therefore thou thoughtest good to fast as by the reason of these precedents might be without preiudice of thine humanitie which if it should haue pleased thee to support as thou couldest without meanes thy very power might haue opened the mouth of cauils against the veritie of thine humane nature That thou mightest therefore well approue that there was no difference betwixt thee and vs but sinne thou that couldst haue fasted without hunger and liued without meat wouldst both feed and fast and hunger Who can bee discouraged with the scantinesse of friends or bodily prouisions when hee sees his Sauiour thus long destitute of all earthly comforts both of Societie and sustenance Oh the policie and malice of that olde Serpent when hee sees Christ bewray some infirmitie of nature in being hungry then hee layes sorest at him by temptations His eye was neuer off from our Sauiour all the time of his sequestration and now that hee thinkes he espyes any one part to lye open hee driues at it with all his might We haue to doe with an Aduersary no lesse vigilant than malicious who will bee sure to watch all opportunities of our mischiefe and where hee sees any aduantage of weaknesse will not neglect it How should wee stand vpon our guard for preuention that both wee many not giue him occasions of our hurt nor take hurt by those we haue giuen When our Sauiour was hungrie Satan tempts him in matter of food not then of wealth or glorie He well knowes both what baits to fish withall and when and how to lay them How safe and happie shall we be if we shall bend our greatest care where we discerne the most danger In euery temptation there is an appearance of good whether of the bodie of minde or estate The first is the lust of the flesh in any carnall desire the second the pride of heart and life the third the lust of the eyes To all these the first Adam is tempted and in all miscarryed the second Adam is tempted to them all and ouercommeth The first man was tempted to carnall appetite by the forbidden fruite to pride by the suggestion of being as God To couetousnesse in the ambitious desire of knowing good and euill Satan hauing found all the motions so successfull with the first Adam in his innocent estate will now tread the same steppes in his temptations of the second The stones must be made bread there is the motion to a carnall appetite The guard and attendance of Angels must bee presumed on there is a motion to pride The Kingdomes of the Earth and glory of them must be offered there to couetousnesse and ambition Sathan could not but haue heard God say This is my welbeloued sonne hee had heard the Message and the Caroll of the Angels he saw the Starre and the iourney and Offerings of the Sages hee could not but take notice of the gratulations of Zachary Simeon Anna hee well knew the Predictions of the Prophets yet now that hee saw Christ â—sâ—ting with hunger as not comprehending how infirmities could consist with a God-head hee can say If thou bee the Sonne of God Had not Sathan knowne that the Sonne of God was to come into the World he had neuer said If thou be the Sonne of God His very supposition conuinces him The ground of his temptation answers itselfe If therefore Christ seemed to bee a meere man because after fortie dayes hee was hungry why was hee not confessed more than a man in that for fortie dayes hee hungred not The motiue of the temptation is worse than the motion If thou bee the Sonne of God Sathan could not choose another suggestion of so great importance All the worke of our Redemption of our Saluation depends vpon this one Truth Christ is the Sonne of God How should hee else haue ransomed the World how should hee haue done how should hee haue suffered that which was satisfactory to his Fathers wrath How should his actions or passion bin valuable to the sinnes of all the World What maruell is it if wee that are sonnes by Adoption bee assaulted with the doubts of our interest in God when the naturall Sonne the Sonne of his Essence is thus tempted Since all our comfort consists in this point heere must needes bee laid the chiefe battery and heere must bee placed our strongest defence To turne stones into bread had bin no more faultie in it selfe than to turne Water into Wine But to doe this in a distrust of his Fathers Prouidence to abuse his power and libertie in doing it to worke a miracle of Sathans choice had beene disagreeable to the Sonne of God There is nothing more ordinary with our spirituall enemie than by occasion of want to moue vs to vnwarrantable courses Thou art poore steale Thou canst not rise by honest meanes vse indirect How easie had it beene for our Sauiour to haue confounded Sathan by the power of his God-head But hee rather chuses to vanquish him by the Sword of the Spirit that hee might teach vs how to resist and ouercome the powers of darknesse If hee had subdued Sathan by the Almighty power of the Deitie wee might haue had what to wonder at not what to imitate now hee vseth that weapon which may be familiar vnto vs that hee may teach our weaknesse how to bee victorious Nothing in Heauen or Earth can beate the forces of Hell but the Word of God How carefully should wee furnish our selues with this powerfull munition how should our hearts and mouthes bee full of it Teach mee O Lord the way of thy Statutes O take not from mee the words of Truth Let them bee my Songs in the house of my pilgrimage So shall I make answere to my Blasphemers What needed Christ to haue answered Sathan at all if it had not beene to teach vs that temptations must not haue their way but must be answered by resistance and resisted by the Word I doe not heare our Sauiour auerre himselfe to be a God against the blasphemous insinuation of Sathan neyther doe I see him working this miraculous Conuersion to proue himselfe the Sonne of God but most wisely hee takes away the ground of the temptation Sathan had taken it for granted that man cannot bee sustayned without bread and therefore inferres the necessitie of making bread of stones Our Sauiour shewes him from an infallible Word that hee had mislayed his suggestion That man liues not by vsuall food only but by euery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God Hee can either sustaine without bread as hee did Moses and Elias or with a miraculous bread as the Israelites with Manna or send ordinary meanes miraculously as food to his Prophet by the Rauens or miraculously multiply ordinary meanes as the Meale and Oyle to the Sareptan Widdow All things are sustayned by his Almighty Word Indeed wee liue by food but not by any vertue that is without God without the incurrence of whose Prouidence bread would
