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
Christian attention As the first house which was materiall was a figure of the second which is spirituall so the glory of that materiall was a figure of the glory of this spirituall Now because all the life and glory of the spirituall stands in Christ the Messias the Prophet lookes through the type of the materiall at him which shall beautifie yea glorifie the spirituall of whose exhibition the Prophet speakes Adhuc modicum yet a little while and I will shake the Heauens This Modicum was but some 500. and odde yeeres much to men but a modicum to the Ancient of dayes with whom 1000. yeres are but one day It is in and by him that this latter house vnder the Gospell shall in glory surpasse that first vnder the Law The Prophets had spoken gloriously of the Temple that should be and now lest when the people should see the homely and cottage-like reedification of Zerubbabel they should bee dis-heartned and offended the Prophet desires to draw their eyes from the stone and timber to the spirituall inside of the Euangelicall Church shewing the glory of this latter House to exceed the former Some grosse Interpreters haue lookt with Iewish eyes vpon the outward fabricke which was threefold Salomons Zorobabels Herods Salomons sumptuous and magnificent Zorobabels meane and homely Herods rich and maiesticall immodico sumptu incredibili splendore as one sayes Salomons was before defaced Now because Zorobabels was so farre from making his Word good that the people wept when they saw the difference which Caluin well obserues was not without a speciall prouidence of the alwise God else the Iewes would so haue fixed their eyes vpon the outward splendor that they would neuer haue looked for the spirituall and inward Grace of the House of God therefore they haue taken it of Herods temple the wals and lining whereof were indeed answerable to this Prophesie more glorious But this conceit as it is too carnall so is quite dissonant from the context both in regard of the precedents and subsequents Of the precedents For how did the desire of all nations come to that Pile of Herods Of the subsequents For what peace was vnder the Herodian Temple First the builder of it was the chiefe oppressor of the Iewish liberty and then secondly it gaue occasion to the perpetuall misery of that people Pilate would expilate the Treasures of it for aquae ductae which denied cost the Iewes much bloud Vnder Claudius twenty thousand slaine in a Feast of vnleauened bread Ionathas the Priest slaine by theeues suborned by Foelix in the very Temple and euer after it was the harbour and spoile of Villaines What hils of Carcasses What streames of bloud was in 't at the last vastation Enough to amaze any Reader so as in that 79. yeeres wherein it stood longer it did not it was no better than a stage of Tragedies a shambles of crueltie Of that therefore God could not say Dabo pacem it was Templum adulterinum as one cals it iustly and had neither command nor promise It was the Spirituall Temple the Euangelicall Church whose glory shall be greater than the Iewish which shall bee blessed with the desire of the Nations with the assurance of Peace But why then doth the holy Ghost speake of Gold and Siluer the costly materials of an outward structure Euen these very metals are figuratiue not that God cares so much for them but because we doe because our eyes vse to bee dazled with this best parcell of Earth therefore when hee would describe a glorious Church hee borrowes the resemblance of Gold Siluer precious Stones Esay 60. and euen by these doth he set forth his new and Heauenly Ierusalem Reuelat. 21. Wherein then is the glory of Gods Euangelicall House greater than of the Legall Yea wherein is it not greater Whether ye looke to the efficient the matter the duration the extent the seruice The efficient that was built by man tho directed by God In this God himselfe is the Architect not onely giuing the modell but the frame The matter whether of structure or ornament The structure of the one was of stone and wood of the other is of liuing stones The ornament of the one was Gold and Siluer of the other diuine Graces of Faith Charity Hope Sanctity Truth Piety and all other vertues to which Gold it selfe were but trash The duration of the one euen that longst-liued Temple of Salomon though called Beth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domus seculi was but 430. yeeres Of the other beyond time to eternitie The extent of the one to be measured by a few poles yea though ye take in the Courts and all by a few Acres Of the other vniuersall so far as the King of Heauen hath any Land The seruice in the one performed by a few men mortall sinfull the bloud of beasts shed vpon the Altar In the other performed by our eternall High-Priest after that higher order of Melchisedech offring vp his owne most precious bloud for our redemption In that Christ Iesus was obscurely figured In this really exhibited borne liuing dying rising ascending preached beleeued liued Euery way therefore both in efficient matter duration extent seruice Maior gloria Let no man tell me now of that iust wonder of the world the Iewish Temple white Marble without lined with Gold within Brazen pillars Golden vessels costly vayles an High-Priesthood set forth with precious Stones rich Robes exquisite Perfumes curious Musicke and what-euer that ancient goodly institution had rare and admirable I say the clay of the Gospell is more worth than the Marble of the Law Euangelicall Brasse more worth than legall Gold the ragges of the Euangelicall Priesthood more excellent than the robes of the Leuiticall In short the best of the Law is not comparable to the basest of the Gospell Iohn Baptist was the Ianus of both Testaments he was to the Churches as Noah was to the Worlds he saw both the first and the latter It is a great word that our Sauiour saith of him that amongst those which were borne or rather as ours reade it better begotten of women there did not a greater than he arise but it is a greater word that he speakes of the Children of the new Testament that the least in the Kingdome of Heauen is greater than he I stand not vpon examining the comparison whether it be ratione sanctitatis or officij it makes either way for my purpose therefore was Iohn so great because he was the last of the law and the first of the Gospell and the old rule is minimum maximi maius est maximo minimi The least of the greatest is more than the greatest of the least Gospell of the Kingdome therefore is the least in this Kingdome of Grace greater than hee because he is all what Iohn was halfe wholly vnder that Euangelium Regni which is able to aduance him to a greater perfection than that Harbinger of Christ What a fauour then is
only Thrice doth hee stretch himselfe vpon the dead body as if he could wish to infuse of his owne life into the childe and so often cals to his God for the restitution of that soule What can Elijah aske to be denyed The Lord heard the voice of his Prophet the soule of the child came into him againe and he reuiued What miracle is impossible to faithfull prayers There cannot bee more difference betwixt Elijahs deuotion and ours then betwixt supernaturall and ordinary acts If he therefore obtained miraculous fauours by his prayers do we doubt of those which are within the sphere of nature and vse What could we want if wee did not slacke to ply heauen with our prayers Certainly Elijah had not beene premonished of this sudden sicknesse and death of the child He who knew the remote affaires of the world might not know what God would doe within his owne roofe The greatest Prophet must content himselfe with so much of Gods counsell as he will please to reueale and he will sometimes reueale the greater secrets and conceale the lesse to make good both his owne liberty and mans humiliation So much more vnexpected as the stroke was so much more welcome is the cure How ioyfully doth the man of God take the reuiued child into his armes and present him to his mother How doth his heart leape within him at this proofe of Gods fauour to him mercy to the widow power to the childe What life and ioy did now show it selfe in the face of that amazed mother when she saw againe the eyes of her sonne fixed vpon hers when shee felt his flesh warme his motions vitall Now she can say to Elijah By this I know that thou art a man of God and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth Did she not til now know this Had she not said before What haue I to doe with thee O thou man of God Were not her cruse and her barrel sufficient proofes of his diuine commission Doubtlesse what her meale and oyle had assured her of the death of her sonne made her to doubt and now the reuiuing did re-ascertaine Euen the strongest faith sometimes sluggereth and needeth new acts of heauenly supportation the end of miracles is confirmation of truth It seemes had this widowes sonne continued dead her beleefe had beene buried in his graue notwithstanding her meale and her oile her soule had languished The mercy of God is faine to prouide new helpes for our infirmities and graciously condescends to our owne termes that hee may worke out our faith and saluation ELIJAH with the Baalites THree yeares and an halfe did Israel lie gasping vnder a patrhing drought and miserable famine No creature was so odious to them as Elijah to whom they ascribed all their misery Me thinkes I heare how they railed on and cursed the Prophet How much enuy must the seruants of God vndergoe for their masters Nothing but the tongue was Elijahs the hand was Gods the Prophet did but say what God would doe I doe not see them fall out with their sins that had deserued the iudgement but with the messenger that denounced it Baal had no fewer seruants then if there had beene both raine and plenty Elijah safely spends this storme vnder the lee of Sarepta Some three yeares hath he lien close in that obscure corner and liued vpon the barrell and cruse which he had