he powreth out his heart in these words Zelus domûs tuae comedit me O Lord the zeale I beare unto thy house hath eaten me up it inflameth my heart dryeth my bloud consumeth my marrow such a care had he for the house of God it was death unto him to see it so destroied and laid wast So Christ when he saw the Temple of God foulely and unseemly abused that they made the holy place a place for their unlawfull and unhonest gaine by usury that they turned Religion into robbery sold Oxen Sheep and Doves and kept their banks for exchange in the Temple when the Priests and Levites which should serve God were become Merchants and served themselves when the Temple or house of God which David purposed and Solomon finished and Ezechias and Esras and other godly Princes preserved in which was kept the book of the law whither all the people assembled together to serve God was not used like Gods house but like a common faire or market was made a denne of theeves when these grosse abuses were suffered and things were let runne to such extremities and all this under pretence of holinesse as if it were not only lawfull but needs it must be so moved with zeale he could not abide it he made a scourge of small cords Ioh. 2. and drove them all out of the Temple and poured out the mony-changers overthrew the tables said make not my fathers house a house of merchandize And his Disciples remembred that it was written the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up This was no frantick or melancholy passion neither in Moses nor in David nor in Christ Numb 12. Moses was a very meek man above all that were on the earth David was a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofes And Christ said learne of me for I am humble and meeke when his Disciples James and John grew wrothful against the Samaritanes that would not receive him Luk. 9. and said Lord wilt thou that we command that fire come down from heaven consume them even as Elias did He turned about and rebuked them and said yee know not of what spirit you are yet through zeale for Gods house Christ whipped out the buyers and sellers David shed forth teares abundantly and Moses dasht in pieces the tables of Gods Commandements All men ought to be patient and gentle in matters appertaining to themselves but in Gods cause no man must yeild or be patient In our daies upon whom the end of the world is come when we did lately see those times whereof our Saviour foretold so long sithence that desolation should be in the holy place and such confusion ignorance and blindnes that men should stumble at noon-daies that truth should be a stranger upon earth that men should forsake wholsome doctrine and give eare unto fables that the mystery of iniquity should worke and the very elect if it were possible be deceived what tryall was made of true godly zeale How notably did it shew it selfe against the rage and fury of the wicked What should J speake hereof The examples are fresh you cannot forget them you heard of them so late it is so late since you did behold them What moved so many so learned so vertuous to yeild their backs to the scourge their necks to the tormenters their bodies to the fire to forsake their goods their friends their parents their wives children but the zeale of Gods house Neither death nor life nor Angels nor things present nor things to come was able to separate them from the love of God they continued stedfast unto the end The zeal of Gods house did eat them up But now God hath restored us he hath taken away the desolation from us he hath given us his truth he hath revealed the man of sin he hath raised up a banner of hope we see and enjoy such things as many Kings Prophets would have enjoyed could not what remaineth but that we take the zeale of the Lords house into our hearts and seek by all meanes the glory of the same As our good fathers and brethren shewed the vehemency of their love in disliking the disorders which troubled the Church of God so in this blessed peace which God giveth to his Church let us witnesse our earnest zeale in seeking that it may be made beautifull established for ever Let our next care be to continue possession Kingdomes are preserved by the same meanes by which they were first gotten that which is conquered by zeale by carefull zeale must be kept It was said of Anniball that he knew how to get the victory but how to use it he knew not Many have lost that by negligence which they had by diligence wonne Therefore we ought as our hearts were carefull and desirous to see these daies so by our thankfulnesse to God for so great a blessing and by christian and godly providence fore-see such meanes whereby we may long hereafter enjoy the same When Phydias had made the pourtraiture of Jupiter Pisanus he overlaid it with oyle that it might continue fresh and greene never putrifie When God gave order to Noah for making the Arke he said thou shalt pitch it within and without with pitch that it might be sound and sure and abide the waves He which challengeth to himselfe that proud and wanton name to be called the head of the universall Church after by litle and litle he was gotten into possession was not behinde hand by all meanes to maintaine and keep the same In this policie he took away the reading of the Scriptures from the people he made Noble-men and Princes his Cardinalls he threw down and set up and changed whom and what hee would The Kings and States of the world the Bishops Professours and Schollars in Universities and Preachers were brought to sweare allegiance and obedience unto him I devise not this the stories hereof are abroad and the oath which they took is known his authority grew greater then the authority of generall Councells nothing might be decreed in Councels but what pleased him none might be admitted to speak in Councels but such as were sworne to him he had all law in his breast There was sometimes a proclamation made in Rome that for considerations no man should erect or build up any Theatre and that if any were set up it should be rased pulled downe Pompeius a Gentleman of great wealth and noble courage did build a Theatre such a one as before had not been seen which would receive 2500 men contrary to the Proclamation and order taken But doubting least the next Magistrates should destroy it he caused a place of religion to be set upon it and called it the Temple of Venus whereby he provided that if any would overthrow it because it was a Theatre they might yet spare it for the Temples sake for to pull down a Temple was sacriledge Even so there
howsoever by distance of Place hee was depriued of the sight of the Arke yet was that no cause at al but that the Lord might giue him the hearing he being u Ps 145.18 Nigh to all such as call vpon him faithfully Why Holy Hill see x Exposit in Ps 2.6 p 41. before Verse 5. I laid me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me Philip King of Macedon hauing slept a sound sleepe and waking at the last and seeing Antipater by him No marvell y Plutarch Apopth quoth he I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched It had not like to haue fallen out with King Saul so well z 1. Sam. 26.15 when he on a time fell asleepe howsoever Abner was neere him that loued him as well as ever Antipater did King Ph lip But no such Keeper indeed as the Lord God of Hoasts not Abner not Antipater Had a Iudg. 4.21 Sisera and b Iudyth 13.8 Holofernes so beene kept they had not miscarryed as they did Not a Night goes over our heads but it may be our owne case such a Death or such like But as our Enemie ever watcheth to play Iael or Iudith with vs so he that keepeth Israel he that keepeth vs c Ps 121.4 will neither slumber nor sleepe It is strange how the Lord of Heauen hath kept Many of his Servants whenas they were in a dead sleepe and none by to watch them but onely the Murtherers themselueâ— I haue read of One in Queene Maries time whom since I had good cause to knowe as being betweene vs both to speake in S. Ieroms words Nomina Pietatis d Hieron de Vitand suspect Contubern Officiorum Vocabula Vincula Naturae secunda post Deum Foederatio that being on a time in bed in an Inne and One that had beene his Servant lying neere vnto him comming at Midnight to haue murthered him the Master was dreaming at that instant that the Bed whereon he lay was all on Fire whereat starting vp and crying to God for help the Murtherer was so affrighted that he desisted from his purpose craued pardon for the attempt and presently revealed to him who they were that set him on worke But concluding this point with that of Moses e Exod. 15.2 The Lord is my Strength and Song and he is become my Salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an Habitation my FATHERS God and I will exalt him I returne vnto my purpose The Prophet could not better make knowne vnto vs the tranquillitie of his minde amidst the many dangers he was in then by these effects hee here tells vs of Lying downe and Sleeping and Rising vp againe For as when the minde of Man is much troubled by reason of any imminent danger or hee goes not to Bed at all or if he goes he sleepes not soundly so if so be nothing trouble him then doth he freely take his rest and much refreshed by that rest hee riseth againe with much alacritie When thou liest downe f Prov 3.24 saith Solomon thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lye downe and thy sleepe shall be sweet This sweetnesse of Sleep as it is not the meanest of those Blessings that God bestoweth on vs and many would giue much for the purchasing thereof so the g Ovid. Met. l. 11. Poet describes it accordingly Somne quies rerum placidissime Somne Deorum Pax animi quem Cura fugit qui corpora duris Fessa ministerijs mulces reparasque Labori and so forth But the Prophet here not only slept but rose againe which Sleeping of his and Rising againe hee ascribeth to the Lord. And indeed as S. Austen h Aug. Hom. 28 Vid. Greg. in Evang Hom. 1. speaketh Nonne multi sanâ— dormierunt obduruerunt Haue not many gone to Bed safe and sound and beene found stark dead by the Morning What need wee Examples of old as the i Exod. 12.30 First Borne of the Egyptians Saraes l Tob. 6.13 Seaven Husbands the whole m 2. King 19.35 Camp of the Assyrians being an Hundred Fourescore and Fiue Thousand I suppose no Man liuing but may call to mind some one Acquaintance or other that hath miscarried in this kinde Now for it may be any mans case which hath beene the case of so many hence is it that our Mother the CHVRCH teacheth all and every of her Children to pray against suddaine Death importing therein as that Worthy n M. Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 46. Devine obserueth a twofold Desire First that Death when it commeth may giue vs some convenient respite or Secondly if that be denied vs of God yet we may haue wisdome to provide alwaies before hand that those Evills overtake vs not which Death vnexpected doth vse to bring vpon carelesse Men and that although it be suddaine in it selfe neverthelesse in regard of our prepared minds it may not be suddaine And here I cannot but remember that thrice worthie o He died Ian. 25. 1617. according to the Churches Computation otherwise 1618 and gaue aboue a 1000 Pound towards the new Building of the Forefront of the Colledge Doctor in his Faculty as worthy a Gouernour in the Vniversity the Right Worshipfull Mr Dr Blencow forty yeares Provost of Oriel Colledge who died thus suddainely vntimely to many most vntimely to my self and yet to whom in regard of his prepared minde appearing by his last Will and Testament Death no doubt was not suddaine Hee had the first two Letters of both his Names who some 300 yeares bâ—fore was the First Provost of that House and a most principall Benefactor insomuch that vpon the Death of the Latter these Verses were made on Both. A.B. Praepositus primus sed Vltimus A.B. Auspicium Tecto magnum EDOVARDE tuo Ambos quos vidit disiunctos Nestoris â—â—as Aedificatores nunc habet vna Domus Vna Domus Terris habet illos â—nica Coelis Copula ter faelix COELO eademque SOLO THE ENGLISH That A. B. stood for Provost First and for the Last likewise p K. Edw. the Second Founder of ORIEL Colledge Adam Brown Almoner to the King the first Provost thereof EDWARD it shewed vnto thy House what Fortune shouâ—d arise Those Two whom space of Hundred yeares thrice told did so much seuer One House holds Both Both Builders are and Both she holds together One House in Earth in Heauen one House neither holds one alone Thrice happy Couple whom both HEAVEN and EARTH thus ioine in one But to returne to my purpose Having thus farre spoken of this Fift Verse I might seeme to haue done with it and not to need to goe any farther but that there are of the Fathers that seeme to see more therein then as yet we haue seene Arnobius and S. Austen they see in these words our Saviours Passion his Resurrection both Our Sauiour q Aug. de Gen. cont Manich.
is with thy Punishments for then the Lord is said to be Angry when he destroyeth his Enemies But what is that which here followeth Arise Vp for me in the Iudgement that thou hast commanded The Iudgement g Chrys in hunc Ps saith S. Chrysostome that God hath Commanded is to helpe those that are in need and not in any wise to neglect such against whom there are Dangers towards and therefore thou O Lord who by thine owne Law hast taken order that so wee should doe doe it also by thine owne Deeds No doubt but God is the Fountaine of Pitie and if we that are but Conduits come from him ought to be Pitifull how much more should he himselfe be who is the Fountaine it selfe Some corrospondence this Passage hath with that in the Lords Prayer h Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our Debts as we also forgiue our Debters Meaning that seeing we who haue but a Drop of Mercy in respect of thee forgiue others thou who art the Fountaine of Mercy doe thou forgiue vs. Verse 7. And so shall the Congregation of the People come about thee for their sakes therefore lift vp thy selfe againe It is storyed in i Exod. 18.13 Exodus that when Moses sate to iudge the People The People stood by Moses Or as it was in our Former Translation The People stood about Moses from Morning vnto Eauen It was the Custome belike in those Ages to stand about their Magistrates as it were in a Ring that so the Words of the Iudge that spake might haue the better accesse to every of them The Crowne is set vpon the Kings Head and compasseth it l His MAIESTIES Meditat. on Mat. 27. v. 27.28.29 Or Paterne for a Kings Inaugur p. 48. saith his Excellent MAIESTIE vpon whose Head may it long set and compasse it for ever to shew that as the Crowne compasseth the Kings Head so is he to sit in the Midst of the People his wakerife Care is ever to be imployed for their Good their Loue is his greatest Safety and their Prosperity is his greatest Honour and Felicity For many times among the Romans the Word CORONA signifies the People m Steph. Thesaurus in Verb. Corona Perottus takes it to come of Chorus and therevpon in old time it was written with an H though n Quintil Instit Orat. l. 1. c. 5. Vid Polit. Misâ—ell c. 19. Quintilian mislikes that writing But to returne where I left As Moses then did sit in the midst of the People and the Iudges with him so to such a Custome it is that the Prophet alludeth in this place Intimating that if the Lord would be thus beneficiall to him it would be a Cause the whole People would the rather relye vpon him in regard they saw the Fruit thereof in the Prophet himselfe But what was it the Prophets meaning that the People should compasse the Lord in Heauen No but the meaning is n Chrys in hunc Ps saith S. Chrysostome that they should Sing vnto him that they should Praise him that they should Honour and Extoll him in their severall Congregations which forasmuch as in the Temple was perfourmed by such Assemblies as stood in Circuit round about for so were their Synagogues built as we see to this Day hence it is that the Prophet thus speakes Like as our Saviour in like sort o Mat. 18.20 Where Two or Three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Thus was he in the p Luc. 2.46 Midst of the Doctors hearing them and asking them Questions And after his Resurrection when the Disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the Midst q Ioh. 20 19. saith S. Iohn and againe Eight Dayes after the Doores being shut came Iesus and stood in the r V. 26. Midst againe Indeed IESVS is the true CENTER to whom Euery of the Faithfull by equal Lines hath his true Reference Whereas it is added here in this place For their sakes therefore lift vp thy selfe againe That is Å¿ Piscat in hunc Ps saith Piscator Once more get thee vp into thy Seat of Iudgement For such Thrones and Seates were set very high Vers 8. The Lord shall iudge the People giue sentence with me O Lord according to my Righteousnes and according to the Innocency that is in me First whereas it is here said The Lord shall iudge the People what Lord t Aug. in hunc Ps saith S. Austen but IESVS CHRIST for the u Ioh. 5.22 Father iudgeth no Man but hath committed all Iudgement to his Son Though in this place it may signifie to Rule and Gouerne like as the x Heb. 10.30 Apostle to the Hebrewes applyes it out of y Deut. 32.36 Deuteronomy So the Prophet David in an other a Ps 9.8 Psalme He shall iudge the World in Righteousnesse and minister true Iudgement vnto the People And againe b Ps 67.4 O let the Nations reioyce and be glad for thou shalt iudge the Folke righteously and gouerne the Nations vpon the Earth And Abraham to this purpose c Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth doe Right Secondly in that the Prophet cryeth here Ad Sententiandum to haue Sentence giuen him we are to obserue his Assurance in the Equity of his Cause And what a Comfort it is to sue in that Court where the Equity of the Cause may prevaile I leaue it to poore Suitors to consider of in their Extremities and what a World it was euen among Heathens when of a Iudgement giuen at one time it was said by a good Remembrancer d Valer. Max. Memorabil l. 7. c. 7. Si ipsa Aequitaes hac de re cognescere potuisset iustiusve aut gratius pronunciaret Had AEQVITY it selfe sate in Iudgement could shee haue giuen a more Righteous and Gracious Sentence But I feare me they finde those other of the same Author more oftentimes true which he spake of a Sentence ill giuen e Valer. Max. Memorab l. 6. c. 6. Crediderim tunc ipsam Fidem humana Negotia speculantem moestum gessisse Vultum perseverantissimum sui Cultum iniquae Fortunae Iudicio tam acerbo exitu damnautem cernentem The best English to this is PATIENCE and in no wise to be forgotten that f Nebrissens Dec. 2. l. 3. c. 1. My LORD of CANT on Ionas Lect. 3. §. 17. Lewes the Eleuenth King of France did on his Death-bed restore two Counties to the Heires of Iohn the King of Arragon to which in all his Life-time before he would neuer condiscend CONSCIENCE at last wrought with him But how comes it that the Prophet here calleth for Sentence according to his Righteousnes and according to his Innocency This had not wont to bee the Prophets Plea His Plea had wont to be for so it was in the Former g Ps 6.4 Psalme O saue me for thy Mercies