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
of this subiect and furnisht my selfe accordingly in that Region of wonders but that I feared to surcharge the nice stomacke of our time with too much Neither would my length haue ought auailed you whose thoughts are so taken vp with so high seruiceable cares that they can giue no leisure to an ouer-long discourse May it please you therefore to receiue in short what I haue deliberately resolued in my selfe and thinke I can make good to others I haue noted foure ranks of commonly-named miracles from which if you make a iust subduction how few of our wonders shall remaine either to beleefe or admiration The first meerely reported not seene to be done the next seeming to bee done but counterfaited the third truly done but not true miracles the last truly miraculous but by Satan The first of these are bred of lies and nourished by credulity The mouth of Fame is full of such blasts For these if I listed a while to rake in the Legends and booke of Conformities an ingenuous Papist could not but blush an indifferent Reader could not but lay his hand on his spleene and wonder as much that any man could bee so impudent to broach such reports or any so simple to beleeue them as the credulous multitude wonders that any should be so powerfull to effect them But I seeke neither their shame nor others laughter I dare say not the Talmud not the Alcoran hath more impossible tales more ridiculous lies Yea to this head Canus himselfe a famous Papist dares referre many of those ancient miracles reported and by all likelihood beleeued of Bede and Gregory The next are bred of fraud and cozenage nourished by superstition The Rood of grace at Boxley-Abbey Who knowes not how the famous Kentish Idoll moued her eyes and hands by those secret gimmers which now euery Puppet-play can imitate How Saint Wilfreds needle opened to the penitent and closed it selfe to the guilty How our Lady sheds the teares of a bleeding Vine and doth many of her daily feats as Bel did of old eat vp his banquet or as Picens the Eremite fasted forty dayes But these two euery honest Papist will confesse with voluntary shame and griefe and grant that it may grow a disputable question whether Mountebanks or Priests are the greater cozeners Vines beyond his wont vehemently termes them execrable and Satanicall impostors The third are true works of God vnder a false title God giues them their being men their name vniust because aboue their nature wherein the Philosopher and the superstitiously-ignorant are contrarily extreame while the one seekes out naturall causes of Gods immediate and metaphysicall workes the other ascribes ordinary effects to supernaturall causes If the violence of a disease cease after a vow made to our Lady if a souldier armed with this vow scape gun-shot a captiue prison a woman trauelling death the vulgar and I would they alone cry out A miracle One Load-stone hath more wonder in it than a thousand such euents Euery thing drawes a base minde to admiration Francesco del Campo one of the Arch-Dukes Quiryes told vs not without importunate deuotion that in that fatall field of Newport his vow to their Virgin helpt him to swim ouer a large water when the oates of his arms had neuer before tried any waues A dogge hath done more without acknowledgement of any Saint Feare giues sudden instincts of skill euen without precept Their owne Costerus durst say that the cure of a disease is no miracle His reason because it may be done by the power of Nature albe in a longer time * * * * * Fol. an â—il six cents trois y â—uerent competâ— cent tâ—ente cinque potences iambes de bois de personnes boytrules y apportè es ad scul espace dâ— quatre ou cinque moiâ— Histoire miracles c. 12. p 34. Yeeld this and what haue Lipsius his two Ladies done wherefore serues all this clamor from the two hils I assented not neither will be herein thus much their enemy For as well the manner of doing as the matter makes a miracle If Peters handkerchiefe or shadow heale a disease it is miraculous though it might haue beene done by a potion Many of their reconciles doubtlesse haue bin wrought through the strength of Nature in the PatieÌ„t not of vertue in the Saint How many sick men haue mended with their physicke in their pocket Though many other also I doubt not of those cures haue fallen into the fourth head which indeed is more knotty and require a deeper discourse Wherein if I shall euince these two things I shall I hope satisfie my Reader and cleare the Truth One that miracles are wrought by Satan the other that those which the Romish Church boasteth are of this nature of this author I contend not of words wee take miracles in Augustines large sense wherein is little difference betwixt a thing maruellous and miraculous such as the Spirit of God in either instrument cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perhaps it would bee more proper to say that God workes these miracles by Satan for as in the naturall and voluntary