multiplied At last God cals him forth Goe shew thy selfe to Ahab and I will send raine vpon the earth no raine must fall till Elijah were seen of Ahab Hee caried away the clouds with him he must bring them againe The King the people of Israel shall bee witnesses that God will make good the word the oath of his Prophet Should the raine haue falne in Elijahs absence who could haue knowne it was by his procurement God holds the credit of his messengers precious and neglects nothing that may grace them in the eyes of the world Not the necessity of seuen thousand religious Israelites could cracke the word of one Elijah There is nothing wherin God is more tender then in approuing the veracity of himselfe in his ministers Lewd Ahab hath an holy Steward As his name was so was hee a seruant of God whiles his Master was a slaue to Baal Hee that reserued seuen thousand in the Kingdome of Israel hath reserued an Obadiah in the Court of Israel and by him hath reserued them Neither is it likely there had been so many free hearts in the countrey if Religion had not beene secretly backed in the Court It is a great happinesse when God giues fauour and honour to the Vertuous Elijah did not lie more close in Sarepta then Obadiah did in the Court Hee could not haue done so much seruice to the Church if he had not beene as secret as good Policy and religion doe as well together as they doe ill asunder The Doue without the Serpent is easily caught the serpent without the Doue stings deadly Religion without policy is too simple to be safe Policy without religion is too subtile to be good Their match makes themselues secure and many happy Oh degenerated estate of Israel any thing was now lawfull there sauing piety It is well if Gods Prophets can find an hole to hide their heads in They must needes bee hard driuen when fifty of them are faine to croud together into one caue There they had both shade and repast Good Obadiah hazards his owne life to preserue theirs and spends himselfe in that extream dearth vpon their necessary diet Bread and water was more now then other whiles wine and delicates Whether shall we wonder more at the mercy of God in reseruing an hundred Prophets or in thus sustaining them being reserued When did God euer leaue his Israel vnfurnished of some Prophets When did he leaue his Prophets vnprouided of some Obadiah How worthy art thou O Lord to be trusted with thine owne charge whiles there are men vpon earth or birds in the aire or Angels in heauen thy messengers cannot want prouision Goodnesse caries away trust where it cannot haue imitation Ahab diuides with Obadiah the suruey of the whole land They two set their owne eyes on work for the search of water of pasture to preserue the horses and mules aliue Oh the poore and vaine cares of Ahab He casts to kill the Prophet to saue the cattle he neuer seekes to saue his owne soule to destroy Idolatry he takes thought for grasse none for mercy Carnall hearts are euer either groueling on the earth or delving into it no more regarding God or their soules then if they either were not or were worthlesse Elijah heares of the progresse and offers himselfe to the view of them both Here was wisdome in this courage First hee presents himselfe to Obadiah ere he will bee seene of Ahab that Ahab might vpon the report of so discreet an informer digest the expectation of his meeting Then he takes
those which fare better because they know it not Each man iudges of others conditions by his owne The worst sort would bee too much discontented if they saw how farre more pleasant the life of others is And if the better sort such we call those which are greater could looke downe to the infinite miseries of inferiours it would make them either miserable in compassion or proud in conceit It is good sometimes for the delicate rich man to looke into the poore mans Cupbord and seeing God in mercie giues him not to know their sorrow by experience to know it yet in speculation This shall teach him more thanks to God more mercie to men more contentment in himselfe 18 Such as a mans praier is for another it shall be in time of his extremitie for himselfe for though he loue himselfe more than others yet his apprehension of God is alike for both Such as his praier is in a former extremitie it shall be also in death this way we may haue experience euen of a thing future If God haue beene farre off from thee in a fit of thine ordinarie sicknesse feare lest he will not be neerer thee in thy last what differs that from this but in time Correct thy dulnesse vpon former proofes or else at last thy deuotion shall want life before thy body 19 Those that come to their meat as to a medicine as Augustine reports of himselfe liue in an austere and Christian temper and shall bee sure not to ioy too much in the creature nor to abuse themselues Those that come to their medicine as to meat shall be sure to liue miserably and die soone To come to meat if without a gluâ—â—onous appetite and palate is allowed to Christians To come to meat as to a sacrifice vnto the belly is a most base and brutish idolatrie 20 The worst that euer were euen Cain and Iudas haue had some Fautors that haue honoured them for Saints and the Serpent that beguiled our first Parents hath in that name had diuine honour and thanks Neuer any man trod so perillous and deepe steps but some haue followed and admired him Each master of Heresie hath found some clients euen hee that taught all mens opinions were true Againe no man hath beene so exquisite but some haue detracted from him euen in those qualities which haue seemed most worthy of wonder to others A man shall bee sure to be backed by some either in good or euil and by some shouldâ—â— in both It is good for a man not to stand vpon his Abâ—â—â—â—â—is but his quarrell and not to depend vpon others but himselfe 21 We see thousands of creatures die for our vse and neuer doe so much as pittie them why doe we thinke much to die once for God They are not ours so much as we are his nor our pleasure so much to vs as his glory to him their liues are lost to vs ours but changed to him 22 Much ornament is no good signe painting of the face argues an ill complexion of body a worse minde Truth hath a face both honest and comely and lookes best in her owne colours but aboue all Diuine Truth is most faire and most scorneth to borrow beautie of mans wit or tongue shee loueth to come forth in her natiue grace like a princely Matrone and counts it the greatest indignitie to bee dallied with as a wanton Strumpet she lookes to command reuerence not pleasure she would bee kneeled to not laughed at To pranke her vp in vaine dresses and fashions or to sport with her in a light and youthfull manner is most abhorring from her nature they know her not that giue her such entertainment and shall first know her angry when they doe know her Againe she would be plaine but not base not sluttish she would be clad not garishly yet not in ragges she likes as little to be set out by a base soile as to seeme credited with gay colours It is no small wisdome to know her iust guise but more to follow it and so to keepe the meane that while we please her we discontent not the beholders 23 In worldly carriage so much is a man made of as he takes vpon himselfe but such is Gods blessing vpon true humilitie that it still procureth reuerence I neuer saw Christian lesse honoured for a wise neglect of himselfe If our deiection proceed from the conscience of our want it is possible we should be as little esteemed of others as of our selues but if we haue true graces and prize them not at the highest others shall value both them in vs and vs for them and with vsury giue vs that honour we with-held modestly from our selues 24 He that takes his full libertie in what he may shall repent him how much more in what he should not I neuer read of Christian that repented him of too little worldly delight The surest course I haue still found in all earthly pleasures to rise with an appetite and to be satisfied with a little 25 There is a time when Kings goe not forth to warfare our spirituall warre admits no intermission it knowes no night no winter abides no peace no truce This calls vs not into garrison where we may haue ease and respit but into pitched fields continually we see our enemies in the face alwaies and are alwaies seene and assaulted euer resisting euer defending receiuing and returning blowes If either wee be negligent or weary we die what other hope is there while one fights and the other stands still We can neuer haue safetie and peace but in victory There must our resistance be couragious and constant where both yeelding is death and all treaties of peace mortall 26 Neutralitie in things good or euill is both odious and preiudiciall but in matters of an indifferent nature is safe and commendable Herein taking of parts maketh sides and breaketh vnitie In an vniust cause of separation he that fauoreth both parts may perhaps haue least loue of either side but hath most charitie in himselfe 27 Nothing is more absurd than that Epicurean resolution Let vs eat and drinke to morrow we shall die As if we were made onely for the paunch and liued that we might liue yet there was neuer any naturall man found sauour in that meat which he knew should be his last whereas they should say Let vs fast and pray to morrow we shall die for to what purpose is the bodie strengthned that it may perish Whose greater strength makes our death more violent No man bestowes a costly roofe on a ruinous tenement that mans end is easie and happy whom death findes with a weake bodie and a strong soule 28 Sometime euen things in themselues naturally good are to bee refused for those which being euill may be an occasion to a greater good Life is in it selfe good and death euill else Dauid Elias and many excellent Martyrs would not haue fled to hold life and auoid death nor Ezechiah haue praied
