not till I had brought him vnto my mothers house into the chamber of her that conceiued mee Of whom when I had almost left hoping for comfort that gracious Sauiour who would not suffer mee tempted aboue my measure presented himselfe to my soule Loe then by a new act of faith I laid fast hold vpon him and will not let him any more part from my ioifull embracements vntill both I haue brought him home fully into the seat of my conscience and haue wonne him to a perpetuall cohabitation with mee and a full accomplishment of my loue in that Ierusalem which is aboue which is the mother of vs all CHRIST 5. I charge â—ee O daughters of Ierusalem by the Râ—â—s and by the Hindes of the field that to stirre not vp nor wakeâ— my Loue vntill she please NOw that my distressed Church hath beene all the night long of my seeming absence toiled in seeking mee I charge you O all that professe any friendship with me I charge you by whatsoeuer is comely deare and pleasant vnto you that as you will answer it you trouble not her peace with any vniust or vnseasonable suggestions with vncharitable contentions with any Nouelties of doctrine but suffer her to rest sweetly in that diuine truth which she hath receiued and this true apprehension of me wherein she reioiceth 6. Who is she that commeth vp out of the wildernesse like pillars of smoake perfumed with Myrrh and Incense and with all the chiefe of spices Oh who is this how admirable how louely who but my Church that ascendeth thus gloriously out of the wildernesse of the world wherein shee hath thus long wandered into the blessed mansions of my Fathers house all perfumed with the graces of perfect sanctification mounting right vpward into her glory like some straight pillar of smoke that ariseth from the most rich and pleasant composition of odours that can be deuised The Church 7. Behold his bed better than Salomons threescore strong men are round about it of the valiant men of Israel I Am ascended and loe how glorious is this place where I shall eternally â—â—â—oy the presence and loue of my Sauiour I how farre doth it exceed the earthly magnificence of Salomon about his bed doe attend a Gard of threescore choisest men of Israel 8. They all handle the sword and are expert in warre euery one hath his sword vpon his thigh for the feare by night All stout Warriers able and expert to handle the sword which for more readinesse each of them weares hanging vpon his thigh so as it may bee hastily drawne vpon any sudden danger but about this heauenly pauillion of my Sauiour attend millions of Angels spirituall Souldiers mightie in power ready to bee commanded seruice by him 9. King Salomon made himselfe a bed of the trees of Lebanon The Bride-bed that Salomon made so much admired of the world was but of the Cedars of Lebanon 10. He made the pillars thereof of siluer and the sted thereof of gold the hangings thereof of purple whose midst was in laid with the loue of the daughters of Ierusalem The Pillars but of siluer and the Bed-sted of gold the Tester or Canopie but of purple the Couerlet wrought with the curious and painfull needle worke of the maids of Ierusalem but this celestiall resting place of my God is not made with hands nor of any corruptible metall but is full of incomprehensible light shining euermore with the glorious presence of God 11. Come forth yee daughters of Sion and behold the King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his mariage and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart And as the outward state so the maiestie of his person is aboue all comparison Come forth O yee daughters of Sion lay aside all priuate and earthly affections looke vpon King Salomon as hee sits solemnly crowned in the day of his greatest royaltie and triumph and compare his highest pompe with the diuine magnificence of my Sauiour in that day when his blessed mariage shall bee fully perfected aboue to the eternall reioycing of himselfe and his Church and see whether there bee any portion betwixt them CHAP. IIII. CHRIST 1. Behold thou art faire my Loue behold thou art faire thine eies are like the Doues within thy locks thine haire is like a flocke of Goats which looke downe from the mountaines of Gilead OH how faire thou art and comely my deare Spouse how inwardly faire with the gifts of my Spirit how faire outwardly in thy comely administration and gouernment Thy spirituall eies of vnderstanding and iudgement are full of puritie chastitie simplicitie not wantonly cast forth but modestly shining amidst thy locks all thy gracious profession and all thy appendances and ornaments of expedient ceremonies are so comely to behold as it is to see a flocke of well-fed Goats grasing vpon the fruitfull hills of Gilead 2. Thy teeth like a flocke of sheepe in good order which goe vp from the washing which euery one bring out twins and none is barren among them Those that chew and prepare the heauenly food for thy soule are both of gracious simplicitie and of sweet accordance one with another hauing all one heart and one tongue and both themselues are sanctified and purged from their vncleannesse and are fruitfull in their holy labours vnto others so that their doctrine is neuer in vaine but is still answered with plentifull increase of soules added to the Church 3. Thy lips are like a threed of scarlet and thy talke is comely thy temples are within thy locks as a peece of a Pomegranate Thy speech especially in the mouth of thy Teachers is both gracious in it selfe and such as administers grace to the hearers full of zeale and feruent charitie full of grauitie and discretion and that part of thy countenance which thou wilt haue seene though dimly and sparingly is full of holy modestie and bashfulnesse so blushing that it seemeth like the colour of a broken peece of Pomegranate 4. Thy necke is as the tower of Dauid built for defence a thousand shields hang therein and all the targets of the strong men Those who by their holy authoritie sustaine thy gouernment which are as some straight and strong necke to beare vp the head are like vnto Dauids high Tower of defence furnished with a rich armorie which affords infinite waies of safe protection and infinite monuments of victorie 5. Thy two brests are as two young Kids that are twinnes feeding among the Lillies Thy two Testaments which are thy two full and faire brests whereby thou nursest all thy faithfull children are as two twins of Kids twins for their excellent and perfect agreement one with another in all resemblances of Kids that are daintily fed among the sweet flowers for the pleasant nourishment which they yeeld to all that sucke thereof 6. Vntill the day breake and the shadowes flie away I will goe into the Mountaines of Myrrh and
Rulers in Christ's time were notoriously couetous proud oppressing cruell superstitious our Sauiour feared not polluting in ioyning with them and was so farre from separating himselfe that hee called and sent others to them But a little Leauen leauens the whole lumpe it is true by the infection of it sinne where it is vnpunished spreadeth it sowreth all those whose hands are in it not others If we dislike it detest desist reproue and mourne for it we cannot bee tainted the Corinthian loue-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder yet you heare not Paul say Abstaine from the Sacrament till these be reformed Rather he enioynes the act and controules the abuse God hath bidden you heare and receiue shew me where he hath said except others be sinfull Their vncleannesse can no more defile you then your holinesse can excuse them But while I communicate you say I consent God forbid It is sinne not to cast out the deseruing but not yours vvho made you a Ruler and a Iudge The vncleane must bee separated not by the people Would you haue no distinction betwixt priuate and publike persons What strange confusion is this And what other then the old note of Corah and his company Yee take too much vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue the Congregation of the Lord What is if this be not to make a Monster of Christs body hee is the head his Church the body consisting of diuers limbes All haue their seuerall faculties and imployments not euery one all vvho would imagine any man so absurd as to say that this bodie should be all tongue or all hands euery man a Teacher euery man a Ruler As Christ had said to euery man Goe teach and whose sinnes yee remit How senselesse are these two extreames Of the Papists that one man hath the Keyes Of the Brownists that euery man hath them But these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the Church True to be executed by her Gouernors the facultie of speech is giuen to the vvhole man but the vse of it to the proper instrument Man speaketh but by his tongue if a voice should be heard from his hand eare foot it were vnnaturall Now if the tongue speake not when it ought shall we bee so foolish as to blame the hand But you say if the tongue speake not or speake ill the whole man smarteth the man sinneth I grant it but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a rack if you straine it in all things to the likenesse of the spirituall or ciuill The members of that being quickned by the same soule haue charge of each other and therefore either stand or fall together It is not so in these If then notwithstanding vnpunished sinnes we may ioyne with the true Church Whether is ours such You doubt and your solicitors deny surely if we haue many enormities yet none worse then rash and cruell iudgement let them make this a colour to depart from themselues there is no lesse woe to them that call good euill To iudge one man is bold and dangerous Iudge then vvhat it is to condemn a vvhole Church God knowes as much vvithout cause as without shame Vaine men may libell against the Spouse of Christ her husband neuer diuorced her No his loue is still aboue their hatred his blessings aboue their censures Do but aske them were we euer the true Church of God If they deny it Who then were so Had God neuer Church vpon earth since the Apostles time till Barrow and Greenwood arose And euen then scarce a number nay when or where vvas euer any man in the vvorld except in the schooles perhaps of Donatus or Nouatus that taught their doctrine and now still hath he none but in a blind lane at Amsterdam Can you thinke this probable If they affirme it when ceased we Are not the points controuerted still the same The same gouernment the same doctrine Their minds are changed not our estate Who hath admonished euinced excommunicated vs and when All these must be done Will it not be a shame to say that Francis Iohnson as he tooke power to excommunicate his Brother and Father so had power to excommunicate his Mother the Church How base and idle are these conceits Are wee then Heretikes condemned in our selues Wherein ouerthrow wee the foundation What other God Sauiour Scriptures Iustification Sacraments Heauen do they teach besides vs Can all the Masters of Separation yea can all the Churches in Christendome set forth a more exquisite and worthy confession of faith then is contained in the Articles of the Church of England Who can hold these and bee hereticall Or from which of these are we reuolted But to make this good they haue taught you to say that euery truth in Scripture is fundamentall so fruitfull is errour of absurdities Whereof still one breeds another more deformed then it selfe That Trophimus vvas left at Miletum sicke that Pauls Cloake was left at Troas that Gaius Pauls hoast saluted the Romanes that Nabal was drunke or that Thamar baked Cakes and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall how large is the Separatists Creed that hath all these Articles If they say all Scripture is of the same Author of the same authoritie so say we but not of the same vse is it as necessarie for a Christian to know that Peter hosted with one Simon a Tanner in Ioppa as that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God vvas borne of the Virgin Mary What a monster is this of an opinion that all truths are equall that this spirituall house should be all foundation no walls no roofe Can no man be saued but he that knowes euery thing in Scripture Then both they and vvee are excluded heauen would not haue so many as their Parlor at Amsterdam Can any man be saued that knowes nothing in Scripture It is farre from them to be so ouercharitable to affirme it you see then that both all truths must not of necessitie bee knowne and some must and these we iustly call fundamentall which who so holdeth all his hay and stubble through the mercy of God condemne him not stil he hath right to the Church on earth and hope in heauen but whether euery truth bee fundamentall or necessarie discipline you say is so indeed necessarie to the well-being of a Church no more it may be true without it not perfect Christ compares his Spouse to an Army with banners as order is to an Armie so is discipline to the Church if the troopes be not well marshalled in their seuerall rankes and moue not forward according to the discipline of warre it is an Armie still confusion may hinder their successe it cannot bereaue them of their name it is as beautifull proportion to the bodie an hedge to a vineyard a wall to a City an hem to a garment feeling to an house It may be a body vineyard
Sauiour therefore as behooueth first shewes the falshood of their Glosses and the hollownesse of their profession and if both their life and doctrine be naught what free part is there in them And loe both of these so faulty that Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen What were the men What was their righteousnesse What wanted it Follow me I beseech you in these three and if my discourse shall seeme for a while more thorny and perplexed remedy it with your attention Those things which are out of the ken of sense or memory must be fetcht from Story The Sect or order whether of the Pharises ceased with the Temple since that no man reads of a Pharise and now is growne so farre out of knowledge that the modern Iewes are more ready to learne of vs who they were There is no point wherein it is more difficult to auoid variety yea ostentation of reading without any curious trauersing of opinions I study for simple truth as one that will not lead you out of the rode-way to shew you the turnings Ezr. 6.7 Scribes were ancient Ezra is called Sopher â—ahir a prompt Scribe As long before him so euer since they continued till Christs time but in two rankes some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some popular others legall Some the peoples others Gods the one Secretaries Recorders Notaries as 2 Chron 24. Ier. 8.8 11. Sopher hamelec the Kings Scribe The other Doctors of the Law of God The Law of the Lord is with vs in vaine made he it the penne of the Scribe is in vaine As the Pharises were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-masters so these are the same which Luke 11.45 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpreters of the Law Tho to some not meane Critickes it seemes these should be a third sort which consider not that our Sauiour on purpose addressing his speech to the Pharises fell by the way vpon the Scribes and being admonished by one of them as of an ouer-sight now auerres right downe of the Scribes what before he had but indifferently glanced at Neh. 8.4 Mat. 23. â— Clerics Iudaeorâ— saith Ierome What they were is plaine by Ezraes pulpit and Moses his chaire These and Pharises differed not so much they agreed in some good but in more euill But the profession of Pharises because it is more obscure you shall giue me leaue to fetch somewhat further Euseb eccl hist l. 4. c. 22. Erant in circumcisione diuersae sententia quae maximè tribu Iudae aduersabantur c. vide Ios Scalig. resp ad SeraruÌ„ Orig. lib. 5. aduers Cels Christianos noÌ„ habere veraÌ„ religionem quòd in varias sectas diuisi essent Domus Samâ—rai Hillel Ar. Mont. in Euanâ— Anâ—e aduentum Chriâ—ti noâ—â—ot tam blasphemae haereses iren lib. â— Act. 15.5 There were saith old Egesippus as Eusebius cites him diuers opinions in the Circumcision which all crossed the Tribe of Iuda Essens Galileans Emerobaptists Masbutheans Samaritans Pharises Sadduces It were easie to helpe him with more Sebuaeans Cannaeans Sampsaeans and if need were yet more Where are those wauerers that stagger in their trust to the Church because of different opinions receiuing that rotten argument of profane Celsus against the Christians Say the Papists one saith I am Caluins another I am Luthers We disclaime we defie these titles these diuisions we are one in truth would God we were yet more one It is the lace and fringe of Christs garment that is questioned amongst vs the cloath is sound But what Was the Iewish Church before Christ Gods true Church or not If it were not which was it If it were lo that here rent in more then eight parts and one of them differing from it selfe in eighteene opinions and yet as Irenaeus well obserues before Christ there were neither so many heresies nor so blasphemous Shew me a Church on earth without these wrinkles of diuision and I will neuer seeke for it in heauen although to some Pharisaime seemes rather a seuerall order then a sect but S. Luke that knew it better hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sect of the Pharises When the Profession began no history recordeth Some would faine fetch them Esay 65.5 Touch me not for I am holter then thou But these straine too farre for in the verse before the same men eate Swines flesh which to the Pharises is more then piacular Heare briefly their name their original their office Their name though it might admit of other probable deriuations yet by consent of all * * In eam conseâ—tinâ—nt omnes Hebraâ— tâ—â—e Bahal Harneb Pagnin in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Montanus Ios Scal. I. Drusius c. Hebrew Doctors I haue a great author for it is fetcht from separation tho vpon what grounds all agree not doubtlesse for the perfection of their doctrine and austerity of life Their originall is more intricate which after some scanning I haue thus learned of some great Masters of Iewish Antiquities Before there was any open breach in the old Iewish Church there were two generall and diuers conceits about Gods seruice One that tooke vp onely with the law of God and if they could keepe that thought they needed no more neither would they sapere supra scriptum be wiser then their Maker These were called Karraim of which sort there are diuers at this day in Constantinople and othere-where at deadly feode with the other Iewes which they now call Rabbinists The other that thought it small thankes to doe onely what they were bidden Gods Law was too straight for their holinesse It was nothing vnlesse they did more then content God earne him for these were popish Iewes and supererrogate of him These were therefore called Chasidim Holy aboue the Law They plyed God with vnbidden oblations gaue more then needed did more then was commanded yet so as both parts pleased themselues resisted not the other The more franke sort vpbraided not the other with too much niggardlinesse neither did the straiter-handed enuy the other for too much lauishnesse Would God we could doe thus They agreed though they differed But now when these voluntary seruices began to bee drawne into Canons as Scaliger speaketh and that which was before but arbitrarie was imposed as necessarie necessary for beleefe necessary for action questions arose and the rent began in the Iewes Those dogmaticall Doctors which stood for supererogation and traditions aboue Law were called Peruschim Pharises separate from the other in strict iudgement in superfluous holinesse These as they were the brood of those Chasidim whom wee finde first mentioned in the Machabees by the corrupt name of Asideans 1 Mac. 2.47 so from them againe in a second succession proceeded as their more refined issue the Essens Acts 26.5 Eruditius caeteris legem exponunt Phar. Ios l. 1. de bello
it at any price At no price sell it It is the fauour of God that it may be bought for any rate It is the Iustice of God that vpon any rate it should not bee sold As buying and selling are opposites in relation So that for which wee must not sell Truth is opposite to that for which we may buy it We must buy it with labour therefore we may not sell it for ease If need be we must buy it with losse therefore we may not sell it for gaine we must buy it with disgrace we may not sell it for honour we must buy it with exile or imprisonment we may not sell it for libertie we must buy it with paine we may not sell it for pleasure We must buy it with death wee may not sell it for life Not for any not for all of these may we sell Truth this were damnosa mercatio as Chrysostome In euery bargaine and sale there must be a proportion now ease gaine honour liberty pleasure life yea worlds of all these are no way counteruailable to Truth For what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and leese his owne soule And hee cannot sell Truth but his soule is lost And if any thing in the world may seeme a due price of Truth it is Peace Oh sweet and deare name of Peace the good newes of Angels the ioy of good men who can but affect thee who can but magnifie thee The God of heauen before whom I stand from whom I speake knowes how oft how deeply I haue mourned for the diuisions of his Church how earnestly I haue set my hand on worke vpon such poore thoughts of reunion as my meannesse could reach but when all is done I still found we may not offer to sell Truth for Peace It is true that there be some Scholasticall and immateriall Truths the infinite subdiuision whereof haue rather troubled than informed Christendome which for the purchase of peace might bee kept in and returned into such safe generalities as minds not vnreasonable might rest in but sold out they may not be If some Truths may be contracted into a narrower roome none may be contracted for Qui diuinis innutriti sunt eloquijs as that Father said Those that are trained vp in diuine truths may not change a syllable for a world Tene quod habes Hold that thou hast is a good rule in all things which if in temporalities it were well obserued we should not haue so many gallants squander away their inheritances to liue Cameleon-like vpon the ayre of fauour But how euer this be too wel obserued in these earthly things by frugall hands which take as if they were quicke hold as if they were dead yet in spiritual graces it can neuer be obserued enough we get Truth we buy it as Iacob did his birth-right to keepe to enioy not to sell againe If therefore the world if Satan shal offer to grease vs in the fist for truth let vs answer him as Simon Peter did Simon the Sorcerer Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought the Truth of God may be purchased with mony What shall we say then to those pedling petty-chapmen which wee meet withall in euery market that will be bartring away the truth of God for trifles Surely the forme of our spirituall market is contrary to the ciuill In our ciuill markets there are more buyers than sellers there would be but poore takings if many did not buy of one but in the spirituall there are more Sellers of Truth than Buyers Many a one sels that he neuer had that he should haue had the Truth of God Here one chops away the Truth for Feare or ambition There another lets it goe for the old shooes of a Gebeonitish pretence of Antiquitie Here one parts with it for a painted gilded hobby-horse of an outwardly pompous magnificence of the Church there another for the bables of childish superstition One for the fancies of hope another for the breath of a colloguing Impostor Amongst them all Diminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum Psal 12. Truth is failed from the children of men Yea as Esay complained in his time Corruit in platea veritas Esa 59.14 Truth is fallen in the streets What a shame it is to see that in this cleere and glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell vnder the pious gouernment of the true Defender of the Faith there should not want some soules that should trucke for the truth of God as if it were some Cheapside or some Smithfield-Commoditie Commutauerunt veritatem Dei They haue changed the Truth of God into a lie Rom. 1.25 And all their care is that they may be deceiued good cheape Whose heart cannot bleed to see so many well-rigg'd and hopefull Barkes of our yong Gentry laden with the most precious merchandises of Nature and Grace hall'd in euery day to these deceitfull Ports of Error the owners partly cheated partly robbed of Truth despoiled of their rich fraight and at last turn'd ouer-boord into a sea of Desperation Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey that ye should not hold fast the Truth Where shall I lay the fault of this miscariage Me thinkes I could aske the Disciples question Nunquid ego Domine Is it we Lord Are there of vs that preach our selues and not Christ Are there that preach Christ and liue him not Woe to the world because of offences It must needs bee that offences should come but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth God forbid that we should be so bad that the seuen hils should not iustifie vs But what euer we be the Truth is still euer it selfe neither the better for our innocence nor worse for our guilt If men be faultie what hath Truth offended Except the sacred word of the Euer-liuing God can mis-guide you we haue set you right We are but Dust and Ashes yet O God giue vs thine humble vassals leaue in an awfull confidence so far to contest with thee the Lord of heauen and earth as to say If we be deceiued thou hast deceiued vs. It is thou that hast spoken by vs to thy people Let God be True and euery man a Lier Whither should we goe from thee Thou hast the words of eternall life Deare Christians our fore-fathers transmitted to vs the intire inheritance of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ repurchased by the bloud of their martyrdome Oh let not our ill husbandry impaire it Let not posterity once say they might haue beene happy but for the vnthriftinesse of vs their progenitors Let it not be said that the coldnesse of vs the Teachers and professors of Truth hath dealt with Religion as Rehoboham did with his shields which he found of Gold but lest of Brasse If Truth had no friends we should plead for it but now that we haue before our eyes so powerfull an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christian faith that
parts of that Church or no Was there any other ordination of Ministers than from them Reiect these and all the world will hisse at you Receiue them and where is our Apostasie What Antichristianisme haue we wherof these were freed But you leape backe if I vrge you farre from hence to the Apostles times to fetch our once true Church from farre that it might be deare You shall not carue for vs we like not these bold ouerleapes of so many Centuries I speake boldly you dare not stand to the triall of any Church since theirs Now I heare your Doctor say this Challenge fauours of Rome H. Answorth in his fore-speech to his Count. Inqu into Wh. Tertul. l. de Ora. Tertul. lib. de Praescript So. de Virginib Veland That no continuance of time can preiudice Truth Si me reprehendas errantem patere me quaeso errare cum talibus Aug. Hier. Fr. Iohnson in his Answ to T. Wh. pag. 26. Ans against Brough p. 17. These Dutch churches offend not only in practicall disorders but in their Constitution Gouernment Worship c. Troubl and Excom at Amsterdam p. 10. Browne charged with it by Barr. Letter to Master Egerton G. Iohnson ibid. pag. 194. Fr. Iohns Inqui. Act. 15.38 Departing that is not going with them Barr. pref to the Separation defend In his Obseruations p. 251. We doe not there condemne the Parish-Assemblies as separated from Christ but proue them not as yet gathered to Christ So Confe with Sperin p. 9. Fr. Iohnsons Inquiry pag. 36. H. Barr. Obseruation 242. Antiquitie is with you a Popish plea we haue willingly taken vp our Aduersaries at this by pretence their owne weapon You debarre it in the conscience of your own nouell singularitie Yet your Pastor can be content to make vse of Tertullian alone against all Fathers That such things are iustly to be charged with vanitie as are done without any precept either of the Lord or of the Apostles And the Apostles did faithfully deliuer to the Nations the Discipline they receiued of Christ which we must beleeue to be the tumultuary Discipline of the refined housefull at Amsterdam What all in all Ages and places till now Apostates Say if you can that those famous Churches wherein Cyprian Athanasius Ambrose Hierome Austen Chrysostome and the rest of those blessed Lights liued were lesse deepe in this Apostasie than ours O Apostaticall Fathers that separated not yea say if you dare that other reformed Churches are not ouer the Ankles with vs in this Apostasie What hard news is this to vs when as your Oracle dare say not much lesse of the reformed Churches of Netherlands with whom you liue Thus he writes For not hearing of them in other Congregations in these Countries this I answer That seeing by the mercy of God wee haue seene and forsaken the corruptions yet remaining in the publike Ministration and condition of these Churches if they bee all like to these of this Cittie we cannot therefore partake with them in such case without declining and Apostasie from the truth which we haue our selues alreadie receiued and professed See here to partake with them in Gods seruice is Apostasie If so in the accessories Alas what crime is in the principall It were but Apostasie to heare an English sermon a Dutch is no lesse Wo is you that you dwell still in Meshech Good men it were not more happie for you than the Church that you were well in Heauen No lesse than Apostasie Let no Reader be appalled at so fearefull a word this is one of the termes of Art familiar to this way Finde but any one page of a Dutch printed Volume without Apostasie Excommunication Commingling Constitution and suspect it not theirs Heresie is not more frequent at Rome than Apostasie at Amsterdam nor Indulgences more ordinary there than here Excommunications Common vse makes terrible things easie Their owne Master St. for holding with the Dutch Baptisme and Read-prayers is acknowledged to be cast out for an Apostate yea their Doctor Master Answorth is noted with this marke from themselues There is much latitude as happie is in their Apostasie For when Stanshal Mercer and Iacob Iohnson were to be chosen Officers in their Church and exception was taken by some at their Apostasie answer was made It was not such Apostasie as debarred them from Office it was but a slip Iohn Marke whether as Isichius and Theophylact thinke the blessed Euangelist or some other holy Minister is by the whole Parlour at Amsterdam branded with this lame Apostasie who departed indeed but from Paul in his iourney not from Christ in his faith and therefore his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.38 why doe we thinke much to drinke of an Euangelists Cup Yet let this ignorant Epistler teach his censorious Answerer one point of his own that is the Separatists skill and tell him that he obiects two crimes to one poore Church which are incompatible want of Constitution and Apostasie Thus writes your Master of vs If it were admitted which can neuer be proued that they sometimes had beene true established Churches Loe here we neuer had true Constitution therefore we are not capable of Apostasie If we once had it and so were true Churches heare what your Pastor saith As Christ giueth to all true Churches their being so we must leaue it vnto him to take it away when and as he pleaseth And therefore since he hath not remoued his Candlesticke nor taken away his Kingdome in spight of all obiected Apostasies wee still continue so and by consequent your separation vpon this ground is most vniust No faults disanull the being of a Church vntil contempt of Gods Word be added therunto after due coÌ„uiction The faults errors of a Church may be seuerely reproued conuinced according to the qualitie therof and yet the Church not be condemned N. B. Iob 24.19 Vulg. Edit Cypr. Epist ad Cornel. Non est maius peccatum quà m apostatare à Deo Aug. in Psal 18. Prou. 6.12 Iob. 3â— 18 Ezec. 2.3 Apocal. 2.3 Thou hast laboured and not giuen in Tertul. de Pat. Si hominibus placetur Dominus offenditur si vero illud eniâ—mur laboramus vt possimus Deo placere conuitia maledicta debemus humana contemnere Confessed by M. Iohn loc seq Inquir of Th. White pag. 65. Gen. 49.7 Cypr. de simplic prael Quid facit in corde Christiano Luporum seritas Caenum rabies Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 9. Qualia solet eructare turgens indigesta discordia An Apostate had wont to bee the fearefull surname of damned Iulian Tertus was an easie accuser to whom yet we may say with Elihu Nâ—â— dicis Regi Apostata Behold now so many Apostataes as men Holy Cyprian describes him by forsaking Christs colours and taking vp Armes for Gentilisme in life or heresie in iudgement And Augustine tells vs there cannot be a greater sinne than Apostasie
Christs descent into Hell except he had ouer-reached not that Call you our Doctrines some generall truths Looke into our Confessions Apologies Articles and compare them with any with all other Churches and if you finde a more particular sound Christian absolute profession of all fundamentall truths in any Church since Christ ascended into Heauen renounce vs as you do we will separate vnto you But these truths are not soundly practised Let your Pastor teach you Inquir into M. Wâ—â—te p. 35. Mat. 13.33 that if errors of practise should bee stood vpon there could bee no true Church vpon earth Pull out your owne beame first wee willingly yeeld this to bee one of your truths that no truth can sanctifie error That one heresie makes an Heretike but learne withall that euery error doth not pollute all truths That rhere is hay and stubble which may burne yet both the foundation stand and the builder bee saued Such is ours at the worst why doe you condemne where God will saue No Scripture is more worne with your Tongues and Pens than that of the Leauen 1 Cor. 5.6 If you would compare Christs Leauen with Pauls you should satisfie your selfe Christ sayes The Kingdome of Heauen is as Leauen Paul sayes A grosse sinne is Leauen Both leauens the whole lumpe neither may be taken precisely but in resemblance not of equalitie M. Bredwell as he said well but of qualitie For notwithstanding the Leauen of the Kingdome some part you grant is vnsanctified So notwithstanding the Leauen of sinne some which haue striuen against it to their vtmost are not sowred The leauening in both places must extend onely to whom it is extended the subiects of regeneration in the one the partners of sinne in the other So our Sauiour saith Yee are the salt of the earth Yet too much of the earth is vnseasoned The truth of the effect must bee regarded in these speeches not the quantitie It was enough for S. Paul to shew them by this similitude that grosse sinnes where they are tolerated haue a power to infect others whether it be as Hierome interprets it by ill example or by procurement of iudgements Hierom. In hoc ignoratis quia malo exemplo possunt plurimi interire Sed peâ— vntus delictuÌ„ in omnâ—â— populuÌ„ Iudaeorum â—am Dei legimus advenisse and therevpon the incestuous must bee cast out All this tends to the excommunicating of the euill not to the separating of the good Did euer Paul say If the incestuous bee not cast out separate from the Church Shew vs this and we are yours Else it is a shame for you that you are not ours If Antichrist hold many truths and wee but many wee must needs be proud of your praises We hold all his truths and haue shewed you how we hate all his forgeries no lesse than you hate vs Yet the mysterie of iniquitie is still spun in the Church of England but with a finer threed So fine that the very eyes of your malice cannot see it yet none of our least Motes haue escaped you Thanks bee to our good God 1 Tim. 3.16 we haue the great mysterie of godlinesse so fairely and happily spun amongst vs as all but you blesse God with vs and for vs As soone shall yee finde Charitie and Peace in your English Church as heresie in our Church of England SEP Where say you are those proud Towers of their vniuersall Hierarchie One in Lambeth another in Fulham and wheresoeuer a Pontificall Prelate is or his Chancellor Commissarie or other Subordinate there is a Tower of Babel vnruinated To this and I desire to know of you whether the office of Archbishops Bishops and the rest of that ranke were not parts of that accursed Hierarchie in Queene MARIES dayes and members of that Man of sin If they were then as shoulders armes vnder that head the Pope and ouer the inferiour members and haue now the same Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction deriued and continued vpon them whereof they were possessed in the time of Popery as it is plaine they haue by the first Parliament of Queene ELIzABETH why are they not still members of that bodie though the head the Pope be cut off SECTION XXX Whether our Prelacie be Antichristian Seuen Argu. first Answ Counterpoys TO the particular instances I aske where are the proud Towers of their Vniuersall Hierarchie You answer roundly One in Lambeth another in Fulham c. What Vniuersall Did euer any of our Prelates challenge all the World as his Diocesse Is this simplicitie or malice If your Pastor tell vs that as well a World as a Prouince Let me returne it If hee may be Pastor ouer a Parlour-full Why not of a Citie And if of a Citie why not of a Nation But these you will proue vnruinated Towers of that Babel You aske therefore whether the Office of Archbishops Bishops and the rest of that ranke were not in Queene MARIES dayes parts of that accursed Hierarchie and members of that Man of sinne Doubtlesse they were Who can denie it But now say you they haue the same Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction continued This is your miserable Sophistrie Those Popish Archbishops Bishops and Clergie were members of Antichrist not as Church-Gouernours but as Popish while they swore subiection to him while they defended him whiles they worshipâ— him aboue all that is called God and extorted this homage from others how could they be other but limmes of that Man of sinne shall others therefore which defie him resist trample vpon him spend their liues and labours in oppugnation of him bee necessarily in the same case because in the same roome Let mee helpe your Anabaptists with a sound Argument The Princes Peeres and Magistrates of the Land in Queene MARIES dayes were shoulders and armes of Antichrist their calling is still the same therefore now they are such Your Master Smith vpon no other ground disclaymeth Infants Baptisme Character of the Beast against R. Clifton crying out that this is the maine relique of Antichristianisme But see how like a wise Master you confute your selfe They are still members of the bodie though the head the Pope be cut off The head is Antichrist therefore the bodie without the head is no part of Antichrist He that is without the head Christ is no member of Christ so contrarily I heare you say the very Iurisdiction and Office is here Antichristian not the abuse What in them and not in all Bishops since and in the Apostles times Alas who are you that you should oppose all Churches and times Ignorance of Church-storie and not distinguishing betwixt substances and appendances personall abuses and callings hath led you to this errour Yet since you haue reckoned vp so many Popes let mee helpe you with more Was there not one in Lambeth when Doctor Cranmer was there One in Fulham when Ridley was there One in Worcester when Latimer was there One at Winchester when Philpot was