A DISCOVRSE Presented to those who seeke the Reformation of the CHURCH of ENGLAND WHEREIN IS SHEWED THAT THE new CHVRCH Discipline is Daungerous both to Religion and also to the whole state TOGETHER with the OPINIONS of Certaine Reuerend and Learned Divines Concerning the Fundamentall Poynts of the true Protestant Religion WITH A short exposition vpon some of DAVIDS Psalmes pertinent to these times of SEDITION Printed for W W. and I B. 1642. A DISCOVRSE to them who seeke the Reformation as they terme it of the CHVRCH of ENGLAND BRETHREN THe wisdome of governours you must not blame in that they forecasting the manifold strange and dangerous Innovations which are more then likely to follow if your Discipline should take place have for that cause thought it hitherto a part of their duty to withstand your endeavours that way The rather for that they have seene already some small beginnings of the fruits thereof in them who concurring with you in Iudgment about the necessity of that Discipline have adventured without more adoe to separate themselves from the rest of the Church and to put your speculations in execution These mens hastynesse the waryer sort of you doe not Commend you wish they had held themselves longer in and not so dangerously flowne abroad before the feathers of the cause had bene growne Their errour with mercifull termes yee reprove nameing them in great commiseration of mind 1. Pet. 22. your poore Brethren 2. They on the contrary side more bitterly accuse you as their false Brethren and against you they plead saying From your brests it is that wee have sucked those things which when yee delivered vnto us ye termed that heavenly sincere and wholsome milke of Gods word howsoever yee now abhorre as poyson that which the vertue thereof hath wrought and brought forth in us Yee sometimes our Companions Psâ—l 55.13 Guides and familiars with whom we have had most sweet consultations are now become our professed Adversaries because wee thinke the statute-Congregations in England to be no true Christian-Churches because wee haue severed our selves from them and because without their leave or licence that are in civill Authority wee have secretly framed our owne Churches according to the platforme of the word of God For of that point betweene you and us there is no controversie Alas what would you have us to doe At such time as yee were content to accept us in the number of your owne your teachings wee heard wee read your writings and though wee would yet able wee are not to forget with what zeale yee ever have profest that in the English Congegations for so many of them as bee ordered according unto their owne Lawes the very publique service of God is fraught as touching matter with heaps of intolerable pollutions and as concerning forme borrowed from the shop of Antichrist hatefull both waies in the eyes of the most holy the kind of their Government by Bishops and Arch-Bishops Antichristian that Discipline which Christ hath essentially tyed that is to say so united unto his Church that wee cannot account it really to be his Church which hath not in it the same Discipline that very Discipline no lesse there despised Pref. against Docter Baner then in the highest Throne of Antichrist all such parts of the word of God as doe any way concerne that Discipline no lesse vnsoundly taught and interpreted by all authorized English Pastors theÌ„ by Antichrists factors themselves at Baptisme Crossing at the lords supper kneeling at both a number of other the most notorious badges of Antichristian recognisance vsuall Being moved with these and the like your effectuall discourses whereunto wee gave most attentive eare till they entred even into our soules and were as fire within our bosomes wee thought wee might hereof bee bold to conclude that sith no such Antichristian Synagogue may bee accompted a true Church of Christ yee by accusing all Congregations ordered according to the Lawes of England as Antichristian did meane to condemne those congregations as not being any of them worthy the true name of a Christian Church Yee tell us now it is not your meaning But what meant your often threatnings of them who professing themselves the inhabitants of Mount Sion were too loath to depart wholy as they should out of Babilon Whereat our hearts being fearfully troubled wee durst not wee durst not continue longer so neere her confines least her plagues might suddenly overtake us before wee did cease to bee partakers with her sinnes for so wee could not chuse but acknowledge with greife that wee were when they doing evill wee by our presence in their Assemblies seemed to like thereof or at leastwise not so earnestly to dislike as became men heartily Zealous of Gods glory For adventuring to erect the Discipline of Christ without the leave of the Christian Magistrate happily Yee may condemne us as fooles in that wee hazard thereby our estates and persons further then you which are that way more wise thinke necessary but of any offence or sinne therein CoÌ„mitted against God with what Conscience can you accuse us when your owne positions are that the things wee observe should every of them bee dearer unto us then 10000 lives that they are the peremptory Commandements of God that no mortall man can dispence with them that the Magistrate greivously sinneth in constraining thereunto Will Yee blame any man for doing that of his owne accord which all men should be compelled vnto which are not willing of theÌ„ selves when God Commandeth shall wee answer that wee will obey if so be Caesar will grant us leave Is Discipline an Ecclesiasticall matter or a Civill If an Ecclesiasticall it must of necessity belong to the duty of the Minister And the Minister Yee say holdeth all his Authority of doing whatsoever belongeth unto the spirituall Charge of the house of God even immediatly from God himselfe without dependency upon any Magistrate Whereupon it followeth as we suppose that the hearts of the people being willing to bee under the scepter of Christ the Minister of God into whose hands the Lord himselfe hath put that scepter is without all excuse if thereby he guide them not Nor doe we find that hitherto greatly yee have disliked those Churches abroad where the people with direction of their Godly Ministers have even against the will of their Magistrate brought in either the doctrine or discipline of IESVS CHRIST For which cause wee must now thinke the very same thing of you which our SAVIOUR did sometimes vtter concerning falsehearted Scribes and Pharisies THEY SAY AND DOE NOT. Thus the foolish Barrowist deriveth his schisme Mat. 3.23 by way of conclusion as to him it seemeth directly and plainly out of your principles Him therfore wee leave to bee satisfied by you from whom he hath sprung And if such by your owne acknowledgment be persons dangerous although as yet the alterations which they have made are of small and tender
light which might hinder and let your proceedings behold for a barre against that impediment one opinion yee have newly added unto the rest even upon this occasion an opinion to exempt you frō takeing Oathes which may turne to the molestation of your Brethren in that cause The next neighbour opinion whereunto when occasion requireth may follow for dispensation with Oathes already taken if they afterwards be found to import a necessity of detecting ought which may bring such good men into trouble or damage whatsoever the cause bee O mercyfull God! what mans witt is there able to found the depth of these dangerous and fearfull evills whereinto our weake and impotent nature is inclinable to sinke it selfe rather then to shew an acknowledgment of errour in that which once wee have unadvisedly taken upon us to defend against the streame as it were of a contrary publique resolution Wherefore if wee any thing respect their errour who being perswaded even as yee are have gone further upon that perswation then yee allowe if wee regard the present estate of the highest Governour placed over us if the quality and disposition of our Nobles if the Orders and Lawes of our famous Vniversities of the profession of the Civill or the practise of the Common-Law amongst us if the mischieves whereinto even before our eyes so many others have fallen headlong from no lesse plausible and faire beginings then yours are there is in every of these considerations most just cause to feare least our hastinesse to imbrace a thing of so perillous Consequence should cause posterity to feele those evills which as yet are more easy for us to prevent then they would be for them to remedy 15. The best and safest way therefore for you The Concl. of all my deare Brethren is to call your deeds past to a new reckoning to examine the cause yee have taken in hand and to try it even point by point Argument by Argument with all the diligent exactnesse yee can to lay aside the Gall of that bitternesse wherein your minds have hitherto overabounded and with meeknesse to search the Truth thinke yee are men deeme it not impossible for yee to erre fift unpartially your owne hearts whether it bee the force of reason or vehemency of affection which hath bred and still doth feed these opinions in you If truth doe any where manifest it selfe seeke not to smother it with glosing delusion acknowledge the greatnesse thereof and thinke it your best victory when the same doth prevaile over you 16. That yee have bene earnest in speaking and writing againe and againe the contrary way shall bee no blemish nor discredit at all unto you Amongst so many so huge volumes as the infinite paines of Saint Augustine hath brought forth what one hath gotten him greater love