lies open to sight and were it not for discretion hee neuer thinkes ought whereof he would auoid a witnesse his word is his parchment and his yea his oath which hee will not violate for feare or for losse The mis-haps of following euents may cause him to blame his prouidence can neuer cause him to eat his promise neither saith he This I saw not but This I said When hee is made his friends Executor he defrayes debts payes legacies and scorneth to gaine by Orphans or to ransacke graues and therefore will be true to a dead friend because he sees him not All his dealings are square and aboue the boord he bewraies the fault of what he sells and restores the ouerseene gaine of a false reckoning He esteemes a bribe venomous though it come guilded ouer with the colour of gratuitie His cheekes are neuer stained with the blushes of recantation neither doth his tongue falter to make good a lie with the secret gloses of double or reserued senses and when his name is traduced his innocencie beares him out with courage then loe hee goes on the plaine way of truth and will either triumph in his integritie or suffer with it His conscience ouer-rules his prouidence so as in all things good or ill he respects the nature of the actions nor the sequell If he see what he must doe let God see what shall follow He neuer loadeth himselfe with burdens aboue his strength beyond his will and once bound what he can he will doe neither doth he will but what he can doe His eare is the Sanctuarie of his absent friends name of his present friends secret neither of them can mis-carry in his trust Hee remembers the wrongs of his youth and repaies them with that vsurie which he himselfe would not take Hee would rather want than borrow and begge than not to pay his faire conditions are without dissembling and he loues actions aboue words Finally he hates falshood worse than death he is a faithfull client of truth no mans enemie and it is a question Whether more another mans friend or his owne and if there were no heauen yet he would be vertuous Of the Faithfull man HIs eies haue no other obiects but absent and inuisible which they see so cleerly as that to them sense is blinde that which is present they see not if I may not rather say that what is past or future is present to them Herein he exceeds all others that to him nothing is impossible nothing difficult whether to beare or vndertake He walkes euery day with his Maker and talkes with him familiarly and liues euer in heauen and sees all earthly things beneath him when he goes in to conuerse with God he weares not his owne clothes but takes them still out of the rich Wardrobe of his Redeemer and then dare boldly prease in and challenge a blessing The celestiall spirits doe not scorne his company yea his seruice He deales in these worldly affaires as a stranger and hath his heart euer at home without a written warrant he dare doe nothing and with it any thing His warre is perpetuall without truce without intermission and his victorie certaine he meets with the infernall powers and tramples them vnder feet The shield that he euer beares before him can neither be missed nor pierced if his hand be wounded yet his heart is safe he is often tripped seldome foyled and if sometimes foyled neuer vanquished He hath white hands and a cleane soule fit to lodge God in all the roomes whereof are set apart for his Holinesse Iniquitie hath oft called at the doore and craued entertainment but with a repulse or if sinne of force will be his tenant his Lord hee cannot His faults are few and those hee hath God will not see Hee is allied so high that hee dare call God Father his Sauiour Brother heauen his patrimonie and thinkes it no presumption to trust to the attendance of Angels His vnderstanding is inlightened with the beames of diuine truth God hath acquainted him with his will and what he knowes hee dare confesse there is not more loue in his heart than libertie in his tongue If torments stand betwixt him and Christ if death he contemnes them and if his owne parents lie in his way to God his holy carelesnesse makes them his foot-steps His experiments haue drawne forth rules of confidence which he dares oppose against all the feares of distrust wherein he thinks it safe to charge God with what he hath done with what he hath promised Examples are his poofes and instances his demonstrations What hath God giuen which he cannot giue What haue others suffered which he may not bee enabled to endure Is hee threatened banishment There he sees the deare Euangelist in Pathmos Cutting in peeces he sees Esay vnder the saw Drowning he sees Ionas diuing into the liuing gulfe Burning he sees the three Children in the hot walke of the Furnace Deuouring he sees Daniel in the sealed denne amids his terrible companions Stoning hee sees the first Martyr vnder his heape of many graue-stones Heading loe there the Baptists necke bleeding in Herodias platter He emulates their paine their strength their glory He wearies not himselfe with cares for he knowes hee liues not of his owne cost not idlely omitting meanes but not vsing them with diffidence In the midst of ill rumors and amazements his countenance changeth not for he knowes both whom hee hath trusted and whither death can leade him He is not so sure he shall die as that he shall be restored and out-faceth his death with his resurrection Finally he is rich in workes busie in obedience cheerefull and vnmoued in expectation better with euils in common opinion miserable but in true iudgement more than a man Of the Humble-man HE is a friendly enemie to himselfe for though hee bee not out of his owne fauour no man sets so low a value of his worth as himselfe not out of ignorance or carelesnesse but of a voluntarie and meeke deiectednesse Hee admires euery thing in another whiles the same or better in himselfe hee thinkes not vnworthily contemned his eies are full of his owne wants and others perfections Hee loues rather to giue than take honour not in a fashion of complementall courtesie but in simplicitie of his iudgement neither doth hee fret at those on whom hee forceth precedencie as one that hoped their modestie would haue refused but holds his minde vnfainedly below his place and is ready to goe lower if need bee without discontent When he hath but his due he magnifieth courtesie and disclaimes his deserts He can be more ashamed of honour than grieued with contempt because hee thinkes that causelesse this deserued His face his cariage his habit fauour of lowlinesse without affectation and yet he is much vnder that he seemeth His words are few and soft neuer either peremptorie or censorious because hee thinkes both each man more wise and none more faultie than
Damosels without number This is to destroy Kings He shall finde more bitter than death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares Not riotously excessiue Pr. 31.4 whether in wine for It is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes strong drinke Ec. 9.7 What not at all To him alone is it not said Goe eat thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart who should eat or drinke or haste to outward things more than he Ec. 2.25 Pr. 31.5 Ec. 10.16 Pr. 23.2 Pr. 23.3 Not immoderatly so as he should drinke and forget the decree and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction Or in meat for Woe be to thee O Land when thy Princes eat in the morning and if he be not the master of his appetite his dainty meats will proue deceiueable Not hollow not double in speeches in profession Pr. 17.7 Ec. 10.16 The lip of excellency becomes not a foole much lesse lying talke a Prince Not childish Woe to thee O Land whose King is a childe not so much in age which hath sometimes proued successefull Pr. 23.16 but in condtion Not imprudent not oppressing two vices conioyned A Prince destitute of vnderstanding is also a great oppressor And to conclude in all or any of these Ec. 4.13 not wilfully inflexible A poore and wise childe is better than an old and foolish King that will no more be admonished §. 4. Affirmatiue what one he must be To others Iust Mercifull Slow to Anger Bountifull In himselfe Temperate Wise Valiant Secret Ec. 10.17 Pr. 11.1 COntrarily he must be Temperate Blessed art thou O Land when thy Princes eat in time for strength and not for drunkennesse Iust and righteous for false ballances especially in the hand of gouernment are an abomination to the Lord but a perfect weight pleaseth him Pr. 16.12 Pr. 14.34 Pr. 29.2 A vertue beneficiall both 1 to himselfe for the Throne is established by Iustice and 2. to the State Iustice exalteth a Nation than which nothing doth more binde and cheare the hearts of the people for When the righteous are in authority the people reioyce but when the wicked beares rule the people sigh and with truth and iustice Pr. 20.18 must mercy be ioyned inseparably for Mercy and truth preserue the King and his Throne shall be established also by mercy And all these must haue wisdome to menage them Pr. 8.16 Pr. 20.26 Pr. 28.16 Pr. 29.4 By it Princes rule and are terrible to the ill-deseruing A wise King scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them To all these must bee added bounty A Prince that hateth couetousnesse shall prolong his daies where contrarily A man of gifts destroyeth his country and yet further a conquest of his owne passions a princely victory Pr. 16.32 for He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty man and hee that ruleth his owne minde better than he that winneth a City because of all other The Kings wrath is like the roaring of a Lion Pr. 19.12 and what is that but the messenger of death and if it may be Pr. 30.29 Pr. 30.31 a conquest of all others through valour There are three things that order well their going yea foure are comely in going whereof the last and principall is A King against whom no man dares rise vp Pr. 25.3 Lastly secrecie in determinations The Heauen in height and earth in deepnesse and the Kings heart can no man no man should search out Pr. 21.1 neither should it be in any hands but the Lords who as he knowes it so he turnes it whithersoeuer it pleaseth him §. 