beene worthy to inioy him for her honest compassion Not more iustly then wisely therefore doth Salomon trace the true mother by the footsteps of loue and pity and adiudgeth the child to those bowels that had yearned at his danger Euen in morality it is thus also Truth as it is one so it loues intirenesse falshood diuision Satan that hath no right to the heart would be content with a peece of it God that made it all will haue either the whole or none The erroneous Church striues with the true for the liuing childe of sauing doctrine each claimes it for her owne Heresie conscious of her owne iniustice could be content to goe away with a leg or an arme of sound principles as hoping to make vp the rest with her owne mixtures Truth cannot abide to part with a ioynt and will rather endure to leese all by violence then a peece through a willing conniuency The Temple IT is a weak and iniurious censure that taxeth Salomons slacknesse in founding the house of God Great bodies must haue but slow motions He was wise that said the matters must be all prepared without ere we build within And if Dauid haue laid ready a great part of the metals and timber yet many a tree must be felled and squared and many a stone hewne and polished ere this foundation could be laid neither could those large Cedars be cut sawne seasoned in one yeare Foure yeares are soone gone in so vast a preparation Dauid had not beene so intire a friend to Hiram if Hiram had not beene a friend to God Salomons wisdome hath taught him to make vse of so good a neighbour of a fathers friend he knowes that the Tyrians skill was not giuen them for nothing Not Iewes onely but Gentiles must haue their hand in building the Temple of God Onely Iewes medled with the Tabernacle but the Temple is not built without the aide of Gentiles They together with vs make vp the Church of God Euen Pagans haue their Arts from heauen how iustly may we improue their graces to the seruice of the God of Heauen if there be a Tyrian that can worke more curiously in gold in siluer in brasse in iron in purple and blew silke then an Israelite why should not hee be imployed about the Temple Their heathenisme is their own their skill is their Makers Many a one workes for the Church of God that yet hath no part in it Salomon raises a tribute for the worke not of money but of men Thirty thousand Israelites are leauied for the seruice yet not continuedly but with intermission their labour is more generous and lesse pressing it is enough if they keep their courses one moneth in Lebanon two at home so as euer ten thousand worke whiles twentie thousand breathe So fauourable is God to his creature that he requires vs not to be ouer-toyled in the workes of his owne seruice Due respirations are requisite in the holiest acts The maine stresse of the worke lyes vpon Proselytes whose both number and paines was herein more then the Natiues An hundred and fifty thousand of them are imployed in bearing burthens in hewing stones besides their three thousand three hundred ouer-seers Now were the despised Gibeonites of good vse and in vaine doth Israel wish that the zeale of Saul had not robbed them of so seruiceable drudges There is no man so meane but may bee some way vsefull to the House of God Those that cannot worke in gold and siluer and silke yet may cut and hew and those that can doe neither yet may cary burdens Euen the seruices that are more homely are not lesse necessarie Who can dis-hearten himselfe in the conscience of his owne insufficiency when he sees God can as well serue himselfe of his labour as of his skill The Temple is framed in Lebanon and set vp in Sion Neither hammer nor axe was heard in that holy structure There was nothing but noise in Lebanon nothing in Sion but silence and peace What euer tumults are abroad it is fit there should bee all quietnesse and sweet concord in the Church Oh God that the axes of schisme or the hammers of furious contentions should bee heard within thy Sanctuary Thine house is not built with blowes with blowes it is beaten downe Oh knit the hearts of thy seruants together in the vnity of the spirit and the bond of peace that we may minde and speak the same things that thou who art the God of peace maist take pleasure to dwell vnder the quiet roofe of our hearts Now is the foundation laid and the wals rising of that glorious fabricke which all Nations admired and all times haue celebrated Euen those stones which were laid in the Base of the building were not ragged and rude but hewne and costly the part that lyes couered with earth from the eyes of all beholders is no lesse precious then those that are most conspicuous God is not all for the eye he pleaseth himselfe with the hidden value of the liuing stones of his spirituall Temple How many noble graces of his seruants haue been buried in obscuritie not discerned so much as by their owne eyes which yet as hee gaue so hee crowneth Hypocrites regard nothing but shew God nothing but truth The matter of so goodly a frame striues with the proportion whether shall more excell Here was nothing but white Marble without nothing but Cedar and Gold within Vpon the Hill of Sion stands that glittering and snowy pile which both inuiteth and dazeleth the eyes of passengers a farre off so much more precious within as Cedar is better then stone gold then Cedar No base thing goes to the making vp of Gods House If Satan may haue a dwelling he cares not though he patch it vp of the rubbish of stone or rotten sticks or drosse of metals God will admit of nothing that is not pure and exquisite His Church consists of none but the faithfull his habitation is in no heart but the gracious The fashion was no other then that of the Tabernacle onely this was more costly more large more fixed God was the same that dwelt in both hee varied not the same mysterie was in both Onely it was fit there should be a proportion betwixt the worke and the builder The Tabernacle was erected in a popular estate the Temple in a Monarchy it was fit this should sauour of the munificence of a King as that of the zeale of a multitude That was erected in the flitting condition of Israel in the desert this in their setled residence in the promised Land it was fit therefore that should bee framed for motion this for rest Both of them were distinguished into three remarkable diuisions whereof each was more noble more reserued then other But what doe we bend our eyes vpon stone and wood and metals God would neuer haue taken pleasure in these dead materials for their owne sakes if they had not had a further intendment Me thinkes
on the Church of England 551 As of Apostacy 561 Notably confuted 562 The Brownists acknowledgment of the graces of the Church of England 563 Instances of their horrible railings 564 Their vnnaturalnesse ibid. and 565 What they think themselues beholding to the Church of England for 565 Our Church iustified by theÌ„ against their wills 552 And that in instancing some particular men whom they acknowledge Martyrs 573 The four pillars of Brownists 595 Their wronging of vs about Ceremonies 596 An eleuen crimes that they haue laid on the French and Dutch Church 601 Their imputation of our impure mixtures 604 Their scorne of our people 608 Buriall Of decent buriall 1326 Bush The burning Bush a perfect Embleme of the Church 870 Busie-bodies His Character 188 Buying A rule in buying and selling 697 C CAlfe Of the golden Calfe 899 Calling remedies against dulnesse in it 375 Honest men may not bee ashamed of their lawfull Callings 869 When God finds vs in our calling we shall finde him in his mercy 870 Grosse sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of God 900 The peoples assurance of the Ministers calling very materiall 927 The approbation of our calling is by the fruit ibid. An honest mans heart is where his calling is 1017 Neuer any calling of God was so conspicuous as not to find some opposites 1119 Our deuotions attended without neglect of our calling 1186 Diligence in our calling makes vs capable of blessednesse 1200 Cana The mariage in Cana. 1202 Canaan Of its Searchers 916 Cappucine prettily painted out 282 Carelesnesse Of an holy carelesnesse 64 Carnall A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein hee delights 1009 Cares Of taking cares on a mans selfe 48 Worldly cares fitly compared to thornes 142 Censure The conscionable somtimes too forward in censuring 1030 There must bee discretion there may not bee partialitie in our censures of the greatest 1063 Centurion Of the good Centurion 1205 His humilitie 1206 His faith 1207 Christ maruels at him ibid. Ceremonies some are typicall some of order and decencie 426 A passionate speech concerning our diuisions about ceremonies 426 427 Ceremonies must giue place to substance 1092 Challenges Whence they came 1081 Charitie vid. Loue not suspitious 1088 Cheerefulnesse an excitation to Christian cheerefulnesse 306 and in our labour 375 Nothing more acceptable then cheerefulnesse in the seruice of God 1028 Children an excellent child of an excellent parent a rare sight and why 135 What they owe their parents 242 A good note for children which couer their parents shame 828 It is both vncharitable iniurious to iudge of the childs dispositioÌ„ by the Father 867 Iepthâ—'s daughter a notable patterne for our children towards their parents 994 Childrens contempt of their parents for pottery censured 1025 Of our ouer loue to our children 1028 What children are most like to proue blessings 1031 A caueat for mocking children 1374 Christ his Annunciation 1164 Hee hath nothing in the whole work of our Redemption ordinarie 1162 No man may search into that wonder of his Conception 1166 Of his birth 1167 Of his lodging Cradle c. 1169 The vse of this his abasement ibid. how found of the Wise men 1172 Of his flight from Egypt and the vse of it 1177 His being among the Doctors 1185 His Baptisme 1 89 His temptation 1191 Hee is caried vp to a pinacle of the Temple 1195 Christian and Christianitie how a Christian should be both a Lambe and a Lyon 6 7. His happinesse 13 He is a little Church with n himselfe ibid. More difference betweene a naturall man and a right Christian then betwixt a man and a Beast 27 A wise Christian hath no enemies 47 An halfe Christian liues most miserably 62 A Christian compared to a Vine ibid. There is more in a Christian then any can see 66 A Christian man in all his wayes must haue three guides First Truth Secondly Charitie Thirdly Wisedome 137 Christianitie both an easie and hard yoake 143 The estate of a true though but a weake Christian 293 The difficultie of it 323 His description difference from a worldling 366 A conscionable Christian in sorrow sweetly described 493 Church That Churches happinesse wherein Truth and Peace meet together p. 6 A Christian is a little Church within himselfe p. 13 An excellent rule for our cariage in Church-dissentions 29 Church Schismes how bred fostered and confirmed 29 30 The needlesnesse of our conformitie to ancient Churches in all things 364 The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ 570 How it hath separated from Babylon 571 Why our Churches may stand 593 It is good coÌ„ming to Church for what end soeuer 870 The way to haue a blessing at home is to be deuout at Church 1031 What institutes a Church 1159 Cold When all hearts are cold and dead it is signe of an intended destruction 1059 Combats of single combats 338. 339 The censure of it 1120 Comforts the intermission of them what they doe 857 Commendations the commendation of diuers good men with the vse of imitation 287 Communitie care of it a signe of bâ—ing spirituall indeed 902 Companie the euill of euill company discyphered 2 What company we should delight in 4 A rule in choice of our companions 140 Company in sinne how it infects a sinner 901 And how it brings punishment on him 921 The intirenesse with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chaines of hell 931 Companie in the Church what it doth 1186 Compassion vide Mercy how it must be ruled 1103 Compellations sweet compellation how helpfull for the entertainment of good admonitions 956 Concord is the way to conquest 1136. vide Peace Concubine of the Leuites Concubine 1015 Confidence what maketh it 141 Described 226 A presumptuous confidence commonly goes bleeding home when as an humble feare returnes in triumph 1062 Confession how much it honors God 956 how he is pleased w th it 1009 Dauids confession 1142 Confession how hardly gotten out of vs. 1143 Conscience a good conscience keepes alwaies good cheere 46 The torment of an euill conscience 76 The ioy of such but dissembled ibid. The remedy of an vnquiet conscience 77 our peace of conscience comes by faith 78 79 The vaine shifts of the guilty conscience 79 Crosses a main enemy to the peace of conscience 80 A second ranke of enemies to peace of conscience 87 88 89. The Shipwracke of a good conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies 148 A wide conscience will swallow any sin 1006 Trust him in nothing that hath not a conscience of euery thing 1006 When we may look to haue rest to our Conscience 1031 A good conscience will make a man bold 1060 None can be sure of him that hath no conscience 1089 The power of conscience 1359 Conspiracy Corahs conspiracy 919 Constancy Of it 109 An encouragement vnto it 399 It must be like fire 911 One act is nought without constancy 919 Constâ—â—â—tion what it is 557 Constraint Whether constraint may haue place
hauing honey in the mouth hath a sting in the taile Why am I so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them and not rather labour to aspire to that one absolute Good in whom is nothing sauouring of griefe nothing wanting to perfect happinesse 17 A sharpe reproofe I account better than a smooth deceit Therefore when my friend checkes me I will respect it with thankfulnesse when others flatter me I will suspect it and rest in mine owne censure of my selfe who should be more priuie and lesse partiall to my owne deseruings 18 Extremity distinguisheth friends Worldly pleasures like Physicians giue vs ouer when once we lie a dying and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts Christ Iesus standeth by his in the pangs of death and after death at the barre of iudgement not leauing them either in their bed or graue I will vse them therefore to my best aduantage not trust them But for thee O my Lord which in mercy and truth canst not faile me whom I haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities Kill me yet will I trust in thee 19 We haue heard of so many thousand generations passed and we haue seene so many hundreds die within our knowledge that I wonder any man can make account to liue one day I will die daily It is not done before the time which may be done at all times 20 Desire oft times makes vs vnthankfull For who so hopes for that he hath not vsually forgets that which he hath I will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes lest I should in the meane time contemne present benefits 21 In hoping well in being ill and fearing worse the life of man is wholly consumed When I am ill I will liue in hope of better when well in feare of worse neither will I at any time hope without feare lest I should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence wherein euill shall be so much more vnwelcome and intolerable because I looked for good nor againe feare without hope lest I should be ouer-much deiected nor doe either of them without true contentation 22 What is man to the whole earth What is earth to the heauen What is heauen to his Maker I will admire nothing in it selfe but all things in God and God in all things 23 There be three vsuall causes of ingratitude vpon a benefit receiued Enuie Pride Couetousnesse Enuie looking more at others benefits than our owne Pride looking more at our selues than the benefit Couetousnesse looking more at what wee would haue than what we haue In good turnes I will neither respect the giuer nor my selfe nor the gift nor others but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded So shall I requite others great pleasures with equall good will and accept of small fauours with great thankfulnesse 24 Whereas the custome of the world is to hate things present to desire future and magnifie what is past I will contrarily esteeme that which is present best For both whar is past was once present and what is future will be present future things next because they are present in hope what is past least of all because it cannot be present yet somewhat because it was 25 We pitie the folly of the Larke which while it plaieth with the fether and stoopeth to the glasse is caught in the Fowlers net and yet cannot see our selues alike made fooles by Satan who deluding vs by the vaine feathers and glasses of the world suddenly enwrappeth vs in his snares We see not the nets indeed it is too much that we shall feele them and that they are not so easily escaped after as before auoided O Lord keepe thou mine eies from beholding vanity And though mine eies see it let not my heart stoope to it but loath it afarre off And if I stoope at any time and be taken set thou my soule at libertie that I may say My soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and I am deliuered 26 In suffering euill to looke to secondary causes without respect to the highest maketh impatience For so we bite at the stone and neglect him that threw it If we take a blow at our equall we returne it with vsurie if of a Prince we repine not What matter is it if God kill me whether he doe it by an Ague or by the hand of a Tyrant Againe in expectation of good to looke to the first cause without care of the second argues idlenesse and causeth want As we cannot helpe our selues without God so God will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues In both I will looke vp to God without repining at the meanes in one or trusting them in the other 27 If my money were another mans I could but keepe it onely the expending shewes it my owne It is greater glory comfort and gaine to lay it out well than to keepe it safely God hath made me not his Treasurer but his Steward 28 Augustines friend Nebridius not vniustly hated a short answer to a weighty and difficult question because the disquisition of great truths requires time and the determining is perillous I will as much hate a tedious and farre-fetched answer to a short and easie question For as that other wrongs the truth so this the hearer 29 Performance is a binder I will request no more fauour of any man than I must needs I will rather chuse to make an honest shift than ouer-much enthrall my selfe by being beholding 30 The World is a Stage euery man an actor and plaies his part here either in a Comedie or Tragedie The good man is a Comedian which how-euer he begins ends merrily but the wicked man acts a Tragedie and therefore euer ends in horrour Thou seest a wicked man vaunt himselfe on this stage stay till the last Act and looke to his end as Dauid did and see whether that be peace Thou wouldest make strange Tragedies if thou wouldest haue but one Act. Who sees an Oxe grazing in a fat and ranke pasture and thinkes not that he is neere to the slaughter whereas the leane beast that toyles vnder the yoke is farre enough from the Shambles The best wicked man cannot be so enuied in his first shewes as he is pitiable in the conclusion 31 Of all obiects of Beneficence I will chuse either an old man or a childe because these are most out of hope to requite The one forgets a good turne the other liues not to repay it 32 That which Pythagoras said of Philosophers is more true of Christians for Christianity is nothing but a diuine and better Philosophy Three sorts of men come to the Market buyers sellers lookers on The two first are both busie and carefully distracted about their Market onely the third liue happily vsing the world as if they vsed it not 33 There be three things which of all other I will neuer striue for the wall the
is without witnesse Openly many sinister respects may draw from vs a forme of religious duties secretly nothing but the power of a good conscience It is to be feared God hath more true and deuout seruice in Closets than in Churches 54 Words and diseases grow vpon vs with yeeres In age we talke much because wee haue seene much and soone after shall cease talking for euer Wee are most diseased because nature is weakest and death which is neere must haue harbingers such is the old age of the World No maruell if this last time be full of writing and weake discourse full of sects and heresies which are the sicknesses of this great and decaied body 55 The best ground vntilled soonest runs out into ranke weeds Such are Gods Children Ouer-growne with securitie ere they are aware vnlesse they bee well exercised both with Gods plow of affliction and their owne industry in meditation A man of knowledge that is either negligent or vncorrected cannot but grow wilde and godlesse 56 With vs vilest things are most common But with God the best things are most frequently giuen Grace which is the noblest of all Gods fauours is vnpartially bestowed vpon all willing receiuers whereas Nobilitie of bloud and height of place blessings of an inferiour nature are reserued for few Herein the Christian followes his Father his praiers which are his richest portion he communicates to all his substance according to his abilitie to few 57 God therefore giues because he hath giuen making his former fauours arguments for more Man therefore shuts his hand because hee hath opened it There is no such way to procure more from God as to vrge him with what hee hath done All Gods blessings are profitable and excellent not so much in themselues as that they are inducements to greater 58 Gods immediate actions are best at first The frame of this creation how exquisite was it vnder his hand afterward blemished by our sinne mans indeuours are weake in their beginnings and perfecter by degrees No science no deuice hath euer beene perfect in his cradle or at once hath seene his birth and maturitie of the same nature are those actions which God worketh mediatly by vs according to our measure of receit The cause of both is on the one side the infinitenesse of his wisdome and power which cannot be corrected by any second assaies On the other our weaknesse helping it selfe by former grounds and trials Hee is an happy man that detracts nothing from Gods works and addes most to his owne 59 The old saying is more common than true that those which are in hell know no other heauen for this makes the damned perfectly miserable that out of their owne torment they see the felicitie of the Saints together with their impossibility of attaining it Sight without hope of fruition is a torment alone Those that here might see God and will not or doe see him obscurely and loue him not shall once see him with anguish of soule and not enioy him 60 Sometimes euill speeches come from good men in their vnaduisednesse and sometimes euen the good speeches of men may proceed from an ill spirit No confession could be better than Satan gaue of Christ It is not enough to consider what is spoken or by whom but whence and for what The spirit is oftentimes tried by the speech but other-times the speech must be examined by the spirit and the spirit by the rule of an higher word 61 Greatnesse puts high thoughts and bigge words into a man whereas the deiected minde takes carelesly what offers it selfe Euery worldling is base-minded and therefore his thoughts creepe still low vpon the earth The Christian both is and knowes himselfe truly great and thereupon mindeth and speaketh of spirituall immortall glorious heauenly things So much as the soule stoopeth vnto earthly thoughts so much is it vnregenerate 62 Long acquaintance as it maketh those things which are euill to seeme lesse euill so it makes good things which at first were vnpleasant delightfull There is no euill of paine not no morall good action which is not harsh at the first Continuance of euill which might seeme to weary vs is the remedy and abatement of wearinesse and the practice of good as it profiteth so it pleaseth He that is a stranger to good and euill findes both of them troublesome God therefore doth well for vs while he exerciseth vs with long afflictions and we doe well to our selues while we continually busie our selues in good exercises 63 Sometimes it is well taken by men that we humble our selues lower than there is cause Thy seruant IACOB saith that good Patriarch to his brother to his inferiour And no lesse well doth God take these submisse extenuations of our selues I am a worme and no man Surely I am more foolish than a man and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me But I neuer finde that any man bragged to God although in a matter of truth and within the compasse of his desert and was accepted A man may be too lowly in his dealing with men euen vnto contempt with God he cannot but the lower he falleth the higher is his exaltation 64 The soule is fed as the body starued with hunger as the body requires proportionable diet and necessary varietie as the body All ages and statures of the soule beare not the same nourishment There is milke for spirituall Infants strong meat for the growne Christian The spoone is fit for one the knife for the other The best Christian is not so growne that he need to scorne the spoone but the weake Christian may finde a strong feed dangerous How many haue beene cast away with spirituall surfets because being but new-borne they haue swallowed downe bigge morsels of the highest mysteries of godlinesse which they neuer could digest but together with them haue cast vp their proper nourishment A man must first know the power of his stomacke ere he know how with safetie and profit to frequent Gods Ordinary 65 It is very hard for the best man in a sudden extremity of death to satisfie himselfe in apprehending his stay and reposing his heart vpon it for the soule is so oppressed with sudden terrour that it cannot well command it selfe till it haue digested an euill It were miserable for the best Christian if all his former praiers and meditations did not serue to aide him in his last straits and meet together in the center of his extremitie yeelding though not sensible releefe yet secret benefit to the soule whereas the worldly man in this case hauing not laid vp for this houre hath no comfort from God or from others or from himselfe 66 All externall good or euill is measured by sense neither can we account that either good or ill which doth neither actually auaile nor hurt vs spiritually this rule holds not All our best good is insensible For all our future which is the greatest good we hold onely in hope and
vnited to him hee loueth diuided betwixt another and himselfe and his owne heart is so parted that whiles he hath some his friend hath all His choice is led by vertue or by the best of vertues Religion not by gaine not by pleasure yet not without respect of equal condition of disposition not vnlike which once made admits of no change except hee whom he loueth be changed quite from himselfe nor that suddenly but after long expectation Extremity doth but fasten him whiles he like a well-wrought vault lies the stronger by how much more weight he beares When necessity calls him to it he can be a seruant to his equall with the same will wherwith he can command his inferior and though he rise to honor forgets not his familiarity nor suffers inequality of estate to work strangenesse of countenance on the other side he lifts vp his friend to aduancement with a willing hand without enuy without dissimulation When his mate is dead he accounts himselfe but halfe aliue then his loue not dissolued by death deriues it selfe to those orphans which neuer knew the price of their father they become the heires of his affection and the burthen of his cares He embraces a free community of all things saue those which either honesty reserues proper or nature and hates to enioy that which would doe his friend more good his charity serues to cloke noted infirmities not by vntruth not by flattery but by discreet secrecy neither is he more fauourable in concealement than round in his priuate reprehensions and when anothers simple fidelity shewes it selfe in his reproofe hee loues his monitor so much the more by how much more hee smarteth His bosome is his friends closet where hee may safely lay vp his complaints his doubts his cares and looke how he leaues so he findes them saue for some addition of seasonable counsell for redresse If some vnhappy suggestion shall either disioint his affection or breake it it soone knits againe and growes the stronger by that stresse He is so sensible of anothers iniuries that when his friend is stricken he cries out and equally smarteth vntouched as one affected not with sympathy but with a reall feeling of paine and in what mischiefe may be preuented he interposeth his aid and offers to redeeme his friend with himselfe no houre can be vnseasonable no businesse difficult nor paine grieuous in condition of his ease and what either he doth or suffereth he neither cares nor desires to haue knowne lest he should seeme to looke for thanks If hee can therefore steale the performance of a good office vnseene the conscience of his faithfulnesse herein is so much sweeter as it is more secret In fauours done his memory is fraile in benefits receiued eternall he scorneth either to regard recompence or not to offer it He is the comfort of miseries the guide of difficulties the ioy of life the treasure of earth and no other than a good Angell cloathed in flesh Of the Truly-Noble HE stands not vpon what he borrowed of his Ancestors but thinkes hee must worke out his owne honour and if hee cannot reach the vertue of them that gaue him outward glory by inheritance hee is more abashed of his impotencie than transported with a great name Greatnesse doth not make him scornfull and imperious but rather like the fixed starres the higher he is the lesse he desires to seeme Neither cares he so much for pompe and frothy ostentation as for the solid truth of Noblenesse Courtesie and sweet affability can be no more seuered from him than life from his soule not out of a base and seruile popularity and desire of ambitious insinuation but of a natiue gentlenesse of disposition and true value of himselfe His hand is open bounteous yet not so as that he should rather respect his glory than his estate wherein his wisdome can distinguish betwixt parasites and friends betwixt changing of fauours and expending them He scorneth to make his height a priuilege of loosenesse but accounts his titles vaine if he be inferiour to others in goodnesse and thinks he should be more strict the more eminent he is because he is more obserued and now his offences are become exemplar There is no vertue that he holds vnfit for ornament for vse nor any vice which he condemnes not as sordid and a fit companion of basenes and whereof he doth not more hate the blemish than affect the pleasure He so studies as one that knowes ignorance can neither purchase honor nor wield it and that knowledge must both guide and grace him His exercises are from his childhood ingenious manly decent and such as tend still to wit valor actiuity and if as seldome he descend to disports of chance his games shall neuer make him either pale with feare or hot with desire of gaine Hee doth not so vse his followers as if he thought they were made for nothing but his seruitude whose felicity were only to be commanded and please wearing them to the backe and then either finding or framing excuses to discard them empty but vpon all opportunities lets them feele the sweetnesse of their owne seruiceablenesse and his bounty Silence in officious seruice is the best Oratory to plead for his respect all diligence is but lent to him none lost His wealth stands in receiuing his honour in giuing he cares not either how many hold of his goodnesse or to how few he is beholden and if he haue cast away fauours he hates either to vpbraid them to his enemie or to challenge restitution None can bee more pitifull to the distressed or more prone to succour and then most where is least meanes to sollicite least possibility of requitall He is equally addressed to warre and peace and knows not more how to command others than how to be his Countries seruant in both He is more carefull to giue true honour to his Maker than to receiue ciuill honour from men Hee knowes that this seruice is free and noble and euer loaded with sincere glory and how vaine it is to hunt after applause from the world till he be sure of him that moldeth all hearts and powreth contempt on Princes and shortly so demeans himselfe as one that accounts the body of Nobility to consist in Bloud the soule in the eminence of Vertue Of the good Magistrate HE is the faithfull Deputy of his Maker whose obedience is the rule whereby he ruleth his brest is the Ocean whereinto all the cares of priuate men empty themselues which as he receiues without complaint and ouerflowing so hee sends them forth againe by a wise conueyance in the streames of iustice his dores his eares are euer open to suters and not who comes first speeds well but whose cause is best His nights his meales are short and interrupted all which he beares well because he knowes himselfe made for a publike seruant of Peace and Iustice Hee sits quietly at the sterne and commands one to the
the wicked and he that despiseth his waies shall die §. 3. Fidelity in performances To God To man in faithfull reproofe OR whether to God and man 1. Fidelity both first in performing that wee haue vndertaken If thou haue vowed a vow to God deferre not to pay it for hee delighteth not in fooles Ec. 5.3 Ec. 5.4 pay therefore that thou hast vowed It is better that thou shouldst not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay it Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sin Ec. 5.5 Neither say before the Angell that this is ignorance Pr. 20.25 Pr. 12.22 Pr. 28.10 Pr. 28.20 Pr. 25.19 Wherefore shall God bee angry by thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hands For It is destruction to a man to deuoure that which is sanctified and after the vowes to enquire Neither this to God onely but to man They that deale truly are his delight and the vpright shall inherit good things yea The faithfull man shall abound in blessings whereas the perfidious man as he wrongs others for Confidence in an vnfaithfull man in time of trouble Pr. 17.13 is like a broken tooth and a sliding foot so he gaineth not in the end himselfe He that rewardeth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house 2. In a faithfull reproofe Open rebuke is better than secret loue The wounds of a louer are faithfull and the kisses of an enemie are pleasant but false Pr. Pr. 15.12 Pr. 25.12 so that he that reproueth shall finde more thanke at the last and how euer the scorner take it yet he that reproueth the wise and obedient eare is as a gold eare ring and an ornament of fine gold §. 4. Truth in words The qualitie The fruit to himselfe to others The opposites 1. Lies Slander 2. Dissimulation Flatterie HE that speaketh truth will shew righteousnesse Wherein Pr. 12.17 Pr. 14.25 A faithfull Witnesse deliuereth soules but a deceiuer speaketh lies A vertue of no small importance for Death and Life are in the hand of the tongue and as a man loues Pr. 18.21 hee shall eat the fruit thereof to good or euill to himselfe others Himselfe Pr. 15.4 Pr. 12.19 Pr. 10.20 Pr. 10.21 Pr. 23.23 A wholsome tongue is as a Tree of life and the lip of truth shall be stable for euer Others The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer and the lips of the Righteous doe feed many therefore Buy the truth and sell it not as those doe which either 1. lye 2. slander 3. dissemble or 4. flatter §. 5. The lyer His fashions His manifestation His punishment A Faithfull witnesse will not lie but a false record will speake lies Of those six Pr. 14.5 Pr. 6.16 Pr. 6.17 Pr. 6.19 Pr. 19.28 Pr. 26.28 Pr. 12.19 Pr. 19.5 Pr. 12.22 Pr. 21.28 Pr. 25.18 Pr. 24.28 29. Pr. 30.7 Pr. 30.8 Pr. 19.22 yea seuen things that God hateth two are A lying tongue and a false witnesse that speaketh lies For such a one mocketh at iudgement and his mouth swallowes vp iniquitie yea a false tongue hateth the afflicted He is soone perceiued for a lying tongue varieth incontinently and when he is found A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape for the lying lips are abomination to the Lord therefore a false witnesse shall perish and who pitties him Such a one is an hammer a sword a sharpe arrow to his neighbour he deceiueth with his lips and saith I will doe to him as he hath done to me Two things then haue I required of thee denie me them not vntill I die c. Remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes Let me be a poore man rather than a lyer §. 6. The slanderer what his exercise in misreports in vnseasonable medling what his entertainment THis wicked man diggeth vp euill and in his lips is like burning fire Pr. 16.27 Pr. 16.30 Hee shutteth his eies to deuise wickednesse hee moueth his lips and bringeth euill to passe and either hee inuenteth ill rumors A righteous man hateth lying words Pr. 13.5 but the wicked causeth slander and shame Pr. 20.3 Pr. 11.13 Pr. 26.20 Pr. 18.8 or else in true reports he will be foolishly medling and goeth about discouering secrets where he that is of a faithfull heart concealeth matters and by this meanes raiseth discord Without wood the fire is quenched and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth for the words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings Ec. 7.23 and goe downe into the bowels of the belly therefore as on the one side thou mayest not giue thine heart to all that men speake of thee Pr. 25.23 left thou heare thy seruant cursing thee so on the other no countenance must be giuen to such for As the North-wind driues away raine so doth an angry countenance the slandering tongue §. 7. The dissembler of foure kinds malicious vaine-glorious couetous impenitent The flatterer his successe to himselfe to his friend his remedie Pr. 10.18 THE slanderer and dissembler goe together Hee that dissembleth hatred with lying lips Pr. 26.24 and he that inuenteth slander is a foole There is then a malicious dissembler He that hateth will counterfeit with his lips and in his heart he layeth vp deceit Pr. 26.25 Pr. 26.26 such one though he speake fauourably beleeue him not for there are seuen abominations in his heart Hatred may be couered with deceit but the malice thereof shall at last bee discouered in the congregation There is a vaine-glorious dissembler that maketh himselfe rich Pr. 13.7 Pr. 13.7 Pr. 20.24 Pr. 23.6 Pr. 23.7 and is poore and 3. a couetous There is that makes himselfe poore hauing great riches and this both 1. in bargains It is naught it is naught faith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasteth and 2. In his entertainment The man that hath an euill eie as though he thought in his heart so will he say to thee Eat and drinke Pr. 28.13 Pr. 27.14 but his heart is not with thee Lastly an impenitent Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie The flatterer praiseth his friend with a loud voice rising early in the morning but with what successe Pr. 29.5 To himselfe It shall be counted to him for a curse To his friend A man that flattereth his neighbour Pr. 26.28 Pr. 20.19 spreadeth a net for his steps he spreadeth and catcheth For a flattering mouth causeth ruine The onely remedie then is Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Ec. 7.7 for It is better to heare the rebuke of wise men than the song of fooles §. 8. Truth in dealings wherein is the true dealers Practices To doe right with ioy Reward Gods loue Good memoriall Pr. 11.3 Pr. 11.5 Pr. 15.19 Pr. 21.8 Pr. 21.3 Pr. 21.15 Pr. 10.16 Pr. 29.7 Pr. 29.10 Pr. 21.8 Pr. 3.29