motions of wicked men so in the supernaturall acts of euill spirits as they are acts there is more then a meere permission Satan by his tempest bereaues Iob of his children yet Iob looking higher saith The Lord hath taken No sophistry can elude this proofe of Moses that a Prophet or dreamer may giue a true signe or wonder and yet say Let vs go after strange Gods nor that of our Sauior who foretels of false christs Deut. 13â— false Prophets that shall giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes and wonders and those great There are some too great I grant for the hand of all infernall powers by which our Sauiour inuincibly proues the truth of his deity These neuer graced falshood neither admit any precedent from our times As to the rest so frequent and common for me I could not beleeue the Church of Rome were Antichristian if it had not boasted of these wonders All the knot lies then in the application of this to Rome and our imaginary Lady How shall it appeare that their miracles are of this kind Ludouicus Vines giues six notes to distinguish Gods miracles from Satans Lipsius three Both of them too many as might easily be discouered by discussing of particulars It is not so much the greatnesse of the work not the beleefe of witnesses nor the quality nor manner of the action nor truth of essence that can descry the immediate hand which worketh in our miracles That alone is the true and golden rule which Iustin Martyr if at least that booke be his prescribes in his Questions and Answers How shall it bee knowne that our miracles are beter than the Heathens although the euent countenance both alike Resp Ex fide cultu veri Dei By
pay vs what we haue lent and giue vs because we haue giuen That is his bounty this his iustice O happy is that man that may be a creditor to his Maker Heauen and earth shall be empty before he shall want a royall payment If we dare not trust God whiles we liue how dare we trust men when we are dead men that are still deceitfull light vpon the balance light of truth heauy of selfe-loue How many Executors haue proued the executioners of honest Wils how many haue our eyes seene that after most carefull choice of trusty guardians haue had their children and goods so disposed as if the Parents soule could returne to see it I doubt whether it could bee happy How rare is that man that prefers not himselfe to his dead friend profit to truth that will take no vantage of the impossibility of account What-euer therefore men either shew or promise happy is that man that may be his own auditor superuisor executor As you loue God and your selfe be not afraid of being happy too soone I am not worthy to giue so bold aduice let the wise man of Syrach speak for me Doe good before thou die and according to thine ability stretch out thine hands and giue Defraud not thy selfe of thy good day and let not the portion of thy good desires ouer-passe thee Shalt thou not leaue thy trauels to another and thy labours to them that will diuide thine heritage Or let a wiser then he Salomon Say not to morrow I will giue if now thou haue it for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth It hath beene an old rule of liberality He giues twice that giues quickly whereas slow benefits argue vncheerfulnesse and lose their worth Who lingers his receits is condemned as vnthrifty he that knoweth both saith It is better to giue then to receiue If we be of the same spirit why are wee hasty in the worse and slacke in the better Suffer not your selfe therefore good Sir for Gods sake for the Gospels sake for the Churches sake for your soules sake to be stirred vp by these poore lines to a resolute and speedy performing of your worthy intentions and take this as a louing inuitation sent from heauen by an vnworthy messenger You cannot deliberate long of fit obiects for your beneficence except it be more for multitude then want the streets yea the world is full How doth Lazarus lye at euery doore how many sonnes of the Prophets in their meanly-prouided Colledges may say not Mors in olla but fames how many Churches may iustly plead that which our Sauiour bad his Disciples The Lord hath need And if this infinite store hath made your choice doubtfull how easie were it to shew you wherein you might oblige the whole Church of God to you and make your memoriall both eternall and blessed or if you had rather the whole Common-wealth But now I finde my selfe too bold and too busie in thus looking to particularities God shall direct you and if you follow him shall crowne you howsoeuer if good bee done and that betimes he hath what he desired and your soule shall haue more then you can desire The successe of my weak yet hearty counsell shall make me as rich as God hath made you with all your abundance That God blesse it to you and make both our recknings cheerfull in the day of our common Audit To E.B. Dedicated to Sir George Goring EP. VIII Remedies against dulnesse and heartlesnesse in our callings and incouragements to cheerfulnesse in labour IT falls out not seldome if wee may measure all by one that the minde ouer-layed with worke growes dull and heauy and now doth nothing because it hath done too much ouer-lauish expence of spirits hath left it heartlesse as the best vessell with much motion and vent becomes flat and dreggish And not fewer of more weake temper discourage themselues with the difficulty of what they must doe some Trauellers haue more shrunke at the Mappe then at the way Betwixt both how many sit still with their hands folded and wish they knew how to be rid of time If this euill be not cured we become miserable losers both of good houres and of good parts In these mentall diseases Empiricks are the best Physicians I prescribe you nothing but out of feeling If you will auoid the first moderate your owne vehemency suffer not