5. His actions common speciall to his place To iudge righteously 1. according to the truth of the cause 2. according to the distresse of the party vnpartially remit mercifully Pr. 16.12 Pr. 16.7 HIs actions must suit his disposition which must bee vniuersally holy for It is an abomination to Kings of all other to commit wickednesse Which holinesse alone is the way to all peace When the waies of a man please the Lord he will make his enemies at peace with him Peculiarly to his place hee must first iudge his people Pr. 20.8 a King that sitteth in the Throne of iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eies Pr. 29.4 Pr. 16.10 and by this hee maintaines his country and while he doth sit there A diuine sentence must be in the lips of the King and his mouth may not transgresse in iudgement For Pr. 29.14 a King that iudgeth the poore in truth his Throne shall be established for euer Neither may his eare be partially open which disposition shall be sure to be fed with reports for Pr. 29.12 Of a Prince that harkneth to lies all his seruants are wicked nor his mouth shut especially in cases of distresse Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destruction Pr. 31.8 Pr. 31.9 open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore yet not with so much regard to the estate of persons as the truth of the cause Pr. 17.26 for Surely it is not good to condemne the iust in what euer condition nor that Princes should smite such for equity wherein he shall wisely search into all difficulties The glory of God is to passe by infirmities Pr. 25.1 but the Kings honour is to search out a thing yet so as he is not seldome mercifull in execution Deliuering them that are drawne to death Pr. 24.11 Ec. 8.9 and preseruing them that are drawne to be slaine These obserued it cannot be that man should rule ouer man to his hurt SALOMONS COVNSAILOR §. 6. Counsaile For the soule How giuen The necessity of it The qualitie wise righteous pleasant How receiued For the State AS where no soueraignty so where no counsell is the people fall and contrarily Pr. 11.14 Pr. 22.6 Pr 15.22 Pr. 29.18 Pr. 11.30 Ec. 22.9 where many Counsellors are there is health and more than health Stedfastnes Counsell for the soule Where no vision is the people perish which requires both holinesse and wisdome The fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise the more wise the Preacher is the more he teacheth the people knowledge and causeth them to heare and searcheth forth and prepareth many parables and not only an vpright writing and speaking euen the word of truth Ec. 12.10 but pleasant words also so that the sweetnesse of the lips increaseth doctrine and not more delightfull than effectuall for Pr. 16.21 The words of the wise are like goads and nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies that are giuen by one Pastor Ec. 12.11 which againe of euery hearer challenge due reuerence and regard who must take heed to his foot when he entreth into the House of God Ec. 4
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
the faith and worship of the true God Miracles must be iudged by the doctrine which they confirme not the doctrine by the miracles The Dreamer or Prophet must bee esteemed not by the euent of his wonder but by the substance scope of his teaching The Romanists argue preposterously while they would proue the truth of their Church by miracles wheras they shold proue their miracles by the truth To say nothing of the fashion of their cures that one is prescribed to come to our Lady rather on a Friday as * * * * * Pag. 7 Henry Loyez another to wash nine dayes in the water of MONTAGV as Leonard Stocqueau another to eat a peece of the Oake where the image stood as * * * * * Histoire miracle de nostre Dame Pag 73. Pag. 102. Magdaleine the widow of Bruxelles All which if they sauor not strong of magicall receits let the indifferent iudge Surely either there is no sorcery or this is it All shall be plaine if the doctrine confirmed by their miracles be once discussed for if that be diuine truth we doe vniustly impugne these workes as diabolicall if falshood they doe blasphemously proclaime them for diuine These works tend all chiefly to this double doctrine that the blessed Virgin is to be inuoked for her mediation That God and Saints are to be adored in and by images Positions that would require a volume and such as are liberally disputed by others whereof one is against Scripture the other which in these cases values no lesse besides it One deifies the Virgin the other a stocke or stone It matters not what subtle distinctions their learned Doctors make betwixt mediatioÌ„ of Redemption Examen Pacifique de la doctrine dos Huguenots O sauueresse sauue moy Manuel of French praiers printed at Liege by approbation and authority of Anton Ghenatt Inquisitor c. and Intercession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saint and the Image We know their common people whose deuotion enriches those shrines by confession of their owne Writers climbe the hill of Zichem with this conceit that Mary is their Sauioresse that the stocke is their Goddesse which vnlesse it be true how doe their wonders teach them lies and therefore how from God But to take the first at best for the second is so grosse that were not the second Commandement by Papists purposely razed out of their Primiers children and carters would condemne it it cannot bee denyed that all the substance of prayer is in the heart the vocall sound is but a complement and as an outward case wherein our thoughts are sheathed That power cannot know the praier which knowes not the heart either then the Virgin is God for that shee knowes the heart or to know the heart is not proper to God or to know the heart and so our prayers is falsely ascribed to the Virgin and therfore these wonders which teach men thus to honor her are Doctors of lies so not of God There cannot be any discourse wherein it is more easie to bee tedious To end If prayers were but in words and Saints did meddle with all particularities of earthly things yet blessed Mary should bee a God if shee could at once attend all her suters One sollicits her at Halle another at Scherpenheuuel another at Luca at our Walsingham another one in Europe another in Asia or perhaps another is one of her new Clients in America Ten thousand deuout Suppliants are at once prostrate before her seuerall shrines If she cannot heare all why pray they If she can what can God doe more Certainly as the matter is vsed there cannot be greater wrong offered to those heauenly spirits then by our importunate superstitions to be thrust into Gods Throne and to haue forced vpon them the honors of their Maker There is no contradiction in heauen a Saint cannot allow that an Angell forbids See thou doe it not was the voyce of an Angell if all the miraculous blockes in the world shall speake contrary wee know whom to beleeue The old rule was * * * * * Let no man worship the Virgin Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either that rule is deuillish or this practice And if this practice bee ill God deliuer mee from the immediate author of these miracles Change but one Idoll for another and what differ the wonders of Apollos Temples from those of these Chappels We reuerence as we ought the memory of that holy and happy Virgin We hate those that dishonour her we hate those that deifie her Cursed be all honour that is stolne from God This short satisfaction I giue in a long question such as I dare rest in and resolue that all popish miracles are either falsely reported or falsly done or falsely miraculous or falsely ascribed to heauen To Mr. WILLIAM BEDELL at Venice EP. VII Lamenting the death of our late Diuines and exciting to their imitation WE haue heard how full of trouble and danger the Alpes were to you and did at once both pity your difficulties and reioyce in your safety Since your departure from vs Reynolds is departed from the world Alas how many worthy Lights haue our eyes seene shining and extinguisht How many losses haue we liued to see the Church sustaine and lament of her children of her pillers our owne and forraine I speake not of those which being excellent would needs be obscure whom nothing but their owne secrecy depriued of the honour of our teares There are besides too many whom the world noted and admired euen since the time that our common mother acknowledged vs for her sonnes Our Fulke led the way that profound ready and resolute Doctor the hammer of hereticks The 〈◊〉 of Truth whom your younger times haue heard oft disputing acutely and powerfully Next him followed that honour of our Schooles and Angell of our Church learned Whitakers than whom our age saw nothing more memorable what clearnesse of iudgement what sweetnesse of style what grauity of person what grace of cariage was in that man Who euer saw him without reuerence or heard him without wonder Soone after left the world that famous and illuminate Doctor Francis Iunius the glory of Leiden the other hope of the Church the Oracle of Textuall and Schoole-Diuinity rich in languages subtle in distinguishing and in argument invincible and his companion in labours Lu. Trelcatius would needs be his companion in ioyes who had doubted our sorrow and losse but that he recompenced it with a sonne like himselfe Soone after self old reuerend Beza a long fixed starre in this firmament of the Church who after many excellent monuments of learning and fidelity liued to proue vpon his aduersaries that hee was not dead at their day Neyther may I without iniury omit that worthy payre of our late Diuines Greâ—nham and Perkins whereof the one excelled in experimentall diuinitie knew well how to stay a weake conscience how to raise a