vpright like to the straight and loftie Cedars of Lebanon 16. His mouth is as sweet things and he is wholly delectable this is my Wel-beloued and this is my Louer O daughters of Ierusalem His mouth out of which proceedeth innumerable blessings and comfortable promises is to my soule euen sweetnesse it selfe yea what speake I of any one part as you haue heard in these particulars hee is all sweets there is nothing but comfort in him and there is no comfort but in him and this if he would know is my Well-beloued of so incomparable glory and worthinesse that ye may easily discerne him from all others Forraine Congregations 17. O the fairest among women whither is thy Well-beloued gone whither is thy Well-beloued turned aside that we might seeke him with thee SInce thy Well-beloued is so glorious and amiable O thou which art for thy beautie worthy to bee the Spouse of such an husband tell vs for thou onely knowest it and to seeke Christ without the Church wee know is vaine tell vs where this Sauiour of thine is to be sought that we rauished also with the report of his beautie may ioine with thee in the same holy studie of seeking after him CHAP. VI. 1. My Well-beloued is gone downe into his Garden to the beds of spices to feed in the Gardens and to gather Lillies MY Well-beloued Sauiour if you would know this also is to be sought and found in the particular assemblies of his people which are his Garden of pleasure wherein are varieties of all the beds of renued soules which both he hath planted and dressed by his continuall care and wherein he walketh for his delight feeding and solacing himselfe with those fruits of righteousnesse and new obedience which they are able to bring forth vnto him 2. I am my Well-beloueds and my Well-beloued is mine who feedeth among the Lillies And now loe whatsoeuer hath happened crosse to mee in my sensible fruition of him in spight of all tentations my beloued Sauiour is mine through faith and I am his through his loue and both of vs are by an inseparable vnion knit together whose coniunction and loue is most sweet and happy for all that are his he feedeth continually with heauenly repast CHRIST 3. Thou art beautifull my Loue as Tirzah comely as Ierusalem terrible as an armie with Banners NOtwithstanding this thy late blemish of neglecting mee O my Church yet still in mine eies through my grace vpon this thy repentance thou art beautifull like vnto that neat and elegant Citie Tirzah and that orderly building of Ierusalem the glory of the world and with this thy louelinesse thou art awfull vnto thine aduersaries through the power of thy censures and the maiestie of him that dwelleth in thee 4. Turne away thine eies from me for they ouercome me thine haire is like a flocke of Goats which looke downe from Gilead Yea such beautie is in thee that I am ouercome with the vohemencie of my affection to thee turne away thine eies a while from beholding me for the strength of that faith whereby they are fixed vpon mee rauisheth mee from my selfe with ioy I doe therefore againe renew thy former praise that thy gracious profession and all thy appendances and ornaments of expedient ceremonies are so comely to behold as it is to see a flocke of well-fed Goats grasing vpon the fruitfull hills of Gilead 5. Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheepe which goe vp from the washing which eueryone bring out twins and none is barren among them Thy Teachers that chew and prepare the heauenly food for thy soule are of sweet accordance one with another hauing all one heart and one tongue and both themselues are sanctified and purged from their vncleannesse and are fruitfull in their holy labours vnto others so that their doctrine is neuer in vaine but is still answered with plentifull increase of soules to the Church 6. Thy Temples are within thy locks as a peece of a Pomegranate That part of thy countenance which thou wilt haue seene though dimly and sparingly is full of holy modestie and bashfulnesse so blushing that it seemeth like the colour of a broken peece of Pomegranate 7. There are threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines and of the Damsels without number Let there be neuer so great a number of people and nations of Churches and assemblies which challenge my Name and Loue and perhaps by their outward prosperitie may seeme to plead much interest in me and much worth in themselues 8. But my Loue is alone and my Vndefiled she is the onely daughter of her mother and shee is deare to her that bare her the Daughters haue seene her and counted her blessed euen the Queenes and the Concubines and they haue praised her Yet thou onely art alone my true and chaste Spouse pure and vndefiled in the truth of thy doctrine and the imputation of my holinesse thou art she whom that Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all acknowledgeth for her onely true and deare daughter And this is not my commendation alone but all those forraine assemblies which might seeme to bee Riuals with thee of this praise doe applaud and blesse thee in this thine estate and say Blessed is this people whose God is the Lord. 9. Who is shee that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an armie with banners And admiring thy goodlinesse shall say Who is this that lookes out so freshly as the morning new risen which from these weake beginnings is growne to such high perfection that now shee is as bright and glorious as the Sunne in his full strength and the Moone in a cleare skie and withall is so dreadfull through the maiestie of her countenance and power of her censures as some terrible armie with ensignes displayed is to a weake aduersarie 10. I went downe to the dressed Orchard to see the fruits of the valley to see if the Vine budded and if the Pomegranates flourished Thou complainedst of my absence O my Church there was no cause I meane not to forsake thee I did but onely walke downe into the well-dressed Orchard of thine assemblies to recreate and ioy my selfe with the view of their forwardnesse to see the happy progresse of the humble in spirit and the gracious beginnings of those tender soules which are newly conuerted vnto mee 11. I knew nothing my soule set me as the chariots of my noble people So earnestly did I long to reuisâ— thee and to restore comfort vnto thee that I hasted I knew not which way and with insensible speed I am come backe as it were vpon the swiftest chariots or the wings of the wind 12. Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne that I may behold thee what shall you see in the Shulamite but as the companie of an armie Now therefore returne O my Spouse the true daughter of Ierusalem returne to mee returne to thy selfe and to thy former feeling of my
of this subiect and furnisht my selfe accordingly in that Region of wonders but that I feared to surcharge the nice stomacke of our time with too much Neither would my length haue ought auailed you whose thoughts are so taken vp with so high seruiceable cares that they can giue no leisure to an ouer-long discourse May it please you therefore to receiue in short what I haue deliberately resolued in my selfe and thinke I can make good to others I haue noted foure ranks of commonly-named miracles from which if you make a iust subduction how few of our wonders shall remaine either to beleefe or admiration The first meerely reported not seene to be done the next seeming to bee done but counterfaited the third truly done but not true miracles the last truly miraculous but by Satan The first of these are bred of lies and nourished by credulity The mouth of Fame is full of such blasts For these if I listed a while to rake in the Legends and booke of Conformities an ingenuous Papist could not but blush an indifferent Reader could not but lay his hand on his spleene and wonder as much that any man could bee so impudent to broach such reports or any so simple to beleeue them as the credulous multitude wonders that any should be so powerfull to effect them But I seeke neither their shame nor others laughter I dare say not the Talmud not the Alcoran hath more impossible tales more ridiculous lies Yea to this head Canus himselfe a famous Papist dares referre many of those ancient miracles reported and by all likelihood beleeued of Bede and Gregory The next are bred of fraud and cozenage nourished by superstition The Rood of grace at Boxley-Abbey Who knowes not how the famous Kentish Idoll moued her eyes and hands by those secret gimmers which now euery Puppet-play can imitate How Saint Wilfreds needle opened to the penitent and closed it selfe to the guilty How our Lady sheds the teares of a bleeding Vine and doth many of her daily feats as Bel did of old eat vp his banquet or as Picens the Eremite fasted forty dayes But these two euery honest Papist will confesse with voluntary shame and griefe and grant that it may grow a disputable question whether Mountebanks or Priests are the greater cozeners Vines beyond his wont vehemently termes them execrable and Satanicall impostors The third are true works of God vnder a false title God giues them their being men their name vniust because aboue their nature wherein the Philosopher and the superstitiously-ignorant are contrarily extreame while the one seekes out naturall causes of Gods immediate and metaphysicall workes the other ascribes ordinary effects to supernaturall causes If the violence of a disease cease after a vow made to our Lady if a souldier armed with this vow scape gun-shot a captiue prison a woman trauelling death the vulgar and I would they alone cry out A miracle One Load-stone hath more wonder in it than a thousand such euents Euery thing drawes a base minde to admiration Francesco del Campo one of the Arch-Dukes Quiryes told vs not without importunate deuotion that in that fatall field of Newport his vow to their Virgin helpt him to swim ouer a large water when the oates of his arms had neuer before tried any waues A dogge hath done more without acknowledgement of any Saint Feare giues sudden instincts of skill euen without precept Their owne Costerus durst say that the cure of a disease is no miracle His reason because it may be done by the power of Nature albe in a longer time * * * * * Fol. an â—il six cents trois y â—uerent competâ— cent tâ—ente cinque potences iambes de bois de personnes boytrules y apportè es ad scul espace dâ— quatre ou cinque moiâ— Histoire miracles c. 12. p 34. Yeeld this and what haue Lipsius his two Ladies done wherefore serues all this clamor from the two hils I assented not neither will be herein thus much their enemy For as well the manner of doing as the matter makes a miracle If Peters handkerchiefe or shadow heale a disease it is miraculous though it might haue beene done by a potion Many of their reconciles doubtlesse haue bin wrought through the strength of Nature in the PatieÌ„t not of vertue in the Saint How many sick men haue mended with their physicke in their pocket Though many other also I doubt not of those cures haue fallen into the fourth head which indeed is more knotty and require a deeper discourse Wherein if I shall euince these two things I shall I hope satisfie my Reader and cleare the Truth One that miracles are wrought by Satan the other that those which the Romish Church boasteth are of this nature of this author I contend not of words wee take miracles in Augustines large sense wherein is little difference betwixt a thing maruellous and miraculous such as the Spirit of God in either instrument cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perhaps it would bee more proper to say that God workes these miracles by Satan for as in the naturall and voluntary motions of wicked men so in the supernaturall acts of euill spirits as they are acts there is more then a meere permission Satan by his tempest bereaues Iob of his children yet Iob looking higher saith The Lord hath taken No sophistry can elude this proofe of Moses that a Prophet or dreamer may giue a true signe or wonder and yet say Let vs go after strange Gods nor that of our Sauior who foretels of false christs Deut. 13â— false Prophets that shall giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes and wonders and those great There are some too great I grant for the hand of all infernall powers by which our Sauiour inuincibly proues the truth of his deity These neuer graced falshood neither admit any precedent from our times As to the rest so frequent and common for me I could not beleeue the Church of Rome were Antichristian if it had not boasted of these wonders All the knot lies then in the application of this to Rome and our imaginary Lady How shall it appeare that their miracles are of this kind Ludouicus Vines giues six notes to distinguish Gods miracles from Satans Lipsius three Both of them too many as might easily be discouered by discussing of particulars It is not so much the greatnesse of the work not the beleefe of witnesses nor the quality nor manner of the action nor truth of essence that can descry the immediate hand which worketh in our miracles That alone is the true and golden rule which Iustin Martyr if at least that booke be his prescribes in his Questions and Answers How shall it bee knowne that our miracles are beter than the Heathens although the euent countenance both alike Resp Ex fide cultu veri Dei By
fallen how to strike a remorslesse The other in a distinct iudgement and a rare dexterity in clearing the obscure subtleties of the Schoole and easie explication of the most perplex discourses Doctor Reynolds is the last not in worth but in the time of his losse Hee alone was a well furnisht library full of all faculties of all studies of all learning the memory the reading of that man were neer to a miracle These are gone amongst many more whom the Church mournes for in secret would God her losse could be as easily supplied as lamented Her sorrow is for those that are past her remainder of ioy in those that remaine her hope in the next age I pray God the causes of her hope and ioy may be equivalent to those of her griefe What should this worke in vs but an imitation yea that word is not too bigge for you an emulation of their worthinesse It is no pride for a man to wish himselfe spiritually better then he dare hope to reach nay I am deceiued if it be not true humility For what doth this argue him but low in his conceit high in his desires only Or if so happy is the ambition of grace and power of sincere seruiceablenesse to God Let vs wish and affect this while the world layes plots for greatnesse Let me not prosper if I bestow enuy on them He is great that is good and no man me-thinkes is happy on earth to him that hath grace for substance and learning for ornament If you know it not the Church our mother lookes for much at your hands she knowes how rich our common father hath left you she notes your graces your opportunities your imployments she thinks you are gone so farre like a good Merchant for no small gaine and lookes you shall come home well laded And for vent of your present commodities tho our chiefe hope of successe be cut off with that vnhoped peace yet what can hinder your priuate trafficke for God I hope and who doth not that this blow will leaue in your noble Venetians a perpetuall scarre and that their late irresolution shall make them euer capable of all better counsell and haue his worke like some great Eclipse many yeares after How happy were it for Venice if as she is euery yeare maried to the Sea so she were once throughly espoused to Christ In the meane time let me perswade you to gratifie vs at home with the publication of that your exquisit Polemicall discourse whereto our conference with M. Alablaster gaue so happy an occasion You shall hereby cleare many truths and satisfie all Readers yea I doubt not but an aduersary not too peruerse shall acknowledge the Truths victory and yours It was wholsome counsell of a Father that in the time of an heresie euery man should write Perhaps you complain of the inundations of Francford How many haue been discouraged from benefiting the world be this conceit of multitude Indeed we all write and while we write cry out of number How well might many be spared euen of those that complaine of too many whose importunate babling cloyes the world without vse To my Lord the Earle of Essex EP. VIII Aduice for his Trauels MY Lord both my dutie and promise make my Letters your debt and if neither of these my thirst of your good You shall neuer but need good counsell most in trauell Then are both our dangers greater and our hopes I need not to tell you the eyes of the world are much vpon you for your owne sake for your fathers onely let your eyes be vpon it againe to obserue it to satisfie it and in some cases to contemn it As your graces so your weaknesses will be the sooner spied by how much you are more noted The higher any building is the more it requires exquisit proportion which in some low and rude piles is needlesse If your vertues shall be eminent like your fathers you cannot so hide your selfe but the world will see you and force vpon you applause admiration in spight of modesty but if you shall come short in these your fathers perfection shall be your blemish Thinke now that more eyes are vpon you then at home of forrainers of your owne theirs to obserue ours to expect For now we account you in the Schoole of wisedome whence if you returne not better you shall worse with the losse of your time of our hopes For I know not how naturall it is to vs to looke for alteration in trauell and with the change of aire and land to presuppose a change in the person Now you are through both your yeeres and trauell in the forge of your hopes We all looke not without desire and apprecation in what shape you will come forth Thinke it not enough that you see or can say you haue seene strange things of nature or euent it is a vaine and dead trauell that rests in the eye or the tongue All is but lost vnlesse your busie mind shall from the body that it sees draw forth some quintessence of obseruation wherewith to informe inrich it selfe There is nothing can quite the cost and labour of trauell but the gaine of wisedome How many haue we seene and pittied which haue brought nothing from forrain countries but mishapen clothes or exoticall gestures or new games or affected lispings or the diseases of the place or which is worst the vices These men haue at once wandred from their countrie and from themselues and some of them too easie to instance haue left God behind them or perhaps instead of him haue after a loose and filthy life brought home some idle Puppet in a box whereon to spend their deuotion Let their wracke warne you and let their follies be entertained by you with more detestation then pittie I know your Honour too well to feare you your young yeares haue beene so graciously preuented with soueraigne antidotes of truth and holy instruction that this infection despaires of preuailing Your very blood giues you argument of safety yet good counsell is not vnseasonable euen where danger is not suspected For Gods sake my Lord whatsoeuer you gaine lose nothing of the truth remit nothing of your loue and pietie to God of your fauour and zeale to religion As sure as there is a God you were trained vp in the true knowledge of him If either Angell or Deuill or Iesuit should suggest the contrary send him away with defiance There you see and heare euery day the true mother and the fained striuing and pleading for the liuing child The true Prince of peace hath past sentence from heauen on our side Doe not you stoope so much as to a doubt or motion of irresolution Abandon those from your table and salt whom your owne and others experience shall descry dangerous Those Serpents are full of insinuations But of all those of your owne country which are so much the more pernicious by how much they haue more colour
remit somewhat and both meet in the midst Thus I haue endeauored to doe with sincere intent of their good rather then my own applause For it had beene easie to haue reached to an higher straine but I durst not whether for the graue Maiesty of the subiect or benefit of the simplest reader You shal still note that I haue laboured to keepe Dauids entire sense with numbers neither lofty nor slubbered which mean is so much more difficult to find as the businesse is more sacred and the liberty lesse Many great wits haue vndertaken this task which yet haue either not effected it or haue smothered it in their priuate deskes and denied it the common light Amongst the rest were those two rare spirits of the Sidnyes to whom Poesie was as naturall as it is affected of others and our worthy friend M. Syluester hath shewed me how happily he hath sometimes turned from his Bartas to the sweet singer of Israel It could not be that in such abundant plenty of Poesie this work should haue past vnattempted would God I might liue to see it perfected either by my own hand or a better In the meane time let me expect your impartiall sentence both concerning the forme and sense Lay aside your loue for a while which too oft blindes iudgement And as it vses to be done in most equall proceedings of iustice shut me out of doores while my verse is discussed yea let me receiue not your censure onely but others by you this once as you loue mee play both the Informer and the Iudge Whether you allow it you shall encourage me or correct you shall amend me Either your starres or your spits Asteriscus Veru that I may vse Origens notes shall bee welcome to my margent It shall be happy for vs if God shall make our poore labours any way seruiceable to his Name and Church To M. Samuel Sotheby EP. VI. A Preface to his Relation of the Russian affaires TRauell perfiteth wisedome and obseruation giues perfection to trauell without which a man may please his eyes not feed his braine and after much earth measured shall returne with a weary body and an empty minde Home is more safe more pleasant but lesse fruitfull of experience But to a mind not working and discursiue all heauens all earths are alike And as the end of trauell is obseruation so the end of obseruation is the enforming of others for what is our knowledge if smothered in our selues so as it is not knowne to more Such secret delight can content none but an enuious nature You haue breathed many and cold ayres gone farre seene much heard more obserued all These two yeares you haue spent in imitation of Nabuchadnezzars seuen conuersing with such creatures as Paul fought with at Ephesus Alas what a face yea what a backe of a Church haue you seene what manners what people Amongst whom ignorant superstition striues with close Atheisme treachery with cruelty one Deuill with another while Truth and Vertue doe not so much as giue any chalenge of resistance Returning once to our England after this experience I imagine you doubted whether you were on earth or in heauen Now then if you will heare me whom you were wont as you haue obserued what you haue seene and written what you haue obserued so publish what you haue written It shall bee a gratefull labour to vs to posterity I am deceiued if the ficklenesse of the Russian state haue not yeelded more memorable matter of history then any other in our age or perhaps many centuries of our predecessors How shall I think but that God sent you thither before these broiles to be the witnesse the register of so famous mutations He loues to haue those iust euils which hee doth in one part of the world knowne to the whole and those euils which men doe in the night of their secrecy brought forth into the Theater of the World that the euill of mens sinne being compared with the euill of his punishment may iustifie his proceedings and condemne theirs Your worke shall thus honor him besides your second seruice in the benefit of the Church For whiles you discourse of the open tyranny of that Russian Nero Iohn Basilius the more secret no lesse bloody plots of Boris the ill successe of a stolne Crowne tho set vpon the head of an harmelesse Sonne the bold attempts and miserable end of a false yet aspiring chalenge the perfidiousnesse of a seruile people vnworthy of better gouernors the miscariage of wicked gouernors vnworthy of better subiects the vniust vsurpations of men iust tho late reuenges of God cruelty rewarded with blood wrong claimes with ouerthrow treachery with bondage the Reader with some secret horror shall draw-in delight and with delight instruction Neither know I any Relation whence hee shall take out a more easie lesson of iustice of loyalty of thankfulnesse But aboue all let the world see and commiserate the hard estate of that worthy and noble Secretary Buchinski Poore gentleman his distresse recals euer to my thoughts Aesops Storke taken amongst the Cranes He now nourishes his haire vnder the displeasure of a forraine Prince At once in durance and banishment He serued an ill master but with an honest heart with cleane hands The masters iniustice doth no more infect a good seruant then the truth of the seruant can iustifie his ill master A bad worke-man may vse a good instrument and oft-times a cleane napkin wipeth a foule mouth It ioyes me yet to thinke that his piety as it euer beld friendship in heauen so now it wins him friends in this our other world Lo euen from our Iland vnexpected deliuerance takes a long flight and blesseth him beyond hope yea rather from heauen by vs. That God whom he serues will bee knowne to those rude and scarce humane Christians for a protector of innocence a fauourer of truth a rewarder of piety The mercy of our gracious King the compassion of an honourable Councellor the loue of a true friend and which wrought all and set all on worke the grace of our good God shall now loose those bonds and giue a glad welcome to his liberty and a willing farewell to his distresse He shall I hope liue to acknowledge this in the meane time I doe for him Those Russian affaires are not more worthy of your records then your loue to this friend is worthy of mine For neither could this large sea drowne or quench it nor time and absence which are wont to breed a lingring consumption of friendship abate the heat of that affection which his kindnesse bred religion nourished Both rarenesse and worth shall commend this true-loue which to say true hath been now long out of fashion Neuer times yeelded more loue but not more subtle For euery man loues himselfe in another loues the estate in the person Hope of aduantage is the loadstone that drawes the iron hearts of men not vertue not desert No age afforded more
steps of death And doe we thinke much to follow him How many seruants haue vvee knowne that haue thrust themselues betwixt their Master and death vvhich haue dyed that their Master might not dye and shall vve repine to die vvith ours How truely may vve say of this our Dauid Thou art worth ten thousand of vs yea vvorth a world of Angels yet he died and dyed for vs. Who would liue that knowes his Sauiour died who can be a Christian and vvould not be like him Who can be like him that vvould not die after him Thinke of this and iudge whether all the vvorld can hire vs not to die I neede not aske you vvhether you loued those whom you haue lost Could you loue them and not wish they might be happy Could they be happy and not dye In truth nature knowes vvhat shee vvould haue Wee can neither abide our friends miserable in their stay nor happie in their departure We loue our selues so vvell that wee cannot be content they should gaine by our losse The excuse of our sorrow is that you mourne for your selfe True but compare these two and see whether your losse or their gaine be greater For if their aduantage exceed your losse take heed lest while you bewray your loue in mourning for them it appeare that you loue but your selfe in them They are gone to their preferment and you lament your loue is iniurious If they were vanished to nothing I could not blame you tho you tooke vp Rachels lamentation But now you know they are in surer hands then your owne you know that hee hath taken them which hath vndertaken to keepe them to bring them againe You know it is but a sleepe which is miscalled Death and that they shall they must awake as sure as they lie downe and wake more fresh more glorious then when you shut their eyes What doe we with Christianitie if we beleeue not this and if we doe beleeue it why doe we mourne as the hopelesse But the matter perhaps is not so heauy as the circumstance Your crosses came sudden and thicke You could not breathe from your first losse ere you felt a worse As if hee knew not this that sent both As if he did it not on purpose His proceedings seeme harsh are most wise most iust It is our fault that they seeme otherwise then they are Doe we thinke wee could carue better for our selues O the mad insolence of Nature that dares controll where shee should wonder Presumptuous clay that will be checking the Porter Is his wisdome himselfe Is he in himselfe infinite is his Decree out of his wisdome and doe we murmur Doe wee foolish wormes turne againe when he treads vpon vs What doe you repine at that which was good for you yea best That is best for vs which God seeth best and that he seeth best which he doth This is Gods doing Kisse his rod in silence and giue glory to the hand that rules it His will is the rule of his actions and his goodnesse of his will Things are good to vs because he wils them He wils them because they are good to himselfe It is your glory that he intends in your so great affliction It is no praise to wade ouer a shallow Ford but to cut the swelling waues of the Deepe commends both our strength and skill It is no victory to conquer an easie and weake crosse These maine euils haue crownes answerable to their difficultie Wrestle once and goe away with a blessing Bee patient in this losse and you shall once triumph in your gaine Let God haue them with cheerefulnesse and you shall enioy God with them in glory To Mr J.A. Merchant EP. X. Against sorrow for worldly losses IT is fitter for me to begin with chiding then with aduice what meanes this weake distrust Goe on I shal doubt vvhether I vvrite to a Christian You haue lost your heart together with your vvealth How can I but feare lest this Mammon was your God Hence vvas Gods iealousie in remouing it and hence your immoderate teares for losing it If thus God had not loued you if hee had not made you poore To some it is an aduantage to leese you could not haue been at once thus rich and good Now heauen is open to you which vvas shut before and could neuer haue giuen you entrance with that load of iniquitie If you be wise in menaging your affliction you haue changed the world for God a little drosse for heauen Let me euer lose thus and smart when I complaine But you might haue at once retained both The stomach that is purged must be content to part with some good nourishment that it may deliuer it selfe of more euill humors God saw that knowes it you could not hold him so strongly while one of your hands was so fastned vpon the world You see many make themselues wilfully poore vvhy cannot you be content God should impouerish you If God had willed their pouertie he vvould haue commanded it If he had not vvilled yours he vvould not haue effected it It is a shame for a Christian to see an Heathen Philosopher laugh at his owne shipwracke while himselfe howles out as if all his felicity vvere imbarked vvith his substance How should wee scorne to thinke that an Heathen man should laugh either at our ignorance or impotence ignorance if wee thought too highly of earthly things impotence if vve ouer-loued them The feare of some euils is vvorse then the sense To speake ingenuously I could neuer see vvherein pouertie deserued so hard a conceit It takes away the delicacie of fare softnesse of lodging gaynesse of attire and perhaps brings vvith it contempt this is the vvorst and all View it now on the better side Lo their quiet security sound sleepes sharpe appetite free merriment no feares no cares no suspition no distempers of excesse no discontentment If I were Iudge my tongue should be vniust if pouertie went away vveeping I cannot see how the euils it brings can compare with those which it remoues how the discommodities should match the blessings of a meane estate What are those you haue lost but false friends miserable comforters Else they had not left you Oh slight fickle stay that windes could bereaue you of If your care could goe with them here vvere no damage and if it goe not with them it is your fault Grieue more for your fault then for your losse If your negligence your riotous mis-spence had empaired your estate then Satan had impouerisht you now vvould I haue added to your griefe for your sinne not for your affliction But now since vvindes and vvaters haue done it as the officers of their Maker vvhy should you not say vvith mee as I with Iob The Lord hath taken Vse your losse well and you shall find that God hath crossed you with a blessing And if it were worse then the world esteemes it yet thinke not what you feele but what you
bodie vexation of conscience distemper of passions complaint of estate feares and sense of euill hopes and doubts of good ambitious rackirgs couetous toyles enuious vnderminings irkesome disappointments weary sacieties restlesse desires and many worlds of discontentments in this one What wonder is it that we would liue We laugh at their choice that are in loue with the deformed and what a face is this we dote vpon See if sinnes and cares and crosses haue not like a filthy Morphew ouer-spread it and made it loathsome to all iudicious eyes I maruell then that any wise men could be other but Stoicks and could haue any conceit of life but contemptuous not more for the misery of it while it lasteth then for the not lasting we may loue it wee cannot hold it What a shadow of a smoake what a dreame of a shadow is this wee affect Wise Salomon sayes there is a time to be borne and a time to dye you doe not heare him say a time to liue What is more flitting then time Yet life is not long enough to be worthy of the title of time Death borders vpon our birth and our cradle stands in our graue We lament the losse of our parents how soone shall our sonnes bewaile ours Loe I that write this and you that reade it how long are we here It were well if the world were as our tent yea as our Inne if not to lodge yet to bait in but now it is onely our thorow-fare one generation passeth another commeth none stayeth If this earth were a Paradise and this which we call our life were sweet as the ioyes aboue yet how should this ficklenesse of it coole our delight Grant it absolute who can esteeme a vanishing pleasure How much more now when the drammes of our honey are lost in pounds of gall when our contentments are as farre from sincerity as continuance Yet the true apprehension of life though ioyned with contempt is not enough to settle vs if either we be ignorant of death or ill perswaded for if life haue not worth enough to allure vs yet death hath horror enough to affright vs. Hee that would die cheerefully must know death his friend what is hee but the faithfull officer of our Maker who euer smiles or frownes with his Master neither can either shew or nourish enmitie where God fauours when he comes fiercely and puls a man by the throat and summons him to Hell who can but tremble The messenger is terrible but the message worse hence haue risen the miserable despaires and furious rauing of the ill conscience that findes no peace within lesse without But when he comes sweetly not as an executioner but as a guide to glory and profers his seruice and shewes our happinesse and opens the doore to our heauen how worthy is he of entertainment how worthy of gratulation But his salutation is painfull if courteous what then The Physician heales vs not without paine and yet wee reward him It is vnthankfulnesse to complaine vvhere the answer of profit is excessiue Death paineth how long how much with what proportion to the sequell of ioy O death if thy pangs be grieuous yet thy rest is sweet The constant expectation that hath possessed that rest hath already swallowed those pangs and makes the Christian at once wholly dead to his paine wholly aliue to his glory The soule hath not leysure to care for her suffering that beholds her crowne which if shee were conioyned to fetch thorow the flames of hell her faith would not sticke at the condition Thus in briefe he that liues Christianly shall dye boldly he that findes his life short and miserable shall dye willingly hee that knowes death and fore-sees glory shall die cheerefully and desirously To M. Samuel Burton Arch-deacon of Glocester EP. III. A discourse of the tryall and choice of the true Religion Sir This Discourse inioyned by you I send to your censure to your disposing but to the vse of others Vpon your charge I haue written it for the wauering If it seeme worthy communicate it else it is but a dash of your pen. I feare onely the breuitie a Volume were too little for this Subiect It is not more yours then the Author Farewell WE doe not more affect varietie in all other things then wee abhorre it in Religion Euen those which haue held the greatest falshoods hold that there is but one truth I neuer read of more then one Hereticke that held all Heresies true neither did his opinion seeme more incredible then the relation of it God can neither be multiplyed nor Christ diuided if his coat might bee parted his bodie was intire For that then all sides chalenge Truth and but one can possesse it let vs see who haue found it who enioy it There are not many Religions that striue for it tho many opinions Euery Heresie albe fundamentall makes not a Religion We say not The Religion of Arrians Nestorians Sabellians Macedonians but the sect or heresie No opinion challenges this name in our vsuall speech for I discusse not the proprietie but that which arising from many differences hath setled it selfe in the world vpon her owne principles not without an vniuersall diuision Such may soone be counted Tho it is true there are by so much too many as there are more then one Fiue religions then there are by this rule vpon earth which stand in competition for truth Iewish Turkish Greekish Popish Reformed whereof each pleads for it selfe with disgrace of the other The plaine Reader doubts how he may fit Iudge in so high a plea God hath put this person vpon him while he chargeth him to try the spirits to retaine the good reiect the euill If still he plead with Moses insufficiencie let him but attend God shall decide the case in his silence without difficultie The Iew hath little to say for himselfe but impudent denials of our Christ of their Prophecies whose very refusall of him more strongly proues him the true Messias neither could he be iustified to be that Sauiour if they reiected him not since the Prophets fore-saw and fore-told not their repelling of him onely but their reuiling If there were no more arguments God hath so mightily confuted them from heauen by the voice of his iudgement that al the vvorld hisseth at their conuiction Loe their very sinne is capitally written in their desolation and contempt One of their owne late Doctors seriously expostulates in a relenting Letter to another of his fellow Rabbins what might be the cause of so long and desperate a ruine of their Israel and comparing their former captiuities with their former sinnes argues and yet feares to conclude that this continuing punishment must needs be sent for some sinne so much greater then Idolatry Oppression Sabbath-breaking by how much this plague is more grieuous then all the other Which his feare tels him and he may beleeue it can be no other but the murder and refusall of their
your thoughts haue beene sequestred to God strangers from the world fixed on heauen whether iust charitable lowly pure Christian whether your senses haue beene holily guided neither to let in temptations nor to let out sinnes whether your speeches haue not beene offensiue vaine rash indiscreet vnsauoury vnedifying whether your actions haue beene warrantable expedient comely profitable Thence see if you haue beene negligent in watching your heart expence of your time exercises of deuotion performance of good workes resistance of temptations good vse of good examples and compare your present estate with the former looke iealously whether your soule hath gained or lost lost ought of the heat of her loue tendernesse of conscience feare to offend strength of vertue gained more increase of grace more assurance of glory And when you find alas who can but find either holinesse decayed or euill done or good omitted cast downe your eyes strike your brest humble your soule and sigh to him whom you haue offended sue for pardon as for life heartily yearningly inioyne your selfe carefull amendment redouble your holy resolutions strike hands with God in a new couenant my soule for your safety Much of this good counsell I confesse to haue learned from the Table of an vnknown Author at Antwerp It contented me and therefore I haue thus made it by many alterations my owne for forme and yours for the vse Our practice shall both commend it and make vs happy To Mr. J.F. one of the company of the Turkish Merchants EP. IX Discoursing of the lawfulnesse of conuersation and trade with Infidels and Hereticks and shewing how farre and wherein it is allowable IN matter of sinne I dare not discommend much feare Loosenesse is both a more ordinary fault and more dangerous then excesse of care yet herein the minde may be vniustly tortured and suffer without gaine It is good to know our bounds and keep them that so we may neither be carelesly offensiue nor needlesly afflicted How farre we may trauell to and conuerse with Infidels with Hereticks is a long demand and cannot be answered at once I see extreams on both hands and a path of truth betwixt both of no small latitude First I commend not this course to you it is well if I allow it The earth is large and truth hath ample Dominions and those not incommodious not vnpleasant To neglect the maine blessings with competency of the inferiour for abundance of the inferiour without the maine were a choice vnwise and vnequall While we are free who would take ought but the best Whither goe you Haue we not as temperate a Sunne as faire an Heauen as fertile an Earth as rich a Sea as sweet Companions What stand I on equality a firmer peace a freer Gospell an happier gouernment then the world can shew you yet you must goe I giue you allowance but limited and full of cautions like an inquisitiue Officer you must let me aske who how when whither why how long and accordingly determine To communicate with them in their false seruices who will not spit at as impious We speake of conuersing with men not with idolatries ciuilly not in Religion not in workes of darknesse but businesse of commerce and common indifferencies Fie on those Rimmonites that plead an vpright soule in a prostrate body Hypocrites that pretend a Nathanael in the skin of a Nicodemus God hates their secret halting and will reuenge it Let goe their vices and speake of their persons Those may bee conuersed with not with familiarity not with intirenesse as men qualified not as friends Traffique is here allowed not amity not friendship but peace Paul will allow you to feast at their table not to frequent it yet not this to all Christianity hath all statures in it all strengths children and men weaklings Gyants For a feeble vngrounded Christian this verie company is dangerous safe for the strong and instructed Turne a child loose into an Apothecaries shop or an Idiot that gally-pot which lookes fairest shall haue his first hand tho full of poysonous drugs where the iudicious would choose the wholesomest led not by sense but skill Setlednesse in the truth will cause vs to hate and scorne ridiculous impiety and that hate will settle vs the more where the vnstayed may grow to lesse dislike and indanger his owne infection He had need bee a resolute Caleb that should goe to see the land of Canaan yet not such a one vpon euery occasion meete pleasure or curiosity I dare not allow in this aduenture The command of authority or necessity of traffique I cannot reiect Or if after sufficient preuention desire to informe our selues thorowly in a forraine Religion or state especially for publike vse cary vs abroad I censure not In all matter of danger a calling is a good warrant and it cannot want perill to goe vnsent Neither is there small weight in the quality of the place and continuance of the time It is one case where the profession of our religion is free another where restrained perhaps not without constraint to idolatry where wee haue meanes for our soules and allowed Ministery the cause must needs differ from a place of necessary blindness of peeuish superstition To passe thorow an infected place is one thing to dwell in it another Each of these giue a new state to the cause and look for a diuerse answer But as in all these outward actions so here most force I confesse lies in the intention which is able to giue not toleration onely to our trauell but praise To conuerse with them without but in a purpose of their conuersion and with endeuour to fetch them in can be no other then an holy course wherein that the Iesuits haue beene by their owne saying more seruiceable in their Indies and China let them thank after their number and leisure their shelter of Spaine the opportunity of whose patronage hath preferred them to vs not their more forward desires In short companying with Infidels may not be simply condemned who can hold so that sees Lot in Sodō Israel with the Aegyptians Abraham Isaac with their Abimelechs Roses among thornes and pearles among much mud and for all Christ among Publicans Sinners so we neither be infected by them nor they further infected by our confirmation nor the weake Christian by vs infected with offence nor the Gospel infected with reproch what danger can there be If neither we nor they nor the weake nor which is highest the name of God be wronged who can complaine You haue mine opinion dispose now of your selfe as you dare The earth is the Lords and you are his wheresoeuer he shall find you be sure you shall find him euery-where To the Gentlemen of his Highnesse Court EP. X. A description of a good and faithfull Courtier WHiles I aduentured other Characters into the light I reserued one for you whom I account no small part of my ioy The Character of What you are of What