commendation and honour then the booke wherein he carefully collecteth his owne oversights and sincerely condemneth them Many speeches there are of Iobes whereby his wisdome and other vertues may appeare but the glory of an ingenious mind hee hath purchased by these words only Iob. 39.37 Behold I will lay mine hand on my mouth I have spoken once yet will I not therefore maintaine argument yea twice howbeit for that cause further I will not proceede Farre more comfort it were for us so small is the joy wee take in these strifes to labour under the same yoake as men that looke after the same eternall reward of their labours to bee injoyed with you in bands of indissoluble love and amity to live as if our persons being many our Soules were but one rather thē in such dismembred sort to spend our few wretched dayes in a tedious prosecutiō of wearysome contentions the end whereof if they have not some speedy end will bee heavy even on both sides Brought already wee are even to that estate which Gregory Nazianzene mournfully described saying G. Naz Apol. My mind leadeth mee sith there is no other remedy to fly and to convey my selfe into some corner out of sight where I may scape from this cloudy tempest of maliciousnesse whereby all parts are entred into a deadly warre amongst themselves and that little remnant of love which was is now consumed to nothing The only godlynesse wee glory in is to find out somewhat whereby wee may Iudge others to bee ungodly Each others faults wee observe as matter of exprobration and not of greife By these meanes wee are growne hatefull in the eyes of the heathens themselves and which woundeth us the more deeply able we are not to deny but that wee have deserved their hatred With the better sort of our owne our fame and Credit is cleane lost The lesse wee are to marvaile if they Judge vilely of us who although wee did well would hardly allow thereof On our backs they also build that are lewd and what wee object one against another the same they use to the utter scorne and disgrace of us all This wee have gained by our mutuall home-dissentions This wee are worthyly rewarded with which are more forward to strive then becometh men of vertuous and mild disposition But our trust with the almighty is that with us contentions are now at their highest floate and that the day will come for what cause of dispaire is there when the passions of former enmity being allayed wee shall with ten times redoubled tokens of our unfainedly reconciled love shew our selves each towards other the same which Ioseph and the Brethren of Ioseph were at the time of their intervew in Egypt Our comfortable expectation and most Thirsty desire whereof what man soever amongst you shall any wayes help to satisfie as wee truely hope there is no one amongst you but some way or other will the blessing of the God of peace both in this world and in the world to come be upon him more then the starres of the firmament in number AMEN ECCLES POLIT LIB 5. §. 79. ad fin Such is the generall detestation of robbing God or the church that whereas nothing doth either in peace or warre more uphold mens reputation then prosperous successe because in common construction unlesse notorious improbitie bee joyned with prosperity it seemeth to argue favour with God they which once have stained their hands with these odious spoiles doe thereby fasten unto all their actions an eternall prejudice in respect whereof for that it passeth through the world as an undoubted rule and principle that sacrilege is open defiance to god whatsoever afterward they vndertake if they prosper in it men reckon it but Dionysius his navigation and if any thing befall them otherwise it is not as commonly so in them ascribed to the great uncertainty of casuall events wherein the providence of God doth controle the purposes of men oftentimes much more for their good then if all things did answere fully their hearts desire but the censure of the world is ever directly against them both a Novimus multa regna
have been proclamations Canons that no man should be called the chiefe or the head of all Churches or usurp such authority over others but whē the Pope built up his supremacy against the meaning of such Canons he pretended religion for his doing he said it was de jure divine that no man should presume or attempt against it and that so his power might continue for ever If they have been thus carefull to maintaine falshood how much more carefull should we be to maintaine the truth If they to advance their own kingdome how much more we to set forth the kingdome of God and to build up the Church of Christ And if they sought to doe that by lyes and by false meanes why should we be slack to use the right and true and good meanes whereby that good thing which God hath wrought for us may be established And albeit there be many waies by which the kingdome of God may be maintained as the favour and countenance of the Prince which so comforteth and cherisheth the Church as the sun beames comfort and cherish the earth and knowledge and learning and discipline which are as the life the sinewes without which the Church must needs fall asunder at this time I will leave to speak of the rest only stay upon Learning which may truly be called the life or the soule of the Church and of Christian Religion How necessary a thing they have counted Learning to the setting forth of Religion the stories of our old Fathers of Heathens Christians in all ages doe witnesse They thought that neither Religion might stand without knowledge nor knowledge were to be esteemed without Religion Charles the great that he might the better plant Religion in Saxonie and Helvetia did erect many places for increase of Learning he knew well that there was no other way better to establish Religion The Cathedrall Churches before such times as ignorance and blindnes grew over all the world and brought in an universall corruption maintained Schooles of learning that the doctrine which was taught in those places might be defended against the gainesayers by such learned men as were there bred up The Princes of Germanie and the free cities after they had received the Gospell they dissolved their Monasteries which had been harbourers for such as lived in idlenesse and set up Schooles and Colledges which should be nurceries to breed up learned men that might be able to teach the people to maintaine Religion whereby it came to passe that in short time they had great store of worthy and learned men This did they well see that have been the enimies of Religion and therefore used all meanes to hinder the increase of Learning that they might have the better way to overthrow Religion For if Learning decay it is likely that Religiō cannot abide Beare with me if I speak that which may seem more fit for some other place then for this audience the best here understandeth me well In other Countries the receiving of the Gospell hath alwaies been cause that Learning was more set by and learning hath ever been the furtherance of the Gospell In England I know not how it cometh otherwise to passe for since the Gospell hath been received the maintenance for learning hath been decayed the lack of Learning will be the decay of the Gospell Would God it were not so or that yet before the fault be incurable there may be some redresse Loath I am to speak yet the case so requireth that it is needfull to be spoken J trust J shall speak in the hearing of them that will consider it Maintenance of Learning whereby an able and sufficient ministerie may grow and bee established in all the Churches of this Realm is to be wished for The good estate of this noble Kingdome the comfort of posterity the stay of Religion the continuing of the Gospell the removing of darknesse hangeth upon it One asked sometimes how it was that in Athens so goodly and great a Citie there were no Physitions To whom this answer was made because there are no rewards appointed for them that practise Physick The same answer may be made for our times the cause why the Church of God is so forsaken is the want of zeal in them that should either for their curtesie or for their abilitie be fosterers of learning and increase the livings where occasion is and give hope and comfort to learned men What said J increase nay the Livings and provision which heretofore were given to this use are taken away Have patience if any such be here as I well know there are whom these things touch suffer me to speak the truth it is Gods cause The livings of such as are in the Ministery are not in their hands to whom they are due all other labourers artificers have their hire increased double as much as it was wont to be only the poore man that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord of hostes hath his hire abridged and abated J speak not of the Curates but of Parsonages and Vicarages that is of the places which are the Castles and Towers of fence for the Lords Temple They seldome passe now adaies from the Patron if he be no better then a Gentleman but either for the Lease or for present mony Such Merchants are broken into the Church of God a great deale more intolerable then were they whō Christ chased and whipped out of the Temple Thus they that should bee carefull for Gods Church that should be Patrons to provide for the consciences of the people and to place among them a learned Minister who might be able to preach the word unto them out of season and in season and to fulfill his Ministery seek their own and not that which is Jesus Christs they serve not Jesus Christ but their belly And this is done not in one place or in one country but throughout England A Gentleman cannot keep his house unlesse he have a Parsonage or two in farme for his provision O mercifull God whereto will this grow at last If the misery which this plague worketh would reach but to one age it were tolerable but it will be a plague to posterity it will be the decay and desolation of Gods Church Young men which are toward and learned see this they see that he which feedeth the flocke hath least part of the milke he which goeth to warfare hath not halfe his wages Therefore they are weary discouraged they change their studies some become prentices some turne to Physick some to Law all shun and fly the Ministery And besides the hinderance that thus groweth by wicked dealing of Patrons by reason of the Impropriations the Vicarages in many places and in the properest market-townes are so simple that no man can live upon them and therefore no man will take them They were wont to say Beneficia sine cura Benefices without charge but now may be said