your selfe to doe all you could doe Rise euer from your deske not without an appetite The best horse will tyre soonest if the reines lye euer loose in his necke Restraints in these cases are encouragements obtaine therefore of your selfe to defer and take new dayes How much better is it to refesh your selfe with many competent meales then to buy one dayes gluttony with the fast of many And if it bee hard to call off the mind in the midst of a faire and likely flight know that all our ease and safety begins at the command of our selues he can neuer taske himselfe well that cannot fauour himselfe Perswade your heart that perfection comes by leisure and no excellent thing is done at once the rising and setting of many Sunnes which you thinke slackens your worke in truth ripens it That gourd which came vp in a night withered in a day whereas those plants which abide age rise slowly Indeed where the heart is vnwilling prorogation hinders what I list not to doe this day I loathe the next but where is no want of desire delay doth but sharpen the stomack That which we doe vnwillingly leaue we long to vndertake and the more our affection is the greater our intention and the better our performance To take occasion by the fore-top is no small point of wisedome but to make time which is wyld and fugitiue tame and pliable to our purposes is the greatest improuement of a man All times serue him which hath the rule of himselfe If the second thinke seriously of the condition of your being It is that we were made for the Bird to flye and Man to labour What doe we here if we repine at our worke We had not beene but that we might be still busie if not in this taske we dislike yet in some other of no lesse toyle there is no act that hath not his labour which varies in measure according to the will of the doer This which you complaine of hath beene vndertaken by others not with facility onely but with pleasure and what you chuse for ease hath beene abhorred of others as tedious All difficulty is not so much in the worke as in the Agent To set the mind on the racke of a long meditation you say is a torment to follow the swift foot of your hound all day long hath no wearinesse what would you say of him that finds better game in his study then you in the field and would account your disport his punishment Such there are though you doubt and wonder Neuer thinke to detract from
therefore hee meant that Peters successor should catch the great fish of Constantines donation But I fauour your eares That one I may not omit how S. Hierome whom they fondly terme their Cardinall compares some Popish fashions of his time with the Pharisaicall who when he had spoken of their purple fringes in the foure corners of their Tallin and the thornes which these Rabbins tie in their skirts for penance and admonition of their duty Hoc apud nos saith he superstitiosae muliercula in parvulis Euangelijs in crucis ligno istinsmodi rebus factitant That is Thus superstitious old wiues doe amongst vs with little Gospels of Iohn with the wood of the Crosse and the like Thus that Father directly taxeth this Romish vse who if he were now aliue and should heare their Church groaning vnder the number of Ceremonies more than the Iewish would besides holy Austin complaint redouble that censure of our Sauiours Matth. 23.4 Woe to you Scribes Pharises hypocrites for yee binde heauy burthens and grieuous to bee borne and lay them on mens shoulders I forbeare to speake of the erroneous opinions of these Iewish Masters concerning that Pythagorian transanimation or passage of the soule from one body to another a point which the Iewes had learned from them Vide Drusium de tribus sectis Iud. Alia Doctrina Matth. 16.14 concerning the not-rising vp of the wicked Astronomicall destinie free-will merit of workes perfection of obedience in euery of which it were easie to lose my selfe and my speech I haste to their maine vnrighteousnesse which was not so much the planting of these stocks which God neuer set Pharisaeâ—ruÌ„ quae est nisi legis secundum carnem obseruatio Hier. in Gal. 1. as the graffing of all holinesse and Gods seruice vpon them a fashionable obseruation of the outward letter with neglect of the true substance of the Law a vaine-glorious ostentation of piety and perfection and more care to be thought than to be good a greater desire to be great than good cruelty and oppression coloured with deuotion My speech now towards the closure shall draw it selfe vp within these two lists of their Hypocrisie their Worldlinesse Hypocrisie in Fashionablenesse and Ostentation Worldlinesse in Couetousnesse Ambition Only stir vp your selues a while and suffer not your Christian attention to faile in this last act Some of their Rabbins say well that God requires two things concerning his Law Custodie and Worke. Custodie in the heart worke in the execution These vnsound and ouerly Pharises did neither It was enough if they kept the Law in their hands so they had a formall shew of godlinesse it was enough 2 Tim. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if the outside of the platter were cleane they cared for no more God had charged them to binde the Law to their hand and before their eyes Deut. 6. wherein as Ierome and Theophylact well interpret it he meant the meditation and practise of his Law they like vnto the foolish Patient which when the Physitian bids him take that prescript eats vp the paper if they could get but a lift of parchment vpon their left arme next their heart and another scroll to tie vpon their forehead and foure corners of fringe Si haec prohibeantur filum rubrum ponent in manu Praec Mos cum expos or if these be denied a red threed in their hand thought they might say with SAVL Blessed be thou of the Lord I haue done the commandement of the Lord. That Opus operatum of the Papists for I still parallel them is not more false Latine than false Diuinitie it is not the outside of thy obedience that God cares for if neuer so holy neuer so glorious it is enough that men are cousened with these flourishes the heart and the reines are those that God lookes after What cares a good market-man how good the fleece be when the liuer is rotten God doth not regard fashion so much as stuffe Thou deceiuest thy selfe if thou thinke those shewes that bleared the eyes of the world can deceiue him God shall smite thee thou whited wall God shall smite thee Dost thou thinke he sees not how smoothly thou hast dawbed on thine whorish complexion He sees thee a far off and hates thee while thy parasites applaud thy beauty I speake not of this carrion flesh which thou wantonly infectest with the false colours of thy pride which God shall once wash off with riuers of brimstone I speake of thy painted soule and thy counterfet obedience Giue me leaue yea let me take it to complaine that we are fallen into a cold and hollow age wherein the religion of many is but fashion and their pietie gilded superstition Men care onely to seeme Christians if they can get Gods liuerie on their backs and his name in their mouthes they out-face all reproofes How many are there which if they can keepe their Church giue an almes bow their knee say their prayers pay their tithes and once a yeere receiue the Sacrament it matters not how corrupt hearts how filthy tongues how false hands they beare can say in their hearts with Esau I haue enough my brother As if God cared for this thy vaine formalitie as if he hated thee not so much more than a Pagan by how much thou wouldst seeme more good Be not deceiued If long deuotions sad lookes hard penances bountifull almes would haue carried it without the solid substance of godlinesse these Scribes and Pharises had neuer beene shut out of heauen Consider this therefore deare brethren none but your owne eyes can looke into your hearts we see your faces the world sees your liues if your liues be not holy your hearts sound though your faces were like Angels you shall haue your portion with Deuils Tell not me thou hearest prayest talkest beleeuest How liuest thou What dost thou Shew me thy faith by thy workes saith Iames. It was an excellent answer that good Moses gaue to Lucius in the Church-storie The faith that is seene Socrat. eccl hist is better than the faith that is heard and that of Luther not inferiour that faith doth pinguescere operibus grow fat and well-liking with good workes It is a leane starued carcasse of faith thou pretendest without these If profession be all the Scribes and Pharises are before thee Ransacke thy heart and finde sound affection to God firme resolutions to goodnesse true hatred of sinne ransacke thy life and finde the truth of workes the life of obedience then alone thy righteousnesse exceeds the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises and thou shalt enter into Heauen Their ostentation followes wherein it is strange to consider how those that cared not to be good should desire yet to seeme good so did these Pharises They would not fast without a smeared face nor giue an almes without a trumpet nor pray without witnesses Scribes Pharises hypocrites They did act a religious part they did but play
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
Religion leade all our proiects not follow them let our liues be led in a conscionable obedience to all the Lawes of our Maker Farre be all blasphemies curses and obscenities from our tongues all outrages and violences from our hands all presumptuous rebellious thoughts from our hearts Let our hearts hands tongues liues bodies and soules be sincerely deuoted to him Then for men let vs giue Caesar his owne Tribute feare subiection loyalty and if he need our liues Let the Nobility haue honour obeisance obseruation Let the Clergy haue their dues and our reuerence Let the commons haue truth loue fidelity in all their transactions Let there be trutinae iustae Leu. 19.36 Iust balances iust weights pondera iusta Let there be no grinding of faces no trampling on the poore Amos 5.11 no swallowing of widdowes houses no force no fraud no periury no perfidiousnesse Finally for our selues let euery man possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour framing himselfe to all Christian and heauenly temper in all wisdome sobriety chastity meeknesse constancy moderation patience and sweet contentation so shall the worke of our righteousnesse be peace of heart peace of state priuate and publike peace Peace with our selues peace with the world peace with God temporal peace here eternall peace and glory aboue vnto the fruition wherof he who hath ordained vs mercifully bring vs for the sake of him who is the Prince of Peace Iesus Christ the righteous A COMMON APOLOGIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND AGAINST THE VNIVST CHALLENGES OF THE OVER-IVST SECT COMMONLY called BROWNISTS WHEREIN THE GROVNDS AND DEFENCES OF THE SEPARATION are largely discussed Occasioned by a late Pamphlet published vnder the name of AN ANSWER TO A CENSORIOVS EPISTLE Which the Reader shall finde prefixed to the seuerall SECTIONS By IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO OVR GRATIOVS AND BLESSED MOTHER THE Church of England THE MEANEST OF HER CHILDREN DEDICATES THIS HER APOLOGIE AND WISHETH ALL PEACE AND HAPPINESSE NO lesse than a yeere and a halfe is past Reuerend Deare and Holy Mother since J wrote a louing monitorie Letter to * * Smith and Robinson two of thine vnworthy Sons which I heard were fled from thee in person in affection and somewhat in opinion Supposing them yet thine in the maine substance though in some circumstances their owne Since which one of them hath washt off thy Font-water as vncleane and hath written desperatly