confidence in appealing to the Fathers applauding his worthy offers and indeauors of discouering the falsifications and deprauations of antiquity SIR I know no man so like as you to make posterity his debter I doe heartily congratulate vnto you so worthy labours so noble a proiect Our aduersaries knowing of themselues that which Tertullian saith of all heresies that if appeale bee made to the sacred bench of Prophets and Apostles they cannot stand remoue the suit of religion craftily into the Court of the Fathers A reuerend triall as any vnder heauen where it cannot be spoken how confidently they triumph ere the conflict Giue vs the Fathers for our Iudges say Campian and Posseuine the day is ours And whence is this courage Is antiquity our enemy their aduocate Certainly it cannot bee truth that is new We would renounce our Religion if it could be ouer-lookt for time Let goe equity the older take both There bee two things then that giue them heart in this prouocation One the bastardy of false Fathers the other the corruption of the true What a flourish doe they make with vsurped names Whom would it not amaze to see the frequent citations of the Apostles owne Canons Constitutions Liturgies Masses of Clemens Dennys the Areopagite Linus Hippolitus Martiall of Burdeaux Egesippus Donations of Constantine the great and Lewis the godly Of 50 Canons of Nice of Dorotheus Damasus his Pontificall Epistles decretall of Clemens Euaristus Telesphorus and an hundred other Bishops holy and ancient of Euodius Anastasius Simeon Metaphrastes and moe yet then a number moe most whereof haue crept out of the Vatican or Cloisters and all cary in them manifest brands of falshood and supposition that I may say nothing of those infinite writings which either ignorance or wilfulnesse hath fathered vpon euery of the Fathers not without shamelesse importunity and grosse impossibilities all which as shee said of Peter their speech bewrayeth or as Austen said of Cyprians stile their face This fraud is more easily auoided For as in notorious burglaries oft-times there is either an hat or a gloue or a weapon left behind which descrieth the authors so the God of truth hath besotted these impostors to let fall some palpable error though but of false calculation whereby if not their names yet their ages might appeare to their conuiction Most danger is in the secret corruption of the true and acknowledged issue of those gracious parents whom through close and crafty handling they haue induced to belye those that begot them and to betray their Fathers either with silence or false euidence Plainly how are the honoured Volumes of faithfull antiquity blurred interlined altered depraued by subtle trechery and made to speake what they meant not Fie on this not so much iniustice as impiety to race the awefull monuments of the dead and partially to blot and change the originall Will of the deceased insert our owne Legacies This is done by our guilty aduersaries to the iniury not more of these Authors then of the present and succeeding times Hence those Fathers are some-where not ours What wonder while they are not themselues Your industry hath offered and that motion is liuely and heroicall to challenge all their learned and elegant pages from iniury of corruption to restore them to themselues and to vs that which all the learned of our times haue but desired to see done you proffer to effect your assay in Cyprian and Augustine is happy and iustly applauded All our Libraries whom your diligent hand hath ransackt offer their ayd in such abundance of manuscripts as all Europe would enuy to see met in one Iland After all this for that the most spightfull imputation to our Truth is nouelty you offer to deduce her pedegree from those primitiue times through the successions of all ages and to bring into the light of the world many as yet obscure but no lesse certaine and authenticall Patrons in a continued line of defence You haue giuen proofe enough that these are no glorious vaunts but the zealous challenges of an able Champion What wanteth then Let mee say for you Not an heart not an head not an hand but which I almost scorne to name in such a cause a purse If this continue your hinderance it will not be more our losse then shame Heare me a little yee great and wealthy Hath God loaded you with so much substance and will you not lend him a little of his owne Shall your riot bee fed with excesse while Gods cause shall starue for want Shall our aduersaries so insultingly out-bid vs and in the zeale of our profusion laugh at our heartlesse and cold niggardlinesse Shall heauenly truth lie in the dust for want of a little stamped earth to raise her How can you so much any way honor God yea your selues deserue of posterity pleasure the Church and make you so good friends of your Mammon Let not the next Age say that she had so vnkind predecessors Fetch forth of your superfluous store and cast in your rich gifts into this treasurie of the Temple The Lord and his Church haue need For you it angers me to see how that flattering Posseuinus smoothly intices you from vs with golden offers vpon the aduantage of our neglect as if he measuring your mind by his owne thought an Omnia dabo would bring you with himselfe on your knees to worship the deuill the beast the image of both as if we were not as able to incourage to reward desert Hath Vertue no Patrons on this side the Alpes Are those hils onely the thresholds of honour I plead not because I cannot feare you But who sees not how munificently our Church scattereth her bountifull fauours vpon lesse merit If your day be not yet come expect it God and the Church owe you a benefit if their payment be long it is sure Onely goe you on with courage in those your high endeauors and in the meane time thinke it great recompence to haue deserued To Mr E.A. EP. IX A Discourse of fleeing or stay in the time of pestilence whether lawfull for Minister or people HOw many hath a seduced conscience led vntimely to the graue I speake of this sad occasion of Pestilence The Angell of God followes you and you doubt whether you should flye If a Lyon out of the forest should pursue you you would make no question yet could he not doe it vnsent What is the difference Both instruments of diuine reuenge both threaten death one by spilling the blood the other by infecting it Who knowes whether he hath not appointed your Zoar out of the lists of this destruction You say it is Gods visitation What euill is not If warre haue wasted the confines of your Country you saue your throats by flight Why are you more fauourable to Gods immediate sword of pestilence Very leprosie by Gods law requires a separation yet no mortall sicknesse When you see a noted Leper proclaime his vncleannesse in the street
Discussing this Question Whether a man and wife after some yeeres mutuall and louing fruition of each other may vpon consent whether for secular or religious causes vow and perform a perpetuall separation from each others bed and absolutely renounce all carnall knowledge of each other for euer EP. 10. To Mr WIL. KNIGHT Incouraging him to persist in the holy calling of the ministery which vpon conceit of his insufficiency and want of affection he seemed inclining to forsake and change DECAD VI. EP. 1. To my Lord DENNY A particular account how our dayes are or should bee spent both common and holy EP. 2. To Mr T. S. Dedicated to Sir FVLKE GREVIL Discoursing how we may vse the world without danger EP. 3. To Sir GEORGE FLEETWOOD Of the remedies of sinne and motiues to auoid it EP. 4. To Mr Doctor MILBVRNE Discoursing how farre and wherein Popery destroyeth the foundation EP. 5. Written long since to I.W. Disswading from separation and shortly oppugning the grounds of that error EP. 6. To Master I.B. A complaint of the mis-education of our Gentry EP. 7. To Mr IONAS REIGESBERGIVS in Zeland Written some whiles since concerning some new opinions then broached in the Churches of HOLLAND and vnder the name of Arminius then liuing perswading all great wits to a study and care of the common peace of the Church and disswading from all affectation of singularity EP. 8. To W. I. condemned for murder Effectually preparing him and vnder his name whatsoeuer Malefactor for his death EP. 9. To Mr IOHN MOLâ— of a long time now prisoner vnder the Inquisition at ROME Exciting him to his wonted constancy and encouraging him to Martyrdome EP. 10. To all Readers Containing Rules of good aduice for our Christian and ciuill cariage THE FIFT DECAD To my Lord Bishop of BATHE and WELLS EP. I. Discoursing of the causes and meanes of the increase of Poperie BY what meanes the Romish Religion hath in these later times preuailed so much ouer the world Right Reuerend and Honorable is a confideration both weighty and vseful for hence may we frame our selues either to preuent or imitate them to imitate them in vvhat wee may or preuent them in what they should not I meddle not with the means of their first risings the munificence of Christian Princes the honest deuotions of wel-meaning Contributers the diuision of the Christian world the busie endeuours of forward Princes for the recouerie of the Holy-land vvith neglect of their own the ambitious insinuations of that Sea the fame and large dominion of those seuen hils the compacted indulgence and conniuence of some treacherous of other timorous Rulers the shamelesse flatterie of Parasites the rude ignorance of Times or if there be any other of this kinde My thoughts and words shall be spent vpon the present and latest Age. All the world knowes how that pretended Chaire of of Peter tottered and cracked some threescore yeares agoe threatning a speedy ruine to her fearfull vsurper How is it that still it stands and seemes now to boast of some setlednesse Certainly if Hell had not contriued a new support the Angell had long since said It is fallen it is fallen and the Merchants Alas alas the great Citie The brood of that lame Loyola shall haue this miserable honour without our enuy that if they had not beene Rome had not beene By what meanes it rests now to inquire It is not so much their zeale for falshood which yet we acknowledge and admire not If Satan vvere not more busie then they we had lost nothing Their desperate attempts bold intrusions importunate sollicitations haue not returned empty yet their policy hath done more then their force That Popish world was then foule and debauched as in doctrine so in life and now began to be ashamed of it selfe When these holy Fathers as some Saints dropt out of heauen suddenly professed an vnusuall strictnesse sad pietie resolued mortification and so drew the eyes and hearts of men after them that poore soules began to thinke it could not be other then diuine which they taught other then holy which they touched The very times not seldome giue as great aduantage as our owne best strength and the vices of others giue glory to those which either are or appeare vertuous They saw how ready the world vvas to bite at the bait and now followed their successe with new helps Plenty of pretended miracles must blesse on all sides the endeuors of this new Sect and cals for both approbation and wonder Those things by the report of their owne pens other witnesses I sâ—e none haue beene done by the ten Patriarkes of the Iesuitish Religion both aliue and dead which can hardly be matched of him whose name they haue vsurped And now the vulgar can say If these men were not of God they could doe nothing How can a man that is a sinner doe such miracles not distrusting either the fame or the vvorke but applauding the Authors for what was said to be done But now lest the enuy of the fact should surpasse the wonder they haue learned to cast this glory vpon their woodden Ladies and to communicate the gaine vnto the whole Religion Two blockes at Hale and Scherpen heuuell haue said and done more for Poperie then all Friers euer since Francis wore his breeches on his head But because that praise is sweet vvhich arises from the disgrace of a riuall therefore this holy societie hath besides euer wont to honour it selfe by the brokage of shamelesse vntruths against the aduerse part not caring how probable any report is but how odious A iust volume would not containe those willing lies wherewith they haue purposely loaded religion and vs that the multitude might first hate vs and then inquire and these courses are held not tolerable but meritorious So the end may be attained all meanes are iust all wayes straight Whom we may we satisfie but wounds once giuen are hardly healed without some scarres and commonly accusations are vocall Apologies dumbe How easie is it to make any cause good if we may take libertie of tongue and conscience Yet lest some glimpse of our truth and innocence should perhaps lighten the eyes of some more inquisitiue Reader they haue by strict prohibitions whether of bookes or conference restrained all possibilitie of true informations Yea their owne writings vvherein our opinions are reported with confutation are not allowed to the common view lest if it should appeare vvhat we hold our meere opinion should preuaile more then their subtilest answer But aboue all the restraint of Gods booke hath gained them most If that might be in the hands of men their religion could not be in their hearts now the concealement of Scriptures breeds ignorance and ignorance superstition But because forbiddance doth but whet desire and worke a conceit of some secret excellence in things denied therefore haue they deuised to affright this dangerous curiositie vvith that cruell butcherly hellish inquisition wherein yet
there is not lesse craft then violence For since they haue perceiued the blood of Martyrs to bee but the seede of the Church and that these perfumes are more dispersed with beating they haue now learned to murder without noise and to bring forth if at least they list sometimes to make the people priuy to some examples of terror not men but carcasses Behold the constant confessions of the dying Saints haue made them weary of publike executions none but bare walles shall now testifie the courage and faith of our happy Martyrs A disguised corpse is onely brought forth to the multitude either for laughter or feare Yet because the very dead speake for truth in a loud silence these spectacles are rate and the graues of heretikes are become as close as their death Yet lest since neither liuing mouthes nor faithfull pens may be suffered to insinuate any truth those speeches should perhaps be receiued from the Ancients which in vs were hereticall the monuments of vnpartiall antiquitie must be depraued all vvitnesses that might speake against them must be corrupted with a fraudulent violence and some of them purged to the death So whiles ours are debarred and the Ancients altered posteritie shall acknowledge no aduersarie What should I speake of those plausible deuices which they haue inuented to make superstitious and foolish Proselytes Their proud vaunts of antiquitie vniuersalitie succession and the name of their fore-fathers doe not onely perswade but amaze and besot an ignorant heart The glorious shewes of their processions the gaudy ornaments of their Altars the pompe and magnificence of the places and manner of their Seruices the triumphs of their great Festiuals are enough to bewitch any childish simple or vaine beholders Who knowes not that nature is most led by sense Sure children and fooles such are all meere naturall men cannot be of any other Religion Besides all these their personall vndertakings vvhat for cunning what for boldnesse could promise nothing but successe They can transforme themselues into all shapes and in these false formes thrust themselues into all Courts and companies not oftner changing their habit then their name They can take the best opportunities to worke vpon those vvhich are either most vnable to resist or most like to bestead them That I may not speake of the wrongs of vnseasonable trauell vvherein many vnsetled heads haue met dangers and sollicited errors who like fond and idle Dinahs going abroad to gaze haue been rauished ere their returne Neuer was any bird so laid for by the nets and calls of the fowler as the great heire of some noble family or some fiery vvit is by these impostors They know that greatnesse is both lawlesse and commanding if not by precept yet by example their very silence is perswasorie and imperious But alas for that other sex Still the Deuill begins with Eue still his assault is strongest where is weakest resistance Simon Magus had his Helena Nicolas the Deacon had his choros foemineos as Hierome calls them Marcion had his Factoresse at Rome Appelles his Philumena Montanus his Prisca and Maximilla Arrius his Constantines-sister Donatus his Lucilla Elpidius his Agape Priscillianus his Galla and our Iesuites haue their painted Ladies not dead but liuing both for obiects and instruments When they saw they could not blow vp religion with French powder into heauen they now try by this Moabitish plot to sinke it downe to Hell Those filly women which are laden with sinnes and diuers lusts must now be the stales of their spirituall fornications But for that these enterprises want not danger that both parts may securely succeed behold publique libertie of dispensations vvhether for dissembled religion or not vnprofitable filthinesse These meanes are like the Authors dishonest and godlesse Adde if you please hereto those which pretend more innocent policy their common dependances vpon one Commander their intelligences giuen their charges receiued their rewards and honours perhaps of the Calender perhaps of a red Hat duely conferred Neither may the least helpe be ascribed to the conference of studies the conioyned labours of whole Societies directed to one end and shrouded vnder the title of one Author to large maintenances raised from the death-beds of some guilty benefactors from whence flow both infinite numbers and incomparable helps of Students Vnder which head for the time past not a few are moued by the remembrance of the bounteous hospitalitie of the religious who hauing ingrossed the vvorld to themselues seemed liberall in giuing some thing like vnto some vaine-glorious theeues which hauing robbed wealthy Merchants bestow some pence vpon beggers Further the smothering if not composing of their frequent strifes and confining of brawles within their owne thresholds vvith the nice menaging of their knowne oppositions hath wonne many ignorant friends Lastly the excellent correspondence of their doctrines vnto nature hath been their best sollicitor We haue examined particulars in a former Epistle vvherein wee haue made it euident that Popery affects nothing but to make Nature either proud or vvanton it offers difficulties but carnall and such as the greatest louer of himselfe would easily embrace for an aduantage That we may therefore summe vp all I need not accuse our carelesnesse indifferencie idlenesse loose cariage in all vvhich would God wee had not aided them and wronged our selues nor yet their zeale and forwardnesse worse meanes are guilty of their gaine In short the faire outside which they set vpon Religion which sure is the best they haue if not all their pretended miracles vvilfull vntruths strait prohibitions bloody and secret inquisitions deprauations of ancient witnesses expurgation of their owne gay and garish sights glorious titles crafty changes of names shapes habits conditions insinuations to the great oppugnation of the vveaker sexe falshood of answers and oathes dispensations for sinnes vniting of forces concealing of differences largenesse of contributions multitude of actors and meanes accordances to mens naturall dispositions Where we on the contrarie care not to seeme but to be disclaime miracles dare not saue the life of Religion with a lye giue free scope to all pens to all tongues to all eyes shed no blood for Religion suffer all Writers to speake like themselues shew nothing but poore simplicitie in our deuotions goe euer and looke as we are reach the truth right-downe in an honest plainnesse take no vantage of imbecilitie sweare true though we die giue no hope of indulgence for euill study each retired to himselfe and the Muses publish our quarrels and aggrauate them anger nature and conquer it Such gaine shall be grauell in their throats such losses to vs in our not daring to sinne shall bee happy and victorious in all other regards are both blame-worthy and recouerable What dulnesse is this Haue wee such a King as in these lists of Controuersie may dare to grapple with that great infallible Vicar for his triple Crowne such Bishops as may iustly challenge the whole Consistorie of Rome so
perswade and pray these I will not faile of The rest to him that both can amend and punish To M. IONAS REIGESBERGIVS in ZELAND EP. VII Written some whiles since concerning some new opinions then broached in the Churches of HOLLAND and vnder the name of Arminius then liuing perswading all great wits to a study and care of the common peace of the Church and disswading from all affectation of singularity I Receiued lately a short relation of some new Paradoxes from your Leiden you would know what wee thinke I feare not to be censured as medling your truth is ours The Sea cannot diuide those Churches whom one faith vnites I know not how it comes to passe that most men while they too much affect ciuilitie turne flatterers and plaine truth is most-where counted rudenesse He that tels a sicke friend he lookes ill or termes an angry tumour the Gowt or a waterish swelling Dropsie is thought vnmannerly For my part I am glad that I was not borne to feed humors How euer you take your owne euils I must tell you we pitie you and thinke you haue iust cause of deiection and we for you not for any priuate cares but which touch a Christian neerest the Common-wealth of God Behold after all those hils of carkases and streames of blood your ciuill sword is sheathed wherein we neither congratulate nor feare your peace lo now in stead of that another while the spirituall sword is drawne and shaken and it is well if no more Now the politick State sits still the Church quarrels Oh! the insatiable hostilitie of our great enemy with what change of mischiefes doth he afflict miserable man No sooner did the Christian world begin to breathe from persecution but it was more punished with Arrianisme when the red Dragon cannot deuoure the childe hee tryes to drowne the mother and when the vvaters faile he raises warre Your famous Iunius had nothing more admirable then his loue of peace when our busie Separatists appealed him with what a sweet calmnesse did he reiect them and with a graue importunitie call'd them to moderation How it would haue vexed his holy soule now out of the danger of passions to haue foreseene his chaire troublesome God forbid that the Church should finde a Challenger in stead of a Champion Who vvould thinke but you should haue bin taught the benefit of peace by the long vvant But if your temporal state besides either hope or beleefe hath growne wealthy with warre like those Fowles which fatten vvith hard weather yet bee too sure that these spirituall broyles cannot but impouerish the Church yea affamish it It vvere pitie that your Holland should bee still the Amphitheatre of the world on whose scaffolds all other Nations should sit see varietie of bloody shews not without pitie and horror If I might challenge ought in that your acute and learned Arminius I would thus solicit and coniure him Alas that so wise a man should not know the worth of peace that so noble a sonne of the Church should not bee brought to light without ripping the vvombe of his mother What meane these subtil Nouelties If they make thee famous and the Church miserable vvho shall gaine by them Is singularitie so precious that it should cost no lesse then the safety and quiet of our common mother If it be truth thou affectest what alone Could neuer any eyes till thine be blessed with this obiect where hath that sacred veritie hid her selfe thus long from all her carefull Inquisitors that shee now first shewes her head to thee vnsought Hath the Gospell shined thus long and bright and left some corners vnseene Away with all new truths faire and plausible they may be sound they cannot some may admire thee for them none shall blesse thee But grant that some of these are no lesse true then nice points what doe these vnseasonable crochets and quauers trouble the harmonious plaine-songs of our peace Some quiet error may bee better then some vnruly truth Who binds vs to speake all we thinke So the Church may be still would God thou wert wise alone Did not our aduersaries quarrell enough before at our quarrels Were they not rich enough with our spoiles By the deare name of our common parents vvhat meanest thou Arminius Whither tend these new-rais'd dissensions Who shall thriue by them but they which insult vpon vs and rise by the fall of truth who shall be vndone but thy brethren By that most precious and bloodie ransome of our Sauiour and by that awfull appearance we shall once make before the glorious Tribunall of the Sonne of God remember thy selfe and the poore distracted limmes of the Church Let not those excellent parts wherewith God hath furnished thee lye in the narrow vvay and cause any weake one either to fall or stumble or erre For Gods sake either say nothing or the same How many great wits haue sought no by-paths and now are happy vvith their fellowes Let it bee no disparagement to goe vvith many to heauen What could he reply to so plaine a charge No distinction can auoid the power of simple truth I know he heares not this of me first Neither that learned and vvorthy Fran. Gomarus nor your other graue fraternitie of reuerend Diuines haue beene silent in so maine a cause I feare rather too much noise in any of these tumults There may too many contend not intreat Multitude of suters is commonly powerfull how much more in iust motions But if either he or you shal turne me home and bid mee spend my little moisture vpon our owne brands I grant there is both the same cause and the same need This counsell is no whit further from vs because it is directed to you Any Reader can change the person I lament to see that euery where peace hath not many clients but fewer louers yea euen many of those that praise her follow her not Of old the very Nouatian men women children brought stones and morter vvith the Orthodoxe to the building of the Church of the resurrection and ioyned louingly with them against the Arrians lesser quarrels diuide vs and euery diuision ends in blowes and euery blow is returned and none of all lights beside the Church Euen the best Apostles dissented neither knowledge nor holinesse can redresse all differences True but wisdome and charitie could teach vs to auoid their preiudice If we had but these two vertues quarrels should not hurt vs nor the Church by vs But alas selfe-loue is too strong for both these This alone opens the floud-gates of dissension and drownes the sweet but low valley of the Church Men esteeme of opinions because their owne and will haue truth serue not gouerne What they haue vndertaken must bee true Victory is sought for not satisfaction victory of the Author not of the cause Hee is a rare man that knowes to yeeld as well as to argue vvhat should we doe then but bestow our selues vpon that vvhich
our righteousnesse that must be wherein they failed and we must exceed They failed then in their Traditions and Practise May I say they failed when they exceeded Their Traditions exceeded in number and prosecution faulty in matter To runne well but out of the way according to the Greeke prouerbe is not better than to stand still Fire is an excellent thing but if it be in the top of the chimney it doth mischiefe rather It is good to be zealous in spight of all scoffes Gal. 4.13 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a good thing If they had beene as hot for God as they were for themselues it had beene happy but now in vaine they worship mee saith our Sauiour teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men Hence was that axiome receiued currantly amongst their Iewish followers There is more in the words of the wise than in the words of the Law More Plus est in verbis sapienâ—um quam in verbis legis Galatin Serarius Non malè comparaâ—i Pharisaeos Catholicis that is more matter more authority and from this principally arises and continues that mortall quarrell betwixt them and their Karraim and Minim vnto this day A great Iesuite at least that thinks himselfe so writes thus in great earnest The Pharises saith he may not vnfitly be compared to our Catholicks Some men speake truth ignorantly some vnwillingly Caiaphas neuer spake truer when he meant it not one egge is not liker to another than the Tridentine Fathers to these Pharises in this point besides that of free-will merit full performance of the Law which they absolutely receiued from them For marke Pari pietatis affecta reuerentia Trans iones vna cum libris veteris noui Testamentisâ— spicimus veneramâ—r Decr. 1. Sess 4. Nolo verba quae scripta non sunt legt With the same reuerence and deuotion doe we receiue and respect Traditions that wee doe the Bookes of the Old and New Testament say those Fathers in their fourth Session Heare both of these speake and see neither if thou canst discerne whether is the Pharise refuse me in a greater truth Not that we did euer say with that Arrian in Hilarie Wee debarre all words that are not written or would thinke fit with those phanaticall Anabaptists of Munster that all bookes should be burnt besides the Bible some Traditions must haue place in euery Church but Their place they may not take wall of Scripture Substance may not in our valuation giue way to circumstance God forbid If any man expect that my speech on this opportunity should descend to the discourse of our contradicted ceremonies let him know that I had rather mourne for this breach than meddle with it God knowes how willingly I would spend my self into perswasions if those would auaile any thing but I well see that teares are fitter for this Theame than words The name of our mother is sacred and her peace precious As it was a true speech cited from that Father by Bellarmine Bellum Hereticorum pax est Ecclesiae ex Hilario Bellar. The war of Hereticks is the peace of the Church so would God our experience did not inuert it vpon vs The war of the Church is the peace of Hereticks Our discord is their musicke our ruine their glory On what a sight is this Brethren striue while the enemy stands still and laughs and triumphs If we desired the griefe of our common mother the languishing of the Gospell the extirpation of Religion the losse of posterity the aduantage of our aduersaries which way could these be better effected than by our dissentions Iscâ—â—â—â— That Spanish Prophet in our Age for so I finde him stiled when King Philip asked him how hee might become master of the Low-Countries answered If he could diuide them from themselues According to that old Machiuellian principle of our Iesuites Diuide and Rule And indeed it is concord onely as the Poesie or Mot of the vnited States runs which hath vpheld them in a rich and flourishing estate against so great and potent enemies Concordiâ res paruae crescunt c. Our Aduersaries already brag of their victories and what good heart can but bleed to see what they haue gained since we dissented to fore-see what they will gaine They are our mutuall spoiles that haue made them proud and rich Nostrâ miseriâ tu es magnus de Pomp. Mimus If you euer therefore looke to see the good dayes of the Gospell the vnhorsing and confusion of that strumpet of Rome for Gods sake for the Churches sake for our owne soules sake let vs all compose our selues to peace and loue Oh pray for the peace of Ierusalem that peace may be within her wals and prosperity within her palaces For the matter of their Traditions our Sauiour hath taxed them in many particulars about washings oathes offerings retribution whereof he hath said enough when hee hath termed their doctrine the Leauen of the Pharises that is sowre and swelling Saint Hierome reduces them to two heads In Matth. 23. They were Turpia anilia some so shamefull that they might not bee spoken others idle and dotish both so numerous that they cannot be reckoned Take a taste for all and to omit their reall Traditions heare some of their interpretatiue Praec Mos cum expos Rab. The Law was that no Leper might come into the Temple their Tradition was if he were let downe thorow the roofe this were no irregularity The Law was Ibid. a man might not carry a burden on the Sabbath their Traditionall glosse Ibid. if he carried ought on one shoulder it was a burden if on both none If shoes alone no burden if with nailes not tolerable Their stint of a Sabbaths iourney was a thousand cubits their glosse was That this is to bee vnderstood without the wals but if a man should walke all day thorow a Citie as big as Ninene hee offends not The Church of Rome shall vie strange glossems and ceremonious obseruations with them Sacrarum Ceremoniarum lib. 1. accipit de gremic Camerarij pecuniam vbi nihil tamen est argenti spargensque in populos dicit AuruÌ„ argentum non est mihi quod auteÌ„ habeo hoc tibi do CanoÌ„ Poenitential pag. 1. Numb 12. Ezec. 4. Luc. 5. Otho Frisingensis in praefat In Matth. 23. whether for number or for ridiculousnesse The day would faile mee if I should either epitomize the volume of their holy rites or gather vp those which it hath omitted The new elected Pope in his solemne Lateran procession must take copper money out of his Chamberlaines lap and scatter it among the people and say Gold and siluer haue I none Seauen yeeres penance is enioyned to a deadly sinne because Miriam was separated seuen dayes for her leprosie and God saies to Ezekiel I haue giuen thee a day for a yeere Christ said to Peter Lanch forth into the deepe
deuotion They were nothing beside the stage all for sight nothing for substance Would God this vice of hypocrisie had either died with them or had onely hereditarily descended to their successors Satan will not let vs be thus happy I see no mans heart but I dare boldly say the world is full of hypocrisie By their fruits yee shall know them saith our Sauiour By their fruits not by the blossomes of good purposes nor the leaues of good profession but by the fruits of their actions Not to speake how our mint and cummin hath incroched vpon iudgement and iustice Search your selues yee Citizens now you draw neere to God with your lips with yoar eares where is your heart Here your deuout attention seemes to cry The Lord is God how many are there of you that haue any God at home how many that haue a false God God at Church Mammon in your shops I speake not of all God forbid This famous Citie hath in the darkest in the wantonest times afforded and so doth many that haue done God honour honestie to the Gospell But how many are there of you that vnder smooth faces haue foule consciences Faire words false measures forsworne valuations adulterate wares griping vsuries haue fild many of your coffers and festered your soules You know this and yet like Salomons Curtizan you wipe your mouthes and it was not you Your almes are written in Church-windowes your defraudings in the sand all is good saue that which appeares not How many are there euery where that shame religion by professing it whose beastly life makes Gods truth suspected for as howsoeuer the Samaritan not the Iew releeued the distressed traueller yet the Iewes religion was true not the Samaritans so in others truth of causes must not be iudged by acts of persons yet as he said It must needs be good that Nero persecutes so who is not ready to say It cannot be good that such a miscreant professes Woe to thee Hypocrite thou canst not touch not name goodnesse but thou defilest it God will plague thee for acting so high a part See what thou art and hate thy selfe or if not that yet see how God hates thee he that made the heart sayes thou art no better than an hansome tombe the house of death Behold here a greene turfe or smooth marble or ingrauen brasse and a commending Epitaph all sightly but what is within an vnsauourie rotten carcasse Tho thou were wrapt in gold and perfumed with neuer so loud prayers holy semblances honest protections yet thou art but noysome carrion to God Of all earthly things God cannot abide thee and if thou wouldst see how much lower yet his detestation reacheth know that when he would describe the torments of Hell he calls them as their worst title but the portion of hypocrites Wherefore cleanse your hands yee sinners Iam. 8.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and purge your hearts yee double-minded For vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the hypocriticall righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen My speech must end in their Couetousnesse and Ambition A paire of hainous vices I ioyne them togither for they are not onely brethren but twins yet so as the elder here also serues the younger It is ambition that blowes the fire of Couetousnesse Oppression gets wealth that wealth may procure honour Why doe men labour to be rich but that they may be great Their Couetousnesse was such that their throat an open sepulchre swallowed vp whole hoases of Widowes Whence their goods are called by our Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 13.41 as if they were already in their bowels and which was worst of all while their lips seemed to pray they were but chewing of that morsell Their Ambition such that they womanishly brawled and shouldred for the best seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.6 the highest pew A title a wall a chaire a cap a knee these were goodly cares for them that professed grauitie humilitie mortification Let me boldly say Ierusalem neuer yeelded so very Pharises as Rome These old disciples of Sammai and Hillel were not Pharises in comparison of our Iesuites From iudgement you see I am descended to practise wherein it is no lesse easily made good that these are more kindly Pharises than the ancient A poore Widowes Cottage fill'd the panch of an old Pharise How many faire Patrimonies of deuout young Gentlemen * * A word which the Seâ—â—râ—s report in their Quodlibet vsuall amongst them to signifie beguiled and wipt of their inheritance from the example of M. Henry Drury of Lawshall in Suffolke so defeated by the Iesuits As at Winnoxberg in Flanders neere Dunkerke where a rich Legacie giuen by a charitable Lady for the building of an Hospitall was cunningly turned to the maintenance of Iesuites Sacr. cerem l. 1. de Conse Benedict coron Pontif. Postea Imperator si praesens est stapham equi Papalis tenet dem ducit equum per froenuÌ„ aliquantulum And afterward Dum Imperator haec officia praestat debet Papa modeste recusare tandeâ— cum aliquibus bonis verbis recipiendo permittit aliquaÌ„tulum progredâ— c. That is while the Emperor doth these seruices to the Pope of holding his stirrup and â—ading his horse by the bridle the Pope ought modestly to refuse but at last with some good words he suffers him to goe on a while and then at last states himselfe c. Act. 9.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giue me not pouerty nor riches Prou. 30.8 Druryed by them pardon the word it is their owne the thing I know and can witnesse haue gone downe the throat of these Loyolists let their owne Quodlibet and Catechisme report What speake I of secular inheritances these eyes haue seene no meane houses of deuotion and charitie swallowed vp by them As for their ambitious insinuations not onely all their owne Religions enuiously cry downe but the whole world sees and rings of What oare of state can stir without their rowing What Kingdome either stands or fals without their intermedling What noble Family complaines not of their proling and stealth And all this with a sterne face of sad pietie and sterne mortification Yea what other is their great Master but the King of Pharises who vnder a pretence of simple piety challenges without shame to haue deuoured the whole Christian world the naturall inheritances of secular Princes by the foisted name of Peters patrimony and now in most infamous and shamelesse ambition cals great Emperours to his stirr up yea to his footstoole But what wander we so far from home Vae nobis miseris saith S. Ierome ad quos Pharisaeorum vitia tranfierunt Woe to vs wretched men to whom the Pharises vices are derived The great Doctor of the Gentiles long ago said All seeke their owne and not the things of God and is the world mended with age would
