his father having charged him and the land with the portions of twelve children sonnes and daughters which hee left behind him hee might faithfully discharge that trust which his father reposed in him hee both wisely and conscionably first of all laid away Hawkes and Hounds and cast off for ever his wide mouth'd Dogs and utterly ceased any longer to follow them or their followers And which is yet more Renouncing his pleasures to cut off all occasions of wastefull and riotous expence both of time and other things having a goodly Parke left him on the backeside of his house well stored and furnished with fallow Deere hee presently killed up the game and disparked the Parke and drawing himselfe to as narrow a compasse as well hee could lived so frugally and contentedly and yet for his place very competently and orderly that he provided sufficiently for his owne family His Frugality and faithfully discharged himselfe of his fathers charge paying his brethren and sisters all their portions and placing them in marriage and otherwise very comfortably as his owne words will beare me testimony This charge through Gods assistance saith he I well discharged His fidelity And married well all my sisters and preferred all my brothers and none of them offended A rare example I confesse considering the young heires that come to their lands in our time for as commonly they are sick of the father as Esau was before his day looking for his death so when they come on a sudden to so greate an estate A rebuke to
Images which heâ— found dangerous and offencive in any quarte or corner of it An attempt and act thaâ— will be subject to the censure of the Patrons of popery and many other popish and prophane persons as a matter of grosse impiety and sacriledgâ— to deale so rudely and contumeliously with the images of God of Christ and of his Saints So did Pope Gregory the third excommunieate the Emperour Leo and stamped the name of Iconâ—clast as a brand of heresie in his forehead 〈◊〉 breaking downe of Images in the churches So did Bellarmine censure the Germane Protestants as irreligious and prophane because in their reformation they spared not their Idols and their Images These men no doubt would have cast one stone of rebuke at Christ himselfe if they had seene him drive with whips the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and throwne another at Paul for speaking against the Images of Jupiter and silver Shrines of Diana at Ephesus and for preaching against the Altar dedicated to the unknown God which he saw at Athens had they beene amongst those persons and in those places Now shall we intreat these hypocrites Iustified by themselves against themselvs to turne their eyes into their owne bosomes and view the records of their owne stories and then let them tell us whether their beame be not much bigger than our mote in this kinde of disgracing or defacing images and some other things which they account ornaments of their Churches What if these Catholikes as they desire and delight to be called have cast with violence the reliques of their Saints Nicu. Coni. lib. de Isaac fil Alexio into filthy and base places what if they have throwne the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ with great indignation sometimes unto the ground and sometimes into the fire what if they have prophaned their holy Vessels Altars Temples what if they have used their sacred images for seates and footstooles Their own Writers will assure them that in the taking of Constantinople Antonin Histor. part 3. tit 19. cap. 2.9 3. they were guitly of such and so great sacriledge that they spared neither the treasures of the Churches nor the Silver Tables about their Altars Sed violatis sacrariis cruces iconas reliqua Ecclesiarum ornamenta rapiebant but prophaning all the holy places and holy things they spoiled their Crosses and Curcifixes their Images and other ornaments of their Churches whatsoever Let them reade and consider Ouuph in vit Clem. 7. Guiciard Hist lib. 7. what violence and indignity Cardinall Columna offered in the taking of Rome under Clement the seventh unto the Palace of the Vaticane and Saint Peters Church when he spoiled them of all their treasure and rich furniture and all the Ornaments of the Church besides Now therefore yee Hypocrites either take the beam out of your own eye or cease to find fault with this mote in your brothers eye any longer If ye be obstinate in this errour of Image worship and call upon our Church windowes for your Church witnesses Testes fenestrae Rat. 10. Aug. de Consensu evang l. 1. cap. 10. as your Father Jesuite Campion hath done we will then answer you with Austin Sic errare meruerunt qui Christum Apostolos ejus quaesiverunt non in sanctis codicibus sedin pictis parietibus They have well deserved so to erre who have sought for Christ and his Apostles not in the holy Booke of God but in painted wales and windowes as you for your parts Aug. ibid. both doe and have done Nec mirum si a pingentibus fingentes decepts sunt And no marvaile if such fainers and forgers as you are bee deceived with such painters and pictures as these be And as for this Gentleman of whom we speak it shall be sufficient for him and us that in this his affection and action hee commeth so neare to that commendation which Ambrose gave unto Theodosius Theodosius abscondit simulacra Gentium omnes enim cultus idolorum fides ejus abscondit Ambrose Orat in mort Theo. omnes eorum ceremonias obliteravit Theodosius did obscure and disgrace all the images of the Gentiles for his faith did darken all the worship of Idols and obliterate all their ceremonies CHAP. XXVII 2 In establishing Gods true Word and worship NOw as it was the just and due praise of these worthies of the Lord according to the nature of true zeale not onely to demolish and deface all instruments or ornaments of idols and false worship but to build up and beautifie the house of God in procuring and providing all good means for his due and true service so may it be and that justly an addition to this Gentlemans former praise that his heart was so enlarged towards God for his glory and Gods people for their good that it was not only his care and conscience to abolish all occasions and provocations unto idolatry and false worship but the very joy of his soule to bring in such godly and able Ministers amongst them as he could provide almost every Lords day into the publike Assembly Such as did feed the people like faithfull Pastors with knowledge and understanding Such as did sowe and plant as Gods husbandmen the seeds and roots of grace and truth amongst them Such as were Ambassadors of peace both preaching unto them the glad tydings of the Gospell by the word of reconciliation and beseeching them also in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God and Heralds at armes also By procuring godly Ministers to preach to lift up their voices as a trumpet to tell the house of Israel their transgression and the house of Iudah their finnes and to denounce Gods righteous judgements due unto the same And all this he did of his own cost and labour and that with a cheerfull and upright heart honouring the Lord with his substance and giving meanes and maintenance to such as were the Lords labourers in the Lords harvest Of his own cost and charg All which his care cost and labour although it was much slighted by many little regarded by the vulgar sort much opposed by the popish and profane and too much undervalued by all yet was hee never daunted nor discouraged in his course nor weary of well doing Little regarded neither Rheum the Chancellor nor Shimshai the Scribe by their letters nor Samballat and Tobiah by their mocks threats and slanders Yet he not discouraged because the word of God prospered could ever divert him from his way or cause the worke of God to cease in his hand So the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed and to use his own words so religion began to enter mangre the divell and his partakers for I was much opposed c. In this passage I much desire to commend unto every Christian especially to Gentlemen of good rancke and place to whom the Lord hath given a large portion in the blessings of