leave your lands are stolne away from you Robberies and thefts are so common as if it were not only lawfull but also commendable as if sin were no sin and hell fire but a fable Thus we provoke God to anger many walk of whom we cannot think but with weeping they are the enimies of the crosse of Christ the name of God is blasphemed through them Many are so ignorant they know not what the Scriptures are they know not that there are any Scriptures they call them hereticall and new Doctrine many will believe neither side whatsoever they alleadge bring they truth bring they falshood teach they Christ teach they Antichrist they will believe neither they have so hardned their hearts Be the Preacher rough or gentle learned or unlearned let him use authority of the Scriptures of the Doctors of the Councels of Decrees or Decretals of Gods law of mans law nothing will move them nothing will please them because the Ministery of God and thereby God himselfe is despised These words haply seem sharp overvehement but the darknes of our hearts against God and the lack of zeale to his house inforce me to them We are almost fallen into the lowest pit we are left without zeale as senslesse men and as if we had clean forgotten our selves as the heathen which know not God Therefore unlesse we repent the kingdome of God shall be taken away from us he will send upon this land a famine of the word Hierusalem shal be overthrowne and made an heap of stones the man of sin they which have not the love of the truth shall prevaile with many and withdraw them from obedience to the Prince this noble Realm shall be subject to forraigne nations All this will the zeale of the Lord of hosts bring to passe I could have spent this time in opening some other matter but nothing in my judgement is more worthy your good consideratiō speedy redresse I would be loath rashly or rudely to abuse the reverence of this place but unlesse these things be cared for unlesse we shew forth greater zeal then hitherto if the yeares to come eat up and take away from the Ministery as the late yeares have done there will not be left within a while any to speak the word of God out of this place the Pulpits shall have none to use them the people shall grow wilde and void of understanding When Xerxes beheld the great company of Souldiers suddēly he brake into teares wept bitterly one said to him ô Sir you have cause to rejoice you have a goodly company they are able to fight for you against any nation But what shall become of them saith Xerxes after a 100 yeares not one of all these shall be left alive If the view of the small number of Preachers might be taken how few they are and how thin they come up we have greater cause then Xerxes to lament if we have any zeale to the house of God for of the Preachers which now are within few yeares none will remaine alive And Xerxes his souldiers left issue behind them which might afterwards serve their country But there is like to be small increase for the supply of learned men The Lord shall lack men to bring in his harvest the litle ones shall call for bread and there shall be none to give it them They that shall come after us shal see this to be true there is no house so spoiled as the house of the Lord there is no servant so litle rewarded as the servant of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God Oh that your Grace did behold the miserable disorder of Gods Church or that you might foresee the calamities which will follow It is a part of your Kingdome and such a part as is the principall prop and stay of the rest Cyrill Epist ad Theodos valent I will say to your Majestie as Cyrillus sometimes said to the godly Emperours Theodosius and Valentinian Ab ea quae erga Deum est pietate Reipub vestrae status pendet the good estate and welfare of your Commonwealth hangeth upon true godlinesse You are our governour you are the Nurce of Gods Church we must open this griefe before you God knoweth if it may be redressed it hath grown so long and is run so farre but if it may be redressed there is no other beside your Highnesse that can redresse it J hope I speake truly that which I speake without flattery that God hath endued your Grace with such measure of learning knowledge as no other Christian Prince he hath given you peace happinesse the love and true hearts of your subjects Oh turne and employ these to the glory of God that God may confirme in your Grace the thing which he hath begun To this end hath God placed Kings and Princes in their State as David saith that they may serve the Lord that they may see cause others to see to the furniture of the Church The good Emperour Justinian cared for this as much as for his life Constantine Theodosius Valentinian and other godly Princes called themselves Vasallos the subjects and bond-servants of God they remembred that God furnished them in their houses and were not unmindfull to furnish his house When Augustus had beautified Rome with setting up many faire buildings he said Jnveni lateritiam marmoream reddidi I found it made of brick but I leave it made of marble Your Grace when God sent you to your inheritance the right of this Realme found the Church in horrible confusion in respect of the true worship of God a Church of brick or rather as Ezechiel saith daubed up with unseasoned morter Your Grace hath already redressed the doctrine now cast your eies towards the Ministery give courage and countenance unto Learning that Gods house may be served so shall you leave to the Church of God a testimony that the zeal of the Lords house had eaten you up And you ô dearely beloved if there be any such which are neither hot nor cold which doe the work of the Lord negligently which esteem the word of God but as a matter of policy which are ashamed to be called Professours of the Gospell of Christ pray unto God that he will increase your zeal Let us continue rooted and built in Christ and stablished in the faith let us have care for the house of God Whosoever is not after this sort zealous is a man of a double heart We may not halt between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be he then goe after him he that is not with Christ is against him Many talke of the Gospell and glory in their knowledge but it is neither talke nor knowledge which shall save them in that day He that feareth the Lord and serveth him with a pure heart and may truly say the zeal of thine house hath consumed me he shall be saved If they shall
which was made vnto you by the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same vnto vs their Children in that he hath raised vp Iesus againe as it is also written in the Second Psalm Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee The same Apostle to the Hebrewes shewes the excellency of this Name Sonne For vnto which of the Angels f Heb. 1.5 saith the Apostle said he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Sonne True it is the Name Sonne hath beene giuen vnto many God calleth Israel his g Exod. 4.22 First Borne and consequently his Sonne all the h Rom. 8.14 Elect are the Sonnes of God i Ps 45.17 Magistrates are his Sonnes and l Iob. 1.6 Angels his Sonnes too but Israel because his People the Elect by adoption and grace the Magistrate because he executeth the Iudgements of the Lord the Angels by Creation none of them all according to the worthines of their own Nature but by Nature Substance and Eternity as the Apostle S. Paul meaneth in that place there is none the Sonne of God but CHRIST alone and therefore m Aug. Hom. 32 S. Austen Vnus est Vnicus de illo genitus He alone is the only one begotten of God And againe n Aug. Quaest sup Deut qu. 23. He calleth him the First borne whom he calleth his only Begotten for we also are the Sonnes of God but he calleth him only Begotten because he alone is of the Substance of the Father and Equal Coaeoernall to the Father Verse 8. Desire of me and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession The Words againe of God the Father concerning the Propagation of the Kingdome of his Sonne CHRIST IESVS namely that not the Iewes only but the Heathen that is the Gentiles also should be his Inheritance and Possession Quis Christianus vnquam dubitavit hoc de Christo esse praedictum What Christian euer doubted o Aug. de Vnit. Eccles c. 8. sayth St Austen that this was forespoken of CHRIST or by this Inheritance here spoken of vnderstood any thing els but the CHVRCH Josephus indeed p Ioseph de Bell. Iudaic. l. 7. c. 12 shewing the causes that mooued the Iewes to fight with the Romans alleageth this amongst the rest for that there was a doubtfull Prophecie found in the holy Scriptures that at the same time one in their Dominions should be Moâ—arch of the whole World many Wisemen were deceiued saith he in this interpretation making account that he should be one of their owne Nation yet indeed thereby was foretold Vespasians Empire Iosephus expresseth not in that place what that Oracle might be but Eusebius making answere vnto him concerning that Passage of his sheweth that Vespasian ruled not the whole World but the Roman Empire only This Oracle therfore q Euseb Hist Eccles l. 3. c. 8. saith Eusebius may better be referred vnto Christ vnto whom it was said of the Father Desire of me I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession the r Psal 19.4 Sound of whose Apostles went at the very same time throughout the Earth their words to the end of the World Here concerning the Word Inheritance it is not amisse to obserue with that learned and worthie o Sr IAMES SEMPLE of Sacriledge Part. 1. c. 7. §. 