Of gifts ministeries operations From the spirit are deriued gifts ministeries from the Sonne operations from the Father There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit of ministeries but the same Lord of operations but the same God Away with all niceties of Pythagorean calculations All numbers are alike to me saue those which God himselfe hath chalked out vnto vs as here he hath manifestly done In one word An Vnity and a Trinity make vp this golden sentence There is a Trinity in this Vnity There is an Vnity in this Trinity First here is a perfect that is a Triple Trinity A Trinity of diuersities a Trinity of faculties a Trinity of giuers For there are so many diuersities as faculties and so many faculties as giuers The faculties are three gifts ministeries operations The giuers three The Father the Sonne the Spirit which all are included in one Vnity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same God And yet euen that Vnity hath his distinction whiles gifts are as it were by a specialty ascribed to the Spirit ministeries to the Sonne to the Father operations That our discourse may not seeme too perplexed wee will follow the foot-steps of our Apostle and with all possible perspicuity will apply the diuersities to the faculties the faculties to the giuers These Trinities to their Vnity and this done draw to a briefe conclusion A threefold Diuersity argues multiplicity What meant the Ancients to dreame but of three Graces here are a thousand graces gifts infinite Looke vpon all the grand-children of Adam that euer were amongst so many thousand millions of faces ye shall easily obserue some variety of fauours It is a wonder to see what diuersity of formes there is in that which wee call beauty No twins are so like as not to bewray some dissimilitude Certainly there is not so great variety of faces as of mindes As features are to the countenance so are gifts to the minde Each one hath some all haue many none haue all There are diuersities of gifts Salmeron with Caietan vnderstands here those gifts which wee call Gratias gratis datas Graces freely giuen wherein he saies true but not enough For as the old word is Fauours must be inlarged and â—hose gifts which make vs gracious are best worthy of this name It is not amisse that Hugo reckons vp three sorts of Gods gifts to man Gifts of nature of grace of glory By the gifts of nature wee are men by the gifts of grace we are holy by the gifts of glory we shall be blessed The gifts of nature are memory reason will wherein we excell the brute creatures The gifts of grace are faith hope charitie wherein we go beyond the Deuils The gifts of glory eternall and true blessednesse blessed and eternall truth true and blessed eternity wherein wee are equall to the Angels Amongst the gifts of nature the same Author reckons some to be of the lowest ranke some of the meane some of the highest In the lowest he accounts beauty and health of body In the meane hee accounts the faculties of the minde In the highest the vertues of the soule Thus there are diuersities of gifts There are some gifts of Regeneration there are some gifts of our calling by the former we are borne againe for our owne good with the latter we are furnished for the good of others These latter are peculiarly bestowed vpon seuerall men the former â—e by a certaine common propriety bestowed vpon all the Saints of God For as in the most wise disposition of this vniuerse the best things and those which are necessary for the sustentation of life as ayre light fire water are abundantly giuen to all but those things which serue onely for ornament and pleasure as Gold Pearle Precious stones are more sparingly bestowed vpon some few So euery sauing grace is abundantly dispensed to all Saints by the liberall hand of God Whereas tongues prophesie power of miracles as also eloquence skill honour and the rest of this kinde are reserued onely for some few receiuers And in all these what strange diuersity there is They differ in respect of themselues being in nature diuers from each other They differ in respect of the Subiect as being diuersly giuen to one and other for as the blinde Bard saw truly God doth not giue all to all They differ in respect of degree as they are more giuen to one than to other Thus euery way there are diuersities of gifts It is the common voice of nature that the same remaining the same cannot produce but the same but when we speake of the God of Nature that word of Bonauenture is more true Ab vnissimo Deo mananâ— multiforma ab aeterno temporalia From that most one God flowes multiformity of effects and from that eternall God temporall effects Hugo said well In te variatur qui in se non mutatur he is varied in thee who is not changed in himselfe If the diuine power had made onely one creature that alonely worke of his had beene worthy of a God and such as could proceed from no lesse than an omnipotent hand But now he hath created many things yea innumerable If God had made these many creatures altogether vniforme and like themselues onely distinguished in number not in forme the worke had beene more excellent and admirable than the frame of any one creature alone But now that he hath made these many these innumerable creatures no lesse different from themselues and so as that the difference of their formes striues with the praise of their number O the depth of diuine wisdome O the stupendious workmanship of omnipotencie And yet there is no Subiect wherein the power and prouidence of the Almighty doth so much magnifie it selfe as in the diuers Oeconomie of man In so much as in this little world there is a world of diuersities Maruell at your selues brethren and bee astonished at your owne prospects Whether we looke at the fashion of the face or the proportion of parts or the colour of the skin or the stature of the body or the indowments of the minde the degrees of faculties the disposition of nature the measure of graces the opportunities of stations or lastly the outward condition of our life O good God what wondrous diuersity is here how impossible is it for the eye to meet twise with the like obiect whithersoeuer it roueth Thus there are diuersities of gifts Away now from hence with all haughtinesse of pride all mutinies of enuie These two dangers will bee sure to haunt the most iust inequality The needy is enuious the rich is proud Poore I am contemned others are set vp others shine in scarlet and purple whiles I am patching of nasty raggs Others wallow in their wealth and excesse I fâ—â—â—sh for hunger Others Lord it in lofty seats I am trod vnder their foot-stooles Others are eloquent I am a stammerer Others excell in the skill of Arts and Tongues I am a silly ignorant And why
that the new man by being more wise in God may out-strip the old And how shall that be done If we would dispossesse the strong man that keepes the house our Sauiour bids vs bring in a stronger than hee and if we would ouer-reach the subtiltie of the old man yea the old Serpent bring in a wiser than he euen the Spirit of God the God of wisdome If we would haue Achitophels wicked counsels crossed set vp an Hushai within vs The foolishnesse of God is wiser than the wisdome of men Could we but settle God within vs our craftie hearts would be out of countenance and durst not offer to play any of their deluding tricks before him from whom nothing is hid and if they could be so impudently presumptuous yet they should be so soone controlled in their first motions that there would be more danger of their confusion than of our deceit As ye loue your selues therefore and your owne safetie and would be free from the perill of this secret broaker of Satan your owne hearts render them obediently into the hands of God giue him the keyes of these closets of his owne making beseech him that he will vouchsafe to dwell and reigne in them so shall we be sure that neither Satan shall deceiue them nor they deceiue vs but both we and they shall be kept safe and inuiolable and presented glorious to the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS The Best Bargaine A SERMON PREACHED TO THE COVRT AT THEOBALDS on Sunday Sept. 21. 1623. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROKE LORD high Chamberlaine CHANCELLOR of the Vniuersity of Oxford One of his MAIESTIES most Honourable Priuy Counsell RIGHT HONOVRABLE LEt it please you to receiue from the Presse what you vouchsafed to require from my pen Vnworthy I confesse either of the publike light or the beames of your Honours iudicious eies yet such as besides the motiue of common importunity I easily apprehended might bee not a little vsefull for the times which if euer require quickning Neither is it to no purpose that the world should see in what stile we speake to the Court not without acceptation This and what euer seruice I may bee capable of are iustly deuoted to your Lordship whom all good hearts follow with true Honour as the great Patron of learning the sincere friend of Religion and rich purchaser of Truth The God of Heauen adde to the number of such Peeres and to the measure of your Lo graces and happinesse Your Honours in all humble and faithfull obseruance IOS HALL THE BEST BARGAINE PROV 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not THE subiect of my Text is a Bargaine and Sale A bargaine enioyned a sale forbidden and the subiect of both bargaine and sale is Truth A bargaine able to make vs all rich a sale able to make any of vs miserable Buy the Truth and sell it not A sentence of short sound but large extent the words are but seuen syllables an easie load for our memories the matter is a world of worke a long taske for our liues And first let mee call you to this Mart which holds both now and euer If yee loue your selues bee yee customers at this shop of heauen Buy the Truth In euery bargaine there is merx and mercatura the commoditie and the match The commoditie to be bought is the Truth The match made for this commodity is Buying Buy the Truth An ill Iudge may put a good Interrogatory yet it was a question too good for the mouth of a Pilate What is Truth The schooles haue wearied themselues in the solution To what purpose should I reade a Metaphysicall Lecture to Courtiers Truth is as Time one in all yet as Time though but one is distinguished into past present future and euery thing hath a Time of it owne so is Truth variously distinguished according to the subiects wherein it is This is Anselmes cited by Aquinas I had rather say Truth is as light Send forth thy Truth and thy light saith the Psalmist which though but one in all yet there is one light of the Sunne another of the Moone another of the Starres another of this lower aire There is an essentiall and causall Truth in the Diuine vnderstanding which the schooles call Primo-primam This will not bee sold cannot be bought God will not part with it the world is not worth it This Truth is as the Light in the body of the Sunne There is an intrinsecall or formall truth in things truly existing For Being and True are conuertible and Saint Austen rightly defines Verum est illud quod est All this created Truth in things is deriued exemplarily and causally from that increated Truth of God this the schooles call Secundo-primam and it is as the light of the Sun-beames cast vpon the Moone and Starres There is an extrinsecall or secondary truth of propositions following vpon and conformable to the truth of the things expressed thus Verum is no other than Esse declaratinum as Hilario And this Truth being the thing it selfe subiectiuely in words expressiuely in the minde of man terminatiuely presupposeth a double conformitie or adequation Both of the vnderstanding to the matter conceiued and of the words to the vnderstanding so as Truth is when wee speake as wee thinke and thinke as it is And this Truth is as the light diffused from those heauenly bodies to the Region of this lower aire This is the Truth we are called to Buy But this deriuatiue and relatiue Truth whether in the minde or in the mouth hath much multiplicitie according to the matter either conceiued or vttered There is a Theologicall Truth there is a naturall there is a morall there is a ciuill all these must bee deare bought but the best at the highest rate which is Theologicall or diuine whether in the principles or necessary conclusions The principles of diuine Truth are Scriptura veritatis Dan. 10. The Law of Truth Mal. 2. The Word of Truth 2 Cor. 6. The necessary conclusions are they which vpon irrefragable inferences are deduced from those holy grounds Shortly then euery parcell of Diuine Truth whether laid downe in Scripture or drawne necessarily from Scripture is this Mercimonium sacrum which we are bidden to Buy Buy the Truth This is the commoditie The match is Buy that is Beat the price and pay it Buy it Of whom For what Of whom but of the owner of the Maker The owner It is Veritas Domini Gods Truth Psal 117. His stile is the Lord God of Truth Psal 31. The Maker The works of his hands are truth and iudgement Psal 111. And if any vsurping spirit of error shall haue made a free-bootie of Truth and shall with-hold it in
vnrighteousnesse we must redeeme it out of his hands with the highest ransome What is the price That is the maine thing in buying For Buying is no other than pactio pretij Else-where God proclaimes Hoe euery one that thirsteth come buy wine and milke without money and without price Esay 55. This is a Donation in forme of sale But here must be a price in the hand God will giue mercy and not sell it Hee will sell Truth and not giue it For what will he sell it First for Labour The Heathen Poet could say his gods sold learning for sweat The originall word here vsed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compara Get it any way either labore or precio yea labore vt precio This great foreman of Gods shop tells vs we cannot haue it vnder Prou. 2.4 Wee must seeke for her as siluer and search for her as for hid Treasures The veine of Truth lies low it must bee digged and delued for to the very center If Truth could be bought with ease and pleasure many a lazie Christian would bid faire for it who now resolue rather vpon want than toile The slothfull worldling will rather take vp a falshood for Truth than beat his braine to discerne Truth from falshood an error of free-cost is better than an high-rated Veritie Labour for Truth is turn'd ouer for the taske of Church-men no life sauours to these flegmaticke Spirits but that of the Lillies Neque laborant neque nent They neither labour nor spin This dull resolution is vnworthy of a Christian yea of a reasonable soule and if we should take vp no other for the body we should be fed with hunger and cloathed with nakednesse the earth should bee our fether-bed and the skie our Canopie wee should abound with want liue sauagely and die miserably It was the iust Canon of the Apostle He that labours not let him not eat Certainly he can neuer eat of the heauenly Manna of Truth that will not step forth to gather it Heare this yee delicate Courtiers that would heare a Sermon if yee could rise out of your beds that would lend God an houre if yee could spare it from your pleasures the God of heauen scornes to haue his precious Truth so basely vnder-valued if yee bid God lesse than labour for Truth I can giue you no comfort but that ye may goe to hell with ease The markets of Truth as of all other commodities varie It is the rule of Casuists Iustitia pretij non consistit in indiuiduo The Iustice of the Price doth not pitch euer vpon a point Sometimes the price of Truth hath risen it would not be bought but for danger sometimes not vnder losse not vnder disgrace not vnder imprisonment not vnder exile sometimes yet dearer not vnder paine yea sometimes it hath not gone for lesse than bloud It did cost Elias danger Michaiah disgrace Ieremie imprisonment the Disciples losse Iohn and Athanasius exile the holy Confessors paine the holy Martyrs death Euen the highest of these is pretium legitimum if God call for it how euer nature may tax it as rigorous yea such as the franke hearts of faithfull Christians haue bidden at the first word for Truth What doe yee weeping and breaking my heart For I am ready not to be bound only but to die for the name of the Lord Iesus saith S. Paul Act. 21. Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he giue for his life saith Satan but skin and life and all must a man giue for Truth and not thinke it an hard penny-worth Neither count I my life deare vnto me that I may finish my course with ioy saith the chosen vessell to his Ephesians Oh the heroicall spirits of our blessed fore-fathers that stucke not to giue their dearest heart-bloud for but some corollaries of sacred Truth whose burning zeale to Truth consumed them before those fires of Martyrdome and sent vp their pure and glorious soules like Manoahs Angell to heauen in the flame Blessed be God Blessed be his Anointed vnder whose gracious Scepter we haue enioyed daies as much more happy than theirs as their hearts were more feruent than ours We may now buy Truth at a better hand stake but our labour we carrie it with thanks I feare there want not those that would be glad to marre the market It can be onely knowne to heauen what treacheries the malice of hell may be a brewing Had but that Powder once taken nothing had beene abated of the highest price of our Predecessors we had paid for euery dram of Truth as many ounces of bloud as euer it cost the frankest Martyr should the Deuill haue beene suffered to doe his worst we might not haue grudged at this price of Truth Non est delicata in Deum secura confessio qui in me credit debet suum sanguinem fundere saith Ierome Christian profession is no secure or delicate matter he that beleeues must be no niggard of his bloud But why thus deare Not without good reason Monopolies vse to enhance the price Ye can buy Truth at no shop but one In coelo praeparata est Veritas tua Psal 89.2 Thy truth is prepared in heauen And it is a iust Rule of Law Quisque in rebus suis est moderator arbiter Euery man may rate his owne Neither is this only the sole commoditie of God but besides deare to the owner Dilexisti veritatem Thou hast loued Truth saith the Psalmist And it is a true rule in the Cases of Commerce Affectus astimari potest Our loue may be valued in the price Yea O God thy loue to Truth cannot be valued It is thy selfe thou that art Truth it selfe hast said so I am the Way the Truth and the Life We cannot therefore know how much thou louest thy Truth because as thy selfe is infinite so is thy loue to thy selfe What should we hunt for comparisons If all the earth were gold what were it when euen very heauen it selfe is trash to thee in respect of Truth No maruell if thou set it at an high rate It is not more precious to thee than beneficiall to vs. It frees vs Iohn 8.32 It renues vs Iames 1.18 It confirmes vs Prou. 12.19 It sanctifies vs Iohn 17.17 It defends vs Psal 91.4 Shortly it doth all for vs that God doth for God workes by his Almighty word and his Word is Truth Iohn 17. Therefore buy the Truth And if truth be thus precious thus beneficiall how comes it to passe that it is neglected contemned Some passe by it and doe not so much as cheapen it Others cheapen it but bid nothing Others bid something but vnder foot Others bid well but stake it not Others lastly stake downe but reuoke it The first that passe by and cheapen it not are carelesse vnbeleeuers The next that cheapen it and bid nothing are formall Christians The third that bid something but not enough are worldly semi-Christians The fourth that bid well and stake
with his verie pen hath so laid error vpon the backe that all the world cannot raise it what a shame were it to be wanting to him to Truth to our selues But perhaps now I know some of your thoughts you would buy Truth ye thinke you would hold it if ye could be sure to know it There are many slips amongst the true coyne Either of the mothers pleaded the liuing childe to be hers with equall protestations oathes teares True yet a Salomons sword can diuide Truth from falshood and there is a test and fire that can discerne true metals from adulterate In spight of all counterfeiting there are certaine infallible marks to know Truth from Error Take but a few of many whether in the originals in the natures in the ends of both In the first Truth is diuine Error is humane what is grounded vpon the diuine word must needs be irrefragably true that which vpon humane Traditions either must or may be erroneous In the second Truth is one conforme euer to it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one said Omne verum omni vero consonat All Truth accords with euery Truth as Gerson and as it is pure so peaceable Error is full of dissonance of cruelty No particulars of ours dissent from the written verity of God We teach no man to equiuocate Our practise is not bloudy with treasons and massacres In the third Truth as it came from God so is referd to him neither hath any other end than the glory of the God of Truth Error hath euer some selfe-respects either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy lucre or vaine-glory profit or pride We doe not pranke vp nature we aime not either to fill the cofers or feed the ambition of men Let your Wisdomes apply and inferre and now if ye can shut your eyes that you should not see the Truth and if ye care not for your soules when ye see it sell it Let no false tongue perswade you there is no danger in this sale How charitably so euer we thinke of poore blinded soules that liue in the forced and inuincible darknesse of error certainly Apostasie is deadly How euer those speed that are robbed of Truth you cannot sell Truth and be saued Haue mercy therefore on your own soules for their sakes for the sake of him that bought them with the deare ransome of his precious bloud And as God hath blessed you with the inualuable treasure of Truth so hoard it vp in your hearts and menage it in your liues Oh let vs be Gens iusta custodiens veritatem Esa 26. A iust nation keeping fast the Truth So whiles ye keepe the Truth the Truth shall keepe you both in Life in Death in Iudgment In life vnto death in death and iudgement vnto the consummation of that endlesse and incomprehensible glory which the God of Truth hath prepared for them that ouercome To the happy possession whereof he that hath ordained in his good time as mercifully bring vs and that for the sake of the Son of his Loue Iesus Christ the Righteous To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and glory now and for euer Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT THE RECONCILEMENT OF THE HAPPILY-RESTORED and reedified Chapell of the Right Honourable the Earle of EXCETER in his House of S. IOHNS ON SAINT STEPHENS DAY 1623. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for GEORGE WINDER and are to be sold at his shop in Saint DVNSTONS Church-yard 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD Lady the Lady ELIzABETH Countesse of Exceter RIght Honourable this poore Sermon both preached and penned at your motion that is to mee your command now presents it selfe to your hand and craueth a place though vnworthy in your Cabinet yea in your heart That holy zeale which desired it will also improue it The God whom your Ladiship hath thus honoured in the care and cost of his House will not faile to honour you in yours For me your Honour may iustly challenge mee on both sides both by the Druryes in the right of the first Patronage and by the Cecils in the right of my succeeding deuotions Jn either and both that little J haue or am is sincerely at your Ladiships seruice as whom you haue merited to be Your Honours in all true obseruance and duty IOS HALL A SERMON PREACHED AT THE REEDIFIED CHAPEL OF THE RIGHT HONOVRAble Earle of Exceter in his House of Saint Iohns HAGGAI 2.9 The glory of the latter house shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord of Hosts AS we haue houses of our owne so God hath his yea as great men haue more houses than one so hath the great God of Heauen much more more both in succession as here the latter house and the first and in varietie He hath an house of flesh Ye are the Temples of the liuing God An house of stone Salomon shall build me an house An house immateriall in the Heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 Wherfore then hath God an house Wherefore haue we ours but to dwell in But doth not he himselfe tell Dauid and so doth Stephen the Protomartyr vpon whose day we are falne tell the Iewes that He dwels not in Temples made with hands True He dwels not in his House as we in ours by way of comprehension he dwels in it by testification of presence So doe we dwell in our houses that our houses containe vs that we are only within them and they without vs. So doth he dwel in his that yet he is elsewhere yea euery where that his house is within him Shortly God dwels where he witnesses his gracious presence that because he doth both in the Empyreall heauen amongst his Angels and Saints and in his Church vpon earth therefore his dwelling is both in the highest Heauen in perfect glory and on Earth in the hearts and assembly of his children As of the former our Sauiour saith In domo Patris mei In my Fathers house are many Mansions So also may we say of the latter There is much variety and choice in it There was the Church of the Iewes the Church of the Gentiles There is a materiall and a spirituall house In the one Salomons Zorobabels such piles as this In the other so much multiplicity as there are Nations yea Congregations that professe the Name of Christ One of these was a figure of the other the Materiall vnder the Law of the Spirituall vnder the Gospell Yee see now the first house and the latter the subiect of our Text and discourse The latter commended to vs comparatiuely positiuely Comparatiuely with the former Maior gloria Positiuely in it selfe In this place will I giue peace Both set out by the stile of the promiser and a vower saith the Lord of Hosts All which challenge your
Religion leade all our proiects not follow them let our liues be led in a conscionable obedience to all the Lawes of our Maker Farre be all blasphemies curses and obscenities from our tongues all outrages and violences from our hands all presumptuous rebellious thoughts from our hearts Let our hearts hands tongues liues bodies and soules be sincerely deuoted to him Then for men let vs giue Caesar his owne Tribute feare subiection loyalty and if he need our liues Let the Nobility haue honour obeisance obseruation Let the Clergy haue their dues and our reuerence Let the commons haue truth loue fidelity in all their transactions Let there be trutinae iustae Leu. 19.36 Iust balances iust weights pondera iusta Let there be no grinding of faces no trampling on the poore Amos 5.11 no swallowing of widdowes houses no force no fraud no periury no perfidiousnesse Finally for our selues let euery man possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour framing himselfe to all Christian and heauenly temper in all wisdome sobriety chastity meeknesse constancy moderation patience and sweet contentation so shall the worke of our righteousnesse be peace of heart peace of state priuate and publike peace Peace with our selues peace with the world peace with God temporal peace here eternall peace and glory aboue vnto the fruition wherof he who hath ordained vs mercifully bring vs for the sake of him who is the Prince of Peace Iesus Christ the righteous A COMMON APOLOGIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND AGAINST THE VNIVST CHALLENGES OF THE OVER-IVST SECT COMMONLY called BROWNISTS WHEREIN THE GROVNDS AND DEFENCES OF THE SEPARATION are largely discussed Occasioned by a late Pamphlet published vnder the name of AN ANSWER TO A CENSORIOVS EPISTLE Which the Reader shall finde prefixed to the seuerall SECTIONS By IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO OVR GRATIOVS AND BLESSED MOTHER THE Church of England THE MEANEST OF HER CHILDREN DEDICATES THIS HER APOLOGIE AND WISHETH ALL PEACE AND HAPPINESSE NO lesse than a yeere and a halfe is past Reuerend Deare and Holy Mother since J wrote a louing monitorie Letter to * * Smith and Robinson two of thine vnworthy Sons which I heard were fled from thee in person in affection and somewhat in opinion Supposing them yet thine in the maine substance though in some circumstances their owne Since which one of them hath washt off thy Font-water as vncleane and hath written desperatly both against Thee and his owne fellowes From the other J receiued not two moneths since a stomack-full Pamphlet besides the priuate iniuries to the Monitor casting vpon thine honourable Name blasphemous imputations of Apostasie Antichristianisme Whoredome Rebellion Mine owne wrongs I could haue contemned in silence Meam iniuriam patienter tuli impietatem contra Sponsam Christi ferre non potui Hieron ad Vigilant but For Sions sake J cannot hold my peace Jf I remember not thee O Ierusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth It were a shame and sinne for me that my zeale should be lesse hot for thine innocencie than theirs to thy false disgrace How haue J hastened therefore to let the World see thy sincere Truth and their peruerse slanders Vnto thy sacred Name then whereto J haue in all pietie deuoted my selfe I humbly present this my speedie and dutifull labour whereby I hope thy weake Sonnes may bee confirmed the strong encouraged the rebellious shamed And if any shall still obstinatly accurse thee I refer their reuenge vnto thy Glorious Head who hath espoused thee to himselfe in Truth and righteousnesse Let him whose thou art right thee In the meane time we thy true sonnes shall not only defend but magnifie thee Thou maist be blacke but thou art comely the Daughters haue seene thee and counted thee blessed euen the Queene and the Concubines and they haue praised thee thou art thy Welbeloueds and his desire is towards thee So let it be and so let thine be towards him for euer and mine towards you both who am the least of all thy little Ones IOS HALL A COMMON APOLOGIE AGAINST THE BROWNISTS SECTION I. IF TRVTH and PEACE Zacharies two Companions had met in our loue this Controuersie had neuer bin The Entrance into the worke Zach. 8.29 the seuering of these two hath caused this separation for while some vnquiet mindes haue sought Truth without Peace they haue at once lost Truth Peace Loue vs and themselues God knowes how vnwillingly I put my hand to this vnkinde quarrell Nothing so much abates the courage of a Christian as to call his Brother Aduersarie We must doe it Math. 18.7 woe be the men by whom this offence commeth Yet by how much the insultation of a brotherly enemie is more intolerable and the griefe of our blessed Mother greater for the wrong of her owne So much more cause I see to breake this silence If they will haue the last words they may not haue all For our carriage to them They say when Fire Otho Frising ex Philem. Vâ— Chaldeâ—â—â— Ruffin Eccles Hist l. 2. cap. 26. the god of the Chaldees had deuoured all the other woodden Deities that Canopis set vpon him a Caldron full of water whose bottome was deuised with holes stopt with waxe which no sooner felt the flame but gaue way to the quenching of that furious Idoll If the fire of inordinate zeale conceit contention haue consumed al other parts in the separation and cast forth more than Nebuchadnezzars Furnace from their Amsterdam hither Dan. 3. it were well if the waters of our moderation and reason could vanquish yea abate it This little Hin of mine shall be spent that way wee may try and wish but not hope it The spirits of these men are too well knowne to admit any expectation of yeeldâ—nce Since yet both for preuention and necessary defence this taske must be vndertaken * * id Treatis of certaine godly Minist against Bar. I craue nothing of my Reader but patience and iustice of God victory to the Truth as for fauour I wish no more than an enemie would giue against himselfe With this confidence I enter into these lists and turne my pen to an Aduersarie God knowes whether more proud or weake SEP IT is an hard thing euen for sober-minded men in cases of controuersie to vse soberly the aduantages of the times vpon which whilest men are mounted on high they vse to behold such as they oppose too ouerlie and not without contempt and so are oft-times emboldned to roule vpon them as from aloft very weake and weightlesse discourses thinking any sleight and slender opposition sufficient to oppresse those vnderlings whom they haue as they suppose at so great an aduantage Vpon this very presumption it commeth to passe that this Author vndertaketh thus solemnely and seuerely to censure a cause whereof as appeareth in the sequele of the discourse he is vtterly ignorant which had he been
intrude thus into the throne of your Maker Consider and conferre seriously What faith is it that is thus necessarily required to each member in this Constitution Your owne Doctor shall define it Faith required to the receiuing in of members is the knowledge of the Doctrine of saluation by Christ 1 Cor. 12.9 Gal. 3.2 Now I beseech you in the feare of God lay by a while all vnchristian preiudice and peremptory verdicts of those soules which cost Christ as much bloud as your owne and tell me ingenuously whether you dare say that not onely your Christian brethren with whom you lately conuersed but euen your fore-fathers which liued vnder Queene Elizabeths first confused reformation knew not the doctrine of saluation by Christ if you say they did not your rash iudgement shall be punished fearefully by him whose office you vsurpe As you looke to answer before him that would not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax presume not thus aboue men and Angels If they did then had they sufficient claime both to true Constitution and Church But this faith must be testified by obedience so it was If you thinke not so yours is not testified by loue both were weake both were true Weaknesse in any grace or worke takes not away truth Their sinnes of ignorance could no more disanull Gods couenant with them than multiplicity of wiues with the Patriarchs SECT IX Order 2. Part of Constitution how farre requisite and whether hindered by constraint D. Allis against the Descript Confess of the Brownists Brow State of true Christians Inquire into M. White Ans ibid. Arist Pol. 3. c. 1. WHat wanted they then Nothing but Order and not all Order but yours Order a thing requisite and excellent but let the world iudge whether essentiall Consider now I beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesus whether this be a matter for which heauen and earth should be mixed whether for want of your Order all the world must be put out of all Order and the Church out of life and being Nothing say we can be more disorderly than the confusion of your Democracie or popular state if not Anarchie Where all in a sort ordaine and excommunicate We condemne you not for no true members of the Church what can be more orderlesse by your owne confessions than the Trine-vne Church at Amsterdam which yet you grant but faulty If there be disproportion and dislocation of some parts is it no true humane body will you rise from the feast vnlesse the dishes be set on in your owne fashion Is it no Citie if there bee mudwalles halfe broken low Cottages vnequally built no State-house But your order hath more essence than you can expresse and is the same which Polititians in their trade call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorporating into one common ciuill body by a voluntary vnion and that vnder a lawfull gouernment Our Church wants both wherein there is both constraint and false office Take your owne resemblance and your owne asking Say that some Tyrant as Basilius of Ruffâ—â— shall forcibly compell a certaine number of Subiects into Mosco and shall hold them in by an awfull Garrison forcing them to new lawes and Magistrates perhaps hard and bloudy They yeeld and making the best of all liue together in a cheerefull communion with due commerce louing conuersation submissiue execution of the enioyned lawes In such case Whether is Mosco a true Cittie or not Since your Doctor cites Aristotle Arist Pol. 3 c. 1. Edesius Frumentius pueri à Meropio Tyrio Philosopho in Indiam dâ—portati postca ibi Christianam religionem plantarunt Ruffâ—n l. 1. c. 9. Foemina inter Iberâ—s let it not irke him to learne of that Philosopher who can teach him that when Calisthenes had driuen out the Tyrant from Athens and set vp a new Gouernment and receiued many strangers and bondmen into the Tribes it was doubted not which of them were Citizens but whether they were made Citizens vniustly If you should finde a company of true Christians in vtmost India would you stand vpon termes and enquire how they became so Whiles they haue what is necessary for that heauenly profession what need your curiosity trouble it selfe with the meanes SECT X. Constraint requisite 2 Chr. 33.16 2 Chr. 34.32 33. 2 Chr. 15.13 Barr. against Gyff Brow Reformation without tarrying Greenewood Conference with Cooper Browne Reformation without tarrying Conference with Doctor Andr. Master Hutch Conference with D. Andr. Reformation without tarrying Ber. Fides suadenda non cogenda Counterpoyson Dixit Pater familias seruis Quoscunque inueneritis cogite intrare c. Aug. Epist 48. Pless de Eccles c. 10. Aug. Quod si â—ogip riegem aliquem vel ad bona sicuisset vos ipsi miseri à nobis ad fidem purissimam cogi deluistis sed absit à nostra conscientia vt ad fidem nostram aliquem cogamus Aug. Epist 48. 68. Qui phreneticum ligat qui letharg excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat Ibid. Clâ—mant Neminem ad vnitatem cogendum quid hoc aliud quam quod de vobis quidam Quod volumus sanctum est YOu see then what an idle plea constraint is in the constitution of a Citie the ground of all your exception But it is otherwise in Gods citie the Church why then doth his Doctorship parallel these two And why may not euen constraint it selfe haue place in the lawfull constitution or reformation of a Church Did not Manasses after his comming home to God charge and command Iuda to serue the Lord God of Israel Did not worthy Iosiah when he had made a couenant before the Lord cause all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to it and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God What haue Queene Elizabeth or King Iames done more Or what other Did not Asa vpon Obeds prophesie gather both Iuda and Beniamin and all the strangers from Ephraim Manasses and Simeon and enact with them that whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God should bee slaine What meanes this peruersenesse You that teach we may not stay Princes leisure to reforme will you not allow Princes to vrge others to reforme What crime is this that men were not suffered to bee open Idolaters that they were forced to yeeld submission to Gods ordinances Euen your owne teach that Magistrates may compell Infidels to heare the doctrine of the Church and Papists you say elsewhere though too roughly are Infidels But you say not to be members of the Church Gods people are of the willing sort True Neither did they compell them to this They were before entred into the visible Church by true Baptisme though miserably corrupted They were not now initiated but purged Your subtill Doctor can tell vs from Bernard that faith is to be perswaded not to bee compelled yet let him remember that the guests must be compelled to come in though