both against Thee and his owne fellowes From the other J receiued not two moneths since a stomack-full Pamphlet besides the priuate iniuries to the Monitor casting vpon thine honourable Name blasphemous imputations of Apostasie Antichristianisme Whoredome Rebellion Mine owne wrongs I could haue contemned in silence Meam iniuriam patienter tuli impietatem contra Sponsam Christi ferre non potui Hieron ad Vigilant but For Sions sake J cannot hold my peace Jf I remember not thee O Ierusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth It were a shame and sinne for me that my zeale should be lesse hot for thine innocencie than theirs to thy false disgrace How haue J hastened therefore to let the World see thy sincere Truth and their peruerse slanders Vnto thy sacred Name then whereto J haue in all pietie deuoted my selfe I humbly present this my speedie and dutifull labour whereby I hope thy weake Sonnes may bee confirmed the strong encouraged the rebellious shamed And if any shall still obstinatly accurse thee I refer their reuenge vnto thy Glorious Head who hath espoused thee to himselfe in Truth and righteousnesse Let him whose thou art right thee In the meane time we thy true sonnes shall not only defend but magnifie thee Thou maist be blacke but thou art comely the Daughters haue seene thee and counted thee blessed euen the Queene and the Concubines and they haue praised thee thou art thy Welbeloueds and his desire is towards thee So let it be and so let thine be towards him for euer and mine towards you both who am the least of all thy little Ones IOS HALL A COMMON APOLOGIE AGAINST THE BROWNISTS SECTION I. IF TRVTH and PEACE Zacharies two Companions had met in our loue this Controuersie had neuer bin The Entrance into the worke Zach. 8.29 the seuering of these two hath caused this separation for while some vnquiet mindes haue sought Truth without Peace they haue at once lost Truth Peace Loue vs and themselues God knowes how vnwillingly I put my hand to this vnkinde quarrell Nothing so much abates the courage of a Christian as to call his Brother Aduersarie We must doe it Math. 18.7 woe be the men by whom this offence commeth Yet by how much the insultation of a brotherly enemie is more intolerable and the griefe of our blessed Mother greater for the wrong of her owne So much more cause I see to breake this silence If they will haue the last words they may not haue all For our carriage to them They say when Fire Otho Frising ex Philem. Vâ— Chaldeâ—â—â— Ruffin Eccles Hist l. 2. cap. 26. the god of the Chaldees had deuoured all the other woodden Deities that Canopis set vpon him a Caldron full of water whose bottome was deuised with holes stopt with waxe which no sooner felt the flame but gaue way to the quenching of that furious Idoll If the fire of inordinate zeale conceit contention haue consumed al other parts in the separation and cast forth more than Nebuchadnezzars Furnace from their Amsterdam hither Dan. 3. it were well if the waters of our moderation and reason could vanquish yea abate it This little Hin of mine shall be spent that way wee may try and wish but not hope it The spirits of these men are too well knowne to admit any expectation of yeeldâ—nce Since yet both for preuention and necessary defence this taske must be vndertaken * * id Treatis of certaine godly Minist against Bar. I craue nothing of my Reader but patience and iustice of God victory to the Truth as for fauour I wish no more than an enemie would giue against himselfe With this confidence I enter into these lists and turne my pen to an Aduersarie God knowes whether more proud or weake SEP IT is an hard thing euen for sober-minded men in cases of controuersie to vse soberly the aduantages of the times vpon which whilest men are mounted on high they vse to behold such as they oppose too ouerlie and not without contempt and so are oft-times emboldned to roule vpon them as from aloft very weake and weightlesse discourses thinking any sleight and slender opposition sufficient to oppresse those vnderlings whom they haue as they suppose at so great an aduantage Vpon this very presumption it commeth to passe that this Author vndertaketh thus solemnely and seuerely to censure a cause whereof as appeareth in the sequele of the discourse he is vtterly ignorant which had he been
enmitie But there are some enmities more secret and which doe not outwardly bewray themselues but behold heere is publique resistance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not subiect But perhaps it will once yeeld of it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It cannot Xiphil Epist Dionis sayth the Spirit of God See in how rebellious an estate we are to God What pronenesse is heere to will good what abilitie to performe it Let the Papists if they will sacrifice to themselues as Seianus had wont of old or to their nets as the Prophet speaketh As for vs come what can come vpon our opposition wee neither can nor dare arrogate vnto our selues those things which by an holy reseruation incommunicablenesse are proper onely vnto the Highest It is safe indeed for the Papists when they will to come vp to vs but we cannot goe downe to them without a fearefull precipitation of our soules Consult Cass cit Bonauent in haec verba hoc piaruÌ„ mentium est vt nil sibi tribuunt c. Let Cassander witnesse this for vs Let Bonauenture himselfe witnes it for him This is the propertie of holy minds to attribute nothing to themselues but all to the grace of God So that how much soeuer a man ascribe to the grace of God hee swarueth not from true pietie though by giuing much to grace hee withdraw something from the power of nature or Free-will but when any thing is withdrawne from the grace of God and ought attributed to nature which is due to grace there may bee great danger to the soule