3. KNIGHT that Gods Inheritance in Scripture is twofold His PEOPLE whome he created to his owne Image and his TITHES which hee separated to his owne Service and it is worth the while to consider how this double Inheritance hath in Scripture Language a Prerogatiue aboue the Ciuill Custome in that the Sonne inherits joyntly with the Father A good Obseruation for Many that seeing they hold of the One I meane the Former Inheritance they would not with-hold the Other I meane their Tythes But I goe forwards Concerning the Gentiles and their calling many and manifold were the Prophesies that were in the Old Testament the performance wherof was in the New It was necessary Å¿ Act. 13.46 said Paul Barnabas that the Word of God should first haue bene spoken to you meaning the Iewes but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting Life loe we turne to the Gentiles And from that day forward the Gentiles beleeued indeed The Iewes as St Austen t Aug. Quaest super Iud. qu. 49. de Temp. Ser. 108. speakes in diverse places of his Workes were like to Gedeons Fleece For as at the first the Deaw was onely vpon that and al the Earth besides was dry and afterwards the Fleece was dry only and the Deaw on all the Ground besides so the time was when the Iewes only and none but they were in request I am not sent u Mat. 15.24 saith our Sauiour but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel howbeit now the case is altred as x Luc. 1.53 spake the Blessed Virgin He hath filled the Hungry with good things and the Rich he hath sent empty away And now as y Aug. in Ps 45. speakes St Austen The Bible is a Book wherein we read the same the World is a Booke wherein we see the same But how is it said in this place Desire of me Was our Sauiour to aske it at Gods hands Nulla res carius constat quà m quae precibus empta est Prayers z Senec. de Benef l. 2. c. 1. saith Seneca oftentimes is a deare peny-worth Molestum verbum est onerosum demisso vultu dicendum Rogo This Word Rogo a Id. c. 2. saith he I aske or craue is a difficult or irkesome Word it is burdensome to him that speaketh it it is to bee spoken with a bashfull countenance Properet licet serò Beneficium dedit qui Roganti dedit Make all the speed he can hee comes but tardy with his good turne that graunts it not vntill it be asked Indeed with Men it is many times so but not with God for we are bound both to aske and not to aske amisse and therefore St Iames Ye haue not b Iam. 4.2 saith he because ye aske not Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse But concerning our Saviours asking That Christ as the onely begotten Sonne of God c Mr Hooker his Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 48. saith Reverend Hooker hauing no Superiour and therefore owing honour vnto none neither standing in any need should either giue thankes or make Petition vnto God were most absurd As Man what could be seeme him better whether we respect his affection to Godward or his owne Necessity or his Charity and Loue towards Man Againe a litle after Some things he knew should come to passe and notwithstanding prayed for them because
worthie if God should examine it without any Mercy at all And Iust men Å¿ Greg. Moral l. 8. c. 9. vid. D. Abb. Apol. against Bishop Part. 1. c. 8. p. 255. p. 293. saith St Gregory knowe before hand that perish they must without remedy if God in the iudging of them set Mercy aside because even that which seemeth our iust Life is but Sinne if Gods Mercy when he iudge that doth not excuse the same Behold t Iob 4.18 saith Iob he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with â—olly how much lesse on them that dwell in Hâ—uses of Clay whose Foundation is in the duâ—â— which are crushed before the moth The Party to whom the Petition is made is God aboue who is styled by the Apostle S. Paul a 2. Cor. 1.3 The Father of Mercies which though it be a sufficient Reason why this Petition is made to him yet the Prophet here implies another namely for that the Lord had set him at liberty when ever he was in trouble As b 1. Sam. 19.12 First when Michol saued him c 1. Sam. 20.38 Secondly when Ionathan d 1. Sam. 21.8 Thirdly when his owne Pollicy e 1. Sam. 23.28 Fourthly when the Messenger by bringing tydings to King Saul that the Philistians invaâ—ed the land f 2. Sam. 17.11 Fiftly and lastly when Hushai holpe him Hushai and the Messenger and his owne Wit and Pollicy and Ionathan and Michol his Wise being but so many severall Instruments which it pleased the Lord to vse in sauing of him g Ps 115.1 Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the Praise for thy louing Mercy and for thy Truthes sake I but how comes it here to passe that the Prophet in these words styles the Lord The God of his Righteousnesse Heare me when I call O God of my Righteousnes Doubtles it was not in respect of any Righteousnesse of his owne Not his Speeches are to well knowne even in this his Booke of Psalmes for any confidence hee had in that respect As for example where he saith h Ps 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret Faults And againe i Ps 130.3 If thou Lord wilt be extreame to marke what is done amisse oh Lord who may abide it And yet againe l Ps 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified What is his meaning then in these words DEVS IVSTITIAE MEAE O God of my Righteousnesse It may be taken two waies as First Thou O God who art the Redresser of my Right or Revenger of my Wrong or Secondly in regard of some righteous Cause hee had in hand mistaken by his Adversaries Much like to that which hee saith in another place m Ps 7.3 O Lord my God if I haue done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands If I haue rewarded evill to him that dealt frendly with me yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine Enemy Then let mine Enemy persecute my Soule take me yea let him tread my Life downe vpon the Earth and lay mine Honour in the Dust So that in regard of those many Slanders raised against him by the Wicked he calls God to witnesse of his Integrity in those points and therefore may seeme to style him here The God of his Righteousnesse Our Reioycing n 2. Cor. 1.12 saith the Apostle is this the testimonie of our Conscience that in simplicity and godâ—y Synceritie we haue had our Conversation in the World And Conscience if it be bad as it is a continuall Torture so is a good one a continuall o Secura Mens quasi iuge Convivium Prov. 15 15. Vulg. Feast The great Benefit of a good Conscience S. Chrysostome declares by this Similitude As if you let fall a little sparkle p Chrys ad Pop. Antioch Hom. 25. saith hee into a large plash of water you presently extinguish it so all our Griefe and Sorrowe if so bee it light on a good Conscience it is most easily driuen away Verse 2. O yee Sonnes of Men how long will yee blasphâ—ame mine Honour and haue such pleasure in Vanity and seeke after Leasing It may seeme somewhat strange that hauing spoken in the Words before to God alone hee should now leaue speaking with God as it were and apply himselfe to the Sonnes of Men. But this is no novelty with David throughout his whole Booke of Psalmes who speaketh sometimes to the Lord sometimes to Himselfe sometimes to the Godly sometimes to the Vngodly and then to the Lord againe and that in one and the selfe-same Psalme The lesse cause had Cartwright and such as followed his steps to finde fault with our Church-Service for intermingling Reading of Scriptures and Prayers one with another We q T. C. vbi supra saith he haue no such Formes in the Scripture as that we should pray in two or three lines and then after hauing read a while some other thing come and pray asmuch more and so the twentith or thirtith time with pawses betweene If a man should come to a Prince and keepe such order in making his Petitions the Prince might well thinke that either he came to aske before he knewe what hee had need of or that he had forgotten some peece of his Suit or that he were distracted in his vnderstanding or some other such like cause of the disorder of his Supplication Loe here a Prayer euen in two or three lines after that as it were a Lesson namely an Instruction to his Adversaries Lastly somewhat concerning Himselfe namely how ioyfull in Heart Himselfe was and secure in hauing nothing when his Enemies had the World at will Shall we now say that David was distracted in this case God forbid Nay hee spake forth the Words of Truth and Sobernesse euen as did the Apostle S. Paul when hee also was r Act. 26.25 challenged by Noble Festus in like sort As for the Similitude hee brings of petitioning before a Prince and how vnsavory it would be to make Requests in such sort it is well Å¿ Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 34. answered by Reuerend Hooker and retorted vpon himselfe and al his Complices how much more vnsavory it would proue to pray in their fashion who so much mislike ours Cartwright got nothing by that Similitude But now concerning the Words First for the Appellation here O yee sonnes of Men it is in the Hebrew t As there is difference betweene Home and Vir in Latine Non sentire mala sua non est Hominis non ferre non est Viri Senec. de Consolat ad Polyb. c. 36. so in the Hebrew betwixt Adam and Ish BENI ISH not ADAM wherein S. Ierom was mistaken as u Drus Observ l. 3. c. 19. Drusius obserues so that the