parties written to and their crime 551 The Kindes of separation and which is iust 552 The Antiquity and examples of separation 553 What separation is to be made by Churches in their planting c 555 What separation the Church of England hath made 556 Consititution of a Church 557 Order 2. Part of constitution how farre requisite c. ibid. Constraint requisite 558 Constitution of the Church of England 559 The Answerers Title 561 The Apostasie of the Church of England ibid. The Separatists acknowledgements of the graces of the Church of England 564 The vnnaturalnesse of some principall Separatists 565 What the Separatists thinke themselues beholden to the church of England for ibid. The motherhood of the Church of England how farre it obligeth vs. 566 The want of pretended Ordinances of God whether sinfull to vs c. 567 The bonds of Gods word vniustly pleaded by the Separatists 568 The necessity of their pretended Ordinances 569 The enormities of the Church in common ibid. The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ 570 How the Church of England hath separated from Babylon 571 The separation made by our holy Martyrs 573 What separation England hath made ibid. The maine grounds of separation 574 The truth and warrant of the Ministery of England 575 Confused Communion of the profane 576 Our Errors intermingled with Truth 577 Whether our Prelacy be Antichristian 578 The iudgement and practise of other Reformed Churches 579 Our Synods determination of things indifferent 580 Sinnes sold in our Courts 581 Our loyalty to Princes cleered theirs questioned 582 Erros of free-will c. fained vpon the Church of England 583 Kneeling at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 583 Whether our Ordinarie and Seruice-booke be made Idols by vs. 584 Marriage not made a Sacrament by the Church of England 587 Commutation of Penance in our Church 588 Oath ex Officio ibid. Holy-dayes how obserued in the Church of England 589 Our approbation of an vnlearned Ministerie disproued 590 Penances inioyned in the Church of England ibid. The practises of the Church of England concerning the Funerals of the Dead 591 The Churches still retained in England 592 The Founders and Furnitures of our Churches 593 On what ground Separation or Ceremonies was obiected 594 Estimation of Ceremonies and subiection to the Prelates 595 The state of the Temple and of our Church in resemblance 597 Whether Ministers should endure themselues silenced ibid. Power of reforming abuses giuen to the Church and the issue of the neglect of it 598 The view of the sinnes and disorders of others wherevpon obiected and how farre it should affect vs. 600 The neerenesse of the State and Church and the great errors found by the Separatists in the French and Dutch Churches 601 Conuersation with the World 603 The impure mixtures of the Church of England 604 The iudgement of our owne and our neighbours of our Church 605 The issue of Separation 607 The Brownists scornefull opinion of our people 608 The Conclusion from the fearefull answer of Separation ibid. A SERIOVS DISSWASIVE FROM POPERIE To W. D. Revolted c. YOV challenged me for my bold assertion of your manifold diuisions I doe here make it good with vsurie Those mouthes that say they teach you the truth say also and you haue beleeued them that they all teach the same As you finde them true in this so trust them in the other For me I cannot without indignation see that in this light of the Gospell God and his truth should thus bee losers by you and that a miserable soule should suffer it selfe thus grossely cozened of it selfe and glory Many can write to you with more profoundnesse none with more sincere feruencie and desire to saue you I call heauen and earth to record against you this day that if you relent or answer not your perishing is wilfull Wee may pittie your weaknesse but God shall plague your Apostasie if you had bin bred in blindnesse your ignorance had bin but lamentable now your choice and loue of darknes is fearefull and desperate Alas you cannot be condemned without our sorrow and shame What should we doe We can but intreat perswade protest mourne and gage our soules for yours if these auaile not who can remedie that which will perish Here this yet you weake Revolter if there be any care left in you of that soule which you haue thus prostituted to error if you haue any regard to that God whose simple truth you haue contemned and forsken what is this that hath driuen you from vs allured you to them For Gods sake let me but expostulate a little ere my silence Either be conuicted or inexcusable Our bad liues haue set you off Woe is me that they are no holier I bewaile our wickednes I defend it not Onely aske how they liue in Italie if they be not for the more part filths to the worst of ours goe with them and prosper Let all indifferent tongues say whether that very See whereon your faith depends euen within the smoke of his Holinesse be not for vitiousnes the sin be of the world we may condemne our selues their liues shal iustifie vs But you list not to looke so farre you see their liues at home you see ours The comparison is not equall They take this for the time of their persecution we of our prosperitie The stubbornest Israelite and the most godlesse Mariner could call vpon God in his trouble we are all worse with liberty Looke backe and see how they liued in former times while they prospered No Turkes saith ERASMVS more abominably though now as the worsâ— how 〈…〉 profeâ— might you 〈…〉 which would scorne that the most 〈…〉 should goe before them in a gracious life and in true 〈…〉 amon◠〈◊〉 there will be one Deuill I wish they were so good that wee â—gâ—ulate them but for my part I neuer yet could know that Papist which made conscience of all Gods ten morrall lawes Shortly whatsoeuer is vpraided to vs the truth is pure though men be vnholy and God is where he was whatsoeuer becomes of men For you if you had not fallen to coole affections and a loose life you had beene still ours It is iust with God to punish your secure negligence with error and delusion and to suffer you thus to lose the truth who had lost your care of obedience and first loue And now you doe well to shift off this blame to others sins which haue most cause to accuse your owne From maners to looke towards our doctrine the noueltie of our Religion you say hath discouraged you theirs hath drawne you with reuerence of her age It is a free challenge betwixt vs let the elder haue vs both if there be any point of our Religion yonger than the Patriarchs and Prophets CHRIST and his Apostles the Fathers and Doctors of the Primitiue Church let it be accursed and condemned for an vpstart shew vs euidence of more credit and age and
ep 13. Nullo concordia glutine aut vnitatis vinculo copulari possunt and that rabble of Opinions which they haue raked together so opposed that it cannot by any glew of concord as Cyprian speaketh nor bond of vnity be conioyned That which Rome holds with vs makes it a Church That which it obtrudes vpon vs makes it hereticall The truth of principles makes it one the error and impiety of additions makes it irreconcileable Neither do 〈◊〉 this late and spurious brood of traditions more oppose vs than it doth those very Principles of Religion which the authors themselues desire to establish Looke on the face therefore of the Roman Church she is ours and Gods Looke on her back she is quite contrary Antichristian More plainly for it is no disputing in Metaphors as Clemens said well Rome doth both hold the foundation and destroy it she holds it directly destroies it by consequent In that she holds it she is a true Church howsoeuer imputed In that she destroyes it what-euer semblance shee makes of piety and holinesse she is a Church of malignants Psal 26.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If shee did altogether hold it she should be sound and Orthodox If altogether she destroyed it she should be either no Church or deuillish but now that she professes to hold those things directly which by inference of her consequences shee closely ouerthrowes she is a truly visible Church but an vnsound In what shee holds the principles we embrace her in what she destroyes them we pitty her error and hate her obstinate The common bond of Christianitie neuer ties vs to fauour grosse errors so much as with silence there is no such slauerie in the deare name of a sister that it should binde vs to giue either aid Eph. 5.11 or countenance to lewdnesse Haue no such fellowship saith S. Paul but rather reproue So wee haue done both modestly and earnestly The same is befalne vs which befell the blessed Apostle we are become their enemies for telling the truth Gal. 4.16 Behold now we are thrust out of doore spet vpon rayled at and when opportunitie serues persecuted with most curious torments And lest any mischiefe should be wanting obstinacie is now at last added vnto error and a cruel rage arising from impatience and now their wickednesse began to please them the more because it displeased vs. And what should we now doe in such a case wee the despised and reiected Patrons of this spirituall chastitie To let fall so iust a cause wee might not vnlesse wee would cast off that God who challenges this plea for onely his To yeeld and giue in were no other than to betray the truth of God and damne our owne soules No course remaines but this one and here is our onely safety with all our courage and skill to oppose the wicked Paradoxes and Idolatrous practises of the Romish Church till either she be ashamed of her selfe or repent that euer she was SECT II. The Commodities and Conditions of Peace BEAVTIFVLL is the name of Peace as Hilary speaketh and truly sacred Hilar. cit a Cal. de vera pacific Iudic. 6.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam 18.29 Iud. 19.29 1 Chr. 12.18 Luc. 2.14 Ioh. 14.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 13.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 3.18 Rom. 14 19. 1 Pet. 3.11 and such as scarce sauoureth of the earth Neither did the Hebrewes by any other terme choose rather to expresse all happinesse and perfection of liuing Neither is there any thing which the Angels did more gladly congratulate vnto men or which Christ did more carefully bequeath or the Apostles more earnestly enioyne How oft and how vehemently doth the Spirit intreat and command vs to haue peace But this thou sayest is euery mans wish to haue peace but what if peace will not be had Loe then Saint Iames charges vs to make peace by our endeuours by our patience Once made and had what if it will not stay with vs Then Saint Paul bids to follow those things which concerne peace What if it will needs away and hide it selfe yet then Saint Peter commands to follow and inquire after it What if once found it refuse to come as Abrahams seruant presupposed of Rebecca Euen then study to be quiet saith Saint Paul or as the word implies Be ambitious of Peace 1 Thes 4.11 So let the Author of Peace loue vs as we loue Peace Socr. l. 1. c. 4. Socr. l. 3. c. 21. Who is there that would not rather wish with Constantine quiet daies and nights free from care and vexation It was a speech worthy of an Emperour and a Christian that fell from Iouianus about that querelous libell of the Macedonians I hate contention and those that are inclined to concord I loue and reuerence Our aduersaries would make vs beleeue they professe and desire no lesse with an equall zeale of charitie and agreement God bee Iudge betwixt vs both and whethersoeuer persists to hate peace let him perish from the face of God and his holy Angels Yea that this imprecation may be needlesse he is already perished Cypr. de simplic prae l. Ad Pacis praemium venâ—re non possunt qui pacem Dâ—mini discordiae furore ruperunt In Psal 28. For as Cyprian according to his wont grauely they cannot come to the reward of Peace which haue broken the Peace of God with the fury of discord And surely what but the flames of hell can determine the ambition of these fiery and boyling spirits Basil obserues well that Gods fire gaue light and burned not contrarily the fire of hell burneth without light and therefore is well worthy of those who despising the light of truth delight themselues in the flames of contentions Those are the true haters of Peace which doe wilfully patronize errors contrary to the Christian faith So long as wee must dwell by these tents of Kedar wee shall too iustly complaine with the Psalmist Psal 120. I loue Peace but in the meane while they are bent to Warre And as for vs which professe our selues the ingenuous clients of Peace since wee must needs fight it is not for vs to doe nothing For that blessed Quire of Angels before their Peace vpon earth Luc. 2.14 Iam. 3.17 well sung Glory to God in the highest Heauens and Saint Iames describes the wisdome of God to bee first pure then peaceable And that chosen vessell implies no lesse when to his charge of Peace hee addes If it bee possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.18 That is as impossible to euery good man which ought not to be done as that which cannot bee done neither indeed as the rule of Lawyers runnes can we be said to be able to doe that which we cannot honestly doe God saith S. Paul is not the Author of confusion but of Peace It is a wicked peace it is no peace that necessarily breeds confusion That Peace is worthy of a
some kind-hearted Mediators may perswade vs eyther diuide Christ or betray him with a kisse The Truth is on high they may well ascend to vs as Leo sayd of old but for vs to descend to them is neither safe nor honest First of all how too plaine is it Epist ad Euph. Pell cit lib. 3. de Laicis that the Romane Church is palpably declined from that ancient puritie of Religion which she once professed It is not more certaine and sensible that the Citie of Rome is descended from her seuen Hils to the Martian Plaines that lye below them or Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 25. that the spightfull Heathens of old as Eusebius reports turned the Sacred Monument of the Tombe of Christ into the Temple of their Venus An. 1170. Ex lec com Henr. Token Illiric Prophrythmic Vita S. Brig Praefixa Reuela What a cloud of witnesses haue we of this noted decay of that Church yea witnesses of their owne To beginne with the other Sex Hildegardis a Numne and a famous Prophetesse of her time accuses the Apostolicall Order of the vtter extinguishing of Religion amongst them Matilda or Maâ—d who liued in the same Age censures them for common Apostasie from the Christian faith and both of them by some extraordinary Reuelation cleerely and directly prophesied of this Religious and Holy restauration of the Church which our dayes see accomplished Saint Brigit the Foundresse of the Order of Saint Sauiour which was * * Anno 1370. Reuel l. 1. c. 41. cruciare uno crucifigere electorum anim c. Reuel extrau c. 8 Grosse teste in Manusc Anno 1250. Io. Treuisa translated into English Habetur initio Polychron Kanulph in Manuscript Anno 900. Artic. in Concil Constant editu 1535. Anno 1350. lib. Vade mecum Lib. Aduers Ement donat Constant Aeneas Syl. de gest Concil Anno 1416. Ad Pium. 2. lib. Reform Cur. RoÌ„ Anno 1400. Auentin Annal. 〈◊〉 7. Osiand Confut. Thes Coster canonized by Pope Vrban sticks not to teach openly in her Writings that the Pope doth torment yea crucifie the soules of the Elect and boldly foretels that all his Followers and Abettors and whole Clergie shall be cut off and that his Sea shall sinke downe into the bottome of Hell and this shee doth so tartly and vehemently that the Romanists of those times threatned and indeuoured to burne her aliue Robert our Bishop of Lincolne to whom the greatnesse of his Head gaue an homely but famous name whom Illyricus mis-nameth Rupertus a worthy and peerelesse man in his age durst before the Popes owne fare openly accuse the Pastors of his time to be the Spoylers of the Earth the Dispersers and Deuourers of Gods flocke the vtter wasters of the Holy Vineyard of God That Carthusian of Coleyne which is said to haue gathered that Booke of the Bundle of times complaines that Truth was then perished from the sonnes of men Petrus de Aliaco a Cardinall confesses that the ancient Diuines built vp the Church but the then-present Seducers destroyed it And vnto these agree Iohn de Rupescissa a Monke Picus Earle of Mirandula Trithemius the Abbot Laurence Valla And those worthie Lights of the Councell of Basil the Cardinall of Arles and Thomas de Corsellis But Nicholas Clemangis the Archdeacon of Bayeux speakes nothing but stones and bullets who in a whole Volume hath freely painted out the corrupt estate of the Church neither did Dominicus Bishop of Brixia speake any whit more sparingly who euen in those times durst set before his Booke this Title The Reformation of Rome To say nothing of Ioachim of Peter of Ferrara the Lawyer of the three Theodericks of Lyra Petrarch Gerson Euerard the Bishop of Salisburg Erasmus Cassander Espensâ—us the Iury of Cardinalls selected by Paul the Third amongst which Gaspar Cotarenus Iames Sadolet and our Cardinall Poole were as they might of eminent note Aluarus Pelagius * * Io. Mirandula Marsil Fecin CoÌ„ineus report him to haue bin a Prophet Epenc in Tit. Ostand Papa non Papa SAVANAROLA of Florence and whomsoeuer those times yeelded at once both learned and good Euen Pope ADRIAN himself the Sixt of that Name whiles he instructs his Legate in his message censures the Church and ingenuously complaines that all was gone to wracke and ruine What shall we then say to this Can any man be so partiall as to thinke that so many Saints of both Sexes Prophets Prophetesses Monkes Doctors Cardinals Popes should as Ierome speakes of the Luciferian Heretikes meerely deuise these slanders to the disgrace of their holy mother If any man can be so mad he is well worthy to be euer deceiued Indeed Rome was once an holy Citie Mat. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—r hadammim Ezek. 21.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocrit edyss â—n Hier. de vita Pauli Ruff. l. 1. c. 20. Dum contentionis vitio nimis aguntur c. Hier. aduers Luciferianos but now as no lesse famous the other way she is become a City of bloud This Grape is growne a dry Raisin Neyther did that good Heremite ANTONY so iustly say of his Alexandria as wee may now of Rome Woe to thee thou Strumpetly Citie into which the Deuils out of all the rest of the World haue assembled themselues Certainely therefore so shamefull and generall a deformitie could not but bee discerned by our latter Papists and to auoyd all shifts wee haue gently and louingly laid our finger vpon these spots But in the meane time how haynously haue they taken it and as Ruffinus speakes of Apollinaris the Heretike whiles they are transported with the vicious humor of contention and will bee crossing euery thing that is spoken out of the vaine ostentation of a strong wit they haue improoued their idle brabbles to Heresies HIEROME sayd wittily They vse to winke and deny which beleeue not that to bee done which they would not haue done It is therefore a most lamentable and fearefull case that a Church which of her owne fauourites is iustly accused of many and dangerous errors should blocke vp against her selfe the way whereby shee should returne into the Truth Fr. à Victoria Relect quarta de Potestate Papae Concilij Propos duodecima Sect. vltima Deuentum est ad hunc talem statum vbi nec mala nostra nec remedia pati possumus Iudicij impeccantiam Senec. Ep. 28. and as FRANCIS a Victoria honestly complaines should neyther indure her owne euils nor their remedies For whiles shee stands vpon it that shee cannot erre and stubbornely challenges vnto her Chaire a certaine Impeccancie of Iudgement that wee may borrow a word from TERTVLLIAN what hope can now remaine of recouering the Truth How are we now too sawcie that dare mutter ought against her The first hope of health must needs bee fetcht from the sense and acknowledgement of the disease That of the Epicure is common and true The beginning of recouery is the
bee no lesse Controuersie defacto than of the possibility of errour Besides there are other Popish opinions of the same stampe but more pragmaticall which are not more pernicious to the Church than to common-weales as those of the power of both Swords of the deposition of Princes disposing of Kingdomes absoluing of Subiects frustration of Oathes sufficiently canuased of late both by the Venetian Diuines and French and ours which are so palpably opposite to the libertie of Christian Gouernment that those Princes and Peeple which can stoope to such a yoke are well worthy of their seruitude and can they hope that the great Commanders of the World will come to this bent we all as the Comick Poet said truly had rather be free than serue but much more Princes or on the contrary can wee hope that the Tyrants of the Church will be content to leaue this hold What a fopperie were this For both those Princes are growne more wise and these Tyrants more arrogant and as Ruffinus speakes of George Ruff. l. 1. c. 23. Procaciter vt raptum Episcopatum gerunt c. the Arrian Gallant they insolently gouerne an vsurped Bishopricke as if they thought they had the managing of a proud Empire and not of a Religious Priesthood SECTION VI. That the other Opinions of the Romish Church will not admit Reconciliation BVt let vs bee so liberall as to grant this to our selues which certainely they will neuer grant vs for this olde Grandame of Cities thinkes her selfe borne to command and will either fall or rule Neyther doth that Mitred Moderator of the World affect any other Embleme than that which Iulian iestingly ascribes to Iulius Caesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To rule all Iulian. Caesares or to Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to conquer all It was a degenerating spirit of Adrian the Sixt which caused to bee written vpon his Tombe Binius in vita Adrian in the Church of Saint Peter That nothing in all his life fell out so vnhappily to him Socrat. l. 5. c. 20. c. 14. as that he gouerned Let this I say be granted vs There want not I know some milder spirits Theodosians that can play with both hands which thinke if these busie points were by the moderation of both parts quietly composed it might bee safe for any man so it be without noyse to thinke what hee list concerning the other differences of Religion These are the Ghosts of that Heretike Appelles whose speech it was Euseb l. 5. c. 13. ex Roâ—nâ— That it is sufficient to beleeue in Christ crucified and that there should bee no discussing of the particular warrants and reason of our faith Or the brood of Leonas one of the courtiers of Constantius Socrat. l. 2. c. 32. and his Deputie in the Seleucian Councell which when the Fathers hotely contended as there was good cause for the Consubstantialitie of the Sonne Get you home said hee and trouble not the Church still with these trifles Saint Basil was of another minde from these men who as Theodoret reports when the Lieutenant of Valens the Emperor Theodor. lâ— c. 27. perswaded him to remit but one letter for peace sake answered Those that are nursed with the sincere Milke of Gods Word may not abide one sillable of his sacred Truth to be corrupted but rather than they will indure it are ready to receiue any kinde of torment or death Elâ—â—sius and Syluanus which were Orthodox Bishops and those other worthy Gardians and as Athanasius his title was Champions of the truth were of another minde from these coole and indifferent Mediators Epiph. l. 1. Initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cypr. de simplic praelat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So farre as the Sacred truth will allow vs wee will accompany them gladly but if they vrge vs further wee stand still or start backe and those two courses which Epiphanius aduised as the remedies of Heresie Heed and Auoydance both those doe we carefully vse and performe Great is the offence of discord and vnexpiable and such in the graue iudgement of Cyprian as is not purged with the bloud of our passion and iustly doe we thinke that Fiend of Homer worthy of no place but Hell But yet wee cannot thinke concord a meete price of truth which it is lawfull for vs to buy at any rate but to sell vpon any termes is no lesse than pâ—cular Let vs therefore a little discusse the seuerall differences and as it vses to bee done when the house is too little for the stuffe Let vs pile vp all close together It shall bee enough in this large Haruest of matter to gather some few Eares out of euery Shocke and to make a compendious dispatch of so long a taske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The grossest of the Popish Heresies and as HIEROME obiects to ORIGEN the most venomous opinions of Rome which haue bred so much trouble and danger at this day to the Church of God are either such as doe concerne our selues not without some â—â—spect to God or such as concerne God not without some respect to vs Of the former sort are those which in a certaine order such as it is of discourse are conuersant about Iustification Free-will the merit of our workes humane satisfaction Indulgences Purgatory and the differences of mortall and Veniall sinnes These therefore first offer themselues to our examination SECTION VII The Romish Heresie concerning Iustification THat point of Iustification of all other is exceeding important Caluin De vera Pacific contra Interim insomuch as CALVIN was faine to perswade that if this one head might bee yeelded safe and intire it would not quite the cost to make any great quarrell for the rest Would to God that word of CASSANDER might bee made good Consultat de Iustific which doubted not to say That which is affirmed that men cannot bee iustified before God by their owne strength merits or workes but that they are freely iustified by faith was alwaies allowed and receiued in the Church of God and is at this day approued by all Ecclesiasticall Writers Yea I would they would bee ruled by their Thomas Aquinas in this In Galat. in Iâ—c 2. who attributes Iustification to workes not as Iustification is taken for an infusion of grace but as it is taken for an exercise or manifestation or consummation of Iustice If this were all in this point all would be peace Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 7. si quis dixerit sola fide c. Com. 9. But whilst the Tridentine Fathers take vpon them to forge the formall cause of our Iustification to be our owne inherent Iustice and thrust Faith out of Office what good man can choose but presently addresse himselfe to an opposition Who would not rather dye than suffer the ancient Faith of the Church to be depraued with these idle Dreames Goe now ye great Trent Diuines and bragge of your selues as
or care then to be willingly guilty of our owne shame oh that the hands of supreme authoritie vvould bee pleased to locke vs vvithin our owne doores and to keepe the keyes at their owne girdle And to speake truth to vvhat purpose are those strait and capitall inhibitions of the returne of our factious fugitiues into this Kingdom if whiles the vvicket is shut vpon them that they should not come to vs the Posterne be open to vs that we may goe to them As all intercourse is perilous so that is most vvhich is by our owne prouocation Here yet they dare but lurke in secret and take only some sudden snatches at a vveake prey like vnto euening-wolues that neuer walke forth but vnder the cloake of the night but in their owne territories they can shew the Sunne their spoiles and thinke this act worthy of garlands and trophees Here wee haue mastiues to secure our flockes there the prey goes stragling alone to the mouth of their dennes vvithout protection without assistance and offers to be deuoured Yee whom the choice of God hath made the great Shepheards of his people whose charge it is to feed them by gouernment suffer not their simplicitie to betray their liues vnto the fangs of these cruell beasts but chase them home rather from the wilfull search of their owne perdition and shut them vp together in your strong and spacious folds that they may be at once safe and yee glorious SECT XXIV LAstly for those whom necessary occasions draw forth of their own coasts that we may haue done with those which like foolish Papists goe on pilgrimage to see another blocke better dressed then at home let me say to them as Simeon that propheticall Monke said to the pillars which he whipped before the earth-quake Stand fast for ye shall be shaken And therefore as the Crane when shee is to fly against an high wind doth ballace her selfe with stones in her bill that she may cut the ayre with more steddinesse so let them carefully fore-instruct and poize themselues with the sound knowledge of the Principles of Religion that they may not be caried about with euery winde of doctrine Whereto if they adde but those lessons which they are taught by the State in their letters of passage there may bee hope they shall bring backe the same soules they caried It was at least an inclination to a fall that Eue tooke boldnesse to hold chat with the Serpent And as subtill Lawyers desire no more aduantage in the quarrell which they would picke at conueyances then many words so neither do our Aduersaries Whiles our eares are open and our tongues free they wil hope well of our very denials Error is crafty and out of the power of his Rhetorical insinuations oft-times caries away probabilitie from truth I remember in that famous Embassie of of three Philosophers which Athens sent to Rome Critolaus Diogenes and Carneades there falling out many occasions of discourse wise Cato perswaded the Senate to a speedie dismission of those otherwise welcome ghests Because said he whiles Carneades disputes scarce any man can discerne which is the truth There is more danger of these spirituall Sophisters by how much the businesse is more important and their subtilty greater Let our passenger therefore as that wise Grecian serued his fellowes stop vp his eares with waxe against these Syrens Our Sauiour would not giue Satan audience euen whiles he spake true because he knew that truth was but to countenance error There is euer true corne strowed vnder a pitfall those eares are full and weightie vvhich we dresse with Lime to deceiue the poore birds in a snow No fisher lets downe an empty hooke but cloathed vvith a proper and pleasing bait These Impostors haue no other errand but deceit If he loue himselfe let him be afraid of their fauours and thinke their frownes safer then their smiles And if at any time as no fly is more importunate they thrust themselues into his conuersation let him as those which must necessarily passe by a carrion in the way hold his breath and hasten to be out of their aire And if they yet follow him in his flight let him turne backe to them vvith the Angels farewell Increpet te Dominus FINIS THE RIGHTEOVS MAMMON AN HOSPITALL SERMON PREACHED IN THE SOLEMNE ASSEMBLY OF THE CITY ON Munday in Easter weeke 1618. BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO MY MVCH HONOR'D FRIEND Sr HENRY BAKER Knight and Baronet SIR AMongst many to whom my poore labours owe much for their acceptation J know none that can challenge so deepe a debt as your selfe If others haue tasted of my well-meant papers you haue fed heartily on them and so made them your owne that your memory may compare with others eyes and your practice with the speculation of others Neither haue your hand or tongue beene niggardly dissemblers of your spirituall gaine Vnto you therefore to whose name I had long since in my desires deuoted my next doe J send this meane present A Sermon importunately desired of many That which the present Auditors found vsefull the Presse shall communicate to posteritie The gaine of either or both is no lesse mine I doubt not but you haue already so acted that part of this discourse which concerneth you that the direction I giue to others is but an historie of what you haue done And goe on happily worthy Sir in those your holy courses which shal leade you to immortalitie and so vse your riches that they may be made vp into a Crowne for your head in a better world My hearty well-wishes shall not be wanting to you and your vertuous Ladie as whom you haue obliged to be iustly Worcester April 14. Yours IOS HALL THE RIGHTEOVS MAMMON 1. TIM 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs richly all things to enioy c. THose things which are excellent beneficiall in their vse are dangerous in their miscariage It were lost labour for me to perswade you how good riches are your pains and your cares are sufficient proofes of your estimation and how deadly the abuse of them is many a soule feeles that cannot returne to complaine There is nothing more necessarie therefore for a Christian heart then to be rectified in the menaging of a prosperous estate and to learne so to be happy here that it may bee more happie hereafter a taske which this Text of ours vndertakes and if ye be not wanting to it and your selues will be sure to performe What should I need to entreat your attention Right Honorable right Worshipfull and beloued to a businesse so neerely concerning you The errand is Gods the vse of it yours I neuer held it safe to pull Scripture in pieces these vvords fall alone into their parts Timothy is set vpon the spirituall Bench
it is not wealth alone that is accessary to this pride there are some that with the Cynicke or that worse dogge the patcht Cistertian are proud of rags there are others that are rich of nothing but cloathes somewhat like to Naziavâ—cus country of Ozizala that abounded in flowers but was barren of come their cloaths are more worth then all the rest as wee vse to say of the Elder that the flower of it is more worth then all the tree besides but if there be any other causes of our hye-mindednesse wealth is one which doth ordinarily lift vp our heads aboue ourselues aboue others and if there be here any of these empty bladders that are puft vp with the wind of conceit giue me leaue to prick them a little and first let mee tell them they may haue much and be neuer the better The chimny ouer lookes all the rest of the house is it not for all that the very basest piece of the building The very heathen man could obserue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Arist That God giues many a man wealth for their greater mischiefe As the Israelites were rich in Quailes but their fawce was such that famine had beene better little cause had they to be proud that they were fed with meate of Princes with the bread of Angels whiles that which they put into their mouthes God fetcht out of their nostrels Haman was proud that he alone was called to the honour of Esters feast this aduancement raised him fifty cubits higher to a stately gibbet If your wealth be to any of you an occasion of fallingâ— if your gold be turned into fetters it had beene better for you to haue liued beggers Let me tell them next of the folly of this pride They are proud of that which is none of theirs That which law and case-diuinity speakes of life that man is not dominus vitae suae sed custos is as true of wealth Senec. Nature can tell him in the Philosopher that hee is not Dominus but Colonus not the Lord but the Farmer It is a iust obseruation of Philo that God onely by a propriety is stiled the possessor of heauen and earth by Melchisedech in his speech to Abraham Gen. 24. we are onely the tenants and that at the will of the Lord At the most if we will as Diuines we haue jus adrem not dominium in rem right to these earthly things not Lordship ouer them but right of fauour from their proprietary and Lord in heauen and that liable to an account Doe we not laugh at the groome that is proud of his masters horse or some vaine whiffler that is proud of a borrowed chaine So ridiculous are we to be puft vp with that whereof we must needs say with the poore man of the hatchet Alas master it is but borrowed and whereof our account shall be so much more great and difficult as our receit is more Hath God therefore laded you with these earthly riches be ye like vnto the full eare of corne hang downe your heads in true humility towards that earth from which you came And it your stalke be so stiffe that it beares vp aboue the rest of your ridge looke vp to heaueh not in the thoughts of pride but in the humble vowes of thankfulnesse and be not hie-minded but feare Hitherto of the hye-mindednesse that followes wealth Now where our pride is And that they trust not there will be our confidence As the wealthy therefore may not be proud of their riches so they may not trust in them What is this trust but the setting of our hearts vpon them the placing of our ioy and contentment in them in a word the making of them our best friend our patron our idoll our god This the true and ielous God cannot abide and yet nothing is more ordinary The rich mans wealth is his strong City saith Salomonâ— where should a man thinke himselfe safe but in his sort He sees Mammon can doe so much and heares him talke of doing so much more it is no maruell if hee yeeld to trust him Mammon is so proud a boaster that his clients which beleeue in him cannot chuse but be â—onfident of him For what doth he not brag to doe Siluer answers to all saith Salomon That we grant although we would be loath it could answer to truth to iustice to iudgement But yet more he vaunts to procure all to pacifie all to conquer all He saies he can procure all secular offices titles dignities yea I would I might not â—ay in some sacrilegious and periured wretches the sacred promotions of the Church and ye know that old song of the Pope and his Romane trafficke Claues Altariâ— Christum Yea foolish Magus makes full account Keyes Altars Christ the Holy Ghost himselfe may be had for money He sayes he can pacifie all A gift in the bosome appeases wrath yea he sayes looke to it ye that sit in the seats of iudicature hee can sometimes bribe off sinnes and peruert iudgement He sayes hee can ouercome all according to the old Greeke verse Fight with siluer launces and you cannot faile of victory yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he would make vs beleeue he thought this a bait to catch the Sonne of God himselfe withall All these will I giue thee briefly hee sayes according to the French Prouerbe Siluer does all And let me tell you indeed what Mammon can doe Hee can barre the gates of hell to the vnconscionable soule and helpe his followers to damnation This he can do but for other things howsoeuer with vs men the foolish Siluer-smiths may shout out Great is Mammon of the worldlings yet if we weigh his power aright we shall conclude of Mammon as Paracelsus doth of the Diuell that he is a base and beggerly spirit For what I beseech you can he doe Can he make a man honest can he make him wise can he make him healthfull Can he giue a man to liue more merily to feed more heartily to sleepe more quietly Can we buy off the gout cares death much lesse the paines of another vvorld nay doth he not bring all these Goe to then thou rich man God is offended with thee and meanes to plague thee with disease death Now try what thy bags can doe Begin first vvith God and see whether thou canst bribe him with thy gifts Micah 6. and buy off his displeasure Wherewith shalt thou come before the Lord and bow thy selfe before the high God Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousand riuers of oyle The siluer is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts Haggai 2. If that speed not goe to the fergeant of God death see if thou canst fee him not to arrest thee He lookes thee sternely in the face and tels thee vvith Ehud he hath a message to thee from God