the one hand a poore conscionable Christian drouping vnder the remorse for his sinne austerely checking his wanton appetite and curbing his rebellious desires wearing out his daies in a rough penitentiall seuerity cooling his infrequent pleasures with sighs and sawcing them with teares on the other hand ruffling Gallants made all of pleasure and Iouiall delights bathing themselues in a sea of all sensuall satieties denying their pampered nature nothing vnder heauen not wine in bowles not strange flesh and beastly dalliance not vnnaturall titillations not violent filthinesse that feast without feare and drinke without measure and sweare without feeling and liue without God their bodies are vigorous their coffers full their state prosperous their hearts cheerefull O how thou blessest such men Lo these thou saist these are the dearlings of heauen and earth Sic ô ficiuvat vinere Whiles those other sullen mopish creatures are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 off-scouring and recrements of the world Thou foole giue me thy hand let mee lead thee with Dauid into the sanctuary of God Now what seest thou The end the end of these men is not peace Surely ô God thou hast set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation how suddenly are they perished and horribly consumed Woe is mee they doe but dance a Galliard ouer the mouth of hell that seemes now couered ouer with the greene sods of pleasure The higher they leape the more desperate is their lighting Oh wofull wofull condition of those godlesse men yea those Epicurean Pockets whose belly is their God whose heauen is their pleasure whose cursed iollity is but a feeding vp to an eternall slaughter the day is comming wherein euery minute of their sinfull vnsatisfying ioyes shall be answered with a thousand thousand millions of yeeres frying in that vnquenchable fire And when those damned Ghosts shall forth of their incessant flames see the glorious remuneration of the penitent and pensiue soules which they haue despised they shall then gnash and yell out that late recantation Wee fooles thought their life madnesse and their end without honour now they are counted among the children of God and the portion is among the Saints our amongst Deuils Iudge not therefore according to appearance Should we iudge according to appearance all would be Gold that glistereth all drosse that glistereth not Hypocrites haue neuer shewed more faire than some Saints foule Saul weepes Ahab walkes softly Tobias and Sanballat will bee building Gods walles Herod heares Iohn gladly Balaam prophesies Christ Iudas preaches him Satan confesses him When euen an Abraham dissembles a Dauid clokes adultery with murder a Salomon giues at least a toleration to idolatry a Peter forsweares his Master brieffly the prime disciple is a Satan Satan an Angell of light For you How gladly are we deceiued in thinking you all such as you seeme None but the Court of Heauen hath a fairer face Prayers Sermons Sacraments geniculation silence attention reuerence applause knees eyes eares mouthes full of God Oh that ye were thus alwaies Oh that this were your worst side But if wee follow you from the Church and finde cursing and bitternesse vnder your tongues licentious disorder in your liues bribery and oppression in your hands If God looke into the windowes of your hearts and finde there be intus vapina we cannot iudge you by the appearance or if we could What comfort were it to you to haue deceiued our charity with the appearance of Saints when the righteous Iudge shall giue you your portion with Hypocrites What euer wee doe he will be sure not to iudge according to the appearance If appearance should bee the rule false religion should be true true false Quaedam falsa probabiliora quibusdam veris is the old word Some falshoods are more likely than some truths Natiue beauty scornes Art Truth is as a matron Error a curtizan The matron cares onely to concile loue by a graue and gracefull modesty the curtizan with philtres and farding Wee haue no hierarchy mounted aboue Kings no pompous ostentation of magnificence no garish processions no gaudy altars no fine images clad with Taffates in summer with veluets in winter no flourishes of vniuersality no rumors of miracles no sumptuous canonizations wee haue nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincerity of Scriptures simplicity of Sacraments decency of rare ceremonies Christ crucified We are gone if yee goe by appearance Gone alas who can but blush and weepe and bleed to see that Christian soules should after such beames of knowledge suffer themselues to bee thus palpably cozened with the gilded slips of error that after so many yeeres pious gouernment of such an incomparable succession of religious Princes authority should haue cause to complaine of our defection Deare Christians I must be sharpe are we children or fooles that wee should bee better pleased with the glittering tinsel of a painted baby from a Pedlers shop than with the secretly-rich and inualuable Iewell of diuine Truth Haue we thus learned Christ Is this the fruit of so cleere a Gospell of so blessed scepters For Gods sake bee wise and honest and yee cannot be Apostates Shortly for it were easie to bee endlesse If appearance might bee the rule good should bee euill euill good there is no vertue that cannot bee counterfetted no vice that cannot bee blanched wee should haue no such friend as our enemy a flatterer no such enemie as our friend that reproues vs. It were a wonder if yee great ones should not haue some such burs hanging vpon your sleeues As soone shall corne grow without chaffe as greatnesse shall bee free from adulation These seruile spirits shall sooth vp all your purposes and magnifie all your actions and applaud your words and adore your persons Sin what yee will they will not checke you Proiect what you will they will not thwart you say what ye will they will not faile to second you bee what yee will they will not faile to admire you Oh how these men are all for you all yours all you They loue you as the Rauens doe your eyes How deare was Sisera to Iael when she smoothed him vp and gaue him milke in a lordly dish Samson to Dalilah when she lulled him in her lap Christ to Iudas when he kissed him See how he loued him would some foole haue said that had iudged by appearance In the meane time an honest plaine dealing friend is like those sauces which a man praises with teares in his eyes like a chesnut which pricks the fingers but pleases our taste or like some wholsome medicinall potion than distastes and purges vs perhaps makes vs sicke that it may heale vs. Oh let the righteous smite mee for that is a benefit let him reproue mee and it shall bee a precious oyle that shall not breake my head Breake it no it shall heale it when it is mortally wounded by my owne sinne by others assentation Oh how happy were it if we could loue
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
it not are glorious hypocrites The last that stake downe and reuoke it are damnable Apostats Take all these out of the societie of men and how many customers hath God that care to buy the Truth If Truth were some rich chattell it would be bought If Truth were some goodly Lordship or the reuersion of some good Office it would be bought If Truth were some Benefice or spirituall promotion Oh time it would be bought Yea how deare are we content to pay for our filthie lusts we will needs purchase them too oft with shame beggerie disease damnation only the sauing Truth of God will not off hand What is the reason of this First of all It is but bare simple plaine honest homely Truth without welt without guard It will abide none but natiue colours it scorneth to wooe fauour with farding and licking and counterfeisance it hates either bought or borrowed beauty and therefore like some natiue face among the painted lookes course and rusty There are two shops that get away all the custome from Truth The shop of Vanity the shop of Error The one sels knacks and gew-gawes the other false wares and adulterate both of their commodities are so gilded and gaudy and glittering that all fooles throng thither and complaine to want elbow-roome and striue who shall be first seru'd Whereas the secret worke of artlesse and vnpolisht Truth can winne no eie to view it no tongue to aske so much as What will it cost me Oh yee sonnes of men how long will ye loue vanitie and seeke after lies Secondly though Truth in it selfe be alwaies excellent yet the issue of it is not seldome distastefull Veritas odium There is one Michaiah whom I hate Am I become your enemie because I tell you the truth And this is the cause that Frier Menot alleages why Truth in his Time was so vnwelcome to the court But if truth be the mother of Hatred shee is the daughter of Time and Truth hath learn't this of Time to deuoure her owne brood So that in Time Truth shall consume hatred and at the last a galling Truth shall haue more thanks than a smoothing supparisitation In the meane time Veritas nihil erubescit praeterquā abscōdi Truth blusheth at nothing but secrecy as Tertull. How euer then fond or false hearts value the Truth let vs that should be wise Christians esteeme it as the pearle hid in the field which the man sold all that euer he had to purchase Would it not set any heart on fire with an holy anger to see wha the enemies of Truth bid and giue for falshood for faction Their liberty their country the life of their Soueraigne the eternall state of their soules hath not seemed too deare to cast away vpon an ill bargaine of mis-religion and shall not we bid so much as our zealous well-wishes our effectuall endeuours our carefull obseruances for the vndoubted truth of our Maker and Redeemer What shall I say to the miserable and stupid carelesnesse of these thriftlesse and godlesse times wherein euery thing is apprised euery thing is bought saue that which is most precious most beneficiall Truth Yee great ones are made for precedents to the inferiour world your example is able to bring either good or euill into fashion For Gods sake for your soules sake what euer transactions ye make for the world lay your plots for the blessed purchase of Truth Oh let not your fickle honours your vnsatisfying pleasures your worthlesse profits yea your