many among the Gentiles Many among the Gentiles I confesse but Many among the Iewes Why They are i Rom. 9.4 Israelites to them pertaineth the Adoption and the Glory the Covenants and the Giuing of the Law and the Seruice of God and the Promises theirs are the Fathers and of them concerning the Flesh CHRIST came who is over all God blessed for ever Many among them Yes among them for as it followeth there in that place l V. 6. They are not all Israel which are of Israel nether because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children Nether is hee a Iew m Rom. 2.28 saith the same Apostle which is one outwardly nether is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God Where we see by the way that the Major Part is not alwaies the better Part but thereof I haue spoken n Exposit in Ps 3.1 p. 65. before †Piscat in hunc Psal Piscator goes an other way and makes the meaning of the Words of this Verse to be this Many All for the most part the common Sort of Men weary of these Troubles when they heare that I am designed from Heauen to be their King and yet to be persecuted thus by Saul say Oh that some would bring it to passe that we might enioy some Good that is Peace and Worldly Happinesse Which sence if the Reader will he may take with good Probability But what is the Answere to the Question here The Answer followeth Vers 7. Lord lift thou vp the Light of thy Countenance vpon vs. Concerning the Word Lord I haue spoken o Expos in Ps 3.1 p. 64 before The Answer here is not by way of Narration but a great deale more significantly by way of Obsecration Would we then knowe wherein this Felicity this chiefe Good doth consist It is in the Light of Gods Countenance that is in Gods Favours towards vs. For as Mens Favour is declared by the Countenance that they shewe Imag◠Animi Vultus est Indices Oculi The Countenance p Tully de Orat. l. 3. saith Tully is the Image of the Mind and that which paints out the Countenance to vs are the Eies So by an vsuall Figure in holy Srripture the Countenance of the Lord as it is said to be an Austere and a Clowdy Countenance vnto the Reprobate so is it Louely and Gratious to his Children In the light of the Kings Countenance q Prov. 16.15 saith Solomon is Life and his favour is as a Clowd of the latter Raine And if it be so in a Kings Countenance who oftentimes is pleased to Day to Morrow is displeased againe who at one and the selfe same time is contented that Haman should be invited with him to a Feast and before the Cloth be taken away r Esther 7.9 giues him a paire of Galows for a Grace-cup how is it in the light of the Countenance of the King of Kings ſ Iam. 1.17 with whom is no variablenesse nether shadow of turning Againe t Heb. 13.8 Iesus Christ the same Yesterday and to Day and for ever O put not your trust in Princes u Ps 146.2 saith David nor in any Child of Man for there is no helpe in them S. Austen hath an excellent speech to the selfe same purpose we haue in hand Some places of Refuge there are x Aug. in Ps 45. saith he wherevnto if a Man fly hee is in worse case then he was before As for example thou retainest to some Great Man in the World thereby to make him thy Friend thou supposest thy selfe secure And yet for all that there are such †Tanta tamen huius Saeculi incerta sunt ita Potentum Ruinae quetidiane crebrescunt vt cum ad tale Refugium consugeris plus ibi timero incipias Vncartainties in this World and the Fals of great Men are so common that when thou hast gotten thee such a Refuge thou hast a great deale more cause to feare then ever thou hadst before Vers 8. Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Heart Since the time that their Corne and Wine and Oyle increased An effect of the Light of the Countenance of God Delight and Ioy and Gladnesse of Heart Mihi crede res severa est verum Gaudium Beleeue it y Senec. Epist l. 3. ep 23. saith Seneca true Ioy indeed is a matter of much Gravity Wee may see it by our Prophet here who had not that Ioy that is described by the Preacher to bee as the z Eccles. 7.5 Crackling of Thornes vnder a Pot or as a a Ecclus. 21.20 Lifting vp of the Voice with Laughter No but Ioy he had notwithstanding and such Gladnesse of Heart as that the Gladnesse of his Enemies who had all things in such abundance Corne and Wine and Oyle was nothing comparable therevnto Even in laughter b Prov. 14.13 saith Solomon the Heart is sorrowfull and the end of that Mirth is Heauinesse Dronysius the Tyrant of Sicily expressed this no man better The Story is at large both in c Tull. Tusc Quaest l. 5. Tully and d Macrob. in Som. Scip. l. 1. c. 10. Macrobius The Increasing here of their Corne and Wine and Oyle thus specified doth intimate vnto vs their time of Harvest Which three Commodities were so great in the Land of Canaan their Country as that it was oftentimes called by the Holy Ghost e Exod 3.8.3.17.13.5.33.3 A Land that floweth with Milk and Hony Now their Ioy in Harvest was so great as that the Prophet Esay when hee would expresse great Ioy indeed thought good to fetch his Comparison from thence They ioy f Esay 9.3 saith he before thee according to the ioy in Haruest Which Ioy no doubt is the greater by reason of such Multitude◠as then Ioy togither When many Ioy togither saith g Aug. Confess l. 8. c. 4. S. Austen each Mans Ioy is more Feruent for that they inflame one another But yet when all comes to all the Ioy in Haruest is but Earthly Ioy and therefore well may the Prophet here preferre his Ioy before that For howsoeuer it be here read Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Heart since the time that their Corne and Wine Oyle increased yet more agreeable to the Hebrew is that in our last Translation as also in the Former before Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Heart more then in the time that their Corne and their Wine increased And againe Thou hast giuen me more Ioy of Heart then they haue had when their Wheat and Wine did abound Yea but here h The Abridgment of the Booke which the Lincolneshire Minist deliuered to his Maiesty p. 15. Exception is taken for adding of Cyle seeing it is not in the
great difficulty in obtaining of Pardon as it is written l 1. Pet. 4.18 saith hee in another place If the Righteous scarcely be saued where shall the Vngodly and the Sinner appeare Verse 4. Turne thee O Lord and deliuer my Soule Oh saue me for thy Mercies sake Himselfe being now converted to the Lord his Petition to the Lord now is that the Lord would be converted vnto him according vnto that of the Lord himselfe in the Prophet Zachary Turne yee vnto me m Zach. 1.3 saith the Lord of Hoasts and I will turne vnto you saith the Lord of Hoasts Now what hee here meant by the Lords Turning vnto him hee explicateth in the Words that follow namely in deliuering his Soule and sauing him for his Mercies sake First for his Soule likely ynough that his Life is meant thereby being now as it were at the last cast and vpon the Coâ—fines of Death For howsoeuer the Soule is sometimes taken for that Spirituall and best Part of Man whereby we vnderstand and discourse of things sometimes for the Will and Affections whereof the Soule is the Seat yet here in this place considering the Sequences it may be taken for Life by the Figure Metanomia for that the Soule is Cause of Life Secondly where he petitioneth to be Saued and that is the Summe of his Request he tooke no doubt the right course in making his Repaire vnto God For as this our Prophet acknowledgeth elswhere that he is the n Ps 17.7 Saviour of them that put their trust in him so the Lord saith of himselfe o Esay 43.11 I euen I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour And againe p Esay 45.21 There is no God els beside me a iust God and a Saviour there is none beside me The like hath the Prophet q Hos 13.4 Hosea True it is that the Word to SAVE is applyed to Others to either Spiritually or Corporally as Paul to Timothy r 1. Tim. 4.16 Take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto the Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee and S. Iames to this purpose Å¿ Iam. 5.19 Brethren if any of you doe erre from the Truth let him know that he which converteth a Sinner from the Error of his Way shall saue a Soule from Death So Ministers by Preaching Magistrates by Protecting Christians by Admonishing doe saue But thus to saue is to serue Gods Providence onely as a meanes in the preservation of others as Instruments vnder God who for their Service herein honoureth them with the Title belonging to Himselfe Thirdly where he pleads not Merit but Mercy which Merit no doubt he might haue pleaded aswell as any our Merit-mongers whatsoeuer it teacheth vs what wee in like case should bring as a Present to the true IOSEPH our Governour not a t Gen. 43.11 little Balme and a little Hony Spices and Mirrhe Nuts and Almonds of our owne Workes and Deeds but only his owne MERCY Periculosa habitatio eorum qui in Meritis suis sperant periculosa quia ruinosa Dangerous