Especially since the reason that Ioseph Acosta fetches from the persons which should be the subiect of those Wonders holds as equally for both Indies Ios Acosta l 2. de sâ—l Ind. c. 9. as an Almanack made for the Meridian of one Citie serueth the Neighbours Hitherto then the Prologue of my infamous falshoods such as if all my Writings could haue afforded any equally hainous these had neuer beene chosen out to grace the front of his Detection There must needs be much terrour in the sequel The rest of this storme fals vpon our learned Professor D. Collins one of the prime ornaments of our Cambridge the partnership of whose vniust disgrace doth not a little hearten my vnworthinesse The world knowes the eminency of that mans Learning Wit Iudgement Eloquence His workes praise him enough in the Gate Yet this Malapert Corner-creeper doth so basely vilifie him for ignorance fillinesse pratling rusticitie lying as if in these onely he were matchlesse Indeed whom doth the aspersion of that foule hand forbeare Vilium est hominum alios viles facere I appeale to all the Tribunals of Learning thorow the World whether all Doway haue yeelded ought comparable to that mans Pen whether he haue not so * * This Booke of Doctor Coll. C. E falsly insinuateth to haue bin suppressed All Stationers shops can conuince him of a lye Nothing euer fell from that learned hand without applause coniured downe his Caco-Daemon Ioannes that he neuer dares to look backe into the light againe whether his Ephatha be not so powerfull that if his Aduersarie were any otherwise deafe then the blocke which hee worships it might open his eare to the Truth It angers C.E. to heare that Kings should not dye or perhaps that they whose heads are anointed should dye by any other then anointed fingers The sentence of his Cardinall and Iesuites both de facto and de jure of deposing and murdering Kings is now beside our way Onely we may reade afarre off in capitall Letters Arise Peter kill and eate Hee knowes the word with shame enough I will not so much wrong that worthy Prouost as to anticipate his quarrell rather I leaue the superfluitie of this malice to the scourge of that abler hand from whom I doubt not but C. E. shall smart and bleed so well that he may spare the labour of making himselfe his owne Whipping-stocke on Good-Friday THE HONOVR OF THE MARIED CLERGIE maintained c. The first Booke SECT I. NEither my Charitie nor my Leisure nor my Readers Patience vvill allow me to follow my Detector in all his Extrauagancies nor to change idle vvords of Contumely with a Babbler Declarationes ambitiosorum o era otâ—â—orum cihi sunt Scal. Exer. His twelue first Pages are but the light froth of an impotent Anger wherein hee accuseth my bitternesse and professeth his owne For me I appeale vnto all eyes if my Pen haue been sometimes zealous it was neuer intemperate Neither can he make me beleeue that my Passions need to appeare to my shame in calling Rome Prostitute or himselfe shamelesse Prostituta illa Ciuitas or in citing from the Quodlibet of his owne Catholike Priests the Art of his Iesuites in a a â—he particulars of this â—istorie he shall receiue in due place Drurying of young Heires There is neither Slander nor Shame in Truth For himselfe hee confesseth to haue sharpened his Pen and to haue dipt it perhaps too deepe in Gall But where his Inke is too thicke hee shall giue mee leaue to put a little Vineger to it that it may flow the better In the meane time he shall goe away with this glory That a fouler Mouth hath seldome euer wip'd it selfe vpon cleane Paper After those waste flourishes his thirteenth page begins to strike Refut p. 13. wherein hee chargeth me with odious basenesse and insufficiencie in borrowing all my proofes from Bellarmines Obiections dissembling their Solutions The Man were hard driuen that would go to borrow of an Enemy If al my proofes be fore-alledged and fore-answered by his Bellarmine to what purpose hath this Trifler blurred so much Paper There he saith shall the Reader see all my Scriptures answered the Doctrine of Deuils explicated there that other Let him bee the Husband of one Wife and Mariage is honorable Answered indeed but as he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerlessely Such cleare Beames of Truth shine in the face of these Scriptures that all the Cob-web Vayles of a Iesuites subtiltie cannot obscure them Their very Citation confutes their Answer And where had we this Law That if a Iesuite haue once medled with a Scripture all Pens all Tongues are barred from euer alledging it If Satan haue mis-cited the Psalme Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee for Temptation may not we make vse of it for the comfort of Protection Briefely let my Cauiller know that it is not the friuolous illusion of any shuffling Iesuite that can driue vs from the firme Bulwarke of the holy Scriptures In this they are clearely ours after all pretences of Solution as he shall well feele in the Sequel and shall secure vs against all humane Opposition Before the disquisition whereof somewhat of must force be premised concerning the state of our Question SECT II. WHere that all Readers may see how learnedly my wise Aduersary hath mistaken me and himselfe I must tell my Detector That all his tedious Discourse sits beside the Cushion Refut p. 12. For thus he writes of my Epistle so as his whole Scope is to disproue the single life of Catholike Priests and thereby to oppugne our Doctrine in that behalfe vpon which conceit he runs into a large proofe of the strong Obligation of Vowes the necessitie of their Obseruation the penaltie and danger of their Violation the praise of Virginitie the possibilitie of keeping it and vpon this very ground builds he the tottering wall of his whole ensuing Confutation insomuch as pag. 130 he sayes That Mariage all times without contrary Iniunction was lawfull is not denyed nor will it be proued in haste That Priests or such as had vowed the contrary might vse that libertie and we say not that Virginitie is violently to be opposed on any for it commeth by free election but where the Vow is free the Transgression is damnable Thus he Now let all indifferent eyes see whether the onely drift of mine Epistle be not to iustifie our Mariages not to improue their Singlenesse to defend the lawfulnesse of the Mariage of our Clergy not to iustifie the Mariages of the Romish to plead for the mariage of our Ecclesiastiques not of Popish Votaries In expresse tearmes I dis-auowed it The interuention of a Vow makes a new state Let Baal plead for himselfe What is it to me if the Romish Clergie may not bee Husbands or if according to the French Prouerbe they haue a Law not to marry and a Custome not to liue chaste Let it be
whence he fetches his forceablest r r P. 94. Refut Testimony for forced Continency slit in the Nose and bored in the Eare long-since by Å¿ Å¿ Censur Coci p 133. Salmeron Baronius Bellarmine and Francis Lucas Of the same stampe that the Reader may here see once for all how he is gulled by this false Priest with foysted Authorites is his Augustine De bono Viduatis t t Refut p. 20. 49. 68. thrice by him here quoted not without great triumph branded by Erasmus Hosius Lindanus as likewise u u Refut p. 40. his Augustine de Eccles dogmat confessed counterfeit by Bellarmine his friends of Louain and x x Refut p. 80. the Sermons de Tempore cashier'd by Erasmus Mart. Lypsius the Louanians Whereto let vs adde the book of great Athanasius de Virginitate y y Refut p. 35. produced in great state by C. E. not without great wrong and shame fathered vpon that Saint as if Erasmus and Nannius did not shew the ridiculous precepts therein contained would speake enough To follow all were endlesse Of this kind lastly is his Cyprian de Disciplin bono Pudicitiae not more magnificently z z Refut p. 36. brought forth by C. E. then fairely eiected by Erasmus Espencaeus These are the glorious Testimonies which grace the swelling Pages of mine Aduersarie These are the pious frauds wherewith honest Readers are shamefully coozened It shall suffice thus in a word to haue thanked my Reuerend Monitor for his sage aduice and to aduise my Reader to know whom he trusts Vid. supra Refut p. 74 75. Refut p. 78. Pag. 79. For Origen we haue already answered My Detector could not haue chosen a better man for the proof of the facility of this Worke then him who according to the broad Tralation of his rude Rhemists gelded himselfe and made himselfe no man for it That all graces are deriued to vs from the Fountaine or rather the full Ocean of Christs Merits and Mercies which he shewes from S. Hierome we willingly teach against them so farre are we from being iniurious to the Passion of our Deare Redeemer But if he will therefore inferre that euery man may be a perpetuall Virgin he may as well hope that therefore euery Scribbler may write all true Our Sauiour himselfe which said I will draw all men vnto me yet said All men cannot receiue this not I cannot giue it but they cannot take it As for that practice which he cites from S. Austin of forcing men both into Orders and Continency it shewes rather the Fact then the Equity what was done in a particular Church rather then what should be The Refuter himselfe renounceth it in the precedent Page For the Church forceth none thereunto neither is it any other then a direct restraint of that which the Councell of Nice determined to bee left free Lastly that there may appeare to be no lesse impossibility of honest Truth in some men then true Chastity he cites one place for all out of S. Austin * * Lib. 2. c. 19. de Adulter Coniug vid. sup Let not the burden of Continency affright vs it will be light if it be of Christ it will be of Christ if there be Faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which hee doth command See Reader with what fidelity and by this esteeme the rest S. Austin speakes there of persons diuorced each from other whom necessity as he supposes the case cals to Continency the Detector cites him for the power of voluntary votaries The very place confutes him It will be Christs yoke saith Austin if there be faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which he doth command There can be no Faith where is no command Now C. E. will grant there is no o o Neque enim sicut non maâ—haueris non occides ita dici potest non nâ—bes Aug. de Virg. Sanct. l. sing c. 30. Refut p. 80. vsque ad 87. command of single life to all Therefore all cannot aske it in Faith therefore all cannot thinke it the Yoke of Christ all cannot beare it SECT XV. NOw at last like some sorie Squip that after a little hissing and sparkling ends in an vnsauoury cracke my Refuter after all these Flourishes of their possibilitie shuts vp in a scurrilous Declamation against our Ministerie granting it indeed impossible amongst vs to liue chaste and telling his Reader that wee blush not to blaze in Pulpits and printed Bookes this brutish Paradox that Chastitie is a vertue impossible to all because so it is to such lasciuious p p Illud dixerim tantum abfuisse vt ista coacta castitas illam coniugalem vicerit c. saith Polydor Virg. This I may say that it is so farre off that this compelled Chastitie excelled the Coniugall Châ—stitie that no crime of any offence could bring more hatred to the state of Priesthood or more disgrace to Religion or more sorrow to all good men then the blemish of the vnchaste life of Priests c. Polyd. l. 5. c. 4. Libertines sensuall and sinfull people as Heretikes are and here are sordes dedecora scabies libidinum the brutish spirit of Heresie fleshly and sensuall Impure mouth How well doth it become the sonne of that Babylonian Strumpet to call the Spouse of Christ Harlot How well doth it become lips drencht in the Cup of those Fornications to vtter blasphemous Slanders Spumam Cerberi against Innocence By how much more brutish that paradox is so much more deuillish is the vniust imputation of it to vs Which of vs euer blazed it Which of vs doth hate it lesse then the lye that charges it vpon vs How many Reuerend Fathers haue wee in the highest Chaires of our Church how many aged Diuines in our Vniuersities how many graue Prebendaries in our Cathedrall Churches how many worthy Ministers in their rurall stations that shine with this vertue in the eyes of the World If therefore the proper place of Chastitie be the Church of God as this Cauiller pleads it is ours in right q q Hier. l. 2. in Ose Quicunque amare pudicitiam se simulant vt Manichaeus Marcion Arrius Tatianus inflauratores veteris haereseos venenato ore mella promittunt caeterùm iuxta Apostolum quae secretò agunt turpe est dicere Minut. Fal. Octau theirs in pretence And so much more noble is this in ours for that in ours it is r r Inuiolati corporis virginitate fruuntuur potius quà m gloriantur free in them Å¿ Å¿ Talis castitas quia non est spontanea non habet magnam retributionem Bran. Carthus O mysteria O mores vbi necessitas imponitur castitati authoritas datur libidiâ—i Itaque nec casta est qua metu cogitur nec c. Illa pudica qua these tenetur Ambros l. 1. de Virg. forced Infida custos castitatis necessitas as that
know none must it needs therevpon be false Which of their Histories is not lyable to variety of report To beginne with the first The succession of Linus and Cletus and Clemens is diuersly reported is there no truth in it To end with the last The title of Paul the fift to the chaire of Peter in the lawfulnesse of his election is diuersly reported hath hee therefore no true claime to his seat But who euer placed Gregories pond in Sicily This is one of the fittens of his Fitz-Simons If other authors haue mentioned this narration then all the strength of this History lyeth not on Hulderick If none besides him his words vary not These are but tricks to out-face truth The Epistle in spight of contradiction is so ancient and what care wee then for names Whether it were Saint Vdalricke or Hulderick or Volusianus wee labour not much Let it bee the taske of idle Criticks to dispute who was Hecuba's mother and what was her age No lesse vaine is my Refuter that spends many wast words about his Saint Vdalricke in shewing the difference of time betwixt him and Pope Nicolas the one dying Anno 869. the other being borne 890. and prouing out of his obscure Sorbonist Monchiacenus that there were fiue Bishops of Auspurge betwixt the times of the one and the other whereby a simple Reader might easily bee deluded and drawne to thinke there is nothing but impossibily and vntruth in our report whereas there is nothing in all this peremptory and colourable flourish of his but meere cogging or misprision For both Illyricus apart and the Centurists and Chemnitius all Germanes that should be best acquainted with the state of their owne haue long since told him that his Saint Vdalricke was not the man whom they held the Author of this Epistle but Hulderick another not much different in name but differing in time aboue seuenty yeares Ne nominis aequiuocatio lectorem turbet Chem. hist de Caeliâ—otâ— and lest the equinocation of the name saith Chemnitius should trouble the Reader There is another Vdalricke of Augusta whom Auentine writes to haue dyed Anno 973. But this Hulderick Aeneas Syluius writes to haue dyed Anno 900 and in the yeare of his age 83. Thus he from the authority of two their famousest Historians from whose account Onuphrius differs not much But that my Refuter may hereafter saue the labour of scanning their discordant Computations whether it were either or neither of them it is not worth to vs one hayre of his crowne since with our faithfull and learned Foxe wee rather from the authority of ancient English Copies Act. Mon. p. 1055. ascribe it to Volusianus whose second Epistle also in the same stile to the same purpose is extant from the same Records not inferiour to the former What matters it for the name when it appeares that the Epistle it selfe is truly anclent ponderous reuerend Theologicall conuictiue and such as the best Romanes heads cannot after seuen hundred yeares shape a iust answer vnto Euen in some Canonicall Bookes though there bee difference in the names of the Pen-men there is full assent to their diuine authority And why is it not so in humane Thus then we haue easily blowne away these light bubbles of Discourse which our Aduersary hath raised out of the Nut-shell of his computation from the Age Person Writings of his Saint Vdalricke and returne his impuram nescio cujus nebulonis Epistolam with his ferrei oris and plumbei cordis backe whence it came to the Writer cited by my Aduersary not named But by better due to the next hand whereto I am no whit beholding for leauing it vn-englished In that C. E. spared not mee but himselfe who is nescio quis but he that leapeth into the Presse without a name Who Nebulo rather then he that masketh and marcheth sub nebulâ hoping to passe in the conflict for a doughtie Knight or Champion Sconoscinto not daring to lift vp his Beuer Who writes impuram Epistolam but he that hath scribbled a Voluminous Epistle to cry down pure and Honourable Mariage for the inhauncing of impure Celibate not that in Thesi Celibate is impure but in Hypothesi theirs forced and hypocriticall SECT III. AS for the difference that he finds in our number of Pope Nicolas whether first or second or third we may thanke his Gratian whose fashion it is as likewise Sigeberts to name the Popes without the note of their number wee are sure it was not Nicolas Nemo which wrote to Odo Bishop of Vienna reprouing him for giuing leaue to Aluericus a Deacon to marry thereupon sending his contrary Decree to the Germane Churches which it seemes or the like imposition gaue occasion to this noble Epistle But can there be any Game amongst our English Popish Pamphleters where the Fox is not in chase Where is the shame of this Romane Priest whiles he so manifestly belyes our holy reuerend worthy Master Foxe whom this Scoganly Pen dare say playes the Goose in the inconstancy of his Relation of this Nicholas first reporting him the first then the second when it is most manifest in the during Monuments of that industrious and excellent Author that he stil insists vpon Nicholas the second reiecting by many Arguments the opinion of them which haue referred it to the first Such truth there is in shorne crownes Iohn Husse was a Goose by name and now Iohn Foxe is a Goose by reproch Two such Geese are more worth then all the fawning Curres of the Romane Capitoll And how much more wit then fidelity is there in my Detector whiles he would proue that Pope Gregory had then no pond because there is now no ponds at Rome As if Rome were now in any thing as it was as if twelue hundred yeares had made no alteration Nunc seges est vbi Troia fuit As if the streets of Troy were not now Champaine As if his Lipsius could now find Rome in Rome As if lastly that man were vncapable of a large pond whose Sea is vniuersall As for the number of childrens heads I say no more for it then hee can against it this Historie shall be more worth to vs then his deniall But this I dare say that I know persons both of credit and honour Vid. quâ— supra l. 1. S. 12. Histor Rodulphi Bourn c. that saw betwixt fifty and threescore cast vp out of the little Mote of an Abbey where I now liue Let who list cast vp the proportion After the refusall of this worthy Epistle according to his fashion he tries to disgrace it with vs telling vs that therin the Bishop of Rome is stiled Supreme Head Gouernour of the whole Church If it were thus so much more powerfull is the Testimony against them by how much more the witnesse was theirs There must needs be much cause when he that so humbly ouer-titles the person resists the Doctrine so vehemently But the
wicked tumults Yet this is the man whom Bellarmine will iustifie by seuen and twenty Authors and C.E. can adde two more to the heape yea in those very things for which he condemned himselfe Reader if one of his euill spirits should haue stept into Peters chaire doe yee thinke he could haue wanted Proctors But how good an account we were like to haue of seuen and twenty Authors if it would require the cost to examine them appeares in that l l Lamb. Schefnab Hist rerum German Lambertus Schafnaburgensis which is cited for the man that magnifies the miracles of this Gregory sayes not one such word of him but speakes indeed the like of one Anno Archbishop of Coleine who liued and dyed in the time of Gregory As for Gregories miracles Benno the Cardinall tels vs what they were that he raised Deuils familiarly that he shaked sparkes of fire out of his sleeue by his Magicke A tricke that well beseemed an Hellebrand who set all the world on fire by his wicked impetuosity We will not enuy Rome this Saint let them enioy him let them celebrate him and cry downe Henry the Emperor and all that opposed him Still may such as these bee the Tutelar gods of that holy Citie For vs it is comfort enough to vs that our mariages had such a persecutor That the Churches did hereupon ring of him for Antichrist Auentine is my Author Refut p. 306. vsque ad 309. Pro concione c. in their Sermons saith he they did curse Hildebrand they cryed out on him as a man transported with hatred and ambition Antichristum esse praedicant Antichristi negotium agitat They declared him to be Antichrist They said that vnder the colourable title of Christ he did the seruice of Antichrist That he sits in Babylon in the Temple of God and is aduanced aboue all that is called God So he And little better is that which his m m Lamb. Schefnab lib. de Rebus German Schafnaburgensis so much extolled by C. E. recordeth Aduersus hoc decretum infremuit tot a factio Clericorum c. Against this Decree saith hee all the whole faction of Clergy-men fretted and mutined accusing him as an Heretike and a man of peruerse opinion who forgetting the word of Christ which said All men cannot receiue this did by a violent exaction compell men to liue in the fashion of Angels To which if I should adde the sentence of the Synod of Wormes and that of Brixia my Reader would easily see that it is not the applause of some deuoted Pen that can free him from these foule imputations of deserued infamie That vntruth then cleared another belike hangs vpon the score My Refuter charges me with falshood in saying Refut p. 307. That Gregory the seuenth was deposed by the French and German Bishops Only the Germans hee saith were Actors in that Tragedy But if not at Wormes yet let him tell me what was done at Brixia and by whom Quamobrem Italiae Germaniae Galliae Pontifices c. Wherfore saith Auentinus the Bishops of Italy Germany and France the seuenth of the Kalends of Iuly met at Brixia in Bauaria and sentenced Hildebrand to haue spoken and done against Christian piety c. and condemned him of heresie impiety Refut p. 310 311 sacriledge c. And that my Refuter may find himselfe answered at once to the last of his Cauils wherein hee pleads that this deposition was not so much as pretended for the inhibition of these mariages but for other causes let him see the Copy of the iudgement passed against him in the said councell wherein after the accusation of his Simoniacal climing into the Chaire the vice which he pretended most to persecute in others his forceable possession The vertues of C. E's Saint his heresie his machinations against the Emperour his peruerting of the Lawes both of God and Men his false doctrines sacriledges periuries lyes murders by him suborned commended his tyranny his setting of discord betwixt Brethren Friends Cousins It followes Inter coniuges diuortia facit suauis homo sacerdotes qui vxores habent legitimos sacrificos esse pernegat interim tamen scortatores adulteros incestuosos aris ad mouet c. He causes diuorces betwixt Man and Wife The fine man denies those Priests which haue lawfull Wiues to be Priests at all in the meane time hee admits to the Altar whore-mongers adulterers incestuous persons c. Nos ergo We therefore by the authority of Almighty God pronounce him deposed from his Popedome Thus Auentine specifies the Decree which alone without Commentary without inforcement answers all the friuolous exceptions of my wordy Aduersary So as now to returne his Epilogue he hath sent backe my ten pretended lyes Refut p. 316. with the vnreasonable and inuerted vsury of well-neere an hundred Pauperis est numerare SECT IX FRom foraine parts I returne at last to our owne so I feare hath C. E. done long since lurking somewhere in England for no good These Fugitiues loue not home more then their home hath cause to hate them His cauils of the wondrous contradiction betwixt my Margin and my Text Refut p. 317. are too childish to bee honored with an answer My Text was The bickerings of our English Clergy with their Dunstans about this time are memorable My Margin cites Henry of Huntingdon affirming Anselme to be the first that forbad mariage Betwixt these two saith my Refuter was an hundred yeares difference I grant it But had my words been thus if my Detector were not disposed to seeke a knot in a Rush he had easily noted that in a generall suruay of all Ages the phrase About that time admits much latitude and will easily stretch without any straine to one whole Century of yeares Had the Quotation been as he pleadeth this answer were sufficient But my words need no such reconciliation I stand to the censure and disclaime the mercy of any Reader For that citation of Anselme hath plaine reference to the following words Our Histories testifie how late how repiningly our Clergie stooped vnder this yoke it is for this that my Margin points to Henry Huntingdon and Fabian reporting Anselme the first man that prohibited these mariages What contradiction now can his acutenesse detect in these two The English Clergie had bickerings with their Dunstans and stooped late and repiningly to this yoke vnder Anselme See Reader and admire the equall Truth and Logicke of a Catholique Priest and iudge how well he bestoweth his Pages SECT X. Refut p. 318. IT is true Dunstan was the man who first with his other * * Oswal and Ethelwold two Cousins and partners in canonization opposed any appendance of the maried Clergy He wrought it with good King Edgar by dreames and visions and miracles Hee who when the Deuill came to tempt him to lust a a Gul. Malmesb. Jt. Legend c. caught him by
rayled much and hurt nothing laboured much and gained nothing talked much and said nothing It is a large and bold word but if any one clause of mine be vnproned if any one clause of mine be disproued any one exception against my defence proued iust any one charge of his proued true any one falshood of mine detected any one argument of mine refelled any one argument or proposition of his not refelled Let me goe away conuicted with shame But if I haue answered euery challenge vindicated euery * * I onely except that one slip of my Pen that I said Gratian cited a sentence out of Austin which was indeed his owne anthoritie iustified euery proofe wiped away euery cauill affirmed no proposition vntruely censured nothing vniustly satisfied all his malicious obiections and warranted euery sentence of my poore Epistle Let my apologie liue and passe and let my Refuter goe as he is C. E. Cauillator Egregius Let my cause bee no more victorious then iust and let honest Mariages euer hold vp their heads in despite of Rome and Hell With this Farewell I leaue my Refuter either to the acting of his vnbloody executions of the Sonne of God or the plotting of the bloody executions of the Deputies of God or as it were his best to the knocking of his Beads But if he will needs be medling with his pen and will haue me after some Iubilies to expect an answer to my fixe weekes labour I shall in the meane time pray that God would giue him the grace to giue way to the knowne Truth and sometimes to say true Yet to gratifie my Reader at the parting I may not conceale from him an ancient and worthy Monument vvhich I had the fauour and happinesse to see in the Inner Librarie of Corpus Christi Colledge in Cambridge An excellent Treatise written amongst seuenteene other in a faire set hand by an Author of great learning and Antiquitie Of Rome in France He would needs suppresse his name but describes himselfe to be Rotomagensis The time wherein it was written appeares to bee amids the heat of contention which was betwixt the Archbishop of Canterbury Yorke for precedency * * As also the contention betwixt the Church of Roane and Vienna Râ—g Houed which quarrell fell betwixt Rodulph of Canterbury and Thurstin of Yorke in the yeare 1114 at which time Pope Paschalis wrote to King Henry concerning it and was renued after about the yeare 1175. The Discourse shall speake enough for it selfe ROTOMAGENSIS ANONYMVS AN LICEAT SACERDOTIBVS INIRE MATRIMONIA SCire volui quis primus instituit ne Sacerdotes Christiani inire deberent Matrimonia Deus an homo Si enim Deus eius certe sententia tenenda obseruanda est cum omni veneratione reuerentia Si vero homo non Deus de corde hominis non ex ore Dei talis egressa est traditio Ideoque nec per eam salus adquiritus si obseruetur nec amittitur si non obseruetur Non enim est hominis saluare vel per dere aliquem pro meritis sed Dei proprium vnius est scilicet quod Deus hoc instituerit nec in veteri Testamento nec in Euangelio nec in Apostolorum Epistolis scriptum reperitur in quibus quicquid Deus hominibus praecèpit insertum describitur Traditio ergo hominis est non Dei non Apostolorum institutio Quemadmodum Apostolus instituit vt oportet Episcopum esse vnius vxoris virum Quod minime instituisset si adulterium esset quod Episcopus haberet simul vxorem Ecclesiam quasi duus vxores vt quidam asserunt Quodque de Scripturis sanctis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua dicitur Sancta enim Ecclesia non Sacerdotis vxor non spousa sed Christi est sicut Ioannes dicit Qui habet sponsam sponsus est huius inquam sponsi Ecclesia sponsa est tamen huic sponsae licet in parte inire matrimonia ex Apostolica traditione Dicit enim Apostolus ad Cor. Propter fornicationes inquit vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat caetera vsque volo omnes homines esse sicut meipsum sed vnusquisque proprium donum habet à Deo alius quidem sic alius verò sic Non enim omnes habent vnum donum virginitatis scilicet continentiae sed quidam virgines sunt continentes quidam vero incontinentes quibus concidit nuptias ne tentet eos Sathanas propter incontinentiam suam in ruinam turpitudinis corruant Sed Sacerdotes quoque alij quidem continentes sunt alij vero incontinentes qui continentes sunt continentia sua donum à Deo consecuti sunt fine eius dono gratia continentes esse non possunt Incontinentes vero hoc donum gratiae minime percipiunt qui cum intemperantia suae conspersionis tum etiam animi infirmitate per carnis desideria diffluunt Quod nullo modo facerent si continentiae gratiam virtutem à Deo percepissent Sentiunt enim ipsi aliam legem in membris suis repugnantem legi mentis suae captiuantem eos in lege peccati quod nolunt agere cogentem qui de corpore mortis huius liberantur gratia Dei. Hac itaque eos lege captiuante carnis concupiscentia stimulante aut fornicari coguntur aut nubere Quorum quid melius fit Apostolica docemur authoritate qua dicitur melius nubere quà m vri Quod melius est id certe eligendum tenendum est Melius est inquam nubere quia peius est vri Quia melius est nubere quà m vri conueniens est incontinentibus vt nubant non vt vrantur Bona etenim sunt nuptia sicut Augustinus ait in libro super Genesin ad literam in ipsis commendatur bonum naturae quo incontinentiae regitur prauitas naturae decoratur foecunditas Num vtriusque sexus infirmitas propendens in ruinam turpitudinis recta excipitur honestate nuptiarum vt quod sanis possit esse officium sit aegrotis remedium Neque enim quia incontinentia malum est ideo connubium vel quo incontinentes copulantur non est bonum Imo vero non propter illud malum culpabile est bonum sed propter hoc bonum ventale est illud malum quoniam id quod bonum habent nuptiae quod bonae sunt nuptiae peccatum esse nunquam potest Hoc autem tripartitum est fides proles Sacramentum In fide attenditur ne praeter vinculum coniugale cum altera vel cum altero concubatur In prole vt amanter suscipiatur benigne suscipiatur religiose educetur In Sacramento vt coniugium non separetur demissus aut demissa ne causa prolis alteri coniugatur Haec est tanquam regula nuptiarum qua vel naturae decoratur foecunditas vel incontinentiae regitur prauitas
the iourney and curse of the couetous prophet if God had not stayed him How oft are wicked men cursed by a diuine hand euen in those sins which their heart stands to It is no thank to lewd men that their wickednesse is not prosperous Whence is it that the world is not ouer-run with euill but from this that men cannot be so ill as they would The first entertainment of this message would make a stranger thinke Balaam wife and honest Hee will not giue a sudden answer but craues leasure to consult with God and promises to returne the answer he shall receiue Who would not say This man is free from rashnesse from partiality Dissimulation is crafty able to deceiue thousands The words are good when he comes to action the fraud bewaries it selfe For both he insinuates his own forwardnesse and casts the blame of the prohibition vpon God and which is worse deliuers but halfe his answer he sayes indeed God refuses to giue them leaue to goe He sayes not as it was He charges me not to curse them for they are blessed So did Balaam deny as one that wisht to be sent for againe Perhaps a peremptory refusall had hindered his further sollicitation Concealement of some truths is sometimes as faulty as a deniall True fidelity is not niggardly in her relations Where wickednesse meets with power it thinkes to command all the world and takes great scorne of any repulse So little is Balac discouraged with one refusall that he sends so much the stronger message Mo Princes and more honorable Oh that wee could be so importunate for our good as wicked men are for the compassing of their owne designes A deniall doth but whet the desires of vehement suitors Why are we faint in spirituall things when we are not denied but delayed Those which are themselues transported with vanity and ambition thinke that no heart hath power to resist these offers Balacs Princes thought they had strooke it dead when they had once mentioned promotion to great honour Selfe-loue makes them thinke they cannot be slaues whiles others may be free and that all the world would be glad to runne on madding after their bait Nature thinks it impossible to contemn honor and wealth and because too many soules are thus taken cannot beleeue that any would escape But let carnall hearts know there are those can spit the world in the face and say Thy gold and siluer perish with thee and that in comparison of a good conscience can tread vnder foot his best proffers like shadowes as they are and that can doe as Balaam said How neere truth and falshood can lodge together Here was piety in the lips and couetousnesse in the heart Who can any more regard good words that heares Balaam speake so like a Saint An housefull of gold siluer may not peruert his tongue his heart is won with lesse for if he had not already swallowed the reward and found it sweet why did he againe sollicit God in that which was peremptorily denyed him If his mind had not beene bribed already why did he stay the messenger why did he expect a change in God why was he willing to feed them with hope of successe which had fed him with hope of recompence One prohibition is enough for a good man Whiles the delay of God doth but hold vs in suspence importunity is holy and seasonable but when once he giues a resolute deniall it is prophane saucinesse to sollicit him When we aske what we are bidden our suites are not more vehement then welcome but when we begge prohibited fauours our presumption is troublesome and abhominable No good heart will endure to be twice forbidden Yet this opportunity had obtained a permission but a permission worse then a deniall I heard God say before Go not nor curse them Now he sayes Goe but curse not Anon he is angry that he did not goe Why did he permit that which he forbade if he be angry for doing that which he permitted Some things God permits with an indignation not for that he giues leaue to the act but that he giues a man ouer to his sinne in the act this sufferance implies not fauour but iudgement so did God bid Balaam to goe as Salomon bids the yong man follow the wayes of his owne heart It is one thing to like another thing to suffer Moses neuer approued those legall diuorces yet he tolerated them God neuer liked Balaams iourney yet he displeasedly giues way to it as if he said Well since thou art so hot set on this iourney be gone And thus Balaam tooke it else when God after professed his displeasure for the iourney it had beene a ready answer Thou commandedst me but herein his confession argues his guilt Balaams suite and Israels Quailes had both one fashion of grant in anger How much better is it to haue gracious denials then angry yeeldings A small perswasion hartens the willing It booted not to bid the couetous prophet hasten to his way Now he makes himselfe sure of successe His corrupt hart tels him that as God had relented in his licence to goe so he might perhaps in his licence to curse and he saw how this curse might blesse him with abundance of wealth hee rose vp earely therefore and saddled his Asse The night seemed long to his forwardnesse Couetous men need neither clocke nor bell to awaken them their desires make them restlesse O that we could with as much eagernesse seeke the true riches which onely can make vs happy We that see onely the out-side of Balaam may maruell why he that permitted him to goe afterward opposes his going but God that saw his heart perceiued what corrupt affections caried him hee saw that his couetous desires and wicked hopes grew the stronger the neerer he came to his end An Angell is therefore sent to with-hold the hasty Sorcerer Our inward disposition is the life of our actions according to that doth the God of spirits iudge vs whiles men censure according to our externall motions To goe at all when God had commanded to stay was presumptuous but to goe with desire to curse made the act doubly sinfull and fetcht an Angell to resist it It is one of the worthy imployments of good Angels to make secret opposition to euill designes Many a wicked act haue they hindered without the knowledge of the agent It is all one with the Almighty to worke by Spirits and men It is therefore our glory to be thus set on worke To stop the course of euill either by disswasion or violence is an Angelicall seruice In what danger are wicked men that haue Gods Angels their opposites The Deuill moued him to goe a good Angell resists him If an heauenly Spirit stand in the way of a Sorcerers sinne how much more ready are all those spirituall powers to stop the miscariages of Gods deare children How oft had we falne yet more if these Guardians had not
hath reuenged God of his people God will reuenge his people of him It is no priuiledge to be an instrument of Gods vengeance by euill meanes Though Eglon were an vsurper yet had Ehud been a Traytor if God had not sent him it is onely in the power him that makes Kings when they are once settled to depose them It is no more possible for our moderne butchers of Princes to shew they are imployed by God then to escape the reuenge of God in offering to doe this violence not being imployed What a strange enoyce doth God make of an Executioner A man shut of his right hand either he had but one hand or vsed but one and that the worse and more vnready Who would not haue thought both hands too little for such a worke or if either might haue been spared how much rather the left God seeth not as man seeth It is the ordinary wont of the Almighty to make choyce of the vnlikeliest meanes The instruments of God must not be measured by their owne power or aptitude but by the will of the Agent Though Ehud had no hands he that imployed him had enabled him to this slaughter In humane things it is good to looke to the meanes in diuine to the worker No meanes are to be contemned that God will vse no meanes to be trusted that man will vse without him It is good to be suspicious where is least shew of danger and most appearance of fauour This left-handed man comes with a present in his hand but a dagger vnder his skirt The Tyrant besides seruice lookt for gifts and now receiues death in his bribe Neither God nor men doe alwaies giue where they loue How oft doth God giue extraordinary illumination power of miracles besides wealth and honour where he hates So doe men too oft accompany their curses with presents either least an enemy should hurt vs or that we may hurt them The intention is the fauour in gifts and not the substance Ehuds faith supplies the want of his hand Where God intends successe hee lifts vp the heart with resolutions of courage and contempt of danger What indifferent beholder of this proiect would not haue condemned it as vnlikely to speed To see a maimed man goe alone to a great King in the middest of all his troupes to single him out from all witnesses to set vpon him with one hand in his owne Parlor where his Courtiers might haue heard the least exclamation and haue comne in if not to the rescue yet to the reuenge Euery circumstance is full of improbabilities Faith euermore ouer-lookes the difficulties of the way and bends her eyes onely to the certainty of the end In this intestine slaughter of our tyrannicall corruptions when we cast our eyes vpon our selues wee might well despaire Alasse what can our left hands doe against these spirituall wickednesses But when wee see who hath both commanded and vndertaken to prosper these Holy designes how can we misdoubt the successe I can doe all things through him that strengthens mee When Ehud hath obtayned the conuenient secrecy both of the weapon and place now with a confident forehead hee approches the Tyrant and salutes him with a true and awfull preface to so important an act I haue a message to thee from God Euen Ehuds ponyard was Gods message not onely the vocall admonitions but also the reall iudgements of God are his errands to the world He speakes to vs in raine and waters in sicknesses and famine in vnseasonable times and inundations These are the secondary messages of God if we will not heare the first we must heare these to our cost I cannot but wonder at the deuout reuerence of this Heathen Prince hee sate in his Chaire of State the vnweildinesse of his fat body was such that hee could not rise with readinesse ease yet no sooner doth he heare newes of a message from God but he rises vp from his Throne and reuerently attends the tenor thereof Though hee had no superiour to controll him yet he cannot abide to be vnmannerly in the businesse of God This man was an Idolater a Tyrant yet what outward respects doth hee giue to the true God Eternall ceremonies of piety and complements of deuotion may well be found with falshood in Religion They are a good shadow of truth where it is but where it is not they are the very body of hypocrasie Hee that had risen vp in Armes against Gods people and the true worship of God now rises vp in reuerence to his name God would haue liked well to haue had lesse of his courtesie more of his obedience He lookt to haue heard the message with his eares he feels it in his guts so sharpe a message that it pierced the body and let out the soule through that vnclean passage neither did it admit of any answere but silence and death In that part had he offended by pampering it and making it his god and now his bane findes the same way with his sinne This one hard and cold morsell which hee cannot digest paies for all those gluttonous delicates whereof he had formerly surfeted It is the manner of God to take fearefull reuenges of the professed enemies of his Church It is a maruell that neither any noyse in his dying nor the fall of so grosse a body called in some of his attendants But that God which hath intended to bring about any designe disposes of all circumstances to his owne purpose If Ehud had not come forth with a calme and setled countenance and shut the dores after him all his proiect had been in the dust What had it been better that the King of Moab was slaine if Israel had neither had a messenger to informe nor a Captaine to guide them Now he departs peaceably and blowes a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim gathers Israel and fals vpon the body of Moab as well as he had done vpon the head and procures freedome to his people He that would vndertake great enterprises had need of wisdome and courage wisedome to contriue and courage to execute wisedome to guide his courage and courage to second his wisedome both which if they meet with a good cause cannot but succeed IAEL and SISERA IT is no wonder if they who ere foure-score daies after the Law deliuered fell to Idolatry alone now after foure-score yeers since the Law restored fell to Idolatry among the Canaanites Peace could in a shorter time worke loosenesse in any people And if forty yeeres after Othniels deliuerance they clapsed what maruell is it that in twise forty after Ehud they thus miscarried What are they the better to haue killed Eglon the King of Moab if the Idolatry of Moab haue killed them The sinne of Moab shall be found a worse Tyrant then thir Eglon. Israel is for euery market they sold themselues to Idolatry God sels them to the Canaanites it is no maruell they are slaues if they will be Idolaters After their