momentany liues seeme deare to you in comparison of heauenly Truth It is no shame in other parts for great Peeres to be Merchants Mercatores tui erant principes saith the Angell concerning Babylon Reuel 18. Thy Merchants were the Princes of the earth And why should not yee great ones be the Merchants of Truth Blessed be the God of Truth yee are so It is no proud word to say that no Court vnder heauen hath so rich a stocke of Truth as this of Great Britaine yet let me tell you the very Angels knew not so much but they desired to know more Ephes 3.10 And if ye had already that vespertine knowledge of the Saints which ye shall once haue in heauen yet know that this Bargaine stands not more in the iudgement than in the affections What euer our speculations may be if our hearts be not set vpon Truth we may be Brokers we are not Merchants Brokers for others not Merchants for our selues As our Sauiour then when he bids vs sell all forsake all holds it done when in preparation of minde we are ready to abdicate all for his name though we doe it not so doth God hold vs to buy Truth when we bestow our best thoughts our dearest wel-wishes vpon it though we haue it already Oh stirre vp your languishing zeale ye noble Courtiers rouze vp your drouping loue to diuine Truth Giue your hearts to it ye cannot but giue all for it And if ye doe not finde the sweet gaine of this Bargaine in this lower Region of error and confusion ye shall once finde it in those eternall and empireall habitations of Truth where the God of Truth shall make vp the Truth of his promises with the euerlasting truth of his glorious performances where Mercy and Truth shall so meet and embrace one another that both of them shall embrace the faithfull soule for euer and euer This for the Bargaine of Truth The forbidden sale followeth sell it not Commonly what we buy we may sell Alexander not the Great but the good sold Miters Keyes Altars the verse giues the reason Emerat ille prius Hee bought them So Saint Austen of Simon Magus Volebat emere spiritum Sanctum quia vendere volebat spiritum Sanctum He would buy the Holy Ghost because he meant to sell it Giue me a man that buyes a Seat of Iudicature I dare not trust him for not selling of Iustice he that sits in the chaire of Symonie will not giue Orders will not sticke to sell soules Some things wee may buy to sell as Ioseph did the Egyptian corn some things wee must sell if wee buy as an Israelites inheritance Leu. 25. But here wee are charged to buy what it is a sinne to sell Buy the Truth and sell it not There is many a good thing ill sold Esau sels his birth-right for pottage Hanun and Shechem sell their Countrey for loue Dalilah sels her louer for a bribe The Patriarchs sell their Brother for twenty siluerrings Haman sels the Iewes for nought The Gentiles sell the Iewish girles for wine Ioel 3.3 Israel sels the righteous for siluer and the poore for shooes Amos 2.6 Their Iudges sell sins or innocencie for rewards Esa 5.23 Ahab sels himselfe to wickednesse Iudas sels his master Demas sels the Truth All these make an ill market And in all it is a sure rule the better the commodity is the more pernicious is the sale The indefinitenesse of the charge implies a generality Buy
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
of the sonnes of Anak the spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places If we looke at their number they are Legions If to their strength they are Principalities and Powers If to their nature they are spirits that rule in the aire We are men flesh and bloud single weake sinfull What euer we are our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will he is the Lord of Hosts though Cowards in our selues yet in him we are more than Conquerors he who is more than all power than All truth hath said it The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against his Church Thanks be to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Lastly he is the Lord of hosts his vndertakings are infallible Hath he said that the glory of the Euangelicall Church shall exceed the Legall Hath he said that In this place he will giue peace How can the Church faile of glory or the soule of peace His word can be no more defectiue than himselfe impotent Trust God with his owne causes trust him with thy selfe doe that he bids expect what he promises haunt this House of his wait on his ordinances The Lord of Hosts shall giue thee that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and with peace glory in that vpper House of his not made with hands eternall in the Heauens To the possession whereof that God who hath ordained vs in his good time mercifully bring vs. And now O Lord God of Hosts make good thy promises to this House of thine Whensoeuer any Suppliant shall in this place offer vp his praiers vnto thee heare thou in Heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest haue mercy What Word soeuer of thine shall sound out of this place let it be the fauour of life vnto life to euery hearer What Sacrament soeuer of thine in this place shall be administred let it be effectuall to the saluation of euery receiuer Thou that art the God of glory and peace giue peace and glory to thy Seruants for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake euen the Sonne of thy loue Iesus Christ the iust To whom with thee and the holy Ghost one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and thanksgiuing now and for euer TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Dr. HALL DEANE OF WORCESTER my worthie and much respected Friend all happinesse with my loue in CHRIST IESVS REuerend Sir this Sermon I know is at the Presse before you expected But I thought as this glorious Chapell occasioned it so it might minister occasion of perpetuall remembrance of the Chapell by remaining its first Monument And altho both these were confined to the priuate the Chapell for the Family of my Right Honorable Lord the Earle of Exceter who hath giuen the materiall thereof sufficient luster and the Copie of the Sermon to the Cabinet of my truly Noble and vertuous Lady his Countesse yet both these are much and oft required to the publike the Sermon to be an instruction and so it is the Chapell to be an example and so it may be The Sermon to teach all to be all glorious in their soules The Chapell to teach some who build houses for their owne habitation to set vp another for Gods Religion The Sermon was craued at the hands of my Honourable Ladie that it might come to the Presse who of her owne pious disposition gaue forth the Copie and for her Noble esteeme of your selfe and of the worth of your sermon was willing and desirous to giue it way to the Printer And this I thought good to impart vnto you and to the courteous Reader that you may be satisfied of the meanes how and the cause why it comes in publike And so praying for you and desiring your prayers for me I remaine Your truly louing Friend H. BAGVLEY THE TRVE Peace-Maker LAID FORTH IN A SERMON BEFORE HIS MAIESTY AT THEOBALDS September 19. 1624. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for NATHANIEL BVTTER 1624. THE TRVE Peace-Maker ESAY 32.17 Opus Iustitiae pax The worke of Iustice or righteousnesse shall be peace MY Text you heare is of Iustice and peace two royall graces and such as flow from soueraigne Maiesty There is a double Iustice Diuine and humane there is a double peace outward in the state inward in the soule Accordingly there is a double sense of my Text a spirituall a ciuill sense The spirituall concerning Theologicall Iustice and inward peace The ciuill concerning humane iustice and outward peace The spirituall thus The Messias shall cause the fruit of his perfect iustice to be our inward peace with God and our selues The ciuill thus The Magistrate shall cause the worke of ciuill Iustice in his administration to be our outward peace with one another In both or either as Musculus well there is an allusion in the Hebrew word to a field the soile is the heart or the State the seed is Iustice the fruit peace That which was waste ground is now a Carmell a fruitfull field and the fruit of this field of Iustice is peace As there is good reason we will beginne with the spirituall Iustice and Peace The great King of Heauen will disforest that peece of the world which hee calls his Church and put it to tillage it shall be sowne with righteousnesse and shall yeeld a sweet crop of peace in this onely not in the barren heaths of the prophane world shall true peace grow At first God and man were good friends How should there bee other than good termes betwixt Heauen and Paradise God made man iust and iust man whiles he was so could not chuse but loue the iust God that made him sin set them at odds in one act and instant did man leese both his iustice and peace now the world is changed now the stile of God is Fortis vltor God the auenger Ier. 51.56 and the stile of men God the auenger The sonnes of wrath Filij irae sons of wrath Ephes 2.3 There is no possible peace to be made betwixt God man but by the perfect Iustice of him that was both God man I would there were a peace in the Church about this Iustice It is pitie shame there is not but there must be heresies As there are two parts of Diuinity the Law and the Gospell so each of these haue their Iustice there is a Iustice of the Law and an Euangelicall Iustice The Iustice of the Law when a meere morall man is iustified out of his owne powers by the works of the Law very Papists will giue so much way to S. Paul so much affront to Pelagius as to renounce this freely anathematizing that man who by the strength of humane nature or the doctrine of the Law shal challenge iustification Vnlesse perhaps some Andradius haue priuiledge to teach Morall righteousnesse that this Ethica Iustitia was enough to iustifie and saue the old Philosophers The Euangelicall Iustice is