is their Dwelling u Bern. in Psal Qui habitat Ser. 1. saith S. Bernard that trust in their owne Merits it is a Dangerous for it is a Ruinous Dwelling When an House is ready to tumble downe x Plin. Nat. Hist l. 8. c. 28. saith Pliny the Mice goe out of it before and first of all the Spiders with their Webbes fall downe and surely we should bee more brutish then either Spiders or Mice should we trust to such ruinous Dangers as such Confidence would bring vpon vs. Vers 5. For in Death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the Pit Two Sorts of Men haue liued in the World would God we might say Haue liued as Tully y Plut. in Cic. said Vixerunt of Some whom he had caused to bee executed as Traitours for so are these against God but two Sorts of Men haue liued in the World that deny the z Zanch. de Oper Dei Part. 3. l. 2. c. 8. Immortality of the Soule the One of them absolutely the Other by a Consequence Of those which doe it absolutely we haue now no cause to speake cause we shall haue sufficient when we come to the Fourteenth Psalme They which doe it by a Consequence are such as hold that the Soules dye when as the Bodies doe dye and that they rise not till the Bodies rise againe They dare not deny flatly a Zanch Ib. saith Zanchius the Soules Immortality for that it is so manifest throughout the whole Scriptures but what they dare that they doe they depriue it of all Sence of all Knowledge of all Affection and Operation stifly maintaining that it sleepeth forsooth till the Day of the Bodies Resurrection and then that it shall bee wakened and not till then Among the severall Parcels of Scripture which they haue heaped vp to this purpose this of this Psalme is one and as many besides in the Psalmes as describe Man to bee of such a Condition as that hee cannot after Death praise the Name of the Lord any more As namely where David b Ps 88.10 saith Doest thou shewe Wonders among the Dead or shall the Dead rise vp againe and praise thee Shall thy louing Kindnes be shewed in the Graue or thy Faithfulnes in Destruction Shall thy wondrous Workes be knowen in the Darke and thy Righteousnes in the Land where all things are forgotten And againe c Ps 115.17 The Dead praise not thee O Lord neither all they that goe downe into the Silence but we that is we which liue will praise the Lord from this time forth for euermore And yet again d Ps 30.9 What profit is there in my Bloud when I goe downe to the Pit Shall the Dust giue Thankes vnto thee or shall it declare thy Truth But there is as Zanchius e Zanch. vbi supra obserues a twofold Praise the One when in this World we shew forth vnto Others the Lords Goodnes towards vs that Others also by our example may be stirred vp to put their Confidence in God and to worship God in like sort and of this kind of Praises are the foresaid Places to be vnderstood The Other when the Praises of God are reserved for the World to come to be perfourmed by the blessed Saints that shall at that time praise the Lord. And that they praise the Lord in the World to come witnes those severall places in the Revelation that might bee brought to this purpose f Rev. 5.13 Euery Creature which is in Heauen and in the Earth and vnder the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying BLESSING HONOVR GLORY AND POWER BE VNTO HIM THAT SITTETH VPON THE THRONE AND VNTO THE LAMB FOR EVER AND EVER Againe g Reu. 14.2 I heard a Voyce from Heauen at the
Hearts Vox mea in Ore nondum erat sed Auris Dei iam in Corde erat My Words were not come so forward as my Mouth d Aug. in Ps 31. saith S. Austen and the Eare of God was already in my Heart And againe e Aug. in Ps 141 Nisi voce Pulmonum Laterum Linguae claemes Homo te non audit Cogitatio tua clamor est ad Dominum Vnlesse thou vse the helpe of the Lungs and Sides and Tongue Man heares thee not but thy Thought in regard of God is Clamour ynough And yet againe in a Third place f Aug. in Ps 148. Hom. 16. Quomodo Aures nostrae ad Voces nostras sic Aures Dei ad Cogitationes nostras As our owne Eares are to our Words so are Gods Eares to our Thoughts Onely one thing let me note for the Comfort of them that are sometimes too-too much troubled with their Thoughts that †B. Bilsons Survey of Christs Sufferings p. 200. A Man may thinke and speake of all the Errors and Heresies in the World and yet not sinne It is the liking and embracing of them that maketh the Offence and not Thinking or Reasoning of them The Will causeth Thoughts to be good or euil the Vnderstanding doth not Vers 11. My helpe commeth of God which preserueth them that are true of Heart The Art of Physick hath two severall Offices the One of Healing the Other of Preseruing in Health According to the Former g Aug. in hunc Ps saith S. Austen it was said in the Former h Ps 6.2 Psalme Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake according to the Latter it is said in this Psalme If there be any Wickednes in my Hands If I haue rewarded evill vnto him that dealt friendly with me yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine Enemy In that Psalme his Prayer was that being weake he might be healed in this Psalme his Prayer is that being sound he may not be diseased According to the Former it is there said i Ps 6.4 O saue me for thy Mercies sake according to the Latter it is here said Giue sentence with me O Lord according to my Righteousnes and according to the Innocency that is in me There he desired a Remedy to bee rid of his Disease here he requests a Preservatiue least he should relapse againe According vnto that it is there said O saue me for thy Mercies sake according vnto this it is here said My helpe commeth of God which preserueth them that are true of Heart Yea but who will you say are such Who but such as was Nathaniel of whom our Saviour l Ioh. 1.47 Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no Guile Such as was Iacob of whom the Scripture m Gen. 25.27 Esau was a cunning Hunter a Man of the Field and Iacob was a plaine Man dwelling in Tents It is in the Vulgar Iacob Vir simplex a simple Man The like in the Vulgar is said of Iob to n Iob. 1.1 Simplex Rectus Simple and Vpright and so indeed they are and are to be who will haue their Names in Gods Booke The Wisdome of the Serpent and Simplicity of the Doue is the true mixture that God requireth in those that are his Where as his Excellent o His MAIESTIES Meditation vpon 1. Chron. 15. v. 25 26 27 28 Part. 5. in his Workes p. 88 MAIESTY hath obserued Christ recommends vnto vs the Wisdome of Serpents not thereby to deceiue and betray others but to arme vs against the Deceit and Treason of Hypocrites that goe about to trap vs. What an Helper God is hath bene spoken p Expos on Ps 37. p 78. before Vers 12. God is a righteous Iudge strong and patient and God is prouoked euery day The Almighty God our Heauenly Father as he is both Good and Mercifull Patient and of long Sufferance so he vseth two manner of wayes to allure and call vs to him when we of our owne Heads follow our own Devices and lewdly runne whethersoeuer our Lusts doe leade vs Sometimes in his great Mercy he vseth Promises sometimes in his Iustice hee vseth Threatnings And therefore Dauid in this place God saith he is a righteous Iudge The very Name of a Iudge may put vs in minde of Gods Seuerity A Iudge is a Person appointed ouer Criminall Causes and Civill Controuersies to end and determine them by his Sentence To the Guilty such as all of vs in an other case are by Nature Experience teacheth how dreadful a Sight the Face of a Iudge is Rulers q Rom. 13.4 saith the Apostle are not a terror to good Works but to the euill Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power Doe that which is good and thou shalt haue praise of the same For he is the Minister of God to thee for good but if thou doe that which is euill be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vaine for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute Wrath vpon him that doth euill But God is a Righteous Iudge that is he will by no meanes cleere the r Exod. 34.7 Guilty and it is a righteous thing with God ſ 2. Thess 1.6 saith S. Paul to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you And t Gen. 18.25 Abraham as you heard before Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth doe right And as he is Righteous so is he Strong that is of Power to be revenged of all the Wicked Seek not u Ecclus. 7.6 saith the Sonne of Syrach to be Iudge being not able to take away Iniquity least at any time thou feare the Person of the Mighty and lay a stumbling block in the Way of thy Vprightnes And in some it is so indeed they want ability to curbe the Impiety of Many in the Land With the Lord it is not so hee is so Powerfull in such Cases that the x Ps 104 3◠Earth shall tremble at the Looke of him if he doe but touch the Hils they shall smoke If I speake of Strength y Iob. 9.19 saith Iob Loe he is strong and againe z Iob. 36.19 Will he esteeme thy Riches no not Gold nor all the Forces of Strength But as God is Righteous and Strong so is he Patient to and God is prouoked euery Day And now are we in a Sea of Matter where we may haue plenty at will I will content my selfe with that of Cyprian who speaking of this Argument The Patience of God What manner of Patience is in God a Cyp. de Bono Patient saith hee and how great for quantity who patiently suffereth profane Temples of the Heathen worldly Inventions and execrable Sacriledge to be committed by Men in contempt of his Maiesty and Honour and yet notwithstanding causeth the Day to shew and the Sunne to shine aswell vpon the b Mat. 5.45 Evill as the Good Hee watereth the Ground