is his Oracle In matter of iudgement to be guided only by the euent is the way to error Falshood shall be truth and Satan an Angell of light if we follow this rule Euen very coniectures somtimes happen right A Prophet or Dreamer may giue a true signe or wonder and yet himselfe say Let vs goe after other gods A small thing can win credit with weake mindes which where they haue once sped cannot distrust The idolatrous Danites are so besotted with this successe that they will rather steale then want the gods of Micha and because the gods without the Priest can doe them lesse seruice then the Priest without the gods therefore they steale the Priest with the gods O miserable Israelites that could thinke that a god which could bee stolne that could looke for protection from that which could not keep it selfe from stealing which was won by their theft not their deuotion Could they worship those Idols more deuoutly then Micha that made them And if they could not protect their maker from robbery how shall they protect their theeues If it had beene the holy Arke of the true God how could they think it would blesse their violence or that it would abide to be translated by rapin and extortion Now their superstition hath made them mad vpon a god they must haue him by what meanes they care not though they offend the true God by stealing a false Sacriledge is fit to be the first seruice of an Idol The spies of Dan had been curteously entertained by Micha thus they reward his hospitality It is no trusting the honesty of Idolaters if they haue once cast off the true God whom will they respect It seems Leuites did not more want maintenance then Israel wanted Leuites Here was a Tribe of Israel without a spirituall guide The withdrawing of due meanes is the way to the vtter desolution of the Church Rare offrings make cold Altars There needed small force to draw this Leuite to change his charge Hold thy peace and come and be our father and Priest Whether is it better c. Here is not patience but ioy He that was won with ten shekels may be lost with eleuen When maintenance and honour calls him hee goes vndriuen and rather steales himselfe away then is stolne The Leuite had to many gods to make conscience of pleasing one There is nothing more inconstant then a Leuite that seeks nothing but himselfe Thus the wilde fire of Idolatry which lay before couched in the priuate ball of Micha now flies furiously thorow all the Tribe of Dan who like to theeues that haue carried away plaguy clothes insensibly infected themselues and their posterity to death Heresie and superstition haue small beginnings dangerous proceedings pernicious conclusions This contagion is like a canker which at the first is scarce visible afterward it eates away the flesh and consumes the body CONTEMPLATIONS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE CONTAINING The Leuites Concubine The desolation of Beniamin Naomi and Ruth Boaz and Ruth Anna and Peninna Anna and Eli. Eli and his sonnes By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of Worcester AT LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE and NATHANIEL BVTTER Ann. Dom. 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR FVLKE GREVILL KNIGHT CHANCELOVR OF THE EXCHEQVER ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVY COVNCELLORS A MOST WISE LEARNED IVDICIOVS INGENVOVS CENCOR OF SCOLLERSHIP A WORTHY EXAMPLE OF BENEFACTORS TO LEARNING I. H. VVith his vnfained prayers for THE HAPPY SVCCESSE OF ALL HIS HONOVRABLE DESIGNEMENTS HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS MEANE PIECE OF HIS STVDIES CONTEMPLATIONS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE The Leuites Concubine THere is no complaint of a publikely disordered State where a Leuite is not at one end of it either as an agent or a patient In the Idolatrie of Micha and the Danites a Leuite was an actor In the violent vncleannesse of of Gibeah a Leuite suffers No Tribe shal sooner feele the want of gouernment then that of Leui. The law of God allowed the Leuite a wife humane conniuence a concubine neyther did the Iewish concubine differ from a wife but in some outward complements Both might challenge all the true essence of marriage so little was the difference that the father of the concubine is called the father in law to the Leuite Shee whom ill custom had of a wife made a concubine is now by her lust of a concubine made an harlot Her fornication together with the change of her bed hath changed her abode Perhaps her owne conscience thrust her out of doores perhaps the iust seuerity of her husband Dismission was too easie a penalty for that which God had sentenced with death She that had deserued to be abhorred of her husband seeks shelter frō her Father Why would her Father suffer his house to be defiled with an adultresse tho out of his own loynes Why did he not ra-say What Doost thou thinke to finde my house an harbor for thy sin Whiles thou wert a wife to thine husband thou wert a daughter to me Now thou art neyther Thou art not mine I gaue thee to thy husband Thou art not thy husbands thou hast betrayed his bed Thy filthinesse hath made thee thine owne and thine adulterers Goe seeke thine entertainement where thou hast lost thine honesty Thy lewdnesse hath brought a necessity of shame vpon thine abbettors How can I countenance thy person and abandon thy sinne I had rather be a iust man then a kinde Father Get thee home therefore to thy husband craue his forgiuenesse vpon thy knees redeeme his loue with thy modesty and obedience when his heart is once open to thee my doores shall not be shut In the meane time know I can be no Father to an harlot Indulgence of Parents is the refuge of vanity the bawd of wickednesse the bane of children How easily is that Theefe induced to steale that knowes his Receiuer When the lawlesnes of youth knowes where to finde pitty and toleration what mischiefe can it forbeare By how much better this Leuite was so much more iniurious was the Concubines sinne What husband would not haue said She is gone let shame and griefe goe with her I shall find one no lesse pleasing and more faithfull Or if it be not to much mercy in me to yeeld to a returne let her that hath offended seeke me What more direct way is there to a resolued loosenesse then to let her see I cannot want her The good nature of this Leuite cast off all these tearmes and now after foure months absence sends him to seeke for her that had runne away from her fidelity And now hee thinkes She sinned against me perhaps she hath repented perhaps shame and feare haue with-held her from returning perhaps she will be more loyall for her sinne If her importunity should win me halfe the thankes were lost but now my voluntary offer of fauour shall oblige her for euer Loue procures truer seruitude then necessity Mercy becomes well the heart of any man but most of a
from these intricate euils yet that the eye of diuine Prouidence had discryed it long before and that though no humane power could make way for his safetie yet that the ouer-ruling hand of his God could doe it with ease His experience had assured him of the fidelity of his Guardian in Heauen and therefore he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God In vaine is comfort expected from God if we consult not with him Abiethâ—r the Priest is called for Dauid was not in the Court of Achish without the Priest by his side nor the Priest without the Ephod Had these beene left behind in Ziklag they had beene miscaried with the rest and Dauid had now beene hopelesse How well it succeeds to the Great when they take God with them in his Ministers in his Ordinances As contrarily when these are laid by as superfluous there can bee nothing but vncertainety of successe or certainety of mischeife The presence of the Priest and Ephod would haue little auailed him without their vse by them hee askes counsell of the Lord in these straits The mouth and eares of God which were shut vnto Saul are open vnto Dauid no sooner can hee aske than hee receiues answere and the answere that hee receiues is full of courage and comfort Follow for thou shalt surely ouertake them and recouer all That God of truth neuer disappointed any mans trust Dauid now finds that the eye which waited vpon God was not sent away weeping Dauid therefore and his men are now vpon their march after the Amalekites It is no lingring when God bids vs goe They which had promised rest to their weary limbes after their returne from Achish in their harbour of Ziâ—lag are glad to forget their hopes and to put their stiffe ioynts vnto a new taske of motion It is no maruell if two hundred of them were so ouer-tired with their former toile that they were not able to passe ouer the Riuer Besor Dauid was a true Type of Christ We follow him in these holy Warres against the spirituall Amalekites All of vs are not of an equall strength Some are carryed by the vigour of their faith through all difficulties Others after long pressure are ready to languish in the way Our Leader is not more strong than pittifull neither doth hee scornfully casheere those whose desires are heartie whiles their abilities are vnanswerable How much more should our charitie pardon the Infirmities of our brethren and allow them to fit by the stuffe who cannot endure the march The same Prouidence which appointed Dauid to follow the Amalekites had also ordered an Egyptian to bee cast behind them This cast Seruant whome his cruell Master had left to faintnesse and famine shall bee vsed as the meanes of the recouery of the Israelites losse and of the reuenge of the Amalekites Had not his Master neglected him all these Rouers of Amalek had gone away with their life and booty It is not safe to dispise the meanest vassall vpon earth There is a mercy and care due to the most despicable peece of all humanity wherein wee cannot bee wanting without the offence without the punishment of God Charitie distinguisheth an Israelite from an Amalekite Dauids followers are strangers to this Egyptian an Amalekite was his Master His Master leaues him to dye in the field of sicknesse and hunger these strangers releeued him and ere they know whether they might by him receiue any light in their pursuit they refresh his dying spirits with Bread and Water with Figges and Raisins Neither can the hast of their way bee any hinderance to their compassion Hee hath no Israelitish bloud in him that is vtterly mercilesse Perhaps yet Dauids followers might also in the hope of some intelligence shew kindnesse to this forlorne Egyptian Worldly wisdome teacheth vs to sowe small courtesies where wee may reape large Haruests of recompence No sooner are his spirits recalled than hee requites his food with information I cannot blame the Egyptian that hee was so easily induced to discry these vnkinde Amalekites to mercifull Israelites those that gaue him ouer vnto death to the restorers of his life much lesse that ere hee would descry them he requires an oath of security from so bad a Master Well doth he match death with such a seruitude Wonderfull is the prouidence of God euen ouer those which are not in the neerest bonds his owne Three dayes and three nights had this poore Egyptian Slaue lyen sicke and hunger-starued in the fields and lookes for nothing but death when God sends him succour from the hands of those Israelites whom hee had helped to spoyle though not so much for his sake as for Israels is this heathenish Straglet 〈◊〉 It pleases God to extend his common fauours to all his creatures but in miraculous preseruations hee hath still wont to haue respect to his owne By this meanes therefore are the Israelites brought to the sight of their late spoylers whom they find scattered abroad vpon all the earth eating and drinking and dancing in triumph for the great prey they had taken It was three dayes at least since this gainfull forraging of Amalek and now seeing no feare of any pursuer and promising themselues safetie in so great and vpâ—â—aded a distance they make themselues merry with so rich and easie a victory and now suddenly when they began to thinke of enioying the beautie and wealth they had gotten the sword of Dauid was vpon their throates Destruction is neuer neerer than when securitie hath chased away feare With how sad faces and hearts had the Wiues of Dauid and the other Captiues of Israel looked vpon the triumphall Reuels of Amalek and what a change doe wee thinke appeared in them when they saw their happie and valiant Rescuers flying in vpon their insolent Victors and making the death of the Amalekites the ransome of their captiuitie They mourned euen now at the dances of Amalek now in the shriekes and death of Amalek they shout and reioyce The mercy of our God forgets not to enterchange our sorrowes with ioy and the ioy of the wicked with sorrow The Amalekites haue paid a deare lone for the goods of Israel which they now restore with their owne liues and now their spoyle hath made Dauid richer than hee expected that booty which they had swept from al other parts accrewed to him Those Israelites that could not goe on to fight for their share are comne to meet their brethren with gratulation How partiall are wee wont to bee vnto our owne causes Euen very Israelites will bee ready to fall out for matter of profit where selfe-loue hath bred a quarrell euery man is subiect to flatter his owne case It seemed plausible and but iust to the actors in this rescue that those which had taken no part in the paine and hazard of the iourney should receiue no part of the commoditie It was fauour enough for them to recouer their wiues and children though they shared not in
worst be spared is happiest 40 It was a fit comparison of worldly cares to thornes for as they choke the Word so they pricke our soules Neither the Word can grow vp amongst them nor the heart can rest vpon them Neither body nor soule can finde ease while they are within or close to vs. Spirituall cares are as sharp but more profitable they paine vs but leaue the soule better They breake our sleepe but for a sweeter rest we are not well but either while we haue them or after we haue had them It is as impossible to haue spirituall health without these as to haue bodily strength with the other 41 In temporall good things it is best to liue in doubt not making full account of that which wee hold in so weake a tenure In spirituall with confidence not fearing that which is warranted to vs by an infallible promise and sure earnest He liues more contentedly that is most secure for this world most resolute for the other 42 God hath in nature giuen euery man inclinations to some one particular calling which if he follow he excels if he crosse hee proues a non-proficient and changeable but all mens natures are equally indisposed to grace and to the common vocation of Christianity we are all borne Heathens To doe well Nature must in the first be obserued and followed in the other crossed and ouercome 43 Good-man is a title giuen to the lowest whereas all Titles of Greatnesse Worship Honor are obserued and attributed with choice The speech of the World bewraies their minde and shewes the common estimation of goodnesse compared with other qualities The World therefore is an ill Herald and vnskilfull in the true stiles It were happie that Goodnesse were so common and pitty that it either should not stand with Greatnesse or not be preferred to it 44 Amongst all actions Satan is euer busiest in the best and most in the best part of the best as in the end of Praier when the heart should cloze vp it selfe with most comfort He neuer feares vs but when we are well emploied and the more likelihood he sees of our profit the more is his enuy and labour to distract vs. We should loue our selues as much as he hates vs and therefore striue so much the more towards our good as his malice striueth to interrupt it We doe nothing if we contend not when we are resisted The good soule is euer in contradiction denying what is granted and contending for that which is denied suspecting when it is gaine-said and fearing libertie 45 God fore-warnes ere he try because he would be preuented Satan steales vpon vs suddenly by temptations because he would foile vs. If we relent not vpon Gods premonition and meet not the lingring pase of his punishments to fore-stall them he punisheth more by how much his warning was more euident and more large Gods trials must be met when they come Satans must be seene before they come and if we be not armed ere we be assaulted we shall be foiled ere we can be armed 46 It is not good to be continuall in denunciation of iudgement The noise to which we are accustomed though lowd wakes vs not whereas a lesse if vnusuall stirreth vs. The next way to make threatnings contemned is to make them common It is a profitable rod that strikes sparingly and frights somewhat oftner than it smiteth 47 Want of vse causeth disabilitie and custome perfection Those that haue not vsed to pray in their Closet cannot pray in publike but coldly and in forme He that discontinues meditation shall be long in recouering whereas the man inured to these exercises who is not dressed till he haue praied nor hath supped till hee haue meditated doth both these well and with ease He that intermits good duties incurres a double losse of the blessing that followeth good of the facultie of doing it 48 Christianity is both an easie yoke and an hard hard to take vp easie to beare when once taken The heart requires much labour ere it can be induced to stoope vnder it and findes as much contentment when it hath stooped The worldling thinkes Religion seruilitie but the Christian knowes whose slaue he was till hee entred into this seruice and that no bondage can be so euill as freedome from these bonds 49 It is a wonder how full of shifts Nature is ready to turne ouer all good purposes If we thinke of death she suggests secretly Tush it shall not come yet If of iudgement for sinne This concernes not thee it shall not come at all If of heauen and our labour to reach it Trouble not thy selfe it will come soone enough alone Addresse thy selfe to pray It is yet vnseasonable stay for a better opportunitie To giue almes Thou knowest not thy owne future wants To reproue What needst thou thrust thy selfe into wilfull hatred Euery good action hath his let He can neuer be good that is not resolute 50 All Arts are Maids to Diuinitie therefore they both vaile to her and doe her seruice and she like a graue Mistresse controlles them at pleasure Naturall Philosophy teacheth that of nothing can bee nothing made and that from the priuation to the habit is no returne Diuinitie takes her vp for these and vpon supernaturall principles teaches her a Creation a Resurrection Philosophy teaches vs to follow sense as an infallible guide Diuinitie tels her that Faith is of things not seene Logick teaches vs first to discourse then to resolue Diuinitie to assent without arguing Ciuill Law teacheth that long custome prescribeth Diuinitie that old things are passed Morall Philosophy that tallying of iniuries is iustice Diuinitie that good must be returned for ill Policy that better is a mischiefe than an inconuenience Diuinitie that we may not doe euill that good may ensue The Schoole is well ordred while Diuinitie keepes the Chaire but if any other skill vsurpe it and checke their Mistresse there can follow nothing but confusion and Atheisme 51 Much difference is to be made betwixt a reuolter and a man trained vp in error A Iew and an Arrian both deny Christs Deity yet this opinion is not in both punisht with bodily death Yea a reuolt to a lesse error is more punishable than education in a capitall Heresie Errors of iudgement though lesse regarded than errors of practice yet are more pernicious but none so deadly as theirs that once were in the truth If truth be not sued to it is dangerous but if forsaken desperate 52 It is an ill argument of a good action not well done when we are glad that it is done To be affected with the comfort of the conscience of well performing it is good but meerely to reioyce that the act is ouer is carnall He neuer can begin cheerefully that is glad he hath ended 53 He that doth not secret seruice to God with some delight doth but counterfeit in publique The truth of any act or passion is then best tried when it
his sister did it He doth not say I sought not her shame shee sought mine if God haue reuenged it I haue no reason to looke on her as a sister who lookt at mee as an aduersary But as if her ieprosie were his he cryes out for her cure O admirable meekenesse of Moses His people the Iewes rebelled against him God profers reuenge He would rather dye then they should perish His sister rebelled against him God workes his reuenge Hee will not giue God peace till shee bee recured Behold a worthy and noble patterne for vs to follow How farre are they from this disposition who are not onely content God should reuenge but are ready to preuent Gods reuenge with their owne Gods Loue to Moses suffers him not to obtaine presently his sute for Miriam his good nature to his sister made him pray against himselfe If the iudgement had been at once inflicted and remoued there had been no example of terrour for others God either denyes or defers the grant of our requests for our good It were wide for vs if our suites should be euer heard It was fit for all parts Miriam should continue somewhile leprous There is no policy in a sudden remouall of iust punishment vnlesse the raine so fall that it lye and soke into the earth it profits nothing If the Iudgements of God should be onely as passengers and not soiourners at least they would be no whit regarded Of the Searchers of Canaan I Can but wonder at the counsell of God If the Israelites had gone on to Canaan without inquiry their confidence had possessed it now they send to espy the Land sixe hundred thousand of them neuer liued to see it And yet I see God enioyning them to send but enioyning it vpon their instance Some things God allowes in iudgement their importunity and distrust extorted from God this occasion of their ouerthrow That which the Lord moues vnto prospers but that which we moue him to first seldome succeedeth What needed they doubt of the goodnesse of that Land which God told them did flow with milke and honey What needed they doubt of obtaining that which God promised to giue When wee will send forth our senses to bee our scouts in the mattes of faith and rather dare trust men then God wee are worthy to be deceiued The basest sort of men are commonly held fit enough for intelligencers but Moses to make sure worke chooseth forth the best of Israel such as were like to be most iudicious in their inquiry and most credible in their report Those that ruled Israel at home could best descry for them abroad What should direct the body but the head Men can iudge but by appearance It is for him onely that sees the euent ere hee appoint the meanes not to bee deceiued It had beene better for Israel to haue sent the off all of the multitude By how lesse the credit of their persons is by so much lesse is the danger of seducement The error of the mighty is armed with authority and in a sort commands assent whether in good or euill Greatnesse hath euer a traine to follow it at the heeles Forty dayes they spent in this search and this cowardly vnbeliefe in the search shall cost them forty yeares delay of the fruition Who can abide to see the Rulers of Israel so basely timorous They commend the Land the fruit commends it selfe and yet they plead difficulty We be not able to goe vp Their shoulders are laden with the grapes and yet their hearts are ouerlaid with vnbeliefe It is an vnworthy thing to plead hardnesse of atchieuing where the benefit will more then require the indeauor Our Land of Promise is aboue we know the fruit thereof is sweet and glorious the passage difficult The gyantly sons of Anak the powers of darknesse stand in our way If we sit downe and complaine we shall once know that without shall be the fearfull See the idle pleas of distrust We are not able They are stronger Could not God inable them Was he not stronger then their Giants Had he not promised to displace the Canaanites to settle them in their stead How much more easie is it for vs to spy their weaknes then for them to espy the strength of their aduersaries When we measure our spirituall successe by our owne power we are vanquished before we fight He that would ouercome must neither looke vpon his owne arme nor the arme of his enemy but the mouth and hand of him that hath promised and can performe Who are we flesh and blood with our breath in our nostrils that we should fight with Principalities powers spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places The match is too vnequall we are not like Grashoppers to these Giants when we compare our selues with them how can we but dispaire when we compare them with God how can we be discouraged He that hath brought vs into this field hath promised vs victory God knew their strength ere he offered to commit vs. Well might they haue thought Were not the Amalekites stronger then we Were not they armed wee naked Did not the onely hand of Moses by lifting vp beat them downe Were not the AEgyptians no lesse our masters Did not Death come running after vs in their Chariots Did wee not leaue these buried in the Sea the other vnburied in the Wildernesse Whence had the Anakims their strength but from him that bids vs goe vp against them Why haue the bodies of our forefathers taken possession of their Hebron but for vs But now their feare hath not left them so much reason as to compare their aduersaries with others but onely with themselues Doubtlesse these Gyants were mighty but their feare hath stretched them out some Cubits beyond their stature Distrust makes our dangers greater and our helpes lesse then they are and forecasts euer worse then shall bee and if euils be possible it makes them certaine Amongst those twelue Messengers whom our second Moses sent thorow the Land of Promise there was but one Iudas But amongst those twelue which the former Moses addressed thorow the same Land there is but one Caleb and yet those were chosen out of the meanest these out of the heads of Israel As there is no society free from some corruption so is it hard if in a community of men there bee not some faithfulnesse Wee shall wrong God if we feare left good causes shall bee quite forsaken Hee knowes how to serue himselfe of the best if the fewest And could as easily bee attended with a multitude if hee did not seeke his owne glory in vnlikelihoods Ioshua was silent and wisely spared his tongue for a further aduantage Only Caleb spake I doe not heare him say Who am I to striue with a multitude What can Ioshua and I doe against ten Rulers It is better to fit still then to rise and fall But he resolues to swimme against this streame and will either draw friends to the truth or
enemies vpon himselfe True Christian fortitude teaches vs not to regard the number or quality of the opponents but the equity of the cause and cares not to stand alone and challenge all commers and if it could be opposed by as many worlds as men it may be ouerborn but it cannot be daunted Whereas popularity caries weake minds and teaches them the safety of erring with a multitude Caleb saw the giantly Anakims and the walled Cities as well as the rest and yet he sayes Let vs go vp and possesse it As if it were no more but to go and see and conquer Faith is couragious makes nothing of those dangers wherwith others are quailed It is very materiall with what eyes we looke vpon all obiects Feare doth not more multiply euils then faith diminisheth them which is therefore bold because either it sees not or contemnes that terror which feare represents to the weake There is none so valiant as the beleeuer It had beene happy for Israel if Calebs counsell had beene as effectuall as good But how easily haue these Rulers discouraged a faint-hearted people In stead of lifting vp their ensignes and marching towards Canaan they sit them downe and lift vp their voice and cry The rods of their AEgyptian Task-masters had neuer beene so fit for them as now for crying They had cause indeed to weepe for the sinne of their infidelity but now they weepe for feare of those enemies they saw not I feare if there had beene ten Calebs to perswade and but two faint spies to discourage them those two cowards would haue preuailed against those tenne sollicitors How much more now ten oppose and but two incourage An easie Rhetoricke drawes vs to the worse part yea it is hard not to run downe the hill The faction of Euill is so much stronger in our nature then that of Good that euery least motion preuailes for the one scarce any sure for the other Now is Moses in danger of losing all the cost and care that euer he bestowed vpon Israel His people are already gone backe to AEgypt in their hearts and their bodies are returning Oh ye rebellious Hebrewes where shall God haue you at last Did euer Moses promise to bring you to a fruitfull Land without Inhabitants To giue you a rich Country without resistance Are not the graues of Canaan as good as those of Aegypt What can ye but dye at the hands of the Anakims Can ye hope for lesse from the Aegyptians What madnesse is this to wish to dye for feare of death Is there lesse hope from your enemies that shall be when ye goe vnder strong and expert Leaders then from the enemies that were when yee shall returne masterlesse Can those cruell Egyptians so soone haue forgotten the blood of their fathers children brothers husbands which perished in pursuing you Had yee rather trust the mercy of knowne enemies then the promise of a faithfull God Which way will ye returne Who shall diuide the Sea for you Who shall fetch you water out of the Rocke Or can ye hope that the Manna of God will follow you while yee runne from him Feeble minds when they meet with crosses they lookt not for repent of their good beginnings and wish any difficulty rather then that they finde How many haue pulled backe their foot from the narrow way for the troubles of a good profession It had been time for the Israelites to haue falne downe on their faces before Moses and Aaron and to haue said Ye led vs thorow the Sea make way for vs into Canaan Those Giants are strong but not so strong as the Rocke of Rephidim ye stroke that and it yeelded If they be tall the Pillar of God is higher then they when we looke on our selues we see cause of fear but when we consider the miraculous power of you our leaders we cannot but contemne those men of measures Leaue vs not therfore but go before vs in your directiōs go to God for vs in your praiers But now contrarily Moses and Aaron fall on their faces to them and sue to them that they would be content to be conducted Had they beene suffered to depart they had perished Moses and his few had beene victorious And yet as if he could not be happy without them be falls on his face to them that they would stay We haue neuer so much need to bee importuned as in those things whose benefit should make vs most importunate The sweetnesse of Gods Law and our promised glory is such as should draw all hearts after it And yet if we did not sue to men as for life that they would bee reconciled to God and be saued I doubt whether they would obtaine yea it were well if our sute were sufficient to preuaile Though Moses and Aaron intreat vpon their faces and Ioshua and Caleb perswade and rend their garments yet they moue nothing The obstinate multitude growne more violent with opposing is ready to returne them stones for their prayers Such hath been euer the thankes of fidelity and truth Crossed wickednesse proues desperate and in stead of yeelding seekes for reuenge Nothing is so hatefull to a resolute sinner as good counsell We are become enemies to the world because we tell them truth That God which was inuisibly present whiles they sinned when they haue sinned shewes himselfe glorious They might haue seene him before that they should not sinne Now they cannot choose but see him in the height of their sinne They saw before the Pillar of his ordinary presence now they see him vnusually terrible that they may with shame and horror confesse him able to defend able to reuenge The helpe of God vses to shew it selfe in extremitie He that can preuent euils conceales his aide till danger be ripe And then he is fearfull as before he seemed conniuent Of CORAH'S Conspiracie THe teares of Israel were scarce drie since the smart of their last mutiny and now they begin another The multitude is like a raging Sea full of vnquiet billowes of discontentment whereof one rises in the fall of another They saw God did but threaten and therefore are they bold to sinne It was now high time they should know what it is for God to bee angry There was neuer such a reuenge taken of Israel neuer any better deserued When lesser warnings will not serue God lookes into his Quiuer for deadly arrowes In the meane time what a weary life did Moses lead in these continuall successions of conspiracies What did hee gaine by his troublesome gouernment but danger and despight Who but he would not haue wisht himselfe rather with the sheepe of Iethro then with these wolues of Israel But as he durst not quit his hooke without the calling of God so now he dare not his Scepter except he be dismissed by him that called him no troubles no oppositions can driue him from his place we are too weake if we suffer men to chase vs from that
imployed it that it hath stolne away their hearts from God and yet while it is molten into an image they thinke it dedicated to the Lord. If Religion might be iudged according to the intention there should scarce be any Idolatry in the world This woman loued her siluer enough and if she had not thought this costly piety worth thanks she knew which way to haue imployed her stocke to aduantage Euen euill actions haue oft-times good meanings and those good meanings are answered with euill recompences Many a one bestowes their cost their labour their blood and receiues torment in stead of thanks Behold a superstitious sonne of a superstitious mother She makes a god and hee harbours it yea as the streame is commonly broader then the head he exceeds his mother in euill He hath an house of gods an Ephod Teraphin and that he might bee complete in his deuotion he makes his sonne his Priest and feoffes that sinne vpon his sonne which he receiued from his mother Those sinnes which nature conuayes not to vs we haue by imitation Euery action and gesture of the Parents is an example to the childe and the mother as she is more tender ouer her sonne so by the power of a reciprocall loue she can worke most vpon his inclination Whence it is that in the history of the Israelitish Kings the mothers name is commonly noted and as ciuilly so also morally The birth followes the belly Those sonnes may blesse their second birth that are deliuered from the sinnes of their education Who cannot but thinke how far Micha ouer-lookt all his fellow Israelites and thought them profane and godlesse in comparison of himselfe How did he secretly clap himselfe on the brest as the man whose happynesse it was to ingrosse Religion from all the Tribes of Israel and little can imagine that the further he runs the more out of the way Can an Israelite be thus paganish O Micha how hath superstition bewitched thee that thou canst not see rebellion in euery of these actions yea in euery circumstance rebellion What more gods then one An house of gods beside Gods house An Image of siluer to the inuincible God An Ephod and no Priest A Priest besides the family of Leui A Priest of thine owne begetting of thine owne consecration What monsters doth mans imagination produce when it is forsaken of God It is well seen there is no King in Israel If God had been their King his lawes had ruled them Moses or Ioshua had beene their King their sword had awed them If any other the courses of Israel could not haue beene so headlesse We are beholden to gouernment for order for peace for religion Where there is no King eueryone will be a King yea a God to himselfe Wee are worthy of nothing but confusion if wee blesse not God for authority It is no maruell if Leuites wandred for maintenance while there was no King in Israel The tithes offerings were their due if these had bin paid none of the holy Tribe needed to shift his station Euen where Royall power seconds the claime of the Leuite the iniustice of men shortnes his right What should become of the Leuites if there were no King And what of the Church if no Leuits No King therefore no Church How could the impotent childe liue without a Nurse Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queenes thy nurses saith God Nothing more argues the disorder of any Church or the decay of Religion then the forced stragling of the Leuites There is hope of growth when Micha rides to seeke a Leuite but when the Leuite comes to seeke a seruice of Micha it is a signe of gasping deuotion Micha was no obscure man all Mount Ephraim could not but take notice of his domesticall gods This Leuite could not but heare of his disposition of his mis-deuotion yet want of maintenance no lesse then conscience drawes him on to the danger of Idolatrous patronage Holinesse is not tyed to any profession Happy were it for the Church if the Clergy could be a priuiledge from lewdnes When need meets with vnconscionablenes all conditions are easily swallowed of vnlawfull entrances of wicked executions Ten shekels and a sute of apparell and his diet are good wages for a needy Leuite He that could bestow 11000. shekels vpon his puppets can afford but ten to his Priest so hath he at once a rich Idoll and a beggerly Priest Whosoeuer affects to serue God good cheape shewes that he makes God but a stale to Mammon Yet was Micha a kinde Patron though not liberall He cals the young Leuite his father and vses him as his sonne and what he wants in meanes supplies in affection It were happy if Christians could imitate the loue of Idolaters towards thē which serue at the Altar Micha made a shift with the Priesthood of his owne sonne yet that his heart checkes him in it appeares both by the change and his contentment in the change Now I know that the Lord will be good to me seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest Therefore whiles his Priest was no Leuite hee sees there was cause why God should not bee good to him If the Leuite had not comne to offer his seruice Michaes sonne had been a lawfull Priest Many times thy conscience runnes away smoothly with an vnwarrantable action and rests it self vpon those grounds which afterward it sees cause to condemne It is a sure way therefore to informe our selues throughly ere we settle our choice that we be not driuen to reuerse our acts with late shame and vnprofitable repentance Now did Micha begin to see some little glimpse of his owne errour He saw his Priesthood faulty he saw not the faults of his Ephod of his Images of his gods and yet as if he thought all had been well when he had amended one he sayes Now I know the Lord will be good to me The carnall heart pleases it selfe with an outward formality and so delights to flatter it selfe as that it thinkes if one circumstance be right nothing can be amisse Israel was at this time extremely corrupted yet the spies of the Danites had taken notice euen of this young Leuite and are glad to make vse of his Priesthood If they had but gone vp to Shilo they might haue cōsulted with the Arke of God but worldly minds are not curious in their holy seruices If they haue a god an Ephod a Priest it suffices them They had rather enioy a false worship with ease then to take paines for the true Those that are curious in their diet in their purchases in their attire in their contracts yet in Gods businesses are very indifferent The author of lies sometime speakes truth for an aduantage and from his mouth this flattering Leuite speaks what he knew would please not what he knew would fall out The euent answers his prediction and now the spies magnifie him to their fellowes Michaes Idoll is a god and the Leuite