bestowed any gift that should leade vs away from himselfe It is an ignorant conceit that inquiry into nature should make men Atheous No man is so apt to see the Star of Christ as a diligent disciple of Philosophy doubtlesse this light was visible vnto more onely they followed it which knew it had more than nature He is truly wise that is wise for his owne soule If these wise men had bin acquainted with all the other stars of heauen had not seene the Star of Christ they had had but light enough to lead them into vtter darknes Philosophy without the star is but the wispe of error These Sages were in a meane betweene the Angels and the shepherds God would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures haue some to be witnesses of his Son The Angels direct the shepherds the Star guides the Sages the duller capacity hath the more cleare powerfull helps the wisdome of our good God proportions the meanes vnto the disposition of the persons their Astronomy had taught them this star was not ordinary whether in sight or in brightnes or in motion The eies of nature might well see that some strange newes was portended to the world by it but that this star designed the birth of the Messias there needed yet another light If the star had not besides had the commentary of a reuelation from God it could haue led the wise men only into a fruitlesse wonder giue them to be the of-spring of Balaam yet the true prediction of that false prophet was not enough warrant If he told them the Messias should arise as a star out of Iacob he did not tell them that a star should arise far from the posterity of Iacob at the birth of the Messias He that did put that Prophesie into the mouth of Balaâ—m did also put this illumination into the heart of the Sages the Spirit of God is free to breathe where he listeth Many shall come from the East and the West to seeke Christ when the Children of the Kingdome shall be shut out euen theÌ„ God did not so confine his election to the pale of the Church as that he did not sometimes looke out for speciall instruments of his glory Whither doe these Sages come but to Ierusalem where should they hope to heare of the new King but in the mother City of the Kingdome The conduct of the star was first only generall to Iudea the rest is for a time left to enquiry They were not brought thither for their owne sakes but for Iewries for the worlds that they might helpe to make the Iewes inexcusable and the world faithfull That their tongues therefore might blazon the birth of Christ they are brought to the head Citie of Iudea to report and inquire their wisdome could not teach them to imagine that a King could be borne to Iudea of that note and magnificence that a Star from heauen should publish him to the earth and that his subiects should not know it and therefore as presupposing a common notice they say Where is he that is burne King of the Iewes There is much deceit in probabilities especially when we meddle with spirituall matters For God vses still to goe a way by himselfe If we iudge according to reason and appearance who is so likely to vnderstand heauenly truths as the profound Doctors of the world these God passeth ouer and reueales his will to babes Had these Sages met with the shepherds of the villages neere Bethleem they had receiued that intelligence of Christ which they did vainely seeke from the learned Scribes of Hierusalem The greatest clarks are not alwaies the wisest in the affaires of God these things goe not by discourse but by reuelation No sooner hath the Starre brought them within me noise of Ierusalem then it is vanished out of sight God would haue their eies leade them so farre as till their tongues might be set on worke to winne the vocall attestation of the chiefe Priests and Scribes to the fore-appointed place of our Sauiours natiuity If the Star had carried them directly to Bethleem the learned Iewes had neuer searched the truth of those prophecies wherewith they are since iustly conuinced God neuer withdrawes our helps but for a further aduantage Howsoeuer our hopes seeme crossed where his Name may gaine we cannot complaine of losse Little did the Sages thinke this question would haue troubled Herod they had I feare concealed their message if they had suspected this euent Sure they thought it might be some Sonne or grandchild of him which then held the Throne so as this might winne fauour from Herod rather than an vnwelcome feare of riuality Doubtlesse they went first to the Court where else should they aske for a King The more pleasing this newes had bin if it had falne vpon Herods owne loynes the more grieuous it was to light vpon a stranger If Herod had nor ouer-much affected greatnesse he had not vpon those indirect termes aspired to the Crowne of Iewry so much the more therefore did it trouble him to heare the rumour of a successor and that not of his owne Setled greatnesse cannot abide either change or partnership If any of his subiects had moued this question I feare his head had answered it It is well that the name of forrainers could excuse these Sages Herod could not be brought vp among the Iewes and not haue heard many and confident reports of a Messias that should ere long arise out of Israel and now when he heares the fame of a King borne whom a Starre from heauen signifies and attends he is netled with the newes Euery thing affrights the guilty Vsurpation is full of ielousies and feare no lesse full of proiects and imaginations it makes vs thinke euery bush a man and euery man a thiefe Why art thou troubled O Herod A King is borne but such a King as whose Scepter may euer concurre with lawfull soueraignty yea such a King as by whom Kings doe hold their Scepters not lose them If the wise-men tell thee of a King the Starre tells thee he is heauenly Here is good cause of security none of feare The most generall enmities and oppositions to good arise from mistakings If men could but know how much safety and sweetnesse there is in all diuine truth it could receiue nothing from them but welcomes and gratulations Misconceits haue beene still guilty of all wrongs and persecutions But if Herod were troubled as Tyranny is still suspicious why was all Ierusalem troubled with him Ierusalem which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds for a recouery of her liberty and right Ierusalem which now onely had cause to lift vp her drooping head in the ioy and happinesse of a redeemer yet not Herods Court but euen Ierusalem was troubled so had this miserable City beene ouer-toyled with change that now they were setled in a condition quietly euill they are troubled with the newes of better They had now got
vncertainty Israel is silent yet whiles their mouth was shut their eares were open It was a faire motion of Elijah I am onely remaining a Prophet of the Lord Baals Prophets are foure hundred fifty Let them choose one bullocke let me choose another Their deuotion shall be combined mine single The God that consumes the sacrifice by fire from heauen let him be God Israel cannot but approue it the Prophets of Baal cannot refuse it they had the appearance of the aduantage in their number in the fauor of King and people Oh strange disputation wherein the argument which must be vsed is fire the place whence it must be fetcht heauen the mood and figure deuotion the conclusion death to the ouercomne Had not Elijah by diuine instinct beene assured of the euent he durst not haue put religion vpon such hazard That God commanded him this tryall who meant confusion to the authors of Idolatry victory to the truth His power shall be approued both by fire and by water first by fire then by water There was no lesse terror in the fire then mercy in the raine It was fit they should be first humbled by his terrors that they might bee made capable of his mercy and by both might be wonne to repentance Thus still the fears of the law make way for the influences of grace neither do those sweet and heauenly dewes descend vpon the soule till way bee made for them by the terrible flashes of the law Iustly doth Elijah vrge this triall Gods sacrifices were vsed to none but heauenly fires whereas the bale and earthly religion of the heathen contented it selfe with grosse and naturall flames The Prophets of Baal durst not though with faint and guilty hearts but imbrace the condition they dresse their bullocke and lay it ready vpon the wood and send out their cries to Baal from morning vntill mid-day O Baal heare vs What a yelling vvas here of foure hundred and fifty throats tearing the skies for an answer What leaping was here vpon the altar as if they would haue climbed vp to fetch that fire vvhich would not come downe alone Mount Carmel might giue an Eccho to their voice heauen gaue none In vaine doe they roare out and vveary themselues in imploring a dumbe a deafe deitie Graue and austere Elijah holds it not too light to flout their zealous deuotion he laughes at their teares and plaies vpon their earnest Cry aloud for he is a God either be is talking or he is pursuing or hee is trauelling or he is sleeping and must be awaked Scornes and taunts are the best answers for serious Idolatry Holinesse will beare vs out in disdainfull scoffes and bitternesse against vvilfull superstition No lesse in the indignation at these insulting frumps then zeale of their owne safety and reputation doe these Idolatrous Prophets now rend their throats with inclamations and that they may assure the beholders they were not in iest they cut and slash themselues vvith kniues and lancers and solicit the fire with their blood How much painfulnesse there is in mis-religion I doe not finde that the true God euer required or accepted the selfe-tortures of his seruants He loues true inward mortification of our corruptions he loues the subduing of our spirituall insurrections by due exercises of seuere restraint he takes no pleasure in our blood in our carcasses They mistake God that thinke to please him by destroying that nature vvhich hee hath made and measure truth by rigour of outward extremities Elijah drew no blood of himselfe the Priests of Baal did How faine would the Deuill vvhom these Idolaters adored haue