Thus farre those two ingenuous Papists But to inferre wee giue all to grace the Papists something to nature and what they giue to nature we giue to God Therefore we doe and say that which is fit for holy minds they if Bonauenture may be witnesse that which swerues from piety and is ioyned with much danger of their soule SECTION IX Concerning Merits THe foundation of Popish Iustification is the freedome of our will and vpon the walls of Iustification is merit raised wee will haue no quarrell about the word Bucer cit à Cass Cypr. l. 3. ep 20. Prâ—â— Iud. The holy Fathers of old as wee all grant tooke the word in a good sense which the later Diuines haue miserably corrupted About the thing it selfe wee must striue eternally we promise a reward to good workes yea an euerlasting one It is a true word of the Iewes He that labours in the Euen shall eat on the Sabbath Qui laborauit in vespera comedet in Sabbatho Conc. Trident. Orthod expl l. 6. Caiet in Galat. for God hath promised it and will performe who yet crowneth vs in mercy and compassion as the Psalmist speaks not as the Papists in the rigour of iustice not as Andradius according to the due desert of our worke By the free gift of God and not our merits as Caietan wisely and worthily Or if any man like that word better God doth it in Iustice but in respect of his owne promise not the very dignity of our workes That a iust mans worke in the truth of the thing it selfe is of a value worthy of the reward of heauen which industrious and learned Morton cites out of the English Professor of Dowâ—y and hath a meet proportion both of equality and dignity Weston de Tripl hom off l. 2. Vid. protest Appeal lib. 2. c. 11. Tom. 1. in Th. 3. d. 11. to the recompence of eternall life as Pererius and that in it selfe without any respect of the merits and death of Christ which Suarez and Bajus shamed not to write seemes iustly to vs little lesse than blasphemie But say our moderate Papists CHRIST hath merited this merit of ours neither can any other workes challenge this to themselues but those which are done in GOD as Andradius speaks but those which are dipped and dyed in the bloud of CHRIST as our later Papists elegantly and emphatically speake But what is this but to coozen the world and to cast a mist before the eyes of the vnskilfull Our sinnes are dyed in the bloud of CHRIST not our merits Or if they also Hath CHRIST then deserued that our workes should bee perfect How comes it about that the workes of the best men are so lame and defectiue Hath he deserued that though they bee imperfect yet they might merit What iniurie is this to God what contradiction of termes Behold now so many Sauiours as good men what I doe is mine what I merit is mine whosoeuer giues me either to do or to merit Whosoeuer rides on a lame horse cannot but moue vn-euenly vneasily vncertainly what insolent ouer-weeners of their owne workes are these Papists which proclaime the actions which proceed from themselues worthy of no lesse than heauen To whom wee may iustly say as Constantine said to Acesius the Novatian Set vp ladders O yee Papists and clime vp to heauen alone Socr. l. 1. c. 7. Erigâ—â— vobis scalus c. Homo iustus 〈◊〉 c. Who can abide that noted speech of Bellarmine A iust man hath by a double title right to the same glory one by the merits of CHRIST imparted to him by grace another by his owne merits contrary to that of the Spirit of God The wages of sinne is death but The gift of God is eternall life vpon which words another Cardinall Caietan speakes in a holier fashion thus He doth not say that the wages of our righteousnesse is eternall life but The gift of God is eternall life that wee may vnderstand and learne that we attaine eternall life not by our owne merits but by the free gift of God for which cause also he addes By Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. fin Behold the merit behold the righteousnesse whose wages is eternall life but to vs in respect of IESVS CHRIST it is a free gift Thus Caietan Caiet Câ—â— in Rom. 6. What could either Luther or Caluin or any Protestant say more plainly How imperfect doth the Scripture euery where proclaime both Gods graces in vs and our workes to him and though the graces of God were absolutely perfect yet they are not ours if our workes were so yet they are formerly due And if they be due to God what recompence of transcendent glory is due to vs Behold wee are both seruants and vnprofitable Not worthy saith God worthy and more say the Papists Ephess 2. By grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues saith God By grace indeed but yet of our selues say the Papists What insolencie is this Let our Monkes now goe and professe wilfull pouertie whiles Ezekiah did neuer so boast of his heaps of treasure as these of their spirituall wealth Hier. Epitaph Fabiolae Hierome said truely It is more hard to bee stripped of our pride than of our Gold and Iewels for euen when those outward ornaments are gone many times these inward rags swell vp the soule