answered the suit of his suppliants What vvould that ambitious spirit haue giuen that as he was cast downe from heauen like lightning so now he might haue falne downe in that forme vpon his altar God forbids it All the powers of darknesse can no more shew one flash of fire in the ayre then auoid the vnquenchable fire in hell How easie vvere it for the power of the Almighty to cut short all the tyrannicall vsurpations of that vvicked one if his vvisdome and iustice did not finde the permission thereof vsefull to his holy purposes These Idolaters now towards euening grew so much more vehement as they vvere more hopelesse and at last when neither their shrikes nor their vvounds nor their mad motions could preuaile they sit downe hoarse and vveary tormenting themselues afresh vvith their despaires and with the feares of better successe of their aduersarie vvhen Elijah cals the people to him the vvitnesses of his sincere proceedings and taking the opportunity both of the time the iust houre of the euening sacrifice and of the place a ruined Altar of God now by him repaired conuinces Israel vvith his miracle and more cuts these Baalites with enuie then they had cut themselues with their lancers Oh holy Prophet why didst thou not saue this labor what needed these vnseasonable reparations Was there not an altar was there not a sacrifice ready prepared to thine hand that which the Prophets of Baal had addressed stood still waiting for that fire from thee which the founders threatned in vaine the stones were not more impure either for their touch or their intentions yet such was thy detestation of Idolatry that thou abhorredst to meddle with ought which their wickednes had defiled Euen that altar whose ruines thou didst thus repaire was mis-erected though to the name of the True God yet didst thou finde it better to make vp the breaches of that altar which was mis-consecrated to the seruice of thy God then to make vse of that pile which was idolatrously deuoted to a false god It cannot bee but safe to keepe aloofe from participation with Idolaters euen in those things which not onely in nature but in vse are vncleane Elijah layes twelue stones in his repaired altar according to the number of the Tribes of the sonnes of Iacob Alas ten of these were peruerted to Baal The Prophet regards not their present Apostacie hee regards the ancient couenant that was made with their father Israel he regards their first station to which he would reduce them he knew that the vnworthinesse of Israel could not make God forgetfull he would by this monument put Israel in minde of their owne degeneration and forgetfulnesse He employes those many hands for the making a large trench round about the altar and causes it to be filled with those precious remainders of water which the people would haue grudged to their owne mouthes neither would easily haue parted with but as those that poure down a paile full into a dry pump in the hope of fetching more The altar the trench is full A barrell full is poured out for each of the Tribes that euery Tribe might be afterwards replenished Ahab and Israel are no lesse full of expectation and now when Gods appointed houre of the euening sacrifice was come Elijah comes confidently to his altar and looking vp into heauen sayes
and danger of it 222 Small A true note of a false heart is to bee nice in small matters and negligent in great 147 Societie Christian society how good 15 Our behauiour in society and priuacie 30 31 An inconstant man vnfit for societie 36 Solitarinesse How dangerous 15 The benefit of it 296 No cause hath he to bee solitarie that hath God with him 976 An help to the speed of temptation 1192 Sorrow How to bee well resolued in sorrow 16 Of the sorrow not to bee repented of 301 Against sorrow for worldly crosses 309 Soule Gods and the worlds profer for the soule compared 52 Our carelesnesse for our soule set downe 437 Spa Described to bee more wholesome then pleasant and more famous then wholesome 282 Speech The praise of a good speech 10 A good thing to inure youth to good speech 11 The censure of much speech and little wit 12 Not what or how so much as the end of a mans speeches are to be considered 145 Spirit It is good to try the spirits 1112 Spirituall spirituall things how soueraigne or hurtfull 1046 State Where the temporall and spirituall state combine not together see what followes 1062 Strife There are three things that wise and honest men neuer striue for 27 Subiect His duty to Prince and fellow subiects 233 234 The close relation betweene Prince and subiect 1117 The Soueraigne is smitten in his subiect 1259 Successe We must not measure our spirituall successe by our owne power c. 917 Good successe oft lifts vp the heart with too much confidence 955 The custome of successe what it doth in sinne 1007 Suffer In suffering euill wee must not looke to second causes 26 Suggestions It is more safe to keepe our selues out of the noise of suggestions then to stand vpon our power of deniall 1007 Sunne Of its standing still at Iosua's prayer 967 Superfluitie The affectation of it what 141 Nothing seemes so superfluous as religious duties 865 Superstition Its character 198 What it doth 900 It is deuotions ape 1047 How iniurious to God 1117 Superstition how it befooles men 1354 Suspition Charitie it selfe when it will allow suspition 958 Where it is good to bee suspitious 972 Suspition is quick-â—ighted 1144 Swine What swine the Deuill enters into 1302 T TAbernacle Sweet allusions of the Tabernacle with heauen 467 Tamar Of her and Ammon 1144 Her bewailing her virginitie 1146 Teachers The sinnes of Teachers are the teachers of sinne 1061 Teares Obseruations of them 135 That here our eyes are full of teares 462 How precious 463 The world full of causes of weeping 464 Temperance In diet words actions and affections 223 Temple Both the Tabernacle and it were resemblances of the holy Church of God 467 The Temple abused to Idolatry whether it may bee vsed to Gods seruice 593 Of their founders and furnishers ibid. The state of the Temple and our Church in resemblance 597 It is good comming to the Temple howsoeuer 870 There is now no Christian but is a Temple 1175 The building of the Temple 1266 Foure Temples to be seen in that one 1268 The resemblances of it with the Temple of our body 1268 1269 Temporals they are all troublesome 47 Temptations they are more perillous in prosperity then in aduersity 13 Those temptations are most powerfull which fetch their force from pretence of Religious obedience 1100 Christs temptation 1191 Strong temptation is a signe of sound holinesse ibid. The Deuils boldnes in tempting Christ ibid. Solitarinesse a great helpe to it 1192 In euery temptation there is appearance of good 1193 Satans motiue in the temptation of Christ worse then his motion ibid. 1194 No place left free from his temptations 1198 No temptation so dangerous as that which comes vnder the vaile of holinesse 1320 Tempter hee that would alwaies be our tormenter cares but sometimes to bee our tempter 1294 Testaments the maruellous accordance betweene the two Testaments 896 Thank-fulnesse we can neuer do though for a thankefull man 866 A true token of a thankefull heart 1032 Throne what it signifies 465 Thoughts good thoughts make but a thorow are in the wicked 874 Time its pretiousnesse and reasons of redeeming it 48 What to doe that time may neither steale on vs nor from vs. 60 Our wisdome in taking times for ought we doe 474 1051 Tongue the tongues and hearts correspondence 38 The tongue will hardly leaue that which the heart is enured to 149 A foule tongue punished with a foule face 915 Innocency no shelter for an euill tongue 921 How should men bee hypocrites if they had not good tongues 1048 Of the threefold vse of the tongue 1287 Traditions the Papists and Pharisees parallel in matter of traditions 413 Traffique 697 Tranquility vide Quietnesse Trauells aduice therein with the description of some mens ends therein 288 Two occasions of trauel 669 Youth not so fit for trauell as some thinke 670 Of too much speed in sending them forth 671 Early trauell and early rising compared in 3 things 672 What the trauels of our Gentry robs them of 674 675 Trauell for table-talke censured 676 The Trauellers stake for the goodly furniture of his Gentry 678 The trauellers entertainmeÌ„t in popish places 680 What by trauell men get for manners 685 A suit to his Soueraigne and the gentry in this thing 686 Transubstantiation concerning it 656 Treachery what it doth 280 Truth the Churches happinesse when truth and peace kisse each other 6 Diuine truth is most faire and scorneth to borrow beauty 139 Truth in words 217 Truth in dealings with its practice and reward 218 Truth within keeps the wals without 281 The veine wherein truth lies 516 Not bought with ease ibid. It is of an high rate 517 Why men tho doe not so much as câ—eapen it ibid. It is excellent alwayes thoÌ„ the issue be distastfull 518 It stands not more in iudgement then in affection ibid. Of petty chapmen which sell truth for trifles 519 How neere truth and falsehood meet together 933 Truth is not afraid of any light 1060 Truth how it may be concâ—aled though not denied 1077 1078 Truth must not be measured by the poll 1361 Truths lot ibid. V VAine-glory Its Character 294 Valiant the character of a valiant man 176 All valour is cowardise to that which is built vpon religion 1136 Vengeance Gods vengeance when it is hottest it maketh differences of men 921 vide Reuenge No strength can keep sinners for Gods vengeance 951 God hath more wayes for vengeance then he hath creatures 967 Small comfort in the delay of vengeance 1074 Vengeance against rebels may sleepe but cannot die 1263 Vertue euery vertuous action hath a double shadow glory and enuy 57 Vertue not lookt vpon alike with all eyes 853 Euery vertue a disgrace when euery vice hath a title 865 Those men are worse then deuils that hate men for vertue 1023 Vertue what great riches it is 1027 Vestals Prettily described 281 Vice Euery vice hath a title