to other ends than their owne This Edict went not so much out from Augustus as from the Court of Heauen What did Caesar know Ioseph and Mary His charge was vniuersall to a world of subiects through all the Roman Empire God intended this Cension onely for the blessed Virgin and her Sonne that Christ might bee borne where he should Caesar meant to fill his Coffers God meant to fulfill his Prophesies and so to fulfill them that those whom it concerned might not feele the accomplishment If God had directly commanded the Virgin to goe vp to Bethleem shee had seene the intention and exspected the issue but that wise Moderatour of all things that workes his will in vs loues so to doe it as may be least with our foresight and acquaintance and would haue vs fall vnder his Decrees vnawares that we may so much the more adore the depths of his Prouidence Euery Creature walkes blind-fold onely he that dwels in light sees whither they goe DOVBTLES blessed Mary meant to haue beene deliuered of her diuine burden at home and little thought of changing the place of Conception for another of her Birth That house was honored by the Angell yea by the ouer-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost none could equally satisfie her hopes or desires It was fit that hee which made choice of the Wombe wherein his Sonne should bee conceiued should make choice of the place where his Sonne should bee borne As the worke is all his so will he alone contriue all the circumstances to his owne ends O the infinite Wisdome of God in casting all his Designes There needes no other proofe of Christ than Caesar and Bethleem and of Caesars than Augustus his Gouernment his Edict pleades the truth of the Messias His Gouernment now was the deepe peace of all the World vnder that quiet Scepter which made way for him who was the Prince of Peace If Wars be a signe of the time of his second comming Peace was a signe of his first His Edict now was the Scepter departed from Iuda It was the time for Shilo to come No power was left in the Iewes but to obey Augustus is the Emperor of the World vnder him Herod is the King of Iudea Cyrenius is President of Syria Iurie hath nothing of her owne For Herod if he were a King yet hee was no Iew and if hee had bin a Iew yet he was no otherwise a King than tributary and titular The Edict came out from Augustus was executed by Cyrenius Herod is no actor in this seruice Gaine and glory are the ends of this taxation each man profest himselfe a subiect and payd for the priuiledge of his seruitude Now their very heads were not their owne but must bee payed for to the head of a forreine State They which before stood vpon the termes of their immunitie stoop at the last The proud suggestions of Iudas the Galilean might shed their bloud and swell their stomacks but could not case their yoke neither was it the meaning of God that holinesse if they had bin as they pretended should shelter them from subiection A Tribute is imposed vpon Gods free people This act of bondage brings them libertie Now when they seemed most neglected of God they are blessed with a Redeemer when they are most pressed with forreine Souereignty God sends them a King of their owne to whom Caesar himselfe must bee a subiect The goodnes of our God picks out the most needfull times of our reliefe and comfort Our extremities giue him the most glory Whither must Ioseph Mary come to be taxed but vnto Bethleē Dauids Citie The very place proues their descent Hee that succeeded Dauid in his Throne must succeed him in the place of his Birth so cleerly was Bethleem designed to this honour by the Prophets that euen the Priests and the Scribes could point Herod vnto it and assured him the King of the Iewes could bee no where else borne Bethleem iustly the house of bread the bread that came downe from Heauen is there giuen to the World whence should wee haue the bread of life but from the house of bread O holy Dauid was this the Well of Bethleem whereof thou didst so thirst to drinke of old when thou saydst O that one would giue me drinke of the water of the Well of Bethleem Surely that other water when it was brought thee by thy Worthies thou powredst it on the ground and wouldst not drinke of it This was that liuing Water for which thy soule longed whereof thou saidst else-where As the Hart brayeth after the water-brooks so longeth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God It was no lesse than foure daies iourney from Nazareth to Bethleem How iust an excuse might the blessed Virgin haue pleaded for her absence What woman did euer vndertake such a iournie so neerelier deliuery and doubtlesse Ioseph which was now taught of God to loue and honour her was loth to draw forth a deare Wife in so vnweildy a case into so manifest hazard But the charge was peremptory the obedience exemplary The desire of an inoffensiue obseruance euen of Heathenish authority disgests all difficulties Wee may not take easie occasions to withdraw our obedience to supreme commands yea how didst thou O Sauiour by whom Augustus reigned in the wombe of thy Mother yeeld this homage to Augustus The first lesson that euer thy example taught vs was obedience After many steps are Ioseph and Mary come to Bethleem The plight wherein she was would not allow any speed and the forced leisure of the iournie causeth disappointment the end was worse than the way there was no rest in the way there was no roome in the Inne It could not bee but that there were many of the kindred of Ioseph and Mary at that time in Bethleem For both there were their Ancestours borne if not themselues and thither came vp all the Cousins of their bloud yet there and then doth the holy Virgin want roome to lay either her head or her burthen If the house of Dauid had not lost all mercy good nature a Daughter of Dauid could not so neere the time of her trauell haue bin destitute of lodging in the City of Dauid Little did the Bethleemites thinke what a guest they refused Else they would gladly haue opened their doores to him which was able to open the gates of heauen to them Now their in hospitality is punishment enough to it selfe They haue lost the honour and happinesse of being host to their God Euen still O blessed Sauiour thou standest at our doores and knockest Euery motion of thy good Spirit tells vs thou art there Now thou commest in thy owne name and there thou standest whiles thy head is full of dew and thy lockes wet with the drops of the night If we suffer carnall desires and worldly thoughts to take vp the lodging of our heart and reuell within vs whiles thou waytest vpon our
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